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Anne Welborn

@wildagreenbough.bsky.social

140 followers 87 following 360 posts

Writer, dreamwalker. Blessed with narcolepsy and CFS/ME. ACE. non-binary, she/her 🏳️‍🌈. I firmly believe books have the best moving pictures. Member SpecFicNZ

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · Apr 23

'Belling the Cat, A Tale of Alika' is now available on itch.io

wildagreenbough.itch.io/belling-the-...

Belling the Cat, A Tale of Alika. by Anne Welborn

It's not a story about cats.

wildagreenbough.itch.io

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 14h

#WIPSnips The word for October 27 is 'blood-curdling', but I'm going to have make do with boring old 'screams'. 'The Book of Ashes' near the end of Chapter 7. Once again we meet Madeleine Vasseur who is not what she seems to be at all.

Almost as if it was intended she was descending the last dozen steps when three grimy children their clothing a ruin of cobwebs and dirt ran out from a room adjoining the stairwell laughing and completely careless of their surroundings.
'Ah there you are,' she said her soft chill voice instantly strangling off their laughter. 'I am so hungry.......'
Casting away her shroud she listened. By the direction of their screams they were making for the doorway that let out into the ruin of the formal gardens. A safe enough path if any way of going within this house could be said to be safe. Two brothers and their sister, pretty leggy creatures and one of them at least had wet themselves. It would be a service to the village if she drew out the same substance from which she had made her shroud and settled it at all doorways and other access points into this house. Perhaps she would do that before she left here.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 1d

#WIPSnips The word for October 26 is 'hat', but I've only got 'hats' to offer up. From 'The Book of Ashes' Chapter Six 'Lessons'. This time it's Paul Brotherwell that's centre stage, though we also catch a brief glimpse of Jenny Birdfoot.

'Aul,' she said and grinned a wide grin at him displaying a mouthful of tiny sharp teeth before holding up the slip of paper she was carrying.
'Thank you,' he said taking it from her small hand and no sooner than that was done as she was off running back the way she'd come, the little claws on her feet clicking on the flagstones.
Paul opened the slip of paper recognising Sir Geoffrey's handwriting. 'Please come to the library. G.'
The Library. Where in this great warren of a house was the library? It would have been very nice if the little bird foot girl had waited to show him where to go, but he supposed she hadn't been told to do that and only to deliver the note. Closing the textbook he decided to leave it on the bench. If he was lucky the tiny garden fae would steal it and use the pages to make paper hats.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 2d

#WIPSnips The word for October 25 is 'lottery' only I'm going with 'chance' instead. From 'The Book of Ashes' Chapter Two, 'Pilgrims'. We get to meet Paul Brotherwell, Michelle and her umbrella you've already met.

He sighed wondering if he would risk another coffee after all. Things had been a lot simpler when he'd been a Whitehall paper pusher. Why he'd been shoulder tapped and why he'd said 'yes' he didn't really know. Heartily wishing to be lifted out of a daily state of grinding boredom and having a chance at adventure instead could be very unsettling when your heartfelt wish suddenly came true.
A soft feathery touch inside his head made him frown and he was still frowning when he saw Michelle De la Croix walk out of the dark rain curtain beyond the bus station's lights like the night belonged to her alone and head towards the cafe's entrance. Shaking out her umbrella Michelle folded it and propped it by the door to drain off before she entered the cafe. Nobody would try stealing that umbrella that was something Paul knew for certain, - not that anyone was around at the moment to make the attempt.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 2d

What with Chronic Fatigue, Friend Narcolepsy and my duff eyesight it's a real struggle to get any writing done. I must've slept six hours this afternoon, randomly dozed through part of the morning and now I'm fighting off sleep again.

A grey haired older woman sound asleep in her bed. The room seems to be a part of a stone built cottage with a definite air of classic fantasy stories about it.

Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 3d

#WIPSnips word for October 24 is 'total'.
For the fourth time we are back at 'The Book of Ashes' Chapter Five 'Guardians' with Michelle the veilwalker who is being careful because she is on the edge of crossing the Veil. This piece comes before the earlier #WIPSnip where she is helplessly vomiting.

Of Magalyn the city built by the descendants of the half-Elven that had remained with Queen Eiolynn at the Sundering it was much the same as any ancient abandoned city she could name having been well robbed of any useful building stone almost down to the level of its foundations. If ever there been any protective magics laid upon Magalyn all trace of them had fled.
At least her reports as well as the books and tattered manuscripts she'd discovered and rescued from the ungentle hands of the Inquisition were in Sir Gregory's possession now so he would at last have the sum total of the surviving known history of Quail'fain and its last queen to draw upon.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 4d

#WIPSnips word for October 23 is 'gradient', only I'm going with 'ramp'. From Chapter 8 'The Book of Ashes'.
We're with Michelle the veilwalker again and the Folk have permitted her to use one of their secret pathways to a hidden stone circle that awakes briefly only once a month.

'Make haste now,' urged the elder so taking him at his word she ran on past him leaving her guides behind. 'Hurry lads,' she heard him say as they tried to catch up to her, but she was already ascending the earthen ramp that led up to the entrance to the ancient stone circle. The stones' song was like a pulse in her blood now, the ground under her feet echoing the song with every step she took. As she passed between the tall entrance stones the runes deep cut into their flanks awoke and in answer her gift stirred within her rising to flood and awaken her senses so that all within this sacred space was known to her and its power was hers to own. Somewhere behind her she distantly heard the elder's voice, 'Nay lads keep back, keep back, - let us hope the Veil-walker knows her craft.'

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

Mandy Eve-Barnett @mandyevebarnett.bsky.social · 5d

This is so true! Yep, life gets in the way, book promotion, socials, newsletters, website, blog etc. etc... but #writing is our live blood.
#writingcommunity #writing #authors #writers #narrative #stories #genres

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

2covet @2covet.bsky.social · 5d

#nzpol 💪👏❤️ #Oct23Strike #NZMegaStrike I support everyone striking today!
Kia kaha! Aotearoa Steadfast.

Image depicts a raised red clenched fist. Text underneath it says: I support the strikers.

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

Russel Norman @russelnorman.bsky.social · 5d

Auckland

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 5d

For #WIPSnips October 22nd the word is 'charge'.
Chapter 5 of 'The Book of Ashes' for the third time and we are back with Michelle the veilwalker again. This chapter is titled 'Guardians' in case you were wondering.

'Good you are back Sister.' The Reverend Mother's face passed across her vision, 'What in the name of the Holy have you been getting into?'
For an answer all Michelle could manage was a tearing racking cough that felt like it was cutting at her inside her chest.
'Quick the bowl now girl. No put the sword down first she won't try to snatch it away from you now.'
At the end of a purging choking fit that seemed without end. The bowl and its vile slimy contents were lifted from her lap and in her exhausted state she was surprised to discover that it was Sister Mary Agnes that was washing her face and carefully wiping away all trace of slime.
'Will Michelle be alright now?' The girl that had been given the charge of her sword drew closer. A plain grey robe and her head uncovered. Her large eyes watching her concerned.
'Yes I believe so Adatte,' sighed the Reverend Mother, 'But you can depend that this one will get herself into something of the same again.'

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 6d

For October 21st the #WIPSnips word is 'second' only I'm going to have to go for 'seconds' instead. From Chapter 5 'The Book of Ashes'. We meet Michelle the veilwalker again; - her umbrella isn't really an umbrella by the way.

As Michelle stepped out into France with her umbrella tucked under her arm she found the man sitting on the side of the road holding his head in his hands and visibly shaking. Going up to him she said, 'Your phone, - you dropped it,' and held it out to him.

He took it from her clutching it in his hand as if it was a talisman of some kind which for some people Michelle supposed that it was. 'Thank you,' he managed after a few seconds had passed. Then, - 'What was that?'
Seating herself beside him she said in a careful and distinct tone of voice, 'It was a large black bull that had escaped from its field.'
He frowned for a moment then nodded before saying, 'But there were two moons in the sky.'
'At times when atmospheric conditions are right the moon can look like that not long after it has risen,' Michelle told him using the same careful and distinctly spoken tone of voice. Altering a person's memory of events by the use of focused voice could sometimes have ill effects, but she didn't think that would happen on this occasion.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 7d

The word for the 20th October is 'field'.
From Chapter 9 'The Book of Ashes'.
Something has happened to Michelle the veilwalker and I don't think it's good. #WIPSnips

'You are under our protection Paul do not be afraid.' Hazel's voice.
Then suddenly he was somewhere else with grass under his feet and it was night with an old moon overhead riding amongst ragged dark clouds.
'Paul.' Michelle's voice, but it was strange. He gasped, his heart pounding in his chest as Michelle's pale form drifted into his field of vision. 'I am not dead Paul. I am no fantôme.'
'What,...what happened to you?' Michelle might have just told him that she wasn't a ghost, but here she was naked and almost completely transparent floating with her feet at least six inches off the ground. All his instincts were telling him that she was definitely a ghost and that he should run for his life, but he couldn't. Not until he knew why Michelle wanted to speak to him.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 8d

For the October 19th #WIPSnips I'm going to substitute 'judgement' for 'trial'.
From Chapter Seven of 'The Book of Ashes'.

On the day when the forbidden book 'The Mysteries of the Grave' that was the work of the necromancer Niemia had been discovered in her beloved's possession Lissel had been immediately arrested and imprisoned. Soon enough she would be brought before King Tanneus and the Priests of Athul and it was plain that the judgement given would not go well for her. Lissel was of low birth and it was likely that no one of rank or significance would speak for her. So for that reason on Lissel’s day of judgement she had entered the Temple of Athul passing under its high vaulted roof and entering its light filled interior to approach a priest and tell him, 'I am Eiolynn, daughter of Clynatia of the bloodline of Lilamis and it is I alone who did obtain a forbidden book and deceive Lissel, daughter of Maaya that the study of necromancy would be of benefit to her.'

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 10d

#WIPSnips It's the 18th October here in NZ and I am choosing 'turn aside' in place of 'dodge'. From Chapt 7 of 'The Book of Ashes'. The mysterious Madeleine Vasseur who is not what she seems finally makes a showing.

CW death and murder

Sudden and without warning rain in a heavy wave fell upon the house, slapping down upon a roof that had for months now had lost the ability to turn aside its fury. Listening she could hear water streaming down, gurgling and pooling amongst the dirt and rubbish then flowing free across the attic floor above her. Pausing to scatter a little more the bones of the murdered child hidden in the roof space and then after rediscovering the weak places in the floor pouring down the walls in several wide streams. There had been other murders in this house, - three more the fabric of the house had told her, - the blood marks plain to her like a scream in the dark despite the mould and rot.
In the grounds of the house and all around there were dead buried in the earth beneath the rampant weeds and the remains of the formal garden. Many were nameless buried in haste, but this night she was their witness. She raised the wine bottle in salute and then drank deeply.
She felt her hair prickle and rise and a bare moment later lightning split the night walking all around the house with long blindingly bright fingers, the stink of burnt air was alive on her tongue and then a rolling roaring crash of thunder pounded down upon the house as if the gods were bellowing at her in fury.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 11d

It's the 17th October here in NZ and it's 'biscuit' as a variation of 'loaf'.
I've decided to stay with my WIP 'The Book of Ashes' from now on when doing snips, and today it's a couple of paragraphs from Chapter 9. You will also catch a glimpse of a little Faekin named Jenny Birdfoot. #WIPSnips

'Tea,' announced Hazel as she walked out from amongst the shadows with Jenny Birdfoot sitting on her shoulder happily munching a digestive biscuit. She gave Paul a white china mug with 'Magic Happens' written in purple letters on its side and the warm scent of Earl Grey tea rising from the mug made him feel better almost immediately.
Mrs Erin rose from her chair and went over to Hazel giving Jenny the perfect opportunity to change shoulders to Mrs Erin then swing down her long cardigan to claim her chair. Looking very pleased with herself she waved her half eaten biscuit at Paul. Digestive biscuits were Jenny's favourite kind of biscuit.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 12d

It's the 16th October here in NZ so the #WIPSnips word is 'might'.
From Chapter 3 of my WIP novel 'The Book of Ashes'.

Michelle the veilwalker finds herself face to face with the Book of Ashes and its present keeper.

'Good, then we understand one another,' she told him. The farmhouse flickered back and forth twice before it settled again. 'Unlike the dwellers you intend to leave here.'
'So what. - there's no law to say I can't go when I want.'
'Stay too long and you might find that more difficult than you think'.
'You threatening me.' Andre scowled at her clenching and unclenching his fists and took a step towards her his pinched pale face twisting as he bared his teeth. 'You don't scare me witch.'
She stood her ground. 'I don't rule here. I'm only telling you how it is in realms like Gonne.'
Andre suddenly started to laugh going so quickly from potential violence to outright amusement that it took her by surprise. 'So you want the book do you witch?'
With a couple of quick strides he disappeared inside the farmhouse and moment later came out again holding the Book of Ashes in his hands. He held it out to her, 'There you go, - take it.'
'This is not funny Andre,' she said backing away, her heart pounding in her chest.
'I'm not joking witch, take it. It's yours.'

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 12d

Hi Red, I first started writing the 'Book of Ashes' back in the 1990s/2000s and the piece I quoted dates from then. I've always loved reading SpecFic and high fantasy so I'm not sure where the spark that became the 'Book of Ashes' came from. medium.com/@wildagreenb...

The Book of Ashes.

The Leave-taking From Qual’fain:

medium.com

Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 13d

From the 'Book of Ashes; - The Leave-taking'.

The word for the 15th October is 'care'.

CW. Horror, Undead #WIPSnips

Careless of injury she kilted up her priestess’s robe and jumped from the carriage, rolling in the dust bruised and winded, but still able to stagger to her feet and run despite her pain and discomfort. ‘Eiolynn!’

‘Lis..ssel, … Lis..ssel….’ She barely could recognise this husking sound as Eiolynn’s voice and when she embraced her she was no more than a creature made of skin and bone. Her garments were tattered linen rags crusted with fragments of gold thread, gems and cobwebs. The belt hanging loose about her jutting pelvic bones was wrought of links of gold and silver. And the long finely worked curved dagger hung upon that belt was hilted in a silver sheath thick with clustered blood dark rubies.

With trembling hands she reached to lift away the mask upon Eiolynn’s face only her long thin bony fingers closed about her wrists.

‘Let me look upon your face’, Lissel gently asked. ‘I do not fear the sight of the branding’. The gilded mask watched her, its sharp angular shaping cruel in its aspect, its dark eye slits paired narrow ellipses giving no clue as to what might lie behind them.

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 13d

Now reading for the second time and loving every word of it.

Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 14d

I claim 'shove' as a variation on 'push'.
From my WIP 'The Book of Ashes' Chapt. 1.
#WIPSnips

With a ragged cry Jabbo thrust himself away from the great door clutching his bleeding hand against his threadbare robe and shoving Rabbin backwards in his haste to distance himself from the ancient Elf letters he'd be been hunched over but a moment ago.
'Gods rot you Jabbo', swore Rabbin as he drew back a hand to strike the spellsmith, but a tiny flicker of flame arising amongst the rows of Elf letters cast into the great bronze door suddenly dried up his voice in his throat and sent chill fingers running down his spine.
'See see,' said Jabbo almost triumphant, 'Jabbo said, but you would not listen.' Struggling between the desire to draw closer or run away Jabbo grinned a joyous gap tooth grin as he watched one Elf letter and then the next burst slowly into flame.

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

Alina Lee Thinks She Can Write @typewriterlizard.bsky.social · 18d

"I feel, at some point, we all come to owe our dreams an apology."

Tired of the grind, a young woman takes the opportunity her grandfather left her and flies to an alien moon to find herself.

#booksky
#books

www.amazon.com/dp/B0DF9K7Q9K

Windswept Flower Over a Blooming Moon

Windswept Flower Over a Blooming Moon - Kindle edition by Lee, Alina. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Windswept Flower Over a Blooming Moon.

www.amazon.com

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 15d

From Chapter 5 of my WIP novel 'The Book of Ashes'.
Michelle is a veilwalker. #WIPSnips

'The Folk have agreed to guide you on their secret paths, but only if you promise them that you will not attempt to make use of the paths after this without their permission.'
'I have no issue with making such a promise Mother.' This was more than she had hoped for, though what favours the Reverend Mother might have called in to broker such an agreement was something that she could only guess at.
'And for their part the Folk will accept your promise Michelle because of your long association with this house and also because of your reputation on both sides of the Veil.' The Reverend Mother sighed, 'Let us hope you can travel the paths without incident, because the Folk have a long memory for offences against their hospitality.' She stretched a little easing her back causing Michelle to wonder where she'd been sleeping while she had been occupying her bed. 'Keep your sword cloaked and hidden as well whatever happens. Our relationship with the Folk is a fragile thing and they will not forgive a holy sword of the Ancient and Hidden Church being revealed openly in their midst.'

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Anne Welborn @wildagreenbough.bsky.social · 16d

The word for October 11th is 'welcome'.
This piece taken from my still WIP 2022 m/s 'Tales of the Rat'.
#WIPSnips

Terrans believed they owned a sacred right to tell all aliens races how to run their lives; - that was the one big problem with Terrans. Then on the other hand she had to concede that the Terrans were technically the victors, - the arbitrators of Path’s fate, - so taking colourful alien beliefs and customs seriously was never going to be very high on their list.
What particularly got up her nose was that the Terrans presently guesting in Shemenquel-lo the City didn’t seem to realise that the city would defend them to the death against their enemies should they arrive and pound their fists against the city gates. The welcoming ceremonies she’d spied on from her perch high up on the city wall amongst a rag-tag company of moss-rimed stone gargoyles weren’t meaningless. The Citizens’ Council of Shemenquel-lo the City meant it when they gave welcome to their former foes in the name of the ancestors and the gods and made the smug all-conquering bastards guest-holy. Mat’etha, honour. Yellow-eyed Bodii pricks knew precisely what it was and might deliberately ignore it if it suited them, but on the other hand Terrans were too bloody thick to understand it at all.

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 @eliseswritings.bsky.social · 19d

Grim, well-researched reading
“Most Trans+ people in the UK will wait more than 1/3 of their adult life to get their 1st appointment at a gender clinic, & some will never receive care...Long waits increase distress, self-harm &suicide risk &push people towards potentially unsafe routes to treatment"

UnicornsRockUK @unicornsrockuk.bsky.social · 19d

A worthy read of the exceptionally grim situation for trans people in the UK. The US gets the media spotlight, but the UK's attack on us is more subtle but also more destructive.

medium.com/@geekonaleas...

The UK’s Trans Genocide

The slow machinery of erasure: courts, clinics and ministers weaponising our disappearance

medium.com

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Reposted by Anne Welborn

✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag @wipsnips.bsky.social · 20d

The #WIPSnips word for October 8th is "dungeon"

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
October 8 - dungeon
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is black with stars with a light blue rectangle highlighted by a fuchsia line. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner

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