iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

I love being a creator. Stories are constantly playing out in my head. But sometimes characters get very bossy, and that gets old real quick. 😅 #booksky #indieAuthor

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Latest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to convince you to read The Magician and the Mechanical Doll. "Gorgeous book and a fun fantasy romp" "Beautiful inside and out, a very entertaining wild ride which moves well and constantly adds to its own intrigue. Perfect for teen readers or fantasy fans." #booksky #funnyFantasy

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Taking a break from editing ToVY Volume 2 to edit a few episodes of Manifestation of Dreams. Sometimes, I'll find a snippet I wrote in passing that really doesn't mean much at all. It's not important, adds nothing to the narrative, but it's just cute. Pic 2 is someone who often doesn't approve.

Litha’s piercing green eyes were trained on Mya, as if the feline could predict her next action and didn’t approve in the slightest.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Moments like this are why I love Jaalam, a character in my upcoming book, Manifestation of Dreams. What a weirdo. 🤣 #booksky #indieAuthor #funnyFantasy #indieBooks #fantasy

“Mya.”
She spun in a circle, but no one was nearby.
“Hello?” she asked.
“It’s me, stupid.”
Oh. Of course. “Jaalam?”
“Speak to me with your thoughts.” Only a beat went by before xey added, “Scratch that. You don’t need to say anything. Just listen.”
She put her fists to her hips and opened her mouth to speak, but xey interrupted her.
“Your parent says you need to tell the guards to close two of the three gates, and be prepared to close the last gate at zir order.”
She turned to comply.
“Did you hear me?”
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to speak,” she thought back.
“You’re being childish.”
“Oh, look who’s talking.”
Jaalam’s genuine laughter rang out over the pavilion, and she shook her head before continuing to the guards.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Is there an indie author, indie books community here for fantasy books, especially humorous fantasy books? Tell me how to use this app! 😁

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

There's this short story that I feel NEEDS to be written, but I just haven't had the urge to outline it out. Maybe I'll free write it...? I just feel like anyone who reads The Magician and the Mechanical Doll is going to want to read it. ESPECIALLY if you love Yestery as much as I do. 🥹

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

I have 4 books in progress right now. Waiting for final proofs from IS and BookVault for The Magician and the Mechanical Doll. Waiting for 2nd KDP proof for Those Without Wings (Sep release) 1/2

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

USPS really says my proof copy won't be here until the 8th. 😩 My other proof doesn't have an estimated delivery date. I honestly don't remember which is which. But I want them here so I can make decisions about this book. 🫠

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

I recently finished drafting Book 2 of my Manifestations Series. But I recently started my penultimate round of edits for Book 1. Book 1 happens at least 15-20 years prior to Book 2. So I'm in this weird space where I have to keep reminding myself of basic things abt the characters & the setting.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Edited 1 chapter of my novella (releasing in Sep) and 2 chapters of my next book (releasing in Dec) today. I'm thankful for a few slow weeks between projects right now before things ramp up again at work.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

What's a non-monetary dream that feels both inevitable and totally out of reach for your books? For me, it's producing a comic or animated adaptation. I started in film & tv, & I think in animation when I write. But getting there seems like a long road! What about you?

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Took a forced nap today because I literally couldn't stay awake, and now we get to see if it ruins my ability to sleep tonight.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

This is my book, The Magician and the Mechanical Doll, a humorous science fantasy adventure. It might appeal to you if you enjoy Terry Pratchett's books. This book is out in the world, ready to be devoured. But it lacks reviews. 1/2

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

We need books by marginalized people talking about their real life struggles. But we also need books of joy with characters from marginalized groups. That's what I write. Okay, "joy" may be a stretch. They go through hard stuff, but it's not the struggles of -isms.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Ingram Proof status: Packing!!!!! BookVault Proof status: Packed!!!!! WITH TRACKING AVAILABLE (in Pre-shipment)! 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

As I slowly pass away waiting for the proof copies of my book, I feel very American (and I don't mean that I'm a good way). 🫠

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Tonight I worked out a fair but ambitious release schedule for the next 18 months. At the end, I'll have edited and released 4 books and 2 novellas. I'm honestly not sure how reasonable it is, especially since I need to also write to keep myself sane.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Somehow I lived to the big four O. Color me surprised.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Tales of a Vernian Youth, Tale 7 first draft is complete at ~16k words. It's also the final short of Volume 2, which has an approximate word count of 98k words. Little celebration: 🥳🎉🎉🥳🎉🎉🥳🎉🎉🥳 Okay, now back to editing my other WIP.

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Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

This bill defunds the Neighborhood Access & Equity Grant Program, a fund meant to fix racist infrastructure, reconnect communities split by highways, reduce pollution in low-income areas, and build safer, greener neighborhoods. Gone. All of it.

60016. RESCISSION OF FUNDING FOR ENVIRON-
2
MENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE BLOCK
3
GRANTS.
4
The unobligated balances of amounts made available
5 to carry out section 138 of the Clean Air Aet (42 U.S.C.
6 7438) are reseinded.
7 SEC. 60017. RESCISSION OF FUNDING FOR ESA RECOVERY
8
PLANS.
9
The unobligated balances of amounts made available
10 to carry out section 60301 of Public Law 117-169 (136
11 Stat. 2079) are rescinded.
12 SEC. 60018. RESCISSION OF FUNDING FOR ENVIRON.
13
MENTAL AND CLIMATE DATA COLLECTION.
14
The unobligated balances of amounts made available
15 to carry out section 60401 of Public Law 117-169 (136
16 Stat. 2079) are rescinded.
17 SEC. 60019. RESCISSION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND
18
19
EQUITY GRANT PROGRAM.
The unobligated balances of amounts made available
20 to carry out section 177 of title 23, United States Code,
21 are reseinded.
22 SEC. 60020. RESCISSION OF FUNDING FOR FEDERAL BUILD-
23
24
ING ASSISTANCE.
The unobligated balances of amounts made available
25 to carry out section 60502 of Publie Law 117-169

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Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

This bill cuts healthcare, housing, food aid, and clean energy, but sets aside $40 million to build a “Garden of Heroes” filled with Trump-era statues. You can’t afford meds, but here’s a handpicked list of statues by Trump. You’re welcome.

a reguation implementing this uiue. .
3
Subtitle H-Garden of Heroes
4 SEC. 87001. GARDEN OF HEROES.
5
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there are 6 appropriated to the National Endowment for the Human-7 ities for fiscal year 2025, out of any money in the Treas-8 ury not otherwise appropriated, to remain available
9 through fiscal year 2028, $40,000,000 for the procure-10 ment of statues as described in Executive Order 13934
11 (85 Fed. Reg: 41165; relating to building and rebuilding
12 monuments to American heroes), Executive Order 13978
13 (86 Fed. Reg. 6809; relating to building the National Gar-
14 den of American Heroes), and Executive Order 14189 (90
15 Fed. Reg. 8849; relating to celebrating America's birth-
16 day).
17.
Cubtitle T_Office of Refriooe

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Kara Jorgensen @authorkaraj.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

The trans healthcare ban is BACK in the bill (after the parlimentarian removed it, they put it back). Dems need to do a call and vote to remove it again. PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM TO VOTE AND KILL IT.

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Dianna Gunn Does (Fictional) Murders 🇨🇦 @diannalgunn.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Sacrificed to demons. Killed by velociraptors. Hacked to pieces by axe murderers. Read these deaths and more in Killer Debt: An Anthology of Murder Buy on Itch: diannagunn.itch.io/killer-debt And elsewhere: books2read.com/u/bO9Ne9

Cover for Killer Debt: An Anthology of Murder in the centre of a red blood splatter image with the headline “The Many Murders of Killer Debt” above it and smaller text surrounding it with descriptions of various murders: “Sacrificed by a demon, Consumed by Cthulhu, Skydiving accident, Crushed by cheese, Burnt at the stake, Slayed by spider” and the words “And Shanksgiving stabbings” underneath

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Anna Holmes @annabookwriter.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

We’re not done yet. If you’ve got a GOP senator, be their personal thorn in their voicemail box.

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valentine @dozygay.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Hungary banned anything that “promotes homosexuality,” which means Pride. However, today over 500,000 people in Budapest told the government to fuck off. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

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Dianna Gunn Does (Fictional) Murders 🇨🇦 @diannalgunn.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Someone should buy a murder so I can justify ordering pizza

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

That moment when you're just writing along, minding your own business and following your outline and your story goes "PLOT TWIST!!!!!!!" 🤦

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

I have less than 2000 words left to write in Tales of a Vernian Youth, Tale 7 (the finally short for volume 2). Hoping to finish this weekend. It's got a lot of information to get across, including setting up for the next leg of their journey. 1/2

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

This LGBTQA+ pride month, I'd like to remind you that our stories comprise more than just romance. I have 2 books out with transgender and queer main characters. Both are available from my sh0p. 🔗 In my bi0.

The cover of Manifestation of Prophecy with a middle eastern woman and a Black person wearing ancient Egyptian-style clothes. A curtain is flowing in the wind, and where it overlaps the couple, they appear to be made of pure energy. Around the cover are the following tropes: quirky humor, fates lovers, transgender characters, rejecting destiny, magic, prophecy, magic, and bittersweet ending. The tagline reads Destiny's not all is cracked up to be.

The Magician and the Mechanical Doll. The cover has a white man with white hair and a Black person wearing a pink dress falling through different worlds. The worlds have airships, underwater beings, and robots. Tropes are listed: Science As Magic, unique worlds, irreverent humor, transgender leads, and trapped in another world. The tagline reads fall into a different reality.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Can't quite get the curves right on these interior images. Besides the lines on the images in my proof copy, which I can't fix, I noticed that the tones were lighter and lower contrast than on my computer. Trying to compensate for that. 🤔➗🧮♾️➕

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Redoing the interior of my book is worth it but it's taking SO long and is SO boring. 😭💀

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

TFW you finish reading a book and the next day, the next book in the series is ready from the library. 🥰

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

House is getting torn apart tomorrow as the workers come to fix the storm damage from last year. I'm continuing to work from home as they do their magic. I don't know if I'll have the energy to work on book formatting while that's going on, but we'll see.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Fantasy readers, which sounds more interesting? 3 ghost hunters accidentally uncover a secret society that collects magical artifacts for a mysterious purpose. (A) in a world where magic is accepted as real OR (B) in our (the "real") world, where magic is generally thought to be nonexistent.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

All the listings for my Manifestation of Prophecy are updated with the final epub, but I haven't started formatting the print book yet. I think I've decided on the trim size (thanks to your advice) so I'll start formatting next week. And we'll see how long that takes. 😏

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Trying to decide a trim size for my Manifestations Series is not going well. Book 1: 82k words Book 2: 108k words I feel like I need to go with 6x9 inch to keep the number of pages reasonable for book 2, but I do prefer smaller books. Why is this so hard? (Advice welcome)

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Apparently, my threshold to stop editing and start prepping for publishing my books is "I'm sick of looking at this" Very scientific.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Looking for a PRIDE Month book where the romance is more of a side plot? Manifestation of Prophecy features a prophecy about fated lovers separated by the boundaries of reality. It's about being handed a legacy wrought with pain, but finding it in yourself to make the right choices. 1/2

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

I'm SO close to being done writing my first draft of Tales of a Vernian Youth Volume 2, but also not done. This is the part I hate the most.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

I decided to try out the "Combo" report in ProWritingAid. It's helpful. My biggest issue is that I can't edit directly in Google Docs. When I use the Docs extension, it sometimes duplicates words when I make a change. And when I try to use the browser extension, it doesn't show me the popups.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Want to read a fun book to help escape from this hellish timeline? The Magician and the Mechanical Doll has magic, adventure, humor, diverse characters, and yeah, a lot of fun. Ebook available in my web sh0p. 🔗 In my bi0. Go have some fun.

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Today, I set up my books (both ebook and print) on Barnes & Noble, KDP, Kobo, Google Books, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark. All that's left to do is: - upload the final files - review and approve - have a few more panic attacks - find the courage I lost in a drawer somewhere - hit publish

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Hi. I'm the author of stories with magic, (not scary) science, diverse characters, & well-balanced humor. My books provide an escape & cross genre boundaries, often breaking genre conventions. They take readers on twisting, emotional journeys thru fantastical worlds. gaiusjaugustus.com/shop/

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Other authors: Imma kill this character! And that character! Me author: Sure, they die, but don't think you've seen the last of them!

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Gaius J Augustus @gaiusjaugustus.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

In the works is a bookbinding nook, but it's probably a couple months away. I want it now.

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Dani Fiend 👹 @danifinnwrites.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

🏳️‍🌈 Untethered, Winnie & Crela #4, is free on itch! 🏳️‍⚧️ Not on itch? No worries. It’s everywhere else for like a buck. In this installment, Winnie enlists the help of an occultist to break the tether binding Crela to the cemetery. Itch: danifinn.itch.io/untethered Elsewhere: books2read.com/u/bPanXY

Graphic of 4 book covers in a red-lit dungeon with candles.

Lestian romance
Barrow Maid
for sickos
Little Deaths
A short lesbian necromance
Weeping Willow
Dani Finn
A Winnie and Crela story
Untethered
Free on itch
Dani Finn
A Winnie and Crela story
Available everywhere

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Shane💀Blackheart (they/them) @shaneblackheart.com · 03/06/2025

Little poke. If you've read anything of mine or grabbed it off Itch and enjoyed it, please consider rating it on Itch and/or leaving a comment there 💜 It helps boost my books on the discovery pages. I haven't gotten any ratings or comments yet, so anything will help a ton! shaneblackheart.itch.io

shaneblackheart.itch.io

Shane Blackheart

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