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gatling.xyz
Tavon
@gatling.xyz
620 followers 540 following 380 posts
(Tavon Gatling) 💍 @BusyBlu // he/him 🏳️‍🌈 ♊ // ⚡️ THUNDERFANG (Starforged #TTRPG Actual Play Fiction)

Aspiring SFF/mystery writer.

https://gatling.xyz
https://thunderfang.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Tavon
gshowitt.bsky.social
do it yourself! do it badly! SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO.
nat-the-dev.bsky.social Natalie Spitzel @nat-the-dev.bsky.social · Jun 30
Stop using AI for placeholder assets.
Use sketches. Use lorem ipsum. Use bright pink materials. Use programmer art for fucks sake, literally anything else.
If your studio is using AI even for temp, even if they think they've covered their tracks, SPEAK UP because people WILL FIND IT
December 2, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Tavon
hatchlingdm.itch.io
After 10 successful ttrpg crowdfunds, I’m opening up slots for consultancy from January. If you have a project you’re bringing to Kickstarter or BackerKit in 2026, email to arrange a free 15min meeting to discuss your goals and needs.

hatchlingdm@gmail.com

#Kickstarter #BackerKit #crowdfunding
Scout badge with teen fist pumping the air
December 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
gatling.xyz
They fucked up teaching me how to treat myself as a contractor. This is applicable outside of this situation.
December 1, 2025 at 5:14 PM
gatling.xyz
Refraining. Refraining. Refraining.

I will now look at this as a learning opportunity.
December 1, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by Tavon
oakleafinsignia.games
If y'all have been itching to try out Daggerheart - I've got you covered on StartPlaying with sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays ✨

startplaying.games/gm/sadie
Professional Game Master - Sadie | StartPlaying
I have long been an avid storyteller, and I look forward to creating amazing stories with you. My games include fun homebrew creatures and mechanics, and unique and interesting premises. I'm a fairly ...
startplaying.games
November 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Reposted by Tavon
fsmith827.bsky.social
Hi. I’m planning 2026 book events and seeking ARC readers for my June 2026 release, Love Is A Contact Sport, on @boldstrokesbooks.bsky.social

The ARCs and Events request form is available now at
bit.ly/ARCSandEvents
✍🏾📚💕🌈
#Romancelandia #BookSky #BlackBookSky #LGBTQBooks #BoldStrokesBooks
Love Is A Contact Sport by Frederick Smith (ARC Request Form and Events Planning Request)
This request form is for an Advanced Reader Copy of LOVE IS A CONTACT SPORT, a Black, Queer, Second Chance, College Reunion, MM romance novel by Frederick Smith, releasing June 16, 2026 on Bold Stroke...
bit.ly
December 1, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Tavon
romalac.bsky.social
See, I in turn kinda dislike the latter notion, because it places an immediate pigeonhole on a writer before they've even started. "Just use the real-life calendar, anything else just gets confusing" is basically saying "Don't bother being creative here," which kinda seems to defeat the purpose.
November 30, 2025 at 7:11 AM
gatling.xyz
My job has given me a very important lesson.
December is going to be...interesting.
November 30, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Reposted by Tavon
quietblkgrl.blacksky.app
What it feels like writing characters that work in a field you have little expertise in
November 29, 2025 at 11:59 PM
gatling.xyz
Looking for art to use to help me run a TTRPG one-shot, and kept running into AI art (#FuckAI). Then I remembered... Magic: the Gathering has YEARS worth of art, so now i'm looking through all the cards and collecting applicable ones. 😊
November 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Tavon
ironspike.bsky.social
Evergreen
November 26, 2025 at 4:37 PM
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mrspowersdayjob.bsky.social
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
A large (maybe 3 feet wide by 5 feet tall) sign on the end of a row of bookshelves that tells the “address” of books that have sensitive content.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Reposted by Tavon
patricksamphire.bsky.social
One of the biggest problems of new fantasy writers (and writers in some other genres, I assume) is doing too much world building and then thinking that it's necessary to share it with the reader.
joannechocolat.bsky.social Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 7d
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 33788:
Don't front-load your work with unnecessary backstory and intricate worldbuilding. Give your readers only as much as they need to engage with the plot and characters, and let them discover the rest as and when they need it...
November 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
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theonion.com
Fraternity Under Investigation After Forcing Pledges To Volunteer At Soup Kitchen
November 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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fsmith827.bsky.social
I write romance centering Black Queer characters in CA. Check my backlist on @boldstrokesbooks.bsky.social

My next, Love Is A Contact Sport, a Black, Queer, 2nd Chance, College Reunion, MM romance out June 2026. ✍🏾📚💕🌈

www.boldstrokesbooks.com/books/freder...

#BookSky #BlackBookSky #QueerBookSky
Book covers of Frederick Smith novels on Bold Strokes Books: One and Done, Busy Ain’t the Half Of It, In Case You Forgot, and Play It Forward. Love Is A Contact Sport cover features two Black men in an embrace. The taller one has light brown skin, bald head, and a beard, and is wearing a college athletics jacket. The shorter one has dark brown skin, twists and a fade haircut, and wearing a yellow sweatshirt with the words Black Romance Writer on it. The cover is purple with red, yellow, and white writing.
November 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
gatling.xyz
I feel like I just got a sign from the universe (in the form of a post here not directly pointed at me but... a hit dog and yadayada).

I need to practice my covers a bit. They were fun to make. I wanna be better.

Similarly, if hubby is going back to YT videos, I wanna practice my thumbnails, too.
November 25, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Reposted by Tavon
ramiismail.com
"People are poor and that's not enriching the rich"
An article with the headline "[US people] are holding onto devices longer than ever and it's costing the economy".
November 24, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by Tavon
ansitru.bsky.social
Forget calling in sick. As an artist, we should be allowed to call in creative.

Sorry boss. Can't come in today. The muse has called me and I must listen.
November 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
gatling.xyz
Gonna try to sell this premade book cover to test the waters. Title, font, subtitle/tagline, etc. are customizable.

No AI was used in making this (#FuckAI); just Affinity, stock photos, and brushes.

"Can't Quit" ($45)

If you're interested, message me!

#WritingCommunity #WritingSky
Black man, shirtless, surrounded by blue lighting and blue smoke. Defined abs are hidden behind the title, "Can't Quit"
November 24, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reposted by Tavon
chadstanton.blacksky.app
If you’re in line, stay in line!
thewayoftheid.bsky.social Your Tiny Journalist Friend. @thewayoftheid.bsky.social · 8d
No such thing as “too many books.” I’m gonna read them all.
Eventually.
November 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Tavon
chequered.ink
Our All Fonts Pack is on sale again for 30 days! All 1200+ fonts we've ever made, commercial use, one low price. Pay once and use the fonts forever for game dev, TTRPGs, web comics, videos, streams, merchandise, whatever! ci.itch.io/all-fonts-pack #gamedev #fonts
Previews of a bunch of fonts from the All Fonts Pack in a wide variety of styles Previews of a bunch of fonts from the All Fonts Pack in a wide variety of styles Previews of a bunch of fonts from the All Fonts Pack in a wide variety of styles Previews of a bunch of fonts from the All Fonts Pack in a wide variety of styles
November 17, 2025 at 5:48 PM
gatling.xyz
I kinda wanna start selling premade book covers, but...unsure if they're any good? Especially because I use (free) stock models.

Any feedback? I figured the """easiest""" would be erotic/spice/romance covers.

My favorite is probably "Can't Quit" and "Highscore"
Dark skinned Black man with his hands on his head, revealing a muscular and fit physique. He's tinted blue and shrouded in shadows and blue and black smoke. The title "Can't Quit" is in white, obscuring his defined abs a bit, with a bit of smoke cutting off some of the letters. A fit shirtless man in blue and red dim neon lighting. To his left, a list of high scores, with David and Patrick being highlighted, in a pixelated font, like from an arcade listing of high scores. To his right, the title, "Highscore." A fit muscular brown-skinned man, his face obscured in shadows. Behind him, a putried green and blue forest. In front of the man is the title, "One with Shadows." Two fit Black men take up the majority of the cover, clad in black and lit with purple lighting. In front of them, party goers fill up the bottom portion of the cover. Overlaid on the party goers is the title "Package Deal," with an echo effect.
November 23, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Reposted by Tavon
cnn.com
Why this nighttime anxiety happens is likely a mix of biological and psychological factors, experts said. https://cnn.it/43IJXxk
November 21, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Reposted by Tavon
alrutter.bsky.social
This is the version of the post that everyone needs to see. And all you readers/authors despairing of non-comprehension, etc, we are gaining new fans of fantasy and SF. It might not be the fantasy or SF you personally read, but they're reading and buying where they weren't before.
gavreads.co.uk @gavreads @gavreads.co.uk · 12d
It hits different reading this whole thread.
Alt text: Image showing four text messages about fae in romantasy books: Message 1: “Romantasy question: are the fae open source? I had only known them from SJM books, but didn't expect to see them in Quicksilver!” Message 2: “Didn't have getting dragged in the comments on my bingo card today. Thank you to those that were kind. I'm new to romantasy and fantasy in general. Until I had read SJM, I hadn't encountered books with fae described like that. I didn't make the connection between Celtic folklore, fairies, elves, or sprites with being fae since their characteristics and mannerisms are drastically different. Tink is tiny. Puck has goat legs. The closest I encountered were elves in LOTR, but those were not faeries.” Message 3: “Forgive me for not knowing fae were inspired by Celtic folklore. I'm not Irish. I was never told these stories. I was just surprised two separate book series shared very similar interpretations of fae. I've enjoyed the genre of romantasy bc it's really gotten me back into reading. That's the goal, right? To continue to learn and escape into stories and discuss theories and celebrate the beauty of imagination? At least, that's what I'm gonna focus on.” Message 4: “Clarifying my original point: I never said SJM invented fae. My post was only comparing how Quicksilver and SJM depict fae characters (their traits, dynamics, etc.) and whether THIS interpretation of fae is common in romantasy books, not the origins of the mythology. I also didn't grow up connecting fairies, elves, and fae as one mythology. They were always separate in my mind, so I'm still learning how interconnected they are across folklore. Thanks to those who pointed that out respectfully.”
November 20, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by Tavon
matthewdowsmith.bsky.social
Some advice from a couple of years ago that I still think most creative people need to hear --
Don't put down your own work. Plenty of people want to devalue you and the things you Make. Don't help them do it.
November 20, 2025 at 2:28 AM