iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 15/05/2025

Recently celebrated my 40th birthday. Decided to make my own cake. I'm not much of a cake decorator, but this turned out OK. It's 4 layers of vanilla shortcake with raspberry filling and Geman buttercream, topped with mushroom shaped sugar cookies. #birthdaycake #cake #cakedecorating #mushrooms #art

A cake decorated like a mossy tree stump with chocolate bark, mango shelf mushrooms, and mushroom cookies on top.

The inside of the cake, showing 4 layers of shortcake and raspberry filling.

1121

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 18/03/2025

After much delay and spoon-foraging, The Viridian Dream is now available across multiple platforms and retailers in ebook format. (Paperback to come after another round of spoon-foraging.) Universal Book Link: books2read.com/u/4Ejk1M

A half-dragon woman crouches on one knee and is mostly in shadow. The part of her body in light appears human while the rest of her is a silhouette of scales, horns, and wings with silver smoke rising off of her. In front of her is the book title, "The Viridian Dream"

0101

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 11/02/2025

birthday present for my metamour: nutella cheesecake with chocolates and hazelnut cream wafers. #baking #cheesecake #desserts

picture of a mini nutella cheesecake in a ramekin, topped with chocolates and wafers.

1250

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 31/01/2025

It's that time again! The colors hadn't faded much, so we stuck to similar themes. Just in time for Imbolc. 🌱 #rainbowhair #rainbow 🌈🏳️‍🌈 #goldirockshairsalon #colorfulhair

A person with shoulder-length hair that is dyed in a vivid blend of yellow, pink, and violet.

040

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 04/01/2025

Experimented with a different style and brush set. Need more practice but I still loved the results. Rowan's a lil' cutie. #queerart #nonbinaryart #queerartist #art #illustration #oc #originalcharacter

digital art of a person looking over their shoulder towards you. They wear a white shirt and have curly auburn hair with green streaks. Their hair is long and in a ponytail. They wear glasses, have several piercings, and appear fairly androgynous.

digital painting of an effeminate boy with curly auburn hair with green tips and green eyes. He has bow lips, rosy cheeks, and freckles.

0284

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 14/12/2024

Yesterday was salon day. My stylist is awesome and delighted that I drew the hair colors I wanted her to reference. #rainbowhair 🌈🏳️‍🌈 #goldirockshairsalon

A person with rainbow-colored hair. Their face is hidden, but their hair starts with yellow at the roots, fades to pink and red, and then to indigo and shades of green and teal.

1211110

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 02/12/2024

Another fundraiser commission. Four dapper cats being cats. #art #commission #cats

Four cats on a cat tower. At the bottom is a light-colored torti with a bonnet snoozing in a box. Above her is an orange torti wearing a fancy bib. Above her is a tuxedo cat in a vest and bow tie looking up at the cat at the top wearing a top hat and trying to grab the tuxedo cat.

1434

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 30/11/2024

Most of my 'super proud of' snippets are big and require more context than I wanna put in a skeet. So instead, have this little bit from my working manuscript that I enjoyed writing.

The text reads: "Quizzy did not like that. Death sucked. The world had too much death these days. Humans died. Dragons died. Nature had died. Even cultures were dying, and some knowledge was on death’s door. She did not know what kind of door death had, but she heard the phrase enough to figure it was a large door that was too easy to open from one side and terribly hard to open from the other.
…But not impossible. However, did what came back out of that door even count as alive anymore? She thought so. Others, not so much."

0102

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 18/11/2024

Book art time! Left: Rowan Spicer and Nova the Tempest from The Viridian Dream: both half-dragons destined to end a nature apocalypse and stop a war. Art by me. Right: Rowan and his father figure, Major Silas Baldry, play a tablut game as they discuss the war. Art by @aiolesauce.bsky.social 🌈📚

Rowan Spicer and Nova the Tempest stand in a lush field. Wind blows around them, scattering flower petals and leaves in the air. A healthy forest can be seen behind them with a storm overhead and lightning flashing across the sky. Rowan and Nova are facing each other, holding hands. Nova towers over Rowan and is in her half-dragon form with horns, scales, gargoyle wings, and a tail, while Rowan's eyes glow green as does a mark on his right arm. He has tiny horns sticking up past his curls.

Two people sit at a small table with a strategy board game between them. One is a handsome man (Major Silas Baldry) in a military uniform, an eyepatch over his left eye and missing his right hand. He's sitting candidly, holding up a chest piece that glows brighter than the rest, as if it signifies something. The other is a small, young man (Rowan Spicer) with messy hair, wearing clothes too big for him. Behind them are rows of books and a lamp, indicating they're in a library.

1114

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 16/11/2024

16 - Snippet Saturday: Journey Taken from the working draft of The Bottled Tempest. Who wouldn't want to fly on the back of a dragon to visit some floating islands? #FantasyIndiesNovember

An excerpt from The Bottled Tempest manuscript that reads:
Rime’s voice interrupted Sorrel’s thoughts. “We are approaching the gate! Do not be alarmed if you feel a strange sensation!”
“What gate—” Before her father could finish his question, they passed through a pocket of air that flashed brightly in transparent gold. The magic left a residue on Sorrel’s skin that she could only describe as ‘fuzzy’. She swallowed, tasting something sharp on the back of her tongue although it faded moments later.
“What was that?” Major Baldry called out from the back. “Some sort of barrier?”
Rime flew up beside them and grinned, pointing ahead with a clawed finger. “Yes! Look. We have arrived.”
As Sorrel looked past Nova’s shoulder, she heard her father utter behind her, “I’ll be damned.”
The clouds thinned as their destination came into view in a splash of colors hovering over the deep blue sea. Sorrel’s mouth fell open as her gaze landed on a ring of five islands suspended in the air. Behind her, she heard Major Baldry say, “Well, there’s why no one’s ever found this place.”

051

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 15/11/2024

15 - Post a selfie with your book(s). You'll have to settle for a picture when I got my proof in, as my book copies are boxed up right now ahead of a house move. Bonus pic of the first chapter art. 🌈📚 #FantasyIndiesNovember

A femme-presenting non-binary person (Leah Frog) with yellow and green hair holds up their book titled "The Viridian Dream" to the camera. The person wears a cardigan and has a tattoo below the collarbone of a snail with a skull shell.

A picture of the inside of the queer fantasy book, "The Viridian Dream." The left page has a fantasy map of The Reprised Shores, showing the countries of Bascor, Wescheca, and Acari. The right page shows the beginning of Chapter 1: The Life Walker. It starts with the title and a picture of a pretty man sitting in a forest grove. The beginning text reads, "The sound of footsteps moving through leaves and underbrush felt far too loud, like the uncomfortable whispers of gossipers upon entering the room. Each crack of a twig was an accusation, and each rustle of grass was comparable to judgmental eyes from corners of the forest.

Sorrel Spicer clenched her jaw, pushing a branch out of the way as she moved through the rich woods nestled in the rolling hills of southern Bascor. Leaves grabbed her dress as she moved, twigs tugging at the periwinkle cotton as if to tell her to slow down, to stop. Instead, she made a frustrated noise, bunching the end of her skirt in one hand so she could move unhindered.

The trees provided some shelter from the late afternoon sun, but no reprieve came from the humidity in the air. It clung to her skin, uncomfortable and unwanted, making her curly, auburn hair stick to her neck. Sorrel only half noticed, far too focused on things more important than the unpleasant heat of late summer. She knew her father..."

0143

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 14/11/2024

Quote repost your art that has stars ✨️

Two half-dragons under a starry night at dusk. One stands with a black dress and storm gray wings, her scales silver, and her body well muscled. She cups the chin of the other half-dragon, who sits on a giant pumpkin. He is feminine and petite, with leafy, green wings, and a curly tail. He wears green robes and has curly hair. They look happy.

061

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 13/11/2024

An older muscle study of one of my protags, Nova the Tempest. No dragon wings because that hid too much. #queerart #pinup #dragongirl #musclestudy #bookcharacter #originalcharacter

A half-dragon woman stands facing away, her hands on her head and holding her long, black hair that goes down past her thighs. She's wearing a silver wrap around her waist and has silver scales on her thighs, hips, and biceps. She has a crown of silver horns and a silver tail.

1144

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 12/11/2024

Nova the Tempest carrying a sleepy Rowan to bed. One of those sketches I just kept doing more with. It's an old design for Rowan, but I still like it. #queerart #fantasyart #nonbinaryart #bookart #theviridiandream

Nova the Tempest stands with her back to the viewer, showing off her tattered wings and silver scales. Rowan Spicer is in her arms, his arms wrapped around her neck and Nova's tail tucked under his legs. Rowan has green wings and horns with yellow flowers and looks sleepy. The image demonstrates their size difference, with Rowan being tiny compared to Nova's more muscular form. It's nighttime, but there's enough light to see the trees behind them, the fog coming off Nova's wings, and fireflies.

1143

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 10/11/2024

One of two collabs I've done with @aiolesauce.bsky.social (that wasn't for the books!) She drew ice skater Nova and a very gender Rowan hoping to sneak a kiss between performances. I did the colors, and it was a lot of fun! #collabart #queerart #nonbinaryart

Nova the Tempest stands against a railing wearing a figure skating uniform that is open in the back and bares her legs. Rowan leans over the railing from the other side wearing a sleeveless tank top and a checkered jacket falling off of his shoulders. He's wearing flower earrings and a necklace with the Silver clan's symbol, and they're both gazing into each other's eyes. The background is filled with bright spotlights and neon colors.

093

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 09/11/2024

I drew this a while back but wanted to wait till the first book was out to post it. ...And then I forgot. I love this piece though. They're such dorks for each other. #fantasyart #queerart #nonbinaryart

Rowan Spicer is lying on his side, smiling up at Nova the Tempest who is leaning over his head to smile back. Nova is in her half-dragon form, and Rowan looks mostly human with green claws and faint streaks of green in his hair.

0156

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 09/11/2024

Day 9 - Snippet Saturday: Mistake Book 2, The Bottled Tempest, introduces a delightful yet tragic character: Quizzy the Seeker. She starts the book off with a mostly successful heist, although there are a few... hiccups. (I hope readers love her as much as I do.) #FantasyIndiesNovember

An excerpt from The Bottled Tempest:
“Found you,” Quizzy whispered fondly, golden light popping on her fingers as she reached up to undo the barrier around the pedestal. It collapsed like the one at the door, no match for her skills, crumpling to the floor in fragments of golden light. With a little, pleased smile, Quizzy stepped up and pulled the diadem off of the pedestal.
The room started screaming. Quizzy also started screaming. She whipped her head up, nearly dropping her bounty as orbs of arcane light appeared and targeted her, chasing her through the room.
“Traps! Quizzy forgot about traps!” she shouted, running towards the vault’s exit. The orbs chased her, weaving around all of the other artifacts with considerable speed. They gained on her, closing the distance far too quickly. Quizzy inhaled, recognizing she was about to get hit, and braced herself for impact.

041

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 08/11/2024

Day 8: Free Friday Every chapter of the What Blooms After the Storm series comes with artwork either by me or @aiolesauce.bsky.social - we're both excited to draw for book 2 once the manuscript is finished. #FantasyIndiesNovember

The opening of The Viridian Dream, Chapter 3: The Message. The image shows Nova the Tempest stabbing her sword of lightning through a dragon. Smoke billows around her and magic fire burns from her head and shoulders. Her face is solemn, implying she doesn't enjoy what she's doing.

The opening paragraph of the chapter reads: "The western border of Bascor had been a battlefront for longer than Nova's eighteen years alive. The towns that once lined this edge of the country were now either military outposts or abandoned ruins, and nothing in between. The smell of decay and death lingered deep in the earth and..."

050

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 08/11/2024

Choose your fighter: smol half-dragon blankie or beeg half-dragon pillow. I am Very Normal about my book characters. #fantasyart #queerart #nonbinaryart

Rowan Spicer and Nova the Tempest take a nap during a lazy afternoon. Nova lies on her back with an arm tucked under her head, and Rowan sleeps on top of her, his head on her chest. They're both in half-dragon form and surrounded by mist and plants (representations of their magic.)

080

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 07/11/2024

Day 7: Does your MC see themself as a hero? Rowan would hardly call himself a hero, although, by the second book, he recognizes others see him as hope. He just has to figure out how to live up to everyone's expectations. How is he supposed to end the Great Wither, when...? #FantasyIndiesNovember

Art from Chapter 12 of The Viridian Dream. Nova the Tempest looks at Rowan Spicer, who wears her cloak although it's too big for him. He's smiling at her. They stand before a river and the land around them is barren and dismal.

061

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 05/11/2024

Day 5 - WIP Setting The Viridian Dream and subsequent books occur in a world called The Reprised Shores. Set in a fantasy equivalent of the 1700s, the Reprised Shores has suffered for the last 17 years due to nature dying with the last of the Viridian dragons. #FantasyIndiesNovember

A map of the eastern side of the Reprised Shores, centered on the country of Bascor.

160

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 05/11/2024

What would you do if you thought you had to hurt the first human to call you "friend"? I think out of everything in The Viridian Dream, my favorite part is Nova’s internal conflict and how it comes to a head. Some may call the big battle the climax, but to me, it's the moment Rowan calls her 'kind'

Rowan Spicer sits with Nova the Tempest’s head in his lap, his hand on her back comfortingly. She is crying and holding her sword that is pointed at his neck. Everything is in shadow except for a light shining down on Rowan who smiles at Nova kindly.

042

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 02/11/2024

Day 2 - Snippet Saturday: beginning. The beginnings of the first two chapters of The Viridian Dream. #FantasyIndiesNovember

The beginning of The Viridian Dream, Chapter 1. "The sound of footsteps moving through leaves and underbrush felt far too loud, like uncomfortable whispers of gossipers upon entering the room. Each crack of a twig was an accusation, and each rustle of grass comparable to judgemental eyes from corners of the forest."

The beginning of The Viridian Dream, Chapter 2.
"Archmagus Avelore Amantius had seen a great many things in his one hundred and eighty seven years of life, and he could confidently say he was done with all of it. Every damn species had problems, and those problems had snowballed into bigger problems, and now the problems wouldn't leave him alone."

082

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 01/11/2024

The Viridian Dream is the first book in What Blooms After the Storm. Every night, Rowan Spicer dreams of a Dragon Knight who saves him from his curse. Meanwhile, Nova the Tempest searches for the Viridian clan's legacy. Order on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Viridian-Dre... Read on www.leahfrog.com

Front cover of The Viridian Dream. Rowan reaches up above his head in front of the symbol of the Viridian clan. Shadows wrap around him.

Back cover of The Viridian Dream. Nova the Tempest reaches towards the screen with silver fire swirling around her.

1126

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 01/11/2024

Hi! I'm Leah Frog, and I write and illustrate queer fantasy and romance. My current series, What Blooms After the Storm, features a non-binary protagonist and an autistic love interest, both half-dragons who must stop an environmental apocalypse and end a war. #fantasyindiesnovember

prompt list for fantasy indies November.

083

Leah Frog (Fantasy author & artist) @leahfrog.com · 26/10/2024

I've realized I write in the same way that I bake: throwing some loosely measured ingredients together to produce a satisfactory result, then promptly forgetting all of it when asked "what's the recipe?" Coincidentally, I draw like this too. Hm.