An author and editor, Niranjan’s biggest ambition is to have a character named Garth in every book they write. Niranjan writes books rooted in mythical worlds, and their stories are often a combination of magic and futuristic technology.
When they are not writing or editing, Niranjan can be found cooking or just lying on their couch watching or rewatching C Dramas and writing fanfiction.
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Another month started
Published 10 months ago • 19 min read
Hey Reader,
The start of February feels like the beginning of the year in some ways since I'm mostly recovering from the previous year during January.
February is when I lost my father, and it's not a happy month for me. I also lost my father-in-law in February, so overall, it's not a happy month for my family.
All the news from around the world makes me feel even more bleak, and my heart goes out to all of you in the US, especially.
I hope these four years pass quickly, and that this is the last time they have to deal with a nightmare like this.
News and Updates
I have closed ARCs of Blade Broken, but if you missed it, never fear! You can still pre-order it everywhere.
All my books have their own Bookbub pages, so any book of mine you read, I'll appreciate it if you can review there. No one knows Bookbub's criteria for selection of featured deals, but I want every advantage that I can get!
WRITING UPDATES
Blade Reforged is still in a hiatus. It's like all my energy is towards the release of Blade Broken, so I can't spend any on Blade Reforged. I hope I'll be able to pick the draft back up once Blade Broken releases.
The revisions of Shades of Spring is also going on. It's making some progress, fortunately. I'm also doing the final proofread of Blade Broken and the revisions of The Wizard.
BOOKS I'VE READ
The Secrets of Heaven
This is the second of a series and very queer. I adored the characters, and was invested in the plot. An excellent book.
The Grandmaster's Gamble
I read this since I signed up for an ARC of the second book, so I had to read the first for context. It has an engaging plot and premise, but it wasn't dark enough for me.
The Isle of Skiy
This is also a queer book, very short, but packs a punch. The prose is to die for. The characters, the plot, everything works well.
sHOWS I'VE WATCHED
I finally finished watching The Blossoming Love. My poor heart is in tatters.
I also finished watching Follow Your Heart, which didn't do as much damage, luckily.
I'm waiting for Lament of the River Immortal to air at this point. I'm not in the mood to watch anything else. Might re watch something instead.
MORE RANTS
I did not plan on a rant this time, but well, something has been happening in the indie community, with the SPSFC, to be specific. The SPSFC (The Self Published Science Fiction Competition), for those who doesn't know, is an indie sci fi competition started by Hugh Howey and Duncan Swan, in the lines of the SPFBO (The Self Published Fantasy Blog Off) which was started by Mark Lawrence some ten years back. SPFBO is now fairly well known in indie fantasy circles.
SPSFC was started four years ago with much fanfare, enthusiasm and anticipation, but in the intervening years, neither Hugh Howey nor Duncan Swan has seen it fit to care for the comp they started, unlike SPFBO which still has Mark Lawrence at its helm.
Like SPFBO, the judges are teams of bloggers, with one person at its head and they all read, review, and judge the books. Since the so called organisers vanished without a trace, the various judging teams decided to carry forward SPSFC for the sake of the community.
Remember that this is all voluntary work with no compensation, and that these people originally signed up to judge this competition, not to run it. But in the end, that's what happened.
Now, to the controversy. An author, a Devon Eriskon whose tweets on the dead bird app are full of racist, anti semitic, anti immigrant, misogynistic, bs joined the comp and made it to the quarter finals. Some of the other contestants unearthed some of his tweets and were understandably upset, yours truly among them.
Now, this author did not join the author discord that SPSFC has. His wife who markets his book is the one who joined the discord, and when someone first shared the tweets, and I expressed my concerns over the views he has, she came after me. Luckily, due to timezones, I never saw that message and the server mods deleted it along with the screenshots of the tweets and the other messages, and asked us not to discuss off server things.
Except, we weren't happy, and some of the authors privately talked to the various team leads, trying to make them see how problematic this author was.
In the end, the SPSFC came out with a code of conduct, and removed the author from the competition for violation of its terms. But in the meantime, in the two days from when the code of conduct came out and the author was removed, various people, authors I know, like, and respect, and whose views I understand, took to social media and called SPSFC a nazi bar, asked people to boycott the comp, to boycott the authors in the comp, and an already tense atmosphere was vitiated further.
I won't deny my own role in this since I was so angry that I went on a rant in the SPFBO server, shared screenshots, and let the authors there know about the issue.
While I don't regret letting my fellow authors know about the kind of scum some authors are, I do regret that it led to pushback against the comp rather than against the author who doesn't belong in our spaces.
And while I'm not happy that the SPSFC took so long to boot him out, and that they put him through to the quarters when we all expressed our concerns beforehand, that they did respond in the end, and positively, is a mark in their favour.
For many indie authors, me included, exposure remains a pipe dream. We may write excellent books, but if no one knows of it, it's as good as screaming into the void. Competitions like this serve to bring our books to the notice of readers, and that is why, I want this comp to survive this crisis, and not to slip into obscurity.
Personally, I'll never enter a book in this comp again, but I do plan to be a part of it as a judge or volunteer or whatever, and to root for the marginalised authors who are trying to make their own space through this comp.
Our author of the month for January, Maya, is one such author, and there are many, many more.
In the aftermath of booting out Devon Eriksen, three authors have left the comp. Which I don't really mind since I see it as trash taking itself out.
If his tweets weren't so sickening, I would have shared them here, but in one of them he says this isn't the time to be against fascism, but it's the time to put the mutant, the unclean, and a lot in that line, to the fire and the sword.
Just typing that is making me feel sick. I wanted to explain this here because I don't want y'all to see something on social media and jump to the conclusion that SPSFC is bad.
They made a mistake, but they also redeemed themselves, and I believe they deserve a second chance. Hopefully, this will serve as a warning and a lesson to them as well as other comps who haven't yet faced an issue like this.
And I dare hope, having this precedent will also keep other nazis out of our hard won spaces.
However, in the aftermath, a judging team had to withdraw following death threats to their members, which was even more shocking.
Every author who came out in support of the nazi on the dead bird app had their books bought by the right wing crowd and catapulted to bestseller lists.
A right wing blog even went so far as to publish an article with screenshots of several of us from the SPSFC discord.
To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement. Every day, humanity shows me more and more ways of disappointment.
I'm not envious as a nazi adjacent author suggested. I am just sad and frustrated that bigots get sales while the ones who did the right thing have to struggle.
The good thing is I'm taking a break from social media for at least a week so that I won't feel even worse seeing all the screenshots that feature me as whatever and the cyberbullying that goes on in the dead bird app (which I don't use).
I am not mentioning the several authors who have come out in support of Devon Eriksen, but I'm saddened by it nevertheless. Many of them seem to think of SPSFC action as a challenge to free speech. I say there's a thin line between free speech and hate speech, and that free speech doesn't entitle anyone to freedom from consequences.
My free speech has made me a lot of enemies. Right wingers who hitherto didn't know my name, now does.They share screenshots of my posts in discord and bluesky and mock me. But it's a consequence I expected and am ready to accept. If you want free speech, but not the consequences that come with it, what you want is a lack of accountability and anarchy, not free speech. Freedom is not anarchy; freedom has prices, and is ringed around with obligations and duties that stops you from abusing those freedoms.
And no, what Devon Eriksen said on his twitter is NOT something a few 'woke' people disliked. It was straight up calling for extermination of various people, and a guy with 75k followers doing that is dangerous on more levels than one. There has to be consequence to his hate speech, and this is one of them. Because competitions like this exist to give everyone a safe space, and if one of the threatens the life and safety of others, then they would be asked to leave.
If anyone in this newsletter thinks otherwise, you know where the unsubscribe button is.
I think, after I'm done publishing the series I've started to publish this year, I'll stop publishing books. I will write, but I'll just put them on my blog and that will be all. I don't even know if I can pay for my website anymore, but I hope the free blog will still be there.
OTHER NEWS
It was the anniversary of my father's death this week, and I am really not okay. On top of everything, that plus the complete drought in sales has me feeling extremely dispirited.
Anyway, on to more positive things.
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
This month, we have the awesome Joanna Maciejewska as our author of the month. Joanna is a famous person after a tweet became viral, but aside from that, she's an amazing author and a good friend.
Joanna might be a bit too cautious to do anything even remotely daring or dangerous herself, so she writes about daring adventures and dangerous magic instead. Yet, she found enough courage to abandon her life in Poland and move to Ireland, and then some years later, she abandoned her life in Ireland to move over to the US. She’s determined to settle there, once she finally chooses which state to reside in.
When she’s not writing or thinking about writing, she plays video games or makes amateur art. She lives the happy life of a recluse, surrounded by her husband, a stuffed red monkey, and a small collection of books she insisted on hauling across two continents.
The tale of a revolution against a corrupt government, set in an immersive fantasy world
In the crumbling city of Pietalos, where corruption and poverty reign, the fires of revolution burn hotter each day. An oppressive government has bled its people dry for the benefit of the elite, but the citizens have had enough. Eight lives—each scarred by loss, betrayal, and violence—intertwine as they fight for their own futures and that of the city.
Dhijs, a weary healer, joins forces with Tillia, a woman seeking both liberation for the people and personal revenge against her abusive husband, Captain Vaso. Zia, a factory worker turned reluctant leader, ignites the workers' rebellion, transforming protest into full-blown revolution. In the shadows, the cynical drug pusher King is forced to rethink his loyalties as riots consume the streets, while his rebellious young messenger Mal feeds critical information to the revolutionaries.
Meanwhile, Kishto, a guard disillusioned by the brutality of his comrades, defects to the cause after witnessing a brutal act of violence against a woman and child. General Leo, a former war hero haunted by guilt, secretly aids the rebellion. And Mydela, a scarred survivor and skilled assassin, takes on the city’s ultimate enemy—Canterbury, who hides a dark secret as a member of a malevolent race that seeks to subjugate the people.
As Pietalos teeters on the edge of a new era, these eight individuals must fight for justice, revenge, and redemption. But in a city where violence and betrayal lurk behind every corner, will their efforts be enough to topple the corrupt regime?
Together We Rise is a political fantasy story of revolution, vengeance, and hope, where the fate of a city rests on the courage of those willing to defy the odds and reclaim their future.
At its core, it’s a tale of social injustice and fighting against it, and how we all hold the power to shape the world we want to live in.
Don't forget to join my discord server so you can chat with me and get updates, and give me updates on your lives as well! I'd love to get to know you all more!
PROMOTIONS
Yes, we're back to that dreaded word. But never you fear. There aren't much.
Also, you do want FREE BOOKS, don't you? You know you do. Don't make that face. I know and you know you can't resist free books.
Remember how I said I'm annoyed by the organisers of a particular event for how they call their event as fantasy but everything is romance leaning?
Well, I set up a promotion (not a price promotion) for Non Romantic Fantasy and Sci Fi. Since this is February, everyone's feed will be chokeful of romance books, so if you're tired of it, take a look at this! No romance, guaranteed!
To be honest, I hadn't expected the kind of reception I got for this promo. Like I have over 70 submissions! I guess I'm not the only person tired of romance taking over every genre.
Mind you, I've nothing against romance, but sometimes when we want a fantasy or sci fi book, we're really not looking for a romance plot. No one bed or fated mates or touch her/him/them and you die sort of thing.
In epic fantasy, we're looking for world ending stakes, not enemies to lovers and sexual tension every page. They have their place, but that's not what we read epic fantasy for.
For those newly joined, Kobo Plus is the fast growing subscription service from Kobo. If you're familiar with Kindle Unlimited, it's similar to that, but it has a few things that make it BETTER than Kindle Unlimited.
WHY KOBO PLUS IS BETTER FOR AUTHORS
It doesn't require authors to be exclusive, unlike Kindle Unlimited which demands authors who want their books in the program should be exclusive to amazon.
Kobo gives us the same royalty rate whether we are in Kobo Plus or not, unlike amazon which refuses to pay us the same royalty rates across marketplaces unless we're in their Kindle Select Program (the author facing part of Kindle Unlimited)
Kobo counts re-reads in paying authors unlike amazon where an author is paid only when a reader reads a KU book for the first time.
Kobo pays us better royalties than amazon.
WHY KOBO PLUS IS BETTER FOR READERS
Truly Unlimited Reading. With Kobo Plus, you can get any number of books unlike with KU where you can get only a fixed number of books and have to return some in order to get any more.
Cheaper than Kindle Unlimited. Yes, Kobo Plus is cheaper than Kindle Unlimited, and their Read and Listen package lets you borrow any number of ebooks and audiobooks which are in Kobo Plus.
A KU subscription in the US costs $11.99, whereas an audible subscription costs $14.95. A Kobo Plus Read (ebook only) subscription costs $7.99, and a Kobo Plus Listen (audio only) costs the same. But the real kicker is a Kobo Plus Read and Listen which gives you access to BOTH ebooks and audiobooks costs ONLY $9.99. Even individually, it's cheaper than KU and Audible, but the combined plan is THE BEST.
A wide variety of authors and genres that you won't get for free elsewhere. Once you subscribe, every SINGLE Kobo Plus book is free for you. I personally have over 50 books on my Kobo Plus library. Just imagine how much you have to pay if you're to buy them all!
Customer support is way better than amazon. I had a technical issue with my subscription for which I opened a chat, the bot immediately transferred me to a human upon request, and they solved the issue. It took a couple of days, but they kept in touch with me and escalated and finally solved it. I've never had amazon give me that kind of service.
YOLO with Kobo Plus is a quarterly promotion for romance books in Kobo Plus. While I don't write pure romance and even my fantasy books where romance is a highlight can't be considered purely romance, they do qualify for the promotion. If you're into romance, this is a promo you should check out. Also, you can find fantasy and sci fi book like some of mine, which have a major romantic plot, but aren't really pure romance.
Don't forget to follow me on Bookbub because it's the best place to stay updated on deals and new releases. You will find a lots of cool authors and fantastic deals through them!
As I said in a previous newsletter, Blade Broken has been selected for a New Releases for Less feature. Which means, if you're subscribed to their mail and are following me, you will get an alert when the book is released and a mail with the book details on the day they send out their newsletter.
SNIPPET
Okay, I should give you a good snippet today.
Instead of giving you snippets from WIPs, why not give you something from an already published book?
This is the prologue of The Deathless Ones, you know, the one I'm offering as a free giveaway if I hit 20 pre-orders for Blade Broken. (I'm at 11 now!)
Warning: There is child death, and child endangerment. (the death is temporary, the danger is not)
Madh was eleven the first time he died.
As life ebbed out of him and his vision dimmed, he could see a flash of white, the boots of soldiers, and the glow from his own body. Rough hands turned him on his side, and patted him down, taking away the dagger that was secured under his tunic. He couldn’t think. His hands scrambled in the dirt, and he could feel his throat closing, before darkness took him.
When Madh resumed breathing, he was inside his home, if a one room wooden hut could be called that. Rysa sat near him, her gaze anxious. He could see the dirt and tears staining her face, and as he opened his eyes, her expression turned to relief.
“What-” he began, wheezing, as he tried to sit up, but unable to. He gasped, a scream bursting out, as the pain took over. Rysa put her hand over his mouth, stifling his screams, her eyes wide and fearful as they darted towards the door. As his screams settled into whimpers, she removed her hand, helping him sit up, and poured something down his throat. It tasted bitter, almost making him gag, but numbed his pain.
Madh examined his torso. There wasn’t even a scar on his chest where the arrow had struck him, but he could see the strange markings that had glowed so brightly as he had taken the arrow to the ribs.
Rysa stared curiously at him. “Are they there? Did they glow?” she asked.
He nodded, as he slowly lay back down. No one could see those markings, not even Rysa, but according to her, she had markings too, and he’d never been able to see them. The pain was returning, and he wished it would disappear as easily as his wounds. Though all his wounds and injuries healed almost instantly, the pain lasted for a while. It ranged from a few hours to a few days, depending on the severity of the injury. He’d never had an arrow to the chest before, but he could guess that it would take a few days for the pain to go away.
Madh couldn’t see where Rysa was, but it was comforting to know she was near. She was the only one who understood what he was going through. Rysa had been five when she had been bitten by a snake, and had turned blue and her breath had stopped. Madh still remembered the astonished and fearful look on the face of the healer their parents had brought from the next village when she had started breathing again. The man had muttered about witchcraft and had hastily left their house, though their parents had thought she’d only fainted and that the healer didn’t realise because he was drunk at the time.
When Madh and Rysa were both eight, their parents had died in the fire that one of the passing armies had set in their village. Madh had been in the forest at the time and he’d seen the orange glow. He’d run all the way, run until his breath came in gasps and his legs ached, but when he got there, the entire village was on fire. He’d found Rysa, hiding in a ditch, shaking, ash and soot all over her hair and body. They had hidden out here since then, in the one room hut that everyone said had been built by a magician who lost a wager to the carpenter. The two of them had to stay hidden since they had no parents. If the slavers had found them, they would have taken them away- if the soldiers didn’t find them first. The hut was hidden behind trees, and wasn’t too close to the road, nor too deep in the forest. It had been there for as long as Madh could remember, behind trees that grew so thick, no one ever thought of going near them. Madh and Rysa were small enough to squeeze through the gap between the trees, and they had played there often before, when they were slacking from their chores.
It was the first place that had come to mind when they needed to hide. All the children in the village had to learn how to hunt from the time they learned to walk, and also to help the elders around houses. Except for the fact that their parents were no longer there, neither Madh or Rysa found living by themselves very different from before.
“I should’ve been careful,” he said, his breathing heavy. “We’ll need to leave, once I am well. What if the soldiers find us?”
“We’ll go,” Rysa said, her voice sounding distant. “But where will we go?”
“There must be somewhere,” he said, though he had no idea about it. They had never gone farther than the next village, not even when their parents were alive. “Somewhere without the war.”
“How will we get there?” Rysa asked, “There are soldiers everywhere,”
Madh didn’t know, and he didn’t answer. It was hopeless. They had no money, no weapons, no parents; his chest hurt so much, he was finding it difficult to breathe. They were only eleven, though Madh felt older, much older.
Rysa raised him slightly to pour the same bitter tasting potion in his mouth. His pain numbed, and he gave her a weak smile.
“We will find a way,” he said, hugging her. He lay back down with Rysa still in his arms, though she was careful not to be on the side where the arrow had gone in.
He thought of the potion Rysa had made. She was good that way. She was also good at making food last a long time, though they had none left now, which was why Madh had gone out. He hadn’t been able to find any, even though he had searched all over. He had picked some fruits and nuts from the woods, but they had all fallen when the arrow hit him.
Madh’s free hand wandered to his shoulder, to the mark he knew was there, but his chest hurt and he desisted. That mark was the only visible one on his body. He didn’t know what it meant, but he remembered his mother smoothing her fingers over it, whispering to him that he was special. Madh looked at Rysa where she lay in the crook of his arm, her eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. He didn’t feel special. If he was so special, how was it that he couldn’t find food? How was it that he and Rysa had to hide from slavers and soldiers? How was it that he didn’t notice the soldiers until the arrow caught him?
He sighed. He wanted to comfort Rysa, to tell her that everything would be fine, but the words wouldn’t come out. They weren’t fine, and he didn’t know how they would survive until he got better.
In the morning, Rysa was gone, and the potion for his pain was by the side of his mat.
Don't forget that you have an exclusive free book for signing up for my newsletter.
I will likely be back around the end of February with more news and promos. I have no releases this month and no special promos, so I won't bother y'all for the rest of the month.
See you on the 25th.Till then, stay safe and take care of yourselves.
An author and editor, Niranjan’s biggest ambition is to have a character named Garth in every book they write. Niranjan writes books rooted in mythical worlds, and their stories are often a combination of magic and futuristic technology.
When they are not writing or editing, Niranjan can be found cooking or just lying on their couch watching or rewatching C Dramas and writing fanfiction.
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