@stevendbrewer@wandering.shop

Today was the Watch City Steampunk Festival in Waltham. We did pretty well! Revin's Heart was the best seller — again.

At the end of the dinner, they bought in a gigantic cake.
"Blow out the candles, Philip!" everyone called.
When he did, the cake suddenly popped open and Popo sprang out. His face was transformed with wonder and excitement.
"Happy birthday, Philip!" she called with a flourish. Then the other Better Angels appeared among the crowd and they all sang Happy Birthday to him.
"Thanks, Miss Popo. Thanks everybody!" he said, with tears in his eyes. "This is the best birthday ever!" 2/2

#wss366

On the planet of Chevalio, the Prince's birthday was the culminating event of a week-long holiday. Each day, there were grander festivals and parades. But everyone noticed his melancholy as he went through the motions, barely enjoying himself.
Servants whispered quietly to each other, "Is he just going to #pine away?"
At his birthday celebration, he seemed particularly downcast, hardly tasting the food of his birthday dinner. 1/2

#wss366

Join @jscottcoatsworth on June 15 at 1pm Eastern for a Straw Dog Writers' Guild zoom presentation about promoting your work as an indie author. https://strawdogwriters.org/post/promoting-your-work-as-an-indie-author #books #writing

Once the anchors were set, ropes were tied down, and the remmers dropped their towlines.
One of the men turned and took a few steps into the field, scouting around. Then he screamed. Everyone looked on in horror as etheric lines of force erupted from the ground and tore the man to pieces, cutting off his screams.
"By the skies," whispered Grip into the sudden silence. "What was that?"
"Some kind of eternite #mine," the Professor said. "We must exercise caution." 2/2

#wss366

With two gasbags holed, *Queen of Belleriand* came down hard in an open field. Revin held onto the railing as she slammed into the ground.
"Remmers hold her down!" Will called. "Grip! Mack! Lead men to build tiedowns!"
Grip and Mack grabbed augers, crossbars, and rope, then led teams of airmen fore and aft.
"Heave!" they cried as the men used the crossbars to crank the augers into the ground to serve as anchors to tie down the airship. 1/2

#wss366

Today is the last day of classes. After that, about two weeks of grading hell. But then… Summer!

#PennedPossibilities How is your MC or SC with animals?

The horses seemed to be able to tell Revin was nervous & one gave him a painful nip. They also evidently had particular places they wanted to be in the team & were quite nasty about Revin getting it wrong. As he brought the next horse to the coach, it tried to kick him. He partially dodged, but a glancing blow still caught him in the solar plexus & knocked the wind out of him. He sat on the ground, gasping. He was coming to despise horses.

#WritersCoffeeClub What's the minimum time you can work on your writing? Do you need a long, clear period?

I find that it's not productive to work on anything for long blocks of time. I often work for little snatches of time when the mood strikes me. I often have two or three manuscripts open at once and, when I get tired of answering emails or grading papers, I'll flip over and write for a bit. Occasionally, I'll get into a flow state and can write for hours. But that's the exception.

The Angels consulted their devices & saw the new modules. As one, they triggered them. 
"You rang?" said the Angels.
"Get scrubbed up, Ladies, and render assistance as needed!" Zaza said, with steel in her voice.
"Yes, Head #Nurse!" the Angels said.
Zaza, Rara, & Bebe returned to the stock closet, found scrubs, & got changed. As they came out, Zaza looked at the deceased terrorists and said, "Better call for some body bags." (from *Better Angels: Tour de Force* https://truckstop.waterdragonpublishing.com/product/better-angels-tour-de-force/ )

#wss366

#WritersCoffeeClub When writing technical or scientific detail, how much is plausible versus imagined?

It depends. In *Better Angels*, I tend to simply assert that technology exists to accomplish fantastic things & don't provide any more detail than you would about the way a car works: e.g. you press on a brake pedal & the car slows down. You don't need to describe hydraulics or disks or drums or friction. But when technology is unfamiliar to the protagonist, I try to capture their experience.

Cecelia squawked when two girls sprang on her in the bed, jumping around, giggling, & laughing. She rubbed her eyes.
"Why all the #racket?" she yawned.
"Time to do the chores!" one girl shrieked.
"What time is it?" Cecelia groaned
"Four bells.
"Chores?"
"I feed the pigs & my little sister feeds the chickens. My brother takes the goats out. Mama & my older sister milk the cows. And Daddy takes care of the horses & gets tack ready for the day's work."
"What can I do?"
"You get to help!"

#wss366

Someone got a real tongue lashing from Tanuki-chan this morning. #DogsOfMastodon

#PennedPossibilities Does your MC have next-door neighbors? Who are they?

Terrier led Revin to a different room than he had stayed in before. It was much smaller than the luxurious guest room, but more comfortable to his mind. 
"This door communicates directly with her Majesty's quarters," Terrier said, indicating an interior door. "She asked for you to be placed here so as to have you at hand as needed." (from *Rewriting the Rules*, Part Six of *Revin's Heart*.)

#WritersCoffeeClub Do you add a copyright statement to your work? How comprehensive is it?

I let my publisher do that.

I carefully slunk forward, keeping to the shadows—eyes fixated on my prey. It would lie quiescent for a moment & then twitch first one way & then another. I got within striking range & waited for the right moment. I readied myself to spring.
"Dammit, Grappler," the human said. "If you touch my ball of #yarn, you're going to be so sorry…"
I stood, then yawned & stretched. After sauntering into the sunlight, I flopped down. There would be other chances. The sweater was not even half done.

#wss366

Tanuki-chan thinks it's almost too hot for a fightin' ball today. Almost… #DogsOfMastodon

there's no rush today…
the catkins sway in the breeze
just hangin' around

#haiku #bloomscrolling #WesternMass

#WritersCoffeeClub Have you ever copied a piece from another book or movie as a homage?

When the Better Angels turn on some of their military programming modules, some of the lines they say are adapted from quotes from StarCraft, e.g. "Give Bebe something to shoot!"

#WordWeavers Who is your most fun character?

I love all of my characters so it's very hard to choose just one. If I had to choose, I guess I'd pick Booboo from the Butter Angels. She is perhaps the character I personally identify with most. She's plump & doesn't really think of herself as pretty. But her girlfriend loves her & she is supported by the other angels, even when she is impulsive & says weird, offensive, off-the-wall things. I love her unfailingly confident, cheerful, funny attitude.