#gonegods

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things i don’t need: more story ideas

things i just got: those

#short story of someone talking to a computer terminal but like... religious guilt also #i feel like i just witnessed Ocean & GoneGods have a baby inside my head #very much... the kind of story... that i would add to GoneGods... maybe orpheus? #'how did it make you feel?' 'betrayed' #'who betrayed you?' 'fate. the gods. her. m y s e l f' #like just. popping out of a sim and being absolutely FUCKED UP and going through post-sim procedures in a daze and retelling the whole #sim/myth through that #im? IM? too busy for this fuck off #ink.txt #gonegods #asch has a wip queue #aschenink

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New Post has been published on The Bouncing Tigger Reads

New Post has been published on http://www.tiggerreviews.com/gone-away-call-back-sometime/

'Gone Away: Call back sometime'.

The Gods have taken a hike! Yes, all the Gods.

Except it turns out- the God of all Insects - and that causes trouble later.

This series, new to me, by Ramy Vance AKA RE Vance_ who sometimes write together- don't ask- posits a new Apocalyptic world. All those mythologies were accurate. But as soon as the Gods decide they've got bored and have moved on, magical creatures all become mortal. And appear on Earth. Often in a rather unexpected manner. And all at the exact same time. Angels fallout of Heaven. Demons fall out of Hell. Of all religions. Fairies, elves, pixies, dwarves appear. The Monster under the Bed is real, every mythological creature; from every culture becomes mortal, and has to find somewhere to live, and away to pay for food and lodging.

This multibook series of series about the GoneGodworld is rich in mythical creatures trying to adapt to a Human and mortal world.

There are heroes and Heroes. Heroines, villains and villainesses. Evil Doers to be vanquished. Great Deeds to be Done. And set in a modern world across different, but mostly north American, scenes, expectations and situations.

I have binged read these books and cannot wait for more to be written_ of all series. Kat. Jean-luc Ela or Dragon Girl. And I rather suspect that Marc will have a series too in the future. Each main character brings something new to the story, and can be read as standalone series or combined. Your choice.

5 stars for originality. Humour.Tristesse. Empathy.Snark. And sheer addictive fun.

#fairytales #Fantasy #folklore #goneGods #humour #KeepEvolving #RamyVance #urbanfantasy

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Project Reintroduction: GONE ARE THE GODS

They say the War destroyed the earth. What remains of the gods’ bounty has crawled on bloodied hands and knees here, to Olympia, and locked itself away in twelve city-towers: each dedicated to one of the Olympians. They say we're the last. The last humans. The last hope. 

They say that if we fail, if our bloodlines dry up, if we disgrace the gods, the legacy of humanity and the old gods will dry up too. This is not a choice. This is a test. 

They say the only way to restore the earth is if we all work together, all 700,000 of us locked away in our towers, to put the War aside--that if our goodwill strikes true, only then will the gods return, aglow with beneficence, to rescue us from our self-made hell. But the gods have always warred among themselves, and were we not made in their image? 

Heavily inspired by Orwellian and cyberpunk themes, GONE ARE THE GODS explores perceptions of reality, freedom, control, and the intersection of religion with technology. GONE ARE THE GODS features twelve stories, each taking place in a dystopic city-tower themed after a different Olympain. 

more... THE TOWERS OF OLYMPIA | about LAYERS OF HELL

#my supposed nano project! hoping to knock out a couple short stories and make some real progress on layers of hell #the odds of that happening???? minimal at best but *slaps desk* I AM NOTHING IF NOT WILLING TO DIE TRYING #gonegods #aschenink #writeblr #camp nano april 19 #wip intro #gonegods edit

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Even within the same tower, people were not equal: there were no illusions of fairness beyond those we created ourselves. Aptitude tests were doled out more frequently than candy. Things that we thought couldn’t possibly be tests were. The words we chose. The games we played. Everything determined where we would go, what role we would take, which floor we would die on. The lower the floor, the lower your standing--we all wanted to be higher, to be closer to the heavens. 

The heavens had made their choice long ago. They would not save us. 

There was no hope beyond what we created ourselves.

A brief introduction to the city-towers of Olympia. While Layers of Hell takes place in Demeter, each tower has a vital role to play in the precarious post-War economy. 

Fun(?) Facts: 

No one leaves the tower they are born in, with a few exceptions: Overs, Staffers, and Venters can move between towers with relative freedom; medics trained in Apollo and religious leaders trained in Dionysus may be moved once in their life to serve their destination tower accordingly, but will be unconscious for the duration of transport between towers for security purposes. 

Staffers are responsible for transporting bulk goods between towers. 

Airlocks are set in place between towers. If correctly applied, an entire tower can be cut from the intricate ventilation system without harming the remaining 11 towers--exposing the selected tower to lethal radiation in the event of any attempted uprisings.

The top 10-20 floors of any given tower are reserved for Overs, Staffers, Venters, and their families. These floors are considerably less populated than those below. 

The city-towers of Olympia have a combined population of roughly 627,000 people. 

Click on the photos for better resolution!

Tag list (please let me know if you’d like to be added/removed!): @lady-redshield-writes @i-belong-in-space @polapipo @possibledreamswriting @loopyhoopyfrood @inwhichshewritesanddreams @zxywrites @the-musings-of-michael @homesteadhorner

#fantasy worldbuilding #hades and persephone #writers on tumblr #writeblr #amwriting #layers of hell #layers of hell wb #aschenink #olympia #olympia introduction #layers of hell edit #for something i'm not particularly pleased with y'all would not believe how long i spent on this #long post #gonegods

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Project Moodboard: OPEN VALVE

“It was not Orpheus who betrayed me--curiosity is man’s nature. It is not the snake who betrayed me--venom is the snake’s nature. Yet there is much in a god’s nature that is not cruel, and cruelty is what the gods chose.

“The sun is just another star; I have seen the skies, and there are endless stars in the universe. Will I forgive the gods? Will I bow? No: even if Apollo came to me, dragging along Helius himself, I would not bow.”

In the dystopic city-tower of Apollo, famed for its medicinal research, Eurydice is a valued commodity: a human test subject. Subjected to testing a psychoactive designer drug, Eurydice is entered into a simulation where she relives the myth of her namesake. 

Emerging disoriented and aggrieved, the real test is yet to come: relaying the events to the Apollo System. 

A cyberpunk retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Open Valve is a short story exploring reality, perception, and the tragedy of love.

more... the GONE ARE THE GODS collection

Gone Are the Gods taglist (please let me know if you’d like on/off!): @oheoo @possibledreamswriting @lady-redshield-writes

#i really! love! this short story #i say despite it currently being a horrible incomplete mash of bits like frankenstein's monster #but it's so... it's so..... idk. i just love working on it and eurydice manages to carry so much energy despite #never actually doing anything lmfao #open valve #gonegods #short story #gonegods edit #aschenink #my writing #camp nano april 19

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Some of my favorite lines from day one of Camp Nano, which I’m doing to work on my story collection GONE ARE THE GODS! I’m hoping to share some lines every day this month to keep me accountable 💖 

All of these lines are from my short story OPEN VALVE, a cyberpunk/dystopic retelling of Orpheus & Eurydice! 

#these edits are terrible but they served their purpose as things to procrastinate with so tada #amwriting #writieblr #camp nano april 19 #open valve #gonegods #gonegods excerpt #aschenink #eurydice and orpheus

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Camp NaNo April ‘19 | Day 2 Recap | Words: 1,979 | Total: 3,122/30,000

<The Apollo System will now issue you a series of statements based on your simulation experience. Please determine whether these statements are true or false. Please answer these questions correctly. Your answers will be used to calibrate the system for later questioning.>

<You have selected an incorrect answer. You don’t really believe you could ever have had a happy ending, do you?>

I spent yesterday writing more of OPEN VALVE, and did a little bit of planning for some other short stories I’m planning on adding to the collection! 

#by other stories i mean i wrote like a paragraph of no more than a sleep #and then wrote a very long and rambling concept for a short story in hera that currently has no mythic basis #but does feature lesbians and religious guilt which is really all i could ask for #camp nano april 19 #gonegods #open valve #aschenink

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Camp NaNo April 19 | Day 5 Recap | Words: 1,126 | Total: 6,434/30,000

I spent yesterday restarting my draft for LAYERS OF HELL, which, despite initially being a bit frustrated about, I’m looking forward to. I think I’ll be able to capture the characterization a lot better this time around, and that’ll help the plot fall into place--and move a helluva lot faster.

Because I spent most of yesterday plotting, I didn’t get much clean drafting done--but I’ve got a mini playlist for LoH! 💖

#tbh mnqn dropped their album yesterday so i spent like an hour staring at a wall in an inspired trance #layers of hell #layers of hell playlist #music #aschenink #camp nano april 19 #gonegods

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Camp NaNo April ‘19 | Day 4 Recap | Words: 1,008 | Total: 5,308/30,000

<Did Orpheus betray your trust, when he turned for a glimpse of you?>

“I feel betrayed, but not by him.”

<Who betrayed you?>

“The gods, for tearing us apart. The gods, for throwing me about like a toy. The gods, for their snake’s bite; for their honeyed sting; for tearing him to shreds; for making me watch. I know Orpheus loved me. I cannot say the same of the gods.” 

I didn’t get nearly as much writing done yesterday as I wanted to because I slept in suuuuper late, but at least I got a lot of homework done 👍 Managed to reach my daily goal of 1K just minutes before midnight! I worked a bit more on OPEN VALVE and had to keep stopping to write fanfic that doesn’t count towards my word count goals ughhhhhhh

#me rationally: 'writing 300k of fanfic for a dead ship is a bad use of your time' #monkey brain: 'hee hee tropes' #yells loudly #amwriting #writers on tumblr #camp nano april 19 #aschenink #open valve #gonegods

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Camp NaNo April ‘19 | Day 3 Recap | Words: 1,178 | Total: 4,300/30,000

Excerpt from OPEN VALVE:

<Please state your identification and name.> 

At least the Apollo System said please. Orpheus, who’d never used manners in his life, had been far more brash about asking, sitting on the rocky shore with his feet in the stream, wrenching water from his sandy hair. What’s your name? Eurydice? A righteous name for a willful beauty. But aren’t you going to ask me mine?

Do you assume everyone wants to know your name? Orpheus had grinned at that, tan face alight, revealing the gap between his teeth. I already know who you are, Orpheus. 

No, you don’t. You’ve heard of me--you don’t know me. Even his chiding was warm. She stood half in the stream, the cool water pushing up her skirt no match for the heat. The sun burned brighter with him near, as though Helius himself were leaning in to hear the playful chime of Orpheus’s laughter. But I’d like for you to.

I already know you’re an arrogant ass, she’d said, but I suppose--

The system beeps. <State your identification and name.>  

Music warbles through the vents. She blinks memories of the stream out of her eyes and leans in towards the microphone, straps pressing against her chest, biting into her shoulders. “A-P-O number 3-0-1-7-4. Eurydice.” 

<Welcome back to Apollo, EURYDICE. Please wait while we load your simulation file.> 

I spent yesterday working some more on OPEN VALVE, which I am terribly overwriting but that’s a problem for future me, + I reread what I’ve got for LAYERS OF HELL and started planning out where I want it to go next.

#¯\_(ツ)_/¯ #camp nano april 19 #open valve #gonegods #amwriting #aschenink

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Ohhh new story idea?? 😯😏😉

😏 Always. 

It’s just (”just”) a short story, but the concept is a cyberpunk-based retelling of Orpheus, probably from Eurydice’s perspective. Upon exiting a simulation (which she entered while being the test subject of a hallucinogen), Eurydice is completely shaken, having experienced a simulated version of the original myth. The story is about her relaying her experiences from the simulation to the Apollo System while still completely in a daze: loving Orpheus, being chased by Aristaeus, the snakebite, the ascent out of Hades, Orpheus’s inevitable turn to look at her, and his horrific death without her. 

It’s something to add to my collection of cyberpunk retellings, along with Layers of Hell (my Hades/Persephone cyberpunk retelling). Because the world I’m writing in is set up in 12 city-towers, each devoted to and centered around one of the Olympic gods, I really like the idea of writing 12 stories, each one set in a different tower (but I’m lazy, so like, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). 

It’s a fun way to explore the myth–exploring Eurydice’s guilt; her outrage at Aristaeus and Apollo; Orpheus’s grief; concepts of blame, purity, and the role of the gods.

#bold of you to enter my inbox armed with a smirk emoji like i'm legally obligated to reply with one #but anyway!!! im really liking this idea. there's a lot of blasphemy and heartache #but that kind of melodrama is perfect for greek mythology #it came to me in a fever dream i had while eating tacos #which is how all good story ideas should come #(second to the shower ofc. the original story birther. the OG) #thanks for asking!!! #ask #anon #gonegods #aschenink #Anonymous

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Project Updates | May ‘18

↢ April ‘18 update

I’m going to start posting these monthly! Unfortunately the past month has been pretty rough for my writing, as the writer’s block I was staving off hit hard.  Personally though, this month is really exciting in that I’m coming up on finals to round out my fourth year of college and--I’m moving!! So while I may not get as much writing done this month, I’m hoping to make up for it this summer when I have a nicer place to work. 

Projects are listed in order of priority.  Warning for a very long post under the cut.

EOSOPHOBIA

novel | goal: 110K-130K | current: 20K | about

I haven’t mentioned this much, but Eos is intended to be four separate stories that are woven together to create a dynamic, deep novel. This translates to me writing a short novel (Jackal’s PoV), two novellas (Magenta’s PoV; Oswald’s PoV) and a novelette (Onyx’s PoV) while trying very, very hard to keep them intertwined in surprising ways--the end effect is that each of them is the antagonist of another’s story.  It’s super fucking cool, but also a total headache. 

Not much drafting has occurred since the last update, but there have been some significant changes to the plot.  

Now trying to save as many of my characters’ lives as I can (proving difficult) and am making their lives that much worse in return.  

At least three major character deaths (out of a 10 major character cast) are confirmed to die. Two minor characters confirmed to die as well.

Onyx has a much improved character arc that features something resembling a personality and not just a steep decline into psychosis. 

Amaryllis’s arc is much more shocking, sudden, and emotional.  

Onyx/Amaryllis (Amarynx) is confirmed to be the second romantic relationship, joining Iris/Magenta.  Amarynx is now a much healthier relationship thanks to changes in Onyx’s arc.  

Jackal now has a much deeper character motivation but is causing unreliable narration difficulties.  Jackal is arguably even more of an asshole now, but with much better intentions. 

Viktor is changing his physique and thus his faceclaim is no longer Jason Momoa.  Due to a strong likeness to a preexisting character, Viktor is now paler, has lost a slight bit of musculature, has darker hair, and is also somehow more of an asshole (?? I blame Jackal for this development)

Started writing a modern casino AU bc I like to procrastinate, but didn’t get very far.  Made a moodboard for it, though. 

CONSIDERING: changing Jackal’s PoV to Viktor’s PoV due to problems with unreliable narration; changing Oswald’s PoV to Peni’s PoV due to not knowing how to write Death’s PoV; may be dropping focus on four horsemen subplots; may be increasing the age of both Jackal and Viktor. 

NEXT FOCUS: developing outlines for all four PoV’s; resuming drafting.

GONE ARE THE GODS: A COLLECTION

story collection  |  goal: 80-90K  |  current: 10K  |  about Infra.Red

My collection of Greco-Roman mythology retellings with a dystopic/cyberpunk twist.  I’ve been really loving this collection, even though it is experimental for me.  I’m currently planning to self publish this collection when it’s ready, but that’s subject to change. 

Currently in collection, in order: 

Viral (short story) | Medusa retelling of a technological apocalypse

When Love Crumbled (poem) | Orpheus retelling

Where the Gods Don’t Venture (flash fiction) | Nymph-based 

Infra.Red (novella) | Hades + Persephone retelling in an urban dystopia

Updates:

Collection is organized by chronological order--Viral is the opening story as it tells the story of society’s dissolution into dystopia, and Infra.Red is the feature story at the end in which the dystopia is dissolved. 

When Love Crumbled is added to the collection, which is a piece related to the flash fiction piece Where The Gods Don’t Venture

I’ve really enjoyed working on Viral, as even though it’s a cyberpunk piece it allows me to weasel in some biological metaphors and that makes me really ridiculously fucking happy (I’m a biology major, so)

NEXT FOCUS: plot/outline Infra.red; edit When Love Crumbled; continue developing stories to add to collection

ASSORTED WORKS

I literally can’t sit down and focus on just one thing, so lately I’ve been bouncing around with a lot of short stories etc... I just need to prove to myself that I can actually finish a story and still enjoy it, and I’d like to publish a few short works while I’m at it!  

Currently working on:

The Rotted Rose  |  short story  | fantasy/romance |  currently drafting

Female Robbery  |  prose poem | contemporary fiction |  currently editing

Invisible Stitching  |  flash fiction | fantasy/magical realism | currently drafting

A Shotgun Named Love  |  short story | fantasy/literary | currently drafting

Pendulum Heart  |  short story | fantasy/clockpunk(?) | currently drafting

Clementine  |  flash fiction | scifi/lunarpunk |  currently drafting

Updates:

Organized WIP flash fiction and short stories

Plotted, developed 6 short WIPs

Female Robbery finished drafting, currently taking a break before editing it.  Not sure what I’m gonna do with it when it’s done, since I don’t really like it. 

Spent a lot of time hovering over the SFWA qualifying markets page and daydreaming about publishing.  Not productive but it was fun, 10/10 would recommend.

ALIGHT IN ASHES / THE MORTAL CONSTELLATION TRILOGY

novel  |  goal: 80-100K  |  current: outlining  |  about

Still working on redoing the characters and possibly adding more PoV characters, though not to the extent of Eosophobia’s bullshit.  No update.

EVEN GOD IS ENTERTAINED BY MY SINS

novel  |  goal: 60-70K  |  current: 30K  |  about?

Starting to edit sections of the first draft whenever the mood strikes me. No update.

#project update #aschenink #may 18 project update #eosophobia #gonegods

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Remember the way we used to feel  Before we were made from steel We will take the field again An army of a thousand men 

#i heard this play during a pubg tournament and lost my shit bc i knew it fit perfectly omg #gonegods #viral #infra.red #music #cyberpunk #dude this is just. the pERFECT. song for dieselpunk meets cyberpunk im losing my shit #BIG SHOUTOUT TO THE PROMEGALUL SCENE okokok im done shitting in the tags #aschenink #inspo

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First Line Tag :)

I’ve sort of been hoarding tag games so uh... I was tagged by @feathered-quill @eternalwritingstudent @thewingwriter @emmaephemeral @el-norawrites, thanks lovelies for all the tags! 💖

This is from a short story, Viral, that I’ve been working on 💖 Since I got tagged so many times, I figured I should share more than one line, lol

I am a disease.  

I am known by many names, but nonetheless I fester and replicate just beneath the surface. I am living and yet inanimate: biologists make futile attempts to shove my corners through round holes; philosophers ponder on my methods. I surpass all attempts at confinement, unseen and impossible to grasp. 

“It's a virus,” they moan, cursing my name when the scans pop up pus-boil red.  I am a virus: deception incarnate. 

Tagging (feel free to ignore): @greenhousewriting @writerightmegpie @eternalwritingstudent @madmooninc and anyone else who would like to join in!

#couldnt stop thinking about the medusa as a virus thing so here we are #i think it's going to be the first story in the GAG anthology tbh #viral #gonegods #amwriting #aschenink #tag game #feathered-quill #eternalwritingstudent #thewingwriter #emmaephemeral #el-norawrites #greenhousewriting #writerightmegpie #madmooninc

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Gone Are The Gods

i cant function without a working title for my projects, so the current/working title for my scifi/greek myth retelling anthology (the one featuring my novella Infra.Red) is gonna be “Gone Are the Gods: an Anthology” and probably abbreviated as GAG because i think i’m funny or whatever

#if u listen closely u can hear me shrugging thru the screen #gonegods #aschenink #project update

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First Line Tag :)

I was tagged by @forlornraven and @mezvii, thanks lovelies! 💖 This is from a flash fiction piece, Where The Gods Don’t Venture, that I wrote the other night.

There are no temples in our woods.  The nymphs destroyed them long ago, setting shrines aflame with the spark of revolution. 

Tagging (feel free to ignore): @hawksnbooks @theclichestories and anyone else who would like to join in!

#tag game #gonegods #first line tag #aschenink #forlornraven #mezvii #hawksnbooks #theclichestories