Tanya Huff
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tanyahuff.bsky.social
Tanya Huff
@tanyahuff.bsky.social
3K followers 150 following 1.1K posts
I make a living writing science fiction and fantasy. Mostly fantasy. It's been said I've never met a trope I didn't skewer. I'm good with that. Also, there's cats. And knitting. she/her
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Today's word is JAM. Today's #BookQW from INTO THE BROKEN LANDS, a created world fantasy were, given themes of power dynamics & what it means to be human, you wouldn't expect fruity/sugary goodness to occur. But JAM is also a verb.

HC, pb, digital, & audio at usual suspects. Shop indie if you can.
Broken Lands digital cover on the upper left, original DAW cover on the upper right. There are tentacles. These days, there's always tentacles. It's become a thing. The damp cloth over his elbows provided traction against the polished wooden floor. He rammed the toes of his boots against the wall beneath the lowest carvings, and pushed himself forward. Almost ... Then he cracked his head on the ceiling. The walls moved in closer. Rocking from side to side to free himself, he jammed himself in tighter. His breath misted against the floor and he wasted a moment wondering who'd been polishing the wood for the last hundred and sixty-three years.
November 19, 2025 at 5:03 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is GIRL. Today's #BookQW from Direct Descendant (@dawbooks.bsky.social 2025) a cozy horror set in Northern Ontario, where the baked goods are French and the eldritch horrors are cuddly. Well, some of the baked goods. Actually, now I think of it, only some of the eldritch horrors...
Cover of Direct Descendant with bakery, birches, and tentacles in the lower left. "Your words have no power over me, Cassidy Prewitt." The other woman had positioned Melanie in front of her like a shield. I could see her hand and the knife and little else. "If you try to breach my mystical defenses, I will slit this girl's throat." "Mystical defenses? Seriously?" asked Amanda behind me. "Girl?" asked the teen with the drone. "Rude. She's like thirty.'
November 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
It begins.
The view from my porch of a messy front yard slowly being covered in snow.
November 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
The sign outside my Local Yarn Store (LYS) this afternoon.
A blackboard outside a yarn shop. Written on it in blue chalk: I like my yarn like I like my lovers...soft, twisted, and a little kinky.
November 9, 2025 at 3:27 AM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
A visit from a neighbour. #LifeInTheCountry
A white steer stands in my front yard watching me take his picture.
November 6, 2025 at 10:25 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is COLOR. Today's quote from the new ebook edition of SUMMON THE KEEPER, a 1998 contemporary fantasy about people who close the holes between worlds and the cats who have to keep reminding them that the food bowl is empty. There's no point in saving the world if the cat is starving.
The cover of the new ebook edition is the background, the tower and tentacles and Austin, a black and white cat, the two clearly visible pieces. The DAW cover for the COMPLETE KEEPER CHRONICLES, all three books in trade paperback and sometimes still available, is in the middle right. The new cover wrapped with caution tape is on the lower right. When Austin refused to answer, Claire decided she'd won, tossed off her clothes, and got into a pair of cream-colored silk pajamas- standard operating procedure suggested night clothes suitable for appearing on the six o'clock news. Just in case.
November 5, 2025 at 7:40 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is SELF and yes, I forgot it was Wednesday. Today's quote from BLOOD PACT, bk 4 in the Blood series. It's spooky season and of my 33 novels this is one of two I'd consider horror. The dream of Vicki's mom buried under the kitchen floor? My dream. I shared.

Shop indie if you can.
The background is from the DAW trade paperback with a not actually Christina Cox (who played Vicki in the TV series Blood Ties) but sure as hell looks like her cut out along the left side. The original DAW cover, which is very creepy with a dead man sitting up on a lab table, is on the bottom left, omnibus cover bottom centre, and DAW trade cover on the bottom right. "What happened?" Vicki heard herself ask the question, marveled at how calm her voice sounded, wondered why she felt so numb. "Dr. Burke, the head of the Life Sciences Department--well, you know who Dr. Burke is, of course--said it was her heart. A massive coronary, she said. One minute there, the next ..." Mrs. Shaw blew her nose. "It happened about twenty minutes ago. If there's anything I can do..." "No. Thank you. Thank you for calling." If Mrs. Shaw had further sympathy or information to offer, Vicki didn't hear it. She set the receiver gently back in its cradle and stared down at the silent phone. Her mother was dead.
October 22, 2025 at 9:57 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
New ebook editions of SUMMON THE KEEPER and THE SECOND SUMMONING with new ebook edition covers are now available. 1/3
New digital cover for SUMMON THE KEEPER -- it was a dark and stormy night, a black and white cat peers over the roof of a victorian (slightly Queen Anne but let's not be architecturally pedantic) house. There's caution tape over the door and silhouettes of a bat, a werewolf, and tentacles in the windows. The cat's expression says he's had enough of this shit. New digital cover for THE SECOND SUMMONING: in the background, a human torso wearing a beige sweater. The person is holding a very large tea cup that holds in turn an orange almost kitten and some tentacles. There's a line drawing of the Toronto skyline on the tea cup. The cat's expression suggests he hasn't noticed the tentacles not that it would matter because he's just too sweet for this world. He's not actually wrong...
October 16, 2025 at 7:39 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is GOLD. Today's quote from the e-collection SWAN'S BRAID AND OTHER TALES OF TERIZAN. It seemed like the logical choice. Terizan is, after all, a thief, & she's fond of gold. Very fond. Maybe a little too fond. Dangerously fond...

Available digitally worldwide. Shop indie if you can.
Digital cover of Swan's Braid in the lower left over a spill of gold coins taken from that cover. Vaguely Middle Eastern buildings in the background. The stairs broadened as they descended. Level ground was a six foot wide corridor, tile not stone and judging from the small section they could see, probably beautiful. "No turns," Terizan murmured. "How can you tell?" "The way the sound travels. Stay close." She'd counted forty-nine paces when something up ahead reflected back a glimmer of light. "Gold." "That's it then." As Jameel surged past her, she heard a tiny click. Sweeping his feet out from under him, she got him flat on the floor just in time.
October 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is STRONG. Today's #Bookqw from THE SILVERED, an Aurora Award winning fantasy that takes place in the liminal space between magic & technology. Includes shifters, social commentary on shoes, & a part written for a younger Sean Bean.

Available digitally worldwide. ($9.99 CAD)
On the left, the digital cover of THE SILVERED: A wolf's head made of lines of light against a dark blue/purple background. The small text over the wolf's nose mentions that it won the Aurora Award for best novel. The lieutenant opened his mouth, but before he could speak, before he could make a smarmy pronouncement on what Kirstin had done, before he could claim her pain as his, Danika said softly, "They have very good hearing, our beasts." The lieutenant's mouth snapped shut. He glanced up at the darkening sky with wide eyes, looked for a moment as if he were about to order a march through the night, then he snarled, "Get those fires lit!" Turned and strode to the other side of the camp. Danika glanced at the sergeant, who nodded. "Jasine?" "Pulse is fast but strong. Her nose is bleeding, but I think l'II stop soon enough. The net's left white lines on her fingertips." "Burns?" "More like frostbite."
October 8, 2025 at 4:09 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
And speaking of affordable (that was me, last post) Amazon is offering the ebook of NO QUARTER at $1.99 in the US and Canada. (my apologies to the rest of the world)
Digital cover of NO QUARTER (bk 3 in the Quarters series) Lovely autumnal background, a pair of crossed daggers over the title with rune-ish marking to both sides. I love these covers...
October 1, 2025 at 4:06 PM
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Today's word is HARD. Today's #BookQW from DEMON'S DEN & OTHER TALES OF VALDEMAR, a collection of my stories from the Valdemar anthologies. Each complete in itself, the stories provide Herald Jors with an emotional story arc. And geese.

eBook still affordable at Cdn$3.99, US$2.99, £2.49, and €2.70
Cover to THE DEMON'S DEN AND OTHER TALES OF VALDEMAR in lower left. A large purple horse lifted off the cover fills the right side. There's a lot of purple... although the background colour of the quote is teal. Companions were not in the habit of allowing themselves to be groomed by other than Heralds' hands. Jors found it hard to believe that they'd not only allowed Brock's ministrations, but were actually reveling in them. He stepped forward, and at the sound of his footfall, Brock turned. His face broke into a broad smile, radiating welcome. Arms spread, he rushed at the Herald and wrapped him in a tight hug. Staring up at Jors, their faces barely inches apart, he joyfully repeated "Brother Herald!" over and over while a large grey dog leapt around them, barking.
October 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Because the Beloved is working on my birthday, we had the birthday adventure today. Fort Henry has changed a lot since the last time I was there. The views are still amazing though.
View over the ramparts of Fort Henry showing the red roofed martello tower on the shore below the fort and a second tower on Cedar Island. Wolfe Island is visible in the distance.
September 25, 2025 at 12:06 AM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is LAST. Today's #BookQW from CHILD OF THE GROVE (DAW Books, Inc. 1988) my 1st published novel. First published? Well, I wrote four "novels" in highschool but this is the first that went out into the world & still sends money home to mother.

Ebook out worldwide. Shop indie if you can.
ebook cover upper front; a woman's face reflected in a dragon's eye. Doan shoved his thumbs behind his belt and paced about the Grove, breaking the moonlight into Doan-sized patterns. He had done little since he'd heard the news but listen for reaction to the deed. He knew this summons would come. "Those who saw," his rough burr broke the silence of the Grove at last, "say the man deserved it. Not death perhaps, but the blow at least. Fortunately, the man was not well liked. Most admire the prince for standing up for you himself when he could've hidden behind the Guard. Many are impressed by his strength and are anxious to see it on the battlefield. But," his fingers drummed on the leather around his waist, "there are those for whom it only marks his difference, and difference is always distrusted. And in everyone's mind, although for the most part it remains unasked, is the question, 'If he kills so easily now, when he is king, how can any of us be safe?'"
September 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is IDEA. Today's #BookQW from AN ANCIENT PEACE, bk 6 Torin Kerr/Confederation series, bk 1 Peacekeeper series. (I've been told you can read Peacekeeper without reading Confederation.) All 8 books are milSF/space opera.

Available in pb, ebook, digital audio & mp3. Shop indie if you can.
Original DAW cover in lower right: a light purple cave system in the background, Torin, and what I can only assume to be an interpretation of the Krai, in the foreground. Both holding big guns. Cutout of Torin from the cover along the right side. Quote in dark purple rectangle on a lighter purple background. Lilac maybe? Definitely too dark for lavender. "They're spelling Human's with an apostrophe," Torin sighed. "They've gone past mockery and straight into derision." "Maybe it's not a declaration. Maybe it's descriptive." The control chair screeched a protest as Craig spun it around. "Like, baby's first solid food." "Human's first post Confederation revolution," Binti offered. "Well, we're millennia late for it to be Human's first dumbass idea." Torin put her boot on the chair between Craig's legs and stopped both spin and screech.
September 17, 2025 at 4:32 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is POUR. Today's #BookQW from THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM. (@dawbooks.bsky.social 2009) A contemporary fantasy that takes place in Calgary, brings magic back to Nose Hill Park, and gives old women a voice--and weapons. And yes, I know that's a one way street. Now.

Shop indie if you can.
September 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is FLESH. Today's quote from INTO THE BROKEN LANDS (@dawbooks.bsky.social‬ 2022) a created world fantasy with two timelines, six POV characters, and a character self-named as Tanika Fleshrender but that seemed too easy.

Available in HC, PB, digital, and Audible. Shop indie if you can.
Upper third filled with tentacles that do not belong to a squid. Than the quote. Then the two covers: DAW cover on the left, digital cover on the right. The aforementioned tentacles were taken from the digital cover. The DAW cover has a tower and crows. The large person suddenly stood between Arianna and the other four travelers, weight forward, hands out from her sides, a wall built of gray flesh. Her face bore no expression, but Arianna saw a warning in the pale eyes. Not a complicated warning, more a simple *don't*.
September 3, 2025 at 3:04 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is ZIP. Today's #BookQW from BLOOD PRICE (@dawbooks.bsky.social 1991) the 1st of 5 where an ex Metro Toronto police officer--who's going blind--and the illegitimate son of Henry VIII--who's a vampire--discover Canada has a bit of a paranormal crime problem.

Shop indie if you can.
Representations of Henry and Vicki - clearly based on Kyle and Christina from the TV show - at the top of the page, then the quote, then the omnibus edition, the tv show edition, and the trade edition of the book. Charming as ever, Vicki thought as Celluci scooped her coat off the floor and made his way toward her, detouring slightly around the coroner's men who were finally zipping the body into its orange plastic bag. "Don't tell me," she called as soon as he was close enough, her voice carefully dry, almost sarcastic, and hopefully showing no indication of the churning emotions that had her gut tied in knots. "The only prints on the scene are mine?"
August 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Part of the conversation concerning the new Summon the Keeper ebook. Would you believe I once wanted to be a comic book artist?
A bad sketch of s cat with a centre square representing a 3 story Victorian and some upper squggles representing a stormy background. A slightly more complex bad sketch, with the cat upright behind the 3 story Victorian (with porch).
August 26, 2025 at 6:42 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is TURN. Today's #BookQW is from Direct Descendant (@dawbooks.bsky.social‬ 2025) a great summer read with an enchanting small town, a white sand beach, and a lake with sparkling clear water. Actually forget that last bit. STAY OUT OF THE LA... Oops. Never mind.

Shop indie if you can.
Cover of Direct Descendant lower left with a bakery and a walker in the foreground and yes, those are tentacles in the background. I told you to stay out of the lake. "Should I brace for disaster? Cass?" He frowned when I turned to face him. "I asked if I should brace for disaster, and you flinched. I'm not really happy about that." Still frowning, he looked me up and down. "Where'd all those scratches come from? You get in another fight with a squirrel?" The squirrel had totally cheated.
August 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
This is why I seldom read horror. I've had that f*cking heart beating rent-free in my head for almost sixty years.
Cover of the Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.
August 12, 2025 at 2:37 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
My fingers have developed autocorrect. I intended to write ...tough little bastards. What appeared on the screen was ...touch little bastards. I'm thinking tough. I'm typing touch. Not misskeyed; my fingers typed a different word.

I'll let you know if it's ever duck...
A duck informing autocorrect that it's never duck. Or, in the Valor books, never dukk...
August 7, 2025 at 10:08 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is SHIVER. Today's #BookQW from Heart of Valor (@dawbooks.bsky.social ‬2007) bk3 of the 8 Torin Kerr/Confederation novels. I figured that it's winter on Crucible so someone must have shivered at some point. And they did.

Available in digital, audio, and used. Shop indie if you can.
Cut out of Torin from the digital cover on the lower right, text on light purple background, the original DAW cover and the digital cover in the lower left with the digital cover dominant because you can still buy that one. The major grinned, bending forward and shivering slightly as the doctor ran the head of her scanner up his spine. "You look like you're thinking deep thoughts, Gunny. Cut it out." "Yes, sir." Right now, Torin's only concern was getting thirty-five brand new Marines, three Dis, one doctor, and seven eighths of a major off Crucible alive."You look like shit, sir."
August 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is RAIN. Today's #BookQW from Swan's Braid & Other Tales of Terizan, an eCollection that includes a thief with a heart of...probably brass, a mercenary captain, & some world building I'm very fond of.

Available where digital books are sold: $3.99 C or $2.99 USD. Buy indie if you can.
That's a lot of yellow/orange... Cover for digital, and only edition is in the lower right and involves randomly Arabic background buildings and a spilled sack of gold up front. "Please, Terizan. I know you can do it." Lost in Swan's smile, she heard Poli sigh. "And I really want to get the Wing out of Kalazmir before the rains start," the mercenary captain continued. "So will the two of you be leaving immediately?" Poli wondered. Shooting him an exasperated glare - in spite of what Poli seemed to think, she wasn't quite ready to surrender to the inevitable - Terizan leaned forward and pinned Swan with her most businesslike expression. "Wouldn't it be simpler if this Essen just had the regalia copied?" "He can't, it's god-touched. Even if he could afford to have it copied, the priests would immediately know it's a fake." "All right, if I bring out this regalia; what's in it for me?" "Anything else you can bring out of the treasure room." She felt her jaw drop. "Anything?"
July 30, 2025 at 5:37 PM
tanyahuff.bsky.social
Today's word is UTTER and I couldn't find anywhere I'd used it. However, my characters do mUTTER a lot so today's #BookQW is from the eCollection Third Time Lucky and Other Stories of the Most Powerful Wizard in the World. The story, Third Time Lucky, was my first professional sale back in 1986. 1/2
The digital cover of Third Time Lucky with text superimposed over a green lizard is in the lower left. The lizard, larger and brighter, is in the lower right. They sprinted up the gangway just as the leading edge of the mob appeared at the end of the docks. A cry went up as Magdelene was spotted. "Why didn't you do something a little less spectacular," muttered the captain, tossing the packages over the rail, then vaulting it himself. "Like raising the dead." "I did that the last time." She accepted his helping hand, having somehow managed to become tangled in a stray line. "This time I was trying to keep a low profile."
July 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM