Ellen Mellor 🏳️⚧️ Samarcand Books (she/her)
@samarcand.itch.io
Girly Trans Soul Rebel, author & reader.
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
So many books.
So many comics.
So much tea.
Pronouns:she/her
https://linktr.ee/samarcand
*how all anti-trans people are spouting the same bollocks.
Missing that prefix changes the whole meaning of that sentence.
Missing that prefix changes the whole meaning of that sentence.
November 11, 2025 at 6:06 PM
*how all anti-trans people are spouting the same bollocks.
Missing that prefix changes the whole meaning of that sentence.
Missing that prefix changes the whole meaning of that sentence.
definite sparks of ideas that I explored more later on. It's not the best book ever written, but for a deeply closeted and confused trans woman's first attempt at long-form writing, it's pretty bloody good. /END
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
definite sparks of ideas that I explored more later on. It's not the best book ever written, but for a deeply closeted and confused trans woman's first attempt at long-form writing, it's pretty bloody good. /END
a lot like a first novel and there are very strong hints of who my influences are but I am still more than pleased with it.
Even when I wrote this - 25 years ago now? - I was non-normally cis and straight enough to include queer characters and gender stuff and I think it still works. There are /6
Even when I wrote this - 25 years ago now? - I was non-normally cis and straight enough to include queer characters and gender stuff and I think it still works. There are /6
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
a lot like a first novel and there are very strong hints of who my influences are but I am still more than pleased with it.
Even when I wrote this - 25 years ago now? - I was non-normally cis and straight enough to include queer characters and gender stuff and I think it still works. There are /6
Even when I wrote this - 25 years ago now? - I was non-normally cis and straight enough to include queer characters and gender stuff and I think it still works. There are /6
anticipation of getting out of Am*z*ns clutches. In the meantime, I'm serialising it on Scribblehub - www.scribblehub.com/series/19232...
I was and am very proud of this one. I have always written but this was far and away the longest thing I had ever completed. And it holds up. I mean, it reads /5
I was and am very proud of this one. I have always written but this was far and away the longest thing I had ever completed. And it holds up. I mean, it reads /5
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
anticipation of getting out of Am*z*ns clutches. In the meantime, I'm serialising it on Scribblehub - www.scribblehub.com/series/19232...
I was and am very proud of this one. I have always written but this was far and away the longest thing I had ever completed. And it holds up. I mean, it reads /5
I was and am very proud of this one. I have always written but this was far and away the longest thing I had ever completed. And it holds up. I mean, it reads /5
chunk of the North East of England, is employed by Liza Carr, the youngest member of the planetary Executive Committee, to discover if it was sabotage and, if so, the reason for it.
Shit happens to Kem and Saffia as they get delve further.
I'm in the process of re-editing this one, in /4
Shit happens to Kem and Saffia as they get delve further.
I'm in the process of re-editing this one, in /4
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
chunk of the North East of England, is employed by Liza Carr, the youngest member of the planetary Executive Committee, to discover if it was sabotage and, if so, the reason for it.
Shit happens to Kem and Saffia as they get delve further.
I'm in the process of re-editing this one, in /4
Shit happens to Kem and Saffia as they get delve further.
I'm in the process of re-editing this one, in /4
into the future, the first ever colony ship has reached its target planet. Something happens and it's completely destroyed, killing everyone on board.
40 years later, the distress signal reaches Earth.
Kem Logan, a private detective who lives in the Novocastria arcology, which covers a large /3
40 years later, the distress signal reaches Earth.
Kem Logan, a private detective who lives in the Novocastria arcology, which covers a large /3
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
into the future, the first ever colony ship has reached its target planet. Something happens and it's completely destroyed, killing everyone on board.
40 years later, the distress signal reaches Earth.
Kem Logan, a private detective who lives in the Novocastria arcology, which covers a large /3
40 years later, the distress signal reaches Earth.
Kem Logan, a private detective who lives in the Novocastria arcology, which covers a large /3
returned to London after the holiday, her dad told us that he knew that beach. He waded ashore there, five days after D-Day. (He had only recently been moved from a battalion that had been entirely wiped out on the day itself).
TLS is a science fiction, detective novel. Set several hundred years /2
TLS is a science fiction, detective novel. Set several hundred years /2
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
returned to London after the holiday, her dad told us that he knew that beach. He waded ashore there, five days after D-Day. (He had only recently been moved from a battalion that had been entirely wiped out on the day itself).
TLS is a science fiction, detective novel. Set several hundred years /2
TLS is a science fiction, detective novel. Set several hundred years /2
The Long Sleep
My first novel. Originally, I wrote this as short story. Actually, most of the first draft was written while sitting on the beach at Arramanche in Normandy, one of the D-Day landing beaches. When my (then girlfriend, later wife, now ex-wife but still best friend) and I /1
My first novel. Originally, I wrote this as short story. Actually, most of the first draft was written while sitting on the beach at Arramanche in Normandy, one of the D-Day landing beaches. When my (then girlfriend, later wife, now ex-wife but still best friend) and I /1
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The Long Sleep
My first novel. Originally, I wrote this as short story. Actually, most of the first draft was written while sitting on the beach at Arramanche in Normandy, one of the D-Day landing beaches. When my (then girlfriend, later wife, now ex-wife but still best friend) and I /1
My first novel. Originally, I wrote this as short story. Actually, most of the first draft was written while sitting on the beach at Arramanche in Normandy, one of the D-Day landing beaches. When my (then girlfriend, later wife, now ex-wife but still best friend) and I /1
It's also the first piece of work where the main protagonist and the majority of other characters are female. It's very cis, but that's okay. I thought I was at the time.
It's also wide open for a sequel, but I've never come up with a good enough idea for one. Not yet, anyway. /END
It's also wide open for a sequel, but I've never come up with a good enough idea for one. Not yet, anyway. /END
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
It's also the first piece of work where the main protagonist and the majority of other characters are female. It's very cis, but that's okay. I thought I was at the time.
It's also wide open for a sequel, but I've never come up with a good enough idea for one. Not yet, anyway. /END
It's also wide open for a sequel, but I've never come up with a good enough idea for one. Not yet, anyway. /END
and Ghostkin is a contemporary, supernatural thriller. Not to mention, the memoir and the kid's picture book.
Down Among... is fun, probably the closest I've come to writing a YA book. There are ideas in there that I really like - I think my favourite is the way I use the Aurora Borealis. /5
Down Among... is fun, probably the closest I've come to writing a YA book. There are ideas in there that I really like - I think my favourite is the way I use the Aurora Borealis. /5
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
and Ghostkin is a contemporary, supernatural thriller. Not to mention, the memoir and the kid's picture book.
Down Among... is fun, probably the closest I've come to writing a YA book. There are ideas in there that I really like - I think my favourite is the way I use the Aurora Borealis. /5
Down Among... is fun, probably the closest I've come to writing a YA book. There are ideas in there that I really like - I think my favourite is the way I use the Aurora Borealis. /5
do it again? It turns out that I could.
I think this book is where I really started to discover my own voice and style. As such, I'm very proud of it. It also started my refusal to stick to a single 'type' of book. The Long Sleep was a SF noir detective story, this was out-and-out high fantasy /4
I think this book is where I really started to discover my own voice and style. As such, I'm very proud of it. It also started my refusal to stick to a single 'type' of book. The Long Sleep was a SF noir detective story, this was out-and-out high fantasy /4
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
do it again? It turns out that I could.
I think this book is where I really started to discover my own voice and style. As such, I'm very proud of it. It also started my refusal to stick to a single 'type' of book. The Long Sleep was a SF noir detective story, this was out-and-out high fantasy /4
I think this book is where I really started to discover my own voice and style. As such, I'm very proud of it. It also started my refusal to stick to a single 'type' of book. The Long Sleep was a SF noir detective story, this was out-and-out high fantasy /4
the exception of Vivian who she keeps as hostage. Then she declares war on the humans.
Meanwhile, strange monsters - vaguely man-shaped but malformed - are starting to attack.
This was my 'difficult second album'. I had successfully completed one novel and people seemed to like it, but could I /3
Meanwhile, strange monsters - vaguely man-shaped but malformed - are starting to attack.
This was my 'difficult second album'. I had successfully completed one novel and people seemed to like it, but could I /3
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
the exception of Vivian who she keeps as hostage. Then she declares war on the humans.
Meanwhile, strange monsters - vaguely man-shaped but malformed - are starting to attack.
This was my 'difficult second album'. I had successfully completed one novel and people seemed to like it, but could I /3
Meanwhile, strange monsters - vaguely man-shaped but malformed - are starting to attack.
This was my 'difficult second album'. I had successfully completed one novel and people seemed to like it, but could I /3
Ylahyem.
Vivian is the human ambassador's daughter and gets caught up in shenanigans when the Yla king is assassinated.
Sunnifa, the dead king's daughter started out as Vivian's closest friend in Ylahyem but something happened when she took the throne. First she throws out all the humans, with /2
Vivian is the human ambassador's daughter and gets caught up in shenanigans when the Yla king is assassinated.
Sunnifa, the dead king's daughter started out as Vivian's closest friend in Ylahyem but something happened when she took the throne. First she throws out all the humans, with /2
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Ylahyem.
Vivian is the human ambassador's daughter and gets caught up in shenanigans when the Yla king is assassinated.
Sunnifa, the dead king's daughter started out as Vivian's closest friend in Ylahyem but something happened when she took the throne. First she throws out all the humans, with /2
Vivian is the human ambassador's daughter and gets caught up in shenanigans when the Yla king is assassinated.
Sunnifa, the dead king's daughter started out as Vivian's closest friend in Ylahyem but something happened when she took the throne. First she throws out all the humans, with /2
Down Among the Yla
My first fantasy novel. Some of the ideas from this came out of research I did for Body and Soul, one of the short stories in Stories From The Corner of the Room.
A race of beings, called the Yla, live in the arctic north. However, they live underground in an enormous cavern, /1
My first fantasy novel. Some of the ideas from this came out of research I did for Body and Soul, one of the short stories in Stories From The Corner of the Room.
A race of beings, called the Yla, live in the arctic north. However, they live underground in an enormous cavern, /1
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Down Among the Yla
My first fantasy novel. Some of the ideas from this came out of research I did for Body and Soul, one of the short stories in Stories From The Corner of the Room.
A race of beings, called the Yla, live in the arctic north. However, they live underground in an enormous cavern, /1
My first fantasy novel. Some of the ideas from this came out of research I did for Body and Soul, one of the short stories in Stories From The Corner of the Room.
A race of beings, called the Yla, live in the arctic north. However, they live underground in an enormous cavern, /1
I wrote it but I think it's worth keeping intact as a record of who I used to be.
It also contains extracts of The Long Sleep, Down Among The Yla and Ghostkin. /END
It also contains extracts of The Long Sleep, Down Among The Yla and Ghostkin. /END
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I wrote it but I think it's worth keeping intact as a record of who I used to be.
It also contains extracts of The Long Sleep, Down Among The Yla and Ghostkin. /END
It also contains extracts of The Long Sleep, Down Among The Yla and Ghostkin. /END
now presented in its final form.
The last story is 'Two Households' which was my first foray into actually writing something that dealt with gender. It's about a crossdressing boy who gets help to come out. There are aspects of it that show my lack of understanding about the trans community when /4
The last story is 'Two Households' which was my first foray into actually writing something that dealt with gender. It's about a crossdressing boy who gets help to come out. There are aspects of it that show my lack of understanding about the trans community when /4
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
now presented in its final form.
The last story is 'Two Households' which was my first foray into actually writing something that dealt with gender. It's about a crossdressing boy who gets help to come out. There are aspects of it that show my lack of understanding about the trans community when /4
The last story is 'Two Households' which was my first foray into actually writing something that dealt with gender. It's about a crossdressing boy who gets help to come out. There are aspects of it that show my lack of understanding about the trans community when /4
Britain: Body and Soul' which is a superhero story that started life as fanfic of a friend's fanfic. I subsequently took it, scrubbed off all the fanfic-ness and any mention of that friend (actually, I also scrubbed off the friend when I discovered that he was an abusive piece of shit) and it is /3
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Britain: Body and Soul' which is a superhero story that started life as fanfic of a friend's fanfic. I subsequently took it, scrubbed off all the fanfic-ness and any mention of that friend (actually, I also scrubbed off the friend when I discovered that he was an abusive piece of shit) and it is /3
girlfriend because he's a twat.
Most of the others are science fiction or fantasy, including 'Ian Knight: A Memoir of My Early Years' which is about as eggy a story could be without coming out and shouting 'This was written by a trans person who hasn't worked it out yet' and 'The Knights of /2
Most of the others are science fiction or fantasy, including 'Ian Knight: A Memoir of My Early Years' which is about as eggy a story could be without coming out and shouting 'This was written by a trans person who hasn't worked it out yet' and 'The Knights of /2
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
girlfriend because he's a twat.
Most of the others are science fiction or fantasy, including 'Ian Knight: A Memoir of My Early Years' which is about as eggy a story could be without coming out and shouting 'This was written by a trans person who hasn't worked it out yet' and 'The Knights of /2
Most of the others are science fiction or fantasy, including 'Ian Knight: A Memoir of My Early Years' which is about as eggy a story could be without coming out and shouting 'This was written by a trans person who hasn't worked it out yet' and 'The Knights of /2
Stories From The Corner of the Room
This was my first short story collection and consists of work I wrote pre-transition.
A lot of them are music inspired, including the one that starts the book: 'I Wish I Could Be Like...'. It's the story of a misanthropic young man who gets dumped by his /1
This was my first short story collection and consists of work I wrote pre-transition.
A lot of them are music inspired, including the one that starts the book: 'I Wish I Could Be Like...'. It's the story of a misanthropic young man who gets dumped by his /1
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Stories From The Corner of the Room
This was my first short story collection and consists of work I wrote pre-transition.
A lot of them are music inspired, including the one that starts the book: 'I Wish I Could Be Like...'. It's the story of a misanthropic young man who gets dumped by his /1
This was my first short story collection and consists of work I wrote pre-transition.
A lot of them are music inspired, including the one that starts the book: 'I Wish I Could Be Like...'. It's the story of a misanthropic young man who gets dumped by his /1
Piper Strange Art
Illustrations and comics by artist Piper Strange
piperstrange.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
is really good (and so does Piper), it's the illustrations that really make it for me. They are just perfect.
Piper and I are currently collaborating on another book - The Lonely Haggis which should be out next year.
In the meantime, after you've bought all my books, you should go and get the /5
Piper and I are currently collaborating on another book - The Lonely Haggis which should be out next year.
In the meantime, after you've bought all my books, you should go and get the /5
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
is really good (and so does Piper), it's the illustrations that really make it for me. They are just perfect.
Piper and I are currently collaborating on another book - The Lonely Haggis which should be out next year.
In the meantime, after you've bought all my books, you should go and get the /5
Piper and I are currently collaborating on another book - The Lonely Haggis which should be out next year.
In the meantime, after you've bought all my books, you should go and get the /5
They all insist that she's a Prince. One day, the stuffed elephant toy that she was given as a gift on her naming day starts to talk to her. Edgar (for that is the elephant's name) helps her devise a plan to force the King and Queen and everyone else to realise the truth.
While I think the story /4
While I think the story /4
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
They all insist that she's a Prince. One day, the stuffed elephant toy that she was given as a gift on her naming day starts to talk to her. Edgar (for that is the elephant's name) helps her devise a plan to force the King and Queen and everyone else to realise the truth.
While I think the story /4
While I think the story /4
I think I was the only person who submitted a story. They were so taken with the story that they asked if they could illustrate it so we could put it out as a book. Obviously I said yes. And this is the result.
It's the story of a Princess that nobody believes when she tells them who she is. /3
It's the story of a Princess that nobody believes when she tells them who she is. /3
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I think I was the only person who submitted a story. They were so taken with the story that they asked if they could illustrate it so we could put it out as a book. Obviously I said yes. And this is the result.
It's the story of a Princess that nobody believes when she tells them who she is. /3
It's the story of a Princess that nobody believes when she tells them who she is. /3
They drew a picture (which I have hanging on my wall) of an astronaut meeting a space creature. And I wanted to know the story behind this meeting. So I wrote it.
This though is a full-on collaboration between Piper and me. They were trying to set up an anthology of trans children's stories and /2
This though is a full-on collaboration between Piper and me. They were trying to set up an anthology of trans children's stories and /2
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
They drew a picture (which I have hanging on my wall) of an astronaut meeting a space creature. And I wanted to know the story behind this meeting. So I wrote it.
This though is a full-on collaboration between Piper and me. They were trying to set up an anthology of trans children's stories and /2
This though is a full-on collaboration between Piper and me. They were trying to set up an anthology of trans children's stories and /2
The Princess and The Elephant (Illustrated by @piperstrangeart.bsky.social )
I absolutely love this book and that's because I love Piper's artwork. This isn't the first time that I have done something with them. Although the first time wasn't actually 'with them' so much as 'inspired by them'. /1
I absolutely love this book and that's because I love Piper's artwork. This isn't the first time that I have done something with them. Although the first time wasn't actually 'with them' so much as 'inspired by them'. /1
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The Princess and The Elephant (Illustrated by @piperstrangeart.bsky.social )
I absolutely love this book and that's because I love Piper's artwork. This isn't the first time that I have done something with them. Although the first time wasn't actually 'with them' so much as 'inspired by them'. /1
I absolutely love this book and that's because I love Piper's artwork. This isn't the first time that I have done something with them. Although the first time wasn't actually 'with them' so much as 'inspired by them'. /1