Quote by gillianleeza
Cool dreary day here, but hopefully the predicted rain will materialize. We haven't had any rain in over a month.
We had a fairly dry October but have had wet weather this past Sunday and again today. Drove almost 3 hours in rain and mist on Sunday.
"Cardinal Fang, bring the comfy chair!"
looks around Inspirations
"Which one? There's so many."
Anyhow, good morning, folks. We have some Tobermory Flowerpot Island in the coffee pot. For teas, there's English Breakfast and Sencha. Hot water, sodas, ya da ya da.
How's your day going?
Woo hoo, it's Hump Day! (No camels were harmed in the making of this post. Or ridden for that matter.)
For coffee, let's go with good old Deathwish Dark Roast.
Teas? Hmmm. Assam Organic and Coconut Cream White.
Hot water is on for those wanting other teas or a cup of hot chocolate (marshmallows provided).
And there's a magical assortment of sodas for those needing something cold and fizzy. ("magical" meaning whatever soda you want just happens to be there).
Writing is kind of on pause. Too much else happening in my life right now. Might have time going forward. We shall see.
My earworm du jour, and a song that might hit my favourite songs of 2024 list, is "Something Whispered Follow Me" by Nightwish. It's a smooth, light piece by their standards, with a catchy, melodic chorus. The song could probably find a place on rock radio here with some judicious editing (at 6:40, it's a bit long for radio play except maybe AOR). The centerpiece is a killer vocal performance from the band's marvelous lead singer Floor Jansen but drummer Kai Hahto and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen get their due in this one, too. Not typical Nightwish, but terrific Nighwish.
No One Will Come Back for Us and Other Stories by Premee Mohamad. S-F and fantasy writer who is currently social media manager and associate editor for the Escape Pod podcast (which does audio s-f short stories). Very good, often kind of dark and haunting s-f/fantasy.
Hey, Gil, glad to hear you're home and things are a bit more stable. Take care of yourself, eh.
For the rest of you, how about some dark roast Jamaican Blue Mountain? Or Irish Breakfast and Buddha's Blend if you're into tea. And the hot water is there if you want some other tea or a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate.
Quite chilly here now, but still no real signs of winter yet, for which I am grateful. Had a guy out to inspect and clean the furnace yesterday so we are ready when it arrives.
Later, alligators.
Starting a literary career is never easy, and part of that battle is finding a publisher. This list, according to the writer at Authors Publish, cover publishers with a history of publishing debut works. They range from specialty presses that focus on one genre or type or writing, to more general ones. From small, relatively unknown presses to one with varying degrees of public image (e.g. Annick, the Canadian imprint that launched the career of famed children's author Robert Munsch). Got a book burning a hole in your hard drive? Have a look. Maybe your future publisher will be on here.
Quote by JustAnotherSapphic
Thanks, y'all.
Funny thing is, he spent about ten days sliding into my DM's before I was ready to say anything to him...and now we're two months strong and still going.
Never know about those guys who slide into your DMs, eh. Sound like you got one of the good ones, though. We didn't have DMs to slide into in my day. 😉
Good morning and Happy New Week!! Hope you're all doing well. I have been better but I'll get there. 😊
For coffee, I'll put on a pot of Nicaraguan dark roast. Teas are Yorkshire Tea and Peach White. Soda stock looks good. Hot water is ready for other teas or hot chocolate.
Quote by JustAnotherSapphic
He's down in SoCal (I'm in NorCal) but that's okay.
Better than a pair I know who met on a music site they and I are all on. One is in Virginia and the other is in Finland.
Good morning. There's some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in the coffee pot. Sunday Tea and White Coconut teas are steeped and ready for the tea crowd.
I am actually in a hotel but heading home today. Company party last night, our first in five years, and they had it in another city that's a bit more central given we now cover the entire province of Ontario. Company footed the hotel bill.
Quote by verbal
Normally I listen to the news in the morning, but I can’t bring myself to do that today. So here’s my favorite bluegrass girl, bringing us Appalachia by way of China.
Very cool. Interesting how she's worked her time in China into her bluegrass career. Looked her up and her ties to my wife's homeland seem to run pretty deep. She lived there for a time and has both performed and taught there on multiple occasions. And she's married to Bela Fleck, which makes for one hell of a musical power couple.
Quote by verbal
Maybe try finishing it, even if you feel it sucks, and then work on a second draft? Most first drafts of anything suck.
I like what I have. Just having trouble working out where it goes. It's the one I've mentioned with the mystery woman who is a mystery even to me, apparently. I have ideas for her but none that seem to work when I try to follow them through.
Given that publishers probably invest more in marketing than in actual content, it somehow does not surprise me that there are people making money off helping people market self-published material. I keep nudging towards experimenting with the field a bit (expanding Tana's story into a novella, for instance) but then I get kind of daunted and realize I would rather be filling my writing time trying to get new material out.
My current project has stalled. My writing in general has stalled. I try but the energy just is not there. Last two nights, I have barely even touched my computer, just watched YouTube on my TV. And I am away for a chunk of the weekend, too.
Anyhow, since we got yummy peanut butter cookies, how about something to wash them down. Some Tobermory Grotto coffee is brewing. For teas, we have Scottish Breakfast and Peach White. Soda stock looks good. Hot water is on standby if you're hankering some other variety of tea or hot chocolate (mini marshmallows are in stock).
Later alligators...
Quote by Cora
There is the added bonus of my birthday being in Winter--December 23.
Wow, almost a Christmas baby, eh. My late mother was born New Year's Eve. Yep, one day later and she would have been a year younger. 😊
Quote by Cora
Autumn is definitely my favorite season
Likewise, though this Fall has been so variable around here. Still a bit warmer than it should be right now though less so than earlier in the week.
Quote by verbal
Colorado is closed today folks. Snowed yesterday, snowing now, and will snow most of the day. Fits my mood. At least I enjoy shoveling the drive and sidewalk, for some odd reason.
😲 You can keep it. Western Canada has snow, too, but it's been rather mild for November so far here. Waiting less than eagerly for the other shoe to drop.
scarfs another butter pecan cookie
Quote by Cora
Ironically I worked in a bakery as a teenager for a pastry chef from Switzerland.
LOL. My uncle is a retired Swiss pastry chef but I don't think he ever worked as one in his own country. He apprenticed in Vienna and then immigrated to Canada where he met my aunt. Worked in a hotel then at a private cricket and curling club. Grandad was a member so I suspect some mild nepotism.😉 We have been beneficiaries of his training many times.
Quote by Cora
Butter Pecan Cookies
Ape pounces "Butter Pecan" is like a magnet for me. And I shall have an organic chai with that, too.
Debating some possible thread topics to see what I can inject here. Writing and reading stuff would be ideal but, oddly for a writing site, those rarely get much attention. Oh well, I can try.
Lots of interesting themes as usual. Solarpunk conflicts, various horror riffs including reproductive horror, pagan songs and tales about "Fortune and Luck", high seas horror, and so much more. Lots are looking for particular minority or marginalized groups so do read carefully.
https://authorspublish.com/31-themed-submission-calls-and-contests-for-november-2024/
Speaking from the Land of the Maple Leaf, I love those maple leaf shortbreads. scarfs a couple
And coconut white tea? Hm. I'll try that.
Yeah, the US situation is not exactly the best we could hope for but vibes to the Americans. You'll need them, and probably would regardless of who won.
Too too many yummies around here. To go with them, I'll put on a pot of Kicking Horse Kick Ass coffee. For teas, how about some Red Rose and English Breakfast. Hot water is waiting if you want other teas or some hot chocolate.
One thing I will say positive is that Molly does an excellent job. Not sure if there are actually any other staff active right now. Meet the Team page shows Sherzahd as an admin and Gil and Rump as mods. But Rump is no longer active as far as I know and we have heard how Gil's life has been keeping her away. Not sure about Sherzahd.
And the second generation software is improving. There's more quirks than in other social software I have experience with and still some gaps, but has definitely improved of late.
Comps are a great promo and I look forward to them but for developing the site, they don't seem to be working. We get lots of drive by entries who are not otherwise active on the site, or at least drop by rarely outside comps. But, yes, keeping them going is a must for livening up the site for sure. Comps are one of the things about the site that I promote.
One of my songs of the year is probably going to be "Heavy Is The Crown", part of the surprise return of American rock greats Linkin Park. The band has always been hard to classify, with elements of alt-rock, metal, rap, and more, but their music is often powerful and dramatic.
New lead singer Emily Armstrong has been a bit of a surprise. Her previous band Dead Sara never came on my radar so my first experience of her was "The Emptiness Machine", the first new single. But it was the massive scream at around the 2 minute mark in "Heavy Is The Crown" that really sold me on Emily (it's at about 2:09 in this performance).
She's not a replacement for the late Chester Bennington, who was f-ing amazing in the band's noughties heyday, but kicks off a new era in the band's sound with rapper/vocalist Mike Shinoda and a couple other returning members providing continuity with the old era.
This is the song's live debut.
