#colour thesaurus

[lyralit]

writers' resources

sick of using "very _____" ? : https://www.losethevery.com/

want to simplify your writing ? : https://hemingwayapp.com/

writing buddies / motivation ? : https://nanowrimo.org

word you're looking for but don't know ? : https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/

need a fantasy name ? : https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/

need a fantasy name ? : https://nameberry.com/

want a name with meaning ? : https://www.behindthename.com/

who wants a map maker! : https://inkarnate.com/

story building / dnd ? : https://www.worldanvil.com/

need some minimalistic writing time ? : https://zenpen.io/

running out of ideas ? : https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/

setting a goal ? how about 3 pages / day ? : https://new.750words.com/

what food did they eat ? : https://www.foodtimeline.org/

questions on diversity within writing ? : https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/

now what was that colour called ? : https://ingridsundberg.com/2014/02/04/the-color-thesaurus/

want more? : https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lyralit :]

[writeblrcafe]

A Comprehensive Guide for Writing Advice

Sometimes, despite enjoying writing so much, something is not working for you. Maybe your well of ideas has run dry. Or your WIP has hit a corner and you can't find your way out to the end of the story. Or you need to go back to your finished draft and see if there are any kinks to clear up.

Fortunately, everyone at Writeblrcafé has experienced such, and to help you out, we have a bunch of links to helpful posts by fellow writers to help you along on your writing journey as well as some helpful links to other websites, resources and software.

General:

WHY IS WRITING IS SO FUCKING HARD? (@writers-hq)

Writer Block First Aid Kit (@isabellestone)

Websites for writers (masterpost @2soulscollide)

Writing advice (masterpost @theliteraryarchitect)

Writing resources (masterpost @stinastar)

One look thesaurus (a reverse dictionary where you can enter words or concepts)

Coming Up with Ideas:

97 Character Motivations (@theplottery)

Character Flaws (@fantasyfillsmysoul)

Character Profile (@mistblossomdesigns)

Characters Unflawed (@emptymanuscript)

Why Theme is More Important than Plot (@theplottery)

Weekly writing prompts on Reedsy

Drafting:

3 of the worst story beginnings (and how to fix them) (@theplottery)

Cheat Sheet for Writing Emotion (@myhoniahaka)

Creative Writing for Writers (@writerscreed)

Describing Physical Things (@wordsnstuff)

How to Craft a Natural Plot (@theplottery)

How to Write a Story? (masterpost @creativepromptsforwriting)

How to write: ethnicity & skin colour (@youneedsomeprompts)

What the F is Show Not Tell (@theplottery)

Writing advice from my uni teachers (@thewritingumbrellas)

First Draft: story outlining template meant to help with planning your next big writing project (@fauxriot)

The wonder/ discovery arc (@evelynmlewis)

How to structure a chapter (@theplottery)

How to pace your storytelling (@charlesoberonn)

How to write and research mental illness (@hayatheauthor)

Seven Blogs You Need To Read As An Author (@hayatheauthor)

Editing/Revising:

Eight steps in making the editing process of your book easier (@joaneunknown)

Kill Your Darlings (@tibodine)

Self editing tips (first pass) (@projecttreehouse)

Publishing:

Chill Subs: biggest database for literary magazines and small presses; track your submissions and get your writing published!

5 steps to get your novel ready to self-publish (by @nanowrimo)

Resources for finishing and publishing your novel (masterpost by @nanowrimo)

For self-publishing: this page gives you the exact pixel count of a book spine based on its page count, and/or a template you can use for the correct width/height ratio.

Software:

Scrivener: one time payment of $60 or 70€ (macOS/windows), $24 (iOS; no Euro listed for iOS); used by professionals, many tools to write and organize your novel

Bibisco: free and "pay what you want" version; multilingual, world building, character profiles, writing goals, story timeline, mind maps, notes and more templates to write a novel.

Manuskript: free open source-tool; outliner, novel assistant, distraction-free mode

Ghostwriter: a free and open alternative which has a decent interface with some interesting features, like Hemingway Mode, which disables one's backspace and delete keys, emulating a typewriter.

NaNoWriMo: an international contest to encourage writers to finish writing their novel with many events, groups for exchange with fellow writers, helpful writing advice and help for self-publishing and publishing traditionally.

Campfire Writing: website, desktop app, and mobile app, with tools built in to help manage characters, magic systems, research, etc. It has a great free option, plus monthly, annual, and lifetime purchase options. It also has built-in NaNoWriMo compatibility and a catalogue of tutorials and writing advice videos (suggestion by @harfblarf)

Websites And Writing Apps Every Author Needs In 2023 (@hayatheauthor)

Let us know in the comments if there are any links we could add to it! Reblog this post to help a fellow writer.

Support our work by buying a cup of coffee on KoFi.

[heaveninawildflower]

Bell Flower (Campanula Hortensis) 1750 by Georg Wolfgang Knorr (German, 1705–1761).

Hand-coloured etching and engraving.

Plate 162 from Thesaurus rei Herbariae Hortensisque Universalis.

Image and text information courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art.

[jacqueswriteblrlibrary]

Writing Advice Tags

general writing advice

*NOTE: IN PROGRESS- continuously being added to

writing characters: • characters of colour • character descriptions • trans characters • characters with disabilities • antagonists • villians • character flaws • character motivations • relationships • polyamorous couples •

• tropes •

• descriptions • dialogue • fighting • war • perspective • action •

• emotions • pain • love • blood •

specific writing tips:

-> armour • sailing • pirates • elves • monsters • horror • fantasy • weapons • archery • magic •

-> world building prompts • symbolism • settings • -> on scene transitions • plotting • intertextuality • editing • drafting • punctuation • plagiarism • writers block • publishing • self-publishing • smut • writing styles • -> on commenting • reading advice • reading resources • • a thesaurus •

other:

-> writing prompts • dialogue prompts • romance prompts • angst prompts • one word prompts • image prompts •

-> writing quotes • writing motivation • writing encouragement • writing memes •

-> art inspo • writing inspo • nature inspo • settings inspo • art resources • on moodboards •

-> free books • book recs • hand stretches • on ao3 • on anon hate • picrews • call for beta readers •

[novlr]

Hey! I'm a non native English speaker and i find it very hard to use wide variety of vocabulary in my writing. Any tips??

Just as a painter needs a rich palette of colours to make their art, writers need a diverse vocabulary to craft deep and engaging story worlds.

Your vocabulary as a writer is much like a paint box, with each word adding depth, contrast, and colour to your creation. So what techniques can you use to improve your vocabulary and give yourself more linguistic colours to choose from?

Read a lot

Reading is the best way to improve your vocabulary. It’s immersive, enjoyable, and will introduce you to more varied words. Make it a habit to read often, and try to read widely. Don’t limit yourself to one genre, age range, or style. Whether fiction, non-fiction, articles, or instruction manuals, reading as widely as you can opens your mind to words and styles you might never encounter naturally in your day-to-day life.

Write a lot

Write as often as you can. The more you write, the more often you’ll find yourself reaching for varying words and phrases to accurately convey your thoughts. Every written piece is an opportunity to experiment with new words. As with anything, practice is crucial—regular writing will naturally enhance your vocabulary and make your word usage more instinctive and fluid.

Use a thesaurus

A thesaurus introduces you to a variety of synonyms for the words you’re using and can help you express your thoughts with a bit more flair. However, using a thesaurus does come with a caveat: avoid using complex words just for the sake of appearing more sophisticated. Always choose words that best fit the context and effectively convey what you’re trying to say.

Join a writing group

Beyond being a place to talk about words, writing groups let you test your understanding of words in real time. Writing groups provide valuable insight into whether your word choices effectively convey your intended meaning. Seeing how other writers use their own vocabularies to share their own meanings is a great way to see how word choice can make your writing richer and more nuanced

Play word games

Playing word games is not only fun but is also an effective way to expand your vocabulary. For instance, games like Scrabble challenge you to form varying words from a set of letters, crossword puzzles can improve your understanding and recall of words, and games like Boggle can stimulate quick thinking around word formation.

Keep a word journal

Every time you encounter a new and intriguing word, whether through reading, conversation, or even during a TV show, jot it down in your word journal. Follow it up by researching its meaning, synonyms, and usage in sentences. Revisit these entries frequently, and try to incorporate these words into your writing somehow, even if it’s only during practice sessions. Over time, you’ll notice these new words naturally creeping into your vocabulary.

Sometimes simple is best

While having a broad vocabulary is an asset for any writer, it’s also important to remember that effective communication is what it’s all about, and sometimes, simpler words serve this purpose best. Not every situation calls for intricate or sophisticated language; in fact, often, using simpler, more direct language can make your message clearer and more accessible to a wider audience. More important than a wide vocabulary is an understanding of your readers and the message you want to convey in your text.

[xxtc-96xx]

I like how Newtwo's line starts with an actual name, then slowly degrades into cute pet-names; and then over on Mewtwo's side, there is a careful selection from Mewtwo's thesaurus, and then below that, bullying

and they're all colour based XD

[mabelstone]

Provocateur

matt stone x f!reader

genre: enemies to lovers, mature

summary: both trying to advance in the hierarchy of journalism, two sworn enemies will do anything (and anyone) to sabotage one another.

word count: 3.7k

cw: none really besides alcohol drinking. this is more an introductory chapter ❤️❤️ future chapters will be 18+

Her auburn hair shone under the stage lights as she answered questions at the podium. She had rather… interesting style, but that was a given considering she was the hottest artist in action right now. She wore a maxi dress made entirely from pages of her favourite books, mixed and matched poetry on frayed pieces of paper. With every step she took, you could hear the paper crinkle, and in no way was she comfortable. You couldn’t even wrap your mind around her Lady Gaga-esque fashion statements, or even the practicality of how her pieces worked. Albeit, you were completely and utterly fascinated by her. She was beautiful and had a cult following that would surely advance your career if you got the chance to write your article about her.

So that’s why you were here at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York. You’d recently moved to a new prestigious journalism firm in the area, and you were more than prepared to step on some toes if you had to, determined to write your next piece on her. She went by the title Madame Provocateur, and by God, was that name perfect for her. She was here today to display her new artworks, selling for close to half a million dollars each. The artworks ranged from paintings depicting controversial opinions regarding war, to provocative nudist pieces, some even involving casts made of her and her partners’ genitals. As an art lover yourself, you were absolutely captivated by the sheer emotion of her pieces, especially when the overriding theme was rebellion and female liberation.

You dressed the part today, a long black faux leather coat that reached the back of your knees, matching faux leather books that hugged your calves. Your hair was slicked back, simple but dark makeup accentuating your features. You wore a beautiful - far too expensive - black dress underneath, sticking out like a sore thumb among the sea of people in bright colours.

As she stepped off the podium, you thought to yourself, this is my chance. You fixed your posture and casually approached her, the textbook definition of confident in your stature. As you opened your mouth to introduce yourself, a tall figure in an obnoxious emerald green suit slinked in front of you. What is that material? Velvet? You internally cringed, velvet was your least favourite texture.

“Madame,” he spoke cooly, extending his hand for her to shake. “It’s an honour to meet you, I’m a huge fan of your work. My name is Matt Stone, I’m a journalist.” You fought back the urge to roll your eyes as he continued babbling; the poor woman couldn’t get a word in if she tried. You took a glass of champagne from the waiter holding one of the trays like you see in the movies. This place was fancy.

“I was hoping to get your permission to write an article on you and your dedication to provoking controversial conversations in an ever advancing world.”

Oh please, you thought to yourself. Wonder how long he spent studying the thesaurus for that one.

You decided to interject, stepping toward the two of them. You didn’t even bother to acknowledge… what did he say his name was? Mark? Doesn’t matter, you pretended he wasn’t there. No time like the present, right?

“So sorry to interrupt, Madame,” you smiled, extending your hand to her as the other journalist did. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. I won’t bore you with a thousand words, but I’m also a journalist and would love nothing more to write my article about you.” You placed a hand over your chest sincerely, pretending not to hear the scoff that came from the other journalist. “I’ve loved you since I was a teenager, it’d really mean the world to me.”

She looked between the two of you, seemingly unimpressed. She sighed before speaking, “I wonder how many others will ask me the same thing. I get this a lot, you know,” her French accent was thick, and her stare was painfully intimidating to say the least.

You finally looked to the man beside you, who shifted uncomfortably in his place. “But I suppose any press is good press,” she shrugged, looking between the two of you with pursed lips. “Write your little hearts out,” she feigned a smile, stepping away from the two of you.

You both stood there, absolutely shocked as you watched her disappear into the crowd.

He cleared his throat before turning to you, “didn’t catch your name. You are?”

“Y/N,” you looked up to him. Very handsome, short curly hair, peculiar oval shaped glasses.

“And your firm?”

“New York Times,” you grinned, still quite proud that you landed this position. “Trying to advance my position so, I really need this one.”

“Huh… never seen you around.” He rutted his jaw slightly before continuing, “I’ve been there for five years. I’m actually looking to advance as well so… I need this one.”

“Five years, huh? Never heard of you,” you stifled a grin as he clenched his jaw, starting to walk off. He followed close behind, exiting the museum with you. “Well, I’m doing this story. Sorry, sweetheart. I’m sure something else will come up for you.”

You bit your tongue to hold yourself back from arguing, hailing a cab from the street.

“Well, I am too,” you smiled sweetly, a cab pulling up to the curb. “May the best journalist win.”

“You’ll be okay,” he smiled back this time, stepping toward your cab. “I’m sure you’ll get used to losing. Or maybe you already are.”

You were shocked at his confidence, staring into the cab as he climbed in, jaw slack. “You getting in?” He smirked, patting the free seat beside him.

“Not with you,” you deadpanned, blood boiling at the way he shrugged and closed the door. You watched the cab pull away, arms folded over your chest like a spoilt child.

You climbed into the next cab, still in disbelief at what just unfolded with your supposed new coworker.

———

It was Friday morning the following day, and you walked into work with newfound confidence. You made your way into the large building, taking the lift to the highest floor to meet with your boss. Today he was setting you up with your own workspace and wanted to discuss what your next article would be. You knew your article would impress him, knowing the traction a story about Madame would bring. You scheduled your meeting extra early, hoping to be the first journalist to share your idea.

Once you reached his door, you knocked softly, awaiting his permission to enter.

“Come in,” you heard echo from the other side of the door, entering with a soft smile.

“Good morning,” you chirped, approaching his desk. His office was massive and had the most beautiful view of Manhattan.

“It is, isn’t it?” He smiled back, gesturing for you to sit before his desk. “We’re glad to have you on board.”

“Thank you, I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” you beamed, unable to contain the joy you felt. You hadn’t felt so excited in a long time, especially not for work.

“Speaking of opportunities, I see you’ve applied for our promotional position, yes?” He peered up at you through square framed glasses, his computer opened on what you presumed to be your file.

“Yes, sir,” you nodded, folding your hands over your lap. “I chose the topic for my article. Madame Provocateur, the French artist. She’s been the centre of a lot of controversy lately, I feel like she’ll bring us a lot of attention.”

“Well, you might have some competition,” he pursed his lips, checking the time before continuing, “our own Matthew Stone has taken an interest in her as well. He should actually be here soon.”

That motherfucker.

“May I ask what his article is specifically going to be about? Like, what topics will he cover?”

“Hm, I’ll be honest, he likes to stir the pot,” he chuckled, and you fought off a scoff. “He’ll likely be writing an exposè piece as he typically takes that route.”

You sucked your teeth, sinking back into your chair. Well, fuck. You definitely have competition.

“I’m happy for the two of you to discuss your articles, the last thing we need is interpersonal conflict.“

You heard an abrupt knock on the door, followed by none other than Mr Stone walking through the door wearing a well fitted grey suit.

You fought against the muscles in your eyes, forcing yourself not to roll them. I’m going to have a good day, you told yourself. My piece is going to be better, I am better.

“Good morning,” he grinned, taking a seat beside you. He took one look at you and his smile was wiped clean. “Oh… hello.”

“Morning,” you mumbled, shifting your eyes to your hands. The tension in the room grew thick immediately, the feeling comparable to hands around your throat.

“Do you two know each other?” Your boss spoke up, gesturing between you both.

“Nope,” you spoke up, flashing the best fake smile you could muster. You turned to face him, putting your hand out for Matt to shake. “Y/N, you must be Matthew? It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Yeah, likewise,” he gave you an equally fake smile, squeezing your hand a bit too hard. You winced silently, pulling away.

“Matthew, Y/N is writing a piece on Madame as well.”

“Oh, is she?” He turned to you, jutting his jaw as he had the night before.

“I want you to be adults about it. You’re both located in block B, so I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to discuss.” Your boss gestured to the door, silently kicking the both of you out.

“Uh, block B, sir?” Matt questioned, tilting his head like a confused puppy would.

“Just for the time being,” he dismissed, eyes going back to his computer. “Your office is being renovated over the weekend, did you forget?”

“Oh, right, yeah.” He nodded, standing from the seat. He leaned forward and shook the bosses hand. Giving you one last look before leaving the room.

You followed suit, thanking your boss before following after the tall brunette. His steps were so large, you struggled to keep up. He got in the elevator and you had to practically run to make it in. He just laughed under his breath while you stared him down with daggers.

“So what’s your plan, huh?” You finally broke the silence between you both, immediately annoyed at the drawn out sigh he released. “An exposè?”

“Controversy sells,” he shrugged. “You’ll learn that after you get more… experience.”

You scoffed, following him out of the elevator to the B block of cubicles. “You know, I was gonna write the same thing.”

“Oh, really?” He asked, though it was more rhetorical sounding, as if it went in one ear and out the other.

“Mhm,” you followed him to two empty desks, one presumably yours as he took a seat at the one to the right. You took your seat, setting down your belongings, leaning on your elbows before continuing, “I have some connections.”

“Connections?” He scoffed, shaking his head before logging into his computer.

“I know where she’s headed this Saturday.” You spoke matter-of-factly.

“Mhm, the Little Red Door,” he looked up to you, mocking the surprised look on your face.

“How did you-“

“Look, kid. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it would be smart for you to pick a new topic.”

“Maybe I should,” you feigned a sigh, turning to log into your own computer. He seemed pleased with himself, patting you on the back before leaving his desk. This guy clearly got too much praise from mummy and daddy and genuinely believed the sun rose every morning for him. There was no way you were letting him upstage you. Somebody needed to knock him down a few pegs, and you were the perfect person to do so.

It was 5pm now, your eyes were going all blurry from staring at the screen all day. You jumped when you felt a big hand clasp your shoulder, turning to see none other than Matthew.

“Sorry, jumpy,” he laughed, gesturing to the clock on the wall. “It’s 5pm on a Friday. I’m not spending another minute longer in this building. Let’s go.”

“Let’s go?” You scoffed, logging off your computer and grabbing your things. He was still standing there… waiting for you?

“What’s an uptight girl like you get up to on a Friday night, hm?” He walked with his hands in his pockets, seemingly only bringing his phone and car keys to work. Douche.

“Oh, where to begin?” You joked, stepping into the elevator with him.

“I’m heading out for a drink if you wanna come,” he suggested, eyes scanning your face. Was he seriously asking you out?

“Maybe another time,” you shrugged, trying to maintain the attitude that you didn’t care. Or at least make him believe that. “Got a lot of research to do tonight. This guy at work stole my idea so uh, while he’s wasting time at the bar, I’ll be getting closer to my promotion.”

“I stole your idea?” He laughed incredulously, shaking his head at you. “I knew you were young but I didn’t think you were so immature.”

“Geez, sorry. Didn’t mean to strike a nerve,” you studied his face, the way his eyebrows knitted together when he was frustrated, the way he lazily leaned against the rails in the elevator. The way his dress shirt hugged his biceps so nicely. Stop, you scolded yourself mentally. “You don’t get rejected often, do you?”

He just shrugged, staring ahead at the elevator doors. “You might be pretty, but your looks don’t mean anything if you’re a bitch. I was just trying to be nice.”

You stood there, a bit speechless. This guy confused you on every level. First he was an arrogant asshole, then didn’t speak to you all day, then asks you out for drinks?

“I’m a bitch because I don’t want to go out with you? Get over yourself,” you scoffed for what felt like the thousand time that day, rolling your eyes at him.

“Don’t worry about it, kid,” he stepped through the elevator doors, walking away as he continued, “enjoy your ‘research,’” making air quotes with his fingers.

Why was I so rude? Wait, was I even rude? I’m allowed to say no. You were left again, conflicted and rendered speechless with one underlying thought.

He thinks I’m pretty.

When you got home, you followed your very structured routine. Feed the dog, shower, have dinner, then you could relax. You tried to do what you set out to do, pulling out your laptop to start your research.

All you could think about was Matthew, Matthew, Matthew. He plagued your brain; his pretty eyes, warm, deep voice, the way your stomach flipped when you kept replaying the moment he asked you for drinks.

Why did I say no? You mentally cursed yourself, deciding to crack open a bottle of red and try enjoy yourself. Truth is, you wanted to say yes. But something was holding you back. Maybe if you softened once you’d let him walk all over you? Maybe being nice was his way of throwing you off your game? Too late now.

You fought the thoughts of him the best you could, but eventually, you were overcome with curiosity. You reluctantly opened facebook, typing in his name. Turns out Matt Stone was a very common name. You eventually found him, seeing you had a few mutual friends.

Funny, when he wasn’t scowling or laughing at your expense, he was actually very handsome. Like… gorgeous. Aquiline nose comparable to a Greek God, the sharpest jawline you’d seen in a long time. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled, and his lips curved up revealing a small gap in his front teeth. You continued to scroll through his pictures, getting deep enough to see pictures from his early twenties. Woah. Big hair. Lots and lots of curls, and those oval framed glasses he seemingly always had.

You learned a bit about him. He was roughly 5-10 years older than you. He went to college in Colorado, but must’ve dropped out. He clearly thought he was hot shit, judging by the hundreds of photos on his timeline. He was unbelievably handsome, but you’d never give him the satisfaction of knowing you thought that.

By the time you’d finished the whole bottle of wine, the liquid courage coursed through your veins, controlling your fingers, adding him as a friend.

Shit, what if he thinks I was stalking him?

He added you back almost immediately so… too late. You tried to ignore the giddy feeling you got when you got the notification, opting for blaming it on the alcohol.

———

You had a somewhat productive day, having written the beginning of your article and feeling pretty good about it. Tonight, Madame was going to be at the Little Red Door; a small-ish bar located in downtown Manhattan. It was quite exclusive, but luckily, you had connections. It was relatively cold in Manhattan you’d grown to learn, so you put on a mid length, beige Burberry coat, with a fitted black dress underneath for once the alcohol heated you up. Your black stilettos clacked along the wooden floor in your apartment as you grabbed your handbag and headed out. It was approaching 7pm, and this was around the time Madame was expected to show.

You walked in, being greeted by the bartender you occasionally hooked up with. Whoops.

“How’s my favourite lady?” He beamed, already preparing your drink without you having to order.

“So so,” you smiled, tilting your hand side to side. “And you?”

“Better now,” he grinned, sliding the martini toward you. “This one’s on the house. Talk soon, okay?”

You nodded, blushing a bit as you found a table to sit at. He was handsome, tall, dark features, tattoos completely covering his arms. He was nice enough too, had a nice place, nice car. He was a bit of a coke head though, so you reserved your time with him for strictly sex only.

Fifteen minutes passed and still no Madame. You were halfway through your second martini when Matthew walked in. You knew he would be here, part of the reason you spent extra time on your makeup tonight.

You watched him order, deciding whether you should approach him or act like you didn’t see him. He seemed to have made his mind up, walking straight past you to an empty booth. Your heart accelerated when you saw him. Dressed more casually than at work, but still, he looked so clean. A black fitted t-shirt with black slacks. He had a silver chain on and his usual watch. He watched the band performing live music as he sipped on his beer, tapping the table along to the song.

Either he actually didn’t see you, or he was pretending not to. There he goes stealing my idea again. You decided to bite the bullet, taking a deep breath before grabbing your drink and approaching his table. He finally acknowledged you as you walked over, eyeing you up and down, righting himself in his seat.

You slid into the booth, blank expression. “Matt.”

He cleared his throat, bringing his gaze to your eye level.

“Jumpy,” he nodded toward you, taking another sip of his beer.

“I want to apologise for being rude to you,” you couldn’t meet his gaze, always having a weird reaction to sincerity. “You were just trying to be nice and I was being salty. Sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it,” he smiled slightly, looking to his hands on the table. “Shouldn’t have called you a bitch.”

You sucked your teeth, only nodding in response. It was slightly awkward considering you only met two days ago and you’d already gone through the emotions of despise and lust for this man.

“I don’t think she’s coming,” you broke the silence, fiddling with the toothpick in your martini.

“That’d be my luck,” he sighed, running his hand through his hair.

Again, awkward silence. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. “Want another drink?”

He nodded, eyes glued to the band playing across the bar. Asshole. Whatever, you were gonna leave after this drink anyway.

You wandered back up to the bar, ordering a drink for you and your coworker.

Your occasional friends with benefits bartender looked almost offended, looking in the direction of Matt. “You on a date?”

“Him? Oh god no,” you shook your head incessantly, scrunching your face up in distaste. “Co-worker. We just happened to run into each other, I guess. He’s a prick.”

“Want me to spit in his drink?” He laughed, and you laughed too for the first time tonight. You shook your head again, taking the drinks from him.

“Thank you,” you smiled, walking away still giggling. Matt’s eyes were trained on you as you approached the booth again, sliding the drink to him.

“Weird, you must have a funny side,” he murmured, taking the drink from you.

“Are you gonna thank me, or?” You deadpanned, both of you in a staring competition now.

“Thank you,” he smiled, eyes still glued to you. “So who is that guy?”

“Just a friend,” you shrugged, eyes finally leaving his.

“Friends don’t look at each other like that,” he pursed his lips, toying with the neck of his bottle. “Are you fucking him?”

You snapped your head around at this, sure your ears were deceiving you. “‘Scuse me?”

“C’mon, you’re obviously screwing each other.”

“I- wh- that isn’t any of your business, Matthew,” you stuttered, tripping over your own tongue as your cheeks reddened. His face lit up at your implicit admission, a little bit surprised.

“Guess you aren’t as uptight as I thought,” he chuckled, and you threw him a glare.

“Like you’ve never had meaningless sex before,” you rolled your eyes, unamused by the mischievous look on his face.

He shrugged, still grinning. “Touché. I wanna hear more about this. Wanna do some shots?”

[yerrenica]

OMG I really loved your yi zaha content . Can you please make a fluff oneshot of him

[Y/N] has a problem, you see. It is a very big, very difficult problem, and it involves one raven-haired martial artist and the fact that their heart beats a tad bit too quickly when news of the man reaches their ears. Or when the man talks to them. Or when the man—

Whenever Jaha Lee was in a 10-meter radius, really. 

See, this was an extremely large problem, because Jaha, like the bastard he is, was becoming too much of a distraction for them. 

How was he being a distraction, you ask?

Well, [Y/N] would be happy to rant tell you. Firstly, whenever there was a commotion outside, [Y/N] would instantly get distracted and just have to check whether or not it was Jaha creating trouble again, which was a far cry from before, back when they just went about their days not caring about a thing in the world.

And another thing: the colour red was associated with Jaha far too much. A flash of red could appear in the corner of [Y/N]'s eyes, and they just couldn't help but glance at it to see if it was the man, and ignore the sag of their shoulders when they confirmed it wasn't. It wasn't fair, really. Jaha shouldn't be going around spilling blood everywhere. His violent tendencies didn't do good things for [Y/N]'s heart. 

...

[Y/N] lied. Jaha shouldn't stop. Jaha's fighting abilities were too attractive.

And there exactly lies the problem. Jaha's sword skills were beautiful, Jaha himself was beautiful, and [Y/N] had no choice but to confront a problem they weren't ready for; to answer a question that they had absolutely none of the answers to. 

[Y/N] blinked, going through their train of thought once more before they pursed their lips, feeling a sort of second-hand offence for what they had just thought. Jaha wasn't just beautiful. Honestly, [Y/N] could look through a thesaurus and they still wouldn't be able to find a word good enough to describe Jaha and how perfect he was. 

[Y/N] sat in his chambers and stared blankly.

Before they knew it, they held a thesaurus in their hands. 

Then they slammed the book against their head without hesitation.

Oh my god, they were so screwed.

After a few moments of [Y/N] laying flat on the floor with the book over their face, the doors to their chambers burst open, and in comes Hongshin with her signature smile. "Dinner's rea— what are you doing?" She stared blankly at [Y/N].

"I might just challenge Jaha to a death match."

Hongshin sighed. This wasn't the first time she stumbled upon [Y/N] dramatizing the hell out of their feelings for Jaha. "Absolutely do not do that, you idiot." She moved to grab her friend by the arm and drag them across the floor to the dining area. Along the way, they kept talking about how being killed by Jaha Lee would be a "thank you" worthy act. Hongshin, of course, decided to tune it out.

Once there, [Y/N] stood up with a deep exhale and sat down. They looked around, noticing that their Master was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Jaha?"

Seongtae chimed in. "Said he wanted to eat his dinner outside or something."

And just like that, [Y/N] was back on their feet, setting off to look for Jaha. The first place they thought to look at was the roof—you could always find Jaha cultivating there, and it was a nice and chilly place during the evening. Once they did not find him, they thought of the plum blossom tree residing near the training grounds. Jaha frequented it a lot, so surely he would be there.

And he was; looking far more beautiful than he should have... given his messy hair and bad posture. He was sitting under the tree, with a bowl of rice in hand, eating away with a nonchalant look on his face. The chilly evening wind gave him an almost enchanting appearance as it tousled the man's hair. The pale stars were sliding into their places. The whispering of the plum blossoms was almost hushed. All about them it was still and shadowy and sweet. It was at times like this that [Y/N] felt their difficulties about having feelings for Jaha melting away and getting weaker to the warmth that they brought. To be able to look at someone, and see them as one's own world was a pleasant feeling. It made one forget about the real world for a brief second.

"You're staring."

"You mind?" [Y/N] asked as they went to sit next to Jaha, legs crisscrossed.

With a mouth full of rice, Jaha mumbled. "No. You look cute."

"What?"

Swallowing his food, he turned to look at [Y/N]. "I said you look like a sack of shit when you do. So yes, I do mind."

There was silence.

"I should start spitting in your food, great brother. More cholesterol would do you good." [Y/N] scoffed, eyebrows furrowing as they looked away from Jaha, focusing their gaze forward.

Jaha's hand, which was moving the chopsticks to his mouth, stopped for a moment. He pursed his lips. That was not what he meant to say. He did not mean it at all. It simply came out on instinct. The moment he heard [Y/N]'s words of confusion, it was as if his mind registered it as disgust and acted out in self-defence. And now there was an awkward silence between them.

He glanced at [Y/N], observing their sullen expression. Why on earth was this bothering him so much? When did he start caring about little things like this? These questions irked the crap out of him, but maybe that's just what happens when you live long enough. Everything's so damned irksome, and irrational.

Finally, he brought the chopsticks to his mouth. "Do that and I'll kill you." His eyes furrowed as he chewed, realizing what he just said. Why on God's green earth was he threatening them now? Did he have any control over his mouth? He felt like screaming.

Quickly, trying to regain control of his words, he blurted out. "And besides, aren't you way too close to me?"

"That's because I'm this close to shoving my fist down your throat." [Y/N] muttered, glaring at Jaha, their appearance resembling that of an angry cat. Now this was strange as well. Jaha didn't feel disrespected, not in the slightest. Rather, he felt amused, thrilled even to have [Y/N] talk to him like this.

Nobody could tell whether they were flirting or fighting right now.

"Oh, I'd love to see you try." Jaha urged them on, leaning in closer as he smirked, his bowl of rice now seated beside him. [Y/N] observed him momentarily, before a smirk graced their features. With swift motions they placed their hands behind them on the concrete, and moved their upper body slightly up, their leg going for Jaha's throat. Their movements were quick and precise, and only because Jaha was Jaha did he evade them, leaning back just enough to let [Y/N]'s leg miss him entirely. Pressing their body weight on their hands seated behind them on the concrete, they did a backflip, now standing up before Jaha with a wide smile.

"Dodging? That's all?"

Jaha smiled slightly, and in an instant he found himself behind [Y/N], reaching out his hand towards them, but to his surprise, they ducked before leaping further away from Jaha.

"Now look who's dodging."

"It's more shameful for you since you're supposed to be the leader of this sect, great brother." [Y/N] held their hands behind their back, snickering at the sight of the slight contortion of Jaha's eyebrows. "But regardless... aren't you missing something?" They moved one hand from behind their back, revealing Jaha's red hair tie draped over their fingers. Jaha's eyes widened slightly, his hand instinctively moving behind his head to touch his hair, only to realize that his hair was swaying freely behind him. He focused his gaze back on [Y/N], who was standing before him with a triumphant smile.

His heart skipped a beat.

"How did you..."

[Y/N] chuckled. "It'd take hours to explain."

Jaha would listen to them for hours.

He quickly moved his feet, reaching for the hair tie in [Y/N]'s hands, only to see their hand move away from his reach, and their entire body along with it. Their robes being rocked by the subtle waft made each of their moves seem elegant, which spurred Jaha even more. This wasn't a serious battle. It was not a showcase of strength; it was more of a dance being guided by the swaying winds. Each of their movements through the roofs of the place, the branches, and the bases guided their bodies closer to each other in a chase of longing. This was never about the ribbon, but combat was the language they spoke the best, so how else would they ever showcase their desire for one another?

Their gazes locked as they moved with precision. Jaha always wondered what crossed their mind whenever they looked at him in such a candid way.

"Great brother, is the food you ate slowing you down?"

A flicker of amusement danced in Jaha's eyes. "I'm merely humouring your fickle attempts at evading me." His body was close to theirs as they moved on top of a roof, his chest meeting [Y/N]'s as Jaha moved his feet quicker, purposely placing a foot behind theirs so they'd fall over on their back, but Jaha was quick to catch them, his hand placed intimately over their back as he gazed into their eyes.

It was the beating of their hearts that made it seem as though time stopped. Jaha's free hand rested on theirs, sliding the ribbon past their fingers. "Caught you."

A single question ran through Jaha's mind. Why them? Why after all these years, after two lifetimes, after hundreds of people met, did he fall for them? Why not for all the others? What made them so different from everyone else before them?

But it was simple.

Why would he choose anyone else when [Y/N] exists?

Seeing the slight shift in [Y/N]'s gaze, he wasn't certain whether it was disdain or reciprocation of his unspoken feelings, so he decided to pull away, steadying them back on their feet as he shifted his gaze to the side.

"Good effor—"

Before he could finish speaking, [Y/N]'s hands were cupping his face, and his gaze was turned back on theirs.

"What a coward." They said through flushed cheeks and slightly furrowed brows. Their lips met his in a tender kiss. Without much thought Jaha's hands found themselves behind [Y/N]'s back, pulling them closer. He touched them, and it felt as if the stars were dancing upon their skin. It was a collision of desire, a meeting of souls, as their mouths moved in a synchronized rhythm. Their kiss was both tender and fervent, a passionate dance of exploration. They lost themselves in the intoxicating taste and texture of each other as if discovering a long-lost treasure.

Their bodies pressed closer, their hearts pounding in sync with the fervour of their embrace. [Y/N]'s fingers entwined in his hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss with a hunger that burned through their veins. Jaha let out a low groan at the tug of his hair. He pulled away slightly, breaking the string of saliva which connected their lips for a mere moment. He smiled.

"You're eager."

"And you're without your ribbon once again." With a playful grin, they moved away from Jaha, showcasing his ribbon tangled between their fingers once more. "Catch me again and I may consider rewarding you again."

Jaha wasted no time in going after them once more, his soft laughter filling the moonlit sky. He didn't mind catching them again, and again, for as many times as he had to, if it meant that they'd stay in his arms for just a moment longer.

[finalfrontierpublishing]

A 00q anthology this time

So i've recently been cursed by 'failureitis' and things with my latest binds keep going wrong. I suppose it's also part and parcel of trying new things.

In this case i've been plagued by overconfidence and despite knowing i should do tests with new bookcloth to see how it takes HTV, i did not (ah, hubris!)

Well guys, Chromo bookcloth is coated with something or another and HTV just slides off it like butter. it's such a lovely bronze colour- BUT WHAT AN ABSOLUTE PAIN IN THE ASS!

I've been told it adheres after intense pressing and even then it may not adhere for long - i had initially done a cover design with Siser Metallic (my nemesis), which doesn't like to be overpressed and tends to melt at the slightest provocation. I gave up after multiple presses when it started to warp and crinkle, a clear sign it was in rebellion mode but it was still NOT adhering to the case.

And so I had to change tack and decided to do some pretty Japanese paper on the cover - ooh look, glue stains, because i was at my wits end and wasn't careful with my glue management. you can tell i gave up somewhat - I could have persisted with some titling on the paper but I just wanted this bind to be over.

Statistics:

173K words || 610 pages

Body text: Liberation serif, 11 point

Accents: Baron Neue Black and Bahnschrift Condensed

I did have a good time with the french double core endbands - 3 colours guys, I love how french double core looks though i'm still working on my consistency and tension - i'm also struggling to get the perfect colour contrast combinations as well as the planning my patterns properly so i can create something fancy looking. I matched them to the endpapers for once, a trick i learnt from Manda, and I really like how they looked!

I also found a ton of missed typos in the text block on a quick perusal, which absolutely shows the quality of my typesetting checks drops whenever i have to do anthologies - I just lack the stamina to do them with attention so i really should restrict word counts because i just end up doing a shitty job.

Ultimately, in a final moment of failure, I had some fuckery going on when i cased in - I managed to crease the endpapers somehow while casing in (DOUBLE FUCK), and i think the book is also not perfectly aligned so the front cover has an odd tension on opening due to creasing, and this has never happened to me despite having some experience in casing in text weight endpapers. the bind is cursed, guys. gad, maybe someone's made a bookbinding voodoo doll of me and has stuck me like a piñata so i'll keep fucking up my binds. Jesus, do I wish this run of bad luck in binding will end soon.

As always, a quick shelfie to make myself feel better. i've had to move my dinosaur (aptly named Thesaurus by PIP!) because i am fast running out of space.

My next plan is to complete 2 more binds - both of them blind- and then move on to the author copies I owe. I've received such gratifying and positive commentary regarding receiving author copies that I'm quite revved up and ready to go. Hopefully the next couple of binds will go more smoothly and I will be back in the thick of it once again.

[aquadestinyswriting]

I would love just like, a little thesaurus of words/places/names from your work and their meanings and stuff. I don't know how else to explain it, like where you came up with the names and for words that are for your story, how you named things. Does...does this make any sense?

Hi Sparrow, this is such an interesting ask. I do get what you're going for with it and I'll be happy to answer for the stuff that isn't canon to the Titan Fighting Fantasy franchise or D&D, though I will point out where words or phrases are literally just direct translations of Scottish Gaelic. I will also point out where I wasn't the creator of the name or phrase, because I'm not going to do Dru or my husband dirty like that. Speaking of, tagging in @druidx because she might have more nuanced answers to give for some of these.

Places

Ok so let's start with the easier list of the lot shall we?

Toreguard(e): This one was created by my husband as the starting town for all of the D&D campaign adventures that I write about. I've asked my husband if it has an actual literal meaning and he's told me that it doesn't, but it was inspired by Norse words from the viking times. As an aside, 'Tor' does have a meaning, which is literally just 'hill'. So the name can probably be roughly translated to 'Hill Guardian' or something of the sort.

Kar'ak Ungor: The original name of the mountain of Wyrmholme (which is in itself relatively self-explanatory, i.e. wyrm/dragon home). This was taken from the Warhammer Fantasy dwarven language of Khazalid. 'Kar' literally just means 'big stone', which is what a mountain is. The signifier -ak is technically not the correct use of the language as it's used for concepts and not places, but it rolls off the tongue better than Kar'az to me. Besides, this is a different world, so I can do what I like :P . As for Ungor, that was taken from Khazalid as well. It directly translates as 'cavern', but I use it to also mean 'red' in Titan. So the direct translation of the name is 'Red/Cavernous Mountain'

Kar Kherril: The name of this dwarven hold was inspired by Khazalid, but not taken directly from it. It's also a shortened form of the full name since a lot of people can't pronounce the full one, which I've decided is probably Kar'ak Kherrilimir, which would translate directly as 'Mountain of Kherillim's Children'. As an aside; Kherillim is the Titan Fighting Fantasy canon dwarven name for Throff, so I tend to use both names dependent on the context.

Phrases and Words

cridhe-dàime: This was taken directly from Scottish Gaelic and it technically actually translates to 'heart-dame' but I use the second half as 'kin' since I typically use it in the context of Meredith and Elowyn quite specifically, and it rolls off the tongue better than 'piuthar', which is the Scottish Gaelic word for sister. The masculine equivalent would be cridhe-bràthair.

Moradhir: Ok, so part of this one is taken from Moradin (which is the D&D god of the dwarves), but I added the suffix '-hir' in to denote the people who worship Moradin. I'm not sure where I might have got that from, in all honesty. I think I was just trying out different sounds until I got one that sounded 'right'.

I'll link to the Language page of the Wiki for the various words and phrases Dru came up with, as quite as few of them are to do with swearing, and some of the translations are a bit too much for Tumblr directly. That and, if I put them all here, that would make the post 'colour of the sky' long, which no one wants in text form.

Most of the rest of these are basically taken directly from Scottish Gaelic, or Scots but I sprinkle them around my writing.

Hen: This is a Scots word that I use all the time irl. I think it's equivalent to 'hun', which is short for 'honey', which is used as a pet name of sorts in some English-speaking countries. This Scots version, though, is generally used as a sort of pet name for female friends and is pretty universally used as a term of endearment (at least, in my experience).

Ken: Old English and still a modern Scots word for 'know'

Mo Ghoal: Scottish Gaelic for 'my love'

Fear Goalach: Scottish Gaelic for 'beloved man'

Bairn/Wean: Scots words for small children

Those are the main ones I can think of off the top of my head. If you have questions about any others you've come across and you want clarification, let me know.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

16. Shock Marriage for the Powerful Spaniard by Cathy Williams: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was addicted to this cheeseball of a book. I'm trying to read through my large (and thrifted) Harlequin book collection, and this was the first one of the year. I'm happy it was because even though it had the typical cheesiness, stilted dialogue, thesaurus raiding, and the confusing use of an Italian term of endearment spoken by a supposed Spanish man, it wasn't a slow book in the least. It was quick, addicting, and had a couple of spicy scenes.

I do have to side-eye the cover creator because the FMC was supposed to have a "latte" coloured complexion (which I hated, but also made her not white. Love that whitewashing of a cover.

Read this for entertainment purposes, not for much else. Although, I AM a sucker for this trope.

___

17. We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am grateful to the person who put this book on my radar (thank you m/m reddit group). This book was beautiful and full of admittedly high stressful moments, made a little bit worse by my anxiety that this was going to end like so many books that were written during the decades that this book is set in. Actually, I love that one of the MCs comments on this because it's always been one of my pet peeves when it comes to classic Queer books.

I loved the dynamics between these two characters and how they worked off each other. They were amazing together and even though they weren't perfect, I loved their vulnerability and related to their anxiety (I have a bad habit of empathizing too much with characters when I'm reading from their perspectives). Their love felt like such a naturally progressive thing and whenever they described how they saw each other, my heart did a little dance for them. Although the story spans just a bit over a year (maybe more?) it felt like these two were friends for years.

I also adored the side characters and the found family they offered to the characters. During a time where trust was a gift, these two were gifted with the very best. If they were real people, I only wish that they got to live the best rest of their lives together possible.

In a way, I wanted to cry at the end of this book. The journey, their love, their growth, and the fact that this was reflective of how so many Queer people might have lived during those decades (and some still live this way). It's so heartbreaking knowing people can't just...exist and love who they want. It's mind-blowing.

Anyway, this was sweet, angsty, sexy, and touching. I loved it so much.

___

18. Lotus by Jennifer Hartmann: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mega-TWs for this book--the author includes them at the beginning of the book. Including CSA.

Jennifer Hartmann has quickly become one of my favourite authors. This is only my second book by her, but it was so exceptional that now I MUST have every single one of her books. STILL BEATING had me in such a chokehold that I didn't think it was possible to have the same addicted experience to another book by her, but I was WRONG.

LOTUS was a dark, romantic, and trauma laced read. Everyone had their own past trauma to confront and I think that's a realistic take because most of us have something we're struggling with in our adult lives. The way Hartmann tackles trauma and somehow still finds the beauty in the dark and in what scares us is truly masterful. She offers possibilities to people who have lost hope of any sort of future. It was tear-inducing, but also such an experience.

The MMC was so well-written and I love that Hartmann was consistent in his persona throughout the whole book. He was so endearing and I just wanted to protect him from the world. Side note: every time I thought of him, I saw the actor who plays Reacher in the show of the same name. Iykyk. The way he cared for the FMC was so pure and like she mentions early in the book, he hasn't been tainted or jaded by humanity. He was a beautiful human being.

The FMC was the epitome of "smile and fake it till you make it". She was quirky and fun, but also carried some heavy reminders of how fragile life is. Though I got frustrated with her a few times, I also completely understood why she was the way she was.

The way everything came together at the end had me yelling "I KNEW IT!", because apparently I'm a book detective, was amazing. Even though the twist is heartbreaking and had me crying a bit, it was so powerful and had everything come together so perfectly.

Hartmann gave every character introduced a life and a heart--and she made them all vulnerable and showed how strong those characters were for their imperfections.

I loved, loved, loved this book.

___

19. Eragon by Christopher Paolini: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read January 2024

I read this about 16 years ago, so it felt like I was reading it for the first time. I listened to the audiobook, which I love to do when I'm re-reading, and let me just prepare you: the voice actor is no bueno at magical voices LOL.

Anyway, the story itself was fun and I like to think it stood the test of time. It was fun, full of adventure, and being older, I can tell this story was written by a younger author. This is in no way a bad thing--in fact, I think it made it more believable for me that this MC is only 15-16. The writing felt more like the author was going on his own adventure and he really loved reading fantasy books. It was just pure fun. Although at times, I seriously was impressed with his mastery over the English language with his writing.

Overall, this was a fun re-experience. Some points were a little on the slower side, but I can also see that this is building that foundation for an epic series. Will definitely be re-reading the sequel!

___

20. Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was worried about the hype surrounding this book because hype and I aren't always the best of friends. But listen, I started the audiobook one night and finished the book the following day. THIS WAS SO ADDICTING and brilliant.

I highly recommend doing the audiobook--it's a full cast and minus the music (there wasn't any), this felt like a podcast and I adore those kinds of stories.

I'm impressed with how Hunter was able to create such strong personalities with other an initial description of what each specialist does for a living and their dialogue (especially since the story is told in the style of a script and other multimedia add ons, like photos and maps and clues.) But I think hearing the voice actors give life to these characters also helped a lot.

The twists had my eyebrows rising and my smile of surprise growing after every episode. And when all was revealed, that last punch of a surprise had me wishing I could yell at someone about it. Fantastic.

Normally, thrillers and I are very hit or miss--this was 100% a hit with me. So much freaking fun.

___

21. Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of my favourite things in romance novels is something that I know a lot of people don't like: little to no conflict. Maybe it's because it's a novella, but this one was such a breath of fresh air. Communication? No misunderstandings? Respect for your partner? No bullshitting around the truth? Sign me right up.

My biggest regret is reading this in January rather than during the holidays!

I loved the two MCs' friendship and how it was the perfect foundation for their relationship. That being said, I did think it all happened super quick and while I know this is because this is a novella, but I wouldn't have minded if this was a bit of a longer book--just so we could dive a bit more into their past and their relationships with the people around them.

This was also SPICY. I listened to the audiobook and the I would pause what I was doing just to stand there and listen with hot cheeks. This was hot HOT. If you like that in romance novels, yeah, this is for you. It was super caliente and I was very here for it.

I highly recommend, not just for the spice, but because this relationship is so pure and it was just a bite of happiness between two friends who should have been more all along but finally found their way to each other. Also, there may be some relatable moments in here and I just--yeah.

___

22. The Measure by Nikki Erlick: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think THE MEASURE is a great metaphor for how the world treats people it considers "other" and just how interlaced we all truly are at the end of the day.

While the story itself is about the strings and the lengths they offer the individual, at the core of this story is a message about how we view life and how others view our own lives. It's that continuous question of: if my life is mine, why does it bother you what I do with it? And then using the small few to crucify the rest with inane laws and prejudices. Many of the events in this book could easily mirror what is continuously happening in our societies.

We get to see the story of THE MEASURE play out through various characters and as their lives come together and separate, I was constantly in awe of how it was all happening. I wanted certain answers and knew I had to be happy with whatever I was offered because like the characters, I only had the strings and the theories to go off.

I won't lie, this made me cry a few times. I felt anger and heartache, joy at the power of humanity and love, and awe at the smallness of the world.

While I loved this book, I wouldn't say it was a favourite of the year, but it was definitely memorable and I'd definitely recommend it. The last author to make me feel like this about books that explore this kind of message was Karen Thompson Walker.

I highly recommend THE MEASURE if you're looking for a book that will challenge you to look at your life and ask yourself: would you open the box, or keep it closed and just live your life unaware?

___

23. Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm definitely reading this series out of order, but who's keeping track, right?

I liked LOVELIGHT FARMS more than its sequel. This one was told only from the POV of the FMC, but something about this one captured my interest more. Maybe it was the angsty friendship, or the fact that everyone was saying "IT'S HAPPENING!", which was adorable.

I think I also liked the dynamic between these two characters a lot more than the characters in the second book. I think they worked a lot better than a one night (one weekend?) stand that somehow couldn't stop thinking about each other. These two characters had a history to work off and it was nice to see that evolve.

The farm was also like a character itself and I loved seeing it from this perspective--the one of a person who truly loves and breathes the space.

What I didn't like so much was the stupid miscommunication that happened near the end because of the FMC's assumptions, fears, and anxieties. I get it, love is scary af, but you know what's scarier? Miscommunications.

Other than that blip, I really enjoyed this one and I can see how anyone who reads this is easily pulled into this fun and quirky contemporary world!

___

Have you read any of these books? Would you recommend them?

___

Happy reading!

[beannary]

If you need help with setting scenes, try what I do:

every time i see a picture in my head, i zoom in on one piece, like leaves on the ground. i think of the word i want to focus on; the leaves, and write it. then i write where they are in space; the ground. what other details do i see? are they crunchy or fresh? write that down. are they red? do they stand out or blend in? are they in piles or just scattered? where are they in the story? is it on a path?

then, when i have a bunch of words all jumbled together, i put them in order with my thesaurus words in the middle.

example:

the LEAVES littered the GROUND, CRUNCHING underfoot. their vibrant RED colour made them STAND OUT from where they lie, SCATTERED across the PATH.

sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it gets me thinking.

oh wait this is actually super helpful!! thanks gumball :D

[angrymadsygin]

Nine People I'd Like to Get to Know Better:

Thanks @ladyvaderpixetc for the tag.😚

Last Song: Alice Cooper - Poison ☠️

Favourite Colour: Green, the non-colour black, purple/mauve/violet and all the earthy colours.

Currently Watching: The Sandman (spoiler: very gory!)

Last Movie: Dune part 2 (the last adaptation)

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: Savory & Spicy. I used to like sweet but I have to be cautious with my blood sugar. 😒

Relationship Status: boringly married. 🥱

Current Obsession: Everything Thorki. I just love the boys! They look perfect together and incomplete when separated. ⛈️❤️💚❄️

Last Thing Googled: One Look Thesaurus.😅

Tagging: Anyone who'd like to play really, not sure if it had to remain part of the long post, but I decided to play it separately. It was becoming too long for me. Moots, have at it! You're all invited!

[pianocat939]

Hey Celina-

So I've been wanting to start a writing blog myself and I have a vague idea on what I wanna write about. But I don't know how to exactly write it...

I was wondering, how does your writing process go? What do you do in longer pieces specifically?

I'm a hellfire of a writer and I find it absolutely hilarious that people want advice from me, but I'm more than honoured to give you my burnt pasta advice-

Ok first things first- give yourself like a minute to think of a big idea-

Like nothing too specific- for example not a whole sentence explaining the plot or character, rather just a few words: Ex. Evil Queen.

From there I like to jot down the words onto the document/platform I'm working on and start typing out random sentences that come to mind.

This can be both starting the story or fleshing out the character. That way, you don't have to be stuck on thinking of writing a specific topic.

Now there's one thing I like to point out in particularly how I write. I like to stick with my initial image of the character HEAVILY. I don't know if people notice this, but I keep a common theme with most of characters from when I first wrote them. [Unless if it's an AU of some sort]. Ex. personality traits, background, etc.

From there I usually end up building an outline of the plot.

Now my teachers have always said to keep your outline like a few words long, but I like keeping my bullet points detailed. So my points end up being a few sentences each, considering I'm writing the plot.

You don't need to write your outline in a grammatically correct method nor does it have to be pretty. Like my outlines are honestly like "This mf dies by accidentally tripping and tumbling down the hill like a wheel of cheese." It's easier for me to keep track of my thoughts and often times I can add a funny thing from those said sentences.

This is the part where I start to slack off compared to other writers.

I'm sure most writers actually proofread their work and ask for peer review, but I don't lmao. (Honestly, primarily because I don't write long pieces as much)

I would suggest those, but at the same time I don't do them aha...

Anyway, once you finish your outline, give a brisk run through and cut out anything you think is unneeded or unclear. Remember, writing beautiful is easy, it's the clarity that's hard. In my case I think it's very true since I sometimes use big words.

Then you actually write your draft-

USE THE THESAURUS. I don't know how many times I've needed to say that to people. I always put a lot of synonyms for my adjectives. It gives a lot of colour.

Then carefully read your paragraphs so you can cut out anything you don't need or makes it difficult to keep clear.

I do the last few changes [adding/removing, more fancy words]

And then bam-

Finished.

(Sorry if this was messy lmao. But hey, this is how I truly write)

- Celina

[theunknownpoetandrewfoster]

9 people I want to get to know better

last song i listened to: Unbreakable by Jamie Scott (motivation for the fic im currently writing)

favourite colour: dark green (the color of Dennis' shirt in Frank Falls Out The Window)

currently watching: rewatching Friday Night Lights

last movie / tv show i watched: Due South

spicy / savory / sweet: spicy

relationship status: married

last thing i googled: a thesaurus

current obsession: it's always sunny (has been for 8 months and counting)

Tagged by : .@thegcng (these are fun so thank you! :)

Tagging : @musiclover2732 @beesallhail @zimazimazima @waywardtrek @vicvinegarandhughhoney and anyone else that wants to. Tag me if you choose to play

[zoroshonkingbazonkadonkas]

✰ about me ✰ ao3 ✰ fic masterpost ✰ send me zosan fic requests<3 ✰ spotify ✰ goodreads ✰

small very tiny intro: Navya, she/her (they/them is chill too) adult, in name if not game fair warning: there are a Lot of spoilers on here (especially one piece since im on my rewatch) a more expansive intro's here

Tagging system was so far non existent, but i'm trying to be a Little bit more organised so here's some tags:

#my beloved - for things i like- art, fanart, some beautiful post etc

#one piece rewatch 2024- the tag im using to tag one piece posts bc im rewatching it

#things im so fucking grateful for - self explanatory

#letters - for asks

#imp - for things that are important

#save- for. stuff? interchangeable w imp

#whoa (for whoa)

#nav shenanigans- a tag i will be using when ive done something (it could be funny or horrible or something im proud of, def one of those)

#later- for stuff i need to read/ watch later

#avi shenanigans- for stuff my brother does

#dad shenanigans- for stuff my dad does

Links I find important under the cut >:]

Daily click for palestine

Fundraiser masterpost

Resources for palestine, sudan etc

Dealing with executive dysfunction

important reminder wrt creating

Hacks to feel better physically quickly

basic cooking

A bunch of very very important links

Life advice??

expressing frustration

Pain scale, Fatigue scale, mental health pain scale

cute little VERY important writing post

essay writing

i. dont know how to explain this. cat and writing

writing advice

writing fight scenes

more writing advice (imp)

something (writing)

ao3 filter guide more ao3 filtering

how to google effectively

commenting on ao3 when you dont know what to say

murder strut

dealing with worst case scenarios

this blew my mind. multiplying kudos on ao3!!!!!

you can leave FAN ART in the COMMENTS of a fic on ao3

becoming an adult cheatsheet

interesting games to play improv

what to do when you see reposted art without credit

FREE online courses

things to eat when u dont have a lot of food at home

cute pokemon reminder stickers

WRITING NEEDS this looks very promising

stuck on a writing scene

kudos crab for when you need it (to bless ur writing endeavours)

how to format your story, a crash course

bongo cat

resources? for artists i think

cat candleholder

dialogue tags

for writer's block

colour thesaurus!!!!!

writing skin

southern accent

gemstones

CRACK PROMPTS SNDXWS D

how to navigate web pages having paywalls etc

documented historic names

search engine alternatives