Forthright .'s Blog, page 23
October 31, 2023
Coop 029: Quiet Night In
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the contented one.
29
Quiet Night In
Daroo’s den in the woods wasn’t the hole-in-the-dirt variety. Nope. The Clearsong pack’s cave was high and dry, carved into ridge-rock. Empty now, it had become the Cooper family’s private getaway.
Coop lay on his belly, chin propped on folded a...
October 25, 2023
Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons
Chapter 2, “The Daughters of Kikusawa Shrine” is live over on Patreon! Subscription to this story is one of the perks that starts at the Twinkle tier ($4/month). Thanks to those who’ve chosen to read along! I’m grateful.
The usual questions:
When does this story take place?
We pick up immediately where Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal left off, shortly after Kimi & Quen’s first televised kiss. (May of 4 N.S.)
How long are the chapters?
Nope, this isn’t one of those drabble stories...
October 24, 2023
Coop 028: Wild Child
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the one with a second place.
28
Wild Child
Coop knew Dad would worry, but he liked being in the woods when it was really whipping up a storm. “Can I stay a while longer?”
Daroo took his time weighing the matter, then said, “If you use my den.”
“Overnight?” he coaxed.
This tim...
October Art Cards
Dazzle Tier and Up. I forgot to mention here that the art cards for October are extra special. To celebrate this month’s release of a Russian-language edition of Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox, I received permission from the publisher to use the cover art (by @artovbros). These 5×7″ prints have a pearl shimmer treatment. (So shiny!) If you want this Argent, go peruse the tier options on Patreon. Sparkle tier patrons, whose perk includes mail every other month, can expect to see this blaze-baring A...
October 18, 2023
Bard & Barbarian
Updated! Bard & Barbarian has updated over on my Patreon with Ch69: “Toll,” because there is one. Also, this marks the end of Part 2 of Bard & Barbarian. Next month, Imber will set out with new goals.
October 14, 2023
Follow for Free
NEW Patreon Feature. There’s a new thing going on over on Patreon, designed to help creators build their audience. In short, you can now follow me there … for free. What does this do? Right now, not a whole lot, since I use this blog to announce most everything. But if I post anything publicly for my audience on Patreon, you’ll know.
Story access (Bard & Barbarian, Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons) will remain perks for patrons who join a tier. Same goes for regula...
October 11, 2023
Bard & Barbarian
Narrated Edition. Bard and Barbarian has been posting slow and steady over on my Patreon account. Reading along is great, but supporters on some tiers can now listen along. The story is being narrated by Travis Baldree. Ch61, “Portals and Plots” just went live for those in qualifying tiers. AND Ch57, “Picklock” has unlocked for the Twinkle and Sparkle tiers.
New narrated chapters will arrive every other Wednesday, which means … there’s always something more to look forward to! Learn mo...
October 10, 2023
Coop 027: Reputation
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the teenage boy.
27
Reputation
Back home, Coop escaped into the woods. Hunkered down under an overhang, he watched the rain and wondered why Chumani had kissed him… if she’d do it again… if she’d only been teasing… if he liked being teased.
Daroo came to find him.
“Are coyotes r...
October 6, 2023
Coop 026: Thief
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the one full of warnings.
26
Thief
Chumani pulled Coop behind a stall. “Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”
“I mostly only paid attention to the parts that matched your posture.”
“You think posture can’t lie?” She stepped so close, her next words tickled his ear. “How old do ...
October 3, 2023
Coop 025: You Mean That
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the trustworthy one.
25
You Mean That
“We’re tricksters, Coop. Coyotes are nothing but trouble.”
“I get into trouble all the time.”
Chumani shook her head. “Look at me. What do you see?”
“A friend.”
“Describe me.”
Coop shrugged. “Someone nice.”
Incredulity dominated ...
