William Campbell Powell

@willcampowell.bsky.social

Author of TEARDOWN🌈📚 (NineStar), EXPIRATION DAY (YA/SF, Tor), also writes short SFF, long SFF/HF/Crime/contemporary. Software engineer (retired). Politics Green #FBPE bit.ly/TeardownBook https://williamcampbellpowell.com He/him

Today's word is QUESTION. Today's #BookQW from OH GLORIOUS SIGHT, a short story in the e-collection Nights of the Round Table. This story originally started about 3,500 words earlier with a vast array of historical & political details that sank it before the Mathew ever left the dock. 1/3

A medieval structure, probably a cathedral, floats on a cloud with my name across the clear blue sky at the top and the title NIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE & OTHER STORIES across the cloud.

     The tenders rowed The Matthew down the channel and left her at King's Road, riding at anchor with half a dozen other ships waiting for an east wind to fill the sail.
     "Where's the boy?" 
    "Now that's a right good question, Mister Hennet." Rennie pulled the ratline tight and tested his knot. "Off somewhere dark and safe's my guess."
     The mate snorted. "We've ballast enough. Master Cabot wants him taught."
     "It'd be like teachin' one of the wee folk. He's here, but he's no a part of us. It's like of the the only other livin' thing he sees is Master
Cabot."
     "It's right like havin' a stray dog around, "offered another of the crew. "The kind what runs off with his tail 'tween his legs when ya
tries ta make friends."

#fantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WIPSnips #sniff Solidarity: Rushak’s friends leave a feast that Rush was kind of forced to leave. Dedicated to all those who are sick of people being shitty to Rush. - Brother’s Keeper, my fantasy WIP about two brothers bound by a misunderstood power

Jer gazed regretfully at the hot maple-glazed
Forest grouse. "It'll be a sad thing to miss out on this."

"Sticks!" Melody elbowed him. "Forget the
food. If we hurry, we can kill a deer and reach the Tesyruks' before moonrise. They love spontaneous revelry."

"Venison." Jer sniffed. He grabbed a plate.
"Shall we ride up to Tellin then and return
tomorrow, with an elk?"

"No, he'd rather hop over the Amarnénd and
finesse a moose or something," Thea said with a smirk, bumping shoulders with her.

The others laughed, Teryl the loudest. Drisal stowed Rushak's forgotten letra in its case and shouldered it, lagging a little as the others strolled along either side of the
table past friends and kin. Cerel's parents joined them. His heart was full, taking them in. His brother wasn't alone, not in spirit.

Brother's Keeper
A.C. Turek
✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag@wipsnips.bsky.social · 2w ago

The #WIPSnips word for August 13th is "sniff" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
August 13 - sniff
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is dark blue with gold stars with a black background with neon blue border. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner. A different version of the same illustrated caticorn is curled up writing in the lower left corner

Today's #WIPSnips word is 'sniff'. Blind Peter is a regular on Constable Hallett's beat. A Waterloo veteran, he claimed. But too many beggars played that game. But Blind Peter bothered no-one, except when a passer-by was overgenerous. Then Blind Peter would buy himself gin... #HistoricalCrime

Two grey urchins accosted Hallett, tugging his sleeve.
“Found a stiff, cons’able. Blind Peter.”
They escorted him to the statue of the Duke of Kent, on Park Crescent, where Peter sat propped against the plinth of the statue, a bottle at his side. Admixed vomit and blood covered his chin and stained his coat. His face was screwed tight with the agony of his final convulsion.
Hallett bent down, picked up the bottle and sniffed.
“Good God!” he cried, recoiling and almost dropping the bottle.
It was gin—of a sort. He knew the smell of gin, but this reeked of other substances. He recognised turpentine—but there was an acrid stench there, too. Oil of Vitriol?
✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag@wipsnips.bsky.social · 2w ago

The #WIPSnips word for August 13th is "sniff" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
August 13 - sniff
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is dark blue with gold stars with a black background with neon blue border. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner. A different version of the same illustrated caticorn is curled up writing in the lower left corner

Today's word is JOLT. Today's #BookQW from THE QUARTERED SEA. A created world fantasy where Bards sing the elemental spirits, new lands are discovered, and Benedikt turns out to be more powerful than he thinks. Also, it provided a home for all those extra Xs hanging about. Shop indie if you can.

Center top digital cover of THE QUARTERED SEA with a small ship above the title and moonlit sea as background. 

     Jolted from the lingering aftereffects of the Song by the mate's bellow, Benedikt gripped the rail as Starfarer hit heavier chop. Behind him, Evicka, Terezka, and Pjazef. would be exchanging news -although given the other two, he somehow doubted Terezka would be able to get a kigh in edgewise. For the first time since Vidor, he felt his lack of air, felt excluded and a little lonely.
     "Benedikt?'
     He turned, careful of his balance, and bowed. 'Majesty." When he straightened, he noticed that her eyelashes were clumped together in damp triangles. "Is something wrong?"
     "No. Everything's right."