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Ben Skene

@benskenewrites

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In the querying trenches with my portal/high fantasy novel The Fractured Soul | 100K, complete | character-driven, literary leaning

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Agent Guide for The Fractured Soul. I am actively querying literary agents. Complete at 100K words, Adult High Fantasy with a Portal hook. by @benskenewrites

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6 months ago

Historian Bastien Sanpharo is abducted into another world and discovers he carries the soul of a missing prince.

A literary-leaning portal fantasy about identity, agency, memory, and the cost of proving your life is your own.

#WriterPit #Querying #Fantasy #PortalFantasy #IdentityCrisis OutsiderPOV AcademicProtagonist SlowBurn by @benskenewrites

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5 months ago

#QuestPit #Q #F They want what he carries. Not the man himself.
When a historian is taken to another world, he learns he holds the soul of a missing prince, and may be the key to a ritual that could kill millions.
Adult high fantasy centered on identity, power, and the cost of agency. by @benskenewrites

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6 months ago

New post on the blog: three years volunteering at the Tucson Festival of Books, what the job actually looks like from the inside, and what shows up when you stop trying to engineer it. 🌵🎉📚

If you’re a writer wondering how anyone ever meets anyone in this industry, this one’s for you. Link in bio. by @benskenewrites

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7 months ago

New blog post: I set out to write a short story to understand a character. 28k words and an accidental novella later, I have a deeper understanding of belief, betrayal, and why the most uncomfortable antagonists aren’t villains at all. Link in bio. #amquerying by @benskenewrites

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7 months ago

Writing is solitary.
The life of an author is not.

Some thoughts on recalibration, literary citizenship, and staying in the work when systems move slowly.   New post on the blog: The Silent Work: Taking Stock in the Long Middle 🔗 Link in bio
 #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #Querying #FantasyWriting A vintage map spread on a desk with a dotted path drawn across it, a pen resting on top. by @benskenewrites

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9 months ago

by @benskenewrites

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a year ago

THE FRACTURED SOUL is a story about identity, agency, legacy, and the cost of truth, wrapped in an adult literary portal fantasy (100k) for readers of January, Goblin Emperor, and Babel. Seeking representation. #amquerying #writerpit #portalfantasy by @benskenewrites

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a year ago

Thanks @suyidavies for showing me around Ottawa! We met at the Tucson Festival of Books when I was his assigned escort (handler, you weirdo) two years in a row. I finally made it up to Canada and got to enjoy his panel at Can*Con, and now I’m soaking in the Writers Fest! If you haven’t already, check out his fantastic Nameless Republic trilogy (3rd book coming Aug 2026!) and Nebula nominated Lost Ark Dreaming 👌🏼 #ottawawritersfestival taken in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada by @benskenewrites

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a year ago

Launch event for this awesomeness!!! Got some face time with royalty, and waiting for the man himself, @mattdinniman #dungeoncrawlercarl #princessdonut Great event @stacksbookclubaz taken in Savoy Opera House by @benskenewrites

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a year ago

One month in the query trenches: 54 submissions, 26 rejections, and 1 full request.
The waiting is hard, but rediscovering joy in the creative process reminded me why I write in the first place.
I shared the full story (including the endless inbox refreshes) in my latest blog post—link in bio. Shoutout to @storiesandseeds for the encouragement!
#amquerying #WritingCommunity #TheFracturedSoul by @benskenewrites

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a year ago

Sharing my first line for #1stlinepit 🌧️ Adult Portal/High Fantasy • 100K • Complete • #amquerying #portalfantasy #fantasy #debutauthor @1stlinepit by @benskenewrites

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a year ago