iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

If you hearted two of my stories, should I send both in separate emails on the same day, or wait to hear back from one before submitting the other?

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Bring on the beasts! Love the land of forgotten dead.

THE THIRTEENTH GATE Lyris and Bagral were born pariahs in the demon realm, as twins split their magic. Their father raises them in a land torn apart by a tyrant he’s long plotted to overthrow. When his coup fails, the twins must decide whether or not to follow in his footsteps. #A #F #DVpit

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THE THIRTEENTH GATE After their father dies in a failed coup against the demon realm’s immortal king, Lyris and Bagral are sentenced to carry a deadly plague to the other realms. But, as they traverse a wartorn hellscape, they set into motion one last rebellion to save the realms. #A #H #F #DVpit

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Bring on the creature features!

Grimoire is one of my favorite words.

THE THIRTEENTH GATE Banished to die in a Hieronymus Bosch-inspired hellscape after their father’s failed coup, demon twins Lyris and Bagral must make a choice: continue living as fugitives, or finish what their father started and rid the realm of its immortal tyrant. #A #H #F #LF #ND #DVpit

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THE THIRTEENTH GATE Tasked with carrying a plague across a hellscape to the other realms, demon twins Lyris and Bagral instead piece together a portrait of their late father, a rider who attempted to overthrow the King. Soon, they decide to finish what their father started. #A #H #F #DVpit

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Thanks! I went through DOZENS of acronyms. The original title was "Conjurers Prefer Accounting" but the story went a different direction (the MC didn't learn magic), so that was scrapped.

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Yu Yu Hakusho, but in Seattle, and the rich people are the bad guys? Where do I sign?

STORM FURIES x NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS The apple has fallen far from the ancestral tree for Andy, a sylvan elf scraping by as an accountant in the modern world. When an ancient prophecy calls upon him, however, he trades his stress ball for a sword and gets sucked into the legends of old. #A #F #DVpit

Thanks so much! It was the most fun I've ever had writing a book!

Constantine vibes. Time to bring back creature features.

STORM FURIES x NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS In a modern world of orcs and elves, an office worker’s cozy life goes awry when he pulls a legendary sword from its stone. Still in his loafers, he faces titans, drakes, and more wondering what’ll run out first: his Combined Time Off, or his luck. #A #F #DVpit

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Gonna name my next cat Spook now.

CPA: CERTIFIED PROPHESIED ACCOUNTANT Sitting in a cubicle, Andy couldn’t be further from his ancestral roots as a woodland elf. Worse yet, he enjoys it. But when an ancient titan awakens to destroy the world, a prophecy declares Andy is the only one who can defeat it. #A #F #ND #DVpit

It's a spunky tale of greatness being thrust upon the laziest among us. I type this from an office.

And you shall soon have it, with any luck!

CPA: CERTIFIED PROPHESIED ACCOUNTANT In a modern world of orcs and elves, few still believe in ancient myths. That is, until an ancient titan awakens to turn the planet into cinders. A hero is chosen as foretold, but, uh, he’s just an elven accountant who wants to be left alone. #A #F #DVpit

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My favorite pitch for this story!

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Thank you! It was a ton of work and intimidating to write about my own neck of the woods.

Thank you! Always check your cellars, folks!

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Came for the fairytales, stayed for the fairytales.

I feel like YA can often bridge into New Adult depending on the book. Definitely have read some YA with adult themes and prose before and vice versa.

STARLING HOUSE x THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS After losing his parents and moving to a downtrodden Appalachia town, Milo’s autism all but seals him inside his room. But when he releases a demon from his neighbor’s cellar, he’s forced outside his shell to save his new community. #YA #F #ND #DVpit

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Thanks for the repost! Best of luck!

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Spooky ghost had a good run.

"What if dragons rode horses?" - Hungarian mythology.

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STARLING HOUSE x THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS It wasn’t enough that Milo had to move from the city to Appalachia—he also had to release a demon from a neighbor’s cellar. Now, he has to track it down, aided by a crippled man and a ghost who claims to have battled gods and lost. #YA #F #DIS #ND #DVpit

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Thank you so much for that haha!

So many iconic Hungarian Folktales too. My favorite is probably King Kitty, which is a housecat who proclaims himself king of the forest animals.

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STARLING HOUSE x THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS An ancient tree connecting worlds🪾 A ghostly hand who fought the gods and lost💀 Fires containing the history of a people🔥 And a chaos demon that must be stopped👹 Summer couldn’t get any weirder after Milo moves from the city to Appalachia. #YA #F #ND #DVpit

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Reminded of the Hungarian Folktales that ran on TV when I was a kid!

Thank you! That means the world to me. I've lived in the "hollers" here my whole life and was kinda surprised at how little fun fantasy we have about the region. Most of it is so dark and brooding!

Thanks! I searched for fun Appalachian fantasy books, and when I couldn't find any that weren't "look what big coal did to my home!", I wrote my own about my weird little backwoods to show other aspects of the region.

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Josh Poole @shlunka.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

STARLING HOUSE x THE MOONLIGHT HEALERS Peach Hollow is like any other Appalachian podunk—except for the strange man who guards a tree that protects worlds. He’s long searched for a successor, and when Milo, a teen from the city, moves in next door, he thinks he’s finally found one. #YA #F #DVpit

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#dvparty The 13th Gate (Dark Fantasy) Long had a peerless cavalry thundered out Lord Ibor’s will. Of its storied ranks, no name patroned the verse of hearth-spun tales more than my father’s, who rode upon the black Aguirre. In death, however, he dwells a moor of crows—his name and body gone to rot.

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Josh Poole @shlunka.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Maybe a silly question, but what is WC?

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Josh Poole @shlunka.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

To be fair, I also would not want to kill demons.

STORM FURIES x NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS The apple has fallen far from the ancestral tree for Andy, a sylvan elf scraping by as an office worker in the modern world. But when an ancient prophecy calls upon him, he trades his stress ball for a sword and gets sucked into the legends of old. #A #F #PreDV

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Time for me to Google táltos and go into the wiki hole.

Love the idea of having the base in the Amazon (I feel like these things are always in Antarctica or in the desert!) Best of luck!

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Most people seem to be putting their hashtags at the bottom. I like the premise though!