Dan F. Bispo
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danfbispo.bsky.social
Dan F. Bispo
@danfbispo.bsky.social
210 followers 140 following 430 posts
Professional word extruder. Author of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.

My books: https://barrows.itch.io/

Currently working on: FIRST LIGHT, a sci-fi novella
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danfbispo.bsky.social
Had to cut out the spoilers for this one ;) I'm being a little pedant and going for exact matches this week, so I picked a 'screen' as opposed to the more common 'viewscreen' I use to refer to the large displays on a spaceship's bridge.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The Bridge of the Trilobite held the darkest shadows of all. No emergency lights, no warmth emanating from the spike drive downstairs, no blinking of consoles, no readings on the dust-covered screens. Only one candle, wax and wick and a dying glow sat at the foot of the makeshift shrine. Of movement, of sound, there was plenty. A shifting in the corner, the blind reaching of hands through familiar, but concealed, surfaces. A gentle mumbling overlaid it all; a rich pidgin of mnemonic aids and incantations, of prayers and mechanical jargon.
December 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
#SFFChat

Sometimes I write very dialogue-heavy scenes that are a little inspired by conversations in cRPGs, where once you have chosen your dialogue options and read back, it feels like a very snappy, and slightly confusing, back-and-forth.
“Spike jump successful,” the ship’s speakers announced. “Roll call.” “Yana here,” she spoke into her compad. “Whew! That one was rough,” a third voice said. “Thanks for getting us through in one piece, Six. Uh, Rook here, by the way.” “Diodorus here, no worse for wear. Really, there’s no need to be so dramatic, I think. I have been working hard on this vessel—if it wasn’t jump-worthy, I would have said so.” “I apologize if I gave that impression. It was not my intention to imply your work was not up to par.” “Fret not, friend, I am not upset. I—” “Hey, Captain,” the first voice interrupted. Yana winced. The title still hung about her like an unwelcome smell. “Yes, Rook?” “Where do we keep the medical supplies?” “...why?” “No reason.” “Rook…” “Just a lil’ nosebleed, it’s nothing, really.” “Infirmary.” “There’s really no need—” “Now.”
December 5, 2025 at 8:53 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
#SFFChat

To narrow it down to a single example, I've been on a gamebook kick lately and absolutely obsessed with the Sorcery! videogame adaptation, and how it integrates aspects of cheating/retrying and weaves them seamlessly into the plot.
sffchat.bsky.social SFFChat @sffchat.bsky.social · 10h
#SFFChat Q3: What unique storytelling opportunities do games (of any kind you wish to talk about!) offer?
A pixelated scene featuring a grey cat with a heart above its head getting sucked up by a flying saucer driven by an orange cat in cool shades. An adventurer looks on with a speech balloon that reads, "Huh?"
December 5, 2025 at 8:48 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
Isometric RPG is the easy answer, though I've had people compare First Light to the Mass Effect series, which I have yet to play!

My brain keeps coming back to 4X, though. Like a Stellaris or Alpha Centauri type thing, with the characters as faction leaders.

#SFFChat
sffchat.bsky.social SFFChat @sffchat.bsky.social · 10h
#SFFChat Q2: If your story were a game of some kind, what would it be (e.g RPG, TTRPG, a boardgame of some kind, survival horror, first-person shooter, etc)?
A pixelated scene featuring a grey cat with a heart above its head getting sucked up by a flying saucer driven by an orange cat in cool shades. An adventurer looks on with a speech balloon that reads, "Huh?"
December 5, 2025 at 8:37 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
Very presumptuous of #SFFChat to assume the plan wasn't to put the cast of First Light in a dating sim all along!
sffchat.bsky.social SFFChat @sffchat.bsky.social · 10h
#SFFChat Q1: If your characters were in a dating sim (or another kind of game if you prefer), what roles would they have or what archetypes would they fulfill?

E.g. Healer, summoner, maybe in a dating sim they're the mayor's daughter, or in a farm sim they're an angry chicken! Be creative!
A pixelated scene featuring a grey cat with a heart above its head getting sucked up by a flying saucer driven by an orange cat in cool shades. An adventurer looks on with a speech balloon that reads, "Huh?"
December 5, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
thebrambler13.bsky.social
I doubt I'm your favourite, but it would do this me good to have some new knights in my audience. 🎺 🎙️ 🥺

youtube.com/@thebrambler...

If you want gallantry, comfort & whimsey please subscribe. #Raven+Bear is a collection of free stories to listen to.

#booksky #whattoread #bookrecs #audiobooks
December 5, 2025 at 4:08 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
Like everything about First Light, it varies. There are spaceships and megastructures and all that jazz, but due to the fragmented state of communities within the setting--every planet an isolated entity save for trade routes--there are species on every rung of the ladder.

#DecemberWorldbuilders
kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 1d
#DecemberWorldbuilders! What is the "level" of technology in your fictional world? Is it a low-tech fantasy? A high-tech sci-fi? Or something in-between? Maybe something outside the tech progression of human history. Did they invent anything ahead of us in time? Any inventions suspiciously absent?
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #DecemberWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 1: Science 4: Scientific development of your world: what's the level of tech? The image shows a cozy town during winter with warm lights. Large mountains are in the background. It is blurred. Snowflakes are around the top words
December 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
A little sprinkle of worldbuilding. Just a hint, not much--like the nutmeg of fiction.

I've been in a festive mood lately, I wonder why. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“Thanks for getting here so quickly, Captain. It must have been difficult, with the Festival taking up most of the streets.” “It wasn’t so bad. We seem to have avoided the worst of it,” Yana said. “Though I seem to have lost half my crew to the entertainment. What’s the occasion?” Corben rolled his wide shoulders and smiled, just a little. “Not sure myself, Captain, I’ve only been around for a few hours, and I didn’t want to wander off in case you were early. Something about some local politics?” “Maybe,” Yana said. “It seems a bit early in the year to celebrate the Shift’s anniversary, but every place has its own date, doesn’t it?” “That might be it.” He glanced down the walkway platform, where a smaller group of locals made their way towards the city center. Three humans, a wheeled automaton, and a lifeform she couldn’t identify at a glance, chatting among themselves. The humans smiled; the only display of joy in the gathering that Yana was equipped to recognize.
December 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
Today's #WIPSnips is "dominant"

This one's from a very recent session, so it's still rough around the edges. Yana goes to an orbital station to pick up a package, and there's a festival on. Her crew disappears to peruse the local cooking, leaving her to meet her contact alone.

Relatable, tbh.
She followed her compad’s directions further from the music, further from the motion, through pathways and sidewalks more representative of what the station must have looked like on a normal day; a spaceport not unlike the ones she’d been to before, full of laborers in safety gear and vacant-eyed managers. Orbital Station Sousa Mendes may have been a smaller outpost than Bayinnaung, and more affected by homeworlder cultures—hard to escape when the verdant shores of Ivapa II were but a shuttle away—but in the end, when all else was stripped, the steel was Terran, as was the engineering that gave it shape. By the time she reached Hangar 12, the dominant smell was not that of outdoor cooking, but coolant and heated metal. As she approached the resting freighter, a figure rose up to greet her.
December 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
#WIPSnips

Again, can't relate. Free time? In THIS economy?
Free time. An endless void, begging to be filled by work, or by entertainment, lest it filled itself with ennui. She wondered how the samples were doing. She knew Jardine would treat them with all the care in the world, but that wasn’t the point. It wasn’t about the samples, not really; it was about her, and the joy they brought her, and the fleeting sense of purpose they would imbue into her life. “Ada?” The pod stirred with anticipation. “What’s the status of Blob’s vivarium?” “Biomass dispenser eighty-seven percent full.” The seconds dragged. “What’s oxygen saturation of the water?” “Eighty-five percent and stable.” Yana sighed.
December 2, 2025 at 9:14 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
#DecemberWorldbuilders

In most cases, evolved, though there are, of course, creation myths everywhere. Some Tellari believe an ancestral entity still travels the cosmos, seeding life in its image. They also tend to convert to religions of other spacefaring peoples, though, and inherit their myths.
kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 3d
Hello, #DecemberWorldbuilders! Tell us about the creation of your people according to the in-world lore. Were they created by gods? Did they evolve from single-celled organisms? Maybe a bit of both? Maybe they don't know, and maybe they have stories about it. What are their creation myths?
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #DecemberWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 1: Science 2: Were your people created by gods or did they evolve? Both? The image shows a cozy town during winter with warm lights. Large mountains are in the background. It is blurred. Snowflakes are around the top words
December 2, 2025 at 9:08 AM
danfbispo.bsky.social
I always wanted to write a character who is cybernetically enhanced in order to become a more effective mercenary or agent of some kind. A cheerful, kind person who wants to be a net positive of joy in the world, and realizes too late he gave up most of himself to a cause he cannot stand behind.
scarletvmitchell.bsky.social Scarlet Mitchell @scarletvmitchell.bsky.social · 3d
Monday #WritingQ!

"Orphan" characters!

Tell me about a character you've dreamed up but haven't put in a story yet!

Who are they? What's the obstacles you've run into finding their story?

(Unless you have literal orphans in your story you want to talk about.)

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt
a cartoon of a woman with the words i feel so out of place here
Alt: a cartoon of a woman with the words i feel so out of place here
media.tenor.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
pokemongems.bsky.social
Photo of piplup looking at a sign that has a picture of a piplup being crossed out
December 1, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
thepinkhydra.com
Anyone up for beta-reading a Lovecraftiana erasure poetry project? The manuscript is fairly short, a little over 5,000 words.

Slide into my DMs and I'll share the deets. 👀

#WritingCommunity #Poetry #HPLovecraft
December 1, 2025 at 9:33 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
I'm not usually much of a worldbuilder, but I'm throwing my hat on the ring this #DecemberWorldbuilders and see how well I do!

Science is widely spread throughout First Light's setting, as befits a sci-fi story, but different communities have different views on it and might forbid access to it. 1/6
kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 4d
Welcome to the first week of #DecemberWorldbuilders! This week is about SCIENCE (broadly speaking) (you can play along even if you're writing pre-industrial fantasy!)
Today's Q: Can anyone in your world participate in scientific research? Or is it reserved for elites?
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #DecemberWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 1: Science 1: Science in your fictional world: is it available to everyone? The image shows a cozy town during winter with warm lights. Large mountains are in the background. It is blurred. Snowflakes are around the top words
December 1, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
thepinkhydra.com
I'm incredibly excited to be part of this ENORMOUS book bundle on itch! 🤩

itch.io/b/3409/end-o...

Get Forest of the Morning along with 63 other diverse fantasy books! Fill up your TBR for next year. Check out some new and underrated authors!
December 1, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
poorlycatdraw.bsky.social
it’s tiiiiime 🎄
December 1, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
hookandquillpress.com
Great news, everyone! Hook & Quill Press is launching today as an indie publishing company, supporting and supported by the writing community (and one octopus). We have plenty of exciting announcements for your feed today, but here's a quick teaser...
#writesky #writingcommunity #quillbert4ever
December 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
Another repeat, but one I like a lot. It's from the later parts of First Light Book 1, when I was just chilling and letting the words land wherever they did. Worked out okay, I think!

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Rook sat on their newly-claimed bed, in their newly-claimed private quarters—or, as they defiantly called it, their house. Diodorus had promised to help them clear out all the clutter he’d filled it with over the years, and while they appreciated the offer, they had been quick to decline. Truth was, a cramped room suited Rook just fine. Clutter was evidence of life; a physicality of memory, a sense of belonging. They liked having little trinkets to hold, decorations to move around, splotches of color on otherwise unremarkable surfaces.
December 1, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
cheerfulmelancholy.bsky.social
I'm pretty terrible at promoting (and I don't have much to promote at the moment anyway) but I do have a Ko-Fi tip jar linked in my bio and I'm more active on Tumblr (more writing snippets plus miscellaneous rambles and stuff I find fun).
November 30, 2025 at 9:53 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
👀👀👀👀👀
hookandquillpress.com Hook & Quill Press @hookandquillpress.com · 4d
Wait...gasp!!
What has Quillbert found?
Is he finally at the end of his big book-related quest...?
Could it be...????

#writingcommunity #writesky #quillbert4ever #hookandquillpress
A plush octopus looks up at a wooden door. We see the bottom of a sign. The writing is cut off, but it looks like it could be saying "Hook & Quill Press" which honestly, isn't really a twist at all
November 30, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
ameliakayne.bsky.social
30. Self-promo:

You can learn more about my WIPs and find my blogs, shorts, mood boards, character bios, and more on my website.

AmeliaKayne.com

#Novmemeber
November 30, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Dan F. Bispo
hornedlarkpress.com
Okay, the sale is ON! Everywhere. All print books directly from us are discounted, and the ebook for COYOTE RUN by @lilithsaintcrow.com is currently a steal at $1.99! Support a small press that never uses AI and you:
•make a billionaire weep softly
•buy a creative person a taco
•entertain yourself
Graphic advertising the sale at hornedlarkpress.com, where all print books are 25-50% off, and Coyote Run by Lilith Saintcrow is 1.99 through Cyber Monday.
November 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
#Novmemeber ruled! A lot of these challenges can be very involved, so I enjoyed having one that was fun and chill, but still thinky. @sagetgreene.bsky.social is a hero and a gem!

This is where my stuff is. Feel free to keep your money; a read or a follow are worth much more to me.

barrows.itch.io
sagetgreene.bsky.social Sage T. Greene, Author @sagetgreene.bsky.social · 5d
#Novmemeber 30

Thanks for a great month! Now... PROMOTE YOURSELF!

Share links to your books, ko-fis, writing samples, websites—whatever you'd like to promote today!

Be sure to check everyone out and spread the love!

(Thanks for participating in Novmemeber, everyone! 🫶)
—💚🌿
30. Tell us where to buy/support and don't be subtle! A prompt game for the month of November, titled #Novmemeber (as in meme). Hosted by @sagetgreene.bsky.social . The bottom says "Have fun, interact, and remember alt text!" There is a silly emoji face with wild eyes and tongue sticking out, and some fall-style leaves in the corners.
November 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
danfbispo.bsky.social
I do have number! A whole character named after a number, in fact. In today's snippet, she meets the crew and introduces herself.

#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“That’s great! I am Andromeda Solutions’ Artificial Locutive/Reactive Intelligence™, S&M Model, serial number 0721B-06. I respond to Six, and I’m here to help. And you are… Adrian Rook of Veter IV, and Yana N/A of Vara IX. I hope this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship.” “S and what, now?” Rook asked.
November 30, 2025 at 9:27 AM