authorlaurawinter

[authorlaurawinter]

Heads Up, 7 Up

from @authorlaurawinter's open tag, thank you!

Cornelius leaned closer and rested his arm on the back of the driver's seat, held Finlay’s dark and frightened gaze. “I understand,” he said. He rested his other hand on Finlay’s knee, where Finlay might feel its weight but no one else could see it. “But what men do in their own homes should be left private.” He waited for Finlay’s tiny nod of reply. When he pulled away, Finlay exhaled as if he hadn’t breathed the whole time Cornelius was touching him. Cornelius got out of the car and crossed the street without looking back.

Cornelius when he describes himself: Aged out of his good looks, washed out and boring, mousy

Cornelius from everyone else's POV: I have never wanted to suck a dick so bad in my life.

The most delightful thing about writing Cornelius is that he doesn't think of himself as hot at any point. However, he knows that people want to fuck him and he knows how to positively manipulate them. So he's going around making intense eye contact and leaving little touches and making a bunch of repressed rich people beg him to pay attention to them. And that's charisma baby :)

#it’s the eye contact #other's writing

[authorlaurawinter]

annotated hardcover giveaway

it's The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher's first birthday, so I'm celebrating with games and giveaways on social media all week! for my own sanity, the full schedule of events will happen only on Instagram, but this giveaway and select other events are happening across platforms.

if you're interested in reading the silly comments I left on this hardcover - including roasting my own characters, letting you know where I was doing my annotating that day, and occasional insights into the writing of Remarkable Retirement - here's how to enter:

rb this post

follow me

for a bonus, tag a friend in your rb or the replies

this giveaway is open internationally to anywhere that can accept shipments from USPS. while it is taking place across platforms, there will only be one winner because it took me months to annotate a single copy.

the giveaway will run until 9a.m. EST this Friday, 26 April 2024.

in the meantime, you can take a quiz to find out which character from The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher you are: click here to take quiz on UQuiz

#omg I want to do this with my books #this is absolutely brilliant and so cool

[authorlaurawinter]

I also need you to know that I’m not really into reading romance—to the point that I generally just put up with it to get to the rest of the story—but I am really enjoying this mix of silliness, sensuality, and self-harming between Brela and Cason (I realize I have heard one (1) romantic scene between them so far but still)

totally understandable! one thing i love about romantasy is that it holds a high standard for both the romance and the plot. I like to have fun with it, and these characters lend for all of these elements, but the blend of romance and plot (and romance not being the only plot) makes for a strong story (in my opinion, of course, because i am biased about this book)

#wip: shadows

[authorlaurawinter]

Heads up, 7 up

thank you @acertainmoshke for the tag!

open tag, because it's been ages since i've done one of these games and i want to hear everyone's writing and catch up again!

the very first look at The Crown of Fractured Darkness

“First off,” Brela said, holding up a finger. “We are in the presence of my father—” The man sighed. “Thank y—” “—so get your facts right. Nakedness has nothing to do with Cason’s ability to make me orgasm. Give the man’s skill some respect, lest my father think my lovers are incompetent.”

#wip: shadows #writeblr #booklr #amwriting #bookblr #heads up seven up #heads up 7 up

[authorlaurawinter]

Heads up, 7 up

Taking @author-a-holmes up on the open tag!

I’ll tag @authorlaurawinter @words-after-midnight @dyrewrites @stesierra @sam-glade @ettawritesnstudies @writernopal and anyone else who wants to play!

I just started my second attempt at a book set in Halara, and this is the opening scene. Keep in mind everyone here is 9:

“It’s true! The dragon swept over the walls and sent fire burning through the streets!”

Luwel rolled their eyes hard and took another spoonful of stew. “F’le doesn’t even have walls.”

Ko’a leaned on the table and answered confidently, “Every city has walls.”

Aru’a, tucked in the shadows at the far end of the bench, ventured quietly, “Why didn’t we hear about it in the news?”

“Because it didn’t happen here?” Ko’a tried, less confidently.

“That’s a good point,” Luwel agreed with their mouth full, “Where did you hear about this?”

#this sounds so delightful! #other's writing

[authorlaurawinter]

“Sometimes Farrah was so busy playing with her new hair she forgot they were in a crowded inn trying to con rich idiots” sfhjkjhfdss i adore every new thing I learn about her

Also I do love a good tangible illusion

Also also I just absolutely lost it at their “I totally met and slept with the assassin who is definitely not sitting across from me” game

She’s precious and needs to be protected at all costs.

The tavern scene was one of my absolute favorites to write, particularly the veiled convo about the night terror assassin who is absolutely the woman sitting across from them at the table.

#wip: shadows

[authorlaurawinter]

I’m having an emotionally confusing day, and I want you to know that listening to Farrah punch an asshole soldier was exactly what I needed to feel better

While I’m sorry about the day, I can tell you that Farrah punching assholes is like her entire personality and she will kick more ass in the book

#wip: shadows

[authorlaurawinter]

WRITE IT!!! WRITE THAT SELF INDULGENT SHIT!!!

[authorlaurawinter]

Just saying, if you ever wanted to join my patreon, this month is pretty epic

For just 2 dollarbucks, you can vote to either give my characters a break, make them get freaky, or get them in trouble that usually involves pointy objects.

If you could control what happened to your favorite character, what would you do?

>put them in situations<

>for the love of all that is holy, take them OUT of situations<

Drop your answer in the tags 😆

#wip: shadows #writeblr #booklr #bookblr #indie author #romantasy #amwriting

[authorlaurawinter]

I think Farrah might be my favorite 🩵🩷💚 she deserves all the post-nightmare hugs

This does not surprise me at all. She deserves the world

#wip: shadows

[authorlaurawinter]

[authorlaurawinter]

"Is that a smile I spy?" Prompts

“Oh my god. You’re smiling!” “No, I’m not. Fuck off.”

“What? What’s with that smile?”

Try hard not to stare at the stunning (first) smile they see blossoming on the other’s lips.

“Why did they smile at you?”

“I can’t just smile on command.”

“Remember to smile every now and then, yeah? (We don’t want you to scare them all away.)”

“You’re so bad at this.” “I don’t know what you mean.” “The corners of your mouth. They are twitching.”

“You have the most beautiful smile, you know that?”

“I can’t stop smiling.”

Think their smile is ugly and try to hide it. The other is having none of it. 

“I hate when you smile like that.”

“A smile a day keeps the doctor away.” “Yeah… I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”

“Is that a smile I spy?” 

Take on the (almost) impossible task to not break into a smile. 

“Say cheese!”

“I just want(ed) to make you smile.”

Cover their emotions with a smile, hoping nobody will notice. The other, however, catches on (almost) immediately.

“You can’t even hide your smile. So, spill. Who is this mysterious person that makes you all giddy and insufferable?”

“Uh-oh.” “What’s wrong?” “That’s their ‘oh, you messed with the wrong bitch, bitch’ face.”

“Stop smiling.”

“A smile could go a long way.” (“Well, mine went all the way to [country] and is currently enjoying its vacation there. So, you’ll have to come up with a better plan/idea.”)

“One smile from them and they’ll be putty in their hands. Watch.”

Their fingers tenderly pull up the corners of the mouth of the other. 

“It’s almost like you don’t know how to smile.”

As soon as the other leaves, their smile drops. 

“You look like an idiot.” “You know, other people would say it’s nice to see me so happy. Or that I have a beautiful smile.”

“My face hurts.”

"That should wipe the smile off their face."

"Uh-oh. I know that smile."

“So you can smile!”

Cannot help but smile in response to the one already on the other’s lips. 

“There it is, just the smile I was looking for.”

“Your smile is a knockout, baby!” “Why are you still standing then?”

“You look like you’re going to your doom instead of to a celebration/etc. Smile, for goodness sake.”

"You know very well what that smile of yours does to me."

“You just had to smile back at them, didn’t you?” “What else was I supposed to do? Ignore them?”

Feel the other smile against their lips/skin.

“I don’t like that smile.” “Then I doubt you’ll like what’s coming next.”

#wip: shadows #Cason my beloved

[authorlaurawinter]

It's always risky killing off a character but if you have to, you must have them HAUNT the narrative. Let their death and absence be constantly felt at some level.

[authorlaurawinter]

Okay, we’ve gotta go give some more love here because 😍😍

Patreon

Please give mativious Some love!!

https://mativious-art.squarespace.com

https://www.instagram.com/mativious?igsh=bjM3aGNwZHg5Mml0

Who wants to be my 10th patron? Anyone who signs up I’ll send you a goodie bag of fun things 🖤

Also, look at this beautiful art of Kiya and Ryder from Star Collapsed!! Find mativious on IG!

[authorlaurawinter]

Feyre: What are you writing?

Azriel: The Spring Court wants to know what kind of weapons we are bringing to the meeting of the High Lords. I'm letting them know it's private information.

Feyre, looking over Azriel's shoulder: This just says "fuck around and find out" in calligraphy.

[authorlaurawinter]

[authorlaurawinter]

Some experiments.