#Venatores de Mythos

[thebearthatreads]

Find the Word Tag

Thanks to @chauceryfairytales for the tag!

My words were cloud, wind, hair and floor.

I could probably have found all of these in my current wip for NaNo but decided instead to pull from my wip trilogy (it needs a little love whilst sitting on the backburner for November). Trying to keep them as spoiler free as possible, and to aid that I won't be identifying which books each passage is from. Just know each does appear at some point in the Venatores de Mythos trilogy.

Cloud

“How long do we need to wait?” Shahrazad sits on the sand, fanning herself with her hands. She looks to Diana who’s fuming, stomping around letting out small, agitated noises, and waits for a reply. “Three hours.” Diana spits out the words, collapsing onto the sand beside Shahrazad and sending up a small dust cloud as she does.

Wind

“Ach, okay, yes it’s been lovely meeting you too.” Shahrazad laughs as the ticklish tongue ceases, Angha gives her a happy bark before launching off the ground with a gust of wind. In seconds, the fantastic beast she’d only heard of in her mother’s stories is concealed once more amongst the leaves. “Goodbye.”

Hair

“Well that’s not a great start,” sighs Nico as he brings his palms to his face, he pushes his fingers up along his forehead into his hair and then out. “This is going to take a lot of work, so uh why don’t you head back to the dorms while I figure out how best to instruct you.”

Floor

 ‘It’s not really like they expect everyone to be combative, they surely recruited me for a more intellectual reason.’ Shahrazad finds herself picking up Selby’s bad habit of biting her lip, as she pulls herself from the floor to exit the facility. ‘Allegria said it was to do with the fact I speak multiple languages, and surely that isn’t meant to translate to physical engagement.’

Very gently tagging @keysandopenmind, @kelefox, @innocentlymacabre and @cottonberryfinn - no pressure to do it unless you want to! Your words are chaos, poison, blood and cold.

[thebearthatreads]

Find the Word Tag

Thank you to @chauceryfairytales for the tag, sorry it took me a bit to get around to it!

My words were Brown, Door, Picture, and Hiss. I thought I'd be able to find all of these in Aurei (book 1 of my wip trilogy) but apparently not so for half of them I've used sections from Venatores (book 2 of the trilogy), luckily I don't think there's any spoilers regarding the events of book 1 in those sections. Either way these scenes all come from my wip trilogy Venatores de Mythos, and I won't be specifying which book they're from.

Brown

“Selby‽” She barely registers the voice calling out to her, shrugs off the garbled noise until it’s too close to ignore. Firm hands grasp hers, another set rest on her shoulders. “Selby?” The voice probes in concern. “Selby, look at me.” Slowly she lets herself open her eyes; they meet a set of warm brown eyes swimming with concern. She lets out a shaky breath. “Hi.” “Selby, what happened? Why are you out here all alone?” Her eyes begin to focus, it’s Li Wei in front of her grasping her hands. She turns her head a little, Arthur’s gripping her shoulders.

Door

“Who the fuck are you? And how did you get into my dorm?” Her mind races; does she have a weapon or something she can grab to defend herself? “Reginald Einsley, the Third. And your door was unlocked.” The stranger proffers her a hand. “Yeah, ok, sure, I’m just gonna shake your damn hand?”

Picture

The kitchen is a welcome place, after years of nagging Roque finally got the chefs to let him in. When he’s cooking, Roque can picture being back at home with his family in Argentina. It’s a simple pleasure. “Mmm, that smells good.” A voice like a dozen chiming bells rings against his ear, warm breath tickling the back of his neck as he crimps the edges of his empanadas.

Hiss

“Yes, we’ve located and identified the creature; it’s a Manticore.” Selby hears the person on the other end hiss a little. “Arthur Wong has instructed me to check on the status for Charlie Nguyen.” “Charlie’s on his way back to HQ now, he’ll dispatch once he’s here. We’ve got people gathering his equipment from the warehouse right now.” “Great, Arthur wants you to send Carnwennan and Pridwen with Charlie.” Selby hopes she hasn’t massacred the pronunciation as the person on the other end remains silent. “Is that okay?”

No pressure tagging @keysandopenmind, @kelefox, @maskedemerald and anyone else who'd like to play. Your words are: Count, Cloud, Lightning, and Rain

[thebearthatreads]

Tamarack: What character fits into two different groups that are usually opposites?

Thank you for asking! I had to think about this for a moment but probably Selby, one of the three main characters in my WIP trilogy (Venatores de Mythos).

Selby is both a fighter and a medic, she's studying to become a doctor in book one and is recruited to Team Excalibur one of the Venatores' monster hunting teams for her fighting skills. She's trained in Muay Thai and has dabbled in other forms of martial arts!

She has a strong appreciation for life but also doesn't hesitate to sometimes solve problems with her fists.

Thanks again for asking 😊

[thebearthatreads]

Badly Summarised WIP Poll

This looks so fun and @hippiewrites did an open tag so I'm going to do it (stares at small pile of WIPS... maybe we do each book in the trilogy separately).

Gently tagging @keysandopenmind, @kelefox, and @maskedemerald along with anyone who'd like to do it (because it's fun)

[thebearthatreads]

Looking for Beta Readers

I'm wanting to get some feedback for the first book in my wip trilogy before commencing another round of edits, so consider this an open call for beta readers.

Aurei - Book 1 of the Venatores de Mythos trilogy - is a young adult, urban fantasy following the journey of three university students recruited into the Venatores de Mythos. The Venatores de Mythos are an organisation dedicated to protecting the wider world from mythical creatures and other magical dilemmas.

There's a bit of globe trotting, use and mention of different languages, combat with mythical creatures, and newfound friendships.

I'm still working on the synopsis and pitch. If you're interested in beta reading please message me and we can organise from there!

Specifically I'd love to have some beta readers from different cultural and racial backgrounds, considering there's a lot of diverse characters in the story and I want to do my best to be respectful in my writing.

[thebearthatreads]

Heads Up, 7 Up Tag!

Thanks to @keysandopenmind for the tag!

The rules are simple: share 7(ish) lines and tag 7 people.

Currently on a bit of a writing hiatus as I wait for feedback on a few projects but here's the first seven lines from book 1 of my WIP trilogy. Book 1 is currently titled: Aurei and the trilogy is currently called Venatores de Mythos. It's one of my projects waiting on feedback before further editing and eventually querying.

Read the lines below the cut:

This day could not possibly get any worse, Selby thinks to herself as she trudges back to her dormitory. North tower isn’t exactly far from the library but on a chilly Sunday, and with a crummy mood, Selby’s not exactly keen to walk back around the lake. She’s been studying all night, trying to prep for her cell biology final and yet her brain feels like mush. “AAAHHH!” She screams out at the lake, a few other students wondering the campus give her weird looks but mostly they just walk on by. Selby considers flinging herself into the lake, the cold water might make her feel a little more alive, but she discards the thought remembering she’s due for a shower and the fact she’d probably be more miserable after getting out of the lake—no one likes walking back to their dorm soaking wet. Before returning to North Tower she screams once more at the lake. At last, reaching her door on the 7th floor, she fumbles with her keys.

No pressure tagging: @maskedemerald, @kelefox and anyone else who wants to do it (I'm still reemerging here on tumblr so I don't have 7 people to tag right now)

[thebearthatreads]

Writeblr Intro

Hi, so I've been a part of tumblr for quite some time but I've only really begun to be active again in the last month or so. I figured given my long absence perhaps it was time to introduce myself and open up to connecting with other writers here.

So who am I?

My name is Sasha Hanton (She/Her), I'm the author of It's All Magic To Me which was originally released in May 2022. For a long time, I struggled with openly describing myself as a person of colour, coming from a mixed-race background it's always been a bit strange figuring out how to define myself. However I now feel more confident in how I describe and define myself.

I'm Australian but I have Eurasian heritage, meaning my family come from a combination of Asian and European backgrounds. I know some people don't like the term Eurasian, and that's perfectly fine you don't have to label yourself with something you don't identify with but for me, I'm proud to call myself Eurasian. My family have identified as Eurasian for more than three generations now, and we've always been proud of our mixed ancestry (feel free to ask me more about this if you're interested).

Coming from a mixed background I like to bring that mix into my writing, injecting influences from a variety of cultures and mythologies. Whilst I'm a cis, heterosexual, neurotypical woman I try my best to be an ally and am always happy to bring more diversity into my writing and to read more diverse stories (if you know any good books by diverse authors please send me your recommendations I'm always happy to build up my tbr).

My writing

Currently, I'm in the limbo of waiting for feedback on projects and I generally try to stick to having one WIP on the go at a time (as otherwise I'm prone to overwhelm) . Predominately I write urban fantasy, generally with new adult-aged characters but written to be middle-grade and up friendly. Here's a quick breakdown of my works:

It's All Magic To Me - This is my novel, originally published under contract in 2022 but now out of contract and out of print but I will be re-releasing it in May 2025. It follows Willow, a university student, who discovers she has magical powers and goes on to be taught how to use them by Sphynx, a cat. Urban Fantasy inspired by the likes of Buffy, Charmed, Sailor Moon, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Themes involve family, responsibilities, and friendship. Venatores de Mythos Trilogy - My major WIP at the moment, I've written drafts for all three books but am waiting on feedback for book 1 before continuing editing. Urban Fantasy, follows three different characters who are all recruited by a mysterious agency that hunts and tracks down mythological creatures and artifacts. Globetrotting features a mixture of languages (Arabic, French, and Spanish with the main composition being in English). The main characters are from varying cultural backgrounds, each wildly different from the other with their own reasons for agreeing to join the agency. Percy Jackson kind of vibes. Chimera - Currently in the process of writing the first draft. Inspired by a short story I wrote for a recent competition following a mixed race, mixed species, witch and her family who are being hunted for parts. Dark Urban fantasy based in Australia, will feature lots of mythological influences. Adult because there's body horror, probably going to be some explicit sex scenes (not sure yet), and just generally dealing with heavier/darker themes. The Short Story Press Collection - A collection of short stories, currently available as an e-book on Amazon or in print (the print edition is newer and contains more stories than the e-book). Stories cover a range of genres from sci-fi, fantasy, gothic horror and more. Customerpocalypse - My first novel, currently available as an e-book on Amazon. Post-apocalyptic fantasy, written during a time when I was struggling with my mental health and it shows. If you've ever wondered why in post-apocalyptic video games there are NPCs who work in what's basically customer service then this might be for you.

Please shoot me an ask if you'd like to know more about any of my writing projects or about me. I'm hoping to share more on my WIPs here and to engage more, so please feel free to tag me in tag games!

You'll also see plenty of shares from fandoms I'm part of here, I have no intention of segmenting my Tumblr into two separate accounts so my apologies if you get spammed with Fairy Tail posts or DnD stuff (or anything else).

If you'd like to follow me on other social media or want to find my books here's a link you can follow for all of that: https://bit.ly/m/SashaHanton-Links

[thebearthatreads]

Get to know my characters

Hi, I'm still here! If you've ever wanted to know what kinds of characters I write here's a brief rundown of the main characters from my novels and my current works in progress.

Willow – The protagonist of It’s All Magic to Me, Willow is a twenty-something balance family and friends along with university studies. Coming from a mixed-race background, predominantly Scottish and Malaysian with some other unmentioned nationalities thrown in, Willow is closely bonded with her family particularly to her grandfather who lives with them. Asexual and Aromantic, Willow has no interest in dating but adores spending time with her two best friends – Miri and Sam. At university she is most of the way through a Bachelor of Arts with a History major and is considering further study. Her hobbies involve nail art, she has over thirty shades of nail polish in her cupboard, and training her newfound magic abilities.

Sphynx – In lieu of a MMC, It’s All Magic to Me has Sphynx. Full name Synphineuous Abydian. A copper coloured Abyssinian cat whose been around for a few hundred years. He’d retired as a familiar up until he discovered Willow but was more than happy to pounce back into the role. Patient, kind, fiercely protective, and a little stubborn. Sphynx enjoys teaching magic and talking about his previous owners, he also loves sleeping in laundry hampers and hiding under the bed.

Millicent ‘Milly’- NPC energy, main character of Customerpocalypse. A bit of a pessimist, stuck working in customer service, Milly is a disillusioned twenty-something before the apocalypse hits. After the apocalypse Milly bounces between self-loathing and general boredom with how despite a world changing event, she’s wound up in a customer service position again. She does not appreciate her boss’ secret hiding places, the mutated creatures of the wasteland, or the general weird nonsensicalness of the survivortopolis. What she does like is rabbits, (Hunky) Crossbow Larry, and her weirdo friends/former co-workers.

Selby – One of the three MCs of the Venatores de Mythos trilogy. Hailing from Darwin, Australia, Selby comes from a mixed racial background but predominantly gives off white girl vibes. Eighteen and studying an undergraduate medical degree at Bond University when Book 1 starts. Upon joining the Venatores de Mythos organisation she is assigned to Team Excalibur. Selby has been practicing Muay Thai since she was a child and is a proficient fighter, she bonds quickly with her teammates and with Shahrazad and Roque (the other MCs).

Shahrazad – Lowkey my favourite of the Venatores de Mythos trilogy’s three MCs. Born in Marrakesh to a French father and Arab mother, Shahrazad is multilingual fluent in both her parents’ languages as well as English. Her family moved to New South Wales, Australia during her early teens. Twenty-two years old and studying Stage Management at NIDA, when book 1 starts Shahrazad is uncertain of the path her life is following searching for a sign. Eager to reembrace her French heritage, having had it completely shut off to her after her father’s death some years ago, Shahrazad wholeheartedly embraces joining the Venatores de Mythos. She’s also a lesbian and she gets a happy, positive, romance subplot throughout the series.

Roque – Venatores de Mythos trilogy’s MMC! Roque is a twenty-year-old, engineering student at the university of Buenos Aires when book 1 starts. Fascinated by machines, architecture, and history. Roque is extremely close with his family, constantly trying to find ways to support his mother and younger siblings. He takes the opportunity offered by the Venatores de Mythos in honour of his deceased uncle, and because it allows him to financial support his family. Over time he comes to consider Selby and Shahrazad as his second family.

Ginny – FMC for Chimera. Ginny is the Chimera in question, a witch with various mythical creatures interspersed in her genetic and cultural heritage. Twenty-something years old and in hiding from creature specialists who want to dissect her and her family, Ginny struggles with her newfound lack of freedom desperately longing to return to the time before the incident. Fiercely protective and loving towards her family, Ginny has the gift to see death omens.

Adrian – MMC for Chimera. An only child, Adrian is the adopted son of creature specialist Caspian. With innate magic, Adrian wants to learn how to control his power and become a fully recognised warlock or at the very least he’d like to have a little freedom in his life. Ever since he was a child he’s been under the constant watch of Charity, a ghoul contractually bound to his father’s service. If the only way to obtain a modicum of freedom is to prove to his father that he has what it takes to be a creature specialist then that’s what he’ll do.

[thebearthatreads]

WIP List (Tag Game)

@maskedemerald kindly tagged me for this one, it's taken me a couple days to get to it but I'm happy to do it!

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I don't actually have a WIP folder, I tend to make folders for projects in my main writing folder and then work on that one thing until it's finished. But at the moment there's some things on the go and I do have some project files that are just sitting around waiting for me to come back to them (or not) so here's a list of WIPs/possibly abandoned WIPs... and I'm adding my in progress TTRPG campaign as well so ask away and find out:

Chimera

Venatores de Mythos: Aurei

Venatores de Mythos: Venatores

Venatores de Mythos: Mythos

Ginger Vampires

The Garden Path

Monster of the Regency Era

Gently (no pressure) tagging: @kelefox, @keysandopenmind, @chauceryfairytales, @fleurtygurl, @thepitflower, @jinnybinghamsghost, @words-after-midnight