#More About Juniper Publishers

[fatehbaz]

“Is it green energy if it’s impacting cultural traditional sites?”

Yakama Nation Tribal Councilman Jeremy Takala sounded weary. For five years, tribal leaders and staff have been fighting a renewable energy development that could permanently destroy tribal cultural property. “This area, it’s irreplaceable.”

The privately owned land, outside Goldendale, Washington, is called Pushpum, or “mother of roots,” a first foods seed bank. The Yakama people have treaty-protected gathering rights there. One wind turbine-studded ridge, Juniper Point, is the proposed site of a pumped hydro storage facility. But to build it, Boston-based Rye Development would have to carve up Pushpum — and the Yakama Nation lacks a realistic way to stop it.

Back in October 2008, unbeknownst to Takala, Scott Tillman, CEO of Golden Northwest Aluminum Corporation, met with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a collection of governor-appointed representatives from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana [...]. Tillman, who owned a shuttered Lockheed Martin aluminum smelter near Goldendale, told the council about the contaminated site’s redevelopment potential, specifically for pumped hydro storage [...]. Shortly thereafter, Klickitat County’s public utility department tried to implement Tillman’s plan [...].

Meanwhile, Tillman cleaned up and sold another smelting site, just across the Columbia River in The Dalles, Oregon, a Superfund site where Lockheed Martin had poisoned the groundwater with cyanide. He sold it to Google’s parent company, Alphabet, which operates water-guzzling data centers in The Dalles and plans to build more. For nine years, the county and Rye plotted the fate of Pushpum — without ever notifying the Yakama Nation.

The tribal government only learned of the development in December 2017, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a public notice of acceptance for Rye’s preliminary permit application. Tribal officials had just 60 days to catch up on nine years of development planning and issue their initial concerns and objections as public comments. [...]

When the tribe objected, FERC said it could file more public comments to the docket instead of consulting. [...]

When asked what Rye could offer the Yakama people as compensation for the irreversible destruction of their cultural property, Steimle suggested “employment associated with the project.” [...] Presented with the reality that Yakama people might not want Rye’s jobs, Steimle hesitated. “Yeah, I mean I, I can’t argue that — maybe it won’t be meaningful to them.” [...]

Klickitat County’s eagerness creates another barrier to the Yakama Nation. In Washington, a developer can take one of two permitting paths: through the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, or through county channels. Both lead to FERC. In this case, working with the county benefits Rye: Klickitat, a majority Republican county, has a contentious relationship with the Yakama Nation [...]. “Klickitat County refuses to work with us,” said Takala. [...]

Fighting Rye's proposal has required the efforts of tribal attorneys, archaeologists and government staffers from a number of departments. [...]

And Rye’s project is just one of dozens proposed within the Yakama Nation’s 10 million-acre treaty territory. Maps from the tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife show that of the 51 wind and solar projects currently proposed statewide — not including geothermal or pumped hydro storage projects, which are also renewable energy developments — at least 34 are on or partially on the Yakama Nation’s ceded lands.

---

Headline, images, graphics, captions, and text by: B. Toastie Oaster (High Country News). “Green colonialism is flooding the Pacific Northwest.” As published at The Wenatchee World. 25 March 2023.

[momolady]

2023 Year End Stats

Not to be stereotypical or anything, but for me at least, 2023 was an odd year. I bled for 6 months straight, dealt with the worst pain I still can't comprehend, had a hysterectomy, moved in with my partner, got some cats, dealt with a lot of stress, watched the world burn. Yeah, it's been pretty good to outweigh the bad.

But anyways! I've done the math and put together a list of my stories that performed the best this year. At least in terms of notes anyways. I'm also going to share my stories that didn't perform as well and hope they get the love they deserve.

Anyways, let's get on with the count down. Forty total stories have published on Tumblr this year. Sixty-six were published on Patreon. Top monsters were orcs (7), Vampire (3), Fae, Minotaur, Romm Monster, Lich (all 2).

Top Ten Stories:

10. Kahann the Naga

This one would probably be in my top ten favorites to write of the year. This dark, twisted romance between a lonely, isolated girl shipwrecked on an island with the dangerous and sexy Kahann struck the dark romance itch I've been wanting to scratch.

9. Keir the Orc

Comfy farm romance that features annoyances to lvoers. What else could you want? Orcs are always fun to write, I feel I could do it with my eyes closed, but thankfully I don't wanna do that.

8. Atharo the Lich

The pink lich, this one had imagery in it I couldn't get out of my head. the visions of this pink lich still huant me and I wish I could conjur such sstrong imagery still.

7. Asier the Drider

A simple premise we cann understand. Getting packages and ordering online is probably yhe msot fun we can have without leaving our homes. But what if your neighbor was annoyed by this? And what if that neighbor was a drider?

6. Auberon the Room Monster

The enchanted library. i think I've written more about the romance and mystery of bookstores an libraries more than anything. But this story was special, with lots of worldbuilding wrapped like a blanket around these characters. The room this monster stays in is the library, and who doesn't wanna spend time with that guy?

5. Marek the Vampire

This murky, dark, and swampy tale is one of those that stays with me. The idea of a different sort of vampire, one in the bogs and wetlands of a strange peninsula that gets flooded every year haunts me. The image of him is one of my absolute favorite creations and I hope I get to visit this peninsula village again.

4. Placide the Paralangua

This story marks the beginning and growth of my Charcourt universe. Liek Hearthway Hollow it's a town filled to the brim with straneg creatures, only it's the Paralangua, alligator type monsters who throw a festival every year to celebrate their history and the continued growth of Charcourt. Is it a cult? Maybe. There's a new five part tale of this area up on Patreon now.

3. Ben the Werewolf

Enmies to lovers, I think most people get on board with this trope. This tale of Hearthway Hollow delves into the relationship between two high school enemies who reconnect after years and manage to put aside their competitivness to find one another. The lead in thisstory is also Rowan's little sister.

2. Leraye the Demon

Demons are always fun. My demon characters have ways of weaving themselves in and out of the world we know, sometimes as proper members of society, often not. Leraye is one of those that visits our world as a full time member, seeing out the comforts of a Chinese bakery whose owners are a family with ties into the reality he avoids.

Florenz the Vampire Bat

This would for sure also be on my favorites of the year. This dark story wove together elements of fantasy, horror, and romance that I love to death. The lead is sophisticated and dashing, the lead is adventurous and excitable. The chemistry between the leads while writing this tale was so good.

The Ten Least Appreciated Stories

10. Juniper the Tiefling

I am deeply disappointed this didn't do as well as I expected. This story was based on characters me and my bff made for a one shot DND session. So this story was more personal to me than others. but more than that, I feel it had some of my best banter!

9. Rocco the Guard

Another personal tale based on ideas me and my friend came up with during a visit where we watched the Owl House together. I also greatly enjoyed the leading lady who was smart, spunky, and chaotic in the absolute best ways.

8. Ozzie the Werewolf & Tryfon the Naiad

It has a trans lead, it has polyamory, it was set in hearthway Hollow! I thought this story was serving up gold on a platter. But maybe people weren't in the mood for gold. The comedy in this is top notch, at least I thought.

7. Laertes the Fae

Another story where the dialogue I feel sparkles and pops with every interaction the characters had. This did only recently come out, so maybe it'll grow after this.

6. Ransom the Shapeshifter

Another personal story based around lore me and my bff created for our Stardew Valley characters. It also featured a nonbinary lead and monster, I thought people would be excited for this. I loved playing with the avant-garde sci-fi aspect and being a little weird. But maybe that's why people didn't like it too much lol

5. The Leshy

Another story that would be in my top ten for my personal favorites to write. I loved the complexity of the leading lady and crafting her has made her a personal favorite. The characters and world of this story will be one that stays with my thoughts as I think about the cozy, dark streets anfdthe moss covered steps of the buildings.

4. Jaqueline the Dullahan

This story has it all! Chocolate, Halloween, a sexy dullahan chef, and it's a lesbian romance. Maybe I don't have enough wlw readers but this story came from a ko-fi prompt I wrot and just grew into a full fledged story. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this story and how it felt like a cozy fireplace with hot cocoa.

3. Beast the Symbiote

Beast is a character I have been wanting to get out into the world for years. She's such a complex villain character, and who doesn't love that. I feel like she is one of my coolest characters. Lucky Devil was also a character I had been dying to get out, she's been in my head since I watched Magi Madoka and she took form slowly over the years. She is in part based on me, and I want to do more with this lovely couple.

2. Fia the Selkie

I'm starting to see a pattern here. Male reader stories aren't ya'lls cup of tea? Too bad, I have some amazing male readers and commissioners I adore working for. Fia was this comforting warm blanket of a story. A struggling musician and the lovely Selkie he's come to be with. I really love this story, please check it out if you want some comfort.

1.Ria the Orc: an AU

I'm actually a wee bit pissed about this one. Another male reader, and Ria is a character I've come to absolutely love. This was written for a commissioner I've come to consider a friend, and writing for him has become an amazing experience. Ria and her beau have also become such real, loving characters in my head. This was an AU of the modern monsters Ria where she is in Obresh and participates in the Reaping. Who doesn't love Reaping stories? C'mon folks, give these ten stories the love they deserve!

Thank you all for an amazing year! Next year I will hopefully publish and you're going to see bigger and grander things from me, I owe that to all of you. Keep a look out for my Ozren novel hitting the shelf soon. Thank you so much and I hope I continue to write stories you love.

[inkingthingsintotrees]

so, like, the bitter middle-class character is showing up more and people are not registering it?

I recently watched a video essay how Saltburn mostly falls short due to its inability to actually properly criticize class, and it got me thinking about the whole kerfuffle that happened with D20 fans about Fantasy High: Junior Year and specifically Kipperlily CopperKettle. Then, I finally got into Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang and saw the same character archetype in the narrator.

When I say the 'bitter middle-class' character I mean the type of character that is not extrodinary by any standards and blames any possible external factors for what they view as a 'failing'. Here's what I mean in narrative context: Oliver covets the type of social life and charisma Felix has and fixates on the wealth that Felix comes from as the source(Saltburn), Kipperlily thinks Riz's dad dying is an unfair advantage actually its pretty fair to assume she thinks all the heinous shit the Bad Kids had to deal with regularly were unfair advantages that gained them prestige they didn't earn through 'hard work' like she did(Fantasy High/D20), Juniper Hayward blames diversity and diverse stories as a whole as to why she has found no success as a white author in publishing compared to her 'friend' Athena who has found massive success through her writing (Yellow Face).

The three of them are meant to be wrong in the end because they were lashing out at those a flawed system chose to champion. But there's some block on really digesting these characters as being part of the 'bitter middle-class' and I can't tell if it's cuz so many people who consume this media are from the middle class or cuz people can't look deeper than the surface when it comes to the media that they consume.

In the case of Saltburn I can only assume that it was because Fennel doesn't know how to write anything that's particularly class-conscious and tried to dress the movie up at the very end like a thriller eat the rich film. The ending of the film really hurts it in the end, and I have trouble believing that it was properly workshopped to actually fit with the rest of the story. I have seen so many people take Oliver's final monologue and run with it, though. Either people use the closing monologue to condemn the way the film fails at being a class commentary, or they explain away the shortcoming with the argument of the film is that it is an upper-class horror story about the middle and lower class. But neither interpretation really acknowledges that Oliver as a character lied for attention both from Felix and his family but Oliver's parents as well (sure some of what they say is likely true but there is a good chance a decent amount of the information he feeds his parents is not the truth). Oliver spends 3/4 of the movie bitter about being mediocre in comparison to those around him at Oxford. Through his own perspective, he is putting in work that his peers can omit because of their wealth and Oliver's inability to be significant socially amplifies that bitterness. To Oliver there is only two ways to be 'interesting' at Oxford and that's to be rich and cultured or poor and traumatized.

Kipperlilly Copperkettle is real interesting just from a solid fandom perspective for me. So many fucking D20ers complained about the lack of redemption of any of the Rat Grinders but especially Kippers despite the fact that she's the one with the foulest mindset. Girl, you cannot be complaining about how people with dead parents get a leg up in life and expect any sort of sympathy. She's probably the best demonstration of this character archetype (would you call it archetype?) simply because Kipperlilly is just so deeply out of touch with reality. She's mad that the way she specifically approached adventuring doesn't get rewarded in the type of world that she's in and on top of that there is nothing else to make her standout amongst the crowd of other decent adventurers. Except Copperkettle Fourdogs is also one of those middle-of-the-road kids that's incredibly upset that none of their work will ever be recognized because it simply does not hold a candle to what other people are doing. I think this is why she got the amount of sympathy that she did from certain parts of the fandom too, a lot of y'all saw yourselves in her huh? Because it is a flawed system to be like: if you show up and do the work then you'll be acknowledged, and then turn around and require more because now everybody's done the work so who really deserves it now? But the way Kippers handled that by lashing out at some of the most traumatized kids in school not even about shit that happened while they were at school and being menaces but rather something that happened way before the Bad Kids were even a party is insane and out of touch. And sure you sort of see the work being put in by Jawbone to change that mindset but Kipperlilly doesn't care. She willingly accepts the rage in order to better dominate this group of kids she believes coasted into saving the world several times.

I forgot where I was going with this outside of : There is more than just eat the rich and wrongfully outraged rich people narratives when it comes to class, and I feel like this ignoring of a whole like a subgenre of narratives involving the bitterness surrounding what society deems worthy of interest.

Jesus Christ this is long I commend you if you got this far and didn't think I sounded like a total idiot because I definitly think that I sound like one at this point

[amandacanwrite]

Amanda Cessor • A Writeblr Intro

Hey everyone! I'm Amanda Cessor and I write historical fantasy and romance. I have words published in Merciless Mermaids (An Anthology,) Full Mood Mag, and I have my first novel coming out with Inked in Gray Press.

I'll be posting tips, essays, creative nonfiction and excerpts from my work here, as well as documenting the process of publishing my first book with a small, independent press. I hope we can be friends!

The Novel is called "With Love, Juniper" and the little elevator pitch is: Herbalist and witch Juniper, who suffers from severe social phobia, finds herself caught between the courtships of her oldest friend, Oleander, and handsome, influential stranger, Theo, while trying to deal with the expectations of her parents and the members of the small village she lives in.

I have entirely too many projects I'm currently working on, behold:

A Dawn Without Ashes -- Vampire Romance, Stand Alone (for now?)

Projected Word Count -- 100k

Setting

Fantasy Anachronistic 1920's vibes, in a land where Vampires rule and humans are seen as little more than a food source.

Synopsis

In Oubliette, Vampires rule from the shadows. Humans are considered pests at their worst, beloved pets at best. Orianna is the lowest of the low, an impoverished thief awaiting her sentencing after stealing coins to buy some food. When the charming Count Diable hand picks her as a commodity for his blood-brothel, she worries she has jumped out of the frying pan and straight into the fire.  

She has no idea how true that really is until she meets Atlas, Count of House Lune, darling of the Empress and and keeper of a secret that could change everything. Not only for her,  but for all of human kind.  

Of Foxes and Follies -- Fae Meets Peaky Blinders -- Trilogy

Projected Word Count -- 100k

Setting

Fictional version of Scotland, which I like to call Not!land and actually called Dimloch, around the 1910's or 1920's.

Synopsis

Rheannon Todd has a debt to pay. A debt she plans to pay by stealing from drunken guests at a Midsummer Soiree hosted by the notorious gangster known as The Magpie.

What she doesn't know is that The Magpie is more than just a charming card sharp with a penchant for cruelty. He's a member of the Unseelie Court and he doesn't much like being stolen from.

The Hallowed Wilds -- Serial on Hiatus -- Grounded Romantasy

Setting

Pseudo Appalachian small town in the 1840's.

Synopsis

Ezra lives near a mysterious forest called The Wilds. People who go in there tend to not come out, but even as a boy he feels drawn to the strange place. One day, when his parents are out, he sneaks into The Wilds and meets Aurelia, a strange, beautiful witch who has lived in the forest since she was born.

What starts as a beloved childhood friendship develops into a star crossed love over the years. The fear in the village and the brutality of the witches in the forest threaten to tear them apart.

Currently on Hiatus, but you can read about 60k of it here!

Red Skies -- Standalone Novel -- Pirate Romantasy

Projected Word Count -- 100k

Setting

Psuedo Imperial open world around the 18th Century.

Synopsis

Cordelia Shurka will do anything to provide for her family. She's worked herself to the bone since she was a child to keep the house afloat after her father vanished from their lives. When things get too hard, though, she seeks to raise her station by marrying herself to the viceroy. It seems an easy trade, her utter devotion and obedience in exchange for finally having the security she so desperately wants.

On her wedding day, the thinks she's finally out of the woods. That is until handsome pirate, Edric Davenport steals her for himself.

Want Updates?

If you happen to be interested in getting updates on any of these projects, you can join my tag list here!

[gothimp]

Creepy Winter Recs ❄️🔪💀

note: not all necessarily take place in winter but just give a general cold feeling

Books

What Moves the Dead: retelling of poe’s the fall of the house of usher with a nb narrator. The whole book feels cold and dreamlike.

Juniper & Thorn: folklore inspired gothic horror with beautiful imagery, good commentary on trauma. Amazing characters.

Stolen Tongues: modern paranormal horror about a couple in a snowy cabin. Quick and captivating read, but it did start as a reddit nosleep, which is still noticeable in the published book.

Hex: small town horror/paranormal horror about a small town haunted by a witch the town tortured in the 1600s. The way they go about keeping their town’s curse a secret is interesting.

The Only Good Indians: modern horror, four native men haunted by a shared event of their past. Visceral and emotional.

Films

House of the Devil: a 2009 film made to feel like a classic 80s horror. A college student answers a flyer to watch after an elderly woman for a night.

Antlers: modern folk horror set in the PNW involving native folklore and generational trauma.

Incident in a Ghostland: psychological horror about two sisters and what happened to them when they were teens.

Autopsy of Jane Doe: a father and son experience weird phenomena while working on the body of an unknown woman. Lots of cold lighting.

The Ritual: european modern folk horror, a group of friends go hiking in sweden.

The Cursed: folk horror in 1800s france about a village plagued by nightmares.

Last Voyage of the Demeter: an imagining of Dracula’s voyage to America. Lots of cold lighting, takes place at sea.

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin : found footage horror set in a small amish community in winter.

And more well known ones:

The Thing

30 Days of Night

Ju-on / The Grudge

The Company of Wolves

Gremlins

Let the Right One In

[moirtre]

‎ ‎ ⋆⠀⠀&.⠀⠀٬⠀⠀(⠀⠀ARSENIC.⠀⠀)⠀...⠀is the first full album (lp) by south korean girl group, letalis. the album was released in both digital and physical form by south korean entertainment company, apricus culture on october 29, 2014.

the album was supported by performances of the title track, "POISON" and two additional promotional singles, "FOR THE THRILL" and "CHECK IT". as the group's first full-length album, ARSENIC received mixed reviews despite its overwhelming commercial success. the group promoted the album for a total of five weeks through music show performances, two seoul concerts, five fanmeetings, and several variety show appearances. the album's title track, "POISON" received a total of 8 music show wins while "CHECK IT" amassed 2 towards the later end of promotions.

despite the album's popularity, critics published mostly lukewarm reviews of the album. most prominently, a common critique was the "repetitive" sentiment shared by critics in both korea and abroad. despite critical favorites "REBOUND", "CHECK IT", "LOVE/OR", and "BAD GIRL" receiving praise for the involvement of contributing members naryun, jiseo, and melanie, other songs were heavily criticized for their recurring themes, genres, and structure. regardless, the group's fanbase would propel the album and its promotional singles onto the gaon and billboard global charts, solidifying the "bread and butter" of letalis' musical character.

⠀*⠀SECTION ONE⠀:⠀the tracklist.

ʬ.ʬ.⠀001:⠀ ⠀٬⠀⠀ REBOUND

ʬ.ʬ.⠀002:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ FOR THE THRILL⠀

ʬ.ʬ.⠀003:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ POISON* (title)⠀

ʬ.ʬ.⠀004:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ GINGER TRUFFLE

ʬ.ʬ.⠀005:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ DRIP⠀

ʬ.ʬ.⠀006:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ LIGHT ME UP⠀

ʬ.ʬ.⠀007:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ CHECK IT

ʬ.ʬ.⠀008:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ LOVE/OR

ʬ.ʬ.⠀009:⠀⠀٬⠀⠀ MISS.ME

ʬ.ʬ.⠀010:⠀ ⠀٬⠀⠀ GUN

ʬ.ʬ.⠀011: ⠀ ⠀٬⠀⠀ BAD GIRL⠀

ʬ.ʬ.⠀012:⠀ ⠀٬⠀⠀ MINDURZ

ʬ.ʬ.⠀013:⠀ ⠀٬⠀⠀ GLASSSY

⠀*⠀SECTION TWO⠀:⠀the physical album.

‎ ‎ ⋆⠀⠀&.⠀⠀٬⠀⠀two versions of arsenic were available for purchase upon initial release. the group would go on to record the entire album in japanese for a limited edition special release in 2015 as part of their debut anniversary celebration.

ʬ.ʬ.⠀STANDARD VERSION: contains one disc, one photobook (featuring 100 photos), one of four unit posters, one of seven member-written letters, one of seven random photocards, one group poster, and one of three random stickers.

ʬ.ʬ.⠀TONEDEAF VERSION: contains one disc, one photobook (featuring 111 photos), one of four unit posters, one of seven member-written letters, two of seven random photocards, one of seven individual mini-poster, one of two random group posters, three stickers, and one fandom charm.

ㅤ*ㅤSECTION THREEㅤ:ㅤthe styling.

sticking to the general idea of their previous era, the members each had a personal hand in their own looks. each stage built off the individual tastes of each member while holding on to their cohesiveness. easily one of their most identifiable eras solely off the styling.

ㅤ*ㅤSECTION FOURㅤ:ㅤthe notes.

a fan favorite era

one of their more iconic albums, def a top three vitalis staple album

people either loved or hated this era (including the girls themselves). there were a lot of mixed reviews among critics and it wasn't secret to the girls.

weird animosity between emmy and juniper starts here. no one really knows why but they were regularly exchanging not-so nice words about each other to anyone who cared enough to listen.

one of their encore stages went viral after they used voice changing microphones with shuffled effects (entirely emmy's idea). still one of the highest viewed encores of all time, a letalis fandom staple video as well. several members were in tears from laughter (emmy, jiseo, naryun) while others were completely stoic (naira, juniper). ironically, this video pretty much sums up their public dymanic pretty well.

lots of controversy surrounding the tracks on the album. towards the end of the promotional period, the girls were visibly tired of performing "for the thrill" which was unanimously voted in a fan poll posted to melanie's fancafe as being the fans' least favorite b-side off the album.

despite how well the title track, "poison" did, some of the girls voiced their varying opinions on what they would chosen instead. snowballed into a weird scandal where they were accused of suffering from "celebrity disease". never ended up being addressed but apricus did tighten the reigns on what the girls were allowed to say/bring up during the rest of the promotions.

the true beginning of the core writers and producers that usually appear on letalis albums. also the beginning of the naryun and trenton rumors (that would eventually be entirely true). it wasn't lost on the public that letalis was gonna stick to what works so these same writers and producers in different arrangement are a staple to their discography.

miss. me randomly went viral in 2020 around the time challenges became a regular occurrence. so in between the challenges for the album they were promoting at the time, they were suffering through doing cute little hand choreo for the song.

naryun, melanie, and emmy gained their first credits on this album!

announced their first asian tour after the end of promotions. cute little 15-show tour, mostly in large theaters and arenas, nothing crazy but a precious memory for all the girls.

[slaymitchabernathy]

Love Me Tender

“Don’t stop.”

Soarynn giggles at her boyfriend’s words and he knows why, he sounds like he’s pouting. It’s not like he can help it, not with her nails scratching his scalp just right. And he’s had a long day, so if anything, he deserves this, to be in bed with his head in Soarynn’s lap while he reads one of her favorite books out loud.

It’s domestic.

“Well, you stopped reading,” Soarynn replies, some teasing in her tone. Coriolanus glances up at her, nearly losing his breath from how gorgeous she is. “Because you stopped giving me scratches.”

It’s a pitiful argument and they both know that but Soarynn simply rolls her eyes and continues scratching his scalp, her other hand resting on his shoulder. It’s nice to be like this every once in a while, completely engulfed in her and her scent. A few years ago Coriolanus would’ve scoffed at the idea of being this intimate and vulnerable with his girlfriend. But now four years into their relationship, he allows for a moment like this every once in a while. Besides, he knows how much it means to her, to be like this with him.

Coriolanus knows he’s far from perfect, and he’s definitely not the most outwardly loving boyfriend. He’s seen how his friends act around their girlfriends in public, stealing kisses, holding hands, teasing, and laughing. He’s not one for public displays of affection. Soarynn has never brought it up, never complained but he knows she wishes for that type of affection sometimes. And she gets it. But only behind closed doors.

Coriolanus Snow is a proud man, an important man. He can’t be seen running around the Capitol streets coddling his girlfriend. He’d be the laughingstock of the country! So he adopts a more reserved persona. He does show some displays of affection, he holds her hand, opens the door for her, and buys her whatever she wants. Things like that.

He can’t have people thinking he’s a negligent boyfriend.

Coriolanus clears his throat once more before reading where he left off, “Where were we? Ah, yes, the chase. The rabbits quickly took off for their den in hopes of escaping the clutches of the hawk's talons, Juniper called out to Clover, ‘Run! Run faster!’ She could feel the hawk getting closer and closer and…Soarynn you can’t possibly enjoy something as childish as this,” he says, furrowing his brows as he continues reading silently. Nothing about this book pegs him for good literature.

Soarynn gives his golden curls a tug, “It’s not supposed to be realistic Coryo, it’s supposed to be a cute story.” Coriolanus rolls his eyes, “They’re talking rabbits! How is that good writing? I’m going to find out who the publisher for this book is and write them a letter.”

Soarynn sighs but says nothing, which is just another thing Coriolanus appreciates about her. She doesn’t argue with him. “Maybe we should read a different book,” he suggests, tossing the rabbit book to the side. Maybe Petunia will use it as a new scratching post. He’d be perfectly fine with that.

“Why don’t you just tell me a story then? Since you’re such a writer,” Soarynn quips. Coriolanus looks up at her again and she’s giving him that look that lets him know it’s a losing battle no matter what option he chooses. Coriolanus sighs, “Very well. Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a beautiful city. The Capitol. In the Capitol, it was safe, clean, and filled with order. The little girl lived there her whole life and grew up to be a beautiful young woman.” He steals a glance at Soarynn to find her genuinely interested in where he’s going with this.

“One day the girl realized how terribly lonely she was. Not even her cat could offer true companionship.” He thinks of Petunia, a gift he'd given to Soarynn two years ago, a cat as spoiled as can be with an attitude to match. Still, Soarynn adored the cat so that had to count for something. Soarynn's fingers begin to slow down and Coriolanus is quick to shift in her lap, pleased when she picks back up, "But one day she came across someone, someone good and noble, someone who would protect her no matter what."

He hears a snort but chooses to ignore it, "Someone who was ruggedly handsome and tall, someone who was a shining beacon of authority, someone wh-"

"Someone like Coriolanus Snow," Soarynn says dramatically, cutting him off before he can finish his lengthy description of this mystery man. Well, he tried. Coriolanus slowly sits up, listening to Soarynn giggle behind him, "You're a horrible audience," he tells her, running a hand through his golden curls. Soarynn crawls up behind him wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder, "But you love me all the same."

Coriolanus feels a small smile form on his lips, "That I do," he replies, allowing himself a moment to simply enjoy being in her presence.

Soarynn was truly a gift he felt he often did not deserve. She was kind, beautiful, caring, funny and charming. Anyone could have her but he had been the one lucky enough to swoop her off her feet. She was more than gracious with him when it came to his mood swings and short temper, something he knew he did not deserve.

Soarynn wraps her arms around him a little tighter, to the point where he's concerned, "Are you alright darling?" Soarynn hums, burying her face in the crook of his neck, her favorite thing to do.

"Just promise you'll love me forever."

Coriolanus chuckles at his girlfriend's sweet request, something only Soarynn would ask. He reaches behind him and runs a loving hand through her soft hair, "As long as you remain a devoted girlfriend then you won't ever have to worry about my love for you straying Soarynn," he assures her. He didn't even think he was capable of love for the longest time. Then he met Soarynn. Now he doesn't know if he could stop loving her, even if he tried.

Soarynn lets out a content sigh followed by a yawn, "Just had to make sure," she mumbles, her arms slowly loosening. Coriolanus looks down at his wristwatch, it's well past their bedtime and they both have things to do tomorrow. "Time for bed," he tells her.

꧁ ꧂

Burrowed under the covers with Soarynn safely in his arms Coriolanus can't help but wonder what the future holds for them. He has an idea, a dream if you will of what his future could be.

The President of Panem has a nice ring to it.

But there's still time, so much time for all of these things and he's in no rush, not as long as he has Soarynn by his side. Who loves him so tenderly.

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

[the-paper-shredder]

Overanalyzing The Juniper Tree concerning Wick

HELLO EVERYONE! This is my second Wick theory posted here and I'm glad that I decided to do The Juniper Tree because Oh My God. There's SO much packed into this fairytale.

Long post ahead.

Anyway, for some context: what is The Juniper Tree? Well, it's an old, dark German fairytale that is featured in Journal Page 29 (aka the one related to Caleb)

Well, technically the actual fairytale isn't word-for-word written like how it is in Wick, but still. It's literally a variant of The Juniper Tree. Most people assume this is a poem made by Hellbent Games themselves just to be like “Yeah Mary killed Caleb lol” but it's a full fairytale published by the Brothers Grimm.

So, what are the themes, before we get into all the passages? Well...

Child abuse, murder, CANNIBALISM, and biblical symbolism. Very much in line with Wick, especially Caleb. Be warned, however, the cannibalism thing is an absolute jumpscare if you're reading it for the first time.

Anyway let's get started.

Alright, first things first is that the mom dies during childbirth and another woman (the stepmom) takes her place. Do I think this has any heavy relevance to Wick? Not really. It could be symbolic with Mary, as in once she had Caleb the past her “died”.

The next part about the stepmom loving her daughter but hating her stepson to the point of abuse suggests something not many consider... Caleb, like Tim and Tom, was abused by Mary as well. You'd think for seeming to be the golden child of the family, Mary wouldn't do that to Caleb, but expectations aren't always reality. I mean, none of the items relating to Caleb mentions anything about Mary caring for him, and Old Man Edwards even talks about how Mary seemingly neglected all of her kids. Of course, it'd extend to Caleb.

Another thing is that “the Evil One” is referenced throughout the story. This is a title of, obviously, the devil. Considering that throughout Wick, there are implications of another supernatural entity, likely a demon, haunting the Weaver family before their deaths... yeah, this is just more evidence.

And now we come to the son's... very fucked up death. This reminds me of how it's sometimes theorized that before being buried alive, Caleb had been struck in the head by the shovel. Like, the “DIG THIS!” achievement's picture shows Caleb being hit with, you guessed it, a shovel. If you look closely at Caleb's model's face, he looks to have some scarring on his face.

Another thing about this scene is the son saying “Mother, how angry you look. Yes, give me an apple.” almost feels... defiant in a way? Even if he's always afraid, he still fights back in his own way. This could be how Caleb was as well.

We now have a name for the daughter: Marlene. Or well, in the original English translation, it's Marlinchen, but I'll still use Marlene for simplicity.

This part of the story possibly gives insight into the aftermath of Caleb's disappearance/death. Caleb was likely not fully buried but still died, which left Lillian (who is obviously in the place of Marlene, she is the only daughter after all) to find the body. Being younger, and also the closest to Caleb via the version of the fairytale in the Journal, was devastated.

And then comes the... really fucked up part.

I don't have much to discuss for this, since this part was seemingly removed in the Journal's version. But seriously, this is actually messed up. The dad, largely absent until now, unknowingly EATS HIS OWN SON. The absence of the dad certainly fits with John being absent during the war.

First off is Marlene gathering her brother's bones and tying them up in her (best) scarf before lying them beneath the juniper tree. Like the stepmom killing the son, this matches up with the Journal's version of the fairytale. Lillian likely reburied Caleb, but while Mary was malevolent in burying him alive, Lillian put thought and care into burying Caleb's body as seen in the rags he's wearing in-game. (Another thing is the “crying tears of blood” which makes me think of Lillian's design in No Way Out.)

Second off is the firey entrance of a bird (specified to be a crow in the Journal's version). Fire obviously reminds us of Mary's death, which we will get to later. The bird, if it isn't obvious enough, is the son reborn, and sings atop a goldsmith's house his sad tale. This brings us back to the start of our journey, the Journal's version of this line of dialogue.

I'll skip some of this, but in short, the bird goes to three locations. A goldsmith, a shoemaker, and a mill. Each time, he sings his tale to the people there, who want him to sing it just once again. He's defiant, telling them he'll only do it if they give him something in return.

The goldsmith gives him a golden chain, the shoemaker gives him a pair of red shoes, and the mill workers give him a millstone. The first two are easy, but what in the world is a millstone? Well, it's a stone used for grinding grain and apparently corn. We'll see what it's used for in a short bit.

The bird returns to his father's house! As shown, the dad is happy while the stepmom and Marlene are upset (for different reasons). After this, the bird sets himself on the juniper tree and sings his tale again.

Of course, the stepmom is practically losing it due to the presence of the bird and his singing, but the dad thinks otherwise. He decides to go out and see the bird despite his wife's anxiety.

Quite an interesting line, considering Mary's fate.

Once the bird finishes, he drops the golden chain as a gift to his dad. In response, the dad goes back inside and despite his pleasant encounter, the stepmom is terrified to the point of falling onto the floor. Holy shit. Anyway, the bird sings once more.

Marlene decides that she'll go out and see if the bird will give her something as well. And as the bird finishes, he drops the pair of red shoes down to her as a gift. Marlene became content and happy, putting on the new shoes and going back into the house.

In response, the stepmom...

The stepmom goes out to see if she'll be given something as well. Technically, it did happen. The bird dropped the millstone onto her, instantly killing her. We're back to Mary's death. And even after this, everything related to fire rises, and from that appears the son, no longer a bird, stew, or a corpse.

I don't think this is a “Caleb set the fire” type of thing. There's more evidence for the twins and the pastor anyway. What I do think this could lead us to is that Caleb at least saw it as a ghost.

Besides that, the line of the dad, son, and Marlene happily going inside and eating is the ending to The Juniper Tree. Which marks my ending to this post!

Thank you for reading my (probably over) analysis of the fairytale concerning Wick's lore. What do you guys think? Do you have any other thoughts about how the story could connect with Wick's lore?

[bookcub]

Goodreads // Storygraph

Summary:

The action and adventure of Percy Jackson meets the complex heroines of The Cruel Prince as a family of valkyries fight to stop Ragnarök. For seventeen-year-old Bryn, being the youngest, messiest, most rebellious sister in a family of valkyries isn’t easy. Especially considering home is a Renaissance faire in Chicago full of costumed workers who see her as nothing more than a nuisance. When her mother disappears on a mission for Odin, Bryn begins having strange visions about the impending Ragnarök. Bryn senses their mother is in great danger, but her annoyingly perfect older sisters refuse to take her seriously. Their mother is, after all, captain of the valkyries. Things only take a turn for the worse when a half human, half giant named Juniper crashes the party with a violent zombie in tow, confirming Bryn’s worst fears—her visions of Ragnarök are real. If that wasn’t enough, the faire’s mysterious new addition, Wyatt the Black Knight, just so happens to have a ferocious secret that threatens everyone around him. Determined to survive Ragnarök, Bryn, Juniper, and Wyatt team up to combat the horde of monsters that keeps appearing throughout the faire. But after Bryn ignores the call to deliver Wyatt to Odin’s eternal warriors in Valhalla, choosing to save his life instead, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever get this valkyrie thing right. Whispers of divine interference—including sightings of the mischievous Loki—reach Bryn’s ears. Soon everyone at the faire becomes a suspect, leaving Bryn, her sisters, and their newfound friends the only ones who can stop the war to end all realms. Whether she’s ready or not, Bryn is about to learn how the ties between fate and choice are as interwoven and unbreakable as the bonds between sisters.

My Review:

Thank you to the publisher for a free copy to review. 

Reading Rise was like reading a YA book from 2012 but with less internalized misogyny and more openly queer characters. I had such a fun time with Bryn and her world. I have read less books about Norse Mythology than I would have liked and this will now be a fixture in my recommendations in that category. There was a good balance of explaining the lore to people who have no knowledge on the subject, as well subtle references more avid fans will catch onto earlier. 

However, the heart of the book is Bryn and her sisters, Reagan and Prima. I thought the amount of tension between them made sense, especially Bryn and Prima with Reagan as the peacekeeper. While readers are of course inclined to side with Bryn, it is easy to understand Prima’s motivations, despite vibrating in agreement with Bryn (and her questionable choices). I also liked how the absent parents were explained, especially that their mom is alive and does live with them but is on a super special Valkyrie meeting (as one does). 

The love story between Bryn and Wyatt was sweet. I enjoyed it, however, it was forgettable in comparison to the other interpersonal relationships of the novel. I am excited to see them develop in the future books. I also enjoyed the new friendship between Juniper and Bryn and the way they learned from each other. I love when a magical person discovers "the real world" and reacts to it in any story! I had a fun time and it felt nostalgic in the best ways! 

Overall, I had a fun time and think YA fantasy and Norse mythology fans alike will enjoy this book as well. Recommended to those who like reading about complicated sisterly relationships and YA fantasy adventures! Four out of five stars!

(Full disclosure, I do know the author! I don’t think this influenced how much I liked the novel, but I do prefer when other reviewers disclose this fact, so I am as well.) 

[just-antithings]

I'm not saying adults insisting they only need to read YA books and watch children's cartoons is leading to this culture wide phobia of sex which in turn is becoming a useful vector for the increasing spread of fascism except that is exactly what I'm saying.

Im not that anon but want to expand on their thought, if they're saying what I think they are.

I thought of this more when seeing an old post of someone saying their English teacher should have let them write a report on Divergent instead making them read 1984. Someone commented supporting the OP, saying that they never read Divergent, but 1984 is problematic. Iirc, the commenter referred to Winston (I think that's the protag in 1984; sorry I haven't reread it in years) as a creep. I can't remember is this specific commenter called Winston a misogynist, but that's a common complaint I hear when people say they don't like 1984.

The screenshot of that post also had other screenshots, including the twt posts of YA authors saying that the classics were problematic. It's a sentiment I keep seeing around book twt before I deactivated my account but still on booktube as well, and it's always booktubers who also read and rant about Colleen Hoover, because they know her name gets clicks. Or booktubers that do those videos titled "I read [old/popular/controversial] series so you don't have to".

Sorry, sliding off topic a bit. Going back to what anon said, YA books tend to be more sanitized. They're supposed to be written for a 15-19 audience, so sex and gore aren't supposed to be explicit. There are YA books with sex scenes. 2 I read recently have sex scenes, but they aren't explicit. One uses mostly poetic language and infers to what's happening, and the other essentially fades to black after they get into bed, as they're touching and then picks up the next morning. (One of these YA books had a big controversy on booktube a few years ago for being problematic, though. Gee, wonder why /s)

But for the most part, often for people who enjoy urban fantasy or romances but not steamy scenes, they may go for YA, since it's usually more "PG". Unfortunately, some people get it in their head that this makes YA inherently "better", that adult books that are being more explicit are only doing it to get more sales, when YA tbh has a tighter hold on it marketing-wise.

Okay, I'm not published (yet), but I've been studying it when I need to take a break from writing to see what course is best for me and what I want to write. YA is becoming oversaturated in the market, so it's not as big a "money making genre" for debut authors as it might have been once (and I'd argue that even in the past when YA was smaller, you still had to be lucky, known, or connected to get that 6-figure check for a debut YA novel). YA is more likely to get scrutinized, considering its supposed to he for a younger audience, so a YA author wanting to push boundaries is going to receive more push-back than an adult lit author.

Now pushback happens in adult lit, too, like Ava Reid saying her editor or publisher (I forget who) told her that Juniper&Thorn might be too dark. (I've read it. Yes, it's dark, but bad reviews I saw for the book blew it way out of proportion. If you (gen) like lyrical/poetic narration and gothic horror, I highly suggest it).

But it feels like there's more of a push to keep YA books "clean". You can find some outliers, but like the YA I mentioned above, those outliers in YA that push boundaries can get wrapped in controversy and called problematic.

And for whatever reason, some people on booktube say this is a good thing and say "think of the children!"

They will say censorship is bad but then advocate for sanitized YA to be read instead of classics, because the classics are "bad" and "teach bad things" and "should be left in the past". They advocate for censorship without realizing they are advocating for censorship. It's exhausting, and as someone who wants to be published and does enjoy a lot of YA, it makes me feel discouraged. I don't think I'm "pushing boundaries" at all in my writing or saying anything new, but I'm very sure it's not sanitized enough for most publishers, especially if I wanted to try for one of the beg houses in the US.

Tl;dr One of the major problems in this anti-intellectualism is capitalism.

.

[chimairasden]

Meet: Juniper 🔥

from Our Life: Now&Forever! For the picture, I used this picrew.

🔥

Like: DIY objects, drinking games, overalls Dislikes: pollen season, prolonged physical contact, too much noise

🔥

Full name: Juniper Joan Second AKA: JoJo (by close friends), Jun (by everyone) Pronouns: they/them (for strangers or people they don't like), any (for their friends)

Birthday: October 1 Sign: Libra

Height: 6 ft Hair colour: lilac (dyed), red (natural) Eye colour: olive

Story: Their story will follow the game's main canon events. This could change with the full game's release and the steps' development.

Gender & Sexuality: Juniper is a non binary person and they are lesbian. They have always known they are attraced only by women, but need sometimes to figure out their gender identity. They feel a strong connection with butchness. Also, they are really popular among girls and act charming, but they are a secretly romantic person and, while having some really short-term relationships, they are still waiting for the one™️. Polyamory is not really their cup of tea, but if their future partner wanted to discuss it, they would give it at least a shot.

🔥

Relationships with the canon LIs & other people:

Since the game has different LIs and NPCs and the full game is not out yet, a more detailed post will be published soon.

🔥

Trivia:

They don't really like their own freckles, but covering them with make-up everytime would be too much effort;

They would be definetly be an umarell in their old-age;

They have a sweet-tooth and they drink coffee only with a lot of sugar.

🔥🔥🔥

I was so excited about the game that I couldn't wait the full version 😍 It's not much but I hope you will like my silly little Juniper!

[lyntergalactic]

okay so i gotta ask about da fic that has been percolating so long oh my god xD

ahaha this is absolutely a result of me getting back on my dragon age bullshit. which actually happened a couple weeks before news about the game dropped.

basically, i've had this idea for a fic in my head for... nine years now? which is basically a result of me looking at inquisition and going "yeah, nah, my warden and hawke absolutely would've been more involved in shit and also you cannot tell me varric wasn't lying about things in da2."

so it's one part the tale of my AU inquisitor, juniper lavellan, one part integrating the story more with the rest of the franchise, and one part self-indulgent AU.

idk if i will ever write all of it but i've been super tempted to put the first chapter up with an author's note saying "look the only reason this is published right now is i want it out there before veilguard drops."

there's a small snippet under the cut

Solas pushes open the door to the cabin the Herald has been given and--pauses halfway into the space. At the other end of the room, a small red fox scrabbles at the window. It shoves at the pane with its nose, worming the thing open and trying to pull itself onto the sill to, presumably, escape out of it into the wild. The Herald is nowhere to be seen. Quietly, Solas steps into the cabin and shuts the door behind him. He watches for another moment as little hind paws scratch at the wooden walls, trying to keep balance. He clears his throat. The fox yips in alarm and rears back. It tumbles to the floor, turning back into a young elven woman just before she hits the ground. The Herald stares up at Solas, wide- and wild-eyed, her red hair a tangled mess around her face. "Well, shit," she mumbles. "So much for that plan."

[slowdesire]

omg actually keen to hear ur yellowface thoughts once uve synthesised them... im a chronic rf kuang hater but i also do read her books every time so i would love to know what u thoughtttt

hello omg thank you for asking about this, i would love to know your thoughts too actually!

so it's been a day, i was able to sleep on it... this won't be the most serious review ever but i'll freely share both what i've been mulling over and my thoughts as i type. i think the book is good enough for what i personally thought it would be, which is a silly off-kilter story with a very compelling premise. the bare minimum i initially knew, which is that some white girl stole her dead asian-american friend's work, was enough to intrigue me. what i didn't understand was the hype around how "insane" it is on tiktok (which i will readily admit is where i found out about the book's existence) and i had my hesitations to hold it to that standard. turns out i was right to be hesitant. there was room for so much more. like i understand the pov and insights are deliberately limited and unreliable bc of the main character herself, but here's one example: when juniper made a remark on athena not knowing what it's like to be poor, i expected those thoughts to play a larger role in the story or go a bit deeper, but they were left as few among the many bits and pieces of surface level commentary and somewhat valid criticism against athena and it kind of got lost in the mix. this is such a shame especially because it's clear juniper is big on her own family's dynamics and financial situation, so it could've been such a great comparison point (?) for her to really dig into when it came to her resentment against athena.

i feel like that was the biggest missed opportunity in my eyes because when i read the author bio at the end of the book, i was surprised to find that rf kuang herself is from yale. i didn't know who she was before reading the book, this is my introduction to her and i went in completely blind. knowing a bit of her background now honestly leaves a sour taste in my mouth because this time the story feels too self-referential the way some taylor swift songs can be (and i enjoy tswift btw lol). but i don't know for sure since i still haven't looked into her that much. this is why i would LOVE to know why you're a hater bc i feel we'd have similar reasons

also the buildup to the ending and the ending itself were both so underwhelming that it dampened some of the fun i had in earlier parts of the story. like i was enjoying this white woman going kind of crazy but kuang's stab at the uncanny fell so flat i literally could not stop just thinking about perfect blue 1997 and how i did not pick up the same suspense here. not that they have to be the same at all, i just live like this. also in line with this so much of the book feels chronically online. at first i appreciated how online spaces were so heavily embedded in the story but by the halfway point i was like, um.... i thought this was a satire on the publishing industry, not glimpses of publishing interspersed between losing ur mind over twitter and goodreads LOL.

for now this is all i have to say. fun book! i can tell rf kuang is skilled in her own right. i enjoyed the pacing and the writing style, it was such an easy read and there's nothing wrong with that. nothing i want to take too seriously or sink my teeth too deeply into. people on booktok praise yellowface way too highly that's 10000% for sure

[pinespittinink]

Hi! I'm a novice writer who is looking to improve. I recently saw your post about how writers need to read published books to hone their writing skills, and I was just wondering if you had any recommendations for books/authors that are very strong in their craftsmanship to read and study? 

I know I should be reading books similar to the stories I want to write, but I haven't finished a published book in years because of work and school. I'm not even sure I know what I like anymore, and I think that's evident in my writing because I can't commit to a single story idea. At this point, I don't know where to start but I know I want to get back into reading by starting with a book I can learn from.

Sorry if this seems like a silly ask, please don't feel obligated to respond. Have a good day!

Hi there! Welcome, this isn’t a silly question at all. If anything I was musing on it because everyone has different taste, so I wasn’t sure how to answer exactly, but I’ll just list some examples I can think of that I’ve really enjoyed! These all fall under the sff genre for the most part, as that’s my jam. Though I will say, for a craft perspective, Stephen King’s On Writing is really excellent.

Insofar as authors i can think of immediately who really have their craft and voice down pat, ones who come to mind are Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Madeline Miller, Erin Morgenstern, Tamsyn Muir, and RF Kuang. All of these authors really decidedly know what they’re doing with the craft, at least in my opinion, and the results are extraordinary. I’m currently reading The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden’s most recent adult book since the Winternight Trilogy, and the research she put into the setting of WW1 is so evident throughout it, especially in the voice and colloquialisms. She also did a ton of research for the Winternight books, which is historical fantasy at its finest, while creating an authentic old fairytale feeling

Madeline Miller is another with excellent command of voice, the queen of Greek retellings with Circe and The Song of Achilles, which are really tremendous character studies. Ava Reid I personally adore for the nuance of her characters—Juniper & Thorn and The Wolf & the Woodsman feature tremendously human and flawed protagonists—their language seeps through their settings, their metaphors are divine, and A Study in Drowning, her YA debut, is thoroughly saturated with all its core themes.

Erin Morgenstern, of The Night Circus and The Starless Sea, is known for her prose and atmosphere, a prime Vibes™️ writer. The Starless Sea is a more experimental novel, though both of her books play with disjointed timelines and perspectives, which is fascinating; The Starless Sea concerning itself with storytelling specifically.

Tamsyn Muir, the author of The Locked Tomb series, has such a handle on her characters and plot that it’s actually insane. Talk about a masterclass in writing a large cast with defined personalities. The difference in voice between Gideon, Harrow, and Nona, is unbelievably fascinating, just for how starkly different the headspaces of these characters are compared to each other. The layering and reread value is immense.

RF Kuang is a chameleon writer, who changes her style to match the genre she’s writing (grimdark historical fantasy, dark academia historical fantasy, contemporary satire-turned-thriller). Babel feels like her magnum opus, a modern day classic that I cannot praise highly enough. A slow start, but halfway through shit hits the fan, and it does not stop from there.

Shout outs also to: Simon Jimenez with The Spear Cuts Through Water, epic fantasy that uses first, second, and third person, and is a miracle for it. A masterclass of storytelling. Roshani Chokshi with The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, which might as well be evil toxic sapphic adult Bridge to Terebithia, dripping with decadence. Emily Habeck with Shark Heart, a contemporary spec fic novel that studies grief and caring for loved ones through a lens of terminal illness in the guise of a genetic disorder that turns people into animals; it plays around with script structure sometimes, and made me sob. Cormac McCarthy with The Road; bleak and dismal and post-apocalyptic, and nameless man and boy, nearly poetic. Camilla Andrew @aninkwellofnectar with When the Stars Alight, a romantic fantasy that positively teems with lush intentional language and is also a fascinating look at third person omniscient.

For classics: A Wrinkle in Time, the Lord of the Rings, Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, Lolita.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these books or authors, though at the end of the day, there’s something to be learned from any book you read, whether it’s a good lesson or something to be avoided. I’m also down to try to give other recs, if you’re looking for anything specific!

[amandacanwrite]

Hello everybody it is my birthday today (12/12) and I would really love it if you would consider giving this post a reblog so that it can reach more people! (This would be a wonderful bday present.)

I have a newsletter called Letters from a Friend where I talk about my writing, my personal struggles, share failures and successes, and just generally try to make it feel that when you get an email in your inbox from me 2-4 times a month, it feels like getting an update from a beloved friend.

You can take a look or sign up here. In addition to being a place fore my novice personal writing, this is also the best way to get news about my upcoming novel, With Love, Juniper. It’s also where I plan to post about my twitch channel that I’m currently planning out to have guests on to talk about writing, editing, publishing and everything in between!

Tapping the Tag List every gently: @eldritchx @michael-thepoet @sm-writes-chaos @csdarkfantasy @carrotsinnovember @a-crystallen-author @steh-lar-uh-nuhs

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

A Message About Moab

1 Concerning Moab:

Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel:

Woe to Nebo, for it is devastated. Kiriathaim is humiliated and captured; Misgab is humiliated and dismayed. 2 There is no more praise for Moab; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: “Come and let us cut it off from being a nation!” Also you will be cut down, O Madmen. The sword will pursue you. 3 A sound of crying will be from Horonaim: “Devastation and great destruction!” 4 “Moab is destroyed”; her little ones have caused a cry of distress to be heard; 5 for by the Ascent of Luhith they will go up with continual weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard a cry of destruction. 6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the juniper in the wilderness. 7 For because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you will also be captured; and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity together with his priests and his officials. 8 The destroyer will come upon every city, and no city will escape. The valley also will perish, and the plain will be destroyed, as the Lord has spoken. 9 Give wings to Moab, that she may flee and get away; for the cities will become desolate, without any to dwell in them.

10 Cursed be he who does the work of the Lord negligently, and cursed be he who keeps back his sword from blood.

11 Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has also been undisturbed, like wine on its dregs, and he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed. 12 Therefore, surely the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and will empty his vessels and break his bottles. 13 Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

14 How do you say, “We are mighty and strong men for the war”? 15 Moab has been devastated and gone up out of her cities, and her chosen young men have also gone down to the slaughter, says the King whose name is the Lord of Hosts. 16 The calamity of Moab will come soon, and his affliction hastens fast. 17 All you who are about him, mourn for him. And all you who know his name, say, “How the strong staff has been broken, the beautiful rod!”

18 O daughter who inhabits Dibon, come down from your glory and sit on the parched ground, for the destroyer of Moab will come upon you, and he will destroy your strongholds. 19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the road and keep watch. Ask him who flees and her who escapes, and say, “What has happened?” 20 Moab has been humiliated, for it has been broken down. Howl and cry out. Tell it in Arnon, that Moab has been devastated. 21 And judgment has come upon the plain country: upon Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath, 22 and Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim, 23 and Kiriathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon, 24 and Kerioth and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab has been cut off and his arm has been broken, says the Lord.

26 Make him drunk, for he magnified himself against the Lord. Moab also will wallow in his vomit, and he also will be held in derision. 27 For was not Israel a derision to you? Or was he caught among thieves? For each time you speak of him, you shake your head in scorn. 28 O you who dwell in Moab, leave the cities and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that makes her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth. — Jeremiah 48:1-28 (Part 1) | Modern English Version (MEV) The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. Cross References: Genesis 8:12; Genesis 19:17; Exodus 5:2; Numbers 21:13; Numbers 21:23; Numbers 21:25; Numbers 21:29-30; Numbers 32:3; Deuteronomy 2:36; Joshua 13:9; Joshua 13:17; Judges 11:24; 1 Kings 20:39-40; Job 16:4; Job 22:9; Psalm 11:1; Psalm 33:16; Psalm 110:2; Proverbs 7:23; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 15:5; Isaiah 40:30-31; Jeremiah 20:16; Jeremiah 22:21; Amos 2:2