“You can either let this journey crush you, or let it transform you into someone stronger.”
A scene from the newly-released, New-York-Times-bestselling (?!) book Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor, art by 最后的L and water effects by me! 🤗
Honestly, Zachary Ying is a book I didn’t think I’d have the strength to write. The concept is very wild and wacky, yes—the First Emperor of China possessing a young Chinese American boy’s AR gaming headset and compelling him on a journey across China to heist magical artifacts—but writing the story required me to dig deep into my complicated relationship with my heritage.
When I immigrated to Canada in 6th grade, I spent a year as the only Asian kid in the school of a small town. In that one year, I became self-conscious of all sorts of things that didn’t seem to matter before: the way I looked, the way I spoke, the clothes I wore, the media I liked. The white kids wouldn’t insult me outright, but they’d ask me questions that made me embarrassed of my differences from them. I felt backward, alien. The feelings of isolation and rejection I experienced took me many, many years to unpack. It’s been a long journey, learning to love myself again, and I drew much strength from stories in Chinese history to do so.
However, as the years passed, I’ve also watched in horror as the government of China became increasingly authoritarian, cracking down on dissent and committing genocidal atrocities against minority ethnic groups, of which I belong to one myself. Being Chinese has become so painfully political. Pride in Chinese culture is no longer as simple as that, but could accidentally play into the Chinese government’s use of traditional culture as propaganda. Yet on another hand, there’s the necessity of demystifying and defending Chinese culture to combat anti-Chinese racism. Many diaspora like myself are caught in the crosshairs, struggling to find the balance. But what I firmly believe is that traditional Chinese culture and history don’t belong to the Chinese government. It belongs to the Chinese people, both native and diaspora. If we distance ourselves from our heritage specifically because of the Chinese government, that’s letting them win, validating their claim to be the one true representative of Chinese culture when that is absolutely not the case.
Through Zack’s journey in this book, I wanted to engage with the complexities of Chinese identity, but I also want to have fun. This book remains a love letter to my 12-year-old self, taking inspiration from everything I love—anime, video games, sci-fi, and of course, Chinese history and myths. You’ll find appearances by real figures from said history and myths, wielding magic inspired by their legends, along with many famous Chinese artifacts.
If any of that sounds fun to you too, especially if you like Percy Jackson or Yugioh, I really think you’d like this book as well 😩✌🏼 You can find out where to get it at ZacharyYing.com!
Hi!! i love how you write gods and the lore surrounding them!! i cant wait for more- salvatore my beloved
!!! 🥺🥺 thank you so much, charm-writes!! I see this is your writeblr, so I also wish the best for your own writing endeavors! I'd love to see what you write in the future. Before that time comes, I will have to keep refining the lore and the world to keep up!
Thanks so much for sending your love, and Salvatore sends theirs as well through the warmth of tomorrow's morning sun ☀️💖
this is so cute waaa qwq
I'm so sorry if i've asked this already (I genuinely can't remember)
But could we get some Mystic Flour and Hollyberry bonding? Since MF hung around Holly's gardens more often
Here’s your break from the angst ;)
"guys we're so cooked" "it's wraps" "the end is near" shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up. i say that with love because you are probably saying it out of distress and hopelessness, but for your own well-being and for everyone else's, please stop saying this shit.
no we are not "cooked." and by saying that, by the way, you are giving more power to the neo-nazi oligarchy in charge.
they want you to abandon all hope of a better life. they want you to believe "oh well, it's over, we might as well stop trying to fight back and just resign ourselves to despair forever."
every time you get on tiktok and comment "guys we're so cooked haha it's over," you are feeding into the mindset of hopeless compliance. you are, unknowingly, spreading this infectious idea that just because we've lost one battle, we've lost the entire war.
your words matter. i am saying this out of love and concern for our future, but please stop choosing words of defeat.
Well, you had a good run. For the last 70 or so years that you’ve had your little shop in Esmar’s capital, nothing overly exciting happened. Apart from the occasional political changes and economical shifts, you could mostly carry on business as usual. But when the Fae calling herself your “best and only friend” invites you to pull a heist on your rival’s home you didn’t realize what effect that stunt would have on your immortal life. But damn, you really wanted that statue back.
Play Demo
Witch Blood is an upcoming urban fantasy interactive fiction story where you take on the role of one of the last proper witches of Esmar, hoping to resolve a very time-sensitive mystery that might cost you your own life if you don’t get on with the investigation soon.
Does it have to do with random people’s head exploding?
Is this the reason you seem to have more prophetic dreams than usual?
Why are there so many strangers storming into your shop demanding answers you couldn’t possibly know?
And why does your familiar keep eating your receipts? You need those for your taxes!
Create your very own witch. Appearance, personality, gender and sexuality… All that Jazz
Choose a furry (or non-furry) companion for your immortal life
Become a master of 5 witchy skills that may or may not help you along the road
Keep your business afloat (you got bills to pay, after all)
Solve a mystery, save a bunch of people, and meet the Gods (???)
Find love, friendship, or rivalry (or maybe all three of them at the same time) with 5 different people who will. Not. Leave. You. Alone.
And for the love of the Gods: please stop spitting coins
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So far it will probably be a 16+ kind of rating for:
Mentions of violence, blood and gore
Strong language, cursing
Suggestive language
but things might change. I’ll keep you updated in any case.
Keep reading
Beautiful covers compared to their equally beautiful alternative covers
this IF game is like...one of my biggest inspos , idk how i didnt find it sooner im so hyped to meet Xinyi qwq
[This is a placeholder until I finish the proper topic post.]
GotRM Demo Link | CoG Forum | My Kofi | Discord
Min He | Kaski | Qiu | An | Xinyi |
Go Ro | Hiemi | Spider | Chun |
All RO asks | World building |
Writing Updates | Demo Updates | Latest Update
where’s that post about how dangerous it is that people are forgetting fiction is sometimes meant to be uncomfortable and upsetting and sad. i need to pull it up again with regard to survival games specifically because people will really walk into a story where they know in advance “people are going to die and it’s going to feel awful because they won’t always deserve it” and then get mad when people die even if they don’t deserve it and call it bad writing
The Elementalist Chronicles: Isle of Rune is an interactive game inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. *insert theme song*
Genre: Low Fantasy, Elementalists, Time Travel, Slice of Life (kind of)
Setting: California (very briefly), The Secret Isles (Pacific Ocean)
There is currently no age rating for this game.
No nsfw asks please <3
Your time on the Secret Isles have become a distant memory. It’s been about 10 years since your parents divorced and your mother moved you to California. The Good: California has great weather. The Bad: You can’t practice your bending as freely.
Mikayla loves Cali, so it comes as a complete surprise when she presents the idea of moving to the Isles once again. Your mother has no powers. Not to mention, her job and friends are in Cali. This move isn’t for her, it’s for you. It becomes clearer when she suggests that you train in the adult program of the elemental school. The master plan: getting you to reconnect with your father. Who just so happens to be the Headmaster of the Rune Elemental School.
Going back to the Isles means you will see the people you have not seen since childhood. Including your old best friend, Cameron, whom you have not been in communication with for quite some time. In your absence, Cameron has found a new friend. Jess isn’t really warm towards strangers. And you are a stranger, even if these Isles were your stomping grounds first.
Like it or not, a ton has changed. Tread carefully, explore with caution. Some roads may lead to different places and different times. It won’t do anyone any good if you go back hundreds of years… Your mother’s plan might go down the drain. You might find yourself stuck. You might find the masters you had only read about in books standing right in front of you.
Come along young elementalist, the Isles await you.
Customize your character: name, surname, gender, pronouns, description.
Choose a pet (kitten, puppy, snake, turtle)
Choose a hobby (hanging out with your pet, surfing, painting, reading, biking, chess) [hobbies may change]
Choose your element (water, air, fire, earth) & your birthplace (one of the Isles).
Explore the Secret Isles: The Isle of Rune, The Isle of Wind, The Isle of Ember, The Isle of Tides, The Isle of Sand (is sometimes called The Isle of Gems). And choose which one you want to live on.
Travel back in time.
Stay in the past with the four masters or find a way back to the present.
Get to know the people and grow a bond with them… or don’t.
Train and become a better elementalist.
Possibly witness how the four grand masters became who they are and how they founded the elemental school.
Or just chill and be a couch potato.
Cameron | Non-Elementalist | History Student
Cameron was born to an elementalist family but he himself has no powers. He used to be your childhood friend. As a child he was kind and rather shy. His shyness never stopped him from going after whatever piqued his curiousity. An intelligent and compasionate young man. You have not seen Cameron since you were 14. How will he react when you show up on the isles once again? Will you be greeted by the same gentle soul or will you meet a new Cameron?
A Short Description of Cameron: He has a tawny skin tone, topaz eyes, and ear-length light brown wavy hair. His height is 5'10 (180cm). He has a slender figure.
Jess | Non-Elementalist | Architect-Artist
Jess moved to the isles shortly after you left. He's been Cameron's closest friend ever since. Part of the reason why they became close is that they are both non-elementalists who were born to elemental families. Unlike Cameron, Jess struggled more with this fact because his family valued him less for his lack of powers. He is a loyal friend and a brave man. Perhaps a little reckless. He is clever and confident in his abilities.
A Short Description of Jess: He has a light skin tone, gray eyes, and dark brown hair that is slightly wavy and is slightly longer than shoulder-length. His height is 6'2 (187cm). He has a lean figure.
Jace | Master of Earth
Jace is one of the four founders of the Rune Elemental School.
A Short Description of Jace: He has sun-kissed skin, hazel eyes, and wavy-curly brown hair that is slightly longer than ear-length. His height is 6 feet (183cm). He has a slightly muscular build.
Lahela | Master of Water
Lahela is one of the four founders of the Rune Elemental School.
A Short Description of Lahela: She has golden bronze skin, dark brown eyes, and straight chest-length soft black hair. Her height is 5'5 (164cm). She is slightly curvy.
Sierra | Master of Fire
Sierra is one of the four founders of the Rune Elemental School.
A Short Description of Sierra: She has brown skin, light brown eyes, and curly-wavy dark brown hair that ends mid-back. Her height is 5'8 (175cm). She is slender and toned.
Ariel | Master of Air
Ariel is one of the four founders of the Rune Elemental School.
A Short Description of Ariel: She has beige skin, sky blue eyes, and long wavy blonde hair with wispy bangs. Her height is 5'6 (166cm).
Atticus | Current Headmaster of R.E.S. | Elementalist | MC's father
Mikayla | Non-Elementalist | MC's mother
Mary and Brutus | An old couple from the past
Arista | A young elementalist girl from the past
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Detailed descriptions will be in-game. You will also find out more about the four masters in-game. I didn't want to spoil much about them <3
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I couldn’t resist making mood boards for the Daughter of the Moon Goddess duology. I loved everything about these books so much.
21 | Chinese | Autistic | Aspiring Fantasy Writer and Narrative Designer | Fae and Chinese Mythology Enjoyer | @charmycharmcharms' writeblr!
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