#thecityofopulence — Public Fediverse posts

I made some stuff for my profile here. Or rather, I *edited* some stuff, and I love the way things are looking now.

#Author #Writer #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #BloodboundLegacy #WingsOfQuietLonging #DigitalDystopia #TheCityOfOpulence

I made myself a new header. FYI: The reason for the font size is so that it'll fit on my profile. I'm feeling proud of myself. I love the way it came out.

#Author #Writer #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #BloodboundLegacy #WingsOfQuietLonging #DigitalDystopia #TheCityOfOpulence

#WritersCoffeeClub 2.20 — How has a setting surprised you?

Oooh, let's talk about #TheCityOfOpulence here, from the #DigitalDystopiaSeries. Every single thing about the setting where this series takes place surprised me, especially in the first story, which I eventually have to finish posting on AO3. Everything about it came as a shock. It developed as the story grew and blossomed. Things changed. Areas became bigger. Business came to be. Battlegrounds made themselves known. This entire setting came from a homebrew (original) #TTRPG I ran, something #cyberpunk, dystopian, and #SFF for my players, and that's also where my characters came from. They were NPCs that I created. As I began writing the story itself, attempting a novel that slowly became a series, things only grew all the bigger. I love love love this setting to death. Ethera is a beautiful, terrifying city. Citune is a gorgeous planet with tons of lore. This is my favorite setting I've *ever* created, hands down.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#PennedPossibilities 830 — Have you ever created a SC that you later wished was the MC?

I have. It's Dante in #TheCityOfOpulence, so I created the #DigitalDystopiaSeries for the universe, and he's going to be the MC in the second novel.

#WritingCommunity #Worldbuilding #AmWriting

#PennedPossibilities 796 — Have you had to cut anything significant from your WIP? (Either for plot, cleanliness, redundancy, over explanation, or pace and literary effect.)

Yes, I have. I’ve had to focus on smaller-scale cutting: certain sentences, phrases, words, etc. What an enormous sharpening effect judicious cutting has had on the story, and hopefully on the readers as well. And also, like the prompt suggests, I made changes for redundancy, plot, over explanation, cleanliness, pace and literary effect. It cleaned things up quite a bit, and I’ve been feeling rather proud of the finished product (for now). It made a huge difference.

I’ve been working on that for #TheCityOfOpulence as well, a part of the #DigitalDystopia series. Nothing *gigantic* for the plot has been changed, though.

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #WritingCommunity #Worldbuilding #AmWriting

#PennedPossibilities 794 — Describe a “happy life” according to your antagonist?

It would be one where Dr. Death would be able to do his work and experiments in peace. Everyone's always bothering him, including his sponsors. No, *especially* them.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 793 — SC POV: It has been said, “You are what you eat.” Rewrite the phrase. “You are what you ___.”

Dante: Build. You are what you build, be it empires or a simple house with four walls, comfort, and a family of your own inside.

Take me, for instance. I helped to build our gang, our family, our empire. But just as importantly, I also build bodies, technically speaking. You know all that tech that goes inside your head, choom? All those chips that help improve you and keep you healthy? I design those implants, and I'll surgically place, update, or remove them. I do other things as well. If you have a broken arm, I can fix that. A bad heart, I can help that one too. Diabetes? Yep, I'm your man. Anxiety? No sweat. (Pun definitely intended.) I suppose I do a little bit of everything here in Ethera. Docs are needed. We build things, too. Medical empires are just as important these days.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 792 — Share art pieces or mood boards for your WIP, if you have any.

I can show you guys Alexios, just from the neck down. That's all that I have on hand at the moment. Just imagine a bearded silver fox by the name of #PeterCapaldi. That's who I've always had in mind for him.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 791 — Tell us about something that will always make your SC laugh.

There are actually a few things that will always make Dante laugh, and that's a guarantee. They are as follows: Cosmia's jokes, Noona's dry, sarcastic commentary, Junk's silliness (because, yes, that man is ridiculous), or how grumpy Alexios can be at times.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 789 — Is there a food that reminds your MC of home?

Oh, there's quite a few things. Anything like: mince and tatties, Haggis, something closely resembling Lorne sausage, oatcakes, porridge, tattie scones, etc.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 788 — Out of all of your characters, who would make a “plan,” who follows along, and who knows if the plan is going to fail?

I figured I'd choose a fun prompt for tonight. We need some laughs.

Alexios makes the plan, Junk follows along without issue or comment, and Cosmia AND Dante both know if the plan will fail (and it probably will). I won't even lie about that. Very easy to answer. 😂

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 787 — How does your MC view the gentler, daintier things in life: as things worth preserving and caring for, or things only bound to wither and disappear?

For Alexios, it's actually a combination of the two. Everything beautiful and joy-inducing is WORTH preserving, but he knows only too well that things can end in the blink of an eye. It won't stop him from trying his best, for caring as much as he possibly can, but the fact that remains. He's suffered great loss in the past. His people are now more, and his planet's gone.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 785 — If you could give a piece of advice to any of your characters, what would it be?

I have two characters in mind.

1. Alexios, it's time to realize you DO need someone in your life, so stop pushing that man away. Let him love you like you deserve to be loved. Also, learn to be patient with yourself, and forgive yourself for any past actions or for the things you've been through. You couldn't save your people. It's time to accept that. It isn't YOUR fault that they're gone. It's Dr. Death's.

2. Dante, you ARE needed and wanted. Those who love the deepest sometimes can't understand or see that others love them and need them in return. You aren't the weakest one in the gang. You're appreciated and cared for. Open your eyes and see that. Try not to be like me. (Best advice I could have ever given. Just don't do the things I do or be how I am.)

Edit: Also, to Dr. Death, do the universe a favor and just send yourself right out into space, hitting the eject button. It'll save a lot of lives. 'Kay, thanks, bye.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 784 — Is there a mistake your antagonist keeps repeatedly making in their life? Explain.

Dr. Death keeps ASSUMING that Alexios is dead. There's another answer, but I can't give away any major spoilers. Not yet.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 783 — Who should the readers be “rooting for” in your WIP?

The gang, Destiny's Maelström in its entirety. They are the "good guys," so to speak, in a world that's so dark and verging on total cyberpunk desolation (if it isn't already there). No one's perfect in the Digital Dystopia Series, but Destiny's Maelström is the protagonist group. I won't name a single character. Instead, I'll just name the group as our protagonists. The members of the gang are the leading characters.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 782 — SC POV: When was the last time you felt needed?

Dante: When Noona called me, crying her eyes out. She needed a friend. I love her, and I would do or be /anything/ for her, so I went to her home and comforted her. One of her gang members had just passed away. Rather brutally, I might add.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 779 — MC POV: Do you think you have any idiosyncrasies?

Alexios: Pfft, I'm sure I have many. My chooms never shut up about it, to be honest. I have a lot of odd habits. My enthusiastic love of ramen seems to be a constant topic of discussion, or the fact that I talk fast and have a Scottish accent that some don't understand. I'm quirky. Everyone in Ethera is. For my idiosyncrasies, you'd have to ask my chooms. They would know better than I would. You don't see these things, others do, so you can't fake or learn these habits or quirks. You're stuck with what you have because of who you are, but I suppose that's how it should be. Embrace what makes you you and stop worrying about trying to fit in. I stopped a long time ago.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 778 — Does your antagonist enjoy reading? Tell us about the material they would choose to read.

Dr. Death isn't exactly the sort of man to choose romance novels, that's for sure. Medical textbooks and study (more like experiment) research is more his style. Just anything and everything of medical use that can help further him in the field.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 777 — SC POV: Describe a recent dream.

Dante: We were running from the ECPD, trying to lose the officers in alleyways and behind buildings. Trick was shot. I never want to relive that dream again. Alexios was... reckless and inconsolable.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 775 — MC or SC POV: What do you do for a living? Are you self-employed, or do you work for someone else?

Dante: I'm a doctor. I work for myself. I own Dante's Inferno, a medical shop and office. The entire gang is treated by me, and that goes for all physical wounds as well as the brain implants and chips we use. I'm the one who takes care of their installation, updates, and removal. I do all of it.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 774 — Would you say your WIP is primarily character-driven or plot-driven, or is there an effective combination of the two?

Alright, let's break this down for those partaking in tonight's prompt.

"Character-driven stories focus on the internal lives and development of the characters, emphasizing their emotions, decisions, and personal growth. In contrast, plot-driven stories prioritize the events and actions that unfold, often driven by external conflicts or challenges."

Character-driven stories often explore the protagonist's journey, internal struggles, and how their choices shape their development.

Plot-driven stories typically follow a structured narrative, where the plot and events are central to the story's development, often involving external conflicts.

The choice between these two approaches can depend on the genre and the author's writing style (with character-driven stories being more common in literary fiction, for example). Ultimately, both approaches can be effective, and the best choice depends on the narrative's intended focus and the reader's interest. They can even be combined.

Now, onto me and my series. It's a healthy combination of the two, but mostly character-driven. And honestly, I've always written that way. Story to story, that never changes.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 773 — SC POV: Describe your first kiss.

Dante: It was with /her/, Noona, and it was perfect. I was awkward and she was confident. We were young sweethearts. Funny how the times may change but our hearts don't. She'll probably never know it, but I've always been in love with her. I'm certainly not about to tell her.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 772 — Write about a recent decision that your SC has made.

Dante instantly liked Trick. Of course, liking someone who's around the gang doesn't necessarily equate to them being a member or actually considering them one, even if it goes unsaid, but that's exactly how Dante has felt since the beginning. He's recently decided to start voicing those opinions. Aloud. In front of the gang, and even in front of Alexios as well. Taking it a step further, he's also decided to start making comments about the obvious tension between Alexios and Trick. They're clearly into each other, and he'll be damned if he just stands by and watches them suffer. Why not push them along a bit, eh? It's the kind thing to do.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 771 — Can you share a snippet of your antagonist’s backstory with us?

I've often talked about Dr. Death's life pre-series. I don't want to bore anyone here, but I'm so looking forward to reading everyone's responses. 💜

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 770 — What is your MC’s greatest weakness, and do other characters know what it is?

An interesting read: https://www.dabblewriter.com/articles/character-weakness-examples

Character flaws and weaknesses are two vastly different things, so I won't even get into the former, only the latter. In regard to my answer, though, I'll have to say that Alexios' greatest weakness is a propensity for self-destruction, and everyone in Ethera pretty much knows it these days.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 769 — What inspired the story of your (latest) WIP?

A deep and profound love for cyberpunk tales inspired this current series of mine. I decided to combine that love for cyberpunk things with a SFF universe, and voila!

I'm a game master for so many #TTRPG campaigns. My group plays a lot of #Cybperunk2020 and #CyberpunkRED. This series of mine is very close related to the homebrew universe that I have in my own cyberpunk campaigns. It's original, and it's my own. It was a series that just needed to be written. I don't make the rules anymore. The stories lead me, not the other way around.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 767 — Tell us about your antagonist’s fashion. How do they dress?

Black, black, and more black. Paint it black. Dr. Death occasionally wears a splash of color, but he prefers to keep things stylish and toned down when he's out of his medical scrubs. From the clothing he chooses, you can tell that he has /money/, but he never wears anything obnoxiously colorful. Nice three-piece suits, polished shoes, rings, necklaces, etc. He also has an ear pieced.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 766 — Has your MC ever had a guilty conscience?

Let's break it down, just because I love dissecting things a bit.

Conscience: This refers to the internal moral compass that guides your sense of right and wrong.

Guilty: This adjective describes the feeling of being responsible for a wrongdoing.

Guilty Conscience: When combined, it signifies a state where your internal moral compass is telling you that your actions were wrong, leading to feelings of guilt, sadness, or unease.

Alexios has been known to feel a heavy amount of guilt over the things he's done (or will do in the future, which he knows are wrong). Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and being a gang leader isn't for the faint of heart.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 764 — Do you have any SCs who later become MCs in your WIP?

Oh, of course. I'll give a few examples. It's Trick, hands down. This happens over the course of the first novel. In the second one, Dante is actually the MC while Trick and Alexios take the backseat.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 763 — What is your antagonist’s greatest fear? Explain.

Losing his "work," AKA the testing and experimenting he's done. I think that would have to be Dr. Death's greatest (and worst) fear. Saying anything else, though, would be entering spoiler territory.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 762 — How much does your MC value communication in their relationships and / or friendships? Are they prone to being misunderstood?

Alexios is constantly being misunderstood, but it's only by those who don't actually know him. It's by clients, other gangs, etc. His friends do know him, and they've got the body language and lingo down well enough by now. They know his moods, how he feels about things, how much he needs space at times or the reverse. He values communication, and his close friends know that he's actually a sweetheart deep down. He cares, he loves all of the gang members because they're truly a family, and he does his best to keep everyone safe. So yes, he /does/ value communication.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 761 — Tell us about your funniest character.

It's Junk, by far. He's so silly and ridiculous, and we absolutely love him for it. He's a favorite of mine (and the readers) by far, and he totally deserves it. 😋

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 760 — MC POV: Describe who you are in your group of friends. Tell us if you’re the motherly / fatherly type, the funny friend, the serious one, etc.

Alexios: Oh, I'm the f*ckin' daddy, and I don't mean that in the way I /know/ you're thinking. (Although with Trick, who knows.) I take care of everyone. I'm also a serious guy, though. So, it's a bit of both most days. I'm our gang's leader. Gotta take care of the chooms, keep them safe and healthy. You know, the usual biz.

#LGBT #LGBTQIA #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#PennedPossibilities 655 — What’s the most unusual source of inspiration you’ve found?

(Okay, I edited my post with my answer. I was too exhausted last night for any writing, even for just a quick prompt answer.)

This was such an interesting prompt. For the moment, I'll stick to the series I'm currently working on. I write in every genre, having written many different stories, and inspiration strikes at any moment.

Inspiration for this series, however, is quite a mind-blowing concept. Time to put my thinking cap on. It comes mostly from Blade Runner (an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and is set in a dystopian, futuristic Los Angeles in 2019). It was my first experience with the genre. The rest of my inspiration comes from decades of playing cyberpunk #TTRPG stuff, like #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and my own homebrew games that fall within the genre. I'm actually a game master for TTRPGs, so all the hard, grueling work for my players is done (and created) by me. It's helped a ton. It made me fall in love with the genre. Combining that with SFF was a beautiful idea, and one that made everything fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. It worked out perfectly for me.

Inspiration strikes at the oddest of times and in the most interesting of places.

#WritingCommunity #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Romance #Worldbuilding

#PennedPossibilities 632 — What originally inspired your WIP’s plot?

Oh, that's easy. For me, it was playing #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and finally moving on to GM the games as well. The universe used in the homebrew games I've created is the same one featured in the novel. I love creating original universes, worlds, and stories.

#WritingCommunity #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #Cyberpunk #SFF #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #Worldbuilding #TTRPG #DnD #DungeonsAndDragons

#WritersCoffeeClub 3.1 — (Theme: New beginnings) How did your WIP’s premise take shape?

Funny story, but it took shape all because I'm a game master who plays a lot of #Cyberpunk2020 and #CyberpunkRED with my players. Alexios was a character of my own creation from about 15 years ago. I painstakingly built an entire original universe around him from that one epic character idea, and now here we are and he has his own book series. I never gave up on him.

#WritingCommunity #TheCityOfOpulence #DigitalDystopiaSeries #SFF #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #Worldbuilding #TTRPG

#WordWeavers 4.14 — Is your MC spontaneous, or a planner?

Alexios is a planner. He's always scheming. He is a leader of a gang. Whilst running operations, they're planned to a T by him. They're all rather careful. He CAN be spontaneous, from time to time, because his temper is short. He can keep himself in check until something lights that fuse of his. He'll explode. He MIGHT spontaneously decide to finally give in to Trick later on in the story as well...

#TheCityOfOpulence #LGTQIA+

#WritersCoffeeClub 3.3 — How much of your worlds are invented versus real? Give examples.

Great question!

#TheCityOfOpulence has a fictional world, all #SFF and #cyberpunk.

#TheScarletMirror has a fantasy world, from a homebrew and original #DnD / #DungeonsAndDragons world of mine, same as above.

The worlds in #TheFinalRite (a horror, paranormal, and exorcist-based story), #ThePastIsAWound (a 1950's news program), and #Unwanted (an office-based love and drama) are all real and accurate.

#WordWeavers 2.26 — Do you draw inspiration from other characters? What are your greatest influences?

Oh, gosh. Heck yeah, I did for #TheCityOfOpulence. I draw inspo from a lot of things, but most notably #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and #Cyberpunk2077. I created this character decades ago whilst playing cyberpunk #TTRPG's.

Some inspiration might have to be Takeshi "Tak" Kovacs from #AlteredCarbon, one of my favorite shows. My MC, Alexios Jace, has similarities to him. All coincidence, too.

#PennedPossibilities 205 — Do any of your characters have an accent? (This all depends on where they're from and where they currently are, of course.) (2/3)

Credit: @HeliaXyana

In #EmailsICantSend, a co-written story with @botanica, Malcolm Tucker is such a scary, sweary f*cker. He's an angry Scot living in London as a powerful man in the Labour Party. I love #TheThickOfIt.

Take #TheCityOfOpulence for example as well. Alexios is also a Scot and far from home.

It's just my niche, I suppose.