Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder
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marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder
@marianlthorpe.bsky.social
1.4K followers 410 following 830 posts
Writing and nature posts, mostly.
Books at https://scarletferret.com/authors/marian-l-thorpe and all the other usual on-line places.
Also at https://substack.com/@marianlthorpe
Posts Replies Media Videos
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
And now for something completely silly.... #cats

mlthorpeauthor.substack.com/p/medieval-c...
Medieval Cats
I'd call it doggerel, but that doesn't seem right.
mlthorpeauthor.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:45 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Do you live near #Guelph (Ontario)? I'm co-launching my new story collection Beyond the Wall at Peter Szabo's launch for his debut novel The Revived, at the Albion, Thursday Nov 6th 6 - 8:30 pm. I'd love to see you there!
(No elevator, sadly, so be aware.)
October 30, 2025 at 10:51 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
A lovely review of my collection of short stories and verse!
October 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Every year, October and juncos arrive together.

open.substack.com/pub/mlthorpe...
Three Months
I’ve decided to include the map in all weekly posts, at the end, so those who’d like to refer to the places I’m talking about can do it more easily.
open.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 12:42 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
The e-book of Beyond the Wall, my new short story collection, is now available for pre-order. Oct 31 release.
(Not a fan of the particular e-book platform? DM me.)
books2read.com/u/3LO82w
The paperback will be available about the same time, and I'll post that information then. #booksky
The cover of Marian L Thorpe's new collection of short stories and verse. It shows Hadrian's Wall from a distance, with a small figure beyond in near the left hand edge, and rolling hills in the distance.
September 14, 2025 at 9:09 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
"I like it here at the docks, among the ships and the cargo and the crying gulls."

#booksky

mlthorpeauthor.substack.com/p/the-birthd...
The Birthday Present
A vignette.
mlthorpeauthor.substack.com
September 13, 2025 at 8:31 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Surpassed 100,000 words on An Unwise Prince today. I might get the first draft finished this year after all!

#booksky
September 9, 2025 at 11:07 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
The working cover -- not the final one -- for my next book, a collection of my best short stories and verse from the past 25 years (!) of being a published author. Out in late October - more details to come. #poetry #shortstories #fiction #Booksky
August 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
‘I looked around me, at the plain and the mountains, and thought about what had happened here, the blood and bones lying beneath the soil.’ #shortstory #fiction #historicalfantasy
The Battle of the Tabha
A condensed and slightly modified excerpt from Empire’s Hostage.
open.substack.com
August 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Huge thanks to ‪@liisp.bsky.social‬ for both her review of Bjarndýr and the Marsh Monster and her 'character reveal' for some of the main characters from the works-in-progress, the duology An Unwise Prince and A Distant Obligation.
August 20, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder
bjornlarssen.com
🏁Last book read: Dragonfired by J. Zachary Pike
🏁Current read: Empire’s Reckoning by @marianlthorpe.bsky.social
🏁Added to TBR: The Chosen One Con by @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com
🏁Next read: whatever’s on my NetGalley, I need to catch up 😬

Share yours! #BookSky
onefootiniceland.bsky.social 𝕃.𝕁.𝔽𝕆𝕏 🇮🇸☕📚 @onefootiniceland.bsky.social · Aug 9
🏁Last book read: Nordic Visions edited by Margrét Helgadóttir
🏁Current read: Powers of Darkness by Valdimar Ásmundsson & Bram Stoker
🏁Added to TBR: The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah
🏁Next read: Shardik by Richard Adams (got interrupted by the library getting PoD!)

Share yours! #BookSky
marinasofia.bsky.social Marina Sofia @marinasofia.bsky.social · Aug 9
Not reading much currently but let me try

🏁last book read: Butter by Erin Lange
🏁current read: Betty Boo by Claudia Pineiro
🏁added to TBR: The Veiled Woman by Anais Nin
🏁Next read: I Called Him Necktie by Milena Michiko Flasar
August 9, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder
reneegendron.bsky.social
The August edition of A Muse Bouche Review is out with stories from @reneegendron.bsky.social @marianlthorpe.bsky.social @jpgarlandauthor.bsky.social Arlene Davies-Fuhr and Wendy Nuttall

mailchi.mp/7a91b581238b...

#shortstories
#muse
#readingcommunity
August 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
"Hidden" - a modified #vignette from Empire's Passing. #shortstory

mailchi.mp/7a91b581238b...
August 2025: Buried Treasure
mailchi.mp
August 3, 2025 at 10:29 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
‘…the drama played out in the same way. To have seen it once was a moment to remember; twice was never to be expected.’
This Writer's Diary
July 28 - Aug 2, 2025
mlthorpeauthor.substack.com
August 3, 2025 at 12:46 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
“She’s so looking forward to a proper garden,” Fred told me.

#fiction #shortstory
Summer Reruns: The Patch of Grass
"I’ll miss his cooking."
open.substack.com
August 2, 2025 at 11:05 AM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 26th #WIPSnips 'bail' -- or in this case, one of its many synonyms: 'pledge'
#WIP #AnUnwisePrince
“Fifty years ago, when Göran of Varsland declared war on the Casillard, Ésparias and Linrathe and Vilkmë supported us,” Wilnoth said. “Ésparias and Linrathe provided money, not soldiers. Funds with which to pay mercenaries, and the loan of ships of Ésparias’s navy to transport them. Neither country made a declaration of war against Varsland.” Guthlaf spoke authoritatively. “But,” Cenric said, “if the threat is real, and we had this warning and did nothing, surely that violates the precepts of the Casillard? We are pledged to aid other cities of the Confederacy.”
July 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 25th #WIPSnipes 'thrive' - or in this case, a synonym, 'prosper'. MC Cenric discussing an investment.#WIP #AnUnwisePrince
“Are you saying I should have asked the Guild first, before agreeing to the investment?” Guthlaf chuckled. “No. Just that we do not expect such surprises from Cenric bé Casille. What made you accept the proposal?” “The terms were good, and if the safran prospers in Beria, the return should be excellent,” Cenric said. “I had been looking for a suitable investment in Beria, one perhaps Audun could keep an eye on while he studies there.”
July 25, 2025 at 12:14 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 24 #WIPSnips 'inside'

#WIP #AnUnwisePrince
Unlocking the door to the warehouse, Cenric beckoned him inside. The furs lay on a long table, piled and tied with bands of cloth. Kirt was no real judge of fur, but he knew what trimmed his own cloaks and gloves and winter tunics, and it wasn’t fur like this, thin, brittle, shedding. These should be thick, lustrous, soft, the pelts taken at the height of winter. “I see your concern.”
July 24, 2025 at 11:16 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 23 #WIPSnips: 'minor'. A bit of worldbuilding from #AnUnwisePrince #WIP
The inn wasn't busy. If ships had arrived on today’s tide, Casille’s merchants had more pressing things to do; if not, they were occupied with the shipments from yesterday or the day before. Once the contents of barrels and bales had been assessed and deals made in the warehouses and offices and houses of the traders, Ferrand’s tables would be full. Only minor or routine business was conducted in public.
July 23, 2025 at 11:28 AM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Truth mirroring (my) fiction: a headline from my local paper today, and a snippet from Empire’s Exile.
July 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 22 #WIPSnips: needle.
MC Luce, a physician, being concerned and frustrated by her uncle's reluctance to consider cataract surgery. (In the equivalent of the 13th C, so I might be on his side in this.) #WIP #AnUnwisePrince
Luce stood, placing her wine glass on the low table, looking down at her uncle in the flickering light. His face was drawn. “Are you all right, Magister?” “A headache, nothing more. They are becoming more frequent.” “And will, if you continue to refuse to have those cataracts removed.” An old dispute. The surgery was new. Luce had learned it in Agade; had performed it a few times. Her uncle would not countenance it. The thought of a needle inserted into his eye made him ill, he said.
July 22, 2025 at 12:24 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
marlajuliette.bsky.social marlajuliette.bsky.social @marlajuliette.bsky.social · Jul 21
"How about sending a certified letter?"
"I'm not sending anything. We were not there. Remember?" Dart held up his prosthetic arm. "We were not there."
"Right," said Bryant. "We couldn't have been there."

#WIPSnips #Certify #WriteSky
July 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Marian L Thorpe: writer & birder
nicolelsopergorden.bsky.social
It turns out picking up odd jobs in other dimensions is a bit easier if you happen to have forklift certification. Who knew?

From Tennyson's arc of The Atlas Brothers Break the Multiverse

#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #AmWriting
“Neither of you are driving the forklift,” Byron said. “I’ve been in vehicles while both of you were behind the wheel, and I wouldn’t trust you with a go-cart, let alone a forklift. Besides, our employer only let Poe drive the forklift because he has forklift certification.” “Certification?” Tennyson scoffed. “What, did he bring his forklift license with him?” “Yes.” “Fucking hell. He would, the nerd. Why does he even have forklift certification in the first place?”
July 21, 2025 at 5:10 PM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
July 21 #WIPSnips. A synonym today; 'guarantee'

MC Cenric at work. #WIP #AnUnwisePrince
Ships were due, there would be cargo to be unloaded and goods to move from quay to warehouse, and while Cenric had perfectly competent people to oversee all this, he liked both to be seen, and to offer words of appreciation – or sometimes rebuke – to the labourers. And if there was wine or oil to be accepted, he trusted only his own tongue to taste it, so that he could guarantee its quality to purchasers.
July 21, 2025 at 11:07 AM
marianlthorpe.bsky.social
Jly 20 #WIPSnips 'moon'. An unexpected - and almost fatal - meeting of comrades after a battle. #WIP #AnUnwisePrince
Andric’s ability to see in the dark saved them. Rothgar saw the upward lunge of the man who’d lain hidden, half covered with the tatters of last year’s leaves, but it was Andric who launched himself forward, his knife on a downward arc, to knock the assailant away from his captain. The clouds cleared the moon. The man stared up at his attacker, choking out, “Andric?” “Wulf?” The knife’s descent stopped.
July 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM