Are you subscribed to my newsletter? That’s the best place to stay up to date with me and my writing, and it’s also the place to be tomorrow when my #Kickstarter launches for the complete Astra Idari Trilogy. Just saying… 👀 #booksky 💙📚🪐 darbyharn.com/subscribe/

Idari's guilty pleasures include babyl, a very potent drink that burns and freezes at the same time. She overdoes it early on in the trilogy and needs it less as the story goes on. 🌙 #FantasyIndiesMarch 🌙

I'm Darby, and this month I'll be talking about my new book Taker of the Dawn, launching Tuesday 😀 on #Kickstarter with the complete Astra Idari Trilogy! The entire series is: 🚀 💥 ✨ 😱 ☺️ 🌙 #FantasyIndiesMarch 🌙

🌙 #FantasyIndiesMarch 🌙 All genres welcome! You can use the prompts for WIPs or published books. Feel free to ask the hosts questions! Love, Faeries at Fantasy Indies @lvrussell.bsky.social @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social

Good month overall (except today I have what I'm pretty sure is food poisoning 🤢). I've gained a lot of new followers for my #Kickstarter campaign, launching Tuesday. And I found a cover artist for my next project, which I can't wait to share more about soon. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

❤️ICON❤️

For Free Friday, I'm sharing the debut by Matthew Benjamin, a very kind young writer I met last year doing a panel for the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity. Tales From The Other Side is Matt's first collection of poems, and it's now up for preorder! #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

The nosiest character in the Astra Idari Trilogy has to be CR-UX. The sometimes fussy, always beset navigational program complains a lot about their crew, but is awfully (and plainly) interested in their personal lives. Often to hilarious effect. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

I love all sorts of genres. I especially love mashing them up. The Astra Idari Trilogy is a dyed-in-the-wool space opera, but has elements of fantasy, horror at times, and romance. It's probably my most romance-themed story if I think about it. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

The themes in Taker of the Dawn, and the entire Astra Idari trilogy, center around finding hope in absolute darkness. Idari faces overwhelming odds in a universe all but dead, but she has no quit in her. As Emera says, light always travels forward. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

We're one week out from my #Kickstarter campaign for the Astra Idari trilogy. I'm excited about sharing the final book in the trilogy, and the absolutely gorgeous box set all three books come in, but the nerves have definitely set in... #booksky 💙📚🪐

There aren't really any secret identities in Taker of the Dawn, though the end of the book features some revealing context on who major characters - or should I say entities - are in the larger framework of my other books. 👀 😮 #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Idari sort of dives headfirst into everything, including romance. She's a hopeless romantic, but she'd say she's hopeless in general. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Anyone else super excited for new/old Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez? Love And Rockets Vol. I #1 - Facsimile Edition is out 2/25! https://ow.ly/fvcr50Yiu7v

Idari's journey through the trilogy is toward self-awareness. She's an android with a failing memory and a tendency to self-medicate through alcohol. She grows from someone avoiding all her troubles to acknowledging her self as she is: messy, beautiful, human. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Idari's favorite dessert is something called koix, a gooey kind of popcorn snack that pops up in Taker of the Dawn and Beyond Lights Reach. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

I like a little spice here and there. It has to mean something in the story, though. There is some wattage in the Astra Idari trilogy, specifically book two. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

The weight of the universe is literally on Idari's shoulders in Taker of the Dawn. It's down to her to save existence from annihilation, but she might risk it all to save her friend. Idari is used to landing on her feet, so she thinks she can do both. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Love song recs: The Lakes of Canada The Innocence Mission After the Storm Mumford and Sons There She Goes Sixpence None The Richer I listened to a lot of The Innocence Mission the last year or so writing Taker of the Dawn. Love and grace. Sorrow and gratitude.

Comfort reads: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The Pastel City by M. John Harrison The Hours by Michael Cunningham Poems of Seamus Heaney #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

I think there's some heartbreak in Taker of the Dawn. Not everybody gets what they want, or at least not in the way they expect. There are some unexpected developments though. I wonder what people will make of the ending. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

I'd love for Idari to known for being open and optimistic. She has a determination that borders on irrational, but it's guided by love and hope. She carries a lot of people with her. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

I have a secret. I never think of books in terms of tropes. There are kinds of stories I like (they usually involve spaceships and the like), but I don't get as granular as some. I have to admit I really enjoy friends to lovers though. A lot. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Thoughts on the NYT AI article today, over at my Substack. Check it out. #booksky 💙📚🪐 substack.com/@darbyharnau...

Free Friday From Taker of the Dawn: Kiss: Idari Marry: Emera Unalive: Devor #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

There's always a little of me in my characters. Idari and I are easily distracted, but also remarkably determined. Somewhere in that chaos is a person who manages to stumble toward grace. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Just a month away now from the #Kickstarter for the complete Astra Idari Trilogy. If you love space opera, you'll like this. If you'd be so kind, hit the Notify Me on Launch button. It helps boost the signal! #booksky 💙📚🪐 www.kickstarter.com/projects/dar...

Idari very much believes in soul mates. Her partner, Emera, can perceive time to some extent and had a notion that the two of them would matter to each other. Idari is also a hopeless romantic and is delirious with her luck. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

What do you mean I have too many sapphic books already? I don't have these! Well, except my own, but that doesn't count. You should all grab this bundle too! 📚💙💕🌈📚🖤♿📚🌈📚🪐📚🌈♠️ #booksky #readersky #readers #books #booksonbluesky #queersky #readingcommunity #writingcommunity

A major focus of Taker of the Dawn remains the romance between Idari, an android, and Emera, a living star. They both see each other for who they truly are, making the trilogy a journey of self-discovery. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Continuing to talk about Astra Idari Taker of the Dawn this month, the final book in my epic space opera trilogy. It's sort of if Star Wars and LOTR had a baby. Who was Murderbot. #FantasyIndiesFebruary 💕 #booksky 💙📚🪐

Monthly wrapup: The Astra Idari #Kickstarter is progressing nicely towards launch. Some big milestones in January. I got a good start on Eververse Book Six, but ran into some headwinds this last week. Went to my first live event of 2026, and it was a smash! #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

The cover for WHAT ELEGANT STARS was illustrated by @lyssmenold.bsky.social who also did the rad cover for EMBODIED EXEGESIS: TRANSFEMININE CYBERPUNK FUTURES (edited by AnnLeBlanc). Please hire Lyss, they are great.

Nooooooooooo www.tmz.com/2026/01/30/c...

Coming next year to your galaxy... the complete Stargun Messenger Trilogy in hardcover on #Kickstarter! 👀 It's going to be a special campaign. You can follow to be notified on launch! Click below! #booksky 💙📚🪐 www.kickstarter.com/projects/dar...

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free

Idari has a few bad habits, including drinking too much and overestimating her chances. She also reliably never lets anything go. She fidgets a lot with the zipper on her jumpsuit and always with her hair, which ,like her, is a mess. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Thank you so much to David and the amazing crew @fanfiaddict.bsky.social for hosting the cover reveal for the third book in my Astra Idari space opera trilogy... TAKER OF THE DAWN! Art by the one and only Al Hess! #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

My thoughts on recent events. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Taker of the Dawn changed a lot through drafts, as the early ones weren't good due to stress, and very little. I knew the ending from years ago - the final clash between light and darkness goes back decades in my imagination. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Idari looks up to CR-UX, her ship's navigational AI. CR-UX is Idari's world, as she's linked to the ship as its android proxy. CR-UX has an honesty and authenticity Idari fears she lacks, though as she finds in the story, nothing is what it seems. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

I love to travel, which always informs my writing to some degree. A big factor in why I enjoy live events as an author more than I'd think is I get to go places, many times new ones, and meet new people. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Character's weaknesses Idari's weakness as a person is a tendency to think she can do (or maybe get away with) anything. It costs her plenty, but it's also a strength that keeps her moving forward. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Saturday Snippet One of my favorite parts of Taker of the Dawn is the pirate moot in chapter 12. This is the best insight into Pujar culture in the trilogy, and just a ton of fun with twists and turns. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Idari used to handle stress by drinking (lots), but now she mostly invests all her energy and anxiety into completing her mission. In Taker of the Dawn, she has to be all in. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

I'm currently catching up on a lot of reading, which I slacked on the last six months or so. I picked up some books in Ireland, including Kevin Barry's short story collections, The Poems of Seamus Heaney, and I'm looking forward to getting to those. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Sat down to read Absolute Batman Ark M #1 to get me back in the mindset of writing superheroes, and what continues to sink in about this legendary run is it's not about superheroes. It's about ordinary people facing super greed, hate, and evil.

I would just generally like to improve this year. I have been suffering from stress and grief for a long time now. Your resistance to things diminishes, and I've been too quiet about too many things. I kind of want to start shouting. Really loud. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

Idari's pet peeves include someone sitting in her chair (it gets to be a lot of people by book three), and boundaries. She never really has any, thanks to being an android who shares a link with her ship's AI. #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐

There are some great indies who deserve all the praise. @al-distortion.bsky.social @adamcbassett.com @ajcalvin.bsky.social @joeprosit.bsky.social @enkaydotzip.bsky.social @clh2oars.bsky.social @ormakal.bsky.social and so many more! #fantasyindiesjanuary #booksky 💙📚🪐