A Musing Mondays

A Musing Mondays 🎐

I gonna start doing a Monday post based on what in the past week has amused me or been my muse. Could be a quote, could be a new perspective I gained, could be a neat rock that I found.

I think as creators it can be easy to forget that the things we experience in the now fuel our work too- not just our pasts. If you're feeling uninspired and unmotivated, if your 'muse' seems to have left you, that's when you probably need to step away and live a little.

This weeks a-muse-ment is in the neat rock category for sure 🤘

This weekend I visited Bryce National Park and went on a challenging but very rewarding hike where I took all these photos. It really got me thinking about environments ✨️ The Outlands in my WIP 7 Circles is largely desertscape, but there are soooo many geologic features you can find in a desert. Slot canyons! Hoodoos! Petrified dunes! Carved-in sandstone dwellings! I'm buzzing with thoughts of how to twine these in later in my story. Do any of yall have cool geological features in your stories?

@katenewmanwrites @smellyrottentrees @wyked-ao3 @lychhiker-writes @the-golden-comet

@tragedycoded @cowboybrunch @zackprincebooks @urbiggestnightmare-blog @quillswriting @dragoninatrenchcoat

Repost for Fanart Friday! 🎨

This is a favorite of mine, I wanna eat this anatomy so bad! 🔥♥️

I really need to draw more Kazimier with less clothing..

Artstuff tag!: @the-golden-comet @lychhiker-writes @gioiaalbanoart @quillswriting @wyked-ao3

Late valentine's post of Kazimier, my shapeshifting incubus character. This amazing art was gift from my friend Furazoa!

WIP Wednesday: Confession Tag! ✨️

Thanks for the tag @tragedycoded~

I'm posting a confession-vibe clip from my WIP 🌐7 Circles🌐, and there's spoilers and 🌶sexual content🌶 ahead

From Chapter 5: The Pent-Up House

Kazimier barely gives a grunt in response as his finger gently traces a pattern in the plush fabric of the sofa, mind elsewhere. Klaus moves closer, studying his charge, looking at more than just what the shock did to his system- the flush not linked to the burns, the way his hips shift in discomfort under the blanket.

“..So how often are you supposed to feed, then?”

Kazimier’s jaw tightens and he pauses his idle occupation of creating a criss-cross design in the couch's soft upholstery. "Ya' feed me once a week- just what a 'Cubi needs." he offers smoothly, rubbing his design into nothingness.

Two can play at that game. "So, every day then." Klaus says deliberately.

"Pfft." Kazimier rolls his eyes hard enough that his head follows the movement before tipping back to look at Klaus. "Seems like a lot," Klaus says, keeping his voice and face suspiciously innocent. His hands fall to his belt, undoing the buckles. "But what kind of incubus would I be if I couldn't keep up?" 

The implication is clear. And Klaus has every intention of sticking to this ridiculous schedule unless Kazimier answers. Something behind Kazimier’s eyes flashes with the temptation, the hunger. The rest of him lashes out, unable to grit his teeth another time.

"Now Sir," Kazimier grinds out, muscles protesting as he heaves himself into a seated position, "I'm a domesticated mongrel these days, not usin' as much energy as I did in 'the wild'. I don' know why in tha’ four districts you'd wanna screw yourself feedin' me higher than my former rate- three days durrin' workin’ weeks for your damn information, but it ain't needed." he spits out, lip curling. He leans forward, eyes full of defiance and desire in a way that sent a shiver down Klaus’ spine "I can keep on with you slidin’ your cock past my fangs on the weekly for a loong while yet. Sir." He purrs loathingly. They had taken the man out of Du’Preve, but he was definitely 4th class, even here in Nexis.

Klaus should be outraged. He should hit the anadem and send another charge through Kazimier for his insolence. He should beat him. Or starve him. Or something. 

Three days. 

Klaus smiles wide and warm as he delights in the fire he’s uncovered in the hybrid. "Three days then. Easy enough." He responds, fixing his belt. Kazimier licks his teeth, mismatched eyes squinting in contempt as his temper cools and gravity sets in. "So you’re a moxie thing.. ain't ya?" he says, mouth stuck between a snarl and a smirk.  "So I've been told," Klaus says smugly.

7 Circles stuffs taglist: @gioiaalbanoart @biblicallyaccuratefruitbat @katenewmanwrites @pencilpusher1000 @lychhiker-writes @autism-purgatory @wyked-ao3 @cowboybrunch @zackprincebooks @smellyrottentrees @aalinaaaaaa @the-golden-comet @urbiggestfan-01 @quillswriting @nbkuhn @ddgraywrites @desastreus @nbkuhn @theglitchywriterboi @shanakin-skywalker @honeybewrites @sincerelydorky

A Musing Monday 🎐

Today I'm musing about extradimensional spaces! Like Mary Poppin's bag, or 'eatery that connects to an isekai' anime, or your mind, even.

I do think the mind is a type of extradimensional space. We fit the essence of so many places and moments and people into the folds of our memory, contained in the little box that is our skulls. We imagine worlds, we dream entirely separate lifetimes. It's wild, and amazing, and a little terrifying.

Occasionally I think about how the entire world around me is MY world- in that my only access to reality is through my own interpretations, experiences, and the senses that link to my brain, all of which may or may not be close to the truth of reality. When I die one day, my world dies too- not one creature on earth will live in the same world that I knew due to my relationship with everything perceivable to me.

Before I get TOO existential here though (or maybe I'm getting more existential)- think of what that means for writers! We are masons crafting gateways to extradimensional spaces. Through what we do, people can visit the pocket dimensions of OUR minds, dimensions that have the possibility to continue existing long after the mind/wold that created it expires. And because everyone perceives things through their own lens, writing one story and sharing it creates the potential for countless alternate dimensions; every soul that reads your work will carry their own personal version of it in their mind. If you have a hit count or something similar on your work, THAT'S how many dimensions you've created, at least.

Not only that, but when someone reads what you've written, THEIR world alters. It may be slight, your work or your post might provide a momentary reprieve from the part of their world they're avoiding or decompressing from (which is still a very important thing), or it may give them an idea of their own, it may motivate them to make one choice over another choice, it may alter the very way they think and interact with their family, their partners, themselves. You very well may alter the fabric of what a person is, the dimension of their mind warping with the way it interacts with your dimension.

Never forget that as a writer, or any creator of art for that matter, you are a world-builder, a world-shatterer, a world-repairer; a powerful and magical being that may alter the course of history. Writing is magic, and it's sorcery, and I desperately hope even the small unconfident blogs on here recognize that power.

Tagging a bunch of cool writers: @cowboybrunch @the-golden-comet @lychhiker-writes @wyked-ao3 @rotting-moon-writes

@saturnine-saturneight @asablehart @tragedycoded @autism-purgatory @marlowethelibrarian

If I didn't tag you you're still super cool! The world of my brain is just made of swiss cheese and glitches a lot 🫠💕

@dragoninatrenchcoat @words-after-midnight @sableglass @gioiaalbanoart @illarian-rambling

@badscientist @officialauthorofanotherworld

On the curse side, It can take me a month to finish a chapter that's A Little Too Sad. On the blessed side I can crank out a 3k word sex scene in a couple of hours.

This is my work-life balance as a writer.

OC fight game tag!! 🥊✨

Thanks to @the-golden-comet (here) and @tragedycoded (here) for the tag! I got way into this one lmao. Here's 🌐7 Circles🌐,: Immortal Combat. Ready? FIGHT!

(Some spoilers ahead~)

Klaus 🌻

Health: 11 Strength: 8 Speed: 6 Armor: 6 Cunning: 7

Special Attacks: Fae Grace, after a warm-up period Klaus' dodge becomes more effective. Seelie Fae, bonus attacks and +1HP unlocked in arenas with plant life. Climber, able to scale parts of the environment unavailable to other characters to avoid large attacks or add power to tackles. Hidden Rage, combo attacks have 20% more power right after Klaus takes a hit. Healer, able to revive downed teammates.

Weakneses: Healer, cannot perform coup de gras. Fae blooded, iron weapons do 50% more damage to Klaus and items coated with Faebane do 2x damage and have a chance to one-shot Klaus. If an opponent uses Insult Opponent's Mother against Klaus it will always be super effective.

Idle Animation: Standing with his arms crossed, occasionally checking messages on his com-ring. If left idle and not in the Nexis location he will begin climbing the background environment. If left idle in a location with plantlife he will interact with the closest plant.

Kazimier 💋

Health: 8 Strength: 5 Speed: 6 Armor: 3 Cunning: 13

Special Attacks: Shapeshift, Kazimier will appear to be a different character which has a chance to debuff opponent attacks and change the size of Kazimier's hit box. Luring Gaze, unless opponent has status 'Asexual' this move will cause character movement drift towards Kazimier as long as the effect is active. Charm, if opponent sexuality matches Kazimier's current gender appearance a debuff will be applied to strength and armor equal to that character's Horny Percentage. Perceptive, passive ability where for every 20 seconds of the fight Kazimier has an increasing chance to lock on to his enemy's weaknesses and ignore a percentage of their armor rating. Skewer, if Kazimier manages to grapple opponent, or opponent is otherwise incapacitated a moment Kazimier will perform a finishing move of placing his claws against a vital point (animation options include skull, throat, and heart) before shapeshifting the claws entirely through said location for an instant one-shot.

Weakneses: Any damage Kazimier receives will interrupt his special attacks. Electrical attacks are 20% more effective and impose a cooldown period Kazimier must recover from in order to shapeshift again. If an attack causes the bleeding status to Kazimier, it will reduce cunning by 4 and has a chance to one-shot him.

Idle Animation: Standing with his hands on his hips, inspecting his nails and shapeshifting them long and short, flipping a coin through his fingers, stretching his arms above his head, looking to the camera and saying 'What're you lookin' at?' 'Let's play~' 'Time to fuck or get fucked, bitch', etc. depending on player's score last time they selected Kazimier.

Seeker 🌠

Health: 7 Strength: 9 Speed: 6 Armor: 7 Cunning: 7

Special Attacks: Quardobracial, Seeker is able to continue attacking while grappled or grappling and has extra equipment slots. Arcane Sense, Seeker has a 15% chance to remain unaffected by any arcane attacks. Arcane Knowledge (must be unlocked), able to selectively buff and debuff any stat of any character within a short range. Arcane Strike (must be unlocked), this move damages both HP and MP and has a 50% chance of applying a cooldown timer to any magic abilities.

Weakneses: Until all abilities are unlocked Seeker is not a particularly powerful character.

Idle Animation: Waving to opposing character politely with their north hand (story mode may unlock different gestures with different hands), saying 'let's have a good match!', fixing their very long braid, humming a tune with their eyes closed. Their hands wring together in concern if the opponent is Val.

Valian 🐁

Health: 5 Strength: 4 Speed: 10 Armor: 4 Cunning: 9

Special Attacks: Smol, Val has a smaller than average hitbox, and is able to move between parts of the arena other characters cannot. Survival Instinct, Val's strength and speed get a +2 when his HP reaches 30%. Filtch, Able to steal equipped items from other characters (his speed+cunning vs theirs). Street Rat, +2 to cunning and buff to Filtch ability in urban areas.

Weakneses: As the character who is weakest and has the lowest health, players need have great sense over the controls and dodge maneuvers in particular for Val to be a viable main.

Idle Animation: Tail flicking back and forth in anticipation, turning his head to look around the environment for food or shiny. if left long enough he will steal, if he stole food he will immediately crouch over it and eat it.

7C taglist: @gioiaalbanoart @biblicallyaccuratefruitbat @katenewmanwrites @lychhiker-writes @autism-purgatory

@wyked-ao3 @cowboybrunch @zackprincebooks @smellyrottentrees @aalinaaaaaa

@quillswriting @nbkuhn @ddgraywrites @desastreus @theglitchywriterboi

@shanakin-skywalker @honeybewrites @sincerelydorky (hmu to be +/-)