Shanna Swendson
@shannaswendson.bsky.social
Novelist and nerd. Author of the Enchanted, Inc. series and a lot of other stuff. http://shannaswendson.com/
Pinned
Since I've been gaining new followers and we can now pin posts, I think an introduction is in order. Hi, I'm Shanna, and I write various flavors of fantasy: contemporary humorous, portal, steampunk, paranormal mystery, and currently doing cottagecore cozy.
Today's accomplishments: grocery shopping (for travel supplies and enough stuff to get me through this week), cleaned the air fryer, washed dishes, wiped down outside the appliances, cleaned the microwave, tidied and dusted the bedroom. House is looking better.
November 17, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today's accomplishments: grocery shopping (for travel supplies and enough stuff to get me through this week), cleaned the air fryer, washed dishes, wiped down outside the appliances, cleaned the microwave, tidied and dusted the bedroom. House is looking better.
I just had to intervene in a cat fight. I was in my kitchen and heard a crying/yowling type sound, looked out the window and saw two cats squaring off. They were still in the circling "you're so tough, why don't you hit me, huh?" phase and both fled when I opened the front door.
November 17, 2025 at 8:57 PM
I just had to intervene in a cat fight. I was in my kitchen and heard a crying/yowling type sound, looked out the window and saw two cats squaring off. They were still in the circling "you're so tough, why don't you hit me, huh?" phase and both fled when I opened the front door.
I'm trying to plan meals to use up fresh produce and anything I've already cooked before I travel to Texas for a week, and I might have overdone the cooking/produce shopping lately. I was getting in the last bit of farmer's market time, so I went overboard.
November 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I'm trying to plan meals to use up fresh produce and anything I've already cooked before I travel to Texas for a week, and I might have overdone the cooking/produce shopping lately. I was getting in the last bit of farmer's market time, so I went overboard.
The BlueSky update I'd love to see is one that would allow you to mute reposts from certain people without muting or unfollowing those people and without blocking all reposts from everyone. There are people I follow whose posts I want to see but who can also get spammy with reposts.
November 17, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The BlueSky update I'd love to see is one that would allow you to mute reposts from certain people without muting or unfollowing those people and without blocking all reposts from everyone. There are people I follow whose posts I want to see but who can also get spammy with reposts.
My body is currently griping at me after yesterday's long walk and this morning's walk to and from church, plus many trips up and down to/from the choir loft and lots of standing to sing, processional and recessional. I get a workout on Sunday mornings. I need to find more comfortable shoes.
November 16, 2025 at 8:24 PM
My body is currently griping at me after yesterday's long walk and this morning's walk to and from church, plus many trips up and down to/from the choir loft and lots of standing to sing, processional and recessional. I get a workout on Sunday mornings. I need to find more comfortable shoes.
Last night I ended up watching Elio, the must recent Pixar movie. It was not up to their usual standards. They did manage to stick the landing of the dismount, but that came after they missed the beam and faceplanted at the beginning of the routine (to extend and torture a metaphor).
November 16, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Last night I ended up watching Elio, the must recent Pixar movie. It was not up to their usual standards. They did manage to stick the landing of the dismount, but that came after they missed the beam and faceplanted at the beginning of the routine (to extend and torture a metaphor).
After walking all afternoon, my legs are tired, and it will be a good evening to curl up under the electric throw and watch a movie. So I need to start thinking now if I'm going to get to it before bedtime. I'm torn between wanting something new and wanting something familiar and comforting.
November 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
After walking all afternoon, my legs are tired, and it will be a good evening to curl up under the electric throw and watch a movie. So I need to start thinking now if I'm going to get to it before bedtime. I'm torn between wanting something new and wanting something familiar and comforting.
One of the reasons I moved here was because of the hiking opportunities, but I haven't managed to do much. There's a local hiking group I've been following on FB, and today I finally joined them for a walking tour of my town. I got my 10,000 steps today!
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 PM
One of the reasons I moved here was because of the hiking opportunities, but I haven't managed to do much. There's a local hiking group I've been following on FB, and today I finally joined them for a walking tour of my town. I got my 10,000 steps today!
I watched the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, and I'd have to classify it as Mostly Harmless. There wasn't much point to remaking it as it didn't change/add anything to the animated version. If I hadn't seen the animated version, I'd have thought it was a fun, sweet fantasy movie.
November 15, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I watched the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, and I'd have to classify it as Mostly Harmless. There wasn't much point to remaking it as it didn't change/add anything to the animated version. If I hadn't seen the animated version, I'd have thought it was a fun, sweet fantasy movie.
I'm enjoying my usual Friday night activity of trying to decide on a movie to watch. I'll dither for a couple of hours and end up watching one episode of Community before I go to bed. Though I'm thinking of maybe checking out the live-action How To Train Your Dragon.
November 15, 2025 at 12:19 AM
I'm enjoying my usual Friday night activity of trying to decide on a movie to watch. I'll dither for a couple of hours and end up watching one episode of Community before I go to bed. Though I'm thinking of maybe checking out the live-action How To Train Your Dragon.
I finally visited the big "book fair" (it's a permanent store) about 30 miles away. Basically, imagine that section at the front of a big B&N with the bargain books (including a lot of recent remainders), calendars, puzzle books, journals, etc., and it fills 3 barns.
November 14, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I finally visited the big "book fair" (it's a permanent store) about 30 miles away. Basically, imagine that section at the front of a big B&N with the bargain books (including a lot of recent remainders), calendars, puzzle books, journals, etc., and it fills 3 barns.
Day three of roofing next door, and they're at the pounding nails stage. Which I think justifies a road trip to the big bookstore about half an hour away, maybe a stop at the big produce stand nearby. No thinking is going to happen right now. I'll think better in my car.
November 14, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Day three of roofing next door, and they're at the pounding nails stage. Which I think justifies a road trip to the big bookstore about half an hour away, maybe a stop at the big produce stand nearby. No thinking is going to happen right now. I'll think better in my car.
When I opened the curtains in the den this morning, I saw that I had deer in my backyard. I've seen them running down the street, but never in the yard. They grazed a while, then they lay down and made themselves comfortable. I took some pictures that I'll have to upload, but they mostly blend in.
November 14, 2025 at 12:47 PM
When I opened the curtains in the den this morning, I saw that I had deer in my backyard. I've seen them running down the street, but never in the yard. They grazed a while, then they lay down and made themselves comfortable. I took some pictures that I'll have to upload, but they mostly blend in.
In addition to rewatching The Magicians, my current other rewatch is Community. That's my comfort viewing. It's basically about flawed human beings learning to be better people, but it's snarky and surreal enough to keep it from being too sappy.
November 14, 2025 at 3:48 AM
In addition to rewatching The Magicians, my current other rewatch is Community. That's my comfort viewing. It's basically about flawed human beings learning to be better people, but it's snarky and surreal enough to keep it from being too sappy.
One of the roofers working next door is singing his heart out, presumably along with music on headphones, since I can't hear the music. Bless his heart, he's enthusiastic, but he's very off-pitch, which makes my skin crawl. I'm going to have to play music to drown him out.
November 13, 2025 at 6:33 PM
One of the roofers working next door is singing his heart out, presumably along with music on headphones, since I can't hear the music. Bless his heart, he's enthusiastic, but he's very off-pitch, which makes my skin crawl. I'm going to have to play music to drown him out.
The neighbor's new metal roof looks really nice. I'll have to talk to him about it for when I replace my roof. I'm sure it's more expensive, but there are metal roofs in town on Victorian houses that are original to the houses, so they last. I wonder how it affects cell reception inside.
November 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The neighbor's new metal roof looks really nice. I'll have to talk to him about it for when I replace my roof. I'm sure it's more expensive, but there are metal roofs in town on Victorian houses that are original to the houses, so they last. I wonder how it affects cell reception inside.
I've made a bunch of lists and I feel much more in control. There's something about writing down what needs to be done that makes it feel less overwhelming. It's concrete instead of a nebulous "I have so much to do!" feeling.
November 13, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I've made a bunch of lists and I feel much more in control. There's something about writing down what needs to be done that makes it feel less overwhelming. It's concrete instead of a nebulous "I have so much to do!" feeling.
Now that I've decided to ease up on myself and spend the rest of the year getting a good foundation in place for going forward, internally and externally, I realize just how ridiculous my previous plans were.
November 13, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Now that I've decided to ease up on myself and spend the rest of the year getting a good foundation in place for going forward, internally and externally, I realize just how ridiculous my previous plans were.
I think we have aurora. People are posting great pictures on the town FB group, but to me the sky only looks slightly pink, and my phone doesn't have a night mode setting. It doesn't help that I have a huge hill to the north of me, which blocks the horizon.
November 13, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I think we have aurora. People are posting great pictures on the town FB group, but to me the sky only looks slightly pink, and my phone doesn't have a night mode setting. It doesn't help that I have a huge hill to the north of me, which blocks the horizon.
After admitting to myself that my timeline was ridiculously unrealistic, I think I'm going to pause and do that reset I said I needed to add to my process. I still need to do thinking and research, and I can think while getting my house in order and getting ready for the holidays.
November 13, 2025 at 1:35 AM
After admitting to myself that my timeline was ridiculously unrealistic, I think I'm going to pause and do that reset I said I needed to add to my process. I still need to do thinking and research, and I can think while getting my house in order and getting ready for the holidays.
It's weird being in the very early stages of developing a new idea. It's based on an old situation, but the plot, characters, setting, etc., are all new and I'm still trying to figure out the details. It's all amorphous right now, with bits and pieces gradually taking shape.
November 12, 2025 at 9:24 PM
It's weird being in the very early stages of developing a new idea. It's based on an old situation, but the plot, characters, setting, etc., are all new and I'm still trying to figure out the details. It's all amorphous right now, with bits and pieces gradually taking shape.
There's been construction noise all day, and I finally looked out the window on the relevant side of the house to see that the house next door is getting a new roof/gutters. The workmen on the roof have hung their jackets on the tree branches hanging over the roof.
November 12, 2025 at 9:02 PM
There's been construction noise all day, and I finally looked out the window on the relevant side of the house to see that the house next door is getting a new roof/gutters. The workmen on the roof have hung their jackets on the tree branches hanging over the roof.
The white cat is lumbering/waddling more, so it's not just fluffy winter coat. I'm wondering if it's pregnant. It's been floofy for ages, but now the belly looks close to dragging. Though that could be the way it creeps across the deck. Or it's found more sources of food.
November 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
The white cat is lumbering/waddling more, so it's not just fluffy winter coat. I'm wondering if it's pregnant. It's been floofy for ages, but now the belly looks close to dragging. Though that could be the way it creeps across the deck. Or it's found more sources of food.
I've just realized how soon Thanksgiving is, and I'll be traveling to my parents' place in Texas sooner than that. I've reached the point of needing to figure out what to buy and cook so I don't have a lot of stuff going bad while I'm gone. No big grocery trips between now and then.
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I've just realized how soon Thanksgiving is, and I'll be traveling to my parents' place in Texas sooner than that. I've reached the point of needing to figure out what to buy and cook so I don't have a lot of stuff going bad while I'm gone. No big grocery trips between now and then.
The ACA subsidy debacle puts people like me in a tricky situation. If you increase your income too much, suddenly you're on the hook for much more expensive insurance. You either have to keep your income low enough to still get subsidies or get it high enough to afford insurance.
November 11, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The ACA subsidy debacle puts people like me in a tricky situation. If you increase your income too much, suddenly you're on the hook for much more expensive insurance. You either have to keep your income low enough to still get subsidies or get it high enough to afford insurance.