Steven D. Brewer

Sound Gallery - Elk bugle - Natural Sounds (U.S. National Park Service)

Here's a sound recording of bugling elk: www.nps.gov/subjects/sou...

"They were introduced only recently."
"Why do they make that weird noise?"
"I'm given to understand that it's a sound the males make during the #rut."
"The rut? What's that?" Brunhilde asked, eyes sparkling.
"Oh. Um..." The bear scratched his head. "Maybe you should ask your mother." #wss366

A weird noise was heard at the Volpex Picnic Park, pitched both simultaneously high and low.
"Hey! Hey! What was that?" Brunhilde asked.
"Huh?" the bear said. "Oh, that. That was an elk bugling."
"What's an elk?"
"It's a kind of large herbivore," the bear said. (1/2) #wss366

"Oh, thou vile temptress!" he moaned, closing his eyes. "How mayst one choose among such delights that..."
"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. "Burgers it is." (2/2) #wss366

"Well," she said. "What do you choose?"
"Thou hast #befogged my mind," he said, raising a hand. "Thou vile witch! What spell hast thou cast that clouds my senses and..."
"It's not hard, Leroy," she said. "I just asked if you wanted chicken or burgers for dinner." (1/2) #wss366

Exactly as I predicted… AIs are routinely being compromised to not act in your interest. www.schneier.com/blog/archive...

A Familiar Problem by Steven D. Brewer Becoming a powerful demon's familiar might be the best thing ever. But what's the catch?

Read more about Rory and Tseluna in A Familiar Problem, available now from Water Dragon Publishing. waterdragonpublishing.com/product/fami...

She looked over at Rory, who was still in shock, trying to process what she was saying.
"Oh! Don't look so sad, Sugar!" she said, patting his cheek. "I can make them bigger again. For you." (3/3) #wss366

"My breasts?" she replied. "I just made them smaller."
His eyes goggled. "You… made them smaller?"
"Sure. Women in Japan sometimes use a sarashi to bind their breasts to fit into a kimono. But I can just make mine smaller. It's not like you can show any #cleavage in a kimono anyway." (2/3) #wss366

Rory accompanied Tseluna through an arcade of small shops in Tokyo. Eyes surreptitiously followed her as people glanced at her stunning kimono patterned with chrysanthemum blossoms.
"I have to ask…" Rory said. "How did you get that to close over your… You know…" (1/3) #wss366

Lloyd waddled around the chicken and invited the customer to follow.
"What's wrong with him?" asked the customer.
"That's #Forlorn Leghorn," Lloyd said. "He's depressed because no one will hire him. It's a shame because he'll work for chicken feed." 2/2) #wss366

Lloyd led the customer into the back of Kowareta Nai.
"Do you have any particular specification or request?" he asked.
"Well, what I'm looking for…" he started to say, then caught sight of a very large chicken that was laying on the ground. (1/2) #wss366

Microsoft gets tired of “Microslop,” bans the word on its Discord, then locks the server after backlash Microsoft blocks the word Microslop on its Copilot Discord, bans users, and locks channels after backlash, showing tensions around its AI push

Microsoft doesn't want you to call it "microslop." www.windowslatest.com/2026/03/02/m... #microslop

A Familiar Problem by Steven D. Brewer Becoming a powerful demon's familiar might be the best thing ever. But what's the catch?

Read more about Rory and Tseluna in A Familiar Problem, available now from Water Dragon Publishing. waterdragonpublishing.com/product/fami...

"Of course. Why don't you try?"
Rory thought for a moment to prepare the spell and cast it silently. His clothes burst into flames. He began screaming and trying to beat out the conflagration.
"Finesse," she said, shaking her head. (2/2) #wss366 #side

Rory shivered in the chilly breeze. He peered at Tseluna who was naked beside him.
"How come you're not cold?" he asked her.
"I can just use magic to warm myself and maintain my body's homeostasis. You could too, if you had any finesse."
"Really?" (1/2) #wss366

Young women moved through, refilling glasses and bringing platters of food. The plumpest looked up, then gasped.
"It's Devi-san!" Booboo cried.
Zsazsa spun.
"Devi-san," she spat. "What are you doing here?"
"It's true," she said, archly. "You can go #back. But you can never go home." (3/3) #wss366

Mindful of her long nails, she zipped her coat up against the breeze and headed that way. She spotted Mama-san's noren, walked underneath, and pushed open the door. Laughter and good cheer poured out in abundance. The room was full of cheerful patrons. (2/3) #wss366

The SkyJumper hissed when the hatch opened. She climbed down the steps and stepped out into a chill breeze that whistled around the buildings and blew down the streets of Volpex One.
She checked her device. Mama-san's izakaya was just around the corner. (1/3) #wss366

Oni Diras Nun! A Tabloid for Esperantujo - Steven D. BREWER In 2007, when I was still engaged with US Esperanto movement, I decided that what it needed was a tabloid newspaper to share fantastical stories about Esperanto personalities and events. I persuaded a...

The somewhat weird backstory of Oni Diras Nun! stevendbrewer.com/oni-diras-nu...

A sole crewman stood watch.
From the girl's journal, she knew that this was the ship. It acted as a freighter, but that was just a #front for far more lucrative human trafficking. She approached the ship.
"Is the captain aboard?" she called.
"Come back tomorrow," the crewman replied. (2/2) #wss366

Heather headed out into the Docklands of the port of Deepmooring. Dozens of ships were tied up while crates were offloaded and onloaded. The docks were busy with swarms of porters while sailors came and went.
On a small dock far out in the harbor, a red two-masted lugger was tied up. (1/2) #wss366

Jen ligiloj al la nuraj konataj ekzempleroj de OniDirasNun! revo.bierfaristo.com/onidirasnun/

"I'm home, dear," JD said, coming in the door. "That was a long day."
He loosened his tie and hung up his coat. Then, as if struck by inspiration, he began to fully disrobe — except his socks.
"I think, tonight, a little diversion is in order. Are you ready?"
Naked, he approached the #couch. #wss366

Now, they began to throw stones at the men thrashing in the water. The soldiers quailed for a moment, unsure what to do.
Major Hillsong, an island of lucidity among the madness that surrounded him, bellowed, "Charge!" (3/3) #wss366 (from Lady Cecelia's Temptation)

"Take that, dogs of Havelock!" hooted Sergeant Baker from across the river.
Chaos reigned. The men on the far side, at the direction of Sergeant Baker, had sawed through timbers of the bridge and used huge draft horses to pull the bridge over. (2/3) #wss366

The cloudy sky grew pallid as dawn approached.
Cecelia heard when the lead ranks began to cross a wooden bridge.
"Ware!" Hillsong suddenly bellowed. "Pull back!"
With the sound of wrenching timber, the bridge toppled over sideways. Dozens of soldiers spilled into the muddy water. (1/3) #wss366

He ran out to kitchen and rummaged in the drawer for a minute. He came back with an implement and proceeded to mash his potatoes.
"Look, Grandma! I'm a #masher!"
"You certainly are!" She smiled. (2/2) #wss366

"Dinner!" Mom called.
"Yay!" Bobby yelled. He sat at the table with his grandma. "What's for dinner?"
"Ham, green beans, and buttered potatoes."
"Aw!" Bobby said. "Not mashed potatoes?"
"I made buttered potatoes," his mom said, a bit peeved. "But you can mash them yourself." (1/2) #wss366

"He did say to pour him one, though," Revin said. "Whatever that means."
Grip stood abruptly. "Tonight," he said. "He means it's tonight." (2/2) #wss366 (from Devishire! a Revin's Heart sequel)