Life Stuff

atthequillsmercy

Today’s Workout: *Incoherent Grumbling*

I was doing so well this week, then POOF! Last night horrible gas pains woke me up around 2am and tortured me until around 5 when I got back to sleep. When I am this overtired, I don’t get on the treadmill. That takes a certain amount of focus and coordination to make sure I don’t bust my ass. I’ve been through enough this year. Desk peddler was today.

I paired some of the prepped chicken with a Tokyo Mini Noodle, green beans, onion, and garlic. I like the mini noodles because I get the fun of ramen noodles for only about 100 calories. I’m still enjoying my sandwich habit using some prosciutto, tomato, and parmesan with some basil spread. It’s so nice, I really didn’t need the chips.

I would like to say “Oh, I’m going to bed super early to make up for last night” but nah. I have to edit one of my drafts so I can print a fresh copy. Whenever I’m stuck when I’m moving forward in a story, I re-read the whole thing to shake something loose. Sometimes that works, sometimes I hit the end and get pissed there isn’t more, then begrudgingly admit that in order for there to be more, I have to write it. Being a creative is weird…

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atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: August 2026 Roundup

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I have to admit that while I haven’t put many more words on my longer stories, I was able to catch up with a bunch of ARCs, post a ton of reviews, and publish three stories this month on my smut pen name. I am also in the process of assembling bundles for that pen name, learning the hard way about merging and converting documents, let me tell ya…

Despite not adding on to the longer projects as much as I’d wanted to, I am ready to post to Patreon next month. I’ve also added more items to my online store; all comics I’m looking to get rid of. I’m also thinking of adding a new project to my Patreon that will be available for free on all posts. I wanna call it “There, I fixed it,” where I take ideas that I feel had potential but not the best execution. It’s mostly movies where, like The Happening, the concept could absolutely be handled in a way that’s effective and not so goofy. I think it would be a fun way to stretch my writing skills. I have no set schedule for this; it’ll be done sporadically whenever I have the chance to do it. I just don’t have the audience to commit to taking requests or a hard timeframe. I’m all about pumping out content at this point.

I am also making plans to catch up with the ARCs I have that are not comics or manga. I got a nice one from Flame Con that I wanna read and a pile of library books to get through, including Haunting Adeline, because I want to see if it’s as bad as everyone says, and In the Miso Soup for the same reason. I also have some more movie and TV show reviews on deck.

Like I said, pumping out content. Maybe volume will help me pull out of this pit.

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atthequillsmercy

Workout Dump: Still peddlin!

I’m still using the Wirk desk bike or the peddler as I’m working on other things. I like to think it’s paying off as I’m down to 205. I’d creeped up close to 210 for a minute there. As long I keep up my activity, those 5 pounds should slowly fall away.

I’ve been experimenting with some different meals and out of the bunch, my favorite is that sandwich. It’s some prosciutto, cherry tomato, parmesan, a drizzle of garlic olive oil, and spicy garlic seasoning. I could have done without the chips, it was SO good. And since I have four feral cherry tomato plants in my front yard (seriously, every seed or seedling I deliberately planted died but the cherry tomatoes that withered in the fridge and I tossed outside took root) I will probably repeat this sandwich a bunch of times once those tomatoes are ripe. And the hot dogs are cut into cute shapes because the world sucks and I want some damn whimsy.

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atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: First Brood 4 uptate!

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I’ve updated my Patreon with the newest part of First Brood 4: Emma. That one is on the paid tier, but the first chapter is available for free.

As I’ve been editing and cleaning things for Patreon, my word counts aren’t the best:

  • A: 20,612
  • B: 912
  • C: 19,121

I’ve also started posting some of my old comics to my other website. I photographed a decent stack of them to start, and I wanna make sure I get all the condition details right before they’re all live. I’ll be selling them around cover price if they’re new and discounting the ones that are yellow or damaged. And if you’re subscribed to this blog or any of my socials, you’ve seen that I’m catching up with a LOT of reviews. I’m nearly caught up with all my recently requested digital ARCs, and once those run out, I have older digital ones and physical books floating around. I am not short on content.

I was also approved for a press pass to FlameCon! I won’t have a table there or anything, just me and my son checking it out and reporting on it for Otakus and Geeks. I post reviews there as well from time to time. I’m doing my best to get up the money I need and working as hard as I can. Thanks to everyone who’s supported me so far. It means more to me than you know.

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atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: Lots of Updates!

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If you’re subscribed to my blog, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been fairly regularly posting reviews. That’s gonna continue. I have a lot to get through.

Next up is my Patreon! I’ve been editing a lot, and the next part is up! It’s on the paid tier, but the first chapters of all my WIPs that I’m working on will always be free. The first part of “Dewey” is here.

Smashwords has started their July sale! All my books are discounted or even free on that site! You can check them out here.

Now, time for the wordcounts:

  • First Brood 4: 19,914
  • Smut short story: 570 (published 2 stories last month)
  • Dewey: 17,316

I am doing my best to try to get out some good content. I need to treat it like a job if I’m going to make money from it like a job. It’s not going to be easy, I am going to be very tired, but I have debt and a kid to put through college. I gotta do what I gotta do.

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atthequillsmercy

Whelp, it was a good run but…

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Due to facing more and more financial pressure. I had to put a chunk of my books back on Amazon. I’d taken them down because they suck, but I legit cannot afford to have any sales channel blocked to me. You can see them all here. If you see any missing, they’ll be up eventually. I can understand if others don’t want to support them, and in that case, all my books are on Apple, Kobo, B&N, and my own store here on the blog.

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atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: Healing Time

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My son’s surgery was on Monday. We were there about 10am and didn’t get home till 7:30. He did amazing. I am handling taking care of the drains and making sure the pain is at a manageable level. I can’t believe how brave this kid is. I dunno if I could have done all this…

Needless to say, I have not been writing much. I am working through some ARCs, but I don’t think I’ve stopped being scared for him since Monday morning. If he doesn’t text me back, my brain spins with the worst-case scenarios, and I have to lay eyes on him and hear his voice to make sure he’s ok. I don’t even want to go on the treadmill or leave the house for more than 10 minutes.

It’s only been a couple of days, and he’s already moving around better and eating more than broth and crackers. I still might take another week off work to make sure he’s able to get around and do things on his own if I’m gone all day.

As he gets more mobile, I’ll be able to get lost in the worlds I’ve created again.

 

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atthequillsmercy

It’s happening!

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No WIP Wednesday today. My son has his top surgery next week and we are running around getting things ready!

atthequillsmercy

WIP Wednesday: I don’t do April Fools

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I’ve been editing the completed manuscripts over the last week, but I’ve also resumed working on First Brood 4: Emma. Shelley (my Freewrite Traveler) has three spots. I’m using one for Emma, one for short smut, and the last for Dewey. Sure, I’ll crank out the short erotica to make some extra cash (I need it, I have no Patrons, and there won’t be any OT in the summer), but I need to work on things that make me happy for a while. 

  • Emma: 17,515
  • Smut: 161
  • Dewey: 15,778

I went back and forth between editing and writing today. That’s why the numbers aren’t that impressive. I’d like to finish both those big novels this year since I have book 5 in the First Brood series cooking in the back of my head already. Not that this series is super popular, but I love working on it. I started that back when I was a teenager, and somehow, it’s been a constant in my brain ever since. I did post the chapters of Emma I have so far on Patreon if anyone would like to see what it’s all about.

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atthequillsmercy

Today’s Workout: I am such a nerd

We’re switching things up today and starting with what I ate:

Yes, I fell for the K-Pop Demon Hunters meals. I left for work early for the Saja Boys breakfast and stopped on the way home for the Huntrix ‘dinner’ meal. I… Okay, I don’t eat fast food very often. Contrary to my waistline, I eat McD’s once or twice a YEAR. Wendy’s can be quarterly, I haven’t been to Taco Bell in like… 5 years, I think? So, on the rare occasions when I do eat it, my system feels like this:

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Most of my meals are my own cooked food, leftovers of that food, or takeout from local places that I eat for three days. I am NOT used to 600 calorie breakfasts and 800 calorie dinners. I average 900 a DAY because of the Saxenda. It may seem boring to you, but I don’t even drink soda. I have water, seltzer water, or unsweetened teas (if not a cocktail or beer). Yeah, the meals were kinda cool, I satisfied my FOMO, and now I can go back to never eating this stuff because I feel SO SICK. I can see how this stuff makes you fat even if you workout, because I feel so sluggish and bloated. It was kinda worth it because I don’t have to do it again. I doubt they’ll do another promotion with a property that I made my entire personality for a few months.

I’m supposed to take a running day off, but when I was putting my food into MyFitnessPal, I knew I was gonna at least take a long walk. I propped up my iPad and ignored the timer until I hit 40 minutes. It helped the guilt of eating so much fast food in one day, but I still feel like crap. I’m gonna eat so light tomorrow… Why the fuck did I do this…

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