explore | Grilled Cheese

@sffchat.bsky.social Oct 17, 2026, 1:03 AM

Marcus Edwards 🔬@marcusedwards.meOct 17, 2026, 12:26 AM

If you could call the Silmarillion a myth, then a particular character in my sci-fi is inspired partially by a certain arachnid therein. 🕷️

@verosthewriter.bsky.social Oct 17, 2026, 12:11 AM

#SFFChat
One of my favorite legends I've written. This one is being related by Drohim from StS.

“The Unknown Sinner stood before the temple of the Many, but never tried to enter. Maybe they didn’t feel worthy, or maybe the Many itself prevented them, but the clergy swore on their service that none of them intentionally kept the Sinner out. Instead, the Sinner only stood there, arms upraised before them, as if begging forgiveness for sins no one else knew of. They said nothing, and they did nothing, not even acknowledging the crowd that formed around them as the hours and days grew long. There they stayed in the heat of the day and in the cold of the night. They never moved, not an inch, not even letting their arms sink the slightest bit as they grew weary.
“On the fourth day, the Sinner died. Their corpse remained standing, though, with its arms still raised in supplication, and no one dared to touch it - not even dogs or birds. Over weeks and months, time and weather stripped their flesh where they stood, and still the Unknown Sinner remained in place as they slowly decayed. Hundreds of years later, their skeleton still stands in front of the temple, its arms raised exactly as they were on the first day.

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:33 PM

#SFFChat Q4 Share a snippet featuring a creature or a legend about one of any kind in your work!

@verosthewriter.bsky.social Oct 17, 2026, 12:09 AM

#SFFChat
One theme I'd like to explore is urban myths and pseudoscience (pseudomagic?) in fantasy settings. Even if skinwalkers or crystal healing whatever don't exist, actual shapeshifters and energy channeling stones do, so why wouldn't people believe in them?

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:23 PM

#SFFChat Q3 Do any of your characters believe in any sort of urban legends? Why or why not?

@verosthewriter.bsky.social Oct 17, 2026, 12:06 AM

#SFFChat
My duology, Prophecies, is a satire of high fantasy, and cryptids like drop bears pop up in a lot of the reference jokes.

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:13 PM

#SFFChat Q2 Have any real cryptids, urban legends or myths inspired any creatures/entities in your work?

A dark purple background with pinkish trees.

Text: #SFFChat Q2 Have any real cryptids, urban legends or myths inspired any creatures/entities in your work?

@verosthewriter.bsky.social Oct 17, 2026, 12:04 AM

#SFFChat
Hi, I'm Fox. I write cerebral fantasy with heavy emphasis on psychology and social justice, and cerebral porn with heavy emphasis on consent and women's pleasure.
I've always liked werewolves, and the question of how intelligent/feral they remain or become: the fear of losing human control.

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:00 PM

#SFFChat Q1: Hello! Introduce yourself and share your favorite cryptid/urban legend or creature of any kind!

A dark purple background with pinkish trees.

Text: #SFFChat Q1 Hello! Introduce yourself and share your favorite cryptid/urban legend or creature of any kind!

@theeldervampire.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:27 PM

#SFFChat Thank you for hosting! Since I talked a lot about Beautiful, But Deadly tonight, I'll promote that.
It's my debut novella, a queer monster romance about a dysphoric trans man having a monsterfucker awakening and falling in love with a notorious beast.
gt-anthony.itch.io/beautiful-bu...

Against a dark forest floor background, there is a book cover at the center of the image, a logline pitch at the top, and eight listed tropes bordering the cover. The text throughout the image is written in a pale pink font.

The cover art is for the book "Beautiful, But Deadly - A Novella by G.T. Anthony," in which the cover depicts two hands (one human, the other a beast with dark grey-brown fur), both taking hold of an oleander flower.

Top Logline:
"When a dysphoric farmer trapped in a miserable marriage decides to help the beast terrorising his village instead of harming it, he finds safety in the arms of something he had been taught to fear."

Tropes to the left of the cover, top to bottom:
- Monster Fucker Awakening
- Transmasc MC
- Hug the Beast, get a free transition!
- Touch EITHER of them and Die.

Tropes to the right of the cover, top to bottom:
- Folktale Atmosphere
- Slow Burn
- Beastly/Fae LI
- The Beast STAYS a Beast!

Bottom Caption: Available Now on Itchio

@theeldervampire.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:24 PM

#SFFChat I really like this exchange between Oleander and Eadmund (the notorious beast) in Beautiful, But Deadly. Eadmund gets to find out how much the town fears him.

“I must go.”

“Wait?”

Oleander paused.

“Your village. They mean to kill me, do they not?”

He sighed. “Yes. They do. You have picked off our livestock, stole from our gardens. You’ve killed hunters. You’ve scared children. The people are frightened of you. Offered a lot of money for your head, even.”

“Are *you* frightened of me, Oleander?”

He looked at Eadmund’s eyes. Whatever response he had, it was frozen on the tip of his tongue. But that seemed to be answer enough for Eadmund.

“I see.” He stepped back from Oleander. “I understand. But I admit that I have explanations for all of it. The hunters were trespassing. And I get hungry.”

“But you can’t just steal and kill freely, only because you are hungry and defensive.”

Eadmund smirked. “Well, I cannot starve or let people harm me, can I?"

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:33 PM

#SFFChat Q4 Share a snippet featuring a creature or a legend about one of any kind in your work!

@juliesondra.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:21 PM

I do very little with "creatures" but the book I'm querying has an interesting religious legend about attitudes toward animals. (In this scene, my character is looking in history books trying to find important female historical figures who didn't define themselves through motherhood.) #SFFChat

In modern times, Kinfolk did not own animals. They adopted them, conducting ceremonies pledging to care for them, and treated their products as part of a sacred trade. Spiritual arts had grown from this understanding, with specialists studying for years to achieve the right to care for animals. This seemed moral and right to Kamber, but it had not come without a fight.
The alfe shiran KoaMar had discovered that animals in benevolent partnerships with people were more productive and lived longer lives. But a local leader named GranTe had disagreed because he wanted to keep animals in small spaces, reserving the farmland for more crops. GranTe spun his position as best for prosperity, and believed the Goddess had created Kinfolk to have dominion over “lesser” creatures. He called it blasphemous to respect animals because it implied they had identical souls to the Kinfolk.
But KoaMar opposed GranTe, and when his cruelty became unpopular through her efforts, compassion was codified and GranTe was no longer welcome in the town. No scriptures said what became of him, but Kamber remembered a children’s book with a radiant KoaMar pointing to the distance and a figure slinking into the sunset, leaning on a metal walking stick looking resigned and beaten. His name was now synonymous with cruelty. Kids were taught to boo and jeer when his name was recited in the storytelling every year, as commemorating animal liberation was one of the Anan Ken Karibanchan—the Four Stripes of Goodness—that they celebrated in one of their minor holidays. Kamber recalled the four stripes on the holiday’s flags that they waved during chants and pinned on their clothes for celebrations: four colors standing for compassion, respect and service, honesty, and cleanliness.
The book in Kamber’s hands confirmed KoaMar had never married or had children. She’d given the attention and care she might have given as a mother to the animals instead.

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:33 PM

#SFFChat Q4 Share a snippet featuring a creature or a legend about one of any kind in your work!

@theeldervampire.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:10 PM

#SFFChat Elias in The Witch of Eden Hollow is a considered an urban legend. He’s referred to as the wicked witch of the Elder Grove. Legends say his forest is haunted and that he’ll kill anyone that trespasses beyond the boundary of thorny brambles.
You could say there’s truth to the legend 🫢

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:23 PM

#SFFChat Q3 Do any of your characters believe in any sort of urban legends? Why or why not?

@percivale-anthony.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:08 PM

#SFFChat Q4 took a minute to find a snip that wasn't entirely context-less, alas it happens at the END of the book

A sharp crack sounded and sweet, thick air rushed back into Sam’s lungs. Gasping for the first time in weeks, Sam was suffocated by dust clouds kicked up by their reemergence into reality. Long strands of red hair brushed over his lips as the Fairy held him down.
Not that he was going anywhere anytime soon. Nausea of a new persuasion kept him plastered to the ground. Pink flames licked the now half-collapsed theater, smoke billowing into the darkness beyond.
And there, hung from the collapsed roof was a great glowing light, its eye focused on him. An eight-legged semi-organic machine propped on delicate feet over the ruined theater. It dripped, jittered, and flickered.
Not quite real. Not quite unreal.
A horrific mix of all that was and all that could never be.
And it spoke, “Please remain calm—”

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:33 PM

#SFFChat Q4 Share a snippet featuring a creature or a legend about one of any kind in your work!

@aletheakontis.com Oct 16, 2026, 11:00 PM

#SFFChat

I'm not even sure how to answer this question. My character ARE the legends

SFFChat@sffchat.bsky.socialOct 16, 2026, 10:23 PM

#SFFChat Q3 Do any of your characters believe in any sort of urban legends? Why or why not?

@trendtags.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:00 PM

🌟 BlueSky trending hashtags (1h):

#sffchat #fcf #art #deadlock #nsfw #aiイラスト #furryart #sonicthehedgehog #furry #photography #tf #aiart #oc #fatfur #gamedev

@trendtags.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:00 PM

🔥 BlueSky trending hashtags (30m):

#art #fcf #nsfw #sffchat #furryart #aiイラスト #furry #photography #oc #aiart #musicchallenge #vore #sonicthehedgehog #abdl #helluvaboss

@trendtags.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 11:00 PM

🚀 BlueSky trending hashtags (15m):

#nsfw #furryart #sffchat #art #furry #fcf #oc #gunsdontmakeussafer #aiイラスト #trending #bluesky #ai #indiegame #photography #aiart