Tales from the Tavern is the first anthology I’ve ever put together and I’m pretty darn pleased with how it all turned out. It’s a charity anthology with all profits going to the NZ Drug Foundation, and put together in memory of a friend I knew primarily through tabletop roleplaying games.
We have already donated over $300 for sales through December! Which is great, but I would like to donate more …
Who can tell truth from fiction over a pint of ale at a roadside tavern? By the end of the tale, do you really want to know what actually happened? Perhaps it is better to imagine that a dragon could be charmed by a classical sonata, or that a failed bard could find fame and fortune with the help of a talking frog.
Join 13 authors on quests for glory, tales of epic adventure, and a few distractions on the way in this collection of short fantasy poems and stories.
Thalia Black * Jacqueline Brasfeld * Grace Bridges * Vera Burns * Melanie Harding-Shaw * Sara Norja * Ryn Richmond * dave ring * Grant Robinson * Jamie Sands * Merc Wolfmoor * Tabatha Wood
In loving memory of a fallen comrade. Proceeds will benefit the New Zealand Drug Foundation.
Vampires and werewolves live long lives. The Sleepless City saga might have ended but the story continues… Someone is hunting supernaturals. Vampire Simon Hawthorne and his human partner Ben Leyton’s plans for a peaceful holiday with family are hijacked by the New Zealand Supernatural Council. Tensions are on the rise in Wellington. Supernatural councillors are disappearing. Werewolves are suspicious of anyone human or vampire. If they don’t work together, their enemy has already won. And no one with a connection to the supernatural world is safe.
Foxhunt by Rem Wigmore Sci-fi with a bi protagonist and all-queer cast
Orfeus the musician is searching for hope in the heart of danger…
In a lush solarpunk future, plants have stripped most of the poison from the air and bounty hunters keep resource hoarders in check. Orfeus only wants to be a travelling singer, famed and adored. She has her share of secrets, but she’s no energy criminal, so why does a bounty hunter want her dead? Not just any bounty hunter but the Wolf, most fearsome of all the Order of the Vengeful Wild. Orfeus will call in every favor she has to find out, seeking answers while clinging to her pride and fending off the hunters of the Wild. But she isn’t the only one at risk: every misstep endangers the enemies she turns into allies, and the allies she brings into danger. There are worse monsters than the Wolf hiding in this new green world.
A witch in the broom closet probably shouldn’t be so interested in a ghost hunter, right?
That Basil is a librarian comes as no surprise to his Mt Eden community. That he’s a witch? Yeah.
That might raise more than a few eyebrows.
When Sebastian, a paranormal investigator filming a web series starts snooping around Basil’s library, he stirs up more than just Basil’s heart. Between Basil’s own self-doubt, a ghost who steals books and Sebastian, an enthusiastic extrovert bent on uncovering secrets, Basil’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.
Available: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, B&N, coming to Google Play soon! Love can be dark. It can be dangerous, deadly, and tainted.
Chocolate and roses? They weren’t the romantic sentiments expected of those who walked in this world of smoke and shadows. Takeshi Matsumoto didn’t need them… didn’t want them from the man he loved. But he didn’t expect the explosions or the attempts on his life, either. It wasn’t as though Yoshitake had gifted him with those life-threatening events, not when there were plenty of men already within the Shirokawa-gumi eager to get rid of him.
Men who wanted the power that came with being the Head of the Shirokawa-gumi.
Except he was the rightful heir… because he was Takeshi Matsumoto, Fifth Generation Head of the Shirokawa-gumi.
Securing his birthright wasn’t going to be easy, but Takeshi had been trained for this… planned for this… and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill for it.
But the problem was… Takeshi couldn’t trust anyone. Not even the man who shared his bed.
Caught (Smoke and Shadows 1) is a 56k approx. Dark MM Yakuza Romance that involves the twisted love of a yakuza heir and his older bodyguard.
The son of a Voce healer and a Dracan warrior, Falric Mislan has always questioned where he belongs.
While obligation, the easy companionship of his peers and the unswerving loyalty of his best friend has kept him grounded in his father’s culture, the alluring magic of his mother’s people inexorably calls to him. Two rites stand between Falric and his fate. One, a simple, but unfamiliar ceremony that will awaken his Voce powers. The other, the Moon of Solitude. But when Falric uncovers a dangerous object, death and vengeance threaten his place and his future. Secrets abound and more than loyalties will be tested.
*Moon Rite is the first book in the Legend of the Ancients series. The books of Locurnia are LGBTQ inclusive and contain explicit material. This series is intended for adults 18 and over.
Over last century the social mores against gays and lesbians forced many of them into secret relationships and exposed them to threats and phyiscal violence. Even as the century came to a close these risks still existed. Family Ties and Rainbow Bonds is set against the conflict of love on both sides of the fence.
Growing up with a strictly heterosexual father, Poppie, young Georgie struggles to find her true identity among her six brothers, including the extroverted pianist Claudios. Always a step behind in the family intrigues, Georgie doesn’t realise how the sons and daughters-in-law sort life so that they can benefit from their mother’s and father’s successful business venture in Christchurch. When Georgie falls for a teenage girl she meets at the family camping ground in Hanmer Springs, New Zealand, Georgie’s life begins to change. Then there’s the realisation that brother Claudios and his ‘flatmate’ walk to the same drum as Georgie does. Each has their own coming out story that they share as Georgie joins the Rainbow Family. Georgie moves into the political activity that emerged in New Zealand in the early 1980s, at a time when enlightened New Zealanders are working towards the repeal of anti-homosexual law in New Zealand, a time when the good and bad of people on both sides of the debate are exposed. Family Ties and Rainbow Bonds explores the tensions of the time and how love can tie and release the truth of being who you really are.
The case: a grandmother who vanished from a locked room. The best lead: a psychic who’s as mysterious as she is cute.
Detective Jack Duarte is the one called upon when weird cases hit Auckland. A fierce loner with a reputation for solving the unsolvable, she is the perfect choice for the latest odd mystery: the locked-room disappearance of a beloved grandmother, who has vanished without trace and, seemingly, without suspects or a motive.
This time around, though, Jack has also been assigned a partner. The fresh young detective Piper, who has transferred in with a difficult history, is determined to prove themself. Smart, perky, and inexperienced. They are exactly the kind of partner Jack manages to scare away. As they dig deeper into the mystery, though, Jack has to put her own reluctance in the back seat and help Piper navigate a whole different world — because the beloved grandmother has her own mysterious past, one that has already cost lives… and souls.
With the help of the enigmatic and beautiful psychic Emmaline, Jack and Piper must confront the strange world on the other side of the mirror. Some mysteries can only be solved with magic!
In honour of Pride here’s a selection of books from Kiwi authors featuring an array of rainbow characters – purchase links in the titles and covers. A couple are preorders at the time of publishing, and some are on sale for the month of June 2022.
The Last God (preorder) by Gillian St Kevern MM high fantasy Kel, a former prince turned gravedigger, serves the Unknown God. Bitter about the gods’ neglect of their people, Kel’s limited patience with the divine is tested when his former lover, now a famous general, shows up in the tiny town of Farport. Done with being the gods’ plaything, Kel quits the priesthood—only to discover that the unknown god has plans for him and his ex.
Iscar’s shocked to discover that the prince who was too good for a lowly soldier now follows the god of outcasts. He’s even more shocked when the unknown god declares himself to be War and claims Kel as his high-priest. Having experienced all war’s horrors, Iscar is determined to free Kel from the god, escorting him to Celestial City in an attempt to win Kel away.
Kel fights his attraction to Iscar and struggles with his duty to his god. Iscar’s belief that the gods are just, and reward those who are deserving, is challenged by their journey. His allegiance is no longer to the gods, but to his love. But Kel, consumed by doubt, cannot see what a man—or a god—would want in him.
Rival Princes by Jaxon Knight MM contemporary romantic comedy
There are three golden rules for new recruits at Fairyland Theme Park:
1. No breaking character, even if you’re dying of heat exhaustion 2. Always give guests the most magical time 3. No falling in love.
Nate’s only been at work one day, and he’s already broken all three.
Fast-tracked into a Prince role, Nate’s at odds with Dash, the handsome not-so-charming prince who is supposed to be training him. Nate doesn’t know how he ended up on Dash’s bad side, but the broody prince sure is hot when he gets mad.
Dash has worked long and hard to play Prince Justice at Fairyland. Now, instead of focusing on his own performance, he is forced to train newbie Nate to be the perfect prince. Nate’s annoying ease with the guests coupled with his charm and good looks could dethrone Dash from his number one spot … so why does he secretly want to kiss him?
Fairyland heats up as sparks fly between the two rival princes. Will they get their fairytale romance before they’re kicked out of Fairyland for good? Find out in this standalone MM contemporary romance by Jaxon Knight, set in an amusement park where fairytales can come true.
Trillin isn’t technically a person. She’s a tiny breakaway piece of consciousness from the all-devouring Endless, doomed to eventually rejoin it. But when a human witch stumbles into her world, Trillin suddenly has a new reason to figure out individuality–one shape-shifting tentacle at a time.
Sian is sure important magical discoveries are just around the corner, if she can just get her portals to work reliably. Reaching the dimension of the Endless without being eaten on sight is a dream come true, and Sian is determined to explore every bit of it. For science, of course, not for the strangely adorable life-form who keeps popping up and trying to… flirt?
But Trillin’s world can be a dangerous place, and keeping Sian safe might risk drawing the attention of the Endless itself–which will swallow Trillin up along with all her dreams of humanity. Together, can this unlikely duo escape the Endless, figure out the optimum number of appendages, and maybe even find love?
here are many messages in this book: Never go drinking using your passport for ID. Make sure to apply lidocaine before ripping out your toenails. Magic might be real, but it never fixes the worst of your problems. Try to fall in love with bastards. You or someone you know may be gayer than previously thought. We’re not going to make it to Mars. A locked psychiatric ward needs more books than a single copy of Jane Eyre. Asking time travellers for advice on your exams is considered cheating. It’s not just human houses that become haunted. The key message is this: Life in the early 21st century is often very strange. So are these stories. With a crisp insouciance and gliding charm, Jack Cottrell’s fiery, fey, finely-tuned fictions leap from sci-fi to fantasy, comedy to horror, literary realism to romance, and to hybrids of all of these. Featuring sport, friendship, love, health, family, climate change, artificial intelligence, desire, magic, Greek gods, ghosts, peanut butter, cyber pranks, racial prejudice, and creepy medical advances, his stories play with the allure of the past, the disturbances of our own times, and the dangerous idealism of our future technologies – each one in fewer than 300 words.
The once-grand, now dilapidated old house they live in has become a refuge for their found family—Morgan’s partner Araminta, an artist with excellent dress sense; Theo, a ten-year-old with an excess of energy; quiet telekinesthetic pensioner Denny—as well as the ghosts who live alongside them. All people who once needed sanctuary for their queer, neurodivergent selves.
Now they offer that safety to the dead as well as the living.
When a collection of ghosts trapped in old bottles are delivered to their door, something from the past is unleashed. A man who once collected ghosts – a man who should have died centuries before – suddenly has the house under his control. Morgan must trust their own abilities, and their hard-won sense of self, to save their home, their family, and the woman they love.
As a mechanic, Greg can fix just about anything—except his broken heart. He finds solace in witchcraft, solving problems for ghosts instead of looking closer to home.
When a visiting musician dials up the charm after a gig in town, Greg’s life looks to be taking a turn for the better. His plans to keep things simple between them are complicated by the awakening of a spirit bent on corruption. Greg must make choices between moving on or taking the fight to a whole new level and save Wellington from a past it had almost forgotten.
Brand: A pansexual college surfer dude looking for love in all the wrong places Gage: A mysterious goth with something to hide who will do anything to keep what’s his
When they meet at a party, there’s an instant attraction but between Gage’s dominant hunger and Brand’s need to submit to him… the fire may be all-consuming.
an MM vampire/human romance featuring lots of spice – start of a series!
Joel is a music teacher who knows it’s time to forget his ex and move on, while Marcus runs a lawn-mowing business and has come to Wellington to escape the reminders of a recent breakup. Although they’re opposites, when Joel and Marcus connect, their romance has the potential to hit all the right notes.
Too bad neither of them feels ready for new love.
With family and friends in common, dating is risky and things could get messy if it doesn’t work out. When the sweet song of possibility draws them towards romance, a Chopin prelude ends in a seductive kiss. But it will take some practice and perseverance to find their perfect harmony…
Author’s note: This is the second edition of Prelude to Love. The first edition was released by another publishing house. This edition has some added content, and has been revised and re-edited with the end result being a better, stronger story. It uses New Zealand spelling to reflect its setting.
The Witchy Fiction project is celebrating the month of May with a 99c sale! A selection of books from four different authors (including me!) is up for cheap on multiple ebook platforms.
Click here to get some cheap urban fantasy from Aotearoa! More about the included books if you read on…
Riverwitch
2021 Sir Julius Vogel Award Finalist for Best Novella
Self-taught witch Ashley Robinson considers it her duty to protect her hometown Hamilton. She spends her time doing community work and picking up litter by the Waikato River.
But something is badly wrong with the river, a sickness deeper than mere pollution can explain. Magic must be the cause, but is it a curse or something else entirely? Ash has to get to the bottom of it, armed with nothing more than the support of her best friend Mikaere and a pocketful of crystals.
Then there’s Bryony Manu, the town’s only other witch. A charismatic practitioner of dark magic, Bryony is infuriating … and captivating. Ash needs their help to track down the source of the spell draining life from the river. Can she balance her work with her attraction to Bryony, and master her magic along the way?
Brand of Magic
An empath witch should be able to keep everyone happy, right?
Hazel has put magic and men out of her mind. A break-up meant her own thoughts were bad enough, without sensing everyone else’s emotions too. The ghost in the attic and her sarcastic dog familiar would be way too much to explain to any partner.
Instead, Hazel put all her energy into her job promoting the city she loves – Dunedin, New Zealand. And she is pretty good at it, too. When her neighbour, Joel, needs her expertise to save his woodworking business and stop the sale of his family land, she can’t resist getting involved. But the more time they spend together, the more stubbornly locked away his thoughts are.
Then her powerful aunt is attacked, and Hazel has to find a way to get through to her and discover who or what is behind it. It seems as if her psychic powers are the key to everything.
Can she bear to let magic – and love – back in?
Succulents and Spells
Laurel Windflower is a witch from a family of magic workers – but her own life is going nowhere. Living in the damp, sunless side of Aro Valley, she works in a café, unable to produce anything more powerful than the most basic herbal potions. Until, one winter morning, Marigold Nightfield knocks on her door. Marigold is a scientist, but she knows plenty about magic. There are strange things happening in her house, and her future discoveries require careful negotiation with monsters. Laurel can’t walk away from a mystery – and she can’t walk away from Marigold either. But what lies ahead could reveal all of her shortcomings to the woman she’s trying to impress… or uncover the true nature of her power.
Microscopes and Magic
Some magical problems take spells and potions to solve… but others can only be understood through the lenses of a microscope.
Marigold Nightfield’s life changed when she absorbed the magic stored in a family heirloom. Now, she’s part of a growing network of magic-working scientists who are trying to change the world for the better, and has a girlfriend from a sprawling, powerful, witchy family.
Things should be coming together perfectly for her… but her magic has a time limit. It’s not hers for keeps and one day, she’ll lose it for good.
When her girlfriend’s work is destroyed by possible sabotage, and strange things start appearing in Wellington’s green belt, Marigold’s amazing new life starts to unravel. With unknown motives and dubious players at work, she faces a destructive force spreading through the city and beyond. She’ll have to not only draw on her scientific background and magical abilities, but make new connections and grow in confidence to face this new threat.
Overdues and Occultism
A witch in the broom closet probably shouldn’t be so interested in a ghost hunter, right?
When Sebastian, a paranormal investigator filming a web series starts snooping around Basil’s library, he stirs up more than just Basil’s heart. Between Basil’s own self-doubt, a ghost who steals books and Sebastian, an enthusiastic extrovert bent on uncovering secrets, Basil’s life is about to get a lot more complicated.
That Basil is a librarian comes as no surprise to his Mt Eden community. That he’s a witch? Yeah. That might raise more than a few eyebrows.
Monsters and Manuscripts
One Witch One Paranormal Investigator Something that went bump in the night…
Library witch Basil and YouTuber Sebastian have settled into life together in the sleepy suburb of Mt Eden.
Basil is overjoyed to have a handsome boyfriend to come home to and he is connecting deeper with his magic. But when strange books start to turn up at his library and an uninvited guest makes noises in their attic, it’s up to them to investigate.
As a paranormal YouTuber, Sebastian can’t resist a new mystery. Especially since he’s been in one place for far too long… Is his enthusiasm for the next story going to ruin everything?
Onesies and Ouijaboards
Be careful what you wish for…
Arrow is fifteen, non-binary, and bored.
It’s one thing to read about magic, or watch ghost hunting shows. But Arrow yearns for something more. When they try out a prosperity spell from a magical library book, things start to go very very right.
Until they don’t.
Arrow’s good luck seems to be affecting a lot of the people around them. From A students suddenly failing quizzes to freak accidents, their good luck seems to be double-sided to say the least. Arrow’s best friend Ren knows not to mess with the unknown, but Arrow’s spell might just affect him all the same.
Arrow’s got to learn about how to wield their magic fast when the power they’ve drawn down proves to be beautiful, but dangerous as well.
My name is Elise Smith, I have over 25 years of experience as a writer, 5 years as a blogger and 3 years as a writing coach. I have written and published two autobiographies in my book series “The New Zealand Dream,” by Sheila my pen name. I wrote these books to inspire and give hope to others. I published my third book in July 2021, called “Johnathan,” I co-authored this book about my father who grew up in Manchester England during the war. My passion is creative writing, I write in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and content. I have published many articles, short stories, and guest posted on various sites. My short story “Stargazing” won a short story award in our local “Writing Sparks” competition.
Writing is a very powerful healing tool, sharing your story can give help others and help yourself on your healing journey. I am a writing coach who can help people write their own stories and with any writing project they are creating. I have mentored students working for Wellington polytechnic. I conduct interviews on my website to help promote my fellow writers and bloggers and host guest writers.
Where in the world do you live, and what do you like most about it?
I live in a little coastal city called Gisborne, in New Zealand.
What I like most about living in NZ is it has the ocean and all its bounty on my doorstep, a hop skip, and a jump and you are in nature surrounded by native bush with breathtaking hikes to experience and camp spots to discover.
Self-care is very important for writers, tell us how you look after yourself?
I too believe self-care is extremely important for writers and everyone.
I write about this topic often, below is what I do to take care of myself; Spending time in nature🦋🌳🌸 Listen to positive music🎼 Watch positive movies/videos Time for you/to treat yourself 💅🛀 Spend time with positive people👩❤️👨, Set boundaries, say no Spirituality and prayer/meditation🧎♀️🧘♀️📖 Feed your body and mind healthy🍇🥦🚶♂️🧠📖 Rid your life of toxic people, it is better to be alone than around negativity. Remember you are responsible for your own happiness, nobody else should be expected to make you happy. Sit just sit quietly Pick/buy a bunch of flowers Take a nap Do something crafty, colouring Go to the library and read
Reading:
What genres do you like to read in?
I like to read true stories and memoirs.
What’s a book that you have on your shelf which you’re particularly fond of?
“White thorn” By Bryce Courtnay
Writing:
Creative writing as a teenager, did you do it? Can you remember any stories?
Yes, I did do this, I remember writing about myself and a friend Samanther going on an adventure. She fell into a cave, I tried to save her but a vampire killed her. I got a certificate for this story.
What do you do/where do you go for inspiration?
I do things to trigger memories or feelings such as getting in nature, a smell, listening to music, looking at photos, or art.
Do you prefer quiet, ambient sound or music while you write?
I prefer quiet when I write.
Favourites:
Hogwarts, Narnia, Neverland, or Westeros?
Narnia
What’s your favourite song to sing at Karaoke?
Guns and Roses, Sweet child of mine
Favourite song to sing in the shower when no one else is home?
Jamie Sands - Author 