Song for the day: Vacation Town by The Front Bottoms

So, Thirteen Gates isn't even on my profile. Instead, it's on the profile of AwsomeDragons, one of my best friends and a writer whose works have always been abundant with heart. I remember reading one of their stories for the first time in ninth grade and thinking, wow, I would give anything to know the person who wrote this. Thankfully, I now know that person pretty dang well and I have to say the last year of our friendship has been incredible :P

I will be crediting him anytime I do Thirteen Gates chapters. This is also to hyperlink you to Thirteen Gates (Book One is The Changeling's Ghost) which will update whenever I get off my lazy ass and write the chapter. My updates are sporadic due to existing obligations but I pitch in all the Gus chapters, while Jay writes the Asher chapters.

Thirteen Gates is the story of Asher Northcott, a Gatekeeper who must protect his sleepy town from the supernatural, whose life is turned upside down when an unspeakable tragedy rips through his family and obtrusive American agents come in to investigate for what they assume is foul play. What they find is more interesting and perhaps more sinister... but one of said agents, child prodigy and professional cool kid Gus Washington, finds that the town and Asher mean more to him than just another gig. 

Here is Gus in all his blue glory. I had a pixel art stage at one point so perhaps abstract blues are a bad way to introduce you to the character, but I think it gets the point across! Gus's integral (Gatekeeper weapons, infused with fae iron) is nunchucks, but when he's not using them they're dormant as headphones which actually function. Gus's music taste is mainly "trap remixes of American anthems" so maybe he should keep the headphones on.

This was a point at which I was still getting the hang of Asher's face which is why he looks like a tomato. Asher is my wonderful angsty son and his lines are absolute gold, as is Jay's portrayal of him. He's very much the heart of the first book with the major character moments centering around him... actually the second book and third book are kind of the same way... really he's the protagonist y'all... and so there's a lot to love about him and there's a lot of growth in store for him as he comes of age in his family and has to balance tradition and innovation, especially when his own family and beliefs begin to contradict custom. 

Anyways, aside from character drama, Thirteen Gates also has some of my favorite worldbuilding for any book of mine. It's a fun ride all around and if you have free time, I'd recommend checking it out.