Nerdology 101: Short Story

Welcome back, nerds! On this weeks segment of Nerdology 101, I’m sharing a little short story I wrote after a trip to Ireland a few years back. It is definitely minature (5400 words), so it should be a quick read that’ll let you get to know a little bit of my style. This piece is paranormal romance. It was better suited than my usual romantic fantasy style since it was never intended to be anything but a way for me to express my love for Dublin after my trip. Still, I thought it might be cool to share it. Also, I never gave it a title. You’re welcome to suggest any ideas you have in the comments.

Story

Stepping off the plane, I relish in the fact that I’m back on Irish ground. It was an eight-hour flight from JFK. I won't deny that I'm exhausted, but that doesn't inhibit my excitement as I rush to grab my luggage off the carousel. I fidget, impatience overcoming me as I wait for it. Luckily, it's only about fifteen minutes before the suitcases full of clothing, hygienic musts, and magical ingredients arrive. After I have it, I step out. There's a line of taxis waiting to load passengers. The yellow sedans are lined bumper to bumper, each with drivers that patiently await travelers. Many of the engines start when the hoard of arrivals I’m surrounded by emerge from the airport. I get into one and my assistant files in the other side, then addresses the driver. "We're heading here."

The driver looks at the written address Shi hands him on a notepad. He must know the place because he starts driving without plugging it into the GPS. As we drive, I stare out the windows at the luscious greenery and beautiful buildings in Dublin. It isn't long before we arrive. When I enter the hotel, there's a bit of apprehension. I wanted to keep most of my money for activities, so I opted to book the cheapest hotel in the area. I hoped that wasn't a mistake.

As the concierge greets me, I look around the lobby, then head over. It doesn't seem too bad at all. I check in and head to my room. It's small, but clean and comfortable. Shi and I will be fine in here. While Shi unpacks, I focus on clearing my mind. I take a long, deep breath. Inhale, one... two... three... Exhale, one... two... three... My intentions become clear to me as the racing thoughts of the day-to-day fade until they're far, far away. My desire is the foremost thought in my stilled mind. Now, I know what materials I need. Wandering around the hotel room, I search for the supplies I need. First, to the bathroom. I collect some fresh water into my silver chalice marked with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs I had inscribed onto the metal. To purify it, I light a match, then toss it inside. I know from experience how effective fire is as a purifier. This isn't the only ingredient I need though. I wander until I spot a cabinet to the left of the hotel’s microwave sitting on the small kitchenette counter. Shi rolls his eyes. "I just put that away, Kita."

I hum. "And now I need it."

He scoffs, but I can hear the smile behind it without even looking his way. I collect rosemary, a protective herb that only allows positive forces into my life. Next, some thyme. It complements the rosemary well since it’s great for spiritual healing and also acts as a secondary safeguard. Of course, I can't forget the cinnamon either.

Finally, I’m done. I add all the selected materials to my chalice and set it on a makeshift altar. I light the candles on the sides of it, then align the two candles and make a triangle from them and the chalice. I choose a rose quartz from my crystal collection and set it meticulously in the center of the triangle.

Having set the altar, I take a few more of those long, deep breaths before chanting a ritualistic blessing over it. "O', I beseech thee, heed my call. Make my will into fate, accept the offering I make on this day."

With that, my altar is set for the day.

After showering, Shi, and I head straight out, ready to explore and get some food. He found this small restaurant about a block away. It was on the same side of the Liffey our hotel was. PHX Bistro was its name. This is our first date. I've known him for years, but this feels different. It's not like I'm just going to hang out with Shi, my childhood friend and present-day assistant. Suddenly, he's a man and I'm a woman. We don't know each other in that sense. Of course, that isn't to say that I don't want to get to know him in this new way. It's exciting. It's just that I wish it were easier. His asking me out seemed so random. It happened on the plane as we crossed the Atlantic. It's as if he just got tired of searching one day and decided to settle for me. He was usually so non-committal, prioritizing attraction and hook-ups. None of the others resembled me in personality or appearance. I can't help but wonder if I'm just the easiest option to pursue now that he's randomly decided he wants to settle down.

I sit down across from him at the candle-lit table, observing the atmosphere of the restaurant. It's not too busy inside, but not too quiet either. The place he chose is nice enough; intimate and romantic. I particularly like the red decor. Red is my favorite color. He smiles.  "Hey, Ki. You look great."

 My heart flutters a bit, but I make sure the only thing he sees is an eye roll. The waitress asks for my drink order before I can reply. After looking over their comprehensive selection, I settle on a wine. After she walks away, I mutter. “Flirt.”

A mischievous smirk graces his face. Has he always been this beautiful? That jawline is so sharp it could pierce vibranium, if it were real.  "That I am, but at least you know that I'll only be flirting with you from here on out."

"I hope so. I'd hate to think that you're just using me as a placeholder until someone more ideal comes along."

His face distorts until nothing but disgust is visible. "I would never. Don't you know you are the ideal."

"I am not."

He laughs so hard it blows out one of the candles as he takes my hand. The soft scent of the vanilla smoke fills the air between us. "You are everything to me, Kita."

I could hear the sincerity in his tone. This was Shi, the man. In that moment, I finally knew that this wasn't a game to him. He wanted me, and damn, did that make me want him.

The waitress returns before I can lose myself in the moment too much. We order food too. Then, a dessert. That was amazing. Everything was amazing. I make a note to habitually recommend it to anyone I know who may visit the area. After that, Shi takes me to the Museum of Literature in Ireland, the place I was most excited to go as we were planning. I was in absolute awe as we made my way there. The architecture is so grand and old. I missed Ireland so much. There's a unique energy here. Everyone is friendly and seems happy. It's a city, but not like back in New York. Here, nature and city life find this balance unlike anything I've ever seen.

When we make it to the museum, my fondness for Dublin further intensifies. I fall in love with it all over again as I wander through the exhibits aimlessly, being sure to carefully observe every amazing piece. From the Gaelic Language Movement and the fight for freedom of speech, to the first copy of the first edition of James Joyce's Ulysses, it is all amazing. Still, there was one piece even more inspiring. Looking up at the ceiling you find pages filled with endless red markings, edited manuscripts from great authors whose names will be remembered for centuries more. I think to myself, "My story isn't bad. It's just unedited."

It's the sentiment I think the piece is meant to give off.

After a while, we return to the hotel and relax some. For all the fun of the day, we were here on witch business and tomorrow wouldn’t be as pleasurable. We rest well in separate, queen beds. Some part of me wonders if some day we will be booking single King rooms instead of Double Queens. It’s a nice thought to dream of while I rest, at least.

The next morning, Shi and I get down to business. Our business involves the Onyx Witch, known for her dark magic and dictatorial rule in her territory. She oppresses quite the number of witches, and our job is to find out what her ultimate goals are and see if we can’t protect those she targets.

We head to Dublin Castle first. To most, this is a gorgeous tourist attraction that commemorates the inspirational history of Ireland. However, those of us with the ancient magic of the Celts coursing through our veins know that there is much more to this palace than meets the eye. As we tour the beauty, we pass a guarded hall, prohibited to most visitors. The guard is one of the Onyx Witch’s own though. He verifies my identity via my magic signature and allows me enterance so I can have an audience with her. He prohibits Shi from entering though. He offers the excuse that lower-ranking magic wielders shouldn’t be allowed on this sacred ground I’m about to enter, but I see it for what it is. The Onyx Witch is up to something, and she wants us separated. I have no choice but to allow her to think she is trapping me though. I give Shi a nod and he settles. “I’ll wait for you here, Kita.”

I nod before heading off down the hall. When I get to the entry way to the Onyx Lair, I open it magically and cross over. I find the Onyx Witch sat upon her throne of ash and bones waiting for me. She wears a black cloth that is barely long enough to be called a dress. At least she bothered to cross her legs. She looks to me, “Kita, what brings you to my domain?”

“I’ve come to demand that you cease your oppression of the Herbal Witches in your territory at once, by order of the Interdisciplinary Council of Witches.”

A scowl forms on her face. “I will do no such thing. Since you’re here though, won’t you do me a favor and die for me?”

She attacks with a force so great it could break the barriers and bring down the palace in the non-magic realm. It would kill many and destroy a vital piece of Irish history. I can’t allow that to happen. I reinforce the barriers with my own magic right away, but I can’t protect myself and hold them at the same time. The energy expenditure leaves me all but defenseless. Shi, being keen enough to sense the magic from across realms, acts from the other side. I may outrank him, but he knows that Onyx is much stronger than even I. Getting a sense for the situation, he takes over holding the barriers to give me half a chance to escape with my life. When I feel the weight lift some, I know it. He’s come through for me. I don’t waste a moment before I launch the best counter spell I can muster with such little time and energy. It doesn’t do much, but it does give me a moment to teleport myself back to Shi.

The Onyx Witches rage increases though, causing the barriers to fracture even further. It’s too much for Shi to hold. It’ll kill him. I grab hold of them with my magic again. It takes everything I have to push her back, but I manage, albeit temporarily. That seal I cast won’t hold her for long and I’ve drained myself too much. Without a doubt, I’ll have a case of magic deficiency, which will likely kill me in no time.

Shi and I retreat back to the hotel, and he wards it the best he can. He tends to me enough to extend my time about twenty-four hours, giving us one day to come up with a solution.

I rise from my hotel bed as pain pumps through my body with an intensity I have never experienced before. Oh, how I long to get my hands on that grimoire. It may be the only way. As I walk out the door again, Shi follows, trembling at my side. “But Kita,” he must have realized by now what I’m thinking, “the grimoire of the Jade Witch is said to hold unspeakable power. It’s too dangerous!”

“It’s too dangerous not to!” I hadn’t meant to snap at him, but we both know what would happen to me if I don’t get it. “That grimoire is my only chance at survival, and without me, what’s to keep the Onyx Witch from killing the rest of the Herb Witches. I only have a day left before the disease takes me.”

He sighs. “Yes, twenty-four hours sounds about right. It was a large spell to cast singlehandedly, most witches would have already died of magic deficiency. I’m amazed that you even have the energy to search for the grimoire.”

I walk alongside him, feeling my body already weakening. “That’s true. I may not, but it’s the only way, Shi.”

He seems absorbed in his thoughts as he fails to respond. My attention falls to the details of our surroundings to distract myself as we walk, heading for the teleportation point at the top of Arthur’s Seat. The endless daisies remind me so much of my younger years, training with my covenant in these very fields. Who would have guessed that I’d grow to be the strongest of us, especially given how horrible I was at practical magic? The memories are bright ones, albeit slightly embarrassing. The sound of our laughter can still be heard with each whistle of the winds. This is my home. Without the grimoire, I will fall, and it will burn. I must try.

“There may be another way, Kita.” Shi starts, interrupting my peace. “The Diamond Witch, what if we went to her. She creates antidotes for Magic Deficiency Disease.”

I think a moment. Shi isn’t entirely wrong, but there’s no guarantee that the Diamond Witch is actually capable of making a sufficient antidote for MDD this severe. Healing is more of a side gig for her than a specialty, whereas I know for a fact that the Jade Witches grimoire has a solution because my predecessor told me about it. “No, Shi. If we do that, we risk being told no. We could just lose time by taking that detour. The grimoire is our best bet.”

He nods, accepting my decision as we approach the teleportation point. Immediately, he summons the space-time portal. It looks quite like a blackhole and can be intimidating for inexperienced witches, so I’m not surprised when he winces at the sight of it. We hop through the portal to the abandoned Jade temple. ‘

This temple is in Cairo, Egypt, where the Jade Witch once lived. She fell many centuries ago, but her work still echoes throughout the world. It is probable that she was the most skilled witch to ever live. Her temple reflects that too, even after all this time that it’s been abandoned, it remains spotless. Her menial cleaning spells must have been powerful enough to survive without her constantly feeding them. It’s amazing. Who knows what else her grimoire may hold. If we manage to find it, it may even tell me how to defeat the Onyx Witch myself. If I recall, Onyx was around back then too. She was one of Jades enemies, as she is mine now. I’m sure whatever magic of Jades still exists here will bless me and help me find the answers I need. After all, if I can stop Onyx, Jade may finally be able to rest in peace.

Shi and I search the temple, top to bottom. Yet, in all the tomes and information, the Grimoire of Jade is nowhere to be seen. We don’t give up though. Instead, we search and search, over and over, until eventually, Shi spots something promising.

“Kita, look!” His exclamatory tone reflects the hope he must be feeling. My eyes dart his way, and I see it, a distorted wall. It’s a magic one. Only the most skilled of witches would have noticed it. I’m proud that he had grown enough to see it. I approach the wall, observing it for a few moments.

“You’ll have to do it, Shi. I can’t. I might kill myself faster if I expend much more magic.”

He removes the magic, and we enter into a library filled to the brim with grimoires. Every last one of them were hers. Finding the one we needed in the twelve hours we have remaining would be challenging, to say the least.

We both start scanning the grimoires. Shi moves through them faster than I because he can use magic to help him, whereas I can’t right now. As the hours pass, we both grow nervous that we won’t find what we need on time. All the while, I grow weaker and weaker until I’m not even able to help.

With only one hour left on the clock and myself barely conscious, Shi calls out. “Kita! Kita! I found it.”

He starts to prepare the spell right away. I fight my weakening body to stay conscious just in case he has to as me anything. He does, a few times, and with just thirty minutes left, he’s ready. Shi heals me using its spell and once again, I can fight the Onyx Witch.

Shi

She stands before me and I’ve never been so happy to see her. Her long, kinky curls flow like a waterfall.

“Kita…” I sound so scared, like I’m the one who was dying. “You’re alive.”

The emotional rollercoaster that is her presence; it tears me to shreds. Yet, that quick-witted mind is somehow oblivious; or perhaps its insidious, using her feigned ignorance to make me delirious. It's like Dionysus intoxicated me with the wine called her soul. Every touch is an unwelcome rush of unbridled lust. I can't live without her; she's a must.

“Yeah, Shi.” She takes my hand. “I’m alive, you did great. Thank you.”

To describe her is to steal the air from my own lungs, a heart attack and a stroke rolled into one.  Every emotion is a more difficult one. So complex that I can't even deny that she's one. She's poetry and literature. She's every beautiful thought that I've ever sought. I'd try to resist her, but it would be for naught. Heavens, how does she make me so distraught?

Kita

            Out of nowhere, Shi kisses me. I have no idea what was going through his mind, but I’m glad it was. He saved my life, but more than that, the way he looks at me is just so intense. How could I not fall for him?

            My lips intertwine with his as I kiss him back. It means everything to me. I don’t know how it escaped my notice for so long that he and I belonged together, but right now, it’s abundantly clear as he takes me into his arms and holds me against his chest.

            We stay like that for quite some time before he finally lets go. “So, now what?” He asks me that as if I have any idea.

            I think a while, then look up at him. “We keep reading. Now that the pressure is off, we read through these grimoires until we find something that will help us stop Onyx. No idea is too out of the box. Theorize about how every single one of these spells could be used against her until we find something that works.”

            For three days and three nights, we did exactly that. It took some work, but in time, we found something. It was a risky spell that could just as easily backfire and kill us, but it was our best chance. Jade called it Sever. The spell is exactly as the name implies. Through the power of twelve witches, a full coven, the spell would sever the tie between the target and their magic. However, Jade noted that if the twelve weren’t strong enough, that the spell could decide to sever them from their own magic instead. That’s the thing about spells, there is always some risk. This one was especially unique though. Not many spells required this much risk. Where the hell would we find twelve witches willing to risk losing their magic? Or ten at least, considering that Shi and I would cast with them.

            “We should make a list of twenty witches we think might. Ten that are ideal and another ten that are possible alternates to the ideal.”

            Shi nods, but I continue before he says anything. “Furthermore, if at least five of the ideal ten don’t consent, we can’t risk it. The plan will be dead in the water, and we’ll have to find another way. We can’t risk our power if we are likely to fail because then we can’t fight her either. So, we need to choose wisely.”

            Shi agrees. “Okay, well… Want to start with the New York convent? We know them best.”

            I shake my head. “And every last one of them is lower ranked than you. That would be pointless. They won't have the amount of power we need. We should start with the Dublin Herb Witches. They are her targets, so they are the most likely to want to take this risk.”

            Shi and I get to work, throwing out everything we know about the witches in the Dublin Herbal Sect. We narrow it down to four possibilities. First, the Head Witch of the Hedge Witches. She’s especially talented and had a history of taking huge risks anyway. The only issue is that this might be asking too much. She’s the only reason her people aren’t already obliterated. She’s their best defense. Asking her to do this would be asking her to risk abandoning them and I’m not sure it’s ethically okay to even put her in this position.

            The second option wasn’t ethically bad, but it was less ideal. This witch was young and while her talent is immense, her lack of experience could be dangerous in these circumstances. Given that Shi was casting too, I worried that having two inexperienced people casting with us on talent alone wouldn’t go over well at all. Besides, it would do little to convince other experienced witches to go along with us.

            The third was better. Experienced. but even younger than the second. He had been casting since a young age, thus experience was there, as was talent, but at only thirteen, we would be asking a child to carry the burden and risks adults should be taking and that doesn’t set right with me at all. It’s even more unethical than asking the Head Witch. In my mind, I knew it’s not a road I could ever bring myself to take.

            Finally, the fourth. He was about our age, less experienced, but not inexperienced. He presented no ethical dilemma either.

            Shi sighs. “I say the Head Witch as first choice and the fourth guy as back up. She is more ideal magically and frankly, that’s what we ought to be making choices based on.”

            As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. “Okay. Put it down.”

            We repeat this process several more times with witches from Japan, Nigeria, Venezuela, Italy, and Bahrain before completing our lists of ideals and alternatives. Geographically, it was all very scattered, so we split up. Shi would work from Egypt out to the east, and I would work from here out to the west. Then, we’d meet back in Dublin to gather the last witch.

            It takes about a week for us to gather them all. We were able to maintain communication throughout it though. Granted, it was all very businesslike and left me missing just being able to talk to him for enjoyment. Besides, we still haven’t had the chance to define our new relationship dynamic and that bothered me more than I’d ever admit out loud. Ultimately, we managed six of our ideal, which I didn’t think was too bad. I decided to focus on that success during the long flight back to Ireland rather than my anxiety about Shi and me.

            Upon our arrival, we all gathered at the Herb Witches hideout in Wicklow, a beach town to the south of Dublin. There, we presented her and our alternative with our idea. “Well, it is bold. You’re right to believe it’s our best shot.” She sighs. “Your point about possibly abandoning my people is well taken, but if this plan has a higher chance of success with me taking part, I must. Besides, I primed my people for my downfall long ago. They know what to do if I fall.”

            With that, we had our full team. We took some time to get to know each other’s abilities better knowing that it would help with breaking down and assigning the many components of the spell we will need to prepare. First, Shi and I explained that we are caster-types from New York and would do best focused on the part of the spell that required us to break down casting dynamics and plans.

            Naturally, the Head Witch of the Hedge Witches was the best choice for herb and plant gathering since it’s her specialty. So, we let her focus on that task. Especially given that I haven’t even heard of most of the plants and herbs listed in Jades grimoire.

            Then, there was the summoning-type witch from Japan. He would be responsible for figuring out the safest way to summon the Onyx Witch into the center of the casting circle to cast the spell. With him, we paired a barrier-type witch from Italy. She’s the daughter of the witch who cast the wards around the Vatican, so I have no doubt that she can figure out how to keep Onyx from attacking us while we cast.

            A spirit-type witch from Nigeria focused on figuring out how to contain the magic energy in this realm alongside a second barrier-type from Venezuela who would help her pin it so it the massive amount of magic energy didn’t leave our immediate surroundings and her people. They would work closely with the previous team as well.

            Finally, the witch from Bahrain who specialized in dark magic would act as a consultant to let the rest of us know how things may differ when dealing with Onyx who also uses dark magic, except much less responsibly. With her, was her assistant, which she never worked without. They reminded me of Shi and I a lot, but with much less annoying romantic and sexual tension interfering.

            Nearly a month passed before preparations were fully completed. All the while, we bore witness to the suffering of the Irish Herbal Witches. It broke each and every one of our hearts to see how our delay had harmed them, costing so many their lives, but we knew we couldn’t be hasty with a spell like this one. We would have but one shot at this, and if we failed, many more would die as a result.

            With the date of casting set, we had a few days while we waited for the new moon. Many assume more powerful spells all require a full moon, but no real witch thinks that way. It all depended on what the purpose of the spell was and for this one in particular, a new moon was perfect since what we wanted was a new beginning for the Herb Witches of Ireland.

            We took the time to rest and prepare ourselves mentally for what was to come. While we did, I thought it best to talk to Shi. If this went bad, I didn’t want to leave any unfinished business. Besides, he deserves to know how I feel one way or another.

            Together, we go on a brief walk for the privacy. Although, I used fresh air as a thinly veiled excuse to create said privacy, I’m sure he, and everyone in our vicinity, knew better. Once we were alone, I spoke. “Shi, there’s something we should discuss.”

            “No. Don’t, please. If you say it now, it’ll feel like a goodbye. I don’t want it to be a goodbye, Kita.”

            “But Shi…”

            He stops me. “But nothing, Kita. You may be my teacher, but I simply can’t listen to you here, gorgeous.” He turns and kisses my forehead. “If things go bad, die knowing I knew what you wanted to say and that I will find you in the next life so we can say it there.”

            Unable to argue, I relent. “Fine. As long as you know.”

            “I do.” He paused, “And you know too, right?”

            I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, Shi, I know.”

            Soon after, we return to the hideout. We ate with the group in the closest thing to a feast the Hedge Witches could offer in this hideout, then partied until midnight before passing out and resting well before the next night came ushering in our potential doom with it.

            The next night, around ten at night, we began the casting. Each of us trying our best to do our part. First, the summoning, followed by the various barriers. Each of which were successful. This was our shot. The herb witch lit the fire and began burning the herbs she gathered. Meanwhile, the dark witch and her assistant began to cast their half of the spell. Shi and I would do the second half when they were done.

            About fifteen minutes passed before that time came. Shi and I stepped up and started casting. We knew it was working when Onyx, yelling irately, began to thrash against the barriers the others were helping to hold in place. She was getting scared.

            Our half of the casting took about another fifteen minutes and then it was done. The Onyx Witch, powerless, fell to the ground. Several of us tested to make sure it wasn’t a ploy before lowering the barriers and calling the Council to take her into custody.

            They arrived within minutes and carried her off with little congratulations. Jerks. Nevertheless, those of us who helps cast gather is a group hug. The Head Witch cried as she realized her people were free again. Once more, they could enjoy the lush Irish greenery and live as their ancestors did. It was for that reason; I knew her tears were of joy and relief.

            After everyone passed around hugs and celebratory words, we went and gathered the herbal witches and escorted them and the Head Witch back to Dublin Castle where they joyously reclaimed their territory. We all stayed the remainder of the night, exhausted from the casting, but the next day, everyone went their separate ways. We would remain close friends, but it was time for us all to return to our own peoples.

            As for Shi and me, we decided not to return to New York. Instead, we petitioned the Council to let us reopen Jades temple in Egypt citing the need for her knowledge and magic if anything like this happened again. They agreed, though not without slapping us with a list of bounds and expectations. It wasn’t like we wanted anything like what Onyx did. Our temple was for the good of all witches, so it didn't bother us much to have to play by their rules.

            One month after opening it, I named Shi’s training completed and certified him to teach others. With that, he enlisted others to train in our temple’s ways. We were doing so well that by the end of the second month, we had nearly one-hundred member witches.

            Then, one night, he and I had dinner to celebrate. To commemorate our first date, we teleported to Dublin and went back to PHX. There, he finally told me he loved me, but he made it worth the wait by doing it on one knee while offering me a ring. Of course, I said yes. We could hardly wait to get married, but there was so much tradition to focus on that it took our temple nearly a year to prepare.

            Impatiently, we waited, and soon enough we were married. Our closest allies, the Herb Witches of Ireland, were perhaps as happy as we were during the wedding. Not that Shi and I could look away from each other long enough to celebrate with them.

End.

There it is! If you enjoyed this piece, I highly recommend checking out some of my books. I have so much more space when writing novels to play with story elements I just don’t in a short story. To get you started, check out The Fate of Angels and Demons! For the special edition hardcover, visit my STORE. For the paperback and ebook, you can find it at just about any major retailer. I’ve accumulated some of the links to those HERE to make it easy. I hope to see you back for next weeks segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!

Nerdology 101: Decision-Making for Characters

Hey there! Welcome back to Nerdology 101, the blog where no nerd is left unsatisfied. I'm your host, Maria Levato. This week, I thought we'd talk about writing the tough decisions.

Every writer comes across a point where their character must make a decision. They have to go down one road or another, but sometimes they refuse to cooperate. I recently had a character that remained indecisive from the beginning of the draft right up until the end of the story.

Of course, it made for an awesome character arc because the build up to this moment has been quite the journey. However, we reached the point where a decision had to be made. Presented with two options that had similarly good outcomes for her, but potentially devastating ones for those she cares for, my FMC finally had to make her decision about which one of them she was going to hurt. Yet, when it came down to the wire, she went radio silent on me.

It didn't surprise me when she went quiet. She's a stubborn character with a bit of a bratty side. I had expected that she might throw a tantrum when she had to make this decision. So, here's how I dealt with it. Let's get into some Nerdology!

My FMC is quite used to having her way. Not because she's spoiled, but because she's powerful. Quite frankly, most of the other characters are terrified of her! When she gets stuck having to choose between two things she wants, she doesn't know how to cope. As the author, it's my job to coax her back out and help her make the decisions without speaking for her (It works best for me when I see the character as fully autonomous. I'm not sure if all writers do this, but I do.).

To do that, I write everything. It all comes out. Every moment up until the statement declaring the decision gets written. All the emotions, all the things they say and do leading up to it, everything gets on the page. Then, I write the first part of the statement. To oversimplify it, "I choose ____." At which point, all the character actually has to do is give you one answer or another. One I get answer A or B, the why flows post decision.

My point: Don't let the characters decision paralysis stall the story. 

Let them make the decision on the moment because that's probably what's happening on the page. In most instances, you don't need their decision until very last moment. Give them all that time so they can answer intuitively.

Think of it like going to a restaurant. You know you want something from X place but you don't really know what until you get there and look at the menu. You might even order the same thing you always do, but you'll stare at that menu anyway, and you probably won't actually decide until the waitor/waitress walks up and asks if you're ready to order. It's a realistic and relatable thing for a character to do. Don't you agree?

Thanks for stopping by Nerdology 101. Check back next week for another segment. In the meantime, don't forget to pre-order my upcoming release, The Fate of Angels and Demons. Have a nerdy week!

Nerdology 101: The Fate of Angels and Demons

Hey there, Booksluts. Thanks for dropping by! For those who are new here, this is Nerdology 101, my blog. Here, I discuss all the nerdy happenings. My name is Maria Levato. I’m an indie author, anime-lover, self-certified kinklord, mythology obsessor, and more. This week, I wanted to talk a bit about my upcoming release, The Fate of Angels and Demons.

This post is spoiler free!

The Fate of Angels and Demons is a 94,000 word (388 page) romantasy featuring [the spicier] elements of a dark romance. The book comes out on April 1st, 2026.

Here’s the official blurb:

Lilly, a priestess sent to prevent a prophecy that foretold the death of her brother (angel), the heir to Oceanica's throne, from unfolding falls in love with the demon king that is said to be her brother’s killer—and goes even more insane than he is.
Michael, the demon king of Tendu, has long resented the royal family of Oceanica due to the part they played in his father’s downfall—little does he know, his obsession with this priestess might lead to his own.

The book will be available in 3 formats. Paperback and ebook, available at most major retail stores through the Ingram catalog, and a special edition hardcover that will only be available via direct purchase. Retail stores and libraries may purchase it via the direct wholesale ordering form at a discount if they are ordering 20+ copies, and it will be available for individual purchases on this website at launch.

The special edition will include the following:

1. Sprayed edges,

2. 2 pieces of character art, 1 NSFW and 1 SFW,

3. A ribbon page marker,

4. Head and Tail bands,

5. Bonus content.

For readers who just can’t wait to get their hands on a copy, though, I am currently accepting applications for e-ARCs. E-ARCs, for those who may not be aware, are advanced reader copies, a number of distributed copies of a book sent to readers prior to release in the hopes that they might review the book and help build buzz. My ARCs are distributed through BookFunnel as a PDF. The minimum requirements are that the reader must be at least 18 years old (in the U.S., if outside of the U.S., whatever the age of majority is in your country), I must also be able to confirm that you’re human (no bots), and finally, the reader must agree not to re-sell, share, or distribute their ARC. To apply for an ARC, fill out THIS form.

Now, time for the fun part!

What is the spice level in The Fate of Angels and Demons?

This book is on fire. It features 7-ish sex scenes, all of which include some form of kink. The love interests develop a switch dynamic (For the vanilla folk: Sometimes he’s dominant; sometimes she is. It’s about a 50/50 split). My favorite spicy scene is the one that got made into the NSFW piece of character art for the special edition. It’s based on a scene in chapter 5. Needless to say, this book is INTENDED FOR AN ADULT AUDIENCE. Even among adults, its content may be triggering to some readers. I do strongly advise that readers review the trigger list thoroughly prior to starting the books (provided on the ARC sign up form, in the front of the book, and in numerous other locations).

What inspired me to write The Fate of Angels and Demons?

Well, to start, Lilly’s character has been around in my writing for a while. If you’re new to my writing, I write The Islands of Rune universe so it can be read as a series or as standalones. The books are connected, but you don’t have to read them all in order to understand the latest release. In part, I do this because my craft tends to improve drastically from one book to the next (as with anything, even if you’re good, there’s always still room for improvement). I always want new readers to be able to start off reading my best work. So, I actually encourage people to always start with what’s newest.

As for this book specifically, Lilly was always intended to get her own book. I knew it from the moment I introduced her. Her character development, some of the things she’s been through, thinks, and feels, are all deeply personal to me in one way or another. In my writing, I tend to use the enthralling fantasy plots and intense romances to make palpable the more serious topics I address (as do most authors, at least the ones I read). Underneath the fun of the story is a lot of important commentary regarding what life after trauma actually looks like and why its okay if you never go back to “normal” (gag, I hate that stupid word), along with other topics surrounding racism, bigotry, forced labor, poverty, and more. This book came out of me when it did for a reason. With the state of the world being what it is, art and literature are more important than ever. It’s no secret that reading helps people develop a stronger sense of empathy and increases literacy, so I write to make sure people can accomplish those goals in a fun and accessible way. Lilly is the perfect character to help me accomplish that because she has such a unique perspective that allows for both a brutal rage and a kind heart.

Also, though, I love priestess characters.

What sorts of things are you doing to help boost yourself coming up to the release?

So, so many things. Of course, there’s the social media aspect. I hired a PA to help me with content creation. Her name is Jazmine (@jazzys_books & @apenandapromise on IG). She’s been great. Having her helping me out has done wonders in terms of freeing me up so I can A) focus on writing other books, B) focus on contacting bookstores (both previously partnered and new to me), libraries, planning events, and contacting book bloggers/influencers to seek partnerships, and C) managing and distributing ARCs, running ads, and connecting with readers directly. With all of that going on, I’m sure you can see how sparing myself that 3ish hours/week on making posts is actually so helpful (plus I literally suck at coming up with stuff to post. I’m still at that stage in being an author where I freeze up any time I’m asked what my book is about or am expected to speak out loud.) (If you happen to be a more popular author reading my blog, please let me know if and when that will go away? LMAO.)

Anyway, as things happen, you can hear all about them on any of my socials. Here’s my Instagram, my Bluesky, my Threads, and on the home page of this website, you’ll also find a form to sign up for my email list (I won’t spam, I promise).

That’s all for this week! I hope you’ll drop in again next week for another segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!

Nerdology 101: Fictional Crushes

Heyyyyy! How are all my nerdy peoples? If you’re new here, welcome! This is Nerdology 101 and I’m your resident nerd, Maria Levato. This week I wanted to dive into the topic of fictional crushes (from my experience, every nerd has them. No need to be shy about it). I’ll be sharing a few of my own, but also discussing them in a more broad sense. With that being said, why don’t we get started with some NERDOLOGYYYY?

Experiencing a romantic or sexual attraction to a fictional character is a pretty common occurence. From the “Hear me out” cakes on social media to the existence of BookTok/Bookstagram/Booksky a lot of people have come to terms with that fact. In fact, many of us have built entire communities around our fictional crushes. This phenomenon has been around much longer than these communities, though. Back in the ancient time of the millenial, those of us who embraced fictophilia were often outcasts and it was hard to find people who could relate. Do you know what I would have given as a kid to know I wasn’t the only one waking up at 5AM to watch Inuyasha because I had a crush on Sesshomaru… and Inuyasha… and Koga…? (I don’t have a problem, I don’t have a problem). Nowadays, though, my list of fictional crushes extends beyond anime and other cartoon characters. Characters from books such as Nikolai Sokolov and Rayne have also taken me by storm.

So, why do so many of us experience this attraction to fictional characters so intensely? It’s simple, really. Knowing they’re not real doesn’t change the fact that they fulfill a real need. The need is often for safe spaces to experience romance, partners who are emotionally open to us, and sometimes even to explore fantasies we can’t safely explore irl for one reason or another. In most cases, this is healthy and can have a positive impact in helping people better define their needs in a human-to-human romance. People who don’t know what they’re looking for tend to end up in bad relationships. These fictional crushes can help us to better understand ourselves, what we’re looking for, and learn how to communicate that to a potential partner. What many view as a form of escapism, I view as a potentially theraputic outlet for exploring ourselves and our desires.

Now that I’ve said as much, let’s talk about my top fictional crushes from each of my nerdy realms:

1. Anime - Vanitas and Noe (The Case Study of Vanitas)

   Yes, I count them as ONE fictional crush because I wouldn’t want to be with one unless the other was also present. While they’re both hot and I acknowledge some part of this has to do with an MMF fantasy, they also fulfill different needs. Vanitas is passionate, wild, obsessive, and capable of embracing my particular brand of insanity. He’d be the perfect partner for the enemies-to-lovers, banter-y arguing part of my desires. Noe, on the otherhand, is sweet, affectionate, and loyal above all else. I’d find that fulfilling in the moments that I just wanna curl up and cuddle. I can totally picture him letting me lay my head in his lap and read a book without interrupting me—just being glad to have me close. Together, they make a perfect boyfriend.

2. Gaming - Kaeya (Genshin Impact)

   Kaeya has a flirty nature, relaxed vibe, and a bit of a mysterious element while also remaining a safe guy. I think he has broad appeal that most people who’re attracted to men can get into. It’s easy to consider him my top gaming crush.

3. Books - Samkiel (Gods and Monsters by Amber V. Nicole)

   Samkiel is ideal in pretty much every aspect. I’d have zero complaints. If I listed every aspect of him that I love, this blog post would never go up because I’d likely spend the rest of my life completing that list.

4. Special Mention: Atem (Yu-Gi-Oh)

   What do you mean he’s an ancient Egyptian pharoah with a tiny ball of fur that can take out Blue-Eyes White Dragon?! Of course I love him. Lol.

   Anyway, who are your top fictional crushes? Let me know. As always, I’ll be back next Friday at 3PM EST for the next segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!

Nerdology 101: Rabbit Holes

There you are! Here to hear me rant about some Nerdology? Of course you are because you’re a good little nerd. Yes, you are. Such a good nerd.

Welcome back to Nerdology 101, I’m your host, Maria Levato, and this week I wanna talk about my beloved rabbit holes (they are sacred and necessary. Do not come for them or I will hiss at you). Rabbit holes are the centerpiece of all my best writing, so today I’m going to tell you about a few of my recent favs. Whaddya say? Wanna get into some Nerdology? Let’s gooo!

1. How I Define the Difference between Rabbit Hole and Regular Research

   Could I have effectively written what I was trying to write without knowing this? If yes, it’s probably a rabbit hole. I do note, though, that the fact that I could write something without the information doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no benefit to writing it with it. Oftentimes, I find that writing with the additional information is the difference between producing something that sounds right to someone with no familiarity and producing something that sounds right to someone who knows. For example, geography. I once wrote a short story where a majority of the events took place in Dublin, Ireland. I could have convincingly wrote some version of “We ate at a restaurant by the River Liffey.” and most American’s likely would have accepted that as enough detail. Instead, I wrote that the characters ate at PHX Bistro, a small restaurant by the River Liffey. That’s a detail that would help the story feel more like its truly happening in Dublin to someone from Dublin, or to others that have been there. It wouldn’t necessarily have been bad writing if I didn’t name a specific restaurant, but that little bit of detail made it a bit more tangible. Of course, that’s not a rabbit hole in and of itself because I didn’t research that so much as I just knew it from travelling, but it’s a great example of how a detail might make a big difference in how convincing the writing is. Thus, my argument that rabbit hole as sacred stands.

2. Recent Rabbit Hole - Demons

   (Note: For context, it’s useful to know that I write romantasy. Romance that is central to the plot based in a completely fictional world of my own making. However, there’s a paranormal and mythological element in the sense that my characters are often angels, demons, gods, priestesses, etc.. My magic systems and set ups are often based in a slew of different beliefs, taking elements from them to create something original. So, my research is often in finding those puzzle pieces from various belief systems, cultures, and periods of history to build it).

   For reasons I can’t explain without spoiling future releases, this one was extremely useful. So, did you know that the modern word demon comes the Greek word Daimon, which just meant deity? There was no evil connotation on the word until the Catholic Church came into the picture. Presumably, the word Daimon being used to refer to deities that weren’t their preferred deity and therefore it picked up a negative/evil connotation as they gained more power throughout Europe since they were monotheistic and viewed the worship of other deities as an evil act. But yeah, demons are pretty much just deities and whether they are a threat or not depends mostly on who you are and what demon you’re interacting with. Not every demon we see discussed in texts about them is necessarily hostile towards humans. The Lemegeton, for example, talks about demons, but it also goes into detail when classifying them. It speaks about their personalities, the danger or lackthereof in interacting with them, and more. This sort of implies that there was an understanding in medieval Europe, at least among those who sought out this type of knowledge, that demons weren’t necessarily evil. That understanding prevails today in some ways, though its became increasingly less prevailing for a few decades because of media portrayals, then took a turn in more recent years where that understanding started to revitalize itself. Needless to say, there are plenty of people who still cling to the evil connotation of the word, but it only really holds up when held under the lens of a monotheistic theology.

   Point being that etymology proves quite useful in writing fantasy. Knowing this helped me lead a character to a huge moment of self-discovery that I was able to write extremely well because I had gone down the rabbit hole to get the right information to make it work. It was also just fun because it set off a slew of personal research that really doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m writing, but I’m enjoying it quite a bit. I like learning about these things, and who knows? Info that isn’t relevant to my writing can occassionally resurface later as being exactly what I need. It’s sort of unpredictable that way.

3. Recent Rabbit Hole - Mesopotamia

   Another topic I recently had to do some digging on was Mesopotamia, the gods of the culture and time, and it’s geographic placement compared to modern maps. My findings were prettty cool. I hadn’t looked into Mesopotamia too much before this so I went in with very little background knowledge to base my research on, which is rare because usually these types of things are matters I’m led to write about because of an interest I already have. In this case, though, it was a bit more random. I liked that because it left so much room for inspiration since everything I was getting was new to me. It also gave me a path to learning about Iran a little more (when looking into museums and historic sites) and develop an interest in the culture.

   Because what I was looking into was so broad, I can’t go into all of it here, but I will talk about a point that I found particularly useful. Separating dynasties is an important point when discussing Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was a region more than it was a reference to a specific civilization. Most information is a bit more specific to the empire that was ruling it at the time. There were quite a few changes in power, but for my purposes, I was focused on periods of Sumerian and Akkadian rules (probably what most people are thinking of when they say Mesopotamia. About 3,200B.C. to 2154B.C. for both dynasties). In the dates is a fact that took me a while to wrap my head around. The Old Kingdom era of Ancient Egypt was roughly from 2686-2181B.C. Which means there was a fairly decent overlap in dates where the Akkadian empire and the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt existed at the same time. The Great Pyramids of Giza were constucted a few centuries prior to the fall of the Akkadian dynasty. I’m sure you can imagine all the ways a fantasy writer could utilize that bit of information. Oh yeah… That alone was gold to me. Not to mention all the other great stuff I found while researching. I’m so excited with how its turning out on the page too!

   I hope you all enjoyed hearing about some of my recent rabbit holes. Have you had any of your own of late? Let me know. I’ll see you back next week for another segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!

   Sources

   https://www.history.com/articles/mesopotamia

   https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en/monuments/the-great-pyramid

   https://www.britishmuseum.org/learn/schools/ages-7-11/ancient-egypt/timeline-ancient-egypt

   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demon#word-history

Nerdology 101: Self vs. Trad Publishing

Hi! Welcome back to Nerdology 101. I’m Maria Levato, your nerdy sensei who writes about kink play—and a bunch of other random stuff no one asked about.

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse around the merits of self vs. trad publishing, so I’m using this week’s post to address that. Let me give you a hint: Both options are perfectly valid.

There are few industries where we judge the legitimacy of a business by who makes the initial investment. I have never heard someone say “Oh, this store is worse than a different store because the owner paid for it themselves instead of getting investors.” Why haven’t I heard that before? Because it would be insane and most people wouldn’t say it. So, why do we do it when it comes to books? Let’s dive into some Nerdology and find out!

Before the Printing Press

Long ago, there was a world without the printing press. A medieval time where books were—Checks notes, then gasps—made by hand!? Oh, the horror. As you may have guessed, they took a lot of time and money to make. The majority of them were made and collected by religious entities and universities. “Getting published”, as we know it today, didn’t really exist. What did exist, though, is the concept of patronage. Wealthy people, like nobles and royals, would find artists and writers they liked and bankroll them. Eventually, after creating some work, some of the artists and writers would start to get commissions from other wealthy people who wanted a work made by that artist or writer. Publishing houses are the post-printing press version of this, so you can call writers who became published this way early trad authors. On the other hand, you could call writers with the wealth to pay to have their writing produced themselves, early self-published authors.

Good Ol’ Gutenberg and the Printing Revolution

In 1454, we see Gutenberg’s printing press get put to commercial use for the first time where he prints a slew of stuff off for the church. Then, suddenly books (or at least those the church approves of) are more widely available. It’s magic. A ton of people were interested in this because it was a quick and easy way to replicate their ideas and distribute them to a wide audience. It was a Printing Revolution, literally, that’s what it was called. It was part of the Renaissance. You can learn a lot about it by viewing this page from Printing R-Evolution that explores it in depth. For our purposes, though, I’m just illustrating how this became the publishing industry. You see, whoever had a printing press could print and distribute anything. So, having one became a powerful way to distribute materials that would make people more likely to agree with your preferred idealogy. That’s a lot of power. It platformed people like Galileo, who was a radical thinker for his time. It also gave us texts that sparked social movements like the rise of Prostestantism, such as bibles written in languages that aren’t Latin, which were considered heresy at the time. Eventually, people realized that printing and distributing books could be lucrative. Enter: The Publishing Industry, entities who printed and distributed books on behalf of the writer.

Literary Agents

Three to four centuries and a lot of books later, literary agents come onto the scene between 1870 and 1930, depending on location. Their job was simple. Connect writers with publishing houses. This is really the start of traditional publishing as we know it today. From there, traditional publishing became more of a standardized process. Query agents (via snail mail, at the time), get an agent, have that agent submit the work to publishers, get published.

The Internet

With the internet came a revitalization of self-publishing. In 2005, Blurb, an online self-publishing platform was founded. In 2009, Amazon started Amazon Publishing. In 2013, IngramSpark came onto the scene. As with anything, some people got mad about it. They started bashing people who took that path because it went against their expectations of what becoming an author should look like. That’s where it started to get stigmatized.

Social Media

With the rise of Booktok/Bookstagram/Booktube/etc. came change. Self-published authors started to gain stronger platforms and their path became less stigmatized. This led us to the debate I’m seeing today about whether self or trad publishing is better. As I said at the start of this blog post, it doesn’t matter. The difference lies in who bears the initial investment, not the quality of the production itself. I’ve read plenty of trad books that I love and plenty that I dislike. The same applies to self-published books. Trad published books sometimes have editing issues, so do self-published books sometimes. Both formats have different pros and cons. Ultimately, the choice on which format is better depends on the writer and the piece they’re publishing. No matter what a writer chooses, they choose it because it is the best route for them and their work. Some writers choose one path at first and a different path later. Some are solidly on one side of the line or the other. So long as everyone respects everyone else’s decisions, there’s nothing wrong with any of it. It’s okay for people to achieve similar goals by different means. To say a trad-published author is a sell out or a self-published author wasn’t good enough to make it is ridiculous. No matter who bears the initial investment, the quality of the writing is what matters at the end of the day. Read books you like, no matter how they were published, and don’t read books you don’t like, no matter how they were published.

Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are! Did you learn something new about the history of publishing?

With that, I bid you all a good weekend. I’ll see you back next Friday at 3P.M. ET for the next segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!

Source List (This is a blog, not an academic paper. I’m just dropping the links so people can learn more, not making full citations).

https://guides.library.ubc.ca/historyofthebook/beforeprint

https://independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1510

https://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/omeka/exhibits/show/mcdonald/incunabula/gutenberg/

https://www.printingrevolution.eu/7

https://www.transatlantic-cultures.org/es/catalog/agents-litteraires