Robin Herbert
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peterrobin.bsky.social
Robin Herbert
@peterrobin.bsky.social
2.5K followers 2.1K following 2.3K posts
Sydney NSW |
Writer| Winner of the Inaugural FIFA Prize for Physics
Bisexual | Queer| Gay | LGBTQIA+
They/them he/him
Book "Music the Devil Cannot Hear"
https://peterrobinherbert.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/music-the-devil-cannot-hear/
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peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 21 "silver"

Silver is used in mirrors, right?

From The Five Lives of Levi Morbali

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Then she adopted a brisk professional approach and turned a circular mirror towards Calliope, saying, “You’re very beautiful but look at how your colour …” She trailed off with a slightly puzzled expression, angling the mirror this way and that, then looked up and gasped. Calliope was right next to her, looking intently into the mirror but not back out of it. She looked at the girl with a disturbing smile and was joined by Hecate and Hecuba each regarding her with the same sinister gaze. Now the shop assistant looked terrified. “Don't worry about them, they only eat men,” I said, eliciting a nervous laugh from the girl. Calliope gave her a reassuring smile, or at least the best approximation a vampire can achieve of a reassuring smile. “You're very beautiful,” said the girl, “you don't need anything, you're just a bit … pale.”
December 21, 2025 at 9:03 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
December 20, 2025 at 2:19 PM
peterrobin.bsky.social
December 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 20 "default"

From the WIP A Morris Minor on Mars

(including the running gag about Kevin McCalister)

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“I'm Daryl Hutton …” “Oh. Well if you are here to make trouble…” “I don't want to cause trouble. I just want to find out what is happening here.” “Why should it concern you? We own this valley freehold. Soon there will be a town spread out over all of it.” “Ms … erm … Sunray, most of this valley is Crown land. The deed for the plot that you are occupying, which is a couple of hectares, is held by a shell company with no cash or assets and the bank will foreclose soon.” “I can assure you, Mr Hutton, I hold the deed for the entire valley.” “May we see the deed?” asked Brodie. “I don't see why you should.” “Did you have a lawyer look it over and do searches?” “Of course. I had an excellent lawyer recommended by your own Mr McCalister.” “Would that be Kevin?” “That's him.” Brodie failed to suppress a laugh, bringing a dirty look from her.
December 20, 2025 at 9:18 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
The #1 movie when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go.

I'll finally get that role in the Zeigfeld Follies that I've always dreamed of.
December 20, 2025 at 8:52 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#Smutcember 20

From The Writing Machine.

Nick and Vince fell in love a year ago in Italy. They haven't had sex yet as they live on opposite sides of the world. Nick arrives straight from the airport and has to sit through dinner with Vince's sister and her family. Finally they are alone...
The door closed and after a few seconds Nick opened and closed it again. Then they looked at each other and within a few seconds of kissing, caressing and clumsy tugging at each other's clothing they were on the bed naked. Nick got under the covers and Vince said he was going to put some lights out. When he got back Nick was lying there still. "Nick?" he said, "Nick?" and jogged him a little with his hand but Nick was already fast asleep. With a sigh, Vince got in beside him and said, "Goodnight Nick.”
December 20, 2025 at 7:31 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
Here is what I am thinking someone should do as a stop gap measure, and it would need to be carefully planned. First, some sort of a diversionary disturbance. Second a small team with ladders, liquid nails and some black painted plywood panels...
Kennedy Center with black rectangle over Trump's name, mimicing the redactions in the Trumpstein files.
December 20, 2025 at 4:02 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
If they're going to redact his name from everything, let's at least be consistent.
The front of the Kennedy Center with a black rectangle over Trump's name.
December 20, 2025 at 2:12 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 19 "high"

From The Writing Machine

TW: racial slur

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
"So you were friends at the same high school Emma went to?" asked Nick "Yeah, we were best friends," said Jenny, Vince gave Nick a warning look. "Is that because you were both gay?" asked Nick. "Nobody ever came out at high school in those days, very few do now," said Vince. "We were both outsiders," said Jenny, "me because I am Chinese and Vince because he is Italian." "But you're both Australians aren't you?" asked Nick. "The way it worked was this," said Jenny, "if an Anglo looking guy came to Australia when he was twelve years old and has a Pommie accent, he was an Aussie. "But me, whose family in Australia goes back to the 19th century and have an Aussie accent, I was not an Aussie." "And my Nanu worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme but I wasn't an Aussie I was a wog," said Vince.
December 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
Preliminary sketch for a portrait of my mum
December 18, 2025 at 1:44 PM
peterrobin.bsky.social
The Trump bio seems to be quite accurate:
Presidential walk of fame plaque with picture of sleeping Trump and inscription: Donald J Trump was a pedophile game show host from a rich family and was close friends for fifteen years with two major child sex traffickers who trafficked children from his private club, Mar-a-Lago. He was a convicted felon and rapist who openly boasted of sexually assaulting women. He was a racist slumlord who defrauded students and children’s charities. His political career was notable for incompetent policy, his steep cognitive decline and his inability to stay awake in public. He watered down due process, dismantled the separation of powers and filled important government positions with people whose only qualification was their abject servitude to Trump. He surrounded himself with weak toadies and demanded they humiliate themselves by daily offerings of absurdly extravagant praise to Trump. Trump was, himself, embarrassingly servile to Vladimir Putin. He pardoned narcoterrorist bosses in exchange for bribes while ordering the murder of alleged drug mules in order to maintain the illusion that he wasn’t in the pocket of drug lords. He incited an insurrection to try to overturn a free and fair election then later pardoned the insurrectionists despite their violent assault on police officers.
December 18, 2025 at 12:28 PM
peterrobin.bsky.social
We need a large plaque for Trump's presidential bio:
Donald J Trump was a pedophile game show host from a rich family and was close friends for fifteen years with two major child sex traffickers who trafficked children from his private club, Mar-a-Lago. He was a convicted felon and rapist who openly boasted of sexually assaulting women. He was a racist slumlord who defrauded students and children’s charities. His political career was notable for incompetent policy, his steep cognitive decline and his inability to stay awake in public. He watered down due process, dismantled the separation of powers and filled important government positions with people whose only qualification was their abject servitude to Trump. He surrounded himself with weak toadies and demanded they humiliate themselves by daily offerings of absurdly extravagant praise to Trump. Trump was, himself, embarrassingly servile to Vladimir Putin. He pardoned narcoterrorist bosses in exchange for bribes while ordering the murder of alleged drug mules in order to maintain the illusion that he wasn’t in the pocket of drug lords. He incited an insurrection to try to overturn a free and fair election then later pardoned the insurrectionists despite their violent assault on police officers.
December 18, 2025 at 11:46 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 18 "request"

From the WIP, A Morris Minor on Mars

It has "request" and also a prayer which is sort of a request.

The success of Daryl's serial garners mainstream interest. But he's an indie at heart.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Daryl couldn't keep his resolution. He loved Mr Frye. He loved Archie. He admitted it to himself and he suffered every waking hour. He even went into a church for the first time in his life and prayed for the safe return of the astronauts, adding. “Oh, stop wars and end hunger while you're about it." He made no more videos at that time. Chrissie and Casey found work with other studios on the basis of the serial and Daryl gave his blessing and a generous bonus on leaving. Daryl Hutton Productions ticked along nicely on its extensive, reprehensible back catalogue. Requests flooded in for talk shows, public speaking engagements and radio shows, but he limited his public appearances to a small number of queer podcasters. Sixty Minutes put out a general request for any information on who Daryl's agent was. “Don’t tell anyone who my agent is,” he posted on social media, “He's a secret agent.”
December 18, 2025 at 8:12 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
Actual photographic evidence that Venezuela is stealing US oil
The Burns Slant Drilling Co from The Simpsons
December 18, 2025 at 6:56 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
The #WIPSnips word for December 17th is "clay"

From Music the Devil Cannot Hear

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The Bartons had two servants by this time and they worked specifically for the younger Mrs Barton, a relaxed and friendly employer who didn't see the occasional late arrival or early departure and who threw broken crockery into the clay pit with no investigation of how it got broken. Sarah was universally loved and admired and, this was the most important point, she was trusted. As most of the family income derived from a business which required the occasional beating or killing to maintain market share, achieving this trust was no mean feat.0
December 17, 2025 at 10:03 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#DeckTheHalls

THE MAGICIAN

The Magician is the theme card for The Rame Head Deck. He is also Thomas Halyard. He's definitely tricky, cunning and manupulative, often preferring plain trickery to magic.

He is also skilled in bringing out the potential of others.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
The Magician. A man in a long coat standing on a street corner at night.
December 17, 2025 at 9:13 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips word for December 16th is “moist”

I'm going with 'wet'

From Music the Devil Cannot Hear

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“What's an iggis fat … what Father Bacon said?" asked Tom. Richard looked confused, then said “Oh, an ignis fatuus of the mind. It's when you see something that isn't really there. It's conjured by your mind, the way it does in dreams. You were exhausted.” “I think she was real. Maybe not Our Lady, maybe an angel. But I think she was sent by God.” “So Tom Ferryman merits an angel,” said Richard in a mocking tone. Tom hugged Richard closer and said, “No, you merit an angel. She just came to me because you'd send her away saying she was that iggy fatty thing or whatever.” They forgot talking for the time being. They made love on the wet floor, before deciding the bed would be more comfortable. In the early hours of the morning they lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, just as they had the day the Savoy was destroyed. That day when everything had seemed possible.
December 16, 2025 at 10:05 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips

December 15 “blanket”

The Writing Machine.

The chapter, "As seen on TV" is almost a romance short story in itself.

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity
She laid the blanket and they both sat on it, pushed together a little by the depression they were in. "Sorry," said Patrick, trying to move away so as not to be against Mary's hip and leg. "Don't worry," said Mary. "In fact if I was twenty years younger…" Patrick let his hip and leg rest against hers and they sat there in silence. Eventually Patrick said in a quiet voice. "What's age got to do with it?" "Just a bit of banter Patrick," said Mary. "I know that. But you seemed to be putting yourself down a bit." He sighed "Never mind. I'm probably starting to get a bit inappropriate." "I'm fifty five," she said. "That's not old. I'm thirty five," Patrick said. "I know it was just banter. I know you weren't serious. Just got me thinking. If I don't mind the age gap, why should you? There I go again." “Arthur always said I’d never have fun if I kept looking gift horses in the mouth,” said Mary as she turned, cupped his face and kissed him.
December 15, 2025 at 10:41 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#queerwriters Sunday: Line Share Day!

Today's theme: sweet

There's not much sweetness in my vampire novel, The Five Lives of Levi Morbali. But I suppose when you're in love with a vampire, the small things count.

#WritingCommunity #lgbtqwriters
Azrael strolled casually over and took my hand and started to make the hole with his teeth half way up my forearm and began feeding. At the end, as usual, he took the plastic box out of his jacket pocket and proceeded to clean and bandage the wound. He started to walk away and I said, “I missed you too,” but he didn't react. I felt woozy and sat down on the armchair. Then I passed out. When I woke up, it was the middle of the night and almost pitch black. There was something laid on top of me and I took it out of the room where the moonlight through the windows gave me a little light. It was Azrael's grey jacket.
December 15, 2025 at 9:46 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 14 "line"

The Writing Machine The "war on drugs" meant that people like Nick, groomed, trafficked and homeless, were given no mercy by the law, while those who became rich on him were untouched. This theme has grown even more poignant.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
"So Bunter's car had the child safety locks set?" "Might have been innocent as I said." "All the same, just from what little I have seen of him, I’m not sure I would get in a car with that Bunter any time." "I would have back in the old days. Now, I don't know. Fancy car for someone this side of the shit line." Vincent looked over and Nick explained, "The shit line, that was how Bunter described it, on one side you have the crims like us who have to live in our own shit and the crims on the other side those who live in posh suburbs and send their kids to fancy schools and sometimes even go to garden parties with the Queen and tell the Prime Minister what to do."
December 14, 2025 at 10:46 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
Yep. I don't know what kind of cursed algorithm could decide that a correct spelling of "saint" was a misspelling of "football"
December 14, 2025 at 2:22 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
We also have a clear runner up for "Who Wore it Better"
Trump in large cowbow hat Harpo Marx in large cowboy hat in Go West
December 14, 2025 at 2:10 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 13 "control"

On the last day of their marriage, Nick and Jamila go on a date.

Context: Nick spent two years in prison for his involvement in drug dealing when he waa 16.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
They kissed a bit more, then Nick pulled a bit back and said, “But you're going to stop controlling me all the time aren't you?" "Of course not Nabi, I'm going to keep telling you what to do for the rest of your life. Your decision about whether or not you do what I say, but I expect you'll be sensible and keep yourself under my thumb." Nick smiled. "You know people think that's a pretty weird thing about us don't you?" "I only wish I had been able to take you in hand years earlier, would have saved you a lot of trouble. I'd have told you not to trouble the police about your little drug dealing activities. You should have just kept it under your hat. Leave forgiveness to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, that’s not what the law is for.”
December 13, 2025 at 9:12 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#Smutcember

An actual forbidden moment. It's 1482, Richard is a nobleman, Tom's a ploughman. This could cost them their heads.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“Tomorrow,” he said, “it'll all seem better.” Richard's head sunk a little to the side and it touched Tom's hand briefly. Tom moved his hand up to brush Richard's cheek lightly, then he leant over and kissed Richard on the mouth, with his hands gently brushing on Richard's cheek.. “What …” Richard said in a low, halting voice, “what are doing?” Tom brought his other hand to Richard's other cheek, “What does it look like I'm doing? Do you want me to stop?” Richard said softly, “No.” Tom kissed him again and Richard took a second or so to respond but he stroked Tom's cheek and neck, responding to the kiss, tentatively at first, then joined it, shaking a little. Tom picked Richard up in his arms and carried him over to the bed, which was large with an ornately carved bedhead. As he kissed Richard, Tom tried to loosen the garment Richard was wearing at the neck. Failing, he left off kissing to concentrate on the loosening, folding the top here and there. trying to find where it parted. “Saints and Angels!” he exclaimed, “Do gentlemen wear these to protect their virtue?”
December 13, 2025 at 7:22 AM
peterrobin.bsky.social
#WIPSnips December 12 "smash" (shatter)

From The Deadman Deck

Mary Cooper seemed quite nice. But the MC is beginning to see why some in the school call her an evil witch.

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
There was a small hole in the glass near the handle and, if it was just a little bigger, then I could reach through and open the door from inside. I found a rock and tried to chip away at it, but the whole glass pane shattered. I went in quickly to get my school bag but then heard footsteps and hid behind a cupboard. I saw it was Ms Capel and was about to show myself and admit everything when another figure entered. Mary Cooper. Ms Capel was crying and saying “For God's sake, I'm pregnant. Please don't do this!” Mary didn’t touch her, or even move, but Ms Capel doubled over in agony, saying, “Please stop, please stop!” I walked out from my hiding place “Mary, stop that!” I said. Mary didn't stop and Ms Capel was still bent over in agony. “Or what?” asked Mary. “Just, please don't,” I said. Still the torture continued. I said, “She's pregnant. If you must torture someone torture me instead.” Mary immediately desisted. “It's a date,” she said with a smile and walked out.
December 12, 2025 at 9:48 AM