#in my sci-fi novel series my main character's plot in book 1 is just. not clicking. and idk why

[wickedhawtwexler]

the most frustrating situation you can be in as a writer is knowing something about your story Does Not Work but having no idea what it is or why

[clairedaring]

Nonkul and Bright's experience in queer media prior to I Feel You Linger In The Air

So... I've fallen down the huge rabbit hole that is I Feel You Linger In The Air (even though I was already down bad earlier this year when I finished the novels) since the airing of the series. I've tried my best to consume everything translated IFYLITA-related content and now I'm here to summarize a few points I love about the (immaculate) casting of Nonkul and Bright.

For Nonkul

Prior to IFYLITA, Nonkul has had a few BL-adjacent projects:

2014 indie gay film "Love's Coming", where he plays a friend of the gay protagonist.

2016 sitcom series "Bang Rak Soi 9/1", where he plays a student with a crush on his straight best friend (main character played by Tongtong, who you may have known from To Sir With Love or Khun Chai)

2019 chinese bromance "Dive", where he plays the 2nd main lead who develops "strong friendship" with the protagonist as swimming teammates

But IFYLITA marks Nonkul's first time playing in a BL series where he is the protagonist.

Back in 2021, Nonkul posted this Q&A video on Facebook, where he answered the question "If you have a chance, would you consider playing in a BL series? If accepted, who do you to co-act with?". To which Nonkul went on a full long discussion on how he doesn't view BL as a genre and talks about what kind of role he would want to play (full clip below).

Transcript:

If that series is an interesting storyline for me, I am always open to any kind of genre. I never categorized BL series as an BL series, I just think of it as a series with another plot as part of my work. It is a normal series that can have any of the plots which I will categorize as Romantic Comedy, Drama or whatever. Thus, when I choose the BL series I want to work with, the love preference of the character does not affect my decision. If the plot of the series is interesting, of course I'm gonna do it for sure. Every work that I chose, I personally think it at least enjoyable for me. Of course, if in the future, there are BL series with plots that I find interesting, that I enjoyed the script. "Like, wow, that's my type!", I will definitely selected it to be my future project. A good written series is a good series. This is what I believe as an actor. - Nonkul

For BL Series, I think I can work with everyone. I don't think I have anyone in particular. One thing! I desire the character of that person/actor? to be close to the character in the series. At that point I will be satisfied. Sometimes, I as an actor have a chance to work with people who didn't have a lot of acting experience. I will still discover something new from him as well. And there is a BL novel which I really like! [Nonkul explains the plot of his favorite BL Novel 'Peremo'] I would prefer to choose the "heroine" role because it will be a new experience for me as an actor because it will be a new experience for me as an actor. Because basically I only play as a hero role for the main character or support character in my work, but a "heroine" role in a BL series is the only chance for me to play a character more feminine. So it is a new experience for me. [Nonkul continues raving about 'Peremo']. But if you think that you can make [an adaptation of Peremo], please do not forget me, Nonkul! Pleaseeeeeeee, I will do my best, I promise!!! However, I'm not only fixated on this novel. I'm also open for many more BL series if there is an interesting plot. - Nonkul

Interestingly the 3 checklists Nonkul mentioned his dream BL novel/character 'Peremo' had was 1. playing the 'heroine' role; 2. it has a LOT of action; 3. it is also sci-fi fantasy genre. And then in 2022, Nonkul booked 2 action dramas and IFYLITA which checked off criteria 1 and 3 of his wishlist (he mentioned it in this interview).

In 2022, at the beginning of IFYLITA announcement event, Nonkul mentioned that one of reasons that he accepted to play Jom in IFYLITA is that the story didn’t just put love scenes in just for fan services. Previously he had rejected some series because of that.

Nonkul read the novel prior to the acceptance of the role and you can tell he put a lot of care into bringing Jom to life (Nonkul immediately tweeting his apology after the pilot trailer is out about him accidentally using right hand to sketch (because Jom is left-handed), discussing various novel details with fans of the book at event, discussing how to punch Ohm like Jom would instead of punching him regularly as he would in other series, even giving book-film comparison commentaries in the BTS of the episodes)

Nonkul's physical and facial features are also so similar to Jom in the novel, especially his Chinese heritage is taken into account by the casting directors (Jom is also Thai of Chinese heritage iirc). Honestly kudos to P'Tee and co for snatching Nonkul.

For Bright

Prior to IFYLITA, Bright has played a supporting male gay character in the CH3 Lakorn 'Rivalry' and starred in PP Krit's MV 'It's Okay Not To Be Alright'.

But IFYLITA still marks Bright's first ever male lead role (ngl I was quite shocked when I found out about this because like the man is SIGNED to CH3, what are they doing?) AND his first official "BL" series.

Bright also accept the role of Khun Yai after he went to buy the novel and read them.

Before filming, Bright practiced a lot to portrayed Khun Yai as close to the novel as possible (the way Khun Yai walks with hands behind his back, his posture, him speaking in the different local dialect...)

Here are some translated interview questions Nonkul and Bright did before filming IFYLITA for bangkokbiznews that I found really interesting and want to share (original Thai article) (translated by twitter user lingerair/eugust)

Question: How is your individual characters? How are they similar or different from you? (1)

Nonkul: Jom and I are very different. Jom has soft and sensitive part. He cried so many times, and often gets upset with things that if it's me, I wouldn't be upset like him but his tears is already flowing. Bright: Khun Yai is quite similar with me. He's calm and wise. It's easy to be Khun Yai when I read the script. I try to put myself as Khun Yai. I'm Khun Yai and Khun Yai is me. I always think like this to be able to moderately act as Khun Yai.

Question: BL series has become a powerful "soft power". What do you about this? (2)

Nonkul: To be honest, whatever entertainment media it is, I view all of them as soft power but can't deny that during this period foreigners are especially interested in Thai Y series. I think it's a good thing. In the end, no matter what kind of content they are interested, it's a pleasant thing. Bright: Bright agrees (to that) very much. There are so many BL series with many fans both in and outside of the country, thus I think that it's good quality soft power in presenting a lot of things. Such as "I Feel You Linger In The Air" has a lot of Thai culture incorporated it in. Nonkul: Since it's period (series), it won't look like we're forcing Thai culture into (the series). We want foreigners to learn about how was it during the era and how it affects the present.

Question: This novel has a lot of fans waiting, do you feel pressured in taking a role in this? (3)

Nonkul: There's a little bit of pressure but personally, when I've worked till this point, I'm kinda used to this. I can say that I already have some expectations (for myself) and receive some pressures as a motivation in working but I'm not that stressed by it. Bright: Similar to Non, I'm a little bit pressured but we will both do our best, everyone will do their best. Fans has expectations because they want to watch the adaptation. We'll do it in our way and we hope everyone'll likes it.

As a huge fan of the novel, I just love how much love Nonkul and Bright have for the original novel and the amount "homework", care and dedication they have to crafting their characters to be as close as possible. I really hope everyone who have reservation or hesitance watching I Feel You Linger In The Air because you didn't vibe with previous Dee Hup House’s productions, should still give IFYLITA a chance (or at least try watching Episode 6 & 7) because it is seriously unlike any previous DHH’s productions (in all aspects: plot, direction, pacing, cinematography, music, lighting, color-grading, overall production…)

For my post on Bright and Nonkul's preparation for IFYLITA

[victusinveritas]

Writing advice from a good sci fi author.

Some science fiction/fantasy creative writing students I have encountered, a field guide

1. World-Savers: these are generally older students, have no real interest in SF/F, are writing a book to express political or metaphysical ideas they consider to be radical and necessary for the future of life on Earth. In reality, they're writing long Platonic dialogues about their ideas, and authority from various culture and pop culture tropes (aliens, noble savages, fairies, resurrected presidents)–to the extent that their work has a plot at all, it involves a Christ figure transforming the world via a sacrifice. The ideas aren't very radical either: "pollute less" and "love your neighbor, unless they're a dick" are common. Occasionally the message for the world has to do with something more prosaic: reverse budgeting, the evils of Affirmative Action, the importance of installing solar panels, how dare Eileen divorce me and fuck like three guys in the six months after she moved out, etc. These students are utterly confused by actually existing SF/F stories they read, and often interpret them in bizarrely sexual ways. They don't believe in numbering the pages of their manuscripts, and often attempt to submit work in PDF so it won't be stolen.

2. Children with Money: recent college grads, or drop-outs, these people have read Harry Potter, Twilight, and perhaps three or four other best-selling young adult series and nothing else. They are easily upset, especially when someone suggests reading more. Their main interests are YouTube personalities, video games, and a sort of Puritanical pansexuality that actually makes smut boring. They often "forget" to read the work of other students, and have no idea how to use a printer. They warn the other students that their story might be "too intense" because it contains, for example, a depiction of a car accident. Their stories are routinely awful, and always contain a character named "Aidan." Sometimes their parents come to class to make sure I am "not a serial killer", as though they could possibly tell from looking at me. (Oh, "Mamatas" IS a white person name...I guess?)

3. Anointed Ones: They contact me, or the people running the workshop, beforehand, to make sure that "the class is right" for them. They have file cabinets full of their stuff, and after many decades of toil, they are ready to reveal their work to the world. They just need a mentor, and an ally—could I be the one they've been searching for lo these many years? Prior workshops were full of callow teachers and jealous students. Why they were only allowed to submit ten pages a week! Some of them have actually read fairly widely, but you wouldn't know it from their work: three adjectives per noun, a fetish for speech tags other than the word "said" or no tags at all. Often these stories include as characters philosophical prostitutes with very sensitive nipples. They never miss a class and often show up more than thirty minutes early. One time, I had to hide in a closet to avoid an extensive pre-class conversation with one.

4. Frightened Proles: These have read Stephen King and Dean Koontz and sometimes even horror writers from this century. They generally have working-class jobs and write about working people who encounter the supernatural on the late shift. They really hope they can sell their novel soon, but they know it'll take a lot of work. (Ten more drafts oughta do it!) They wear baseball hats to class and look like enormous eight-year-olds. They get very excited when I mention professional wrestling or do a taiji move in class. Their significant others are often nameless—"my girlfriend" "my wife." They buy my books and bring them to class for autographs. Some of them get published after, especially flash fiction.

5. Repairables: decent writers, often involved in the SFF "scene", who need to be fixed after a bad experience with Clarion or another workshop or an overeager editor at a semipro magazine who told them some idiot nonsense they decided to believe because they were told it was "unprofessional" not to consider editorial feedback. These either get published...or lost to MFA programs, video game jobs, fandom, podcasts, or other writing-shaped pursuits. Most of them are ferocious name-droppers; the ones who heard of me beforehand know to keep quiet though.

[thedraconiclibrary]

Books with no romance

Today is Valentine’s Day, which is great for some but terrible for others. While I enjoy a good fictional romance, this post goes out to all my aromantics, those uninterested in any romantic relationships right now, those who want but don’t have any relationships, and those who just like reading books with no romance in them! Behold, the books/series I’ve read and would recommend to others that feature no romance.

Quick disclaimer: This is not a list of books with aromantic characters. As in, I did not make this list by determining if the books describe the main characters as aromantic or if they lack romantic attraction, they’re just books that happen to not have romance in them. I haven’t read widely enough to make an aromantic rep recommendations list, but plenty of other people have!

Now, without further ado…

An Altar on the Village Green by Nathan Hall

Self-published adult fantasy horror - book 1 of an ongoing series but mostly works as a standalone

There’s so much raw humanity and tragedy but the MC keeps going anyway

Beautiful prose that I still wouldn’t describe as flowery. The author has worked as an editor for years and imo it shows, as I would’ve never guessed this was a debut

Partially inspired by Soulsborne games so if you like those then you’ll probably like this, but I also loved this book as someone who’s never played any of those games

Just a very dark and unique atmosphere compared to everything else I’ve read so far

Bonus points for Nathan Hall being one of the few authors I follow on social media (Bluesky) and very clearly being an outspoken ally to the trans people and larger LGBTQ+ community

Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid

Middle grade contemporary standalone

Does a great job balancing the time spent on the “am I asexual” plotline and the “how do I contextualize the traumatic event I experienced” plotline (and doesn’t makes the MC asexual because of trauma)

Despite the main character fitting the parameters for being aroace, asexuality is the only element really explored here. It wasn’t done in a way that bothered me when I read it, seeing as it’s a middle grade work and told its story so well, but in hindsight I feel it needs mentioning

I really liked how much of a real person the main character felt and how she really did feel like a middle schooler trying to figure things out

Appreciated the book’s handling of trauma and how messy the main character’s path to understanding it was. Again, really felt like how a middle schooler would process this and not how an adult would

Just honestly a lovely little read

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Ongoing adult sci-fi novella series (with 1 full-length novel)

What can I say about Murderbot that hasn’t already been said

I relate very much to this socially anxious robot

Man I wanna reread this series

For me this is very much a main character driven read (less in a “what a complex exploration of this person’s inner mind” way and more in a “I love you so much and want to read about everything you do” way). If you don’t love Murderbot after reading the first book then I wouldn’t bother trying to continue

The plots mostly hinge on classic “well this current event happening isn’t good, guess I have to save everyone’s lives now” action

Gallant by VE Schwab

Young adult fantasy standalone

Definitely a vibes-based read for me

I’ve seen some people call this horror but I’d have to disagree. It does have some gothic vibes, but I never really felt horror. But I suppose your mileage may vary, so if you never read any horror at all maybe consider this at the edge of your comfort zone

The main character is mute! Lovely! It definitely factors into the main character’s treatment and worldview, but it’s never “fixed” in the narrative or such. She’s mute when the book begins and is still mute when the book ends

If you can read things with your eyes, I’d highly recommend doing so because the book has lots of beautiful art! For me it really made an impact on the reading experience (and also takes up a significant amount of the page count). I’m not really sure how the audiobook is handled or what accessible options exist for this work for people who can’t see, so, bear that in mine

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Adult literary fiction standalone

My experience with literary fiction has been very hit or miss but this was a big hit

Equal parts entertaining and thought provoking

Really liked the main character, and looking back on it now that I know I’m autistic, I think she reads very autistic as I relate to a lot of her struggles. I’d have to reread it to give a firm opinion on that though

Very strong writing style imo, I think you’ll quickly know whether the authorial voice works for you or not

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Middle grade sci-fi standalone

Sad and dark but also hopeful, a very emotional read that doesn’t hold its punches

Emphasis on storytelling and Latinx heritage, also incorporating Spanish words into the text in a way that is still easy to follow if you don’t speak Spanish (which I currently don’t but would like to learn soon)

Haven’t personally seen another middle grade like this and would recommend it regardless of if you typically read this age category

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Middle grade sci-fantasy series

Okay technically this series hints at a romance but it never actually amounts to anything by the end of the series, so I’d still loosely count it as having no romance. But if you really don’t want to even have any momentary inklings of “hmm I wonder if they’ll get together at some point” despite knowing the answer is “no,” then go ahead and skip this rec

Love how this book blends fantasy and sci-fi elements. Mainly in that it’s fantasy cause faeries and other magical things exist (loosely uses Irish folklore for most of its elements) but the faeries use technology (often powered by magic) and the main character also invents things and uses technology (usually not powered by magic). I’d also say the plot lines lean more towards being things you’d expect to see in a sci-fi book

Morally questionable main character that becomes a better person overtime (which is especially cool to see in a middle-grade imo)

Lovable side characters (looking at you Foaly)

Lots of fun action throughout

Would recommend reading the first two books before making your judgement, as the first book is the most different from the rest of the series (fwiw books 2 and 4 are my favorites, so)

[hoursofmylife-lost]

The Croaking by echorise

Webtoon

Photo from Episode 1: Prologue

The Roost - the world’s most prestigious military academy - has never accepted a Crow into its ranks. Until now. However, the conditions surrounding Scra’s acceptance are shrouded in conspiracy, and his new roommate Ky won’t rest until he finds out just where he goes every night. Between flight tests, classes, and Murders, Scra, Ky and Ree must band together to uncover the truth about their utopia and the whispers of a superweapon - “The Croaking” - that are seeping from the cracks.

m mc, m/m, m&m&f

drama, sci-fi, action, adventure, fantasy, mystery

queer, school, hybrids, found family, concepts

Rating: 8.5/10

I started reading The Croaking maybe half a year ago? It took me a really long time to get all the way caught up and after reading it all I think that this story would be best suited to be formatted as a really dense fantasy graphic novel series, like Tillie Walden-size books (I know it’s already getting published but this is my vision). Mainly because the story follows a lot of different interweaving plotlines all at once and it’s harder to keep track of them all with weekly updates than it was when I was just reading the whole thing. Not saying that you shouldn’t read it on WT, because you should, but it’s a bit of an endeavor.

Anyway. It’s good. I really appreciate a worldbuilding-heavy, strong fantasy series; the whole construction of the world is hella intricate and nuanced, and it goes into themes of systemic oppression and change really well. It also has really nice relationship development over time; Ky and Scra are freaking incredible together and such a satisfying romance arc, and I also love their friendship with Ree. There’s a lot of characters, and all of them manage to be realistic and in-depth in different ways. The pacing in this one is also very nice— because the plotlines occur throughout various different groups of characters, it can be hard to keep track of everything that’s going on, but a lot of the big revelations are timed so that multiple people find out at once, which I think is a really fun device.

Points it missed on my scoring system were 11) cookie cutter syndrome, 16), extra art point, and 18) personal excitement. I’m 50-50 on the racial diversity; the main love interest is poc but not that many others are; I ended up just giving the point anyway because the plot centers on power and oppresion in regard to minority groups (which, one could argue, is just as important).

[luckyladylily]

Followed from the 'men or bear' post and simply trying to be social,

never read (or watched) dune but why do you feel its over rated?

So I've overplayed it a bit over the years because it's fun, but I have basically two major problems with Dune.

The first of course is the standard early to mid 20th century problem of it was written by a sexist racist white guy, but also I can't exactly judge if Frank Herbert was unusually racist and sexist for the time. But it is very much there, and it very much impacts the quality of the series for me. I don't really talk about this much because a given when dealing with older sci fi.

The second point is where I really get my rant on. See, the thing is Dune isn't the worst book ever. But for many years, well into the 2000's, a very large and very vocal group of people insisted it was the greatest sci fi novel ever written. So, in high school, I pick up the novel.

Now you need to understand, I read voraciously as a teenager and at a very high level. I'm not saying I'm better than other people but when you've read Moby Dick you get an idea of what a master can do with words. When you've read Issac Asimov you begin to understand how ideas can be woven together in a mind expanding way.

So I pick up "The greatest sci fi novel ever written" expecting it to be, at the very least, good. It was not good. It did not even come close to meeting the least of my expectations. I was astounded that anyone considered *this* the greatest sci fi novel. Really? Better than Foundation? Better than Frankenstein? This shit won a fucking Hugo and a Nebula? People compared this favorably to Lord of the Rings?

It's not fucking Lord of the Rings.

Anyway, what is actually wrong with it. Starting off, the book has decent ideas, but they are not presented in a particularly inspired way, nor is it the best presentation of those ideas. It was the first time that a white guy presented many of these ideas that he borrowed from other sources to other white people, and I guess that counts as originality back then. But in that respect it is just uninteresting. The real problem is how it is written. Which is badly, both in terms of prose and plot.

I am going to link you to my rant on Dune chapter 1. I discuss prose and presentation in that rant. It is difficult to summarize because there is just so much wrong with it. But to give an example of where it falls short in plot, lets talk about an event early in the first book. This is a spoiler, so fair warning. I call this the most uninspired and unearned betrayal ever.

Paul, the main character, is the heir to the House Atreides. In order to set up the rest of the plot, Herbert needs House Atreides to be destroyed through treachery. But Duke Atreides, Paul's dad, has to be shown to be a brilliant, wise, and capable leader. No run of the mill treachery can get past him. To solve this problem, Herbert introduces Duke Atreides personal doctor, and Duke Atreides directly states to everyone (especially directly to the audience) that this man is 100% trustworthy and unbreakable because he has undergone special mental conditioning making him incapable of causing harm. In X many hundred or thousand years no man so conditioned has ever broken. He is an unbreakably loyal man. And thus we have a character Duke Atreides can trust implicitly, so he can later be stabbed in the back without looking like an incompetent moron.

So now you probably think this is where we set up the dangerous nature of the Baron Harkonnen (greatest enemy of House Atreides), somehow brilliantly finding some mental weakpoint, or maybe inventing a brand new form of mental torture that successfully breaks the conditioning, or something else establishing Baron Harkonnen as a force to be reckoned with. So, how did Baron Harkonnen break the unbreakable man?

He kidnapped his wife. That's it. Didn't even torture her in front of the man, just nabbed her and said "hey do my bidding or I'll kill her!" And the unbreakable man folds like a cheap suit. He doesn't even bother to get proof of life. So in the hundreds or thousands of years these supposedly unbreakable people have been around the secret all along was kidnap their loved ones. No one has ever tried that before? Really?

I need to stress, this is not a misdirect and no other explanation is given. We are genuinely supposed to buy that the doctor is effectively unbreakable, that the Duke is wise and correct to have accepted this at face value, and that kidnapping the doctor's wife was actually the twisted, brilliant treachery it's place in the story would suggest.

It is astoundingly bad plotting that only exists because Frank Herbert couldn't be arsed to give a fuck about the plot of his own book. Even worse, it isn't a hard plot hole to fill with a better betrayal that also made logical sense. For example, Herbert could have written a character that the Duke naturally trusted implicitly, perhaps a brother or close friend, and shown why and how that trust exists. This would make more sense, give the betrayal real emotional weight, and matter in a much more personal way to our protagonist.

But no, that would take effort. Frank Herbert, master of tell don't show, just parades out a character and directly tells the audience that he's 100% totally trustworthy no for realz bro, and then expects us to just go along with the idea that the betrayal was earned and isn't fucking stupid. This is the level Frank Herbert is on.

But anyway greatest sci fi novel ever written, am I right? Winner of both a Hugo and a Nebula!

This is why I hate Dune. Not because it is the worst thing ever, there are even things to like in it, but it is like millions of people collectively decided that Bicentennial Man was the greatest science fiction movie of all time and it won the best film oscar and people are comparing it to the all time greatest films ever made and I'm over here just. Sure, it tries to play with some interesting ideas but it's got structural problems, there are acting issues, the script is poor. There are things to like but it's mid at best! Is everyone in on some collective joke? Am I in the fucking twilight zone?

Now, in the couple of decades since I first read Dune the "best sci fi novel ever" nonsense has pulled back a lot. I don't think I've heard someone make that claim in years. But it can be fun to be a hater, especially when something deserves it.

Edit: I want to make it clear I don't think less of anyone for liking Dune. Dune is probably a great playground for fandom and god knows I don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to my personal favs. I also hear the new movies are good, and nothing about Dune makes me think it couldn't be adapted well.

[mysticstarlightduck]

WIP Questionnaire Tag

Thanks for the tag @diabolical-blue (here)!

I'll go with Supernova Initiative for this one!

1. What’s the first part of your WIP that you created?

I had wanted to write a science fiction/space opera story for years now! I've always been a huge fan of Star Wars and similar series, and I've always wanted to write something similar! I guess that the actual first part of this WIP I've ever created was the setting - it has remained the same/similar from the first iteration of an idea of this story, while the main characters, title, and plot underwent many, many changes until it all got to the version I'm currently writing!

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

Curiously enough, the Supernova Initiative book series is going to be more akin to a "TV Show" format - like Clone Wars, The Last of Us, or Game of Thrones - than a traditional novel format. That's a bit complicated to explain further, but the gist of it is - the chapters are going to be the "episodes", which in turn will be divided into acts/seasons that take place in specific time frames, with the first (5 episode/chapter) taking place 10 years before the main story!

If I had to choose, I would say that the theme song would be a rather energetic rock/pop song! With a similar vibe to these:

(Check out the full WIP playlist)

I'm Dangerous - The Everlove

Shame! Shame! Shame! - Reinaeiry

Let's Do This - Outskrts

El Dorado - Stellar

Anti-Gravity - Runaground

I think that the song would need to have this rebellious/badass energy, mixed with a generally fun beat and good lyrics that touch on the overall theme/plot of the series! Plus a generally youthful vibe!

3. What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

I really love most of the main cast from this WIP!!!! But my Top 3 definitely are Jack Tithus, Gabi Ophyria, and Deimos Soll!

Jack is a really sweet, kind, and slightly reckless guy, who is at the same time outgoing, extroverted, and funny when he wants to be. He is defiant towards authority and fiercely protective of those he loves, to a dangerously selfless degree, all of which are tropes/traits I really enjoy in characters.

(Plus, in a way, Jack is one of the characters that kind of holds a condensation of some of my own personality traits, in good and bad ways - which was something accidental at first, but which I then embraced. )

Gabi Ophyria was one of the characters that came to me a bit later during the plotting of this book, which was surprisingly clear to me from the get-go. She's a brash, loud, fierce girl who lets no one talk her down and who believes in fighting for what she believes in. She also has anger issues - which is something she struggles with and eventually overcomes as her arc progresses, especially as she learns to let herself be vulnerable and trust others rather than try to be unbreakable all the time.

Deimos Soll is one of the most badass characters in this WIP and I just adore him. In a superficial, bad summarization, lol he's basically a young adult, alien version of John Wick and honestly is one of my all-time favorite characters I've ever written. He starts out in the backstory chapters as an awkward, fearful teenager lost in a moon he knew nothing about, but eventually grows into the deadliest and most efficient sniper this galaxy has ever seen, and one of the biggest threats to the Junction. I just adore writing introverted badass/morally grey characters who have a heart of gold. One of my favorite tropes!

4. What other pieces of media do you think your fanbase would share?

Definitely other space opera/sci-fi adventures like Star Wars, Star Trek, or Voltron! Those stories introduced me to the space opera science fiction genre which I love so dearly, so I think that pretty much anyone who likes that genre will probably like one of those movies lol. I also think that my future fanbase might also like Six of Crows or the Bad Guys (the DreamWorks movie), as the "found family of misfits working on a heist" trope is a pretty big trope in the first acts of this WIP as well!

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

I think the hardest part about this WIP is that its structure is something I haven't seen before - as in, it's essentially a "TV Show but make it a Book Series" at its core. That means I have to improvise a lot with how I structure the story's chapters and how I structure all the events of the story. One good thing about this format I'm trying to recreate is that it is really visual, and I'm a really visual writer/person, so that means I get to make a really vivid world and characters!

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

There are! A lot of them actually. Since this is a science fiction/spare opera adventure, a lot of the story involves the main characters traveling from planet to planet, especially during their heist mission and after the plot progresses.

They visit all kinds of planets and thus all kinds of biomes - the dusty mining moons like Cethea III, giant winter desert planets like Ivion, or flourishing forest dwarf planets like Stryxus. Cethea III - the homeworld of the MCs in the backstory chapters - is known for giant elk-like oxen that roams the dusty wasteland, as well as smaller lizard creatures and a few strange, venomous mammals. They also have giant birds, known as Harpies, which have a powerful screech capable of blowing out one's eardrums when too close.

Ivion is a gigantic winter desert, home to equally gigantic winter creatures, ranging from two-headed mountain lynx to absolutely enormous dragon-like creatures that burrow underneath the blanket of ice. It is also known for famously adorable, three-eyed, surprisingly big rodents similar to lemmings, which live in packs.

Stryxus has a biome akin to that of a tropical rainforest, which means the wildlife within it is incredibly varied despite the planet's small size, and that it has a vast variety of insects, mammals, lizards, and all kinds of animals you would expect from that environment. And even some you wouldn't expect.

The oceanic depths of Thallassen, in the heart of the Khosmonian galaxies, host especially gargantuan creatures, from pacific whale-like creatures with four, giant glowing eyes, to monstrous predatory lamprey-like creatures that lurk in the water.

7. How do your characters travel/get around?

The main form of transportation between planets, settlements and galaxies are starships/spaceships of varying shapes, sizes and fuel capabilities. Each planet has its own varied form of in-land transportation, but ranging from different animal mounts, hoverbikes, bullet trains, specialized boats/ships, submarines, and/or especially flying cars in the big cities.

8. What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

I'm currently writing the first draft of this WIP, and am around the third or fourth chapter of the Prologue Act (which consists of five chapters, or episodes). I already have an alpha reader (@sarandipitywrites) who is helping me a lot with ironing out the details of this story! I'm really happy about the progress I'm finally being able to make!

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) You think will draw your audience in?

General tropes: Found Family, Heists, Space Exploration, Whump (especially Lab Whump), rebelling against the system, Dystopian Utopia, Secret bioengineering scheme (as the main threat from the villains), loveable cyborgs/robots, etc!

For romance: Friends to Lovers, Rivals/Enemies to Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine, etc

Familial/Friendship Tropes: Wholesome father-daughter duo (who are a former assassin and his feisty adoptive daughter), Protective Older Brother & Willful Younger Sister, Adoptive Siblings, general group of misfits fighting against an oppressive government, etc.

For more tropes & details, check out the WIP Intro!

10. What are your hopes for your WIP?

I hope I'll be able to finally finish the first draft of this story this year and that I'll publish it (probably self-publishing or something similar!) in the near future! I generally also hope to have a lot of fun writing it, and that other people will have fun reading this too (especially my friends)!

Tagging (gently) @your-absent-father @ray-writes-n-shit @drchenquill, @saltysupercomputer @agirlandherquill

@sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart @sm-writes-chaos

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

@the-golden-comet, @elshells

And OPEN TAG

[pinktinselmonstrosity]

everything i read in january 2025

woooo another reading post! one (1) beloved mutual said they liked them so i will never stop writing them lol

In The Woods by Tana French

Tana French is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors - this book was so good, I can't believe it was her first novel! A properly dark and twisty murder mystery, with a side of psychological torment. I managed to find the sequel in a charity shop and will be reading it imminently.

The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild

Whenever people ask me about my favourite books I always list this one, but it occured to me that I'd only read it once, about six years ago, so how much could I really like it? I'm glad to say it fully holds up to my memory of it. A nice fun little love story, social commentary that is both incisive and hilarious, a seriously scholarly discussion of the importance of art and beauty, and a plot twist that is still one of the most shocking I've ever read. Even though, on a reread, I knew the plot twist was coming, it was still incredibly sick and twisted. Brilliant!

A Murder of Quality by John Le Carré

This was a pretty unusual Le Carré novel, as it's not a spy story but basically a traditional whodunnit where the detective just happens to be a spy. I really enjoyed it - I wonder why Le Carré didn't write more murder mysteries, because this is better than some full-fledged crime authors.

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

My parents have been trying to get me to read this for literal years, and honestly I wish I'd listened! The premise is that the moon explodes, and humanity has around two years to secure their survival before the earth is completely destroyed by the falling parts of moon. It mostly follows the astronauts on the ISS, who are essentially forced to remain in space forever while everyone they knew dies, just so the human race can be preserved in space. It's a proper hard sci-fi novel, with every aspect of the physics worked out (and explained) in great detail; it's also genuinely exciting, and moving, and funny. Would highly recommend!

Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy

This is the second in a series of books about a punk, lesbian, nun who solves murders, and once again I found the main character the most convincing part of the story. Going into the first book I had expected it to be quite gimmicky and silly, but probably with an engaging plot - instead, I found the complete opposite. I really enjoyed the characters and the worldbuilding, but thought the plot was quite shaky, and unfortunately this book followed pretty much the same formula. I do feel like the plots really let these books down; think of the craziest episodes of like. law and order or midsomer murders or one of those other super long-running crime procedurals. The plot is like that, while the characters are more like something out of classic noir. They just don't gel together, and while I could forgive it in the first book it was something I was really hoping would be better by the second. Kind of disappointing, unfortunately.

Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto

I really enjoyed this. On the surface, it's about a young woman coming to terms with the sudden death of her father, and yeah, it is that, but it's also SO much more. All the girlies going through a transitional period, this book is for you (us). I don't want to give too much away, but it was really beautiful.

The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers

This book has been on my wishlist for ages, and I finally got it for Christmas this year. Essentially, it's about two men in the 80's who go out at night and create crop circles in fields around England. It's mostly concerned with ideas of legacy, friendship, and love of the land/environmentalism, and I was really charmed by it? It's kind of hard to describe, because not much happens and by the end the characters haven't changed much. It kind of feels like getting a little peek into the lives of real people, and then the curtains get closed. I would definitely recommend it, but don't know if it's for everyone.

Currently Reading + On My Radar

When I started writing this post at the end of January I was reading Wuthering Heights, but it's now 8th Feb (I forgot about this lol) and I have moved on to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, which a friend lent me. Not 100% sure how I feel about it (or about Wuthering Heights tbh!) so I'll save the analysis for the February post. Not sure what I'll read this month - I'm moving house (ish) and going on holiday, so might go for some long books so I don't have to think about finding things to read lol!

as always if u read this far pls reply and talk to me about books! What are you reading/what do you want to read/what books do you HATE/etc? ily <3

[cat-esper]

I thought I'd redo my intro post and this time make it ✨pretty✨

I'm Cat [she/her | aroace] and I write sci-fi and fantasy with a dose of cosmic horror. I love mixing genres and general experimentation. Whether my work is marketable or not is less important than having fun. My absolute favorite things are found family, robots, and time travel, and I am a firm believer that platonic relationships can be just as fierce and important as romantic ones. Most of my novels are set within a shared universe I call the Starfish Saga and that's my main focus, though I do have quite a few exciting projects outside that.

I am quite shy but love making new writer friends and am open to tag games and ask games and other sorts of writerly socialization.

I have...a lot of projects. A worrying amount I try not to think about. But! Below the cut, you'll find the ones I'm focusing on for the time being, now with new and improved titles.

Books of the Starfish Saga

The Last Paladin | YA science fantasy | 12 part series

When Chelsea Seaver's parents are abducted by aliens, she embarks on a grand adventure across the galaxy--making friends and learning magic on the way--to bring them home.

Status: books 1-3 drafted

Intro | WIP tag

Incantations of the Mad Mage | YA epic fantasy | 6 part series

In order to honor her dead mentor, battle mage Arna Vaughn races against the Sforia Empire to locate six legendary magic spells that have the power to end a bloody war; whoever finds them first will change the course of their world forever.

Status: drafting book 5, editing book 2

Intro | WIP tag

Records of the Spiral | YA portal fantasy | 4 part series

Three misfits stumble into a surreal world inhabited by strange creatures and watched over by the eldritch Enochians; it's a place they belong to more than Earth and if they don't want to see it destroyed, they'll need to stop the very beings who created it in the first place.

Status: book 1 drafted

Intro | WIP tag

Music of the Spheres | YA science fantasy | standalone

Shay Finnegan leaves everything behind when he decides to become a light-wielding Paladin, a protector of the galaxy, in order to find a higher purpose and avoid the fate that haunts him with the words you will bring everything to ruin.

Status: rewriting for the millionth time

Intro | WIP tag

Red Ghost | YA contemporary fantasy | novella

Mel Black joins a ghost-killing organization in order to free the spirit of her dead friend from a fate worse than death, but saving him might just mean the end of humanity.

Status: pending edits

Intro | WIP tag

Nightland Nexus | epic fantasy | 5 part series

As tensions rise across the worlds, a group of characters seek to satisfy their own ambitions, but they'll need to team up and unite the worlds to prevent a long-dormant Darkness from awakening.

Status: world-building

Intro | WIP tag

Sundial Fates | YA sci-fi western | 10 part series

A time machine crashes on the edge of town, launching three reluctant teens into the biggest adventure of their lives. They may be able to face down alien invaders, mad scientists, and unfathomable entities, but can they face the truth about themselves?

Status: overhauling the plot/updating the lore

Intro | WIP tag

Other Projects

The Zodiac Circuit | post-apocalyptic sci-fi | duology

Rhys Valencya reluctantly teams up with an android in order to stop her own family from resurrecting the lich that almost wiped out humanity centuries ago.

Status: book 1 drafted

Intro | WIP tag

Androids Don't Rust | time travel | standalone

With human extinction inevitable, four androids are sent into the past to retrieve data for the Archive that will outlast humanity.

Status: very early planning stages

Intro | WIP tag

Robbery on the Hell Express | weird western | novella

Occasional partners and oftentimes enemies, Harlan Nye and John Callahan team up to rob a ghost train--betrayal, deadly wraiths, and a lethal race against the clock mean they may not make it out of this alive.

Status: planning

Intro | WIP tag

The Chronicles of Josephine Mercer | dark pirate fantasy | ongoing series

In a darker version of the 18th century Caribbean, mutineer and newly self-appointed Captain Josephine Mercer escaped the navy with a ship and ambitions that would see her become the bane of the British Empire.

Status: research/world-building

Intro | WIP tag

Liminal Spaces | urban fantasy | 5 part series

Caffeine fueled video game artist, Ref Sanderson, comes home one day to find his daughter is missing. Turns out, she's been making new realities in her free time. Now she's trapped in one and he'll need to learn how to enter and fabricate realities himself in order to save her.

Status: outlining book 2

WIP intro coming soon

Other Starfish WIPs I'm technically working on, in the background, that I probably won't talk about unless someone wants me to:

The Siege of Coracaltone: a space opera about cinnamon roll wizard Flynn on a quest but gets sidetracked by space pirates (waiting for a rewrite)

Pirates vs Dinosaurs: cosmic horror about, you guessed it, pirates and dinosaurs and the slow dissolving of their sanity (drafted and just waiting for editing time)

Dreams of the Spiral: a prelude to Records of the Spiral about the band Red Tape Rocket and the summer things got really weird (still being planned)

If any of them pique your interest and you'd like to be added to a taglist, let me know!

[ljandersen]

whats ur status on sideways 👀? No joke i think abt it daily.

Thank you for reaching out, Anon! It means a lot to me, knowing that a story I wrote is thought about every day. I think about it every day, too, being the author! It's still the story I'm proudest to have written.

As for the status on Sideways, it currently exists as a hand-written, rough first draft stored in a fire-proof safe. It needs massive changes -- complete scene rewrites and a ton of new scenes (mostly for the paragon timeline). It's currently on my back burner while I focus on an original project.

All the adjustments I made editing the 750k words in Part 1-4 has culminated in a major undertaking editing Part 5.

For instance, the reason Shepard joins the Alliance on Rannoch is different after my changes in Part 4. Before, I didn't have a very good reason for her being there and, because of that peripheral role, she wasn't directly involved in a lot of the things happening. Now she's acting Counselor. She's front and center.

It's a good change, the right change, which is why I did it. However, now a lot of the plot-centric happenings, which were only heard about or referenced through another character, need full scenes with Shepard being impactful and altering the outcomes (much better than being a removed observer).

This will require several new scenes and throwing out old ones that are now unnecessary. Then I need to relocate any extra bits of vital information not in the new scene, to other places in the story.

In addition to whole new scenes, I need to majorily revise whole scenes. There's a party scene on Rannoch, which now the goal behind it and what Shepard is doing during it, has changed. That series of scenes need rewritten.

That example of Shep's purpose on Rannoch changing scenes downstream is just one -- and a mostly spoiler free one -- of the dozens of changes I need to accomodate.

Also, the paragon timeline in particular requires a lot of new writing, maybe 50 k words of new scenes (so, the equivalent of a full novel).

Toward the end of writing the first draft of Sideways, I was starting to get worn down. Writing four storylines sometimes made it feel like I was spending weeks going nowhere, because I wasn't moving forward in the main Renegade timeline. Because of that frustration and wanting to reach the end, I chose to focus less on the paragon timeline, knowing I would need to add more to it during the editing. I left myself with some major work to do on that storyline to do it justice.

All of those reasons aside, the main reason Sideways Part 5 isn't ready is because I shifted focus for the time being. I'm serializing an original sci fi series and trying to establish myself an author. I intended to do this after I finished posting Sideways, but with the emergence of AI, I don't think the opportunity will be there for me if I wait.

Visibility for writing is going to become impossible and slow human writers, like me, will be washed away under the tide of AI mega production. There's an influential author in the indie world, for example, who has stated his intention to produce 10k novels a year, on par with the big publishing houses. That's one person, who with a handful of contractors previously put out a few dozen books a year, if that many, who now intends to do 10k a year!

My opportunity to find readers is now, while AI is still clunky and not universal, before people selling a back catalog of 100k books and with the ad spending to match drive human writers out of the market.

Because of this new priority, I've had to funnel my creativity and focus into my original writing. I'm not someone who can do two things at once. I'm all in on one project at a time. That's probably apparent from my fanfic, where I've only posted one WIP at a time, start to finish before the next. I can't divide my passion on concurrent WIP.

That doesn't mean I don't think about Sideways though -- I do, daily! -- and I intend to finish it. For now, though, unfortunately, Sideways is a draft in some notebooks in a safe. It's not a simple undertaking to edit it, and I need to focus on a personal goal.

Your interest in Sideways is something I treasure, though, and appreciate beyond words. I'm so glad my story isn't forgotten. I love knowing it's still on readers' minds. It makes me feel like, what had so much meaning to me as its writer, truly must carry that meaning through to the reader, too, which is the greatest joy in sharing a story.

Thank you for taking time to check in on Sideways and for letting me know how much it still means to you.

Also, here is a picture of my new puppy as a tiny consolation for not having Sideways ready:

[cultivating-wildflowers]

2024 Reading - April

April was a month full of sci-fi and false starts. I have now DNF'd as many books as I've finished from my short TBR for the year. And yet? Best reading month of the year so far?

Total books: 9  |  New reads: 5   |   2024 TBR completed: 5 (3 DNF) / 14/36 total   |   2024 Reading Goal: 20/100

March | May

potential reading list from April 1st

#1 - West with the Night by Beryl Markham - 5/5 stars (audio)

I didn't plan for the exploration(?) theme we've got going on (Emily Wilde, A Natural History of Dragons, Lynne Cox) but I'm not mad about it. This book had me hooked from the opening paragraph. Markham's voice is full of adventure and passion, and the story flows effortlessly from one event to another of Markham's highly eventful life. This is how you tell a good story.

Couple of notes:

As would be expected from a woman raised in Africa (specifically Kenya while it was still British East Africa) from the start of the 20th century, there are aspects of the way Markham tells her story that would come off as racist to modern sensibilities. It wasn't malicious or long-winded, only matter-of-fact.

If you want a better picture of Markham as a person, find one of the biographies written about her. West with the Night talks about her adventures, not her life. (Based on her own telling of her adventures, Markham's exactly the kind of character I'd expect to see in a Sayers novel. Look her up; then look up Hemingway's review of her book. I mean, come on; she was born Beryl Clutterbuck.)

I wouldn't recommend the audiobook for this one, at least the one narrated by Julie Harris. Editing wasn't that great and there were often weird breaks and pauses in the middle of sentences. You could hear Harris turning pages several times. (Which is fine if you like the sense of someone reading the book to you, and Harris's accents and pronunciation were great to my untrained ears.)

#2 - Recorder by Cathy McCrumb - 5/5 stars (reread, mixed print and audio)

I have had this book on my brain since first reading it two years ago--likely in part because I never would have picked it up on my own, had no great expectations for it, and then was blown away--and have been anticipating a reread in light of the final book of the trilogy being released in February. Happily, it holds up well to a reread. Really well. I cried again.

I won't say it's for everyone. It is very much a character-driven story with a pretty straightforward plot, and at times the writing style can get a little stilted (mostly in dialogue). But it's exactly what I needed at the time, and it has so much of what I love in stories. Also, there are cats. In space.

(I do recommend print over audio; the narrator is fine but her inflections are weird, and there are a lot of J-sounding names, which makes listening confusing.)

#3 - Aberration by Cathy McCrumb - 5/5 stars (reread, mixed print and audio)

My original review of this book mentioned the growing cast as my main issue, and on a reread, that's still my only real complaint. It's not really even a complaint, but there are so many characters to keep track of and they're moving all over the place as the various crises demand that by the end, I honestly forgot about a few of them.

The overarching plot continues at a solid pace and the tension ramps up excellently, though it's easy to forget what the actual goal when the Recorder and her friends are all just trying to survive one threat after another. And man, the relationships! Truly the highlight of this series. And it made me cry again, which automatically earns it some points.

For some reason when I started this book the first time, I'd expected it to take a slightly different route--literally, I thought we'd see more of this story's world outside of flashbacks. That doesn't detract from the story, only my expectations. (Also, I need someone to read this who enjoys it in kind of the same way I do so we can make our own memes. Because I want memes.)

More like this: This is going to sound lame or cheesy or something, but I cannot help comparing this series to Murderbot. Murderbot and the Recorder start out at kind of the same place: outcast, bodies and minds honed to a specific purpose, seen by many as less-than, but slowly drawn into a tight-knit group that gives them a better purpose and a fuller identity. Despite their vast differences, there are a ton of similarities between the two stories, including how each is set in some version of a futuristic authoritarian society (though they each come at that from very different angles). The major difference (apart from tone) is obviously that Murderbot is known for the action and high drama and explicit language; while Children of the Consortium is Christian sci-fi and follows different standards (but mercifully without being either preachy or sanctimonious). I don't think someone would like one specifically because they enjoy the other, but here we are.

#4 - Guardian by Cathy McCrumb - 4/5 stars (audio)

This was a satisfying end to the trilogy. Some of the narrative choices left me a little confused, but they worked well enough. And based on how the first two books went, they make sense. We get a manifold happy ending, and I'm content. It earns four stars because the character relationships and interactions continued to deliver. Heaven knows what my neighbors must have thought of me, giggling and in my hammock in my backyard while I listened to the love interest very tenderly help the wounded MC out of her armor. I am a simple woman.

Coming to the end of the story, however, I'm certain I wouldn't recommend this to many people. It was very much a comfort read to me, and it has its flaws: repetitive writing, pacing issues, and an open ending I'm weirdly ambivalent about. Conceptually, it's a great story, and I'll definitely look for more from this writer.

#5 - Pyramids by Terry Pratchett - 4/5 stars

Another fun one from Pratchett. It was relatively light, it was quick, there were assassins and kings and handmaidens, and naturally everything exploded splendidly right at the end. Teppic is cool.

#6 - Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner - 5/5 stars (reread, audio)

I am so normal about this book.

#7 - Watership Down by Richard Adams - 5/5 stars (reread, audio)

Hadn't planned on getting to this one until at least next month, but my goodness if it isn't the perfect audiobook to listen to in the background, and I seriously needed that. (Though I caught a LOT of little errors in the audiobook editing because I was reading along for bits and pieces.)

#8 - Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein - 4/5 stars ('24 TBR, Top 5 Anticipated Read)

If we look back at my January reading, we'll notice that I tried a different Heinlein book at the beginning of the year and...hated it. Didn't even finish it.

But I kept this book on my list because it's a classic and my sources said it's far and away much better than The Puppet Masters, so I wanted to give it a chance. Despite my better judgment. After all, I enjoyed The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. Maybe Starship Troopers would split the difference and tell me if it's worth pursuing any of Heinlein's other works.

Despite the fact that it has a lot of the elements that made me put down The Forever War (see below), I enjoyed this one? I think it was the narrative voice. A quick and engaging read. Honestly, Heinlein could write a decent story so long as he kept the women out of it.

But I think this will be my last Heinlein unless someone manages to talk me into another; and it'll take a lot of convincing.

More like this: Honestly, I don't read much in this line so the fact that we have space wars against bug-like aliens obviously made me think of "Ender's Game". I also thought of "Old Man's War" in terms of style. And this starts out on the same footing as "The Forever War", though the tones are very different, so perhaps that's worth checking out if you really want more like this? (goodreads shows these books are three of the four top "readers also enjoyed" choices, alongside one by Arthur C. Clarke. so yay me.)

#9 - At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald - 4/5 stars ('24 TBR, audio)

Splendidly vivid and enthralling, a little bit saccharine, and...uh. Very Victorian. Didn't like the ending, I'll be honest, though I wasn't exactly surprised.

DNF (I was struggling this month, folks)

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver ('24 TBR)

The funniest tag for this book on goodreads is "author get over thyself", which about sums up my sentiments. I got all of 45 minutes into the audiobook before I gave up due to excessive eye-rolling. Intent: good. Delivery: bad. Robin Wall Kimmerer runs a similar line of discussion in Braiding Sweetgrass and I didn't have to suffer being condescended to for the entirety of that book.

Secret Contest Book (YA Sci-Fi) - I did my very best to be objective since I don't really read this genre any more. The concept was intriguing, and I wanted to like it, but right out of the gate the writing couldn't keep up with the idea. Which, unfortunately, is not a surprise given the theme of this contest. Alas.

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo (‘24 TBR) - Another book I decided to try after one of the mutuals said they liked it. It isn’t for me, but I see the appeal. I’ll be keeping this one in my back pocket for future recs.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini - Pushed myself through two chapters before giving up. Not my style. Felt very Brandon Sanderson with the verbosity. (Also, and this is probably just me, I spent those two chapters going "yeah, Chris, you were definitely home-schooled".)

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (‘24 TBR) - Again, not for me. The elements that do appeal to me (relativistic space travel, sci-fi tech, group dynamics) I can get elsewhere without the elements I don’t like (the stuff you typically find in war stories, especially those written in the 60’s and 70’s). If someone wants more of a war story than a sci-fi story, or is interested in the historical background that apparently drove the writing of this book, I say check it out.

Currently Reading:

DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul - Finallyyyyyyy.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (10/23/23)

Take this woefully late update while I get the current one written and sorted out!

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (8/10)

I do think this book is better than Angel, I just think I was too lenient on that one because of the nostalgia (I've now adjusted its rating to 7/10). I really like that the conflict in this book is split between Tessa, who is focused on Mortmain and the main plot, and Will, who has his whole curse thing going on and is a good window into the emotional conflicts. It makes this book feel much more...filled than Angel which lags in many places. Concerning the emotional aspects, while I love both Will and Jem and am well aware of how the series ends, it feels to me like Clare heavily favors Will. Will gets a very complicated backstory, a lot of plot dedicated just to him, and while Jem arguably has just as pressing of an issue, he's just so placid about it. He can be soft-spoken and kind and still have a desire to live.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (10/10)

This is a reread and it still astounds me how this book manages to fit an incredible magic system, an engaging plot, and some of my favorite characters ever into less than 200 pages. The concept of this book is such a unique one, and it allows for these very complex and unusual characters whose circumstances have made them very difficult to understand. Even though not every character is likable, McGuire does an outstanding job of portraying how their situations have made them this way (except Angela fuck you Angela). Despite it technically being set in the real world, and the characters contribute to this, the whole story has a dreamy, otherworldly quality to it, as if Eleanor West's home was its own pocket dimension. And, of course, I love how much queer rep there is in this book and just general willingness to portray non-romantic or atypical romantic relationships as the most important in a character's life. Now that I've reread this one, I'll finally be continuing the series.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon (CR, 38%)

I swear I'm enjoying this book, it's just so intimidating and I really haven't had time to really sit with a book recently. In the small bit that I've read, I like that Glorian is starting to change a little. Compared to Dumai and Tunuva in particular, she's been rather static, but I can see her starting to find her place.

Lodestar by Shannon Messenger (CR, 36%)

These books stress me out so much. Part of me is well aware that these are middle grade and we have yet to permanently 'remove' a major character, be that through betrayal, major injury, or death. (I consider a major character to be Sophie, her friends, her family, and a couple of the major adults.) However, considering the tone of the books keeps getting darker and darker, it's only a matter of time, and there's a great opportunity for it right about now. Still, any fear I have is overcome by my desire to consume fandom content for this series, so onward I push.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (CR, 10%)

I'm not that far into this one, but I am definitely curious. Namely, how the hell is everything in this book going to be fit into less than 100 pages. This book promises a lot, and so far it's reading like the opening to a much longer space opera-style sci fi novel. We'll see!

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (CR, 1%)

I've only just barely started this one but I've got to hurry it up since I'm supposed to review it soon. It's been a while since I read a romance that's just a romance, so I hope I enjoy it!

[alesseia]

make me write: poll!!

jumping on the poll bandwagon because I have not touched Scrivener in FOREVER (read: two weeks)

unfortunately, I do not have multiple stories like most people on Writeblr since I keep fixating on the same story and its characters, lmao, so IDK if I can do the same thing everyone else is doing

HOWEVER, I will be taking my thesis in BFA Creative Writing this year and I am going to do doing something based on my main story! I was planning on finishing Book 1 (which I already have 4 chapters for), but my thesis adviser is heavily discouraging I do a full novel (minimum requirement for word count is only 15k and we're supposed to finish writing that with revisions by early December) so I've got a bunch of backup plans just in case I can't convince her!!

so here's a poll + bonus read more for further description of thesis ideas!!

Book 1 (Excerpt)

This is actually the option my adviser recommended the most. I have already written the first four chapters, even doing major revisions, and that already hit the 15k minimum word count, so she said that just revising these chapters would be the easiest option.

My biggest gripe with this is that I don't want to end it after Chapter 4. It ends on a mediocre cliffhanger, and we don't meet the other two main characters until later on. Not to mention, the BFA CW majors in my university get to (independently) publish and sell copies of their thesis at the end of the year, so it would be much more satisfying if I do the full Book 1.

Anthology: Thematic

I was thinking I could do instead a thematic short story collection linking the common traits of the main characters (Axel, Avery, Leandro, and Nathan). Each of the short stories would focus on a different MC's backstory. The central theme would be their loneliness.

The stories are (without giving away certain plot twists in Book 1):

AXEL: a story about a group of friends playing together, which turns out to be a product of Axel’s imagination

AVERY: the story behind the fallout with her ex-friends

LEANDRO: Leandro talking to his family about getting friends while figuring out he's a trans guy

NATHAN: Nathan talking to other children working under his drug pimp spirit stain dealer

Anthology: Characterization

This one was inspired by fanfiction, specifically the concept of the same characters in alternate universes. How can you tell the character is still the same character when they have a completely different backstory and setting? Up to where do you draw the lines?

The various settings are:

Historical — Pride and Prejudice but set in the late Spanish colonial period and from the POV of Elizabeth’s (Avery) best friend (Axel)

Sci-fi time travel — From 2099 CE, Axel is asked to travel to 2013 Metro Manila to chase after a time-traveling criminal (Raven)

Urban fantasy (Aswangs) — Axel the friendly manananggal helping their friend Leandro, who recently discovered they’re a manananggal

Modern real-life — Axel signing up their friend Nathan on a blind date auction during high school fair season

Alesseia (Original) — Axel discussing how to beat Rex with all of their friends

Anthology: Timeline

A short story collection featuring the same character, likely Axel, at different points in the series. The series is divided into three arcs, so it would likely be:

Before Arc 1

Between Arcs 1 and 2

Between Arcs 2 and 3

After Arc 3

The Actual Book 1

The actual book 1 of Alesseia. Tentatively titled the Dragon's Deed. I really, really, REALLY want this, but like. it's gonna be what, 50k words 😭 so unless I pull a NaNoWriMo again, I can't blame Ma'am

Anyway if you read all that, thank you SO much!!! I really appreciate your support 😄 wishing you the best of luck with writing as well!!

[orcnumber1]

Oh Jesus...here we go -

1. I've been writing since I was a small child. It started out with me just lying in bed at night telling stories to my stuffed animals, and later on progressed to actually writing stuff down. I used to illustrate my stories too but I haven't done that since high school because I cannot draw.

2. I've randomly almost cried in public because I'll hear a song meant for a character or two characters and the song reflects how they feel about each other - the other day at work the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" came on (Shawn and Quinn's wedding song) and I had to excuse myself to the bathroom really quick.

3. Almost every story I've ever written has had something to do with music. The series I wrote in high school (and didn't show anyone lol) was about an all girl grunge band. It was all drama.

4. I want to write horror but every time I set out to just write a horror story or novel it morphs into something else. Maybe I'm too soft - I don't really enjoy killing off my characters. It doesn't mean I won't, it just means I feel like, for my stories, killing off characters left and right makes a story boring after awhile. I don't really like killing off protagonists at all, though.

5. I use the word "just" way too much.

6. My writing style is somewhat informal. I like it when characters talk like real people and not like they're reading from a script. This is probably a "well, duh" statement but I come across this problem in a lot of sci fi and fantasy stuff I read, or YA, or novels in general. It throws me out of the story when things are too perfect, or trying too hard to fit a certain genre or mold. Like, I love it when fantasy drops the "yes milord" stuff and lets their characters be real people.

7. I'm really good at writing erotica. This is a blessing and a curse. Mostly a curse because I know I could churn out amazing novels where the plot and the sex are bangin' (lol), but my god I don't want to be known as another "booktok" author that makes sex the main focus of the story just to get people hooked.

8. I'm usually pretty busy with work (I'm a line cook at a restaurant), so I don't get to write every day. Whenever I have an idea for a scene or a snatch of dialogue or anything, I log it in my personal discord. I also store picrews of my characters in there, hero forge screenshots, whatever I can do that inspires more worldbuilding until I have time to write again.

9. When I publish my books, they will be free. I'm not doing this for money or fame or clout. I just want to share my stories with people. I will probably pay to have some physical copies made to give to people I care about.

10. A long time ago in a much darker period in my life, I started writing an omegaverse au for my story. I didn't even make it through the first chapter before realizing how cringe I was being and deleted it. I'm sure Jesus Christ himself was giving me the stinkeye from upstairs.

✨ 10 chaotic writer facts you didn’t ask for but are getting anyway ✨

I write 1,000–3,000 words a day. Not because I’m disciplined, but because I have no social life and mild control issues. It’s fine. I’m fine.

Before I ever touched a keyboard, I was an artist. Like, sketchbook-at-recess, drew-my-own-manga-level obsessed. I’ve been drawing since I was five. Now I use those powers to procrastinate writing.

I talk to my characters like they’re real people. I once argued with one out loud in a grocery store. We’re not on speaking terms anymore.

I name all my WIPs things like “pain_project” or “he cries again.docx” because I enjoy foreshadowing my own breakdowns.

I collect empty notebooks like a Victorian ghost who died tragically in a stationary store.

I have cried because a character forgave someone. That’s it. That’s the fact.

Sometimes I start new projects just to avoid editing old ones. This is not a healthy system but it is a personality.

I finish a gut-wrenching scene and then go eat cereal like nothing happened. Cold emotional whiplash is my brand.

I regularly forget what my characters are supposed to know, and when it happens, I just give them sudden intuition or full-blown memory loss.

I’ve rage-deleted whole chapters because a side character took over and made the main one look bland. And yes, I made the side character the lead.

Okay, now your turn—drop your own ✨10 chaotic writer facts✨. I know you’ve got them. Don’t leave me screaming into the void alone. Reblog this with your chaos, I want to see the beautiful mess.

Love u all!

[glassrain83]

Dear Yuletide Writer 2024

I am GlassRain on AO3, and thank you for writing for my tiny fandom(s)!

I love all these characters and any fic about them will make me happy. If you already have an idea feel free to run with it. If you want extra prompts or ideas, that’s what this is for.

(All these requests are copied from letters I've written before. I have simple tastes. I'm ready to eat two cakes.)

Yes please: gay stuff, outer space, magic. Non-con, dub-con, and mind control. Relationships where there’s a power imbalance but they also truly love each other and do the work to make it good. Relationships with size differences (not as in short human/tall human, as in human/building-sized dragon). Identity porn/any kind of reveal where the audience knows something and gets to enjoy watching the characters figure it out.

No thanks: Gore/body horror/graphic depictions of violence, embarrassment, extreme underage (teen characters having sex is fine), bodily fluids (except the usual ones for sex scenes), non-canon character death, mundane AUs.

Fandoms:

Leif & Thorn (Webcomic)

Characters: Leif, Thorn

Leif is a gardener in thrall to a mysterious debt, serving his native Sønheim at a foreign embassy. Thorn is a Knight of Ceannis who got severely burned while dragonslaying, and was rewarded with a cushy job guarding the embassy gates. Thorn doesn’t speak Leif’s language too well at first — but as they get to know each other, he finds a lot of reasons to learn.

Ongoing fantasy dramedy, with a cross-cultural romance and a great ensemble cast. (Read it here.) Leif/Thorn is canon, over a slow-burn arc that took about 5 years real-world time. They still have ongoing struggles around Leif’s control microchip, and Thorn’s effort to handle the unwanted power it gives him. Leif/Thorn/Kale is not canon yet, but the OT3 shipteasing is strong.

The prompts are Leif/Thorn-centric but I will take fic about other characters too. Other ships on the side are fine, canon or non-canon, as long as you don’t break up the main couple.

Prompts:

Canon-divergence AU where Thorn joined the Secret Order of Monster Hunters, successfully assassinated the vampires in that one early storyline, and decided to rescue/steal Leif as a bonus. What? He was in the area anyway, he might as well.

Leif/Thorn where Leif still has the microchip, but Kale has his powers and facilitates a psychic link between them, so Thorn can’t possibly miss if he tries something Leif doesn’t like. Can be established Leif/Thorn/Kale or “whoops this turned into our first threesome.”

Holiday fic where Leif and Thorn share their traditions with each other. Warmth and fluffiness a plus.

Crossover prompt: the Leif & Thorn universe has a Fantasy Eurovision Song Contest..what does Fire Saga’s act look like in a world with widespread/commonplace magic?

Doctrine of Labyrinths - Sarah Monette

Characters: Felix, Mildmay

The Doctrine of Labyrinths is a series of fantasy novels by Sarah Monette. It is set in the secondary world of Meduse and tells the story of the adventures of the wizard Felix Harrowgate and his half-brother, former assassin Mildmay the Fox.

Lush fantasy melodrama full of codependence and great hurt/comfort. I have gotten Felix/Mildmay fic before and will keep prompting more of it until the end of time (or until a TV adaptation turns this into a megafandom, whichever comes first). Gen about them is also welcome.

Prompts:

Sci-fi/cyberpunk AU. Make the hocuses into hackers, the magical curses into corrupted cybernetics, the petty thieves into data pirates. Could be the alternate version of a canon event, or a whole new SF-themed plot twist.

Missing scene from Felix and Mildmay’s journey across the continent in book 1, something where Felix has a bad turn and Mildmay successfully calms him down. Just lean all the way into the h/c in their weird-but-deep sibling bond.

Guilty frantic brothercest. (During a time in canon when they’re both mentally capable of consenting.) Especially if it’s already an ongoing situation when the story starts, so it’s not a story about how they fell into it, but about how they can’t seem to get out.

Crossover prompt: do something with Labyrinth. How would Felix and Mildmay face off against the Goblin King?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Characters: Sigrit

Follows the personally close Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdóttir as they are given the chance to represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest.  Ferrell, who co-wrote the script, wisely realises that this institution is beyond parody and is simply content to pay homage.

Bizarre, charming, joyful, magical (sometimes literally) tribute to Eurovision. Lars has the lifelong ambition to represent Iceland at the contest. Sigrit has the actual talent. A dozen real-world Eurovision winners have cameos. The elves in the hills have their backs.

Shipping-wise, basically I want Sigrit to be happy. For Sigrit/Lars, lean into the parts of his character that enable him to be a good boyfriend. For Sigrit/not-Lars, either give them a non-traumatic breakup, or make an AU where they were just friends the whole time.

Prompts:

The elves are back! This time, they need Sigrit’s and/or Lars’s help! You can pull the worldbuilding from real Icelandic folklore or make it up from scratch, I will be happy either way.

Instead of a song contest, the characters are thrown into a fighting-for-your-life contest. Hunger Games, Squid Game, Battle Royale etc. Our heroes survive through some combination of Sigrit’s determination and magical allies, Alexander and Mita’s loyalty and emotional support, and Lars’s power to cause unprecedented technical difficulties.

Alexander gives Lars an unexpected bi awakening. Sigrit gives Alexander an unexpected bi awakening from the other direction. What to do. What. To. Do.

Alternately, more fun scenes from Alexander and Sigrit’s growing Wholesome and Mutually Supportive Friendship. Including past the point where he trusts her enough not to hide his sexuality from her. 

Crossover prompt: the Leif & Thorn universe has a Fantasy Eurovision Song Contest..what does Fire Saga’s act look like in a world with widespread/commonplace magic?

[nonsubstantial]

2023 Book Log (part 3/3)

++++October++++

Mort (discworld 4) by Terry Pratchett ~ Adventures in the Discworld continue!!!! I still haven't been completely captivated by any book in this series yet, but they're never too disappointing either. It's just reliably fun sci-fi fantasy. ~ my rating: 7/10

++++November++++

Witch King by Martha Wells ~ This book was kind of like solving a puzzle. You're suddenly dropped into this fantasy world, and every character there understands what's going on, but you as a reader are just staring at all these pieces and trying to put them together until you get a picture of the book's setting. That aspect of discovery and worldbuilding worked well for me, but I didn't feel like it was properly coupled with down to earth character moments. In other words, the world was interesting but the characters were not, in my opinion. I think I liked the way that the narrative swapped between the past and present, but it's also worth noting that I felt like the past story was not as strong as the present one, and I sometimes felt like the chapters were too short and it swapped between them too soon. Anyway, I had fun, so if Wells writes in this world again I will probably read it. ~ my rating: 8/10

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield ~ This book is about 1/3rd horror story, and 2/3rds tragedy about coping with death. It is a concise and beautiful attempt at expressing something very difficult. Though it was a heartbreaking and terrifying journey, it also ended with a celebration of love, and a little cosmic horror to boot. I don't know how many times I've read short fiction online about "the horrors of the deep", and felt like those stories were missing something. Well, while it may not incorporate EVERYTHING I'd like, this book still manages to feel like nice mosaic made up of many of those great short form ideas. Two well rounded characters, and their relationship, form the glue that holds all those ideas together. I highly recommend this one, for many reasons. ~ my rating: 9/10

Shards of Honor (vorkosigan saga 1) by Lois McMaster Bujold ~ I enjoyed this book immensely at first, and upon finishing it I still have to admit that Bujold is extremely skilled at writing drama that is both exciting and easy to understand. She had no scruples about letting major plot events happen off screen, for the benefit of only focusing on what, I'm sure she believed, were the most exciting parts of her story. However, I might need additional convincing to continue this series because this book comes across as very conservative and problematic by my standards. I get that it was published in 1986, but even for its time I felt like there were a few unexpected trip-ups that make it difficult to enjoy today (the main characters referring to 'fetuses' as 'people' raised some serious red flags, for instance). I know it's a sci fi staple, and I have friends who still like it, but I'm willing to bet that there are some other books out there that I'll enjoy more. ~ my rating: 5/10 Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle ~ I love Chuck Tingle's spirit and all the ideas that he crammed into this novel. I didn't find his writing entirely believable, and there were a lot of events that didn't feel earned, in my opinion, but I did like it overall and I felt like the second half of the novel was stronger than the first. That's probably because I have an aversion to stories based around amnesia (which was a big reason why the first half was losing me), and I thought that Saul was an interesting foil to Rose, so my interest spiked after he was introduced (in the second half). In the end, despite the story kind of feeling like a stream of consciousness rather than a well sewn together narrative, I still think that Tingle's good ideas carried it a long way and I actually had a lot of fun with it. ~ my rating: 7/10

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ~ Honestly, this book lacked even a modicum of substance, and the only emotion that it managed to stir in me was bitter disappointment. I wrote several paragraphs (on goodreads) about why exactly I hate it, but even they fail to do justice to just how worthless and frustrating the experience of reading this book was, on every level. Congratulations, worst book of the year. ~ my rating: 1/10

System Collapse (the murderbot diaries #7) by Martha Wells ~ I love Murderbot!!!! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ The conflicts in this series are always so cathartic to read about. As always, Murderbot is extremely relatable and groundbreaking as a character. I really need more authors like Martha Wells, who can write good neurodiverse characters outside of the gender binary (bonus: even neopronouns were featured in this book). This did not disappoint. ~ my rating: 9/10

++++December++++

README.txt by Chelsea Manning ~ It's unbelievable to me that this book hasn't picked up more of a focus in the American cultural psyche. I've been casually interested in Chelsea Manning's story since highschool, and this book is a stunningly well written and levelheaded account of what Manning (hopefully) believes are the most crucial parts of her singular life narrative. I feel like Manning's story has got to be one of the most important stories about American identity, propaganda, and foreign policy, of the last three decades. Also, Manning did a great job narrating the audiobook. I feel like I should recommend this to everyone I know. ~ my rating: 10/10