Author: FORTHRIGHT

Bard & Barbarian

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. Ch47, “Last Bell” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch43, “Galeskeep” 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 >>

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Happy Valentine’s Day

First and Last and Always. The Amaranthine Saga begins with Argent and Tsumiko, and later this year, when the final book in the main series releases, we’ll be right back at Stately House. Happy Valentine’s Day, reading friends! ::twinkle::

Bonded | art by FoxOfTwilight

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Of Mugs and Men

Author Confession. I sometimes buy things for my characters. This mug was a gift for Jacques. I don’t take my coffee nearly as strong as he does, but he puts up with me anyhow. Also … I play a lot of Scrabble, and J – A – C – Q – U – E – S scores pretty darn high, especially with a triple word square. (Which he insists on calling “scoring a threesome.”) ::sigh::

Lord Mettlebright’s Man should be back next week! Thank you for your patience.

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January Mailing

Incentives Abound. After a week’s delay (printer error required a re-order), I’m pulling together January’s monthly mailing for my patrons. Here’s a small teaser because many of this year’s art cards will include story snippets. This one goes along with the art “Warm Enough?” There are a few days left in the month. Join at the appropriate tier, and you’ll have nice mail next week! ::twinkle::

forthright on Patreon >>

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ART: Opal the Sage

Opulence Windlore. When this dragon clansman showed up for Bathed in Moonlight, it must have been a “confluence of destinies,” because he charmed his way into all my future plans for the Amaranthine Saga (and quite possibly a future Interlude). A song-writer and storyteller of some fame, he’s long-winded, high-handed, self-important, and often smug … yet somehow manages to be (as Sinder would put it) one of the good guys. Opal is due to recur in Bk7. ::twinkle::

. . .

Where are my manners?” Seyroo beckoned him closer. “Char, this good dragon is Opulence Windlore, widely known as Opal the Sage, a tale-bringer and lore-singer in high demand throughout the Widelands.”
“Charmed,” said the dragon, whose smile was winsome and wily.

—Bathed in Moonlight
(Songs of the Amaranthine, #7)

Opal the Sage | Art by FoxOfTwilight

. . .

Oooh. I happen to have a clip from Bathed in Moonlight, in which Opal presents Char with a choice:

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Bard & Barbarian

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. Ch46, “Armory” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch42, “Queasy” 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 >>

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Lunar New Year

Year of the Rabbit. As per tradition (this is the third year), I’ll be doing a Lunar New Year mailing for my patrons. Red envelopes and lucky coins have been secured, as have the USPS’s special stamps. One of the reasons I like to make a fuss is because the lunar new year coincides with the Emergence in the Amaranthine Saga (wolves, you know).

This mailing will go out in February and will be available to patrons starting at the Twinkle Tier. Automatic inclusion in this (and other) mailings kicks in at the Sparkle tier. You can look over your options here >>

Another reason I’m so pleased that it’s the Year of the Rabbit involves Bard & Barbarian. Along the way, Imber (my main character) has picked up five summons that we affectionately refer to as his “rabbity boys.” Look forward to chibi art & a guide to telling apart the Springheel crew! Here’s a teaser:

Lorem is such a sweetheart. ::twinkle::

Thank you for supporting me wherever my stories are found!

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Audio Book Sale

Mikoto and the Reaver Village. I just received notification that they’re running a discount on Bk4 of the Amaranthine Saga over on Audiobooks.com. You could nab it for 50% off (until Valentine’s Day). If you follow this link to their jump page, this is what you’ll see:

Travis Baldree has been narrating the Saga & Songs (thanks, Tantor Audio!) from the start. The audio books are a great way to reread the series as we head towards the release of the final book in this series … coming this autumn!

If you didn’t know, Travis also narrates Bard & Barbarian for us (serial updates over on Patreon) AND the Galleries of Stone trilogy AND Deuce, which is being serialized over on CJ’s Patreon. So much stuff! ::twinkle::

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Amaranthine Interludes

Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend. For a while now, I’ve been hinting at a new short story that’s Suuzu-centric & set after the events of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate (Amaranthine Saga, #5). Suuzu’s story will be the second title in the Amaranthine Interludes collection, with Lord Mettlebright’s Man being the first. The time has come for a cover reveal!

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.

. . .

If all goes according to plan, Suuzu’s interlude will publish this spring. I’ll establish a release date and set up pre-orders when things are closer to ready. This short story will release digitally first. Then, when Lord Mettlebright’s Man goes to print/audio this summer, I’ll include Suuzu’s short story at the end of the print edition & as part of Travis’s narration.

I’ll report more details when they become available! For now, I encourage you to add both of these books to your shelves on Goodreads:

Lord Mettlebright’s Man

Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend

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Lulling

Sorry, Jacques. As is often the case when I’m close to the end of a manuscript, my focus narrows until it’s all I can see. I’m very (very, very) close to finishing the first book in a new series for CJ, and its deadline is looming large. Travis will be narrating Farley (Journeymen of Stone, #1) in less than a month. (Eek.) I need to write the last few chapters & push through a final proofing pass before then, so … Lord Mettlebright’s Man is going to take a teensy break. Thank you for your patience!

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LMM 562: Squirrel Identification

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 pretty cozy with a trickster.

562
Squirrel Identification

::twinkle::
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Civic Duty

Always Something. This week, my usual schedule was interrupted because I had to report to the county courthouse for jury selection. The first day, they didn’t get through the whole process, so we had to reassemble the next morning. Then (after standing in marble halls for a little over an hour) we filed into the courtroom only to have the judge announce that the case was closed. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your service. You are dismissed.” So having done my civic duty, I’m back in ye olde home office, trying to catch up. If things go very well, there might be two Lord Mettlebright’s Man chapters today. ::twinkle::

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