#kindlefic stuff

[nihilnovisubsole]

THE BIG OLD JANUARY 2023 PICREW UPDATE

so another kind soul reminded me about picrew updates, and i realized the last time i'd posted screenshots was... november 2021?! man time moves fast in a pandemic. the silver lining is that, when you wait that long between updates, there's a lot of new stuff to share!

as of today, the unique item count is 186. obviously, there's a lot more in the game than what i show in these posts! the amount of categories is more or less set at this point - now it's a question of adding variety to what's already there. i'm at peace with the thought that finishing it will take as long as it takes. it's a for-fun project, and it's still fun, so on we go.

[let's not wait another year next time, though!]

#dangerous crowns #picrew #dollmaker #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings

[friedesgreatscythe]

Setting up a Twitter for my Kindlefic writing pseud. The name I wanted was taken, which is mildly alarming because I know of very few ways to rearrange it  into a workable Twitter handle, so I fell back on my second choice but I’m still working on the name itself.

I know I want to use Valentine in it, but I’m having trouble settling on a first name. I want it to be something short and pretty--I’m gonna be a romance writer, after all--but... everything I want is taken. A few aren’t, but everything I want is. :T Blah.

It’ll primarily be used for promotional stuff/writer and books I’m reading or looking forward to, since I have to make myself a Presence online. Kinda looking forward to it, honestly.

Another part of me is wondering why I don’t just use *my* name, but I feel like my completely unprofessional online presence sorta diminishes that considerably.

I’m also slowly piecing together ways to expand on the blurb I wrote last night, as per this post’s advice. I’m hoping it goes well. I’m confident that it will, but that doesn’t stop me from still being a little intimidated by it all.

#luna speaks

[nihilnovisubsole]

throwing another picrew update to the wind: i can't believe i'm saying this, but i've finished all 30 base outfit styles! it may not look like much, but this was one of the game's biggest, most challenging sections. man, it feels good to have knocked it out. [for those showing up for the first time, these tops will be further customizable with decorative trim/accessories and different sleeves.]

"hey, AK, why do you keep using comic sans for these picrew update graphics?" to poke fun at how absurd the development process has been. i've been at it for so long now that picrews went out of fashion and came back in again. you know, like bell-bottom jeans. the grind continues!!

#dangerous crowns #picrew #dollmaker #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings

[nihilnovisubsole]

somebody asked how the dangerous crowns picrew was coming along earlier this week, so i thought i’d post more shots of what’s been going on under the hood. obviously it’s still a work in progress, and there are many more items/colors than these. just wanted to show i was alive. hope everybody’s well!!

#dangerous crowns #picrew #dollmaker #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings

[nihilnovisubsole]

To celebrate Dangerous Crowns’ second birthday, I’ve got something to announce: I’m working on a Dangerous Crowns OC Picrew! This has been lurking in development for a while, but after months without much to report on Tumblr, I wanted to show you some of how I’ve been spending my time.

I’ve fantasized about making my own dollmaker for over a decade, but always lamented that they were difficult to program. Thankfully, with the rise of Picrew from the ashes of Flash, I don’t have to worry about anything but the art. The maker will feature multi-part hairstyles with separate bangs, as well as mix-and-match bodices and sleeves so you can design your own outfit. The shots you see here are far from the final tally of customization options - I hope to keep going until I run out of lore-compliant ideas.

Unfortunately, due to my golfer’s elbow, I need to take extended breaks between drawing days. So as much as I’d like to, I can’t give this project a concrete ETA. But I can tell you that I’m working on it steadily, and I’d rather take longer to do it if it means more versatility. Happy Ides of March! 👑🔪

#picrew #dollmaker #dress up game #dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings

[nihilnovisubsole]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANGEROUS CROWNS!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

yes! in a few hours, dangerous crowns will be three! it's out of the terrible twos and, uh... riding a tricycle? washing its own hands? i dunno, i'm bad with little kid milestones.

frankly, i'd hoped to finish another dangerous crowns-verse book by now, but having that new job is a massive weight off my back. i don't have to worry about trying to make money off selfpub work, which means i can focus on making personal projects good on my own time. in the meantime, as i always say: if you had a fraction of the fun reading it as i did writing it, then it was worth it.

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff

[nihilnovisubsole]

Is there a type of celebration close to halloween in the dangerous crowns universe? I'm in the season of the witch mood so I have to ask, what would Livia and Marcus be up to?

hey!! you got me to dig around in the appendix for this one

so the months in dangerous crowns’ world are inspired by the french republican calendar, formed during that neoclassical revolutionary period when they were in love with greco-roman ideas. going off that, the holidays are based on the nonspecific concept of ancient cultures celebrating the cycle of seasons. the closest thing, date-wise, to halloween is the moonlight festival, which is celebrated primarily on the 30th of lunar month. you see a bit of it in the later chapters of the story, where it’s pretty much just an excuse for the court to have a ball.

so what is the moonlight festival actually like? that’s... a great question! i don’t know. we see marcus and livia eating moon-themed desserts like bowls of custard and egg tarts, and there’s some hint at a religious component, but beyond that, i’m not sure. though certain corners of the world are animistic, the majority of people don’t believe in an afterlife, so that rules out ghosts. however, it doesn’t rule out the idea of honoring the dead - in a way, it makes it more important, because remembrance by the living is all they have. to be honest, it’s one of those things i didn’t delve too deeply into because i was more worried about making the plot work first, and i don’t want to just sling you something random. you 1, me 0 😉

knowing what i know of hector’s court, i could see how their holiday celebrations might feel more or less the same. they’re a vaguely holiday-themed opportunity to wear your fanciest duds, dance, gossip, eat too much, and, if you’re so inclined, get roaring drunk. at the risk of contradicting myself and doing some seat-of-the-pants worldbuilding, it wouldn’t surprise me if folk celebrations are more vibrant and distinct. when you're not worried about staying on-trend and outdoing your fellow nobility, you have more room for the old agrarian traditions to thrive.

[that said, if they were in our world and had real halloween, you know livia would drag marcus to some high-society masquerade.]

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #anon #asks

[nihilnovisubsole]

i keep hearing about this show about this mysterious woman and her square-jawed, white-haired boyfriend and i realized it sounded familiar

#this came to me in a fever dream #dangerous crowns #the witcher #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings #this is a joke obviously

[nihilnovisubsole]

Dangerous Crowns Anniversary Sale!

To celebrate one year since its Ides of March 2019 release, Dangerous Crowns is only $2.99 for the whole month of March! Pick up a neo-Roman fantasy tale of power, palace intrigue, and longtime lovers triumphing over tyranny.

If you’re an old follower for whom cost was a stumbling block, I hope this makes it a little more accessible. If you’re a new follower who mainly knows me for art or fanfic - looking at you, Good Omens - now’s a great time to get on board. Of course, if you’re a Kindle Unlimited user, you can still check it out for free. Every page you read counts.

The last year has gone by so quickly, and what a journey it’s been. Thank you to everyone who’s bought the book, written reviews, told your friends, and boosted it on social media. I know it’s a leap of faith to read any author’s first novel, and it has been truly incredible to have your support.

Buy it now on Amazon!

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #writing #ebook #kindle

[nihilnovisubsole]

in dangerous crowns when livia's and marcus' convictions were at odds with each other, like brushing aginst the lovers-to-enemies trope, prompting concerns about how they'll be in tune with each other again, the suspense! i loved it

yes!! i’ve always said that that side of dangerous crowns is “not about two people falling in love, but an established relationship being tested.” marcus and livia both feel REALLY strongly about stuff - it’s why they’re attracted to each other, they’re both so intense. but their senses of ethics are very different when it comes to how to get a job done, so when they’re stressed and the stakes are that high, you know there are going to be sparks.

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #anon #asks

[nihilnovisubsole]

What sort of modern outfits would Livia and Marcus wear? (or the whole cast for that matter)

ooohohoho i have actually thought about this. it’s dangerous crowns modern AU time, let’s go

livia has to have a red wide-legged halter jumpsuit and a red sleeveless turtleneck dress like old-school ada wong. a thick gold collar statement necklace like her original self. black oliver goldsmith manhattan sunglasses. a collection of shoes and silk scarves. one of those ~fashionable james bond italian women~ who owns like, a vespa, but also a gun. helpless only when her nail polish is wet.

i wish i could say marcus doesn’t live in his uniform 90% of the time, but let’s face it, with the way he works, he does. whatever green thing you get when you google “italian military officers” is what he’d end up with. [why couldn’t it have been the carabinieri uniform? i mean, come on! the cloak!] he ties his identity up so much in his rank, it’s actually hard to picture what he might wear off the job. why do i see him in something pale blue? i feel like marcus would look good in pale blue.

hamid is always extremely well-dressed. sometimes a bit overdressed. it’s not ostentatious, but everything is tailored within an inch of its life. i can see him in a black or charcoal slim-cut suit with long wingtip shoes, driving gloves, and a shirt open at the neck. he’s a man who makes you do a double-take when you see him out and about in broad daylight. like, “who is that guy? a bodyguard?”

hector is the consummate irritating versace rich kid. rolex watch, conspicuous brand labels, muscle-tight polo shirts. he has a lambo with a front trunk and he takes photos of it full of ice and champagne. for formal appearances he probably does that stereotypical warm-weather dictator thing of the white dress uniform caked in medals. god i hate him already. delicious

and of course artemisia is very prim, proper, and preppy. pleated skirts. loafers. white tie-neck blouses. blazers with crests or contrast trim. there’s an old kiel james patrick pearl bracelet that i could see her wearing, too. you know, an outfit that says “everyone has high expectations of me.”

also camilla owns at least one thing in leopard print.

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #bless you anon #that's a lie though i know why i see marcus in pale blue #anon #asks

[nihilnovisubsole]

Dangerous Crowns: Indefinite Sale Extension!

Due to current events, I’ve decided to extend Dangerous Crowns’ anniversary sale, meaning it will stay $2.99 until further notice. I started writing Dangerous Crowns during a period of restless isolation in 2016, so it just feels like the right thing to do. If it can help you kill a few hours of nervous free time or provide a more hopeful world to immerse yourself in, then it’s done its job.

Buy it now!

ALSO IMPORTANT: If you’d like to buy the book, but are currently undergoing financial hardship or choose not to use Amazon for whatever reason, feel free to message me privately and we can discuss other options that may be available. In fact, if there’s anything you need to get off your chest in general, I’ll be around both here and on Twitter - my DMs are open. It may not be much, but as someone used to a solitary lifestyle, I know how important internet connections can be.

Good luck, and stay safe!

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #writing #ebook #kindle

[nihilnovisubsole]

Have you thought about what Livia and Marcus’ life looks like after the book’s ending? I refuse to believe that it would be any less dull or adventurous than it was during the plot.

*lmao I meant dull or less adventurous

freudian slip 😉

the reason i like giving stories “happy, but open” endings is that it does give you room to imagine further adventures. i never seem to have more than one book’s worth of ideas for characters, but i don’t want them to stop, either. so i think you’re absolutely correct that the new high general and royal spymaster have more intrigues ahead of them. not everyone will trust artemisia to do a good job as queen, and we did hear about those radicals lurking in carpathia. the heads of the other provinces will have heard about the job they did. hamid may need to call on his old friend for a favor. who knows?

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #power couple 4ever #anon #asks

[nihilnovisubsole]

twistedsinews replied to your post: Hi! I really enjoyed the Roman Empire inspired...

dangerous crowns style w/egypt inspired world preorders when

there’s an area in the far west of kaditha and the far south of juba where the two provinces meet and have a lot of cultural exchange. the actual location of the border between the two is more political than representative of the people who live near it. some of my worldbuilding notes already say that this area has signs of a great civilization that came before, making it a hotspot for scholars and excavators. kaditha has prominent palm leaf religious imagery, and juba has tapering pylon-style architecture and khopesh swords. i mean, of course i wouldn’t want to pursue it without research, but it’s definitely something i kicked around at one point!

#twistedsinews #brb grabbing my like 150 photos from the LA tutankhamun exhibit #and my huge very expensive full color translation of the book of the dead #kindlefic stuff #replies

[nihilnovisubsole]

some surreal dangerous crowns memes that have been sitting in my drafts for too long

watch the FROZEN YOGURT video for context for the second one

[buy dangerous crowns on amazon!]

#dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #art #drawings #I WANT WHAT I PAID FOR #the infamous drawing my discord icon comes from lmao

[nihilnovisubsole]

the gang’s all here! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ dangerous crowns comes out in 10 days!

these cast portraits were inspired by jackal & hare art’s gorgeous greek pantheon enamel pins. here’s a link to them on etsy if you’ve never seen them before!

#art #writing #ebook #kindle #dangerous crowns #kindlefic stuff #drawings #FINE ART BY LESLIE