*bangs pots and pans* BOOK REC LIST COME GET YOUR BOOK RECS *bangbangbang* BOOK RECS FOR THE MASSES COME GET

Something BIG is coming! Canada Fiction Fest is a brand-new #CanLit showcase featuring books and authors from across the country! Sign up now to get notified when the event launches. And if you're an author who wants to participate check out our Author FAQ to find out how! #booksky ➡️ fictionfest.ca

like books that are not written by AI? i had a book come out recently, written exclusively through the power of my brain and a very loud keyboard:

It would also be cool if my failure to achieve something was not assumed to be incompetence if I've repeatedly brought up the roadblocks I need assistance clearing and the powers that be have done nothing to intervene.

Some day I will stop getting triggered so hard when people misunderstand me on purpose or just attribute things to me that I never said. Today is not that day.

Cleaned my screen, got a better score, lol.

Ha! This was fun!

After the sudden loss of our kitten Astrid in early November, we adopted two more kittens on Boxing Day. We lost one of them today due to a viral infection in his brain. Elliott-baby, we loved you so much. 2026 can get better any day now. JFC.

Am I quoting T Kingfisher's Saint of Steel series in the improv rehearsal I'm running tomorrow? Yes. Yes, I am. (Directing a dramatic improvised play, and "Trust is faith plus predictability" is perfection.)

Also writing projects.

I would really, really like to catch a fucking break.

The most important advice can I give to new (genre fic) writers is that in each scene: 1. The protag should be trying to do something 2. Something must change There's more to it, of course, but if you lock down a sense of progression in every scene, you'll be off to a strong start. #writesky

Yourself, but as a cartoon

Ah, the age old question when writing an antagonist: how far is too far for a reader to accept when he's being an asshole?

Yesterday, I practiced writing spicy scenes, which was fun. But today? Today I got to write a hand-holding scene and I am over here squealing and kicking my feet.

Wow. That's a hell of a speech; hats off to whoever wrote it. I hope the govt lives up to it.

Surely I am not the only romantasy author who, as they're working through character's romantic arcs, goes "oh, that's that character's kink. got it." Right? 😳 😳 😳

I will die on the hill that if you want to study story structure, Mulan should be one of the sacred texts. That movie is nearly perfect from a structure perspective.

The problem with finally getting back in the groove of writing again is that I have work I'm supposed to be doing that's not writing and I DON'T WANT TO.

Hahahaaaa what a great story ❤️ I love scientists

A Canadian Heritage moment.

🎶 Spent last year like you're under a curse, Better get better 'cause it can't get worse, Unless you're riding in the back of a hearse, And you're cruising in first, ain't got no reverse. Everything's gonna be better next year, Everything's gonna be better next year. 🎶

It IS a banger of a line, exemplifying why TLJ is a banger of a Star War, and I love this articulation of why

Going back through my old music stuff and was reminded of how proud I am of this cover of "Winter Song":

I lived in Japan long enough to not wear shoes inside, so when I moved to Canada I was delighted to find that that’s standard here too, even for guests. But the more I learn about other countries I’m beginning to suspect that it’s really just the USians who wear shoes indoors and we’re the weirdos.

He'll always be Prince Lir to me.

Determined on book coaching call last month that the book I've been working on for two years has been giving me so much trouble because it's actually *two* books. Just sent her a 6.5k word outline for book 1 and it already feels better.

Frank Gehry, 1929–2025 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...

Screeeeeeeeeming and kicking my feet bc LOOK at the glorious author portrait @heymonsterboy.bsky.social made for my Enchanting Alter Ego what writes romantasy!! 💃💃💃 Going to have all kinds of fun setting this persona up with some social medias in the new year 😎

Help my friend Frank become the best version of themselves by sharing and donating to their top surgery fund! gofund.me/bdde34b40

Some days it’s hard to believe this dog ever spent the first three years of her life in Texas.

I had time to write for what feels like the first time in forever, so of course I cannot focus worth a damn. Ugh.

Realized today as I was trying to put a Christmas list together that the thing I want most is more time.

I gasped out loud.

Ivy dog has just had the best day of her entire life.

lol friend posts pic of my dog & it goes viral. Ivy is a very good dog though.

Why is it that no one seems to know how basic project management works when working on projects with other people?

Cold but pretty.

"Malort advent calendar" is already such an unhinged concept but every little window just having Malort in it really pushes it over the edge into something transcendently funny

a lot of people regretting the 'this shoulda been an email' advice rn lol

Landed in Austin. Immediately ordered tacos because #priorities.

Started watching MURDERBOT and now I don't wanna go to work, I just want to watch MURDERBOT, which is pretty much the plot of MURDERBOT.

No panic attack quite like the one where you can’t find your passport the night before an international flight.

Mumford & Sons and Hozier wrote a song produced by Aaron Dessner with these lyrics and it's somehow *not* written especially for me? It's like they heard I was having writing motivation problems and said "We can fix that".

It’s been a shitty fucking week but I managed to hit my word goal today. Please clap.

New to the world of my A.G. Slatter Sourdough novels? Y'all can taste test with No Good Deed - get the ebook for free or order the physical chapbook over at @brainjarpress 🙂 brainjarpress.com

My main contract gig is being cut, and my family responsibilities are less demanding than a few years ago. So please get in touch if you know of writing/editing/research/workshop positions, any hours, ideally remote or Ottawa. Extra points for good causes. I know it's rough out there for everyone.

Trigger warning for pet death. . . . . Something went wrong during our new kitten Astrid’s spay procedure this morning and she didn’t make it. We are devastated. We didn’t have her for long but she was such a good cat. My poor sweet baby. I love you and miss you so much.