Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell

@mytherea

Spec fic writer and digital artist. Publishes under R. J. Howell. Stonecoast MFA grad. Fiction in Worlds of Possibility, Giganotosaurus, Flame Tree, and Heartlines Spec, among others. Codex, SFWA. Queer, Ace. She/them.

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¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y mytherea.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 2h

Fountain pen #3, AKA Starfall's Frankenpen. This is Starfall's *official* fountain pen. I didn't initially like the body that came with the Yumeyoi, it being translucent, so I did some aftermarket tweaks with a Shikiori Vega. Color isn't a *perfect* match, but it's close!

Photo of a frankenpen fountain pen made up of a Sailor Yumeyoi and a Sailor Shikiori Vega. The body is dark blue with silver glitter and the cap is translucent purple-blue with falling silver stars.

Photo of an uncapped frankenpen fountain pen made up of a Sailor Yumeyoi and a Sailor Shikiori Vega. The body is dark blue with silver glitter and the cap is translucent purple-blue with falling silver stars. The nib is silver and has a tapir with falling stars etched into it.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 2h

Fountain pen #2! This one isn't for a novel but for my MFA through Stonecoast. I didn't originally intend for this one to be for that, but the colors are almost exactly USM's and it is such a pretty pen, I couldn't bear hiding it away until I finished a snow-themed book. Thus, rededicated!

Photo of a Sailor fountain pen. The base is deep royal blue and it is covered in gold, white, and pale blue snowflakes, with gold accents.

Photo of a Sailor fountain pen, uncapped. It is dark, royal blue with gold, white, and light blue snowflakes. The nib has a tiny snowflake etched into it.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 2h

New fountain pen showcase! This one is a Cross for a novel I completed back in 2022 with the semi-placeholder title of "Witness." It's a spinoff from the Prophecy books, so this pen was chosen partly to match the others (Cross Wanderlust) and partly because it was released around the same year.

Photo of a Cross fountain pen. It is white and covered in henna-reminiscent designs in purple, orange, green, and gold.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 7d

70k, wee! And the halfway mark! Well, all right, maybe 72k will be the *official* halfway point in the story, but pretty close! Will I--*gasp*--hit that goal of two books in one year? Possibly, possibly. I admittedly REALLY want the fountain pen I've picked out for this one.

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 70,000 words. All I ever seem to do is screenshots of works in progress.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 20d

Because I like nice, round numbers, and I've caught the 50k screenshot for three different books, so I might as well catch a fourth, eh? Eren is being overly dramatic. And unwisely chucking very sharp daggers at tables on a starship. The artificial gravity is *probably* fine, but...

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 50,000 words.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· 25d

Starfall: a queer space opera heavy on the intimate-stakes character drama, elfy science-fantasy, and swashbuckling starship adventure about a telepathic space elf who joins off-brand Starfleet. He's a stabby cinnamon roll who doesn't want any friends! (This is a lie.) #Questpit #Q #A #SF #SFF

Title slide that reads "Starfall, Queer Space Opera Adventure, 139,000 words, R. J. Howell."

Slide that reads: "Pitch: Erendesirel was raised for two things: political marriage and political skirmishes. Sadly, the galaxy doesn’t have much call for a well-trained ornamental husband or sword-wielding duelist. Banished from his technologically-hostile homeworld, unskilled, and entirely broke, he applies to the Galactic Survey and Security Fleet,
a company of space-faring scientific contractors.

He just has to somehow pass a basic competency exam he is woefully unprepared for. And agree to a 10-year debt contract to pay for his tuition. And avoid being driven insane by the thoughts and feelings of a crew of a hundred and twenty souls serving on a very small starship. And navigate all the well-meaning people trying to be his friend.

Oh, and not get kidnapped by pirates." There is another section below it that reads "Comps" and show the covers of Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell, Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, Slow Gods by Claire North, and Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. There is also an illustration of a space elf named Eren.

This slide reads: "Excerpt: Erendesirel—the nameless, the houseless, the planetless—had tracked his quarry down to a victuals shop on the outskirts of the space station’s medical district. From his hunter’s hide on a public bench opposite the establishment, he glowered at the incongruously-wooden door, breathed in the smell of roasted nuttiness and sticky sugar wafting out through the open bay window, and fought for equanimity.

His hand tightened on the hilt of his family sword, the blade pressed against his leg to accommodate the rather unfriendly design of the bench. Galactic architecture was, as always, crafted for comfort and unobtrusiveness but singularly failed to take into account a full-length sword at one’s hip. It didn’t matter that of all the peoples of the galaxy, there was only one that insisted on carrying true steel swords instead of some technological marvel that, oh, made the sword shrink or disappear or be constructed entirely out of light.

He would never stoop to touch such a thing. No, the sword and dagger set of his clan would serve him for this purpose just fine.

No matter that they were considered contraband. By both his people and station security, if for rather different reasons."

This slide reads "The Trope Nebula" and contains a series of trope-related terms: All the feels, found family, to boldly go (but contractually), swords but space, touch-adverse telepathic space elves, starships!, stabby cinnamon roll, disaster bisexuals, qu3eer, student debt?, lesbians with laser canons, and friendship! (whether you want it or not).

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Jul 17

17k words in ten days feels quite nice, I have to say. Is it wise to write a sequel to an unpublished book that I'm currently querying? Probably not, but the way I figure it, I'm having fun so even if it goes nowhere, I'll have that. Also, two books in a year would be QUITE fine. Onward!

Screenshot of a novel in progress at 37,000 words.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Jul 7

*gasp* What is this? Is that...20k of yet another new book? Why yes it is! June was absolutely appalling for writing (conferences, conventions, and dental surgery, oh my), but I tentatively declare that I'm back on track. May the words commence! (I wanna say I wrote two books in a year, damn it!)

Screenshot of a new book! And at 20,000 words to boot!

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Jul 6

ALA haul! Okay, these weren't *all* the books, but they were the ones I claimed as mine. The rest of the trunkful will be claimed by coworkers or given as free giveaways at my work, mostly for summer reading program participation prizes (read a book? Get an arc!). You get sooooo many books at ALA.

Photograph of a stack of 10 books I received at the American Library Association conference last weekend. They are a mix of hard covers and advanced reader copies.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· May 18

WIP sketch of Eren and Kel sparring with hologram swords. In truth, Eren should be nowhere near Kel. That two handed sword has a hell of a reach and can be swung *quick*. In an actual bout, Eren would chuck the dagger at Kel then subsequently be holo-murdered. But hey, artistic liberties.

WIP sketch of two elf men sparring with swords, one with a sword and dagger and the other with a two handed greatsword.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· May 2

Ah, the curse of revisions. I don't cut word count, I just shuffle it around.

Meme of Gru from Despicable Me in front of a sign. The sign reads "Revise and tidy up draft for beta readers!" "Remove 100s of words in edits!" "Add 100s of other words, also in edits." Gru looks very disapointed at that last.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· May 1

Last of the doodles! (For now) Jumping ahead a little in the timeline for this one, since Kel isn't introduced in Starfall, but *eventually* Eren gets a telepathic elf friend, and they end up in a deep queerplatonic, ride-or-die relationship. And I REALLY want to write that book... SFW version.

Doodle/sketch of Eren and Kel, two telepathic elf dudes, sitting back-to-back, almost touching but not quite, and posing with various sharp cutlery (Kel is holding a sheathed sword, Eren has a bare dagger near his feet.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 30

Eren looking aggressive with his hologram sword (and he got his hands on another emitter, so also has a dagger). Again, probably the most engaged his facial muscles ever are, just in general. He's trained to maintain a look of haughty aloofness at all times. Except maybe when swinging a sword.

Eren in a combat-stance, swinging his hologram sword and looking very intense. He's wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and his feet are bare.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 30

Eren is given a hologram emitter and is able to summon a dueling sword made of light. This is probably the closest he'll get to expressing wonder with his actual facial muscles.

A rather elfy looking Eren holding a transparent sword. There is a floating dialogue box sprouting from the sword, since it's a hologram, not actually real. Eren is dressed in a t-shirt with his hair tied back.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 30

More doodles, this one of Eren and Lae in exercise gear for Security boot camp. Eren is very uncomfortable with all the exposed knees in public, though it's the embarrassment on behalf of someone else entirely ignorant that they *should* be embarrassed. At least, by his standards.

Doodle/sketch of Eren and Lae standing next to each other dressed in shorts and t-shirts. Eren is staring at the camera looking embarrassed and blushing. Lae is smirking at him, completely misreading the source of his embarrassment.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 29

Eren with a cup of coffee, intensely focused on cramming advanced spaceflight theories into his head because he erroneously believes it common knowledge (it is not). Basically, a refresh/more refined version of the first sketch of him, though now he's hiding behind the mug.

Doodle/sketch of a very elfy man in a t-shirt and comfy pants drinking from a very large mug and reading a floating hologram screen of a textbook.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 29

Doodle posts continue! Ulyn and Maaika, two secondary characters who are in the first...four chapters? Ulyn (on left) should honestly be covered in far more gore, given that he *did* just participate in a duel with sharps (to death or incapacitation). The duel is mostly just tragic and foolish.

Doodle/sketch of two people sitting side by side in clear exhaustion. The one on the right admonishes the other in a speech bubble, saying "Never do that again."

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 28

More art! Eren dressed in his fancy traditional wear looking unhappy and totally sitting with his boots on the seat cushion of the chair he's perched in. For reasons, he spends most of the first third of the book dressed like this? Anyway, this was about when I decided on a design for the sword.

Doodle/sketch of Eren looking particularly elfy with a sword and fancy embroidered clothing, but sitting in a chair in an unorthodox way with his knees drawn up, hands on knees, and chin on hands.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

Aaaand last doodle from the initial "I'll just draw characters, I don't know who these people are" sketch-dump. Chief Engineer Rigby, who gets only a small slice of screen time in Starfall, but I have plans for them later.

Sketch/doodle of Rigby, with their arms crossed and their expression rather neutrally amused.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

Okay, cheating a little with Kel, who isn't introduced in Starfall but will be if/when I write another book in this (🤞) series. His design has changed a bit; he's less pointy now and his face, more expressive. The sword, also, is different. I REALLY want to write him and Eren. Like, really-really.

Sketch/doodle of Kel, looking far angrier than usual. Like Eren, he is a space elf, so pointy ears and scrawny build.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

Maddie is more Lae's friend than Eren's, but they all end up socializing with each other. Her intent is to become a starship captain before her family recalls her to marry one of the six chosen prospects to lock in her inheritance, but if she's a captain, that might be put off. For a little while.

Sketch/doodle of Maddie surrounded by a bunch of floating hologram screens and gesturing at them.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

Koda is their medic friend, who despite having a head that looks like a cat, insists they are 100% human, just genetically modified. Because there are *always* cat people *somewhere* in a space opera. Eren tries reading Koda's mind. Koda catches him at it. Shenanigans ensue.

Doodle/sketch of Koda, a person with a human body and a snow leopard head, holding a tablet device with a pen and staring at the viewer.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

Eren's self-proclaimed/declared friend, Ta'lae/Lae. The universal extrovert distribution system struck and she claimed Eren as her friend. Eren...protested. But, honestly, he didn't protest all that much... Lae goes into security and tactical with Eren, but unlike him (spoilers) she sticks with it.

Sketch/doodle of Ta'elae looking vaguely off into the distance with one hand on her hip.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

FINALLY posting sketches! This is my first Eren doodle from, oh, December or so when he first waltzed into my head and demanded that I write a novel about him. The uniform has remained unchanged, but the logo is a bit different now and Eren's hair is less dead-straight. But otherwise, 'tis Eren!

Doodle/sketch of Starfall's elfy main character, Eren, holding a cup of coffee or tea or something steamy and looking pensive.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 27

The pen for finishing writing Starfall. It floats! With very strong magnets. And has a piece of meteorite embedded in it. I felt it fitting, a very sci fi pen for a space opera.

Photograph of a hover pen, a metal ballpoint pen with magnets in the cap that allow it to rest suspended upright in the holder as if without gravity. There is piece of meteorite embedded in the end.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 11

Starfall is COMPLETE! At 140,450 words! At last, at last! A book of an only /slightly/ unpalatable length, and this before edits! I still need to go through and switch all the placeholders for actual names, but it is MOSTLY legible. 140,450 words in just shy of four months. 12/16/2025-4/11/2026

Screenshot of the end of Starfall, complete at 140,450 words!

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Apr 9

Another very nice number. I have, oh, probably about another 1000-1500 words to go in this penultimate chapter then...last chapter and DONE. So close, so very close. I did backtrack for the screenshot to avoid potential spoilers, thus why it's page 270 of 278.

Screenshot of a Word document of a novel showing 133,133 words as the total word count.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Mar 30

This was too pleasing of a number not to take a screenshot of.

Screenshot of a Word document of a novel in progress at 123,456 words.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Mar 25

And with that, we are officially in end-game! The course is set, there is no turning back. I'm guessing four more chapters? Maybe five? Still on track for that fabled 140k, but I think, maybe, this will be the closest to that target I've ever gotten. Onward!

A screenshot of a Word document of a novel at 115,057 words.

Rhiannon J. Taylor/R. J. Howell@mytherea· Mar 16

We have officially crossed the 100k barrier! Book is a book and well on its way to becoming yet another chonk! Hopefully less of a chonk than previous books. Aiming for 140k; just need to wrap up this chapter, write one more, and then we start endgame. See? I'm learning! Sorta.