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P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Finally!

Everything that was a complete mess (in terms of metadata) has been tidied up in #teowad Episode One.

Even the trash and notes have been emptied. 😮

Fear not ... Anything of use has been moved to a wiki. 😌

Now I need to do the same for EP2.

(and no, I'm not procrastinating!)

#amwriting

A screenshot of my Scrivener project for TEOWAD:EP1 that has never looked so clean. This is probably the tidiest and final-est it will ever be.

Now I just need to go through and make sure the formatting is all good for the paperback and ebook layouts after compilation.

*grimace*.... looove doing that bit, it's not painstaking at all.

November 9, 2025 at 5:52 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

I wonder if #WIPSnips has ever done the word 'that' just to open the eyes of many writers, like myself, how easy it is to end up with a page full of them?

Was a total eye opener for me when I was shown, err..., the behaviour of which I'm describing.

Avoiding it then goes the other way.

#amwriting

An image that shows the word 'that' enlarged so much that it becomes that which you cannot miss. That is, unless you cannot see that image. In which case, I've attempted to recreate that effect here, that then —of course— must occur only using that which can be read out loud.

Hopefully that explains that.

November 8, 2025 at 10:43 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

This paragraph is old.

-- 8< --
All fidgeting here and there. Packed together in their neat formations. Each bundle of energy happily humming away its own existence. Oblivious to anything beyond its discreet /little/ universe.
-- 8< --

#teowad
#amwriting
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts

The text reads:

It was impossible to see anything in the darkness.
As absolute as it was.

No shapes to recognise.
No detail to notice.
And definitely no colour or depth to speak of.

But despite the lack of anything visual, there was still an overpowering sense —an unnerving feeling— of being trapped. Wherever or whatever this place was, it was boxed in. The air was warm and stale, with a taste verging on the metallic. Which, for some unknown reason, was infused with the light scent of lemon.
The room —if a simple, dark space can be called as such— had the inexplicable, but nevertheless unmistakable presence, of __contents__. Although, trying to describe contents that can be neither seen nor touched, is rather difficult.
To put things in a clearer way, the room was obviously not empty. You see, the whole place was alive with the telltale buzz of matter. Multitudes upon millitudes of buzzing particles. All fidgeting here and there. Packed together in their neat formations. Each bundle of energy happily humming away its own existence. Oblivious to anything beyond its discreet little universe.
And that is probably how everything would have remained.
Had it not been for the arrival of __The Noise__…
It burst in on the silent black like an unexpected tax bill. Its high-pitched whistle wavered in a way easily resembling a boiling kettle being forcibly reversed through time. Sound waves resounded off unseen walls and surfaces, echoing back and forth. Intermingling with the other inaudible sounds already lying around in the dark. Then, just as quickly as it had started, it stopped... with a loud pop.
Suddenly, all was changed in the darkness.

November 8, 2025 at 10:22 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Finally done the impossible.

Got Detective Inspector Webb into a short last night. Her character is a tricky one to deal with because she's abrasive & odd upfront, but interesting once you get to know her.

She's a balance.

{ SOUND ON }

(the audio is temporary prior to voice artistry)

#amediting

November 5, 2025 at 12:25 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Jeesh. Doing all this stuff yourself isn't easy.

But then again.. I knew that when I decided to go the self-publishing route. Querying isn't easy either.

My head is so full of dealing with different things I'm starting to forget to how to be normal.

#teowad
#amwriting
#indieauthor
#selfpublishing

An over-amped promo image that shows off my book 'The End of Worth and Distance : Episode One'. You see the book on a boulder of some sort, pitched up against a view of a forest and the sunset/sunrise.

October 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Jumping Jigawatts! There's no 'costume' across all 3 books? Let's use dress instead.

-- 8< --
"Hey, oh come on!" She exclaimed. "Don't talk to me about professional, or should I mention the 'Red Dress Fiasco' once again??" She glared over her glasses.
-- 8< --

#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity

The text reads:

"Hey, oh __come__ on!" She exclaimed. "Don't talk to me about professional, or should I mention the 'Red Dress Fiasco' once again??" She glared over her glasses.
"That was completely different!" He countered, "you know I didn't mean for you to wear it."
"No, of course not. Give someone something nice to wear and they'll just leave it gathering dust!" She snapped, with an intensity in her eyes.
"That's __not__ what I did, and you know it." He glowered back, shaking his head.
"…__anyway__." He breathed the word long and drawn out, with overly theatrical arms, "we're tired. Let's get this meeting of egos underway, shall we?"
Flipping open the FarTalk again, he rotated a few dials on the device —for a short while nothing happened— but then the familiar glow rose up from its page, and the __clink-clunking__ returned. The sound seemed to travel along every surface. It had the quality of a low tick from a grandfather clock, but only if with every tock, it changed its size, shape and position.
The __clunking__ continued, for far longer than was customary.
→Whoever was on the other end, wasn't picking up.
⏎
Worth shifted his weight and gave a sideways look at the woman, she shrugged back …and still the __clink-clunking__ continued. Dropping her shoulders, the woman sighed. And then, with the energy of someone who was __still__ having a long day, wandered over to the nearby bookcase. Which had, thankfully, long since regained its structural integrity.

October 28, 2025 at 12:08 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

I know, I'm getting ahead of myself…

But sometimes that's the only way you can see what's coming next. Unfortunately, I still have yet to work out how to communicate any useful warnings back to my past or present self…

The last message I got simply said 'watch this space'?!

#teowad:ep2
#amwriting

This is a screenshot of the blurb I've just added to Episode Two's cover. It will likely change, evolve and take over a few planets before I settle on the final version —but this seems ok for now.

Message reads:

FIRST THERE WAS DARKNESS, THEN THERE WAS LIGHT
SCENTS OF WET CAT AND LEMON.
WHATEVER NEXT IN EPISODE TWO?

The ending continues. Rejoin Webb and Distance as they battle their way through wholly dangerous situations and a few potential misunderstandings. Worth is back doing his awesome thing, learning what the hard way looks like —solely for identification purposes, you understand.
And of course, their friends and colleagues are still close by, ever ready to lend a hand, a head shake or a Harmonic.

What exactly is going on?
Why are there teleporting felines?
Which way exactly are the ghostly realms?
Do sky explosions count as weather?
Can these Onaians ever get a break?
Or, at least a very late breakfast?

Unfortunately, only time will tell, and that particular instance of chronological measurement has been keeping quiet. Until now. So, read on, dear reader, if you wish to find some answers. But be warned, you may well get lost in this other world we call Onaia... and if you do it well, you may not want to come back.

October 27, 2025 at 1:13 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

-- 8< --

Context Note: Worth has never liked hats. Mostly because they don't seem to like him very much. But also, because nearly every single hat he has ever owned or attempted to wear, always, ALWAYS, looks better on Distance.

-- 8<--
#teowad
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity

The text reads:

Standing only a little way away from the table and its air-freshening enigma, he hadn't been looking in the direction of the quirky contraption, its unexpected behaviour however, had stolen his focus away from what he __had__ been doing.
Which was investigating.
He definitely had his investigative hat on, metaphorically speaking[1]. His pockets were filled with all his most investigational-ready devices, and he was wearing his most inconspicuous boots —whilst trying very hard to emanate a feeling of belonging. Everything around him was a blend of sleek, contemporary and shiny design however, so he was finding the last part rather tricky.

Footnotes:
[1] Context Note: Worth has never liked hats. Mostly because they don't seem to like him very much. But also, because nearly every single hat he has ever owned or attempted to wear, always, __ALWAYS__, looks better on Distance.

October 26, 2025 at 7:35 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Is this a vibe or a synonym? ... vibonym?

-- 8< --

"I know what you're like!" Worth added with a smile and a shake of his head, "given half a /chance/ you'd have the sandwich toaster hooked up to some kind of experiment."

-- 8< --

#teowad
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity

The text reads:

"Something about there being a temporary shortage of __VibraTechnics__— or something." Worth shrugged, his face showing clear dislike of using words that didn't agree with him.
"Oh, really?" She replied, disappointed.
"Yep, lots of stuff about unexpected delays and problems in the something whatchamacallits?"
"Err…" Distance started, her expression fully aware of quite how many things would fit Worth's less-than-detailed explanation, "Supply chain?" she suggested.
"Yep, that's it." He clicked his fingers in agreement.
"Brilliant, oh well… I'll have to make do with what we've already got then, perhaps scavenge some parts from things at the office —stuff that we don't particularly __need__."
Worth noticed the change in her voice on the last word.
"Stay… away… from my storage." He warned, eyes narrowing.
"What? I didn't say __anything__." She grinned.
"I know what you're like!" Worth added with a smile and a shake of his head, "given half a chance you'd have the sandwich toaster hooked up to some kind of experiment."
"It's okay, it's okay." She reassured, hands raised, her expression a picture of honesty, "I'd never harm our sandwich toaster."
Worth stared at her, trying to decide which way was up.

October 25, 2025 at 12:40 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

#OctoberWorldbuilders 24. The overall vibe of my story is:

You know that feeling when you suddenly think you've left the gas on, so you quickly turn back homeward. But then you realise you don't use gas anymore, you've upgraded to Resonance. So you chuckle..

Then, your empty house explodes anyway.

#OctoberWorldbuilders image outlining what day people should post with what.

The map of Latium Onaia, which shows mountain ranges, desert part, ice areas and rivers, key place names, and city regions.

October 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

-- 8< --

A few moments later, another popped into existence, and then another. Each one thrown a little further across the balcony —until there were six in /total/. They looked like perfectly positioned stepping stones.

-- 8< --

#scifi
#teowad
#WriteSky
#WIPSnips
#WritingPrompts
#WritingCommunity

A partial scene from EP1 involving my character, Distance.

The text reads:

For some time there was silence, perforated by deep breaths.

Jeesh. She thought I should have gone to the Illumination Quarter! A nice breakfast would've definitely been better than this.
Once her breathing calmed, further sounds emitted from the blur. A few clinks, some kind of scuffled rearranging, and a metal hoop appeared and fell onto the floor with a light thunk. A few moments later, another popped into existence, and then another. Each one thrown a little further across the balcony —until there were six in total. They looked like perfectly positioned stepping stones.
There came a further noise.
A strange whistle— one which sounded like a songbird trapped in a salad spinner, tumbling over a waterfall. Immediately the metal rings activated. They rose up from the floor where they had been dropped, glowing blue, and between them a shifting pathway of sapphire light emerged.
Satisfied, the Distance-shaped blur hopped down from the wall, and presumably landed on to the Resonance pathway. A bridge which was indisputably levitating only a finger's-width or so from the ground. The blur slowly stepped along the energetic path, until reaching the sixth floating ring. Which had fallen just in front of a tall glass doorway, one that gave entrance into the main building.

A few more shuffling noises,
→the sound of an item being unclipped, opened and shut.
→→And then, a very annoyed word[1] escaped her lips.

Footnotes:
[1] Translation Note: Frustratingly there is __absolutely__ a translation for this word, but we aren't allowed to include it in print, digital or otherwise.

October 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Also... In the meantime, here's another style of advert I've been working on to publicise the book —once it's fully available.

I think it has the right mix of silly-seriousness/small-to-grandness (or perhaps vice versa).

But I might also be off my rocker.

Let me know what you think.

#BookSky

October 24, 2025 at 11:03 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Great news! My editor's feedback mostly was...

I'm very grateful for the lovely words and constructive feedback.

There are still some things to tune and improve, however.

So, I'm back focusing on Episode One again.

Finally —soon— I'll be out of the forest..

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity

October 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Seems there is a subtle art in writing a book that people enjoy reading, but when they summarise the plot of what they've just read it sounds outlandish and ridiculous. For me, this was the skill of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett —more than anything.

To make crazy seem real.

#amwriting
#booksky

Possibly a page from the Onaian book 'Resonance Waves'.

Text reads in Onaian as:

Resonansi, kurso, unda basi kæva. Le matori ko interakte pa sai abiliti dua teorizai partikulen de deriva, una Kuin namei, una Kuaveri namei. Eni partikulen serti Resonansi unden pa eksitai. E eksitasioni moda okura pa dependi, diferenti efekten derivai. Eni karo Kuinen e Kuaveren materi On'eni underpina.

Eni en nai reflektai energi kapturo kæva kena soli Kuinen eksitai. Eni sempri invertai vibranen resultai. Nai enien bluai monstrai. Kuinen negati forso komo, Kuaveri pushi ko kontra puli komo vidai pota.

Eni en nai simili rekordago vida, ta On'Kuaveri spasi en, infortunate, klini Kuaveri reaktinen refleksioni kapture notoriose difisili kæva. Kari karo Kuaveren Kuinen kampi forti volatili kæva. Ne soli sai solidi materi ko reakta, sai komo On'eni ko reakta e Kuaden kausa. Nai eni fenomeni pa posteri kapituli en forti detali intraro.

October 22, 2025 at 12:15 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

is this 'Charge of the hall-builders hindsight'?

-- 8< --
Even on a normal night, the scene would have had a mystical charge. Edges painted in blended lunarlight. Brightness glinted against contrasting shadows.
-- 8< --

#scifi
#teowad
#mystery
#amediting
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WritingPrompts

$A snippet from TEOWAD:EP2 containing `charge`. The text reads: On a beautiful day you could easily see how it would look impressive. The tall silica windows giving rise to serene views of the park. The solarlight free to dive across the hall's open space like a sparkling whirl of waverns. Illumination split and refracted between the lower and upper levels, casting across the marble floor all the way up to the second-level ceiling. Even on a normal night, the scene would have had a mystical charge. Edges painted in blended lunarlight. Brightness glinted against contrasting shadows. This was no ordinary night, however. And right now, the hall felt tarnished and sinister. If the designers had known how their use of double-height space, aiming to maximise the natural light, would allow for the kind of view laid out before Webb and Distance right now —they would definitely have rethought the approach. Happenings surrounded by the devastation they had caused is a succinct summary. But it does nothing to convey the realisation on seeing such unfiltered reality.$

October 22, 2025 at 9:50 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Just found out 'tone promise' is a thing. And such a thing that it is, I achieved it without cognisance.

I've been told the assurance of tonality for 'The End of Worth and Distance' is:

> Whimsical cosmic mystery with underlying existential dread.

Read into that what you will.

#AmEditing #teowad

A shot that is potentially of "The Pocket Guide to Parrots" but this has not yet been confirmed. We see the outer cover of a plant-leather bound book that is bright green with the word "Parrots" across its front. It is surrounded by some strange leaf plants and what looks to be a writing implement of some kind.

October 22, 2025 at 8:57 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Last day before I find out what my editor thought about my manuscript.

Think I'm doing quite well at not thinking about it.

True, I've had to do a lot of other things to keep busy.

Including more writing.

pjloop.substack.com/p/back-to-fr...

#scifi
#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#writesky

October 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

I find it really affirming that I've learned to do a number of things people with writing advice suggest to do. But I stumbled across them naturally, after decades of rewrites, mini stories and bamboozling my brain.

The benefit over just being told is that I know /why/.

#writesky
#writingcommunity

A map of The Institute of Onaia's ground floor, i.e. the floor that's on the ground. We have research rooms, a very curated courtyard, history rooms and even several water closets. All very square and formal. The contents of each room however are much more fun. The whole map is drawn in a rough style on olde-stylee parchment (which, if I'm honest, is just spilt digital tea on mulched and pressed Rattan food).

October 21, 2025 at 7:56 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

It's that time again.

pjloop.substack.com/p/i-often-fi...

It's okay, not much longer to wait now... and I'll find out what my editor thought of teowad : episode 1

😹😅😌🤯🥲🫣🤗

Then my substack musings will probably evaporate.

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#scifi
#fantasy
#mystery

An advert image, advertising my post of substack. Entitled "I often find missing words (ambiguous, that is)". The image shows a mini roof garden across an old fashioned town.

October 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Good word !

I mention probably every type of 'field' in my WIP series.

-- 8< --

Interestingly, there is a pressing matter that has recently sprung up in the field, currently being debated in certain lofty halls.

-- 8< --

#teowad
#scifi
#mystery
#bureaucracy
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity

A Scrivener screenshot of a scene from TEOWAD Episode Two, involving Devlin and Worth, and a dark alleyway.

The text reads:

The alleyway was about as narrow as you could make an alleyway before it became just a gap between two walls[1]. The buildings rose up on either side, mostly in darkness, but for the conveniently placed lamps alternately positioned along the walls, just above head height. And, not forgetting, the occasional window spilling its Nampha light from within.
Every now and then Worth's silhouette completely blocked the light, meaning Devlin became swamped in shadow. Save for a weak glow that feathered around his friends shape.
Worth was again pressing forward, what with no curious shop windows or passersby to distract him. This meant Devlin had to make a good effort to keep up, his stride being quite a bit smaller than Worth's...

Footnotes:
[1] Context Note: There are actually clear definitions on what to call various gaps and spaces that occur around buildings. As long as you know what classification of building it is that you are constructing and/or inhabiting. And which year the construction was completed and/or expected to be completed. And whether the building retains its designation permanently, or semi-permanently, or only for as long as the ground remains the same approximate shape that it had when planning permission was first granted. Subsequent requests or modifications to said permission are held under different rules, and —as is explained in jest by those in the industry— to be found on display in a different castle. Interestingly, there is a pressing matter that has recently sprung up in the field, currently being debated in certain lofty halls. It concerns itself with what should happen to such guidelines when buildings are found to be moving —majestically across the land— at different rates to each other.

October 20, 2025 at 9:46 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

-- 8< --

How he managed to dodge them all would definitely become the stuff of his own personal legend. But only if he didn't meet a sticky, spiky or water-splashing end.
So, he climbed for all he was.

-- 8< --

bsky.app/profile/wips...
#teowad
#scifi
#mystery
#WIPSnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity

A snippet taken from my WIP 'The End of Worth and Distance'. A scene that involves Worth escaping from unexpected assailants, and his usual confident prevarication.

The passage reads as:

An idea sprung at him like an Azalea.
He saw strong phycite piping lining the edge of the building, only strides away. And whilst it wasn’t exactly a eureka moment. In fact, the idea filled him with only slightly less dread than diving into blackness. But it was at least an idea that might allow him to escape unscathed.
As long as he didn’t fall.
He again stood in a cloud of indecision.
He hadn’t realised how much he had come to rely on Distance's opinion.
That wasn’t to say he always did what she said. /No, that would be madness./
It was highly probable he would do the exact opposite.
/Sometimes./
But she was always there to help him spot things he might have missed, in her slightly irascible, always insightful and deeply thought provoking manner —not that he ever let on to such things.
Suddenly, something landed next to his foot which helped. It was some kind of spiky fruit.
/Or, was it a seed?/
/Perhaps a nut?/
Whatever it was, only a few beats after it landed it started running up Worth's boot.
He liked to imagine that he took the whole chain of events in a calm, considered way. Masterfully reacting in the most optimal and logical manner.
The truth of the matter was somewhat different.

His actions were at least fast, but rather more high-pitched and chaotic than stoic.
After he had managed to shake whatever the slimy spiky thing was off, and his yelping sounds had ceased. He realised that he had somehow, blindly, found his way over to the pipe and started to climb.
No sooner had he taken all this in, were more spiky fruits launched in his direction. How he managed to dodge them all would definitely become the stuff of his own personal legend. But only if he didn’t meet a sticky, spiky or water-splashing end.
So, he climbed for all he was.

October 18, 2025 at 2:04 PM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Made progress on my #teowad site/blog last night.

Things are finally coming into place.

It's been a ..long.. time.

Watch till the end !

{| Sound On |}

#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#booksky
#sff

Yes, I'm still distracting myself from waiting for editor feedback on the manuscript. 😅

October 15, 2025 at 9:50 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

I've found that building up a habit of writing every day is then hard to stop when you are supposed to be taking a break.

So, am distracting myself...

Why is being human so frustrating? 😆

I think I'd prefer to be Onaian.

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#booksky
#sketching

An early on sketch of Ms. Distance and her NovemulusConstruction. I don't usually include stuff that is at this stage —as it does strange things to my head whenever I see unfinished items. But perhaps it will be interesting to people.

Shows a picture of a woman with porthole glasses, wearing a steampunkesque belt and harness that generates Resonance fields in the form of extra limbs. She uses this during the Botanical Garden event in TEOWAD EP1.

October 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

Now that I'm not writing every evening to get #teowad EP1 complete, I'm finding that I'm writing anyway. And I've no idea what this is... My apologies.

Patterns (and anti patterns —no, not that kind of anti pattern)

pjloop.substack.com/p/patterns

#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#booksky

October 10, 2025 at 9:00 AM

P.J. Loop

@pjloop.bsky.social

So, 'the manuscript' has finally gone to my editor. 🎉 😌

Another period of waiting, trying not to fabricate unreality until the feedback is actually here.

How??

Oh well... the website needs work.

Hopefully that will keep me distracted...

#teowad
#amwriting
#writingcommunity
#indieauthor
#booksky

October 8, 2025 at 7:18 AM

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