Nostr notes by Christina Anne Hawthorne

#Today 04 #SilentSunday For all that is good in this world, vote. ...

2026-10-04T11:53:53Z

#Today 04 #SilentSunday

For all that is good in this world, vote.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#WorldOfOntyre 25 Going through the chapters and writing minimal ...

2026-09-25T11:24:12Z

#WorldOfOntyre 25

Going through the chapters and writing minimal notes on last year’s drafted mystery, I’m pleasantly reminded of one of the best ideas I’ve ever had.

I still believe in the story.

I’m 40% of the way through already, and there are outstanding chapters, but because of needed changes to the plot, some will be gutted or discarded altogether, especially in the second half.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 25 Good day! Autumn colors in the forest atop Pengelly ...

2026-09-25T11:22:26Z

#Today 25

Good day!

Autumn colors in the forest atop Pengelly Ridge, this image taken about one minute before I emerged from the trees and discovered clouds pouring down the canyon.

This followed the steepest part of the hike.

Big effort, big reward. 😃

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography #FootpathFriday

#WordWeavers 25 alcohol or illicit drugs Alcohol plays a role in ...

2026-09-25T11:20:45Z

#WordWeavers 25
alcohol or illicit drugs

Alcohol plays a role in Kovenlore Book-3, along with grief. Beyond that, it’s a spoiler.

There aren’t illicit drugs in my works, but potions exist in Pannulus and can be used—under controlled conditions. Thus, there are potion dens, but it’s illegal to use them outside the den.

That has led to addiction problems, and to the manufacture of illegals. This often comes up, and plays a central role in one mystery.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 25 multiple Fedi accounts I don’t do this, ...

2026-09-25T11:20:34Z

#ScribesAndMakers 25
multiple Fedi accounts

I don’t do this, preferring a different approach. One author, one account. I do have a hashtag, #WorldOfOntyre, that I use for daily musings, images, announcements, and so on.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 24 After nine months of hiding my head and not ...

2026-09-24T11:48:09Z

#WorldOfOntyre 24

After nine months of hiding my head and not thinking about it, I’m finally going through the novel written last December.

Not only did I scrimp on prep (it shows), but I had Covid while drafting.

The short version? So far, it isn’t as bad as I feared, and some of it is outstanding.

For now, this is a side project, but it is encouraging, and is posing many new ideas.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 24 have I donated book sale proceeds You ...

2026-09-24T11:40:40Z

#ScribesAndMakers 24
have I donated book sale proceeds

You mistake me for someone who’s making a profit from my writing. I'm not. The opposite is true.

Yet, I'll keep writing.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 23 He’d found yet another historical link. She ...

2026-09-23T11:55:58Z

#WorldOfOntyre 23

He’d found yet another historical link. She used to tease him about his heart living in the past.

She used to do a lot of things.

Next to the arch’s inner south wall, he touched the stone darker than the others. The stone she rested the back of her head against when he kissed her. Her sly smile stole his heart. If he raised his hand, might he touch her cheek…?

Kovenlore Book3

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 23 Good day! At last, autumn has arrived, but not just any ...

2026-09-23T11:54:56Z

#Today 23

Good day!

At last, autumn has arrived, but not just any autumn.

Be safe out there.

I wish it was different. I wish none of this was happening. I wish a lot of things.

Wishing doesn’t accomplish anything. It never has. Autumn is here and it’s almost time to vote.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 23 noun representative of me Heart. #AmWriting ...

2026-09-23T11:49:36Z

#ScribesAndMakers 23
noun representative of me

Heart.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 21 Never have I been as disciplined as I’ve had ...

2026-09-21T11:46:17Z

#WorldOfOntyre 21

Never have I been as disciplined as I’ve had to be the last 2.5 months while editing Book-6. It was out of necessity to remain on schedule, but the reason hardly matters.

This isn’t bragging. It’s the opposite. After all, I put myself in this difficult position.

Rather than my imposed work ethic busting rocks, I’m proud of facing necessity. I’ll use that as motivation.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 21 a day with a character A day here or there? ...

2026-09-21T11:40:38Z

#ScribesAndMakers 21
a day with a character

A day here or there?

Here? I’d love to spend a day with Riparia hiking along Rattlesnake Creek. IRL, I don’t have the opportunity to share experiences, and as a fellow introvert who loves the outdoors, and flowing water, she’d be perfect.

There? It’d be the same, assuming it was a time of peace (not that it’s exactly peaceful here). We could spend time in the Wilder Hills hiking, and spending time beside a stream.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 20 Gratitude and satisfaction, two extraordinary ...

2026-09-20T11:51:00Z

#WorldOfOntyre 20

Gratitude and satisfaction, two extraordinary motivators.

Yesterday, I went on an 8.7 mile hike, gaining +1,700 feet of altitude. At the moment I topped the ridge, I encountered an unexpected and gorgeous view. Gratitude.

I finished that hike, returned home, and finished editing a short chapter. Satisfaction.

Such days sustain me, providing motivation and milestones.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 20 repossess “So, you’re saying, he’s ...

2026-09-20T11:45:59Z

#ScribesAndMakers 20
repossess

“So, you’re saying, he’s been possessed?”

“No, repossessed.”

“Repossessed?”

“Yeah. Evil reclaimed him because he defaulted on his payments. You know, creditors. Insurance people, too, actually. They’re dead inside.”

“And they’re possessed by—”

“Evil. You're possessed with financial death. To escape, you trust them. It doesn’t matter. Eventually, they repossess you. You become one of them. Kinda. Mostly, you eat flies.”

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#Today 19 Good day! Another night of intense dreaming, waking ...

2026-09-19T11:35:46Z

#Today 19

Good day!

Another night of intense dreaming, waking exhausted, and not feeling rested. I’d blame a lot of things, but I suspect they’d all be true.

Life can’t get rid of me that easily, not until after I vote. With a mail-in ballot. That I’ll hand deliver. Early.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 18 4 new titles after changing one word Book: ...

2026-09-18T11:29:22Z

#ScribesAndMakers 18
4 new titles after changing one word

Book: The Smell of Shannara
Movie: Gone With the Money
Song: Bridge Over No Water
Play: A Midsummer’s Night Tornado

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 17 2/2 Essence Stone, which is a pendent, ...

2026-09-17T11:57:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…qaup
_________________________

#ScribesAndMakers 17 2/2

Essence Stone, which is a pendent, appears in my 1st Pannulus Mystery, not Kovenlore Chronicles (there's a secret twist there).

Readers of the 1st Kovenlore book, Trust in the Forgotten, would recognize the gryphon totem, which appears early. The Vigil Stone (not a necklace) appears in that same book.

For readers, that eliminated two choices, and left the half-coin necklace, which appears in Kovenlore Book-5, which releases in 2 months. It’s critical to the story.

#ScribesAndMakers 17 1/2 reviewing yesterday’s 4 objects poll ...

2026-09-17T11:56:32Z

#ScribesAndMakers 17 1/2
reviewing yesterday’s 4 objects poll

Do I overthink these? Maybe not…

I placed the two “stone’ answers side by side to distract from one another, and included one answer that was real, but sounded non-magical. All of which was skewing the answers—until overnight.

And then, they aligned the way they should have, though underlying guesswork remained. Interesting.

Essence Stone is the correct answer. Here’s why…

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

https://writing.exchange/@CA_Hawthorne/117280560267405588

quoting
note1n3k…a8j7

#ScribesAndMakers 16
poll: 4 objects

Here are 4 objects, 3 of which appear in Kovenlore Chronicles. I could’ve made up the fourth (Mysquanmic Map), or used an object mentioned, but never seen (Virtusfane).

Instead, my 4th is an object from my first mystery, which takes place in Pannulus.

So, which of these four is the Pannulus object and DOESN’T appear in Kovenlore?

*Please note: There’s a fifth choice you can’t see and has nothing to do with this poll.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 16 poll: 4 objects Here are 4 objects, 3 of ...

2026-09-16T11:48:50Z

#ScribesAndMakers 16
poll: 4 objects

Here are 4 objects, 3 of which appear in Kovenlore Chronicles. I could’ve made up the fourth (Mysquanmic Map), or used an object mentioned, but never seen (Virtusfane).

Instead, my 4th is an object from my first mystery, which takes place in Pannulus.

So, which of these four is the Pannulus object and DOESN’T appear in Kovenlore?

*Please note: There’s a fifth choice you can’t see and has nothing to do with this poll.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

I'd see them in upstate New York when I lived there, but we ...

2026-09-15T11:59:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…vsax
_________________________

I'd see them in upstate New York when I lived there, but we didn't have them in Wyoming. When I moved here, I was delighted to see them again.

In places where there are a lot of people, they're adorable moochers. In the forest, they're quite vocal, and will scream at me as I approach, but then sit silent and frozen on a branch as I approach, tail curled up over their back.

We have ground squirrels, too, but also these pine squirrels, and ...

2026-09-15T11:55:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…2cgl
_________________________

We have ground squirrels, too, but also these pine squirrels, and a different variety here in the valley (a fox squirrel, I think). Then, of course, there are chipmunks. Our trees are alive with more than birds.

#WorldOfOntyre 15 I was slapped. With an idea. An awful, ...

2026-09-15T11:41:55Z

#WorldOfOntyre 15

I was slapped. With an idea. An awful, wonderful idea, yet still don’t know what it means or how it’ll manifest.

Yet, there it is.

It actually sprouted from a 2015 short story where its suggested that a myth is true. It pops up a couple of times in other stories, but I’ve never explored it more than that.

Might this new story under development be the time? It’s possible.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 15 Good day! I spotted this squirrel racing to the tree ...

2026-09-15T11:38:52Z

#Today 15

Good day!

I spotted this squirrel racing to the tree where it froze long enough to get a picture.

After that, it raced around, peaked at me from the backside, leaped onto the fallen tree, and continued playing peekaboo.

It was an entertaining few minutes.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 15 when I use a semicolon I seldom use a ...

2026-09-15T11:38:12Z

#ScribesAndMakers 15
when I use a semicolon

I seldom use a semicolon. It has nothing to do with a perfectly fine punctuation mark, and a lot to do with my grammar skills. I have a long, painful history of bungling semicolons, especially in fiction.

I understand proper usage (mostly), but lack confidence using them, and end up spending too much time thinking about it.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

After yesterday, you probably already know that I like this idea. ...

2026-09-14T17:33:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…txds
_________________________

After yesterday, you probably already know that I like this idea. I doubt that generating ideas for panels is going to be a problem, but I could be wrong. I say, the more ideas the better, and one idea could lead to another, and so on.

#ScribesAndMakers 14 (14) favorite story setting This is complex, ...

2026-09-14T11:57:56Z

#ScribesAndMakers 14 (14)
favorite story setting

This is complex, yet seems obvious later.

It memorably serves the plot, and makes the heroine uncomfortable for MULTIPLE reasons (climate, culture, memories, specific people, society, threats…).

For the reader, it’s also interesting, and makes sense.

Book-1 opening: Coving. Riparia is tense in cities; awkward around the man she’s meeting; fears practitioners, sorcerers, and spies, and it’s chilly and raining.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 13 pt2 pedantic Okay, I tried to give the ...

2026-09-13T12:24:26Z

#ScribesAndMakers 13 pt2
pedantic

Okay, I tried to give the reasoned answer…

I’m a mess, actually. I’m English and Irish, so my history reads like theirs. I’m an INFJ. We define contradictions, and then contradict those.

Coming out of high school, they gave me an aptitude test. I scored high in accounting and creativity. In other words, opposite sides when I was supposed to be clustered.

I still remember the insightful and wise counselor's explanation: “Uh…”

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 13 I’ll admit that my covers aren’t ...

2026-09-13T11:59:09Z

#WorldOfOntyre 13

I’ll admit that my covers aren’t spectacular, though they do have catchy elements.

Oddly, the one element that was unintentional is how the eyes (Riparia’s eyes) in the title trick the viewer. At least, they do me.

If I focus on them, my eyes attempt to create a face out of the map background. After making a mock first cover, I knew I had to keep the feature.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 13 pedantic “Excessively concerned with minor ...

2026-09-13T11:42:11Z

#ScribesAndMakers 13
pedantic

“Excessively concerned with minor details and rules, or with displaying academic learning.”

I can become consumed with minor details, if not careful. Attention to detail is great, but I don’t want to become obsessed.

Writing rules, for instance, some have helped me greatly, but can be difficult to discard when I’m ready.

I don’t want to become that person determined to prove their intellect. I’ve been the victim of their excesses.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 12 From Book-5 of the Kovenlore Chronicles: A ...

2026-09-12T11:59:34Z

#WorldOfOntyre 12
From Book-5 of the Kovenlore Chronicles:

A shadow detached from the wall. Wizards were strange by nature, but Magnester was stranger than most. Long, curly gray hair. Mustache drooping to his chest. Rumpled dark suit and robe. He had a knack for moving about Grandle and avoiding royal scrutiny.

He also had a mysterious connection to Mother.

-----

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 11 Good day! We had a bear attack here recently. Did ...

2026-09-11T11:30:43Z

#Today 11

Good day!

We had a bear attack here recently.

Did someone startle a bear deep in the backcountry? Were they unprepared in the wilds?

The woman was walking her dog along the edge of the city. She survived, and is in serious condition in Seattle.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography #FootpathFriday

#ScribesAndMakers 11 have I collaborated creatively After ...

2026-09-11T11:29:26Z

#ScribesAndMakers 11
have I collaborated creatively

After considerable reflection…nope. Never.

Wait, let me reconsider that. Still no.

I can’t begin to imagine it happening. Being the person I am, there’d have to be a deep creative connection between us. No such person exists in my life at the moment.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 10 I realize that if I were a director, developing ...

2026-09-10T11:31:42Z

#WorldOfOntyre 10

I realize that if I were a director, developing a story would be like seeing the script, and drafting like witnessing the play performed.

For some reason, I’ve always struggled to describe that, but it suddenly struck me, an insight as mysterious as story.

There’s a huge difference between dialogue on a page with stage direction, and a set with actors performing.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 10 acronyms After more reflection than ...

2026-09-10T11:25:29Z

#ScribesAndMakers 10
acronyms

After more reflection than necessary, I can’t think of a single acronym that appears in Kovenlore Chronicles. Carrdia doesn’t lend itself to them.

They do exist in Pannulus, which is more modernized, but I believe I’ve only used them in reference to a handful of government security agencies.

The archipelago is extremely security conscious given the danger of illegal artifacts from the mainland, and agents from Draskrith.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 09 So many years and decisions since my “modern ...

2026-09-09T11:21:33Z

#WorldOfOntyre 09

So many years and decisions since my “modern era” began in 2015. I stand by each one of them.

For instance, I considered capping Kovenlore’s length at 5 books, but also 9, or open-ended rather than 7. I literally debated that for years.

In fact, some of the foreshadowing for books that didn’t happen remains in the series through Book-5. After that, I knew it was ending.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 09 Good day! 42F this morning. An image that captures ...

2026-09-09T11:17:58Z

#Today 09

Good day!

42F this morning.

An image that captures autumn here. The red brush and green pines.

In the distance is striping. The green valley, golden grass of the foothills, and blue mountains beneath a cloudy sky.

There’s even sedimentary rock in the foreground.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 09 this month… I’m editing Kovenlore ...

2026-09-09T11:13:00Z

#ScribesAndMakers 09
this month…

I’m editing Kovenlore Book-6, but that’s a spoiler, other than to say I’ll finish this month (then edit its accompanying novella).

Meanwhile, I’ve identified the issues with the Talma Loyal novel I drafted in Dec while suffering Covid.

I’m also writing notes for a romantic suspense about a gender spirited woman trapped in a unfulfilling life singing in a sleazy nightclub, witnesses what she shouldn’t, and ends up on the run.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

After the fact, you can gauge the engagement. 😉

2026-09-08T11:28:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…xuwk
_________________________

After the fact, you can gauge the engagement. 😉

#WorldOfOntyre 08 Come on, let’s ride the rails! Actually, this ...

2026-09-08T10:57:50Z

#WorldOfOntyre 08

Come on, let’s ride the rails!

Actually, this is me seeking a location for a story. Thing is, it’s Pannulus so I can’t physically go there.

So, I travel via airship, boat, vehicle, or train in my mind while staring at the map blown-up on my desktop monitor. I “see” the places I’m considering.

In this case, there’s a short journey on a train early on, which is perfect.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 08 (a) gauge My peak flow meter. I use it ...

2026-09-08T10:51:37Z

#ScribesAndMakers 08
(a) gauge

My peak flow meter. I use it twice/day, every day to measure lung operation. It keeps me from lying to myself.

Think of it, too, as an early warning system.

I don’t technically have to use it, but the combination of lung damage and HP makes it a good idea (I also have an oximeter).

All my walking/hiking has me registering better than most women my age, but my readings can plummet quickly if I become sick, like when I had Covid.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 07 The Case of the Character Theft ? is a ...

2026-09-07T11:38:14Z

#ScribesAndMakers 07
The Case of the Character Theft

? is a detective with a sidekick, &, who records their adventures. ? is always curious, and knows the right questions to ask. & has a knack for adding to the narrative. As & is fond of saying, there’s always more.

Their arch nemesis is 9, a multiplier who always yields more 9s in the end. If 9 is allowed to continue, all the world will eventually become a remainder that looks and acts like 9.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

When I was in Wyoming, we'd celebrate rain, but the ground ...

2026-09-06T12:28:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…mhk0
_________________________

When I was in Wyoming, we'd celebrate rain, but the ground wouldn't hold it, it'd just run to the river.

The hurricane isn't supposed to make landfall, so maybe you'll just catch a few pulses.

We've been getting rain twice/day. We had a downpour yesterday afternoon, and then another last night. The thunder woke me up. Thunder in September here? Yup. Because nothing makes sense these days. 🤣

Yay! Maybe the hurricane moving up the coast will throw some more ...

2026-09-06T12:19:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…wgt4
_________________________

Yay! Maybe the hurricane moving up the coast will throw some more bands your way, but not too many. 😃

#WorldOfOntyre 06 When I began Kovenlore Chronicles, children ...

2026-09-06T11:42:47Z

#WorldOfOntyre 06

When I began Kovenlore Chronicles, children weren’t on my radar. What did I know about writing kids? How could they possibly fit into my stories?

Yet, they did.

Maybe it was the horror of watching real adults mortgage their children’s futures? Or was it devaluing their education? Crimes against children, maybe? Epstein, anyone?

Children deserve respect, love, and a future.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 05 The targeted edit of this book in the Kovenlore ...

2026-09-05T11:46:12Z

#WorldOfOntyre 05

The targeted edit of this book in the Kovenlore Chronicles continues, and some of the chapters are taking a toll.

Following a character’s downward spiral is a little close to home for me.

Coupled with other pressures, this has been a challenge, but I refuse to let it get the better of me. Working hard to recover back then means having the strength to persevere.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 05 favorite color of ice cream From a purely ...

2026-09-05T11:39:06Z

#ScribesAndMakers 05
favorite color of ice cream

From a purely amused standpoint, this has to be the oddest, and most original, question I’ve ever been asked.

Mint Chocolate Chip comes to mind. Minty green coupled with the contrasting black of the chocolate chips.

Something else comes to mind. I haven’t had ice cream in years.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 04 In Kovenlore Chronicles, many characters are ...

2026-09-04T11:40:19Z

#WorldOfOntyre 04

In Kovenlore Chronicles, many characters are attempting to fix what’s wrong in the nation after the country was allowed to slip away 50 years before.

The price is steep. “The untethered life,” as Glistenelle calls it, but also the ultimate sacrifice for some.

And all because the leaders of yesterday ignored the signs and the warnings.

How powerful, how useless, is hindsight.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 02 how where I live affects my creativity Our ...

2026-09-02T12:04:38Z

#ScribesAndMakers 02
how where I live affects my creativity

Our 4-season climate is comfortable, and excellent for my health.

It’s easy to access the outdoors for walking and hiking, to find the time to clear my mind, exercise, and relieve stress.

Yet, costs are soaring, the wealthy trying to drive people out (14% rent increase? yup).

All in all, this is the best place I've ever lived and great for writing, but I wonder if my days are numbered.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

I think "The Informant" is a good choice. It has a strong ...

2026-08-31T13:36:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…prdx
_________________________

I think "The Informant" is a good choice. It has a strong air of mystery about it, and is a bit ominous. It also comes with built-in questions: What are they sharing? About who? Are they to be trusted?

You should include outtakes with her correcting your Ukrainian ...

2026-08-31T12:49:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…7lge
_________________________

You should include outtakes with her correcting your Ukrainian and you trying to get it right. 🤔

#WorldOfOntyre 31 I love my sabertooth cats, which are first seen ...

2026-08-31T12:00:48Z

#WorldOfOntyre 31

I love my sabertooth cats, which are first seen in Book-1, but I also adore mammoths. They’re mentioned. A character named Mammoth appears in Book-2.

Yeah, fine, but where are the mammoths?

It’s funny how what we desperately want included keeps slipping between the cracks—until it doesn’t.

Book-4 rectifies their absence, and it’s an unexpected character who sees them.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 31 post August adverb (Above and) BEYOND ...

2026-08-31T11:56:09Z

#ScribesAndMakers 31
post August adverb

(Above and) BEYOND

Meaning, I exceeded expectations. My goal was to stay on schedule editing Book-6 (I did), but I also wrote 5K notes on a new Pannulus novel, taking the first steps towards a vague outline and character listing.

The edit required no small effort some days. I edited through meals, or skipped indulging video. Most days were fine, but some were crisis mode.

Crisis averted = milestone + satisfaction.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

I remember kids like that in school. We weren't friends, ...

2026-08-30T12:35:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…3fr6
_________________________

I remember kids like that in school. We weren't friends, because it was obvious they were on a disturbing trajectory. As time passed, I was tragically right.

The thing is, is it the child or their upbringing? What are the implications of interfering in either? What precedent does that set? Yes, I can see why you don't yet have an answer. 😃

#WorldOfOntyre 30 When I overhauled my Carrdia worldbuilding in ...

2026-08-30T11:53:52Z

#WorldOfOntyre 30

When I overhauled my Carrdia worldbuilding in 2015, it went from resembling the Middle Ages to the Victorian Era, which led to an interesting decision.

I kept the old worldbuilding to start, and then I systematically dismantled it.

It isn’t a straight line. Instead, it’s an evolution, with the two coexisting for much of the series while paralleling a character’s evolution.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 30 ##TTMD Sandra Bond @npub126z…l58s What ...

2026-08-30T11:31:59Z

#ScribesAndMakers 30
##TTMD Sandra Bond
Sandra Bond (npub126z…l58s)

What spark of inspiration for a novel was most memorable, or have your ideas evolved over time? Some combination?

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 29 Two characters are introduced on page one of ...

2026-08-29T11:34:42Z

#WorldOfOntyre 29

Two characters are introduced on page one of Book-1 of the Kovenlore Chronicles, Trust in the Forgotten.

The first is Riparia Dellbane, the main character in the series, depending on how certain events result.

The second is Doppla, her horse, but Doppla is a lot more than that, as is shown through the book. If anyone could be called anxious Riparia’s counselor, it’s Doppla.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#Today 29 Dear Canada, Lake Ontario is Lake Ontario. Don’t let ...

2026-08-29T11:33:05Z

#Today 29

Dear Canada,

Lake Ontario is Lake Ontario. Don’t let a spoiled brat tell you otherwise. Don’t negotiate. Don’t discuss the situation.

A temper tantrum is a temper tantrum.

We’re working on a permanent timeout solution that’ll include a spanking the world will cheer.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 28 puns For me, puns are situational and not ...

2026-08-28T11:56:14Z

#ScribesAndMakers 28
puns

For me, puns are situational and not something I arm myself with, and can seldom remember them five minutes later, except...

I saw this in a cabin in Grand Teton Nat’l Park:

Recommended book: “How I Fell Off the Grand Teton,” by Ilene Dover.

That has stuck with me for 5 decades.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 27 Practitioners, the Ministry’s preachers. ...

2026-08-27T13:23:33Z

#WorldOfOntyre 27

Practitioners, the Ministry’s preachers. Except, not.

In truth, they are sadistic torturers wielding fire who seek out those with magic, killing them outright, or taking them to Knoss to have their lifeforce added to the crypt vessel.

For a while, I also called them “the unseen” because their faces were hidden, but it was confusing so I went with the innocuous name only

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 27 item on my desk Youba the owl, who’s ...

2026-08-27T13:20:06Z

#ScribesAndMakers 27
item on my desk

Youba the owl, who’s judgmental and keeps me on task.

I received him while in the hospital for a month in 2010, the 1st of 3 stays that year, not counting Denver. Don’t depend on the doctors in Wyoming.

The condition that was “in my head” became lungs full of strep and staff that had destroyed the bronchioles in the lower lobes.

Youba didn’t receive his name until I wrote a novella with an owl in 2020: Holiday in Farthing.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

Give me a good nightmare monster and I don't even need ...

2026-08-26T13:18:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…usx4
_________________________

Give me a good nightmare monster and I don't even need caffeine. 😬

#WorldOfOntyre 26 I discovered that I was an INFJ in 2014. I ...

2026-08-26T12:04:08Z

#WorldOfOntyre 26

I discovered that I was an INFJ in 2014. I cried. Before I made the discovery, I’d thought I was crazy, and was too often treated that way.

It had a profound impact on my writing, ushering in the “new age” where I changed how I wrote, what I wrote, and my worldbuilding in 2015.

It isn’t easy being an INFJ. In fact, it’s a lonely road in life, but at least I understand me.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 26 locked-in In the simplest terms, there’s ...

2026-08-26T11:44:55Z

#ScribesAndMakers 26
locked-in

In the simplest terms, there’s the story and nothing else. I’m in the setting observing the characters, but they’re unaware I’m there, the story unfolding around me.

Typically, the sounds in my headphones form an auditory cocoon, a barrier between me and my surroundings, though I’m connected via tea and Evie Cat beside me.

Writing becomes no longer writing, but instead reporting from within a creative, meditative state.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 26 weather that matches my WIP In general, partly ...

2026-08-26T11:43:58Z

#WordWeavers 26
weather that matches my WIP

In general, partly cloudy in summertime. This applies to both WIPs.

There’s the one I’m editing, which is Book-6 of Kovenlore, which opens in late spring, but spills over into summer. A few foggy, rainy scenes appear early, and again later.

The one I’m developing for Pannulus occurs in summer, though there’ll be some varied weather.

This is an odd coincidence given that I rarely write summer stories.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 24 I just finished reading Fahrenheit 451 for the ...

2026-08-24T12:01:29Z

#WorldOfOntyre 24

I just finished reading Fahrenheit 451 for the first time in five decades. The short novel is well remembered for burning books and suppressing knowledge.

Yet, what struck me was how people had lost interest, their attention spans virtually nil, their obsession sitting in front of screens and watching programs.

It required no imagination at all to translate it to today.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#ScribesAndMakers 05 the last book that I completed The last book ...

2026-08-05T12:04:17Z

#ScribesAndMakers 05
the last book that I completed

The last book I read was the political fantasy, Crown of Horns, by F. David Shultz, otherwise known as our own EmpyClaw (npub1chf…c7tg) here on Mastodon.

It wasn’t a book I’d normally seek out, but I enjoyed the characters in a story where some allow corruption to consume them, while others try to find a way out.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#Today 02 #SilentSunday Good day, It's so long since we had ...

2026-08-02T11:42:21Z

#Today 02 #SilentSunday

Good day,

It's so long since we had clouds here. Clouds add drama and variety to the sky. In remembrance of clouds, I'll look back.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

A trail of boulders. I love that, but also know how it drains ...

2026-07-24T12:02:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…hpl3
_________________________

A trail of boulders. I love that, but also know how it drains energy. Great views! ⛰️

#Today 24 Good day! I think of this as, “Approaching The ...

2026-07-24T11:37:11Z

#Today 24

Good day!

I think of this as, “Approaching The Shire.”

It really looked like this thanks to the right lighting, moisture seepage, the haze, and the heat drying out the ground farther down.

We’re transitioning to arid summer, and this is the result.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography #FootpathFriday

Thank you, THANK YOU, for sharing this with the natural music of ...

2026-07-02T13:22:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…ht4f
_________________________

Thank you, THANK YOU, for sharing this with the natural music of the falls. And, yes, you filmed it well. I could hear the sound of the water expanding with the view, like an entire orchestra joining in.

#PhantastikPrompts 23 a favorite sentence (many exist) From ...

2026-06-23T11:32:01Z

#PhantastikPrompts 23
a favorite sentence (many exist)

From Book-1 of the Kovenlore Chronicles…this line is pure Riparia awkwardness:

It made her uncomfortable in places it was uncomfortable to be uncomfortable in.

For context:

A scholarly, roguish, rugged, librarian? The absurdity transformed into another puzzle. It made her uncomfortable in places it was uncomfortable to be uncomfortable in. How long had she stared at muscles beckoning her hands?

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Bookstodon

#Today 14 #SilentSunday Water is life. Flowing water is passion. ...

2026-06-14T11:34:06Z

#Today 14 #SilentSunday

Water is life. Flowing water is passion.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

It's much like the biological version of a boulder field. ...

2026-06-06T12:25:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…npex
_________________________

It's much like the biological version of a boulder field. Either you watch your step or you face plant.

#Today 06 Good day! June 6th 1944. D-Day. The day the Allies, ...

2026-06-06T11:19:03Z

#Today 06

Good day!

June 6th 1944.

D-Day.

The day the Allies, including American soldiers, landed in Normandy, France to begin the liberation of Europe.

You know, to stop the Nazis after years of war and the people of Europe suffering at the hands of a crazed dictator.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

I can see the faint trail, and the cairn to the right, though ...

2026-05-29T13:09:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…splh
_________________________

I can see the faint trail, and the cairn to the right, though it's always easy to lose it. I ran into this kind of terrain in Blodgett Canyon and it's far more difficult to cross that a person would expect. Each rock may, or may not, be steady. The angle is continually changing. One stumble means disaster.

#Today 15 Good day! I slept latest than usual. I’m exhausted, ...

2026-05-15T12:01:32Z

#Today 15

Good day!

I slept latest than usual. I’m exhausted, though for good reason.

When you’re faced with a task that you know you can do, that you enjoy, and that you know will have real results, you’re willing to push yourself.

That’s hard to find.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#Today 07 Good day! *Image: 2 weeks ago on Milltower Ridge 67 ...

2026-05-07T11:34:33Z

#Today 07

Good day!

*Image: 2 weeks ago on Milltower Ridge

67 years ago, a breech birth, a “blue baby,” I wasn’t expected to survive the day.

I won’t keep you in suspense about how that turned out.

Beyond that, I’ll spend the day with Evie Cat and my characters, my family.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

Perfection is a destination for some, and it's there, just ...

2026-05-02T13:26:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…kn5j
_________________________

Perfection is a destination for some, and it's there, just over the horizon. You can't see it, but if you keep going you'll always be moving towards it—forever.

As I say, perfection is a fool's errand, but I also have a grave dislike of the term, "good enough." I understand how many use it, but what is it? I could publish a first draft and say, "It's good enough."

I suppose my preference would be that I publish when a work "meets my standards," which are high, but not perfection.

#ScribesAndMakers 02 perfection or “good enough” It’s ...

2026-05-02T11:28:35Z

#ScribesAndMakers 02
perfection or “good enough”

It’s neither.

I’m no mathematician, but I understand that a line can approach zero on a graph, but never reach it. Chasing perfection is a fool’s errand, but I also don’t settle for good enough.

Even 95% is a long way from perfection.

I rely on the trained inner voice that determines the story is complete and ready to provide a rewarding reader experience for the right audience.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#Today 24 Good day! Along the top of Milltower Ridge. This was ...

2026-04-24T11:26:59Z

#Today 24

Good day!

Along the top of Milltower Ridge. This was mere days ago on a day when the temperatures were mild.

Now, it’s white up there.

Yesterday, it snowed up there. It also snowed in the valley, but all that remains is slush. Yup, spring weather.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#PhantastikPrompts 24 favorite words? If I kept a list, which I ...

2026-04-24T11:26:53Z

#PhantastikPrompts 24
favorite words?

If I kept a list, which I don’t, it’d become unwieldy in a hurry.

Instead, I use a word, recall I like the sound of it, and move on. In that moment, it’s the word’s purpose in a story that matters.

Then, I forgot it.

Sure, some words sound great, or are hard working closed compound words, but in the end meanings matter.

Here are a few meanings: compassion, ethics, humanity, love, and righteousness.

Yeah, I like those.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#Today 06 Good day! Well, I’m not crazy. Not entirely. I am a ...

2026-03-06T12:13:46Z

#Today 06

Good day!

Well, I’m not crazy. Not entirely. I am a writer, after all.

To this point, we’ve officially had the warmest winter on record for this region, which is the northern Rockies.

No subzero days, and few that failed to climb over freezing.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

#ScribesAndMakers 02 a question @npub17cr…e970 Happy birthday ...

2026-03-02T13:00:09Z

#ScribesAndMakers 02
a question
NaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi (npub17cr…e970)

Happy birthday to you!

Like you, I have a fascination with crows. There’s a murder that frequents the end of my morning walk so I often study their group behavior, besides individuals.

❓ How do crows influence your writing, or how do they manifest in your writing?

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #TTMD

Oh, it was! The hike up to the saddle accounted for most of the ...

2026-02-25T13:15:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…82wn
_________________________

Oh, it was! The hike up to the saddle accounted for most of the view. At the summit was strange, like standing in a gray void. I couldn't see anything beyond the few trees that surrounded the summit. I've been up there before, but it was never like that. ❄️

#Today 25 Good day! Yesterday morning, it was sleeting in the ...

2026-02-25T12:48:56Z

#Today 25

Good day!

Yesterday morning, it was sleeting in the city, the mountains masked, so I headed up the canyon.

We’re supposed to warm to spring temps again, but not yet.

My longed for hike in the snow? I climbed Mt. Sentinel in a snowstorm! It was hard, but wondrous.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

You're certainly doing better with forecasts than I've ...

2026-02-21T14:34:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…z6s6
_________________________

You're certainly doing better with forecasts than I've been doing this winter. 🤣 I liked that winning hand you produced. Well done!

The weather, the views, the snow, it looks like you found ...

2026-02-21T13:52:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…f6w4
_________________________

The weather, the views, the snow, it looks like you found perfection! 😃 🏔️ ❄️

From the standpoint of snowshoeing, I'm jealous. We had ...

2026-01-30T13:46:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…5qc9
_________________________

From the standpoint of snowshoeing, I'm jealous. We had wonderful snow here in December—while I was sick with Covid.

Since then, it's steadily warmed, the snow gone except at the highest elevations. In some areas, it's possible I could encounter snow, but with temps expected to reach the 50s, increasingly unlikely.

A lot of winter remains, though, our weather often unpredictable, so I'll keep hiking and wait for what comes.

#Today 30 Good day! *The start of the old forest road on Blue ...

2026-01-30T12:25:23Z

#Today 30

Good day!

*The start of the old forest road on Blue Mountain.

For the first time in months, it didn’t drop below freezing last night (actually, it’s still technically night).

For the foreseeable future, we’re going to have late March weather.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #FootpathFriday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

That is extraordinarily beautiful. ❄️

2026-01-28T19:08:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…jk78
_________________________

That is extraordinarily beautiful. ❄️

#WritersCoffeeClub 25 what comes first, next? This question never ...

2026-01-25T12:37:47Z

#WritersCoffeeClub 25
what comes first, next?

This question never ceases to amuse me, as if my creativity happens according to set steps in a manual (Step 1: develop A before proceeding to B…).

I burned that manual a long time ago, danced around the flames, and sang a jolly tune.

Inspiration, which humans have and AI doesn’t, comes as it will, as an image, piece of dialogue, situation, or anything at all. It’s the anonymous seed you plant to see what grows.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WorldOfOntyre 22 I love that I drafted the entire Kovenlore ...

2026-01-22T12:51:12Z

#WorldOfOntyre 22

I love that I drafted the entire Kovenlore series before releasing one book.

A situation midway through Book 1 that goes wrong for Riparia is able to repeat thanks to cruel magic later in that same book.

The conversation that occurs the 2nd time foreshadows one that happens in Book 4. That outcome foreshadows the path Riparia goes down in Book 6.

There are many such threads.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Fiction

I've experienced what your pictures show, days so dark that ...

2026-01-08T14:09:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…phy6
_________________________

I've experienced what your pictures show, days so dark that they're like visual silence. The critical elements are a low winter sun, clouds, and snow on the ground to light the way. The step from daylight to twilight is a small one, and is only noticed when distance appears to shrink. Your pictures show that. The many facets to winter are subtle. It's a shame most people miss them.

Something else I hear far more frequently in the winter are the ...

2026-01-04T19:32:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…qxs4
_________________________

Something else I hear far more frequently in the winter are the trees creaking. I imagine it’s the cold &/or winds high in the conifer forest. It’s eerie and mysterious and humbling. 🌲❄️

Crunching snow is a wonderful sound, and you can feel the snow ...

2026-01-04T13:11:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…gwzk
_________________________

Crunching snow is a wonderful sound, and you can feel the snow compress beneath your boots with each step. Then, if you stop, there's, as you say, silence.

People who don't know can't understand that moment. These days, with all our devices designed to erase silence, the change is all the more dramatic. Sometimes, it leaves me weak in the knees, and I'm serious. ❄️ 🏔️

Thanks, Tim. At present, I’m going mad waiting to fully shed ...

2026-01-03T14:43:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…a5zz
_________________________

Thanks, Tim. At present, I’m going mad waiting to fully shed Covid. It isn’t steady improvement, but instead spotty. I’ve identified several heavily wooded parks with views that I’m sure will be fine. Right there, that’s my starting place. You could call it the comeback trail. 😃🏔️

#Today 03 Good day! Images in review: June 2025. Last year: • ...

2026-01-03T12:31:48Z

#Today 03

Good day!

Images in review: June 2025.

Last year:

• 33 hikes
• 254.2 miles (409km)
• 35,981 feet (10,967m) in elevation gain (my damaged lungs make elevation a challenge)
• +600 miles (966km) on my daily walks, which are flat & paved

It was my biggest year ever.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #HikingAdventures #Nature #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography

More proof that the ocean is going to let humans worry about ...

2025-12-27T14:24:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…9qfa
_________________________

More proof that the ocean is going to let humans worry about which season it is while it does what oceans do. Poseidon would approve. 🔱

#Today 17.1 Well, the rain, 60mph winds, and plummeting ...

2025-12-17T15:48:05Z

#Today 17.1

Well, the rain, 60mph winds, and plummeting temperatures arrived like a bull kicking in the door. It took an entire sixty seconds to lose power. That sucks. Guess I’ll bundle up and read.

#Today Good day! I keep referring to myself as post Covid because ...

2025-12-14T12:06:57Z

#Today

Good day!

I keep referring to myself as post Covid because I’m no longer contagious. In truth, there are up days (taking this picture) & down days (yesterday).

Life goes on. I write, I walk, I rest. This is my battle, another battle, to fight.

Be everwell.

#WritingLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Aging #HealthyLiving #HealthyLifestyle #GetOutside #Hiking #Trails #Covid #HikingAdventures #Nature #SilentSunday #NaturePhotography #NatureLover #Photography #LandscapePhotography