Forthright .'s Blog, page 8
April 4, 2025
Coop 100: Free Time
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 he curious one.
100
Free Time
It only took a few days before Coop gave in to temptation.
Explanations and reasons were… fine. But he was best at hands-on learning. Once he figured something out for himself, then he understood it.
Dad had always encouraged him to follow his curio...
April 2, 2025
Bard & Barbarian
Updated! Bard & Barbarian has updated over on my Patreon with Ch75: “Gaps in the Ranks,” in which Yarrow looks toward hiring on new crew members. But hazard pay is gonna be a problem, now that Cataclysms are involved.
Patrons at any (paid) tier can read Bard & Barbarian!
April 1, 2025
Coop 099: Knotty Boy
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 who speaks.
99
Knotty Boy
Rose may have called wolf knots baby stuff, but this crop of reavers were a fumble-fingered bunch. Coop chipped in. “See how this one is kinda the same, but reversed? Like knit one, purl one.”
He unspooled practice cord and bartered for beads. Teac...
March 30, 2025
Folk-Spelled Print Editions
This Just In! My print proof arrived, and it’s perfect! The print editions have been green-lighted, so they’ll be showing up in virtual shopfronts for everyone, everywhere. Order at your leisure. Or ask for them at your favorite bookstore. They’ll be able to order them in. Same goes for libraries.
I unboxed:
At nearly 500 pages, it’s kind of a chonk. One thing the print edition has that the digital edition lacks is … the illustrated back cover:
Interiors are wonderful, a...
March 28, 2025
Coop 098: Good Communicator
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 insider knowledge.
98
Good Communicator
“He used a tracker hand sign,” said one kid.
Another said, “Postures.”
“Wolfsong!”
A girl pointed to the supplies on the table. “Wolf knots.”
Farook nodded. “And the beads themselves. What else?”
Nobody spoke.
Coop...
March 25, 2025
Coop 097: All Right
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 who does fit in. When he’s where he belongs.
97
All Right
Coop did his best to explain, but he could tell he was losing his audience. Giang’s incredulity slowly shifted into awkwardness, and Pierre zipped straight to annoyance, like Coop had somehow wasted his time.
After b...
March 21, 2025
Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons
Chapter 14, “Amaranthine Embassy” 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.
Coop 096: Ranker
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 Betweener.
96
Ranker
Coop asked, “What’s your classification?”
They guys traded a look, then pointed to their tunics.
A glance around the dining hall confirmed clusters of kids in matching tunics. “You guys are color-coded! Sorry. I’m new. Didn’t realize. So what’s blue?”
...March 18, 2025
Coop 095: Boys in Blue
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 who’s out of uniform.
95
Boys in Blue
At breakfast, Coop piled his plate with pancakes and grabbed the first open seat so he could dig in.
“Who are you?” asked a tall kid with a blue tunic with a French accent.
“Hi! I’m new. The name’s Coop.” He poured maple syrup, then ...
March 14, 2025
Coop 094: Attainments
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 many intricate tattoos.
94
Attainments
While jogging, Magda explained that the Howl was the second-most difficult trail since it was a steep climb. “Tough, but you can solo it. Not so with the Grovel. For that, teams need a ward. It is a trickster’s puzzle, courtesy of Sa...
