C M Debell
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cmdebell.bsky.social
C M Debell
@cmdebell.bsky.social
880 followers 720 following 350 posts
She/her. Writer and reader of stories. Fantasy forever. Lymond ❤️. Freelancer by day. SPFBO9 semi-finalist.

Free book via my newsletter https://www.andeira.net/newsletter

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cmdebell.bsky.social
C M Debell @cmdebell.bsky.social · May 29
If you like any of these things, you might like The Many Shades of Midnight

- Political fantasy
- Character-focused
- Multi POV
- Standalone, 350 pages
- No romance

(Also anti-capitalist rage and people taking action, if anyone needs that in their lives right now)

books2read.com/u/brev8w
💙📚🪐
Front cover of The Many Shades of Midnight by CM Debell Quotes from reviewers: 'Some of the best character arcs in fantasy' 'Dark, gritty and impossible to put down' 'I was absolutely consumed by this book'
cmdebell.bsky.social
Looking for a complete fantasy series?

The Long Dream is classic epic fantasy adventure - two big books, epic storylines, lots of characters, magic, battles and dragons.

The ebook boxset is available on BookBub for 0.99 for a limited time.

www.bookbub.com/books/the-lo...

#booksale #epicfantasy
Bookbub sale graphic. 3D mock up of The Long Dream boxset of two books with text reading: $5.99 now only $0.99. Available for a limited time from Bookbub.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
#WIPSnips The word for December 11 is FULL

Here's a fun pre-battle bit from THE RILL LORD. Dorilian and the Khelds have been enemies since forever. Now they are to fight on the same side. But can they put aside their animosity?
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Triempery
Text excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (April 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. Snip is of a pre-battle encounter between a lone Kheld and Dorilian Sordaneon: In the gray cold of morning, a lone Kheld chieftain rode up to the Sordan war camp. His shaggy horse wore battle trappings fashioned of leather and bits of metal, and its hoofs were shod with iron, the better to grip the stony ground. The man himself wore plain hardened leather on his limbs but boasted a fine chest guard clearly of Staubaun crafting. He pulled his horse to a prancing stop in front of the Sordan ranks and looked beyond them in challenge, his beard bursting defiantly above his collar. “Sordaneon!” he called. “I want a word with you!” The smallish horse steamed in the morning frost. In front of the command tent from which he had just emerged, Dorilian regarded the sight. Throughout his ranks, noble captains and common soldiers snickered at the ridiculous figure the Kheldman made, as well as at the insolence of his demand. There were proper forms of address for the Highborn and the man was using none of them. Talk had already swept the camp about the night before. That a Kheld would now seek to confront their Hierarch in such a disrespectful manner offended the Sordani troops. In full battle attire at Dorilian’s side, Tutto snorted and shook his head. “What in Leur’s name! They add insults by the heap! That barbarian thinks he can demand an audience.” “Just a word, damn you!” The Kheld’s voice rose in the clear, cold air. “I swear it! And I’ll trouble you no more.” Tutto started forward. “I’ll get rid of him.” “No.” Dorilian signaled restraint. “Call him in.” “Sire! A man who would talk to you that way?” Legon protested upon seeing that Tutto would not. “Do as I say.”
December 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
williamjadams3.bsky.social
You know what I heard, frens??? Everyone loves a good year end list, so I have one for you!

Bill's Best of 2025 Indie Awards Extravaganza!

Like last year, I'm giving some major awards to some of my fave indie books I read this year! Check them out in the link below!

#booksky
December 10, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
bookspotlight.bsky.social
📝 400+ pages
🥀 urban fantasy
🌃 set in washington state
🔥 slow burn
🤍 romance and angst
🗡️ demons and vampires
📕 first in a duology

🔖 universal link: mybook.to/D3rL5
💌 itch.io link: rebecca-crunden.itch.io/the-wish-and...
📖 goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...
Cover for The Wish and the Demon, book one in the Half Swallowed by Shadows duology, by Rebecca Crunden. Cover shows three men's silhouettes standing in the middle of a road in winter. There's dark red trees and snow on the ground. One figure is approaching the other two, surrounded by shadows.
December 8, 2025 at 12:26 PM
cmdebell.bsky.social
It's book quote Wednesday, and the word is 'blue'.

Blue is an important colour in The Many Shades of Midnight. It's the colour of Isyrium, the mineral that underpins the whole economy of Ellasia and is used for everything from heating and lighting to jewellery and clothing dye.

#bookqw 💙📚
Front cover of The Many Shades of Midnight by CM Debell and quote for book quote Wednesday prompt 'blue' If Alyas had hoped for a relatively private first audience with the king, that hope was dashed as soon as the doors opened. Anyone who could claim the status to be present was crammed into the room, some of them still red in the face and adjusting their elaborate court clothes as though they had run here from whatever they had been doing as soon as they heard he was back. And they watched him with expressions that veered from outright hostility to naked disdain. But that wasn’t the worst thing. Not by a long way. Worse than their contempt was the woman who sat to the left of the king’s empty throne, her blue court dress studded with Isyrium and her dark hair piled high on her head. Ovisia Galea, king’s advisor and head of the Orleas Syndicate, and a most vengeful-looking enemy. “Sayora,” Alyas greeted her as if they were merely continuing their last conversation and he did not have the full assembly of Avarel’s court glaring at his back. “How delightful. Are you going to try to arrest me again?”
December 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
#WIPSnips The word for December 10th is PIPE

Few "pipes" in THE RILL LORD, so I opted for "pipeline," which is kind of like a "pipe" but a line of them, right? In this snip Hans is talking with Dorilian about Aubrey, who he hasn't seen in several weeks.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky
Text excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (April 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. Snip is of a conversation between Dorilian and Hans about Aubrey, who Dorilian hasn't seen in several weeks. Rumors abound. “The Seven Houses have spoken then. Poison is their favorite means of removing obstacles. Your interest or mine, it matters naught. Both endanger her.” Outside the window, impending night thickened the shadows and campfires dotted tent-strewn meadows. “I had hoped to shield her from discovery. Now things are such that I cannot deal with the Seven Houses as they deserve, but you may be assured I will do so later. First, however, we must rid ourselves of this war and this enemy.” He looked up, his concern renewed. “You have heard no other rumor that puts her with me?” “None,” Handurin assured him. “I have a reliable pipeline of intelligence concerning Essera and its factions. Your name comes up often, but hers doesn’t. At least, not in conjunction with you. Any rumor there appears to have died.” Dorilian gathered his maps and papers. “Rumors never die, they just lurk beneath the surface like boils. When it’s most crucial to be secret, that’s when it is certain to burst into full bloom. We can but hope this rumor languishes yet a while.”
December 10, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
jamreads.com
Hello friends, I'm finalizing my 2026 TBR list!
So while I check all I had already, if you have a release in 2026 (SF/Fantasy/Horror/Romantasy), I would love to hear from you.
December 4, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
robjhayes.bsky.social
December appears to be the month of Urban Fantasy. The new Self Published Fantasy Release list has just gone live and it is a BIG month both in quantity and some of the names putting out books.

Check it out!

robjhayes.co.uk/self-publish...
Self Published Fantasy Releases – December 2025
Visit the post for more.
robjhayes.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
#WIPSnips The word for December 4 is CITY

Cities play a big role in the Triempery series, including in THE RILL LORD. One of three god-built Cities, Mormantalorus, is ruled by the villain Nammuor, a sorcerer. That city is home to dark magic and technology.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Triempery
Screenshot of text excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (April 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. In the snip an educated, scholarly man who knows arcane arts reflects on his captivity by the series villain, Nammuor: Quirin no longer flinched at the sight of blood. He had long ago ceased to silently plead for the poor souls being tortured to death. When they died or otherwise ceased to gratify their tormentor’s purpose, Nammuor would but bring forward another captive. There would be more pain, more mutilation, more blood… more death. Whatever each man suffered, Quirin but wished that soul to suffer more, suffer longer, so misery would not be visited on others, including himself. He hated his own cowardice, that he remained silent in the craven hope that he might live. Only Mormantaloran mages dared Nammuor’s presence now. Captains and generals quaked and were grateful to leave their messages in the custody of the Sorcerer’s inner circle. Quirin watched those robed men, their hair brushed with gilt and their eyes glittering beneath red-tattooed lids, with cold hatred for all they had perverted. What his Order had sought through millennia to preserve and salvage—ancient knowledge, lost technologies—these men had converted to unspeakable ends. Their advances were sublime: lr portal webs, massive arrays capable of delivering vast power, manipulation of flesh into new forms of beasts. Even here, trapped in this nightmare, he could see how much lost Aryati art these Mormantalorans had recovered. What had they found in their great City by the sea, held secret while their Highborn rulers had lived? No longer did he doubt the rumor that those rulers had been murdered. N
December 4, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
Today is Book Quote Wednesday and the word is WORLD

This snip is from THE KHELD KING. And who is angry at the world? Dorilian, of course. So is Stefan, though he's not in this scene. Between them, though, they bring an empire to ruin...

#WritingCommunity #bookqw #epicfantasy
Left side is a text excerpt from THE KHELD KING, book 2 of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. Snip shows a scene between two antagonists, Emyli and Dorilian: Emyli was not yet ready to concede failure. “My son wants to cease these hostilities between our realms—” “Hostilities he started—” “Yes. He recognizes that he was unfair. That is why he is making this extraordinary move. He is asking that you put your hard feelings behind you, and he will do the same with his.” “He accused me—in the Archhalia—of murdering your father!” Just as it had in Sordan two weeks ago, his pain at that accusation slammed against her nerves. “He will withdraw the charge—” “—and my kindred! He is seeking my arrest. Maybe my execution.” He stabbed at his food. Anger. So much anger. The world itself might not be vast enough to hold it. “He wants neither! If you will meet with him—” “Only if we meet with swords in hand.” Right side of meme shows the book cover for THE KHELD KING. It has blue and gray tones, has a watery aspect, and shows a man looking up at a fantastical city.
December 3, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com
My crowdfund for The Chosen One Con only has 30 hours left!!

This is the gayest book I've written yet!

www.backerkit.com/c/projects/t...
December 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
williamjadams3.bsky.social
#booksky Took me 1.5hrs to film this damn thing, so please watch 😅😅😅

Anyway, starting a new Indie Book Rec series of mini reviews, first up is my new fave:

The Severing Son by @vaughnroycroft.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7E5...
The Severing Son by Vaughn Roycroft
YouTube video by Willow Wraith Press
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:24 PM
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rachaelstott.bsky.social
At first you're like, why does this have a wiki page

Then you find out it might be the best wiki page ever
November 28, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
angelaboord.bsky.social
Good morning and a new #SFINCS review 😁

Phengaris by Anna Orridge is a creepy queer ecohorror with some excellent imagery and characterization.

www.angelaboord.com/post/sfincs-...

💙🪐📚 #BookSky #indiebooks #Horror #SFF
SFINCS Review: Phengaris by Anna Orridge
There's something very wrong in Thurstrop Wood.Mark Warner never noticed it before. He's there to get away from his life, his ailing mother. Out of his head. Not to think about anything.Birds sing in ...
www.angelaboord.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
blog.readindiefantasy.com
It's A Month of Rain & Reads, and to round out this weekend, we have an interview with Joel C. Flanagan-Granneman ( @servantand.bsky.social ), author of the Servants of the Moon and Sun series.

www.readindiefantasy.com/amorar-inter...

#AMoRaR #BookSky
Banner image for our interview with Joel C. Flanagan-Granneman. The banner includes the book dragon, the ghost cat and a photo of Joel.
November 23, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
#WIPSnips The word for November 23rd is GLOBAL

"Global" doesn't appear in the Triempery series, but there's lots of talk about the "world." Here's a bit from THE RILL LORD in which Dorilian lays a global, as in "encompassing," truth about the series' villain, Nammuor.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky
Screenshot of text excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (April 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. This snip is from POV of Dorilian Sordaneon, addressing skeptics about the nature of their enemy: “You don’t even see Nammuor for what he is, none of you do—or can.” Dorilian’s outward calm was thin and white and cold. “He is the terminus of a race memory intent on revenge. The Diadem he wears is not even of this World! It holds a god’s slaughtered vengeance that has sought to destroy the Creation since the beginning of Time. It is not without intelligence or cunning. Now it has twisted Nammuor into a vessel for its designs, which, believe me, do not include Khelds in any way. You are merely mortal—and no matter how much you try, you cannot harm it. Our only chance is to kill Nammuor himself. Nammuor’s goal is not to rule Essera as we know it, but to destroy it. He will amuse himself with the pieces. He has been amusing himself all along, even at Stauberg, where he watched like a cat to see what a grasshopper would do with the Wall.”
November 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
blog.readindiefantasy.com
It's A Month of Rain & Reads, and we have this weekend's first guest post. In it, Cat Rector ( @catrector.com ) talks about how to get your books into libraries and why you should.

www.readindiefantasy.com/guest-post-g...

#AMoRaR #WriteSky
Banner image for our guest post. The banner includes the book dragon, the ghost cat, and a photo of cat Rector.
November 22, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
blog.readindiefantasy.com
Daily Challenge 22: In The Picture - Take a photo of an indie book.

Get snapping! 📸 We can't wait to share your pics!

#AMoRaR #BookSky
Banner image for today's giveaway with the challenge: In The Picture - Take a photo of an indie book.
November 22, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
angelaboord.bsky.social
Another #SFINCS review from me today, this one for Dave Lawson's The Pawns of Havoc. I had fun with this one, a morally ambiguous sword and sorcery tale with a touch of light romance:

www.angelaboord.com/post/sfincs-...

💙🪐📚 #SFF #indiebooks
SFINCS Review: The Pawns of Havoc by Dave Lawson
“The Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”) is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. W...
www.angelaboord.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
triempery.bsky.social
#WIPSnips The word for November 21 is DIRECTION

Battlefields are chaotic. Finding "direction" is vitally important and sometimes difficult. In this bit from THE RILL LORD, Arne finds himself needing to make decisions.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky
Screenshot of a text excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (April 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. Snip is of a battlefield scene: Arne knew he had to assume command, at least until someone better qualified stepped up. At the moment, all those men were on the field. He had to let Nalf Rhys know, and Orem Darm. Raphelon. And the Sordaneon too. He dreaded that one most but saw it as a good place to start. “You got to go to the Hierarch, Uncle.” He pointed in the general direction of the Sordani troops. “He trusts you, more the hell than he trusts any of the rest of us. Tell him what you saw and pray he believes it!” “He’ll believe it.” Robdan gathered up the reins. Riding into the battlefield surely terrified him, even if he would be behind their own lines. Arne saw one thing as clear: Their forces needed leadership more than any of them needed safety. No matter what others of his people believed, Arne knew Dorilian capable of providing it.
November 21, 2025 at 12:42 PM
cmdebell.bsky.social
I could watch people ice Christmas biscuits on instagram all day
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com
I'm up to 68 backers! Who will be lucky number 69? 👀

www.backerkit.com/c/projects/t...
The Chosen One Con
The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duology—a queer gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions from the author of ...
www.backerkit.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
blog.readindiefantasy.com
Daily Challenge 21: That's Epic! - Share your favorite epic fantasy. Indie and self-published books only of course!

#AMoRaR #BookSky
Banner image for today's giveaway with the challenge: That's Epic! - Share your favorite epic fantasy.
November 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by C M Debell
angelaboord.bsky.social
My first #SFINCS review is up! IResiduum by DB Rook is a fun SF apocalyptic adventure that reminded me of an action movie.

www.angelaboord.com/post/sfincs-...

💙🪐📚 #SFF #indiebooks
SFINCS Review: Residuum by DB Rook
“The Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”) is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. W...
www.angelaboord.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by C M Debell
jangoeswriting.bsky.social
I think I’ve used this passage before, but it’s the only ’special’, outside of ‘especially’, that I have,… 😬

From ‘Reign, Dear’.

#WiPSnips
With little else to do, Boulder sat at the table, looking at Pippy as she grinned at everything around her. Wellie continued to dress a complaining Parsimony behind the curtain, the curtain fluttering every time Parsimony shouted ‘I can do it myself!’, and Trillomena began to put out servings of food on the good plates that Parsimony had never used, saving them for a special occasion. He ate tentatively, preferring Parsimony’s cooking but admitting to himself that Trillomena wasn’t half bad.
November 20, 2025 at 9:08 AM