A mysterious pendant. A sinister suitor. And an epic chase to the Edge of the Map... 1706. The rival Dutch and English East India Companies sail the world s oceans, bringing back exotic treasures and tales of fantastical lands. In coastal Hollyport, Margaret faces a terrible choice: to abandon herself to a marriage that could erase her very soul, or to risk all aboard a ship bound for dangerous waters. With her betrothed husband, the sinister Mr Van Guelder in pursuit, Margaret embarks on a journey like no other: where pirates, flying islands and secret empires await; along with unexpected friendship from troubled young nobleman Taro, whose estate holds surprises and sorrows of its own. But Van Guelder is never far behind, nor is the power of the mysterious lodestone round his neck, and Margaret will have to learn the true nature of suffering before she can ever be free. ,

A refreshing collection of enchanting fairy tales that reflects the spectrum of human sexuality.

Once upon a time, our ancestors told tales of asexuality, symbolic stories that hint at other identities: a princess who grows a beard to escape marriage, a knight who forsakes his wife's bed to become a werewolf, a goddess with detachable parts, a planet where everyone is asexual. Drawn from many times and places, retold and reimagined for the 21st century, Elizabeth Hopkinson's second book of myths and tales brings asexuality out of the closet and gives it the history it has been denied.

A trans monk. A mermaid saint. A headless healer. A werewolf refugee. Asexual Fairy Tales author Elizabeth Hopkinson lends her numinous storytelling voice to lesser-known saints from Celtic lands in the age of Patrick, Columba and Cuthbert - alongside some of their influencers and inheritors. From Brigid the Time Traveller to Cædmon the Socially Anxious, from Brendan the Respecter of First Nations to the Black Madonna of Montevergine who protects same-sex couples and traditional third genders, this collection of tales from the past has much to teach us about diversity and inclusion today.

"Almost everyone knows the familiar fairy tale ending: the prince marries the princess and they live happily ever after. Or do they? Once upon a time, our ancestors were much more honest and open about the spectrum of human sexuality. Among the fairy tales and myths they told were stories of androgynes, neither male nor female; of women and men who resist sex and marriage for other kinds of love; of chaste romances, miraculous childbirth and bodily transformations. These are the asexual fairy tales you will find in this book. These tales come from many places: from Grimms' Fairy Tales to The Thousand and One Nights, from Greek mythology and Arthurian legend to the silent films of the 1920s and from Scandinavia to Japan. Retold, reimagined, and sometimes reinvented as new stories for the 21st century, these stories will change the way you think about fairy tales, and bring asexuality out of the closet."--

Set in the magical world of medieval romance, this enchanting collection of stories takes the verses of the familiar carol and transforms each one into a tale of fantasy, adventure and love. This clever anthology explores the ins and outs of love in many fantastic settings. Twelve handsome knights are imprisoned by a lady, while eleven homely ladies are set free by a knight. Twin brothers are destroyed by love, and love is endangered by well-intentioned brothers. First love, lost love, fiery passion and affection grown cold-all can be found in this spellbinding collection of magical fairy tales. 4 Hearts - Ms. Hopkinson does a great job weaving this well known song into twelve stories of knighthood, fair maidens, medieval history and fantasy that is fun reading." - Dee Dailey, The Romance Studio (www.theromancestudio.com)

The Dragon Lord's Library returns with ten all new stories. You can tell a lot about a dragon by their hoard. Not the shiny one, the other one. The one where they keep their favorite things. Some dragons keep a private stash of dwarven-wrought artifices, and others tapestries that run from wall-to-wall and corner-to-corner. The Dragon Lord himself has a library. A library that devours halls and caves, filling them with every kind of book and codex and scroll. These are the stories that fill his favorite shelf. Of course they're his favorites-they're all about dragons. Pull these stories down. Breath in the vanilla scent that only comes from the oldest books. Savor the writing. Trace your fingers over the calligraphy. Welcome to the finest library ever known. Featuring stories by Patricia S. Bowne, Shawn Hossein Mansouri, Silas Green, Rose Taylor, Edward Ahern, Elizabeth Hopkinson, Gregg Chamberlain, Liam Hogan, Sylvia Downes, and Sue Pettit.

In a highly-structured eighteenth-century society, the city state of Angelio is known for two things: its music, and its guardian, the Archangel Michael. At Angelio's music school-nicknamed the Cage of Nightingales-castrato singer Carlo is headed for fame at the opera ... at the price of personal freedom. Charity pupil Tammo hates the school and everyone in it, and wants to live in the woods, charming birds with his flute. When Tammo meets Carlo, their lives change forever. With the help of the Archangel, they can grant to each other whatever their hearts desire. But staying true isn't easy, and their choices will affect not just their futures, but that of Celestina-a young aristocrat destined to be the third person in their relationship.