#alina capella

[alinacapellabooks]

Someone once said, if writing is so hard, then why don’t you get AI to do it for you? Because I like writing. Yes, it’s hard, but I like putting the work in because it’s something I’m passionate about. The process of creation brings me joy and fulfilment. What next? Are you going to ask me if I want AI to eat my dinner and do my hobbies for me?

[alinacapellabooks]

My water bottle, my favorite lip balm, and a hyper-realistic crow plushie that I got because it reminded me of Kunio ^_^

i think what’s on a person’s nightstand is very telling so reblog this and put in the tags the things you have on your nightstand

[alinacapellabooks]

The temptation to share snippets of my WIPs vs the desire to not spoil too much of them before they’re published

[alinacapellabooks]

Concept art for Ariel, MC of Night Of The Blue Moon! A reclusive indie game developer by day, and a magical girl with the power of Phoebe, titan of prophecy and intellect, by night. Art by icedfruitpunch

NOTBM taglist (LMK if you want to be added or removed) @the-golden-comet @mundanemoongirl @inkshine @wyked-original-writing @mauannacreates @gioiaalbanoart @estellamiraiauthor @mysticstarlightduck @bone-and-butterflies

[alinacapellabooks]

FINAL COVER REVEAL!

Here it is! The official cover reveal for Night Of The Blue Moon, my sapphic adult magical girl novel! Night Of The Blue Moon will be available on Amazon on the 27th of January, in ebook, and in paperback format! If a sapphic fantasy romance about magical girls and the Greek gods sounds like your thing, be sure to check it out!

NOTBM taglist (Let me know if you want to be added!): @the-golden-comet @mundanemoongirl @inkshine @wyked-original-writing @mauannacreates @gioiaalbanoart @estellamiraiauthor @mysticstarlightduck @bone-and-butterflies @herecomesthementalmeltdown @willtheweaver

[alinacapellabooks]

I’ve never talked much about my own experience with being queer, but I don’t think that enough people understand how frustrating it is to be asexual in a sex-obsessed society. If you sleep around, you’re a whore, but if you don’t sleep with anyone, you’re a prude and you’re ‘playing hard to get’. If you want a relationship, you’re a frigid bitch if you don’t want to have sex with your partner. But then, if you’re also aromantic, and you don’t want a relationship, you’re a heartless bitch. You have to be careful about how you dress, or how you do your makeup, because if you do it a certain way, people, especially men, will think that you’re trying to be sexy to attract them, and you’ll get so many unwanted advances. Every time you go to a family gathering there’s gonna be that one relative who insists that you’re a ‘late bloomer’ or that you’ll ‘change your mind’ later on. Being asexual would be a hell of a lot easier if the world would stop obsessing over sex.

[alinacapellabooks]

NIGHT OF THE BLUE MOON IS ON SALE NOW!

That's right folks, my sapphic urban fantasy novel about magical girls who get their powers from the Greek gods is on sale on Amazon now, and you can read the first few chapters for free! If you're in the market for an urban fantasy novel featuring a sun/moon ship, and a friends to lovers romance, be sure to grab a copy! Synopsis below:

Some people live double lives. Ariel Gianapoulou lives a triple life.

By day, she’s a meek, unassuming nobody who lives alone in a messy apartment. On the internet, she’s SeleneDev, the smash-hit indie game developer whose RPGs about magical girls have taken the world by storm. By night, she’s Blue Moon, a magical girl chosen by the titan Phoebe to retrieve Hades’s bracelet from Orpheus and Eurydice, supervillains who are killing people in the hopes of buying their son, Brooklyn, back from the dead. Aided by her partner, Red Sun, Ariel will stop at nothing to defeat the villainous duo. Ariel knows better than anyone that Brooklyn doesn’t deserve a second chance at life—Three years ago, he raped her at a party, and crushed her dreams of becoming a police officer.

There are a lot of people on Orpheus’s hit-list, and things get especially complicated when Ariel’s crush, Solana, turns out to be one of the people he wants dead. Will Ariel be able to stop Orpheus and Eurydice, win Solana’s heart, and keep her triple life secret?

Oh, and if that hasn’t sold you, here’s some other things about it that might appeal to you. My book features:

-An asexual protagonist, and a graysexual love interest. That’s right, we have a sapphic ace4ace romance! -Sun/Moon ship

-Friends to lovers

-Slow burn romance

-Adult magical girls dealing with adult problems

-An Easter egg for those of you who read my previous book, The Tengu And The Angel in chapter one! (BTW that one’s a gay friends to lovers romance featuring two troubled nerds falling in love, with vignettes inspired by Japanese mythology at the end of each chapter. You can find it on the pinned link in my profile!)

NOTBM Taglist! Thank you all so much for coming on the journey to publication with me!:

@the-golden-comet @mundanemoongirl @inkshine @wyked-original-writing @mauannacreates @gioiaalbanoart @estellamiraiauthor @mysticstarlightduck @bone-and-butterflies @herecomesthementalmeltdown @willtheweaver

[alinacapellabooks]

Not now darling I’m busy trying to furiously write down all of my ideas before I forget them

[alinacapellabooks]

Thanks for the tag! Strap in, everybody, because we’ll be going on a tour that’ll take you to the Underworld! That’s right, you get an exclusive sneak peek of where you’ll be going when you’re dead!

Hades: I don’t usually allow the living in the Underworld, but I’m willing to make an exception just this once.

Anargyros: But before that, let’s start with a tour of some of our favorite locations in the living world!

Solana: This is Winchester Cathedral. It’s our city’s most famous historical landmark, and also the place where our annual Christmas markets are hosted. Trust me, you haven’t lived until you’ve been to a Winchester Christmas market. I want a bratwurst stuffed with melted cheese right about now…

Ariel: It’s also the perfect place to have a big dramatic fight with your mortal enemy…Or to declare your love for someone and have a big damn kiss moment with them…

Solana: Yeah, that too. Or at least, that’s what we did, right, babe? Ariel: Yeah…

Solana: Next stop on our journey is Abbey Gardens, a gorgeous park surrounding a fifteenth century house. It’s a nice place to walk your dog, or have a picnic.

Ariel: Or kill your rapist’s mother who helped him get away with his crime.

Solana: Yeah that too…

Anargyros: Can we show them Elysium next?

Hades: Fine, but not all of it. If I showed everyone the entirety of Elysium, the journey would take years…

Anargyros: Anyway, this is Elysium, an archipelago where exceptional souls are sent when they die. By this, I mean souls who were exceptionally good people when they were alive, or souls who gained the favor of the gods. Anything you want can be yours down here.

Solana: What about discontinued snacks?

Hades: Why is that always the first thing souls ask us when they’re sent to Elysium? Do you humans not have anything but discontinued food on your minds?

Solana: So do you have discontinued snacks in Elysium?

Hades: …Yes.

Thanatos: I love coming down here to get Orbitz soda! I don’t know why you humans discontinued it, it’s really good!

Hades: Thanatos? What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to meet Ariel and Solana until the second book!

Thanatos: I’m just taking a break.

Ariel: You’re the god of dying. Don’t you have souls to harvest on Earth?

Thanatos: Not right now. Only a couple million people have been scheduled to die today. I’m not usually very busy on weekdays.

Hades: Anyway, the last stop on our journey is Tartarus, which is where you humans who have personally offended the gods in some way go. Here you’ll find many mythological figures, such as Tantalus and Sisyphus, and you’ll also find some more recently deceased sinners down here. Some of you might be wondering, what did the guy in the Supreme cap do? He was a serial stalker and rapist, and two of his victims happened to be champions of the titans. I haven’t decided on a punishment for him yet, but right now I’m leaning towards having fire ants eat his nether regions every day for the next century.

Thanatos: Maybe we could ask Zeus for some ideas! His punishments are pretty creative!

Hades: I’d rather not contact my brother if I can help it, Thanatos. There’s a reason why it’s been five centuries since we last spoke…

Anargyros: Yeah, and I don’t think Phoebe would approve of us talking to him either. We really need her on our side right now, and she hates his guts.

Solana: Oh yeah? Why’s that?

Hades: He got one of her daughters pregnant, and then when he tried to get with her other daughter, she refused him, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so she turned herself into an island to get him to leave her alone.

Ariel: Yikes: He sounds just like Brooklyn.

Hades: He is. Sometimes I wish I could throw him into Tartarus along with my father…

Anargyros: Even gods have daddy issues! And big brother issues…

Hades: Alright, let’s wrap this up and take everyone back to the living world.

Leaving this tag open! Don’t be shy, come and say hi!

✨⛵️Story/WIP Tour Tag ⛵️✨

Oh, what a fun concept! Thank you for tagging me, @theink-stainedfolk !!

I’m not sure I can convince you about the lovely landmarks in Peter Hart , but— there’s a rope around me. Oh. We don’t have a choice in this adventure, do we?

Peter: Clever. You catch on quick~!

Ahoy, mates. Captain Hart at the helm now. I’ll be your tour guide for the voyage. Please keep your arms on the deck at all times. Do not lean on the railing; if you go overboard we’re not coming to fish you out….unless you’re Benjamin.

Benjamin: HEY!! 😡

Right, let’s get started:

✨🇬🇧Port Mayor🇬🇧✨

On your left, you will notice we are passing by Port Mayor, Great Britain. A lovely fishing port run by an absolute bastard of a person. Make sure on your stop you steal a hearty handful from the Royal’s pockets, and try their regional specialty: Port Plum Pudding. Great for the season.

🌋Isle of Talon Rock🌋

Oh, this one’s a lovely sightseeing adventure! Talon Rock is an inactive volcano in the center of thick jungle. Do watch your feet for snakes; they are quite venomous here. The igneous walls of the lava tubes are home to a variety of rich gems, but make sure you vacate before high tide if you don’t want to get your clothes wet.

✨🇬🇧Portsmouth🇬🇧✨

We arrive at another port. Excellent tailor at this location; this is where I picked out most of Benjamin’s fashion.

Benjamin: I didn’t ASK for—

—You’re welcome. If you get a chance, make sure to piss in the rose garden of the sovereign that governs this port.

✨🪨Echoing Cove🪨✨

This one looks deceptive at first glance, but a trove of valuables rests deep enough inside the many underwater cave systems. You’ll have to do a little spelunking, but if you reach deep enough the treasures are ripe for the taking~

Benjamin: Peter…why do I hear voices?

—AAAAAAAND we are getting the fuck out of here~🏴‍☠️✨

✨🇬🇧Port Florence🇬🇧✨

Aye, Florence. Another posh port with a castle loaded in riches. A very prosperous port town with a king that is all too eager to throw lavish parties and get drunk off of centuries aged wine.

Benjamin: You’re one to talk, captain…

They hold a Regal Ball every year, with a dance competition. The winners take home 50 grand. Ah, a great memory indeed~

Benji: (blushing furiously)

😏

☠️🩸Bloodwater Bay🩸☠️

….Oh shite. This place. Right, well…..some more dense jungle, a thin strip of beach, the waters are red, but don’t be too alarmed…Davey tells us that’s the iron deposits that give more of that rusty hue. There’s a tall waterfall in the center……

Benjamin: …..Peter? Peeeeeeeter?

O-Oh! Well, moving right along…don’t want to linger in this wretched bay….

✨🇮🇪Gregory’s Point🇮🇪✨

Another lovely island between the mainland and Ireland. This is a developed hotspot, turned into a small port town where all are welcome. Pirates, naval officers, merchants, the like. Between the two main countries, this place has its own governance. So, you better have a good reputation if you don’t want to be murdered in your sleep ✨

Benjamin: you say that so nonchalantly, Captain

Mmmmhm. Also home to one of the best doctors this side of the equator. So, if you get wounded, make sure it happens close to Gregory’s Point.

✨🐋Giverny Gulch🐋✨

Another island made of basalt, home to a naval shipwreck. Do watch your step for broken glass, sharp rocks, reanimated corpses—

Benjamin: —I beg your pardon?

—fish and shark carcasses….oh right. Lots of sharks. Be careful of those.

Benjamin: ….Do I hear a whale?

✨🇫🇷Lorraine🇫🇷✨

We’re arriving near France! Jacques: lead us in the singing of the French National Anthem

Jacques: Oui, oui, Capitaine~! ✨

✨🎵 Allons enfant de la patrie,

Le jour de gloire est arrivé! 🎵✨

Benjamin: 😑

✨🎵….Contre nous de la tyrannie,

L'étendard sanglant est levé

L'étendard sanglant est levé

Entendez-vous dans les campagnes

Mugir ces féroces soldats?

Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras

Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes!

Aux armes, citoyens! (Formez)

Vos bataillons!

Marchons! Oui, marchons!

Qu'un sang impur

Abreuve nos sillons! 🎵✨

🏔️Arctic Archipelago🏔️

……

Benjamin: …..Peter?

…..Let’s be off…..I wish not to be here too long.

✨🏝️The Caribbean🏝️✨

Ah, much better~! A nice, warm climate. Benji, love, remind me to acquire a bottle of Ron de Barbados 🇧🇧✨

Benjamin: Trust me, Captain; you won’t forget.

We’ve reached our final stop, but we have a whole tied-up tour group of witnesses. Mmmm…Right, I got it! Men, start hauling them over the rail—

Benjamin: —PETER!!

I’m joooooking~. Start untying them and drop ‘em off at the next port. Thank you for….“choosing”….The Golden Phoenix as your cruise. I’ve been your captain, and have a magnificent stay in Barbados. Jones knows I will~

Benjamin: P-PETER!! 😣

Leaving this open because man I had a lot of fun here ✨

✨👇Tag list for writing snippets below DM me if you want to be added 👇✨

Tag List for writing tidbits (lmk if you want + or -)

@jev-urisk , @talesofsorrowandofruin , @clevah-girlboss, @wyked-ao3 , @glasshouses-and-stones , @gioiaalbanoart , @tragedycoded , @deanwax , @dyrewrites , @honeybewrites , @drchenquill , @paeliae-occasionally , @lychhiker-writes , @thatuselesshuman , @kaylinalexanderbooks , @katenewmanwrites , @fantasy-things-and-such , @billybatsonmylove , @madi-konrad , @houseplantblank , @far-cry-from-finality , @froggy-pposto , @fractured-shield , @avaseofpeonies , @topazadine , @thecoolerlucky , @willtheweaver , @somethingclevermahogony , @noxxytocin , @leahnardo-da-veggie , @addicted2coke-theothercoke , @illarian-rambling , @mysticstarlightduck , @the-letterbox-archives , @ominous-feychild , @saturnine-saturneight , @words-after-midnight , @sableglass , @cowboybrunch , @yourpenpaldee , @moltenwrites , @pixies-love-envy , @davycoquette , @writeahurricane , @nczaversnick , @greenfinchwriter , @oliolioxenfreewrites , @aintgonnatakethis , @thecomfywriter , @pluppsauthor , @michellekarnold , @flurrysahin , @authorcoledipalo , @jadeglas , @spookyceph , @48lexr , @inseasofgreen , @agirlandherquill , @saebasanart , @leatafandom , @justabigoldnerd , @pippinoftheshire , @just-emis-blog, @aalinaaaaa , @badscientist , @dearunreliablenarrator , @worlds-tallest-fairy , @rhikasa , @eccaiia , @swordslord

[alinacapellabooks]

I decided to get myself a paperback copy of my sapphic urban fantasy romance novel, Night Of The Blue Moon, just because I could. I love the detail of the ribbon on the back ^_^

Oh, and if you’d also like to get yourself a paperback copy of my sapphic urban fantasy romance novel, you can get one right now on Amazon! If you’re into magical girls and Greek mythology, and you’re looking for a book with an ace4ace main couple, my book has all of those things and more!

[alwri-tes]

2024 Wrap Up Post!

It feels like just yesterday that 2024 was a brand new year, and yet, here we are, just a day away from its end. So, without further ado, here's just a short list of things that happened to me in the writer world in 2024.

-I published my second novel, Splintertown, in February of this year! It was an absolute dream come true and I will always cherish the memories of how it felt to finally see this story come into the world. Splintertown also sold very well, and very quickly, copies of this one flew out of my hands significantly faster than that of its predecessor. It was so impressive and wild, and I am so grateful.

-A copy of Shadow's Hidden Blade was sold for the first time ever to a customer who lives outside of the U.S.

-I donated copies of Shadow's Hidden Blade and attempted to get it circulated in a local regional library. I was unsuccessful, but at least I tried.

-A copy of Splintertown was sold for the first time to a customer outside of the U.S. (What?!)

-I received many comments from readers over the course of this year that absolutely filled my heart with joy.

-I read a lot of books this year, several of which were written by my fellow authors on Tumblr! J.G Martin's (@jgmartin) Crooked Antlers was the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy night and will likely be a spooky season favorite, Apolline Lucy's (@apolline-lucy) The Silver Birds had me struggling to pick my jaw up off the floor, Alina Capella's (@alinacapellabooks) The Tengu and The Angel was a strikingly emotional summer read, Gabriella Buba's (@inkcurlsandknives) Saints of Storm and Sorrow had me on the verge of losing it on an airplane, and Estella Mirai's (@estellamiraiauthor) The Stars May Rise and Fall made me stay up way too late while desperate to find out what happened next.

All in all, wow, what a year!

See you all in the next one, and hopefully many more years to come!

[takeeachdayonebookatatime]

I’m Alina Capella, an indie author based in the UK who mostly writes romance and urban fantasy. There is not enough arospec/acespec representation in fiction, and I’m hoping to fix that problem by writing it myself

Laura

Is there a special reason behind the title of your book/series?

Alina

 Actually, there are quite a few. The title of my recently published book, Night Of The Blue Moon, comes from the fact that the main character, Ariel, gets her powers from Phoebe, the titaness of the moon, and her magical girl name is Blue Moon. Also most of the fight scenes are set at night, primarily because I didn’t want Blue Moon and her partner, Red Sun, to be public figures. They fight in the dark, and very few people know that they exist.

Laura

Will there be any more books in your series? 

Alina

Yes, Night Of The Blue Moon will be a two-part series, possibly three parts if I come up with another adventure for Blue Moon and Red Sun to go on. The working title of the second book in the series is Night Of The Justified Deaths. I can’t tell you anything about the plot without spoiling the entirety of Night Of The Blue Moon, however. 

Laura

How many books have you written? 

Alina

I have two published books available now. My debut book was The Tengu And The Angel, a contemporary romance about Kunio, a teenage artist who runs away from his abusive alcoholic mother, and Nathaniel, a fashion designer who takes him in. I published Night Of The Blue Moon, which is an urban fantasy/romance, on the 27th of January. It is the first of a two-part series about Ariel, a shut-in indie game developer by day, and a magical girl named Blue Moon, by night. Blue Moon’s mission is to retrieve Hades’s bracelet, and stop Orpheus from bringing his son, Brooklyn, back from the dead. Ariel knows better than anyone that Brooklyn doesn’t deserve a second chance at life—Three years ago, he raped her at a party and crushed her dreams of becoming a police officer.

Laura

What can readers expect from your next book? 

Alina 

My next book will be Blood On A Yellow Rose, which is going to be about Pamela, a former rock star who had her career ruined after she took ecstasy laced with fentanyl, forcing one of her roadies to turn her into a vampire to save her life. Pamela never thought that she would get back into the music industry—Until she met Zinnia, a former aspiring rock star dying of lung cancer. Zinnia promises that she can help Pamela get her career back, if she promises to bite her and save her life by turning her into a vampire…

Laura

What made you want to become a writer?

Alina 

I’m a dreamer by nature, and I started writing in the hopes of doing something productive with my many daydreams. There are a million and one ideas in my head, and I would lose it if I didn’t empty them out

Laura

What is your favorite part of your book/series?

Alina

 Oh, boy, I can’t tell you much about my favourite part of Night Of The Blue Moon without spoiling a major plot element, but I can tell you that it involves a kiss under the moonlight in the ruins of Winchester Cathedral. It’s very romantic 💕 

Laura

Do you prefer paperbacks or ebooks?

Alina

 I love paperbacks! I wish I could own more of them, but I don’t have enough space in my apartment to store the amount of paperbacks that I read. I love new book smell…But I love ebooks too. I like being able to read wherever and whenever I want! 

Laura

If your book got turned into a movie, who would you want to star in it? 

Alina

First of all, it would have to be an animated movie, and second, I would want Natasia Demetriou to voice Ariel, and probably Cindy Robinson to voice Ariel’s love interest and sidekick, Red Sun. And Keston John voicing Hades would be pretty cool as well, and maybe Reshma Shetty for Phoebe…

Laura

What book meant the most to you?

Alina

 The Tengu And The Angel will always have a special place in my heart, as it was my debut book, but honestly, Night Of The Blue Moon is the book that means the most to me, purely because it’s something I’ve been wanting to write for years. I firmly believe that fantasy books for adults shouldn’t be limited to grimdark high fantasy settings—Adults deserve stories that inspire wonder and hope too, and that’s what I hope to give readers with Night Of The Blue Moon. 

Laura

Where do you write your books/stories? 

Alina 

Usually cross-legged on the floor surrounded by empty instant ramen cups. I’m not the glamorous type hehe

Laura

Should books be banned? 

Alina

Is that a serious question? No book should be banned, ever. I don’t care what it’s about or who wrote it, no one should have the right to stop anyone from reading a book if they want to. 

Laura

Current book you’re reading?

Alina

 Up The Entropic Hill by Mattie Bukowski. As an indie author myself, I like to read books by other indie authors, and so far I’m enjoying it.

Here are the Goodreads links to my books, where you can read more reviews before you buy them! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224014443-night-of-the-blue-moon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203749773-the-tengu-and-the-angel

Ps... Laura, here I do not support the banning of books it is wrong.

[alinacapellabooks]

The writing process:

Vs the editing process:

[mirandamckenni1]

Laboratorium Pieśni - Sztoj pa moru (Што й па мору) OUR CDs: https://ift.tt/HoODmxF NASZE PŁYTY: https://ift.tt/nRGb39x Belarusian traditional song 'Shtoy pa moru' [Out there on the sea] - arranged by Laboratorium Pieśni / Song Laboratory and recorded in Świątynia Dźwięku - Sound Temple in Borsk in Kashubian region (Poland). Białoruska pieśń "Sztoj pa moru" (oryg. Што й па мору - Tam na morzu) w aranżacji Laboratorium Pieśni, zaśpiewana i nagrana w Świątyni Dźwięku - Sound Temple w Borsku na Kaszubach. video: Marta Obiegla (https://ift.tt/g7ub9GY), Dariusz Dawidowski voices / głosy: Alina Jurczyszyn, Kamila Bigus, Lila Bosowska, Iwona Bajger, Klaudia Lewandowska, Magda Jurczyszyn, Karolina Stawiszyńska, Alina Klebba shamanic drums / bębny szamańskie: Metaphoric Tools - https://ift.tt/pgHx5eu https://ift.tt/ldFeWGb http://youtube.com/laboratoriumpiesni https://ift.tt/0QkphXK https://ift.tt/uEPGi8V https://ift.tt/KCun3fd Translation: At the sea, blue sea There was a floating flock of white swans And where did the gray-white eagle come from? It dispersed the flock around the blue sea White down rose to heaven, Gray feathers fell on a green meadow And who will collect these feathers? - A beautiful girl Tłumaczenie tekstu: Na morzu, na błękitnym morzu Tam pływały stada białych łabędzi Z małymi łabądkami A skąd się wziął szaro-biały orzeł Rozgonił stado po całym błękitnym morzu Biały puszek uniósł się do nieba Szare pierze opadło na zielonej łące A kto zbierze to pierze? Zbierze je piękna dziewczyna Many thanks to Asia and Huzy for hospitality and drumming! Wielkie podziękowania dla Asi i Huzego za gościnę i wspólne bębnienie! Thanks to Raman for sharing this song with us, lyric and translation! Dziękujemy Ramanowi za podzielenie się pieśnią, tekst i tłumaczenie! ABOUT US / O NAS: Laboratorium Pieśni – Song Laboratory (world/ethno/spiritual/mystic folk music) is a female group of singers from Poland, created in 2013. Using traditional, polyphonic singing they perform songs from all over the world, mainly: Ukraine, Balkans, Belarus, Georgia, Scandinavia, Poland and many other places. They sing a capella as well as with shaman drums and other ethnic instruments (shruti box, kalimba, flute, gong, zaphir and koshi chimes, singing bowls, rattles etc.), creating a new space in a traditional song, adding voice improvisations, inspired by sounds of nature, often intuitive, wild and feminine. Laboratorium Pieśni – Song Laboratory (world/etno/spiritual/mystic folk music) to trójmiejski, kobiecy zespół pieśniarek, powstały w 2013 roku. Grupa śpiewa i aranżuje tradycyjne pieśni polifoniczne: ukraińskie, bułgarskie, białoruskie, serbskie, albańskie, bośniackie, polskie, a także gruzińskie, skandynawskie, oksytańskie i wiele innych. Pieśni Świata wykonują zarówno a capella, jak i przy akompaniamencie bębnów szamańskich i innych etnicznych instrumentów (m.in. shruti box, dzwonków, przeszkadzajek, fletu, kalimby, mis, gongu), wnosząc w pieśni tradycyjne nową aranżację, przestrzeń improwizacji głosowych, inspirowanych dźwiękami natury, często intuicyjnych, dzikich, kobiecych. via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04fEWQOwUD4

[alwri-tes]

Looking for a wildly entertaining, original and immersive take on the iconic magical girl journey? Well, look no further, because I've got just the book for you!

I finished devouring Alina Capella's (@alinacapellabooks) Night of the Blue Moon last night, and wow. Wow.

The summary is this:

Some people live double lives. Ariel Gianapoulou lives a triple life.

By day, she’s a meek, unassuming nobody who lives alone in a messy apartment. On the internet, she’s SeleneDev, the smash-hit indie game developer whose RPGs about magical girls have taken the world by storm. By night, she’s Blue Moon, a magical girl chosen by the titan Phoebe to retrieve Hades’s bracelet from Orpheus and Eurydice, supervillains who are killing people in the hopes of buying their son, Brooklyn, back from the dead. Aided by her partner, Red Sun, Ariel will stop at nothing to defeat the villainous duo. Ariel knows better than anyone that Brooklyn doesn’t deserve a second chance at life—Three years ago, he raped her at a party, and crushed her dreams of becoming a police officer.

There are a lot of people on Orpheus’s hit-list, and things get especially complicated when Ariel’s crush, Solana, turns out to be one of the people he wants dead. Will Ariel be able to stop Orpheus and Eurydice, win Solana’s heart, and keep her triple life secret?

The characters are all deeply compelling, and you'll find yourself rooting for each of the heroes in their own unique way. I was especially engrossed in the story of Solana, aka Red Sun, who struggles to break free from her boss who forces her to participate in pornographic content against her will. it's not often that you see the story of someone in the porn industry-whether they're there by choice or not-elevated to the status of not just a fully-realized character, but a metaphorical and literal hero in their own right while also analyzing the impact sex work has had on their psyche. On that note, Blue Moon and Red Sun's powers may be fictional, but the villains they face up against- rapists, the extremely wealthy- are all too real, and as an American who is currently feeling a lot of fear in terms of the threat posed by an asshole billionaire and his shithead cronies (Donald Trump and Co. :/), the mental image of a magical girl kicking the asses of the corrupt...it meant a lot to me, I won't lie. It was a reminder of how and why we've always needed various iterations of superheroes over the years.

On a significantly lighter note, the book features romance scenes so adorable I was practically giggling while reading my ebook, which very rarely happens, so don't worry about it all being grim.

Final note: A pretty big component of the book is the Vtuber community- Solana is a Vtuber, and Ariel has many connections to Vtubers due to being a game developer. If you're like me and know absolutely nothing about Vtubers, don't worry. While the book doesn't entirely explain what a Vtuber is, a quick google search will fill you in enough to understand what's going on. If you're like me and also know absolutely nothing about magical girls, don't worry about that either, because that aspect is easily digestible, even for someone coming in blind.

All in all, would recommend!

[alinacapellabooks]

Interesting ask, but I’ll bite:

Kunio: Yes to both. But no more than two beers because I know that I couldn’t beat him in a drinking contest if I tried. He has an alcohol tolerance that’s higher than Wiz Khalifa, unlike me

Nathaniel: No and yes, in that order, but only because I’d feel bad drinking in front of someone who cannot drink alcohol for health reasons

Ariel: Yes to both. She is one of the most trustworthy people you could ever want to meet, and if you tell her a secret, she will take it to the grave

Solana: Yes to both. Again, she’s one of the most trustworthy people you could ever want to meet, and she’s really sweet and caring. She’s very much the cool big sis type

Pamela (MC of Blood On A Yellow Rose, which will be my next release after NOTBM): Yes and no in that order. Pamela is great fun to party with, and she’ll hook you up with any recreational substance you could want, but I wouldn’t trust her with a puppy. Despite being a doctor, she’s nowhere near responsible enough to care for anything but herself in her spare time

Zinnia: Yes to both. She loves to party, and she’s very much a dog person

Which of your OCs would pass the test @the-golden-comet @gioiaalbanoart?

Writers or other OC creators, I’m dying to know… which of your characters would and wouldn’t pass the “two beers and a puppy” test?