#aallotarenunelma

[choicesficwriterscreations]

April Creator of the Month: Aallotarenunelma

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists, and this month’s creator of the month is the lovely @aallotarenunelma! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page. Past COTM's can be found here.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog My Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? 

Aallotar is fine. I am agender. My pronouns are they/them.

More below...

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

I saw the app being highlighted a lot in Google Play in 2017, but it was only at the end of February-beginning of March 2018 that I downloaded it. It was when Perfect Match 1 started releasing and shortly before Bloodbound 1 began releasing. Time is flying!

There were already a lot of books, and it was a bit overwhelming. I chose the series that was being heavily advertised: The Royal Romance.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the Choices sub-Reddit in July 2019, then the Tumblr fandom in April 2020.

I first joined the sub because I wanted to discuss the books and the characters, and hopefully befriending other players. It was lonely to read the books, and having no one to share my opinions and theories with. Then, I took a step back from it and after lurking a bit, I joined the Tumblr community. 

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

When I joined Tumblr, in April 2020, it was initially to be a Writblr. I was writing a story about a heroine named Aallotar. Its title gave my blog’s URL. My blog’s title is its English translation: Aallotar’s dream.

In the end, my blog turned into a bit of everything.

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it!  

This is my very first post. This is my original writing, conveniently mentioned right above. :)

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both? 

I define myself as an artist because I create. This is how I express myself. It doesn’t matter if the pencil I use is to write or to draw as long as I create. Before I started learning how to draw, I was always saying that I was drawing with words. To me, this is what writing is. I draw and paint with my words to depict stories that my characters want me to tell.

I mostly write, but I also create fan art, such as sketches and various kinds of edits: quotes, sprites, moodboards, etc. 

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

For the defunct app Lovestruck, from December 2020 to October 2021.

For Choices, since April-May 2020. 

7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

My all-time favourite Choices book is Veil of Secrets. I adore it!

I heavily create for the It Lives Anthology - the three books - and also for Immortal Desires. I love these books so much that I made a crossover, and most of the characters from the Anthology and from ID have met and even befriended each other.

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

My first Choices fiction is a Blades one: Of Stardust and Light.

I still love it and I wouldn’t change anything - except the typos and the clumsy grammar/syntax, due to the fact I am not an English-native speaker.

For a long time, I thought it was my masterpiece, that I wouldn’t write something as good or even as better than this. But I proved myself wrong in the end.

The other reason why I wouldn’t rewrite it now is because I have definitively stopped writing for my Blades pairing, Tyril x Soile. I made it official a few months ago, and this decision is final.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created? 

It’s really hard to choose only one, but I do have a soft spot for Répondez, S’il Vous Plaît ! #3 because this is where I tell about my OCs’ Ash and Skylar’s meeting. It was a story I wanted to write for a long time and I love it.

Chronicles of a Crimson Summer deserves to be mentioned as well. This is the longest story I have shared here, and it’s a real balance of angst, fluff, and funny moments. Also, because its birth was extremely painful, so for all of these reasons, I am glad I wrote it and shared it.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

I never expect anything I share to be well received, whether it’s a fiction or a drawing. I’m only sharing it, hoping that at least someone will find it and enjoy it. Even better if it helps the person in any way.

That said, sharing my art remains a lot more difficult than sharing my writing, so any art reblog is leaving me a bit confused, due to my imposter syndrome.

Most people here who are familiar with my stories have read some of the funny stories I have shared, as well as the fluffiest stories I have ever written - sometimes too fluffy for me. 

However, this isn’t only what my writing is about. Darker Than Night has generated so much indifference that it saddens me.

This series really shows what my writing is, minus the layer of humour that you can usually expect. It truly deserves better, just like In Joy and Sorrow, that actually gives a good idea of what my writing really is.

11- (WRITERS) If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

I usually share a lot of fluff here, because the world outside is hard, so I want to uplift people with sweet and funny stories. However, my original writing is usually angsty with some funny and fluffy moments to alleviate all the angst a little. So, I’m choosing angst. Definitely. To me, writing angst is comforting.

11a - (ARTISTS) If you could only draw one style or type of art for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? 

I could easily do oil pastels for the rest of my life. It’s an easy technique to learn, it’s very forgiving, it’s calming, and I love how it looks.

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

I am agender and aspec, so in any non-binary and/or aspec MC / OC of mine can be found parts of me, regardless of how they define themselves on those large spectrums. Representation is highly important to me, so this is one of the recurring themes in my writing.

Also, the witty/sarcastic and playful characters are easy to write because I know them too well!

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most?

Finding the right word is difficult, either in English or in my native tongue. I always want to capture the emotion, the feeling, the landscape with the perfect word. I’m still learning in my daily life.

Regarding my art, at the level I am right now, that would be shadows. Sometimes, they look great, but they often don’t. Practice makes perfect, so this is what I do whenever I can.

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

I tend to have only one WIP that I see to end. One reason for this is that I usually write my stories in a notebook, before I type them down to share them. The state of the notebook is not always great; I even sometimes struggle to re-read what I corrected!

If it’s about my original work, then, yes, I want to finish that one novel’s second draft.

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first? 

It has actually happened with one of my siblings. At that time, I was only writing for Blades and had maybe like five stories posted. I let my sibling read them because we are close. For other people, I think it would be on a case-by-case basis, but most likely not. I'd rather make them read my original writing, if my shyness isn’t getting in the way.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

Émile Zola and Arto Paasilinna are my all-time favourite writers.

I am learning from every fanfiction writer I am reading. First, because I read in a foreign language. Second, because I believe you learn from everyone every day.

In terms of art, I don’t think I have a particular influence. I am still exploring my style.

17- (WRITERS)  Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

It would be In Joy and Sorrow. I created this It Lives in the Woods AU series to give a life to my first MC, Riikka. The one she couldn’t have. In this series, I talk about close friendships, coming outs, being bilingual/bicultural, how to navigate a romantic relationship as an aspec*, how to deal with bullying/harassment, etc. I talk about timeline collapse and time-travelling as well.

And because there’s the most delightful OC ever, my all-time favourite: Ash. He truly is one of a kind and his friendship with Dan is really something special.

*aspec: a person on the aromantic and asexual spectrums.

18 - (ARTISTS) Which one of your creations would you like to see a fiction written about? 

I don’t have any yet that would justify the honor of having a fiction being written about.

19- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art? 

I started writing when I was 10 years old. It was thanks to an assignment for my native tongue class when we were studying the structure of a fairytale. I really enjoyed writing one, so I kept writing over the summer. Little stories about everything and nothing.

I wrote my first novel when I was 13, but never dared to send it to a publisher. I kept writing novels - and not sending them, I have a nice collection, now! - and branching out in other forms of writing, in hope to develop as a writer: rpg forums, poetry, (fan)fictions, creative writing course, etc. I took a ten year break from writing (fan)fictions before returning to them.

I am working on the second draft of a novel about grief, and I have three other different novels already outlined.

Regarding art, I mostly create non-fandom art.

20-  What other hobbies do you have?

Except writing and drawing; I paint murals and do oil pastel; I do theatre; I design and crochet my own clothes.

I enjoy watching old films, Hollywood era and silent ones included, but modern films as well, if they are excellent.

I love learning foreign languages, listening to music and going to gigs.

I am also a true race car enthusiast, preferably Formula races - F1 to F4, Formula Regional included.

I also enjoy going for walks in nature and travelling.

21: Tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

I want to thank CFWC for highlighting me, and giving me the chance to talk more about my characters, my stories, my writing and my art. This means a lot, especially as this month is also when I’m celebrating my 4 year Tumblr Anniversary.

Thank you for your support throughout these years!

I want to thank so many people, but I’m also scared to miss any of them!

Thank you to my friends, old and new. 💛

Thank you to everyone who has read and reblogged my stories and left kudos and comments on them. It has been helping me so much in believing in myself and my writing.

Thank you to everyone who has reblogged my art and my edits and left comments on them.

Thank you to every talented person who has gifted me a piece of their beautiful art, written or not, anonymously or not.

Thank you to everyone who has asked about my characters and my stories.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me positive and uplifting messages.

Lastly, thank you to every single person who has supported me these past months, in many different ways. Your kindness and your presence have made a difference, and I am grateful for those and for you all.

And a special shoutout to my fellow rainbow creators! 🌈

[choicesfandomappreciation]

Hii 🥰

I wanted to give a special shoutout to @aallotarenunelma

A true friend. Someone who’s funny. Witty. Kind. Supportive. And an amazing writer. They’re truly wonderful 🩷 Thank you for all the great times we’ve had and hopefully will have 🩷

I will always say this the best thing that ever happened on tumblr is all the friendships I’ve made 🩷🥰

@aallotarenunelma

[peonyblossom]

Trick-or-Treat Gift Exchange (@choicesfandomappreciation)

I had the wonderful privilege of being paired up with @aallotarenunelma once again so I made you some moodboards for your ships

I also made a short little remix of both Lincoln's and Cas's Theme songs for you since they both have such awesome theme songs lol

[choicespride]

Asexual Awareness Week 2023 Masterlist

High School Story

Ace Headcanon Questionnaire - Myra Khandaar - @cadybear420

Immortal Desires

Ace Questionnaire - nb!MC (Skylar Barnett-Lyons) - @aallotarenunelma

It Lives Anthology

Ace Awareness Week Questionnaire - m!MC (Isaak Vance) - @peonyblossom

Ace Questionnaire - f!MC (Riikka Yläkorpi) - @aallotarenunelma

Meet My MC - m!MC (Isaak Vance) - @peonyblossom

Laws of Attraction

Ace Awareness Week Questionnaire - m!MC (Reigan Lee) - @gutsfics

[dutifullynuttywitch]

Squeeeeeeeeeze!!! You've been given a hug! Send this to all the people who you think deserve a hug. Let the hugging begin! ♥

Merci ma chère amie!! Je t'embrasse fort!!

[zhoras-bitch]

BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD!❣️ Once you are given this award you're supposed to paste it in the asks of 8 people you adore! Absolutely no pressure but. It's sweet to know someone thinks you're beautiful inside and out <3

Kissing you on the forehead right through the phone screen like

[jerzwriter]

@aallotarenunelma - I found this on the Writers Appreciation Month masterlist and read it. But I couldn't reblog the reblog (apparently, I'm blocked), and when I clicked the link on your page, it went to one of those phantom links we were all getting a while back. 😢

But this was too adorable for me not to comment on - so I hope you're OK with me doing it this way!

This was so sweet! Now, I must admit I have only made it through the first chapter of BOLAS thus far. Luckily, I have had enough people tell me about Tyril (I've heard Ethan Ramsey with elf ears lol), so I can understand how out-of-character he was acting here.

You did such a great job painting an equally sweet, funny, and ultimately, precious scene.

"You don't love one facet of a diamond."

"Always show me every side of you. You're too precious to be stored."

What beautiful sentiments! Great job @aallotarenunelma!

@lilyoffandoms

[lorirwritesfanfic]

Hello! ☺️ Among all the fictions you've written this year, what are the sentences/lines you love the most/are proud of? List as much as you want. Thank you for creating and sharing! 💛

Hi! Thanks for the ask, dear!

Honestly, I wrote so little this year I'm just glad this blog archive in 2022 isn't a bunch of reblogs and shitposts 😅

But if I have to pinpoint a favorite, I'll chose this paragraph describing Hamid in his sleep:

Once she laid down, her feet bumped into powerful and warm limbs hidden under the duvet. A smile spread across her lips as she shifted on the bed to gaze at him. Lying on his stomach with one side of his face pressed against a pillow, Hamid slept soundly as the sun kissed his skin whilst it slowly disappeared in the horizon for the night to come. Unlike her, he didn't seem bothered by the cold. Somehow he always managed to stay warm and comfortable, as though his body could store the heat of the sun for later.

Excerpt of When The Bubble Bursts (Meant To Be AU - chapter 26)

There's no special reason. I just think it's so him and I really like this feeling of knowing anyone who played Desire & Decorum and knows Hamid's route can read my stuff and think "yup, that's Hamid."

Have a nice weekend and end of year! 😘

[aces-and-angels]

I'm dropping by to say hi!

I think you're amazing and I want to remind you of this. 💛

May this month be kind to you and bring you a lot of joy!

let me take the time to say that you are an amazingly wonderful, beautifully majestic human that deserves the world and more 🖤

[choicesficwriterscreations]

November MC of the Month: Riikka Lovisa Yläkorpi

Please welcome November 2023's MC of the month! Each month, we will highlight one MC or OC that is currently on our Meet My MC / OC List. The MC / OC is selected randomly on the Wheel of Names, and eligibility requirements can be found here. We accept MC / OC profiles on an ongoing basis. Please feel free to send yours in!

This month’s MC of the month is…

@aallotarenunelma 's Riikka Lovisa Yläkorpi!

In your own words, tell us what you like most about your MC / OC.

What I love most about Riikka is how she always finds a way to talk about Finland and share about her Finnish culture. She was born and raised there until she moved to Westchester when she was 2. Her father was born and raised in Porvoo/Borgå, Finland and her mother was born and raised in Astoria, Oregon, where there's an important Finnish community. It explains why she's so deeply connected to her Finnish roots.

Do you feel your MC / OC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

Riikka and I share the same height (163 cm), the same main love language (quality time), and a love for raspberries and salmiakki. We also share the same romantic and sexual orientations (demigray), but that was completely accidental. It was only a few months ago that I realized I was also gray, not just demi.

Unlike her, I don't have Asian origins, I have only one culture and one native tongue, I am not an only child, I am not allergic to peanuts and spring is not my favourite season.

What is most important to your MC / OC? What is their motivation in life? Happiness is most important to her. Happiness for her and also for everyone else. She wishes for people around her to be utterly happy, especially her loved ones.

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes? Riikka's biggest pet peeves are cruelty and any forms of abuse. She also dislikes peanuts because of her severe allergy and rutabagas.

If your MC / OC could change one thing - anything - what would it be? That would be hanging out with Mr Red. If she could go back in time, in every timeline, she would not follow Jane and would tell her how bad that idea is. Each time, it has impacted the group and left Dan with PTSD and a high level of anxiety to manage.

What is your MC / OC’s favorite quote or song? "Voimallinen tahto vie miehen läpi harmaan kiven." ("A strong will takes a man through a gray rock.")

This quote is from the classic book Seitsemän veljestä (The Seven Brothers) by Aleksis Kivi.

Because Riikka has a silly side, she enjoys telling Dan "eteenpäin sanoi mummo lumessa", which translates into "forward, said granny in the snow". It means to keep going through difficulties with determination.

Both quotes are about sisu. It's a Finnish concept hard to translate but that could be explained as perseverance, strength of will, tenacity, courage, bravery during moments that seem hopeless.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC / OC?  (It can be why you created them, how they’ve inspired you, or you could write a little blurb as if it is coming from your OC - an acceptance speech. :) )

Riikka is very special to me because she's my first ILITW MC. Unfortunately, she passed away in a violent manner during my very first playthrough, leaving me shaken. I had to grieve her before being able to replay the book and create another MC.

Because I couldn't forget her, I decided to write a series, Darker Than Night, that follows the original timeline. It's very angsty but also cathartic.

I also had the idea of an AU series telling about how the lives of the children would have changed if they hadn't had the sleepover in the woods. This AU series is titled In Joy and Sorrow and it starts when they are in junior, so a year before when the book starts. I love this series because I can talk about so many important and different topics, and there are wonderful OCs. Even my four other It Lives MCs are dropping by from time to time.

Thanks to this series, I've really gotten to know Riikka, and I keep on learning about her. And now, she can fully live a great life she should have never lost so young in the first place.

Here are some stories to learn more about Riikka:

Darker Than Night

Joy and Sorrow

[choicesfandomappreciation]

I'm here to send a lot of love and appreciation to the lovely @zhoras-bitch , who makes wonderful and creative edits and always has great takes on books and characters. She is also kind and supportive. It's such a pleasure to have met her again in this fandom, after we endured the loss of the other one.

Thank you for being here and making this community better! 💜

@zhoras-bitch

[peonyblossom]

Secret Pal Exchange Gift - @aallotarenunelma

It Lives Anthology - Dan Pierce & Siiri Karvola

Open Heart - Bryce Lahela x Kaisa Virtanen

Immortal Desires - Cas Harlow x Saini Rusanen

I'm so happy you decided to join this fandom and share your works and characters with us! I really appreciate all of the works you create for the Choices Pride events I host. I don't get a lot of submissions for those, so seeing yours always brings a smile to my face. It can be difficult to find LGBT+ rep in this teeny tiny fandom, so thank you for sharing yours! I love seeing your characters and the stories you create for them. I haven't read Immortal Desires yet, but I can't wait to read your fanfics once I do!

@choicesfandomappreciation

[choicespride]

Choices Pride 2023 Week 2 Masterlist

✏️ = fic; 🖌️ = art; 📌 = edit

Laws of Attraction

Happy Pride from Ricci & Associates - Gabe Ricci x Sav Zarza x Aislinn Tanaka - submitted by @peonyblossom; drawn by @weetlebeetle 🖌️

Open Heart

A Family Affair - Tobias Carrick x f!MC (Casey MacTavish) - @jerzwriter ✏️

The Royal Romance

In Your Room Extra: Dreo - Drake Walker x Leo Rys - submitted by @angelasscribbles; commissioned by @harleybeaumont; drawn by @rosefuckinggenius 🖌️

Crossovers

It Lives Anthology/Immortal Desires

Répondez, S'il Vous Plaît ! 2 - Cassius Harlow x NB!MC (Saini Rusanen); NB!OC (Skylar Barnett-Lyons); Dan Pierce x ILITW F!MC (Riikka Yläkorpi); M!OC (Ash Clark); Connor Green x ILITW F!MC (Siiri Karvola); Parker Shaw x ILB F!MC (Pilvi Vance); Lincoln McQuoid Aquino x ILW NB!MC (Kanerva Leinola); Abel Flint x ILW F!MC (Hilkka "Puna" Noronen) - @aallotarenunelma ✏️

[dutifullynuttywitch]

Happy belated birthday, lovely Léa! 🩷

Aaaaahhhhjjjjjj I love this!!!! 😍🥰💕

You are the sweetest, absolute kindest my friend!! Thank you for this lovely gift, I appreciate you and your friendship so very much!! 🥰💛

[zhoras-bitch]

Squeeeeeeeeeze!!! You've been given a hug! Send this to all the people who you think deserve a hug. Let the hugging begin! ♥

Hahaha, I send you this exact ask right before opening my ask box and realising you had sent it to me first!! Sooo I guess we went for a hug at the same time?

[choicesficwriterscreations]

September MC & OCs of the Month - Special Edition: Skylar Barnett-Lyons

Help us in welcoming September's MCs and OCs of the month! That's right, plural! Most months, CFWC highlights one randomly selected MC or OC from our Meet My MC / OC List. (More info here.) But this month, we're doing something different.

In August, @lilyoffandoms hosted a Writers Appreciation Month, and we announced the September Writer of the Month would be selected from its participants. But all participants agreed - Lily deserved the honor! Still, we wanted to do something nice for the eleven writers who elected to participate to help uplift other writers in the fandom. So, this month, each of the eleven participants will have one of their MCs or OCs highlighted.

We will introduce each MC / OC individually, and once all eleven have been highlighted, a masterlist for the month will be created. We hope you enjoy getting to know all about them!

The eleventh, and last, but certainly not least OC of the Month is @aallotarenunelma 's Skylar Barnett-Lyons!

Learn more about Skylar below...

In your words, tell us what you like most about your OC.

What I love about Skylar is his complexity. He has so many layers it's impossible to keep a count of them all. People who understand him can be counted on one single hand, and rarer are those who totally get him.

I love how he can be so open and talkative but also so quiet and reserved.

I love how witty and playful he is and how flirty he can be. It counterbalances his kind and overall gentle nature. He's loyal and genuine but also still trying to figure himself out. He mainly struggles with his identity. He's an androgynous person but partially relates to his androgyny. I love to see how he learns how to navigate through this.

Do you feel your OC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

Skylar is on the non-binary spectrum, as he currently defines himself as demiandrogyne. He has also stated that he is greyromantic and bidemisexual, meaning he is on the aromantic and asexual spectrums.

I belong to these 3 spectrums as well, so while we don't have the exact same experiences, he is relatable to me.

Like me, he is an artist through and through. He's complex like I wrote above but more than I already am. He is still in the process of figuring himself out and it's a great struggle, whereas I don't have this issue.

He's witty, shy, friendly and playful like me, as well as open-minded, kind-hearted and straightforward.

We don't share the same aesthetics and style, I don't drink coffee, I like oranges and he is British-American - I'm neither.

What is most important to your OC? What is their motivation in life?

What is most important to Skylar is to be able to be himself. It's always hard when someone knows themself but much harder when they don't.

He wants to know who he is, so that he can truly be happy. He carries some sadness in his heart because of his identity struggles. The pressure of society is only increasing his struggles of knowing who he is. He doesn't always know what to do with himself and if there's a true purpose in his life.

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes?

His biggest pet peeves are:

- Discrimination. More than angering him, it makes him really sad because this pressing on his struggles. Any form of discrimination is unbearable.

- Violence. Any forms of violence and abuse.

- Hypocrisy. He's too straightforward and genuine to understand this, thus accepting it.

If your OC could change one thing - anything - what would it be?

If he could, Skylar would change that society that defines standards and discriminates and hurts people who don't fit into the mould created and forced upon them.

What is your OC’s favorite quote or song?

One Night by Technicolour reminds him of all the road trips he went on with his family, Saini and her mom every summer.

A quote he loves: "An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind." - Mahatma Gandhi.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your OC?

Since Immortal Desires book 1 hasn't talked about MC's life before moving to Crimson Beech, I wanted my MC, Saini (they/them), to have someone very special back where they grew up.

A best childhood friend was perfect and just like that, Skylar appeared and I've been learning to get to know him since then.

He revealed himself to be more complex than I thought he would be and telling his story has been a delight since day one.

I hope you will get to know him by reading my series Vampire Heart and that you will love him as much as I do, which is a ton because he's precious.

Learn more about Skylar here!