cornerofmadness

Well that's a scary thing I did

2026-05-01T03:46:26Z

I said yes to reading my story and I'll be doing it friday night next friday. It's 3K and I am NOT a voice actor. It's a bit daunting. I've done it before, oddly once WAY back in 1997 in the James Thurber house. I don't remember how I was selected. I remember it was in the paper. I can't remember what I read. I read a flash fic last week. This feels a bit different. It's not. Oddly enough with all the writing related stuff on YT, there isn't much about how best to read your own work (I was looking for ideas).

I'm hoping this cool weather (it's March out there again) lasts the weekend. The outdoors steampunk thing is running on Saturday. I plan to go.

I AM rethinking free comic book day since my store is in Huntington and that's 70 miles away and gas was 3.89 on Tuesday. 4.29 yesterday morning. 4.69 8 hours later and 5$ today after I left work. Hell I have regrets about going to Louisville at this point.

I decided not to go to the wedding I was invited to. I'd have to drive all the way back down here 2 weeks after I go home and I'm the only one from work invited so I'll know no one but the couple. I don't know what I'm doing for vacation now.

Hmm I could use an alpha reader for the new novel I think. Ah well, really wish I had a closer writers group here that could fulfill that function.

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I feel like the worst at my job

2026-04-30T03:44:28Z

I know I'm not. But with every passing year it's getting harder and harder to teach these kids anything. I never used to give words banks for the organ test because I figured you fucking had to know how to spell lung, heart, liver etc. They don't. Not any more.

( discussion of my dissecting lab test )

Watching S6 of Inspector Gently. Mom too. She called me to tell me unfortunately John lived. You know you could almost be sympathetic to him if they didn't write him like they do. Instead, you want to slap him.

What I Just Finished Reading:

Deadly Fates - Chinese mythology inspired, I really liked it

What I am Currently Reading:

Keeper of Lonely spirits - LGBT paranormal with older mains. It was slow starting but I like it.

Dungeons and Danger - a paranormal mystery arc

What I Plan to Read Next:

Hooked on Murder - lousy so far

Death al Dente - so far terrible

The Death Card

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Last night took it out of me

2026-04-29T03:25:34Z

Just as I was getting ready to go to bed at 130 AM the storm did something that scared me. You know how your lights flicker off and on because the power lines are galloping? It did it for about three minutes before failing. I was afraid something might have overloaded and caught fire (it didn't). Now it's too hot to sleep but raining too hard to open a window and my blood sugar is being stupid so I have to pee 4 times between bed time and 6 AM when the power finally turns on.

I said today can you believe it was the last week of class and several said 'thank god.' I know the feeling but on the other hand it stings.

my Indian cowoker brought in a curried egg dish and coconut rice filled with cardamon and cinnamon and so I had to have elevensies. I don't make the rules.

I came home to one story rejection but also one story accepted so I'm taking that as a win.

I'm too exhausted to think of anything for Tuesday's fannish 50. I am looking for thoughts, thinking of doing yet another con panel at a pop culture. I was thinking about the history of women writing horror. Would that be interesting? Maybe link it up with women mangaka/animators because surely there have to be some.

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The good news is

2026-04-28T03:39:20Z

My hair is no longer washed out color and grey. The bad news I'm 98% sure someone put black cherry dye in my violet box. Because this sure as shit ain't purple (and this is a brand and color I use often) but it IS definitely cherry red. Eye rolls. Still better than it was.

I'm 100% over everything.

At least the majors did well on the label the organs exam.

And I did get my holter monitor UPSed off.

We decided as a group we're going to do water aerobics next monday by ourselves. That feels good. I need this pool time

I'm thinking of not doing intoabar this time but I keep reminding myself it DOES NOT have to be a freaking epic.

I got a disappointing email today. They canceled the writing contest/anthology for the Bourbon City Steampunk fest. I was the only applicant. Awww. They said I could do a reading if I want. I'll put that back on them. If they want me to fill that slotted time with a reading I sure can. If not, that's fine too. I won't be disappointed not to have to read. I am sorry there won't be a paying anthology though. But who knows this could be a networking opportunity for me.

It's music monday 30 weeks of music. This week's prompt is # A song that reminds you of your favorite season. Boy I read that wrong. I thought it said all seasons. Ah well. Share my friends, share

( There is one that easily comes to mind )

here's the whole prompt list

( All under here )

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Writerly Ways

2026-04-27T03:45:42Z

I had something I wanted to say today but it has been one helluva sunday and I didn't even eat dinner until 930 pm. And the cross bars on my fridge door fell off and everything fell out and somehow the hot dogs I had been getting out...disappeared. I still don't know where they are. I emptied the fridge, checked under it. I am baffled. Hopefully they're just behind something in the fridge and I'll find them (or they start stinking)

I was feeling proud since I had gotten so much on the victorian medicine and then the reality kicks in for much work I have to do

Open Calls

“Wish You Were Here” vacation horror

Thema: Sent By Mistake

Wyldblood Magazine Theme: General speculative fiction

Childhood Fears Theme: Childhood fears and kids encountering frightening situations

Don’t Go for the Vault: A Bank Robbery Horror Anthology Theme: Horror stories involving a bank robbery and the opening of a bank vault door

The Neurodiversiverse: Bridging Worlds Theme: Neurodivergent characters bridging worlds through encounters with alien cultures or perspectives

Saros Issue 6 Theme: Breaking the Mold – stories about originality, novel ideas, and things that defy convention

The End of the World

From Around the Web

The Past as Unexplored Territory

Kickstarter Tips for Authors: Rewards, Shipping, Marketing, and Lessons Learned

Why Horror Becomes Action and How to Prevent It

Talk to Someone: How the Best Writing Is Born

Betty is off at a con of her own so no links this week

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Final Boss

2026-04-26T03:56:20Z

I hit Final Boss con today. It's on my university in our sports/gym building. It's nice space to have but so hot. Our a/c system sucks. Met up with a former student now coworker/friend and we went through the vendors rooms (basically two gyms full of vendors) There was a lot of nice stuff but shockingly nothing much for current anime/indie animation other than demon slayer (which is not one of my favorite things)

I did get a tea towel for my SiL with a cat shoving a glass off the table saying I do what I want which is exactly what their youngest cat is like. I was a little disappointed that D.M.Guay wasn't there this year because I would have liked to see her and her books again.

The leather working dungeons and dragons person was there but I bought no dice this time. I might have bought the leather belt purse but it wasn't bigger than the one I have...and could not find. I have NO idea why that's not in the cosplay bag.

There were a couple other authors I've seen before. One I haven't read his book yet and the other I have and didn't like it so now I try to not make eye contact with him (and my companion told me about trying to beta read for him but he won't listen)

I didn't get many gifts this time but I did get some stuff for me. I'll share.

I did go in my steampunk outfit

Got a gyro from the food truck (I had wanted the Indian food but 15$ for sag paneer seemed like a lot I'm not sure they did well being the most expensive truck there)

There were tons of people selling video games but I have no gaming system. I loved the one person doing paper art shadow boxes but when I went back the one I liked was gone so no problems there for my wallet.

As I mentioned above I was surprised that there were no Amazing Digital Circus or Hazbin stuff, okay a wee bit but not much and I did get what was on offer for TADC. There were several TADC cosplayers and someone was dressed up as Abel and Lute (My companion was mamou from the apothecary diaries)

There was a larp group that I might look into I wouldn't mind (so long as I'm not the only woman)

Came home and started collecting info for my medicine power point I'm up to 43 pages of notes copy and pasted from other places (and this is as close to science saturday we're getting)

( pictures under here. I forgot to take one of myself )

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Another Day, another embalming

2026-04-25T03:56:39Z

So today's embalming fluid accident was my fault. I caught the bag on the packing staple and that fluid shot out of the bag like a fire hose. Everywhere. But most especially all over me. Whee. No fresh shirt this time. At least it was only a half day.

And the other exciting thing that happened was late tonight. I'm on the phone with evil_little_dog who might join me for 1 night during the Bourbon City steampunk thing. So I was looking at the schedule to be sure the writing thing wasn't at night because they have NOT gotten back to me at all about my story. I didn't want to say we can go on this or that ghost tour or bar or whatever shenanigans we'll get up to so I check the schedule.

At first all I can find is the guests and found out two friends I didn't even know were going to be there are there. Yea! Nothing about the writing thing. Boo. So I click around and find the daily schedule and there is nothing about the writing contest. There IS however MY DAMN NAME up there as a presenter Saturday and Sunday. NO ONE told me this!!!!

No wonder my friend PQ gave me that look and asked me if I were sure I wasn't presenting. What the actual hell? My only thought is maybe, somehow it went to the other gmail that my phone uses (and I don't have access too) but there should be no reason for that. I know what email I gave them.

I am presenting in two weeks. I DO NOT HAVE ONE OF THE TALKS. When I never heard back I didn't make it up since I wouldn't need it til Gettysburg in August. Now I have to come up with this talk on Victorian/Edwardian wacky medicine that's 1 hour long from out my ass during finals. Kill me.

That said it should be fun.

( cut for dissection details )

Have your Friday Fannish 50 fandom recs

the break Prodigal Son

God Of Coffee Torchwood

Acceptance Stargate SG-1

Consent is key Hazbin Hotel

Angel Enchanted Hazbin Hotel

Moonless Night Torchwood

Worlds Apart The Fantastic Journey

The Long Road Home The Amazing Digital Circus

Family Tree Merlin

Learn To Piece My Parts Together The Amazing Digital Circus

Gentle Hazbin Hotel

Perfect Inspector George Gently

Whoopsies Hazbin Hotel

Blood And Death Torchwood

be yourself along the way 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)魔道祖师 - 墨香铜

Blood Ties Hazbin Hotel

Afterlife of the party Hazbin Hotel

Paternity Testing Stargate Atlantis

First Hazbin Hotel

Close the Distance, Lock Us In 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)

Spice of Life 9-1-1

Before Breakfast Inspector George Gently

Birthright The Amazing Digital Circus

Building Alliances Teen Wolf

Secondhand Knowledge Merlin

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I can't seem to write dates down right

2026-04-24T03:52:17Z

So I was one week early for my hair appointment...at a new place...fantastic.

Cleveland Clinic called me twice (because someone didn't make a note of calling me in the morning) It seems that my local hospital hasn't sent my records. No surprise in 20 years they never have. Screams.

Talked to the insurance. Yep I can NOT get the Dex com at a pharmacy. I have to get it from a durable goods place. I asked who lied to me you or the other guy. Oh no I help you. Sure you did.

Gave a test today. One student drew a picture of herself dying in the exam. It was accurate. I gave her a point for it. Would have been more helpful if she had answered the last 3 pages but okay.

Even my brisket was disappointing today. I get brisket a couple times a month from the same place. They see me and order my sandwich immediately. I'm predictable as the tides (but I don't eat a lot of meat period) and every so often instead of the yummy well seasoned smoked goodness I get something bland and dry as stew meat. It was a stew meat kinda day, thank god I made a spicy au jus.

I took off the holter monitor pad as one part was falling off. It ripped off a hunk of my skin so I got to bleed from my chest. That was fun. My shirt stuck to the boo boo. Now I get to put a fresh pad back on. Yay.

I did a thing today. My work con emailed and asked if we would be willing to mentor first time faculty at the con which can be big and overwhelming. Someone unofficially grabbed me up day 1 of my first con. Now they're trying to codify it and I did say yes to helping a newcomer.

Little piss ants are all over my place. Ugh. I hate spring for this very reason. They're getting into everything. Why are they in the computer room and bathroom?!?

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Happy Earth Day

2026-04-23T03:48:02Z

I celebrated by splashing embalming fluid all over me because one of the student groups hadn't sealed the bag right. Thank god I had a t-shirt for yoga to change into...my The Owl House Bad Girl Coven shirt that I had to go to class in AND the all-faculty meeting today. Whee.

And then someone called in a bomb threat to the local Wal-Mart and I have to wonder if it's related to all the bomb threats being called into the local schools.

I ended up not going to yoga. When i got there my sugar hit 70 and I had to nope out. Went to taco bell for a sugary drink to make driving home safer. It was more money for the drink than food. Noped out of that too.

Getting the run around so in spite of insurance company telling me I don't need anything to get my dex coms at CVS, CVS said yes I need a prior authorization from my doctor and they asked for. Fast forward a week and I ask CVS again. Oh your doctor didn't send the PA We'll ask again. Knowing CVS has lied about this in the past I call myself. Sure enough CVS has never bothered to ask for it. So I do and like an hour later I have it for some online drug company I've never heard of and have no account with. Head desk. I hate our health care system.

What I Just Finished Reading:

What Feasts in the Night - not quite as good as the first novella but still a fun read.

Hazelthorn - ya horror, really enjoyed this

What I am Currently Reading:

Deadly Fates

Keeper of Lonely spirits - this one is astrange

What I Plan to Read Next:

Hooked on Murder - lousy so far

Death al Dente - so far terrible

The Death Card (an arc I just got in the mail)

Back into the last Inspector George Gently. Mom is about to bail on this for the same reason I'm thinking of it, John Bacchus. This guy creeps me out more every episode for five damn seasons now.

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Words of the World

2026-04-22T04:04:00Z

Today has been a day of words.

Our international students were putting on a poetry/short story festival in our library as a way of showcasing their native poems and getting them to express themselves. I was one of the few faculty who volunteered to read as well but since it was only 5 minutes or less per reader I had to choose one of Jana's flash fic, nothing like reading a wee lesbian monster hunter story but they liked it (and hey it's lesbian visibility week).

We have students from Spain, Italy, Wales, Ireland, England, Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Israel, Canada, Samoa and more. Mostly the poems were read in Spanish or Portuguese, whispered into the mic. Even the Italian was quiet but it went well.

It went better than me telling off my class this afternoon (they're probably on some rate my professor website going Dr. Evans is a bitch) because on Thursday they have a test on the brain and endocrine but we're currently in the kidney (which is on the final) and I ask about aldosterone and anti diuretic hormone which both effect kidneys and water balance. NONE of them could tell me this. They looked at me like these aren't on their test in two days and their final in two weeks. I nearly made a few of them cry when I mentioned there is no reason for them to not know this since we've been talking about it for three weeks now and that test is 48 hours from now. You can't let me cut your legs out from under you know. If you fall down at this point there isn't time to get back up. If you go down, you're staying there. It's harsh but it has to be because next week's lab test won't save them and the final is rarely anyone's friend.

The writers' virtual chat today was unusual, more conversation about the business end than us writing but it was productive and Liliana and Asha (not to mention Ezio)'s story is over 20K. I feel like I've accomplished something.

But I'm a bit brain dead for a fannish 50 today so let me end this with a poem since it's poetry month and that's the theme of the day. I love Christina Rosetti This is Remember

( Remember )

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So you begged me for....this?!?

2026-04-21T03:30:09Z

So as I mentioned my majors (the pre professional crew, not my nurses) BEGGED me to move the exam today because they weren't ready. Well the two who would have had an A last week got them. The other five scored so badly they should explain to me how they could do this badly on cardiovascular, literally the easiest thing we do this semester. This is a year where I could easily pass just two students. There really isn't an excuse for this but this is also what happens when several of them are part time students at best between choices they make and the sports they play. My empathy is running dry here.

At least there was water aerobics and I love that. I've decided even if we don't pay for this in fall I will do this on my own. Hell I will lead our little group if need be. We can trade off. This is good for us.

Today my hard copy of the last anthology I'm in arrived unexpectedly today. I'm thrilled Myths Reborn: Modern Tales of Cryptids & Dark Folklore check it out. I love the cover

Called the Cleveland Clinic because they're blowing up my phone to get my gastric paresis appointment. I get them and they go oh...you're still in the entrance process. We're not ready to give you an appointment. So why the fuck won't you stop texting me?!? They'll call me when it's time to make an appointment.

It's music monday 30 weeks of music. This week's prompt is # 22 a song that describes you, Share my friends, share

( this is hard )

here's the whole prompt list

( All under here )

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Writerly Ways

2026-04-20T03:58:06Z

I am going to keep this short as my contacts messed up my right eye again. It's swollen and I can barely see out of it. Sigh.

So between yesterday's con and today's author meet up at the book store I wanted to talk about interacting with your potential readers. Of course there are no hard and fast rules to this and the readers are individuals too. But let me compare yesterday's young man to today's young woman. He was enthusiastic. He sold the book far better than his blurb did. Today, she was entirely hands off letting me look at the blurbs. The only thing she said was that the book in my hand was book 2 in the series. Made zero attempts to sell her work.

The sweet spot is somewhere between these two most likely. Did I buy a book? Yes because I want my new book store to succeed (and in my heart of hearts I doubt it will) But if she had been at the con yesterday I would have walked on past. I'm not saying be a carnival barker but hoping for the blurb to do all the work when you are there might also not be your best bet. You seem...disinterested.

I've only done this once. I wasn't as interactive as I probably should have been and I definitely sold worse than my companions who were far more interactive with the potential readers. None of this is helped by the fact that some of us are deeply introverted and just being there is tough. I swing back and forth between extrovert and introvert so I need to find better ways because I want to be the author behind the table again.

If you'd done the in person book sales, what are your tips? your don't do this stories?

Open Call

Slasher Summer Slasher Summer (female identifying/non binary authors only)

The Rotting Leaf Eco-fiction and environmental storytelling

Orion’s Belt Science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, magical realism, horror, and other speculative genres

Dancing Star Press Is Open To Novellas Science fiction and fantasy

here.

The Metaworker: Now Seeking Submissions

90 Publishing Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers

From around the web

Draft2Digital’s New Fees Will Create Real Problems for Indie Authors and Small Publishers

First Look at a First Draft: How to Revise Your Manuscript

Charting Your Course #3: Self-Publish Online (Part 1)

How Compassion Changed My Writing

How I Published in 50 Litmags in Less Than a Year: A Strategy That Works

A Quick Start Guide to Children’s and Young Adult Publishing

From Betty

The Why & How of Second Person

Introducing Characters

Why Horror Becomes Action and How to Prevent It

Can My Hero Give Up Revenge?

Why "The Story Behind Your Story" is So Important

Charting Your Course #3: Self-Publish Online (Part 1)

Want Stronger Writing? Start Writing Less.

The Bullet Point Guide to Digital Self-Publishing

Dialogue That Kills It: Crafting Conversations Full of Suspense

I Think. Therefore I Don’t Amble

Dialogue Bloat

How Does Fear Play Into Character Arc (Part 2)

YouTube for Writers, Part 8: Crafting Titles and Thumbnails That Work Together

Why Blog Traffic Drops in the Summer (and What Writers Should Do About It)

Internal Conflict vs. External Conflict: The Shift From Projection to Agency in Character Arc

You’ve Got Main Character Energy

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COOOOON!

2026-04-19T03:52:53Z

First off let me say Happy birthday to lordgloria and happy belated birthday to evil_little_dog

Today is the first of 4 cons in a row. This is a small con mostly run by friends of mine. I went in the afternoon because I wanted to put in for the raffle. Unfortunately they've not had a lot of luck getting panels off the ground so it's mostly a vendor room inside the community gym. Still, it's always a nice time.

I didn't get out of there without promising to help next year. I can do that but not all day and that was fine. There were some repeat vendors that I knew and others I hadn't met before. I met a young author who was very enthusiastic about his book and since it was a mystery/fantasy inspired by his trans masc friend (who was the sensitivity reader) and I bought it. Later in the day my friend MKF mentioned a mutual friend (who I hadn't seen in a long while) was 'over there' talking to his son in law. turns out it was this young author.

I got a few other things, mostly little things for friends and some more hazbin art from an artist I bought from before, mostly because she gave me mochi because I was having a hypoglycemic episode which made NO sense because I had pancit (noodles) for lunch and had forgotten my insulin. Luckily right next to them was my friend PQ (from last week's post) who in addition to beer makes sarsaparilla and he gave me some so I was okay.

I did get the most adorable shaker keychain with Husk and Angel from the mochi ladies and then realized I could never USE it because it's delicate but in the shaker are tiny hearts and playing cards and it's so damn adorable.

I also got shell earrings with tiny little octopi in them. I picked up another SF book from an indie author but I was also getting too tired. I didn't make it to the end. Still I had a good time.

Let's have science Saturday

Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding over famous Viking raid site in UK

Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs —‬ and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction

Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensions

Physicists entangle two moving atoms for the first time, validating 'spooky' quantum theory

Physicists just witnessed pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light ‪—‬ without breaking the laws of relativity

Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (On one hand, cool on the other hand it's a little strange and concerning we can rearrange plastic chemicals into medicine)

High School Student’s Low-Cost Teabag Solution For Millions Threatened By Arsenic Passes Peer Review

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Book club

2026-04-18T03:51:00Z

I think I'm going to keep going to book club because every other month we're having free themed reads vs us all reading one book. Next up summer beach read. I already have the perfect book, a choose your own adventure summer slasher book. Can't wait.

Today was a day where our department might have been too honest with the outside reviewer but maybe having an outsider repeat what we're saying are problems will sink in.

Spoke to my shit insurance about my dex com. Oh yes just send it to the pharmacy. we use them. 3 hours later CVS texts me to say they require authorization. So much for that. Your rep literally LIED to me on the phone. I hate this insurance.

Have the Friday 50 Fan rec (I did not write this week. I've been only working on the novel which is a good thing)

Stay With Me Torchwood

Safety In Numbers The Fantastic Journey

You're Insecure (Pushing Allure) Hazbin Hotel

Lemons Hazbin Hotel

The River Wild FAKE

Hope in the Future The Professionals

‘Three And Murderbot 2.0’s Most Recent Sexual Encounter (No Survivors)’ Murderbot

Enamoured Hazbin Hotel

So Much to Fix... Miraculous Ladybug

Warmup Fire Emblem Engage

Not A Dream Torchwood

dream, dream, dream, next to me, me, me Arcane: League of Legends

shining on the inside, maybe From

Killing Us Hazbin Hotel

The Horchata Compromise The Owl House

Bee-Lieve in the Me That Believes in You The Amazing Digital Circus

The Greater the Diversity The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Breaching The Defences Inspector George Gently

cover up the crooked lines 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Perseverance Elementary (TV)/ Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century (Cartoon)

Second Best Inspector George Gently

Dreamy Hazbin Hotel

Lots to Do Teen Wolf

Space Pirates and Cozy Couch DatesFire Emblem Engage

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Condoms everywhere

2026-04-17T03:45:27Z

So today was me talking about urogenital infections in microbiology class going wear. your. condoms!!

And I also told them for extra credit they can go to the health fair on campus and tell me one vendor they interacted with. So I go over there and there are just condoms all over, no less than three groups giving them out. One of them puts free condoms in the dorms but when I asked about it the students looked at me like I had grown another head.

I thought it was because they didn't have them there. Apparently they were shocked I knew about bowls of condoms like their little Gen Z butts invented the things. Ha. Actually I loved the key chains that contained condoms. If I had any need I'd have snatched one of them up.

Talked to health care providers of all types especially mental health ones. They had a trans rights group that I spoke to just to be sure they were okay because this is NOT a LGBT of any kind friendly place. They gave me tons of stickers.

The doctor's nurse called me again this time to find out if I had read the echocardiogram. Yes. No I have no questions because I can see it's the same as it was 10 years ago. Oh that's what the doctor said too. Yes I DO have questions but they can wait until I see him and ask directly

I had to take a book back to the gallipolis library (not my usual one) and FINALLY saw the Lego exhibit before they take it down next week. 120 exhibits all on travel. There were space ships and chariots and stage coaches and a bugati and a silver ghost rolls royce (all the history on plaques I couldn't squat down to see, made for kids of course).

The showstopper was the Titanic, 200,000 pieces built by 3 Lego masters over four months. Only 10 of the exhibits have actual instructions. They almost all were built by artistic talent. I have tons of photos on my camera.

I was going to share them but the night went sideways. had a hypoglycemic attack in the exhibit, went to dinner to stabilize, came home, went to unwind with some June's Journey. Apparently fell asleep sitting up only waking up when my limbs went numb and painful.

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Today was a lot

2026-04-16T03:57:30Z

My one class begged me to move the test from today to monday. I did.

The other class should have begged me. Holy shit. I do not what to say. Based on their spelling I would swear they're fifth graders. They aren't borderline illiterate. We're over the border. I do know that when I took this job they asked me could I teach illiterate students and those ones were head and shoulders over this. They literally frighten me to let them loose in a hospital.

I saw my doctor. I love her. So. Much. She listens to me. Anything I want I get. She thinks my cardiologist needs to be doing more than writing pills but agreed with me that the echo looked good (i fucking forgot to bring my lab reports with me). She is as worried as me because I've gained 20 pounds in 9 months. This is in spite of me actively cutting down on calories and exercising more. I'm worried. I'm concerned. Why in the last nine months is my blood pressure skyrocketing along with my weight? She thinks the insulin I think it's that plus the stress. I have no other explanations but it has made me very sad.

The doc said 'the nurse said you're having knee pain which on....oh never mind.' Yeah because the right one was such a balloon of swelling you could see the difference thru my jeans.

Speaking of sad I hope to hell my poker face was working today. One of my students, a nice young person I've had two semesters now. They wanted my advice because they have two pick between two surgeries...for pancreatic cancer. They're worried about falling behind in their course work and the big life changes they have planned for the summer and as I'm helping them navigate medical holds on the classes thinking you'll be lucky to be alive on graduation day next year. It has a terrible survival rate and I know this. I couldn't help them other than to arrange for them to talk to my work friend DM who is a 5 year pancreatic cancer survivor(the one I mentioned on monday whose cancer is back and spreading)

I don't like this day much.

And during the test I was rereading a chapter trying to find the steam for the one I'm writing and whining about. And realized I had FORGOTTEN a major detail. It would make things much more interesting even without me changing anything. Ezio is swearing Phoenix didn't have a lover but I forgot the coroner found out she's pregnant. It's gonna hit Ezio hard.

What I Just Finished Reading:

Stay for a Spell - cozy fantasy, loved this

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - ouch

What I am Currently Reading:

Deadly Fates

What Feasts in the Night

Keeper of Lonely spirits (or something like that)

Hazelthorn - ya horror, really good so far

What I Plan to Read Next: Hooked on Murder - lousy so far

The Death Card (an arc I just got in the mail)

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Make my Italian Heart sing

2026-04-15T03:39:08Z

Today was the faculty awards. When I first started at this school, each award had its own dinner with family and friends and story telling. To be honest it was a bit much. Money got tight. It became 1 party for everyone with less talking.

By the time I won one, it was here's your award, we'll take 1 picture and there are some cookie on a tray. No one cared. Then covid hit. Now we've decided to try and reclaim these awards. Still hardly anyone came but two people in my school won so I went and OMG the food was foccia with make your own toppings (hummus, pesto etc, I went pesto and chunks of feta) then there were grilled veggies, salami picante (pepperoni) dry salami with black pepper crust, mozzarella pearls, and rolls of proscuitto which I assumed were wrapped around cheese and then a huge fruit platter. Turns out the proscuitto was just a giant jellyroll of meat. I was shocked given how expensive this is.

I ate two platters and then a third and then they said, everyone take it home. Watch me through a pound of proscuitto into a take out container. Yum. Salami and more damn bread. I am happy.

I am also embarrassed because a student came in to find out why she did so badly on her exam. Turns out she hadn't. I transposed the numbers. SO SORRY!

Last night's stress dream, I was brushing Rocket and he had flea eggs in him...but at first they were the size of cavier. And the more I brushed, the slimier and bigger they got until there were dozens of them the size of marbles. I didn't know what kind of bug eggs these were but I couldn't get up without getting the eggs everywhere. Thanks brain. You're the best.

For fannish 50 I wanted to talk a little indie animation. So the fandom has lost their shit about The Amazing Digital Circus releasing in the theaters early. I mean being fucking rude, cruel etc because damn fandom is entitled any more.

And yes, I get it. It went terribly for Hazbin which did the same. People scalped tickets, scalped the collectors items and worse SPOILED it. I didn't heard any but it was bad.

Of course the fandom is worried but put it in the light of Glitch's response right here. Ask yourself when was the last time you saw Indie animation in a theater? We get Disney/Pixar and Dreamworks. If we're lucky we get something Miyazaki did.

We are getting a true indie animation in a theater. It sold out in minutes. It earned FIVE million dollars in pre sales. Imagine that.

Imagine what could come next. Yes some fans will spoil it and it's shitty that they will. But this is something big.

Meanwhile on Kickstarter I've tossed a coin to another indie animation in Clara and the Below. Check it out, really cool stuff and Matt Braly did Gravity Falls and Amphibia so I figure the animation will be really cool.

In an era where Disney is turning to AI animators we need this.

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How are we halfway thru April

2026-04-14T03:16:33Z

I'm running out of time for so many things. I have less than 3 weeks of class left.

I have never been this stressed out wishing I didn't have to work. Don't get me wrong. I do have stress nightmares every november and april as the semesters run down but I am hating to go to work. That's how burned out they're making us with making us all do the work of two. Our open letter to admin has (so far) been ignored. If I were younger I'd probably look for a different career. I think this has a LOT to do with my blood pressure issues after a lifetime of being low BP.

I live in hope of getting my shit together because I have to. Those trips are less than a month away and I've prepared jack shit.

It's music monday 30 weeks of music. This week's prompt is # 21 An 80s song, Share my friends, share

Also I wish book 2 of the 80s monster hunter series would keep writing itself. It's like it gave up and I don't know why. Also I miss the 80s (or at least my 1980s body)

( I have no restraint )

here's the whole prompt list

( All under here )

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Writerly Ways

2026-04-13T03:46:59Z

Let's workshop this a little.

I've been working on a couple of things, two long short stories trying to make them into novellas and I'll be getting edits back on the novel soonish that are going to require a fair amount of rewriting. One of the authors in my virtual meet up was told to delete X number of characters and really rework her story to have a better chance of being picked up. In all those cases it would need some substantial rewrites. My fellow author did it with little hesitation.

On the other hand I find myself struggling with any of them. My brain sees something as DONE and once it sees that, getting it to do anything major. Last week in ushobwri brumeier said something about their brain taking an outline as 'the story is done, no need to do more.' And I was like YES. This is why I don't like outlining.

But I can't use those long short stories as is. If I could get them to novella length, I could try to market them. I will have to add description and whatever to the 1980s novel and I'm already paralyzed thinking about it, mostly because it's already too long so what do I remove in order to do this? I have another finished novel that needs deep edits to be usable. I have nearly 20 years worth of nano novels sitting in folders because once I hit 50K the brain is like, that was the goal.

So how do YOU motivate yourself to finish something or rework it once your brain says 'this is done.' Maybe this doesn't happen to you. I rather hope it doesn't. But if it does, how do you handle it?

OPEN CALLS

Climbing High Female ambition, aspiration, and achievement explored through speculative storytelling

“Wish You Were Here” theme of vacations

The NoSleep Podcast

Ruadán Books. looking for books and novellas

The Dark Magazine

Bourbon Press magazine

A Midnight Kind of Place Is Open For Stories About Rats, Wasps and Spiders! Stories centered on rats, wasps, or spiders

Sley House Publications Patreon May 2026 Window Tales from the Midwest

Beyond the Red Line Redlining, segregation, and marginalized communities facing supernatural or speculative horrors

Quest Magazine #2 Power (arcane, technological, institutional, and personal forms of power)

Missed-Fits Something missing, out of place, or that does not fit

44 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for April 2026

From around the web

Anthropic Copyright Settlement: April Update

Scam attacks on Book Authors – now with AI

4 Ways Specificity Drives Your Story Forward

The Best Worldbuilding Tools for Authors in 2026

Do Writers Need to Read?

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in April 2026

Constraint as Creative Engine

Write Less to Write More: In Favor of Flash Narratives

From Betty

Five Ways to Include Dreams in Your Plot

Five Methods of Balancing Magic and Technology

Fifteen Heroic Turning Points for Satisfying Conflicts

Using Contradictions to Create Microtension – Part 6

Microtension in Fiction by Degrees

How to Create Compelling Hooks for Every Chapter

Things that Stop Us in Our Tracks: Are you your worst enemy?

Cause and Effect – Guest Post by Lindsey Hughes AKA The Pitchmaster

Is Fear Weakening Your Story? 5 Mistakes to Check

How to Use Dialogue Tags and Keep the Flow

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Practicing Gratitude

How to Use a Semicolon Correctly: A Simple Guide for Writers (and Why It Still Matters)

Copyright Myths for Writers: What You Can (and Can’t) Legally Use Online in 2026

Internal Conflict vs. External Conflict: The Shift From Projection to Agency in Character Arc

here.

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How to ruin your day in one simple move

2026-04-12T03:54:56Z

It started out good. I got up early (for me) attended a good free workshop on writing fear and then went to Jackson with the plan to go to the author's book festival at the library, go to the coffee shop and write and maybe go out to Lake Alma to hike around the lake since it was beautiful out.

I had already talked myself out of trying to go to the Sip and Thrift in the opposite direction down in Gallipolis. I get to the book fest and talk to my first author and I like the sound of his mystery. Yes sir, I'll buy one. Just as he gets ready to sign it I realize something horrible.

My wallet is by my desk top computer where I used my credit card to buy those Amazing Digital Circus theater tickets because Paypal kept putting me into a loop that I couldn't get out of.

Yeah, my money and my driver's license are now 15 miles away in my apartment because I didn't put the wallet back after I used it. Son of a bitch. No books. No coffee. No hiking.

Embarrassed I trundle on home but now it's 1:20. I could make the sip and thrift which started at one (but it'll take me 20 minutes to get there) and I don't have time to go back to the book fest. I decide I do not in any way shape or form need more clothing thrifted or not and I definitely don't need upcycled bullcrap in my house (I appreciate and approve of upcycling but I'm trying to down size my crap not get more)

I just stay home and try to clean because I have like 4 festivals in the next 5 weeks. I regret not going now because in spite of FB sending me festivals in a 50 mile radius it didn't tell me one thing about the first annual cherry blossom festival in Point Pleasant. I could have done the sip and thrift and then that. Ah well.

Have some science saturday links

Artemis II: NASA's first crewed mission to the moon since 1972
I wanted to be more excited by this (but it felt like a distraction from everything else this nightmare administration has done)

Fossil site in China reveals bevy of complex creatures lived prior to the Cambrian explosion, including a 'Dune'-like sandworm

We went to Finland to hear about the new 'sand battery' that will turn stored renewable energy back into power for the electrical grid

'No one knows what they are': Researchers discover new type of cell that's seen only during pregnancy

AI 'mirages' mean tools used to analyze medical scans could fabricate their findings How about this? How about we don't fucking USE Ai for this

New Step Towards Male Contraception As Sperm Production Blocked Safely And Reversibly Without Hormones

Trump’s 2027 Budget Proposes Multi-Billion-Dollar Cuts For Climate And Environmental Programs Because he's a fucking nightmare

Can Magic Be Used As A Tool In Science?

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That was nice

2026-04-11T03:49:55Z

SF, one of our wildlife profs stops me on the way to lab to tell me our mutual friend PQ was here to do a guest lecture. He was partially the inspiration for Josh in These Haunted Hills PQ was a naturalist in the Hocking Hills (which is how SF knows him) and is part of my steampunk group and also loves ghost hunting and beer making (how I know him) I didn't get to hear the lecture because I had lab but I did get to talk to him about our upcoming Steampunk con in Lousiville.

The cheater finally came to lab pretending like it's all alright. It is not and I do feel a little bad that she doesn't seem to know how much trouble she's in. Ah well.

Any of my British mystery fans know Whistable Pearl? I'm starting it tonight.

My coffee shop has this month a new latter Almond Joy. This one is very good. I'll need to make it myself.

So The Amazing Digital Circus dropped a teaser trailer today for the 9th episode which is the last one and it will also be released in the theater early. this worked out horribly for Hazbin, just saying. I didn't know where to get tickets because I'll be traveling at that time. I dicked around and by the time 3 hours went by Pittsburgh was sold out. However, Huntington barely sold ANY tickets. So yeah I have tickets now.

I did a little writing. This was for spikesgirl58's 6 words challenge. It's a potential chapter in my new novel. It may or may not happen. I'm thinking about it. It has seen zero editing so be warned.

Speaking of warnings, there is a minor mention of drug addiction, also mentioned (in no detail) child sexual abuse and PTSD. Also minor blood, mentions of sex work

( Brush with death )

And the Friday Fannish rec for Fannish 50

Coming Back Inspector George Gently

Making A Splash Torchwood

Safe And Sound Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Miss Mabel Make Plans Teen Wolf

On His Level Hazbin Hotel

Eggsplanations Torchwood

Mysterious Messenger The Fantastic Journey

Curious Hazbin Hotel

Munch Ado about Cookies The Owl House

A Narrow Escape Inspector George Gently

I May Have Hurt Your Head, But You Hurt My Heart Hazbin Hotel

Multiple Signals Hazbin Hotel

no exit (huis clos) The Amazing Digital Circus

Belief Torchwood

Head Over Heels Starsky & Hutch

Gently Going Undercover Inspector George Gently

The Perils of Paperwork Teen Wolf

The Past Reconfigured Stargate Atlantis

Who Needs Sleeping Nettles The Owl House

Lost Souls MCU

Black/Blue Hazbin Hotel

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Rough day

2026-04-10T03:59:00Z

DM's cancer is back. Family member also diagnosed with cancer. Family fights. I'm very done.

On better news I did catch two more cheaters with the phone ban (either that or they forgot there was a test today because that is the only other explanation from going from 98 % to 50%)

I have a confession. I love Chef Boyardee pizza sauce. I know I know but it's true but I can't find it in the stores any more. I got a flat of it online so I can use my own dough. I thought it was half cans. Let's leave it at I can make a couple dozen pizzas. I am not complaining.

I know that I've put this here before. I could not decide on my story for wipbigbang because the AU I REALLY wanted to do...just isn't gelling so maybe this one. I know it's somewhere in my blog but let's make this easy on me and repost it here

( Read more... )

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the stress is piling on

2026-04-09T03:21:30Z

So I did go to yoga but...the whole right side of me was asking wtf you doing? Here have some nerve pain. Wanna die in a pretzel I'm a gonna make that happen. In Shavasana (the corpse pose, my best pose) my brain says 'eyes closed? here's some little inner mind's eyes pics for you to enjoy. Oh btw it looks like a tick crawling up your arm or maybe a spider from the ceiling. I opened my eyes trying to find it.

Work is grinding us under. That's all I have to say there.

What I Just Finished Reading:

Edinburgh Twilight - historic mystery, chonkier than I like mysteries to be but I'm enjoying it

The Tale of the Hidden Village - some cozy fantasy/mystery indie I got a couple years back already.

What I am Currently Reading:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - this is painful

Hooked on Murder - I'm going to push only because it fits the terrible Popsugar prompt of granny hobby (god I hate that term with unreasonable hatred) but it seems the detective isn't going to do her job because she wants the cop the amateur sleuth is dating and I hope that isn't what this will be. Then again every woman in the crochet ring suck

Stay for a Spell - cozy fantasy, love this

The Death Card (an arc I just got in the mail)

What I Plan to Read Next: Something that came at the library I don't even remember requesting.

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A packed day

2026-04-08T03:51:15Z

Tuesday/Thursday are my long days and today was very long. It's only a few weeks until classes are over and my research students are spinning around. Turns out the new incubators we have on loan for micro suck it. They have SUCH a strong fan it's trying out the agar to the point of uselessness. Had to spend time googling can we turn the fan down (no) what else we can do (put distilled water in there to help humidify it) these seems like a design flaw.

One my special agars went missing. Argh. Found a different special agar that we can use thankfully.

I never get a moment to work on my exam for Thursday.

Students showed up. 'Dr. Evans there is a BAT in the study room.' (Funny part this is the same student who found the bat in the sink last time) So I get a wild life prof we suit up in mammal handling gloves but I don't do much. My climbing on chairs days are over. We get this adorable eastern brown bat safely back outside. Meanwhile these students were in this room for 2 hours with this bat just chilling asleep on the wall and they never noticed. (we need observational skills in health care, just saying).

After work, I race home, change, go out to eat because I'm going to an art thing at the library at 6. I slide in and there we have black canvases. We're making 'galaxies.' the pro art is faint swirls of purple/blue/pinks with white stars.

Well there wasn't much instruction other than go dark to light on the colors purple to blue to teal to pink and daub them on the canvas with the sponge with no instruction on how to get the swirls I kept waiting for it. Next thing I knew here's the white, splatter on your stars. Um....HOW do I make it look like a night sky? By now it's too late to swirl, it's dry. So I didn't get a galaxy but it looks like a 1980s era party pattern. I do rather like it. I think it's rather pretty but it did fail the assignment

Also I painted it all left handed.

I race home (since this was SHORT) I got the exam mostly done before the writer's virtual meet up happened. I blasted out about 800 words on a halloween short story and about 1500 words on the novel. I really need to get this moving because I don't want it to be overly long. It's weird suspense/mystery they want you to stick near 80K. Fantasy is longer which is good because the 80s novel is over 100K and now it's like add description. Where? What do I lose of the plot for this? That's hard. Writing's hard.

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Do I know what day it is?

2026-04-07T03:33:59Z

Turns out no. I really thought it was the 7th. Was waiting for a half hour for my writers' meet up. Yeah it's tomorrow. I hope to hell that the galaxy paint thing at the library is tomorrow and wasn't tonight. sigh.

Water aerobics was good.

What wasn't good, trying to change my vascular surgeon/vascular testing appointments. He is now only coming down twice a month. It's probably time to switch back to Epstein (who saved my leg) and suck up the trip to Columbus once a year. But why can't I just go to Berger in Circleville if Chillicothe can't take me. It's BOTH Ohio Health (oh, he doesn't allow that) Well guess what we're waiting until August then. Oh No! You need to come. Well if you can't make this happen when I can be there too bad. I'm gone for three months.

By mere coincidence I sat down to see Hallmark Mystery rerunning Remmington Steele. HOW much did 15 year old me love this show?!? Called Mom to tell her because we both crushed on Pierce (dad is rolling his eyes at me for telling her) But MAN how much did I hate (now) the premise. I had forgotten she needed Remmington because a woman wasn't taken serious and couldn't get work in her field....

I had a weird dream. I was outside (my parent's place but it didn't look like their home) picking blackberries. I went inside to get my family and friends to help. I went to put my flip flop back on and I saw a huge red spot on the top of my foot which was swollen. I asked 'does it look like my foot has cellulitis?' expecting to be told it was my imagination again.

I didn't want for an answer. I lifted my left foot and there was a grade one ulcer and degloving of my one toe. I was thinking yeah that's got going to heal. to my surprise my calf jiggled like it was filled with fluid and it was so swollen I said I need to go to the ER

The dream shifted and I was in the ER and they were trying to work on my foot but I kept kicking at them because the surgical rake was tickling me and I kept telling them to numb it better. The doc was saying there are bubbles coming out of the wound and they needed to get me to a specialist. Right about then I started waking up. I could see the light behind my curtains but couldn't get up going in and out of the dream. So weird.

It's music monday 30 weeks of music. This week's prompt is # 20 A song from the year you were born. Share my friends, share

( 1967 was a good year apparently )

here's the whole prompt list

( It's under here )

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