#rsdiscussion — Public Fediverse posts

#PennedPossibilities 1125: SC POV: Give your city (or town or region) a new name that reflects what type of place it is and explain why you chose that name.

Pigeon the Pilferer would say:

Home City? I'd choose Misery. Not a place where dreams come to be crushed underfoot so much as where they can't spout because if some people, or many people, don't like how you look, sound… you smell, they'll steal even your dirt, they'll beat you, for the fun of it, and they'll leave you bleeding on bare stone, stone where your seeds of hope will shrivel from the heat of hate only to be ground to meager powder, to be blown away in the slightest breeze.

Well, that's way more eloquent than usual for him! The day angel got bullied and picked on growing up. Don't know why. I imagine the metallic blue, green, and purple sheen to his otherwise grey feathers had something to do with it. He grew up to be a punk gangster with a bad attitude and a miserable disposition, ready to fight at the merest slight. He's Bolt's lesser antagonist.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#PennedPossibilities 1125: SC POV: Give your city (or town or region) a new name that reflects what type of place it is and explain why you chose that name.

Pigeon the Pilferer would say:

Home City? I'd choose Misery. Not a place where dreams come to be crushed underfoot so much as where they can't spout because if some people, or many people, don't like how you look, sound… you smell, they'll steal even your dirt, they'll beat you, for the fun of it, and they'll leave you bleeding on bare stone, stone where your seeds of hope will shrivel from the heat of hate only to be ground to meager powder, to be blown away in the slightest breeze.

Well, that's way more eloquent than usual for him! The day angel got bullied and picked on growing up. Don't know why. I imagine the metallic blue, green, and purple sheen to his otherwise grey feathers had something to do with it. He grew up to be a punk gangster with a bad attitude and a miserable disposition, ready to fight at the merest slight. He's Bolt's lesser antagonist.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#PennedPossibilities 1125: SC POV: Give your city (or town or region) a new name that reflects what type of place it is and explain why you chose that name.

Pigeon the Pilferer would say:

Home City? I'd choose Misery. Not a place where dreams come to be crushed underfoot so much as where they can't spout because if some people, or many people, don't like how you look, sound… you smell, they'll steal even your dirt, they'll beat you, for the fun of it, and they'll leave you bleeding on bare stone, stone where your seeds of hope will shrivel from the heat of hate only to be ground to meager powder, to be blown away in the slightest breeze.

Well, that's way more eloquent than usual for him! The day angel got bullied and picked on growing up. Don't know why. I imagine the metallic blue, green, and purple sheen to his otherwise grey feathers had something to do with it. He grew up to be a punk gangster with a bad attitude and a miserable disposition, ready to fight at the merest slight. He's Bolt's lesser antagonist.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#PennedPossibilities 1125: SC POV: Give your city (or town or region) a new name that reflects what type of place it is and explain why you chose that name.

Pigeon the Pilferer would say:

Home City? I'd choose Misery. Not a place where dreams come to be crushed underfoot so much as where they can't spout because if some people, or many people, don't like how you look, sound… you smell, they'll steal even your dirt, they'll beat you, for the fun of it, and they'll leave you bleeding on bare stone, stone where your seeds of hope will shrivel from the heat of hate only to be ground to meager powder, to be blown away in the slightest breeze.

Well, that's way more eloquent than usual for him! The day angel got bullied and picked on growing up. Don't know why. I imagine the metallic blue, green, and purple sheen to his otherwise grey feathers had something to do with it. He grew up to be a punk gangster with a bad attitude and a miserable disposition, ready to fight at the merest slight. He's Bolt's lesser antagonist.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#PennedPossibilities 1125: SC POV: Give your city (or town or region) a new name that reflects what type of place it is and explain why you chose that name.

Pigeon the Pilferer would say:

Home City? I'd choose Misery. Not a place where dreams come to be crushed underfoot so much as where they can't spout because if some people, or many people, don't like how you look, sound… you smell, they'll steal even your dirt, they'll beat you, for the fun of it, and they'll leave you bleeding on bare stone, stone where your seeds of hope will shrivel from the heat of hate only to be ground to meager powder, to be blown away in the slightest breeze.

Well, that's way more eloquent than usual for him! The day angel got bullied and picked on growing up. Don't know why. I imagine the metallic blue, green, and purple sheen to his otherwise grey feathers had something to do with it. He grew up to be a punk gangster with a bad attitude and a miserable disposition, ready to fight at the merest slight. He's Bolt's lesser antagonist.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.10 — ~Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Yes.

Keep in mind there is a planet named Home, the capital of Home and the Nine Outer Worlds, and a city named Home City, the capital city. Here's a few acronyms that I introduce spelled out the first time and hopefully found in the glossary, depending on the whim of the publisher:

• HUHC — Home University in Home City.
• HSB or HSA — Health Services Bureau/Authority.
• HBI — Home Bureau of Investigation. Think FBI.
• BHT — Bureau of Human Trafficking, often pronounced pejoratively as the BAT. Deals with remnants, relics, reliquaries, as well newly dead people and what happens to them.
• ICCA — Interstellar Constabulary and Customs Authority (pronounced Ick-uh). Think Interpol on an interplanetary scale.
• RS — My name is an acronym. 😛

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.10 — ~Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Yes.

Keep in mind there is a planet named Home, the capital of Home and the Nine Outer Worlds, and a city named Home City, the capital city. Here's a few acronyms that I introduce spelled out the first time and hopefully found in the glossary, depending on the whim of the publisher:

• HUHC — Home University in Home City.
• HSB or HSA — Health Services Bureau/Authority.
• HBI — Home Bureau of Investigation. Think FBI.
• BHT — Bureau of Human Trafficking, often pronounced pejoratively as the BAT. Deals with remnants, relics, reliquaries, as well newly dead people and what happens to them.
• ICCA — Interstellar Constabulary and Customs Authority (pronounced Ick-uh). Think Interpol on an interplanetary scale.
• RS — My name is an acronym. 😛

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.10 — ~Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Yes.

Keep in mind there is a planet named Home, the capital of Home and the Nine Outer Worlds, and a city named Home City, the capital city. Here's a few acronyms that I introduce spelled out the first time and hopefully found in the glossary, depending on the whim of the publisher:

• HUHC — Home University in Home City.
• HSB or HSA — Health Services Bureau/Authority.
• HBI — Home Bureau of Investigation. Think FBI.
• BHT — Bureau of Human Trafficking, often pronounced pejoratively as the BAT. Deals with remnants, relics, reliquaries, as well newly dead people and what happens to them.
• ICCA — Interstellar Constabulary and Customs Authority (pronounced Ick-uh). Think Interpol on an interplanetary scale.
• RS — My name is an acronym. 😛

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.10 — ~Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Yes.

Keep in mind there is a planet named Home, the capital of Home and the Nine Outer Worlds, and a city named Home City, the capital city. Here's a few acronyms that I introduce spelled out the first time and hopefully found in the glossary, depending on the whim of the publisher:

• HUHC — Home University in Home City.
• HSB or HSA — Health Services Bureau/Authority.
• HBI — Home Bureau of Investigation. Think FBI.
• BHT — Bureau of Human Trafficking, often pronounced pejoratively as the BAT. Deals with remnants, relics, reliquaries, as well newly dead people and what happens to them.
• ICCA — Interstellar Constabulary and Customs Authority (pronounced Ick-uh). Think Interpol on an interplanetary scale.
• RS — My name is an acronym. 😛

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.10 — ~Our next featured creator is an acronym. Do you use acronyms in your work?

Yes.

Keep in mind there is a planet named Home, the capital of Home and the Nine Outer Worlds, and a city named Home City, the capital city. Here's a few acronyms that I introduce spelled out the first time and hopefully found in the glossary, depending on the whim of the publisher:

• HUHC — Home University in Home City.
• HSB or HSA — Health Services Bureau/Authority.
• HBI — Home Bureau of Investigation. Think FBI.
• BHT — Bureau of Human Trafficking, often pronounced pejoratively as the BAT. Deals with remnants, relics, reliquaries, as well newly dead people and what happens to them.
• ICCA — Interstellar Constabulary and Customs Authority (pronounced Ick-uh). Think Interpol on an interplanetary scale.
• RS — My name is an acronym. 😛

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.09 — ~Share something you've been working on this month.

"Share" to me means #excerpt. Really, all I've done is revision. Apropos to Gloria Stienem passing, I worked on this decidedly feminist passage, a small part of which showed up in #pennedPossibilities 1120 last Sunday. The WIP takes place in a female-centric society where people chose their own names. Morning Glory is an upstart male who's become a diva actor and Steamed Milk and Sugar [nickname Shugh (short for Sugar)] is their society's version of trans-fem. Lightning Bolt (dba Good Eye), the MC POV narrator is… Well, she's… sexist? I'll let this unfold. CW: Casting couch reference. Your comments are welcome.

Nodding, the actor stood and asked, "[Shugh]. That name you chose, you chose it because you had problems as a journalist? Your [clothes]? That ribbon in your hair—?"

Red. Satin. Decidedly not masculine.

"I chose Steamed Milk and Sugar because I wanted to blend in amongst the other women. Journalists are women, at least in the capital, but my name turned out suggestive of the assignments I got—tea runner, typing pool—and it was the jobs I did until a few days ago, when I asked a favor of Good Eye."

I grinned. "Me."

"Because of asking then, today I landed this [magazine] interview."

[Morning Glory] nodded. "You're like I was: A kid, barely old enough to be adult, who every woman wanted to ride whether I was in a local actors' group or later in a traveling theatre troupe. It earned me parts when others got none, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing. I am an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums."

Shugh chuckled, looking askance. "Paid attention, yes, but preferred blending in, being supportive. Minimized riding."

Morning Glory nodded. "It took years to change from being cast as the conniving man who uses the woman and comes to a tragic end, to writing plays where I helped the woman succeed against her competition because of my conniving ways—" He sighed. "—and together we'd fight—"

"For equality?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissively. Dismissively, I decided, because I'd stolen his point and was a woman. Undoubtedly annoying, but he fleshed out the idea, pacing again.

I sighed and faded into the background with my camera. Far safer, anyway.

I can't say I liked recognizing that except for my dream-crushing incident at the Haulers guild where my gender proved poisonous, I definitely benefited from being a woman and I liked that more and more when I had to listen to what Shugh and Morning Glory dealt with. Couldn't change that I was female—I wasn't Shugh, who seemed to be trying to be accepted as… not male—and no, I couldn't feel guilty about it.

This interview Shugh's big chance. I had no chance to better my life and I didn't want to impinge on his chance. Neither guy's for that matter…

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.09 — ~Share something you've been working on this month.

"Share" to me means #excerpt. Really, all I've done is revision. Apropos to Gloria Stienem passing, I worked on this decidedly feminist passage, a small part of which showed up in #pennedPossibilities 1120 last Sunday. The WIP takes place in a female-centric society where people chose their own names. Morning Glory is an upstart male who's become a diva actor and Steamed Milk and Sugar [nickname Shugh (short for Sugar)] is their society's version of trans-fem. Lightning Bolt (dba Good Eye), the MC POV narrator is… Well, she's… sexist? I'll let this unfold. CW: Casting couch reference. Your comments are welcome.

Nodding, the actor stood and asked, "[Shugh]. That name you chose, you chose it because you had problems as a journalist? Your [clothes]? That ribbon in your hair—?"

Red. Satin. Decidedly not masculine.

"I chose Steamed Milk and Sugar because I wanted to blend in amongst the other women. Journalists are women, at least in the capital, but my name turned out suggestive of the assignments I got—tea runner, typing pool—and it was the jobs I did until a few days ago, when I asked a favor of Good Eye."

I grinned. "Me."

"Because of asking then, today I landed this [magazine] interview."

[Morning Glory] nodded. "You're like I was: A kid, barely old enough to be adult, who every woman wanted to ride whether I was in a local actors' group or later in a traveling theatre troupe. It earned me parts when others got none, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing. I am an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums."

Shugh chuckled, looking askance. "Paid attention, yes, but preferred blending in, being supportive. Minimized riding."

Morning Glory nodded. "It took years to change from being cast as the conniving man who uses the woman and comes to a tragic end, to writing plays where I helped the woman succeed against her competition because of my conniving ways—" He sighed. "—and together we'd fight—"

"For equality?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissively. Dismissively, I decided, because I'd stolen his point and was a woman. Undoubtedly annoying, but he fleshed out the idea, pacing again.

I sighed and faded into the background with my camera. Far safer, anyway.

I can't say I liked recognizing that except for my dream-crushing incident at the Haulers guild where my gender proved poisonous, I definitely benefited from being a woman and I liked that more and more when I had to listen to what Shugh and Morning Glory dealt with. Couldn't change that I was female—I wasn't Shugh, who seemed to be trying to be accepted as… not male—and no, I couldn't feel guilty about it.

This interview Shugh's big chance. I had no chance to better my life and I didn't want to impinge on his chance. Neither guy's for that matter…

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.09 — ~Share something you've been working on this month.

"Share" to me means #excerpt. Really, all I've done is revision. Apropos to Gloria Stienem passing, I worked on this decidedly feminist passage, a small part of which showed up in #pennedPossibilities 1120 last Sunday. The WIP takes place in a female-centric society where people chose their own names. Morning Glory is an upstart male who's become a diva actor and Steamed Milk and Sugar [nickname Shugh (short for Sugar)] is their society's version of trans-fem. Lightning Bolt (dba Good Eye), the MC POV narrator is… Well, she's… sexist? I'll let this unfold. CW: Casting couch reference. Your comments are welcome.

Nodding, the actor stood and asked, "[Shugh]. That name you chose, you chose it because you had problems as a journalist? Your [clothes]? That ribbon in your hair—?"

Red. Satin. Decidedly not masculine.

"I chose Steamed Milk and Sugar because I wanted to blend in amongst the other women. Journalists are women, at least in the capital, but my name turned out suggestive of the assignments I got—tea runner, typing pool—and it was the jobs I did until a few days ago, when I asked a favor of Good Eye."

I grinned. "Me."

"Because of asking then, today I landed this [magazine] interview."

[Morning Glory] nodded. "You're like I was: A kid, barely old enough to be adult, who every woman wanted to ride whether I was in a local actors' group or later in a traveling theatre troupe. It earned me parts when others got none, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing. I am an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums."

Shugh chuckled, looking askance. "Paid attention, yes, but preferred blending in, being supportive. Minimized riding."

Morning Glory nodded. "It took years to change from being cast as the conniving man who uses the woman and comes to a tragic end, to writing plays where I helped the woman succeed against her competition because of my conniving ways—" He sighed. "—and together we'd fight—"

"For equality?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissively. Dismissively, I decided, because I'd stolen his point and was a woman. Undoubtedly annoying, but he fleshed out the idea, pacing again.

I sighed and faded into the background with my camera. Far safer, anyway.

I can't say I liked recognizing that except for my dream-crushing incident at the Haulers guild where my gender proved poisonous, I definitely benefited from being a woman and I liked that more and more when I had to listen to what Shugh and Morning Glory dealt with. Couldn't change that I was female—I wasn't Shugh, who seemed to be trying to be accepted as… not male—and no, I couldn't feel guilty about it.

This interview Shugh's big chance. I had no chance to better my life and I didn't want to impinge on his chance. Neither guy's for that matter…

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.09 — ~Share something you've been working on this month.

"Share" to me means #excerpt. Really, all I've done is revision. Apropos to Gloria Stienem passing, I worked on this decidedly feminist passage, a small part of which showed up in #pennedPossibilities 1120 last Sunday. The WIP takes place in a female-centric society where people chose their own names. Morning Glory is an upstart male who's become a diva actor and Steamed Milk and Sugar [nickname Shugh (short for Sugar)] is their society's version of trans-fem. Lightning Bolt (dba Good Eye), the MC POV narrator is… Well, she's… sexist? I'll let this unfold. CW: Casting couch reference. Your comments are welcome.

Nodding, the actor stood and asked, "[Shugh]. That name you chose, you chose it because you had problems as a journalist? Your [clothes]? That ribbon in your hair—?"

Red. Satin. Decidedly not masculine.

"I chose Steamed Milk and Sugar because I wanted to blend in amongst the other women. Journalists are women, at least in the capital, but my name turned out suggestive of the assignments I got—tea runner, typing pool—and it was the jobs I did until a few days ago, when I asked a favor of Good Eye."

I grinned. "Me."

"Because of asking then, today I landed this [magazine] interview."

[Morning Glory] nodded. "You're like I was: A kid, barely old enough to be adult, who every woman wanted to ride whether I was in a local actors' group or later in a traveling theatre troupe. It earned me parts when others got none, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing. I am an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums."

Shugh chuckled, looking askance. "Paid attention, yes, but preferred blending in, being supportive. Minimized riding."

Morning Glory nodded. "It took years to change from being cast as the conniving man who uses the woman and comes to a tragic end, to writing plays where I helped the woman succeed against her competition because of my conniving ways—" He sighed. "—and together we'd fight—"

"For equality?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissively. Dismissively, I decided, because I'd stolen his point and was a woman. Undoubtedly annoying, but he fleshed out the idea, pacing again.

I sighed and faded into the background with my camera. Far safer, anyway.

I can't say I liked recognizing that except for my dream-crushing incident at the Haulers guild where my gender proved poisonous, I definitely benefited from being a woman and I liked that more and more when I had to listen to what Shugh and Morning Glory dealt with. Couldn't change that I was female—I wasn't Shugh, who seemed to be trying to be accepted as… not male—and no, I couldn't feel guilty about it.

This interview Shugh's big chance. I had no chance to better my life and I didn't want to impinge on his chance. Neither guy's for that matter…

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.09 — ~Share something you've been working on this month.

"Share" to me means #excerpt. Really, all I've done is revision. Apropos to Gloria Stienem passing, I worked on this decidedly feminist passage, a small part of which showed up in #pennedPossibilities 1120 last Sunday. The WIP takes place in a female-centric society where people chose their own names. Morning Glory is an upstart male who's become a diva actor and Steamed Milk and Sugar [nickname Shugh (short for Sugar)] is their society's version of trans-fem. Lightning Bolt (dba Good Eye), the MC POV narrator is… Well, she's… sexist? I'll let this unfold. CW: Casting couch reference. Your comments are welcome.

Nodding, the actor stood and asked, "[Shugh]. That name you chose, you chose it because you had problems as a journalist? Your [clothes]? That ribbon in your hair—?"

Red. Satin. Decidedly not masculine.

"I chose Steamed Milk and Sugar because I wanted to blend in amongst the other women. Journalists are women, at least in the capital, but my name turned out suggestive of the assignments I got—tea runner, typing pool—and it was the jobs I did until a few days ago, when I asked a favor of Good Eye."

I grinned. "Me."

"Because of asking then, today I landed this [magazine] interview."

[Morning Glory] nodded. "You're like I was: A kid, barely old enough to be adult, who every woman wanted to ride whether I was in a local actors' group or later in a traveling theatre troupe. It earned me parts when others got none, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing. I am an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums."

Shugh chuckled, looking askance. "Paid attention, yes, but preferred blending in, being supportive. Minimized riding."

Morning Glory nodded. "It took years to change from being cast as the conniving man who uses the woman and comes to a tragic end, to writing plays where I helped the woman succeed against her competition because of my conniving ways—" He sighed. "—and together we'd fight—"

"For equality?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissively. Dismissively, I decided, because I'd stolen his point and was a woman. Undoubtedly annoying, but he fleshed out the idea, pacing again.

I sighed and faded into the background with my camera. Far safer, anyway.

I can't say I liked recognizing that except for my dream-crushing incident at the Haulers guild where my gender proved poisonous, I definitely benefited from being a woman and I liked that more and more when I had to listen to what Shugh and Morning Glory dealt with. Couldn't change that I was female—I wasn't Shugh, who seemed to be trying to be accepted as… not male—and no, I couldn't feel guilty about it.

This interview Shugh's big chance. I had no chance to better my life and I didn't want to impinge on his chance. Neither guy's for that matter…

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory
#microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

#WordWeavers 2026.09.09 — What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Um. 😳

Maybe? 🤔

Nope! 🤪

Spoilers. 😇

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

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#WordWeavers 2026.09.09 — What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Um. 😳

Maybe? 🤔

Nope! 🤪

Spoilers. 😇

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

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#WordWeavers 2026.09.09 — What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Um. 😳

Maybe? 🤔

Nope! 🤪

Spoilers. 😇

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

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#WordWeavers 2026.09.09 — What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Um. 😳

Maybe? 🤔

Nope! 🤪

Spoilers. 😇

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

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#WordWeavers 2026.09.09 — What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?

Um. 😳

Maybe? 🤔

Nope! 🤪

Spoilers. 😇

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

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#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.09.09 — What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

All my manuscripts are in Didot 11pt. It's readable, dark, and remains legible when zoomed or rendered on different devices. If I need to emphasize a paragraph represents a handwritten note or letter, since I'm used to my cursive being illegible, I use Chalkduster.

If I submit, I will adhere to the publisher's guidelines.

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

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#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.09.09 — What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

All my manuscripts are in Didot 11pt. It's readable, dark, and remains legible when zoomed or rendered on different devices. If I need to emphasize a paragraph represents a handwritten note or letter, since I'm used to my cursive being illegible, I use Chalkduster.

If I submit, I will adhere to the publisher's guidelines.

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

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#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.09.09 — What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

All my manuscripts are in Didot 11pt. It's readable, dark, and remains legible when zoomed or rendered on different devices. If I need to emphasize a paragraph represents a handwritten note or letter, since I'm used to my cursive being illegible, I use Chalkduster.

If I submit, I will adhere to the publisher's guidelines.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
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#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
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#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.09.09 — What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

All my manuscripts are in Didot 11pt. It's readable, dark, and remains legible when zoomed or rendered on different devices. If I need to emphasize a paragraph represents a handwritten note or letter, since I'm used to my cursive being illegible, I use Chalkduster.

If I submit, I will adhere to the publisher's guidelines.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
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#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.09.09 — What's your standard operating font, size, format? Or do you not have a standard?

All my manuscripts are in Didot 11pt. It's readable, dark, and remains legible when zoomed or rendered on different devices. If I need to emphasize a paragraph represents a handwritten note or letter, since I'm used to my cursive being illegible, I use Chalkduster.

If I submit, I will adhere to the publisher's guidelines.

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

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#WritersCoffeeClub Ch 11 Nbr 29 — Acknowledgements

Checks serial. Oops. @taur10: Pardon the oversight, friend. Big thank you added.

If I accomplish returning to commercial publication, I will thank all that have helped me in print. Betas, people who've answered questions, people who've held this neurotic's hand, mayhap an artist or two. I will also thank you Mastodon folk, generically, citing those who authored or participated on the following hashtags, as well as my #author followers. You all helped me on my journey. (If you haven't looked at one or more of these tags, check them out!)

• #PennedPossibilities
• #TimeTravelAuthors
• #WordWeavers
• #WritersCoffeeClub
• #Writever
• #WritingWonders

Procedural: Acknowledgements go in the beginning, unless they take up more than a half page.

[Author retains copyright (c)2024 R.S.]

QUESTION: Will you acknowledge anyone for this work. Who? You don't need to be too specific.

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R.S. (@sfwrtr) #MastodonAnniversary — Nov 17, 2023

1 year ago, at the urging of an online friend and with a great deal of assistance, I joined Mastodon. It has been a journey of discovery, and plenty more, where I've met a great number of diverse authors and learned /so much/ about the craft and the experience of writing that my mind wants to explode. Along the way, I've met numerous artists—who I'm following as perspective cover artists, as well as for genuine inspiration—photographers, pundits, and other creatives. Every day has been fun. I've enjoyed answering your questions from my experience as a writer. As a shy introvert, who's somewhat #autistic, you've gifted me the opportunity to experience community very unlike my experience as an author, pre-Internet. I might not have burnt out and had to rediscover writing had I had you'all around.

So...

Thank you! ❤️

And to the 499 followers I've garnered, here's a special warm thanks: 💫 I don't award a gold star to just anyone! I hope I've entertained and inspired you along the way.

Any one want to be my 500th follower?

EDIT: @gryphonEschmidt got the honor, but you can still follow. 750 is the next target. 😇​

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Hashtags I follow:
#writingWonders #WordWeavers #PennedPossibilites #WritersCoffeeClub #TimeTravelAuthors #Writever

#WritersCoffeeClub Ch 2 Nbr 16 — How do you feel about flashbacks? Do you use them? /Guess./

I was looking through my October Pages file where I keep all the writing prompts I've answered, amazed at my current output. 16,000 words so far this month. Then I thought back to November of last year...

I'd spent almost a month noodgying my open source Linuxy friend in /Missourah/ about creating an online presence. He had been talking about this thing called "Masto... Don? For all I knew, it had tusks. Actually, he had been noodgying me, so... finally... I said, "Let's do this."

He talked about "instances" and things that went swoosh over my head, but I tried. Every time I picked one sounding creative or authorial, I got, /Sorry, we're not accepting new accounts now./ Eventually, he invited me to his favorite instance. With a name like "Eldritch" and lots of French speakers, it sounded fun and appropriate for an SF writer. I still got all sorts of confused, but people saw I was a newbie and were helpful, and that was nice. I quickly learned about following people, using hashtags people followed, and followed those hashtags. I started telling about my life as a (somewhat autistic) writer, and what it felt like to burn out and come back.

Eventually, I stumbled into hashtags like #WritingWonders and #RomanceWonders, then new ones like #PennedPossibilities and #WritersCoffeeClub, not to mention #Writever which is costing me on average two hours a day, attempting to write new 800 word stories—31 of them.

Today, I can barely remember my life without Mastodon. I've learned so much, felt so supported, and gotten my short writing so together. I don't wanna ever go back.

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