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An Agent's Guide to HERALD OF ASHES Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. Adult Epic Fantasy | 114,000 words #HeraldOfAshes #EpicFantasy #Fantasy

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 15h

What do you do in a world without metal? You grow your own. Ride-or-die friendships Mystery solved only by working together Slow-burn romance Yearning MMC Found family Animal companion Society built on dark secrets and propaganda So cool, charming and… kind. Sure they're villains? #DVpit #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 16h

Kal doesn't form living body armour. But when her closest friend and her childhood love do, they abandon her for a life of privilege. Now, her friend’s gone missing. Will Kal ally with the man who once betrayed her and save her friend? Or will she focus on her own life? Like they did? #DVpit #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 17h

BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR Kal fails to form living body armour—the marker of privilege in her metal-less world. Now, she must choose safety and live the life handed to her. Or risk her life to fight for the child she loves and the friends who are being experimented on. #DVpit #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 18h

Kal's body betrays her by not forming living armour. Her friends abandon her for a life of privilege. The island chief wants her ‘services’. Kal’s plan? Provoke a death sentence, pretend to die and secretly watch over the child she loves. She succeeds. Everything still goes wrong. #DVpit #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 19h

Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. When Kal doesn’t form the living body armour that grants privilege, she fears sexual servitude but is promised her dream life by the kind rulers. The cost? The child she loves. Unless she allies with the man who once betrayed her. #DVpit #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 29/09/2026

Hi DV people. These past few days have been fun. The creativity in this group is simply mind-blowing. Good luck for the main event tomorrow. I’d love for us to keep in touch and continue supporting each. 🍀🤞 #DVparty

static.klipy.com

Cute Cat Wishing Good Luck!

Alt: Cute Cat Wishing Good Luck!

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 28/09/2026

Couldn't find a meme for the story. So, here's a pic of a totally innocent cat (because) and a couple of memes for Kal, the MC of HERALD OF ASHES. #DVparty

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 27/09/2026

HERALD OF ASHES | Adult epic fantasy BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR with the anti-imperialism of BABEL #DVParty #A #F

HERALD OF ASHES | Adult epic fantasy
Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises.

BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR
with the anti-imperialism sentiment of BABEL

Opening lines:

1 – Smokescreen
The treacherous sun was already lightening the horizon as Kal scanned the courtyard one last time. Later that night, she’d return here to take on her tormentors. The fight would see her sentenced to death by cloudfish at the Ceremony the next morning. And she’d be free – at last – to live as she wanted.

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Reposted by V. S. Vasan

Claire Every @cripademia.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Mood board for #DVParty Vibing for my 🎓BABEL X SALTBURN🧂 dark academia speculative novel. 🕸️ There are secret clues if you zoom in... #A #CI #Dis

Digital collage titled "THE QUICKSILVER WEB" featuring classical art, moths, a caduceus, a library, and a person on a couch above a color palette and the text "Oxford 2012 - Where the real monsters wear credentials."

#DVparty #literaryagents #publishing #editors #booksky #amquerying

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 26/09/2026

HERALD OF ASHES Meet Kal, a woman with a plan. It works. Perfectly. Everything still goes wrong. #DVParty #A #F

Herald of Ashes | Adult epic fantasy
Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises.

Main character: Kal
Her body betrays her by not forming living armour.
Her friends abandon her for a life of privilege.
The island chief wants her ‘services’.
They execute a friend and make her watch.

"I’m going to force them to sentence me to death. Since the cloudfish don’t attack me, I can pretend to die, swim away to my hideout and secretly watch over Aavya."

She succeeds.
Everything still goes wrong.

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026

Herald of Ashes | Adult epic fantasy * Ride-or-die friendships * Mystery solved only by working together * Slow-burn romance * Found family * Animal companion * Society built on dark secrets and propaganda * So cool, charming and… kind. Sure they're villains? #DVParty #A #F

Herald of Ashes | Adult epic fantasy.
What do you do in a world without metal? You grow your own.

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026

Herald of Ashes | Adult epic fantasy Ride-or-die friendships Mystery solved only by working together Slow-burn romance Found family Animal companion Society built on dark secrets and propaganda So cool, charming and… kind. Sure they're villains? #DVParty #A #F

Herald of Ashes | Adult epic fantasy.
Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises.

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 24/09/2026

My adult epic fantasy was planned as a trilogy with each book having its own arc. Should my query state planned trilogy or with series potential? #AskDV

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026

Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. With no living body armour to grant her privilege, Kal fears sexual servitude but is promised her dream life by the kind rulers. The cost? Losing the child she loves & her life. Unless she allies with the man who once betrayed her. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026

Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. > Ride-or-die friendship > Mystery solved only by working together > Slow-burn romance > Found family > Animal companion > Society built on dark secrets and propaganda >> So cool, charming and… kind. Sure they're villains? << #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026

Kal's plan to get sentenced to death backfires when she’s asked to help those like her without the living body armour that confers privilege. When she discovers the real reason for the rulers’ kindness, she must ally with the man who betrayed her to save herself and everyone she loves. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026

With no living body armour to grant her privilege, Kal fears sexual servitude is her lot but is asked to improve the lives of those like her. When she discovers the real reason for the rulers’ kindness, she must ally with the man who betrayed her to save herself and everyone she loves. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026

Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. Kal is rescued from servitude by the kind rulers of the land and promised the life of her dreams. Only, this new life may cost her everyone she loves, even her own life. Unless she allies with the man who once betrayed her. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 21/09/2026

Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. Kal is rescued from servitude by the kind rulers of the land and promised the life of her dreams. But this shiny new life may cost her everyone she loves. Maybe even her own life. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 21/09/2026

HERALD OF ASHES Some prisons have walls. Others are made of promises. Ride-or-die friendship Mystery solved only by working together Slow-burn romance Found family Animal companion Society built on dark secrets and propaganda >> So cool, kind and lovely. Sure they're villains? << #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 21/09/2026

With no living body armour that grants privilege, Kal expects lifelong sexual servitude but is asked to improve the lives of those like her. When she discovers the real reason for the rulers’ kindness, she must ally with the man who betrayed her to save herself and everyone she loves. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 21/09/2026

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 21/09/2026

In a world where living body armour marks privilege, Kal chooses death over sexual servitude but is tasked by the rulers to help those like her. When she realises they're experimenting on her friends, she must team up with the man who betrayed her to save herself and everyone she loves. #preDV #A #F

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 20/09/2026

I write because I find the alternative terrifying (it would be cruel to leave me alone with my own thoughts). vsvasan.substack.com/p/why-i-writ...

vsvasan.substack.com

So, I write… fantasy

How the Mahabharata shaped me as a reader and writer

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 18/09/2026

Somehow, a billionaire, a roach and heavy-metal poisoning are also involved. Sounds like a joke, but apparently that's what it takes for me to write epic fantasy! vsvasan.substack.com/p/herald-of-...

vsvasan.substack.com

William Blake turned knight in shining armour to save a story I’d written

Or how a literary novel about a woman and her estranged parents turned into an epic fantasy

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 17/09/2026

#AskDV Does 'standalone with series potential' work for adult epic fantasy when it's actually a planned trilogy?

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