JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
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justplaindan.croutch.ca
JustPlainDan 🇨🇦
@justplaindan.croutch.ca
1K followers 140 following 750 posts
IT by day, freelance writer by night, husband and father always. Golf fanatic, watcher of F1. Proud Canadian 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
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justplaindan.croutch.ca
Of all the form rejections THE BLACKSMITH'S REBELLION has (there are quite a few now), this one from
Julie Crisp was the most authentic and encouraging one yet. As disappointing as this rejection was, I'm left feeling energized. #amquerying
An email message from an agent stating that, while they enjoyed the noved, she was passing on representing the book.
November 21, 2025 at 1:04 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Sometimes, when it seems everything is going wrong, it's nice to stand in awe of God’s creation beauty. These Malagasy sunsets bring me such peace.
A sunset over a port building at dusk.
September 25, 2025 at 2:59 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Looking back through my email history at that one time, in 2011, an agency campaigning for a senator at the time offered to help me illegally vote.
An email exchange where someone named Dan says the campaign email was sent to him in error because he is a Canadian citizen and resident and can't vote in US elections with a reply thanking Dan for the note, complimenting his Canadian nature, and then offering to find a way to help him vote if he wanted to, quote "This is Ner Jersey after all".
September 7, 2025 at 11:54 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
#amwriting friends, this person uses Grok to generate her chapter feedback. Unless you're okay with your unpublished work getting fed into a Gen AI and paying someone to do it, you'll want to avoid working with this person. (Verified by prompting Grok myself, ugh)
A screenshot of a tweet from someone named Edits by Sandra showing their post of a postive review for their fake chapter feedback.
August 29, 2025 at 10:24 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
This was in my @LinkedIn feed today. Firstly, I’m Canadian, so no. Secondly, ICE is a dangerous organization driven by ignorance, hate, and fear, so heck no. Blocked and reported.
An image of Donald Trump saluting in a red hat with with the words “defend the homeland join ICE today” written in large, white block text.
August 13, 2025 at 7:57 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
(and we do have nice eggs here.)
A closeup of two dozen eggs in a variety of shades of green, white, brown, beige, and tan.
August 11, 2025 at 7:23 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
For the auto enthusiasts out there, here are some of the quirky knock-offs that come in through the import lot here in Madagascar. First a “Karry” cleverly disguised as a Ford, not an F-150 raptor but a Foron Timberlamd V7, and whatever SUV number three is…
A silver SUV sits in a parking lot among many other cars waiting for transportation to a car lot. A blue pickup truck from the back with the name Foron written in large block letters along the tailgate. A white electric delivery van with a blue oval logo with the name Karry written inside.
August 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, a high fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers he is one of the six Misigothian Chosen destined to rule Carnin, setting up a showdown against the five kings already in power, who’ve corrupted Ari’s friend as their pawn. #questpit #q #a #f
A sword with blue flames coming off the sword on a black background. The title "The Blacksmith's Rebellion" written over top. The text for a novel pitch is overlaid over an image of castle ruins. The novel pitch is for a high fantasy novel. An image outlining the themes and comps for the novel that was pitched. The comps include smaller images of The Wheel of Time and The Priority of the Orange Tree. Themes include the rise of a reluctant hero, epic battles, a light magic system, and secondary world fantasy. A block of text showing the sample writing from the novel. Set over a black and white image of a wheat field.
August 6, 2025 at 4:01 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Making our own vanilla extract with some fresh vanilla beans we brought from Madagascar. This room smells all kinds of heavenly.
A kitchen table with small bottles of vodka and vanilla beans on them. Beside them sit the same bottles, only empty. Two large bottles of Smirnoff vodka sit in the foreground.
July 19, 2025 at 2:58 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic high fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers he is one of the six Misigothian Chosen destined to rule Carnin, setting up a showdown against the five kings already in power, who’ve corrupted Ari’s best friend as their pawn. #bluepit📖 #q #a #f #amquerying
A sword with blue flames coming off the sword on a black background. The title "The Blacksmith's Rebellion" written over top. The text for a novel pitch is overlaid over an image of castle ruins. The novel pitch is for a high fantasy novel. An image outlining the themes and comps for the novel that was pitched. The comps include smaller images of The Wheel of Time and The Priority of the Orange Tree. Themes include the rise of a reluctant hero, epic battles, a light magic system, and secondary world fantasy. A block of text showing the sample writing from the novel. Set over a black and white image of a wheat field.
July 13, 2025 at 4:01 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
One of the things I missed about being home is BBQ’ing. While my pellet grill is still in use by my brother-in-law, I got to prepare some pork side ribs today for my extended in-law family. The results were praised, and the sauce/rub was sugar-free. #bbq
A stack of pork side ribs rubbed with a dry mix turning them red. They are stacked on a white tray. A cooked pork side rib in a tin foil wrap, coloured darkly from cooking.
July 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
While I don't have character art, this cover mock-up I created (no AI) summarizes The Blacksmith’s Rebellion, a high fantasy epic, quite well.

On that note, these #BluePitHype moodboards and character art are incredible! The talent in this community is awe-inspiring.
A sword with blue smoke rising from it sits in the center of a black background. The words “the blacksmith’s rebellion”.
July 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
It felt wonderful to get out on the course with my kids and a friend. I've missed this time with my kids on the course, and the conversations you have walking along the holes. I rarely get this much quality time with my teens, and my heart is full. (and so is my score card. Woof)
A set of golf clubs in the foreground, some with covers on. A man looks out over a golf gateway that stretches out into the background.
July 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
New phone background. Burning tree trimmings is a tough job, but somebody has to do it.
A fire burns in a firepit surrounded by stones in the foreground, a wooden shed in the background.
July 5, 2025 at 1:22 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I love the eggs here at my in-laws. Green eggs and ham, anyone?
Two cartons of a dozen eggs are sitting on a counter. The eggs are brown, white, pink, tan, and green in colour.
July 3, 2025 at 1:29 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
What a way to spend the #CanadaDay long weekend. Clear skies, beautiful water, time with family. This is what rest and relaxation looks like.
June 30, 2025 at 1:14 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Canada is a beautiful country. I love being home.
A panoramic of a Boreal forest lake, still water surface, and some people fishing.
June 29, 2025 at 12:11 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I'm just a writer, standing in front of agents, asking them to fall in love with my epic high fantasy story. #amquerying #amwriting #writingcommunity
A meme of a movie scene where a woman is facing a man. The man is standing with his back to the camera. The woman appears to be crying. Superimposed on the top of the image are the words "I'm just a writer, standing in front of an agent" and "asking them to love my manuscript" along the bottom.
June 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I interrupt your doom scrolling with a salamander who just wonders if you’re okay.
A green salamander looks at the camera, sitting on a wooden windowsill in the sunlight.
June 15, 2025 at 9:05 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
I see your meerkat and raise you a lemur.
A crowned lemur hangs from a small tree with its eyes closed.
June 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Which one would you prefer? #diningout #pizza
A menu of several different types of pizza written in French. The prices are in Malagasy Ariary and range from 20,000 to 40,000. A menu of specialty pizzas written in French with prices in Malagasy Ariary. The prices range from 35,000 to 40,000
June 8, 2025 at 3:11 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
An updated #agentsguide for THE BLACKSMITH’S REBELLION, an epic high fantasy where apprentice blacksmith Ari discovers he is one of the six Misigothian Chosen destined to rule Carnin, setting up a showdown against the five kings already in power, who’ve corrupted Ari’s best friend as their pawn.
A sword with blue flames coming off the sword on a black background. The title "The Blacksmith's Rebellion" written over top. The text for a novel pitch is overlaid over an image of castle ruins. The novel pitch is for a high fantasy novel. An image outlining the themes and comps for the novel that was pitched. The comps include smaller images of The Wheel of Time and The Priority of the Orange Tree. Themes include the rise of a reluctant hero, epic battles, a light magic system, and secondary world fantasy. A block of text showing the sample writing from the novel. Set over a black and white image of a wheat field.
June 3, 2025 at 11:22 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Just me and the ship. Ask me how you can support us (and Mercy Ships Canada) over the next year.
A white man stands in front of a ship wearing a linen shirt and jeans. The ship has the name Africa Mercy written on the back. It's painted mostly white, except for the hull, which is blue.
May 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Monaco has a special parking spot for cars that DNF. #formula1 (image source: @f1tv.bsky.social)
A green Formula 1 car is parked in from of a black wall with the words “p zero” in yellow paint written on the wall above it.
May 26, 2025 at 3:46 AM
justplaindan.croutch.ca
Yeah, today was some kind of special.
A scene with a brown water pond surrounded by low tropical plants. Bamboo and palm trees are scattered around in the background A closeup of a bundle of flowers with hair like red pedals at the end of a tree branch. A tropical forest image, a giant palm tree in the center. Each leaf on the tree are as large as the entire neighbor tree. Five men, two white and three black, are taking a selfie standing on a tractor tire.
May 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM