2026-08-17T04:07:39Z https://nostr.now C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 https://nostr.now/npub1hlftkt7td4enzkd3wx6p5qarl03cwn6xt8ar5tq0j79xs5xtx54sfdqyuw https://cdn.masto.host/writing/accounts/avatars/109/264/024/446/762/242/original/930eced38d2a8bb0.jpg https://cdn.masto.host/writing/accounts/avatars/109/264/024/446/762/242/original/930eced38d2a8bb0.jpg https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv5px3mvjy0vvkzqa7mzw3ukgayd8yma04uzd8sq0xdv9x22pv9fszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkfaswrz #PennedPossibilities 1167<br/>Post a snippet involving spirits, such as a character talking to or about them.<br/><br/>“No. Although spirits can roam. At times attach.”<br/><br/>“Roam?” I cocked my head. “Like a ghost?”<br/><br/>She squinted. “Those things in movies? No. We were taught a spirit can linger, tied to its place. They have a radius they cannot breach. It’s thought some of what we call nature spirits are extremely old mages. Dead or faded. I’ve not heard of them traveling without assistance.” 2026-10-27T11:27:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9dluvvn278kpgxtu8hz4chk5h98jucfrn29tjlw7glk7ceu3v3kczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk7u7gpu #ScribesAndMakers Oct 27<br/>Do you collect (unaltered) natural materials for projects?<br/><br/>Closest I&#39;ve come to this is rocks. I&#39;ve collected them most of my life. Small ones for shelves and plant pots. Larger ones for garden borders. 2026-10-27T11:23:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsg3kmvt9e8d2n3t8ty3edhsaqww78vflc9g2fyttn2mcfq7h99v0czyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkkcepvc #WordWeavers Oct 27<br/>What location in your story would you most like to visit? What location would you absolutely avoid?<br/><br/>That&#39;s a tough one. 🤔 I want to visit them all. 😀 Well, okay, I&#39;ll pass on Maldhonia Province in any of its incarnations after the old mage kingdom fell. And certain places in Ballorn Hills. And a few other places on the western continent I&#39;ve not sufficiently fleshed out yet. 2026-10-27T11:21:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsr407gjqy7u3839eshjx722a5tcs3w8waw040luqk6j4m6ahynysszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk238n4y #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 27<br/>As a writer, what do you need right now?<br/><br/>More readers! 🤣 (*waves hands spookily &#34;Come! Come! Lose yourself in the woods!&#34;*) 2026-10-27T11:18:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs92nuupl39wm8dnwqxyrghpxfa0htp2xjgcyn34wg7kjf7l45jjvszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkh3qy3r #Today Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK II is off for its copyedit. 😀 🥳 Now back to self editing BOOK III. 2026-10-26T13:19:24Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvm97epvuxdvqmhdtuz3csa4epjmcu23v5l5rhgus8w77lv0mae5szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk87dd5n #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 26<br/>How did you develop your voice?<br/><br/>I write 1st person POV, so try very hard *not* to have a singular voice. MC voices vary according to their time, place, background, &amp; personality. I probably don&#39;t completely succeed, no doubt something of me comes through, but I work hard at minimizing that. 2026-10-26T11:17:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvcm5et6thetrs4qd9yah60qpvdpcvq8nxqwrkxc4q7hjtvsxdpdszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkpnmksj #PennedPossibilities 1165<br/>Can the dead truly return to the “land of the living” in your universe?<br/><br/>This is what Maggie learns, which isn&#39;t much:<br/><br/>Fragments of esoteric ramblings spoke of the dead, always in negative terms: the dead could not be reborn, could not walk among the living, nor follow them after burial.<br/><br/>“It didn’t say the spirit couldn’t remain,” Addie pointed out.<br/><br/>Nor did it say they couldn&#39;t make use of magery. 2026-10-25T11:55:41Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgvx5fz5rzkexs340u2effc4ewept3t9zqznsfg86rhyhp5u52w4szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkpthkny #ScribesAndMakers Oct 25<br/>What&#39;s something you accomplished this past week?<br/><br/>Got another chapter of Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK I posted on my site.<br/><br/>Finished clearing out overgrown vegetation between our &amp; our neighbor&#39;s site &amp; found a baby tree! It is now mulched, with space to continue growing. 😀 <br/><br/>Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK II is nearly ready for its copyedit. 2026-10-25T11:51:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2puuly7gf0l2rq6ws9rv6hy7v3m53g6u5y4wqnfcdwm3fssxzwmqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkyzmz4l What is this shit? 🤬<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/498/022/687/711/971/original/419edf78aa94d220.jpg"> 2026-10-24T21:32:24Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfhwxa4y4cu4clxk39u4apx0vmh24pwauj95zpcgp5xa75vyzx4aszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkfruw7h #WordWeavers Oct 24<br/>Which character would survive the longest if suddenly dropped into our world with no money or identification?<br/><br/>Hard to say, as the mage characters would eventually lose their powers being in a world without magery available to replenish. Even if they did well at first, their success may fall off. One of the human characters might fare better long term. Maybe King Garland, who is a standard boorish type of man who might make friends with the &#34;bros.&#34; 2026-10-24T11:27:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0lpeep6lpktm8jx66e2lwfherusnhg579te93yqh7m270ps6m8lqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkj88mtx #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 24<br/>What is currently provisional in your workflow (or work)?<br/><br/>Unpublished works are always subject to change until launched. 2026-10-24T11:21:23Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsx8xx4vtmgayr0hrcq4fzyz4zd5687g9wl77d38t93p9m7908j85qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkj0htxf #ScribesAndMakers #TTMD Oct 24<br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq0d5zhp5atut9hcmyyslxdr07s65tj45q72wxvg229ajwjvmpqugqskp9kg" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq0d5zhp5atut9hcmyyslxdr07s65tj45q72wxvg229ajwjvmpqugqskp9kg</span> (<span class="italic">nprofile…p9kg</span>)</a></span><br/><br/>It&#39;s YOU day!!! 🥳 🎇 <br/><br/>Tell us about your editing process. I keep seeing you post about &#34;targeted editing&#34; &amp; have been meaning to ask about that for some time. How is this distinct from regular editing &amp; how do you think it benefits your work?<br/><br/>Also, any plans to go wider with your books? 2026-10-24T11:16:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8eu7wtr7fhmhw9z76dva6z5madzwylz37amskhs93y47la34dyhszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkkxcjyp #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 23<br/>How do you make sure you deliver on your writerly promises?<br/><br/>I guess the promises I&#39;ve made would mainly be release dates. I tend to keep those general, like &#34;summer&#34; rather than a specific date, although I used to do 3 specific months per year, not naming the day. I&#39;ve followed through on those. Also, there&#39;s the labels I use, like #HopePunk , which set an expectation I make sure to deliver. 2026-10-23T12:34:55Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspde0ggz8et8rqwnlgq4xnx0c5pmylhggr2asrgpftzunzqxysevczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk8jgsgx #ScribesAndMakers Oct 23<br/>Our next featured creator enjoys hiking. Do you enjoy being outdoors, and if so, does it have an impact on your creativity?<br/><br/>I&#39;ve loved to hike (plus walk rather than drive) all my life. Even lived in the woods. The last few years I&#39;ve been unable to indulge as much, as it&#39;s too hot most of the time. I&#39;ve also not found a good local place. Dog &amp; I walk before dawn every morning &amp; I garden (my personal desert oasis) every day. Nature definitely inspires me. 🌳 2026-10-23T12:30:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2xklccx066v58tpjyfs58wmgu0suxqj0sv3nwltsf5ewyzah6muqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkqqu9xx #Spooktober Oct 20<br/>What might lure you into a situation against your better judgement?<br/><br/>Behind on these again.<br/><br/>Plants! Anything claiming to be a nursery or garden center. Particularly if there&#39;s the word &#34;native&#34; on the sign. 2026-10-22T13:37:38Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfmfwrc86t4jdpgyuvksj6vxhyrqh496wa5h37w5l8zk2gc3n09zszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkr6smrj #WordWeavers Oct 22<br/>Share a sentence from your WIP that you&#39;re especially proud of<br/><br/>I can never decide, but came across this one while editing this morning:<br/><br/>Far to the west, a series of loud explosions broke the silence and my heart. 2026-10-22T12:48:52Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdle7sddddrprmvel8dv7rjj0zn2epu2je5lq9elj6wluugck4glgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jksuwugs #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 22<br/>Share a work you found really challenging to read.<br/><br/>Can&#39;t think of any fiction offhand. When I was younger &amp; haunted libraries, I brought home a lot of philosophy &amp; science books that were often slow going because I wanted to learn everything. 2026-10-22T11:56:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsr4ulxy4gues3jupu4ytdf7x9z975y79g2pwcayxqcsjvwuenxl4qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk7nuvnn #PennedPossibilities 1163<br/>MC POV: “I’m always late, I never remember birthdays, I’m much too tough on myself, I have a hard time apologizing, etc.” What annoys the ones you love (about you)?<br/><br/>Maggie: &#34;People complain I think I know best, basically a know-it-all. But I do &amp; I am.&#34; 2026-10-22T11:33:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfaswnqrjhctjz82nlryshlkrzckkjc4jr2ttjy9luf36nuj7f8pqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk7x5cs7 #ScribesAndMakers Oct 22<br/>Our next featured creator enjoys making maps. Have you ever made a map?<br/><br/>I&#39;ve got a bunch on my website I made on the Inkarnate site. They were fun to make &amp; give readers an idea of location, though they are not to scale as the world is much larger than could fit in a map.<br/><br/><a href="https://crcollins.org/maps/">https://crcollins.org/maps/</a> 2026-10-22T11:27:00Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2d5uq6v0rk0pfanh5j02ty6u4yk26fm22tw493vcd58pt5avafkszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkz6zuct #Spooktober Oct 21<br/>What’s a good spooky movie for the Halloween season?<br/><br/>Poltergeist<br/><br/>Blair Witch Project<br/><br/>And, of course, Rocky Horror, just for fun. 😁 2026-10-21T14:31:34Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9f7klr7cwh43r823408w9h6u4zwmjx9p9mswl047xm7a2dscz49czyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk452xjk #ScribesAndMakers Oct 21<br/>How cerebral do you consider your creative work?<br/><br/>Deep topics are touched on, as I enjoy them, but I try to make the books entertaining first &amp; foremost. I suppose they&#39;d fall somewhere in the middle of the curve. 2026-10-21T11:29:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf78l8fzemlqw4dwe6uwrvhnj6tu0e2d5uttaz0rmwvmxfz0jye3qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkcyl6m9 #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 21<br/>How do you make your works approachable?<br/><br/>I work hard during editing to make sure everything is clear &amp; easy to follow, including, since these are ebooks, keeping paragraphs shorter to be easier on the eyes. I offer several sales options, including regular vendors &amp; a direct buy store (discount for buying direct.) I&#39;m also serializing one book on my site now so potential readers can get a taste before they spend money. 2026-10-21T11:22:31Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst97pkc302yuaze8s5e80yv3m7xveya33ckc0juegyy4lydsdjlngzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk7ahpx4 Escape to the improbable world of Ardonna 🌳 🌲 <br/><br/>A new chapter of Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK I is now live: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/10/21/year-1-month-6-day-4/">https://crcollins.org/2026/10/21/year-1-month-6-day-4/</a><br/><br/>Read from start: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/">https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/</a> <br/><br/>Learn more: <a href="https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/">https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/</a><br/><br/>#Bookstodon #EpicFantasy #SFF #Fantasy #HopePunk #Polyamory #Magic #Today #Trees<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/478/554/891/622/730/original/d45594bfa06469f5.jpg"> 2026-10-21T11:02:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstkppsge9qdyp3x8dhdyyhx4dgndl09zgfyrswjcpn53aw83s7afszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkrarfsh #Today Public service announcement for anyone buying a car from a dealership: When they shove that tablet at you to get your electronic signature, insist they show you each &amp; every document to review. DO NOT trust them to be following what you agreed on. We discovered every optional service had been added in, increasing our loan amount by $10K 😳 Had to go back in yesterday &amp; have them cancel them all. 🤬 2026-10-20T10:46:08Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs044ujkchghuluzy6pcutmw2lqcdvpd3hz9ahmp0a59g9dn46ythgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkrcnm4k #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 20<br/>What&#39;s the shortest work you&#39;ve ever finished?<br/><br/>Poetry 🤷 <br/><br/>I wrote a couple of short stories for a college creative writing class, but my prose works are normally long. 2026-10-20T10:32:52Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgdpks5hx2qx45lqknu0lqudnpm7qudq4ptzzq2vzvxezv5pfq20szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jklt7827 #PennedPossibilities 1161<br/>Do you have any mythology around the afterlife in your universe?<br/><br/>The People of the Code have some sort of heaven/various hells thing. Mages honestly have no clue what happens to spirits after death, though Maggie learns more about that later in her story. Trees believe some portion of themselves live on in their remains &amp; set a general mood which depends on the circumstances &amp; method of wood harvest, but also seem to believe in some transition to somewhere else. 2026-10-20T10:30:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrs4qh93h92quqppkryksxh37v0j53mft4mp47z7x438yuywwj0aqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk95nzme #WordWeavers Oct 19<br/>What does your MC keep that they probably should have thrown away years ago? <br/><br/>In the course of her 4 book story Maggie loses everything she owns twice, so she&#39;s not keeping anything long term. 2026-10-19T11:43:44Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0g29wgq6ezlc8atl09urvl88x2m9g3zzt9wlzd2prkp3l2r6k5kczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jky8w0pk #WordWeavers Oct 18<br/>Line from WIP where a character is lying. Do they get away with it?<br/><br/>Not forever.<br/><br/>“‘What about your friend?’” I asked. “‘The shadow mage following?’”<br/>“I’d no idea he was there. You can’t see them.”<br/>He’d stopped sweating. Eliam Finnegan seemed an accomplished liar. Quite comfortable, once he’d decided on a track. He couldn’t lie to me, exactly, but he could choose his words.<br/>“‘Did you know him?’”<br/>Eliam considered his response. “It’s possible. I had many business contacts.” 2026-10-18T12:27:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqyjhw80e59fs92ada458wf93hmgfak5fcnept7s0tju0d2x0qykqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkfa549y #PennedPossibilities 1159<br/>If you told your characters about Hallowe&#39;en, what would they think?<br/><br/>The &#34;pioneers&#34; came from Earth, so knew it. There&#39;s a scene where it&#39;s mentioned:<br/><br/>“Favor’s the same guy. It’s just . . . now . . .” She pinched her lip, pondering her next words.<br/><br/>“He’s in permanent Halloween mode,” Elios concluded.<br/><br/>The mage representatives took a minute to decipher that word, couldn’t do it, and let it be.<br/><br/>Jez’s eyes glowed yellow. “An Earth holiday. People dressed ghoulishly.” 2026-10-18T12:16:41Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrukgv0jt2hd3mt8f5mqa5z860gjfpcukwcesfarht68xjz3x6zcczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk5yvnz8 #Today filled out my ballot. Woot woot! 🥳 Vote early, everyone! 2026-10-17T17:40:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0wcfn4tyrs77wx5aly5u37gjyd2t7tkmp8jxs3mcgada53f7v8wszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkr84yme #WordWeavers Oct 17<br/>What is the worst possible first impression someone could get of your MC? Would it be accurate? <br/><br/>That she is evil, scary, &amp; out to dominate them.<br/><br/>Maggie isn&#39;t evil. She can be scary but usually doesn&#39;t want to be. She only tries to dominate those who pose a danger to her people, to get the truth out of them. 2026-10-17T10:48:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspjmgj53u9243cqgzjd8fg04mt2fssca8h4ue4zf4e4sjefexzzpgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkav6vmh #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 17<br/>What are the defining traits of your niche in your genre?<br/><br/>Epic eco-friendly hopepunk alternate world fairy tales for adults 2026-10-17T10:44:51Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyrd7xawjeqy6x89rwq2p9kgtzldsct496naw89e0n8nnd59n0cqszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkzkxj6d I have successfully trained Bluesky&#39;s algorithm to show me mostly trees, sunsets, &amp; flowers. 😀 2026-10-17T10:41:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszkqvctjxmyryxe9pez7xnzulvd0atn7wl06cep5pmj3x9ad7q7mgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk4h5zv6 #PennedPossibilities 1157<br/>Tell us a random, interesting fact about your WIP.<br/><br/>It was supposed to be one book, but now it&#39;s four.<br/><br/>Season of the Bluebonnets is kind of a running history of Ardonna, which ties all the other books together &amp; expands on the world. If you&#39;ve read the others you might find it fun &amp; interesting. If you haven&#39;t, you could always enter the world from the south, instead of the north. 2026-10-16T11:34:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxe943g5vzcstu3uq9ymjchs26lg6qk73gf46ry5uzuw8zq4x6yxszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkr36azf #Spooktober 15<br/>Talk about a real-life creature that seems especially weird/alien/haunted/intriguing to you.<br/><br/>Aye-ayes are pretty alien looking. I have a stuffed one that&#39;s cute and cuddly though. 2026-10-16T11:14:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf3wyj79s97n6g54v8qar4ezargy7qsz6a5d4g5m549qxtywc6qkgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkq5s7ud #ScribesAndMakers Oct 16<br/>Do you feel you do your best creative work completely solitary, working collaboratively with one or more people, or working near but not with other people?<br/><br/>I&#39;m a solitary writer, but I do collaborate with an editor later. That works best for me. 2026-10-16T11:08:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszzasduheycql4zf2jq3vcpegv8ax0elj7qrjetvzss2xqtetx3rgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk0gjzjd #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 16<br/>How do you feel about people reading your works without buying a personal copy?<br/><br/>Getting it from a library? Great!<br/>Getting a copy from a friend who purchased an ebook? Fine. Please review<br/>Pirating? Feels frustrating after all the effort &amp; money I spent to put out a good book, plus they don&#39;t cost much. They can at least make an effort to leave a review somewhere so other people might buy it.<br/>I currently have one of my books available to read for free on my site. 2026-10-16T11:05:41Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgdvszj4ya2zc6uhdlzlmddec6fytx3w6uqjxxhd7p8zjxzud9czqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkgrlshu #Today is bittersweet as we sold our Mini yesterday. We had it for years &amp; I loved that car--it had been my dream car for years before that. Economics now has us in an electric vehicle, which I am extremely happy about, though it&#39;ll never be my Mini. 🥹<br/><br/>One nice thing: the Mini was bought by a dad as his excited 19-year-old&#39;s 1st car, so someone else now loves it. 😊 2026-10-15T12:00:24Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqkg222nyww5uspawfah87n9dq7wp80kevehdqtullwh04pchpgpgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkmwnt8z #WordWeavers Oct 15<br/>What piece of backstory did you invent just for yourself that readers may never learn?<br/><br/>Can&#39;t recall doing this for character backstories.<br/><br/>I do have thoughts on ethnicities within populations which I tend not to delve into as they don&#39;t carry the same importance as in our world. Also linguistics, which I had to limit to only a couple of sentences. A lot of world details aren&#39;t critical to the stories being told. 2026-10-15T11:53:38Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf6wzmcdl42ssp0wf0rl3uvrqx5zpcfxtjgses5myqjzx9rm8syzgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkvvqlfz #ScribesAndMakers Oct 15<br/>How confident are you feeling about your work today?<br/><br/>Today is more editing, which I&#39;m pretty confident about. 2026-10-15T11:44:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9upnged68jzd9p78wd955t6wzupj8zssvc6pmf42k408pa9a6q6szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkuv7ayw #PennedPossibilities 1156<br/>If your MC had (more) money in their possession, what would they do with it?<br/><br/>She&#39;d put it in her vault with the rest of the currency for her foreign agents&#39; use. They don&#39;t have money in Quenelle, so she&#39;d have no use for it personally. 2026-10-15T11:40:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq3ma2qwplgqztls8je6fx9g42gh464sq80vpp23swthne0zpf2aszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkeuvd8x Finally got my ballot today--the final day before I could officially report it missing. My husband got his last week. I was beginning to feel like I was on somebody&#39;s &#34;enemy list.&#34; 🤣 2026-10-15T02:05:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs23n5paesljrzxdkphzwapkfea4m6dctx2r5dq6h7v7xpym3v78agzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkhtdmp2 #Spooktober Oct 14<br/>You&#39;re setting out food for the fairy folk. What do you leave them?<br/><br/>Tacos! 😆 Modern CA fairy folk so I won&#39;t forget the guacamole. They will thank me later. 2026-10-14T13:19:06Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq8g5ctlucfzg354j49gzcx5vrhkm0u2u73z6xxpf3fguggsspxyqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkc4apmw #WordWeavers Oct 14<br/>If your MC could ask their future self one question, what would they ask?<br/><br/>&#34;Did he ever come back?&#34; 2026-10-14T12:11:33Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd9qv7cdn7tqtr2y53s4w5kwklvqyqdfsk5mdhx5xj6fgc0gf6uzszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkpxxzjv #PennedPossibilities 1155 Do you enjoy musicals?<br/><br/>Yes! Since I was a kid &amp; watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 🤣 And West Side Story.<br/><br/>As a teen, I saw the original production of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway, with Ben Vereen, for a class trip. In college, I was a stagehand &amp; worked props for Les Miz for a week, which got me on stage singing along. 😀 <br/><br/>Other favs:<br/>Fiddler on the Roof<br/>Rent<br/>Paint Your Wagon<br/>Rocky Horror 2026-10-14T11:54:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstspt9yvprjg9nq0pfu68aa9n7x86zgdud8px59f98nkwl8fas0egzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkvwlpkc #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 14<br/>Who do you wish you could share your work with, but can&#39;t?<br/><br/>As long as I&#39;m fantasizing ...<br/><br/>The Wachowski sisters. They&#39;d be my dream producers if my work was ever made into a series. 😀 2026-10-14T11:47:59Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs22v6gdfd8fy0xse4206jr8ujaqjzmzzumvhsa0kr9r6rq274p8vgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkczgcd8 #ScribesAndMakers Oct 14<br/>How do you feel when a show that is non-musical inserts an episode with a musical number?<br/><br/>I think it&#39;s good fun. Nobody expects high art from that, I wouldn&#39;t think. A couple of my favorite shows--Buffy &amp; the Magicians--did this &amp; I enjoyed it.<br/><br/>&#34;Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be bunnies!&#34; (Sorry, I&#39;ll leave now) 2026-10-14T11:44:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdfkeq0069x9tddhw285f043ksncr2sghgqkgwfyj0waxjx5vypyqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkyzu9ek Escape to the improbable world of Ardonna 🌳 🌲 <br/><br/>A new chapter of Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK I is now live: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/10/14/year-1-month-6-day-3-afternoon/">https://crcollins.org/2026/10/14/year-1-month-6-day-3-afternoon/</a><br/><br/>Read from start: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/">https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/</a><br/><br/>More info: <a href="https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/">https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/</a><br/><br/>#Today #Bookstodon #Fantasy #EpicFantasy #HopePunk #Polyamory #Magic #SFF<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/439/071/410/774/002/original/15a50eec4dd4cb97.jpg"> 2026-10-14T11:40:59Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq5t53ecwnd4zj62vypfmsv8tle6ekmkh2ke7j8f6dxffwzx880ygzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk86gp7r #Spooktober Oct 13<br/>What are some songs for a spooky playlist?<br/><br/>Ghostbusters<br/>Werewolves of London<br/>Monster Mash 2026-10-13T12:05:54Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsddss4stpgujksf9rk6mjh08am08ze8xxdl6d8h9uzctu8j5klvyqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk53a99s #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 13<br/>What writerly weakness do you overcorrect for?<br/><br/>Any word I tend to misspell or overuse, use wrong, or whatever other blunder, is added to my edit search sheet. I then search for each as part of my self-editing process, which means I&#39;ll go through the entire manuscript multiple times. This is probably obsessive over-kill. 🤷 2026-10-13T11:50:35Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8p0wllk4rwj7cdqfjsg7k5at6gvf86xn0ps4az86ee6uhzsnp8sgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkxwvrdg #ScribesAndMakers Oct 13<br/>Schadenfreude?<br/><br/>Well, I&#39;m seeing Russia lost a good percentage of its bot farms this week 😆 2026-10-13T10:32:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0v9jfxk4z4au2shvw8m5jwc5smalee9svm76vcqeef7ue0t5egtgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk0j3ezm #Spooktober Oct 12<br/>What are your thoughts on doppelgängers?<br/><br/>I&#39;ve had no thoughts on them since that Vampire Diaries storyline 😆 Not seen too many stories about them.<br/><br/>One time, someone told me I must have a sister in CA (this was long before I moved here) which got me excited, as an adoptee (turns out I had more than one sister living here at that time.) I&#39;d heard something similar years before so guess there&#39;s at least one person who looks like me wandering about. 2026-10-12T11:48:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsft94lv778ae0r3utnxzskxr3w6ckv89uwnykhzyy7h9lghtg0zfszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkxgajmd #PennedPossibilities 1153<br/>Do you ever incorporate elements of horror into your work?<br/><br/>I do! Which is funny considering I can be such a horror wimp.<br/><br/>My books contain some awful deaths, plus a hell-world creature infestation, plus some nightmare-ish settings. 2026-10-12T11:22:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd2m2c6k58pzm054gvadjwvfjr3ezcdgq8qz0q8n00wskcn8p60uczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkkxykj6 #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 12<br/>What do you specialise in, prose-wise?<br/><br/>Long ass epic worlds, evidently. 2026-10-12T11:20:06Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgyd303s0lw086g2h7xu0hakfjntwzntjyje40s4vwfk6cwjadcdczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkl5z93n So, from perusing my feed this morning, the topic of #today seems to be people returning to &#34;X&#34;? I&#39;ll never get this. Never liked that platform back when it was Twitter, never had much of a following, or interesting interactions. Many folks were just nasty. I left prior to Musk &amp; deleted my acct after he took over. <br/><br/>Mastodon has been my best social media experience. I have way more interesting conversations &amp; online friends here than I got anywhere else. Am I odd in this respect? 2026-10-12T11:18:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs04kzlu4taq5476hcc2u8dxrgclgyx2zdh5wf2vp4nqxwkf6ekyvszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkgy57dj #WordWeavers Oct 12<br/>Which relationship in your story changed the most from what you originally planned?<br/><br/>I never have firm, set-in-stone plans, but my favorite story about this happening concerns my favorite romantic couple: Beau &amp; Zag Dovlin.<br/><br/>They were originally 2 of the MC&#39;s best friends who didn&#39;t get along very well, then, one day, I was just typing a paragraph &amp; a line popped out suggesting something more between them--completely unexpected. I liked it &amp; ran with it. 2026-10-12T11:11:32Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyayt9dyr90nad0xx6n0ttemrwy6u5vftzdv9pagjtjsq0styy80gzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jklmw022 #ScribesAndMakers Oct 12<br/>Do you ever talk to people in song lyrics?<br/><br/>Not that I can recall. 🤔 <br/><br/>If we&#39;re talking about characters in my books, they don&#39;t either, though they&#39;ve been known to sing. They&#39;re all songs written by my characters (so by me) &amp; therefore not subject to any copyright concerns. 2026-10-12T11:06:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0npreafv6qureng6t2tkwm8f7tulnayq99nd6zg8wq3kxcmk89yczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jktwj48y #ScribesAndMakers Oct 11<br/>Is there a word whose meaning is benign that still grates on you for some reason?<br/><br/>Lately, it&#39;s &#34;super.&#34; As in &#34;super intelligence.&#34; 🤮 2026-10-11T15:27:49Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdflhza4dh5uk8a5t2czadkwuu0t22u7vkys7c0eg3fq4yjg2rtugzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk87c578 Poor little hungry feral kitty braved the rain to tell me, in no uncertain terms, she still expected food and treats. 2026-10-11T14:19:35Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgvh98wvck8ka5sck8r2vhxnr6x789wdu7mykp74c3rjjac4e0mzqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkj8u0vk #Today <br/><br/>Still raining here in the desert since last night. My gardens will be pleased, but the dog was not when she went out for her morning potty. If this keeps up, I expect there will be flooding everywhere. Coachella Valley is a big bowl. 2026-10-11T13:08:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv6m9snnd7w06ezaa77wr5lf2qqm9umlrrj3dvezfpy7z0rd3h90gzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk8rjtdy #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 11<br/>What&#39;s a turn of phrase you&#39;ve &#39;inherited&#39; from someone else?<br/><br/>In life or in my writing? My sons &amp; I tend to fling Monty Python quotes at each other whenever we get together. <br/><br/>Oh, on two of my book pages on my site, I have this:<br/><br/>&#34;The links below lead to my only authorized vendors. Those who approve of courtesy (at least) to living authors will purchase from these and no others.&#34;<br/><br/>Not exactly the same as the original but close. Points to anyone who recognizes it. 2026-10-11T13:02:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvk0ng0g47pqvmm44yrxcmlv4v6pgzez9mgzl6yhhyla2j3wtexxgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk5svaff #Spooktober Oct 11<br/>Describe a time when you caught an animal staring at you.<br/><br/>I used to be a zookeeper, so this happened a lot. 😆 I regularly had an audience. Harry the patas monkey had a mirror hanging outside his behind-the-scenes cage which he used to follow your movements when you&#39;d passed beyond his sight. Joey the mandrill sometimes got an erection when he spotted me outside his exhibit during public hours--made for a not so family friendly display so I had to sneak around to check on him 2026-10-11T12:51:49Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswftzrd4gtegpjvzpl230f34ppjd0zhfqtxqqef4mpep4pl3ss6xczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkwgak77 #PennedPossibilities 1152<br/>MC POV: A time you ran out of options was… <br/><br/>I blinked back to consciousness. “Stop! Stop! Stop!” I pawed at the hover control, but kept swirling.<br/><br/>Spinning. Like the uroborus. Like down a damn drain. 2026-10-11T12:34:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8r3jrr45x4f3x4s9m9hl2p5qrvcltuqpak9aftl4y7frt60pn3gszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk6c2auq #WordWeavers Oct 11<br/>Passage where the setting is doing as much storytelling as the characters.<br/><br/>The fog was far more dangerous. It made it near impossible to navigate. Jez and Pentiere attempted to lead, but the wind brought back silence. The pair threw blasts, while water adepts leached out moisture. In some places, this worked: the veils proved thinner. We glimpsed the sun or moons and got some idea of how fucked we were. 2026-10-11T12:30:23Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstzkjvwtr0cp52fyhjmal7pq55vg4gy8pghgqk0w2lzqc55nqzstszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkpdp2pk Buy Books Direct from Authors Around the World (sorted by region)<br/><br/>Including #Fantasy #SciFi #Horror #Romance #Mystery #Comedy #Historical <br/><br/><a href="https://elisecarlson.com/2026/10/06/books-direct-from-authors-around-the-world/">https://elisecarlson.com/2026/10/06/books-direct-from-authors-around-the-world/</a><br/><br/>#Bookstodon #ReadingCommunity<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/422/059/813/686/279/original/fd21e809951738eb.png"> 2026-10-11T11:40:13Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvt7wea3p3nq6cyqq6vgnytndvx8mjtwjrfga0pa6p9fdrawedz0czyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkd22geg #Today <br/><br/>SoCal is supposed to be getting actual rain this weekend, from a passing tropical storm. 🤔 It&#39;s not supposed to hit our valley directly, but we shall see. The wind already picked up yesterday--it never misses an opportunity to cause havoc around here--though it&#39;s quiet now. I&#39;ve got gardening tasks to do but, after that, fingers crossed for a good soaking.<br/><br/>Here&#39;re photos of my newest garden &#34;child.&#34; My hibiscus is flowering!<br/><br/>Have a great weekend, all.<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/416/591/338/710/357/original/6b725a0f440fd22f.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/416/592/305/996/314/original/fc6395d555513d9c.jpg"> <br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/416/592/979/777/062/original/c745d2b843082acd.jpg"> 2026-10-10T12:26:34Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdtn39xxqwfng8mxp8wp3550dgwky2s8x2l4efwuwwgy9xpm9vkkszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk4pcduj #Spooktober Oct 10<br/>Going door-to-door and asking for treats/sweets: in your country/culture, when do people do this?<br/><br/>In the USA, this happens the evening of Oct 31, our Halloween.<br/><br/>Back when I had a house &amp; lived in a suburb we had a lot of visitors to my neighborhood. People would drive their kids in from elsewhere. I loved it. I went all out with decorations, spooky music, witch hats. My little dog, who loved people, wore a costume. It was great fun seeing all the kids. My favorite &#34;holiday.&#34; 2026-10-10T11:29:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvwrf0fdukusqfxju86l0m4dnfc522zhgdytthnq43jmlxcpregqgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jku6k0pa #WordWeavers Oct 10<br/>What is one thing your antagonist genuinely admires about your MC?<br/><br/>The majority of antagonists fear Maggie&#39;s power rather than admire her. They respect that enough to be very careful. However, a few do admire her commitment to her people. 2026-10-10T11:22:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2vwkpcsyehylfanxudvtkeag6p4vjaz94053y38dd2lnl5l9j08czyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkl29wes #PennedPossibilities 151: What is your MC’s relationship to what modern society considers the paranormal or supernatural?<br/><br/>A running theme/joke newcomers have is that much of which they&#39;d considered &#34;supernatural&#34; was normal on Ardonna.<br/><br/>However, one question still persisted. No one can explain what happens to souls after death. In BOOK III of Season of the Bluebonnets, Maggie begins to find answers. It&#39;s as &#34;paranormal&#34; as my books have gotten. 2026-10-10T11:20:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv0f20c5wg78dwk7pf5w0rp6exnkmxu4u0rj4s3hcp5cluf7z82pqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jknkfelz #ScribesAndMakers Oct 10 #TTMD <br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpqhcxyd9t0a45zn7h2kcpyg57wrruktz0xs02da7wm8d5pusahvxeq788dc9" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpqhcxyd9t0a45zn7h2kcpyg57wrruktz0xs02da7wm8d5pusahvxeq788dc9</span> (<span class="italic">nprofile…8dc9</span>)</a></span> <br/><br/>Happy YOU day!! 🥳 <br/><br/>How wasn&#39;t I following you already? 🤔 Anyway, that&#39;s fixed now.<br/><br/>Went through your website &amp; found the link for Broad Universe. I&#39;d never heard of it before. How does this site differ from other author sites in regards to what it offers writers?<br/><br/>Now the BIG question: Please tell us about knitting a sweater for a cow. 😀 Why did this cow need a sweater? 2026-10-10T11:14:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxt0y3pvald4a3p8humzhnhffqrlk5cd50znqqlej6smt7vm83dtczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkave3a7 #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 10<br/>Do you have a guiding principle as a writer? <br/><br/>Don&#39;t punch down. Avoid hurting the feelings of anyone who doesn&#39;t deserve it. 2026-10-10T10:47:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9ncncutq9a0ty7vnufz09765zw7xszdngkw69k5ez70pjlk0c7uqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkwwll98 My husband got his ballot 2 days ago. Where is mine? 🤬 2026-10-09T23:47:04Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspu3wqmw220jrj9hawdvwu3w84089q389axz0rxxxv9zwt04s2ukszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkmcup38 #Spooktober Oct 8 &amp; 9<br/><br/>I&#39;m already behind, so I&#39;ll jump in with 2 days.<br/><br/>Zombies: Hate them. I have a weird love-hate relationship with horror stories--some I love, others ... Zombies tend to fall in the &#34;Ewww&#34; category. I rarely finish shows with them.<br/><br/>Vampires: I&#39;ve enjoyed them, but lately, I might have reached capacity. Many stories seem to have questionable ethics in terms of making mass murderers sympathetic. And don&#39;t get me started on the teenaged girl-200 year old guy trope. 2026-10-09T12:27:44Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2ca02qfluna4pkmzmj7p2mngaeummx4ekj7dghc78kgry7fx4mvszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk78w3aw #ScribesAndMakers Oct 10<br/>Our next featured creator is a &#39;relentless optimist.&#39; How full is your glass?<br/><br/>I was never one of those, not even as a child. 😆 But I remind myself that good things happening have the same odds as bad, depending on the effort put in, so I can&#39;t say I&#39;m a pessimist either. Day to day, I expect life to be a challenge. I&#39;m stubborn enough to persevere &amp; try to tip those odds toward the better by my actions. As long as one keeps fighting, there&#39;s hope. 2026-10-09T12:10:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszf0vcs4aaenfkprwf6g5dwrp9mexz2t4g28udtrh7yztp24tvecqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkjppkg7 #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 9<br/>How does your own sense of mortality influence what you write?<br/><br/>I don&#39;t know if it influences *what* I write, but it does influence *how* I write. At my age I have to be more disciplined to get these works done. I didn&#39;t get serious about my writing until I hit 60, so I now have less time to dither. 2026-10-09T11:57:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst7kyfv2f3uuj5zp6kqjnf042hjdlda7t8wrygm7am0aq2e7lyv7szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk6ntezz #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 8<br/>Tell us about someone who supports you on the sidelines.<br/><br/>My husband, sister, &amp; 2 sons have all been supportive in different ways. Most recently, my sister tested all my blog features--subscribed &amp; sent me a tip--to see if all was working as it should before I launched. My eldest son usually buys the first ebook from my direct store after a new one is launched to make sure there&#39;re no glitches. 2026-10-08T11:50:43Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs03g4cegudf6ztkk3tz8l0gdy660wjxlacz9z6ms9ujlupluehdzgzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkjq8a2a #PennedPossibilities 1149¾: Bonus Question: If your character is ill, who would care for them? Would they provide good care?<br/><br/>Maggie&#39;s good friend, Addie, is a healer. She&#39;d get excellent care. 2026-10-08T11:44:04Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd8h3mr4suxkwme2dtweqvk4hd38u9267sty934v77v4jtcp4x49qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk5h9fds #WordWeavers Oct 8<br/>Which character is most likely to make a terrible decision for a very good reason?<br/><br/>Mitchel Pinori of the Zayladas &amp; Lassen of the Zayladas have the great cause of setting Earth beasts free &amp; protecting their native beast allies but terrible methods. 2026-10-08T11:42:38Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswnt32ylwvr3fs46rlgt9x0kqjpg72wp3y9pn9fldvcxrgk6u6xxczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk47e4qu #ScribesAndMakers Oct 8<br/>Do you engage in multiple creative activities or stick to one<br/><br/>I write &amp; garden, which takes up a good portion of each day. 2026-10-08T11:40:18Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxu6ktlkzy9zkwec7hkmmln2qnqknmzqyn4nj7jjsaz6a7tgqx4cszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk39xr93 #Today<br/><br/>Looks like Trump wasn&#39;t kidding about sending seniors &#34;under $100&#34; to &#34;help&#34; with Medicare drug payments. Two $90 direct deposits from the US Treasury just showed up for husband &amp; me. Woo hoo that&#39;ll go a long way to fix what he broke. 🙄 2026-10-08T11:04:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswutpd2tm5w9t438ql6v4ghprxjyz3znnfj8eqza3gfqaxtmns59czyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk899rus #PennedPossibilities 1149<br/>Your MC/MCs come across some spooky scary skeletons... What&#39;s next?<br/><br/>Maggie would call her agents in to investigate 2026-10-07T11:59:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2yydhm8jtanps487u026htvwgqtm4l2hhx3cypxuxu8mdzrexukczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk8qjee7 #WordWeavers Oct 7<br/>Share a line of dialogue that tells us everything we need to know about a character&#39;s personality.<br/><br/>Hmm. Difficult, but this one gives a hint:<br/><br/>“My kind is the type which survives. You had the idea magery made you noble, but it serves any goal. My affinity’s been helpful, allows me to manage the unwary, but Tomin has a profitable skill. We weren’t hurting anyone in Atlantea. Didn’t strike the first blow.” 2026-10-07T11:55:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsz5rddjpzk8un55kae8fgecyqtuc4qvsmwapjutyae3ldgdadz42qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk77gfpa #ScribesAndMakers Oct 7<br/>Create a four line rhyming poem that includes the word goose.<br/><br/>&#34;It&#39;s Christmas time, &#34; Papa said<br/>&#34;Time to kill the goose.&#34;<br/>&#34;Fly! Fly!&#34; I darted ahead<br/>And set her loose. 2026-10-07T11:46:24Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8uvgug5chy0az26sshes28n3te3l9m8rutwg4vqdqq0vy2r65s0gzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkftkece #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 7<br/>Does your editing process tend towards addition or reduction? <br/><br/>Both. The first rounds are always addition as my early drafts are incomplete, like scaffolding or a line drawing. I add details which bring the story to life.<br/><br/>Later go throughs are about trimming excess words or duplications, revising to make things clearer, etc 2026-10-07T11:42:15Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf62a4gr4q8shstfwcwtjd894fqfjydcxk6kjc2d57wjw8n5cg4sszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkfmc4eu Escape to the improbable world of Ardonna 🌳<br/><br/>A new chapter of Season of the Bluebonnets BOOK I is live on my site: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/10/07/year-1-month-6-day-3-morning/">https://crcollins.org/2026/10/07/year-1-month-6-day-3-morning/</a><br/><br/>Read from start: <a href="https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/">https://crcollins.org/2026/08/26/welcome-to-the-world-of-ardonna/</a><br/><br/>Learn more: <a href="https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/">https://crcollins.org/season-of-the-bluebonnets/</a><br/><br/>#Today #Bookstodon #EpicFantasy #SFF #Magic #Polyamory #HopePunk #ReadingCommunity<br/><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/writing/media_attachments/files/117/399/403/563/268/611/original/41e1d028bbd6b6dd.jpg"> 2026-10-07T11:33:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrtpstyxw0uu0qmwseu0lgw884pfghrefu562u9y37tzhj92hhz2szyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk3g0m8v #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 6<br/>What might an inattentive reader miss in your work?<br/><br/>I throw in a lot of cultural references for fun, which have no bearing on the story. They might miss those. For example, two main streets in Sharren City are named for my favorite comedians. There are also lines here &amp; there, usually within an MCs musings. 2026-10-06T11:53:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd0a07ka40lsse00svewvsv5028y2jwvjguf45k2duv57ku9vjepczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkuav7sw #ScribesAndMakers 0ct 6<br/>On a scale of 0-100, how much conflict is necessary for a compelling story?<br/><br/>No idea what this scale represents. Numbers of conflicts? Percentage of the book? One rule of writing every aspiring author learns is that &#34;a story MUST have conflict.&#34; I have seen backlash to this idea, but I can&#39;t think of any stories without conflict, even if it&#39;s just internal, or dealing with a health issue. I feel like there *should* be examples &amp; I&#39;m probably missing them. 2026-10-06T11:46:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsge7m209qry23mafqdgq903ju0xw9v629hedj3yxv307z7qd9vrqszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk50ujnm #PennedPossibilities 1149<br/>Think of a choice your MC made. How did it lead to where and who they are now?<br/><br/>Maggie chose to petition for space for herself and the archives on the starship Eriander. The rest is Ardonnan history. 2026-10-06T11:35:39Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspwzpvn0r5dg4vpjy9pgkg5w95a0p26wuzuxl06g3gzq6ad40q85qzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkxp5qlu #WordWeavers Oct 6<br/>What is considered completely normal in your story&#39;s world that would seem bizarre to us?<br/><br/>Burying oneself alive to live longer. 2026-10-06T11:33:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs02kmny7zn2zzpejs6srumf3azkh8mmy0ny9w7lddg9u3qfquh2mszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkuqdg7u #ScribesAndMakers Oct 5<br/>Excluding unfinished work, what&#39;s the longest it&#39;s taken you to complete a project?<br/><br/>Over 30 years. Though most of that time I wasn&#39;t working on the book at all. 😆 But it started in the late 1980s &amp; was published in 2022. 2026-10-05T12:45:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdh6yhrskg65lqftcauepw2p2j7xkzpn0p89xtgcnqc0wq0enjreszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jktahpf6 #PennedPossibilities 1148: Is your favorite genre to read also your favorite one to write?<br/><br/>Sort of. I enjoy fantasy but have also read a lot of hard scifi, which I don&#39;t write. Suppose they&#39;re both speculative. 2026-10-05T12:41:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0ff7kl4k8uedyh9s9apn0pj9euyqusen4nld09r4mglj0rvmd5tczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkqxj3rt #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 5<br/>What haunts the narrative of your current work?<br/><br/>The matrons. What do they want? Are they even real? There&#39;s no hard evidence, yet rumors persist. Whispered tales based on half-remembered glimpses of women wrapped in shadow, an eerie feeling you&#39;ve forgotten something which raises the hair on the back of your neck. What can you trust if not your own memory of events? 2026-10-05T12:39:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsggjsl92kg5crwv5dvjw049dyxru5f43xs0uryfr6rzkyypl4yvnszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jks893ks #PennedPossibilities 1147<br/>How does your SC feel about those around them?<br/><br/>Maggie is, at bottom, a caring person, though some might be surprised to learn this. She adores her family &amp; friends, &amp; wants all her people to live good, satisfying lives where they are safe with all needs met. However, she also holds the firm opinion that lots of folks are &#34;intellectually challenged.&#34; 2026-10-04T11:37:38Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv0l56kny06u5xfz3tglvhc2gxf47nj5d9fs5nl5ffd4pszww53uczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jka4exr4 #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 4<br/>How isolated are your characters in your current WIP?<br/><br/>Maggie is usually surrounded by people, many of whom she cares for &amp; who cares for her so, in that sense, she&#39;s not isolated at all. However, few completely understand the Librarian and her motivations. She&#39;s been condemned for various library actions &amp; policies, sometimes rightly, but other times because they didn&#39;t see the bigger picture. It&#39;s a constant struggle, even with those closest to her. 2026-10-04T11:34:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst8j2djjfwwwnmgnjcdjqp5f4qfk4wjpd3zzgv4exqfcf5sjq4mfqzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jksgz8r2 #WordWeavers Oct 4<br/>What is your MC&#39;s most irrational fear?<br/><br/>Most of Maggie&#39;s concerns that other people would call &#34;irrational&#34; (though friends &amp; family phrase it more kindly) stem from her librarian brain being able to spot patterns before most other people &amp; make predictions as to where this is headed. She might not always be right, but *could be* &amp; has been often enough most people pay attention to her.<br/><br/>People have suggested she focuses too much on probabilities which have not happened yet. 2026-10-04T11:21:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdtdh0e5q4hja6vul3gml5kuuq4da4tmmjefl2q6u8neycxlqvlvszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk8k5awn #ScribesAndMakers Oct 4<br/>Do you include details in your work that are important to you even though no one else will likely notice?<br/><br/>Probably. I am obsessed with not leaving any loopholes or loose ends. I&#39;m always thinking of questions a random reader *might* ask &amp; wanting to provide answers.<br/><br/>That being said, my story world is so epic, in terms of both time &amp; space, I am constantly thinking, oh, I never properly explained this bit, then talking myself down as it has no bearing on the story 2026-10-04T11:15:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq5z29uamm3pq5rm82plhcmd9ysw29qeuq4f4n87j0cy76l3p93qczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk3a9w5w #PennedPossibilities 1146<br/>Does romance ever feature in your work?<br/><br/>There&#39;re subplots with side characters as well as one with the MC. I enjoy interpersonal relationships in general--my work includes many family and friend storylines too--but romantic relationships are particularly interesting to delve into for character development. However, I don&#39;t write &#34;romance,&#34; per se. The adventure plot is always at the forefront, though often heavily interconnected with character relationships. 2026-10-03T12:54:19Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs040lq63fp87ug6722xcexfzy88w4anextr502e2a8m5y0g8pp3lczyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jknk9huf #WritersCoffeeClub Oct 3<br/>How do you feel about spoilers?<br/><br/>I tend to be the odd one out on this topic. I love them &amp; actively seek them out, particularly for shows. I have a hard time dealing with suspense at times. While sometimes I am fine waiting to see, I don&#39;t always enjoy that feeling, depending on the topic it can create unpleasant anxiety to the point I might stop watching. I have comfort shows I&#39;ll watch again &amp; again, where I obviously know everything that happened. 🤷 2026-10-03T12:44:35Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvy7qjmx8fmlvks059lppn4tgcan9dxkw03ew7zh0xl5pxc493tuszyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jk2zp4k4 #WordWeavers Oct 3<br/>Share a line from your WIP that foreshadows something important without giving it away.<br/><br/>More than one line, but heavy foreshadowing.<br/><br/>“You have no right—nor power—to dictate what dragons do beyond our borders,” Jez growled. “They are free beings in this world. Learned enough to take their own counsel. If Quenelle withholds their welcome, we will live to regret it.” 2026-10-03T12:39:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxax55savedju3qzz8egle3tdgmjplmkvfuvzykr0csxklgtn4l9gzyzla9we0edkhxv2ek9cmgxsr50a78p60gevl5w3vp7tc56zsev6jkuyfm6q #ScribesAndMakers Oct 3<br/>Is there a common thread throughout your creative work (apart from the fact that you created it)?<br/><br/>Trees rule the world.<br/><br/>There&#39;s plenty of common threads, actually, since I&#39;m still working in the same series. If I ever write something else, I suspect they would still be a love of nature involved. 2026-10-03T11:16:06Z