iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Alex Larkspur 💛📚🌻 @applesncinnamon.bsky.social · 2h

Now available! 🪾THE WITCH OF THE WOOD🏚️ 📖Novella 🖤MM Fantasy Romance 💀Breaking a Curse 🪾A Spooky Forest ❤️‍🔥Fast Burn 🏚️A Search for a Witch 😟Nervous x Confident Uni: books2read.com/u/bw6gwP Itch: applesncinnamon.itch.io/the-witch-of... Ko-Fi ko-fi.com/alexlarkspur... Cover by @isthiseva.bsky.social

The cover of The Witch of the Wood by Alex Larkspur. It features two men in a dark and gloomy forest. Milo stands in front, a man with tan skin and short, dark hair. He’s dressed in a cream tunic and a green cloak around his shoulders. He has a bow and arrows. He is clearly afraid as he stares at his left hand. His fingers are blackened due a curse that is spreading across his hand. Another man, Cam, is turned the other way and holding Milo’s right hand. He’s looking over his shoulder and looking at Milo with concern. His clothes are bright, colorful, and patchwork. The gloom of the forest mutes their color. The trees seem to close in around them.

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💀🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊👻 @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 9h

October 6th – rice The bandit leader has kindly invited his new hostages for dinner! Nik has some thoughts on his true abilities. #DawnsBlood #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

“Come now. I may be outranked by present company, I’m not a chief or a prince, but I’m also not stupid.” Nik scoffed. “A bandit leader with no weapon, no scars, with soft, uncalloused hands? Possible, I suppose, if you left the dirty work to your men. But I saw the way they spoke to you; they respect you, and they wouldn’t if you were the man I just described. The only conclusion left is that you don’t wield a weapon because you don’t need one. Am I wrong?”
D’orril chuckled softly. “No, I’ll admit that you aren’t. Perhaps I should be more careful, carry a weapon, at least for show. Wouldn’t want the queen to find out and decide that I am worth her attention. I don’t fancy being drained dry and stuck in her tower.”
“Can’t say I blame you for that,” Nik muttered.
“Either way, you can see why I recognized his highness here. I served the crown for a long time, in their army.”
“I am still surprised that you recognize me. It was years ago, and I was much younger.” T’orrin replied.
“Weren’t we all, highness?” D’orril shrugged.
The tent flap swung open and one of the bandits carried in a platter of roasted meat, cheese-covered bread, rice, and fruit.
“Ah, our food is here. Excellent. Just set that down on the table.”

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Brayton Leroy Meyer @caucasiansuasion.bsky.social · 8h

Reclaiming the narrative in a snippet from 'Glinter'. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

‘I have only just realized that I have been living all these years in a place where for four thousand years they have been eating human flesh. My brother had just taken over the charge of the house when our sister died, and he may well have used her flesh in our rice and dishes, making us eat it unwillingly.
How can a man like myself, after four thousand years of man-caring history - even though I knew nothing about it at first - ever hope to face real men?’
Shamil laid the leaflet down, drumming worn characters on a creased spine with a puzzled look on his face. “This was what got you red-flagged? ‘Diary Of A Madman’ seems an appropriate title, given those cannibalism references. But it hardly seems subversive.”
Leigh sighed. The man was exasperation personified when he felt implicitly involved.
“It wasn’t the story, it was how I taught it. Without commentary. No margin notes. I told my students to read what Lu Xun wrote, not what Zhōngguó told them it meant. That’s what punched my ticket to Calvera.”

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Mark Johnston 🍁 @markjohnston905.bsky.social · 3h

Claiming vibes here. Bertram and his crew put an embargo on their enemies to try and force their hand. #WIPsnips #writingcommunity #writesky #writingprompts

"Excellent!" Mira said, standing. "I will leave it to you all and trust what you come up with." She stood and left the tent.
Elric smiled at them all. "She takes some getting used to, but she always lets you know what she's thinking." He grabbed an apple, spun it in the air, caught it and took a bite. "See you all later." He left through the tent entrance.
"I like her," Fisca Wise said. She leaned in from a chair that was in a back corner of the tent and was suddenly visible.
"Have you been there the whole time?" Bert said, smiling at the woman.
"A wizard never tells," she replied, smiling back. "So, did I hear talk of subterfuge? My specialty!"
"What would you suggest?" Cat asked.
"A mixture of things. You have to plan for some things to work and some things to fail, after all," Fisca replied. "Some of our people should focus on destroying food caches. Remember how Fox did that and it sent us into disarray. While no one wants the common folk to starve, some pressure felt in their bellies will quickly turn to anger against their rulers. It will also aid us when we eventually come down that river with barges loaded with grain."
"She's right," Sue said quickly. "We need not starve anyone, but they must feel some pain before they will even think of revolting. The good news is that the people of the Capital are used to such a safe and pleasant life, it won't take much. Already, we are receiving messages that the lack of specific food and goods are taking a toll. These are not a people used to lack of anything."

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 12h

Yeah... 😔 he has some deconstructing to do.

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Make Some Noise @makesomenoise.dropout.tv · 15h

🚨 The season 5 premiere of Make Some Noise is out now on Dropout—featuring host Sam Reich, and your fave Noise Boys: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Zac Oyama, and Josh Ruben!

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 17h

#LitHodgepodge Rowan -thinks- his idea of happiness is fulfilling his divine calling by dying and letting the vengeance god possess his body to wage war against the sun goddess, but he'll figure out eventually that real happiness is his art, a safe place, and being surrounded by people who love him.

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Alex Larkspur 💛📚🌻 @applesncinnamon.bsky.social · 17h

If you like queer stories about breaking a curse, falling in love, and spooky nature, you'll probably like The Witch of the Wood! It's out tomorrow! 🖤🥀🪾 And check out these great books too! Universal: books2read.com/u/bw6gwP Itch: applesncinnamon.itch.io/the-witch-of...

Over a forest background...
If you liked these...
- When Yesterday Ends by S Jean
- Dirt-Stained Hands, Thorn-Pierced Skin by Tabitha O'Connell
Try this!
- The Witch of the Wood by Alex Larkspur

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Nicole L. Soper Gorden / Nicole Leland @nicolelsopergorden.bsky.social · 17h

It wasn't Kip's fault, but it wasn't coffee either - Poe's outside to try to escape an impending panic attack caused by his persistent imposter syndrome 😅 From Byron's arc of The Atlas Brothers Break the Multiverse #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

“Poe?” Kip stuck his head out the door, a look of mild concern on his face. “You ok?”
Poe clenched his fists to hide his shaking hands. He nudged the water back near the fire, as if heating it had been his entire reason for coming outside in the first place. “Yeah. Just making more coffee.”
“Sweet.” Kip paused a second, then came fully outside to lean against the brick wall near Poe. “Was I being a handful again? Sorry. I can’t always help it.”
Poe sighed, shaking his head fondly. “You’re always ten and a half handfuls, Kip,” he said without any bite. “But I really was just coming to make coffee.”

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Alex Larkspur 💛📚🌻 @applesncinnamon.bsky.social · 19h

A novella with elements of horror, but with a warm and tender heart at its center. The Witch of the Wood is a cozy horror fantasy romance about forgiveness and kindness, even in the face of an unspeakable curse. 🖤 Universal: books2read.com/u/bw6gwP Itch: applesncinnamon.itch.io/the-witch-of...

Over a picture of dark forest, the cover of The Witch of the Wood by Alex Larkspur. Below it reads: Creeping horror, warm heart. A cozy horror fantasy novella to kick off your spooky season. Available October 6th

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Silas Summers 🔞 @silassummersauthor.bsky.social · 20h

TOMORROW! ❤️ Have you got your pre-order in?

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Aud Connelly: transcribing #Dogwood3 (80.4/95k) @audconnelly.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Just one of the scrapes Owen gets into in #Dogwood1 😅 #WIPSnips

Kenzie finished washing her hands, dried them on her thighs before remembering she was wearing her best dress, cursed herself, and turned the walkie back on. It immediately crackled in the middle of a message: “—STUCK IN A WALL!”
“What?” she hissed.
“KENZIE, I’M STUCK IN A FUCK-ING WALL.”

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Samantha Breaux is looking for ARC readers @woodenvelt.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Spencer has gone through a hidden entrance in the Fain ruins and Wren was forced to stay behind. From book 2 of my romantic fantasy wip about a priest of the dead and a thief with a heart of gold. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity #Wrencer

Wren stood perfectly still, staring at the stones that had swallowed Spencer up. She didn’t throw herself at the wall and pound on it or grab the crowbar from her pack and try to lever it back open, even though her fingers itched to do just that. Fear swirled in her gut, offering up image after unsettling image. Spencer impaled in a pit of spikes, or crushed beneath a fallen stone, or simply laying on the ground, gasping for his next breath as the air slowly ran out.

None of that is going to happen and even if it does, it was still worth it, she told the fear. It didn’t believe her, so she thought of last night and tried to smother the feeling with memories of Spencer’s hands on her skin, his kiss on her lips, the velvet rumble of his voice saying he loved her. Worth it, she told the fear again and it finally receded, begrudgingly.

“You all right, then?” Molly asked conversationally, like they were talking about nothing more consequential than the weather or a broken bit of tack.

“I’m fine,” Wren lied smoothly. “I’ll scout around a bit, though, just in case.” The thought of standing still and just waiting was too much to bear. Molly gave her an understanding nod and stepped aside, making room for Wren to pass.

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Jun ★ @jun-hug.bsky.social · 23h

Pumpkin harvest season! #humanartist #catart #fall #halloween

A digital illustration of two cats, white longhair and brown shorthair. Cats are on both sides of a big orange pumpkin. Surrounding them are pumpkin leaves and flowers.

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Nora Shear @norashear.bsky.social · 20h

Yay new week! Today's #WIPSnips entry has Leo in a bit of a tizzy, as he didn't expect to see the human who nearly had him sniffing her in public. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

A dark image with white text that reads:

The line monitor arrived, and the humans looked up, giving the camera a better view of their faces. Especially one face.
That perfect mouth. Those gold eyes.
And then she smiled. Leo's core froze, then shattered. She can't see the cameras. She's reacting to something else.
"Are you okay, friend?" Vels squeezed Leo's shoulder. "What's upset you?"
Leo shook his head, unable to speak. How? Why?
“Do you need time? I can set aside a privacy room for you.”
Leo shook his head, but he couldn’t rip his eyes away from the monitor. What was she doing there?
“Then if you don’t mind, I’ll go ahead and choose. This one's pretty, and that one's surprisingly calm." Vels peered at the screen as that perfect mouth pursed and she began to blow a kiss to the sky. Leo fought the urge to rip the monitor from the wall, to smash it into a thousand pieces.
"That one's not following the rules, but still, the kiss is sweet," Vels said, their current mild in comparison to Leo's frenzy.
Not her, please not her. Not the one who almost made me lose control.

- From NO SKY LIKE MIDNIGHT, by Nora Shear

The word "wall" is in bold pink font. There are star decorations in each corner and a meteor decoration above the text.

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Aud Connelly: transcribing #Dogwood3 (80.4/95k) @audconnelly.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

HOUND FATALE is out on 11/17! Owen has one chance to expose the richest, most powerful family in Swallowsaw and put an end to their tithing children to the Glade of Wolves, but first he has to win over two of the scariest blond people who have ever lived. link: www.amazon.com/Hound-Fatale...

The official back cover summary of The Dogwood Chronicles: Hound Fatale.

In a fairytale where all the worst villains are human, who’s going to save the Big Bad Wolf?

As a feral child, Owen was chosen as the Donovan family’s tithe to the otherworld—until a fey rescued him, to raise him in the human world.
Twelve years later, the Donovan family’s fortune hinges on the sale of a Stupendous Dogwood, an otherworldly tree with bioluminescent flowers, to be auctioned at the annual Dogwood Gala. The trees are such a closely guarded secret, Kenzie’s parents were killed for researching them, and her sister taken as a ward of the Donovans..
To finish her parents’ research and save her sister, Kenzie steals the key to the mine that holds the secret to the trees’ origins. Her actions reawaken the Hound, the Donovans’ cursed fey servant. Though his original master is dead, the Hound is enslaved to the current heir: Rowan, the disappointing scion of a legacy he cannot begin to understand. But if commanding the Hound to find the key will cement the approval of Rowan’s family, so be it.
Owen’s knowledge of the otherworld proves invaluable to Kenzie’s work, while his sweetness entrances the Hound, delaying his search for the key. As the three conspire behind Rowan’s back to undo a string of Donovan crimes against nature, their discoveries force more of their own secrets into the light, casting shadows of doubt on each other and reality itself, and setting off a chain-reaction of consequences for the people and fey who live there.

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I really love the first two lines. Especially because they rhyme. 😊

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Barrows @barrows.itch.io · 05/10/2026

Shit hits the fan. #WIPSnips

It is not difficult to find within her the thing that calls. It has been pressing out against her skin ever since they entered these labyrinthine halls. Some part of herself has been holding it back, yielding nothing to its ever-starving maw, but now, with her back to the wall and nothing to lose, it feels like the easiest thing in the world to just…

…stop resisting for a moment.

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L.L. Stephens @triempery.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#WIPSnips The word for October 5 is WALL In NOMARA, Kharys is a traumatized child who grows to be a traumatized man; he survives by being resilient. This snip reveals his coping techniques among the nomari, who are raising him to serve their Queen. CW: grooming #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #SFF

Text excerpt from NOMARA, a science fiction WIP by L.L. Stephens. Snip shows Kharys as a captive child being raised by the nomari for eventual service to their Queen. The nomari use human men for sex and companionship.

Resigned that he was safe, Kharys allowed them to teach him their ways. Their language became his own, their strangenesses became familiar. Only he was always alien, a stranger, isolated behind walls, allowed to go abroad only if he was concealed by layers of silk and veils of gauze, with spear-carrying warriors to guard him—a thing that could see and hear and think, that others must never see, or hear, or think about. After a time, he learned to regard the hated garments as a hiding place. Through his veils he observed the nomari and their world as if in a dream. They were shadows, living in a shadow world, and he alone was real. Only his own chambers, where he was allowed to walk unveiled, had harsh, clear lines and hard color.
Greater passing followed the lesser, three moons sailing the river of stars, stringing themselves into a necklace of years. Kharys learned to look for the beautiful, older Queen, recognizing that she had become his mistress. He wanted to ask her why she kept him like this, apart, for no apparent purpose. But whenever she visited the secluded chambers that were his, he found his tongue rendered mute by the same worshipful silence that made his keepers bow away, and the golden Queen of the Others would leave him as she had found him, without answers. One thing only would she do, and that was to kiss him, always gently, on the lips.

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Sab is making FINAL EDITS ✨ @sabrinamars.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#WIPSnips W A L L WALL, huh? Oh no, what contribution do I have for this, I hope it isn't spicy 😏 #writesky #writingcommunity #wip

An image of a dark bedroom in a castle lit but wall sconces but the black text box over it only leaves the bed and candles in view. The black text box says : It had been too dark in the alley to see if he had looked at her the same way he was now, not like something to be revered but someone to be worshipped. The heat behind it only intensified when his gaze dropped to her mouth. “Kiss me again and find out, Idol.”
The title came out like a taunt, like a yearning for her to make that move, to consent to whatever was about to happen. She didn’t start these kinds of moments, didn’t know what to do with the control he gave her; she could tell him to get out, to step back, or a one-word answer of No, but—
None of those options appealed to her. “Kiss me yourself if you—”
There was no hesitation, no graceful transition—one second she was standing in front of him with only inches separating them, and then his mouth was set on hers.
Kassidy stumbled back, her back hitting the wall, and then he trapped her against him again.

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

From CultWIP. Rowan returns late and empty-handed. Natalia waited up for him, but so did Father Silas. #WIPSnips #writingprompts #writingcommunity #writesky

“Is he angry?” he asked.

Natalia shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting away and refusing to return. “He had to postpone the cleansing ceremony. A lot of people are angry. I heard Alec tell Mother and Father that he thinks you're fucking up Rekshimyr's awakening, and he thinks it's because they were too soft on you growing up. They were humiliated. They went back to their chambers, and I haven't seen them since.”

His parents were humiliated by him all the time, every single day that it was their son that lived and not their god, so he wasn't concerned about what they thought of him. “Father Silas…” he said. “Is he angry?”

Natalia chewed her bottom lip and suddenly found a loose string on her shirt very fascinating. “He's furious. Not the yelling, throwing things, smacking people around kind of furious. The calm and quiet furious, where you can't really tell he's mad unless you know him really well. I could see the vein pulsing in his temple though. It's the size of a damn worm.”

Rowan sighed and leaned back against the wall next to Natalia, folding his arms over his knees. “That's what I thought.”

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Mark Johnston 🍁 @markjohnston905.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

From book 1. WIP is the final book in the trilogy. Bertram and Catrin are deep in dragon territory. 🏰🐉 #WIPsnips #writingcommunity #writesky #writingprompts

28: Not Alone
"Take my hand," Cat told him.
He reached up, felt sweat drip down his face, but she used her strength to pull him the last bit. Some might have felt like a weakling having to rely on a woman to pull them up a hill, but Bert didn't mind. Besides, he was carrying both their packs.
"Look back, Bert," she said, sitting on a rock and drinking deeply from her waterskin.
He used the break to push back his sopping wet hair from his eyes, drop the bags on the ground and collapse fully on his back. After a few deep breaths, he took Cat's advice and sat up and turned around. "Is that..."
"Wyrmgate." She raised her eyebrows. "Can you believe it?"
He couldn't. He raised his thumb and easily covered the entire town, but it was unmistakable. The walls, the castle and tower—it was clearly home. He'd spent most of his life in that town, always thinking of it as basically the whole world. The market, the abbey, the castle and tower that seemed to scrape the sky itself. Now, he realized it was literally a smudge on the landscape. Not even enough for his thumb to cover. The world, and their quest, was so much bigger than one town. "Cat, I can't believe it. We've come so far. And we're so high up!"
Cat nodded. "Haven't you noticed it in your legs? We've been moving steadily higher for a few days now. We're on the hills we're used to seeing from back home. I have no idea what lies beyond them. Eldritch theorized that perhaps the dragons had some sort of cities of their own beyond these hills." She smiled at the idea.
Bert had never really thought of how dragons lived. The idea that they existed at all was just sort of a thing you learned as a child. It was just a fact of nature. One didn't consider the how of the wind, or the shining sun. It all simply was, just like dragons. "Cities?"
Cat shrugged. "Not in the way we live, obviously..."
"Obviously." He chuckled. As if everyone knew this sort of thing.

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It's fine. There's nothing really special in there. There's just a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a shrine, and he has his own washroom.

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Nicole R. @sainiku.northsky.social · 05/10/2026

#Sniptober "I opened my journal, and began to write." Is a line that is repeated as the ending to many chapters throughout the story. #WritingCommunity #SnipShare

But somehow, I slowly managed to open my eyes, and push myself back up. For the first time since the tragedy in Vizthara, I felt compelled to record what had happened.

I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my journal. It’s roughly textured cover reminding me of home, when Lusana had first handed it to me. Things were so simple back then.

In a land of darkness and shadows, I sat alone on the small bed in the safehouse.

I opened my journal, and began to write.

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

soldiers live as well. He has a room to himself and a dog, but the dog lives with his mom for now. Marcela lives at the goddess's temple along with the other priestesses. Her parents disowned her because she was rejected by the goddess at first, so she never returns to her old home.

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters Rowan and Natalia both live in a large compound with the rest of the cult. Since Rowan is the god's vessel, he is permitted a room to himself, but Natalia lives in a dorm room with four more unmarried people. Callix lives in a sort of apartment building where all of the other

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 04/10/2026

Half of my book is the word "contract", not gonna lie. Here's a (slightly censored) one at the end of book 2. #WIPSnips A beta reader put it as "I now realize the entire series is about a bunch of people trying to navigate their NDAs", and he is right. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

“Hold on. You didn’t tell us anything!” Dagna said. “At least not anything we didn’t already know. Give me the details. Who exactly are you? How old are you? Why are you like that? What can you do? With whom do you have that contract? Who are the other three?”

[…] shook her head. “Really. I can’t! You’re far too involved as it is.”

Dagna crossed her arms over her chest.

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Artemis Quinn 🏳️‍⚧️🎨📚 undead & thriving 🦇👻😱 @vampireantihero.com · 03/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober | 3 I haven't actually had time to write much this week. So, here's an old one. This one hasn't had an edit pass yet. From Such Sweet Sorrow.

"Do you... want to talk about it?"

"I don't even know what to say, Beks. What did it look like?"

I shrugged. "I watched it, but I wasn't sure entirely what happened. It looked like you were being dragged along."

"It was like something grabbed me. I didn't see anything, but I felt it." She rolled up her sleeves, twisting to look at her forearms. I gasped as she did; deep red impressions painted her wrists, already starting to shift from initial irritation to a bruised blue. "It was like I was cemented in place. My shoulders locked and I couldn't get away, and I got this overwhelming horrible feeling."

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mk 🎃👻 @mkwritesfic.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I'm reading right now, about 75% through, and it's full of pretty, flowery lines like that. You should def check it out!

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Headless🎃Horsewoman🪉💎🏹🐴⚔️ @acturek.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#fantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WIPSnips #contract -> agreement On the nature of heartstone - Brother’s Keeper, my fantasy WIP about two brothers bound by a misunderstood power

to try. Could he? His eyes narrowed, an idea forming. “It will take more work than I can judge beforehand, atop our original AGREEMENT. I'll need suitable incentive."

"Of course. Gems, coin, or if you prefer,
precious metal..."

Drisal cleared his throat. "Heartstone."

It was the rarest, most precious gem of all,
that one, found only beneath the River-source itself in the mountain's heart, as clear and pure in itself as the living Water bubbling up through it. He'd heard it said that heartstone was the Water in an ancient form,
and that Water was itself flowing, liquid heartstone; that the stone was Maledin and the Water was Iryla; that heartstone had been touched by only a handful of
mortals who were changed forever by the experience.

Brother's Keeper
A.C. Turek

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Mark Johnston 🍁 @markjohnston905.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

From early in book 1 of my YA fantasy trilogy. Editing #3 now. Bertram learns of the tribute they send to keep the peace with dragons each year. #WIPsnips #writingcommunity #writingprompts #writesky

“What did they teach you in that abbey?” Catrin asked. “It’s part of the deal. How do you think we keep the truce?”
Bert’s mind raced as he remembered seeing an incredibly large train of wagons leaving a few years back. There had been plenty of live animals as well. Several guards, both walking and on horse, traveled at the sides of the column as it left Wyrmgate. “I think I understand,” he said. “We send food and…other things to the dragons. It’s what keeps them in their part of the land, I suppose? I’d never considered it before.”
Eldritch smiled under his long beard. “A quick learner. Ages ago, even before me…” Eldritch waited for Catrin to stop giggling. “Yes, well, back then, the high king at the time agreed to a deal with the dragons to split the country as it’s been split ever since. The dragons keep to their side and us to ours. A simple agreement. If we wander to their end, well, that’s our problem. Anyone so foolish quickly vanishes or becomes food. We are only able to cross once each summer, on tribute day. We send in our tribute, leave it at the appointed location and leave. These actions are carried out all over the land.”
“It seems strange,” Catrin said, “but it works. For as long as even Eldritch here can remember, dragons have never come to Wyrmgate or anywhere else humans live. However, things have begun to change.”

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

🧛‍♂️ A Gentleman's Tour of the Empire 🦇 Not a lighthouse. #wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity #vampire

“Maybe it was to guide ships into the bay?” suggested Kenneth brightly when Edwards pointed this out.

“Hardly seems necessary given the width of it,” he murmured, but he’d be the first to admit that he didn’t know much about boats beyond what sorts of ailments the men who sailed them were likely to contract. Still there must have been a reason. Nobody would build an edifice of this magnitude on a mere whim.

The door to the lighthouse was locked when they reached it; or rather, chained closed with thick steel links. A groundskeeper, who had been dozing on a chair nearby, hastened to let them in and handed them a pair of box lanterns. They were needed, for without them they would have been plunged into total darkness. A spiral staircase with rough, stone-lined walls, a narrow width, and no handrail loomed before them.

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Ron V 🏳️‍🌈 @rvillanova312.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips Word of the day is ‘contract’, which I don’t have so I have ✨vibes✨ From my short story, Drifting Waves -The Siren makes a deal with James. They will spare his life, but he mustn’t tell a soul what happened. Once he agrees, the siren sinks the boat… because petty #WritingCommunity

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Nicole "Ashrah" Hidalgo 😈🧄👻 @sayaashrah.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#WIPSnips 4. “Contract” From This Is How Immortals Die, where “contract” is a central word precisely because of this contract Carys just signed. You can buy this and 31 other books in this spooky itch bundle: itch.io/b/3931/lgbtq.... #WorldWithoutLove #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #QueerWriters

I scanned his every word and found them true. Resolve and fierceness drummed in his heart, but the old man was right that warring against Pantheonic warriors would bring his and the girl’s demise. Also… I wouldn’t admit it, but his oath was one I could get behind. “Don’t fret, old man. Twenty thousand gold coins are incentive enough for me.”

From his other sleeve, the magician pulled out a second, yellowish parchment, a template which I had seen many times before. He unfurled the scroll and pulled a butter knife from his belt. I refused the joke of a weapon and used my dagger to cut my palm. Five drops dripped onto the paper. The old man repeated the gesture, pouring four drops. Contract signed. No going back now.

“May the Creator guide your path.” And that was the strangest thing he’d ever said to me. Had you truly allied with this cult, Aphrodite? Was that why no one could find their island?

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Jin @talesbyjin.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#Sniptober 4 In which a bully is about to get what they deserve~🦈 #TY4LM

‘Hey bitch, tell your fucking girlfriend she touches me one more time, I’m taking it out on your ass!’
I assumed I was the bitch, and the girlfriend was Nerissa, since she stood between us.
‘I saw you push him. You could have fucking killed him.’
‘Scrawny bitch woulda deserved it!’
I wasn’t sure if the music had stopped or I had just tuned it out. I wasn’t even aware of anything else as I got to my feet. Not the people. No flashing lights. Just me, Nerissa, and this guy whose ears were gauged so large he could probably use them as towel racks. Or hitching posts.
They were closer now. He was reaching past her, flipping me the bird. ‘Bitches don’t belong in the pit, you little shit!’
‘Stop calling him that.’
‘Or what? The bitch’s bitch is gonna do something?’
‘I said stop.’
‘What kind of bitch has his—urk!’
Before I knew it, before he knew it, her hand was on his throat. The other she drew back, fist balled. On her face was a smile. It was the kind of smile Mrs. Requiem gave me whenever I came to visit. Sweet, welcoming. Not the least bit threatening. Yet it made you feel like death waited behind it should her whimsy turn that way.
‘You had your chance to shut your fucking mouth.’

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Ange | Author A. M. Shilling @gunsmile.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The LGBTQ+ Gothic, Dark Fantasy, and Horror Bundle is live on Itch! Grab this awesome deal full of fun and spooky titles, including THE DEVOURING, my cosmic horror thriller. The bundle lasts until Oct 17! itch.io/b/3931/lgbtq... #BookSky #WritingCommunity

LGBTQ+ Gothic, Dark Fantasy, and Horror Bundle!
Get over 30 books for just $10!
Oct 3-17

LGBTQ+ Gothic, Dark Fantasy, and Horror Bundle!

The graphic shows 11 books with a predominantly red, beige, or black color against a green-yellow forest backdrop.

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Massimo (mirror) @rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

This abused foster dog proves that love heals even the deepest wounds. Original post

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Ron V 🏳️‍🌈 @rvillanova312.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#WIPSnips So late to the party but word of the day is petal, which I have! From Dust and Shadows -Tink sneaking Peter’s room, and briefly thinks about a new dress, before seeing the drawings Peter did. Peter has an idea of what Neverland looks like based on what Tink told him #WritingCommunity

She snuck in and looked around the familiar room. Even after two years, it still looked the same. Tinkerbell flew over to the desk and looked at herself in the mirror. She fluffed out her hair, and smoothed out her tulip petal dress. Maybe Ambrose was right, purple was more her color.
Tink tilted her head at the papers littered across it. They looked like drawings Peter did. One was of Neverland, or rather Peter’s guess of what Neverland looked like. It was rather accurate, but he forgot the Mount Nevermore’s cliffside and the Mermaid Lagoon. Another was a drawing of them flying across some city he talked about. What was its name again?
Lon-Don?

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💀🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊👻 @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

October 3rd – petal Jade is alone in the woods. Sort of. It isn't living up to her expectations, so far. #DawnsBlood #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

The sun shone through the forest canopy, painting the mossy ground with dappled light. Jade had been walking for some time now, and she had not come across another living thing. Not a bird, not a squirrel, nothing. The perfect silence was both unsettling and unnatural. She didn’t have time for this.
Since walking didn’t seem to be getting her anywhere, Jade decided to stop for a moment, resting on a rock next to a small creek. Dangling her feet in the water, she noted that it was completely crystal clear; not even a petal or twig marred the surface. This place was more like a painting of a forest then a real one. She had to admit to a certain disappointment in herself.
“Come on,” Jade muttered to no one in particular. “Is this the best you can do? Where is the attention to detail?”
Hearing a rustling behind her, she reached for the sword on her belt. After a tense moment, a small green frog hopped out of the reeds, landing at her feet. It stared at her with its red eyes for a moment, then croaked defiantly and plunged into the creek, stirring up silt from the bottom.
“That’s much better,” Jade approved. “Let’s keep that up.”

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🍃sage nightmare owen 👻 @sageowenwrites.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

You know it’s bad when Cory full-names himself in a pep talk #WIPSnips "petal" from SmokeWIP #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #lgbtqWriters

Excerpt from SmokeWIP, a sage Owen romance novel wip. Text as follows:

Cory hit highway speed, turned up the radio, and screamed.

It began as fuck at top volume and deteriorated into a guttural, punishing howl that left his throat raw. The cigarettes probably hadn't helped, but he'd needed something to poison the hand and mouth fixation, to rewire his brain's connection that smoking would taste like marijuana and flower petals and Matthew's lips.

He gripped the wheel until his knuckles cracked, shook himself, yelled until he was panting, wrung out, more tired than pissed off, more hurt than angry.
Then he kept eyes on the road, let his hand skim radio stations until he found something he could sing along with. He had to put his skin back on. He was Corwin Grant Mercer, happy go lucky son of a gun, bisexual menace and charmer and cowboy. He had a university degree.

He had eclectic taste in music, loved his family, and was not about to have his equilibrium permanently shifted by some pretty man with too many problems who hadn't appreciated him.

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Laken Honeycutt 💫 Book 3 Kickstarter is live! 💫 @mycelialwriter.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The healing powers of the ahlea flower… and honestly I just love any scene between these two, especially now that they’re older—Isaac’s is now 77 (was 39 in Book 1) and Mæve is 61 (was 23 in Book 1). From The Mycellium Forest (Book 3) 💫 Kickstarter is live! 💫 #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

From draft four of Book 3 (TMF), chapter 4, Isaac POV:

Isaac held one of the tiny blooms between his thumb and forefinger. “It looks like the ahlea flower.”

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that before.” Mæve said as she worked grinding the flowers together. “From your homeland?”

“That’s right,” Isaac said. “They call it the Malice’s bane. It’s named after our Saint Ahlea, our protector and guiding star.”

It grew wild in the Ashirak Desert, and people said it kept the Malice at bay.

“Yes, I recall you telling me of the ahlea flower,” Mæve said as she poured boiling water over the crushed petals. “I wrote of it in my journal, which I can’t seem to find anywhere…” she trailed off as she left the steaming concoction to steep and sifted through some papers on a nearby cabinet.

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