u/RavensDagger

Hello! 

So, about a week ago I made a post on r/ProgressionFantasy called Do You Follow Authors or Books? Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1vmlq6u/do_you_follow_authors_or_books/

The post asked that very question; if readers followed authors across series/titles, or if they only read a book/series and didn’t look at that author’s other works. 

I asked the question because I was operating under the assumption that most readers don’t follow-through. Something I noticed a while ago. I’ve written several series in our space that have done moderately well, and it’s exceptionally hard to convince a reader, in my experience, to jump from one book to another, even if they enjoyed their first read. 

That conjecture was based on some amount of personal observation, but that’s all. It lacked harder data.

I don’t know if an informal poll counts as harder data, but... well, we’ll go with it. Yeah?

Also, please keep in mind that most people wrote in their replies, and it wasn’t always a clear thing. So I had to use my brain (a notoriously bad move) and interpret which little box most replies fell into. I may have misinterpreted some of them. My b?

Here’s the breakdown:

Total Number of Applicable Answers
25 - Follow the Author
30 - Sometimes follows the Author 
8  - Don't follow the Author 
4  - Doesn't follow the Author, but will follow a Narrator

So, what does this all mean?

... That was a genuine question, I write stories about cute girls being cute, I’m not a data-analyst.

Hi!

So, I made a comment on a post recently, and I said that most people don't really set out to read all of an author's work. Rather, they'll be recommended a story, and then read that one. If they enjoy it, they'll look for other recommendations, but not necessarily from that same author.

Some people in the comments pushed back on that, and now I'm curious.

I know that amongst writers, it comes up pretty frequently. It's a common point of discussion, and the general gist is that readers rarely follow up on an author. If you write a best-seller, that means very little for your next book beyond a small boost in early readers.

Is... that common knowledge true at all?

TL;DR:

When you read a series that you like, do you look at the author's other works, or do you simply move on?

I... look, I don't know, I thought that title would make for a funny ad?

Here's a picture of my dog:

https://preview.redd.it/3f2r244av9dh1.jpg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8474e1365be0f9688c35533cfa05a70c2eb25512

COVER ARTIST: DOG

AI USAGE: DOG?

At Litrpgcon, it was on Sunday, with Pavi as moderator and RinoZ and Shirt and Rose? I really want to listen to it again. My brain was mush when I was there but it gave me ideas.

Thanks!

Hi!

Got a few people that poked me on here about news, so I figured I'd make a whole post about it! Plus, I like making posts like this (I get to share the cool art I have!)

Okay, first! I'll be at LitRPGCon in just a couple of days! On Friday morning I'll be lingering around the main lobby area giving out bunny ears! If you want your own, come and tell me what you're favourite scene from a RavensDagger story is!

Birb Mom

I only have 100 bunny ears (it's literally taking up 1.5 of my bags!) so it'll be a bit of a first-come-first-served situation!

If you want anything signed, just ask! Or if you want hugs, or to chat, or whatever! Also, I'm at these panels:

Shiny~

'Kay, that's enough about that! Stories!

Since I'm on 'vacation' I'm only launching two new fics between July and Augusts, more on that in a moment! A poster on here asked about Dead Tired, and yes! Dead Tired is now on Youtube, for freeeeee!

By SlothBeing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZYYCimGwUw

I'm actually really hype about this.

Not to toot my own horn, but I make enough money to get by. At this point, I really just want to share my stories, and having paywalls up all over annoys me. So yeah, I'm trying to get as many stories out there for free as possible. That means getting some of my audio out on Youtube!

Soundbooth, who are insanely cool, are hosting the story. So technically we still make ad revenue, and if you like Vol 1, you might buy Vol 2 and 3 and 4 and... wait, I haven't finished writing Vol 4... oops?

But I do have the cover for it! Check it out:

By SlothBeing

(I also have the cover for Vol 5, it's Alex, being cute!)

Okay, onto... Carrot and Stick!

New fic on Royal Road! Daily chapters! Woo!

Also by SlothBeing... wild

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/178793/carrot-and-stick

Carrot and Stick has been in the works since... like, February? It's allll most done, as well! Like most of my new stuff, you can read it for free on my Patreon, or catch up on Royal Road! <3

Silas Switchbranch, wizard of the secretive Ordo Venator, is a man whose lack of luck is only equal to his ambitions. He will become a wizard-knight one day... if he can survive that long. That means taking risks, and picking up jobs that no one else wants.

Including one job, in a small podunk city in upstate New York where his investigation immediately goes sour and has him running wand-first into an abnormal number of daemons... and also a strange redheaded girl who can fling magic around like nobody's business and who thinks she's a magical girl from something she calls 'anime.' 

Stuck, with no one to rely on but the far too excitable and imaginative Carrot Cuddleworth, Silas has to figure out the mystery at the centre of what might well be a terrible conspiracy while keeping his sanity in check and his newfound ally alive.

Read Carrot and Stick if you like:

The Dresden Files
Bleach
Silly girls with too much power
The magic of friendship
Petty crime

It's cute!

Also... less cutely (but more funnily?)

Cover by Jegsuu... still a WIP

Bite the Stars!

It's a fanfic. I'm having fun with it? If you like Stray Cat Strut and Warhammer, it's the two squished together with a heavy dose of comedy?

What happens when a hyper-advanced Protectorate AI crashes into a Rogue Trader vessel and starts handing out Vanguard powers to the survivors?

For a happy-go-lucky AdMech tech-priestess whose only friends are her servitors, a chaotic Sister Novitiate who translates holy battle hymns into nightcore, and a grim, tactical junior medicae trying to keep them all alive, the universe just got a whole lot weirder. Stranded in a galaxy that knows only war, this mismatched trio has to navigate terrifying alien threats, warp corruption, and bureaucratic zealotry, all while trying to spend their points wisely.

Sometimes, to survive the grim darkness, you have to bite the stars.

Read Bite the Stars if you like:

Numbers go up
Big battles
Toasters
Lots of the author nerding out about niche 40K lore
The Adeptus Mechanicus
The Sisters of Battle
Cute girls doing horrific things

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/178807/bite-the-stars-stray-cat-strut-x-warhammer-40k

Vol one cover:

Cover by SebastienBanan, Typography by me, that's why it's bad, lol

Okay, I think that's it for birb news? I'm on vacation now... I have also never been writing this much in my life, lol!

Uh... yup, that's it, if you have any questions, ask below!

Hi!

This is Bite the Stars, a Warhammer 40K X Stray Cat Strut crossover fanfic. It's relatively new, but I'd still love to have more readers and eyes on it, especially those that know the deep old lore!

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/bite-the-stars-warhammer-40k-x-stray-cat-strut.1314426/

>The Broken Scale, a ship captained by a Rogue Trader delivering medicae and supplies around the Segmentum Solar has a literal run-in with a Protectorate AI, crashing into Vyper while within the warp.

>Vyper, takes it upon themselves to assist humanity, regardless of whether they want it or not.

A cast of three characters, given Vanguard powers from the Stray Cat Strut universe, trying to survive genestealers, warp demons, and most of all, their own human allies long enough to bring order to at least one small corner of the galaxy.

Read if you want:

• A happy ray-of-sunshine Admech girl whose friends are all servitors
• A gremlin Sister Novitae passing herself off as a saint while turning battle hymns into nightcore
• A serious, tactical-minded junior medicae, scheming and plotting her way to success

Hi! I'm RavensDagger and this month I've published three books!

Save Scumming

Cover by SlothBeing

https://www.amazon.com/Save-Scumming-Book-1-RavensDagger-ebook/dp/B0GYV22CGY

The start of a new series about dying, getting a second chance... and a third, and a fourth... and then a bunch more. The main character uses her powers wisely (to flirt with women) and might eventually become strong enough to save her home city from the disaster that killed her in the first place!

It's a time-looping portal apocalypse story! Inspired by Changeling, the Perfect Run, and Cyberpunk 2077!

Also, it's narrated by Soundbooth, so it's like... actually very good?

Magical Girl Rending Nightmare

https://preview.redd.it/pl6l579pxo7h1.jpg?width=1001&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33eed0916a9499afd525b2c866170ed515d49e85

https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Rending-Nightmare-Shattered-Earth-ebook/dp/B0F2SKKGKS

This is for anyone who looked at Magical Girl Crystal Genocide and thought, “Wow, those girls sure did destroy the Earth. I wonder if things can get worse?” The answer is yes.

Inspired by Roadside Picnic, and Stalker, and Tarkov... but with magical girls.

Also also narrated by Soundbooth!

Cinnamon Bun

https://preview.redd.it/su46rp5sxo7h1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e966594d80b58d9d5d038d08260f924897f3bd80

https://www.amazon.com/Cinnamon-Bun-7-Wholesome-LitRPG-ebook/dp/B0FH8176NZ

Cinnamon Bun volume seven is out! (And Vol 8 is up for pre-orders already!) This time, Broccoli and the crew of the Beaver Cleaver are heading to Port Royal for Booksie and Rhawrexdee’s wedding, which should be very sweet and wholesome and absolutely not complicated by the fact that one half of the couple is a bun and the other is a dragon. Also, Broccoli needs to find the perfect gift, which is obviously a very serious and important quest!

Inspired by... uh... being happy? Narrated by the insanely talented Reba Buhr!

Oh, and pre-orders for the next SCS are out too: https://www.amazon.com/Stray-Cat-Strut-Cyberpunk-LitRPG-ebook/dp/B0GMTB1ZXJ/

(You know, I never thought about it, but the 'only one ad per month per user' thing is really rough when you're publishing multiple books in one month? ... Is that just a me problem?)

COVER ARTIST: SlothBeing for Save Scumming's cover, Kart Studios for MGRN, and I have no clue who did the Cinnamon Bun cover since that was Podium's job!

AI USAGE: AI wish it were as fast as me

Hi!

Just a random question, but let's pretend that you had to start a knight army from scratch, what model would you say is the most included in the most knight lists?

Hi!

I have no idea how advertising works, I'm sorry. I figured I'd just come out and be as honest and upfront as I could be!

Two of my books have come out in the last month, and I think that they'd be a good fit for... like, a small percentage of the people on here? It's some weird niche stuff! But I think they're pretty cool, and the romance in them will make your teeth rot, and the girls are cute!

Heart of Dorkness!

Cover by... uh, someone I hired on Fiverr in 2021 and I can't remember their name

Heart of Dorkness is a YA fantasy, very found-family focused, with some very cute gays being extremely clueless. They can barely lock eyes without blushing. It's good for people that want a simple, sweet adventure, with endearing characters, neat worldbuilding, a respectable number of dragons, and a romantically-clueless lead who eventually figures it out! Two volumes covering a couple of years, but the story is complete!

Read if:

You like cute stuff

You like sweet more than spice

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Dorkness-Book/dp/B0GT1M7SM8/

The Complicated Love Life of Ivil Antagonist

Cover by SlothBeing!

Ivil Antagonist is more adult. It's a space opera featuring a particularly strong lead who is looking for love. She finds it, and then really doesn't know what to do with it, since her modus operandi for most problems is to blow it up, and that's not a great foundation for romance. It's a pretty long rom-com, self-contained in one big volume!

Read if:

You like endearing big dommy mommy

You like spicy lewds... in space

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Complicated-Love-Life-Antagonist-Empress/dp/B0GQJVT997/

Thank you! I hope you give my stories a chance, and if you do happen to enjoy them, please let me know!