Official for mirror for original writing-related content. Sophtopus is the personal blog, while Sophtoart is where unsorted art go. Please follow those if you want to enjoy fan content too!
Painted in traditional Chinese ink. Inspired by an excerpt from my novel, Crafting the Sun.
Without any spoiler context, here it goes!
âââââââ
Large black birds circled, round and round within a familiar blank white space.
None stopped to change their course.
None stopped to rest.
One by one, the birds exploded into glassy feathers⊠yet the cycle continued.
Whirlwinds: dancing vortexes of countless knives. They spiralled seven rings in total.
Evens adhered to the path of the North.
Odds adhered to the path of the South.
North and South soon merged together to form an obsidian sun, ominous but not malicious.
From the centre, a boy whispered morose words.
âA life of masks brings misery.â he said, as if a warning.
âââââââ
You can get Crafting the Sun from Amazon Kindle or Smashwords.
And if you see this post in July 2017, the Smashwords version is 100% completely FREE!
Thatâs only for Smashwords accounts though.
Patreon
Ko-fi
Tumblr!
My fwiends and fwans!
Letâs try to play a game of âHow far can we reblog this post before the 12th of Aprilâ?Â
Hereâs the reason why. For a limited amount of time, my 161,000 word novel (yes itâs that long) will be for 2.99USD. Lowest ever been since publication.
On Smashwords, you can claim the book for that price with the following coupon code:Â WY94M
Well, itâs on the page anyway.
And hereâs the page in question.
As usual, if you canât buy, reblog.
But Sophtofu, I donât like Smashwords! I prefer Amazon Kindle. Do you haz Kindle?
Yes, Crafting the Sun is also on Amazon Kindle for the same price. However, I would be happier if you could buy the one on Smashwords. More explanation in the FAQ section of this post.
But but but Sophtofu, you have no reviews! How can I trust that your book is good?
Thatâs unfortunate because most of the reviews are on Amazon Kindle. Here is the most comprehensive one:
Although Amazon asked me to click a few buttons to help categorize Crafting the Sun, I don't feel any of them quite do it justice. The overall mood of the book and characters has so many different flavors as time passes, I stared at the choices presented for quite some time. That's one way to describe things, that they evolve in this book. The central characters each have changes for them in store, due to life's unpredictability, and I love that. Character growth is a big yes for me, and this book hit a lot of the right marks (even if sometimes I was screeching at the characters for growing in the "wrong way" and/or making choices I knew would bite them later).
Without spoiling too much, I feel one of the main characters is really emblematic of that theme. We start the story with him being young, and the lessons he learns as he goes reminded me a lot of growing up, as I'm sure they will for a good chunk of readers out there. Being able to relate to him on things that are almost universal but somehow not really talked about with most characters is probably what cemented him as my favorite. It's in that sense that when he deals with problems the average person doesn't have to face, I don't somehow lose my connection with him, because he's still familiar at his core, still full of emotions we've all felt.
Likewise, this book deals with a lot of emotions, good and bad, that I think sometimes get overlooked in big stories because we always want to make our characters likable, and downplay negative traits. The cast is really one of my favorites in a while, I even adore the supporting cast/side characters, and I only wish I could spend more time with them. Basically I could gush about most of them forever. Of course the downside to complex characters is that we're not always in their perspective 100% of the time, and when they do something you didn't expect, it leaves you wondering "why" for a quite a while sometimes.
Which brings me to the pacing. It jumps around a little, as there are a few different protagonists at the center. For the most part, I enjoyed myself even when it was "slow", because the author builds a great atmosphere and world for me to get to know. That said, CTS got me once or twice when that pacing changed. I'd flip to the next chapter and go "wait what" and think I missed something because of the perspective change and jump in action. This didn't kill anything for me or pull me out of the book, but rather for one character in particular it made me feel like they really ought to be in a soap opera because of how they'd jump into things (but I think we all know one person kind of like that, don't we?).
Overall I think Crafting the Sun sets up a really cool universe and despite the time we spend getting to know some of it, I'd really really love to see even more. There's still lots of loose threads that I'm just dying to untangle and learn more about, and other small details that I'm sure I glossed over or forgot on the first go. I'll be rereading it again soon that's for sure! <3
I hope that will help you make a decision. More FAQ stuff under the cut:
Okay, you mentioned that you prefer a purchase through Smashwords. Why is that so?
Payment issues. Because Amazon Kindle does not recognize a Malaysian bank, I will not earn a SINGLE cent until the accumulated amount of money passes a certain threshold. Itâs a 100USD. Not to mention that they will have to mail a cheque manually across the ocean.
Until today, I have not seen my money. All because Amazon doesnât recognize my bank at all.
Smashwords pay quarterly. Itâs not great, BUT itâs done directly through Paypal! No insane threshold. No long waiting times. (For Amazon, I have to wait 2 more months after hitting the threshold)
Between waiting three months and waiting forever for the day where I meet Amazonâs minimum... I rather take the three months.
Can I read your Smashwords version on Kindle?
Yes, you can! All you need to do is download the Mobi version and follow the Mobi conversion steps.
I thought Amazon has a superior uploading/formatting service?
They do. Thatâs why I have both. But, like I said above... I donât get to see my money for ages ;-;
Do you have a Facebook page?
Sort of? I donât usually go to facebook much. I just made a page today. But, if thatâs where you prefer to keep in contact, Iâm there. Here it is.
I very much prefer to be contacted me via @sophtoask though. You can talk to me there anytime.
Do you have twitter?
Nope. I donât have a twitter as of now.
Do you have a Patreon?
Yes, I do. But thereâs a catch.
At the moment, I donât have time to release original content yet. Right now, itâs fanwork notices. And the people who did subscribe are friends who want a monthly automated system to help me out. Therefore if you are not comfortable with the idea of fanwork+money, you may not want to subscribe yet.
In the future, Patreon could be where I showcase my professionalâs beta-releases. Iâll definitely post a notice if there are any changes.
I already bought your book, but I want to give you extra tips for your efforts. Where can I do that?
Right here at my Kofi page. You have my eternal gratitude, kind fellow.
Why are you called Sophtofu?
Friends. Ah, how funny they can be. Makes me wonder why I didnât think of it sooner.
I want to see more of your current-level skills before I decide.
Now thatâs a little complicated. You see, all my current-level writing surrounds the Undertale fandom. Yes. Fanfiction.
I know. Itâs the reverse. Usually people start out on fanfiction before transistioning to professional. I started out professional before getting burned out and started experimenting on fanfiction.
And Undertale is one of those works where you really need to play the original source game before any subsequent readings make sense.
I am also aware of how overhyped it is. Please donât let that discourage you. The game itself is rich in story, short playtime for time-pressed people, and itâs quite a journey.
Hereâs Undertale on Steam. Toby Fox did great with this one.
Now everything is fully explained, hereâs the link to my AO3 account.
Crafting the Sun on 25% sale on Smashwords for 2017 Read an Ebook Week Promotion March 5 - 11
As it says exactly on the tin: the Smashwords version of Crafting the Sun will be on 25% sale from March 5 to March 11
Where is it? Right over here.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/665835?ref=Sophtopus
This promotion is a Smashwords-run event, so this will NOT apply to Amazon Kindle.
All Smashwords require is an account. They DO have Kindle MOBI formats, so if you still prefer to read it on your Kindle device you can still add it manually.
If youâve already bought the book (or donât want to), yet still want to support me, you can either make a one-off donation at:
Kofi (Â https://ko-fi.com/A570BPHÂ )
Orr subscribe to my Patreon! ( https://www.patreon.com/sophtopus )Â
Follow Sophtopus on Patreon: Read posts by Sophtopus on the world's largest platform enabling a new generation of creators and artists to live out their passions!
Yes, now I have a Patreon!
If you like my work, please consider supporting me there.
There are two places where you can get a digital copy of my novel.
Either via the Amazon Kindle Website
Or Smashwords.
I do recommend Smashwords if youâre not American, as they have no region lock. Makes things a lot easier for you to download in the future as well!
If you live in areas where Amazon Kindle doesnât sell to, then youâre in luck because the non-Kindle edition is now live! Yes Malaysians and Singaporeans can buy this.
Check out Crafting the Sunâs Smashwords version here!
Folks had found typos that escape the multiple beta reads. Oops.
If you have an old copy of Crafting the Sun, please update the book to its latest version. Please refer to Amazonâs official help portal on how to do so.
Sorry for the bugs!
Since I canât reply to anything on amazon, if you want to contact me on tumblr feel free to jump to my @sophtoask portal. Both fanwork and professional related stuff are acceptable.
From September 7 to September 11, everyone will have a chance to claim a free copy of Crafting the Sun from Amazon Kindle. Exception for countries where Amazon donât sell Kindle Products. (Deep apologies to fellow Malaysians and Singaporeans. Amazon policies donât favour us.)
Maybe youâd think âHold on! You just released your book and you want to give it away for FREE??? Are you crazy???â
Perhaps. Hahaha. But itâs one of the key methods self-publishing authors use to gain publicity. And reviews. Also I understand that there are many, many, many, many penniless folk out there. Consider it a generous donation from the author.
Please donât claim and forget about it though! That would make me a sad panda. Give it a read. If you really like it, post a review on Amazon! It doesnât matter if itâs long or short, as long it comes from the bottom of your heart. Think of it as giving the Amazon version of Kudos or Likes.
And thatâs the whole purpose of giveaways: gaining the Amazon Kudos.
Iâll send out a second reminder when itâs closer to September 7th. In the meantime, reblog this out as far and wide as you can!
Thank you!
From September 7 to September 11, everyone will have a chance to claim a free copy of Crafting the Sun from Amazon Kindle. Exception for countries where Amazon donât sell Kindle Products. (Deep apologies to fellow Malaysians and Singaporeans. Amazon policies donât favour us.)
Maybe youâd think âHold on! You just released your book and you want to give it away for FREE??? Are you crazy???â
Perhaps. Hahaha. But itâs one of the key methods self-publishing authors use to gain publicity. And reviews. Also I understand that there are many, many, many, many penniless folk out there. Consider it a generous donation from the author.
Please donât claim and forget about it though! That would make me a sad panda. Give it a read. If you really like it, post a review on Amazon! It doesnât matter if itâs long or short, as long it comes from the bottom of your heart. Think of it as giving the Amazon version of Kudos or Likes.
And thatâs the whole purpose of giveaways: gaining the Amazon Kudos.
Iâll send out a second reminder when itâs closer to September 7th. In the meantime, reblog this out as far and wide as you can!
Thank you!
Crafting the Sun is now released Worldwide! Almost.
Why âAlmostâ? Itâs because of Amazon Kindleâs policies.
So, what is Crafting the Sun again?
It is a relationship mystery drama set in a Robot Future setting.
There are three main perspectives over the course of the entire book:
1. Julia Levin, the creator scientist.
2. Euclid Levin, the ideal science android.
3. A mix of perspectives depending on relevancy.
What is the summary?
Year 2291.
Two years after the end of the Great Robot War. Peace returned to the world and life resumed its course. However, not everyone lived well.
By all standards, Julia Levin was the embodiment of failure. A brilliant roboticist, yet terminally-ill and broken. Her time spent fleeing from the ghosts of her past.
One day, an enigmatic businessman offered her a deal of a lifetime: to build the perfect robotic son. She grabbed the opportunity and showed no signs of turning back.
Will her Magnum Opus grant her simple peace, or will it turn the gears of fate?
How do I buy it again?
Now this is where it gets a little complicated.
For the most part, you can get it via the US mirror of Amazon Kindle.
Hereâs the link to said Amazon Kindle page.
If you live in UK, FR, IT, ES, JP, BR, AU, CA, IN, MX, NL and DE, they will redirect you to the appropriate store of your country.
Now, Amazon Kindle has a list of countries that they DOÂ NOT sell no matter what.
Please click the Readmore for more information.
Kindle will not sell you the book if you live in any of these countries or have a credit/debit card of their address:
United Arab Emirates
Afghanistan
Netherlands Antilles
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Burkina Faso
Bahrain
Brunei Darussalam
Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba
China
Serbia and Montenegro
Cuba
Curaçao
Djibouti
Algeria
Egypt
Eritrea
Gambia, The
Guinea
Indonesia
Iraq
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Jordan
Kyrgyzstan
Comoros
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Kuwait
Kazakhstan
Lebanon
Libya
Morocco
Mali
Mauritania
Maldives
Malaysia
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Singapore
Sierra Leone
Senegal
Somalia
South Sudan
Sint Maarten
Syria
Chad
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Tunisia
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Kosovo
Yemen
Yugoslavia
If you wish to purchase from these countries, you need to get a card with an American address. Either that, or an address from one of the 13 nation-specific Kindle stores worldwide.
Itâs terrible, I know. I hope in the future I could release versions that are not as restrictive. In the meantime, thank you for your patronage!
But, but, but, I still want to read your work...
Well... If youâre a fan of Undertale, I do have a novel-level work that you can read. No restrictions! Totally free! And also edited by the same editor of Crafting the Sun.
Itâs called The Golden Quiche.
Hereâs the main Archive of Our Own version. I recommend you go here for the best original formatting.Â
Hereâs the Fanfiction.net mirror if you prefer. Itâs updated at the same time, so content wise you wonât miss anything. However, they do have stricter formatting laws that sometimes eat into the presentation.
Happy reading!
Hello there, welcome to Sophtopolis! This portal is reserved for professional writing related subjects.
If you want to follow my personal picture-spam blog, head over to @sophtopus
If you want to follow my artwork @sophtoart
Yes!
After what seems like forever, my novel is finally published!
What is Crafting the Sun?
It is a relationship mystery drama set in a Robot Future setting.
There are three main perspectives over the course of the entire book:
1. Julia Levin, the creator scientist.
2. Euclid Levin, the ideal science android.
3. A mix of perspectives depending on relevancy.
What is the summary?
Year 2291.
Two years after the end of the Great Robot War. Peace returned to the world and life resumed its course. However, not everyone lived well.
By all standards, Julia Levin was the embodiment of failure. A brilliant roboticist, yet terminally-ill and broken. Her time spent fleeing from the ghosts of her past.
One day, an enigmatic businessman offered her a deal of a lifetime: to build the perfect robotic son. She grabbed the opportunity and showed no signs of turning back.
Will her Magnum Opus grant her simple peace, or will it turn the gears of fate?
Okay, Iâm interested. Where do I get it?
As of right now, itâs only available on Amazon Kindle for the following countries:Â US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, IN.
Hereâs the main US mirror link.
Aww sorry, I canât afford it / I donât live in the right country / Itâs on the wrong platform.
Thatâs alright. I understand. Being Malaysian, I canât buy my own novel even if I wanted to. And I understand whatâs like to be penniless.
But not all is lost! Just reblog this post. The more this post circulates, the better. Every reblog helps me a ton in the long way~
Thanks for your time!
