@stevendbrewer@wandering.shop

"Hey! Hey!" Brunhilde called to Forrest. "Why do red-winged blackbirds have epaulets."
"For the same reason olives have pimentos," he said.
She sighed dramatically at this obvious raillery.
"Hey! Hey! Am I bugging you with all my questions?"
"No," said the bear.
"Yes," said Forrest. (2/2) #wss366

"Hey! Hey!" Brunhilde said. "What are epaulets for?"
"I don't wear clothes," the bear said. "Maybe you should ask a red-winged blackbird."
"Birds don't wear clothes!" she laughed.
"But they have epaulets."
Brunhilde was silent while she considered this paradox. (1/2) #wss366

This otter will bite you.

Straw Dog Writers Guild presents *Addressing social concerns while preserving cultural identity in children’s literature,* a Zoom workshop on Sept 20 at 10:30am Eastern. https://strawdogwriters.org/event/addressing-social-concerns-while-preserving-cultural-identity-in-childrens-literature #writing

Drinking antisocially / Mi devis esti ĉirkaŭ aliaj homoj, do nun drinkas.

"There's been an allegation you've installed an illegal AI component on your ship," he said. "Please come with me while we conduct an investigation."
"But I'm in the middle of a date with my boyfriend," she said, suddenly clinging to David's arm. He looked at her like one might look at a tick or a 'pede. (2/2) #wss366

"Excuse me, Captain Reckless," said a voice behind them. David and Racy turned to find a detachment of uniformed Truck Stop security personnel blocking their return path along the Docking Ring. A humorless officer holding a device was addressing them.
"Y… Yes?" Racy said. (1/2) #wss366

"And then we'll get our air conditioner?"
"No, no. That's just the beginning. We'll be sending 18 teams of instillers."
"But summer will be over then."
"And the following summer too. But we take instillation very seriously and want to make sure you're satisfied with the results." (3/3) #wss366

"When you purchase from Loris Enterprises we manage the whole instillation process. The first instillers will arrive tomorrow to perform an inspection. Another team, next week, will take measurements. The following week, instillers will consult with you about the process." (2/3) #wss366

"We have scheduled the instillation of your new air conditioning system."
"Wonderful! It can't happen soon enough. When will the installers be here?"
"Oh, we're not sending installers, yet. The first instillers will arrive tomorrow."
"What? 'Instillers?'' What are you talking about." (1/3) #wss366

#WordWeavers If you had to show that a character is a good person within one scene, how would you do it?

I think the Liaden books do this particularly well: the protagonist is faced with a choice between doing the obvious, easy thing or taking the honorable path, in spite of it being the more difficult, riskier thing. The good characters always take the honorable path and, in spite of the risks, it works out such that their honor and commitment to doing the right thing is rewarded.

#WritersCoffeeClub If you could banish one trope for a century, which would you choose?

Time travel. Let its practitioners just travel forward in time if they want to keep doing it. But it doesn't have to be for a full century — just until after I'm dead would be plenty good enough.

#WordWeavers Share a snippet with an animal in it.

This excerpt is from *Devishire!* an unpublished sequel to *Revin's Heart*.

Tanuki-chan found something of grate interest. #DogsOfMastodon

Finally, he was able to #distill everything into a simple answer.
He went to the archives late at night and found the King, as usual, studying old historical documents.
Words smiled to see Revin approaching
"Well?" he said.
"You should get Her Majesty the pink one," Revin said. (2/2) #wss366

As the Queen's Chief-of-Staff, Revin was used to synthesizing information to make important decisions. But the King had entrusted him with the most difficult mission he had ever undertaken. He made secret observations and quietly consulted with a number of informants. (1/2) #wss366

My son is taking a math class where he learned he could get "extra credit" for submitting his homework "typeset". He said he was debating whether to do it. On the plus side, it would involve getting extra points. And he would learn a useful skill. But, on the other hand, it would be admitting that I had been right all along when I told him all those times that he should learn LaTex. It was a hard decision, he said, because that was "a steep price to pay."

A reminder that my weekly online writing group Straw Dog Writes meets on Wednesdays at 7pm Eastern. You do not need to be a member to attend. But if you find it useful and attend regularly, it would be nice if you were to join to support the organization. https://strawdogwriters.org/event/straw-dog-writes-weekly-writers-meet-up-6/2025-09-10

DM me for the Zoom link.

He led his mind wander as he rested, mentally preparing for the coming whitewater of the Narrows. He would need all of his concentration then. He had been through them, before. But that was many years ago, when he was young and foolish. Now, he was older and wiser… Or was he? (3/3) #wss366

Cool big, orange caterpillar. Maybe *Acronicta clarescens*? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronicta_clarescens