Justine Lombardi

@jlombardi

Fantasy and horror author obsessed with weird myths, funky folklore, and arcane insults. 🏳️‍🌈 💖💜💙 Dyslexic and proud to be neurodiverse. I follow back fellow creatives.

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Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· 4d

QOTD: What would you do for true love? I'm having fun with character art and quotes from my Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore mashup, No Man's Daughter. Vidar is a Bright Breaker, a mage who can manipulate light and shadow to create illusions. Also known as Shadow Wearer.

Torn portrait of a man in 19th century clothing holding an axe with glowing runes. Quote: Love is not a ward against sin. I have done terrible things in the name of love, and I would again.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· 7d

How to start a fire without matches. Kára has the survival skills for a winter hunt with a cursed rifle. I can't get by without hand lotion and coffee.🤣 📚💙 #darkfantasy #norse #appalachian #folklore #myth #Awesomecharacters #writesky

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· 22d

Meet Kára, bastard daughter of a legendary hero, fugitive, blood mage, wolf mother, and the bearer of the cursed rifle Tyrfing. darkmattermagazine.shop/products/no-...

Poster featuring a woman with a rifle and wolves. The caption says Kára No Man's Daughter.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jul 15

Hey! To celebrate summer and the June launch of my debut novel, No Man’s Daughter, I’m running a Goodreads giveaway. No Man's Daughter combines Norse paganism with Appalachian folklore and tells the story of a fugitive mage and her ancestors' cursed rifle. www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jul 9

New character art! Appalachian folklore meets Norse sagas. No Man's Daughter tells the story of a fugitive mage and her ancestors' cursed rifle. darkmattermagazine.shop/products/no-...

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jul 7

Cue the Aerosmith. Inspired by Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore, No Man’s Daughter follows a fugitive mage who hopes to earn her freedom and protect her family by claiming her ancestors' magical rifle. 💙📚 🏳️‍🌈 #darkfantasy darkmattermagazine.shop/products/no-...

Poster showing book cover for No Man's Daughter. Caption says "Kára's got a gun and she will use it. Read Queer All Year Long." Cover design shows Cover for No Man’s Daughter showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants. The book title and the author's name, Justine Lombardi, are written in Nordic font.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 30

Fun with character art and the first page. Looking for an experienced female lead, queer characters, Norse paganism, or Appalachian folklore? Check out No Man's Daughter! The story of a fugitive mage and her ancestors' cursed rifle. 📚💙 ⚔️🧙 darkmattermagazine.shop/products/no-...

First page of the novel No Man's Daughter which character art depicting a woman with olive skin, long dark hair, in gaslamp style clothing holding a rifle with golden runes. Text says:
Apples
Dust motes dance in a beam of afternoon sunlight until a breeze from the open window chases them away, and the scent of purple mountain thyme fills the cabin. The front room is cooling since we let the fire die down, banking a few coals in the back of the stone hearth to restart it for tonight’s dinner. It would be a perfect day, excluding the current issue of Wren’s hair and my incompetence. I tug on a disobedient curl, hoping to wrangle it into a braid.
The thirteen-year-old turns in her wooden spool chair. “Kára! Don’t pull so hard.”
“Your mother is better at this,” I grumble.
“But I need to ask you about something,” she whispers, running her fingers along a crack in the table. Her words are barely audible, as if she has a secret that could turn the world upside down.
I know where this is going, and luckily, this is a topic I’m well equipped to handle. Sometimes, it feels like I just settled in the Uplands, but Wren is hardly a knee-high moppet anymore. She bled for the first time this week. To be safe, I taught her the recipe for the day-after contraceptive Moon Bringer. Women’s wisdom given to us by the All-Mother, Lazdy of Hearth and Home. A girl should wait, but knowledge lessens risk. I certainly had a high capacity for foolish and self-destructive behavior in my youth.
“Ask away.”
“What’s it like to cast magic?”
The conversation I thought we were going to have would have been easier. Outside, the birch trees sway, their green leaves tipped yellow. Katydids sing, announcing their search for love with a ceaseless buzz audible to every creature in this valley.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 29

Sounds like fun! A fugitive mage claims her ancestors' arcane rifle but carrying the weapon comes at a cost bloodlust and unquenchable thirst for power.

Cover of no man's daughter on snowy background with callouts stating Norse saga retelling, Appalachian Folklore, dark fantasy, blood magic, cursed gun,bisexual FMC, wolves.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 27

#WIPSnips

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 27

Today's #WIPSnips word is "root." Molly, the innkeeper, plots Kára's escape from the sheriff's "protective custody." From the sequel to my debut novel, No Man's Daughter, tentatively titled Battle Born. #IamWriting #fantasy #darkfatantsy #norse #pagnaism #appalachian #folklore

She retrieves a vial from her chest of drawers. “Pink valerian root—the herbalist suggested it for my insomnia. Did the trick, slept like a baby, and awoke feeling as fine as morning sunshine.” She whispers before dropping the bottle into her apron pocket. “I think I’ll have my girls open up a barrel of the premium ale.”

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 25

I love the em dash—it’s the Swiss Army knife of punctuation! Also fuck generative AI!

If em dashes are a sign of AI, then Lewis Carroll stole the plans for the time machine from H.G. Wells.
Quote for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: "I won't indeed!" said Alice in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. "Are you—areyou fond—of—of dogs? The mouse did not answer."

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 25

I might be trying too hard to get my money's worth from my Canva sub. 😆 Book trailer for my debut novel featuring a fugitive mage who puts the "bi" in bitch and will return to her found family even if it means claiming her ancestor's cursed rifle. #DarkFantasy #Fantasy #Booksky #Norse #Appalachian

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 21

#WIPSnips #Fantasy #IamWriting "Thrima marches over, boots thudding across the floor, as if she were a rock troll. There are dark stains on her red uniform jacket, but it’s not her blood." From BATTLE BORN, the sequel to my debut novel No Man's Daughter. Appalachian folklore X Norse Sagas

Cover art for No Man’s Daughter showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 20

My gas-lamp mashup of Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore is out just in time for Pride and features a bi FMC. Check out the link in my bio!

Poster showing the cover for No Man’s Daughter, showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants. The book title and the author's name, Justine Lombardi, are written in a Nordic font. The captions say: sins of the father, myth and folklore, dark fantasy, undead warriors, runic blood magic, cursed rifle, found family, and deadly mountains.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 20

"Sköll lounges near the flagstone hearth, having become far more trusting of our hosts since last night than I prefer." From Battle Born, the sequel to my debut No Man's Daughter, the story of a fugitive mage and her ancestor's arcane rifle. #WIPSnips #Iamwriting #darkfantasy #fantasy

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 13

The Southern Baptist Convention the largest church org in the USA formally changed their constitution to ban female pastors and women from preaching on Sundays. Meanwhile this trend should pickup...

Women are leaving the church in unprecedent numbers

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 11

Just in case it wasn't clear...

Poster with Nordic font and runic spells depicting two crossed rifles and stating: unapologetically feminist.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 9

New York State Pride! Unfortunately I couldn't get all the colors at this angle.

Buildings of New York state's capital Albany lit up with pride colors

Government office buildings of New York state's capital Albany, lit up for pride.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 2

Today is pub day for No Man's Daughter! The story of a fugitive mage and her family's cursed rifle. #fantasy #darkfantasy #booksky #norse #appalachian #folklore #queerreads

Caption reads: a girl with a gun. Showa dark-haired woman holding a rifle with glowing runes.

Cover for No Man’s Daughter showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants. The book title and the author's name, Justine Lombardi, are written in Nordic font.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· Jun 1

Looking for messy bisexual rep, sapphic yearning, and poly rep? Kára has all the heart tugging disaster you need between the love of her life Ada and friends Bjorn and Vidar! No Man's Daughter is out tomorrow! Link in the bio #pride #queer #books #darkfantasy #fantasy #gaslamp #bisexual

Poster with book cover book cover is for no man's daughter and shows a woman with olive skin and dark hair in 19th century men's clothing holding a gun with glowing runes and casting a spell. The poster shows rainbows and runic decorations and the caption says bisexual representation and polyamorous characters

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 31

I'm sorry I missed this! But I'll hop on the last day! My debut, No Man's Daughter, is out June 2nd. Preorder link in my bio. The story of a fugitive mage and her family's cursed gun. #fantasy #DarkFantasy #Norse #Paganism #appalachian #folklore #gaslamp #booksky

Poster with book cover caption reads: Coming June 2nd. Pre-Order Now. Cover for No Man’s Daughter showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants. The book title and the author's name, Justine Lombardi, are written in Nordic font.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 31

Looking for a June read? How about a bisexual FMC fighting to return to her found family? #darkfantasty #booksky #fantasy #norse #appalachian #folklore #paganism #myth #queerreads #booksky #queer #pride

Posture with book cover. Caption says: Queer as Fuck and perfect for Pride Month.

Cover for No Man’s Daughter showing a woman with olive skin and dark hair, in frontier clothing, and holding a rifle with glowing runes. The background depicts trees and antlered phantom giants. The book title and the author's name, Justine Lombardi, are written in Nordic font.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 31

From Battle Born, the sequel to No Man's Daughter, the story of a fugitive mage and her family's cursed rifle. #WIPSnips #fantasy #IamWriting #darkfantasy

The deputies follow us behind the bar and to Molly’s room, but Sköll sits on his haunches in the doorway, blocking the men’s passage. Molly helps me to the bed; her portly cat looks up from her spot on the pillow, clearly annoyed at the intrusion. I’ve stopped my loud sobbing, but the tears continue to fall.
“Move you damn wolf,” Stone says.
My boy stands but doesn’t withdraw.
Molly spins toward the three men. “You all skedaddle back to the common room now and leave us womenfolk be.”
“We’re supposed to be having eyes on that there woman,” Stone says, raising his voice.
Molly points at the tiny window cut into the log wall near the ceiling. “What’s she gonna do? Climb up my wall spider-like, and escape out a window, my Tabby can’t fit through?”

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 30

Four more days until my debut novel NO MAN'S DAUGHTER releases! The story of a fugitive mage and her family's cursed rifle. Norse paganism meets Appalachian folklore in a darkly magical 19th century world. #darkfantasy #fantasy #norse #appalachia #folklore #booksky

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 30

From BATTLE BORN, the sequel to my debut novel NO MAN’S DAUGHTER, out June 2nd with Dark Matter INK. The story of a fugitive mage and her family’s cursed rifle.

Fala Wise Crow, the matriarch of the Serwind Clan. It feels like a lifetime since I last sat in her cabin, the air rich with the scents of thimbleberries and the biscuits Bjorn and I had helped her bake. She stirred the berry jam on her small iron stove and reminded us to be careful of Frost signs and to “head on home early this season.”

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 19

How about a story or three? Join us at WisCon for three queer fantasy readings. Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore, thieves and crumbling civilizations and crises of faith, polyamorous romance in a magical Victorian London where necromancy is punishable by death...

Poster for readings at WisCon, Zoom Room 5, Sat May 23rd 4pm cst.

S. M. Hallow’s The Halls of the Dead, a queer, gothic romance set in Victorian London, in which a woman who has dedicated her life to protecting the necromantic secrets held in sentient grimoires bound with human skin brings her murdered beloved back to life with dire consequences.

Justine Lombardi’s No Man’s Daughter, in which a fugitive mage hopes to earn her freedom and protect her family by claiming her ancestors’ magical weapon; however, carrying the rifle comes at a price: bloodlust and an unquenchable thirst for power.

Mia V. Moss’s The Heresy of Thieves, book one in the epic queer fantasy Spellfall series, which follows a lovelorn knight, a con artist, and a young king as they confront their shifting fates when magic is lost, a mysterious force awakens in the outlands, and a charismatic priest with a dark secret rises to power.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 18

Preorders are live for my debut dark fantasy NO MAN'S DAUGHTER!!! Norse Sagas X Appalachian Folklore Link in the bio!

Cover for No Man's Daughter showing a woman with long dark hair and olive skin in late 1800s dress holding a rifle with glowing runes.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 16

That moment in the kitchen where I realized I would never survive in my novel No Man's Daughter because I can't even open a pickle jar.

Cartoon cat holding a pickle jar reacting to a scary skeleton. Caption reads: My FMC defeats a haunted forest to loot her father's tomb, tearing the last arcane weapon from his undead hands. I can’t even open a pickle jar.

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 13

From Battle Born, the sequel to my debut novel NO MAN'S DAUGHTER, out June 2nd with Dark Matter INK. A story inspired by Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore. #Iamwritting #WIPSnips #darkfantsy #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

“Perhaps you should slow down; we still have to ride back,” I say.
Thora has a short walk to the witches’ residence, or worst-case scenario, a pew. We have a half-hour journey in the cold.
“Do I look like I’m easy in my cups?”
“You fall out of the saddle; I’m leaving you in the snow.”

Justine Lombardi@jlombardi· May 9

No smack, but I do have: hit, rip, knock, strike, and slam. From Battle Born, the sequel to my debut novel No Man's Daughter, out June 2nd. A story inspired by Norse paganism and Appalachian folklore. #Iamwritting #WIPSnips #darkfantsy #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts