kae

@krholton

Agender, any pronouns. Driftless Region, WI. Fantasy & Sci-fi writer. www.krholton.com THE LAST FIRSTBORN is coming Oct 13th! Would you like to buy me a coffee?

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kae@krholton· 23h

My debut! Cover by Bookfly Design. I love it so much.

Photo of the book The Last Firstborn by KR Holton. The cover features a young man wearing a blindfold. Gold accents form a halo and the silhouette of a city skyline.

kae@krholton· 4d

THE LAST FIRSTBORN is a dystopian fantasy inspired by Final Fantasy 7 and DUNE. Check out the first chapter for free here! buff.ly/xm1fYfV #IndieAuthor #Fantasy #BookSky #Free

"You look like Dad," Wes said in hardly more than a whisper. He'd just finished tying the complex ceremonial knot in the ties of my blindfold. It was made of a stiff brocade that may as well have been a plate of plasteel.

kae@krholton· 7d

THE LAST FIRSTBORN will be out Oct 13th! Preorder here: buff.ly/IiR60h4 #BookSky #WritingCommunity #IndieBooks #Fantasy

The Last Firstborn trope board:
Dystopian fantasy, blind prophet main character, Final Fantasy 7 meets Dune, 100% Human-made, found family, time distortion, reluctant hero

kae@krholton· 7d

I'm an indie, but my debut dystopian fantasy, THE LAST FIRSTBORN, is available through Ingram and will be out Oct 13!

Cover of The Last Firstborn by KR Holton. A young priest wearing a blindfold stands with his arms outstretched. Gold accents form a halo and a silhouette of a city. Cover art by Bookfly Design.

kae@krholton· 12d

Starting the messy process of plotting book 3 of my Prophets of Nexus trilogy. In some ways it feels easier because I know what threads I'm working with, but in most ways it feels way more complicated to have to tie up all those loose ends! #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Photo of a table strewn with index cards, notebooks, and pens

kae@krholton· 14d

LOOK LOOK LOOK I got another piece of character art from @dominolucky.bsky.social !! Introducing Silvia, one of two main protagonists in The Firstborn's Legacy, book 2 of my Prophets of Nexus trilogy. I can't wait for you guys to meet her. #OCArt #OC #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

A sketched portrait of a young woman wearing a blindfold and a priest cassock. She has long, unkempt hair and a slight smile.
Art by Kristin at LuckyDomino.

kae@krholton· 18d

Read the first chapter of The Last Firstborn for free now, before following Levi's journey on release day, Oct 13th! #Fantasy #Booksky #Dystopian #IndieBooks buff.ly/xm1fYfV

kae@krholton· Jul 10

The Last Firstborn preorders are live! #Dystopian #Fantasy ⚔️ 🔫 Brothers 👬 and found family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Anti-capitalist 🤑 Prophecies 👁️ Release day is Oct 13th! All the links: buff.ly/wxQTw2A #IndieAuthors 📢📚💙 #WritingCommunity #Books

kae@krholton· May 4

I started posting fiction on Royal Road! Right now I've just got a couple of short stories up. They're both atmospheric, post-apocalyptic vibes. Check them out here: www.royalroad.com/profile/8585...

Cover for Bridge to Nowhere, a short story by KR Holton. The background of the cover is washed out yellow tones. A concrete bridge disappears into fog in the distance.

Cover for Shadows on the Stillands, a short story by KR Holton. The cover features a vast prairie in desaturated tones.

kae@krholton· May 4

So much has happened and I haven't been posting on SM for any of it. First things first, we adopted a new cat and the oranges are slowly accepting him. #catsky #caturday

A photo of two cats laying in the sun. Left is small grey, right is giant orange floof

kae@krholton· Jan 30

#WIPSnips - Jan 30 - Suggest This snip is from The Last Firstborn, book 1 of my dystopian fantasy series, which is coming out this fall! Follow for brothers, prophecies, found family, and fighting the man! #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

“I sympathize with your story, but I’m sure you’ll understand when I say that I must hesitate to trust your words. As outwardly friendly as we are with the Merx, I’m sure you’re aware of the tensions that continue behind doors. It would not be, let’s say, ‘unheard of’ for them to send agents in the guise of innocent-looking youths.”
‘Outwardly friendly’ was utter bullshit. They were at each other’s throats in council meetings.
“I understand. If there’s anything we can do to assuage your concerns, we’re willing. But either way, I suggest you consider additional security around the whole Oida family in case the Merx think about trying again.”

kae@krholton· Jan 29

#WIPSnips - Jan 29 - Formation How about a rock formation? This snip is from Firstborn's Legacy, book 2 of my dystopian fantasy series. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

And just like that, Courin had grabbed my hand and was leading me away, out into the heat of the rising sun.
“Where do we even start?” I asked.
“On a hill! First thing you gotta know about scouting is that you gotta get up high. Er…” Courin stalled, realizing who she was talking to. “I gotta get up high and you gotta get with me. That’s the first thing you gotta know. Kay?”
Ten minutes later, we were scrabbling up a rock face that felt like a sheer cliff, but Courin assured me that it was very safe.
“Are we allowed to be here?” I asked once we’d hauled ourselves up to a flatish spot and Courin let me catch my breath. Not even Dad’s stupid treadmill had prepared me for this.
“No one ever said we weren’t,” Courin said logically. “Hmm, I don’t see anyone else with a thing on their head like yours.”

kae@krholton· Jan 27

#WIPSnips - Jan 27 - Storm Swapped for wind for this snip from The Last Firstborn, book 1 of my dystopian fantasy--coming this fall! #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

I froze. Understanding slammed into me like a prophecy.
If there had been anything in my stomach, I would have vomited again.
Vivienne was closer now. Her perfume blew towards us with each gust of wind. “Everything I said yesterday, we can still make that happen. You and I can lead this empire. You can raise the next prophet how you want.”

kae@krholton· Jan 26

I've been out of the #WIPSnips game for a while. My new job means I'm not consistently online on sun or mon to schedule the posts anymore. 😭 But anyways, here's a snip from Firstborn's Legacy, book 2 of my dystopian fantasy trilogy. Pretty sure I've already cut this bit in revision. lol #WriteSky

“You could always come back. You can do so much good here in the city—”
She cuts me off by stamping her foot and shaking her head.
“Sorry, forget I asked. Would you grant me an indulgence, though? I wonder if there’s another way—another way to get you home before I commit to going down that path. Will you let me look?” I ask, gazing out across the vast expanse of time from above. I could have missed something in this expanse.

kae@krholton· Dec 28

#WIPSnips - Dec 28 - thread This is from near the end of The Last Firstborn, during the "main character finally claiming his power" phase. I love the idea of him finally taking his family's crest into his own use. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

I was wearing a cassock robe again. Rhaz had had it commissioned for me from one of her favorite tailors, and the fit was perfect. The fabric was heavy but draped easily rather than constricting my movement like the old brocade ones I used to wear. The tailor had swapped the traditional buttons for snaps that were easier for me, made the collar shorter in the front so it didn’t cut my throat, and even given me extra pockets hidden in the side seams.
Emblazoned on my chest in raised embroidery was my family’s crest—an open eye in the center of a stylized flame, meant to symbolize the phrase “by Polea’s light, we are able to see.” The textured thread allowed me to “see” it for the first time.

kae@krholton· Dec 27

#WIPSnips - Dec 27 - Doctor Swapped for Nurse because Lune, one of the side characters in The Last Firstborn, is constantly helping out the crew on her downtime. They'd all be dead without her probably. #WritingCommunity #Writesky

Lune arrived less than an hour later and exuded calm into the room with her mere presence. She absorbed my name, blindfold, and description as “tower boy” without any hesitation.
“My name’s Lune. Can I take your hand?” she said in a soft, even voice. I reached out and gripped her fingers probably harder than I should have. “I’m a nurse at the hospital and I’ve treated water poisoning more times than I can count, don’t worry.”
I trusted her immediately, despite Eno’s warning to stop doing that.

kae@krholton· Dec 26

#WIPSnips - Dec 26 - Type Aw, Eno's probably my favorite character from The Last Firstborn. Don't tell Levi. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Eno was strangely silent, but I could hear him breathing just a pace ahead of me.
“Which way now?” I asked.
He took a few more heavy breaths before he said, “Do you realize how many credits I could have gotten by turning you in just then? I could have walked you right up to that Merx meathead.”
It hadn’t crossed my mind, truthfully. Polea had told me to trust this man, and so I had.
“How many?” I asked.
“Enough to pay for my water for months, probably.”
“You said you’re not devout, but I think you follow Polea’s teachings better than some of my congregation.”
“Don’t put that on me. It ain’t for Polea. I just got trouble with lost-puppy-types. Come on, we’re only a few blocks from Club Nectar.”

kae@krholton· Dec 25

#WIPSnips - Dec 25 - Delicious lol, little brother always gonna little brother #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

There was a delectable smell wafting through the air. It was a bit sweet like caramelized onions, but rich with cream. A plate was set in front of me by a silent waiter.
“It’s like, one bite of food,” Wes said. “Like a dome of cheese or something, but there’s stuff inside? When you cut into it, juice spills out.”
I appreciated him trying to include me, but maybe his descriptions could use some work.
“Ah yes, this is one of our favorites here. It’s onion soup suspended in cheese dumpling.” Niklo’s gentle voice made it sound like he was trying to convince a toddler to eat a vegetable.
“Fork or spoon?”
“I like to just pop the whole thing in my mouth and eat it in one go.” That was Rhaz. She was sitting across the table and to my left. As tense as our goodbye had been, it was good to hear her voice, hear for sure that she was still alive.
“Darling, don’t be rude,” said Niklo.
It sounded like Wes took Rhaz’ advice but wound up with a scalded tongue. He spluttered and was making noises that were halfway between pain and satisfaction. “Polea, it’s delicious,” he said, sucking in air.

kae@krholton· Dec 23

#WIPSnips - Dec 23 - Stone Levi having his first official prophecy in The Last Firstborn #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Everything was blurry, bright, and out of focus. I was surrounded by a glowing, flickering ring but couldn’t make out the candles that must have been surrounding the dais.
The staff in my hands was a long, black branch, polished to a sheen from centuries of hands of my ancestors. There was a smooth black stone set into a gnarl at the top of the staff. It was embedded there as if the tree had grown around it, rather than it being placed there by human hands. It was said to be polished obsidian. Though the stories of mountains erupted with liquid rock seemed like little more than a creation myth, I couldn’t argue that the stone looked otherworldly. The light of the candles didn’t seem to touch it.
I was falling, like sinking into a pool. There was a current running beneath me—the flow of time—and as I sank, the current pulled me forward into the future.

kae@krholton· Dec 22

#WIPSnips - Dec 22 - Angle Levi's first trip out of the Merx tower is not going well so far. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

It didn’t take long for me to feel turned around. I missed the pylons in the tower that made a soft humming sound at each intersection and allowed me to navigate on my own. I even missed the handrails and the directions they provided with a simple voice request. I hadn’t realized how much I relied on those aids or how much more vulnerable I’d be in a place without them. My guide cane only did so much when the alleyways bent at odd angles or suddenly came to a dead end.
I couldn’t keep wandering around like this. I could be headed straight back to the Merx Tower at this point. Based on what Marquez had said, I’d thought I’d had plenty of time to get into place before the assassination would happen tonight, but that margin was steadily running out.

kae@krholton· Dec 21

#WIPSnips - Dec 21 - Silver Levi finding his spine in the only way he knows how--giving just the right amount of information while he's interpreting his prophecies. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

“Keep going,” Vivienne said.
Could I stop?
“The dart sticks up from her back and her death is agony. Lights blaring red and blue, sirens shining silver. She dies in the alley. Cops show up later. Not quick enough to save her. The sidewalk people avoid looking at the alley people, mostly. Especially when they’re dead.”
“Levi, slow down. Feel your body. Feel your back pressed against the floor. Smell the incense, listen to my voice, and taste this water,” said Vivienne, giving me another sip.
I took a deep breath and coughed. “There’s another in the alley, a star-crossed savior. He sees you, sees what you did. That’s how the police come.”
“Sees who?” Vivienne asked carefully.
Was it worth it?
Marquez swore. “Told you this wasn’t gonna work out.”
“Why did you lie to me?” I asked. Bold. Too bold.

kae@krholton· Dec 20

#WIPSnips - Dec 20 - Default Lot of Vivienne-heavy snips this week. She's not even in most of the book, she just causes most of the drama. lol #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

“You look divine in that uniform,” she said, heels clunking on the floor as she came closer. “I was worried your shoulders wouldn’t fit into the robe without some tailoring, but it looks good. You fill it out better than Silvan did. He always looked a bit frumpy.”
The cassock was tight across my chest, and the skirts had too much fabric that kept bunching up between my legs. I much preferred my normal robes—plain linen, no frills.

kae@krholton· Dec 19

#WIPSnips - Dec 19 - High Vivienne missing the point on purpose this time. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

My blindfold was clinging to my face, hot, damp, and constricting.
Why now? Why had she felt the need to dump this all on me now? After so long of no one telling me anything, she just lays it out during a casual commute to work? Is this how she was thanking me for saving her brother?
“Sorry, I thought you knew,” she said.
“No one tells me anything,” I said, failing at keeping my voice level.
“You can see the future though.”
I clenched my teeth. “Only when permitted.”
How could Polea have let something like this happen? Why did her blessing have such a high price to pay by her most loyal followers?
But we’d arrived at the cathedral, and now it was time for work.

kae@krholton· Dec 18

#WIPSnips - Dec 18 - Request Vivienne, completely missing the point as Levi struggles to fill his dad's shoes in The Last Firstborn. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

He left me alone with Vivienne.
“Levi, darling,” she said, pretending to be absolutely delighted to see me. “Aren’t you just so excited for your big day?” Her voice was low but carried an irritating saccharine tone.
Vivienne was the liaison between my family and the Merx corporation. She’d taken over the role when her father retired nearly five years ago and had been working for my dad since. She’d handled all his scheduling and coordinated all the requests for prophecies and made sure he had plenty of time to recover. Mostly. There was only so much she could do. It was only a matter of time before the divine sight drove the prophets mad, no matter how carefully Vivienne did her job.
She must have taken my pause for trepidation. “You poor boys,” she said. “This transition is always hard on the Noethi family. It’s hard on the Merx, too.”
I ground my teeth.

kae@krholton· Dec 17

#WIPSnips - Dec 17 - Clay Swapped for dirt--literally the one place that has exposed dirt in the city in The Last Firstborn. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

Wes disappeared from my side suddenly, but I heard him say, “Sir, my brother—he can’t see it. Could he maybe step over? To touch the bark?”
The caretaker didn’t reply for a moment. I could understand him saying no. If I was allowed to do it, everyone else would think they could, too. And then the tree would be trampled and ruined. I’d be granted whatever I wanted if I told him I was a prophet, but I didn’t want to play that hand so quickly, out in public.
To my surprise, the caretaker took pity on me and gave his consent. Wes led me through the short little gate and onto the dirt ground. It was packed, hard dirt, but it still felt spongy compared to the stone tiles we were used to.
“Two steps forward,” Wes said. Then he took my hand and placed it onto the trunk of the tree. The bark was rougher than I’d imagined. There were gnarls and knobs, twists and burls. It reminded me of the prophet’s staff.
How long ago had my inauguration ceremony been? How long since I’d felt that visceral connection with the goddess? But there was something here, in this sacred tree. It wasn’t as strong as the staff had been, but something pulled, hooked me behind my eyes, almost like when I fell into a vision. It was like sinking beneath water. Except here, there was no river of time—it was merely a puddle.

kae@krholton· Dec 16

#WIPSnips - Dec 16 - Moist In The Last Firstborn, untreated water is poisonous, so the rains that fall in the wastes every dusk and dawn can be deadly. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

I woke up, stiffer than I’d ever been when we’d been staying at the Den on those cots. It was before dawn, but the air was damp with promised rain. As if on schedule, drops started splattering on the treated canvas of the pop-up tent. It picked up until I was sure the rain would rip straight through the fabric. The moisture stung my nostrils.
“This happens every day?” Wes asked. “Man, no wonder nothing can survive out here.”

kae@krholton· Dec 15

#WIPSnips - Dec 15 - Blanket I think I've shared this bit of The Last Firstborn before, but I like this moment where everything comes crashing down for Levi. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

“Message from: Unknown contact,” my new comms said. I’d been getting all kinds of spam and wrong-number calls since I’d gotten the new device. I rolled over in my blankets and tried to flip the comms onto silent mode with fumbling fingers, but was too slow.
The device started playing the message. A familiar, low, feminine voice emanated from the speaker. “Levi, I’ve gone through hell to track you down. Please call me. I’ll make it worth your while.”
I was suddenly awake. Panicking.
Blankets tangled around my limbs like they’d been tied. I flailed and struggled, but freed myself eventually. With blood pounding in my ears, I pulled on pants, grabbed the comms, and flung myself, shoeless and shirtless, out the door. I ran down the mezzanine to Eno’s room. I knew his door by a plasteel placard on the front and knocked hard.

kae@krholton· Dec 14

#WIPSnips - Dec 14 - Line Levi's bloodline is blessed by the goddess with the power of foresight, but it's only the firstborn who gets the blessing. There's a lot of pressure on him to secure an heir before the blessing drives him insane. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #fantasy

My head was swimming, somehow floating several feet above my body.
Was this what prophetic madness would feel like? Each prophecy I saw would bring me closer to that end. Each prophecy had a price. Over time, resurfacing into the present would get harder, and the line between prophecy and reality would start to blur. I would start to act strange, not truly be back in my head. My mind would be stuck somewhere between present and future.
If they caught it early enough, they could place a more permanent blindfold that I wouldn’t be able to rip off easily—or chemically blind me—in order to keep any more visions from pulling me under. But by the time it got that bad, I’d be half insane anyways. Wes would probably be saddled with babysitting me at the ripe old age of fifty or so.
As long as I had an heir by then, the line of firstborns would continue, and that was the important thing.

kae@krholton· Dec 13

#WIPSnips - Dec 13 - Control Dang, four in one. Probably a good indication this needs to be edited lol #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

“Is this really worth my time?” I asked, a little bolder because Aumbrose wasn’t there.
“We decide what’s worth your time, Prophet,” said Marquez. “Remember that.”
“Just do what they say,” my father repeated in my head.
The Merx controlled everything. They controlled this tower, they controlled the water, this whole sector of the city. They controlled me, my life, Wes’ life. It all revolved around them. There was a reason our mother was gone.
But every vision cost me a little bit of my life, a little bit of my sanity. I’d pay for this later. They wouldn’t.
And I supposed if Polea had a problem with how the power was being used, she’d have done something about it, right? The Merx were the stewards of Polea’s followers, and clearly the goddess trusted the family to do what was best for her congregation. Who was I to question the goddess?

kae@krholton· Dec 12

#WIPSnips - Dec 12 - Smash The Last Firstborn is my dystopian fantasy WIP. I'm going to be back in revision mode on this project pretty soon and I'm so excited to dive back into it! #WritingCommunity #WriteSky