#PennedPossibilities 950 — Can your MC swim?

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

@therivercrow That just made me ridiculously happy. You have no idea. Thank you for that. I love those two. They just need to work through their problems and realize they *still* love each other, make their confessions, and fix things.

[therivercrow@bardicperspiration.club]

@floofpaldi I have faith that they will, but until then I'll enjoy the drama!

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

@therivercrow And believe me, there's gonna be lots of drama. The achy-breaky-feelsy type. Right now, I'm just working on a commissioned fanfiction story for The Thick of It, which I'm loving so much, and it's become very close to the heart. It deals with cancer, infusion therapy, and autoimmune disease, so you can tell *why* it's special, I suppose. But once it's finished, it's right back into my novel. And working on my Star Wars story as well. I miss my Peter Cushing work. 🥰

[therivercrow@bardicperspiration.club]

@floofpaldi you do so much, I never cease to be amazed!

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

@therivercrow You're too sweet. I think it's just a way to keep myself sane during the quiet moments where I'm left to my own devices and I have a bit of down-time, you know? Relaxing at night for me is writing (or gaming). I don't know... Maybe I'm just nuts.

[therivercrow@bardicperspiration.club]

@floofpaldi nah, I get it. It's a chill way to use your brain that isn't stressy or work stuff. And you do it so well!

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 988 — Tell us about your MC’s bravest moment.

While I can’t say everything, not yet, I can talk a bit about the scene. It comes later, towards the end of the novel. It’s the moment where Alistair confesses everything to Fenella. She’s the first person he has told (about who and what he is) in ages, and he comes right out and says it, even if it requires a bit of poking and prodding on her end. A confession of that calibre is pure bravery.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 989 — Is your MC an immigrant or newcomer in the place where they live? If so, where did they emigrate from and where do they currently live?

Alistair is most definitely from exactly where he lives, and where Dorcha Castle is, despite what some of my readers may or may not be guessing. I’ll say it now for everyone. He actually *is* from Scotland, and from the Moray area at that. He was born there, lived there, and still lives there.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 990 — Have any of your characters ever been in a fight?

Oh, many times, and that goes for all of them. The majority of the cast are immortals. They’re vampires and werewolves. Battles and fights have (and will continue to) happen. I love writing scenes like this as well.

(I’m posting this early for me, only because I’ll be busy tonight. I hope no one minds!)

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 991 — Tell us about your WIP. What is the genre or genres?

Genres: Gothic and Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, and Horror.

Addition: For some explanation, this story also takes place during the tail end of the Victorian era, contains werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and witches, and was written with the gloriously eerie spirit of Hammer Horror films in mind.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 992 — If your MC unexpectedly died, who would they want to raise their child(ren), if they have any? Have they already made a plan for this in case it happens?

Oooh, this is a good prompt. I’m glad I had this one saved. Vampires have their “children,” meaning the ones they’ve turned sired and bloodbound or those they’ve made into fellow vampires. They aren’t blood children, of course, but the familial relationship is very similar. Things tend to work in the same way. Alistair would want his bloodbound one/ones to survive and thrive, and they would need no help in doing so. He’s sure of that fact. Duncan would be just fine in that respect. He doesn’t require Alistair’s fellow existence to keep on living. There’s no plan needed in the event that he was to ever die.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 993 — As we are approaching Prompt 1000 and there’s been a lot of reflection on this project (for the host, floofpaldi), let’s reflect on our writing journeys, how far we’ve come, friends we made, what we’ve learned along the way, etc.

(1/2)

I see a path filled with growth, and growth is definitely the word for it. This is a good question. It’s really hard to answer, though. We all grow and change as time goes on and we continue to hone our craft. One thing that I will say is that imposter syndrome doesn’t hit me anymore and it hasn’t in quite some time. I guess I could say that I don’t think I “suck” at writing anymore, and a younger version of me from even ten years ago would have been left aghast and gasping at that. I see my stories and writing style progressing, developing, and improving, even from the things I published and let loose on the world years ago. So, that’s a nice thought. I'm rather proud. I just... never really think about it.

Starting this hashtag has helped me with my writing journey so much. Words wouldn’t suffice. It makes me think about storytelling in a different way. Not only do I want to help myself but I also want to help other writers. The things that we might not think about, the little details, everything about background characters, etc. I’ve grown since I began this writing prompt hashtag, as a thinker and a writer.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 993 — As we are approaching Prompt 1000 and there’s been a lot of reflection on this project (for the host, floofpaldi), let’s reflect on our writing journeys, how far we’ve come, friends we made, what we’ve learned along the way, etc.

(2/2)

With all of that being said, I’ll leave a lovely quote down below for everyone, just because it’s 100% true, and we all need to thank our friends more often. They come along for the wild ride and are always there for us. This community here brought me amazing friends, and whenever I think about it, it just makes me want to smush everyone in a gigantic group hug.

“A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.”

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

[therivercrow@bardicperspiration.club]

@floofpaldi smushy hugs to you Floof! Thank you for starting, and keeping, this penned possibilities community going. You're an absolute delight, a fantastic writer and a lovely friend.

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

@therivercrow You're so sweet! Thank you for saying that. I've got the biggest smile now, and it'll stay with me for the rest of the day. I love helping out my friends, helping other writers, and doing my bit in this community. It's a great feeling, just knowing I can help even in some small way. It's very sweet, the amount of people who have said that this hashtag has become a part of their daily routines. I could just melt into a puddle at that. Too kind. And thank you, love. I'm so glad that we met and became friends.

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 994 — Did any of your characters have a favorite comfort item as a child? If so, at what age did they stop using it? Do they still have it?

Alistair can’t remember that far back in his past, to be fair. For Hati, it was art. She gave up the habit ages ago, even if Alistair has tried to encourage her to enjoy the creativity and freedom of it again. So, for her, it was her art supplies. It isn’t so much an item as items, plural, but it still counts.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 995 — How do you balance making (emotional) demands on the reader with taking care of them?

There’s a lot to be said about a comfortable balance and how hard it is to be achieved. We must take care of our readers — all while also putting them through the wringer on occasion, as it were. I’ve never been sure how to approach this or how to fully achieve it. I try to do my best. Apparently, whatever I’m doing is actually working because my readers are always happy, content, and left craving more. I suppose I won’t and can’t question things any more than that.

I’m just *really* curious to see what everyone else has to say about this subject.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 996 — Share some of your favorite lines from your WIP.

(I’m going out later, so this one will be a bit early. I hope no one minds.)

Here’s a few bits and bobs that I loved writing. These are in no particular order. I will, however, state who says a particular line if it happens to be a quote.

• “Every corner of this heart is haunted. You are the ghoul, the specter of my past, and yet I wouldn’t trade a single memory of you for the world. I pray only that you continue to haunt me, Fen.” — Alistair (to Fenella)

• “Even in silence, my heart still whispers your name.” — Alistair (to Fenella)

• Even the shops had taken on an uncommon grimness, with their hard facades of marble and granite, the wealth within gleaming like archaeological relics under museum glass. (Gothic vibes, hell yes.)

• Looking at her felt like leaning too close to a dying fire, the heat muted, the flames gone, but the coals glowing red, alive in silence. (This is a line about Hati’s wolf eyes.)

• The room was dark, shadows playing on the walls as he lit a lamp on his bedside table. (Again, so utterly gothic, and I love it.)

• His eyes were dark and steely. They looked like storm clouds pressed into color, grey not as absence, but as tension, alive and waiting. (A line about Alistair’s vampiric eyes.)

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[floofpaldi@mindly.social]

#PennedPossibilities 997 — Tell us about a particular “dream” or desire that your antagonist has.

To be left alone. To be allowed to wreak the havoc he enjoys so much. To leave the wreckage behind him as he goes. In reality, Isma wants for nothing else. He is a “simple” creature. Otherwise, he lacks nothing in terms of necessities or comforts. The man is a whirlwind of destruction, death, bloodshed, and a desire to torture, but he’s so much more than that. He can also be a clever mastermind, helpful, a voracious reader, wanting to learn everything that can be taught, a teacher to those he deems worthy of friendship, and he avidly enjoys the arts. His pros do not make up for the cons, but again, a layered antagonist can make all the difference in the world.

#WritingCommunity #WritersOfMastodon #WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Fantasy #Gothic #Victorian #Vampires #Werewolves

[codexarcene@mindly.social]

@floofpaldi That first line from Alastair to Fenella is so good, I'm excited to see it in the story!

Hell, all of them are really good!

(Also that specific line made me immediately think of that line from Wuthering Heights - "You say I killed you? Haunt me then!")