colourwhirled-writes

[colourwhirled-writes]

Southern Lights by colourwhirled (@colourwhirled-writes)

My fourth Zutara fanfic bookbind! Clocking in at 769,274 words, I knew that binding Southern Lights was going to be a challenge (to give you an idea of how long that is, the famously long War and Peace comes to only 560,000-587,000 words, depending on the language it's in). In the end, I had to split the story into 3 volumes - this first volume is 872 pages long, and covers chapters 1-30.

After formatting the text (texts actually), I set about trying to design the covers. And I tried and tried, but I wasn't happy with anything I came up with. Finally, I decided that I would do a cloth binding, and then I could add a dust jacket once I made a cover design I was happy with. It's not super obvious in photos, but the vinyl I used to make the title and designs is color changing! Depending on the angle and light, it can range anywhere from a light gold-green to teal to blue to indigo (the colors of the Northern/ Southern lights!).

This is by far the biggest book I've bound so far (and it's only 1/3 of the story), and so it posed some new challenges compared to the other fanfics I've bound so far, but I'm enjoying learning and improving my skills.

Don't be intimidated by the length - this is absolutely a fanfic you should read if you haven't. Thank you so much for letting my bind your story @colourwhirled-writes! Two more volumes to go!

[colourwhirled-writes]

have you read any of the avatar novels?

I admit I have not! 🙈 I've been too afraid to engage with the canon material after TLOK/the comics happened, but I do read synopses of them just to keep up.

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

[colourwhirled-writes]

thank you for writing Southern Lights! I have been waiting for you to post the last chapter so I can read it from start to finish and now I can't wait to get to it. I hope we get to see you around even tho the story is finished.

!!! I hope the experience is worth the wait dear nonny!

[colourwhirled-writes]

"...during the day, it would glow like twilight and then at night we'd have the lights." She looks him right in the eyes and his panic vanishes. "Have you ever seen them?"

"Seen what?" His voice comes out strained, taken aback by the hush in hers.

"The southern lights," Katara says, as though stating the obvious. "You don't really see them far from the South Pole, but…spirits, Zuko, they're the most beautiful thing in the world." 

Southern Lights

[colourwhirled-writes]

southern lights: last chapter posted!

find it on ao3 here!

<3

-c

[colourwhirled-writes]

southern lights, second last chapter posted!

now live on ao3 here!

-c

[colourwhirled-writes]

Southern Lights update!

feat. Zuko and his very official first state visit to see his girlfriend the SWT :

Find it on ao3 here!

-c

[colourwhirled-writes]

hi i've just started reading your fic southern lights and i'm on chapter 43 and OMG i love katara and i understand her trauma and pain leading her to not think like a rational non traumatised person and that she thinks she has to do everything alone but GODDDD she sure does push away zuko every time he tries to stand with or help her !!!! i understand wanting to be on your own two feet without help but why does she keep wanting to die alone rather than live with her community another day 😭 it's sooo frustrating i'm so excited to get to the part where they both reach a healthy understanding of support and help AGHH

anyways i have loads of feelings for this fic it's incredible and also i haven't read ahead but i saw that you had been diagnosed back in pandemic with cancer and i thoroughly wish and pray that you have made a healthy recovery / or that you are living a generally blessed and lovely life 💕 your writing has magic this is my favourite fic of the zutara fics i've read it's absolutely amazing

*incoherent squeeing*

The NWT arc was genuinely one of the most difficult parts of the story, and I knew this would be a controversial direction to take the narrative, which was why I felt I had to go there. It is a part of the story where Katara is spiralling and lost and making some very poor choices, but to me it was more important to make her realistic rather than likeable. There are some important breakthroughs that occur as a consequence of all her frustratingly short-sighted blundering, but I had to do it in a way that felt true to where Katara was in her character growth at that time. But I can only offer apologies and that I sincerely hope the (eventual) payoff is worth it, if you make it that far!

I am doing far better now, thank you so much for asking! 💕

Hope you have a lovely day!

-c

[colourwhirled-writes]

You should publish this in a book. This is one of the best fanfics I have ever read. The development of the characters is literally insane. Katara is one of the most complex and well developed (my favourite character) plus Zuko and Azula. I can't wait to see the end. This fanfic shows how perfect Zuko and Katara are as well. Your writing skills are phenomenal, I have been insanely reading every single word (and I have school work but meh there is time of it). I just wanted to express my gratitude, you are amazing.

You are so very kind, thank you so much!!

It's a little embarrassing how much effort went into bringing this story and its characters to life, and I never stop being amazed by lovely readers like yourself who enjoyed it

(I don't know about publishing it into a book though, think of the poor trees!!! 💀)

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

-c

[colourwhirled-writes]

Southern Lights update!

part 1 of the epilogue now live!

ft: our faves hanging out and continuing to be full time idiots

read it on ao3 here!

<3

[colourwhirled-writes]

Southern lights chapter update!

ft. the last chapter of the main story 🥹🥹

find it on ao3 here!

[colourwhirled-writes]

Southern Lights double update!!

happy new year! chapters 68 and 69 now both live on ao3!

[colourwhirled-writes]

i am endlessly devoted to you and your fic !! i just finished another re-read through and finally caught up on the two most recent chapters ,, and i honestly can't put into words how both happy and sad it makes me that the story is so close to its end. thank you so much for what you do - you are so talented and inspiring in every way. it's been years since i first stumbled across Southern Lights and yet certain scenes still hit as hard as they did the first time i read them. ive never had such a profound connection to a fic and its characters and especially its author and their writing style! thank you

also - i am desperate for news about our poor chan :(( even if he's gone, can we at least give his dad some closure ?

xo xo !! <3

Nonnie I have no idea how long this has been sitting in my asks 😱 but I'm seriously so touched, SL long haulers are a breed unto themselves 😭❤️

Thank you so much for your kindness and patience and I hope that the recent chapters have been a satisfying reward for sticking with this fic for all these years.

Wishing you the best of days, tysm for stopping by <3

[colourwhirled-writes]

howdy! forgot my tumblr log-in otherwise i'd not do this anonymously lol... i've read SL since it started and since i'm in a holiday laze-mode, doing a re-read. Really one of the best fics I have ever read. tis all! looking forward but also dreading the end if you get what I mean... x

!!

Thank you so much nonny for sticking with me all these years! It is very emotional to know that this long journey is finally coming to an end....but I hope that SL will remain a story that improves with every reread :)

Thank you so much for stopping by and I wish you a lovely holiday!

[colourwhirled-writes]

southern lights: new chapter posted!

live on ao3 here!

[colourwhirled-writes]

southern lights update!

live on ao3 here!

[colourwhirled-writes]

southern lights: new chapter posted!

live on ao3 here!