Reb MacRath

@rebmacrath.bsky.social

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Stoker Award-winning mystery and former horror writer, Rogue Classicist, Latin translator, resistance bands fanatic, Tucson heat survivor. And now, too, a passionate juicer.

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Get smart if you've written a book of only 40K words. Don't let the big book bullies kick sand in your face on the publishing beach. Learn to pad like a pro. tinyurl.com/mr3um8u9

Doctor Bloato's Guide to Beating Word Count Blues--Reb MacRathtinyurl.com It's a terrible thing to be skinny these days, at least if you're writing thin books. Bloated or musclebound books are the rage when the m...

Hot tip for writers of 'too short novels': Let Doc Bloato show you how to pad your thin book like a pro and beat the bullying authors of those bigger books. tinyurl.com/mr3um8u9

Keep readers' attention by knowing where and when to enter each narrative scene. tinyurl.com/3ymbsmjn

What's Your Angle--by Reb MacRathtinyurl.com You may be in either camp or be a hybrid, as I am. In the course, though, of writing a novel we may all come to the same block: we know wher...

Translation help, anyone? Posts from a few new followers appear only in foreign languages. Is there a simple way to translate?

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Kneehab stories, anyone? I'm preparing for Revision TKR surgery in June. I've invested, so far, in a good anti-gravity recliner and a foam knee straightening device. I'm also creating a cozy writer's zone including a good standing lamp, an over the recliner desk, and a laptop lap desk. Stay tuned!

Kneehab is coming mid-June. After three procedures, I hope we get it right this time. With luck, by mid-July I'll be able to walk with no walker or cane. #Kneesurgery #TKR

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Learn ten reasons why I'll never again go without a professional editor. authorselectric.blogspot.com/2024/03/what...

Portrait of a Geraldo Rivera-style mustache in training. Hey, a guy can dream.

Learn ten reasons why I'll never again go without a professional editor. authorselectric.blogspot.com/2024/03/what...

Harlan Coben described writing, in a recent FB post, as 'a messy business'. Oddly, those three words flashed like lightning in my brain and liberated me. Beyond editing and revising, I saw the need to shift and re-block paragraphs, adding or replacing this and that as required. Good fun!

The Tourist Season 2 has been a real disappointment for me. Some good writers and TV series have made things up as they go. But this has been making it up off the wall.

Inglourious Basterds is the gift that goes on giving. With each rewatch the structure blows me still further away.

Deep thought, Tucson-style: you can only rewatch a favorite show so many times before the last doesn't seem like the first.

So few doctors consider the simpler causes of physical problems. Last night I was in misery with stomach, side, and back cramps and pains. Some judicious Googling and reflection on dehydration and diminished bathroom business sent me to the pharmacy. Hello, Dulcolax. Relief!

Party time! I've acquired more than 300 followers and I thank every one of them for joining me on this Blue sky. I vow to post more often and, I hope, more Bluely. Cheers.

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What will you do today to move your writing and publishing journey forward? What are your goals? Let me know so I can cheer you on.

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On editing: In the beginning, when we're young, we're on a big game hunt for typos. Then we engage in the massacre of adjectives and adverbs. Then, at last, we're horrified to learn that it's time to begin.

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Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be 'damned if you do, and damned if you don't.'. Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States (1933–1945), diplomat, and activist

Saw a short interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, in which she said that her one regret is that she met Epstein--and that rather than apologize to the victims, she hoped that they can get on with their lives. #Jeffrey Epstein #Ghislaine Maxwell

Do you give a sheet about your sleep? I received a set of hotel-quality cotton sheets with my new Nectar mattress. But I then I bought a microfiber set for backup. I tried this set last night--and tossed and turned for hours. My imagination? No, I got up, changed back to Nectar's cotton--zzzzzz!

Marvelous call to action.

Biden’s speech today was fantastic, the best I’ve heard him make. He pulled no punches: “Nazi” “dictator” “insurrection” all tacked to Trump and MAGA. And I can’t express how relieved the Rest of the World will be to hear those words. The fight will be brutal but the battle has been called.

The old adage Less is more is misleading to writers. Scrap it and replace it with this: Less is more, more or less...except when more is more.

Fargo's standalone 5th Season, imo, is the best of them all. Two more episodes to go. Each night I pray: Please let Jon Hamm's character die screaming.

Today I proofed the proposed editing of my WIP's first 50 pages. With one exception, everything brought the ms. to better life. And I groan to remember the old days, when published Elders told me to write 'Stet!' to *any* proposed changes to my immortal prose. What a damnable bunch of dumb bunnies!

The mattress has arrived and is a dream come true.

Please alert the media: I've ordered a new hybrid Nectar mattress and foundation after sleeping for too long on a lumpy sofabed. It should come within 2 weeks. Looking forward to a good night's sleep.

The Berlin prequel to Money Heist, anyone? I'd looked forward to this for months....but feel mostly let down. So much viewing time is squandered on feel-good romantic moments that feel forced...and the cast, imo, is forgettable compared to the original. 3 episodes to go. My thumb remains halfway up.

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I enjoy the news and Neil Gaiman, but I need to diversify my feed… Any BBN fans? More sci-fi and fantasy? Football fans? Kentucky posters in general? Cincinnati posts? Democracy activists? Clean energy enthusiasts? Anti-racist rabble rousers?

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🤖 Elon Musk’s Tesla robots attacked a engineer at the factory. Wow who would have guessed that would happen.

A robot attacked an engineer at Tesla's Cybertruck factory in Texasmol.im An attorney aiding contract laborers at the factory now tells DailyMail.com that there's evidence Tesla appears to have under-reported accidents and deaths to govt. authorities