eBook

An anthology of short fiction featuring the finalist selections from the 2021 Saints+Sinners Literary Festival.

For 21-year-old gay virgin Gabe Rafferty, the first decade of adulthood is unpredictable and intense. 

Flat broke upon college graduation, Gabe navigates the passage from menial work to globetrotting corporate drudge, then strives for a real chance at professional fulfillment. His journey exploring his sexuality—from inhibited innocence, to first-love crises, to random hookups—doesn’t seem to lead to the more sensual, committed relationships he wants. Then he meets Marty, an African American art student, and Gabe must face his white working-class background and racist father for a chance at true love.

Throughout, he traverses the joys and hazards of loving a headstrong cast of friends, including a lesbian couple, and Candy, a straight female friend whose life intersects with Gabe’s in unexpected ways.

For Gabe, what happens after coming of age and coming out is a scramble to survive first journeys into sex, love, and livelihood.

Lochlan Paige is one of the biggest stars in Nashville. With her gorgeous stage presence and pitch-perfect voice, she’s earned her countless awards and sold out shows. But being famous hasn’t changed the fact that her favorite place to write music is in the quiet confines of libraries. Everything changes the moment she meets college student Vanessa and her fast-paced, very closeted world of country music is turned upside down.

Vanessa Wallace, a serious pre-med student, aspires to becoming a pediatric oncologist. During a late-night session at the campus library, an annoying hum coming from a secluded section leads to an encounter with Lochlan Paige. Little does Vanessa know she is about to take off on a whirlwind adventure that may end in love…or loss.

Lynette McCarthy was twelve years old when her parents pledged sole loyalty to a charismatic cult leader. At twenty-four, she escaped, armed with the hope that there was a better and kinder world outside. Healing from the trauma of the past and making a life for herself in a new world is a long and challenging process. When she meets a sexy conservation officer, her vow to never be vulnerable again is put to the ultimate test.

Growing up in a military family, Barb Donnelly has pride and a sense of duty. She loves her job as a conservation officer in the upper peninsula of Michigan but needs some time away. In the Wisconsin Dells, she meets the mysteriously reserved Lynette, who captures her attention like no other.

Just when Lynette believes she’s beginning to trust her heart again, her past catches up with her and her secret threatens to destroy her chance at happiness.

After a tumultuous childhood, Harper Sims left her hometown and never looked back. She’s a partner in a successful veterinary practice and loves everything about her job and the big city life she leads with her teenage daughter.

Addison Foster had big dreams, but life hasn’t turned out the way she’d planned. Working as a veterinary assistant in a rural clinic gives her the chance to raise her daughter surrounded by the people she loves, but it’s not easy to be honest about who she really is and what she really wants in a small town. 

When Harper’s father becomes ill, she whirls into town to run the clinic, and sparks fly between her and Addison in more ways than one. Their attraction is undeniable, but Addison isn’t ready to admit her desires, and Harper isn’t sure if she’s willing to stay. 

Home may be where the heart is, but is the journey back worth the pain?

Rose Pereira is drifting through life when she’s first introduced to Stare at the Sun, an up-and-coming indie band led by the puppy-eyed Harley. The energetic group pulls her in, and she finds herself living for the first time in ages. Especially when she meets a friend of the band, Max, a trans guy. 

With his bizarre sense of humor, his gorgeous arms, and the way he talks about music, Max is a danger to her don’t-care attitude. He’s her best friend, in her corner no matter what, he makes her laugh, and he gets her.

Even when she screws everything up, Max is on her side. Pregnant with Harley’s baby, she absolutely can’t be in love with Max.

Rose is not in love. Because if you don’t fall in love, then you can’t get broken.

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.

Praise from Publishers Weekly: "Wright sets up the Sisters of Sarras lesbian fantasy romance trilogy with solid worldbuilding, a delightfully awkward couple who bridge social realms, and an entertaining adventure that leaves plenty of room to grow....By the end, Wright has established strong personalities for Adella’s two sisters and taken the suspense plotline to the brink of war between Sarras and the Firellians, setting up strongly for the next volumes. Readers will be pleased."

Owen is only confident in two places: at work, supporting clients through IT woes, and when he’s sitting around a gaming table in the role of a smooth and charming bard. He’s never acted on the crush he’s had on his physiotherapist—and total cubcake—Toma. Even though Owen’s no longer Toma’s patient, and his crush hasn’t dialed down in the slightest, Owen can’t figure out how to make a move.

When a friend decides to play a prank involving Owen’s contact list, Owen spends the morning of April Fools’ day inadvertently texting smooth and charming thoughts about Toma... to Toma himself.

By the time Owen discovers the prank, things are completely out of control. Discussions of thighs and awards for the World’s Best Chest have been handed out—not to mention they’ve set an accidental coffee date—and there’s no taking that sort of thing back. When this joke finally gets told, Owen’s convinced he’ll be the punchline, but with a little luck and some nudging from his friends, the last laugh might be the best of his life.

As winemaker at Tangle Valley Vineyard, Madison LeGrange relies on science and logic to make the best vintage possible. It’s also how she manages her life. But with her career in its prime, her accountant thinks it’s time she diversifies her income. Not a problem because her favorite café, the Bacon and Biscuit, is up for sale. What she didn’t plan on was the time she’d spend with Clementine, who has her feeling anything but logical.

Clementine Monroe loves her job managing the Bacon and Biscuit Café. In fact, after escaping a difficult past, it’s all she has. When Clementine is offered the opportunity to step out from behind the counter and buy the place, her longtime dream is about to come true. That is until it’s snatched out from under her by the very same girl she crushed on in high school. Old habits are hard to break, but Clementine has no plans to forgive Madison anytime soon.

Detective Bo Alexander knows the perils of drugs and alcohol all too well, and she’s made it her mission to keep people safe.

Cass Halliburton grew up in the Voleurs, the most ruthless motorcycle outlaw club in the world, and she’s in Galveston Island to watch over the national expansion of her “business.”

Bo’s assigned to the task force looking to take her down, and Cass plans on making sure Bo keeps her nose out of club business. But the clues aren’t adding up, and the attraction surging between them only makes things more dangerous. When Bo stumbles on a secret far more threatening than anyone anticipated, a stranger in the shadows wants payback.

Bo and Cass are on opposite sides of the law, and their battle of wills may not only decide their chances at love, but also their fate.

Mika James is handsome, so what’s the problem if she uses her attributes to seduce rich women? There are worse ways to keep a roof over her head. After her latest lover calls it quits for a better offer and shows her the door by telling her she’ll never do anything of importance with her life anyway, Mika has a choice to make: keep searching for validation between the sheets or go back to college and prove she’s capable of more.

Professor Jennifer Long loves her job and she’s really good at it. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing she has under control. Her unrewarding yo-yo dieting and her mom’s unending suggestion that she lose weight because no one will want her the way she is has killed not only her confidence, but any belief she’s sexy.

Mika’s struggling with her coursework, but she isn’t keen on admitting she needs help, even if it’s from the beautiful Professor Long. When Mika realizes Jennifer could also use some tutoring—of the hands-on erotic variety—they strike a deal to help each other. If only their perfect sexy arrangement wasn’t so dangerous for their hearts.

Artist Carrie Martin is struggling with the probability of profound loss when she meets Hope Garret in a grief support group. Hope is warm and easy to open up to, not to mention beautiful. Hope makes the perfect model for a series of figure paintings, and they build a friendship that helps Carrie find meaning in life again. Carrie is determined to keep things professional though, even if she can’t deny her attraction.

Temptation may prove impossible to resist and Carrie’s heart is on the line when she discovers Hope has secrets of her own. When a past mistake puts everything at risk, can the truth win out and love conquer all?

It’s 1937, and Heath Barrington is a naïve twenty-two-year-old about to set sail across the Atlantic on theQueen Mary. While on board, he meets the handsome Lord Simon Quimby, who invites Heath to his estate. Heath falls for Simon hard, but Simon soon becomes withdrawn and distant. Is Simon all he appears to be, or is there more to him than meets the eye? And what of the old gypsy curse Simon claims his family is under? Did it really cause his mother’s death, his sister’s suicide, and his father’s murder, or did Simon have something to do with it all? It’s up to Heath to uncover the truth, despite his heart telling him otherwise.

In this prequel to the Detective Heath Barrington Mystery series, Heath discovers that first love changes you forever and drives you to become the person you’re destined to be.

Romance is in the air on this detour to love.

High-flying executive Celia Scott is on her way to Tokyo to accept a prestigious award heavy with emotional baggage. She’ll make the trip, but she doesn’t have to like it, and she certainly doesn’t have to make nice with a stranger on a plane.

Artist Lily Andersen is excited to finally meet her online crush, the only person in the world who truly gets her. She just needs to survive the eleven-hour flight from London to Japan with a testy seatmate who by turns annoys and fascinates her.

Fate, upgrades, and a troupe of travelling clowns bring them together for a journey memorable for all the wrong reasons. Not only do they have nothing in common, they really can’t stand each other. But people are not always as they seem, and Celia and Lily are about to realise, there’s more than one path to love.

Praise from Publishers Weekly: "This charming, low-heat lesbian romance from Radley brings together an unlikely pair of women, both at dark points in their lives, on an eventful plane ride...As their unexpected relationship grows through misadventure and mutual support, readers will grow to care about both characters, too. The result is a sweet love story that’s sure to please."

High school counselor Aislin Kennedy’s charisma and exuberance mask deep scars that prevent her from letting anyone too close. Instead, she throws herself into helping her students. CEO of a fashion conglomerate, Susanna Garry has been through three painfully public divorces, and to say she’s given up on love would be an understatement.

When Aislin agrees to help Susanna connect with her daughter, Cynt, surprising feelings awaken for both of them. But Aislin isn’t ready to trust again and Susanna’s track record is intimidating. If the past were to repeat itself, it could break Aislin for good.

Harlem, New York, 1925 is a mecca of cultural and creative freedom, where masquerade drag balls are all the rage and the music, dancing, and loose prohibition laws unite people from all walks of life.

Dinah Hampton came to Harlem for better opportunities for her family but ends up working as a nightclub chorus girl to help make ends meet. Among the nightlife and danger, she finds love in the most unexpected way.

When a scandal rocks Celine Montre’s family and sends them fleeing from New Orleans to Harlem, the gorgeous Dinah Hampton helps her to discover that there’s more to life, and love, than she ever thought possible.

When a notorious gangster sets her sights set on seducing Celine, Dinah and Celine are forced to risk their hearts, and lives, for love.

For Veronica Clayton, the sudden death of her mother has turned her naturally bright and happy-go-lucky view of the world bleak. As the Police Protection Officer for the Queen’s children, she has purpose, but for the next six months, the Queen’s family is the focus of a documentary on royal life. The last thing Clay wants is a camera pointed in her face.

Katya Kovach, a refugee to Britain, knows all about death and grief. She saw her family shot in front of her and has never recovered from those dark memories. Now trained at London’s most prestigious childcare school, she’s happy as the nanny to Queen Georgina and Queen Bea’s children.

Clay is usually good-natured, but the rule-oriented Katya is not only a pain, but annoyingly beautiful, and they find themselves facing the awkward reality that everyone else is a couple except them while their every move is being filmed. Loss has defined both their lives, but guarding their hearts may prove to be the biggest heartbreak of all.

Jamie Carr recently inherited her aunt’s struggling vineyard, nestled in the picturesque hills of Northern California. With help from Jamie's slightly out-of-control best friend, Kali, and her aunt’s surviving lover, Kate, the vineyard is about to get a makeover.

Being stuck on a fifty-acre vineyard for over a century can be a bit mind-numbing, especially for Ruth, the resident ghost, who never wanted to be there in the first place. Fortunately, as time has passed, so has the ownership of the property, and if the three friends who now live in the old Victorian house are any indication, things are about to get much more interesting. 

Intrigued and entertained, Ruth decides to introduce herself to Jamie on a beautiful full moon night. The attraction that surges between them is immediate…but seriously, a relationship with a ghost? That’ll never work.