William C Powell
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William C Powell
@willcampowell.bsky.social
1.9K followers 2K following 800 posts
Author of TEARDOWN🌈📚 (NineStar), EXPIRATION DAY (YA/SF, Tor), also writes short SFF, long SFF/HF/Crime/contemporary.
Software engineer (retired).
Politics Green #FBPE
bit.ly/TeardownBook
https://williamcampbellpowell.com
He/him
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willcampowell.bsky.social
You can now pre-order The Best of MetaStellar Year 4 at books2read.com/u/4jdgOD - DRM-free where the platform permits.

#SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #ScienceFiction #ShortStories #Anthology #ComingSoon #MetaStellar #HumansAreMagic #HumanStoriesByHumanAuthors #Culture #Reading
Cover image of The Best of MetaStellar Year 4, listing (some) author names and with a medieval-themed graphic of an armoured foot pressing down on a wounded goblin. Nice!
September 13, 2025 at 11:45 AM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Me again, posting about The Best of MetaStellar Year 4.
This isn't just about me. Here are some teasers for other stories in the volume.
#SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #ScienceFiction #ShortStories #Anthology
#ComingSoon #MetaStellar #HumansAreMagic #HumanStoriesByHumanAuthors
#Culture #Reading
Broken hearts can become games of shadows on the ballroom floor…. — “The Power We Give” by Larina Warnock The perfect alien planet for human life might not be all it's cracked up to be.... — “Dream Planet” by Jordan Maison Sometimes, androids will do anything for a hot cup of coffee…. — “Coffee Robot” by Bryce Paradis Front cover of 'The Best of MetaStellar Year 4' as paperback, on tablet and on smartphone, against a backdrop of a whitewashed brick wall, with a picture frame, a white mug and an artists' wooden posable mannequin.
September 9, 2025 at 9:36 AM
willcampowell.bsky.social
I love working with MetaStellar - both as a writer and as a first reader - having first sold a story (The Box) to them in 2021. Their upcoming anthology "The Best Of MetaStellar Year Four" contains 54 original tales across science fiction, fantasy and horror.
Bargain, if you ask me.
3 copies of 'The Best Of MetaStellar Year Four' standing on a wooden chest.
August 31, 2025 at 2:12 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
As I resume work on this WIP after 5 months hold, 'reptile' finds the aftermath of a rhinuffalo stampede. The rhinuffalo is native to this parallel world, to which project manager Jessica has crossed, to revenge her murdered mother, and take back the Ruby Throne.
#WIPSnips #PortalFantasy #witches
The drizzle stopped about two hours before sundown, and a moderate breeze began to dispel the remaining mists. Night fell. Across the valley floor the earth was everywhere churned into mud by hundreds — thousands — of hooves. Dotted here and there were the broken mounds of rhinuffalo that had stumbled and fallen under those same hooves. It was feast time for many, though. Avians, mammals and reptiles drawn down from the high rocks and the neighbouring valleys — all came to share in the banquet of shattered flesh across the valley floor. And where the mud gave way to mostly un-trampled grass, a boy lay, battered and bloodied, beyond hope, sobbing with his last strength after all tears had failed.
August 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
July is nearly over, but it's STILL Sale Month on Smashwords (1-31 July 2025), and TEARDOWN is half price when you use the code SSW50:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
#lgbtreads #booksky #bands #music #blues #berlin #lgbtqbooks
Book cover: a white van with 3 of the band in the back. The van is driving towards a distant city - Berlin - with several landmarks visible. Text: Smashwords Ebook Week Sale! Use code: SSW50
July 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Today is International Non-binary People's Day - so I'm posting about my novel TEARDOWN and its #nonbinary main character, Kai.
On sale at -50% with code SSW50 at www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
#nonbinaryawarenessweek #nonbinarypeoplesday #nonbinarypride #pride
Also
#music #bands
📚🌈📚💙📚🥁📚🎶📚🎸📚
Picture: Teardown book cover - white van driving towards Berlin skyline Text: Smashwords July Sale! Use code:SSW50
July 14, 2025 at 4:14 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
From Thaumatist - an alternate present in which Spain conquered England and Shakespeare is banned...
#WIPSnips #AltHistory #Fantasy
"The Securidad would have a field day here," said Sally, holding up book. Sam looked at the spine, but the title meant nothing. "What's special about this?" he asked. "Is it a banned book?" "Oh yes, Sam, this one alone will get you twenty-five years hard labour. It's Holinshed. It's his ‘Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland’, written before the Pax Hispanica." She looked around, scanning the books. "There's about a thousand years of hard labour on these shelves." She opened the book in her hand, at random. "We had kings, once." "And a queen," Sam replied. "The Painted Tyrant, they called her." "She had another name. Elizabeth Gloriana. She's not in this book - it was written before she came to the throne. But she wasn't the only queen. There was Matilda. And Æthelflæd. And - long ago - Boudicca, who led a revolt against the Romans."
July 13, 2025 at 11:43 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
It's Sale Month on Smashwords (1-31 July 2025), and TEARDOWN is half price when you use the code SSW50:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/1...
#lgbtreads #booksky #bands #music #blues #berlin #lgbtqbooks
Book cover: a white van with 3 of the band in the back. The van is driving towards a distant city - Berlin - with several landmarks visible. Text: Smashwords Ebook Week Sale! Use code: SSW50
July 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
It's Pride Month (June 2025) and TEARDOWN is 40% off when you use the code Pride2025 at:
ninestarpress.com/product/tear...
#lgbtreads #booksky #bands #music #blues #berlin #lgbtqbooks
(ebook only)
📚🌈📚💙📚🎶📚
40% Off! bit.ly/TeardownBook Use code: Pride2025 (Pride Month 2025 only, ebook only)
June 23, 2025 at 10:37 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Awww, diddums.
The good news is that it's not hallucinating.
From my notifications: Google reports Trending: Chat GPT not working ChatGPT has been down for several hours due to an OpenAI outage.
June 11, 2025 at 9:25 AM
willcampowell.bsky.social
In my interview for "It's Raining Books" bit.ly/3ShPZyM I discuss writing in genre and how that impacts my research.
@goddessfish.bsky.social
bit.ly/TeardownBook
bit.ly/BuyTeardown
6 books in three rows of 2: Writing Short Stories vs Write A Novel Crime and Thriller Writing vs Writing Science Fiction Save the Cat! Writes A Novel vs The Heroine's Journey
May 23, 2025 at 4:46 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
In my guest post at buff.ly/MnUxYKj I write about #BooksWithBands with examples past and present. Why, yes, that is my very own #ExpirationDay as well as TEARDOWN in the picture.
@goddessfish.bsky.social
bit.ly/TeardownMusic
Six books from top left, clockwise: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton Teardown by William Campbell Powell Espedair Street by Iain Banks
May 21, 2025 at 2:23 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
The voice of Dom, of course, would be the late, much missed Eva Cassidy, several of whose recordings I include on the TEARDOWN Spotify playlist at open.spotify.com/playlist/0Nh...
#music
Eva Cassidy, one of the great voices of the 20th century
May 21, 2025 at 12:10 AM
willcampowell.bsky.social
"Two bodies, no closer than
Sun and the moon."
May 21, 2025 at 12:02 AM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Who are these actors?
My star choices for Dom, Lars, Kai (and Dom again) - interview at buff.ly/BmkFOEP and match the names to the faces.
📚🌈📚💙📚🎶📚
Anais Demoustier Sean Astin Milou Van Groesen Stock photo of woman singer at a microphone
May 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Who is this mystery man? What part does he play in Kai's story? And how did he become more than a moment of comedy relief in one scene of TEARDOWN?
@goddessfish.bsky.social
buff.ly/YeYAlxy
#PartyBore #HatsAndRockAndRoll
Surrounded by partying figures, a man wearing an orange fedora and sporting a slight beard is engaged in earnest discussion with an off-picture character.
May 19, 2025 at 6:31 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
5 days of book tour done. My thanks to all the hosts, and to all participants in the blog chats/Q&A.
2 days break now, then Tour Week 2 starts on Monday. If you've missed any stops, the link is williamcampbellpowell.com#vbt
Thanx 2 @goddessfish.bsky.social for all the hard work.
bit.ly/BuyTeardown
Teardown book cover (white van driving towards Berlin) advertising: Book Tour Sale! US: $0.99 UK: £0.99 May 12-25, 2025 (bit.ly/BuyTeardown - ebookonly)
May 16, 2025 at 10:12 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
TEARDOWN started with a guitar...
Sadly, that guitar went to meet its luthier long ago, but the bass I built at uni still survives, as do a few pictures of those early gigs - this one at Nottingham University.
📚🌈📚💙📚🎶📚
lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-...
@goddessfish.bsky.social
#romance #music
At the right of the picture, author William Campbell Powell is pictured playing his self-built bass guitar. Also pictured are two of the original band members who also toured Germany - the drummer and the lead singer/harmonica player.
May 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
@michaelrosenyes.bsky.social says it well
I lay in bed hardly able to breathe but there were people to sedate me, pump air into me calm me down when I thrashed around hold my hand and reassure me play me songs my family sent in turn me over to help my lungs shave me, wash me, feed me check my medication perform the tracheostomy people on this ‘island of strangers’ from China, Jamaica, Brazil, Ireland India, USA, Nigeria and Greece. I sat on the edge of my bed and four people came with a frame and supported me or took me to a gym where they taught me how to walk between parallel bars or kick a balloon sat me in a wheel chair taught me how to use the exercise bike how to walk with a stick how to walk without a stick people on this ‘island of strangers’ from China, Jamaica, Brazil, Ireland India, USA, Nigeria and Greece. If ever you’re in need as I was may you have an island of strangers like I had.
May 14, 2025 at 1:34 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Singer Wanted for urgent Germany Tour!

Clay - the band's now-departed singer - had a bluesy baritone voice with a growl that went up to eleven. He'll take some replacing - but maybe one of the band can step up for vocal duties...

Ah... Not gonna work...
bit.ly/WillCamPowel...
bit.ly/TeardownBook
Three lego figures occupy a stage, bathed in red light. On the left, Jake, the lead guitarist. Centre-back is Kai, the drummer. Jamie, Kai's brother, and the band's bassist occupies the right of the stage. Front and centre is a microphone in a stand. But there is no singer.
May 13, 2025 at 9:11 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
What a marathon! 12 interviews/blog posts to complete - and out of fairness to the hosts, every one containing some unique content.
First stop: lisahaselton.com/2025/05/12/i...
📚🌈📚🎶📚💙📚
#booksky #lgbtqreads
@goddessfish.bsky.social
Lego figures representing the TEARDOWN band. From left to right: Lead guitar: Jake, playing his beloved stratocaster Backing vocals: Lotte, front of stage Drums: Kai, non-binary main character Lead vocals: Dom, woman of mystery, who joined the band on the way to their first gig Violin: Neale, also the owner and driver of a rather rickety white van Bass guitar: Jamie, playing a black Rickenbacker bass. He's Kai's brother.
May 12, 2025 at 9:20 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
Last week I have mostly been updating my websites:
williamcampbellpowell.com
teardownbook.co.uk
* list all stops on the tour
* where to buy - ebooks and pbooks - US,GB,CA,AU,NZ,IN,Other
* show buy links for the user's locale - 170+ lines of JS.
* new sale image
* show sale prices 12 May for 2 weeks
My workstation - two large monitors, together with music recording equipment (microphone and MIDI controller)
May 12, 2025 at 12:59 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
"Could we have one normal gig? Please?"
In parallel with my Virtual Book Tour for TEARDOWN, the ebook is on sale for the next 2 weeks.
For tour dates, see williamcampbellpowell.com#vbt
At each stop on the tour there will be either an interview or a blog post, featuring exclusive content.
May 11, 2025 at 3:58 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
The good folks doing #WIPSnips are finding references to music today. Even though it's now a (recently-)published novel, I can't resist plugging that TEARDOWN, being all about a band on the road, has 5 original songs, with words and demos over at bit.ly/TeardownMusic
Teardown cover, lilac sky, white van on the road to Berlin, with the band in the back. The opening chorus and verses to "I Come from the Blues" I Come from the Blues Where did I come from? I come from the blues. Where am I going? I’m going to lose. Where is my future? I’m sure I have none Where is my hope? My hope is all gone. My momma, she loved me, but she loved to fight. My daddy, he left her, and vanished from sight. So who can I trust to love me and care? I’m searching for someone, but nobody’s there I’m standing alone, and around me is night The darkness, it closes, it blots out the light I’m sinking, I’m drowning, I can’t reach the shore I’m locked in my head, I can’t open the door
April 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
willcampowell.bsky.social
#WIPSnips #AltHistory #Fantasy
In Sam and Sally's world, theatre is enhanced by thaum (mineral magic).
Theatre is political there - just as here - and the Spanish use it for propaganda.
There are other players with a different political point to make, and the night will end in terror.
#amediting
The baton descended. There came a deep sub-bassoon rumble, that settled on Sam’s chest and shook his ribs. Surely no instrument played by human hand could make such a sound? More instruments joined – violins and flutes darting in and out of a cadence of equally-sprightly cornetts. Sam closed his eyes for a moment, letting the music build a picture in his head. An older time, but not a simpler one. Inglaterra, yes, it was definitely Inglaterra, but there was smoke and fire. War lay upon the land, and the people were without hope. Faces, bloody and soot-blackened, sprang up before his eyes. Conquerors marched through streets, and the defeated English dared not lift up their heads but must direct their resentment at the ground. The smoke cleared a little and now Sam smelled fresh air, spring grass. A bell tolled slowly, monotonously, and the last of the Tudors tottered out of her cell, and laid her head upon a block. A roll of drums, an axe swung down - just once - and Elizabeth Gloriana, the Painted Tyrant, was dead.
April 18, 2025 at 6:32 PM