#sff writer

[thecatwriter23]

Bird Vomit, Vomit Bird

✨New Publication✨

My work ‘Bird Vomit, Vomit Bird’ is finally out in Here was Once the Sea: An Anthology of Southeast Asian Ecowriting published by Mānoa Journal. Thank you again to the editors for picking up my macabre swiftlet story!

You can read a snippet of it here:

[karahelenterzis]

Introduction + Links!

Hey, everyone!

I'm dragging out my Tumblr from the abyss in an attempt to bring it back to life. Let's see if this sticks. I've entirely rebooted my page: the design/theme, cleaned out my posts, and I'm ready to start afresh.

I'm a Greek-Australian writer of mostly YA/Adult SFF, with a particular fondness for high fantasy. I love photography, fairytales, mythology, space/astronomy, and literally anything Grecian.

My Asks are also open, if you have questions!

Things you'll find on my blog:

✍🏻 Writing/publishing

🎵 Music

📚 Books

🖥️ Video games

🏛️ History/archaeology (mostly Greco-Roman.)

You can also find me lingering at various other places on the web, too, particularly Twitter and Instagram (I'm most! active here.) Generally speaking, you can find me with the handle @karahelenterzis.

[lastinnett-writer]

Here’s your daily dose of cozy fantasy short fiction to warm your day.


In the dimly lit bedroom Jason snuggled next to Marie, watching dawn overtake the city skyline. 
“I wanted to spend my last Earth sunrise with you,” he said. 
“I’m going to miss you while you’re on Mars,” said Marie. 
Jason got up and dug through his pack, pulling out a sheet of plastic stars before standing on the bed.
He placed one on the ceiling and laid beside her. 
“Whenever you gaze up and see that star, know it’s me looking down and watching over you.”

[inspirationgono]

It’s so hard for me to feel like I’m making progress when I edit in the same way as when I draft. It’s so much harder to know when I’m done and there isn’t any visible increase in words or content, which makes it much more difficult for me. Still, I’m doing my best! 

[malcolmschmitz]

I VANT TO READ YOUR BOOKS

Hey, fellow authors - particularly queer/trans authors- I need your help!

I'm looking for queer indie books to liveblog and review on this blog, and would love to read your stuff! Tragically, I am heinously broke and cannot pay for books right now- but I'd be willing to swap ARCs, leave an Amazon/Smashwords/Goodreads review, or anything else you're okay with.

Already on my list:

@thebibliosphere's Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites, which I started reading and loved but had to stop at the very well drawn depiction of a migraine

@plaguedocboi 's Quest for the Sea's Revenge.

[always-coffee]

The Empress Chides the Hermit Nomination!

**clear throat** I have news! Again! My poem in Small Wonders, "The Empress Chides the Hermit," has been nominated for the Rhysling Award! I am SO thrilled!

It was a joy to work with Cislyn and Stephen. If you get the chance to, do it. Brilliant, wonderful humans.

If you haven't read the poem yet, allow me: smallwondersmag.com/piece/the-em...

I am beyond gobsmacked, at this point.

[no-where-new-hero]

omg I need your thoughts on the terminally o line author culture bc ngl it makes my eye TWITCH, there are authors I deliberately avoid even tho I've heard their stuff is good bc they're like that 🙈

HHHHH oh good lord, okay, from how I see it, there are two angles on this, both aggravating and sad: the official decree one and the spontaneous ecosystem one.

The officious one is that the nature of publishing nowadays demands an author have an online presence. You need Twitter/X. You need to let every potential reader know your book is coming out. You need engagement through reviews and pre-orders incentives (if you buy now you’ll get a special keychain!!) and word of mouth assurances from your peers that yes your book is as cool as you say it is. You need a newsletter with links (more buying! more voting on lists that are simply popularity contests!) and promises you’re still working on the next thing, don’t forget about me in the morass of everyone else doing the same thing. You need an Instagram and TikTok now to post pretty pictures and videos because one or two authors made it big off this kind of promotion and now everyone thinks it’s the ticket to the bestseller list (sadly, it seems to be working). You need an OnlyFans (a joke but I do recall a twt spat that was a joke/not joke about how rupi kaur will always be more beautiful than her critics and people who took issue with the conflation of beauty with talent). At the end of all this, you’re basically an influencer, a content creator creating content for the content you should be focusing on creating, the finished novel. And the novel itself seems to be disappearing behind the masks used to promote it (fanfic-style tropes, moodboards, playlists, memes) until I now no longer trust the book that I’ll pick up to have any resemblance to the enticements that brought me here. I’ve seen an author or two complain about the stress all this self-promotion generates, but it’s become such an entrenched part of the industry, I think people just accept it. And thus spend too much time online hoping that if they tweet just a little more, produce just one more reel, maybe that’ll be the difference between a sale and no sale.

The other side of this, distinct but obviously connected, is the ecosystem created by this panic of being perpetually visible coupled with the fact that so many of the new authors came of age during the rise of internet fandom culture. That opinionated community mindset that blurs the line between anonymity and friendship is the lens they bring to their own work. I mean, it makes sense I suppose—if you love yelling about characters and words, why wouldn’t you do that once you start to produce your own? This really came home to me hearing about that reviewbombgate “scandal” and how people involved were in reylo circles and that was used to provide receipts. You’re interacting with your readers and peers about your intimate work but they are also all strangers. They will not always give you the benefit of the doubt, and now—as opposed to the past when maybe the worst that could happen was a handful of bad reviews in newspapers—you will either be tagged in hate reviews, sub-tweeted, explicitly called out, demanded to atone for your sins. It’s no longer the morality of consumption but the morality of production. Of course, the easy answer is just log-off, touch some grass. But that can work only when you and everyone else are separated by anonymous accounts or when you have no platform to maintain. As an author trying to make your livelihood from this, suddenly it’s do or die. We’re in a strange moment of authorship bringing the Internet’s echo-chamber and claustrophobic into the real world (this is a lie: publishing now is no longer the real world. But it looks like it) and thus you can kind of no longer escape things.

Will the average reader who isn’t aware of all these machinations care about reviewbombgate? Would a reader browsing at Target think about the controversies around Lightlark? Very likely not. But the impression I’m getting more and more is that the average reader isn’t the one buying all the books. Or shall we say—a bestseller’s status relies on bookstore stock. Bookstore stock is only huge when they know a book will be a good investment. They’ll only know a book is a good investment if it and its author has street cred based on booktokkers, bookstagram, bloggers and reviewers (have you noticed how many books out these last maybe 1-3 years have these kinds of accounts thanked in the acknowledgments? Yeah), and THESE are also chronically online people who will Know. And decide the cast of fate.

Honestly, @batrachised, I see why you avoid these kinds of writers, though I wonder how long it’ll be before the disease becomes epidemic.

[virtuallyleslie]

Congratulations Moniquill Blackgoose!

TO SHAPE A DRAGON'S BREATH is on the official reading list for Best First Novel with the Locus Awards

The Locus Awards are reader awards! You decide the winners!

Just go through the poll: https://poll.voting.locusmag.com

[innocentlymacabre]

would absolutely love to read more writing from other writeblrs (and become friends with other writers!) so hit reblog with links to intros or completed projects!

prime genres of interest: SFF, gothic, slipstream, magical realism, etc.

will also accept others à la romance, comedy, etc. as long as they're quick little one shots.

[anghraine]

Huh, I see a lot of lit-fic fans insisting that the stereotype of lit-fic as "college prof/writer having affairs and people being miserable in a stylistic way" is just a defensive genre fan take that took off.

I wouldn't know, myself, because nearly all my literary reading these days is in the periods I study, ending at around 1815. But my best friend is getting an MFA in creative writing and damn if every lit piece he gets assigned isn't "people being miserable in a stylistic way, especially writers having affairs."

This may not be representative of modern lit fic as a whole! Like I said, I wouldn't know. But the idea that the stereotype is completely manufactured by defensive genre fans seems ... maybe not quite fair.

[concerningwolves]

sometimes all you have to do to be a writer is write. other times you have to be a historian a geologist a physicist a cartographer a chemist a vinter an archaeologist a carpenter a doctor a mycologist a politician a courier a construction worker a farrier a detective a

[arijensineink]

we as a queer sff community do not talk about Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts enough and i think that is an atrocity good morning.

[lastinnett-writer]

I submitted a speculativefiction short story to a publication last night. I’ve had it on my hard drive for a while and went through and did a lot of revisions to get it ready for submission. I feel I have a much better fleshed out and complete story now.

Image created with Dream

[k--havok]

The Ghost & The Machine

An Adult Romance SFF Novel

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Summary: Cyberpunk | Beauty & The Beast Remix | 3rd Person Limited POV | First Draft | Novel

Specter isn't so sure who she is, or her past. All she knows is she works for the ruthless fence known as Ricco Maestro using her strange power to jump into people's brains to extract information clients have paid for her to get.

When Mr. Maestro gives her a job to extract information from the notorious Dragoon, a bounty hunter and assassin, Specter's world falls apart. Captured by the only person who somehow could pull her out of his head, Specter finds herself imprisoned by the enigmatic monster. Dragoon is a beast of metal and machinery; and no one knows who he is or what he looks like.

But Dragoon isn't what Specter expected. He's rough, full of fury, and materialistic. But also clever and filled with a longing that resonates with the same frequency as Specter's own yearnings.

Specter is still employed by Mr. Maestro. And she will do anything to complete her job. She cannot fail. But as she and Dragoon grow closer, and Dragoon shows her a whole new side to the city, her own relationship with her boss, and herself, questions begin to arise.

Why can't she remember her parents? Where did she grow up? Who is she, and where do her strange powers stem from?

As Specter and Dragoon search for answers, a new threat lurks in the shadows; one that wants Dragoon wiped away and forgotten. And they just may have the answers Specter is looking for.

As enemies close in on all sides, Specter must decide what is worth more; the truth or trust.

Themes

Finding out who you are, the nature of loneliness, the different faces of abuse and how it shapes us, mental illness, true power comes from within, found family, enemies to lovers, LGBT+ themes and characters, cyberpunk with magic, magic and technology, what makes a man and what makes a monster, Beauty and the Beast meets Shadowrun

Contains

Graphic depictions of violence. Graphic sex scenes. Graphic depictions of torture. Abuse and abusive relationships. On-page panic attacks and other symptoms of mental illness. Graphic depictions of illegal experimentation on sentient beings. Swearing.

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Main Characters

Specter

| She/Her | Half-Elf | Bisexual | Protagonist |

Specter is a half-elf in her late 20s who isn't so sure who or what she is. She has no real memories or sense of self. Before her fateful capture by Dragoon, she lived in an apartment paid for by her boss, Mr. Maestro, who also paid for her clothes, utilities, and food in exchange for her talents for espionage. With no family, no friends, and not much purpose, Specter put all her faith, trust and livelihood into her boss's claws.

Specter is not so sure where her powers of possession hail from, where she learned such power, or when it manifested either. There are large gaps of her memories missing. All she knows is she can easily possess anything; whether it be a person, animal, an object, or even the air itself. When possessing a person or animal, Specter can access their brain, picking through thoughts and memories as easily as flipping through folders in a filing cabinet. This makes her exceptionally good at pulling out information from others with minimum risk and maximum reward. Despite the dirty nature of her job, Specter is against harming or killing others, and does her best to minimize pain for her targets.

Despite her lackluster, almost boring, life, Specter does try to entertain herself. She is an animal lover and refuses to possess animals. She enjoys watching the birds and rodents scurrying around the city. Specter also enjoys yoga and music. She often hangs around joints with live music or sings to herself when at home. She likes trying new food and cooking meals for herself. Specter is an empathetic soul, but not exactly kind. She has a cheerful disposition most of the time, although is quiet, hard-working, and observant of her surroundings.

Specter is intersex. She has pale skin with brown hair and brown eyes. Her pupils contain cybernetics that record everything she sees. Half her head is shaved close to the scalp while the rest of her hair hangs short, curling around her jaw. She has a beauty mark on the left side of her lip and no other identifying markings. Specter tends to wear well-loved and practical street clothes consisting of plain shirts, leather jackets, leather boots, and hardy denim pants. Specter is about five foot seven, about 150 lbs, and has a broader chest and shoulders with a short torso and long legs.

Dragoon

| He/Him | Chimera | Bisexual | Antagonist/Protagonist |

Dragoon is a chimera, made of several different animals, and is in his 50s. Dragoon has both sides of man and monster and struggles with balancing them out. He works as a bounty hunter, but at times will take jobs to kill targets as well. He primarily works alone and is freelance. Dragoon is known to be expensive, but never fails a job, making him quite invaluable. Despite his volatile nature, he is also known to be simple to work with. He does not have much interest in idle gossip or the social network of criminals.

Dragoon lives inside a life-support suit made of complex nano technology which he built himself. Along with supporting his bodily functions, his suit is a deadly weapon in itself. Dragoon is a master of both blade and gun. He is also a self-taught engineer who creates his own illegal weaponry and hides it within his suit. His suit contains hundreds of different guns, blades, bombs, and a flamethrower hidden inside it. It also modifies his senses, making them sharper, as well as his strength, speed, and stamina.

Dragoon is a neurotic and independent individual. He has an active interest in engineering and the applied sciences. When not working, he is often found either buying and hoarding random things or working on his many cars, planes and helicopters. He also enjoys programming and assisting abandoned robots he finds, re-purposing them as companions of sorts to live with him. Dragoon is quick to anger, and struggles with techniques designed to calm him down, which includes meditation and martial arts. He does not trust easily and has a phobia of needles. He is socially awkward, which leads him to be quiet and avoid small-talk. He can be witty and is mildly blunt. He has a possessive nature in regards to both objects and people, making it difficult for him to distinguish between the two.

Dragoon is male and gender-apathetic. His real form is hidden within his suit. His suit is dragon-like in appearance and can change color based on his mood and surroundings. Usually it is a dark red with bronze and black trimmings. He has a noticeable gauntlet and pauldron on his left arm and shoulder. His helmet consists of a longer snout with horn-like protrusions from the crown of the helmet. Two horns curl forward and two curl beneath fin-like protrusions, similar to a ram's. Spikes line the bottom of the jaw. The jaw of the helmet can open and close and is lined with metal teeth and a whip-like tongue. His true face is hidden behind a one-way black visor. The back of the suit and his tail is lined with a double set of spikes. The spikes on his back can protrude further out to spear anyone who tries to grab him from behind. He has clawed hands and feet and does not wear clothes over his suit. Dragoon within his suit is roughly seven foot two and weighs nearly 400 lbs.

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Links

#The Ghost & The Machine | #tg&tm

[yvesdot]

TRANS RIGHTS READATHON 2024

(March 22-29, 2024)

Since people have gotten ahead of me on reading my queer monster short story collection for Trans Rights Readathon, I figure I ought to introduce it. Something's Not Right is a collection of stories featuring a diverse cast of human and non-human characters struggling with what society thinks is right. There are stories about transphobia, stories about trans love, stories about casual hot trans roommates who help you deal with your problems (dealing blood to vampires and witches); whatever bizarre relationship to queerness you could imagine, it's in there.

Anyone who can't afford a copy and/or can't get one at their local library is welcome to contact me directly for a free e-copy, no questions asked. I also have thousands of words of free fiction available on my website, including two explicit novelettes (Long Line and Band Girls) both of which include trans characters.

And a week's worth of personal trans recommendations from my top reads of the last couple of years, should you need it anytime:

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg

Females by Andrea Long Chu

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

The Third Person by Emma Grove

Other Ever Afters by Mel Gillman

decolonizing trans/gender 101 by b. binaohan

Bonus links: ko-fi | Patreon

[always-coffee]

Darlings! I have a new poem out today at The Deadlands! I am really excited for you to read it”Five of Cups Considers Forgiveness,” and I hope you like it!!!