Stephanie Winter

@wintersleep85

Fantasy and historical fiction writer. She/they. Millennial. Bi. Anti AI.

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Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· 26d

QTP with a female superhero you love I need her in a movie

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 13

NAUSICAÄ X FF7 Hana is sure she’s the chosen one, even if her magic is resisting her and the previous chosen one insists she isn’t. But if it isn’t her destiny, then no one can save the world from poisonous dark magic, endless wars, and powerful demons. #BluePit📖 #A #F #Q #BluePit

A dark forest. A bird. A night sky. A fence. A person on a road. The back of a person.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 13

NAUSICAÄ X FF7 Nature is decaying, nobles are hoarding magic, and demons prey on everyone. A possible chosen one, a man who failed his destiny, and a woman rejected by fate must work together for one last chance to save the dying world. #BluePit📖 #A #F #Q #agentguide #BluePit

Dark forest. An agent's guide to The Blessing Returned. Adult fantasy. 98,000 words.

Dark forest. Pitch. Idealistic Hana Hahl lives in a world that is slowly dying after a failed quest to bring back magic. The only ones left with power are self-serving royals and dark mages, while desperation has given rise to an anti-magic order. Caught up in a mystical event, Hana is blessed with an immense power that could restore nature to the world. As Hana struggles to control the overwhelming force, Lady Kalyn Nossi, the only known survivor of the disastrous quest, directs her to the one person who can help her. Matthias Azel, the failed chosen one, reluctantly agrees to teach Hana while concealing his past from her. Accompanied by Kalyn and a charismatic prince with a dangerous secret, they journey to seek answers about Hana’s destiny. They fend off demonic threats and the anti-magic forces as Hana struggles with magic that seems to resist her and a growing fear that the world isn’t meant to be saved.

A dark forest. Snippet. She took a cautious step forward, unaware she was in a spectral form. Little drops of shimmering light followed her path, dissolving into the ground. “But this has to be a sign?” Grass grew where the light fell, delicate bits of nature that should be impossible. “Maybe it’s returning!”
The young woman spoke with such bright reverence as if life was a fairy tale and magic was all they needed for a happy ending. It was as if she couldn’t see the shadows approaching her. The inevitable death.
“Magic should never return.”
After speaking those words, he sprang forward and shoved her away from the shadows. Pain rocked him as soon as he touched her. The scorching mystical agony tore a scream out of him, but it kept her away from the unearthly menace, and the shock did what he intended.
Sent him back to his body.

A dark forest. Comps. Nausicaä. One Dark Window. The Starless Crown. Godkiller. Final Fantasy VII Remake. Chosen One(s)? Ecofantasy. Dieselpunk. Grumpy/sunshine. 1930s vibes. Love triangle. LGBTQIA+ rep. Cynical mentor. Dying world. Found family.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 11

This caused a bit of a party scandal

While Hana was a bit unsure, Matthias was downright pessimistic. “We’re trusting the magic of the prince. I’ve heard he once made a duplicate of himself to fool a lady companion, only for it to turn green when he was satisfying himself with someone else.”
Evan had looked offended. “The duplicate was not green. It was gray, and had a third eye.”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 5

Not a lot of hair to cut this time, but I always get nervous when I do it myself. But I got it the length I wanted.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 1

#WIPSnips Scarf. I can’t write a story without a scarf!

Matthias grabbed his goggles and headed for the door. “That was your mistake.” And hers. “You should have let me rot away.”
He stepped outside, blinking at the grayish-green fog that seeped through Bluebird Hill. Thinner than usual, Matthias still put his goggles on and held his scarf over his mouth, trying to block out the sickening stench. His boots thudded against the barren ground. A few patches of grass survived around the schoolhouse, but no more. From the depleted land to the lifeless denizens, the area had a funereal feeling to it.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jul 1

NAUSICAÄ X FF7 Hana is gifted magic that could restore life to her dying world, but the power might destroy her. Allied with a broken mentor, a ruthless noble, and a beguiling prince, she must learn if she is meant to save the world or if it is even worth saving. #Queerpit #F #CLI #A

A foggy street. Legs on rocky ground. A woman. A woman with dark hair. A man. A gas mask. A bird. A fence. Flowers in sunlight.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jun 23

BUTTERFLY!

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jun 13

Post something that still traumatizes you. I appreciate my mom thinking I needed to see this when I was a kid, but I’m still recovering

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jun 7

pick a selfie from your gallery and turn it black and white

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jun 4

Post an album you’ve listened to 100 times.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Jun 1

✨QRP with your Pride Flags!✨

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 19

This is one of my favorite parts when he joins a crowd defiling a statue of the royal family for fun.

“If we’re quiet, we’ll be more suspicious. Oh, look!” Evan pointed at a crowd spitting on a statue. “They’re defiling the royal family. Should I go join in?”
Kalyn shook her head as people swore and smeared mud on the granite depiction of the ostensible rulers. “I don’t think that’s a...”
Her words were wasted. Evan ran over to spit on it and returned with a boyish smile. Hana gave an incredulous laugh at his boldness. The prince was always surprising her.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 13

#WIPSnips Hour.

While everyone crowded around Hana, Kalyn inched over to Matthias. He seemed to be making an effort to keep his gaze from Hana as Evan leaned closer. Matthias' mouth twisted when Hana let out a soft laugh at something Evan said.
Kalyn had more pressing matters that demanded her attention and waved her hand in front of Matthias’ face. “What do you think?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I think he has known her for six hours and he has his hand on her thigh.”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 10

#WIPSnips Fate. Had it in my first paragraph.

Dots of light blazed in the foggy, ashen sky, accompanied by ear-splitting roars. Hana Hahl rubbed her eyes, imagining dragons were clashing in the heavens, battling for the fate of all creation. Her imagination soared to a place of magic, legendary warriors, and princesses.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 8

I got both the same day

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 7

#WIPSnips Wing.

Matthias stiffened. “Nothing to be done.” Images filled his mind of helpless people devoured by a winged monstrosity. Creatures that were once men were always the most vicious. “The Gray Guard claim they can protect the people. Let them try.”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 6

I KNOW this will probably drop today, but 1000 followers! Years on other social media and I couldn’t get close.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 5

Share two of your favorite pics of yourself!

Picture of me in a black and red plaid dress

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 5

The characters definitely eat. I don’t get too detailed unless it’s important. For some reason, I had Prince Evan charm Hana with a very expensive piece of cheese. I didn’t get very detailed about the cheese since I think she had an appetite for something else in that scene!

He pressed the piece of cheese to her mouth. His fingers almost brushed her lips, and she had no choice but to bite into it. At least, that's what she told herself. Even after she swallowed, his hand lingered, and she had to be careful not to lick him.
“Quite good,” she whispered.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· May 1

#WIPSnips Did someone say CHOSEN? Yay! In chapter one, Hana and Mila discuss the failed chosen one.

“It’s all right.” Mila brushed her fingers over the unfinished tiles. “She’s not wrong. He failed in his mission to restore magic to the world and most believe he destroyed any chance for it to return.”
Hana winced. Drained of magic, nature was withering. After the last great war between high magic and dark magic, it had vanished from the world with the exception of noble families who used it to maintain and protect the Asola kingdom. “I hoped so much for him to succeed.”
“There can’t be another.” Mila clenched her hand and glanced away from the incomplete hero. “In the past, the First Ones chose the High Blessed to serve as the vessel of all magic. It took all the energy of the royal families to call forth a new one. After his failure, they’ll never attempt it again.”
Hana gazed at the half-finished face. “No one could ever say why he botched it. My friends believed darkness corrupted him, but that would be sad. Didn’t it mean anything to him that he was chosen for a sacred purpose?”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Apr 29

Plum Period Well… I am always a fan of alliteration!

Your indie band name is: your favorite food + the last reason you took painkillers

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Apr 24

#WIPSnips Hungry. Evan wants Hana to eat. His boots are definitely expensive, so he spends too much on cheese.

“Why haven’t you tried the cheese?” he asked. “It costs more than my boots.”
“I hope it tastes better,” she joked. “I’m not too hungry.”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Apr 23

#WIPSnips Path. If Aria says don’t go down a path, don’t go down a path.

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea.” Aria stopped brushing her hair and touched the cracked mirror, as if she was seeing something beyond her own reflection. “It doesn’t feel like the right path.”
Kalyn set the food down. “Miss Aria, I have the greatest respect for your abilities, but you haven’t had traditional training. When I studied the precognition arts, there was a consensus that the future wasn't etched in stone. Those like you can see the possibilities, but you’re only seeing a possibility. If we are careful, nothing will go wrong.”
Aria resumed brushing her hair with a huff. “Darling, I might not have had training with old men with white beards, but my instincts have never led me wrong. If we try your gamble, there will be death.”

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Apr 21

If you see this, quote with a picture of you in glasses 👓 There are very few pictures of me wearing glasses, so here is one and it’s before I cut my hair

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Mar 25

#Revpitwaiting This is my mom’s cat, Bailey. Before I lost my mom, I promised would take care of Bailey. Bailey has been with me the past eleven years.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Mar 20

Hana and Matthias’ first meeting! I think it really shows her hopefulness and his pessimism.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Mar 19

#Revpitwaiting This is the moodboard for my 1930s inspired world.

A foggy street. Legs on rocky ground. A woman. A vintage woman. A man. A gas mask. A bird. A fence. Nature in sunlight.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Mar 17

The Blessing Returned is an adult fantasy that plays with the chosen one concept. Hana, a young woman, is blessed with magic that might mean she can restore life to her dying world. The former chosen one disagrees. She has to learn the truth and if the world is meant to be saved. #revpitwaiting

A dark forest. The Blessing Returned. Chosen One(s)? Ecofantasy. Dieselpunk. Grumpy/sunshine. Love triangle. LGBTQIA+ rep. Multi pov. Cynical mentor. Found family. Dying world. 1930s vibes.

Stephanie Winter@wintersleep85· Mar 6