#04 . YOU ARE THE SHAPE THEY MADE YOU . * INTERACTIONS .

[lightweaver-chosen-if]

DASHINGDON | FORUM

NEWEST UPDATE (01/04/24)

You stop short, catching a glimpse of yourself in the polished surface of the headmaster’s desk.

Eyes blown wide with rage, lips pulled into a snarl. Every part of your face is contorted with hate—contagious to the point that it sends shivers down your own spine.

You visibly deflate, head hanging low as your body curls into itself; the reflection flickering with doubt and self-loathing.

“I don’t know,” you whisper weakly, squeezing your eyes shut as they start burning with unshed tears. “I don’t know.”

Lightweaver: Chosen is an upcoming modern fantasy IF for 18+ players and older. Use of elemental powers is inspired by Avatar: The Legend of Aang/Korra.

A world where elemental deities share a fraction of their powers to their chosen, bringing upon the age of weavers; humans with the ability to manipulate the elements of their patron.

You have been chosen by a mysterious lightning deity—blessing you with the power to weave lightning. But with a brutal past haunting your every step, your new abilities present a double-edged sword.

The choices you make, the support you receive, and the inner strength you harness define your journey—one that promises a life outside Mother’s grasp.

Two divergent paths lay ahead.

Will you let yourself heal and grow, or will you fall deeper into the void?

Play as a touch-averse customizable MC with a troubled past, male or female.

Learn how to use your newfound lightning powers to its fullest potential. Anything’s possible if you’re smart enough!

Use your powers for good and be admired. Or use them to become a menace in society and be feared.

Participate in Launwyce’s many academy events and competitive tournaments. Show the weaving world what you’re made of.

A potential pet has also chosen you as its human; teach it a trick or two!

Shape your MC’s personality however you want. Certain choices also help shape the rest of your past.

How the MC deals with their trauma is entirely up to you.

Push away or make new relationships. Everyone has their own inner demons you can unveil.

Character-driven narrative and slow burn character development.

Eventually face the monster from your past, Mother.

3 different endings to branch into!

Luna/Leo Bancroft

| 18 | Fire Weaver | Freshman | A’s childhood friend

If MC is shorter than L, they’re shorter than all ROs

They were the first to notice you falling.

A warm and gentle soul. But there’s a certain air about them, the kind that makes them seem untouchable. It’s a type of muted cheer, one that carries the tension of maintaining a persona, but perhaps not a façade.

Despite their unusual aura, they’re attentive and smart, not to mention remarkably insightful.

Alice/Alec Langley

| 18 | Water Weaver | Freshman | L’s childhood friend

If MC is taller than A, they unlock height choices for J

They were the one who made sure you landed safely; and with flourish.

Behind their snark lies a certain vulnerability, hidden by a layer of frost and caution. You suspect that they wear the act like a mask; even if the flecks of passion flickering beneath the surface reveal a fiery heart.

They’re quick-witted and equally sharp-tongued. They never hesitate to speak their mind.

June/Juno Patel

| 19 | Earth Weaver | Sophomore

If MC is taller than J, they’re taller than all ROs

Ever present on their features is a stern expression; jaw set and eyes sharp. Even with little words uttered, they carry themself with confidence that demands respect.

Their intimidating presence often gives people pause, but those who dare meet them head-on will find a stubborn and proud spirit that refuses to yield.

Surprisingly, they’re easy to read, and it makes interacting with them oddly satisfying.

[mouthsfeel]

i want the world overturned like a bowl of eggs, smashed at my feet.

ÁNGEL VIEIRO. TWENTY-NINE. HE & HIM. BARTENDER & LEAST FAVORITE SHIFT PARTNER, INFIERNO.

tldr; man leaves a trail of chewed up plastic straws and people in his wake.

 i   heard   from   a   friend   of   a   friend   that   they’re   charismatic, approachable   &   unpredictable, secretive.   it’s   no   wonder   they’ve   made   it   this   far   in   the   city,   they’ve   been   here   for   twenty years.   now   that   i   get   a   good   look   at   them   they   kinda’   remind   me   of   reptilia   by   the strokes.

01. he wasn't always handsome. first he was cute, then pretty, then, god — beautiful. there are worse things to be than a beautiful man, even one who knows it. but what's less survivable than a man who wields it? angel lives with his knife turned outward, grip practiced; thumb on the spine, forefinger steadying on the blade's flat. it's easy from this position to render skin clean from flesh. what's worse than his face is the shapes he makes with it: angel's charming. he smiles easily, readily, open-toothed. he looks you in the eye when you talk, chin nestled over a closed fist. he keeps the hook-gaze while he works, while he tastes the drink he's going to push your way in just a second. he hangs on the serrated edge of your pleasure, cracks open when your mouth shapes around that very first — oh, it's good!

02. it's a sort of sink drain conundrum: he was always going to end up this way, sluicing down the sides, excess scraped and squeezed out for good measure. all to say — yes, angel has always been a little bit like this, charming enough to glide through the u-bend and just self-possessed enough to try in the first place. it's the right side of the wrong ingredients and just enough experimenting to find the perfect sweet-bitter edge. broken curfews and sticky-fingered smiles. dimples. change counted carefully at the bodega register, talking nonsense all the way through. a new yorker's sense for the good trouble and the bad. tipping 30%, always, even when it means no new groceries.

03. the worst part, honestly, the real rotten egg yolk in a perfect frothy white, is that most of the time it's all genuine. it's not even set dressing, because at the end of the day anyone standing behind a bar or over a hot stove knows the knife is just a tool. the smile is real. the love, sometimes, is real too. angel gets it from his father. he used to sit in his lap in the early, early hours, sky streaked hazy and his father still stinking of kitchen and beer, and trace those deep grooves of life on his face. his father would trace them back on angel before he stumbled off to bed. cesar's work gave him crow's feet and breakfast sandwiches. angel's just gave him fucking tinnitus.

04. infierno — it's a dream, man, really. no seriously, yeah, i couldn't imagine a better — yeah, yeah, yeah. it's something like the truth, when angel's squatting on the alley curb smoking his cigarette so fast it's making his head spin because he really can't be taking another break, but fuck if he's doing another ten espresso martinis without one, and a likes-to-think-he's-one-of-the-guys patron stumbles over and asks to bum an authentically back pocket crushed smoke. and it's not untrue, but it's also a job, with good days and worse ones. is it a dream job? fuck no. but yeah, sure man, he'll party after. he gets off at 4.

WANTED PLOTS

at infierno

french 75. a flirtationship for the ages. there's a low hum of chemistry beneath every interaction, and while angel isn't one to shy away from, ahem, fucking his coworkers, this one is keeping him on his toes more than he's used to.

negroni. truly the staff ride or die. their implicit trust in each other was forged through infierno's growing pains and now they're practically telepathic in each other's orbit. despite the intimacy, it's somehow little more than controlled chaos when they're both on the ticket.

sea salt martini. these are professionals, paramount in their roles. they'll play nice for the guests and no one will see the knives out under the bar. everything between them is an opportunity for competition and sabotage.

manhattan. got off on the wrong foot, and honestly, angel isn't that bothered to try and right it. it was probably his fault in the first place, but now they've gone and pissed him off so he's not going to do anything about it but dig his heels in some more.

old fashioned. someone who dislikes everything about angel and with perfectly good reason. he relies too much on his charm; he's underhanded and dismissive of workplace ethics and often decorum. but they're also the only one he'll listen to when they finally tug the leash.

at echelon

whiskey sour. fellow bartenders, for better or worse. they push each other, they antagonize each other, they rib and they joke and they share trade secrets so long as you don't tell the gm. seriously, keep your mouth fucking closed. okay but who's your supplier?

spicy margarita. potential poacher? poachee? it's all a little bit of a joke, like everything to angel before he's forced to take things seriously, and it's hard to tell where the line's drawn. is he really being asked to leave infierno? would he, for them?

dark 'n' stormy. worst person alive, mutual. they cannot stand even the sight of each other and won't tell anyone else why except to get them the fuck away. whether unexpected or not, the shared close quarters of echelon and infierno is going to be unpleasant for everyone involved.

lemon drop. hooked elbows on the way to the only bar still open after theirs. beyond anything else, they have each other to split tabs and 6-packs and cigarettes, whatever the night (or, usually, morning) calls for. angel's slept on their floor more times than he'd like to admit.

with guests

sazerac. a reviewer that angel's royally fucked it for before. he'll play as cool as usual, all easy smiles and warm charisma, elbows on the oiled bartop. but let's be real: he's sweating fucking bullets every time they show face.

vodka soda. the regulars of all shapes and sizes. there are ones angel doesn't care for but will pretend otherwise, ones he'll bend over backwards for, and definitely definitely one's he's gone home with when his electric bill wasn't paid.

image credit: 1, 2

[wraithclatter]

Obscuring The Martyrs

The fruits of Aion's-old ritual slaughter,

Sacrificial massacres begin

To bud yawning awake in

So early an hour- The flesh

Throbs with the constellations

Made of every hand and ear

Tongue and nerves and brain;

Spinning orbits of flickering bodies,

Coded in it's magnetic attraction grabbing

Those marked-or branded,

Behavioral rhythms as the well of gravity

Inverse, constraining the animated spark,

The confounding of entanglement

In the screaming tapestry- Feverish

Beast-Slaves shuffling, tracing phantom

Foot-paths to the future.

In the Ram's eyes gleaming,

The mirror of the Black Star

Of Anti-patterned Chaos

With it's near-irrisistable seductiveness,

Stains of gore, of battle

Unfocused and territorial to the Ram's face.

The ancient violence of the fox-minded

Cannibals will wrought itself upon the bleating

Hearts of the Earth. Always there is

The cloud of sickness and poison rotting

Out through the Common-Crawlers

Displaying their pervasive saturation,

Deficiencies and maladaptions

Running their circuits in the

Majority of living bodies, becoming

Inflamed in their vicious disintegration,

Pecking at the liver of the confused forgetful

Tribes war-brained from constant strifes

Of interaction, of mingling. The body

Is an instrument, and should be tuned

As such, played as such.

You will know this when you

See through your eyes, and not

Simply with them. To hear through

Your ears, and not simply with them.

To feel the Unnameable,

And not simply numbness.

Obscuring the martyrs-

Their dharmic deeds suppressed,

Censured from the fury of the frenzy;

Seemingly burnt out, leaving only

Phantom cries of an abandoned camp

Held perched within cloud and blue clutches.

But golden with The Mana,

Pierce they, this fragile world

Like a shaft of sun into a murky puddle.

These are the martyrs who still sing silently

Yet deed is known without a voice.

The data is sown of necessity not choice.

Martyrs whose tapestry is the gleaming

Mediums federated and webbed

In the Jaws of Night,

The maw of Untropaeus, un-logic.

The limited space between all things,

Their refuge. Where no sheathed coil

May come to fully baptize themselves

In Incarnation. In those regions of The Dead,

The labyrinth's stringless path is known

By it's heart-beats- And it is these martyrs

Who acquaintance with that world

Is articulated in the intimate interplay

Of sweat and soil, flaming pupils and

Ghostly tread like the Preserver's

3-fated waltz: Empty demarcations

Of the Sole waiting like hungry womb

To be re-trod by worthy limbs.

(3/29/2024)

04/13/24-

Of those obscured Martyrs you may never hear about, or from, just as you may never see them, in person. You may come across their writing, or old symbols they used to advance their brothers and sisters. But their deeds enliven each moment of time as a solitary fact, and as a dynamical influence which shapes your life. Their quiet revolutions actually sing their manifest data each beaded second of your beating heart- their rosarys of inspiration hung like garlands upon your neck, wreath each thought and action in their spirit. You may never know fully of their presence until, one day, whether dimly or more resolutely, you might begin to compute their unionized augmentation of the world around you- and realize they had won the game from the beginning. Just as you have. That there seemed to be a game at all is only a peculiarity of the human mind. That no game, in truth, exists. Yet we make it so. And so the stag-hunt commences all the same: the game-hounds yelping through the trees, mist-clad underbrush anticipating their foot-treads, and the wild and silent king and retinue fly past, horses aflame, while in the distance geese take flight and trumpet the approach of the party.

[dojae-huh]

""doyoungie is pretty"" !!!

Tae commented again on dy's ig post....it is really amazing that tae does it...Ty really look after what do does and adores him....its not like other neos dont like him...just that he openly Express it and it is something that I respect...everyon likes and adores evryone..but atleast sometimes you need to express it through words to encourage them...make them feel secured....anyway I like their small interaction....their friendship should last for 100 years....

Johnny also openly expresses his fondness on IG. Others flirt replying to Do's comments. Haechan always mentions Doyoung-ie-hyung during Dream events. The number of times Jaehyun complimented Doyoung's looks during DJJ debut...

Taeyong is one of the neos who is very active on social media. He looks for fanart, mash-ups, leaves comments on IG, he did 3 hour long vlives in the past, played video games with his fans. He is open and expressive, he writes his songs about his own struggles and experiences. Therefore, it is not surprising he shows his friendship with Doyoung so openly, he wants to cement it, to be the number one friend in everyone's eyes, he likes it when other neos comment on DoTae as besties or that they need to marry already.

Doyoung tends to doubt himself, so his friends support him with words of encouragement and "you can do it". Remember that "Do (to do) -young" Jae and Hyuk liked to use? Taeyong always praises Do's parts in NCT songs, encourages him to write lyrics, asks to practice dancing with him, do a song for soundcloud, etc.

One of my favourite moments was when Do bought a cake for Tae's BD with a tiara and placed it on Tae's head right away. 2:04-4:28-6:08-7:21. Do both behaved like the cake was not a big deal and, at the same time, wanted to hear comments on it, Tae ate it right away and made a show of it being delicious despite having another rose-shaped cake (was it from his mother?)

[justactgaussian]

Happy Moon Day!

To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the moonlanding, I highly recommend checking out Apollo 11 in Real Time

From the instructions page:

This website replays the Apollo 11 mission as it happened. It consists entirely of historical material, all timed to Ground Elapsed Time--the master mission clock. Footage of Mission Control, film shot by the astronauts, and television broadcasts transmitted from space and the surface of the Moon, have been painstakingly placed to the very moments they were shot during the mission, as has every photograph taken, and every word spoken.

(There is also a transcript of everything said).

You can start at T-1M to launch or at the current date and time in 1969. If you want to skip straight to the First Step, it's at 109:24:26.

I'll put some of my favourite moments under the cut:

109:41:29 Aldrin: Okay. Now I want to back up and partially close the hatch. 109:41:47 Aldrin: Making sure not to lock it on my way out. 109:41:51 Armstrong: (Laughter) Particularly good thought.

110:13:43 Aldrin: Alright. You do have to be rather careful to keep track of where your center of mass is. Sometimes, it takes about two or three paces to make sure you've got your feet underneath you. 110:14:07 Aldrin: In about two to three or maybe four easy paces can bring you to a nearly smooth stop. ... change directions, like a football player, you just have to to ... foot out to the side and cut a little bit. 110:14:41 Aldrin: So called kangeroo hop does work, but it seems that your forward mobility is not quite as good as - it is in the conventional - more conventional one foot after another.

114:00:04 Mission Control: Roger. Just want to let you guys know that since you're an hour and a half over your timeline and we're all taking a day off tomorrow, we're going to leave you. See you later. 114:00:14 Armstrong: I don't blame you a bit.

157:53:39 Mission Control: Hello, Apollo 11. Houston. Buzz, you brought the surgeon right out of his chair. We see you exercising. Over. 157:53:50 Collins: Say again. 157:53:52 Mission Control: We see you exercising. Is that correct, Buzz? 157:53:57 Collins: Yes, I'm sorry. Buzz is. 157:53:59 Mission Control: Roger. We've got his heartbeat way up. 157:54:05 Armstrong: Right. He's sort of out of shape. 157:54:07 Mission Control: Yes. That's what we thought.

157:56:42 Collins: Say the old White Team's really got a busy one tonight, huh? 157:56:45 Mission Control: Oh, boy. We're really booming along here with all this activity. Can barely believe it. 157:56:52 Collins: What are you doing? Sitting around with your feet up on the console drinking coffee? 157:56:56 Mission Control: (Laughter) You must have your X-ray eyes up. You sure can see a long way.

173:52:48 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. We've been doing a little Flight Planning for Apollo 12 up here. 173:52:55 Mission Control: Roger. Go ahead. 173:52:58 Collins We're trying to calculate how much spagetti and meatballs we can get onboard for Al Bean. 173:53:07 Mission Control: I'm not sure the spacecraft will take that much extra weight. Have you made any estimates? 173:53:14 Collins: It'll be close. 173:53:55 Public Affairs: That last comment came from Mike Collins referring Al Bean who is the Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 12. 173:55:54 Mission Control: 11, Houston. The medics at the next console report that the shrew is one animal which can eat six times its own body weight every 24 hours. This may be a satisfactory base line for your spaghetti calculations on Al Bean. Over.

[zorgitgroup30]

UX/UI Design Trends Emerging in 2024

UX/UI design is the way to provide users’ needs in a digital setting. However, digital design trends are always changing. Some new styles and needs that are likely to shape the future of UI/UX design in 2024:

https://zorgitgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Exciting-Role-of-AI-scaled.jpg

1. The Exciting Role of AI:

In recent years, significant progress has been made in developing AI systems. While there are ethical considerations, AI-powered personalization will enable designers to build more responsive and attractive user interfaces. Also, AI-powered chatbots can provide improved customer service and feedback, bringing efficiency and responsiveness to customer service.

2. Minimalism and Dark Mode:

Users are preferring dark and minimalistic designs nowadays. In 2024, the majority of websites will be simplistic and free of clutter, easy to navigate. And more and more websites are already turning to dark modes, because it reduces eye strain and consumes less power for the devices.

https://zorgitgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Voice-User-Interface-VUI-and-Conversational-Design.jpg

3. Voice User Interface (VUI) and Conversational Design:

Our smart devices have made us accustomed to the convenience and efficiency of using voice commands. So UX/UI designs must incorporate these features more, allowing users to experience seamless interactions without pressing any buttons. 

With these technologies, designers can build virtual assistants with a more natural and intelligent feel. It will make users feel valued and engaged.

4. AR and VR for Interactive and Immersive Interfaces:

Recently, the use of AR and VR for immersive interfaces has also become more commonplace. Virtual Reality is the technology that makes users feel like they are inside a computer-generated world, letting them move around and experience things as if they were real. And Augmented Reality brings virtual elements into the images of the real world. 

It may sound like science fiction, but these technologies are actually becoming surprisingly accessible. This is why they are extremely likely to be used by UI/UX designers. They will be most used in industries like gaming, but will be handy in areas like education and e-commerce too. This shift will significantly change the digital experiences of average users.

https://zorgitgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blockchain-and-User-Trust-in-UIUX.png

5. Blockchain and User Trust in UI/UX:

Blockchain is a secure and transparent shared database. Traditional data-sharing systems have many security issues. Their transaction systems are difficult and vulnerable to fraud and data leaks. Blockchain provides data privacy and security, making it an increasingly reliable method for digital interactions. 

Website creators and planners should focus on integrating blockchain into the user interface in a way that will make authentication easier. It will also guarantee secure transactions and protect sensitive data. As a result, the users will get a safer and more dependable digital experience.

6. Scroll-based storytelling:

This is another growing trend that users are naturally embracing. In this approach, you can access traditional visual storytelling elements with the intuitive action of scrolling. As users can navigate pages effortlessly without clicking in this way, it encourages them to stay on the website longer, and use it more often. So it is no wonder that both designers and users alike are choosing this system in 2024. 

7. Edge computing for faster loading:

Edge computing means the data is processed in a server as close to the user as possible. It ensures smoother operations and quicker results. This technology has already been a game changer for many areas of UI/UX design. In 2024, it will continue to be even more significant, especially for real-time applications. The designers will need to focus on building well-designed interfaces for edge computing to provide user satisfaction.

https://zorgitgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mobile-Devices-ui-ux-First.jpeg

8. Mobile Devices First:

In 2022, more than 50% of the world’s web traffic came from mobile devices. And this number is likely to grow even more. To utilize this fact, digital designers need to build accessible and inclusive mobile-friendly interfaces.

Mobiles are convenient, but they do have some limitations, such as smaller screens, slower internet, and a minimal number of buttons. Thus, the UI for them should be appropriately responsive and efficient, focusing on gesture-based interactions.

In short, digital designers must concentrate on these emerging technologies for design tools and framework. They are highly likely to control the world of UX/UI in 2024.

[empexwatertoys]

Comparing Splash Pad Manufacturers: Quality, Cost, and Customization

If you are a community planner, park manager, or commercial builder looking to add some splashy fun to your premises, splash pads can be an excellent idea. Also known as spray parks or water playgrounds, these interactive water features offer refreshing fun for people of all ages. However, how do you create a splash park in your budget, according to your unique preferences, and in the best possible quality? Well, the answer is working with a leading splash pad manufacturer. While many industry players claim to be the best, if you truly want value for money, here’s a guide on what sets the best spray park manufacturers different from the crowd.

Quality Matters

For one, you need to consider the quality of your splash pad manufacturer. Having a well-made splash pad doesn’t just ensure safety; it also doesn’t need much maintenance and ensures longevity. You can look for manufacturers that use durable materials, non-slip surfaces, and UV-resistant components, and adhere to strict safety standards and regulations.

Cost Considerations

There’s no denying that quality is the top-most consideration when selecting a splash pad manufacturer. However, the price of a splash pad can vary widely depending on factors, such as design, size, complexity as well as the materials used. So, analyze your options, and go for manufacturers that offer budget-friendly options without compromising on quality. Undoubtedly, there are high-end markets with custom-built options, but you can also go for intuitive water toys within an affordable price range to balance budgetary constraints with the desired features and long-term investment.

Customization Options

Every splash pad project is unique, requiring customization to suit the specific needs and preferences of the client. The ability to customize design, features, and layout sets certain manufacturers apart. Whether you envision a themed splash pad with animal-shaped sprayers or a minimalist modern design, choose a manufacturer that can bring your vision to life.

Safety Standards and Compliance

Safety should be a top priority when it comes to splash pads. Ensure that the manufacturer follows all relevant safety standards and regulations. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in all industries, including splash pad manufacturing. Choose a manufacturer that prioritizes eco-friendly practices and materials, such as water-saving technologies and recycled materials, to minimize environmental impact. In addition, you also need to ensure the installation process is smooth and efficient if you want to execute the installation process seamlessly from start to end.

Conclusion

You need to select the right splash pad manufacturer after thorough research. Evaluate every manufacturer’s customization capabilities by reviewing their portfolio of past projects and discuss your specific requirements. In addition, try to consider how responsive they are to your ideas and whether they offer design consultations. If you are all set with the design and need intuitive water toys from the leading splash pad manufacturers, you can always reach out to our team at Empex Watertoys® today!

Blog Source: https://waterparktoys.wordpress.com/2024/04/23/comparing-splash-pad-manufacturers-quality-cost-and-customization/

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (04/15/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan (8/10)

This was a quick reread since I'm going to be reading The Summer Queen, the sequel, and I actually liked this one more the second time around! It has a sort of casual interaction with the fantastical that I love, and Aziza, Leo, and Tristan are all great characters with unique ties to each other. There are some points where I think things are just a little too convenient or rushed, but those mostly happen early on and the plot is cohesive and strong for the rest of the book.

House of Crimson Hearts by Ruby Roe (3/10, DNF @ 50%, 18+)

As I've mentioned, I was excited for this one since sapphic fantasy romances are few and far between. Unfortunately, this book was just a mess. The main characters have wildly inconsistent characterization, and it's so obvious the author wrote in certain worldbuilding elements to make them have sex without working out their issues and hatred for each other. The worldbuilding is atrocious; despite the typical vaguely historical fantasy setting descriptions and the lack of anything like lightbulbs, phones, or really any technological advancement, the final straw for me was the remote control vibrator that made its appearance halfway through. There's absolutely no effort to build a sensible setting for the story, which is barely there in the first place. The actual plot was just beginning when I DNF'd--halfway through the book! An unfortunate letdown.

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang (CR, 53%)

This was another highly anticipated read of mine and, unfortunately, it's not living up to my hopes. I think a lot of flaws lay in the writing, which is clunky and over-descriptive, taking time away from character and plot developments. The worldbuilding is interesting, but it's inserted in very awkward infodumps, and a lot of the elements that caught my attention aren't being given a lot of page time.

Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross (CR, 33%)

On one hand, this is shaping up to be a brainless, fun fantasy romance, just like I thought it'd be. On the other hand, there is a place for your fandom rants, and your published novel is not it. If I wanted to read about this author's undying love for Reylo or Wolverine, I'd check out their social media. I should not have to slog through a whole chapter of the main character perusing a comic book shop so the love interest can say she's so 'quirky' and 'passionate.' It's unfortunate because the rest of the book is meeting my expectations so far.

Island of Graves by Lisa McMann (CR, 18%)

This is another book with a major pro and con. Pro: Alex instantly gave up searching for Aaron, finally letting Aaron reap the consequences of his actions. Con: Alex instantly gave up searching for Aaron, ruining the cliffhanger of the last book. If you're going to introduce a huge future plot point at the end of a book to get readers to continue your series, you can't immediately backtrack on it. This is a symptom of this series' issues as a whole, desperately trying to maintain the status quo for seven whole books, and stunting the plot and character growth in the process.

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (CR, 6%)

I've barely started this one, but for now it's just sort of decent. I'm vaguely intrigued by the vampire's story, but it's also tough to get attached when a lot of the details, such as people's actual names, are missing.

[freckledbutton]

-- pinned --

private, selective, and medium to low activity QUEEN ANNA OF ARENDELLE this interpretation is canon-based and some headcanons influenced by my writing and interactions. as adored and loved by kayla since march 2014 mun is 24, she/her

( rules below the cut )

current rules as my main page is under construction

𝓇𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 & 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔.

01. i ship chemistry, currently i am multi-ship. do not force ship. nor assume our muses have an established connection unless your character is apart of the frozen franchise, ty !!

02. ask memes are appreciated and returned !! I believe in meme karma !! headcanon based memes will be accepted by all, but ask starters will only be accepted by mutuals.

03. i format my responses, though not heavily. I use small text and icons. I will remove small text upon request for our threads !! i do not expect this of you. you also do not have to match my length, but i like my novellas to be answered with novellas. like if i write 6 paragraphs, at least write 1-3, ya feel.

04. I am open to plotting !! message me !!

05. if an ask meme is turned into a thread, all i ask is that it is started in a separate post. PLEASE. and cut the threads.

𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑒𝓁𝓈𝑒

01. I will not interact with muns under 18 years old.

02. i am a private blog, therefore i have mains and exclusives. currently open as I re-establish myself !!

03. my triggering posts will be tagged " trigger // " - please tag blood and body horror for me !!

04. do not take my HEADCANONS, ICONS, or any other material posted to this blog that is mine or made for me. i can turn off right click and highlight.

05. i track the tag #freckledbutton. i check this rather frequently.

𝒷𝒶𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓈

the writer is a female at the age of 24 by the name of kayla**. i live in america under the pst time zone ( or -8:00) and use she/her pronouns. i have been rping anna since MARCH 26TH, 2014. i have remade her blog once, and now twice. ( awkwardpsareheiress & fagreste ) i have shaped my portrayal of anna smoothly. i will not tolerate any hate because of my portrayal or anything else on this blog.

**this is not my real name

𝓁𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓁 𝓈𝓉𝓊𝒻𝒻

anna is property to disney. i simply own my portrayal of her. I make my icons and most graphics on this blog, I will tag outside sources !!

[truevinekidsmagic]

Perfect Quality of Balloon Sculpting in Singapore

How about a balloon theme party? Balloons are one of the best things to add to a party.

Balloon sculpting would be the perfect to have as

• Watching a balloon sculpting artist would be interesting.

• Moreover, bringing people together for interaction as well as communication would be made perfect with balloon

sculpting. This activity of twisting balloons is a versatile art for a lot of events, like birthdays, weddings, and more. So, a balloon sculpting offers advantages like entertainment, socialization, and more. Therefore, hire a perfect professional balloon sculpting service to make your parties the perfect.

This creative balloon art would be loved by you! Professional Balloon Sculpting in Singapore: True Vine Kids Magic is one of the very professional entertainment agencies, offering unique balloon sculpting services. We would do the best balloon sculpting that fits your party plans or preferences well. In Singapore, we are a trusted agency to book for magical shows, balloon sculpting, and more. We offer parties for all ages and events. No matter whether your party is a business party or a birthday, True Vine Kids Magic would win your heart with spectacular balloon decorations. The company offers trained professionals who are experts at shaping balloons to the preferred shapes. This type of arrangement adds uniqueness to parties. True Vine Kids Magic offers balloon artists who are prompt at offering balloon sculpting for weddings, kids parties, and more. We offer the best quality balloon sculpting services at affordable prices.

Partying with a professional entertainment agency would be a great idea! True Vine Kids Magic is dedicated to making parties interesting to memorable. With time, we have developed with new techniques as well as demands, which helps True Vine Kids Magic to be a perfect reliable option to hire.

Furthermore, True Vine Kids Magic would deliver perfect quality sculptures. So, we would make your guests praise your party arrangements.

Furthermore, hiring a professional balloon sculpting service would be ideal perfect, balloon artists would efficiently create sculptures that fits your requirements. So, add a perfect activity to your party with True Vine Kids Magic.

So, take a look at the balloon sculpting packages offered:

• Balloons Twisting For Events: For 1h, approximately 16 to 20 kids could have a balloon sculpture. Furthermore, for simple structures, 30 kids could have balloon sculptures.

We offer the perfect packages that would fit the requirements of clients well, so, do a quick browse to book the package. We offer a perfectly friendly client support, connect for the queries regarding balloon sculpting at True Vine Kids Magic.

Balloon sculpting of True Vine Kids Magic is worth complementing!

Source From: https://truevinekidsmagic.wordpress.com/2023/04/24/perfect-quality-of-balloon-sculpting-in-singapore/

[nikramann]

10 Best dog toys made right here, in the USA

Top 10 Dog Toys to Keep Your Pup Happy and Healthy

KONG Classic Dog Toy

Chuckit! Ultra Ball

Nylabone Dura Chew Textured Ring

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Puzzle Toy

ZippyPaws Skinny Peltz No Stuffing Squeaky Plush Toy

Benebone Real Flavor Dental ChewToy

Chuckit! Amphibious Bumper Fetchand Float Toy

JW Pet Company Megalast Ball

KONG Wobbler Treat Dispensing Toy

PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat Dog Toy

As a dog owner, you want to keep your furry friend entertained and stimulated. One way to achieve this is through the use of toys. Not all toys are created equal, however. Some can be dangerous or ineffective, while others can provide hours of fun and mental stimulation. In this article, we will share the top 10 dog toys that are not only safe but will also keep your pup happy and healthy.

Interactive Toys

Interactive toys are great for keeping dogs mentally stimulated and entertained. These toys often involve treats or puzzles, which encourage your dog to use their brain and problem-solving skills. Examples of interactive toys include treat dispensers, puzzle games, and interactive balls.

Chew Toys

Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs, and providing them with appropriate chew toys can help prevent destructive chewing behaviors. Chew toys also promote healthy teeth and gums by removing plaque and tartar. Examples of chew toys include Kong toys, Nylabones, and bully sticks.

Fetch Toys

Playing fetch is a great way to keep your dog active and provide them with exercise. Fetch toys come in various shapes and sizes, including balls, frisbees, and sticks. When selecting a fetch toy, ensure that it is appropriate for your dog's size and breed.

Tug Toys

Tug toys are great for interactive play between dogs and their owners. This type of toy promotes bonding and helps to release pent-up energy. Examples of tug toys include rope toys, squeaky toys, and rubber tug toys.

Squeaky Toys

Squeaky toys are often a favorite among dogs, and the sound can keep them entertained for hours. However, it is essential to ensure that the toy is durable and does not present a choking hazard. Examples of squeaky toys include plush toys, rubber toys, and latex toys.

When selecting toys for your dog, it is essential to consider their size, breed, and play style. It is also crucial to supervise your dog when they are playing with toys to prevent any potential accidents.

For more details visit here: https://pridepartnerdigitalshop.blogspot.com/2023/04/10-best-dog-toys-made-right-here-in-usa.html

[pavindu-mga2022xd4005]

Interview Questions with the Rising star Sam.

Could you maybe introduce your self to the people who might not know you?

“Sure, my name is Sam, I’m an interactive designer who’s been working in the creative field for around 20 years now,”

01 What made you get into interactive design?

Seeing other designers inspiring designs is what got me in to being an interactive designer.

02 What inspires you?

Seeing other designer work inspires me to keep working hard and to keep moving forward.

03 Do you have any hobbies or interests?

My hobbies and interests would probably be playing video games and drawing.

04 How do you make sure that the user won’t get bored with your interactive design ?

As an interactive designer we ask our self-questions like what the appearance should look like, the color, shapes, size, etc. and how the user can interact with the devise, so it doesn’t bored them.

05 Do you have a designer who inspire you? or some one who you look up to?

Probably Manuel Lima and Alan Cooper.

06 What are your thoughts when designing your interactive designing ?

There are few questions that we should have in our mind when working on our interactive design, for an example: What can a user do with their mouse, finger, or stylus to directly interact with the interface?  Which give use an understanding of the possible user interactions with the product.

07 Tell us about your recent work?

Well recently I been working on creating designs for VR (virtual reality) interfaces, creating  not only designs that look aesthetically pleasing, but also designs that will be beginner friendly for people who never used VR headsets.

08 What are the biggest challenges you faced as an interactive designer?

Biggest challenges that I and many other designers have faced are Misconceptions about what we do, conducting research under time and budget constraints, deciding which problem to solve etc.

09 What do you think about the future of interactive design?

I see a bright future for interactive design cause as time passes technology advances more and more, which will allow interactive designers to create more creative designs.

010 What do you hope to achieve as an interactive designer?

I hope to inspire others by my interactive designs and to help create designs which are easy to  understand as well as aesthetically appealing.

[firedragon1321]

So Something I Noticed With Character Questionnaires/Interviews

This is for new characters only. 

I don’t know if you’ve seen character interviews or questions floating around, but basically, they’re questions you ask your characters. It’s like you’re interviewing a real live person in front of you. I used them in high school to get the ball rolling, but not really recently. The protagonist of my newer series is being stubborn, so I turned to them again. And I learned something.

(There’s a long section of examples from my own writing, which contains all the triggering content in the tags. If you don’t want to read that or you just want the advice, skip to the bolded sentence that starts with “So this is a long way of saying...”.)

Characters you’ve worked with for a million years can answer most questions blindfolded. Even if they’re reluctant to answer or the question is irrelevant, you can pretty much figure out how they’ll respond. 

I can’t ask Soren some of the questions categorized under sex/intimacy, because he’s twelve and a virgin (i.e.- “When was your first time?”). But I could still picture his response- “Never. Why do you wanna know, anyway?”, followed by becoming defensive (folding arms across chest, looking away, possibly reaching towards his pocket for a weapon, etc.). He struggles against antagonists who care way too much about whether or not he’s a virgin. For context- he’s a cartoon character dropped into reality who has to fight an organization with too much horny and money, which exclusively targets toons. His interactions with this group shape the deflection of this answer.

The difference between Soren- a character I’ve worked with for years- and a new character is asking a difficult or irrelevant question results in nothing. There’s a generic “I dunno” at best, writer’s block/empty brain at worst. To deflect a question, a character has to already have a personality. Otherwise you- the author- encounters a heavy void of resistance. It just feels like nothing. After a while, it makes you frustrated or upset, ending the “interview”. You can only ask a rock about its dreams so many times before you realize it’s a rock.

I noticed- with my new protag- that there was empty brain with almost every question on a 253 question list. There was only one that I made progress with. It was “Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?”. He has a brother who was sent to an institution when they were both young, for a phony mental illness (this work is a dystopia, so this kind of dark, mean shit is everywhere). Just before his brother was cleared to go home for appearing “normal”, he died due to poor conditions at the hospital. There were preparations for him to return home- a bed shoved into the protag’s room, and a lot of talk about what the reunited family would do together. So the protag was at least semi-aware of every step in the “returning home” process.

This is all stuff I wrote in my notes. This is all stuff I know already. But when I proposed the question to my character- instead of running into a brick wall- I could see him in my mind’s eye, and I could hear his voice. I got a generic response- “I don’t want to talk about it.”. But it was a response. It’s something worth pursuing another day.

So this is a long way of saying- if you get one of those monster questionnaires, here’s how to handle it for a brand new character-

Always, always, ALWAYS have a blank questionnaire saved to your computer as a backup, or to use with multiple characters.

Make sure the questions in your list- whether homemade or online- are sorted in general categories, instead of all over the place. I used this questionnaire, which may be too long for you, but is a good example on how to sort questions. http://thelabotomyofawriter.blogspot.com/2010/04/epic-character-questionairre-part-one.html

Ignore the most basic questions (what is your name, what color are your eyes, etc.). You don’t need your character’s input for those. The only exception is if those questions includes “how do you feel about your name/eyes/etc.”, because that prompts a meaningful answer (namely- how does your character feel about their appearance?).

If you hit a wall, skip the question. It is either unimportant to your character, or they aren’t developed enough to answer it yet.

If you can mentally see your character and hear their voice when they refuse to answer a question (even if all you get is a generic “I don’t want to talk about it”), remember which question it was. Copy-paste the question into a new, blank document.

After trimming the fat, you should have only the questions that are most important to your character. If you feel you need more, copy-paste some questions from your original document related to those questions. For example- if your character has some response to a question about siblings- add questions related to family. In less focused categories, you can add from the same category, as long as it makes sense. “Do you have a criminal record?” and “What is your best memory?” might be together, but they’re different concepts.

As you answer the questions tailored to your character, they may grow enough to answer/deflect the other questions. If you want, you can trickle those in to see what happens. 

Remember that a well-characterized deflection is just as useful as an answered question. “I don’t want to talk about that” or another generic “no” response is a prompt to put the question aside and explore it later. “Talking about killing makes me uncomfortable. I can’t. Not after I killed him. Can we please skip this?” is a useful deflection. Even if you didn’t learn something about your character, it’s a sign that they’re “alive” enough to avoid the question in their own way.

Don’t try to answer all the questions for a new character. It’s not a “test” to see if your character can answer them all. Figure out what’s most important to them, then drip-feed other, related questions until their voice is more solid. You do not need to answer all the questions (except for fun- i.e- “How would you behave at black-tie events?” “I wouldn’t. They suck.”).

If you get frustrated or upset at any point- WALK AWAY. You won’t be able to hear your character’s voice if you’re slamming your head into a wall.

While the monster lists can be helpful or fun for characters you know, they’re frustrating for new imaginary children. Get the core of your character worked out first, then work your way from there. You can’t ask questions to a rock, but your character isn’t a rock. They just need sculpting.

UPDATE: I’ve made my own character questionnaire, if you wanna check it out- https://at.tumblr.com/firedragon1321/made-my-own-character-questionnaire/ly63olvpuczb

[drusjer]

@compluras​ for ivan.

fred could feel them coming long before he could see or hear them; three beating hearts — rushing towards him from the darkness of the night. too fast. too intent. he raised his arms, bracing. it was instinctual. and stupid. i’ve to run, he thought. or fight. he chose the latter, but when he could will his limbs into moving again, it was already too late. something had soared through the air and caught onto his right hand, wrapping its tail around his back, locking his right arm tight to his chest. the metallic hooks of the strange gadget dug deep into his skin, drawing blood. he barely had time to register the pain before a body slammed into him and knocked him off his feet. his face hit the dirt first. 

two more bodies appeared out of the darkness to join the one who had brought him down. they each put their feet on his back, preventing him from getting up. “ who pays better do you think? those fjerdan witch hunters or the slavers? ” the one who had knocked him down asked the other two. dread crept up the back of his throat as he struggled to think, so thick he could almost choke on it. he could lie, say he wasn’t grisha. he could beg, too, but he didn’t want to die with a lie on his lips. nor did he want to die like a cornered prey with its mouth full of mud. fred trashed around wildly, trying to wiggle free enough so he could turn and look at them. he didn’t need his hands to hurt them, but he needed to see them. one of them kicked him in the back of his head and kept his feet there, annoyed that he was disrupting their conversation. he could hear one of them take a deep breath as if to continue their conversation, but a new sounds cut him off. footsteps — splashing through the mud. by his attackers' reaction, fred could tell that it wasn’t one more of their friends coming to help finish the job. “ you blind or what? ” the burly one shouted at the newcomer. “ this street is closed. bugger off elsewhere. ”

[mostlysignssomeportents]

My Locus column on hope in the dark.

My latest Locus Magazine column is “The Swerve,” a short essay about the shape that hope takes when happy endings are off the table — it’s specifically about the looming environmental collapse, but it also describes my view on the polycrisis of musketfuckery, forced birth, and covid denial:

https://locusmag.com/2022/07/cory-doctorow-the-swerve/

In this metaphor, we are in a bus barreling toward a cliff. The people in the front seats — who control the driver — insist that we don’t need to turn the bus before we go over the edge. Indeed, they insist that turning the wheel is reckless, because the bus might roll and someone might break a leg.

When we demand to know what they’re going to do about that cliff and the long plummet to the rocks below, we’re called alarmists. There’s plenty of time to build a bridge. Also, maybe we don’t need a bridge! Maybe we’ll figure out how to add wings to the bus, or a cool rocket engine!

I wrote this column back in May (print magazines have long production cycles). Back then, the southwest was on fire and The Guardian was reporting on the “carbon bombs” that the fossil fuel industry was planning to detonate around us:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2022/may/11/fossil-fuel-carbon-bombs-climate-breakdown-oil-gas

Six weeks later, I write these words from beneath a “heat dome” over my home in California that has made leaving the house literally painful for several hours every day. We’re almost at wildfire season, too.

Then there’s the polycrisis, which has exploded over the past six weeks, as the war in Ukraine deepened, as mass shootings swept the country, as forced birth laws went into effect in more than a dozen states. Omicron BA.4/5 is kicking off, escaping both vaccine and recovery immunities.

The time to fix the climate emergency was decades ago, back when Exxon’s own scientists warned them that action was needed (#ExxonKnew). They warned us about the cliff over the horizon, and Exxon — and the rest of the hydrocarbon death cult — spent billions to convince us that there was no cliff.

The good news is that climate denial is over (covid denial’s still in its prime, though). The bad news is that the deniers have pivoted to incrementalism. They want us to tinker in the margins. Swap out plastic straws for paper ones (but keep pretending that all the other single-use plastic is recyclable).

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/26/plastic-fatalistic/#recycled-lies

Switch to electric vehicles (and keep up the geometrically incoherent pretense that it’s possible to climate-harden our cities without public transit).

https://www.wired.com/story/technology-transportation-road-to-nowhere/

Europe — and the world — now say that if we’re going to switch off the supply of Russian gas, we’re going to have to switch the coal plants back on. You can punish the mad dictator of Russia, or you can have a habitable planet for your kids, but not both.

There’s an old joke from Ireland whose punchline is “If you wanted to get there, I wouldn’t start from here.” The time to build out renewable capacity and shutter oil and gas and coal plants was twenty years ago. We could have started under George HW Bush, who campaigned in 1988 on convening a global summit, including China and the USSR, to “talk about global warming.” But the climate deniers went to work on Bush after he took office, and in 1992, he told the Rio Earth Summit that “the American way of life is not up for negotiations. Period.”

We have run out of time to build a bridge. We’re going to have to yank the bus wheel. At this late stage, the hopeful future is based on the swerve. The people at the front are right that this will probably roll the bus. They’re right that it’s gonna hurt. But they’re wrong about everything else.

As I write in Locus, “I don’t know what the first-class passengers were thinking. Some of them will be dead of natural causes before the bus goes over the cliff, and they didn’t want to sacrifice any of their material comforts to ensure that the rest of us continued to live once they passed on, I suppose.

“Others are just ideologically committed to traveling in a straight line. The swerve is morally bankrupt. It’s communism. The only way to get over the cliff — if such a thing exists — is to floor the bus. Go as fast as possible. Leap the gorge! The Fonz did it, right?”

One week ago, I became a US citizen. Friends asked me why I’d want to become a citizen of a country whose politics and culture have descended into such dysfunction? I answered that it was the dysfunction that made me want my citizenship.

Remember when Trump’s Muslim Ban went into effect and permanent residents of the US were taken into immigration detention and denied access to lawyers unless they surrendered their Green Cards first? President DeSantis or Cruz will do the same and worse.

The more human rights I can lay claim to, the better. Citizenship isn’t an inviolable shield against authoritarians, but the life of a US citizen is far less precarious than the life of an immigrant, even one with “permanent residency.”

Yesterday was July 4, my first Independence Day as an American citizen. I made dinner and we hosted friends, and I decorated the back yard with my American heroes — dozens of photos of people who fought in some way to make this a better place:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&tags=americanheroes&user_id=37996580417%40N01&view_all=1

We ate dinner surrounded by these fighters, who all tried to grab the wheel in one way or another. We ate while our phone chimed with news of mass shootings. We ate in the swelter of the heat dome.

The swerve is our hopeful future. It’s not a future where we avoid disaster, but it is a future where we stop pretending that there is no disaster. It’s a future where refugee crises continue, but where we meet them with humanitarian aid, not gulags and razor wire.

It’s a future of wildfires, but one where we use controlled burns to reduce them and evacuations to minimize their harm.

It’s a future of habitat loss driving zoonotic plagues, but it’s a future where we learn covid’s lessons and apply them to create effective public health responses.

It’s a future of mass extinctions, but it’s also one where we commit to habit restoration and rescue as many of our “horizontal brothers and sisters” (as John Muir put it) as we can.

In many ways, it’s a terrible future. It’s too late to build a bridge, or fix the bus’s brakes, or do anything except yank the wheel. It’s gonna hurt.

But the helpless nightmare of sitting in the back of the bus while its well-fed up there in the front rows insist that we can’t do anything? Ending that is a hopeful future. It’s the happy ending we can hope for.

It’s too late to avoid disaster, but it doesn’t have to be a catastrophe. We gotta grab the wheel. Oust every “good” politician who refuses to wield the power we handed to them. Work in your community to help your neighbors. Give material support to people fleeing cruel forced birth laws. Demand better. Fight. Be part of the lineage of American heroes who fought and fought. Fight on. Grab the wheel. Let’s roll.

[Image ID: A broken bridge over a mysterious chasm.]

[ireadyabooks]

Books to Read in 2022!

We made it folx. Another year of riveting reads is set to come out in 2022! Read on for a list of I read YA’s upcoming titles that you should DEFINITELY add to your #tbrpile. 

HEARTSTOPPER VOL. 4: On-Sale 1/04/2022

Soon to be streaming on Netflix!

Charlie and Nick's relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he's ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick feels the same way, but he's got a lot on his mind -- especially the thought of coming out to his dad and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick will have to learn what love really means.

FIRE BECOMES HER: On-Sale 2/01/2022

Flare is power.

With only a drop of flare, one can light the night sky with fireworks . . . or burn a building to the ground -- and seventeen-year-old Ingrid Ellis wants her fair share.

Ingrid doesn't have a family fortune, monetary or magical, but at least she has a plan: Rise to the top on the arm of Linden Holt, heir to a hefty political legacy and the largest fortune of flare in all of Candesce. Her only obstacle is Linden's father who refuses to acknowledge her.

MAGICAL BOY VOL.1: On-Sale 2/01/2022

Although he was assigned female at birth, Max is your average trans man trying to get through high school as himself. But on top of classes, crushes, and coming out, Max's life is turned upside down when his mom reveals an eons old family secret: he's descended from a long line of Magical Girls tasked with defending humanity from a dark, ancient evil! With a sassy feline sidekick and loyal gang of friends by his side, can Max take on his destiny, save the world, and become the next Magical Boy?

LOVELESS: On-Sale 3/01/2022

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia. She's surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It's not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum -- coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she's been told since birth isn't easy -- there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia's determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major drama of) her friends.

READY WHEN YOU ARE: On-sale 3/01/2022

It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city -- but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret -- a secret he thought he'd locked away for good.

EVERY LINE OF YOU: On-sale 3/01/2022

In the face of overwhelming grief, tech-savvy Lydia pours all of herself into creating the perfect AI to be her ideal boyfriend, Henry. But will Henry turn out to be a creation of her cruelest self?

THIS MIGHT GET AWKWARD: On-sale 3/01/2022

Seventeen-year-old Gemma’s favorite kind of beach is an empty one. Social interactions are too much for her to handle. She always says the wrong thing—if she manages to say anything at all. She can’t even bring herself to speak to her longtime crush, Beau Booker, without losing sleep over her own awkwardness. Will she be able to maintain her dream life? 

K-POP REVOLUTION: On-sale 4/05/2022

In the sequel to K-Pop Confidential, Candace is a Rookie idol. Her life is suddenly filled with the fans, cameras, and glamor of stardom: She and her boyfriend, YoungBae, are a K-Pop power couple; she’s a walking icon at Brandt Foreign School; and her new girl group, known simply as THE GIRLS, is poised to break records across the industry. With her status as the industry’s K-Pop Warrior, she has all the clout at her disposal to make waves. Right?

WHY WOULD I LIE?: On-sale 4/05/2022

Viveca North works harder and smarter -- and it'll all be worth it when she's named valedictorian and granted admission to her dream school, the elite Everett College. All her sacrifices are finally about to pay off. That is, unless the mysterious new guy at school, Jamison Sharpe, steals valedictorian out from under her.

DEBATING DARCY: On-sale 4/05/2022

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Leela Bose plays to win.

A life-long speech competitor, Leela loves nothing more than crushing the competition, all while wearing a smile. But when she meets the incorrigible Firoze Darcy, a debater from an elitist private school, Leela can’t stand him. Unfortunately, he’ll be competing in the state league, so their paths are set to collide. Now,  more than just her own winning streak is at stake…her heart is, too.

YOUNGBLOODS (IMPOSTORS #4): On-sale 4/05/2022

Frey has spent her life in a family of deceivers. Free from them at last, she is finding her own voice -- and using it to question everything her family stood for.

Tally was once the most famous rebel in the world. But for over a decade, she's kept to the shadows.

As the world is propelled further into conflict and conspiracy, Frey and Tally join forces to put a check on the people in power, while still trying to understand their own power and where it belongs.

WELCOME TO ST. HELL: On-sale 6/07/2022

Lewis has a few things to say to his younger teen self.

In WELCOME TO ST. HELL, author-illustrator Lewis Hancox takes readers on the hilarious, heartbreaking, and healing path he took to make it past trauma, confusion, hurt, and dubious fashion choices in order to become the man he was meant to be. It's a remarkable, groundbreaking graphic memoir from an unmistakably bold new voice in comics.

MEET ME IN MUMBAI: On-sale 7/19/2022

Seventeen-year-old Mira Fuller-Jensen was adopted by her moms at birth. Her mother writes that if Mira can forgive her for having to give her up, she should find a way to travel to India for her eighteenth birthday and meet her. Mira knows she'll always regret it if she doesn't go. But is she actually ready for what she will learn?

THE ARC (THE LOOP #3): On-sale 7/19/2022

In the final installment of critically acclaimed Loop trilogy, all of humanity hinges on the greatest escape yet.

Despite the fact that the truth of their oppressive leaders had been revealed to them, the crowd of Alts cheer as life drained from the boy.But one Alt, Chester “Chilly” Beckett, did not celebrate; his eyes have been opened to the truth. The corpse is dragged away, but Chester remains determined to find out what is going on in the Laboratory on the 65th floor.

YOU, ME, AND OUR HEARTSTRINGS: On-sale 7/19/2022

What if you were finding yourself and falling in love . . . and the whole world was watching?

Daisy and Noah have the same plan: use the holiday concert to land a Julliard audition. But when they're chosen to play a duet for the concert, they worry that their differences will sink their chances. After their performance goes viral, the rest of the country falls for them just as surely as they're falling for each other. But viral fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. No one seems to care about their talent or their music at all. People have rewritten their love story into one where Daisy is an inspiration for overcoming her cerebral palsy and Noah is a saint for seeing past it.

THE WITCHERY: On-sale 7/26/2022

THE HAUNTING SEASON IS HERE AND THE WOLVES ARE AWAKE.

Haelsford, Florida is a Hellmouth. Or at least, that's what Logan, a new witch struggling to control her powers, thinks as she arrives to begin the new school year at Mesmortes Coven Academy. She is immediately taken under the wing of the infamous Red Three. With the Haunting Season approaching, Wolves will soon rise from the swamp to kill and the humans and witches must work together to survive the yearly onslaught.

MAGICAL BOY VOL. 2: On-sale 7/26/2022

Although he was assigned female at birth, Max is your average trans man trying to get through high school as himself. But on top of classes, crushes, and coming out, Max's life is turned upside down when his mom reveals an eons old family secret: he's descended from a long line of Magical Girls tasked with defending humanity from a dark, ancient evil!

THE HONEYS: On-sale 8/02/2022

Sometimes the darkest secrets lurk in broad daylight. 

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant. Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and expectations -- of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

THE FEELING OF FALLING IN LOVE: On-sale 8/02/2022

Just days before spring break, Neil Kearney is set to fly across the country with his childhood friend (and current friend-with-benefits) Josh, to attend his brother's wedding—until Josh tells Neil that he's in love with him and Neil doesn't return the sentiment.With Josh still attending the wedding, Neil needs to find a new date to bring along. And, almost against his will, roommate Wyatt is drafted.

A GIRL’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MAGIC: On-sale 8/02/2022

Cicely Destin, a Haitian American teen living in Brooklyn, loves the annual West Indian Day Parade that takes place in her neighborhood.This year, the parade will be extra special: Cicely will get to hang out with her awesome aunt, Mimose, a social media influencer known for dabbling in Haitian vodou. But when Mimose's dabbling becomes a little too real, and she seems to be possessed by a rogue spirit right before the parade, it's up to Cicely, plus her best friend, Renee, and her crush (!), Kwame, to try to set things right. Cicely and her friends set off on a winding, thrilling scavenger hunt through Brooklyn to find the items that will undo the possession. But can Cicely help her aunt if she doesn't fully realize her own powers just yet?

DESTINATION UNKNOWN: On-sale 8/02/2022

It's 1987 in New York City. A connection occurs. Is it friendship? Romance? Is C.J. the one with all the answers... or does Micah bring more to the relationship that it first seems? As their lives become more and more entangled in the AIDS epidemic that’s laying waste to their community, and the AIDS activism that will ultimately bring a strong voice to their demands, whatever Micah and C.J. have between them will be tested, strained, pushed, and pulled -- but it will also be a lifeline in a time of death, a bond that will determine the course of their futures.