Mara Lynn Johnstone
@marlynnofmany.bsky.social
In this particular fantasyland, orcs evolved from orca whales. They're so much fun. They'll call the most useless person around a "float rider" (riding that part of the outrigger, instead of paddling honestly), and they have great idioms about punching sharks and fighting with fists versus paddles.
My notes: "The seagoing orcs have two songs about clubbing merfolk in the head, and one about losing an eye to a water-magic dagger."
Me: "I should write those songs."
Also Me: "Edit the book first!"
Me: "Where the heck did I come up with these orc names??"
My notes, the next line down: "References: whalesong, walruses, hawaiian fish, Redwall shrews, and dolphins. Names are fun."
Story notes: "Secretly dragons are full-on firebenders; they just like being underestimated."
Me: "I've got to write more about this world."
My notes: "Anything that evolution doesn't explain can be pinned on human wizards (with rare exceptions). Humans can't channel magic naturally, and they hate being told no."
Me: "There was a meme for that!"
"And when the minotaur turns human, she's probably not used to having front teeth on the top AND bottom, since cows don't. Did I say minotaur teeth were more omnivorous? Guess I'll find out."
Nothing like reading over notes from something written a couple years back.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about the dryads with the mistletoe afros! How did I forget that? Love those. They're a parasitic thing favored by the rebellious youths. Did I even include them in the story, or just think about it?"
"What was the name of your pixie character? Twink?"
"Twig. But that was close."
I may look impressively ambidextrous the way I'm switching off which hand I'm using, but in reality I'm right-handed and keep forgetting that I hurt my wrist.
*cracks knuckles and opens spellcheck on the cyberpunk story with the air of someone going to war*
Yes, I meant to spell it that way. Yes, that one too. No really, the numbers are supposed to be there.
Today in "life with cats," ours likes sitting in bathtub puddles after someone showers. Then walking through the house with wet feet. And sitting on things with a wet butt. WHY, cat, why?
Oh hey, the gif-o-matic IS familiar with the movie Tremors!
Unfortunately cliche, used in too many action movies in exactly the same way. It's always someone trying to be vaguely witty by underplaying how many bad guys are rushing up to fight them.
If it was actually said by someone talking about hosting guests, then I'd consider that a refreshing change.
Could be worth looking into. The smoke detectors in our house used to be wired into the ceiling, so that if one went off, they all did. Handy if you're hard of hearing in another part of the house, but a nightmare if you've got a sleeping baby and a false alarm.
Me: "What's that beep? One of the smoke detectors has a low battery, but I can't tell what room it's coming from."
Me: "I'll bet it's this one. I'll set it on the table next to me and see if it beeps."
My Left Ear, Ten Minutes Later: "OW!!!"
Oh hey, when did the DMs arrive? That's cool! Can we do chat groups like we had on Twitter? Those were great for pitch parties and anthology planning.
🖋️📖💰
#WritingCommunity
#WriterLife
Good thing I can type with my left hand, because my cat insists on lying on my right arm whenever I sit down.
(Of course I can't just put her down. She's adorable with her little nose snuggled into my elbow like that.)
#WriterProblems #WritersLife #WritingCommunity
Best bumper sticker I've seen today: "Buckle up! It makes it harder for the UFOs to suck you from your car."
Well it looks very cool for those of us who can't see inside your head!
Nothing like turning a birdbath that's dry and filthy into one that's pristine, full of sparkling clear water -- only to have a crow show up and wash multiple Cheetos in it.
I'm glad I could be a part of your culinary adventures, Crow. Sighhhhh.
"Why you gotta be a stereotype?"
-- me to my cat when she swats something off the counter
Pet peeve of the day: things described as "blue in color." What else would they be, blue in smell?
(Insert joke here about the Eiffel 65 song.)
This may sound like an unrelated question, but have you read Dracula? Specifically the first chapter? Because this amount of paprika is amusing for purely fictional reasons.
Anyone enjoying my "Token Human" series can get new stories at the free tier, and get them early on the paying tiers! Plus exclusives and other cool things the higher you go.
www.patreon.com/MarlynnOfMany
Now that gifs are here, what does your name bring up?
This wasn't the first gif for "Mara," but it was clearly the best.
Now that gifs are on Bluesky:
1. Type your name in the search bar.
2. Scroll down until it gets weird.
3. Post your discoveries here.
Umm... This screaming varmint was the first result.
It's still windy today, but there aren't as many allergy fairies about, so that's nice.
There was an art prompt yesterday to draw the thing to your left as a god. I like the God of the Flashlight that I ended up with.
I'm pretty sure it's a sycamore. Turns out there are several types of trees called sycamores!
One coughing fit later, I suspect the answer might be "allergy medicine."
What do you wish for when you get a fluffy fairy down your shirt?
I'm waiting in a parking lot, and the breeze keeps wafting little fuzz-bits from the trees in my window like fluffy little fairies, and the fact that children are laughing in the background seems perfectly right.
The new random idea I don't have time to write about is how the invention of photography revolutionized the magic-using industry, since photos can be used instead of actual spell components. One enterprising witch with a Polaroid is set for life.
IS anyone reading #DraculaDaily here? You're missing out, if not.
*shares new content on Patreon*
*posts new story on Reddit*
*talks about Dracula Daily on Tumblr*
*comes here*
Uhh, what's new today, folks? I saw a funny Star Wars bumper sticker just now.
Note to self: "car" and "cat" are one fraction-of-an-inch typo apart, and mean very different things when put on the schedule with "appointment."
Me: "Oh, this'll be a quick story! Like a page and a half, and I already have the dialogue all planned out!"
*six pages later*
Me: "WHY"
I just saw a nonsense sidebar ad that looked like a decorative plug-in for a car's cigarette lighter / phone charge port that was made to be a giant red "FIRE MISSILES" button. I'm glad that exists. I'm sure it's directing a certain amount of road rage into villainous glee.
Small joys: I moved my car JUST in time for the street sweeping truck to clean that bit of curb. Ha! (They always come when I'm not there, or before I have a chance to move it.)
So much fun is in store.
www.patreon.com/MarlynnOfMany