#TheCarnelianKing
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ardenpowell.bsky.social
You can get the entire #TheCarnelianKing collection of 15 queer fantasy stories on Itchio, Amazon, or almost wherever else books are sold. It's a very nice little paperback, too.

🌈📚 ardenpowell.itch.io/the-carnelia...
🌈💜 www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
🌈🚀💫 books2read.com/u/mg62lz
The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell
15 short queer fantasy stories introducing dazzling new worlds.
ardenpowell.itch.io
February 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
A NUN OF THE ORDER OF INFINITE LUCK, from #TheCarnelianKing, is now on Patreon! An ancient nun must defuse a bomb when it's accidentally activated in a magical bookshop. For my patrons who wanted something uplifting/escapist, and for fans of older women in fantasy ✨
www.patreon.com/posts/nun-of...
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. A NUN OF THE ORDER OF INFINITE LUCK WALKS INTO A BOOKSHOP: REMINGTON PLACE DID NOT exclusively sell books, as its keeper peevishly pointed out to Sister Beda every time she referred to it as a bookshop. The rest of its kitsch and knickknackery was irrelevant to her interests; she was too polite to say so, but she expected her expression made it clear all the same. Every fortnight, she perused the shop for its latest literary acquisitions, collecting a great heaping stack of books to investigate at her leisure.
February 3, 2025 at 6:42 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
THE SILVERWOODS IN WINTER in #TheCarnelianKing - a short gothic horror-romance. Sapphic tragedy and a beautiful carnivorous forest in the snow. 11/
Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io/the-carnelian-king
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Other retailers: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. THE SILVERWOODS IN WINTER. THE TREES DIDN’T LOSE their leaves with the frost. Rather, they turned pale, and continued collecting the weakened sunlight as readily as in the summer months. People called them the silverwoods in flattery, as if they were capable of taking offense. In truth, they looked less silver than bone-white, their trunks as pale as corpse-flesh, and their branches thin and spindly like fingerbones. Every night, the trees woke to eat the dead. Dusk fell with a grinding of molars and bicuspids hidden within furled leaves, calcium wearing itself to dust. With a groan...
January 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
AN AUTOPSY OF A HAUNTED HOUSE in #TheCarnelianKing - two eldritch entities vs the shop assistant caught in their midst. Queerplatonic characters appearing in 3 stories. 10/
Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io/the-carnelian-king
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Other retailers: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. AN AUTOPSY OF A HAUNTED HOUSE. THEO WAS TRAPPED IN a refrigerator made of meat. * HE FOUND THE OLD man dead at his table, slumped over the architectural book he’d been perusing, his glasses pushed up into wispy white hair. Theo patted his shoulder first, then shook him before trying for a pulse, fingers pressed to the paper-thin skin under his jowls. “James,” he called. “Old man Percy’s up and died on us.” James emerged from behind the register, sweeping...
January 25, 2025 at 6:23 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
THE RISE OF THE BLACK PEARL MOON in #TheCarnelianKing - a prince and his captive conspire to destroy the monarchy. Dark fantasy + torture, can be platonic or romantic. 9/
Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io/the-carnelia...
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Other retailers: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. THE RISE OF THE BLACK PEARL MOON. “ENOUGH.” Prince Ealdraed’s voice cut through the underground chill, bringing the sorcerer to a reluctant pause. “He’s of no use broken beyond repair.” “What if I want to break him?” the sorcerer challenged. “This is the most interesting thing you’ve ever brought me.” “He’s not here for your entertainment.” With his cherub face and baby blue eyes, the prince was fangless. The only imposing things to his credit were...
January 25, 2025 at 5:29 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
SIR FIONNOBHAR AND THE CURSED BLADE in #TheCarnelianKing - a sword & sorcery fantasy w humor, feat #TheBlackKnightSaga characters. Lich-kings, possession, and fantasy violence. 8/
Itchio: ardenpowell.itch.io/the-carnelia...
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Other retailers: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. SIR FIONNOBHAR AND THE CURSED BLADE: MARTEN KNEW THE DAGGER was trouble the instant he laid eyes on it. That instinct was due to no special knowledge or awareness, but to the fact that any weapon, be it cursed, blessed, or mundane, spelled trouble if Fionnobhar was the one holding it. “I found it in the tomb,” said Fionnobhar, as if trying to give Marten a migraine. He was referring to the tomb they had just destroyed, harbouring as it did a dread lich-king that had been sucking dry the souls of the neighbouring town.
January 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
From my queer fantasy short story collection #TheCarnelianKing: a MM rivals-to-lovers romance set in the mountain stables of a tsar's conquering empire. The intersection of disability, duty, and divine purpose ✨
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Elsewhere: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. UNDER THE SHADOW OF A FALLEN EMPIRE: They were well matched, Kiril and Ardalion. That was Dariy’s first thought on seeing them together, under the simmering resentment and uncertainty. Kiril was dark bronze to the stallion’s gold, both of them shining under the early morn’s rosy glow like a vision of something holy sent down from the saints themselves. Kiril: with his dusky skin and coal-black eyes, unruly curls and dancer’s grace, who smiled and laughed like he’d never been crushed under the weight of a collapsing empire. Of course, he never had.
November 25, 2024 at 7:51 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
Writing intro! With searchable tags.
✨Ongoing: #TheBlackKnightSaga -sword & sorcery fantasy serial on Patreon
✨Latest book: #TheCarnelianKing -queer fantasy short story collection
✨Series: #FlosMagicae -1920s romance with magic
✨Current WIPs: cozy-adjacent fantasy romance, and queer crime thriller
Get more from Arden Powell on Patreon
Creating The Black Knight Saga web serial
www.patreon.com
November 17, 2024 at 3:39 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
I wholly believe readers don’t owe authors anything after the book is bought, but if you liked my most recent book #TheCarnelianKing, please leave a review on Amazon! It only has 6 right now. Look at them. They’re so lonely, please give them some friends. A single sentence does the job! 💜
The Carnelian King and Other Stories - Kindle edition by Powell, Arden. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
The Carnelian King and Other Stories - Kindle edition by Powell, Arden. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Carnelian King and Other Stories.
www.amazon.com
October 25, 2024 at 5:22 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
A fairytale-esque story from my fantasy collection, #TheCarnelianKing. Desperate to impress a visiting comet with his garden, a wizard tricks a wolf pack into protecting his flowers from deer.
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Elsewhere: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Patreon: patreon.com/ArdenPowell
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. THE WIZARD GIOVANNI DEL FIORI AND THE COMETA CINQUANTA: The blasted deer were eating the hostas again. A marauding band a dozen strong plagued his garden dusk and dawn. They ravaged the hostas’ broad-striped leaves, chomped the tender heads off his pre-blooming daylilies, and massacred his carefully cultivated rhododendrons. Earlier in the spring, his tulip display had been a gruesome scene of mass murder. He had tried fences. He’d tried offerings and distractions. The deer...
October 23, 2024 at 6:25 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
The first story from my latest book, #TheCarnelianKing! A dashing knight nostalgic for more heroic times past, a reclusive sorcerer, and a legendary dragon. Queer fantasy romance. 🌈📚 🌈💜
Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Elsewhere: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
Patreon: patreon.com/ArdenPowell
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. THE CARNELIAN KING: As Sir Æthelwine strode along the dirt road of South Albion’s countryside, he thought the rolling emerald hills looked rather more inclined to host a summer tea party than a loathsome wyrm. In his experience, beasts of such a nature ruined the landscape around them. Wyrms poured poison into the soil and waterways, just as demons leached acrid fumes into the air, polluting the clouds and making the skies dark and smoggy. If the villages hadn’t been awash in so many rumours, Æthelwine would never have guessed that a...
October 23, 2024 at 4:52 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
If you see this, post something romantic!

"Æthelwine leaned closer to his host, whose body emanated heat like glowing embers, and who smelled like plum blossoms and gemstones. The Carnelian King rested his hand on Æthelwine’s forearm in return."
(From the first story in #TheCarnelianKing)
amaralynn.bsky.social AmaraJLynn 🦹 scheming @amaralynn.bsky.social · Oct 23
If you see this post something romantic!

Since I love torturing myself (can't work on Pyotr book right now), here's my favorite line, out of all untamed 90k lul:

I do think of you always, even when I take some other pretty thing to my bed. But none of them are you.
djstu.art David J. Stuart @djstu.art · Oct 23
If you see this - post something romantic!

From my debut queer novel, Firewind's Accord, out Nov. 8th! Here, Jordan discovers he now lives with a sweater thief.
📢📚🌈🚀💫
#WriteShare
#Romantasy
#QueerWriters
#WritingCommunity
October 23, 2024 at 4:08 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
With all my new followers (hi! I hope you like queer fantasy!) I need to reintroduce all the stories in #TheCarnelianKing collection. I don't think I actually finished introducing all of them in the first place....
October 21, 2024 at 2:31 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
Hello! I'm a queer indie author of fantasy, romance, and gothic horror. I write the Flos Magicae series, my new release is a short story collection #TheCarnelianKing and I publish a sword & sorcery serial on Patreon #TheBlackKnightSaga
✨Books: shorturl.at/KHuF3
✨Patreon: www.patreon.com/ardenpowell
Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky. The Bachelor’s Valet illustrated cover art: watercolour silhouettes of two men, one fixing the other’s tie, on a teal background in a field of tall yellow hollyhock flowers. The Faerie Hounds of York illustrated cover art: a woodcut-style wolf rearing up against a dark green background. The Bayou illustrated cover art: a minimalist black church surrounded by bare trees in front of a full moon or a pale sun, with a staring alligator underneath.
October 17, 2024 at 1:27 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
October is flying—my book has already been out for a whole week! Have you read it? Do you have a favourite story in it? (Tell me your favourite story in it! 👀) Do you want to help me out and give the Amazon algo a boost by leaving a review there? #TheCarnelianKing
ardenpowell.bsky.social Arden Powell ❄️✨ @ardenpowell.bsky.social · Sep 30
It's book release day!! THE CARNELIAN KING is out now in ebook and paperback. 15 cozy, classic, gothic, and sword & sorcery fantasy stories featuring queer romance. Thank you so much for helping make this book happen 🖤
✨Buy on Amz, more links below: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
#TheCarnelianKing
Back cover, a red dragon wing and tail against a forest. Text in a gold frame: A collection of 15 short fantasy stories introducing dazzling new worlds. From a magical second-hand shop hidden between dimensions to rolling emerald hills dotted with ancient ruins, through carnivorous winter woods and across the war-torn steppes of a crumbling empire, this collection spans beloved fantasy genres from classic to cozy, action and adventure to sword and sorcery, and gothic horror to romance. A dashing knight nostalgic for the lost myth and glory of the Golden Age, and a reclusive sorcerer who is more than he seems. Gentlemen dragons, sapphic dragons, dragons as small as hummingbirds and as vast as rivers. The first installments in a new sword & sorcery series, featuring a mercenary knight who cannot be killed and a horde of witches, lich-kings, and curses. Trading tales of survival in the god-wrecked scrublands of the old west. An eldritch house hungering for fresh meat. Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
October 8, 2024 at 5:10 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
I did an interview! I'm talking about last week's release of my short story collection, and my ongoing fantasy serial on patreon. Chaos Gays just made the move from substack (gross) to wordpress (nice!), so check out their new page and give them some support! 💜
#TheCarnelianKing #TheBlackKnightSaga
chaosgays.bsky.social Chaos Gays and TeaTrays @chaosgays.bsky.social · Oct 6
WE HAVE A NEW INTERVIEW, NEW PLATFORM, TALKING ABOUT A CREATOR TAKING NEW AVENUES. How could it be any more fitting? @ardenpowell.bsky.social talks new releases and wows everyone with their extensive backlist!

chaosgaysandteatrays.wordpress.com/2024/10/06/a...
October 6, 2024 at 3:46 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
It's book release day for my first short story collection, and I'm so proud to see The Carnelian King & Other Stories out in the world. This collection is made up of requests from my readers— 1/ #TheCarnelianKing
✨Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
✨Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/21...
The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: a collection of 15 queer fantasy stories introducing dazzling new worlds. Cover art: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
September 30, 2024 at 4:56 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
In which I introduce my book over on Goodreads and send it out into the world :')
#TheCarnelianKing 🌈📚 🌈🚀💫 🌈💜
Arden Powell's review of The Carnelian King and Other Stories
It's book release day for my first short story collection, and I'm so proud to see The Carnelian King & Other Stories out in the world. This collection is made up of requests from my readers and dedic...
www.goodreads.com
September 30, 2024 at 2:03 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
It's book release day!! THE CARNELIAN KING is out now in ebook and paperback. 15 cozy, classic, gothic, and sword & sorcery fantasy stories featuring queer romance. Thank you so much for helping make this book happen 🖤
✨Buy on Amz, more links below: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
#TheCarnelianKing
Back cover, a red dragon wing and tail against a forest. Text in a gold frame: A collection of 15 short fantasy stories introducing dazzling new worlds. From a magical second-hand shop hidden between dimensions to rolling emerald hills dotted with ancient ruins, through carnivorous winter woods and across the war-torn steppes of a crumbling empire, this collection spans beloved fantasy genres from classic to cozy, action and adventure to sword and sorcery, and gothic horror to romance. A dashing knight nostalgic for the lost myth and glory of the Golden Age, and a reclusive sorcerer who is more than he seems. Gentlemen dragons, sapphic dragons, dragons as small as hummingbirds and as vast as rivers. The first installments in a new sword & sorcery series, featuring a mercenary knight who cannot be killed and a horde of witches, lich-kings, and curses. Trading tales of survival in the god-wrecked scrublands of the old west. An eldritch house hungering for fresh meat. Cover art for The Carnelian King and Other Stories by Arden Powell: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
September 30, 2024 at 12:30 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
THE CARNELIAN KING AND OTHER STORIES comes out on Monday, which means there are only 2 days left to grab it at its preorder price of 2.99 USD! A queer fantasy collection with classic, cozy, gothic, and sword & sorcery stories. More links below! #TheCarnelianKing

✨ www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
THE CARNELIAN KING AND OTHER STORIES, a collection of fifteen short fantasy stories introducing dazzling new worlds. Preorder for 2.99, coming Sept 30. Cover art: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dapple grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
September 28, 2024 at 2:18 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
There are several knights in THE CARNELIAN KING AND OTHER STORIES and this little guy on the cover is an accurate depiction of none of them. ✨Artistic license✨
Preorder my queer fantasy short story collection! www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
#TheCarnelianKing
Painted fantasy illustration of a knight in golden armour riding a dappled grey horse, who is rearing to meet a red and gold dragon that's been cropped out. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
September 26, 2024 at 7:05 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
I'm trying to tag more posts as I go to organize my page—so far there's #TheCarnelianKing and #TheBlackKnightSaga for my two current projects, and a general catch-all #AmWriting for casual updates on wordcount, progress, etc. I come from tumblr; tagging things for organization just feels Correct.
September 26, 2024 at 12:01 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
Sneak peek at my two sword & sorcery shorts in THE CARNELIAN KING AND OTHER STORIES. Featuring Fionn and Marten, an immortal rogue knight and his long-suffering companion, from my Patreon serial. #TheCarnelianKing #TheBlackKnightSaga
✨Preorder on Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
More links below!
SIR FIONNOBHAR THE BLACK AND THE BECASTLED KNIGHT. The problem with rogue castles, Marten mused, was their size. Sir Fionnobhar might as well be charging up to fight a mountain. Even the average dragon was smaller than the average castle these days, and dragons were difficult enough. “Are you sure this castle is your father?” Marten asked the girl who stood beside him, watching the spectacle. “Yes, sir,” she replied morosely, just as she had done every previous time he had asked. She was young, years away from adulthood, yet her expression carried the weight of a lifetime. Her wheat-blonde hair was long but tangled, and her clothes were torn in places and unbefitting a girl of her alleged status. She looked like she’d been through a war. They stood side by side on the crest of a little hill outside the town of Luddonton, watching the castle and the Black Knight try to beat each other into the ground. The castle would have been the uncontested winner were... SIR FIONNOBHAR AND THE CURSED BLADE. Marten knew the dagger was trouble the instant he laid eyes on it. That instinct was due to no special knowledge or awareness, but to the fact that any weapon, be it cursed, blessed, or mundane, spelled trouble if Fionnobhar was the one holding it. “I found it in the tomb,” said Fionnobhar, as if trying to give Marten a migraine. He was referring to the tomb they had just destroyed, harbouring as it did a dread lich-king that had been sucking dry the souls of the neighbouring town. The cemetery where they stood was grey: grey grave markers, grey mausoleum slabs, a grey, overcast sky above, and grey, withered corpses laying in their boxes. The town itself was likewise washed of colour, although to a lesser extent. With the lich-king vanquished, colour would return to people’s faces and spirits, but it would take time, and by then, Marten would be long moved on. In his mind, the town would exist eternally grey. He looked at the dagger with...
September 25, 2024 at 6:20 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
My centenarian nun story comes out in THE CARNELIAN KING & OTHER STORIES in one week 👀
A magical second-hand shop, an accidental bomb, and a nun who just wants to finish her book in peace.
Preorder on Amz: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Preorder elsewhere: books2read.com/u/mg62lz
#TheCarnelianKing
A Nun of the Order of Infinite Luck Walks Into a Bookshop. Remington Place did not exclusively sell books, as its keeper peevishly pointed out to Sister Beda every time she referred to it as a bookshop. The rest of its kitsch and knickknackery was irrelevant to her interests; she was too polite to say so, but she expected her expression made it clear all the same. Preorder for 2.99, coming Sept 30. Cover art: fantasy illustration of a red and gold dragon with a snakelike head, catfish whiskers and koi scales, looking at a knight in golden armour. The knight is riding a dapple grey horse, who is rearing to meet the dragon. They are against a dreamy, romantic background of painted trees and sky.
September 23, 2024 at 3:16 PM
ardenpowell.bsky.social
Some glamour shots of my cover art for The Carnelian King & Other Stories ✨ #TheCarnelianKing

Preorder the collection here! 15 queer fantasy short stories: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG99K83X/
Cropped painting of a red and gold dragon head with snake-like features, gold catfish whiskers, and light horns or antlers. The background is soft grey clouds and distant trees. Painting of a dappled grey horse in ornate tack with a golden knight on his back. The painting style is soft, dreamy, and romantic.
September 20, 2024 at 6:24 PM