Do you ever just read a book so good that you occasionally have to set it down and exhale slowly? Because, wow, that's me tonight, even though I've read it before.

#ScribesAndMakers 1.5 — Make a story or art based on the misheard lyric you shared yesterday.

The misheard lyric: 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy...

I gotta be honest here, as a romance author this is the exact scenario you'll find in a lot of my stories. Let's talk about my WIP right now. I'll leave a little something down below. (It's from an upcoming chapter.)

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WritersCoffeeClub 1.5 — How do you choose the POV for a new story?

I typically write with these two POVs...

Third Person Omniscient POV: The narrator has full knowledge of all characters' thoughts, feelings, and the story's past and future, enabling a god-like perspective. While less common in modern novels, it is used in classic literature and genres requiring a broad narrative scope.

Multiple POVs: Involves shifting between different characters' perspectives, often across chapters or scenes. This approach allows for a broader story scope and deeper character development but requires careful structuring to avoid “head-hopping” and maintain reader clarity.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 1.5 — Tell us about something funny that happens to a character.

Alistair gets frightened by Hati in the very first chapter, just as she's introduced and you learn that they're close friends. Also, I had to laugh as I was writing Fenella's return in a later chapter. His jaw was practically hanging on the floor in complete and utter shock. Fenella, after seeing Hati at the door, even assumed that they were a *couple* or lovers. Oh, boy. Hati was quick to shut that idea down and explain that they were just close friends. All funny moments.

The story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71555861/chapters/186282006

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WritersCoffeeClub 1.4 — Share a tool of your trade.

Daydreaming. It's underrated. I get my best ideas that way, to be fair.

#WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 1.4 — Describe an uncomfortable situation a character experiences.

It's right about to happen in the next chapter I'll upload. I'll post a tiny spoiler here, and it's *very* uncomfortable for everyone.

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 1.4 — Share a mondegreen (misheard lyric) you like.

While most people don't belt out ancient English poetry in the shower, they have misconstrued Jimi Hendrix's sexual orientation on the iconic hit "Purple Haze" with this one: 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy... Among many other offenses. The reason why I mention this is because I'm a *huge* Hendrix fan and "Purple Haze" is one of my favorite songs.

#ScribesAndMakers 1.3 — Write instructions from the perspective of someone who has never done the thing they're giving instructions for.

I'll post this funny thing I showed my podcast followers once...

To make a demon yours, you can follow these steps:

1. Take the situation seriously and consider if you're serious about summoning a demon.
2. Move into a home with a dark past.
3. Get into the occult.
4. Start using a Ouija board.
5. Cultivate an obsession with death.
6. Keep your expectations in check.
7. Seek out haunted items.
8. Become as ungodly as possible.

Hopefully, things go well! Let me know how it works.

#Funny #WritingCommunity #PandasDen #Podcast #PodcastLife #Podcaster

#WritersCoffeeClub 1.3 — How do you come up with the titles for your works?

Let's talk about all of my novels and original work. Sometimes it comes from a quote in the book, other times it's from a random thought that pops into my head along the way. Just creativity, I suppose.

When it comes to fanfiction, though, it might also be song lyrics or things like that. It depends on what I'm writing.

#WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 1.3 — What does the way your MC talks reveal about them?

His age. You can tell by the some of the things that Alistair says that he's far older than he lets on to the mortals, for the obvious reasons.

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WritersCoffeeClub 1.1 — What’s the greatest benefit you get from online writing community?

Support, camaraderie, love, trust in myself, help whenever I need it, etc. More importantly, though, I've made some of my closest friends either through other sites or here on Mastodon, all because of writing and through it. I even met my girlfriend that way over a decade ago. The online writing community is everything for us. We aren't alone, and that's what matters. We've built this community from the ground up.

#WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 1.2 — How does your MC talk? Describe their voice and speech.

Both Alistair and Fenella are from Scotland. To say anything else regarding Alistair would be a major spoiler and I have readers here on Mastodon, so I can't elaborate. But yes, Scottish slang and all that, while it's normally written into my stories with Glaswegian characters, is gentler and more muted in this one for a wider audience. After all, it's not a story for The Thick of It featuring Malcolm Tucker, so I'm taking a different approach.

Alistair has a slower, deeper cadence. He's rather funny at times as well. Fenella hides behind an air of mystique, flirtatiousness, and witty cynicism. Their accents are rather thick as well, same as everyone in the area.

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 1.1 — What are your wildest (writing-related) dreams for this year?

*nervous chuckle*

It's just getting "Wings of Quiet Longing" done, I think. Let's start with that one, shall we?

#WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 12.31 — Give another writer a New Year gift! Either buy their book or say something you like about them, their story, writing etc.

I try to do this on the blog for my podcast whenever I get the chance, but today's the day I mention a close friend of mine yet again. She's one of my favorite authors, and I've also talked about her work *so much* on my podcast's blog.

Everyone please go show some love to @QuokkaMocha! She deserves all of it and more. Her storytelling abilities are so refreshing, her writing is incredible, and I adore the characters she creates. She also writes fanfiction as well! Above all, she's also one of my best friends, one of the funniest people I know (don't take a sip of water around her if she's about to tell a joke), and I'm so thankful for all of our conversations and chats. If you do nothing else today or tonight, please take a peek at the link I'm posting as well.

Please boost this post to bring in a wider audience for her and to gain more attention for her work.

Check out her amazing books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/J-M-Taylor/author/B0F6KFVBHL?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=8f61dc7e-74cf-4c48-b9e4-fc07df67adec

#WritingCommunity #ReadingCommunity

#WordWeavers 12.30 — How has your writing been this year? Any achievements, wins, or lessons you want to celebrate?

It's gone *really* well, and I'm feeling very lucky for the people I surround myself with. My friends have helped me get here. I came in the top three (took 3rd place) in a huge writing contest and also published three stories in magazines over the last few months, two for original SFF work and one for #DoctorWho tales. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for that.

#WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 1.2 — Vivid?

Let's talk about vivid verbs. They enrich our writing for readers. "Vivid verbs" are active words that convey a clear, concise, and evocative action, and are strong enough to stand alone without additional description (or adverbs). Characters doing, wanting, going, destroying, creating, etc. It's easy to fall back on broad, boring verbs that paint the characters' actions in wide, clunky strokes. However, that generality holds our readers at a distance from the story. For example, "shuffle" and "saunter" are two vivid verbs that describe the act of walking, each with different connotations and imagery, that we can use instead of saying "walked slowly" or "walked lazily." I could go on, but I'll refrain. I love being nerdy about this kind of stuff.

#WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 1.1 — Does the change to a new calendar year affect your creativity in any way?

Not really, honestly. It's just another day on January 1st, but I do set new goals for myself. That goes for both reading *and* writing as well.

#WritingCommunity

#WritersCoffeeClub 12.29 — How much would writing by another means (by hand, digitally, audio transcription) change your prose?

I actually do a little bit of everything, but I will say that I've done my best writing when I'm in front of a computer. I have Multiple Sclerosis, so writing by hand is rather difficult for me, despite how much I absolutely love it and enjoy doing it whenever I get the chance. I just can't do it for any prolonged periods of time because it hurts too badly. Also, my handwriting is shite these days — but that just means no one can plagiarize anything of mine! Ha!

I'm rather good at "writing" and storytelling by using audio transcription as well. I have a podcast, so speaking with a flow comes rather easily for me these days. It's great for taking notes, or even for getting down my thoughts on a bit of dialogue or description for a scene if I'm too busy to sit down at my computer or I'm half-asleep in bed.

#WritingCommunity

#WordWeavers 12.29 — Do you tend to write in a certain season or geographical location?

Not necessarily, but I will add something to this... My favorite time of year to write is definitely autumn. I'm always excited when it's a time of year that comes up in my stories. It's such a beautiful, colorful season, and I can't resist good descriptions to set the mood.

#Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 12.29 — How many roads must a person walk down?

We're all so vastly different. The answer is simple: As many as it takes to finally arrive at your destination, and the answers will be varied and unique to everyone. Thought-provoking, isn't it?