If you had to switch lives with a fictional character for a week, who would you choose?
Do I get to break containment and explore the fictional world they’re in? Because that changes everything…
#dailysnark
Sneak Peek
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Worldbuilding
Hello, hello!
Before I begin, I wanted to shout out to the new followers here at threegoodwords. Thank you, Merci, and Dankeschoen for joining me here in my little corner of the internet. I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay!
Now: Why worldbuilding?
Well, if you’ve been dropping by threegoodwords every now and then – or maybe even regularly – you might have seen The Cup and the Sword at one point. If you read those first attempts at Fantasy, thank you so much. Fantasy is a new genre for me, in as much as I never really tried writing anything full-length. However, The Cup and the Sword, though as yet unfinished, fired up other writing engines, and now I have a whole world to explore.
What do you mean with “explore”? you ask.
There are stories to tell about the world found in The Cup and the Sword, pasts and presents, histories and futures, not to mention the Gods and Monsters not only Gav and Bara have to face. It’s a far bigger world than I expected when I first started The Cup and The Sword, and now I have a Story – not just a few chapters – where the world can be seen in fuller scope.
What is it about?
Much like Gav in his dilapidated shed:
The awfulness of War and the bright, bitter hope for Peace.
Will there be tears?
Yes, but also joy and laughter and song.
What about magic?
Present and accounted for.
No seriously, should I bring a box of tissues?
It can’t hurt. Allergies flare up rather suddenly sometimes.
And some unhelpful people like to randomly cut onions…
What’s the title?
Once the final draft is at Absolutely Final Draft Do Not Change stage, I’ll talk about it nonstop.
When will it come out?
As for deadlines and “Where can I buy it?” I hope to keep you updated regularly since this post is really a very long way of saying: I haven’t written anything longform in a while since I have actually been writing a book. I think it is almost done, but then editors can be ruthless…
I guess people used to say, “Watch this space”? Hopefully, I can show you more soon.
Thank you again for reading what I write. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate every single one of you.
Take care,
j.d.
Luna Declining, II
Bright eyes seen in darkness, looking, scanning. – Wait.
A squint, quick.
What?
Huh.
What.
No way.
That smell in the air, though. There.
There?
No, there. What is that?
I don’t smell anything.
Right there. What is that?
No idea.
*
A quiet rustling
Leaves whispering, trees swaying in the sudden wind.
Behind the clouds, the moon rising
Peaking past dark cumuli.
*
We really shouldn’t be here.
Aww. Are you scared?
Haha.
You’re just chicken.
Guys, I mean it.
Cluuuuuuck-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck.
Hehe.
We really shouldn’t be here –
There! Again!
What?
Didn’t you see that?
See what?
There! I swear I saw something!
Guys, we really shouldn’t be here.
Cluuuuuuck-cluck-cluck-cluck.
*
A sudden haunting
Echoes howling faraway
The silver back and shanks glide between shadows
Halting once, twice; waiting.
*
A shiver, real, tingling icily down young spines.
Oooh! Did you feel that?
Yeah, creepy!
Nice!
What was it, though?
Guys, I think we need to go.
Would you stop with your whining!
What was that, though?
Guys, I mean it. We really should go –
Would you shut up already?
There! Again! What the hell is that?
We need to leave. Now.
I’m not going anywhere.
P-kawk!
Chicken!
*
A lone figure standing, seeing
A glance, flickering
Shadows enveloping
The seven hiding
Six disbelieving, waiting in suspense.
*
What is that?
Guys. We need to go. Now.
Would you shut up! You’re spoiling everything!
What is that?
You can see it, too, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
What is it, though?
Guys.
There! Again! I swear to God, it moved.
Guys. Now.
What is wrong with you?
This is amazing.
We need to leave. Now.
Oh, piss off!
Go yourself then!
This is amazing.
*
Gasping, a whispered shout:
Did you see?
Did you see!
Look!
A hand cupped over a mouth
A fierce whisper
Sssshhh!
Heartbeats racing
Silver bullets waiting
Waiting for the ancient terror
Lingering in the Dark.
*
See, I told you!
Shut up!
I told you! We need to go! Now!
Shutupshutupshutupshutup!
*
The howl
So sudden
So close
No!
Shut up!
There!
RUN!
Screams piercing the night
Gunshots exploding
Bright flares in darkness deeper, louder
Howls and Screams
Growling
Too close! Too close!
RUN! RUN!
Confusion – Terror – Understanding
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
I told you! I told you!
I TOLD you it’s there!
SHUT! UP!
*
Crimson spreading, dripping
The scent intensifying, leaving a trail
Cursing – Crying – Prayers flying
From sputtering lips, trembling
This can’t be –
They’re myths –
They’re not real –
They’re just make-believe!
*
That’s blood!
No shit.
What do we do?
If we carry them together, we can move –
We can’t, that’ll slow us down!
The fuck’s wrong with you?
In case you didn’t realise, that thing is out there!
We can’t leave them here!
We have to or we’ll all get killed!
You monster!
But that’s blood!
That’s real!
It’s a bite! A bite!
Do you know what that means?
I don’t want to be here!
Stop crying! That’s not helping!
I want to go home!
We’re not leaving anyone behind.
But -!
We’re all going, that’s final!
I want to go hooooome!
Would you stop with the crying!
MOVE!
*
Open the door!
What?
The car, shithead! Open the door!
Oh yeah.
It’s everywhere!
I don’t care, get them inside!
It’s all over me!
Who give’s a shit! Get inside!
I hate this!
I want to go hooooome!
Get inside, asshole!
What?
AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A scramble, a struggle
Back into the car all at once
Doors slamming, tires screeching
Lights fleeing into the night.
*
Luna declining, silver fur gliding
Under old shadows into the vast Night.
Long breaths at dawn, rising
Ancient spells alive, living
Awaiting the full moonlight.
© 2025 threegoodwords
Tough one
If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?
*sighs with regret*
Terrible question. Too many to count.
*thinks about it*
Actually, the fun part would be existing in the fictional world with equal ability and a great story.
Say, if you fell into Narnia or Middle Earth, Deep Space 9 or The Expanse, Jade City or The Interdependency, or any other fictional universe: You get to experience the world in full book form and live to tell the tale…
Imagine the stories.
#dreams