iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

i got a concerned phone call about this post, so i just wanted to clarify that this is what i thought was a fun, rhymy little bit about being in the muddy middle of a manuscript. i am an unstoppable force of positivity these days, nothing can bring me down... but still, i appreciated the call.

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*okay* ~cracks metaphorical knuckles bc i don't have the cartilage to spare in my old age~ *let's do this*

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fear not! i don't drink either-- a tincture of the above pictured beverage can be provided to you straight. it contains a measly ~750mg of caffeine-- child's play for an author to imbibe!

all your covers are fire these days, but this one is *literally* 🔥

Tao Wong @taowong.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Reposted by derek

Preorder The First War, the final book in the first arc of the A Thousand Li series!

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I've been here before, and I’ll be here again. I’ve done this before, and I’ll do it again

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ɹoʇᴉpƎ 'sᴉɹɹɐH ǝǝ˥ @leeharris.net · 28/09/2026

so... uh, i know it's not spooky season quite yet, but i think i trapped a LITERAL GHOST in what was meant to be a nice little ocean sounds recording?? please tell me you can hear this thing say "hi" *headphones on*

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Reposted by derek

Had some new headshots taken on my way to war... These are by the incredible @kaitrinacuna.bsky.social of KaitrinAcuna.com.

Me, wearing a black jacket, white shirt and black bow tie, with should armour and a spot of chain mail. Either the air behind me is on fire or I'm looking particularly hot, this evening.

Me, looking like a wartime general who's just discovered the cook in the mess cooked and served him his own dog for dinner, I'm wearing a black jacket, white shirt and black bow tie, with should armour and a spot of chain mail. Either the air behind me is on fire or I'm looking particularly hot, this evening.

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so... uh... one of the incredibly meditative ocean wave tracks had a literal ghost in it??? i cut it out so i don't get jump-scared every time. i feel bad for the poor guy though, so i saved him in a separate file so he can propagate across the internet. might make a separate haunted track too 👻

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*sending hugs* ~ also i have a sound capture of the beach at high tide i'm going to make a loop track of so i can always get calming ocean noises when i need to stop stressing tf out xD. i'll send it to you when i'm finished!!

Dan Moren @dmoren.com · 28/09/2026

Reposted by derek

Men would rather talk to an AI agent than their wives.

Daniel Rausch broke down what's new with Alexa Plus. He's vice president of Amazon's Alexa and Echo.
You know, I always wanted to be able to plan a great date night out with my wife, say, with Alexa, and have her take care of coordinating calendars and then finding a restaurant, maybe buying some concert tickets, etc.

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never regret the 11pm coffee! hey, on a completely unrelated note, would you care for an espresso martini at the next con? i promise it will have a totallyyyyyy reasonable amount of caffeine in it. @mishagw.bsky.social is going to play mixologist

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about to put some words on the page ! let's go~

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

derekwritesalot it’s me. i’m writers

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

i'm almost done guys i swear

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

writers when they tell you they’re almost done with that book they’ve been working on

static.klipy.com

elizabeth holmes stare

ALT: elizabeth holmes stare

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

working on some truly shocking content ⚡. trying to commit to low-no planning & retakes, and minimal editing... so far so good, but i'll update you all as i go along

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Reposted by derek

Daryl Gregory @darylwriterguy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The latest exciting news

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

[ insert name here ], you are so incredibly blessed to receive such heartfelt praise in your inbox. what a lovely [ descriptive flowery word ]

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Reposted by derek

Misha Grifka Wander @mishagw.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Ancillary Review is looking for more editors! Message me if you're interested in copy-editing, dev editing, or graphics creation for a Hugo finalist magazine of spec fic criticism! It's volunteer-based and fits with your schedule <3

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

why yes, i did eat mustard and drink soy sauce straight for my before-bed snack. why, you ask, would i commit such an atrocity? well… 🪡🧵

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IT’S OKAY TO BE MESSY :). ~ allow yourself to create without the crippling expectation of perfection hanging overhead.

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and if i wouldn’t have paid the Black Hole fee, it would’ve been like my book deal never happened! Luckily my Licensed Literary Agent was really looking out for me (2/)

final update: that $2,500 was the best $9,000 dollars i’ve ever spent. sure i had to shell out $12,999 for the Fee fee, but the Black Hole fee is what really saved me— i don’t know if you know this, but a singularity caused a local collapse in space-time today… (1/2)

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Ryka Aoki @rykaaoki.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

happpyyyy Monday everybody! today is going to be an amazing day! let's *make* today an amazing day.

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Reposted by derek

Hey, everyone! Come by, come by! Times listed are in Pacific time, so I should be there with no complications, and I hope good folks like you will be, too. Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026 Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Pacific Location: Online mountainview.libcal.com/event/17274404

mountainview.libcal.com

Author Talk with Ryka Aoki

Registration is required. Sign up below to receive the Zoom information on the morning of the event. Join award-winning author Ryka Aoki for a virtual conversation about her...

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

yeah, no, definitely 🤣. i average ~1000/day

dang now you're going to go back to beating my daily word count. well, i enjoyed it while it lasted

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the old guy in the gym on TRT told me I had the physique of a 10-year-old boy 🫪. now i really gotta build breasticles so he’ll respect me

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update update: i tried to wire them the money but it didn't work... but the agent told me not to worry. all i have to do is send them the $9,000 via cash app and then i'll be off to signing my book deal!

no no no, this is amazinggg! they're going to turn my 2,500 dollars into 2 million— i just need to send them 4,000 to pay for the Contract Review fee. And the editor already read my book and LOVED it— after i pay for the Manuscript Review that they already advanced me, we're off to the races!

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update: i had The Call— i'm getting a book deal! i just have to wire $2,500 so the agent can pay the editor for the Manuscript Review (they already read my book and LOVED it), then the publishing house is going to offer me a million dollar book deal!

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

guys! guys! a local bookshop just called— they want to stock my books in their Physical Bookstore Establishments!! and, and— they have Licensed Literary Agents that are going to present my book to publishing houses!!!

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“You are not the author of what readers feel, just the provocateur of those feelings.” ~ *The Emotional Craft of Fiction* by Donald Maass

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

broke 60k and closed out chapter 16 of my WIP today. closing in on the climax where’s everyone else at ?

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

sounds like you have some good coping strategies. i need to get on that, someday. someday, but not today, and not until the end of next year. heh. i do like to read what i wrote on kindle or by scrolling back a bit to get touchstones though, so we’re similar in that way. how’s the art coming along?

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

readers don’t read. they just crouch like gremlins and say they’re aura farming

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

i appreciate you saying. yeah i need to internalize this but it’s hard because i want to keep pushing forward to The End what do you do on your off days or how do you walk yourself through lost days?

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

objective reality exists for me to dunk on solo leveling (i read the webnovels: twice, because I forgot I read it the first time [brain damage simulator was very effective]) i got tired of the MC glazing tbh.

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

having trouble choosing a character name? pro tip: steal them from people you meet

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derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

~ and so the push towards The End continues WIP: book 2 in the Series that Shall Not Be Named [stats] chapters 1-15 are complete, and account for: 55,284 words ~250 pages. onto the rising action >>> towards the climax. all gas, no brakes. let’s go

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

yeeee i [need] consistent production to feel good about myself. so it’s tough when i don’t hit my dailies. i’ll try to internalize this tho 🫠🫡

derek @derekwritesalot.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

so did the rapture get rescheduled or… ? can someone please call up customer service and report back to us what the deal is?