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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 1d

#WIPSnips - battery.

Think I’ve shared this snip before, but it’s the only real mention of a battery in the whole WIP.

My stomach rumbled with hunger, and I shivered. The temperature had dropped drastically since our arrival, the radiator no longer spitting out its intense heat. As if to add insult to injury, a low battery warning flashed on my phone screen. A quick glance around the room confirmed my suspicions regarding the lack of electrical outlets along the red stone walls. With a sigh, I turned the phone off and tossed it into my bag.

Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 1d

I think for Cassie, it’s that she cares about people. And even with everything she goes through, even when she becomes cynical and jaded about the world she lives in, she still finds herself trying to help people where she can.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 2d

#WIPSnips - no “dungeons” today, so need to go with “prison” instead.

We were spat out in a tiny cave, high on a mountainside, in the slowly dying light of day. The wind blasted an icy drizzle that drove cold deep into my bones. Only looking down from the near cliff-edge did I realise where we were. Nyx had taken us above the prison fort. It would be a completely useless place to sneak in, but it could make a useful escape route for those that could fly well. However, the main advantage of this place, was the clear view of the entire fort.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 3d

#WIPSnips - safe

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I needed this. The comfort and warmth of home enveloping me. I felt safe again, for the moment, with family. But I stopped short with that thought. Mum. My sister.
“Please tell me you found them.” I said into his shoulder.
I felt him shake his head as he let go of me. “I searched everywhere. I’ve been up and down those roads a thousand times, but there’s nothing. I’ve got people out looking for them still.”

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 4d

#WIPSnips - miss

A short one today. Remembering Earth, while stuck in Fae.

he promised to bring someone that could help us find our way back to Earth.”
“Earth.” Lily said, as Ben helped her up. “I feel it drawing me back. Calling me home.”
“I miss it too.” I told her, as we followed Taengi to the door.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 5d

#WIPSnips - store

My body drank in the power of the volcano, turning the usually gentle, shifting glow under my skin into a bright, luminous gleam as I moved over the lake’s surface. I pulled at it, storing every shred of fire magic I could manage to gather inside me. I was expecting the whistle that blew loud as I closed on the town’s edge, but ignored the crowds that gathered. They parted before me, giving me space to move through. Not even Az’gor’s sudden presence gave me pause, though he, and the salamander guards marched quickly forward, trying to cut me off at the entry to the bridge.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 6d

#WIPSnips - Hunt

What do vampires do when there’s a limited amount of magic available to sustain that immortality? They institute a practice to control the population. They call this practice the Hunt.

“What is the Hunt?”
“When it becomes known that a foundling has been turned, and the creator still lives, they are both allowed to live on, until the Gathering is called. It’s a grace period, mostly, to give the older ones time to get their affairs in order. But when the Hunt starts, the creators are given a month to hunt and kill their foundling. If the foundling survives that time, then the creator dies in their place. It’s not as simple as running and hiding though. Creators have a link to their foundlings. That makes it easy for them to track.”
“You guys have some god-awful laws, you know.”
“Our laws work because there are consequences. Generally, death. There’s not much else for a vampire to fear.”

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 7d

#WIPSnips - hibernation.

The only incidence of the word anywhere in my WIP.

The creature that haunts Cassie’s dreams might finally get a name, but only if she is able to come up with one that’s acceptable to him.

Only a small part of my awareness heard him calling to me in the depths of sleep. He wished to know whether I had put any thought to a name?
You asked for one as good as Nyx. I told him, trying to drag myself out of hibernation enough to give this conversation the attention it deserved. And so it is difficult. Nyx is a primordial deity, the personification of night. Ben suggested Erebus, but he is darkness, and I do not feel you are that.
I felt his agreement. That name did not fit him. That other one, perhaps, would suit it better, but they already have another.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 8d

#WIPSnips - no “salmon” so will have to go with “fish”

Context - his “fishy friends”, as Thomas calls them, are the merfolk.

“Thomas.” I choked on his name. Nick cleared his throat as he lifted the phone to his ear.
“What do you want, Thomas?”
Ah Nicholas. My ears carried the voice through to me, tinny, distorted, and broken, as though he was calling from an echoing room with poor signal. I confess I am surprised to hear your voice. I thought you were still hiding with your fishy friends.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 9d

A lot of my characters are just trying to survive. George was once super ambitious, to the detriment of everyone else, but after facing the consequences he’s been trying to lay low.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 9d

#WIPSnips - river

Bit late tonight.

“Would you come with me?” I asked. He frowned.
“Where?”
“To the river.”
“Wouldn’t you rather wait for your dad?”
“Step-dad. And I have a feeling he’ll not be back any time soon.” I muttered, standing, and walking to the hallway. When he didn’t move, I began to admit to myself that I might have to do this thing alone. Maybe it was for the best. Nobody to see my panic, my fear.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 10d

#WIPSnips - paw.

With a black panther as a major side character, there’s quite a lot to choose from today.

I surfaced to the growing sunrise shrouding the area in a brighter orange glow. Nyx was a dark smudge against the trail, dragging a log, almost too big for his jaws, uphill through the dirt and gravel. His limp had worsened, now barely putting weight on his front paw, but onward he heaved his chunk of wood.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 11d

#WIPSnips - bear

“When you sleep, sometimes Nyx walks in my dreams.”
He smiled. “Aye, an’ yer wolf runs in mine. His howlin’ sometimes passes through, even when he’s no’ runnin’ himself.”
“He took me to yours, last night, when my own was too cold to bear.” I admitted.
“I know. I remember.” His smile faded, brows drawing together, his eyes darting back to the marks on my neck. Anyone who had spent as much time around vampires as he would know exactly what caused those marks. I spoke more to stop him asking about them than anything else.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 12d

Cassie has a pretty good memory. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work in her favour, as she can end up ruminating on traumatic memories. The two immortals don’t have great memories, partly because they have too many, so they’re generally better about letting stuff go.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 12d

#WIPSnips - ink

Bit late today, as I’ve been travelling home after an all-day rehearsal and free concert yesterday in Tarland, with Shetland fiddle group Hjaltibonhoga, that ended with a #trad music session until midnight in the local pub. #fiddle

She yanked me forward with more strength than I had thought she could have possessed, and pressed my hand to the worn canvas. As I regained my feet under me, the dark drop of blood bloomed on the canvas into a plate containing my name and birth date. The phantom ink it left behind transformed into a bright blue as the blood spot split, and shot upwards, more names being added along the way.

A music session in a pub. There are five fiddle players, one drummer, a piano, a guitar and bass guitar player in frame, with food and drinks on the tables

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 13d

#WIPSnips - swift

The fae witches infusion turns out not to be particularly pleasant

“Food no replacement for rest.” She said simply, handing him one of the cups. As she handed me another, I watched him take the steaming liquid in a rapid swig, like a teenager downing a cheap shot. His visceral disgust flowed through our thread at the same time as he swallowed and swiftly gagged.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 14d

#WIPSnips - absorb

I missed this yesterday, but I don’t have “mire” for today, and it might take me a while to find suitable *vibes* so have this in the meantime.

Little bit spoilery from book 3

“I wish you were coming with me. I feel like I’m walking into a trap.” I whispered to him as he lifted his head away from my lap. There was barely a glance of acknowledgement as he turned to exit the car, acting so much the self-absorbed cat. Sometimes it was hard to remember there was a man in there.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 16d

#WIPSnips - leave

“Ditto.” She grinned. “Ben here has probably broke the hearts of most of the girls in the bar, and a few of the guys too, but thankfully, I seem to be immune. I just have the joys of watching them all drown their sorrows when he leaves them behind again.”
I looked towards Ben and raised a questioning eyebrow.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 17d

Somewhat. She at least learns to stop rushing in by herself, and where there’s others, there’s also an increased chance that someone will pick up on the flaws in a plan

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 17d

Unfortunately, Cassie is quite used to failure at this point. In part because she has a tendency to go all-in without thinking about the bigger picture. Generally, she’ll wallow in misery about it until someone (usually the more level-headed Ben) drags her out of it.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 17d

#WIPSnips - skill

“Why would he need to hide his magic?” Eifir’s brows drew together, but she at least replied in English, respecting my want for secrecy even if she didn’t understand. “His skills are as Az’gor’s were.”
“Az’gor is fae, yes? How many fae do you know, that cast green magic?” I asked.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 18d

#WIPSnips - flurry.

The only instance of the word in my current WIP, and it’s only a few chapters from the end of Book 3. The battle with the King is coming, and old friends, Ben and George, are having a bit of a falling out.

First frost of the autumn on my car this morning.

“What’s goin’ on?” I heard George’s voice among the flurry of people entering. I looked up just quickly enough to see Ben’s face sour, before he turned to leave.
“Don’t you dare walk away.” I called after him. George put a hand out to stop him. He was in his kilt, but this time with a heavy doublet, a sword, and his dirk at his hip. He was dressed like a highlander going to war. Ben tried to go around him, but George stepped in front, and turned him around. Ben wouldn’t have had the strength left to oppose him if he wanted to. His face grew red as I walked up to him.

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 19d

I think this also impacts the length of books people are willing to read. I had a good discussion on a recent music trip. Almost all of us were put off “popular” books over ~600 pages, because it’s overwhelming when your only available reading time is bus journeys and 15min between rehearsals.

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Reposted by Tina Writes

Shane Koyczan @shanekoyczan.bsky.social · 20d

Part 2

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Tina Writes @tinaduncan.bsky.social · 19d

#WIPSnips - disagree.

A little snip from the first chapter of The Last Changeling (first book in series). Possibly ready to go out to beta readers after a couple more rounds of edits.

#amwriting

“Don’t you dare.” Came the curt reply. “This is none of your business, so stay out of it. She is my girl. We’re just having a minor disagreement.”
“I am not your girl.” I spat at him. I felt a warm hand settle on my shoulder. The well-dressed stranger was by my side now.

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