Owen G. Richards - ANTIFAscist

#WritersCoffeeClub 13/3: Talk about an experience when you consulted an expert for a piece of writing.

**crickets**

Peers yes, "experts", nope... and certainly not in the current "lies, damned lies and AI/LLM slop-driven responses" period...

#ScribesAndMakers March 13. How do you feel about short fiction? Do you read short stories as often as novels?

Short fiction is simply another form of story telling - I've practiced the art of producing 50 word stories, single-sentence tales, etc. It's worth trying/playing with to enhance the ability to keep your writing concise.

As for reading - I used to read collections/anthologies and generally enjoyed those that were most effective in taking me to another time/place.

#PennedPossibilities 953. What author(s) did you dislike at first but grew to enjoy reading?

🤔 If I disliked them, it is highly unlikely that I would go back and read them with even the slightest intention of offering them the opportunity for redemption.

Besides, in all likelihood, I've consigned them to the abyss of obscurity, never to return.

#WritersCoffeeClub 10Mar—How informal is your prose? Is there a limit to informality?

Context determines whether my prose takes itself seriously, or not...

A less rigid format is most commonly used as it seems to be a relatively easy read, but there are times when a more formal style is appropriate.

#WritersCoffeeClub 9/3: Do you prefer to write complex, intricate plots, or more straightforward ones?

A preference? 🤔 Nope. I always blame the muse for what happens - complex, straightforward, crazy, sane, silly, deadly serious... it happens when it happens.

#PennedPossibilities How do you use social media as an author?

As an author? I don't.

I use Mastodon to "socialise" in a minimalistic fashion... (otherwise self-sufficient on the socialising front)...

Sometimes I use it to have a rant about the shit state of the world, the oligarchs, the tech bros, the bullshitters in general and the total lack of accountability built into systems of governance.

Otherwise... **crickets** disturbed by a whisper of "the rest is a social tedium".

#carnival #europe #trump

Not a fan of insta, or YouTube... but...

I wonder if the Orange Egomaniac is being shown videos of the carnivals in Europe (YouTube/Instagram)...

He won't like them - unless, no wait, his ego will interpret them as praise! (right?).

This is just one of many...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVk5mwigePS/?igsh=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ==

#ScribesAndMakers Is there a country other than your own that influences your creativity?

As many as I have visited, lived/worked in and have researched have influenced me inasmuch as human beings are all the same.

There are good, bad and downright ugly people everywhere. In the vast majority of instances the most generous are those with very little, the most avaricious are those with so very much.

Religious fanatics are idiots no matter the religion and race/gender are irrelevant overall.

Well, here's a thing - in the virtual world of table tennis... Yes, I said "virtual world" and "table tennis" in the same sentence... I have surpassed the "Elite" level 😱 (second highest) and moved up to become a "legendary" winner (at least in my own mind), which means I have won my first match (best of five) against my virtual opponent!

All this is in preparation for the next Tournament in June, and despite a serious lack of facilities, and support from the council, in my home town.

#WordWeavers Mar 6. If you have several stories, which one should a new reader start with? If not yet published, what other works might your readers enjoy?

It depends on their preferences.

Probably some of my short stories might be better - "Colosseum Survivor" - historical drama, "Paladin" - fantasy, maybe.

Of the novels, I might suggest "A Fool's Errand" - medieval fantasy, "Neither Here, Nor There" - Supernatural, Action Adventure.

The list could be much longer, of course...

#ScribesAndMakers February 27th

Splat?

Yep!

A polymorphic blob of intelligent/sentient goop tends to splat onto objects when in a more liquid form.

"George" is an escapee... who kidnaps Thomas 'Tommy' Andrew McNulty and drags him into a space-borne adventure aboard the salvage vessel Resurrection.

And he splats mostly to surprise those who are unaware of his presence! (Sense of humour, right?)