H.K MacLean

“They wore thick belts studded with gold and silver slung across their hips, below the navel…and were deaf to the demands of modesty.”

HOW am I just now learning about this?? Where do I find the historical fiction novel about these badass women?

(Quote from The Great Mortality, by John Kelly)

“Knighton believed that God smote a third or more of Europe because medieval England’s most glamorous young women were becoming tournament groupies…a troupe of ladies would turn up dressed in a variety of male clothing…and mounted on chargers.”

Where I live, we measure people with feet, horses with hands, and cars with horses. This is world building stranger than fiction.

Blocking this account. This is obvious animal cruelty FFS, show an ounce of responsibility.

The cover of Goosebumps: It Came from Beneath the Sink! by R.L. Stine. The illustration shows an open kitchen sink with two glowing green eyes peering out. The caption reads: "It's warm, it's breathing! And it doesn't do dishes!" The art is by Tim Jacobus.

I just realized that the chapter I wrote today is inspired by this Goosebumps favorite of mine. Monster that can't die? Check. Squishy skin? Check. Always finds its way back to you? Check. Creepy teeth? Check. Won't do your dishes? Uh, check, technically.

Amazon review of Pride and Prejudice, left by carlton p morgan on 30 July 2010: "Just a bunch of people going to each other's houses"

Happy 15th anniversary of the peak achievement of literary criticism, to all who celebrate

On today's episode of Writer Googling Things, it turns out that center dangly thing on a wind chime that makes the sound do is called a "center string" with a "wind catcher," "feather," or "wind sail," depending on which diagram you read. Follow me for more nearly-useless facts!

It's not my darling and I didn't kill it, but I decided a scene from my first book fits better in the second, so I gave it a new home. Writers, we can give ourselves a little grace on this. It doesn't always have to come down to love and murder ;)

Thanks so much!

Thanks so much!

Where is the best place to look for help with query package development? I'm thinking a simple critique isn't enough and considering seeking coaching. Marketing isn't one of my strengths currently.

Anyone else in my writing community watching The Gilded Age mostly to cheer for Peggy?

My partner and I have returned a dog named Whiskey to his home at least four times now. The last time I called the “lost dog” service number on his tag and the lady (not the owner! Not local!) says, “Oh yes. We know Whiskey. Has a record the length of my arm.”
At least he’s living his best life? 😂

I like to play "Rename That Painting!" (very quietly) at museums I visit and this sounds like a plausible title. "Lion, by Someone Who Clearly Has Never Seen One," is a perennial favorite.

"Don't tell yourself stories that make it harder."

This is advice I received during a weight lifting session, but I think this is a good one for writers, too (not to confuse the use of "stories" here lol). This is tough enough without us internalizing and rehearsing narratives of failure.

I understand some people are constantly present and intensely aware of their every movement, while my brain is like a night shift hotel front desk worker, grudgingly putting down her book after someone rings the bell up front three times 🫠

I see why so many people find the Hebrides inspiring ❤️ #scotland #hebrides

The Wildlife of Star Wars has a place of honor on my bookshelf <3 I'll have to pick up the Bestiary too!

"Charles realizes too late that WEREWOLF CONSULTING is not a creative name for this company."

"Wispy grey hair begins to sprout from the boss's neck."

"The boss picks up his entire roasted chicken in two hands and begins to gnaw at it like a corn on the cob."

"Charles the intern leans back from the entire rotisserie chicken plunked on the meeting table in front of him. He grabs a leg and tries to pass the rest, but turns to see the person next to him already digging into his own whole roasted chicken."

On your next date, craft a narrative using the popcorn method together! Out loud! In public! Follow me for more relationship advice.

"Who buys an entire rotisserie chicken at a food hall?"

"When you have a business meeting upstairs and you really need to make a statement."

🧵

A photo of a blind box display for Ham Egg 2 featuring various cute hamsters with floppy fried eggs worn as blankets or hats.

A photo of a blind box display for Ham Egg 2 featuring various cute hamsters with floppy fried eggs worn as blankets or hats.

@paulogia.bsky.social A new mascot for Ham & AiG News? 😱

The Thai soccer team incident was when I figured out he was a giant narcissistic baby like Trump. It's both horrifying and hilarious seeing them become toxic besties years after I made that comparison.

I don't use a thesaurus to find words, I use it to force my brain to remember the word I'm thinking of, because my brain is like the worst Pictionary player you've ever encountered, latching onto the first synonym or homonym that floats by and never, ever letting it go.

✨ So talented! ✨

A screenshot of a tumblr post: User spitandvinegar says: New hobby idea: using phrases that sound like down-home folksy expressions you learned from your grandma but are actually just nonsense you just made up - that man really salts my melon! - you know what they say, it takes a bushel of corn to feed one chicken - a louse will live on any head it lands on - don’t put down a salt lick and say you ain’t got cows - there’s a guy who eats half the berries and says the pie shell’s too big - like digging a pond and hoping for ducks User faedex replies: This was supposed to be a joke and all but as a southerner, these still make sense

“A heap o’ lemons don’t mean cake”

“A blind horse’ll turn left or right but a stubborn ass won’t budge”

“A June bug in a tin bucket will make a racket for free”

If you're ever feeling lonely, use this one weird trick! Click "I'm interested in this property" on any of several realty websites and get ready to bask in an absolute deluge of attention. I've been promised loyalty, passion, fulfillment, and the world within mere days.

Also, because I love procrastinating, I did check whether "etymology" can apply to both words and phrases, and stack exchange delivered a compelling argument that it can (as long as the phrase is fixed-form, like an idiom).