J. Maxwell - Author
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jmaxwell-author.bsky.social
J. Maxwell - Author
@jmaxwell-author.bsky.social
Poet ▪️Fantasy author▪️Social Work Student ▪️mental health advocate ▪️PTSD ▪️ ADHD ▪️recovering addict▪️ dnd and video game player ▪️husband ▪️pet dad (3 dogs, a cat, and a parrot) ▪️LGBTQ ally ▪️recovering philosophy student ▪️I do not respond to most DMs.
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Sober Thoughts from the Crazy House is a collection of poetry focused on my experience with substance abuse, mental illness, and recovery.

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#poetry #blueskypoets #poetsofbluesky #blueskypoetry #poetryofbluesky #poetsonbluesky #poetryonbluesky #writingcommunity #booksky #poetrysky
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Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#NovemberWorldbuilders

8: One challenge in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is that “heroes” tend to vary depending on which point of view you are taking. I think to our viewpoint, Lai’Brill who played a role in founding the First Republic of Freeport seems mostly…
Hello, #NovemberWorldbulders! This week’s theme is GOOD and EVIL where we share morality in our fictional worlds. Today's question is about HEROES from the past. Do you have any characters who lived and performed acts of heroism before the main story starts?
November 8, 2025 at 1:42 PM
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#NovemberWorldbuilders

7: Still in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) and still writing about flags, black is a color that appears in both the flags of the Nation of Cyra and the Kingdom of Hroth, where it symbolizes the soil of the land that produces the crops that feed...
Heya #NovemberWorldbuilders!
We're talking about COLORS in our world this week. Tell me about something in your world that's BLACK. Do you use it symbolically? Do you have any special black objects or animals or magical items in your world? Tell us about them!
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
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#NovemberWorldbuilders
6: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), while white is one of the prominent colors in the flag of the Republic of Freeport (representing the national commitment to peace and diplomacy over war), white is more often associated with the flag of the...
Hello, #NovemberWorldbuilders friends!
We're in COLORS week! Tell me about something in your world that's WHITE. Have you used it symbolically? Any special white clothes, rocks, animals, or magical artifacts you'd like to talk about?
November 6, 2025 at 12:32 PM
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#NovemberWorldbuilders
5: In Karnssia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), there are several bioluminescent animals that live in the caves beneath the desert of Avenad that have purple glows, including the parumbursi (large badger-like animals) and vuleri (spined, iridescent foxes).
#NovemberWorldbuilders
This week's theme is COLORS! Tell me about something in your world that's PURPLE. Do you use it symbolically? Do you have anything special in your worldbuilding that's purple? Maybe an animal, jewels, a garment, a flower, or something more strange and magical?
November 5, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#NovemberWorldbuilders

4: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the main source of green related to the goddess Graes of the Valestra, the chief deity of their pantheon, though because there are not a ton of animal sources of green dye in Valestra, despite the significant...
Hey there, #NovemberWorldbuilders!
It's COLORS week! Tell me about something in your world that's green. This one is probably more common, since green is so strongly associated with nature. Do you have any cool greenery in your world? Or maybe you've used it for an object? Tell me about it!
November 5, 2025 at 1:02 AM
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#NovemberWorldbuilders
3: Catching up with Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), yellow/orange/gold are common colors for the Empire of Atmoriel (Atmor being the name of the son, Atmoriel the capital city, and Atmorals the people), and the color yellow is one of the three of...
It's #NovemberWorldbuilders!
We're talking about colors in our worlds! Tell me about something in your world that's YELLOW or ORANGE? I find that these two are often underrated/underused in worldbuilding, so I'd love to hear what you have. Maybe something symbolic of the sun or made of gold?
November 5, 2025 at 12:56 AM
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#NovemberWorldbuilders
1: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the color red (along with gold) is the color of the Vizrani Empire, associated with their nobility and the Imperial line and the predominant color of their flag. In the Kingdom of Valestra, red is a common dye...
November 1, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
Statement on LAPD targeting our reporter @shoton35mm.bsky.social 🧵

Video by @filmthepolicela.bsky.social
October 21, 2025 at 1:35 AM
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THERE WILL BE TRIBUNALS
October 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
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We have to do everything we can to get him out! It's way past time to get serious. Repost.
October 24, 2025 at 1:52 PM
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October 24, 2025 at 1:46 AM
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October 24, 2025 at 3:29 AM
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#PlotTober

7: In the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), Zri'Denn has the same motivation he has had since the third Karnassia stand alone, and he puts it best: "I'd like to not be fucking poor anymore." Financial self-interest and power drive him forward...
#PlotTober Day 7: Main character motivations

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 7, 2025 at 11:17 AM
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#OctoberWorldbuilders
7: Still in Avenad in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), again talking about the Avendrals. Dance and music are critical to the Carnival of the Wastes that I talked about a little bit before (post below), but as far as clothing goes, the fashion of the...
October 7, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#PlotTober

8: For the crew in the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), there are three source of conflict. The most central one was the within group schism, with Zri'Denn, Riv'Kala, Rashad, and Sel'Vinna on one side, and Kasira, Val'Sai, and Swindles on the..
#PlotTober Day 8: Conflicts for the MC

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 8, 2025 at 11:24 AM
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#OctoberWorldbuilders
8: None of the character in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) play sports (which I am thinking may be something to explore with yet another character or story idea), though many of the various rogues (Zri'Denn and Kasira, especially) are fans of...
October 8, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#PlotTober

9: For the crew in the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the characters have a lot in common, so I will try to focus on the traits that ultimately distinguish them. Zri'Denn, as I mentioned, was influenced by the idea of "perspective-taking...
#PlotTober Day 9: MC personality & behaviors

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
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#PlotTober

12: For the crew in the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the schism in the ensemble cast does make it so most of the antagonists are each other, at least most directly. However, His Imperial Majesty's Inquisition of the Vizrani Empire and...
#PlotTober Day 12: Antagonists

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 12, 2025 at 11:27 AM
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#PlotTober

11: The conflict within the crew in the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is going to drive both the ability of the characters to change and will be the big stumbling block in inhibiting any positive growth. For the faction of Zri'Denn-Riv'Kala..
#PlotTober Day 11: MC growth & change

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 11, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#PlotTober

10: The crew of the third Rise of Villainy books (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) have a variety of tragic backgrounds, some that happen on screen in other Karnassia books and some that happen off. Some of this is finally revealed in this book, so details may be light...
#PlotTober Day 10: MC backstory & traumas

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky
October 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#OctoberWorldbuilders
10: In Hrothia in the Kingdom of Hroth in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), there's a great arena that's used for competitive combat sports and dueling and horse racing, while along the docks, competitive sailing races are a common form of entertainment.
October 10, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#OctoberWorldbuilders
12: As far as games in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the ones we have most detailed are games of chance, and so the card deck used in the Vizrani Empire especially is most well known, with the face cards being: Emperor/Empress (worth 11)...
October 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM
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#SeptemberWorlbuilders
15: For Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), this feels like a crossover episode with #Septopolis, as the most frequent seaside setting is probably the city of Vizrala (with the cities of Freeport and Atmoriel coming in close second and third).
September 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
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#Septopolis

15: The predominant religion in Vizrala is that of the rest of the Vizrani Empire in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social). This religion was detailed in #MythAugust (yay, crossover episode), so I won't go into too much detail (other than to post the pantheon), BUT...
September 15, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Reposted by J. Maxwell - Author
#Septopolis

16: Vizrala in the Vizrani Empire in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is the second largest city of that Empire, and predominantly follows a relative grid-structure. The richer areas (including the palace of the Prince of Vizrala, the Hippo District for the...
khonri.com Khonri @khonri.com · Sep 16
#Septopolis 16

The aesthetics are for tomorrow! Today's just the overall size and layout. Was it thoroughly planned with grid structures or did it grow informally and organically across the years?

Perhaps some sector or districts talk if this is a tad too simple... 👀

#WritingCommunity #Writesky
September 16, 2025 at 11:21 AM