Finn McLellan
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saranadosfiction.com
Finn McLellan
@saranadosfiction.com
3.5K followers 760 following 4K posts
Disabled transmasc butch fantasy writer in this world, stabby bastards of various stripes in sundry fictional ones.

Writing LGBTQ+ gaslamp fantasy (among other things) over at https://saranadosfiction.com/

@house_of_five@wandering.shop
(they/he)
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saranadosfiction.com
Finn McLellan @saranadosfiction.com · Sep 28
Welcome, new folk!

Things I post:
- stuff about my ongoing queer Gothic gaslamp fantasy serial, Argentum in Aqua ( saranadosfiction.com/2023/12/11/a... )
- random musings about writing, larp, video games, disability, being transmasc, or all of the above
- occasionally, unfortunately, UK politics
Argentum in Aqua: An Introduction
ARGENTUM IN AQUA (Blood on the Snow, Silver in the Ashes, Fire in the Sky) All student magician Jonathan Fest wants is to keep his head down and finish out his first year of university without fail…
saranadosfiction.com
Reposted by Finn McLellan
eliseswritings.bsky.social
Thanks for the interest in, boosts & purchases of this trans books bundle! (I've had to increase the goal multiple times 😄).

These books, some also including queer normative and or LGBTQIA+ joy, are available as this set for 4 more days.

🌈📚💙💕📚🪐 itch.io/b/3352/trans...
eliseswritings.bsky.social Elise (they/them)🇦🇺 @eliseswritings.bsky.social · 10d
I'd like to kick off Trans Awareness Month with 32 stories of Trans People Taking On The World, by mainly trans authors

Your heroes may tackle; love, friendship, magic &war, self discovery, trauma & healing, demons (literal or metaphorical 😉) & or the world itself!

🌈📚💙💕📚🪐📚♿ itch.io/b/3352/trans...
Title: Trans People Take on the World, Nov 1-15 in Itchio 32 Book covers, background a sunset photo by Elise Carlson. The Strangers Sanctuary, S.E. Robertson What Lies Within, Issy Waldon Synthetic Sea, Franklyn S. Newton Non-Player Character, Veo Corva A Life in Too Many Margins, S.E. Thomson Like Salt and Whi Sky, Merlina Garance A Memory of Blood and Magic, K.N. Brindle My Personal Trainer Cracked My Egg, Fern V. Bedek Enemies to Enemies, Ash Kreider The Poison Fruits, E.M. Haegar The Thread That Binds, Cedar McCloud The Wings of Ashtaroth, Steve Hugh Westenra The Elysium Proposal, A.E. Bross Structural Integrity, Tabitha O'Connell Songs of Broken Bells, Lilly Lockwood Echo Sight, Cian Verath The Uncontinented Stars, Haden Cross Between You, Me and the Moonlit Sea, Linn Silver Secondhand Origin Storie, Lee Brontide Blood On The Snow, Finn McLellan Manipulators War, Elise Carlson Powder & Feathers, Johannes T. Evans Our Simulated Selves, Nikki Null All Roads Lead to This, Kay Claire 1000Lotuses, Lotuscarp.com First Rose, Jake Vanguard A Demon to Save Me, H.S. Kallinger Dragons Soul, J.F.R. Coates Garden of Rotten Roses, Nicole Hidalgo Name Her Holy, Aubrey Ennis Baker Thief, Claudie Arsenault Illusory, M.X. Misfits
November 11, 2025 at 8:11 AM
saranadosfiction.com
Niche editing issue: remembering to check that you've not accidentally pluralised 'eyes' for your character who only has one eye or 'arms'/'hands' for your character who only has one arm.

(I'm generally decent at it, but it still sneaks through occasionally, especially when I'm writing fast)
November 11, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
tanngrisnir.bsky.social
Well done PictCon, I approve!
Sign, with four standard figures for toilet doors including a disabled symbol: This is a gender-neutral bathroom. It’s for everyone.
November 8, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
romgothsam.bsky.social
Just a little reminder that you can travel the world with Romancing the Gothic!

Explore the supernatural, the Gothic, and the horrible in countries around the world with our talks map!

padlet.com/hollyhirst84...
Romancing the Gothic World Tour
Made with Padlet
padlet.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
alyx.whatthetrans.com
My piece on the allies being systematically intimidated is one of the bits of work I am most proud of putting together.

But beyond that it is a story of anti trans activists inside and outside the organisation working together to take down Tavistock and stop trans kids from existing.
whatthetrans.com What The Trans?! 🏳️‍⚧️ @whatthetrans.com · 3h
In our article:

From allies inside of Tavistock:

“Gender criticals claim they have been silenced, but they have been platformed in media and given words in articles, and space in interviews,”

whatthetrans.com/trans-allies...
November 11, 2025 at 8:05 AM
saranadosfiction.com
#WIPSnips | burger

No burgers, so going with another variant of fast/street food - in this case, fish and chips (plus the mention of pancakes, which're probably the most common street food in Sacaan [think crepe-style, with both sweet and savoury fillings])

( saranadosfiction.com/2023/12/16/s... )
“I wish I had your confidence,” Archer muttered, but he seemed to appreciate the thought anyhow. “If we were back at Tanner Street I’d suggest a pause for tea-“ “An’ pancakes,” Sabbat finished. He nodded towards the window, where the thin light streaming through the shutters had given way to the utter darkness of a stormy night. “Or did y’not realise we’d worked all the way through t’supper?” “And pancakes,” Archer agreed, with a smile that didn’t entirely reach his eye. “Though I suspect Cyra’s not likely to have those to hand. She did promise me that she’d set aside a reasonable amount of food for us while she was preparing dinner for the rest of the household – and I suspect enough for you too, Viola, if you’d like to join us.” “Spirits, yes!” She’d not realised exactly how hungry she was until Sabbat had mentioned food, and now it was practically all she could think of. What I wouldn’t give for a proper portion of fish and chips right now. Or, hells, one of the pancakes from the street cart on the corner of Orca and Pennyroyal, the ones with so much sour cream you can barely see the meat underneath. What she’d get would be whatever Cyra had access to, of course, which probably meant more venison, but that was hardly a problem. *Though I could wish we’d managed to bring that buck we hunted back for her. Would’ve been a good addition to the stores, and properly* fresh *meat on the table this evening.* *Then again, we were a little sodding busy at the time.*
November 11, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
bendunnell.bsky.social
This is full of mildly astonishing revelations about right-wing influence at the BBC, but foremost among them is the fact that he was advised that writing for the New Statesman was effectively unacceptable but doing so for the Spectator was fine - indeed, advisable. I am flabbergasted.
lewisgoodall.com Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 16h
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.

New piece from me.

open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
lynnemthomas.com
Come work here at Illinois! We have two Diversity Residency Visiting positions open. I'm chairing one of the two searches:

www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/resi... #libraryjobs
Library Diversity Residency Program – General Information – U of I Library
www.library.illinois.edu
November 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
seananmcguire.bsky.social
Oh I am SO excited.
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
braegrosz.com
[Public Television Voice]
This project is made possible with support from Goths like you👇🏻
romgothsam.bsky.social Dr Sam Hirst @romgothsam.bsky.social · 3d
If you enjoy watching talks by experts in Gothic and horror that are free to access and made internationally available... why not support the project so I can keep running it and keep paying people to participate.

www.patreon.com/c/romancingt...
Get more from Romancing the Gothic on Patreon
creating Free online classes, days of creation, books groups and
www.patreon.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
sfencyclopedia.bsky.social
Aliette de Bodard sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/de_bod... was born on this day, so here are some of her book covers (Artist: Tithi Luadthong, Alyssa Winans, Maurizio Manzieri and [couldn't identify]):
November 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
mythjae.bsky.social
I've been thinking on this for a while, and instead of a holiday season sale, Bonedust Press will instead dedicate 10% of all direct sales to the San Diego Food Bank.

Times are tough and since I have to do the marketing song and dance anyway, I'd like to accomplish a little good with it.
#booksky
bonedustpress.bsky.social Bonedust Press @bonedustpress.bsky.social · 17h
Shop small for the holidays, support independent publishing, and do some good!

From now until Dec. 31, we will donate 10% of every single direct sale from our site to local food banks.

Treat yourself to our debut title, The Traitor & The Wretch, or gift it to a friend!
www.bonedustpress.com/shop
A trope map image for The Traitor & The Wretch (cover art by Amy Phillips) written by Jasmine Walls and illustrated by Rowan MacColl. It reads: Minor villains dungeon-crawling their way to a happy ending. On the run from an entire kingdom that wants them both dead. This guy (the wretch) helped raise a Chaos God to bring about the end times (he's not coping well) This guy (the traitor) tried to kill the Prophesized Hero (it ended badly) Enemies-to-Lovers Mutated cave creatures! Undead horrors! Endless pitch black caves! Somehow, it's a romance!
November 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
aliettedebodard.com
aliettedebodard.com Aliette de Bodard @aliettedebodard.com · 1d
Would anyone like to take part in a neat cover reveal on December 3rd? (Preferably US but will take UK people too)
November 9, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
bonedustpress.bsky.social
Shop small for the holidays, support independent publishing, and do some good!

From now until Dec. 31, we will donate 10% of every single direct sale from our site to local food banks.

Treat yourself to our debut title, The Traitor & The Wretch, or gift it to a friend!
www.bonedustpress.com/shop
A trope map image for The Traitor & The Wretch (cover art by Amy Phillips) written by Jasmine Walls and illustrated by Rowan MacColl. It reads: Minor villains dungeon-crawling their way to a happy ending. On the run from an entire kingdom that wants them both dead. This guy (the wretch) helped raise a Chaos God to bring about the end times (he's not coping well) This guy (the traitor) tried to kill the Prophesized Hero (it ended badly) Enemies-to-Lovers Mutated cave creatures! Undead horrors! Endless pitch black caves! Somehow, it's a romance!
November 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
bisonwares.bsky.social
NOW AVAILABLE 💫

bisonwares.com
bisonwares.bsky.social Bison Wares 🦬 SHOP OPEN @bisonwares.bsky.social · 3d
AVAILABLE NOV. 10TH

Stormchaser long sleeves are going on the shop soon! These are left over from the KS, limited stock.

Gotcha style, you pick a size & receive a design at random! If you order multiple we will do our best to make sure you don't get duplicates!
November 10, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
bonabooks.bsky.social
Do you write genre fiction? Want the inside scoop on the UK's newest queer small press? Keen to ask us awkward questions?

Come to the Cymera Writer's Conference, and hear two bona omi-palones cackle about zhushing books.
cymerafestival.co.uk Cymera Festival @cymerafestival.co.uk · 18h
We'll be chatting with indie publisher Bona Books about their journey from reader/writer to setting up a publishing house.

@bonabooks.bsky.social was founded by 3 book-obsessed friends to produce high-quality, subversive & unapologetically queer SFFH books.

www.cymerafestival.co.uk/2025-confere...
November 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
clericofthevoid.bsky.social
Got hit hard with the “get real obsessed with two lesbians” hammer
Art at beginning of COVID Early early art of Kye from 2020, before she was really sorted out. The art is simple color blocking, the bust of a woman looking straight forward, short white hair, white eyes, tanned scarred skin, a maroon cloak with an eye pattern, holding up one hand with a glow to it. A thin rapier just floating on the page below her. Idk why that’s there. Vs. now! Artwork of Kye and Jude from the book Name Her Holy. Jude is sitting with Kye leaning into her, hand cupping Jude’s jaw to bring her in for a kiss. Kye’s other hand is draped over Jude’s shoulder, holding a golden sword limply against her back. Kye has short dark wavy hair, tan skin covered with scars that have an eery blue smoke ghosting off from them into a billowing glow behind her. She is wearing a dark, high collared sleeveless dress. Her eyes are white as she looks down at Jude. Jude is looking at her with want, on hand on Kye’s hip. Jude is white and has freckles, long auburn hair in a very messy braid with a blue ribbon woven through it and golden flowers in a crown. She is in simple brown clothes, but wearing a gilded pauldron and armor down the rest of her arm and hand, decorated in flowers. Behind her is a twilight setting sun over a meadow field. A night sky with stars looms over Kye’s shoulders. A vine covered frame loops around the corners of the artwork.
November 10, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
voicesofvalhoon.bsky.social
Who wants to be lucky number 69?
👀👀👀👀

itch.io/b/3352/trans...
Trans People Take on the World A bundle hosted by Elise Carlson with content from 32 creators. DRM free Buy 32 items for $35 • Regularly ~$121 Save 71%! RAISED $2,717.89 90% of goal 68 contributors GOAL $3,000.00 Buy all for $35.00 Offer ends in 4 days 13 hours 22 minutes
November 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
bethdolgner.bsky.social
I have a Poe necklace from Torch and Arrow, and a barista once asked me if it was a photo of my grandfather. He’s Goth Grandfather to many of us, I suppose.
leannareneehieber.bsky.social Leanna Renee Hieber @leannareneehieber.bsky.social · 1d
Hard to focus/get work done *gestures around* with panicked precarity of our household's insurance on the line (we rely on the ACA as artistic freelancers who *have* to be freelancers due to caregiver + epileptic needs) but I did get black cat earrings listed:🖤 torchandarrow.etsy.com/listing/4365...
3 Torch & Arrow earring listings, left: Cute and dainty black cat cameo oval Neo-Victorian / Neo-Classical earrings, black cats with dynamic, sculptured detail with orange resin background, set on pewter-tone Art Nouveau cut metal lace-like leafy fronds! Approximately 2.2 inches long by 1 inches at widest frond. Next to the left, another set of earrings: Miniature Gothic and gorgeous cameos of a beautiful woman in profile as a facing pair, tiny resin cameos with rich detail, white profile on black background. Oval Cameos are set on brass metal alloy Victorian-style frames in a cut Art Nouveau pattern with leafy details patterns along the frames. Lightweight, delicate, exquisite detail, below the cameos sit two brass cats, also a facing pair, in delightful style. Hanging from brass alloy ear wires, all patina matching. Approximately 2 inch drop length, approximately .6 inch width. Then to the right is another set of earrings, all are one of a kind: Cute and dainty white cat cameo oval Neo-Victorian / Neo-Classical earrings, white cat with dynamic detail in resin on Wedgwood-style blue background like the classic porcelain manufacturer. Set on silver-tone ear wires on pewter-style scalloped oval cage frames with dangling, glimmering stars below! Drop length approximately 2 inches, cameo itself 1 inch by .8 inches.
November 10, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
jessothomson.co.uk
I reject the attempts to blame individual or specific judges for these issues. The 'enemies of the people' narrative is appalling. But if we are to restore public faith in the judiciary, especially among marginalised groups, we must address the structural prejudices within our institutions.
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
jessothomson.co.uk
I believe in the ability of the law to do good. I believe in the rule of law, and in human rights. I wouldn't be a lawyer if I didn't. But I also know that the judiciary does not operate separately to the society it sits within, and cannot help but replicate that society's prejudices.
November 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
jessothomson.co.uk
"As someone working in law, it’s heresy to say this, and it might even kill my chances of a career... But as a trans person, and someone fighting for the rights of my community, I refuse to remain silent. To me it just seems obvious: a heavily prejudiced society produces prejudiced institutions."
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
goodlawproject.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
tomgauld.bsky.social
My latest @newscientist.com cartoon.

p.s. my new book of science cartoons 'Physics for Cats' is out now! Order from your local bookshop or online: www.tomgauld.com
Panel 1. Two scientists walking along. The first one says: I have opened a portal into an alternate universe that is an exact reflection of our own! Panel 2. The second scientist looks into a technical portal and says WOW Panel 3. A reflection of panel two. The reflected scientist's speech bubble still reads: WOW Panel 4. A reflection of panel one. The text is all back to front.
November 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
seananmcguire.bsky.social
Are you ready for the next steps along the improbable road? Coming in 2026, INKPOT GODS continues where TIDAL CREATURES left off, into the distance, into the dark.
A peacock feather in an inkwell, against a black background. The feather is on fire, and the inkwell is ringed in fire. The text reads "SEANAN MCGUIRE - INKPOT GODS."
July 30, 2025 at 8:17 PM
saranadosfiction.com
On the one hand I definitely need to tune my new-to-me lap harp, because I'm pretty sure at least two of the strings're out.

On the other, I did just manage to get most of the chorus of Toss A Coin To Your Witcher entirely by ear in only a couple of tries, so I'm happy with that.
November 10, 2025 at 4:10 PM