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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder

@marianlthorpe.bsky.social

1.4K followers 410 following 830 posts

Writing and nature posts, mostly. Books at https://scarletferret.com/authors/marian-l-thorpe and all the other usual on-line places. Also at https://substack.com/@marianlthorpe

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · 13h

It's out! #fiction #shortstories #urbanfantasy

books2read.com/b/beyondthew...

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · 13h

It's out! #fiction #shortstories #urbanfantasy

books2read.com/b/beyondthew...

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · 13d

Every year, October and juncos arrive together.

open.substack.com/pub/mlthorpe...

Three Months

I’ve decided to include the map in all weekly posts, at the end, so those who’d like to refer to the places I’m talking about can do it more easily.

open.substack.com

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Sep 14

The e-book of Beyond the Wall, my new short story collection, is now available for pre-order. Oct 31 release.
(Not a fan of the particular e-book platform? DM me.)
books2read.com/u/3LO82w
The paperback will be available about the same time, and I'll post that information then. #booksky

The cover of Marian L Thorpe's new collection of short stories and verse. It shows Hadrian's Wall from a distance, with a small figure beyond in near the left hand edge, and rolling hills in the distance.

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Sep 13

"I like it here at the docks, among the ships and the cargo and the crying gulls."

#booksky

mlthorpeauthor.substack.com/p/the-birthd...

The Birthday Present

A vignette.

mlthorpeauthor.substack.com

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Sep 9

Surpassed 100,000 words on An Unwise Prince today. I might get the first draft finished this year after all!

#booksky

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Sep 7

😆

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 28

The working cover -- not the final one -- for my next book, a collection of my best short stories and verse from the past 25 years (!) of being a published author. Out in late October - more details to come. #poetry #shortstories #fiction #Booksky

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 23

‘I looked around me, at the plain and the mountains, and thought about what had happened here, the blood and bones lying beneath the soil.’ #shortstory #fiction #historicalfantasy

The Battle of the Tabha

A condensed and slightly modified excerpt from Empire’s Hostage.

open.substack.com

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 20

Huge thanks to ‪@liisp.bsky.social‬ for both her review of Bjarndýr and the Marsh Monster and her 'character reveal' for some of the main characters from the works-in-progress, the duology An Unwise Prince and A Distant Obligation.

LiisP @liisp.bsky.social · Aug 20

Marian L. Thorpe @marianlthorpe.bsky.social publishes a Beowulf retelling poem to bridge Empire's Legacy series to upcoming new duology...

liisthinks.blog/2025/08/20/b...

Bjarndýr and the Marsh Monster: A Danta of Somhairle na Dagney (Lord Sorley of Gundarstorp), Scáeli of Linrathe by Marian L. Thorpe (+ the scoop!)

A retelling of part of Beowulf set in the world of the Empire’s Legacy series. Presented as both a facsimile of a medieval manuscript and as a poem in modern font. Confession time first. I ha…

liisthinks.blog

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 20

Thanks, Liis!

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 13

Welcome, Kira!

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Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder

Bjørn Larssen (he/him) @bjornlarssen.com · Aug 9

🏁Last book read: Dragonfired by J. Zachary Pike
🏁Current read: Empire’s Reckoning by @marianlthorpe.bsky.social
🏁Added to TBR: The Chosen One Con by @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com
🏁Next read: whatever’s on my NetGalley, I need to catch up 😬

Share yours! #BookSky

𝕃.𝕁.𝔽𝕆𝕏 🇮🇸☕📚 @onefootiniceland.bsky.social · Aug 9

🏁Last book read: Nordic Visions edited by Margrét Helgadóttir
🏁Current read: Powers of Darkness by Valdimar Ásmundsson & Bram Stoker
🏁Added to TBR: The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah
🏁Next read: Shardik by Richard Adams (got interrupted by the library getting PoD!)

Share yours! #BookSky

Marina Sofia @marinasofia.bsky.social · Aug 9

Not reading much currently but let me try

🏁last book read: Butter by Erin Lange
🏁current read: Betty Boo by Claudia Pineiro
🏁added to TBR: The Veiled Woman by Anais Nin
🏁Next read: I Called Him Necktie by Milena Michiko Flasar

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 7

Without you asking it to? The AI summary feature's been there a while, but I've never had it create one unless I requested it to.

Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder

Author Renée Gendron @reneegendron.bsky.social · Aug 4

The August edition of A Muse Bouche Review is out with stories from @reneegendron.bsky.social @marianlthorpe.bsky.social @jpgarlandauthor.bsky.social Arlene Davies-Fuhr and Wendy Nuttall

mailchi.mp/7a91b581238b...

#shortstories
#muse
#readingcommunity

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 3

"Hidden" - a modified #vignette from Empire's Passing. #shortstory

mailchi.mp/7a91b581238b...

August 2025: Buried Treasure

mailchi.mp

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 3

‘…the drama played out in the same way. To have seen it once was a moment to remember; twice was never to be expected.’

This Writer's Diary

July 28 - Aug 2, 2025

mlthorpeauthor.substack.com

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Aug 2

“She’s so looking forward to a proper garden,” Fred told me.

#fiction #shortstory

Summer Reruns: The Patch of Grass

"I’ll miss his cooking."

open.substack.com

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 26

July 26th #WIPSnips 'bail' -- or in this case, one of its many synonyms: 'pledge'
#WIP #AnUnwisePrince

“Fifty years ago, when Göran of Varsland declared war on the Casillard, Ésparias and Linrathe and Vilkmë supported us,” Wilnoth said.

“Ésparias and Linrathe provided money, not soldiers. Funds with which to pay mercenaries, and the loan of ships of Ésparias’s navy to transport them. Neither country made a declaration of war against Varsland.” Guthlaf spoke authoritatively.

“But,” Cenric said, “if the threat is real, and we had this warning and did nothing, surely that violates the precepts of the Casillard? We are pledged to aid other cities of the Confederacy.”

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 25

July 25th #WIPSnipes 'thrive' - or in this case, a synonym, 'prosper'. MC Cenric discussing an investment.#WIP #AnUnwisePrince

“Are you saying I should have asked the Guild first, before agreeing to the investment?”

Guthlaf chuckled. “No. Just that we do not expect such surprises from Cenric bé Casille. What made you accept the proposal?”

“The terms were good, and if the safran prospers in Beria, the return should be excellent,” Cenric said. “I had been looking for a suitable investment in Beria, one perhaps Audun could keep an eye on while he studies there.”

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 24

July 24 #WIPSnips 'inside'

#WIP #AnUnwisePrince

Unlocking the door to the warehouse, Cenric beckoned him inside. The furs lay on a long table, piled and tied with bands of cloth. Kirt was no real judge of fur, but he knew what trimmed his own cloaks and gloves and winter tunics, and it wasn’t fur like this, thin, brittle, shedding. These should be thick, lustrous, soft, the pelts taken at the height of winter. “I see your concern.”

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 23

July 23 #WIPSnips: 'minor'. A bit of worldbuilding from #AnUnwisePrince #WIP

The inn wasn't busy. If ships had arrived on today’s tide, Casille’s merchants had more pressing things to do; if not, they were occupied with the shipments from yesterday or the day before. Once the contents of barrels and bales had been assessed and deals made in the warehouses and offices and houses of the traders, Ferrand’s tables would be full. Only minor or routine business was conducted in public.

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 22

Truth mirroring (my) fiction: a headline from my local paper today, and a snippet from Empire’s Exile.

Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 22

July 22 #WIPSnips: needle.
MC Luce, a physician, being concerned and frustrated by her uncle's reluctance to consider cataract surgery. (In the equivalent of the 13th C, so I might be on his side in this.) #WIP #AnUnwisePrince

Luce stood, placing her wine glass on the low table, looking down at her uncle in the flickering light. His face was drawn.

“Are you all right, Magister?”

“A headache, nothing more. They are becoming more frequent.”

“And will, if you continue to refuse to have those cataracts removed.” An old dispute. The surgery was new. Luce had learned it in Agade; had performed it a few times. Her uncle would not countenance it. The thought of a needle inserted into his eye made him ill, he said.

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Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder @marianlthorpe.bsky.social · Jul 21

marlajuliette.bsky.social @marlajuliette.bsky.social · Jul 21

"How about sending a certified letter?"
"I'm not sending anything. We were not there. Remember?" Dart held up his prosthetic arm. "We were not there."
"Right," said Bryant. "We couldn't have been there."

#WIPSnips #Certify #WriteSky

Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder

Nicole L. Soper Gorden / Nicole Leland @nicolelsopergorden.bsky.social · Jul 21

It turns out picking up odd jobs in other dimensions is a bit easier if you happen to have forklift certification. Who knew?

From Tennyson's arc of The Atlas Brothers Break the Multiverse

#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #AmWriting

“Neither of you are driving the forklift,” Byron said. “I’ve been in vehicles while both of you were behind the wheel, and I wouldn’t trust you with a go-cart, let alone a forklift. Besides, our employer only let Poe drive the forklift because he has forklift certification.”
“Certification?” Tennyson scoffed. “What, did he bring his forklift license with him?”
“Yes.”
“Fucking hell. He would, the nerd. Why does he even have forklift certification in the first place?”

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