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An Outstretched Hand: A Tarot Spread of Queer Stories
A hand reaching to you from the shadows. Six cards over-turned. Six enchanting queer tales inspired by the magic of tarot.
The Star by Tess Carletta
A lighthouse keeper who influences the fate of her people by wrangling misbehaving stars back into place must remedy her own constellation.
The Hierophant by Carolina Cruz
A knight who was disabled in battle gives up on asking the gods for healing and turns to something dark in the woods for help instead.
Strength by Luna Daye
A warrior is sent to investigate the rumors of a raided village and is forced to face the trauma of his past, and has to battle more than his grief after a terrifying discovery.
The Chariot by R.K. Ashwick
Two witches vie desperately for a goddess’s blessing- but the fortune they seek might be right in front of them.
Temperance by Noah Hawthorne
A grieving mercenary searches for the tallest mountain to throw himself from, but a mystery and curious folk keep him grounded for a little while longer.
The Devil by Sebastian Nothwell
A repressed Victorian finds fleeting release in a fae courtesan's arms until iron chains threaten their growing bond.
Explore the forest, meet the fae, pray to the gods, shepherd stars, or fight creatures of myth. An offering for you, if you accept the Outstretched Hand.
The Star by Tess Carletta
A lighthouse keeper who influences the fate of her people by wrangling misbehaving stars back into place must remedy her own constellation.
The Hierophant by Carolina Cruz
A knight who was disabled in battle gives up on asking the gods for healing and turns to something dark in the woods for help instead.
Strength by Luna Daye
A warrior is sent to investigate the rumors of a raided village and is forced to face the trauma of his past, and has to battle more than his grief after a terrifying discovery.
The Chariot by R.K. Ashwick
Two witches vie desperately for a goddess’s blessing- but the fortune they seek might be right in front of them.
Temperance by Noah Hawthorne
A grieving mercenary searches for the tallest mountain to throw himself from, but a mystery and curious folk keep him grounded for a little while longer.
The Devil by Sebastian Nothwell
A repressed Victorian finds fleeting release in a fae courtesan's arms until iron chains threaten their growing bond.
Explore the forest, meet the fae, pray to the gods, shepherd stars, or fight creatures of myth. An offering for you, if you accept the Outstretched Hand.
ebook
First published November 11, 2025
About the author
R.K. Ashwick
11 books207 followersBy day, R.K. Ashwick herds cats in the animation industry. By night, she writes, bakes, and herds her literal cat around her living room. She lives with her husband (and said cat) in California.
Get free stories, art, and release updates here:
rkashwick.com
Q&A
Where do you get your ideas for your books?
The idea for Stray Spirit came from an active brainstorming session- I knew I wanted to write something for Nanowrimo, but I didn't know what. So I threw together three things I was interested in- bards, caves, and spirit possession- and went from there.
A Rival Most Vial came to me when the phrase "rival potion shops" fell into my head. (And subsequently never left.)
Why did you add drawings to The Stray Spirit?
I wanted to give the book a fairy tale vibe, and because I self-published, I had the freedom to select the artist and the scenes that were drawn. Was it more expensive? Sure. Was it worth it? Yes.
For A Rival Most Vial: why potion shops?
Because my nerdy little D&D heart loves them. I'm obsessed with the hidden lives of NPCs in D&D campaigns, and A Rival Most Vial is absolutely a tribute to that.
And finally: what's next?
Keep an eye out for two more books in the Lutesong Series, three books and two novellas in the Side Quest Row series, and a stand-alone tentatively titled The Bread Witch!
Get free stories, art, and release updates here:
rkashwick.com
Q&A
Where do you get your ideas for your books?
The idea for Stray Spirit came from an active brainstorming session- I knew I wanted to write something for Nanowrimo, but I didn't know what. So I threw together three things I was interested in- bards, caves, and spirit possession- and went from there.
A Rival Most Vial came to me when the phrase "rival potion shops" fell into my head. (And subsequently never left.)
Why did you add drawings to The Stray Spirit?
I wanted to give the book a fairy tale vibe, and because I self-published, I had the freedom to select the artist and the scenes that were drawn. Was it more expensive? Sure. Was it worth it? Yes.
For A Rival Most Vial: why potion shops?
Because my nerdy little D&D heart loves them. I'm obsessed with the hidden lives of NPCs in D&D campaigns, and A Rival Most Vial is absolutely a tribute to that.
And finally: what's next?
Keep an eye out for two more books in the Lutesong Series, three books and two novellas in the Side Quest Row series, and a stand-alone tentatively titled The Bread Witch!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 4, 2025
4.5⭐️
When several of my favorite authors of all time said they were doing a tarot anthology I thought this must be a gift from the universe specifically for me. I’ve been reading tarot for myself and others for more than a decade, and nothing could make me happier than that and on of the other love of my life (books) coming together.
All anthologies will necessarily be a mixed bag, but nearly every story in this collection was a truly special experience. It was so full of heart, I was tearing up constantly, and warmed all the way through.
I was absolutely right- this was a gift, but it will be to everyone who reads it and not just me🖤
When several of my favorite authors of all time said they were doing a tarot anthology I thought this must be a gift from the universe specifically for me. I’ve been reading tarot for myself and others for more than a decade, and nothing could make me happier than that and on of the other love of my life (books) coming together.
All anthologies will necessarily be a mixed bag, but nearly every story in this collection was a truly special experience. It was so full of heart, I was tearing up constantly, and warmed all the way through.
I was absolutely right- this was a gift, but it will be to everyone who reads it and not just me🖤
November 18, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Anthologies can be very hit or miss. Sometimes there is a single story that stands out, casting all the others in shadow; sometimes it’s only one or two that catch your interest. And, unfortunately, sometimes none of them. So feast your eyes then upon this anthology of six stories — all of which I enjoyed. While yes, there are two I liked a little more than the others, there’s not a single one here that I wouldn’t happily read more of.
Because these are short stories, there’s not much time or space to spend on world building and plot and romance, but almost all of them managed to squeeze at least two in (and I’d argue that one managed to do all three.) While the stories are loosely named after tarot cards, that’s more an aesthetic choice that a thematic one.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Anthologies can be very hit or miss. Sometimes there is a single story that stands out, casting all the others in shadow; sometimes it’s only one or two that catch your interest. And, unfortunately, sometimes none of them. So feast your eyes then upon this anthology of six stories — all of which I enjoyed. While yes, there are two I liked a little more than the others, there’s not a single one here that I wouldn’t happily read more of.
Because these are short stories, there’s not much time or space to spend on world building and plot and romance, but almost all of them managed to squeeze at least two in (and I’d argue that one managed to do all three.) While the stories are loosely named after tarot cards, that’s more an aesthetic choice that a thematic one.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
December 5, 2025
This book definitely has something for everybody. The stories have RANGE, from cozy fantasy to dark romance, from no spice to 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. That being said, because it's such a wide range, there's also probably something that is not for everyone in here, too. As far as individual stories go, my favorite was the cozy fantasy romance The Chariot by R.K. Ashwick (which, admittedly is the reason I found this anthology in the first place).
This anthology is much more about having a good time in each of the worlds and not exactly trying to say anything in each of the stories. You'll likely enjoy the characters and find at least one story you enjoy.
This anthology is much more about having a good time in each of the worlds and not exactly trying to say anything in each of the stories. You'll likely enjoy the characters and find at least one story you enjoy.
April 7, 2026
DNF for An Outstretched Hand. For a range of reasons (pacing, editing, level of explicitness), these stories weren't quite what I was looking for, but readers who are more familiar with these authors will likely enjoy this collection more!
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May 2, 2026I was incredibly pleased to be part of this anthology, and loved writing my story almost as much as I loved reading the entire book.
Read
May 2, 2026I was incredibly pleased to be part of this anthology, and loved writing my story almost as much as I loved reading the entire book.
December 24, 2025
I recommend this if you're looking for an indie queer fantasy anthology! Personally I loved "The Chariot" and "Temperance". Some of the other stories overexplained themselves too much for my taste, but they still had original premises and enough variety that I found them interesting.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews