thomashowardriley.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

My author brand for the past year and a half is I have a beard then I don’t have a beard then I do have a beard then I don’t again. I’m not sure exactly how this will help me sell books, but it’s where my marketing is at right now.

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I love writing books. It’s the waiting to release them that drivers me crazy.

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What are the weirdest weapons your characters have ever used? In THE MONSTERS WE FEED, Jathan never manages to find a sword, so he has to resort to beating the tar out of some bad guys with a melon, a kebab, and a really thick ass book.

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“Are your books grimdark?” I don’t know. I don’t think so. “They’re pretty fucked up tho right?” Sometimes sure. But sometimes they’re rather cheerful. Funny even. Silly at times. Spicy on occasion. Vulgar always. “What are they then?” They’re rated-R, friend. Just rated-R.

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How skinny of a book can I still make in print form? I guess we’ll find out.

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Tell me what’s going on in your WIP right now using only a gif.

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We Break Immortals - oddities & curiosities: Calpas fruit has a soft yellow rind and sweet pink fruit within. It was once an exotic rarity in the north, but centuries of trade with distant nations made it a staple, leading to “calpas fruit riots” whenever supplies dwindle.

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Do you ever have a character who should really keep their mouth shut but just can’t help themselves?

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Somewhere in time there is a man-at-arms running to the battlement when he hears a horn warning of an approaching enemy Then there is me today running out of the house in my underwear when I hear an approaching garbage truck and I know I haven’t put the bin out on the curb yet

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Was just going for a quick walk after my toddler had been having fun trying out her favorite hats on my head…and I was wondering why I was getting so many awkward looks from the neighbors. Had I forgotten something? Then it hit me… They all now realize I am royalty

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Who are those people on the cover of We Break Immortals, you ask? Corrin, Keluwen, and Aren. I’ve added here the most appropriate title for each character’s profession based on their actions.

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I am about to drop the 2nd of the two shortest works I’ve even written, and then turn around and immediately follow it up with two of the longest chonkiest tomes I’ve ever written. Prepare for whiplash.

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Me: an author, existing The new book idea I just had: “Excuse me while I interrupt the outlining of the other book idea you had last week that was already interrupting the draft of the book you were writing that was already interrupting the edits of the book you wrote before”

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I keep scanning the “genre” menu for “medieval dark fantasy noir slice of life but super fucked up, horny, and murdery” but I’m not finding it.

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Penelope says just relax and read a book.

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I just caught myself mentally editing the opening chapters of a trad published book I was just reading for fun. 🤦‍♂️

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Aren is good at science and catching superhuman murderers, but not so great at recognizing interpersonal romantic cues. Sometimes his new frenemy, Keluwen, needs to nudge him in the right direction….when she is not trying to kill him that is.

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The thing I dig most about writing is that I get to do a collab with every reader who flips the pages of one of my books All my fancy words still need your imagination to make the story real and that makes the experience unique every single time and I thinks that’s pretty badass

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I’m sitting here trying to write a heavy as hell murder scene for my current WIP and my toddler just wanders over here showing off her binky collection. I have to say it is somewhat difficult to keep the tone of this scene sufficiently dark under these circumstances.

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Doing a little light Saturday reading with the kiddos….

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We Break Immortals - oddities and curiosities: Little is known about the informally-named “cult of the black coats”, those who worship a superhuman serial killer. They come from all walks of life & every economic status, but they will follow him anywhere, kill & die for him.

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Please accept this potato chip of love

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proof that I can and will use a semicolon any time I damn well please

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Made good headway creating the ebook & paperback for THE LAST GASP OF MIDNIGHT novelette. (And because I’m me, added a few VERY last minute lines to the story) With a little luck I may soon be able to reveal that beautiful cover. Until then….FEET! The on fire variety.

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Do you have a pet peeve in SFF books? Mine has to be companions who separate then come back together & inexplicably don’t tell each other ALL THE NEW INFORMATION Not even so much as a respectable “hey guys, listen to all we did, it was fucking crazy” or “so and so betrayed us”

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

Writing a book is weird. Every day, multiple times a day, I come across a part of something I’m working on that I want desperately to talk with someone about because of how crazy/awesome/tragic/badass it is but no one else will know what I’m talking about for months or years.

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I can’t believe this little gremlin is already turning 2! She has been bringing us joy and adorable sass since day one. Even her big brother agrees she is the best baby sister in the whole world. Our hearts are full.

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priorities

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A little TITLE reveal time for my latest This little short story gone wrong will go by: THE LAST GASP OF MIDNIGHT And as a cherry on top here is another little tease of the amazing cover from J Caleb Design Have to do a full reveal real soon….

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I think what draws me to writing stories with dark events, desperate situations, and terrible villains is that I like to show how even in those awful circumstances, the light can prevail if we persevere.

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It’s okay to share your favorite weird lines from SFF books. Mine: “I resemble half the things I say I don’t. The other half resemble me.” —the Golux, from The 13 Clocks

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Now that I’ve written this novelette about a duel and dialogue between the last two men left alive after a battle, what the heck should I do with it? Should I make it a free giveaway with my newsletter? Should I charge an arm and a leg for it? What do you think? Decisions

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Was going to post some writing/publishing updates last night but passed out Now I’m awake & my little gremlins are already screaming at each other about the unfair allotment of toys per child Think I’ll be needing an extra cup of coffee/shot of adrenaline before i get to book stuff today

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