Toots for sfwrtr@eldritch.cafe account

Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-02 at 03:04

In the I told you so file:

Blame #Trump not #Biden #Kamala #liberals or the Democrats. #Maga blame yourself.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-could-get-more-expensive-trump-tariffs-rcna190300

[#]BoostingIsSharing

[#]USPol #energy #economy #vote

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 17:07

[#]Random post, but did you know dish soap is flavored? I use a bottle brush on my orthodontic appliances and I mustn't have rinsed the plastic thing well enough. It's a slightly floral aromatic flavor that asserts you didn't rinse the plates enough, yet isn't sickening, nor cloying. It is consistent with the scent of the liquid. I can't say it's a soapy taste, since I don't make a habit of getting my mouth washed out with soap—nary a swear passes this lips unless it's at my computer—so I can't say.

One taste was enough, though.

[#]boostingIsSharing

[#]writer #author with crooked teeth #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #soap #flavor

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 07:22

[#]uspol I like the Headline on this Article. Read the article which explains why the opposition party needs to go on attack using the same playbook that caused them to lose.

[#]BoostingIsSharing

https://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2025/Items/Jan31-1.html

[#]trump #faa #democrats #government #crash #doublespeak #alternatefacts

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 06:45

I reached out an arm and a wing and pulled her so our shoulders touched.

With a sigh, some of the weight of her world and her body transferred to me. For her height, her head rested atop mine instead of my shoulder, but it was the same set of symbols we manipulated together. Meaning. Shared comprehension.

"Hold me," she said, "Simple contact, that's what I need, not passion. Remind me I'm only human. I don't need forgiveness for the next set of new mistakes I'll undoubtedly make, but to be reminded that I'm working to keep our world from dying."

I didn't have words. I did have wings and arms, though. I turned and held her against my chest. She shuddered and I wondered if she teared up. Sounded like it. Felt like it. The difference in size between her and I accentuated my earlier sense of mother and child. Me. The child. Comforting the mother. That made me laugh. Briefly. It was some of what I did for Thorn [his girlfriend], also.

"What?" she asked, sniffling.

I tightened my hold.

Sparkles started popping around us. Virtual particles in tiny bubbles of slowed time, I'd been told, which didn't make them less startling or amazing...

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[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

[#]mystery #thriller #romance #sf #sff #sciencefiction

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[#]RSstory #RSReluctanceStory

[#]microfiction #flashfiction #tootfic #smallstory

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 02:10

If we set our story in the here-and-now, and pick a milieu that is very familiar to the audience—like high school cramming for finals or the office with an irritating boss or home with the dog and the hubby—the gendered information we need to relay to set up the story becomes nil. No author needs explain what marriage is. No author needs write more than a paragraph of the right words to build a idea of the tension in said marriage, or hint more deeply than having the wife sweat in the car when her husband insists on accompanying her to the gym.

Traditional gender roles need little explanation, nor thanks to a lot of popular media and books, does rebellious gender behavior.

What does the story gain by maintaining traditional gender roles?

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[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

[#]writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 01:52

It's headed toward spring, but do you feel the chill. Happy #Imbolc for those who observe.

[#]Photography #AstroPhotography #Moon #Photos #Photo #Writer #Author #Winter #WritersOfMastodon #WritingCommunity

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 01:25

Follow for Weekly Prompts: #EngenderedWritingQ

Google Docs Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10RK_eD_1Q-P7VKv8xYVDeF7kkHuNX8878pBeELo3VAU/edit

Please boost so your writer followers know about the challenge.

[#]BoostingIsSharin

[#]game #challenge about #gender #fiction #mystery #thriller #romance #fantasy #sf #sff #sciencefiction #writing for #writer #writers #author #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-02-01 at 00:05

Mina, everyone, at #WritersCoffeeClub: Though I made a New Years post acknowledging January was Ch 17, all my subsequent posts were labeled Ch 16 because I neglected to change my template. As a result, I will in the near future I shall edit my posts to correct this so that searches return clean result. I very much apologize if you get notified of edits and this annoys you.

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-31 at 23:15

[#]BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

[#]mystery #thriller #romance #sf #sff #sciencefiction

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-31 at 23:05

[#]BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

[#]mystery #thriller #romance #sf #sff #sciencefiction

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-31 at 07:14

Another MC under stress had a bout of singing-dancing-mania (it's a real thing), and she sang. The daughter of an opera theatre star, she wasn't half bad. It was a take on the linked song, which appeared on Queer as Folk, Everyday by Kim English.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMuuzPCakc

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-31 at 00:53

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[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-31 at 00:41

Add occasional humidity from passing rainstorms.

Let's just say nobody goes out during the day light hours, especially near noon... except in the scene I am now writing. The male MC has been convinced into an outdoor activity with a female SC. They are sweating buckets. Luckily they remembered to bring flasks of water. They'll need it.

It is a very hot scene.

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[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-30 at 23:05

♻️Recycling post. I receive a lot of packages by post and delivery. Mostly cardboard, but a lot of plastic non-recyclable packing and sometimes totally unrecyclable plastic envelopes (I'm looking at you Amazon). Today I received this, which proved 100% recyclable. Even the tape was paper. So is the bottle. It's glass not plastic. Look folks, you can package products without landfill. Glass and metal containers are secure. I was inspired. Not a product placement, just a hero shot for a company being responsible. More in the #altText.

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[#]Recycling #Earth #Paper #Recyclable #Recycling #Photograph #Photo #Writer #Author #WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-30 at 20:43

Lack of education and the conservative attack on any non-parochial education explains a lot. Ignorance and lack of questioning leads to authoritarianism; it is all about power and controlling people's minds by teaching them not to think. Interesting article attached.

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https://bigthink.com/thinking/a-c-grayling-we-dont-need-to-bring-back-religion-we-need-to-bring-back-education/

[#]Philosophy #Conservative #Liberal #Education #Religion #Humanism #Writer #Author #WritersOfMastodon #WritingCommunity #Theism

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-30 at 07:42

[#]BoostingIsSharing and #CommentingIsCool

[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

[#]mystery #thriller #romance #sf #sff #sciencefiction

[#]writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-30 at 01:32

=> =-=-=-=-=-=-=

† Well, except dragons. They're human, btw [another spoiler].

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-30 at 00:55

=> 76 — Can you write a good erotic scene (your definition of such) using non-anatomical euphemisms? Is the ability to do so made easier by narrator or POV gender choice? If so, why?

[I am answering "you" in the specific, as in "can I," not in the general as "can anybody." Each writer has their talents. —RS]

To make it clear, I am not writing these scenes to be erotic. Yet, oh my gosh, they are turning out that way. They are completely free of anatomical euphemisms or specific gender anatomy words, despite discussing mechanics to a degree. Often I reference parts of the body not necessarily associated with sex. There's a few euphemisms. Lots of innuendo. Double-entendres are useful. It's about the situation, their emotions, their partner's reaction, what they are seeing (NOT what the reader might want described), and what they are thinking of or focusing upon. I leave it to the reader to read between lines if they choose to make it explicit. Anyone who's had sex should understand precisely what's going on—words like "astride" are inescapable—but the point is that it is meant to advance the plot.

Believe me or disbelieve me as you choose.

I thought about including one sentence to make my point. Then I reread it and decided, no, I don't want to CW this post.

Is it made easier by the narrator or POV choice? Well, there is a male and a female POV MC, and a female antagonist who joyfully and playfully interacts with them as she teaches them hard lessons. (Okay, where did your mind just go?) I don't often write male POV characters, but I've so far chosen to write the erotic scenes in the male POV threaded chapters. I will admit I used our society's conception that men can get away with sex without shame better than women can. I used it as a lever or a wedge to get the point across whilst avoiding extra subtext. This, of course, is an analysis after the fact. I didn't think of that until now. That's not to say the female MC doesn't get her chance to "have fun," it's just so far that the most detailed example was her trying to proposition a man—and it might lead to a war...

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[#]gender #fiction #writer #author

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-29 at 23:33

What does the depiction of equity bring to a story: A sense of the uncanny valley, of what can't be no matter how cloying.

What does the depiction of disparity bring to a story: A sense of grittiness, of saying what is even when it is impolitic or impolite. Discomfort.

In the current WIP, I am writing a series of scenes that, as a side-effect to the plot, highlight gender disparity. It's SF and a future society with an unfortunate 1960s flavor. Before I detail what it is I'm writing, consider this setup which verges on various tropes:

A young woman is pressured into finding a good husband rather than keeping a career. Her worth is tied up in marriage, in having sex, in producing an "heir." Her schooling is little more than an M-R-S degree. Gender politics shame her if she aspires differently.

The scenes have that happening to a man, even to the point of him being manipulated into bed against his better instincts.

Quickly: What was your first thought reading that, especially the last part? Why?

If that doesn't open eyes, what will?

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Written by RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist on 2025-01-29 at 22:36

Can an antagonist, regardless of their power base, operate by challenging people to be better in ways they don't appreciate? Can they still be an epic PITA? Can they make the hard choices and not be villainous?

I admit, I made a point that my antagonist can be deadly—especially if she sees your goals as self-serving, hurting people's lives and not improving them (albeit in her evaluation of that) or hurrying the extinction of humanity (a real threat). Her modus operandi is that she messes with people until they learn to be extraordinary, or learn to fight back and then realize they can fight for others. Basically, she's that teacher or coach you hated who years later you praise for having shaped your life for the better.

I guess I'm making a case for fewer monsters. We live in a world populated by them.

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