Me showing my 2.5 year old, "Look, fairy wren." "Fayeewen! They flowers!"

Listening to the audio book of Fluke by @theauthorguy.bsky.social and I find myself hoping the whale song that plays between chapters exists in the text version too, typed out phonetically. MrrrrwooooooooOo otttttttoooaaaoooooooooOOOOOOOooo ohhhhmmmMMMMMMMMMMmmmm

Today’s warmup: studies of an inconvenienced cat

Read aloud while editing today and just really enjoyed the way it sounds. I should incorporate more of this into my process.

🥾 🏕️ WELCOME TO DAY 2 OF QUERY BOOTCAMP 🏕️ 🥾 Why is a synopsis important? It shows you can write a complete story that doesn’t take any awkward turns or have any giant plot holes. It also shows that you’ll deliver on the promise of the premise in your query, so make sure it faithfully represents.

Working on a round of cuts for my novel. Last summer it was 151k, after incorporating all the additions I wanted after betas feedback and cutting as much as I felt I could at the time I got it down to 147k. It's currently at 139k and I'm only 25% through the book.

Sheltering the littlest flames

I adored this about @tamorapierce.bsky.social 's books growing up and loved it even more on reread. I'm also grateful for Alanna who had multiple differrent relationships, none of which ended because someone was secretly evil or because she failed. They just weren’t right for her.

Reminder that in this house we do not trash other genres of books to support the genre we like the most. One, come on, we're grown ups. Two, the bottom line is people reading and loving books. Three, every writer you know has friends working other genres, don't trash their friends, thanks.

My fantastic friend wrote a fantastic book. Launching in the middle of turmoil is no small feat but I urge anyone who wants to escape into a heist that leads to revolution to check out Flightless.

I used 5calls.org for this. It also has numbers and a script. I don't know that my calls made any difference but someone's call might and if that can save lives it's worth trying.

Today, I'm celebrating the launch of Flightless! 🪽 My fantasy heist novel is for folks who want a better future but don't see the path forward. Revolution is ours, friends.

Oh this is great: there’s now an #Artemis II Lunar Flyby Gallery on the NASA images site: www.nasa.gov/gallery/luna... (thx @dpmanchee.bsky.social for pointing it out)

Had an amazing #Norwescon -- excellent panel discussions, wonderful chats with old and new friends alike, and even managed to cut a few thousand words from my too-long novel in between. @norwescon.org

The horse op-ed is an instant classic. I can't tell you how much joy this piece gives me. It should be taught in every introductory writing class in no small part because the horse arguments are so compelling. "I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children."

"Don't be jealous of others’ success. Jealousy and envy are the enemy of genuine creativity. Wish others well and hope to join them someday." —Po Bronson

Every year, hundreds of people walk silently through the streets of Minneapolis… looking at the windows of the houses. It's the Wedge Cat Tour: the residents put the cats in the window and the crowd stops to admire them. Yes. This exists. 😹

I'm having a virtual book launch party, and you're invited! I'll be reading from my new fantasy heist with social justice themes, answering questions, and offering a party favor! Register at marieparks.com/launch and feel free to share with friends.

Unmedicated ADHD: my plans for today are none of my business

another banner day for "if you didn't know sports were real, ESPN headlines would be crazy"

i cannot fathom in a million years feeling the need to tell other people a GENRE they like is bad and they are bad for enjoying it what a wild waste of energy and precious heartbeats

If you missed some of the #AskEditor sessions or simply didn't have time to read them all, I made a roundup post full of helpful advice from #RevPit editors: www.aealexander.com/blog/askedit...

People keep saying “oh so you want OPEN BORDERS” as some kind of gotcha and like. Yeah. When I was a kid you could just drive into Canada. On accident, even. It was great, and I think we should do that instead of kidnapping children. Normalize being normal instead of being kidnapping weirdos

No idea if it was an accidental press or not because I was burried in my work laptop, but one of my kittens just hit "play" on their @fluentpet.bsky.social buttons! Home 3 days so I wasn't expecting a press this soon, really excited. Jumped up to play the second I heard it

Big iced tea matchup on Friday

it’s Dune Dune Dune but pronounced like the classic musical suspense sting

Saw someone say the world is a boring place because there are no elves or dragons, so I'm legally obliged to share this:

My dear friend and co-conspirator Piper J Drake (Lalana) is fighting Stage IV Cancer. She's in need of a VERY expensive treatment to give her a bit more time on this Earth. Please help make this happen! Donate, Share, Boost pls 💖 gofund.me/b2674e924

The last four animated feature Oscar winners have been quite diverse picks now that Disney/Pixar has lost its stranglehold on the category

This goes for any author you want to support, especially indie authors who are less likely to get automatically added to a library's catalog. Requesting books you're excited about helps libraries, authors, and other readers.

Please take 5 minutes to help the brilliant @piperjdrake.bsky.social. Medical costs are piling up on top of the devastating emotional toll of cancer and chemo. She deserves for her words to be read. If you can, support her Patreon, buy her books, anything you can do! www.patreon.com/piperjdrake

Did you know that @piperjdrake.bsky.social is releasing stories chapter by chapter to her Patreon supporters? Please consider supporting her here: www.patreon.com/c/piperjdrake You can also purchase her books directly from her website or from your favorite retailer. piperjdrake.com/books-by-pip...

My friend Piper really needs help with her medical costs. She has advanced cancer and is trying to get some quality of life as her time runs out (yep we're there) Please consider supporting: Link to her Patreon: www.patreon.com/piperjdrake Buy her books if you can, or RT this?

Inside every trail cam there are two wolves...

Yeah putting away my little box of doom for the night and switching to the tried and true way of dealing with emotional dysregulation: oreos, an iced decaf latte, and comfort shows.

I heard stories of people who've fed crows, and been given gifts in return. It sounded charming, so I began doing that. Then, one night, there was a rapping on my bedroom window. I stumbled up and opened. A crow flew in and spoke: "They're coming for you. You must flee." I only just made it out.

Once again.

Moving all my stuff into a new place. This comic is one of the only things I have done that I actually feel proud of, It's such an odd feeling. But I love it. And I love you, so I thought I would share it with you. 1/2

I truly and unabashedly love developmental edits. It's when the story gets to step into the potential it had from the start. There's nothing quite like getting to look through everything that works and everything that doesn’t and turn those disparate pieces into whole cohesive magic.

Why do I have to pretend that I'm going to print something in order to save it as a PDF. Why do I have to engage in a little ruse.

Five authors by whom I've read at least five books: @tamorapierce.bsky.social @hollyblack.bsky.social @rainbowrowell.bsky.social Emily Henry Jim Butcher

Christ on a cracker, people. If someone has been struggling with THE HORRORS™️ and they find a piece of anything that brings them an ounce of freaking joy, don't freaking shit on it. That small thing isn't going to tip the scales of good and evil, but your comment could destroy someone's night.

The Hugo Award Nominations are now open! Eligible in the Best Fancast category with @darthj.uno for our 'Strange Horizons @ 25' project. also eligible as part of 'Strange Horizons' in the Best Semiprozine category. Please consider us with your nominations.

I was in a critique group for portions of this and even before edits, I fell in love with Marie's writing and characters. So excited about this.

I once overheard a long rant at a coffee shop about how gross it would be for this woman to use a restroom that men use. A few minutes later, she got up, used the restroom and came back, no complaint. That coffee shop did not have gendered restrooms.

Literally obsessed with this pic I got of one Cedar Waxwing getting very mad at another for drinking in the same spot as him despite there being a whole stream

Breaking news: people who don’t understand why people would go to bat for their neighbors' wellbeing also don't understand the power of a community that comes together to help each other.

Friends, a thought as the world keeps finding new ways to be terrible: Create love first. As you're preparing to fight the hatred, start by doing one small act of love each day. For other people, or for yourself. We do need to fight, but we cannot let ourselves forget Love.

we can only do what we can do. so 1. do that and then 2. rest.