I've Been Writing... Sporadically With The Process Of Editing. Nothing Has Seemed To Stick For Making

I've been writing... Sporadically with the process of editing. Nothing has seemed to stick for making me stay on task. Except for one thing. The pomodoro method calls for one to use a kitchen timer or something similar as a time tracker, and that's been magical to have a device that ticks down the time like my new red fox buddy I picked out. His name is Stormy (time, tempus, tempest, Stormy; it makes sense to me anyway).

But I have something on the horizon sure to kickstart my creativity. The second heartbeat of this blog, my dear friend @mysticstarlightduck , has gotten me into my very first dungeons and dragons game with her. I've wanted to play for years and now I can. The math and statistics are going to be a lot for me to track and I hope I'm up for it, but my beloved halfling warlock I've had waiting for over a decade has a chance to spread her... Uh, toes? She doesn't have wings, so...

That's my update for you fine folks. I'll be trying to report less inconsistently with progress as I make more of it.

Two Truths One Lie

Thanks for the tag, @willtheweaver (here)!

I'll go with Elveryn Haven, from Song of Thorns, the relentless but traumatized monster hunter who was tasked by the King to hunt down and kill Renn (and bring the others to 'justice').

Tagging: @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories

@the-ellia-west, @winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @frostedlemonwriter

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and OPEN TAG

And the lie was: Option 2! You guys are good at guessing these! Leora is not a non-magical human. She is very much a mage, and her magic was one of the core reasons she ended up taken by the Crimson Queen's army when she was a child. While she did escape the Crimson Queen, the non-magical part is definitely not true, and she is also not the only person to escape the Crimson Queen - though there have been few (though very few) and most have not been as successful as Leora was.

Leora was indeed forced to become a child soldier in the Crimson Queen's army when she was only around nine years old. She had been a war orphan, alongside her older sister - who had always kept her safe - however, an accident led Leora's magical prowess to catch the attention of Eclipsed Inquisitors and caused her to be kidnapped. While training to become one of the many soldiers in the Queen's army, she met a boy named Nikos, who was a few years older than her and ended up becoming both her adoptive older brother and mentor. They managed to escape together a few years later, and Leora was reunited with her big sister, Valere.

As mentioned beforehand, she does have a biological older sister, Valere, who is eleven years older than her, and an adoptive older brother, Nikos, who is five years older than her.

Tagging (gently): @moonluringfrost @crowandmoonwriting @doublegoblin, @inky-duchess, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @sarahlizziewrites, @diabolical-blue, @memento-morri-writes, @rickie-the-storyteller, @smol-feralgremlin, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories, @cowboybrunch, @aalinaaaaaa, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @clairelsonao3, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @oh-no-another-idea, @rickie-the-storyteller, @jay-avian, @jasperygrace, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @illarian-rambling, @conkers-thecosy, @gummybugg, @anyablackwood, @mk-writes-stuff @thepeculiarbird and OPEN TAG!

Two Truths and One Lie!

Thanks for the tag @willtheweaver (here)!

Please leave your guesses in reblogs or in the replies!💕

I'll go with Leora Tallin from Of Starlight and Beasts for this one!

Tagging (gently): @moonluringfrost @crowandmoonwriting @doublegoblin, @inky-duchess, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @sarahlizziewrites, @diabolical-blue, @memento-morri-writes, @rickie-the-storyteller, @smol-feralgremlin, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories, @cowboybrunch, @aalinaaaaaa, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @clairelsonao3, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @oh-no-another-idea, @rickie-the-storyteller, @jay-avian, @jasperygrace, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @illarian-rambling, @conkers-thecosy, @gummybugg, @anyablackwood, @mk-writes-stuff @thepeculiarbird and OPEN TAG!

Character Inverse Tag

Thanks for the tag, @willtheweaver (here)!

Rules: Write who you think your character’s opposite would be!

I've chosen a few characters from my WIPs Song of Thorns, Enchanted Illusions, Of Starlight and Beasts, and Supernova Initiative for this one because why not lmao. I tried to really lean into the "polar opposite of the regular character" aspect of this tag game!

(Song of Thorns)

Roselyn Lethia - Would be a selfish loner with no desire for adventure and a love for the status quo

Renn Atrius - His polar opposite self would be a human knight from the royal guard with an adoration of the nobility and a disdain for vampiric fey

Cyriel Staryn - Would be a bounty hunter who specializes in hunting thieves and who strives to upkeep the law

Orianna Whisperleaf - Would be a worldly girl from the capital who is terrified of nature and doesn't care about animals

Prince Alaric - I imagine his "mirror universe" self would be a stereotypical prince who loves masquerades, hunting trips, and mostly basks on his family's sway and power, instead of trying to stop them

Tarrant - His opposite self would be a powerful, sly, silver-tongued mob boss with an obsession with being perceived as sexy or attractive, and who has a tendency to be manipulative

(Enchanted Illusions)

Augustus Grimmure - His mirror self would be a mild-mannered pacifist who is terrified of death and all things morbid, and probably a sorcerer in the Order of Light.

Harriet Sharppe - Would be a brash extrovert with a tendency to get into fights extremely easily and a notable lack of patience

Evangeline Daemitya - Would be a stereotypical "rich girl" obsessed with being the latest trendsetter and always being perceived as popular by her peers.

Sam Delaways - Would be a rich businessman with a risk-taking streak who doesn't care about saving money and only cares about being the best

Cailean Telkerly - Would be someone who never runs from his problems and likes to face conflict head-on, while being aloof and not really charming

Clarence Van Sterling - His alternate self would be an all-powerful vampiric lord, of a very posh and arrogant sort, who considers humans as lowly peasants.

(Of Starlight and Beasts)

Corah Stormryder - Would be someone with no ambition, with a tendency to settle for "the way things are" and a strong sense of self-worth

Arammys Lochllain - Would be a clairvoyant mage with a strong grasp of the past and the future, who remembers his entire life and that of others and does not fear his magic.

Eidan Delythen - A popular folk hero with a pristine reputation who isn't afraid of his past and is proud of his family name

Masen Mavven - Would be a trustworthy young man who despises breaking rules and is a thoroughly law-abiding citizen

Kyran Mavven - Would be a sorcerer who despises sciences and alchemy, considering them inferior to magic, and who does not care about his reputation

Scarlet - His opposite self would be a dutiful knight who trusts people too much and who devotes himself to serving the kingdom, even through dangerous situations.

(Supernova Initiative)

Jack Tithus - His opposite self would be a Junction military officer who thoroughly believes in the system and is a hopeless optimist who always sees the best in everyone around him

Cassiopeia Tithus - Her opposite self would be a lazy student with little passion for experimentation and who is terrified of robots of any kind.

Aleks Keldora - A self-confident bounty hunter who is unapologetically himself at all times and is also a truly amazing fighter pilot

Ethean Mirannir - His complete opposite would be a reckless intergalactic thief with little regard for the needs of others and who doesn't really care about the upkeep of his family name

Vesper Foxx - A kind-hearted pacifist who truly believes in a "forgive and forget" philosophy and considers revenge a useless endeavor

Artemis Zreeth - A bubbly and preppy kid with a penchant for colorful clothes who adores going to parties and makes friends extremely easy

Pax Stellaryn - An arrogant fighter pilot who is overconfident in his abilities and oftentimes overestimates his own chances of winning a battle

Tagging: @cakeinthevoid, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @pluttskutt, @anoelleart

@kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab, @little-peril-stories

@the-ellia-west, @winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @illarian-rambling and OPEN TAG

For the character dynamic asks, between supporting characters - What secrets or conflicts exist between them?

Thanks for the ask, @mk-writes-stuff! I'll go with the cast of Song of Thorns (because I'm working on a chapter for it today/tomorrow!)

So, mild spoilers for those WIPs below the cut!

Between supporting characters - What secrets or conflicts exist between them?

Between Tarrant & The Twins - While there are next to no conflicts between them (except when Tarrant loses his patience at Dimya and Cyriel's recklessness lmao) there is a secret between them. Two actually (a secret Tarrant keeps from the twins and a secret the twins are keeping from him).

(Tarrant's Secret) - Tarrant hides from his cousins the fact that he is showing signs of being infected by the blood curse plague - for three reasons: 1. he is terrified of the Corvus, the royal alchemists tasked as plague doctors, as he knows the truth that the "salvation" the royal family promises plague victims is actually being used as magical experiments, 2. he does not want his younger cousins to worry about him, 3. he fears his boss (who holds his soul contract) is going to kill him or otherwise discard him (or hurt the twins) if the man finds out he is sick. As you can imagine, this has less-than-ideal consequences for him as the story progresses.

(The Twins' Secret) - As Lantern Keeper for a group of underworld mercenaries, Cyriel is plotting to find a way to overthrow/betray their leader and save Tarrant from his contract, which is a very tricky plan that backfires immensely when the mercenary leader finds out and makes Cyriel be framed for treason, caught by the local city guard and (unsuccessfully) sentenced to death. She doesn't tell Tarrant about her plan because she knows he will freak out - until he inevitably finds out either way. On the other hand, Dimya, her twin, is pretending to still be loyal to their leader (mostly because he is trying to continue Cyriel's plan in a moe subtle fashion but also because he is very much terrified of the situation they're stuck in), and has a secret he did not tell neither Cyriel (his twin) or Tarrant - he found out their boss was smuggling live, unfortunate vampires into a fighting ring and other dreadful places sponsored by the elite, but was so terrified by this discovery (and horrified that he was working for a man that would hurt so many innocent vampires for money) he didn't tell a single soul, fearing their leader would kill him for knowing more than he should, and is very much traumatized by it.

... So, basically, family communication issues at their finest.

Cadenza Novalie & her Dad - Cadenza is a young noble fey from the vampiric lands whose relationship with her Dad has become pretty strained in the past few years due to, mostly, a very bad misunderstanding. I can't go into much detail without spoiling an important plot twist but vaguely, the gist of the situation is: her Dad had to, secretly, make a tough decision in order to protect her, knowing that she would likely hate him or at least dislike him for it (it isn't anything too awful but from outsiders point of view it does look worse than it is) but would at least stay safe. They've become pretty distant since then, but still care for one another deeply and their relationship heals later on in the story once they get over this misunderstanding.

Elveryn Haven & The Main Cast (prior to his redemption arc):

As mentioned in a few other posts, Elveryn is a monster hunter tasked by the King to hunt and kill Renn (an adult dhampir) and arrest the rest of the main cast. This makes Elveryn a strong - and oftentimes terrifying - antagonistic force throughout the earlier acts of the book, as his thirst for revenge against all monsters (even good ones) makes him hunt down his targets relentlessly. So one could safely say that yes, there is a lot of conflict between them. And even after he starts to undergo his redemption arc while being forced to work with the main cast for a common goal, there is still a lot of tension between him and them (he considers them his enemies and they still haven't really forgiven him/still fear him for trying to hunt Renn, though they do find a common ground eventually and do become friends later into his redemption route).

The main cast only later finds out that the real motive for his hatred of monsters wasn't prejudice, but actually a thirst for revenge and grief over losing his little brother in a monster attack years ago, and the fact he - deep down - blames himself for not finding him. After his redemption arc, they make amends and finally become good friends, as he realizes the wrongs of his ways.

Renn Atrius & Prince Alaric:

While they technically are friends/allies from the very beginning and are on the same side of the book's conflict, there is some tension between them. Renn has a strong hatred and distrust for human nobility - as when Renn was a child, he witnessed his beloved Dad (Kyrie, a vampire) be murdered by a monster hunter sent by the royals - and Prince Alaric is a human noble - though they have a common goal of stopping the corruption of the royal family - so the distrust/tension is always ready to reappear on the back of Renn's mind in every single interaction, though they're mostly polite to each other they do have a bit of a mix between rivalry/friendship. To make things worse, Alaric has no idea of Renn's past trauma and sometimes is painfully oblivious (not on purpose, he is just not very perceptive in that way) to any signs of it, which creates a lot of rocky patches in their communication at times.

Late Writeblr Intro!

Hello, friends!

I figured it was about time I made an actual blog intro of my own since I forgot to make one when I started this blog last year. Better late than never, lmao!

Pls, reblog, like, and/or reply to help boost the blog! 💕

Let's get started:

Personal Stuff! 💜🩶🖤

My name is Anna/Anya but you can call me Mystic, Ducky, or just Anya on this blog! My personal nickname is Ani and I adore it (:

I am an Asexual woman (my pronouns are she/her!) and I'm also personally an atheist who puts my faith in the spirits of Mother Nature, though I respect all other religions equally!

I'm Gen Z and Latina (Brazilian). I was raised bilingual (Brazilian Portuguese + English) and I love learning languages - currently, I'm working on learning French and Spanish! Career-wise I am studying in college to become a character designer and hopefully animator, as I want to pursue a career as an artist and writer! I also wish to have my WIPs published in the near future (:

Some fun facts about me!

My favorite shows are Critical Role, Game of Thrones, Castlevania, The Legend of Vox Machina (animated series), Star Wars, Voltron, The Dragon Prince, Avatar the Last Airbender, Legend of Korra, and DC Comics content, as well as many more lmao. I love watching movies and series!

My favorite Vox Machina characters are Vax'ildan and Percy (:

I am a younger sister 💖

My hair is short and curly (pixie style, similar to the haircut Rapunzel has at the end of the Tangled movie!)

I adore listening to music, especially songs that can inspire me to write my WIPs! Playlists are a huge part of my writing process and something I really enjoy making.

I'm currently rereading Shadow and Bone (+ Six of Crows) and I am always looking for more good dark fantasy/historical fantasy books to read so book recs are always welcome! I also am a huge fan of the Percy Jackson series and Trials of Apollo (by Rick Riordan), though I'm usually more of a gritty/dark fantasy fan (like Game of Thrones)!

I have three dogs and two cats!😺🐶

I know how to play the piano, though I haven't done that in a while because things have been chaotic for me, but I'd like to start playing regularly again in my winter vacation.

I have worn glasses since I was 5 years old and have terrible eyesight without them (and some days with them, lol, so bear with me).

My friends and I are doing a DnD campaign every Sunday, where I play as a half-elf rogue named Aeryn (he/him). I'm adoring this adventure so far, it's so fun!!!

I love to bake and am rather good at it, but am a painfully average cook lmao (some specific recipes I make are actually rlly good, but it depends a lot on my mood and the 'alignment of the stars' lol)

I want to learn how to knit/crochet! 🧶

I'm a theater nerd and love musicals (:

About my Writing!🏹⌛

I write fictional works mostly in the genre of fantasy (high fantasy/epic fantasy/dark fantasy/historical fantasy/urban fantasy, etc. You name it!) and science fiction (space opera/cyberpunk/superhero, etc).

My works usually revolve around themes such as epic quests, secrets, adventure, rebels fighting an oppressive system, sibling bonds, acceptance/respect, outcasts, and much, much more! I love fluff and whump equally, and though my stories tend to focus on serious topics (or at least darker/heavier themes) within a fantasy/sci-fi setting, I like to have a good bit of humor, lighthearted fun, and comedy to my stories to lighten up the mood!

My main WIPs:

Song of Thorns

🌹WIP Intro: (here)🌹

Genre: dark fantasy, medieval fantasy, adventure/mystery, dark fairytale, eldritch horror (mild)

Style: Standalone (possible Trilogy)

Tags: #wip song of thorns #song of thorns

Short Summary/About: "A peasant girl moves with her siblings from her struggling seaside village to the kingdom's glittering floating capital, but after her older brother is kidnapped, she ends up discovering the dark, bloody secrets hiding behind the long-lasting royal family of the town and must team up with a young dhampir thief, the exiled prince, and a lonely druid girl to save the dying kingdom from this web of lies".

Supernova Initiative

🎇WIP Intro: (here) 🎇

Genre: space opera, adventure, exploration, laboratory whump, heist, thriller/mystery

Style: Episodic book series with an overarching plot (each chapter/group of chapters equivalent to an episode in a TV series)

Tags: #wip supernova initiative #supernova initiative

Short Summary/About: "A young intergalactic thief and his crew are captured after a heist gone wrong and forced to accept a strange deal - complete a mission for the Junction, retrieve important missing files, and get their freedom back. All the while that is happening, Jack Tithus, the protagonist, finds himself trapped as a test subject to an immoral, and elusive, man known as the Director."

Enchanted Illusions

💀 WIP Intro: (here)💀

Genre: Victorian fantasy, adventure, mystery, gothic fantasy, dark fantasy, crime-solving

Style: Possibly a trilogy

Tags: #wip enchanted illusions, #enchanted illusions

Short Summary/About: "On a magical setting inspired by Victorian times, a group of strangers and outcasts must work together to thwart a powerful secret organization and stop a murder spree that could lead to another civil war between myths and humans."

Of Starlight and Beasts

✨⚔️WIP Intro: (here)⚔️✨

Genre: medieval fantasy, epic fantasy, adventure/quest, dark fairytale, sword and sorcery, prophecies

Style: Book Series

Tags: #wip of starlight and beasts, #enchanted illusions

Short Summary/About: "A young knight in training and an amnesiac star mage embark on a quest to prevent an ancient prophecy from coming to fruition as a vengeful sorceress queen's army marches relentlessly onto their land with the intent to destroy all their kingdom has built."

The Last Wrath

🔥⚔️WIP Intro: to be made...⚔️🔥

Genre: dark fantasy, warfare, political intrigue, espionage, adventure/quest, medieval fantasy, whump

Style: Book Series (currently on hiatus)

Tags: #wip the last wrath, #the last wrath

Short Summary/About: "In a land torn by an ancient war between two sides of a continent, a mageborn girl finds herself trapped amid the bloodshed after her past comes back to haunt her and her family. Now, stopping the war may be the only chance she still has to survive."

Tales of Wilted Flowers

🥀WIP Intro: to be made...🪻

Genre: RPG-inspired fantasy, high fantasy, adventure, fairytale, epic quest, heist story, whump, light fantasy

Style: Trilogy (currently on hiatus)

Tags: #wip tales of wilted flowers #tales of wilted flowers

Short Summary/About - "A group of youths rejected and betrayed by society in many different ways come together due to unexpected circumstances and must rely on each other to prevent the kingdom's corrupt Head Sorcerer and the King from reviving an ancient evil."

Realms of Loss

🍂WIP Intro: (here)🍂

Genre: dark fantasy, warfare, medieval fantasy, high fantasy, ancient times fantasy, Viking-inspired, prophecies & curses

Style: Book Series (currently on hiatus)

Tags: #wip realms of loss #realms of loss

Short Summary/About - "In a continent destroyed by the fall of the Old Gods, and trapped in an endless toil for survival, a cocky young prince discovers his role in an ancient prophecy after his brother, the King, is murdered and assassins come for him too. Running away into the forsaken land beyond the walls of his kingdom, he'll have to learn to be a leader and save his people as a dead, murderous God awakens."

Mutant Inquiries/Open Secret Files

🤖 WIP Intro: to be made..🤖

Genre: superhero, cyberpunk, futuristic, dystopian, science fiction, urban fantasy

Style: Episodic Series, still in development

Tags: #wip mutant inquiries #wip open secret files #mutant inquiries #open secret files

Short Summary/About: "In a dystopian, high-tech future, a group of mutant teenagers become vigilantes and crime fighters to rebel against the oppressive government regime and survive their crime-ridden city."

I have a few other smaller-scale WIPs I occasionally, less frequently work on, such as Lies Untold and Jade Ruins, but those up above are the main ones that I wish to publish. I've also got a big, secret extra WIP I'm working on for fun and will share it with you guys soon!