#ardawyn

[eluari]

MELODIE DER ASCHE - (AKA: BORN TO THE SEA)

Genre //Adult Fantasy Status // Finished 💕 - Release 02.04.2024 Publisher // Droemer Knaur (german publisher) Themes // a fall from grace | vengeance | justice | action & consequences | magic | loyality | survival | love | war | fate | rebellion | sacrifice | m/m romance

There were times when I thought that I'd ever make this post. Times when I doubted that a story with an m/m romance would ever get picked up by a major publisher. But here we are ... 🥹

Melodie der Asche is the german title of my WIP Born to the Sea, and what you see up there, is the official cover. The real cover of the story, that started in 2019 here on Writeblr. I even got to illustrate the hands ... T_T Anyway, I'm forever grateful for all the support I've found. I miss you & love you, guys! I hope you're all doing well. 💕

You can preorder Melodie der Asche *here* & I have included the german preview text in case you happen to speak german.

Das Vergessen war seine Gnade. Die Wahrheit ist sein Untergang. Ein Magier ohne Zukunft versucht, sein Schicksal abzuwenden. Ein Fischer ohne Vergangenheit verliebt sich in einen Feldherrn, der eine Lüge lebt. In einem kriegszerrissenen Land stürzen sie sich in den Kampf um Freiheit und decken eine Wahrheit auf, die so schwer wiegt, dass sie besser nie ans Licht gekommen wäre. -

Drei untrennbar verbundene Schicksale entscheiden über die Zukunft eines kriegszerrissenen Reiches. Inmitten des Konfliktes zwischen der Rebellion und dem grausamen Regime des Sha ist Caliyan der stärkste Magier seiner Zeit, doch man hat ihm alles genommen. Im Versuch seiner dunklen Bestimmung zu entfliehen, verliert er sich in Rache. Vaelen ist ein einfacher Fischer, der seine Vergangenheit nicht kennt. Das Einzige, das ihn ständig begleitet, ist eine unbestimmte Sehnsucht, getrieben von einer geheimnisvollen Melodie in seinem Inneren, die noch lauter erklingt, als er Laudan kennenlernt. Aber Laudan ist nicht nur ein Spion der Rebellen, sondern auch der Feldherr des Sha – und damit nicht der, für den Vaelen ihn hält. Laudan ist sofort fasziniert von dem jungen Fischer, seinem starken Willen, der Freiheit und der Anmut, die er ausstrahlt. Doch welche Chance hat eine so zarte Liebe, wenn um sie herum ein Kampf tobt? Wenn Laudan ihm nicht sagen kann, dass er nicht der ist, für den Vaelen ihn hält? Und Vaelen die Macht besitzt, den Frieden zu bringen oder alles zu zerstören, woran Laudan glaubt?

Du bist noch nicht fertig, flüsterte ihm die Dunkelheit zu. -

Rache, Magie, Macht: Ein queerer Fantasy-Roman über die Gnade und den Fluch des Vergessens und den Kampf um Freiheit. In ihrem Debüt über das tragische Schicksal von Vaelen und Laudan erschafft Elya Adair eine magische Welt voller Verzweiflung und Liebe, Zärtlichkeit und Gewalt: Eine tiefgründige Liebesgeschichte, bei der man liebt, hasst und leidet!

»Ein Buch wie eine Symphonie - zärtlich, traurig und getragen von einer bombastischen Melodie, deren Töne noch lange nachklingen.« – Mira Valentin

»Emotional, tragisch und wortgewaltig - mit Melodie der Asche hat Elya Adair ein beeindruckendes Debüt geschrieben, dessen intelligent verwobene Handlungsstränge, tiefgründige Figuren und einzigartige Fantasywelt Lesende von Beginn an in ihren magischen Bann ziehen. Eine unvergessliche Liebesgeschichte, die immer wieder den Atem raubt. Ganz klare Leseempfehlung!« – Lina Frisch

»Melodie der Asche erschafft Bilder voller Magie und Liebe. Auch nach dem Zuklappen des Buches hallt die Welt von Elya Adair noch lange nach.« - Andreas Suchanek und Christian Handel my old BttS Taglist! Lots of Love to you all. I hope you're doing well. @ardawyn @cirianne @elfrooted @somedeadmagic @relevy @alternativeforensicscientist @doro-writes @pen-in-hand @wanderers-minuet @skyfireflight @darth-salem-emperor-of-earth @monaramis @rookie009 @re-writing-h @lady-redshield-writes @zachatari @owl-writes @noxstories @quilloftheclouds @illyriandreamer @writemares @lordkingsmith @kosmosian-quills @reeseweston @ladywithalamp @the-violent-writer @phoenyxrisenfromashes @fantasy-shadows @v-writes-stories @ntbogoni @notiziarios @cawolters @adie-dee @wildswrites @siarven @semblanche @unfortunatelyunfocused @furysreign @a-tear-in-the-veil @acaranna @themidnxghtwriter @songsofaleria @wqtermelon-gloss @august-the-third @waterfallwritings @drunkinbook @doriians @homesteadchronicles @inky-duchess @silas-the-reading-addict @vesrayn @vorskra @miladaydreams @halfbloodlycan @smilelovefat-e @slothssassin @writer-somewhat @twoseeds

[weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables]

Lingering hearts, clover and sage - a fantasy romance

Do you like romance? Are you a fan of slow-burn and the conflict between love and duty? Do you enjoy magic, fantasy cultures and just the barest hints of an incoming apocalypse? Then this story might be for you!

To research the effects of catastrophic magical events on the environment, the elf Naeth gets permission from his isolationist government to cross the border into demonic lands and spend six months in a dilapidated scientific outpost. There he meets the demon Umaen, who gifts him with a beehive, a fluffy red chicken, and an unexpected friendship.

Torn apart by the elves’ strict no-contact laws, they must find a way to cope with the increasingly worrying results of Naeth’s research, while navigating an impossible romance and the clash between their two opposing cultures. Can their relationship survive the distance?

Rating: Explicit (because of a couple of scenes) | Estimated length: 100k words | Available from the second half of February

So what if I surrendered to my impulses and wrote out the entirety of Umaen and Naeth’s love story? My plan is to edit it out nicely, add in some illustrations by yours truly and make it downloadable from Kofi (priced between 2.50$-3$). This is an official INTEREST CHECK! I’m putting a lot of love in this story, and it’s toeing the line between sweet and bittersweet, with lots of feels and a little bit of politics. I hope you’ll stay tuned for new updates!

To curse an angel taglist under the cut:

@ardawyn @pheita @toboldlywrite @shewhowalksbehindthewheels @raevenlywrites @search-me-in-wonderland @concerningwolves @dreamywritingdragon @coutelier @rosesonneptune @lady-redshield-writes @chishiio @hysteriwah @artbyeloquent @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @wizardfromthesea @s-opal @thesunempire @ladywithalamp @jaimistoryteller

[bebewrites]

made the cast of TNV using this windswept picrew (ty @mjjune)! here are my kids in order, featuring some characters i haven’t introduced before! they’re all trapped in a cursed castle together, what could go wrong??

everly: the girl who stole the stars, the should-be queen, fell for a trap and got her kingdom cursed, the only one who can break said curse.  vega: lady knight, member of the king’s elite calvary, everly’s bff and self-appointed royal guard, turns into a disaster gay around arden. asher: step-son of the king of anverion, adventure boy who sneaks into the cursed kingdom to search for a cure for an epidemic.

arden: princess of anverion, youngest of the royal family, smartest person in the room, bookworm, and sneaky sneaks into asher’s caravan.  landon: asher’s best friend and bodyguard who gets dragged on all of asher’s adventures. loathes magic. gets trapped in a castle full of magic. cassia: an enchantress, nature spirit earth child, caught in the brewing tension between the unnamed antagonist and everly’s kingdom.

olia: the royal chamberlain, they keep the castle functioning, even during the curse when everyone is trapped and there is no kingdom to rule. daelyn: everly’s attendant in waiting and close friend, from a noble family that was very close to the king & part of his court/advisors. drayce: his father was on trial for dark magic crimes, so drayce happens to be in the castle at the time of the curse, trapping him there as well.

add the old taglist under the cut, message me to be added or removed! ✨

@nectargrapes @stand-inthe-rain @ardawyn @pinespittinink @lyssthewriter @pen-of-roses @septemberliterature @eluari @starry-sky-stuff @achilleid @houndmouthed @mr-writes @laufire-writes @thebluesthourcommunity @flowerprose

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

Heads Up Seven Up Tag

Thanks for tagging me, @junypr-camus and @emelkae! :D

Here’s the latest excerpt from The Unfortunate Moth:

Yo-han felt as if he was talking to a brick wall. "I know she didn't kill her aunt." That finally startled Colman out of his 'woe-is-me' attitude. "I am currently trying to prove she didn't. And if you would stop behaving like someone murdered your entire family I would be able to do it more quickly."

Colman had undergone a complete transformation while Yo-han was speaking and he now looked downright cheerful. "Are you going to catch the real murderer? Who is he?"

Oh no. He was one of those obnoxious people who thought solving a murder was as easy as baking a cake.

"I don't know yet," Yo-han said shortly.

He brushed past Colman. Colman, damn him, immediately began to follow like an overly-friendly puppy.

"Can I help?" he asked. Yo-han remembered the last time an amateur had tried to help him and felt utter despair. "I've read murder mysteries." No wonder he and Miss Patton got on so well. They had the same taste in literature. Now if only Colman would go talk to her about books and leave Yo-han alone. "Are you going to question everyone on the ship?"

"That would take the better part of a year," Yo-han said dryly. "For now I'm going to question the people closest to the victim, and they're more likely to talk to me without you hanging around."

Finally Colman took the hint. Yo-han had begun to fear he wouldn't be able to beat him off with a stick.

Tagging @boldnightmarishreverbs, @thesorcererspen, @ardawyn, and anyone else who wants to do this! :D

[etjwrites]

Find the Word Tag

I was tagged by @zmwrites & @leebrontide (thanks!! Tagged back if you want) to find: Cool, Thread, & Up

These excerpts are from my Amiri of Caro WIP:

Up

The king's men stepped away from the disgraced thief, and the crowd began to disperse, parting enough for Amiri to catch the other's eye when he lifted his head up, tear-filled gaze beseeching the departing onlookers.

Cool, Thread

Jannes scooped up the coins, gone cool since being hidden from the sun, and stood. He turned away from the thief, then hesitated, and looked over his shoulder. “Why don't you take a walk into the desert?” he suggested, threading his voice with his Gift. “Perhaps the jackals will find a use for you.”

New Words: Hearth, Spool, Gate, Run

Tagging @akindofmagictoo @ardawyn @adie-dee @leave-her-a-tome

[enchanted-lightning-aes]

[ID: a green header with three birthday cakes at the corners with the red text that reads ‘Happy Birthday, (@ardawyn) aka Sophie!! Sending all the good vibes for you!!’ / finish ID]

hey, Sophie, @ardawyn!!! here’s a b-day card for u!! definitely going to do this for my friends if I’m able to. <3 it’s made from canva. sending good vibes and hugs for you!! may u have decent days ahead of you filled with success and joy!! 🎉🎉✨✨

[bardicfool]

Day 2: The Bleeding of Stars

Author: @ardawyn​

Genre: NA high fantasy

What first piqued my interest: I am always a sucker for the “gifted person being used by others finally decides to take control of their own life” trope (so much so that I wrote it myself *cough*).

What I want to learn more about: Magic in this world seems like it could be really interesting—and potentially dangerous (Amaria can inflict pain just by thinking(!))—so I definitely want to know more about that. I’m also curious about the whole raising-orphans-to-be-assassins thing.

What I’m excited about: Honestly, this one just has a really good setup with lots of opportunity for conflict and character development. Also, the mood boards are gorgeous. 🤩

WIP Intro Post

—

The WIP Shout-Out Project is a challenge I created for myself to give a brief virtual high-five to one WIP a day for the first two weeks of February. While these shout-outs aren’t super in-depth, I’m hoping they’ll still help spread a little love and encouragement to the writeblr community. If you want to follow along, I’ve tagged all related posts #wip shout-out. Feel free to give your own shout-outs, too!

[Image description: A banner image with a dark blue background. In the top left, white text reads “@bardicfool’s.” The main text, in yellow handwriting, reads “WIP Shout-Out Project.” At the bottom right, neon pink text at a diagonal reads “vol. 2.”]

[tragedieds]

🌹

This want belongs to you. It buzzes through your skin, rattles at the cage your bones have made for it, leaves you breathless and aching.

send 🌹 for a random sentence of a random WIP!

[howdywrites]

🌹

Thank you so much, my friend! ❤️

From Sisterhood of Blood -

She wore her late brother’s clothes - pants that needed to be belted around her thin waist to keep them up, and the ends cuffed over her dusty boots.

[time-to-write-and-suffer]

✂️ and 🌋 for the OC Questions?

Oh jeez! I didn’t expect anyone to actually send anything, otherwise I would’ve left OC names or WIPs in the tags, as it stands idk who you’re asking about so I dunno what to answer :’)

That being said, thank you for sending this in! :D

[eluari]

BORN TO THE SEA - A long overdue update

Genre //Adult Fantasy // Status // Finished 💕 Themes // a fall from grace | vengeance | justice | action & consequences | magic | loyality | survival | love | war | fate | rebellion | sacrifice | queer

Hi there, apologies because you may not remember me, or how you´ve ended up on this taglist. But I still remember you. 2019 you were by my side when I wrote the very first draft of my fantasy novel "Born to the Sea". Until 2021, when I finished my final draft tumblr felt very much like home to me. I shared my thoughts on writing, met new friends, and I’m forever grateful for all the encouragement, interest and love towards what has become an experience of a lifetime ...

I'm truly sorry for not keeping you updated. It's been over a year since I found a literary agent. Back then I wrote “Born to the Sea might actually be published – but only time will tell.”

What happened in the summer of 2022 surpassed my wildest fantasies: One of the major German publishers picked up the manuscript and I met the editor of my dreams: A person who understands the story and its characters on its deepest level ... and here I am, knowing that Born to the Sea will get published; knowing that I'll see my own book hit the stores next year and I still shake my head in disbelief … because all of this started here. With a rough Idea.

And it started with everyone who supported me. It started with you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Lots of love Elya💕

PS: Born to the Sea will be published under a different name, but I fear I can't reveal it just yet. PPS: If you have any questions, by all means, feel free to ask. If you want to keep following my journey to the release, I’m on Instagram these days, being a little more official. You’ll find me *here*. There is bonus art, too - I’m still painting. It would be lovely to see some familiar faces there.

Taglist: (love you, forever.)

@ardawyn @cirianne @elfrooted @somedeadmagic @relevy @alternativeforensicscientist @doro-writes @pen-in-hand @wanderers-minuet @skyfireflight @darth-salem-emperor-of-earth @monaramis @rookie009 @re-writing-h @lady-redshield-writes @zachatari @owl-writes @noxstories @quilloftheclouds @illyriandreamer @writemares @lordkingsmith @kosmosian-quills @reeseweston @ladywithalamp @the-violent-writer @phoenyxrisenfromashes @fantasy-shadows @v-writes-stories @ntbogoni @notiziarios @cawolters @adie-dee @wildswrites @siarven @semblanche @unfortunatelyunfocused @furysreign @a-tear-in-the-veil @acaranna @themidnxghtwriter @songsofaleria @wqtermelon-gloss @august-the-third @waterfallwritings @drunkinbook @doriians @homesteadchronicles @inky-duchess @silas-the-reading-addict @vesrayn @vorskra @miladaydreams @halfbloodlycan @smilelovefat-e @slothssassin @writer-somewhat @twoseeds

Also tagging @gingerly-writing because you might remember me. 💕

[weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables]

Manuscript search tag

I was tagged by @talesofsorrowandofruin to look for these words: elegant, free, power, cheese, storm, alive, worth, corner, monumental, sacrifice, love, betrayal, rune and space. Since there’s so many, I’ll search through my most recent WIP, Shadows of Kaykoura:

power

He was familiar with Aelyo’s magic, and it, too, knew him. Because of this, Kohashi could dip both arms into the ring of fire and only have blisters bloom on his skin; because of this, he could shield the child in his own power, grit his teeth and drag him out and away from danger, pressed tightly to his own chest.

storm

“Doesn’t it bother you, the blood?” Sorevan asked, drawing her out of her musings. 

Jahdi blinked. The Tower was already in sight, and the magic-induced storm roared around them, crashing against the barrier, where it was at its strongest. “There are more important things,” she answered, wiping her cheeks and chin temporarily dry. “And it will be gone soon.”

“Ah, but how can you be so sure? How can you know that once you’ve crossed this line the wounds will have healed?”

love

“How are you feeling, love?” he asked, leaning down to kiss their forehead. 

“I don’t know,” said Kyragh, and rested their head against Kohashi’s chest, playing with his fingers. “Tired, mainly. Confused. How long has it been since we married?”

Kohashi shivered at the question but kept his expression sweet, and guided his husband forward so he could sit behind them and share some heat.

sacrifice

“We have waited seven centuries for a solution, what’s a few years more? It’s not like the Wars got us any closer to it. The cure will come,” she said, in her even tone. “My Marìm* has sacrificed much to stand with us in this; he has saved the King’s son at a great cost.” (*meaning maestro/master)

corner

Too quickly, the light faded as the sun fell behind the tallest peaks, and Raykan called Kohashi away to reinforce the magical protection shielding their home —their hiding place in the last corner of the world— from the rest of Haramihat, the land of the elves.

free

Having given up on the idea of getting any research done while the king was free to roam her sanctuary, Jahdi decided she might turn her attention over to his ward and the very real danger she presented. The night was fading, and she had no doubt whatsoever Inaid had spent the majority of it meddling about.

worth + betray

Jahdi crossed her arms, one hand coming up to wrap around the pendant hidden in her robes —a black and white rose, Kyragh’s last gift to her— as she thought about an answer. “Kohashi-nes was Kaykoura’s favourite soldier before he betrayed her for my sake. I think Inaid might be worth a try.”

Thank you so much for tagging me! It’s been a while since I’ve last done one of these but as you can I have much to share! If you’re curious about Shadows of Kaykoura, here’s the presentation post @thesunempire and I did for it!

Tagging @ardawyn  @concerningwolves and @ramblinggriffin to find the words: lovely, arms, blood, snap, alone, hide (no pressure of course!) Leaving this also open to whoever feels like doing it! Feel free to tag me!

[kosmosian-quills]

I had a crazy, stupid idea for a thing to do in Animal Crossing because my wardrobe in game is simply bursting ((when I realised those yellow jumpsuits looked awfully familiar.....)) - make the OC’s of a few peeps in Animal Crossing form!!

I realise they aren’t too accurate but there’s only so much I can do on that front XD and I was working on this alone so trying to work out emotes for two characters in the same photo was..... hard. I’m sorry!! I’ll try again soon XD

Anyway - the peeps featured!

1 and 2: Alicia and Marissa from Street Magic, by @cirianne. The yellow jumpsuit gave me this idea, ok. But the real crime is that there is not a white one :C i was kinda limited with my furniture and stuff so Alicia is in a classroom and Marissa is in her super swanky kitchen!!

3 and 4: Lilly and Grayson from our Street Magic Spinoff, by me and @writingonesdreams. I couldn’t not do #Lillson4Lyf. This game was made for bringing out the cute in Lilly and Grayson as a couple <3

5 and 6: Acacia and Kyler from The 5th Magic, by @writingonesdreams. Acacia, I admit, I struggled with the outfit, but I kinda figured she looks good in anything, so..... but Kyler was easier. I had a coat just for the job to make him look as swish as possible! Also him being moody is featured!

7 and 8: Sarra and Ahni from Knight Errant, by @dove-actually. Full disclosure, Dove, this one was the first one where I tried to have both characters at once, and I couldn’t figure out how to use emotes for both of them at the same time (I only have two hands forgive me!!). I did eventually figure it out and by the time I was transferring these files I realised I forgot to go back and make Ahni look more animated. I will try again soon though!!

9 and 10: Tilda and Rajani from The Dawnbringer, by @ardawyn. The outfits were my undoing, but I think I did ok! I have a little market like area in my town so I have to admit using it for Rajani was a nice effective touch that I enjoyed doing. Totally made the terraforming of that entire quarter of my island soooo much more worth it XD

I think I’ll do more of these soon. I might make it something of a game for writeblr, because it was kind of fun! I just need a more effective way of getting the images off my switch and onto my laptop though :( oh well.

I hope you like the images! I did have fun making them, and your OC’s are all amazing and I love them!

[endlesshourglass]

🎭 and 🧸 for Madeleina? Love that name btw!

Thanks for the ask, and thank you! She’s one of the first OCs I ever created and she still has one of my favorite names to this day.

🎭 - Does your OC show different sides of themselves to different people?

Yeah, that’s kind of her thing. Not gonna lie, Madeleina is a bit snakey. She’s usually very straightforward and blunt, but if she wants something from you, she knows how to act to get it. It’s kind of terrifying, tbh. She’s really good at smooth talking so it’s hard to tell if what you’re getting is the real thing. The best way to explain it is that there’s Madeleina, and then Polite Madeleina™.

🧸 - On a scale of 1 - 10, how ‘soft’ is your OC? 1 being the edgiest of edges and 10 being a literal teddy bear that cries at everything? (Bonus questions, where on the scale would your OC place themselves, and where would they like to be on the scale?)

I’d say Madeleina is a solid 4. I’d say Madeleina would place herself as a 3 (she’s pretty self aware but doesn’t realize how kind and supportive she can be). She would probably want to be a 5, but I think her tongue is a bit too sharp for that. 

Ask Game

[raevenlywrites]

10 and 15 for the meta asks? :)

10. How would you describe your writing process?

Chaos. Bootstraps. Absolutely making things up

Usually what comes first for me is dialogue, and I’ll jot those down, maybe with beats in between, maybe not, then I go back and fill it in. So it might look something like:

“I can’t believe you,” [expression beat: cold/fury] “Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Note: Rosey has taken a bite of Tybee’s sandwich

And then I just keep writing til I finish the idea/run out of steam. Then I’ll fill in/polish

15. which is harder: titles or summaries

SUMMARIES. Titles really don’t matter :P

[quilloftheclouds]

Hello there! Didn't see you in my dash for some time. I hope you're doing alright! How about Rose for the character meme ask? I'm somehow always intrigued by her when you mention her! :D

[Pick an oc of mine and I’ll explain the top 3-5 essential concepts to writing them!]

SOPHIE!!! HI HI! I’ve been semi-active for a while now, unfortunately, I’m just so low on creative motivation these days. ^^’ But I’m hoping to get better! How are you, how are things???

And ROSE! I absolutely love how complex her character is underneath all the sweet facade~

Initially, Rose is that sugary sweet girl with a cutesy and childish attitude, prone to teasing jokes and mild mischief and completely unnecessary acrobatics. But she’s nowhere near the innocence she plays at, rather using the act as a manipulation tactic on everyone else, and her bubbly giggles always come out the most at the misfortune of others...

Despite that childish nature, Rose is actually very clever! She’s extremely nosy and loves to eavesdrop or sneak through documents she’s not supposed to read, and piecing together evidence is her forte. Though her excuses make her out to be innocent enough, Rose is genuinely one of my scariest characters to me purely because of how dangerous she is, both through fighting prowess and blackmail skill.

She also holds grudges for a long, LONG time! She’s kinda been blinded by her want for revenge, really. ^^’

She’s quite clingy because of her past experiences with relationships, and once bonded to someone, she’s as loyal and trusting as an awestruck puppy. This can lead to... a lot of problems, especially when she constantly looks the other way on things she really shouldn’t.

She’s kinda a villain? Probably my closest character to one? Hmmm~