Nerdy Shit and Writing Woes

SEVENSWORN UPDATE - [ 8 / 7 / 20 ]

SUMMARY

In fifteen days, on his twentieth birthday, Prince Ronan Aldrea will die at the hands of a god. His path was set long before his birth by hands worlds away from his, unbiased and unyielding in their actions, and had been written into prophecy by seers of ages past. The hands of Fate had called for his death, but Ronan did not plan to sit idly by and let them claim him.

The prophecy did not rest on Ronan’s shoulders alone; it worked through a member of the Pantheon of Seven, the god Aevar, the one meant to kill him. With Aevar’s arrival in the mortal realm comes a fierce reminder that his days are numbered, and with each pawn Fate puts into play, Ronan becomes more determined to defy it.

In all of history, be it mortal or godly, Fate has reigned superior. It has never lost, never faltered, least of all fallen before a frightened mortal prince.

But Ronan Aldrea intends to change those odds—no matter the cost.

CHAPTER EXCERPT (XXII. THE DEAD, STILL LIVING)

“Ronan,” Shivaroth said, the word nearly a cry on his tongue. “Is he⁠—” 

Ronan stepped forward from the gate, past the intricately cut topiary that had shielded him from the door. He locked eyes with Shivaroth, his cautiously hopeful while the god’s held something near devastation. They both stood still for a moment before Shivaroth nearly ran to cross the distance between them, gathering Ronan’s muddied, bony figure into his arms and pressing his forehead to the mortal’s shoulder, though he had to lean down to do so. The embrace was clumsy, uncharacteristic when held beside Shivaroth’s usual grace.

“Ronan. Oh, mercy.” Shivaroth’s voice broke, and he held on to Ronan like he was afraid the prince was going to dissolve into mist. “You are alive. You are all alive.”

READ CHAPTERS 22 & 23 HERE: WATTPAD / AO3

READ FROM CH. 1: WATTPAD / AO3

Y’ALL! THIS NOVELLA IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!

Glorious Day by Skye Kilaen

This novella is the wlw sci-fi I wanted as a child and never got. Seriously.

I grew up in SF/F fandom, teething on Star Trek and spending many weekends at Sci-Fi/Fantasy conventions. I grew up immersed in space shit, with paintings of imaged worlds and the space ports that serviced them hanging in my parent’s home. I grew up dreaming of speculative worlds like this, and I can’t say how meaningful it would have been to me to read something like this when I was younger, just a tiny gay who wanted to see themselves reflected in the worlds they grew up in.

Y'all. I feel seen in this spaceport Chili’s tonight.

This novella is beautifully written and has amazing characters, worldbuilding, and plot. Tons of disability and nonbinary rep, which made me so happy to see. Elsenna is a delightfully grouchy protagonist and her voice is strong and sure. The pining and angst is SO SO GOOD, with a very sweet HEA. The romance is SO SWEET and the political bits are suspenseful and hard hitting. So much packed into a novella, but it doesn’t seem rushed or forced at all. Masterful, masterful pacing.

This is a beautiful debut novella and I wish I could read it a thousand times with fresh eyes. Just…..wow.

5/5 stars, please go and pre-order immediately. 

OUT AUGUST 3, 2020!

A disclaimer: Skye is one of my betas, and I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. But even if I hadn’t known Skye, I would have gushed over this book. Princess/bodyguard f/f HEA in SPACE!

Over the past few years, AJ Longoria had trouble going to sleep several nights a week. It wasn’t something the mute 9 year old ever had a second thought about- he couldn’t remember the last time he had a night of peaceful rest. He barely remembered life before his mother died.

In the dark of his room, AJ laid on his back, his gaze piercing the confines of his room as he imagined life in space- a recurring fantasy of his now. Finally, he was at the point where every muscle in his body was relaxed and he could feel himself drifting.

A noise coming from outside AJ’s room forced him out of his stuporous fantasy and he sat up, turning his bedside lamp on. He held his breath to catch the noise again. Just above the din of the tv in the living room, AJ could hear sobs.

Uncle Billy was crying again.

AJ slipped out of bed, pulled a night shirt on and crept out of his room into the apartment’s hallway. As he walked forward, his gaze bounced from the light of the TV cast against the wall and the hallway exit.

When AJ rounded the corner, Billy was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands, shoulders shaking. He watched his uncle in silence as the man sobbed and choked on tears. Billy looked tired, and AJ knew how it felt.

The boy wasn’t sure how long he stood there, watching Billy, but eventually the man looked up at him, and his face changed from pain to regret.

“Shit.” Billy wiped his tears from his face as AJ joined him on the couch. “I’m sorry, bud, fuck.”

AJ faked being shocked and signed, [Language]

Billy actually chuckled before staring down at his own feet. AJ studied the man’s face. Three years after his mother died, AJ was sure he’d forget what she looked like if it weren’t for the pictures he had. AJ’s father, however, was practically an older version of Billy- he’d always remember what Liam Kitsak looked like. AJ reached up and fixed his uncle’s hair and smiled, despite the man trying hard not to look him in the eye.

“I’m sorry, AJ.”

AJ shrugged, [Why]

“You deserve something else. I’m trying here, buddy, I really am. I just don’t know if I’m cut out to be a dad. Like, you deserve a mom and a dad who know what they’re doing.”

[I only need you.]

“Yeah, you say that. I don’t even know why I’m taking these problems to a nine year-old,” Billy shook his head and threw himself back against the catch with a huff. AJ studied the man’s face for a while longer before taking his hand and squeezing it.

[You are best. I am where I belong.]

Billy chewed on his lower lip, not even bothering to stop the tears streaming down his face. “I haven’t known what I’m doing since I graduated high school. I didn’t know what I was doing in the army, and I didn’t know what I was doing when I got out. Then, your mother dies, and my brother leaves the both of us here to do what? I don’t know, I guess I’m just tired.” Billy glanced at AJ as the boy nodded. He wiped the tears from his uncle’s face and patted his shoulder. “I guess you know something about that, don’t you?”

AJ nestled in close and grabbed the remote to turn the TV volume up. He was committed to staying there with Billy until he felt better. The two sat in silence for a while before Billy cleared his throat. “So your teacher says you’ve already made a friend on your first day of school.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Tag List

AJ found that in the absence of him speaking, people would sometimes overcompensate and fill the dead space. That taught him a lot about who they were. 

TW: Violence, suicide

Abel Jay Longoria

18 years old

Born October 20th, 2022

Mixed- Caucasian and Hispanic

Gay

Born in Ventura, California in the fall of 2022, AJ’s early life was fraught with anxiety and constant arguing between his parents until they separated when he was five. Not even a year later, AJ’s life would be turned upside down when he and his mother, Anita, were brutally attacked in their apartment by  serial killer David Barnes(nicknamed The Painter by the press). Anita died on the scene and Barnes fled when neighbors approached the door, leaving AJ bound and bleeding on the kitchen floor. Shortly after hearing the news, AJ’s father, Donnie Kitsak, committed suicide.

After the attack that nearly killed the boy, AJ was left only with what hospital doctors would later relay to investigators as traumatic selective mutism- he refused to speak to detectives, hospital personnel, child services, or anyone else. Investigators eventually found his uncle, William Kitsak, and AJ was sent to live with him in town.