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C A Malin

@camalin.net

Even though storms play a major role in #Ellamir in later volumes, those aren't written yet, so it's vibes today. Maqine storms Mrs Knight's school to rescue Hannah from the clutches of Brother Nicholls

CW: Attempted forced marriage, and very un-Jane Austen language

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
In the ruined portal, amid swirls of sunlit sawdust, stood the towering figure of Maqine: in her left hand were the burning remnants of a Spell of Force; in her right, a gigantic crossbow taut with a loaded bolt; and on her face, a look of contempt and purpose and hatred that Brother Nicholls could not hope to withstand. As he perceived her through the cloud of dust, he let out a strangled cry and staggered backwards.
“Demon!” he screamed, his face contorted with terror, “Hellspawn!!”
“You fucking bet,” said Maqine. She strode through the remains of the window, knocking away dangling lathe and plaster, and in a few steps, levelled the point of her arrow squarely between Brother Nicholl’s madly staring eyes. He immediately collapsed to the floor; Maqine’s aim followed him and never faltered as she stooped to pick up the scroll.
“A Charm Spell,” she said. “The fucker was going to enchant you into marrying him. And then, of course, into his bed, against your will. There’s an ugly word for that, good Brother.”
Hannah shuffled forward on trembling legs, an aghast expression upon a face paler even than usual and minutely etched with red scratches from the flying glass. The reality of this appalling eventuality was only now dawning upon her, that a Brother of an Order she once thought unimpeachable would, without a second thought, enslave her mind and then… it was too horrible a thought, and she quickly shut it out.
“I should… I should never have thought he could…” she eventually stammered, almost overcome.
“I should pin his head to this very fetching rug,” said Maqine.

January 27, 2026 at 8:34 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Hope you're week is starting well, #WIPSnips fam!

A bit more Mr Oakhall today: after he suffers an anxiety attack requiring a hefty dose of opiate tincture, Ella reflects on her uneasy relationship with the parish physician when it comes to her father's care

From my WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
Ella had accepted the prescription and handed over the payment, but with a countenance that barely concealed her irritation and, as much to spite Catheredge as to assauage her own principles, had privately vowed to continue as she had always done: to humour Mr Oakhall, persuade him by kindness (and occasionally employ a certain necessary deviousness), conducting herself in a way to cause him the least possible concern or distress, even though this required no small degree of personal sacrifice. It annoyed her extremely to be obliged to even feign to submit to a man such as Catheredge, a domineering and pushful fellow with a decided opinion of his own authority and an evident disdain for the views of young women, whatever their relation to his patient may be.
Yet in this case, a degree of restraint and resignation was called for, in view of the power vested in a physician by the crown, by way of the local magistracy, to declare a patient to be of unsound mind. Such an occurence would immediately cast the ownership of their propery and command of their funds into great legal dismay, and at the worst extremity, Mr Oakhall might even committed to an institution, widely and unsympathetically known as a "mad-house". This was too awful a possibility to be contemplated: an unimaginably miserable circumstance for him, a desperate position of anguish and compromise for her, and a drastic and catastrophic rupture in the lineage of the noble family of Oakhall; and thus it was Ella’s clear duty and absolute determination that she must contrive to prevent such an eventuality at all costs.

January 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

What ho! and Happy Sunday, #WIPSnips

Ella is piqued to discover she was not included in a recent meeting between her old-fashioned father and their man of business, Commander Merely, who she fears might be avoiding her

From my #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
“I confess I did not,” said her father, “for, you know, in my day the selection of wine was very much a matter of gentlemen. I do not know that I object entirely to a lady’s inclusion in the management of an estate; indeed, Miss Wright, it is a great comfort to me that Ella is a girl of modern persuasion and is glad to involve herself in so many of our business affairs, yet I am sure I have not heard of girls knowing anything of the purchase of wines.”
“Papa,” said Ella, laying her hand over his and adopting a more reasonable tone, “you know I should infinitely prefer to be called a young woman, rather than a girl.”
“Ah, of course you are right, my dear,” said Mr Oakhall sorrowfully, “but in my heart, I shall always wish you were still a girl, and content to run in the grass and play with your dolls, rather than to be of age, and no doubt soon to be the object of many a young fellow. Oh! how I dread that any should notice you!”
This was dangerous and distressing ground, and Ella sought immediately to assure him that she had no intention of being the object of a single undeserving young man: nothing could be further from her thoughts. Distraction then followed as the bell was rung for dinner, and as her father mercifully returned his attention to advising Hannah on more advisable footwear for the spring months as they made their way to table, Ella had some moments to reflect upon her vexation, for in fact her thoughts were now filled with that one gentleman, and once again they were troubled.

January 25, 2026 at 9:51 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Drop an alien that's not from Star Wars or Star Trek

Heads up Gen X!

Benji, Zax and the Alien Prince - a medium sized dog (Benji) and a floating droid with anxious looking eyes (Zax) pose with a boy of about 9 or 10 (Alien Prince)

January 24, 2026 at 5:29 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Post a female character you love

Lady Cordelia Flyte, as played by Phoebe Nicholls - a woman described as having "a frank and chubby plainness" - she has a fairly severe 1930s haircut and is sitting in an expensively furnished room

January 24, 2026 at 3:37 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

#FantasyIndiesJanuary | 24

An oven-warm Saturday Snippet, fresh from being written just yesterday!

Ella wishes to clear up a misunderstanding and visits Commander Merely at his home, which she has never laid eyes on before.

From #Ellamir, my #JaneAusten #Romance X #Fantasy crossover WIP

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
Alder Hall was, she knew, a very old manor house that had once been home to the Squire of Alderham, a former hamlet whose farms and cottages had been sold off and absorbed into the growing estates that surrounded them, leaving but a small park, some wasteland dotted with historic ruins which rendered it useless for farming, and a copse known locally as Alderwood. The house itself was surrounded by a high hedge of considerable depth, a very archaic arrangement which was surely to the detriment of allowing the evening daylight to reach the windows, and upon passing through the gate, Ella had the sense of entering a secret garden, deliberately separated from the Wider World and content to exist just beyond it. The gardens around the house were informal, and if not scrupulously kept, were at least tidy.
As was the custom throughout Theangal, the particulars of the manor’s owner, and the income of the owner, were public information. It was generally known, though perhaps not widely, that the Commander owned all that remained of the Alder manor, that he had purchased it for a song some six years ago, at which point the village taverns of Upthorpe Thoroughbourn had, for some weeks, enjoyed the lucrative nightly patronage of a number of seamen who had arrived to assist with its renovation, reportedly slinging their hammocks in the hall and devoting their vast reserves of naval ingenuity to the revivication of the place. It was also a settled matter that the Commander had an income of the number of thousands a year that would always be called two, quite enough for a single gentleman with no need of a carriage and very little in the way of stabling.

January 24, 2026 at 12:58 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

This is my go-to reference - it's huge and incredibly comprehensive and I love it so much I have it in two editions

January 24, 2026 at 11:48 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Best wishes for the weekend, if you have one, WIPperSnippers!

Just the one occurrence of "bone" (or actually "bones") for today's #WIPSnips - Ella and her land agent, Cmdr Merely, are discussing estate business and a little charity

From my #JaneAusten / #Fantasy crossover novel #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
They sat each on their own sofa facing across a large, low coffee table. There were the usual reports to go over: the receipt of provisions from the farm, and the payment of rents on their properties both within the Penmere estate and without.
"The tenants' remittances are all in order, ma'am, with one exception, "said Merely, reading from his papers. "Oxley of Grange Farm begs your patience until after next market-day: their circumstances are complicated by the illness of their youngest boy and they have spent much at the apothecary this period."
"We will be patient," said Ella, after a moment of consideration, "but do not let it go on too long." She knew well the unfortunate situation of the Oxley family, visiting them often and making moderate donations of money and produce, and she spoke in a more businesslike manner than her heart might approve of.
"As you wish, ma'am," said Merely gravely. "As for the home farm, Mr Holland informs you that five goslings of the latest clutch have hatched, and four turkey poults. He plans to put the bull among the cows again a sennight hence, but there is no shortage of milk - in fact, there is a small surplus when the dairy has accounted for the usual amounts of butter, cheese and cream."
"Very good," said Ella, who was fond of both cheese and cream. "I shall take something from the dairy when I call upon the Oxleys, as being good for the poorly child's bones," and she was pleased see something like approval in Merely’s acknowledging glance.

January 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Remarkably difficult to find anything like "transfer" for today's #WIPSnips, so it's vibes!

On their cottagecore "first date", Hannah is clearly fascinated with Maqine's prehensile tail and how she uses it about the house, like transferring kettle to table

From my Regency X Fantasy WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
Once the kettle was sat upon the range, the host dragged over the table with one hand - Hannah was again astonished at her strength - and began to set out the tea things: an elderly pot with a long spout, two more of the earthenware mugs, a little jug of milk, a little bowl of sugar. Hannah watched her move about, sometimes using her tail to carry, sometimes just holding it up out of the way or flicking it this way and that, and when Maqine sat down, Hannah particularly noticed that she threaded it through the back of her chair then hooked it over the top of the backrest. She then also noticed that Maqine was observing her interest with amusement.
"Never met someone with a tail before, I suppose?" she said, grinning so that the tips of her fangs showed.
"I… no, never, I must confess," admitted Hannah, "but it does seem so very useful…"
"It often is," said Maqine chattily, "but sometimes it's a right old nuisance - like shopping for clothes. You can't just buy off the shelf, obviously. That's a bit of a pain - a pain in the arse you might say!" At this she chuckled - Hannah was to discover she had the charming habit of laughing at her own jokes very often - and even Hannah giggled a little, despite blushing rather at the language.
Maqine was busily making the tea, spooning a huge mound of the ground leaves into the pot and adding the boiling water; Hannah was once again surprised, as Maqine picked up the kettle with her bare hands as if it were cold. She peered into the pot, frowned, and stirred it vigourously, perhaps hoping to increase its strength; when this had little effect, she shrugged, and poured, and delighted Hannah by using her tail to hold the lid of the pot in place.

January 23, 2026 at 8:37 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

As if to make up for yesterday's use of vibes, here is more Hannah & Maqine, and an instance of 'gold' AND 'golden' in the same sentence for today's #WIPSnips

On their first date, our soon-to-be sapphic sweethearts are treated to an elven-chorus in praise of the goddess Aistra

From my WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
It was as if the beauty and expressiveness of the words themselves, woven into such a haunting harmony, infused the landscape with a depth of colour that, rich as it already was, became so much richer. The countryside seemed to glow intensely with the golden solar rays, and then, as gold began to fade to evening grey, a flash of silver low on the horizon drew Hannah's gaze. A great star was rising, emerging from the last light of the dying day and glittering brilliantly, just above the treetops. All at once, the song of the elves changed, becoming yet more complex and beautiful, a joyful hymn of celestial reverence.
"One of their deities," murmured Maqine, "the goddess Aistra, Silver Sister of Night. It's her time of year to visit, and they've been singing to welcome her."
"An actual goddess?" breathed the astonished Hannah, for whom goddesses had thus far been specious entities, unseen, not to be experienced by ordinary mortals. "I thought that was a star."
"Perhaps both," was Maqine's enigmatic answer. Certainly, it seemed to Hannah that no mere star could cast such light, enough to crown the trees of the forest before them with silvery radiance.
"What's happening to the trees?" whispered Hannah.
"Magic."

January 17, 2026 at 8:44 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

No brain! 😆So it's vibes for today's #WIPSnips

The odious Brother Nicholls tries to use magic to control Hannah's brain and thus accept his marriage proposal. Luckily, she and her sapphic sweetheart Maqine figured something was afoot, and had a contingency plan...

From my WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
As she said these last words, she threw up her hand towards the door, and Nicholls, in response, caught her by the wrist; his face had taken on such a look of utter malice, and it was with such force that he sought to return her bodily to the settle, that she quailed momentarily. His free hand was reaching for his pocket, and drawing out a little scroll: as he shook it open, and began to chant in an unknown tongue, Hannah felt her resolve falter. She had not the strength to fight him physically, nor to resist the enthrallment of the strange words which rang now in her head. Her knees began to weaken and her vision clouded, her blood pounded in her ears, and some unknown voice spoke out of the confusion, telling her to submit, and it would all be over without any more suffering.
But somewhere around her hammering heart, she still had a single ounce of determination, and with that, she filled her lungs, forced open her mouth and screamed as best she could:
“MAQINE!”
It was as if she had uttered a Word of Command: in the same instant, the elegant bow-seat window exploded inwards, disintegrating violently into prettily carved matchwood and a thousand shards of flying glass. Pieces of torn damask curtain accompanied the shattering sound of destruction that echoed through the room and shook Brother Nicholls with such force that he let go of Hannah’s wrist and dropped the scroll to the ground.
In the ruined portal, amid swirls of sunlit sawdust, stood the towering figure of Maqine: in her left hand were the burning remnants of a Spell of Force; in her right, a gigantic crossbow taut with a loaded bolt; and on her face, a look of contempt and purpose and hatred that Brother Nicholls could not hope to withstand. As he perceived her through the cloud of dust, he let out a strangled cry and staggered backwards.
“Demon!” he screamed, his face contorted with terror, “Hellspawn!!”
“You fucking bet,” said Maqine.

January 16, 2026 at 10:39 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Morning, #WIPSnips!

I've definitely done this one before, but quite a while ago, so here again is the description from the first time Hannah Wright lays eyes on Keaning Abbey, little knowing the old place will profoundly change her life.

From my #Regency #Romance / #Fantasy crossover WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
The valley floor had been landscaped to allow the river to be dammed; the dam itself was built of stone, as was the adjoining bankwork which ran along the water's edge for some distance before meeting a long wharf. A mill-house with a tall water-wheel stood by the dam, along with another low building with a chimney; by the wharf was a barn or storehouse.
Over these stood the great old abbey, a beautiful but rather imposing structure with a tall tower and soaring stained glass windows, surrounded by a vast lawn and reflected in its own lake. The central hall was clearly the earliest built, weathered by many centuries and quite at home amidst the oaks and alders that had stood by since its foundation; the tower must have been adjoined not much later, perhaps in days of better prosperity, as the stonework was noticeable finer; and then, after a few centuries, three wings of three stories had been added, austere but elegant, a handsome house with castle-like crenelations, deep-mullioned windows and many tall chimneys. A block of stables in a similar style stood just nearby.
Beyond the main building, a rustic fence separated the manor garden from the grazing fields, orchards and vineyards; a small farmyard with barns, enclosures and stock-houses; and a few modest cottages peeped out from a fringe of trees. Behind all these began the fringes of a dense forest, climbing and spreading over much of the opposite side of the valley from halfway up the slope.
"It looks like a temple," said Hannah breathlessly, "a temple in its own village."

January 11, 2026 at 10:07 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

This makes me very jealous - I love snow, and we nearly had some this week, but considering how heavy the rain was last night, it's probably a good thing it didn't stay cold enough for snow!

My town is very pretty in snow, though - here's a photo of the castle next door in the snow from 2018

A Norman castle in the snow.
Behind the castle wall can be seen the keep, and some trees, while on this side, a road and a Victorian lamp post. All are covered with snow, and more flakes are falling.

January 9, 2026 at 3:16 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

#FantasyIndiesJanuary | #9

Free Friday! As I'm certainly not an adept user of social media, I can offer no tips of astonishing wisdom, so instead, here is a snippet from my #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover #Ellamir

Ella meets an elf for the first time, an unsettling experience...

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
"It is a pleasure overdue that I should meet one who could rightly be called neighbour," said Taluniel. "I have lived often, and then long, within short wander of the settlements of your people."
"I am honoured…" Ella began, searching urgently for the correct form of address, and failing, "…honoured indeed, and pleased, most pleased to make your acquaintance. You… you say you have lived long in these parts?"
"Long in mortal reckoning, yes," said Taluniel, with something like amusement in their strange eyes, "so long as to see the change of the stars and the lifetime of many trees. Time was, when the sea itself flowed high amid this vale, and brought the ships of the firstborn to a haven long abandoned by the waves, deep only now in forest. There it was they opened a door, and many of our oldest and greatest came. They saw the saltwater fall, and the fresh flood forth. Myself, I came into being here."
"Indeed? So you might be called a native of Theangal?"
"Not rightly," said the elf. "Of this material plane, I am, born under the trees at a time when the door was shut, but it was not your king who claimed lordship then. They tell me five houses and forty scions have held the sceptre of men since the first mortal laid claim to the hill on which would be built the city of Wyrchta, the smith-lord of your furthest fathers, and by then I had already lived longer than the eldest of men.”

January 9, 2026 at 10:03 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Happy Friday, #WIPSnips!

I'm pretty certain I've used this snippet before, but I feel like a little Hannah & Maqine cuteness is what I need to start my day today! Hannah is about to see her life in a whole new way...

From my #JaneAusten style #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover novel #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
"Oh! goodness, no," said Hannah, quite taken aback, "a lady does not ask a gentleman if he will dance with her; she must be asked by him. And there are not so many gentlemen in the village, so ladies must often go without partners, and then… being what I am… there is little inducement…"
"What you are," said Maqine, suddenly and rather warmly, "is a very pretty and sweet young woman who any worthless fellow from the village should be glad to dance with. Why should they care where your parents are, or where you grew up? What's that got to do with anything?"
"I…" whispered Hannah, "you see…"
"And while we're at it, what's it got to do with some Brothers at the Temple to tell a woman how to be pure and perfect? I bet you anything you like they're just as sinful as the rest of us. It seems to me like everybody spends all their time trying to tell you you aren't good enough for them, unless you do just what they tell you to do!"
With this, Maqine stopped to take a breath to prevent herself from becoming angrier, and it was as well that she did because Hannah looked as if she might be about to cry: she was very good at putting on a brave face almost all of the time, but she wasn't used to such forthright opinions, forcibly expressed, and undeniably just. It so happened that she had recently been feeling the weight of her misfortune particularly acutely, and even though she surely had much to be thankful for, and even though it must be abominably ungrateful to The Lady of Purity whose blessings, she was told, had been most generously poured upon her, she could not help feeling sometimes that her future happiness was by no means assured.
This must have been clearly evident to Maqine: adopting a kinder expression, she reached across the table and to Hannah's astonishment, took her hand and gave it a tender, comforting squeeze.

January 9, 2026 at 8:42 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

How do, WIPperSnippers?

It's super cold here today, so how about a cosy, homely snippet for today's #WIPSnips from my #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover #Ellamir?

Ella finds, once again, that Commander Merely is a fount of useful information and plies him with a glass of wine by the fire.

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
The coming evening and the heavy rainclouds had darkened the sky, and the office room was growing gloomy. Ella rang for the servants again, ordered another decanter and gave instructions for the lamps to be lit and the fire to be kindled. While her staff bustled about, Ella began on her third glass of wine with particular satisfaction. It was in such moments, she reflected, that she most felt the felicity of her situation: a comfortable home, a worthy occupation with the leisure to do as she pleased, and the firmness of character to be unconcerned by the primness of her neighbours who would disapprove thoroughly of a young woman sitting with her man of business, drinking wine and ordering her own family's affairs.
The fire was brought to life in the grate, the lamps grew into their cosy glow, and added to these Ella was feeling a comfortable glow within herself too from the splendid wine and the enjoyment of her company. Her concern for her father was much diminished, particularly when upon enquiring of the departing footman if Mr Oakhall had asked for her, she was told "No, ma'am."
"Well, Merely," said Ella once they were alone again, "I am glad of this moment to have you to myself, and all the usual business concluded, for I hope for your advice on some other matter."
"I am happy to be of service, ma'am," he replied, lighting another of his little tobacco papers.

January 4, 2026 at 9:58 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

The Professor!
#TolkienBirthdayToast

A glass of brandy to toast the birthday of Professor Tolkien

January 3, 2026 at 9:00 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Hi hi, weekend #WIPSnips! 😊

I've posted this before, but it's a passage I'm pleased with.

Maqine and Hannah are taking tea on what turns out to be their first date. It seems their tastes are quite different!

From my #JaneAusten style #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover WIP #Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
Maqine was busily making the tea, spooning a huge mound of the ground leaves into the pot and adding the boiling water; Hannah was once again surprised, as Maqine picked up the kettle with her bare hands as if it were cold. She peered into the pot, frowned, and stirred it vigourously, perhaps hoping to increase its strength; when this had little effect, she shrugged, and poured, and delighted Hannah by using her tail to hold the lid of the pot in place.
"Milk?" she offered. Hannah shook her head politely - "No, thank you" - privately observing that Miss Oakhall would be quite appalled at the idea of adding milk to such a delicate infusion as Lady Grey. Maqine perhaps did not think much of it either, looking suspiciously at the insipid-looking wash which would no doubt have tasted unpleasant, had she not added two large spoonfuls of sugar to make it positively horrid.
Hannah's tea, by contrast, was certainly to her taste - perhaps even a little better for being brewed so strong - and its comforting effects began at once, calming her nerves and restoring her to her social duty. First, she brought out Mr Green's famous biscuits and spread them on a plate - Maqine took one, sniffed it of course, broke it in half and dipped it deep into her tea before eating it in one mouthful, while Hannah took a few delicate nibbles out of hers.

January 3, 2026 at 1:55 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

I was sure I had referenced/ripped off Lizzie Bennet's "desperate resolution" just before Darcy's 2nd proposal, but apparently not, so it's a vibe for today's #WIPSnips

Hannah is strangely inquisitive as she's secretly forming a resolution to visit Maqine, but fears Ella will not approve

#Ellamir

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
When dinner was over with, the sewing case was brought out, and Ella and Hannah sat in the window seat and set to with their needles, while Mr Oakhall took his place by the fire and was almost immediately asleep. Ella was just about to initiate a conversation about Hannah's visit to the temple, when quite unexpectedly Hannah said:
"Do you think, Miss Oakhall, that the Brothers of Purity can always be right?"
Had Ella wished to deliver a variation of her usual discourse with regards to the Temple of Purity and its attendant Brothers, she could scarcely have hoped for such a promising beginning as this, but it was a question of rather more weight and consequence than she had come to expect from her young friend; nonetheless, she rose happily to the point.
"It seems to me," she replied, "that to always be right is an aspiration few mortals would be so audacious as to hold. But in the case of the Brothers, do they not profess to pass on the teachings of their Lady, rather than their own opinions?"
"Why yes, to be sure they do."
"Then perhaps the question you are asking is, can the Lady of Purity be always right?"
"I should not question that at all!" said Hannah, quite shocked and in a lowered voice.
"But perhaps you should, Hannah. I am certainly no authority on gods and goddesses, but it would appear that what is pleasing to one may not meet with approval in the eye of another: which of them may be right or wrong is, I suppose, a matter for their disciples. There are a great many of them, seemingly often in opposition to each other."

January 2, 2026 at 8:36 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

I'll see your Bodger & Badger, and raise you Tots TV

December 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

...and just when you'd got that one out of your head...

December 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

It's an early 80s animation called The Mysterious Cities of Gold. It was a golden era for international animation collaborations and this was one of the best - a French-Japanese historical saga, blending indigenous South American culture with solar sci-fi concepts and it was AMAZING!!

December 30, 2025 at 1:15 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Wonderfully evocative writing in a fascinating genre 😍

I also super love the idea of solarpunk! So much amazing potential, irresistible to anyone (like me) whose childhood mind was blown by this TV show

December 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Plenty of instances of "sun" in my WIP #Ellamir to choose from for today's #WIPSnips

I decided to go back and visit Hannah and Maqine, sweet soon-to-be sapphic couple, at their first meeting: I like this chapter, and had fun emphasising their different backgrounds immediately through their dialogue

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
It was only holding her parasol that prevented her from throwing her hands to her mouth in fright. There was barely room to pass without being noticed, no chance of going back now, and apparently her bright white Sunday muslin, radiant in the sun, had caught the eye of the stranger, who after glancing over her shoulder, turned and leaned on her hammer in the most casual way, offering a cheerful "Hullo there!"
It is very fortunate for the sake of politeness that Hannah had never seen a painted likeness of what her neighbours would call a devil, for otherwise this is the conclusion she must have reached now that the stranger had turned to face her - in addition to that astonishing tail, she also had large golden eyes that seemed to flare and flame in the fierce daylight, and above these - good heavens! - a pair of small horns sprouting from her forehead and growing back flat above her hair; and her skin was a smooth reddish-pink. Many a decent young lady might be forgiven for shrieking or even fainting away; as it was, Hannah could only stand and stare, quite taken aback by how strikingly unusual she looked, and how fiercely, terrifyingly, ravishingly beautiful she was.
"Oh! Good… good afternoon," stammered Hannah, as the warmth of her own intense blush joined the heat of the day. She was squinting against the glare, and struggling to find something civil to say although her legs were shaking like a blancmange and her mind seemed to have turned into a useless vapour.
"Bright, isn't it?" said the stranger. "You should probably use your brolly thing."

December 30, 2025 at 8:57 AM

C A Malin

@camalin.net

Hi hi #WIPSnips! Going back to my London roots with a British slang synonym for today's prompt: clobber = clothing

Ella Oakhall comes face to face with one of the most feared and reviled creatures in the whole kingdom

From #Ellamir, my #JaneAusten style #Regency #Romance X #Fantasy crossover WIP

A snippet from Ellamir by C A Malin:
The chancel was unlit, yet Ella could see the slight figure seated in the altar chair, watching them approach. Even though she saw remarkably well in dimness, she was strangely unable to make out much about them; their clothing seemed to merge with the shadows, as if the light were unwilling to trespass upon it.
When only a few steps remained between them, the figure suddenly rose and moved forward into the lamplight, although it seemed to Ella that they became visible simply by willing themself free of the shadows. She had already been uncertain, unsettled by an odd sense of forboding, but now she felt the cold prickle of fear creep along every pore of her skin as she realised the creature could only be one thing.
Humanlike yet quite inhuman, their body was slender and unsculpted, clad in richly ornamented cloth which seemed to disobey the very light. Their face was eerily perfect, too perfect, and so pale as to appear grey even in the warm lamplight. The outer corners of their long, narrowed eyes were swept upward, just as their ears were swept backwards and upwards into sharp points, and at the center of those eyes, a disc of misty marble grey, surrounding a pupil as deep as the far reaches of the night sky.
Elf. Ella had never beheld one, knew even less than most of her countryfellows did about them, yet there could be no doubt.

December 29, 2025 at 8:34 AM

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