#it's why i haven't worked on the big fantasy novel for so long

[july-19th-club]

still not sure how i feel about dickinson's narration and pacing - it can be so distant at times, except when characters are having conversations, when the conversations themselves can get lost in almost agonizingly minute descriptive language ... but the stuff that is Happen ing . good lord the stuff that's happening here

[onthewaytosomewhere]

okay luvs ... here we go it's still wed (by like 3 hrs prolly depending how long this takes me to get done and how many times i get distracted)

💚first the good part thanks ever so much for all the tags today - y'all have been busy and i so appreciate them all (and am excited to go read ur words) @tailsbeth-writes @firstprincehornyramblings @thighzp @priincebutt @cha-melodius

@sophie1973 @tinyarmedtrex @mikibwrites @henryspearl @typicalopposite

@firstsprinces @seths-rogens @firenati0n @porcelainmortal @stellarmeadow

okay so for today's words we're getting a scenc from one of the sequels that i'm working on for next month to that were!alex/vamp!henry coffee shop au from the end of july

under the cut for (yeah you guessed it) smut DO I NEED TO WARN FOR WERE!ALEX GETTING OFF AS HIS WOLF? - IF SO UR WARNED

💚 AND BIG OPEN TAG IF I MISS YA IN THE TAGS UNDER IT (OR YA JUST WANNA PLAY)

Alex thinks about nothing but Henry that night. How if he took Henry up on his offer, the drive he makes once a month would no longer be necessary. He also thinks about the other things, the “benefits” of having Henry with him when he’s so keyed-up that running isn’t enough. He thinks about that so much that he does something he’s never done before when shifted—he finds a remote spot and attempts to get himself off in wolf form. He’s leaning against a tree with his hand around himself; he’s careful of the elongated nails he gets when shifted. The last thing he wants to explain is accidentally clawing his dick up. Luckily his cock is fatter when he’s in wolf form, so his loose hand grip is enough to get him off without a lot of extra effort. He’s panting, thinking about Henry as he brings himself over the edge. The “Oh, fuck, Henry” that slips out of his lips carries on the wind almost as much as the howl that follows. He’s not come in his wolf form before, so the knot that forms as he’s coming is a bit of a shock. He didn’t know that was actually a thing outside fantasy novels. The time it takes to go away is a bit more of one; why does anyone need to be connected to another being for that long? He still beats off before he gets dressed and drives back to Henry’s place because getting off that one time was not nearly enough when he’s been thinking about Henry all night. His wolf is inordinately interested in getting Henry under him—or over him—he doesn’t seem that particular, really. Henry is waiting for him when he gets home, and Alex is still so filled with lust that they don’t make it past the living room the first time Alex gets his mouth around Henry’s cock. He uses his mouth to get him hard, sucking at the tip and licking him to the point Alex knows that if he takes him in his mouth, he’ll be falling over the edge in no time. It’s so quick, and Alex comes just from rubbing his cock through his pants as Henry shoots down his throat.

alright and a couple tags off the top of my head shall we (and yeah you may have done this and i missed it lolz we'll just assume i stole ur open tag that ya prolly have) @adreamareads @blueeyedgrlwrites @catdadacd @caterpills @emmalostinwonderland

@england-would-fall @forever-fixating @getmehighonmagic @judasofsuburbia @thinkof-england

@piratefalls @suseagull04 @taste-thewaste @thesleepyskipper @eusuntgratie

@sparklepocalypse @kiwiana-writes (yes i know it's so no longer wed by you but if you did do this you have an open tag - i just haven't looked yet lolz)

and i don't know all the peeps i'm forgetting lolz i luv y'all my brain is just broken

[performativezippers]

As a non writer I’m curious about something. Do you decide to write a specific genre and then work an idea into the genre or do you write the idea/story you want and then look to decide which genre it is? I guess I’m curious if the story or genre comes first?

Great question!

For fic: I write whatever the fuck I want and don't worry about it! I mostly write things that end happily because that's what makes me happy, but as long as I tag things appropriately (AU, platonic, IN SPACE, whatever), I don't let any of that bother me. Fic is so fun because it can so easily slide between genres. And most fic is romance AND something else; romance and crime/mystery, romance and scifi, romance and fantasy, or simply contemporary romance. There's a big thing in the publishing world right now where people are like "omg, ROMANTASY, aka fantasy with a primary romance, HOW THRILLING" and I'm like...dude...this not new! Welcome! Have you heard of a lil fandom by the name of XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS??? Do not cite the Deep Magic to me Witch. I was there when it was written.

For novels that you're trying to get published: I had to learn what book genres were! I queried my first novel—which is when you send it out to agents like a job application, with a cover letter and writing sample, and hope they want to represent you, aka help you sell it—being like THIS HAS NO GENRE and it turns out the genre was romcom with speculative elements. Aka low key romantasy, lol. Anyway, that book was Revelations and it didn't sell, I think primarily because the genre conventions were not met and it was confusing. It worked great as a fic, but required several big overhauls and ground-up rewrites to get it to place where it meets genre expectations and is maybe sell-able.

Usually the idea that comes to me is clear what genre it is, now that I know what they are. I primarily write romcoms, some speculative and some not, and so the ideas that percolate for me most are romcoms. However, my agent said recently a new idea I have might be more on the line of romcom and women's fiction* which surprised me. But that's fine! It doesn't change the book I write; it might change how we talk about it in the pitch process and, if it gets sold, how the marketing team frames it. But that won't change the story structure from a drafting perspective, I don't think.

Some genres are very close to each other (upmarket vs. book club fiction vs. women's fiction), while others are quite distinct (if you want it set in space, that's probably going to be sci fi). I think the main questions are:

(a) Setting: Is it on a space ship? (sci-fi) Are there dragons? (fantasy) Can people use magic? (fantasy or speculative) Is it in our world, in our time? (contemporary) In our world but in 1250? (historical)

(b) Character motivations (what do they NEED): To repopulate their planet? Save their mother from the evil magician? Fall in love? Save her bookstore from capitalism?

(c) Obstacle (why don't they have it ALREADY): If the obstacle is primarily internal, like she can't fall in love because she hates herself, then we're looking at a straight romance or literary fiction. If the obstacle is world-building related, like the spaceship is broken or the magician is too powerful, that's going to be firmly sci-fi or fantasy or whatever.

There should always be at least 2 obstacles: one internal and one external, but you should know which one is paramount, or which would win in an epic battle. And that will help you figure out if you're writing, say, romance with speculative elements (soulmates) or fantasy with a strong romantic element (fourth wing, i think, i haven't read it because it seems bad). Whichever you list first is your primary genre, aka which section of the bookstore it'll be in. Are you shelving this in fantasy (fourth wing) or romance (Revelations) or "fiction," and then the rest gets more specific from there.

*also, just like, FUCK the name "women's fiction." Men's fiction is called "fiction."

[katsu-curry835]

So you're thinking about reading A Song of Ice and Fire...

Now, it's come to my attention that there are some people out there who are contemplating reading George RR Martin's masterpiece of a series A Song of Ice and Fire, also known as the Game of Thrones books, but they haven't actually picked them up for various reasons. I'm here to convince you why you should read them, and why your concerns aren't justified (some of them are, we will get to that.)

This post is for people who have contemplated reading the books and need an extra push to actually going and buying them. This is your sign to start reading this series if you haven't already. You will not regret it, it's exquisitely written.

I've seen the show, I don't need to read the books.

Oh lord.

The show and the books do diverge quite extensively, especially as they both go on. Book 1 of ASoIaF and season 1 of GoT are pretty much scene for scene the same story, with, however, big differences in plot after that. Body counts are different, character motivations and arcs are different, and even certain major events have very noticeable changes from book to show. Needless to say you will not be getting the same experience by any means if you were to read the books.

But that's pretty obvious, right? Obviously you know the two are different; all adaptations are different. So what's better about the books?

Well, for starters, the books don't have a trash fire ending (yes I know what you're thinking, see concern 5.) The later seasons of GoT were terrible, it must be said. Yet there is not a single moment in the ASoIaF series that I would call bad, especially compared to the final two seasons of the show.

Secondly, the books and the show both have bombastic plots and intricate character arcs that are easy to get invested in. But the books have something the show doesn't: banger prose. I was one of the people who watched the show before reading the books and I was blown away by just how much better these characters that I already loved were because I got to see inside their heads with their internal monologues. This is a series that really lends itself to deep character introspection. And Martin is an excellent prose writer, make no mistake. This, I feel, is often left out when we're talking GoT. Yes, Martin's plots and characters are amazing. But the sheer quality of quotable lines from his work that aren't in the dialogue and absolute zingers from his internal monologues make this more than worth it.

The books are more than their own thing and are, in my opinion, the optimal way to experience the series. The show is easier to consume, but the books are more in depth. They stand apart from the show as the superior telling of the story, and it definitely helps that the people doing the writing of the show were incompetent. If it wasn't clear, David and Dan were not the geniuses behind seasons 1-4 of GoT, it was George RR Martin. The reason it was such good television, was because it was an adaptation of even better source material.

2. The books are really long and complicated, they feel like they'd be quite difficult to read.

There is some truth to this notion; this is not Baby's First Epic Fantasy Novel. This ain't a light read; it's pretty dense with information. That being said, I don't read to much fiction myself and I found it pretty easy to digest.

Here's the deal, if you go into this series intimidated by all the lore and the size of the books, you're almost setting yourself up for failure. My advice is to pretend that you don't know how 'complicated' it gets. Because being complicated is only a problem if you can't understand what's happening because of its complexity.

From my experience at school (this is relevant I swear), I have found that the best teachers are the people who able to explain complex concepts in a way that makes it seem obvious or simple. And I began to notice this when I started to recount what I had learned from my teachers to other people and came to the conclusion that I did not know how much I was learning. I knew more than I thought. Then I noticed a similar phenomenon when I started explaining stories I really enjoyed. I told the story to my friends, and I realized that there was way more that I needed to explain than I assumed. A good writer is a good teacher: they make the complicated seem simple, and make the long seem short. And George RR Martin is a fucking brilliant teacher.

You will fly through these books quicker than you expect, and you will pick up more information than you know you are picking up. The fact of the matter is, they're well written. If you pay attention, you won't be confused.

3. I've heard the series gets really violent and sexually explicit. There's a lot of guts and gore and scenes of assault and violence against women. How bad does it get?

Obviously I cannot tell you personally whether the series is too shocking or visceral for you, since I don't know your individual tastes. People's mileage will vary with this sort of thing. But there are two things I want to say about this.

Firstly, the show has given this series a bad rap in this regard. There are plenty of scenes in the show that have way more blood 'n' boobs than the books did in those equivalent moments. Scenes will fade to black or be referred to off screen in the books where the show takes great pains to show you everything. This is because of the marketing around the show at the time as some sort of 'this isn't you're typical fantasy for nerds, this has blood and tits. This is sexy fantasy, not like lord of the rings!!1!' The show runners relied on this sentiment to make you uncomfortable because that was part of the point. So they embellished. However, I don't want to convince you that this is a light read. There are descriptions of blood and there are some rape scenes from the perspective of the woman being raped, and that can get pretty harrowing.

But this brings me to my second point: books aren't a visual medium. Maybe this is personal thing, but reading a description of a murder, no matter how evocative and disgusting, will never be the same as someone being stabbed in front of you on your screen, it just won't. There are particularly bloody or uncomfortable scenes in the show (the Red Wedding, Oberyn Martell vs The Mountain, that Sansa scene with Ramsay and Theon) that I struggle to rewatch because every human has a tendency to get a little squeamish at moments like that. But reading them/their equivalents in the books doesn't feel as bad, because it's ink on a page, it's words. And as fans of the series will tell you, words are wind.

That being said, if you think a viscerally described sexual assault, rape or murder will be too much for you, or if you cannot handle depictions of those things in general, it's with great sadness that I should recommend you don't read these books. The violence and rape isn't gratuitous, but it does happen, and frankly these books should have a trigger warning in the front covers.

4. The series is problematic

Yeah, uh, a little bit.

No piece of media is ever going to be ideologically pure and it's unreasonable to expect that. As alluded to in the last section, there's some pretty heavy stuff in this series and the line between depiction and glorification/normalization is blurry here. But I'm going to stop you there because if we had that discussion we would be here all day. When people say 'this is problematic' what they usually mean is that the way something is done has some form of unintentional (or maybe even intentional) bigotry baked into it. And there is some of that here.

The way women's bodies are described can be a little weird. There are scenes where Martin will describe a female child as having 'small, tender breasts,' and it's like 'um... sir what is this?' Generally, though, that Martin describes the women in this is supposed to have a point. It could've been done less strangely, though.

Drogo's relationship to Daenerys is v e r y strange when you consider that Drogo is 30 something and Dany is 13 at the start of the series. Yet we as the audience appear to be asked to root for them. Very gross, George.

I'm sure I missed something, I'm not super deep into this discourse and this was just the stuff that I, someone who is not and has never been a woman, has noticed. But there is substance to this criticism, the weird misogyny in the way Martin writes women's bodies is non trivial.

BUT, I can excuse it because outside of this, ASoIaF has some of the most brilliantly written female characters in any media ever. Their motives are complex, they all embody different kinds of femininity and womanhood, and they're all strong, in their own way. Martin is excellent at writing characters regardless of gender, and this series has some excellent women in it.

5. But the series might never be finished!

This is the big one, really, and this is the concern, along with concern number 3, is the one I understand the most.

If you're unfamiliar, George RR Martin has gone on record saying that he plans to release seven books in his series, although if he thinks his characters outgrow that, he will change it to be more books. For now, though, he seems to be sticking to seven. He has released five novels so far... and the last one was released in 2011. Martin is 75 years old. At the pace he is currently writing, we probably will not get book 7 before he dies. And if we do get book 7, it likely won't be written entirely by him, and therefore will not feel like an appropriate conclusion to many.

This puts some people off and I completely understand why. All I can tell you is why I don't mind.

Currently, the five ASoIaF novels that were released are the best literature I have ever read hands down. The first three novels form a semi completed arc of their own, so some can view them as their own self contained story. For me personally, the 1,7 million total words Martin has already written are enough, because they fuck so hard.

If I didn't address a concern you have about reading these books, please just ask, I'd be more than happy to talk about it. Otherwise, thank you for reading!

[satohqbanana]

WIP Questionnaire

For this I will answer about Arcanium series as a whole.

1.) What was the first part of your wip that you created?

The cast! I guess coming from fanfic writing, I got used to developing parts of the cast first. The contrasting personalities of each character help me create conflicts and move the plot along.

Also, Arcanium used to be an AU, but it strayed too far from canon and now it's a high fantasy concept.

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

I have my own melody for Liberatio saved in Flat.io. I haven't gotten its tempo down, so I won't be able to preview it. However, the track Kamidori to Tomoni by Aishu/StorySoundDesign/Studio Yamaoku sounds pretty close to it.

On the other hand, since Magia started as a game (it's still in development), I have gathered a handful of tracks that I hope would help communicate its themes and world. The one track I heavily associate with it is Reunion by MoGura/UniqueGear.

3.) Who are your favorite characters you've made? Why?

A lot of them, actually! Here's the specifics.

4.) What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

Based on its genre, it'd probably attract a couple of guys from Frieren and DunMeshi. But I have my friends cheering for my work, which is something I already deeply appreciate.

5.) What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

Working on the game has been quite tedious. But then again, big dreams do keep you going!

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

I assume you speak of significant animal characters.

Magia has Charles the Cinder Rat, First of Her Name. Born to assist mages, she is smart enough to solve puzzles and discern between various objects. Liberatio on the other hand has Chester the Cinder Rat, one of Charles' many descendants, and Silver the Combat Dragon, who the group saves from an illegal breeding ring.

7.) How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

Transportation methods include but are not really limited to wagons, ships, wulvensteeds, equicorns, dragons, short-distance teleportation spells, and long-distance teleportation portals.

8.) What part of your wip are you working on rn?

I'm currently doing a zero draft of Magia's plot. It's wild and I'm almost to the end.

9.) What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

I've been told that the characters are unique and the worldbuilding is fire, so I'll go with that.

10.) What are your hopes for your wip?

I hope to grow as a project manager, have this story as my first complete novel, and make friends over it.

Here are the original questions if you want to do this questionnaire!

What was the first part of your wip that you created?

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

Who are your favorite characters you've made? Why?

What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

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

How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

What part of your wip are you working on rn?

What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

What are your hopes for your wip?

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hi, Nora.....do you mind if I ask for BL recs? A few of my favorite ships are Damen/Laurent from 'Capive Prince' novels (kind, protective, bigger build seme x clever, kuudere, beautiful uke) and Andrew/ Neil from from 'All for The Game : Foxhole Court' novels (both have strong personalities, can be reversible couples, looks weak but actually strong)?

Sorry for this long ask, but can I ask, for BL recs that have the same vibe as one or a few of them (up above)?

Feel free if you want to answer or not....

Thanks so much for your blog, that have become like my guideline (because I'm quite new in BL)....

Thanks again....

Hello! No worries, it's a joy for me to recommend BL and if people enjoy my selection, it makes me all the more happy! However, unfortunately, I haven't read the novels you mentioned... So I feel like my recommendations will be way off the mark but I'll try my best ~

My Dear Agent (Ebino Bisuke): This one has bigger, kind, and protective seme and a cool, beautiful, and funny uke (not a kuudere, though). I not only enjoyed but laughed a lot, and the art is gorgeous so highly recommended! Can be read on INKR (or you can buy it from any place you can get TOKYOPOP titles).

Lullaby of the Dawn (Ichika Yuno): Another bigger, protective, puppy seme with a reserved/detatched, beautiful uke pairing with fantasy elements. I've only read the first volume so far but it's super emotional and beautiful inside and out! Can be read on Bookwalker (or any other place where you can get ShuCream titles).

Our Paradise (Greeneer): My last big & cute, puppy seme with reserved, beautiful uke recommendation that I'm nowadays going crazy over is Our Paradise. You won't regret giving this webtoon a chance! Not only the main characters, but their friend circles and the second couple we started to explore more in 2nd season are also fun & really interesting! And obviously, I need MOAR people to scream about it with me. Can be read for free with daily pass on Webtoon.

Just Love, The Monster (Tsukizuki Yoshi): This is a high school delinquent x honor student kind of story. Both MCs are headstrong and fight a lot obviously, but it was fun to read! It's in Futekiya's library, can be read with your subscription plan.

Total Submission (Tsushiko): This is another delinquent x honor student story with dom/sub element that I love! If you're okay with spicy BL and you love seeing hotheaded characters getting tamed by their sweet and kind senpai, this is for you. Available on Futekiya's subscription plan.

We Aren't Secure (Sojima Yuco): This title is an Omegaverse set in high school. MCs are childhood friends and the story has a bittersweet tone to it, and it's definitely nice to read characters who are on more equal terms in Omegaverse instead of an apparent power hierarchy in between. Available on Futekiya's subscription plan.

BONUS

God is Probably Left-Handed (Mushiba): If you've read any of Mushiba's works before, you might know it takes time to warm up to their stories. They are full of surprises, wacky coincidences, and interesting characters that you don't usually see in BL. But these are the exact reasons why I love Mushiba's works so much, and they are quite unforgettable. God is Probably Left-Handed fits into only one of the criteria you're looking for (I won't mention what it is so I won't spoil the story) but I was sooo surprised the way the manga ended! If you're looking for something different to read, Mushiba is your artist. Highly recommended!

As I have said, I haven't read the novels soI just went with whatever seemed suitable to the dynamics you mentioned, hopefully you'll find something that'll be of interest to you. Thank you so much for the ask and have a nice day!

[angelicgarnet]

2, 4, 14, 19, 26.

2. a character whose POV you’re currently exploring

when I first got into hazbin hotel, husk did NOT feel like a character whose pov I would enjoy writing (it probably helped that I just didn't like him that much at first). like I thought if I was gonna write huskerdust fanfic it'd mostly be from angel's POV. but i've somehow realized his POV is actually very easy for me to fall into. so i've been writing a lot of his POV lately and it's so fun lol

4. a story you haven't written yet

not fanfic related, but i have this original story idea that's been bouncing around in my head for like... 3 years. to keep it vague it involves a serial killer being brainwashed by a religious cult. I've written a few chapters about said serial killer's backstory and planned out how the cult works, but I don't want to truly start writing it until I finish my current Big WIP (which is much lighter in comparison; it's a romance novel lol)

14. where do you get your inspiration?

usually from the stuff I read (I get VERY eager to write after reading something), listening to music, and meeting new people!

19. the most interesting topic you've researched for a fic

one time I did a ton of research on pregnancy tests throughout history for a zelink fic I was writing. and then just ended up making up my own fantasy pregnancy test anyway lmao

26. are you able to write with other people around?

depends on who's around and what they're doing. if my family is around I cannot write because I will get SO paranoid, even if the fic I'm writing is G rated. I don't know why. however I sometimes edit fics on my phone when I'm out in public (sometimes even at work lmfao). I can also write with friends around as long as they're not talking

[moorishflower]

I found your work a few months ago because of the Sandman fandom, and I LOVE your writing, and I hope you'll continue writing for dreamling. With that said, I will follow you from fandom to fandom because your fics are sublime, so in the event you start writing for BG3, I thought that I should learn a bit about the characters and I have been happily googling away. One thing I haven't been able to track down is why the Gale/Astarion paring is being called bloodweaver. Please enlighten me.

ToT Anon when I say this made me SO happy I cannot overstate it enough, this is incredibly flattering. I don't have any plans rn to stop writing Dreamling! I have to finish doing You're the One I Need, and I am working on something that I might use for the Big Bang! But yes, I am in a bit of a BG3 spiral rn lol. This game has been in early access for SO SO LONG, and I am really just glad that my (not quite ancient) PC can run it! I highly recommend it for people who are fans of: D&D, the Forgotten Realms novels/setting, high fantasy stories, turn-based tactics games, Dragon Age/Mass Effect, and anyone who enjoys incredible characters. Seriously, Larian Studios has done SUCH a good job with each character, I would die for any one of my companions.

Spoilers for the game below the cut! Nothing major, it's all stuff you learn in Act 1.

As for why Gale/Astarion is being called Bloodweave, it's because Astarion is a vampire, and Gale is a wizard. Magic in the Forgotten Realms setting (where the game takes place) is accessed through something called the Weave. it's been variably described as the "source" of magic and also the way that raw magic can be manipulated. Like a sheet of silk laid over water, magic-users can poke different spots to let little bits of water through, but if they poke too hard then it damages the Weave and you can't interact with magic in the same way.

Gale has a really SPECIFIC connection with the Weave because he used to be in a relationship with the goddess of magic, Mystra.

Surprising no one, Gale and Astarion both attracted me because they have the same rough personality types as Dreamling, lol. Astarion is deeply traumatized, vacillates between embracing his monstrous nature but also having a very deep sense of morality about very specific things, and has an absolutely heartbreaking backstory. A lot of Gale's personal quest revolves around him falling desperately in love with something MUCH bigger than him and doing everything he could to impress it...only to fall short, and be tossed aside in the process. He loves cats, he cooks, and he reads poetry. He's also incredibly arrogant about his own magical abilities and deeply, deeply depressed. (Literally, there's a point in Act III where you can be, if you're romancing him, asked what his greatest shame/deepest flaw is, and the correct answer is that he thinks he and everyone else would be better off if he were dead.

Honestly, ALL of the characters are incredible. Shadowheart and Lae'zel are another pairing I'm interested in writing if I get the urge. Both of them were basically raised in cults and they start out hating and not trusting each other, and grow to respect each other over the course of the game (depending on your actions).

There's a little something for everyone tbh.

[rowanmgrey-author]

wip questionnaire

@dyrewrites, thanks for tagging me! Sorry it took so damn long for me to get to it. (And get ready for tag spam because I have a backlog of tag games to play)

Answering for: The Wild Ones

What was the first part of your WIP that you created?

It was a terrible short story that started with one of the Demon Kings. I eventually decided I'd prefer an ensemble cast instead of just a story about one Demon King. That story was useful, though, because it sparked the entire world building for the planet Pandemonium, where the demons reside.

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

I hadn't given it much thought, but after looking through all my story playlists, I feel like Providence by Foals is a good choice.

What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

In this WiP, that is definitely Jackal. He is a complex, morally interesting character. The kind of character in a piece of media that I just love and love to hate. He's deceptive and selfish and sometimes very easy to dislike, but at the same time, he's empathetic and cares deeply for the people in his life. He's do anything for them, and all the while feels like he doesn't deserve those people or happiness because of the things he's done. The way his father treated him colors a lot of his personality, even decades later, and I can sympathize. He's a beautiful mess of a demon.

What other pieces of media do you think your fan base would share?

I have no idea. The idea that I have a fanbase or could have one is pretty wild to me.

What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

Fixing it post finishing the first draft. I have changed a lot as a person since starting this novel, and now it feels too big to continue. I have so many ideas and so much love for these characters, and so much I need to say and do. It's a bit overwhelming because I want to get it right for myself the first time.

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

So many, but most of them are people >_< With a world of shapeshifters, I haven't thought too much about regular animals, but they do exist, of course. The main character, Ari, for example, had a family dog, and there are several other pets in the series; also, some encounters with wild animals in the future.

How do your characters get around? (Ex. Trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

Cars, trains, and teleportation stations (yes, those exist). The story takes place in the real world, but the magical realms have blended with humans in innovative ways. There are many ways to transit now, but the most popular in larger cities is in the way of Portal Stations, which are basically tube like structures that you get into, tell it where to go, pay a fee and are transported instantly to your destination (or near enough).

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

Can I say none of it?? I have been on a break from The Wild Ones since I am working on world building for another series right now.

What aspects (tropes, maybe) of your WIP do you think will draw people in?

Found family, characters with trauma, trauma bonding, werewolves, demons, magic, complex characters, and all the cool stuff that comes with an urban fantasy series.

What are your hopes for your WIP?

I would like to finish the first book's second draft before next year.

What was the first part of your WIP that you created?

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

What are your favorite characters that you made? Why?

What other pieces of media do you think your fan base would share?

What has been your biggest struggle with your WIP?

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

How do your characters get around? (Ex. Trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

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

What aspects (tropes, maybe) of your WIP do you think will draw people in?

What are your hopes for your WIP?

taglist: @anonymousfoz @dyrewrites

[ladyazulina]

A Writeblr Introduction Attempt

[En Español]

Hello everyone, I’m Lady Azulina 💙 Just Azu around these parts. I have been thinking about doing an introduction since I started diving into the Writeblr community who knows how long ago—certainly not me. But I wasn’t able to decide where to start. I still don’t know, but I believe that even the smallest attempt can be a great step, so here we go—I mean, I. Here I go. I really want to make this space something safe for me. For me to vent. For me to share. For me to be me even when I don’t know how to be me. I tried Instagram. I tried Twitter. Now I’m consciously trying Tumblr. Let’s see how this goes.

2-1: My pronouns are she / her. I’m also cis. And as far as I know, I’m hetero, but I haven’t had the opportunity to test my sexuality, so I can’t be totally sure. Why I’m telling all of it? I don’t even know! Don’t mind me.

2: The sun has gone around twenty-four times since I was born. I’m from winter. Like, an-early-Christmas-gift type. By five days only. I was supposed to be born in February, but I think I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday with the rest of the family. So it was Christmas. Sadly.

2+1: I'm legally a Sagittarius, but heartily I don't know where I fit. Sagittarius sun, Capricorn moon, and Aquarius rising.

2x2: I LOVE personality tests. For the majority of my life, I was INFP-T, but the last result says I am ISFP-T. My Enneagram type is a solid 4, a light 9. My color personal test is serulian (#9bb7d4).

2x2+1: I started writing when I was eleven.

2x2+2: I think I have a record of every writing in all these years (goddess, it will be twelve years soon).

2x2+2+1: I’m a love fanatic, even when I don’t wanna be. I’m a hopeless romantic, people. I write romance even without knowing that I’m writing romance. How the heck? I do not understand either.

2x2x2: In the same way, everything with the correct amount of romance can amuse me. And it doesn’t even have to be romantic.

2x2x2+1: I’m also a creature of fiction. Each word that comes out of my fingers is fiction. Be wary, I’m talking here about my writing, I can turn my life into a work of fiction, but it is not! Sadly.

2x2x2+2: On the topic of fiction, excepting a few self-insert (usually coming out in form of micro-stories), all I write and have ever written is absolutely and totally… fiction. Gezh, believe me, I was also looking for another completely unsuspecting word to get you all there, but I went b l a n k. You all know about it, don’t you?

12-1: I'm a fantasy-setup type of girl. I think I decided that with my very first novel, full of fantasy creatures. Though I haven't been writing there for a while, it's still one of my primary genres. I also like paranormal stuff, not in a very big matter, but its participation is still appreciated.

12: I love mysteries, and I think I’m trying to write one, but I do not try to solve them. My head wouldn’t forgive me if I try to push it so hard. On the same topic, I enjoy detective series.

12+1: I found my hidden love for (writing) action scenes thanks to a specific character. I'm still trying my ways because I don't get to write with her as much as I would like.

12+2: Other than the ones I've already mentioned, I'm pretty bad at identifying genres or tropes, so I won't be doing that. If you recognize any in my writings, please point them out to me! That way I can add them to the tags and so on.

12+2+1: For a while, I was roleplaying in forums, so I think I can say I have fics from Digimon, Pokemon, Sword Art Online, and My Hero Academia. Needless to say, I'm trying to turn all their stories into original ones; I can talk about them whenever.

12+2+2: I always create characters in pairs because I don’t want them to feel lonely like I do, though it doesn’t mean they’re romantic pairs.

12+2+2+1: I’m pretty in love with the blue color, hence my name, its lighter tones especially.

12+2+2+2: My real-real name is also a blue color! I think I’m unbiased from birth.

20-1: I’m a Caribbean Latin lady, my first language is Spanish. I would love the second one to be Sign Language, but I think it really is English.

20: I started studying (in college) Maths, but it didn’t work. I shifted to English, but it’s not working either.

20+1: My alter ego is an editor, proofreader, and writing coach, I can serve as the mediator, and as a way of trying her services as a beta reader.

22: I think it’s already obvious, but my favorite number is 2. The 02, 20, and 22 also work. 12 just because it’s my birthday month, but it also has a 2!

Project Masterlist.

[ethaneldritch]

Epsiode ??? (cont.)

- "The other thing i really like is that…the main character is a wimp. like no question, he's a loser. But somehow it works, and i can't quite articulate why." - "It's nice from a writing standpoint because everyone around him possesses varying levels of competence way above his own, so the inherent contrast provides a clear focal point for a main pov character."

- "But i think the reason why this guy in particular, despite clearly being a loser, doesn't come across as irritating or overly wishy-washy is that he's genuinely doing his best. Everyone else technically outranks him in every possible way, and although he has issues with feeling like he keeps getting pushed into making decisions he's not ready for, he's still doing his best to make the most of whatever's thrown at him."

(this entry got long, more under the cut)

- "The one thing i am curious about, though, is what they're gonna do about his power. They're calling them "yanlings" in the show, but it's basically just an individual superpower categorized by rank based on how powerful they are. Some people can make ice bullets, others can literally stop time, you get the idea. - "Up until this point, multiple characters have been harping on the fact that the MC is the only student currently attending the school with an S-rank ability. The highest."

(i know, big surprise, he's the main character. but stick with me for a sec)

- "Because of this, everyone automatically places him at the top of the tierlist so to speak, hence why he's being thrust into all these incredibly dangerous scenarios right off the bat. But the other thing is that, up until this point, we haven't actually seen him do anything." - "This little guy called Ming-Z-Lu (they're calling him Lu Mingze in the show, but i'm more familiar with the game spelling, so that's what i'll go with) has been following him around everywhere, and occasionally gives him what i can only describe as a one-use gimmick spell to help with whatever the situation is. But that's, like, it." - so. third thing: - "If the MC, Lu Mingfei, is supposed to be who i think he is (Luminous) - [just checked the wiki and they are the same: Lu Mingfei was his original Chinese name in the novels] - then I already know what his ability is." - "I'm not gonna tell you what it is, but I know what it is." - "so like" - "I'm not entirely sure how this is gonna go..." - "Either they're gonna have him with his "normal" ability and build up a big reveal for it somehow, or they've given him something entirely different." - "Like I said, my memory of the in-game storyline is fuzzy at best, and while I remember Ming-Z-Lu scampering around occasionally, I have no idea what connection he has with Luminous, if any (I thought he was more involved with the Gen brothers)."

^ Actually, I think part of this fuzziness might be an unintentional side effect of Dragon Raja Fantasy simply being an mmorpg. You're not playing as Luminous, you're playing as whatever original character you created. You're basically just a sidekick to the actual protagonist. Which, by extension, means the writers can only get away with so much depiction of Luminous' personal arc before it becomes implausible that we, as non-mind-reading bystanders, could possibly pick up on all that. …I doubt it's that big of a plot hole, but I'll attribute a healthy 2% of my hazy recollection to it anyway. As a treat.

[the-haylien]

What I've Been Watching On Netflix

Big Bug

Big Bug is a fairly good series full of robots acting badly. It's a Sci-Fi black comedy from France.

Godzilla: King of Monsters

I watched these out of order, so I almost turned it off. But I'm glad I stayed through the end. It was worth the watch. Rogue scientists race to reset the balance of humanity by awakening monsters. Godzilla rises to fend off the Titans.

The Midnight Sky

George Clooney does sci-fi in a slow-moving post-apocalyptic story about a lonely scientist in the Arctic. He works to stop astronauts from returning to a global catastrophe on Earth.

Atypical

I enjoyed this comedy-drama series set in Connecticut. It focuses on 18-year-old Sam Gardner, who is on the autism spectrum. But we get to know the whole family and their various quirks and foibles.

Chimp Empire

An excellent documentary about our cousins' culture.

Prometheus

I didn't know this was the 5th installment of the Alien franchise. I began to suspect as familiar objects appeared and the action progressed. Actually, it was a quite satisfying way to watch it!

The Social Dilemma

Billed as a docudrama, this is about the negative effects of social media. It may be informative if you live under a rock, but I did keep watching to the end.

You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment

I learned that little things in your diet can make a big difference in your health. Our food system is screwed up. You can look slim on the outside and still be fat on the inside. A lot of doctors are still not educated on what a healthy diet consists of. I also lost my appetite for animal protein.

School Spirits

Not another High School series! But I liked it. Maddie investigates her own murder at the local high school. She meets other ghosts from different eras and becomes friends with them. They are all trying to figure out how to move on.

65

Humans discovered Earth 65 million years ago. After a crash landing, an astronaut finds a girl from one of the other ships and works to get her off the dangerous planet. Slow moving, but it works well.

Lift

Heist comedy worth $500B in gold bullion. Exciting. You can see the twist coming.

LIve to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones

Another long drawn-out documentary. Nothing you haven't heard before, except the Blue Zones are shrinking and disappearing. You need to do some work to create your own Blue Zone.

Detective Forst

Polish detective movies are in their own genre: grungy, dark, brutal, complicated, frenetic, blurred lines of right and wrong, survival against the odds.

Cowboys and Aliens

A spaceship arrives in 1873 Arizona. Yeah, okay, good movie. But it begs the question, why are aliens who are smart enough to build an interstellar spacecraft so brutal, running around naked, trying to kill everyone? So they are the advance-testors, but even so.

A Trip to Infinity

A documentary about the concept of infinity filled with enough explanatory moments to give us a brief idea about the endlessness of the universe.

Level 16

A mostly boring, science fiction B-movie. Nothing to see here people. Move along.

The Magicians

Fantasy with depth and young adult angst. I never watched season five, so I watched the whole thing from the beginning again. I also read the novels at least three times. You probably won't believe me when I claim to like hard science fiction better. But you would be correct to say that I love Mr. Grossman's story. I am satisfied with the TV series timeline.

Made in Italy

Starring Liam Neeson and real-life son, Micheál Neeson, this film is about a father and son who travel to Italy to sell a house they inherited. The film examines themes of art, loss, and family.

Queer Eye: Season 8

So nice to have the Fab 5 back on my screen, but oh so short! This season seemed a bit too slick, but I loved it anyway. What am I going to do without them?

Orion and the Dark

This is a kid's animated movie. It's a bit jumpy--maybe that's a reflection of the neurotic kid who's afraid of everything. Just when you're thinking it's over and that was real short, it starts in again.

Rim of the World

Another kid's movie. Not much to see in this poorly developed sci-fi movie. Crudely pasted together: for example, an injured child with vital information is unconscious, then up and running when it is time to go. Lots of running around in circles because there is nothing better to do, and the movie needs to be longer.

Anon

This is future hi-tech criminal noir. How can you get away with murder when everyone records what they see? Great science fiction.

Alexander: the Making of a God

A dramatized documentary. Very enjoyable, but they draw things out. It probably could have been done in half the episodes. I enjoyed hearing the historians interviewed as much as I liked watching the dramatic presentations.

Freaks

Science fiction story. Some humans have new powers and are being discriminated against out of fear. They fight for their life.

Einstein and the Bomb

Another dramatized documentary. All of Einstein's words were taken from real life. A good show for the most part.

Pluto

Anime about strong robots with strong AI.

[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

[ladyofthelilacs]

Reading Catch Up!

In my first post on this new blog (many moons ago...) I mentioned that I'd be keeping folks up to date on what I'm reading! That didn't happen, haha. But, I've really gotten back into reading this year, and I want to report all the great books I've read so far, and some thoughts on them! There's 15 of 'em, so get ready!

Let's go!

first things first:

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

I started reading this in early 2022 or so. A friend gave me a hearty recommendation for it and I decided to give it a go! After too long, I finally finished it and loved it to pieces. This is a great book, with rich characters and very sharp wit. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction (which it was even for its time, haha) and particularly longing kinds of romance.

4.5/5 Stars from me!

Little, Big: Or, the Faerie's Parliament by John Crowley

This is a beeeg book, and one that is sort of difficult to describe. It's in parts a generational epic, historical fiction, urban fantasy, and a bit of this and that all in between. Its plot sort of unfolds over the course of a lot of smaller stories that entwine into one, and I think that's really cool! It's one of those books that runs 90% on vibes-- if you like the vibes, you'll probably like it a lot! But it's also a book where if someone told me they just didn't like it at all, I'd completely understand, haha.

Another 4.5/5 Stars from me!

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

This one I had my eye on for a while due to the beautiful cover by Em Allen, whose work I'd followed for a bit! My High Fantasy project also involves a magical hunt and is in third present, so I figured this book would be good for inspiration on that front as well! The funny thing about this book in particular is that I was able to tell pretty clearly where the author got some inspiration. I don't think that's a problem, it just amuses me as a fellow Fullmetal Alchemist fan, hehe.

I'm curious if there will be more stories in this setting, or following these characters. I would be interested in that, especially since-- while I liked this book-- I felt this one had a few bumps in the road. Still, I'd recommend it.

4/5 Stars from me!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I love this book, I love this book, I love this book~! This is the book that fully convinced me to commit to third-present perspective for my aforementioned High Fantasy project. Its prose is gorgeous, its world is interesting, its characters are likable-- really, I just liked it an awful, awful lot. It's yet another book where I could understand why some people wouldn't like it that much, but it struck a big chord with me. Please read it (if you'd like to).

5/5 Stars from me (wow!)

The Poe Clan by Moto Hagio (Volume 1)

I have the second volume of the omnibus, but I haven't read it yet. This was just the nicest picture online I could find of the cover of the first volume-- weird, right?? I actually started reading this book in 2022 as well, but it's a pretty chonky read and episodic, so I dipped in and out throughout the year. I finished the first volume in early 2023 and really enjoyed it! It's a great piece of vintage manga with beautiful art and an entertaining, very Capital-R Romantic story.

4/5 Stars from me!

(You may notice...I like a lot of books, haha. Onward!)

The Tropic of Serpents: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan

This is a sequel to A Natural History of Dragons by the same author. You should read that one first! Both books are a lot of fun, and this one is no different! They're good books to read quickly, I think, because they've got a very adventurous quality to them-- after all, they're sort of calling back to old adventure serial novels! This one especially seems to draw from that tradition, but does so in a new way that smartly plays with the exoticization of "non-Western" cultures that often occurred in those old novels. Give it a go if you like adventures and dragons (and the first novel)!

4/5 Stars from me

Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love by Dava Sobel

This book is an odd one out in that it's non-fiction! Wow! This was another recommendation from a friend (the same friend who recommended me Age of Innocence!) and I enjoyed it immensely. It's an interesting piece of historical work, and it's fun to read to boot! I found myself feeling very emotional by the end. I recommend it if this historical period and its case of characters interests you in any way.

4.5/5 Stars from me!

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke is an author who's been on my radar for a while, mainly because I really liked what I read of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but...it's a really long book, and I got very busy, and I haven't been able to dive back into it yet. Someday! But, Piranesi is much shorter, and a very different book in a lot of ways. It's a fun mystery, and I won't spoil it since it's the kind of mystery that gives very fun re-read bonuses when you go back to it. When I wrote about it on Storygraph, I mentioned that it would be a good read for fans of the game Cultist Simulator. There are some very similar vibes here...

4.5/5 Stars from me! (Though maybe it's closer to 5? I tend to reserve 5's for books that really change my brain chemistry. I don't think this one quite managed that, but I really did like it a lot. High 4.5!)

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Another recommendation from a friend (different friend from the one mentioned earlier, but another friend with good taste, haha)! Legendborn is a newer YA series playing with the King Arthur legend. I do like some Arthurian stuff, and this book does some very cool, very clever things with it! The emotional core of the story is very raw, so it can be a bit heavy at times; however, that's not a detriment to my recommendation of it. It's got all sorts of great twists, turns, commentary, and characters that you want to root for to the very end!

I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, but I need to get through more of my TBR stack first!

4/5 Stars from me!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Do you like books? This book likes books, and storytelling in general! Its plot is more mysterious at first compared to The Night Circus (which is saying something given the way that book is set up), but when it gets going, it really gets going! It's another book where I liked it a lot, but I can see why it wouldn't grab some folks. I want to re-read both sometime to see if my thoughts change, but right now I think I like The Night Circus just a little more. Just a little bit. This book is still fantastic, and a big recommend from me!

4.5/5 Stars from me (maybe that'll turn into a 5 on a re-read? Like Piranesi, it's a really high 4.5).

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Discworld, my beloved...it's been too long. I love Terry Pratchett's work immensely. Night Watch in particular is still hanging on to my top five favorite books of all time! If you know anything about that book, it's very obvious that I love it very, very much. I've read the City Watch subseries a lot, and a good chunk of the Death subseries, but the Witches subseries had been pretty neglected on my part, so I'm going back to it! Wyrd Sisters is early Discworld, which means it's still getting all those things that make Pterry's work so, so especially good, but it's still a really fun time and I'd recommend it! I'm looking forward to reading more in this subseries for sure!

4/5 Stars from me!

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Speaking of the Witches...Equal Rites is technically the first book in the Witches subseries, but it's a bit of an odd duck in that regard. Going backwards from Wyrd Sisters to it is a strange experience, since there's so much different between even just a few early Discworld novels! It's...fine. "Just fine" from Terry Pratchett is still pretty good overall, but while I overall enjoyed my read and felt very interested by the end (where it really picks up!), a lot of the novel just didn't grab me like other, later Discworld books do. Even without that considered, it just doesn't pick up as much steam until later.

A solid 3/5 Stars from me! It's Okay!

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

This one's familiar for anyone who's been on tumblr long enough, haha. I remember this book getting really popular years and years ago, but I never got around to reading it myself until just this year, when my writing group had it for book club! It's definitely a good read, full of heart and very clear knowledge on the subject matter! Miller puts in a ton of excellent detail about the language, the history, and other stories from around the period. I think it's a wonderful interpretation of the legend, and I'd recommend it for anyone with an interest in Greek myth (I would also just recommend it to anyone in general, but you know).

4/5 Stars from me!

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

This book was really fun! That doesn't feel completely accurate to say, since it also handles some pretty heavy subject matter, but it's true! It handles its darker elements deftly, and its lighter elements with a good touch. It's a nice blend, and I liked this spin on the Regency Romance and the historical fantasy. The more I read, the more it started to remind me of the works of Diana Wynne Jones (folks who can't recall the name would know her as the author of Howl's Moving Castle, a book I love and heartily recommend!). That's always a positive to me.

A solid 4/5 Stars from me! I liked it a lot and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

The Latch Key by Olivia Atwater

Last one! This is a very short novella set almost immediately after Half a Soul. It's very heartfelt and sweet, and it made me smile (and tear up) to read. Again, looking forward to reading the rest of this series, and seeing more of these very lovable characters!

4/5 Stars from me!

PHEW! That's everything! I don't mind writing a big ol' post like this sometimes, but that's a lot of typing! And a lot of books! Just about five or six months at that (I'm not counting most of June because I've been re-reading my own book in preparation for final revisions)!

If you find something you like, let me know!

[sojournerstales]

Works In Progress

So much of my writing is wrapped up in various WIPs that have been slowed by the usual winter-lull that sits into my fingers and brain. Which is to say: I haven't had much to show lately!

If you're new here, I highly recommend checking out my horror short The Long Fingers, go in armed with a warning against psychological horror and gross garbage bugs. [blog link]

I'm still sort of experimenting with how I want to present things on Tumblr. I'm not a huge fan of huge-huge posts, and I like the formatting freedom that Carrd offers when hosting short stories. We shall see.

Anyways sometimes I find it helpful to just unroll everything I'm working on so it is not trapped entirely in my brain so here it goes:

KALIEDOHOUSE - A Haunted House Stories. This is my novel, progress is very slow as when it comes to long-form projects like this I prefer to nail down the structure and key ideas before work proper. That is to say I know entirely what it's about now, I just need to start the chisel work. The idea is how stories and memory inform the sort of anxieties and fears we might project on a house, and what a house might do with those feelings were it - say - impassively evil.

It disguises itself as an anthology, and the deeper we explore the more we see how these separate haunted house stories relate, reflect back on, and influence each other. Right up until the fire starts, and everything that burns up with it.

SHE, NO.99 - Hyper-indulgent cyberpunk trans action heroism. Everyone needs a project where they do not attempt to quality check themselves. This is where I've been focusing all my But It's Just Cool energy, I enjoy writing action and rarely find the space for it, so here we have a cyberpunk setting and a canonically trans action hero who happens to be an amalgamation of all my favourite badass women characters.

It's also framed around this idea of being recovered episodes from a TV show that was cancelled before it ever got to air. A Saturday morning cartoon that was defunded as soon as the producers realized what it was really about.

'GIRLS,!' - Single scene sapphic love stories. I write a lot of horror and this exists for me to just make something nice and softly sapphic and indulgent. I hope to be finished with it by January, at which point I won't shut up about it for another month or two. It's just girls loving girls in all the configurations that can take.

FIELD. - In the dead of winter a heavy blanket of snow settles over the towns that exist along the stretch of A30 road. Except one field. A woman's father becomes obsessed with finding the cause of this anomaly. Why did snow refuse to settle in that square of land?

THE RETURN OF THE JUNIOR CRYPTID SOCIETY - Years after leaving high school, ex-club leader Fizz resummons the members of the Junior Cryptid Society for one last investigation. Safely returning a landlocked mermaid to her ocean home.

It's sort of about having that one shared interest that bonded you to those adjacent in your school years, where your social circle was restricted to who you were in proximity with, and then how those people change from what you remember. It's also about that odd melancholic feeling of growing up and realizing your social circle was almost entirely queer and maybe you'd have more time and better memories if you had known sooner.

That's everything with a name anyway - I've also been passively working on a fantasy anthology because, c'mon, like I'm not going to write sword lesbians at some point in my future? I also want to work on my Sojourner's Tales volumes, which might be where TROTJCS ends up (how about that for an acronym?). I also want to do a volume about queer slasher horror stories.

In general I would like to figure out Blogging more because I just want to get my stuff seen. I intend on posting another personal essay, this time about my stay in hospital post-The Big Surgery. I also intend on trying to interact with the community more in general, alas when it comes to others I often have the constitution of a startled rabbit.

What are you all working on?

[absolutebl]

As a fan of "2 Moons" The Series,...I think it will forever be a mystery as to why the whole star-cast of the series were changed for Season-2. And I I don't believe in any speculations made by toxic fans.

Regarding to the same,...I'd like to ask you a couple of questions that's intriguing me, forever.

1. Do you really think the star-cast was changed regarding some copyrights issue quoted by "Motive Village?

2. Why isn't "Star-Hunter Studios" promoting Tae Darvid & Tee Thanapon like Kimmon and Copter?

3. What is your opinion about Motive Village? And what are your expectations from "2 Moons 3 : The Ambassador"?

P.S: Hope I haven't bombarded you with too many questions at the same time. I'm coming back after a long time, so apologies in advance.

xoxo

Arjuna

Not sure I have much to say about 2 Moons. I'm not a big fan of either series. I mean they were fine but I missed the *craze* for it, ya know? It's such a dull dynamic for the leads that PhaYo has never worked for me.

I don't mind being bombarded with questions. Anything to procrastinate regressions...

1. Do you really think the star-cast was changed regarding some copyrights issue quoted by "Motive Village?

Nope. I think God didn't want to come back and/or something went wrong with the option. And I think we will never know the specifics and if I were them I would never reveal those specifics.

Fans should never know how the sausage is made, it sucks for EVERYONE when they do.

I will die on this tiny hill.

2. Why isn't "Star-Hunter Studios" promoting Tae Darvid & Tee Thanapon like Kimmon and Copter?

Possible reasons:

They didn't stick with a pair, they didn't want to be paired, and/or don't like that kind of promo. They don't have the "look" the studio is after. Also I haven't seen either associated with any of Star Hunter's events or promo in years. Thanapon I *think* has left the stable. And Darvid is under contract with Channel 3 now. Star Hunter is a little like GMMTV they spent their promo energy on in house actors first, with very few exception.

3. What is your opinion about Motive Village? And what are your expectations from "2 Moons 3 : The Ambassador"?

It's always a sign of concern when a studio keeps whole scale losing cast. Did you know Call it What You Want is considered a bit of an expose/wholesale indictment of what went down on the set of 2 Moons 2? Also BL: Broken Fantasy.

Generally I gonna side with (believe in) the following in order:

post production,

pre production,

production,

talent,

and then maybe the studio.

fans

(Writers tend to have so little power they don't rank, although that seems to be different with y-novel power houses like Mame. Also since most fans have absolutely no idea how the film industry actually functions. So as far as I am concerned, fans are the least trustworthy.)

Look this is a principle I think we should apply to everything in life; judge the operation/corporation on how they treat their lowest value (least public facing) workers. i believe that you can learn everything you need to know about a person from how they treat waitstaff. This is that principal applied to the studio system. Pre/post production is the catering team of the film industry, they do all the set up, all the serving, and then all the clean up. How the studio treats them will tell you everything.

I don't know if any pre/post production peeps also walked from Motive, but that would be the biggest red flag for me. As it stands, all we do know is that both production and talent left Motive 2x, so on principle I would say: they seem shitty to work for at best and corrupt or possibly abusive at worst.

I have no expectations of 2 Moons 3.

I imagine only the most desperate talent would ever want to work for Motive. Which means the cast/director will be crappy. But what Thailand has the least of, obviously, is post production teams. If Motive can't find snippies & clippies, or any kind of engineering staff, they won't be able to get anything decent completed, anyway. How will 2M3 ever leave dev hell Under those circumstances?

But I haven't worked inside the Thai film industry. So I can only call it from what little I know of what goes on there, and my own experience with Hollywood.