@crcollins@writing.exchange

C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · 4d ago

Replying to @MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social

@MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social Wow. That's brave. Hope they all stay safe. These bathroom bills aren't just hateful but completely nonsensical.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Jul 28, 2026

#PennedPossibilities 1083 Are you pleased with the way the various relationships between the cast of characters are developing throughout your WIP? I am & have been. I love writing about various relations & interactions.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Jul 27, 2026

#Today Harvested my first limes. Small but smell sooo good. #Gardening

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Jul 26, 2026

Boosted by

Scary Austin @MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social

Replying to @MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social

@MaryAustinBooks@mstdn.social "Make Heaven Crowded Again"? That's an ominous sounding name. 🤦‍♀️

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Jun 07, 2026

Replying to @donni@mastodon.social

@donni@mastodon.social I know, right? 🤔

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Jun 04, 2026

Replying to @AlinaLeonova@wandering.shop

@AlinaLeonova@wandering.shop Almost 4 years already? My goodness! Thanks for all you've done. These games have been a great way to get to know our wonderful community. 🥰 Hope you're still planning to be around Mastodon after you "retire." @BranwenOShea@writing.exchange

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · May 12, 2026

Replying to @joyce@hcommons.social

@joyce@hcommons.social Aww! 😍

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · May 09, 2026

Replying to @Firlefanz@writing.exchange

@Firlefanz@writing.exchange Ooh. Why is everyone hiding?

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · May 08, 2026

Replying to @emma@orbital.horse

@emma@orbital.horse @Bronwyn@sfba.social How is Hilton ahead in all the polls?? Aren't we supposed to be a blue state? My biggest concern is having 2 MAGA to choose from in the general. Who thought one big primary was a good idea? 🤔

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · May 05, 2026

Replying to @alex@gamerstavern.online

@alex@gamerstavern.online I liked it a lot, though I haven't read the book. Alexander Skarsgard has been in a lot of shows. I remember him best as vampire Erik Northman in True Blood.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · May 01, 2026

Replying to @Mark_Harbinger@mastodon.social

@Mark_Harbinger@mastodon.social I love the quote on your profile page 😀

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 30, 2026

Replying to @Mark_Harbinger@mastodon.social

@Mark_Harbinger@mastodon.social I do know the eye colors of my husband and my children. I'm less sure about all my grandchildren and rarely recall anyone else's. I usually only mention my characters' eye colors when it's necessary to the plot. The mages' eye colors often shift when using their powers, for example.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 28, 2026

Replying to @karlauerbach@sfba.social

@karlauerbach Mine expires next year 😭 Damn I hate this 🤬

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 28, 2026

Replying to @Migueldeicaza@mastodon.social

@Migueldeicaza@mastodon.social I don't want his ugly face on my passport!

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 27, 2026

Replying to @Flowermob@mastodon.social

@Flowermob We had two similar billboards spring up near where I live after the war started. 🤬

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 24, 2026

Replying to @QuokkaMocha@mastodon.world

@QuokkaMocha@mastodon.world I love these! 😍

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 24, 2026

#ScribesAndMakers Apr 24
Our next featured creator has a "love/hate affair with common tropes." What's your relationship with tropes?

These hashtag games taught me everything is a trope. I'd no idea how many there were until I looked them up for a question. I still never think about them, just write my stories as I like.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 22, 2026

Replying to @ElisesWritings@wandering.shop

@ElisesWritings@wandering.shop Yeah, after I posted it I noticed everyone else was posting about writing-related issues, but the question didn't specify & this is a topic that particularly enrages me 🤷

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 21, 2026

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 21
What's a hill you're willing to defend?

Leave trans folks alone. Let them have medical care. Let them pee. Let them be themselves. They are not hurting or impacting your life in any way. Sheesh! WTF is wrong with people?

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 18, 2026

Replying to @Lana@beige.party

@Lana@beige.party The correct answer to what to watch on Netflix is always Sense8. With The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself (Half Bad) as backup.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 18, 2026

Replying to @saposcat@indieauthors.social

@saposcat@indieauthors.social @SJHoodlet@writing.exchange I can still recite Jabberwocky! Although I did that to myself.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 18, 2026

Replying to @cmccullough@polymaths.social

@cmccullough Yeah, I find myself scrutinizing every posted photo or artwork these days. It's weird, when you think about it. People usually post art or photos they took because they are proud of how they came out. Don't see how one can be as proud of just typing some words in for a machine to generate it. I suppose it's just for "engagement."

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 18, 2026

Replying to @SJHoodlet@writing.exchange

@SJHoodlet@writing.exchange @saposcat@indieauthors.social I hated anything that made me the center of attention in school. 🤬 Did y'all have to memorize the Gettysburg address and recite it to the class or was that a particular form of torture for us olders they did away with?

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 17, 2026

Replying to @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social

@jeffjarvis Won't someone think of the poor billionaires?? 😱 😭

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 17, 2026

Replying to @cstross@wandering.shop

@cstross@wandering.shop @klepsydra@wandering.shop Yeah, for a lot of these game questions I think we're free to do our own interpretation and answer however we like, including to say we have no idea. Usually, if I have no idea what to answer, I just don't, but sometimes a thought comes to me and I'll play along. No one's complained about me answering "wrong" yet. I enjoy reading how other authors interpret things.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

Replying to @susankayequinn@wandering.shop

@susankayequinn Oh, that's good to know about Amazon. Thanks! Itch is super easy to upload to direct & lots of indie authors are using it now. I was in a bundle with other authors there recently & got lots of downloads. I don't have all my books there yet cause I wanted to try it out first, but I might eventually get around to it. They give you a nice looking sales page too. @amalia12

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

Replying to @susankayequinn@wandering.shop

@susankayequinn My ebooks are still on Amazon, mainly because I don't want previous buyers to lose access, but I have a permanent $1 discount if people purchase from my direct buy store instead. I don't promote my Amazon link specifically (it's in with my universal vendor link.) I also don't plan to upload any more of my books to Amazon. I sell better direct, on Itch, and Kobo. @amalia12

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

Replying to @susankayequinn@wandering.shop

@susankayequinn HCR is consistently brilliant.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 16
Must writing always be in complete sentences? Unusual syntax?

Nope. Depends on the work, of course. I write in 1st person and, while I usually use complete sentences, there are certain instances, including dialogue, action or reaction scenes, or musings, where fragments flow better.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

#PennedPossibilities 987
Do any of your characters have an unusual or uncommon pet?

The world of Ardonna doesn't have pets. At least it didn't until refugees landed, but then it was confined to one small portion of the world. Plenty of mages have animal friends or allies. Maggie acquires an African gray envoy who travels with her when she goes out of the country.

There's one character specifically mentioned as taking in a stray cat, but he's actually a spy sent to keep an eye on her.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

#ScribesAndMakers Apr16
How do you feel about illustrations in (non-comic) books?

It can be nice. Have no strong feelings either way.

I do love maps.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

#WordWeavers Apr 16
If your MC lived in our world, would they have good financial credit?

Maggie lived in our world for a while, though not in our timeline. She was an heiress so did fine financially, save for spending most of her money on books and data for her archives. Assuming she had the same start in life she'd be up there with the 1%

If you're talking just dropped by herself in our world & having to start from scratch? Then she'd be subject to the same variables as the rest of us.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

Replying to @digichelle@hachyderm.io

@digichelle I've been using the free version of Tuta for close to a year. No major problems, works just fine.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 16, 2026

Replying to @VampiresAndRobots@writing.exchange

@VampiresAndRobots I'm not either. I used to do it from my Windows laptop. @saposcat @willelm

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 15, 2026

Replying to @VampiresAndRobots@writing.exchange

@VampiresAndRobots @saposcat @willelm Be aware that Apple has a wonky requirement if you sell direct to EU. I first went to D2D because of it. I'd been direct but they then changed the rules to require a webpage with your address & phone number on it. I was paying for a UPS address to use instead which was way more than $12 a year.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 15, 2026

Replying to @susankayequinn@wandering.shop

@susankayequinn I started with them to list with Apple. I'd been direct with them until they changed their policy and insisted I had to post a webpage with my address and phone number. Wasn't going to post my real address so I had to pay for a UPS address twice a year to remain direct. Going through D2D bypasses that requirement. I do make sales on Apple. $12 a year is cheaper than what I was paying UPS. And you can't go direct with bookshop--I tried. 😌 @Firlefanz

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 14, 2026

Replying to @blogdiva@mastodon.social

@blogdiva As a Californian, I am beating my head against the wall right now. We seem completely screwed. Who thought one big primary for both parties sounded like a good idea??? 😱

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 14, 2026

Replying to @Emmacox@writing.exchange

@Emmacox 🤣

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 13, 2026

Replying to @Emmacox@writing.exchange

@Emmacox True. But the idea of being in a room with him. Sucking up like my "fearless" congress people ... ugh

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 13, 2026

Sometimes I feel bad about my life, then I recall there are people who have to see Trump in person every day 🤢

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 13, 2026

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 13
What do you borrow from other fiction (or nonfiction) genres?

My fantasy has elements of scifi, a bit of horror, and some romance. Mage philosophy has been influenced by a number of sources.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 12, 2026

#WritersCoffeeClub Apr 12
How does being a writer influence your life outside of the work?

One way is that everything I come across might make it into a book in some form. Like the time I went out on a whale watching boat. No whales, but striking scenery and interesting motion and changing shades within the water.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 12, 2026

#WordWeavers Apr 12
Your MC has 2 1/2 days of spare time, time to...

Technically, Maggie can take as much time off as she likes. Quenelle doesn't demand schedules or working every day or even at all, as long as mages are available to help on request. Maggie does this to herself. The few instances where she's been convinced to take time were at the request of Jez or her friends to do something with them.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 12, 2026

Replying to @ElisesWritings@wandering.shop

@ElisesWritings@wandering.shop Tales of Ardonna is an ecofriendly #Epic #HopePunk #Fantasy adventure series set on the improbable world of Ardonna. More info, maps, & all sales links, including "Buy Direct" via payhip, can be found on my site: https://crcollins.org/ Or you can go right to my payhip shop page: https://payhip.com/KapeoPress Ebooks are delivered by BookFunnel. If you buy direct, there is always a $1 discount.

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 11, 2026

Replying to @TrimTab@mastodon.social

@TrimTab They exist if you buy direct from the author's site. 😄 Plenty of us indies offer that these days. But, no, you can't get trad books that way. Real books are great too, though I personally lack the space for them. @thomasfuchs

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 10, 2026

Replying to @cstross@wandering.shop

@cstross There's a story out today about a former friend whose ex-husband was their photographer back in the day. The couple were involved in a custody battle and he got ICE involved to deport her, with Melania's help maybe. The woman's been posting threats to Mel from Brazil about "spilling things."

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 07, 2026

Replying to @CMRosens@social.horrorhub.club

@CMRosens Right with you on that last thought. 😌

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 05, 2026

Replying to @selzero@syzito.xyz

@selzero 😱

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Apr 02, 2026

Replying to @cgsines@mastodon.world

@cgsines@mastodon.world I noticed this. Gabbard is rumored to be next. @petergleick@fediscience.org

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C. R. Collins 🌳 🐸 @crcollins@writing.exchange · Mar 30, 2026

#ScribesAndMakers Marr 30
Do birds feature in your work?

😆 Do they ever.

I've got characters who speak to birds, characters who shift into birds, characters who do both, and bird characters. Of the real birds, some are familiar but many are native only to Ardonna.

My Midnight Crow book has a bird shifter MC.

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