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mhalachai · 2 months

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some of you may have seen a notice today from a tumblr-popular youtube show, saying they're putting all their content behind a subscriber paywall. This post isn't about them per say, only bouncing off what that has brought up into the following:

When is a digital subscription something i'm willing to pay for? Rubric edition

Disclaimer - my first news job was in the early aughts at a digital stock news company, so I've been keeping an eye on this subject for over 25 years.

So you want to access an entertainment or news service that has content behind a subscriber paywall. What steps should you go through, to figure out if it's something that you should pay for?

This post will go off the caveat that artists/authors/reporters (I'm not calling them content creators, that term is garbage) should be properly compensated for the works they produce, and the current business model in our late-stage capitalist society means we all have to deal with the worst possible way of engaging with art - the subscription-model paywall. It's a terrible garbage system but there we are.

Step Zero: Do you care enough about the content to consider paying for it?

It might not be important enough to you to want to pay for, and that's okay. On the other hand, you may want to continue watching/reading/listening, either because of the content itself or because you want to support its creation.

(I'm separating the above as they are two different reasons - personally, i'm in favour of paying an annual subscriber fee to my small local news room to keep them in producing the content because I think it's important they exist.)

Step 1: Can you literally afford it?

Everything costs more and salaries aren't rising. If the answer to the question is no, can you split the cost with someone? Is it something that can be accessed through your local library (in terms of audiobooks or magazine/newspapers)? Otherwise, moving to:

Step 2: Is the cost of the subscription in line with what you're willing to pay for the content?

I still subscribe to the newspaper i used to work for - I can read all the news and get all the quotes I'm interested in, and I know i'm supporting local news. I'm willing to pay money for that.

On the other hand, back last year when Disney Plus announced it was raising its prices, I decided that I wasn't interested in paying that amount for what I was getting, so I cancelled that one. Do I miss it? Yes, somedays. Would I go back to them if the cost went down? Honestly I don't know.

Step 3: Did the company/channel do something to lose your trust?

Sometimes, all the above have been met with the affirmative, but something about how the company is doing things sets your teeth on edge. Maybe it's how their business model is evolving, or how they treat their customers (Netflix and their password sharing crackdown was that tipping point for me - i no longer wanted to support a company that sees its customer base like that). Maybe it's how they decided to move to subscriber-only. Maybe it's their take on geopolitical or social issues. Whatever it might be, you get to make that call for you.

Summation: Don't feel pressed by FOMO to pay for something when you're not comfortable doing so.

Whatever the situation is, you get to decide where you spend your money. The corollary of that is that you may not get to see the new stuff created by companies/channels that you like, but honestly? That trade-off might be better for you in the long run (and I'm saying this with too many years of regret behind me) nothing poisons the enjoyment of art more than feeling like you were forced to pay/pay more for it than you were OK with.

The tl;dr: Take a step back and see if you're really comfortable with paying for all your electronic subscription fees for news or entertainment. Don't feel pressured into paying for something you don't really want to see, or what to support. Consider where you want your money to go.

It's hard economic times - do what you need to, and spend your money where you want to.

(And check into what your local library has on offer - they may have streaming services or digital content you weren't aware of - might be enough to tide you over for a while).

#mhalachai has opinions on the internet #seriously tho #feeling like you're being forced or tricked into paying more for something that you reasonably can #poisons the well like nothing else #this post deliberately doesn't mention off-book ways of getting content #you can all figure that one out on your own

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ferociouslycreativemystery · 3 months

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Look, there are books that are fine, there are books that are great, there are books that you forget - and then, there's this:

Genuinely just... go read it. It gives an incredibly deep and human look at war largely from the perspectives of the people who didn't have a choice but to live or die through it, but also exploring how we relate to it and the memory of them in the subsequent peace.

It is obviously focused on Britain and the second world war, but the questions it raises and its reasoning about them holds a much broader and especially contemporary significance, as is explicitly brought up throughout the book.

The author interrogates both the narratives that have come to dominate conversations about the war, as well his own fascination with the conflict from a young age. It takes a special interest in the stories that cannot be fit neatly into what general knowledge would have us believe history was like. Queerness in its many forms is at the heart of this exploration, and in a way that doesn't try to pin it down or explain it, but rather turns the searchlight in the opposite direction, to show how people grapple with dominant ideas in a time where "ordinary life" is anything but.

It feels refreshingly nuanced and genuinely curious about the world and the people living in it in a time where simplicity all too often dominates the public discourse, both in politics and on social media.

If you want a preview, here is an interview with the author about the book (which currently sits at just below 1500 views, so please give it a watch):

youtube

There are books that you're glad to have read, and then there are books that once you finish the audiobook (in one week, despite having exams), you go out to buy the hardback copy of. With the warmest of recommendations: please go read Men at War: Loving, Lusting, Fighting, Remembering 1939-1945 by Luke Turner:

Audiobook (read by the author) Links to purchase the book in the UK and US are in the description of the youtube video.

And a special thanks to @thelykewakedirge for recommending this book in the notes of my previous post, it's been a delight to read/listen to!

#there are several sentences that I already know I'll have to highlight once my hardback copy arrives #seriously guys it is fantastic #world war 2 #world war two #world war ii #wwii #history #queerness #queer #bbc ghosts #the captain #lieutenant havers #maddie's ghosts tag #maddie's misc tag #Youtube

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trialbystory · 9 months

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<X> people you would like to get to know better

Tagged by @powertaco (new post instead of reblog due to unwieldy length, original train available through this link)

Three Ships: Well, FrosenSteel/Nuts & Dolts, since I've got that whole Spirit of Competition fic going, obviously.

Wenclair is still going strong for me all these months after I watched Wednesday, mostly because it gives me such strong Griddlehark vibes (it's not a twofer if I only do a picture for Wenclair, right?)

Sylvaina is a pretty evergreen ship for me at this point.

First-Ever Ship: Briar Moss and Tris Chandler from Tamora Pierce's comparatively lesser-known (but better, imo) Emelan books. I've liked these two together ever since my second read through of Circle of Magic, and I doubled down on that when Will of The Empress came out. It's a niche fandom, especially these days, but I revisit these books once every year or two and everytime I do I dream up a plot of Briar being brought in as a lecturer at Lightsbridge after Tris enrolls there and romance ensues. And since I'm actually writing fanfic these days, maybe I'll make it happen at some point...

(source)

Last Song: I have eclectic tastes and just set up the music player on my new phone, so it could be literally anything. But it was actually Grim Grinning Ghosts. Specifically the version by Voiceplay.

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Last Movie: I don't actually watch movies super often, so it's been a second. But it was either the 2008 live-action Speed Racer or School of Rock. Unless it was my bootleg of Beetlejuice the Musical. (If the person who made 'BugDrink' is reading this. You're one of my favorite people)

Currently Reading: I'll give 3 answers; on a03 the current tab in my queue is the latest chapter of a Wenclair fic by @boojangs called To Dance With Wolves I'm also still working through Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, and when I go on walks I've been listening to the Locked Tomb audiobooks in the possibly vain hope that the last book is still coming out this year. I'm just coming to the end of Harrowhark The Ninth (I'm not really an audiobooks kind of guy, but the narrator for the TLT ones is PHENOMENAL)

Currently Watching: Season 2 of Heels, about to start Season 2 of Wheel of Time, and also about to start my semi-regular re-watch of Leverage and Leverage: Redemption Currently Consuming: Orange soda from a local-ish beverage company.

Currently Craving: When I was hanging out with friends a few weeks ago I ate at our town's crepe shop for the first time and I've been dying to go back since. Crepe topped with strawberries & lemon juice plus one of the best Mochas I've ever had.

Tagging, if they are ammenable: @misterdadguy, @infinitefern, @probably-riley, and literally anyone else who wants to do these modern-day chain letters.

#about me #i guess?#kind of an ask too #speaking of which my askbox is open if you for somereason are curious about things about me or the nonsense i talk about #Youtube

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poppitron360 · 25 days

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PART TWO!!!!

Okay, so I’ve already posted Pt 1 of this fanfic I’m gonna keep posting it bc fuck it I’m enjoying myself.

I’m posting this all under the tag #PJO- THE NEXT GENERATION: OLYMPIA JACKSON-CHASE CHRONICLES so if you need to find the rest, that’s where to look. Not sure how many chapters there will be, as I’m still figuring out the story, but it will probably be for as long as I’m having fun writing it.

Tagging my mutuals who might be interested/ppl who seemed to like pt 1 (I’m trying to get better at tagging ppl):

@green-tea217 @123letsgobestie @fadas-are-important @imasimpdealwithit @coraldeermoon

Summary: Kind of an OC/FanChild fic about my hcs for Percabeth’s kids. VERY Leo/Nico heavy bc they’re my two favourite characters, particularly Leo. If you missed Pt 1, pls read it, but we’ve just ended on the line “I think I have news about your brother,” so ooooh chills cliffhanger scary.

TWs: Swearing, lack of smut (she is a teenager)

Disclaimers: I was between SoN and MoA when I wrote this chapter, and I am currently on HoH, so if I’ve missed anything that gets revealed later, that’s why. Also I listened to the audiobooks, so if I spell a name wrong, that’s also why, either that or I’ve spelt something the British way.

Chapter 2:

Olympia never talked about her brother. That was one thing the kids at camp didn’t know about her family. She had been five years old when he had been taken, on that stormy autumn night. She didn’t remember much, just yelling from the other room and a sound like an eagle screeching. She remembered her mom running in and scooping her up in her arms. More sounds. Her dad screaming. A sword being drawn. A baby crying. A window smashing. Her parents calling his name. She was sobbing. Her mom was holding her dad as he wept on the floor, glass shattered at his feet. Her baby brother, Tyler, was not in his cot.

They started going out every night, searching for a sign he was alive. Leo, Nico, Tyson, Grover, Rachel, Frank, Hazel- all of them helped. Olympia had begged them to take her with them too, but she was still too young. Six months passed. Nothing. A year. Two years. She didn’t know when exactly, but eventually they gave up looking. They assumed he was gone forever.

Her parents had seemed different after that. Her mother buried herself in her job, working day and night at the architecture firm so she wouldn’t have to come home to the gaping hole in their family. Her dad had tried carrying on as normal, but he’d become a broken man. The legendary Percy Jackson failed to save his own son from a monster, now his son was dead.

That’s what they had told Olympia. That was the story. But she refused to believe it. She always thought that with enough training and fighting, she could find him and bring him home. And then, they’d tell the story of the brave demigod who rescued her brother, maybe, just maybe, she’d no longer have to live as just “the daughter of Percy Jackson”, but could become her own legend.

Of course, that was only part of it. First and foremost, she wanted her brother back.

“Do you really think he’s dead?” She’d asked Leo one night, when she was about eight, while her Mom was at work and her Dad was off doing something at camp (he was often brought in as a Special Guest Speaker because he lived close to camp and was cheap, not for any other reason).

“No. Tyler’s not dead,” He replied.

She looked up, “Really?”

He nodded. “Remember that story I told you about Festus the Dragon?”

Leo was the only person she liked to hear stories from. He told them in such a funny way, she didn’t care if it was made up or exaggerated.

“Everyone thought he was super dangerous, but you fixed him and made him better, and he sacrificed himself to save you,” she recited.

“Yup. I didn’t give up on him, even though they told me it was hopeless. I’d waited ‘til I’d looked him in the eyes myself to realise it was hopeless, and then I still tried anyway,” he looked at Olympia, “I believe your brother isn’t dead until we’ve tried every possible way of proving me wrong, and then some. Your parents believe it too, but they can’t risk giving up everything they have, i.e, you, on what is most likely a hopeless case. Besides, Nico said his vision of his soul had been clouded by something- if he was just dead, why hide it?”

“I’m gonna find him someday,” Olympia said, determined.

“And I’m gonna help,” He replied.

She looked at him now, sitting on her bunk in Cabin 3.

“Wha- What news? What do you mean?”

“It’s not… it’s nothing concrete… just a rumour about an 11-year-old boy with dark hair fighting monsters with power over water,” he looked up at her, his eyes solemn, “Camp has a network of automatons looking out for potential demigods, we get alerts like this all the time, but this was different, Oly- I think… I think it might be him.”

She was speechless. All this time, she’d been telling herself she’d find him, but she’d never actually had a lead before.

“Well then, what’re you waiting for, little man?” She said, sliding on her shoes and shoving clothes into her backpack, “Let’s go find him!”

“Oly, not so fast,” he warned, jumping down from the bunk, “this kid- the message said he was pretty hardcore, the way he attacked. If he’s been running from monsters since he was a baby… I can’t think what that’s done to him.”

He put a hand on her shoulder.

“What if… what if he doesn’t want to come home?”

Olympia looked at Leo. Despite his jovial presence and cheery manner, he was dark and twisted just like the rest of them. He knew a thing or two about running away, he’d spent most of his childhood running from schools and foster homes. She knew with a sinking feeling that he might be right. She shook her head.

“We can’t let “What if’s” stop us now, you taught me that,” she said, and shouldered her backpack.

“I guess you’re right,” Leo flashed her his trademark playful grin, “Let’s go.”

The kid was apparently in Nashville, and had caused quite a scene when he’d fought off two wild dogs in the middle of a busy high street by pouring a bucket of water over them. At least, that’s what the mortals were saying online. When Olympia saw the video they’d posted, she noticed how the boy had no bucket, the wild dogs were actually wolves, and when he attacked them they hadn’t just ran away like the internet said, but had completely disintegrated.

She stared at her phone. Demigods weren’t supposed to have cellular devices, especially at camp- they acted as a beacon for monsters to find them- but Leo had found a way to scramble the signal. It wasn’t flawless, and it became more and more risky the longer you used it, but it gave Olympia an hour or so of doom-scrolling on Tumblr every day.

She replayed the video again.

“He doesn’t look anything like I’d expected him to,” she concluded.

“I dunno… he has dark hair, like you. And water powers, like you. And grey eyes, like your mom, and I guess like you as well,” Leo studied her mismatched eyes, “And the way he fights… That’s Jackson blood in his veins if I ever saw it.”

“But he’s… he’s older.”

“Yes. That’s what happens when time passes. Did you expect him to still look 10 months old?”

Leo grinned, the way he always did when he was being sarcastic. Olympia poked him, playfully, and then turned back to the paused image on the screen.

“And he’s so… thin.”

Leo nodded in agreement, “Though, somehow I doubt he’ll be showing up on the front page of Cosmo any time soon.”

She looked at Leo. He tried to hide it with baggy clothes, but she knew that his scrawny look and vertically-challenged appearance weren’t all traits he’d been born with, that the long months spent on the run with little-to-no food had definitely played a factor. He was probably a lot healthier now, but those hard years had scarred him in ways she couldn’t imagine- and had left him looking permanently emaciated. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to her brother when she had grown up healthy and strong.

“Come on,” she said, putting away the phone, “Let’s get Nico, and leave.”

“A quest must be undertaken by three,” he recited.

“Yes, but also he can shadow-travel so we won’t have to pay for transport.”

“And that.”

Leo’d managed to intercept the demigod alert from his automaton, and direct all other alerts straight to him so that they could track where the kid was, and so Chiron- or, gods forbid, Olympia’s dad- didn’t see them. He was smart like that, but it only delayed the inevitable. Leo reckoned it was only a matter of time before the Camp Satyrs caught up to the boy. They had to act quickly.

Nico Di Angelo was never the easiest person to find. Luckily for them, he had a soft spot for Olympia, and always made sure she was able to call on him when she needed to. Whenever she wanted help with homework, or a ride to a dangerous incognito solo monster-fighting death quest, all she had to do was knock.

She pressed her body against the floor of Cabin 3, and rapped hard on the wooden floorboards.

“Uncle Nico!!” She called, “I know you’re down there!! We need your help.”

“Boo!” Came a voice from behind them.

Leo yelped, “Holy Hephaestus, Death Boy, don’t do that!”

Nico gave him a skeletal grin. Leo took a deep breath and patted his own hair, which was smoking.

Olympia stood up, and pulled him into a tight hug. She was taller than him now, but he looked good for an 102-year-old.

“My gods, you’ve grown,” he remarked, breathing in her warm smell. His skin was icy cold and pale.

“You’ve been spending too much time in the underworld,” she said, “get some sun in you, man.”

“Oh I think he is getting some Sun in him, if you know what I mean,” Leo winked and turned to Nico, “Hey, Nico, how’s Will?”

Nico ignored the question, “Whatever it is you want me to do, I hope I don’t have to put up with hotshot over here the whole time.” He jabbed a thumb in Leo’s direction.

“Hey!” Leo cried, offended.

Olympia rolled her eyes.

“I need you to take us to Nashville,” she said, “Leo thinks my brother might be there.”

An anguished expression played across Nico’s face.

“T-Tyler?” He asked, “You really think-“

“Yes. We do,” Leo said, confidently. They proceeded to fill him in on everything, even showing him the video on Olympia’s phone.

Nico’s face hardened.

“Right then. I will absolutely do anything I can to help. Nashville, you say? Peace of cake.”

He cracked his knuckles and rolled his head, like he was warming up for something. He then held out both hands, expecting them to take them. Olympia obliged.

“Do I have to?” Leo moaned.

“Don’t worry, Fire Guy, this won’t get gay,” Nico assured him.

“It’s not that,” Leo replied, “Your hands are just weird and cold. And small.”

“You’re one to talk,” he retorted, “I’d much rather just take Olympia, so if you want to be left behind, I’m sure-“

“Fine,” Leo groaned, and took Nico’s hand.

And then the world caved in.

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godoflaundrybaskets · 4 months

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Hey just got a whole bunch of subscription updates in my email for ur podfics on AO3 and was sooooo excited. Have been dying for chapter 3 of "DTA: It's the stars that lie"! I looked through the notices but there's not a update for that one, so I was wondering if there was one coming soon? I am loving it reading of this fic, ( I am visually impaired and rely on the audio versions to enjoy all my stories but detest and avoid like the plague TTS readers. They are so off-putting and Awful. I just can't get into a story and enjoy it like I can when it's a real human with real inflection and emotion in the words). U have made my dta experience absolutely magical so far and can't wait for more chapters to post. I get giddy every time I see emails with ur name on them. I absolutely thank you for all the hard work and time u put in recording fics as well as all podficcers! U guys don't know how much u mean to me and others like me out there! I love all u guys dearly. U make it possible for us to be a part of fandom and to be able to enjoy all the amazing stories our writers have put out there. U guys make that happen and u r true unsung heroes in my book, because my whole life books have been my escape, my safe place, my therapy, my everything. When I started rapidly losing my eyesight, I was heartbroken thinking that I was going to lose the one thing that has helped keep me going all these years. But then I discovered audiobooks and podfics and almost wept with relief and delight in knowing that I could keep it. Thank you for making magic happen and bringing joy into my life. I know u guys and our fic writers as well don't get thanked no where near what u deserve for everything that u give to us freely. I try and make it a point to leave kudos, reblog, rec, gush, comment, and give my thanks to u guys as much as I can, ( I admit to getting caught up or lazy and don't always get to it right away). However, I try to remember to go back and remedy that when I can. I'm not sure if I ever thanked u B4,( cause my memory is shit sometimes, plus I do go thru A LOT of fics), but I wanted to do so now even if I have B4, cause in my opinion I aren't thanked nearly enough for all that u do. Thank you! 🤗🤗🤗🤗👏👏👏👏🌹🌹🌹🌹🥰🥰🥰🥰🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️

Wow, thanks so much for the thoughtful message! I'm glad my podfics have brought such joy! I can't make promises about when the next DTA will be coming out but it is the one I'm currently poking at editing. The mass update you observed from me was probably while VoiceTeam was running (it's a podficcing event, sadly DTA didn't fit any of the prompts). But that events over so I'm hopefully you won't have to wait too much longer for your DTA fix :)

#god answers things

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nenekiribookwyrm · 11 months

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Anthrocon 2023 Wrap-up post

Apologies for the lack of posts the past few months, I've not had much to share if I'm being honest. However, I am back briefly to share with you some new releases I'm excited about and how my Anthrocon 2023 trip went.

For Pride month, I had the pleasure to read out my poem "Ode to the Gay Bar I Was Too Chickenshit to Go to" and while it is a short poem I think it captures the feeling I was trying to express well. You can listen to it over here: https://thevoice.dog/episode/ode-to-the-gay-bar-i-was-too-chickenshit-to-go-to-by-nenekiri-bookwyrm

Clade, the short story anthology set in the Post-Self universe I have a story in, is now available to pre-order for the ebook through itch.io. If you know you'd be interested in reading through an ebook format, I would ask that you place an order through this link:

https://makyo.itch.io/clade

$5.00 is an absolute steal for all of the stories that are in this collection. I've had the chance to read a few of these ahead of time and the book is well worth your time. Each author has brought their own spin to the conceit of personalities on the System being able to split and fork off into new individuals. The physical book release is going to be available to order on August 1st for those that are interested but prefer physical copies.

And with that, we're onto Anthrocon wrap-up! It's been about 4 years since I was able to go to this con with all of the Covid risks, but this year, I felt safe enough to try and go. I went with a couple of friends and had an absolute blast! I wore an N95 mask in all public con areas and we had an air filter running in our room for the entire duration of the con, so I'm hoping that is enough to avoid being exposed to Covid.

I had the chance to go to a bunch of writing panels and learned a ton about self-publishing and audiobook narration, among other topics. Nighteyes Dayspring is a furry writer who I've been meaning to ask about publishing for a while now, and I was really lucky that he was giving a talk about just that at Anthrocon this year. I took a bunch of notes in the case that I decided that I wanted to go that route in the future.

Eclipse Gryphon had a lovely presentation with a printed out handout that had all the relevant information on it from the presentation already. I was really impressed with his delivery and preparedness as I know that the handout is going to come in handy for me when planning for my future books to be narrated as audiobooks. I also think that there's a lot to takeaway from this that I can use to improve my recordings for The Voice of Dog in the future.

I had the pleasure to meet and catch up with folks that I've talked to online but either haven't seen in a long time or had never met in person. For everyone who took the time to meet up with me and talk, you made my con experience that much brighter. Thank you very much for taking time out of your con to hang out with me!

I got to meet Case from Hi, I'm Case, which is one of my favorite bands currently, and they were really cool!

Most of my purchases from the dealer's den were books and here they all are in one place! I'm going to have reading material for quite a while I think. If you're interested in hearing what I think about them, follow me over on my goodreads account as I try my best to leave reviews once I'm done reading a book: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/97223644-nenekiri-bookwyrm

Twitter is dying for the 3rd time, so I will once again point you to other places you can find me: https://nenekiribookwyrm.carrd.co/

And that's about it for now! I'll be back at the end of the month with another update on where everything stands.

#convention #anthrocon 2023

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fernweh-s · 1 year

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Deadass! Like now I’m stuck like SpongeBob twiddling my fingers cuz I don’t know what to do with myself, just getting dropped off on a cliffhanger.

I’m thinkin of just getting the audio book for the first book at least so I can kick off the gears in my head to actually start reading the series.

Omfg you’re a trooper idk how you do it. There’s so much content my brain overloads idk how you juggle it and meanwhile if they reference something I will litterally backtrack till I get to the point n understand it cuz yeah that totally make more logical sense 😅 my brain is built different.

RUBY ROSE WAS IN BAT WOMAN ?!? Omfg WHAT. N yes it’s the CW curse for sure. I stopped watching their superhero adaptations after they ruined Arrow.

Batman the animated series was top tier. Chef kiss. I’ve been wanting to rewatch it again but my roster rn is so jammed packed and same I grew up watching it too . ima 93’ so then Saturday mornin cartoons were the the highlight of my youth.

Oh shit I didn’t know that, is the comic with the same name ?

I was hooked on shield so bad like they really brought me into the universe n it was like I was in the backstory of the movies. N then they go into the future n do dumb stuff like this does not interest me what so ever -.-“

Facts it really do. Is today your day off?

Ahhh so your an east coast BB, it’s 10 min till the afternoon here on my side. My day just getting started. But it’s Friday so it’s my lazy day today. I Just got back from the post office n sending out orders so I’m done with the day n just get to lounge.

It's really just the worst lmao. 😭😭 I wish that when shows got cancelled, they'd get like, one more season or even like half-season to tie everything up neatly so people don't gotta be left with questions when the end is just so abrupt.

Lmao I wish I could do audiobooks but I am just way too ADHD for that. 😂😂 I'd just end up zoning out, and when I zoned back in I'd probably have missed half of it.

😂😂 Lmaoo, see I've had to do enough of that with older comics, when I first got into reading comic books. Now I'm like; I WILL stay caught up even if it kills me!!

YEAH!! She was Kate Kane/Batwoman. Then she left, and instead of doing the reasonable thing—which would have been cancelling the show, they replaced the character of Kate with Ryan Wilder

It really was. I did a rewatch of (some) of it (and some of Batman Beyond) like, last year, I think (time has no meaning to me lmfao). Still SO good.

The comic continuation is called 'Batman: The Adventures Continue', and there's three volumes('seasons') total so far. There's Batman: The Adventures Continue, then Batman: The Adventures Continue: Season Two, followed by Batman: The Adventures Continue: Season Three (which is still currently ongoing!).

Lmao for real. Agents of Shield, you failed us!!! 😭😭

Yep, I'm an east coaster!!! Ayy, lazy dayyy, nice!

#mel answers;

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ireadthatkindofbook · 1 year

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Fantasy Spicy Book!

This series has been a long time coming. I loved this! I loved the backstory I loved the world building and I know I don't know everything there is to know yet because there are still a whole lot more books but the history was really rich and it is exactly what I needed after finishing Harry Potter. I freaking love Rhysand's personality and I'm excited to see where that goes. I really like the world that has been created! I'm not going to provide any spoilers on this post so all I can say is I definitely recommend it so far! It's a 9.5/10 for me and I'm onto the next book. I am co-reading with the Paperback and the audiobook on hoopla.

Mind blown. Going into this I did not expect the story to play out like it has and I am just in awe of the way that Sarah J Mass has written the storyline. I am so excited to continue on with the next book and thrilled to be so engaged in another fantasy book like this. So many emotions from the storyline and the characters and the bonds between the characters which I don't want to spoil anything but dear Lord is this story Beyond good. I'm not crying you're crying. I'll give this book a 9.9/10.

This book was a cluster fuck of emotion. I loved it and hated it and cried and was so happy. I love this world and love the intricacies of the characters and the storyline and how everything is just brought together so well and so emotionally. I feel like I'm living in the story when I read it and I don't think you can ask for much more than that. This one is rated 9.8/10.

I'm fuckin tired of crying over these books but man they just hit me in the feels. This was a great bridge between stories and a nice inside look into other characters minds. Now excuse me while I start the next and hopefully learn how to control my emotions😂😅 9.5/10.

I am not one for side character stories. Usually I will have to leave a series and come back when it calls to me, but the way Sarah writes all of these characters is insanely wonderful and I cannot wait for the next one! (hopefully Azriel!!!) I loved this series and am so happy I read it. This book is a looooong book and it takes a while for things to progress. I am glad I was advised this when staring it or I would have expected different and probably not have enjoyed it as much. It is worth every chapter and it was sooooooo good!! It's made me question which bat boy is my fav and honestly I cannot choose lol. There was laughter, heartbreak, tears, anger, all of the emotions, and all felt so deeply and real! Overall the entire series gets a 9.7/10.

Ps. Rhys was hard to pinpoint but I did end up going with Ian Somerhalder as Damon because the personalities just fit SO WELL. Feyre I have a picture in my mind that I'll have to find to show who she is. I pictured Sydney sweeney as Mor.

I'll keep going as I remember but it's 6:44 am currently lol

#anon reviews #books & libraries #book recs #spicy books #spicy book review #fic recs #hoopla #Acotar #a court of thorns and roses #Sarah J Mass #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #a court of frost and starlight #a court of silver flames

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treybriggsthewriter · 4 years

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This makes me nervous, but I’m going to post it. I’m going to try my best to achieve my goals. I’ve put in a ton of work already, so I’m looking for additional help.

From the campaign:

My name is Trey Briggs, and I'm a black woman who writes paranormal horror, speculative fiction, and other types of fiction. You can find my stories at MaybeTrey , Astrid the Devil , and on Instagram , Medium , and Wattpad .

My stories are aimed at black people who want to read dark stories that focus on original black characters that are complex and interesting. I genuinely believe Black audiences deserve a variety of genres to delve into, and I want to introduce them to paranormal horror, dark romance, and fantasy that they haven't gotten enough of in the past. I also believe that this can be done across multiple mediums, and I spend my money with black creative professionals to make these experiences extend beyond my words. For the last two years, I've run my stories on sites and Instagram to great reception. I like to craft complex experiences that offer looks at character backgrounds, side and backstories, full websites for each title, and more. I also provide encyclopedias, maps, audio journals, and other ways to get into each world. During these last few years, I've run into a lot of walls, jumped a lot of hurdles, and tried my best. I've worked with amazing black artists, voice actors, and actresses, musicians, designers, and more. I trust my ability to run a project, especially when it comes to planning and finding talent. My overall goal is to run a team of black creatives that crafts novels, graphic novels, audio experiences, and animated series for a dedicated audience.

Why I Need Help Long story short: I have the skill, I have the marketing/website building/business experience, and I have the drive. There's a lot I can do on my own, but there's also a lot that gets left behind because I don't have the money I need to proceed at a steady pace. I need help with funding so I can focus, hire the right people, and craft these stories the way they deserve to be crafted. I have thus far spent over $60,000 of my own money on my projects over the past two years - the writing and site-building are easy for me; the rest has to be hired out. I have art, site costs for hosting, domains, templates, specific plugins, and maintenance, audio (and vocal artists to pay), musical, and editing costs. I'm by no means rich or even particularly financially stable. I have taken on tons of extra clients for my digital marketing business, transcribed hundreds of hours of audio for dirt cheap, and taken out personal loans. I even worked a second full-time job along with my full-time business last year to afford to produce the content I love. It's starting to take a toll on my mental health. I plan on continuing to fund these projects out of pocket (and finding ways to do so), but having financial help, however big or small, would allow me to move a lot faster and with less stress. It would let me flesh out ideas and concepts that I have had to scrap because I can only physically handle so much extra work. I run a full-time marketing business from home, homeschool my autistic 10-year-old, and generally have a busy life. Some of the strain is taking a toll on me, and I don't want to give up. Having some financial backing could allow me to drop a client or two after a few months and focus on the work I love to do.

How You Can Help I mainly need a start—a sort of base. I want to emphasize that I plan to continue to provide the main bulk of funding for my projects. I know my goals are ambitious, and I know each step will take time and money. I welcome any help to make the process smoother and to get around the initial hurdles. I'd like to have ebooks and novels offered on my site by the end of the year (along with the free serials and stories). Funding means that I can broaden the projects, include more free aspects to my sites, and secure direct financing through sales of ebooks and audiobooks sooner. It also means that I can offer MORE stories, whether they are online only or fully fleshed out novels and sites. I am swamped with trying to work enough to cover all my bills and creative projects, so I lose a lot of time I could spend plotting and writing. If I have better funding, I can get my stories out quicker (and with fewer mistakes).

The Initial Stories Let's talk about my stories! If you're familiar with my work already, you can skip to the next section. My main story site is Maybe Trey . Currently, I have two big titles and a bunch of smaller ones that I am seeking help with funding: Astrid the Devil

Astrid the Devil is the complicated story of a girl who inherits not only her family's features and DNA, but their fears, struggles, and fights. It's the story of a condition called Devil Syndrome, the women who suffer it, and the monsters that devour them. It's the story of the fight to save the people you love at the expense of innocent lives. At its core, Astrid the Devil is the story of a woman who inherits the chaos of three generations before her. It's a look at what is truly passed down to our children, and how they're left to fight our battles in the aftermath of our failures. It's the tale of an indescribable monster and the women who struggle to defeat it. It's a journey into how their every decision could save or destroy an entire world. Astrid the Devil is the story of Astrid Snow, but her story can't be told without the story of the women before her.

Vicious: On MaybeTrey and The Vicious site (in progress)

Somewhere, a war is brewing. That's the only thing that's for sure to Junnie Gorton, a young horned girl suffering from a debilitating disease called Horn Rot. She typically dealt with her low survival rate and abnormally large horns by escaping the world with her best friend, Lewish. Now she's forced to figure out which side is which, save her entire species, and find out the truth behind the sudden uprising in her home. Horn Rot, a highly contagious and violent disease spreading through horned people, is causing mass amounts of madness and death. Normal horns grow in ways that will pierce, suffocate, and maim their owners, and the only one who can stop it is Junnie's mother, Lyria. As Lyria falls deeper and deeper into an anti-social revolt, the country reels. While Junnie broods, her entire species must prepare for mass extinction. Her brother plots with a group of people with less than good intentions and Lewish is quieter than usual. In a civilization brought up on extreme violence and competition, Junnie and Lewish try their best not to get swallowed by their culture, their lives, or their horns.

Bunni and Bosque :

Bunni lives. Bosque dies. We all know how this story starts. Bunni is obsessed with destruction and death. She comes from the healthiest Horned family in her country. She's from the oldest, purest bloodline in the world. And she's bored with it. Bunni spends most of her time trying to escape her duties as a pureblood. She wants things dirty, messy, foul, inconsistent. Having parents that are willing to kill to keep their bloodline pure is annoying. Knowing that she'll live a long, full life, produce more perfect children, and die unscathed is agonizing. Bunni wants something to mourn. We all know how this story ends. Bosque is destined to die an agonizing death, alone on his family's land. He's watched everyone he loved and grew up with perish. Sometimes it was because of their disease. Sometimes it was because of the malice and hatred of others. While he's absolutely withdrawn and satisfied with his life, Bosque has never had a chance to live it. He spends his days basking in the sun, bathing in wood baths, and contemplating the end. Bosque isn't interested in joining the rest of the world. He'd rather die out, alone, where his family belonged. Bosque wants to go peacefully. But neither expected to meet each other one day in a supermarket. Neither expected to fall in love, lust, and every vicious and dirty thing between. Neither expected to be so right for each other, all while being wrong for everyone else. You know the end of this story. Bunni lives, Bosque dies. But maybe something will change.

My smaller titles, Bunni and Bosque /Aite and Jude, can be found at Maybe Trey .

The Business Plan

The initial phase of my business plan is to get the sites populated with ebooks and audiobooks for sale. I also have prints that can be sold. Right now, I am in the audience-building phase while I save up for editing the full novels.

In terms of an actual business with which to publish the stories, I already have a registered publication company in Illinois: Wolfless Studios LLC. I took this step earlier this year with plans to self-publish Astrid and Vicious. So that is paid for and done.

I have also gotten initial editing done on the first six chapters of Astrid, though it will need to be edited from the beginning again once everything is said and done. I've spent over $1000 on that so far, and it would go a lot faster if I didn't need to save up to edit each chapter.

Astrid the Devil is fully plotted, outlined, and only needs the last three chapters. Bunni and Bosque and Vicious are newer, but plotted and already deep into character development (all being shared across social and Wattpad for audience growth). Aite and Jude and other shorts are plotted, and three other unshared stories are plotted and at the editing phase.

Other costs and ways I would use the funding (I would still put in my own money and do as much on my own as possible):

Initial $30K

$6000 - $7000 Line and Copy edits for Astrid (currently at 250000+ words/expecting over 300000 at $0.02 rate)

$6000 - $7000 Line and Copy Edits for Vicious

$3000 - $4000 Line and Copy Edits for Bunni and Bosque

ISBN Purchases (Separate ISBN for each format for each book) - https://www.myidentifiers.com/identify-protect-your-book/barcode

Covers for Astrid/Vicious/B&B Print Versions

Site Hosting Costs and Maintenance for 2 Years

Site completion for all stories

Initial store and app development

40K - Marketing and Graphic Novels

Social, Print, and Web ads

Email Marketing Campaigns

Booths at Decatur Book Festival (depending on COVID)

Social ads and promos

50 to 60 pages

First two chapters offered as free promo with email sign-ups

Audio journals for each character

Situational audio journals

Encyclopedia for Astrid (finishing up)/Vicious

65K - Hires and Next Phases

Ability to hire a Full-Time Editor

Audio Series for each (professionally done)

Vicious Graphic Novel

Additional Title Added

Short animations for both Vicious and Astrid (with plans to fund more with book sales)

Fleshed out Story Sections (Novellas for each character of each series)

Short comic series with Astrid and Vicious side characters

Possible to plan out monthly subscription service with new stories and 'story package' deliveries

75K -

Astrid the Devil Graphic Novel

Vicious Graphic Novel

Astrid the Devil Animated Short

Ability to hire part-time Web Developer

Additional bigger title

Anything Over - I ascend into pure light. And also, I can add titles, cover more mediums, and eventually expand my publishing to other black creatives.

From there, I should be able to handle the funding via sales of books, comics, audio, and more. Again, I will always offer mostly free content across the sites.

I believe in proof of concept, and I have diehard fans on my social platforms. With no outside funding, I've been able to a lot on my own. I'd love to expand my business into one that does the same for other black authors, artists, voice actors, and animators somewhere down the line.

Thank you so much for your consideration. I appreciate all my readers, present and future, and I appreciate any help!

See incentives and more on the actual campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-trey-publish-black-paranormal-horror-stories

Thank you so much!

#support black authors #writeblr #support black creators #black creators #original characters #original story #donate #buy black #black businesses #my writing #Astrid the Devil #Vicious #Bunni and Bosque #Aite and Jude #Trey Briggs the Writer #paranormal horror #speculative fiction #gofundme

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idlemarginalia · 2 years

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On the Discworlds portrayal of human eusocialism (or) How to make a king magic

Please note that this rambling barely-an-essay is based on events and details of two Discworld books: Guards! Guards! and Men At Arms. The writer is currently working through Feet Of Clay but I feel like my current source material is sufficient to put together some significant thoughts. I would also like to point out before anyone comes at me about misspelling names that I have absorbed most of this series via audiobook and do apologize if I get them wrong.

Eusociality is most commonly seen amongst Bees, Ants and other species of insects. Using a strict social hierarchy and extensive pheromonal communication, every member of the eusocial colony is organized and directed based upon their ideal biological role (Although in some circumstances, should the need demand they may adapt and even undergo physiological changes to address imbalances of needs and resources). Typically we view this in the scope of a queen ant who is attended to by male drones, while female workers and (not always but often enough) soldiers handle expansion and food collection. Were we to ever get a chance to ask ants if they were happy about this arrangement, they would very likely praise their society for being so well ordered and thankful they know their place within it so clearly.

We now come to the actual topic of this speeding train of thought, Carrot Ironfounderson of the Discworld series. Carrot is the long-lost heir to the central city of the books, after the populace rose up and overthrew their monarchy (though it is often looked back on with an odd sense of regret by the populace). At the start of the book series, the city of Ankh-Morpork is effectively a hands-off dictatorship held together by a vast web of guilds that lay claim to the vast majority of the cities populace as members (Barring the wizards, royal remnants such as noble families and ‘royal’ bodies such as the post office as well as anyone who proactively refuses to join the guilds and works outside of their control).

This city management style is shockingly effective, as many newcomers and quite a few long-standing locals in Ankh-Morpork marvel at how the chaotic mess of inter-guild affairs, deathly fear of the cities tyrant and a generally comedic common-sense blindspot amongst the populace allows them to live day-to-day in relative stability. Despite this, the locals are often heard complaining about their distaste for the Patrician and their nostalgia for ‘a king’. Usually when this is brought up, a more level-headed character will point out the long list of atrocities committed by the last king before the populace finally had enough, but it becomes clear that the royalists are more infatuated with the general concept of a king rather than any particular man in particular. Which is a shame because Ankh-Morpork does in fact have a king and he is quite a likeable fellow.

Carrot refuses to take up the crown, of course. Rather than claiming his birthright and booting the Patrician out of the palace, the closest he ever gets is using his power of “charisma” to organize a big enough militia to peacefully stop the city from falling apart over a single night of speciesist-charged violence. Carrot goes so far as to destroy evidence that would prove his lineage, explaining in confidence to the current ruler that he doubts anyone would be able to exercise the power of kingliness to rule fairly, not even himself.

What becomes clear after all of this is that:

Royalty is genetic. Not in the sense of lineage trees and being able to trace your roots back to a certain person, but there is literally a 'kinglyness' gene which can be passed down in varying levels of strength. Carrot clearly has it in spades, while it's highly likely that the last king of the city was too weak to maintain his control.

Being a good king is not just about the near-eusocial level of control you can exude over people. Carrot makes it clear that he knows the city from the bottom up, recognizing the vast majority of the locals on sight and ravenously learning about the cities history as well as cultural landmarks.

Being a king and being a noble are absolutely unrelated. In a sense, nobles are mock kings, trying to compensate for their lack of natural control via more traditional methods of politicking, money and abuse. Often when people in the books talk about kings in a negative light, they are closer to describing nobles and their patterns.

With all this in mind, the crux of Carrots refusal to accept his birthright boils down to two things. Despite his initial distaste for it, he recognizes that the city does in fact work and there would be no guarantee that change he brings would be for the better. Furthermore, from his perspective, having people listen to you only because you are a king is effectively cheating. When people do as Carrot says, comply with his requests for lawful behavior and interact with him long enough, they will say and do things that contravene their own personal well-being simply because Carrot asks them to. When he does this, it is for the good of the city as a whole, but it is definitely a power that can be (and has been) mis-used for the sake of greed and personal gain.

#discworld #monarchy #eusocialism #carrot ironfoundersson #terry pratchett

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transmasc-wizard · 3 years

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autism? autism! me too!!! wanna rant about your special interests? go for it!

hello fellow autistic individual

be warned im about to talk a FUCK TON, specifically about the raven cycle. this post will very much need a "readmore" to keep it from clogging dashes

ANYWAY

the raven cycle is a YA urban fantasy quartet by maggie stiefvater published between 2012 and 2016, which also has a spinoff series "the dreamer trilogy" but ive only read the first Dreamer so far; i have a signed copy of the 2nd and am mildly worried ill ruin it. i first read TRC last year in july and am actually currently doing my 3rd read (via audiobook this time). So what is it about, you ask??? WELL

TRC stars 5 teenagers--Adam Parish, Ronan Lynch, Richard Gansey, Blue Sargent, and Noah Czerny. the boys meet blue at a restaurant and somehow drag her into their "quest"--find the body of Owen Glendower in the hills of virginia and wake him up. They want to do this because when gansey was 10 he died via wasp stings and was brought back to life with the voice of glendower talking to him and now he's OBSESSED with finding glendower. Along the way we find out Blue is gonna kill her true love, and that guy probably is gansey (who only has a year to live).

u may be thinking, 'alright, cool plot, but why special interest-worthy?" and i shall gently yell BECAUSE ITS THE BEST WRITING AND CHARACTERIZATION IVE EVER COME ACROSS

Maggie stiefvater knows how to make the best characters, like, ever, because she doesnt do the typical YA thing of "oh uwu here are their flaws: theyre too nice, too sweet, too naive". she's got shit like "purposely failing school" & "stupid about money and insensitive to friends about it" and "refuses to ask for help" and "drinks to cope", y'know, things that are actually flaws to overcome.

they've also all got amazing little traits just-to-them; blue really likes trees, layers her clothing, loves yogurt, is the only non-psychic in a family of them, & shreds her shirts to make them look more interesting. Ronan races cars, knows how to farm, LOVES his little pet bird (named Chainsaw btw), and grapples with being religious (catholic) vs being gay. Noah is quiet and "smudgy" and doesn't eat enough (because he doesnt. actually. have a stomach or like an actual brain really thats another thing tho). Gansey loves his journal and is terrified of wasps and eats avacado on his pizza and is really good at finding things. Adam wears a coca-cola shirt and is super focused around money (bc he Has None) and lives above a church and helps ronan do stupid shit. like, this is the stuff i thought of within 30 seconds for each character, and most of that alone is in the 1st book. like, it gets even more thorough as it goes on.

and the WRITING. i know exactly what the inside of gansey's car looks like and it wasnt boring to learn that. like, i still remember that stiefvater described that there's CDs in the backseat and beef jerky thats long expired and too many receipts. I remember 300 fox way (blue's house) doesnt have a single man living there and that there's a sewing-phone-cat room. I remember monmouth (gansey's house) was a factory but it's unknown what it produced but there's scorch marks on the walls and really high ceilings. I know blue adores the stars and trees and i know persephone (blue's mother's friend) listens to angry PHD music. Like, this was all peppered in casually but written in such a gripping way that its lodged in my brain. i was never once bored reading TRC, and ive gotten bored reading almost every other book, even the ones i love.

and the MAGIC is so cool, there's psychics and trees that speak (but only in latin!) and dragons made of fire that came out of people's heads and demon bugs and weird sticky stuff that tears apart the world. it's not all explained, and i love that, because it's explained enough that i'm satisfied but i don't somehow know more than all the characters combined.

... anyway i realize ive practically written an essay, and also i have to do my nano shit now cause theres not a ton of hours left in the day, but!!! soul is doing the smiley emote!! because raven cycle!!

anyway everyone should read it, it's very very cool

(also i will be posting my Autistic Gansey Theory at some point)

good day to all

#the raven cycle #trc #the raven cycle quartet #trc fandom #asks #special interests #i have 3 spins of rotating intensity lol #atm TRC is tied with writing as the biggest #this made my soul so happy #in which nico remembers he is a fandom blog too #books #bookblr #actuallyautistic #self dx autistic #not writblr

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emilianadarling · 2 years

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Get to Know Me - A Tag Game

thank u for the tag, @aureutr 😊 EDIT also @ace-din-djarin!!!!!

rules: tag a few people you want to know better; make a new post, don't reblog!

favorite color: red! ❤️

currently reading: listening to ‘The Anthopocene Reviewed’ by john green, most recently over my lunch break when I lay down in my room and dozed lol.

last song: ”The Longest River” by Anciients, played ambiently in the background by my spouse. (I am not one to put on music for myself much, I get exposed to so many excellent curated lists via him lol)

last movie: hmmm. uh. It can’t be Last Night in Soho... I watched that months ago... hmm...

last series: Either “The Legend of Vox Machina” (such a wild and delightful experience as a Critter!) or Season 2 of Channel Zero -- No End House on Shudder (still part way through that one!)

sweet, spicy, or savory: savoury every day of the week baby but also fuck me up with spicy while ur at it

coffee or tea: coffee, daily. my partner owns like 9 brew methods and I know how to use exactly one (1), the clever dripper, so I use that.

three ships: ooh! - Din/Luke (Star Wars, currently working on the second in a series for this ship, the sequel to through power, there is victory on AO3)

- Percy/Vex’ahlia (The Legend of Vox Machina/Critical Role, my little shipper heart has been so overjoyed to see them most recently in animation, the sheer delight of visual animated media!!) and,

- ... hoo boy this is hard. I have been reading a LOT of Obi-Wan Kenobi fic for these last many months, but I am very (EXTREMELY) fluid with those I ship him with. True fandom bicycle for me for sure. Gun to my head though, glitterglanger got me fucking good with Transactional States so for the ‘what if?’ factor alone, I may have to say Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi lol.

first ever ship: hmm. Ron/Hermione, perhaps? as in, my first online fandom shipping experience.

currently working on: “only as strong as the warrior next to you”, i.e. DarkLuke fic part 2, currently at 60k. I’m midway through the third act, and have never written this much without sharing something before. it’s KILLING ME lol but honestly also it probably a good learning experience. most recently, scenes I’ve been drafting have been focused on politics, art, and Empire within the Galaxy.

favourite piece of clothing: asked my partner (mr d) and he said ‘cardigans’ lmao. (”that’s not a piece of clothing, that’s a genre of clothing” I said. “pffft” he responded.) BUT -- my response is: 1. for pure value over time, my red button-up coat, and 2. my moose housecoat for comfort-bumming around lmao

comfort food: Poutine tbh, all kinds, for pure comfort value. If we’re talking specifically hungover comfort food, switch it up to Subway Chicken and Bacon Ranch sandwich lmfao.

favourite time of the year: autumn/fall!! fuckin LOVE me that autumnal bullshit like the basic bitch I am

fav fanfiction: EVER? 😱 If we’re talking pure compounded comfort and joy over time, The Student Prince (Merlin/Arthur AU) by FayJay is RIGHT up there honestly. Specifically, on audiobook -- dear god I’ve listened to that so many times and still the story of the relationship is so solid and the writing so enjoyable. Perhaps next up for sheer impact and notability is my dear friend (years after I read this series omg I was so starstruck to be friends with her) is the icarus verse by green_postit (Star Trek, Mirrorverse Kirk/Bones), ft. some of the best fucking titles in the history of fanfic IMO. (icarus in retrospect, the pugilists, skeleton men. FORMATIVE for me as a writer tbh.)

honestly, wrapping it up I’m also a fan of my own fic “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” (Steve/Bucky, Steve/Peggy, Wartime) from back in 2014 if I’m honest. I really felt so sated and satisfied when I wrote that fic and shared it, because I wanted so badly to read it I brought it into existence. :) so that brings me a lot of long-term joy, also.

... wait fuck I wanted to keep this to three but peradii’s “wonderterror” (Star Wars, no ship) is world-endlingly good, ft. Eldritch Luke and Leia, so. gotta sneak that one on too I guess!!!

Tagging @glimmerglanger @universeinorbit @seekthemist @avelera @reena-jenkins @mneiai @gyzym @himboskywalker @peradii @thebatwiggler

#i’d tag fayjay if she had a tumblr and if she does dear god please send that shit my way #personal #fandom #aureutr #thank you my dear #so kind to tag me!

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agrarianradfem · 3 years

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hi, this is random but what do you like to read? I'm in a rut, so was wondering if u have recs or current reading list or tbr or smth? I rmbr u saying that u read 3 hrs a day? :)

Hi!! I do read a lot! Mostly nonfiction, romance, and a little bit of fantasy and contemporary/literary fiction. I’m currently reading The Hellion’s Waltz, the third in Olivia Waite’s Feminine Pursuits series (all three are ff historical romances set in England - Hellion’s Waltz isn’t out yet but I have an advanced copy). I would absolutely recommend the first, The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics if that sounds interesting. In general, here are some of my favorite books: Nonfiction: - Sweetness and Power by Sydney Mintz: A history of sugar, colonialism, and power dynamics in its production and consumption. Is rather academic but it is readable and slim. - Who Cooked the Last Supper?: This book is always recommended among radfems with great reason - women need to learn that the male way of thinking is wrong in so many ways, and that women have been making vital contributions to humanity that have been misattributed (purposefully and incidentally because of patriarchy) to men. - Milk by Kurlansky: This is the history of milk. It includes a wrong fact about the history of cheese (Kurlansky misattributes it to a man as part of Myth of Man the Hunter - see Who Cooked the Last Supper? to learn more about misattributions. Cheese was absolutely developed by women who were at home caring for children). But otherwise it’s a great and very readable history of one of humanity’s most important foods. - In The Shadow of Slavery: All about how enslaved Africans brought their foods and food traditions to the Americas and how food was a key part of resistance. Great information about things like rice cultivation in South Carolina and food as resistance in Brazil. - Invisible Women by Criado-Perez. Excellent book on the ways in which failing to sex disaggregate data (aka not separating out data on women vs men instead of lumping it all together) fails women, from car design to snow clearing plans. Great as an audiobook. - Fran Lebowitz Reader: This audiobook is amazing. - In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. He brings his humor to Australia and you’ll want to purchase plane tickets immediately. (Can’t wait for Australia and NZ to open to vaccinated travelers!) I also love Thunderbolt Kid, At Home, and The Body by him. - The Emperor of All Maladies: This is a history of cancer and its treatment. This is a tome, but is absolutely fascinating. Romance: - A Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics: Really a lovely novel about female empowerment (like the real kind: standing up for oneself in the face of male efforts to hinder women, women becoming the best patrons and confidants for each other, etc) - Ravishing the Heiress: This is a straight romance, and one not the best intro to the genre for lesbians who don’t read any straight romance. But for fans of the genre (or even just romantic subplots in books and fanfiction) this is a masterclass example of a marriage of convenience and slow burn romance. - Devil in Winter and Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas. For those who loved Bridgerton, these are amazing. DinW is one of the most beloved historical romances of all time, and Marrying Winterborne is from her newest series and that book is becoming beloved as well.

Fantasy: - When Women Were Warriors: This is a story told in three parts (it’s not three books, you have to read all three parts to complete the story) set in pseudo-medieval England about a matriarchal, matrilineal society where lesbianism is common. Great for fans of fantasy who don’t need magic, creatures, or space travel, etc. - All the books written by Tamora Pierce. Her books are mostly YA/Middle Grade but they have excellent pacing, plots, and character development. My favorites are the Alanna books and the Immortals series. These are great if you’re someone who likes shorter books where for attention purposes or just for a fast read. I reread these all the time - Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs: TW sexual assault at the 1/3 point in the series (and for basically every book in the sister Alpha and Omega series). This is Urban Fantasy for all the fans of werewolves, vampires, fae, fairy tales, wendigos, and all the other scary legendary creatures. Features a great female lead, a straight romantic subplot, inter-species alliances and wars, fighting for good, and is set in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a billion of these books (read in order) so you’ll have plenty to keep you reading if you like the first. - Daughter of the Forest: TW graphic sexual assault. This is a famous retelling of The Six Swans story. Straight romantic subplot. This book is constantly recommended as one of the best retelling stories and I agree. I would recommend reading rather than listening to an audiobook of this one because there’s no reason to read the assault scene - just get to it and skip a few pages and resume. I fully believe that if this book was written now it wouldn’t have the descriptions, but it is important to the plot. Contemporary/Literary Fiction: - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters: TW for abusive relationship and prostitution. This story of the underground of London at the turn of the century is a lesbian classic for a reason. Happy ending! Great exploration of the time. - Bastard Out of Carolina: TW graphic sexual assault of a child. This book is a really hard read about the ways in which women pick men over their own daughters, religion oppresses women, poverty is worse for women than men, women are expected to be quiet and just suffer their burdens. I read this for the first time in a Women’s Writing course in college and it made me bawl my eyes out. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. - The Well of Loneliness: I love sad books and this is no exception. Sad lesbian at the turn of the century. Historically important book. - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver: This ecofiction book is not the usually recommended book by her. This takes inspiration from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and interweaves three stories of women, life and death, and the health of the environment. I use goodreads and Kirkus reviews to find books all the time. If any one of these sounds interesting, put it into goodreads and you’ll be able to find other books by the author, books similar to it, and lists that contain the book (for instance, if you look up prodigal summer it’s probably on an ecofiction list and you can find a ton of ecofiction books that way!). Kirkus is amazing for finding new and upcoming books. The online reviews are free (I think - my mom is a paid subscriber to the magazine). For nonfiction I also look through Washington Independent Review of Books. Another underrated way to find books is Facebook and Reddit! If there’s a genre you really like, then find a facebook group for it. This is a great way to find what others love, new releases, and you can save posts (underutilized thing fb does) and have something to scroll through the next time you are looking for a book. Reddit has a bunch of subreddits for different genres. Many of the large genre groups run books clubs (fantasy runs a bunch of structured book clubs, romance runs buddy reads, etc.). Hopefully this gives you some place to start!

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gimmethehobbit · 3 years

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2020 Fanart Highlights

Thanks for tagging me @une-amie!! Love your art btw!

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

Yay, nothing like a little artistic self-reflection! I’ll stick to linking to my comics and art (I have some rotten fic festering on the distant regions of the internet that we won’t mention here lol)

I think I drew more comics in 2020 than I did the previous two years? While my style has gotten less cute and I’m using almost no color, I actually don’t feel too bad about it. The art always served the punchline/gag anyway. If I got you to chuckle/smile with my comic then it’s mission accomplished for me. Also, around when quarantine started is when I got a drawing tablet and basically everything I’ve posted since then has been drawn digitally. I’ll go chronologically over my faves:

Pining Keith in 2020 [VLD | Klance] It seems like I optimistically start every year ranting that this will be the year of klance (now years after the actual show ended.) My favorite thing to do is cut corners so repeating panels and just changing expressions/dialogue is the absolute BEST and I encourage everyone to do it! No one will notice or care! :D This one was still pencil on paper, which I kind of miss because it carries a certain energy that digital misses.

RA Comix: ONE FEAR [Richard Armitage] Okay, this one has like NO notes but I died laughing making it. We could have had a really epic closing chapter to the whole RA/LP thing but I guess now we’ll never know? (is the con even being rescheduled??) Also any RA fan is free to reuse this for whatever RA’s current fear is lmao.

Michigan J. Frog! [Looney Tunes] I worked full-time during quarantine. But on a random day off I thought, you know what, I should really draw Michigan J. Frog on this tablet I’m still getting used to. I think he turned out alright. It’s still my aim to animate him once I have like a year off :P

RA turns 49 [Richard Armitage] This one is very special to me because I spent 5 minutes drawing it and then like an hour just playing around with cut and paste and warping his face. The real satisfaction here was making myself cackle. Also I love that his doll friend is the only thing worthy of being put in color. Did I mention how much I HATE coloring comics???? Which leads me to coloring art...

Leatherface’s Quarantine Advice [Horror | Texas Chainsaw Massacre] This was the first one of my horror/artober challenge. Drawing/coloring is hard! He came out okay, if a bit smudgy but I’m still perplexed over how I did that real cool-looking sky and background.

You’ll Float Too! [Horror | It Movie | Pennywise] Stylistically I went for something that looked like a kid drew it and I think I really nailed it! 😆

ANNABEL/LE’S [Horror | Annabelle | RA’s friend lol] Probably the art piece I spent the most time on this year? Aka more than an hour. Had a lot of fun painting her, I was in the Zone. Really like how her creepy face plays with light and shadow. That blood tear is pretty spot-on 👌 Also nothing like the juxtaposition between Annabelle’s realistic creepiness and the cartoony Annabel 🤡

(audio scream warning!->) Thrandy Scream [LOTR/Hobbit | Thranduil | Legolas] Including this one because it’s one of three animations I did last year along with Thorin’s McRib and Artie Fufkin. I was all set to do a bunch more and then I realized CSPaint has me stuck on a time limit of just a few seconds??? So that kind of sucks. But I like merging audio with crudely moving art. Definitely want to try more of it. Also amused myself by drawing Thrandy after a long hiatus.

That’s all folks! Lmk if there’s something you want to see more of this year :3 (I fell off the RA train because I don’t do audiobooks but I can always make shit up 🤪)

Tagging @heyholmesletsgo @oldfarmerbillswife @sillymarillion-comics @aninomori @atanes-universe @monkeyscomics @thejerseydevile @evankart and any other artist/writer/creator who wants to do this!

#2020 fanart highlights #tag game #damn i spent longer writing this post than drawing some of these comics i mentioned #🥴

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