iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

"Brother Hrodberht stared at Hywel like a lamb would stare at a hungry wolf who had just snapped at it." (Ignore the awkward phrasing. I'll edit it later.)

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Dr. Nick Posegay @nposegay.northsky.social · 27/09/2026

This spellbook (~13th c.) is great. It's got spells for invisibility, protecting travellers, predicting pregnancy, causing love and hate, and scrying in a mirror. The magician started a spell for "gathering demons," but seems to have had second thoughts and stopped after 4 words. @theul.bsky.social

Brown, waterstained paper bifolium on a blue background next to a yellow label that reads T-S K1.132 (https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-TS-K-00001-00132/2)

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Medievalist.net @medievalists.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

"Scholarly effort is in decline everywhere as never before. Indeed, cleverness is shunned at home and abroad. What does reading offer to pupils except tears? It is rare, worthless when it is offered for sale, and devoid of wit." www.medievalists.net/2023/09/medi... #teachers

medievalists.net

Medieval teachers complaining about their students - Medievalists.net

It is not too difficult to come across teachers talking about how bad their students are. However, even in medieval times there was a lot to complain about when it came to student performance.

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C.J. Subko @cjsubko.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I love the crispness of Fall. It feels like there are spirits in the air!

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I LOVE fan art of my characters. My boundaries are no NSFW pieces and if the character is fat/POC/disabled/scarred/etc to include those features.

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

What makes you automatically reject a query? #askdv

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#askdv Do agents prefer historical fiction characters to have period accurate beliefs or do they prefer the characters to have modern beliefs? (MC is a 9th century monk and his worldviews reflect the setting. I'm wondering if this is off putting for current audiences.)

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I'm writing a book where the main character is purposely annoying, but over the course of the book he learns and grows. How often do agents reject a manuscript because of an annoying character in the opening pages, even if the query says they grow and change over the course of the book? #askdv

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#askDV If a book was written entirely in second person, would you consider representing the manuscript?

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#askdv What makes you reject a query that you might have otherwise accepted?

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#askDV in 2026, what kinds of queer books are considered a hard sell in publishing?

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Llewellyn @llewellynrose.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

planning a historic fiction comic really has you looking up stuff like "where did people buy salt" and "bags"

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I've started reading The Wolf and His King and I am enjoying it so far. I'm not used to reading second person POV, so it's something to get used to. I'm also enjoying Bisclavret's werewolfness (lycanthropy?) as a metaphor for disability (and perhaps queerness? I'm only 10% in so far).

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

That medieval mystery story I am writing will be written, whether it wants to or not. I will put it on the page kicking and screaming.

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Tiffany Baxter @tiffbaxter.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Another work in progress for upcoming cons, a guide to medieval headwear with my cat. It will be a risograph, though I’m unsure what colours yet.

A rough layout for a poster with my cat Pixie wearing various medieval women’s headwear.

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I'm currently working on some art for my next youtube video on misbehaving medieval monks and I think my drawing of a monk in the habit of abandoning his habit to dress in armor and beat people up is my favorite so far.

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Tiffany Baxter @tiffbaxter.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Preview of the Beowulf notepads i'm having made to complement the bookmarks when I next restock :^)

A design for notepads where a twisting wyrm in an insular manuscript style snakes around the border, a square speech bubble emits from its mouth saying 'HWÆT!'

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#askDV in 2026, what kinds of queer books are considered a hard sell in publishing?

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#askdv What makes you reject a query that you might have otherwise accepted?

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Dr Rory MacLellan @rorymaclellan.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A spell in a 15th-century grimoire for summoning a demon to find buried treasure. Sloane MS 3849, f. 18r. #medievalsky

Medieval spell to find buried treasure, with diagrams. When you come to a place where you believe there to be treasure hidden, you must draw a quadrangle in the earth as shown in the diagrams. Then burn or boil frankincense, saffron, and a dyed red rose and breath in the fumes, presenting the concoction to each corner of the quadrangle, this will bind the spirit to you when he appears in one of the corners.

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I'm really excited for my next YouTube video that I am currently working on. It involves quite a few historical anecdotes about misbehaving medieval monks. #medievalsky

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Someone needs to take the "tragic backstory" gun away from me. I keep shooting it at my characters.

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Dr Kathleen Neal @kbneal.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Sooooooooooooo true www.youtube.com/shorts/YqPPy...

youtube.com

Rough Draft vs Final Draft

YouTube video by Elle Cordova

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I REALLY wanted to like The Devils. I did not like The Devils. youtu.be/kJ18kDUgPfY

youtu.be

Why I DNF'd The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

YouTube video by Viktor Athelstan The Mediaeval Monk

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Decessit Vita Matris is now available on Hoopla! Check it out from your local library today!

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

It's the first day of fall and you can't change my mind.

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Currently writing a piece for the queer medieval jam on itch right now. Prioress Eleanor and Brother Cadfael inspired me to try my hand at a medieval mystery. (Though this is at my ***mostly*** silly monastery so something gets stolen. No one gets murdered.)

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

You can now request Decessit Vita Matris at your local library! It features: -a traumatized newly trans masc monk -a handsome knight -body horror and pregnancy based horror -demons on the English moors -sea monks (aka mermen who are also monks) -a love story

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Rewrote my query letter for The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Brother Cellanus. Maybe this time the agents will bite! #writing

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In the rewrite of Brother Cellanus, the only person who does not seem to know that Cellanus is bisexual is Cellanus.

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Kenneth F. Duggan 🇨🇦 @kfduggan.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

A demon sketched at the bottom of a 13th-century writ of bail for homicide. I love working with the C144 records from The National Archives.

A small creature with pointy, animal ears but a mostly human face is sketched in brownish-black ink at the bottom of a writ of bail. The sketch is on parchment. The creature is staring at the reader with wide eyes and a smile, and appears to be wearing a hat.

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Gabino Iglesias @gabino.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

It’s #FridayReads time! Let’s share books and boost all signals. Repost this and let us know what to repost for you. The HOBAR ebook is only $1.99 for a limited time! That’s a lot of creatures from beyond the reef, horror, crime, vengeance, murder, and magic for cheap! www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CP...

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Jay Hulme @jayhulmepoet.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

People think I read the sayings of the Desert Fathers for the spiritual teachings, and yes, sure, that's part of it. But I also read them because those guys were catty af.

One of the brethren had been insulted by another and he wanted to take revenge. He came to Abbot Sisois and told him what had taken place, saying: I am going to get even, Father. But the elder be-sought him to leave the affair in the hands of God. No, said the brother, I will not give up until I have made that fellow pay for what he said. Then the elder stood up and began to pray in these terms: O God, Thou art no longer necessary to us, and we no longer need Thee to take care of us since, as this brother says, we both can and will avenge ourselves. At this the brother promised to give up his idea of revenge.

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Decessit Vita Matris is now available on more ebook platforms! Soon you'll be able to request ebooks at your local library! books2read.com/u/mqyrp2

books2read.com

Available now at your favorite digital store!

Decessit Vita Matris by Viktor Athelstan

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Decessit Vita Matris is now available on more ebook platforms! Soon you'll be able to request ebooks at your local library! books2read.com/u/mqyrp2

books2read.com

Available now at your favorite digital store!

Decessit Vita Matris by Viktor Athelstan

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Do you ever read a book so disappointing that it puts you in a reading slump?

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Starting up my old habit of writing at least 50 words a day again after a long period of not writing anything new. 50 is a very manageable number and usually I write significantly more than that. #writing

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Ricki☕🪄 @rickihirsch.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Re: YouTubers using AI to research and write Doing the research, processing it and communicating to an audience is the whole thing. It's supposed to be fun. If you're so disenchanted with the work that you'd rather offload that to an LLM, what are you even doing here?

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Still up for free! #books #writing

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Miles, knitting screaming agony werewolf @queermedieval.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Listening to tiktok at top volume in public spaces is perhaps the most irritating thing a person can do. Put on some headphones or turn the volume off, oh my god

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Viktor Athelstan @viktorathelstan.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Any recommendations for graphic novels set in the middle ages? #medievalsky #graphicnovels

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