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ak-writes.bsky.social

@ak-writes.bsky.social

SFF reader, writer, and scientist

138 Posts68 Follower 66 Folgt

Krithika and Maheshwari Rajesh (are querying 🥰)@rajeshtwins.bsky.social · last mo.

KAIKEYI + AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER + WE HUNT THE FLAME When twin rajkumaris are kidnapped by their best friend and discover that they wield the forbidden magic of their enemies, they must embark on a quest to prevent war and prophesied disaster. 🌊 🔥 ⚡️ 🌱 🏹 🗡️ #QueerPit #F #YA #Asian

ak-writes.bsky.social @ak-writes.bsky.social · last mo.

In a fictional world reminiscent of semi-occupied India, court musician, Aneesa, plays pretty melodies by night and plots her revenge on the governor by day. Falling in love with a runaway princess with her own secrets is just a misstep, but it might be one that proves fatal. #QueerPit #F #A #FR

vainika sitting with her veena in a purple dress, music notes float around her

SNIPPET:Vikram smiled, grin salacious as the singer rose. He gestured impatiently to the servant at his side who produced an opal the size of a child’s fist.

Courtiers nearby gasped and applauded, and the singer looked like she might faint. This jewel could feed her gharana for a year— maybe even two.

But my jaw clenched. The mahal did nothing out of pure altruism. I knew this better than most. There was always a price in the Vajra court.

Music is honesty, Aneesa-jaan. My mother’s words were like a balm from all those years ago. In its discipline, you can find truth. And I was doing just that. My veena was my weapon. My disguise as I sought to expose the Vajran Court’s underbelly. Maa might have never intended for me to use it this way, but she wasn’t here anymore. So who was to stop me?

Ossei Odontidae @filitadraws.bsky.social · last mo.

THE ANGELS’ SUCCUBUS 🌈sapphic polyam Two angels are sent to investigate demonic activities, enlisting a succubus cam worker to help them navigate the digital world; but the veil keeping Hell locked away thins and soon they’ll be fighting more than just their growing feelings #Queerpit #A #PR #Q

moodboard composed of 9 images (left to right) image of an elevator signaling they are going to hell, silhouette of a woman under read light, blurry black and white photo of an angel, coffee in red, two women gazing into each other's eyes, a LED sign that says HELL, three hands linked by their pinkies, dark room illuminated by a red LED sign that says tattoo, a white feather floating in water.

rihdara klay 📖@rihdaraklay.bsky.social · last mo.

a dystopian epic fantasy about an uprising against a fascist queen whose touch turns bodies into sugar, led by a grieving royal translator who finds solace in outlawed books 🍰 french revolution x THG x babel 🍰 politics, found family, love triangle 🍰 POC cast #queerpit #F #D #A

a four-picture moodboard with a red and pink theme. in the top left corner sits a two-tiered cake with cherries placed along its edges. in the top right corner is the bodice of a noble woman; her dress is made from red and white lace. in the bottom left corner is a woman holding a sword, standing on a beach with her back towards the audience. in the right bottom corner is the interior of a chapel in Versailles with white columns, arched windows, and frescos of various paintings.

ak-writes.bsky.social @ak-writes.bsky.social · last mo.

A court musician will do anything it takes to reclaim her inheritance, until a runaway princess and political instability force her to choose between love and revenge. 🦚 Semi-occupied India-inspired 🎻 String instruments 💔 Lover to enemies 👑 Court politics 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 Sapphic #QueerPit #F #A

Call Me J @eightyeightkeys.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Bridalwear designer Lara is fast becoming the poster child for loveless Millennials, thanks to a relationship podcast dubbing her "The Loveless Dressmaker." To save her tattered reputation & business, she must fake a public romance with the 1 guy she shouldn't fall for...again. #SEAsianPit #Q #A #CR

Top left to right: a South Indian woman with curly hair, an Indian couple posing for a selfie, a white orchid, a woman measuring a wedding dress. Center left to right: a red hibiscus, a couple on the red carpet facing cameras, a title card "the reputation fix, an adult contemporary romance", bottom left to right: a handsome south Indian man, a tiled walkway in a colonial mansion, a pair of South Indian actresses who play sisters on Bridgerton, a rack of wedding dresses.

Ossei Odontidae @filitadraws.bsky.social · 2mo ago

When the human of a vampire-hating werewolf family turns into a vampire, he must hide his new fangs from his nosy sister all while suppressing his hunger for blood and deflecting the suspicion of his sister’s (very hot) 🐺 bodyguard. That and to avoid a 🧛 vs 🐺 war #SEAsianPit #A #PR #Q 🌈 filo mc

moodboard composed of 10 images (left to right) silhouette of a hand with claws, outside restaurant during the evening, vampire red eyes, wolf necklace, random alleyway in Puglia, silhouette of two men staring at each other longingly, golden eyes, a bucket of garlic and herbs, Fangs Out in Italy with a red background. Silhouette of bats going across the moodboard

Tiff Bartel @tiffbartel.com · 2mo ago

PSALM FOR THE WILD BUILT X SORRY TO BOTHER YOU When a down-on-his-luck archivist takes a job from a shady tech company to save his robot friend, he uncovers a darker plot involving stolen memories while falling for a handsome anarchist with a grudge against his employer. #SEAsianPit #Q #SF #SFF #R

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Snaggleteeth: A Novel
Adult Science Fiction / 96,000 words
In an isolated tech company town, a lonely audiovisual archivist seeks the help of an illegal repair shopkeep to save his fox spirit-shaped robot friend and unravel a mystery involving stolen memories while confronting his own grief about the past.

Dark background with light text and an image of a hồ ly tinh dreaming:

It's got:
- A BIPOC cast
- A scrappy queer, neurodivergent, and disabled main character
- A prickly robot familiar
- Body positive romance between older queer characters
- Queerplatonic friendship and community-building
- Southeast Asian folklore
- Anti-capitalism
- Cassette futurism vibes

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Comps:
Klara and the Sun (Kazuo Ishiguro)
Luminous (Silvia Park)
Hammajang Luck (Makana Yakamoto)
Light From Uncommon Stars (Ryka Aoki)

Vibes:
Severance (Apple TV)
Maniac (Netflix)
Poker Face (Peacock)
Robot Dreams (Sara Varon)

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Mood Board

Images on mood board are various colourful/neon cassette futurism aesthetic stills from the shows Maniac, Severance, and Beef Season 1.

Ossei Odontidae @filitadraws.bsky.social · 2mo ago

ak-writes.bsky.social @ak-writes.bsky.social · 2mo ago

a sneak peak into what i've been working on this year! CANAL BOYS🌊 #YA #FantasyMystery #SouthAsian #WIP

A girl in a vest is speaking to a boy in a sweater. She is irritated. The background is the night sky with faint constellations. A snippet reads:

Lamplight from Severich Row’s estate houses winked ahead, casting long, sharp shadows like teeth, like jaws made of greed and very expensive Yeshnian light bulbs. Without hesitation, Nir dragged them in between, her lungs burning like they’d caught fire. Saints, she hadn’t sprinted like this in a long time, and that too with a sprained ankle. Suddenly, she was grateful for Runner’s presence. Not that she would ever admit it.

He crouched beside her now, panting as he massaged his shoulder. “Have you—ever—considered—” An unflattering wheeze interrupted his sentence and he paused to regain his breath. “Have you ever considered that there might be more than one way to do a thing?”

Nir frowned, fighting the urge to cross her arms. “Please don’t tell me you’re complaining. For Parwal’s sake, we’ve got the invitations.” She flapped the gold-edged pieces of stationary in her hand like a fan. So what if they were slightly crumpled? It would get them in the door without questions.

Runner stood to face her, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose. “You
knocked that poor man out cold. He’s going to wake up with a nasty bruise, probably terrified—”

“He’ll be fine,” she broke in. Nir should have expected this. Ajay
Runner— a stickler for the rules. Who’d have thought, except, you know, everyone.

“That,” Runner said, “is not the point. Seriously, Nir, have you got no conscience?”

“No, I suppose I don’t.” She winked. “But you can be mine.”

ak-writes.bsky.social @ak-writes.bsky.social · 9mo ago

new mswl drop 👀

Looking for fantasy inspired by Indian folklore and classical music history. Anything in the vein of The Jasmine Throne or The Phoenix King. New Adult appeal is a plus. Think An Ember in the Ashes or the Wrath and the Dawn.

Ideally looking for revenge plots linked to complicated family history all set in an accessible fantasy world. I want light magic— no complicated systems— and plot twists that deepen our understanding of the characters.

I enjoy world and court politics that provide real world commentary— especially those that explore themes of colonialism and patriarchal hierarchies. Above all, I want character-centric work. Sapphic love stories with a lovers to enemies twist is perfect.

Some specific tidbits:
Characters with specific or unusual skills
Caustic, jaded pairings with innocent cinnamon rolls
Heroines finding their voice and purpose
Messy, complicated, imperfect women

*not an actual agent

ak-writes.bsky.social @ak-writes.bsky.social · 9mo ago

The Jasmine Throne x The Phoenix King An #agentsguide to EMBROIDERED, a South Asian Adult Fantasy [97k], now arriving at inboxes near you 😊 #QuestPit #Q #F #A ✨title page character sketched by Jazz and colored by me✨

A woman (sketched by Jazz, colored by me) holds a veena in front of a palace (public domain Canva image). The title says "Embroidered"

The pitch: In an 1800's India-inspired world, a court musician plays pretty melodies at night, and by day, plots deadly revenge on the governor to reclaim her inheritance. But when a runaway princess with a devastating smile arrives in her city, the civil unrest that ensues might kill them both first

Four different comp titles: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma, and The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. The descriptors include: themes of colonialism and cultural erasure, heroines that grow into themselves and lean into rebellion, South Asian mythology and folklore + female rage, and revenge plots derailed by unexpected love.

One section holds the opening lines: “There were traditions that existed for the sake of continuity— careful connections to our roots and ancestors— and then there were those we could do without. Amma’s daily performance, I thought, fell into the latter.”

One section has an excerpt: “I just nodded, shifting my gaze back to the idol. Her golden cheeks glistened and I was desperate to change the subject. “They say when your plea to the goddess truly moves her, she cries sea-water tears.”

“I’ve heard of that,” Roshni said, brightening. “If you catch them, I think they grant wishes?”

“Do they?”

“Myths.” The kumari shrugged. “Things for me to believe in and for you to analyze skeptically.”

I had to grin at that, leaning towards her. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m the more faithful out of the pair of us.”

She rolled her eyes, tilting up her chin even as her lips stretched wide. “I do love your nath,” she admitted. Her fingers came up to press against the gold hoop at my nose.

And suddenly it was too much contact. Too little contact. Every sensible thought I’d ever had left my head.”

Tiff Bartel @tiffbartel.com · 9mo ago

A nerdy agender experimental art gremlin and an ex-wunderkind roboticist in exile team up to find out why the local tech co is bricking robots and stealing memories, and who's sending weird dispatches from the wasteland that's supposedly empty. Then mutually pine a little. #QuestPit #W #A #SF #S

Tiff Bartel@tiffbartel.com · 9mo ago

Finally put together an #agentsguide for Snaggleteeth, the adult speculative novel I'm currently polishing in hopes of querying in the new year! 🦷

(all slides are in the style of a vintage 80s/90s VHS box cover) / 1st slide: An Agent's Guide to Snaggleteeth / adult science fiction / near-future cyberpunk / retro tech & robots / 80k words