I Am Just, A Dumb Little Goblin. I Cannot Do Math. I Just Want To Eat Some Leaves From The Ground And

Bioregional Quiz

Unusual cat gene that seems to occur naturally in Poland and Romania. This gene is called Karpati. More can be read here 

Lady bug on the tansy

Top Tips for Clues, Red Herrings, and Breadcrumbs

One of the most important parts of writing MYSTERY is figuring out what to do with clues and red herrings - and how to use them effectively. Here’s some advice that’s never steered me wrong: 

Hide the real clue before the false ones! Most people, so by extent your readers and your sleuth, tend to focus on the last piece of information presented to them. A good strategy is to mention/show your real clue and then quickly shift focus. 

Do a clue cluster! Squeeze your real clue in among a whole pile of red herrings or other clues, effectively hiding it in plain sight. This works especially well with multiple suspect mysteries. 

Struggling to think of what a clue could be? Try this list: 

Physical objects: Letters, notes, tickets, emails, keepsakes, text messages, diaries, etc. 

Dialogue: voicemail recordings, overheard conversations, hearsay, gossip, rumours. All of these can hold grains of truth! 

Red herrings distract and confound your protagonist and your reader, so you should be careful not to overuse them. Well balanced, red herrings should lead your characters down false paths to create confusion, tension, and suspense.

Contradictions! Have characters claim they did so-and-so at such-and-such a time, but other characters have evidence that contradicts this.

Balance! Avoid a clue that’s so obvious it’s like a neon sign saying “Look at me, I’m a clue!” but don’t make it so obscure it’ll be missed entirely. A good clue should leave a reader saying “Damn, I should have noticed that” 

A guide to designing wheelchair using characters!

I hope this helps anyone who's trying to design their oc using a wheelchair, it's not a complete guide but I tried my best! deffo do more research if you're writing them as a character

Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus Eques)

since i made a post for inti here’s one for latte too????

latte is. a guy. his name is latte because i worked at a coffee shop when i got him (original). he’s about 12 years old and i found him in an ad online. he was owned by a BP breeder and because of his deformities and issues he wasn’t a breeding prospect, which is totally fair. what wasn’t fair was he was obviously neglected, kept in a small plastic drawer with no enrichment and just a water bowl, his excrement was still in there as well. the guy did the right thing by putting him up for sale if he didn’t have the time or interest for him, but still. that treatment of him wasn’t right. anyway

he has a deformed tail which he seems to have no feeling in at all. he doesn’t know how to shed his skin - he’ll go into blue and then just sit there and occasionally rub his face on things, but nothing more, so he needs bathing monthly and i have to help him shed. he has a head wobble and went off his food for almost a year for seemingly no reason. he’s Very head shy and will freak out if you go near his face (usually).

he just like. forgets how to snake. but then one day his brain cell Activates and he’s suddenly uber hungry and active. i’d love to know what goes on in those neurons when his snake side awakens

he’s a very sweet guy who just wants to chill but has no idea where or who he is at any given time. that’s okay i love him <3 best impulsive preloved buy ever.

big stretch

Spiky Leaf Beetle, Hispellinus sp., family Chrysomelidae, Keelung, Taiwan

photograph by Adeline Goh

I've found this nifty reference website for artists called www.dimensions.com that has a database of exact measurements for various objects, plants, and animals

They have a premium version with 3D models that I haven't tried yet, but it's definitely very informative if you're trying to get the anatomy and proportions for different species of animals right!