Interlude Press

"Thrilling. Positively thrilling." —Kirkus Reviews

Nicolas “Nico” Hall is sixteen when he escapes from Dr. H’s religious gay reprogramming institute in California. On his own, he assumes one identity after another to avoid recapture as he flees south--first to Peru, then to Mexico. Seven days older than Nico, Samuel “Sam” Jonas Solomon is a privileged Upper West Side only child who idolizes James Bond. When his heart is broken, he vows that, like Bond, he’s never going to trust in love again. Then he meets Nico, and his heart won’t listen to any logic. Nico’s survived by living only for himself—until his love for Sam has him risking his freedom for others. And as much as Sam wants to be like 007, he discovers that James Bond is a terrible role model. Together, Nico and Sam set out to free the other teens trapped in Dr. H’s Institute, plunging readers into perils, drama, and a long-shot chance at love. To succeed, they’ll both have to be A Different Kind of Brave.

From Duet Books for Young Adult readers, a Chicago Review Press imprint.

Price: $12.99 print / $6.99 eBook

Details: Trade paperback, 5.25"x 8”

Pages:  302

ISBN: 978-1641609500 print // 1641609508 eBook

Cover art by C.B. Messer.

About the Author: Lee Wind is not currently a spy, but he did spend fourteen years undercover (what most people call “in the closet”). Today he writes the books that would have changed his life as a young Gay Jewish kid. He is the author of the nonfiction Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection No Way, They Were Gay? and the novel Publishers Weekly named a top five independently published young adult book of 2018, Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill. He also runs the popular blog I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?—words his teenage self only dreamed of saying. Lee lives in Los Angeles with his husband of more than twenty-five years, and they have a grown daughter. Visit Lee online at leewind.org.

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Add A DIFFERENT KIND OF BRAVE to your Goodreads TBR here.

Finished NanoWriMo? Congratulations! You may be thinking about submitting that manuscript soon, and we have some advice in the event you’re thinking about sending your work to Interlude Press and Duet Books.

First, thanks for thinking of us! The fact that authors —both established and aspiring—consider Interlude as a possible home for their hard work means a lot to us. We receive many manuscripts in the weeks following National Novel Writing Month, and it can take a while to get through them all. But there are ways to help ensure that your work stands out no matter where you’re sending it.

Is it ready? This is a tough question, we know. You’ve poured yourself into writing your book, and you’ve probably gone over it a few times, too. Before you send it off for submission, consider getting extra eyes on your words from trusted readers or editors. While all books undergo editing after they’ve been accepted, you will help your chances in you turn in complete and polished work.

Is it a good match? Think about where you’re sending your manuscript. Have you studied the publisher or agent to make sure they work in your space? For example, Interlude and Duet exclusively feature stories from an LGBTQ+ perspective, but we still receive a surprising number of manuscripts from authors (and agents!) who don’t realize that. Take time to check out publishers’ catalogs and check out some of their books to make sure that you’ve found a good home for your work.

Have you checked for submissions policies? It may not be the most exciting thing you do, but read the publisher’s submissions policy (and follow it). At Interlude & Duet, we’re looking for queer adult and YA fiction of 60,000-to-90,000 words. We do not publish poetry or memoirs or picture books. There’s more, and you can find it at https://interludepress.com/open-submissions.

"An action-packed space opera that's not afraid of guts, glory, or going against the grain." 

— Foreword Reviews

She was destined for a royal life—until galactic pirates changed the course of destiny.

Being eighteen is difficult, especially when you’re a cyborg and heir to the entire kingdom of the Moon. Disillusioned with royal life, Princess Andromeda dreams of nothing but freedom and adventure outside the protective dome of royalty. But when her parents arrange her marriage to an Earthen prince, she is forced to put her kingdom before her dreams of independence.

While traveling to Earth, Andromeda’s ship is attacked by galactic pirates led by her father's sworn enemy, the Lord Captain Bran. Taken prisoner, Andromeda realizes that her captors are unaware of her true identity and sees an opportunity: To best her enemies, she may have to join them.

Price: $12.99 print / $6.99 eBook

Details: Trade paperback, 5.25"x 8”

Pages:  284

ISBN: 978-1-951954-21-5 print // 978-1-951954-22-2 eBook

Cover art by C.B. Messer.

About the Author

K.M. Watts is a debut novelist who first dreamed of becoming an author when she won her school's Young Author Award at the age of five. She enjoys reading and writing YA fantasy and sci-fi, though she also dabbles with YA romantic thrillers. In her free time, she enjoys canyon hiking in her home state of Arizona.  

Twitter | Instagram | Website

Add BORN ANDROMEDA to your Goodreads TBR here.

From the award-winning author of The Camino Club, a thrilling descent into the pages of a cursed book

BOOK OF DREAMS

Gaige’s curiosity gets the better of him when he discovers a bookstore on an abandoned street where no bookstore should be. He steps inside and is immediately enthralled by its antiquarian sights and smells. But one book in particular calls to him. It isn’t long before he gets a bad feeling about it, but it's already too late. The store’s aged bookseller gives him no alternative: once he touches the book, it's his—whether he wants it or not.

The book leads Gaige on a horrific descent into the unknown. As he falls into the depths of its pages, he loses blocks of time, and his friends become trapped inside ancient cellars with seemingly no means of escape.

Gaige soon learns that the ancient bookseller is a notorious serial killer from previous century, and fears that he has fallen into a predicament from which he may not escape. When all seems lost, he finds the one person he can turn to for help—Mael, a sweet teen also trapped inside the book who didn't fall for the bookseller’s tricks. Together, they race against time to protect Gaige from joining a long string of boys who vanished without a trace inside the Book of Dreams.

Price: $12.99 print / $6.99 eBook

Details: Trade paperback, 5.25"x 8”

Pages:  276

ISBN: 978-1-951954-19-2 print // 978-1-951954-20-8 eBook

Cover art by C.B. Messer.

About the Author

Kevin Craig is the author of several young adult novels. Their most recent title, The Camino Club, was the 2021 Silver Winner of the Independent Book Publishers Association's Benjamin Franklin Award. Kevin is a five-time recipient of the Muskoka Novel Marathon's Best Novel Award. As a playwright, Kevin has had twelve plays produced for the stage. Kevin lives in Toronto, Canada. As an avid explorer, they can also be found traveling the world with their significant other, Michael. 

Twitter | Instagram | Website

Add BOOK OF DREAMS to your Goodreads TBR here.

“FELIX, SILVER, TEASPOONS AND WITCHES is a delightful brew of a book, and a beautiful reminder that there’s magic to be found in friendship, family, love and mystery.“ – Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor Book Like a Love Story and The Chandler Legacies

FELIX SILVER, TEASPOONS & WITCHES

After his parents announce that his bizarre, emerging abilities are getting in the way of their divorce, Felix Silver relocates to Dorset Harbor and becomes the charge of his Grandma Aggie. As Felix adjusts to life in a new school, Aggie decides that it's time he learn The Silver Way, and teaches him all she knows about sorcery and magical arts. When Felix and his new friends decide to solve the mystery of local teenagers who have gone missing, Felix learns that his crush, Aero, has a big secret. Is dark magic creeping into the town, and can Felix learn enough from Aggie and the witches of Dorset Harbor to combat it? From actor and author Harry Cook, Felix Silver, Teaspoons & Witches is a charming and funny Golden Girls-meets-teen wizard YA fantasy adventure.

Price: $12.99 print / $6.99 eBook 

Details: Trade paperback, 5.25"x 8”

Pages:  300

ISBN: 978-1-951954-14-7 print // 78-1-951954-15-4 eBook

Cover art by C.B. Messer.

About the Author

Harry Cook is an award-winning actor, writer, and LGBTQI+ activist. He has appeared opposite actors including Geena Davis, Sam Neill, and Bryan Brown in films and television shows, and won the Best Supporting Actor award at FilmOut San Diego Film Festival for his role in the feature film Drown. 

His debut memoir, Pink Ink, was published in September 2018 to rave reviews. Felix Silver, Teaspoons & Witches is Harry’s second young adult novel. His first YA, Fin & Rye & Fireflies, was released in August 2020 and received the Scottish Teenage Book Prize in 2022. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Add FELIX SILVER, TEASPOONS & WITCHES to your Goodreads TBR here.

She was destined for a royal life—until galactic pirates changed her destiny.

Being eighteen is difficult, especially when you’re a cyborg and heir to the entire kingdom of the Moon. Disillusioned with royal life, Princess Andromeda dreams of nothing but freedom and adventure outside the protective dome of royalty. But when her parents arrange her marriage to an Earthen prince, she is forced to put her kingdom before her dreams of independence.

While traveling to Earth, Andromeda’s ship is attacked by galactic pirates led by her father's sworn enemy, the Lord Captain Bran. Taken prisoner, Andromeda realizes that her captors are unaware of her true identity and sees an opportunity: To best her enemies, she may have to join them.

Cover art by C.B. Messer

About the Author

K.M. Watts is a debut novelist who first dreamed of becoming an author when she won her school's Young Author Award at the age of five. She enjoys reading and writing YA fantasy and sci-fi, though she also dabbles with YA romantic thrillers. In her free time, she enjoys canyon hiking in her home state of Arizona.  

KMWatts.com Twitter: @KMWattsOfficial Instagram:@K.M_Watts LinkTree

Available November 15, 2022

Pre-order now at: IP Web Store | Chicago Review Press | Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Indiebound | Kobo 

Enjoy three acclaimed romantic comedies for only $8.99 in our SPRING IS IN THE AIR digital box set!

Unexpected. Accidental. Predestined. In this digital collection, three critically-acclaimed authors of LGBTQ+ fiction celebrate love and the art of romantic comedy.

Lunch with the Do-Nothings at the Tammy Dinette by Killian B. Brewer

When Marcus Sumter, a short-order cook with dreams of being a chef, inherits a house in small town Marathon, Georgia, he leaves his big city life behind. Marcus intends to sell the house to finance his dreams, but a group of lovable busybodies called the Do-Nothings, a new job at the local diner, the Tammy Dinette, and a handsome mechanic named Hank cause Marcus to rethink his plans. Will he return to the life he knew or will he finally put down roots?

“… the point of the story is laughter, and Brewer shows a wicked facility with the pratfalls and plain speaking of the steel magnolias at the book’s heart.”—Publishers Weekly

Tack & Jibe by Lilah Suzanne

Willa documents a picture-perfect nautical life on Instagram, but when fans register her in a national sailing championship, she needs a crash course in sailing to protect her reputation. She gets help from champion sailor Lane Cordova, whose mastery of the sport is matched only by Willa’s ineptitude—and her growing crush on Lane isn’t helping matters. Can Willa keep her reputation afloat while taking a chance on love?

"This is a sweet story of two women learning who they are and finding love along the way. There are plenty of waves in the ocean to keep you turning pages and oodles of seaside charm. This is one of my favorites of the year so far."—The Lesbian Review

The Luckiest by Mila McWarren

When memoirist Aaron Wilkinson gathers with his high school friends to marry off two of their own, he must spend a week with Nik, the boy who broke his heart. As they settle into the Texas beach house for the nuptials, Nik is clear: he wants Aaron back. “He’s coming hard, baby,” a friend warns, setting the tone for a week of transition where Aaron and Nik must decide if they are playing for keeps.

"[STARRED REVIEW] A strong supporting cast rounds out this solid and sizzling NA romance, which resonates with the amorphous time between finishing college and venturing out into the real world and the choices we make to be with the ones we love."—Booklist

Details: This eBook package includes PDF, ePub, and Kindle (Mobi) files.

Purchase Links: IP Web Store | Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

This past weekend marked the eighth anniversary of Interlude Press becoming real. After months of planning, our small business incorporated on January 1, 2014 and soon after, we announced our plans to publish novels from first-time authors making the jump from fanworks to professional publishing.

Some applauded us. Some didn’t. We saw more than a few comments forecasting our inevitable and immediate failure.

Eight years later, our books have received awards, starred reviews, and placement on annual “Best of the Year” lists. They’ve appeared on bestseller lists. They’ve been featured in The New York Times, NPR, and O Magazine. Authors have become reader favorites, and some have moved on to new stages. And ultimately, our books found a larger platform when we signed with a distributor that opened new doors for our books.

As Interlude grew, so did its benchmarks for success. And it became clear that to ensure the continued success of this company in an increasingly competitive market, we were going to need some help.

Other publishers recognized this, as well. We were approached by larger companies about possible acquisition. And one stood out from the others.

On January 1st, we welcomed Chicago Review Press as the new owner of Interlude Press and Duet Books.

In Chicago Review Press, we found not just a new owner, but a familiar space committed to the catalog, the mission, the authors, and the brand of Interlude Press and Duet Books. Its publisher has expressed a strong commitment to keeping the brand intact and assigning editorial leadership to members of the queer community.

We take this step with great excitement for the future of Interlude Press, its authors, and their books. Throughout our months-long process, it became clear that Interlude has found a home that is committed to its future and respectful of its history.

We couldn’t be more grateful for the authors, editors, readers, bloggers, reviewers and more whose support and hard work have helped shape Interlude Press into the publisher it has become.

"It’s a book to be savored and enjoyed from the sweet, light beginning to the subtle middle notes, which culminate in a refreshing, delicious finish." (Starred Review)

—Publishers Weekly

Now only $1.99 through New Year’s Eve at select e-tail partners!

Wine critic Thomas Baldwin can make or break careers with his column for Taste Magazine. But when his publisher orders him to spend a year profiling rising stars of California’s wine country and organizing a competition between the big name wineries of Napa and the smaller artisan wineries of Sonoma, his world gets turned upside-down by an enigmatic young winemaker who puts art before business.

Now through December 24th—40% off everything at the IP Web Store!

“A lovely, finely wrought romance that reminds us that to truly love another, we must know our own hearts.” —Kirkus Reviews

Now only $1.99 through New Year's Eve at select e-tail partners!

In a last ditch effort to revive the downtown Detroit gastropub he opened with his late husband, Asher Schenck hires a new staff. Among them is Tyler Heyward, a recent college graduate working his way toward med school. When they fall for each other, it’s not race or class that challenges their love, but the ghosts and expectations of their pasts. A Kirkus Reviews' annual "Best Books of the Year".

From the award-winning author of The Camino Club, a thrilling descent into the pages of a cursed book leaves a teenager racing against time to escape the fate of a long string of boys that preceded him—vanishing without a trace into the BOOK OF DREAMS.

Gaige’s curiosity gets the better of him when he discovers a bookstore on an abandoned street where no bookstore should be. He steps inside and is immediately enthralled by its antiquarian sights and smells. But one book in particular calls to him. It isn’t long before he gets a bad feeling about it, but it's already too late. The store’s aged bookseller gives him no alternative: once he touches the book, it's his—whether he wants it or not.

The book leads Gaige on a horrific descent into the unknown. As he falls into the depths of its pages, he loses blocks of time, and his friends become trapped inside ancient cellars with seemingly no means of escape.

Gaige soon learns that the ancient bookseller is a notorious serial killer from previous century, and fears that he has fallen into a predicament from which he may not escape. When all seems lost, he finds the one person he can turn to for help—Mael, a sweet boy also trapped inside the book who didn't fall for the bookseller’s tricks. Together, they race against time to protect Gaige from joining a long string of boys who vanished without a trace inside the Book of Dreams.

Read the exclusive preview at LGBTQ Reads!

Cover art by C.B. Messer

About the Author

Kevin Craig is the author of several young adult novels. Their most recent title, The Camino Club, was the 2021 Silver Winner of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Benjamin Franklin Award. Kevin is a five-time recipient of the Muskoka Novel Marathon’s Best Novel Award. As a playwright, Kevin has had twelve plays produced . for the stage. Kevin lives in Toronto, Canada. As an avid explorer, they can also be found traveling the world with their significant other, Michael.

KTCraig.com

Available September 13, 2022. Pre-order now at: