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::
Category: Uncategorized
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!
Lulling
On the Mend. You may not have even missed me. (Hey, everyone’s usually pretty busy over a holiday weekend.) Still, it only seems polite to report. Our household has survived a second go-around with Covid & I should be fully clear in another few days. For the next little while, I’ll be catching up with behind-the-scenes stuff like emails & mailings. And I’m wildly restless since my writing’s basically been on hold for two weeks. The impending writing binge may consume all my attention for a few days. ::laugh:: Yes, I know that Lord Mettlebright’s Man and Bard & Barbarian need attention, plus I have a couple of story snippets to refine for December’s art card and January’s monthly mailing (for patrons). I’ll get to them! Thank you for your patience while I get back into the swing of things.
Narration, Final Day
Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. And here we are at the last day of narration for Bk6. Thank you to everyone who dropped by for either a sneak-listen or for the long haul. Your reactions to every little thing has been a big encouragement. To the rest, I hope you’ll find your patience richly rewarded when Pimiko releases in October.
You can pre-order the Kindle edition now over on Amazon >>
Narration, Day 3
I’ll be on hand while Travis Baldree tackles a third day of narration for Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. We’ve hit the halfway point, and complications abound. Honestly, if you haven’t been able to listen in for Day 1 or Day 2, steer clear, or you’ll spoiler yourself. The rest of you … be brave and do your best! And shhhhh! ::twinkle::
The audio book will release at the same time as the print/digital editions: October 22, 2022.
You can pre-order the Kindle edition now over on Amazon >>
Narration, Day 2
Won’t be much longer before Travis Baldree dives in to a second day of narration. Book 6 is well underway, and my jitters have calmed somewhat. For those who were able to listen yesterday … are you braced for more? Also … shhh! ::twinkle::
The audio book will release at the same time as the print/digital editions: October 22, 2022.
You can pre-order the Kindle edition now over on Amazon >>
#GoFest2022
Gotta Catch ‘Em All. This weekend is Pokemon GO Fest, so I’ll be goofing off for the duration. If you also play & your missions require friending, I love playing alongside my readers (and their kinfolk). Drop me an email – always.forthright at gmail dot com – and we can swap friends codes!

Nearly June
Lord Mettlebright’s Man. I’m in the throes of an editing pass on Bk6: Pimiko and the Uncharted Island. Had to make sure the timeline behaved itself, and I found a couple of dangling plot threads and three (le gasp) teensy-tiny contradictions. Also planning to cross-check a couple of things against statements in earlier books/stories, for the sake of series continuity. Fiddly stuff. Finessing.
Focusing on Pim & Co. requires a kind of tunnel vision, so LMM is being set aside until this coming Wednesday. Because Jacques will be back every day in June, in honor of Pride Month! ::twinkle::

June | art by FoxOfTwilight
Thanks for understanding.
Songs of the Amaranthine
Only Mostly Optional. All along, I’ve been saying that the short stories in the Songs of the Amaranthine collection are optional reading. Yes, you’ll pick up more details about the clans and their customs, but the stories stand alone. If you skip them, you’ll still be able to enjoy the Amaranthine Saga. But as is often the case when I write, I’ve been making connections between the Saga & Songs. And they’re now so tightly woven, it’d be a shame if you missed out.

I’ve added a note at the beginning of Bk6: Pimiko and the Uncharted Island, encouraging folks to read Bathed in Moonlight and Flattered by Flowers before proceeding. And Lord Mettlebright’s Man, for that matter. For … reasons.
Thank you to those of you who’ve read ALL the things. And most especially to all of you who also took the time to review & recommend the Saga & Songs to others. I’m grateful.
Flattered by Flowers
Showing Up. The digital short story that’s releasing next week (4/4) is now showing up in other venues, like Barnes & Noble and Kobo. If you shop somewhere other than Amazon, you can probably pre-order Songs of the Amaranthine, #8 now!
LMM 355: On the Contrary
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 with his share of interests.
355
On the Contrary
Colored Pencils
Mood Stripes. Here’s a fun fact for y’all. If I post a chapter a day for the rest of the month, Mood Stripes will wrap up before we kick off the new year. So that’s the plan. :: confetti toss :: Here’s another fun fact. I began posting Mood Stripes on release day for Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox back in 2018. I’m celebrating the oncoming finish of this fic by unveiling cover art & adding the pattern to the Twinkle Press shopfronts.

Pokemon GO!
Let’s Be Friendly. From time to time (usually when a challenge demands it), I remind my followers that 1) I play Pokemon GO! and 2) I prefer to friend my readers (rather than random strangers). If “gotta catch ’em all” is also one of your goals, don’t be shy. Drop me an email with your friend code, and I’ll happily add you.

always.forthright at gmail dot com
LIVE Recording
Travis Baldree will begin soon. He’ll be creating the audio book for Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate (Amaranthine Saga, #5) LIVE on his Discord server: Cryptid Audio. I’m there. Join if you dare! ::twinkle::
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. Ch16, “Don’t Be Strangers” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch12, “At the Pike & Lager” just 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 >>