I can't believe it. The Baen short story contest has an 8k word limit and my story only came to 3827. That's a record for me! Granted, it's a first draft and I might add a ton depending on my readers' comments, but I'm pretty proud of that number! #AmWriting #UrbanFantasy
I have been #writing this week, btw, it's just been on a short story I'm submitting to the Baen fantasy story contest. Sending it off to a couple of readers tonight for feedback, then it's edits, and then it's sent to the editor. It's due 4/30, so plenty of time.
Pine needle branches touching a windshield seen from inside the car.
Yes, the needles *are* touching my windshield. Might be time for building management to cut the tree back a wee bit heh. #NatureInTheCity #random
I watch it almost nightly for the same reason. Really glad there's so many seasons.
Every #genre #paperback I saw at Barnes & Noble was $18.99+. The two I wanted were $20.99 & 30.99. PAPERBACK. I had to put them back, which pisses me off. The price point to scifi/fantasy/horror shouldn't be so high. Before you @ me, the library wait for each is 2 months & my brain hates ebooks.
A white paper napkin with bright yellow stains on it.
How you know a restaurant really does use turmeric in their food. 😂😂 #random
Let's just say that before I got long covid, the NP at my regular doctor's office used to greet me with, "any falls since I last saw you?"
Absolute legend.
This will come as a surprise to absolutely no one, but #ProjectHailMary is utterly amaze amaze amaze! I am inspired. Can't wait to watch it again. ❤️❤️
Tuxedo kitty with green eyes, Lucy, on a blue sofa.
Tuxedo kitty, Lucy, on a laptop keyboard, which is on a desk.
If you're wondering why there's been no Dragon World update for a while, I adopted my 1st cat in 15 years and we've been getting acquainted. Also attempting to intro her to the roomie's dog. It's been bumpy a few times, but we're getting there! Say hello to Lucy... #CatLife #AdoptDontShop
Novels:
Finish the sequel to my horror, Alt (my sub) and Dragon World, my LGBTQIA+ epic fantasy.
Scripts:
Revising/editing my sci-horror feature.
Publishing:
Submitting at least 3 short stories to various publications by the end of the year.
Continue querying my UF and H novels
#Writing #Goals
I have to go with The Complete Book of Scriptwriting by J. Michael Straczynski (@straczynski.bsky.social). It's the most accessible and comprehensive writing book I've read. Even though it's for scriptwriting, it applies to all forms of writing imo. I became a much better writer after reading it.
don't forget tea and lack of sleep, those also help. 😉
because Widget's amazing! ❤️
Yes, absolutely!
Screengrab of a spreadsheet with the header fields: Chapter, Chapter Count, Word Tally, POV, POV, Description, and Timeline. The fields filled in below the header read in order: 13, blank, 34602, Boots, Tessa, Someone takes exception to Charal Lys's existence after they secure boarding for the horses and starts a brawl. Bosun Alix shows up in the nick of time to even the odds and route the assholes. He gets stabbed for the trouble. "Cap'n's gonna kill me." When they get to the ship, Dawes is pissed with Eryn for sending Bosun into danger to, and Day 11.
I started as a pantser, but got so much better once I learned to outline. My outline is high-level so it doesn't feel like writing the story twice. I outline/worldbuild better on paper for some reason. I use inkarnate.com for mapping & campfirewriting.com for worldbuilding, both are amazing.
A misty neighborhood view from a balcony
It's a wee bit misty out.
A desk with a laptop, monitor, felt Hulk, tiny keychain Hulk, ceramic TARDIS, 4th Doctor ornament still in the Hallmark box, a carved, gray, stylized cat figurine, a white plastic Pusheen-style cat, a rainbow tribble on a keychain with the "Gaaaayyys in Space / Live Long & Be Fabulous" logo, a pair of glasses, and a handful of colorful crystals.
I generally like to write out and about in a cafe (Starbucks, before the boycott), but this is my home desk. #RevPitWaiting
Really hoping this is mine! 🤞🏻
@countmystars.bsky.social, who is amazing!
Working on an epic fantasy (temp called Dragon World) with an LGBTQIA+ hero team investigating what happened to a remote dragon aerie & discover more world shattering problems on the trip. Parallel to this, a hidden empire's survival relies on conquering the free world.
Movie poster for They Will Kill You featuring a black woman holding an axe, a pentagram in the upper left corner, and other people holding weapons.
This was freakin awesome! Without spoilers, I would describe it as a modern version of a spaghetti western retelling of a samurai revenge movie. Very stylized. Simple story told really well. #TheyWillKillYou
A brief scene from a fantasy novel that reads: Tessa cocked her head, curious. “And how do you know why we need to go?” Eryn half-smiled and said, “I’ve had visions of your group for the last month. Sometimes you’re on the WaveShadow and sometimes you’re taking a dingy to the island’s shore. I see…” her voice trailed off as she looked at something no one else could. “…the island is truly dead now. I saw no dragons, just a blackness hewn into rock and sand. Something evil happened there.” That does not sound good. Tessa was about to ask about passage when Eryn continued in a low, hollow voice… “Something’s coming to remake the world. Ruthless power stemming from unintended consequences sent forth a brokenhearted pawn of unknown destiny. The Rim of the World holds the key, but beware the tide of blood and ice.” Tessa knew words of prophecy when she heard them.
Dragon World update! 693 words tonight to finish off Chap12. More importantly, I really like this bit... #AmWriting #Fantasy #LGBTQIA+
yeah, that's what I was tripping over, too. rats! thank you! I'll add the hyphen.
I want to mush the two words together as a general category for my underwater dwelling, water breathing beings but I think it looks hard to read. What do you all think of "oceandwellers"? I can do ocean-dwellers, of course, but that doesn't look right to me either. #AmWriting #Fantasy #LGBTQIA+
I have a playlist for every project. Music is a necessity for my writing. music.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
If you're wondering why there's been no Dragon World update for over a week, it's because I was out of my chronic fatigue meds. Without those, I go to work, come home, and go to bed after some vegging. Was able to get it filled today, though, so back on schedule tomorrow! #LongCovid sucks.
QUEER LOVE IS POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL. TRANS LIVES ARE SACRED AND NONNEGOTIABLE. WE DESERVE JOY, SAFETY, AND EQUALITY, AND WE WILL KEEP RISING WITH PRIDE! 🌈✊💗
A written scene from a novel by Nancy M Griffis that says: Sam’s gaze returned to the thing just beyond the cell. Four feet tall, it had a fixed, childlike face, the kind on old plastic dolls. Every joint faced the wrong way, reminding Sam of a backwards child. As monsters went, it might have been benign except for gleaming black eyes that didn’t blink. That didn’t look like they could blink. Its mouth didn’t move as a child’s voice sing-songed into the space between them... A wreath of roses pretty and red, A scattering of thorns tossed in your bed. Dance and whirl upon his command, Twist and turn on feet and hand. Don’t just see, don’t just dread, Don’t look, don’t look, you’re already dead.
I managed to creep out my reader with this one! 😁
A six-image collage over a black background with the gray title of The Alt. Top left image is black & white of a person in the woods wearing an oversized bird skull mask. Middle top image is of a street in a small New England town. Top right image is grayscale of a woman with her head on her arms and the face of a creature looking over her shoulder. Bottom left image is an atmospheric black & white of trees in mist. Bottom middle image is a long road with a red farmhouse on one side and mist covering woodlands on the other. Bottom right image is a faceless, hooded figure on a black background.
My mood board for my LGBTQIA+ horror novel The Alt.