#also if any of these publishers want to send me early copies…

[beforeviolets]

2025 hopefuls

I was tagged by @libraryleopard to share some books I want to read in 2025! I decided to keep it to 2025 releases specifically because I couldn’t strike a good balance between new books, paperback releases, and my own TBR! and I love sharing my excitement for upcoming books that folks might not have on their radar yet. 📚✨

[books listed in images:

The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez, an adult sapphic retelling of the myth of golem (I’ve actually had the pleasure of reading this one and I can’t wait for it to be out in the world.)

A Treachery of Swans by AB Poranek, a sapphic YA Swan Lake retelling!

The Sea Eternal by Emery Robin, the sequel to one of my favorite books and a queer scifi retelling of Antony and Cleopatra (the first one was Julius Caesar!)

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling, adult medieval horror with sapphic bacchanalia.

The Sacred Space between by Kalie Reid, an adult gothic romantasy by a dear friend!!

Hazelthorn by CG Drews, I still need to read his other one but I saw AJW and Shirley Jackson as comps so I will be there.

The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri, a sapphic fantasy with knights and witches and reincarnation comped to The Green Knight and The Starless Sea (I nearly pass out from excitement every time I think about this one for real. I’m taking deep breaths rn.)

Fate’s Bane by C.L. Clark, if R&J were cursed sapphic artificers, so yeah i’m there. (also shout out to the Ambessa book, I’m also SO hyped for that.)

The Second Death of Locke by VL Bovalino, an epic fantasy comped to Gideon the Ninth and Six Deaths of the Saint.]

This is the year of devastating knight romances and reincarnation and I genuinely could NOT be happier about it.

tagging: @haliespages @caitsbooks @etherealacademia @yaboywillyshakes @hayniacstuck / anyone else who wants to make one! just tag me cuz i’d love to see your anticipated reads :)

[dreamcsc]

take a gamble, won’t ya?

SYNOSIS. Mingyu is assigned to crack the case on the mass murder that terrorized the land; however, he unravels that his former Head of the unit had turned against righteousness and is now the main suspect in the crime. In hopes of clearing his former Head’s name, Mingyu finds significant clues at the crime scene, dragging him and a mysterious, peculiar someone named Lee Y/N, into a journey riddled with trust issues, mind games, and revelations. Mingyu is faced with pivotal choices—will he continue to protect his former Head based on their shared past, or will he confront the man who once taught him the meaning of integrity? The outcome of the investigation hinges not only on solving the murders but also on the evolution of Mingyu, as he determines what it truly means to stand for justice in a world full of gray.

-> pairings: kim mingyu x female reader/you, other seventeen member x female reader/you

-> word count: ???

-> warnings/tags: vulgar language, murder, corruption, secret identities, organized crime, secret organization, psychological warfare, betrayal/backstabbing, UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, lowkey inspired by alice in borderland, slowburn, eventual romance, angst/fluff/dark themes, seventeen ensemble, alternating point of views in MC, greedy people ew, AGE GAP [more to be included].

-> publish date: xx/xx/2025

CHARACTERS.

-> MAIN CHARACTERS:

Kim Mingyu : a 23-year-old detective with an unyielding sense of justice. He yearns for justice not just for victims but also for those who have been wronged by the system itself. His ultimate goal is to solve the mass murder case that has gripped the nation, but beyond that lies a personal mission: to clear the name of his former mentor. Throughout the investigation, Mingyu goes through significant growth, transitioning from a rule-abiding individual to a more nuanced thinker willing to question authority and morality.

Lee Y/N (You) : a 28-year-old woman who enters the Capital with an air of determination mixed with vulnerability. You seek redemption—not just for the one you love but also for yourself. Through your journey, you transform from a woman defined by your past traumas and fears to a stronger, more capable individual.

-> SIDE CHARACTERS:

Yoon Jeonghan : a highly intelligent and charismatic figure, revered as the Head of the Unit of Investigative in his early 30s. Having been underestimated in his early career, he learned that knowledge is power, and secrets are the currency of strength.

Jeon Wonwoo : an individual who gains a renewed commitment to justice, accepting that his fight is not just for himself but for those who still believe in the system.

Other seventeen members will be mentioned.

CHAPTERS.

Chapter 01 — Chapter 02 — Chapter 03 — Chapter 04

Chapter 05 — Chapter 06 — Chapter 07 — Chapter 08

Chapter 09 — Chapter 10 — Chapter 11 — Chapter 12

Chapter 13 — more to be added.

author’s note: Hi guys! This is my final project that I plan to work/finish in 2025! I wrote the plot line a few months back focusing on Minwon but I decided to revise it and post it on here instead. I have big hopes for this series as it's a very sophisticated plot line and it could go very bad if I don't write it well (lol). I will try my best to bring my ideas to life so please keep a lookout for updates! Please let me know what you think! Enjoy ~

taglist: @nerdycheol @syluslittlecrows @heeknow @gyubakeries @gyuguys @choco-scoups

If you want to be on the taglist, please send an ask and I'll add you!

likes / reblogs / comments are appreciated! 🩵

©️ dreamcsc, 2024. no copying or reposting any of my original works. if inspired, please let me know so i can support + give permission.

[jalenay]

Nothing's Wrong with Dale - Publishing Update May 4 2024

So my work work is starting to relax - it'll be 'normal' working hours after May 15, but i'm manifesting some early additional free time (by ignoring some of the things i still have left to do) and i thought i'd give an update on my current NWWD plan to fill you guys in (if anyone wants to know) and to motivate myself to, you know, do it.

let me know what you think and if you have any questions! or if there's anything else you want to know!

So the overall plan is as follows:

First Rough Edit - this is basically just changing the POV from 2nd POV to 3rd POV. This is very tedious and currently what I'm doing right now. I'm also making a list as I go for high level updates/changes i want to make. Just thinking about the story as a whole and what tweaks i want to make now that the whole thing is finally done (primarily moving exposition around, if there's anything extra i can remove, timing of when certain things are discussed, and so on).

My Main Edit - this will be more time consuming but probably more fun as i do my main revise and edit of the story as a whole. i'll likely print the entire story out, make edits on hard copy, and then type up all the edits. I will also probably be sending the updated chapters to my main beta, for her opinion. (this would be the person i first texted about Dale in Dec 2021, she deserves first look lol)

Editor - After I'm happy with what I've done, i'll send the entire thing over to my editors, the main ones who worked on DSM. This will likely take a good amount of time (DSM took one month) but in many ways involves less effort from me lol. Just nerves.

Cover, Self-publishing Details - while my editors have the manuscript, I'll be narrowing down what I want the cover to look like and hiring a cover artist. (i've got a short list of artists right now, but i'll probably continue to refine that). I'm bad a visualizing covers and so this will be hard for me, although i have some basic ideas. i'll need to gather reference photos too and then work with the artist. I also want to publish more widely than just Amazon and will hopefully get DSM out to other places as well as a test run before NWWD. Look into more marketing? This is the most miscellaneous of the steps.

Process Edits - actually go through all the edits and notes given to me by my editor. This takes a lot of time (and is mentally taxing - no one likes to read pages of people telling you what you need to fix about what you wrote even if its overall extremely helpful and necessary)

Finalizing - I'll send the edited version to my first beta and another ARC reader/friend. I'll work on the formatting for the book. Coordinating where it will be published and when.

Publishing!

This is a loose list of steps that I mostly defined right now, but are similar to what i did with DSM. As i said, I'm in step one, currently just finished Chapter 25 of 36 of that rough edit.

I'll try to provide some updates on the process at it moves along, if people are interested in hearing about that. I'll most likely keep those updates on this blog, along with any other publishing specific commentary. if any one has any questions or thoughts on the whole thing, please feel free to send them to this blog or comment on this post.

I'm very excited to really dig into publishing NWWD and looking forward to sharing it with you!

Thanks to everyone for all their support - I wouldn't even be considering this (i probably wouldn't have even had a finished draft) with you!

[who-is-page]

SUPPORT A SYSTEM, BUY SOME COMICS!

We're LB. We make mental health comics, draw pretty pictures, and write about reality melting. This is where we put our ebooks; all come with text-only description versions as well. (LB Lee's Itch.io)

LB Lee is a multiple system who's made some absolutely brilliant work about their multiplicity and life experiences. They've recently hit a rough patch where, due to a horrible roommate situation, they're couch-surfing and will soon be juggling paying two rents as they navigate moving away from their previous, unlivable household.

If you want to support this fantastic system of folks in this rocky time, please consider purchasing some eBooks from their itch.io! Physical orders aren't preferred at this time, since they're in-between homes, so please keep your purchases digital as much as you can.

If you've already purchased and love LB Lee's work but still want to support them, join their Patreon! They've got support options for as low as $1 a month or as much as $20 a month, with the $1 tier alone coming with exclusive fiction and nonfiction essays published each month for your enjoyment, and the higher tiers including project sneak-peaks, sketches, and early access to zines and comics. You can donate more than the $20 a month tier too, if you'd like!

I'll also throw my own hat in the ring, to rally support of such a wonderful group of people; if you purchase one of LB Lee's eBooks or comics, send me a picture of your receipt and I'll give you a free copy of my alterhuman TTRPG, A Wolf in Man's Clothing. Normally priced at $8, it's a solo journaling RPG built on the Wretched & Alone gaming system.

Please support our friends during this difficult time. I really cannot express how amazing these guys are, and how much they deserve your support while going through this. Even if you see this and can't offer any financial assistance, reblogs and signal boosts of this post are massively appreciated. I can't thank you all enough for anything you can do to help.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I posted my art from a zine early?

I (23nb) joined a zine for a semi obscure 2000s manga/anime as a page artist with two of my friends. I enjoy this media but I don't really consider myself in the fandom, I only joined because one of my aforementioned friends is a huge fan of it and the other friend is also a casual enjoyer and we thought it would be fun if we all did a zine together.

However.

Most zines have a timeline of around 9-10 months from beginning to publishing but this one's been in production for almost 2 years. I've been in a few zines and this one has the worst organization I've ever seen in any project. The timeline on the discord only covered the first 5 months and had no estimate for how long the production would be, but a year and a half for publishing is pretty unheard of. The only check-in for progress that I remember didn't even require sending in your piece, you just had to say if you were finished or not and only a handful of the 30ish people on the discord responded lmao. Both of my friends ghosted at this point and the Singular mod (there might be two mods. I can't really tell) didn't dm them to see if they still wanted to participate or anything. Since there is only one person doing everything me and a few others have asked if they need any help and every time the mod(s) say that they're fine. every month or two someone will ask how the production is going and the mod will answer, and then another month goes by and the cycle repeats. I think the zine has finally gone into its “preorder interest check” stage (so not the actual preorder) but judging by how long everything takes i estimate that it'll be another 2 months at least before it actually goes into preorder. Its also never been clear if this is a free zine or if the sales will be donated to charity or distributed among the contributors. Since there's Allegedly going to be a physical copy it's gotta at least use the sales money to pay for production and shipping costs, but I have no idea if I'll be compensated with a physical copy or any money, especially if I do the thing that I might be TA for.

So here's my actual question. WIBTA if I posted the art I made for the zine before the mod says it's ok to do so? A big part of zine etiquette is that you do not post the final piece until the zine is finished, and the repercussions for someone who does range from a mod dming them to take it down or being kicked out of the zine entirely or in the absolute worst case, called out and blacklisted in the fandom and zine circles (I don't think anything that serious will happen to me but I have anxiety so I'm always imagining the worst thing) Most of the people on Tumblr in this fandom are kind of annoying fandom mom millennial types so I don't really want to deal with any possible backlash from them lol. If I just posted my art on Instagram idk if any of them would see it, but they Definitely would if I posted on Tumblr since the zine originated on there and it's such a small tag. I'm also so frustrated with the experience I kind of want to write something cunty in the description about how it's a zine piece for a zine that probably will never come out but I know that's just being petty and would probably invite drama. Also since I drew this thing a year and a half ago it's a little busted looking so I might redraw parts of it, so posting it would still be kinda shitty but it would technically be a different piece from the original one I submitted to the zine.

What are these acronyms?

[ganymedeaguspluto]

look. i seriously doubt any people under the age of like 20 follow me, and tbh i would be uncomfortable if they did, but on the off chance that there happens to be a young or aspiring writer who comes across this post, i've got some advice for you.

early on, it's important to get as much of your work out as possible. this is hard, because you're not very good yet, and you're gonna get a lot of rejections. my advice is: create a database of places you submit to and record the result of every submission on the spreadsheet. it feels counterintuitive, and you'll be putting a lot of "no"s down at first, but when you start to get "yes"es it's useful to know the ratio of success-failure that you get.

submit to everywhere you can think of that seems legit. even if you don't think your work is good enough to appear in, say, Poetry, or The Stinging Fly, you might surprise yourself. you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. also, don't be afraid of simultaneous submissions, especially if you've only got like ten pieces you think are any good, but be smart with your submissions? don't send your magnum opus into somewhere you know you're gonna get published as well as somewhere which is a bit more prestigious, because it would kinda suck if you have to pull out of getting published by Poetry Ireland Review just because your high school newspaper has already published the poem. what i'm saying is, be smart and use your head about what you're sending where.

you're gonna come across a lot of scams that are just looking for free contributors, so my blanket rule is: any magazine, website, or ESPECIALLY blog that wants "regular volunteers" to write for them is not worth your time. they're all scams looking to get away with not paying you for your labour. there are some legitimate magazines and journals that don't pay published authors, but they're not really worth your time either. most places you should care about will at least give you a free copy of the book.

also, pay close attention to who has copyright over your work. ALWAYS check your artist's contract, and if you're not given one then RUN AWAY, HONEY! THAT'S A SCAM! you want to make sure that you hold the copyright to your writing after publication.

lastly, don't be an arsehole. don't get weirdly competitive with other writers; go to open mics; listen to and read other people's work; and be active in your local writers' community. if people know you then you're more likely to find work. also, make a zine with your pals! make fifteen zines with your pals! hand them out at open mics and gigs (so long as the organisers are chill with that). support people who are trying to set up opportunities for local artists. say yes to everything you feel comfortable with, so long as it's not a scam.

happy writing!

[fairysbookshelf]

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️(2/5)

Tropes: Second Chance, HAE, found family

Publisher: Avon Books

*Thank you so much to Avon Books for sending me a copy of this book early in exchange for a honest review-it means alot that you trust little old me!*

Summary:

Ever wonder what happens AFTER the heroes win? After the happily ever after? after the curtains close on a quest? Well, after the death of Galwell the leader of the group passes away, Clare, Beatrice and Elowen have retreated to different parts of society. But when the queen's wedding forces them and their past relationship's together, the great heroes must figure out have to save the queen's fiancée, while also having to confront the past.

Review:

Where to even begin? If you like any type of fantasy, I think you will enjoy this book. It's lighthearted, hilariously funny, and have some great character growth. Even if you don't like fantasy but like romance, you may also want to check this book out. I would call it fantasy, but with some major realism.

This is such a interesting concept for a book. What truly happens to the heroes after they finish this epic journey that 90% of the true fantasy book takes place? Where else have you heard of a book picking up 10 years after these heroes complete their great quest?

The worldbuilding in this book was great. The authors pull the reader in and explain exactly where the characters are and why. The authors also do a amazing job of bringing modern technology into this fantasy world. Seriously, they way they handle that stuff is quite literally freaking genius. It didn't break the immersion but pulled me harder into the book.

The character growth in this book is written really well. All 3 of our main characters go thru some real hardships that they still have to face/come to terms with in order to move on. It nice to see those struggles presented especially in the fantasy novel(I feel like we don't always see that).

This book also has great LGBTQ Rep.

The banter and the chemistry these characters have is so good. Like, had me kicking and screaming like the teenage girl I am and throwing my kindle across the room. The found family trope is also so so cute!

This book gives me 80's fantasy movie vibes. It's just a really fun read. Even if you aren't a reader but play DND, I think this is a great read for you.

[whumpy-writings]

Hi!

I'm sorry if this is a question that is easily answered by a few minutes of reading, but it's really been bothering me for a while, nibbling at my nerves, because I don't quite know what to do:

See, I've been wanting to post my work to my writeblr for anyone to read when it's complete, and publishing has always been a distant dream/notion... but now, with the Anthology (multiple now! even if the second is in progress), and A Cry Of Fangs releasing early next year, it's really showing me that it's possible, and I'm feeling a lot of things over it, giddy, excited, terrified, but above all, I have a strong desire to achieve this dream, and the determination to match.

My question is, "Does posting a work that I eventually intend to publish to my writeblr interfere in any way with the D2D publishing?"

From the brief look I've had at their website (I should be in bed you see ^-^'), they seem really good, and like it shouldn't be an issue, especially since we could with the Anthology, but I'm pretty damn nervous, and wanted to ask someone ^-^'

Anyways, I very much look forward to your book's release, and I also want to sincerely thank you for showing me, and probably everyone else in the community that it's possible. That is an insane amount of... well, hope, purpose, and motivation. It is. so much.

I understand if you don't have time to answer that question, or the desire to explain it, especially if there's an answer right there in the FAQs ^-^' but I wanted to send this ask anyway, even just to let you know how much this all means.

You truly are an aspiration, thank you.

( @emcscared-whumps )

Hi @emcscared-whumps!

There is no problem with you posting your stories on your writeblr and also publishing them through Draft2Digital.

D2D's FAQs state that:

"We don't acquire rights or require any kind of exclusivity, so you can do whatever you want with your book." 

So go for it! I'll be first in line to get a copy!

Thank you so much for your kind words, it's been great getting to work with you on the anthologies and I can't wait to read what you write next :)

[solarishashernoseinabook]

Transcript copied from below the cut for accessibility

The first event I went to with GENDER QUEER was in NYC in 2019 at the Javits Center.

So many of the people who came to my signing were librarians, and so many of them said the same thing: "I know exactly who I want to give this to!"

Maia: "Thank you for helping readers find my book!"

While working on the book, I was genuinely unsure if anyone outside of my family and close friends would read it. But the early support of librarians and two American Library Association awards helped sell two print runs in first year.

Since then, GENDER QUEER been published in 8 languages, with more on the way: Spanish, Czech, Polish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portugese and Dutch.

It has also been the most banned book in the United States for the past two years.

The American Library Association has tracked an astronomical increase in book challenges over the past few years. Most of these challenges are to books with diverse characters and LGBTQ themes. These challenges are coming unevenly across the US, in a pattern that mirrors the legislative attacks on LGBTQ people.

The Brooklyn Public Library offered free eCards to anyone in the US aged 13-21, in an effort to make banned books more available to young readers. A teacher in Norman, Oklahoma gave her students the QR code for the free eCard and lost her job. Summer Boismeir is now working for the Brooklyn Public Library.

Hoopla and Libby/Overdrive, apps used to access digital library books, are now banned in Mississippi to anyone under 18. Some libraries won’t allow anyone under 18 to get any kind of library card without parental permission.

When librarians in Jamestown, Michigan refused to remove GENDER QUEER and several other books, the citizens of the town voted down the library’s funding in the fall 2022 election. Without funding, the library is due to close in mid-2024.

My first event since covid hit was the American Library Association conference in June 2022 in Washington, DC. Once again, the librarians in my signing line all had similar stories for me: “Your book was challenged in our district"

"It was returned to the shelf!"

"It was removed from the shelf..."

"It was moved to the adult section."

Over and over I said: "Thank you. Thank you for working so hard to keep my book in your library. I’m sorry you had to defend it, but thank you for trying, even if it didn't work."

We are at a crossroads of freedom of speech and censorship. The future of libraries, both publicly funded and in schools, are at stake. This is massively impacting the daily lives of librarians, teachers, students, booksellers, and authors around the country. In May 2023, I read an article from the Washington Post analyzing nearly 1000 of the book challenges from the 2021-2022 school year. I was literally on route to a festival to talk about book bans when I read a startling statistic.

60% of the 1000 book challenges were submitted by just 11 people. One man alone was responsible for 92 challenges. These 11 people seem to have made submitting copy-cat book challenges their full-time hobby and their opinions are having an outsized ripple effect across the nation.

WE NEED TO MAKE THE VOICES SUPPORTING DIVERSE BOOKS AND OPPOSING BOOK BANS EVEN LOUDER.

If you are able too, show up for your library and school board meetings when book challenges are debated. Send supportive comments and emails about the Pride book display and Drag Queen story hours. If you see a display you like– for Banned Book Week, AAPI Month, Black History Month, Disability Awareness Month, Jewish holidays, Trans Day of Remembrance– compliment a librarian! Make sure they feel the love stronger than the hate <3

Maia Kobabe, 2023

My very last comic for The Nib! End of an era! Transcription below the cut. instagram / patreon / portfolio / etsy / my book / redbubble

The first event I went to with GENDER QUEER was in NYC in 2019 at the Javits Center.

So many of the people who came to my signing were librarians, and so many of them said the same thing: "I know exactly who I want to give this to!" Maia: "Thank you for helping readers find my book!" While working on the book, I was genuinely unsure if anyone outside of my family and close friends would read it. But the early support of librarians and two American Library Association awards helped sell two print runs in first year.

Since then, GENDER QUEER been published in 8 languages, with more on the way: Spanish, Czech, Polish, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portugese and Dutch.

It has also been the most banned book in the United States for the past two years. The American Library Association has tracked an astronomical increase in book challenges over the past few years. Most of these challenges are to books with diverse characters and LGBTQ themes. These challenges are coming unevenly across the US, in a pattern that mirrors the legislative attacks on LGBTQ people. The Brooklyn Public Library offered free eCards to anyone in the US aged 13-21, in an effort to make banned books more available to young readers. A teacher in Norman, Oklahoma gave her students the QR code for the free eCard and lost her job. Summer Boismeir is now working for the Brooklyn Public Library. Hoopla and Libby/Overdrive, apps used to access digital library books, are now banned in Mississippi to anyone under 18. Some libraries won’t allow anyone under 18 to get any kind of library card without parental permission. When librarians in Jamestown, Michigan refused to remove GENDER QUEER and several other books, the citizens of the town voted down the library’s funding in the fall 2022 election. Without funding, the library is due to close in mid-2024. My first event since covid hit was the American Library Association conference in June 2022 in Washington, DC. Once again, the librarians in my signing line all had similar stories for me: “Your book was challenged in our district" "It was returned to the shelf!" "It was removed from the shelf..." "It was moved to the adult section."

Over and over I said: "Thank you. Thank you for working so hard to keep my book in your library. I’m sorry you had to defend it, but thank you for trying, even if it didn't work." We are at a crossroads of freedom of speech and censorship. The future of libraries, both publicly funded and in schools, are at stake. This is massively impacting the daily lives of librarians, teachers, students, booksellers, and authors around the country. In May 2023, I read an article from the Washington Post analyzing nearly 1000 of the book challenges from the 2021-2022 school year. I was literally on route to a festival to talk about book bans when I read a startling statistic. 60% of the 1000 book challenges were submitted by just 11 people. One man alone was responsible for 92 challenges. These 11 people seem to have made submitting copy-cat book challenges their full-time hobby and their opinions are having an outsized ripple effect across the nation. WE NEED TO MAKE THE VOICES SUPPORTING DIVERSE BOOKS AND OPPOSING BOOK BANS EVEN LOUDER. If you are able too, show up for your library and school board meetings when book challenges are debated. Send supportive comments and emails about the Pride book display and Drag Queen story hours. If you see a display you like– for Banned Book Week, AAPI Month, Black History Month, Disability Awareness Month, Jewish holidays, Trans Day of Remembrance– compliment a librarian! Make sure they feel the love stronger than the hate <3

Maia Kobabe, 2023

The Nib

[lessergods-official]

OK, folks, here's the plan.

"Alex, what is the plan with your book? What does the timeline look like and what are your plans?" I am so glad you asked.

I am currently 1/2 way done with the final version of Lesser Gods. I know you're probably like "Wow that seems like a lot to go." But fear not, I have no life (besides art and work), my autism is strong, and I am very determined to get this done- so right now I'm writing a minimum of 10k words a week. (I promise I'm not getting burned out)

Once the novel itself is done I am having some beta-reading done. I have some beta-readers I've reached out to already to get on their radar. And while I know its frowned upon by some- I am also having some friends as well as my spouse (he's a writer) read it.

After the beta-reading I am getting it proofread. I want to do this right, and while it costs a pretty penny (-cries in broke artist-) its so worth it.

During all of this I am making illustrations for the book, yes there's illustrations with most chapters that I'm making myself! :D

Once that's done, well, its time to get to work on publishing.

Side note: I may also release a small art book with just the art, but that's not a huge priority for me.

Right now I'm aiming for my book to be released in early 2025.

That being said- what else is going to happen? Any Giveaways?

I'm so glad you asked.

I need to set up a newsletter eventually, that will be on the new website (coming soon), but I also just like posting updates here on my social media platforms (Instagram, Tiktok, FB, Bluesky, and ofc Tumblr)

Art! So much art! When I'm not writing I work on illustrations or just doodle the characters, so I'm happy to share that with you guys, plus memes because that's fun. I'm blogging to share my process with you guys and share my love for this. My goal is for you to connect with them as much as I do.

COVER ART REVEAL!

I also would love to do ART PRINT GIVEAWAYS! I can do this before the book is published, so stay tuned for that!

BOOK GIVEAWAYS! As we get closer to when the book will actually be published I'm going to be doing some fun giveaways of the book itself, especially signed copies!

That's what I got right now. Questions? Ideas? Suggestions? Send them over to me in the ask box! <3

[cityonlinementor]

Mentor Message 1.23.24

Ready or not... Spring Semester is just around the corner!

🆕Updated link for the Pre-Semester Checklist is now on the District Webpage! No need to log into the Canvas Site. Just go to: https://bit.ly/SDCCDPre-SemChkList

💡Link to Enroll in SDCCD Canvas Resource Site: Recordings & materials from Spr 2024 Flex Sessions & more!

🆘Need Immediate IT Help?

Email me (agum@sdccd.edu) or Pronto me in the English Centerduring the semester. I respond within 24-48 hours or sooner. If I can’t help you, I can direct you to the person/people who can.

24/7 Canvas Chat or Phone for Canvas Help  Left side in Canvas

Or call Faculty Canvas 24/7 Helpline:1 (844) 612-7422, Student Canvas 24/7 Helpline:1 (844) 612-7421

 Contact IT Helpdesk for Non-Canvas Help with IT (myportal, sdccd email, rosters, etc.). Campus Solutions Helpdesk: (619) 388-6800, ithelpdesk@sdccd.edu

Help Tickets: https://bit.ly/CampusSolutionsHelpDesk

Video Tutorials

Refer to the Tumblr Blog for archive of past mentor message tips:it is also linked in my email signature.

💥New Tech On-Campus:

Wi-Fi at City: New, faster Campus WiFi is complete in all buildings! Guest access is almost identical to faculty/student access. It might require you to relog in after 4 hours. Everyone’s device may have different quirks. See WiFi Site to Learn More. You may need to “forget network” to reset your device’s WiFi connection. If you need more assistance, please fill out a ticket with the IT Helpdesk.

No more “free printing.” The new Pay-for Print system, PaperCut has been installed. Guide on Printing, Copying & Scanning

TEAMS phone service is coming! For tutorial see recording from 11/23 training. Right now, you can always use TEAMS to call anyone in your Teams, but this will be expanding and replacing our hardwired phones (not the blue emergency phones). In a nutshell: (tutorials are linked)

🤹🏽‍♀️Online Reminders

Remember to publish your courses by the 1st day of classes, ESPECIALLY if you are planning to redirect students to a 3rd party app instead like MyMath lab, Google Site, etc. Put your contact info/preferred method of communication/response time. Create a Homepage? Tutorial (#6 Pre-Semester Checklist)

Avoid Sorrow: Create course materials in your Development Shell(s) or download updated exports of all your classes & download copies of your gradebook every time you update it. Campus Solutions can delete actual courses without warning if it has a typo, change in instructor name, etc. How to get a Development Shell

Get your Canvas Course in Shape: Use the Canvas Pre-Semester Checklist (note: Cross listing is #2 & must be done before you start your course)

Update Zoom links in your course – SDCCD is single sign-on. Faculty have free Pro accounts. Use the same login/password for your SDCCD MS365 email login. Check for Zoom updates frequently. Update before Zoom meetings begin to maintain functionality.

Update LRC Links: the URLs have changed. Faculty have told me it works better to go back to the original source and copy the new link into your course. Guide to Library Linking

Add AI guidelines in your Academic Integrity Statement in your Syllabi. Sample statements and other resources from Yale’s Poorvu Ctr for Teaching and Learning. Deeper Dive: See p. 12 in the Part Timer’s Night Resource Slides, Spring 2024

Adjust the navigation menu: Hide SDCCD Zoom if you are NOT using the LTI & any other items you don’t regularly have student use.

Adjust the start/end to the course: This allows students to join early or have access later than the published deadlines, especially if you want to accept late work or have incompletes.

Consider sending your students a “Welcome Letter,” video, or link to a “Liquid Syllabus” for your classes so they know what to expect & how to get ready. Not sure how? Feel free to save a copy of this template to rename/make your changes.

Using Pronto: If you published at the last minute, you may need to manually “synch” instead of waiting for Campus Solutions.

����Resources:

Key items Start/End of Semester:  Part Timer Night Start Semester 24 Slides & End of Semester

Need a laptop or Wi-Fi hotspot? San Diego residents can borrow them from your local San Diego library! See SD4All under SD Library Services.

Need an offline version of Office 365? Log into & fill out the request form at the Service Helpdesk to request. This is not a guarantee you’ll receive access. Please follow up with your Dean/Chair/Supervisor.

Read the NYTimes for Free: Renew your faculty/student NY Times Subscription

🏫Professional Development (PD):

SDCCD Online Spring 2024 Workshop Recordings/Resources

SDCCD Online Workshops: use the dropdown to select “DISTRICT” to see workshop listings in the Flex Calendar

Free @One Webinars!

@One Courses are still FREE!

📶Tech Tidbit:

How to Change Your Zoom Background: desktop, Android/iOS

Zoom Seating Chart: Turn on the “Save Gallery View” to keep participants’ location from shifting

Have a great start to the 2024 Semester!

[ahopkins1965]



I would like to start off by saying that I really appreciate C. S. Lewis.  I have written something about forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a life long process.  We are supposed to forgive Each Other a total of 490 times.   I know that I am not perfect.  I have my share of using vulgarity and profanity.  Currently, I do not use Vulgarity at all anymore.  I adore The Lord Jesus because He has listened to my cry.  He died for the sins of everyone.  I do recall spending some time reading some of the famous quotes from C.S. Lewis.



Next, I am a person who has been through a great deal of adversity in my personal life.  Jesus Christ is my personal Savior, God, and Friend.  I have cried over the things that I am dealing with personally.  For Example, I have been oppressed and tormented online and in my personal life by an elite group of people.  These people scammed me out of over $18,000 dollars in Western Union Funds.  Some of these people were incarcerated and punished for hurting me and my family members.  My nephew stated to me that someone from Nigeria contacted him recently and asked Him to send a gentleman from Nigeria a total of $500.00 dollars in Western Union Funds.  This person also tried to talk to my niece as well.

Further, I have been praying for the people who are my adversaries.  I am praying for them because these people are in need of help themselves.  I have forgiven everyone who have scammed me out of money.  These people did not forgive me personally.  Some of these people who scammed me out of money are classified as Organized Criminals.  These criminals have access to all of my information.  If I make changes on my personal email accounts and Social Media, these criminals worldwide know my information.  My Cellphones have been cloned, copied, pasted, and hacked by organized criminals.

Moreover, I want to inform all of you that my cellphone numbers are in the Dark Web right now.  My family members do not have any idea what it means to have your phone number cloned by the same people who scammed me out of money.  There are a total of four billion people who are organized criminals worldwide.  These people are trying to ruin my personal reputation.  Every time I am online these criminals are using my accounts simultaneously with me.  The police cannot keep up with these people online because there are too many of them.

In Addition, I have been wiretapped on both of my cellphone numbers.  These criminals consists of men, women, and children who have learned how to use a gun at an early age.  Some of these criminals are using Women's Social Media Profile Pictures to pretend to be the women who are on the profile.  C. S. Lewis is a very genuine person.  He has changed his life tremendously since He became a Christian Man.  God has truly blessed me and him because I used to be a criminal myself.  I remember when I was sent to jail for a charge of Theft by Deception on two different occasions.  I almost lost my job in the process.  I really lost my job because I was looking at porn online at work.

Finally, I have written three books in 23 years now.  My first book is called The Best of Anthony Hopkins.  It is a collection of lecture notes from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio.  My second book is called My Grace is Sufficient for Me and finally my third book is called Essays, which are a collection of essays that I have written based on my personal relationship with God.  I am a Publisher because I have published my own book called The Best of Anthony Hopkins.

In Conclusion, I have been reading the Bible every single day of the week.  I have been reading my own literature online from the past 14 years now.  C. S. Lewis, I learned about him when I was a student at the University of Toledo.  I took a class called Literature of the Old Testament back in 1995.  I have a personal relationship with God.  I have been clean and sober for 33 years now. My AA Sponsor stated that I should not pay attention to my adversaries.  I have to pray for them and keep it moving.  I cannot keep on dwelling on the past.  I have to live in the present and future for myself and everyone else.  Please keep me and my family members and friends in your prayers and thoughts because they are in danger of getting their phone numbers cloned copied and pasted as well as hacked by organized criminals worldwide.  God has brought me from a mighty long way.  I like to solve my problems legally and professionally.  I have adopted a non violence approached to doing things.  God Loves You and God Bless You.  Stay strong in the Lord, and He Will Direct Your Path.

[duckprintspress]

Ten Things We Hate About Trad Pub

Often when I say “I’ve started a small press; we publish the works of those who have trouble breaking into traditional publishing!” what people seem to hear is “me and a bunch of sad saps couldn’t sell our books in the Real World so we’ve made our own place with lower standards.” For those with minimal understanding of traditional publishing (trad pub), this reaction is perhaps understandable? But, truly, there are many things to hate about traditional publishing (and, don’t get me wrong - there are things to love about trad pub, too, but that’s not what this list is about) and it’s entirely reasonable for even highly accomplished authors to have no interest in running the gauntlet of genre restrictions, editorial control, hazing, long waits, and more, that make trad pub at best, um, challenging, and at worst, utterly inaccessible to many authors - even excellent ones.

Written in collaboration with @jhoomwrites, with input from @ramblingandpie, here is a list of ten things that we at Duck Prints Press detest about trad pub, why we hate it, and why/how we think things should be different!

(Needless to say, part of why we created Duck Prints Press was to...not do any of these things... so if you’re a writer looking for a publishing home, and you hate these things, too, and want to write with a Press that doesn’t do them...maybe come say hi?)

-

1. Work lengths dictated by genre and/or author experience.

Romance novels can’t be longer than 90,000 words or they won’t sell! New authors shouldn’t try to market a novel longer than 100,000 words!

A good story is a good story is a good story. Longer genre works give authors the chance to explore their themes and develop their plots. How often an author has been published shouldn’t put a cap on the length of their work.

-

2. Editors assert control of story events...except when they don’t.

If you don’t change this plot point, the book won’t market well. Oh, you’re a ten-time bestseller? Write whatever you want, even if it doesn’t make sense we know people will buy it.

Sometimes, a beta or an editor will point out that an aspect of a story doesn’t work - because it’s nonsensical, illogical, Deus ex Machina, etc. - and in those cases it’s of course reasonable for an editor to say, “This doesn’t work and we recommend changing it, for these reasons…” However, when that list of reasons begins and ends with, “...because it won’t sell…” that’s a problem, especially because this is so often applied as a double standard. We’ve all read bestsellers with major plot issues, but those authors get a “bye” because editors don’t want to exert to heavy a hand and risk a proven seller, but with a new, less experienced, or worse-selling author, the gloves come off (even though evidence suggests time and again that publishers’ ability to predict what will sell well is at best low and at worst nonexistent.)

-

3. A billion rejection letters as a required rite of passage (especially when the letters aren't helpful in pinpointing why a work has been rejected or how the author can improve).

Well, my first book was rejected by a hundred Presses before it was accepted! How many rejection letters did you get before you got a bite? What, only one or two? Oh…

How often one succeeds or fails to get published shouldn’t be treated as a form of hazing, and we all know that how often someone gets rejected or accepted has essentially no bearing on how good a writer they are. Plenty of schlock goes out into the world after being accepted on the first or second try...and so does plenty of good stuff! Likewise, plenty of schlock will get rejected 100 times but due to persistence, luck, circumstances, whatever, finally find a home, and plenty of good stuff will also get rejected 100 times before being publishing. Rejections (or lack there of) as a point of pride or as a means of judging others needs to die as a rite of passage among authors.

-

4. Query letters, for so many reasons.

Summarize all your hard work in a single page! Tell us who you’re like as an author and what books your story is like, so we can gauge how well it’ll sell based on two sentences about it! Format it exactly the way we say or we won’t even consider you!

For publishers, agents, and editors who have slush piles as tall as Mount Everest...we get it. There has to be a way to differentiate. We don’t blame you. Every creative writing class, NaNoWriMo pep talk, and college lit department combine to send out hundreds of thousands of people who think all they need to do to become the next Ernest Hemingway is string a sentence together. There has to be some way to sort through that pile...but God, can’t there be a better way than query letters? Especially since even with query letters being used it often takes months or years to hear back, and...

-

5. "Simultaneous submissions prohibited.”

No, we don’t know when we’ll get to your query, but we’ll throw it out instantly if you have the audacity to shop around while you wait for us.

The combination of “no simultaneous submissions” with the query letter bottleneck makes success slow and arduous. It disadvantages everyone who aims to write full-time but doesn’t have another income source (their own, or a parents’, or a spouse’s, or, or or). The result is that entire classes of people are edged out of publishing solely because the process, especially for writers early in their career, moves so glacially that people have to earn a living while they wait, and it’s so hard to, for example, work two jobs and raise a family and also somehow find the time to write. Especially considering that the standard advice for dealing with “no simultaneous submissions” is “just write something else while you wait!” ...the whole system screams privilege.

-

6. Genres are boxes that must be fit into and adhered to.

Your protagonist is 18? Then obviously your book is Young Adult. It doesn’t matter how smutty your book is, erotica books must have sex within the first three chapters, ideally in the first chapter. Sorry, we’re a fantasy publisher, if you have a technological element you don’t belong here…

While some genre boxes have been becoming more like mesh cages of late, with some flow of content allowed in and out, many remain stiff prisons that constrict the kinds of stories people can tell. Even basic cross-genre works often struggle to find a place, and there’s no reason for it beyond “if we can’t pigeon-hole a story, it’s harder to sell.” This edges out many innovative, creative works. It also disadvantages people who aren’t as familiar with genre rules. And don’t get me wrong - this isn’t an argument that, for example, the romance genre would be improved by opening up to stories that don’t have “happily ever afters.” Instead, it’s pointing out - there should also be a home for, say, a space opera with a side romance, an erotica scene, and a happily-for-now ending. Occasionally, works breakthrough, but for the most part stories that don’t conform never see the light of day (or, they do, but only after Point 2 - trad pub editors insist that the elements most “outside” the box be removed or revised).

-

7. The lines between romance and erotica are arbitrary, random, and hetero- and cis-normative.

This modern romance novel won’t sell if it doesn’t have an explicit sex scene, but God forbid you call a penis a penis. Oh, no, this is far too explicit, even though the book only has one mlm sex scene, this is erotica.

The difference between “romance” and “erotica” might not matter so much if not for the stigmas attached to erotica and the huge difference in marketability and audience. The difference between “romance” and “erotica” also might not matter so much if not for the fact that, so often, even incredibly raunchy stories that feature cis straight male/cis straight female sex scenes are shelved as romance, but the moment the sex is between people of the same gender, and/or a trans or genderqueer person is involved, and/or the relationship is polyamorous, and/or the characters involved are literally anything other than a cis straight male pleasuring a cis straight female in a “standard” way (cunnilingus welcome, pegging need not apply)...then the story is erotica. Two identical stories will get assigned different genres based on who the people having sex are, and also based on the “skill” of the author to use ludicrous euphemisms (instead of just...calling body parts what they’re called…), and it’s insane. Non-con can be a “romance” novel, even if it’s graphically described. “50 Shades of Gray” can sell millions of copies, even containing BDSM. But the word “vagina” gets used once...bam, erotica. (Seriously, the only standard that should matter is the Envelope Analogy).

-

8. Authors are expected to do a lot of their own legwork (eg advertising) but then don't reap the benefits.

Okay, so, you’re going to get an advance of $2,500 on this, your first novel, and a royalty rate of 5% if and only if your advance sells out...so you’d better get out there and market! Wait, what do you mean you don’t have a following? Guess you’re never selling out your advance…

Trad pub can generally be relied on to do some marketing - so this item is perhaps better seen as an indictment of more mid-sized Presses - but, basically, if an author has to do the majority of the work themselves, then why aren’t they getting paid more? What’s the actual benefit to going the large press/trad pub route if it’s not going to get the book into more hands? It’s especially strange that this continues to be a major issue when self-publishing (which also requires doing one’s own marketing) garners 60%+ royalty rates. Yes, the author doesn’t get an advance, and they don’t get the cache of ~well I was published by…~, but considering some Presses require parts of advances to get paid back if the initial run doesn’t sell out, and cache doesn’t put food on the table...pay models have really, really got to change.

-

9. Fanfiction writing doesn't count as writing experience

Hey there Basic White Dude, we see you’ve graduated summa cum laude from A Big Fancy Expensive School. Of course we’ll set you up to publish your first novel you haven’t actually quite finished writing yet. Oh, Fanperson, you’ve written 15 novels for your favorite fandom in the last 4 years? Get to the back of the line!

Do I really need to explain this? The only way to get better at writing is to write. Placing fanfiction on official trad pub “do not interact” lists is idiotic, especially considering many of the other items on this list. (They know how to engage readers! They have existing followings! They understand genre and tropes!) Being a fanfiction writer should absolutely be a marketable “I am a writer” skill. Nuff said. (To be clear, I’m not saying publishers should publish fanfiction, I’m saying that being a fanfiction writer is relevant and important experience that should be given weight when considering an author’s qualifications, similar to, say, publishing in a university’s quarterly.)

-

10. Tagging conventions (read: lack thereof).

Oh, did I trigger you? Hahahaha. Good luck with that.

We rate movies so that people can avoid content they don’t like. Same with TV shows and video games. Increasingly, those ratings aren’t just “R - adult audiences,” either; they contain information about the nature of the story elements that have led to the rating (“blood and gore,” “alcohol reference,” “cartoon violence,” “drug reference,” “sexual violence,” “use of tobacco,” and many, many more). So why is it that I can read a book and, without warning, be surprised by incest, rape, graphic violence, explicit language, glorification of drug and alcohol use, and so so much more? That it’s left to readers to look up spoilers to ensure that they’re not exposed to content that could be upsetting or inappropriate for their children or, or, or, is insane. So often, too, authors cling to “but we don’t want to give away our story,” as if video game makes and other media makers do want to give away their stories. This shouldn’t be about author egos or ~originality~ (as if that’s even a thing)...it should be about helping readers make informed purchasing decisions. It’s way, way past time that major market books include content warnings.

Thank you for joining us, this has been our extended rant about how frustrated we are with traditional publishing. Helpful? No. Cathartic? Most definitely yes. 🤣

*

Have a question about writing? Drop us an ask!

Like what we do and want to support us? You can buy us a ko-fi - or get access to exclusive content by backing us on Patreon!

[zaraquinn]

writing requests: stranger things edition.

• stranger things series (tv show) request post •

! navigation !

new writing requests are open! this WILL BE PINNED on my this blog (my writing blog) before any posts if you are interested! when this is NOT PINNED, that means requests are CLOSED.

send your requests in my inbox (request a genius idea tab on desktop) !

search: masterlist on my blog or, go to my bio where my masterlist is linked for my previous works to fill the void while new works are being written and published !

headers by my me/my main blog @raineeace |

º writing requests rules and such º

if you want to request anything, send it through my inbox (see above)! i will get to most of it, but for now, it has to be anything stranger things (tv series). if it is anything else, i might not do it, only because that is not what i am asking for––that being said, that doesn’t mean i won’t do it. i might get to it if i make another writing request post for that fandom (if you view around my blog and masterlist post, you’ll see what fandoms i’m in) i will get to it.

i might not get to every request related to the fandom if there is too much–-i will always let any user know if i decide to not do their request(s) or not.

although an exception is me not answering your request means two things:

writing takes longer nowadays then it used to, only because i am a college student, so please bear with me on your requests! again, unless i already replied to your ask early on (saying i can’t do your request for ‘xyz’ circumstances), then they are in the works.

i’m just inactive on my writing blog and life has taken over me.

usually, i make the post of your request and tag you plus answer your request with a link to the post i made for it :) (double notification gang)

i do not write male character x male!reader (only because i am not a male), but i do write non-binary and gender neutral upon request.

i finally found the guts to now write nsfw/smut material, so that is open! but don’t worry, for those who don’t want smut works, i enjoy writing fluff, angst and everything else just as much (if not a lil more ;) ) !

no copying any words or my work! being inspired is okay, and sharing it is even fine––as long as it leads back to the post it originated from in my blog. reblogging your review or even commenting your review on the post is the best way to share and show some love :)

i don’t really do tags on requests on posts if it was a series, but if requested, i certainly will tag you in it!

feel free to dm me for any specific requests, writing help and other things related to stranger things and writing!

i will mainly write for steve harrington, billy hargrove, eddie munson, johnathan byers, 001/peter ballard/henry creel, & dmitri (enzo) antonov! but i will also do any robin buckley, or nancy wheeler also upon request! any requests including the kids will also be accepted too (except for smut because obviously). [my main ones i am most comfortable writing for are in bold]

happy requesting !

[screadingchallenge]

Behind the Keyboard Volume 30

Behind the Keyboard is a series of interviews with different Schitt’s Creek fanfic authors. The series will last as long as there is interest (from authors) and capacity (from me). If you are an author from the Schitt’s Creek fandom who would like to participate, send a DM to this account.  

Each author was given ten questions. The first five questions are the same for every author, the last five will vary.

Let’s meet our next author:

@trueillusion82 / TrueIllusion

How many fics have you written?

112 total, 41 for SC

When did you publish your first fic on AO3?

2018, but I go all the way back to FF.net in high school, in the late 90s/early 2000s. Unfortunately all of that work was lost when they removed RPF. I’ve tried to see if I can find the original files but haven’t been able to locate the completed versions, sadly. But I do know I was always a hurt/comfort junkie, both in my reading tastes and my writing. ;) As for writing fic, my best friend and I were writing it in 1994 before we even had the internet or a name for the stories we were writing featuring our favorite TV characters.

Describe your writing process from “Oh, I have an idea” to pushing publish on AO3.

I like to chat with fandom friends about the idea and bounce around thoughts for different details. Sometimes the chat literally looks like a dialogue conversation from the fic, and that helps me to know where I’m headed with the story. For one shots, I make an outline in the doc itself, with a synopsis of each section in brackets, and as I write, I replace those sections with the actual prose. When that’s done, I let my beta know and once she’s looked at it, off it goes onto AO3. For chaptered works, I’ve started using Scrivener, which allows me to “storyboard” with virtual notecards that contain the synopsis of each scene, and then ties to the actual prose. As I complete each section on Scrivener, I merge the separate mini documents into each chapter, and copy and paste it into a google doc for my beta readers. Once I’m ahead a few chapters and have a good buffer, sometimes I’ll go ahead and publish because I like the encouragement of reader feedback, and it helps me keep going.

Tell me about your most recent fic? What do you love about it? Is there anything you think you could have done better?

My most recent published fic is “Meant to Be,” a story from Rachel’s point of view in the “Safe” universe. I was nervous about writing Rachel, wanting to make sure she was a balanced character with depth, and not the one-note jealous ex-girlfriend trope. I wanted to allow her and David to communicate without interference from others, and to create at least a tenuous “truce” between themselves, to open the door for a friendship later on. She’s moved on, and there’s no reason to keep her “stuck” on Patrick, nor is there really a reason for there to be any continued hatred between her and David, or her and Patrick. Putting her in a position to help David through an MS flare felt like a good way to allow them to establish trust. I also didn’t want David to feel cornered, so setting the scene up in a way that left him in control of the situation was a challenge, but I think I pulled it off. I loved writing her observations of David and Patrick as an “outsider,” as I always enjoy those points of view. Plus, it was fun to explore writing the perspective of a character that we don’t see often and that I hadn’t written before. For the last question, I feel like there is always something we could second-guess or wish we had done differently, but it’s better to let it go and let it be. :)

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about publishing their fic for the first time?

Just do it -- don’t second guess it. Especially in the Schitt’s Creek fandom, which is the absolute best for encouragement and reader engagement. And if you’re afraid it won’t be “good”... the only way to get better is to keep doing it!

If you could say one thing to the people who read your fic, what would it be?

I really, really hope you’re not sick of my angst yet. LOL But seriously, I always appreciate your comments even if I don’t get a chance to reply to them -- they give me a much-needed mental boost.

Would you rather write smut or crack?

If I had to choose, crack, but really, neither. I’m kind of a “substance” girl when it comes to stories… I need plot and a solid direction.

What’s a fic (by any author) you love that you don’t think enough people know about?

It’s hard to pick just one, because I have a lot of favorite fics that I return to again and again, but “Drowning in my Thirst” by wordswordswords7 is one I don’t think gets the attention it deserves.

In what way are you most like your favorite Schitt’s Creek character?

“Anxious David Rose” is me in many ways. I’ve not been treated the best in the past by people I considered friends, or people would take advantage of me, and I was so desperate to be liked that I let them. And even though that situation is no longer my reality, it has left some scars.

Plot vs vibes - pick one.

Comfort vibes all the way. And whatever setup it takes to get there.

[xiaq]

Me, reading the insane outpouring of love in my DMs/comments here and on AO3:

Thank you so much. I think I've answered all the DMs, but if I missed you, send me a nudge! I'm going to wade into the AO3 comments tonight and this counts as a thank you to all the folks in the comments of my last post. Y'all are amazing and I can't wait to put an actual copy of LRPD in your hands.

A few things:

On several folks advice, I've left placeholder text in all the LRPD chapters on AO3 but also some "new" content. Chapter 2, I added a Martel/Okezie drabble (and by drabble I mean 3k words). I'll keep adding tidbits like that as I work through edits and start thinking about additional books I'm going to write for the series, just FYI.

A lot of folks also want to know if LRPD will keep the same name. I'm hoping the first book will, yes! I get some autonomy there, but the publisher gets the final say. I'm planning to discuss that early in the process and I'll keep you posted.

Others have asked about cover art. I currently have no idea, though I do get to choose/submit several ideas to the publisher (like the title, they get the final say, but it sounds like it's a very collaborative process and they like authors to have as much control as possible). I'm considering finding a fan artist (a la Rainbow Rowell) to commission for a simple stylized cover, but if you have any ideas I'd LOVE to hear/see them. This will happen toward the end of the editing/preparing for publication process, so I've got some time to decide. Also, I'm starting to get messages from folks who didn't get a chance to download it during the 48hr window and unfortunately I can't send you a PDF (because of contract reasons) but there are a whole lot of people in the comments on chapter 52 who you could ask. I bet they'd be willing to share with you. Alternatively, if you have a copy you'd be willing to send to someone, maybe comment on this post so folks can find you?

Ok ok. Thanks for all the support. Back to your regularly scheduled nonsense shortly (and I'm nearly done with the next WTAWTAW chpt. I promise!).