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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 21h

As of today I've read 72 books this year. Not quite on track to hit 100 books by the new year, but I'll certainly make a good run at it. :-)

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"Hooves and Horns," an anthology with the theme of 'magical equines', just dropped, and it includes my story "The Nature of the Beast." "Nature" is about an impoverished noblewoman who captures and cuts a deal with a kelpie to ride him during a magical horse race ... www.amazon.com/dp/1952415284

amazon.com

Hooves and Horns (ExtraOrdinary Beasts)

Hooves and Horns (ExtraOrdinary Beasts) [Evans, J.T., Hightshoe, Carol, Mayo, Samuel, Canton, Aaron, Ashmead, H.T., Rolli, Melissa, Alix-Gaudreau, Roger, Pryde, Medron, Proffitt, Melissa, DeMott, C. M.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hooves and Horns (ExtraOrdinary Beasts)

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I'm finally at the point of having enough short stories in various anthologies that--as I regain publication rights--I can put together a collection. Have some really cool ideas of how to set that up and what kind of themes I could give it.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Been unsure of how to start working on the next book, and I'm wondering if that's because I was thinking of it as a YA and it might be more of a MG. Will need to give this some more thought.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

@fanxconventions.bsky.social was awesome today. First I had a panel with @tracydeonn.bsky.social, Peter Orullian, and Lyssa Holm about magic and fantasy fiction. Everyone on the panel had both writing and musical experience, and it was awesome getting to compare our perspectives.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Had a great time at @fanxconventions.bsky.social today! Enjoyed seeing friends, including @janasbrownwrites.bsky.social, @swankmotron.com John Olsen, Mike Strickland, and Julie Frost. Also got reading recommendations from @naomikritzer.bsky.social that I'm looking forward to starting.

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Reposted by @aaroncanton.bsky.social

Bryan Young @swankmotron.com · 25/09/2026

Some photos of FanX Salt Lake Day One. I got to run into all kinds of great folks like @kierstenwhite.bsky.social, @aaroncanton.bsky.social, and a bunch of other folks not on Blusky. Somehow I missed @ig-801.bsky.social, though.

Bryan signing books at the Printed Garden

The line to get into the convention under the shadow of the Salt Lake Mormon Temple

Bryan teaches a class on Star Wars and Kurosawa to a packed crowd

A 3D printed statue of Boba Fett as Bender from Futurama

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Got my panelist credentials for @fanxconventions.bsky.social. (As a reminder, I'm on the 'music in fantasy fiction,' 'choices in games,' and #Animorphs panels). I'm ready for this convention and looking forward to the next three days!

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Back when I lived in Singapore, I picked up a couple of the Kobold Press Guides to [X] (Worldbuilding, Magic Systems, etc.) Found them in my library recently and realized I hadn't looked at them in a long time. Maybe I'll sit down and read through one this week.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Was thinking of doing a story about a cryptid, and was also wanting to do a story set in the Tannaitic period. Thinking I might combine the two and do a story about the legendary lion known as the Tigris of Bei Ilai, whose roar was said to be so loud it could topple walls.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Got a query rejection, but in the rejection, the agent said that a different agent at her agency would be a better fit and recommended I submit to the other person. It's good to think that, even if my book wasn't right for her, she thinks it's right for someone else.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The plan this weekend was to draft a superhero story for an upcoming anthology. But I got a bad cold. So the new plan became resting at home, watching some Youtube, and getting dumplings and wonton soup from a great local restaurant. Pleased to say this new plan worked well.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This week I read "Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion," by the late Rabbit Joshua Trachtenberg. It's essentially an expansion of Trachtenberg's PhD thesis and dug into how Judaism was practiced in 1000-1600 southern Europe.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Watched the #CowboyBebop movie! I'd seen the series over a decade ago, so I figured it was about time I saw the movie too. It was excellent, both in terms of action and the character moments. And honestly, it was nice getting to see Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed go on one last adventure.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

@fanxconventions.bsky.social schedules are out! I'm on the 'Music in Fantasy Fiction' panel, the 'Choices in Video Games'. panel, and the Animorphs panel. If you attend FanX, please feel free to stop by and check them out!

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Just finished watching Hellsing Ultimate, as part of my project to get more familiar with classic anime. I enjoyed it! The action was awesome, the villains' cruelty was detailed well enough that it was cathartic when they lost, and I appreciated the depth of Alucard's and Anderson's characters.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

@writingdaywksp.bsky.social was super fun, but now it's over, so it's time to pause pitching for a bit and start writing new stuff. Next on my list is a superhero story due in a few weeks, a dragon story due a couple weeks after that, and of course my next YA novel.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I've had my apples and honey, and I'm ready for the new year. I have a feeling it's going to be good. Happy Rosh Hashanah, everyone!

My apples and honey this morning, as per Rosh Hashanah custom.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Did a bunch of virtual pitch sessions today, and was asked to submit materials by just over 70% of the agents. Feeling pleased about how things went. And I've got one more pitch tomorrow! After that, I'm going to have fun at the state fair, which is always a great time.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I'm on three panels at @fanxconventions.bsky.social this year! If you want to hear me talk about music in fantasy fiction, choices in video games, or the Animorphs franchise in general, drop by my panels! conventions.leapevent.tech/schedule/Fan...

conventions.leapevent.tech

FanX 2026 :: Leap Conventions

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Reposted by @aaroncanton.bsky.social

Bryan Young @swankmotron.com · 11/09/2026

I've got a packed schedule of panels and signings at FanX in Salt Lake City at the end of the month. conventions.leapevent.tech/schedule/Fan...

Bryan Young - in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon - is an author guest of FanX Salt Lake - September 24-26

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Doing some pitches at a virtual @writingdaywksp.bsky.social event this weekend, so I'll be spending some time over the next few days refining my pitch. Looking forward to getting to talk with a bunch of agents!

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Finished the cozy holiday fantasy story I was working on--the one where my half-golem protagonist has an especially meaningful Asarah B'Tevet with her family--and submitted it. It was a meaningful story to write and I'm psyched for other people to read it.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Got a lot of writing done this long weekend, including the second draft of a cozy holiday fantasy story. Since the last holiday story I did focused on Chanukah, I decided to switch gears a bit and do this one about Asarah B'Tevet, and I'm glad I made that choice.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Spent much of today researching agents to pitch my YA high fantasy novel to. It's always interesting to look into what kinds of books are being sought by tradpub, and who out there seems to want something exactly like what I've got to offer. #amwriting

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

After reading "Fantastic Schools Familiars" earlier this week, I decided to keep going and read "Fantastic Schools Wars" over the past couple days. This is another anthology of stories set at various magic schools, and my story "The Hunter" is in it.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#CoyoteVAcme was fantastic. The gags were great, but it also had much more quality drama and poignancy than I'd anticipated. And the final trap used on Buddy and Foghorn was an awesome way to finally prove that Coyote's good at traps, even if he's not good enough to catch the elite Roadrunner.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Learned about the Disney+ #Animorphs reboot being done by Ryan Coogler's production company, and--as someone who devoured those books when I was younger--I am intensely interested to see what they come up with.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Felt like reading some magic school stuff recently, so I read "Fantastic Schools Familiars," an anthology of stories set in magic schools. My story "The Dancer," about a magician who seeks redemption and draws on music and dance in her magic duels, is in it. (+)

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Got a nice response from an editor, essentially; 'this is a good short story; you could even expand it into a novel.' And now I'm thinking: maybe I'll go ahead and do just that. It's one of my favorite worlds that I've created, and expanding it could be a lot of fun.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Rereading Ohba's and Obata's "Bakuman," and finding it just as enjoyable as the previous times I read it. It's just a fantastic representation of the writing life in both its silly and serious aspects, and the art is perfectly suited to the story too.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Got through 4000 words / ~75% of the new short story's first draft today. This is one of the most personal stories I've written yet, and I'm eager to finish it and share it with you all.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Have now read 63 books this year: 24 new books, and 39 from my backlog. This last month I've been more focused on fantasy, including the third of @vikingzx.bsky.social's Axtara novels, and also the last Hitchhiker's Guide book.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Sent the latest short story out the door just in time for the deadline. One of my goals for the year was to submit to this particular market, so I'm happy I was able to meet that goal.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I have some writing to do this weekend, but I'm also aiming to get some rest because I have a couple big projects planned to start next week and I want to hit those firing on all cylinders.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

When I was younger, I got the old Osamu Tezuka "Phoenix" series--his magnum opus--but it was long out of print & I wound up getting a bunch of old library copies with stickers and stuff on them. So I was very excited to learn they're releasing a new special edition. I'll be grabbing that for sure!

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Big decision: this weekend, should I see "Buddy," "Coyote V. Acme," or "Dog Stars?" They all look good.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I'm in the middle of a fantasy short story right now--between drafts--but I've also started outlining my next stories, rather than finish the one I'm working on before beginning others. It's interesting switching back and forth between different stories. I might keep doing this.

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Reposted by @aaroncanton.bsky.social

Chris Mueller @chrismuellerpgh.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The foundational texts have arrived

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Got my contributor's copy of "Sand and Storm," a fantasy anthology themed around magic desert creatures. My story featured fiery serpents (from the Book of Numbers); I enjoyed writing something a bit different than my usual fare. Feel free to check it out! www.amazon.com/Storm-ExtraO...

amazon.com

Sand and Storm (ExtraOrdinary Beasts)

Sand and Storm (ExtraOrdinary Beasts) [Canton, Aaron, Lipman, Darren, Handley, J. R., Evans, J.T., Hightshoe, Carol, Saunders, Leigh, Pryde, Medron, Stoumbos, Mike Jack, Craig, C. M., Brown, Jana S.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sand and Storm (ExtraOrdinary Beasts)

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Did the last ~4500 words of a fantasy short story / novelette draft this weekend, but besides that, I set writing to the side and focused more on recharging my batteries. Watched some good movies ("Mutiny" and "The End of Oak Street") and anime, and went to @hachicon.bsky.social.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

#TheEndOfOakStreet was a great little science fiction movie. Good action and CGI, well-acted, and the arc of Anne Hathaway's character worked really well.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

@hachicon.bsky.social was fun! I always find it energizing to go to conventions and see everyone else's artistic creativity in the artist alley, the AMVs, the cosplay, etc. And #Hachicon certainly had really good examples of all three this year.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Saw #Mutiny. I enjoyed it! Solid mix of action and drama, the final boss fight between Jason Statham's character and the evil captain was a lot of fun, and the acting was good. I did feel like it was hard to keep track of everyone--the ship's space wasn't well-defined--but that's a small complaint.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Read "Futuristica: Volume 2". I have a story in this one ("News From the Extreme Chess Circuit", one of my earlier works), but I got my contributor's copy when I was abroad, and reading the full book slipped through the cracks. Glad I finally read it. (1)

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Michael A. Stackpole 🇺🇦 @michaelastackpole.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

The Chain Story Project has released the latest story: Devourer of Crowns by S. E. Lindberg and Jason M. Waltz. It is absolutely wild! Please read, enjoy like and share! (Sharing is what makes it possible for us to bring you #freefiction. Thank you.) www.chainstorycore.com/blog/devoure...

chainstorycore.com

Devourer of Crowns — The Chain Story

Doctor Grave and Lord Direk—names to conjure with or fight against—unite against powers that will destroy them. But can they trust each other long enough to survive? S. E. Lindberg and Jason M. Waltz—...

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Had a pitch for a short story approved, so now it's time to actually write the story. This'll be a fun project for the next week or so.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Got edits / comments back for a story that was accepted for an anthology. Always interesting to see the editor's thoughts. And it's also fun to go back over the story and remember all the things I liked about writing it in the first place.

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aaroncanton.bsky.social @aaroncanton.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Read "Mostly Harmless," the 5th and final "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" book. It indeed had the dark ending I'd been warned about, but I'm still glad I read it--it was nice to have one more adventure with Arthur, Ford, Trillian, and so on.

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