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Ry Herman

@ryherman.bsky.social
900 followers 1.8K following 282 posts

They/them. Fantasy author repped by @michelle4laughs.bsky.social. Fairy tale retelling THIS PRINCESS KILLS MONSTERS out now. THIS KNIGHT TOPPLES EMPIRES coming soon! www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/75…

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Reposted by Ry Herman
Just a girl and her books @thebookwyrmshoard2.bsky.social · 14h
It might just be because Im exhausted (unlikely) but I just finished This Knight Topples Empires by @ryherman.bsky.social and it genuinely made me tear up a bit. Like Im so ridiculously happy for Jules 🥰
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
One month left to go before THIS KNIGHT TOPPLES EMPIRES comes out!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Other great books I read this month included: JUST BETWEEN US by Adeline Kon THIS MUST BE THE PLACE by Kelly Quindlen STEAM by Shaenon K. Garrity and Emily Holden PORNO by Irvine Welsh RED AND THE WOLVES by Cherry Zong PAINT THE MOON by Katia Rose.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
There are two fantastic books I especially want to call attention to this month, one nonfiction and one fiction: MORE EVERYTHING FOREVER by Adam Becker ROTTENHEART by Kat Dunn ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com/2026/10/01/f...
ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com
Favorite Books — September 2026
There are two fantastic books I especially want to call attention to this month, one nonfiction and one fiction: MORE EVERYTHING FOREVER by Adam Becker A book that exposes how Silicon Valley’s hear…
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Three quarters through the second pass on draft two of book five!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Join me on November 17th at Lighthouse Books for the launch of my next book, This Knight Topples Empires! lighthousebookshop.com/events/fairy... A knight attempts to thwart an invasion, save the most beautiful woman in the world, and finally get away from their sisters.
lighthousebookshop.com
Lighthouse | Fairytale Fabulous: An evening with Ry Herman
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Today's AI-generated scam-the-author e-mail informed me that I have a "a severe operational vulnerability causing an aggressive Cross-Traffic Algorithm Leak". Good gracious. I shall have to call a plumber.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Someone apparently took This Princess Kills Monsters to Disneyland. I hope they had a nice time.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Goodreads Giveaway -- 15 copies of This Knight Topples Empires are available! www.goodreads.com/giveaway/ent...
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
PW review of This Knight Topples Empires: “[The] deadpan tone, humorous magic system, and playful fairy tale logic keep the episodic quest buoyant... the affectionate sibling dynamic and heartfelt handling of Jules’s queerness anchor the mayhem. This irreverent, inclusive fantasy is sure to charm.”
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My next book comes out in two months! www.amazon.com/This-Knight-...
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Today's revisions turned out to be dealing with all the things I mentioned in chapter 2 that were supposed to come back but never did.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST SHOW The best show Nominees: All Winner: Elf Lyons is the Woman on the Edge The Reason – Because Elf Lyons is a treasure and this show was incredible.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The Wolf of Poyais YUCK Circus: Naughties Winner: YUCK Circus: Naughties The Reason – This is the show to see if your memories of the early 2000s included longing for a toy that would slash your face up. I learned a lot.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST COMEDY (NON-STAND-UP) Anything funny that isn’t one person with a microphone telling jokes Nominees: Big Dog Bliss [Elf Lyons is the Woman on the Edge] [PUSS PUSS] [Remember, Remember!] The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth Waiting for Wonka (continued...)
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST LIVE MUSIC Musicians on the stage playing music right there Nominees: Bliss Crocodile Rock [Poles] [Remember, Remember!] The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth Tales of the Firebird Winner: Tales of the Firebird The Reason – Fabulous, difficult music played while performing acrobatic stunts.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST MUSICAL Like theater, but they sing Nominees: Amelia Hamilton: Moral Support Bliss Crocodile Rock The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth Remember, Remember! Winner: Remember, Remember! The Reason – It successfully accomplished what it set out to do, and was very funny in the bargain.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST SOLO THEATER One person on stage, telling a story Nominees: [Elf Lyons is the Woman on the Edge] [Fake] Good Girl [PUSS PUSS] The Wolf of Poyais Winner: Good Girl The Reason – A powerful show about the healing power of BDSM that for once portrays it accurately.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST THEATER More than one person acting out a play, with no singing – you know, theater Nominees: [Angels in America] Big Dog Suitcase Show Waiting for Wonka Winner: Suitcase Show The Reason – The sheer technical virtuosity of this show made it very much worth watching.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST CIRCUS Feats of acrobatics and aerial performance Nominees: [Circa: Wolf] The Pieces YOAH YUCK Circus: Naughties Winner: The Pieces The Reason – Everything you can do with a bunch of ladders turns out to be a lot.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST STAND-UP COMEDY One person with a microphone, telling jokes Nominees: Amelia Hamilton: Moral Support Ania Magliano: Peach Fuzz Eleanor Morton: The Mermaid How Now Brown Rao Winner: Eleanor Morton: The Mermaid The Reason – Because Eleanor Morton is extremely funny. Enough said.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST PHYSICAL THEATER It’s not exactly dance, it’s not exactly circus, but it tells a story with movement Nominees: [PUSS PUSS] Soft Spot Tales of the Firebird [Tell Me] Winner: Soft Spot The Reason – Everything you can do with empty wine glasses turns out to be a lot.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST WTF Something weird happened and I’m not sure what Nominees: Elf Lyons is the Woman on the Edge Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities [PUSS PUSS] Suitcase Show Winner: Elf Lyons is the Woman on the Edge The Reason – The combination of surrealist humor and searing self-examination is incredible.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST QUEER SHOW LGBTQ+ characters or themes Nominees: Angels in America Crocodile Rock Remember, Remember! [Tell Me] Winner: Angels in America The Reason – I mean… It’s Angels in America.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST DANCE Shows that delight in all manifestations of the Terpsichorean muse Nominees: Mere Mortals Poles [Tell Me] Winner: Poles The Reason – I don’t think humans are supposed to be able to do what Yvonne Smink can do.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST NUDITY Shows where performers bare it all Nominees: Good Girl Tell Me Winner: Tell Me The Reason – Used non-gratuitously as part of what was overall a very good dance piece about HIV.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST CAT Shows with a cat, or a person pretending to be one Nominees: PUSS PUSS Winner: PUSS PUSS The Reason – Kitty!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
BEST MAGIC SHOW Feats of illusion and/or card tricks Nominees: Fake Winner: Fake The Reason – Some pretty good magic in the service of a very interesting show about art forgery.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
EMERITUS AWARD Fringe shows I’d already seen in previous years that were so good I wanted to see them again Nominees: Circa: Wolf Winner: Circa: Wolf The Reason – Circa makes the impossible look easy. Over and over and over again.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
3) Because of this, awards will be given out from those with the least number of nominees to the those with the most. I saw 27 shows in all (a light year.) Here we go!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
1) Any show I saw during Fringe is eligible, even if it was technically in the International Festival or the Book Festival or whatever. 2) No show can win more than one award, except for the Best Show award, so any show that wins an award will be ineligible for any later awards [and in brackets].
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Edinburgh Fringe is over and done with, and that means it’s time for THE RY FRINGE AWARDS for the best shows seen by Ry. I decided this year that I would have some rules why not. So:
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Other books I very much enjoyed in August: DAGGERBOUND by T. Kingfisher THE GIRLS by John Bower MIRRORWOVEN by Bori Cser PRATER VIOLET by Christopher Isherwood A TRADE OF BLOOD by Robert Jackson Bennett THE IDIOT by Elif Batuman DECOMPOSITION BOOK by Sara van Os IDOLFIRE by Grace Curtis
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Two extremely different fantasy books topped my list of favorite books this month: DEALING WITH DRAGONS by Patricia C. Wrede THE WORKS OF VERMIN by Hiron Ennes ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com/2026/08/31/f...
ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com
Favorite Books — August 2026
Two extremely different fantasy books topped my list this month: DEALING WITH DRAGONS by Patricia C. Wrede Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart &#82…
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
It absolutely was!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Going to a five-hour long Dutch language production of Angels in America may be the most pretentious-sounding thing I've ever done.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I know scammers are targeting everyone, but why is there a whole industry set up to scam authors? I can't post "finished writing chapter 9 today" without 50 bots offering to send my chapter to 300,000,000,000 people for a modest fee. Do bakers and stonemasons have to put up with this kind of crap?
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
And also: A FAMILY MATTER by Claire Lynch THE WILD ROBOT by Peter Brown LOVE GALAXY by Sierra Branham THE UNICORN HUNTERS by Katherine Arden
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Other books I thought were great this month were: CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah THE EVERLASTING by Alix E. Harrow SHE MADE HERSELF A MONSTER by Anna Kovatcheva NATIVE TONGUE by Suzette Haden Elgin THERE IS NO ANTIMEMETICS DIVISION by qntm
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
My favorite book from July was: THE HUSTLER by Walter Tevis ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/f...
ryhermanwrites.wordpress.com
Favorite Books — July 2026
There was a definite standout this month, by one of my favorite authors: THE HUSTLER by Walter Tevis Eddie Felson is a poolroom hustler who travels from town to town conning strangers into thinking…
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This week, I Heart SapphFic is featuring books set in Massachusetts -- and my book Love Bites is included! iheartsapphfic.com/2026/07/27/2...
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
That many-times-debunked "half of traditionally published books sell fewer than 12 copies!" statistic is making the internet rounds again like some kind of unkillable zombie and I hate it so much.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
BRAIN: You need to write a scene where the main character becomes reconciled to the death of her father. ME: You're right. How should that happen? Where do I put it? BRAIN: I'm really here to come up with ideas, not deal with the details. ME: THAT IS NOT REMOTELY HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Thank you! (Me, too.)
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Thanks!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
My fifth book, This Fairy Stabs Everyone, is ON THE WAY! (... eventually. My fourth book, This Knight Topples Empires, isn't even out yet and won't be until November, but still. ON THE WAY!) @stormliteraryagency
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I've got no idea why, but this has been my most productive writing week ever. 9000 words. (And yeah, I know there are people who do that regularly, but I do *not*. 3500 is closer to my usual weekly count at the moment.) Maybe I should be trapped at home with a horrible racking cough more often!
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
40,000 words in on current Work In Progress! Half to four elevenths of the way there.
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
And also: PIPER AT THE GATES OF DUSK by Patrick Ness GIRL’S GIRL by Sonia Feldman THE FOX AND THE DEVIL by Kiersten White I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN by Jacqueline Harpman THE TAPESTRY OF FATE by Shanna Chakraborty SHUGGIE BAIN by Douglas Stuart
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Ry Herman @ryherman.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Other fantastic books I read included: IGNORE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS by Ada Hoffman ONE KNIGHT STAND by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner UNDER THE SAME STARS by Libba Bray ALL HAIL CHAOS by Sarah Rees Brennan
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