Barbara Ann Wright

Cressida loves Greek mythology, tales of gods and monsters, but she knows they aren t real no matter how awesome it would be to meet the beautiful women of myth. When her aunt June disappears, Cressida realizes the other members of her family aren t so rational. June s notes point to a possible entrance to the fabled Underworld before they cut off completely. Following June s footsteps leads Cressida into a world she knew only as legend, a place of marvels and danger, where the living are highly prized by the dead. Desperate, Cressida turns to Medusa, a demigoddess who s been maligned by myth, but everything in the Underworld comes with a price. Medusa is more than willing to help find June, and all it will cost Cressida is one little murder."

Coils

To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women’s hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom’s greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king’s monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play. Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother’s order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.

The Pyramid Waltz

As Vandra and Lilani strive to make peace, they slowly fall in love. With mistrust and murder surrounding them, only their faith in each other can keep their plan to save the world from falling apart.

The Tattered Lands

Mari Kurisato

A. Merc Rustad

Tristan J. Tarwater

Susan Smith

Missouri Vaun

Claire Jackson

Leia Weathington

Audrey Chase

Emily Kay Singer

JD Glass

Jude McLaughlin

So what is evil? What makes a person a “villain?” Is it intent to harm…or is it something deeper than that? Each one of the thirteen authors in this amazing collection has taken a completely different approach to answering this question. They have gone above and beyond expressing the idea of evil and supervillainy. They get to the bottom of why villains are the way they are, and what they hope to gain from it. These are dangerous women wielding Absolute Power… and they’ll be glad to let you know exactly why you should fear them.

Tales of Queer Villainy!

Absolute Power

Adella del Amanecer is from a noble family whose pride comes from dedication to the kingdom of Sarras. She works long hours as a diplomat and barely has time for her sisters, let alone romance, a fact that makes her nights feel longer than her days, especially when she thinks about the lovely bard on the corner. As an ex-spy for the Firellian Empire, Bridget Leir has fled from crises and corruption until settling in Sarras, where she can hide as a bard. When a chance meeting with a beautiful diplomat leads to romance, Bridget’s new life feels filled with promise, until Sarras investigates Firellian rumblings of war. If the truth comes out, the Sarrasians—and Adella—will never believe Bridget’s spying days are done, and worse—Adella will be accused of sleeping with the enemy. It’ll be the gallows for them both.

The Noble and the Nightingale

Princess Katya Nar Umbriel’s uncle Roland rose from the grave, kidnapped her cousin, and stripped her of her greatest weapon—her Fiendish power. Without her Fiend, Katya doubts her ability to weather the storm her uncle is brewing. When she lacks what even the children in her family possess, can she even call herself an Umbriel? In only a short time, Starbride has become the princess consort, a pyradisté, and a member of a secret order in charge of protecting the crown. Even steeped in responsibility, she’s still an outsider. While wading through court intrigue and resisting schemes to break her bond with Katya, Starbride must prepare for a covert war. Roland is waiting, watching, ready for any chink in their armor, and he doesn't care who knows their secrets.

For Want of a Fiend

Chloe knew her future would be boring. Every job pales in comparison to the family legacy: hunting monsters and banishing ghosts. But that birthright belongs to her mother and sister, leaving Chloe forever outside looking in. Until her sister dies without warning. Chloe gets the family magic, a lack of self-confidence, a grieving mother, a sarcastic spirit guide, and room for nothing else, especially love. And lately, someone seems to be summoning ghosts and protecting monsters, and all clues point to one very famous face: Helen of Troy.

Helen has spent hundreds of years running a sanctuary and rehab for the last mythical creatures on earth. And she has a huge chip on her shoulder about that whole Trojan War thing. Neither she nor Chloe has time for the other's philosophy or to see if their growing attraction is more than skin-deep, not when there are some monsters that won't be sent to the Underworld without a fight.

Haunted By Myth

"Princess Katya Nar Umbriel has little left to lose. Her uncle Roland took her home, scattered her family, and forced her to abandon Starbride, her dearest love. Slim hopes and righteous anger carry Katya into Starbride's homeland to raise an army and take back all that was stolen from her. Starbride never dreamed she'd lead a pack of foreign rebels against a Fiendish usurper. She holds the capital city out of love, denying any rumor of Katya's death. As the two strive toward each other, Roland dogs their every step, loosing Fiend-filled corpses on Katya's army and hypnotizing the capital's citizens into hunting Starbride down. If they ever meet again, it'll be over his dead body"--Page 4 of cover.

A Kingdom Lost

Zara del Amanecer’s purpose in life is to do her duty, whether as a noble or a scout. She never shirks her responsibilities, especially with missions as simple as this one: to reconnoiter the border with the Firellian Empire and report anything suspicious. Easily done, even with a new recruit conscripted from prison. Never mind that Veronique the thief ignites unfamiliar feelings in Zara, from furious loathing to overwhelming desire. Roni can’t stop imagining how passionate Zara would be if she thought less about duty, or even if she cared more about survival. Because the Firellians have a new magical weapon no one suspected, and they’re not about to let anyone who’s seen it get out alive. In the sights of an empire planning invasion, Zara and Roni’s principles might not be the only things sacrificed. Book 2 in the Sisters of Sarras Trilogy

The Scout and the Scoundrel

J. D. Glass

Tristan Tarwater

This companion volume to THE LAVENDER MENACE features 13 stories of women who love women... almost as much as they love taking over the world! Includes an introduction by lesbian comics tastemaker Erica Friedman and stories by Tristan J. Tarwater, Barbara Ann Wright, JD Glass, Jude McLaughlin, Leia Weathington, and more.

Surrounded by dead crewmates, marooned above an unknown planet, the bridge crew of the Atlas awakens from a crash with extraordinary mental abilities. When their most powerful member jettisons their passengers to the planet below, they have an unprecedented opportunity: they can become gods. Two hundred years later, Lieutenant Cordelia Ross is a paladin serving the Storm Lord, her city’s patron deity. Her faith is absolute until her people are attacked by a native species, harmless creatures turned devious by an unknown hand. Cordelia tries to solve the mystery of their development before they kill anyone else, but the secrets surrounding them are too deep. As orders from the Storm Lord begin to value obedience over integrity, Cordelia wonders whose side her god is really on.

Paladins of the Storm Lord

Humanity thinks itself safe. For over thirty years, ten mystical pylons have protected them from the plague of the evil, tattered lands. Now, one pylon has gone out. Alchemist Vandra Singh knows an alliance with the elusive, xenophobic seelie may be humanity’s only hope if the other pylons fail. But among the long-lived seelie, only Lilani, young daughter of the empress, can forgive humanity’s ancient betrayals. As Vandra and Lilani strive to make peace, they slowly fall in love. With mistrust and murder surrounding them, only their faith in each other can keep their plan to save the world from falling apart. And the tattered lands are waiting. One pylon down. Nine to go.

Lady of Stone

Four women struggle with who to love and who to hate while fighting to rid a kingdom of an evil invading force.

Not Your Average Love Spell

Within the walls of her palace, Princess Katya’s best friend lies at her feet, close to death. Her pyradisté is overwhelmed by some mysterious power, and her former lady-in-waiting has stabbed her in the back. Wounded and nearly alone, Katya must find a way to sabotage the magic of her Fiendish uncle Roland, or those who fight for the capitol will be overwhelmed by hypnotized guards and Fiend-filled corpses. Starbride’s pain is nearly overwhelming. The agony inside her only lessens when she satisfies a strange new desire to hurt those around her. She may hold the key to banishing Fiendish power from Farraday, but only by using it herself. Together, Katya and Starbride must make a final desperate push to take back the kingdom, but even if they survive, can the strength of their love keep them from madness? After all, fighting evil with evil has its consequences.

The Fiend Queen

Two women must throw off the lives they've known as a guardian and an assassin and save two rival houses before their secrets tear the galaxy apart.

House of Fate

Adella del Amanecer is from a noble family whose pride comes from dedication to the kingdom of Sarras. She works long hours as a diplomat and barely has time for her sisters, let alone romance, a fact that makes her nights feel longer than her days, especially when she thinks about the lovely bard on the corner. As an ex-spy for the Firellian Empire, Bridget Leir has fled from crises and corruption until settling in Sarras, where she can hide as a bard. When a chance meeting with a beautiful diplomat leads to romance, Bridget's new life feels filled with promise, until Sarras investigates Firellian rumblings of war. If the truth comes out, the Sarrasians-and Adella -will never believe Bridget's spying days are done, and worse-Adella will be accused of sleeping with the enemy. It'll be the gallows for them both.

Naos has come to Calamity, and chaos has come with her. Cordelia had enough problems without teaming up with former enemies in order to defeat a mad goddess. And she doesn’t yet know that the Storm Lord has been resurrected in a new body. On the plains, the prophet Lydia is convinced that Fajir is the one chosen to stop a massive firestorm in the future, if only Fajir wasn’t so set on killing everyone around her. With their murderous leader dead, hostilities have ceased among the drushka, but the long-living aliens are slow to adapt. The last thing they want is a drushkan king with powers none of them dreamed of before.

Inheritors of Chaos

Gisele del Amanecer’s days look the same from the outside: work, home, and the occasional one-night stand that she hides from her nosy older sisters. But Gisele is a mage, and that means pain invisible to outside eyes. Each act of magic can be agony, but she loves the power, the bond with the unseen, and how only her will keeps the magic from consuming her. She can master any task, including saving her family and homeland from Firellian invaders—until she’s ordered to hunt another mage, one who may be her equal in power and commitment. One she might risk everything for. Vale has been subjugated her entire life—to the point where she thinks she deserves it, but she is determined to save others from that fate. Magic has been her one bright spot, but now she’s forced to use that power to kill in the name of the Firellian Empire. Escape or rebellion is out of the question unless she can guarantee the safety of her fellow captives, but how can everyone make it out alive while surrounded by enemies? Perhaps with the help of another mage, someone who bonds with magic like Vale does, someone who might want her for herself instead of for her power. But war always demands a sacrifice. Book 3 in the Sisters of Sarras Trilogy

The Mage and the Monster

Lady Sylph’s only concerns should be inheriting her title, marrying well, producing an heir, and lording it all over the peasantry. It’s what her father insists upon, and she never knew she needed anything or anyone else until her magic comes, an ability her class is not supposed to possess. Thana never coveted the title of monarch’s pyradisté because her knowledge exceeds her ability. She hopes the royals will never depend on her, but then the palace’s pyramids go haywire. On top of that, a beautiful, spoiled noblewoman needs her help to conceal a new power. Could Sylph’s ability and Thana’s magical mystery be related to a new kind of crystal being smuggled into the kingdom or a possible pyradisté coup? They’ll have to work together and overcome their biases, admit their feelings, and maybe surrender to their fierce desire before time runs out.

Barbara Ann Wright

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