Fay Irwin (pen name)
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fantasyscience.bsky.social
Fay Irwin (pen name)
@fantasyscience.bsky.social
710 followers 920 following 450 posts
Chemist by day, fantasy writer by night. My past includes stints as a legal secretary, martial arts instructor, and rock'n'roll clarinettist.
Over 50 publications to date, but they're all in science journals.
She/her
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fantasyscience.bsky.social
Fay Irwin (pen name) @fantasyscience.bsky.social · Oct 21
Currently querying ChemPortal, a grounded sci-fi romance: think Andy Weir meets Ali Hazelwood.

Two awkward scientists must overcome their mutual dislike to save the world from mass starvation. It's a battle against time, greedy corporations, cults, and their own hearts.
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Bats are dying, humanity faces mass starvation, and no one seems to care.

Antagonistic colleagues Nat and George reluctantly team up to save the world, but face greedy corporations, doomsday cults, and their own explosive chemistry.

#BluePit #BluePit📖 #Q #R #SF #A
Moodboard. Text: "ChemPortal," "Fay Irwin," "Sci-fi romcom." Central image: a steaming pressure cooker Outer images (clockwise from top left): - a table set with food and two colourful cocktails - printed text with "chemistry" bolded - a woman working on a car engine - the Toronto skyline - a colourful stack of books - bright light shining through a partially opened door - a bat hanging from a tree branch - latkes on a plate
January 13, 2026 at 8:55 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Pitching CHEMPORTAL (now with hashtags).

#Q #SF #R #A #BluePit #BluePit📖
fantasyscience.bsky.social Fay Irwin (pen name) @fantasyscience.bsky.social · 3d
Currently querying CHEMPORTAL, a grounded sci-fi romance with real chemistry.

Two awkward scientists battle time, doomsday cults, corporations, and their own hearts to save the world.

- Enemies(ish) to lovers
- Mistaken identity
- Family and friendship
- Not actually about portals
Moodboard. Central images is a steaming pressure cooker worth CHEMPORTAL superimposed. Bottom right says FAY IRWIN - SCI-FI ROMCOM. Images clockwise from top left: -a table with food and two colourful cocktails - typed text on a page with "chemistry" bolded -a woman working on a car engine - Toronto's skyline viewed from the Toronto islands -a stack of colourful books - a bright light shining through a partially-opened wood door - a bat hanging upside down from a tree - a plate of latkes
January 13, 2026 at 4:46 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Currently querying CHEMPORTAL, a grounded sci-fi romance with real chemistry.

Two awkward scientists battle time, doomsday cults, corporations, and their own hearts to save the world.

- Enemies(ish) to lovers
- Mistaken identity
- Family and friendship
- Not actually about portals
Moodboard. Central images is a steaming pressure cooker worth CHEMPORTAL superimposed. Bottom right says FAY IRWIN - SCI-FI ROMCOM. Images clockwise from top left: -a table with food and two colourful cocktails - typed text on a page with "chemistry" bolded -a woman working on a car engine - Toronto's skyline viewed from the Toronto islands -a stack of colourful books - a bright light shining through a partially-opened wood door - a bat hanging upside down from a tree - a plate of latkes
January 13, 2026 at 4:44 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
trutherford.bsky.social
ANTI-CHARTER CAMPAIGN: Speculative Fiction
Jumanji X Abbott Elementary
School librarian Britt and her teacher friends must figure out how to stop a charter takeover of their beloved school.
The strange D&D game they're playing may hold the key.
Querying Soon
#BluePit 📖 #A #W
An image of a classroom over an image of a D&D game with dice. Text reads: Speculative fiction, Anti-Charter Campaign, is Jumanji X Abbott Elementary. Librarian Britt and her teacher colleagues must make the right rolls in a magical RPG to save their school from a charter takeover.
January 13, 2026 at 5:14 AM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
trutherford.bsky.social
ANTI-CHARTER CAMPAIGN: Speculative Fiction
A group of elementary teachers fight a charter takeover by playing a D&D game with real-life corollaries
For fans of The Grimoire Grammar School PTA, D20, and Roll for Romance
Vibes and scenes in this mood board
Querying Soon
#BluePit #BluePit📖 #A #W
Images: apple in classroom, elementary school, man in tie with "evil corp" as nametag, hand holding money, basket of butterscotch, four friends cheersing beers, happy kids with backpacks in hallway, magic book, dice on D&D character sheets, map of PA, ants
January 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
If Andy Weir and Ali Hazelwood cowrote a novel, it would be CHEMPORTAL.

In this sci-fi romcom with real chemistry, two awkward scientists living in an alternate Toronto must overcome their mutual dislike to save the world from starvation.

#Q #A #SF #R #BluePit #BluePit📖
January 13, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
annmrose.bsky.social
It’s a new year so let’s start an #AskAgent thread.
Post questions here and I’ll do my best to answer them all.
Leaving this open through the weekend.
#QueryTip #AmWriting
January 3, 2026 at 3:15 AM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
"I have replaced all imperial terms with the appropriate SI units," the sorceress said with a skilometer.
November 23, 2025 at 3:41 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
What We Do in the Shadows X Fido = THE RUNNING DEAD

When a small town's high school track team turns into zombies,
apathetic vampire Fred reluctantly teams up with an inexperienced vampire slayer and a high school teacher to protect his food source - er, his fellow citizens.

#QuestPit #W #A #F
November 5, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
annahirsch.bsky.social
A DOWRY OF BLOOD x THE BACHELOR

Holland only agrees to date Dracula on TV to boost her influencer career. When producer manipulation goes too far, she tries to leave, but finds the eliminated girls haven’t been sent home—they’ve been fed on.

#questpit #W #A #H #comedy
Mood board depicting dark, campy vampire aesthetic with a silhouette of Dracula. Headline reads "Who Wants to Be Dracula's Bride" with tagline "This season's to die for".  
November 5, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
fantasyscience.bsky.social
If Andy Weir and Ali Hazelwood co-wrote a book, it would be CHEMPORTAL. This scifi romcom with real chemistry features:
💥Explosions (real and figurative)
📻Science (mis)communication
🥰Enemies to lovers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧Complex family dynamics
⚛️ #Steminist history
💪ND and LGBTQ rep

#QuestPit #A #Q #SF #R
Dark blue poster background with a cartoon of a pink and silver pressure cooker. Text: ChemPortal A romantic sci-fi Two awkward scientists just want to be left alone to build a lawnmower. Instead, thy find themselves battling time, powerful corporations, and doomsday cults to save the world from starvation. Fay Irwin
November 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Ali Hazelwood meets Andy Weir in CHEMPORTAL, a sci-fi romcom with real chemistry.

Enemies to lovers, mistaken identities, science (mis)communication, and multiple explosions feature in this tale of two scientists faced with preventing global famine.

#QuestPit #A #SF #R #LGBTQ #ND
November 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
erinabecca.bsky.social
To free a girl who’s lost her memories to a ruthless duchess, Vreta must reveal her deepest secret: her mind magic. But she risks losing the trust of the man she’s come to love—and losing her identity to the duchess’s power.

#QuestPit #Q #A #F #RF
A dark-haired, pale-skinned girl looks up uncertainly at the viewer. She is dressed in a dark gray dress with a white collar and apron. “Stolen Magic” is written in white text across the image.
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
itinerantginger.bsky.social
Sylvester Biskup: Hero, Mage, Greatest Wizard of His Age & Chronically Single

But who needs dates when you are on the edge of becoming the next Chancellor of Corvid’s Inlet University.

If he can secure a huge donation from the wealthiest man in town... who's also his ex...

#Q #A #F #RF
November 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
If Andy Weir and Ali Hazelwood co-wrote a book, it would be CHEMPORTAL. This scifi romcom with real chemistry features:
💥Explosions (real and figurative)
📻Science (mis)communication
🥰Enemies to lovers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧Complex family dynamics
⚛️ #Steminist history
💪ND and LGBTQ rep

#QuestPit #A #Q #SF #R
Dark blue poster background with a cartoon of a pink and silver pressure cooker. Text: ChemPortal A romantic sci-fi Two awkward scientists just want to be left alone to build a lawnmower. Instead, thy find themselves battling time, powerful corporations, and doomsday cults to save the world from starvation. Fay Irwin
November 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Nerdy rock collector, yes! (She's so great.)
November 5, 2025 at 2:46 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Ali Hazelwood meets Andy Weir in CHEMPORTAL, a sci-fi romcom with real chemistry.

Enemies to lovers, mistaken identities, science (mis)communication, and multiple explosions feature in this tale of two scientists faced with preventing global famine.

#QuestPit #A #SF #R #LGBTQ #ND
November 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
Love to see great writers (and very nice people) succeed. Congratulations!
jademasonwrites.bsky.social Jade Mason @jademasonwrites.bsky.social · Oct 29
Thrilled to share I’m officially repped by @emilykaitlin.bsky.social @ @bookendsliterary.bsky.social! I’m so grateful to her & @laylafallah.bsky.social for their support and guidance as I begin this next ch. Excited to celebrate with the #writingcommunity in this 🧵! #writesky #agented
Thrilled to share I’m officially repped by emilykaitlin.bsky.social @ bookendsliterary.bsky.social! I’m so grateful to her & laylafallah.bsky.social for their support and guidance as I begin this next ch. Excited to celebrate with the #writingcommunity in this 🧵!
October 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
victoriajayneoh.bsky.social
#litagents #WIP #amediting #writingcommunity
A cursed prince is forced to be his deadname under 24/7 supervision from an elven guard. When he is betrothed to a neighboring prince, he must find a way to break his curse and escape, trying (failing) not to fall in love with his guard in the process.
Rainbow hands, castle, herbs, prince, silver purple eyes.
October 21, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
msbsandrs.bsky.social
Revenge, vigilante justice, or both? A shady government agency offered Lucy a chance to get out of prison, and she agreed to six months of secret experiments. They pumped her full of drugs, stole her free will, bloodied her hands, and left her for dead. They should have finished the job.

#SFPit #A
October 21, 2025 at 10:58 PM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
CHEMPORTAL is what you'd get if Andy Weir and Ali Hazelwood co-wrote a book. It has:
🧪Lots of chemistry (of both types)
👫Enemies to lovers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Complex family dynamics
👭Friendship and found family
💪Feminist takes on the history of science
🧠Neurodivergent and LGBTQ rep
🤣Awkward humour

#SFPit #A #Q
Poster with a dark blue background. A pink pressure cooker with a silver lid is the only image. Text: ChemPortal A romantic sci-fi Two awkward scientists just want to be left alone to build a lawnmower. Instead, they find themselves battling time, powerful corporations, and doomsday cults to save the world from starvation. Fay Irwin
October 22, 2025 at 2:14 AM
fantasyscience.bsky.social
If Andy Weir and Ali Hazelwood co-wrote a book, it would be CHEMPORTAL.

When the bat population is decimated, inhabitants of an alternate Earth face global famine. A disillusioned chemist and her antisocial boss become unwilling allies in an attempt to save the world.

#SFPit #A
October 21, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
catherinewinters.com
F/NB WAYFARERS x MURDERBOT x SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN

Everything fell apart when the human came aboard. Instead of nice meals and quiet cargo runs, Tai's stuck with bickering crewmates, sinister criminals, explosions, and worse, a human who wants to be friends. #SFPit #A #Q #R #SO #OV #LGBT
Mood board/Agent's guide for my novel CARGO - a queer SF/heist/romance - 110,000 words "Did you hear? There's a human on board." A graphic of the wall of a spaceship with sticky notes and polaroid photos taped up. There are twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling. alien ship's cook (fussy, anxious) + terrifying monster (ordinary human) PITCH: Tai’s terrified of humans. Everyone is. Violent pack hunters, humans are notorious for their strength, sharp teeth, and carnivorous appetites. But the ship’s cook is safe among the multispecies crew of the cargo hauler Coreward Baker: everyone knows the warrior species rarely leave their own space. Then Captain Raz hires Clarke, a human horticulturist. Even after Tai overcomes their fear, they can’t stand Clarke. She’s bossy. Annoying. Useless in the galley, bad in a space suit. She might as well be cargo. Worse, she’s intent on befriending Tai—and why can’t they stop thinking about her, anyway? That’s when things go wrong. As Tai starts to realize their feelings for Clarke, they’re horrified to learn that nobody on their crew of dropouts and runaways is quite who they seem, least of all Clarke. And it’s no coincidence. Raz reveals they’ve each been handpicked for a heist he’s spent years planning—and no one’s allowed to say no. PRIORITIES: make dinner remain cozy haul cargo go for drinks pull off one last score try not to fall in love FIRST PAGE: “Did you hear? There’s a Human on board.” I choked on my noodles and turned to stare at the diners at the next table. Like most of the restaurant’s patrons, the pair had hidden their profiles, a halfhearted attempt at anonymity. “Gross,” the speaker’s crewmate said, oblivious to my alarm. “I hope it leaves soon.” “Don’t let it hear you say that,” the first worker laughed. She made a show of looking for Humans, her eyes darting from table to table. It. I frowned. I knew the workers’ language distinguished between people and things, and ‘it’ was an unkind choice of words at best. The second worker shuddered. “I don’t know why we let themcome here.” The first laughed. “Are you going to stop them?” COMPS: Murderbot by Martha Wells Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wisewell The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers TROPES: Non-binary narrator masking anxiety with sarcasm lying to themselves non-human perspective (afraid of humans) neurodivergent main characters metaphorically disabled protagonist slow-burn friends-to-lovers and enemies to lovers in the same relationship disabilitynorm and queernorm setting found family loveable pet/terrifying monster
October 21, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
maggiesbooks.bsky.social
In a world of potions threatening small businesses like her mom’s, and being dangerously used to cure diseases, a uni student’s use of a love potion backfires and to win back her friendship with her crush— an anti-potion witch— she must protest the govt’s legalization of potions. #SFPit #SSF #wip
The Witches of Buckhead Soft science fiction / urban fantasy with romance Cornelia is a freshman struggling to make friends at Briarcliff College. With her mom’s skincare business sales down after witch potions are now widely available, she might not even be able to afford tuition anymore. Then she meets Killian, a non-practicing witch and a talented writer in her fiction workshop. Cornelia develops a crush on him and asks his older sister to make her a love potion. The sister, who wants her brother to marry a witch, realizes the love potion is for Killian, so she changes the contents of the potion. When Cornelia learns the potion was botched, she confesses to Killian what she did and he reverses the spell, but he’s no longer interested in Cornelia, due to her dishonesty. With Cornelia’s mom’s business in danger of going bankrupt, she joins her brother in anti-witch activism, only to find Killian is there to protest the unethical use of potions as a cure for diseases, which his parents are heavily involved in at the Institute for Disease Mitigation. Can Cornelia win back Killian's friendship, put an end to witchcraft threatening small businesses and end the dangerous use of potions in healthcare? Or will she have to drop out of Briarcliff, lose her friend and crush and watch the world succumb to witchcraft replacing science?
October 21, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Reposted by Fay Irwin (pen name)
crystalbauthor.bsky.social
Here is my list for #SFPit

1. Bones of Moon Dust #WIP #A #SFan
2. Decimated #WIP #A #SFan #PA
3. Different Lives Different Souls: Beginnings #WIP #NA #SFan
Left side top to bottom A picture of the moon half shaded with 2 quotes: “I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any life. I am it.” - Michael Collins “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.” - President Nixon. A foggy grave yard. An old picture of the Nasa communications room. Right side top to bottom: A picture of an astronaut on the moon and the title Bones of Moon Dust. A picture from hunger games of a pile of skeletons. A Dust Storm. Black background. Top left picture Is an alien ship over land with a space portal showing in the light. Top right is a picture of a jail fence. Then a quote: “This is War. You're fighting in your own backyard. You're fighting for your family. For them, this is just some place. For us, this is our home. It's up to all of us to fight for it.” - Red Dawn (2012) Middle left pic is a campfire. Top right is a tent, campers, and a campfire. Then the title in rusted font, Decimated. “Then a quote: The biggest risk, is to take no risks.” - John Marsden, Tomorrow When The War Began Bottom left pic is an explosion. Bottom left is a dilapidated building behind a fence. “Then a quote: We believed we were safe. That was the big fantasy.” - John Marsden, Tomorrow When The War Began
October 21, 2025 at 4:38 AM