iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 03/10/2026

Ooh I can't resist doing this! (With alt text!) This is going to be WHOOPS ALL SEGA 😂 Day 1: Favorite title theme. www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3eT...

A prompt game called Video Game OSTober by @local-enigma.bsky.social

Prompts:
1th: Favorite title theme
2th: Favorite first level theme
3th: Favorite regular battle theme
4th: Favorite main theme/motif
5th: Favorite character theme
6th: Favorite town/city theme
7th: Favorite night theme
8th: Favorite hub/otherworld theme
9th: Favorite OST cover
10th: Favorite normal boss theme
11th: Always stuck in your head
12th: Makes you feel nostalgic
13th: Favorite beach/water theme
14th: Favorite sad song from a game
15th: Favorite from a game you haven't played
16th: Favorite vocal theme
17th: Gets you hyped
18th: Calms you down
19th: Favorite winter/snow theme
20th: Good for working/studying
21th: From a game that came out this year
22th: From a game that release your birth year
23th: Favorite scary theme
24th: Favorite from an indie game
25th: Favorite forest theme
26th: More people should listen to
27th: Favorite final dungeon/level theme
28th: Favorite final boss theme
29th: Favorite end credits theme
30th: Free share!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/10/2026

It has been a whole month since The Chosen One Con came out. It's sitting at 21 ratings at 4.6 stars on Goodreads and 10 ratings at 4.7 on Amazon! 💙 A big THANK YOU to everyone that has read and reviewed so far! It's available online and in paperback. books2read.com/thechosenone...

A promo image for The Chosen One Con, out now on Kindle, Kobo, and Itch. It shows the book cover to the Chosen One Con (a young white man in a trench coat holding a glowing blue potion bottle as though trying to steal it) and the following text: Magic spoke to me, whispering promises of fortune and fame. It spoke when I switched on the old MV and the screen came alive with the blue glow of magic, the faint spark and pop of aether flowing through the cables.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 28/09/2026

Me when I'm thinking about what's for dinner.

A photo of Bayley the ragdoll cat sitting crouched on a cat shelf attached to an inner door. He has a blank look because he doesn't have a single thought in that fluffy head.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 28/09/2026

Just looking at @ravenswordpress.com's online shop like 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

A screenshot of AK Faulkner's online shop which has the following text: No AI has been used in any aspect of the creation or production of these books, or associated merchandise and materials.
I’m perfectly capable of writing this demented shit on my own. The planet-burning plagiarism machine is for fucking losers.

I hire real human editors, artists, designers, and narrators.

Visit the shop here: https://ravenswordpress.com/

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 26/09/2026

Set up at Once Upon a Tyne this weekend!

A photo of Trudie Skies holding the paperback of The Thirteenth Hour at Once Upon a Tyne. They are standing at a stall with books and art prints.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 23/09/2026

Happy Bi Visibility Day to Max from The Chosen One Con and also Charlie who hasn't had chance to come out yet, but they will! Art by the great @aowna.bsky.social

Character art for the main character from The Chosen One Con, designed by artist Aowna. This is a portrait of Max Farrow, who is a handsome young white man with neat combed hair and wearing a suit with a cravat. He is surrounded by bluebells. The image is painted in a blue monochromatic style.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 20/09/2026

It's your last chance to win a signed paperback and a sticker sheet! 👀

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 20/09/2026

24 punks/authors have come together for a special Punk Spec Fic bundle on Itch.io, including The Thirteenth Hour! Check out this collection of punks from cyberpunk to steampunk, solarpunk, and more! itch.io/b/3913/punk-... With thanks to @eliseswords.eurosky.social for organising!

Punk Spec Fic Book Bundle Graphic, bordered by 24 covers, with bright blue, purple, pink, orange background. 24 books for $24, Sept 20-30.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 14/09/2026

The Chosen One Con is now out in paperback via Amazon! books2read.com/thechosenone... If there is any demand for signed copies on my Kofi shop, I'll consider adding them!

A promo image showing the paperback cover of The Chosen One Con and the following text: The Chosen One Con out now in paperback. Two working class men con their way into a televised contest of mages to find the prophesized 'chosen one' in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions. “Holy crap there is so very much to unpack and omg the amount of times I said, ‘WTF JUST HAPPENED!?’ towards the end was absolutely just insane. Like when everything goes sideways here it goes sideways so absolutely brilliantly!” -The Book Wyrm's Hoard

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 12/09/2026

Change your book by adding or removing a letter. I think The Chosen One Cone could be the cozy fantasy we all need.

The book cover to The Chosen One Con, book one in the Lost in the Aether duology by Trudie Skies, but it has been changed to The Chosen One Cone. The cover shows a handsome young white man in a long trench coat putting a glowing blue ice cream cone in his inner pocket as though stealing it. In the background are factories with chimneys blowing out dark smoke with a teal colouring.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 11/09/2026

The Chosen One Con paperback plus cat!

A photo of a paperback of The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies standing next to Gustave the tabby cat. The cover shows a handsome young white man in a long trench coat putting a glowing blue potion in his inner pocket as though stealing it. In the background are factories with chimneys blowing out dark smoke with a teal colouring.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 03/09/2026

A long one, but this introduces the relationship between Sinder and Vincent, an Ember and Necro, from The Thirteenth Hour. The Necro are an undead-like race of mortals who often feed off the blood and flesh of other mortals. They make it work! #TBBPrompt

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

The Ember looked me over as one might judge a dirty cup unfit for drinking, but then he shrugged. “Don’t get too acquainted, dearest.” He kissed the Necro on the cheek and swaggered out of the tram.
“A Necro and an Ember?” I commented aloud. “How unusual.”
Vincent settled in the Ember’s seat and placed my pistol on the table, angled and pointed at me. I could see it was loaded—they must have ransacked my jacket for bullets. Whether this Necro knew how to use it, I couldn’t guess. “We’re an odd pairing, I’ll grant you. This is a beautiful design.” He tapped the intricate brass barrel.
“Thank you. I customized it myself. I didn’t think your kind dated? Certainly not outside of your domain. How do you maintain your urges?”
“We make it work. You’re not bothered by the thought?”
“Why would I be?” Though I noticed the subtle way Vincent carried himself and sat. There were so many misconceptions regarding the Necro, so many fears based on half-truths. I didn’t fear them, though the younger Warden recruits kept their distance.
Some sought the Necro for their danger, for the pleasure found in pain. Sinner’s Row ran boutiques covering the fetishes of those who enjoyed a ‘feed and fornicate,’ as they called it, to the darkest and most macabre desires, where the thrill came in becoming a meal, quite literally. And there went my pure, innocent mind, languishing on such thoughts.
Death and lust were often intertwined, so the Ember said. Personally, I liked to keep the two apart.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/09/2026

Hello! I'm a non-binary author and today I just released The Chosen One Con, a queer gaslamp fantasy with trans and non-binary characters! books2read.com/thechosenone...

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/09/2026

Thanks to @earlronove.bsky.social who designed the headers and scene break image that appears in the ebook and paperback! They look fantastic!

A screenshot of the prologue from the ebook of The Chosen One Con. It shows the header image of a potion bottle surrounded by a line of aether crystals and magnolia petals as designed by S. Jean. The text says: Where the Show Began for Max. Every mage began their magical journey thanks to Benny Bluebell’s Magic Hour. Children from across the city would sit cross-legged in front of their MVs, excited for Benny Bluebell to appear on their screens and entrance them with magic. Benny alone inspired many modern mages to open a spellbook, and the same can be said of our greatest Archon, His Eminence Ignatius. —The Art of Aether, Stoneridge Productions.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/09/2026

Thanks also to @aowna.bsky.social who designed the character art cards for the POV characters of Max, Lyle, and Hope, as well as the portrait of Max inside the book. I hope we shall work again soon in the near future!

Portrait art of Max Farrow from The Chosen One Con by Aowna. It depicts Max, a young white man with blond hair and wearing a blue suit and a blue cloak with gloves and silver spellrings. He is hunched over and cradling a glowing blue potion in his hands. Behind him are multiple vintage TV screens angled so that they are watching over him. Each screen has the same man, who looks like an older version of Max, displaying varying emptions as they watch Max through the screen.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/09/2026

A special thank you to cartographer @sorayastories.bsky.social who designed the incredible city map to Aefenhold! Soraya has designed three maps for me now (my YA series and the domain map for my Cruel Gods) and I live in awe of her amazing skills. Just look at the detail! The talent!

The city map to Aefenhold as designed by Soraya Cocoran. This is a colour illustrated map that shows the various locales of the city split into the city districts, including the posh mansions of Highbridge, the entertainment district of Riverside, the business district of Stoneridge, the working class district of Fenwell, the poorest district of Oldtown, the industrial district of The Stacks, the docks at Luetear Wharf. The Cobalt River runs through the city and connects to the Bayle Sea to the south. To the east is woodland.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 01/09/2026

After a few years of hard work, The Chosen One Con is out now on ebook with paperbacks to follow soon! Available on Kindle, Kobo, Itch and more to come. books2read.com/thechosenone... But of course, I couldn't publish this book without help, and I have a lot of people to thank! 👇

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 31/08/2026

With one more sleep until The Chosen One Con, I wanted to highlight the fake TV guide, MV Weekly, which is a companion to The Chosen One Con and features character interviews and articles from the story! Get it for FREE on Itch.io or pay what you want! trudieskies.itch.io/mv-weekly

A screenshot of the contents page to MV Weekly. This depicts a fake TV guide magazine with a list of articles you can find inside, such as character interviews, guides to enchantments and potions, and much more.

A screenshot of a fake puzzle page inside MV Weekly, which shows a crossword and quiz.

A screenshot of the TV listings for MV Weekly, which has a list of fake TV shows and their description, as well as an advert for TV repair.

A screenshot of a fake advert in MV Weekly which shows an advert for the Vim & Vigor potion and the text, got the morbs? Put some pep in your step, guaranteed!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 30/08/2026

Max Farrow grew up in the poorest town of Aefenhold. Magic and potions were for rich folk, but he watched mages use them on MV and became fascinated with magic as a young child, as most children did, by watching Benny Bluebell's Magic Hour. He dreamed that maybe one day, he too could have magic.

An illustrated blue monochromatic portrait of Max Farrow from The Chosen One Con as designed by Aowna. It shows a young white man with sleek pale hair in a fancy suit and surrounded by bluebell flowers and petals.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 30/08/2026

With only days to go until The Chosen One Con releases, let's talk queer rep! The world of Aefenhold is queernormative. All three of our POV characters are queer, and we have a range of queer and trans side characters as well. Character art by the amazing @aowna.bsky.social 💙

A promotional image for The Chosen One Con showing the book cover and character art for the characters of Max Farrow, Lyle Miller, and Hope Farrow as designed by Aowna. The text says: The Chosen One Con releasing September 1. Queer rep in The Chosen One Con. Max Farrow: Bisexual sex worker and we don't shy from showing it all on page! Lyle Miller: Demisexual and Max's ex... Could there be a second chance? Hope Farrow: Teen trans girl with crushes on other girls... Plus more queer, trans, and non-binary characters!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 29/08/2026

I'm so tired I forgot to do my promo post for The Chosen One Con, which releases in a few days time! Look at how excited Gustave is for this book!!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 29/08/2026

The Thirteenth Hour, the first in The Cruel Gods series, is currently part of the Narratess sale for 1.99! Get it on Amazon, Kobo, Itch.io or you can get it direct from me on Kofi: ko-fi.com/s/165f477aca

A promo image showing the book cover to The Thirteenth Hour. Cruel gods demand worship from their mortal subjects in this gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. If you liked Arcane, Carnival Row, Final Fantasy VII, or Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence, you may also like The Thirteenth Hour.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 29/08/2026

This weekend is the Narratess Indie Book Sale! 280+ books including The Thirteenth Hour are on sale at 1.99, 2.99 or FREE across fantasy, sci-fi, and horror genres! Check it out and grab yourself an adventure: indiebook.sale #booksky #NarratessSale2026 #NarratessIndieSale

A promo image for the Narratess Indie Book sale at indiebook.sale, featuring fantasy, sci-fi and horror this weekend, 29-31 August. The image shows book covers to various indie books as well as an illustrated picture of a dragon reading a book, design by Arden Powell.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 28/08/2026

Three days to go until The Chosen One Con releases! 👀

An arrow trope map for The Chosen One Con showing the book cover by Trudie Skies and a background of chimneys with smoke. The text says The poor mine the aether, the rich buy designer magic. The tropes arrows include: LGBTQ+ Rep, Celebrity TV Mages, A Contest of Trials That Don't Go Well, Will Suck Cock for Success, Queer-Normative World, Drug-Fuelled Hallucinations, Who Keeps Murdering? Everything is Fucking Blue, Enjoy the Revolution, Fake Chosen One Prophecy, Magic Potions Galore.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 28/08/2026

Bored at work. Ask me anything about The Chosen One Con, or any of my books! Or my cats I guess!

The book cover to The Chosen One Con, book one in the Lost in the Aether duology by Trudie Skies. The cover shows a handsome young white man in a long trench coat putting a glowing blue potion in his inner pocket as though stealing it. In the background are factories with chimneys blowing out dark smoke with a teal colouring.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 27/08/2026

Four days until The Chosen One Con is in your hands! 👀 So for today, I'm sharing this incredible art by @aowna.bsky.social that appears in the book so you can see what's in Max's hands... and what's looking over his shoulder 👀

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 26/08/2026

With less than a week to go, you can now preorder The Chosen One Con on Itch.io! trudieskies.itch.io/the-chosen-o...

A promo image for The Chosen One Con by Trudie Skies. It has the book cover to The Chosen One Con featuring a young white man in a trench coat stealing a glowing blue potion with factories in the background. The text says: The Chosen One Con releasing September 1. “There are a few things you know you're going to get when your read a book by Trudie Skies: A detailed, functioning world full of its own strange quirks and dark undertones. Masterful foreshadowing that lets you think you've guessed the plot twist… But did you really think that was the whole thing? Hahahaha! All the queerness you could possibly imagine.” - OldBird NetGalley Reader Preorder Now!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 25/08/2026

The Chosen One Con is out in a week! 🙉 Preorder on Amazon or Kobo! It'll also be coming to Itch.io and other online stores in a week! 👀 books2read.com/thechosenone...

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 24/08/2026

There's just a few days left to grab an #ARC of The Chosen One Con on NetGalley!

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 22/08/2026

We managed to get a video 🙈 WTF is this shit, who is driving the car??

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 21/08/2026

Wonderful new review on BookSirens for The Chosen One Con! 😍

A screenshot of a five star review on BookSirens with the following text: What a great read. A new twist on magic, great characters, good story line and well paced action. Gave a good commentary on political corruption, abuse of power, separation of classes, controlling the population, and the desire for freedom. LGBTQ+ people portrayed as the real people they are. The further I got into the book, the harder it was to put down.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 21/08/2026

From The Cruel Gods, mortals never had beliefs about the end of the world. The mortals are eternal, after all. But in The Thirteenth Hour, certain characters start having certain visions... #MythAugust

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

“Chaos has awakened!” Reve screamed. “Her children bring the end of the gods! The end of Chime! The end of time itself! Hark for when the clock strikes thirteen! Hark!”

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 19/08/2026

The Chosen One Con is part of this LGBT fiction ARC bundle alongside other queer books on BookSirens! Check it out! booksirens.com/bundle/lgbt-...

A promo image featuring a collection of book covers for LGBT fiction ARCs.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 18/08/2026

The Chosen One Con is releasing in two weeks time! 👀 Here are some kind words by the wonderful @tessahastjarjanto.com, author and indie champion! Preorder on Amazon or Kobo: books2read.com/thechosenone...

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 17/08/2026

Looking for a new #ARC to read? The Chosen One Con is still on NetGalley and BookSirens for request! "...if you're looking for something original, challenging, and thought-provoking as well as entertaining, this adult gaslamp fantasy series starter certainly delivers." - NetGalley reviewer

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 16/08/2026

Yes, I'm releasing The Chosen One Con, book one in the Lost in the Aether duology, on 1 September! My queer gaslamp fantasy. www.goodreads.com/book/show/23... The cover art was designed by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design: www.bookflydesign.com

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 16/08/2026

In the world of The Cruel Gods, you've got no choice. Your soul belongs to your god. They can smite you in a heart beat, remotely. In fact, here's Valeria doing just that to a mortal who prayed for help right in chapter one! #MythAugust

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

The woman shrank from his gaze. “They—They wouldn’t let me go, but my Queen, she needs—she needs my tithe.”
“It’s quite all right.” The Warden sounded kind for a Diviner, though based on the Vesper muttering and shaking their heads behind us, they didn’t buy his act either. “I’ll ensure you get to Eventide and we’ll get your tithe paid on time. I need to ask you a few questions first.”
“You—You won’t take me back?”
“You have my word.” His hand twitched by his side, as though fighting the urge to touch her.
“I don’t believe you! I’m not going back; you can’t make me!” The woman clasped her hands together in prayer. “My Queen! I’m sorry! Please save me, my Queen! I’m—”
She screamed, and her spine arched in a pained spasm.
The Warden and I both reached out to grab her at the same time. Bright silver light pulsed through the aether lamps, and a shrill screech tore through my head as though someone had whistled directly in my ear. I cringed from the sound, and my hand swiped through empty air as the Warden fell forward.
Get away from him.
I scrambled back from his touch—I couldn’t risk brushing against a Diviner, not even accidentally. But he’d landed on the rags that had once belonged to the Vesper. She’d faded into nothing in a single heartbeat, leaving only her meager possessions and a mote of dust.
Our god had claimed her.
I didn’t know whether to curse or cry. Hadn’t I told her not to pray?
Hadn’t I bloody told her?

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 15/08/2026

My favourite thing to write is banter! There's plenty of that between our two POV MC's Kayl and Quen in The Thirteenth Hour. This is taken from a scene where Quen has arrested and is questioning Kayl for her mysterious new powers... #TBBChat #BookBazaar26

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

“On that night, you served a Diviner who tried to question you,” Quen continued. “Do you remember what happened?”
Of course I did. “Your Diviner friend was rude, so I finished work early. Though perhaps you should ask what a prominent ambassador was doing drinking coffee in a public café with Glimmer?”
“It’s not against the Covenant for a man to order coffee.”
“For any man, sure. But for the Diviner ambassador to dine with the owners of workhouses who’d just bribed a god with gold at ten o’clock at night? In civilian clothing? Rather suspicious, don’t you think?”
“I’d say a Godless spying on the Diviner ambassador is far more suspicious. And please, I’ll be asking the questions if you don’t mind, or we’ll both be stuck in this room for an eternity. Trust me, eternity is an awfully long time. Speaking of time, the ambassador tried to slow you down. His powers didn’t affect you.”
“Perhaps Diviner men suffer from impotency. It happens to the best of us.”
A slight smile graced Quen’s lips. “Shortly after, we found a body in Central Station. A Diviner. Dead.” The smile vanished. “Would you know anything about that?”
“I would not.”
“And then earlier this day, I found you skulking in Ambassador Gloria’s estate. I can assume why you were there. I also tried to slow you with no effect.”
“Then you need the same Necro doctor as your friend.”

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 13/08/2026

From The Thirteenth Hour, my book that's getting its own special edition in The Book Bazaar 2026. This is Warden HQ - where criminal mortals are sent. Each of the 12 domains have different methods of dealing with criminals, and they're held here until then. #TBBPrompt

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

The halls of the Warden HQ were painted a bland gray with no other decoration. I’d always found them oppressive and daunting. This section of HQ—the correctional facility—housed criminals until they could be processed and either rehabilitated back into Chime’s society or exiled to their respective domains. The higher-ups didn’t like us describing the rooms as cells, but that’s what they were.
I hated these halls. Hated being here. Each footstep echoed against the pristine tiles and then vanished altogether, as though even sound was snatched and locked away.
Returning to this place was a reminder of my own shortcomings.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 13/08/2026

Selling you on The Chosen One Con with the dedication! Grab an ARC from NetGalley or BookSirens! Available to preorder on Amazon and Kobo!

A promotional image for The Chosen One Con which shows the book cover and the following dedication text: For the workers, the sex workers, the immigrants, the marginalized, the downtrodden, the hungry, the destitute, and all who face oppression at the greedy hands of the rich. There are more of us than them.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 08/08/2026

I had trouble deciding which of the 12 gods to choose from, but it makes sense to go with Valeria, god of the Vesper and ruler of Eventide, as she is the first god we meet in The Thirteenth Hour! In fact, here's the first time we meet her from Quen's POV. It goes well 🙈 #MythAugust

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

Atop the grotesque pile of wealth sprawled the queen of it all.
The god of dusk.
Valeria took the form of a mortal female. Though, like a Necro, there was something not quite natural about the perfection she chose to display. She towered above her subjects at nine feet in height, and her long, lithe figure was barely covered in a thin black gown which did little to hide the mound of her sex, or the shape of her breasts. Her skin was the midnight blue of most Vesper, her hair a thick black that coiled down to her shoulders. Her face too was sculpted like a statue, with high cheekbones and plump puckered lips painted in silver.
More silver glittered across her body: three pendants dangled from her neck, each the shape of the moon in various forms, and her arms and wrists were wrapped in silver bangles. Each finger also bore a silver ring. She liked her silver, did Valeria.
No wonder she enjoyed the company of Diviner.
The Glimmer described Valeria as sin incarnate, and it was difficult to disagree with their assessment. She certainly rivaled the Ember god for wanton sin.
That was Valeria, really. Breathtakingly beautiful, and all for show. She thrived on the attention of mortals and demanded their absolute worship. Even her throne was surrounded in tall mirrors so she could preen herself.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 08/08/2026

Share a favourite picture of your cat(s) to celebrate International Cat Day and #Caturday! I've got many pics of Gustave and Bayley together but this is my favourite 😻

A photo of Gustave the tabby cat and Bayley the ragdoll cat sitting on a cardboard box together. Bayley has his paw over Gustave's back and is pressing his nose to Gustave's head in a kiss.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

From The Thirteenth Hour, my gaslamp fantasy getting a special edition as part of The Book Bazaar 2026 this October! This is what happens when one god takes an interest in the mortals of another... #TBBPrompt

A screenshot of text from The Thirteenth Hour. The text says:

The Glimmer led me out into the main foyer as the remaining Vesper were questioned. From there, I was whisked away into a bathing chamber where another Glimmer and a female Necro waited.
“Strip,” the Glimmer ordered. “And submit yourself to a physical examination.”
I was a prisoner of their order now and didn’t have a choice. Personally, I didn’t care much for modesty, but revealing too much skin was considered a sin in my god’s eyes, and so I clutched my shawl tight around my shoulders in mock horror. “You wish for me to undress in front of another?”
The Glimmer forced an impatient smile. “To ensure you are healthy and whole. So many of Valeria’s subjects come to us damaged. You are in our care now.”
Damaged. Such an ugly word. It was no secret that the Vesper god liked to smite her own subjects, though I had to wonder why Valeria would allow her mortals to be used and abused by Glimmer. Our mortal souls still belonged to her and would return to her at death. Even from this deep underground.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

For The Chosen One Con, it's the TV shows and the actual TV guide I made for it 😂 I even made fucking puzzles for that thing! For The Cruel Gods series, it's the concept of 12 domains that each correspond to a time on the clock, and they can only be accessed at that time via a magical portal.

The cover to MV Weekly, a fake TV magazine. It shows a woman with red lipstick holding a heart-shaped potion and headlines that include: Discover your perfect potion. Phantom Phial? Or Vile? The shocking truth exposed!

The domain crossings map to The Cruel Gods series designed by Soraya Cocoran. The map depicts a clock shape with various domains drawn into the wedges of each time.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

I've reached the end of the list, so how about a book shelfie! Ive got more books in a pile with nowhere to put them for now 😂 But I'd like to keep growing my collection of physical indie books. I need more queer and trans authors here for a start.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

20. You would save in a house fire. If you know me, you know this isnt a surprise. This is one of my favourite books of all time! I own four versions of this book, but this is the version I'm saving. It is, of course, Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang.

A photo of the book cover to Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang.

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

19. You would read in a park. I think Of Honey and Wildfires by @sarahchorn.bsky.social would be a beautiful book to read in the park.

A photo of the book cover to Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn.

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