To my friends, acquaintances, and general book and fantasy-loving nerds on the autism spectrum, the news today out of the US that Trump has equated paracetamol use to autism is a tragedy. It has made me angry, sad, panicked and utterly baffled. I hate Trump and the pseudo-science-believing RFK. 😢

Just found this was released earlier this week. Has been on repeat since. The Bauhaus-esque guitar and vocals, the 80's era Cure bass with immaculate real drums make this modern goth par excellence. I'm obsessed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Xq...

Well, it's done. Doesn't it look absolutely gorgeous? Took my time with it as I didn't want it to end, but end it did. Now life returns to it's crushing anxiety...

Doing my Lord of the Rings Lego, watching Andor whilst sipping tea from my Dungeons and Dragons mug. Daughter walks in and calls me a nerd! The utter nerve of her!! Never been so offended by a comment before! It's "geek", sweetheart. Geek. Sheesh...

Meanwhile, I've spent the last few days building this whilst watching the three extended #LordoftheRings films. Holy damn those films are still perfection and the set is insanely magnificent.

It was my last day of work Monday (I'm now unemployed 😢) I found a gift card for @readingsbooks.bsky.social that my team sent me (cue lots of tears)...then promptly spent it. My tbr thanks you, my lovely team.

Very up and down month. Was made redundant at work and got this as a gift. Goddamn I'm going through the emotions like a freaking rollercoaster! Going to take some time off to do this, finish my first book and watch the extended LotR films. #legolotr

Totally sad news. Love Nitzer Ebb and name then along with CabVolt for getting me into darker electro industrial and EBM. Saw NE in a small bar in Collingwood about 15 years back. Just brilliant and Douglas was in fine form. Vale www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

My god. What a desperately horrible person J.K. Rowling is. I'm forever glad I never really got into Harry Potter. I could never accept my hard earned going to someone bristling with such hatred.

Was told by my daughter that cassettes are making a comeback. She thought it was retro cool. After telling her to get off my lawn, I regaled her with stories of forever-lost tapes chewed up by unforgiving players and patiently waiting for songs on the radio. She yawned and went to bed. She'll learn.

For World Goth Day - Back when I ran a goth nightclub in Newcastle, NSW, this was the wrap-up song - the final song of the night. Every time I hear it now I think of those Necropolis days and smile. youtu.be/wsOHvP1XnRg?...

My writing process in a gif 😂

Nope, could not get into this year's Eurovision. apart from the political shadow over it, the songs were just bland, uninspiring and universally boring. No guitars? Not even a slightly heavy track? Seriously?! Boo! Nil points *in campy French accent*

Also great to meet @misterkristoff.bsky.social and chat all things EOTV. Walked away chuffed, but neglected to ask the question I wanted to ask - what music does he listen to when writing - then compare notes on the best tunes! Loved to hear your thoughts there Jay - and thanks for the photo!

Had a great time listening to @amiekaufman.bsky.social and Megan Spooner chat about Lady's Knight - great insights into working collaboratively, queer fiction and injecting humour into a story. Also managed to get my little mitts on a signed copy of the book! Woo!

A late birthday present from my daughter. Gandalf and Gollum Fugglers! Aren't they gorgeous?!

Today's panic attack is brought to you by the good people at Woolworths Supermarkets...err sorry guys. It's all good, though. Managed to take a live shot inside my head at the time:

25k cut so far from book 1. I really did Tolkein-ise some descriptions, and though the cuts have been a bit savage, they have enhanced the story wonderfully. Yes, probably should've done it sooner, but...

Ugh! Today was a tough one. Anxiety is kicking me around like a beachball, so only managed to shave about 100 words off the manuscript. Writers group tomorrow, so hopefully can focus properly for that... Until then, night all. 🌛

So here is where things are: What once was a 175k-word manuscript is now to become a 120k-word one. So far, I'm 10k in and looking good. Book 1 (tentatively titled The White Stag) won't lose any of its epicness, but I'll have to go less on the Tolkein-esque descriptions! #amwritiing

Repost with a movie you know all the words to. Best. Movie. Ever. (...and the less said about that awful remake last year, the better)

So, the new RPG I'm playing is #MorkBorg, and it is bloody (literally) amazing. Nice fodder for some grimdark ideas festering away for my second trilogy - or something else...

Clunes was amazing. Had a chance to practice my epic fantasy pitch with @alexadsett.bsky.social at the Author Pitching Do's and Don'ts workshop. I was so nervous I think I did more don'ts than do's!! Yikes. 🤣 But I received some amazing advice from Alex. Thank you!!!

Listening to @firecatz.bsky.social speak about her writing process and the presence of the personal story in fantastical worlds...such a great talk. The story of her court appearance was especially brilliant! Thanks Isobelle! Looking forward to absorbing Comes The Night.

I mean...it's close...!

I have been invited to my first RPG game in what seems like forever (well, about 30 years). The last time I played was with paper, pencils, a beautiful map, and intricately painted figures. This time it will be online. I am curious to see how this goes! Excited!

Jumping on the 'Fantasy Writers Blueprint' talk this evening - looking at some awesome tips to finesse my trilogy/quadrilogy. Thanks @writerscentreau.bsky.social!

Ugh! As a forever Buffy fan, this hurts. Farewell Dawn Summers. "And I wish you'd fall in your head and drown in your own barf. I guess we're both disappointed." variety.com/2025/film/ne...

Thoughts on using Wattpad or Substack to get some short stories out there? Good for building audiences/a name for oneself? Too much work for little return? Other thoughts?

Just watched this. Loved it and with Doug Cockle's voice, made it feel like a Witcher 3 quest. Only disappointment: at no time his Geralt say, 'Wind's howling' or 'A storm. Dammit.' But I no complain. youtu.be/PYzqa1CDTik?...

OK, so I'm doing something I thought I would not do. I'm going to test-write a 4th instalment of my Red Blaze (working title) series, making it a quadrilogy. Whilst book three ended wonderfully, I felt there was so much more to tell. I'll experiment first, see if the ideas I have will work

Well, missed #FuriousFiction last weekend (Thanks life for getting in the way!), but the prompts were quite juicy and have instead decided to write a little sorry story anyway... Thanks @writerscentreau.bsky.social

Good days editing. Now well over half way through book 2. Even made some time for some Witcher 3... ...until a storm came through. Now watching vivid forked lightning and the celestial cacophony that follows. Nice!

I said I would finish editing Book 2 by th ebbs if the Christmas holidays. I was so naive... Not even half way through and so much more to do.

I've got another migraine, I hate my job and I just want to write. But writing won't pay the mortgage, yet. Ugh! As my teenage daughter says, 'free me from the shackles'. 😂

Clunes Booktown Saturday sorted. Booked in to attend the Author Pitching Do's and Don'ts with @alexadsett.bsky.social. It's going to be awesome!! Not to mention so many books to buy!!! Excited!!

This week's episode, entitled 'With Friends Like These' was a cornucopia of WTF? moments. 'A disturbing portrayal of an empire's final days under the stewardship of a madman'. Says one critic. Utterly riveting. Five stars

27 freaking years old and it still sounds completely relevant. First heard this on Rage all the way back then and it struck a hammerblow. All this time late and it still renders me dumbstruck. Just damned amazing.

I'm here for @joeabercrombie.com's latest The Devils if only for this feature: "a sexy lady with a bunch of knives". Sign me up!

Authors, if you see this, it's a sign to post the first line of your book. 'Dust stirred, casting motes across the single shaft of mid-afternoon sun that pierced the window and haloed the altar.' -Encounters of Flame and Fear (working title), coming...err, if I can find an agent and/or publisher!

This new ep in the final series of 'America' - titled 'Find Out' - is bleak. 1 star for content 5 stars for can't-look-away

I'm definitely too old for the #Hottest100, but seeing Babymetal/Electric Callboy's Ratatata in the chart was quite nice. I love it when metal goes cute! www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDnI...

It's a long weekend here in Oz - so there's more editing on book 2. Can one edit with a full-blown migraine and fatigue? Well, friends, we're about to find out!! 😀

I do have a book (the first in a trilogy of high fantasy) but know nothing about querying. Do you have any tips, advice, good vibes, or cat pictures to aid me?

Hi all, joined Bluesky to escape the poisonous "other" site. Join me to discuss writing, fantasy and writing fantasy! #amwriting