iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

The joys of cats: I have a cat on my lap and a pair of not-so-great plug-in headphones. Whenever the cat moves, my audio switches from my headphones to my laptop speakers. 😆 #catsky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Just finished listening to "What Lies in the Woods" by Kate Alice Marshall. Overall, I have complicated feelings. Most of the book was great! I enjoyed the characters and character development, as well as the mystery. However, I have difficult feelings about the ending. 4/5 ⭐

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I'm pretty sure I just finished the last chapter of Book 2's first draft, and I thought it would feel different. I definitely don't feel as confident with this one as I did with Book 1. Now to set it aside and perhaps get some feedback. #WritingCommunity #WriteSky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Gotta love the feeling when your book's first reader is sending you emotional updates with crying emojis as they read. #WritingCommunity

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Finished We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. The pacing felt a bit slow, and I wasn't always sure about the characters' motives. I wanted to like it, but 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐ #BookSky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

It's fascinating how changing someone's typical work schedule in the novel (which I have to do for logistical reasons) ends up changing so much. I had a character who worked afternoons, but now they work mornings, and holy moly, I did not realize how many morning scenes I had. #WritingCommunity

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

TIL that "reawoke" is technically not a word. I'm not sure I care. #WritingCommunity

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

I think I just finished the first full version of the current draft of Book 1! It's coming in at just over 76,000 words, and I'm so proud of how this version of the novel turned out. Now, to take a breath, then get some feedback to make it better! #WritingCommunity #Writersky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Spouse: Are you in the bathroom? Me: Yes. Why? Spouse: Because I thought you were in your office, and it was creeping me out that the cats were just sitting outside the bathroom door. #catsky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Gotta love when I keep hitting the expected word count for this novel and just have to keep increasing the endcount by 5k because I swear ... this time, I'm going to actually glue these scenes together. #WritingCommunity #writesky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I remember everyone talking about 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette', and I feel like it was on my TBR for a while. I finally got around to reading it, and I just couldn't get into it. The style was interesting, but I couldn't connect with the characters. 2/5 ⭐ #booksky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Just cat things: I'm writing with my corded, in-ear headphones in, lying on my back with my laptop against my knees. The orange one jumped up to lie on my chest (as he is prone to do). He starts sniffing my ear, then *pulls out my earbud to chew on it*. 🤦 #catsky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

I really enjoyed Amy Tintera's Listen for the Lie! She developed a strong central character, as well as riveting suspense about who killed Savvy. 4/5 ⭐ @amytintera.bsky.social #booksky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Although I enjoyed Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True, I found The Family Upstairs to lack character development. I definitely didn't feel connected to any characters the same way I had with None of This Is True, and even the suspense was lacking. 3/5 ⭐ #booksky

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

One of my favourite scenes from Book 1: Xander invites Rhiannon on a "first date" to a used bookstore. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

“How about I start with a question,” he said, pausing to look at the shelf. “Where would Rhiannon want to go on a dream first date?”
I opened my mouth to protest before he shushed me. He closed his eyes as his fingers danced along spines before pulling out a thin paperback. When he opened his eyes, we both looked at the cover, which had a gorgeous photograph of the Eiffel Tower on a sunny afternoon.
Xander chuckled then nodded approvingly. “Classic first date option—the City of Love.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I’m unoriginal.”
“Not in the least, Rhiannon.”
Something about the way he said my name today made me melt a little inside.
Heart pounding, I asked, “What about you? Where’s your perfect first date?”
“Wherever you wanna take me.”

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Watching #Dickinson and finding myself questioning character motives, desires, and misbeliefs. Come Season 2, I'm not following the clear cause and effect of actions. As a writer, I'm glad I can pinpoint why! #writingcommunity

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Realizing an item is going to have more significance later in the story is wild. Like, I just added a note to later chapter in my outline that just says, "ADD PUDDING. IT'S IMPORTANT." 😂 #writerslife #writesky #writingcommunity

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Rhiannon spirals out after learning an uncomfortable truth about her family on Thanksgiving of her junior year of high school. #WipSnips #writing

I sliced open another box. Books this time. I carried them in stacks to the built-in bookshelf at the bottom of the stairs, sorting them on the floor, fiction separate from nonfiction. I alphabetized them on the shelf, pulled the spines to the edge so they all looked same. Hated the different heights. Pulled book after book and rearranged by height, then hated that, too. Abandoned the task.
The next box was filled with Aunt Elsie’s old clothes. A black and neon green striped crop top. A pair of baggy cargo pants. Knee-high black boots. A tube of ruby red lipstick. My jaw clenched, and I tucked in the corners of the box. I cracked my knuckles and shivered, the sweat I had worked up leaving a chill.

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Gotta love drafting a novel when you restart the beginning and all of a sudden a scene you wrote (and loved) years ago finally makes sense and it pulls everything together. <3 #writerslife

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Finished the audiobook of Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True last night, and omg, the title is so good, and why am I left wondering what is true and what is not, and the audio narration was incredible. Definitely recommend. #bookreview @authorlisajewell5.bsky.social

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

I made myself tater tots, and as I transferred them from the pan to a plate. One dropped on the floor. Creamsicle then spent the next 20 minutes batting around a hot tater tot.

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Charlotte Sullivan-Swain @cmeansfree.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

NaNoWriMo may be no more, but I've (potentially) got ideas and energy for another draft of my novel, so let's goooooo!!! #nanowrimo

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