#Voyager is just a big polycule in space

[captainkaseykirk]

Sometimes I reblog my own posts when I follow a new person with cool content in an effort to signal “hello yes I am also very insane about this we should be friends” in case they look at my account. Like a mating call but in a platonic way.

[keplercryptids]

Queer Books for Spooky Season!

i have read and enjoyed all of these, and have organized them in such a way that makes sense to me and hopefully peaks your interest! most are straight-up horror, but some just have horror / spooky themes.

[please note, not all these books have overtly queer characters / relationships, but are included because they have queer authors and/or queer characters, plots or themes. don’t want people to go into any of these books expecting romance.]

Spooky & Sapphic

The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir. everyone on tumblr knows about this series. it’s a science-fantasy, it’s got lesbian necromancers in space, it’s got mysteries and intrigue, and i would describe it as a “fun” read but please know my idea of fun includes body horror, grief and spooky vibes.

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling. the vibes of this one are off the charts. story is told from the perspective of a lone caver on a foreign planet, as she communicates with her dive suit’s handler. it’s tense and suspenseful, lots of survival-fiction vibes, and it’s exactly how i want characters to flirt: via coms only, as one fights for their life.

Yellow Jessamine by Caitlin Starling. this one’s a weird little gothic novella about a shipping magnate who’s confined to her creepy estate as a mysterious plague runs rampant through the city.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca. this novella is told via early-2000s chat logs and emails between two women as they develop one of the most unnerving relationships i’ve ever read. gross things happen! this one’s polarizing! but i loved it so much. absolutely unhinged vibes.

Parasites, but Goth

Leech by Hiron Ennes. most of this book is told from the POV of a parasitic hivemind called the Institute, which uses host bodies to act as physicians for the rest of society in a post-apocalyptic, gothic setting. and it gets weirder from there. it’s an honestly quite beautiful exploration of bodily autonomy, identity, and trauma.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. this is a retelling of the fall of the house of usher, and includes a spooky manor, fungal parasites, possessed wildlife, and the exact kind of unsettling atmosphere that i love in a horror book.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon. this story follows a teen mother who’s escaped from a cult and is now undergoing a fungal metamorphosis in the forest. big thriller/survival vibes and some truly excellent commentary about oppression, trauma and societal secrets.

Could Vampirism be Gayer? (yes, actually)

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson. "dracula’s polycule” is what sold me on this book, and while yes, it’s got polyamorous vampires, the heart of the story is about the dynamics of an abusive relationship, with a strong thread of hope throughout.

The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate, transl. by David Bowles. i’m not usually one to categorize a book as Important (TM) but this novella definitely is that. it was originally published in the 90s by a mexican author, and it’s a reimagining of dracula’s voyage to england from the POV of the captain, a closeted gay man full of queer yearning. this book is beautiful and painful and challenging and yes, important. it’s also horny as hell so like, you’ve been warned lol. only recently has it been made available in english, too!

Science as Horror

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey. a short novel about a woman who’s recently separated from her husband, who in turn started a relationship with a clone of her. loved the character exploration in this, and it’s definitely got mystery/thriller vibes if you’re into that.

You’ve Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca. this is a vibe-heavy, kind of trippy novella which features a story-within-a-story. don’t want to give away too much of the plot here because it’s a wild ride.

and finally, here’s some honorable mentions, at the end here because i didn’t love them. but you might!

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey (haunted house personified, exploration of dysfunctional family)

The Seep by Chana Porter (post-apocalyptic quest)

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (killer mermaids)

Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (creepy mansion, corpse bride)

[janewayseven]

20 questions for fic writers, J7 edition

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 15

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 90,585

3. What fandoms do you write for? Star Trek, mostly Voyager, some cross-over into Picard and TNG.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Four times she denies you and the one time she doesn't. What happens if our ladies have their shit together and mutual attraction trumps stupid little issues, like Starships to run.

Slowly, then all at once a collection of moments, big and small, painting the picture of two women, learning and growing together, falling for each other slowly, then all at once.

Things that Fall What happens from the first time your heart feels full until you finally let yourself fall? An exploration in 12 vignettes.

The Space in Between  Seven is a precious baby-queer, Kathryn is in denial, B'Elanna is the friend we all need (and a fun play-mate to Kathryn).

I'm a little tied up right now My attempt at rectifying the severe lack of prehensile-plant fics in the J7 fandom...

5. Do you respond to comments? Sometimes, when I don't get too in my head about how to respond...

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Hands down definitely They're In Love, Where Am I?

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most of my fics have a happy ending... For finished fics I think I'd go with autumn is a second spring, including WIPs I think home is a moment in time has the most momentous happy ending so far.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Nope!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes. Depends on the what the story needs - sometimes soft and emotional, but I also have some more kinky BDSM fics. And sometimes they mix, just like in real life...

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? Within the Star Trek universe, yes (ask me about the polycule, I dare you!). Not crazy by any standards, but a fun little drabble has the biggest crossover: Come to Quarks, Quarks is Fun (...they said)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of...

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?  No, I don't think so.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, not yet.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? NCC-1701 will always be my first love, but Voyager is hot af. (half-kidding. It's J7. Hands down.)

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? The Janeway & Riker Chronicles. In my mind he hit on her once and got bitchslapped so hard he worships her to this day. They end up being thick as thieves and getting into all kinds of trouble with each other. There's traces of this in some of my fics, but I doubt I'll ever actually write it.

16. What are your writing strengths? Flow, emotionality, little details, switching POVs

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Brevity, Punctuation, getting lost in the characters' mental space too much

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Sure, why not. But not if you can't speak the language/have someone to help with translation.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Star Trek Voyager | Janeway/Seven

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? I think I'll always be especially fond of my first one (Things that Fall) and the most recent one - just because the idea wouldn't let me go for three years (home is a moment in time) - but I Will Follow Where You Lead has a special place in my heart - because of the challenge of it and the fact that it started a new relationship tag.

Tagging: Thank you for the tag, @curator-on-ao3! If you see this, consider yourself tagged - because I just know I probably forgot to tag someone. Also, to the amazing writers I got to meet here: @moonxshape @jennyandvastraflint @femslash-universe @notdeannatroi @queenology @katerinadeannika @waknatious @stardatextoday @problematick @captainkatie42 @angstbotfic @ussjellyfish @evilwickedme