Did you know "Novelist" is an official job title in Canada? Queer Enby SFWA swordfighting scifi/fantasy mountain village living blacksmith and occasional cartwheeler. https://boxwrestlefence.com/works/https://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lmpqiulb722sTHIS is a must read. Not just the best summation of the current crisis, but also the beginning of the right kind of rally to put an end to it. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/13/end-times-fascism-far-right-trump-musk13 Apr 2025 19:05 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmpqiulb722shttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lkt3a2slfc2xHm. All four of my books showed up in the libgen training database. Thanks for the theft, meta. Glad I helped make billionaires more rich without costing them a penny.20 Mar 2025 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkt3a2slfc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lkt2mol5a22xIt's a special kind of annoyance dealing with US lefties, when they insist that I explicitly except them from complaints about american fuckery, and follow-up by saying that we shouldn't take it seriously, because they'll just vote out l'orange next time. Arg.20 Mar 2025 15:53 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkt2mol5a22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lk56ua2cks2pYou know you live in the mountains when it's +7, sunny...and snowing.11 Mar 2025 23:11 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk56ua2cks2phttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ljsihpgvoc24Ugh that terrible moment when you accidentally taste your meds. Bleaugh.07 Mar 2025 17:03 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljsihpgvoc24https://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ljqdpk3lnc2nBloodwork yesterday as part of a special diabetes program I'm in. Checked my results this AM...brilliant across the board. A1c absolutely in control. Urate levels were up, though. Of course, the attack of gout that started in my sleep last night was also an indicator. Back on the no meat train...06 Mar 2025 20:33 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljqdpk3lnc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ljl34ebp2c2wWell, I do believe I'm getting right tired of condescending US #SFWA authors and their "gosh, it's not that bad, stop making it sound unpleasant!" comments. You don't have to look very hard at all to see what the rest of the world sees, and expects. Enjoy your privilege, I guess?04 Mar 2025 18:16 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljl34ebp2c2whttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ljkxevgmd22fAlready pulled my novel out of Kindle Unlimited, and cancelled prime and all subscriptions to anything american. I'll get Anubis War digital on other markets as soon as I'm able. I'm going to prioritize buying books from Canadian indie authors, or other indie authors not american.04 Mar 2025 17:09 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljkxevgmd22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3liziudm46c2eSecond fantastic espresso/americano (gotta find a new word for that) in two days. Turns out, the best beans I could buy resulted in only tolerable results. Roasting my own? Glorious. Rich, smooth, creamy-chocolate/caramel flavours. Dark roasts can fuck off and die.25 Feb 2025 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3liziudm46c2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3liruxfqghk27My newly roasted coffee came into rotation this morning. I think I nailed the roast profile, but not as described. Costa Rica Caturra, Molasses ferment. Should be fruity, but it's...rich with the aroma of fresh-hot-from-the-oven brownies, and tastes the same. Yum.22 Feb 2025 17:49 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3liruxfqghk27https://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3likcza7fxc25Good bit of writing advice I saw today, along the lines of "if no one wants to beta/pre-read your book: the premise sucks." Painful truth, there. Always accounting that friends/followers may not be your market, but a good sign to maybe just get to work on the next one.19 Feb 2025 17:39 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3likcza7fxc25https://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lihx5a5xxc2pOld plotting method: Setting, character, goal - build arcs, break into acts and chapters. Write. New plotting method (zettelkasten-based): Every single tidbit of thought onto cards. Link cards via context. Review cards to see what thoughts have the most links/cards. Write from this new context.18 Feb 2025 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lihx5a5xxc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lidk6m6t5c2pPhilosophy is an essential tool of swordplay. It's a method to help us understand how our perceptions can be flawed, and can provide us with tools to correct those flaws.17 Feb 2025 00:59 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lidk6m6t5c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3li3c46lzhs2eA thing I've learned repeatedly in martial arts, that's very applicable to things in the coming days. Trying to be smarter than the opponent is sometimes a dead end. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is just punch them in the face. Do the thing they think you are too smart to do.13 Feb 2025 18:13 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3li3c46lzhs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lfq5yfmes22kMy debut novel: Anubis War, just got cut in the first round of the SPSFC competition. https://www.tarvolon.com/2025/01/14/tar-vol-ons-spsfc4-first-round-eliminations-batch-four/ No arguments on the review, and the noted weakness is one I've already worked to improve. The comment on the strength of the worldbuilding kinda made my day, though! https://www.tarvolon.com/2025/01/14/tar-vol-ons-spsfc4-first-round-eliminations-batch-four/competition14 Jan 2025 21:10 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfq5yfmes22khttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lepahtzbtc2hDoing a little math, after reading @taowong.bsky.social's year end post. If you start out writing just 3 words today, and tomorrow write 6, and keep up at that pace? By the year's end you will be writing about 1000 words/day. You will have written over 200k words for the year. 2 novels. Go.01 Jan 2025 18:56 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lepahtzbtc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lepabnj4cc2hNow this is a lovely deal. Get all the first books in the System Apocalypse and spin-off series, including mine, all in one package. Grab it while you can! www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DRPS4M2401 Jan 2025 18:53 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lepabnj4cc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lea4jbdb2s2eR/Fantasy book sale. 600 books. For every 50 books downloaded, $1 gets donated to the Mary Cariola Children's Center. www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/ Tons of new and indie authors on there, so I'm going to ask: Any recommendations from that list?26 Dec 2024 18:36 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lea4jbdb2s2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ldyslvrwac2xJust asked the AI how to build a five year physical rehab plan for an aging martial artist in poor shape but with excellent proprioception and technical skills, but very poor motivation. #$%#@$%-ing thing told me I should start teaching again.23 Dec 2024 20:49 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldyslvrwac2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ldp27ji6vc2zYo! David R Packer, Queer enby swordfighter living in a remote mountain village. I somehow managed to write a LitRPG trilogy last year. No idea how that happened. WIP is a cyberpunk psionic maybe-love story, and edits on a post-apoc epic fantasy which is a sequel to the current WIP. Because fun. [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Dec 2024 23:39 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldp27ji6vc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ld2h6dbxlc2iI'm a smart guy. I know that. I also just had to use a calculator to figure out 11-4. Brains are cool.11 Dec 2024 19:05 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld2h6dbxlc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3ld2eouz2mc23Here's the thing: We need to change the marketing model for authors and their books, away from being commodities. Because this dipshit is probably right that this would sell. We need a platform that works better than the existing models at engaging readers and writers in the writing process. [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Dec 2024 18:21 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld2eouz2mc23https://bsky.app/profile/randypacker.northsky.social/post/3lcvf5zlap22oGreat article. Really articulates where I think genre fiction is going in it's next evolution, and very much where my writing is happiest. I want to write stories about the survivors. The MC that changes everything on their own bores me. It doesn't echo as a truthful story in my heart. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Dec 2024 18:46 +0000at://did:plc:m44xfnctspbcgvcd37kdekam/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcvf5zlap22o