Brandon Varnell

Severing Time & Space - Cover Reveal

Michiroon delivered the finished art early this morning, and I just finished adding in the title.

I decided to forego adding the volume number because this is a web novel. I'll add the number when I publish the light novel version.

Because this is a Chinese cultivation novel, I also decided to add Chinese characters. Here is each character is along with their English spelling and meaning:

切断 = Qiēduàn = Severe/cut

时间 = Shíjiān = Time

空间 = Kōngji�...

Severing Time: Chapter 24

Wu Jian wiped the sweat from his body with a wet rag, put on a new training gi, and met up with Wu Meiying at the dining hall. They ignored the noise of the crowd and ate quickly while chatting about their new companion.

Wu Jian was honestly impressed with Hou Jingshu’s stubbornness. Despite how obvious it was that she had never exercised a day in her life, she doggedly stuck with their training program and completed it. She might have been left unable to move afterward, and she might...

Severing Time: Chapter 23

Wu Jian breathed in deeply through his nose and out his mouth as he continued his exercises. Every exercise he did was designed to maximize his body strengthening workout by utilizing every set of muscles available, and while some exercises used more of one muscle than the other (for example, push-ups worked out the chest while pull-ups worked his arms, back, and lats), all of his muscles were burning pleasantly by the time he finished.

“Haaah… haaaah… no more… I don’t think�...

Severing Time: Chapter 22

Night had fallen and Wu Jian lay wide awake in bed, replaying what happened at dinner over and over again in his mind. He recalled the pandemonium that had taken place immediately after Emperor Hou Jun announced that he was wedding his daughter to Wu Jian. Almost everyone had begun talking at once, raising their voices more and more in an attempt to talk over each other. It was only thanks to the emperor’s presence that the situation calmed down so quickly.

However, Wu Jian would neve...

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Here is some free art of Fayte and Susan from Man Made God.

Download the high-res version here: Valentine's Day Art! 

Severing Time: Chapter 21

A delectable scent wafted through the dining hall. This evening’s dinner was called edible bird’s nest. It was created by edible-nest swiftlets, also known as white-nest swiftlets, which was a small bird of the swift family. The bird nests were prized in the Shang Kingdom for their high nutritional value and rich Qi, but they also had a very robust flavor and were bursting with umami.

“I had no idea your chefs knew how to prepare edible bird’s nests,” Emperor Hou Jun said as h...

Severing Time & Space Cover Update

I haven't been given the finished artwork for the cover yet, but because I wanted to have the title ready for when I do get it, I decided to create a mockup with the unfinished art.

This is what I have so far. I spent several hours trying to figure out how the cover should look. I went through many fonts and eventually realized the best way to create the cover would be to play with the text spacing instead of just changing fonts. Fortunately, I've been using Clip Studio Paint for this. ...

Severing Time: Chapter 20

Wu Yōushì sat in his office, going over the clan’s finances and setting next year’s budget. It was a thankless job. He’d have much rather been training, but sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the betterment of the clan.

Thanks to Wu Meiying and her strange ability to predict the future, the Wu Clan had been able to secure themselves the top position of Zahn City’s three clans. They had discovered several mining deposits that contained mithril. While the mithril was impure...

Severing Time & Space cover update

Here's an update on the cover art for ST&S. I think it's looking great so far! I'm so freaking pumped!

Severing Time: Chapter 19

Hou Jingshu wandered the streets and looked at the small buildings, so different from what she was used to. The architecture was unlike anything she had seen before. They did not have the majesty of buildings found in the capital. Her brothers would have called this place dull and small, but she found the quaint buildings charming. She would have said they were rustic. The only building that held anything resembling the aesthetic of the capital was the auction house.

Perhaps it was beca...

February 2022 Newsletter

Hey patrons!

It's a new month of 2022, and I have some good news for you.

I'm almost done publishing all my books wide.

Those who've been with me for these past few years know about what happened between me and Amazon. Someone was pirating my books online, Amazon found them, and decided to punish me, the victim, by terminating my author account. I got my account restored, but I decided to publish wide instead of remaining exclusive to Amazon because I don't trust them anymor...

Severing Time: Chapter 18

Wu Jian breathed in deeply as he pulled himself up a bar, then pushed himself until his torso was above the bar. The muscles in his arms strained. His triceps bulged as the muscle definition became more visibly defined. Veins popped out. He could feel a burning in his arms, back, and chest. After holding this position for eight seconds, he slowly lowered himself back to his starting position, then repeated the process all over again.

“Forty-five… forty-six… forty-seven… forty-ei...

Severing Time: Chapter 17

Hou Jingshu pouted as she sat in the small carriage trundling along the dirt road in the middle of nowhere. She rested with her chin on her hand, stared out the window, and refused to look at the other person sitting inside of the carriage with her. Outside the window was a view featuring a cornucopia of trees and mountains but not much else.

Certainly, it was nothing like the imperial capital.

“Come on, my dear daughter. Are you still upset with me?” asked the man sitting on ...

Severing Time: Chapter 16

“What happened to you, brother?” Wu Jian asked earnestly. “You were never like this before.”

“Shut up!” Wu Yong said in a grating, harsh voice. He slowly stood to his feet. HIs arms dangled like soggy buckwheat noodles as he leaned forward, his head tilted down. Only his glaring eyes were visible behind his messy fringe of hair. “Don’t talk like you know me. You don’t know the first thing about me!”

“Then why don’t you tell me?” Wu Jian suggested.

�...

Severing Time & Space Color art

Michiroon has been doing some art for Severing Time & Space. This artwork is a bit of a time skip from where we are in the web novel currently, but if you've been following along on Patreon, you should recognize these characters.

This artwork will be going into the light novel version when it's published...which won't be for a long time, but I thought I'd get the art done now so I can publish the first few volumes...

Severing Time: Chapter 15

“Wu Meiying!” Elder Wu Jinsu called out.

At the sound of the name being called, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the spot where the person in question and Wu Jian were standing. Despite being young, she attracted a lot of attention due to her grace, and also because many considered her odd. Everyone focused intently on her as she graced Wu Jian with a bright smile.

“Looks like it’s my turn,” she said.

Wu Jian nodded. “Go show them what you can do.”

“Of c...

January 2nd Newsleter

Patrons,

We are a bit past the halfway point for this month. I would have sent this sooner, but stuff's been going down.

Chapters are updating on schedule, which is good. I haven't had a chance to post more of the American Kitsune manga, but I plan to do that soon - hopefully this Saturday soon.

Liremi is working on the art for this month's Patreon, but we're running a bit behind schedule because of the new year. Don't worry. She's gonna get the job done.

I have almost...

Severing Time: Chapter 14

After all the kids had gathered and the adults were seated, Father stood up from his seat and stepped forward. He looked them over with his stern frown. Many of the kids shifted nervously when they saw their clan head look at them with such an expression.

“The Wu Clan’s test of strength has come once again,” he announced in a clear voice. “Now is the time for you to show us the fruits of your labor. Those who prove they have gained great strength shall be rewarded. Those who pro...

Severing Time: Chapter 13

Wu Jian and Wu Meiying were in the library as per usual. They had finished exercising, gone to their classes, and were ending the day by reading. Grandpa Son had found them a book called The Rock Maiden. It was about a girl named Ling Lee, who fell in love with a kind, young fisherman. When the fisherman was lost at sea, she never gave up hope, climbed to the top of the cliff overlooking the sea, and was turned to stone by a powerful Deva Realm cultivator who took pity on her. The yo...

A Most Unlikely Hero 10 Cover Reveal

Just a cover reveal. Thoughts?

Severing Time: Chapter 12

The days passed quickly for Wu Jian, who had followed Wu Meiying and his mother’s advice and done nothing but train. Since he was still a child and could not cultivate, he trained his body. Push-ups. Sit-ups. Pull-ups. Squats. Lunges. Dips. Planches. He did every exercise he could think of, working his body for the first half of the day before spending the evenings in meditation.

Unlike with cultivators, meditation did not offer any qualitative benefits, but it was good to understand ...

Severing Time: Chapter 11

“Disobeying the orders of the clan head is a serious offense, and I believe it deserves a serious punishment. We should give them thirty lashes and confine them in their rooms for an entire month,” said Wu Wei. He was glaring at Wu Jian and Wu Meiying as if their very presence was an insult to his ancestors. His words also made the blood drain from Wu Jian’s face.

Lashing was a punishment typically reserved for someone who had disgraced the family. The offender was stripped bare, ...

Severing Time & Space Webnovel Cover!

Here is a sketch for the cover of Severing Time & Space!

I requested a few changes from Michiroon, like to make Wu Jian look less arrogant and to give Wu Meiying a smile so she looks happy, but aside from that, I am pretty satisfied.

What do you think?

1st January 2022 Newsletter

Patrons,

A lot happened to me this year. After Amazon terminated my author account back in 2020, I decided to publish wide instead of remain exclusive. Almost all my books are now available on multiple platforms instead of just one.

I still don't know if this was a good idea, but I'm committed to this since I don't want to be Amazon's bitch.

My new web novel, Severing Time & Space, is being updated. This series has replaced WIEDERGEBURT as my main story. I hope ...

Severing Time: Chapter 10

The Spotted Snow Lion had stopped running and was now prowling toward them with slow, deadly footsteps. It knew they were trapped. Wu Jian had the feeling that it was savoring this moment—the moment before it pounced on them and ate them.

Fear caused his body to shake. He felt death pressing down on them. His vision blackened. He just barely managed to remain conscious.

I can’t pass out. Wu Meiying will be alone if I do!

Thoughts of Wu Meiying alone were what ke...

Severing Time: Chapter 9

The Wu Clan compound was located barely an hour from West Fang, which derived its name from being located to the west of Zahn City. East Fang was on the other side of Zahn City and took almost an entire day to get there by carriage. Fortunately, Wu Meiying had assured Wu Jian that the mountain they needed to travel to was West Fang.

Looking at it up close, Wu Jian decided that West Fang mountain looked nothing like a fang at all. It was gigantic and resembled a misshapen pyramid with ja...

Severing Time: Chapter 8

“Absolutely not. I forbid you from going anywhere near the Twin Fang Mountains.”

“But Father—”

“Do not ‘but Father’ me. My decision is final. You may have begun to finally grow a spine, but the Twin Fang Mountains is far too dangerous for children.”

After their lessons, Wu Jian and Wu Meiying visited his father’s residence to ask for his permission to travel to the Twin Fang Mountains. Their hope was to find a natural treasure that would boost Wu Jian’s...

Severing Time: Chapter 7

“Fifty-four… fifty-five… fifty-six… huff… huff…”

Wu Jian’s arms strained as he did pushups. He was resting his weight on his knuckles as he lowered his torso, held position for several seconds, then lifted himself back up. It was a process he repeated over and over.

His hands, arms, and legs stung as the cold air froze the sweat forming along his skin. Winter might have ended, but that did not mean the temperature had changed much. Zahn City was located at a relati...

December Patreon Art

Next month, I'll be delivering Christmas-themed Lin to the appropriate patrons. Be warned. Your Santa Clause has scales.

Severing Time: Chapter 6

Training was not the only form of lessons they had. After stowing away the alchemy pills Father had given him, Wu Jian and Wu Meiying split up and traveled to their respective lessons.

Wu Jian’s lessons were on etiquette, geography, arithmetic, reading, and writing. Because he was the heir of the Wu Clan, he would eventually succeed his father—of course, that was assuming no one challenged him for the position. This normally meant he would also begin taking lessons on governance and...