Henlo my dude! Wooty woot! All the covers are done! I'm so excited about this series and can't wait to see how Judy performs it. I should be getting a first preview in the next two weeks or so ^_^ yay!
What do you think of the covers? Which one is your favorite?
Laters gators! (been watching too much Moon Knight)
~J.D. Astra
2022-04-24 15:07:47 +0000 UTC View PostThe train bumped along into Desedra City. The tension in Rhen’s head had mounted to a full-blown migraine, and his nerves were frayed. They had twenty-eight days left to activate the nexus node, and too few prospects for recruiting.
Rhen had to be selective. He couldn’t risk bringing in someone who would try to scalp his dungeon to another owner, or someone who—once they knew the po...
2022-04-23 15:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Don’t ease up, almost there,” Rhen said from behind Olliat.
Flecks of stone pelted her leather apron and metal face shield as she punched away at the stone with her hand drill. The flecks turned to sparks and Rhen tapped her shoulder.
“See that, Lafite!”
Olliat cut the drill and inspected the hole she’d made. “Nice vein.”
“Nice work.” Rhen p...
2022-04-22 15:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I'm double fisting coffee and water for ultimate awake and hydration. I know it's a bit early for an update, but I have a lot to do today and didn't want to forget y'all =)
The book is almost done! And I apologize, but I must release more chapters more frequently >.< I hope that's not too annoying.
This has seriously been such a fu...
2022-04-21 16:02:42 +0000 UTC View PostIn a matter of hours, Rhen’s camp was host to five new visitors: Barrek, two of his friends, and their wives, who all promised to get the inn ready for patrons. They agreed on five marks an hour each, which was a reasonable rate for the work given the circumstances.
They had filled the boat-cart on the way out with hammers, nails, pots, pans, plates, utensils, blankets, and so much more...
2022-04-20 15:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostIt.
Was.
Done.
Rhen plopped into the dirt, his body weary. He marveled at their creation. Was it perfect? No. But it was a respectable sized inn for such a small dungeon. Aki had helped test the roof by dropping a steady downpour over it; not a single drop inside. They had layered the mud and mortar with impeccable speed and skill.
Jakira dropped down beside him with a s...
2022-04-18 15:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostRhen pulled on the rope at his shoulders, then at his hips, ensuring the knots were as tights as Aki’s had been. Next, he tested the simple crane he had put together from bones. The hole was situated in a fairly narrow passageway, so Rhen had designed the crane to brace against the walls in a triangle shape. He grabbed the other end of the rope then lifted his feed off the ground.
The b...
2022-04-16 15:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostAfter many hours, Rhen had dug out most of the foundation for the inn. It would be six rooms to start: the kitchen with a small basement pantry—which still needed to be dug—the entertainment room, and three bedrooms. Though Aki didn’t sleep, Rhen felt it would be nice for him to have someplace to put his things.
Rhen stood up straight, his spine creaking as he did. “I shouldn’t ...
2022-04-15 15:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I've got ice water to sip on right now, and it's nearly bed time. I swear I didn't forget you, I've just been busy (I totally typoed "busty" just now and no, no I haven't).
Every day brings me closer to the end. I hope y'all have been enjoying reading it because I sure have been enjoying writing it!
If you're not a 2022-04-15 04:39:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Rhen made his way outside with Aki on his heels, his mood soured from all that had taken place so early in the morning. Jakira escaped the inn amid many sweet farewells from the delvers, all of them begging for her to come back tomorrow with more flaky rolls. Rhen wanted to be happy that they were making a positive impact on the little town of Yu, but couldn’t help feeling… angry, instead.<...
2022-04-13 15:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostJakira had only ever received an identification syntial; the small, binding tattoo that would reveal to anyone who inquired, exactly who one was and what they’d done with their life. So when she placed her hand on the mastery node to receive her first prima syntial—Defender’s Cry—she howled and ripped her hand away.
“Is it supposed to be so painful?”
Rhen gently guided h...
2022-04-11 15:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostRhen exhaled a small breath of fire into the monster’s face, hoping to blind and surprise it. The creature roared and reared back, blinking madly.
“I thought the plan was stealth!” Aki taunted.
A brilliant aurora of purple and teal surged past Rhen’s feet like a river. It washed across the floor and rushed up the monster’s thrashing body, entrancing it.
“Hurry! It ...
2022-04-08 15:01:03 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes, sorry for the late update. I'm drinking some water right now because I passed out for a few hours this afternoon... exhaustion? stress? a moldy blueberry muffin I excavated the mold from and ate anyway? I'm not sure why...
Is blasting out of my fingertips are lazer pace (except yesterday because sushi, and today because emergency 3hr nap). You...
2022-04-08 03:18:51 +0000 UTC View PostRhen rose the next morning to the smell of something divine. It was fish for certain, but there was a sweet acidity to the smell, too. He could hear Jakira’s humming something gently and the grinding of stone on stone.
He put on his clothes in a flurry, and emerged to see Jakira working a rudimentary mortar and pestle. She was grinding a thick purple-red paste.
“Good morning,”...
2022-04-06 15:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post“I missed you!” The cute Cadrian threw open her arms and embraced Rhen. “Ugh, and you’re just as smelly, as usual.”
“He is considerably cleaner than last time, however,” Aki said behind them.
Jakira pulled away from Rhen, her golden freckled cheeks sparkling in a blush. “Oh, Mr. Aki. It’s good that you’re back too.”
“We’re just here for a night, but i...
2022-04-04 15:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post(SEE! I told you I'd be back Friday ^_^)
Aki claimed the Shadow Snare ability for himself after Rhen and they decided to call it a night, despite still having another monster core. Aki put up quite a fuss, telling Rhen he should use it to increase his anima capacity, but Rhen argued it wouldn’t be enough to get him another ability. Not to mention that they’d need to uncover more of th...
2022-04-01 15:01:03 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I've got that clear splish-splash because I already drank my mocktail for the evening =(
As promised, chapters resume tomorrow! I'm so excited for the way this one is going ^_^
OMG, I have a narrator! I'm so stoked. Her name is Judy Alice Lee and she is incredible. Can't wait for these to be produced. I've also got ...
2022-04-01 02:37:52 +0000 UTC View PostSorry my dudes! I want to bring you some more deathless ASAP, but I've been on sort of vacation, and I'm currently for REAL on vacation in Mexico (WOOOO!)
So I apologize, there'll be no Deathless Chapter 7 tomorrow morning but I cross my heart that I will be back to posting chapters on... Friday. Yes. =) Friday!
OKAY DUDES, hope you've had a great weekend.
~J.D. Astra
2022-03-27 23:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostRhen worked at breaking away the wall, widening the passage so they could stand abreast, while Aki sorted through the raw material. His ability to manipulate water made him especially adept at breaking the harder stone away from the ores and gems the wanted to collect. Aki could also absorb the raw anima out of the stones he broke down—by polluting his body with the debris, but that didn’t ...
2022-03-25 15:00:01 +0000 UTC View PostThe dungeon defiler, a twelve-foot-tall monstrosity of hulking muscles and a long maw of thick teeth, marched in a circle—likely right over Rhen’s dungeon opening. Its canine nose sniffed at the air, pulling a deep inhale. It must’ve smelled Rhen’s unoccupied dungeon and thought it’d scored big.
Defilers rarely rolled up on dungeons that were actively being mined, unless it was ...
2022-03-23 15:01:15 +0000 UTC View PostThe cross-country train plugged along at a good speed, rattling now and then. Rhen’s eyes were fixed on the petal sticking out of his id syntial that read, “DOG” in flashing letters at the center. There was a single hashmark on the top of the petal to show he owned one dungeon, and within that tiny hash was the dungeon identification number.
His finger traced the mark, lingering on ...
2022-03-21 15:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostRhen and the delve crew reported the Nexus node to pats on the back from the delve leader. She’d get a little cut of it, too, but it would be an extra five hundred DRA added to Rhen, Pat, and Careless’ weekly earnings. It was a gross underpayment for such a find, but Rhen wouldn’t turn it down. He just had to survive the rest of the week now. No more wild risks. He’d play it safe and ha...
2022-03-18 15:01:03 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I’m currently having a Kilt Lifter. It’s a Scottish ale… I’m sorry for my transgressions, there were no Irish beers at the mart.
I had a bit of a slow week last week but I’m back to the words now. Chapter 3 had some edits this afternoon and you’ll get it tomorrow. I’m really just having a good time honestly.
Rhen picked up his backpack and his week’s earnings on the way out; a measly ninety DRA, which was the Desedra’s own currency. That one anima crystal he’d pulled from the horromoth would be worth at least sixty on its own. It was heinous robbery to snub the delvers so bad.
The entire city that had sprung up around the dungeon towered overhead as Rhen made his way onto the streets. I...
2022-03-16 15:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostRhen was about to die a horrible, gruesome death. The eight-foot tall, slavering moth monster grabbed Rhen’s feet and began wrapping them in acidic silk string. The moth monsters liked to eat their prey alive, like most spiders, and wrapped them in silk in a similar fashion for meal preservation.
The young dungeoneer carefully played at being unconscious, waiting until the monster’s t...
2022-03-14 15:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I'm about to pour myself a little wine in celebration of scheduling the first three chapters of Deathless Dungeoneers! THAT'S RIGHT BABY!
Okay, so, admittedly I was sad when I had to scrap the towers, and then more sad when I had to scrap the deeper meaning I'd planned into the story.... but you know what... fuck it. I'm having FUN. I'm not wo...
2022-03-11 00:56:00 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I'm currently not drinking anything and I'm actually pretty parched... somebody get me a puppers! (comment below in a cryptic reply if you know what this is and I'll give you a gold star ^_^)
OMG Okay, so... ha... well I scrapped my outline again and started fresh! My new outline is ALMOST done, but I have approval to start working on it as so...
2022-03-04 00:22:36 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes. I've got just some water right now but tonight might call for something a bit stronger as I do my very best to avoid the news.
The outline and world building process documents are done. The outline is probably the strongest outline I've ever written, so I'm really confident I'm gonna fly through this bad boy once I get approval. It's about 100...
2022-02-24 23:46:43 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes! I've got some water with a twist of lime with me, chugging it down while I walk on my treadmill. Love this setup, and it's in part to your awesome contributions that I've got it! So, thank you thank you to all my lovely patrons helping to keep me healthy.
Yep, that's right my dudes... So I did this big genre eval of tower climbers and deci...
2022-02-17 23:39:44 +0000 UTC View PostHenlo my dudes... I've got the clear splashy next to me in my hotel room at Superstars.
*deep sigh*
I am learning SO much. Especially things like, I'm a journeyman. I can do things, I can make some stuff happen, but my craft still has so much room to expand and get better.
On that note...
Yeah, I'm rewriting it. I know, I know, 20k words done and I'm li...
2022-02-10 22:05:10 +0000 UTC View Post