The Urban Goatherds

By Keith Jones

The Urban Goatherds . . . in black and white (paperback)

Heath wanted to be a goatherd. He dreamed of shepherding the fire-breathing goats of death. The goats would burn the world to ash, given the chance, but the goatherd clans would not let them. Heath dreamed of mastering the reed pipes needed to control the goats, but the pyromaniacal beasts would not listen. Heath studied and practiced, but all he was good for was shoveling the dung.

Chardonnay was a reed-pipe master from a rival clan. He wanted to transform what reed-pipe music could be. There was love. There was beauty. There was more than unfeeling control. Chardonnay's clan disagreed.

A chance encounter would bring Heath and Chardonnay together. Heath would find the heart and soul of the music. Chardonnay would find an eager student. Their worlds would never be the same.

Genre . . .
Queer Coming-of-Age Urban Fantasy
Gaslamp Fantasy Romance

Setting . . .
Heath's story is set in a sprawling, unnamed city blending early 20th-century technology with a unique fantasy structure. His world is organized into rival clans whose entire economy and infrastructure rely on the dung of magical, fire-breathing goats.

The city is both industrial and archaic. There are gas-powered cars. There are cobblestone streets, grand mansions, and communal farm complexes. The opulent, well-manicured districts of wealth stand in stark contrast to the gritty, functional clan strongholds, and the bohemian, artsy corners where renegade musicians like Chardonnay perform.

The story centers queer relationships not as a subplot but as the emotional core of the narrative.

Tease . . .
Chardonnay noticed Health standing before him like a gangly tree struggling to understand whatever had happened to its fallen leaves.

"Clan Melaleuca," Chardonnay said, as if sharing a secret.

"Clan Amaryllis," Heath replied, as if confessing a lie.

"I am found out."

"You wanted to be found."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BJTXR22K
• ISBN13: 9798359155953
• Release Date: October 2022
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 8.0"