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RE: https://mathstodon.xyz/@mjd/116036387808224516

This is useful for me to know for #wss366, because I frequently want to do meta mentions that are not participation in the hashtag.

#WritersCoffeeClub What do you feel when a loved one reads your work?

My mom reads everything I write, but she only ever offers unqualified praise. And my brother and younger son are beta readers.

I was apprehensive when I first started showing my family the queer fiction I was writing, because I hadn't come out at that point (other than to my wife, who always knew. She doesn't read my fiction, but she does support my writing, and helps manage my life, so I have time.)

I have ordered the supplies to make a new shimenawa for my sakura tree. I made my last one two years ago: https://stevendbrewer.com/new-shimenawa/ and my first in 2020: https://blog.bierfaristo.com/content/making-shimenawa-and-shide I'm not a religious or spiritual person, but I love our sakura tree and it makes my devotion visible in a way I find satisfying.

The hatch hissed open and he ran out directly into the arms of Truck Stop security.
The other came out moments later, his arms raised.
Racy watched as they were marched away. Then she entered.
"Thanks, Grumpy," she said.
"Hmph," he said. "You'll make it up to me." (4/4) #wss366

They spun around looking, but no-one was there. They looked at each other.
"Just relax," said the voice. "The authorities have been summoned."
"Let's get outta here!" the first said. He ran to the hatch and began to scrabble at the controls. (3/4) #wss366

They went to the bridge. He poked at his device. And then poked it again. Nothing happened.
"What's wrong?" asked the first."
"It's not working," said the second. "That should've woken up the #helm," he said.
"Not gonna happen," a voice said. (2/4) #wss366

The hatch of *Never Back Down* hissed open and two men stepped on board.
"Pukkin' fek!" the first said. "That worked like magic!"
"Yeah, yeah," said the second, holding up his device. "But it only works on Xerxes couriers lower than Mark IV. You don't see many around anymore." (1/4) #wss366

#WritersCoffeeClub Do you have a writerly "third place"?

I'm looking forward to the spring: https://stevendbrewer.com/a-truly-magical-place-to-write/

#ScribesAndMakers 22 Create a micro-story in six words.

Stuck with the wet spot again.

"The #wss366 word today is #boot," a bearded man said.
"Maybe you should write about *das boot*," said another.
"That doesn't mean the same thing at all," said the first. "Then it should be *das stiefel*."
"Aren't you being a little overly pedantic?"
"Don't make fun of my feet!" the first shouted.

*Revin's Heart* is available from Water Dragon Publishing or anywhere books are sold online: https://waterdragonpublishing.com/product/revins-heart/

#WordWeavers Is there a subject that's represented poorly in media that you'd like to cover in your work?

I wrote *Revin's Heart*, my steampunky fantasy adventure with pirates and airships and a trans protagonist, at least in part after hearing people say they were looking for stories with trans characters that weren't about them becoming or being trans, but just as people living their best lives. *Revin's Heart* is just a young man's adventure story about a young man who happens to be trans.

Tanuki-chan is fascinated by a giant sausage. #DogsOfMastodon

I really needed Spring Break this year. https://stevendbrewer.com/a-much-needed-spring-break/

"They have crossbow men positioned on both sides of the valley overlooking the road," Nightmare said, after he returned from scouting. "It's like a #gauntlet."
"It looks impossible," Roughneck said. "We'll need to find another way."
"You forget," Curtains said. "We have him." He gestured at Flypaper.
He pointed at the map. "They'll never expect us to climb here. There's an overhang. That's where we'll ascend."
He looked among the men. "Any questions? No? Move out!" #wss366

#WritersCoffeeClub How do you organise your notes?

I use a text editor (currently Pulsar) to keep notes in a directory that's shared via @syncthing with my laptops, my phone, and my home server.

I have subdirectories for different projects (e.g. "sfwa") and use filenames like "board-20260312.txt".

I also do all of the rough drafts of my fiction as text files, then move the text to a word processor to revise and format into a manuscript for submission.

"Stop! Stop!" Bob said. He shoved the book in his pocket, covered his ears and fled back upstairs to his room.
Alan chuckled, sat down in the recliner, and leaned back.
"Ah! My chair…" (3/3) #wss366

"It's really good!" Alan gushed. "It's amazing when Gigi really let's loose and kills…"
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Bob cut in. "No spoilers!"
"It's not really a spoiler. That whole arc is just a red herring because the cat is really…" (2/3) #wss366

Alan came down and spotted Bob sitting in the recliner. "Ooh!" he said. "Is that the new Zamenhof Station book?"
Bob looked up.
"Yeah!" he said. "I'm finally getting around to reading it." (1/3) #wss366

All of the faculty in my department at #UMassAmherst got some of the sycophantic AI-generated phishing spam. I've been seeing this stuff for so long, I didn't think much about it. But for most of the faculty it's something new. Ugh.