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[mx-ryder]

Seven Sentence Sunday

Its still Sunday, technically. Nevermind that I haven't actively written anything in...a while.

Consider this an open tag, because I never know who to tag in this sorta thing.

Rules: Post seven sentences from what you've been working on

A sudden howl rose into the night air.

It was an elongated, ululating cry, piercing the otherwise still night. The hairs on Theo's arms stood on end as a chill worked its way through him. He'd heard that howl plenty of times on tv, and even a handful of times in real life. He'd never heard it as he was hearing it now, alone in the woods, in the dark, and knowing the man he loved was somewhere out there too.

It was a wolf, crying out in one long, continuous howl that rose and fell on the rapidly chilling night air. It went on for what seemed like forever. When it finally died away, Theo stood for another beat, expecting a response.

[mx-ryder]

2025 Reading List

I've been meaning to do this for a while. My goal this year is to do more reading. I'd like to read at least 1 book a month, ideally more.

I'm going to count one of the books as this year, even though I technically read it on 12/31/24, because I make the rules, so there lol

Anyway: (more under the cut, for space purposes)

Books read so far: Six-ish

Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry - @aritany A truly devastating little read for me. I don't make a habit out of reading YA so much any more, but I loved this one. Way too relatable, really.

Sunbringer (Fallen Gods, #2) - Hannah Kaner The sequel to a book I read last year, definitely just as enjoyable as the first one. Lovely queer and disability rep, some delicious pay out from the stuff set up in the last one, and some more fun set ups for the third, which I'm eagerly awaiting.

Holly - Stephen King A pretty classic King, featuring one of my favorite of his characters, Holly. Fun little thriller/mystery, told with alternating timelines illustrating the steady decline of the books' villains.

Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield Fantastic. Wonderful. A delightful, slow descent (pun intended) into dread and despair. Lesbians and tragedy, can't really get any better than that, right? Also felt strangely familiar, if I can find the story it reminds me of, I'll update.

How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager - D. N. Bryn Bryn remains one of my favorite indie authors. I enjoy their writing no matter what, but this was a fun departure from what I'm used to reading from them! Who doesn't like queer vampires?? (This is the "ish" part of the books I've read this year. I read like, 75% of this last year, and just now finally finished it lol)

No Gods, No Monsters - Cadwell Turnbull This book was doing...something. I'm just not sure I was picking up what it was putting down. I'm 99% sure that's to do with how my brain processes information, and the fact that certain writing styles and I just don't jive. The ideas were fascinating, the world engaging. There were just SO many characters, none of whom were described, and the rotating list of names got too confusing for me. Plus I'm still not sure what tf was really going on, and I don't feel like the first in a series should leave me questioning what the actual, core deal is. Like, I should leave the first in a series feeling like I got some sort of closure, but with more questions/concerns that leave me wanting the next book. I didn't get that, here.

Currently Reading: Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King

2025 TBR - (In no particular order)

Guards! Guards! - Terry Pratchett

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir

Hunger Pangs - Joy Demorra

Nine Years Yearning - Cameron Sidhe

Notorious Sorcerer - Davinia Evans

How to Sell Your Blood and Fall in Love How to Bare Your Neck and Save a Wreck - D. N. Bryn

Parable of the Talents - Octavia E. Butler

It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over - Anne de Marken

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents - Lindsay Gibson

The Gift of Fear - Gavin de Becker

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

The First to Die at the End - Adam Silvera

Camp Damascus - Chuck Tingle

Misery - Stephen King

[mx-ryder]

2025 Reading List

I've been meaning to do this for a while. My goal this year is to do more reading. I'd like to read at least 1 book a month, ideally more.

I'm going to count one of the books as this year, even though I technically read it on 12/31/24, because I make the rules, so there lol

Anyway: (more under the cut, for space purposes)

Books read so far: Eight-ish

Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry - @aritany A truly devastating little read for me. I don't make a habit out of reading YA so much any more, but I loved this one. Way too relatable, really.

Sunbringer (Fallen Gods, #2) - Hannah Kaner The sequel to a book I read last year, definitely just as enjoyable as the first one. Lovely queer and disability rep, some delicious pay out from the stuff set up in the last one, and some more fun set ups for the third, which I'm eagerly awaiting.

Holly - Stephen King A pretty classic King, featuring one of my favorite of his characters, Holly. Fun little thriller/mystery, told with alternating timelines illustrating the steady decline of the books' villains.

Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield Fantastic. Wonderful. A delightful, slow descent (pun intended) into dread and despair. Lesbians and tragedy, can't really get any better than that, right? Also felt strangely familiar, if I can find the story it reminds me of, I'll update.

How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager - D. N. Bryn Bryn remains one of my favorite indie authors. I enjoy their writing no matter what, but this was a fun departure from what I'm used to reading from them! Who doesn't like queer vampires?? (This is the "ish" part of the books I've read this year. I read like, 75% of this last year, and just now finally finished it lol)

No Gods, No Monsters - Cadwell Turnbull This book was doing...something. I'm just not sure I was picking up what it was putting down. I'm 99% sure that's to do with how my brain processes information, and the fact that certain writing styles and I just don't jive. The ideas were fascinating, the world engaging. There were just SO many characters, none of whom were described, and the rotating list of names got too confusing for me. Plus I'm still not sure what tf was really going on, and I don't feel like the first in a series should leave me questioning what the actual, core deal is. Like, I should leave the first in a series feeling like I got some sort of closure, but with more questions/concerns that leave me wanting the next book. I didn't get that, here.

Mr. Mercedes - Stephen King A re-read. One of my favorite Stephen Kings, a precursor to probably my absolute favorite, The Outsider. I'll probably try to re-read that one this year, too.

Winter's Orbit - Everina Maxwell Another re-read for me. I really enjoy this one, even as someone who's not super into sci-fi. Hits the arranged marriage trope, with some fun political intrigue and various mysteries to uncover. Pretty significant cw for topics of abuse (physical, mental, isolation, etc.).

Currently Reading:

2025 TBR - (In no particular order)

Guards! Guards! - Terry Pratchett

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir

Hunger Pangs - Joy Demorra

Nine Years Yearning - Cameron Sidhe

Notorious Sorcerer - Davinia Evans

How to Sell Your Blood and Fall in Love How to Bare Your Neck and Save a Wreck - D. N. Bryn

Parable of the Talents - Octavia E. Butler

It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over - Anne de Marken

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents - Lindsay Gibson

The Gift of Fear - Gavin de Becker

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

The First to Die at the End - Adam Silvera

Camp Damascus - Chuck Tingle

Misery - Stephen King

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i love you fucked up fish

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You can only eat 2 foods for the next 2 years (with no health repercussions)

Spin this wheel twice to figure out what they are!

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One hill I will die on is that some stories genuinely work better in first person, and that people who have this rigid opposition to reading first-person narration no matter the context or premise (I see this a lot) are depriving themselves of some really excellent stories.

[mx-ryder]

It makes more sense for most mermaids to be fat, considering the difference in temperature. Even in tropical waters you'd make the most of the temperature with lots of muscle for speed and movement.

In cooler waters though, keeping warm (see: seals, literally any whale) needs a lot of insulation (fat/blubber). Also when youre larger you have more neutral buoyancy. If you're a deeper water mermaid having a slower metabolism can increase age (see: greenland sharks), and you need fat storage because of sparse food sources.

In this essay I will....

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I grew up really near Camp Pendleton, and this is not a surprising report at all. I'm assuming the ones old enough to drink would go to SD for the bars, but the ones under 21 had ONE single place to go for fun.

An 18+ Country-style club in my tiny hometown. It ofered an electronic bull, a dance floor, and line dancing. Every single night, a fight would break out, because you pack a bunch of 18-20 year old military men into a room, what do you expect to happen?

This might be the best police blotter I have ever read omg

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happy normal fuckin day to everyone who doesnt celebrate christmas or rly any holidays today n tomorrow. hope you have an average day. hope its chill like any other

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do you think you could take a vampire?

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which oc is never dressed weather appropriately?

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Island of the Blue Dolphins did something to my brain chemistry when I was a kid. I read the fuck out of that book.

omg, I think you're the only other person I've ever encountered to reference the book The Trumpet of The Swan!! That was a firm childhood favourite in our house! <3

Aw yeah! Let’s see if I can nail you with anything else you didn’t think other people had ever referenced, from my highly specific sniper rifle.

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does your oc have tattoos? do they regret any of them?

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Made another seasonal Parker the Frog coloring page for the parks. I genuinely like that nobody ever tells me what to put in these. I just announce I'm going to work from home to make another one and they're like "yay. yippee. :)"

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Why did you give your OC their current name? Did their name change at all during development?

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I am looking neither respectfully nor disrespectfully. I gaze without recognition of your form, and without understanding.

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Which of your characters is the youngest?