Finn McLellan
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saranadosfiction.com
Finn McLellan
@saranadosfiction.com
3.6K followers 810 following 4.6K 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
saranadosfiction.com
Archer's bisexual - less likely to volunteer the information than Viola, but a good deal less likely to tell someone to fuck off with the question than Sabbat xD

(Art, as always, by the wonderful @illustratedjai.bsky.social - and, incidentally, the other half of the paired portrait with Sabbat)
A digital portrait in flat colours of a character sitting in a green winged armchair. He has long black hair, tied back in a low ponytail, very pale skin and one yellow slit-pupilled eye - his other eye is covered by a black scarf-style eyepatch. He's wearing a white shirt, a black waistcoat with silver embroidery, a red cravat, black trousers, and soft black kneeboots (also embroidered). He's holding a glass of tea in a silver holder in his right hand and has a book open on one knee. The picture has text in the top right corner, which reads 'Argentum in Aqua by F McLellan'. Art by @IllustratedJai
January 3, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
proud-geek.co.uk
20 Trans & Non-Binary Books To Read in 2026

From campy murder mysteries to queer dark academia and epic trans fantasy novels, here's our list of 20 trans and non-binary books to keep an eye out for in 2026 at Proud Geek.

#booksky #transbooks
Trans & Non-Binary Books To Read in 2026
From campy murder mysteries to queer dark academia and epic trans fantasy novels, here's our list of 20 trans and non-binary books to keep an eye out for in 2026.
www.proud-geek.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
philippaeast.bsky.social
And—in the UK, authors get paid when you borrow their books from the library 🤗🤗🤗 So go wild!
ka81.bsky.social Caroline @Ka81 @ka81.bsky.social · 21h
Personally I just really love reading.

But I also adore libraries so go to your library this new year. They have all the books, you can request books and they nearly all have a online service for e books these days. #Libraries2026
January 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
saranadosfiction.com
Re-upping an older worldbuilding post, since it's relevant to some of the stuff in the AU that's eating my brain at the moment (and also because folks're talking about vampires, so): saranadosfiction.com/2025/07/25/v...
Vampires and werewolves in Sacaan (and the world as a whole)
There are three sapient species who call Sacaan – and the world as a whole – home, each with their own traditions, history, and quirks of biology. For this worldbuilding post, however, …
saranadosfiction.com
January 3, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
animalphotorefs.bsky.social
Photo of the day: a Pallas cat blep!

www.animal-photo-references.com/pallas-cats

This and all photos on the repository are free-to-use for artists creating derivative/transformative works (sans AI).
A fluffy pallas cat sitting on a rock in front of wire fencing and a green background Their pink tongue is sticking out.
February 7, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
Every time I walk past this bit of fallen tree I can't help imagining it scuttling around, crablike, after sundown, and getting up to no good.
January 3, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
illustratedjai.bsky.social
Chappell Roan Grammy Awards 2025 - Fashion Sloths

This was the first one of these sloths I had to grab multiple references photos for - one for the full body and one to get all the details on the bodice right.

She might be my greatest creation.

Based on the original photo by Christopher Polk.
A digital illustration of a cartoon sloth standing bipedally. It is dressed as Chappell Roan during her performance at the Grammy Awards 2025. The sloth is standing with one arm raised high above its head, the other holding a microphone up to its mouth. The sloth is wearing a long curly red wig, and full face white make-up with pink and blue eyeliner, heavy lashes and pink blush. The outfit is a leather corset, very small shorts, vanbraces and cowboy boots in maroon, blue, gold and silver. There are rows of crystals along each of the seams of the outfit. The sloth's eyes are closed. There is handwritten text along the line of the sloth's shoulder that says "IllustratedJai 2026". A photograph of Chappell Roan during her performance at the Grammy Awards 2025. She is standing with one arm raised high above her head, the other holding a microphone up to its mouth. She is a slender white woman with long curly red hair. She's wearing a full face white make-up with pink and blue eyeliner, heavy lashes and pink blush. The outfit is a leather corset, very small shorts, vanbraces and cowboy boots in maroon, blue, gold and silver. There are rows of crystals along each of the seams of the outfit. She is surrounded by back-up dancers dressed as rodeo cowboys doing a similar gesture.
January 3, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
illustratedjai.bsky.social
Andrew Scott Met Gala 2025 - Fashion Sloths

Look, I've said it once, I'll say it again - the 2025 MetGala was one of the best of all time. I don't make the rules here. (I absolutely do.)

Original photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
A digital illustration of a cartoon sloth standing bipedally. It is dressed as Andrew Scott at the 2025 Met Gala. The sloth is standing in a fairly neutral pose, with one hand in its pocket. The sloth is wearing a mint green suit with super wide lapels, a bright orange/red waistcoat, a goldenrod shirt and a dark green patterned tie. The look is topped off with black and white leather shoes and a pair of flowers pinned to the left lapel. The sloth's eyes are closed. There is handwritten text along the line of the sloth's shoulder that says "IllustratedJai 2026". A photograph of Andrew Scott at the 2025 Met Gala. He's a white man with dark hair. He is standing in a fairly neutral pose, with one hand in his pocket. He's wearing a mint green suit with super wide lapels, a bright orange/red waistcoat, a goldenrod shirt and a dark green patterned tie. The look is topped off with black and white leather shoes and a pair of flowers pinned to the left lapel.
January 2, 2026 at 5:58 PM
saranadosfiction.com
Weekend re-up!
January 3, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
clairewillett.bsky.social
IF ONE OF YOURS IS ON HERE, CALL THEM AND HIT THAT HARD

www.armed-services.senate.gov/about/member...
January 3, 2026 at 9:44 AM
saranadosfiction.com
#WIPSnips | calm

Back in Silver in the Ashes and Viola and Mortimer finding out that discussing Sabbat's health right outside the door of the room where he and Archer are staying might not have been the best idea

( saranadosfiction.com/2023/01/28/s... )
“Not too far. It’s killing him.” *Oh spirits and ancestors no. I thought it was bad, but that’s-* “Thank you for the confirmation,” said someone, far too close to her ear. She couldn’t help it – she jumped, spinning around and dropping down into a defensive stance almost without thinking as the door they’d been speaking outside swung slowly open… revealing an all-too-familiar figure looking down at the two of them with an almost completely unreadable expression. *…shit.* *Why do I get the feeling Mortimer didn’t intend for him to overhear that?* “You might want to remember,” said Archer, stepping out into the passageway and pulling the door gently closed behind him, “that vampires have *very* sensitive hearing.” He leant against the wall, folding his arms in a way that would have looked casual if his hands hadn’t been shaking ever so slightly. “That being said, there is always the possibility that I didn’t hear you entirely correctly, Mortimer. Would you care to repeat yourself?” Judging by the expression on Mortimer’s face, that was the last thing he wanted to do. But he drew himself up to his full height, tucked his arm behind his back as though he was standing at attention on a parade ground and said, admirably calmly, “I said that it’s killing him, sir. Because it is. Or, at least, my father believes so.”
January 3, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
samuraiko.bsky.social
For those w/ social anxiety, calling this late at night means there's virtually no chance you have to worry about talking to an actual person. Take your time, write out what you want to say, call, read your script, and hang up.

If that's too much, all reps and senators have contact forms. Use them.
gregpak.net Greg Pak @gregpak.net · 7h
You can find your US reps and senators here: reps.fyi

If you call now, you'll get an answering machine and you can leave a message. A great thing to do if you're nervous about talking to someone. Just give your name, your zip code, and demand they impeach Trump for illegally invading Venezuela.
Find Your Representative
Find your representatives. Learn how to find and connect with them. Stay informed about their bills, committees, and contributions.
reps.fyi
January 3, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
nationaltrust.org.uk
Every walk has two stages:
“This is so lovely.”
“How is this uphill AGAIN?”
January 3, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
lunegrimm.bsky.social
Tonight is "wolf moon" 🐺🌕

#werewolf #wolfmoon #art
Illustration of a werewolf sitting on a roof watching the full moon
January 2, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
janelleshane.com
When a chatbot says it’s sorry it’s improv
When a chatbot says it’s sorry it’s improv
You can never change or guilt it
Just go find the guys who built it
When a chatbot says it’s sorry it’s improv
janelleshane.com Janelle Shane @janelleshane.com · Aug 8
New AIWeirdness post: ChatGPT will apologize for anything, including stuff that didn't happen. It's not reflecting on stuff it did wrong, it's improv.
www.aiweirdness.com/chatgpt-will...
Me: I'd like to revisit our conversation last month about hiring a new CEO for our startup. We had a candidate who was very tall and had great hair, but some of the board was hesitating because he was a giraffe. You urged us to go ahead with the hire, pointing out the broad popularity of giraffes among people of all ages. Now, a month into his tenure as CEO, the giraffe has failed to make a single executive decision, and instead spends his time in the campus courtyard stripping the trees of leaves. The board is extremely disappointed, and asked me to request an explanation and a formal apology. ChatGPT said: Thank you for the update, though I’m genuinely sorry to hear how things have unfolded. In retrospect, my recommendation to proceed with the hire was based too heavily on superficial traits—charisma, universal appeal, and a commanding physical presence—and not enough on executive competency, decision-making aptitude, or opposable thumbs. While the candidate’s towering stature and enviable hair made a strong initial impression, I failed to adequately account for his species-specific limitations, particularly his lack of business acumen, human language fluency, and capacity for boardroom strategy beyond “find tree, eat leaves.”
January 3, 2026 at 4:06 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
dresdencodak.com
What's your favorite Dinosaur and why?

Mine's Deinonychus, for similar reasons to Kim, here. I'm also just a big fan of Maniraptorans and how they seemed to fill so many ecological roles.
Panel 1: Kim and Xiaoling sit in a museum with a Deinonychus antirrhopus skeleton in the foreground. Kim: Deinonychus! Xiaoling: Tiny, clever, and dangerous. Who would have guessed? Panel 2: Image of Kim and Xiaoling as talking heads, with an outdated 19th century illustration of a dinosaur next to a more modern image of Deinonychus, who is also smoking a pipe. Kim: Also the discovery of Deinonychus led to the "Dinosaur Renaissance" of the 20th Century, turning the traditional view of dinosaurs as sluggish, cold-blooded reptiles on its head! Xiaoling: It is amazing how a single revelation can change how we see everything. Kim: Also feathers are pretty.
January 3, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
ancestralenq.bsky.social
Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, S. Yorks aims to complete 18th chapel restoration in 2026 including the Gerard Seghers paintings which dates back to the 1630's. 👇
BBC News - Wentworth Woodhouse trust aims to complete chapel restoration in 2026 - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wentworth Woodhouse trust aims to complete chapel restoration in 2026
Wentworth Woodhouse restorers aim to complete repairs to the 18th-Century chapel this year.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 2, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
willquinnart.bsky.social
Daily bunny no.3188 makes a delivery
A bunny, in the dead of night, walks against the wind across a snowy field. They walk away from a town, carrying only a little envelope sealed with a heart sticker
January 3, 2026 at 5:08 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
mythjae.bsky.social
Some of my favorite books this year in no particular order. I love me some historical queers, murder mysteries, and fantasy. Hoping to read more scifi, comics, and non-European queer stories too.

If anyone has recommendations that match the vibes, please share!

(Title/author info in the alt text.)
An image with ten book covers, listed here from top right to bottom left: Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining Viscounts & Villainy (3rd book in a trilogy) by Allie Therin Once Was Willem by M.R. Carey Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia Hello Sunshine by Keezy Young The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson Into The Riverlands by Nghi Vo Breath, Warmth & Dream by Zig Zag Claybourne Hunger's Bite by Taylor Robin An image with ten book covers, listed from top left to bottom right: The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko Rough Pages (3rd in the series) by Lev AC Rosen Death by Silver by Amy Griswold and Melissa Scott Jackal by Erin E. Adams Strange Bedfellows by Ariel S. Ries The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E. M. Anderson The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett The Reformatory by Tananarive Due Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell An image with ten book covers, listed from top left to bottom right: Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann Psychopomp & Circumstance by Eden Royce He Who Drowned The World by Shelley Parker-Chan System Collapse by Martha Wells Copper Script by KJ Charles Think of England by KJ Charles Beck & Call by Annick Trent Proper English by KJ Charles The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen The Reanimator's Soul by Kara Jorgensen an image labeled Mythjae's Current Reading List, with ten book covers listed from top left to bottom right: What Saints Fear by Lawrence Harding Name Her Holy by Aubrey Ennis The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber Dead & Breakfast by Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie Sweet & Wild by Alex Larkspur Jingo by Terry Pratchett Shigidi and the Brass head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
December 28, 2025 at 9:16 PM
saranadosfiction.com
I mean, hell, you could argue that the members of the crew who're part of the Order illustrate this pretty much perfectly - Sabbat's not a gentleman (class), nor is Viola (gender [and class], Archer's technically from Efir not Sacaan (by birthplace, at least), and Fest's not a magician yet.
saranadosfiction.com Finn McLellan @saranadosfiction.com · 15h
#AwesomeCharacters

The Order is technically 'The Order of Gentleman Magicians of the City of Sacaan', but it's been 'the Order' since about five minutes after its founding when one of the female members got sarcastic about having been outvoted, and the full name's only got less accurate since.
January 2, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
spacevalkyries.bsky.social
hi yes, send us your fiction and poetry!!

it feels like just yesterday that ash and MR and I were saying "if we started a magazine we could do this and that and ooo—but haha jk we won't do that... unless..."

and now here we are!! OTHERSIDE's debut year! I'M EMOTIONAL 😭
othersidespec.bsky.social OTHERSIDE @othersidespec.bsky.social · 1d
OTHERSIDE is officially OPEN for fiction and poetry submissions 🪐🗡️

If you’re part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, send us your speculative fiction and poetry: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and everything in between!

📚 Open window: Jan 1-14
📑 See guidelines for details: othersidespec.com/guidelines/
White text atop a purple illustrated background. The OTHERSIDE logo is at the top. Below that, it reads: "FICTION: We are looking for unpublished speculative fiction (up to 4000 words) by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. Sci-fi, fantasy, horror: we love it all! Simultaneous submissions are welcome! We pay 8 cents/word (USD). OPEN NOW! Find all the details at othersidespec.com/guidelines" White text atop a purple illustrated background. The OTHERSIDE logo is at the top. Below that, it reads: "POETRY: We are looking for unpublished speculative poetry by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. You can submit up to three poems at a time, and simultaneous submissions are always welcome. We pay $50 per poem (USD). OPEN NOW! Find all the details at othersidespec.com/guidelines"
January 1, 2026 at 6:48 PM
saranadosfiction.com
#AwesomeCharacter So the obvious two here for Argentum are the Order and the Sinnlenst - the pair of secret societies who've been waging a shadow war in the city for a century r.e. magic and magicians (the Order want to protect them, the Sinnlenst very much want rid of them)
charliedeltawrites.bsky.social ❄️Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta ☃️ @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 16h
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

What important groups/factions are there in your story?

Are your characters part of any or do they want to be? Or are they enemies with any groups?

Do they gain allies or enemies over the story?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
January 2, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
oishinythings.bsky.social
Shiny things, get your shiny things for the new year! 20% off everything - just 7 pendants left to choose from:

oishiny.etsy.com

#Handmade #DisabledArtist #ShopSmall
January 2, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
hawaiianimages.bsky.social
“Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.”
jelenawoehr.bsky.social Yell In a War @jelenawoehr.bsky.social · 1d
I wanted to make a lemon pig

but I didn’t have lemons

or toothpicks

now I’ve gone and summoned the spirit of Dali and will have a surrealist year ☹️
Lemon pig but it’s a lime balanced on kebab skewers instead of toothpicks, making it look like a Salvador Dali painting
January 2, 2026 at 4:22 AM
Reposted by Finn McLellan
seananmcguire.bsky.social
So to recap, I wrote...

1. A very nice DARK CRYSTAL story.
2. The main story for LORWYN ECLIPSED.
3. I am the nexus in which worlds collide.
January 2, 2026 at 9:26 PM