The Latest

SAGA

Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (Amaranthine Saga, #1) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
(Amaranthine Saga, #2) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Tamiko and the Two Janitors (Amaranthine Saga, #3) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Mikoto and the Reaver Village (Amaranthine Saga, #4) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate (Amaranthine Saga, #5) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Pimiko and the Uncharted Island (Amaranthine Saga, #6) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Rhomiko and the Confirmed Bachelor (Amaranthine Saga, #7) – Autumn 2023

SONGS

Marked by Stars (Songs of the Amaranthine, #1) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Followed by Thunder (Songs of the Amaranthine, #2) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Dragged through Hedgerows (Songs of the Amaranthine, #3) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Governed by Whimsy (Songs of the Amaranthine, #4) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Hemmed in Silver (Songs of the Amaranthine, #5) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Captured on Film (Songs of the Amaranthine, #6) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Bathed in Moonlight (Songs of the Amaranthine, #7) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Flattered by Flowers (Songs of the Amaranthine, #8) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Scribbled in Margins (Songs of the Amaranthine, #9) – NOW AVAILABLE!

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INTERLUDES

Lord Mettlebright’s Man (Amaranthine Interludes, #1) – June 4, 2023. Pre-order now!
Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (Amaranthine Interludes, #2) – NOW AVAILABLE!
Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons (Amaranthine Interludes, #3) – serialization begins this autumn!
Coop and the Elderbough Trackers (Amaranthine Interludes, #4) – serialization begins June 5!

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CURRENTLY UPDATING

Lord Mettlebright’s Man (Amaranthine Interludes, #1)

Bard & Barbarian posts exclusively to Patreon. Now with serialized narration! Become a patron to read along.

• • •

Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons (Amaranthine Interludes, #3)

With every kiss he accepts, her claim on him wins hearts the world over.
Readers have often asked for more of Kimiko Miyabe’s courtship of Eloquence Starmark. Their grand cycle is a tale I’ll be telling as a Patreon-exclusive serialization. Chapters will begin posting in Autumn 2023. Their story will range from the seamstress’s workroom at the Starmark compound to the forming of fresh triads at New Saga High School. And you can look forward to all the drama at Kikusawa Shrine: three sisters, twelve kisses, and the long-awaited stirring of a sleeping landmark. To follow along, become a patron! Cozy Fantasy. Slice-of-Life. Family. Courtship.

• • •

Want fanart? Try the Cast Portraits and Fanart tags.
Want MOAR? Try this highly recommended series >>

LMM: Complete

Lord Mettlebright’s Man. While chapters have been free to read since we began Jacques’ story back in 2018, with the move to publish (digital, print, and audio editions), I won’t be posting any more of the story here on the blog. To read the remainder (there are 700 chapters in total), grab a copy of the finished edition. It’s mostly intact. (I did some gentle edits to banish awkward Inktober prompts & to tweak some little contradictions.)


Abundant thanks to those who suggested prompts, left occasional comments, rose to Jacques’ defense, speculated about his future, and generally let this foppish, frivolous, forthright man win them over. And as always, thanks especially to those who read, rate, and review their purchased editions. For an indie author like me, that means the world.

::twinkle::

Release Day

Lord Mettlebright’s Man. Today’s the day! We’ve been spinning out Jacques’ story since 2018. Little by little, all those 100-word chapters have added up. Life is made up of moments, after all. Thank you to everyone who’s been reading along … and especially for those who didn’t really like Jacques at the beginning, yet found reasons for affection along the way. I’m proud of you.

He’s a flirt and a tease and a fop and a snob. And everyone’s favorite uncle.
Jacques Smythe brazens his way into Stately House and shows no sign of departing. Like it or not, Lord Mettlebright has himself a butler. **Unique format! A story in 100-word chapters that was originally serialized on forthright’s blog, beginning in 2018. Now complete! Set behind the scenes of the Amaranthine Saga, Jacques’ story begins immediately after the events of Bk1: Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox and concludes with the events leading up to Bk4: Mikoto and the Reaver Village. Cozy Fantasy. Slice-of-Life. Family.

Digital Release Day: June 4, 2023
Amazon | 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]]]

Release Eve

Lord Mettlebright’s Man. Jacques’ story will release on the morrow, but for those who pre-order, there’ll probably be an electronic delivery this evening. And readers on *other* continents always get books first. ::twinkle:: As per usual, I’ll schedule an official release day announcement & squee post for midnight in my time zone. In the meantime … happy #PrideMonth.

June | art by FoxOfTwilight

Lord Mettlebright’s Man (Amaranthine Interludes, #1)
Release Day: June 4
Amazon | shelve on Goodreads 

Announcing … Coop!

Coop and the Elderbough Trackers (Amaranthine Interludes, #4). Well, hey … it’s June! With Lord Mettlebright’s Man releasing in a few days (6/4), it’s time to chat about what’s next. Because I’m kicking off another serial on the blog.

He always liked running wild. Now, he runs with wolves.
Cole Pfeiffer-Cooper, who prefers to be called Coop, became part of a pack way before the world found out about the Amaranthine. He was eight when his family took in Daroo-fen Clearsong, so by the time the Emergence was breaking news, he’d already learned plenty of wolf knots, hunting signs, and other kinds of non-verbal communication. That’s why it was pretty lucky that Coop was the one to find a group of wounded trackers fleeing from a werewolf hunt. A pact with Torloo-dex Elderbough gives fourteen-year-old Coop new goals. He wants to become a tracker, to run with Torloo’s pack, and most of all, to find a Kith partner. **Unique format! A story in 100-word chapters that’s currently being serialized on forthright’s blog. Cozy Fantasy. Slice-of-Life. Family. Pack.


Prompt Me! It’s always been a fun challenge for me to work your prompts into my story. Send me a batch, yeah? Comment below. One-word prompts or short phrases work best. And let me know what name you want me to credit (especially if you have multiple IDs across platforms).

Coop & the Elderbough Trackers
begins June 5, 2023

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. Ch54, “Shrillers and Shamblers” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch50, “The Strongest Magic” 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 >>