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C.H.Lei

@hpl0veshack.bsky.social

100 followers 420 following 280 posts

Goth-lite, mixed racial almost-maybe writer, heavy metal officiando, Murder Mystery whore. Watches a movie a day, maybe two. He/him. I use up all my good grammar and spelling while writing.

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · Jul 8

The anthology released by @forestpublications.bsky.social that a lot of great writers/poets are featured in (and me) is out! Only on paperback at the moment, digital out soon! Let the paper caress your fingers 'n' things.

Non-UK folks get it in the link below!

#books #booksky #sff #horror

Shadows on the Stage: A Performance of Prose & Poetry|Paperback

We see performance in art, on the stage, and on the screen, but what about the performance we see everyday? From the masks we wear to work, to our expressions of gender and identity. Within the realms...

www.barnesandnoble.com

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 7h

If only this popped up last week, I was at a birthday party at a neighbor’s and their sibling, an audio producer at 343, was there. Could’ve asked them then.

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 14h

I mean, I get it that people listen to their epic instrumental soundtracks to write their fantasy, but sometimes I just wanna listen to some 70’s prog rock while writing martial arts fight scenes, y’know?

#writing

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 1d

So I think my limit on active projects worked in a week without getting new ideas is ten. Yes, I’ll sometikes bounce between 4-5 in a day.

#writing #booksky

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

And that is why my fictional politics are so basic.

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

They just HAVE be hot messes. That or weirdly fallable.

In Chinese mythology, the Kitchen God is the one that every years goes to the head honcho to tell who has been good or bad (ala Santa). The way to trick a god to say good things? Literally honey the lips of the statue in the household. Wild.

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

For the most part! It’s set in a backwood village, but I got at least two people in some fabulous digs, one of whom has a diff getup a day.

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

It’s one of the two shows that got me back into anime. As a mystery whore big into Imperial China, I’m so deep into Apothacary Diaries.

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

Count, viscount, duke, marquess. So mant different titles.

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

#WeeknightWriters Q5:

I have no name for the world yet, but it’s definitely a second world fantasy, since the folkloric beings exist. The influence is Tang dynasty (Apothacary Diaries is influenced by the same era iirc), mainly for the multicultural aspect. Also for getting my Hitchcock blonde lol.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 2d

Q5: Tell us about your story world! Is it our world? Our world with added magic/science, or a completely different world? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: Tell us about your story world! Is it our world? Our world with added magic/science, or a completely different world?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

#WeeknightWriters A4:

Probably the pantheon, honestly. I like it, but I feel like it is the one aspect of worldbuilding that is frequently overdone, in the sense it’s an obligatory thing.

Which is interesting cus my WIP is actually religious-centered for a good amount.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 2d

Q4: What aspects of worldbuilding do you find most frustrating? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: What aspects of worldbuilding do you find most frustrating?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

I love the research into it, veung a big history buff. Hinestly if I go back to school, I might try ti find aMasters in like fashion history. But yeah, it’s the deepest I go D&D lore worldbuilding levels into. Everything else? Whatever serves the plot lol

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

It’s something that I’ve been mulling around for for years. I’m a huge Hitchcock film fan, and my bachelors was either gonna be business or a double history/Asian studies. (Stuck with business cus I couldn’t afford another year).

And funnily enough, Hitchcock and Chinese folklore fit together well.

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

There’s so much. Look up the different make-up styles among the dynasties, there’s so many different techniques just based on the different beauty standards over the centuries.

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

#WeeknightWriters A3:

THE. FASHION.

The benefit of writing Chinese-inspired fantasy is the sheer amount of fashion and make-up styles among the dynasties. There’s a lot to take influence from. But this extends to all my long-form projects.

It goes world + characters, clothes, then the rest.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 2d

Q3: What aspects of worldbuilding do you enjoy most? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: What aspects of worldbuilding do you enjoy most?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

#WeeknightWriters Q2:

Really just the basic basics, and I try to keep as minimal as possible. So enough needed to facilitate the story.

For instance, I have scenes set hundreds of years before the plot. How much is really expanded? Not much, because extra is not needed to further the plot.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 2d

Q2: What aspects of worldbuilding do you absolutely need to have in place before starting a project? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: What aspects of worldbuilding do you absolutely need to have in place before starting a project?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 2d

#WeeknightWriters! I an C.H.Lei. My #FirstDraftFall WIP is a Hitchcockian thriller/fantasy influenced by Chinese folklore—It’s a re-write from something I wrote YEARS ago, so I’m sitting easy and just editing my new outline and doing other stuff. Working 4-5 short stories in the same week. Chilling.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 2d

Hello #WeeknightWriters! Come on in, introduce yourself and your WIP, and let us know how your #FirstDraftFall planning is going!

Notepad that reads: #WeeknightWriters Introduce yourself and your WIP, and let us know how your writing week is going!”

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 3d

Author portraits need more facial mugging. Also, I don’t care how nice the photographer made you look, go like full cowboy, full armor, a hawaiian shirt with a tiki drink, or just, like, some personality beyond what’s also your LinkedIn profile picture.

#books #booksky

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 6d

Out of all the short stories I’m writing, I can believe the one that’s going smoothly is the weird west travelling circus one and the hardest is about not being racist at your family friend and her cooking.

#writing #booksky #amwriting

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 8d

Went to a panel of authors at the library this week. Idk what was the highlight, the sole male author using a wild penname, or the face made by the lady whose novel was based on deep family research when said male author talked about using an AI youtube summarizing program.

#books #writing #booksky

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

Oh, and someone’s too proud to ask.

C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

Yeah, we’re talking like village barely in the hundreds, everybody knows everybody

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

#WeeknightWriters Q5

My MC (still nameless) is the village loser. She has no future prospects, no skillset, and gets most of her food because everyone alots a small amount for her to steal.

Bur she’s also loyal to her village. So when stuff happens she takes it upon herself. 100% In over her head.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 9d

Q5: Tell us about your main character. Who are they? What do they want? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says "#WeeknightWriters: Tell us about your main character. Who are they? What do they want?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

#WeeknightWriters Q4:

Making sure their growth growth at the end-game is satisfying for me. It doesn’t have to be big growth, it just has to be right, ya know? Sometimes it means adding more, which is always a pain especially when you have to cut down a lot in the second draft.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 9d

Q4: What aspects of character development do you find most frustrating? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: What aspects of character development do you find most frustrating?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

#WeeknightWriters Q3:

Since I do minimal prep work on characters (my WIP MC’s mom died in childbirth. What was her job etc? Idk.) I will say definitely THE eblishing moment, mainly because it can defy -“” prep. The moment where you go, “Okay, THIS is what the character’s about,” Is my fav moment.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 9d

Q3: What aspects of character development do you enjoy most? What goes into making a character? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters What aspects of character development do you enjoy most?"

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C.H.Lei @hpl0veshack.bsky.social · 9d

#WeeknightWriters Q1:

This is gonna sound sooooo pretentious lmao. They all come together at once—I do the Salvadore Dali key-on-plate where I force a wake up in non-REM sleep and keep a dream journal next to me.

If not then, then again the idea just pops, up then I pants the characters out.

Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 9d

Q1: Do you typically create characters to match the story you want to tell or build your stories based on character(s) already living in your head? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: Do you typically create characters to match the story you want to tell or build your stories based on character(s) already living in your head?"

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