Fantasy - Magical Realism Genre

Word Count: Click here to reveal7,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Non Binary (Click here to hide)

Summary: What would the Earth look like if the very atoms that compose the planet were suffused with magical aether? How would our lives in the modern world be different if this aether was discovered last year, or last decade, or last century, or last millennia? How might the people who inhabit this oh-so-different but still modern Earth explore their gender identities? These are the questions we posed to the 17 authors chosen to contribute to Duck Prints Press's newest anthology Aether Beyond the Binary. Their diverse answers are bound together in this must-not-miss collection of stories about magical worlds, adventures and mysteries, new chances and well-earned endings, and characters as gender-diverse as the worlds they inhabit.

Word Count: Click here to reveal90000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Lornyc is good at keeping secrets, because secrets can get you killed. Lornyc hates politics. The small talk, backstabbing, and the attempts to undermine his marriage makes his blood boil and his head ache. But what he really hates is someone kidnapping his husband. The suspicion that the Valen are somehow involved is confirmed when the truth about Methian’s real parentage is revealed. But there are other fights ahead, this time with the mage when Lornyc discovers that they were not only behind his mother’s family being stripped of their magic, but have been trying to limit the Reagalos family powers for centuries.

Word Count: Click here to reveal55275 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Ben De Santis is the first book in the Deser Witch series by Nathan Grant.  Included in this series are Teddy Granville Desert Witch, Darius Zan Desert Witch, and Adam Draecon Desert Witch Ben De Santis I manage a small Western art gallery, where I’ve flirted on and off for years with Devin, an Arizona ranch owner, and a scruffy sexy artist. I know he likes what he sees but is too shy and never says much to me. Not one soul here knows I’m a witch, but today things suddenly sparked into life, and now Grandpa is calling, and I have no clue what he wants. Devin Hunter I sell my Cowboy art at a small gallery in Carefree, that has a crazy handsome manager, and he is it for me. He’s always been friendly but seems quiet so I’ve left him alone. Now however, I need to make my move, since I’m going to start my own art gallery and want him to come along. When I finally approached him and shook his hand, I had the shock of my life, and soon his phone was ringing. Nero De Santis My grandson Bennie a good boy, respectful, and dense about his fated soulmate, but so is Devin. I felt them connect but they still had no clue what was going on, and I soon filled them in. I scanned Devin naturally, and something is way off with that cowboy. His deadbeat witch parents are a joke, so his immense power makes no sense. I need to consult Agnes as something is very wrong over there. Agnes Granville As a witch dealing with the Magnus coven, I received a concerning call from Nero, about his grandson’s fated soulmate Devin. I checked him out as a favor, and while quite powerful, he is unaware he is under a spell, and has no apparent pedigree to back up his dangerous power. I need Vito and Craig to help me sort this out, and do some sniffing around, sorry Craig, no pun intended.

Word Count: Click here to reveal19000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: What if you could hear the words behind the words? Brad Weston’s life seems perfect. He’s GQ handsome, the chief of staff for a Republican California state senator, and enjoys the power and the promise of a bright future. And he’s in a comfortable relationship with his boyfriend of six years, Alex. Sam Fuller is Brad’s young blond blue-eyed intern, fresh out of college, running from a bad breakup, and questioning his choices and his new life in politics. To make things worse, Sam also has a thing for the boss, but Brad is already taken. While looking for a gift for his boyfriend, Brad wanders into a curiosity shop and becomes fascinated by an old wooden medallion. Brad’s not a superstitious man, but when he takes out the medallion in his office, he sees the world in a whole new light. And nothing will ever be the same.

Word Count: Click here to reveal120000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Pansexual (Click here to hide)

Summary: Secret identities are hard to keep. Sora finds this to be doubly true after meeting the struggling Burkhard Clan and the mischievous Ravi. The wind dragon has stolen his breath, and heart, away. Sora suspects he might have found his mate. But his inability to be truthful with Ravi eats at Sora. When the Jaeggi attack, Sora can’t keep his secrets any longer. Not when Ravi is in the center of the war raging around them. He has to reveal who he really is. It’s the only way to be with Ravi and give the Burkhards the help they need. Sora’s secret could tip the scales to save them all. Tags: There’s tropes, and then there’s this book, Ravi has impulse issues, in Ravi’s defense he was left unsupervised, you’re only in trouble if you get caught, secret identity, only Ravi could have a meet-cute like this,  Ravi attempts romance, it's bad, no its really really bad,  thank god for it, bored mages get into stuff, mothers with an agenda, hurt/comfort, somehow the comfort part involves tacos, Ravi is a corruptive influence, Sora is a willing corruptee, chaos incarnate, protective mate, bad guys ramp it up to the next level, Sora has an ace up his sleeve, and is not afraid to use it, Bat-Ravi

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Cole Ryan is bored. He’s lived in the same small town his whole life and has the same job. Nothing changes there and every morning when he goes for a run, those thoughts echo on repeat through his mind. Until today, on this day, something big happens and if he survives it, his life won’t be the same. Maybe boring old Hickory Crossing wasn’t so bad after all. Driving in the rain, on his way to a delivery, Bobby Sanders is focused on the road, when a flash of blue light in the distance catches his eye. He witnesses a bolt of lightning strike a man running on the road ahead of him. He never suspected that bolt of lightning could change both their lives, not just the poor guy who was blown out of his shoes right in front of him. When the persistent sound of whispering won’t go away, Cole questions his sanity. But maybe he’s not the only one experiencing strange things.

Word Count: Click here to reveal45873 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: This is book 1 of the Eternal Flames series, Centuries ago the Phoenix and Dragons were a force no one could penetrate. They fought together, mated together, and worked side by side, and then all that changed. The children of the leaders were dead and war had practically destroyed them all. The fighting stopped and they both went their separate ways. Daytona was the Captain of the Crystal fire department. He loved his small town and he loved his job. However, what none of the small town knew was that he was also a dragon. Crystal was a small location just outside Denver, and it was also the home to the Phoenix. He had lived amongst them for years, hiding his scent, until the day came that he could no longer keep his secret. When a fire claims his mother's life, Ethan rushes home. Having your mother being a victim of an arson is not something he was prepared to face, but discovering he wouldn't have to do it alone, should have been a relief. The thing is...that relief came in the form of a dragon, and the town believes that his mate is the cause of all the fires around town. When the arsonist strikes close to home, Day knows he must clear his name and find the culprit that is now trying to kill his mate.

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Summary: Is it kidnapping or a supernatural attraction none of them can escape?   With no answers to what it’s about, Matthew and his captors embark on a  journey to discover the truth.   Part three of a serialized paranormal Rockstar romance featuring mythical beings and multiple pairings. Better read in order.

Word Count: Click here to reveal14,151 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Dear Author, As Crown Prince to the human nation, I could have anyone I choose but to end the war between the humans and the griffons, I must marry the youngest son of the Griffon King. The night before I’m to be married, I meet a man who captures my attention at first glance but before I can talk to him, he disappears. How am I supposed to marry someone I’ve never met when I’ve finally found someone who’s captured my interest? But I suppose it’s for the best because no matter what, I’m determined to end this war… I just hope my betrothed is someone I can grow fond of… Photo Description: Photo 1: A tall man with short, dark brown, roman-cut hair, piercing eyes of indeterminate color, and high cheekbones in an oval, masculine face with pouty lips is walking towards the viewer. He wears a tilted gold crown with two red stones visible on front. He has a brown, thigh-length fur coat with a black fur collar, a dark brown scarf, and leopard-patterned gloves. His long black pants partially cover the top of his silver-studded black boots. Photo 2: A golden-tanned man with black pants hanging hip level and a muscular, shirtless back is facing away from the viewer with a black background. He has short, straight, ginger hair with brown and gold highlights. His left hand grasps a long silver sword at the hilt near the left side of his head, across his broad shoulders, and cut off from the picture to his right with his right arm hanging down. This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

Word Count: Click here to reveal33000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Aromantic, Bisexual, Demigender, Demisexual, Gay, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, Intersex, Lesbian, Non Binary, Questioning, Pansexual, Polyamorous, Straight, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Clarity (noun) Four definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) Coherent and intelligible 2) Transparent or pure 3) Attaining certainty about something 4) Easy to see or hear Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Word Count: Click here to reveal10,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: Clockwork mummies, thieving deities, airship pirates, psychic queens, mechanical scarabs, unrepentant scoundrels, mysterious museums, trickster djinns, suspicious werewolves, abducted scientists, fearless spies, and vengeful gods... All this and more wait inside the pages of Clockwork Cairo. Featuring stories from: George Mann, Gail Carriger, Nisi Shawl, Tee Morris & Pip Ballantine, David Barnett, Rod Duncan, Tiffany Trent, P. Djeli Clark, Jonathan Green, E. Catherine Tobler, Chaz Brenchley, K. Tempest Bradford, Benjanun Sriduangkaew and others...

Word Count: Click here to reveal62000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Knitting. Ice Cream. And a Matchmaking Fae. Quiet, industrious Finn dreams of his own knitting store. He needs Leo’s enthusiasm to make him reach for what he wants. Cheerful, adventurous Leo sells artisan ice cream but shies away from fulfilling his grandmother’s last wish. He needs Finn’s love and support to put his past to rest for good. Add a Saxon treasure, a fae stranded in the human world, and an empty store with very unusual rental terms - and falling in love is not the only challenge Finn and Leo have to face. Making a dream come true takes work. But there's magic in dreams if Finn and Leo can hold on tight. *** Tags: I'm only here for socks and ice cream. Sometimes you just click with another guy even if you're opposites. I look at you and know what I'll be knitting. How to share a house with someone you've just met. Utensils don't sparkle, right? Grandmas rock. Making a deal with a burglar. Roisin is a decorating wiz and Finn worries about antique furniture. If you don't talk to me, I can't help you. Finding treasure at inopportune moments. And yes, there's a happy ending.

Word Count: Click here to reveal19860 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealLesbian (Click here to hide)

Summary: Cynthia and Eve is a tale of oceanic adventure and sensual F/F romance above the waves. In the underwater city of Grenmere, Eve – a mermaid – is a guard of the Demesne; an ancient building that houses the teal pearl, an artifact of power. When the teal pearl is stolen and its protectors slain, Eve must venture into the human world, along with her ally – Ken, to help retrieve it and punish the culprits. Eve has to take human form for the first time when she reaches land, and she's stuck in human form for a year and a day in a world she doesn't know. She soon meets Cynthia, a powerful yet beautiful witch, and discovers more about herself, her burgeoning sexuality and the world above than she imagined possible. This novella contains strong steamy content and is just under 20,000 words in length.

Word Count: Click here to reveal22,075 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Lesbian, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: A pink-haired succubus, a kitchen witch and an angelic agent. In a world of supernatural threats, they'll need all the help they can get. In the town of Bellasford, Rose is a succubus who can't avoid trouble. She wants little beyond a happy life with her magically-gifted girlfriend Lisa, some steamy poly encounters to keep her nourished, and to find her missing mother. Ella, an elder succubus, disappeared years before, but Rose's attempts to uncover information led her straight into a trap and a veritable nest of vampire trouble. A daring escape is not without its price, as Rose is forced to strike a deal with one of her captors. As tempted as she is to cast aside the task, innocent lives are at stake, as is her continued well-being if she breaks her word. Relieved to have her girlfriend back safely, Lisa agrees to help fulfil her promise. Neither knows what dangers lurk in the shadows, especially as secrets are unveiled. Darkling Rose is a F/F romantic urban fantasy novella of around 22,000 words, which contains strong steamy content and language. Trigger Warning: Kidnapping

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Since Bran Tanda started working at the morgue, his life has changed. He’s spent most of his life denying his necromancer abilities, but now he knows there’s no other choice but to embrace it and learn as much as he can about it. No matter how much he hates it. Jordan Amid is becoming more comfortable being around the dead. But they still overwhelm him and terrify him. The coldness and the heavy emotions he associates with being near a spirit are nearly too much for him to take. But for Bran, he’ll try. Bran and Jordan soon realize there is more going on than they understand, and even Janis isn’t sure how to handle what she knows is coming for them. Mysterious markings continue to appear and unless they can learn more from the journals Bran finds at his house, there may be no hope for anyone.

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Summary: Is this man his first real chance at love… or will his father’s curse stop it from happening? Will pursuing this newfound love put both their lives at risk? Lance loved his grandmother, but even though he knew it was real, he tried hard not to buy into all her witch stuff. But it was real enough that his homophobic father had cursed him and his brothers to never find love. Regardless of what Lance believed or wanted to believe, his late grandmother Gwen’s young friend and former roommate Drew was causing him to feel things he didn’t want and didn’t trust. After all, love had only ever left him in pain. Drew is a pragmatist. His skills with magic only heightened under the mentorship of his late friend Gwen. When Gwen’s much too sexy and arrogant grandson shows up to collect his grandmother’s things, Drew is immediately dragged into a decades long drama filled with curses and malicious hatred embodied in the cantation of Lance’s father. The curse Lance’s father cast on him and his brothers continues to plague him. Because of their attraction, the love/hate relationship emboldens the curse and puts both men’s lives at risk. Will the two men learn to trust one another, or will their animosity be what the curse needs to destroy them both once and for all?

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Summary: WARNING: Sexy m/m romance adventure with a hot and powerful mage. Kelly O'Malley wakes from an accident with strange new memories of a world that isn't supposed to exist. With good friend and business partner, Wesley, giving off an odd sense of familiarity, Kelly questions what is real. As he struggles to resolve his slowly diminishing sanity, his world starts crumbling around them. Will Kelly resolve the conflicting reality in time to save himself and his boyfriend, Derek Graham, from the Elemental Mages? Or will they take everything from him? #gayadventureromance #mmromance #fantasyadventure #altereduniverse #elementalmagic #strugglewithreality #savetheuniverse NOTE: This is a re-edited version. There are no significant changes in content.

Word Count: Click here to reveal119225 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: This is book one of the Archaeologist series including Dragon's Glass, book two.   A prophecy written in the blazing stars of Draco, tells of an ancient powerful soul, a soul who will awaken and lead a lost people to greatness. Vaaltim, Imperial Dragon King Dr. Mael Corentin, Archaeologist and self-admitted dreamer is deeply in love with the more practical Daxon Champlain who also bears the same feelings, but neither of them are brave enough to speak up and say so. However, when Daxon’s late uncle leaves him a ranch, accompanied by an enchanted house with many guarded secrets, everything changes. Mael is an Earth witch, while Daxon is a renown psychic, so while the supernatural world is nothing new to either of them, that is about to change and fast. Just when they finally get things going between them, ancient prophecies concerning Mael intervene. Now however, incredible supernatural problems start to arise, big ones as in big dragons. In addition, it seems that Mael, with Daxon’s help must find a way to deal with old hatred. Together they must destroy the dark magic wielding vampire rogues, who are bent on revenge, before their new family can begin to arise to greatness.

Word Count: Click here to reveal117791 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: This is book two of the Archaeologist series. Mael Corentin and Dragon King Vaaltim are searching through the many mysterious documents left to Mael by his late uncle Paul, but one stands out. There is a magical map leading to lost stolen dragon treasures, while the map has the uncanny ability to change at will. During the years before the first rogue vampire wars, it seems a warlock had engaged an enterprising demon to steal the dragon’s most prized possessions; the Dragon’s Glass, along with the enchanted Dragon Glass book. However, the demon was greedy, demanding more, but instead was mortally wounded by the angry warlock. The demon managed to escape with the book before he died, using his magic to protect his stolen treasure even in death. Retrieving the book will reveal the Dragon’s Glass location, but oddly the dead demon must be killed a second time before that can happen. There is only one little catch. Mael is severely warned that the demon’s dark magic can kill him if he even glances at the demon’s spelled remains, while his enchanted crypt contains many other deadly surprises of its own. Beginning their convoluted hunt, they soon discover two more ancient, enchanted dragons whose lives depend on finding the lost objects to end their curse.

Word Count: Click here to reveal70,000ish (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay, Straight (Click here to hide)

Summary: Close friends Allan and Warwick are dead. They’re not crazy about the idea so to help them deal with this dilemma are Samantha, a blond bombshell from the 1950s, and Guy, an insecure angel. Allan also has a secret. He has a romantic crush on his friend, Warwick, but shortly after confiding in his new angel pal, his love interest falls for the cock-sure playwright, Pedro. Not only does Allan have to win the heart of his companion, he also has to grapple with the faded memory of how he actually died.