Author: FORTHRIGHT

Last Chance to Pre-Order

Songs of the Amaranthine 01, Marked by Stars by FORTHRIGHT

Marked by Stars is the first of many short stories set in the Amaranthine universe. The tales will give me the chance to go beyond the plot of the Amaranthine Saga and explore the inner workings of other places and peoples. Each story will stand alone, though it will contribute to your knowledge of clans and cultures. I’ll borrow from various genres—adventure, romance, mystery, slice of life. All of the stories pre-date the Emergence, and they’ll span history, from ancient and medieval to contemporary. Marked by Stars gives you a peek into a past referenced in Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal. Here’s a screencap of the page just before the tale gets underway…

Quote, You Shine

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Collecting Pins

Enamel Pins. For someone like me, traditions just sort of start, seemingly all on their own. One thing leads to another thing, and suddenly, it’s a Thing. A good example is a recent gift from the same person who bought me a forget-me-not pin to celebrate Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox. I now have a lovely chrysanthemum pin to mark the publication of Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal. ::twinkle::

Chrysanthemum Pin

And of course, I’m now seriously tempted to have my own pins made for the series.

 

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ART: Eloquence Starmark

Born the same year as the Emergence, Ever Starmark was the most famous hybrid on the planet. His mother, Dad’s second bondmate, was human, and Ever’s very existence was considered proof that peace wasn’t just possible, it offered new possibilities for the human and inhuman races.

Eloquence slouched into Rise and smiled at Ever’s shifting expression. He knew every quirk and dip of those auburn ears, the swirl of emotion through shining eyes, and the eager thump of his stubby tail. If Quen was completely honest, Ever was the main reason he’d dragged his feet about enrollment. He couldn’t exactly bring a three-year-old to class.

How was he supposed to explain high school to Ever?

—Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal (Amaranthine Saga, #2)

• • •

Runt. Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal opens by introducing readers to Eloquence Starmark, who holds a unique place within his clan. For reasons, he never expected to have a bondmate, but he was (mostly) content and entirely grateful for the den he shares with a bachelor uncle, a baby brother, and whoever else may be looking for a cozy place to bed down. No matter what, Quen has Ever, and Ever has Quen. Continue reading →

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Fangirl at the Grocery Store

Not on the List. When fans shop, seemingly random items can make their way into the cart for no better reason than … squee factor. Case in point: on a recent stroll through the international aisle at a local grocery store, a line of fancy-schmancy pasta caught my eye. But it was the name for this particular variety that secured a purchase.

Arcobaleno

Arcobaleno = Rainbow
…but to this fangirl, Arcobaleno = Reborn!

katekyo-hitman-reborn-anime

Katekyo Hitman Reborn! is a one of those long-running shonen series with the sort of running jokes that I associate with gag anime. Everyone has their schtick and their catchphrases, so the entire character introduction phase (more than thirty episodes) gets a little … repetitive. But Akira Amano is laying the groundwork that becomes the foundation for an amazing storyline. It’s such a favorite of mine that even though the anime is more than 200 episodes long, I’ve watched it all the way through three times. (No surprise, since it encompasses some of my favorite themes: friendship, kinship, and mentorship.)

Have you ever bought a random thing for its fandom significance?

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Green Snacks

Kimiko and Lonely God-edits

Still staying on top of my #NaNaWriMo goals, so let’s have another snack. Couldn’t resist the little angel dude on LONELY GOD Potato Twists – Seaweed Flavor. And a melon ramune, which is the flavor I reach for if Blue Hawaii isn’t available (it usually isn’t). Japanese melon flavor is sort of … honeydew (hence the green), although some brands remind me of cantaloupe.

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ART: Juuyu Farroost

Siblings Aplenty. In Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal, we learn a little more about Suuzu Farroost, who comes from one of the phoenix clans. Turns out he has quite a few siblings, but one is closer than all the rest.

• • •

Before the elevator doors could slide all the way shut, a hand cut in and they parted.

Another passenger stepped in, looming in the close space and eyeing them narrowly. Utter silence reigned as the doors whispered shut, and then Akira shook free of his shock. Suuzu reacted at almost the same time as they threw themselves at the newcomer.

“Juuyu!” Akira’s nose mashed against silk-draped strength as he was pulled firmly against their visitor’s side. “I thought you were in Europe or something!”

His best friend was tucked under Juuyu’s other arm, his cheek pressed against the lapel of a dark wool suit, his hair gently rearranged by a clawed hand.

An undercurrent of joy suffused Suuzu’s greeting. “Brother.”

—Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal (Amaranthine Saga, #2)

• • •

FoxOfTwilight was messing around with brushes, and some sketchy-sketches happened. I’ll share this one today. (Which is code for “there are more.”) Continue reading →

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Steamed Buns

Steamed Taro Buns

“Miyabe-kun!”

Mr. Fujiwara beckoned her over to the window at the front of his shop and its brightly-lit glass case. Making a big show of looking both ways, he passed her a steamed bun.

“Are you sure?” she asked. The glossy white bread was hot against her palm.

Mr. Fujiwara pointed knowingly at the bags looped over her arms. “Sweets aren’t strength, and you’ll be needing yours.”

“Thank you!” Kimiko broke the bun in half, releasing a fragrant cloud of steam.

—Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal (Amaranthine Saga, #2)

• • •

Hot Stuff. Steamed buns are wonderful because they’re hot. This time of year, I like to indulge because the barbeque pork buns from the local Korean market’s take-away counter are just the right size to wrap two hands around. Varieties range through savory and sweet flavors. I’ve tried the classic barbeque pork, ginger pork, chicken and vegetable, and a breakfast version with sausage and egg. Sweet versions usually involve red bean or mung bean, and seasonal fillings like chestnut or (as shown in the photo above) taro.  Both the bread and the creamy filling in these buns are tinted lavender. Bold snacking, indeed! (And pretty alongside green tea.)

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Happy Is Yummy

Lavender Snacks. Settling in with my NaNoWriMo project, but not before I share another snack. For the uninitiated, taro is a root that can be used in similar ways to potatoes … except not quite. I’ve used it in soups and hearty stews, and it can be mashed and sweetened to create fillings for puffs or fried sesame balls (much like red bean paste or mung bean paste). You can also order taro-flavored boba tea. In the Japanese color-code for foods, taro-flavored items are lavender.

Kimiko and Taro Chips-edits

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Snack Habits

Iconic Snacks. In honor of Kimiko and in anticipation of NaNoWriMo’s month-long writing extravaganza, I raided several markets with an eye toward adventurous snacking. Let’s start with two of the most iconic snacks, both of which can sometimes be found in your grocery store’s international aisle.

Kimiko, Pocky and Ramune-edits

Pocky & Ramune
(RAH-moo-nay)

 

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