Author: FORTHRIGHT

Release Day!

Governed by Whimsy: The Anthology includes the first four stories in the Songs of the Amaranthine collection:

  • Marked by Stars
  • Followed by Thunder
  • Dragged through Hedgerows
  • Governed by Whimsy

Governed by Whimsy_The Anthology

Songs of the Amaranthine is a collection of short stories set in Forthright’s Amaranthine universe. Before the Emergence, the clans were nothing more than whispers and mysteries and legends and lore. But every so often—in out-of-the-way places or shockingly close to home—an unsuspecting person stumbled into a fateful encounter with someone who was decidedly other. An eclectic collection, spanning continents and centuries. Tales of adventure, discovery, friendship, rescue, belonging, and love. Each short story stands alone and can be read in any order.

FAQ – Will there be more of these short stories?
Yes. I have the next set planned. (And by planned, I mean that there’s a vague idea, a clan or two I want to include, and what kind of relationship is involved.) Honestly, I’ll probably keep adding to the collection for as long as there’s interest (that’d by mine & yours). Always digital first. Always in batches of four. Always with the fourth story lending its title to the resulting print anthology.

Fun Fact – Did you notice the chapter titles?
Marked by Stars (Songs of the Amaranthine, #1) has one-word chapter titles. Followed by Thunder (Songs of the Amaranthine, #2) has two-word chapter titles. Dragged through Hedgerows (Songs of the Amaranthine, #3) has three-word chapter titles. (You see where this is headed, right?) However, Continue reading →

by Categories: Songs of the AmaranthineTags: 3 Comments

Personal Touches

Inky Fingers. With each book that’s released in the Amaranthine Saga, we’ve designed a rubber stamp that somehow suits the story. They’re one of those little personal touches that helps make the signed books you order from me extra special. Welp, with Governed by Whimsy: The Anthology about to release, it was finally the Songs’ turn. Naturally, I wanted a unique stamp for each of the four stories. They arrived in yesterday’s mail, and I’ve been testing colors.

Songs 04 Stamp

More details about ordering a signed book from me >>

Pre-ordered books should ship this weekend.

Await. Await. Await.

by Categories: Songs of the AmaranthineTags: , , 1 Comment

Shipped!

Shippy Ship Ship. I’m a shipper, ’tis true. To quote my fanfiction.net profile page, “I ship everyone … or no one. Take your pick!” Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I ship many kinds of ships: kinship, friendship, apprenticeship, and relationships with romantic inclinations. But the ship o’ the day (as in today) is the shipping notification I just received from my printer. Boxes have left their facility. Governed by Whimsy: The Anthology should arrive on my doorstep in 2-3 days.

Those with mathy inclinations will realize that this means I’ll be stamping, signing, and stuffing books into my signature blue bubble mailers this Friday (5/22, a.k.a. Release Day). But we’ll get your signed book orders out the door as quickly as possible. You should receive your copies next week! ::confetti toss::

Pictures Soon!

by Categories: Songs of the Amaranthine 4 Comments

Honey and Clover

Simple Complexities. There are anime that I’ve watched. Lots and lots of them. But there is a whole different category of anime. Those that I’ve rewatched. In the case of Honey and Clover, I think I’ve rewatched it more than a dozen times. It’s a comfort pick, I suppose. Something I can leave running off to the side while I’m puttering with something else. It has a wistful, hopeful mood. I like the airy ambiance. I enjoy revisiting the characters. (I recently picked up the manga, but I haven’t taken the time to read it yet. And see if it varies at all from the animation.)

5921-SeriesHeaders_HoneyClover_2000x800

The primary setting is an art school, and the cast includes students, teachers, alumni, and other artists already in the workforce. It’s slice-of-life. It’s self-discovery. It’s heartbreak and the pressure to create. It’s starving artists and the lure of money and loneliness and courage. And … I will probably always love these goofs.

If you already know and love Honey and Clover, may I further recommend another of Chica Umino’s works? March Comes in Like a Lion follows the life of a professional shogi player. Rei is only seventeen, and his life seems so empty. Until the day he meets a family made up of three sisters. Their warmth becomes his haven. The cast includes Rei’s mentors, rivals, teachers, classmates, and family. I admire this storyteller’s ability to brush gently against the strong emotions, pressures, longings, and tensions that are tangled up in every human soul.

 

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LMM 124: A Good Night’s Rest

Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the fortunate one.

124
A Good Night’s Rest

“If welcome. How long was I deep?” Continue reading →

by Categories: Amaranthine InterludesTags: 4 Comments

ART: The Den

Quarterly Art Card. This is a friendly reminder about my Patreon account and its incentives. One perk of patronage is the quarterly art card. These are offered in limited quantities and for a limited time. To receive “The Den,” which you can get a peek at on this post, become a patron before the end of May (pledges are collected at the first of the month). For some tiers, art cards are automatically sent. At others, you must request them. Here’s a close crop of the art, which was created by Lara Pickle.

The Den_crop

The Den – close crop

The full piece is quite cinematic and looks lovely on a 4 x 8″ card, which will mail out during the first week of June.

 

by Categories: Patreon, Songs of the AmaranthineTags: , 1 Comment

Anthology Update

A Week and a Day. We’re nearing release day for the Songs of the Amaranthine print edition (5/22 ::confetti toss::), but I think we’re all about to face a quarantine-related hiccup. While Amazon (USA) is listing the title, they aren’t stocking it. Nor are they allowing pre-orders. That’s … discouraging. Understandable, though. If they are your usual resource, this may mean that your best option for getting your hands on the anthology is to order your copy from me.

That being said, I haven’t yet received book boxes from the printer. We’ve posted sentries and have ink pads and address labels at the ready. I’ll pic spam ASAP, but expect delays. Thank you for your patience in the meantime.

By the Way. Barnes & Noble will take your pre-orders. (Good on them!) Kobo only lists the solo digital editions, so more patience will be required. Check around!

Signed Books >>

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LMM 123: Duty Calls

Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the unhappy one.

123
Duty Calls

Instead of wearying of his isolation, Jacques Continue reading →

by Categories: Amaranthine InterludesTags: 4 Comments