Cirrus@Austlit

'This treasure trove collection of stories from transgender authors unites characters who wield courage and creativity in exhilarating escapades, all in search of a place to call home.

'Get ready to set sail with a crew of rebels and misfits in this thrilling anthology of pirate tales. From CD burners to space pirates with an otherworldly crew, these stories blur the lines between criminal and separatist, playful and heartfelt and showcase a range of unique characters and found families. Featuring seven long-form pieces of writing, including a graphic novella and a verse novella, this collection has been edited by and features trans and non-binary writers, ensuring a fresh and diverse perspective on the pirate genre.

'Come aboard and discover a world of queer pirates, grey morals and homebrewed ale. The anthology includes pieces by Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Madison Godfrey, Maddison Stoff, Alexander Te Pohe, Mia Nie and Vika Mana.' (Production summary)

'Ever since the witch cursed Babs, she turns invisible sometimes. She has her mum and her dog, but teachers and classmates barely notice her. Then, one day, Iris can see her. And Iris likes what they see. Babs is made of fire.

'Iris grew from a seed in the ground. They have friends, but not human ones. Not until they meet Babs. The two of them have a lot in common: they speak to dryads and faeries, and they’re connected to the magic that’s all around them.

'Who will you rely on in the zombie apocalypse?

'Bodies on the TV, explosions, barriers, and people fleeing. No access to social media. And a dad who'll suddenly bite your head off - literally. These teens have to learn a new resilience...

'Members of a band wield weapons instead of instruments.

'A pair of siblings find there's only so much you can joke about, when the menace is this strong.

'And a couple find depth among the chaos.

'Highway Bodies is a unique zombie apocalypse story featuring a range of queer and gender non-conforming teens who have lost their families and friends and can only rely upon each other.' (Synopsis)

'The author has written extensively about gender nonconformity and not identifying as a man or a woman. But a recent award win and the misunderstanding and trolling that followed has highlighted how much society still has to learn.' 

'Ida is a figuring out what to do with her life. This is complicated by the fact that she has the ability to live out the alternatives to the choices she makes, by travelling between parallel universes. This has never really been a problem until one day when she sees a shadowy, see-through doppelganger of herself on the train. Is Ida actually in control of her ability? And how far will she stray from her original path before she realises there are no choices left?' (Publication summary)

'Christie travels to run, to forget. She has no place to call home, but desperately wishes she did.

'Roslyn has never been overseas and fears getting stuck in one place. If she's never left Melbourne, how does she know that's home?

'A crossing of paths in Berlin, wine, and wifi leads to the two traveling together, and as they travel the two find some things they were looking for, and maybe something they weren't...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Jalen, lover of B-grade sci-fi movies, meets the far-too-handsome P in a cafe while deciding whether or not to skip uni again. When P invites them along to a double feature of Robot Monster and Cat Women of the Moon, Jalen can hardly believe that hot boys like bad sci-fi, too. But as their relationship progresses, Jalen realizes P leaves him wondering if they're on the same page about what dating means, and if that's what they're doing.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.