Description

A runaway witch, a cursed actor, and a magical theatre troupe full of sequins and secrets—this cozy, queer fantasy takes the stage with romance, rebellion, and fae-fueled drama.

When Vai Delvecchio leaves their home in the night, fleeing a family scandal, they knock on the door of the least likely but most alluring of sanctuaries: the traveling Quicksand Theatre Company. Actor Leo Takahashi—a.k.a. Leonidas the Obstreperous—grants Vai a bed in his caravan in exchange for Vai’s magical assistance in theatrical productions. Vai finds their respectable, dignified life transformed into a whimsical world of sequins, makeup, and irreverent comedy sketches. 

In the caravan’s close quarters, it’s inevitable that Leo and Vai grow curious about each other, a feeling that blossoms into mutual desire. But trouble waits in the wings. Vai has to face the fallout of their family’s mistakes, and Leo guards a somber secret: soon, an unbreakable deal he made with a malevolent faery will take effect, destroying his freedom and potentially his life.

Yet it may be in the darkest lairs of the fae realm, and in the painful longing of separation, that Vai and Leo each find the truth that makes them whole again.

All the books in the Eidolonia series are standalone!

Lava Red Feather Blue

Ballad for Jasmine Town

The Quicksand Theatre Company 

About the author(s)

Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She likes thinking up innovative romantic obstacles and mixing them with topics like Greek mythology, ghost stories, fairy tales, or regular-world scandalous gossip. She's into mild rainy climates, gardens, '80s new wave music, chocolate, tea, and perfume (or really anything that smells good). She has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of her life, aside from grad school in California and one work-abroad season in Edinburgh in the 1990s. She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, kids, guinea pigs, corgi, and a lot of moss.

Reviews

“With appeal to both young adult and adult audiences, this charming, inviting LGBTQ+ fantasy novel is set on the shores of a magical realm and tells a very human story about love, sacrifice, and self-discovery.” — Foreword Reviews 

"A delightfully queer and genderqueer romance set in an inventive fantasy world, The Quicksand Theatre Company has slow-burn yearning, magical bargains, joyful performance, and all kinds of drama. I loved it." — Felicia Davin, author of The Scandalous Letters of V and J

“A cozy delight wrapped up in a warm hug of a book! The Quicksand Theatre Company will sweep you into the found family you didn't know you needed.” — Jasmine Kuliasha, author of The Midnight Pack

“The Quicksand Theatre Company is a book for this age, complete with election fraud, unbreakable contracts, and deadly prejudice. It explores ordinary people doing extraordinary, hard things that completely disrupt their lives. And it is the best love story I have read in a long while. The story, the characters, the romance, and the writing—just beautiful.” — Bianca M. Schwarz author of The Innkeeper's Daughter

"Seamlessly blends a unique magic system, complex family dynamics, a poignant romance, the everyday chaos of a traveling theatre company, and wonderful queer characters. The result is a story that’s as vibrant as it is compelling.” — Jamie Deacon, author of The Music of Unexpected Things and the Boys on the Brink series

Praise for the Eidolonia Series

"Humans and fae collide in this vivid urban fantasy." — Publishers Weekly

"Intoxicating ... Set in a fantastical world populated by fae and human beings, Ballad for Jasmine Town is a buoyant novel in which people fight for what and how they love." — Foreword Reviews

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