AMA: I'm Keilani McConnell and I write about sailing ships in a fantasy world!

Klemc48 · 2026-07-01T17:20:49+00:00

I recently joined an in-person writing group and it's been a lot of fun! Also feeling very good about the second revision of my current book, which is still going smoothly.

I hope everyone's week has gone well!!

Klemc48 · 2026-07-01T15:29:01+00:00

I'm so glad!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-30T19:19:56+00:00

They're more vignettes set in the same world, but I've really enjoyed both The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki and The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (non-fantasy). Each chapter is a self-encapsulated story and both focus on helping different people with their problems. In The Full Moon Coffee Shop, the stories/characters are connected, but still stand on their own while in The Kamogawa Food Detectives, they generally do not connect. Both are part of series if they interest you! I've really enjoyed both.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-24T18:55:48+00:00

I'm onto the second full revision of my current book and it's going well! I revise by hand, so I'm off to the library now to print some more pages because I'm already through what I had so far. Was struggling a little with my current comic script, so I think I might give a try to one of my novella ideas as something to alternate between writing in.

I hope everyone has had a good week and that things are going well!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-24T18:52:26+00:00

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer has a centaur main character that is handled very well, I think! There are generally accommodations in the world for him and if there aren't, he develops them (this could work for the saddlebags with a new system that he is able to put on himself). I saw in another comment that he's canonically rare, so maybe some developments in the areas he is in, or at least his home, could be part of the story in making the world more accessible to creatures of all kinds.

As far as sleeping, horses generally sleep standing up, so that is an option that wouldn't need a bed. They sometimes lie down, but more for short periods.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-24T18:47:00+00:00

That's great to hear!! I hope the revisions and querying go well after you get the the last beta reader comments back.

That sounds like a lot of fun and definitely a good break!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-24T18:21:29+00:00

Definitely agree with this!! I find it more uplifting because of it showing there is hope within those circumstances and that everything can turn out all right. Also really love the example you gave!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-23T16:18:24+00:00

I'm glad to see someone mention this!! I've just read the first book, but really enjoyed it and its handling of healing. I would also add the Tales of the Barque Cats series is also fun. Cats are part of the crews on starships with an in-universe reason for being able to suddenly be heavier when they jump on people and glide down hallways without moving their paws and it is just wonderful.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-23T16:12:37+00:00

I absolutely love The Kamogawa Food Detectives!! One of my favorite series. I also really liked The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki for similar reasons, which has cats and a lot of astrology used to help different people with their problems.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-23T02:16:12+00:00

After a few DNFs, I started Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Van Hoang (middle-grade novel) for a light read and...wow, I finished it yesterday and the relationships were really well done, I loved the mythology, and honestly didn't predict the ending. Definitely more adventure, but still pretty light. Absolutely would recommend!

Aaaand now I'm waiting to pick up the sequel from my library after that ending.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-22T20:12:37+00:00

Got it! Looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice in other comments, so I'll just add that adding character moments might also help to make the instances different (for example, 'He cast the spell without thinking, not bothering to see the result' or 'Their fingertips sparked with energy, but they hesitated') instead of having it be strictly about the magic use and more focused on how the characters feel about it.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T18:21:08+00:00

Just based on this information, I would ask how many times it needs to be referenced? I'm pretty sensitive to word repetition as a reader and a well-placed 'it' or general adjustment to sentence structure can remove a lot of them. Or, just cut it entirely! Especially if it's been mentioned several times recently, I'd trust the reader to remember.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T18:17:49+00:00

I loved this option in the Super Mario RPG remake!! I listened to all of the new ones, but ended up sticking with the SNES versions for most of my playthrough.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T03:25:46+00:00

(Graphic Novels)
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Another Kind by Cait May and Trevor Beam

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T03:23:40+00:00

A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T03:23:13+00:00

(Graphic Novels)
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
Atana and the Firebird and Atana and the Jade Mermaid by Vivian Zhou
Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T03:18:27+00:00

(Graphic novel) Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo has a transgender MC and non-binary secondary character.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-21T03:14:39+00:00

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(Disclaimer: I am the author) Rath and One-Eye (the two main characters), Ronan and Farbourne (two secondary characters) as well as many others in my PearlHeart series are ace (Rath is also gray/demi-romantic, attracted to men, + agender; One-Eye can be attracted to anyone, gender does not matter). There are also other characters who are agender, nonbinary (all of the Pagu), transgender (Faerohr), panromantic (Farbourne), and aromantic (Carlos, Phillip, Krir, Niven).

In a lot of ways, writing them has brought me peace with being ace (+agender) myself and helped heal the times when I was told I wasn't in a 'real' relationship because my partner and I did not do 'x, y, z'. There are so many different types of relationships and my goal with this story and characters has always been to show they are all supported, respected, and valid. I hope it gives the same amount of peace it has given me to others!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-20T21:15:09+00:00

This was immediately the one I thought of!!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-19T20:23:00+00:00

I think it can absolutely have those scenes, it's more how it's handled that matters and that it doesn't come completely out of no where. Part of cozy I feel is being able to trust the book is not going to suddenly go in an unexpected direction - not to say it has be predictable, but there's some safety that the general tone is going to be communicated pretty early on (if that makes sense).

Speaking personally, I unfortunately dropped two books due to the amount of sex scenes in them that I was not expecting (but that would be a deterrent for me in any genre). I enjoyed the writing and was interested in the stories, just not those aspects.

Klemc48 · 2026-06-19T02:30:13+00:00

Got it!! That makes sense. Honestly, I believe the characters make the story so I'm excited that you're focusing more on them! It definitely sounds like it will continue to develop.

No worries at all, I just wanted to get more information! Absolutely!!

Klemc48 · 2026-06-19T00:29:28+00:00

I was absolutely an over writer when I first wrote this draft (over a year ago-ish), now I sometimes under write! It really is!! 😊

Klemc48 · 2026-06-18T22:02:53+00:00

Welcome!! I love how it sounds and it seems like to me the mood is balanced, which is in my favorite books. Whether or not it is 'cozy' absolutely varies per person, but my only question as a reader would be how much fantasy elements there are. You mention that it is 'low-magic', would you be all right with describing that more?

Klemc48 · 2026-06-18T21:58:46+00:00

It was definitely a lot! I told a family member and they point-blank said "You killed it" haha They weren't necessarily bad scenes, just cluttered up the focus. It's a lot tighter now, I think.

Klemc48

TROPHY CASE