Driving Ambition is a lot of fun!

Got a royalty statement and my 2022 novel The Embroidered Book continues to outsell my later books, partly because it had momentum out of the gate, but at this point those sales are word of mouth, which is cool. If you fancy a big novel about Marie Antoinette and her sister as rival magicians, here:

Canada has made its national school food programme a permanent part of the federal budget. The initiative will provide healthy meals to up to 400,000 additional children while supporting local producers. buff.ly/j9ZkCRB #ShareGoodNewsToo

I was called back to the lab for blood work because FedEx had a problem taking the original over the US border. Always suspected the head of Homeland Security was a vampire.

I'm in the middle of the penultimate chapter of my new novel. The thrill of completion is now battling with the horror of rewriting.

It's my book! A collection of my Steampunk & sci-fi short stories from over the years, plus one Sherlock Holmes story set during the War of the Worlds.

Do you suppose there is a gene for wanderlust? My father spent six years as a hobo and later became a travelling salesman. Is that why I feel the urge to go someplace new every couple of months? And when I get there, I want to go someplace else. Epigenetics affects us all.

I hope my friends in England and Scotland are safe from this tremendously strong storm

1. This is something I've been saying for 25 years, but it's hard to get many people to listen. What counts is not the new energy sources you add, but the old ones you retire. Unfortunately it's politically easier to build renewables than to shutter fossil fuels.🧵 www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...

Explore the sights at Yellowknife's August holiday weekend festival, where music, food, crafts and an Old Town vibe come together.

I'm exploring the interconnectivity of life. I've read lots of books, non-fiction and fiction: most recently "There are Rivers in the Sky" by Elif Shafak (wonderful!) which uses the water cycle as a metaphor for connections between people through time. Any suggestions (let's see what I missed)?

Smoky days in Ottawa

One of the things i am not hearing mentioned during tariff discussions is how weak the dollar has become since King Midas took the throne. The dollar has fallen approx 10% on average to other currencies. So as an importer, you’re not only paying tariffs, but also buying with a weaker dollar.

Wrote almost 15K words on my new WIP over the last two weeks, which brings it just under 60K. It's been both a challenge and an adventure as I am trying a couple of new approaches to writing. Can this old dog learn new tricks? Time will tell.

Because drama is wherever you look

Shaper of Worlds: Volume V—A Spellbinding Anthology ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #BookReview #BookSky @plstuart-author.bsky.social @edwardwillett.bsky.social @chadwickginther.bsky.social @evangraham.bsky.social @mjkuhnbooks.bsky.social @haydent.bsky.social @elikpwilliam.com bodaciouscopy.com/blog/blog/75...

Sky and river in Ottawa tonight

Congratulations to @smbeiko.bsky.social @kateheartfield.com @nalohop.bsky.social @ourmankoto.bsky.social @angrykem.bsky.social @premeemohamed.com @lynnesargent.bsky.social @smithwriter.bsky.social @haydent.bsky.social @bluejo.bsky.social and all the finalists for this year's #PrixAuroraAwards!

In this month's issue of Analog Science Fiction

3) Mr. Palomar Goes to Space by @haydent.bsky.social: exceptionally unexceptional Everyman goes to space and saves the day. Sharp, funny. Nice

Great Ontario made salsa. Look for it.

The latest poll from Ekos on Canadian voting intentions in the imminent Canadian federal election show the Liberal party at 48% and the Conservatives at 31. This is the reverse of 6 weeks ago. People are calling it the #Trump effect. Other polls show the parties roughly tied. Still a big change.

Meet The Passion of Ivan Rodriguez by Hayden Trenholm @haydent.bsky.social 🇨🇦. Post-apocalyptic, but hopeful, showing that we're better off working together--in fact, we have to. We're all connected. Lots of futuristic 🇨🇦 characters & settings! More info, including buy links: tinyurl.com/mr3j5xyp

In a parallel universe, this is New Year's Day www.haydentrenholm.com/haydens-hubr...

Trying to do *something* just a small thing, every week, that adds a little bit of good to the world. We can't change everything but we can change something.

We are embarking on a random watch of lesser known Sherlock Holmes movies/TV. Last night it was Billy Wilder's 1970 film, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Tonight a 3-part TV series with Christopher Lee as Holmes and Patrick Macnee as Watson -- both nearing retirement in 1910. Any suggestions?

And there it is.

The 4th Max Anderson mystery is now available wherever eBooks are sold. books2read.com/u/386yzV

Cover reveal for my new Max Anderson mystery novel. Ebook coming next week; print edition by the end of the month.

Can't stress this enough: a random story you write on a lark may end up being the one that gets you the most recognition while the one you really love may get few reads and/or your worst reviews. Don't overthink it. Publishing is a gamble. You'll win some; you'll lose some.

I have to say that Bluesky is much nicer than "the site that shall not be named" was but I don't come here more often than I did the other place. I prefer my social life to be unmediated.

Upon seeing a story I rejected get published by a far more prestigious and better-paying magazine, a reminder for writers: If a magazine sends you a rejection, don't automatically assume that your story won't be well-received by other mags of a similar or higher pay-grade. Aim high, folks.

A fun review of Jane Glatt's Lost & Found! It's always great when the reviewer hopes for more books in a series. Read the review here: www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/lost-and-f...

People always ask about the current WIP. Trouble is, I have 5. 2 shorts, a novella and 2 novels. Though 4 are in at least 1st draft, all of them need work. My prolific writing has now created writer's block. Where to start in? Suggestions for getting unstuck welcome. #amwriting not.

Our Christmas parade

It's not all perfect here on Blue Sky. Imagine my surprise at being followed by a Booker Prize winning author. Sadly, though well constructed, some of the posts reveal the truth--referring to his 2017 winning novel (and others) as his new book. How do you deal with fake accounts here?

If you like #horror, @datlow.bsky.social's annual year's best is a must read. She scours every piece of short fiction in magazines and anthologies, and selects the best. If you're an aspiring #writer, reading a year's best will show you the cutting edge of the field in one quick volume!

Introductions are in order. I've been here for a while but only active lately. I've been writing pretty steadily for 35 years, sometimes as a full-time job but usually as a second one. I've had 5 novels traditionally published, all SF, plus about 40 short fiction sales. I'm also an editor and, /2

It's flat pack weekend! A year ago we moved from a 3-bedroom condo to a 2-bedroom apartment, 33% less space. We downsized before moving, again as soon as we arrived and, as we are staying put for another year, small furniture is replacing big. The hardest part: losing half the books. #feelmypain

I made the leap and now have landed the dismount. No longer on Twitter (glad to leave the Great Twit behind) and fully ready for Blue Skies.

One last reminder in the waning hours of this StoryBundle! Last chance to grab ten fantasy novels starring older protagonists, by folks like me, @mariebilodeau.bsky.social @gregoryawilson.com @haydent.bsky.social and @carolyncharron.bsky.social - don't miss out!

Midnight is a mere 8 hours away. You might see ghosts, you might see goblins, but the one thing you won't see is the "Never Too Old to Save the World" Story Bundle. Get it, including my own The Passion of Ivan Rodriguez, before the clock strikes twelve. storybundle.com/nevertooold

Whether you count it in human years or dog years, life is short. But counted in story bundle years, it is very short. Only fifteen hours left to show "you're never too old to save the world." Ten great books for $20. storybundle.com/nevertooold

Whether you count it in human years or dog years, life is short. But counted in story bundle years, it is very short. Only fifteen hours left to show "you're never too old to save the world." Ten great books for $20. storybundle.com/nevertooold

Today is the LAST DAY to grab the "Never Too Old to Save the World" #StoryBundle 👀👀👀 Ten books. Older protagonists. An amazing deal. Plus support for Girls Write Now. Come on, add to your TBR, I know you want to. Any boosting appreciated for this final day of bundle! storybundle.com/nevertooold

Every evening we watch the sunset, knowing it's a promise of a sunrise. After darkness comes the light. That's why it's important to know It's Never Too Late to Save the World and you're never too old. But in 40 hours it will be too late to buy this great story bundle. storybundle.com/nevertooold