#curses of crows

[sorrowmoons]

SKYES NEW REF!!! THIS IS FOR ART FIGHT HEHEHEHE <33

IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY, GO FOLLOW ME ON ART FIGHT!!!!! (Skyesstars)

[sorrowwrites]

Her art fight ref is done!!!!

[wigglyobsessedweirdo]

A DRAWING OF MY GIRL SKYE IN CURSES OF CROWS that all belongs to @sorrowmoons

(DO NOT REPOST reblogs are perfectly okay!)

IM RLLY PROUD OF THIS SO IT WOULD MEAN SM IF YOU LIKED/ REBLOGGED!!!!

[sorrowmoons]

Saw this right after I posted my rant on nervous of being cringe—yall maybe this is a sign!!!!

I shouldn’t be worried on what others think—because I’m sure as heck there IS others who would enjoy my character designing and unique story building. (Although it’s not exactly UNIQUE persay—but it’s unique in the sense of what characters look like, the magic system, the gods (that aren’t considered gods) YOOO ITS CONFUSING BUT IM GETTING THERE BAHHHHDGEHEHWB

My story is my story,, and regardless of its outcome I’m going to be happy about my little creation. It’s a story I started to develop at the young age of like 10 so being able to hold onto this for as long as I have (and now actually COMMITTING to a tittle, the main characters, etc) is already amazing for myself.

Yeah this is my rant GAHHH DONT BE ASHAMED FOR WHAT YOU CREATE!!!!!! BECAUSE THERE ISSSSS SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE WHO WILL LOVE AND ENJOY IT

if it's good enough for you, then it deserves to be made. don't let anyone else decide if your story is worth it or not.

[crowliphale]

BONUS LINEUP STUFF

Groupings!

Groupings by player!

[gollancz]

Guys. Christmas is coming. Consumerism is in the driver's seat and GAWD don't I know about the existential ennui of all these faceless corporations trying to schill you their wares. It's cold. Impersonal. Bleak.

So I, a fellow tumblr user, will instead try to schill you MY wares, so that when you purchase these items you can say "Hey, that person from tumblr worked on this", and feel the warmth of HUMAN CONNECTION in a way that is completely normal and not parasocial at all. We really are friends. I promise. Yes, you. Love you, bestie. Remember the boop war? Good times. Fond memories.

THIRTEEN STOREYS and FAMILY BUSINESS by Jonathan Sims

Tumblr's favourite Nightmare Factory @jonnywaistcoat has two novels out and they're phenomenal horror that also punch you in the throat with SOCIAL COMMENTARY and FEELINGS. He's so adept at tapping into the specific part of my brain that feels fear like a small child - not the adult creepy scared that I normally get around horror, but specifically the kind of fear that almost freezes your limbs and vocal chords with a terror you don't quite understand because there is so much in the world that you don't know, but you know that somehow this thing might be quick enough or smart enough or sneaky enough to get you before you can get to the safety of your parents sort of fear.

THIRTEEN STOREYS is a haunted house novel, but set in a refurbished block of flats. Each chapter follows a different resident being haunted in a different way, with a style to match the flavour of ghost. It's all tied together phenomenally and brutally.

FAMILY BUSINESS is a story about ghosts in a different way, following a woman who joins a post-mortem house cleaning service while grieving the death of her best friend. But as she removes the stains from the houses of the dead, she begins to suspect something else is removing even more.

Both of these titles are available from Gollancz worldwide!

THE LAST UNICORN, THE WAY HOME, THE INNKEEPER'S SONG and A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE by Peter S. Beagle

Obviously Peter's work needs no introduction, and our editions aren't available in the US and Canada, but I've had a wonderful time working with Peter and his team to bring these beautiful books back to the UK. Meeting him at Worldcon this year was such a magical moment, and he was jet-lagged and I had gone through sleep deprived into hyper and was bringing an Extremely Weird Energy to every interaction I had that day, resulting in this photo:

THE LAST UNICORN and THE WAY HOME are a matched pair of wonderful fairy stories. THE WAY HOME has two novellettes in it, and the first - 'Two Hearts' - won the Hugo award. It will also destroy you.

A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE was Peter's first ever novel, and it's wistful and romantic and so beautiful.

THE INNKEEPER'S SONG is his epic fantasy quest, it's an adventure story that reads almost lyrically. Also there's an orgy in the middle which caught me by surprise when I was reading it for the first time on the train into work.

HIGH VAULTAGE by Chris and Jen Sugden

It's possible that someone on this website doesn't know I was involved with this book but don't worry, I will HUNT THEM DOWN AND TELL THEM. This is the first book I took all the way through the editorial process from end to end and I am SO PROUD of it and Chris and Jen and their wonderful world of @victoriocity. Officially one of the seven funniest books published in the UK this year, shortlisted for the Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. It's a chaotic, bonkers murder mystery set in an alternate Victorian London which is the most gleeful dystopia I have ever encountered.

Featuring:

Grumpy Sunshine besties

The Victorian Equivalent of the Chuck Norris Meme

A robot who undertook a course in People Management

An indefatigable beagle

This is another book that you can get from Gollancz all over the world, and you SHOULD because it's amazing. Go into your local bookshop and ask them to order it into stock. It's a great Christmas present. It's my firstborn book baby (like that's a completely normal thing to say when I didn't even write it). Also if you're a fan of the podcast, why not tell the Guardian how great it is, and make a nuisance of yourself until they review. (I would, but the form asks for your name and then they'd know I didn't suddenly discover Victoriocity this year. Either that or think I was a very careless editor.) If you've not listened to the podcast yet, you absolutely should. It pings all my Douglas Adams receptors in the best way. If you like HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE, if you like CABIN PRESSURE, VICTORIOCITY is the perfect addition.

HAMMAJANG LUCK by Makana Yamamoto

SLIGHTLY cheating because HAMMAJANG LUCK isn't out in North America until January (pre-orders make great Christmas presents guys), but it IS out in the UK and the rest of the world next week! This is my second big editorial project and it's a Big Gay Space Heist ft. disaster lesbians, trans characters, and a tech billionaire getting put in his place. It's joyous and energetic and crammed full of Hawaiian pidgin as a love letter to the diaspora. @makana-yama is a phenomenal writer and this is their love letter to their communities, families both born and found, while also a statement on the victims of gentrification (and how those are disproportionally BIPOC communities). PLUS:

friends to enemies to cautious allies to lovers

trans cyborgs

Suck It Space Elon

You know that One Scene in Charlie's Angels where Cameron Diaz is in the white body suit and breaking into the safe and has to stretch out to hit two buttons at once? Yeah. That's the vibe.

Being able to work with Makana is a delight, and HAMMAJANG tapped into all the feelings I got watching LEVERAGE for the first time, so I went to watch it again while I was editing. Also OCEAN'S 8.

DEEP BLACK by Miles Cameron

So, barring Branderson, Miles Cameron may be one of our most prolific authors. He writes a minimum two books a year, one SFF and one historical fiction (as Christian Cameron) and he is... An absolute phenomenon. He IS the Chuck Norris meme. I'm obsessed with him. He's former US military intelligence turned naturalised Canadian Hippy, has written over fifty novels, can turn his hand to any genre and write it fantastically, is a practical archaeologist - running large scale re-enactments from a variety of periods ranging from Bronze Age right the way up to the Victorian era, using traditional techniques to allow academics to study how the practicalities of weapons, clothes, food etc. would have worked in practice. Two years ago he won a medieval combat tournament in Verona, a clear ten years older at least than the next oldest competitor, he teaches Historical European Martial Arts, but ties it into the history of martial arts globally. He can make his own clothes, ink, leatherwork. He's a ballet dancer. I once took him for a day out and he ended it in a different shirt and shoes from the ones he'd started in. I asked him for an author photo and he sent me this:

DEEP BLACK is the sequel to his critically acclaimed SF debut ARTIFACT SPACE, where he has taken his research and experience of global historical cultures and extrapolated to create an interplanetary future where the best of all are celebrated. And then Aliens Happen. And then, in reaction, Capitalism Happens (which is covered in the short story collection BEYOND THE FRINGE).

He's such a thoughtful and erudite speaker, if you're curious about his work, I'd recommend listening to his episodes on the Friends Talking Fantasy podcast, and also his appearance on The Publishing Rodeo.

If SF isn't your bag, he's also got:

Arthurian fantasy

Bronze Age fantasy

Medieval Mages fantasy

A CURSE OF CROWS - Lauren Dedroog

I actually inherited Lauren when a colleague of mine departed for fresh pastures, which gave me the great opportunity to work on this series which is so vastly different from my usual fare. It's epic, sweeping, romantic and lush, with such detailed description and complex political machinations, while also being brutal, dark and heavy (tw: for sexual assault, torture etc, etc.). If you like Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare, this should hit the sweet spot. Lauren is an ICU nurse when not writing, and this was somehow created when she was putting in a million hours in hospitals during COVID. The feat boggles my mind.

A CURSE OF CROWS is out now in the UK, Australia and Europe, and it won the People's Choice for Standaard Boek's Book of the Year award in 2023, in her home country of Belgium. It will be hitting shelves in North America next September! A DANCE OF SERPENTS is where I get to pick up the editorial mantle, and that has just landed in my inbox this week so I am excited to dig in.

Featuring:

Harold, they're lesbians

Murder baby is actually a cinnamon roll

Sensitive wings are sexy

For serious, though, I'm lucky enough to work with a lot of authors I'm genuinely obsessed and astounded by. And yes, I do get to work on Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson and Andrzej Sapkowski, but they're not MY authors - they're led by the incredible Gillian and Marcus who I'm not 100% certain sleep. There are so many people on the Gollancz list who I could recommend for DAYS (and will, if you so request), but this is my stable of superstars.

[sorrowwrites]

Favourite colour; dark grey-blue/navy blue !!

Currently reading; Three Act Tragedy [Agatha Christie]

Last song; Half Return [Adrianne Lenkar]

Last film; Murder on The Orient Express (can you tell what I’m obsessed with rn)

Craving; sushi omg… I need it so BADDDUGHH

Currently watching; Castlevania!!!!! (Almost done S4.. Ima getcha Castlevania nocturne)

Coffee; loads of cream/milk and two spoons of sugar 😗😗

Working on; CoC, Vigilance’s redesign! He’s such a goofball

Open tags <333

get to know me better tag challenge thing... i was tagged by @alexxisalone (thank you for the tag!)

favourite colour: orange (the jokes thrown at me for that one)

currently reading: nothing, but i'm going to continue reading lolita by vladimir nabokolv soon.

last song: hypnotise - system of a down

last film: the terminator (1984). love this film... is anyone knows a good piracy site to watch judgement day lemme know i'm struggling here.

cravings: cheese and honey on toast.

current watch: none, i don't watch much in the form of tv shows.

coffee: either a cappuccino with brown sugar or a caramel frappé. i love love LOVE caramel.

working on: a drawing of me and my lover boy<3

@minecraftboxersdawg @knownoevil @daggerofdiction

[fantastic-nonsense]

"Inej is the mom fri—" *loud incorrect buzzer noise* Wrong. You are looking for Matthias Helvar.

[lu-dao-writes]

SPOILERS FOR THE UPDATED DAY 1 FROM TKATB!!

Before I clock in for work- I must say I was extremely surprised when I first saw Crowe curse! Like if you chose to go to the rooftop and eventually come back down, Crowe finds you, and then he’s being told the council needs him, and then he whispers “I don’t fucking care”.

BITCH I WAS FLABBERGASTED.

[crowholtz]

The defining portrait piece for my Fallen Aasimar Blood Cleric, Helene Crow. She's a knight devoted to the god The Red Knight and slowly coming into her true heritage as a deva. Also trying to deal with the fact that she's hopelessly in love with Strahd von Zarovich.

My favorite art I've ever received, it's perfect. Done by the amazingly wonderful @vampariart!

[sorrowmoons]

Introducing a new Oc for Curses of Crows!! Carnage, the grand master of cards!!

He is a cunning, keen and tricky character. He works for the Grand Brothel in the Salome district as a cards dealer for the gambling sector in the brothel. No one understands how no one has yet been able to beat the games until high stakes are dealt. Well.. perhaps he has a certain skill for manipulating and controlling cards.. but of course, no one knows that. Only he can, unless he wants his life in danger. (And.. a certain alliance is formed when he comes to realize a coworker too deals with magic in his blood.)

Some doodles!! I’ll explain relationships and dynamics later hehe <33 (oh yeah @wigglyobsessedweirdo come get yo husband BAHA /silly)

[sorrowwrites]

DAKOTAAA AAAAAHHHH MY BALL OF SUNSHINE

[wigglyobsessedweirdo]

Follow up on my last post, the world has to know how down bad I am for the sea warden (character belongs to @sorrowmoons ) so enjoy some self ship art :]

(DO NOT REPOST, reblogs are appreciated)

[spooky-cryptid-friend]

I think most of the life series fandom know about the Crow Curse (Lizzie saving Jimmy from the Canary Curse in secret life), but I don't think it really counts as a curse seeing as it only happened once. what I propose is the Shadow Curse, which is where Lizzie's deaths are always overshadowed or otherwise "not about her".

Starting in Last Life, her first death was escaping Joel as the Boogeyman, about breaking his curse rather than it being her fault. Her second life goes a similar way, to Joel by the Boogey curse. Her next life goes in a trap that could have killed anyone, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that the Boogey was cured. Then we have her final death in Last Life by Bdubs, and it wasn't about her. It was about clearing his name and proving something to Etho. She was just a convenient life.

Her next series was Secret Life, where she is most known for breaking the Canary Curse. Not something she built, not a relationship to another player, but her sacrifice to the Watchers and freeing Jimmy. Her first death was barely noticed, not even due to a player but a skeleton. Her second was by Jimmy, who didn't even know who she was or why she was there. Then her last life was a failed red kill, she tried to kill Scott but failed. She took too long, and looked an enderman in the eye. What killed her wasn't Scott's revenge, or an avenging ally of his, it was just a silly mistake.

Then in Wild Life we see this pattern of deaths being insignificant or inpersonal continue. She was killed twice by Skizz to get back to being a Yellow name, and once again we see that she was just a source of lives for the other players. Killed by Jimmy to get back to yellow again, this time it was consensual but still about someone else. Killed by a vex next, but it was lost in all the chaos of that session, then killed on a trap that again, could have killed anyone. Then finally, her last life, finally done on purpose by another player-- but it still isn't about her. It's about the rivalry between Jimmy and Grian. She was just caught in the crossfire. We don't even know her last words. And why should we want to know? She wasn't the important one in that scene, she was just an extra. The bait to Grian's trap. She never served any other purpose.

All of these details make her forgotten. All of them point to another player, if there was a player to begin with. She was just stuck in the crossfire, always overshadowed by someone else. And that's her curse. She will never be in the limelight. She will never be at the center of a conflict. She will always be in the Shadows.

Just like her name. Just like her nature.

(inspired by this post about lizzie being sacrificial lamb coded and it talks about a lot of similar things!

[crowliphale]

Everyone....

[colbullet]

New foundation recruits keep calling him a "good boy"

That is a DOCTOR, and he will be treated as such