Afternoon snack. Strawberry Italian soda with nondairy cream and a sugar cookie. Yum!

It's my birthday, so have a present. SLIPPERY CREATURES (Will Darling Adventures book 1) is going on cheap over the weekend. 1920s pulp adventure m/m romance with plots, spies, Bright Young People, and emotional support knife, all for 99p!

I voted. This is the way.

I'm on the food bank donation train. I donated to St Mary's Food Bank & the Lost Our Home Pet Rescue Pet Food Bank. Don't forget that if your employer matches charitable donations to submit for that & double the impact! Find a food bank in your area here: www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...

I was around 11 different cats today and didn't take a single Caturday photo.

I've mostly been decorating the inside of my stomach with Halloween, but I did pick up a cute lil pumpkin and ghost with an air plant. I usually try to stick to plants I can water infrequently but it was too cute, so I'll try the weekly misting as instructed.

What are you doing Saturday? Join us in talking with award-winning author Tracy Clark about how to Bring it Home with a Strong 3rd Act! Free for members, $15 for non-members Register at: www.sistersincrime.org/events/regis... #SinC #writingcommnity #booksky

BREAKING: A court ordered the Department of Defense to stop censoring educational materials discussing race and gender in schools on military bases. Books removed from the schools must be returned to the shelves immediately.

I feel the urge to buy a good flannel.

Words are just not wording today.

Psst! I am opening up to unagented children's book submissions *just for the month of October*! This is an exciting experiment. The email to send submissions to is [email protected]. You can find out about what I'm looking for at www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/me...

Kinda wishing I had a little bit of Aeon Flux going. Then maybe I'd have caught the little flying bug with my eyelashes instead of getting sucker punched in the eyeball.

“Only when readers of all ages become active, only when readers are willing to stand up to the censors, will the censors get the message that they cannot frighten us.” - Judy Blume #BannedBooksWeek #KidLit

Discovered this 1980s favorite in a Little Free Library last night — TOP SECRET, by John Reynolds Gardiner, about a boy who discovers “human photosynthesis” & turns himself into a plant. It’s a kind of #kidlit that we’ve sort of moved away from, I think — 🧵+

After the Great Depression, a girl desperate to find her mother gambles that a dangerous cross-country journey to the west will bring her home. "Hard Times" by Meg E. Dobson, from the Desert Sleuths Anthology, SOWEST: DANGER AWAITS! Pick up a copy: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNS2H162 #SinC #AmReading

This is going to be us tonight! We can't wait to get a copy of our newest anthology, SoWest: Danger Awaits! Join us and we can giddily bounce around the @poisonedpen.bsky.social together.

Lovely Friday afternoon thunderstorm (with hail even) making this pluviophile very happy!

A college student spends his summers digging for gold in a secret mine until his boss mysteriously disappears. "Herman Pines and Archie" by Bill Butler, from the Desert Sleuths Anthology, SOWEST: DANGER AWAITS! Pick up a copy: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNS2H162 #SinC #AmReading #Mystery #Suspense

A police officer training for a marathon in the desert witnesses a terrible accident… or was it murder? "The Bride Wore Blood" by Wendy Harrison, from the Desert Sleuths Anthology, SOWEST: DANGER AWAITS! Pick up a copy: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNS2H162 #SinC #AmReading #Suspense #PoliceProcedural

A down on his luck father-to-be gets sucked into a dicey murder for hire gig as he tries to support his family. "A Killer Job" by Roberta Gibson, from the Desert Sleuths Anthology, SOWEST: DANGER AWAITS! Pick up a copy: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNS2H162 #SinC #AmReading @robertagibson.bsky.social

Cheerful black-eyed Susan blooms. #PhoenixGarden

Definitely a great WriteNOW! Conference full of fab speakers! I had a wonderful time and I'm feeling inspired all the way down into my stubby little pinky toes. ✨❤️✨

Host Christina Estes kicked off Saturday by introducing Wendy H Jones who gave us beaucoup tips on how to "Self-edit Your Way to Being a Better Writer." #WriteNOWConference #DSWN @wendyhjones.bsky.social @reporterestes.bsky.social

The Mercury eliminated the defending champion Liberty in the WNBA playoffs. Alyssa Thomas was a clear winner. The refs were losers again.

Yay, Mercury move to the semis! Go Merc! #WNBA

Us, thinking about the WriteNOW! Conference THIS weekend!! ✨😍✨ Register: desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/

Last chance for: -PitchNOW! - pitch an editor/agent your book -EditNOW! - get feedback on your first 3 chapters -CraftNOW! - Catriona McPherson's workshop on "Planting Clues and Red Herrings" RegisterNOW!: desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/ #DSWN #AmWriting #AmQuerying #WritingCommunity

I visited the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix yesterday for the last day of their special exhibit, Stradivarius and the Golden Age of Violins and Guitars. I went to go see all of the wonderful instruments, but especially this beautiful guitar from the School of Matteo Sellas, c. 1625.

Next Friday, Sept 19, Editor Melissa Rechter of Crooked Lane Books & Alcove Press is taking zoom pitches at the WriteNOW! Conference. Let's take a closer look at her manuscript wishlist. #DSWN #AmWriting #AmQuerying #WritingCommunity

On Friday Sept 19, Literary Agent Ginger Hutchinson of Moveable Type Management is taking zoom pitches at the WriteNOW! Conference. Let's take a closer look at her manuscript wishlist. #DSWN #AmWriting #AmQuerying #WritingCommunity bsky.app/profile/dese...

The Kim Possible theme song is running through my head as I try to go to sleep. There are worse things, I suppose.

Hey you crime fiction writers! Saturday 9/19 @desertsleuths.bsky.social WriteNow! conference I’ll be moderating "Doing Justice to Characters Unlike Yourself" with the brilliant @alexsegura.bsky.social, @dmrowell.bsky.social Rowell & @robyngigl.bsky.social. desertsleuths.com/writenow-202...

Sign up now to get some precious zoom face time with Editor Melissa Rechter of Crooked Lane Books and Alcove Press. These are priceless networking connections as well as pitching opportunities! Register: desertsleuths.com/writenow-2025/

Great deal alert! 1. Choose your editor (Terri, Jay, or Anne). 2. Get helpful feedback on your first 30 pages. 3. Level up your manuscript. 4. Take the publishing world by storm! #DSWN #AmWriting #MysteryWriters #ThrillerWriters #CrimeWriters #AmQuerying #WritingCommunity #SinC

An animal sanctuary owner accused of a rancher's murder calls upon a Sherlockian duo to clear her name. "Just Enough Rope" by @maryadlerwrites.bsky.social, from the Desert Sleuths Anthology, SOWEST: DANGER AWAITS! Pre-order on Amazon Kindle: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNS2H162 #SinC #Mystery #Sherlock

If you are interested in #kidlit make sure you are taking advantage of all of what the community here on Bluesky has to offer. Find out more about the lists, feeds, and helpful people here: briankirbystudio.com/a-list-of-li...

Incoming President of @sincworldwide.bsky.social, Raquel V Reyes will pep us up abt our writing careers, & boy, could we use that positive energy! Come get a dose & a plan! Register for the WriteNOW! Conference at DesertSleuths.com #DSWN25 #AmWriting #WritingCommunity @latinasleuths.bsky.social

📜 FLOCK OF FABLES; a formline bestiary 🐉 (🔁) #formline #indigenousart #telekitneticart

Just opened my commissioned pet portraits package from amazing artist & #kidlit friend @jengubicza.bsky.social. Look how fun and cute they are! Jen used highlighter & colored pencils for each of my kitties. This is still in its plastic cover protector until I find the perfect frame. Thanks, Jen!

One thing is for sure. Kids need our art and stories. ❤️ Bring on the weird and wonderful books. This image is made using photos of real 3D puppets in actual sets with the facial expressions drawn on top digitally. Art Directors & Editors: I’m rep’d by the wonderful @kaitfeldmann at @ktliterary

I love Wednesday's kickass Sherlock Holmes cape jacket. I wish I lived somewhere I could actually wear one regularly. In high school I was desperate for a chic trench coat (like Highlander [with sword of course], La Femme Nikita, X-Files) but that never made sense in the desert.

I ate the zucchini before it rotted in the fridge drawer. /earns Medal of Honor/ I can just eat garbage this weekend right?

If you see this, repost with a vampire that is not Dracula.

Me, after reading my unfinished first draft short story after a few days away: Well, it's not shit! My uncle: Uh, that's not really a ringing endorsement. Me: No, it totally is! You just don't understand the author mindset during the drafting process.

Hi #KidLitArtPostcard day, I'm Mike! I usually post cheerful scenes but this month I'm showing some range with a new spooky MG cover illustration instead. I'm also excited to share that I'm now repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social at CMA! 🎉 mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #spooky #kidLit #kidLitArt

Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I'm an author/illustrator and current #PBRisingStars mentee about to dive into the #amquerying trenches. I enjoy creating lovable oddball characters who are definitely, probably, never evil. Check out more of my work at: brookebaum.com #kidlit #kidlitart

“According to [research] taking as little as six minutes to relax and read a book can lower your stress levels by as much as 68%. This was compared to the success rate of other stress-relieving activities such as listening to music (61%) and walking (42%).” www.henryford.com/blog/2025/02...

If you are in the Edmonton area Fiasco is still missing - please check garages and sheds and engines! Let's get him home, please share x

Local bookstore favorite, The Poisoned Pen, is hosting the launch party & book signing for our latest Desert Sleuths Anthology, SoWest: Danger Awaits! Free event. Come get to know us! Register for the WriteNOW! Conference at DesertSleuths.com #DSWN25 #MysteryWriters @poisonedpenbooks.bsky.social