@stevendbrewer@wandering.shop

At 10 minutes after the hour, she was ready to make her grand #entrance. She stepped through the door. Then everything went wrong.
She tripped over the threshold and fell. She threw her hands out to try to catch herself and her purse went flying. She shrieked with despair. (2/4) #wss366

Miss Dairy arrived fashionably late and stood outside the door to the bar. She checked herself thoroughly. She smoothed her new dress. She had her purse. She used her device to check her makeup and hair. She wanted everything to be perfect for her date with Totemo. (1/4) #wss366

Ooh! I have *two* fans now. And three if you count the one I use in my tent.

#ScribesAndMakers Share which thing from yesterday's poll was about the MC.

Captain Tau is a NeoBoxer. From *An Exchange of Services*: NeoBoxers were the product of hundreds of years of selective breeding and not a small amount of genetic engineering and cybernetic augmentation. Created to lend their keen noses and stout hearts to any adventure, they also sought to forge strong bonds of loyalty among the crew.

"It's a habit."
"My mother says it's a *bad* habit."
"Maybe," the bear said.
"My mother says it stains your fingernails."
The bear held up his huge paw and flexed his black claws.
"My mother says…"
"Your mother says a lot of things."
"My mother says it's bad for people."
"I'm a #bear." (2/2) #wss366

After finishing his rounds, the bear went around a boulder, leaned back, and fired up a smoke. He inhaled and blew out a cloud of smoke. A feeling of bliss settled over him.
"Why do you smoke those things?" asked Brunhilde. She was sitting on top of the boulder looking down at him. (1/2) #wss366

I sold out of copies of *Premitaj Floroj* last time, so I picked up a few more copies. I'll have them at Readercon to sell via the Small Publishing in a Big Universe dealer table. https://spbu-marketplace.com/

#ScribesAndMakers Create a multiple choices poll with two things that are true about yourself, and one that is true of your MC. Ask people to pick which is the MC.

Guess which is true about Captain Tau from the Better Angels:

Likes to drink beer.
Operates motor vehicles at the speed limit.
Is a NeoBoxer.

"I thought maybe you'd have to write a story where 'can' is used as a verb," Lucy said.
"I #can do that," I replied. #wss366

I thought this word seemed familiar. This is what I wrote the last time we had #can as a #wss366 word (sometime last summer) and I'm not sure I can top it.

"How do you get the food out?" Zsazsa asked.
"Ta da!" Booboo held up an opener. She retrieved the can and succeeded in attaching the opener. She twisted the crank, while they watched, fascinated. After she peeled back the lid, she passed out forks to everyone. "Here! Try some!"
They took turns dipping a fork in and tasting the contents of the can.
"Ew! What is this?" They spat out the tuna into the trash.
"Who cares?" Booboo said. "This the last time I ever eat anything out of a #can!" #wss366

"What is *that* thing?" Susan asked.
Booboo held it up with a flourish. "Guess!"
The Butter Angels studied it. It was a small, flat, silver cylinder.
"Some kind of machine part?" "A radioactive source?" "A door stop?"
"Is it booze?" asked Lolo.
"Nope. It's a #can!" She handed the can to Susan and let them pass it around to inspect it.
"A what?"
"Before replicators, to preserve stuff, people would put food inside a metal can and seal it up."
"Where did you get it?"
"I just replicated it." #wss366

Well, this is something different. A t-pop/k-pop crossover? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx4ka2qBY_A

I finally found time to visit the #UMassAmherst Orchard Hill Pavilion which was created to honor service workers. It's nice — better than I expected. https://www.umass.edu/news/article/pavilion-project-orchard-hill-area-projected-open-spring-2024 #WesternMass

"It's a mystery," Walter mused. "The #Case of the Condom Covered Car. Let's see what the rumor milf has to say about this."
"The what? The rumor milf?"
"Yeah. Holly Blackwater. She knows everything that happens in the neighborhood." He whipped out his phone. (3/3) #wss366

John stood at the dining room window looking out at the driveway. He pointed. Their car was covered with… something. Or some things. Many somethings.
"What are those?" Walter said, peering. "Prophylactics? Used prophylatics?"
"Who could have done that? What does it mean?" John said. (2/3) #wss366

"Hey, Walter?"
Walter groaned and rolled over in bed. "Yeah, Hon?" he called.
"You gotta come see this."
Walter swung his feet over the edge of the bed and, cautious of his back, carefully got to his feet. He put on his bathrobe and came out. (1/3) #wss366

I had the great pleasure to host @youseeatortoise for the Straw Dog Writers Guild last weekend, talking about book cover design for writers. It was a great presentation and I encourage everyone to give it a watch! https://youtu.be/sTAyokED9jY

Forrest landed on the man's head and dug his talons into the man's scalp.
The man screamed. He started to try to tear Forrest off.
Forrest dug his talons in harder and the man froze.
"Know what?" he hissed. "Owl talons can easily pierce the cranium of a human skull. If you don't want yours perforated, start walking to the ranger station."
The man went to drop the piece of cloth in his hand when Forrest tightened his grip just a tiny bit more.
"And don't even think about littering!" (3/3) #wss366

He spotted the little girl that liked to hang around the bear. After being dragged away by her mother, she was wandering aimlessly by herself, kicking stones. Behind her, Forrest saw a man shadowing her, screening himself behind trees as he approached.
Forrest glided closer on silent wings.
"Hey, little girl," the man said, emerging from behind a tree. "Are you lost? Let me help you find your way back." He extended a hand. His other hand was behind his back, holding something. (2/3) #wss366