Mike Struan Novels

Gay fantasy author. 🏳️‍🌈✨ Husband. Corgi wrangler.

[mikestruan]

My Stories

Hey everyone,

even more than a year after I released my first novel, Dam Breakers, I'm still as excited (and still as nervous) that anyone could take interest in my humble ramblings. Now I've made a blog for these writing endeavours of mine.

Even though I'm approaching the release of my second novel release both faster and slower than I'd anticipated, Dam Breakers still holds, (and will probably always hold) a special… magic for me.

What if everything you believed about magic was a lie? Jared's life is already complicated—balancing college, living alone, and keeping his sexuality a secret. But when a mysterious mage begins speaking to him through his wardrobe mirror, everything he thought he knew is shattered. Magic is real, and it’s about to turn his world upside down. As Jared is drawn into a fantastical journey that spans two worlds, he must confront not only supernatural forces but also the secrets he's kept hidden deep inside. With the fate of two worlds in his hands, Jared’s choices will define both his own future and the future of those he loves. Join Jared in a tale of magic, love, and the transformative nature of change. Only one thing is certain: Nothing will remain unchanged.

If you like to read a transformative story full of emotions, love between two very different men and a whole lot of magic, perhaps you might want to check it out here:

Dam Breakers

Fantasy | Romance | LGBT | Adventure

But wait! I said something about a second novel above, didn't I? Well, it's kind of a good news bad news situation. The bad news is that while I'm progressing on it, it probably won't come out this year. In fact, I'm almost certain it wont.

But, and this is the good news, you can already read a short story set in the same world that also serves as a kind of prequel to my next book series Alchemical Green.

Oops, did I say series? Well, I suppose that's true. It's going to be a series of (probably) four books, all filled with adventure, gay love, mystical alchemy, and the greenest possible main character.

So. About the short story. This one has no M/M romance in it (it's a bit short for that), but it's no less a good read, especially if you like quirky characters. And the best thing is, it's absolutely free! I ask you to subscribe to my mailing list to download it, but if you want to, you can leave immediately. Or… you could stay. It's a strict no-spam list, so all you'll get are a some — hopefully — interesting updates on my stories. And perhaps a sneak peak and some recommendations here and there.

So, if you feel like that could interest you, check it out for free!

Always be awesome!

Mike

The Winged Dwarf

Torven never imagined that his family’s latest heist would involve a genius dwarf with ambitions to defy gravity. Bound by a contract to se

[mikestruan]

Alchemical Dreamer

It is live My second novel, Alchemical Dreamer is now available on Amazon (also in KU)! And this time, it's the start of a series!

Do you sometimes feel like you don't belong anywhere? Like the world expects you to be someone you're not? That you are a strange mix of too much and not enough?

I do sometimes. And so does Kraghtol, the half-orc.

If that sounds familiar, you might enjoy a fantasy story with unbridled emotions, slow-burn M/M romance and the greenest possible protagonist.

When Kraghtol, the only half-orc in a land of humans, gets his hands on a magical potion said to turn him human, he doesn't realize his entire life is about to change. Every miracle has its price. Caught in the currents of guild politics and shadowed power, Kraghtol crosses paths with Valir, a sharp-tongued noble with even sharper secrets. As their fates intertwine, Kraghtol must decide what kind of man he wants to become: the one the world accepts, or the one who dares to be free.

Care to join Kraghtol on his journey?

Alchemical Dreamer

Dreams don't care who you are. But they might shape you.

…and if you happen to like the story… reviews mean the world to us indie authors.

[mikestruan]

ARC readers wanted!

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for ARC readers for my next novel, Alchemical Dreamer!

If you like an emotional fantasy adventure with a delicious slow-burn M/M romance (the enemy-to-lovers kind), be sure to check it out.

ARC is short for Advance Reading Copy, and the idea is as follows: You get to read the book, for free, ahead of time. In exchange, I ask you to share a review on Amazon and Goodreads on the same day the book releases (which, by the way, is planned for February 22nd). Without reviews, the Amazon algorithm won't recommend the book, and without the algorithm, a lot less people are going to see it than I'd like.

So, in short, the deal is like this: I gift you the book in advance, you gift me a review if you like.

If you want to support me with that, and read a 100k-word fantasy adventure about a half-orc on his way to become an alchemist, occasionally distracted by that furiously good-looking noble...

Give this link a lick.

Alchemical Dreamer

Kraghtol Wulfspar has never truly belonged. The only half-orc in a land of humans, he’s spent his life assisting his adoptive father, the he

[mikestruan]

Cover Reveal!

The cover for Alchemical Dreamer is finished! And it's absolutely gorgeous, if you ask me.

The main character of the story is a bit shy here, so he's wearing a cloak. But you can still see the tusks, right? I just hope they won't become a problem for him in the story. If you want to find out more, here's your chance! I still have a very few beta reader slots open. So if you want to be among the first ones to read a bit more than 100k words of an alchemical fantasy with oh-so-sweet slow-burn M/M romance in exchange for your feedback and your feelings... here's your chance.

Usual disclaimer: Not looking for commercial offers, you will not get paid money for beta reading.

If you want to wait for my ARC program instead because beta reading is not for you, don't worry. I will open that later this year.

And if you don't want to miss these kind of news, read the prequel story for free and enjoy an irregular update from my corgi, you can get on my mailing list here:

The Winged Dwarf

Torven never imagined that his family’s latest heist would involve a genius dwarf with ambitions to defy gravity. Bound by a contract to se

[mikestruan]

Voldrik got a new suit!

When I first wrote my short story The Winged Dwarf, I bought the cover on Fiverr, since I couldn't comission the same artist as for Dam Breakers. Over time, I liked what I received less and less and now that I'm (slowly!) approaching the release of my next novel, I figured it's time for a new look.

So, have a look at the new cover for The Winged Dwarf!

What do you think? Does it make you want to look inside?

The good news is that you can! The Winged Dwarf is free and will always stay free. And as a plus, you can join my mailing list to get updates about my (writing) life.

I can wholeheartedly recommend doing so, because aside from updates and reading recommendations, this might be the only bookish newsletter with a section where my corgi gets to bark his mind. Let's just hope he doesn't get too megalomaniac with all the internet fame!

So, if that sounds like something you might be interested in, check out this link.

The Winged Dwarf

Torven never imagined that his family’s latest heist would involve a genius dwarf with ambitions to defy gravity. Bound by a contract to se

And if you want to read todays newsletter but weren't subscribed yet, don't worry, I've got you covered. Here's the archive copy.

Stay awesome!

[mikestruan]

Hopepunk

So, as promised, here's a few words about hopepunk.

When I started writing Alchemical Green, I didn't even know the word existed. But once I learned about it, it was clear that it might be one of the main "genres" of both the book I was writing and the prequel short story set in the same world.

Things aren't particularly bright in hopepunk. In fact, most often, these stories play out in a dark and hostile, perhaps even dystopian world or society.

That's where the 'hope' comes in. The protagonist or a small group of people carry a light in them, fighting and defying to make the world just a bit better. Perhaps not for everyone, and perhaps most others won't follow. But then again, some might, and maybe some more good might emerge.

Hopepunk stories don't need to end in a big revolutionary turn of society as a whole. As long as some hearts and mind have been touched, a small part of the world is a bit brighter than before, that's enough.

Besides the stories I write, I find that suprisingly well in line with my general philosophy, and try to be that spark as often as possible.

What do you think about hopepunk?

If, by the way, you want to read the aforementioned short story("The Winged Dwarf"), and others where the protagonist defies the status quo, have a look at this awesome collection of free stories:

Stories That Burn the Empire to the Ground

Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Dystopian | Thriller | Survivalism

If, on the other hand, you need a straight-up injection of possibly non-straight love, check this out. My debut novel Dam Breakers is in there, and if you have KU, everything on there is free to read.

Fall LGBTQ Reads

LGBT

[mikestruan]

That little bit of defiance

Both my short stories and my next novel will have one thing in common. In both cases, the main character has a problem with the establishment (which ist, truth be told, not all that great to begin with).

I recently learned there is a rather fitting word for describing the kind of story I'm telling: Hopepunk. But I'll expand on that more at a later time.

If you like to read my short story, The Winged Dwarf, and other authority-defying stories, check out this cool collection:

Stories That Burn the Empire to the Ground

Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Dystopian | Thriller | Survivalism

The best part is, that just like my own story, every story in there is totally free!

Happy reading!