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 one who’s on call.
583
Hold Tight
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend releases on May 4, 2023. Have you pre-ordered?
. . .
He’s more accustomed to speaking for others than speaking up for himself.
Stranded at Stately House, Suuzu Farroost is restless and fretful and lonesome for Akira. Waiting is a misery, and all he has to hold onto is the memory of a fleeting kiss, a circlet of nippet eggs, and one very stubborn, very outspoken valet. To keep him from wallowing, Suuzu’s friends find ways to distract him, and as one story leads to another, the phoenix learns about the special place nippets hold in avian lore, especially where courtship is concerned.
Reminder: Suuzu’s “interlude” is set a few days after the end of Bk5 (Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate). Much like LMM, the story offers a glimpse of what’s happening behind the scenes at Stately House while the events of the main Saga are taking place.
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (Amaranthine Interludes, #2)
Release Day: May 4
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Updated! Bard & Barbarian has updated over on my Patreon with Ch61: “Portals and Plots,” because Joss and Fane haven’t been entirely forthcoming about little details in their past. (As if matters weren’t already complicated enough.)
Patreon Perks. There’s so much happening right now, what with Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend nearing publication, soon to be followed by Lord Mettlebright’s Man. And then there’s Farley (Journeymen of Stone, #1) by C.J. Milbrandt, which will release in about a month (5/23). The seventh (and final) book in the Amaranthine Saga is just a pile of word sprints right now, but I like the way things are shaping up. Aaand things are busy over on my Patreon, where Bard & Barbarian continues to update … and where peeks and perks abound. Which brings me to … April’s mailings.
April’s art card features Argent & Tsumiko, and the reverse includes the first official reveal of a new story. (This mailing went out to patrons beginning at the Dazzle tier.)
And April is a Quarterly Bubble Mailer month for qualifying tiers. Many (many, many) of you have asked about a certain set of bottles that first appeared in Bk2, Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal. Why, yes! They were significant. Still are. And if you have been very, very attentive, you might even know what could happen if someone were to uncork the other three. ::twinkle::
If you want a 4thy-blue bottle of your very own, there’s time to join the ranks of Beacons & Reliquaries to take advantage of the “courting tiers.” Uncork your wee giftie at your own risk! ::solemn wink::
Oh, look! You know how much I love making connections … right? I hope many of you have been able to enjoy Scribbled in Margins (Songs of the Amaranthine, #9). Many thanks to those who bought, shelved, read, rated, and reviewed. It means a lot to any author. I appreciate your support.
May 4. A jumble of real life circumstances conspired, and I was cutting it too close with Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend. So for the first time, I took advantage of the grace period on the pre-order I’d set and adjusted the release date. I didn’t need long. Just a little more time. So Suuzu’s story will now be releasing on May 4, 2023. There’s still time to pre-order. And as a teensy incentive/apology, I offer two quotes that amount to a huge hint about the hijinks that are about to ensue:
. . .
Reminder: This short story (30k~ words) is set immediately AFTER the events of Bk5 (Fumiko) & BEFORE the conclusion of Bk6 (Pimiko). A true interlude. ::twinkle::
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (Amaranthine Interludes, #2)
Release Day: May 4
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Narrated Edition. Bard and Barbarian has been posting slow and steady over on my Patreon account. Reading along is great, but supporters on some tiers can now listen along. The story is being narrated by Travis Baldree. Ch51, “Failsafe” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch47, “Last Bell” has unlocked for the Twinkle and Sparkle tiers.
New narrated chapters will arrive every other Wednesday, which means … there’s always something more to look forward to! Learn more about my Patreon here >>
I’ll be scarce for a bit. Need to focus on getting Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend out the door on time! Once that’s off to the (virtual) presses, I’ll be back with LMM updates, etc. Thank you for your patience! ::twinkle::
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 trusted one.
582
Au Revoir
Scribbled in Margins. Today’s the day! The 9th Songs of the Amaranthine tale has released. Here’s hoping you enjoy the new addition to the collection. And since such tales are short & sweet, I’ll make this post do double duty as the Squee Post for Scribbled in Margins.
They were sent into solitude, yet neither of them was ever truly alone.
Wrongfully accused of insulting a man of higher rank, a bright young man is banished to a remote post where he must stand watch over a signal fire. Batu isn’t entirely alone, though. There’s an orange-robed monk who checks in on him from time to time, and he’s somehow befriended a golden eagle. But strange things begin to happen when the guard changes in the next tower over.
Qara can’t bear to face the future her father planned, so she runs away, pretending to be her older brother. But her new commanding officer isn’t so easily fooled. For her own good, she’s bundled off to a mountaintop watchtower. Qara is safe, but the cold and the solitude become too much to bear … until she befriends a wild sheep, a cheery villager, and the man in the next tower over.
Release Day: April 4, 2023
Amazon (US) | shelve on Goodreads
Squee Post. If you need a place to react, confer, or kick up a fuss, this is the spot. I’ll enjoy your enthusiasm, I might be willing to clarify small points, but I reserve the right to evade questions that will be answered later in the Saga & Songs. ::twinkle::
[[[WARNING: HERE THERE BE SPOILERS]]]
Scribbled in Margins. The official release day for the next Songs of the Amaranthine story is tomorrow, April 4, but as per usual, many of you will find the story downloading onto your devices early. (Mine always shows up before 10pm.) OR you live in the future, because it’s already the 4th in your hemisphere. So the festivities begin early. Happy Release Eve!
An official Release Day post (with Squee Post tacked on) is scheduled to go up at midnight here. Until then!
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 one keeping secrets.
581
Truth Be Told
Scribbled in Margins. The next Songs of the Amaranthine short story will be releasing in a few days. There’s still time to pre-order it … along with the three other stories releasing between now and June. Here’s a peek at the first page of Songs 09’s digital release:
They were sent into solitude, yet neither of them was ever truly alone.
Wrongfully accused of insulting a man of higher rank, a bright young man is banished to a remote post where he must stand watch over a signal fire. Batu isn’t entirely alone, though. There’s an orange-robed monk who checks in on him from time to time, and he’s somehow befriended a golden eagle. But strange things begin to happen when the guard changes in the next tower over.
Qara can’t bear to face the future her father planned, so she runs away, pretending to be her older brother. But her new commanding officer isn’t so easily fooled. For her own good, she’s bundled off to a mountaintop watchtower. Qara is safe, but the cold and the solitude become too much to bear … until she befriends a wild sheep, a cheery villager, and the man in the next tower over.
. . .
As a reminder, here are all four books and helpful links:
Scribbled in Margins (Songs of the Amaranthine, #9)
Release Day: April 4
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (Amaranthine Interludes, #2)
Release Day: April 22
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Farley (Journeymen of Stone, #1) by C.J. Milbrandt
Release Day: May 23
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Lord Mettlebright’s Man (Amaranthine Interludes, #1)
Release Day: June 4
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
. . .
Yep, they’ll be showing up in other storefronts soon. All I can really suggest is checking back regularly. :: helpless shrug ::
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend. Since we’re less than a month away from the release of Suuzu’s story, I’m going to begin dangling teasers here and there. This Interlude is set between the events of Bk5 and Bk6, immediately after Juuyu drops his younger brother off at Stately House.
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (Amaranthine Interludes, #2)
Release Day: April 22
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads
Narrated Edition. Bard and Barbarian has been posting slow and steady over on my Patreon account. Reading along is great, but supporters on some tiers can now listen along. The story is being narrated by Travis Baldree. Ch50, “The Strongest Magic” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch46, “Armory” has unlocked for the Twinkle and Sparkle tiers.
New narrated chapters will arrive every other Wednesday, which means … there’s always something more to look forward to! Learn more about my Patreon here >>
FORTHRIGHT 