Samantha Breaux

@woodenvelt.bsky.social

amateur author, professional educator, life-long artist, hobby gardener, she/her

🚫 No AI 🚫

Check out my website http://authorsambreaux.com

@briancutter.bsky.socialReposted by @woodenvelt.bsky.social

Y'all, if you like fantasy adventure, you'll LOVE SIDEQUESTED! It's so much fun to read, the characters are fantastic, the artwork is gorgeous, and the story and dialogue are brilliant! I legit would option this for a TV series if I wasn't already slammed and underfunded.

@reaper-man.bsky.socialReposted by @woodenvelt.bsky.social

I fancy myself a chef, though I possess neither the skills to cook nor any desire to acquire them. Instead, I visit a restaurant, tell the chef how I'd like my food prepared, send it back until it's right, photograph the results, then inform everyone that 𝘐 cooked it. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↔️ This post is about Gen AI.

@amandabryana.bsky.socialReposted by @woodenvelt.bsky.social

#SundaySnips

Shawn's been with Liam two weeks, and his mum just told his older sister he has a boyfriend (which he was expecting, he just wasn't sure when). Eleanor has demanded a photo.

* alt text clipped the work 'ok'.

‘Send me a picture.’ ‘What, right now?’ ‘Yes, right now.’ ‘Ugh. Hang up and I’ll take one. Call me back when you’ve got it.’ ‘Will do.’ She hung up and I stared at my phone for a few seconds. ‘She bosses me around like I’m still a kid. Let’s get this over with.’ I leant back against him and let him drape his arms round me. ‘Ooh, this is our first selfie. Let’s make it good, I want it as my lockscreen.’ ‘You’re so cute. But me too.’ Picture sent, I settled into leisurely kissing, until my stupid phone rang again. Liam wouldn’t let me sit up, so I answered it where I was. ‘Hi, El.’ ‘Wow!’ ‘I think she’s impressed, babe.’ ‘Of course I’m impressed. He’s, wow, he’s gorgeous.’ ‘He is, and he can hear you.’ ‘Like I care. Is he as nice as he is hot?’ ‘Yup. And smart, and funny. And, most importantly, mine.’ ‘You look happy in the photo. Are you happy?’ ‘Very.’ ‘I’m pleased for you, kid, but it’s a bit of a shock. I had no idea you were into men. How long’s it been going on? When did you tell Mum? Does Dad know? Did Becky know? Is it serious?’ ‘Woah, slow down. We’ve been together a couple of weeks that’s all, but we’ve been friends for ages. I told Mum and Dad yesterday. I haven’t spoken to Becky and I don’t intend to. It’s none of her business. And, yes, it’s serious. Any more questions?’ ‘Yes. When are you bringing him up for the weekend? The kids would love to see you.’ ‘You never invite me to stay.’ ‘Well, it’s time we fixed that. Anyway, you’ve never been going out with a god before. I didn’t like that woman around my kids. I know you were with her for a long time, but I never liked her. Manipulative little witch.’ That, at least, was true. Eleanor never liked Becky. Neither did my mum. I’d thought they were just being overprotective but maybe I should have listened to them. Liam tightened his arms round me and nuzzled the top of my head and I suddenly wanted to get off the phone. ‘Fine, I’ll talk to Liam, and we’ll see what we can do. Be good to see you all. Everyone
@woodenvelt.bsky.social

I like to assign a verbal "tick" in the same way that I might give a character a physical motion they do often. Like, one person might swear often, but the other NEVER swears. Or maybe there's a certain phrase they use. Maybe they tend to drop ending g's and r's or say "gonna" instead of going to.

@woodenvelt.bsky.social

your critique partners and their biases. I had some partners who were very into the Sarah J Mass style romantasies, and some of their advice was great, and some of it didn't apply at all to my more high fantasy driven work. Knowing their preferences helped me know what to disregard.

@woodenvelt.bsky.social

or opinions and you have to learn when to smile and nod (while internally dismissing that piece of advice) and when to go, you know what, that's spot on. It's not easy, either way. You have to think about what you are trying to accomplish with the work and trust your gut. It also helps if you know

@woodenvelt.bsky.social

You've gotten some great advice already, especially the bit about sitting with it for a while. I would also say, that sometimes even well meaning criticism offered in earnest is not applicable to your work. I've worked with many critique partners and groups and sometimes, it's just different tastes

@woodenvelt.bsky.social

I think reframing it might help. Think of the purpose it serves for your audience. What are you teaching them about human nature and the mundane evils of the world? Also, it's okay for certain things to be hard to write. Sometimes what you write devastates you and that's okay. Write it anyway.

@scarletvmitchell.bsky.socialReposted by @woodenvelt.bsky.social

#SundaySnips

Charlie has only just met her new partner, Jack, this morning, and she is a bundle of excited nerves. She is TRYING to like him, but kinda struggling.

They’ve just discovered something in the case is less exciting than they’d first thought…

"So, not a satanic death-cult, then," Charlie asserted cheerfully, rising to her feet. "Seems not, thankfully. But to be fair, satanic death-cults are extremely rare. Satanists tend to be fairly benign." "I see." Charlie shrugged off her failed joke with minimal dismay, prepared to take his word for it. He glanced at her up and down one more time. "When I said I had a working knowledge of occult symbolism, I wasn't exaggerating. I'm a priest," he clarified. "Excuse me if I've offended you, Father,” she offered, taken aback. She remembered her ready confession to atheism with a little chagrin and how he’d taken it coldly. "No, no," he chuckled. "Not that kind of priest.” He reached into his collar and carefully pulled out a thin silver chain upon which dangled a few tiny charms. One of which, he pointed out, was a silver pentacle. "So you're a satanist, then?” She laughed, gobsmacked. "No, a... a pagan," he stuttered, tucking the necklace back under his clothes. She didn't ask what that meant, as it didn't feel relevant in the moment, but she tried not to let the revelation unnerve her. He’d never clarified what his own beliefs were when he’d been quizzing her in the lift. She bristled with shame that she’d been too eager to impress him to notice the omission at the time. She’d let him get the jump on her. “And I’m a witch. That’s not a problem, is it?” “No, of course not. But you could say that’s its own set of biases, couldn’t you?” “Touché, touché,” he said gracefully.
@walkerharris.netReposted by @woodenvelt.bsky.social

Digs is lamenting that her father's vest that she has worn to honor his memory at every Unification Day celebration no longer fits.

From Wardens of Felcrown, my upcoming fantasy adventure serial about a megadungeon that becomes a city and the power of community in the face of evil.

#SundaySnips

Screenshot of a work-in-progress manuscript with the word 'witch' highlighted. “Let me take a look, Dignity.” Her mother scanned her up and down, then tugged uselessly on it just as Digs had attempted. She raised an eyebrow and a conspiratorial look crossed her crimson-skinned face. “I’m sorry, my dear, but have you been drinking double your elixir? It seems your chest has filled out quite a fair bit.” “No, Mom.” Digs squeezed the vest together, hoping it would stretch in the back but knew it wouldn’t. “The elixirs don’t work that way, and it’s my stupid gut that’s as much of an issue as my chest.” It had been several years since Digs started alchemically transitioning to a woman, helping her feel like her true self. At first, it took time for the elixirs to work their magic, but soon the results were undeniable. The witch that brewed them assured her that weight gain was not a side effect, but Digs still wanted to fault the potions.
@woodenvelt.bsky.social

She is okay with the commitment to the Gray Lady, but she wishes he would be smarter about it. Less prone to charging in without a plan because he sees some wrong he needs to right. It becomes a point of tension in their relationship, but they work through it.

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