#pennedpossibilities — Public Fediverse posts

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

[Bolt is a day angel. —RS]

Thoughtfully. That's a good adjective. She dresses thoughtfully.

Sometimes she dresses to convince clients they might get hurt—maybe bitten if touched. Piercings, steel, leather? Other times, it's to impress evaluating eyes, to disguise from the unwary. Gauze, a fancy bag, straps with designer pockets, thyme feather oil, earth tone body paint, sparkle? Sometimes it's to blend, pass unseen, to remain stealthy or simply left unmolested. Nothing to stand out, nothing to keep in the sweat, nothing to remember? The only thing consistent are her geckos, angelic footwear that helps her perch on ledges, tree branches, and lampposts. She likes sea blue. In bed? Nothing to describe but her companions. And? I won't.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

[Bolt is a day angel. —RS]

Thoughtfully. That's a good adjective. She dresses thoughtfully.

Sometimes she dresses to convince clients they might get hurt—maybe bitten if touched. Piercings, steel, leather? Other times, it's to impress evaluating eyes, to disguise from the unwary. Gauze, a fancy bag, straps with designer pockets, thyme feather oil, earth tone body paint, sparkle? Sometimes it's to blend, pass unseen, to remain stealthy or simply left unmolested. Nothing to stand out, nothing to keep in the sweat, nothing to remember? The only thing consistent are her geckos, angelic footwear that helps her perch on ledges, tree branches, and lampposts. She likes sea blue. In bed? Nothing to describe but her companions. And? I won't.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

[Bolt is a day angel. —RS]

Thoughtfully. That's a good adjective. She dresses thoughtfully.

Sometimes she dresses to convince clients they might get hurt—maybe bitten if touched. Piercings, steel, leather? Other times, it's to impress evaluating eyes, to disguise from the unwary. Gauze, a fancy bag, straps with designer pockets, thyme feather oil, earth tone body paint, sparkle? Sometimes it's to blend, pass unseen, to remain stealthy or simply left unmolested. Nothing to stand out, nothing to keep in the sweat, nothing to remember? The only thing consistent are her geckos, angelic footwear that helps her perch on ledges, tree branches, and lampposts. She likes sea blue. In bed? Nothing to describe but her companions. And? I won't.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

[Bolt is a day angel. —RS]

Thoughtfully. That's a good adjective. She dresses thoughtfully.

Sometimes she dresses to convince clients they might get hurt—maybe bitten if touched. Piercings, steel, leather? Other times, it's to impress evaluating eyes, to disguise from the unwary. Gauze, a fancy bag, straps with designer pockets, thyme feather oil, earth tone body paint, sparkle? Sometimes it's to blend, pass unseen, to remain stealthy or simply left unmolested. Nothing to stand out, nothing to keep in the sweat, nothing to remember? The only thing consistent are her geckos, angelic footwear that helps her perch on ledges, tree branches, and lampposts. She likes sea blue. In bed? Nothing to describe but her companions. And? I won't.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Dirty Little Secrets deals in betrayal. We meet Melissa Hale Benedict, Carl Benedict, and Steven Burr. Nathan Hale, a spy, was captured and hung as traitor to Britain without betraying the US. Aaron Burr was loyal only to himself and his interests. Benedict Arnold rose in Washinton's ranks, uncovered as planning to betray his troops to British forces, and fled to serve with the British

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Dirty Little Secrets deals in betrayal. We meet Melissa Hale Benedict, Carl Benedict, and Steven Burr. Nathan Hale, a spy, was captured and hung as traitor to Britain without betraying the US. Aaron Burr was loyal only to himself and his interests. Benedict Arnold rose in Washinton's ranks, uncovered as planning to betray his troops to British forces, and fled to serve with the British

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

Let’s talk about Elric for this one, instead. I have just the right passage for this. No explanation necessary because this covers the prompt perfectly.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #TheScarletMirror #FatedByFire #CozyFantasy #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #Romance

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

Let’s talk about Elric for this one, instead. I have just the right passage for this. No explanation necessary because this covers the prompt perfectly.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #TheScarletMirror #FatedByFire #CozyFantasy #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #Romance

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

Let’s talk about Elric for this one, instead. I have just the right passage for this. No explanation necessary because this covers the prompt perfectly.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #TheScarletMirror #FatedByFire #CozyFantasy #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #Romance

#PennedPossibilities 1145: Describe how your MC dresses.

Let’s talk about Elric for this one, instead. I have just the right passage for this. No explanation necessary because this covers the prompt perfectly.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #TheScarletMirror #FatedByFire #CozyFantasy #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #Romance

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Janet's name doesn't have a story, but her brother Martian has a story about how he got his name, and he will happily waste an afternoon telling a captive audience about it.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Janet's name doesn't have a story, but her brother Martian has a story about how he got his name, and he will happily waste an afternoon telling a captive audience about it.

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Prefrontal cortex basically means:
“the outer layer at the front of the frontal region.”

Frontal comes from Latin frons/frontis, meaning the forehead/front.

Pre- means before.

Cortex is Latin for bark/rind—the outer covering of something. Anatomists adopted it for the outer layer of organs.

So... strip away two thousand years of respectable Latin and give the anatomists the credit they deserve:

FRONTY FRONT BRAIN BARK.
😂

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Prefrontal cortex basically means:
“the outer layer at the front of the frontal region.”

Frontal comes from Latin frons/frontis, meaning the forehead/front.

Pre- means before.

Cortex is Latin for bark/rind—the outer covering of something. Anatomists adopted it for the outer layer of organs.

So... strip away two thousand years of respectable Latin and give the anatomists the credit they deserve:

FRONTY FRONT BRAIN BARK.
😂

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Prefrontal cortex basically means:
“the outer layer at the front of the frontal region.”

Frontal comes from Latin frons/frontis, meaning the forehead/front.

Pre- means before.

Cortex is Latin for bark/rind—the outer covering of something. Anatomists adopted it for the outer layer of organs.

So... strip away two thousand years of respectable Latin and give the anatomists the credit they deserve:

FRONTY FRONT BRAIN BARK.
😂

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

For Dragons the MC is nominally Tanis. Her name has two behind the scene bits:

Her name is Chal'Tanis, technically her culture puts (clan/family name)'(given name) but her culture is tiny & displaced, few people know that so most call her Chal, but using clan name for them like that is a sort of insult, as in 'you're not worthy of recognition' so she's a little peeved by that. lol 1/2

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

For Dragons the MC is nominally Tanis. Her name has two behind the scene bits:

Her name is Chal'Tanis, technically her culture puts (clan/family name)'(given name) but her culture is tiny & displaced, few people know that so most call her Chal, but using clan name for them like that is a sort of insult, as in 'you're not worthy of recognition' so she's a little peeved by that. lol 1/2

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

For Dragons the MC is nominally Tanis. Her name has two behind the scene bits:

Her name is Chal'Tanis, technically her culture puts (clan/family name)'(given name) but her culture is tiny & displaced, few people know that so most call her Chal, but using clan name for them like that is a sort of insult, as in 'you're not worthy of recognition' so she's a little peeved by that. lol 1/2

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

"Barbara" is cognate with "barbarian" meaning "foreigner", "someone who can't make themself understood", "someone not like us", etc. All of these fit her.

Her surname, Syms, is stolen from the actor Sheila Sim and hastily tweaked so it isn't obvious.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

"Barbara" is cognate with "barbarian" meaning "foreigner", "someone who can't make themself understood", "someone not like us", etc. All of these fit her.

Her surname, Syms, is stolen from the actor Sheila Sim and hastily tweaked so it isn't obvious.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

"Barbara" is cognate with "barbarian" meaning "foreigner", "someone who can't make themself understood", "someone not like us", etc. All of these fit her.

Her surname, Syms, is stolen from the actor Sheila Sim and hastily tweaked so it isn't obvious.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Story behind MC's name?

In universe? No, "Carrie" is simply a name her parents liked; there might be a pun there.

As the author? Yes, her name brought to mind the Stephen King story (briefly riffed on once). Fishing for a last name, I mused "Carrie Fisher", to which a friend said "Uh, she's an actress. Star Wars?" Fish became Water, thus Carrie Waterson. Middle name Elizabeth for the versatility of nicknames when meeting oneself time travelling.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Story behind MC's name?

In universe? No, "Carrie" is simply a name her parents liked; there might be a pun there.

As the author? Yes, her name brought to mind the Stephen King story (briefly riffed on once). Fishing for a last name, I mused "Carrie Fisher", to which a friend said "Uh, she's an actress. Star Wars?" Fish became Water, thus Carrie Waterson. Middle name Elizabeth for the versatility of nicknames when meeting oneself time travelling.

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Maguire Octavia Tinley - first, middle, last - a common format in Maggie's part of Earth. Octavia was her paternal grandmother's name. Later, on Ardonna, she becomes Jez's consort & is Maguire Octavia Tinley of the Wellsprans. She refuses to drop her family name as she feels she's lost too much already & just adds Jez's name to the end. That becomes common practice for humanborns who join with mage nobles.

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Maguire Octavia Tinley - first, middle, last - a common format in Maggie's part of Earth. Octavia was her paternal grandmother's name. Later, on Ardonna, she becomes Jez's consort & is Maguire Octavia Tinley of the Wellsprans. She refuses to drop her family name as she feels she's lost too much already & just adds Jez's name to the end. That becomes common practice for humanborns who join with mage nobles.

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Maguire Octavia Tinley - first, middle, last - a common format in Maggie's part of Earth. Octavia was her paternal grandmother's name. Later, on Ardonna, she becomes Jez's consort & is Maguire Octavia Tinley of the Wellsprans. She refuses to drop her family name as she feels she's lost too much already & just adds Jez's name to the end. That becomes common practice for humanborns who join with mage nobles.

#PennedPossibilities 1144
Is there a story behind your MC’s name?

Maguire Octavia Tinley - first, middle, last - a common format in Maggie's part of Earth. Octavia was her paternal grandmother's name. Later, on Ardonna, she becomes Jez's consort & is Maguire Octavia Tinley of the Wellsprans. She refuses to drop her family name as she feels she's lost too much already & just adds Jez's name to the end. That becomes common practice for humanborns who join with mage nobles.

#PennedPossibilities 1144: "Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?"

Within the story? Both Wulfila and Herrad have names derived from those of their fathers (Wulf and Heribrand, respectively); in Austrasia, it is not uncommon to name children partially after their parents or other relatives. As for Ardeija, we never learn how exactly he came by his name, but it is obvious that his mother must have picked it (as it is from her culture).

#PennedPossibilities 1144: "Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?"

Within the story? Both Wulfila and Herrad have names derived from those of their fathers (Wulf and Heribrand, respectively); in Austrasia, it is not uncommon to name children partially after their parents or other relatives. As for Ardeija, we never learn how exactly he came by his name, but it is obvious that his mother must have picked it (as it is from her culture).

#PennedPossibilities 1144: "Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?"

Within the story? Both Wulfila and Herrad have names derived from those of their fathers (Wulf and Heribrand, respectively); in Austrasia, it is not uncommon to name children partially after their parents or other relatives. As for Ardeija, we never learn how exactly he came by his name, but it is obvious that his mother must have picked it (as it is from her culture).

#PennedPossibilities 1144: "Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?"

Within the story? Both Wulfila and Herrad have names derived from those of their fathers (Wulf and Heribrand, respectively); in Austrasia, it is not uncommon to name children partially after their parents or other relatives. As for Ardeija, we never learn how exactly he came by his name, but it is obvious that his mother must have picked it (as it is from her culture).

#PennedPossibilities:
Is there a story behind your MC's name? Were they named after someone or something?

No. Their names are their real names.
Using pseudonyms when writing about them here, in order to not give the game away, but the names in the book are the names they were given in real life.
Hope was named after her mother. Justice was mostly likely named after a bible character, but not sure we have info on that.

#Writing #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersofMastodon

#PennedPossibilities:
Is there a story behind your MC's name? Were they named after someone or something?

No. Their names are their real names.
Using pseudonyms when writing about them here, in order to not give the game away, but the names in the book are the names they were given in real life.
Hope was named after her mother. Justice was mostly likely named after a bible character, but not sure we have info on that.

#Writing #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersofMastodon

#PennedPossibilities:
Is there a story behind your MC's name? Were they named after someone or something?

No. Their names are their real names.
Using pseudonyms when writing about them here, in order to not give the game away, but the names in the book are the names they were given in real life.
Hope was named after her mother. Justice was mostly likely named after a bible character, but not sure we have info on that.

#Writing #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersofMastodon

#PennedPossibilities:
Is there a story behind your MC's name? Were they named after someone or something?

No. Their names are their real names.
Using pseudonyms when writing about them here, in order to not give the game away, but the names in the book are the names they were given in real life.
Hope was named after her mother. Justice was mostly likely named after a bible character, but not sure we have info on that.

#Writing #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritersofMastodon

#PennedPossibilities Is there a story behind your MC's name?

Tomathy Place is a wizard. Indicated by their very real and normal name, that totally wasn't made up just to hide what they really are.

Which makes it all the more confusing, when everyone tries to guess what manner of monsterkind they are, after only hearing a name.

At least "The Wizard Place" makes a fantastic shop name.

#PennedPossibilities Is there a story behind your MC's name?

Tomathy Place is a wizard. Indicated by their very real and normal name, that totally wasn't made up just to hide what they really are.

Which makes it all the more confusing, when everyone tries to guess what manner of monsterkind they are, after only hearing a name.

At least "The Wizard Place" makes a fantastic shop name.

#PennedPossibilities Is there a story behind your MC's name?

Tomathy Place is a wizard. Indicated by their very real and normal name, that totally wasn't made up just to hide what they really are.

Which makes it all the more confusing, when everyone tries to guess what manner of monsterkind they are, after only hearing a name.

At least "The Wizard Place" makes a fantastic shop name.

#PennedPossibilities Is there a story behind your MC's name?

Tomathy Place is a wizard. Indicated by their very real and normal name, that totally wasn't made up just to hide what they really are.

Which makes it all the more confusing, when everyone tries to guess what manner of monsterkind they are, after only hearing a name.

At least "The Wizard Place" makes a fantastic shop name.

1144. Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Bluebell Ravenhold is named after a flower, and the name of her house, Ravenhold.
All first names in that world are plant-related, the last names are nature-related in some way.

#PennedPossibilities

1144. Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Bluebell Ravenhold is named after a flower, and the name of her house, Ravenhold.
All first names in that world are plant-related, the last names are nature-related in some way.

#PennedPossibilities

1144. Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Bluebell Ravenhold is named after a flower, and the name of her house, Ravenhold.
All first names in that world are plant-related, the last names are nature-related in some way.

#PennedPossibilities

1144. Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Bluebell Ravenhold is named after a flower, and the name of her house, Ravenhold.
All first names in that world are plant-related, the last names are nature-related in some way.

#PennedPossibilities

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Yeah, Nathan Cutter, his name’s derived from two sources, the cult film, Cutter’s Way, for some unknown reason the name resonated with me; and from the name of the actor Nathan Fillion.

In my ongoing series of urban fantasy novels, The Wheel of the Year sequence, it can be dangerous for you if other people know your true name.

So, by mixing up the names of the characters Fillion has played, the various given names and surnames, I can create new names for Nathan to use when he’s pretending to be someone other than himself.

#WritersOfMastodon #TalesFrom… #SecretLife… #HowtoSucceed… #Author #Novel

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Yeah, Nathan Cutter, his name’s derived from two sources, the cult film, Cutter’s Way, for some unknown reason the name resonated with me; and from the name of the actor Nathan Fillion.

In my ongoing series of urban fantasy novels, The Wheel of the Year sequence, it can be dangerous for you if other people know your true name.

So, by mixing up the names of the characters Fillion has played, the various given names and surnames, I can create new names for Nathan to use when he’s pretending to be someone other than himself.

#WritersOfMastodon #TalesFrom… #SecretLife… #HowtoSucceed… #Author #Novel

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Yeah, Nathan Cutter, his name’s derived from two sources, the cult film, Cutter’s Way, for some unknown reason the name resonated with me; and from the name of the actor Nathan Fillion.

In my ongoing series of urban fantasy novels, The Wheel of the Year sequence, it can be dangerous for you if other people know your true name.

So, by mixing up the names of the characters Fillion has played, the various given names and surnames, I can create new names for Nathan to use when he’s pretending to be someone other than himself.

#WritersOfMastodon #TalesFrom… #SecretLife… #HowtoSucceed… #Author #Novel

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Yeah, Nathan Cutter, his name’s derived from two sources, the cult film, Cutter’s Way, for some unknown reason the name resonated with me; and from the name of the actor Nathan Fillion.

In my ongoing series of urban fantasy novels, The Wheel of the Year sequence, it can be dangerous for you if other people know your true name.

So, by mixing up the names of the characters Fillion has played, the various given names and surnames, I can create new names for Nathan to use when he’s pretending to be someone other than himself.

#WritersOfMastodon #TalesFrom… #SecretLife… #HowtoSucceed… #Author #Novel

#PennedPossibilities 1144: Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Bjarne was named for the fun of it - I later learned it means "bear", which kind of fits him (but not physically).
Rosalinda from the previous story needed a strong plant name, so I combined two plants into one. That's the way her witch family has been naming women.
Thomas from book 1 just came with the name.

#PennedPossibilities 1144 #WritingCommunity

Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Medb was named to honour her Nana, her maternal grandmother Mary Ruada, who as well as being the family's elder and a boatbuilder of local renown, was also an evening fireside storyteller of old Irish mythology, and Queen Medb was one of her favourite historical characters.

#PennedPossibilities 1144 #WritingCommunity

Is there a story behind your MC’s name? Were they named after someone or something?

Medb was named to honour her Nana, her maternal grandmother Mary Ruada, who as well as being the family's elder and a boatbuilder of local renown, was also an evening fireside storyteller of old Irish mythology, and Queen Medb was one of her favourite historical characters.