L.L. Stephens

And I had to redact the best parts!

Improved finances always are! 😊

#WIPSnips The word for August 9th is BRUSH

Dorilian and Aubrey. An interlude in the midst of war...
#Epicfantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Romancelandia

#MYthAugust Day 9

Leur is associated with Creation and Destruction... and is particularly associated with the Highborn, the race they bodily created with Amynas, a mortal.

The essential Leur gift is omnifacience, unlimited creative power.
#epicfantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Blue highlighted text on a background of darker blue and sky; text offers a list of daily worldbuilding prompts for writers of fantasy fiction.

#AugustWorldbuilders 9: Interactions with the mundane

The gods of the Triempery interact with the world in hundreds of ways.
The most apparent interaction is the Rill god which builds and powers empires.

Left side of image is a meme of white text on a background of dark green with a border of pink berries and moon face in the center. Right side is a text excerpt from THE KHELD KING, Book 2 of the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. It's a full on rant by Dorilian against Stefan, who made the mistake of trying to take Dorilian captive: “Even if I let you live—you are dead to me. Hear that, you putrid little worm?” Dorilian’s fury drove each word deep into the crowd’s ears and Stefan’s soul, freezing nerves so his legs gave way. Dorilian’s yank on his arm to keep him upright brought a scream to Stefan’s lips. Dorilian yelled over it. “Dead! I do not need to stain my hands or nation with your blood. Your enemies have my full blessing to kill you, or you can die old and sick and lying in your own filth. Your fate no longer concerns me. I will never see you again. I will never hear another word from your lying lips, because you have my promise, my most solemn vow, that I will never set foot in Essera so long as you live. I am rid of you, and you of me, just like you always wanted.”

#FantasyIndiesAugust 9: Saturday Snippet

This is a fun one (well, I had fun writing it)... the last words Dorilian Sordaneon ever said to Stefan Stauberg-Randolph--a full on rant. From THE KHELD KING, Book 2.
#epicfantasy #Sordaneon

#FantasyIndiesAugust @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social @lvrussell.bsky.social
Day 8: Free Friday/Dreams and goals

Getting reviews like Casie's ⬇️. Or even a review that just says "more please". Special editions and animated series aside, I just want to introduce these characters to readers.

Already publishing through my wonderful indie publisher. 😊
forestpathbooks.com/by-author/l-...

#WIPSnips The word for August 8th is UPDATE

The Triempery series doesn't use words like "update" so I settled on "improve" as a suitable alternate.

This snip is from THE RILL LORD. Hans and Dorilian talk about finances... but in a fun way like when finances get better.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Leur and Vllyr In the lore of the Triempery Revelations, it all started here. This origin story is in the series but it is present in bits and pieces, in epigraphs and words spoken by the few, like Marenthro, who still grasp even a little of how it began.  Order and Change In the beginning the Void spawned increasingly chaotic versions of Itself. These yearnings manifested as anarchic energy and matter and things unnamed. The Void was not—and is not—a god; it is a yearning. It yearned to expand... and so it di

Here's a post for those who want to know LOTS more about this god and their story. I will still be yapping about Leur in lots of different ways for the rest of this part of #MythAugust.

www.triempery.com/post/leur-an...

#MythAugust Day 8

I will talk about the most mysterious god of my series: Leur.

Leur is Creation/Change--they introduce new things and change creates either order or chaos and often both.

I wrote a blog post about them, which I will link in comments.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #EpicFantasy

Blue highlighted text on a background of darker blue and sky; text offers a list of daily worldbuilding prompts for writers of fantasy fiction.

#AugustWorldbuilders 8: Physical/spiritual nature of the divine

Leur manifests in the Creation. People connect spiritually to the Creation itself--though not one on one with Leur. Unless they are actually *with* Leur. 😉

The Mother is a spiritual force considered to be present in women.

You know you’re starting to “make it” when… (The story of an attempted book cover scam) - A.J. Calvin You know you’re starting to “make it” when… (The story of an attempted book cover scam) For those of you who are still hanging around on Twitter/X, you know that there has been a massive influx of bot...

This week's blog tells the story of a cover art scam, and it's one that has been repeated at least a couple times that I know of since.

I'm sharing this post in the hope that people won't fall victim to it. It's yet another thing we have to watch out for.
ajcalvin.net/you-know-you...

To clarify: The Entities don’t exist “physically “ outside those forms. They still exist in non-physical ways, i.e. the Wall permeates Time and its descendants are Time sensitive.

By the way, yes… I used “frequent.” 😊 I mixed up what word was in the snip I was using.

#MythAugust Day 7 Where do the gods live?

The Wall and the Rill Entities live in their respective god-machine forms. They do not exist outside those forms.

Amynas and Leur are homeless (or are they?).

As for Kheld gods, see the snip below.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky

#WIPSnips The word for August 7th is FREQUENT

No "frequent" to be had... but here's an "infrequent." Indeed, it's an introduction to a very frequent character in my snips. Dorilian, who in SORDANEON makes a surprise appearance at the King's Jubilee.
#WritingCommunity #WriteSky #epicfantasy

1. An example of community schools is Sordan, which uses its City Rill portion (substantial) to fund public academies for young students. Adults must test into the Colleges.

Similarly, Khelds contribute to community classes for their children and support the teachers.

Blue highlighted text on a background of darker blue and sky; text offers a list of daily worldbuilding prompts for writers of fantasy fiction.

#AugustWorldbuilders 7: Public or private? Who runs the schools?

Triempery colleges are run by the Sages and accepted students do not pay for their education--Rill profits do.

Education for younger students falls on private tutors or, in some cities, community schools. ⬇️

White text on a background of dark green bordered by pink berries and with a moon face in the center. Text offers a list of daily writing prompts for authors of fantasy fiction.

Mental health is not a focus in the Triempery books but I'll be honest--in Book 3, THE SECOND STONE, Dorilian is clearly depressed. He's become paranoid and hopeless, trapped emotionally and by circumstances.

He needs an intervention!

An actual physical wall existed prior to the Entity inhabiting (and enhancing) it. The Wall as an Entity arose when the god who assumed its form transfigured from his previous “human” shape.

Image is collage of all five published books in the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens. From left to right: SORDANEON, THE KHELD KING, THE SECOND STONE, THE GOD SPEAR, THE WALLED CITY. Text is an excerpt from THE RILL LORD, sixth and final book (Spring 2026) of the Triempery Revelations series: “Dorilian,” Hans acknowledged happily. He clasped and rubbed his arms to hold back shivers. “How are you?” “Cold. I dislike northern weather. It suits only savages and bears.” Those gray eyes narrowed, but Hans swore he could see laughter lurking behind them when Dorilian added, “You, on the other hand, appear to find it agreeable enough.” “I’m too dumbfounded at seeing you to feel it.” He knew he looked out of place in his thin shirt and loose trousers, with his feet tucked into tent slippers woefully inadequate for the icy slush in which they stood. “Robdan!” Hans embraced his uncle with joy and relief, drawing yet more stares of surprise from onlookers. “You managed to keep up, I see!” The older man offered a weak smile. His face was haggard and his jaw was white with stubble. “It was no easy task. And you, lad? Are you well?” “No wounds in battle, if that’s what you mean. Not that they didn’t try for me.” – The Rill Lord, Book 6

It's Book Quote Wednesday #bookqw and the word is SHIVER.

I don't usually post from a WIP for this event... but THE RILL LORD has the best "shiver!"

Dorilian arrives at Hans's camp. It's winter and cold and... well nothing else much happens except they're happy to see each other.
#WritingCommunity

#MythAugust Day 6 -- Gods relationship to the people

The Entities are woven into the daily existence of the people whose empire they created. The Wall protects the city of Stauberg physically and the Triempery through prescience. Snip from SORDANEON.
#epicfantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

#WIPSnips The word for August 6th is COMPETE

In this snip from THE KHELD KING, Book 2, Stefan observes the arrival of his friend Cullen and Cullen's wife. Stefan is jealous of Cullen (for various reasons) and also resentful of the nearby Rill Entity.

#epicfantasy #WritingCommunit #WriteSky

Left side of image is a meme with white text on a dark green background with a moon face. White text offers a list of daily writing prompts for authors of fantasy fiction. Right side of image is a text excerpt from THE GOD SPEAR, Book 4 in the Triempery Revelations series by L.L. Stephens: “What are you reading?” Dorilian displayed the cover. “Beekeeping?” “Philosophy.” A slight tilt of the head accompanied another parting of Aubrey’s lips. Pretty. However, the way Aubrey reined in her expression—curious at first, to something more deliberate—felt sharply personal. – THE GOD SPEAR, Book 4

#FantasyIndiesAugust 6: What kind of books would your MC read?

Dorilian reads every kind of book--tech, mage arts, history, even cookbooks. Given his druthers, though, he would read either poetry or the kind in this snip... a book about beekeeping and philosophy. #epicfantasy

Writing is the kind of activity people can become obsessed about. My "not on evenings and weekends" rule (which I break only for editing deadlines) has been in force for years as part of an agreement with my husband. A wonderful husband deserves some "him" time!

It helps to not have a day job. 😉

Review: Shield of the Mothership (The Hybrid Helix #7) by J.C.M. Berne | FanFiAddict Synopsis: Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is still your enemy. Rohan swore he’d never work for the il’Drach again, never again be called Lance Primary, ne ...

Zombie dinosaurs, giant space kraken, and a star system the defies the laws of physics… These are just a few of the things featured in Shield of the Mothership by JCM Berne. It was so fun!

My review fanfiaddict.com/review-shiel...

@lordtbrffa.bsky.social @jcmberne.bsky.social
#booksky #bookreview

#WIPSnips The word for August 5th is BOSS

The first use that came to mind for this word comes from THE GOD STONE, where Dorilian spends time with Robdan's family. One of the children asks him what he does for a living. [He's basically an emperor.]
#epicfantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Blue highlighted text on a background of darker blue and sky; text offers a list of daily worldbuilding prompts for writers of fantasy fiction.

#AugustWorldbuilders 5: Does/Did your MC go to school?

Most characters (aside from Arne) have gone to school--and he acquires tutors at one point.

Dorilian attends school at Permephedon in SORDANEON, but it's a brief, violent, depiction.

Hans went to a different kind of school altogether.