Book Series Guide
TJ Klune

Author guide

TJ Klune Books in Order

TJ Klune is the author of the Green Creek series, The Extraordinaries, the Cerulean Chronicles, Tales from Verania, and numerous standalone novels. His work frequently explores queer identity, found family, kindness, grief, and chosen community across fantasy, science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and young adult fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award winner and the author of Into This River I Drown, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, and other bestselling works.

fantasyscience fictionparanormal romancecontemporary romanceyoung adult fictionqueer fiction

Catalog record updated .

TJ Klune's Newest Book

Cover of We Burned So Bright

We Burned So Bright

novel · First published 2026

Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world. Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone. Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over. On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how—impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, and new friends. And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough. Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Cover of The House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea

An accessible standalone fantasy and the first book in the Cerulean Chronicles.

Cover of Wolfsong

Wolfsong

The entry point to the Green Creek paranormal fantasy series.

Cover of The Extraordinaries

The Extraordinaries

The first book in Klune's young adult superhero trilogy.

Cover of Under the Whispering Door

Under the Whispering Door

A standalone afterlife fantasy that introduces Klune's themes of grief, kindness, and found family.

Read in order

Books by series

series · complete

Seafare Series

A contemporary romance series centered on Bear, Otter, and the Kid and their evolving family.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Bear, Otter, and the Kid

    Book 1 · novel · 2011

    Bear still believes his place is as the Kid's guardian, but will Otter make him think there could be something more?

  2. 2
    Who We Are

    Book 2 · novel · 2012

    Sequel to Bear, Otter, and the Kid Bear, Otter, and the Kid survived last summer with their hearts and souls intact. They've moved into the Green Monstrosity, and Bear is finally able to admit his love for the man who saved him from…

  3. 3
    The Art of Breathing

    Book 3 · novel · 2014

    Tyson Thompson graduated high school at sixteen and left the town of Seafare, Oregon, bound for what he assumed would be bigger and better things. He soon found out the real world has teeth, and he returns to the coast with four years of…

  4. 4
    The Long and Winding Road

    Book 4 · novel · 2017

    Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole - those who make us who we are. And here, at the end, Bear and Otter will be tested like they’ve never been before. There’s a knock at the door from a little…

series · complete

At First Sight

A contemporary queer romance series following interconnected couples and families.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Tell Me It's Real

    Book 1 · novel · 2013

    Do you believe in love at first sight? Paul Auster doesn't. Paul doesn't believe in much at all. He's thirty, slightly overweight, and his best features are his acerbic wit and the color commentary he provides as life passes him by. His…

  2. 2
    The Queen & the Homo Jock King

    Book 2 · novel · 2016

    Do you believe in love at first sight? Sanford Stewart sure doesn't. In fact, he pretty much believes in the exact opposite, thanks to the Homo Jock King. It seems Darren Mayne lives for nothing more than to create chaos in Sandy's…

  3. 3
    Until You

    Book 3 · novella · 2017

    Together with their families and friends, Paul Auster and Vincent Taylor request the honor of your company at the celebration of their marriage. Paul Auster and Vince Taylor just want to have a simple wedding. Really, is that too much to…

  4. 4
    Why We Fight

    Book 4 · novel · 2019

    Bigender Corey--aka Kori--is interning at an LGBTQI youth center. Because life is unfair, Jeremy, Corey's former hot professor, is the temporary director. Can they keep things professional, and will Corey's friends Paul and Sandy help...…

series · ongoing

Tales from Verania

A comedic queer fantasy series set in the magical kingdom of Verania.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    The Lightning-Struck Heart

    Book 1 · novel · 2015

    "Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City Of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a…

  2. 2
    A Destiny of Dragons

    Book 2 · novel · 2017

    Once upon a time, the wizard’s apprentice, Sam of Wilds, got his happily ever after in the arms of his cornerstone, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart. A year has passed, and while Sam’s been captured five or six more times since then, things…

  3. 3
    The Consumption of Magic

    Book 3 · novel · 2017

    Sam of Wilds faced the Dark wizard Myrin and lived to tell the tale. Granted, the battle left him scarred, but things could be a hell of a lot worse. It’s not until he reunites with Morgan of Shadows and Randall that he realizes just how…

  4. 4
    A Wish Upon the Stars

    Book 4 · novel · 2018

    Sam of Wilds emerges from the Dark Woods to find the dark wizard Myrin has overthrown the kingdom. But a brave knight, a defiant prince, a pissed-off unicorn, and a half-giant have formed a resistance in Sam's name.

  5. 5
    Fairytales from Verania

    Book optional · collection · 2021 Optional

    New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune invites you back to the land of Verania in a new collection of short stories starring the beloved characters from the Tales of Verania series.In the opening story-The Unicorn in the Tower-Gary is…

  6. 5
    The Damning Stone

    Book 5 · novel · 2022

    A year has passed since the Dark Wizard Myrin attempted to take control of the Kingdom of Verania. Though the scars of the final battle remain, Veranians have come together in unity in order to rebuild. Good King Anthony sits on the…

series · complete

How to Be

A contemporary queer romance series about Gus and Casey.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    How to Be a Normal Person

    Book 1 · novel · 2015

    Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one…

  2. 2
    How to Be a Movie Star

    Book 2 · novel · 2019

    Josiah Erickson wants to be a movie star. The problem with that is so does half of Los Angeles. But he’s on his way, what with memorable roles as a TV show background cadaver and a guy in a commercial for herpes medication. All he needs…

series · complete

The Immemorial Year Duo

A dark fantasy duology.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Withered + Sere

    Book 1 · novella · 2016

    Once upon a time, humanity could no longer contain the rage that swelled within, and the world ended in a wave of fire. One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo…

  2. 2
    Crisped + Sere

    Book 2 · novella · 2016

series · complete

Green Creek

A queer paranormal fantasy romance series about a family of werewolves and their pack.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Wolfsong

    Book 1 · novel · 2016

    Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left. Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret…

  2. 2
    Ravensong

    Book 2 · novel · 2018

    Gordo Livingstone never forgot the lessons carved into his skin. Hardened by the betrayal of a pack that left him behind, he sought solace in the garage in his tiny mountain town, vowing never again to involve himself in the affairs of…

  3. 3
    Heartsong

    Book 3 · novel · 2019

    All Robbie Fontaine ever wanted was a place to belong. After the death of his mother, he has bounced around from pack to pack, forming temporary bonds to keep from turning feral. It’s enough―until he receives a summons from the wolf…

  4. 4
    Brothersong

    Book 4 · novel · 2020

    In the ruins of Caswell, Maine, Carter Bennett learned the truth of what had been right in front of him the entire time. And then it―he―was gone. Desperate for answers, Carter takes to the road, leaving family and the safety of his pack…

series · ongoing

The Cerulean Chronicles

A queer fantasy series about found family, magical children, and a sanctuary on Marsyas Island.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    The House in the Cerulean Sea

    Book 1 · novel · 2020

    Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of…

  2. 2
    Somewhere Beyond the Sea

    Book 2 · novel · 2024

    Arthur Parnassus lives a good life, built on the ashes of a bad one. He’s the headmaster of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six magical and so-called dangerous…

series · complete

The Extraordinaries

A young adult queer superhero trilogy.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    The Extraordinaries

    Book 1 · novel · 2020

    In Nova City, there are extraordinary people, capable of feats that defy the imagination. Shadow Star protects the city and manipulates darkness, and Pyro Storm is determined to bring the city to its knees using his power over fire. And…

  2. 2
    Flash Fire

    Book 2 · novel · 2021

    <b><i>Flash Fire </i>is the explosive sequel to<i> The Extraordinaries </i>by<i> USA Today </i>bestselling author TJ Klune.</b><br /><br /><b>The explosive sequel to<i> The Extraordinaries </i>by<i> USA Today </i>bestselling author TJ…

  3. 3
    Heat Wave

    Book 3 · novel · 2022

    Heat Wave is the explosive finale to the thrilling and “uproariously funny” (Sophie Gonzales) Extraordinaries trilogy by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author TJ Klune! Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz are back in action bringing…

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (9)
  1. Burn

    novel · 2012

    Elementally Evolved: Book One Set in a world that closely resembles our own, Burn is a story of redemption and betrayal, of family and sacrifice, which leads to the greatest question of all: how far would you go to save the ones you love?…

  2. Into This River I Drown

    novel · 2013

    Five years ago, Benji Green lost his beloved father, Big Eddie, when his truck crashed into a river. Everyone called it an accident, but Benji knows it was more. Even years later, he's buried in his grief, throwing himself into managing…

  3. John & Jackie

    novella · 2014

  4. Murmuration

    novel · 2016

    "In the small mountain town of Amorea, it's stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each…

  5. Olive Juice

    novella · 2017

  6. The Bones Beneath My Skin

    novel · 2018

    There's nothing more human than a broken heart. In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job as a journalist in…

  7. Under the Whispering Door

    novel · 2021

    Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner…

  8. In the Lives of Puppets

    novel · 2023

    In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a…

  9. We Burned So Bright

    novel · 2026

    Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world. Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is…

Short fiction (1)
  1. Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!

    short-story · 2024

    An android who knows nothing besides his work in a factory, is given one final week to explore the world before he is forced to undergo mandatory reprogramming, in this bittersweet precursor to TJ Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets, now…

Frequently asked questions about TJ Klune

Who is TJ Klune?

TJ Klune is an award-winning, bestselling queer author known for fantasy, science fiction, paranormal romance, and young adult fiction.

Sources: tjklunebooks.com (opens in a new tab)torpublishinggroup.com (opens in a new tab)

Is TJ Klune queer, and how does that identity shape his writing?

Yes. Klune publicly identifies as queer and emphasizes accurate, positive queer representation in his stories.

Source: torpublishinggroup.com (opens in a new tab)

What job did TJ Klune have before becoming an author?

Before establishing his writing career, Klune worked as an insurance claims examiner.

Source: lapl.org (opens in a new tab)

What influenced TJ Klune's writing?

Queer literature was formative for Klune; after coming out at 16, he was introduced to Patricia Nell Warren's The Front Runner. He has also described drawing on the hopeful, cozy fantasy he loved as a child.

Sources: thepopverse.com (opens in a new tab)yalsa.ala.org (opens in a new tab)

What awards has TJ Klune won?

Klune has won a Lambda Literary Award, and The House in the Cerulean Sea received the 2021 Alex Award and the 2021 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature.

Sources: tjklunebooks.com (opens in a new tab)ala.org (opens in a new tab)mythsoc.org (opens in a new tab)