Book picks similar to
The Darkling Thrush by L.S. Baird
mm-fantasy
self-published
must-haves
fantasy
Close Encounters
Xara X. Xanakas - 2012
These two guys have been paired up for the latest Ursa Majoris Pornacopia Holoflick. They have 24hrs to figure out how to get it up and get it on… without breaking Universal Health and Safety Codes for Interspecies Sex Acts.Photo Description: Redhead with soul patch in a black T-shirt is standing in front of a giant blue man with gold horns and yellow hair. The redhead has an "Are you shitting me?" look on his face.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is Always Write" 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.Download the story, read it online or find it in Love Is Always Write: Volume 2.
Heavenly Bodies
Joel Derfner - 2015
Diane cuts a deal.Rafe’s academic troubles grow worse, but he finds comfort in surprising places. When Micah plunges into mathematical calculations that threaten to expose trade secrets long held close by Kaab's people, Kaab must do some quick thinking of her own. Meanwhile, Diane seeks to involve the house Balam in her intrigues, and the river yields up a mystery of its own. This episode is brought to you by Joel Derfner, who dials up the heat in our play of passions. “Heavenly Bodies” continues the 13-part serial,
Tremontaine
, presented by Serial Box. This prequel to the cult classic Swordspoint is brought to you by the collaborative effort of a team of writers under the creative direction of Ellen Kushner herself. Join the dance of swordplay and scandal, week after week, on Serial Box.com. And don’t forget to share the love! If you’re enjoying Tremontaine, help us get the word out by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and Tumblr, and telling your friends about us! We’d also love to hear what you think so please give us a review! “Sharp blades and even sharper wits abound! Delicious new adventures await fans in this welcome return to the world of Swordspoint.” – Jacqueline Carey, New York Times Bestselling author of the Kushiel’s Legacy series“Lovely! Beneath a froth of silk and lace Tremontaine is finely muscled, rippling with skill and promise.” – Nicola Griffith, author of Hild“More Tremontaine stories? YESPLEASE. Tremontaine stories by some of my favorite, excellent writers? HELLA YESPLEASE. I can't wait to read them all! ”– N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Kingdom “A pure delight full of sparkling characters that match equally dazzling wits and swords. If you've visited the world of Swordspoint before, you'll be delighted to return; if it's your first time, you'll be welcomed in style. I can't wait to read more myself!”– Naomi Novaik, author of Uprooted
Hating You is the Hardest Part
C.C. Jaz - 2015
From the day they first met as kids they were at each other’s throats, either pulling pranks or worse on each other, before coming to blows and starting the process all over again, much to the mixed horror and delight of their friends and the despair of the adults around them. Even after high school/college/adulthood/etc., the pair still did not get along until an authority figure stepped forward to force them to work together. To make matters worse one of the pair is an alpha in waiting and should know better. What are we going to do to get this pair together, safe, sane, and happy?Photo Description: Two men embrace one another, while one leans his head against the other one’s shoulder. They’re both smiling, looking happy and content.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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.
Frangipani and the Very Shiny Boy
R. Cooper - 2013
Frangipani is a fairy with a problem; he has a found a human that shines like no other, but he can't seem to get that human to notice him.
Araton's Destiny
Serena Yates - 2010
He expects to be punished - and is surprised to find out there is room for leniency - and even a new job. Will he be any better at being a Christmas angel?Jake is a former pro-football player whose knee injury has prevented him from fulfilling a lifelong dream. He turns his attention to extreme sports instead. When he falls into an ice cave during a solitary trip just before Christmas he believes it is the end of the road for him. Nothing short of a miracle will save him...
King Henry Short Pack One (The King Henry Tapes)
Richard Raley - 2015
Please understand that it contains no ‘new’ material, but instead combines the already published works of “Little King Henry”, “Conquering Hero”, “Friendship is Madness”, “Second Take”, “Griefing”, and “Meet the Bonnies.” The only reason you should purchase King Henry Short Pack One is because you're new to the series, you want this ease-of-use formatting, or because you’re a horrible, horrible, no-good long-time fan and have yet to purchase the shorts separately, in which case lucky you! King Henry Short Pack One is 50% off the price of buying the shorts separately! Now, this preface will be enough to forestall any reviews claiming the author is a horrible, double-dipping %@&!, right? LITTLE KING HENRY Ceinwyn Dale has been all over the world as the Head of Recruiting for the Institution of Elements, finding the brightest mancers along the way. But how exactly did she find out about her most troubling recruit just days before the new school year? How did she find out about King Henry Price? CONQUERING HERO December evaluations are here at the Asylum and for Ultra Class '09 it's the first chance to see where they stand among their peers. FRIENDSHIP IS MADNESS Together, King Henry Price, geomancer, and Tyson Bonnie, electromancer, have created artifacts of amazing magical power. They've watched each other's back while battling the Coyote Nation with flashy lightning bolts and . . . geomancer stuff. They might even admit . . . yeah, they're kind of friends now. But not so long ago they met for the first time . . . and it's all Ceinwyn Dale's fault. SECOND TAKE Most would say that for a fifteen-year-old just starting his second year at the Institution of Elements, Heinrich von Welf has the perfect life. First in his year, from a wealthy and influential family, his future prospects in career and in the heart are unmatched. But he made one rather large mistake in his life: he made King Henry Price his rival. When Heinrich's younger sister Victoria joins him at school as a new student, King Henry is ready and waiting to make Heinrich's life one of constant terror about what the Foul Mouth is planning next. GRIEFING King Henry Price has just endured a horrible loss in his life. He returns to the Asylum adrift, unsure how to process the situation. But one thing is a constant: he's the Foul Mouth, he won't be grieving, he'll be GRIEFING, and it will be up to Ultra Class '09 to bear the brunt of the onslaught MEET THE BONNIES Tyson Bonnie made a mistake. A small mistake, yes, but still a grievous error that will cost him his sanity. His mistake wasn't agreeing to spy on King Henry Price. His mistake wasn't becoming friends with King Henry Price. His mistake wasn't even becoming business partners with King Henry Price. Tyson Bonnie's mistake was accidentally asking King Henry Price to meet his family. What was he thinking!?!? These stories are set in the world of THE KING HENRY TAPES: Book 1 - "The Foul Mouth and the Fanged Lady" (released) Book 2 - "The Foul Mouth and the Cat Killing Coyotes" (released) Book 3 - "The Foul Mouth and the Troubled Boomworm" (released) Book 4 - "The Foul Mouth and the Headless Hunny" (released) Book 5 - "The Foul Mouth and the Mancy Martial Artist" (released) Book 6 - "The Foul Mouth and the Artificial Court" (forthcoming)
Yarulf's Duty
Vicktor Alexander - 2014
We are deeply formal, and decorum and honor are most important to us. So I’m sure you’ll understand my utter dismay upon being married to one of those savages, those long-haired barbarians we had been fighting for centuries. And to a man, no less. I was to broker peace by bringing shame to my family and to my kingdom.That was how I married into this happy, weird clan, this race of freedom and warmth that wouldn’t know propriety if it hit them in the face. And I’m terrified. Terrified that that my dark, deviant, twisted desires will be brought to light for all the worlds to see. Not that my new family seem to care. From what I’ve seen, men holding hands or women kissing in the streets are as common as sunrise in this land.And what am I supposed to do with my gorgeous, warm husband, who looks at me with such kindness in his eyes and a smirk I just want to kiss punch off his face? Or with that red-haired band of lunatics, with absolutely no concept of personal space, they call the royal family?I’m starting to believe I could finally find myself here, and yet it is my duty to betray those that I’ve come to hold dearest. When I’m made to choose between duty and love, when the hour comes when I must favor a side, how will I do it without losing a part of myself?Photo Description: 2 drawn images 1)A man with a naked upper torso. Long wavy red hair, purple eyes, wearing a leather thong necklace with a large red pendant. The background is a grayish sky. 2)A royal portrait of a man with blue eyes and dark bluish hair. He’s wearing a white shirt with frills down from the neck and flared frilly sleeves. Over the shirt is a royal blue coat with gold detailing. His left hand holds the handle of a sword.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.
Sing Me Your Love Song
Raine O'Tierney - 2015
But he’s got a surefire plan for severing that nuisance once and for all. If only he’d prepared himself for what the thread leads him to: a drunk man in a wedding dress hugging a toilet. Fate is a funny thing.This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love is an Open Road" 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. Dear Author,These men are on their wedding night. They are wearing traditional attire according to their social/military/royal/world status. I want to know their story, and why is one of them hiding in a wash chamber. Is that a tattoo on his chest or did his husband brand him during the wedding ceremony? Why is the other so serious? Maybe he doesn’t like all the jewelry?I wonder about their world, time, professions, etc. Did they marry for love, or convenience? Maybe it was arranged, or were they drunk?I want their love to grow, as well as their need for each other. I just want them to be happy, but you can tell their first time together will be passionate. You can see it in their eyes.I’m giving them to you, dear author. Anything and everything will be good for them.Photo Description: In the first picture, a man leans back in an empty, white claw-foot bathtub. He’s wearing a white ruffled skirt with stockings and heavy black boots. His eye makeup is vivid, and he’s holding a cigarette. The second picture is of a man wearing an incredible amount of jewelry and a scowl on his face. He has dramatic cheekbones and a shock of white in his hair. He wears couture fashion.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.
Wand-Losing & Other Things You Shouldn't Be Doing
Gabbo De La Parra - 2014
It’s up to Max Maitheas, governor of the city-state of Anatolia to embark on a diplomat journey to find out the alien's intentions.Captain Rezzu Ki Muselet leads the first Colviri-Human mission since Nova Gaia (a human planet) became part of the Colviri system— a recognizance mission to a remote planet where they hope to discover signs of life. What Rezzu wasn’t prepared to discover was a thriving civilization and to become mesmerized by the eyes of the head diplomat in charge of receiving them: green and wonderful like the sky of his home planet.Both Max and Rezzu have secrets, but if they’re able to surpass their own deceptions, they might also find love.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. Photo Description: A painting of a handsome man in semi profile, part human part machine, looking at one of his hands. His machine parts and clothes are done in gold, copper and brass tones with clouds resembling cogs in different sizes surrounding him. He wears a top hat adorned with goggles and two feathers, one of a pheasant and the other of a peacock. He’s the embodiment of Steampunk imagery.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.
Strange Charm
A. Phallus Si - 2017
One last hurrah before the responsibilities of adulthood draw these littermates apart. Galacticaching their way through star systems they encounter more than they bargained for during their stopover at Space Portal Vector 7Z-218. This unassuming station at the edge of the galaxy holds a key, and the space hijinks and absurdities exponentially increase as they try to find the elusive token and solve its mystery. Ajax has always counted on Igor and vice versa, but he never imagined what he discovers. Will either of their futures ever be the same after the games?
A Calling for Pleasure
J.L. Merrow - 2011
But a hot little piece of demon tail like Rael is impossible to resist. Slender, snake-hipped, and dark skinned, he swears he’s innocent—of murder, at least.Rael is delighted when a summoning brings him up to Earth, filled as it is with hot guys walking around like an all-you-can-eat buffet. He’s not so happy about the mean old detectives interrupting him halfway through his dinner—but he changes his mind after getting an eyeful of Lars’s muscular, Nordic charms.Now Rael has a vested interest in keeping Lars safe from the real killer, even if that means putting himself into the killer’s path.
Friction
Lissa Kasey - 2011
Not because he's not intelligent or can't follow along in class, but because he's different than all the other students. He's a male witch in a society ruled by females. That's no minor problem since Magic Theory is his major.His visits to his sometime lover, Gabe Santini, provide him a safe and uncomplicated haven to escape to, until one night when his fear of commitment drives him away. He learns that monsters aren't the only things that stalk their prey.In the end he may discover he was safer with the vampire than anything his college life has to offer. ----------Free eBook featuring characters from the upcoming Dominion series.Approx. Word Count: 4,348Cover Art by: L.C. Chase
Chains
Rowan McBride - 2013
They say he's a warrior. They call him a demon. They whisper that he can grant wishes.Saiven can't resist. He sneaks into the secluded dungeon to see, but the man chained to the wall is not what he expects. Smiling. Teasing. He introduces himself as Faolan, and Saiven is caught.This...man. He makes Saiven feel things he should not feel. Draws forth confessions that were meant to stay secret. Faolan freely grants him warmth and laughter. But now...Now it's time to find out if Saiven is strong enough to earn a wish.