4

"My father taught me to do two things, raid ships and kill dragons. One with swords and both with cannons."

I kind of started a new novel.

Dragon-hunting pirate captain Veronique Mazurka seeks revenge against the creature that killed her father and scarred her face. When she attacks a ship returning from an expedition into dragon territory, she finds more than just treasures, she finds
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3

Do you like them because they help you to visualise the world or do you think they take away from your own creating relationship with a book by not letting you imagine them in your own way?

There are a lot of different spaceships in The Deep System and there is at least a sketch of the design for most of them. I'm wondering if
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headshot:
Additional materials for novels are always very good for the reader.  But this can make the paper version of the book more expensive.
lucbyard:
This is true and will make a difference if I have to pay to get ARCs printed for reviewers.
4

It's just a horse-girl story in space... one star, she said.

Friends... love 'em!

So I made this:

The weird thing is I'm writing 'spaceship sci-fi' and it's hard to get women to pick that up and read it because, let's be honest, the sub-genre is dominated by 'dudes go shooty-shooty' and a readership known for toxicity.

The weird thing is, I'm writing women with
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4

I had a go at pixel art and of course, who did I do first but the Red Tempest herself, Yseult.

Don't give me ideas. ; )

Advertising my first book with scenes animated in 90s RPG style has occurred to me... I'm sure it would end up being more work than I expect but it does sound cool. : )

4

A small excerpt from Boxrunner, the first book in The Deep System.

3

Ellie is an idealistic engineer, working in Tycho on Luna at the start of Boxrunner. When she sees a message about a hidden alien signal from Alpha Centauri, her life will change course and send her on a journey to the outer planets... But she is not the only one looking for answers out in the long cold dark of the Deep System.

My friend
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7

Almost half way through Red Tempest and a nice quote from Ellie.

amorous:
🫶🏼
3

As 2023 closes, I have three books from the same series in development.

If you're wondering why... that's a good question. In reality, the first two could have been published by now and I could be sharing the links and telling you about how the third instalment is going...

But I see a lot of authors rushing to self publication. I think they see other
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8

First Codex: Boxrunner. Currently with an editor for improvements before I resume querying. In the absence of interest, I will likely self publish at some point but I am undecided on when that would be.

Second Codex: Proteus Rising. First draft is complete and I hope to start editing it in the new year.

Third Codex: Red Tempest. I am currently 35,000 words into the
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10

So... an A.I. chatbot challenged me to a poetry battle.

No, I shall not back down from this. You want me to bring it, Clyde? You want me to bring it?

... Consider it brought.

headshot:
In what format will this fight take place?
lucbyard:
It took place by text, then a different A.I. system was used to animate and vocalise the A.I.'s verses. I am recording my half the battle and will assemble the whole thing into a video. 😎