#It's just not the same

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Do you think Jake and/or Tom would like Captain America Winter Soldier?

Jake: On the plus side, there was a lot of really interesting commentary in that movie. All the stuff with the U.S. trying to justify itself by presenting the Soviets as inhuman monsters, while also hiring Nazi intelligence officers to teach them Nazi science, was so cool. And upsetting, but also cool!

On the minus side, they didn't show Falcon flying nearly enough. Also they should've stuck closer to the comics with Bucky's story. Like, I get why the movie makes the Red Room German and has them zap Bucky to change his personality. But the comic book story is so much more on theme! Bucky is this ultra-patriotic American soldier, then he loses his memory in an explosion, and then the Red Room tells him he's a Soviet soldier... and he immediately flips to being ultra-patriotic for the USSR, without his personality or ideals changing at all. It's creepy and nifty and way more interesting than him getting his brains fried with what some stupid Hollywood director thinks electro-shock therapy is.

Tom: So look. I may have missed some things while texting during the boring parts. But. Bucky came back from the dead? Then Zola came back from the dead? Then Nick Fury came back from the dead? Then Crossbones came back from the dead? I know this was a superhero movie, but for fuck's sake. At some point I was expecting the guys Cap shot to start popping back up 10 seconds later like nothing happened.

Also, was it just me or were parts of it, like, super homoerotic?

[amethystina]

Hi there! I don’t know if you’ve ever answered something like this before, but since you have such great writing skills and a nice taste (and by nice I mean similar to mine lol) in ships, I was wondering what your favorite books are (top 5, maybe?).

And since your latest ships seem to have a pattern, are there any books you’ve read that feature similar dynamics?

That being said, with the ending of The Right Set of Circumstances and Who Holds the Devil being far from concluded, I’m really looking forward to A New Dawn or anything Gahan-related.

Hope you’re feeling a little better! Congrats on your skills; I really appreciate them.

I have not answered a question like this before, no. But, as a librarian, I am of course delighted to do so! Reading is one of my biggest hobbies and I make sure to read at least 20 books a year. It has been a tradition for the last nine-ten years or so (and that's not counting any of the fanfics I might partake in as well).

I just think that, as a writer, it's important to have input as well as output. A writer who doesn't read may be perfectly servicable, but they will stagnate sooner or later. They might be creative enough not to run out of ideas, but they'll be stuck with the same vocabulary and understanding of whatever language they're writing in for the rest of their career. So, to me, reading is vital in keeping my writing engaging and exciting. And it's especially important for someone like me who's writing in a language that's not my native tongue. If I didn't read copious amounts, I wouldn't know even half of the words currently in my vocabulary — let alone how to use them.

But, with that said, I'm terrible at listing my favourite books. Not because I don't have favourites — I most certainly do — but because I have a hard time listing things. I can't accurately compare many of the books I've read because they're from so many different genres and have offered me wildly different experiences. It's the same with movies, TV shows, and practically everything else I like. It's incredibly rare for me to be able to definitively say which ones are my Top 5. It's just not something my brain is capable of doing, it seems, unless it's narrowed down to a small enough scope that I can see the full picture.

Another thing about the books I read is that they don't always match what I write. Some of the books I love the most aren't even close to what I, myself, want to write. And I've found that, with books, I focus less on the tropes and dynamics than, say, what joy they bring me or what they can teach me about writing. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that while several of my ships have a pattern (I am, apparently, into age differences? Who knew?) the books I like do not. Or not to the same degree, I guess? There are some that come kind of close that I can pick out from my pile of favourites, sure, but they're not the majority. I think I'm just more broad in my tastes in books than I am in my taste of ships and haven't made an effort — nor do I want — to try and combine the two.

BUT YEAH. With that very long explanation out of the way, here are a couple of books that are important to me for one reason or another. They're not ranked, nor are they flawless pieces of literature — and not everyone will like them — but they gave me something and that's what matters to me.

Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling — If someone asked me for my favourite fantasy series, nine times out of ten, this would be my answer. I found this at a point in my life when I was dying for an engaging fantasy epic and this delivered in every single way that I wanted. It's complex, has great world-building, lovely characters, is full of intrigue, and is also gay. What's not to love? I absolutely devoured the first three books in this series. That said, it features some heavy themes and I haven't actually read all of the books yet so I can't guarantee that it stays good all the way through. But based on what I've read so far? Fucking outstanding.

Red Leaves by Thomas H. Cook — By no means the best book I've ever read, but it taught me a lot about unreliable narrators, characterisation, how to pace and angle a story, and how important words actually are when writing. How certain choices can affect not just the story you're telling, but the emotions of the reader. This book focuses on a man whose teenage son is suspected of having kidnapped a little girl and just what that does to his view of his son, their relationship, and himself as a father. It's truly fascinating with a focus on the psychological that I truly enjoy. It also taught me a thing or two about gut-punching twists. So there's that.

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry — This book is an Experience. And I mean that in the best way possible. This book isn't for everyone since it's slow and ambling and not the easiest to read, but dear LORD is it amazing. Never, in my entire life, have I read a book so atmospheric. I shit you not when I say that I had to read it with an accent to get the syntax and rhythm of the sentences right. It is pitch-perfect. And crafted so meticulously that my head kind of spins when I think about it. This was the book that made me see how important rhythm, cadence, and word choices are because they can, in fact, influence the reading experience to the point where it feels like the author is taking you by the hand and gently guiding you down the path of the story. And that's something I've tried to incorporate in my own writing, to the best of my abilities. A tip from my wife: If this book feels difficult in text format, read it on audiobook instead since, at least in the version she listened to, the narrator had the correct accent which made the whole thing a lot easier.

Blood Harvest by Sharon J. Bolton — The book that has probably scared me the most in my entire life. And it's not even a horror? But, again, it's all about the atmosphere and the fact that some of the sections are told from the POV of a young boy and you can't really be sure if he's a reliable narrator but if he is then what the ever-loving fuck is going on in this town? That's scarier than ghosts to me. Very eerie, well-crafted, and with the bonus of a disabled main character. But it does also feature quite heavy and disturbing subjects (child sexual abuse, to name one) so please be careful.

The Good Son by Jeong You-Jeong — This is a slow, claustrophobic, and ambling descent into insanity and I absolutely love it. The focus is on the characters, their relationships, and the slow unravelling of both. As with most Korean literature, it's very contained and direct, without too much flowery language, and I think that definitely works in its favour. The steady growing unease and tension are exquisite and I appreciate the focus that's put on the main character's thoughts, actions, and behaviour. It's exactly the kind of thing you'd expect me to enjoy if you've read my fanfics. Also, incidentally, Yo Han is going to recommend this book to Ga On in The Devil's Due (if I ever get to writing it) because Yo Han is a fucking menace who loves to push Ga On's buttons and twist his perception. You'll understand what I mean if you read it.

The Circle by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren — This is a Swedish young adult series that is so good but also so unnerving. Because it doesn't shy away from difficult subjects and knows how to ramp up the tension and suspense in a way that's truly masterful. I also appreciate that it's very female-focused and that the characters are far from flawless. Some of their actions are outright problematic, even abhorrent. But the beauty of this series is that that's the point. They're supposed to be flawed and they're supposed to make the wrong decisions — because they're human. This book is about a group of human teenage girls put in an extraordinary situation and, as you might expect, the results may vary. I truly recommend it to people who want to learn a bit more about flawed characters and, again, unreliable narrators.

___

Those are all books that have influenced my writing but if you want a list more focused on romance of the M/M variety (which, admittedly, is what I read the most) where at least some lean towards the same dynamics I have for my ships, here are some favourites. The majority of them are of the historical or fantasy variety because that's just where my heart truly lies. I know that doesn't show in my own writing, but that has more to do with my own performance anxiety than anything else, I think. I haven't really dared to dabble too much in those genres.

And so, without further ado:

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles — Or just books by K. J. Charles in general, I guess? They're delightful, down-to-earth, and easy to read. The characters feel like actual people and not everyone is drop-dead gorgeous all the time. I've been reading a lot of her works lately because they give me just what I want and bring me a lot of comfort.

The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian — Or, again, just books by Cat Sebastian in general. She, too, has a very nice grasp on characters, tone, and can build a really nice story that's not dependent on unnecessary drama. They're comfortable and nice and I love them.

The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh Lanyon — Another writer whose works I really enjoy, though the focus here is usually contemporary suspense and murder mysteries. Of the kind that manages to feel urgent and tense but without turning dark and gory — which I appreciate. Also, Josh Lanyon has perfected dry, sarcastic humour into an art. One I am very jealous of, not going to lie.

The Capital by A. H. Lee — I ploughed through this series. Like, I don't even know what happened? It's a fantasy story with intrigue and necromancy and amazing characters and magic and lovely world-building. This, for example, is one of the few books I've read where the social issues of LGBTQIA+ rights are touched upon in a fantasy setting. I really liked that. I'm probably going to re-read this series during 2025.

Kill Game by Cordelia Kingsbridge — This is another contemporary series about a serial killer and the cops who hunt said serial killer. So this is a bit darker but, boy, is it a ride. The series is a bit of a slow burn that bleeds into established relationship as it progresses and I just love that shit. Also, it took me until, like, book four (of five) before I could pinpoint who the killer was which is really impressive. Usually, I can do so within the first third of a story. It did drag at times, but the time you get to spend getting to know the characters makes up for that, I think.

Peter Darling by Austin Chant — I adore this book. It's a delicious, wonderful enemies-to-lovers that honestly made me go a little feral. But in a soft way, if that's possible? This book made me feel creative and excited and I was so invested in the characters and the slow build of attraction and awareness between them. I felt high after I finished it. I don't know if anyone else will feel that way (I might just have been very excited that day xD) but it worked really well for me. Highly recommend.

___

And there you have it! Because I can't miss an opportunity to talk about books, I guess xD (and give you more than you asked for)

But please remember to look up triggers and such before you read! I admit that I didn't try to list them all here, mainly because I don't know what people will find triggering so I'd probably miss some even if I tried.

As for my own writing, I hope to finish a couple of projects during 2025, A New Dawn definitely being one of them. Hopefully also some of the shorter Gahan projects I have, plus some older fics I have lying around for other fandoms that I just haven't been able to complete yet. Having too many projects makes me restless and while the easiest solution would be to dump some of them, I don't have the heart to do that when there's just another chapter or two to go.

So yeah. Next year will hopefully involve me finishing a couple of projects, especially old ones I should have completed long ago.

Wish me luck!

[abowlofjellyfish]

wish I was a boy so I could dress like a femboy

[chipthekeeper]

down bad rn

[sparkles-oflight]

Something I always think about (but always forget to write now) is how Joker Out songs are not "Bojan's songs"?

Idk how to explain, but imagine Carpe Diem just with Bojan singing. There's a lot of songs in this world you can sing and not play the instruments to have a great time. But with Carpe diem you NEED the instruments. There's a reason we literally start imitating guitars when Carpe Diem plays. And I think that's beautiful.

[emstargazer]

The somber feeling of being alone at a concert...

Everyone I was with has left either because of obligations or fatigue. Just when the main spectacle started and the atmosphere got turned up to eleven.

Annoyingly anticlimactic...

[sukugo]

gojo is just ijichi's high maintenance boyfriend

[alloycow]

I wish I could afford butter. I miss baking fr fr

It sucks ass without the ingredients I want

[fangerine]

look, i completely recognize that taylor swift has reached an insane level of stardom but michael jackson level? mmmm, i don't think so

[alienboy51]

how can we truly consider the reboot canon if it makes brain evil. the entire point was that brain wanted to make the world a better place, he thinks it's run by numbskulls already. yes, he wanted to Take It Over, but he also had Good Intentions. there was an episode of the patb spin-off where brain got OFFENDED by being called a villain, but in the reboot he feels COMPLIMENTED by this?? brain. 😐 get your ACT TOGETHER BOY

i'll SPARE YOU but i could go into detail about this. brain is my favorite character. my friend referred to reboot brain as being flanderized and like. YES. (the way brain says it.) SO TRUE!

[mieczyhale]

me looking at my old tua posts:: damn this bitch has some good takes

[c4tto626]

entertaining myself with random picrews and mourning the days of proper dress-up games tbh

[kalkydra]

whennnn you need to get up and walk around for ten years but you're in a wheelchair

[nathanprscott]

I'm so sad this website doesn't feel like home to me anymore....

[thekidsare-not-alright]

as a follow up on my last post I also want to add that to suggest bands/musicians like evanescence, avril lavigne, and green day joining the emo trinity is kind of missing the point and history of the emo trinity existing. it formed a trinity because usually if you liked one of those bands, you ended up liking the other two, or were in extremely similar circles (esp online). the term itself is from a specific era

green day is from a different generation altogether that cannot be classified as emo (punk, pop punk, etc), evanescence has that emo taste but again isn't really part of that same exact scene or fanbase, and avril lavigne... basically all the same things, plus she isn't a band, which is where the "trinity" aspect finds its roots -- groups of people are more appealing to a wider audience, and those members can interact with the other bands, etc. if that makes sense.

I don't think of paramore as part of a "new" emo trinity, rather they just should have been there in the first place. there's a tumblr joke out there about paramore being "girl fall out boy" (every band but it's fob meme or something idr), and while that's a little blegh because they are so much more than that (misogyny check), it proves a point. they are a lot like fob and vice versa when it comes to certain key qualities, and that's important. that bandom and fob's have never been completely different. I'm seeing posts all over getting excited about fob, paramore, and mcr being active all at the same time -- that's not happening with the other bands people suggest. and it's not even an echo chamber situation, because I have never once engaged with paramore on its own since I don't consider myself a fan. it's just naturally there unlike the others. the panic fandom (the current brendon urie stans, specifically) disengaged from the emo trinity a while ago, and paramore has been there this whole time. so of course it makes sense that they can slip right into the groove of things.

they're not replacing p!atd, they're filling a hole that was meant for them

side note: if you think that the emo trinity bands need to stay consistently emo or get out, you're missing the whole point and I don't know how to explain that to you