#ScribesAndMakers 12.17 — Reveal the answer to yesterday's poll.

Here's the thing: I talk about Wings of Quiet Longing (current novel), The City of Opulence (another novel), and Panda's Den (my podcast with 32k listeners) all the time. It's hard to shut me up.

Veil of Ash and Thorns isn't a novel of mine. I made the name up yesterday on the spot. But it *is* a good title, especially one for a dark romantasy novel, and I might just use it someday!

#WwritingCommunity #AmWriting

#ScribesAndMakers 12.18 — Do you listen to music as an activity in itself, or is it more in the background?

Music is an integral part of who I am. As I'm writing this, I have a music mix that I made for a story of mine playing. I always have music (or podcasts) on. It's both things: background noise *and* an activity for me.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.19 — How often do you have time (or make time) to just sit and think? Not about a project or a problem, but just idle thinking.

Having anxiety and AuDHD makes this a bit difficult for me, along with a busy life, but I try. There's a lot to be said for relaxing, idle thinking, and letting your mind takeover (in a *good* way), and just letting yourself be. It's how I get ideas for my stories, to be fair.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.20 — What do you do to discourage or prevent insects and animals from eating your garden?

Animal-friendly sprays and home remedies for that sort of thing. You can only do so much. I miss my herb garden, though. Nowadays, I only have a flower garden. I miss having fruits, veggies, and herbs like I did at my old house.

#ScribesAndMakers 12.21 — If you had no other responsibilities or distractions, do you think you could write a complete novel in a weekend?

Of course not. Give me a month, however, and I could do it. Give me time, peace, and proper hydration and snackies, and then maybe I could get it done. Suggesting a novel could be written in a night (and by me, no less) is pure insanity.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.22 — Do you see art in everyday objects?

Always. Every single day. My grandparents were world-traveled photographers whose work would be in Nat Geo (and other) magazines. I have the mind for it, too. And things like that always make me imagine scenarios for stories, oddly enough. I'm a daydreamer, I can't help it.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.26 — What animal appears most often in your creative work?

I have two answers for this one: kitties and wolves.

That says far more about me than I ever could with words, probably.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.27 — Is there a number that you find aesthetically pleasing?

Such a random question but I love it. My OCD popped up and told me to answer this one with 888.

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.28 — Can you describe the flavor of one of your favorite foods?

For me, it's anything that's spicy AF. (That answer was provided by my girlfriend, so thank you for that! LOL.)

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#ScribesAndMakers 12.29 — How many roads must a person walk down?

We're all so vastly different. The answer is simple: As many as it takes to finally arrive at your destination, and the answers will be varied and unique to everyone. Thought-provoking, isn't it?

#ScribesAndMakers 1.1 — Does the change to a new calendar year affect your creativity in any way?

Not really, honestly. It's just another day on January 1st, but I do set new goals for myself. That goes for both reading *and* writing as well.

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#ScribesAndMakers 1.2 — Vivid?

Let's talk about vivid verbs. They enrich our writing for readers. "Vivid verbs" are active words that convey a clear, concise, and evocative action, and are strong enough to stand alone without additional description (or adverbs). Characters doing, wanting, going, destroying, creating, etc. It's easy to fall back on broad, boring verbs that paint the characters' actions in wide, clunky strokes. However, that generality holds our readers at a distance from the story. For example, "shuffle" and "saunter" are two vivid verbs that describe the act of walking, each with different connotations and imagery, that we can use instead of saying "walked slowly" or "walked lazily." I could go on, but I'll refrain. I love being nerdy about this kind of stuff.

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#ScribesAndMakers 1.3 — Write instructions from the perspective of someone who has never done the thing they're giving instructions for.

I'll post this funny thing I showed my podcast followers once...

To make a demon yours, you can follow these steps:

1. Take the situation seriously and consider if you're serious about summoning a demon.
2. Move into a home with a dark past.
3. Get into the occult.
4. Start using a Ouija board.
5. Cultivate an obsession with death.
6. Keep your expectations in check.
7. Seek out haunted items.
8. Become as ungodly as possible.

Hopefully, things go well! Let me know how it works.

#Funny #WritingCommunity #PandasDen #Podcast #PodcastLife #Podcaster

#ScribesAndMakers 1.4 — Share a mondegreen (misheard lyric) you like.

While most people don't belt out ancient English poetry in the shower, they have misconstrued Jimi Hendrix's sexual orientation on the iconic hit "Purple Haze" with this one: 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy... Among many other offenses. The reason why I mention this is because I'm a *huge* Hendrix fan and "Purple Haze" is one of my favorite songs.

#ScribesAndMakers 1.5 — Make a story or art based on the misheard lyric you shared yesterday.

The misheard lyric: 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy...

I gotta be honest here, as a romance author this is the exact scenario you'll find in a lot of my stories. Let's talk about my WIP right now. I'll leave a little something down below. It's from an upcoming chapter.

(This is just an unedited / unfinished piece.)

#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers 1.6 — How long does it usually take you to decide if you like a piece of visual art?

For me, it's instant. I either like it or I don't. And just because *I* might not fancy it, doesn't mean someone else won't. Art is subjective. That's the beauty in it.

#WritingCommunity #Art

#ScribesAndMakers 1.8 — How long does it usually take you to decide if you like a piece of music?

Probably right after it's finished playing. If I play it again, then you *know* I probably like it and I'm trying to decide how much I do or if it's just a passing fancy.

#ScribesAndMakers 1.9 — Is there a difference in how long it takes you to decide if you like different mediums? Why do you think that is?

Alright, I'm gonna make a joke-not-joke here. I have a paranormal podcast AKA #PandasDen. *I'm* a medium. I can communicate with spirits. It takes me less than ten minutes to feel out whether someone else is a medium or not, if they're lying for attention or not, etc. You can *always* tell.

But more to the point, in reference to writing, films, photography, and art, it always takes time. Pictures are easier to digest, art takes longer, and novels take even longer. Nothing is ever the same when it comes to taking things in.

#ScribesAndMakers 1.11 — Is your creativity ever inspired by dreams you've had? If so, can you give an example.

That's usually the case with me. Dreams inspire me. I have very vivid ones. I watch a lot of TCM and older films or television, so sometimes I'll even dream in black and white. I'm also a fan of musicals and am myself a musician, so I'll occasionally dream in musical or Broadway format as well. But I do have very intricate, interesting dreams. Plots or characters for some of my stories might come from them. My current WIP, which I talk about quite a bit, actually originated from a dream. There's a good example.

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#ScribesAndMakers 1.17 — What's an animated movie you love?

Oh, gosh. Can I list three? Because I can't just narrow that down to one. Let's go with Spirited Away (2001), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), and Monsters, Inc. (2001).