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I sometimes drop right into the middle of things. What I tend to look for is what I'm reading clear? Does the dialogue sound true? Is the action realistic? And the usual inline stuff we tend to harp on.

I know I won't have the overall gist of things (unless I've been skimming) and that I can't comment on character development or if the plot runs consistent. But I do look for inconsistencies within the part I'm reading, like if a character has a blue hat at the start, is that hat also blue at the end?

So while you're dropping in and are limiting yourself on what you can comment, you can still offer something of value within the submission you're reviewing. Even if it's only to find a typo or two.

It's what you don't see that sometimes works more gooder. Originally I did have more details but decided to forgo them. I think it works better.

So! I've posted all the chapters of Part I of Terrorcruise. Seems like a good point to take a short break. I plan now to focus on completing the first draft of my other science-fiction novel, Maiden. That one's closer to being done than not. Writing it has revealed timeline irregularities that I'll need to fix for the revision (among other inconsistencies and deficits). For those of you struggling along with me, take heart! This draft will be finished in February, no doubt about it. I figure five or six chapters remaining. Whee!

What follows will be decided in the weeks to come.

Recovering from surgery. Had something of a little crisis. Finding it hard to sit and focus on writing. But every day moves me closer to putting butt in chair. I'll get back into a groove at some point.

Oh! Ha ha ha! Well, later it's revealed Creator used crystals to create her organic chord. I thought her name should reflect that, but I didn't want to use 'Crystal'. Hence, Crystel. I think it works. What say you?

Are you a good swimmer?

Is the part that 'blazes' the same part that 'twinkles'? Maybe it's the upper eyelids that blaze and the lower eyelids that twinkle. Or the left eye can blaze furiously in wrath and the right eye twinkles in mischievous mirth- but only on Sundays and Tuesdays (in winter). When the eyes blaze, can a character look about, or does the blazing singe too many eyebrows and eyelashes? Do the nostrils flare? And what do them lip things do? (Character's probably eating, so they're kinda stuck keeping food and drool in place.)  Nothing captures emotions like eyebrows scrunching though, whether it's in consternation or vexation or mere puzzlement- wait, don't they rise in puzzlement? Or is that befuddlement? (Right now one of my own is scrunched while the other is raised very Spock-like as I puzzle my way through my vexing consternation.) And let's avoid talk of whether the forehead is furrowing or other wrinkles are crinkling- that's just going overboard.

Too bad them white globes can't change color. Then the eyeballs themselves can become completely expressive. Wait, we're authors! Who says them white eyeball globes (otherwise known as sclera) can't change from unexpressive (inexpressive?) white to blushing pink to enigmatic purple to blazing red or twinkling green? Them eyes can already blaze and twinkle and who knows what else! Nothing like color-coding to let the other character(s) noticing them blazing or twinkling eyes know exactly what's going on. (Hopefully we're not in first-person POV when the POV character's eyes blaze and twinkle, unless there's a mirror conveniently nearby.)

Too bad we don't have gills on our necks. I imagine they'd be able to flap furiously or purse themselves disapprovingly. Wait! We're authors...

My issue is with 'Joseph pleaded'. Let the dialogue do the pleading. Let the speaker tag just say 'said'.

As for the second line, I might do an action instead: God was silent for a moment. "Her time has come, Joseph. Have faith."

MS Edge? There's your problem. Download and use Chrome. I've never had an issues, even on my phone. At least give it a try. If it doesn't work, you ain't not lost nothing none.

That would be my first recommendation.

Hello, SolN.

Any news? Just curious. Cost me a pretty penny credit-wise to publish these. Want to make sure they get into the contest. And I still can't figure out why it's being rejected, so I do hope it's a bug under the hood, and not something from my end.

Thank you.

The software I had a sudden and inexplicable problem with was Scrivener for Windows. Somehow the save and make back-up features got all screwy. So I just switched back to WordPerfect and I use Dropbox to save my files so I have access to them wherever I can get internet. Never had an issue with WordPerfect. I think I'll stick to that for my novels.

Hello, kdot.

Well, she does yell at poor old Ms. Lawson, the upstairs neighbor. Maybe I can have Gina thinking about going upstairs to give her a whack or two.

I don't know if I shared this, but I was considering adding a couple wee paragraphs explaining how she's getting over probably a bout of influenza passed on to her by a delivery driver-- she remembers him coughing, sweating, looking like shit, and he sneezes on her-- and with her sore throat, have her wonder if she has strep throat, which she seems to get every year (but this month? Last month? What month is it? Certainly not April, that's for sure). Those together would account for her headaches, sore throat, body aches, fever, chills, sweating. I did originally intend to add those, but just plum forgot, honestly. I think adding those would help a bit.

Don't forget, though, Gina's not all there. Her inner logic drives her, and it's pretty consistent, as warped as it is. So her whacking her sister at the end falls right into line with her processes. There's no real good guy/bad guy here. Just giving the reader a glimpse into her descent. Adding the strep throat and lingering flu issues might even create more sympathy for her. She's going to find that nit come what may. Taking out her sister will do that for her.

Word sucks. Plain and simple. I use WordPerfect and Scrivener. The only reason I have Word is to post here (Word makes it the most easiest) and to do document notes with others using the mark-up feature. Otherwise, I stay away from Word.

Never read you Jenna story. Didn't know about her violent ways. If there's any similarities, it's purely coincidence.

Think that covers it.

And Chainsaw I think is better than Nit. Just my opinion.