kaavyadrinksberries - Tumblr blog

kaavyadrinksberries · 6 months ago

Text

Review: Dengue Boy

Title: Dengue Boy

Author: Michel Nieva

Translator: Rahul Bery

Summary:

Close to Cronenberg and deeply indebted to Kafka, this gaucho-punk novel offers an explosive interpretation of an ultra-capitalistic society at the grips with climate collapse. The protagonist of this story has no understanding of the words “winter”, "cold”, or "snow" because he has never experienced the phenomena they describe. We find ourselves in Victorica, a province of La Pampa, Argentina, some time after 2197 – the year in which the last of the Antarctic icecaps melted and an unprecedented climate catastrophe ensued, radically transforming the landscape of the region into a Caribbean Pampas. It is here that the Dengue Child grows up, a mutant mix of child and mosquito, the result of crazy experimenting driven by ultra-capitalistic corporations racing against each other to own viruses and their cures, destroying even their very own children’s existence to cash in on the stock exchange. Another of the surprising effects of the thaw is the appearance of powerful telepathic pebbles from the bowels of the earth that seem to encapsulate the world's original wisdom, and which are the subject of lucrative smuggling. Meanwhile, the wealthy of the region chose to cruise around on ships where they can experience ice-skating and hand carve ice from valuable remains of glaciers. In their ultra-air conditioned homes, their kids play Indians vs Christians, a brutal video game set in the historical 19th century. The future according to Michel Nieva looks frenetic and shocking. He counts among the rising voices of Argentina, packing punches in a deeply intelligent, informed, and humorful prose which takes root in Latin American storytelling and sci-fi tradition. (Summary from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Thank you to Net Galley and Astra Publishing House for the ARC. I have never read anything like this novel before. And it was incredible. While it is a translation, I love the author's writing style so much. Even though there is a lot of gore and grossness in this book, there is also a lot of humor that makes this an enjoyable read. The world building is intense, we're far far into the future in a setting that's completely unfamiliar to me, yet the author is so good at explaining this world in an interesting and humorous way. The future is scary but I would love to visit this world for like less than a day (any longer and I won't survive). I also love all the POVs, from Dengue Boy, to El Dulce, Rene, and AIS. The POVs tied together really well. I also loved the video game that kids in this world are obsessed with. The way games and reality and timelines tied together was really interesting and trippy. This is a weird book where strange things happen, but the author doesn't hand wave the strangeness, all the pieces tie together really well and the themes really hit you towards the end. This book is both weird and a work of genius. Definitely check out the content warnings before reading this.

#literary fiction #literary horror #translated literature #book review #book recommendations

4 notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 6 months ago

Text

the easy microwave version of the most elite apple cinnamon oatmeal

ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 cups water

1 chopped honey crisp apple (this is the best apple)

2 tablespoons maple syrup (the light amber variety)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a pinch of salt (i dont know if this actually makes a difference, but i always make sure to add it)

put everything in your favorite, most reliable, large bowl that can actually fit everything. microwave for 4 minutes. (time depends on the consistency of oatmeal that you like) use oven mitts to remove bowl from microwave cause its going to be hot. stir and then eat.

#easy tasty oatmeal #honey crisp apples are the best #microwave recipe #so easy that even i can do it #perfect for those mornings when you're greedy for sleep and now you're going to be late but dont forget that breakfast is important #fiber is also so important

1 note · View note

kaavyadrinksberries · 6 months ago

Text

simple super easy instant pot dal + rice

ingredients

1 cup washed tuvar dal

1 cup washed rice

water

ghee

pickle (optional)

wash the rice and dal.

put rice and dal in separate steel containers. fill each with around 2 cups water.

fill the main instant pot vessel with 3 cups water. put everything inside, close the pot properly, and then cook on rice mode.

serve rice + dal in a bowl and mix in your fav amount of ghee and salt. enjoy with pickle if you want.

this is an easy meal that can be quickly prepped before you go work or do stuff and then an hour later its ready to eat.

special note: veggies are important to eat. frozen veggies are a college student's savior. you can add a random amount of frozen veggies to the rice before cooking. this helps to be nutritious.

#college recipes #instant pot #recipe #indian #easy enough that i am willing to do this daily #i need to save recipes so that when i am hungry and lazy i can actually do something about it #this is legit my last semester of college so i better level up in cooking

3 notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 6 months ago

Text

Review: Ascending, Do Not Disturb

Title: Ascending, Do Not Disturb

Author: Yue Xia Die Ying

Summary:

You think too much, cultivation is not like this… When Kong Hou steps on the path to cultivation, she learns that all xianxia stories are full of lies. A relaxed cultivation story. Kong Hou: a traditional musical instrument like a harp. The female protagonist’s name.

(Summary from Novel Updates)

My Thoughts:

This was a super cute and fluffy read. Kong Hou is a genre savvy protagonist. Her sect is also super nice and I love how cute and wholesome her sect is. The adventures and fights are fun. The romance is also super cute, the ML is an interesting character and the chemistry between the two is so cute. This is also a really funny read, and just so wholesome. This is one of the most wholesome xianxia novels I have ever read. This is so different from Yue Xia Die Ying's other web novels, but just as good.

#ascending do not disturb #xianxia #web novel #carefree protagonist #cute story #cultivation #wholesome #book review

3 notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 6 months ago

Text

about me:

been a while since i last actively used this site so lets see

am 22, she/her

in my last year of uni yay! studying data science, econ, and english!!

books: lover of fantasy, mystery, and thrillers and ambitious girlies

been obsessed with the mahabharata and all its retellings since ajaya: the roll of the dice

got really into danmei over the pandemic thanks to CQL and also got really into cdramas thanks to CQL

cdramas: lover of xianxia, wuxia, and other costume dramas and pretty sword fights and aesthetic settings

music: i love stray kids, tamil film songs, and cdramas osts

other loves: water color painting (want to learn gouache next year), pottery, writing, running, photography, eating

here's my goodreads

#about me #pinned post

1 note · View note

kaavyadrinksberries · 1 year ago

Text

......suddenly struck by the idea for a piece of worldbuilding of "fae don't like iron bc it is the most stable element*"

*as in elements higher you can extract energy via fission and lower you can extract energy via fusion but iron itself there is no excess binding energy to extract at all

80K notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 1 year ago

Text

how i use obsidian for mindmapping

today, i'm thrilled to share how I use obsidian for mindmapping my fantasy novel. this approach has helped me organize my thoughts, visualize connections, and create a more cohesive story. here’s a look at my process:

1. visualizing plot lines

using obsidian's canvas feature, i map out the main plots and subplots. each plot line gets its own note, where i outline the major events and turning points. i then link the notes by connecting them and can visually see how the different plot lines interact and influence each other.

2. mapping characters

each character has a dedicated node that goes into brief detail about the character, and I link these notes to the plot points they are involved in. for example, ayen's note is connected to key events that shape his journey. this network of connections helps me track character arcs and ensure that each character’s story is intertwined with the overall plot.

3. exploring themes and motifs

i create nodes for the central themes and motifs of my novel. these notes are linked to relevant plot points and character arcs, allowing me to explore how these themes are expressed throughout the story. this helps me maintain thematic consistency and depth.

4. connecting relationships

character relationships are essential to my story, so i map out the connections between characters using linked notes. this visual web helps me keep track of alliances, conflicts, and evolving dynamics, ensuring that relationships develop naturally and contribute to the plot.

5. tracking plot threads

to avoid plot holes and ensure continuity, i create notes for different plot threads. each thread is linked to relevant characters, events, and locations. this helps me see how individual plot threads weave together to form the larger narrative tapestry.

6. brainstorming sessions

whenever i have a brainstorming session, i create a note in obsidian to capture all my ideas. i then link these ideas to relevant plot points, characters, and themes. this process helps me see how new ideas can fit into the existing story structure and sparks further creativity. i go into my brainstorming process in this post and this video but below is a glimpse into what my canvas looks like

7. reviewing and refining

periodically, i review my mindmap in obsidian to refine and update my ideas. this helps me stay organized and ensures that my story remains cohesive as it evolves. the ability to visualize the entire novel in a connected web is invaluable for maintaining clarity and focus.

my other obsidian posts:

obsidian resources

my review on obsidian

5 obsidian plugins for writers

my top 5 obsidian plugins

10 notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 1 year ago

Text

i keep telling myself i can’t handle longer projects but in the last four days i wrote 23,377 words just totally by the seat of my pants

104K notes · View notes

kaavyadrinksberries · 1 year ago

Text

How I learned to write smarter, not harder

(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)

A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.

The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.

As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!

Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!

2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)

Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.

Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.

I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.

Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!

This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.

As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.

When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD

People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.

What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!

What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.

You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.

And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.

And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.

If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?

And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD

In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.

Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.

Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)

And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)

32K notes · View notes