Cozyfantasy Stories

I didn't summon a hero. I didn't save a kingdom. I just opened a coffee shop. Tucked into a quiet corner of the city, my café was meant to be ordinary-until the door began opening to places that shouldn't exist. Kingdoms at war. Gods without temples. Beings with too much power and nowhere to rest. I don't offer prophecies or protection. I offer coffee, a seat, and a menu that refuses to be used as a weapon. But when rulers, authorities, and even the worlds themselves begin circling my small, unclaimed space, they learn something dangerous: Not all power is loud. Not all sanctuaries can be conquered. And some doors choose who may pass. A cozy isekai about quiet defiance, shared tables, and the strange magic of a place that exists between worlds.

|| ONC 2026 || Martin Marvingale lives by two rules: work hard and put others first. So when a baby dragon rips a hole in reality above his freshly planted petunias and the desperate fairytale land inside begs him to step in as their king, he says yes. Turns out, their old king got cursed with zombie-ism, and now a horde of undead nobility are ravaging the countryside. The castle is suffering from a bad bout of slime, the peasants are one more cancelled festival away from revolting, and none of the local lords (who aren't brain-eating monsters) seem to be interested in lifting a finger to help. His only hope at putting things back to rights is to make nice with a princess who hates his face -- and the fact that he might have accidentally just stolen her job. Undeterred, Martin plans to win her over by being the best king anyone could ask for. Which would be a little easier if he knew what a fairytale king was supposed to do exactly. Or how he was supposed to look. Or... anything about his kingdom, really. In retrospect, maybe he should have asked a few more questions before taking the job.

A soul collector bound by cold logic faces a cosmic glitch when a dying puppy greets him not with fear, but with a wagging tail. ​Synopsis: In the monochromatic world of the Afterlife Assistant, his existence is a never-ending cycle of ticking names off "The List." ​Everything changes on a rainy Tuesday when 149Hub, Reaper 149 is a top-tier soul collector known for his surgical precision and lack of empathy. Accompanied by his rule-abiding encounters a discarded cardboard box. Inside isn't a human soul meauesday harvest, but a shivering, golden-furred puppy. When the creature licks his frozen hand, a spark of forbidden warmth ignites. Choosing to ignore his next high-priority target, 149 embarks on a rogue mission through the living city to find the puppy's owner. But as the clock ticks and "Soul Hunters" close in to correct his insubordination, 149 discovers that the puppy's fate is inextricably linked to the very soul he was ordered to take. Title: The Reaper's Detour Codename: Reaper 149 Genre: Urban Fantasy

Every time Tess fails, at auditions, friendships, or love, a flower blooms in her yard. What begins as a delicate marvel soon overwhelms her life. Roses spill over fences, lilies bow toward the pavement, and neighbors gather as if her failures were a performance. All Tess wants is grass again, something still and ordinary, something that doesn't move to the rhythm of everything she couldn't be. One moonlit night, a soft melody leads her to Hyatt, a tiny, quiet prince cursed to live inside the garden. He reveals that to break the spell of the garden and set him free, Tess must perform a final ballet. Accepting her failures and dancing through fear.

In the Kingdom of Carath, separate paths are intertwined by destiny. Though each story begins differently, fate begins to weave its intricate web, and events bind each person together as they struggle not just to find answers but also to protect those they love - no matter the cost. Rain of Windbreak Working delivery to help support her family, Rain bumps into a Fairy and is shocked to learn that King Dramere has seized all Magik and is imprisoning any witch or wizard who stands against him. Especially since her friend Gemma is a witch! Alice the Fairy Alice is starting her job with her lady Agnes, a middle-aged woman. Her husband requested a worker fairy because he is rarely home and worries his wife gets lonely. Alice has flashbacks of her childhood and the deep scars that come with it. Despite trying to accept her fate and working to make new friends, she is closer to danger than she could ever imagine! King Dramere King Dramere wanted nothing more than to kill the Dragon Laurant, protecting his family and the kingdom for generations to come. But becoming blinded by the goal, he did not realize what he was doing to the people of his Kingdom. After years of planning for their daughter's royal wedding, a shocking event threatens to shatter his entire world! The Realm of Carath: Hidden Magik and Broken Wings is the first of an ongoing series by Lindsay N. Lawton. Each character has an original story and believes they are doing the right thing from their own perspective. But at what cost to the Kingdom?

You're never too old to go on an adventure. ------------ Every year in the kingdom of Asledia, a handful of eighteen-year-olds are chosen by the gods to complete a quest. If they are successful, a grand reward awaits. Gwyneira Fowler is pushing forty and content with her role as both a spinster and an assistant manager at her parents' flower farm. When a cat-sized dragon appears in one of the family hothouses and declares that she has been chosen, Gwyneira's quiet, predictable life is upended. Within days, she finds herself on the back of a strong, steady mule, headed gods-know-where in search of a sacred garden. And the little dragon? She's coming, too, much to Gwyneira's chagrin. Stepping outside of one's comfort zone can be difficult. Sometimes all you need is a little push. And a muzzle for the dragon. ONC '26 Prompt #3: You don't expect much excitement in your quiet garden until the day a dragon suddenly appears among the flowers.

Sir Greg is the smallest knight in the tiny kingdom of Thimblewick - and definitely not the strongest. But when the forest outside the kingdom starts to shift and wander, Sir Greg is sent to investigate. Deep among the trees, he discovers a secret: the forest is moving to protect someone very special... a gentle, magical guardian. When a greedy hunter tries to capture her, it's up to one small, slightly squeaky knight to stand up for the forest - using bravery, kindness, and a few very creative distractions. A heartwarming fairytale about listening, friendship, and discovering that even the smallest heroes can protect something great...

When Lux walks away from the life she built, she isn't searching for adventure. She's searching for quiet. Hidden between two buildings that shouldn't have space between them stands a small teashop that exists outside ordinary time. Inside, each cup of tea returns something its visitors thought they lost: rest, courage, memory, forgiveness. But the shop is only a pause. Everyone who enters must leave eventually. And Lux must decide who she will be when she does. A cozy magical realism novella about healing, gentle choices, and finding the version of yourself that never disappeared.

She was baked to be eaten. She woke up to be loved. Batch #3317 was supposed to be the perfect fruitcake: dense, sweet, and wrapped in a pink ribbon. But when Kaito, a nine-tailed silver fox thief, steals her from the windowsill, he doesn't just get a snack-he accidentally wakes up a girl. Now, "Cake" is a human with golden fox ears, a tail she can't hide, and a personality that is delightfully, unapologetically dense. Her goal? To bake hope back into a lonely world. Her problem? A grumpy nine-tailed fox who won't admit he's in love, a jealous ancient evil trying to burn down the town, and a government inspector who is allergic to fun. Welcome to Hearthollow. The ovens are hot, the magic is messy, and the baker is definitely not on the menu. (Contains: Cozy Fantasy, Fox Boys, Baking Magic, and a heroine who solves problems with cinnamon rolls.) 🦊 What to expect: Grumpy x Sunshine (Ancient Fox x New Human) Cozy Fantasy & Bakery Vibes Fish-out-of-water comedy Found Family A villain who just needs a hug (and a cookie) Wait... did that marshmallow just squeak?

****** WATTYS 2025 SHORTLIST IN BRAZIL **************** COULD A KNIGHT AND A WITCH BE THE ONES TO SAVE THE WORLD, ONE PIE AT A TIME? Trix, a disaster-prone witch, sees her only hope of saving her pie shop in partnering with the surly yet skilled knight, Gwen. Their improbable alliance mixes magic and cooking in a way that blends much more than just ingredients. ********************************************************** After five years of war against the demons of Raven Mountain, the kingdom of Charcot is finally at peace. Thanks to the golden shield spell, which enclosed the demons on the mountain, everyone can finally rebuild their lives. Gwen is a knight who fought in the war and today, with a permanently injured leg, she needs to figure out what to do with her life. The war took everything she loved, and the warrior doesn't know if she has anything left to keep fighting for. Trix is a witch of the kingdom, one of those responsible for the golden shield spell, but she doesn't want to live the rest of her days in the shadow of her coven. Trying to overcome the loss of her girlfriend and seeking to breathe life into a dream that wasn't hers, she will try to build a new life for herself. However, some people don't want peace, and these two women, so different from each other, will have their lives united by many problems and a few pies. If you enjoy a cozy fantasy story, you can sit back and read this adventure! UPDATES WEEKLY, EVERY FRIDAY ############################################################## Cover art by @roddarts, follow the artist on Instagram and Facebook! ##############################################################

Elara, whose life is a perfectly organized, beige routine, gets more than she bargains for when a botched manifestation ritual conjures Kael, a devastatingly handsome demon prince. Bound to fulfill her deepest, unspoken desires for perfect love, he is everything she never knew she wanted. But when she discovers their blissful reality comes at the cost of her soul, her mission changes: she must find a way to fall out of love with the very man designed to be her ideal. Can she find a flaw in the flawless demon before her soul is forfeit? Or will the act of searching for imperfection reveal a truer love than she ever imagined, one that breaks the rules of magic, and maybe, just maybe, redefines what it means to be human?

A witch who is a chocolatier to the fairies As a chocolatier to the fairies Winifred is a beloved member of the magical communities in Wiltshire, the land of Stonehenge. It's a lot of work but walking through the countryside to deliver orders to grateful fairies is rewarding. There's just one problem, the sheriff suspects she might have followed in her Grandfather's footsteps by becoming a smuggler. And then...An old college flame named Larkin shows up, now working for the very sheriff who is always watching her like a hawk. Still, she might actually enjoy being under Larkin's watchful eye. Except, to add fuel to the fire a murder threatens to upend the peace between the fairy kingdoms and her Grandfather quickly becomes the top suspect. The paperback version of this book includes multiple pictures of the Wiltshire fairies for you to enjoy

A retired witch named Maribel opens a cozy café in a quiet village, serving pastries and drinks infused with gentle magic-spells for calm, courage, and creativity. Her goal is to leave behind the chaos of adventuring and create a haven for weary souls.

Snow falls. Magic stirs. And even in the dark, everything holds. Set in the Echoes of the Night universe, this holiday novella follows a small found family in Pittsburgh through a strange, quiet Christmas night. The power goes out. Shadows move. Something curious and gentle slips through the dark - not to hurt, but to learn. There are soft jokes and burnt cookies, flickering tree lights, and a blackout that doesn't bring fear so much as wonder. Magic hums, not hungry or cruel, but warm and attentive, as if the night itself is listening. This is a story about chosen family. About safety found by touch instead of light. About the rare kind of magic that doesn't demand sacrifice - just trust. Cozy, softly eerie, and full of heart. Perfect for readers who love: 🕯 soft horror 🖤 found family ❄️ winter vibes ✨ gentle magic 🌙 emotional, character-driven stories *Author Note* "If you're enjoying this, leave a comment - I read every one."

Combine a mountain filled with rugged orcs with a mysteriously arrived shop serving delicate cups of tea. Could this be the start of a revolution? **** On Orc Mountain, there is nothing but dirt, smoke, and backbreaking labor in the mines. There are no colors, no sun, no breaks for rest. There is definitely no tea. That is, until a mysterious tea shop appears in the orcs' domain. Glimmering in blue and pink, it stands out against the rugged backdrop. At first, the hardened inhabitants of the mountain are understandably leery about the malpositioned shop, wondering how it got there and why. Lava, a dedicated supervisor at the mines, takes it upon herself to investigate the suddenly-arrived business. Stepping inside, she meets Jasper, the bubbly fairy shopkeeper, who offers her a fragrant brew. Once Lava takes a sip, the sweet yet bitter taste pulls her in, making her clamor for more. Soon, all orcs are hooked on tea, but something sinister is brewing under the surface. When Lava catches Jasper conducting a secret meeting in a backroom, the true purpose of the tea shop is revealed. Soon she is forced to choose between her newfound passion for tea (and Jasper) and her dedication to the mountain's mining operations. *** Legends & Lattes x Shrek *** An ONC novella using prompt #15: A mysterious tea shop suddenly appears and you can't help but wonder: what's its true purpose, and why does it seem so important?

Every autumn, trees shed not only leaves but forgotten human stories. Elmira is the keeper of an unusual library. She collects special fallen leaves that reveal lost memories: childhood dreams, unbroken promises, first love. From these leaves, she brews a magical tea that returns to people what they once lost. For twenty years, Elmira has helped others remember what they forgot. An artist finds his dream. An old man discovers the name of his first love. A woman returns to her abandoned book. But the keeper herself lives in quiet solitude, unaware that her own most important story has also turned into a fallen leaf. When Elmira accidentally finds a silver leaf with her forgotten past, her lonely life is turned upside down. It turns out that many years ago she herself lost something priceless-and now she has a chance to get it back. A cozy autumn tale about memory and forgetting, about lost time and new beginnings, about how it's never too late to remember what matters most and start living anew. For those who love: Warm stories with touches of magic Cozy fantasy about simple miracles Autumn mood and warm tea by the fireplace Stories of lost love and second chances

***ONC 2025 SHORTLISTER, LONGLISTER & ROUND 2 AMBASSADOR PICK*** Most days, Elvina Biblos endures a dull existence as a barista. But whenever she can, she escapes to the Library, home to books that are gateways to magical realms, and the Society of Page Travelers, the guardians of these gateways. Elvina toiled for years as a Scribe for the Society, recording the exploits of Page Travelers. Now it's her turn. Tasked with retrieving a stolen book, Elvina relishes the opportunity to become a Page Traveler herself. But when Ian, a self-assured class 3 Page Traveler, invites himself along on her first solo mission, Elvina begins to wonder if her dreams are further away than ever. Ian insists that the Society isn't as perfect as Elvina would like to believe, and that some would go to unimaginable lengths to take them down. As Elvina and Ian pursue the thief, they quickly discovers that traversing the pages of a book can be a dangerous business-and the Society might know less about the situation than they think. Can Elvina complete her mission and discover what's really going on? Or will this be her last chapter with the Society? And can she trust Ian? -- Entry for ONC 2025; based on prompt #4.

In the quiet kingdom of Kaedir, where magic is rare but never forgotten, a master sorceress had gone into hiding. Maristela Eldridge Galene - apprentice to the legendary Bovardii, wielder of forgotten arts, and decidedly not a people person - has retreated to her enchanted cottage. Her house rearranges itself at will, her furniture has opinions, and her only companion is Azrielle, a talking ferret with delusions of grandeur. It's a perfect, peaceful existence... until the King interferes. When four noble apprentices appear at her door - the cheerful Althea, mischievous Lorien, brooding Eris, and timid Caius - Maristela finds herself reluctantly responsible for their magical education. But these aren't ordinary students: • Althea bears the King's signet ring and a relentlessly cheerful nature • Lorien's pranks hide a frightening natural talent • Eris tries to sneak her blades in but always is somehow stopped • And Caius... well, the plants seem to whisper to him As Maristela navigates the chaos of teaching while maintaining her carefully constructed isolation, it seems as if that the tides are changing once more...

ONC 2023 Shortlister His features had haunted her for years; a boy with silver eyes peering out from beneath a mask of bone. His body cloaked in darkness, a wicked grin upon his lips that spoke of treachery-- a smile that had broken countless hearts. And in that instant, in the midst of this game of life and death, Lucy wondered if hers would be next... .................... Lucy was warned never to trust those within the Carnival of The Lost-- a circus of strange creatures who spend their nights in performance, vanishing during the day. Yet she is drawn in by its music, her dreams filled with the face of a mysterious boy who's eyes shine pale as the moon, the air of a dark power shrouding him. But when by her own hand a deadly mistake is made, she must play the carnival master's wicked game to set everything right. Written for the Open Novella Contest 2023, this novella is a companion book to my short story 'At Autumn's Edge.' Prompt used; 49. "Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can." Cover image AI generated using Canva. Cover composition made by the author.

Cora Blair Gordon leads a bleary and unfulfilled life in London compared to what her imagination conjures up. But her reality changes drastically when her grandmother bequeathes her a small and very old bookstore in Scotland. She connects with her grandmothers past, when she discovers the little blue door.