Princess Sabine Katerina Annaatje of Dulce is outside the safety of the castle walls, on the run from a vicious invader who has killed her family and usurped her throne. With only one man at arms and a faithful handmaiden, she barely escapes the Invader's clutches. But only for so long - he has vowed to leave no blood heir alive. Stumbling into a camp of itinerant performers, Sabine hides her identity, becoming Katerin of Aimsbury. She learns to trust the leader of the traveling circus, Ros Adamsson, a bawdy woman who is half rogue and half gentlewoman. Trust may eventually blossom into more if Katerin can overcome her fear and conservative upbringing. Meanwhile, the Invader still searches for her. A rumored uprising in the Dulce Province, a royal summons for the Adamsson Circus, and a traitorous servant all collide to reveal a secret even deeper than Katerin's identity.

Lesbian characters

Though desperate for money for vital repairs and fuel, there are jobs that Captain Elsibet Ulfarsdottir of Freya’s Tears won’t do. Smugglers of all kinds dangle big rewards, and her unpaid crew—including her lover Bennie Takahashi—urge her to take them. Not sure how her fortunes as a merchant spaceship captain have driven her to consider working for slavers and biomed thugs, Els grabs the only deal that looks legit. Her lover and crew are happy even though Els remains uneasy. Truth and lies can crack wide open in the cold runs between space ports. Betrayed and hunted—and discovering she’s now party to an unspeakable atrocity—Els finds her command under siege. The only person she might go to for aid is gunner Kasli Holt, but pity the fool who forgets that trust and profit never mix.

Lesbian characters, diverse cast

The Lichii Ba’Cho—the Red Wolves tribe—defend what is theirs in a world where corporations rule and technology is only available to the rich. After weeks of intermittent fire fights with the Aryan Brotherhood and dodging the persistent attacks of the Azteca, Dusky Holt and her clan intervene in a skirmish where a lone woman appears to be the survivor. Sam Elias thought she knew what she was getting into when she agreed to courier 500 gigabytes of data from Canadian GovMin into the United States. With the data loaded safely into her cerebral processor, all is well until her escort is ambushed. The arrival of Dusky Holt and her Ba’Cho saves her life…for a few more hours. The data Sam holds in her head is wanted by powerful forces who will kill anyone in their way. Dusky knows Sam is a danger to her people—and her peace of mind. With a world in turmoil, and her people at risk of dying out, the desires of her heart should not matter. But they do…

Lesbian Native American protagonists

Ragged, starving refugees want to settle in Lindsay Crossing. In a world waking up from a devastating plague, control of resources — and people — is the key to survival. Marissa Loomis has grown used to fighting for herself and her family. The newcomers are a threat, but they can’t be left to die. As the fragile society plans to grow by scavenging the deserted cities, newcomer Gwen finds herself torn between the man who saved her from starvation and the compelling woman who represents reason and power in what’s left of her world. But what can Gwen make of the enforced secrecy about Loomis’s past, and the nightmares that erupt every night? Is there something worse than plague that has driven Loomis to the edge?

Submission: African-American & Hispanic characters, lesbian & bisexual protagonists

A young woman surviving in Seattle’s murky night world suddenly has new friends. When the pack of young punks save her from a beating and worse, Whiskey is willing to throw in with them—for a night or two. The high-living rich kids are eager to lavish money, housing, parties and delightful intimacies on her. They say they want nothing in return. Hardened by the brutal streets, Whiskey knows nothing is free. More than ever she clings to her motto: Take more than you give. But when you have nothing, anything can be tempting. It all could be a dream come true, except for the nightmares that await her if Whiskey chooses to walk the Strange Path. The mesmerizing Sanguire trilogy from D Jordan Redhawk unveils the bloody balance of an ancient conflict between undying races, all waiting on one woman’s choices.

Lesbian/bi vampire series