MJen Markus

Chapter Four is finished. Chapter Five is restructured and the major plot points already written. I'm just going to say it: I want to finish this book and buy it a drink on November 30th, when it turns 21.

FRIENDS: recommend some trans-authored books (including yours!) in the comments! And if you've never read a book by a trans person, browse the comments and you may find your next great read. No time like the present to stick it to the pieces of shit who think we ought neither to be seen or heard

Chapter Three is finished! Chapter Four might be done tomorrow.

I'm on page 59!!!! I managed not to go back to Chapter One and I feel pretty good about calling One and Two finished.

I was working on page 55 so long it became page 56. It surprised me how this chapter came together.

This book is a puzzle and all the pieces are coming together.

On pages 53 and 54. Found out about African Fat-tailed Geckos. Just what I needed!

Page 51!!! And my mom loves the first chapter.

I know the world is falling apart but I'm on page 50, for hopefully the last time!

Chapter Three! Chapter Three! I am solidly in Chapter Three!

I'm calling Chapters One a Two complete. Sending them to my mom. I expect a good review! Lol! But really I've been playing around with all the clues I drop in the beginning of the book that come to the horrible fruition at the end.

I'm finally again finished with Chapter One and nearly done with Chapter Two. Trees. I was slowed by tree research.

The scent of blossoming knob thorns has been described as a mix of marzipan, vanilla, and honey.

LOL.

I'M ON PAGE THIRTY-FIVE!!!! I'm on page 35! I am on page 35!!!!!

Chapter One has been on my to do list for over a week and now it's done!

Today I ponder exclamation points to make her sound young. Then, as the narrative goes on, they will appear less and less, to show her trauma.

I just can't believe I'm back in Chapter One.

So date palms are different from palm oil palms. However, they both can be invasive if left on their own. So, that works. And neither of them have those fan-like leaves. The things one learns when planning the destruction of most of the world!

This iconic 1971 photo of Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes has always said so much without saying a word. Two women. Two raised fists. One shared fight for equality. Dorothy passed in 2022. Now Gloria is gone too. Two giants who helped change America. Rest in power, Gloria. ✊🏼✊🏾

RIP Gloria Steinham. We're losing a lot of good people and the worst ones just won't die.

And I had to go back to page 12. Thankfully, it's a word or two, maybe a sentence, that has to be added, but I thought I'd closed the book on Chapter One.

I'm rewriting the landscape. Actually putting in more plants and searching those was interesting. The only use I can find for AI is unreliable research assistant: really good at gathering a lot of info, okay at parsing it, but never to be trusted until verified.

I'm on page 47, again? Still? It writes itself from the inside out. Scenes expand. A single detail launches 1000 words. It's fascinating in my brain right now.

We released a trove of disclosure records that detail the finances of more than 1,600 Trump appointees, including former lobbyists, industry executives and at least a dozen officials who declined to identify former clients. Explore the database:

I've made both the landscape and a sack of trinkets characters in my novel. This is the weirdest thing I've ever written. So far.