#PennedPossibilities 904: MC has in common with me, the author?

We both like the same sort of women. (Related, I suppose we're both non-binary.) We both enjoy a quiet walk/run when overwhelmed (and have other odd coping mechanisms, like humour). We both worry about inner demons taking over.

We both have too much schoolwork to do.

#PennedPossibilities 905: MC responsible for anyone else?

In the sense of having dependents, no.

In the sense that she's got temporal powers that can change the fate of anyone she encounters, yes. In the sense that she will have saved Jenny's life in the past, but hasn't done so yet, meaning Jenny's continued existence is in her future hands, also (a different) yes.

Carrie tries to compartmentalize to deal with the responsibility.

#PennedPossibilities 906: SC response to stress?

Jenny's inclined to freeze up initially, then plow through to accomplish whatever the thing is, to try and get out of stress.

Sherlock would react instinctively to minimize it, then overanalyze why it happened (or is happening) in the hope of avoiding it happening again.

#PennedPossibilities 907: MC any phobias or irrational fears?

She doesn't like airports, seeing as it's the last time she saw her mother. Plus was one of her earliest time trips, when she lost her normal life. Doesn't come up much.

I think most of Carrie's other fears are rational.

#PennedPossibilities 908: Last reason SC saw a medical doctor?

For both Jenny and Sherlock it was probably some sort of medical checkup before university. The cast in general is pretty healthy. Physically.

#PennedPossibilities 909: MC advice to younger self?

The question is damn hilarious, seeing as Carrie can (and DOES) travel back in time on occasion to talk to her younger self. She usually has to be cryptic, as otherwise she'll not take her own advice. (Possibly another #TimeTravelAuthors difficulty for that prompt today.)

That said, a lot of future advice boils down to, "Most people are doing the best they can. To also be at your best, accept help from others."

#PennedPossibilities 910: Only 24 hrs left to live?

If it's an external event, they'd probably try to do something to prevent it. Possibly time travel to avoid it.

If it's an internal medical issue, they'd have one last hurrah of some sort, and make a point of thanking those nearest them for their support. Goes for Carrie or her associates.

#PennedPossibilities 911, what's your emergency?

"Which characters would watch/marathon films together?"

Difficult question, because I'm not the type of person who binges media. Carrie would be up for it but not initiate. Sherlock or Peaches are more likely to start something for the group; mystery for the former, scifi for the latter.

#PennedPossibilities 912: Describe MC

Carrie is a busty blue-eyed blonde who is highly athletic, overly curious, and trying to do the right thing after seeing what not caring for people can lead to. Late teens in the current story, and she's pretty sure she's a lesbian.

I've never prompted AI about her, though a couple years ago I did stumble into previously generated images of the right look.

#PennedPossibilities 913: Locate MC in a crowd?

Blonde hair, often in a hairband. Not unattractive or prone to blending in. And she does respond to her name.

#PennedPossibilities 914: Antagonist redeeming qualities?

Most of mine do, as I often try to redeem them by the end. He's rather clever, which includes knowing when to (temporarily) call things quits. And he's good at keeping secrets.

#PennedPossibilities 915: Worst way to die, from SC?

Jenny would say the fading out of existence so no one even remembers you is pretty bad. But is that death? So perhaps something embarrassing, like you left laundry too late, so you're doing it in your underwear, and that's when you get electrocuted.

Sherlock goes with anything where you're still feeling pain and not dead yet, like blood loss from a missing limb.

#PennedPossibilities 916: MC react to being mocked?

She would attempt to be dismissive, but if it continued, would cut back verbally herself. Carrie might even throw a punch, depending on who's doing the mocking.

She'd later seek an ego boost from a (girl) friend.

#PennedPossibilities 916b: MC react to waking up as a werewolf? (If already werewolf, as wererabbit.)

Honestly sounds like a fun dream or side story to do, and Carrie WAS once a rabbit in a brief narrative diversion. (She's not the first, I seem to have a thing for bunny ears?)

What would likely happen is some time travel to determine the trigger, and then some paradoxing to undo the effects. Carrie would prefer not to have to shave more than her legs on a regular basis.

#PennedPossibilities 917: Any characters ever broken a bone?

Going with no. It's never happened to me, or anyone close to me, which would make it difficult to write about.

If it happened in a character's past, they haven't told me, possibly because I'm a bit squeamish that way.

#PennedPossibilities 918: Antagonist react to being mocked?

He'd either ignore it, while making mental notes as to who to take revenge on later, or give a glare in the vein of do you know who you're addressing. Though if you catch him on a good day, it would merely be an eyeroll.

#PennedPossibilities 919: Tackle a problem head on, or procrastinate.

CARRIE: Oh, tackle it right away as best as one can. Letting it drag on in the background often creates a bigger problem, though I grant sometimes you don't have a choice if you need energy or materials to deal with it.

Unless, is this an indirect way of asking me if I've decided which girl I'm going to date? In which case, shut up.

#PennedPossibilities 920: MC feel about childhood home?

She enjoyed living there. Not a huge floor plan but a big tree in the backyard and a ravine out back to explore. Granted, she was living there up to a couple months ago, and her Dad's keeping the room untouched.

#PennedPossibilities 921: Who/What does MC think about most often?

Initially it was about who her attempted assassin might be, and what it means for someone else to have her powers.

Ever since Peaches saved her life, she's been thinking more and more about what it'd be like kissing girls who aren't Chartreuse. Well, and one girl in specific. Focus, Carrie, focus, damn it.

#PennedPossibilities 922: Embarrassing for SC if it were revealed?

I think I've figured out why I'm having trouble with this one. I've reached a point (maybe in part from being schizotypal) where I don't really get embarrassed. It's nothing, then I jump to mortification.

So, I dunno really. Some incident from Jenny or Sherlock's past, I guess. Where they did something young and foolish?

#PennedPossibilities 923: Something a character feels confident about.

Another hard one, honestly, as I am rarely confident about anything myself.

I suppose Heather is confident that no one is keen on her scientific work, though that is changing. Sherlock's confident he can help Jenny. Carrie's pretty confident she's a lesbian.

#PennedPossibilities 924: Most likely to start a food fight, why and with what?

JENNY: Maybe Peaches, as a distraction for something, by throwing juice? Honestly, not sure.

SHERLOCK: Al might, if it was part of his research. Or Carey might, if he wanted to escape a social situation.

#PennedPossibilities 925: Characters enjoy camping?

Carrie enjoys nature and a challenge, so she might (provided she has proper provisions, she had one bad incident in the woods). Sherlock might for similar reasons. Jenny leans more to technology, Heather doubly so, thus they'd take a pass. Peaches would be fine with it if Carrie was there to save her from any freaky bugs.

#PennedPossibilities 926: Characters play sports?

Carrie did track and field and was a cheerleader. She's the most sporty of the cast (other than Phil Clarke, who only has a cameo in the sequel), it's not something I focus on.

#PennedPossibilities 927: MC proud of who they are?

To a degree, yes. They've seen something they could be, and are proud that they're not going down that path.

On the flip side, she's not proud of her inability to figure out her love life, which does include an aspect of her own identity.

#PennedPossibilities 928: A bit about story writing process/style/etc.

I prefer serials, and "Time Untied" will eventually be one. Alas, the time travel aspect is forcing me to write to the end before the beginning is clear. I rarely know the ending when I start writing anything.

Other serials will hopefully return. They usually parody or relate to current events (like I wrote one with a pandemic) while having romantic subplots. Often f/f.

#PennedPossibilities 929: MC country of origin and currently?

Carrie is Canadian, born in small town Ontario. She's currently in Ottawa, the Capital of Canada itself.

This is largely because I started the story in my 20s, and I was born in small town Ontario, but a lot of my settings are deliberately vague, while many characters are Canadian or Canadian adjacent. Is it nationalism, or lazy research, you decide!

#PennedPossibilities 930: SC risk their life to save a stranger?

Jenny probably would. Sherlock would do a quick analysis as to the situation (like, did this stranger put themselves in peril, is this a worthwhile cause) and if there's no red flags he probably would too.

#PennedPossibilities 931: Worst way to die, MC opinion?

She's got an assassin after her, so this feels like fishing. Seriously though, probably having your body taken over by something else. Leaving you powerless to prevent the actions it takes until you're finally brought down one way or another.

#PennedPossibilities 932: Three facts about a fave SC

Y'know what? Heather Bright doesn't get enough attention.
-Latina heritage but raised locally, puts little thought into her appearance (mismatched socks, etc).
-Doesn't understand relationships, keeping to herself; has the only single room (no roommate) in the cast.
-Devised a way to capture sixth dimensional temporal energy before being sure of its existence.

#PennedPossibilities 933: Three facts about MC

-Carrie is an Aries, born March 26th. First sign of the Zodiac, energetic, impulsive, unstoppable.

-Her time powers are a result of her mother being sent into the past as a baby, causing the original timeline without her to become overwritten. Carrie sometimes wonders about the original world where she never existed.

-She's almost certain she's a lesbian. Female relationships click more than male ones ever did.

#PennedPossibilities 934: Book cover for the WIP?

I have something I slapped together for "Time Untied", from photographing a pocket watch I own. When I finish it, maybe I'll commission something better.

For the very curious, it's sitting on the "ScribesAndMakers" tag today, prior post, weird coincidence.

#PennedPossibilities 935: Writing goals for 2026?

To finally get the damn "Time & Tied" sequel, "Time Untied", completed. It's been in progress since 2017 and is over 300k words.

I thought I'd be able to finish it in 2024, then my life basically blew up. I had to change my online handle, do therapy and teach new courses. Life has almost settled again, so I really want it done. I have other writing in mind, of lower priority, given who knows what will happen next.

#PennedPossibilities 936: Something disgusts MC?

Smoking. Her friend Julie never liked it either, and it tended to be frowned on in their high school. A waste of money that could be put to better use, makes you smell bad yet you're not even really aware, and of course the health concerns.

(I fully admit, many of my characters have this trait because I do as well. Largely on account of mild asthma when I'm around smoke.)

#PennedPossibilities 937: Most controversial character?

In the WIP? Probably Megan, who is quite religious, or Peaches, who is absolutely not - and lesbian. Either has the potential to be seen as a terrible stereotype or simply unlikable.

Overall? Probably Beam, the lesbian hologram who was shunned from a world where everyone was bi, as she was even racier than Peaches. Really took a direction I didn't expect.

#PennedPossibilities 938: Favourite work of art?

CARRIE: (dryly) Do girlfriends count? (beat) Wait, seriously? Oh, but like, the other responders talk about painting and singing there, I just... yeah, no. I just... I'm terrible. Er, let's go with the melting clocks one by Dali, okay? That feels like it sums up my life. (pause) Right, yeah, "Persistence of Memory", that one. And I'm going to melt away now too, byeee.

#PennedPossibilities 939: MC respond if falsely accused of a crime?

Indignation. Mixed with concern that maybe a future version of herself did time travel and commit the crime for reasons unknown.

Meaning she would almost certainly try to get to the bottom of it, to gain peace of mind.

#PennedPossibilities 940: Regret anything about the creation of WIP?

That it became so damn long? Seriously, the lesbian love triangle sprang out and took over, Sakura's subplot grabbed an entire section, Thanksgiving went on forever, and now it's all about Heather's family. There IS an assassin still, yeah? I hope people won't find it boring. x.x

On the bright side, I've renamed, to avoid having Carrie, Carey, Kat, Katie, Crystal and Chartreuse. Corry's also become Tori in T&T on AO3.

#PennedPossibilities 941: One thing you lied to yourself about?

CARRIE: The type of lie in your head, or when you time jump to literally talk yourself.... guessing the former.

I told myself that no one cared about anything except for themselves. I suppose that let me be selfish and immature about my mom, my relationships... lots of stuff. Plus it let me believe no one cared about my pain. On some level, I'm still working through that, but now with friends. #TimeTravelAuthors

#PennedPossibilities 942: First thing antagonist does when they wake up?

(redacted): Curse the protagonist and the trajectory of my life, while hoping today will be different. Then I try to have a healthy breakfast.