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justplaindan.croutch.ca
JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
@justplaindan.croutch.ca
1.1K followers 140 following 780 posts
IT by day, freelance writer by night, husband and father always. Golf fanatic, watcher of F1. Proud Canadian 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
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justplaindan.croutch.ca
JustPlainDan 🇨🇦 @justplaindan.croutch.ca · 1d
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers a long-buried history, putting him on a path where he must choose between loyalty to the illegitimate king he’s always known or fighting to restore the rightful rulers to power. #F #Q #A #bluepit📖 #agentsguide
A black image with a blue sword emanating blue smoke sits behind the words, "the blacksmith's rebellion". A longer pitch for the book The Blacksmith's Rebellion for the bluepitch event. A list of themes and comps for the book pitched in this gallery. A writing sample from the book set over a background of an expansive wheat field. The text is an excerpt of the books writing.
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Joining #BluePit📖 late? Consider liking/sharing the below post and share the love!
justplaindan.croutch.ca JustPlainDan 🇨🇦 @justplaindan.croutch.ca · 1d
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers a long-buried history, putting him on a path where he must choose between loyalty to the illegitimate king he’s always known or fighting to restore the rightful rulers to power. #F #Q #A #bluepit📖 #agentsguide
A black image with a blue sword emanating blue smoke sits behind the words, "the blacksmith's rebellion". A longer pitch for the book The Blacksmith's Rebellion for the bluepitch event. A list of themes and comps for the book pitched in this gallery. A writing sample from the book set over a background of an expansive wheat field. The text is an excerpt of the books writing.
January 13, 2026 at 7:42 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
The Avon River Canal in Bathampton, UK. The charm levels are off the scale.
A canal boat sits in front of a series of cottages that line a calm canal.
January 13, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
jlwrites.bsky.social
CANTICLE (Adult Epic Fantasy)

🔥 Ideologically opposed sister bards
🎶 Artistic expression-based magic
💜 Sapphic romance subplot
👑 Female driven cast
💫Culturally diverse worldbuilding
🩸 Mortal-Divine blood feud

#bluepit📖 #F #A #Q #LGBT #POC
A dark background of fire with white text, dialogue from a fantasy novel
January 13, 2026 at 3:35 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
For the consideration of those just joining us for #BluePit
justplaindan.croutch.ca JustPlainDan 🇨🇦 @justplaindan.croutch.ca · 1d
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers a long-buried history, putting him on a path where he must choose between loyalty to the illegitimate king he’s always known or fighting to restore the rightful rulers to power. #F #Q #A #bluepit📖 #agentsguide
A black image with a blue sword emanating blue smoke sits behind the words, "the blacksmith's rebellion". A longer pitch for the book The Blacksmith's Rebellion for the bluepitch event. A list of themes and comps for the book pitched in this gallery. A writing sample from the book set over a background of an expansive wheat field. The text is an excerpt of the books writing.
January 13, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
nnichols.bsky.social
Everpresence

Hunger Games X Foundation

Technology is power. No one knows that better than Fin Goldingay, the heir to Everpresence, the company that runs the world. He alone has the chance to fight his family’s corrosive power.

All he has to do is care.

#BluePit📖 #A #SF #Q
Collage featuring futuristic images - particle accelerator, dystopian skyline and the moon
January 13, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
emmajuned.bsky.social
There’s a world where everyone has superpowers—except one girl. She is THE DAMSEL. Tired of being told to look pretty and scream for her new reality TV show, tired of the bullying, tired of a world not made for her, she needs to punch something emmajuned.itch.io #bluepit📖 #YA #SF #P #OV #LGBT #ND
A pretty blonde girl wears casual clothes and ties up wrist supports ready to punch things. Art by MJJ
January 13, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
juliemarchbooks.bsky.social
⚒️ PREORDER NOW ⚒️
On a remote mining colony where bodies tend to pile up, one disabled convict and his squad of underdogs are tired of catering to mega-capitalists' feelings.

OMEGA SQUAD: A novella, out 2/28/26
#BluePit📖 #A #SF #P #DIS #OV
juliemarchbooks.itch.io/omega-squad
Cover of "Omega Squad" by Julie March on top of a photo of an ice cave. White text around the cover reads: "Disabled Wrath;" "Gang of Underdogs;" "Evil Corporation;" and "Novella." At the bottom, white text reads, "Pre-order now. Releases 2/28/26," along with the logo for itchio and the word "wide." Cover description: Book cover for "Omega Squad" by Julie March, part of the "Archives of the VerdTech Resistance" series. Background is a silhouette of a man holding a ring light over his head like a halo, overlaid against a composite image of four red moons in space. All text is white and futuristic. The title is bold and semi-transparent. All other text is thinner, opaque, and reminiscent of a digital clock or old computer program.
January 13, 2026 at 5:19 AM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
ivytwoods.bsky.social
An #editorsguide to 🌲THE LAND OF UNDYING SUMMER🌲
This romantic fantasy has:
🐻‍❄️ Canadian subarctic inspired setting
🌋Roots in animistic religion
⚡️A physics based magic system
👵🏽 Crotchety immortals
🏠 Complex family dynamics
🌎 Accessible worldbuilding

#bluepit📖 #A #F #R #FR #OS soon 👀
On a background of a foggy coniferous forest. The background of the four images fit together to show a stream with rocks working its way between two hills in the forest, both covered with trees. In white text: An Editor’s Guide To The Land of Undying Summer by Ivy T. Woods Adult Romantic Fantasy 108,000 words On a background of a foggy coniferous forest. The background of the four images fit together to show a stream with rocks working its way between two hills in the forest, both covered with trees. On the left side of the picture is an ink drawn map of a continent. In white text: Pitch When a half-dead priestess is forced to work with a wandering mage to figure out why mages are dwindling among her people, they develop a reluctant camaraderie. But when he kills a guard, her people’s distrust escalates into a full-scale uprising, leaving the two loners to save the living, the dead, and each other. Though not necessarily in that order. On a background of a foggy coniferous forest. The background of the four images fit together to show a stream with rocks working its way between two hills in the forest, both covered with trees. In white text: Comps The atmosphere and vibes of: - The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon - Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang The Humour Of: - Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher On a background of a foggy coniferous forest. The background of the four images fit together to show a stream with rocks working its way between two hills in the forest, both covered with trees. In white text Chapter One - The End of Darkness No Guide could resist the Call of Return forever. But this time, when Tilaani’s trembling hands closed on the spiked rocks of the Wolf’s Fangs, the agonizing need for the missing part of herself had dulled to an aching throb. The Call would take her eventually. But not today. Today, she was already running late. “Shit!” Tilaani snatched her cloak from the icy stalagmite she had been using as a hanger and staggered to a slim crack in the cliff face. It had been a century since the passage had opened in one of El’Drek’s rages but the frozen stone was still jagged, tugging at her shirt as she sidled through, thin cloak clutched in one hand. Wind whistled through the crevice, peppering her exposed skin with hard snow. It melted, steaming as it touched her. Time within the cavern had always been malleable, misaligned with the world outside. Shinac had always claimed the shifts were random but Tilaani had her doubts. It always seemed to stretch whenever she was in a hurry. She wouldn’t put it past any of the dead—either Blessed or Barred—to extend time merely to inconvenience her. And now, backing up this theory, the sun was high overhead and the few hours she had spent being lectured by the Ancients had become nearly an entire night and day in the land of the living. Allak would be insufferable if she was late.
January 13, 2026 at 5:30 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers a long-buried history, putting him on a path where he must choose between loyalty to the illegitimate king he’s always known or fighting to restore the rightful rulers to power. #F #Q #A #bluepit📖 #agentsguide
A black image with a blue sword emanating blue smoke sits behind the words, "the blacksmith's rebellion". A longer pitch for the book The Blacksmith's Rebellion for the bluepitch event. A list of themes and comps for the book pitched in this gallery. A writing sample from the book set over a background of an expansive wheat field. The text is an excerpt of the books writing.
January 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
This post dedicated to @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social.
justplaindan.croutch.ca JustPlainDan 🇨🇦 @justplaindan.croutch.ca · 2d
“Pay no heed to the sign, tourist…”
A seagull sits next to a sign saying don't feed the seagulls.
January 12, 2026 at 8:45 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
#EpicFantasy #BluePitHype fans, I’m dropping a new and improved version of my pitch for The Blacksmith’s Rebellion during the event tomorrow. Be sure to check it out! #Fantasy
January 12, 2026 at 8:18 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
“Pay no heed to the sign, tourist…”
A seagull sits next to a sign saying don't feed the seagulls.
January 12, 2026 at 3:36 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I can't help but jump back into this writing thing. Here goes 2026!
January 11, 2026 at 2:49 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I wrote the anti-HIGMA post. Not out of spite, but in hopes it helps you land your agent. Read here: iustplaindan.substack.com/p/the-query-... #amwriting #writingcommunity #amquerying
An image with a laptop, pen, and writing pad sitting on a wooden desk faded into the background. In the foreground are the words, "The query leter that got me 0 full requests and 80+ rejections".
January 8, 2026 at 5:13 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Three different AIs rated the current draft of my manuscript weakly, 38/100 from all three, calling it "strong fan fiction" or "early-stage commercial fiction". This is bothering me a lot more than it should, if I'm honest. #amwriting
January 8, 2026 at 5:06 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Read through here: open.substack.com/pub/iustplai...
A substack post social image with a mac laptop and pen sitting on a wooden desk in the background. In the foreground is the post title, "The query letter that got me 0 full requests and 80+ rejections." It links to justplaindan.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
bschorr.bsky.social
That made me smile. #OfficeSpace
January 6, 2026 at 4:16 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
So it’s 2026 and there's already a lot going on. Why not escape to a fantasy world where evil thinks it’s winning, but those who align with good won't give up. #litagents, who’s looking for a new take on classic epic fantasy tropes? #amquerying #epicfantasy
justplaindan.croutch.ca JustPlainDan 🇨🇦 @justplaindan.croutch.ca · Aug 6
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, a high fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers he is one of the six Misigothian Chosen destined to rule Carnin, setting up a showdown against the five kings already in power, who’ve corrupted Ari’s friend as their pawn. #questpit #q #a #f
A sword with blue flames coming off the sword on a black background. The title "The Blacksmith's Rebellion" written over top. The text for a novel pitch is overlaid over an image of castle ruins. The novel pitch is for a high fantasy novel. An image outlining the themes and comps for the novel that was pitched. The comps include smaller images of The Wheel of Time and The Priority of the Orange Tree. Themes include the rise of a reluctant hero, epic battles, a light magic system, and secondary world fantasy. A block of text showing the sample writing from the novel. Set over a black and white image of a wheat field.
January 6, 2026 at 4:46 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
All of social media is this.
mcuban.bsky.social Mark Cuban @mcuban.bsky.social · Dec 1
It became pointless.
itsjustmekaila.bsky.social kai(la) @itsjustmekaila.bsky.social · Dec 1
it’s unfortunate that @mcuban.bsky.social gets so much hate on bluesky. i miss seeing his posts but can’t blame him at all for not posting because i’ve seen the replies when he does
December 1, 2025 at 7:23 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Of all the form rejections THE BLACKSMITH'S REBELLION has (there are quite a few now), this one from
Julie Crisp was the most authentic and encouraging one yet. As disappointing as this rejection was, I'm left feeling energized. #amquerying
An email message from an agent stating that, while they enjoyed the noved, she was passing on representing the book.
November 21, 2025 at 1:04 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Fun fact. I wrote a book. Maybe someday you'll get to read it.
November 19, 2025 at 7:37 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Only three more weeks of surgeries on board! Crazy to think the 2025 field service is just about done.
November 19, 2025 at 7:33 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
So excited to start a new role on the Africa Mercy. Earlier than I expected, I have stepped into the Operations Director role on board overseeing the IT, Finance, Transportation, Supply, Hospitality, Hotel, and Dining room/Galley teams on board. Another two years on board!
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
This is why we can't have good discourse, and why echo chambers exist. We should block and move on from *anyone* who spews hate, bigotry, and lies, not just “the right”. There needs to be room for healthy cross-ideological debate without the vileness of those things polluting it.
October 18, 2025 at 6:41 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Are the days of successful authors, however one chooses to define that, who take on mentees still a thing? Was that ever a thing? Or has social media changed that entire dynamic? #writingcommunity
October 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM