Hello, so this happened. Thank you for 200,000 page reads on my epic (and fantastical) superhero series! Talking about my book struggles really helped, and I'm grateful for your curiosity in the last few weeks. I was considering giving up. Thank you for giving me a second chance to tell my stories.

“Duality of Forces Official eBook Cover” I made this myself, and was sort of inspired by Ashton Macauley’s book covers + the issue of Fatality being too freaky to ever show in full render. The 3 covers are very thematic. © ‘22 VLK (Book series on profile) #bookcover #art

Okay, so, now you get book math because a "kind" writer who uses their vast experience as an author who got rep doesn't actually know how much time and effort and research goes into 600+ query rejections. Joke's on you! I also know math! #amquerying

Wanting to be a published writer can be horrible, especially with the "do anything to get published" mentality. I hope no one else encounters such an insane list of wrong in the industry. Any questions, feel free to AMA.

“Moonlight” Pretty and sparkly pin of Fatality because I wanted to. *Sparkles* (She is actually of the 3rd gender, so stop staring.) © ‘22 VLK (Book series on profile) #fanart

Plus side, because of my recent posts, I got a lot of people looking at my writing. Downside... everyone was checking to see how bad my book covers and blurbs are. Thanks for looking, I guess? Being an author is hard.

talk about your books, and they will come. #WritingCommunity

JMSBooks, an awesome LGBT Romance and ETC publisher is offering free books! Come find a new read!

“Verdent” Verdue is the Plant Force, a pretty concept but what a bleep of a Force person. Flowers all handpainted and amazing and has a look full 9f romance, but I just messed up on her so bad. Still irks me. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #fanart #fantasybooks #fantasy #book

We are all readers here, right? What are you currently reading and what genre do you normally write, #writingcommunity ? I'm currently reading Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber. I write speculative fiction (other world/alt history science fiction and horror stuff)

There's a (substantial) group of people who go, "At least people are reading," as if to imply those who are reading are all smart. Have we forgotten the rise of Trumpism? Believe it or not, some of them read.

“A Planet Away” Fatality longing to go to Earth but being banned due to her failing health. What’s missing is all the medical equipment used to keep her alive and the profound atrophy. This is pre-book 1. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #scifi #fantasybooks

My new theory about why my books don't sell. It's not that my art nor writing is good enough, it's that it's too good for a lot of the drooling mouth breathers. Example! This book has 4.3* and 21 ratings. It's AI. You think science fiction people would be smart. But they're not!

Okay. You all failed anatomy. Everyone is sniffing gasoline if you can't tell this is AI book cover art.

And to the authors who say stuff like this... try and market MY books and see how hard it is before you open your stupid mouths.

Ah yes... because marketing niche to already a reduced audience (given over 50% of book sales are romance) is just as easy as marketing and throwing money at it. Spoken as someone who as seen tons of beautiful books fail because they didn't include boingboing. #WritingCommunity

Okay, so the reason why I'm losing followers is not because I've been posting my weird book art at 6 am PDT for the last two months, right? No seriously...this is starting to worry me.

“Remember The Light” Spoiler. But do you care? Very end of book 1 where Summer and Fatality face-off against the darkening horrors of the limbo environment. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

Have any other writers noticed a severe drop in page reads and book sales lately?

“Fatality Paperdoll – Gone Hunting” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is Fatality’s bad idea of forest camouflage. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

Got a new book review. Is this one of my giveaways? What do you all think of this 4 star book review? #writers

“Fatality Paperdoll – Fitness Long” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is the outfit she escaped Horizons in and nearly died of hypothermia. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art

Me, eating a donut, because 5 lbs is what separates me from doctor's being concerned about my weight to institutionalizing me under the Mental Health Act.

"Fatality Paperdoll – Surgery” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is when Horizons brutalized Fatality in a surgical exploration. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

AMC Theatres visiting my website by mistake. As opposed to when Nintendo Japan did and then downloaded all of my artwork... Or when someone at Ford was looking for My Little Pony... err...stuff.

“Fatality Paperdoll – Fitness Short” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is Fatality’s standard uniform in book 1. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

“Fatality Paperdoll – Seven Star” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is the expensive incognito escape outfit early in book 1. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile)

“Fatality Paperdoll – Underwear” ‘Paperdolls’ which is basically a base image with a costume, since I was too lazy to render every scene these things show up in. This is the base model, and yes, this is 100% accurate. She's got nadda. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art

Caught something... so much for sacrificing my audio book recording time to get chores done. I'm lying in bed with a fever. Now I'm getting no recording, no chores, and even eating is out. Yes... there went my weekend plans. Make me happy. Read my books.

“In the Name of the Moon” Because Fatality both represents the moon and is from the moon, obvious Sailor Moon joke. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

One of the other reasons I didn't feel like I needed romance in my book series is because of this (see below). At one point, they were intensely in love with each other, one was unwaveringly supportive. The entire conflict surrounded the MC's wants + needs which didn't align with her brother's.

“Eclipse Her” Aons = Moon metaphors. Fatality is very much the full moon and during the first half of book 1, Acid Trip excelled at overshadowing her in every possible way, though originally he hadn’t wanted to. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

“Lurk” Sans the fact there are no willows in Fatality’s white resurrection forests, this is scene-accurate and is from book 1 where she spends it cautious and clueless. My shadow casts are peak. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

"...citing broadcasters' obligation to provide truthful coverage amid widespread online backlash." Which means Fox News either isn't a broadcaster, or it's time to lawyer up since this is an easy case win. #JimmyKimmel

I may not make money off of the anthologies, but I'm always happy and grateful to see someone pick them up I hope you enjoy my stories!

“White Roses” I painted all of these roses BY HAND. Be impressed by my glorious pin-up rendering abilities. But also I sometimes want an excuse to make Fatality look girly, even if she is intersex. © ‘21 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

Ask people, "What room would you add to your house if you could add anything you want?" Library from Beauty and the Beast, especially among writers. And what do I do? A flippin' gym. I'm an artist and writer... But you'd think I'm a jock! 🙃

Halfway through my next audio book. One of the chapters is 42 minutes long... #writer #narrator

"One Aon Fatality Official eBook Cover” I made this myself, and was sort of inspired by Ashton Macauley’s book covers + the issue of Fatality being too freaky to ever show in full render. The 3 covers are very thematic. © ‘20 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

"Tsuki no Usagi" and "Moon Rabbit". One is final, one was never finished. Supposed to be large, paired images. Sometimes I abandon projects. It happens. At least I didn't abandon this book series... (There were two novellas planned but never written.😅) #Artist #writer

“Satellite” Not very scene-accurate, but Fatality + space = “look at my custom lens flare and I know how to do lighting. RAWR!!!” © ‘20 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

“Moon Rabbit - Minimalistic” Was supposed to be a paired image with "Tsuki no Usagi" but I didn't have the spirit to finish this. Also a very pretty-version of a sort of scene-accurate thing. Charlene with Eve in her kimono during a "flood." © ‘19 VLK (Book series on profile)

Meanwhile... "Why didn't you just add romance so it will sell?" My question... Why do you NEED romance in everything? Maybe we should have stories about platonic love, found families, comfort with ones self. That you NEED it in EVERY book raises questions. (PS, read my books.)

So, far-right leader is killed by an even more far-right leader's follower for not adhering to their leaders' leader's doctrine... This is Cultception. Podcasters and influencers are the new Jim Jones.

“Warpath” Part of the major fight in book 2 where Fatality pulls out her feathers as a defensive strategy, later arranges them to be all fairy and pretty and pissed. Love the crap out of this picture still. © ‘19 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

“Puppet” Boo strung up like a marionette because she is my very puppet-like Aon. And I’m just trying to do something weird and kind of sexy? © ‘17 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer

My Duality of Forces novel is set in 2204, and one of the mentions in it was abolishing 2A. Now, it seems almost optimistic given everything in the last few days. I write dystopia, but sometimes I want just a little bit of hopepunk. But to get there, maybe it's without people.

I'd honestly have more fun beating my head against a wall than doing this indie author book gig. Anyone else tried everything and got nowhere on this treadmill?

I've been posting my book-related artwork for the last 4 weeks. Please connect me with writers and readers and artists and other creatives instead of crickets.

“To a Fading Horizon” Scene-accurate for the limbo/resurrections in crisis, where Fatality stands out against a limbo eating itself alive. © ‘17 VLK (Book series on profile) #art #writer