Reading Order

I have multiple series and settings, so the most common question new readers ask is "where do I start, and once I start, where do I go next?"

  

  

These three books are the first books in my bestselling series. If you’ve never read anything by me, and want science fiction, start with one of these two: Mindtouch for pastoral/gentle, and Earthrise for adventure. They’re set in the same universe (the Pelted setting), so if you liked one of them, you can move on to the other when you’re done. If you prefer fantasy, go with An Heir to Thorns and Steel. For reading order and series info for all my settings, keep reading!

Space Opera/Science Fiction: the Peltedverse

My largest setting, the Peltedverse, is designed with multiple entry points. The most common ones, as mentioned above, are Earthrise (adventure) and Mindtouch (pastoral). Alternately you can enter via the Alysha milsf series with Second, or with the historical epic, Zafiil. The following graphic does a good job of illustrating the multiple entry points that lead into the main storyline:

Below, I've put all the books in order in their various series! Read on, for descriptions. Where bundles are available, the images are of the bundled sets.

The Her Instruments trilogy: Earthrise, Rose Point, and Laisrathera. One of my bestselling series, a space opera adventure set in the Pelted universe. Includes themes of family as well as romance. If you like Firefly or Andromeda, try it! Set in the Pelted universe. Now includes a bonus holiday novel, A Rose Point Holiday. The 10th anniversary editions are now available at retailers.

The Shieldmatron series picks up where the Her Instruments trilogy ends, or can be read as a standalone, and begins the redemption arc of the villain from Rose Point and Laisrathera, Surela Silin Asaniefa! Themes of change, starting over, repentance, and bands of friends abound. Begins with An Exile Aboard Ship, continues with An Exile Amid Stars.

The Dreamhealers saga is my other bestselling series. Also set in the Pelted universe, it is part “grad students at school” novel and part friendship forever tale. Expect a lot of cookie-baking in this new adult story. The first two novels, Mindtouch and Mindline, establish the relationship; Dreamhearth and Dreamstorm moves into their adulthood. The novella Family revisits the characters several years later. While not technically part of Dreamhealers, the standalone Girl on Fire is an origin story for Sediryl, who shows up in Family and the Princes’ Game series. This coming of age novel is a little like a Valdemar novel, but in space!

The Princes’ Game series: Covering some of the darker aspects of the Pelted setting, in this case the genesis of the Chatcaavan War. An intense, dark, and philosophical war story with a long redemption arc. Even the Wingless, Some Things Transcend, Amulet Rampant, Only the Open, In Extremis and From Ruins constitute the events of the war, with Major Pieces collecting 21 short stories set during and after it. R-rated, for violence, sex, sexual violence, and psychological head games. Readers who wish to skip this series, or embark it armed with spoilers, may want to pick up a copy of The Princes' Game Reader Summary.

The Books of the Fallowtide Sequence include two duologies, two collections and two standalone books, meant to be read in the following order: Beginning with the Jubilee Summer series, in which Jahir and Sediryl get married and Sediryl is crowned heir to the Eldritch Empire; starts with Healer’s Wedding, concludes with Farmer’s Crown. Heartskein is a standalone about Jahir and Vasiht’h that takes place after the Princes’ Game and Jubilee Summer series. Likewise for Fathers’ Honor, a side story about the arrival of Vasiht’h’s university advisor, Armin Palland, to the homeworld of the Eldritch. In the Court of Dragons is a reader-sponsored collection of shorts set after Heartskein and Fathers’ Honor. The Lisinthir’s Heirs series continues the Fallowtide period with Dragons’ Fealty and Scions’ Flight, and the Fallowtide period ends with To the Court of Love.

The Stardancer series (Pelted setting). Alysha’s Fall is a prequel and very dark (R-rated, with intimate violence). It’s not required to enjoy the rest of the series, which is PG-rated, more action-adventure. Think original Star Trek meets all-female furry cast. Begin with Second, a novella that covers a notable event in Alysha’s life during her years as an ensign and follow it up with Who Is Willing, another (almost novel-length) novella. Sword of the Alliance is the first full-length novel, and is followed by Either Side of the Strand, Faith in the Service, and In Good Company.

To Discover and Preserve is the first of the standalone short story collections about the Alliance’s (pseudo)military, Fleet. Adventure, humor, space battles, personnel issues… dive into the other side of the Peltedverse in what will hopefully be the first of several books in this series.

Zafiil (volumes 1 and 2) are the Peltedverse’s first historical novels, concerning the alien race, the Faulfenza. They follow the life of Zafiil Paidiiza Qodii, from childhood until her life’s end, during one of the most important periods in the Faulfenza’s history: first contact with the Alliance. This is one story, so large it had to be split into two paperbacks: the author recommends buying them together and bingeing!

There are two collections of Peltedverse fiction: Claws and Starships, which gathers some of my first pieces of Pelted short fiction, and Sleigh Bells and Starships, the first holiday-themed collection.

Finally, readers can also consult the Peltedverse wiki, which has a List of Stories by Internal Chronology, a List by Publication Date, and a List by Series.

Other Settings

Various Fantasy Series

The Coracle series: a religious fantasy for all ages. Marda Quincesinger doesn’t want to save the world, but sometimes God has plans for you that work out better than your own. Begins with Marda Quincesinger, Postulant.

The Blood Ladders trilogy: An Heir to Thorns and Steel, By Vow and Royal Bloodshed, On Wings of Bone and Glass. Standalone epic fantasy trilogy, my bestselling series outside of the Pelted books. Contains elves, demons, philosophy students, and vampire genets.

The Stone Moon Trilogy: The Worth of a Shell, Pearl in the Void, A Bloom in the North. Low fantasy without humans about the near extinction of a tri-gendered alien race and their struggle to find a just and survivable society. The stories are about identity and loss. Clays Beneath the Skies is a short story collection that can be read before or after the trilogy.

The Books of Kherishdar: The Aphorisms of Kherishdar, The Admonishments of Kherishdar, Black Blossom and Kherishdar’s Exception. These are “fantasies of manners among aliens,” and comprise both my most genteel and meditative books, and my most demanding. The first two are chapbooks discussing the virtues and flaws of the alien civilization of the Ai-Naidar; the last two are a more traditional novel structure, but dense and contemplative. I recommend reading them in order, but if you prefer novels to flash fiction you can start with Black Blossom, which stands alone. (Special note for people who love constructed languages: these books teach you Ai-Naidari, which has a grammar and an extensive lexicon.)

Iskadi Kherishdarem is a worldbuilding/process/meta-conversational examination of the Ai-Naidar, best enjoyed after reading the Books of Kherishdar. The first collection is Conversations with the Ai-Naidar. The second is Further Conversations with the Ai-Naidar.

The Haley and Nana books are apocalyptic LitRPG episodes about a girl and her grandmother baking and crafting their way through a game system imposed on Earth by friendly aliens. These feel-good stories are good for ages 12+, though aimed at teens-through-adults. Starts with Haley’ Cozy System Armageddon and continues with Haley and the Catfish Invasion, Haley and the Spooky Dungeon, Haley and Nana’s Best House, Haley and the Miraculous Potion and finally, Haley and the Town of Refuge.

The Godkindred Saga duology: Flight of the Godkin Griffin, The Godson’s Triumph. Sword and sorcery fantasy with gods, politics, and warfare. Fully anthropomorphic cast, with in-world reasons for that.

A Rosary of Stones and Thorns. Old school urban fantasy, from the beforetimes when narrators didn’t have to be snarky or sexy. An angel, demon, priest, and two teens try to stop the Apocalypse. Love, redemption, and feathers. Exclusive to this shop.

Romance

The Twin Kingdoms books: Thief of Songs. A high fantasy romance novel, but with significant world-building. Asks what society would look like if there were literal extra human sexes. The leads in Thief are two composers, a hermaphrodite and a man. Pastoral, low-conflict, and sweet. Book 2, Cantor for Pearls, features a romance between a man and a neuter human, and continues the pastoral, low-conflict theme. These books ask you to imagine what relationships would be like if biology was wildly different from human norm.

Other Science Fiction

Spots the Space Marine: Defense of the Fiddler. Standalone. The book that launched a thousand internet outrage posts. Military SF told in a hard-hitting, quick, screenplay-like style.

Nonfiction

The Three Jaguars series explains business principles for creative professionals through a variety of mediums. Business for the Right-Brained is a traditional book of topical chapters, with checklists and exercises, illustrated by Three Jaguars cartoons. The Three Jaguars: A Comic About Art, Business, Life, is a collection of six months of web comics on a variety of topics, ranging from calculating return on investment to time management. From Spark to Finish: Running Your Kickstarter Campaign is a guide to using Kickstarter, with cartoons, checklists, and worksheets, based on my experience running nine successful campaigns.

Coloring/Art Books

My art/coloring book line includes a companion book to my Laundry Dragons! picture book, The Laundry Dragons Coloring Book Adventure plus a new series for younger artists, the Lunch Bag books, starting with Family Animals. There are also four standalone books, Not in Need of Rescue: A Women in Fantasy Coloring Book, Not In Need of Quests: A Men in Fantasy Coloring Book, Critters, Beasts, and Fluffies: A Whimsical Creature Coloring Book, and Candy Color: the Coloring Book of Shiny. The Jokka Coloring Book is also available for fans of the fantasy series.

Children’s Books

Vinny and Hachi: Vinny the Armadillo Makes a Friend, Vinny the Armadillo’s Not Afraid of the Dark. Short chapter books (five chapters each), illustrated, with gentle lessons. Appropriate for 5-8 year-olds.

The Laundry Dragons! Rhyming picture book. Good for 3-6 year-olds (but be careful, it’s a paperback!).