#also adara if you will

[ajaxxx-x]

At least he’s self aware

[sarahreesbrennan]

Hello! If IOL were to get adapted into a TV show (or film I suppose), what are some things you'd be excited for, or things you'd want revealed that we don't get from Elliot's POV?

(also fun fact: my name is Elliot too! It may or may not have been very helpful in getting me to read the book three years ago)

Hi Elliot! A fine name. :)

The silver screen by its nature allows us into more points of view - it’s why my TV tie-ins always had more and briefer PoVs than I usually write, to give the same effect as a moving camera. And In Other Lands is a very limited third by design, since we really have to feel Elliot’s feelings to be in it with him. So immediately a visual, more-on-the-surface medium would open the story up to more reveals - there’s a lot to be done with Serene and Luke, and (for my money) with Captain Woodsinger, Golden, Adara and Myra.

The question also arises what the director’s or showrunner’s vision is, because the showrunner would not be me. There are so many different ways to tell a tale.

If they’re going gritty child soldiers, there’s more to be done with the wars between the different peoples, with dryads and dwarves, and with Delia Winterchild and her lost twin. If they’re going, say, romcom like a fantasy Heartstopper, we’re probably putting Wings In the Morning and In Other Lands in a blender and starting with the characters 15 and up. If they’re doing children’s adventure a la (gayer, weirder) Percy Jackson, we might meet the key three waking up in their respective settings on the day they head off to the Border camp - Serene exiting in a rebellious huff after blazing row with her mother, Luke worried under the weight of loving expectation, Elliot totally clueless and friendless in another world - are these children going to meet? What will hap— Holy SHIT the redhead is being rude! But we’d get it, because we saw where he came from.

The mood of a story is often dictated by what information you parcel out when.

And TV throws curveballs. (Movies less often.) What if the Elliot and Adara actors had lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry? What if Luke and Dale did? I hardly dare imagine. But then again, if it was a She-Ra-style animated series, that would be far less likely. So it’s hard to say what I’d be excited for, as I wouldn’t know what to expect!

I’d be really excited if they did any kind of series, because that’s such a show of faith in my work. And it would mean more job security, and new covers, and more chances for me to get more readers and perhaps most important of all to write more in the In Other Lands world… which (more on this later) I would love to do.

A show is always a wild shot - I’d always try to think of the books as my first concern, as they might do something totally bonkers with an adaptation. (Me, if Luke and Serene fell in romantic love while Elliot died a cowardly weasel’s death: What Show? I Cannot Perceive the Moving Pictures, I Just Do Not Know.) Buuuut, if it ever did happen, I would love to see more of the interdynamics at the Border camp, stuff that flew totally over Elliot’s head. I’d love to have Golden introduced earlier. I’d love to have the harpies in sooner, but as a sinister presence until the big reveal. And of course, channeling my inner Elliot, I’d love to see the mermaids. Throw the whole budget at mermaids!

Thanks for asking, and dreaming with me. 💜

[the-vegetarian-artist]

Asking you about your ska troll concept! They look so cool and I would love to learn more about them

@shadow-ray4 thank you for asking, genuinely was positive that no one would ask 😅😣 but I am HAPPY to share! To start here are the full refs I've done so far and explain as much of the concept as I've developed in my brain lmaooo (ALL MAJOR DEETS undercut cause its gonna be LONG)

@goldendaydna also helped with this and lowkey a concept we are semi working out since her sona Golden Tempo is an Urbano Troll (a recently named concept lol)

Ska Trolls are Big, Bright, and BOLD. Together, these elements create an energetic, highly danceable, highly vibe-able troll genre. They also explode into confetti and confections when excited or surprised. Dont worry they pop back up as if nothing even happened leaving a pile of candy and crepe paper on the ground. (Ska trolls are super popular with the kids.) They practically live for the music, known for dancing for several days straight with hardly a rhyme or reason to stop.

*Like even the smallest of surprises just make em POP! (Bonus Branch doodle cause why not??)

Adara, my sona, is a 4th Generation Ska Troll (her father being a 3rd Gen while her mama is a punk rock troll) so TECHNICALLY shes Ska-punk, but she still has the appearance of your standard Ska Troll so it's more a music specific.

Her great great grandparents being a reggae leaning funk troll and a rocksteady leaning funk troll who formed The Underground after being seemingly left behind along with other alt/subgenres of the main 6 kingdoms when they split. A place for alternative trolls like herself and her friends could live and PARTY HARD without micro judgments against their music. It's a haven for other trolls who feel they dont quite fit a specific genre or even one at all, but also HELLA secluded from the rest of the Trolls so they look different and SOUND different. (Cave acoustics and all) The surface likely gets trimmers and even earthquakes from their raging parties. (I'm still fleshing this out but I have this piece of "concept art")

*Its literally a bioluminescent shroom town. Like glowing mushroom homes, food, ect- glow worms on the cave ceiling like stars in a night sky. All the various alternative genre of trolls have like a glowy eye thing that allows them to just see naturally in the dark too-

*these were some posters I took heavy color influence from for Adara's pallet (I know they arent all ska, but punk, reggae, and rocksteady aesthetics were an addition)

Obviously I took most inspo from pinatas, party/confetti poppers, and the sorts mainly because the funk trolls poop...well. baked goods and I wanted to play off that but lean into the crazy evolution the trolls have canonically in the universe that foam at the mouth for 👀 🤲 But I wanted to make sure her colors and patterns gave off not just Funk influence, but also micro subculture influences that are within The Underground. (This including but not not limited to, how closely Ska Trolls were to the Urbano Trolls communities within The Underground)

*Exchanged tassels and stringy fur textures for more paper textures. Like literally walking, talking, breathing pinatas fr

*Queen Essence I love yuuuu

They are bigger than the average Funk troll and have very similar features to them, but texture and color wise are very different. They much more vibrant and staturated. Giving a mix of felt and crepe paper. They have tails as sortve as an evolutionary trait but also it gives maximum party mode as it can hold objects and act as an extra hand. Their ears are also longer and slimmer, making it harder for them to lift or perk up so they stay droopy unlike their funk counterparts. They are all naturals at brass instruments (mainly trumpet) and ALWAYS have a hop in their step.

*edit if the pics keep messing up... imma have to just remake the post 😭

[ohbo-ohno]

bo, first of all i adore your writing!!

but you've mentioned a few shall we say 'darker themed' books you've read in asks here and there, can you give some recs of your faves?? pretty please??

first of all, i love you! and also yes always, i never mind giving book recs! i sorta ramble under the cut, sorry lol

alright i'll start with the darker romances. these are hard noncon, and depict abusive relationships that aren't always framed as bad. when i say dark i mean dark lmao, always be aware of what you're going itno before you read a dark romance

If you like my fics, I can almost guarantee you'll like Taken by Felicity Brandon. This is about an author who writes dark erotica and gets kidnapped by a fan, who forces her to live out some of her scenes. Includes petplay! I have my issues with the book (and I DNF'd the sequel) but ohhhh the smut is so good

I mentioned them a while back, but Measha Stone's Owned and Protected series is a 6 book series with noncon/dubcon petplay in every single book. Calling these "romance" is a stretch, but god if you like my noncon petplay stuff (and you're alright with reading explicit noncon and forced relationships), you might like these

I haaated the ending of Distorted by Nyla K. but dear fucking god it is a good prison dark romance. Also it is SO Ghoap coded, I would recommend reading the first ~80% of it lmfao

Corrupt Idol by Dinah Harper is the first book in a series that will probably never get finished, but honestly it's pretty good as a standalone. Dark step-brother romance, and I thought the writing (at least in the first half) was so good, I genuinely felt for the FMC at times (even if I was screaming at her)

Ok I'm not confident in this rec because I'm still not suuuuper sure how I feel about this book, but Torment by Dylan Page is a dark step-brother biker romance. The FMC is the MMC's "rock", and the only thing that keeps him from flying off into a violent rage when he's upset, and he develops an unhealthy attachment to her that everyone around them allows because they don't want to deal with him. I never read the second book, but this is another one where you really feel for the FMC

One of my favoriteeee dark A/B/O (specifically the first book) is Born to be Bound by Addison Cane. I would suggest not reading anything past the third book, and I'm not a huuge fan of the side plots, but the stuff with the FMC and MMC is just. God it's the perfect brand of dark A/B/O (in MY head)

I've recommended it before, but for my truly fucked in the head followers - Under His Heel by Adara Wolf is probably the darkest book I've ever read. It's a four book series (and I think the whole thing is worth reading) and it's got every single trigger warning except for (i think) scat, pedophilia, and necrophilia. it has rape, incest that's also rape, extreme body modification (though it's not permanent), severe public humiliation, severe mental torture, and just about 0 aftercare for our MMC. The book follows a man in a far distant future who's working as an indentured servant to pay off his debts & his incredibly sadistic and evil master. These books are far from "for everyone", but if you really want some fucked up romance (with heavy smut) I think these are worth reading!

aaand some softer dark romances. to me, these are books with some lighter kidnapping or soft noncon, abuse in a mental but not physical way, and MMCs who just think they're in the right

Gemma Weir's Montana Mountain Men is like an acid trip and it's kinda crack, but i read all 7 in like a day, so take that as you will. Each book is about a different brother in the same family as they fall in love - except, in this family the men supposedly know who their soulmate is the moment they lay eyes on them. So there's some light kidnapping, some manipulation/unhealthy behavior, and some birth control tampering in these. For what they are, I enjoyed almost all of them lmao

The Darkest Temptation by Danielle Lori is like a kidnapping romance written for non-dark romance readers tbh. It toes the line of noncon/dubcon, and it's definitely a kidnapping romance, but it's really not that dark.

Nicky the Driver by Cate C. Wells is (in my opinion) not as good as the first book in the series, but it's way lighter in terms of darkness level

Shiver by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine is a stalker romance that fell a little short for me, but was overall enjoyable (iirc lol). It's about a young man who goes into a kink club and attracts the attention of the owner, who then stalks him. I think it just wasn't as dark as I wanted tbh, but if you like lighter dark stuff I think you might like this!

[abbofff]

Things are going from bad to worse

masterlist

  When I opened the apartment door on the top floor, all I did was leave my backpack at the entrance, took a shower and changed into something more comfortable. Then I decided to go up to the roof to get some air. My mom won't be home for a couple of hours and I needed to think.

  When I opened the roof door it was like all my problems were blown away by the wind, but only for a moment.

  I made a small pillow out of my jacket and lay on the floor looking at the sky. I'm nervous about having to face my mother.

  I really want to be like her when I grow up. She is strong, kind, intelligent and loved wherever she goes. And I? Her only daughter? I feel like I was losing my mind more and more.

  I know my mother loves me and I love her too. But I also know that I'm the worst part of her life. A reminder of a past lover that went away, a troubled kid. A special kid, as adults says, that got thrown out of school for the 5th time in a row.

  I wonder if she was going to consider the idea of ​​homeschool again. Although I don't think that any teacher would accept me. I did 1st grade at home, and I made my teachers cry.

  I don't know how much time I spent daydreaming until a hear the door open. I got up from the surprise, and I looked back to see my mom.

  She was still wearing her black suit with her blonde hair pushed back held by a brooch. She looked very tired.

  My mom works as a criminal lawyer. She's worked for really bad people, but it's what she had to do to bring food to the table.

- Hi baby - she gave me a tired smile followed by a hug.

- Mom, Percy didn't push the girl and I couldn't just stand there and watch. I'm sorry, I was so close to make things right this year but--

- It's okay, I know. I'm so glad you are okay. - My heart felt tight in my chest. She wore a sad, almost nostalgic look, but her smile had not faded.

- Come, let's sit. - She comanded as she guided me to the ground.

  - Sally texted me what happened. She said that Percy saw something. - she told me. She looked at me, hoping that I would explain more.

  I know what I saw, what we did to defend ourselves. But I wasn't going to tell her. I didn't wanted to disappoint her any more that I already had. She couldn't know that I had gone completely mad.

  - Yeah, we fell down the stairs. We didn't get hurt, but he had that strange dream. - I looked into her eyes when I spoke.

  Then, she made a thoughtful face and turned forward.

  - How were things on Yancy? - she asked.

  - Better. We had an awesome Latin professor, Mr Brunner. He puts a lot of passion and emotion to his classes, you know? It helps with my attention deficit. Really learnt a lot about ancient Greece. I mean it's not helpfull, but still. And Percy and me even made a friend. -

  I stopped for a moment. I understand why Grover did what he did. He wasn't the best under pressure, and that's totally fine. But he didn't even tried to say sorry or even talk to us after. It still hurted.

- It was a nice year. - I ended.

- That's nice to hear, my dear. - She finally turned to see me and I smiled at her.

  Then, she had her gaze lost somewhere on the upcoming storm, but I only limited myself to look at my hands.

She spoke again after a while.

  - Your dad is calling. - She said when she finally looked at me.

  - What? - I ask.

  My head started spinning as to why he was just now trying to contact me.

  I stood up from the ground and my mother followed me.

  - Adara, listen to me. - She said while grabbing my face in her hands.

  I saw into her eyes, there were tears threatening to come out.

  - Why does he feel he has the right to show up now? He left. It was his choice. He had his chances. I don't want anything to do with him, mom. -

  - He wants you to go to a camp in Long Island. It's for the best. - She stated.

  That man had never been interested in me or my mother, as far as I knew, he had left while my mother was pregnant. And now he gets to decide what's best for me?

  - Best for who? - I regretted asking that as soon as it left my mouth. I don't want to know the answer.

  - Mom, I know Im broken, but im getting better, i swear. Please, I don't wanna go, i will be good. Don't get rid of me now. Just one more chance, please. I'll make it better. -

  I looked at her, and there was pain mixed in the green. I was trying not to cry because maybe if I didn't, then she would trust me.

  - Ada, since I carried you in my womb there has not been a day in which I have not loved you or you have not made me feel proud. I will always be there with you. I raised you, you carry my last name. You have become a loving and selfless person, and you grow stronger everyday. -

  Rain started to fall.

  She looked at the sky with a scared look, then closed her eyes for a moment, and I grabbed her hands in mine. She opened her eyes to look at me.

  - But there are things, far beyond my control, that I can not protect you from. - She said softly, like it was a secret.

I felt the tears leave my eyes as now they were falling into my cheeks. My breathing accelerated. The day I always feared had arrived.

- You'll understand soon enough. But you need to get going. -

  I could never say no to mom. Not when she was so determined to let me go. Not when I knew she could allow herself a better life. Not when it was for the best.

  - Ok. - I said in a whisper.

  She grabbed my hand and we went back in the apartment.

  I took one last look at my home and took a deep breath. I tried to tattoo in my memory the smell of coconut from the diffuser, the warmth of the blankets that were next to the sofa, the breeze that ran on the balcony.

  It would be a long time before I returned here.  I would spend the summer on that camp and then straight to the next boarding school Mom finds.

  I heard a loud thunder strike somewhere near, and then mom began searching frantically in the drawers of the TV table. Then she walked up to me with a small cloth bag and judging by the sound, it seems to have coins inside.

I tried to search her eyes. I tried to look for some kind of doubt or regret. Anything that could mean she'd change her mind. But there was only determination. Sadness too, yes. But that was not enough.

  - Come on, a driver from the camp came to pick you up. - she said while nodding in assurance.

  I grabbed my backpack that was on the couch. Fortunately, I hadn't had a chance to unpack.

  We went down the elevator to the lobby. The trip is short but it felt eternal. I felt like my heart had been pierced and was slowly becoming empty. I didn't feel any strength in my legs, the air seemed to refuse to enter my lungs and I knew that if I took my eyes off the ceiling, the tears would continue to fall.

  The elevator doors opened again and mom gently guided me by the hand to the entrance of the building. Where I saw a delivery van that had the logo of a strawberry with words on the side waiting outside.  I couldn't read what was written, but I could make out the word 'farm'

  I was going to go to a farm? With animals and plants? I remembered the cactus that mom had given me for my bedroom in Yancy. It died. Don't ask me how.

  My mom lifted up the bag for me to take it.

  - Your father knows him. Just give him the bag when you get there. - She said.

  My heart was empty, crumbling apart by those words. She was getting rid of me.

  - Mom, I don't have a good feeling about this. Could you take me to the camp instead? - I pleaded.

My mom grabbed my face again and looked right trought me. Her green eyes focused on my blue ones. Her gaze filled with love was accompanied by a sad smile.

  - Oh my baby girl, you are growing up so fast. I can't protect you of the world anymore. So I need you to promise it to me, Adara Williams,  you will always remember who you truly are inside. -

  - I promise. - I said confidently.

A tear rolled down her cheek. She grabbed the hair clip that was on her hair and placed it in my hand.

  The hair clip was green with a little blue gem shaped like a tear. It was similar to my necklace.

  - You'll need it. - she said.

  She is right, if a was going to a farm I would need to have my hair up all the time.

  I unclasped my necklace and placed it on my mom's hand.

  - I'll come back for it. - I said with a smile.

She hugged me tightly, and so did I.

  - See you mom. I love you. - I said smiling at her.

  - I love you too, sweety. Take care. - She responded. She kissed my forehead very gently, as if I would break if she was too rough.

  When I got in the van I saw a man who looked like a typical blonde surfer, except there was something weird in him. Maybe it was that he was wearing a strange peacock like suit or the way he gave me a withering look and stayed silent when I asked his name.

  That let me wondering, were peacocks a trend now?

  I saw my mom waving goodbye in tears when the van engine turned on, and I waved back with a smile.

  The sound of rain and thunder filled my senses. Storms always helped me relax. But I was still breathing heavy as the unnamed man drives through the city. There was pressure building in my chest. A terrible feeling. Something dangerous was about to come.

[somebodysthoughtdaughter]

Vivi-Design EAH Fancast 2.0 (Pt.3)

I'm back from the dead. Sorry for being MIA for a while but I'm back now. I'm doing Pt.3 of my @vivi-designs EAH Recast.

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/735536666910015488/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt-1

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/735638317217021952/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt2

Part 4: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/739542620483747840/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt4

Part 5: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/739611898471923712/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt5

Anyways let's get to it.

Adara Lael as Holly O'Hair

I know her from this Christmas movie I was forced to watch. (I forgot the name) I think that she'd make an amazing Holly O'Hair but idk. I just really like this fancast even if the actress is a little underrated.

Loren Janae Poppy O'Hair

I'm glad I found actresses that were actually twins. I think she and her sister really match with Vivi's idea with them.

Siena Agudong as Cerise Hood

I was debating changing Cerise's FC but I feel like Siena Agudong is honestly the perfect fit. Idk if she's tall like Cerise is described to me but I don't think her height is the most pivotal role of her character.

Queenie Mae Villaluz as Ramona Badwolf

If you guys don't listen to Boys World (and you like Pop) you totally should, they're so good. I think Olivia Rodrigo matched vivi's Pinterest aesthetic of Ramona but I feel like overall Queenie fits as Rosabella Badwolf. Although she's not an actress I feel like she fits as Ramona.

Jack Pililaau as Tucker

I'm keeping the same fc for Tucker cuz why not.

Adrian Lyles as Sparrow Hood

I wanted to cast someone a little younger for Vivi-design's EAH because even though Bryant Barnes is a good FC I think he's a little too old to be playing a teenager even if it is just a fancast. If this were to actually be a live-action show I think Adrian Lyles would fit as Sparrow.

Hanni Pham as Duchess Swan

There needs to be more Vietnamese representation in Hollywood because it was not easy finding one. Hanni Pham is also a dancer like Duchess and even though she's not an actress I think look-wise she can portray Duchess.

Sean Kaufman as Hopper Croakington II

I think he looks a lot like the Hopper in vivi's art, although he doesn't have red hair which really doesn't matter.

Brianna Reed as C.A. Cupid

While scrolling through Cupid's pinterest I saw this picture and was like "automatically yes." Look at this picture and tell me this isn't a perfect Cupid.

Marsai Martin as Blondie Lockes

I saw on fancast on Tiktok and I haven't been able to get it out of mind. I just love the idea of Marsai as Blondie Lockes. And this picture with the blonde braids is stunning. She'd be a great Blondie.

Shahadi Wright Joseph as Cedar Wood

No changes. Shahadi Wright Joseph forever.

Maripaz Romero as Rosabella Beauty

Like vivi's Rosabella she has a prosthetic leg. Speaking of I just want to take a moment to appreciate all the rep Vivi-design's EAH has. I do love EAH but come to think of it -- it was really white so all this rep makes me happy.

Anyways that's part 3, again sorry for the long hiatus. For my Re-Cast I'm planning to do more parts, including one with the EAH character's parents.

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #51 – Monstress Volume 8: Inferno by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

This is the last volume of Monstress that’s currently published and (since vol. 9 is coming out in November) the second-last I’m going to read this year. Which could be either a good or a bad thing, I suppose. This is the first volume I can say I genuinely didn’t enjoy, not even grading on a curve fro the highs of the rest of the series but in general. Not awful, but not good either – by far the most ‘comic-bookey’ plot arc so far, and I really don’t mean that as a compliment.

Through a variety of contrivances involving Maika’s friends journeying to the centre of her mind to try and wake her up from her coma and finding a massive and seemingly living statue of Adara Farclaw – the previously semi-mythical ancient hero-sage of the cats – our main cast (plus the ghost of Maika’s childhood self created by the sheer intensity of her own self-loathing) find themselves on the prison world where Zinn trapped all his kin to keep them from devouring the world we’re more familiar with back in pre-history. They’ve adapted surprisingly well, adopting humanoid forms and farming for the food they need. Immortal but sterile, their history since has been dominated by an endless race war between the first generation Fallen Houses (Zinn’s peers) and the second-generation and much reduced in grandeur (but increased in numbers) Defiled. Zinn, Maika, and the fragment of the Shaman-Empresses’ mask they brought with them are a chance to upset the balance of power, or perhaps even escape – and both sides are willing to do anything it takes for that chance.

Though all that plot aside, the actual point of the volume is to a) provide great reams of lore on the Monstra in general and Zinn’s past and present relationship with the rest of their species in particular and b) give Maika a chance to work on her self-esteem issues and guilt over accidentally killing and eating her mom as a child by providing a tulpa of 10-year-old her to scream at, protect, and reconcile with. Also a bunch of stuff about cats.

I can see the version of this story that works for me, at least in broad strokes. But yeah, the one that actually exists really didn’t. The largest part of that is just allocation of narrative resources, I think? As the book goes on, it has become steadily less interested in the themes and aesthetics I find more compelling to focus on it’s deep lore mythohistory and melodrama among the elder gods, to the point of just leaving the actual setting with its fascinating politics and societies entirely for basically the last two volumes. It begins to make me question why I’m still reading. Maika as a character is profoundly interesting, but having her just clearly announce her issues to a literal embodiment of them is not, to me, particularly compelling reading.

On an aesthetic level, the strange and alien prison planet let me deeply unimpressed. It was all so..familiar. Even the two warring nations of eldritch god-monster have ended up basically human-sized and human-shaped, farming and eating and using tools and building structures in instantly recognizable ways. There’s an excuse offered, but I’m still left wondering why even bother if it’s going to be so unspectacular.

I also found myself disappointing in how...monotonous, I suppose? The aesthetics of technology are growing to be. The guns, tools and armour of these cat worldwalkers who’ve been living underground on this prison world for centuries look almost identical to what technology of the Shaman Empress and the toys the Blood Court uses and- Even if you can torture and justify it all to make sense, it just gets boring and samey eventually, you know? Makes the world feel small.

Which is related to my thematic issues with the volume, in a way. The story is clearly much more interested in the grand, superhuman drama of the monstra, the exploration of multiple worlds and lost continents, space age high technology, more species and relics and myths and just – it all piles up so much that the result just ends up feeling more generic and boring than the more focused and detailed world of the first few volumes was. This is made far worse (for me, anyway) by the fact that Zinn seems to have been personally involved with literally every major historical personage that was mentioned at any point.

The most concise way to put it is that at the start of the story Maika et al really felt like people inhabiting a world, and now it’s at Star Wars levels of the world feeling like a canvas for a specific set of people’s melodrama. Nothing wrong with that, in the slightest – I just prefer the other, and feel a bit cheated by the shift.

On a different thematic level I kept waiting for some real, like, narrative pushback or reversal about how the Defiled are treated as these disgusting morally abhorrent abominations for the fundamental crime of being genetically impure and ‘spiritually mutilated’ and...never really got it?

Anyway, pacing wise the arc is much too short to be a complete, satisfying version of the story it wants to tell, and much, much too long to be a part of the longer story it is a detour from. The story never becomes offensively bad, but I am honestly reading as much out of inertia as anything by now.

[the-aranea-chronicles]

⥉ Welcome to my blog! ⥉

⥉ About the Author ⥉

Call me Aranea or Ara, a 22 yr old Aussie gal who is ever so slowly working on her novels. Not picky on what pronouns you use for me. I've been writing since I was 14, and been on and off tumblr just as long.

Have a part time job, volunteer at Vinnies, and working on a cert IV. Also practice witchcraft.

Current interests: Dragon Age, Dragons Dogma, Mass Effect, Skulduggery Pleasant, and Vampyr. I also play the Sims 4, so might even post some of my characters that way.

Favourite genres: Fantasy, horror, paranormal, science fiction, and historical.

Other platforms: AO3

Personal tag: #ara rambles

⥉ About This Blog ⥉

Open to asks about my OCs, world lore, or just wanting to drop in and have a chat!

Mainly using this blog to share lore, snippets of my novels, things that amuse me and worldbuilding.

Current Novel WIPs:

Monstrum (Which, yes, is loosely based on my fanfic under the same name) A God who never wanted to be a God, sea elves, sapphic dwarven Goddess, polyamory is pretty much the norm, cursed tome that exploded a temple, MC works out he's a transman... What more could you want? Oh wait, there's one more thing: son of God who died multiple times and came back wrong each time, is currently possessing MC's meant-to-be-dead mother! Oops.

Quondam

Takes place centuries before Monstrum, when The Maker was only a sorcerer who wanted a better world... and now deals with the consequences of taking over as Sovereign of the World. Surely she can change her world without destroying it?

[Un-named]

Crash landing on a unknown planet, memories wiped... The A.I. with corrupted data, known as Thio, calls them Viator, but is that their name? Or a title? The only thing Viator knows is that they were thrown into a black hole... and now have a ship to fix, and to find civilisation.

⥉ DNI ⥉

Pro-contact paras, anti-lgbtq, anti-otherkin/therian

My OC tags:

Monstrum: #laianna/aurélien | #opal | #vesper | #adara | #amara | #hermia | #aranea | #ghilain (pronounced gee-layn)

Link to dividers

[ionlydrinkhotwater]

OK so I was thinking that when Luke confronts Adam about what happened between him and Elliot, based on what SRB said in the Tumblr answer, there is no hard evidence that Adam admitted to what exactly went down between he and Elliot. We know that Luke punched Adam because he insulted Elliot and teased him for his crush on Elliot (which he was still in denial about). After all if Luke did actually get the full story he would know that Elliots revulsion came from Adam disrespecting his boundaries and not homophobia and so he wouldn't have been so hesitant to come out to him.

Also based on his reaction to Elliot telling him his first kiss can be whatever he wants it to be and not when it was forced on him. Luke admits in his cabin that he interpreted it as an invitation, he also doesn't seem to grasp that Elliot meant this as coming from a sympathetic place. I don't think he would have misread it if he had context. I think once Elliot came out to him as bisexual it may have clued him in on Elliots anger towards Adam as more legitimate but I still don't think he knew what actually went down.

I also think Luke would not have felt as ashamed about punching Adam if he knew just how inappropriate he had been towards Elliot.

Like if they are all talking one day about first kisses and Luke grumpily brings up Adara and Elliot says that didn't have to count and Luke says that it technically does and Elliot says that by that reasoning his prick cousin was Elliots first kiss instead of Serene and he refuses to give Adam that honor and Lukes like

Luke: HE KISSED YOU?!

Elliot: I know that the Borderlands have limited information on consent but what part of my saying Adam sexually harassed me confused you? 😒

Queue Luke wishing he'd punched Adam even harder

[jackoshadows]

In general while a lot of the fandom sympathizes with the Starks and wants to see them prevail and succeed in the end, GRRM has always grouped Dany in along with the rest of the underdogs, sees her as a sympathetic character and identifies with her struggles.

2003 interview with GRRM (After ASoS):

Shaw: You created Jon as a bastard and an outcast from the get-go. Yet he's also one of the most attractive characters. Did you choose to make Jon a bastard to make him more attractive as an "underdog," or was his bastard birth central to the shaping of his character itself? Martin: Almost all the characters have problems in some way. Very few of my major viewpoint characters have all the answers or have an easy path through life. They all have burdens to bear. Some of them are women in a society that doesn't necessarily value women or give them a lot of power or independence. Tyrion of course is a dwarf which has its own challenges. Dany is an exile, powerless, penniless, at the mercy of other people, and Jon is a bastard. These things shape their characters. Your experiences in life, your place in life inevitably is going to change who you are.

Old Asimovs.com interview (link currently broken)

Jon Snow has me in him, and Sam Tarly. The women too, Lyanna and Shaara, and the girls, Arya and Adara … Daenerys Stormborn, searching for that house with the red door. And Tyrion Lannister? Oh, yes. The Imp is me in spades, the horny little bastard.”

Youtube interview

“I had a walk past that house every day on my way from the projects on 1st Street to 5th Street, and it’s like, well, that used to be our dock, that used to be our house. Now we don’t have a house, we don’t have a yard, but I had always had the sense of, yeah I’m poor, but I come from royalty, or I come from greatness that somehow was destroyed by the depression, by corrupt politicians, by things like that. So maybe that gives me a little of the emotional temperament to understand somebody like Daenerys Targaryen.

There was a watchman on the dock, though, and if he saw us he’d come out of his shed and shout at us. "Get out of here, you kids,” he’d yell. “You got no business here.” Yes, I do, part of me always wanted to shout back, you’re the one who’s got no business, my great-grandfather BUILT this dock.

This theme of fallen families is one that made it directly into A Song of Ice and Fire, George explained, in the characters Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen. With that same feeling of loss of a future, wondering about the family he never knew and their upper class lifestyles, he felt like disinherited royalty much like the two Targaryen siblings. When Dany reads about Westeros in the books she received from her wedding, or when Barristan told her stories about her brother Rhaegar, or she lands in Dragonstone and walks in her family’s home those are actually George wondering about his own family and dreaming of a better life stolen from him in the projects of Bayonne.

Also,

[sumerianlanguage]

Hello! I was curious if you have any suggestions on how to refer to a human-nonhuman hybrid being in Sumerian.

Hello! Mesopotamian myth contains several creatures which were part-human, like the Lamassu, with human heads, bird wings, and bull or lion bodies. But I don't know of any term for this category in general that the Sumerians would have used. They didn't even have a precise term for the broad category of "animal" or "nonhuman creature", so any such hybrid would be based on what kind of animal is being hybridized, as in a bird-human, sheep-human, etc.

They did, however, talk about hybrids of different breeds or kinds of animal. It's known that the Mesopotamians created hybrids between domesticated and wild donkeys, though they used the same term for them (anshe 𒀲) that they did for regular donkeys. They also used the term adara 𒀉𒁰 to refer to specific hybrid breeds of goats or sheep, particularly ones with long, ibex-like horns. If anyone has other terms or sources on this topic, do reblog and let me know!

[sarahreesbrennan]

Hi Sarah, I'm so excited to see your upcoming release. (Villainess deserve representation too!) I was rereading Love From Both Sides for the dozenth time - as one does - and I was wondering if you had any plans for a spin off with Adara and Natalie? Their story has so many uncharted possibilities, I'm dying to know more. And relatedly, we're gasping out here for more sapphic media that goes as hard as your work does 🥺

I'm sorry if this has been asked and answered before, I couldn't find anything in your archives. Thanks again for writing In Other Lands, a precious and rare delight. I hope you're having the bestest day with at least one friendly nuzzle from a puppy

Hey my love, Never be sorry for asking anything! This world is bettered by the questioners, and it’s a great compliment to me that you care.

As regards Adara and Natalie specifically, I couldn’t tell you. I’d love to write more in the In Other Lands world (about which more later) - but whether I could do a short story or a series of books would obviously change my answer. It’s not entirely up to me, but I definitely do have plans for Adara. She’s a foil for Elliot, and the kind of character I really like - one who I see treated shallowly in other media, when few people really are shallow. If there’s too much skimming the surface, I long to explore the depths. And with the depths come adventures. Thank you for your care!

I also thank you for being excited for Long Live Evil. Villains and villainesses do definitely deserve representation, and have long been beloved by me because they’re often complicated, witty because they see the world differently, and queer-coded. I was also thinking when writing it about the different ways audiences can come to a story, and using the same evidence how different people presume characters are (for example) straight or bisexual. And often the ending will be very uniformly heterosexual. But if you go into the story, and change its direction… Are the things you presumed true? Are the things characters presumed about themselves true? Would certain subtexts surface, and certain texts submerge? How do we influence art by engaging with it? Anyway, I am categorically not making any promises because that’s got me in trouble before. But it’s an ensemble story (I was inspired by the group dynamics and relationships, all given weight, of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows) and these are some of my preoccupations when writing it. I hope you shall find much to enjoy.

In the meantime, if you seek sapphic media that goes hard, and Sappho knows we all do… The Jasmine Throne and the Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri - this series is a huge favourite of mine - and not just mine, it won the World Fantasy award. Its central f/f pairing features one party holding the other at knifepoint for fine reasons and they have a brilliant dynamic based on understandably conflicting ideologies and complicated family situations! I love it.

Thank you for a delight of a letter and your kind words. I write this being yelled at by a cat for skritches, which is pleasant as puppies. I wish you a beauteous day with animal companions of choice, with apologies I couldn’t answer more definitively!

[steter-bang]

Steter Bang 2024 may be delayed but we don't want you to forget about the event! Here's a throwback fic and art from the 2022 Steter Mini Bang.

You'll need to be logged into AO3 to see the art post, which is an excellent time to remind you that you'll also need an AO3 account to sign up for this year's event. If you don't already have an account, now would be the time to request an invite from AO3 so you'll receive it before the sign-up opens.

Infinite Moments by adara

Summary:

In which the only constants in Stiles Stilinski’s life are that there has always been both Peter Hale and time travel. The only constant, indisputable facts in Peter Hale’s life are his love for both Stiles Stilinski and the Hale Pack. The Time Traveler’s Wife AU you didn’t know you wanted, brought to you by the 2022 Steter Mini-Bang.

[ART] for adara Steter Mini Bang 2022 by g_love99

Summary:

Art for 2022 Steter Mini-Bang Infinite Moments by adara

[red-man-of-mustache]

Meet the Mun

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ(ꜱ) ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ?

Mario has been a fixture in my life since my fifth birthday. Mario 64 was my first Mario game actually! There's just something about his happy-go-lucky attitude and ability to persevere that I find inspiring. Comforting even. Originally, I wasn't even eyeing tumblr but my girlfriend at the time all the way back in the prehistoric age of 2014 suggested I make a blog. I decided to pick up Mario on a whim and have stuck with him(on & off mind you) since!

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ?

Smut. Sometimes I find it to be cumbersome. I don't lead with this objection because sometimes it's over quickly but other times I'm just not into it. And angst! Angst exhausts me.

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ?

Action! I love seeing how characters react in tense situation(despite what I just said about angst). I also like a bit of fluff because c'mon, I'm sure we could all use some relief from the outside world. It's kinda scary.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ?

I try to start off slow. What I mean is I look at what we got in canon, side content(comics,shows, etc) and reasonably merge the concepts where they can mesh. Then I draw conclusions from that! Other times when I'm doing research on certain aspects on Mario's character such as plumbing, being a physician, his italian heritage, etc I pick parts from it and mentally labor over how they apply to him. Really, it's like a little Mario calculator is in my head and I see how the info I'm gathering reacts with what I already know.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ?

Anytime I try writing with music doesn't end well. I always focus more on what I'm writing rather than the song. Podcasts work best.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ?

I'm almost always winging it out. I open up the reply/draft and just let things flow.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ꜱʜɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ?

I'd ship Mario with a tree if it could talk back.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀʟɪᴀꜱ/ɴᴀᴍᴇ?

Papa Pasta

ᴀɢᴇ?

Just turned 28!

ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ?

February 7th

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ(ꜱ)?

Lavender, red, and orange

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢ(ꜱ)?

I got deep into Tame Impala a while ago. Favorite song by far from him: Cause I'm a man. Right after that is "New Person/Same Old Mistakes". Another favorite of mine is Close In The Distance from Final Fantasy XIV

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

Final Destination. Wanted to see if it was as good as it was when I was a kid. Not disappointed.

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

Centaur World! Very cute show

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴏɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ?

On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?

Spaghetti & Meatballs!!!

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ?

Fall. I like watching the trees shed their leaves

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ?

Hmmmm, definitely have to say @thehouseofivo. Him & Julian have been with me since the very beginning. I'm having a little trouble remembering exactly how things started off between us but it's been so long! We've kept in contact outside of tumblr and things fell apart a few years ago when I was deep in my pit but we picked up right where we left off pretty much recently! He's a real nice guy and I'd do anything in my power to help him along! Give him a follow if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed! One thing I don't see too often on here is a coherent continuity. (If you know any other blogs that do this then pls pls pls tell me) Most threads he does will go into the development of Julian somehow.

tagged by NOBODY stolen from @lultimagoccia uhhhhhh I'mma tag @thehouseofivo @adara-of-the-flame @timid-plumber @atimelesslullaby @musescfmusic & anyone else who wants to steal it!

[itisweselton]

Winter Breakfast being a sweeping success, Adara moved onto lunch. A light yet filling affair for the season: warm, fresh-baked crusty breads and a thick, creamy chicken stew with winter vegitables. Like the first meal, this was served outside, prepared in mystery.

For the final dinning experience, the flame woman made sure to set up early, and that's all she did. A glorously huge cut of meat sat raw in the center of an equally large baking pan. Veggies and herbs chopped but unmixed and uncooked. All out in the frozen Palace gardens, away from the warmth of an oven fire.

This was her performance peice. It was to be special. Tonight, Edgar's Kingly brother, and the Queen, and anyone else in attendance would see what this mystery woman was made of.

Edgar cleared his throat upon seeing his King and Queen later that day. "Adara has also prepared dinner for You," he stated before leading Them deeper into the palace gardens where there was a table and chairs set complete with a huge cut of meat and the fresh smell of herbs.

[ohbo-ohno]

book recs pls? U have amazing taste

im gonna assume this is half in reference to the lilith vincent book i mentioned earlier so i'll give you some of my favorite romances 💞 i tried not to rec a book i've already suggested here before, so some of my very favorites ever are left out!

the authors I'll read like literally anything by are Tessa Bailey, Lily Gold, Ana Huang, J.T. Geissinger, Elsie Silver, Harley Laroux, Rina Kent... and probably someone I'm forgetting tbh but those are some of my favs

also i got a little out of hand and these are kinda all over the place lmao, but here we go! my standards for romance are very low btw so don't judge my taste

Darker romances:

Sticking with Lilith Vincent - I love her books Brutal Intentions and (to a lesser extent) Pageant. Brutal Intentions is a step-dad romance, Pageant (the first of two books, I think the second is wayyy better) is like... dark, mafia, reverse harem, kidnapping, a whole lot tbh. Look up trigger warnings!!! I think she lists them at the start of the book

I don't particularly like H.D. Carlton (I very much so disliked Haunting/Hunting Adeline) but I fucking LOVED her book Does It Hurt? If you want fucked up characters, toxic relationships, noncon, and a pretty well-written subplot for a self-published romance I would recommend this one! (tbh I'm half convinced it's ghostwritten, I cant fathom Haunting Adeline and Does It Hurt? being written by the same person)

Sinners Anonymous & it's sequels by Somme Sketcher. Mafia romance. Age-gap. Kinda trashy but very fun imo. Also read Danielle Lori's Made series if that sounds neat to you!

M.L. Marian's Claimed & Tamed series. Each book follows a different man in the same family where the tradition is that men kidnap their wives. My favorite is Caught <3

Romcoms/Lighter stuff:

I like most Mariana Zapata books, but my favorite is either Under Locke or Luna and the Lie. I've read 7 of her books and they're all basically the same structure with the same characters, so if you read one and like the dynamics you'll probably like her others

One Percent of You by Michelle Gross is my favorite single mom romance of all time. Tattoo artist who hates kids falls in love with his over-worked neighbor who's a single mother of two. SO cute and soft

Bittersweet by Morgan Elizabeth. tattoo artist x baker, this is one of my favorite romcoms ever.

Sunny Disposition by Deanna Gray. Amnesia, college, hockey, roommates to lovers, this is a very soft and fun read that I enjoyed as a bit of a palette cleanser. Iirc it was a little long, but a good time

Other??:

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare. I don't like historical romance much, but this doesn't really feel like one to me! A woman makes up a soldier to write letters to so she can avoid getting married, and years later he shows up on her doorstep ready for their wedding. This is so much fun

Transcendence by Shay Savage - two words for you: Caveman Romance. This is told entirely from the caveman's perspective and tells the story of him meeting a woman who's very odd (because she's from the future) and their life together. It drags a little bit at times, but I think it's so so fun and the end had me crying

King by TM Frazier goes a little off the rails, but I had fun with it. The main character is called 'Pup' for like 90% of the book and that was enough for me. Our FMC has amnesia and is taken in by a local gang leader and the plot goes from there

Under His Heel by Adara Wolf - ok before I say what this is about, I cannot overstate how dark and fucked up this book series is. They're disturbing. I loved them, I've read them all at least twice, but they are deeply upsetting. It takes place in space in the far distant future and follows our main character Alex as he becomes an indentured servant for a sociopath named Captain Tracht. These books are a weird mix of porn and plot, but if you want fucked up smut and fucked up relationship dynamics, this is the holy grail