#Author if you see this: it was really fun illustrating for the story! :3

[caffichai]

More art for Coldshot's Called Shot by my friend @fishing-lesbian-catgirl! If you like spicy content, go give it a read!

The final piece, at least for now! Somehow I did these in reverse chronological order, but I guess it worked out in the end

Hey, if you're here, check this out!

[gingiekittycat]

I miss the narrator

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I miss the narrator from Good Omens season 1.

I will admit, when I first watched the show it threw me a bit. Sure, the narrator's jokes were funny, but I thought that as a story-telling device it was distracting. There was just so much of it all the time, and it often felt out of place. And when I went to look up reviews online, it seemed a lot of people agreed: if there ever was a season 2, the narrator had to go.

But THEN.

THEN.

Then I read the book.

And I realized: the narrator is the footnotes. It's the little jokes in between the plot. In descriptions, in metaphors, in transitions. The narrator is what makes the magic of the novel.

The narrator is the authors.

More specifically, the narrator is Terry.

Terry's influence on the novel, on the story; Terry's influence in the way he and Neil wrote the book. Neil has said before somewhere (I will find the source eventually and add it) that he was writing in Terry's style when he co-wrote the novel. And it shows; to me, when I read Good Omens, I was reading a Terry Pratchett novel. At the time, I had no previous experience with reading Terry's work, and the only novel I'd read of Neil's was American Gods. And in my opinion, Good Omens reads nothing like American Gods.

In subsequently reading more of Terry's work, it became even clearer to me that the narrator in the show was Neil's way of keeping Terry in the story. And maybe it WAS clunky in a visual medium, maybe it WAS distracting, jarring. But it was also hilarious, and whimsical, and playful, and fun. And I don't see how Neil could have done without it and still stayed so true to the novel. The jokes, the metaphors, the descriptions, the footnotes; this is what makes Good Omens what it is.

There was no narrator in season 2.

I will say up front that, overall, I enjoyed season 2. It had so many funny moments, and so many thought-provoking, poignant moments too. It used some dialog from the first book (looking at you Resurrectionists minisode) to remind us why Good Omens is not just a romp between an angel and demon, but also a philosophical, thought-provoking piece of media. It had a lot of Pratchett-esque moments; the Job minisode stood out to me here. The end was, of course, emotional and gutting, but I like emotional and gutting (anyone who has read my fics knows this). But... I found myself missing the narrator. 

I missed Terry.

And maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was even on purpose. Maybe the lack of narrator really is illustrating the fact that, when Terry died, he left a hole in the world that can never be filled. You can't make the same show you would have made had Terry been alive. You can't even try. You can make your own thing, you can make it amazing in its own right, but you can't make it the same. And, all said and done, I think that's a very important commentary on grief. When you lose something, or someone, you're not the same as you were before; and it hurts, but you change, you adapt, you grow. Eventually, you make something new.

So... do I want there to be a narrator in season 3?

That's a good question. I think I would accept both outcomes. However, knowing that season 3 is supposed to be the sequel Neil and Terry plotted, I think it would be appropriate to have a narrator this time around. True, we have no novel to base it off of; we don't have any of Terry's footnotes, his metaphors, his jokes. But we have Neil, whom Terry influenced while writing the original novel; we have Neil writing in Terry's style, putting himself in Terry's shoes for a moment (his hat, his scarf). We have Neil, who loved Terry, who has in part made this show as a labor of love, because he promised Terry he would, and he's going to keep that promise. We have Neil to remind us why we love Good Omens in the first place.

And I think having a narrator in season 3 would be a wonderful way to illustrate that. 

[the-colourful-witch]

A short goodbye, but not farewell! I'm not going to dance around it, so here it is: I'm taking a little break from socials this upcoming month. ( cue: gasppppp) I already mentioned last week that I'm getting a bit overwhelmed by all the content I see daily. I love all the art and the artist that share their work. I appreciate all of it and I really enjoy seeing everyone drawing things that make them happy. I enjoy drawing things myself, and I always will. I've had a few bad weeks creatively. It's not just a hobby, it's my job. I'm working on a big children's book, my first ever big publication. It is a tough project and it's taking up a lot of energy. I want it to look good and I want to deliver quality work for the author, who put her heart and soul into this book. However, it's getting more and more difficult to have faith in my own work when all day, every day, I see all these amazing, talented artists getting book deals, releasing products, making double figures from their art... And I know very well that everyone has their own process, that some of these people have been in the industry for years without getting anywhere, so trust the process. I can and will. I can trust my own process and I will get there eventually. Right now, though, it's hard to stay focused. I'm on my phone too much during the day and it has to stop. For my own health and for my work. So, long story short. I will be off my socials for 30 days, just to see what I can create without all the input from the internet. I'm going to work on the children's book (which is a fairytale book, by the way, so cool!) and on new character designs for my blog. I've started working on the teachers now, which is a lot of fun. Also, I'm working on opening a shop, so I'll put my energy towards that as well. I guess I have no idea what the next thirty days are going to bring me. I'm going to start tomorrow, so today (5 Feb) I will be checking my accounts still, just in case you have questions or concerns :) For now, this is it. I love you guys, and I'm so grateful for the support. Sharing my silly little drawings with you is very special <3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PS: I never shared my Meet the Artist 2024 on here! Granted, I did make it for my art Instagram (splashofcolour23) where I post most of my book illustrations and other fun stuff. BUT! I wanted to share it here, too. If you scroll all the way down my blog, like far, far down, you'll see the 2021 (I think) version, with which I started this blog. It's my favourite January tradition every year, so here it is! Anyway, time to go. See you in 30 days!

[super-weed-ninja]

For a little over a year now I've been slowly amassing a collection of ninja turtle books and I wanna talk about some of them. Picture books, joke books, novelizations, coloring and activity books... For all different iterations and all different reading levels.

Well ok they are pretty much just kids books let's be real, but some of them are really great and it's nice to see some new adventures. I've loved ninja turtles for as long as I can remember. Watched the '80s cartoon when I was young, read the comics, caught '03 in it's first season and was hooked immediately, and have pretty well kept up with everything since, with the exception of IDW (SOON.) These books have given me a new appreciation to the TMNT.

At first I just wanted to get my hands on some '03 books, but I was at the same time falling back in love with the '87 show, and books related to that series ended up being a lot easier to find. There's new adventures, some adapted episodes of the cartoon, some from Archie comics...

A rap song to fight drugs, and a little book adapting the first live action film with the '87 boys (Raphael defenestration and all, LOOK AT MY BOY THEY KILLED HIM)

I wasn't really planning to get so many, but THESE 4 delightful books really had an effect on me.

I'll probably make another post just about these 4 books sometime because I have so much to say on them! There is such a charm about them and they've changed how I think about the '87 and Archie turtles. They also act as a prequel series to either! Each book focuses on a different turtle. You see them in some of their pre-series naivete, learning and exploring and joking around. It's really no surprise they're so good, given the author, Stephen Murphy, was a primary writer for TMNT Adventures (Archie) and Tales of the TMNT. '03 girlies, he co-authored "Sons of the Silent Age" in Mirage and was a writer for several '03 episodes!

Anyway, after reading these, I really started searching.

It's so interesting to me to read these characters in this form, from different authors with their own ideas about the turtles.

There's several unique stories in the '03 books, with wonderful illustrations. These goofballs just shine even in the silliest of the adventures. Stephen Murphy, again, shows up here as an author of '03 books. I really love how he writes the boys.

'12 tends to just be episode adaptations, although I haven't actually read the novels I have yet. '12 books have been pretty easy to find so they have not been high on my priority list, but I try to grab ones that look like unique tales!

Mikey's Nightwatcher Scrapbook was so adorable, one of my favorites! Newspaper clippings, date and time stamped sightings and attempts at catching/talking to the elusive Nightwatcher... It's very fun and endearing! The Rise novels are just retellings of episodes, but each story is told by a different character! It's not much, but it's a cute detail.

finding coloring books is HARD, and even harder is finding one that's not been used. The joke book is full of the most garbage jokes but I had some fun torturing friends with it. :3

The coloring books in particular I'd like to scan sometime to share. I remember seeing '03 coloring books around all the time while the show was running; now you're liable to find yourself in a bidding war for one! (against me)

These books have become so important to me and I wanna talk about them more so I might just start taking one every now and then and ranting about it in a post. I have about 80 various books now, and a decent list of more I'm on the hunt for.

[amethystsoda]

What is time princess about? I've been seeing it on the Play store but I have no idea if to download it

hello anon! I'd be glad to give you an overview and some tips for starting out! :D

Time Princess is what happens when all your childhood dreams of getting transported into a book come true.

At heart, the game is a set of continual isekai stories, transporting you to different "books" with the help of a magic desk and giving you "create your own adventure" options to see how the story plays out.

Your fairy companion Isabelle helps you learn the ropes, and you have to go through one mandatory book (a Marie Antoinette themed story) to get access to your room and the larger bookstore

(I'll put the rest under a read more bc it'll get long)

For each chapter you complete, you earn 1-3 tickets. With these tickets, you can unlock new books! The more you play, the more you earn towards new stories.

The game currency works on a coins and diamonds system--you don't NEED to purchase anything to play (though it may make the game a bit easier in some areas)

You get free stamina to access books and crafting materials every 11 hours and the Time Princess discord server has codes pretty frequently for diamonds, tickets, etc.

I personally splurge for the Fashion Booster every 2 months because I know it helps support the game and the artists! I try not to use real money on the random outfits unless I REALLY want one bc it can get addictive.

One of my favorite parts of the game is that, as you play, you unlock "album" art (full color illustrations that tie into the story!!)

One other thing I love is that the game is very targeted towards Bisexuals, as there are TONS of queer wlw story lines (though because of the games' popularity overseas and censorship, often gets called "best friends" etc)

Another fun part is the variety of stories!!!! There's art history!! There's stuff based on old fairy tales like Swan Lake. There's fantasy stories like The Apothecary. There's a Pirate story!!! There's Chinese, Japanese, and Korean stories. There's a western cowboy story! There's futuristic scifi!!! There's a victorian flavored horror story!!!

Most, if not all, of the stories are with adult characters and have adult storylines!! (the books will also give you a content warning before downloading)

On top of the stories, there's plenty of other fun aspects--mini games, fashion challenges, checking in with your companions every day to earn crafting materials, joining a society, playing events, and just playing dress up with your outfits and taking pics for fun.

The discord community is great too, and there's often interview nights with some of the book authors and giveaways of materials and prizes (I actually ended up winning a plushie Lafayette one time!)

The discord server also has game guides and walkthroughs for everything!

Everyone who plays the game gets really into the stories and characters, so even though the tumblr presence of fans may be smaller, you have an immediate bond with the other players!!!

They've also done some really cool collabs with museums like The Louvre and the Flamenco museum. You get to earn clothes from famous paintings or historical ones during that event period!

Finally, don't forget to save your big clothing crafting for Saturdays! You get double the materials!!

[gffa]

what order would you recommend reading the batman comics in? also where do you find the comics?

"What order would you recommend reading the Batman comics in?" only has one answer and that answer is for me to immediately burst into tears. Okay, this list is designed around what I think is most likely to get you into comics and having a good time, if you're enjoying the kind of posts that appear on this blog: - Nightwing 2016, you can start from issue #1 and just keep reading (well, once you hit the Ric Grayson arc, you can skim if you want) because it's a fun, light-hearted series that's just very easy to read and is my comfort series in a lot of ways. I enjoy Dick Grayson's character, it does a lot of work to establish him in his own city, but also touches on his relationships with his family, and I think is a great starting place. You can start with Better Than Batman, Back to Bludhaven, Nightwing Must Die, Blockbuster, Raptor's Revenge, The Untouchable, The Bleeding Edge, Knight Terrors (not to be confused with the 2023 event of the same name!), Burnback, The Gray Son Legacy, The Joker War, Fear State Then there's something of a 'soft reboot' where the volume numbering starts over (but issue #s keep going) with: Leaping into the Light, Get Grayson, The Battle for Blüdhaven's Heart - Robin & Batman (2022), a beautifully illustrated series from the early days of Bruce and Dick, where Bruce is not exactly the world's greatest parent, but he's trying, there's an amazingly emotionally satisfying hug, and it shows what a delightful hurricane child Dick Grayson was. - "The Murder Club" is just one story out of many in Batman: Urban Legends but it's a fantastic one, with beautiful art and a story that's about Thomas and Martha Wayne traveling forward in time to see what's become of their son, and they don't necessarily approve--until Dick and Damian are basically impossible to ignore and they see what Bruce is fighting for. For more general Batman stories (rather than ones focused on my Blorbo), I'm enjoying: - The Court of Owls [vol. 1][vol. 2] by Scott Snyder, which is a solid case story and introduces the Court of Owls, which I genuinely like as a relatively recent addition to Batman's rogues gallery! - Batman 2016 is a bit of a controversial pick, because not everyone enjoys the authors writing for this series, but I've had a blast with a lot of Tom King's writing, personally. I especially enjoyed a lot of the run-up to the Bruce/Selina wedding with Rebirth book 3 (there's a double date with Bruce/Selina and Clark/Lois that's just a silly, fun good time!), The Rules of Engagement, Bride or Burglar, The Wedding, and Cold Days. I wasn't really a big Bruce/Selina shipper before those issues, but they really won me over because I love a good hot mess of a couple that have a bunch of thorny issues between them, that Selina loves Bruce not as some mythic figure but as the dumbass guy she loves, and then some bonus quality content with Bruce's kids, especially once the wedding falls apart and he's in such a bad place and Dick Grayson is so good at stabilizing Bruce that it's unreal. (You can also read Preludes to the Wedding in around here, if nothing else the Dick + Hush one was really, really fun! Clark and Dick take Bruce to Batburger for his bachelor's party because they're horrible people who think they're funny, and it's DELIGHTFUL.) - Batman/Superman: World's Finest (2022) by Mark Waid is also more light-hearted, but is so much fun, the characters banter with each other, but you can see their genuine friendship and how it became to be one of foundational relationships in both their lives, and plus Dan Mora's art is always TOP NOTCH. (Plus, volume 2 is out as well.)

I limited myself to anything from the 2016 reboot ("Rebirth") because I think that's easiest to draw someone in and these are the starting places that I would enjoy, though, they do assume a fair amount of pre-knowledge about Batman characters, like personally I enjoyed Batman & Robin Eternal but I don't think it's a good starting point for what the comics are actually like. As always, if someone has a good suggestion for a newer fan, I'd love to hear them! Especially since I tend to be Nightwing-focused, that's where my area of expertise is, if you have some good Tim or Jason or Damian recs, feel free! Though, in general, I think you can pick up almost any trade paperback and it'll be designed to be read without too much confusion, so just find a character you think you'll like and jump in! :D (p.s. I'm linking to Hoopla pages because, if you have a library card with your local library, you can use it to sign in to Hoopla!)

[ofliterarynature]

JUNE 2024 WRAP UP

[loved liked ok nope dnf bookclub*]

The Language of Thorns • Transitions: A Mother's Journey* • Sipsworth • The Watchmaker of Filigree Street • Sunbringer • Someone You Can Build a Nest In • The Curse of Chalion • The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi • Heartstopper Vol 5 • Knit One, Kill Two • A Letter to the Luminous Deep

Slim numbers this month! But we had a few days off of work, and a couple of these were long -

The Language of Thorns (4 stars) - I don't really enjoy Bardugo's work anymore, but this survived my very first TBR poll by my interference because I love fairy tales and retellings! I think Bardugo had some cool stories, made some cool twists, the illustrations were nice to look at - I think she definitly has the structure of fairy tales down, but I don't think she quite has the language. I don't love her writing style, but it really doesn’t fit here all of the time. I'm still trying to decide if I want to keep it, but I think I'm leaning towards not. I don’t own it, but I also plan to read the Hinterland collection by Melissa Albert.

Transitions (3 stars) a graphic novel based on the real-life experiences of a mother coming to terms with her child’s transition. I could maybe see this being a helpful book for someone whose parent is also struggling, but it was a bit too short and occasionally abstract for me to really understand the mother’s behavior - we definitely struggled to find anything to talk about at the bookclub meeting.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street (3.5 stars) - I wanted to like this more. I definitely liked parts of it, most of it even! I just really hated the entire Grace subplot and it dragged the rest of the book down for me. Also, major deja vu at the ending? I don't know why, I can't remember reading this before. Will probably read the sequel and more of the author’s work, but I'd love to read KJ Charles’ version of this.

Sipsworth (4 stars) - it was fine? But I was also bored enough on occasion that this really should only be 3 stars, and I only finished it because it was short. Overly sentimental.

Sunbringer (5 stars) - fun! Really wish I could have picked this up right after book 1, it gets right into things and I’d forgotten a bit more than I liked. I didn’t realize that this series was set up to be more than just a duology, so news on book 3 soon I hope!!!

Someone You Can Build a Nest In (4.5 stars) - also very fun, would recommend to fans of fairy tales if you don’t mind some gore and body horror.

The Curse of Chalion (4 stars) - did I love this to the bottom of my heart? No. Did it hold my attention and keep me entirely engaged! Yes! So overall I’d call it a great read, and I really need to get the next book(s) on my reading schedule.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (5 stars) - WHAT a delight!!! Sailing ships, a reluctant hero, non-romantic relationships at the forefront, what’s not to love? I wish some of Amina’s friends had gotten a bit more development, but I also dearly love her and her terrible cringe-fail husband. While we wait for the next book I should go back and actually finish the author’s earlier series.

Heartstopper Vol 5 (5 stars) - also fun, and if I had more time I would have absolutely launched myself into a full Oseman read/reread (I wish her later novels had been released in the US when they first came out, but I’m glad we have them now!)

DNF

Knit One, Kill Two (4%) - the problem with cozy mysteries, especially with the slightly older ones, is that they tend to give strong vibes of having been written by women of a certain social class with certain views, and the writing just does not age well. Within 4% we got a conversation about dieting and calories and a tasteless comment about a homeless individual, and I was out.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep (31%) - this one’s been getting a lot of buzz, which, honestly, means it could have gone either way for me. It did not go, alas. The story was dragging, the back and fourth between timelines was frustrating, and the letters were not really convincing - if the siblings had set out to solve their siblings disappearance, maybe it would have had more pull, but it really felt like a lot of spilling your guts to a stranger and not much else. Too bad, because I do enjoy an unusual story structure if it works.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

hey i hope you had a nice day, do you have some parentlock fanfic recommendations? im currently running out of fanfictions regarding this trope and need some new stuff🙏🏼🙏🏼

Hey Nonny!

Ah, not much, I haven't been doing much new reading lately so all the lists I do have are about 6 months old the latest... Hmm. Let's make a new list and go through my MFL list, because I once again don't have a different list of stuff I've read ready, so let's give y'all a nice long list today :) These are all the fics that have been tagged with "Parentlock" based on the author descriptions.

Feel free to add more, friends!

EDIT: THIS HAD TO BE SPLIT UP, SO YAY I HAVE LISTS FOR THREE WEEKS!!! :D I had a lot more Parentlock MFLs than I thought, so I hope you enjoy Parentlock for the next three weeks, hahahha!

------

PARENTLOCK Pt. 4A (MFL, 0-25K w.)

See also:

Parentlock

Parentlock Pt. 2

Parentlock Pt. 3

Adoption

Single-Parent Sherlock

Sherlock Soft With Children

Dragons and Giants by ChrisCalledMeSweetie (G, 432 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Humour, Parentlock with Rosie) – Uncle Mycroft tells Rosie a story about how brave her Daddy and her Papa really are.  Part 4 of the Bedtime Stories with Sherlock and John series ||  Part 17 of the Children's Classics with a Johnlock Twist series || Part 6 of the Ring Around the Rosie - Parentlock Fluff series

FOR YOU, MY LOVE....... by sherlock_is_actually_a_girls_name (G, 540 w., 1 Ch. || One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Rosie Watson, Parentlock) – Rosie has decided that her papa needs some makeup........

Bad Influence by Mottlemoth (T, 923 w., 1 Ch. || Mystrade || Humour, Secret Relationship, Background Johnlock, Parentlock with Rosie, Rosie Swears, Uncle Mycroft) – Three-year-old Rosie Watson learns a fun new word; Sherlock is in no doubt who taught her it.

Dear Sherlock: The First 30 Times I Loved You The Most by wendymarlowe (M, 1,063 w., 1 Ch. || S4 Fix It, Parentlock, Schmoop / Fluff) – Written because I have some serious feels about the end of S4.

The Ghostly Beekeeper by ChrisCalledMeSweetie (G, 1,129 w., 1 Ch. || Dog, Parentlock) – Rosie Watson-Holmes shares the story of her father’s great tragedy. Part 9 of the Spooky Johnlock Stories series || Part 2 of the A Sackful of Saki series || Part 11 of the Ring Around the Rosie - Parentlock Fluff series

He Gets That From Me by CrayolaDinosaurs (G, 1,163 w., 1 Ch. || Parentlock, Implied Mystrade, Depressing as Fuck, OC Child) – Sherlock discusses the traits that Hamish gained from John and himself.

Rosie and the Rainbows by MissDavis (M, 1,194 w., 1 Ch. || Parentlock, Girl Guides/Scouts, Papa Sherlock, Fluff, M for Language) – Sherlock isn't exactly opposed to Rosie joining the Girl Guides, but he doesn't really see the appeal, either. It ends up being much worse than he imagined.

Z is for Animals by chainedtothemirror & ChrisCalledMeSweetie (G, 1,228 w., 2 Ch. || Case Fic. Riddles, Fluff, Established Relationship, Parentlock, Illustrated) – A case leads Sherlock and John to spend a day at the London Zoo - with surprising results.  Part 8 of the Sherlock Challenge Prompt Fills series || Part 7 of the Ring Around the Rosie - Parentlock Fluff series

Are you gay, Sherlock? (the question that changed everything) by Wholockian_Nerd (G, 1,370 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, POV First Person John, Parentlock with Rosie) – Rosie asks a question one day and Sherlock’s answer changes everything about his and John’s relationship.

Still here by solrosan (G, 1,387 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TFP, Parentlock) – Sherlock and John come home to Rosie after the events of The Final Problem.

Ink by Strange_johnlock (T, 1,460 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Parentlock with Rosie, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss/Time, Tattoos, Mutual Pining, Angst, Fluff) – Every tattoo Sherlock gets has to do with John.

Without Complexities or Pride by Raina_at (G, 1,671 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Sherlock POV, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Parentlock, Stream of Consciousness, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Domestic Fluff) – Love is what happens when you look and look and finally see.

Family by bluebellofbakerstreet (G, 1,919 w., 1 Ch. || Art Fic / Text in Images, Parentlock, Mycroft POV, Fluff, Background Mystrade) – Mycroft Holmes keeps an eye on Rosie Watson. Strictly for the sake of security. Excerpts from a confidential file.

parenting 101 by ImJustPassingThrough (G, 1,922 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4,  Parentlock with Rosie, Crying Sherlock, Caring John) – Rosie accidentally broke a glass vase by playing ball in the apartment, despite her Dad telling her not to. However, when her Papa told her off for it, she may have yelled something she shouldn't have...

Sherlock chooses himself by thewallflower07 (G, 2,035 w., 1 Ch. || Post TLD / No TFP, No Parentlock, Dialogue Heavy, Sherlock is a Mess, Sherlock and Feelings, John is Not Good, Angst) – Sherlock is a physical and emotional mess after John beats him bloody during the Culverton Smith case. He visits his therapist, who tells him to be selfish for the first time in his life. When John appears with his daughter and asks him to move back, Sherlock has to make a very difficult decision.

enbyfriend by blueberrynoahboi (NR, 2,045 w., 2 Ch. || Post S4, Teen Romance, Gender Dysphoria, Teen Rosie, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Parentlock) – Rosie brings home someone special, and John has to grapple with some new ideas. Sherlock's there for support. But as always, it's all fine.

Evermore by SosoHolmesWatson (G, 2,068 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock, Beauty and the Beast, Love Confessions, Disney Songs, Oblivious John, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Pining Sherlock) – For the past years, John and Sherlock have lived at Baker Street again, raising Rosie together--as friends and nothing more. Ever since the little girl has watched her first Disney movie, she is obsessed with princesses. When John comes home one day, he finds his friend and his daughter in the middle of a reenactment of her current favourite. Part 1 of the Made of Music series

Are You Gay? by orphan_account (G, 2,299, 2 Ch. || Parentlock with Rosie, Older Rosie, Fluff) – Some boys at school called Rosie "Gay." She doesn't exactly know what that means, but maybe her dad does?

Keep Calm and Celebrate Sherlock's Birthday by BookGirlWithLove (G, 2,431 w., 11 Ch. || Post-S4, Sherlock’s Birthday, Parentlock / Rosie, Collection of 221B Ficlets First Kiss) – Rosie's excited to throw Sherlock a surprise birthday party. John knows it won't be that simple.

Three of us by Salambo06 (E, 2,801 w., 4 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock, Domesticity, First Kiss) – He leans in as soon as he’s close enough, kissing Rosie’s forehead softly, murmuring a quiet “Morning love” as Sherlock goes into more detailed facts about Rosie’s sleeping habits. John isn’t sure what happens next, but without thinking twice about it and actually feeling like it’s the most natural thing in the world to do right now, he leans in towards Sherlock and kisses his temple with a smile.

The Best Things in Life by Calais_Reno (T, 2,969 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Fluff and Humour, Accidental Kissing, Developing Relationship, Idiots in Love) – Will they talk about this? Hell, no. Part 27 of Just Johnlock

Hope is sweet by Lock_John_Silver (T, 2,977 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Valentine’s Day, Developing Relationship, Pet Names, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Classical Music, Idiots in Love, Endearments, POV Sherlock) - Sherlock wants to be more than John’s best friend. Has wanted it for ages, truth be told. So, when Molly comes up with an idea, that to some extent involves three year old Rosie, Sherlock doesn’t hesitate.

Lines in the Sand by JRow (G, 3,067 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff) –  He examines the plain white box, which clearly holds a new mug. John must have purchased it and he’s written a note on the top. First time for everything. – J. Sherlock smiles and feels excitement as he opens the box. As expected, it’s a mug. It appears to be a boring, white mug. Sherlock pulls it out of the box and his breath hitches as he sees the image decorating the side. It’s not boring at all.

Move in by Strange_johnlock (G, 3,073 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Misunderstandings, Idiots in Love, Parentlock, First Kiss, Light Angst, Fluff) – Sherlock wants John and Rosie to move out. At least that's what John thinks.

Enfolded in Love by Schattengestalt (T, 3,258 w., 1 Ch. || Trans!Sherlock, FTM Sherlock, Body Dysphoria, Domestic Fluff, Couch Cuddles, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Parentlock, Fluff, Insecure Sherlock, Kissing) – When their daughter comes to them with a question, Sherlock fears that the answer to it will change her perception of him forever.

Words Won’t Come by unicornpoe (G, 3,323 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Fluff, Angst, Softness, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Parentlock with Rosie) – John wants to take Sherlock’s wrist into his hand, to tether him close. Pull him in with a palm at the small of Sherlock’s back, press his forehead into the curve of Sherlock’s neck. Catch that heat, and hold it forever. Kiss him. He doesn’t. Instead, he settles for tea and awkward conversation. Fifteen minutes, tops, and John barely breathes the whole time.

The Wee Small Hours of the Morning by Quesarasara (NR, 3,330 w., 1 Ch. || Soulmates AU || Parentlock, Family Fluff, Surrogacy, Established Relationship) – How Sherlock, John and Jack became a family. Part 2 of the The Colors 'Verse series

"Daddy, who do you like?" by OnlyForward (G, 3,441 w., 1 Ch. || Parentlock / 6 Year-Old Rosie Fic) – Rosie is in the phase where she constantly asks questions. This leads to questions like "Who do you like" and develops, eventually, to "Why don’t you kiss Sherlock?"

About Bloody Time by ANGSWIN (T, 3,925 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF, Parentlock with Rosie, Family, Friendship, Love, Babysitting, First Kiss, Matchmaker Mycroft) – During a family emergency, Mycroft (un)intentionally plays matchmaker.

Father by NomdePlume (G, 4,525 w., 1 Ch. || Post-T6T Fix It, Parentlock, Soul Searching, Papa Sherlock, Pining, Panicked Sherlock, Fluff,  Godfather Sherlock, Pre-Slash) – Sherlock never realized how good he would be at this parenting thing. Or how much he would love it.

Don't Read the Last Page by Raina_at (T, 4,527 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock, Domestic Fluff, Life with a Toddler, Friends to Lovers, Love Confession, First Kiss) – What does it mean to be brave? Or: Sherlock and John spend New Year's Day with a grumpy toddler and have a long overdue conversation.

A Study in Sleep by Ranowa (T, 5,691 w., 1 Ch. || Post TFP, Parentlock, Nightmares, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Worth Issues) – John just wants to go to sleep, and instead is woken up by a crying toddler. He learns that Sherlock is at his most honest only when he thinks that no one is watching.

Love Like Ours by Berty (T, 6,563 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Past John/Mary, First Kiss, Declarations, Developing Relationship, Conversations, POV John) – In a moment of madness, John tells Sherlock that he loves him. He had not anticipated where the ensuing conversation would take them.

Incidents with Dogs, Curious and Otherwise by DiscordantWords (T, 6,850 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Dogs, First Kiss, John Comes Home, Parentlock) – Rosie, it seems, is quite taken with dogs. So is Sherlock. John cannot help but notice.

Swift, Fierce & Obscene by J_Baillier (M, 7,183 w., 4 Ch. || Post-S4, Angst, Illness, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Big Brother Mycroft, Drugs, Parentlock, Reichenbach Feels, Flashbacks) – Every morning, he lets out a rattled breath of relief because John doesn't know yet; he can still pretend everything hasn't changed.Sometimes it's the smallest things, rather than criminal master plans or elaborate family secrets, which ultimately destroy what a man has fought to preserve.

Dinner Conversations, a 5+1 by BakerTumblings (G, 7,559 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Blended Families, Parentlock, Dinner Conversations, Established Relationship, Family Adventures, Five and Ones) – Five times that John had something to say at or about dinnertime, and one time where John was requested to listen. Part 8 of Eyes Wide Open

The Beating of a Heart by Ficlet_Sprinkler (NR, 7,700 w., 1 Ch. || MCD, Heavy Angst, Love Confessions, Parentlock) – John is deadly sick, laying in the hospital, with Sherlock by his side. Things are not looking well for John, so Sherlock decides to finally tell him the truth. The truth he had been holding back for years, as it hurt too much for him to admit. Before it's too late...

Miscommunication by SrebrnaFH (G, 7,849 w., 6 Ch. || Post S4, Father’s Day, Parentlock, Surprises) – Sherlock picks Rosie up from daycare and is faced with a Problem To Resolve. Little Watson is distressed.

I meant to say always by OnceSherlock (T, 8,808 w., 1 Ch. || Fake Relationship, Parentlock, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Unresolved Romantic Tension, POV John, Protective Parents) – Rosie made sure that Sherlock was listening before whispering into John’s ear. “I wished for you and Papa to be married.”

Alternative Facts by SwissMiss (E, 10,116 w., 2 Ch. || Post-S4, POV Outsider, Parentlock, Fluff, Five and One) – Five times people imagined what John and Sherlock get up to in the bedroom, and one time we see what they really get up to.

We could. by agirlsname (M 10,918 w., 1 Ch. || Twitterlock AU || Post-TRF, Relationship Crisis, Emotional Sex, Angst and Fluff, POV John, Parentlock, Hurt/Comfort, Texting) – We can do better than two weeks. An interpretation of events occurring on the 16th of May 2017; a most dramatic night on Twitter. Part 1 of Contacts

Wanting Everything by jadztone (T, 10,931 w. 1 Ch., || Post-S4, Miscommunications, Pining John, Pregnancy, UST / RST, First Kiss, Parentlock, Mollcroft) – John and Rosie are living in Baker Street again, after the events of TFP. John is trying to work up the courage to tell Sherlock how he feels. When he finds out Molly is pregnant, he fears that he is too late.

Casualty by Silvergirl (E, 12,051 w., 4 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canon Compliant Until T6T, Mary’s Dead, Trauma/Comfort, John’s a Good Friend, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss/Time, Sherlock Learns Teamwork, Parentlock) – Sherlock renders assistance at a hit-and-run and is left deeply shocked. When the accident turns into a case, John moves back in to 221b to help—and finds that Sherlock has way oversold his image as an emotionless thinking machine.

Darkest Days, Finest Hours by blueink3 (M, 12,448 w., 1 Ch. || S4 Fix It Fic, Parentlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Kidnapping, Hurt John, Peril, Soft Sherlock, BAMF John) – They both knew, deep down, that it was only a matter of time. And now the time has come.Rosamund Catherine Watson is missing. And Sherlock Holmes is about to set the world on fire.

The Infinite Curse Of A Lonely Heart by Potrix (M, 13,416 w., 1 Ch. || Post S3 Canon Divergence, URT/UST, Pining, Infidelity, Unhealthy Relationships, Drug Use/Abuse, Angry Sex, Hurting Sherlock, Oblivious John, Not-Nice Mary, Parentlock, Eventual Happy Ending, Protective Mycroft, Paternal Lestrade) – Sherlock agrees to be the best man. John is his friend and that's what you do for your friend. Sherlock prepares and delivers the best man speech for his friend. John is his best friend and that's what you do for your best friend. Sherlock watches his best friend get married and smiles on. John is the person he loves and that's what you do for the person you love.Sherlock kills the man threatening the person he loves. John is his world and that's what you do for you friend, your best friend, the person you love, the love of your life, your world.

A Fortuitous Oversight by scribblesinthebyline (E, 14,513 w., 1 Ch. || Omegaverse AU || Parentlock, Omega Sherlock, Alpha John, Past Mpreg, Anal Sex, Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending) – Sherlock Holmes was perfectly content being a single parent until a scent on the wind caught his attention.

A One-Track Life by JennLynn77 (E, 13,526 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4/TFP, Parentlock, Est. Rel., Medical Procedures, Anal, Cuddling/Snuggling, Bed Sharing, Surgery, Physical Therapy, Retirement, Sherlock Whump, Caring John, Bottomlock, Endearments, Drug Addiction, Triggers) – A medical situation threatens to derail the plans Sherlock had for his life with John and Rosie.

Full Circle by cumberqueer (E, 13,797 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock, Domestic Fluff, POV Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock) – Sherlock Holmes has noticed that his best friend and crime-solving partner John Watson is doing well - too well for what they've been through, if you ask him. Sherlock is worried John is seeing someone that is making him very happy, and intends to find out who. But first: data. Featuring a spreadsheet of John Watson's Smiles, a parentlock makeover for 221b, and John being charming af.

Sehnsucht by unicornpoe (T, 14,770 w., 9 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It, Mutual Pining, Parentlock with Rosie, Romance, Slow Burn, Touch Starvation, Hurt / Comfort, Hurt John, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending) – Sehnsucht: longing, pining, yearning, craving, intensely missing. An individual’s search for happiness while coping with the reality of unattainable wishes. John is here now, yes, yes he is. He and Rosie are back home in 221B with Sherlock, safe where they belong... but why is there still a hole deep inside Sherlock, wide and gaping and consuming? Does John feel it too? And what will it take to fill it?

Quite an Eyeful by BakerTumblings (M, 14,869 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Established Relationship, Military Backstory, Brief Previous John/OFC, Domestic Life) – Life on Baker Street for Sherlock, John, & Rosie was very good. They had resolved many of the issues that had plagued them, settled in as parents, and thrived on a more predictable yet very enjoyable routine.Until something very unexpected from John's past surfaced to challenge them.They will, of course, work together and find a way to manage. Together. Part 1 of Eyes Wide Open

Winning the Goat by ArwaMachine (E, 17,204 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock, Established Relationship, Kissing, Anal, Fluff, Bottomlock, Slice of Life, Mild Hurt/Comfort) – The life that Sherlock and John have together is rather unusual. Sometimes they lounge about the flat with their daughter. Sometimes they flee for their lives from a band of organ-harvesting criminals. Sometimes they shag. Sometimes Sherlock insists upon arguing with John about the Monty Hall problem for weeks on end. Somehow, they love each other. Somehow, it all works.

Stay for Me by Itsallfine (M, 17,310 w., 7 Ch. || Post-TAB, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss/Time, Bed Sharing, Mental Health Issues, Not-Nice Mary, Divorce, Angst with Happy Ending, Parentlock) – 221B was packed into boxes and bins, and that was when John knew, really knew—Sherlock had planned to be gone forever.

One Good Scare by blueink3 (M, 17,386 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Holmes Family, Parentlock, Misunderstandings, Family, Fluff and Angst, Jealousy, Halloween, Happy Ending) – Mummy invites Sherlock, John, and Rosie to the country for her birthday, which just so happens to coincide with the annual Harvest Festival, an event Sherlock loathes. With John seemingly making the wrong move at every turn and with ghosts hiding in each of their closets, what will it take for their (Halloween) masks to finally come off?

The Nearer Your Destination by Silvergirl (E, 18,949  w., 6 Ch. || Post-TLD, Established Relationship, Wedding, Venice Honeymoon, Parentlock, Jealousy) – After a December wedding, Sherlock takes John to Venice for a February honeymoon. It's absolutely perfect, up until the moment he hears John growl, "What the hell is Zanardi doing here?" Part 4 of the Drawn to Stars series

I'll Show You the Difference by Ginger_Cat (E, 19,677 w., 10 Ch. || Post-HLV, Infidelity, Hand/Blow Jobs, Hair-Pulling, First Kiss, Caught-In-The-Act, Almost Parentlock, Minor Character Death, Angst, Bittersweet Ending) – John attempts to prove that Sherlock's love for him is platonic. He fails, miserably.

WHISPER TO ME by chrysanthemumsies (T, 20,598 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Fluff, Parentlock, Mutual Pining, Music, Sherlock Plays Guitar, Love Confessions, Light Angst, Romance, First Kiss) - Following the events of S4, Sherlock and John try and fit back into their old life as carefully as they can, all while their feelings threaten to bubble to the surface. Or: Sherlock picks up playing the guitar. John falls more and more in love with every passing day.

A Twist of Fate by cloud_wolfbane (M, 21,103 w., 12 Ch. || Omegaverse || Mpreg, Drug Use, Parentlock) – In a cocaine bender Sherlock forgets to take his heat suppressants and spends his heat with a soldier readying for deployment. While he remembers the man's kindness he does not remember his name. In a move even Sherlock isn't sure he can deduce, he decides to keep the child. What will he do 10 years later when he meets Dr. John Watson at Barts? Part 1 of the Twist of Fate series

Home Is by glenien (E, 21,786 w., 2 Ch. || S4 Fix-It / Post S4, Eventual Happy Ending, Parentlock, Emotional Baggage, First Kiss, Domesticity, Fluff) – While 221B is still under construction, Sherlock stays with Rosie and John.

Into the Multiverse by AnAnYaH (M, 21,958 w., 18 Ch. || Avengers / Sherlock / Dr. Strange Crossover || Multiverses, Everstrange, Parentlock / Teenage Rosie, Sad Sherlock, Angry Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Sherlock/John Fight, Magic, Strange John, First Kiss, Whipping, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Threats of Rape / Non-Con, Mental Anguish, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst with Happy Ending) – Nothing lasts forever. I am beginning to think it's the same for you and me. In a world where we don't co-exist how long will it take to finally break us ? Or are we already broken in need of a fix ?A multi-chapter fic where Sherlock and John had to leave their lives to save the world from universal threats and pursue as Doctor Strange and Everett Ross.Will they ever reunite? Part 1 of the Everstrange series

The Alchemy of Sea Glass by reveling_in_mayhem (E, 22,010 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S3 Canon Divergence, Parentlock (Rosie), Friends to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Vacationing) – Salt and air and sand surrounded their little party of three. Crashing waves, gull cries, and the exhilarated exclamations of an excited three-year-old served as the soundtrack to a day filled with blue skies and bright sunshine.

Where I Cannot Find You by withoutawish (M, 22,211 w., 1 Ch. || Parentlock, Drama, Cancer, Illness, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Turmoil, Established Relationship, Character Death) – When Hamish is diagnosed with cancer, his parents have two entirely separate ways of coping.

Becoming Us (A reunion in three parts) by addicted2hugh (E, 23,207 w., 3 Ch. || S4 Fix It, Pining Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Sherlock, Hurt/Comfort, Protective John, First Time, POV Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Light Parentlock, Bottom Sherlock, Self-Harm, Drug Addiction, Sherlock is a Mess) – After watching Mary's last message, Sherlock and John try to be the "Baker Street Boys" again. Rebuilding the destroyed flat is the easy part. Will they manage to rebuild their friendship as well? And what did Mary mean when she said: "And if I'm gone, I know what you could become."?

Lockdown by johnwatso and Salambo06 (E, 23,376 w., 20 Ch. || Quarantine, COVID-19, Lockdown, Fluff, Parentlock, Reunion, Dancing, Soft Idiots, Sex Toys) – The world is in lockdown due to Covid-19. This is how Sherlock and John spend their time.

Danger Nights by khorazir (T, 23,591 w., 3 Ch. || Post-TLD, Friends to Lovers, Mentioned Parentlock, Pining, First Kiss/Time, Winter, Folklore, Wales, Spooky Elements, Bed Sharing, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Spooky Elements) – According to folklore, the nights between Christmas and Twelfth Night are the most dangerous of the year. During them, the Wild Hunt rides, and ghosts and demons come out to haunt unsuspecting and misbehaving folk. An investigation of a series of strange occurrences leads John and Sherlock to Hay-on-Wye on the Welsh Marches, to face ghosts weird and ancient as well as close and personal – and perhaps to start the new year on a more hopeful note than the previous one.

[titanrpg]

how i learned ttrpg design, part 3

you can check out part 1 here and part 2 here

as always, this is about my personal experience learning ttrpg design, and i claim no particular expertise or authority on what constitutes "good" game design

3

so far, i've discussed the games i drew on for the start of my ttrpg education. now let's talk about how to improve (when you need to/if you want to). now, i'll say i don't think "improving" is a great way to think about it. i prefer to think about it as "how to be aware of the tools you need to accomplish your design goals"

for some people, the three games i've discussed are plenty for them to get started. these people tend to like experimenting for themselves and then doing more research when they need help. (i fall in this category.) other people may want to read more before starting in earnest. this is also a smart way to go. (obviously you can go overboard with researching so much that you never actually start, but we are far from that place here.) either way, at some point you'll need more information than you currently have.

how do you find the wisdom you seek? the best answer is simply asking for help from people you look up to/trust. but i've never been good at asking for help, so uhhh this post exists

quick story time. i recently visited maryland to go to my partner's sibling's wedding. in a local comic shop's manga section, i saw this book. i was like, oh fun, it's a manga about kids playing a goblin slayer ttrpg.

but then, when i opened the book...

mechanics!!

it's a TTRPG!! i don't know anything about goblin slayer, but now i'm combing through this book for cool tech. of note so far: at the end of every round of combat, each player has to make an attrition check. fail that, and your fatigue score goes up. at 4 fatigue, you fall unconscious. at 5, you die. punishes long fights and incentivizes players to find alternate solutions. it uses only d6s. and there are sections of fiction illustrated with beautiful manga art. these choices feel old school to me, but it came out in 2019. now i'm really excited. i'll get to see what japanese osr is like!

to me, this pursuit of ttrpg tech feels like discovering an ancient library and searching through old tomes for the power i seek. and there's an online version of this that anyone can dig through for ttrpg tech: osr blogs

old school renaissance/revival, or "osr," as far as i understand it, is a ttrpg genre/design paradigm, typically along the lines of old school d&d. i'm not the best person to explain this, but the way i think about this school of design is it tends to prioritize player skill over character skill. it's the difference between solving a puzzle and rolling to solve a puzzle. because of this, they often make really cool mechanics for challenging players that don't just amount to "roll a 20, do the thing." they also tend to share their thoughts on traditional blogs.

here's an amazing, meticulously catalogued library of keystone OSR posts

by marcia b., @/traversefantasy on twitter, who has an OSR blog of her own using marxist and freudian frameworks for analysis

rise up comus

by josh mcCroo, who's working on a game called his majesty the worm. pretty sure i don't have to say anything else

permanent cranial damage

by ava islam, whose assertion that "Armour Class and Hit Points are the same thing" blew my mind when i was starting out

goblin's henchman

which is where I found the hex flower tech that i adapted for HEXFALL's main mechanic

and one non-OSR blog, that of jay dragon

yes i am a possum creek fangirl. this blog is bananas good. if you haven't read up on playground theory, oh boy you're in for a treat

final takeaway: you never know where you'll find new tools and ideas!

obviously credit people and don't use what's not yours. but have fun and share cool tech with others when you find it!

hope this was helpful <3

p.s. another place that apparently used to have a ton of ttrpg activity was google+. every so often i hear whispers of digital libraries filled with all sorts of salvaged g+ ttrpg treasures. never seen an invite link with my own eyes though. if you hear anything, let me know, will ya?

[piratekane]

i got an ask in my email that never showed up in my inbox that was basically looking for book recs and since only one person asked for my opinion and because this was the year i fell back in love with reading, i'm going to do a myspace Top 8 books i loved this year, in no particular order:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein this is basically a love story. it's a love story and you won't change my mind. i don't mean romantic love except that i mean best friends loving each other to and through the end of the world can be romantic and we should say that more often. because this a book about war and its terrors but it's also the love story between two best friends and what they'll do to get back to each other. it has probably one of my favorite protagonists ever - actually, two of my favorites. Wein tells a devastatingly perfect story and i promise your heart will swell and sink and tie itself into tiny knots. kiss me, hardy! kiss me quick! 5 stars, i cried at the end

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo i was late to the SoC books and boy am i glad i finally showed up to the party. this book was perfection. i immediately fell in love with each crow and spent the whole book screaming that if nina and matthias didn't kiss ASAP that i was going to throw something. i also was yelling about kaz and inez, do not think i was not doing that. kex brekker you deserve love you street rat. @dealanexmachina had to deal with the screaming through this. and i think it's going to be a repeat read in 2024 just so i can experience the care and craftsmanship that went into each character, their nuances, and how it wove perfectly together into kaz's brilliant plan. 5 stars, i immediately read the sequel like a hungry jaugar hunting down a person wearing that calvin klein scent

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson brando sando is... prolific. and it was overwhelming to jump in, but i started with tress and not any of his other books (a problem i have rectified) and what a bang it was. this book is, in a word, hilarious. the narrator is a fantastical being with an aversion to linear thought and a predilection for hilarity. the humor in this book is unlike any of sandos other work and really shows that he has the ability to stretch. the premise is very clever and very cool and just very fun. tress is brave and smart and that's celebrated, not punished. plus who doesn't love a talking rat? i'm looking forward to his other secret projects 4.5 stars, the narrator is my favorite sando character

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak okay, this is billed as horror, but i wouldn't really say horror and would lean more into the mystery billing than anything. maybe thriller. and it's outside my usual genre and is definitely more suited to my wife's tastes but she finished this book in three days (and usually takes 3 weeks-to-months to finish books) and when she said i had to read it, i said yes dear and picked it up. i'm glad i did. it's an illustrated mystery and as the author writes in the notes, those who pay attention will be rewarded. the ending was a twist i didn't see coming, like, at all. and it was clever. but once the ending started to unfold it was a mad dash to the finish. 5 stars, my wife recommends this

The Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff now, i know. this is actually 3 books, not 1. but hear me out - they must all be read. it's nonnegotiable. these books were recommended by tumblr user @fiddleabout and am i so very glad they were. mia is unhinged. there's no other way to put that. the girl is fucking off. her. rocker. and no one in her life is any better. they're all just as freaking crazy. but they're my crazy comfort killers. i went on for hours about mia and ash, to the point that my wife shut the bathroom door in my face because i tried to follow her in there talking about them. this series is bloody and more than once i was like, he can't possibly make this any bloodier but he CAN and i think this book is better for it. found family, check. unhinged teenage protagonist, double check. endless fun, check in triplicate. 4.5 stars, i am never not thinking of ash and her vision of a house on a lake and softness

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon obviously i read priory first and obviously i loved it but ADoFN was... mind-blowing. maybe because priory enriched the world of ADoFN and i was already familiar with all the intricacies of it (though there was certainly more to learn) but reading this just... the bridging Shannon did, the connections she made between priory and ADoFN and how we ultimately saw the way ADoFN threaded some of the loops we saw closing in priory, it blew my mind. the utter romance of it all, my god. i read this monster book in a single day, i couldn't put it down. i emerged from my ADoFN cocoon like andy samberg in that one SNL skit where he plays a teenager who just woke up. i was changed(TM) 5 stars, i was a changed man

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo i immediately jumped into the rest of the Leigh's work (i went through SaB first but she's so strong at the end of this Grishaverse) and while i love all my SoC babes, nina was a favorite and honestly i'd recommend both King of Scars and this book. tumblr user fiddleabout was blessed to follow along with my completely unhinged livestream of this book and when (spoiler) zoya and nikolai finally got over themselves and K I S S E D, i put the book down and took a lap. then i picked it up and screamed again as nina's arc unfolded. 5 stars, i have a lot of thoughts about the kind of man nikolai is (peg)

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty i'm a bit of a sucker for a pirate book. even more of a sucker about a woman pirate, and amina is a woman pirate of the highest caliber. this book is either intentionally funny or unintentionally hilarious. amina's biggest flaw is that she's constantly ogling her demon ex-husband's cute butt - honest to god. otherwise, she's perfection. badass, scrappy, jacked. amina is all of those things and then some. so she has a bit of a past that winds up coming back to bite her in the ass and then she's thrust back onto a ship where she has to chase down an old crewmate's daughter - can you blame a girl for being the most kickass pirate in all of the seas? no! should you? absolutely not! just let amina live out her life ogling ass and sailing leisurely, please. 4.5 stars, i want to sail on amina's ship even though i'm afraid of boats. and the ocean. and things living in the ocean. and generally the water.

( ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)👍 and now you know, cause it's mike's pirate's super short show! ( ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)👍

[salteytakesonmanga]

Mister 3 and Miss Goldenweek are the first of Oda’s many “artist” villains. There are only so many motifs that actually work as a gimmick for characters, so it’s no surprise that after this many years Oda has a few favorites he likes to fall back on.

The thing I really love about how Oda treats “artist” characters is that he doesn’t make them cool or heroic. Sometimes you see artists inserted into stories and their characters are made so much cooler, more powerful, more noble, more important than other characters. They kind of take on a role that seems to be illustrating how the author of the manga itself views their job.

Meanwhile in One Piece the characters that you might expect to be Oda’s avatars, plunked into the story as a vehicle for his manifesto on art and meant to inspire sympathy and identification from the readers, are actually ridiculous selfish fools who are completely lacking in self-awareness and artistic talent.

Oda could be mocking fine artists for being pretentious or maybe he just has a better sense of humor and is comfortable poking fun at himself. It could also be that he doesn’t see himself as an “artist” and thinks of himself as a “manga-ka” or a even a more general term like “storyteller.”

Whichever it is, I always enjoy how haughty his “artist” villains are and how thoroughly they get their asses kicked.

[nerdferatum]

Books recommendations

Thank you for the tag, @veeples ! I have a few books to add to my TBR now thanks to your post.

Tagging: @brightpinkpeppercorn @plasticdodecagon and @lookingforsomethingcuzimbored

1. The last book I read:

More days at the Morisaki Bookshop, by Satoshi Yagisawa. I really enjoyed the first book, but unfortunately this one didn't hit the same. I'm also blaming the translation, which was weird and definitely made some choices. Most people reviewing it seem to like it even more than the first one, though.

2. A book I recommend:

This is how you lose the time war by Amal El-Mohtar. It's such an emotional story. I really liked how the author uses common techniques and tropes in such a unique way that I finish the book knowing that no other book would feel the same. I often struggle to connect with the characters in epistolary literature, but this book is one of the few exceptions. And the world building is incredible.

3. A book that I couldn’t put down:

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I have to agree with Vee, Six of Crows (and the sequel, Crooked Kingdom) are such fun reads. You have fantasy, heists, humour, realistic romances... It was the first time reading a book about teenagers as an adult that I thought that only a bunch of problematic teens could pull this off.

4. A book I’ve read twice (or more):

Dracula, by Bram Stocker. If you are into fantasy and want to read a classic, you should read Dracula. As much as I also love Carmilla, knowing what we do about vampires, seeing how much of Dracula has impregnated our pop culture, this book is almost a comedy. Don't get me wrong, it is scary and there is more gore that I would have assumed for my first read, but it's almost better when you already know what's going on. And seeing the source of our current vampire knowledge (or most of it) is very interesting. Also there's a cowboy.

5. A book on my TBR:

Stone butch blues, by Leslie Feinberg. I've seen it recommended everywhere by older queer people, but it was never in stock. So when I saw it a couple moths ago, I had to buy it, and this time it's not only going into my collection, I plan to read it.

6. A book I’ve put down:

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. I don't like not finishing books. Even when I don't like them, I try to finish them so I can complain properly. I couldn't do that with this one and it pains me because I love Agatha Christie. I've read all the books available in my library. I tried to read it after the movie came out and was so disappointed. Maybe it was the digital format that took me out of the story, but it hasn't happened with any other Christie book. It was so slow and I couldn't get invested.

7. A book on my wishlist:

Señoras ilustres que se empotraron hace mucho tiempo, by Christina Domenech. The translation would be "Fancy ladies who banged a long time ago". It's an illustrated book about historical sapphic women throughout history. I have the two other books by this author, and her sense of humour mixed with the respect towards these women and the emotionality of finding yourself everywhere in history are such a good combination. I don't think they have been translated to English, but if anyone understands spanish, they should consider a read. The only reason why I don't own this one yet is because illustrated books are so expensive that I haven't come up with an excuse yet.

8. A favorite book from my childhood:

Kika Superwitch, by Knister. I can't choose one because all of them were so important to me as a kid. I wanted to be Kika so badly. She was incredibly cool and brave on top of being a modern witch. I also loved the little tricks at the end of the books when they taught you how to do "magic" with ordinary tools and ingredients. I still have all of them.

9. A book you would give to a friend:

The adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. I don't have a particular reason aside from knowing that my friend will love this book because I loved this book. It isn't the type of fantasy we are used to see here, so I think she will appreciate the change.

10. A book of poetry or lyrics you own:

Rhymes and Legends by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. I have stupid beef with this man, but he has a unique way of create the atmosphere for his stories. He will transport you to that place.

11. A nonfiction book you own:

Señoras que se empotraron hace mucho by Christina Domenech. Sorry, I don't read too much non-fiction. These two books became my favourite when for one entry, the author introduced a writer by saying they didn't the world to intrude into their life, so she wouldn't tell us their story. The project started as curiosity from a literature student who never saw herself in the stories and people talked about in class, so she started her own research. Still, she decided to respect the privacy of this person because, even if they lived a long time ago, they still deserved our respect.

12. What are you currently reading:

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. It's actually a buddy read and I'm so curious about this re-read. It's been ten years since I read the series for the first time and it's been fun to see what 18-year-old me decided to underline or how I've changed my mind about certain things.

13. What are you planning on reading next:

Either the next Raven Cycle book or The Flood by Michael McDowell. I don't know if it's been just a local thing, but this series blew up a few weeks ago, everyone is so excited and I finally got the first one as a gift. So here we go.

[lady-wallace]

INTEREST CHECK RESULTS

Alright, it took me longer to get this up than intended, but mostly because I've actually been busy working on stuff behind the scenes for the paperbacks/merch the last couple weeks.

Thanks to everyone who sent in their feedback for the project! It really gave me some fun ideas for the merch that will be included.

First of all, I'm excited to announce that the 3rd title you all voted on will be FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

(now I get to draw a lot of shirtless Abbacchio, thank you <;3)

Our full lineup for this round of paperbacks will be:

-Time in a Bottle -All Along the Watchtower -For Whom the Bell Tolls

All three will be released in both paperback and PDF copies, fully illustrated and with full edits/ possible additions. Time in a Bottle is getting a new one-shot addition involving Dio showing up at Giorno's graduation.

MERCH

With the breakdowns from your feedback, this is what I have come up with for the merch options.

REGULAR MERCH: (these items will be included in the base price of the paperbacks)

-Stickers -Prints -Bookmarks -Exclusive One-Shot PDF

BUNDLE MERCH: (these items will be available for the upgraded bundle option in addition to the items listed above. Please note that all of these items will show up in some form but not all of them will be available for every bundle, i.e. you might get an acrylic keychain with one book bundle, but an acrylic pin with another. I may also make a couple of these items into an add-on you will be able to add to any order)

-Acrylic Keychain -Washi Tape -Notebook -Stationary Set -Acrylic Pin -Buttons

The full merch packages will also be available as an upgrade for people purchasing just PDF copies or PDF bundles

Official pricing is still TBD as I will have to figure out base costs of items to make sure I can fit everything into the voted on price range if possible, but the aprox range of costs for each item is listed below (not including shipping):

-PDF (no merch) $5-8 -PDF (with base merch) $8-12 -PDF (with bundle merch) $15-18 -Paperback (with base merch) $15-20 -Paperback (with bundle merch) $45-55

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ONE SHOT IDEA SUBMISSIONS

Since an exclusive one-shot will be part of the merch pack, I am looking for ideas for the story. If you have an idea you would like to see, please submit it in the form below! I'm mainly looking for Part 5 based ideas--they can be related to one of the stories or they can be totally original. If I choose your idea, I will be crediting you in the author's note of the story.

This form will be open through mid-March so if you can't think of anything right now, you can come back to it later :)

SUBMIT HERE

~~~~

In other news, considering the votes on the interest check, the Vampire Hunter AU will be next up on the docket for a paperback edition.

~~~~

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via tumblr asks!

More news will be coming within the next month, but if you want to stay up to date or get to see things early, come join my discord server (we also just have a lot of good fandom chatting going on over there)

[huntingteeth]

author headcanons for i know how we got here (give in again) that don't spoil the fic but and might be fun to know

(seriously, go read the fic, which is mostly completed except for an epilogue before you read anything in this post l m a o)

part 1, aka chapters 1-5

chapter 1

did i ever mention that i started writing this fic because iii resonates with me as a Tall Who Looms? and honestly i've had issues in the past with multi-chaptered fic where either i a) lose interest in the fandom or b) get weirded out by demanding readers (y'all have been lovely, no notes), so i really wasn't expecting this fic to be as long as it ended up being. that's not an author headcanon, that's just some context about me as a person lol

i really wanted to introduce iii as someone who felt bright entering iv's life at that moment. all the sensory descriptors prior to them meeting in the coffee shop are supposed to feel invasive and uncomfortable, and then they meet and iv's environment starts to brighten.

when iv asks, "who the fuck are you?" this was initially going to transition into a scene where iv accused iii of being someone that marc sent to mess with him more but i'm really glad i ended up swiveling away from that perspective

there's a universe where iv tells iii no. there's a universe where iv lets iii take him somewhere safe, but it isn't with them. i'm really glad i'm writing in this universe haha

vessel being introduced as ves to iv was a conscious decision to illustrate the distance between iv and the group.

my author note on that chapter stands, it is WILD to use epithets for a character for an entire chapter. the redacted name does not exist, i just copied and pasted the black box into something vaguely name-shaped.

iii is intentionally coded as having adhd. i think adhd lines up really well with this sort of prophet/seer archetype that he has in this story. i've always enjoyed stories where that sort of archetype has Kind of a Bad Time. no i don't care to examine that fact

chapter 2

this entire first section of the fic up to 'he'll be happy to see you' is to really cement the idea that sleep is so far removed from the concept of humans that it can't conceptualize what humans actually are. sleep's an eldritch deity.

there's a really sketchy aspect of starting a soul bond with someone they've just met even if it's the only loophole out of a previous spell. i tried to be very transparent about that fact and intentional with how vessel, ii, and iii feel guilty about it but still allow iv the dignity of his choice, even if it's not really an active choice he can consent to. but it's incredibly sketchy!! we all know it!!

i think it kind of feels like a plot hole that iii remembers more of the dreams than iv does, but the reason for that is that iii is directly connected with a god who encouraged that connection between iii and iv, and iv hasn't practiced magic in so long that he's kind of lost that connection to magic that would have boosted his ability to reach out in dreams. i don't know that i conveyed that properly in the beginning of the story lol

here's a direct quote from the outline for this fic about what vessel does to marc's spell work: "vessel changes the spell that boyfriend cast because it's still active (for some weird reason) so that iv's soul will go to sleep instead of any ol' random deity that's lurking around." it's still active because the weird reason is that iv disappeared/banished marc before he could complete the ritual.

i s2g i read somewhere that a bard ability is to do like an inspiring snack, but i can't find the source so maybe i made it up. ANYWAY vessel feeding them here is the first reference to him essentially being a bard lol.

chapter 3

my initial thought for the dreams that iv had in the fic were that they were going to all be interconnected and slowly reveal exactly what happened when marc tried to kill iv before the story. so everything from "he gets home in the evening." to "what are you doing?" is real events and most everything else is dream.

there's a larger theme about iv's living room versus the living room at the boys' house that i tried to tie into this fic, lmao. your high school english teachers are weeping. iv's living room is supposed to indicate isolation while the boys' living room is supposed to indicate community.

III peers at him nervously. “Is this going somewhere or is this the end of the thought?” this line is a reference to every fic where sleep makes them forget their past lives. i see you, i love you, i hope you clocked the idea that in this universe that IS something sleep COULD do.

it was very important to me to establish that vessel, ii, and iii had a support system in place to contrast how alone iv was at the start of the story.

a part of the magic lore that i don't think i ever really expand explicitly on in this fic is that magic is very communal and universal. so even if you don't do magic, you're still surrounded by magic. at the coffee shop, the door frame was covered in protection charms -- this wouldn't necessarily be just the owners of the shop placing the protection charms, although they certainly would have started it. anyone who liked the coffee shop or felt protected by the coffee shop for whatever reason would have the option to leave their own protection charm and thereby boost the protection around the shop. if you extrapolate that, it's not actual weird that iv would offer up herbs he thinks would be beneficial to the protection of their home; in fact, in some ways it might be expected almost. like, i'm here, you're making me feel safe, here's how i can make you feel safe too. HOWEVER, marc really discouraged iv from using magic, in the same sort of way that he isolated iv from his friends, so iv feels like he stepped out of line in offering them, and ii is mostly just confused as to why iv would feel that way.

equivalent exchange really plays more of a role in this magic system when you aren't connected to a deity. i am perhaps thinking of exploring that more in maybe a spin-off oneshot.

WHO KNEW sam would become such an important character in this fic??? honestly not me, but i needed something to tie together the two locations. also the original plan was to have sam sublet iv's apartment to take care of that loose end, but then i got deep into uk subletting laws and also who would want to read about that anyway???

why can't ii just heal iv and be done with it?? why are there all these rules about who ii can heal and how he can do it?? well because as we eventually find out, ii's not a cleric/healer. also i thought it was more interesting to make it that a) ii can only heal those he's bonded with, b) his healing ability comes directly from sleep and so it's a little wonkier than regular healing would be, and c) because i think it adds depth to the universe as a whole. he can knit back iv's ribs, he can knit back vessel's cut skin, but bruises elude him. hilarious. also something something science developed equally with magic in this universe, so they have things like ibuprofen and cell phones

at this point, aside from ii's healing, sam is the person who does the most magic around iv.

chapter 4

gia is marc's friend, not iv's friend. this is also about the time when i decided that i wanted to expand the universe horizontally, if that makes sense.

paige is the least magically-inclined out of the three women, which is why sam makes her a detect magic necklace.

there's a lot of trauma that surrounds iv and marc and his friends that i'm probably never going to write, but it is there and it does inform a lot of the choices i make with regards to how iv starts to enter into the relationship with vessel, ii, and iii.

sam's relationship with paige, mattie, and lyns is intentionally ambiguous. are they just really good friends? are they all in a relationship? what do you think?

the girls do kidnap sam a lot. that's canon in this fic. they're always like "sam, you're coming with us" and he does.

iii definitely plays things close to the chest, which is what i was trying to convey here. if he's bringing it up willingly, then that means it's really making him feel bad. he has a lot of guilt about not trying harder to find iv, even if it might not have been the right time earlier.

this smut scene is the first smut scene i've ever written and shared with the world l o l. i really like the idea of them imposing a time limit on themselves and then being so desperate they can't even get their pants off about it, ahaha.

III'S VISION man what to even say here. the connection between iv's dream and iii's vision is obviously iv's disemboweled body. the god obviously has some sort of beef with sleep, but at this point in the fic i wasn't sure what is was. this whole vision is what actually happens with marc irl, so like it's happening in real time as iii's seeing it. i also really enjoyed writing the juxtaposition of this unknown god who fills iii with horror versus his eldritch deity who should fill iii with horror also but mostly just provides a sense of comfort in its unknowability. sleep definitely sees the unknown god as being something beneath her, which i hope is conveyed properly. and then, of course, sleep is an eldritch god who doesn't really get humans so of course she would yank iii out of the vision without realizing how traumatic it might be for iii.

chapter 5

this was a hard scene to write with vessel and iv because i know nothing about music production lmao.

iii takes a really center stage in this fic, which i'm not sure was initially intentional, but he is the character i find easiest to write. vessel illuminates more on iii because iii is someone he loves (something something he doesn't love himself as much)

vessel saying that he understands why iv has to be sad for a little while is referencing the fact that vessel also got out of a bad relationship.

iii is stuck in the vision after he wakes up. i chose very intentionally to make the things he says the things he heard in the vision. he's stuck in the vision but he's also trying to convey to his partners what's happening.

vessel essentially uses calm emotions here.

i wanted iii to feel very "locked-in" here. he's stuck in the vision, he can only say the things he heard, but he's also definitely present in his own brain. everything up to the final "keep him safe" is what he heard or asked during the vision.

he finally starts to break out of the vision when they're in the living room. i'm not sure if vessel or ii realize that it takes him that long to get out of it, or if they think that he broke free from it when vessel says "you had a vision, baby." when iii says "ow, my head," he's 100% free from it.

if i ever go back and do a little spot editing in this fic, i'm changing that last sentence in this scene to "III thanks him by lazily patting in his direction." l o l

all this to say that it's never explicitly stated, but iv definitely had a concussion and that's why he doesn't remember yeeting marc out of the dimension.

again, magic is a communal effort, so they need the girls and sam.

very technically iii is using detect thoughts. like with ii's healing, iii can only look deeply in on the thoughts of people who he's bonded with. he can pick up on other people's surface thoughts, though, which i don't think i ever discuss in any depth yet.

why not use this time to have iii be overly suggestive??? why not??

boof, iii sees iv banish marc and also sleep's gift to iv drops. sleep said she was going to give him what he deserved, and what does he deserve? to be able to defend himself.

part 2

[amazing-spiderling]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. spread the self-love ❤

HECK. Ummmm okay okay... I'll do my best.

Surface Tension

I'm taking this opportunity to highlight a fic that I wrote for an anthology I put together with a team of *very* talented writers and artists, Metal Gear Solid: Lost Years. I had wanted to tell a story about Hal's isolation and vulnerability in his youth, the aspects of his past that made him an easy target for predatory behavior- and even though this story isn't particularly long, I think it's the one I spent the longest working on (in a words per day sense). Writing this story made me dead sure that Kojima was referencing the movie "The Graduate" when it came to the Emmerichs, and I tried to channel that sort of listlessness into this story. Because it was for a zine, I don't think it got many hits or comments, so I'm putting it here now.

The Man in the Mask

My own little "hit in the face by Apollo's red playground ball" of a fic- I actually wrote this Spideypool AU to deal with my frustrations regarding the handling of asylum seekers at the border- but the pandemic aspects of the story ended up hitting very close to home for everyone just a few years later. Fun! This is one of those stories I thought of as a "weird one that nobody read" but when I looked at my actual hit counter, I saw it had proven more popular than I realized, so that's good for me? It's a bit of a bottle episode that is more about Wade and Peter than Deadpool and Spider-Man and has a more sedate tone for most of it, but I'm partial to the way the story unfolds.

Pictures of You

Another Metal Gear story, this was for the Otasune Zine "Let the World Be". I got to team up with the incredible Harshai who did the illustrations for this story in the zine. It's a collection of moments during Dave and Hal's Philanthropy days, each one with an accompanying photograph. It's a pretty soft one, but one that comes to mind a lot, especially when I'm in the car and staring out the window at the landscape, thinking about these two on the open road. It also comes to mind every time I see a ridiculous food challenge posted on a restaurant wall. I need to see about getting permission to share the art in the posted fic, because I think it really adds something, especially the last image which was a polaroid of Sunny besting Hal's time eating the enourmous burger.

Five Years Later

Yeah, it's a WIP. What are you gonna do about it? Back from hiatus, it's the second installment of a "mostly MCU compliant" Spideypool "met as childhood friends" AU that my friend @343enderspark and I have been working on for years. In this portion of the story, Wade is dealing with life in a world without Peter (oh, and half the population, I guess) and slowly starting his journey of training and eventually becoming the person he was meant to be. (And the Defenders show up because I literally could not resist.) I got to try my hand at writing a lot of different characters in this fic, so it's been fun to flex those muscles. We had a long break between the first and second chapter, but we're back on track and CH 3 is drafted and waiting on edits, so that should be out soon. :3

Home's Around the Corner (It's a Long Way There)

More WIPs? Yeah. More AU's? Double yeah, because this one is more or less an AU or an AU. XD This is a new project I'm working on with @blissful-thinker that's Earth-65 but a step to the left, where Matt wasn't adopted by the Hand, but ended up staying with the Chaste, and returns to New York City years later only to find out he doesn't really have a place in his old home anymore. (Or does he?) This one has been a lot of fun and allows me to write one of my favorite things- tired DA Nelson, and also too-big-for-her-britches Gwen, haha. It may be niche, but it's *my* niche.

[erzbethluna]

Six Sentences Sunday (except is an art process)

Well, hello there, beautiful creatures! :D thank you so much for the wonderful tags!!! they mean a lot for meeee!! I haven't posted in a bit, doing a master is a bit stressful. But! I'm always lurking around and seeing as much as I can the amazing things you all are creating!! As you might know, I'm right now doing lots of fan work for my amazing and beautiful friends @confused-bi-queer and @hushed-chorus, which stories are very close to my heart <3

This time, I would like to share my art process. It is a contrast between the traditional art, and the digital one. Each process is different with each person. When you want to represent something someone else created, it is important to get as many insights and feedback from them, and know the source material. Previous: The Talk ™ First and foremost, you need to talk with the author. Maybe if you are doing fanart, is not that needed. But when you are doing a collab, it is important to be in the same channel as the author, and have a brainstorming about the ideas, vision or insights they might have. Contrasting ideas, situations, deciding which illustrations are more viable, scheduling the releasing, etc. all those topics are important! Feel free to suggest creative adjustments, might or might not work for the author, but is worth the shot. A creative idea is never a wasted one ;) once you have decided, then is time for: 1. Sketching

The sketching part is very important! You layout your scene for the first time! start deciding where light and dark will be, the color palette, the feeling you want to evoke, and work with the expressions the characters will have. It doesn't need to be perfect to be a good sketch! It needs to evoke the idea! This stage is the same in both traditional and digital, at least for me. I always start on paper :) I show my sketches to the author, and we fangirl together ;) then (after maybe some adjustments, maybe a whole new sketch) they approve the idea! Is time for: 2. Lineart

Lineart is different for traditional and digital, but not really. For traditional, I first decide which kind of medium I will use. This will be crucial for the materials I will procure myself with. This time I went for watercolor with a bit of mixed media, so I needed a paper strong enough for the watercolor to behave. Then, I chose the liners, which are waterproof and light fast. I line with 0.5, 1.0, 4.0 and some edged broader pens meant for calligraphy. In digital, I work with a Wacom bamboo and Photoshop, and I use some hard brushes with pressure sensitiveness activated. You can customize your brushes, or use packs available on the internet. The wonders of digital are that you can make as many mistakes as you want, and you can always go back. I usually paint my lineart in the darkest shade I will use in the whole illustration, but never black. When you are happy with your lineart, then is time for:

3. Colours!!

The fun part! The one I enjoy (and suffer) the most!! Color. I love painting, but both traditional and digital can be as demanding as you wish! In traditional, you have to be more careful with the mediums. Watercolor is such a wonderful and nightmare way of expression, because you can't really control it. You have to be ok not being in that control, understand how it behaves, and work fast. I always end up adding acrylics for color enhancing, lights, and specific details I want to represent. Let your work rest, I can have a finished piece in two hours, or in three days. In digital, unhinge. Unhinge my child, have fun! You can correct, filter, move values and start again as much as you want!! There are so many brushes, so many filters, so many textures, the whole color palette light allows! Have fun! But two important things I always do: make a folder for each character. Don't be me some years ago, when I used to paint everything in a single layer, or not name any of them. Order is important when you want to correct things. Also, I encourage you to limit your color palette, this way the whole illustration makes sense. I always do something I call 'The ambience layer', where I put a layer over the lineart and everything, and I add lights, shadows, textures, etc. not specific of any object but of the whole scene. And I always add filters and color correction and tweak the values here and there. Great! Now you have a: 4. Finished piece

You have finally finished! Make sure you sign your pieces, and you give them digital treatment if you are going to publish them on the internet. Always work with RGB values, and export for web :) always send your advances to your authors, and send the finished piece via e-mail, so it doesn't lose quality. - - - - - - So yeah, this is basically the whole process :D soon I will share a different process with different versions of the art involved. Would you like me to create a guide with export values and formats and all that jazz? I hope you enjoy this! :D Please check the fics these pieces (and many more) were made for: The Rise and Fall of Us and What Remains After the Storm. I tag: @hushed-chorus @confused-bi-queer @kohatenz @artsyunderstudy @moodandmist @mostlymaudlin @palimpsessed @henreyettah @aristocratic-otter @cynopoe @bookish-bogwitch @cutestkilla @wellbelesbian @skeedelvee @cattocavo @krisrix @johnwgrey @asticou @takitalks @ionlydrinkhotwater @dragoneggos @ic3-que3n @castawaypitch @ileadacharmedlife @stitchyqueer @facewithoutheart @fatalfangirl @thehoneyedhufflepuff @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @bazzybelle @basiltonbutliketheherb @nausikaaa