The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing

Legend said the desert valley was a native burial site. After days of digging, we found no graves. Our professor was disappointed. I told the team the amazing truth: we were in an ancient birthing ground. Forgotten peoples came to the valley to bring forth life, not bury the dead. They kicked me off the research team. Drove away, leaving me to hike fifty miles to town. Before I left, I buried the hoard of fantasy paper backs I'd brought. Putting a rock on top so I'd find them again... It was months before I could return. When I did, I found... a strange tree had grown. Hanging on the branches were fresh-grown fictions, ready for the fantasy-hungry to pluck and devour. And that is the difference twixt self-published, and commercially published. And here are 17 certified fruits of the St. Elmo tree, plucked with a simple 'click'. 1 2 3 4 5 1 Trans or Nonbinary Protagonist Judge a Book By Its Title The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing and Letters from a Shipwreck in the Sea of Suns and Moons and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Translated Small Press or Self Published All of them. All. All. Unusual Transportation Goth the Wanderer 2 The Afterlife To Awaken in Elysium and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Game Changer Vacation Spot The Stations of the Angels Five Short Stories: Older Protagonist 3 Duology Part 1 Book Club or Readalong Book The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Published in 2026 Goth the Wanderer Explorers and Rangers Colleen the Wanderer Duology Part 2 4 One-Word Title Non-Human Protagonist Middle Grade Goth the Wanderer First Contact Murder Mystery Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts 5 Cat Squasher Barnaby the Wanderer Feast Your Eyes on This Published in the 70s Politics and Court Intrigue The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Author of Color

The Gods Considered #1: Sisyphus Then I asked Zeus, Why he set Sisyphus to roll a boulder uphill forever, for telling Hera the truth, that Zeus had just gone past with his arm around a pretty girl? Zeus answered, that was not precisely the case. He had come upon Sisyphus the King sitting upon a stone at the bottom of Corinth Hill, lamenting the troubles of humankind, the aches of the flesh, the fears of mortality, the broken dreams of ambition. Zeus had taken pity and put Sisyphus’s spirit into the stone. Sisyphus the man had laughed in relief, at once free of all cares, desires and fears. But the stone had begun to weep. Now that it had a human spirit, it longed with all its heart to roll upwards instead of down. Sisyphus, with the easy kindness of those who have no sorrows, laughed and began to roll the boulder up the hill. And so forever. The stone is hopeful when it rolls uphill, despairing as it rolls down again. And Sisyphus is happy, for he wants nothing anymore and would as soon do the will of a stone as the will of a god. And when Zeus had answered me this then I was silent a while. It seemed a fair answer. Only later did I wonder did Zeus trick me. For hadn't the stone become Sisyphus, and Sisyphus the stone? The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing, by Raymond St. Elmo And for the true connoisseurs and fantasy cognoscenti among us today, we present seventeen St. Elmo self-published literary wonders:The Many and Astounding Fantasy Novels of Raymond St. Elmo Yours, with a 'click'.

A decent fantasy is a penny tossed to a fountain. You make a wish, get a copper flash, a 'plink' of climax, and done. But a truly good fantasy novel is a rock thrown from somewhere high, into a deep lake. One finds the perfect stone to fit your hand. You toss it up and out, enjoying the arch of rise, pinnacle, and descent... at last comes the ka-splash! of completion. Followed by the pleasing aftermath of ripples spreading out in diminishing circles. Granted, a good self-published fantasy is a meteor from the Oort Cloud plunging into the ocean. And here are 17 certified St. Elmo Meteors to toss, shaking and quaking the oceans of your imagination. Remember to make a wish. 1 2 3 4 5 1 Trans or Nonbinary Protagonist Judge a Book By Its Title The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing and Letters from a Shipwreck in the Sea of Suns and Moons and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Translated Small Press or Self Published All of them. All. All. Unusual Transportation Goth the Wanderer 2 The Afterlife To Awaken in Elysium and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Game Changer Vacation Spot The Stations of the Angels Five Short Stories: Older Protagonist 3 Duology Part 1 Book Club or Readalong Book The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Published in 2026 Goth the Wanderer Explorers and Rangers Colleen the Wanderer Duology Part 2 4 One-Word Title Non-Human Protagonist Middle Grade Goth the Wanderer First Contact Murder Mystery Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts 5 Cat Squasher Barnaby the Wanderer Feast Your Eyes on This Published in the 70s Politics and Court Intrigue The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Author of Color

So; you've come back.We warned you about devouring commercially published mass-market ultra-processed fantasy dreck. But ya didn't listen, did ya? No, You ate their template-stamped junk-imagination factory clones of real fantasy. And it tasted... okayish? But left you empty? Stomach rebelling against cookie-cutter characters who could be swapped for angry store manikins, sultry AI animations, toddlers in tantrum cosplaying dark lords...And now, you're back?Too late! The self-published original fantasy kitchen is closed for the day! Ha! Come back tomorrow. Or next week. It's summer. Taking a break, before returning to the joy and honor and clean artistry of actual fantasy creation. Fortunately for the stomach of the commercially sickened it just so happens that St. Elmo Literary Labs has put aside seventeen excellent fantasy meals. On your table with a mere 'click'. 1 2 3 4 5 1 Trans or Nonbinary Protagonist Judge a Book By Its Title The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing and Letters from a Shipwreck in the Sea of Suns and Moons and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Translated Small Press or Self Published All of them. All. All. Unusual Transportation Goth the Wanderer 2 The Afterlife To Awaken in Elysium and Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts Game Changer Vacation Spot The Stations of the Angels Five Short Stories: Older Protagonist 3 Duology Part 1 Book Club or Readalong Book The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Published in 2026 Goth the Wanderer Explorers and Rangers Colleen the Wanderer Duology Part 2 4 One-Word Title Non-Human Protagonist Middle Grade Goth the Wanderer First Contact Murder Mystery Letters from the Well in the Season of the Ghosts 5 Cat Squasher Barnaby the Wanderer Feast Your Eyes on This Published in the 70s Politics and Court Intrigue The Blood Tartan: Book #1 of the Quest of Five Clans Author of Color