Trulore Clinic. We’re a month past the release of Pimiko and the Uncharted Island, so I’m going to begin sharing some of the art FoxOfTwilight created for the book. To be extra-safe (so as not to spoiler those of you who haven’t been able to read), I’ll keep the full art under a cut.
. . .
“There is a dragon.” “I knew it!” Boon pounded against the barrier, dragging his claws over its unrelenting surface. “I knew I was close.” “Yes, yes, yes. Argent wants them, too.” Inti wearily chanted, “Dragon, dragon, dragons.”
She Sells Sea Shells. We’ve added a new pattern to the Twinkle Press storefronts over on Threadless and TeePublic. You can get the Pimiko seashell pattern on items ranging from totes and masks to journals and note cards. Be sure to watch for sales right on through the holidays if you want to build your Amaranthine collection. ::twinkle::
Hajime and Naoki. We first meet this duo in Flattered by Flowers (Songs of the Amaranthine, #8). Naoki is a bookseller in the city of Keishi, and he befriended Junpei, who became a regular at his shop. Only after a bit of tanuki mischief did Junpei realize that Naoki wasn’t alone.
“Tell me what you see,” Naoki prompted, his expression guarded. Meeting a red-eyed gaze, Junpei offered a respectful nod. “I see another man with long, black hair and a lavish crown of red flowers. You are similar to Kusunoki, but Matsu’s friend has more height and girth and wears hakama.” With a heavy sigh, Naoki said, “Junpei, meet my longtime companion, Hajime.”
Flattered by Flowers Songs of the Amaranthine, #8
Bloom for You | art by FoxOfTwilight
November’s Monthly Mailing. Qualifying patrons will be receiving “Bloom for You” art cards this month. They’re large & lovely (4×9″). If you’d like to get in on mailings like this, consider supporting my storytelling over there. I’ll do my best to spoil you. ::twinkle::
Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. 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 in other places. ::twinkle::
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.
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Worth Mentioning. You can enjoy the whole Amaranthine Saga in audio! The narrated edition is read by Travis Baldree:
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If you’ve already begun reading, hold onto your comments and put them on the Squee Post. (I want this thread to remain spoiler free.)
Release Eve. Tomorrow is release day for Pimiko and the Uncharted Island (Amaranthine Saga, #6), but since the digital edition will no-doubt begin showing up on e-readers this evening (in my timezone), I’m kicking off the festivities early with new art!
Seafaring | art by FoxOfTwilight
Boonmar-fen first shows up in Bk2. He’s one of Adoona-soh Elderbough’s boys. Boon has his mom’s eyes, but his hair/fur color comes from his dad (Ninook-dex hails from the Trebellaire pack). Boon and Merit Starmark (Harmonious’s eldest son) go way back. They’re childhood friends. And of course, Boon is leader of the elite taskforce to which Juuyu, Sinder, Moon, Colt, and Hallow belong. This wolf’s a real casual guy. Easygoing in a way that doesn’t fool Tenma for a second:
. . .
For the first time, Tenma could appreciate the fact that for all their impressive physique, Hanoo, Yoota, and Ploom were adolescents. Adult wolves carried more muscle, and this one radiated a more primal quality of wildness. Maybe because the Nightspangles were city boys, and this wolf had none of their ability to blend in. The wolf’s tail swayed the way Hanoo’s did when pleased, which Tenma took for a good sign. He touched palms with the wolf, but words failed him. Eloquence smoothly handled things. “Boon, this is my classmate from New Saga, Tenma Subaru. Tenma, this is Boonmar-fen Elderbough, a formidable tracker and a friend of our clan.” “M-may I ask about your name?” “Sure, kid. That’s real nice and proper of you. And I don’t mind going through the formalities if Merit don’t.” “Doesn’t,” sighed Merit. “Who taught you Japanese?” The wolf reeled vaguely with his hands. “Island enclave. South Pacific. I’ll admit he was sketchy, but it was all he had to trade.” “You traded language lessons for …?” prompted Quen. Boon crouched, arms outspread. “More like surfing lessons, but he liked to talk, so I picked things up pretty quick.” Quen huffed. “So you traded surfing lessons for …?” “Oooh, you know how it is.” Boon waved off the question. “The less said about some things, the better.”
Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal Amaranthine Saga, #2
Release Day is October 22. But for those of us who pre-ordered Pimiko and the Uncharted Island on Amazon, the book will likely turn up on our e-readers tomorrow evening. (Mine usually shows up between 9-10pm on Release Eve.) I’ll prep all the usual announcement & squee posts tomorrow, then schedule them. (There’s new art in the offing, too!) In the meantime, here’s another tiny teaser. Pim Moonprowl’s first scene:
Bathed in Moonlight. I know there’s other stuff also going on in the seventh story in the Songs of the Amaranthine collection, but Char and Rinloo-dex are two of my favorite people. Have you read their story? If not, do! Bathed in Moonlight is on the must-read list before you dip into Pimiko and the Uncharted Island, which releases in less than a week!
Blue Stones, Black Fur | art by FoxOfTwilight
. . .
Bolder now, Char reached down and set the tip of one finger upon brown skin. Warm. There was a sudden clamor of impressions—dark and wild and strange. Snatching back his hand, Char scowled at the wolf for being so wolvish. He still didn’t see the appeal. But then … a smooth blue stone caught his eye. And another. And more! They were the most wonderful color and polished to a treat. They caught the shine of his happiness, which doubled until the wolf was bathed in moonlight.
Nearly Time! I’ll be mailing out author-signed books early next week (Monday or Tuesday). If you want to be in that first batch of books, pre-order now! Details on this post >>
If you’ve already emailed me about reserving your copy, I’m still working my way through my inbox. You’ll hear from me soon to confirm details. No worries!
Release Day: October 22, 2022
You can also now pre-order print, digital, and audio editions from all the online storefronts! By the way … thank you for reading, rating, and reviewing my books. It makes a huge difference for indie authors like me!
The audio edition of Pimiko and the Uncharted Island, narrated by Travis Baldree, just showed up for pre-order over on Audible. Secure your copy now! ::twinkle::
5th Inktober = 4th Anniversary of Jacques-tober. (Okay, maybe I’m trying too hard to shoehorn a 4 into the festivities.) Are you ready for a whole month of daily updates for Lord Mettlebright’s Man? It’s a little early to begin (Jacques never has been much of a morning person), but Cat and Canary brought coffee and are quite willing to bolster their good friend in any way. (Ah, cats.)
Marvelous Actors | art by FoxOfTwilight
For those who may need a refresher, Cat & Canary (or more properly Canarian & Catalan Evernhold) are two of Deece’s “sexy older brothers.” Jacques met them back in Chapter 203: “Charmed, I’m Sure” of Lord Mettlebright’s Man. But of course, YOU first met them in Governed by Whimsy (Songs of the Amaranthine, #4), since they’re the founders of the acting troupe to which Ambrose belonged. If you’ve been reading ALL the things and paying attention to details, you’ll know that in the current LMM/SAGA timeline, Canarian still works closely with his uncle, Hisoka Twineshaft … and that he and Cat are quite cozy with Jacques. Sometimes. (Ah, cats.)
Note: There’s a whole chart to sort out Himeko Evernhold’s household, but here’s the short version:
Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. A partial delivery has arrived, and according to my courier’s emails, I should be receiving the balance of my book order on Monday! ::confetti toss:: In advance of Bk6’s impending release, I’m opening up for pre-orders of Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. The print editions you get from me come signed & stamped. I usually sneak in an enclosure or two (swag), and I only include the summary of the NEXT book in the back matter of the print edition. Worth? I hope you’ll think so!
Release Day: October 22, 2022
Regarding payments. This year, I changed my price by a couple of bucks. All the print books are now $27 (includes shipping in the US). I nudged the price up to help cover printing & shipping costs, plus taxes. Now! For this, that, and the other reason, I closed forthy’s PayPal account. Let’s just say it became redundant when they insisted on slapping my real name on everything. ::le sigh:: You can still use PayPal if that’s easiest, but you have to send funds to a different email address. It’s such a jumble, I’m going to have to ask y’all to simply email me with the basics. I’ll direct you from there.
always.forthright@gmail.com
The Basics:
Your Name
The Name/Nickname you want on the flyleaf
Your Mailing Address
Payment Method: Zelle, PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Gift Card
Backlist Inventory. Yes, I do have copies of all my other books onhand. (This includes the Galleries of Stone trilogy.) So if you want to order multiple titles, I’m equipped with various sizes of mailers and boxes. If you’re in the mood for a splurge, I gotchu.
Bookplates. I do have signed/numbered bookplates available. These are stickers that fit neatly over the bookplate on Pimiko’s flyleaf. (That’s why they’re all different shapes.) While I intended them to be an alternative for folks who buy my book elsewhere but still want to add a personal touch … many of you order them simply because you want ALL THE THINGS. To cover the cost of printing/postage, those are $3 for US sales, $4 for international.
Site Update. Thanks to new specifications over on Patreon, I needed a new (much bigger) profile picture, so FoxOfTwilight came to my rescue. The resulting 4thy portrait includes a spoiler teaser for the seventh and final book in the Amaranthine Saga! Here’s a teaser for you! ::twinkle::
FORTHRIGHT 