And now
the end is near
as we face
the final curtain..

The barbarians at the gate
were invited in
that much is certain..

The carnage they will bring
can not be overstated..

Now comes the tragic irony
to our little horror story..

Seems our ruination
as a functioning nation
was self inflicted
by ignorant fools..

Hey.. It's majority rules..

The tyranny of the stupid..

But we of the now pissed minority
are not absolved of blame..

Our apathy and arrogance
to the threat we knew was there
makes our collective #death
a case of suicide by mass negligence..

So let our epitaph say
when historians sift though
the rubble ashes of the U.S.A.

We imploded our way

#Today 07

Good day!

My editing continues. Only 20 chapters to go! That’s out of 93.

It’s the little milestones that motivate me daily.

I’m off for a pleasant hike north of the city this morning. That’ll be more fuel to aid me in the home stretch. I’m expecting cool & cloudy.

Be everwell.

Some short little scenes, based on writing prompts from over on Tumblr (the "Rook's Roost" community).

CW for injury - nothing too graphic, but some blood. These are "injury dialogue prompts" after all.

https://write.as/theriverwrites/injury-dialogue-prompts

My 222nd free weekly mini-story is out, and you can read it here: https://mattgemmell.scot/books/once-upon-a-time/stories/patron-of-the-arts/

(Why not subscribe to get these in your inbox too?)
#amwriting #fiction #shortstory

Despite everything, I made some good #writing progress this weekend on the #WIP. I’ve known on some level for a while now that the scene that should be my midpoint is in the wrong place. But I’ve been resisting moving it because it feels too hard. I finally accepted I need to move it and fix whatever problems that creates. I did it, and the resulting damage was surmountable

Also I think in retrospect I’ve done this in every book so far hahaha

I always think I know my midpoint going in, but the darn characters have other ideas

Vocabulary question. in Australia we have a phrase 'standover merchant' meaning an extortionist. e.g. the person who comes around to your business and demands money not to wreck it. We also have political standover tactics but I won't go there.

If you aren't in Australia, does this phrase mean anything to you? what would you use instead?

There is a difference between the best book you can write right now and the best book you will ever write. Write what you can now. Worry about your "best ever" when you retire.

http://www.lianabrooks.com/editing-fees/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Editing

Splatter Poetry: United States of Weeds

https://stgreenie.blogspot.com/2024/10/united-states-of-weeds.html?spref=tw

WE the People

https://stgreenie.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/we-the-people

Stack those boxes in the corner

Get em out of the way

Make room for the next shipment
coming later today

Keep to the schedule

Follow the plan

Tis all there on the wall

Easy to understand

We gotta manage loose space
like we manage our lives

An orderly structure
we require to survive

Splatter Poetry: Good Vibrations

https://stgreenie.blogspot.com/2024/10/good-vibrations.html?spref=tw

Elle does a great job of introducing the year of Austen and listing the best events to attend. The article is worth a read! https://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/a64178562/jane-austen-250-birthday-england-uk/ #AmReading #AmWriting @bookstodon #books #Bookstodon #WritingCommunity #ReadingCommunity #Regency #Georgian #JaneAusten @romancelandia

Ice Flames

https://stgreenie.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/ice-flames

My spring based watch
which is not computerized
is running slow
much like I am
cause our batteries are old
and time lacks the urgency
it once had
when we still gave a damn
about being timely

The best dreams
are shattered
not by the hammer
of harsh reality
but by
looking down
and giving in
to the grasping laws of gravity

Splatter Poetry: Escape Clause

https://stgreenie.blogspot.com/2024/10/escape-clause.html?spref=tw

Dumb Struck Cult

https://stgreenie.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/dumb-struck-cult

It's time for the monthly update of upcoming Austen and Brontë virtual events! There are lots of new events, and quite a few are now scheduled into the fall. (What! It's just turned April!) #AmReading #AmWriting @bookstodon #books #Bookstodon
#WritingCommunity #ReadingCommunity #Regency #Georgian #EmilyBronte #CharlotteBronte #AnneBronte #Victorian @romancelandia #JaneAusten

https://open.substack.com/pub/excessivelydiverting/p/austen-brontes-issue-30-upcoming-virtual-events-for-spring-2025?r=1ep55&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

#Today 06

Good day!

Wow, yesterday…huge meal cooked (leftovers!), salsa made, & a blah chapter magically transformed.

I’m on a roll, & I’m rolling with it.

A walk is upcoming, then another chapter. An editing milestone nears, as does another hike.

Deep breath. I’m loving it.

Be everwell.