#writersofmastodon — Public Fediverse posts

#PennedPossibilities 1147: How does your SC feel about those around them?

Damir cares about his friends, even if he never says the words aloud. Rather, he shows it, instead. As for everyone else around him, he couldn’t give less of a shit. He usually seems emotionless, unfazed, and cold to most. People assume this of necromancers. Some, meaning the special individuals and the sort who genuinely care about others, they can see the heart inside of him, the one he keeps hidden away. Damir does feel. He feels deeply.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1147: How does your SC feel about those around them?

Damir cares about his friends, even if he never says the words aloud. Rather, he shows it, instead. As for everyone else around him, he couldn’t give less of a shit. He usually seems emotionless, unfazed, and cold to most. People assume this of necromancers. Some, meaning the special individuals and the sort who genuinely care about others, they can see the heart inside of him, the one he keeps hidden away. Damir does feel. He feels deeply.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1147: How does your SC feel about those around them?

Damir cares about his friends, even if he never says the words aloud. Rather, he shows it, instead. As for everyone else around him, he couldn’t give less of a shit. He usually seems emotionless, unfazed, and cold to most. People assume this of necromancers. Some, meaning the special individuals and the sort who genuinely care about others, they can see the heart inside of him, the one he keeps hidden away. Damir does feel. He feels deeply.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1147: How does your SC feel about those around them?

Damir cares about his friends, even if he never says the words aloud. Rather, he shows it, instead. As for everyone else around him, he couldn’t give less of a shit. He usually seems emotionless, unfazed, and cold to most. People assume this of necromancers. Some, meaning the special individuals and the sort who genuinely care about others, they can see the heart inside of him, the one he keeps hidden away. Damir does feel. He feels deeply.

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 3/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

Oddly enough, on Mastodon I leak quite a few. Spoilers. Of my own work. I want to be clear about that, but here's the realization: By the time the main stories publish I expect readers will have forgotten the details†. I'm no brand name. I'd rather provide content, take the time revising excerpts and creating mildly spoilery bits to test the waters, look for reactions, and tune the presentation to migrate details back to the novel. It's working so far.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
† I may take down the posts eventually.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 3/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

Oddly enough, on Mastodon I leak quite a few. Spoilers. Of my own work. I want to be clear about that, but here's the realization: By the time the main stories publish I expect readers will have forgotten the details†. I'm no brand name. I'd rather provide content, take the time revising excerpts and creating mildly spoilery bits to test the waters, look for reactions, and tune the presentation to migrate details back to the novel. It's working so far.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
† I may take down the posts eventually.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 3/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

Oddly enough, on Mastodon I leak quite a few. Spoilers. Of my own work. I want to be clear about that, but here's the realization: By the time the main stories publish I expect readers will have forgotten the details†. I'm no brand name. I'd rather provide content, take the time revising excerpts and creating mildly spoilery bits to test the waters, look for reactions, and tune the presentation to migrate details back to the novel. It's working so far.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
† I may take down the posts eventually.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 3/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

Oddly enough, on Mastodon I leak quite a few. Spoilers. Of my own work. I want to be clear about that, but here's the realization: By the time the main stories publish I expect readers will have forgotten the details†. I'm no brand name. I'd rather provide content, take the time revising excerpts and creating mildly spoilery bits to test the waters, look for reactions, and tune the presentation to migrate details back to the novel. It's working so far.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
† I may take down the posts eventually.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 2/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

You wanna lose a friend? Unsolicited tell me how a book ends, or a movie—predictions and deductions are okay for a shared viewing only. I never watch the previews, ever.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 2/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

You wanna lose a friend? Unsolicited tell me how a book ends, or a movie—predictions and deductions are okay for a shared viewing only. I never watch the previews, ever.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 2/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

You wanna lose a friend? Unsolicited tell me how a book ends, or a movie—predictions and deductions are okay for a shared viewing only. I never watch the previews, ever.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 2/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

You wanna lose a friend? Unsolicited tell me how a book ends, or a movie—predictions and deductions are okay for a shared viewing only. I never watch the previews, ever.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 1/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

If you read the end of all but my shortest stories, you will be unable to glean how the story turns out.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 1/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

If you read the end of all but my shortest stories, you will be unable to glean how the story turns out.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 1/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

If you read the end of all but my shortest stories, you will be unable to glean how the story turns out.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub #WCC 2026.10.03 1/3— How do you feel about spoilers?

If you read the end of all but my shortest stories, you will be unable to glean how the story turns out.

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

#BoostingIsSharing

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

#WritersCoffeeClub 2. Do you have plans for your next work yet?

I should really be getting back to working on book 7 of my ongoing urban fantasy series, The Wheel of the Year sequence.

On the other hand, it would be good to finish writing my collection of short stories, Tales From the Demi-monde, as I don’t think I’m going to be comfortable leaving it unfinished even though I’ve got at least four months’ worth of stories in reserve.

There’s always a worry that something could occur which would interrupt my schedule and I’d hate to be forced to miss publishing them online on my website as planned.

So, I think that’s decided, finish the short stories before picking up where I left of with book 7.

That’s what happens when you commit yourself to doing a serialisation…

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

#WritersCoffeeClub 2. Do you have plans for your next work yet?

I should really be getting back to working on book 7 of my ongoing urban fantasy series, The Wheel of the Year sequence.

On the other hand, it would be good to finish writing my collection of short stories, Tales From the Demi-monde, as I don’t think I’m going to be comfortable leaving it unfinished even though I’ve got at least four months’ worth of stories in reserve.

There’s always a worry that something could occur which would interrupt my schedule and I’d hate to be forced to miss publishing them online on my website as planned.

So, I think that’s decided, finish the short stories before picking up where I left of with book 7.

That’s what happens when you commit yourself to doing a serialisation…

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

#WritersCoffeeClub 2. Do you have plans for your next work yet?

I should really be getting back to working on book 7 of my ongoing urban fantasy series, The Wheel of the Year sequence.

On the other hand, it would be good to finish writing my collection of short stories, Tales From the Demi-monde, as I don’t think I’m going to be comfortable leaving it unfinished even though I’ve got at least four months’ worth of stories in reserve.

There’s always a worry that something could occur which would interrupt my schedule and I’d hate to be forced to miss publishing them online on my website as planned.

So, I think that’s decided, finish the short stories before picking up where I left of with book 7.

That’s what happens when you commit yourself to doing a serialisation…

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

#WritersCoffeeClub 2. Do you have plans for your next work yet?

I should really be getting back to working on book 7 of my ongoing urban fantasy series, The Wheel of the Year sequence.

On the other hand, it would be good to finish writing my collection of short stories, Tales From the Demi-monde, as I don’t think I’m going to be comfortable leaving it unfinished even though I’ve got at least four months’ worth of stories in reserve.

There’s always a worry that something could occur which would interrupt my schedule and I’d hate to be forced to miss publishing them online on my website as planned.

So, I think that’s decided, finish the short stories before picking up where I left of with book 7.

That’s what happens when you commit yourself to doing a serialisation…

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

In the romantic triangle story, The Fifth Seduction, sweet, gorgeous, and globally famous ROCK STAR Daniel Palmer, whose charisma runs hotter than his tour schedule, learns that his lover, a woman he's crazy about, Mable, is secretly involved with the woman with whom she runs a reality TV empire, Julia. How does Daniel grapple with being blindsided? How does he confront his feelings and Mable when true love is often so complicated? The Fifth Seduction is featured in the October promo on Book Funnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/lgbtqiarockstarsale/13j54uj3hp
CLICK ON THE FIFTH SEDUCTION on the link.
#rock #books #book #love #loveStory #lovetriangle #mastodon #bookcovers #bookcover #fediverse #scribesAndMakers #author #indie #indieAuthor #indieAuthors #authors #writersCoffeeClub #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #writer #writers #fiction #selfPromo #SelfPromoSaturday #literature #lit #TheFifthSeduction #sophiajanehayden #television #realitytv #character #hero #romantic #romance #romancelandia #booktwitter #bookTok #bookstodon

In the romantic triangle story, The Fifth Seduction, sweet, gorgeous, and globally famous ROCK STAR Daniel Palmer, whose charisma runs hotter than his tour schedule, learns that his lover, a woman he's crazy about, Mable, is secretly involved with the woman with whom she runs a reality TV empire, Julia. How does Daniel grapple with being blindsided? How does he confront his feelings and Mable when true love is often so complicated? The Fifth Seduction is featured in the October promo on Book Funnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/lgbtqiarockstarsale/13j54uj3hp
CLICK ON THE FIFTH SEDUCTION on the link.
#rock #books #book #love #loveStory #lovetriangle #mastodon #bookcovers #bookcover #fediverse #scribesAndMakers #author #indie #indieAuthor #indieAuthors #authors #writersCoffeeClub #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #writer #writers #fiction #selfPromo #SelfPromoSaturday #literature #lit #TheFifthSeduction #sophiajanehayden #television #realitytv #character #hero #romantic #romance #romancelandia #booktwitter #bookTok #bookstodon

In the romantic triangle story, The Fifth Seduction, sweet, gorgeous, and globally famous ROCK STAR Daniel Palmer, whose charisma runs hotter than his tour schedule, learns that his lover, a woman he's crazy about, Mable, is secretly involved with the woman with whom she runs a reality TV empire, Julia. How does Daniel grapple with being blindsided? How does he confront his feelings and Mable when true love is often so complicated? The Fifth Seduction is featured in the October promo on Book Funnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/lgbtqiarockstarsale/13j54uj3hp
CLICK ON THE FIFTH SEDUCTION on the link.
#rock #books #book #love #loveStory #lovetriangle #mastodon #bookcovers #bookcover #fediverse #scribesAndMakers #author #indie #indieAuthor #indieAuthors #authors #writersCoffeeClub #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #writer #writers #fiction #selfPromo #SelfPromoSaturday #literature #lit #TheFifthSeduction #sophiajanehayden #television #realitytv #character #hero #romantic #romance #romancelandia #booktwitter #bookTok #bookstodon

In the romantic triangle story, The Fifth Seduction, sweet, gorgeous, and globally famous ROCK STAR Daniel Palmer, whose charisma runs hotter than his tour schedule, learns that his lover, a woman he's crazy about, Mable, is secretly involved with the woman with whom she runs a reality TV empire, Julia. How does Daniel grapple with being blindsided? How does he confront his feelings and Mable when true love is often so complicated? The Fifth Seduction is featured in the October promo on Book Funnel: https://books.bookfunnel.com/lgbtqiarockstarsale/13j54uj3hp
CLICK ON THE FIFTH SEDUCTION on the link.
#rock #books #book #love #loveStory #lovetriangle #mastodon #bookcovers #bookcover #fediverse #scribesAndMakers #author #indie #indieAuthor #indieAuthors #authors #writersCoffeeClub #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #writer #writers #fiction #selfPromo #SelfPromoSaturday #literature #lit #TheFifthSeduction #sophiajanehayden #television #realitytv #character #hero #romantic #romance #romancelandia #booktwitter #bookTok #bookstodon

#PennedPossibilities 1146 Does romance ever feature in your work?

There have been numerous references to sex and romance over the course of the 6 books in the series.

8 characters have paired up so far, Nathan and Vicky, Esther and Frank, Lucy and Bruce, and Cassie and Dex.

You could argue there’re actually 5 pairings if you included Bruce and his mentor, Thompson, given the way they bicker like a married couple.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1146 Does romance ever feature in your work?

There have been numerous references to sex and romance over the course of the 6 books in the series.

8 characters have paired up so far, Nathan and Vicky, Esther and Frank, Lucy and Bruce, and Cassie and Dex.

You could argue there’re actually 5 pairings if you included Bruce and his mentor, Thompson, given the way they bicker like a married couple.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1146 Does romance ever feature in your work?

There have been numerous references to sex and romance over the course of the 6 books in the series.

8 characters have paired up so far, Nathan and Vicky, Esther and Frank, Lucy and Bruce, and Cassie and Dex.

You could argue there’re actually 5 pairings if you included Bruce and his mentor, Thompson, given the way they bicker like a married couple.

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

#PennedPossibilities 1146 Does romance ever feature in your work?

There have been numerous references to sex and romance over the course of the 6 books in the series.

8 characters have paired up so far, Nathan and Vicky, Esther and Frank, Lucy and Bruce, and Cassie and Dex.

You could argue there’re actually 5 pairings if you included Bruce and his mentor, Thompson, given the way they bicker like a married couple.

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

I made a diagram to illustrate my current state of consciousness #writersofmastodon #deadline #insomniac

I made a diagram to illustrate my current state of consciousness #writersofmastodon #deadline #insomniac

I made a diagram to illustrate my current state of consciousness #writersofmastodon #deadline #insomniac

I made a diagram to illustrate my current state of consciousness #writersofmastodon #deadline #insomniac

#WritersCoffeeClub 3/10: How do you feel about spoilers?
I think there’s a clue in the name…
And even when writing about a really well-known book, we should remember that there will always be people who are new to it, and don’t yet know that Lizzy and Darcy ultimately do… oops, nearly gave it away there.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 3/10: How do you feel about spoilers?
I think there’s a clue in the name…
And even when writing about a really well-known book, we should remember that there will always be people who are new to it, and don’t yet know that Lizzy and Darcy ultimately do… oops, nearly gave it away there.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 3/10: How do you feel about spoilers?
I think there’s a clue in the name…
And even when writing about a really well-known book, we should remember that there will always be people who are new to it, and don’t yet know that Lizzy and Darcy ultimately do… oops, nearly gave it away there.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 3/10: How do you feel about spoilers?
I think there’s a clue in the name…
And even when writing about a really well-known book, we should remember that there will always be people who are new to it, and don’t yet know that Lizzy and Darcy ultimately do… oops, nearly gave it away there.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WordWeavers 3/10: Share a line from your WIP that foreshadows something important without giving it away.
This is the first appearance of a character who will become more significant, much deeper into the book.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WordWeavers 3/10: Share a line from your WIP that foreshadows something important without giving it away.
This is the first appearance of a character who will become more significant, much deeper into the book.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WordWeavers 3/10: Share a line from your WIP that foreshadows something important without giving it away.
This is the first appearance of a character who will become more significant, much deeper into the book.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WordWeavers 3/10: Share a line from your WIP that foreshadows something important without giving it away.
This is the first appearance of a character who will become more significant, much deeper into the book.
#books #writing #writersofmastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/3: How do you feel about spoilers?

Eh, I don't really have any opinion either way. Most of the time, as I'm thinking about it, I don't really want them. In the moment, I'm disgruntled. But the joy of having short-term memory loss issues from MS means that I'll probably just forget them, anyway. It's a help when it comes to spoilers for anything. Books, films, shows, wrestling, etc. 😂

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/3: How do you feel about spoilers?

Eh, I don't really have any opinion either way. Most of the time, as I'm thinking about it, I don't really want them. In the moment, I'm disgruntled. But the joy of having short-term memory loss issues from MS means that I'll probably just forget them, anyway. It's a help when it comes to spoilers for anything. Books, films, shows, wrestling, etc. 😂

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/3: How do you feel about spoilers?

Eh, I don't really have any opinion either way. Most of the time, as I'm thinking about it, I don't really want them. In the moment, I'm disgruntled. But the joy of having short-term memory loss issues from MS means that I'll probably just forget them, anyway. It's a help when it comes to spoilers for anything. Books, films, shows, wrestling, etc. 😂

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/3: How do you feel about spoilers?

Eh, I don't really have any opinion either way. Most of the time, as I'm thinking about it, I don't really want them. In the moment, I'm disgruntled. But the joy of having short-term memory loss issues from MS means that I'll probably just forget them, anyway. It's a help when it comes to spoilers for anything. Books, films, shows, wrestling, etc. 😂

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/2: Do you have plans for your next work yet?

Thankfully, no. I don't need a new hyperfixation. Please, dear gods, no. My WIP deserves my undivided attention. 🤣

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/2: Do you have plans for your next work yet?

Thankfully, no. I don't need a new hyperfixation. Please, dear gods, no. My WIP deserves my undivided attention. 🤣

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/2: Do you have plans for your next work yet?

Thankfully, no. I don't need a new hyperfixation. Please, dear gods, no. My WIP deserves my undivided attention. 🤣

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub 10/2: Do you have plans for your next work yet?

Thankfully, no. I don't need a new hyperfixation. Please, dear gods, no. My WIP deserves my undivided attention. 🤣

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

#EroticMusings 2026.10.02 — Week 70 (September 27-30) Culture: What does arousal mean to you? Share an example from your work of arousal stemming from something other than someone else's physical appearance.

[I think this post is SFW, but consider the prompt and innuendo. —RS]

Instead of quoting a dictionary, I'll define the word thusly:

Arousal; noun, state of being. A waking to a contextually defined stimulus that draws interest consciously, subliminally, or autonomically.

I see the word as a psychological term. The word requires adjectives to imply less seemly narratives. Speaking of which, in the following #excerpt from Reluctant Courier (for the Mob) it isn't too difficult to deduce what interests Bolt, a day angel woman with wings, and her friend, Shugh.

Beyond that!

Sheesh!

He (or she if we use modern pronouns) is wingless but very human, and he just saved her from a bonehead maneuver where he caught her before she fell off a building. Whether her wings could have saved her from the twelve story drop without injury is debatable, but the grabbing her wrist in time isn't. His action changed her perceptions of him, which he reflects back at her. The pair are very different in all so many ways that have kept any attraction previously at bay, but…

Another glance confirmed. He was male. Which brought back flashes of handsy Teri, our passion hours ago, and what I had found she had missing, that which he had. The voice in my head asserted, Reasonably Cute. Available, too.

My heart thudded. Oh, flap.

He stood, dusted himself off, then approached. I scooted the chair back, the legs making a muted shriek, until it struck the wall. I threw my wings back against the wall, feeling immediately silly to have felt intimidated. This was Shugh. Nice. The gender chameleon. Blended in with the women. Soft. Feminine wear, accessories, hair—when up. Easy to accept as she.

He said, "My face is up here."

I looked up from his hips as he squatted down, my face heating up. He didn't hide his biological gender beyond depilating, which alleviated the sense he misrepresented himself. But in my mental state, any reminder that I might appreciate his maleness…

Now at eye level, I glanced away from his green eyes. His blond hair, unfashionably long for either gender now that it was down to his hips, fluffed and waved in the breeze as if it wanted to clothe him from behind. He added, "You've been the only one who's been unwaveringly supportive of me after that day with the gateway. I can't express how much I appreciate that."

I nodded.

"Being supportive and protective is attractive," he added—a comment that was so true, that so reflected my mood, that I would have said it a moment after he had, had he not—as I stood, crowding him back.

His right hand ended up at my navel…

PS: Teri is a woman.
Edit: I revised the "Being supportive" sentence and migrated back to the manuscript.

[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

#EroticMusings 2026.10.02 — Week 70 (September 27-30) Culture: What does arousal mean to you? Share an example from your work of arousal stemming from something other than someone else's physical appearance.

[I think this post is SFW, but consider the prompt and innuendo. —RS]

Instead of quoting a dictionary, I'll define the word thusly:

Arousal; noun, state of being. A waking to a contextually defined stimulus that draws interest consciously, subliminally, or autonomically.

I see the word as a psychological term. The word requires adjectives to imply less seemly narratives. Speaking of which, in the following #excerpt from Reluctant Courier (for the Mob) it isn't too difficult to deduce what interests Bolt, a day angel woman with wings, and her friend, Shugh.

Beyond that!

Sheesh!

He (or she if we use modern pronouns) is wingless but very human, and he just saved her from a bonehead maneuver where he caught her before she fell off a building. Whether her wings could have saved her from the twelve story drop without injury is debatable, but the grabbing her wrist in time isn't. His action changed her perceptions of him, which he reflects back at her. The pair are very different in all so many ways that have kept any attraction previously at bay, but…

Another glance confirmed. He was male. Which brought back flashes of handsy Teri, our passion hours ago, and what I had found she had missing, that which he had. The voice in my head asserted, Reasonably Cute. Available, too.

My heart thudded. Oh, flap.

He stood, dusted himself off, then approached. I scooted the chair back, the legs making a muted shriek, until it struck the wall. I threw my wings back against the wall, feeling immediately silly to have felt intimidated. This was Shugh. Nice. The gender chameleon. Blended in with the women. Soft. Feminine wear, accessories, hair—when up. Easy to accept as she.

He said, "My face is up here."

I looked up from his hips as he squatted down, my face heating up. He didn't hide his biological gender beyond depilating, which alleviated the sense he misrepresented himself. But in my mental state, any reminder that I might appreciate his maleness…

Now at eye level, I glanced away from his green eyes. His blond hair, unfashionably long for either gender now that it was down to his hips, fluffed and waved in the breeze as if it wanted to clothe him from behind. He added, "You've been the only one who's been unwaveringly supportive of me after that day with the gateway. I can't express how much I appreciate that."

I nodded.

"Being supportive and protective is attractive," he added—a comment that was so true, that so reflected my mood, that I would have said it a moment after he had, had he not—as I stood, crowding him back.

His right hand ended up at my navel…

PS: Teri is a woman.
Edit: I revised the "Being supportive" sentence and migrated back to the manuscript.

[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