#DragonSpell

[cultivating-wildflowers]

2024 Reading - May

I definitely succeeded in making May a reread month, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A few of these were not on my original list for the month, and I still haven't gotten to some of my bigger rereads, but oh well.

Total books: 8  |  New reads: 1   |   2024 TBR completed: 2 (1 DNF) / 16/36 total   |   2024 Reading Goal: 28/100

April | June

potential reading list from May 1st

#1 - Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation by Harlow Giles Unger - 5/5 stars ('24 TBR, audio)

Now this is the sort of historical nonfiction I like! Splendidly arranged and told, never too dense, and weirdly fun?

More like this: Honestly, I would happily take recommendations for more in this line! For my part, Ben Macintyre's writing comes closest to this in style, though the one book I've read of his so far was about a figure in WWII.

#2 - The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope - 5/5 stars (reread, mixed print and audio)

Original review here. It definitely holds up on a reread.

#3 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card - 5/5 stars (reread, audio)

Original review, such as it is, here. Still a great one.

#4 - Xenocide by Orson Scott Card - 4/5 stars (reread, audio)

The first time I read this, it wasn't remarkable enough for me to write a single-sentence review. In fairness, I read Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide back-to-back and they kind of blur in my mind. I know I gushed about Speaker to Ruby (it's a favorite of mine), while I was so-so on Xenocide. It gets so dense at points, and while I can appreciate what Card does with Qin-jao, I cannot bring myself to sympathize with her.

I definitely liked it more this time around. It's still not as great to me as Speaker for the Dead, but it's classic Card and still fun to read.

(Admittedly, I also decided to revisit this series now because I stubbornly want to get another full alphabet of titles in 2024 and there simply aren't any "X" titles I haven't read that I'm interested in.... I'm enjoying my reread, but I have ulterior motives.)

#5 - Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card - 5/5 stars (reread, audio)

Unlike the first time I read Children of the Mind, this time I had access to this installment via audio! There's definitely details I'm missing by listening instead of reading, but it remains a solid story. And revisiting this book after reading part of the Ender's Shadow series gave me a fresh perspective on Peter Wiggin. Despite the fact that Speaker for the Dead is on my favorite books list, there's a chapter in Children of the Mind that has stuck in my memory ever since I first read it; it's probably the most memorable to me of the whole series.

As evidenced by my original review, I do take issue with certain aspects of Card's worldview, particularly his treatment of marriage. I'll probably always be grumpy about that. But I did give it half a star more than my original rating, after realizing how many of my favorite things about this series are in this final book.

#6 - DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul - 5/5 stars (reread)

Lee and several other lovely people from the tumblr-sphere invited me to join them in reading through this series, and I was so excited to take them up on the offer.

That was back in January.

I got distracted.

But it's ok! Even if I'm (way, way, way) behind, getting to revisit one of my teen-years favorites has been so fun. And intriguing. I knew this was one of those formative books that impacted my writing style, but it's intriguing to see exactly how big of an impact it had.

I will say this didn't quite hold up on a reread, but that makes sense considering it's been years since I read it and I fell in love with it as a teen, when my tastes were completely different. This won't affect my five-star rating, if only because it was so formative for me (and I have a rule personal rule to never lower a rating on a reread).

That said, I don't currently have plans to read the rest of the series. I'm worried doing so may mar my fond memories of the story as a whole.

#7 - The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley - 5/5 stars (reread)

Old review here. I’m slightly less than indifferent now toward the romance, but I still had to skim over the incredibly stilted and awkward declarations of love near the end. As for the rest of the story, I continue to adore everything about it. Top Five book for me.

#8 - Persuasion by Jane Austen - 5/5 stars (reread)

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

DNF

Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington ('24 TBR) - The first part was fascinating as a historical account, but narratively dry and emotionless. By around the 40% mark it turned into a slog, and reviews suggest this continues to the end.

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau - Fantastic premise, decent execution, but not for me.

Currently Reading:

Nothing! (for like 12 hours)

[wizardarchives]

Dragonspell by Chris Achilléos (1986)

[normalbrothershow]

Non-AU J2 fic rec list, part 1

< 5k words

The Professional by SinnamonSpider ❤️

based on this con story T, 900 words

Show Me by mistyzeo ❤️

Jensen said, “Show me how you like it.” E, 900 words

J2 Set Stories by themegalosaurus ❤️

An assortment of short (c.2k) non-AU RPF fics, based on anecdotes from conventions and incidents about real things that have happened on set (but with added Jared/Jensen). series of 9 works, G-E ratings, 15.3k words overall

Like Kissing But With a Winner by mistyzeo ❤️

Jensen doesn't figure himself for a particularly possessive man, but Jared makes him crazy. E, 1.8k, bottom Jared

the mature thing to do by bertee ❤️

In which Jensen is having a bad day but absolutely does not need a hug. T, 1.4k

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) by annella ❤️

Jensen comes to visit Jared over hiatus, and they get into a bit of a tight spot. E, 1.9k, bottom Jared

Blame Game by topaz ❤️

The kink? All Jared's fault. E, 4.7k, bottom Jensen, but Jared gets spanked

Perspiration by themegalosaurus

It's not weird that Jensen's noticed how much Jared sweats. You'd have to be crazy not to notice it. Okay? E, 2.3k

Welcome to the Gun Show by dragonspell

Jensen doesn't think that Jared can pick him up and hold him against the wall. Jared thinks differently. E, 2k, bottom Jensen

No One To Blame But Himself by keepaofthecheez

Because while Jensen has no one but himself to blame for suggesting Jared find a hobby, something to help him chill out and focus on and off set, it'd been Mike who'd suggested Jared learn how to knit. E, 3.3k, bottom Jensen

Badmouthing by mistyzeo

Jensen's kind of quiet and aloof most of the time, so it drives Jared crazy that he's not only a serious top, but he can never stop telling Jared all about what he's up to while he's at it. E, 1.4k, bottom Jared

Twit by mistyzeo

Jared has a twitter. The end. T, 200 words

Untitled (birthday blowjob) by mistyzeo

Jared wants to wake Jensen up with a birthday blowjob. E, 800 words

Talk About It by nomelon

Jim Beaver said that Jensen spent a lot of time crying while they were shooting the season three finale. Dean didn't shed a single tear T, 800 words

[horrorshow]

god bless rhonda hurley. for @spnficrecfest

JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING OF YOU by ficlicks rhonda/dean + sam/dean, 7.7k, nc-17 “If we’re friends then what’s my favorite color?” Dean lifts his head and looks around the bedroom. It’s a tiny room, smaller than the one he shares with Sam. There’s an old white four-poster bed pushed up against the wall with chipping paint and tiny butterfly stickers stuck to the headboard. Her dresser is covered with books, bottles of nail polish and hair clips. On the floor is a laundry basket with freshly folded clothes. Dean scoops up the pair of panties sitting on top and slingshots them at Rhonda. “Pink,” Dean says, crawling onto the bed next to her.

OH SO GOOD, OH SO FINE by deadlybride sam/dean, 7.5k, rated E Zachariah gave them their memories back, but he didn't erase what had happened in the time they were other people. Dean Smith made a mistake, and Dean Winchester--well. He's still living with it.

WITH AUTUMN CLOSING IN by deadlybride sam/dean, 15k, rated E Seven years have passed since then. Sam thought he let it go.

NOT THE GOOD THINGS, NOR THE BAD by deadlybride sam/dean, 20k, rated E Dean wavers in a grey area between being taken and giving in.

THE SECRETS THAT WE KEEP by bexgowen endverse cas/endverse dean, 9.9k, rated E It’s 2014. The Croatoan virus has taken over the world, and Dean Winchester’s brilliant plan to kill Lucifer has failed. Dean should be working on Plan B, but all he’s been able to think about since Zachariah tossed that 2009 version of Dean into Camp Chitaqua was the secret that the younger Dean revealed. The one they’ve kept since they were nineteen years old. The one about the panties.

YOU SAY, GO FAST (I SAY, HOLD ON TIGHT) by hearthouses sam/dean, 11k, rated E This is what Dean looks like blanketed in desert night air. This is what Dean sounds like humming along to Johnny Cash on the local radio station, his thumbs tapping out the rhythm of the song on the steering wheel. This is what will be gone in a few dwindling months. (Mid-Season Three: Sam and Dean take some time away from figuring out how to save Dean from his deal, and live for the moment.)

SYMBIOSIS by deadlybride john/dean, 2.8k, rated E Dean plans a surprise for his dad.

BEDROOM HYMNS by fathersalmon cas/dean + rhonda/dean + dean/baseball team, 8.9k, rated E 5 times Dean Winchester tried to deny his panty kink and the one time he didn't.

PINK AND BLUE by jemariel cas/dean + rhonda/dean, 4.9k, rated E "Would you --” Cas swallows, his voice low and yeah, that’s definitely his ‘I’m horny’ voice, the one that gives Dean the shivers. “Would you like to show me your favorites?”

HUNTER, KNOW THYSELF by imogenbynight rhonda/dean, 2.5k, rated M In which Dean sets up his bedroom at the bunker and remembers his night with Rhonda Hurley.

FRAGILE by dragonspell sam/dean, 3.4k, nc-17 Dean likes to pretend he's the stronger one. But Sam knows just how fragile Dean can be on the inside. Now he just wants the outside to match.

LOVE IN DISGUISE by sleepypercy sam/dean + dean/omc, 4.9k, rated E In order to catch a CEO that's been cutting out hearts, Dean reluctantly poses as a hooker. Sam never expected his brother to look so good in that skirt.

BLUNT by lesson_in_love rhonda/dean, rated R Rhonda Hurley. Dean always thought it was an awful name.

RED LACE by dragonspell sam/dean, 2.3k, nc-17 Dean never thought that Sam would go through with it. He’d thought it was just one of those things—one of the random bits of filth that dropped out of Sam’s mouth whenever he was in the mood.

OH SO FINE by valiant sam wesson/dean smith, 2.4k, nc-17 Sam Wesson really wants into Dean Smith's pants. When he finally manages to get him to say yes, he's shocked to find out that he wears women's underwear under those pressed suits.

[incesthemes]

For day 31 of @spnficrecfest's event! All-Time Favorites or Free Space

American Myth by candle_beck

As long as you have a car, you are free, and other lies my country taught me.

SamDean // Mature // No Warnings Apply // 11,524

Tags: First Time

My Notes: This fic literally changed my life. The Sam characterization in particular is so on-point and insane that it fundamentally altered how I interact with him as a character. Jesus Christ.

Camdon Inn by dragonspell

In the backwoods of Northern Michigan, Sam and Dean are on the trail of what they think might be the area's fabled 'Dog Man.' What they find instead in the small town of Silver Lake is a suspicious sheriff, a shady innkeeper, a closed mouth town and a lot more than they bargained for when the supposed overly large wolf that they were hunting starts hunting them back. And, much to Dean's horror, he can no longer seem to keep his hands off of Sam.

SamDean // Explicit // No Warnings Apply // 44,412

Tags: Dubious Consent, Something Made Them Do It

My Notes: I'm convinced this author lives inside my brain to make all of my dreams come true. I can't believe they wrote my favorite kind of trope, wrote it well, AND gave it a satisfying ending. This is the fic that convinced me Sam has been in love with Dean for as long as he could love. I also enjoyed the struggle Dean had with his repulsion toward pursuing an incestuous relationship; not my exact headcanon, but it's developed well and I enjoy the strange, needy ambiguity and dubcon of it all. The author has a tendency to skip over words, but while it's confusing enough to make note of, it's not so confusing that it hinders the reading.

watch you weigh your powers by according2thelore

“Is this…You couldn’t speak because I told you not to?” Sam asks. “Like Ansem?” Dean’s face twists, and he looks at Sam guiltily. “No, c’mon.” He scoffs, shifting so his legs slide away from Sam’s into the passenger footwell. Sam blinks at him. Sam then looks straight ahead, at the steering wheel, uncomprehendingly. Sam’s mind spins, unhinged from its moorings. He tries to think of every order he’s given Dean in the past six months. Hand me that. Scoot over. Shut up. Pass the remote. Go talk to the coroner. Turn it down. Kiss me.

SamDean // Explicit // No Warnings Apply // 8,266

Tags: Codependent Winchesters, Blow Jobs, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Season/Series 02, Sam Winchester Has Powers, Mildly Dubious Consent, Established Relationship, Dom/sub Undertones, Mild Breathplay

My Notes: Incredible fic that has made a home in my brain forever. The focus on Sam's emotions, the fear and guilt and horror of what he's been doing to Dean, really makes me feel insane.

[theimaginauts]

DRAGONSPELL

Art by LOOPYDAVE

[rabbitcruiser]

Appreciate A Dragon Day

Dragons, the magical scaly creature born from fire, have existed throughout mythology since the times of the Romans and Egyptians. Dragons, with their celestial ways and otherworldly presence, make our lives a lot more interesting, and never cease to amaze people.

Appreciate a Dragon Day is a day dedicated to learning about dragons and sharing your love for these creatures! 

History of Appreciate a Dragon Day 

Appreciate a Dragon Day began when Donita K. Paul wanted to celebrate the publishing of her first fantasy novel “Dragonspell”, part of the five-volume series, The DragonKeeper Chronicles.

Dragons have always been popular, existing in the mythology of cultures from all over the world. Dragons inspire us and fill us with fear at the same time. Western dragons have always been depicted as fearsome creatures to either overcome or have a kinship with, while eastern dragons were typically equated with the royalty and heavenly forces, depending on the culture.

Nevertheless, dragons also tend to represent the conquering of the spiritual soul, as they are related to many of the human emotions that block the way to enlightenment. Dragons in modern culture have always been a place of fascination for them, as many authors and filmmakers have helped transform the image of a dragon to something people can admire.  

Some of the most famous stories to depict dragons are seen in Tolkien, Ursula, and J.K. Rowling’s novels. In films, movies and TV shows such as How to Raise a Dragon, Game of Thrones, and Eragon have helped shape the way people see dragons and ultimately fall in love with them. Dragons have existed since the earliest parts of history and have appeared in many different forms with many different alignments of good and evil.

The depictions of dragons tend to differ by culture. In ancient times, most societies had an ambivalent view of dragons. Like any other creature, these giant flying serpents had both a good side and a bad one. 

In the West, however, attitudes towards dragons changed with the advent of Christianity in the late Roman era. Suddenly, dragons became associated with evil because of their serpentine nature and needed vanquishing. Some people believed that dragons were a real phenomenon and created stories about how great warriors had to go out into the wilderness to defeat them. The tale of St. George and the dragon is likely a direct descendent of this thinking.

When you think about it in more detail, you can understand why people thought dragons were real. Remember, in ancient times, there was no explanation for giant bones. Nobody had a clue what dinosaurs were, or that fossilized bones were millions of years old. For all they knew, these creatures perished recently and could live beyond the horizon. Believing in “dragons” was logical and perhaps necessary to protect yourself.

The old ideas weren’t far off eighteenth- and nineteenth-century discoveries in paleontology. Once the dinosaur age took off, it became clear that there really were giant serpent-like creatures who roamed the Earth millions of years ago, firing the public imagination.

The diversity of dragons is considerable, and one of the main motivations for Appreciate A Dragon Day. The fire-breathing variety is the most famous, but there are others too. Some are like gargoyles found in medieval churches. Others are many-headed hydras that pop out of the ocean. Some even depict them as wyverns, basilisks, and other mythical creatures with loose connections to the real world. 

Folklore experts like Carol Rose point out that dragons are essentially “composite creatures.” We tend to think of them as highly-stylized, as depicted in films like The Hobbit. But Rose notes that they can have really unusual features, including elephant trunks. 

Ultimately, the idea of dragons interacting with humans fills our mind with awe and inspires us to delight our minds with fancy. Appreciate a Dragon Day asks people to share what their favorite dragon is in popular culture and tell people why they love dragons.  

How to Celebrate Appreciate a Dragon Day 

When it comes to celebrating Appreciate a Dragon Day, you have a lot of options. 

Draw, sketch, or color in pictures of dragons. Watch your favorite dragon-themed movie with friends. Read fantasy novels about dragons, including The DragonKeeper Series. Buy or sew a stuffed dragon for you or a friend you know – it’s all totally kosher!

If you love art, you can print out a dragon coloring page. Or you can attempt to paint a picture of one of these mythical beasts from scratch if you’re feeling brave. 

Another popular idea is to use the day to cook a meal fit for a dragon. What, precisely, this entails is anyone’s guess. But heavy charring is clearly an option here. You want something that involves a little fire and passion!

Another thing you can do is learn to write in Dragonese. For those of you who don’t know, this is the language that dragons speak in the film How to Train Your Dragon. The scriptwriters created an entire universe of words, waiting for you to explore them. 

You can also indulge yourself in other ways. How about collecting books and movies related to dragons and starting a dragon collection? Or what about creating a dragon mosaic, hosting a puppet show, or doing all kinds of things you can think of related to dragons?

Once you start talking about dragons, you’ll be amazed by how many people love them. Don’t keep Appreciate a Dragon Day to yourself! Share this holiday with your friends and spread your love for dragons! 

[jensenscomedyelbows]

SPN FIC REC FEST #7

Tropes

H/C

Outsider POV

Sex magic

Schmoop

First Time

ASSUME ALL RECS ARE RATED EXPLICIT

ALL ARE WINCEST

ALL PARTICIPANTS GIVE AND RECEIVE

BUT WHAT A LOVELY WAY TO BURN by lazy-daze

Trope: F or Die, Light Angst

Sam and Dean are both victims of sex magic hex dust pollen, maybe Sam a bit more than Dean, initially at least

~lazy_daze what can I say? Her catalog is a TREASURE.~

LIKE NEIGHBOR AND WEIGH by sevenfists

Trope: Schmoop *Rated M*

So, so beautifully written. That title is exactly what they are

BLEEDING HEART by dugindeep (hot sauce)

Trope: Sex magic, sex pollen, f or die, you get the idea

Witches, some flower pollen, and Dean will surely die IF NOT FOR Sam. This one is super hot

RHYMES WITH NIAGARA by sevenfists

Trope: sex magic

The Viagra fairy hits Dean

STAY THE DISTANCE by lazy_daze

Trope: First time, H/C 24K words, also posting this later in Episode Codas, sorry not sorry.

Sam’s wall has fallen, and he’s afflicted with the necessity of remaining physically close to Dean or risking death. The boys have to confront the not just their physical boundaries, but their emotional, spatial, temporal , and spiritual codependency. Lots of h/c, which is not my thing, but it worked for me in this story incredibly well. (See note above on lazy_daze!)

KNOT A NET TO MAKE THE MOON RISE by locknkey

Trope: F or Die, dub con, teenagers

They have the worst luck. But it’s great luck for us

ACCIDENTAL VOYEURISM by sasha_davidnova

Trope: OUTSIDER POV of an OFC who winesses some very oral Wincest

THE DAY PRETTY AND GLOOMY CAME TO TOWN by dragonspell

Trope: Outsider POV of a waitress in a dive bar who sees and overhears a LOT that should maybe be private

[cgsf]

Fics Based on a Tag:

Feminization

••••••

Teen Wolf (TV)

"Good Boy" (E) by DiscontentedWinter | Derek/Stiles | 26,868

"Edges and Lines" 🔒 (E) by blacktofade | Derek/Stiles | 3,630

"All of Him" (E) by wangler | Derek/Stiles | 1,759

"White Satin and Lace" (E) by dragonspell | Derek/Stiles | 5,518

"pretty fragile things" 🔒 (M) by Areiton | Derek/Stiles | 6,474

"Thigh High" (E) by Hatteress | Derek/Stiles | 763

"Strip Search" 🔒 (E) by jsea | Derek/Stiles | 730

"Cause of Death" (E) by Fr333bird | Derek/Stiles | 4,227

"Sheepish Wolves" (T) by skoosiepants | Derek/Stiles | 3,779

"Some Like It Hot" 🔒 (E) by tryslora | Derek/Stiles | 5,663

"lift you to your higher ground" (E) by verity | Derek/Stiles | 4,842

"His Color" (M) by SushiOwl | Peter/Stiles | 1,068

"Gimme a Little Spirit" (E) by red_crate | Peter/Stiles | 3,129

"It's the Lipstick" 🔒 (E) by tryslora | Isaac/Stiles | 749

Men's Hockey (RPF)

"accessory to the rockstar" 🔒 (E) by unsay | Leon Draisaitl/Connor McDavid | 5,318

"weightless under sun" 🔒 (E) by keyshui | Leon Draisaitl/Matthew Tkachuk | 7,752

"but close ain't close enough" 🔒 (E) by lagerlout | Leon Draisaitl/Connor McDavid | 6,363

"i’m gonna tell you right now, they’re all i’m thinkin’ about" 🔒 (E) by lagerlout | Leon Draisaitl/Connor McDavid | 7,012

"like real people do" 🔒 (M) by iceguy | Leon Draisaitl/Matthew Tkachuk | 4,027

"red lips, so kissable" 🔒 (E) by anonymous | Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews | 3,569

"Call Me Baby" (E) by demotu | Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews | 7,115

"crash into me" (E) by fadeastride | Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews | 3,403

"so much honey" 🔒 (E) by notthequiettype | Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick | 1,119

"Better than I ever even knew" 🔒 (E) by theaa | Jamie Drysdale/Trevor Zegras | 3,165

"be my baby" 🔒 (E) by countthestars | Jamie Drysdale/Trevor Zegras | 2,435

"Heart Rush" 🔒 (E) by canary | Kent Johnson/Owen Power | 22,072

Hannibal (TV)

"Rubies" (E) by emungere | Will/Hannibal | 79,373

••••••

More to be added.

[book--brackets]

Amara from Dragonspell by Donita Paul and Ember from The City of Ember

Added!

[cultivating-wildflowers]

Potential March Reads

(in which I continue to be wildly optimistic)

Currently Reading:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - The good news: I am enjoying this one! Whatever hangups I have about Novik's style aren't significant enough here for me to lose interest, so yay! The bad news: despite my interest, it's slow going. (I'm about a fifth of the way through.)

*note that Wanderlust is officially on hold, probably until this summer*

New reads:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - ebook, 516 pages (how many times can I extend my Libby hold for this...?) - DNF'd

South With the Sun: Roald Amundsen, His Polar Explorations, and the Quest for Discovery by Lynne Cox - printed, 275 pages

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher - printed, 365 pages DNF'd

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan - audio, ~10 hours

Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo - audio, ~5 hours

Not even adding DragonSpell to the official list anymore. If I get to it, I get to it. Ah well.

Another potential reread for this month will be the first two books of the Children of the Consortium trilogy, so I can get to final book, which was released in February.

[godofthestupid]

wasn't feeling too well today

so I decided to do a candle run in sky to ya know just chill a little when someone with the dragonspell came by

I joined them in their candle run and it was so frigging nice

Something about just tagging along to strangers and helping out in their candle run feels therapeutic

[gemini-care-barr]

For Barry and Hal-

What fandoms or franchises do you think they are in or follow? Could be podcast related, Reddit forums they are a part of, movie sequels or trilogies or novels!

Definitely something that should be mentioned more in canon comics so let’s use this as a manifesting moment by detailing it out 🤭

Right off the bat, I have to make it clear to absolutely everyone that Barry is 100% a Trekkie and Hal is most likely a Star Wars fan. And while we’re on the most heated sci-fi debate, I’ll add that once Hal and Barry became friends and Barry learned more about the Green Lantern Corps he undoubtedly introduced Hal to Star Trek and successfully convinced him that it was the superior sci-fi franchise, we stan two Trekkies 😜

Now then, I don’t think Hal would be very into book series or fantasy in general but he’d definitely have a particular interest in the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy and I think he’d try Game of Thrones and The Witcher because of everyone’s recommendations but would probably not like it very much. He’s the noble-type though and would be pretty easily convinced to read the Lord of the Rings books (including the Hobbit and Silmarillion) because of the nobility of the characters and story. Same reasoning goes for Donita K. Paul’s DragonSpell series. He’d also probably be into the writings of Henry David Thoreau, Ernest Hemingway, and Raymond Carver, not hugely into them necessarily but if he was super bored and he had access to their stuff he’d dig it haha. His favorite poem would also probably be Tennyson’s In Memoriam A.H.H.. I don’t see him being too into podcasts, but he’d definitely like rock bands like Foreigner and AC/DC. He’s also definitely into movies more so than tv shows and would love movies like The Right Stuff, Top Gun, Braveheart, The Patriot, John Wick, most blockbusters classics really, and probably anything with Bruce Lee haha. He’d probably think anime/manga was for nerds until someone pointed out that Dragon Ball Z was, in fact, an anime then he’d realize they can be pretty cool hahaha. And with video games, I’d say he absolutely doesn’t have the patience for long form RPGs but can probably be convinced to play some FPSs with friends like Call of Duty and Halo lol. Basically, this was a long way of saying that Hal is probably more sporty, not in an obsessive fan of sports way, mind you, just that he participated in mostly sports growing up and even as an adult probably prefers hanging out playing baseball with kids (Adams’ GL run has an adorable scene of just that) rather than watching/reading/listening to anything so essentially he’s just not very media-obsessed; he’s a doer! He also probably wouldn’t participate in the fandoms of any of the media he does consume because he cares more about engaging with the media itself rather than about others’ thoughts and feelings on it haha.

Onto Barry, honestly, Barry is kind of tougher for me to figure out purely because I feel like he and I are very similar so I’m inclined to list basically all my favorite things and my thought processes haha, but I’ll try to avoid doing that 😝. So, like I said, Barry is definitely a Trekkie, the Federation’s belief in preserving alien lives and lifestyles plus its dedication to exploration and science all appeals to his inner nerd. He probably loves the shows For All Mankind, The X-Files, and Bones because of their science-y natures (he definitely introduced Hal to For All Mankind and it’s one of the shows they watch together haha). We all know he’s a huge comic book fan (shout-out to Pre-Crisis that had him reading Golden Age Flash comics 😜), but I’ll also add that I think this love of Golden Age Flash, thanks to his mom, would have led to his own love of Greek and Roman mythology once he realized where the idea for Jay Garrick’s helmet and shoes came from! A love of mythology would eventually lead to a love of ancient western philosophy and writings then to Medieval romances like the Arthurian legends and the works of Chaucer. Old English stuff would’ve crept in there too starting with Beowulf. He was an old soul from a young age so all these things would’ve caught his eye on trips to the library and the old-fashioned romantic notions and chivalry has definitely stayed with him. All this appreciation for much older works would then slingshot back around to him loving and appreciating more modern works that took heavy inspiration from all this older literature like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, the Percy Jackson series, the Harry Potter series, the Codex Alera, and the Dresden Files, oh and all the detective novels, just all, from Doyle, Christie, Poe, Hammett, etc. then when he found foreign detective fiction he’d go mental and just read them all haha. He’d also probably read the Remo Williams and Jack Reacher book series and convince Hal to do the same! I’d say he’s also into old movies and classic tv shows because they all make him feel good with their sweet morals and happy endings. He’s probably not much of a gamer except for the ones with good stories, he’s too interested in learning new things to just watch someone else play though, if a game’s story interests him then he’s definitely playing it himself. Mass Effect is probably one of his secret favorites. He’s super into podcasts, anything informational and/or scientific, probably conspiratorial and/or true crime stuff, too, if for nothing else than to help him get inspiration on how to approach his own cases, he may even try and solve some cold cases that he hears about (he’d probably stumble across Black Box Down then convince Hal to listen with him haha). He definitely grew up with both the Pokémon TCG and show and was actually aware that it was an anime so is likewise somewhat into other very popular anime/manga like Naruto. Music would be jazz (he’d try and fail to get Hal into it, too, see: New 52 Flash’s Annual #2), 60s rock like the Beatles and the Monkees, and probably 80s pop like the Culture Club, oh and Air Supply (which is also Hal’s guilty pleasure band hehe). He likes sports a lot, both playing and watching, but was still more likely to be found reading/watching/listening to something rather than playing; still, the same way Hal can be convinced to play a video game in order to hangout with friends, Barry can be easily convinced to join in some sporty endeavors if it’ll mean bonding with a friend or loved one. Finally, like Hal, I don’t see him engaging too much with fandoms, he’d probably try when he was younger but wouldn’t find too many people who were into the same things then when he did find people things would devolve into arguments instead of just joy for whatever the thing was so he eventually would resign himself to just enjoying the thing itself, our Barry is a soft boy 🥹. He likes discussion though so once he found people who were his safe space they wouldn’t be able to get him to shut up hahaha.

…I …I can’t believe I wrote this much ahahah 😅. I swear I wasn’t going to get this involved! I was just going to name a few popular franchises that each would be into, but then I started thinking about mediums and how they’d appreciate different ones and then… all this came out lmao 😅😂. I apologize for the long walls of text! Just remember: this is your fault 😜

(Note: forgot to say, Barry would 100% be into Jurassic Park (books and movies) and would convince Hal to read the books (he definitely already watched and loved the movies)!

[literalhobbit]

1, 12, 15, 20 for the book thing 👀

1. Book you’ve reread the most times?

- I thought this would be a tough question but then I thought of The Chronicles of Narnia. If I had to choose a specific story, probably The Horse and His Boy or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I know the radio theater versions by heart and have read the books countless times. They have the best characters and always leave me with a sense of wonder and hope 💕 other contenders were Eragon, Sovay, and DragonSpell, from the hundreds of times I read them growing up lol. I haven’t had as much time to reread books lately, so there aren’t any more recent reads that I’ve already been rereading

12. Did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings?

- Yes! In AP English my junior year, we read Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice for the first time and I loved both. P&P is still one of my faves, and this is where the obsession began lol. I’m so glad I had such a good teacher in that class - she made it really easy to love those stories. I remember some other books from other years that I disliked (some I hated lol) but no more specifically come to mind that I enjoyed.

15. Recommend and review a book.

- You’ve already read nearly everything I’ve loved and recommended lol. So, I have two recommendations I can’t choose from: Nocturne by Alyssa Wees or Anne of Green Gables.

1. Nocturne: it’s a shorter book, about a ballerina in 1930s Chicago who dreams of more. She becomes prima ballerina of her company but primarily because of a mysterious patron who has interesting demands of her. It feels like it’s a romance but the ending isn’t what I expected. The writing style is what captivated me - the author was a ballerina and somehow she writes in a way that is rhythmic and lyrical and feels like a dance. I loved it. And it’s wild because I just picked it up because of the beautiful cover art lol

2. Anne of Green Gables: another childhood favorite of mine. Anne is an orphan who gets adopted by older farmers, a brother and sister. She is a whimsical child full of love, hope, and an imagination like no other. It’s the beginning of the story of her growing up and she’s just wonderful. Sometimes I got secondhand embarrassment from things she did but they were usually for pretty relatable reasons. She has a delightful way of viewing the world that will make you look around in wonder, too

20. What are things you look for in a book?

- I like stories with hope. The world is a dark place (like many fictional ones, too), and can feel overwhelmingly against us, so I want to read about the stories where they fight on with hope, in whatever capacity. It doesn’t have to be a fairy tale to be hopeful. I look for compelling, well-thought out characters who are flawed and realistic. I do typically look for more plot-driven books (lots of fantasy adventures or mysteries) but they MUST have good character development too or they just fall flat for me. Also, if it has a cool magic system or pirates or dragons or talking cats, you can bet I will pick it up lol

[catcas22]

ヾo Hello!

For the ask game -> 1, 12 & 26?

#1 ... You're killing me here, Mara. I was 13. I was really into The Clone Wars. I had an OC who was basically me, managed to be a Jedi, a Sith, and Mandalorian at the same time, and was some long-lost relation (can't remember exactly how) to Obi-Wan. And she was very, very edgy.

I literally forgot this OC existed. Can't say she's evolved much over the years -- more like she's been in suspended animation. Waiting. Watching. Judging me.

#12 Most of what I write falls under Medieval Fantasy, so a lot of the general research I do applies across projects. But Prince of Death did involve a fair amount of research into the population size/distribution of medieval European states, relative army sizes, and the ordering/naming of military units.

Also I've learned the proper names for the various pieces of a suit of armor.

#26 The Lord of the Rings trilogy (+ the Silmarillion) will always be a favorite. I've also got a soft spot for Narnia (The Magician's Nephew is my favorite). As a tween, I really enjoyed Mistmantle, Dragonspell, Redwall, and Percy Jackson. Out of the classics, Dracula, with The Scarlet Pimpernel and A Tale of Two Cities tied for second place. I remember reading Sense and Sensibility and really enjoying it at the time, but I couldn't tell you the plot aside from a few anecdotes if my life depended on it.

Thanks for the ask!