Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
banner
karamoonauthor.com
Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
@karamoonauthor.com
Kara Moon (she/her/they/them)
Totally not the R18+ pseudonym of @hiriadunning.com I swear!
Queer and indigenous author and poet from Aotearoa NZ
Member of @hookandquillpress.com
Pinned
Temporary pin:
I've posted so much about my adult spicy fiction here, so it's about time I change this account to rep for my pseudonym, and make a clean account for my mainstream persona. If you'd rather follow her and drop me, check out @hiriadunning.com
Or follow both, if you're into that 😉
I live in a serious country
Fantasy Herd ’26 DRAFT WEEK
YouTube video by Meadow Fresh NZ
youtu.be
February 9, 2026 at 12:01 AM
#pretendpanel
My politics have become inextricable from my writing. I believe in preaching to the choir, because the choir sometimes need reminding that they aren't alone. So yes, even in my romances, there is politics and personal philosophy deep in the DNA of it all.
1/2
I'm breaking the rule of not bringing up politics, #pretendpanel! Still, I think it's important to think about it in our writing.

February 7th: How much has real world politics had an impact on your writing, or do you avoid that like the plague?

#WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts
February 7, 2026 at 6:08 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
Today is the birthday I have chosen for Sable! The butch lesbian pirate who becomes something of a mentor figure to Alexander.

Sadly I still don't have art to show you, BUT I do have a piano sketch of the theme I wrote for her! (I'm just a baby composer, be nice. 😆)

It will give you her vibes. 🏴‍☠️
Sable (Piano Sketch) v0.05
YouTube video by Henry Blackthorne
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Happy second birthday to Kallista and Geni 💜
February 5, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
Good afternoon #writingcommunity (or whatever time of day it is for you 😆)

Have a little snippet from my upcoming book THE GODS OF ATALANTIS, Part 1 of my #Atlantis trilogy 🌊☀️

#writers #writesky #hqpress
February 5, 2026 at 6:53 PM
#TBRuary the very next thing on my TBR because it's due back soon is Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk, translated from Spanish. Can't wait, thanks for the rec @dimreaper.bsky.social
February 4, 2026 at 5:36 AM
#LoreOutLoud
Well let's just say, I was not a later in life lesbian with two kids about to get divorced from her husband until I wrote a character who was that. Whoops 😅
Day 003 // WEEK 1: SENSING A SPARK
---
Repost the daily prompt with #LoreOutLoud to feature your entry in Queer Authors 🌈✒️ Dive into the feed to explore all the amazing stories unfolding during our community event: bsky.app/profile/did:...
---
#WriterSky #Writingcommunity #WritingPrompts
February 4, 2026 at 5:12 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
February 4, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
Hello, friends! Now that we are well into 2026, we at Hook & Quill asked ourselves what we want to focus on in the new year ❤️

#indiewriter #indiepublishing #writingcommunity
February 3, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
I quite literally codified "Rule of Cool" in #Boombride because it's both hilarious and effectively how soft magic systems work anyways. My magic systems are always built on a framework that feels "hard" but they have squishy bodies.

In short, my magic systems are Jello #febchantment
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment
tl;dr the rule is Rule of Cool, but that rule is STRICTLY ENFORCED. 😂

Rules are strict but interpretable. We'll get into who can "buy" feats and when later—for now, I'll summarize by saying there's a logic, plus a 🪨📜✂️ to who wins confrontations, and hard bounds on what can be done.
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
[Full View] Mana ⨯ Mori 💕
February 2, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment 2

My #Atlantis trilogy has a hard magic system. There is a set amount of energy crystals can hold, depending on their size, & I have notes on how much energy it takes to do different tasks. There's also a specific process for using them.

That said - did I calculate the physics🧵1/8
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment 2

I think my magic systems probably fall somewhere in between. Both have defined costs to the users, but how that cost affects each user we see on the page can vary. Vibrational Bending is probably the most nebulous, whereas the tattoo magic effect is more visible, literally. 😅
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment 2

In ESSiM, I kind of play it both ways; most of the magic is in the "magical" creatures, or in objects that have been inscribed with magic. For creatures, I have a fairly hard set of rules for what they can/can't do, and why; but I'm pretty soft on HOW they came to be this way. (1/6)
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
The magic of TIC is a hard system, with most of the rules explained in the story. There is a defined cost to each spell, and all spells draw energy from the user to work, which means that big spells are dangerous and even lethal to mortal sorcerers, but there are many immortal ones!+
#Febchantment
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment Day 2

My magic system is soft. I have a general idea of limits and capabilities for the magic, but since it is mostly faith based, even the priests using it don't know how it works, just that it does. Spencer is the magic 🧵

#Wrencer #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
While this imitator got immediately blown up, I'd like to remind everyone that scammers are relentless and they love imitating real artists/businesses.

Just like how you should verify links in emails with potentially sensitive data and really pay attention to phishing training: trust but verify.
@aowna.bsky.social heads up you got an imitator we gotta report.
February 2, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment

Mine is something like an over medium system. I have thoughts on how to keep it reasonable and not crack the planet open or binding it to something "biological" at a base, but nothing beats rule of cool when it's perfect for the moment.

+ Magic is science we don't understand yet. 🧪
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment 2. In #ChroniclesOfTheRealms, the magic system is, for the most part, hard. We have rules on how to access the Breath, known applications and limitations, and expected results—and if unexpected, an explanation can be found based on what’s known.

But I said “for the most part” (1/2)
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#Febchantment I prefer softer magic systems, but there are some rules to the magic in MageWIP. It falls into three types, Spark, Root, and Ruin—the details of which I will get into later—and what is possible is restricted by type. A mage can also wield only one type of magic, too.
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 12:21 PM
#queerwriters line share 'free'

A brand new section from draft three of A Prayer for the Pirate Queen 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️
February 2, 2026 at 7:26 AM
#LoreOutLoud
It stops me at the threshold of assumption and makes me question if things could be different.

e.g. I have a couple of moments where Kallista and Geni each get a bit jealous. I had to really question myself as to whether I wanted to keep that. Jealousy gets romanticised a lot.
1/3
Day 002 // WEEK 1: SENSING A SPARK
---
Repost the daily prompt with #LoreOutLoud to feature your entry in Queer Authors 🌈✒️ Dive into the feed to explore all the amazing stories unfolding during our community event: bsky.app/profile/did:...
---
#WriterSky #Writingcommunity #WritingPrompts
February 2, 2026 at 7:17 AM
Reposted by Kara Moon (the artist formerly known as Hiria Dunning)
#LoreOutLoud
#RelicWorld

The big, aching, tragic bits are calling me. When I listen I just burst into tears, honestly.
Day 001 // WEEK 1: SENSING A SPARK
---
Repost the daily prompt with #LoreOutLoud to feature your entry in Queer Authors 🌈✒️ Dive into the feed to explore all the amazing stories unfolding during our community event: bsky.app/profile/did:...
---
#WriterSky #Writingcommunity #WritingPrompts
February 1, 2026 at 12:41 PM
#Febchantment
Soft. So soft. Softer than kissing a baby.

But it has to work on a level of internal logic for me (usually about it being the appropriate moment for the story, character, theme etc.), even if there's no strict codification.
#Febchantment Day 2

Do you have a "hard" or "soft" magic system?

In other words, does your magic system have strictly defined rules (think: Brandon Sanderson's books)? Or is it more undefined, mostly vibes/rule of cool (think: Gandalf from LOTR)? Somewhere in between?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 2, 2026 at 7:11 AM