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mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
@mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
2.9K followers 1K following 6.9K posts
Writer of epic fantasies. Lover of cities and odd words. Just here to tell stories.
NO AI
🏳️‍⚧️they/ him
https://mcburnell.itch.io/
https://books2read.com/mcburnell
https://payhip.com/AuthorMCBurnell
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mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd @mcburnellauthor.bsky.social · Nov 18
THE TIPPING WORLD IS FINISHED
and it has everything you want in an epic

✨political intrigue
✨big battle sequences
✨new heroes coming into their own
✨morally gray ancient adepts
✨unique magic system
✨complex plot
✨vivid worldbuilding
✨terrifying villains

🌈📚🪐 #Booksky
books2read.com/Symbols-End
Cover of a book called Symbols’ End by MC Burnell depicting a slender young woman seated on a bench in a fine gown in the rain; the walls of the garden are close and too tall. Text reads: THE GRAND FINALE. Symbols’ End, Vol. 9 of The Tipping World.
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
#FebruaryWorldbuilders
Sure, absolutely. Some yerulo, like my faeMC Rithucaride, sense other people's moods as quiet vibrations. They're able to put feelings into people as well but usually don't bc you're likely to get caught and the person you did it to will be PISSED. As for prophecies, such a
kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 20h
#FebruaryWorldbuilders, good morning! Are prophecies or psychic abilities real in your world? How do they affect the world? Tomorrow I will ask about free will, so if you have prophecies, think about how that influences whether free will exists or not, and have an answer tomorrow😁
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #FebruaryWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 1: Metaphysical World 10 Are prophecies or psychic abilities real in your world? The background image shows a misty forest with a mysterious tower in the background. It has a cold, mysterious vibe.
February 11, 2026 at 12:34 AM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
There's romance in most of my stories, but it's a subplot There's a heck of a lot more numerically in TW than elsewhere, partly bc the story is longer (9 books! yikes!) but also bc it's about a society that prohibits not just romance or commitment but the feelings love and desire. This frames the
thirdmonti.bsky.social thirdmonti.bsky.social @thirdmonti.bsky.social · 12h
#ThisOne’sForTheWriters

It’s that time of year, so I will ask:
How do you treat Romance?
Is it the main genre of your writing or is it something that occurs while other things are going on?
Or do you not have any at all in your writing?

Yap as much as 10 threaded posts (if you so desire)
February 11, 2026 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
funkyfangs.bsky.social
for real. does anyone have any book recommendations? I need to build up more of a backlog of things to read
February 10, 2026 at 11:34 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
wizardhill.bsky.social
Beholder? Gazer? Nah, Watcher. Don't worry, he's harmless actually. He's just watching. But he's seen more than you can imagine. Their head plates make for great shields. The back part is the squishy weakspot.

#art #MyArt #fantasy #FantasyArt #Monsters
Pen illustration of a floating eyeless head monster with five long tentacles and end in eyes, it has many ridges and four short curved crests at the sides, the mouth is tusks and fanged
February 10, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
dylanmadeley.bsky.social
Please feel free to share and support this today.

"We created this bundle to raise funds for Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota in response to the Trump administration sending ICE agents to the Minneapolis area and the reckless murder of an innocent people by ICE agents."

itch.io/b/3484/no-ic...
No ICE in Minnesota by jesthehuman and 651 others
No ICE in Minnesota: 1439 items for $10.00
itch.io
February 11, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
ardenpowell.bsky.social
I'm publishing a queer fantasy story on the first of every month this year, alternating between reprints and exclusive new releases with the goal to build up my readership over here. February is this one, March is gay isekai ✨
ardenpowell.bsky.social Arden Powell ❄️✨ @ardenpowell.bsky.social · 9d
My first reprint story to start the year! M/M rivals-to-lovers fantasy romance set in an empire built on horsemanship, saint-worship, and prophecy, with an exploration of career-ending injuries and chronic pain. 8700 words.

For $2 members and up: www.patreon.com/posts/under-...
Under the Shadow of a Fallen Empire: a queer fantasy romance short story. A photo of a sunrise over dark mountains and a drawing of a horse in the darkness underneath it. Photo credit to Emily Campbell on Unsplash. First published in my 2024 queer SFFH collection THE CARNELIAN KING AND OTHER STORIES.
February 2, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
gmnair.bsky.social
5 more days until this #itchbundle of SFF Friendship books (and, unfortunately, the concept of friendship) are gone forever!
eliseswritings.bsky.social Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @eliseswritings.bsky.social · 9d
SFF Readers, do you like stories which centre friendship, or where friendship groups tackle plot problems?

To help you find them, I've organised this 37 book bundle. It's an even split of Fantasy, SciFi & SciFi-Fantasy, available till Feb 15! (Book blurbs in link 😉.)

🌈📚🪐📚💙 itch.io/b/3486/frien...
Friendship Centred SFF Book Bundle 37 Books Feb 1st-15th Background photo: four friends standing with arms around each other. Photo by Helena Lones, Itchio Covers: The Unidentified Champagne Charlie and the Amazing Gladys Walking the Knife's Edge Bonkpocalypse Bad Grains A Spark in Space The Damsel AN UNCOMMON CURSE Courage Is the Price Puppetry Duckett & Dyer, Dicks For Hire The Old Goat and the Alien Spirits of the Relentless Without Wings Clipped Sing In Me, Holy One, and Through Me The Lucky Machine The Lost Star Chart Werecockroach Rescue from the Orc Fortress Riyati Ripple Wherever the Stars Call The Crows Woodspell Common Accord Awakenings River of Crows A Study on Magic and Crystals Once Upon A Wave of Witches Fortitude Waters Dust & Lightning The Re-Emergence
February 10, 2026 at 2:33 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
#WIPSnips 'liquid'

funny story, this is one of the most impactful events in the history of this world
Jessa had understood his frustration and stepped up to his shoulder stoutly. “Doesn’t mean there’s no reason not to look.” She took two brisk strides into the room, then lurched to a halt with a stifled shriek. They heard a glassy sound, saw a whir of motion. A beam of light flashed across the room as something dark and reflective caught the sunlight coming through the single curtain that had been pushed back and cast it in an arc across the ceiling. Then there was an understated smash. A small object made of glass shattering. Ramsu went past Jessa, who had frozen in the center of the room. He crouched over a pile of broken glass at the foot of the outer wall, dark green and rather bubbly, lying in a puddle of clear liquid. It looked like someone had left a bottle on the floor in the middle of the room, and they had arrived at the reason people didn’t usually leave small articles made of glass on the floor in the middle of rooms: she had kicked it accidentally, sending it spinning, and it had smashed into a hundred pieces when it collided with something hard.
February 10, 2026 at 2:28 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
The odds this makes a difference when the measures are being pursued to comply with stupid boneheaded legislation by the incompetent nimrods who run governments, eh. I tried, anyway

c.org/VKMjtw7RF9
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
Prevent Discord from implementing ID verification
c.org
February 10, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
pjccahill.bsky.social
Amazon decided the book was live, so I've released on itch as well!

***NOW AVAILABLE***

Please buy Cry Wolf! A paranormal romance blending sweet, healing love between two very broken lesbians with monster violence

Itch: pjc-cahill.itch.io/cry-wolf
Amazon (print): a.co/d/00Ch94Dz

#booksky 📢📚
Art by Luigiix - extreme close-up of a wolf's eyes. The eye is yellow-gold, surrounded by dirty-blonde fur. At the top is the title 'Cry Wolf' in yellow lettering. At the bottom, in smaller font is 'To a Monster Bound 1' and 'PJC Cahill' Luigiix's DA page: https://www.deviantart.com/luigiix
February 10, 2026 at 1:52 AM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
This winter's not letting go for a while yet. Why not cozy up to a thoroughly bingeable epic?

books2read.com/rl/The-Tippi...
The cover of a book called The Bull at the Start by MC Burnell, a man with a sword looks thoughtfully along a road leading through a snowy pine forest. Text reads: STRIKE A MATCH: The Tipping World, Vol. 2. Before this can get better, it’s going to get worse. Snow falls heavily on leafless trees. There is a big block quote: “The trouble in the southeast must originate with renegade mages, and what they were after more than anything was other mages, whether to kill or change them. If he didn’t know the specifics of their grievance, he could make an educated guess: the Code placed many demands upon them, impossible demands that they be other than human, and it did so in the name of morality.”
February 10, 2026 at 2:26 AM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
I'm still not sure! If Pherul finds live, it's going to be something he's startled by and grateful for, I think. Rithucaride...? Remains to be seen. I let my characters make these decisions
cjaralore.bsky.social 🌈CJ Aralore @cjaralore.bsky.social · 23h
#QueerPrompts February 10: Is your MC a heartbreaker?
Graphics: The background is pink hearts. The border has hearts in the colors of the pride flags with positive sayings: Self love, found family, pride, you are loved, BFF, community, be safe, you matter, unite!, love is love, be yourself, equal rights, queer joy, stand up, speak out, love wins, you are beautiful, better together. Text: "February 2025" on top and "#QueerPrompts" and "Host: @CJAralore" on the bottom in a rainbow font. Center text is: #QueerPrompts February 10: Is your MC a heartbreaker?
February 10, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
gabino.bsky.social
Don’t know who needs to hear this, but finish that first draft. Seriously.
February 10, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
chaoscatcreative.bsky.social
Chaos Cat Creative is proud to present our first publication, the debut novel from our founders @marbach.bsky.social and @rwmeadors.bsky.social

THE MAJOR ARCANA: Coming April 7, 2026

A huge thank you to Lizbe Coetzee for the amazing cover design! Find her on instagram: @bookcoversbylizbe
THE MAJOR ARCANA by Jason Marbach & R.W. Meadors, on sale April 7th, 2026 Cover design by Lizbe Coetzee. Find her on instagram: @bookcoversbylizbe THE MAJOR ARCANA by Jason Marbach & R.W. Meadors, on sale April 7th, 2026 Cover design by Lizbe Coetzee. Find her on instagram: @bookcoversbylizbe THE MAJOR ARCANA by Jason Marbach & R.W. Meadors, on sale April 7th, 2026 Cover design by Lizbe Coetzee. Find her on instagram: @bookcoversbylizbe THE MAJOR ARCANA by Jason Marbach & R.W. Meadors, on sale April 7th, 2026 The blurb (featured on the back cover of the book) reads as follows: “There is a house deep in the bayous outside of New Orleans where reality itself is often more a suggestion than a rule. There, the ghosts of Louisiana drift amidst the cypress roots, thick as fireflies. Those who dwell between the puddles and the boughs feel the spirits upon their skin like sweat, ever-present and inescapable. But sometimes, a restless spirit might become something more. Sometimes, a restless spirit might cause a man to break. Nineteen years ago, long before he rose to become a Homicide Detective, Eric Riley helped end the notorious Bayou Phantom’s killing spree at great personal cost. Now the past is refusing to stay buried, bringing his old nightmares back to the surface. Today, a killer is leaving a trail of bodies all around New Orleans once more. All of it feels far too familiar to Riley: the ritualistic poses, the MO, the sensations of dread and helplessness tickling the back of his neck like a demon’s breath. In mounting desperation, Riley is examining the secrets of the past, seeking new information that may help him stop the killer. With each new victim, the personal stakes climb higher, and Eric finds that looking back may prove more dangerous than anyone could possibly have realized. Has the Bayou Phantom returned to haunt the Crescent City? Or is something even darker lurking beneath the muddy water, waiting to pull Riley under for good?”
February 9, 2026 at 3:56 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
me, dying at the final stage of the dragon's epic challenge bc I needed to draw a left hand and have only ever drawn right hands
February 10, 2026 at 1:25 AM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
oh also I hit 60k on the WIP so that's cool too I guess
February 9, 2026 at 9:12 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
we're running outside again people MWAHAHAHA
February 9, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
timnitgebru.bsky.social
The onion remains undefeated in delivering the most accurate news.

theonion.com/ai-chatbot-t...
AI Chatbot That Only Responds ‘Huh’ Valued At $200 Billion
PALO ALTO, CA—Hailing the new product as a “game changer” in the development of large language models, Silicon Valley insiders confirmed Tuesday that an AI chatbot that only responds “huh” had been va...
theonion.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
louellastone.com
#books #booksky #romance
💙📚 📚🌶️ 📚🌈

29 BOOKS FOR $25!
FEB. 9-14
ONLY ON ITCH.IO

itch.io/b/3515/valen...
29 BOOKS FOR $25! FEB. 9-14 ONLY ON ITCH.IO
February 9, 2026 at 2:40 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
Everyone has their own process and I know some people can't tolerate writing non-linearly, but dang am I glad I just wrote around the ?? I couldn't figure out how to plot through. I got yesterday's min wc in, and the answer I needed came to me this morning
February 9, 2026 at 3:02 PM
mcburnellauthor.bsky.social
My day started with cuddling cats on either side and yes that's great no question but what I can't figure out now is why I got up
February 9, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
aimeecozza.com
Valentine's day isn't just about romance... It can be about the love between friends too! And what a good way to celebrate than to pick up 37 books about having amazing friends!
aimeecozza.com Aimee Cozza Illustration @aimeecozza.com · 9d
I couldn't resist this bundle for loving friendships... So I put The Lucky Machine in. 💜 Support 37 SFF creators at just $35+ from Feb 1st through Feb 15th on Itch: itch.io/b/3486/frien...

#Booksky #SFF #Bundles #Friendship #TLM
Heart-shaped friendship charm on two necklaces that says "Best friends" with NX written on the left half, and Sylvan written on the right. Text reads "Friendship SFF Bundle, Feb 1st-Feb 15th" and 37 creators! only $35+.
February 9, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
thebookwyrmshoard2.bsky.social
Nothing says I love you more than buying your Valentine 29 books 🥰
jheijndermans.bsky.social Joachim Heijndermans @jheijndermans.bsky.social · 1d
The week toward's valentine's day is among us. And with that, the Valentine's Day Romance bundle on Itch is live too. For $25 books, get 29 books for romance. Includes my steamy monster romance book Return the Rose. Find the bundle here: itch.io/b/3515/valen...
Banner for Valentine's Day Romance Book Bundle. 29 books for $25. Fantasy, sci fi, contemporary and more!. February 9-14, only on Itch.io. A series of romance books covers before a red background. Listed as 29 books for only $25. feb 9-14 only on itch.io
February 9, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
tallimorgan.bsky.social
Need something swoony to read this week? I gotchu!
Check out this bundle of 29 romance books ranging from cozy to spicy and contemporary to SFF - just $25 for all of them!

My book SILVER BLOOD is included for all you vampire lovers :]

https://itch.io/b/3515/valentines-day-romance-bundle
A graphic showing 29 book covers that are included in a Valentine's Day bundle. 29 books for $25, February 9-14, only on itchio.
February 9, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Pixies a/k/a Map Nerd
jd-rivers.com
My little novella "The Salt in the Sea" is in excellent company in this bundle!
aebennettwrites.bsky.social A. E. Bennett @aebennettwrites.bsky.social · 1d
💗 SALE 💗

Because You Asked is going to be part of a Valentine’s Romance Bundle 💜

29 authors!

$25

Feb. 9 - 14

itch.io/b/3515/valen...

(Thanks to @tallimorgan.bsky.social for organizing 🥰)
The covers of 29 awesome romance books you should buy.
February 9, 2026 at 1:52 PM