iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

There is something so surreal about holding your novel in your hands for the first time. There are no words. I've waited for this moment for so long. I didn't think it would ever happen, but here I am. #writingcommunity #debutnovel #indieauthor #readerlife #authorlife

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

NOW QUERYING. If I Say I’m Fine (I’m Lying) is a standalone YA contemporary novel complete at 75,000 words. It was inspired by my own father’s battle with ALS twenty years ago, with many scenes drawn directly from my own memories and experiences. #amquerying #writingcommunity #querytrenches

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

POV: You're trying to hide your dad's terminal illness, your BFF has declared war until you audition for the school musical, and your BF is so distracted by your face he keeps failing English. But it's fine... Totally fine... If I Say I'm Fine (I'm Lying) #unhingedpit #ya #q #c

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

It's been a very long time since I dropped one of these. From my WIP. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting #amediting

Behind me, Josh leans in. His voice is close, low, right at my ear. “Make a wish.”
I stumble toward the cake, heart hammering. There’s only one thing I want. Only one
thing I could possibly wish for.
My eyes flick to my father and I feel my throat tighten. I lean forward, feel them slide
shut. Blow.
I wish… I don’t want my Daddy to die. The thought whispers through my mind,
carrying all the hope I don’t dare to hold for more than a heartbeat. An impossible wish. And
yet… I wish it anyway.
Everyone’s clapping, Josh is squeezing my arms, but I’m slightly numb as I open my
eyes. I force a smile on my face, let Josh guide me to the table as Mom carries the cake over
to the counter and starts plucking the candles from the gooey frosting. Poppy slides the
mountain of presents in front of me as I collapse into a chair.
“So. Eighteen,” Dad says, watching as I carefully unwrap something soft and lumpy.
“You can vote. You can gamble.”
“You can be pulled for jury duty,” Poppy chimes in, nose wrinkled with amusement. I
shoot her a glare as I free the baby blue hoodie from the wrapping.
“You can drink. In Europe, anyway,” Josh jokes.
“Blech, no thanks,” I swat at him as he slides into the chair next to Poppy

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

I wanted today to be a writing day. Instead it's a stare blankly at a website builder and question your life choices day. Send help. #debutauthor #writingcommunity #bookish #authorsofx

static.klipy.com

Man's Confused and Perplexed Reaction

ALT: Man's Confused and Perplexed Reaction

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Will wants to find a cure for his dying brother. Valerie wants to find her missing father. What they find instead is a lie built to harvest hope…and sell it back to the highest bidder. The Lottery is available to pre-order now! #writingcommunity #yafiction #dystopian #debutnovel #dystopianfiction

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

My vague era is officially over! I'm beyond thrilled to have found an amazing home for The Lottery. The team at Cranthorpe Millner have been incredible and I'm so excited to get to work with them to bring this story to the world! cranthorpemillner.com/tj-davies-si... #debutnovel #dystopian

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

I've been ever so quiet these last several weeks for... Reasons. Very vague reasons. Very exciting vague reasons. Will get back to sharing #WIPSnips soon. #writingcommunity #amwriting #amquerying

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

I'm a 'Masshole' by birth, but I've lived in England from nearly 15 years. I can still confidently say, beans are NOT a breakfast food. 🤪🤣 #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

When I pull up to the curb outside the Ellis’ raised ranch, Lena is sitting on the step,
eyes glued to the screen of her phone. I honk the horn and laugh as she startles so bad her
phone goes flying. She hops up and snatches it from the middle of a rose bush, shoulders her
bag, and marches down the path with a glower on her face.
“If I wanted a heart attack before lunch, I would have eaten the grease-soaked Full
English my mother tried to foist on me this morning,” she grumbles as she climbs into the
passenger seat. I quirk a brow, trying to place the term. Lena’s mother was from England, but
her father was a born and bred ‘Masshole’, like us. It was easy to forget that, while the
language was the same, there were a lot of terms that differed, and Lena switched so
effortlessly between them that it was sometimes hard to keep up. At my confused look, she
rolls her eyes. “Eggs. Bacon. Ridiculously over-priced imported Heinz beans…”
“Ah,” I grimace. Yes, her mother had served that breakfast after many a sleepover,
and I still couldn’t stomach the strange, tomatoey-beans. “Beans are not a breakfast food.”
“Do not say that in front of my mother,” Lena replies, laughing. I pull onto the street
and head for the high school on the other side of town. “Speaking of mothers…”

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Synonyms and vibes today. Gee, I wonder who David's son is... #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

“My boy would be happy to lend a hand, if you need it,” the assistant is saying to
Dad. It sounds like the two know each other. Maybe from years of trips to the hardware store,
or maybe they knew each other from their younger days, I don’t know, but it’s obvious the
man had no idea about Dad’s illness. Not that I’m surprised, Dad hadn’t exactly been singing
it from the rooftops, and he’d all but disappeared from public life when he’d been forced to
go off work on long-term sick leave.
“That would be great. Junie’s great with a paint brush, but I don’t want to leave it all
to her. I’ll pay him. Is he available today?”
“Dad, I can handle it myself.” I cross my arms over my chest and glower at both men.
The man, David according to his name tag, chuckles at the look on my face. He’s already got
his phone out, ready to contact his son, but pauses, looking back and forth between me and
Dad expectantly.
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“Humor me. More hands make quicker work.” He looks at me meaningfully. I know
he’s hoping to get it done before mom emerges from her migraine cocoon and can stop us,
and the little girl part of me that wants nothing more than to make her Dad happy can’t argue.
“Fine,” I grumble. While Dad swipes his card to pay for everything, David types out a
quick message to his son. By the time I’ve transferred everything back to the cart, his son has
replied.
“He’ll be there in twenty,” David is saying, coming around the register to help me
load the last tubs of paint. “Seems excited. Doesn’t want to be paid, either.”
“Good boy you’ve got there,” Dad says, leaning heavily on the full cart. I can tell that
the trip is starting to take a toll. The shaking in his hands is more pronounced than ever, and I
can see a tremor jumping in his left thigh.
“Yeah, I really have,” David replies with a proud smile.

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

What I should have been doing today: cleaning. What I did instead: broke my own heart (aka, writing). (Click the image to read the whole excerpt. Have a tissue ready.) #writingcommunity #amwriting #wip #yacontemporary

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Juniper's mother is surprisingly chill about having a strange boy sleepover - but when said strange boy helps miracles occur... Well, that just might be worth making an exception for. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting #writerlife

“Are you sure?” I ask, glancing back toward Josh. He’s shuffling awkwardly by the
door.
“Absolutely. Can you show your friend to the guest room? I’m sure his family won’t
miss him for one night, and, from the looks of things,” she pauses and glances out the living
room window, “it’s not safe to be driving right now. I’m betting school will be cancelled,
too.”
“I don’t want to impose-“ Josh starts to say, but mom cuts him off.
“You’re not, I promise. Just let your parents know you’re safe and that we’ll give you
a ride home when the roads are cleared.”
Josh looks completely flabbergasted by this. He shoots me a cautious look and I
shrug.
“Come on, I’ll show you where everything is.” I grab his hand and tug him toward the
stairs, Poppy and Mom’s soft whispers following in our wake. At the top of the stairs, I turn
left, leading him toward the room across from my own. I stop, gesturing to another door at
the end of the hall. “Bathroom,” I explain, then let him into the guest room, flicking on the
light as we enter.
It’s sparsely decorated, a simple day bed against one wall, with soft, blue linens that
might have a layer or two of dust on them. The room hasn’t been used since Uncle Nick
visited over 4th of July weekend.

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

This is totally me. Do not even attempt conversation with me until I've had my morning coffee. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting #writerlife

Bleary eyed, I trudged down the stairs, bag dragging behind me. My shoes scuff on
the hardwood floor, but I can’t muster the energy to walk properly. The sounds of morning
echo through the house. A pan clatters on the stovetop. The scent of filtered coffee fills the
air, rich and deep and I can’t help but follow it like the starved zombie I’ve apparently
become.
“Food. Coffee,” I groan as I stumble my way into the kitchen, dropping my bag near
the sideboard. My mother looks up from the pan of eggs she’s scrambling, a brow raised. She
looks… better. There’s still some redness around her eyes, but she’s less puffy in the soft
morning light. She’s pulled on her brave face and musters a soft, sad smile.
“Did you finish your homework?” she asks, and I know she’s fighting to make
conversation. Normal conversation. Not end-of-the- world, life-shattering conversation. I
shrug.
“Yeah.” I snatch up the coffee pot and fill my favorite mug, I’m here, I’m awake,
Don’t push it slowly appearing in bold, black font as the heat of the coffee warms the
ceramic. And I had finished it, eventually. After I’d devoured every word on every website
dedicated to ALS that I could find. After I’d cried for another hour. After I’d stumbled
downstairs at one a.m. and scarfed down two brownies and half a pint of cookie dough ice
cream.

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

When my father was sick, my best friend was my sanity. But it was also incredibly hard seeing how much his illness affected her as well. Part of me wonders, if I had to do it again, would I be more like Juniper? Would I keep it to myself, to save her from the pain? #WIPSnips #writingcommunity

I stiffen in my seat as I pull into a space at the hardware store and throw the truck into
park.
“She’s got a new girlfriend, you know?” The lie slips easily through my teeth. I didn’t
know exactly what Daisy was to Lena, but even if they were girlfriends, it wouldn’t keep
Lena away from our family. No, that was all me. Still making excuses. Still afraid to tell her
the truth. Still afraid to inflict all this pain and suffering on the one person I was counting on
to keep me sane.
“She could always bring her round. I won’t embarrass Lena. Well, not too much,
anyway.” Dad grins at me as I help him out of the truck. His knees buckle as he lands on the
snowy pavement, but I’ve got my arms under him, grunting softly as I shift both our weight
until he’s steady on his feet.
“I’ll let her know.” I won’t. Not yet, anyway. I knew there would come a time where
I’d have to tell Lena the truth. She would never forgive me if she didn’t get a chance to say
goodbye. But not yet. I wasn’t ready. I could barely handle my own feelings about the whole
situation, I couldn’t add hers on to it all.
At least with Josh, I didn’t have to feel his pain. He barely knew my family or my
dad. I got nothing but understanding and compassion and support from him. Maybe that’s
why I’d spent so much of my time over the last few weeks talking to him.
He was my escape.
He was my sanity

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Cause you've gotta have faith, faith, faith, baby! (You know you sang it, too) #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

The polar bears are cute, and I’m seriously tempted – Dad loves hockey –but I settle
on the nativity scene. Our faith has taken a hit since the diagnosis, but if we need anything
right now, it’s a little bit of Heaven.
I’m just adding the nativity scene to the cart when Josh returns, pulling another cart
behind him. Inside is a tree, at least eight feet long, wrapped in mesh and dropping pine
needles with every turn of the wheels.
“Oh, I was just going to buy an artificial–“
“Bite your tongue,” he interrupts with a mock glare. “Christmas isn’t Christmas
unless you’re emotionally blackmailed into keeping a dying tree alive while it sheds all over
the floor.” He glances at the pile of needles beneath the cart and flings his hand out. “Case in
point.”
I roll my eyes, but a smile finds its way onto my face. I reach for the tree, grazing my
hand along the surface, feeling the slight prickle of needles poking through the net’s small
holes. I breathe in deeply, the scent of pine filling my lungs, and my smile grows. When I
look back up at Josh, he’s smirking triumphantly, seeing the look in my eyes that tells him
I’m going to give in.
“Fine, but you’re putting it up. That thing is, like, twice my size!”
Josh laughs and pats my head.
“Okay, shorty.” He barely dodges out of reach as I try to smack him upside the back
of his head. His earmuffs wiggle precariously on his head and I snatch them off, shoving the
ridiculous things over my own ears.

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Synonyms and vibes today. Juniper is feeling all the things. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

“Sorry, one sec,” I mutter, pulling my phone out of the pocket of my hoodie. Birth
Giver is flashing on the screen. My heart lurches and I swipe to answer with a shaking hand.
“Mom? Is everything okay?” I turn in the booth, away from Josh, hoping he can’t see the
sudden panic in my eyes.
“Hello to you, too,” she responds with an amused snort. I breathe out, slumping
sideways until I’m leaning an elbow on the table. I can hear the crunch, crunch, crunch of
nachos being chewed and glance sideways, watching Josh devour the plate of food out of the
corner of my eye. “Everything is fine,” she’s saying, pulling my attention away. “We just got
home, but you’re not here. Where’d you disappear to?”
“Oh, um, just out with a friend,” I see Josh quirk an eyebrow at that, the rest of his
expression hidden behind the glass he’s drinking from. “Studying for the English test on
Monday.”
“Tell Lena I said hi,” She says and I don’t correct her. It’s no small secret that I don’t
have many close friends. Actually, Lena makes up the entirety of my friends list.
I glance at Josh and he looks up from the notebook that he’s been studying, flashing
me a wide smile, the same kind of smile he’d flashed the waitress, but this time it feels like
mine.
My heart skips a beat.
Josh turns back to Macbeth, and I let myself stare for just a second longer. Mom’s
telling me to be home by five, but her words feel distant, secondary to this newfound thing

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Gee, I wonder where Juniper gets her mischievous side from... #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

“We should paint the room blue.”
I look up from the ornament I’m carefully wrapping in tissue paper and quirk an
eyebrow at my dad. He’s standing in the middle of the living room, leaning against the back
of his recliner as he stares at the spot where the Christmas tree stood only minutes ago.
There’s a gleam in his eye, something mischievous in the smirk tugging one side of
his mouth up.
“Before you go running off to the hardware store, you might want to run that by
Mom.” I set the wrapped ornament in the box by my feet and reach for another. Dad huffs
and shuffles around the chair, easing himself carefully down.
“Can’t we just pull a Juniper and surprise her with it?” He wiggles his eyebrows and I
snort, rolling my eyes.
“Is that what we’re calling it now? Pulling a Juniper? Gee, thanks Dad,” I drawl.
Setting the last ornament into the box, I push out of my seat and stretch with a groan. We’d
left the Christmas decorations up a lot longer than we usually do, but none of us had wanted
to shatter the illusion that we’d created.
Joy.
Love.
Hope.

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Will wants to find a cure for his dying brother. Valerie wants to find her missing father. What they find instead is a lie built to harvest hope... And sell it back to the highest bidder. THE ISLAND X ELYSIUM #posterpit #ya #na #dys #q

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

IF I SAY IM FINE (I'M LYING) Juniper just wanted to ace senior year & snag a spot at her dream school. Instead she’s elbow deep in toilet pans & feeding tubes & hiding her dad's terminal disease from all her friends. But one boy could change the trajectory of her whole year... #posterpit #w #ya #con

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

The Lottery promises salvation. The District holds the Cure. But when Will and Valerie’s paths collide, it becomes clear that The District will stop at nothing to reclaim its secrets, and the only way forward is through a war they never asked for. #posterpit #q #ya #na #sf #dys

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Reposted by TJ Davies | Author

Levi A. @escapedscp.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

When ruthless murders endanger her classmates, honor student Leia Ymmaculada investigates, only to find her biggest rival is bringing killers to bloody justice. Leia must choose: turn him in, or join as a vigilante. #PosterPit #Q #YA #M

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TJ Davies | Author @tjdaviesauthor.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Juniper and Lena are definitely ride or die bff's, that's for sure! #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #amwriting

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