The Undiscovered Country (Book) https://www.Writing.Com/main/profile.php/blog/amarq I decided I need to start a sequel to one of my novels, and although I have a basic idea of where I want it to go, Iâm having a difficult time getting the words right. Iâve written just shy of 3,000 words over the last few days, but they all kinda suck. I shouldnât be surprised. I havenât tried to tackle an entire novel in years, so I am way, way out of practice. Iâm thinking I need to slow down and forget writing the story in favor of *gasp* an outline. As...[Read Full Post] Sat, 02 May 2026 20:49:16 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1114945 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1114945 When it comes to certain things, we should listen to our gut. In this case, going on to social media fills me with, not dread exactly, but a certain heaviness. As if I no longer belong there. Or at least a sense that I need to keep off of it for a while. Itâs too depressing of late. People there arenât interested in the truth, and Iâm such a small account, no one notices when I post some of that truth. Truth is simply not as juicy as the lies, and for w...[Read Full Post] Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:22:52 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1111464 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1111464 I know itâs been a minute since I posted. I canât claim being too busy so much as lack of motivation to write. That and coming up with ideas has been a bit like pulling teeth (to use a cliche). I guess Iâm going through a phase, which happens. Although Iâm not exactly sitting idle. Iâm still editing, and Iâm also judging an audio book contest. I had expected maybe four or five entries, but I instead received over 20! Considering Iâm more of a visual perso...[Read Full Post] Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:11:13 EST https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1108877 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1108877 Hard to believe nearly three years have passed since I last posted here. So why did I stay away for so long? Several reasons: I also have a WordPress blog, so I've been posting there instead. Also, most of the people who I connected with back when I first signed up now twenty years ago (!) have since moved on to other things. Some have even passed away. I have been wondering, though, if I should remove my WordPress blog and website, and upgrade to Pre...[Read Full Post] Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:47:27 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1095758 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1095758 A few months ago I submitted a flash fiction story published in Havokâs âSensationalâ anthology ([Link: 'https://www.amazon.com/Sensational-Havok-Season-Flash-Fiction/dp/B0942L8FV3/']) to the annual Realm Makers Awards. Because why not? Imagine my surprise when on June 4th, my story made the semi-finals with nine others ([Link: 'https://www.realmmakers.com/2022/06/04/the-2022-realm-awards-finalists/']). Yet in perusing the list, I figured t...[Read Full Post] Sun, 26 Jun 2022 08:28:28 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1034294 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1034294 The definition of quid pro quo is: Something that is given in return for something else or accepted as a reciprocal part of an exchange. This last week took me through the wringer. It all started on Saturday when I did something to my left knee. Sunday through Wednesday it kept getting progressively worse until I could barely walk. I had to work from home on Thursday, because there was no way I could even drive (I have a manual transmission). I managed to ge...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Apr 2022 23:29:30 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1031311 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1031311 After eight months being away from social media, itâs time to take some stock. The first few weeks was a bit difficult (as Iâve described in previous entries). Now the thought of returning makes me cringe. Mostly. I miss my friendâs and familyâs posts. To know what theyâre up to and the interactions we used to share. In some ways I even miss the arguments and debates on the issue or outrage of the day. I miss the discussions on the groups I belong to. ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 10 Apr 2022 21:59:44 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1030507 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1030507 Many people talk about a muse, and how finicky she can be. She either brings inspiration or holds it back. Others use âwriters blockâ when they canât seem to put even a single word to a page. Or if youâre more technically inclined, that cursor blinks, patiently, yet damning at the same time. I have stared at that blank page and lulled into a guilty stupor with that incessant cursor for the last several months. It started after I contracted what I think was t...[Read Full Post] Sat, 19 Mar 2022 19:01:21 EDT https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1029200 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1029200 I really intended to continue to participate in [Link To Item #2253938] these last two weeks. Some great prompts to encourage and inspire, and plenty of time to dig in and explore. However, as an acquisition editor for an online magazine, I had to set time aside to pick next month's stories, edit them, and send off acceptance emails. It doesn't take a lot of time, per se, but it does take focus. Plus I needed to finish writing a chapter of my latest ...[Read Full Post] Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:22:00 EST https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1024691 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1024691 Of me. Per the prompt from [Link to Forum Post #3472977] I had three choices. Write about my day/week/holiday, a genre short story, or taboos. I already wrote two taboo-ish entries recently, and it usually takes me more than a few days to write a story--short or otherwise. So we're left with a day in the life of me. I'll keep it short so as not to bore you stupid. I could write about my holidays, but even those were pretty much non-happenings. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years were spent at home with just the three of us (my husband, son, and me). Oh, and our yellow lab, Ruckus. Because my son has...[Read Full Post] Mon, 03 Jan 2022 21:06:06 EST https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1024115 https://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/1024115