#btms

ASMLP in October, obviously. I have almost everything together now and could honestly push it up one more month if I really wanted to, but I've spent so much time lately telling people it's out in October it'd probs be confusing to do it any earlier.

Anyway I do want to have two releases next year. I'd love to have ATHD ready to release next year in the spring, and I think I can if I force myself to get my shit together.

And then in the fall next year I'd love to release BTMS. Cause I think that, too, I can get into shape by then.

I think a lot of my projects ask a similar question, which is something along the lines of "How far out of line is acceptable if done for love?"

Taken another way, WTTV asks the question of "How far would you go to get someone dear to you back?" Which is a similar question asked in BTMS, except in that case the question is really "When is it acceptable to move on from a loved one?" Meanwhile, I think in this short I'm working on right now, the question is moreso, "What would you do to obtain the love you think you deserve?"

All this to say I was thinking about the question behind ASMLP. Because, yes, the central relationship is a core part of the plot, but it's not directly related to the question being asked. And I think the question that I am asking with it can be summed up as follows: "In the wake of a communal tragedy, how much onus goes to the individual versus on the institutions overseeing them?"

Which is quite a large question to ask. It's also, in this instance, a large step away from the general question my writing has been asking.

Was tagged for this by @magic-is-something-we-create . Thanks Pax! Let's get to it!

Rules: share the first sentence of your last ten stories. If you haven’t written ten stories, share as many first sentences as you have.

ASMLP Chapter One (Simone's POV)

Across the desk, Simone’s Intro to Glyph Design professor reads their thesis proposal with a thoughtful furrow in his brows.

BTMS Chapter One

Eien-Inoue manor is a particularly painful eyesore today.

I Would Enter Haides

It is the beginning of Pyanepsion when Agape first feels the threads of fate shift within her.

Within These Twisted Vines

Isabella was missing.

Pillow Talks

It had started in IKEA, as most disasters do.

The Curse of Floaroma Town

By the time we had our first corpse, it was already too late.

The Temple on Cicaro Hill

It was said throughout the Isles that Muirenn had been born during a thunderstorm.

Lilium Chapter One (Oliver's POV)

Inside the hotel room, the air smelled of cigarettes and death.

TWEfA Chapter One (Katalin's POV)

“Meicha has been disposed of.”

Midnight Darlings Chapter One

The cursor blinked and refused to still.

And a bonus 11th one because TOOD deserves a spot:

TOOD Chapter One

The metal is cold in my hands when I curl my fingers around it.

Omg thank you for the ask you're so sweet ^^

7. what books have shaped the way you think about writing the most? why?

I really had to think about this one... because I have a few different answers, if I'm being honest with you. There are books that have been revolutionary in my process. There's been non-books that have done the same. There's also been books I've absolutely hated that still served to how I think about stories, just in an antagonistic/spiteful way. So uh... here's the list of books I can think of rn, plus some games because most info comes from Those anyway.

Iron Widow. I hated this book and how much potential it had that I feel was, quite frankly, wasted. And, with the help of reading it and digesting think pieces (esp from @serpentsapple , highly recommend), I have been able to better examine what I find to be IW's failings and how I would approach similar character arcs.

This isn't a book but I really love The Adventure Zone in most of its forms and this podcast has helped me learn how to have fun with creating again as well as examining character arcs and how I might approach them.

Similar with Critical Role. One day I will write a character to rival Caleb Widogast.

Soulsborne games of From Software. Again, not books. I think one of the best and simultaneously worst aspects of these games is how understated the stories are. So much of it is relegated to optional dialogue or reading the item descriptions. It has made me so intrigued by the world at large that I once spent a month researching Bloodborne Lore, including a document over 100 pages long someone had put together. I think there's important lessons and critiques to be found in its subtle worldbuilding and storytelling. Also like. Big eldritch beast hot awesome. And there's just something about these worlds that has its players dying to dive head first into it, even if they don't fully understand.

Hollow Knight taught me similar lessons but also imo does the whole "Subtle storytelling" bit better.

A Dowry of Blood. I haven't put much of what I've read to use--yet--but this book was beautiful and heartbreaking and also a super quick read and I want to one day write a book that punches people in the face the way this one did to me. Starting with... my novella about a necromancer and a vampire falling in love lol

Ngl Vampire Academy was a big inspiration for Lilium in that it really inspired me to make a,,,, messy protagonist, simply put.

I know Warbreaker is one of Brandon Sanderson's less popular works, but I loved reading it and its court of gods has been a big inspiration in the latest iterations of TWEfA

The Lies of Locke Lamorra taught me a lot about writing assholes that are still fuckin fun to write about, and about how fun third person perspectives can be still.

Finally, and a bit petty ig, The Savior's Champion has taught me that even big names in the writing sphere don't always follow their own advice.

Hi friend! Sorry I came back to this late lmao and it's good ummmm

Favorite things about all of them

Tbh I love all the "progressive" things I did with Lilium that was the novel that had me experiment with so much and shatter so many tropes? The stepmom isnt evil. Lilith is a promiscuous teen. Oliver is understandably angsty? And I've gotten a lot of compliments about the emotions behind the work like I put..... so much into this book, dude.

I love how much fun I had with TOOD? The entire first draft was me not giving a single fuck and putting what /i/ want into it. Of course it's a giant mess and I have a lot to fix but like. The first draft was pure fun.

I love [Untitled Project] because I love the characters behind it. It started as a shitpost basically about how much I hated a Skyrim character and it blossomed into its own thing entirely. Plus murder lesbians and plots to overthrow corrupt persons.

I'm trying to think of what singular thing I love about TWEfA the most. Uhhh... I love how determined I am to see it through tbh. This book has had a lot of iterations and changed a lot. Dakota has remained a constant regardless of what the book is about and this current iteration has five drafts because I keep trying different shit with it?? I think I'm liking what's going on in this draft. We'll see.

As for BTMS I put a lot of my love for snakes into it and also I love Lady Yoru. I want her to step on me. I'm horny for vampires - there, I said it. Also, in general, the concept started as "necromancer gets to fuck a vampire" but instead of erotica it turned into an angst session and Evelyn is ace so. Lots of changes.

As for Out of Focus (which needs a better title IMHO) I'm fond of the general idea behind it. Like yeah I kinda jacked the photograph concept from Life is Strange but Siobhan? An icon. And Charlie is pretty cool too but it's kinda because of Charlie that I haven't been able to write it yet (some feelings there I need to process).

Thanks for the ask!!