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“He Bears the Cape of Stars” and “She Wears the Midnight Crown” Books and Merchandise Now on Sale!

Duck Prints Press’s anthologies He Bears the Cape of Stars and She Wears the Midnight Crown, featuring 34 stories by 34 authors exploring the potential for mlm and wlw relationships growing and changing during unusual masquerades, are now available! From science fiction to fantasy to modern to historical, these anthologies take the reader to many different settings, with larger-than-life characters exploring the world around them, the people they meet, and themselves! The casts are as diverse as Pride itself, and whether they’re looking for love, a second chance, a companion, or a friend, these books have a little bit of everything!

HE BEARS THE CAPE OF STARS, featuring 17 mlm stories, is available for sale on:

The Duck Prints Press Website | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

SHE WEARS THE MIDNIGHT CROWN, featuring 17 wlw stories, is available for sale on:

The Duck Prints Press Website | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

…and many other major e-book sales platforms! And you can request your library purchase it through the e-book lending program of their choice!

AND THAT’S NOT ALL!

Extra merchandise from the masquerade anthologies crowdfunding campaign is now on sale too! Did you miss the campaign? Are you dying for an amazing tote bag, a gorgeous bookmark, an aromatic candle, a glossy sticker or two, a new patch, or some lovely queer art for your walls? You can get this merch, and lots of merch from our past campaigns, from our website NOW!

She Wears the Midnight Crown merchandise: art print | bookmark | dux sticker

He Bears the Cape of Stars merchandise: art print | bookmark | dux sticker

Other campaign merchandise: chibi masquerade patch | scented candle | tote bag

Was there campaign merch you wanted that’s not available on our store? We have very limited quantities left of our enamel pins, and we have a whole heck of a lot of seconds (as in, damaged copies) of the print books! If your interested, feel free to drop us a line on any of our social media platforms or at info at duckprintspress dot com – we’d be delighted to hook you up!

Come now to the Duck Prints Press website and GET YOUR BOOK ON! You’re not going to want to miss these amazing collections or any of the gorgeous merch!

(and if you can help us spread the word by sharing this post, we’d appreciate it a lot, too!)

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Love what we do? Want to make sure you don’t miss the announcement for future giveaways? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more!

Want to support the Press, read about us behind-the-scenes, learn about what’s coming down the pipeline, get exclusive teasers, claim free stories, and get backer-exclusive extras when you support our crowdfunding campaigns? Back us on Patreon or ko-fi monthly!

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Get to Know Dux!

The one, the only, the original Dux, Darcy Paige Paddlesworth III. Mascot for the Duck Prints Press general imprint. Darcy is available as a key chain! They’re also on our logo die-cut sticker.

Anywhere you go on the Duck Prints Press website, you’ll see our lovable mascot. But just seeing them doesn’t give you the low-down on this very important member of the Duck Prints Press community. Read on and learn all about them!

All Duck Prints Press ducks are called Dux. They use they/them pronouns and are non-binary or have no gender (they haven’t made which clear yet).

Dux came to be when, early in the development of the Duck Prints Press logo, we faced the important question: who had left those rainbow duck prints? Thus, Dux was born. They have been delighting us with their fabulous presence, their kindness, their mischief, and their joy in life ever since.

Whether our mascot is one Dux who likes to dress up in different ways, or many different Dux who all have a different schtick, is an open question. We don’t questions Dux’s self-presentation, and we assume Dux will tell us if and when they’re ready to do so.

The feathers of the Dux come in all colors, as do their beaks and eyes. They are a creative species who love to express themselves in many different ways, by trying out all kinds of hobbies and by dressing up.

DPP’s mascot Dux is named Darcy Paige Paddlesworth III. Their name was selected by our Patreons as part of an event we ran after reaching an early milestone. All other Dux have so far remained anonymous, though we have descriptions we use to differentiate them.

Dux dresses up for all of our anthology crowdfunding campaigns, and is often featured on extras we make for our monthly backers on Patreon and ko-fi, too! Take a minute and get to know all the Dux now!


Desire!Dux. Mascot for Duxxx Prints Press, our erotica imprint.

Desire!Dux is available as a die-cut sticker.


Barista!Dux, one of two Dux developed for the release of our anthology Add Magic to Taste. Originally released as part of an early fund-raising campaign during which people could pre-order barista!Dux stickers.

Barista!Dux is available as a die-cut sticker.

Barista!Dux and Mage!Dux share pride of place on this mug.


Mage!Dux, one of two Dux developed for the release of our anthology Add Magic to Taste. They are the Add Magic to Taste campaign mascot.

Mage!Dux is available as a die-cut magnet and as a die-cut sticker.

Barista!Dux and Mage!Dux share pride of place on this mug.


Bard!Dux, one of the two Dux developed for the release of our anthology And Seek (Not) to Alter Me: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Shakepeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” They are the And Seek (Not) to Alter Me campaign mascot.

Bard!Dux is available as a die-cut sticker.


Artist!Dux, one of the two Dux developed for the release of our anthology And Seek (Not) to Alter Me: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Shakepeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” They were ultimately used to make a monthly-backer-exclusive sticker.


Stars!Dux, one of the two Dux developed for the release of our paired anthologies He Bears the Cape of Stars and She Wears the Midnight Crown. They are the mascot for He Bears the Cape of Stars.

We’ll be listing a Stars!Dux stickers for sale on our website on March 15th, 2023.


Midnight!Dux, one of the two Dux developed for the release of our paired anthologies He Bears the Cape of Stars and She Wears the Midnight Crown. They are the mascot for She Wears the Midnight Crown.

We’ll be listing a Midnight!Dux stickers for sale on our website on March 15th, 2023.


Bowtie!Dux. They look very dapper in their bowtie. A sticker of them was made for the Add Magic to Taste campaign.

Bowtie!Dux is available as a die-cut sticker.


Pride!Dux. We haven’t used this Dux yet for anything, but sometimes a Dux has just gotta spread their wings and show some Pride.


Devil!Dux. Look, sometimes, Dux just needs to get their evil on.


Heart Eyes!Dux. This is an emoji on our Discord servers, a perfect way to show our Duxy excitement. We have a number of other Dux emojis, but if you want to see those, you’ll need to get in on one of our servers.

Heart Eyes!Dux is available as a die-cut sticker.


We love Dux, and we hope you do to! We look forward to sharing more Dux with y’all in the future!

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Love what we do? Want to make sure you don’t miss the announcement for future giveaways? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more!

Want to support the Press, read about us behind-the-scenes, learn about what’s coming down the pipeline, get exclusive teasers, and claim free stories? Back us on Patreon or ko-fi monthly!

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LAST DAY FOR EERIE ANIMAL KICKSTARTER, and New Release: “The Offered Ones” by A. L. Heard

Today, as we release the last of our four “Eerie Fall” Kickstarter tie-in stories, we also enter the final 24 hours to back our crowdfunding campaign!

Love artwork by Aceriee (Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter)? Love enamel pins? Then don’t miss out on these gorgeous pins featuring Aceriee’s work! There’s currently only two designs unlocked – the Wolf and the Crow – but with a strong final 24 hours, we can unlock two more – the bear and the moose! Support a small business on this awesome Small Business Saturday, and help us reach the goal by checking out the campaign now!

Meanwhile, we have our fourth and final “Eerie Animal” tie in story, a perfect one for exploring the animals in the campaign, because in this story…all these animals are characters!

Title: The Offered Ones

Author: A. L. Heard

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: General Audiences

Trigger Warnings: body horror, harm to children

Relationship: found family

Character Features: animal, animal transformation (involuntary), bird, non-human character

Tags: animal point of view, body modification (involuntary), pov third person limited, sentient animal

Teaser:

There was a girl sleeping in Forest.

Fox didn’t know the girl. She was a human, that much was clear, though he hadn’t seen her kind in ages. They traveled this way and that like they owned the whole world—he had seen many before—but most stayed away from Forest. They were blind, deaf, dumb creatures, unable to perceive what was in front of them. Still, they sensed the magic of Forest, so they stayed away. If they did wander into the dense line of oak and pine, they spoke in hushed voices and didn’t linger.

They certainly didn’t sleep in Forest.

Length: 17 pages/6,400 words

Price: $1.99 US

Get it now!

Can’t get enough Eerie Fall stories? Check out the other three theme stories: “Widow’s Black” by Nina Waters; “Campfire Stories” by Nicola Kapron; and “A Shield For the People” by Puck Malamud.

Love what we do? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more!

Want to support the Press and get lots of our stories? Consider backing our Patreon or ko-fi monthly at a level that includes free stories, and read your fill!

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Eerie Animal Enamel Pins

What’s that noise? Is it the caw of something out of sight high overhead? A who-who-who echoing out of the darkness? A grrrr coming from the rustling underbrush? The crash, crash of something large moving through the trees?

No! It’s the sound of our latest Kickstarter launching!

Celebrate Fall with our Eerie Animal Enamel Pins!

Fall is the season of spook. Get your Autumn on—literally!—by donning one (or more!) of our eerie animal enamel pins! These realistically rendered, gorgeous pins feature different animals indigenous to northern areas of North America and Europe surrounded by elements of their natural habitats.

For our first merchandise-only campaign, Duck Prints Press approached the spectacular artist Aceriee (Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter) and asked her to let her imagination run wild. The results are gorgeous, unique, and perfect for the season: 7 animals at their spooky, creepy, scary best, depicted in the rich colors of fall. Seasonal enough to enhance any autumn outfit, classy enough for year-round wear.

All the pins for this campaign are 2 in x 2 in (5 cm x 5 cm) and feature black nickel metal with soft enamel color work coated by a clear epoxy finish. They have two attachment posts with silver butterfly closures and feature either 6 or 8 colors, one of which glows in the dark (which varies in each pin).

This is a tiered release pin campaign (and our first-ever art-only project!)

At our initial funding goal ($1,500), backers can pick the Crow and Wolf pins (buy one or both or multiples of either/both!)

If we exceed $3,500 in backing, all backers will be able to choose from among four pins: Crow, Wolf, Moose, and Bear.

If we exceed $6,000 in backing, all backers will be able to choose from among six pins: Crow, Wolf, Moose, Bear, Raccoon, and Owl.

If we exceed $9,000 in backing, all backers will be able to choose from among eight pins: Crow, Wolf, Moose, Bear, Raccoon, Owl, Fox, and the not-yet-revealed Deer.

At $10,000, we’ll offer another unrevealed option: Bobcat. And, if we reach $11,000, we’ll offer out tenth and last pin, which is—of course!—a Duck!

Mix and match, pick your favorites, buy enough for all your friends, or just get one—you’re not going to want to miss this one chance to get these spectacular fall-themed animal pins!

The campaign is live now, and will run through Sunday, November 27th, 2022.

Ready to learn more? Check out our campaign page NOW!

Also—want an exclusive extra pin? Back us on Patreon or ko-fi at the $10/month or $25/month level and get a backer-only bonus!

Love what we do? Want to help us spread the word? We love signal boosts, so please share this on the social media platform(s) of your choice!

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“And Seek (Not) to Alter Me: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing'” – Now Available in Our Webstore!

Did you miss our crowdfunding campaign for And Seek (Not) to Alter Me: Queer Fanworks Inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”? Was there merch you wanted that you didn’t get? Have you been eagerly awaiting it’s arrival in our webstore (haven’t we all been?)? Well YOUR TIME HAS COME!

In And Seek (Not) to Alter Me, 16 authors and 16 artists have come together to create an exquisite, full-color collection of artwork and stories inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing. We encouraged contributors to stretch their imaginations, think outside the box, and put their own unique—and queer—twists on Benedick, Beatrice, Hero, Claudio, Don Pedro, and the whole gang! In true Shakespearean fashion, our creators utilize gender, sexuality, romanticism, and a host of costume changes to tell unique artworks and stories—some featuring original characters, some characters from the play—that show Shakespeare’s work in a whole new light.

And now, you can get your very own e-book copy from our webstore! Only $9.99 for 16 phenomenal stories and 20 gorgeous art pieces!

We’ve also listed four merchandise items from the original crowdfunding campaign that we have extras of – if you want ‘um, you’d better grab ‘um, because once these extras are sold out, we will never be making more!

Art Prints of the Front Cover

(featuring the gorgeous artwork by Gio Guimarães in all it’s colorful, queer glory!)


Art Prints of the Back Cover

(featuring even more of Gio Guimarães‘s wonderful work!)


“Taming My Wild Heart to thy Loving Hand” Bookmark

(with artwork by Alicia Matheson and the signatures of our contributors!)


Bard Dux Sticker

(created by Alessa Riel)


Don’t Miss Out! Visit Our Store Today!

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Do You Tiktok?

Well, now we do too! We’ve actually had the account for ages, and we’ve batted around a lot of ideas for how to use it without implementing any of them, but now we’ve posted our first video there. Long-term, we hope to post there regularly; at the moment, if you use Tiktok and want to give us a follow, expect intermittent posts: unboxings, asks answered, slice-of-life, book gushing, readings, and of course ducks (always ducks!), that kind of thing.

Our account is here!

And our first video? Why, here of course! It’s a video of me (Nina Waters, the Press owner!) unboxing the patches for the crowdfunding campaign for She Wears the Midnight Crown and He Bears the Cape of Stars. The merch was produced by Alchemy, featuring artwork by Reship KMN (Tumblr | Twitter).

@duckprintspress

Duck Prints Press Unboxes: Patches for “He Bears the Cape of Stars” and “She Wears the Midnight Crown.” Art by Reshipkmn, Manufactured by Alchemy.

♬ original sound – duckprintspress

Have something you’d like to see a member of the Press talk about in a video? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do to make it happen!

We’ll also be cross-posting videos on Instagram and YouTube, so even if you don’t have Tiktok, don’t worry – you’ve got options to make sure you don’t miss out!

Oh, and here’s a pic of the patches – they’re so beautiful and sturdy! I can’t wait to send them out to everyone.

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“He Bears the Cape of Stars” and “She Wears the Midnight Crown” Merchandise Spotlight: Dux and Patch and Candle More, Oh My!!!

The Seed&Spark crowdfunding campaign for the paired queer anthologies He Bears the Cape of Stars and She Wears the Midnight Crown includes the two books, each of which features 18 stories of mlm and wlw relationships growing and changing during stories inspired by broadly conceived masquerades. In addition to this already fabulous offering, we also have a bunch of awesome merch on offering. We’ve already posted highlighting about the cover art, which is also featured on two lovely, frameable art prints, and about our bookmarks with art by Pippin Peacock and enamel pins with art by Miss Aceriee. Today, we’re featuring…everything else!

Dux Die-cut Stickers

Alessa Riel, our wonderful and hard-working in-house graphic designer, has worked her magic again making two distinct, quirky, party-ready dux! These two are featured on die-cut stickers being sold as part of the campaign!

These two cuties are being printed as die-cut stickers by Sticker Ninja. The wlw dux is approximately 3 in (7.5 cm) tall and 2.75 in (7 cm) wide; the mlm dux is approximately 2.75 (7.5 cm) tall and 3 in (7.5 cm) tall.

Patch

After hearing great things from others who worked with Reshipkmn, we approached them to do art for a patch, and the results exceeded even our high expectations!

This adorable piece will be made into a 100% woven patch by Alchemy Merch; it’s a 4 in (10.25 cm) circle, iron-on with merrowed edges.

Candle

Our campaign candles are being made by Speculative Wicktion, a small business that makes fandom-themed candles owned by author Alec J. Marsh, who is also contributing a story to She Wears the Midnight Crown.

Candles are 2 in (5 cm) tall and 2 in (5 cm) circular at the base, a lovely shade of blue, and scented with Midnight Waters, which Alec has described to us as “like sitting by a lake in a pine forest.” Also, they have glitter in them. SO MUCH GLITTER in them.

Other Merchandise

Tote Bag (21 in x 14.5 in x 7 in/53 cm x 37 cm x 18 cm) with our logo stamped on the side. (Customized by AnyPromo).

Charm Bracelet featuring seven charms (a book, a rainbow, a crown, a mask, a moon, a sun, and a star), hand-assembled by contributor and lead editor Nina Waters using decorative elements purchased from multiple Etsy sellers.

Box of Six Chocolates from Uncle Sam’s Candy.

Rubber Ducky (this one)

Bath Bomb (one selected from this collection based on your preference)

Lace Rainbow Mask (purchased from E-Bay)

All this, AND two amazing (and amazingly queer) books CAN BE YOURS!

Check out our crowdfunding campaign – ending in one week! – today!!