#I absolutely adore the flowery prose

[shauni-will-never-write]

You know, I'd be enjoying Unicorn Overlord a lot more if every single male romance option wasn't so devoid of... what was it again... Oh, right. Romance :/

[uncanny-tranny]

Could you describe your gender using words that are not typically used to describe one's gender?

The wave of exhilaration I got when I finally thought of a story I want to write after being burnt out for over five years, or maybe novels from the romantic movement or the decadent movement, for the latter it would primarily be the manner in which people spoke with each other in The Picture of Dorian Gray

[thewertsearch]

@skelekingfeddy asked: (1/?) from hussie's now-defunct tumblr, re mindfang's journal: Mindfang’s journal entries were always intended as narrative departures in which I would deliberately drag the story into what I call “The Bad Fanfiction Zone.” Without necessarily laying it on TOO thick (because holy shit, fanfiction can be REALLY bad), I specifically emulated some common impulses of fanfiction writers to open this backstory portal, to fill in some world building details and contextualize the arcs of the troll kids. (2/?) It’s kind of bombastic, character-aggrandizing, uncomfortably erotic, and florid. I wanted to leverage the Bad Fanfiction Zone for useful story purposes, primarily because this was a funny idea to me. It’s one of those gags which I don’t expect the majority of readers to pick up on. Some people LOVE the Mindfang stuff because, among other reasons, they’re often the sort of people who genuinely like to read fanfiction! Whereas some others HATED the journals, probably without even fully (3/4) understanding why. The reason is because I bombed my own story with bad fanfiction, and tricked them into reading it. This is absolutely the most hilarious consequence of this gag. But don’t get me wrong. Just because I call it the Bad Fanfiction Zone doesn’t mean I actually think the Mindfang stuff is bad. All the lore is good and I like the indirect filling in of events and details of alien culture as you’d reveal through study of historical documents and journals. But the execution is (4/4) humorously heavy handed, somewhere between lavish old world prose and an enthusiastic fandom hackjob, and this was a conscious layer of the gag. And there are some people who do pick up on this.

Hmm - this is verbatim Hussie, right?

Honestly, I'm not sure I understand the joke. I've read a decent amount of fanfiction, and Mindfang's journal didn't match any fic tropes I'm familiar with. To me, the hallmarks of bad fanfiction are things like stilted dialogue, pacing issues, or a misunderstanding of the source material - none of which, in my opinion, is exhibited by the journals. Sure, Mindfang's language is overly flowery, but that's clearly because she's completely full of herself. She adores the sound of her own voice, so she'll always write a paragraph when she should have written a line.

All this to say - I don't really know what Hussie means when he says the journal is a 'bad fanfiction'. I am quite interested in what he's getting at, though, so if anyone did get the joke, I'd very much like to know what sort of fanfiction 'impulses' Hussie is riffing off here.

[still-not-over-transformers]

Could I get headcanons (or a oneshot if you prefer) of tfp ratchet and tfp optimus (seperate or together, to quote road to el dorado: both, both is good) with a male human reader who courts them via love letters.

This was fun and I loved it!!!

TFP Ratchet & Optimus x Male Human Reader

Word Count: 500+

Optimus:

The Prime was taken by shock when he received and read the first letter you had sent him. Your words of adoration were eloquent and poetic, painting himself in a light he had never seen himself in. Optimus was ever humble and focused on being a just leader, concerned with being fair to his fellow comrades. He hadn’t given much thought to romance, as there had not been the time nor the right bot/person present. After a tough day or an arduous battle with the Decepticons, sometimes he would find a new letter from his mysterious admirer. After time passed, Optimus found comfort and a bit of excitement from receiving your letters. 

The words on the frail paper were powerful yet soft and sensual declarations of your love and adoration for the Prime, and were especially soothing after a hard day. Of course, he would only read these letters in absolute privacy, keeping them just as close as the Matrix of Leadership. Near his spark. Romance was something normally not in the cards for any Prime, as duty always came first. But oh how he wanted nothing more than to reach through the pages and reciprocate the love you had shown him. You knew him so well, so… intimately, and Optimus began to desire you in the same way, even if he might never achieve it. 

He would dream of being with you, seeing your face, and he imagined how handsome such a face would be. Such sweet and loving words could only come from the lips of what he had come to know as an angel…

Ratchet: 

Ratchet was a mech of science, and often found such ideals as romance and affection to be unnecessary distractions from his work. Yet when a mysterious letter addressed to himself was placed on his desk, he couldn’t help but at least open it. After all, how many letters do Autobots get? His curiosity piqued, Ratchet would open and read the first letter, albeit first taking note of the artistic calligraphy which embossed his name on the cover of the letter. He opened the letter in the middle of the base, casually reading through the letter before the flowery prose and words made him a bit red in the faceplate. This would lead him into excusing himself from the others and heading into a storage room to continue to read and process the words you had inked into the paper. 

At first, the medic refused to believe that simple words could get such a rise from him. But as more of your letters arrived on his desk, the medic would resign himself to scheduled “breaks” to sneak off to the storage wing to read your sweet and often sensual words. Ratchet would never let anyone else see him like this, akin to as Jack put it, ‘a giddy highschool girl with a crush.’ Honestly, the aging medic would have never thought romance was something he would desire, yet here were your letters and intoxicating words. 

He would fantasize what you looked like. From eons of experience, he could tell you undoubtedly had to be attractive, especially your soul. Ratchet would most definitely try to figure out who and where you were, as he was far too curious now.  

[the-butterbun]

Hello. I’m glad you like my descriptions for your TMA Tarot.

They are very basic for cards. Mostly just enough to get a message.

But given each Tarot deck is personal to the images they use, I might eventually have time to really go into depth of cards meaning. I have 5 decks myself, and though messages can be the same, the way they are presented are different depending on the cards images.

(Example being my Arcana Deck’s star is very big into hope and courage. As the person who represents it is these things. But my Vampire Deck’s Star is more about the determination and desire of hope than the feeling of it.)

So for your deck I’d be going into more about how the Star and The Dark go hand in hand. Your deck would talk more about the facing of darkness rather than the hope the Star invokes. And would give more messages to the reader that, say reversed, means they are in despair.

So say they got Strength and The Star reversed, the reading would indicate they are in despair and fear, the darkness is about to consume them, and Strength would tell them to face the Dark with calmness and resolve. Invoking in a way two beings, to face the fear of The Dark you must embrace the strength of The Hunt.

I hope this gives you an idea of why I adore Tarot Deck’s that are stylized to certain fandoms. Because though the meaning of the cards are roughly the same, the way they are presented and told to the reader is very different depending on the art and/or fandom they are based in.

Sorry for this info dump, I wish you well with your exams and your project. Dont feel any pressure to continue it, doing 72 cards with 22 of them being heavy stylized as Major Arcane is not easy. (Not to mention the 16 Court Cards.)

((Dude!! The Court Cards could easily be the 14 fears with the Magnus Institute and its Underground being the last two))

Ah, sorry getting carried away with this ‘ask’. Again good luck and hope everything goes well!

I absolutely love your descriptions for the tma tarot cards I drew!

I don't have a lot of practice with more flowery/metaphorical language. Seeing your proposals for the card meanings really sparked up my drive for this project once again. I can go in depth about my reasonings and analysis but poetic prose is a whole other ball park.

The fact that I don't actually have a lot of experience with tarot is also certainly a factor. at the beginning I had trouble matching characters with their cards since all decks are different but that is also the beaty of tarot I learned!

Here's the whole list of the Major Arcana matches so far (keep in mind these might still change, some of theses matches I am more attached to than others)! I paired up all these cards a few months ago so atm am a bit fuzzy on my exact thought process but I made it a point to give each fear AT LEAST one card of the Major Arcana (including the extinction). I have not done the Courts as of yet and probably won't for a while.

0 - the fool - Micheal Shelly

1 - the magician - Anabelle Cain

2 - the high priestess - Melanie King/Helen Richardson (I'm still split on this one)

3 - the empress - Gertrude Robinson

4 - the emperor - Jonah Magnus/Elias Bouchard

5 - the hierophant - Raymond Fielding

6 - the lovers - Agnes Montague and Jack Barnabas

7 - the chariot - Julia Montauk and Trevor Herbert

8 - strength - Daisy Tonner and Badura Hussain

9 - the hermit - Martin Blackwood

10 - wheel of fortune - Georgie Barker and Oliver Banks

11 - Justice - Peter Lukas

12 - the hanged man - Jonathan Sims

13 - death - Gerry Keay

14 - temperance - Jared Hopworth

15 - the devil - Nikola Orsinov

16 - the tower - Micheal Crew

17 - the star - Manuela Dominguez

18 - the moon - Gary Boylen

19 - the sun - Jane Prentis

20 - judgement - Hazekiah Wakely

21 - the world - Simon fairchild

I have my in depth notes on these somewhere in my journal so if anyone's interested I can go in depth on each card, why I chose who I chose as well as alternative candidates :)

PS.: Actually I should probably check out the Courts before I finalize these matches. who knows maybe I'll find better ones and push off some of the Eye servants over there I mean I love them dearly but also this deck is VERY heavily Eye stacked. the 'one card per fear minimum rule' definitely stays regardless

PSS.: (god I can't even even fit them all in the tags, my pookies...)

[thelunaticghost]

xvn fic recs !!

i have been meaning to do this for a while : mostly because fic recs are fun to compile and also thee seems to be a BIG shortage of any fic rec posts!! so here are some fics i have enjoyed over the years!! ofc this list is non exhaustive please note the ratings of each fic and heed the tags before reading! sorry, that i am putting in the shorter summary

anyway!! feel free to put in more fic recs too!! :D

End OTW Racism | over the edge of all our knowings by merthurlin [ G, 10,146 words , 1/1 ]

Years down the line, after the whole business with Lumine and her brother has been concluded, Venti decides to go on a world tour. He sends Xiao letters.

merthurlin got me into xiaoven so ofc my list starts with her fic! this is just so so sweet and even if its not necessarily fluffy there is a warmth to the writing it is a comfort read for me! i recommend every work by her (regardless of fandom). though in xvn End OTW racism | never dreamed of nobody like you is another excellent fic!

nocturne by yanrans [ T, 34,540 words, 4/4 ]

In which Venti sells magical music boxes, Xiao is his unwitting customer, and there is absolutely, definitely nothing more to it at all.

modern au where venti is - a scammer? - i mean a music box seller and xiao is just a regular guy and and. its funny and delightful and absolutely breath taking. i wouldnt elaborate more so as not to spoil anything further but the fic has many unexpected surprises in it! yanrans is another writer i definitely recommend to check out more! their writing style is very flamboyant and poetic.

what hides in neon shadow by morii_tea [ T, 7,547 words, 1/1 ]

In which Xiao is a cyborg, Venti is a thief, and the glittering city of Teyvat hides more secrets than they’re prepared to find out.

its so rare to see morally grey venti is potrayed (even though he isnt v morally grey but still. xiao having to remembering that venti isnt as honourable as he appears is yesssss wohoo). this fic has some thrilling action and a v fun cyberpunk world!! i wish it was longer but it is v exciting nevertheless

every morning in the dark by magicites [ M, 77,124 words, 34/34 ]

Stuck in a time loop where he succumbs to his karmic debt, Xiao struggles to see the point in moving forward. Venti struggles to save him.

READ THE TAGS!!! character death and suicidal thoughts are two major warnings. but DAMN this fic it's just so. SO FULL of everything WRONG with xiao!! and venti too but such a GREAT angst fic!! it gets everything so Right. magicites also happened to have written one of my most favourite genshin fic too :] and if you havent read her other works!! you are missing out!!

the half-life of the yaksha is absolute by GStK [ G, 1,000 words, 1/1 ]

Venti digs his thumbs in to keep open the wound but it is too late His gaze snaps over to the teal essence dancing over Xiao’s fingers. Now all those words will belong to him And Venti will belong to him, only.

READ THE TAGS!! now that i have went into the time loop fic ofc i have to mention the beautiful corrupt xiao prose. the imagery is flowery and grotesque!

foreigner's god by smallghosts [ T, 3,818 words, 1/1 ]

Lord Barbatos falls asleep for a few hundred years. Xiao copes with his absence in strange ways.

a pre-canon fic where xiao becomes - in a way - a worshipper? it's SO GOOD. its about the yearning!!!!!!!!! SCREAMS i dont think i have to explain further

love me like you do by Limerancy [ T, 3,000 words, 1/1 ]

They aren’t the kind of friends that touch.

TOUCH STARVED AND TOUCH AVERSE XIAO!!!!!! this fic makes me a lil bit feral. a little unhinged. i absolutely enjoy reading about the yearning , the desire JUST!!!! AAAA. this writer also writes v fluffy modern au one shots!!! so be sure to check them out too :)

The Kissing Tree by Princeliest [ G, 7,581 words, 2/2 ]

Venti kisses Xiao, and Xiao does not understand why.

VENTI COMMITMENT ISSUES!!!!! as much as i adore reading xiao angst, venti angst is still something i love seeking out and its a tragedy that its not explored enough in this ship :c but anyway!!! such amazing characterization and exploration!! princeliest is one of fav genshin writers and this fic delivers!

wishing on dandelions all of the time by OedipusOctopus [ T, 8,270 words, 1/1 ]

When Venti first catches sight of the swords artfully hung on the wall of his new roommate's bedroom, he regrets putting up the sublease on Craigslist. Firmly believing this guy is a total weirdo, Venti is more surprised than anyone when he realizes the total weirdo is actually adorable. It's not against some invisible Roommate Code to dream about kissing your roommate, right?

ofc there is a classic roommate au fic!! this was one of my most favourite fic from last years xvn week: its hilarious and silly and just a perfect relaxing read!! the characterization and their banter is so entertaining i admit i have read this multiple times!

Where Words Fail by kavvueh [ T, 27,926 words, 11/12 ]

"You're Barbatos," Xiao repeats breathlessly. The young man in front of him nods. "Yep." "But..." Xiao cuts himself off and tries again. "You're the God of songs and poetry." The Anemo Archon nods his head sagely. "More or less." Xiao fixes Lord Barbatos with the most incredulous look he can manage. "... You're failing Music Theory."

this fic is such a delight!! it has some light background lore, some silly shenanigans, miscommunications, pinning - a truly fun mixture! the fic is v light hearted but written with a lot of tenderness. i am v excited to see its conclusion!

what queer sins stain thy soul by Anonymous [ M, 3,232 words, 1/1 ]

In which Xiao, long-established asexual, learns that identity is not as stable as he’d like to believe.

there is some explicit things in it (in non explicit way) i believe religious guilt is one of the best flavouring to xvn. it is an under-explored area in this ship imo and this fic not only has that but also!!! asexuality !!!!!! this fic so so personal and its exploration of desire that gets to me a lot

unholy virtues by morphasia [ E, 17,065 words, 6/6 ]

In exchange for his body in more ways than one, Venti summons a demon to reclaim something that has been stolen from him. It's a just contract. That's all it's supposed to be. That's all it was ever supposed to be.

READ THE TAGS!!! this fic truly went creature/creature. this au is just so fascinating and funny in a twisted way (but not bad). this fic isnt for everyone though but it is definitely worth the shot.

[aphfanficwriters]

Every month we will pose a question and collate responses as a fun and informal little exercise in getting to know each other and spark discussion. This month's question is:

“Which writing rule do you most enjoy breaking?”

relmu / @iamnompuehuenu: this is my personal preference, but i absolutely adore flowery writing that borders on purple prose. maybe it's because the literature i grew up with is filled with metaphors and decorations and that rubbed off on me, but i just find it extremely beautiful and dramatic… I've come to learn that English-speaking writers are more direct and that purple prose is not seen with good eyes, but i like it so much i have to remind myself to not put too much emphasis on descriptions and metaphors when writing lol. it sometimes becomes heavy to read but for me it's a joy, though i understand it's not for everyone 🙏

prush / @proosh: you can take run-on sentences from my cold dead hands

Wasps / @petiolata: "Avoid epithets" is the one I enjoy breaking the most. To me, it's very similar to "show, don't tell". Like every writing practice that people get told "don't do that!" about, they have their time and place. Both telling and epithets can create distance, or emphasize certain qualities about the character. They can also convey information faster. I think a lot of the criticism of them comes from a lack of understanding that people read fics for different purposes and so writers will write with different effects in mind. If a fic is meant to be an extremely fast-paced suspenseful ride—and that's more important to the writer or audience than elegance of writing or creating deep POV closeness—and an epithet best serves that, then isn't it the best choice to use the epithet? What makes good writing is widely debated, but what makes a good writer in my opinion is intentionality. The ability, skills, knowledge, to accomplish exactly what effects you're going for. And sometimes that means making choices that serve pacing or kink appeal over elegance or POV depth. I probably don't use many epithets in my fics, but knowing how much unfair flack they get makes me celebrate every single one.

Tama / @delgumofics: I generally try to follow the rules since I'm always trying to grow as a writer. I think mine is run-on sentences though. If I'm writing a scene where a characters understanding of the world is supposed to be different in some way, like they're really high, or they're very emotionally charged, I use a lot of run-ons to express that. I try to put myself in their heads pace and think how they'd think, and when someone is fucked up or really emotionally charged, grammar and pacing kind of go out the window. Thought becomes one long stream of ideas and feelings so I try to express that sensation with words. That usually results in run-ons dotted with short snappy single or two word sentences mixed into the paragraph.

WhiteWings / @smuttyandabsurd: "Write what you know" seems to be taken as "write only what you know" which is a terrible rule. Write what you don't know. Push the limits of your knowledge. Deep dive into research and learn things you didn't know so you can write about it… Or don't! Revel in making it up and writing with terrible inaccuracy, it's called artistic license babes. It won't appeal to everyone, of course, and you may very well annoy a bunch of people, but you can't please everyone and you shouldn't try to.

Didi / @teaedon: first draft is the final version, and i don't cut anything out (well, rarely).

Yukihitomi / @arthurhonda: Writing rules? Don’t know em. Too busy destroying the English grammar. Punctuation besides commas, periods, exclamation points, and question marks don’t exist.

And there were those who didn't understand the assignment... 😅

Eru / @eruverse: Wasn’t aware there were rules, I do what I want and what fits best

@folightening: I'm not even aware what the rules are so I've no idea. I just write how I want.

Beetroot / @council-of-beetroot: Does anyone have a list of writing rules to reference?

Mossman / @one-more-mossman: I don't even know what rules the writing has [...] Uneducated swine I am

[eddiebabygirldiaz]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @captain-hen @anxieteandbiscuits @lemonzestywrites @forthewolves @king-buckley @hippolotamus @watchyourbuck @shitouttabuck @lover-of-mine @thewolvesof1998 @heartshapedvows @jesuisici33 @hoodie-buck @wikiangela @monsterrae1 @exhuastedpigeon

thank you all! sorry it took me so long to do this <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

13

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

582,638

3. What fandoms do you write for?

only 911 at first but now i have a fringe fic and a wolfsong fic in the works

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head (eddie comes out to buck and to be supportive buck buys eddie a very gay mug)

today i live for a single drop of you (5 times buck dreams about sucking eddie's cock and 1 time he actually gets to do it)

when the violence causes silence (set after 6x10, eddie dealing with the aftermath of the lightning strike and working out how to confess his feelings)

we live and breathe words (buck finds eddie's poetry and realizes eddie is in love with him and decides to do something about it)

slowly getting sober from the taste of your skin (pwp, threesome between buck, eddie, and evil doctor buck)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i do! at least, i do my best, i know sometimes i get the notification and look away and completely forget asdfghjkll, but i love responding and weeping about my gratitude

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

ummm all of my fics have happy endings sooooo i don't have an answer for this

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

ummm maybe red life might stream again because eddie and buck went through a lot of shit in that fic so i made it my mission to give them the happiest and sappiest ending possible

8. Do you get hate on fics?

i have been very lucky in that i haven't

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

oh yes i do. and i suppose it's very emotional and sappy smut. i do try to balance filthy and sweet

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

never written one

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to me knowledge

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

me and @elvensorceress started writing a s2 rewrite where shannon lives that i absolutely adore, it's taken a bit of a backburner but it lives forever in my heart. also me and @spaceprincessem plan on writing one that im sure will be so very self-indulgent

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

gotta be buddie (though polivia from fringe is a close second)

15. What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

im not sure. i plan on getting all of my wips done at some point and i don't really think there is one that i won't (at least not at this point)

16. What are your writing strengths?

descriptions i think. i can paint a pretty picture and definitely have flowery purple prose. and a lot of people have told me i am good at characterization which i always worry about but am glad to hear that's it's something im good at even if i doubt it

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i cannot shut up. everything i write is so lengthy even when it doesn't need to be. being succinct definitely isn't my strong suit. and uhh i struggle with writing dialogue because i will get lost in the character's headspace and forget people are supposed to be talking

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i absolutely love it though i don't do it often because i get nervous about it. thankfully i have friends that i can ask if i am unsure about something and im trying to get more comfortable doing it

19. First fandom you wrote for?

supernatural

20. Favourite fic you've written?

gotta be to you i'm just a man (to me you're all i am) because i put my heart and soul into that fic and i really loved delving into the 118's dynamic and everyone's relationship with buck and creating new circumstances for eddie and buck to fall in love

no pressure tagging (and sorry if you've already been tagged) @elvensorceress @spaceprincessem @bvckandeddie @colonoscopys @housewifebuck @prettyboybuckley @rogerzsteven @paranoidbean @911onabc @honestlydarkprincess @bigfootsmom @try-set-me-on-fire @bucks118 @devirnis @giddyupbuck @disasterbuckdiaz @transboybuckley @rewritetheending @eddiediaztho @callaplums

[vacantgodling]

Happy sts

Is there an author or work that you think was particularly influencial on your style, works or viewpoints on writing?

hello hello! thank you for the question <3

honestly i'd say there's 3 main authors that influenced me as well as one specific genre that's influenced my actual prose style in general.

the three i would say would be (1) rick riordan (2) cornelia funke and (3) f scott fitzgerald

rick riordan and cornelia funke inspired me in terms of story structure, topics, and general depths of character and creating dialogue. i used to be much stronger with dialogue versus prose (though i've always been a bit descriptive), but the way that i looked at prose changed entirely when i first read the great gatsby in 11th grade. i Love that book. the way it's written is absolutely sublime and i really latched onto how things were described and sought to emulate it in my own writing.

the introduction i had to wuthering heights (despite all of its yikes) and the gothic genre/shakespeare in general really helped me refine the prose style that i have. which most on writeblr will always hear me describe as "flowery" because its just. extremely descriptive and i really love it. my general crusade in reading old books in the past year, and leaning more into this prose and into my love of history generally, has helped me develop complex and interesting stories that are chock full of the kind of prose that i adore and i've managed to create something of my own i think. a modern-flowery, because i can't think of another way to describe it.

[thechaoticreader]

And Then I Woke Up Review

Title: And Then I Woke Up

Author: Malcolm Devlin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reading Method: Audiobook

Genre(s): Horror | Dystopian | Science Fiction

Favourite Quote: "Maybe we’ll all have to get used to the uncertainty. Maybe that’s what frightens me. The way you can get used to anything if you’ve got nothing better to gravitate toward."

*Disclaimers: reviews are for READERS 🖤 and this is all my opinion and experience reading the book, if you disagree thats totally fine but please be respectful!*

Its probably obvious by the star rating but I absolutely ADORE this book! I'm not usually a fan of zombies but the way Malcolm Devlin handles them was so unique and impactful that I was hooked! It is probably one of my favourite novels of all time and it feels as though it was written specifically for me. Yes there were zombies (kinda?) but the real horror was in the human psyche and left me questioning my own sense of reality. A truly unique and beautifully written horror novel that will be living in my head rent free!

Read this if you like:

flowery, purple prose

cerebral horror

body horror

short books/novellas

zombies

viruses

commentary on social media/propaganda

1st person narrative

Trigger Warnings:

child death

obsessions (could be triggering to those with OCD)

familicide

gore

mental hospital setting

paranoia

self harm (one scene)

pandemic talk

mention of toxic parental relationships

gun violence

(thats all I can think of off the top of my head but please feel free to add more🖤)

I think this is an excellent example of a successful horror novel that is scary without using triggering subjects simply for shock value! And Then I Woke Up is proof that a story can be terrifying WITHOUT relying on random shocking/triggering scenes, objectifying language, racism, homophobia/transphobia, etc.

I also think that this would be a good pick if you're new to horror!

Lastly, I don't typically like audiobooks but Graham Mack did a fantastic job at bringing our MC to life without sounding cheesy and overacted (the Aussie accent definitely helps)!

And for the annotation girlies, I gotchu! I wish I had the physical copy because there were so many good lines and themes, I think ya'll would eat with this book! Plus we LOVE a pink cover!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Fly With Me Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ They were mirrors in a way. Both of them watching their loved ones suffer. Both unable to help in any meaningful way. Both coping--one with work and the other with a list. Both scared shitless of hurting the other one. ❞

❓ #QOTD What are you afraid of? ❓ ⚠️ Content Warnings: Terminal illness, chronic illness, misogyny, toxic relationship, grief, traumatic brain injury

🦇 ER nurse Olive Murphy's fear of flying doesn't stop her from getting on a plane to honor her brother, but it seems her fear is misplaced. A medical emergency forces Olive to leap out of her seat and into action, only for the flight to get redirected. She would have missed the marathon she was meant to run at Disney if not for Allied Airlines pilot Stella Soriano; a gorgeous, type A woman who captivates Olive with a glance. They share a magical day at Disney together as the video of Olive saving a man's life goes viral (after all, she did TECHNICALLY save Mickey Mouse), prompting an uptick in positive press and sales for the airline. Stella sees it as an opportunity to earn her long-deserved promotion and asks Olive to play the role of her fake girlfriend as they generate more press. Can Olive stand playing a fake role when her heart is already on a one-way flight?

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My Thoughts:

💜 Get ready for a sassy, steamy, sapphic love story bound to soar into your heart. Andie Burke's debut novel has a little of everything; an insta-crush, fake dating (complete with a binder full of rules and research!), sharp and witty banter, plus some real and raw mental health rep. Between their anxieties, family responsibilities, and messy emotions, both Olive and Stella are relatable main characters you can't help but fall in love with. Sparks fly from the moment Olive and Stella meet, and Olive's mega-crush is adorable without making her seem adolescent. We gain a lot of insight into both characters' lives despite the fact that the story sticks with Olive's POV, which isn't always an easy feat. The prose is descriptive but not overly flowery, but it's the character development that really flies off the page. I absolutely adored Olive's best friend, too (imagine Felix from Orphan Black and get ready for ALL the gay sass).

💜 Burke does a wonderful job of normalizing mental health conditions without banging mental health rep over our heads. Olive's symptoms are as much a part of her as the heart-eyes she wears when Stella is in the room. After her (toxic) ex broke up with Olive because her anxiety disorder and panic attacks were "too much," Olive is afraid her symptoms will eventually scare Stella away. Meanwhile, Stella's responsibilities as her father's caretaker (who has Parkinson's) create the cracks in her type-A facade and show us why she's so committed to earning her promotion. Both characters encounter misogyny as well. While some readers might feel that there's too much going on, Burke carefully stacks these issues atop of one another. That's life; we're all juggling multiple conflicts, both internal and external. Read the quote I selected again. These women are mirror images of one another. Their struggles, while different on the surface, make it all the easier for them to empathize with and support each other. There's also no perfect, easy solution to the problems these women are facing because, again: that's life.

🦇 A part of me does wish this story split the POV, allowing us to see Stella's perspective. Keeping the focus on Olive ensured Stella's feelings for her remained hidden, but...come on. We all know where a sapphic romance novel is bound to end: with a sapphic romance. The "fake dating girlfriends with benefits" situation is where the story really gets messy. It's difficult to believe that Stella doesn't have romantic feelings for Olive at that point. The miscommunication trope is still my least favorite, but it lingers much too long in this one, leading to a not-at-all surprising third-act breakup. Even so, this remains the best sapphic romance I've read so far this year.

🦇 Recommended to fans of the fake dating trope, serious character development, and a heart-eyed, healing MC.

✨ The Vibes ✨ ✈️ Fake Dating ✈️ Bisexual MC ✈️ Sapphic Ship ✈️ Panic Attacks/Depression/Mental Health Rep ✈️ Debut Author

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[findroleplay]

23nb, back on my bullshit.

looking for 20+ writers interested in a mildly specific sambucky (mcu) plot. like them, i have no grasp on what is going on in the rest of the mcu right now, interdimensional time travel? i hardly know her. instead, i want to have my two favorite guys play house in a slow-burn, buddy cop dramedy where we smush them into one bed like a couple of barbie dolls.

the actual plot: after the events of ftws, sam and bucky are recruited for an undercover mission where they are responsible for investigating the seedy underbelly of a new england, suburban neighborhood that is suspected to be a coverup for a money laundering scheme. it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve gone undercover: they’ve been billionaire/bodyguard, step-brothers, business partners, etc. however, when they’re handed their case file and assumed identities they discover that they’re going undercover as a couple of newlyweds, moving to the suburbs to settle down and start a family. of course, they are thrilled. their main objective is to assimilate into the neighborhood’s suburban culture. go to barbecues, make nice with the pta moms, look unsuspecting. in doing this, sam and bucky eventually realize that they actually enjoy this. not necessarily the simple pleasantries of the family life, but having someone to come home to at the end of the day. someone to share dinners with and someone casually wrap an arm around. being sam-and-bucky, not just sam and bucky. tldr: the middle-aged men fall in love while pretending to be husbands.

logistics time: i am a literate/novella writer. while i absolutely adore writing big, flowery prose, i understand the joys of quick-paced responses when you’re in the thick of it. i am nsfw friendly, so long as my partners don’t strictly write tops/bottoms. (as a queer person myself, i just think it’s unrealistic.) however, nsfw is not required. i am looking for someone to write sam. i just have more experience with bucky, i started my rping experience roughly ten years ago writing this man and i can’t give him up now lol. irl stuff comes first in my books, so if you want someone who’s a stickler for activity that’s just not me. i’m a lax person, so as long as we’re communicating i’m happy. love chatting, swapping headcanons, ideas, and creations. lastly, i write pretty exclusively on discord. so, if any of this sounds like something you would be interested, let me know by liking this post!! i’ll reach out to you from there 🌼💛

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[rosesloveletters]

For the selfship ask game,

cupcake ౨ৎ do you and your lover frequent parties/clubs/social gatherings often?

Thanks for asking anon, dear!

cupcake ౨ৎ do you and your lover frequent parties/clubs/social gatherings often?

Absolutely not. Wonka does not leave the factory, mostly because he is somewhat of a celebrity and will be mobbed by adoring "fans" if he were to go out. When he makes a public appearance, Wonka wants to be in complete control of it and therefore would only entertain the idea of a party or social gathering if he were the one hosting it.

However, he does not have the desire or the time for such a huge commitment.

He is not an easily trusting man and prefers to keep others at arms length.

As time wears on and we become closer, our relationship deepening, he does step out of his comfort zone and agrees go out and meet my friends and family, typically at dinner parties at their homes or at private cafes when there are no huge crowds.

Wonka is mistrustful towards most people and is very cynical, hiding behind flowery prose, wit and a smile.

When he meets new people, he is charming as ever, even though I can tell that he is guarded; after some time, more of his true personality comes out when he learns that he can trust them as I do.

questions sourced from kentoangel's little selfship ask game

[ayahimes]

What are the trends when it comes to writing that you adore?

questions for the mun

well , i love seeing the simplicity of writing again . i have zero issue with people who write flowery , purple - prosey language and over editing their font . is it my cup of tea ? not really . but we all start somewhere and have a penchant to gravitate to what feels natural for us . for those who do it , if it makes you happy then keep doing it . we won't always vibe with everyone we come across here and we'll find the people whose writing and energy matches our own !! it just takes time .

i , myself , am guilty of editing my posts with colored text and whatnot , but tbh , i much prefer to just write without all the aesthetic . then again i'm not sure if it makes me hypocritical to what i just said , but i want to maintain a certain aesthetic to my blog so i don't mind the extra effort on my part . however , seeing people go iconless or no longer putting an obscene amount of spaces between words has been rather nice . i wasn't around for photoshop replies and all that but i have seen them and yeesh ... funny how fast trends move here on this site .

another trend i adore is that more people are going iconless . not everyone has access to photoshop or possesses the funds to buy icon psds . heck , some people just don't want to . and to be honest , some of the best writers i've come across here whose prose i absolutely fell in love with are iconless . i am a supporter of aesthetic , but i am an even bigger supporter of quality prose .

[blackwaterstudies]

Nothing But Blackened Teeth

4/5 — Gods know I've read much worse in my day.

I'll start out by saying that this is one of those books that you'll either love or hate based on writing style alone. Cassandra has a definite love of similes. Some of them are fine — others not as much. The acknowledgement admits that at one point the book needed "a lot of work." It probably could've done with a little more, but it's certainly far from terrible.

I feel like it could have done with one more chapter somewhere in the middle. I wish she'd given us a little more time to feel the animosity of old grudges between characters, rather than state it all and then jump immediately into the aftermath. The onset of the inciting argument just felt a bit forceful and / or rushed.

The characters are... alright. I can see how they could be considered absolutely insufferable. Their banter isn't unbelievable, but it also won't be everyone's cup of tea. Their conversations are based largely in snark and poorly-veiled spite. No particularly meaningful words are ever exchanged throughout. The arguments serve to further the plot, which in all fairness, is their main job anyway. Cassandra's descriptions of Phillip as an attractive golden-boy become a bit redundant after a time. All else I can more-or-less forgive.

A fast-paced horror this is not. Personally, I don't know that I would consider it "horror" at all. Macabre, certainly, but not particularly frightening in any sense of the word. If there's any true horror to be found, it lives mostly in the inner monologue of the protagonist. If even half the things Cat had pictured mentally were actually present in the manor, this book may have earned more of its genre classification.

The plot is standard fare, nothing notably groundbreaking. If you're looking for a shocker, this book isn't it. What it is, at ten chapters (including the epilogue) and 124 pages, is a fairly quick read for a slow day. Sometimes that's all a book needs to be.

Overall: This is not a heavy-hitting, keep-you-up-at-night novella. It's written in unapologetically flowery prose that will be adored by some and abhorred by others. From their mannerisms to their vocabulary, the characters are modern and sass-filled to a fault. Depending upon the reader's sensibilities, this fact will either be tolerable or land the book squarely in the DNF pile. So long as you don't take it too seriously, it can be an entertaining afternoon read, but it definitely won't be for everyone.

[avelera]

yes yes yes!! Also, I think you've said this somewhere, but I can't, literally CANNOT, get over how very much the finale seemed the perfect set-up for a delicious, angsty follow-up fic by you. I mean??? I was thinking of Prayers to Broken Stone on and off for days afterwards. I have such an ABUNDANCE of feelings about Ed becoming the Kraken & Stede loving him anyway, EVEN WHEN he's maybe slightly scared too, and Ed would try SO HARD to push him away but Stede WOULDN'T LET HIM and oh my God I need to lie down.

Oh dude, I admit I still don't have like ~~**long fic ideas**~~ the way I did for PTBS, but to be fair, I wrote a bunch of shorter fics and I was in the hobbit fandom for years before I wrote PTBS. So right now I'm just immersing myself in the fandom and we'll see if it gets the old brain churning.

But in the meantime, I can recommend some favorites that might scratch the PTBS but for OFMD itch, mostly WIPs except the last one:

Hell or High Water by @mottlemoth: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38102629 - S2 fic. Angsty, with luscious prose and just the right spice of historical accuracy to serve as creative counterpoint from the series. I am sobbing waiting for this one to update. It makes my heart ache in the best ways. (This one is probably the closest to an actual PTBS vibe)

Turning Tides series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2831635 - S2 fic. An ensemble series with a lot of POVs but fantastic character voices and prose.

Half agony, half hope: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38002246 S2 fic - Fantastic character voices, contains possibly my favorite Izzy subplot of all time and incorporates humor lines that genuinely make me laugh out loud every time I re-read it.

The Nettles in the Garden Don't Go Away: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38007859 - Not S2 fic as of yet but a really fascinating soulmates AU, take it from someone who is very picky about soulmate AU. Delves into the biographies of Ed and Stede in absolutely fascinating ways.

Sincerely, Captain Thomas: S2 fic (kind of) https://archiveofourown.org/works/38266393 - Stede and Ed become unwitting pen pals before they reunite in person. Yo, as an English major, this story is packed with obscure literary references that make my heart sing, like giving Ed and Stede 18th century-style wording and vocabulary in their letters, with all the flowery flourishes that entails. I adore this fic, it's so goddamn clever.