The Cake & Pewter Chronicles

A Cozy Fantasy Series

In a land where magical powers are restricted to a privileged few, these woman push the boundaries of what is possible.

Releasing in serial form on Substack, or …

Read the series cover-to-cover in the Cake and Pewter Chronicles collection, forthcoming in print, ebook & author-narrated audiobook editions November 30, 2026!

“Outstanding world creation. Magic and yet real … a most enjoyable read.” – Praise for “The Monk’s Knife” from the editors of Literally Stories

“An absolutely delightful read!” – Praise for “To Pause for the Watch” from Leah Leach, founder of Gals Guide

In serial form on Substack …

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This story first appeared in

Forever Yours (Dragon Soul Press 2026).

Cake & Pewter

The novelette that started it all

Year 97 AGD

Lucy Baker doesn’t trust power or the people who have it, especially not when they visit her family’s bakery café and cause trouble. Then Liam Girard shows up, a playful monk with some power and trouble of his own. Liam has come to Azure City on a mission. He’s pursuing rumors about a collection of banned books with truths about powers their society has long forgotten. The stakes are high enough, and Liam proves charming enough, that Lucy joins his search. But will they find the hidden library before its books fall into the wrong hands?

“The Monk’s Knife”

The prequel short story

Year 97 AGD

How to protect yourself against powers you don’t have?

Lucy Baker has been asking herself that question more and more lately. Now conflict brews in her family’s cafe with no one in sight to protect the innocent customers. Will Lucy, herself, prove equal to the task?

Find out how Lucy and Liam meet in this Cake & Pewter prequel short story.

In serial form on Substack …

Read now

This story first appeared on

Literally Stories (2026).

Other stories in the series

Year 85 AGD

“To Pause for the Watch“

Of all the acts of rebellion Gembira could choose, staying to take her shift for the watch would likely accomplish little … or will it?

This story first appeared in Gals Guide Anthology: Rebellion (Gals Guide Press 2026)

Forthcoming Serial Release November ’26

on Substack

Year 97 AGD

“A Bronze Candelabra”

Gembira could leave her weapons in a trunk, but she couldn’t very well leave herself. And it felt more and more like she’d need to do just that—set aside the person she’d become in order to function in the abbey that she’d once considered home. But … could a person ever really go home?

This story first appeared on Academy of the Heart and Mind:

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Year 97 AGD

The Catering Witch

Lucy has every intention of putting her new catering business front and center at the upcoming convocation, but Brother Liam has other plans. He’s learned of a plot to force the convocation vote toward tighter restrictions on magical powers, a move that will put many people who hide their abilities–including Lucy–in danger. Can the monk and the caterer protect the convocation from undue influence, or will Lucy have to give up her business plans and find new ways to hide, instead?

Forthcoming Release in Curses & Crystals:

A Dragon Soul Press Anthology 11/23/26

Forthcoming Serial Release March ’27 on Substack

Year 102 AGD

“Auspicious”

Tradition identified the priest as holder of the Maker’s Favor, a golden medallion that amplified human power. The medallion needed to be in the hands of someone who’d use it well, and its current owner was not that person. Gembira intended to rectify this.

This story first appeared in the fall ’25 issue of Helix Literary Magazine:

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