The Stars Blinked. I Blinked Back.

A quiet announcement with loud heartbeats

I’ve never been great at “buzz.” But I do know how to listen. And lately, the stars have been whispering something back.

Earlier this year, I submitted a story—Starwoven: Hear My Call—to the Writers of the Future contest. Recently, I learned it received an Honorable Mention.

For a story that began as a quiet promise between a girl and the stars, this feels like a constellation of its own kind.

But more important than a contest result is what this story means to me—and maybe to you.

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What is Starwoven?

It’s the story of Red (Jayla), a young girl born on a generation ship called Ti Tayme. She’s the last of twelve children in a family that rarely listens, on a ship that’s about to leave its final orbit. Red listens anyway. To silence. To signals. To her own ache for connection.

And then one day…
Something listens back.

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Why I’m Sharing It Now

This story—like many stories—was born out of grief, wonder, and the hope that someone, somewhere, is listening.

Now that it’s back in my hands, I’ve decided to serialize Starwoven here on Substack, in 12 episodes. Each episode will end with a soft cliffhanger(?) and be supported by some combination of:

• Visuals (like concept art and sketches)

• Companion lore notes

• Reader-exclusive CharacTarot cards

• Thematic essays and musings between episodes

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When and Where

You’ll find the series in a new section titled Starwoven (linked in the navigation bar and below this post). The first episode will drop Friday, July 11th, with weekly installments to follow.

IMPORTANT: If you’d like the Starwoven episodes delivered directly to your inbox on Fridays, be sure you’re subscribed (free) to the Starwoven section (you can do that by clicking the button below).

I hope you’ll join me—not just for the story, but for what echoes beyond it.

Author’s Note:
Starwoven began as a seed—what I thought would be the prologue to a future novel called World Beyond the Song. But it grew into something bigger, deeper. A story that stands on its own and sets the thread for what comes next.

~ jlynn