Sandra Bond

#ScribesAndMakers March 22: Create a micro-story in six words.

Just thought of another, better, one:

Man touches grass. Grass sues man.

Still no working PC, and it is likely to be another week before it’s fixed. This is not only driving me up the wall but halfway across the ceiling, like an unusually plump spider.

But I *shall* return.

After more than a week with the repair man man my computer has been pronounced beyond economic repair.

I shouldn’t have lost any writing or data as I have meticulous backups, but without a reliable machine to use them with I’m not much better off in the short term.

Not looking forward to the ordeal of getting a replacement; my technophobia as regards computers is little short of legendary.

But I still hope to have the new novel out for the end of the year.

Prompts will resume… sometime.

Computer went into repair place this morning. Told it might need a reinstall of Windows. Nothing heard since. Squeaky bum on edge of seat time.

Yes, looks like my desktop machine is thoroughly borked. Everything should be backed up, but until it’s been taken in to the repair tech guru tomorrow, don’t expect to see my usual prompt responses on Mastodon. Sorry, folks.

In a truly ironic development given my reply to yesterday’s #WritersCoffeeClub prompt, my computer has bsod’d and gone into a cycle of trying to reboot and failing. I have no idea what to do, other than climb the walls making panicky monkey noises…

#TimeTravelAuthors 27 Jan: Medical care in your story

Darroll spends some months in hospital after his car accident, and after release, still attends regular therapy sessions with Louis Vickery. Fortunately for him, his father's insurance pays for the bulk of his medical fees.

#WritersCoffeeClub Jan 27: What's a technical skill you think should be more widespread?

I don't know if it counts as "more widespread" but I'd be very happy if I weren't clueless at (and terrified of) anything technological or mechanical. I'd like to be able to fix my own car and my own computer.

#PennedPossibilities 914: Does your antagonist have any redeeming qualities?

Ed Crowe protects his friends from physical harm.

Alvin Tidmarsh keeps order at his school, after a fashion.

General Ulberch is a whiz at the art of war.

Thousands of people read Liam Baxter's website eagerly for their gossip.

As for Eddie Drygalski, Jemima accuses him of being a bastard. He points out that he worked like a bastard for her, made deals like a bastard, and fought her corner like a bastard.

#scribesandmakers Jan 27: Are you good at threading needles?

Between my innate clumsiness and my deteriorating vision, absolutely not.

#WordWeavers Jan 27: Is it difficult for you if your partner or closest friends don’t enjoy books?

They don't, but they tolerate me writing them anyway, so it's all good.

#PennedPossibilities 913: How could someone locate your MC in a crowd?

All of my MCs are either outwardly unremarkable while being inwardly unusual, or else they've had a lot of practice at passing unseen in a crowd. Or both.

#ScribesAndMakers Jan 26: Tell us about a memorable live music experience.

When I was dating an American guy, and spending as much time there with him as the rules allowed, we went to see Weezer play live. While waiting for the gig to start, I wrote a song, and had a fraught time trying to keep it in my head while Weezer performed.

I managed it, and it became the title song of my band's only EP.

(Shortly after, Weezer's coach crashed, Rivers Cuomo broke an arm, rest of tour was cancelled.)

#WordWeavers Jan 26: What is your current project teaching you, craft-wise or personally?

That a passage which doesn't work when read aloud probably doesn't work on the page, either. (I knew this already, really, but sometimes I need to be told obvious things multiple times.)

#WritersCoffeeClub 26 Jan: Do you include things you personally find repellent in your work?

Yes. I don't think I could get away with a novel full of nothing but fluffy little kittens jumping over rainbows.

I mentioned Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct books the other day. Today I found this 87th Precinct bingo card I made several years ago.

#PoliceProcedural #EdMcBain #writing

#TimeTravelAuthors 25: Problem/difficulty you had with time travel?

I got out of it violating the laws of entropy (and other physical and plot issues) by making it sideways-only rather than forward or backward. And even so, I had to introduce the character of Horsehead and hint strongly that he is pulling the strings when Darroll moves between timelines; this allows me to handwave various issues, like how come Darroll's clothes travel with him when he dimension-hops.