You know that feeling when you stumble across a book so good, so unhinged in all the right ways, that you just kind of sit there, blinking, like, “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?” Yeah. That. That’s what queer indie authors are doing right now—quietly (and sometimes loudly) changing the game, one page at a time.
I’m talking vampires who hate their feelings, trans witches making deals with demons, queer romance that doesn’t fall into tired tropes, and chosen families that feel more real than the last three conversations I had with my extended relatives.
So let’s shine a slightly chaotic but very loving spotlight on 15 LGBTQ+ indie authors who deserve your eyes, your bookmarks, and your slightly sweaty emotional investment. Let’s go.
1. TJ Klune
Okay, yes, he’s not that indie anymore, but he was, and that counts. Klune’s blend of queer identity, humor, found family, and heartbreak that makes you ugly-cry in your car (been there) changed the landscape. The House in the Cerulean Sea? Iconic. Under the Whispering Door? Grief but gay. And Wolfsong? Queer werewolves, enough said.
2. N.E. Davenport
Ever want a queer space fantasy with high-stakes political intrigue, sexy danger, and characters who make deeply questionable decisions (relatable)? Meet Davenport. Their books lean into sci-fi with Black queer leads and themes of identity, trauma, and self-ownership.
3. K.A. Merikan
These two (yes, it’s a writing duo!) are the chaotic-good older siblings of the queer dark romance world. Leather-clad, bloodstained, tattoo-covered queer biker gangs? Gay historical pirates? Yep. Their work is gritty, sometimes brutal, sometimes soft—but always intensely readable.
4. David R. Slayton
I’m convinced White Trash Warlock is what would happen if Supernatural were gay, emotionally intelligent, and actually let its characters have feelings. Slayton writes Southern gothic fantasy with queer protagonists who are messy and lovable in equal measure.
5. C.L. Polk
You like queer noir fantasy with political scheming and forbidden love? Polk is your human. Witchmark blends magic, class tension, and gay yearning in a way that hits just right. I inhaled it in two sittings and then stared into the void thinking about tea, trench coats, and class warfare.
6. J.S. Fields
Imagine if fungi were sexy. No, wait, stay with me. Fields writes queer eco-fantasy about lesbians in space who have feelings and science degrees. There’s biology, there’s body horror, there’s love. It’s weird in the best possible way.
7. A.E. Osworth
Nonbinary authors writing experimental queer cyberpunk? YES PLEASE. We Are Watching Eliza Bright is a sharp, funny, and rage-filled exploration of tech culture, harassment, gender, and power. It’s like Reddit meets feminist literature and then throws a chair through the window.
8. R. B. Lemberg
Their Birdverse stories are lyrical, deeply thoughtful, and unapologetically queer. Nonbinary magic users, quiet resistance, and the kind of prose that makes you want to slow down and feel every syllable. (Also, the covers are stupidly pretty.)
9. Katrina Jackson
Queer polyam romance with a heaping side of smut and softness. Katrina Jackson doesn’t shy away from sex, but she also delivers emotional depth and actual relationship dynamics. She writes like she’s throwing you a very gay, very inclusive dinner party—and everyone’s invited.
10. Megan Bannen
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is one of those books where you laugh, cry, and maybe develop a crush on a grumpy demigod who collects dead bodies. Not technically indie anymore but still flying under the mainstream radar—and absolutely queer enough to be here.
11. RoAnna Sylver
Post-apocalyptic stories with disabled, queer, trans leads? Sylver’s Chameleon Moon series gives me X-Men meets Mad Max but make it kind. Hopepunk at its finest. The writing is punchy and smart, and the characters will lodge themselves in your heart like glitter in your carpet.
12. Marshall Thornton
If you like your queer fiction with a noir vibe, Thornton’s Boystown mystery series is an underrated gem. Think old-school gay detective fiction that’s actually written with affection and insight—not stereotypes.
13. Adrian J. Smith
Smith serves up lesbian action-romance with FBI agents, murder investigations, and just enough angst to keep your eyeballs glued to the page. It’s like popcorn with feelings.
14. M.L. Greye
Their fantasy world-building is delicious. Queer characters, complex magical systems, and tension that builds like a thunderstorm you didn’t realize was coming. They’re on the rise, and I’m here for it.
15. Jay Bell
Something Like Summer is a queer coming-of-age romance classic in the indie world. It’s sweet and sad and sometimes frustrating, but in the best “I care about these fictional idiots too much” kind of way. Bell’s writing hits that emotional soft spot and keeps pressing.
So, yeah…
There are so many more queer indie voices out there doing the absolute most—writing stories that don’t get filtered through a corporate boardroom before hitting the page. These authors are out here showing up for us, writing for us, and giving us the kind of messy, beautiful, angry, joyful, weird, human stories we’ve always needed.
So yeah, buy their books. Request them at your library. Leave reviews like your opinion actually matters (because it does). And maybe even start writing that weird queer story that’s been living in your brain rent-free. You know the one.