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carolinampereira.bsky.social
Carolina | Looking for feedback
@carolinampereira.bsky.social
88 followers 71 following 260 posts
Born to be a writer, forced to be a software engineer | she/her | 25yo | Portugal
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carolinampereira.bsky.social
Jonathan always goes a bit over the top with gifts

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
We sat on the edge of the bed. Before untying the ribbon, I took out my smartphone to take a picture of the intact box. This meticulousness provoked an emphatic eye roll from Jonathan. Finally, I removed the lid from the box, but the suspense only intensified. Inside, buried in the black velvet, was a small velvet bag of the same blue as the box. Jonathan continued to watch me expectantly as the mouth of the bag opened at the same time as mine. I took out a thin silver necklace adorned with a heart painted with the iconic blue and a silhouette of a shiny metal butterfly full of small pink crystals. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful necklace I have ever seen. I was speechless, with the necklace hanging in front of my face. I was mesmerized by the shine, the elegance and beauty of that piece. It hurts me to call it mine, it seemed too good to be true. Beside me was another treasure that sometimes surprises me that it is still mine. This one is plated in white gold, an invaluable fortune. I hugged him tightly once more, proceeding to shower him with kisses and "thank yous." Jonathan's ear-to-ear smile shone almost as brightly as the necklace. It filled my heart more than any jewel.
December 21, 2025 at 8:45 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
All the bright places

#Lofoten #Norway #Photography
A wide-angle landscape photograph captures a serene valley nestled between rugged, golden-brown mountains under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds. In the foreground, a field of low-lying, dark vegetation and moss leads to a calm body of water that reflects the surrounding peaks and the soft light of the sun.
December 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Not this Reddit wrapped thing telling me to stop overthinking and actually write... 😬
December 20, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Carolina | Looking for feedback
merriam-webster.com
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Carolina | Looking for feedback
ellipsus.com
Did you defend the em dash today?
A "Please Bro" meme. A shot of a man's head softly crying. The text reads: "Please Bro you gotta listen it's not just a line think of it as more than a comma and less than a semicolon and you can use it like parentheses except it's ours bro and these tech as*holes they're trying to make it their thing and it's not bro, it's just not."
December 17, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Carolina | Looking for feedback
ellipsus.com
Day 5. #defendtheemdash
A meme that reads "Writers when they defend the Em Dash." Around the text there are stick figures drawn in exaggerated or intense poses. (For example, being beaten, vomiting.)
December 15, 2025 at 9:50 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Suffering from kill-your-darlings today 🥊🩸

Some structural editing going on as I shift a long chapter entirely from Diogo's POV to Peter's POV.

It will hurt, but that's what Book One needs to become solid. Wish me luck.

#AmEditing
December 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Carolina | Looking for feedback
rosie-j-potter.bsky.social
It's here!

The ✨news✨ is here!

I am delighted to announce that The Tinsel Twist is coming from Turner Publishing in less than a year.

I am so stoked to work with Turner.

Thank you @litagentkatiem.bsky.social for not giving up on me!

Link to my silly video announcement in comments.

#WriteSky
A Publishers Marketplace Deal Announcement. Rosie J. Potter's The Tinsel Twist, a second-chance romantic suspense pitched as cozy Hallmark Christmas vibes tangled with a bit of sabotage, in which a chef returns to her small hometown only to be roped into saving the Christmas feast at the last minute, confronted with her recently single college sweetheart (who also happens to be her best friend's brother) and stalked by a jealous ex willing to kill to prevent their happy ending, to Amanda Chiu Krohn at Keylight, for publication in December 2026, by Katie Monson at SBR Media. The deal announcement is dated December 9th, 2025. The background is a muted blue with gold art deco snowflakes. There are illustrations by moth.deity of a man in a button up shirt and tie and a woman in a chef's coat. A silhouette of a black cat is at the bottom.
December 12, 2025 at 3:05 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Ryan is always extra when it comes to drinks 🍹

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Across the table, Ryan was swirling the red straw in his glass as if he felt sorry about emptying it. I don't know what it was, but that electric blue didn't scream drinkable. They did give him what he wanted. It was a whole tropical affair, with the typical paper sunshade, a cherry, and a lemon slice. The ice floated on the surface of the tall, sinuous glass, giving an illusion of gradient. After taking the photo and uploading it, he lost his love for the sight of the full glass and took a gulp too large for someone trying a drink for the first time. We all waited for the grimace, but it never came. "Wow... okay... It's..." He put his hand on his chest and inspected the glass again. "Really good. Very sweet. Tastes like orange. Ten out of ten." He put the straw back in his mouth. "It leaves a weird warmth in my chest, but it's actually funny." "Funny?" Melanie questioned. "Today's the day we discover Ryan has alcoholic tendencies and we have to keep an eye on him." "I don't promise I won't try anything else from the menu. Especially since the bartender is cute."
December 11, 2025 at 9:53 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
More show jumping

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
A radio voice echoed through the loudspeakers, announcing the start of the competition. After the ceremonies, the first pair took the track. A sixteen-year-old girl riding a dappled gray horse of the same age. The background noise of crossed conversations was replaced by an observant silence. Some people leaned forward. Others leaned back, following the horse with their heads. At the obstacle next to the SUV, a hoof knocked down a bar, adding four penalty points that remained until the end of the course. It wasn't going to be an easy one. The pairs passed through the arena and the names were added to the classification table. After jumping the last obstacle, a round of applause followed, which everyone religiously respected. It was obvious who in the stands was cheering for whom. Competitiveness dethroned elegance from time to time.
December 8, 2025 at 11:00 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
One of the saddest things I ever wrote.

CW: grief

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"Oh, she'll be thrilled." Vanessa commented in a tender voice. "I thought it was so sweet how she dealt with you guys. More than an older sister, she was like a mother." I had to agree. I was overwhelmed by a wave of nostalgia for the trips to school, the private math lessons she gave us, the summer afternoons on the terrace. At the same time, I felt an emptiness. Repeating one of those late afternoons without Daniel here to drive Florence nuts won't be the same. That's when I had the saddest epiphany of all time. What I feel is something close to grief. Finally, I found what I was looking for in the mirror. Daniel's absence is being etched into my mind like a death without a body, a disappearance to be confirmed. I'm learning to live without him always looking over me. And the cure for codependency weighs heavily, chills me, and hurts.
December 7, 2025 at 12:08 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Road trip time!

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"With these seats, even I could fall asleep." Ryan said, letting himself sink into the black leather. The new position allowed him to notice other details. "Does this have a sunroof? Super cool! I've never seen a sunroof. How does it work?" "You press the button, it opens, and you sunbathe until you realize it's one of the most useless things a car can have." "That's just talk from someone who has everything and doesn't even care anymore." Ryan retorted. "I don't know, man. I think it's really cool. Open it up, c'mon." It took a little more insistence to counter Jonathan's opinion. But he finally gave in and opened the sunroof. The blue sky shone through the dark glass, illuminating Ryan's face with a smile of fascination. I wish I could be happy with so little. With the simulated click-clack of the turn signals on the speakers, we hit the road. "Don't look at the time on the screen. It's bad for your health." Vanessa said. It was too late. The five and a half hours of travel ahead of us had already jumped out at me on the GPS.
December 5, 2025 at 3:30 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Back to the city he once lived.

CW: mental health struggle, references to psychiatric ward/institutionalization.

English on alt.

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Ryan kept comparing this city to the one we grew up in, all his comparisons tinged with pride. This one is darker, with more shady alleyways, more stores with newspaper-covered windows. However, the view of the illuminated castle atop the hill and the cobblestone streets instead of cement enchanted him enough not to miss his favorite colorful coffee shop. I realized I have no stories to tell about this city. It doesn't know me. I'm just an intruder who couldn't even pretend to live nearby. I'd retreated into a bubble no bigger than our house, the equestrian center, and school. Now that I'm back, I want to walk every street, enter every store, make up for the time I was nothing but a ghost. I also want to be honest and admit that my real desire is to rewrite the only story this place knows about me—that of a dead inside boy who ended up in the psychiatric ward three times.
December 4, 2025 at 10:43 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
No alarms and no surprises

#SpotifyWrapped #Wrapped2025
December 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Some reporting

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
“I really don't know what to say to you,” Ryan sighed. “I just stood there staring, controlling my own stomach. You didn't pay me for that.” ​“I don't even have to pay you. I don't need you to play mother or servant. I just need you to—” ​“I know, I know,” he cut me off. It didn't even sound like his voice. “Short leash, eyes up, company, yadayada. Listen. I'm not going to pretend it was just a bad tummy ache. One hundred percent he was tripping.” ​“Better to assume the worst and have it be nothing than the opposite. Do you think something happened? What were you talking about?” ​“Nothing special, really. The only thing I see that might have affected him was that I fell—” ​“You fell??” The concern came out too aggressive. ​“Wow, you two are so alike. Peter also got all worked up right away. It wasn't serious, everything was under control. But he told me about the accident he had, and perhaps that brought something to the surface.”
December 2, 2025 at 5:09 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Back from a few days break.
Restarting the streak with a Daniel moment.

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
I was falling apart. Not even the crumbs from the makeshift dinner stayed between my fucking fingers, much less what really matters. I ate the slice in half a dozen bites, already out of patience to avoid getting all messy. I picked up my phone again and got annoyed that it insisted the fingers I was using to unlock it didn't belong to me. "Don't get worked up." Peter advised, not caring much. "Eventually, you'll manage to unlock. And it won't be force that helps you." When I finally managed to get the empty chat to look at me again, Peter stood up. He snatched the napkin from my hand, while tenderly placing a hand on my head. They were encouraging caresses, but they translated into "you messed up, now clean it up." I wish this was about the crumbs on the sofa and my shorts.
December 1, 2025 at 3:17 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Diogo and mess are synonyms

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"I thought we were supposed to meet here at five." Peter commented, finally gathering the courage to enter. "Did I misunderstand?" "I said seven, like seven in the afternoon." Peter tilted his head back and murmured something. The mystery of his early arrival is solved. "If you prefer the twenty-four-hour format, it was scheduled for nineteen." I cleared up the misunderstanding while pondering what to do with the random stuff that was already piling up against the wall on my desk. I decided to throw everything into the drawer where most of the bulk junk lived. I only orient myself in chaos. Only then do I know where my things are. Ideas and a creative atmosphere emerge from these piles of uncategorized things. I can't let it flow if everything is tidy and hidden in shelves, drawers, and cabinets. The only exception to the rule is the sanctuary. That, indeed, is a tidy and clean space. Aside from the fact that there are guitar picks sprouting from the ground and poorly coiled cables.
November 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Peter is having fun

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
And so miles passed. The music blared, some louder than others. Black Eyed Peas was always a hit. We even got an epic rendition of Britney Spears' "Toxic" by Ryan. He didn't miss a single syllable, and his falsetto was strangely in tune. He must have rehearsed well. Of course, I didn't get to stay quiet in my corner as a spectator for long. They started pulling me into the middle of the party. Melanie grabbed my wrists to make me clap. Vanessa insisted I told her what songs I know by heart. Don't put me in charge of DJing unless you want to ruin the atmosphere. My playlists are anything but danceable. Okay. I have to admit. I was having fun. Time sped up, devouring miles. All the energy in the car kept my eyes from closing again. Maybe this trip isn't such a bad idea after all. Nothing like a little party to drown the demons.
November 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Right before their first kiss

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
I couldn't stand listening to him rattling off words like someone answering a question on an English test anymore. "I'm terrible at this, sorry." He laughed, embarrassed. "I'll help you." I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts into a sentence. It wasn't the best. Maybe it wasn't even the truest, but it was what I wanted him to hear. "Even though Vitória offended me and even though I was unfair to her..." My voice broke in anguish, as if I had a system that censored me every time my words didn't reflect my thoughts. Now, even if I wanted to, I couldn't finish the sentence. Not when Jonathan interrupted his brisk walk to block my path on the sandy path that climbed through the pine forest. I had been under his gaze countless times, but he had never looked at me with the determination with which I see him staring at the instructions on a test, the calculator screen, or an obstacle in a circus ring. We became each other's next challenge.
November 25, 2025 at 9:34 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Ryan's first time going to the beach

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
On the fifth day, there was light, separating me from the darkness. The day dawned blue and warm, with that musicality that only the summer sun knows how to sing. Our spirits lifted with the fog. The mornings spent loafing in bed and the nights at Jonathan's house playing board games were over. Ryan almost cried when he stepped onto the beach sand. He had already seen the sea the day we arrived, but it was like it were his first time again. He threw his backpack on the ground and ran to the sea, wading into the surf. The screams we thought were of euphoria were, in fact, from the thermal shock. So that Melanie would earn the right to laugh with us, we forced her to try the water. But since she's not of this world, she found the temperature tolerable.
November 24, 2025 at 9:09 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Reward after a hike in the mountains

Nonstinden, Rorbu, Lofoten, Norway

#Norway #Lofoten #photography #travel
Panoramic view from Nonstinden, Rorbu, Lofoten. Small coastal village with colourful houses, calm blue water, several marinas with boats, and rugged mountains in the distance under a bright sky with scattered clouds.
November 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Beyond global

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"When I get rich, I'll pay for everyone's therapy." I joked. "You can drop that weight. Nothing interferes with the four Weirdos. Not even my biggest platonic crush." Tam chuckled softly. I reached out my hand to seal the pact, but she had other ideas. She pulled me into a tight hug. This time she was careful not to get my clothes dirty or break my ribs. I absorbed every second of that comfortable warmth, wishing she would never again feel even a pang of pain. However, I'm too stupid and decided to say the worst thing that could have come out of my mouth at that moment: "Whatever we call each other, promise me you won't leave me alone." "Ry…" She stroked my hair. I pressed her closer to my chest. "Nobody abandons anyone. That's also written in the universal laws of friendship." "True." I smiled again.
November 23, 2025 at 12:00 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
Ryan gets a difficult job

English on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"Why me? Why… why exactly?" "Because I'm not going to trust Jonathan alone this time. Because I know you can effortlessly put a smile on his face. And because I have a terrible feeling." The last words came out hoarse. "What he said yesterday was suspicious. He's clearly delusional. He starts talking about visions and all that shit." He shook his head quickly. "I don't fucking like it." My heart raced with the effort of carrying something so fragile and heavy in my inexperienced hands. I didn't feel capable of doing this. Much less after only a few months ago having started talking to Peter again. "You mentioned Jonathan. It makes sense, they've been studying together. And I realize that part of the time he's away and can't always be there for his brother." I thought aloud. "So what about your mother?" "She does what she can." He said in the same way he could have told me to shut up. "That's good. But maybe it would make more sense for you to ask Mel. They're super close. And she knows how to handle him." I heard him breathing heavily. I squeezed my legs together to keep his impatience from overcoming my need for clarification. "That's out of the question." He made that perfectly clear. "Do you really want to put a girl who believes in spirits, crystals, stars, and shit in charge of dealing with a guy who has visions of the beyond?" I shaked my head in defeat as a reply.
November 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
But baby it's cold outside

English version on alt

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
It wasn't just the images forming in my mind that gave me chills. The night was too cold for the heat of the day. Maybe I should have brought a coat after all. Dan approached me with his black jacket extended toward me. "No need." I refused, somewhat embarrassed. It wasn't that I wouldn't feel good wearing his clothes again after all these years. "I'll run to the car. Thanks." "Put this on and shut up before my arm starts hurting." He insisted, colder than the air outside. I took the denim jacket and was surprised by its weight. It had a worn look, and the color was fading near the seams, but the quality was far above anything I could ever hang on my wardrobe. Despite being a hundred sizes too big for me, the comfort was indescribable. It felt like it was made of hugs and headpats.
November 21, 2025 at 10:40 AM
carolinampereira.bsky.social
In the context of horoscopes and compatibility of signs in love and life (and also Peter getting lost staring at Mel)

English on alt.

#WIPSnip #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
"What is it?" She asked, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Nothing." I was going to look away, but I stopped myself. Her eyes are greener than usual. "I was just thinking that I don't believe in that chart, because in no timeline would I consider myself compatible with Jonathan." "Neither would I with you." He grumbled. Melanie narrowed her eyes. She knew I was avoiding the question. Still, she played along. "As I said, there are other factors. Maybe Jonathan's ascendant will give us clues. The conjunctions of different energies…" Sensing the start of another astrological monologue, Ryan interrupted. "Mel, we all know that Jona is the product of a special cosmic alignment."
November 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM