nicolemoy

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

How cute are these little Harry Potter Sweater kits? These would make great Christmas gifts!

One adorable idea for the embroidery kits suggested by @zoosemiotics is Mrs. Weasley’s Christmas sweaters! The idea is so cute, I immediately wanted to make one.

[nicolemoy]

MY THOUGHTS

How awesome are these images of Warcross? If you’re looking for a diverse sci-fi YA novel about video gaming and competitions, definitely check out Warcross by Marie Lu!

Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution.

[nicolemoy]

Bad News and Good News(?)

Okay! So here’s the deal!

Bad News: The Mortal Instruments Graphic Novel’s release date has been pushed back a week. Auuugh! I’m sorry I was as stoked about the release as you guys!!! But there was an issue with the trucking/shipping company and getting the books out in time. Some stores may still have the books on the proper date (October 31) and I’m not totally sure if this means a delay on online orders or not but the new Official release date is November 7!

Good News: Well, to make up for the delay, I will post an illustration every day that week as a countdown! Okay? Hopefully that will make the extra bit of wait easier!

[nicolemoy]

ok this is going to sound rude but i totally don't mean it to be, but as an asian i always get super exited when i see asian authors, so i was wondering why you chose to write a european story rather than something korean? loved it tho

Hi nonny:

I get this question a lot, so I’m going to come across as a bit short or annoyed, but it’s not about you, I promise (I don’t know you after all). 

It’s about your question.

It is a rude question, and I don’t appreciate it. Frankly, what I am and how that affects what I write is none of anyone’s business. If you want to know why I wrote Wintersong and not something Asian, I write a little about it here. And it isn’t that I don’t intend to write something Asian-inspired; I do. Why did I choose to write something European? Many things. I like Mozart. I like the German language. I like European folklore. I am pretty goth. I grew up with these things, so I know them pretty intimately. 

But I want to unpack this question a little. Why is it that women of color are expected to write or perform their own marginalizations? Do we go around asking out queer people to only write queer stories? Do we ask disabled people to only write their disability? Incidentally, I wrote my disability into Wintersong. I gave Liesl my bipolar disorder. But the praise and censure I get always stems from the most obvious marginalization I have: my face, and by extension, my ethnic background.

If you want to get into the weeds of why I didn’t write something Korean first, it’s because I’m not Korean. I am of Korean descent, yes. I am a member of the diaspora. But neither am I truly a part of the Korean-American immigrant experience. I grew up pretty privileged: my dad is white, I went to an all-girl’s private school, was part of swim and tennis clubs, etc. I had a lot of the markers of cultural whiteness, which is tied with class. My Koreanness is whitewashed, not just by my cultural privilege, but because I didn’t have access to a Korean extended family. My aunties, uncles, and cousins all live in Seoul, or some didn’t make it out of Pyongyang before the establishment of the 38th Parallel. I’ve been to Korea twice. The only Korean members of my family are my mother and my grandmother. Everyone else is white.

That cultural whiteness? It comes across to a lot of people, and it especially came across to other Koreans. There are reasons I don’t speak the language as well as I should, considering it was my milk tongue. I went to Korean school and attended Korean church for a while, but I was bullied and ostracized so badly I stopped going back when I was 9. I wasn’t bullied because my dad was white; I was bullied because I wasn’t Korean enough. I didn’t share their cultural language. I didn’t even share the same parental pressures. My mother is the one who had been pressuring me to quit my day job and become a full-time writer, not my dad. As a result, I was the outcast in every Asian group I ever tried to be a part of as a kid. Some were open about it to my face. You’re not Korean enough. Some were more insidious about it. They would deliberately choose subjects and topics about which I had no handhold, freezing me out of conversation. My friends? The theatre kids, the artist freaks, the writers. The vast majority of them? White. 

This obviously left pretty deep psychic scars. I can’t eat doughnuts, for one. They smell of Korean school and shame. But it also left me with a deep insecurity about even approaching a Korean subject in writing. Am I enough? Am I enough, am I enough, am I enough? It’s only as an adult that I’ve made Asian friends, that I’ve slowly started to find my way back to the heritage I’ve kept at arm’s length. 

I’m telling you my history, nonny, to better answer your question. But to also maybe shed a light on the effect of asking a marginalized person to perform their marginalization for you. For me, that question is fraught, and I imagine it is for a lot of other Asian writers as well. When I hear that question, all I hear is You are not enough. You are not Asian enough. You didn’t even write something Asian. You are not enough, you are not enough, you are not enough.

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

How gorgeous is this fan drawn Landline cover art? I am so in love!

So I was bored and didn’t know what to draw so I ended up editing this not-so-old drawing of mine. I also used a template to see what it would look like as a real book.

[nicolemoy]

MY THOUGHTS

Definitely take advantage of this awesome pre-order! I love the cute buttons!

Preorder Emery Lord’s THE NAMES THEY GAVE US to receive an exclusive set of buttons! Submit your proof of preorder here by May 15, 2017 in the US/Canada to receive the left set of buttons and by May 31, 2017 in the UK, ROI, AU, and NZ to receive the right set of badges. Offer only open to the countries listed and good while supplies last.

Got questions? We’ve got answers below! And for more details, check out our terms & conditions.

Emery Lord Preorder Offer FAQ!

1. Does it matter what retailer I preorder from or what version of the book I choose?

Nope! This offer applies to preorders from any and all retailers and both print and ebooks.

2. What counts as “proof of preorder”?

You can upload your confirmation email, a screenshot of your order confirmation, or even a photo of the order confirmation on your phone or computer.

3. How will I know if you received my submission?

When you submit at the site linked here, you’ll see a screen that says “submission was successful.” If you don’t see this screen, try again. Due to the volume of submissions, we can’t confirm receipt of individual submissions.

4. I preordered a book for my friend too. Can we each get buttons?

Yes. Be sure to either upload each proof of preorder separately and with the address that the buttons should be sent to.

5. When will I receive my buttons?

We will start sending the prizes out at on-sale. Please allow at least 4 weeks for delivery. If it’s July and you haven’t received your prize, contact @bloomsburykids on twitter. (Note that if it hasn’t been four weeks, we’ll just ask you to check in again in July. Also note that due to the volume, the mailing process takes several weeks, so people will receive their prizes in waves. Don’t panic if you see a friend with buttons and yours hasn’t come yet!).

6. Are buttons and badges the same thing?

Yep! We’re just using different language depending on each territory. The set of buttons/badges you receive depends on which country you preorder your book from.

[nicolemoy]

MY THOUGHTS

I was 30 mins away from Ilvermorny last summer. Also, I am still excited that Ilvermorny is located in MA! Woohooo!

Animated posters // (click to enlarge)

[nicolemoy]

MY THOUGHTS

This is very insightful in terms of what each Ilvermorny house represents and how each Hogwarts house/Ilvermorny house combination symbolizes. For those who don’t know yet, I am a Ravenclaw/Thunderbird.

A Complete Guide to Ilvermorny

Created by myself and my lovely fellow analyst.

What Ilvermorny Means

This section focuses on the bare bones of each house. Later I expand in great depth on the specific combinations.

Wampus: Pragmatism. The Wampus wants real world results. It wants things that can assist these results. It will take real, immediate action to achieve these results. Oriented towards events, the exterior world, and action. Searches for advantage in everything. Searches for ways to win. Competition, winning, the real world. Proof. Logic. Action. Horned Serpent: Theories. The world aligns with their system of thought. Why is the world this way? What if it isn’t? The horned serpent considers everything. They scrutinize and analyze. They make the world fit their mind and make their mind for the world. Oriented toward the internal world. Thinking about things for their own sake. No objective but understanding. Pukwudgie: Pukwudgies are what they are. They want to be themselves in all respects, extroverting themselves on the outer world. They are in tune with their own emotions and will follow their gut instincts and feelings wherever they might lead. They have a strong emotional attachment to those they value, and will stay extremely loyal to those select few. Pukwudgies are social without Boeing to society. Thunderbird: Change. The grand concept of the soul. The thunderbird wants change for its internal world. It wishes to be free in its thoughts and it’s desires, pretty much regardless of the outside world. The thunderbird seeks betterment for itself in subjective ways. It does not want to win, it wants to be happy.

Hogwarts/Ilvermorny Combinations

This section focuses on each individual house combination.

Pukwudgie/Hogwarts

The Hero (Gryffindor)

The Traveler (Ravenclaw)

The Loyalist (Hufflepuff)

The Charmer (Slytherin)

Gryffindor/Pukwudgie: These people are the typical thrill seeking freedom fighters of Gryffindor. The social nature of Pukwudgie combines with the glory seeking bravado of Gryffindor to make a person who sees themselves as a hero, and is eager to act accordingly. Gryffindor Pukwudgies are often more attuned to their own wants and the wants of their friends then anything grander. They prefer not to look at the big picture, and instead focus on small situations where they can apply themselves with vigor and individuality. Gryffindor and Pukwudgie are both individualistic and emotional houses, and this manifests particularly strongly in this combination. The Gryffindor is action oriented and the Pukwudgie is social, creating someone who is outspoken and willing to stick to their emotional decisions to the bitter end.

Ravenclaw/Pukwudgie: The Ravenclaw Pukwudgie is primarily concerned with the exploration of the world. The Ravenclaw is insatiably curious, and the Pukwudgie sees the world externally, without becoming preoccupied with the structure of the world or what they can and cannot do. The two houses in combination seek to fully enjoy life, seeking out new knowledge and experiences without very much of an end goal. These people seek to enjoy their life above all else, and will likely have a drive to see the world, try new and exciting things, and will not have patience for those who drag them down to a more boring world.

Hufflepuff/Pukwudgie: The Hufflepuff Pukwudgie is devoted to its friends and family. It will make sure they are happy and healthy above all else, and will define their lives by those they care about. They are more focused on themselves as individuals then the traditional Hufflepuff, who seeks to make things fair for the general world. These Hufflepuffs instead prefer to stay within the circle of those that they love and rarely stray from it. These Pukwudgies will be more selfless and able to dismiss their own emotions easier than most because of their acute awareness of the affect it has on others.

Slytherin/Pukwudgie: Slytherin Pukwudgies are naturals at making connections and thrive in the social world. Their ambition is driven from emotional need, and will often be less traditionally ambitious than the dreams of other Slytherins. They will want to succeed in a social or emotional way, more intangible than the power and wealth many Slytherins seek. They will seek prestige in their social circle, using their quick wits to charm their fellows. They are highly external people, loving the company and positivity of social gatherings and becoming highly adept at navigating such settings.

Wampus/Hogwarts

The Champion (Gryffindor) The Trickster (Ravenclaw) The Paragon (Hufflepuff) The Victor (Slytherin)

Gryffindor/Wampus: Wampus Gryffindors are the most in tune with the real world of Gryffindors. They see the real world problems with constantly sticking to their morals and emotions, and will be willing to change their decisions and adapt to whatever will yield the greatest benefit. This combination is extremely action oriented, often becoming restless when there is no danger for them to face or situation to mend. These will be the most competitive of all Gryffindors, eager to jump on any casual opportunity to show others what they can do. This is the result of the glory seeking nature of Gryffindor combined with the Wampus drive to win. While this combination is highly impulsive and strong willed, it’s logical side and desire to succeed often makes it more detached than most Gryffindors until the opportunity for action arises. This combination will look for logical and analytical reasons why it won or did not win, and thus will often seem changeable, as it is reviewing new data and analyzing while it is taking action. It’s looking at the same time as it’s leaping.

Ravenclaw/Wampus: The Ravenclaw Wampus is the rarest of all sixteen combinations. Understandable as it is a paradoxical personality. Strong willed with malleable beliefs and goals, active with a tendency to hang back and consider all options, and intellectual but fierce. This combination deals in cleverness more than any other type of intellect. It prefers wit and strategy in its thoughts and conversations to a less immediately applicable, more studious knowledge. The introspective nature of Ravenclaw combines with Wampus in two principle ways, first with its competitiveness and its drive to succeed, which makes the Ravenclaw Wampus self critical and keenly aware of its own strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, the introspection combines with the strength of Wampus to create an impassive exterior. This Wampus will conceal its weaknesses behind a thick veil of intellect and prestige.

Hufflepuff/Wampus: The Hufflepuff Wampus has tangible goals that it wants to succeed in, and has a strong drive like other Wampuses, however, this will be offset by their affection for their companions and their wish for these people to succeed as much, if not more, than themself. This manifests as a person who is a strong and charismatic community leader. They will drive groups of people forward highly effectively with an infectious optimism and tireless determination. Both the Wampus and the Hufflepuff houses are hard working houses with great amounts of grit. As a result, the combination will take on massive amounts of work for greater projects with incredible drive. This is a self sacrificing combination with a strong sense of right and wrong, based primarily around justice and fairness. They will fight tirelessly to achieve this fairness in any place they can.

Slytherin/Wampus: The Slytherin and Wampus houses are defined by ambition. Slytherin values ambition deeply, and Wampus’ interaction with the world is based around fighting and winning. As a result, the Slytherin Wampus feels that it must achieve its goals at all costs, and overwhelmingly does so. This type is highly adaptable within the margins of its goals, as it sees many ways it can get what it wants, and has no issue buckling down to what work is necessary. While in true Slytherin nature, it is focused on the end goal at all times, the scrappiness and engagement with the present moment that Wampus brings leads this combination to be more playful than other Slytherins. These Slytherins are so constantly ambitious and secure in their desire that they feel comfortable dropping their seriousness whenever it appeals to them. At the same time, the Slytherin Wampus sees no point in becoming too preoccupied with the negative aspects of the here and now, and has a tendency to “wait out” annoyances, emotional problems, or pain.

Thunderbird/Hogwarts

The Revolutionary (Gryffindor) The Philosopher (Ravenclaw) The Optimist (Hufflepuff) The Candidate (Slytherin)

Gryffindor/Thunderbird: Gryffindor Thunderbird has deeply internalized its moral beliefs. It is guided by its principals and ideals. The contrast in between Thunderbirds vibrant internal world and Gryffindors strong external tendencies make a combination that is powerfully focused on carrying its beliefs into the outside world. This combination makes no compromises. It is resilient against outside influence, and most powerful when faced with impossible odds. In the face of everyone telling it “no”, it plants it’s feet and screams “yes” in response. This Gryffindor is the least boastful an glory seeking of Gryffindors, as it cares very little for the the outside world. It deeply connects to those who share its beliefs however, and will stick to these long lived friendships through any situation, no matter how thick or thin.

Ravenclaw/Thunderbird: The Ravenclaw Thunderbird seeks enlightenment. Regardless of its religious views or what words they might use to describe what they seek, the Ravenclaw Thunderbird wishes to reach a state of complete happiness and knowledge. Both Ravenclaw and Thunderbird constantly seek out something, deep in their core. The Ravenclaw seeks many new ideas, whereas the Thunderbird seeks a single great ideal. In combination, these houses search for all ways they might achieve their final ideal (note: not their final GOAL, the ideal is generally something unattainable. The Ravenclaw Thunderbird considers it nobler to strive for the impossible.) This house will be as curious as the traditional Ravenclaw, but it’s deep held beliefs as a Thunderbird will lead it to dismiss more information than its more trusting and open minded fellows. Ultimately, their greatest priority is enlightenment and whatever else they may have chosen as a panultimate ideal.

Hufflepuff/Thunderbird: The Hufflepuff Thunderbird is probably the greatest source of Hufflepuff’s reputation of being offbeat. The Thunderbird devotion to its internal world mixes with the upbeat attitude of Hufflepuff to create a person who is extremely amiable and easygoing without feeling the need to fit in or act in a way they feel uncomfortable with. This Hufflepuff is more secure in their identity than other Hufflepuffs, and this Thunderbird is more secure in their present situation than other Thunderbirds. This makes a sweet spot of contentment where the Hufflepuff Thunderbird makes it’s home.

Slytherin/Thunderbird: Of the Slytherins, this combination is the deepest emotionally. It does not find the same advantage of repressing its emotions that the other houses do. Instead, this house propels itself through its ambitions with a deep emotional drive to thrive I whatever environment it is put in. The forceful confidence of Slytherin gives this Thunderbird a tendency to hurl themselves into happiness and freedom, acting however they might please. This gives them a forceful and individualistic charisma, but makes them enemies as they can come off as a bull in a china shop when surrounded by weaker personalities. This Slytherin plans ahead less than other Slytherins. It has it’s eventual goals in mind, but it trusts in its ability to improvise with all the cunning and determination it possesses once it comes into contact with an actual impediment.

Horned Serpent/Hogwarts

The Advocate (Gryffindor) The Visionary (Ravenclaw) The Psychologist (Hufflepuff) The Architect (Slytherin)

Gryffindor/Horned Serpent: The Gryffindor Horned Serpent is the fiercest of the Horned Serpents and the most conservative and cautious of the Gryffindors. They have strong held ideas that they reenforce with a powerful will and as much mental energy as they can muster. However, these Gryffindors are aware of the consequences to their actions, and will act in a more refined way, only breaking rules or taking direct action when they see it as good to do so. They will not, however, hesitate to challenge any idea put forward, examining it from both moral and logical standpoints. This combination has a highly tuned moral framework that builds itself on sequences of logic in order to determine what is right. These Horned Serpents are less interested in discovery, experimentation, and hypothesizing than most of their brethren. The Gryffindor in them prefers to take what is established knowledge so that they can act in the moment and will not have to shift their belief system, which is dependent on information. This combination will project themselves as the most prominent mind in the room. They often do not project the pure and quiet intelligence of Ravenclaw combinations or the calculated charisma of Slytherin, but the use of Gryffindor’s indomitable will and Horned Serpents uncontainable mind forces the attention of those nearby. People are drawn to this combination, and it uses this ability to advocate its ideas.

Ravenclaw/Horned Serpent: This combinations mind is completely active. It thinks constantly, developing and discarding ideas and theories at a consummate rate. The quick mindedness of the Ravenclaw allows it to see multiple ideas and possible ways to see a situation at once. At the same time, the Horned Serpent focuses these many ideas, narrowing down those that are illogical and discardable. This combination is fully involved with its mind. Its intelligence propels it in everything it does, shaping its values, shifting its actions. What the Ravenclaw Horned Serpent does will always be to the benefit of knowledge and its own understanding. It will seek the analysis and dissection of the entire world, magnifying every notion as far as it reasonably can. This combination balances a scale in its own mind. On one hand, it enjoys the pure information of chaos, but on the other, the rationality of both houses wants stability. The Ravenclaw Horned Serpent makes its compromise through observation. It will sit still and accumulate knowledge until it sees there is something to be gained for their mind if they move. They will then throw themselves headlong into whatever pursuit they have deemed smart.

Hufflepuff/Horned Serpent: The Hufflepuff Horned Serpent seeks to understand people. It will study someone in all their intricacies, looking to their likes, dislikes, beliefs, motives, and everything else try can glean. This combination loves people as truly as most Hufflepuffs do, but is truly fascinated by them as a Horned Serpent. Hufflepuff’s patience combines with the theories of Horned Serpent to form principles over time. This combination will slowly accumulate similar ideas, slowly turn them over, combine them where they can be combined, and eventually form well fleshed out principles that it can share compassionately with those in need. This combination values wisdom above all else. It wishes to guide others in a subjective manner. Helping them with their minds and their ideas. The strong inclination to fairness that Hufflepuff brings overpowers the wish for personal understanding that Horned Serpent holds dearly. This combination will, as a result, share what it knows indiscriminately. It wishes the world to be better mentally and to be supplied with guiding wisdom that will keep it safe.

Slytherin/Horned Serpent: The Slytherin Horned Serpent wants to build. While it is receptive to the many ideas of the world, it prefers its own. It will be strongly oriented towards order, categories, and rules. These are where the Slytherin ambition and the structured minds of the Horned Serpents thrive. Within this structure, it will create more and more structure, expanding it and pushing the boundaries of the previous rules, before forming new rules and guidelines in a more refined manner. This combination is proud, trusting its own intellect and intuition above all else. Its logic being that they are tried and true indicators. This makes the Slytherin Horned Serpent stubborn minded until failure. At the point of failure, this combination will see no problem admitting that they were wrong and pursuing an entirely different approach. The ambition of Slytherin drives it forward towards a goal or a principle to understand, while the Horned Serpent studies and searches for the best way to achieve such an end.

[nicolemoy]

MY THOUGHTS

I love these stunning rings depicting the Ilvermorny houses! Thunderbird and Horned Serpent rings are my favorite ones.

I just designed rings to accompany the 4 houses of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.   Since these houses do not have distinct colors like the Hogwarts Houses, I had to rely on the setting to convey the symbol of each house.  Each ring is a gold Celtic design and the colors are blue (sapphire) and/or cranberry (red garnet) to complement the Ilvermorny robes. To see my Hogwarts house inspired rings click here.

I’m Horned Serpent

Which House are you?

[nicolemoy]

Queenie and Jacob!

Precious Memories

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

I am INTJ!

♥ Sailor Moon Myers Briggs Personality Chart ♥

*~ High Res Version Here ~*

I’ve always found the Myers Briggs Personality test fascinating ~ recently I’ve seen a couple fandom MBTI charts circulating through social media and wondered to myself what a Sailor Moon chart would look like..!  So which Sailor Moon character are you? If you don’t know your type, you can take the MBTI Personality Test on www.16personalities.com!! I’m an INFJ :3 Anyways, I hope you guys have fun with this!! And note: I’m not an MBTI expert or psychologist, just a huge Sailor Moon fan <3. Enjoy!!

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

Because we know that they will not stop choosing each other. The magic is strong! The love is strong! It’s unbreakable!

“I love you, Hermione,” (insp.)

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

I find these descriptions very accurate. What house do you fall under?

The Traits of the Four Houses (by request)

This analysis is based in the answers assigned to each House by the Sorting quiz.

Hufflepuff

Hufflepuffs are defined by their love of family, comfort, and living things first and foremost. Anything involving animals or plants is going to appeal to them: Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology are subjects beloved by Hufflepuffs. They also care deeply for people and enjoy the company of others; being alone or feeling unloved are things Puffs dislike intensely. Ultimately, Hufflepuffs are interested in helping both people and animals, but are much less confrontational or daring than Gryffindors. They’re the least likely to care about individual achievement or House points, and most likely to focus on their relationships to others rather than things they personally have done.

Hufflepuff is a House of teamwork; it’s very group-oriented. Puffs care deeply about their family first and foremost, and want to be loved/think of loved ones rather than any sort of greater scheme or accomplishment. They’re creatures of comfort, and go for something that’s familiar and home-y rather than something strange or mysterious. 

Hufflepuffs are also deeply practical, and value something that’s known over something that’s unknown; they prefer what is to what's possible. At the extreme, this can mean that something that purports to be extraordinary may be seen with suspicion - hence, perhaps, Zacharias Smith’s suspicions of Harry in OotP. (Or Puffs may simply not be interested in something that’s unknown; they’re much more likely to value something that’s a known quantity. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” is a pretty solid ‘Puff metaphor.) 

Puffs prefer to avoid danger; they’re not risk-takers by nature, and prefer to avoid physical discomfort. Like Ravenclaw, they prefer to avoid confrontation, though not to the extent that Ravenclaw does. Hufflepuff practicality also means that they prefer to learn practical skills over something that might be cool but less frequently used. They’re the sort who’d rather do something that’s safe and reliable than flashy but risky - which is one of the major dividing lines between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.

Another is that the Hufflepuff’s sense of justice has limits: if doing something just is going to cause discord within the group, Hufflepuffs are the most likely to simply avoid conflict, even if it means a miscarriage of justice. (They’ll feel deeply unhappy and conflicted about it, but ultimately, they don’t want to betray the trust of a friend or run the risk of being disliked. This is a bit of a division between Puffs: there are Puffs who do put honesty first, but JKR’s quiz favors the friendship-over-fairness interpretation.)

Hufflepuffs, essentially, are hobbits. Hunger and foodstuffs are associated with them, as are growing things, and a love of home, peace, and family. Earth is their element, and earth-like qualities (strength, for example) tend to be associated with them (although these answers tend to be disfavored overall.) Warm sunlight and fresh grass are very Hufflepuff in nature: note that the sunlight is warm rather than scorching, a mark of comfort rather than fire, something that nurtures the growing grass.

Hufflepuffs value tradition and the past (though not as much as Slytherin.) As the Sorting Hat says, they are loyal, just, and true; tolerant; and very much a humble, decent sort of House. As I’ve said before, Hufflepuff is best defined as the House of general human decency and kindness: Puffs are thoughtful, kind, and caring.

Ravenclaw

Ravenclaws are defined by curiosity and the love of learning, first and foremost. A Ravenclaw will always seek knowledge; they want to know the why of everything. They love learning, and will want to seek as much knowledge as possible, whenever possible, by whatever means they can - even if that may involve some risk, which 'Claws are normally quite averse to. The serpent may claim to be wisest of animals, but wisdom is Ravenclaw’s purview - Slytherins care more about using knowledge to achieve greatness, where Ravenclaws revel in pure knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Ravenclaws are readers; they love books, which they prize greatly, and have an insatiable hunger for knowledge. They like elegance, but aren’t as haughty as the Slytherins can seem; if Ravenclaws become elitist, it’s because they think they’ve sensed stupidity or close-mindedness, not because someone isn’t a member of their group. 

The unknown attracts Ravenclaws, although they can be more danger-averse than Slytherins, who value mystery even when they sense danger. Unlike Slytherins, Ravenclaws tend to focus on the future over the past: the possibilities excite a Ravenclaw, and they tend to be deeply interested in the what-ifs of a situation. The past is only useful to the extent that people can learn from it: ancient things may excite them, but only if they possess something interesting. New discoveries excite them greatly, and they care much more about future possible discoveries than relics of the past (particularly if they think a relic is boring - again, if they think that ancient knowledge could contain new insights, they’re much more likely to place great value on it.) Ravenclaws do care for humanity, but are generally much more cerebral or introverted than Gryffs and Puffs - Ravenclaws have no problems with being by themselves, because they can always occupy themselves with books or theories or thoughts, but when they want to talk, they’ll be upset if no one listens. As much as they try to not care about what others think, they are going to hate it if people ridicule them for their beliefs, if only because they’ve thought about them so much.

When forced to focus on studying something (if you insist they can’t study everything), they may insist on tackling a difficult subject that’s both useful and rewarding. When studying a creature, they want it to be sentient - they want to learn directly from something with a reputation for wisdom or special knowledge, or something that dances along the borders of the unknown.

Ravenclaws are the most conflict-averse of all the Houses: they tend to avoid conflict whenever possible, seeking creative solutions to avoid a fight. They would rather rely on their wits than their wands, and unlike Gryffindors, are much more likely to stop and review a situation before charging forward. They also have a strong sense of fairness in academic situations, and want recognition for themselves.

Ravenclaws are also the most individualistic of all the Houses, and the most open-minded. Hufflepuff is known for its tolerance, but Ravenclaw may actually be more tolerant of people with wild ideas: when Puff practicality conflicts with high-flying Ravenclaw ideas, the Puffs may draw the line. However, where Puffs tolerate everybody, Ravenclaws have no time for stupidity or ignorance, particularly the latter. Ravenclaws despise ignorance. They’re happy to help a person learn - but they have no patience with the close-minded.

Ravenclaw is associated with the element of air, which has historically been associated with thought and intellect. Ravenclaw is the House of wit, wisdom, and learning - not necessarily school-smarts, but a passion for knowledge of some kind, an open mind, and a desire to achieve. Ravenclaws are also extremely individualistic: trying to group Ravenclaws can sometimes be like herding cats (or caging eagles in flight.) On the Sorting Hat, Ravenclaws are least-likely to do what’s expected of them in many cases: despite JKR’s insistence that Ravenclaws want to be imitated, actual Ravenclaws have no interest in it - they’re too individualistic and don’t care about what others think or are doing. Ravenclaws are also most likely to value the stars, associating them with the unknown and exploration - another area where JKR’s symbolism doesn’t match those of the actual Ravenclaws taking the quiz. Where JKR thinks Ravenclaws should fear falling from great heights, they actually fear being caged in the dark. (On the whole, their numbers may be fewest because they tend to have overlap with answers that JKR has given to Gryffindor in particular - statue, eye at keyhole, stars.) In other words, 'Claws may be the strangest House, even to the creator who’s trying to define them.

Ravenclaws are free-thinkers, likely to analyze everything: they think about everything, form opinions about it, and are the most open-minded (out-there) of all the Houses. Creativity and an open mind, as much as pure intelligence, defines Ravenclaw House: 'Claws value their own inner world, and have too much of an imagination to ever be sad or bored just because they’re alone. 

Gryffindor

Gryffindors are another individualistic House, but one that’s primarily defined by its daring, desire for fame, and great exploits. (Some parts of the quiz are less useful for defining Gryffindor because of the quiz’s overall bias towards this House: in many cases, the answers that give points to Gryffindor are chosen by everyone and therefore not really useful for defining what a Gryffindor is. Per JKR, Gryffs have more of an interest in ghosts and cure>book>records - but the numbers aren’t working out that way. Per JKR, Gryffs want to be trusted and praised - but so do Ravenclaws, and in greater numbers than the Gryffs!) 

But what the quiz does say about Gryffindor: they’re fiery, and defined by a desire for glory. They want to be remembered for great adventures, and are the most likely to leap before they look. They’re the first to charge into a situation, the first to defend their friends. They prefer to deal with a situation directly, even if it means a fight - and they want that fight to be a fair one. They care enough about justice to get into a fight, even if that fight involves an argument with a friend.

Gryffs are deeply, deeply defined by forests, and by the element of fire. Fire here is actual fire: not Hufflepuff’s nurturing sunlight, but an absolutely scorching-hot flame. Fire is passion, and Gryffindors are passionate about their beliefs, and standing up for what they believe in (and, more pointedly, who they believe in: Gryffindor is an individualistic House, but it cares deeply about people - it’s not cerebral in the way of Ravenclaw or Slytherin.) A Gryffindor’s first impulse is always to draw their wand and act.

Gryffindors also like being around people. They’re not group-focused - it’s individual glory they’re seeking after all - but they like being around friends, and hate being bored. (They may feel the need to make a little mischief to keep from being bored.) A Gryffindor never has to worry about being overlooked - they need to keep friends around them and are a more extroverted House on the whole, but they’re generally too active to be ignored. Physical discomfort doesn’t bother them at all.

Gryffindors are fully willing to bluff, but never to cheat or threaten (and the Pottermore quiz tends to downplay any and all of the malicious/thoughtless actions we’ve seen from Gryffs, like James’s bullying, Sirius’s prank, the twins’ locking Montague in the Vanishing Cabinet, Hermione hexing the DA parchment, Harry’s interest in an unknown jinx - Gryffs may be interested in pranks and hexing Slytherins in the books, but the quiz completely disregards this aspect of their collective personality - per Pottermore, Slytherins are the only ones ever associated with jinxing people. Not a decision I agree with, but this analysis is based on what the quiz can tell us about the Houses.) 

Forests, in the Pottermore quiz, represent both individuality and also danger, to a certain extent: dangerous things are found in the Forbidden Forest, after all, and dangerous things attract Gryffindors most of all. (Not necessarily Dark things - not all dangerous things are Dark. But Gryffindors will go for things that are associated with the forest and have a reputation for danger. They’re also most strongly associated with ghosts, although that’s not particularly an association I agree with or have a good way of working into this analysis.) But forests and fire are Gryffindor’s defining elements on this quiz, and forests + fire + action = a very Gryffindor individual.

Gryffs do care about people, and seek external validation from others: they’re very interested in proving themselves. A Gryffindor is going to be very interested in being a hero; as Hermione has said, they may have a “saving-people-thing.” They don’t care about knowledge as much as Ravenclaws, and certainly aren’t interested in knowledge for knowledge’s sake: if they want to save something, it’s going to be something that enables them to help others, and if they want to learn something, it’s going to be something that allows them to pursue adventures - ways to get about undetected, for example. They do dislike things that they consider boring and/or useless, and would prefer to seek the unknown rather than treading the usual paths - but less out of a desire for intellectual discovery and much more because of a thirst for adventure. Adventure, and more importantly action, are the traits of a Gryffindor: Gryffs want to be heroes. A willingness to confront the darkness, to fight for the underdog, to explore and defend: this is Gryffindor House.

Slytherin

Slytherin, per the quiz, gets a little bit shafted: they have the most answers that are terrible (not even people who are otherwise very, very Slytherin will give them), and they tend to be associated with very negative things. Even with the rehabilitation Pottermore’s Welcome Letter tries to give them, the fact remains that JKR is still not very fond of this House, and it shows in the quiz. Hufflepuff may have some singularly horrible answers (trolls, superstrength, draw lots, trumpet) - but it tends to make up for it with other, good answers on the same question (werewolves, talk to animals) or by not having a lot of weight in those 

In fact, Slytherin relies most heavily of any of the Houses on its element to get new students. Slytherin is hugely associated with the element of water, and is the House where an affinity for the element - and only an affinity for that element - is most likely to Sort a person there. (Sea or luminous pool/merpeople/river goes a LONG way towards Slytherin, particularly with the weight on merpeople.) Water is a HUGE marker for Slytherin; I’ve even heard people say that the lantern-lit alley path feels more “watery” than the other options. (It certainly resembles the Slyth common room most, with the dark feel and the lanterns on the bedposts.) Water is also associated with mystery, another huge Slytherin trait: something that’s dark and mysterious appeals to them greatly, even if it seems dangerous. They’ll go for experiences that Ravenclaws are too afraid to touch.

The river in Pottermore represents unity, and Slytherin is a group-oriented House. Like Gryffindor, Slytherins are seeking individual greatness - but Slytherins look out for their own group and see themselves as much more unified than Ravenclaws or Gryffindors. (Remember, per the welcome letter, Slytherins are brothers; they’re focused on their own in-group, although that group tends to be much more cliqueish and exclusive than Hufflepuff’s group.) However, a Slytherin’s loyalty to the group only extends so far: they won’t cover for someone who’s overshadowing them academically, particularly when they know that’s been achieved through foul play. (This is actually the question that Slyths and Puffs tend to split on: a large percentage of Slytherins do believe that group loyalty extends to covering up academic dishonesty, but JKR disagrees, per the quiz.) 

Slytherins are strongly, strongly associated with the Dark Arts in the Pottermore quiz, where no other House is: anything involving a hex or a jinx is a solely Slytherin trait, per Pottermore. (Actual Slytherins, again, tend not to agree.) Per JKR, Slytherins fear public humiliation more than anything: a loss of dignity is worse than death. (In actuality, Slytherins fear heights the most. A fear of falling from great heights seems apt in the sense that Slytherins want to be at the top and fear falling from greatness once it’s been attained, but most people aren’t actually looking at this question in a symbolic way anyway.) 

Slytherins care more about their reputation in the here and now; it matters even more than their achievements. It’s better to be powerful in life than renowned in death, because you can reap the benefits while alive. They tend to have the most diverse problems: snakes are cold-blooded, so cold bothers them, but in a more general sense the worst thing that can happen to them is being ignored. After all, you can’t be great if no one is willing to pay attention to you! Boredom is also a large issue for them; they don’t get lost as easily in their heads as Ravenclaws do, and they’re only interested in learning for the sake of applied knowledge. If it’s not useful, Slytherins don’t want to know it. 

Slytherins are more interventionist and more risk-oriented than Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws. They won’t fall back or be cautious: they want their wand out, ready to fight, and they’re not going to cede ground to anyone. On the other hand, they also consider Gryffindors to be needless risk-takers, perhaps a little too overt and blunt, and so they’re not going to go looking for trouble or charging directly into the fray. (Again, this is what they’re supposed to do; in practice, nobody picks the Slytherin option, which is pretty much a recurring theme of most of the Q5s.) 

Slytherins are much more willing to take risks than Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws - but where Gryffindors take risks for the greater good, or to be heroes, Slytherins are much more likely to be doing it to benefit themselves. (For example, Slytherins are more likely to want superpowers that may have great downsides, to learn a method of travel that is subtle and quiet but has the greatest risk of a life-threatening accident, or to take a mysterious potion with effects that most people hate - but only if they believe that they can achieve great personal gain by doing so.) The creatures they prefer to study are associated with one of three things: water, Darkness, or cunning.

Slytherins are cunning and confrontational - and lack a sense of fair play. They’ll cheat in a fight if they can get away with it, but woe betide anyone stupid enough to get caught; they’ll threaten a Muggle if they think they can. (Again, this is the quiz. Is it a very fair representation of Slytherin House? That’s debatable - but this quiz doesn’t portray a very flattering picture of Slytherin at a lot of points.) Slytherins are the only House that doesn’t list trusted as their #1 value (in practice, it’s their #2, with praised as their #1.) However, the values that JKR associates them with are much more explicitly negative: per the quiz, an ideal Slytherin would desire to be feared or envied, qualities with the most outright negative connotations. (Envy, after all, is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and fear is obviously negative.) 

Despite being a group-oriented House, Slytherins are cerebral - they don’t care so much for people, particularly people they don’t know. They have no patience for incompetence in others. They enjoy elegance and refinement, along with mystery. Where Ravenclaws want to explore mysteries and shed light on them, Slytherins want to be the mystery: great and prominent, but distant from the masses. Darkness, the flip side of the coin, the dark side of the moon: all of these are very essentially Slytherin.

Slytherins also are the most focused on the past and tradition. They value old relics, particularly those of their most esteemed alumnus, Merlin. (Again, this is a bit unfair while people are taking the quiz: after all, they don’t know that Merlin was a Slytherin, and could simply be interested in Hogwarts history. However, Merlin does represent a link to the past and tradition, and Slytherin is about both of those things - but this means that Slytherin ends up with some disgruntled people who were just interested in history.) They would prefer to preserve old things rather than the new; they look to the past rather than to the future. 

Again, this is Slytherin House per the Pottermore Sorting Hat quiz. Personally, I could do a writeup on what Slytherin should be about rather than what it is (and ways in which the quiz could’ve been improved), but Anon asked for the traits of the Houses according to the Pottermore Sorting Hat. Slytherin, unfortunately, tends to get the worst write-up, and tends to have the qualities that nobody at all picks. (With Ravenclaw, imitated is always #4/6 for traits, but about 20% of Hufflepuffs pick it - so somebody is picking it, but not Ravenclaws. With answers like feared or silly voice, nobody is picking those!) 

A few concrete examples/notes under the cut

Keep reading

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

Having trouble deciding what to read next? Why not take this info graphic quiz for what sci-fi/fantasy book to pick up for your next read.

Welcome to the Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Young Adult Flowchart

Looking for 85 book recommendations? Whether you’re brand new to the genre or you’re a veteran reader, we’ve got you covered.

Click here for the enlarged chart

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

Don’t forget to check out this awesome kickstarter! You know you want to adopt a unicorgi or two!

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[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

I am loving this artwork! If you love it too, pre-order Ruined and received limited edition art cards of the above artwork as well as bookmarks, postcards and a bookplate!

RUINED Artwork!

GUYS. I have something special to share with you today! My newest book, RUINED, comes out in less than two months (May 3rd!), and to celebrate, and I commissioned artwork from the fabulous Liv.

Feast your eyes on:

Emelina Flores (Em)

Prince Casimir (Cas)

And my personal favorite, the two of them together - notice something behind Em’s back? ;)

All three of these cards are yours (plus swag!) if you pre-order RUINED! 

Details here! 

[nicolemoy]

My Thoughts

Check out this fantastic giveaway. When We Collided by Emery Lord is a heartfelt book that is a MUST read! It made me teary eyed at the end. Go pre-order your copy now!

Vivi & Jonah Prize Packs!

Oh, man, am I excited about this. Like, rubbing my hands together and cackling like a villainess.

Only I am not a villainess. Today, I am a fairy prizemother. It all started when I saw the cat-eye sunglasses- white and gold, so Viv- and I thought: I must purchase these. Before I could even help myself, my brain came up with whole sets of Vivi- & Jonah-themed treats. And, frankly, two years since my first book released, I am still blown away daily by the most incredible readers. I wanted to make these for you!

So! If you preorder WHEN WE COLLIDED from any location and send Bloomsbury your info, you will receive these beautiful postcards to display or send to friends as encouragement.

But. You will also be entered to win 1 of 2 prize packs. (If you already submitted your info, you are already entered to win a Prize Pack!)

Now. The deets. WHEN WE COLLIDED is out April 5, so you have until then, as it is a pre-order contest. Submit your info to Bloomsbury, and 2 random winners will be selected after the pub date! Again, here’s the link.

And if you want a personalized copy of WHEN WE COLLIDED, Books of Wonder has a page where you can pre-order, and I’ll sign it to you when I’m there 4/6! (I love personalizing books, so this is a delight for me.)

VIVI - everyday color & glamour

-The most Viv sunglasses of all time - A Kate Spade pouch with the cutest library print - One tube of MAC’s Ruby Woo, the most universally flattering and chic red lipstick of them all

JONAH - the foodie cool kid

- A coffee/tea tumbler that reads SHHH, ALMOST, NOW YOU MAY SPEAK & literally made me laugh out loud when I saw it - Jonah’s sunglasses- classic black frames with blue-sheened lenses - Foodie treats- handmade sea salt caramels, a chocolate bar from my favorite local chocolatier, and coffee, tea or hot chocolate (winner’s choice!)

Picking things out for these has been a total joy. Now submit your info so I can send these to 2 of you!!!