avoliot - Tumblr blog

[avoliot]

So I am officially allowed to talk about my fantasy sapphic Winter Soldier book!* Feat: brainwashed assassins, awful lesbians, some terrible decisions made at magic college that have haunted everyone for several years, and being hopelessly in love with the worst person you could be in love with.

(*not actually Stucky, please do not expect the characters, it's just 'Winter Soldier' is my best shorthand for 'brainwashed superassassin who regular has their memory wiped and doesn't remember their complicated past' and one thing I've learned is that pitching vs setting expectations is hard)

It doesn't have a pub date yet - updates to follow on @everina-maxwell-updates when I have things like a cover and dates!

[avoliot]

Train interior from 1934 by Belgian designer Henry van de Velde (1863-1957). From ArtNouveauDeco

[avoliot]

Lofoten Island Norway by:

© Sebastien Nagy

[avoliot]

He stick he leggy out real far

[avoliot]

[avoliot]

Seven years after Slay the Spire came out I have FINALLY beaten the Heart with the Defect with 9 hit points total lost in that fight. This is just to note that I have clearly peaked, nothing will beat that, and I will be retiring from my day job, creative pursuits, and future endeavors in all areas of life.

[avoliot]

So I apologize if you've already gotten this a ton, but re: your reblog on the paperwork post where you talk about how much you love paperwork in stories. Have you heard of Hands of the Emperor? The entire plot is how the main character is a Super Bureaucrat and succeeds just by being the best at paperwork there ever was. There's a climactic scene where he embarrasses and defeats a corrupt bully by asking about very specific forms (that he knows because he's the one who developed them)

I have heard of the Hands of the Emperor! I have never quite found the time to start a book that long but it is definitely on my radar.

[avoliot]

“Just because it’s not important doesn’t mean it’s not important to someone.” - Winter’s Orbit by @avoliot / Everina Maxwell

What a treat to have another excuse to draw Kiem and Jainan! This piece was commissioned by Sanctum Flames Candles for their upcoming Winter's Orbit scented candle, which I have been told smells DELICIOUS. This moment after the flybug crash was especially lovely to draw, as the scene grants Jainan a bit of insight into Kiem's generous spirit and makes Jainan fall that much more in love with him. * swoon *

I should have details soon on how to get your own limited edition candle and print! In the meantime, Happy Spring to all!

[avoliot]

sound on

[avoliot]

“Just because it’s not important doesn’t mean it’s not important to someone.” - Winter’s Orbit by @avoliot / Everina Maxwell

What a treat to have another excuse to draw Kiem and Jainan! This piece was commissioned by Sanctum Flames Candles for their upcoming Winter's Orbit scented candle, which I have been told smells DELICIOUS. This moment after the flybug crash was especially lovely to draw, as the scene grants Jainan a bit of insight into Kiem's generous spirit and makes Jainan fall that much more in love with him. * swoon *

I should have details soon on how to get your own limited edition candle and print! In the meantime, Happy Spring to all!

[avoliot]

Cat, what do you suggest for someone who had a really bad day?

worry not for im know somebeody whom is expert in vanquishinge bad days

[avoliot]

[avoliot]

Jean Giraud, aka Moebius

[avoliot]

i found god lying

on the kitchen floor, a piece of light shot through with a galaxy of dust

all of this chopped down to size

by the dishes i never put away

and god does this to an atheist all your life--not the hard sell

but the intrusion

you turn around and you trip over divinity

you want to believe in something more than your pots and pans, the cats crying for breakfast, the egg still uncracked in your hand, your aching back

a little piece of god underfoot.

moses got a miracle of flame and a century of heartbreak. anyone can walk away

from god.

anyone can burn themselves up

for him. what does it matter that he comes to you like the cats, full of dust, full of stars, full of fire? 

hungry

you turn away. you crack your egg. far away, the sun continues to rise. 

[avoliot]

PSA for UK Teachers

I went to an LGBTQ+ Educators conference a couple of weeks ago and they had a fantastic session on the draft 'guidance' the government published on trans pupils in December 2023 that needs to be common knowledge

The draft guidance, if/when it officially comes in (which it has not yet) will be non-statutory. This means that all schools are expected to follow it unless there is good reason not to.

This transphobic guidance would break the 2010 Equality Act, a fully ratified law. Keeping Children Safe in Education, the legal backbone safeguarding documentation, tells us that the wellbeing of the child comes first, not the 'rights' of the parent. Telling parents about a child's preferred name without their permission breaks GDPR law - as soon as a child can understand that their data is private, they are protected by this law (I have taught year 2 pupils this as part of their IT curriculum, so. Pretty much all age groups are covered by this.)

Not wanting to break fully ratified UK law is an excellent reason not to follow non-statutory guidance. This is what you tell any school personnel asking you to follow this new draft guidance. We have more legal obligation to support and protect our trans pupils than we have to follow this new transphobic bullshit.

There are so many incredible organisations and educators fighting this right now (https://tnb.org.uk/ have great resources if you want to read more) but making sure average classroom teachers can stand up and aren't cowed is the most valuable way to keep our kids alive

[avoliot]

little portrait of my garden, soaking up the sun - april 1 2024 - pam wishbow