Sebastian Nothwell's Blog
September 7, 2025
Ch. 24 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
Chapter Twenty-Four of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a complex navigation is attempted.
~
Moreso than confessing everything, moreso than kissing, and even moreso than consummation, was the sheer relief Emlyn felt to sleep with Rat in xir arms again.
It wasn’t that xe hadn’t realised xe missed it. It was that xe hadn’t permitted xirself to grieve the loss. Now to have it returned filled xir heart to bursting and xe drifted off to a slumber as deep as it was serene, as if xe were Endymion—or perhaps Selene, with Rat as Endymion tumbled limp and languid in xir grasp, more at peace than xe had known him since their return to the realm. No drowning night-mare could reach xir.
This tranquility was broken with a single whispered word.
“Sorry.”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
Moreso than confessing everything, moreso than kissing, and even moreso than consummation, was the sheer relief Emlyn felt to sleep with Rat in xir arms again.
It wasn’t that xe hadn’t realised xe missed it. It was that xe hadn’t permitted xirself to grieve the loss. Now to have it returned filled xir heart to bursting and xe drifted off to a slumber as deep as it was serene, as if xe were Endymion—or perhaps Selene, with Rat as Endymion tumbled limp and languid in xir grasp, more at peace than xe had known him since their return to the realm. No drowning night-mare could reach xir.
This tranquility was broken with a single whispered word.
“Sorry.”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
August 31, 2025
Ch. 23 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Twenty-Three of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein the best of intentions begin to go horribly wrong.
~
Rat forced his voice to remain even. “I’m not going to keep you from—whatever you need.”
Emlyn’s brow did not unfurrow. “What I need is for you to be honest with me.”
Trust Emlyn to ask for the impossible.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
Rat forced his voice to remain even. “I’m not going to keep you from—whatever you need.”
Emlyn’s brow did not unfurrow. “What I need is for you to be honest with me.”
Trust Emlyn to ask for the impossible.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
August 25, 2025
Ch. 22 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Twenty-Two of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein the slow-burn simmer becomes an inferno.
~
The word hung in the silence between them.
Emlyn’s dark eyes had flown wide with shock.
Rat knew what would follow. Disgust. Anger. Betrayal. He braced to see the worst of it in Emlyn’s gaze. If Emlyn would even deign to continue to look upon him.
But instead Emlyn smiled.
Soft and handsome and radiant as ever. Rat’s heart thrilled to see it despite the wretched circumstances.
“Me?” Emlyn said with soft wonder, as though xe couldn’t believe it—ludicrous, for who wouldn’t want a prince, and moreover one so strong and beautiful and kind. “What for?”
Perhaps Emlyn had misunderstood him. Rat supposed he’d better make his meaning plain. “I want to kiss you.”
Unmistakable joy flashed through Emlyn’s dark gaze. Xe quickly tempered it. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” Rat felt as startled by his own honesty as Emlyn evidently felt to hear it, judging by xir astonished blink. He pressed on nonetheless. “And more. Worse.”
Emlyn’s brow furrowed. “Worse?”
“I want to do things to you.” Rat swallowed hard and forced out the confession his prince deserved. “Terrible things.”
Rather than horror, a hopeful and unaccountable smile lit up Emlyn’s already-brilliant features. “Such as?”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
The word hung in the silence between them.
Emlyn’s dark eyes had flown wide with shock.
Rat knew what would follow. Disgust. Anger. Betrayal. He braced to see the worst of it in Emlyn’s gaze. If Emlyn would even deign to continue to look upon him.
But instead Emlyn smiled.
Soft and handsome and radiant as ever. Rat’s heart thrilled to see it despite the wretched circumstances.
“Me?” Emlyn said with soft wonder, as though xe couldn’t believe it—ludicrous, for who wouldn’t want a prince, and moreover one so strong and beautiful and kind. “What for?”
Perhaps Emlyn had misunderstood him. Rat supposed he’d better make his meaning plain. “I want to kiss you.”
Unmistakable joy flashed through Emlyn’s dark gaze. Xe quickly tempered it. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” Rat felt as startled by his own honesty as Emlyn evidently felt to hear it, judging by xir astonished blink. He pressed on nonetheless. “And more. Worse.”
Emlyn’s brow furrowed. “Worse?”
“I want to do things to you.” Rat swallowed hard and forced out the confession his prince deserved. “Terrible things.”
Rather than horror, a hopeful and unaccountable smile lit up Emlyn’s already-brilliant features. “Such as?”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
August 16, 2025
Ch. 21 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Twenty-One of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a confession is made.
~
Before he could think of anything intelligent, wise, or prudent to say to his long-neglected prince, however, Emlyn spoke.
“Please—may I have a word?”
Rat bit down his instinctive reply; that Emlyn could have anything xe damned well wanted from him, and half of it without ever needing to ask. But he couldn’t shake the disquietude he felt at that one particular word, please. Princes didn’t beg.
Belatedly, he replied, “Of course.”
Brisk. Efficient. Plain-spoken. Toneless.
None of which seemed to ease the unaccountable grief in his prince’s gaze.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
Before he could think of anything intelligent, wise, or prudent to say to his long-neglected prince, however, Emlyn spoke.
“Please—may I have a word?”
Rat bit down his instinctive reply; that Emlyn could have anything xe damned well wanted from him, and half of it without ever needing to ask. But he couldn’t shake the disquietude he felt at that one particular word, please. Princes didn’t beg.
Belatedly, he replied, “Of course.”
Brisk. Efficient. Plain-spoken. Toneless.
None of which seemed to ease the unaccountable grief in his prince’s gaze.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
August 9, 2025
Ch. 20 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Twenty of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein desire is suspected.
~
“D’you think,” Alistair murmured, gentle as ever, “he might be in love with you?”
A thunderbolt couldn’t have more thoroughly shattered Emlyn’s ease.
Alistair hesitated. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to—It’s only, from the glimpse I caught of his face, I thought I saw something like… well, jealousy, I suppose.”
A traitorous fluttering of hope stirred beneath Emlyn’s breast-bone. If xe alone had beheld envy in Rat’s gaze, xe could tell xirself it meant nothing. But if Alistair had seen it, too, then—
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Alistair hastened to add.
“No, no,” Emlyn told him just as quickly. “You were quite right to. Your honesty is everything to me.”
A bashful smile plucked at Alistair’s lips. His soft palm graced Emlyn’s cheek. “Would you forgive me for offering an opinion alongside it?”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
“D’you think,” Alistair murmured, gentle as ever, “he might be in love with you?”
A thunderbolt couldn’t have more thoroughly shattered Emlyn’s ease.
Alistair hesitated. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to—It’s only, from the glimpse I caught of his face, I thought I saw something like… well, jealousy, I suppose.”
A traitorous fluttering of hope stirred beneath Emlyn’s breast-bone. If xe alone had beheld envy in Rat’s gaze, xe could tell xirself it meant nothing. But if Alistair had seen it, too, then—
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Alistair hastened to add.
“No, no,” Emlyn told him just as quickly. “You were quite right to. Your honesty is everything to me.”
A bashful smile plucked at Alistair’s lips. His soft palm graced Emlyn’s cheek. “Would you forgive me for offering an opinion alongside it?”
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
August 2, 2025
Ch. 19 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Nineteen of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein feelings are denied.
~
“Have you done that before?”
“Done what?”
“Kissed someone.”
An unaccountable shame bloomed in Emlyn’s chest. Xe’d never felt xe’d done anything wrong in this regard before. Now, however, with Rat asking xir the simplest question… Still, xe could do no less than answer honestly. “Yes.”
Rat deserved that much, at least.
Though he didn’t seem happy to hear it now. Nor did he say anything. No matter how dearly Emlyn wished he would. A horrible silence drew out between them.
Before Emlyn could stop xirself, xe added, “And more.”
This did nothing to improve Rat’s aspect. Nor did it induce him to speak. His eyes darted away from Emlyn’s. Over the room. Clear across it. Fixing on a point in the middle distance and focusing on nothing at all. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Yet he remained silent.
“Does it bother you?” Emlyn asked—though the answer was already evident.
“No,” said Rat.
There was something off in the answer. Too quick. Too sharp. It had a strange undercurrent that sounded utterly unlike the Rat that Emlyn had come to know and love.
All at once, Emlyn realized xe couldn’t recall Rat ever lying to xir before.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
“Have you done that before?”
“Done what?”
“Kissed someone.”
An unaccountable shame bloomed in Emlyn’s chest. Xe’d never felt xe’d done anything wrong in this regard before. Now, however, with Rat asking xir the simplest question… Still, xe could do no less than answer honestly. “Yes.”
Rat deserved that much, at least.
Though he didn’t seem happy to hear it now. Nor did he say anything. No matter how dearly Emlyn wished he would. A horrible silence drew out between them.
Before Emlyn could stop xirself, xe added, “And more.”
This did nothing to improve Rat’s aspect. Nor did it induce him to speak. His eyes darted away from Emlyn’s. Over the room. Clear across it. Fixing on a point in the middle distance and focusing on nothing at all. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Yet he remained silent.
“Does it bother you?” Emlyn asked—though the answer was already evident.
“No,” said Rat.
There was something off in the answer. Too quick. Too sharp. It had a strange undercurrent that sounded utterly unlike the Rat that Emlyn had come to know and love.
All at once, Emlyn realized xe couldn’t recall Rat ever lying to xir before.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
July 30, 2025
Bookstore Romance Day 2025
WHAT
Bookstore Romance Day, a celebration of the romance genre at independent bookshops.
At LaLa we will be having local author readings and book signings, as well as a Romance Trivia game and a raffle for a book tote filled with romance reading.
WHO
Local authors, including Elizabeth Franta, Mary Hart, Molly Kerr, Nik Kiri, Elena Markem, Sara Marks, K. Nies, Becky Lee Whitehouse – and yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell.
WHEN
Saturday, August 9th
1:30pm – Reading & Signing 1
2:15pm – Romance Trivia
3:30pm – Reading & Signing 2
WHERE
LaLa Books
189 Market Street
Lowell, MA
There’s a parking garage just down the block and across the street from the bookshop. The bookshop’s handicap-accessible entrance is around back.
I can’t wait to meet you there!
Bookstore Romance Day, a celebration of the romance genre at independent bookshops.
At LaLa we will be having local author readings and book signings, as well as a Romance Trivia game and a raffle for a book tote filled with romance reading.
WHO
Local authors, including Elizabeth Franta, Mary Hart, Molly Kerr, Nik Kiri, Elena Markem, Sara Marks, K. Nies, Becky Lee Whitehouse – and yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell.
WHEN
Saturday, August 9th
1:30pm – Reading & Signing 1
2:15pm – Romance Trivia
3:30pm – Reading & Signing 2
WHERE
LaLa Books
189 Market Street
Lowell, MA
There’s a parking garage just down the block and across the street from the bookshop. The bookshop’s handicap-accessible entrance is around back.
I can’t wait to meet you there!
July 29, 2025
Old(er) Characters in Romance on Right Here Write Queer!
There's a new episode of Right Here Write Queer waiting for you in your fave podcast app!
From Professor X and Magneto to Our Flag Means Death to, yes, actual romance novels—unlock the potential of a lifetime (literally) with older characters in romance. Readers yearn for old man yaoi. (And, if we dare to dream, old lady yuri…?)
Featuring...
Carolina Cruz (they/them) is the author of the vampire horror romance Blood in the Water and the queer fantasy series The Creed of Gethin (beginning with The Unwanted Prophet). You can connect with them on instagram @ninawolverina
Noah Hawthorne (they/them), also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the queer cozy fantasy series Adventures in Levena, beginning with Phantom and Rook, and the solarpunk novel The Rebel Foxes, amongst other titles. You can connect with them at their website: neshamapublishing.com
And yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell (he/him).
From Professor X and Magneto to Our Flag Means Death to, yes, actual romance novels—unlock the potential of a lifetime (literally) with older characters in romance. Readers yearn for old man yaoi. (And, if we dare to dream, old lady yuri…?)
Featuring...
Carolina Cruz (they/them) is the author of the vampire horror romance Blood in the Water and the queer fantasy series The Creed of Gethin (beginning with The Unwanted Prophet). You can connect with them on instagram @ninawolverina
Noah Hawthorne (they/them), also writing as Aelina Isaacs, is the author of the queer cozy fantasy series Adventures in Levena, beginning with Phantom and Rook, and the solarpunk novel The Rebel Foxes, amongst other titles. You can connect with them at their website: neshamapublishing.com
And yours truly, Sebastian Nothwell (he/him).
July 27, 2025
Ch. 18 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Eighteen of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein our hero parties against his will.
~
“Fernsby’s throwing a bash,” Emlyn told Rat.
It’d taken xir almost an hour to work up the courage to do so. An evening hour spent relaxing with Rat in their dormitory—or rather failing to relax. Emlyn’s nerves rattled on edge for reasons xe couldn’t understand. It was a commonplace proposition. And it was only Rat.
Yet Emlyn had seen almost nothing of him these past few months despite their sharing a room. Hardly more than a glimpse since the horse show. Xe wondered, not for the first time, what xe had done to make Rat avoid xir. Xe told xirself—again—that nothing was wrong; Rat was just busy. First year and all that. And in the medical college to boot. A far heavier course-load than Emlyn’s own philosophy degree. More stringent and more demanding in almost every regard. Understandable given how life and death literally hung in the balance. Still, Emlyn wished it weren’t so taxing on Rat. Not entirely for unselfish reasons.
A wry smile twitched at the corner of Rat’s mouth. “Bully for Fernsby.”
It was only a glimpse of the friend Emlyn had known prior to university. It lightened Emlyn’s heart regardless. “You’re invited.”
Rat cocked an eyebrow. “Not by Fernsby, surely.”
Emlyn furrowed xir brow. A troubling insinuation. But one which xe could contemplate later. At present xe had to make the most of Rat’s fleeting notice. “I’m inviting you.”
Rat’s left eyebrow arose to join his right.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
“Fernsby’s throwing a bash,” Emlyn told Rat.
It’d taken xir almost an hour to work up the courage to do so. An evening hour spent relaxing with Rat in their dormitory—or rather failing to relax. Emlyn’s nerves rattled on edge for reasons xe couldn’t understand. It was a commonplace proposition. And it was only Rat.
Yet Emlyn had seen almost nothing of him these past few months despite their sharing a room. Hardly more than a glimpse since the horse show. Xe wondered, not for the first time, what xe had done to make Rat avoid xir. Xe told xirself—again—that nothing was wrong; Rat was just busy. First year and all that. And in the medical college to boot. A far heavier course-load than Emlyn’s own philosophy degree. More stringent and more demanding in almost every regard. Understandable given how life and death literally hung in the balance. Still, Emlyn wished it weren’t so taxing on Rat. Not entirely for unselfish reasons.
A wry smile twitched at the corner of Rat’s mouth. “Bully for Fernsby.”
It was only a glimpse of the friend Emlyn had known prior to university. It lightened Emlyn’s heart regardless. “You’re invited.”
Rat cocked an eyebrow. “Not by Fernsby, surely.”
Emlyn furrowed xir brow. A troubling insinuation. But one which xe could contemplate later. At present xe had to make the most of Rat’s fleeting notice. “I’m inviting you.”
Rat’s left eyebrow arose to join his right.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
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♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
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♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
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July 20, 2025
Ch. 17 - A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow - m x nb romantasy on Patreon
Chapter Seventeen of
A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow
- a historical m x nb romantasy featuring dark academia, hurt/comfort, and dragon royalty - is now on Patre♡n! Wherein a whirlwind ensues.
~
Griswold frowned. “What sort of hound is it?”
“Bull-and-terrier.”
Her left brow arched. “Rat-catcher?”
Rat supposed it was rather funny for a man of his name to keep such a dog. “Aye.”
Whatever jokes Griswold might’ve made, she kept to herself. “Not catching rats at present, though.”
“Not in a pit. Though she does get hold of ‘em now and again in the corridors. Palace is big enough,” Rat added as Griswold’s right brow shot up to meet her left. “She’s plenty of room to find ‘em.”
“And they leave her to it, at the palace?”
Rat felt strange discussing palace life at university, where everyone play-acted as if they all stood on a level field. “She has a keeper. He sees to her needs particular.”
It hadn’t seemed right, throwing her in the kennel with the hunting dogs. She got on better with Iskandar’s long-shank cats and sleek sight-hounds. A palace pup through and through. Spoilt rotten, and who could begrudge her it?
“So she’s not wanting for company, then,” Griswold concluded.
“No,” Rat admitted with some hesitance. He couldn’t speak for the dog’s feelings on her constant companion abandoning her for greener pastures. But she wasn’t altogether alone, either. He hoped that might count for something.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
~
Griswold frowned. “What sort of hound is it?”
“Bull-and-terrier.”
Her left brow arched. “Rat-catcher?”
Rat supposed it was rather funny for a man of his name to keep such a dog. “Aye.”
Whatever jokes Griswold might’ve made, she kept to herself. “Not catching rats at present, though.”
“Not in a pit. Though she does get hold of ‘em now and again in the corridors. Palace is big enough,” Rat added as Griswold’s right brow shot up to meet her left. “She’s plenty of room to find ‘em.”
“And they leave her to it, at the palace?”
Rat felt strange discussing palace life at university, where everyone play-acted as if they all stood on a level field. “She has a keeper. He sees to her needs particular.”
It hadn’t seemed right, throwing her in the kennel with the hunting dogs. She got on better with Iskandar’s long-shank cats and sleek sight-hounds. A palace pup through and through. Spoilt rotten, and who could begrudge her it?
“So she’s not wanting for company, then,” Griswold concluded.
“No,” Rat admitted with some hesitance. He couldn’t speak for the dog’s feelings on her constant companion abandoning her for greener pastures. But she wasn’t altogether alone, either. He hoped that might count for something.
~
Joining me on Patre♡n will give you access to “drawer fic” – aka the 500k+ words worth of manuscripts that have been shelved until I figure out how to fix or finish them. You'll also be invited to join an exclusive Discord server just for patrons!
A new chapter will go up every week. Missing (unwritten) scenes will be indicated by brackets describing what would probably happen if the scene were written. Example: [in this scene Aubrey and Lindsey ride a carousel]
Currently posting…
♡ A Mirror for the Prince's Shadow (historical m x nb romantasy)
Completed works...
♡ the Aubrey & Lindsey solar fantasy project (mm)
♡ A Willing Canvas - John Halloway x Lord Cyril Graves (mm)
♡ The Train Job - Rowena Althorp x Rebekah (ff)
♡ Hold Fast 2 - Hold Faster (mm)
♡ Vampires Vampires Vampires (mmm)
♡ The Sebastian Nothwell Contemporary Expanded Universe (mmm+)
♡ Theo. (transmasc historical mm romance)
See you on Patre♡n!
