I've had this image tucked away on my hard drive for the past ten years. I found it again a couple of days ago and what do you know, - nothing has changed. The 10 of Swords, - the 21st century version.

I feel so dirty, I've just purchased a book on Kindle that's listed as being a Tick Tock sensation.

After catching COVID-19 it seems all I do now is sleep. Excess sleep has been a part of my life ever since Narcolepsy came and grabbed me, but recovering from COVID has made it worse. Any creative activity ends up with me falling asleep for hours and hours. #narcolepsy #covid-19 #chronicfatigue

I've caught COVID for the third time. What really annoys me is that each time that I've been infected it was from a health professional.

Idiopathichypersomnia.

Between Friend Narcolepsy and my old pal chronic fatigue syndrome I've done almost no writing at all over the past week. Yesterday I slept from 5.00am to 6.30pm despite having slept the night before. It's difficult to keep any kind of motivation going when I'm like this. #NZWriter #writing

Here are the #WIPSnips words for December 15th through December 21st. Please do not riot over the 16th. Does it help if I say someone requested it? 😂 Synonyms, variations and ✨vibes✨ are fine. Please remember to use Alt Text on graphics and to be kind! #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

#WIPSnips Missed some days, - Friend Narcolepsy had other ideas. The word for December 14th is 'line'. I've got 'bloodline'. The Book of Ashes', Chapter 7 D-2. Eiolynn/Madeleine Vasseur reveals herself to the newly risen Kasey Stanton.

I absolutely love this.

#WIPSnips The word for December 13th is 'control'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 7 D-2. Earlier in the day the necromancer Madeleine Vasseur (Eiolynn) raised Kasey Stanton, a WAAC corporal from the dead and she still has much to learn.

#WIPSnips The word for December 10th is 'pipe' and I've got nothing. It's not a word that appears anywhere in 'The Book of Ashes'.

#WIPSnips The word for December 9th is 'design'. I'm going to substitute with 'scheme'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 4, 'The Green Wizard'. Sir Geoffrey is discussing Michelle De La Croix's latest report with Paul Brotherwell. It's the first time I've done a snip from Chapter 4.

Here are the #WIPSnips words for December 8th through December 14th! Sorry to you WIPSnippians in the future for the slightly late post. It's been one of those days. Plus, I thought I scheduled this one already but hadn't. Whoops! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#WIPSnips The word for December 8th is 'fourth'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 6, 'Lessons'. Paul Brotherwell discovers that he hasn't been giving important documents the attention he should have been.

#WIPSnips The word for December 7th is 'empty'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 2, 'Pilgrims'. Paul Brotherwell isn't coping all that well with what Michelle De La Croix has just told him.

#WIPSnips The word for December 6th is 'hook'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians'. Michelle De La Croix is in deep trouble. The question is will the guardian soul dwelling within the Book of Ashes be successful in claiming her. (216 words)

#WIPSnips The word for December 5th is 'screen'. I've got 'screening' instead. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 1, 'Brave Men or Fools'. And here we are back with the ill-fated tomb robbers again.

#WIPSnips The word for December 4th is 'city'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians'. Michelle De La Croix is asleep and dream walking. However this is not without its risks.

#WIPSnips The word for December 3rd is 'dominant', no luck with that so I'm going with 'most powerful'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians'. I have a feeling that I may have posted part of this snip before. Michelle De La Croix has been more than a little foolish with a powerful artifact.

#WIPSnips For December 2nd 'percent' I've got nothing. Doesn't seem to be a word I used anywhere in 'The Book of Ashes'. Tried all the synonyms I could think of and still nothing.

#WIPSnips The word for December 1st is 'belong'. I've got 'belonged'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 2, 'Pilgrims'. Recycling a paragraph I've used before where Paul Brotherwell is still not comfortable with Michelle De La Croix and her veil-walker's talents.

I cannot believe I'm posting words for the first week of December, but here we are. The #WIPSnips words for December 1st through December 7th are here! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#WIPSnips The Word for November 30th is 'number'. Used twice in the whole darn m/s. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 1, 'Brave Men or Fools'. Once again we are back with the ill fated tomb robbers.

#writershelpingwriters #authoradvice #writingadvice #writingcommunity

#WIPSnips Missed some of these had eye problems. The word for November 29th is 'dedicate', I've got 'committed'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 9, 'A letter from a different country'. Paul Brotherwell has made contact with Michelle De La Croix by magical means that he can't even begin to understand.

Here are the words for the next week of #WIPSnips and the last week of November! November 24th through November 30th Regular reminders: - Use Alt Text - Include Trigger/Content Warnings - No editorial comments on posts - Synonyms, variations and ✨vibes✨ are fine #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

#WIPSnips The word for November 25th is 'system', - I can do 'network' instead. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 9, 'A letter from a different country'. Paul Brotherwell gave Jenny Birdfoot a fright and now she is hiding in Mrs Erin's cardigan.

#WIPSnips The word for November 24th is 'debut'. After shaking out a bag of synonyms I've got 'beginning' instead. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 2, 'Pilgrims'. Paul Brotherwell and Michelle De La Croix are making an attempt at learning how to work together.

#WIPSnips The word for November 23rd is 'global'. Not a word I use, or can't remember using. I gave the on-line thesaurus a good shaking and got nothing. 'The Book of Ashes' is my present WIP so I don't want to scratching around in any other m/s looking for something that will fit.

#WIPSnips The word for November 22nd is 'crystal'. No crystals, but I can do 'rubies'. 'The Book of Ashes', Prologue (1st draft), 'Witch Queen'.

#WIPSnips The word for November 21st is 'direction'. I had ten examples of this word in 'The Book of Ashes' so I was spoilt for choice. Chapter Six, 'Lessons'. We meet up with Jenny Birdfoot again.

Finally! I was wondering why I hadn’t seen or heard any other parties coming out against this. Come on labour and greens #nzpol

Jaimie Veale, the founding president of PATHA and Director of the Trans Health Research Lab at Waikato has written an excellent op-ed for the Conversation: "The government has placed a burden of proof on puberty blockers that we do not place on other paediatric care."

#WIPSnips The word for November 20th is 'special'. I'm going to have to go with 'especially'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 6, 'Lessons'. Paul Brotherwell continues to learn more about the Kingdom of Fontennal.

#WIPSnips The word for November 19th is 'third'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 7, 'Heroine'. Eiolynn, once of Qual'fain, reviews her recent history while drinking several bottles of wine.

#WIPSnips The word for November 18 is 'retrograde'. I'm going with 'decline'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter six, 'Lessons'. Sir Geoffrey is giving Paul Brotherwell a brief lecture on the history of the Book of Ashes.

#WIPSnips The word for November 17th is 'spend'. I'm going with 'paying'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians'. Michelle De La Croix the veil-walker is almost completely burned out from having spent too many days in Gonne.

#NZWriter #writing #narcolepsy I woke up this morning all set to write like I usually do, only a REM dropout hit me. Barely shook that one off and then another got me. After that Friend Narcolepsy grabbed me hard and had their way with me for the next 5 hours.

#WIPSnips The word for November 16th is 'run'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter One, 'Brave Men or Fools'. I've taken snips from chapter one before this, only I'm fairly I haven't snipped these paragraphs before. Tomb robbers (sigh). Alkebulan => old name for Egypt.

Here are the #WIPSnips words for next week, November 17th through November 23rd. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#WIPSnips The word for November 15th is 'progress'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 8, 'Pathways'. Michelle the veil-walker is being guided along the Folks' secret pathways. They don't seem to be very good at it.

#WIPSnips The word for November 14th is 'week'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 2, 'Pilgrims'. Michelle De La Croix is struggling not to lose her temper with Paul Brotherwell.

#WIPSnips The word for November 13th is 'build'. I've got 'built' instead of 'build'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 7, 'Heroine'. From a room in an abandoned house Madeleine Vasseur (Eiolynn of Qual,fain) has been watching a thunderstorm sweeping in and swiftly claiming night's country.

#WIPSnips The word for November 12th is 'shirt'. That I can do. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 2, 'Pilgrims'. At this stage of things Michelle De La Croix has a poor opinion of Paul Brotherwell.

#WIPSnips The word for November 11th is 'burger'. No 'burgers', but I have lots of bread and 'cheese'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 8, 'Pathways'. Michelle has suffered what's known as a veil-walker's injury and it's serious. Apart from that she doesn't know where she is now and when.

#WIPSnips The word for November 10th is 'local', but I'm going with 'village'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 9 (again) and carrying on a couple of paragraphs from yesterday's WIPSnip. A 'Hercules' is a brand of bicycle. Jenny Birdfoot is supposed to be hiding in Paul's shoulder bag and keeping quiet.

#WIPSnips The word of the day for Nov 9th is 'picture'. From 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 9, 'A Letter From a Different Country'. Paul Brotherwell helps a small tearful friend who has had a nasty fright. A 'Hercules' is a brand of bicycle in case you were wondering. Possibly too many words.

#WIPSnips The word for November 8th is 'little'. Not a word that I use that often. From the 'Book of Ashes', 1st draft prologue, - 'Witch Queen'. King Harrad of Fontennal as been given the Book of Ashes by Queen Eiolynn and he's starting to have some doubts about it.

#WIPSnips The word for November 7th is 'movement'. And it's back for the 7th time to 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians'. Michelle needed to be somewhere in a hurry and it seems that somehow against all the odds transport has been provided.

#WIPSnips The word for November 6th is 'penultimate'. "I'm going with 'most powerful'. 'The Book of Ashes', Chapter 5, 'Guardians' (yet again). Michelle the veil-walker has barely survived doing something decidedly unwise.