#as you can tell I love nowen

[total-drama-shark]

First impressions on every contestant!

Warning this gets long.

Millie

Was really interested on the possibility of a nerdy character from her introduction, but I feel like my biggest gripe with her is the whole “my generation” thing, it just feels slightly mean spirited and not realistic for a personality trait. Teens generally don’t like being told that their generation sucks or that they’re all dumb or have their use of technology criticized. The ones that do dislike their generation are those either trying to receive approval from older people or “I was born in the wrong generation” type kids. She’s just, unrelatable.

Axel

Her voice is higher than I expected, I like the survival theme and was surprised we got another zombie conspiracy nut in the cast (so happy we got a Shawn cameo/reference as well!) she really is like a mix of Jo and Eva with a sprinkle of Shawn and I wish we got to see more of her!

Priya

Super interesting to see a contestant raised by TD fans, and her intro was amazing! Baby and toddler Priya! Owen reference! She is 100% going to be an interesting character. I guess there’s also a subversion of a big Desi stereotype with her, she wants to go to med school but her parents want her to enter a more unconventional and unstable field, I don’t know exactly how to feel about this, specially since I’m not desi myself.

Zee

My man!!! I love me a skater/surfer dude and the Jude vibes are impeccable!! He is so chill and just here to vibe. I’ve audibly laughed at multiple of his lines and just love him so much. I also think he’s neat amputee rep, he’s casual about it and was just born that way, but can make fun stories up about it.

Ripper

Am I disappointed by the fart and potty jokes? Yes, but besides that I actually really like his character! An annoying bully who despite his best efforts is a loser. Also if his voice doesn’t fuel the nowen child headcanons out there I don’t know what will.

Damien

A total newbie! Very opposite to Priya in this case and also super interesting character trait for him, I hope both him and Priya can function a bit to show off the POV of both old and new fans alike. He’s also very entertaining :)

Scary girl

Exactly what I expected from her and more! She is very much one dimensional compared to most the rest but I love her! I love wildcards! So excited to see her shenanigans

Bowie

Introducing yourself as the first openly gay contestant is definitely a first impression! I’ve got to say I adore his competitive and scheming nature and you can tell he’s in it to win it, he also has amazing social skills and is overall an icon. I know not everyone will be into the idea of the first openly queer contestant being very stereotypical but I’ve always thought that just as while his sexuality isn’t the center of his personality and there’s at least another queer character that isn’t as stereotypical it’s all good, and by the looks of it that will be the case. Also I know multiple gay dudes that act just as him so I have a bias.

Chase

Did not expect a stunt Youtuber type guy but I definitely should’ve seen it coming, also DRAMA?? Pre established EXES??? I am so interested in seeing how this pans out

Emma

I love her voice first of all and I did not expect her to have been part of the stunt Youtuber group, hope the ex drama isn’t all there is to her character and I really enjoy her friendship with Bowie so far!

MK

Oh I love her, we haven’t seen a character like her before and she has so much potential! A character that knows she’s underestimated and takes advantage of that? Yes please!

Caleb

Pretty much a Justin copy, I can’t really say much about him and we knew how things were going to pan out so I can only hope he’ll make if farther and get more development next season.

Wayne & Raj

Hockey dudes! They’re such jocks and can sense the “makes fun of me lightly for being unathletic but cheers for me when I finally start participating in sports” energy from them so hard, they’re fun guys and feel so much like real teen boys.

Nichelle

An actual TV star! I didn’t see that coming but I love it! Love seeing the little flashbacks to her shows and movies and seeing someone in the show be treated as an actual celebrity, she’s also as far as I’ve seen pretty smart, level headed, and humble for a TV celebrity! So interested in seeing her work!

Julia

The influencer chick! Her intro was amazing and I definitely didn’t expect her to be into healing crystals, feel like she’ll be a very interesting character and I await her interactions with Nichelle.

[cornfields-td-nonsense]

cody n noah :3

alright, another two in one deal!

Sexuality headcanon:

I lowkey love the idea of Cody being aro and having a bad case of comphet. I see it.

Noah's gay. I genuinely forget this isn't canon sometimes. Lol

Gender headcanon:

I could see either of them being trans in any direction tbh

A ship I have with said character:

Cody, idk I don't ship him with anyone.

NOWEN NOWEN NOWEN NOWEN NOWEN IS LOVE NOWEN IS LIFE

A BROTP I have with said character:

The Drama bros should have been more established as a group dynamic I honestly think it would be so fun just to see them hanging out. also Sierra and Cody should have been obnoxious besties instead of Sierra being a stalker methinks

Noah and Eva are the duo ever (thanks @canonically47 for getting me hooked on them)

A NOTP I have with said character:

Coderra's too obvious. But yeah. Coderra. Platonically and after Sierra's got therapy I could get behind it, but in-show.... nope.

And I feel kind of bad saying this, I love Emma RR, but I really cannot stand Nemma. I have tried to get behind it, I've watched the clips, I've listened to people who ship it, it just... really does nothing for me. Noah felt weirdly out of character, esp. when they start acting all lovey dovey and shit. (though that ooc-ness goes for pretty much every moment I've seen of him in RR, like why is he such a dick to Owen the whole time? I know he's not exactly a nice dude but here it legit feels like Noah doesn't even LIKE him.) Also Emma can do better. I haven't seen much of her but I can already tell she can do way better.

wow did not expect to go on that long lmao

Random headcanon:

Cody always pranks people on his birthday due to it being April 1st. all his birthday parties were just him and his friends getting together to pull the wildest pranks.

Noah opens packets of crisps upside down because it annoys people. this is totally not something I do that I'm projecting on him

General opinion:

Cody sure does exist. yep. he's there alright.

Noah's really funny. especially in TDWT. and yeah, if you somehow couldn't tell, I love the dynamic he has with Owen and they're one of my favourite TD ships.

[nowen422]

Nowen Talkin Bout Bleach

Bleach TYBW Episode 15: ok I know this looks bad (or “why I think Soi Fon and Marechiyo are cool”)

Literally the title. So. *uncomfortable silence here* how we all feeling after that? The last time the Wandenreich invaded, s*** got bad real fast. And it looks like the same has occurred again. Or has it? Yes. It’s bad, very bad. But before it gets too bad, we get a lot of great things for this episode. We get a lot of great entrances in this episode and already Mayuri is stealing the spotlight (literally he is wearing it). But we get to start the first round of rematches and new fights off with Toshiro vs Bazz-B! We catch up with Rangiku and Marechiyo, find out what Soi Fon has been up to and we get to see BG-9 naked! Oh also Mayuri and Askin show off against each other in an epic clash. But who cares about that? Not me, no sir.

Also, it may just be me but these episode are just FLYING by. 22 minutes is not a long time because it is going fast.

Shinigami deaths: 8

Quincy deaths: 6

Mayuri crimes: 3

(The crime is against interior lighting design)

Spoilers below

I lied. I care, I care a lot!

THINGS I LIKED:

I’m a sucker for a good war table scene and we get it! Also great to hear As Nödt’s creepy as voice more.

All the sternritter just being super chill with with the invasion. These guys know they’re going to stomp the Shinigami and are just exuding confidence.

Kyouraku and Haschwalth just having a damn conversation the whole episode. The man who takes nothing seriously vs the man who is serious 110% of the time.

Askin just insulting the 12th to their faces, only to have the spotlight stolen by Mayuri! I know he is a monster, but damn does he know how to make an entrance.

I really like the effect on Mayuri’s light clothes. I figured it would just be golden colored but they went with a digital effect that still kept the detail. Whoever is doing the shading on this show really should be getting a raise now that Mayuri is here.

Mayuri just casually slinging Askin’s insult right back into his face!

The shaky footage of the fight near the squad 10 barracks. We get sidetracked by what the captains and lieutenants are doing, we forget the rank and file are also fighting for their lives

Toshiro lookin cool in his head wrap and Rangiku posted up behind him like the bad bitch she is!

Toshiro just not caring about Rangiku explaining how the ice wall works

We get to see Nanao in action finally! In the manga we see her throw out a kido or two and try to execute Chad in the Ryouka invasion, but after that, nothing. It has been literally a decade in real time since she has done something.

Ok, here’s where I talk about Marechiyo and Soi Fon. I like them, I know a lot of people don’t, but I do and here’s why because I love this fight and I like these two a lot.

I even dropped the bullet format cause I care that much! Soi Fon is a ninja, and she is a serious ninja who doesn’t take kindly to people screwing around and not taking her as a ninja seriously. She trains to the extreme not only to increase her own skill but to try and surpass Yoruichi (that’s another thing for another time). Then there’s Marechiyo. You’d think the 2nd in command for the stealth force would be some badass ninja master but it’s this flashy, goofy, wears too much gold, lazy, good for nothing guy. But as we see in the Fake Karakura arc, he clearly knows what he’s doing. I don’t remember if it’s an actual thing, but I remember hearing about a type of ninja whose job it was to distract other people so that the regular ninja could do the main mission. I’ve always felt that this was Marechiyo’s purpose and that’s why the two are Captain and Lieutenant respectively. One draws attention so the actual threat can do their job. Point is Marechiyo shines in this arc and people should appreciate him more.

And yes I think the “Aizen bypassing Soi Fon’s shikai ability because he’s stronger” is bull. That’s some Hogyoku interference I tell you h’what!

It’s nice to see the 2nd division captain uniform in all its glory. I know it’s Kubo’s excuse to draw side boob, but it’s a cool fit and Soi Fon deserves some love.

Askin just leaving cause Mayuri is too hard to fight. And then mayuri just telling him “fine, f*** off!” Accurate to the manga, and I love the nasty face that Mayuri makes as he leaves. “I don’t care for you and I am going to poison you before this is over!”

All the animation in the Soi Fon fight is awesome, great job there.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

They’re burying a lot of what Ukitake is doing and I know it’s only the second episode, but it’s gonna be a long time before the reveal so I was hoping they’d be doing more.

Ywach doing the explanation of the Quincy shadow situation is good. But I feel like with the dramatic reveals from the first core, this one’s gonna have a lot more explaining to do.

I know it’s in the manga, but I hate Nemu’s low cut light outfit. There is shadow in cleavage Mayuri! Also it looks goofy, but I like her little hat.

I just know that BG-9 is going to die without us knowing his damn Schrift. People have been wanting to know, FOR YEARS!!

Bazz-B’s burner fingers have never been my favorite schrift or ability. He’s cool, but it takes a while to warm up to him in the manga.

I like BG-9 but the missiles were gross. No one wants to see your weird nipples man

I didn’t care for Hitsugaya’s fight taking a back burner to the others. I get that they are the first big ones, but I feel with how much love he gets, Toshiro should have gotten a bit more. Oh well, more time for angry hornet lesbian!

And that’s that! The second invasion is underway, and the first two big fights have already started. Good to see we’re still catching up with Ichigo and Ichibe and their training. Real cool. Downright neat…..WHAT IS IRAZU SANDO??!?!!

It translates to “no entry to the road of the shrine” it’s super reiatsu and Ichigo becoming more than a Soul Reaper, one could say, kingly

[dogboycolumbo]

sorry for this random ass question, but post total drama and ridonculous race, which TD couples can you see actually staying together/making it in the long run? Funnily enough, even though they're competitive as shit, I can see Heather and Alejandro lasting a long time the most

aleheather for life!!!!

the entirety of world tour was built on alejandro and heather getting to know each other and i genuinely truly believe their relationship could last forever. their competitiveness keeps the relationship from ever going stale—they will never run out of ways to have fun together

BUT other than that there arent many i’m super sold on!

the goths really know each other well and learned to get along even when un-gothed but thats not something that feels. totally solid. they get each other but i could see them parting amicably if one of them had to move away or something

i could see devin and carrie getting married and sticking together forever even as they begin to hate each other. they would have a kid and try to keep it together for them(and fail)

i hate their rr plot like? shelly cheating on devin and telling him via the single phone call was so contrived . their whole plot was contrived and i wish they were just homies. but they could definitely have a long term romantic relationship

duncney… yes but only in my aus.

in island, either courtney or duncan needed to be eliminated in basic straining bc it was the logical endpoint to their relationship. if they had lasted longer courtney would either start to turn punk or duncan would start to become more uptight for them to continue working longterm. nonetheless i love their summer romance and i can see them together at some point in the future when both of them are a little more laidback

zoke would not last forever. i dont see it. zoey and mike are each other’s first ever serious relationship and it’s fun and great but i do not see them lasting. they need other life experience away from each other. tho they might remain good friends

jashawn could POTENTIALLY last a long time they get back together in both endings.. but theyre still on shaky ground when and it easily could go either way

nemma… no. theyre super unstable. tho i will say they were cute if you dont care about noahs prior charaterization. noah is obsessed with her. emma is obsessed with the idea of being in a relationship. i love obsessive characters, but i believe relationships cannot work when someone is unable to see flaws in their partner(s)

gidgette. maybe. theyve been thru a lot together and i could see them getting married starting a surfing school etc you know how the 10 years later vids go

lyler. probably not. theyre cute together. they like each other. but long term? not seeing it.

samkota. i guess could work but mainly bc she is a mutant now . not that i dislike them as a couple but i really wish she wasnt now Mutant Forever

chris/larry FOREVER TOGETHER NOTHING CAN TEAR THEM APART

lesharold arent officially dating but they might in the future. have something.

scottney? honestly yeah i can see them together. they play off each other well

chase/emma Yes. abusively. bc emma doesnt know how to escape and cant see a life without chase

rajbow. theyre cute but it’s very new. seems more like a fling than anything long term but i might be convinced by the second season

OKAY this is probably all of them. all of the main canon ones. there are other non canon ships i could see working (evzy; rock/spud; pete/gerry; nowen; etc) but thats all for now !! thanks for the ask i love thinking about td. aleheather 4 life

[joseeapologist]

what are your favorite and least favorite ships?

I might ruffle some feathers, sorry:

Favorite Ships:

1. Jacsee - I think I've stated why so many times so I won't even bother explaining again, or else we'll be here for hours.

2. MacSanders - They're super underrated. There's no way that they WEREN'T together during RR. Their chemistry in the show seems a lot more than just friends. The way MacArthur was like, "I play nice with you allll the time" like c'mon lol they're dating. Honestly I wish there was more content of them. You can never get enough MacSanders content.

3. Nowen - When I joined the fandom I saw them as a BROtp (I used to like Noco) but then my love for Nowen grew along with my love for the fandom, it's very contagious :) I think they had wonderful chemistry and @realitytvpros has FANTASTIC artwork of them (that's another thing, the fan art for Nowen is wonderful)

4. Crimsonennui - the best canon ship of the show, hands down (I think Jashawn and Lyler are probably the next best ships) even though they are very monotonous, you can obviously tell they love and care very deeply with each other; they don't need to show this with exaggerated PDA (like some couples) and having some dramatic spur-of-the-moment kiss - it is very obvious that they're in love.

5. Alenoah - This is Larson's fault lmao. Honestly, Alenoah (the ship) has been growing on me a lot. Something that really makes me ship characters is fan-art, but especially fanfics. I'm a bookworm, so if I see someone write a story in which they bring two characters together and show them having awesome chemistry, it's very contagious and I'll start liking it, which is exactly what happened with Alenoah. Good writing really helped me enjoy the ship (check out @alenoah's fic Pretty Poisonous,you'll see what I mean)

Least Favorite Ships:

1. Gw//ody - I’m sorry, but this makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I don’t want to be mean, but this is based on personal things I’d rather not get into. 

2. Co//derra - Same thing as Gw//ody, though I do like platonic Co//derra after canon (see @td-worrisometruths for their stuff, it’s great!)

3. No//co - Surprising, isn’t it? I’ve come to the realization that most ships involving Cody aren’t very good. I used to like Cody, but then my love for him sort of diminished over time. Cody just isn’t that appealing to me. Also, there was this whole drama about one of the No//co artists drawing very... fetish-y art even though they’re 16. Also, I never realized when I first joined how bait-y the Big Sleep episode was. Then I came to the realization that Noah would probably make Cody cry. 

4. Tom//ques - Tom//ques is basically No//co, but Tom and Jacques are adults so people think it’s okay to fetishize mlm and write gay smut of them. Say what you want about No//co, but there had been some fics in which it was centered around building a relationship. I cannot say the same for Tom//ques. Literally the only Tom//ques fics I’ve seen were smut. Shipping the two most effeminate men on the show isn’t the progressive take you think it is. This is going to sound awful, but I can’t bring myself to like Tom//ques because some Tom//ques shippers went after me because I shipped Jacsee, calling me immoral for it, and claimed that Tom//ques was “supposed to be canon” so I’m erasing mlm. Besides, the superior mlm ship for Jacques is him and Ryan :) But I love a Tom//ques friendship. I’ve said this so many times, but platonic Tom//ques is awesome.

5. Sc//ax - I mean, it’s mostly because I see Scarlett as a lesbian (and I ship her with OC named Devin!), but even if I didn’t I just don’t understand the appeal. Someone compared them to Drakken and Shego from Kim Possible, which I get, but like... no lol (Even though I do ship Drakgo) Scarlett legitimately cannot stand Max, and Max says that “evil doesn’t date” so I don’t really see them as a couple, sorry.

[alenoah]

5, 8, 13, 18, 23, 29, 39, and 42 for Nowen maybe?

Also cut a couple from this one, sorry! Sometimes I just don’t know what to put down.

Nicknames/Pet names? Little Buddy and Big Guy are already perfect..,my love is immeasurable when they say these.

What do they like best about their partner? Noah likes Owen’s ever-positive attitude and sometimes genuine wisdom. Owen likes almost everything about Noah; you would dare try to make him choose a favorite thing?

What do they do for fun? Reality competition shows! They like doing anything that they think has a fun concept. Sometimes they will come on shows as guest judges.

What are their dates like? Video games and takeout, babey!!!

How do they hug/kiss/tease/flirt? Owen, as we all know, is the king of absolutely horrible innuendos. Noah craves death every time he says one. Owen can also just. Lift Noah to give him a smooch. He doesn’t need to- he could literally just lean down a little bit. But Noah likes being picked up.

Who initiated the relationship/who kissed who first? Owen had to be the one to tell Noah that is was extremely obvious he liked him and then asked him out. Owen also kissed Noah first- they’d been goofing off one day and Owen just sort of. Picked Noah up and kissed him without realizing it.

Do they let each other get away with things that would normally bother them? Canonically, Noah deals with Owen’s gas. He’s beyond caring. He lives with it now.

[gwanonbutfordave]

Nowen Week Day 4: Free Day AU

Words: 819

Description: AU where Owen is a food critic and Noah works at his parents’ restaurant

Sweat poured down Noah’s face like sweat down a sweaty person’s face. He was carrying a plate of chocolate cake and dressed in his finest outfit, two vests. Today was the day. The famous food critic Owen Thomas-Baker was at his family’s restaurant to try his cake. It was like a dream that was sure to turn into a nightmare any second. Owen was sitting at a two person table, so Noah slid into the chair across from him and placed the plate down gently in front of the critic. Noah rarely showed any emotion, whether unknowingly or by deliberate choice. But anyone looking at him that moment could tell he was afraid. “Mr. Thomas-Baker, welcome.”

He hastily adjusted the plain white hub he was wearing before grabbing a fork and examining the cake for the best piece. “I’ve heard good things about this cake. Like really good. I love chocolate, it’s just the best.” He smiled, “Do you want some?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be taste testing it?”

“Oh yeah! Almost forgot!” He stuck the fork of cake in his mouth and chewed for a few nail biting seconds, a look of surprise flashing on his face as he swallowed it. “I’ll give that a two out of ten.”

Any emotionless that Noah had dissolved instantly as pure rage replaced it, “A TWO?” He slammed his fist on the table, sending the plate clattering to the ground, where it shattered.

“You must have used salt instead of sugar. Honest mistake, but unfortunate.” He stood to leave, but Noah desperately stopped him.

“There must be something I can do to fix this. A two CANNOT be my final score. Our restaurant could be ruined.”

“Well,” Owen fought the urge to smile, “How about I come back tomorrow and we can try this again?” Noah nodded, numb and silent. He couldn’t screw this up.

X

Noah had barely slept last night. He spent the time he should be sleeping memorizing the recipe inside and out, ensuring that not a thing would go wrong when he made it the next day. Every measurement, every timer was to perfection. Absolutely nothing could go wrong this time. Racked with nervousness, he placed the plate down in front of Owen, choosing to remain standing this time. Owen took a larger chunk of cake to sample this time, closed his eyes, and chewed.

“Five out of ten.”

“A five?”

“Unfortunately it’s too heavily frosted for the proper flavor of the cake to come through. I’ll throw this away myself.” He picked up the plate and prepared to walk away, but Noah stopped him.

“Please, sir, I can fix this. Just come back tomorrow and I swear it will be the best cake you’ve ever eaten,” Noah wiped the sweat off his brow. Being this emotionally invested in something was exhausting.

“No need to call me sir. And why should I keep giving you chances when I only give one try for everyone else?”

“Because I’ve spent years perfecting this recipe. There’s no cake out there that’s even half as good as mine.”

Owen hummed to himself in consideration before answering, “One more try. Third time’s the charm.” He stood and started for the door, “I expect the perfect chocolate cake next time.”

X

The third time had in fact been the charm. Unlike the previous day’s baking, which had been rigid and methodical, Noah allowed himself some leeway this time around. He eased up on the frosting and added some other flavors-cinnamon, apple, and caramel-to give the cake a bit of a kick. Who cared about what that hack critic said, this was the perfect cake.

The same routine ensued. Noah brought the cake out, set it down, and sat down. Owen took a bite and smiled. It was a small smile at first, but as he continued to chew and shovel more and more cake into his mouth it grew larger and larger until he was grinning. “You were right. This is the best cake I have ever eaten.”

“I told you so,” Noah was beaming, although he didn’t really show it. Owen finished the slice and scraped the crumbs into his mouth. He pulled out a notepad and scrawled something on it before tearing the note off and placing it down on the table.

“I have connections to several large marketing firms that could bring your restaurant to the next level. This could be the start of a lucrative partnership for us, in more ways than one.” With that, he left. Noah immediately scrambled for the note. There were two phone numbers on it. One was for Zyglast Food and Beverage Marketing; he’d have to pass that along to the financial people of the restaurant. The other had something much more interesting written under it. Owen had written, “Call me ;)”. Noah blushed. Was that what the critic had meant by a lucrative partnership?

[bbqwailmer]

Okay !! I couldn't wait long enough !! Here's my addition to Nowen Week 2020 Day 2: Cooking !!

The link to the ao3 is here but you can just scroll down to read it on tumblr.

~anyway~

Cookin' Up a Storm

Word count: 929

October 26th was a special date. It was the day that officially marked the beginning of Owen and Noah’s relationship. This was of course not to be confused with June 26th, which was the anniversary of their friendship. Every year, the two did something special to commemorate both days; in June they would do something as friends would, and in October they would do something more romantic. Owen and Noah had both taken the day off work; determined to celebrate their fourth year together. 

Noah woke up especially early that morning, the sunlight disgustingly bright and cheery. Noah didn’t wake up early or care for romantic things in life, but today was different. He woke up earlier than seven, a feat accomplished a maximum of twice a year. He was, by nature, a creature of laziness.

Quietly, Noah crept down to the kitchen, although he hadn’t needed to; Owen was a heavy sleeper. He planned to make his boyfriend breakfast in bed - afterall, Owen’s favourite thing (after Noah, of course) was food. He planned all week what he was going to make - eggs, pancakes, bacon, even hashbrowns - and it had to be perfect . He collected recipes and ideas from the internet, and asked a few of his friends to help him out (DJ mostly; at the young age of 19 the man had already become one of the best chefs Canada had ever seen). Noah was going to make the best damn breakfast Owen ever had.

Sneaking the ingredients into the house had been difficult; Owen could sniff out any food if he was hungry enough. The night before, Noah stuffed them into a bag and shoved them into the bottom of the fridge where Owen was too tall to see, and thankfully he’d managed to keep him out of the fridge overnight.

He started with the hashbrowns, putting oil in a pan to heat up. Sure, the hashbrowns might not be made from scratch, but he thought frying them with his love would suffice. He let them sizzle away as he set out the ingredients for pancakes, measuring out the correct amounts and checking up on the hashbrowns, humming a tune as he worked. Everything was going exactly to plan. The day would be perfect.

---

When Owen had gone to sleep the night before, Noah cuddled in his arms, he hadn’t expected what the next day would bring him. He was excited about his plans with his boyfriend, and expected Noah to pull off some sort of surprise, but had no idea the absolute chaos of the surprise that was to come.

When he woke up, he noticed Noah wasn’t in bed with him. Unusual, as Owen always woke up before Noah. The second thing he noticed was a distinct burning smell, coming from outside the bedroom door. Now, Owen could tell the differences in smells - he had a seasoned nose - and the burning smelled exactly like a burnt potato. His brain connected the dots - no Noah in bed plus burning smell?

Uh oh.

He leapt out of bed quickly, flinging the door open, the smoke alarm going off at the same time. He rushed downstairs to find Noah in the kitchen, frantically trying to put out the fire on the stove. 

“Noah! Stand back!” Without thinking, Owen flung the cupboard doors open and grabbed the container of salt, hurling the box at the fire with great force. To his relief, the fire sputtered out, leaving the smell of well-done potato and smoke. The fire alarms cut out.

Owen turned to Noah, making sure he was okay. Noah's safety was the only thing that mattered right then, although the burnt potato was a sad loss. 

“Noah? You okay?” He pulled Noah into a tight hug, picking him up off the ground, unwilling to let go, unwilling to let this cruel world harm his Noah. When he did release him from his plush, bear grip, he placed Noah on the island bench.

“Yeah.” Noah glared daggers at the spot where the fire had been. So, maybe it hadn't been as big as he'd thought. “It was supposed to be breakfast in bed,” he said bitterly.

Noah looked pissed, angry with the outcome of the day’s start, but having been with him for so long, Owen could tell he was upset with himself. Owen wouldn’t have that; he didn’t care if Noah messed up, he loved him to the moon and back, and would always support him however he could. They could clean up the kitchen and find something else to eat. 

“It’s okay, we’ll go out for breakfast. No use crying over spilled salt.” he giggled at his pun.

“But I messed it up. It was supposed to be special .” Noah looked at his hands, fiddling with his fingers. Owen took his hands in his, kissing each one. 

“I don’t care about the kitchen, or the food. You’re more important to me. I just want to spend time with you, whether it’s breakfast in bed or putting out a fire like a sexy fireman. I love you.”

Noah grinned, “Yeah, you were pretty hot, putting out that fire. My hero.”

“And does this sexy hero get a thank you gift? Maybe like… a kiss?” Owen grinned back.

“I guess I can do that.” Noah placed his hands on either side of Owen’s face, pressing his lips against Owen’s gently. “Thank you,” he whispered when he pulled away, keeping their faces close. Owen knew he meant it more for his encouraging words than his brave actions. “I love you too.”

[skyhighwritings]

That’s What Friends Are For.

Chapter Two: OH! How The Turn Tables!

Total Drama High School AU

Story Summery: What can you do when you’re crushing hard on someone, but you’re too dang Nervous to act on it? I Suppose, that’s what Friends are for.

Chapter Summery: After Dating Trent for the past Few Weeks, Cody Fancies Himself a Love Expert. And With his New Credentials, He is Determined To Help Noah, the way He Helped Him. Only Problem Is Noah Would Rather Die then Let His Crush Know..

Characters: Cody, Noah, Owen, and (Back in Chapter One) Trent

Ships:  Nowen, And (Mentions of) Trody

Chapter One <------

  Noah peeked out from where he hid, only to swiftly duck back behind the wall. He sighed, “This is Stupid. I’m Not Doing It.”

  “It’s Not Stupid, dude!” Cody encouraged, “C’mon! You can do it! I Believe in You!”

  “It’s not a question of Ability, it’s about willingness” Noah looked to his friend, “And I’m Not Doing It.”

  Cody locked eyes with Noah, and slowly raised his hands to his hips.

“Cody. Don’t.”

  The geek didn’t obey, instead he kept his eyes trained on his friend and uttered a simple, yet powerful,“Bwack.” 

“You’re Not Funny.”

  Cody seemed to disagree as he continued to not only Bwack but also flap his elbows.

  “Cody Stop It.” 

Cody froze mid flap, “Are you Gonna Do It.”

  “No-”

“BA-BWACK!!!” He screeched Flailing his arms like an angry chicken.

  Noah Lunged at his Dumb Friend to cover up his Dumb Mouth, “What Is Wrong With You???”  He hissed.

  “Mmmbbmm. Mrrmm’m mrrmm mmm MMM.’” 

Noah Glared, “I’ll take my hand away if you promise to quit being The Most Obnoxious Person I Know.”

  Cody thought about this deal, truly pondered, gave it a good ol’ think before smiling under Noah’s palm.

   Noah cocked a brow, before his face was twisted into shock and disgust as he ripped his now saliva covered hand away from The Most Obnoxious Person He Knows.

  He opened his mouth to berate his Dumb Friend That He Hates but all that came out was, “BAAAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAHH!!!!! GAAAAHHHHGGG!!” he yelled, “ mllLYAAK, nygah” was all he could say to illustrate how repulsed he was, but finally he was able to formulate the words “WhYY?!?”

“Your Hand Tastes Like Hand Sanitizer.”

  Noah Looked at Cody, in something akin to rage, disgust, and bafflement. “What would make you do that?? What Would Make You Think That Was Ok?? Tell Me, I Would Really Like To Know The Reason You Decided To Die Today??”

  Cody Opened his mouth to say something, whether it was an answer or not will remain unknown since a third party spoke first.

  “Lil’ Buddy??” Owen said, peaking around the Corner, “Did you just Scream, Pal? Are You Ok?” 

  Noah didn’t turn to face the new voice, instead he kept his eyes on Cody, said eye’s losing all traces of irritation and being replaced by pure anxiety. 

  Cody, on the other hand, glanced at the new voice, confirming it was Owen, before returning to look at Noah with the biggest, most obnoxious Smile. He then gave Two Giant Thumbs Up, before using both hands to point at Owen, who, luckily, was far too concerned with whether his little buddy was Ok or Not to notice. 

  Noah also didn’t notice, for even though he was  looking at Cody, he wasn’t seeing Cody. He was far too busy trying to come up with a way to get out of here to notice what Dumb Thing his Dumb Friend was doing now. So far his ways to leave the situation are as follows, A.) Disappearing into a Puff of smoke, never to be seen again; B.) Melting into an Unfeeling Puddle; or C.) Spontaneous Combustion. Though he isn’t sure if any of those are particularly…. Convenient? 

Though C does sound pretty good.

He is also partial to B.

  “Noah?” Owen’s voice yanked Noah out of thought, as the Larger boy placed a worried hand on his friends Shoulder.

  Noah jumped back from the touch, “Oh, Hey Big Guy,” he Started after turning to face him, and before backing subtly away, “I’m fine, I just Need to wash My Hand. Which Means I Can’t Stay Here. So I Can’t Talk.”  Noah shot quick nervous glances at both of his Friends before uttering an even quicker, “Bye.”, and turning to book it.

  If you were Owen McCarthy for the past 3 weeks, as Owen happened to be, you would have been used to this behavior, as sad and confused as it made you feel.

   If you were Cody Anderson, who coincidentally, Cody was, you would Know this treatment was thanks to a talk the two of you had where you helped him realize he had a Crush on his Best Friend.

  If you Were Noah Bhatt, which the current Noah Bhatt would be happy to let you take his place from here,  you would be well aware of the new terrible, bubbly feeling of crush filled anxiety that was before covered up by the facade of just liking your Best Friend since Daycare as a Best Friend. You would also blame all of this on your other friend, who had the audacity to point out your feelings three weeks ago while playing video games.

 The Jerk.

  Noah made two fairly good strides to get out before being Grabbed by Cody, “Duuuuuude!!!! Stop!!! It’s Not a Big Deal!!! Just Do It!”

Big Words From A Boy, That In Fact, Did Not Do It.

   Noah tried to  wiggle his arm free, Not looking at Cody, and especially not looking at Owen, "I’d Love To Stay, But I Have To Go."

  Cody Glared at this response, before releasing his struggling friend, causing the boy to stumble a little. "Fine. I guess I can Talk with Owen before class instead." 

  Noah continued to walk briskly away,  "Fine, Talk With Ow-" 

Noah Stopped Suddenly in his Tracks.

'Oh No.'

  "Hey, Owen! Guess Who Thinks Your Cuuu- OOMMFF!" 

Cody was cut off by Noah once again lunging at him, hissing for Cody to "Shut Up!!!"

  This was not as Effective as Noah would have liked, with Cody successfully keeping the other at Arm's length,  though it wasn't an easy task. Which was a little surprising; Cody had Never seen Noah put So Much Effort into Something. 

  He Really Didn’t Want Owen To Know.

Too Bad Cody Has Already Decided It Needs To Happen.

  "If You Won't Do It I Will!!!" Cody Declared, pushing against Noah's Hands to keep him back, “It’s For Your Own Good, Dude! Just Do It!!”

  Since getting with Trent, Cody has fancied himself a bit of a Love Expert, much to Noah’s exasperation. That’s really how this all started, Cody Claiming he Knew Everything about Love, then telling Noah that he Obviously had a Crush on Owen. 

  At first Noah disagreed with this diagnostic, afterall, What Did Cody Know?

A Lot More Than Noah Give’s Him Credit For, Apparently.

  The Struggling Paused as the two friends stared at each other. 

It Felt like an eternity before Noah Opened his Mouth, only to close it again.

  He Has Made His Choice.

Cody closed his eyes and nodded, before turning his head to face Owen,  "NOAH LI- GAAH!!!" Cody released his grip on Noah's hands, transferring them to his now Sore Shin.

   "dUDE DID YOU JUST KICK ME??!!?"

Noah looked his friend in the eye, blank faced, "no."

  Cody shot daggers at his friend as he held his probably bruising leg. He then went to speak, maintaining eye Contact with his assailant,  "Noah Thinks You're Cute. You Two Should Date."

"Cody!!! " Noah hissed, once again lunging forward, but he did not move fast enough to Murder Cody Right Then And There as he so desired, because Cody had already started to Run down The Hall. 

  Noah took a few strides after Cody, before deciding it wasn't worth the work opting instead to shout, "YOU'RE A DEAD MAN, ANDERSON!!!" 

  Cody simply spun around, though he continued with a Trot, and shot two big thumbs up accompanied by an even bigger grin. 

  Cody Anderson: Noah’s Most Hated Friend.

"I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP!!!!"

  Cody responded to this threat to his life by blowing a kiss to Noah, before yelling "SEE YOU IN PHYSICS!!!" And turning to sprint to whichever class he had next.

  Noah Glared down the thinning hall, though Cody was no longer there.

He  would have continued this Unreceived Glare if it wasn’t for the faint and awkward chuckle behind him.

  Noah shifted to look at his Best Friend, though he did a remarkable job at avoiding his Face, “Listen, pal, I can expla-”

  “Don’t worry about it, Bud!” Owen smiled, “It’s a pretty mean joke, but it didn’t bother me!!”

  Noah was taken aback by this. Owen thought it was a Joke??? Is He Free??? Did He Get Out Of Admitting He Had Emotions?? Did He Win??

  He gave a half hearted laugh, “Yeah, you know Cody, Always telling Bad Jokes.” Noah then looked up at his friends face and regretted what he said immediately. 

Owen was clearly bothered.

Noah should have been able to tell.

He’s an Idiot.

  “It’s kinda funny,” Owen continued to smile at Noah, a smile Noah hated. A smile Owen only had when he wasn’t actually happy. A smile Noah’s been able to spot since the 5th grade. A smile No One else Seems to notice on the Big Ball of Optimism that’s Owen, and that fact somehow made Noah hate it even more.

  “I mean, could you imagine, you  being into me ? That’s ridiculous!” Owen chuckled, but not the one he has when he’s amused by a situation or the one that trickles out because he’s just So Happy he can’t Help It, but rather the one that Forced Out when he’s uncomfortable and trying to hide it. 

  Noah can’t let this continue, he may be bad at his own emotions, but he’s an expert on Owen’s, and as that expert it’s his responsibility to cheer his Best Buddy Up.

  “Hey, Big Guy, I’m sure Cody didn’t mean it like that.” Noah closed the gap between him and Owen, placing his hand as close to the larger boy’s shoulder as he could. Owen looked down at Noah, realizing his little buddy once again saw past his attempts to act as if he were happy with something. 

  He looked at Noah, interested in what he had to say, which was honestly nothing new. 

  “The joke was probably me not having a chance with you.” Noah continued, discreetly wiping his soiled hand on Owen’s shirt, “I mean, Cody wouldn’t insult you on purpose.” 

  Owen Grabbed Noah by both shoulders, shocking him, “WHAAAT??! That’s Crazy Talk!!!!”

Noah smiled, “Thank’s bud-”

  “Your, like, THE BEST!” Owen continued, unphased by the interruption, “You’re Cool, and Funny, and Smart, and, and, And AWESOME!!!” Owen let go of Noah’s Shoulders as he threw his hands in the air, “Who Wouldn’t Want To Date You!!!!”

  Noah stared up at Owen, shocked. 

What does that mean?

What Does That Mean??

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???

  Noah cleared his throat, “Uh, gee, Thanks.. Owen….” He looked up and smiled, “I really appreciate that.”

  Owen returned the smile. 

Noah fidgeted a little, before continuing, “You’re…. Pretty great, Too.” he rubbed his arm nervously, 

‘Just walk away Noah. He thinks it was a joke, and he’s not sad anymore, cut your losses and Get Out’.

  “I mean, I think you’re pretty Funny…” 

‘That’s not Getting Out.’

          Noah ignored his thoughts, and continued, “You’re a lot of Fun to be around. I mean, I Really Love hanging out with you…” 

‘Stop. Leave. Don’t Do This. Get OUT.’

  “You’re So Nice, and Enthusiastic about Everything, it’s kinda annoying.” 

‘Good, Insult Him, and Leave. 

  “But, it’s also kinda Charming?”

 ‘LEAVE!!!’

  Owen grinned sheepishly, “Really?”

‘NO! SAY NO!’ 

  “Yeah..” Noah looked away to try and hide the fact that he was Blushing, “I Really…..”

‘Don’t Do It. Don’t Say It. Please Someone Stop Me. Oh My God What Am I Doing.’

  Noah looked up at Owen, “ Like you, dude.”

‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA’

  Owen looked at his friend, wide eyed, seemingly in shock. You could practically hear the gears turning in his head.

  Noah looked around anxiously, but before he could take it all back Owen Cheered.

  “FOR REAL DUDE???!!!??!” He Beamed, “THAT’S AWESOME!!!!” Owen Squeezed Noah in a Far-Too-Tight hug and spun around gleefully.

  “Owen…..” Noah wheezed, “Owen… I Can’t Breath….”

“Ooops,” Owen chuckled, letting him go, “Sorry, man! I’m Just So Excited!!!” He Explained.

  “No way, really? I couldn’t Tell.” Noah tried to keep up his trademark Sarcasm to distract from the fact that he was currently dying from the levels of excitement he himself was experiencing.

  “TOTALLY!!” Owen continued, “I Mean!!! I Like You Too, Noah!!”

  Even though Noah gathered as much from Owens reaction, hearing the actual word put him through a spin his mortal body was not prepared for.  Noah began blushing more than he had ever done before in his life , not to mention that he was now brandishing a smile that could barely fit on his face.

It was Embarrassing.

  Though not as embarrassing as his dumb follow up question, “You mean, Like Like? Or Like???” Noah paused, mostly because he didn’t really know what words meant at the moment, “Ok, So Like, did You Mean, uuuuhh, liiike???” Noah was struggling, and also probably dying. 

  Owen chuckled, “I Mean I Like You, Dude! Like in a ‘Let’s Date!’ Kinda Way!!”

“Ok.” Noah squeaked out, “Let’s…” He tried to calm down, though it wasn’t easy, “Let’s... Dooo…. That.”

  “Do what?” 

Noah took a deep breath in, finding the few nerves that hadn’t been obliterated by this conversation, “Date?”

   Owen beamed, “Yeah, Man! Let’s Date!!! WOO!” He then wrapped his little buddy in another bone-crushing Hug, but this one was considerably more breathable, “This is A-A-AWESOME!”

  Noah tried to conceal a chuckle, but even he couldn’t deny the pure joy he was experiencing. 

  He patted Owen on the shoulder, fondly, “Alright, Lunch Box. Put me Down before we’re late to-”

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNG

“Class.”

  “Aw Man, Sorry, Little Buddy…” Owen Looked down at his friend, wait no, BOYFRIEND, he had a boyfriend now, and it was Noah and this is The Best.

  Owen Looked Down at His Boyfriend, who he was still holding in his arms, “Hey, want me to carry you to class?”

  Noah looked up at his Best Friend for the past 13 years, and current Boyfriend, “That’s The Dumbest Question You’ve Ever Asked Me.”  Noah deadpanned, “Of Course I Want To Be Carried.”

Later that Day….

Cody sat in class, bored out of his mind when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Checking to make sure the teacher wasn’t looking, he pulled his phone out to check the notification.

It Was From Noah!!!

Five-Head: Wanted to let you know that you’re death won’t be swift, or merciful.

 Me: o dude did it not go well 

Me: srry 

Five-Head: With me and Owen? That went great. We’re dating now.

Five-Head: But you licking my hand can’t go unpunished.

Five-Head: So, I’m Killing You.

Five-Head: You won’t Be Missed.

Me: <3 

Five-Head </3

Me: :O

[daisiesflower]

It’s time for a wholeass list detailing my thoughts on the contestants and ships

Gwen: Ok in season one I liked her but found her a lil boring and kinda underdeveloped. Her and Trent were cute but underutilized and her scenes with him were the only character development we got even after he left the show. That being said I think she should have beat Owen, I know he went through some shit as well but I just think she worked harder for it. Season two she’s one of my favorites, I think she was so screwed over with the way the Trent thing was written, season three her whole character is written completely differently in each episode and she has no lines that aren’t setting up the love triangle so really I hate how she’s written more than the character

Beth: While her sticking it to Heather is one of the best moments of season one, in season two idk I really started to dislike her, I can’t explain it she was just not likeable in season two like the way she treats Lindsay rubs me the wrong way

Bridgette: Adore her, one of my favorite characters, the writers ruined her in season two by erasing her friendship with Gwen and making her entire character revolve around her relationship, same goes for season three

Duncan: Obviously when I was ten I had a massive crush on him, season one was peak writing and peak duncney, season three they uh just straight up destroyed him and we’re not even gonna mention All Stars

Izzy: A fan of her and Owen, she deserved to make it to the final two in Action, that’s all I have to say about that

Cody: A decent guy in season one! After Gwen says she’s not interested he backs off and helps her get with Trent, decent! Season three Cody is a nice guys finish last kinda guy

LeShawna: Deserves the million in every season! Friends with everyone! Amazing! Deserves the world!

Heather: Obviously we don’t like season one Heather but can admire and respect her. Underutilized in season two, season three Heather is amazing and I feel sorry for anyone who had to see Alejandro beat her, y’all don’t live in the best timeline

Geoff: Fun! A party boy! We love season one Geoff! Season Two Geoff thinks movies are too politically correct these days and uses the term sjw. Season three Geoff same problem with Bridgette, reduced to his relationship

Courtney: *big sigh* season one Courtney is great and has great character development! Season two Courtney starts great and by the end and by season three you can tell the writers hate tough women

Noah: We stan! Deserved to make it further in season three

DJ: deserves the world, deserves everything, I would die for DJ

Lindsay: my all time favorite! deserved to win Action and deserved to get further in WT

Owen: a sweetheart, any ship with Owen in it is pure and as much as I love Owen/Izzy my otp is definitely Nowen

Katie: don’t know anything about her except she’s a lesbian, automatic stan

Sadie: deserved to get further in Island, also an automatic stan due to lesbian

Tyler: would have been better as a gay girl, props to a boring character for getting so far in season three

Justin: we stan. next question

Eva: we also stan. deserved to win a season

Ezekiel/Gollum: bro...what to even say about this boy. Ezekial is horrid and it’s a funny running joke that he gets eliminated first every time. Gollum is a fun and new concept. The writers were getting bold, unfortunately this gave them too much confidence in later seasons so minus points for that

Harold: Doesn’t respect women. Watches hentai. LeShawna deserves better

Trent: *another big sigh* completely underdeveloped and boring in season one due to the writers being dumb. Season two Trent is in the wrong in the Gwen situation but it doesn’t ruin his character the way Duncan’s cheating ruins his. I joke about being anti-Trent but like I really don’t hate him as much as I hate other characters

[mercerislandbooks]

Read What You Like

When I worked at Starbucks, one of my favorite conversations with customers in the midst of pulling shots and steaming milk was about what they were reading. While this is pretty indicative that I was meant to work in a bookstore, often the question would be turned to me, what was I reading? I would pause, first trying to remember what was currently stacked on my nightstand, and then pause again, evaluating what I thought the person I was talking to might think about what I was reading. What would they think about the Christian Living book I was making my way through, and not for the first time? (Ann Voskamp, A Thousand Gifts) Or the YA series with werewolves and vampires and angels that I was devouring as e-books from the library? (Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments series) I’d make a guess and then say something I felt comfortable revealing. It would always be something I had read lately, just not totally transparent about what I truly was in the middle of reading.

I would hazard a guess that I’m not the only one who has done this. We all want to look good and be accepted. What we read and like can be a vulnerable thing to share. When you tell someone that you really like something, you’re showing your hand. What if they don’t agree? What if they don’t like it too? Not all of us are emotionally mature enough to separate rejection of what we like from rejection of ourselves.

When I started working at Island Books I initially brought that same “what will people think” mentality to interactions with customers and my monthly staff recommendation picks. I picked things that I’d already read so I knew I liked them and could stand behind them, but also books that didn’t have anything too objectionable in them. Nothing too sexy, nothing too dark, not much of the fantasy genre, which I’d read so much of in my tween and teen years, and only a smattering of the faith-based titles that I had a bookshelf stuffed with at home.

Here’s what I began to discover: A huge variety of readers walk through the doors of Island Books. Some read like me, and some don’t, yet even a shared love of a certain title doesn’t mean that we match up in all our particularities. When someone asks me for a recommendation, one of the first things I ask in return is what is the last book you read you really liked? We are all incredibly individual in our preferences, some reasonable and some not, which is allowed. You are allowed to say yes or no to a book based on your own criteria.

It can be good to say yes to a book you are uncertain of. I picked up Station Eleven because it was the book club book for the month, I liked the cover, and an element of the story was a traveling orchestra and Shakespeare company. I nearly didn’t pick up the book because the premise is the breakdown of society after a flu pandemic, something scarily possible. I like backstage dramas, I like poetic writing. I stay away from worlds that give me an imagination for something bad I can’t control happening, which is why I also tend to stay away from contemporary thrillers, or domestic noir. But reading and liking Station Eleven means I am now more drawn to adult novels with that element of dystopia. This is why I currently have The Lightest Object in the Universe and An Ocean of Minutes on my shelf to read.

Conversely I read the first three Tana French Dublin Murder Squad books and thought they were completely brilliant, absorbing, and disturbing to the point that I couldn’t read anything more by her. She is an amazing writer who pulled me into a world with characters and crimes that I didn’t want in my head. I get to say no, even when everyone else likes a book, for my own reasons.

What slowly began to make the difference for me, in being honest about liking what I like, is that I kept meeting other people in the bookstore who also read and loved the books I did. When I tentatively began commenting on books as I was ringing up customers, I could see their faces lighting up as I said, “Oh, I loved this!” They liked it when I said I loved the V.E Schwab or Naomi Novik novel they were buying, and happily gave me another fantasy recommendation. Or when ordering a book by Henri Nowen, I suggest another title by him that they’ve never heard of but I love. Or when I answered the phone for an inquiry about a little known English author who happens to be one of my all time personal favorites and I enthusiastically chatted about which of her books should be the first one they try. (Elizabeth Goudge, City of Bells, out of print sorry to say) I began to realize that every single book I read or had read was a potential point of contact with someone, that just by reading like myself I was getting better and better at my job.

Now, just as many customers stop by and ask about a book or author that I’ve never heard of, and the other side of honesty is confessing my ignorance, then floundering around to try to find their books. I’ve made peace with this. I know I have big gaps in my literary knowledge, authors I haven’t gotten to yet, or may never get to. I don’t have space for everything. I can say, “I don’t know.”

Over my four years of working at Island Books I’ve come to accept and embrace all the many facets of my reading interests. I now put the whole range of what I’m reading or have read on my staff picks shelf, from YA novels, to almost anything with books or bookstore in the title, to my latest fantasy favorite.

If I went into a bookstore now and was asked what kind of books I like to read, I might say, “I like literary fiction (notice how I’m leading off with the highbrow one) I like rom-com’s, I like books about books, I like happy endings, I like good character development and characters that I am rooting for. I like historical fiction, and especially anything set in England. I like historical mysteries, but nothing too gory, the kind that might be termed as “cozy.” I like memoirs, especially about women and creativity. I like books about writing and creativity. I like food writing, both in novels and nonfiction. I like personal essays. I like self-help books, I’m a sucker for anything that promises to make your life better, though I hope I take them all with a grain a salt. I like books about death and dying. I like poetry. I like books about faith and spirituality. I like travel writing, especially, again, in England. I like high fantasy, and stories with magic of most kinds. I like young adult literature, and within that a vast range of categories: realistic contemporary, historical, fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi. I like a romantic story line, or a sad one, or reading about mental illness, which I think YA does so well. Lil and I joke that I like the YA books where the characters are sick or sad, but it’s true.

I like that as I keep reading, I keep discovering more things I enjoy, and also the things that aren’t for me. I don’t feel confined to the categories I’ve named; they are just a place to start, a door in. 

Maybe you’re already there, maybe you read what you want without wondering what people will think. But maybe not. So my hope for you is that you feel free when you walk into Island Books to like what you like, and be sure that we will do our best to help you find another book to love.

—Lori

[nowen422]

Hello, it’s me Nowen

I’m in a mood to talk about characters, so I would like you to send me some so I can talk about them. Nothing mean of course, just to tell you what I think about them and some of the impressions I get from their design.

If it’s a character I know about (check my tags to see what I know) then I might have some opinions on them, if it’s a character I don’t know but you do, I’d love to learn more. Please send an ask and I will respond. Oc’s are welcome as long as you include descriptors, history and a picture if possible.