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MeliSwenk Editing

@lousytshirt.bsky.social

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Reader. Writer. Loves art, music, film, photography, & expression. INFJ. She/Her. #copyeditor #betareader #proofreader http://meliswenkediting.wordpress.com https://ko-fi.com/meliswenk https://www.amazon.com/stores/M.-A.-Swenka/author/B07XXBSLZ7

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 13d

Just for my BlueSky followers!

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Proofreading & Beta Reading services for books over 10k words
Available from October 1 to December 31
DM w/ word count & genre - Let's connect!

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 13h

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 2 -- Wilem's POV, in class, discussing Philosophy and seeing parallels to his own situation. Lily Kokinos, a fellow student, is speaking at the beginning of the snip.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“My father reads Aurelius often and quotes his Meditations to me. I believe there is a certain power in self-control and self-awareness, but I also believe that the external has a great deal of power. Anger sometimes is the best tool to handle it.”
Mr. White nodded. “There is a power in letting yourself feel your emotions, acknowledging them. Aurelius tells us that, too. But ultimately, what Aurelius wants us to know, to keep with us, is that all we ever have control over is ourselves. That is the mantra, if you will, of the Stoic philosophy.”
Wilem startled at the words, remembering what his father said about watching out for himself. That sometimes, the only side he could rely on was his own. It brought to mind the conversation he had with Lady Uthman, as well, about being a wild card. There could be a kind of instability in only relying on yourself, though, right? Wilem studied his professor and wondered if this Aurelius had any advice about that.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 1d

#WIPSnips from KD and Jaz's book -- KD's POV, talking with Betsy about Washington Square's local mental health facility; one of the places KD can work in town without being on the payroll.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Betsy openly shuddered. “Don’t ever talk to me about that place. You know how I feel…” She pointed her freshly lit cigarette at KD as she sat at the table. “They killed my sister, and I’ll never forgive them!”
KD knew when an outburst required no response, so she nodded, gave her friend an understanding glance, and pulled some more breakfast onto her plate alongside the cheesy toast. She ate in silence while her friend smoked and glared at nothing. Tension filled the air, but not between the two women sharing the table.
“Did your lawyer…”
Betsy just shook her head and flicked her ashes without looking at her friend.
“You on today?”
“Night shift,” Betsy responded, a little easier.
KD nodded.
“That mean you goin’ to that place?”
She nodded again, pushing the last bits of her breakfast around on her plate before reaching for the cigarettes and a sip of coffee. “If Erich is working laundry today…”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 2d

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 1 -- Monah's POV, from the scene where Evlin arrives to convince her to come back home.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Where she’d hesitated before, she thoughtfully touched me now; and in just a few seconds, the hairs on my arm stood straight up. Heat rushed through me, made me feel as if I were on fire, but not burning. Merely glowing. At that exact moment, Joni came back through the kitchen’s threshold and grunted to see us sitting so close together. Evlin’s voice had gotten much softer when Joni vacated the room, and I’d inadvertently gotten closer to hear her. Joni sat next to me, and I nearly pulled back from Evlin’s touch except that, much like a barbed electric fence, I couldn’t; I was stuck in the loop of her power.
“How can you know that?”
“My father worked with your father through the years of crusades that lead up to the war that took you all from us.”
“The king and queen left the Territories, too?” My heart leapt into the back of my throat. Any other words got stuck back there with it.
“Not like you did, Highness; though the hope is coming off of you in waves.”
Evlin’s hand tightened first around my arm, then slipped down to grip the flesh of my wrist. For a second, feeling the beat from her very fingertips, our hearts seemed to move in tandem. Hers speeding up to match mine.
“It is a glorious feeling, hope.”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 3d

#WIPSnips from Monah's Bk. 2 -- Monah's POV, chatting with Rykan, a guard in the dungeons, about a visit Radomir made to Faldor's cell.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“When I was comin’ to, he said ‘there’s a plan.’” Rykan shrugged, then looked back down the hallway. “Perfect timin’, though. I’m gonna need ta get back.” He tilted his head in the direction of the dungeons.
“That’s just fine, Rykan. Thank you for wanting to find me and let me know. You did good. In fact,” I pulled him in close with a strong hand on his shoulder, “if you see or hear anything strange going on in or around Faldor’s cell…”
“Ah course, ah course, Ya Highness, anythin’ for ya.”
I grinned and welcomed him when the large, muscle-bound man wrapped me in a warm embrace.
“Anythin’ I can do ta help ya. So glad ta haff ya back!”
“I’m very, very glad to be here.” For the first time in a bit, saying it felt true. “Thanks again!”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 4d

#WIPSnips from Monah's Bk. 1 -- going for vibes with "winning" -- Yasmeen's POV, Faldor's resistance discusses strategy and political alignments. {Yasmeen is Criseyde's assistant and trusted confidant.}
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Khoda turned on her. “How could anyone know that? When Faldor is preparing for war.”
“Oh, war is coming,” Radomir stated, “but who gains more from winning?”
“Faldor, of course, he maintains his throne. Runs his father’s nation. One built for him.”
Yasmeen shook her head slowly. “No, Khoda, I don’t agree.”
Now he turned his ire and frustration on the strong assistant. “Why not?”
“He’s old news,” Yasmeen started, taking slow steps around the edge of the circle. “Monah will have an upswing of renewed interest. The Elders’ prophecies have come true, if she is who she claims to be. Faldor, if I’m being honest, if we all are, isn’t well liked. While there is a percentage of pure bloods…”
“Tread carefully, Miss Yas,” Khoda warned, tightening his arms against his body.
She shook her head against his tone. “…more Thipps exist, period.”
Radomir nodded slowly, making eye contact with each member of the circle.
“Frankly,” Criseyde added, “Monah aims to gain more from winning. Faldor is the underdog. Odds are against him.”
Khoda smiled a knowing smile now. “Which lines him right up to win.” He extended his arms out to his sides, opening up to the space between them. “He is the rightful heir.”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 5d

#WIPSnips from Survival Instinct -- going for vibes with some violent interaction -- Jim's POV, walking into a trap he never could have expected.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Paulina’s body was totally limp, her bottom half nearly falling off of the vanity’s bench and her top half draped over it as though someone had shoved her from behind. Her arms were as much over her head as the small vanity’s top allowed, and her hands were loose little fists. The right side of her face and hair were caked with the flowing red liquid.
He couldn’t believe it was blood. There was nothing here she could commit such an atrocity with, but Jim’s eyes caught the necklace at her feet. It would have been messy, but the stud backing of the earrings he’d left could have done some damage. But, enough for her to die in the amount of time he’d left her alone? With absolutely no medical history to speak of, Jim couldn’t really be sure. So, he knew he had to approach slowly, and doing so from behind seemed the most protective. With a shaky hand stretched out before him, he meant to approach her as if she were asleep, to touch her shoulder lightly. Applying pressure, not necessarily enough to shake her awake, he meant to speak softly over her hair and into her ear.
“Motherfucker!”
An elbow came out of nowhere and plugged Jim in the ribs, as he toppled back from the vanity he saw big red splotches landing on the vanity, the wall behind the beds, and on the floor between them.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 6d

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 1 -- Faldor's POV, after Evlin's father, Thyberius, confronts him, his page Drake makes the mistake of confronting him about political strategy. It all only makes Faldor more hungry.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“What does a king have to do to not be reminded of his lineage or his strategy by lesser beings?” His voice threatened to bring down the entire castle around them. “I know who I am and what I must do; do you?” His fist and pointed finger nearly landed right on Drake’s nose.
“Apologies, Your Royal Highness.” Drake pressed his chin even closer to his chest.
Faldor paced before his page, trying to collect the thoughts that raged against the lining of his skull. Thyberius had known too much, seen too much, and now he had no way of handling him except to let him continue on as if his little outburst had not just occurred. “Take me to the dungeons.”
Drake’s surprise could not be hidden. “Wha—Your Majesty?”
“The. Dungeons. Drake. Do you not comprehend what I say to you?”
“Yes, I do, Your Highness.” He reached for the keyring he kept on his belt and scuttled before him as Faldor’s footsteps rang out behind him.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 7d

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 2 -- Monah's POV, she and Ankara take control when a group of Faldor's Sons attack the center of town and Piatra's birthday preparations.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“Your Majesty.”
The familiar alto came from behind me, and her hand on my shoulder bolted a new round of strength through me. The shield wavered again, only to take on a kind of green tint. Her yellow, my blue. The whimsical thought struck me right in the gut, but I didn’t dare do anything to break the connection with her.
“Your Majesty, you are saving your people.”
I shuddered at her whisper and put even more strength toward the shield as five more fireballs struck and exploded against my shield. “Keep your hand on me.”
“As you wish,” she replied, pressing her palm closer to my shoulder.
Undo the damage done repeated through the front of my mind. “Can you see any end to this?”
“None so far, Your Majesty.”
I hated to send her beyond this shield and away from me, but I needed eyes outside the shield. “Can you permeate the shield safely?”
“I know not, Your Majesty.”

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Reposted by MeliSwenk Editing

Jack White @officialjackwhite.bsky.social · Mar 7

“Never to suffer would never to have been blessed” -Edgar Allan Poe

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 8d

That's just one of Evlin's skills 😁

MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 8d

#WIPSnips from Monah's Bk. 1 -- Monah's POV, Evlin's arrival in Washington Square wasn't all soft words & heat flooding Monah's body. Evlin was assertive, & Monah wasn't going to back down.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“Hey, now, wait a damned minute here, Miss Whoever-You-Are.” She’d searched my brain! She’d easily gone looking through my grey matter as if it were a filing cabinet to pull open and leaf through at will. “You just read her name out of my mind. I felt it. And you don’t get to talk to her that way. She’s going to be my wife.”
“No, that cannot possibly be true.”
The disgust rolled off not only Miss Leather-clad’s words but her expression, too.
“It most certainly is. We’ve been engaged for over two years. We’re getting married next year, not that it concerns you.”
“It does concern me. You must choose to come back with me. Even though this is not a normal . . .” She hesitated over a word and looked nearly in pain for having to even utter this word in front of Joni. “Recruitment.”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 9d

Just watched V/H/S Halloween on Shudder. It was dark, gritty, & gruesome. Solid addition to one of my favorite horror franchises! 5 ⭐️
#writerslife #horrorfam #shudder #vhshalloween #nowstreaming

MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 9d

#WIPSnips from KD & Jaz's Bk. -- The Killer's POV, they have been watching for a long time.
{Trying something by including The Killer's POV in this novel, leaving them unidentified but present & active in the narrative. I don't know if I like it yet.}
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 10d

#WIPSnips from Monah's Bk. 2 -- Monah's POV, as she flits from one emotional confrontation to another, she seeks some peace for a chance to gain some clarity.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Once more, I simply followed where my feet carried me. It only made me think of Washington Square. All those times through the years when I had been just as frustrated and walked myself through town. Heading to a cemetery or an abandoned building or house where I could hole up and center myself. Now that the Grey Estate and even the Grey Meadow had been made into emotional minefields, I was on the hunt for a new place to hole up and get centered. I needed to see, needed some clarity, some perspective. I didn’t know who to seek or where to go, because Evlin had been my touchstone since I arrived. The very arm upon which I showed up to this shitshow of a party.
I groaned into the glaring sunlight and finally registered that it was early afternoon. The sun had slipped just beyond its apex, and my stomach grumbled against the idea of actually consuming some food. Guess I’m going to the castle. The idea brought me an immense and refreshing sense of calm, so I headed right there.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 11d

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 1 -- going for vibes w/ "sleep" -- Monah's POV, she's dreaming about warnings her mom gave her as she was dying. The scene came to me as a combo of dream imagery with the clarity of traumatic recall, but I don't know if it worked.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

I watch me watch my mother sleep. Eerily, I realize I’m dreaming because I recognize this out-of-body feeling, but being back in our old Victorian home pricks my eyes with hot, fresh tears, and I focus on my hands holding my mother’s.
“They’ll come for you,” she whispered, turning her face into the pillowcase that was only one or two shades lighter than the skin stretched across her face.
At the time, I hadn’t thought anything of her sleepy outbursts. Speaking through dreams, is how I thought of it. Talking out of her head is what the hospice nurse called it. She’d explained that many of her patients, at this stage in the dying process, would do much the same thing. Thinking they were giving their family warnings, protections not to worry or not to be afraid once the end finally came.
“Princess,” she whispered with an urgency that belied what little time and energy she actually had left. “They will come for you.”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 11d

I've been stuck on the ending of Survival Instinct for well over a month now, and I just saw it, in a rush of scenes and action, how the rough draft will end. I've got a loose outline now, and I'm so excited to start writing the ending!
#writesky #writingcommunity #kofiupdate
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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 12d

All except for the heliotrope who loves it 🌸

MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 12d

#WIPSnips from Survival Instinct -- going for vibes with "fish" -- kind of a longer snip, even a little spoilery, from Jim's POV, but this moment really surprised me when I wrote it. I couldn't get the words on the page fast enough.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Thoughts of his parents clouded his eyes as he trekked up the stairs to the main part of the house. Dinah’s presence felt like a week-old nightmare, & the actions shortly thereafter were cloudy at best in this moment of complete control. Jim made commands, and they were followed, or else. Paulie—
“Paulina,” Jim said purposefully. “Paulina,” he repeated, placing the emphasis on various syllables. One time asking if she was there; another time surprised at what she’d said. If the namesake could have heard him, she would have begged him to stop repeating that “lousy-ass” name.
“This is my wife, Paulina Highland.” Practically kicking the basement door open, Jim was able to set his tray on a small, nearby table & cast his arms out to his sides as he made the grand statement. Instantly transported, Jim acted as if he was carrying an invisible Paulina on his arm & parading her about the construction site.
“It’s only too bad you couldn’t meet my parents, Paulie! My mother would have loved you,” he cooed, placing his hand over Imaginary Paulina’s as she clung to his arm from shyness. “These are my colleagues,” he boasted, pointing out more imaginary people to the most willing on his arm.
“That’s Bill & Mike & Troy. See, David & Kyle over there? I never would have met you if hadn’t been for them.” Jim’s words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Not that it mattered, of course, because the girl could not hear them. But it had been the newest boys on the site, talking about a frat-house party for the holiday. Taking place in a barn, the only requirement was a costume and five bucks for a bottomless cup. Following along behind them just long enough to get an idea of where the barn was, Jim decided having plans for Halloween wouldn’t be so bad. He planned his costume, a bank robber from the old black-and-white films, which also provided the perfect disguise. Ada had been gone for just a couple of months, and they always talk about how many fish there are out there.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 13d

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 13d

#WIPSnips from Monah Bk. 2 -- Monah's POV, in the kitchen talking to Head Chef Helene, establishing a network for gathering information when the Greys aren't sharing. {Glossary: Sanghremata = Vampire; Viragian = Witch}
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

She nodded adamantly. “And you asked after the Greys?”
I nodded, stepping closer to her. Now, I could scent out the rivers of blood flowing in her veins. I caught no Sanghremata blood in her, pure Viragian, and she smelled like a honeysuckle vine growing amid currant bushes, a kind of sweetened clove.
“I only mention them, as well, as they were in here asking if any of the Sons had been in.” Helene cast her authoritative gaze out, landing on each worker before coming back to level mine. “Some work in here.”
“I appreciate your willingness to employ them.”
“They are still Citizens,” she said gently.
“Indeed, I agree.” The smell of her blood almost made my stomach rumble, and I fought the urge to rest a flat right hand against the center of my body. “Are the Sons causing trouble?”
She shrugged. “I have no details of such, but the Greys were not happy to be seeking out members of Faldor’s army.”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 14d

#WIPSnips from Monah's Bk. 1 -- Evlin's POV, Just after Monah arrives, Ev tries to keep her presence secret until loyalties can be determined. {Vivek Aksoy is an Invelisian & strong psychic who convenes w/ the dead}
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

“Do you know where Lily might be now?” Evlin asked but knew the answer before he gave it simply with a shake of his head. Her next question might have given her away, and Sonja pulled back from the table, turned sideways in her seat, and couldn’t look at either of them as he answered. “Are you loyal to our king?”
Vivek leaned forward, pressing his large hands against the top of the table. “Can I be honest?” Knowing the lay of the land forced him to cast a wary glance over his shoulder before he continued in the comfort of Evlin’s curt nod. “He scares me. I sense death all around him, and the urge to move back.” One of his great pale paws waved at an insubstantial space over his shoulder.
Sonja shook her head, righted herself against the table, and tried to tune out the rest of the bistro’s noise. Until she noticed Megh coming to serve their table herself. “Incoming,” she whispered toward her tablemates and tried to be stealthy.
“Lady Grey, Miss Washington, and Vivek Aksoy?” The warmth of Megh’s smile was all they could see. “Didn’t I just feed you?”
Vivek sheepishly tilted his head toward the table while the pretty brunette woman patted the middle of his shoulders and turned her attention to the women who hadn’t been in yet. “Anything I can get you lovely ladies?”

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 15d

#WIPSnips from Survival Instinct -- Jim's POV, it's clear Rae isn't like the other girls Jim has taken before, and he's trying to self-soothe after the effort of getting her settled in.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

Jim left Rae to her own devices until well past noon. He didn’t eat lunch, and didn’t bother calling Bill about not making it back in. It wouldn’t be the first time his long lunch carried out into the rest of the day. Even though he wanted to maintain appearances, and was usually quite good at it right after securing a new girl, she had worn him out. Not to mention lingering thoughts of his father. Jim bowed deep over his sketching table and clipped, clipped, clipped his cuticles. A boutique-style set of clippers were almost lost in his big bear paw, and they were small as pinpricks against his large fingernails.
“Neat and clean, make the floor gleam. Neat and clean, so it all can be seen. Neat and clean is the way to be.” Whispering under his breath, his mother’s little mopping chant always came to him when he cleaned his nails. It was his duty to sweep out all the dirt and dust before Mama could mop. His dad hated when he helped out in the kitchen, but Mama had no other hands as Jim had been their only child.

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 16d

It was a delight, and you're very welcome!!

MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 16d

Ray's such a badass. Love her! 😍

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MeliSwenk Editing @lousytshirt.bsky.social · 16d

#WIPSnips from KD & Jaz's Bk. -- going for vibes with "pen" -- Doug's POV, Editor in Chief Cleveland "Clive" Matthews warns the captain about Jaz's upcoming expose.
#writesky #writingcommunity #queerwriters

The man guffawed and leaned back in his chair as though gale-force winds broke loose in front of him. “Do I really have to, Doug?”
He glared at the muckracker.
“She’s doing something with the evidence you’re practically burying, because Donald Mayse—”
“Shut the hell up, Matthews.”
He shook his head then leaned all the way forward in his seat. “I’m here as a courtesy, Doug—for the years and years of exclusives you’ve given me. But I cannot stop Jaz. She’s my best goddamn pen—and she sells papers even when everyone’s looking at their goddamn phones.” Matthews stood up and looked down at the chief. “The next headline will be you—and I have to stand with my pens. I wouldn’t have a paper without them.” He shook his head and aimed toward the office door. “You’ve been warned.”

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