Melanie is querying
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melanielocke.bsky.social
Melanie is querying
@melanielocke.bsky.social
470 followers 430 following 240 posts
SFF Writer. Queer. #actuallyautistic . Vegan. '24 RTM mentee. She/they
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melanielocke.bsky.social
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR

👁️ a gay seer determined to fake it till he makes it
🚒 a butch lesbian firefighter who thinks she's the Chosen One
😱 a Fear based apocalypse set to end the world

Without a real Chosen One, what could possibly go wrong?

#Questpit #A #F #LGBT #ND #Q
Opening page to agent's guide. Text: Agent's guide to You are Not the Chosen One, an adult queer fantasy by Melanie Locke. Placed at the center of an artdeco frame with black and golden coloring Part two of the agent's guide. Artdeco background with black and gold. Pitch: When Seer Cass learns there's no Chosen One to save the world from a Fear based apocalypse, he tells firefighter Esti she's the Chosen One. If she ever learns he lied, the world will end. Comps on the right with covers and a poster. The Umbrella Academy season 1 poster, the Last Hour between World, the Raven Scholar, Dark Rise. Snippet. Same background as previous picture, with messy paper on top. Text: “How did it feel?” she asked, voice soft. Careful. For a moment he looked at her, eyes like broken glass. He sat up, fists clenched. “Bad! It feels fucking bad, okay? But it doesn’t matter. If I have to kill one man to save a village then that is what I will do. You can’t save the world without getting blood on your hands. And the worst thing is, it didn’t even work.” Esti didn’t know what to say. Cass stared into the distance, arms wrapped tight around his body. He’d never looked so small before. And yet Esti knew what he was capable of. It mattered little how he felt, his sorrow didn’t bring the mayor back. And perhaps he would have died no matter what. Perhaps Cass had done the best he could in impossible circumstances. But Esti couldn’t forget he’d murdered a man in cold blood. “I didn’t ask for this, you know.” Bitterness spilled out like a basilisk’s venom. “Being the seer meant to stop the Fear, having only one year left.”
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
A dying mage and his lover research a way to wield magic without killing mages, but tragedy leaves them separated, soulless and immortal. Centuries later, two magic scientists must retrace their mistakes and help them die before their pain consumes the world.

#Questpit #A #F #LGBT #ND #W
Moodboard. Top left: wooden staff standing against pillar. Top right: misty greenhouse. Middle: crystal in a hand. Middle right: tropical plants. Bottom left: spiral staircase in library. Bottom middle: open book. Bottom right: typewriter on desk.
November 5, 2025 at 11:58 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
I officially #amquerying You are not the Chosen One, my adult queer fantasy with a fake Chosen One premise

Below is my agent's guide:
Opening page to agent's guide. Text: Agent's guide to You are Not the Chosen One, an adult queer fantasy by Melanie Locke. Placed at the center of an artdeco frame with black and golden coloring Part two of the agent's guide. Artdeco background with black and gold. Pitch: When Seer Cass learns there's no Chosen One to save the world from a Fear based apocalypse, he tells firefighter Esti she's the Chosen One. If she ever learns he lied, the world will end. Comps on the right with covers and a poster. The Umbrella Academy season 1 poster, the Last Hour between World, the Raven Scholar, Dark Rise. Snippet, same background as previous. Text: “How did it feel?” she asked, voice soft. Careful. For a moment he looked at her, eyes like broken glass. He sat up, fists clenched. “Bad! It feels fucking bad, okay? But it doesn’t matter. If I have to kill one man to save a village then that is what I will do. You can’t save the world without getting blood on your hands. And the worst thing is, it didn’t even work.” Esti didn’t know what to say. Cass stared into the distance, arms wrapped tight around his body. He’d never looked so small before. And yet Esti knew what he was capable of. It mattered little how he felt, his sorrow didn’t bring the mayor back. And perhaps he would have died no matter what. Perhaps Cass had done the best he could in impossible circumstances. But Esti couldn’t forget he’d murdered a man in cold blood. “I didn’t ask for this, you know.” Bitterness spilled out like a basilisk’s venom. “Being the seer meant to stop the Fear, having only one year left.”
August 19, 2025 at 2:42 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR

👁️ a gay seer who will fake it till he makes it
🚒 a butch lesbian firefighter turned "Chosen One"
😱 a Fear based apocalypse that will end the world

Without a Chosen One, what could possibly go wrong?

#queerpit #A #F #EF #UF
Opening page to agent's guide. Text: Agent's guide to You are Not the Chosen One, an adult queer fantasy by Melanie Locke. Placed at the center of an artdeco frame with black and golden coloring Part two of the agent's guide. Artdeco background with black and gold. Pitch: When Seer Cass learns there's no Chosen One to save the world from a Fear based apocalypse, he tells firefighter Esti she's the Chosen One. If she ever learns he lied, the world will end. Comps on the right with covers and a poster. The Umbrella Academy season 1 poster, the Last Hour between World, the Raven Scholar, Dark Rise. Snippet. Same background as previous picture, with messy paper on top. Text: “How did it feel?” she asked, voice soft. Careful. For a moment he looked at her, eyes like broken glass. He sat up, fists clenched. “Bad! It feels fucking bad, okay? But it doesn’t matter. If I have to kill one man to save a village then that is what I will do. You can’t save the world without getting blood on your hands. And the worst thing is, it didn’t even work.” Esti didn’t know what to say. Cass stared into the distance, arms wrapped tight around his body. He’d never looked so small before. And yet Esti knew what he was capable of. It mattered little how he felt, his sorrow didn’t bring the mayor back. And perhaps he would have died no matter what. Perhaps Cass had done the best he could in impossible circumstances. But Esti couldn’t forget he’d murdered a man in cold blood. “I didn’t ask for this, you know.” Bitterness spilled out like a basilisk’s venom. “Being the seer meant to stop the Fear, having only one year left.”
August 15, 2025 at 1:50 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR

When seer Cass learns there’s no Chosen One to save the world from a Fear magic based apocalypse, he tells firefighter Esti she’s the Chosen One. If she ever learns he lied, the world will end.

#queerpit #F #A #EF #UF
Title page to agent's guide. Artdeco frame, black with golden brown striped patterns. Text: an agent's guide to: You are not the Chosen One, an adult queer fantasy by Melanie Locke
August 15, 2025 at 12:09 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY x DARK RISE

👁️ a gay seer who will fake it till he makes it
🚒 a butch lesbian firefighter turned "Chosen One"
😱 a Fear based apocalypse that will end the world

What could possibly go wrong?

Entering the trenches soon!

#Questpit #A #F #Q #LGBT
Opening page to agent's guide. Text: Agent's guide to You are Not the Chosen One, an adult queer fantasy by Melanie Locke. Placed at the center of an artdeco frame with black and golden coloring Part two of the agent's guide. Artdeco background with black and gold. Pitch: When Seer Cass learns there's no Chosen One to save the world from a Fear based apocalypse, he tells firefighter Esti she's the Chosen One. If she ever learns he lied, the world will end. Comps on the right with covers and a poster. The Umbrella Academy season 1 poster, the Last Hour between World, the Raven Scholar, Dark Rise. Snippet. Art deco background, same as previous slide. Piece of messy paper on top, with the snippet text: “How did it feel?” she asked, voice soft. Careful. For a moment he looked at her, eyes like broken glass. He sat up, fists clenched. “Bad! It feels fucking bad, okay? But it doesn’t matter. If I have to kill one man to save a village then that is what I will do. You can’t save the world without getting blood on your hands. And the worst thing is, it didn’t even work.” Esti didn’t know what to say. Cass stared into the distance, arms wrapped tight around his body. He’d never looked so small before. And yet Esti knew what he was capable of. It mattered little how he felt, his sorrow didn’t bring the mayor back. And perhaps he would have died no matter what. Perhaps Cass had done the best he could in impossible circumstances. But Esti couldn’t forget he’d murdered a man in cold blood. “I didn’t ask for this, you know.” Bitterness spilled out like a basilisk’s venom. “Being the seer meant to stop the Fear, having only one year left.”
August 6, 2025 at 12:06 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
TO SLAY OR NOT TO SLAY, THAT IS THE QUESTION

⚔️ a knight who sets out to slay a dragon
🦌 a shapeshifter who will stop at nothing to prevent that
🌳 a deadly magical forest with a will of its own

To do what is right,should the knight kill the dragon, or save her?

#questpit #F#A #W #LGBT
Moodboard. Medieval foresty vibes. Top left is a white statue of a dragon against a black background. Top middle: white horse standing among bushes. Top right: Zoomed in on medieval armor chest plating with a golden hue. Middle left: helicopter view of forest with thick mist above. Middle: medieval castle with bridge/road leading to the gate, surrounded by misty forest. Middle right: sword lying on a wooden table. Bottom left: Dark green forest, low perspective. Bottom right: brown bear on an orange ish field
August 6, 2025 at 10:08 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
A dying mage and his partner seek to wield magic without killing mages, but both become soulless immortals, causing deadly blight. Centuries later, two magic scientists seek to end this blight. They must discover how to kill an immortal, or watch the world be consumed.

#Questpit #F #A #W #LGBT
Moodboard. Top left: wooden staff standing against pillar. Top right: misty greenhouse. Middle: crystal in a hand. Middle right: tropical plants. Bottom left: spiral staircase in library. Bottom middle: open book. Bottom right: typewriter on desk.
August 6, 2025 at 5:50 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
I realized I hadn't posted my #agentsguide seperate from Questpit yet, so here it is!
May 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
To slay or not to slay, that is the question

Knight Quinn sets out to slay a dragon. Illegal shapeshifter Adrian will do anything to prevent that. As they meet in the deadly magical forest, dependent on each other to survive, Quinn must decide what's right.

#WIPPit #A #F #RF #LGBT #ND #FBW
Moodboard. Medieval foresty vibes. Top left is a white statue of a dragon against a black background. Top middle: white horse standing among bushes. Top right: Zoomed in on medieval armor chest plating with a golden hue. Middle left: helicopter view of forest with thick mist above. Middle: medieval castle with bridge/road leading to the gate, surrounded by misty forest. Middle right: sword lying on a wooden table. Bottom left: Dark green forest, low perspective. Bottom right: brown bear on an orange ish field
May 23, 2025 at 6:08 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
ONE DARK WINDOW x MALICE

Shadow sorceress Evelyn has been having nightmares of a monster seeking to use her powers. Together with witch Lydia she must find out what the monster wants from her, before she loses herself to it.

#questpit #A #F #Q #LGBT
Agent's guide title page: An agent's guide to Before the Shadows Fall. A 98K sapphic adult fantasy with gothic elements. Background: dark green with trees, a pale woman with black hair and a strapless dress holding a rose Pitch: All unwilling princess Evelyn wants is an escape. Caged in a palace, she grieves the loss of her twin brother, struggles to control the shadow sorcery inside of her, and lately she’s been having nightmares—the same nightmares her brother had before he died. She sees a monster that demands she use her magic in its service. If Evelyn ever wants any peace, she must get the monster out of her head. Witch and healer Lydia sets out to investigate a dark presence that’s settled in the forest near her village. She discovers a connection between the monster that lurks in her forest and threatens her village and Princess Evelyn’s the shadow sorcery. To keep her people safe, Lydia needs Evelyn’s help. Trope map. Same picture as previously. For fans of: Malice, One Dark Window, The Crimson Crown, Harrow the 9th. Mentioned tropes: childhood friends to lovers, recovery after trauma, twin who may or may not be dead, a fucked up deer (and other monsters), shadow magic, nature based healing magic, goth gf x cottagecore gf Excerpt: The falling sun cast long shadows. They danced to Evelyn and covered her. Evelyn let out a sob, or perhaps something closer to a scream. The raw emotion punched Lydia in the gut, but Evelyn needed support. Lydia couldn’t leave her to deal with this alone. “Evelyn, I am so sorry. I know how hard this must be for you, and it’s okay to feel whatever you must be feeling.” Evelyn growled, the shadows around her grew. “Lydia, I need you to step away.” “I won’t leave you—” “Stay away!” Evelyn screamed and as she did a wave of shadows burst out. It stopped just before crashing into Lydia, and floated back where it belonged. Evelyn glanced up, tears glistering in her eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
May 7, 2025 at 12:52 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
A knight sets out into an enchanted forest to slay a dragon. A shapeshifter will do anything to prevent his success. When the two meet in the woods, they must rely on each other to survive. As they grow closer, the knight begins to question if he should slay the dragon.

#questpit #W #A #F #LGBT
May 7, 2025 at 11:13 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
ONE DARK WINDOW x MALICE

A cottagecore witch love interest with healing magic who would be the perfect main character for a cozy fantasy but instead her girlfriend is a shadow sorceress haunted by a monster so now she has to go through the horrors

#questpit #A #F #Q #LGBT
Moodboard. Cottagecore. Top left: plus sized redhead woman. Top middle: a basket with a book and herbs. Top right: spellbook, herbs and candle. Middle left: stone circle. Middle right: mirror and strawberries. Bottom left: cottage w flowers. Bottom middle: path in forest Bottom right: tea w flowers
May 7, 2025 at 9:22 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
ARCANE x OUR INFINITE FATES

A dying mage and his partner seek to prevent magic from killing mages. Their efforts turn them both into soulless immortals.
Centuries later, two magic scientists seek to stop a blight, and they must find a way to kill these cursed gods.

#Questpit #F #W #A #LGBT
May 7, 2025 at 7:30 AM
melanielocke.bsky.social
#Agents I started querying my gothic Sapphic fantasy!

Shadow sorceress Evelyn has been having nightmares of a monster seeking to use her powers. Together with witch Lydia she must find out what the monster wants from her, before she loses herself to it.
April 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
Finished another round of revisions on Shadows! This book has been in progress for a long time (first draft in early 2021), and has changed shape a lot, but it's getting close.
Here's my drawing of the main character, Evelyn, a shadow sorcerer haunted by a monster in her nightmares.
November 21, 2024 at 2:20 PM
melanielocke.bsky.social
My #agentsguide for my #amquerying book!
An agent's guide to The Masked Consort A Taste of Gold and Iron x the Sins on their Bones Adult Achillean romantic fantasy Wordcount 99K The Masked Consort features An autistic, gay main character A gladiator turned rebel love interest A queernorm, Greco-Roman inspired world Leaving an abusive marriage to the Emperor and finding new love Rebellion against the empire Time based magic A mythology based quest for an ancient gift Unmasking and self acceptance Lysander's dark brown eyes were fierce and intense, almost as if to challenge him. To do hwat, he wasn't sure. Marius forced himself to look away, eye contact had always been difficult. He couldn't do this. He didn't know what to make of Lysander's expression. Was he hiding the way Marius did? Marius had to stop worrying, just do this one thing. Drawing it out only made it worse. Marius placed the laurel crown on Lysander's head, his hands shakig. Pristhos, all those eyes on him. "Congratulations on your victory." He fixed his eyes on the ground. He didn't dare make eye contact. "Thank you, my Prince."
November 18, 2024 at 10:16 AM