“The gods aren’t the perfect beings you think them. They can be vengeful and cruel.”
— Caelum | Kat Vancil, “A Ballad for the Granter of Impossible Wishes”
Well hello there, Story Quester. It’s Wednesday, which means I’ve got something new to share with you!
So you might be wondering what I’ve got for you this week. Well, I’m down to the wire finishing up a short story for a contest. The same contest I entered last year with my story, The Mirror of Avarice. Yep, that same story that earned me a coveted spot in this anthology.
I haven’t finalized the name for the story, but it’s looking to be something in the realm of, A Ballad for the Granter of Impossible Wishes.
Project Word Count
3,448
My Weekly Book Recommendations
1) Heaven Official’s Blessing (Vol 1)
by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. But those who rise may also fall, and fall he did. Eight hundred years after his mortal life, Xie Lian has ascended to godhood for the third time bringing chaos in his wake. To repay his debts, Xie Lian is sent to the Mortal Realm to hunt down the violent ghosts and troublemaking spirits who prey on the living, but there he also meets San Lang. A fascinating and brilliant young man who seems to be more than he appears… But what mysteries lie behind that carefree smile?
Features: gay male main characters and genderfluid supporting characters
Genres & Tropes: Chinese fantasy (xianxia), Sword & Sorcery, historical fantasy, Myths & Legends, one bed, secret identity, slow burn
READ IT
2) Awakening in Sapphire
by Jonathan Hawker
Seventeen hundred years after the events that shaped him into a villain of legend, Morgan le Fay wakes with little more than flashes of his life past to guide the way. Thus, he dons the mantle the world has fashioned for him, cloaking his true identity beneath the guise of a mercenary—teaching the neon city of Etna that he is not one to be trifled with. The past and future collide in Etna—one of the final bastions of humanity—as Morgan navigates the schemes of the corporate giant, Esotech, the politics of the Occult Community—and the notion that he could be so much more than the world remembers.
Features: gay and bisexual male main characters & other queer supporting characters
Genres & Tropes: Urban Fantasy, based on Arthurian legend, grumpy/sunshine, soulmates, found family
READ IT
3) Bound: The Contract
by Anne Luise Pätzke
Every Mage has their Page—tucked away in the sewing rooms of the monastery to act as their anchoring shield. And Embry has Kuo. But keeping the relationship without complications is impossible. Maybe it’s the way their contract was made. And maybe it shouldn’t be called a contract. Maybe it’s more?
Features: gay male main characters & other queer supporting characters
Genres & Tropes: Fantasy, Magic Realism, Sword & Sorcery, Queernormative World, magical soul bounding
READ IT
I couldn’t help but recommend this one today, because my signed copy of the 3rd book finally arrived from Germany!
Well, I’ve got to get back to finishing up this short story before Monday, Story Quester. Until next time, this is your friendly neighborhood storytelling Kat signing off.
