#I don’t know what to do with this much freedom!!’

[sarahreesbrennan]

Quick Evil Note

To all my wicked darlings, I have now received rather a lot of messages asking me about the influences of Long Live Evil. And I wish to get messages about LLE and truly appreciate the ones I do get! And I wish to answer them. But answers about influences are tricky.

The book has been out in the US for a little over two weeks, and it’s going so well so far, I couldn’t be more delighted and appreciative about its reception.

But also I’ve been informed (not asked) that two of my characters are obviously somehow both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy of Harry Potter, and Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. (Very puzzling as I don’t think these pairings - and one isn’t a pair - have much in common with each other or with mine. Vague hostility against a vaguely academic backdrop for a bit? For the record… in the book everyone is an adult and I don’t even have any academic backdrops to be vaguely hostile in front of…) This hasn’t happened to me in a long time, because I haven’t had an original novel out in a long time due to illness, and it is upsetting to always be discussed differently than writers who didn’t openly link their real names to their fan identity.

I have very different feelings and new appreciation for fandom than I once had. It’s been amazing to see and meet people who have stuck with me for decades. People are generally way more open and affectionate to and within fandom than they once were. Love matters to me a good deal more than hate. But getting death threats in your early 20s for excitedly telling your Internet friends you were going to publish a book does mark the psyche, and so does having your characters dismissed as other people’s characters.

And we can say there is nothing wrong with fanfiction or writing fanfiction and there isn’t! Fanfiction is great and can be genius. Terry Pratchett wrote Jane Austen fanfiction, and didn’t (and shouldn’t) have people saying Captain Wentworth = Captain Vimes. Still, when a TV show is discussed as ‘like fanfiction’ or when Diana Gabaldon said she didn’t like fanfiction and many said ‘YOU write fanfiction’ it isn’t intended in any kind spirit, even when it’s fannish folk saying it. And it’s just generally odd to have everyone call your apple a tomato, and has had professional consequences for me in the past.

However! All the asks I’ve received have been very kind, and I do want to answer them. I do want to talk about my influences because they are manifold and because I actually think it’s important to always talk about influences. I don’t believe stories exist in isolation - we tell tales in a rich tradition, and also a story doesn’t come alive to me all the way until it’s heard or read.

Long Live Evil is a love letter to fandom: it’s chock full of references to many many stories I’ve loved, to fairytales, myths and legend and Internet memes and epic fantasy and meta. My acknowledgements are endless partly for this reason. I do owe a great debt to many portal fantasies and archetypes and musicals and jokes about genre and plays through the ages, though I do think of my characters as themselves and nobody else.

I was frankly tempted to go ‘Yes I stole EVERYTHING! Bwhahaha!’ But while I am thoroughly enjoying and finding great freedom in my villain era, I do want to talk sincerely to you all as well, especially when asked sincerely interested questions.

But I’m a little scared to do so and have people say ‘AHA! Now we know what it’s fanfiction of’ (it’s happened before) or ignore me and go ‘we know the truth!’ (it’s happened before) and to feel like I’ve injured my book. Long Live Evil means more to me than any other and I really want to get talking about it right, and make sure it has the best reception I can give it.

So. Questions on all Evil topics very very welcome but answers to influence questions may come slowly. Bear with me. I am working on this!

[everynya]

🕯️

please think of puerto rico today. 7 years ago, over 4,600+ lives were lost to Hurricane Maria. after that, we faced nothing but months and even years of hardship. to this day, we have not truly recovered because after that event we face even more hardships on this island that has becomes america’s tropical getaway. they denied us help, help from countries willing to give us a hand because they didn’t care. i ask you to learn about us, see our struggles and hardships. we had hurricane fiona, we had more storms, we had earthquakes, we had covid and so much more. we are so fragile and have gone through so much. for me, it was just some of the most traumatic times of my life and for others i know it was just as bad, if not worse.

i’m lighting a candle tonight in memory of those we lost, and i hope you do too. we are such free spirits yet we have never tasted freedom from the moment we became ‘puerto rico’. que el sol alumbre a mi borinquén, la isla linda mía.

puerto rico and genocide

puerto rico still recovering 7 years later

bad bunny’s “una velita” song honoring the deaths of the hurricane and puerto rico (go listen to it, by the way. i don’t care what you think about him right now.)

help support puerto rico

[wajjs]

If Hal were to get a happy ending, do you think he’d ever settle down, get married and have kids? I don’t know much about Hal, but it dosent seem like something he’d do. ( Despite some comics giving him that ending)

Off the top of my head, 3 writers gave him that ending: Geoff, Venditti (sorta) and, surprisingly enough, Miller.

Geoff and Venditti went the Hal/Carol route, with Geoff making it a certainty and Venditti turning that certainty into a possible outcome/prediction for the future.

On the opposite side, Miller in the Dark Knight universe gave Hal an alien wife and an alien kid, and Hal himself uses the ring to change his appearance so he can look just like his wife does. He also doesn't live on Earth, having ditched everything there after everyone turned on the heroes and started hunting them down, so to speak. This is a Hal who is a) disillusioned with humanity and b) also disillusioned with heroes, yet c) he still has hope and leaves a way to be contacted and to return to Earth.

And personally I think Miller's approach is the only one that would actually work long term for Hal. Because if we leave everything as is within the main Earth/universe, I do not think Hal would ever be happy settling down.

Geoff and Venditti write him as though he does want that ending for himself: the white fence, the house in the suburbs, a wife, kids. But if you pay attention, that's quite a generic wish coming from someone with such a wild imagination.

The way I see it, and this is headcanon/personal opinion, I believe Hal bought into that idea of settling down because it's what his parents did, what his brothers did, what everyone around him did. But I don't think he actually, deep down, wants that for himself.

He wants to fly, to be in space, to travel through and among stars. He loves his freedom a little too much to ever truly be content putting down roots that will keep him anchored to a place. He would feel suffocated, stagnant.

I mean, Convergence: Green Lantern Corps (2015), tackles this issue: Hal does actually marry Carol, and he lasts six days until he up and leaves. Guy hunts him down only to find Hal going crazy trying to find a way back to space.

He only married Carol because what he really wanted was taken away from him. His freedom to fly and be among the stars was gone. And he does love Carol. He does! It's just that his love for his freedom and his ability to fly is much, much stronger and important to him.

So yeah, that's my take. I think he doesn't actually want that for himself, but he also thinks that he should. Except that the only way it'll truly happen is if you take everything away from him and make him have an identity crisis, OR if you make the entire world and all of humanity turn against him to the point he literally quits Earth and quits being human to transform himself into an alien.

[zith-ipeth]

IM SO READY IM SO READY (Dog Days 7)

Happy weeping beast Wednesday!

Jokes aside, I’m a little choked up, someone showed me how to check followers and like I have a hundred of you guys!!?? In my phone!!??, how is there space the phone is so tiny!!?? Thank you all for joining me on this journey! ALSO ONE WEEK LETS GO! This is actually my like fourth week of college, but one week of updates!

The rain has been getting to me, I forgot how much I love the freedom that comes from my fur not getting wet when I fall over and roll around.

I mentioned my doghood to one of my friends and he was like “yeah I know I’ve heard, keep talking like what’s new?” And that was weird cuase like I mentioned it in passing but the fact he took it seriously kinda rocked a lot!

IM TALKING TO MY WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES TEACHER TMMRW ABOUT THERIANTHROPY AND GENDER. I’m so excited! I think I have all my talking points done and dusted, but it’ll be weird trying to explain it to a cis allistic person.

Apologies about the lack of photos, I just never got around to taking any fun selfies today :( bit of a bummer but it’s alright! I hope yall don’t mind! I’ll make up for it with the posted picture and a story. Before I explained to my brother that I was a dog, but after I stopped hiding my dog behaviors and started wearing gear, my brother gave me this dog tag on a chain for my 18th birthday. The collar I bought myself, and I’ll only show you the one side (yall don’t need my real name, my silly internet one will do fine). It roughly translates from Latin to…

“To create oneself is to become divine”

Needless to say I cried when he gave it to me I love my brother a lot! He’s such a role model and taught me so much, and the fact that he took my animality, even before I talked to him about it in earnest, so seriously just shows the kind of ally he is.

I’ll make sure to take photos tommorow, I’m gonna try to get myself all done up so I can be hyped for the talk with my professor, thank you all again for sticking with my rambles, and thanks to all yall who asked questions! I love questions! Here’s to a week down, and many more to follow!

Run fast, bite hard, bark loud

Peace, love, and gratitude

-Zith Ipeth

[noxemma]

Dean Winchester is Saved!

Today is 16 years since Cas raised Dean from Hell, since that profound bond was formed, since Cas realized that Dean didn’t think he deserved to be saved.

Lazarus Rising changed my DNA in the best way possible. It was the beginning of a love story that has rotted my brain for years. And this episode specifically prompted me to write my first fic that was more than a thousand words and wasn’t inspired by a prompt.

Almost two years ago I made this note which started me writing and posting nearly 11k solely about an alternate Lazarus Rising where we see the profound bond form and the interaction of Cas and Dean in Hell, where Dean’s been torturing souls.

Anyway if that sounds interesting I put the link and a snippet of the fic below. Happy Lazarus Rising, Destiel Beginning, Dean is Saved Day!

Before Lazarus Rose

Summary: What if Cas and Dean met and formed this amazing bond (profound perhaps) before the iconic meeting in 4x01 but had their memory of it wiped? OR What happened in Hell when Castiel rescued Dean and why doesn't Dean remember it?

Dean

Pain. Never-ending pain is all Dean has known for the last thirty years. Even the few times he’s been allowed to fall asleep, to fall unconscious, he’s had nightmares.   His body and mind are so broken, so fractured, that his dreams are as well. He sees blue light and screams for someone, anyone, to help him. He begs and pleads for someone to save him until his voice gives out.

Doesn’t matter whether you are in Hell or topside, dreams don’t do a damn thing, Dean thinks blearily. He flinches against the chains in his flesh as Alastair draws near. “What shall we try today, hmm?” Alastair pulls out several knives, observing each one before settling on a small paring knife. “I think this will do. You know a smaller blade will take longer, take more effort; it’s … intimate.”

Alastair continues to teach as he slowly carves Dean’s skin from muscle, as he slowly cuts out organs. The commentary, Dean quickly decides, is worse than the physical pain. The pain blurs together, but the tricks of torture bury themself in his mind. He can look at Alastair’s rack of tools and remember what each one is best used for, how much pain each imparts on different areas of the body, and how long each takes to decimate a soul. While his own body is rejuvenated each day, the thirty years of knowledge continues to fester like his soul.

When he’s finally reduced to a mere consciousness tethered to a soul, Alastair whispers into the bits of blood and bone that used to be him. “Well? I’ll put down my blade if you pick one up.” It’s all too much. Too much pain, too much cruel knowledge. He’s not strong enough, he’s never been strong enough.

“Going once …”

How long can he actually hold out for anyway? Isn’t the end inevitable? After thirty years of pleading into the void, he has to accept the truth. No help is coming. “Going twice …” Even if he was rescued, his soul is already black and tarnished. He’s already in Hell with no hope of getting out. He was already broken before he arrived.

“Can’t say I’m not disappointed, Dean. You have such potential. We could have had a good thi-”

“I’ll do it.” Dean knows he should feel something. He should feel remorse or relief, but all he feels is resignation. This was always the end he was bound for. His body returns to him as Alastair grins and, for the first time in 360 months, Dean is able to step off the rack. For the first time in 10,950 days, Dean’s body and soul are his to control. There is still pain, still bits of Hell stuck in his soul, but this small bit of freedom and control is enough to ignore it. Dean grabs the paring knife and begins. Something in him fractures beyond repair at the first drop of blood. He knows that whatever goodness was in him is gone. Each soul after tears away more of him and replaces it with something dark and unfamiliar beneath his skin. He still thinks he deserved those thirty years of pain, but it gets easier as the years go on. Soul-deep exhaustion and numbness replace the pain with each piece of himself that he carves away. Eventually, he stops counting the souls, he stops counting the days too. He starts believing that the souls deserve it, they are in Hell after all. He even begins to enjoy it. After all he’s endured in life and death, it feels good to finally be the one to deal out some pain instead of constantly being on the receiving end.

[thempregsimmer]

When Alex first found out he was pregnant, it was a surprise, to say the least. He never imagined that he'd be carrying his husband’s child, but the modern world had its share of twists, and he was ready to embrace the journey. One thing he hadn’t considered, though, was how much his lifestyle would need to change to accommodate the growing life inside him. His old car just wasn’t cutting it anymore. The cramped seats, the bumpy rides, the lack of storage for all the things he needed as a soon-to-be father—none of it felt right.

“I wasn’t just buying a car,” Alex explained, “I was buying peace of mind.” The spacious, supportive seats offered him comfort during his increasingly frequent trips to the doctor, and the adjustable ride height made it easier for him to get in and out as his belly grew larger.

“But it’s the smooth ride that really sold me,” he said, rubbing his stomach with a smile. “The new car handles the road like a dream. Every bump, every uneven surface—it smooths them all out. It’s exactly what I needed, especially during the last trimester when comfort is everything.”

And as Alex prepared for fatherhood, the vehicle proved to be more than just a mode of transportation. Its spacious back made carrying supplies—everything from strollers to baby bags—effortless. “This car is really for families,” he added. “I guess, in a way, I’m starting my family a little earlier than expected.”

He chuckled, standing tall next to his car on the beach. It had become more than just a car to him; it was a partner in his journey. “I wouldn’t want to be driving anything else right now,” Alex said. “It’s kept me calm, comfortable, and ready for whatever comes next.”

---

Jordan had always been an adventurer. He loved long drives along rugged coastlines, hiking trips, and spontaneous road trips with friends. But when he found out he was pregnant, he knew his trusty old car wasn’t going to cut it anymore. The baby growing inside him meant his priorities were changing, and he needed a car that could handle both the road and the responsibilities that came with this new chapter in his life.

“I never thought I’d be saying this, but being pregnant has totally shifted how I look at cars,” Jordan said, resting a hand on his growing belly. “I needed something that wasn’t just tough but comfortable too. A new car was the answer.”

Jordan appreciated the space it offered. As his body changed, he found himself needing more room—both for comfort and for all the stuff he was now carrying around. “It’s surprising how much space a guy with a baby bump needs,” he laughed. “But with this car, it’s like I have my own little cocoon. The seats are adjustable, and the back has more than enough room for all the gear I need.”

He pointed to the SUV's off-road tires, grinning. “And don’t get me started on the off-roading capabilities. I might be pregnant, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped exploring. This thing has taken me to some of the most beautiful, remote places where I can relax and connect with nature. It’s like I haven’t missed a beat.”

But the biggest surprise for Jordan was how much the car helped with the emotional side of his pregnancy. “Honestly, it’s been a crazy ride—pun intended,” he admitted. “But being in this car makes me feel strong and in control, even when my body is doing its own thing. This pregnancy wasn’t at all planned, it’s a result of one of those passionate dinners that come with breakfast in bed afterwards. However, I’m glad it happened, and that I’m carrying my son inside me now. He’s taking up a lot of space, both in my belly, and in my head. Sometimes I feel like I’m loosing control over my life and body, and I know it’s worth it, but it’s a feeling I have never had before.”

As Jordan leaned against his SUV, he looked out at the horizon. “I know it might sound strange, but this car has given me a sense of freedom. Even with the changes happening in my life, I can still be me. And when my baby comes, I know this car will help us have so many adventures together.”

For Jordan, the car was more than just a vehicle. It was a lifeline to his independence, helping him navigate both the literal and metaphorical roads of pregnancy and beyond.

[epic-kotlc-crossover]

Full Speed Ahead

This is the third chapter of the KotLC EPIC crossover :D

Tags: @justalunaticfangirl @myfairkatiecat @bookwormgirl123 @thesfromhms @ham-cheese-toastie

Keefe stood at the bow of the ship, the freedom of the wind overtaking him. His

Six hundred miles of open sea, Fitz transmitted to them. We need to be careful about what's in the waves.

"Ithaca's waiting!" Keefe yelled out to the open sea. Fitz walked up beside him, and gave him a grin that made Keefe falter.

"My kingdom is waiting!"

Sophie's waiting for me. Fitz seemed to accidentally transmit, and Keefe was reminded of the fact that Fitz was married.

"Captain," Keefe greeted him. Fitz nodded, and Keefe took that as a sign to continue. "Our men are hungry—and all of our food is gone because of the war."

Fitz seemed to be thinking, so Keefe took the opportunity to stare at him.

And when Fitz finally opened his mouth to answer, those teal eyes crinkled in a way that made Keefe's heart soar.

"We'll need to find land," Fitz told him, and pointed to the sky. "If we follow those birds, we should be able to reach some."

Keefe relayed the directions, and Fitz shouted, "Now, full speed ahead!"

*Fitz's POV*

“Captain?” Dex asked, joining Fitz at the prow a while later.

“Dex, what’s up?”

“There,” he said, pointing out to the glistening blue sea. “I see an island!”

“Where?” Fitz asked, squinting against the setting sun.

“That light! Maybe it’s people lighting a fire? They might share some food with us!” Dex was so excited that Fitz felt bad disagreeing.

“Something feels off about this. There’s a fire, but I don’t see any smoke.” Fitz’s tone was grim. We’re never going to get home, he thought sadly. But out loud, he called over his first mate, Keefe. 

Fitz explained the situation and Keefe said, “We need to strike first. We’re running out of time before we starve. We can raid the place and–”

Fitz cut him off, holding up a hand. “No. Dex and I will go ahead and scout it out. We should try to find a way to do this without bloodshed.”

“But Captian,” said Keefe anxiously, his ice-blue eyes startlingly bright in the sun’s glare, “We have no way of knowing if this island is dangerous. What something happens to you? Or Dex?” The question seemed to have a deeper meaning, but he shoved that thought out of his head. 

“Give us until sunrise. If we aren’t back by then, you can lead the troops and destroy the island,” Fitz ordered. Keefe nodded and stepped back. Dex ran to get his weapons and a small medical kit. 

“Full speed ahead!” Fitz yelled to his crew. 

When the island was much closer and the moon much higher in the sky, Fitz and Dex met at the rowboat and lowered it into the water. 

Keefe called out, “Be safe!” but the wind whipped away his words before Fitz heard them. 

[theatrekidenergy]

I JUST FOUND OUT I CAN BIKE WITHOUT* PAIN!!!!! I JUST FOUND OUT I CAN BIKE WITHOUT PAIN!!!!!!! I NOW HAVE TWO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES I CAN DO WITHOUT PAIN!!!!!!! I CAN BIKE WHEN IM NOT FIGURE SKATING!!!!!!! IM GENUINELY SOBBING RIGHT NOW THIS IS SUCH A MASSIVE THING FOR ME YOU DONT UNDERSTAND

* = check tags for explanation

[w1lmutt]

You know the Totk experience is getting bad when you get commitment issues to do any quest and just walk around in a region for 30 min and then turn off the game

[simonespeaks]

it’s so crazy that siyun can get away with actively harming jeongmin and the same audience who dragged juhyeon is like “😍🥰”. ppl had more smoke for an elementary schooler who actually meant well than 17yo siyun who is purposely being emotionally manipulative and stressing her out. mind you juhyeon and siyun are nearly the same.

juhyeon: “maybe if i stay with jahyoek jeongmin will keep speaking to me”

webtoon comments: 😡🤬😡🤬🤬

siyun: “i will use the threat of violence towards others to strike fear in jeongmin’s heart so she stays with me teehee”

webtoon comments: YAS TOXIC KING 😍😍😍

[peachlit]

can’t wait for the day i can get away from my parents

[rosicheeks]

.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Masquerade

historical fiction set in 15th century West Africa

follows a young woman from Timbuktu, recently conquered by the the warrior king of Yorùbáland

her guild of blacksmiths were already shunned as witches, and their conditions worsen under Yorùbá rule - so when she’s kidnapped by the king to be his wife, she decides to accept that it’ll be a better life for her, as long as she can get her mother’s blessing

but as months go by without her mother being found, and political tensions rise, she must decide what she wants

[prstmmprhdl]

Art is my religion. Has always been. And I’ve never divided it into high and low. There’s a story a bit lower down my wall about the god of Arepo. About the god of small things. Because small things and dedication to them matter.

I can perceive that things are not the same. But it doesn’t matter. When you’re broken sometimes it’s the grandeur of history and hard work that saves you. Sometimes it’s the warmth of a well-known path. Sometimes it’s a change, a hope for everything in the world that is good. Sometimes it’s a moment to wallow in pain, description of the ugliness of the world. Everything is important. Everything has this potential to touch, to reach, to embrace.

I HATE “loving things ironically”. If a thing sparks something in me, I’ll burn with it until there’s nothing left of our love.

Everything deserves love, everything deserves this dedication. It doesn’t mean we should be head over hills over every single thing ever. But that we can be - over anything.

UPD: oh. It seems I’ve ratatouilled myself.

[astridthevalkyrie]

feeling like you’re 12 when you’re 22 is genuinely such a humiliating experience.

[pinkfey]

the lack of empathy people have for victims of gun violence is making me rapidly descend into grief and despair and i don’t know what to do about it 👍