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V. S. Vasan

@vsvasan.substack.com
28 followers 34 following 82 posts

I write epic fantasy and am currently querying HERALD OF ASHES. Perpetually curious, I love reading, writing, nature, exploring rabbit holes, and slow living. Oh, and also cats and chai, but who doesn't?

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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 4h
Thanks! You too 😊
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 4h
Still my fave!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 14h
Omg! This is like talking to myself. Nothing goes waste, Elodie. It's shaped you and helped you write a fantastic story.
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 14h
Truth. It's the elitist attitudes that made me sick. Anyway, glad to note you're recovering 😊
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 14h
Everything about this is stunning! The systemic oppression of Academia is definitely scarier!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 14h
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
I've got you! 😊 I have a 63k doc with just worldbuilding info. I had so much fun with it 😁
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 16h
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 · 18h
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 · 19h
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 · 20h
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 · 21h
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 · 30/09/2026
This is amazing. Thank you.
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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 · 29/09/2026
Queer historical supernatural romance? Give it me already!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 28/09/2026
Good to know 😂
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 28/09/2026
Truth!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 28/09/2026
Me too. I love the look on his face 😂
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 28/09/2026
Excatly! 😁
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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
The darker the better!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 27/09/2026
Hope you'll love HOA as much!
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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 · 26/09/2026
This is adorable!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 26/09/2026
This is gorgeous!
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 26/09/2026
That's hilarious! 😂
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026
Thanks ☺️
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026
Rebel away😄 I love that they're both called George!
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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
Thanks ☺️
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026
Thanks 😊
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 25/09/2026
Thanks 😊
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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
Thank you so much for answering. I was planning on querying you when I heard about DVpit and decided to wait 😊🙏
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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 · 24/09/2026
My adult epic fantasy was planned as a trilogy with each book having its own arc. How do you feel about that? Should my query state planned trilogy or with series potential? Thanks
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 23/09/2026
Been thinking about this. Normally, a pitch is supposed to be in third person present irrespective of the pov used in the story. So, your pitch pov doesn't have to reflect your story. If you're still unsure, you could always, in the main query letter, tell the agent what pov is used in the novel.
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026
This was a fun take.
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026
I certainly hope so! 😊
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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
How could you go wrong with those comps! I like the other one better but also the anchoring to the past in this
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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
And I'm sorry, but I still don’t get the part about uncovering. But if I'm the only one, there’s nothing to worry about 😊
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026
As for the disabilities, you're absolutely right that disabled people can be heroes and it’s great that you're writing about it. What I'm saying is that it could be made clear. Removing concealed might help because the pitch doesn’t reveal how her community views them.
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026
Excellent catch. Thanks. Some people don't form the armour and are oppressed because of it.
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V. S. Vasan @vsvasan.substack.com · 22/09/2026
I like this better than the others. It's clearer to me. Still don't know what the queen bites back means. And if it's a repeating day, then isn't she just catching the same suitors?
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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
Love the comps!!! I'm sorry but I'm just confused. She had to kill but has to uncover at the same time? What's to uncover? Why concealed disabilities? Do you mean powers because communicating with fungi is f'g cool! Also, the tone of your comps is grim whereas your p sounds whimsical.
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