LightNews — News, ranked by scholars

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Finally caught up to today's #wipsnips, a short little passage that I had a fun time writing. It was hard to know where to stop my snip, since I love the whole conversation so much! This is from Chapter 5 of Boy From Beaver Creek.

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky #bookwip

“Made the trip all the way out here, huh?” He asks, raising a playful eyebrow.
“I couldn’t let Ryan sign his life away and not at least be there to witness it.” I answer, halfway joking, halfway not.
“Weddings are awesome, aren’t they?” He smiles, looking around the room with enthusiasm.
It’s too bad we don’t throw parties for divorce. They’d arguably be more fun.
I keep that thought to myself.

July 9, 2026 at 9:50 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

A great word for this time of year in the heartland of the US, it be wet outside. This #wipsnips is from Chapter 2 of Boy From Beaver Creek, another one of my current WIPs.

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky #bookwip

I collect a garment steamer from the front desk once back at the hotel, taking my time to remove the many wrinkles my suit accumulated from its hours stuffed inside a bag. I probably should have come by car and packed it properly, but there was something so enticing about biking the whole way there, getting the fresh air and viewing the mountains up close instead of behind a windshield. I didn’t account for the possibility of it breaking down, of course, nor did I account for the disgusting humidity and high temperatures I’d experience across I-80.
You’d think Nebraska was a swamp with how damp the air is.

July 9, 2026 at 9:47 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

An uncomfortable ballroom dance in Chapter 3 of Bride of the Jester King takes center stage for July 4th's #wipsnips.

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky #bookwip

We wait until the current dance is finished to join in on the next, stepping and spinning round each other as the happy tune is plucked along by the orchestra. I catch sight of the king here and there as we move, but between the overbearing nature of my skirt and the additional weight of my mask on my face, I spend more time concerned with staying on beat and keeping my balance.

Mykhor holds my hand above our heads as I turn around him in a small circle, and as I come to complete it and end the dance, I meet with a very piercing set of blue eyes, shadowed behind a golden mask. I stop, practically chest to chest with none other than the king, his tall figure and intimidating energy looming over me.

I have a fleeting thought that he matches the rest of his castle well.

July 9, 2026 at 8:17 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Day 3 of the month but #wipsnip entry number 2 for me, from Chapter 2 of Bride of the Jester King, a tense (to put it lightly) exchange between Nezera and her father.

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky #bookwip

“When you join the Basilus registry, honor will be restored to House Ryskov. Our Baron title will be returned, I may perhaps even become a Viscount.” He even has the gall to smile. “You will finally have served a purpose.”

“And if I refuse?”

His hands throw me into the side table before I can hardly finish the question, the carafe shattering as both me and the table crumple to the floor. Searing pain shoots through entire frame and my vision grows watery, tears threatening to spill forth.

“You don’t have a choice, you foolish brat.” Father inspects his hands, as though he just touched something dirty. “Now get out of my sight.”

July 9, 2026 at 8:14 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

I'm already days behind but I'm going to try to catch up and participate in #wipsnips again this summer! A nice little short one to start, from Chapter 1 of Bride of the Jester King.

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky #bookwip

Twenty minutes past midnight, a knock sounds at my door, log past having sent the nightly attendant away. I recognize its weight, its cadence. I knew he'd come eventually.

July 9, 2026 at 8:10 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

This just in: three commissioned portraits of our leads for BRIDE OF THE JESTER KING! @spitefultuna.bsky.social did such incredible work capturing the essence of all three, and I couldn't be more excited. Check out my instagram for in depth character profiles!
#writesky #booksky #writingcommunity

Three horizontal splices of images sit stacked one on top of the other; all three images are sections of character illustrations, zoomed in around the eyes. The character at the top of the image is a masculine presenting person with thick, dark eyebrows and a pronounced brow ridge, set low over olive green eyes. His skin is a ruddy tan. The character in the middle is a masculine presenting person with ginger hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes surrounding his light blue, nonplussed eyes. His skin is pale with a pink undertone. The character at the bottom is a feminine presenting woman with black eyebrows and round features, with deep ruby irises. Her skin is pale with an olive undertone.

A painterly portrait of a young man with pale skin, ginger hair, and blue eyes. He sits at a 3/4 angle, his expression cold and nonplussed. He has sharp bone structure with pronounced hollows of his cheeks, and his hair has a gentle wave and the longest parts reach nearly the top of his shoulder. He wears a black dress jacket with a dark red trim and buttons.

A painterly portrait of a young woman with pale skin, long, black curly hair, and ruby red eyes. Her face is round and her features soft, and she is looking straight on at the viewer. She appears calm and wears a plum dress with a high neck and long sleeves, with some lighter lavender trimmings.

A painterly portrait of a young man with a ruddy tan skin tone, dark brown hair, and green eyes. His hair is cropped short, and he has a pronounced brown ridge with thick eyebrows set low over his eyes, which are averted to the left. He has strong bone structure and a strong nose, and doesn't appear to be very pleased to be posing for his portrait. He wears a sort of quilted, navy training tunic, with bronze buckles and a leather shoulder pauldron.

June 21, 2026 at 3:44 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

One of my current WIPs is Book 3 of the TALES OF ANGARIDE series, titled BRIDE OF THE JESTER KING. It's a bit darker, moodier, with plenty of decadent romance. I'm hoping to be able to share more soon!

And you know what they say...

Good things come in threes.

#booksky #writingcommunity

An open book rests on a white fur blanket, opened to a page with text that reads "Book Three: Tales of Angaride, Bride of the Jester King, now in development". Sitting on the top righthand corner of the book page is a sliced pomegranate, whose juices have started to stain the cream book page a dark pink color. On the bottom righthand corner of the book page is an ornate mask made of what could be porcelain, with gold accents around the eyes and nose. The mask has three faces total: one facing forward that would fit the wearer's face, and then two more half faces on either side of the mask. To the left of the mask is another pomegranate, this one is whole.

Text overlayed on three dark images vertically spliced together. The first image is a close up photo of leaves, the second is a close up shot of ice over a body of water, and the last image is a grey, rocky terrain. The text reads: "a young capricious king with a troubled past...his wholly devoted knight, too self-sacrificing...a disgraced noblewoman desperate to escape her family's ruin...and a political engagement they all plan to use to meet their own ends."

Text overlaid an image of a foggy forest landscape. The text reads: "A peninsula surrounded by the Glass Tides to the north, to the east, the Eastern Sea, the south, the Walled Bay and to the west, the Aedrun Tundra, Zevakhra remains as the Continent of Angaride’s most remote and isolated nation. A harsh landscape of rock and ice, and plauged by bitter bouts of dangerous winds and freezing rain, only the most hardy of humanity survive in Zevakhra, and only those fortunate enough to be blessed with wealth—or marry into it—can ever leave. It is here within the looming castle walls of Zevakhra our story begins."

Text overlayed on three images, horizontally spliced together. All three images are of masks, cropped around the eyes. The first mask is grey and maroon, with gold lines outlining the eyes and bridge of the nose. Swirling filigree decorates the sides of the eyes. The second mask is white with an ornate gold band around the eyes. The last mask is shaped like the face of a wolf, silver, with bold lines contouring the cheek bones and nose bridge. The text over the images reads: "A fleeing bride. An unpredictable monarch. A knight blinded by devotion. Like players in a comedy, performers of a tragedy, like jesters in a court. Will the masks they wear ever falter?"

May 25, 2026 at 8:07 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Also, can we talk about how beautiful this commission turned out?? 🥺 I’m sobbing over my own characters rn

Happy BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS day! 🪷

Thank you @sominixx.bsky.social

#booksky #writingcommunity #bookart

March 13, 2026 at 5:40 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS is available now! If you love East Asian inspired fantasy romances with royal politics and a healthy dose of angst, you might love BTLB.

Available in ebook and paperback. Check the linktree in my bio for more info!

#booksky #writingcommunity #romancerecs #indiebookrecs

March 13, 2026 at 5:38 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

More exciting March news: you can buy signed paperbacks directly from my website!

If you enjoy collecting paperbacks or have been eyeing my upcoming March release, BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS, there’s no time like the present to get yourself a special copy. More info in the images below! 🤍

#booksky

A black and white photograph of two paperback books standing side by side against a slatted wood backdrop, one titled Dance on the Sun and the other Before the Lotus Blooms. Text above the books reads “signed paperbacks available to order now!” And text below reads “www.harumibooks.com”

A screenshot of text that reads “purchase directly from HARUMI: ordering copies of my books directly from my website helps me retain a larger amount of the sale so I can in turn keep making books. It also allows me the opportunity to ensure your package is sent with care! Check out the books and bundles available for purchase below.” Below the screenshot is more text that reads “As it says on the site, when you choose to purchase your paperback copy of either Dance on the Sun or Before the Lotus Blooms (or both!) from me directly, the additional revenue I collect (rather than having Amazon take a cut) immediately goes toward my funds to make more books, commission more art, and keep on writing. You may end up spending a couple more dollars than you would purchasing through Amazon, but going through my site cuts out the middle man, and helps support me as an author.”

Text at the top of the image reads in a script font “what’s available”. Below to the left is a screenshot of a store webpage with three available items; the first, Dance on the Sun, for $16.00. Second, Before the Lotus Blooms, for $16.00. Third, Tales of Angaride Bundle, for $30.00. All three listings have an attached image of the book covers, as well as an add to cart button. To the right of the screenshot is text that reads “Right now, you can get signed copies of Dance on the Sun, Before the Lotus Blooms, or purchase both in a bundle, which comes with some additional swag!
Ship times will be slower than Amazon; that’s unfortunately the reality with having to send them out myself, but I promise each package will be sent with tender love and care.

Text that reads “If you’d like to have my books on your shelf, I would be so grateful if you would choose to order from my website. If you prefer ebooks, check out the linktree in my bio for where to find the ebook versions of both novels! From the bottom of my heart I render a deep thanks for your continued support of my books, and I hope you might fall in with them even a little bit more with one in the palm of your hand.” Below the text box is a script font that reads “thank you” and then a thick-penned signature that reads “HARUMI”.

March 2, 2026 at 5:43 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Hi Bluesky! It’s been a while. Zooming back in to remind you that BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS is only 15 days away from being available to have, to hold, and to read!

Check out the images below for some early reviews of BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS.

#writingcommunity #booksky #indieauthor #mmbooks

FIVE STARS - This book pulled me in quietly and then never let go. The level of detail in the writing is remarkable, not in an overwhelming way, but in how precisely chosen each moment feels.
I could "feel" the weight of the garments as characters moved, "sense" how fabric restricted or comforted them, and "visualize" small, ordinary actions with striking clarity...like the cat startling and leaping when a door slammed shut. Those details made the world tangible and the interactions feel lived-in rather than described. And there were so many other moments I felt just as strongly, but saying more would spoil the experience.

The writing itself is clean, intentional, and beautifully organized, making the story effortless to follow and impossible to put down.

FIVE STARS - A beautiful story of unlikely love and political plots, conspiracy, illness and grief. A poor man, a gardener, ostracised for his appearance and given the hardest task in his new work at the palace bumps into, without recognising him, the crown prince, isolated due to an illness that has beset him since childhood. The gardener finds himself pulled into a barely thought through plan to end the prince's engagement, made privy to the knowledge he has been given only a year to live, he is made a public consort. It's chaotic, it's complicated and it's crazy. Feelings grow, but so do tensions, and the prince's health continues to worsen. The ending is dramatic, cunning, devastating and beautiful.

The world building is brilliant. The politics is intriguing and the religious element interesting, the two intertwined and balanced through falsehood and quiet murder... The slow build of information through the book is well-paced and consistently engaging, the attitudes shifting throughout from despondency to fear to hope to joy. The characters are brilliantly crafted, their personalities opposite but complementary. One brash and opinionated, the other reserved and resigned, they challenge one another and they work well together. Secrecy is necessary but damaging, it is painful and drawn out, but everything comes together in the end.

A beautiful romance wrapped in political plots and intrigue. Brilliant.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

FOUR STARS - When I seen this was a second book in a series, but could be read as a standalone, I was a little put off, but figured “meh, I’ll give it a chance.” I read the introduction, my stomach bottomed out, and I hopped, skipped and jumped over to Kindle unlimited and downloaded the first, devoured that in a day then started this one. They are that good!!! While the first book was low angst, and left me feeling the warm fuzzies, this story kept me in a constant state of panic. Considering how the story started I was panicking throughout the whole journey, and once I got to the last 20%, I was not putting it down for anything. Harumi knows how to tell a story that packs some emotional punch. I’m actually abit disappointed my kindle algorithm hadn’t brought ‘Dance on the Sun’ up, as these MM historical fantasy books are right up my genre. Thank you Harumi for starting my 2026 ready journey strong. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars is that I did find them to be little fast passed, as in throughout the story you’ll find yourself jumping a couple of weeks or months at a time. I do prefer my stories abit more fleshed out, but it absolutely is more a me problem then a you problem. The time jumps take nothing away from the story whatsoever, and I can see that they were done to keep the momentum going as both these stories take place over the course of a year or more. You absolutely can read ‘Before the Lotus Blooms’ (I just finished the book 15 mins ago and writing the title just made the significance of it click, and now I’m crying) as a standalone, but treat yourself and read both, you won’t be disappointed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Preorder Before the Lotus Blooms today! Available on Kindle, Rakuten Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play Books, Bookshop.org, Gardners, Fable, Vivlio, Smashwords, and Tolino. Coming soon: 03.13.2026

February 27, 2026 at 7:07 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

There’s 3 more days to snag a spot on my ARC reader list for BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS! The Google sign-up form is in the linktree in my bio. Blurb and trope map below!

Sign-ups officially close Jan 15 and ARCs will be sent out Jan 20!

#booksky #arcreaders #arcsignup #mmbooks

Jaeyun does not trust the gods. Regarded as a curse and left for dead on the streets of Masu as a child, his resentment toward Dayan and Dayir—the weavers of fate—roots deeper than any crop he’s ever cared for. Motivated by the prospect of wealth and a better life for himself and his adoptive father, he enlists as a palace gardener, despite his distaste for the gods’ divinely appointed rulers. But it isn’t long before he’s twisted into a dangerous and confusing relationship with Satesaru’s crown prince. To earn the salary he was promised, and keep his head attached to his shoulders, he has no choice but to become a character of the prince’s design.

Yuzeharu must trust the gods. As the First Prince of Satesaru, he has always understood his purpose in life; to serve the interests of the crown and the divinities it relies on, by whatever means necessary. However, after a childhood injury leaves him permanently ailing and isolated from the rest of his family, he begins to wonder if there’s a chance he could ever escape his royal cage. Desperate to flee from his responsibilities and racing against the dwindling sands in the twin gods’ hourglass, Yuzeharu implicates the mysterious gardener taking care of his estate in a risky scheme to outrun his destiny.

Before them unwinds a treacherous path of deception, romance, and tragedy as they work together to take control of Yuzeharu’s future. As the line between their act and reality begins to blur, Yuzeharu fights to keep his true feelings concealed, and Jaeyun finds himself inexplicably yet increasingly driven to protect the prince. Must the two bow to their preordained fate, or can their love be enough to defy the will of the gods for good?

January 12, 2026 at 4:56 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Sign-ups forARCs for my spring novel, BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS, are open now until January 15th!

The sign-up form is available through the linktree in my bio, or by visiting my website www.harumibooks.com.

Full blurb and trope map in the images below!

#booksky #arcreads #bookreviewers

The cover of BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS is surrounded by small text boxes that indicate present tropes in the book. All text boxes are as follows: Prince x peasant, he fell first but he fell harder, unwanted engagement, scars (emotional and physical), size/height gap, overthinker x one track mind, false pretenses, first love, love and loss, life and death, fickle gods, survival, hidden enemies, newfound family, fate and destiny, star crossed lovers, sacrificial love, political plots, contractual relationship, and aggressive caretaker.

December 17, 2025 at 4:11 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Brief bluesky break intermission (yes a break from the break) to share my book cover for BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS 🤭🤭 it turned out SO PRETTY! 💚 mark your calendars for 03.13.26!

#writesky #writingcommunity #booksky

A light green book with a darker, vine-like scroll border around the central image and text rests on a silky viridian fabric, posed between two lotus leaves, one at the top and one at the bottom. Two green (darker than the main part of the cover) semi circles border the title text, reading “Before the Lotus Blooms.” Inside the semi-circles are lotus flower silhouettes. There is a subtitle near the top of the book cover reading “Book 2, Tales of Angaride” as well as text on the bottom reading “a novel by HARUMI.”

October 18, 2025 at 1:44 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Taking a break from wipsnips this month, have too much else going on and already haven’t had time to touch social media hardly at all and it’s only going to get worse the deeper into the month we get. But will be back to the book social grind in November! ✨

October 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Last snip of September, ending on a good note with a snip of one of my favorite BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS characters, Piko, the calico cat.

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

“What is wrong with me, Piko?”
I lament to essentially no one, as cats aren’t very good conversational partners, her focus entirely on getting in a good snooze on my stomach. Her paws open and contract in a steady rhythm as she purrs, oblivious to my emotional distress.
I can’t believe I got drunk and made such a stupid mistake, and when Jaeyun asked to return home a few days later, I was both relieved and ashamed.
Does he think I’m impossible to be around after all?

October 1, 2025 at 12:51 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

• “Love troubles?”
• It feels like my luck is finally returning. “You hit the nail on the head.” I keep my gaze locked onto his. “My cheating ex-boyfriend won’t leave me alone.”

From chapter 5 of BFBC 🦫

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

“Did that picture piss off it’s intended recipient?” He asks to my surprise, his brown eyes flicking between his drink and my face.
“It certainly did.” Damien will be even angrier later. “Thank you for your service.”
He smiles behind his cup. “Happy to help.”
I notice under his slight flush a smattering of freckles across his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. He really is pretty cute. Definitely a step up from the bartender, and though not my usual type, there’s something about his sort of farm-boy look that I like.
Either extremely intuitive or also tipped off by someone else in the room, he follows that up with a question. “Love troubles?”
It feels like my luck is finally returning. “You hit the nail on the head.” I keep my gaze locked onto his. “My cheating ex-boyfriend won’t leave me alone.”
Something flashes in Javi’s eyes just for a moment after he registers ex-'boyfriend’, but he doesn’t ask any follow up questions, nor does he run away. He simply nods in understanding before looking back at the dance floor.
Not a terrible reaction.

September 24, 2025 at 5:48 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Skill, or perhaps lack thereof.

Jaeyun confides in Inuhori in chapter 14 of BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS.

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

“These are medical journals.” Inuhito furrows his brow, tipping one of the books back by the spine to look at the cover. He doesn’t ask out loud, but his face has a clear “why?” written all over it.
I take out one that’s written in Sarun, with words I mostly understand on the front.
“I’m doing some studying.” I answer plainly, not eager to discuss the details with him. But as I flip through the pages, it’s clear I may need his help knowing which texts would even be useful to me.
He watches me skeptically, pushing the book he’d pulled out back into its place.
“You’re skilled in medicine?” His voice actually sounds a bit interested, even maybe hopeful, though his face doesn’t show it.
I find myself with a lie on the tip of my tongue, ready to fire it off, but I stop myself. This is something I really won’t be able to do on my own.
I snap the book shut and turn to him. “No. Truthfully, I only learned how to read recently. Yuzeharu has been teaching me.”
His eyebrows shoot up in mild surprise but quickly settle back low over his dark eyes. “His Grace taught you?” He makes sure to emphasize the polite use of his title. “You mean to say you didn’t know how to read at all?”
I’d really like to chuck a book at his dense skull for making me repeat myself, but I keep my composure, even if just barely. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” He’s really not making me want to ask him for help, but I don’t really have any other choices. “Because of that, I don’t even know where to start. For books on medicine, or with what Yuze would enjoy reading.”

September 24, 2025 at 4:18 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

This one’s a vibe and not direct, since flurry automatically brings to mind a rush of snowflakes ❄️

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

I throw myself backwards into the snow, my arms and legs splaying out unceremoniously as I try to calm my pounding heart. The powder beneath is cold against my scalp and now-bare neck, a fresh reminder of my newest shame. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been compared to Jemma, and I’ve always fallen short.
It’s not as though this feeling is anything novel.
Delicate snowflakes begin dancing down from the sky, each one falling and flittering at its own pace, taking their sweet time before reaching my exposed skin and melting upon meeting it. As my face grows damp, I’m reminded of a folk song Father used to sing to me on a whim, one that likened people to snowflakes. Each individually crafted by The Protector, designed from Heaven to be truly special and unique. I loved hearing it, and I would ask him to sing it for me often as a young child.
When was the last time I heard it?
“...with Her hands she weaves us all, each a crystal tap-es-try...” The words tumble out quietly and off-key as I try to remember the next phrase, pausing as I search my memory.

September 22, 2025 at 6:47 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

Not the first red face and certainly not the last in BFBC. 🦫

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

I can tell Javi is completely drunk, his face bright red as he takes a break on the sidelines, clearly needing to catch his breath. I check my phone for the time, realizing midnight is approaching and almost everyone above the age of thirty-five has already left.
I shuffle my way out of the crowd and over to Javi’s side, bumping into him playfully.
“Still standing?” I ask.
“Barely.” He smiles, not making any moves to put more distance between us.
It’s now or never.
“How are you getting home?” I lean in further, pressing my luck.
His eyes search the room, looking for who I assume must be his designated driver. “My sister...”
I let my fingers organically find his wrist, taking it lightly as I finish my inquiries directly into his ear.
“Want to come up to my hotel room to sober up a little?”

September 18, 2025 at 8:21 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

“She snaps her hands back down to her sides and takes a deep, practiced breath in attempts to calm herself, and—if I could venture to guess—to keep herself from wringing my neck.”

From the opening scene of a special project, that I’m hoping to have ready to publish in December 👀😙❄️

#wipsnips

“What were you thinking?”
She stomps over and begins touching my hair, her hands running wildly through the short strands that curl slightly around my ears and the base of my neck.
“What does it matter? It’s just hair!” I roll my eyes. “And it’ll grow back, like Mama said.”
She snaps her hands back down to her sides and takes a deep, practiced breath in attempts to calm herself, and—if I could venture to guess—to keep herself from wringing my neck.
“It’s not just hair, and you know that.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, but there’s such a severity behind it, I feel like my ears hurt. “It’s the hair, the trousers, the sneaking out when you’re meant to be in lessons.”
I can’t help but sigh.

September 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM

Reposted by HARUMI

roz is here & not here 🪄🌹🦇🫧 | Rozlai Eyler

@starbuds-and-roses.bsky.social

I have to post this & run, but here. . .

cw: suggestive

as far as improvements go, I’m still tinkering with this scene & the end goal is to eventually write it out in full, whenever the inspiration strikes 🤞
#SaturdaySnippet #writesky

a screenshot of white text against a black background that reads:

"You're perfect," Cecyl whispered, breathlessly, and leaned in for a kiss, only to have to break away all too quickly, "so perfect."

September 13, 2025 at 4:59 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

“I have some pocket money for you too, while we’re out.”
🎶“Lucky me, a son that wants to buy me things…”🎶

From Chapter 9 of BEFORE THE LOTUS BLOOMS.

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

Ahbo hammers his right fist lightly into the palm of his left. “We should go see Gyudo this mornin’, I’m certain he’d have some connections.”
I try to hold back a frown. Since the Prince and I have already made a public appearance together, I’ve been careful about showing my face in town. I know if I go out with Ahbo, he’s likely to draw attention since he can’t seem to stop telling everyone about my job at the palace.
It feels risky, but, unfortunately, he’s right. If anyone would know where or how to get something rare, it would be Gyudo.
“Alright, let me get dressed for the day first.” I stand from the table, collecting our breakfast bowls. Ahbo claps his hands together excitedly. “I have some pocket money for you too, while we’re out.”
It feels strange to be the one offering cash to Ahbo instead of the other way around, but I can’t deny it makes me a bit proud to be able to do so. I do have some guilt now, knowing I’m ripping off someone more pitiful than I’d originally assumed. But the Prince seemingly had no issue giving me my monthly salary before I left for home, and I wasn’t about to turn it down.
“Lucky me,” Ahbo sings quietly as he heads into his room. “A son that wants ta buy me things...”

September 13, 2025 at 4:33 PM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

“Damn, I thought that little Band-Aid was the worst of it.”

Beck discusses his recent motorcycle-accident-related-injuries with a friend over lunch in Chapter 2 of BFBC.

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

“If the food is bad, you have every right to complain. ‘Til you’ve tasted it though, you don’t get an opinion.” Robby points his unwrapped straw at me before plunging it into his water. “Now what happened? You drove up in a truck...I’m assuming that isn’t yours.” He takes a long sip.
“You would be correct.” I lift up my t-shirt sleeve to reveal the bandages over my shoulder, his eyes growing wide at the sight. “I blew a tire and lost control, now my bike’s in some random shop. The truck is a loaner.”
“Damn, I thought that little Band-Aid was the worst of it.” He must’ve thought I was just being dramatic, hearing me gripe after only seeing the little scratch on my cheek. “Did you go to the hospital?”
“Urgent care, the mechanic who picked me up on the side of the road basically kidnapped me and took me there against my will.” I’m still annoyed thinking about how he treated me like an injured child.
“What a nice guy,” Robby smiles, “taking care of someone as prickly as you.”

September 13, 2025 at 12:09 AM

HARUMI

@harumibooks.bsky.social

A little meet cute at the local marina bar and grille between Beck and Javi, the main characters of BFBC.

#wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity

“Sorry, you’re bleeding.”
He takes over the napkin, pulling it down to see he is, in fact, wounded.
“Shit. I thought it wouldn’t open again.”
“Doesn’t look like it’s too bad. Just a scratch.”
“Yeah, well, that’s the least of it.” He continues to dab at his face, scrunching his nose every time he pulls it away and there’s more blood.
“Did you get into a fight?” I know that’s probably not what happened, but I can’t deny I’m curious.
He smiles with half his mouth, the corner quirking up. “Yeah, with the ground.”
I laugh, maybe harder than I should as his cheeks start to color.
“I got launched off my motorcycle, okay?” He defends, crumpling up the napkin as the scratch has started to clot.

September 11, 2025 at 10:45 PM

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