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derlakernlins.bsky.social
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@derlakernlins.bsky.social
350 followers 360 following 880 posts
- editing an urban fantasy book about slutty dragons
- GM for @livefromtheapocalypse
- random fiber arts
- two children and a house wolf
- permacultist
- i block for AI
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derlakernlins.bsky.social
If the girl you save from a demon joined that demon to escape poverty and powerlessness and you can only offer her a return to poverty and powerlessness shes probably gonna go back to the demon, Harker.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #writevember #amwriting
“It wouldn’t have to be with me. Not like that. We don’t have to do anything together. Not if you don’t want. But I can help you. I’m always willing to help you.” Julia looked around at his spare apartment. No pictures on the walls, no carpet on the floor. The most expensive thing in the room was the gun in his hand. She sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Simon. I can’t live like this. I know I’m supposed to be okay with it, but I’m not. Carmun gives me freedom from everything except her, and frankly it’s been a while since I committed a real atrocity. We can pretty much leave that to humans now. I haven’t done a mass murder in, like, five years.”
November 9, 2025 at 12:36 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Heists are stressful.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
Joey’s ass cratered the top of the cab right as the Vigiles Draconi’s most effective weapon against dragonkind reached the bow of the ship. Kimmy didn’t wait for Joey to figure his shit out. She threw the truck into reverse, backed out as far as she could as fast as she could. There were no lights where she was going. Her mirrors were useless. Once Joey popped his head over the top of the container and lent her his eyes she was a little bit better able to determine what the fuck she was doing, but her heart remained in her throat, in her eyes, in her stomach, anywhere but her chest where it belonged until she’d been driving on populated highways for a solid ten minutes. Joey had swung into the cab at some point. He must have, because he startled her by speaking from the chair next to her. “Well shit, that kinda worked out, didn’t it?”
November 8, 2025 at 2:37 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
I am taking suggestions on what the Weird Thing Joey is thinking ought to be (why lie, its goatse)

#WIPSnips ##urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
“These will let us communicate silently,” Kimmy said. “Subvocal, just move your jaw and it’ll be like you’re speaking into a microphone.” “Ain’t those super expensive?” Joey asked. “I don’t actually think they exist. This is basically a mind-link spell that uses the movement of your jaw as a cue to broadcast your thoughts. So. Try not to think of anything weird while chewing your tongue.” Joey immediately thought of something weird and broadcast it to the room. Charlie flinched. Sebastian laughed.
November 7, 2025 at 11:21 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
The Oz tatts are genuinely stunning, done by Erin Chance who works out of Thunderhorse Tattoo in New Zealand
A colorful sleeve tattoo featuring the emerald city, a crowned Ozma crocheting a pride flag, and Dorothy spinning wool into tornado colored thread A colorful tattoo of Glinda the Good in front of her multicolored bubble, holding decorative shears A colorful tattoo of Ozmas first creation and companion, the sawhorse, surrounded by poppies
November 6, 2025 at 1:44 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
The penultimate conversation. A few more words exchanged and then it all goes to shit. Maybe next time you reinvent your entire identity at the moment of death you should go with something less volatile, Thomas!

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
A voice came over the walkie-talkie. “Arturo reached out,” Sandy said. Her voice was surprisingly calm. “He told me about the shipment being late. Didn’t say stolen, said delayed. Asked if we wanted to reschedule.” Thomas felt a tension creep into his shoulders. Something’s wrong, something’s wrong. “Okay. What did you tell him?” “That we’re not against it. I told him we wanted a discount and he called me a whore in Spanish.” “What a dick.” “Yeah. Gonna get that discount though. And a new date for the deal. What do you think?” Thomas thought that Dad would flip. They had the opportunity to wipe out werewolves, real monsters. Why wouldn’t they take it? But even Dad would recognize the value of listening to the next generation. Sandy might be leading the clan one day.
November 6, 2025 at 1:05 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Ok I could have given yall the scene where Thomas and Penny have a meet cute and try to murder one another about it but what we're all REALLY invested in is background data for novel compound research, right?!

#WIPSnips ##urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
Goldbrick lacked the paper trail that Marimba and Portico had. There were budgetary documents and contracts for production specs, delivery, and formulations, but nothing related to supporting pharmacology or preliminary research. It was as if development had spun up without any background research. Or maybe the background research was buried in NewFolder2(2). Hard to say.
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
And *you* get an evil robot! And *you* get an evil robot! Evil robots for everybody hooray!!!!

#WIPSNIPS #urbanfantasy #amwriting #writesky #booksky #writingprompts #writingcommunity #novelvember #writevember
His hand raised higher, twisted upwards as if receiving a gift from the heavens. The walls of the room slid upwards with a soft grinding sound, revealing six statues, each standing exactly behind the chairs of the Vigils present. They were about eight feet tall and looked as if they were made of white marble. Their clothing—no, armor— was exquisitely detailed. Each held an unsheathed sword, point down, hilt clenched between mailed fists. The steel gleamed in the wan light of the room, reflecting against the very familiar faces. Each statue’s face was frozen into a look of serenity, and each was carved to look exactly like the Vigil standing in front of them.
November 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
It's hard being a dragon in a family of monster hunters.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #novelvember #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
On the plus side, he had a ready-made group of fanatics who would gleefully murder Vigiles members without hesitation. That saved a lot of time. The problem was that he couldn’t use his usual shock-and-awe, “I am an ancient god, worship and fear me” methods of keeping them in line. Ezekiel would shoot him. Finn would shoot him. Riley would shoot him twice. Charlie would try to convince him to be a nice and tame dragon and live in a bar somewhere, and when that didn’t work would probably shoot him.
November 3, 2025 at 1:07 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Suuure Sebastian, your "business arrangement" that just so happened to require you to "get engaged" and "buy him a ring" and "start planning a wedding" we all super believe you're gonna break it off later.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
It was barely six in the evening and the club wasn’t open yet. Thankfully the staff all knew Seb on sight, and greeted him warmly. “Mr. Starlight is in his office,” a bartender said as she sliced limes at the bar. “He said he’s expecting you.” A little thrill ran down Sebastian’s spine. He’d thought that sensation had died when he did, the pleasurable suspicion that someone you liked might like you back. He shook his head free of the emotional cobwebs. This was a business arrangement. He was here to discuss their business arrangement.
November 2, 2025 at 12:27 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Sure, he LOOKS like a fifty-six year old man, but John is ACTUALLY a thousands of years old dragon who respects boundaries!

#WIPSnips ##urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writevember
Niamh pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know you like Kimmy. And I know she likes you. So why haven’t you just hooked up already? She’d be happy to.” “It seems… disrespectful. To try to sleep with your knight. I know how you feel about them.” “I married one knight, about eight hundred and fifty years ago,” Niamh said. “Hardly a pattern, John. She’s a big girl who can make her own decisions, she doesn’t need you getting all paternal.” “I am literally old enough to be her father,” John said. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we’re old enough to be her ancestors.” Niamh sat down on the table, since it didn’t seem like they were going to do much shooting at the moment. “Didn’t you have enough fun with the neighbor? Why are you getting weird and jealous now?”
November 1, 2025 at 11:40 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Just two monsters hanging out talking about monsters

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #writingprompts #amwriting
Thomas wasn’t so lucky. Their father pointed at him, his voice a whiplash. “Not you. You stay here.” Great. Thomas took a deep breath, held it, and let it out without self-immolating. He turned back to his father as the door shut. Father and son regarded one another for a long moment. “I meant what I said,” Ezekiel said. “I know your brothers think it’s because you went off to school, but you’ve always been soft on monsters.” Thomas let out a loud groan of frustration and rubbed his face with his hand. “Okay. You know what? I’m not doing this sober. Where are you hiding the liquor?”
October 31, 2025 at 11:16 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
The Entente is like 10% infiltrated-by-evil-mages but like 90% magic small claims court, but its the 10% that everybody really remembers and cares about

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
“She’s repeating the thaumaturgic elements of the contract we both signed,” Kimmy whispered to Trix as this happened. “We’re like, two thirds into the Bright so it doesn’t take much more than that to… ah, yep! Check out your coins!” The symbols had changed. Joey Fitz’s skull and gears motif had shrunk to the very top of the coin and the space below was now occupied by Niamh’s simple spellbook. Trix oohed and aahed about the transformation so earnestly that even the faetouched clerk seemed charmed. “Don’t lose them,” she warned. “Possession is the whole of the law when it comes to these, whoever has your coin, you owe them a favor.”
October 30, 2025 at 11:15 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
No brooms, just sweeping

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
This was a Ruby Syndicate space. A vampire space. It was dark and empty and cave-like, very unlike the bright, cozy chaos Sebastian cultivated in his real office. His high-backed office chair loomed over a luridly red desk with two white chairs sitting in front of it. A low, sweeping black leather chaise lounge occupied the wall opposite the door, flanked by bookcases. A large clock dominated one wall, the only one inside the casino. It had no numbers around its face, just a pair of black rectangles gliding silently over its surface to indicate the time. Father Cassius had designed this office. He’d insisted. Sebastian spent as little time here as possible. Perhaps that’s why it took him a moment to notice the woman seated behind his own desk.
October 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Wolf big.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
Thomas spat. His saliva burned a little hole in the ground. Howls. Too close to him. He looked up and saw more wolves. True, huge, atavistic wolves this time, not the giant-human-with-wolf-features, bad movie costume monster things that this wolf had transformed into. The largest of them was the size of a fucking minivan. Even when he’d been in scales that would have given him pause.
October 28, 2025 at 2:58 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Harker would be the first to tell you that ACAB includes Enforcer Simon Harker.

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
Harker gripped her hand for a brief second, just long enough for Penny to feel the layers of callous and scar tissue on his palm, and said “Enforcer Simon Harker, but you already knew that, right? What does TPI want out of me? I don’t work for you lot.” Here was the moment. The gamble. Was she going to tell him what happened? Was she going to confess? You couldn’t actually do it alone, that was the problem. If you were smart and quick and well-supplied you could pretend to do it alone for a little bit longer than most, but at the end of the day, on her own Penny’s options were limited to “flee the city” and “leave in fear until they catch me.” Expanding her options meant expending trust.
October 25, 2025 at 11:51 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
When Harker was looking for a place to live he thought an apartment above a bar would be a really great idea.

#WIPSNIPS #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
Niamh went around back to the clattering metal staircase that led to a steel door set into newer brickwork with a faded apartment number. Niamh knocked. Waited. Knocked again. After a few minutes Simon Harker, Concord’s best demonologist and least shitty Entente enforcer, opened the door to stare blearily at Niamh. He was unshaven, wearing fleece pajama pants with cats on them and a white tank top. He rested his right arm on the door to hold it open and looked at his watch, then back at Niamh. “We totally have an appointment right now, don’t we?” He said, his English accented voice thick with sleep.
October 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
No gradients but a few inclines, including this one from Serena, who really belongs in a trashy V:tM game and not in Sebastians' fabulous presence.

#WIPSNIPS #writingcommunity #urbanfantasy #booksky #amwriting #writesky
“Have you spoken to him? Have you heard his voice? Seen his face?” Again the trading of glances. These were more alarmed, even confused. “Y- yes?” The man said. “I think we all have.” Sebastian nodded along with the others. “We spoke just yesterday, in fact,” he said. “Are you certain you’re dialing the right number?” A wave of aggression flowed toward him like a tidal wave, raw and refreshing as a glass of lemonade. Sebastian’s smile was small, apologetic, even pitying, and he could feel little pings of amusement from the assembled vampires. His web was woven so tightly in this room, it was almost too much data. He had to remain entirely open to it and it was exhausting him. He’d need to feed soon. Then Serena surprised him. Sebastian had been expecting aggression to match the aggressive emotions. But she simply gave a small, rueful smile and inclined her head in a nod so deep it was almost a bow.
October 23, 2025 at 11:43 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Sebastian and Joey do drugs and discuss their philosophies of business

#WIPSNIPS #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting #writingprompts
He released the air in his lungs through is mouth, sighing as everything clicked back into place. The tension in his shoulders released as the overload of psychic pressure drained away. Joey Fitz regarded him with mingled amusement and interest. “Thank you, Joey.” “Yeah, no worries man. Call it even for me being late today.” Sebastian shrugged. “If you insist. I’m not fussed about it. I’ve always admired that about you, actually, that you’re so invested in your people.” “Hey, man, you invest in people and they invest back in you, know what I’m sayin’? You want people to treat you right, you gotta treat them right. Shit, that’s what’s wrong with half the world today is that folks in charge forgot how to treat people. The bigger you get the more people you gots to be kind to.”
October 22, 2025 at 4:59 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Niamh had a really bad day once and she's still not over it

##WIPSNIPS #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
Such is her desperation that she barely feels the first ballista bolt. It pierces her left wing membrane and embeds itself three feet into the rock of the mountain. She tears free and the second punches into her abdomen, shattering a hip and pinning her to the cliff face. She strains against it, ignorant to the pain, focusing entirely on calling for her child. “No!” She screams to the merciless sky. “Don’t hurt him! He’s a child! My son! My baby! Please! I love you! I love you! I love-“ The final bolt goes through her eye
October 21, 2025 at 11:34 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Look, Thomas, not everybody hears 'soul-devouring death vortex' and thinks 'oh neat where do I get one'

#WIPSnips #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
Thomas laughed. “Your magic court does trial by combat, doesn’t it?” He asked. “Two of us fight, one gets a lethal wound… we take out the whole pack of ‘em in one go. Distraction and weapon all in one tidy package.” “I have people I care about in this city,” Niamh snapped. “I’m not suiciding for this.” Thomas shrugged. “Suit yourself. Detonating is a perfectly reasonable solution, in my experience. These bodies start to go to shit once you hit 40. Shuck ‘em off, start again.”
October 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Kimmy goes on an adventure with Joey! (adventures are fun right up until theyre horrible)
Whatever negotiations Joey thought they were going to get into were not going well. The captain didn’t seem to acknowledge the gun at his head and spat on the deck next to Joey’s feet. “How about you go fuck yourself.” “For real?” Joey’s drawl was more bored than surprised. The whole scenario seemed small and unimportant to him. He’d done things like this before. Kimmy was surprised at the envy she felt. Niamh had always been so careful, there was a whole life out here that Kimmy could be living. More dangerous, sure, but… maybe that’s okay. Maybe that’s better than stagnation. Instead of answering the man dodged to the side, making a bold and probably suicidal grab for Joey’s gun. Kimmy steeled herself to see death.
October 18, 2025 at 11:01 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Did you know you can just book a house, invite some writers, and have your own writing retreat? Strange but true!

#writingcommunity #amwriting
Millennial in a Hundreds Of Beavers hat, red plaid jacked, and gray Menzingers shirt stands in front of a green lawn and narrow section of river
October 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Yeaaaah I have been stuck in a book in my TBR for a while now and so it hasnt moved but it has grown a lot.

...it takes up less of a page in my new journal though so thats nice!
October 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Sometimes you go into a prophetic trance while holding a shotgun so you read the future in the shot spread and your own blood, nbd, real casual stuff

#WIPSNIPS #urbanfantasy #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #amwriting
“What do you see?” John asked once she’d stopped mumbling and swearing. Niamh made to put her hand on her forehead, then thought the better of wiping blood through her hair and rested her wrist there instead. It took her a minute to gather her thoughts and form them into words that might make sense to anyone else. “The big pattern just says secrets revealed, but that’s not necessarily us,” she said. She gestured at the tear she’d pointed out before. “That says it is us. Not just dragons in general, but you and me in particular.” “And the blood?” She grimaced. “Sorry about that. It’s a high drama sort of specialty, prophecy.”
October 16, 2025 at 11:15 PM
derlakernlins.bsky.social
Some friends help you move house; real friends help you keep your abusive ex in a magical prison.

#WIPSnips #Writingprompts #writingcommunity #writesky #booksky #urbanfantasy #amwriting
“Hey old man,” he chirped as he slung his backpack off his shoulder and lowered it gently to the floor. “How’s it hangin? Anything hangin at all these days? I’m not sure how you vampires do, you don’t gotta screw to make more of you, maybe you ain’t got a dick no more.” Cassius’s eyes were bright with rage. The corded muscles inside his shoulders tensed and flexed, his hands grasping in little spasms. “Boy,” he rasped. His fangs were fully extended now, causing the unattractive lisp that afflicted so many blood-drinkers. “Demon-ridden. Free me. I don’t care what lies this whelp has told you. Free me. Free me and I’ll owe you a thousand debts. You and your master.”
October 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM