Just finished my submission for this round of @writingbattle.bsky.social after missing the last one while I was down sick. I think a bit of my melancholy is seeping in.

More convos from this morning's brunch. 16: I was really congested [at the track meet] but I don't if it was allergies or dead people dust. 44: K-what?? 16: You know... there's a crematorium right by the field. 36: *laughing* How are you not biologically my kid? 16: I think I basically am now.

At brunch: 16: What sounds like Darth Vader breathing? 44: *deadpan* He shops here. 36: *looks around* *sees a woman squeezing every single giant chicken in a giant barrel* Oh gods... Every. Single. One.

I'm making my way through my TBR - currently at The Reformatory by @tananarivedue.bsky.social. This book has the most dread inducing scenes in it. It has classical horror elements but the most terrifying parts aren't the ghosts. It's the living folk who make me want to close the book and hide.

I got to take my husband and best friend to an omakase today. Right between their birthdays. OMG so expensive. OMG so very worth it. 2 hours of some of the best appetizers, sushi, and drinks I've ever had in my life. They even made specific course adjustments for my allergies. I'm so happy.

Today I drove for the first time in 6 months. I thought it would be scary, after everything, but it felt just like normal (with the exception of some peripheral processing issues). It's a nice landmark for recovery and makes me feel excited about getting back to normal.

I've been watching MasterChef for the first time (yes, yes, I know) from the very beginning. I can't imagine that the visceral dislike I have of Max in S2 is all edits. They are building up an absolute thrill for when he gets kicked.

PREACH PREACH PREACH PREACH PREACH As someone who sees the production cost versus the sales costs of medications, the level of profit in cheap, life-saving therapies (looking at you, insulin) is inhumane.

Casper is supervising dress making today. Putting it through quality control testing. Are the skirts fluffy enough? TBD.

Spring came and left early. How long must I suffer summer before fall returns?

Dear preachers Holding people captive in their grief and in their respect for surviving family in order to proselytize at a funeral is deeply selfish and hurtful. You remove all focus from the lost loved one onto yourself. It is done for your arrogance and pride. You should be ashamed. E.K.

Picking up side work. Gotta pay them service dog fees. www.fiverr.com/s/YRrjg6q

I hope everyone is saving their favorite political memes, cartoons, rally videos, etc. That way, when this inevitably becomes "history," it doesn't get white washed and sanitized. Keep the visceral, horrific truth in history. Don't let anyone forget. Help historians unbury the crap that's hidden.

Anxiously waiting for Monday so I can get discount chocolate. I basically only celebrate holidays late for this reason.

Working on a done-when-it's-done-length story about a person being stalked by an amorphous creature that slowly steals their memories and sanity. I think I'm going to call it "There is Nothing in the Walls." It feels like it's part autobiography.

Good morning.

I just discovered #bloomscroll is a thing, so someone tell me - How do I save them from their own hubris?! Our last frost is expected mid-May!

Nothing beats getting whiplash symptoms while you've got an FND flare. Not only does changing my body position make things worse, but now trying to turn just my head is excruciatingly painful. What caused these symptoms, you ask? Sleeping.

As I'm dealing with depression, I go to therapy regularly. During this week's session, I had the thought that I should write a story about being stalked by a creature that steals joy, but the depression makes it difficult to motivate myself to do it. Huh.

My mind is marbles on a trampoline. Scattered, some probably broken. It took a heck of a force to make them bounce like this. When they finally roll to a stop, I wonder where they'll be?

It's not a phase, mom!

Hearing my neighbors' electric cars start up is always so disorienting. I can be in a dead sleep and I will come fully awake at that sci-fi alien scanner sound. Without fail, it takes me a few seconds to realize that someone didn't leave the TV on. Is e-car noise pollution a thing?

Trying to convince my husband to start streaming with me. Once upon a time, I streamed video games, and just the way we heckle the crap out of each other is hilarious.

PT is absolutely kicking my ass. I don't know where my body parts are in space, I don't know where my center is, my head moves like a bobble toy. It's a damn good thing I'm stubborn or I'd be bed-bound wondering where the hell to take my life next.

The 200th edition of my fantasy collection Shadows & Sorcery has been out for nearly a week and I'd really like to see it get some views🙏 It's free to read, standalone fiction, no sub needed! shadowsandsorcery.substack.com/p/shadows-an... #Fantasy #Writing #SelfPub #IndieAuthor #ShortStories

I can't believe this was 23 days ago already. The nerves are real.

Media outlets acting like the declining birth rate is a bad thing boggles my mind. Our estimated world population is 8.3B. The US foster care system alone has over 400,000 kids. There are over 140M orphans worldwide. We're not taking care of the kids we have and Gen Z not wanting to add is bad??

I need a bottomless cup of coffee or the ability to re-enter the Dreaming at will.

Who's watching you? And why? **ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER!!!** -Stories MUST have both sci-fi and horror elements -Max word count: 1,000 -Prize: $50 + a tinfoil hat -Note that we are an audio publication, not print

Can I use "international public embarrassment" as a reason to request a citizenship change?

If you think you will be exposed to OC spray, you can reduce your response with incremental exposure of capsaicin cream to your eyes and nose. For your mouth, just eat spicy food. Do I recommend this? Absolutely not. Do my patients do it to desired effect? Absolutely yes. #ForEducationalPurposes

Working from home is mildly anxiety inducing for someone who has had to validate all of their actions for years. I mean, how will my teammates know that I'm working if I'm not working on the same thing as them? They can't see my work so I may as well just not be working at all, right?

The political meme game is so strong. The things regular people post are more brilliant and nuanced than anything that was said in the last electoral debate. It's almost unbelievable. But I'm so glad for it. I hope they make it into history books.

Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.

Thinking about the story, "What Haunts the Newbuild?" by Meagan Kane. If you haven't read or listen to it yet, you can find it on @pseudopod.org at pseudopod.org/2026/02/06/p... This story just lingers in you. It's so good.

My old computer fried. Lost all of my writing. Got a new computer. Today, it just failed to execute any programs after startup. Been working on recovery for 4 hours. Files corrupted. I have some of them backed up on a cloud now, but I'm afraid I'm about to lose a lot more writing again.

Submitted the first part of my novel to #ProWritingAid for their $50,000 competition. Wish me luck! 😬

Restructuring my Appalachian Apocalypse series because I realized belatedly that I started with the WRONG HORSEMAN. Dang it. Do I just write the two stories simultaneously?

As a disabled woman, there are few sentences more infuriating than, "You are so brave." No, mfer. I'm terrified. My body is failing and sometimes my mind is trapped inside. I'm not BRAVE. I'm surviving. I'm coping. I don't have a choice. It's this or death.

A delightfully grim read. As if I needed more reason to suspect my newer home was haunted.

I wonder if Elizabeth Barrett Browning had hyper-adrenergic POTS or similar. Remarkable that her escape from a manipulative and controlling home to Italy with her lover where she pursued her joy of writing would cause her symptoms to dissipate. Almost like they were caused by her circumstances.

Signed my first cast today. A four-year-old walked up, handed me a bag of Sharpies, and propped her arm on her head so I could sign the spot on the underside of her wrist. 10/10 would do again but hope I don't have to.

I just started writing on #ReamStories. Come check out the first chapter of my dark epic fantasy novel, The Sixteenth Ward. No cost to read! reamstories.com/ehrenkeen

Back in the Writing Battles! www.writingbattle.com/join-battle I joined the upcoming Tempest Raven Battle - Get Ready to Battle on Feb 3, 2026! @writingbattle.bsky.social #flashfiction #writingprompts #writerslife #WritingCommunity #writersofbluesky Join the Battle and Learn More

Just finished my third chapter at almost 8500 words and suddenly my word processor decides that it doesn't know how to handle scene breaks and it won't let me write above the break. WHAT.

I wrote today.

I accept.

Updates coming to Ko-Fi. Will be posting stories in epub format and working on a piece that's been hanging over my head since starting The Ravening Dark. 1,669 words down on the first chapter. Are you excited? I'm excited.

Happy New Year, you beautiful weirdos. This year's resolutions include reconditioning therapy so I can walk independently and revitalizing my Ko-Fi with new and updated stories.

Merry whatever you choose to celebrate, from Casper and Nala Keen.