New Fantasy Novel — Friends for Lonely Gods

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 modern humanity, with its modern technology, laws, and weapons has changed since the old days, and with the constant growth in human knowledge and population, there are now more gods than ever.

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 have the kind of strong relationships with others she's heard lauded her whole life, but it never quite works 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, a change she genuinely wants for others but hopes might benefit her as well. Mammoth is well 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, instead of within them as he always has, 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 the secrets of his past are ever found.