Friends for Lonely Gods continues some of Monsters and Maidens Publishing's favorite themes (autism self-rep, empathy for and connection with inhuman characters) in the first novel of a new shared fantasy universe.

Gods, magical entities formed and fueled by human interest and belief in their domain, used to come to the human world to build a following. They still do...but humanity has changed since the old days, and with the constant growth in human knowledge and population, there are now more gods than ever vying for attention.

Isabelle, an autistic young woman, has never felt comfortable in her community. Born to pastors of the god Mammoth, whose domain is charisma and connections between people, Bell would like to build strong relationships with others but it's never quite worked out. When she befriends and bonds with Sallow, a hydra-shaped god who is just as lonely as she is, the quiet rejections from her community become much louder.

Once a god of the hunt and harvest, Mammoth has pivoted countless times to protect himself and stay relevant to an ever-changing humanity. He's shaped his appearance to pass among them, mastered social media, has hundreds of churches across the globe. 

After Mammoth's centuries of studying humanity, his first encounter with Bell catches him off guard. Bell wants to help gods fit in with humans better, and teach humans to be more accepting of those different from them—and needs his help to do it. Mammoth is fully aware of the systems in place to make life among humans hell for any gods who aren't too popular to touch without causing a scandal. Working to dismantle them could bring reputational and even physical danger. But winning Bell's belief and affection becomes a challenge he can't pass up—and her plans to create a better world for both gods and humans could offer him safety if his past lies are ever discovered.

Friends for Lonely Gods focuses on platonic relationships, self-repression and self-expression under oppressive systems, and trying to help everyone just get along for once, damnit! This will be its debut release in ebook and paperback format. Backers have the opportunity to get a name of their choice listed in the novel's acknowledgements! If you're new to Monsters and Maidens or looking to upgrade from digital, special bundle pricing for all three of my books will also be available.