#and the best author award once again goes to

[boydepartment]

hii i’m here to make a request (omg i definitely didn’t tell u i was doing this)

could you write something about boyfriend hyunnie just comforting the reader when they can’t sleep, just lots of fluff and sleepy hyun maybe idk HAHA 🫶🏻🫶🏻 thank u ily <33

authors note: heheheheh ily soooooo much I got this

Kiss Me- Sixpence None The Richer

wc: 500

warnings: none

You found yourself once again tossing and turning, it started to become a normal occurrence lately with Hyunjin always getting back late from work. It wasn’t his fault and you’d never blame him, let alone tell your boyfriend about your sleeping problems coming up again. He’s known a little bit about it in the past but you’ve never made it a big deal.

Hyunjin was always very doting; you’re his world, so you telling him would make him feel bad. That would make you feel worst and-

Ugh… You flipped again and this position was somehow even worse than the last 50 positions you sprawled yourself out in. Taking a deep breath you looked at the time, squinting in the moonlit room at the old fashioned alarm clock. The little hands telling you it was 12:32, obviously am.

You sat up and took in your surroundings, your eyes were well adjusted to the dark by now due to trying to fall asleep for the past hour and a half. Taking a deep breath you stood up and walked to the living room. Flipping on the lights you screamed seeing a tall figure just standing there.

“BABY IT’S ME IT’S ME!” Your boyfriend practically hunched over and walked quickly towards you. He felt awful for coming home late again AND scaring the love of his life. Hyunjin wrapped his arms around you and slightly moved both of you back and forth.

“Oh! I DIDNT know you were home!” You spoke now melting into his touch. Your heart rate calming down at the sight of him. He wasn’t touchy with a lot of other people, but with you. Sometimes you’d have to pry him off.

“Chan let us out early.” He mumbled and nuzzled his head in your shoulder, “did I wake you?”

You shook your head no, “I’ve been up… I couldn’t sleep, I’m sorry.”

Hyunjin looked up from your shoulder, “baby why’re you apologizing? There’s nothing to apologize for.” He kissed around your face, trying to make you feel better.

You shrugged and looked away from him, you felt guilty for not telling him how much you haven’t been able to sleep. Hyunjin’s hand went to yours and he softly squeezed.

“Are your sleeping problems coming up again?”

You looked up at him somewhat in shock, “what do you mean?”

Hyunjin’s eyes softened, “when we first started dating and you mentioned your sleeping issues briefly, I took note of that. I also researched and maybe I asked your mom.”

Your eyes went from shock to pure adoration, “you asked my mom about it?”

“Well duh obviously if you have a problem I’m gonna ask about it.” He huffed and looked away, seemingly embarrassed. You let out a small laugh and put your hands on his face.

“You’re so sweet.”

He looked at you, melting instantly. You two always had that effect on eachother.

Any embarrassment he had went away. The only thing in Hyunjin’s eyes was love and care for you.

“I got you a couple things actually.” Hyunjin walked to his bag and pulled out a new blanket and a new book to read, “I wanted to make up for some of the late nights recently. Well and now scaring you really bad when I came home.”

You smiled and practically jumped in his arms, “thank you, this means a lot to me… you’re the best…”

Hyunjin let out a giggle and held you even with the stuff in his hands, “I know. Best boyfriend of the universe award goes to me!”

You pulled away and gave him a look which made him giggle even more.

“Let me shower and get ready for bed and I’ll join you.” He said softly, giving you a kiss on the head, and walking to the bathroom.

You made your way back to the bed and got under the covers with your new blanket, of course. Soon enough you heard the hairdryer stop and your boyfriend was skipping to the bed to join you.

Hyunjin was definitely SKIPPING too, you could hear it in his footsteps and it made you giggle slightly. He curled up next to you and put his hand on your waist.

“Flip over I want to talk.” He whined, you did so and looked at him.

Hyunjin was truly one of a kind. His eyes looked so pretty whenever he looked at you.

“Hi.” You smiled up at him, the bed wasn’t uncomfortable anymore with your other half laying in it with you.

“Hi.” He kept staring at you.

You helped pull the covers over him better.

Hyunjin smiled at you, “when you have trouble sleeping I read online that reading an actual paper book helps. And I bought teas a couple weeks ago that could help too.”

“You really did your research huh?” You yawned and stretched as much as you could with him engulfing you.

“Of course I did my research. I love you and want you to be healthy.” Hyunjin let out a yawn after you.

“I love you too… Can you tell me about your day?” You asked, laying your head on him more.

Hyunjin nodded, “yeah I can… so…”

As Hyunjin went on about his day, you felt your eyes become heavy. Although when he mentioned Jisung totally eating shit while walking down the hall, you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. As he talked his thumb would softly rub your eyebrow, the comforting action made you even more sleepy. You felt yourself feeling as light as a feather as you drifted off to dreamland.

“Goodnight my darling.”

[danpuff-ao3]

Snarry-a-Thon 2012 Recs

Snarry-a-Thon is an annual fest of Snarry goodness that always brings so much creativity and joy in the Snarry community. I am forever blown away by how much talent and passion Snarry-lovers have. With that in mind, I wanted to create some special recs for a fest near and dear to my heart.

With that, here are my Top 5 picks for the 2012 fest! But first...

Disclaimer: my rec lists are created based on my personal experiences and preferences. There are plenty of other stories and authors who are quite good and deserve just as much love. This is not meant to be an objective “best of the best” list, but the subjective opinion of a longtime reader and fangirl.

Speaking in Tongues

by abrae. Rated: E. Words: 7,764. Hogwarts 8th Year. Hurt/comfort. Romance. Angst.

Harry lost one language in the war, but he finds he's learning to speak another.

In the Sanctuary of His Eyes

by asecretchord. Rated: E. Words: 22,710. BDSM. Collars. Orgasm delay/denial. Other pairings.

Severus Snape created the perfect submissive: beautiful, responsive, obedient to a fault. Harry Potter was everything Snape never knew he wanted—until the day Lucius Malfoy snatched him up with a snap of his fingers. Now the light was fading from Potter's eyes, but Snape wasn't certain he wanted to rescue Potter again. Winner: "Best Villain" HP Fan Fiction Poll Awards, Fall 2012.

In Time, Once Again

by avioleta (@avioleta). Rated: E. Words: 29,565. Time travel. First time. Student/teacher. Underage.

After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry uses a Time Turner in an attempt to rewrite history. However, something goes wrong, and he’s thrown back fourteen years into the past.

I'll Take Less (When I Always Give So Much More)

by RoozetteR. Rated: M. Words: 24,294. Illnesses. Established Relationships. Petunia POV.

Just because you know somebody doesn’t mean you know them. Especially when it comes to family.

In Perpetuity

by starcrossedgirl. Rated: E. Words: 11,830. Past Lucius/Severus. Implied Albus/Severus. Implied Severus/Voldemort. Bottom!Snape. BDSM. Hurt/comfort. Character study.

Some stories in life repeat in the same old patterns. Until they change.

Snarry-a-Thon 2012 Masterlist

[mcgnagallsarmy]

Spuffy style Reading Challenge - #22: A new genre every month

Thriller:

What Goes Around by Ninereeds [NC-17]

The citizens of Sunnydale find themselves acting on their darkest desires, and the Scoobies' summer vacation hangs in the balance. When Spike turns out to be the only one Buffy can trust, her carefully constructed black-and-white world starts looking a lot gray-shadier. Set in the summer after season 4.

Romance:

Eucharist by Holly [NC-17]

He had it all. The prophecy and the girl, merrily ever after and all that rot. But life doesn't stop.

Fic by a female author:

Ties to the World by honeygirl51885 [NC-17]

Spike is gone, but before he went out in a blaze of glory, he slipped a letter into Buffy’s pocket. That letter takes her on a road trip across America, visiting his ties to the world.

A classic:

Strawberry Fields by Holly [NC-17]

Heartbroken and determined, Spike sets out to form a truce with his mortal enemy to take down Angelus once and for all. The last thing he expected was a couple of restless spirits interrupting his sales pitch, or to find himself in a magic-induced liplock. And one taste of Buffy Summers, he finds, is nowhere close to enough.

Fantasy:

World Enough, and Time by toooldforthis [R]

“You came back wrong,” he told her, all those years ago. He was right, but it took them a very long time to realise exactly what that meant. It meant a hundred more apocalypses, a thousand battles. It meant a journey, a prophecy, a war. They’d lose one other, and find their way back, and choose, again and again. And all the while, the earth was failing. There are a lot more people than you think who are here for the long haul – like, the really long haul. This is a story about two of them.

Dystopian story:

The Footprints Left Behind by Willow91 [NC-17]

In the wake of an unknown attack on the American Frontier and the subsequent loss of contact with the friends they still had stateside, Buffy and Xander sneak into the country and begin a long, dangerous journey to find old friends and the source of the near apocalypse before it spreads throughout the rest of the world.

Award winner:

Whispers by Abby [NC-17]

After Spike endures torture at the hands of Glory to protect the identity of the key, Buffy is forced to reconsider everything she ever thought she knew about the vampire, leading to some startling revelations. Set immediately post-Intervention.

Drama:

Ghostly by untouchable [NC-17]

Six months after Sunnydale collapses, a grieving Buffy is startled to find Spike, feral and without any idea who she is, in her backyard. Is he real? Or just another ghost?

Erotica:

A Dream Is A Wish your Heart Makes by cawthraven [NC-17]

Buffy just had a hot fight with Spike. And now, she's having a hot night with him, too.

Comedy:

Delusions of Spander by EllieRose101 [PG]

“I am not having sex with Spike, but I'm starting to think that you might be!”

A one shot in which wires become comically crossed. Starts out during Season Five, Episode 18: Intervention.

Historical:

The Darkling by OffYourBird [NC-17]

When Buffy’s quest to get Spike returned to her is fulfilled in an unexpected way, she finds herself in a complicated relationship with an intrigued master vampire who isn’t the man she loves, but who might be someday… if she can convince him to step out of the dark.

Slow-burn:

What Remains by MrsAkers [NC-17]

As the lone survivors of the final battle with Glory, Buffy and Spike run away from Sunnydale. Battling with guilt and an unfulfilled death wish, Buffy finds solace in Spike's company while the vampire just does his best to keep her alive. Goes majorly AU at The Gift.

[morfinwen]

Fortnight of Books (in one post)

I'm so happy i read enough books last year to do this for once! Here's hoping for a repeat this year. Next year. Whenever.

Overall - best books read in 2023? Tress of the Emerald Sea

Best series you discovered in 2023? The fun thing about "best" is that it doesn't necessarily mean "good". And while i hold out slightly more hope that future Margery Allingham mysteries will be more captivating than The Crime at Black Dudley, i have to admit that there was something about Ngaio Marsh's utterly underwhelming mysteries that kept me reading. So congrats to her for her single victory.

Best reread of the year? Watership Down. Granted it was only one of two re-reads this year, but it's usually the best anyway.

Most surprising (in a good way) book of this year? A few books were minorly surprising. Certain elements of The Sunlit Man were … not unexpected exactly, but took things in interesting directions. I was not expecting to find a book that took place in Wisconsin and was by a nosleep author (Dead Eleven). And Overture to Death and Surfeit of Lampreys were surprisingly enjoyable for having been written by Ngaio Marsh!

Most disappointing book/Book you wish you enjoyed more than you did? I was hoping that The Crime at Black Dudley would show Allingham to be a better author than Marsh. It did not.

Book you recommended most to others in 2023? I don't do book recommendations, but i very nearly suggested Tress of the Emerald Sea to a friend on FB asking for suggestions, and the only reason i didn't is because someone else already had. I believe i also recommended Shardik in a discord group, which i did not re-read in 2023 but definitely should at some point.

Alt question: A book you did not finish in 2023? I really need to finish The Lost Metal. It's not that i was disliking it or finding it boring or anything, i just had trouble maintaining momentum for reading it. Unfortunately, a very common problem.

Alt question: A book you bought in 2023? The Kingdom of Heaven by tumblr mutual Evelyn M. Lewis (i haven't read it yet i'm so sorry i promise i will get to it!!)

Author you read the most in 2023? Ngaio Marsh. She did not deserve it.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2023? "Thrilling" is … not the right word, to put it mildly, but there was something gripping about Dead Eleven nonetheless. At the very least, there was something that made me stay up way longer than i should have fine-tuning my review of it. Someday i will understand what it is that makes certain books good but not gripping/gripping but not good, and how to recognize it, etc.

Book that was most outside your comfort zone/new genre exploration? Dead Eleven again, for being a book i just picked up at the library without having heard of the author before or having any idea of it beyond what the dust jacket/first chapters indicated.

Favorite cover of the year award goes to: All of Sanderson's Secret Project books had beautiful covers, but i'll probably give the prize to Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. It's currently my phone background!

Most beautifully-written book you read in 2023? Hmm … I wasn't quite as impressed with Stiefvater's prose in my re-read of All the Crooked Saints as i was the first time, but i think she still gets the credit. I love Sanderson, but his prose is more utilitarian than pretty.

Most memorable character: Does Hoid count? His role in Tress and the Emerald Sea was his best appearance yet (second place going to his role in "Yumi and the Nightmare Painter", where he was a coatrack for most of it).

Most annoying character: Lily Beckett from Dead Eleven. I had some sympathy for her at the start, but … ugh. None of the characters in that book were very good, but she was easily the worst.

Favorite couple: Charlie and Tress from Tress and the Emerald Sea.

Worst character death: Obviously a spoiler, but, Yumi's (temporary) death in Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. Props to Sanderson that i actually thought she was gone for good for a moment.

Favorite non-romance relationship: Nomad and Aux from The Sunlit Man.

Alt: A book you enjoyed well-enough but wasn’t a stand-out? Giving Death in Ecstasy a shout-out for being the first Ngaio Marsh book i almost kinda enjoyed, sorta.

The book I read but have already forgotten: Turns out i read The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages last January, and completely forgot about it. Oops.

Book with a scene that left you reeling: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. If you've read it, you know the one. Not quite on the level of the basement in Warbreaker, but pretty darn close.

Alt question: A book that made you laugh? Surfeit of Lampreys, believe it or not. Though the title still sucks.

Book you read in 2023 and are most likely to reread in 2024? Tress and the Emerald Sea.

Alt question: A book you struggled with but completed? The Crime at Black Dudley. I think the fact that it's ostensibly a murder mystery, but switched less than halfway in to a "escape the criminals" plot, then back to the murder, was not in its favor.

Series you gave up on in 2023: I think i'm done with Ngaio Marsh.

Favorite passage/quote of 2023: Maybe i should have taken notes. Since i didn't, i browsed the quotes page for the best books i read, and came up with the following selections: “Do you have darkness inside you?” “Yes,” Tony said. “And do you want to be rid of it?” This is a harder question to answer than one might think at first blush. Almost no one would think it’s correct to answer this question with a no, but the truth is that we men and women often hate to be rid of the familiar, and sometimes our darkness is the thing we know the best. ~ All the Crooked Saints All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed. ~ Watership Down Memories are fossils, the bones left by dead versions of ourselves. More potently, our minds are a hungry audience, craving only the peaks and valleys of experience. The bland erodes, leaving behind the distinctive bits to be remembered again and again. Painful or passionate, surreal or sublime, we cherish those little rocks of peak experience, polishing them with the ever-smoothing touch of recycled proxy living. ~ Tress of the Emerald Sea

Book which had the overall greatest impact on you this year: Perhaps Dead Eleven - i already mentioned how it kept me up late writing a review. A mostly negative review, but still.

A book you didn’t read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2024? I've got a long list of books that i checked out from the library (or wanted to) that i never got around to last year, hoping this one works out better. I suppose the priority goes to The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst, which i started last year but haven't finished yet.

New book you are most anticipating for 2024? I don't really anticipate books, and i'm out of relevant alternative questions.

I had an amazing 20 books on my "read" list this year -- not sure if it beats 2019 or whenever my other reading spree was, but it blows most other years out of the water, and i'm hopeful for 2024.

[medusas-daughter]

Hotd, episode 9 "the green council"

So many thoughts

First of all I had chills the entire episode. As team black I went in fully expecting to hate it and boy was I wrong. This episode is a masterpiece.

- How many people exactly is Crispin allowed to kill before he suffers consequences?

- Lord Commander Harrold Westerling showing us what true honor is. And honestly, he might as well have removed his cloak, nobody respects his authority, they allowed his knight to draw a sword on him. They don't deserve him.

-I can't believe I'm about to say this, and it is the last time I ever will, but they should have given Aegon what he wanted. Man wanted to disappear, let him. "I'm not suited" if anything, he's self aware.

- Crispin's "women are the image of mother and should be spoken of with reverence" like he wasn't calling Rhaenyra a cunt like 3 weeks ago is peak comedy.

- I did not expect Aemond to explicitly admit he wanted to the crown, and I wonder what kind of king he would have been. Also, this is for me the big difference between team green and team black. Team black love each other unconditionally and fully support one another even behind closed doors. Team Green barely like each other.

- Did Princess Rhaenys just serve us the best line of this entire season "you wish not to be free but to build a window in your prison". Rhaenys just called Alicent a pick me, and I stan.

- I was wrong, the best line goes to Mysaria with "there is no power but what the people allow you to take".

- Ser Erryk said "nope, imma sit this one out, not worth my sweat" and I respect that.

-Alicent finally standing up to her father is slightly satisfying, but it's too little too late, barely registers.

- Aegon being given Blackfyre to carry when he can't even swing a sword is such a waste.

- Larys having a foot fetish is not even 1% surprising.

- "do you love me?" "you imbecile" is the funniest line of this episode.

- Helaena hiding her face in Aemond's shoulder after Aegon was crowned does things to me. Aemond seems to be the only she's comforted by. And the fear in her face when Aegon looked at her, she knows what kind of king he will be.

- speaking of, Alicent, if you wanted your son not to rule with cruelty, you should have taught him that years ago. Slapping him and telling him again and again that he is a challenge simply by breathing and existing. And then expecting him to let his challenger keep breathing? Of course he's not gonna let Rhaenyra live.

- Rhaenys escaping on Meleys wearing full armor was so powerful and satisfying, and Meleys is so beautiful and Rhaenys's armor fitting Meleys's colors, I just love them both so much. But besides the visuals and the bad bitch moment, I'm not actually sure how I feel about this scene, because Rhaenys could have stopped the entire dance with one fire breath. One Dracarys and team black would have been safe. There were no children there, only traitors. She could have taken out all of team green and ended the dance before it began.

- Ewan Mitchell is getting a lot of (well deserved) praise for his portrayal of Aemond. But I would like to take a moment to praise Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon. He managed to bring a depth and dimension to such a disgusting and icky character and the shift in his eyes when people started cheering for him. The despair when he was begging Aemond to let him disappear. The insecurity when he asked Alicent if she loved him. He played him marvelously.

- Olivia Cooke proved once again how good of an actress she is. Zero notes, 10/10. The resignated disgust during the scene with Larys. The conflict when they discussed murdering Rhaenyra. The fear when Meleys threatened her children. Impeccable.

- Finally, give Ramin Djawadi all of the awards, all of them. My expectations for the soundtrack were already so high after game of thrones, and he still exceeded them.

I will be back with more thoughts when I'm done processing

[spnfanficpond]

March 2023 Angel Fish Awards

(Angel Fish design by @slytherkins!!)

WELCOME TO THIS MONTH’S ANGEL FISH AWARDS!

Every month all of you fantastic writers work your asses off to post some truly incredible stories. Our Angel Fish Awards are the way for all of us, as a community of writers and readers, to lift each other up and give praise to those who have captured our attention and deserve a few kind words.

The monthly Angel Fish Awards are peer-nominated, meaning ANYONE (you don’t have to be a member) CAN NOMINATE ANY POND MEMBER’S FIC. Everyone in this community deserves to be showered with love and feedback, and we hope that this fun, thoughtful award will do just that. (Click here to learn more about how to nominate a fic for an award!)

Be sure to read through this whole post as people who were nominated more than once only had one tag activated for Tumblr tagging purposes!

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE ARE THIS MONTH’S ANGEL FISH AWARDS!

Nominated by @iprobablyshipit91

I've Got You by @spnexploration

This story is super sweet protective Dean and I loved it so much. It’s everything I love to read 😍

Motel Diablo by @waynes-multiverse

This was just hilarious, it had reader and Dean smut as well as some brotherly squabbling and Deans love for his car. Brilliant!

~*~*~

Nominated by @mrswhozeewhatsis

Rumors (series) by @deanwinchesterswitch

If you're in the mood to get your ripped out and stomped on, this is the series for you! Dean did his usual stupid stuff and pushed her away. And then he regretted it, but she was gone. Can they fix it? Holy moly, this one hurts!!

What You Need (series) Part 1 & Part 2 by @thinkinghardhardlythinking

SO MUCH PINING!!! I love me some juicy pining and this has juicy pining AND Sam being a snack with gooey insides and I LOVE IT!! I can't wait to see how this goes!!

~*~*~

Nominated by @princessmisery666

All Out of Options by @julesthequirky

This is short and to the point and it broke my heart all the same!

Tattered (series - link and review are for part 8) by @stusbunker

Another amazing instalment. I love these 3 and though the situation is a bit messed up, Dean STILL puts Sam first. Perfect characterization. And that ending has me holding my breath…

Rumors (series - link and review are for part 3) by @deanwinchesterswitch

This whole series is heartbreaking and I never have the words to express how much I love something. So I'll say it again, I LOVE THIS, it hurts so so so so so so so good.

~*~*~

Nominated by @salt-n-burn-em-all

Ceremonial Boning by @agenthellcat

Not over the top with angst, cute, sweet and sexy! Excellent writing and most of all, she didn’t write that Dean was scissoring his fingers.

~*~*~

Nominated by @thoughtslikeaminefield

Never Doubt The Best Man (series) by @stusbunker

This one's been around for a couple of years, and yet, I forgot to read more than the first chapter until last month. And boy am I glad I did! It's soooo sexy and soooo Dean and fun and SEXY. And swoony. And it's Stu, which is always an automatic, duh, I'm gonna read it.

Muffled by @hoboal87

This is sweet and sexy and quick, but you can also feel the love. Those are sometimes the very best.

~*~*~

Nominated by @mariekoukie6661

Apple of my Eye (series) by @bamby0304

This is such a great series! I love what she did with this! The fact that it started in the « normal » world is what makes this series interesting!

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AWESOME WORK AND GREAT FEEDBACK!

These are not actual awards, as in, there is no competition! This system is set up so everyone has a chance to share the love and promote a fic/author in the Pond that has grabbed your attention. The more people that participate, the better this will be :D

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN, KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK, AND AS ALWAYS, HAPPY WRITING!

[asinglemagpie]

15 questions and 15 people, tagged by @gainux! Thank you, I love doing these too!

1: Are you named after anyone? So I actually found out extremely recently (in the last few months) that yes, I am. I am named after a friend of my maternal grandfather that my mum met once… but she was beautiful and smart and articulate, and that's what she wanted for me, and that was my name from that moment on.

Won't lie, two thoughts occurred: 1, wow I do not live up to my namesake LOL, and 2, did she potentially name me after one of my grandad's many affairs without knowing? (The first I said, the second I kept to myself but OOF…)

2: When was the last time you cried? Approximately 40 minutes ago because there's like 3 songs in the Hazbin Hotel soundtrack that make me cry, including the Finale XDDD

3: Do you have kids? Nope!

4: What sport do you play/have played? I played one netball match, and one basketball tournament - I was more of a dancer.

5: Do you use sarcasm? Constantly. I can't be sarcastic about it because then it sounds like lying lmao.

6: What is the first thing you notice about people? Probably their height. I'm a bit of a wee thing, so I'm always looking up at people XDD

7: What's your eye color? I'm honestly not entirely sure! I lean towards 'hazel' these days.

8: Scary movies or happy endings? Both - sometimes I need everyone to die, sometimes I need everyone to live.

9: Any talents? I can't dance any more, but I can still sing.

10: Where were you born? Cambridge. Closest I got to that university… XDD

11: What are your hobbies? I write again now! That takes up a lot of time between fic, novel, and RPing. I listen to music, loudly, and sing along whether it sounds good or not lol. I watch a lot of TV and movies, there's always something on in the background, and I like to try and watch a lot of non-English things too. I want to try going back to practising playing the flute again, and get back to reading… I've really fallen off the wagon with reading. There's a billion crafts I want to do and I'm set up for most of them, I just have to DO them which… yeah, we all know how that goes XDD

12: Do you have any pets? Sadly my only pets are my Furblets.

13: How tall are you? I am 5'4.

14: Favourite subject in school? Drama. I loved it, and did well in it. I started having severe memory issues in 6th Form which was very obvious when I suddenly couldn't remember scripts from one minute to the next, but through that and a whole host of other hardships I still managed to come out of it with top grades.

15: Dream job? Best selling author whose series gets turned into an award winning TV show or movie series with a ton of mech possibilities? Lottery winner?! In all seriousness… something I can support myself, my mum, and my partner with.

Tagging: @caspercryptid @heaventhing @lozzykins @neon-slime @rainbowd00dles @teawiththegods @theoi-crow @tonguetiedsmeghead @walnutgoat ... and anyone else who sees this and wants a go <3

[rockislandadultreads]

National Book Award Finalists: Young People’s Literature 

Have you read any of these National Book Award Finalists? These young people’s selections were chosen out of 296 submissions! There are also finalists for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translated literature - be sure to check out the full list here.

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. Fires, floods, and other calamities have caused the people to lose their library, their school, their park, and even their neighborliness. The people put their faith in the Mayor, a dazzling fellow who promises he alone can help. After all, he is a famous dragon slayer. (At least, no one has seen a dragon in his presence.) Only the clever children of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town can see how dire the town’s problems are. Then one day a child goes missing from the Orphan House. At the Mayor’s suggestion, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The Orphans know this can’t be: the Ogress, along with a flock of excellent crows, secretly delivers gifts to the people of Stone-in-the-Glen. But how can the Orphans tell the story of the Ogress’s goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbors see the real villain in their midst?

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way. After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami. The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?

Victory. Stand! by Tommie Smith, Dawud Anyabwile, & Derrick Barnes

On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships. In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award-winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

Lahore, Pakistan. Then. Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start. Juniper, California. Now. Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding. Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him - and Juniper - forever. When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth - and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Welcome to The Golden Palace!

Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota... until now. Her Mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian-Americans) and at The Golden Palace - the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations - she makes some discoveries. For instance:

• You can tell a LOT about someone by the way they order food. • And people can surprise you. Sometimes in good ways, sometimes in disappointing ways. • And the Golden Palace has Secrets. But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing - and someone has left a racist note - Maizy decides it’s time find the answers.

[historyhermann]

Webcomics Focus: "Ice Massacre"

Ice Massacre tells the story of Meela, who has to decide whether she will save her people or the mermaid she has fallen in love with.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog, and Wayback Machine. This was the thirteenth article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on November 10, 2021. Also, this post has been slightly changed from the original.

Ice Massacre, written by Tiana Warner and illustrated by April Pierce, is about Meela, whose people have been at war with mermaids for eons, being tasked to join her fellow comrades in the "Massacre" even though she was in love with a mermaid when she was a child. As she goes on this voyage with the other women of Eriana Kwai, it remains a question whether she can overcome feelings she had for a mermaid she is trained to kill. It is not only a enemies-to-lovers story, but also about warrior women and badass mermaids as the comic's Patreon states.

The webcomic begins with the death of Meela's brother at the hand of mermaids and Meela training to become a warrior. Another woman, Dani, is her rival. Meela saves another person training alongside her who is trapped in the rope and confides to her friend Annith about Dani. The instructor gives out badges to those who have completed the course. Meela laments that the island will need more than a sea mermaid massacre to make the people of Eriana Kwai free again. Tanuu presents her some flowers but she isn't as sure about him, and she goes back home, vowing to kill every single mermaid. We see back eight years earlier when Meela had a childhood friend, a mermaid named Lysithea. The story goes on from there, but I don't want to say any more, as that provides enough of the story to pique your interest.

Ice Massacre has compelling characters and storylines. This includes Meela who wants to avenge the death of her brother, the mermaid Lysithea who once fell in love with Meela and has trained to battle against the humans, and Dani, a human who is a rival with Meela and wants to prove herself. There's also Tanuu, Meela's boyfriend, and Meela's best friend, Annith, who has a boyfriend named Rik. The focus on mermaids is a common one, but tying into into a girls' love story makes it all the more interesting, as many mermaid stories are more along the lines of mermaid preying on women, not mermaids falling in love with women. The fact that the majority of the women are brown-skinned is significant and notable, as other mermaid stories only focus on White people.

Ice Massacre, which has more than 121 episodes, is written by Warner and illustrated by Pierce, while it has Rachel "Tuna" Petrovicz and Mimi LeBlanc as colorists and Todd Baker as the Indigenous art director. Ice Massacre is the webcomic adaption of Warner's fiction trilogy entitled Mermaids of Eriana, comprised of the books Ice Massacre (2014), Ice Crypt (2016), and Ice Kingdom (2017), which won two Sequential Magazine Awards in 2020.

Warner's other novels, published in 2019, specifically Ice Storm and Aries 181, also center on LGBTQ themes and protagonists, like those in the Mermaids of Eriana series. Warner also has a novel The Helheim Princess, a valkyrie romance, which will be published next year, as will a sapphic paranormal romance collection entitled Eternally Hers, for which she is a contributing author. On the other hand, Pierce is the artist and lead writer of Prince and Swan, a fantasy/fairy-tale/magic webcomic which is currently on hiatus.

It is one of the many of the recent stories which have focused on or featured mermaids. This includes Yongchan's enjoyable webcomic, Swimming Lessons For A Mermaid, and Sapphire's exciting webcomic, The Pirate and the Princess. Additionally, Mermista, a bisexual water princess who can transform into a mermaid, appears in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and while the protagonists of the young adult animated series, High Guardian Spice, seem to turn into mermaids in a scene in the show's 11th episode!

A young Meela and Lys

Ice Massacre is available to read on WebToon, Tapas, or the webcomic's official website. You can interact with the webcomic on its official Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, while physical copies of the webcomic can be purchased on Amazon.

You can find April Pierce on her Instagram and Twitter, and Tiana Warner on her Instagram and Twitter. The webcomic can be supported on Patreon.

© 2021-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

Order

Add to Goodreads

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Synopsis:

Award-winning author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful coming-of-queer-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage. And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Lo's new novel also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kath's lives since 1955. Aria Tang West was looking forward to a summer on Martha's Vineyard with her best friends--one last round of sand and sun before college. But after a graduation party goes wrong, Aria's parents exile her to California to stay with her grandmother, artist Joan West.Aria expects boredom, but what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmother's gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettable--for Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to. It's the kind of summer that changes a life forever.

My Rating: ★★★★★

*My Review below the cut

My Review:

This book was emotionally devastating. That's the best word I can think of to describe it. I turned the last page and read the author's note through my tears, and then I ugly cried for a while. It's poignant and nostalgic and gorgeously written so that you feel everything Aria feels and live breathlessly in the moment with her. Every time I opened the book I was sucked in and forgot about everything else.

Malinda Lo is exceptionally good at capturing a moment in time, especially a moment where the character is right on the cusp of something. I don't remember Last Night at the Telegraph Club being quite so devastating, but I think part of that is my own emotional resonance with this story.

For most of the book, it's like she captured one perfect golden late-summer Northern California afternoon. The kind the stretches on and on, where the light showers everything in gold and you could believe that the moment could last forever. It meshes so well with that last endless summer between high school and college, when you're just beginning to discover yourself.

Aria is on the cusp of adulthood, the cusp of realization that she's maybe not as straight as she once thought. Her crush on Steph simmers just beneath the surface, warring with the impossibility of it all and the electric novelty of her newfound queerness opens up a previously unseen world to her.

At the same time she's having her ideas of her grandmother, her parents, her friends, and her past reshaped as she grows out of her childhood assumptions about them.

The ending circles back to the beginning in a wholly satisfying way that makes everything seem more profound and gives every moment, every gesture weight and meaning.

I love the exploration of time and memories and grief and art, and how they interconnect and weave together. The characters leap off the page, so full of life and well-rounded are they, and I felt them tugging at my heart more insistently than many.

This is a book that everyone should read and that I will probably never read again, because I don't think it would have the same breathless impact the second time through and I'm not sure my heart could take it.

The cover is stunning and complements the story SO well. The cover artist captured the essence of the story perfectly.

*Thanks to Bookishfirst and Penguin Teen for providing an ARC for review.

[designlabpune]

Creative Essence - Unmatched Pune Logo Design Agency

DesignLab Office positions incomparable as the encapsulation of plan ability in Pune. DesignLab is the brainchild of its executive Parikshit Labhassetwar, who is energetic about the method of creative communication. They have the desired skill, experience, and skill within the promoting industry and have the proper entrepreneurial disposition to effectively oversee the requests of the trade. As the title proposes, DesignLab is about the coming together of minds to design and enhance strategies of inventive and viable communication to the showcase that benefits sponsors. No two clients are alike, and thus their needs cannot be the same. We accept giving customized communication procedures and arrangements while moving forward and building on past assignments. We have the individuals, the assets, the know-how, the devices, the strategies, and most vitally, the will to demonstrate ourselves once more and again.

Making a Special Symbol Statement

At the centre of DesignLab development is their skill in making interesting symbol points of interest. Going past conventional realistic plans, their experienced artisans are enthusiastic about capturing the quintessence of each brand. DesignLab, gladly standing as the driving symbol creator in Pune, brags of a portfolio that looks like a display of appealing stories told through visual symbolism.

Best Symbol Designer in Pune: Brilliance by Interpreting DesignLab

The award of best symbol creator in Pune could be to DesignLab's faithful commitment to greatness. His approach goes past conventional plan standards, mixing key considerations and creative artfulness. Within the field of symbol planning, DesignLab reliably rises as the authority of advancement and advancement, pushing the boundaries of expectations.

Wide Planning Palette

DesignLab expands its control past logos, unleashing its ability on the broader canvas of plan. As a comprehensive planning company, their mastery expands to inactive design, which is regularly neglected. Each business card, letterhead, and envelope gets to be a canvas for advancement, fortifying DesignLab's commitment to all-encompassing brand representation.

Making A Corporate Personality: Past The Logo

Perplexing move of corporate character DesignLab develops as a maestro. Making a steady visual dialect that amplifies past the symbol, they create a corporate rule manual that serves as the North Star for brand consistency. This commitment to exactness and consistency sets them up not as they were as a planning company but as overseers of the visual astuteness of a brand.

The Speculative chemistry of Inventive, Locks and Imaginative Symbol Design

What sets DesignLab apart is the chemical mix of imagination, charm and advancement. Each symbol isn't fair a graphic, it may be a of components, carefully created to hit the notes of visual delight. DesignLab logos rise above the unremarkable, breathing life into brands with a charm that captivates and innovates.

Stationery Plan Company: Taking the Ordinary to Artistry

Stationery is frequently cleared out behind within the history of the plan. In any case, DesignLab rethinks this account. As a steady plan company, they lift the unremarkable to imitativeness, turning trade basics into brand resources. Their approach reflects their ethos – each detail and each touchpoint is an opportunity for visual brilliance.

Exploring the Corporate Rules Manual

A confirmation of DesignLab's commitment to accuracy is the corporate rules manual. This sacrosanct report isn't just a collection of rules, it may be for keeping up brand judgement. Inside its pages, rules rise that guarantee each emphasis of the brand echoes the same cohesive visual language.

Corporate Identity: A Ensemble of Visual Consistency

Making a corporate character isn't a single assignment, but a progressing collaboration. DesignLab mastery lies not fair within the starting creation, but too in curating a visual consistency that reverberates over distinctive mediums. They stand as overseers, guaranteeing that the brand's visual dialect remains cohesive.

The Substance of Imagination and Innovation

Past the unmistakable components lies the intangible pith of inventiveness and advancement. The DesignLab logic goes past aesthetics, into the domain of motivation and development. As they proceed to thrust the boundaries, their work gets to be a confirmation of the persevering soul of imagination that characterises Pune's design landscape.

Extending the Story: Pune's Plan Ecosystem

To genuinely appreciate DesignLab's ability, we ought to contextualise their work inside Pune's dynamic plan biological system. Pune, frequently recognized for its development centre and assorted businesses, serves as a perfect canvas for a planning office of this calibre. DesignLab's capacity to explore and contribute to this wealthy environment underlines its importance.

Inconsistency of Convention and Modernity

Pune, with its wealthy social legacy, consistently mixes convention with innovation. DesignLab, as a key player in this energetic city, reflects this crossing point through its plans. His capacity to join conventional components with modern aesthetics reflects his skill for striking a chord with Pune's differing group of onlookers.

Pune's Collaborative Soul of Creativity

DesignLab flourishes inside the collaborative inventive soul of Pune. The city cultivates an environment where differing thoughts meet, in this manner cultivating development. This collaborative ethos isn't fair scenery, but a fundamental portion of the DesignLab character, forming their approach to each extent with an embroidered artwork of collective creativity.

DesignLab Continuous Legacy

As we dive more profound into the DesignLab imaginative quintessence, it gets to be clear that their request isn't restricted to personal ventures, it is a progressing account. His impact resounds not as it were inside Pune's plan scene, but too over businesses, checking the persevering bequest of a plan organization committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity.

Unmatched Pune Symbol Plan Agency

DesignLab emerges as an unyielding chapter within the history of Pune's inventive embroidered artwork. His request isn't fair in making logos or planning stationery, it is in forming brands, telling stories and making a permanent stamp on the canvas of visual communication. As we conclude this investigation, DesignLab remains the unmatched Pune symbol plan office that epitomises the substance of inventiveness, charm, and innovation.

Pune's Design Heritage: An Embroidered Artwork of Innovation

Pune's bequest in design could be woven from the strings of advancement. As a city that's home to innovation centre points, instructive teaching and a dynamic social scene, Pune gives a ripe ground for imaginative tries. Settled inside this energetic biological system, DesignLab has ended up not just a plan organization but a pioneer of Pune's plan heritage.

Pune's Advancement Center: A Catalyst for Plan-Growth

Pune's notoriety as a development centre increases the significance of plan organizations inside its boundaries. DesignLab's proximity to innovative headway and dynamic businesses keeps them at the cutting edge of plan advancements. The agency's capacity to assimilate cutting-edge concepts and incorporate them into its plans reflects Pune's commitment towards innovation.

Instructive Teach: Sustaining Inventive Minds

Pune's character as an instructive centre plays an imperative part in forming the imaginative scene. DesignLab benefits from this environment, drawing in the ability of teachers that cultivate imagination and critical thinking. This amalgamation of the scholarly world and industry inside Pune contributes to the agency's pool of inventive thoughts and new viewpoints.

DesignLab Affect On Whole Industries

As we look at the DesignLab portfolio, it becomes clear that their impact amplifies past a single industry. His capability to create different brand stories sets him up as a flexible player in Pune's planned biological system. From innovation to neighbourliness, their plans adjust consistently, displaying a widespread request that resounds over different sectors.

Innovation Division: Combining Usefulness with Aesthetics

Within the technology-driven scene of Pune, the Designlab's capacity to mix usefulness with aesthetics is vital. His plans for tech-oriented businesses reflect a profound understanding of client involvement and interface plans. This marriage of innovation and plan places the DesignLab in an interesting position, contributing to Pune's notoriety as a tech-savvy city.

Neighborliness & Way of Life: Making Paramount Experiences

DesignLab raids into the neighbourhood and way of life segments underlines their flexibility. Pune's developing culinary and way of life scene finds a visual expression through the agency's plans. Each extent gets to be a canvas where they paint immersive encounters, contributing to Pune's notoriety as a city that increases in value with the better subtleties of aesthetics.

Healthcare and Development: Planning for Impact

The healthcare segment stands out as a vital segment in Pune's journey for advancement. DesignLab associations with healthcare brands reflect their commitment to planning for effect. From creating a compassionate visual character to creating instructive collateral, the office contributes to the city's interest in a solid and tastefully cognizant community.

Pune's Social Kaleidoscope: Effect on Plan Aesthetics

Pune's wealthy social heritage permeates each perspective of life within the city. The DesignLab, an item of Pune's social kaleidoscope, joins these impacts into its plans. From conventional themes to modern expressions, his plans ended up a reflection of Pune's social differing qualities, contributing to a visual dialect that reverberates with the city's residents.

Celebrations and Celebrations: Planning for Social Harmony

Pune's dynamic celebrations and celebrations have become an indispensable portion of the DesignLab plan account. His capacity to capture the pith of social occasions and interpret them into appealing plans advances a sense of social harmony. As the social envoy of Pune, DesignLab's work reflects the happy soul of the city.

Chronicled Motivations: A Plan Journey Through Pune's Past

Pune's chronicled locales and ancient stories serve as a source of motivation for the Designlab. The agency's plans regularly reflect the city's verifiable glory, paying homage to its legacy. This combination of ancient and unused makes a plain dialect that resounds with the inhabitants of Pune, interfacing them with their roots in a lock-in way.

DesignLab Community Engagement: Past Corporate Boundaries

DesignLab's effect expands past corporate collaboration, it leaks into the community texture of Pune. The office effectively locks in activities that contribute to the socio-cultural advancement of Pune. From collaborating with neighbourhood craftsmen to supporting community occasions, the DesignLab has become a necessary portion of Pune's social tapestry.

Collaboration with Neighborhood Artisans: A Mix of Convention and Modernity

In a city where convention and innovation co-exist agreeably, DesignLab's collaboration with neighbourhood artisans is a confirmation of their commitment to community engagement. These collaborations not as it bolstered neighbourhood ability, but imbued the agency's plans with a true Pune enhancement, making a visual account that reverberates with the community.

Supporting Social Activities: Plan for Social Impact

The DesignLab goes past the scope of the corporate plan by effectively supporting social activities inside Pune. His inclusion in campaigns, mindfulness campaigns and community-focused ventures reflects a fair approach towards the plan. By locking in with social causes, DesignLab has become an enabler of positive change in Pune.

Future Skylines: DesignLab and Pune's Ascent

As Pune moves forward on its way of advancement and development, the DesignLab stands as a symbol of plan fatuousness, motivating the city to rise on the worldwide organize. The agency's collaborative ethos, versatility, and commitment to tasteful accuracy reflect Pune's claim characteristics as a city that grasps advance while cherishing its social roots.

Pune Worldwide Desires: DesignLab As An Imaginative Ambassador

Pune's rise as a worldwide player network consistently with DesignLab's desires. As the organization takes its plans past nearby boundaries, it gets to be an inventive minister for Pune. The city's social subtleties, advancement centre and wealthy history discover expression on the worldwide arrangement through DesignLab striking creations.

Planning Pune's Tomorrow: An Advantageous Journey

Within the advantageous relationship between the DesignLab and Pune, the story of planning tomorrow unfurls. As the city envisions a future where plan plays a key part, DesignLab gets to be a basic accomplice in forming that account. Together, they set out on a journey where development, inventiveness and stylish accuracy ended up being the foundation of Pune's advancing identity.

DesignLab and Plan Journey of Pune

This expanded investigation points to diving more profound into the fundamental stories of the DesignLab and Pune's plan environment. Centring on the agency's effect on businesses, social effect, community engagement and a sea of long haul, we highlight the multifaceted relationship between the DesignLab and the dynamic city of Pune.

As Pune's plan legacy advances, DesignLab remains not just a witness but an energetic member, creating visual accounts that resound the pulse of the city. In this plan journey, the organization stands as a confirmation of Pune's inventive ability and commitment to making a visionary future.

This comprehensive investigation concludes our travel, capturing the beneficial interaction between the Designlab and Pune's plan tapestry. If there are particular zones you'd like advance elaboration on or in case there are extra focuses you'd like included, if it's not too much trouble, feel free to supply direction.

Exploring the Scene: Choosing the Correct Plan Agency

With the tremendous scope of plan offices out there, selecting the proper accomplice may be a step in guaranteeing the victory of your branding efforts. This section will guide you through the nuanced process of finding, evaluating, and ultimately choosing an agency that aligns seamlessly with and goals.

Defining Your Design Requirements

Before you start searching for a design agency, it is essential to clearly define your design needs. Whether you're seeking out a comprehensive branding overhaul, a unique logo design, or steady design expertise, an accurate understanding of your needs lays the foundation for a fruitful collaboration.

Inquiring about Potential Agencies

Begin your investigation by altogether investigating potential plan offices. Take advantage of online stages, portfolios, and client tributes to survey the profundity and quality of their work. Furthermore, dig more profound into industry-specific gatherings and communities to accumulate bits of knowledge and proposals from peers who have collaborated with plan agencies.

Portfolio Appraisal: The Heart of Plan Excellence

A plan agency's portfolio could be a verification of its capabilities. Check out their past ventures, note the diversity of businesses they have worked within, the inventiveness shown, and the consistency in their plan dialect. A solid portfolio is demonstrative of the agency's capacity to adjust to distinctive needs while keeping up a tall standard of quality.

Analyzing Client Tributes: Bits of Knowledge from the Trenches

Client tributes give a profitable understanding of an agency's polished skill, communication, and capacity to meet clients' desires. Search for designs in criticism, pay attention to how offices handle challenges, follow the due dates, and collaborate with clients. A history of positive tributes could be a pointer to a reliable plan partner.

A Look into the DesignLab Work Culture

It is critical to get it into the work culture of a planning office to guarantee concordant collaboration. This segment will grant a glimpse into how DesignLab workers work while cultivating an environment of imagination, advancement, and customer-focused collaboration.

Collaborative Thoughts: The Substance of DesignLab Creativity

The work culture of DesignLab revolves around a collaborative philosophy, where imagination prospers through collective conceptualising. The agency's group of architects, strategists, and creatives lock in an energetic trade of thoughts, guaranteeing that each extends benefits from different viewpoints and expertise.

Customer-centric Approach: Adjusting Together with Your

A customer-centric approach is at the centre of DesignLabs work culture. Their group is committed to understanding your brand, objectives, and goals. Normal discussion and open communication channels characterise their ethos, guaranteeing that your vision isn't as it were, recognized but unpredictably woven into the fabric of the planning process.

Iterative Plan to Prepare: Making Brilliance Through Refinement

The DesignLab adopts an iterative plan handle, cautious travel of drafts, criticism, and refinements. This commitment to emphasise guarantees that each plan advances naturally, adjusting to customer feedback and pushing the boundaries of inventiveness. The result isn't a fair plan, but a perfect work of art refined through a collaborative expressive dance of ideas.

Time and Asset Productivity: A Testament to Professionalism

Within the field of plan, time, and asset proficiency are priceless. The DesignLab work culture emphasizes these standards, guaranteeing that each venture follows to set up timelines and optimises accessible assets. This commitment is not as it were a confirmation of polished skill, but moreover a key approach to conveying uncommon results.

Investigating the Plan Scene: Past DesignLab Pune

Whereas the DesignLab stands as a symbol of plan ability in Pune, investigating the broader plan scene can give an all-encompassing viewpoint. This area will direct you in considering numerous offices, understanding their one-of-a-kind qualities, and making an educated decision.

Expansion Alternatives: Casting a Wide Net

Within the assorted world of plan offices, differentiating your choices permits you to cast a more extensive net and find organizations with one-of-a-kind qualities. If your venture permits, investigate organizations past Pune, considering both local and international players. Each agency brings a distinct flavour and perspective, enriching your understanding of design possibilities.

Industry-specific Expertise: Tailoring Designs to Your Needs

Different agencies often specialise in specific industries or design areas. Consider your industry and project needs when searching for agencies. Some agencies may excel in tech-oriented design, while others may have a stronger hold on lifestyle branding. Tailoring your choice to an agency's specific expertise ensures more seamless alignment, together with.

Comparison of Plan Approaches: Determination in Execution

In past portfolios, it is fundamental to compare plan approaches. Each organization includes a special signature within the way they approach plan challenges. A few may emphasise moderation, whereas others may grasp complex points of interest. Figuring out these subtleties makes a difference, you recognize an office whose plan logic matches your brand identity.

Budget Contemplations: Adjusting Fetched and Quality

Budgetary contemplations play a critical part in organization choice. Even though it is vital to keep costs in intellect, it is similarly imperative to allow priority to quality. The plan is an investment in your brand's visual personality, choosing an office that strikes the proper adjustment between fetch and quality guarantees a productive collaboration.

Trusted DesignLab Pune: Verification of Excellence

Belief is the establishment of any effective collaboration. In this segment, we'll see how DesignLab Pune gains and keeps up belief, giving understanding into their straightforwardness, client connections and commitment to giving interesting plan solutions.

Straightforward Communication: Cultivating Belief Through Openness

The DesignLab prioritises straightforward communication as a foundation of trust-building. From initial consultation to venture execution, the organization keeps clients educated approximately each step of the plan handled. This openness cultivates a sense of belief, giving clients certainty within the agency's commitment to their vision.

Client Victory Stories: A Portfolio of Trust

Client victory stories serve as a capable confirmation of an agency's validity. The DesignLab portfolio isn't a grandstand of plans but an exhibition of fruitful collaborations. By highlighting the effect of their plans on client brands, the office makes a story of belief, illustrating their capacity to convert their vision into substantial results.

Client-Agency Relationship Elements: Sustaining Long-Term Bonds

DesignLab approach to client connections expands past personal ventures; Its objective is to sustain long-term bonds. By understanding the advancing needs of clients and embracing industry patterns, the organization sets up itself as a trusted accomplice within the continuous travel of brand evolution.

Industry Acknowledgment and Grants: Validity Appreciated

DesignLab industry acknowledgement and grants contribute to their validity. Earned awards for plan greatness and development serve as outside approval of the agency's credibility. Industry acknowledgement not as it were upgrades the reputation of the DesignLab, but moreover gives clients with certainty in their capacity to provide extraordinary results.

Conclusion: A Comprehensive Direct-to-Plan Excellence

As we conclude this comprehensive direction, you presently have the apparatus to explore the complex scene of plan organizations, get their work culture, investigate different alternatives, and depend on the greatness of DesignLab Pune. Planning your brand's visual personality isn't just a collaboration; It's a key speculation within the future of your brand.

The proper plan organization isn't fair to a benefit supplier, it could be an in creating your brand story. With a sensible approach to office determination and a commitment to straightforward collaboration, you're prepared to set out on a design trip that surpasses desires and will take your brand to unused statues.

[alynswim]

Phoebe Cheats Hey Arnold Original air date: October 15, 1997 Part 1

Starts at school with their new teacher, Mr. Simmons, announcing the winner of the best essay. Helga comments on how since Phoebe is "the best at everything" naturally she will win. Phoebe says nothing, but her face says it all, she *also* expects to win. Expect, nope! The winner of the best essay in class goes to their classmate Sheena. Helga makes a comment that perhaps Phoebe is "slipping". Phoebe tries (badly) to brush it off, saying she’s happy to see her classmates win. But Helga isn’t buying it.

Simmons starts to announce the "Citizens of the Month" awards: Helga: "Let me guess, Phoebe, Phoebe and....Phoebe?" Simmons: "Gerald, Nadine, and Harold!"

Again, Phoebe is shocked. Helga is quietly enjoying it.

Simmons announces the next contest. The poetry contest. The winner of which will get a trophy of famous poet, Emily Dickinson.

Phoebe tells Helga how "she must win this contest" and Helga responds to her telling her how she’d better "spill her guts" if she wants to win.

We then cut to both Phoebe and Helga at home, struggling to write their poems. Phoebe approaches her poem in a very...intellectual way. Whereas Helga is clearly taking a more emotional route.

It’s a pretty good way of demonstrating that "intelligence" in certain areas doesn’t necessarily translate to "competency" in others. For sure Phoebe is smart, but this type of writing requires drawing from different kinds of wells. Wells that Helga is already tapped into.

Helga’s about ready to give up until she finds some inspiration.

"Yearning" this, "Longing" that. Lemme show yall some *real* yearning. Watch and learn.

Meanwhile, Phoebe is still struggling. She decides to read a book of poems to use as a guide, but gets discouraged, thinking she isn’t able to write as good a poem as the people in the book. She puts the book aside and tries again.

But she "has to win", Phoebe says. She opens the book back up. She closes her blinds, turns off all the lights except her desk light, and waits for someone outside the room to walk past before copying a poem directly from her book. Word for word.

I do sympathize with Phoebe here. Writing is hard! Not just the physical act of it and not just following all the structural and grammatical rules, but also the constant nagging feeling that what you’re writing is complete dogshit. Especially when you start making comparisons.

It takes a special kind of courage to "spill your guts out" (as Helga commented earlier) on the page. It requires thinking, even for just a moment, that you have something worth saying.

It also begs the question of why out of all things Phoebe chooses a poetry contest to cheat at? She clearly has had the drive and motivation to push through difficult assignments; what makes this any different?

One of my favorite writers ever, Rod Serling, had a quote about writing and rejection.

A lot of writing requires putting yourself out there in such a way that when someone tells you it sucks that’s as if they’re saying *you* suck; not just as a writer, but as an individual.

It’s why you’ll sometimes see rich authors in their 50s on here name-searching themselves and starting fights with teenagers who riffed on their book or whatever.

We cut to Simmons reading Phoebe’s plagiarized poem to the class and announcing her as the winner. Stinky, impressed, asks her if she really did write all those "pretty words’ herself? Phoebe smiles awkwardly (and shamefully).

Simmons goes on to announce the second-place winner. A poem by "Anonymous". Helga immediately knows who it is and withdraws in her seat.

Phoebe goes home and her parents tell her how proud they are of her winning. Phoebe feels uncomfortable from all the attention and decides to retreat to her room.

Once there, she starts talking to the Emily Dickinson trophy and begins to justify her cheating to her: "It’s not as though I cheat all the time. And I know more about poetry than anyone else in class." Which like...oof...lot to unpack with that statement there.

The unresponsive Dickinson trophy pisses Phoebe off and she shoves her in a drawer in her desk.

Phoebe has trouble sleeping and in the middle of the night, her mom comes into her room and sees the trophy in the drawer. Her mom takes it out and places it on the small table next to Phoebe’s bed.

Phoebe wakes up the next morning, puts her glasses on, and is *freaked the fuck out* to see that the trophy is been watching her sleep.

As Phoebe leaves the room, she yells at the Dickinson trophy about how the poem Phoebe plagiarized was "rotting away" and how she "rescued it". Again, lot to unpack there lol.

Phoebe ends up having a one-on-one with Mr. Simmons. She tells Simmons how she ended up writing lots of poems, but how bad they were. Simmons responds by saying that that is part of the creative process.

She is trying to come clean to Mr. Simmons, but before she can, Principal Wartz comes in and asks Simmons for help with an upcoming open house. Simmons suggests having students do a reading and tells Wartz about Phoebe’s great poem. Wartz is impressed.

A funny scene plays out where Wartz says how the school is "proud of our multicultural heritage" and asks Phoebe where she comes from: Phoebe stares at Wartz blankly and says, "Kentucky, sir".

"Well Phoebe, let’s make Ken-tuc-kai, proud with a prize-winning poem!"

Back at home, Phoebe is fencing with her dad, very aggressively. Her dad tells her that he made contact and Phoebe argues that he didn’t. Her dad accepts it gracefully because of how "honest" Phoebe always is.

Phoebe snaps and leaves in a huff. Leaving her dad confused. Her mom goes to ask her if anything is wrong. While soaking in the tub, she responds that everything is fine, but clearly Phoebe is having a hard time with things. Sick bathroom btw.

Later Phoebe has trouble sleeping again. The Dickinson trophy begins to talk, mocking her. Dickinson: "Well, if it isn’t Little Miss Smartypants." Phoebe: "You’re an inanimate object, you can’t talk!" Dickinson: "And *you*, can’t write poetry."

"Cheater....cheater!"

"Cheater."

Phoebe screams and throws her bonsai tree at her. Sitting there and just kind of taking in everything.

The next day, Phoebe decides to bury Dickinson in the sandbox at the park. Dickinson scolds her again calling her "naive". Phoebe finishes burying the trophy and leaves.

After she leaves, a kid jumps onto the mound of dirt that Phoebe made burying the trophy and the trophy ends up popping out onto the sidewalk. At that same moment, Arnold and Gerald happen to come across it and figure Phoebe must have lost it and they decide to return it.

[LINK TO PART 2]

[annarellix]

Death Comes to Santa Fe by Amanda Allen (Santa Fe Revival Mystery #3)

Former New York darling turned amateur sleuth Madeline Vaughn-Alwin is once again thrown into a colourful yet deadly web of secrets, lies and soirees to die for!

It's the week of Fiesta in Santa Fe and Maddie is looking forward to enjoying the celebrations. But as 'Old Man Gloom' Zozobra goes up in flames, so too do Maddie's hopes for a carefree life . . . Human remains are found in the dying embers of Zozobra, and then Maddie and her dashing beau Dr David Cole find a body washed up in the arroyo at the edge of town. Soon identified as Ricardo Montoya, a wealthy businessman and head of one of the most affluent families in Santa Fe . . . the plot starts to thicken. While his beautiful wife Catalina and her complicated children seem less than heartbroken at his untimely demise, and with many disgruntled locals crawling out of the woodwork, Maddie is surrounded by suspects. With the celebrations of Fiesta continuing around them, Maddie and her 'Detection Posse' get busy infiltrating the best parties and hobnobbing with old and new faces - but can they bring the murderer to justice before they strike again?

Purchase Links https://www.amazon.com/Death-Comes-Santa-Revival-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BXPZ9C8P https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Comes-Santa-Revival-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BXPZ9C8P

My Review: This is the third novels in this entertaining series, and it can be read as a stand-alone as there’s a lot of backstory, you will surely want to read the previous novels and I guarantee they’re as likeable as this one. I found the Santa Fe setting intriguing as there’s a lot of info about the history, the places, and the people. There’s a mix of historical and fictional characters and the mix works well. If you want to learn more about the Fiesta or the artists there’s a bibliography at the end of the book. I enjoyed this book as I like Maddie and the cast of characters, there’s a lot of world building and we are introduced to the characters, their relationship, and the atmosphere of the city before the Fiesta. I enjoyed this part, but I think that some less details would have helped and start the proper mystery part sooner. The mystery is solid, twisty, and full of surprises. I couldn’t guess the culprit and enjoyed the storytelling and the story. This is a lovely series, and this is the best instalment so far. I read it as fast as I could, and I can’t wait to read the next story as there could be some big news. Highly recommended Many thanks to Amanda Allen, Severn House and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

The Author: Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…) She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with two rescue dogs, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections. When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.

Social Media Links : https://ammandamccabe.kmcb.site/index.htm Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amandamccabeauthor/ ) FB https://www.facebook.com/amandamccabebooks TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@amandamccabeauthor )

[thenextchapterbegins]

For every lessening, cripple the weaknesses.

@voxiiferous

Another day passes and launch of their products and services grow ever closer...but that was not what he was waiting on he was waiting on his informan-

The door opens and speak of the devil. “what are they doing?” Gier asks

“What arent they doing? Soup kitchens? Propoganda teams, reinforcing their territories but get this their unionizing the workers.” The informant says and gier blinks before a wide smile on his face crawls on. “He’s doing that? Oh no i’ve been waiting for this...the poor idiot. Leave a full report on my desk by this evening. 

Before the hour was even out another meeting was schedule and filled with gier standing in the front.

“We have big news gentlemen. The crack we have been looking for. The crack that will sunder them. The territories of vox are beginning to unionize and we all know where this goes..first unions, then workers rights, then freeing up on restrictions, then talks of local authority, elections, then democracy. The riots are still fresh in their minds he may have just kicked another storm...but were going to light the match.”

He points to a map on the wall. “This is the territories of pride, what we have managed to map out, promiment districts are the blue and red light districts, vox and val, cannibal colonies, various smaller factions and gangs our small slice of pie..but what is this giant blob here? This giant blob of territory is IMP city. Now here in greed we award those who struggle and imps are just another part of our society, we have even have a few on the board..”

He chuckles. “But in pride, they are slaves...pets, and they make up a large chunk of the workforce. Well menial labor, the things that keep all of voxes other gears nice and oiled. Without the imps then actual sinners would have to do the horrible tasks the imps do. So were going to break vox’es territory with one simple movement. Total and utter autonomy to the imp city. Protected by us and the greed ring but freedom from pride. We do that and then vox makes a tough call, he either A. accepts because from what i can tell the imps have crying for freedom for years, the anger is so seeped into the streets you can taste it from here but in doing so he then gives a notion any territory can succede from vox and that could destroy him just as well or B. Refuse and any goodwill earned by his unionizations his laxing of the rules, dies, and then a riot probably. We have already begun to reach out...we shall have something by tonight.”

And by tonight they did, during the evening the tvs across hell once again saw a message from gier guld.

“Hello denizeins of pride, it is me gier guld speaking once more. We have been watching the progressions the vox territories with great interests, and we have seen something strange, unionizations at work, helping the people, easing their struggles. Is akin to the democracies of the world above. A noble step for pride, but most so called democracies are simply dictatorships with a new coat of paint as many of you i am sure are aware. So we wish to test vox’es new generosity. In the lands of greed a race of people that is so heavily discriminated against. Is simply part of our code, as we have mentioned all we care about is that struggle, that notion to become the best and IMPS do that day in and day out.”

His smile curls wider.

“So we have decided to help them out, unionizations are great but we know how to work with imps, we dont see them as something less...and your pittances are decades too late. So greed and me have decided that under our benevolent watch, imp city will be moved to autonomous nation under our guarding eye. A free state able to govern and enforce its own laws and simply guarded by our men. If vox is showing a new side of pride, a nicer, less strict pride. He shall accept the move of one of his people to align with another no matter the consequences, if not then his promises, his actions will reveal the true motive. If we see sabotage, or war, or gangs moved to imp city suddenly we will know where vox motives truly align, if the process goes well then you will know vox truly has the best intentions...your move vox.”

The broadcast ends.

[joyffree]

✩✩ NEW RELEASE ✩✩

When I Fall in Love

Ashleigh Lake Series Book 2

By Sophia Karlson

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Small Town | Second Chance

Hosted by DS Book Promotions

AMAZON

US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

Available on Kindle Unlimited

𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆.

Hunter Logan

There are only two things that keep me going: my business and caring for my extended family. So the expansion plans I have for my ice cream company, plans that will set up my siblings and cousins for life, are very close to my heart.

When a major obstacle gets in the way, it rocks my world. Suddenly I’m scrambling to save my business, and the person who holds my livelihood in the palm of her hand is the girl who stole my heart sixteen years ago.

And never gave it back.

Beth is back in Ashleigh Lake, and this could be my second chance, but will I pick my family over the love of my life again?

Beth Anderson

The last person I expect to walk back into my life on a random weekday afternoon is Hunter Logan, the boy who broke my heart. And now he wants me to save his business and not sell the farm in Ashleigh Lake that I’ve inherited?

The best thing I can do is shut the book on Hunter and my past, but that won’t be easy. Not when he's my next-door neighbor on my visit to Vermont to sign on the dotted line. And most definitely not when he goes out of his way to remind me of everything I once loved about Ashleigh Lake…him most of all.

WHEN I FALL IN LOVE is a second-chance romance written in first person, dual Point of View, set in small town Vermont and sure to give you a warm and fuzzy glow around your heart!

About Sophia Karlson:

Sophia is an award-winning author who writes sensual, emotional, and evocative contemporary romance.

When she's not writing, she can be found binge-watching the latest TV series, walking the dogs, or planning the family's next trip into the wilds.

She has a healthy addiction to tea, takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls), and chocolate.

Sign up for her newsletter to get updates about new book releases and free stuff! https://BookHip.com/RKDPHT

You can also get more information on her website, www.sophiakarlson.com

@Sophia Karlson @DS Book Promotions

[allthingsdarkanddirty]

✩✩ NEW RELEASE ✩✩

When I Fall in Love

Ashleigh Lake Series Book 2

By Sophia Karlson

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Small Town | Second Chance

Hosted by DS Book Promotions

AMAZON

US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BMMBCM7D/

Available on Kindle Unlimited

𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆.

Hunter Logan

There are only two things that keep me going: my business and caring for my extended family. So the expansion plans I have for my ice cream company, plans that will set up my siblings and cousins for life, are very close to my heart.

When a major obstacle gets in the way, it rocks my world. Suddenly I’m scrambling to save my business, and the person who holds my livelihood in the palm of her hand is the girl who stole my heart sixteen years ago.

And never gave it back.

Beth is back in Ashleigh Lake, and this could be my second chance, but will I pick my family over the love of my life again?

Beth Anderson

The last person I expect to walk back into my life on a random weekday afternoon is Hunter Logan, the boy who broke my heart. And now he wants me to save his business and not sell the farm in Ashleigh Lake that I’ve inherited?

The best thing I can do is shut the book on Hunter and my past, but that won’t be easy. Not when he's my next-door neighbor on my visit to Vermont to sign on the dotted line. And most definitely not when he goes out of his way to remind me of everything I once loved about Ashleigh Lake…him most of all.

WHEN I FALL IN LOVE is a second-chance romance written in first person, dual Point of View, set in small town Vermont and sure to give you a warm and fuzzy glow around your heart!

About Sophia Karlson:

Sophia is an award-winning author who writes sensual, emotional, and evocative contemporary romance.

When she's not writing, she can be found binge-watching the latest TV series, walking the dogs, or planning the family's next trip into the wilds.

She has a healthy addiction to tea, takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls), and chocolate.

Sign up for her newsletter to get updates about new book releases and free stuff! https://BookHip.com/RKDPHT

You can also get more information on her website, www.sophiakarlson.com

#newrelease #whenifallinlove #smalltown #secondchance #romance #bookish #booklove #sophiakarlson #dsbookpromotions

@Sophia Karlson @DS Book Promotions