Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend or best friend or pet or loved one or partner or situationship or person or people… or you simply wanna celebrate yourself with a portrait like a Victorian? Hit me up, I’m your artist!

An update on the HWA situation I quote reposted earlier.

🌈 Hailey Piper 🌈@haileypiperfights.bsky.social · 4h ago

Update:

It's officially my birthday! 37 years means I get 37 wishes, right? jk jk I do not need or want anything, but if you're feeling up for it, a kind word about my book would go a long way—such as a rec to a friend/family member, a review on Goodreads or StoryGraph, or a repost of the ongoing sale. ❤️

Ange | Author A. M. Shilling@gunsmile.bsky.social · 3d ago

It's my birthday this week! To celebrate, the eBook of THE DEVOURING is on sale for $0.99 between August 3-9. If you've been thinking of buying it but haven't had a chance yet, now's the perfect time! 💙📚 Links to buy are on my website: amshilling.com/books/the-devouring/

AAAAAAHHH HUGE THANK YOU to @jaekoyanagi.com for this lovely birthday gift—a sketch commission by @bymemo.bsky.social of Lia, the FMC of my vampire horrormance novella!!! 😭🥹❤️

When I was in high school, I was convinced I didn’t like comedy or romance because I didn’t think any shows or movies at the time were funny or romantic. Then I realized I loved the humor and love stories in manga, so it wasn’t a universal truth, just an “American media in the ‘90s/‘00s” problem.

I didn’t read a romance novel until PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in college, which I bought from Barnes & Noble. However, I read a few romance manga in high school, notably NODAME CANTABILE, which I read online. #SumLuv

📚 Ellie Rhymer! Spaceships and Scoundrels 📚@ellieyellu.bsky.social · 19h ago

Do you remember the first romance novel you read? Where did you get it from? 🧡 #SumLuv 🧡

I’d been considering joining the HWA since I qualify for their lowest tier of membership, but as this was written by a HWA trustee and published uncritically as an op-ed, I’ll pass. Oh, and their Discord server apparently vanished?

Holly Lyn Walrath@hollylynwalrath.bsky.social · 23h ago

There is a lengthy pro-AI screed in the latest HWA newsletter and it is . . . a mood.

If it's the cast of WHAT THE IRON GAVE US... it's Daemrin and Lex. Because they're unable to keep their pants on and sneaking a quick one in a semi-public place, and in the throes of passion, they knock something over. I scream at them to find a proper room and lock the door.

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · yesterday

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters You and all your characters are staying together somewhere! You hear a loud crash, then silence. Which one do you immediately suspect, and what do you think just happened? Are you worried or mad? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

I fear this random aside has spawned new WIP ideas, one of which I am REALLY eager to write. An exolinguist arrives on a resource-rich planet to help ascertain the value of some ruins a mining team uncovered, and discovers the ancient, cosmic entity lurking there. A horrormance, naturally.

Ange | Author A. M. Shilling@gunsmile.bsky.social · yesterday

The Summer of Love prompt game conversations about meet cutes got me thinking of a future monster romance I want to write, where the "meet cute" is the human FMC summoning the eldritch monster MLI and forming a pact with him. Why? I don't know, that's plot stuff for later.

A couple more of my Project: Anglerfish concepts from @cyan.com's presentation at Mysterium last week:

The Summer of Love prompt game conversations about meet cutes got me thinking of a future monster romance I want to write, where the "meet cute" is the human FMC summoning the eldritch monster MLI and forming a pact with him. Why? I don't know, that's plot stuff for later.

In WHAT THE IRON GAVE US, Daemrin and Lex are instantly attracted to each other. They have incredible chemistry—enough to prompt an experimental first kiss. Afterward, Lex wonders what came over her and Daemrin tries to move on, but neither of them can stop thinking about the other. #SumLuv

📚 Ellie Rhymer! Spaceships and Scoundrels 📚@ellieyellu.bsky.social · 2d ago

Meet cutes don't have to be "cute"! They are a plot device 🧡 But! Let's talk about how they DO feel about each other early on! Is it fairytale love? Is it *lust* at first sight? Hate at first sight? All?? Snips here are welcome (always welcome if you want to answer anything with a snip) 🧡 #SumLuv

No cheating, post your lock screen! My phone is an advertisement for my book. 🥰

Sab is beta testing a portal romantasy ✨@sabrinamars.bsky.social · 2d ago

No cheating, post your lock screen! it's my beautiful baby girl 😭😭 (art by @birdko.art )

ICYMI — for the evening crowd!

Ange | Author A. M. Shilling@gunsmile.bsky.social · 3d ago

It's my birthday this week! To celebrate, the eBook of THE DEVOURING is on sale for $0.99 between August 3-9. If you've been thinking of buying it but haven't had a chance yet, now's the perfect time! 💙📚 Links to buy are on my website: amshilling.com/books/the-devouring/

New week, new goal: 3 writing sessions. I am aiming for Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. The focus is WHAT THE IRON GAVE US Ch 3, which needs a lot of description writing and action scene tidying. #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

Lex is a noblewoman, heir to her family's seat on the city's ruling council and their pharmaceutical megacorporation. Daemrin is a lowborn mercenary hired to be her bodyguard. But before all that, they meet at a friend's party, where sparks instantly fly. #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag@wipsnips.bsky.social · 3d ago

Welcome to a new week of #WIPSnips! The word for August 3rd is "thrill" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

I love a good meet cute! Daemrin and Lex's meeting in WHAT THE IRON GAVE US is fairly low key: they run into each other at a friend's party. Except he catches her using magic in a city that harshly regulates and punishes its use. On the other hand, he isn't even supposed to be there. #SumLuv

📚 Ellie Rhymer! Spaceships and Scoundrels 📚@ellieyellu.bsky.social · 3d ago

"In which somebody runs into somebody else, and then something falls, and they begin to talk, and their eyes meet and they realize they are attracted to one another" —Rodger Ebert Do you have a classic one? Or one that passes 😆 Did you avoid altogether? Snips welcome! #SumLuv

It's my birthday this week! To celebrate, the eBook of THE DEVOURING is on sale for $0.99 between August 3-9. If you've been thinking of buying it but haven't had a chance yet, now's the perfect time! 💙📚 Links to buy are on my website: amshilling.com/books/the-devouring/

In WHAT THE IRON GAVE US, divine morality is far beyond what's comprehensible by humans, as the gods know and understand things at a far greater scope. What may seem bad or cruel to mortals has an important purpose in the grand scheme of the universe. (1/2) #MythAugust

🫜Prof Emily🫜@professoremily.bsky.social · 3d ago

#MythAugust 3 What kind of moral code do your fantasy gods or spirits follow, if any? Do they share similar moral values to the people, or is their sense of morality completely alien? Do they even do "morality" at all? As usual, interpret as you wish and don't forget to interact with others! ☺️

If we're using Earth-based polytheism as a starting point, then there is probably a cadre of deities represented by domains within the natural world, including a kinglike figure. Sun and fire would be of primary importance, especially hearth fire for its sacralizing quality. #MythAugust

🫜Prof Emily🫜@professoremily.bsky.social · 4d ago

#MythAugust Day 2 Tell us about the major god(s) or spirit(s) in your fantasy religion! This is meant to be a broad overview - we'll have focused questions for specific gods later! Feel free to interpret the question as loosely as you need to if you aren't working with a traditional pantheon 😁

Daemrin, the MMC of my romantic science fantasy, is fairly good at recovering from criticism, though he hates to hear it in the moment. He'll only act differently if he thinks the source is a valid one. Lex, the FMC, takes every critique personally, and her confidence suffers from it.

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 3d ago

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters How well does your character handle criticism? Are they easily insulted? Does their confidence suffer from a critique? Do they ignore or shrug it off entirely? Do they learn from it? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Writing session 2/2 done for the week! I'd forgotten I had already cleaned up Ch 2 of WHAT THE IRON GAVE US, so my only task for it this afternoon was to tweak some paragraphs here and there. I'm sure more will change in later drafts but it's good enough for now. #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

I have two couples for my answer today, #SumLuv. In my vampire horrormance, the FMC Lia is in love with her murderer—the vampire who sired her, Roman. Their relationship is fraught with emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and willful delusions, but they do genuinely love each other.

📚 Ellie Rhymer! Spaceships and Scoundrels 📚@ellieyellu.bsky.social · 4d ago

Who are you writing about? What makes a romantic story about them interesting? Note there will not be a character art or face cast prompt, so feel free to do that here if you'd like! Don't forget alt text for images if you post them. #SumLuv

For your block lists. I see some of my mutuals already following a couple of these.

Tess is Surviving the Horrors@mothmother.com · 4d ago

I started getting followed by some "film festivals" and "writing festivals" and thought "oh, these are cool!" Then I looked a little closer. They're all part of a network that preys on writers, charging us for reviews, and feeding our stuff into slop generators. So I made a list.👋🏻🖕🏻😠

The reunion in THE HEART IS A WEAPON is so significant to Lia, the vampire FMC, *because* she left behind everyone she loved when she died and never expected to see them again. This parting occurred 10 years before the novella begins.

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 4d ago

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters We talked about reunions the other day, so today let's talk about the opposite: partings! Have your characters left someone significant behind? Do they hope to see them again, or know they never will? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

I said I wasn't going to participate in #MythAugust this year, but I changed my mind. I need a solid idea of the dominant religion(s) of my romantic science fantasy novel, which takes place on an alt timeline Earth. As a polytheist, my default is to write about polytheism, so let's go with that.

🫜Prof Emily🫜@professoremily.bsky.social · 5d ago

Hello #writingcommunity, welcome to Day 1 of #MythAugust! This is a worldbuilding game about ✨fantasy✨ gods, myths & religions! You can use the prompts to build up your gods, or yap about some you've already made! Today, give us a BRIEF intro (not too detailed!), & please interact with others ☺️❤️

Hey there, #SumLuv! I'm Ange, and I self-published my cosmic horror/crime thriller novel, THE DEVOURING, earlier this year. I'm currently working on two wips (one vampire horrormance, one romantic science fantasy) and love, love, LOVE romance, so I'm very excited for this prompt game!

📚 Ellie Rhymer! Spaceships and Scoundrels 📚@ellieyellu.bsky.social · 5d ago

Welcome to 🧡 Summer of Love 🧡 a daily prompt game for everyone writing in the romance genre! What's up? What are you working on? How long have you been writing? Tell us everything! Well, tell us enough 😅 I'm excited to chat with you this month. Don't forget to tag #SumLuv

I diligently track my writing progress and previously used Trackbear and Power BI for data visualizations. However, I'm changing it up this month with a new tracker now that I don't have word count goals/deadlines. Not sure what those data visualizations will look like yet, though. #PretendPanel

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 5d ago

I'm back, #pretendpanel ! And thanks to @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social I've got another month of questions 💜 so let's go... August 1st: Do you use data visualization to track your writing progress? What does that look like for you? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

July review: • 31,563 words written across all projects • Outlined the rewrite of THE HEART IS A WEAPON for Draft 3 based on alpha reader feedback August goals: • Do a second pass over the existing chapters of WHAT THE IRON GAVE US to expand on and clean up the prose #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

July reading stats according to @thestorygraph.com. I don't like that I skipped so many days, but boy was this month busier than expected. It was nice not having the pressure to read every day, though. #BookSky 💙📚