A first snow layer covers the ground where I live, sealing the arrival of winter. I love the slow flakes and soft white. I love putting my comfiest sweatpants and hoodies and curling up under blankets with a good book. This year, I also kept a surprise in store for when it’d happen. Introducing…

First: I made that cover. I’m really proud of it, even if it’s super simple. I like the font, I like the O’s general off vibes, and I like that it and the mountain together make a keyhole shape.

This is a YA fantasy short story, about 8200 words, with all-queer crew on a short mountain heist. You can buy it for a dollar on itchio. Here’s the full blurb!

In the newly-occupied city of Taleross, all celebrations for the incoming Keyhole Festival have been shut down, forbidden as worship of an evil force. Bo has no intention of letting that stop her, however. She has the best team (her friends and their barely-mastered magic), the best plan (as were all her plans, there is no need to mention the repeated failures), and the ultimate ace (a mentor, nevermind that the recluse hero will need convincing first). Together, they will climb the slopes of Mount Kuhri, avoiding detection, celebrate the alignment of the moons, and open the Keyhole themselves. And nothing at all will go wrong, of course.

I first published this in Rainbow Crate’s December anthology last year, then made it available on Patreon this summer. But this is its first, wide debut!

Something very cool is happening on Backerkit this month: a ton of indie author united their forces in a big Book Bazaar to crowdfund their projects. They all have individual campaigns, but also have a shared splash page and activities? I don’t have anything with it (timing was off for me) but I know the pains of crowdfunding very well, and I’m in love with this concept. Go check!

In particular, I found about this through Trudie Skies’ campaign for the Chosen One Con, their next novel. Tru is a tireless advocate for Indie Fantasy, through among other things Read Indie Fantasy, and also has the best of taglines (“Fantasy of Bad Manners”). Do expect cussing. But between celebrity TV mages, a plethora of funky magic potions, and a fake chosen one prophecy, the book just sounds like a wild and fun ride. Also: demisexual character ~

It’s been a while since I’ve made a roundup of Patreon posts, and since I made a solid one yesterday (for which you can pay individually, btw), I thought this was good timing. So since last time, we’ve had…

• October 21, 2025 Update: Big Month of Bigs Events [All Free Member]

• November 7, 2025 Update: Learning New Skills [All Free Members]

• Can*Con and the Strange Realizations That I'm No Longer A Newbie By Any Measure [Paid Members]

• Dead Wives, Robots, and Children: A Report from the Common Bonds 2 Submission Trenches [Paid Members or $3 for the piece]