🏳️‍⚧️ Trans and Non-binary Fantasy Authors Spotlight

One of the main reasons I wanted to open a fantasy bookshop was to highlight the books and voices that often don't receive the same visibility in mainstream bookstores. While queer and BIPOC authors are thankfully becoming more prominent, I have still felt a strong lack of representation for South Asian authors in particular (being a South Asian British immigrant myself). I wanted to create a space that celebrates the stories I connect with, helps readers discover new perspectives, and diversifies their TBRs.

As it is Pride Month in Norwich, I'd like to highlight some fantastic authors whose books you'll find on our shelves.

Aiden Thomas

Books:

• Cemetery Boys
• Lost in the Never Woods

These books are also part of our Book Edges for a Cause programme. If you purchase one of my hand-painted editions, all profits will be donated to notaphase.org.

Cemetery Boys is a YA urban fantasy filled with magic, heart, and humour. It explores grief, identity, family, and belonging while still feeling surprisingly warm and uplifting. It's the literary equivalent of a comforting hug.

Naseem Jamnia

Book:

• The Bruising of Qilwa

This month's QUEER VOICES pick.

Set in a Persian-inspired world, The Bruising of Qilwa follows Firuz-e Jafari, a non-binary refugee healer with a rare form of blood magic. The novella explores displacement, social inequality, and community while weaving together mystery and magic. It's a powerful, thought-provoking read and one I highly recommend.

Juno Dawson

Books:

• Her Majesty's Royal Coven
• The Shadow Cabinet
• Human Rites

These are witches living in the modern world, hidden in plain sight. At the heart of the series is a secret British government organisation that has operated for centuries.

Packed with political intrigue, friendship, betrayal, ambition, and magic, this is urban fantasy at its finest. Dawson creates deeply flawed, complex characters who stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Neon Yang

Books:

• The Tensorate Series

The Tensorate books blend Asian-inspired worldbuilding with silkpunk technology to create something truly distinctive. In this world, children are not assigned a gender at birth and instead choose their identity when they are ready.

Part political fantasy, part philosophical exploration, this series is perfect for readers who feel they've read one too many traditional fantasy novels and are looking for something fresh, original, and unforgettable.