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Dan Bonser

@danbonserauthor.bsky.social

69 followers 15 following 317 posts

Author of the Ballad of the Emerald Bard series. theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_Author

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Which kind of romance do you prefer? Watching two characters fall for each other from the beginning? Or meeting them with an established, complicated history and gradually discovering how they got there? I enjoy both for different reasons. #BookSky #SapphicFantasy www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLJYP4ab/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Want to dive into the larger story first? Start with Opus 2. Begin with Aloucia’s history, then enter a bigger adventure with Deeya and her found family. Later, revisit Opus 1 to discover more about the woman at its center. #BookSky #SapphicFantasy www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8oVbsSB/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

2026 Indie Author Awards voting ends Oct. 1! Opus 2 is nominated in 8 categories, and you can vote for up to 5 books in each. If The Ballad earns one of your votes, I’d genuinely appreciate it. All 8 links are in my bio. #BookSky #IndieAuthorAwards www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8wm6X9M/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Opus 3 is officially out of my hands! All three stories are now in beta. Next up: cover art, illustrations, and publication prep. And one last reminder: Opus 2 has 8 Indie Author Awards nominations. Voting ends Oct. 1! #BookSky #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TEJaDr/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Every fantasy series needs one scene where the reader closes the book, questions the author’s choices, and then keeps reading anyway because apparently curiosity has no survival instinct. #BookSky #FantasyBooks #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8T7oq3c/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Two ways into The Ballad: Opus 1: Meet Deeya, the century-old elf bard at its heart. Opus 2: Enter through Aloucia’s story first. Two women. Two very different introductions. One larger story. Who would you choose? #BookSky #SapphicFantasy www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TsKPgt/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... 8 nominations for The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2! Scroll down to category voting links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. Thank you for every vote and share! #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Tomorrow! Fantasy signing with Dave Lawson and Scott Killian Love at Bear’s NEW Muskogee location. Sept. 26 | 11 AM–3 PM 705 N York St., Muskogee, OK Both Opuses available. Signed copies come with stickers and bookmarks! #BookSky #BookSigning www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TVwhgC/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I’m joining the final Sapphic September live on Sept. 26! I’ll introduce a scene from The Ballad for someone else to perform, then talk about its queer-normative world and Deeya and Aloucia’s complicated romance. #BookSky #SapphicFantasy www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TxT8Cr/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... A VERY complicated sapphic story. Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, in LGBTQ+ Fiction! Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #QueerBooks

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Some of my favorite books came from authors I’d never heard of. What makes you take a chance on someone new: a character, an unusual premise, or another reader’s recommendation? Shout out a lesser-known author you love! #BookSky #IndieBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8T5KN3f/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Looking for fantasy that takes its world seriously and gives its characters room to grow? The Ballad of the Emerald Bard starts with sword-and-sorcery adventures and grows into something larger. The first two Opuses are out! #BookSky #IndieFantasy www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TURyWX/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, in Fantasy! Scroll down to category links. This ballot is separate from Epic / High Fantasy. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Opus 3 Revision 3 is DONE! Story Three heads to beta readers. Sept. 26: signing at Bear’s Bookstore in Muskogee, 11–3, plus a Sapphic September reading that evening. Opus 2 has 8 Indie Author Awards nominations. Vote by Oct. 1! #BookS www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8Tk2vc7/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... Elven cities and found family. Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Epic / High Fantasy! Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Book 2 has wolf gods, poison, pirates, messy love, family drama, festivals, and emotional consequences. Honestly? I showed restraint. Everyone should be deeply grateful. #BookSky #FantasyBooks #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8T2pWHK/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... Did a line stay with you? Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Best Prose! Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

One week away! I’ll be signing with Dave Lawson and Scott Killian Love. Sept. 26 | 11 AM–3 PM Bear’s Bookstore 705 N York St., Muskogee, OK Both published Opuses of The Ballad of the Emerald Bard will be there. Come say hi! #BookSky #BookSigning www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8T8FXfu/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... One Ballad. Many perspectives. Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Best Multiple POVs! Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Deeya had a whole life before page one: relationships, mistakes, losses, and experiences that shaped her. The series reveals that history when it matters. It doesn’t replace the current story. It gives it weight. #BookSky #FantasyBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8T18EBC/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... Music makes magic. Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Best Magic System! Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Some protagonists grow into themselves while you’re reading. Others arrive on page one carrying an entire life behind them. Both offer something different: discovering who someone was, or watching who they become. Which do you prefer? #BookSky #FantasyReaders www.tiktok.com/t/ZP833KXHQ/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... The banter got nominated! Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Best Dialogue. Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Deeya has more than a century of memories behind her. Her music, relationships, fears, habits, and scars all come from somewhere. Opus 1 introduces the woman she is now. Then the series reveals the life that made her that way. #BookSky #FantasyBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83nxpTr/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

theleap.co/@Dan_Bonser_... Judge my book by its cover! Vote The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 2, for Best Cover Design. Scroll down to category links. Vote for up to 5 books per category. Round 1 ends Oct 1. #BookSky

Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Crim decided it was time to make me play Two Truths and a Lie. One is completely made up. The other two are somehow true. A, B, or C? Make your guess before I give away the answer. #BookSky #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83g1dLw/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Not quite the Monday update I hoped for. Revision 3 is slipping past Sept. 15, and I’m not rushing it to hit my own deadline. Opus 2 also has 8 Indie Author Awards nominations, with voting open through Oct. 1. #BookSky #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83XArH3/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Are they worth #reading? Absolutely. The series has Sword fights, music magic, #foundfamily, messy love, gods, trauma recovery, and emotional consequences. be sure to Hydrate first. #BookSky #FantasyBooks #SwordAndSorcery www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83H82Hw/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I love stories where the world feels bigger than the protagonist. Sometimes that means letting someone else have the spotlight. Do you enjoy the change, or are you impatiently waiting for the main character to return? #BookSky #MultiplePOV www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83fFWSU/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Prelude follows Aloucia before Deeya. Quiet Venom jumps seventeen years into their present. Madrigal brings us into Fo’Est and Deeya’s found family. Different moods, timelines, and focus. Three stories building the same larger Ballad. #BookSky #FantasyBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83SH68a/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Opus 1 established the three-story structure. Opus 2 showed me what I could do with it. Stories can jump years, change styles, and even change POV. The Ballad may be Deeya’s, but sometimes someone else needs center stage. #BookSky #MultiplePOV www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83Mj3TJ/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Eight categories! Opus 2 is in Round One of the 2026 Indie Author Awards, including Best Dialogue, Magic System, Multiple POVs, Prose, Epic/High Fantasy, and LGBTQ+ Fiction. Voting is open through Oct. 1! #BookSky #IndieAuthorAwards www.tiktok.com/t/ZP83JfuES/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Publishing The Ballad has meant realizing it isn’t entirely mine anymore. Readers have loved these characters, created things, promoted the books, and helped build something I never expected. Part 2 with @WriteLikeABadass is out today. #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cTrAm7/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

September is busy around The Ballad of the Emerald Bard. Part 1 of my @WriteLikeABadass interview is out now, with Part 2 coming Sept. 8. My Author’s Table interview with @J.O.Farrow is coming soon too. And Revision 3 marches on. #BookSky #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cn3SVq/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Every signed copy is exciting until I remember I have to stop admiring it, package it like a tiny literary treasure, and send it to its new home. Indie author life is deeply normal. #BookSky #SignedBooks #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cpeQqb/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The Ballad started as episodic #SwordAndSorcery adventures. Then the stories kept connecting. By story seven, I had multiple villains, long-running plots, and too many recurring characters. So I plotted a series. #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cX87c9/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Romance has always been part of fantasy, but #romantasy seems to mean more than “fantasy with a lot of romance.” What defines it for you: how much romance there is, whether it drives the plot, the tropes, or something else? #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cuPcKH/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Nocturne. Symphony. Sonata. Three stories, each with its own tone and place in Deeya's life, together forming the first Opus: The Suite of Seduction, Lost Love, and Revenge. And it's only the beginning of the larger Ballad. #BookSky #FantasyBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cfuJXJ/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The Ballad of the Emerald Bard kept something from its serialized roots: each story can have its own identity. They can be adventurous, romantic, mysterious, or told from a different POV. And sometimes rereading means revisiting one story, not starting over. #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8cjBAKV/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Some characters feel familiar. Some are people I’d love to know. Others are complete disasters I can’t look away from. When you’re reading, what actually matters most to you in the character at the center of the story? Or is it something else entirely? #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8c8gFhA/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

August is ending with a lot moving from “I’m working on it” to “this is actually happening.” Betas, illustrations, Revision 3, an upcoming podcast, and one project I’m not ready to talk about yet. 👀 September could be interesting. #BookSky #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8c1PuuP/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I wrote the books. I published the books. Now I apparently have to keep reminding the algorithm they exist like I’m feeding a tiny digital dragon that lives on engagement. Apparently publishing was only the tutorial. #BookSky #FantasyBooks #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8vTeVd6/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Characters don’t have to be self-inserts for pieces of us to find their way into them. I hesitate. I overthink. Deeya does too, but eventually she acts. Sometimes brilliantly. Sometimes disastrously. that’s a joy of writing characters: exploring who we are. #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8vnRjfX/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Some characters belong to a story you’re reading. Others somehow follow you home. Maybe it’s what they survived, the choices they made, or the way they saw the world. Who is the fictional character you still think about years later, & why? I need a bigger tbr #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8vVdLs3/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Apparently my readers can’t agree what kind of fantasy I wrote, and I kind of love that. Badass heroine? Yep. Emotional? Apparently. Erotic? Sometimes. Disturbing? At least once. 😂 Then there’s the one-star review: “What did I just read?” Fair. #BookSky #FantasyBooks www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8vuTn4x/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I always wanted to be a #writer. What took me years was finding the story I wanted to tell. #Gaming and music helped me understand what I wanted from storytelling. Teenage me would be proud I became an #IndieAuthor. He’d just be pissed it took this long. #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP87GhpUh/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

My #FantasyBooks don’t fit comfortably into a box. I want #SwordAndSorcery grit, worlds, complicated adults, relationships that matter, music, magic, danger, humor, heartbreak, and stories that make me FEEL. Forget genre labels. What do YOU want in fantasy? #BookSky www.tiktok.com/t/ZP87Xv4Bd/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Lots of progress this week! Dani finished her initial Opus 1 narration, Opus 3 is nearly two-thirds through revision three, & Story Two heads to beta readers September 1. I ordered restock for next month’s signing at Bear’s Bookstore in Muskogee. #BookSky #AuthorUpdate www.tiktok.com/t/ZP87a1sDs/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Not TikTok famous yet, but the fantasy books are real, the bard is dangerous, and the emotional damage has already been printed. Honestly, that feels like progress. #BookSky #FantasyBooks #IndieAuthor www.tiktok.com/t/ZP87SW7Gn/

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Dan Bonser @danbonserauthor.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

I’ve loved, admired, hated, and mourned characters, but I’ve never read one and thought, there I am. I found that connection through someone I created. Deeya isn’t me. But something fundamental in how she looks at life feels deeply familiar. #BookSky #FantasyCharacters www.tiktok.com/t/ZP87jaR96/

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