#new england romance writers

[nothwell]

Do you have time to read three romance novels?

Are you able to judge without bias?

Are you ready to have fun?

Serve as a judge for the New England Readers’ Choice Awards Contest!

Readers, librarians, booksellers, and unpaid bloggers/reviewers are all welcome to judge the NERW contest.

(Published romance authors and paid reviewers are not allowed to serve as judges.)

Judges will be asked to read and score 3 novels/novellas. Ebooks will be sent out one at a time; once judges have submitted their scores for their first book, they will be sent a second, and then a third, book to judge. If judges submit scores for all three books early, and wish to judge more entries, additional books will be sent out if they are available (up to a limit of 10 per judge).

Our contest coordinators will assign books based on reading preferences indicated by judges on the judging intake form.

Books will be sent out between March 2024 and April 2024, as they are received by the contest organizers. Judges will need to submit all scores by April 30, 2024.

Visit NERW dot org to sign up!

[allylikethecat]

D and N :)

YAY thank you so much for sending me questions from the Fanfic Writer Ask Meme!! If anyone else wants to send in some questions or reblog the list themselves it can be found HERE. I love ask games so much and it absolutely makes my day when people send them so thank you thank you thank you!

D: What’s the most personal fanfic you’ve written?

Oh gosh this is hard because I have the awful habit of putting a lot of myself into Fictional!Matty (sorry Fictional!Matty) and a lot of them are extremely personal for different ways. All the King's Horses deals with my "reality" in the sense of I ride and compete in jumpers. Some of my darker fics also have a LOT of pieces of me in them and even if I didn't necessarily have the *same* experiences as Fictional!Matty, they deal with situations that I have been involved in.

N: Any fic ideas brewing that you’d care to share?

Haha I feel like I always have too many fic ideas brewing. We all know about the teen dad fic, the vampire fic and what was originally the Nashville Fic (due to recent events I think I will be shelved this one for the time being) HOWEVER in terms of NEW FIC IDEAS I'm not sure if I'm actually going to write it, and if I do write it, if I'm going to post it but I have been fully consumed and absolutely obsessed with the idea of a Matty x Noah Kahan situation 💀

Thank you so much for taking the time to send me this ask and for reading my fics! I hope you are having an absolutely wonderful weekend and that it continues to be the best! Thank you again!

❤️Ally

[princeloww]

rivals plot summary (including content warnings)

What to expect from the new DT show, basically. Vague spoiler warning.

Tony Baddingham, DT's character, runs a British television company in the Cotswold area. He is a lord and, as you might guess, extremely rich. He tends to manipulate people and spend their money instead of his, so that when his ventures go wrong, other people are left scrambling to pick up their losses, while he's completely fine.

He has a long-lasting rivalry with the tory minister for sport, Rupert Campbell-Black. Rupert is extremely charming and athletic, and has a new mistress every week. He is divorced and does not see his two children very often. He's an athlete at heart, and adores his horses more than people --- but politics are a lot more stable than that.

The plot follows a very large cast of characters, which can be quite confusing at first. I had to go back and work out who Beattie Johnson was, for example, because I'd completely forgotten who she was and who she was involved with. There are lots of wives and husbands and mistresses and children, so it gets a bit complicated. Most of the characters are somehow linked to Corinium, Lord B (Tony Baddingham)'s TV company.

Tony hooks up with and employs an American director/writer, Cameron Cook. She moves to England to work at Corinium. Her arrival and bad attitude forms tension in the Coriunium workspace, and the tension furthers when Declan O'Hara, an Irish TV presenter and author, arrives at Corinium. He is a leftist (in contrast to the conservatives around him) and often discriminated against for being Irish. At times he is accused of having IRA links, mostly just to make him look bad. He and Tony's personalities clash, leading to a fall out at Corinium. Declan, in a drunken rage, quits his job and falls into a bit of a bad state.

Recovering from the publicity of his departure, Declan groups up with Rupert Campbell-Black and a few others (including Tony's brother, Basil Baddingham) to create a rival television company, Venturer, to challenge Corinium and Tony for the franchise.

There is a lot of romance and a LOT of subplots. Declan's daughter, Taggie O'Hara, is a dyslexic cook who struggles to find work due to her inability to read and write. She develops a crush on Rupert, who is considerably older. If I start talking about how much I despise their relationship, I will never stop. Taggie will probably be quite a main character in the show, I'm guessing. Declan also has a wife, Maud, who is a failed actress and spends all of his money.

Tony's wife, Monica, is very charitable and employs Taggie despite Declan and Tony's rivalry. She is aware that Tony is having an affair with Cameron Cook. An affair which, while Cameron is under his employment, becomes extremely toxic and abusive.

I'm sure the show will be rounded out a bit for modern audiences, but warnings wise (at least in the book), Rivals includes themes of sexual assault (particularly groping), misogyny, domestic abuse and much more. A big majority of the characters are rich and extremely corrupt. Tony, the baddie of the story, has some of the worst moments. There is a scene where he hits and throws a woman until she is bleeding, because she's 'betrayed' him. He also threatens to kill somebody. On a separate occasion, he tells a distraught SA victim not to tell anybody, because the attacker is somebody who he needs on his side, for money. There is also, obviously, given the kind of characters we follow, a lot of classism. Valerie Jones, for example, exists as a punching bag for a middle-class Northern woman who wants to be like the rich Southerners.

Tony might be the bad guy, but Rupert, who we're supposed to like, is also awful. He's Jilly Cooper's little golden boy, despite being horrible. I hate him so much but Jilly clearly loves him. He gropes eighteen-year-old girls and objectifies every single woman he speaks to.

Again, I'm sure a lot of this will be toned down, but watch with caution. The story has light moments and lots of romance, comedy and drama --- it just occasionally dips into dark themes. There will probably be lots of dinner parties, as every other scene is a giant social gathering. As much as I have issue with Jilly Cooper, she is absolutely excellent at writing large social scenes with dozens of different subplots combining.

There's also a weird theme of characters describing 14-year-olds (specifically 14-year-olds) in weird predatory ways. It's weird though, because a strange amount of characters do it -- to the degree where I think it's just Jilly Cooper describing them weirdly. She acts as though being a teenage girl is a woman's prime and that she is wasted after that. She has also gone on the record to state that she hates feminists. I'm not a giant fan, frankly.

On a lighter note, if you want to tell who's supposed to be a good guy, just remember that the good guys always quote poetry and like animals.

Despite its many flaws and dark themes, Rivals really is an interesting read. Jilly Cooper says the weirdest, most fucked up things ("she's like a little sister", thinks Rupert, right after staring at the 18-yo's ass) but the story really supports itself. It's interesting, gossipy, raunchy and very well written. Cooper is an expert at big scenes, and works so well with the giant ensemble cast. I disagree with a lot of things she says, but I think the show will be really good. I'm super excited and can't wait to watch it. There's a particular scene with David's character that I'm looking forward to; while in the book it was a bit scary, because we know how Jilly is with teenagers, there's a scene where Tony drives Declan(his enemy)'s daughter home, and is actually very nice to her before realising who she is. I think DT will do this scene a lot better, and it might actually be a bit endearing. Idk, I don't wanna jinx it, but I think it has potential to be a sweet scene, with the charm DT typically brings to these roles.

If anyone has any plot-related questions, or about David's character or anything, please feel free to ask! I'm more than happy to ramble about this book, because I do really like it. I see and dislike its flaws, but personally I am able to look past them and appreciate the story and characters. They're all horrible people, but let's be honest. They're politicians and rich, tory lords in the 1980s. They were always going to be horrible. You can like something that contains problematic characters without necessarily, immediately condoning and agreeing with those things. People online and especially on places like TikTok seem to struggle with this concept, but I'm a firm believer in media literacy and accepting flaws. You can like something that is bad. You can like villains. It's fine.

Declan is my favourite btw. Live laugh love Declan O'Hara

[uwmspeccoll]

(Not So) Steamy Saturday

"The times had brought changes to Whitebridge. Could Jane Weaver, R.N., take up her old life and duties. . . ?"

"'Jane, I'd like you to meet Dr. Boyd Daves. . . .' It took all of Jane's poise to cover her surprise. For the handsome man smiling politely at her from behind the wheel was black."

"A new black doctor had introduced the racial question . . . and Jane found not the threads of her old life but a new challenge to her heart."

Of the 500+ nurse romance novels from the 1940s to the early 1970s in our collection, it is rare to find one with African American main characters, let alone having them depicted on the cover, and even rarer are interracial relationships. In our collection, the nurse romances that do were all published after Civil Rights legislation of the mid-1960s. Such is the case this pulp novel, Homecoming Nurse by Rose Dana (one of the many pseudonyms for prolific pulp-fiction writer W.E.D. Ross, 1912-1995), published in New York by Lancer Books in 1968.

With the novel showcasing many of the social taboos of the time -- divorce, a small New England town forced to come to terms with contemporary racial issues, racially-exclusive country clubs, interracial relationships, mental illness, the village ice queen chasing after a married man -- we thought it would have the makings of a fairly steamy plot. But, alas, its narrative is plodding and pedestrian with barely a wisp of steam. Disappointing. To its credit, however, with the entire town fretting over the potential of miscegenation, the story does culminate in an interracial engagement (between the main character Jane's friend Maggie and Dr. Boyd, not Jane herself). Getting there, however, is tedious and about as exciting as an ice cream parlor on a sleepy New England main street.

View other nurse romance novels.

View other pulp fiction posts.

[literatecowboy]

Dr. Feelgood

1. On Punishment

Read Part 2 Here Summary: You've been in trouble at work several times before for "lack of professionalism" but now you've gone too far. You've been reassigned to Task Force 141 as a temporary doctor to replace the ones they've made quit out of frustration. You must either prove yourself and earn your former position back at a prestigious military hospital in California or face dishonorable discharge. Author's Notes: This is my first fanfiction - please be gentle. Additionally, the reader's callsign is "Feelgood." I have done my best to write the reader as ambiguous regarding appearance, but she/her pronouns and AFAB anatomy will be utilized. I hope for this to be a slow-burn romance with Simon "Ghost" Riley. Warnings: Gunshot wounds, medical terminology and procedures, finger up the butt, new/unsure writer

-----

“Hey man, I don’t want to beat around the bush. I glanced at your x-rays earlier and I’m impressed by how far you managed to get that bottle up your ass. Next time I’d advise opting for something with a flared base though, alright?” you said, pulling up a swiveling stool to your patient’s bedside. He stared at you, mouth agape, his cheeks flushed. 

“Blockages are pretty serious and this thing isn’t going to come out on his own, so I’ll be taking you into surgery shortly, my team is getting a theater prepped and then the anesthesiologist will come back and we’ll get this show on the road. Will your daughter be staying here to wait during your surgery?” you asked, swiveling to look at the much younger woman sitting at the man’s bedside, holding his hand. The man in the hospital bed went fire-engine red. 

“She’s my wife!”

–

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I was just trying to be concise. And mistaking the wife for his daughter is an honest mistake, she looked half that guy’s age!”

“Well then allow me to be concise - you’re lucky you still have a job. That “guy” is a very important man on this installation and speaking to him in such a disrespectful manner will not go unpunished, doctor.” Klein, one of the hospital administrators, said. The exhaustion and frustration were evident in his voice but he still stared you down with focused eyes. 

“He already has a new doctor and you’ve already taken me off of his case. I won’t have to see him again. Isn’t that enough? Are you gonna make me clean the medication fridges again?” you asked with a sigh, rubbing your forehead. You could feel a headache coming on. 

“You’re being transferred to–”

“What?! Klein, you know that’s a sweeping overreaction. Come on, I’ll even do a professional development training course or something.” 

“As I was saying, you’re being transferred to an installation in the United Kingdom. There’s a task force there that just had their doctor quit and–”

“Fucking England? What the fuck, Klein, you’re shipping me off to a different continent just because some asshole got offended?”

“You’ll temporarily fill in as their doctor until a permanent replacement is found. If, by the time that is done, you have found empathy and learned to hold your tongue, you will be welcomed back. If you have not you will be dishonorably discharged.” Klein finished. You sat frozen for a moment. 

“Who’s fucking idea was this?”

“The base commander you insulted thought it up. He believed it to be an excellent way to give you a taste of your own medicine.” Klein said. 

“Oh yeah, what? Think I can’t slap bandaids on soldiers?” you asked with a scoff, shaking your head and throwing back your seat as you stood up. 

“I wouldn’t be no nonchalant about this, doctor. Task Force 141 has had two doctors quit on them in the past year. From my understanding an intelligence agent put out a desperate call for a replacement more than two weeks ago and nobody has answered the call.”

“I’m not so easily discouraged, Klein, don’t worry about me. I’ll be back here soon enough anyway and it’ll be like I was never gone.”

–

Over the next handful of days, a military plane carried you across the pond with your belongings and delivered you into the jaws of Task Force 141’s home base. As the plane’s ramp lowered to reveal melancholy gray skies you felt mildly dejected that England hadn’t greeted you with the warm, sunny weather you’d been accustomed to in California. 

“Oh, Doc’s a lass!” a Scottish-tinged voice startled you out of your sudden fascination with meteorology and you glanced down, taking your first step down the ramp. 

“And you…aren’t English. But you are I take it.” You smiled hesitantly, scanning the faces of the two men in front of you. 

“And an American! Got any more surprises for us? It’s like bloody Christmas on this airstrip!” the one with the mohawk said with a grin. You couldn’t help but laugh. 

“So you knew I was coming but don’t know anything about me? Some special forces you are.” you teased. 

“Price didn’t tell us a new doctor was coming until last night and wouldn’t let us snoop. Only said you go by Feelgood on the field.” the one in the hat said. 

“That’s me. Who’re you guys?” you asked, stepping the rest of the way off the plane and looking around at your surroundings. 

“I’m Soap, that’s Gaz. Price is our captain but he’s up to his neck in papers inside, you’ll meet him later. There’s also Ghost, but he’s out right now on a solo mission. Should be back tonight.”

“What does someone do to get that kind of emo kid calling?” you asked with a snort. Soap and Gaz glanced at each other. 

“Just…you’ll know him when you see him,” Gaz interjected. “Come on, we’ve been instructed to show you to your workspace and quarters.” The two lead you inside and through a maze of twisting and intersecting corridors, pointing out landmarks as they went. 

“Mess is back there, and so is the main gym. Laundry is to your right and take that door to head outside to the parade deck and practice range.” Gaz had explained with Soap jutting in to joke about the quality of military food. You had quipped about the blandness of English food which had made him laugh and Gaz roll his eyes. Eventually, you’d been led to your workstation - the 141’s small medical bay. 

“This is…it?” you’d asked warily. It was dusty and not a piece of equipment in the room had been turned on recently. The boxes of medical gloves sat unopened but medical supplies and wrappers littered the room. There were a few spots of blood on the floor beneath a gurney. 

“We’ve been mostly fixing ourselves up since the last doc quit,” Gaz admitted. 

“And not using gloves. Do you know how easy it is to get an infection if you don’t know what you’re doing?” you growled, gingerly picking up a used needle and disposing of it in the sharps bin.

“We’re still alive, lass. That’s what matters.” Soap said with a grin. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. 

“Right, I can see why coming here was a punishment now,” you muttered under your breath so neither of them could hear. 

“Can we show you to your room now? We want to go out later and we need time to get ready.” Soap asked, cocking his head. 

“I can take it from here.” a voice called out from the frosted glass doorway, making you turn. 

“You must be Captain Price, and that must make you the one allowing these men to doctor themselves with minimal knowledge. Don’t worry, we’ll fix that,” you said, taking in the bucket hat and mutton chops with a blink. He looked slightly taken aback and smiled. 

“Feelgood, isn’t it? Don’t forget why you’re here. Laswell filled me in.” he said.

“What? Why are you here?” Gaz asked, turning to look at you quizzically. You sighed, slumping your shoulders. 

“I’m on punishment,” you muttered lowly, making Soap guffaw. 

“Aw, lass, we’re your punishment? I shoulda been mean,” he said with a laugh. 

Before you could retort all three of their comms crackled to life. 

“Hope that doctor made it in, Price. I’m coming into base and he better be ready. Been shot.” A gruff, heavily accented voice echoed across the room. Autopilot took over your body instantly. 

“You two-” You thrust two fingers out at Soap and Gaz. “Take that gurney from against the wall and meet him outside. Lay him down, put pressure on the wound, and bring him in quickly.”

“And you-” you thrust a finger at Price. “Get me supplies. Get IVs ready to go. Be prepared to find me things while I work.” you barked. 

Immediately you ran for the sink, tossing your jacket aside and hurriedly scrubbing up and down your arms and hands before drying yourself and gloving up. You threw on a gown, a mask, and a cap and gloved up again. As you turned around the doors burst open and Soap and Gaz came in pushing a gurney with a massive man covered in tactical gear and a skull balaclava draped over the top.

“Where is it? Get that gear off.” you barked, angling a light down from the ceiling and angling it towards your patient. 

“Stomach,” he grunted, grabbing his vest and dragging it away. He was panting and blood dripped onto the floor as the vest fell off. 

“Scissors.” you barked. It took a moment for Price to pass them to you and you shot him an exasperated look when you saw his bare hand. 

“All of you, glove the fuck up! Gowns on, masks on!” you shouted, tossing the scissors to the side and grabbing a fresh pair. You snipped carefully across where the blood was concentrated and pulled the fabric to the side. 

“Anterior abdomen entry, near the flank.” You pressed gauze to the wound and waved your hand at Soap. 

“Turn him over slightly. Gently!” you warned. On the count of three, you worked together with the Scot to gently lift Ghost from the side to examine his back. 

You exhaled when you found an exit wound and pressed more gauze to it, gently helping Soap lay the big man back down.

“Clean through but you’re not out of the woods yet.” you barked. Through the balaclava you could see that Ghost’s eyes were glassy - he was struggling to focus.

“Stay with me, big guy. Gaz, hold pressure on that entrance wound.” you barked. 

“Price, help me with these pants and boots,” you ordered. So far the three had been excellent at following your orders, but at this, the captain faltered. 

“What for, doc-”

“Do as I say!” you barked, turning to insert a needle into Ghost’s vein and get the IV drip going. Price fumbled with Ghost’s boots as Soap undid his lieutenant's pants sheepishly, dragging them down. You tossed a blanket over Ghost’s legs and gritted your teeth.

“This is your only warning to turn around. You won’t want to see what I’m doing.” you snapped, lubing your finger and slipping your hand beneath the blanket and into Ghost’s boxers. 

“Sorry man,” you mumbled quietly. Price and Gaz had managed to turn around in time but as Soap realized what you were doing, a look of horror overtook his features. 

As gently as you could manage, you slid a finger into Ghost’s ass. 

–

Hours later you sat alone on a bench in your medical bay chugging coffee. 

Things had gone well as they could have given the circumstances. After confirming no intestinal damage had been done by the bullet and stabilizing Ghost, you set him up in one of the hospital beds in your ward and treated the rest of his comparatively minor injuries. As he had lay, unconscious while being rehydrated and given a blood transfusion, you had begun cleaning what had immediately been established as your domain. 

Soap had bailed as soon as Ghost was stable, muttering about needing a drink after what he’d seen. Gaz had followed after sitting by his lieutenant for some time. Price was the last to leave but he still came in and out sporadically to bring you coffee and help with the cleanup. A gentle rapping on the door pulled you out of your thoughts. You glanced up.

“Hungry?” Price asked. There was a tray in his hands, and two plates sat atop it. 

“God, yes, please. I haven’t eaten since before I got here,” you admitted, offering Price a smile as he sat beside you. 

“I don’t think it’ll be as good as the ones from where you’re from, but I got burritos from the mess.” he offered, unveiling the plates. You both ate in silence, staring off into space, punctuated only by the beeping of Ghost’s heart monitor.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you all,” you said after a moment, wiping refried beans from your cheek with your sleeve.

“No, please, you were right to order us around. I don’t think I’ve ever watched…that…before. What you did was incredible.” Price admitted. 

“It wouldn’t have happened without your support. I’ll make nurses of the lot of you. That is if I don’t get killed when big guy remembers my finger in his ass.” you muttered. Price choked on his food. 

“Is that what the pants thing was about?” he asked hesitantly after a minute.

“It’s essentially a check for intestinal damage. If you ever get shot, stabbed, or blown up you’ll get the same treatment,” you said matter-of-factly. Price blinked. 

“Remind me not to in that case,” he said with a chuckle. More silence passed. 

“How’d you manage to run off so many doctors?” you asked after a moment. Price grunted. 

“Not me, love. I guess you’ll find out when he wakes up.” he nodded toward Ghost. You sucked in a deep breath. 

“You’re suggesting two extremes. One possibility is that your task force has a severe case of the man flu and needs to be babied to an extreme. The second possibility is that the second his eyes come open he’ll be off the bed and he’ll refuse treatment until he gets shot again.” you said. 

“That’s about it, especially with him,” Price grunted, nodding at Ghost again. You sighed. 

“I’ve restrained men before and I’ll do it again, captain. I’m not afraid,” you said boldly, polishing off your burrito and watching Ghost’s chest as it rose and fell. 

“You left the balaclava on - that’s good. There’s hope for your survival yet, love.” Price said. He patted your knee good-naturedly and rose, picking up the tray to take back.

“I’ll send one of the boys in later tonight to give you a break so you can sleep,” he said, headed for the door. You nodded quietly and got up to continue cleaning and reorganizing your med bay, determined to make it home.

“Oh, and one more thing - welcome to England.” Price said as the door shut behind him.

[bluecr0w]

Okay here we go with another list of things that DBD characters would like, this time is books (? I'm a reader so I thought it could be interesting, this time I separated it into 2 parts:

Edwin, obviously i think he would read a lot of books once he discovered some good contemporary writers but i think a book he would enjoy would be the picture of Dorian Gray, it has everything; crime, discussions about evil, sex and lust, as well as male characters of the time being attracted to men. Now as for more modern books, i would say "The midnight Library" by Matt Haig or "The frugal wizard's handbook for surviving medieval england" by Brandon Sanderson, both have a storyline that i feel edwin would love and could also be an episode of DBD honestly, he would probably also enjoy Almond.

Charles would absolutely love "Percy Jackson", would feel very identified with Percy, his story, his feelings and how he relates to the world, After Edwin's confession (he would read Niko's recommendation) "The Sun and The Star" and would discover some things about himself and his relationship with Edwin. Another saga that I would love is "Six of crows", especially the story about kaz and the crows, he also reminds me of Jesper.

Niko, our BL lover, would say "The song of Achilles" (? A gay love story with Greek mythology totally her type, she would probably recommend it to Edwin, is the fairy of recommendations. Another book that I feel she would read is "Yumi and the nightmare painter" A very sweet romance story about two different people who have to come together to save their worlds.

Now I thought a lot about what books Crystal would read and many ideas came to me, I think she would be the type of person who would read Twilight ironically. And I feel like I would be a lover of Stephen King's books such as Carrie, Pet Cemetery or It. Another book she would read after spending a lot of time with gay ghosts, and discovering a thing or two about herself is "Afterlove" by Tanya Bryne an LGBTQ+ story about two girls whose love breaks the boundaries of life and death. I think that after recovering her memories and what happened with David, she would enjoy Hermann Hesse's "Demian", and the conflict that the protagonist has with the concepts of good and evil.

Ok, here is part one, I hope you give me new recommendations that them would read and that you like some of mines. In a couple of days I will upload part 2. Also Netflix Renew DBD!

[unhetalia]

Based on this post. FACE and their skill and interest in the various arts.

VISUAL ARTS:

Arthur's skillset is in sketching and painting people exclusively. He's incredibly skilled, and some his discovered artworks (under Anon) are the subject of a lot of discussion in the art world. There's a gorgeous sketch of Alfred in a gallery that people have been obsessed with for a hundred years, titled by art critics as Beloved, because people (rightfully) believed Anon must have been in love with the subject.

Francis is an all-rounder in this area. Painting, drawing, ceramics and sculpture. Draws and/or paints beautiful men and women he meets throughout history. As a gag gift, every year, he chooses a random Nation and gifts them a giant nude painting of another Nation they've had a crush on.

Alfred prefers architecture and sketches the lead to inventions or building things. He is, however, amazing at capturing landscapes. TERRIBLE at drawing people. He's also a very skilled photographer.

Matthew has no interest in the arts, but does love it when Alfred gifts him little watercolours of the Canadian wilderness.

LITERARY ARTS:

Francis loves discussing and literature, but doesn't dabble as much in writing.

Arthur is the writer, and has published a lot of critically acclaimed works under a pseudonym. Mysteries, romances, fantasies - even poetry and a play or too. Ironically has been referred to as the modern day Shakespeare.

Alfred writes mostly research papers BUT does a great short story or general non fiction. He's also a great humourist in a very David Sedaris style sense wherein he's good at observing and writing about how people act without judging them - for example, he will recount a story about someone stripping in a New York subway and write something along the lines of "If I had decided to strip on the subway, I would have decided to do in June as opposed to December, just so I could give me fanily jewels the best chance to shine. His looked incredibly shy in the winter cold."

Matthew - once again doesn't have any interest, unless you count having a sharp tongue a type of literature.

PERFORMING ARTS:

Francis loves theatre and has acted a fair bit. He's also second only to Austria on the violin. Plays several other instruments, and taught both Canada and America how to play piano. Good at any dance you do at a ball.

Arthur goes to a lot of performances but doesn't partake (a big fat lie - he was in band and played lead guitar and wrote the lyrics. He also did backing vocals - he's decent.) Like France, good at any dance you do at a ball.

Alfred is so good at piano that Austria himself once gave him a standing ovation. He also plays the guitar and has a beautiful voice, though is weirdly stage shy. He loves going to the ballet and orchestras and musicals, and goes a lot with Francis. He loves swing dancing but can't dance anything else (refuses to learn to spite England, who started teaching America just as their relationship was souring).

Canada is an AMAZING dancer. It started as a way to prove that unlike his brother, he was NOT a troublesome student, and grew as he soaked up the attention and praise from England, but it also became something he truly loved. Was also taught piano at a young age but didnt really care for it. Good singer, but will only do it drunk or in the shower.

[nothwell]

Authors! Did you publish a romance novel in 2023? Do I have a contest for you!

(Fun fact - you don't have to be from New England to participate!)

The New England Readers’ Choice Awards is now open for entries. Visit NERW dot org and submit your novel.

[forgetmenightshadevn]

THIS MEDIA AND BLOG IS 18+.

A tale of rituals, death, and obsession in the New England pines…

You met Arthur Fitzroy in the woods, seeking a respite from a fractious home; two isolated children unprotected from the harshness of life. After one miraculous day of joy together circumstances rip you apart, and the happiness of both of your futures depends on one choice made by a damaged child. You can be sure that regardless of how far you've moved on, Arthur has never forgotten you.

When an unexpected death pulls you back to the point of your childhood connection, what man will be waiting for you there: the one that's made you into his symbol of the perfect future, or the one that's clung to life only for revenge?

–

INFO:

Forget-Me-Nightshade is an upcoming 18+ yandere-sim visual novel that follows the main character's relationship with Arthur Fitzroy, the heir to a history steeped in the occult, and last descendant to a line of powerful witchcraft.

After meeting as children, Arthur becomes powerfully obsessed with you, the first and only person to show him affection and sympathy in his isolated, unhappy upbringing. Whether that obsession is able to bloom into something like true love, or rot into darkness and hate, is entirely up to the player. But the player themselves will have their own painful demons to fight and even darker figures from their past than Arthur, who simply refuse to stay gone.

FMN will offer a unique playing experience in that there will be two routes the player can experience, based on their preferences. One will suit players seeking a more traditional yandere-romance experience, and one is for fans of the classic murder simulator.

It is possible to kill, die, escape, or pair up romantically in both routes, so you won't miss out regardless of which flavor you prefer. Do you want to save Arthur from himself, confronting your own trauma in the process, and move forward together into a new beginning? Do you want to sink into your own bitterness, and follow him down the path of rituals and corrupted power? Both are more than encouraged.

The demo is currently in production and will feature a shared prologue for both routes as well as the first day of each route, so that you can sample both and see which is to your taste!

CREW:

Creator and artist: @denimizu

Writer and programmer: @abyssleaves

This game will feature content warnings for the following:

Violence and death

Sexual content

Blood

Gore

Torture

Mentions of past domestic abuse

Possible mentions of animal death

Child abuse

Manipulation and gaslighting

Stalking

All content WILL be tagged appropriately, and anything too severe will be placed under a cut. So even if you don't want to play the game for these reasons, you can still engage with the content knowing everything will be curated clearly.

Thank you and enjoy the rituals!

[wolfstargazer]

My brand

Quiet. Full of love and sadness. Slowest of slow burns. Lingering glances. Misunderstandings. Missed opportunities. Sexual tension. Era-accurate. Canon considerate. Friendship. Romance. Angst. Drama. Bittersweet. Nostalgia. Flashbacks. Dreams. Some OCs. Teen Marauders. Adult Wolfstar. First Wizarding War focus. Mostly T & M rating. A safe, still place full of tenderness.

Master list

Wolfstargazer Microfics (31/? | 9,739 | Ongoing) Wolfstar-centric microfics created in response to Wolfstar Microfic and other prompts on Tumblr.

Patient Potions Master (15/15 | 28,915 words | Complete) It is the beginning of another week during Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts and tempers are once again tested during Double Potions. How will Harry cope with a week's worth of detentions? And will what is revealed during these detentions help him to accept Sirius' death? Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered (1/1 | 2,584 words | Complete | Remus Lupin Fest 2024) It is the Marauders final year at Hogwarts and the Graduation Ball is fast approaching. But Remus doesn't know how to dance. Luckily, he has just the friend to show him.

More about me below the cut

About me

30+, first Gen Wolfstar shipper and Maraudra-era fanfic writer from England. I work full time, study part time, and have three cats. My pronouns are she/her. I'm a neurospicy, ENFJ, triple Scorpio.

Why am I back?

I'm returning to the fandom after a long hiatus to edit and re-post my ancient fics. I will also be creating new work with the Marauders and the First Wizarding War at their heart.

I am currently dusting off the cobwebs by editing some ancient fics and dabbling in microfic writing.

What not to expect from my work?

All out smut. AU. Crossover. Wild canon divergence. Modern-day Marauders. Reader insertion. RPF. All out fluff. Muggle Marauders. Omegaverse.

What pairings can you expect?

My content focuses on the characters of Remus and Sirius. Their relationship, as friends, enemies and more is at the heart of what I write. Other pairings, romantic or otherwise, may be depicted.

Some final things -

My personal perspective of the characters and my headcanon has been formed over 20+ years in the fandom. As such, my perspectives are shaped by my experiences. These may sometimes differ to others, and those of new gen fans. I respect all fans to interpret characters any way they chose, and hope others will treat my content the same.

I do not endorse the views of J.K. Rowling in anyway. Her views are very painful to me and for a long time I had to step back from the fandom as a result. I want my blog and content to be a safe space, for myself and for others. This is my escape from the world.

I have not read All The Young Dudes. I had stepped back from the fandom for sometime when the fic exploded. I am grateful that so many people have found a route into the Marauder-era fandom through this work. I support all fellow creators of content who shape the world and characters in ways that speak to them.

Finally - if you want to know what it was like in the HP, Marauder-era, Wolfstar fandom trenches in the 2000s this article is a great starting point. Alternatively, ask me anything.

[bridenore]

HD longer fics recs : 150k to 200k words

Here are a few recs for fics ranging between 150k and 200k words. You can see my recs for fics that have more than 200k here.

Posted in alphabetical, order as always.

All I Want For Christmas (Is For You To Stop Talking) by @femmequixogtic and @noeeon [162k]

The Niffler’s Garden is the most prestigious wizarding nursery school in England and has been for the last century or more. Harry Potter’s boys are both enrolled as pupils at the Garden. When he volunteers to assist with the Yule pageant, he has no idea that he’ll be working closely with another parent, Draco Malfoy. Although they haven’t seen each other much since their own school days, Harry faults Malfoy for not being a hands-on dad to little Scorpius. Will the intense weeks of preparation fan the fires of enmity or something else entirely?

Warnings: Background discussion of divorce, coming out, parenting, very brief mention of difficult pregnancy.

Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered​ [153k]

Harry gets de-aged.  Malfoy has to help him.

Bond by AnnaFugazzi [173k]

Yet another one of those Harry And Draco Are Forced To Be Together By Something Beyond Their Control And Then Stuff Happens Leading To Twoo Wuv stories. Because every HD writer has to write at least one

The Copper Cauldron by Newshound [150k+]

Draco thought his life had ended after being imprisoned in Azkaban. It  will take the love of the man he regards as his greatest enemy, the faith of his most trusted confidante, and the hope imparted by a beloved  child to convince him that his life has truly just begun.

Freedom to be by @quicksilvermaid [169k]

Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived.

12 years after the war, he’s become the Boy Who Lived For Everyone Else. He has the perfect wife. The perfect house. The perfect job. The perfect friends.

Only nothing feels perfect.

Until one day he stumbles across a club called Release and begins a journey of self-discovery that takes him to a very different place.

Finite Incantatum by Alysian Fields [153k]

What should have happened after ‘Half Blood Prince’! It’s the autumn after Dumbledore’s death, the Death Eaters are steadily gaining power, and Harry and his friends are desperate to find the remaining Horcruxes. But then Draco Malfoy arrives at Grimmauld Place, traumatised, starved and drained of all his magical ability. It falls to Harry to show the Slytherin how to adapt to his new way of life, never guessing that Draco has a few things to teach him in return.

The Sleeping Beauty Curse by who_la_hoop [152k]

When Draco Malfoy falls into a cursed sleep and can only be woken – at least, according to the Daily Prophet, that impeccable source of truth – by ‘true love’s kiss’, Harry Potter knows there’s no way on earth he’s the answer to this particular riddle. Is he …?

Temptation on the Warfront by alizarincrims0n [180k]

Draco Malfoy is forced into hiding with the Golden Trio and dragged into their search for horcruxes. What ensues is a journey of redemption, unexpected friendships and an unwanted, turbulent romance with Harry Potter. Warnings for swearing, sexual content, and dark themes.

There Is Always the Moon by @firethesound [159k]

Draco’s life after the war is everything he wanted it to be: it’s simple, and quiet, and predictable, and safe. But when a mysterious curse shatters the peace he’d worked so hard to build, there’s only one person he can trust to help him. After all, Harry Potter has saved his life before. Now Draco has to believe that Potter will be able to do it one more time.

Things Worth Knowing by @femmequixotic and @noeeon [164k]

After the Battle, Harry thinks he’s left Hogwarts for good, but Minerva insists that all students return for an Eighth Year if they wish to sit for NEWTs in the spring, and Harry needs those NEWTs to go into the Aurors. Draco’s just grateful not to be in Azkaban. Or the Manor. He’s hoping he can steer clear of Potter this year and grapple with his own problems. Unfortunately for him, Potter appears to be one of those problems. And that’s not even addressing the fact that Potter’s got serious issues of his own, which Draco realises as he’s forced to share an Eighth Year dormitory room and several classes with the Gryffindor Git. If only they can make it through the year without killing each other, it should be all right, shouldn’t it?

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki [104k]

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

Delicate Sound of Thunder by geoviki [61k]

Draco Malfoy has always known that happily ever after is only true for fairy tales.  When someone threatens to expose his wartime past, he risks his life to protect his secrets, but learns he’s not the only one with something to hide. The sequel to A Thousand Beautiful Things.

I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did!

[spaceotter42]

Three Hit Disney Shows Are Ending

Above: the final casts of Bunk'd, Raven's Home, and Secrets of Sulphur Springs.

by spaceotter42

Disney Channel's two longest running shows, "Raven's Home" and "Bunk'd," have been canceled, and a third popular show, "Secrets of Sulphur Springs," will also not return.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bunk'd will air its final two episodes this Friday, August 2, 2024. The series was a spin-off of "Jessie," where three of the Ross kids went off to summer camp. The Ross kids' actors were written off the show after three seasons, but the storylines kept going using new, younger kids visiting the camp.

The only actor who appeared throughout the entire series was Miranda May, who played camp counselor Lou Hockhauser, eventually the owner of the camp, and May herself became an executive producer of the show. Camp Kikiwaka became the Kikiwaka Ranch as it morphed into a western theme in its sixth season, and the show gained a new subtitle: "Bunk'd: Learning the Ropes."

Bunk'd ran longer than any other Disney Channel live action show, 7 seasons, 162 episodes, and nine years, having premiered July 31, 2015. A highlight of the series depicted a gay marriage proposal in season six.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Raven-Symoné starring sitcom "Raven's Home" was a revival of her earlier teen show "That's So Raven" which ran for four seasons from Jan. 17, 2003 to Nov. 10, 2007. Raven's Home, which now depicted her character Raven Baxter as a divorced adult with two teen children of her own, lasted even longer, for six seasons from July 21, 2017 to Sept. 3, 2023.

Among its ground-breaking storylines were an anti-vaping episode and a recurring trans character. Although Raven herself will be gone, her show will spin off another sequel focusing on Raven Baxter's young cousin Alice, again played by Mykal-Michelle Harris, as she was in Raven's Home.

Raven-Symoné will executive produce and direct the spinoff, "Alice in the Palace," which will have Alice move to England and interact with her doppelganger, Duchess Clementine. It's a sort of "Prince & The Pauper" sitcom, where the two will pretend to be each other.

A previous Raven spin-off, "Cory In The House," aired for two seasons in 2007-08. It featured Raven's dad serving as a chef in the White House, and showcased the antics of her brother Cory.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The third ending series, "Secrets of Sulphur Springs," didn't run as long as the other two, but it was still popular. It ran for three seasons from Jan. 15, 2021 to March 24, 2023.

It was not a sitcom but an adventure/mystery show involving science fiction (time travel) and supernatural elements. Well-written and well-acted, it will be missed for its innovative approach to fictional and realistic problems. It featured an interracial teen romance and a strong anti-racism message.

The series starred teen actors Preston Oliver as Griffin Campbell and Kyliegh Curran as Harper Dunn.

The series sadly ended with a cliffhanger that was never resolved. Teens Griffin and Harper were visited by their son Nick from the future in an episode appropriately titled, "Nick of Time."

Writers note: I will miss all three of these shows. They weren't perfect but still harkened back to Disney's old style of entertainment with some relevant new topics included. Will newer shows be as good? Time will tell.

[samanthahirr]

Kingsman & Robin Hood AU (Hartwin)

Inspired by a Writer Bingo card meme called “Why I Didn’t Write It,” here’s my most-beloved story idea I never wrote:

Picture if you will a mashup of Taron Egerton’s films Kingsman (2014) & Robin Hood (2018), in which younger-son-of-an-earl Eggsy meets King Harry on the Third Crusade (round about 1190 A.D.). Obliged to keep this brash young lordling from getting killed, Harry tolerates Eggsy’s presence in his council meetings and gives Eggsy much-needed advice to listen and learn before weighing in on matters of war and politics. Eggsy quickly comes to worship Harry, and as Eggsy matures into a noble and intelligent young man, Harry becomes enamored with him. The two begin a passionate affair, which Harry’s chief advisor Merlin disapproves of (Harry can’t afford to show such partiality for one earl’s family over the other earls’ without unbalancing the carefully calibrated politics of his court).

Eggsy falls in battle and is captured, and while the war front moves on, Harry arranges to covertly pay Eggsy’s ransom. Fearing Harry’s inevitable distraction should Eggsy turn out physically or psychologically damaged by his time in captivity, Merlin insists Eggsy be sent straight home to England with no reunion. Harry dispatches Merlin to deliver the ransom and escort Eggsy to England, where Merlin must wrangle the growing dissent over this war among Harry’s court. Harry gives Merlin a love letter to deliver to Eggsy on their voyage back to England. Eggsy arrives home brokenhearted over his separation from Harry, and is surprised by news that his older brother has died in the intervening two years, making Eggsy the new heir. Eggsy resents his father’s overprotective control and efforts to keep his sole remaining heir home on the family estate. After a few months, Eggsy convinces the earl to let him go attend the court, as his older brother had done.

At court, Eggsy falls in with his dead brother’s friend group of other young lords, and he quickly realizes that they are French sympathizers and potential traitors to the crown. Eggsy tries to take this information to Merlin, but Merlin won’t grant him an audience, paranoid that rumors of Harry’s partiality for Eggsy may yet follow them home from the war. So Eggsy resolves to spy on these men himself in order to protect Harry’s interests. Using the intel he overhears, Eggsy poses as a bandit to rob couriers carrying messages between the upstart English lords and the French prince, and he intercepts a shipment of French gold intended to hire mercenary assassins. Eggsy’s bandit persona gains notoriety and becomes known as Robin Hood. Meanwhile, Merlin sees Eggsy badmouthing Harry’s policies right along with that group of dissenting lordlings at the court and thinks worse and worse of Eggsy.

After a year of separation, news comes that the King is returning to England, and Eggsy learns of a plan to ambush and assassinate Harry on his way to court. Eggsy rushes to warn Harry in the guise of his bandit persona. “Robin Hood” waylays Harry in a rainstorm at night, Harry tries to get the upper hand before recognizing his Eggsy, and the reunited lovers kiss desperately in the rain….

And the remaining plot becomes a confused mess of action, passion, mistrust, feigned betrayals, assassins, and (hand wave) a happily ever after.

As much as I adore this sprawling epic of a story, I can’t properly define it…because it feels like three separate genres, and the tones and pacing don’t match up. It’s a sweeping war-time romance in the first half, and then it’s a political intrigue plot in the second half, not to mention the whole vigilante action story that has to live up to the myth of Robin Hood! I’ve imagined multiple different endings for this epic, and none of them feel right…and I think that’s because I don’t know which genre’s conventions to use to determine a satisfying ending.

This confusion plus the daunting amount of historical research I would have to do to tell this tale believably (ugh, noooo) means I’m never going to write this story. But it sure is fun to imagine the love, the battles, the pining, the spying, and the grand passion of it all!

[silverslipstream]

writeblr intro!

Well, hello there! Welcome to my page! Thought I'd finally get around to writing and pinning an intro, seeing as my writeblr recommendations post has gone STRATOSPHERIC and I've followed so many new accounts!

I'm Jeb (he/him), 20 years old, and an aspiring writer, poet and disaster dork from New Zealand (who currently lives in the UK - England, to be more precise). I'm a huge lover of writing and reading science fiction works, particularly hard sci-fi - Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey series and his novel The Songs of Distant Earth were the works that inspired a young me to start taking writing seriously. I also write fanfiction, romance, horror, a smidgen of fantasy, spy fiction... whatever takes my fancy, basically! I also love writing and reading poetry, and hope to have some of my poems published professionally by the end of 2023!

Outside of writing, I'm a huge motorsport lover. Formula One is my main passion, and in fact I originally joined tumblr to post about my then-WIP, The Edge Of Control. TEOC may be in cryogenic storage, but my love of speed and high-octane racing remains: I regularly watch F1, IndyCar and the World Endurance Championship. I also love spaceflight, astronomy, Shakespeare, teen movies from the 80s/90s (ESPECIALLY John Hughes' work), many cheesy romcoms and lasagna. (What? It's literally the perfect food!)

Right, now with all that out of the way, let's get onto the real good stuff... (sorry in advance for the lack of taglists, I haven't remembered how they work!)

links to my work:

jebberjabber on AO3 (my main account, for fanfiction) degnercurve130R on AO3 (for F1/racing works) KesslerCascade on Wattpad (for original works)

works-in-progress

You Can't Take It Back Now!

type: fanfiction (fandom: Bittersweet Candy Bowl, Webcomic) genre: romance (of the sapphic, friends-to-lovers variety) summary: Sue and Amaya have been best friends ever since they met in second grade. They're proudly inseparable, but when a secretive confession from Amaya turns into a sudden kiss from the assuredly-straight Sue, everything changes. Can they navigate their friendship while dealing with their rampant emotions? Is it just drama, or did Sue have more investment into their kiss than she let on? status: six chapters currently complete, with two published on AO3! Bi-weekly updates planned. link: You Can't Take It Back Now! on AO3

White Sky

type: original work genre: hard science fiction/mystery/thriller summary: It's 2094, and the Earth-Luna Treaty Organisation (ELTO) is planning the upcoming 125th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Meanwhile, Katarina 'Kat' Lloyd, a reclusive scientist, is framed for a crime she didn't commit and forced into outer space. Seeking refuge aboard the cislunar debris hauler Dowager Caroline, Kat and the Caroline's motley crew discover that her framing was simply a cog in a much bigger plot - one with dire consequences for mankind... status: currently in the planning stage, rough draft established and plot outline written

works published on Tumblr:

An Acquired Taste - In a post-cyberpunk/solarpunk imagining of 22nd-century New Seoul, a corporate engineer makes a chance meeting with a street vendor and makes an important discovery.

Executive Decisions - In an alternate history where the Cold War went hot, a US Air Force nuclear-bomber crew face a moral dilemma as they near their Soviet target. Operation Trident - A soldier experiences a combat drop on the Belgian coast, as part of an ongoing human offensive against an alien occupation force. Ignition Sequence - An experiment with a second-person perspective where the watcher observes a Space Shuttle launch in Florida.

[ygodmyy20]

Getting to Know You Meme

Tagged by @texasdreamer01 (thankies texas!)

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship? Yep, got married a month ago.

02) What was your dream growing up? Dream of what? My career? My life? My fantasy? I mean I wanted to be an elf in LoTR when I was like, 12. Does that count? hahah

03) What talent do you wish you had? Asking waiters to change my order if they got it wrong.

04) If someone bought you a drink what would it be? Beer (specifically a New England IPA)

05) Favorite vegetable? Hm. I really love good arugula.

06) What was the last book you read? None I just read fanfics haha

07) What zodiac sign are you? Leo

08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Nope tho I wish to get a tattoo one day.

09) Worst Habit? Probably overthinking myself into a spiral.

10) What is your favorite sport? Dressage

11) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude? Optimistic because lifes too short and I just want to be happy.

12) Tell me one weird fact about you. Uhhhhh.....I am a twin? (always a easy one haha)

13) Do you have any pets? Sadly no BUT I may.....may be trying to. foster a kitty. Maybe. While my husband is out of town for a month-long gig.

14) Do you think clowns are cute or scary? Scary but also eh whatever.

15) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? I can't answer this or else I'm gonna spiral.

16) What color eyes do you have? Blue

17) Ever been arrested? Nope

18) Bottle or can soda? Bottle

19) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it? Put it in my savings.

20) What's your favorite place to hang out at? Hm. Probably at home or in the woods.

21) Do you believe in ghosts? I dunno

22) Favorite thing to do in your spare time? Writing, drawing fanarts, horseback riding.

23) Do you swear a lot? Yeah

24) Biggest pet peeve? I dunno, I don’t know if I have one? Depends on the person or circumstance or situation:

25) In one word, how would you describe yourself? Hm. Emotional.

26) Do you believe/appreciate romance? I’m a hopeless romantic. And I got married and kinda like this guy a whole dang lot.

27) Favourite and least favourite food? Fav: sushi. Least fav: I’m honestly not a huge fan of potatos….

28) Do you believe in God? I believe in a universe. Wherever god is in it I got no clue.

29) What makes you happy: Sharing my art with friends, having movie nights with husband on Fridays.

30) Currently listening/the last thing you listened to: Ado

31) Favorite place to spend time: Probably at home, or out i the woods.

32) Favorite lyric: Goodbye by Bo Burnham

Am I going crazy? Would I even know? Am I right back where I staretd fourteen years ago?

33) Recommend a film: Akira

34) Recommend a book: haven't read enough

35) Recommend a band, a song, or album: Fire Hell and Holy Water by Gioli & Assia

36) Recommend a TV show: Mob Psycho 100

37) Where are you from, and do you still live there? Where have you lived? I am from the midwest and am still in the midwest

38) Do you have any pets or animals in your life? How did you find/get them? I had cats growing up and I would love to get one. I also ride horses.

39) What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? Uhhhh. Hm. I am not sure.

40) How did you 'find' fandom? I got into Yugioh! when I was 12 and started writing fanfics and them opps here i am.

41) Make a list of 5 things that you see without getting up. My Teru and Mob figures, my Mob cat, my cat lamp, my ipad, my water bottle. I am at my desk there is a lot here

42) How do you style your hair? Down or half ponytail or pony tail. I have long hair.

I got this ask before the other writer one so I know many asks have been going around today haha so VERY much no pressure tags: @russenoire @thousand-winters @toastytoaster22 @emeraldoodles or anyone else who wants to!

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (5-11 May 2024)

another absolutely unhinged episode from this crew. i love them all so much.

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🙂 Lessons in Exposing a Deadly Alias (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries) (Charlie Cochrane) - this series is now the equivalent of watching criminal minds or some other long-running procedural: it's certainly not for the plot/mystery but for the characters who are family. I do love that as the series has gone on their friends & family have taken on a more active role in the investigations. that said, I think I might be done with this series; it took me forever to get thru this bc I wasn't remotely motivated to get back to it.

🥰 No One Likes Us But We Don't Care (Rainne) - 45K, modern Steve/prewar Bucky - an accidental interdimensional swap drops a 1940s Bucky into the present - he & Steve figure out what that means for them (3rd in a series)

😍 Spectred Isle (Green Men #1) (KJ Charles, author; Ruairi Carter, narrator) - [reread] very old world supernatural shenanigans in 1920s England - truly sad that there won't be any more in this universe because it's sooooo good and so rich but forever grateful we at least got this marvelous (and complete) story

🥰 it's good to see you back in a bar band, baby (LiarsandThieves22) - 139K, Steddie modern musician AU - absolutely adored this! enemies-to-friends-to lovers speedrun, understandable & character appropriate mutual pining, fantastic supporting characterizations - it had it all!

😍 You Should Be So Lucky (Cat Sebastian, author; Joel Leslie, narrator) - baseball player Eddie & newspaper writer Mark are both dealing with some devastating life events. They find each other and some solace and healing. This book, like We Could Be So Good, is absolutely incredible. It knocked my socks off and healed my heart. It almost made me like baseball! I'm just going to quote from a review written by kiki124 in the Romance Salon server because she is great with words and captured it exactly: "I was just blown away by the writing and the ways Sebastian drew these two utterly believable and interesting characters, plus all the side characters, plus the literary notes, plus the queer history plus the New York history. I think that what I love the best about these books is that the story doesn't end when the characters fall in love--there's a whole second half of the book to come as the relationship has room to breathe and grow and work out kinks. Literally everyone who has a heart and a brain should read these books."

💖💖 +115K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

the Steve Rogers problem (relenafanel) - MCU: stucky AU, 36K - "Bucky doesn't consider his Steve Rogers problem as a problem so much as the solution he hadn't realized he was hoping for to help him through the transition from the Bucky Barnes he'd been before his accident to the new, shiny version of himself. No, the problem isn't with Captain America and The Howling Commandos fandom. The problem is the amount of porn Bucky managed to write and draw about Captain America before finding out that he's less than one degree of separation away from Steve Rogers. 'Less than' as in he's sitting across the table from him."

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Is It Cake? - s2, e4-5

Girls5eva - s1, e1

QI - series U, e4-8

Beyond Paradise - s2, e4-6

Game Changer - s6, e8

Strange Way of Life (2023)

Um, Actually - s6, e6

The Brokenwood Mysteries - s10, e2

Smartypants - s1, e2

D20: Fantasy High: Junior Year - "Rock The Boat" (s21, e18)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Blimey" (s16, e18)

Doctor Who - series 14, e1-2

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Re: Dracula - May 5: The Dead Travel Fast

Wiser Than Me - Julia Gets Wise with Patti Smith

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Sans-Souci Palace

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! BONUS - The animal that terrifies Peter, and other 'Wild Card' topics

Re: Dracula - May 7: Stranger in a Strange Land

Short Wave - 'Stealing The Past': A Spat Between Twins Leads To A Theory Of Disputed Memories

Re: Dracula - May 8: Foul Bauble of Man's Vanity

Vibe Check - Oh, How We Have Fallen From Taste

Re: Dracula - May 9: Castles in the Air

Today, Explained - Israel, Gaza, and Eurovision

Consider This from NPR - From utility man to one of California's foremost journalists

It's Been a Minute - A 'Wild Card' game with Rachel Martin

Wild Card with Rachel Martin - Issa Rae thinks a little delusion goes a long way

⭐ It's Been a Minute - Drake and Kendrick are beefing, but who pays? Plus, moms as our social safety net

Today, Explained - The real victims of Baby Reindeer

Re: Dracula - May 11: Pray for my Happiness

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - TikTok’s Boom-Bling

⭐ Lost Notes - Go with the Flow: Community, Virality, and the Politics of Dancing

Why Won't You Date Me? - Love in Theater (w/ Jesse Tyler Ferguson)

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! - Chappell Roan

⭐ Big Gay Fiction Podcast - Baseball, 1960 New York, and Bad Dogs with Cat Sebastian

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Beauly Priory Wych Elm

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

'60s Sunshine Pop

'60s Folk Rock

Dance Party Hits

Carly Rae Jepsen

Presenting Charli XCX

Presenting Dua Lipa

Energy Supermix

Women of Electronic

Essential Proto-Metal

Rock Radio • 1980s • Popular • High variety

Presenting The Beach Boys

Classical Workout

Instrumental Hard Rock