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 sure to be a natural.
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Titled and Entitled
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 is perfect for their job.
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Figurehead
Songs of the Amaranthine, #8. The next Amaranthine title to release will be the eighth short story in the Songs collection. This time, the tale’s set in Keishi, Japan which is 1) where Hisoka Twineshaft is from, 2) where Kikusawa Shrine is established, and 3) where Junzi Chocolates was founded. ::eyebrow waggle::
He’s a rough-hewn romantic, and she becomes his muse.
Junpei is a day laborer who’s supporting his mother and younger brother. He’s mostly resigned to rough hands and scant respectability, but for a few precious hours each evening, he loses himself in the colors and beauty of creation. His painted lanterns and parasols always sell, but supplies are costly, and unlike his illustrious father, he has no patron. While Junpei struggles to get by, strange things are afoot in Keishi—foreigners and their foreign ways. But he’s most interested in the lovely daughter of a local sweets merchant, whose kimono patterns inspire his paintings.
Release Day: April 4, 2022
PRE-ORDER NOW
(Amazon’s US storefront)
Yes, this is a digital-only title. Yes, the short story will appear in other virtual stores once we’re closer to the release date. And since this is Songs 08, that means I’ll be pulling together the next Songs of the Amaranthine anthology, which will contain four short stories:
Print editions and the audio book are scheduled to release on May 22, 2022. More about that later! ::twinkle::
Pocket Puppy. When Mikoto receives the gift that is, was, and always will be Glint Starmark’s answer to grief, he looks for a name that’ll be just right. His puppy is tiny, just a puffball, really … especially compared to a big guy like Mikoto.
Noble Son | art by FoxOfTwilight
The puppy was a bigger handful than he would have guessed. Not literally, of course. He was more of a scant handful, barely large enough to count as canine. Especially in a village where Kith-partnered battlers rode their dogs.
The girls had been quick to suggest names. All of them cutesy. But Mikoto firmly rejected them. He wasn’t leaving something so important to them. Plus, he’d wanted a name with more dignity. Which had brought Yulin to mind. And then the name was suddenly there and perfectly right. A doggish name that was already an endearment. Noble.
Lots of other Mikoto art. Follow his tag >>
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 conveniently absent.
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In a Word
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 being a dear.
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Storm Brewing
Updated! Bard & Barbarian has updated over on my Patreon with Ch35, “Nest and Swarm.” Imber puts his ranger training and his bardic training to good use.
Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. Many of you already know the name of the next book in the Amaranthine Saga. It’s become tradition to include the title at the back of my ebooks … and to include both the title and summary in print editions. As an added bonus, those who order signed copies always receive swag that offers a full-color sneak peek of the next book cover. Let’s make this official!
He leads an elite taskforce. She did, too. On television.
After the finale of her dazzlingly successful television drama, Pim Moonprowl packs her bags and books passage to a secretive resort that makes alluring claims. She’ll pay anything, promise anything, do anything to find out if they’re true. On an island that’s not on maps, Pim encounters a silver-tongued doctor, a kindred soul, a caged star, and a clever monkey. This is her big chance to put into practice the skills she gained from eight seasons on an elite taskforce.
Boon can almost taste his prey, he’s that close. If only he hadn’t run up against a barrier in the middle of the ocean. He puts out a call and calls in a favor. There’s a plan in place, and reinforcements are en route, but Boon is restless to run the Rogue to ground. Taking a risk—definitely his style—lands him with a couple of responsibilities he really didn’t need, and both of them are female.
COMING IN AUTUMN 2022
• • •
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 never relaxes his standards.
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Ahead of Schedule
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 likes his creature comforts.
341
Event of My Demise
Lord Mettlebright’s Man. With the uptick in LMM chapters during 2022, I’m going to be going through prompts like crazy, so … prompt me MOAR! Most of the time, I ask for one-word prompts. They’re easiest to work in, and I usually need that flexibility. Especially when erudite readers toss me doozy-level words. My favorite prompts are interesting nouns (claxon, pinprick, sniffle) and strong verbs (vault, nibble, haul) or intriguing props (snifter, rosebud, collar). Emotions and colors are also the right kind of suggestive (vermillion, coy, fluster).
However, Lord Mettlebright’s Man is unique because I accept phrases. Yep, they’re harder to work in, but they’re also heaps of fun. Try to keep them short. Proverbs and idioms are excellent. (The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Out with the old; in with the new. Knee-jerk reaction.) Familiar sayings are good. (Home sweet home. Off and running. Like a hot knife through butter. Under the weather.) Interesting combinations have worked well. (Snips and snails. Duck and cover. Beck and call.) Literary allusions are welcome. (For want of a nail. Curiouser and curiouser.) Specific items that need more than one word to describe fit nicely. (Surprise party. Sunday best. Top shelf.) Scene direction and setting cues has been surprisingly effective. (Arriving late. Long walks by the sea. It happened on a Tuesday. In the end.) Song lyrics and movie quotes can work, within reason. (Shaken, not stirred. The eensy, weensy spider. Proof through the night. Love me tender.)
I suggest scrolling through past offerings before adding your own. The prompt post is located here >>
Four Days a Week. With Mood Stripes wrapped up, I needed to decide what to do with the open slots in my blog schedule. While I could have begun a new fandom piece (I have a couple of plot!biddies in the old incubator), I want to prioritize finishing older fanfics before beginning any more new ones. So when Jacques sashayed in and offered to double his efforts, he got his way. Moving forward, we’ll only give him Wednesdays and weekends off. Which pleases me, because I *think* that means 2022 will bring us very close to the conclusion of Lord Mettlebright’s Man. Which is perfect, because I wanted to bring the serial to print (and audio) before the final (seventh) book in the Amaranthine Saga releases!
Thank you for showing Jacques so much support. (Methinks he’ll need it.) ::twinkle::
Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this audacious adventure… especially for the one who’ll always have a place. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.
Chapter 300: Everlasting
::twinkle::
Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this audacious adventure… especially for the steady one. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.
Chapter 299: Enchanting
::twinkle::
Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this audacious adventure… especially for the one who doesn’t want to be interrupted. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.
Chapter 298: Sure
::twinkle::
FORTHRIGHT 