#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

#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.]

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#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
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#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
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#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
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#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
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#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
#RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

#PennedPossibilities 1123: What figure do people most commonly tell stories about? How are these stories told (books, plays, television, spoken word, broadcast, etc.)?

There are books, newspapers, and theatre as well cinema akin to the silent film era. Theirs is a civilization powered by human labor and something else that isn't electricity. I don't know a heck of a lot about the stories they favor or tell, but I do know a character who's deeply into romance and gothic novels, who frighteningly takes some guidance from them in real life. Stories are serialized in newspapers like Dickens were. As for the types of stories in theatre, one actor playwright in this #excerpt talks about a trope popular in this strongly woman-centric society. CW: Casting couch reference.

[Morning Glory said, "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. I got parts when others didn't, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing, likely at first because I was an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums. 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," …

[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 1123: What figure do people most commonly tell stories about? How are these stories told (books, plays, television, spoken word, broadcast, etc.)?

There are books, newspapers, and theatre as well cinema akin to the silent film era. Theirs is a civilization powered by human labor and something else that isn't electricity. I don't know a heck of a lot about the stories they favor or tell, but I do know a character who's deeply into romance and gothic novels, who frighteningly takes some guidance from them in real life. Stories are serialized in newspapers like Dickens were. As for the types of stories in theatre, one actor playwright in this #excerpt talks about a trope popular in this strongly woman-centric society. CW: Casting couch reference.

[Morning Glory said, "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. I got parts when others didn't, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing, likely at first because I was an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums. 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," …

[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 1123: What figure do people most commonly tell stories about? How are these stories told (books, plays, television, spoken word, broadcast, etc.)?

There are books, newspapers, and theatre as well cinema akin to the silent film era. Theirs is a civilization powered by human labor and something else that isn't electricity. I don't know a heck of a lot about the stories they favor or tell, but I do know a character who's deeply into romance and gothic novels, who frighteningly takes some guidance from them in real life. Stories are serialized in newspapers like Dickens were. As for the types of stories in theatre, one actor playwright in this #excerpt talks about a trope popular in this strongly woman-centric society. CW: Casting couch reference.

[Morning Glory said, "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. I got parts when others didn't, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing, likely at first because I was an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums. 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," …

[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 1123: What figure do people most commonly tell stories about? How are these stories told (books, plays, television, spoken word, broadcast, etc.)?

There are books, newspapers, and theatre as well cinema akin to the silent film era. Theirs is a civilization powered by human labor and something else that isn't electricity. I don't know a heck of a lot about the stories they favor or tell, but I do know a character who's deeply into romance and gothic novels, who frighteningly takes some guidance from them in real life. Stories are serialized in newspapers like Dickens were. As for the types of stories in theatre, one actor playwright in this #excerpt talks about a trope popular in this strongly woman-centric society. CW: Casting couch reference.

[Morning Glory said, "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. I got parts when others didn't, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing, likely at first because I was an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums. 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," …

[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 1123: What figure do people most commonly tell stories about? How are these stories told (books, plays, television, spoken word, broadcast, etc.)?

There are books, newspapers, and theatre as well cinema akin to the silent film era. Theirs is a civilization powered by human labor and something else that isn't electricity. I don't know a heck of a lot about the stories they favor or tell, but I do know a character who's deeply into romance and gothic novels, who frighteningly takes some guidance from them in real life. Stories are serialized in newspapers like Dickens were. As for the types of stories in theatre, one actor playwright in this #excerpt talks about a trope popular in this strongly woman-centric society. CW: Casting couch reference.

[Morning Glory said, "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. I got parts when others didn't, bit parts definitely, sharp looking window dressing, likely at first because I was an expert ride; I paid attention in Men's Studies in school, especially the practicums. 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," …

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

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@Priyajsridhar

#Writephant 2026.0908 — A4. Do you have a story or character dealing with a labor dispute? What was the end result?

Yes. There is a story that includes unions forming where there is a dispute between people who want to transport freight using a highway locomotive and those who want to do it the traditional way (1 employee vs 8-10 respectively). It's mostly a color for the novella, since the characters are riding one of those highway locomotives that, instead of hauling freight, is decked out like a private railcar. It also accounts for the stink eye traditional haulers give them when they visit a roadside café. An SC is the driver.

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

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@Priyajsridhar

#Writephant 2026.0908 — A4. Do you have a story or character dealing with a labor dispute? What was the end result?

Yes. There is a story that includes unions forming where there is a dispute between people who want to transport freight using a highway locomotive and those who want to do it the traditional way (1 employee vs 8-10 respectively). It's mostly a color for the novella, since the characters are riding one of those highway locomotives that, instead of hauling freight, is decked out like a private railcar. It also accounts for the stink eye traditional haulers give them when they visit a roadside café. An SC is the driver.

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

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@Priyajsridhar

#Writephant 2026.0908 — A4. Do you have a story or character dealing with a labor dispute? What was the end result?

Yes. There is a story that includes unions forming where there is a dispute between people who want to transport freight using a highway locomotive and those who want to do it the traditional way (1 employee vs 8-10 respectively). It's mostly a color for the novella, since the characters are riding one of those highway locomotives that, instead of hauling freight, is decked out like a private railcar. It also accounts for the stink eye traditional haulers give them when they visit a roadside café. An SC is the driver.

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

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@Priyajsridhar

#Writephant 2026.0908 — A4. Do you have a story or character dealing with a labor dispute? What was the end result?

Yes. There is a story that includes unions forming where there is a dispute between people who want to transport freight using a highway locomotive and those who want to do it the traditional way (1 employee vs 8-10 respectively). It's mostly a color for the novella, since the characters are riding one of those highway locomotives that, instead of hauling freight, is decked out like a private railcar. It also accounts for the stink eye traditional haulers give them when they visit a roadside café. An SC is the driver.

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

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@Priyajsridhar

#Writephant 2026.0908 — A4. Do you have a story or character dealing with a labor dispute? What was the end result?

Yes. There is a story that includes unions forming where there is a dispute between people who want to transport freight using a highway locomotive and those who want to do it the traditional way (1 employee vs 8-10 respectively). It's mostly a color for the novella, since the characters are riding one of those highway locomotives that, instead of hauling freight, is decked out like a private railcar. It also accounts for the stink eye traditional haulers give them when they visit a roadside café. An SC is the driver.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A3. What job in speculative fiction do you wish existed in real life?

I'll be lazy and point at a job in mine. People need light. Folk who can create luminous sprites that late half a day can make a good living lighting homes and lampposts. Seems congenial, and a good way to meet all the people in town or your neighborhood.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A3. What job in speculative fiction do you wish existed in real life?

I'll be lazy and point at a job in mine. People need light. Folk who can create luminous sprites that late half a day can make a good living lighting homes and lampposts. Seems congenial, and a good way to meet all the people in town or your neighborhood.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A3. What job in speculative fiction do you wish existed in real life?

I'll be lazy and point at a job in mine. People need light. Folk who can create luminous sprites that late half a day can make a good living lighting homes and lampposts. Seems congenial, and a good way to meet all the people in town or your neighborhood.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A3. What job in speculative fiction do you wish existed in real life?

I'll be lazy and point at a job in mine. People need light. Folk who can create luminous sprites that late half a day can make a good living lighting homes and lampposts. Seems congenial, and a good way to meet all the people in town or your neighborhood.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A3. What job in speculative fiction do you wish existed in real life?

I'll be lazy and point at a job in mine. People need light. Folk who can create luminous sprites that late half a day can make a good living lighting homes and lampposts. Seems congenial, and a good way to meet all the people in town or your neighborhood.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0808 — A2. A good union in theory helps you campaign for fair living wages and benefits. In a fantasy or sci fi world, what is a a possible work benefit that our world may not need?

Unions do show up in the Reluctance series, mostly through loss of work issues. However, it occurs to me that since day angels carry mail, there ought be work issues associated with wings, feathers, and flying in stormy conditions.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0808 — A2. A good union in theory helps you campaign for fair living wages and benefits. In a fantasy or sci fi world, what is a a possible work benefit that our world may not need?

Unions do show up in the Reluctance series, mostly through loss of work issues. However, it occurs to me that since day angels carry mail, there ought be work issues associated with wings, feathers, and flying in stormy conditions.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0808 — A2. A good union in theory helps you campaign for fair living wages and benefits. In a fantasy or sci fi world, what is a a possible work benefit that our world may not need?

Unions do show up in the Reluctance series, mostly through loss of work issues. However, it occurs to me that since day angels carry mail, there ought be work issues associated with wings, feathers, and flying in stormy conditions.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0808 — A2. A good union in theory helps you campaign for fair living wages and benefits. In a fantasy or sci fi world, what is a a possible work benefit that our world may not need?

Unions do show up in the Reluctance series, mostly through loss of work issues. However, it occurs to me that since day angels carry mail, there ought be work issues associated with wings, feathers, and flying in stormy conditions.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0808 — A2. A good union in theory helps you campaign for fair living wages and benefits. In a fantasy or sci fi world, what is a a possible work benefit that our world may not need?

Unions do show up in the Reluctance series, mostly through loss of work issues. However, it occurs to me that since day angels carry mail, there ought be work issues associated with wings, feathers, and flying in stormy conditions.

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A1. We talked about Labor Day a few years ago, an American holiday celebrating the sacrifices made by activists to reduce workplace abuse. How do you think the modern workplace has changed?

My philosophy is that if a company can't make a product and provide a living wage for labor, then their niche or process isn't reasonable and the product isn't viable. Underpaying labor isn't an option, and when labor doesn't earn a living wage, labor can't buy products anyway. (Downward spiral vs march upward theory.) This goes beyond safety issues, something government should ensure but often shirks. The modern workplace has become less friendly to paying labor enough woth elected officials more likely to take job-producer's side than labor's. Since labor is the vast majority of the population, why these people get elected is a "mystery."

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A1. We talked about Labor Day a few years ago, an American holiday celebrating the sacrifices made by activists to reduce workplace abuse. How do you think the modern workplace has changed?

My philosophy is that if a company can't make a product and provide a living wage for labor, then their niche or process isn't reasonable and the product isn't viable. Underpaying labor isn't an option, and when labor doesn't earn a living wage, labor can't buy products anyway. (Downward spiral vs march upward theory.) This goes beyond safety issues, something government should ensure but often shirks. The modern workplace has become less friendly to paying labor enough woth elected officials more likely to take job-producer's side than labor's. Since labor is the vast majority of the population, why these people get elected is a "mystery."

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

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A1. We talked about Labor Day a few years ago, an American holiday celebrating the sacrifices made by activists to reduce workplace abuse. How do you think the modern workplace has changed?

My philosophy is that if a company can't make a product and provide a living wage for labor, then their niche or process isn't reasonable and the product isn't viable. Underpaying labor isn't an option, and when labor doesn't earn a living wage, labor can't buy products anyway. (Downward spiral vs march upward theory.) This goes beyond safety issues, something government should ensure but often shirks. The modern workplace has become less friendly to paying labor enough woth elected officials more likely to take job-producer's side than labor's. Since labor is the vast majority of the population, why these people get elected is a "mystery."

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A1. We talked about Labor Day a few years ago, an American holiday celebrating the sacrifices made by activists to reduce workplace abuse. How do you think the modern workplace has changed?

My philosophy is that if a company can't make a product and provide a living wage for labor, then their niche or process isn't reasonable and the product isn't viable. Underpaying labor isn't an option, and when labor doesn't earn a living wage, labor can't buy products anyway. (Downward spiral vs march upward theory.) This goes beyond safety issues, something government should ensure but often shirks. The modern workplace has become less friendly to paying labor enough woth elected officials more likely to take job-producer's side than labor's. Since labor is the vast majority of the population, why these people get elected is a "mystery."

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

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
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#Writephant 2026.0908 — A1. We talked about Labor Day a few years ago, an American holiday celebrating the sacrifices made by activists to reduce workplace abuse. How do you think the modern workplace has changed?

My philosophy is that if a company can't make a product and provide a living wage for labor, then their niche or process isn't reasonable and the product isn't viable. Underpaying labor isn't an option, and when labor doesn't earn a living wage, labor can't buy products anyway. (Downward spiral vs march upward theory.) This goes beyond safety issues, something government should ensure but often shirks. The modern workplace has become less friendly to paying labor enough woth elected officials more likely to take job-producer's side than labor's. Since labor is the vast majority of the population, why these people get elected is a "mystery."

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

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#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.08 — ~Gauge?

There are gauges in the Reluctance series, but not what you'd expect. There is a scene where they measure the air quality before taking off their spacesuit helmets. They drop a set of beads and feathers. Where they fall they obviously don't freely roll, but end up in a descriptive orientation which estimates the oxygen fraction amongst other gases.

Explaining the science behind it would be more spoilers than the spoiler I just gave you.

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

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#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.08 — ~Gauge?

There are gauges in the Reluctance series, but not what you'd expect. There is a scene where they measure the air quality before taking off their spacesuit helmets. They drop a set of beads and feathers. Where they fall they obviously don't freely roll, but end up in a descriptive orientation which estimates the oxygen fraction amongst other gases.

Explaining the science behind it would be more spoilers than the spoiler I just gave you.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
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photographer chef cooking
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#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.08 — ~Gauge?

There are gauges in the Reluctance series, but not what you'd expect. There is a scene where they measure the air quality before taking off their spacesuit helmets. They drop a set of beads and feathers. Where they fall they obviously don't freely roll, but end up in a descriptive orientation which estimates the oxygen fraction amongst other gases.

Explaining the science behind it would be more spoilers than the spoiler I just gave you.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
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photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
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#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.08 — ~Gauge?

There are gauges in the Reluctance series, but not what you'd expect. There is a scene where they measure the air quality before taking off their spacesuit helmets. They drop a set of beads and feathers. Where they fall they obviously don't freely roll, but end up in a descriptive orientation which estimates the oxygen fraction amongst other gases.

Explaining the science behind it would be more spoilers than the spoiler I just gave you.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion
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#ScribesAndMakers 2026.09.08 — ~Gauge?

There are gauges in the Reluctance series, but not what you'd expect. There is a scene where they measure the air quality before taking off their spacesuit helmets. They drop a set of beads and feathers. Where they fall they obviously don't freely roll, but end up in a descriptive orientation which estimates the oxygen fraction amongst other gases.

Explaining the science behind it would be more spoilers than the spoiler I just gave you.

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

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#sf #sff #sciencefiction
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#WordWeavers 2026.09.08 — Which character would be the worst person to get trapped in an elevator with?

There are elevator scenes in the WIP. In a world where everyone sweats and inescapably has their own unique scent, Pigeon the Pilferer, an SC, really stinks. He is correctly diagnosed by a brainy SC as having Bromhidrosis, which sails about a meter over his featherbrain (but he's a day angel, so it's both a slur and descriptive). He has a sour scent with a never pleasant personality. You not only don't want him in an elevator with you and the elevator operator, you don't want to breathe the same air as the punk gangster, even outside!

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

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#WordWeavers 2026.09.08 — Which character would be the worst person to get trapped in an elevator with?

There are elevator scenes in the WIP. In a world where everyone sweats and inescapably has their own unique scent, Pigeon the Pilferer, an SC, really stinks. He is correctly diagnosed by a brainy SC as having Bromhidrosis, which sails about a meter over his featherbrain (but he's a day angel, so it's both a slur and descriptive). He has a sour scent with a never pleasant personality. You not only don't want him in an elevator with you and the elevator operator, you don't want to breathe the same air as the punk gangster, even outside!

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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#Cozy #mystery #sf #sff #sciencefiction
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#WordWeavers 2026.09.08 — Which character would be the worst person to get trapped in an elevator with?

There are elevator scenes in the WIP. In a world where everyone sweats and inescapably has their own unique scent, Pigeon the Pilferer, an SC, really stinks. He is correctly diagnosed by a brainy SC as having Bromhidrosis, which sails about a meter over his featherbrain (but he's a day angel, so it's both a slur and descriptive). He has a sour scent with a never pleasant personality. You not only don't want him in an elevator with you and the elevator operator, you don't want to breathe the same air as the punk gangster, even outside!

[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