Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 20h

Yup. Although if this was the actual sequel I'm supposed to be writing, that would be great - but it's something entirely new and different 😂

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 22h

When you're supposed to be taking a break from novel writing to work on short stories but then accidentally outline a brand new novel instead 😆

#booksky #writingcommunity

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 3d

Ah the joy of filing an Anthropic claim. I really hope they pay out and that we all get our due. And that this sets a precedent for the publishing industry that'll deter others from stealing our words again!

#writingcommunity

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you for all the suggestions!

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 6d

Ah, this is stunning!

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 8d

Go Mikeno, go!!!

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 8d

What's your favourite cover from an SFFH book published in the last year or two? Bonus points if it's YA and/or queer.

Please drop links or pics...

#booksky

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 12d

HADES II !!!

I've been waiting so long for this 😍

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 13d

Revisions on the 'sibling rivalry between demigods isn't good for the space-time continuum' novel are DONE!!!

442 pages
113k words
all the feels

I am tired but happy - now to just see what beta readers and my editor thinks 🤞🤞🤞

#writingcommunity #booksky

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 18d

Thank you! This has been on my to-watch list far too long!

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 18d

I guess this book can be described as that time sibling rivalry got a little out of hand so now there are gaping holes in the fabric of reality which will have Serious Consequences for the brat and his big sister who is very very tired 😆

#booksky #writingcommunity

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 19d

Anime with best fight / action sequences? Tell me...

For reference, I loved the choreography of fight scenes in Castlevania and Arcane. Looking for more stuff as epic as that, preferably in SFFH genres.

#anime

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 20d

For 24 hours, you can grab a bunch of free queer ebooks in multiple genres (including I Heart Robot) thanks to @divinationhollow.bsky.social If you're looking for creepy fall reads, now's the time to go get your hands on queer horror!

divinationhollow.com/queer-your-e...

#booksky #writingcommunity

Queer Your eReader — Divination Hollow Reviews

divinationhollow.com

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 21d

Only 58 pages left to go in the revision of this 400+ page book. I've arrived at the climax which needs to be rewritten, which I am very excited about! My three disaster demigod siblings get to have a major showdown and I get to make it even more epic than before! 😆

#writingcommunity #amwriting

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 22d

From that book? I'm not sure. There doesn't seem to be consensus, only that they love the characters.

Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 22d

Nothing makes my day quite like hearing from a reader who loved my book: "Just wanted to say I haven't slept bc it was SO SO GOOD. It had me in a binge chokehold" 😊😊😊

#booksky #writingcommunity

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 26d

I am having so much fun with these revisions, stitching in more foreshadowing, raising the stakes, increasing the action, upping the angst, and adding in threads to be unraveled in the sequel! 😊

I truly love writing, and cannot imagine ever allowing AI to rob me of this joy!

#booksky #amwriting

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · 27d

The new Twenty One Pilots 😍😍 Wow! I'm loving each and every single song on this album. Damn, this is good. Like AOTY contender for sure! Someone's gonna have to drop something seriously mind-blowing to beat this. *side-eyes Bad Omens*

#music #newrelease

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Sep 2

When your publisher is happy with your edits and calls your book "lavish and immersive" saying things like "the writing is poetic and soulful and so smart" when this was an idea you put off for ages because you didn't think you'd be able to pull it off!!

#WritingCommunity #booksky

a cartoon of a girl with hearts surrounding her and the words be still my heart

Alt: a cartoon of a girl (from Peanuts) with yellow hair wearing a blue dress against a pink background with red hearts pulsing around her and the words "be still my heart"

media.tenor.com

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 31

❤️❤️❤️

Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 31

Maybe you could check out this Storybundle of African SFF then? storybundle.com/scifi

StoryBundle

Pay what you like and get a bundle of awesome ebooks and more!

storybundle.com

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 30

I am somehow more than halfway done with these developmental edits!! 🎊

#writingcommunity #booksky

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 28

Yes, I should've prepared snacks ahead of time!

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 28

When you eventually get to read this book, brace yourself for chapter 14... I'm gonna go hug my dog and have a cookie now to recover.

Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 28

Why do I give my characters such tragic backstories?? Drafting this broke my heart and now I have to reread all of it while editing 😭

I know I choose to write dark fantasy. I do this to myself (and my readers) but still... why Past Me, why!?!?

#writingcommunity #booksky

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Xan van Rooyen @xanwriter.bsky.social · Aug 28

Why do I give my characters such tragic backstories?? Drafting this broke my heart and now I have to reread all of it while editing 😭

I know I choose to write dark fantasy. I do this to myself (and my readers) but still... why Past Me, why!?!?

#writingcommunity #booksky

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