Set against the vibrant yet gritty backdrop of London, Finding Freedom in Sequins follows the journey of Arif, a young gay Bangladeshi man grappling with rejection, identity, and self-love. When his family discovers his secret, Arif is cast out and left battered and bleeding, he stumbles through the rainy streets of Soho, eventually collapsing on the doorstep of the home to three fabulous and unapologetic drag queens.
Auntie Con Con, the nurturing and hilarious fashionista; Juliet Morningstar, the flirtatious and free-spirited queen; and Martha Superior, the wise and serious leader of the trio, take Arif in and show him a world he never imagined-a world of love, acceptance, and glittering freedom.
Through laughter, tears, and late-night heart-to-hearts, the queens teach Arif to embrace who he is, helping him transform from a timid and broken boy into someone proud of his identity. But Arif's journey to self-acceptance isn't without its challenges, as he must confront his past, face his family, and decide whether to hide or stand tall in the face of adversity.
Heartwarming, bold, and brimming with glitter, Finding Freedom in Sequins is a story about chosen family, resilience, and the courage to love yourself unapologetically.
*Book One of the Amor Fati Series*
Prince Calanthe Ámarent, once the child of a beloved queen regnant and now a disgraced prince, goes on a journey to re-discover his identity after experiencing tragedy, loss, and abuse at the hands of his Aunt, Queen Hyacinth of Eglantine.
The small kingdom of Eglantine has fallen under the control of the Tarynians: the dreaded conquerors of Gharash. Each kingdom must produce a token of loyalty to give to the Tarynians as a sign of good faith and loyalty. Calanthe is chosen by Queen Hyacinth to be the sacrifice that saves Eglantine from the worst of the Tarynian King's rage. Hyacinth forces Calanthe to play along to distract the Tarynians from the brewing trouble in the East, but it doesn't unfold as she expected.
Calanthe, once free from the torture that he experienced, begins to deconstruct the lies he had been told since birth. Along Calanthe's way, he befriends the Tarynian King Hrafn and together they formulate a plan to save the Gharashian people from the tyrant King Aelfgar of Eadburga.
[ Content Warning: explicit sexual scenes, intense violence, mentions of abuse and trauma, and vulgar language, must be 18+ to read ]
[ This story covers topics that may be triggering to certain audiences ]
Highest Rankings:
#1 in fantasy-romance (8/15/2020)
#1 in mxmxm (10/16/2020)
#1 in kingsandqueens (12/20/2020)
#1 in polyamory (08/20/2021)
#69 in gay (01/27/2023)
#43 in transgender (04/2/2024)
Awards:
Winner of the WattOriginals 2020