This month of June, the Fantasy profile celebrates Pride Month, an annually observed commemorative month that celebrates and honors queer identities and experiences. The Fantasy profile seeks to shine a spotlight on authors within the queer community with Fantasy by Queer Authors. With this anthology, we are calling all queer fantasy writers to use their magic to fabricate fantastical worlds and beings. To craft experiences and histories, conversations and relationships. Immortalizing their creations through words on a page. Enter this creative realm and explore the enchantment within!

Alpha Series 2: Book 1

I have a confession to make: I'm not a big Harry Potter fan. Oh, I read and enjoyed all the books (maybe except for Book 5), and watched all the movies (still think the 3rd was the best), but every time the story would try to present itself as being a worldwide magical conflict, I'd have to battle an urge to sigh. I just didn't see a lot of non-Western magical types/motifs represented in the Harry Potter world. As for specifically Philippine magic, yeah... no. While that's hardly surprising, that kind of thing still keeps me from truly immersing myself in that world, even if I found aspects of it very inviting, because it felt like a world that has no place for people from my neck of the woods. And that's a shame, because there's a rich diversity of magical practices in the Philippines. So I've always thought about what a Philippine magical school might be like, one which used and taught magic in a way that magic has appeared in our culture, our old stories and urban legends. When I was asked to contribute to the first issue of LONTAR (https://lontarjournal.com/), I realized I didn't want to submit a story. What I wanted to do was imagine that Philippine school of magic, and in providing a list of courses that are taught within its hypothetical halls, give some insight into our own traditions of magic. It was a... much more daunting task than I'd originally anticipated, and in no way does the list I created even scratch the surface of the myriad magical traditions, ancient and modern, found in these islands. But it's a start. (Cover image is tangentially related, an inforgraphic primer on Philippine sorcery by Mervin Malonzo and myself for Kwentillion.)

Geek and bookworm Jamie Navarro doesn't exactly know how to have fun when she's dragged to her first night out with her friends. When River Ongpauco shows her with dancing, body shots, and a good time--she ends up on his bed the following morning. *** Jamie is as innocent as they come, but when she wakes up alone on River's bed after spending an amazing night with him, she can't help but leave a killing curse (Avada Kedavra) on his window. But River is determined to woo her, and their one night turns into something more--a perfect relationship with a somewhat perfect boyfriend...if only he opens up to Jamie and stops keeping himself at arm's length. When this breaks them apart, can River give his heart and his all to the girl he first took for granted? Will she let him? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Louise De Ramos

Timi is used to having all the boys wrapped around her little fingers. Sanay na sanay na siyang nakukuha ang atensyon ng mga 'to. After all, she's both beauty and brains . But then she meet, Ice--the transfer student and the new vocalist of their school band, Endless Miracle. Talaga nga namang masyado nitong pinanindigan ang pangalan niya dahil sing lamig din ng yelo kung pakitunguhan niya si Timi. That hurts Timi's pride so she took him as a challenge. She will do everything to make Ice fall for her. Little did she know, she will get the biggest lesson of her life. Kung paglalaruan mo ang pag-ibig, hindi ikaw ang palaging panalo. Darating ang panahon na makakahanap ka ng katapat mo na magpapatumba sa lahat ng paniniwala mo.

A (not-so) hopeless romantic writer. A weird (not-so-much of a) stranger. A lot of (denying) feelings in between. A (continuation of the online) connection that ends on 11 / 23.

Sky is not an ordinary boy. He has a gift. Isang special ability na itinuring nyang sumpa. He has always been living his life away from others, until he met Alison. Si Alison na pakialamera at pilit na isinisiksik ang sarili nito sa buhay nya. Magawa nya pa kayang mamuhay ng tahimik malayo sa ibang tao? O tuluyan na kayang guluhin ni Alison ang kanyang buhay? Will Alison become his reason to once again wish for a normal life? A story based on one of my favorite one-shot tragic manga, Kara no Shounen (Empty Boy). Cover credits to Artless :) ©NixieYume 2013 THIS NOT EDITED NOR HAS IT UNDERWENT PROOFREADING. THIS IS RAW AND FULL OF MISTAKES IN THE TECHNICALITIES. THE AUTHOR HAS NO PLANS OF EDITING THE NOVEL. READ IT IF YOU WANT.

Hello! I was invited by Wattpad to answer any questions you have about publishing! I will be online on July 21, Tuesday, from 10 AM to 11 AM (Philippine time). Post your questions on my profile: wattpad.com/MinaVE and I'll answer them as soon as I can. :)