I am writing a book called Scoundrel, a high fantasy/urban fantasy/isekai adventure about Portland, an enchanted jungle, and a hot mess of a protagonist. Weekly-ish updates and whatever I feel like talking about will be going on the ticky tocks. Encouragement is highly appreciated.

I'll be doing my best to crosspost but if you really want, and in case I forget, here's where it'll happen.

On this week's episode of Yammering Aimlessly Into The Void

If I sound tired or frustrated it's because I am. There's so much shit I have to keep on top of this time of year related to my house/property, and a general dissatisfaction with my ability to just do the damn writing. I dunno. I plod on.

(Here's the skeletal diagram by itself in case that's something anyone wants to look at on its own)

I've made art for the MC's signature weapons (did I post that already? 🤷), and I am also gathering reference material for a painting of a harpy egg. After that I want to see about designing harpy clothing and armor, which promises to be interesting given the materials they use and the decidedly nonstandard body shape.

I am 1000% looking for the slightest of excuses for Maura to sarcastically quote Shakespeare to characters who have no context for it and tell them it's from her "holy texts".

I was contacted late last year for permission to typeset my silly baby robots story for a fanbinding. I was somewhat aware of fanbinding and have an admiration of the art of bookbinding in general, so I happily gave my blessing. Hey, if someone likes my writing enough to commit an act of craftwork about it, I say full steam ahead. In my opinion it's the highest honor a work of fanfiction can receive.

Fast forward to now. @catspawbindery has gifted me this gorgeous tome.

Sweet shiny Primus is this thing gorgeous.

Just look at the quality and care that went into this. It's so well made and wonderful to hold.

I had (am still having, when spacetime allows) so much fun writing this series, despite/because-of its cracky premise, and seeing it manifest as a physical object is delightfully surreal. I'm going to find a prominent place to display it in the room where I do most of my writing so it can spur me on. Hopefully someday right next to it will be the first hardcover of Scoundrel.

(Don't worry, she is a very gentle pup and no damage occurred.)

Amyda, it's beautiful. Thank you so much. I can't stop grinning.

If a main character falls in the woods, does she make a huge stupid sound?

(In this case, yes.)

Is it some kind of rite of passage to make ones first in-car tiktok?

When the joys of suburban lawncare clash with a subtropical climate, it's my wordcount that suffers most. That's my excuse.

s p r e a d s h e e t s

Giant whiteboards are expensive so for now I'm just going to imagine how I'd festoon it with random red string lines to cause the most concern in any guest that I might have over.

Scoundrel update: wordcount is slower being I'm completely reworking the outline for hopefully better pacing. Once I get that done I'm going to try and concentrate on bringing my weekly word count up. I've set myself an arbitrary deadline to finish the first draft in 1000 days from when I started in January, which ends in October 2026, and wordcount goal of 100k or the story's end, whichever comes first.

Related, I'm going to need someone to stand over me with a water spray bottle and every time I edit previous chapters or have thoughts like "I should make a conlang" I get sprayed.

something something hashtag amwriting HEY THERE'S A DOG IN THIS VIDEO

*Aragorn speech voice* The day may come when I get my shit together... but it is not this day.

The title of the book is how the protagonist refers to herself, so...