#and I haven't bought books physically in a long time

[aurorasandsad-prose]

The thing about adult money is that no one can stop you from spending it on your silly little hobbies 🤡

[octobertomarch]

Going to library to study see crush.

Guilty peeps raise your hands!! 😂🤣

For prompt "Library" from @dailytwiyorprompts

The books on first panel are ones that I've read 😆😆. Are you familiar with these titles? My favorites are Pride and Prejudice and d'Artagnan romances ( 3 musketeers - ten years later). Most of these books, I've read them by downloading pdfs from Project Gutenberg. If you can't get your hands on physical copies, I strongly recommend this website.

As for the Jane Austen book that Loid is reading, it's the one that's been waiting for me for a very long time. I bought a copy about a year ago and still haven't read it 🥲😅😅

I'll reblog this later with complete review of the books through my main blog 😉 hope this made you smile.

Ps.: This really looked like something straight out from kdrama 😂🤣. Kdramas make good inspiration and reference for me 😂😂

[snek-panini]

I actually didn't mean to let nearly two weeks go by since my last bookbinding post, but somehow time has just slipped away from me till now. For today we have a pretty simple one, though:

This is Postcards from Paris, by ghostrat, a story that I asked to bind way back at the beginning of May. It's a Good Omens human au, involving letters received by an unintended recipient and a long sequence of getting to know one another via writing. I love epistolary stories and wish they were more common both in and out of fandom, and this one's really soft. Like the whole last chapter makes me feel all rosy and warm. Go read it if you haven't, it's wonderful.

More photos and such under the cut!

The cover up there is chocolate lineco book cloth with blue metallic htv. Like with many of my small-sized binds, I tried to not buy anything specific to this one and instead make something coherent from what's already on hand, and that philosophy lent itself well here. The story's about getting to know someone with only the verbal impression of them, not even their voice but just the words they choose and their handwriting, and has a lovely feeling of being overwhelmed by their physicality when you finally meet in person, and I think the stripped-down feeling of the bind fits that theme. It's deceptively simple, and you won't realize how deeply you're in love with the story until after you've read it.

Top view, with blue ribbon bookmark, and slate-blue plain cardstock endpapers. I'm pleasantly surprised by how well all the blues match, considering the htv was bought for another project, the endpapers were bought in a multi-pack for another different project, and the ribbon probably was cut from the shoulder of a fancy shirt. I really would have liked to do custom blue-and-brown end bands, but at barely 80 pages the book's too short for that so it's got premade ones in black and white. The front hinge wouldn't behave when I cased it, so it's got that weird wiggly part and I don't know why. I've used this cardstock for endpapers before and never had that issue, so it's a bit of a mystery.

Interior photos. The stripped-down, simple philosophy persists. About the only theming I did was to choose a handwriting font for the larger text, which seemed appropriate for a story told in postcards.

Random interior of typeset. This thing has so many scene breaks, my god. I sincerely thought about picking two handwriting fonts and putting all the postcards in those. They would have been opposing ones so you could tell who was writing without the scene break lines, but it was too difficult to read at this font size and looked kind of messy, so I didn't. I always size down the font a little for quartos, because the full-size one I use for folios looks weird on a half-size page, but this is the only time I've found that decision working against me.

And that's that! As always, I hope I did the story justice with this bind. The designs feel right when I make them, and I hope others agree. I've still got two more books to post from this late spring batch, so those'll be up over the next week or two.

[onyourowndaisymae]

unicorn bandages - alt. version

this has been sitting in my drafts awhile. someone requested some lucifer hurt/comfort (that i haven't got around to yet) and i wrote this, only to realize this didn't exactly hit the mark when i finished. but i figured it's cute, so i might as well post it

word count: 1145

content + warnings: playful/smartass lucifer, general fluff, minor physical injury, general mentions of embarrassment

you need to learn to be more careful.

that's what you think as you walk the rest of the way home to the house of lamentation, lost in your own thoughts. the gentle searing pain of your skinned knee was enough of a punishment-- did you brain have to keep replaying the memory of you tripping in the middle of town, too? being clumsy and wearing shorts were both incompatible with your plans today, yet here you are, looking foolish and feeling exposed from your mistake.

the blood had long since dried against your skin. you felt sticky and gross, yearning now for a shower and a place to hide from your lingering embarrassment. did anyone from RAD see you eat shit outside that shop. ugh, and they way nobody helped you up, how you awkwardly stumbled to your feet and-- ahhh!! please, no more!!

the familiar creak of the front doors announced your arrival to the house of lamentation. you shuffled inside awkwardly, head hung, staring at your feet to avoid another tumble. even the book you bought on your day out couldn't console you enough to block out the invisible judgement you felt.

"what is that?"

you lifted your head to find lucifer stopped in the archway to the living room, eyes narrowed at you.

"huh?"

"what is that?" he repeated. "what happened to your knee?"

"oh. i, uh, i fell on my way home and scraped my knee. i don't-- i'm fine. it's just a scrape."

you felt the urge to shy away from his stern gaze, to hide your little scrape from his prying eyes and pretend it never happened. he looks at the wound for a few moments longer before meeting your eyes.

"will you sit down on the stairs for a moment, mc?"

"it's not that big of a deal. it just need to be wiped off, nothing special."

"then surely you'd be okay with me cleaning it for you? since it's such a minor injury."

you couldn't think of much else to argue. he gave you that smug half-smirk he saved for minor victories such as this and disappeared from sight. you shuffled to the stairs and sat, slumped in defeat, as he presumably went to fetch some first aid supplies.

the avatar of pride returned as quickly as he left, this time with a small black box in his hands. a small gesture of his hands urged you to stretch the injured leg out to give him better access. gloved hands busied themselves digging through unidentified supplies.

"what happened?" he asks, quietly, as he pulls out what looks like a cotton pad and some sort of cleaning agent.

"i was... i went out to get this book satan recommended. y'know, because he always wants to talk about what he's reading." he nodded and you continued. "so i decided to grab it while i was out. apparently there's a hole in the sidewalk out front, because as i was walking out, my foot got caught and i-- ow!"

your cry of pain was almost indignant as lucifer interrupted your story by cleaning the wound. the sharp sting of something akin to but not quite isopropyl alcohol lit your knee on fire. had the scrape really been that bad?

"the bacteria in the devildom is a bit more aggressive than in the human realm," he explained, softer look on his face than a moment ago. "we wouldn't want our favorite human getting sick from an accident like this, would we?"

as if he was trying to apologize, lucifer brought your knee closer by the back of your leg and gently blew on the wound to alleviate some of the pain of the cleanser currently working its magic. it was nice. for a moment, he was lucifer, big brother, not the avatar of pride he embodied in public. his fingers fiddled with pulling and stretching your skin to ensure each inch was properly wiped clean. there was a certain level of sincerity to his movements that made you smile.

"did you do this a lot when your brothers were growing up?"

"you have no idea."

that makes you laugh. he smiles, just a little, before continuing.

"angels are supposed to be resilient. their skin is thicker than a human being's, so they shouldn't get hurt as easily. and yet training my younger brothers was-- well, it was quite the event."

"i'm gonna guess mammon was the biggest pain?"

"definitely mammon." a fond smile. he wiped a cotton pad across your busted knee before continuing. "every time i saw him, he was always covered in bruises and scrapes. i could never quite get him to admit that he'd got them wandering off in pursuit of his younger brothers."

"that sounds a lot like him."

lucifer picked up a small tin containing the bandages. these must have been picked out by asmodeus-- instead of the usual plain design lucifer always grabbed, these were bright and colorful with unicorn designs. the avatar of pride only offered a small sigh before pulling an adequately sized one out and applying for you. in a few moments, what was a terribly embarrassing memory had been sealed from the world behind two unicorns hopping in unison over a rainbow.

"aren't you going to kiss it better?"

your sarcastic question was followed by your mischievous little smirk. maybe you shouldn't have teased him while he was in such a good mood. his eyes narrowed a bit before, to your surprise, his smirk mirrored your own.

you open your mouth to play off your joke, but lucifer's already lifting your knee to his mouth. your whole body is sliding uncomfortably off the stair step-- karma sure is efficient-- as his lips hover above your knee. lucifer's lips brush the top of your bandage. he makes an obnoxious kissing sound to honor your request before unceremoniously dropping your leg, leaving you sprawled in an odd position on the steps.

"i was kidding," you whine.

"my apologies. i just wanted to make sure you healed correctly."

"yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

the avatar of pride is quick to repack the first aid kit and rise to his feet. you reach out for his hand to help you up. in a bout of playfulness, he instead high fives your open palm, small smirk dripping with sarcasm. of course you had to catch him in a good mood. you sigh dramatically. this time, his offer to help you stand was genuine. a quick tug of your hand and lucifer had quickly pulled your fragile human body off the steps.

"careful, mc. wouldn't want you to fall again."

"i think you'd enjoy it, actually. sadist."

"... you're probably right."

"huh?!"

your cry is indignant as he begins to exit. you chase after him without hesitation. that smirk on his face meant he was joking, right?

[infinitegalahad]

AMERICAN PROMETHEUS AND HIS ATHENA - CHAPTER ONE

Pairing: J. Robert Oppenheimer x Female Identifying! Reader Summary: In the fall of 1939, You are an incoming freshman at Berkeley. Despite your love for literature and the pressure of your parents, you begrudgingly enroll in a Physics course. There you meet J. Robert Oppenheimer; your professor turned into your best friend and most importantly, your lover. Word Count: 4.5k Warnings: Nothing major, minus the huge age gap. The reader is 18, and Oppenheimer is at least thirty. Everything is legal and consensual. If this bothers you, please do not read it; thank you! Notes: gonna be a long note, so strap in folks. so i have this tendency to get hyperfocused on a piece of media, get my little gremlin hands on any piece of media about it, devour said piece of media, and then poop out 5k+ words in under 24 hours due to my obsession. this happened two years ago with safin from no time to die, and let me just say that it goes to show that history is a sick cycle. not sick, I'm just literally insane. lol, anyways! here's some lore. last Sunday i saw oppenheimer and thought it was a masterpiece! i also love cillain murphy too, so that's a massive bonus. the next day, i bought american prometheus. i started reading it on tuesday, and finished it on Friday. if you haven't read it, please go read it. the book is impossible to put down, and a lot of characterization of robert and other characters come from the movie, but mainly the novel. this fic is heavily researched. this fic is also very dark too, and the content is...yeah. the age gap is very massive and while legal, very taboo, so please keep this in mind. there will be dark content in this story so be warned. trigger warnings will be in the beginning of every chapter. this is on my tumblr and ao3 as well. here is a playlist i made while writing this , if that does anything. my masterlist is also at work too; the new and updated version will be out next chapter. <a href="url">add yourself to the taglist if you are interested</a>. thanks for reading and i hope you enjoy.

There are people talking, and while they are close, their voices are nothing but mindless mutters.

Despite how much they had to drink, the buzz managed to slow their thoughts yet made them somewhat aware of their surroundings. If you tried, not like they really wanted to, you could point out every little detail around them–all small things, meaningless and unimportant, in the vast growing universe. 

The uneven vintage ski portrait on Hatomi’s side of the room, the dim light covered by the French literature nights on the window sill, the light of the moon in boxy shapes across the aged wooden door, your feet sticking out underneath the blanket and the cool air bringing goosebump to your toes, the heat of your flashlight against your cheek; it’s all so small. 

You’ve known Hatomi, your roommate at Berkeley, for the last week. A Japanese American from Davis, she’s a lover of literature like you, albeit you’re more into Russian and American literature than French. Both of you have concluded that you are different but are different enough to put those said differences aside to be friends. Hatomi, unlike you, is smiley and bright, the type to make a conversation not as awkward. She’s made many friends, some of whom are yours, and you’re thankful for her. In your orientation week at Berkeley, she’s helped you break out of your shell, and you’ve gone around campus and to parties to get out and meet people.

As thankful as you are for Haotmi, you are not very thankful about her bringing in some guy into the room without making it clear and having full-blow sex. Hatomi tries to keep her moans contained, but the slapping and grunts from the man beneath are not in any way contained or quiet. He’s as loud as possible, and you can identify him from one of the many parties you’ve been to, but all of them in your state become a gradual blur. 

There’s a visible outline of the two through your quilt. Hatomi’s on top, and said the man is on the bottom with messy hair. He’s got a hand on her hip, and she nudges forward, her body moving forward. It makes you feel even lonelier than you already feel, but it's not intentional, but it’s certainly a jab. Hatomi cries his name, an emphasis on the end of his name. 

You haphazardly try to catch his name, but end up forgetting it, the alcohol from earlier helping sing you to sleep. 

–

It soon became a cycle—the whole lot of it. 

You’d wake up at seven for your eight in the morning English class. Then you’d head to your philosophy class from nine-thirty to ten-thirty before heading to lunch at eleven. After that break, then comes your Greek class from twelve to one. Then it’s physics. 

It’s not that you don’t like physics. Actually, you love it—the concept is fascinating. The movement, gravity, and being a small thing in the grand scheme of the infinite universe is a topic you could dive into for hours on end. And not to mention, you have a burning hatred for the mathematics of it. You know you can do introductory algebra, but that’s where you draw the line. Calculus and all of that is too advanced. You can do it; at the bare minimum. 

Your class is not that big. It’s your smallest class with ten students, all intrigued by a fascinating professor. 

The first time you met him, he stood by the chalkboard with a huff of smoke following behind him. He wore a dark gray tweed suit and had thick, coarse hair which was wild, maintained with gel. He was tall but not towering and rather slender. With the bluest eyes you had ever seen, you knew that this man was a character; not to mention, he also looked intelligent. 

And that he was. 

Dr.Oppenheimer was the reason you started actually to love physics. Not like, love. He was not an easy teacher; he was complex but rewarding. He took the concept of physics and made it more interesting than it already was, adding another dimension to it that you didn’t think was possible. 

Instead of the class being a lecture, Oppenheimer discussed the fundamental forces and philosophy. He, like you, enjoyed how physics interacted with the classical world. With a cigarette in one hand and a piece of chalk in another, and in his velvety voice, Oppenheimer taught something along the lines of the cosmic universe or the quantum tunnel and would look to his students for their input, arguments, questions, or their voice to the topic. 

You know, or thought he knew, that you weren’t the best at physics, but could always add a philosophical or insight on how physics affects both in the modern and classical world. Sometimes in class, the two of you would dive into a conversation. Oppenheimer would give you a serious loo, staring directly at you with his bright blue eyes. You could have sworn they were the bluest eyes you had ever seen, in which you were. As you challenge you, Oppenehiemr would stare, blowing the occasional puff of smoke. You could see him smile, but maybe that was a part of your imagination. 

Physics was complicated, but not only did you enjoy the class for Oppenheimer, but you also look at Oppenheimer. You would not have said it initially, but he did come and was attractive to you. He looked serious, older, and cold; which all remained true, but he was also intelligent, and that was the most attractive thing to you. His intelligence made him overall even more handsome than he already was. With this new found elevation, you soon began to find everything he did attractive. It became a slight distraction, but it was enough to make you leave class with pink cheeks and smile to yourself all giddy. The fantastical thoughts of “what if” played in your mind, making going to sleep a little easier than it usually it. 

–

On Monday, Oppenheimer deemed that your class was heading into the “most brutal” and “nightmare-causing”  fundamental force of Physics; Quantum Mechanics. 

He also declared it was one of his favorite micro topics in Physics and, in his mind, “not too difficult if you truly look into it.”

 Everyone got a horrible gut feeling in their stomachs. 

Oppenheimer was blunt and did not sugarcoat, which was a fair warning to his class. Quantum Mechanics took everything that was horrible about Physics and made it increasingly worse. Wavefunctions, Eigenstates, Quantum Measurement, and all the new equations hit you like a frictional force. And it began to show on your assignments. 

Your normal average in the class was an A- (with Oppenheimer giving you an E for “exceptional effort”) hanging off the side of a cliff, but this new topic dragged your average down with massive magnetic force. Soon, your average became a B-. Homework assignments and reading responses leaned towards a B, while your test and quizzes averaged at failing or border failing. You felt relieved that one of your quizzes on Bra-Ket Notation came back as a C+. 

Oppenheimer was writing on the board, finishing a Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle equation on the board. He looked at the clock, knowing that class was going to end soon. Putting his chalk down and burning the small amount of his cigarette on the ashtray, he reached for a large stack of his papers. Most had red handwriting with circles, arrows, and question marks. A heavy wave of anxiety hit the class as a perpetual sigh raised. 

You could have sworn Oppenheimer stared directly at you. The vast blue eye started to haunt you, but you convinced yourself it was your mind playing tricks. You turned to one of your neighborhoods and sighed, shaking your head. 

“I understand you are all eager to receive back the recent test on the basic equations of Quantum Mechanics. I have taken my time grading each one and you will see why it looks like a long time,” Oppenheimer noted, with a tinge of dark comedy and sarcasm in his voice. He didn’t look up at the class as he walked around, gently putting each paper on the desk. Each paper he put down made a student who was having a good day a very not good day.

Between the heavy sighs and whispers between the students, you gulped as Oppenheimer passed your desk. He looked down for a split second and put your paper down. He pointed to the red writing right where you had written your name before moving on. Gathering yourself, you grabbed the test, and not your shock, was disappointed. 

Out of forty-five points, you had only gotten nine. It was a new low you had hit in the class. It seemed like it would keep getting lower. Everything was far from right, and he gave those points only because you tried by writing a passage by each equation explaining what you had tried to replicate, knowing it was very wrong. 

You skimmed the front, noticing the red writing on top. He wrote your name in cursive, and you would hear him say it, asking you to “please” meet him. 

And then the bell rang. People talked amongst themselves and gathered their things as they headed out of the classroom. You sat there and sighed, visibly upset. You weren’t going to cry, but you felt like it. You tried not to show it as you began to gather your books, covering the physics test, preparing to get up. 

“Y/n.”

You freeze and look up. Oppenheimer has been leaning on his desk, looking at you like a dashing Spectre. He puts his hands in his pockets and slowly begins to walk towards you. 

“Is this a good time to talk?”

Hearing the word talk made your stomach turn. You look up at him and clasp your hands together, nodding. You feel your left leg begin to shake. 

“Yes, Dr.Oppenheimer.”

Oppenheimer made his way over and stood beside you, leaning on the side of a desk, looking down at you. He took a quick glance at your shaking leg before looking back at you.

“You’re not in trouble.” 

You didn’t verbally acknowledge him, but you took a contained sigh and stopped shaking your thigh, paying full attention to the attractive older man. 

“I want to preface this conversation that you, Y/n, are one of this class’s most active and enjoyable students. Your participation and observation add onto the lesson, helping others around you, and even myself, learn more about Physics,” Oppenheimer said with high praise. He had a regalness to his soft voice. You felt your cheeks burn, containing your smile as you quietly thanked him. You watched his hands fidget inside of his pants pocket. 

“As talented and educated as you are in Academia, especially Physics, I notice you don’t do well on tests and exams. Everything else is excellent, and your effort is always there. However, with tests,” Oppenheimer moved his hand downwards, “It’s all negative. When I got your first test, I found it hard to believe it was your work. But then it all made sense.” 

“Now understand, Y/n, I am not mad or upset. I am worried. I can see there is an act of force, which is your anxiety. I do believe this is something we can work on–” Oppenheimer clearly explained. He saw your shoulders lower, relieve your tension had disappeared, “--Together, outside of the academic setting.”

“Like one-on-one?” You questioned. 

Oppenheimer nodded, “Yes, just the two of us. It would be an hour and a half to an hour, nothing more and nothing less.”

Hearing “just the two of us” made your mind go to wild places. You bit your tongue and squeezed your clasped hands together. You smiled, “Yes, of course. I think this would help a lot.”

“Now tell me, what is your availability? I understand you are busy.”

You shrugged your shoulders. You were busy but also could make time for a lot of spare time. 

“I can do any time work, preferably if you are okay with Friday afternoons,” You brainstormed, thinking about your schedule, “I know you teach a graduate class in the morning, and I have Greek at the same time.”

Oppenheimer furrowed his eyebrows, intensely studying your appearance.

“Friday afternoons?” He questioned, “Don’t you want to be with your friends and not have to worry about work? I understand your drive, Y/n, but I don’t want it to mix with your limited downtime. I hear you are an excellent student, and this is a very fixable grade. I rather you create a balance than an offset. 

While an average first-year would rather skip meeting with a Professor on Friday Afternoons, it didn’t bother you. Getting your grade up in Physis was very important. Education in your family was everything and meant a lot to you. Seeing a C with A’s and A-’s made you feel incomplete. You needed to feel complete. 

“Dr.Oppenheimer, thank you for your concern. I insist that Fridays work as well. Mondays through Tuesdays, I’m either studying or leading other study groups for my other classes. If you are worried about my social life, I can assure you that I do get out of the dorm and library with my friends,” You reassured the older man, “Besides, the whole party scene is really not my scene. I’ve seen enough parties at Berkeley to be okay with missing them. If Fridays don’t work, I will work with your time.”

“Fridays work well for me as they work well for you,” Dr.Oppenheimer concluded. He looked at the clock above his desk before looking at you, “How do Fridays at 5 pm sound?”

“Perfect timing, Dr.Oppenheimer. Shall we meet here?”

Oppenheimer rubbed his index and middle finger on the temple of his head, “Well if you are comfortable, I’d rather congregate at my house rather than the classroom since we will be out of the Academic Day.”

Taken aback by the bold move, your lips made a subtle “o” shape. You squeezed your hands together, contemplating. His house, where he slept, ate, and did other things that were not fit for the academic setting? This made your imagination run wild—the idea of being in his house, just you and him, fed into your fantasy. 

“My house is on Shasta Road. It’s right off the campus. It’s a short walk. However, if you are not comfortable, especially late at night walking home alone, then I can–” 

“Dr.Oppenheimer,” You insisted. He stopped speaking and looked at you, waiting for you to speak.

You stuttered, feeling the heat up your throat to your face, “It is okay. Friday at 5 pm at your house is perfect. The walk will help me clear my mind before tackling the equations.”

Oppenheimer studied your features for a second before coughing and putting his hands together, “So, it’s settled. We will meet tomorrow then. Thank you for your time, y/n.”

As Oppenheimer began to head back to his desk, you stood and gathered your books, ready to head to your Greek class. You could feel how hot your face was, but you couldn’t imagine how red and embarrassing you looked. 

“Thank you, Dr.Oppenheimer. 

Scurrying to leave the classroom in a flustered state, one of your books falls over. It makes a loud slamming noise into the ground. You’ve got a solid amount of books in your hand, varying in topic and weight. Turning around, you are about to awkwardly bend down to pick up the book, but Oppenheimer has beaten you to it. His presence scared you at first. He’s holding the ivory, aged book, examining the cover and back. You stand two inches away from him as you cradle your books, not wanting to say something to disrupt him. 

“Sentimental Education. Is this for class or pleasure?” Oppenheimer inquired. He looked back at you as he placed it on top of your books. He saw the one below, your Greek textbook, was sticking out and about to fall. He made sure to push it in to balance the books and make sure you didn't fall over. 

Not that you were complaining about falling over since he would have to catch you. You cursed at your wild imagination. 

You let out a long uhm before declaring it was for class. More specifically, your English class of The French Adventure: Word, Sound, and Image taught by Mr.Chevalier. But it was unimportant. It was a good book, albeit obscure. Oppenheimer probably thought you were some idiot for both failing a test and reading some silly book. He probably wondered why you were even in a physics class to begin with. 

“Do you like it?” He questioned. 

“Yes, a lot,” You expressed, “It’s the second book we’ve read, but so far my favorite. It was ahead of its time,” You go red, “And even for this time. I don’t know what I’m saying even, my parents made me read it in high school.”

Oppenheimer made a noise of approval, placing his hands on his hips, “Well, it shows that your parents wanted you to be well-rounded, and here you stand at one of the best public universities in the world. So I would say you do know what you are saying since I fully agree.” 

The compliment made you want to make some happy noise, but you bite your lip. You nodded your head and naked it, knowing it came out as a mumble. Everything you said felt super embarrassing. 

“Y/n, I understand you have class,” Oppenheimer cut to the point, “But if you ever want a book recommendation, come to me. I’ve been looking for someone who understands.”

“Understand?” You asked, dumbfounded. 

“Someone who both understands and enjoys art.”

“Oh,” is all you can manage to say. You smile and hold your books closer, “Well, I should-”

“You should-” Oppenheimer highlighted, hands on his hips, “I shouldn’t keep you.”

You wanted to protest that he should, but you didn’t. As you made your way to the door, you looked back. There he stood in his slender and regal form, hands on his hips. For a cold man who never looked happy, he did. You could have sworn his eyes had a spark to them that made them brighter. You felt brighter too. 

On your way out, he froze and looked at you again, and gave a small smile. 

You smiled back. 

–

It’s 4:50pm.

Your mother always said it was better to be very early than to be very late. Those words guided you through life, following you from home to high school to Berkeley. 

After class, you spent the hour getting ready. Taking a shower, you made sure to look your best with low effort. You didn’t want it to appear that you were trying to look good, even though you wore it. Putting on something very casual, you made sure to wear yourself nicely and even added a sweet touch of Chanel Coco perfume that your father had gotten for you in France for your high school Graduation. 

You walk up the hill and spot the house, recognizing the numbers on the mall box. The house is well sized and has the architecture of a craftsman. It’s hidden by numerous large plants and bushes, which you take a second to admire as you walk to the door. Eventually, you reach the door and hesitate to knock. Check your watch, it’s 5:52pm. If he’s busy, you can wait. 

There’s no point in knocking since you can hear the lock on the door unlock. As you put your hands behind your back, the door opens and it reveals Oppenheimer. He looks weirdly normal and this comforts you. He swaps his flannel suit jacket for a white oxford button up with dark slacks. The top button of the shirt is unbuttoned, and in one hand he has a cigarette, in which he is trying to successfully hide. 

“Dr.Oppenheimer,” You greeted with a small smile, squeezing your hands behind your back. 

You could swear you saw a small quirk at the side of Oppenheimer’s mouth. He stands to the side. 

“Y/n, welcome,” He greets. You quietly thank in as you walk in, standing to the side as you clutch onto your brown leather alligator bag with your textbook and notebook. 

“How was the walk?”

“Not bad. It’s nice outside. I’m sorry if I’m early, it’s a bad habit-”

“No need to apologize. It is a good habit. It will serve you well,” Oppenheimer praised once again as he led you into the kitchen. You hadn't been alone with him, let alone in his own house, but he was different. Around others, he was cold and calculated to a tee. But around you, something felt warm and strangely comforting. 

When walking to the kitchen, you catch a glimpse of his house. It feels rather empty, and in a way, very melancholic. 

The kitchen is simple and small. For a California one story however, the kitchen can fit more than two, maybe three. 

“Sit,” Oppenheimer subtly commands. It’s not an intentional command, but upon hearing this, you immediately sit down on the nearest chair. As you pull out your textbook and notebook with some pens and pencils, you can see Oppenheimer rummaging through the fridge and grabbing two glasses. 

“Do you drink?”

You're in the middle of opening your notebook. You look down and lick your lips. 

“Yes.”

He doesn’t respond and proceeds to make whatever drink he is making. You sit there and swing your legs back and forth, waiting in silence minus the shaking and pouring. 

“Speak to me,” Oppenheimer announces. You look at his back as he makes the drink. Once again, he’s slender, but yet strong and vibrant in his appearance, “Go to the first page of your test. Read the equation.” 

You feel lucky Oppenheimer’s turned since your cheeks, like yesterday, have gone to a light pink. 

Obeying his words that feel like a command that you are more than happy to accept, you grab your test and open to the first page to read the first question. 

“Consider a particle in a one-dimensional potential well of width of L and infinite potential barriers at its edges. The potential inside the well is given by V(x)=0 for 0<x<L0<x<L and V(x)=∞V(x)=∞ for x < 0 x<0 and x>Lx>L,” You read out, “The Hamiltonian operator for this system is H; where x is the mass of the particle. Find the allowed energy eigenvalues and corresponding eigenfunctions for this system.”

“A fundamental. Now, tell me your answer.” 

You get your pen and calculator out, placing it at your side. “I started with the Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation and substituted v(x) for the kinetic energy term. Then I tried to solve and it, uhm-”

Not only were the calculations for your test both difficult to answer and hard to process, but having Oppenheimer stand right behind you further proved to be a brain block. He was only an inch away from you as he had leaned to look at your paper, a hand on the back of your sheet which scraped your warm back. You had been so caught on the equation that you hadn't noticed he was an inch behind you, breathing down your neck. Thank god there had been a table since your legs began to shake; a combination of raw anxiety and pure adrenaline. 

You started to write the equation into your calculator, pressing down on each button. Scribbling away at your notebook, you felt his warm breath down your throat. Just as you wrote the solution, you felt him smell behind your ear and into your hair. You had sprayed some perfume there, which was a habit of yours. He leaned into, gentle and careful not to touch you, taking in the airy and smooth feminine scent. Not protesting, you finished your solution and let him bask, all while basking his cold yet comforting presence.

 “The corresponding eigenfunctions are: ∣ψn⟩= Asin⁡(nπxL)∣ψ n ⟩ =Asin( Lnπx ),” You gulped. You felt his warm presence move back, yet his hand remained on the chair. You pushed a piece of hair back, “I guess it’s not too different from my old answer. It’s right, it’s just-”

“The math piece of it,” Oppie pointed out, “Well, there was no issue here. With your calculator of course.”

“Yes,” You chuckled to yourself and looked at the big device. It really did help.

“Use it more,” Oppenheimer said, “Don’t be scared too. Math is not everyone’s strong suit; including mine.”

You smiled at him as he sat in the chair next to you. 

“I don’t know if you drank from our conversation earlier, but I made you a martini,” Oppenheimer said. You looked at it and picked up the drinking, examining the liquid. 

“Oh, thank you. I do, just the…better stuff,” You thanked with a small confession. You took a sip and let the strong liquid ooze down your throat. It was excellent, in which you proceeded to drink more. 

Oppenheimer leaned back in his chair and smiled to himself. He wanted to make sure you didn’t see that, but you did. 

For the next hour, the two of you talked about your test. Each question you read out, and he helped you with the math, but overall you were able to solve most of it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress. He seemed pleased, and you were as well.

Once you had finished going over the test, you sighed and leaned back leisurely from both Oppenheimer's presence Martini. 

“Well, thank you, Dr.Oppenheimer. This has been short, yet helpful.”

He crossed his arms as he also leaned back, “Of course, I’m pleased to hear.”

There was a silence before you looked at your watch and grabbed your books. 

“It’s 6pm. I’m sure you’ve got things to do, I should go-”

“I’ve only got dinner to make. Chicken, peas, and potatoes,” Oppenheimer said. He smoked another cigarette, which made you wonder how many he smoked a day. You focused on his chapped lips and the way they lightly held the cigarette, sucking in and dragging out ashen smoke. 

“Say, would you like to stay for dinner? There's plenty for two.”

The task made you blink a few times to make sure this wasn’t one of your fantastical thoughts late at night as a way to soothe you to bed. You opened your lips in an attempt to create a coherent response. 

“I can make you another Martini, even show you.”

You knew you were red, but it clearly to him did not matter. 

“Yes, I’d love-would be happy to stay for dinner, Dr.Oppenheimer.” You said, very flattered.

A slow exhale released a veil of smoky allure, as if the very air itself surrendered to Oppenheimer’s fiery elegance.

“If you are staying over for dinner from now on, please, call me Robert.” 

[post-futurism]

Book update - physical paperback fail and how to get your special munted edition copy

Hi friends! Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of my book or have expressed interest in purchasing a copy directly from me.

Details about my book can be read here.

If you're new here, the tldr about the sale price of my book is that whatever the online stores price it at is out of my control and regardless of how much they are selling it for, I am remunerated as little as $1-2 per copy sold. The best way to let me see a bit of profit is to purchase directly from me. I have limited copies available, details are below, and an explanation as to why it has taken me so long to advertise this follows.

I haven't had the heart to post about the direct-from-author purchasing option since I received my delivery of author copies in April. What should have been a very exciting moment of opening a big box of the book I spent 6 years writing turned out to be a massive disappointment. It's a small thing, but it's a big thing all the same. It's the cover. It's not quite right and it should be right because I paid someone else to upload my book text and cover and they altered it and now I have about 30 copies of this:

It probably doesn't look bad to anyone else but to me I can tell that the font is wrong and there is a weird graphical glitch around the lettering on my name, most noticeable on letters M, N, Y and W. This glitch is also present on the book spine.

The positive is that it's still legible, it's just not exactly what it was meant to be. It was tampered with. Plus, the box was delivered with a hole in the bottom corner meaning some copies have been damaged by rain and dirt.

I have been told by the company that uploaded the book and organised author copies to be sent to me that I cannot be remunerated for the damaged copies. This company also has not rectified the incorrect cover despite me making a number of requests for them to do so. They have given no explanation and no apology. In fact they haven't contacted me since 14 June 2024.

My yearly subscription with this company is due to expire soon. If I don't make payment, they will remove my book from being available online. At this point, that is no loss to me given that it is being incorrectly listed on Amazon which is currently where the book is listed at its cheapest and most affordable price.

On the plus side, popular online shops like Waterstones, Barnes & Noble and Dymocks have my book listed for sale online with the correct book cover. At this time it is only Amazon and the e-book where the book cover is incorrect.

In any case, I have long lost trust in the company that 'helped' self-publish my book. There were many red flags before we hit go on uploading that I should have listened to. Now I am so fed up with them that I will soon have to relaunch my book.

In any case, I still have 20 Munted Versions of my book which are available to be purchased directly from me for $25 (+$30 for shipping internationally). That's $36 shipping incl. in USD. These copies will come signed by me and include a tailored message to each buyer. If you would like to purchase a copy, DM me. Currently I only have paypal set up but if you're an Australian we can do PayID.

[betweensaintsandmonsters]

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Tagged by @willameena 💖💖💖 thank you!!! i absolutely love talking about books!! pls talk to me about books

1) The Last book I read:

so you don't get lost in the neighborhood by patrick modiano -- this is a book about the failure of memory i think. the narrator is forced to reckon with events from his past that he doesn't really remember? it's not as interesting as it sounds but it was an alright read!

2) A book I recommend:

the stardust thief by chelsea abdullah -- i listened to this audiobook on my way to work and then immediately bought a physical copy because it was so so good! it's a take on the one thousand and one nights and it's absolutely thrilling from start to finish <3

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

clap when you land by elizabeth acevedo -- books in verse aren't normally my thing but elizabeth acevedo is a master of the craft and this story of family is heart wrenching and made me cry

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

we are okay by nina lacour -- this is possibly my favorite book i read it when i need to cry or to feel something. i know that says nothing about the story but it's so good and queer and beautiful i highly recommend

5) A book on my TBR:

the 85 books that are on my bookshelf that i haven't read and my overused library card are taunting me with this question. the one i can see from where i'm sitting on my bed is i'm glad my mom died by jeanette mccurdy but i don't know if that's gonna happen anytime soon. i also really want to get to on earth we're briefly gorgeous by ocean vuong but i think that's also going to make me cry

6) A book I’ve put down:

i rarely put books down on purpose. often i'll start things and then life will happen and i won't want to start the book from the beginning again so it gets put down. i wish i didn't finish the hobbit because i was in 7th grade and didn't know you could just... not finish something you don't like. three books that i will probably get back to at some point though are: tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by gabrielle zevin, the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon and helen of troy by bethany hughes

7) A book on my wish list:

i don't really keep a book wishlist! probably something by emily henry because i've been in a romcom mood lately

8) A favorite book from childhood:

inkheart by cornelia funke -- i think this is the book that made me love reading tbh i identified so strongly with meggie and i loved dustfinger and it just got me i also really loved because of win dixie (and i should reread it, i have a copy sitting in my kitchen right now)

9) A book you would give to a friend:

the long way to a small angry planet by becky chambers -- i lied earlier this might be my favorite book. you want a really good found family? you want a harrowing space adventure? you want to see characters that become more real? this is the book for you. this book is about the heart of a family and the home you make and the decision to keep choosing each other and being there in the good times and bad i don't have enough good things to say about it tbh it's pretty much perfect!! i gifted it to a boy once right before i left england (after he came to see a play with me having absolutely no interest in theatre) and having him read it and enjoy it was a highlight of my trip besides going on that date with him that i didn't realize was a date until i was on a plane over the atlantic.

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own:

crush by richard siken -- i'm gay i am legally obligated to own this book

11) A nonfiction book you own:

most of my nonfiction books are memoirs! but here are my top three that i will get to reading at some point!! 1. helen of troy by bethany hughes 2. poet warrior by joy harjo 3. something about the witch trials that i don't remember the name of right now and can't actively see on my shelf

12) What are you currently reading:

summer sons by lee mandelo -- it's gay there's ghosts and messy boys and grief and i'm a quarter of the way done and already know that i'm going to read it again because it's going to wreck me emotionally

13) What are you planning on reading next?

i think i'm going to finish invisible cities by italo calvino next!!

no pressure to do this!! but tagging: @grapenehifics @ragnarlothcat @kittonafoxgirl @bisexualobiwankenobi @tideswept @palfriendpatine66 @thegingerwrites @renlyslittlerose

i'd love to add more books to my infinite pile of books to read!!!!

[letmeliveinelfhame]

Read/see how my Holly Black collection grew in the space of a year!! Apologies for the long ass post 😂

June 2023 - Read the main trilogy + The Lost Sisters on my Kindle for the first time. Fell in love and bought physical copies of the trilogy and How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories as a bundle from Amazon (I need The Lost Sisters to be released as a physical 🙏)

22nd June 2023 - a pin I ordered was dispatched

19th July 2023 - the Jurdan bookmark I bought was dispatched

August 2023 - Bought The Stolen Heir and Book of Night (still haven't read it yet, though) from The Works

1st November 2023 - Ordered Tithe from Waterstones

5th December - First photo shared to one of my Instagram accounts (the collection was so small back then 🥺)

25th December 2023 - Received Illumicrate replica of Jude's sword, FairyLoot playing cards and Cardan trinket dish and US collector's edition of The Cruel Prince as Christmas gifts

17th February 2024 - Waterstones order including Valiant and Ironside arrived

20th February 2024 - Elfhame candle I ordered was dispatched

4th March 2024 - Entered the Bonnier Books UK sprayed edge duology (1 winner), Wren quote bookmark and The Prisoner's Throne sticker sheet (350 winners) giveaway by sending my proof of preorder of the book from Waterstones. Only 350 would be selected, but I was outside the 350 entries so I didn't think I'd win anything

8th March 2024 - Finished reading The Prisoner's Throne and added it to the little collection

10th March 2024 - I moved the collection to the mini bookcase behind my bed so it could have its own shelf

3rd April 2024 - I typed up, printed and tea-stained copies of Cardan's letters to Jude. To use the exact font, I had to use my college Microsoft account instead of my personal one as the font was a premium feature

8th April 2024 - Received the Wren quote bookmark and The Prisoner's Throne sticker sheet that I didn't think I'd win

May 2024 - I moved the collection back to my main bookcase, giving it a larger shelf

17th June 2024 - I received the Illumicrate editions of The Stolen Heir and The Prisoner's Throne from a reseller on eBay

29th June 2024 - Illumicrate edition of Book of Night arrived from a reseller on Vinted

9th August 2024 - I received the FairyLoot edition of The Prisoner's Throne as a birthday gift

Current collection:

I'm waiting for The Darkest Part of the Forest and 4 items to add to this 🙈

[darlingdawnauryn]

The Most Important Tools in My Practice

obligatory disclaimer: You do not need any of this stuff to be able to call yourself a witch. If meditation and visualization work for you, or if they're the only things you're able to work with, your practice is no less valid than mine or anyone else's; I just find it more rewarding (and a lot less energetically taxing) to have something anchor me to the physical and keep me grounded as well.

(I do highly recommend a notebook, though. There've been a few times where I haven't written down the ingredients used in a spell and I paid for it later!)

journals. I have a book of shadows and a homemade junk journal to record my sigils and hypersigils. I also keep a record of my dream- and shadow works in my personal journal and have a commonplace book where I record quotes, theories, etc that keep me close to my practice, among other things. Aside from that, writing has always been a key component of finding the magick in the mundane, even when I didn't know to call it that. I'm a full-time writer whether I want to be or not, spending at least an hour a day scribbling down anything from magickal stuff to creative writing projects to notes on whatever book I'm reading. It helps me keep a clear(er) head, which can be beneficial to anyone, practitioner or not. (I also use different colored pens to keep everything organized!)

tiny hair elastics. Braid magick is quick and easy, and it's saved my butt a few times. For those unfamiliar, you braid your hair the way you normally do, but with every time you cross a strand over, you repeat an affirmation: "Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly," or "The only emotions I feel are my own." Since my hair isn't long enough to do one big braid, I substitute little ones and use elastics to bring color magick into the mix and really hammer the point home: yellow for joy, green for abundance or grounding, pink for self love, etc. Tying your hair off keeps the intention locked in and close to you until you're ready to release/undo it.

veils. There are many reasons a witch may choose to veil their hair. Straightening up around the house is one of my devotional acts to Hestia, so I do it then, and I also seldom leave the house without one; it keeps me from picking up outside energy that doesn't belong to me, and it's also a reminder of my devotion to my Craft -- kind of like a nun wearing a habit, if you like. And they don't have to be fancy! My most worn veil is a bandana I bought from Claire's, and the other ones I have are scarves I got from Dollar Tree.

devotional jewelry. I have a snake ring that I wear in honor of Lucifer and an obsidian choker that I only take off when I shower. I wear it both for psychic protection and vivid/symbolic dreams and charge it under the new moon whenever I feel it needs it.

herbs and candles. I use both equally for spellwork as well as ambience; I'll light a candle of a specific scent for a specific desired outcome or to shout out a deity, which I can also do with a simmer pot. I also dress candles with herbs if I want to include my own personal touch (which is more often than not). Carving them is also important to me, not only to emphasize intention, but also to put the craft in witchcraft; this simple act makes me feel like a kid again in a way that is unattached to nostalgia, which is an important part of the practice for me. (I've been using my aunt's mortar and pestle lately as well, and I'm going to get one for myself as soon as I have the means! It's great for adding a lot of my own energy and intention into a spell.)

Bonus! Tools I haven't used yet but want to: a pendulum and pendulum board (both homemade!) to acquaint myself with local spirits, and a white chord/string/shoelace/etc for quick and versatile knot magick on the go.

[monstrousvoice]

Anon returns like it's a slumber party and no one can sleep.

What do you think would be the most endearing little habit a tarnished would have, in Morgott's opinion?

Like something they do subconsciously that he thinks is neat.

I keep imagining a tarnished handing him a cool rock like "i saw this and thought you'd like it" and then walking off because they care about him and thus he gets little trinkets, which means any neat thing they found during their travels that connected.

I think i just want Morgott to have a collection of things, be they memories or actual items, to remind him that he is loved

So just to start off! Please do not take what I say as actual fact of the character or as something to be self conscious about!! Like any character Morgott could grow to love anyone even if your habits are different than these ones!!

With that said, I do agree with you anon, and would like to add too it! Morgott is so starved for any and all affection, he receives all types of love language extremely well.

A gift giving love language where you give him cool rocks or little knicknacks you bought at the market that remind you of him? He's honestly touched that he entered your thoughts at all, even during a time where you were separated.

You show love with quality time? He doesn't realize it, but he does greatly treasure the time he spends with you, to whether it's reading books silently near the other or sparring and practicing your fighting styles. It's his favorite part of the day and the time he looks forward to most. He refuses to cancel your time together for meetings unless it is the most critical of situations (of which none are. You always come first.)

Acts of service are ones that he does notice and constantly fluster him. He's not used to someone doing something for him, just because they want to. He's so used to getting his own food, to repairing his own clothing, to doing everything independently. The last person to do things for him just because they could was his brother, and they haven't seen each other in a long time. It makes him feel bubbly and shy to see you so enthusiastically do things for him just because.

The last two, physical affection and words or affirmation, are the most difficult for him to adjust to. He loves you so dearly, but it's very difficult for him to accept the things you say to him as truth. For him to believe that you want to touch him and hold him and kiss him. That when you say he's handsome, you're not saying it to butter him up or mock him. That said, after some time being together, even if he doesn't believe it, he does enjoy the attention still. It sends his blood racing and his heart pumping.

Long story short, shower this man in whatever type of affection you can and watch him melt from a skrunkly, blushy old man into a puddle of purring Omen that is devoted to you and you alone.

[yvesdot]

yves, if only theoretically wanted to break into publishing or lit mags, do you have recommendations or advice?

My primary advice is to get to know as many writers as you can, as well as you can, quickly. I’ve recommended joining Discord servers for this in the past and will do so again; the most active ones I’m in are Max's @goose-books server (I think you have to ask for an invite?), WTW, and writeblr garden. Participate in book events virtually and in person when you can. When you like someone's work, tell them! And mention that you're an author, too.

Disclaimer: I haven't made it into any paid magazines, largely because I find submitting and waiting for months at a time before working on edits exhausting, particularly in comparison to instant money on Patreon—so have that grain of salt at the ready! All I've done is publish the one book, twice, and release a substantial amount of short fiction on my own. People read it and liked it, and now I have lovely anons like you who seem to respect me enough to ask for industry advice. Thank you! Hope you like long posts.

The reason I say the above is that, in my experience, the entirety of publishing is just one big who-do-you-know. Utterly non-exhaustive list of ways "knowing people" has helped me in my writing career below.

I left a middling review on a trans author's book, and in the correspondence that followed we became friends. Rysz Merey went on to start tRaum Books, and because we were friends, we put out the Something's Not Right anniversary edition together.

When I was at my university, I was loudly opinionated about books and writing and art in all of my classes, and a professor's words about me in an email to an author they knew became the blurb for that same edition of Something's Not Right.

I read Tragic Accident (a flash piece originally rejected by an online magazine for, in my opinion, cisgender reasons) last night at Flash Fiction Forum, the heads of which I know personally because, after a high school internship, I was directed to a friend of theirs to volunteer at her writing camp. I sold a lot of copies of the original SNR to teens at that camp, and I've sold dozens of copies since by linking to the book in the Zoom chat and bringing physical copies to in-person readings.

Tragic Accident may have ultimately been rejected from the venue I sent it to, but I only had that venue on my list because my beloved friend Fer @asablehart posted in WTW a spreadsheet of places to submit. I still use that spreadsheet, filled with dozens of extra places I researched on my own, and pass it on to anyone who asks. Fer also read The Traveler Wife and gave extremely insightful feedback on it; we've since done tons of great critique4critiques together and they're still my go-to if I need wise words on a piece of writing.

When I held my event at Bookshop Santa Cruz, I marketed my ass off. I'd learned from my previous event at the Diversity Center in town and focused heavily on reaching out to individual people: posting in Discord servers, DMing everyone I knew, and telling everybody I met in December that by the way I would be reading at Bookshop Santa Cruz in January. I worked my job as an author and my book and my event into every conversation I had with a stranger that month. Everyone responded positively! People want to know what you're working on.

But at the end of the day, under a third of attendees were people I hadn't previously considered friends in some way. The majority of the people who came were family, friends, coworkers, friends-of-friends dragged along by someone I knew well, etc. One coworker couldn't come but invited their housemates, who bought books and left saying they would read Band Girls at home. One of the friends who came met me when we would ride the same bus every week to class, and I initially spoke to him because I fully thought he was a transgender woman (he turned out to just be an extremely fashionable individual). That guy helped code my website. Of the three people who interviewed me locally for promotion, two are people I'm friends with and one I cold-emailed due to his past work.

One of the major servers I used to invite people to both of my events is one I was only added to because I met a goth girl who invited me to her dorm to watch her inject E into her thigh and when I reported back on this to another transfem friend that friend instantly named her because they were in the server together and multiple people in it knew me from my creative writing efforts so everybody agreed to add me. I literally only had that space to network because I said "nice boots" to a girl whose special interest turned out to be DIY HRT at a protest party about the chancellor getting a raise.

Claire Oshetsky came to my event and I made a point of finally starting to read their book beforehand so I could honestly tell them it was cool when I signed their copy of Something's Not Right (it was cool, and everyone should read Chouette, and also Poor Deer, which I am on page 10 on and can already certify is fantastic). They were incredibly nice to me for no reason—well, because of those interviews I had, which led to them noticing another nonbinary author in the area—and ultimately reviewed SNR very positively on GoodReads. You can see what happened to the numbers afterwards. (I also sold a copy that day; when you sell roughly a copy of a book per week, you can absolutely make these connections directly.)

Tonight was Claire Oshetsky's event, so I showed up having read Chouette in full and asked a question during the Q&A and told them how cool their book was, and they invited me to a little post-event author dinner. (One of the authors introduced herself as "Karen" and described a prolific writing career very opaquely until her friend mentioned the name of her latest novel: Booth.) Everyone was incredibly nice and wanted to buy my book which was unfortunately sold out because of the aforementioned event, and a couple of people gave me email addresses so they could buy it later. I've been trying to meet local authors for over a year, and I met seven by accident because one of them came up to me to say it was nice to see Bookshop Santa Cruz had two nonbinary readers in a row.

Talking to David Sedaris at an event got me a job! He complimented my outfit, I said thank you I wore it for the interview with [x], and he did everything he could to help me network with the [x] people there. I was later told that my "chemistry" with Sedaris, among other things, helped me get the position. I would also find out that David specifically loves the last people in the signing line because they're the most patient; I happened to have waited until last because I wanted to have more time to talk to him.

I have emailed several authors with fanmail, and depending on how popular they are, I have gotten responses! I'm in a correspondence right now which netted me a behind-the-scenes look at an incredible draft, and thank you for reminding me because I need to respond and tell them how good it was.

Patreon is on pause right now, but I believe over half the subscribers are people I'm friends with in one way or another. I've tried nearly everything under the sun to advertise, and so far the only thing that's worked is "telling someone who has the disposable income."

The people who beta-read my latest release, Band Girls (18+), for me (which is the only reason it wasn't an unmitigated disaster) include my butch, who met me in a Locked Tomb server (naturally), a friend from a creative writing class in university who later became my housemate, and a good buddy of my butch's whom they rescued from the aforementioned TLT server. I literally didn't even notice that guy when we were in the server together and it turns out he's also a writer with a Giant Lesbian Women project who also wound up really liking Long Line (18+). Glories are all around you.

(Also, apparently my butch had that "how to write a blurb" post bookmarked and immediately recognized me, which is crazy. Imagine meeting some random author in a fandom server and they ask to see your [redacted] in DMs.)

Hell, my buddy Max Franciscovich read my book five years ago in the back of a car and had a transcendental nonbinary lesbian experience, and because he happened to be mutuals with a high school friend of mine, that friend sent me screenshots of him panicking about how he couldn't talk to me because I was too cool. I DMed him, and we are like each other's female husbands now. Undoubtedly we have each gained a substantive reader base from hyping each other's work at anyone in earshot. Maxserver, which I shouted out above, only has me in it because I know the darn guy. It's a lot more populous than yvescord in part because he is that much more active than I am, and can engage with other people's work more. I'm mooching off the labor of my best friend who pseudo-reached-out to me because I put a pronoun pin on a character's bag in the book I self-published in 2018.

Speaking of which: I self-published the original edition of Something's Not Right as a thank-you birthday gift to the Beta Reader. I seem to remember him reading my writing for the first time and saying something along the lines of "You do realize this is really good, right?" (I did not realize.) That was the first person to appreciate any of my original fiction, and it led to my entire career. We met on a class trip because he was the only person who would listen to me talk about Star Wars.

I try to never ingenuinely be nice to people. This is not particularly difficult, because I like people and give the benefit of the doubt to a pretty extreme fault. I will occasionally be nice out of politeness, but everyone I mentioned here is someone I genuinely like whose work is fantastic. It wasn't hard to honestly say I liked them and their writing.

I also recognize that much of this is kind of just me blathering about Ws with no actionable advice... but it might give you ideas for where to go or who to talk to about your writing. I also want you to feel just how much of writing is about "networking" in a way that is not cold and manipulative and moneyhungry but actually just involves being genuine friends with other people. I think the sheer quantity of evidence here is helpful to understand just how much you can do for yourself by talking to the people you like.

I also think it's good practice to own the fact that very little of my microcelebrity success has anything to do with how good my work is. I mean, sure, I think it's good, but this should make it clear that my greatest strength has been my perseverance and my friendliness.

(Also, obviously, I have the immense privilege to have gone to college, to live in California, to get to all these places and meet these people and work with them. I had the money in the bank to publish and promote a book. This is not a small factor. I'm hoping to do a full rundown of costs and efforts to promote Something's Not Right's anniversary edition sometime this year.)

I also don't think I'm particularly good at socializing—I have a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, a difficulty with meeting people's eyes, and a mild stutter when I talk too quickly (which is often). A lot of people find me annoying or insincere because I act like a sentient powder puff, and when I'm not jumping up and down and meowing at people instead of saying "on your right," I'm complaining about the most widely-beloved pieces of pop culture and making two-hour rant videos about video games I think insufficiently scrutinize the concept of the nuclear family. I say all this to head off any concerns that perhaps I am just secretly very suave and social; I love talking to people, but I don't believe this is the case.

If I can summarize: nearly every time I've had any success with my writing, it's been because I made an effort to be kind to people I respected and share my passion for books and writing. I hit upon enough privileges and lucky circumstances to get the right circle of people to make all of the above happen. I think you can do it, too! I wish you the best. Thanks for asking ^__^

[starlightshadowsworld]

Bungou stray dogs x Five Nights at Freddy's

Where Mimic (organisation) makes the Mimic (animatronic).

During the war a group of scientists working for Mimic created an AI.

With the goal of becoming a soilder. In order to minimise human casualties and aid the soilders.

It is in the body of a white tiger animatronic.

However, as many of the organisation were still fighting in the war the AI was left behind.

And encounters one of the scientists children, a young boy named Atsushi. Atsushi is shy, sweet and curious about what his parents had been creating.

He starts to visit the AI, naming them Byakko. The two become good friends, the only friend either have.

And because of the amount of time they spent together, Byakko started to mimic Atsushi. Copying him and playing with him.

However, Mimic are outraged when they find out that their killing machine has been turned into a toy.

Atsushi is hurt by his parents, being blamed for what happened. Byakko hears his cries and races to him.

And is outraged.

Attacking the group and trying to keep Atsushi safe. However, the damage is already done and it's too late.

Byakko crawls to Atsushi's side. The anger within them vanishing into greif and they hold Atsushi as he dies.

His soul fusing with their programming.

Byakko killed the scientists and made their escape.

They treck back to the battlefield and and fall back on their programming. But they are also influenced by Atsushi.

And so Byakko is not only fighting and killing but also aiding and protecting the soilders on their side.

Stories of a mysterious white tiger sweeping across the battlefield start to become common place.

Some thought it was a diety, others thought it was an ability but no one knew what it was.

Or why it was helping them.

Mimic (the soilders now) recognise Byakko as being one of there scientists creations.

And thus when they flee because... War crimes, they capture Byakko and and take them with them.

Byakko is trapped in a cage, the room they're in being sealed. Byakko and Atsushi are kept prisoner for many many years.

They are only found again when Ango comes across them. During his time at Mimic, they get to know him.

Who promises they'll be released... Unfortunately that means that they are handed over to the Government.

Right into the hands of Ouchi Fukuchi, who had heard tale of the mysterious white tiger during the Great war.

But it's not Byakko he wants, but Atsushi.

Somehow knowing that the boy resides within the beast. And is the one who can guide him to the book.

Byakko, pissed the fuck off and protective over Atsushi is unfortunately unable to stop him.

Because let's be real here, they haven't been able to get any maintance in many years.

It's a miracle they can stand up.

They are tortured until Atsushi's soul is bought to the surface. He's in control now, and he's terrified.

Because the last time Atsushi was wondering about in a physical form... He died.

Atsushi has no idea what this book is or how to find it. He's kept in a prison and unfortunately because they contain a soul, both of them can feel pain.

Byakko is pissed the fuck off and doing all they can to comfort Atsushi.

When someone walks into their cell, Byakko growls and tries to stop them from approaching.

"Are you alright? Don't worry, I will get you out of here."

Atsushi and Byakko are very sceptical about this man. Especially given no ones ever truly cared for them.

But this man, Fukuzawa seems trustworthy.

He mentions Ango, and how he told his Agency about what happened to them. And that he is here to set them free.

Atsushi decides to trust him. Arguing that they know nothing of the outside world and they need allies.

Byakko, knows he's right and thus agrees but they are on high alert. They've been hurt and used by humans too much.

Their cell opens and they both stand up on rusted legs, no matter how hard it is to go forward they do so anyway.

For the first in a long time, they are free.

[kingdomvel]

13 books

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Thank you thank you to @sky-kenobye for the tag and I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to do this

1) The Last book I read:

Last book I finished is Dune Messiah

2) A book I recommend:

Can I recommend Dune when I've not read all of them? Because that. Also The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir. Go read them now. They changed my world.

(Also, and extra I'm never sure if I recommend or not: Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, it was definitely a read, it took me a while to recover from it)

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

This is most of my books tbh, but let's say The Magus by John Fowles, I Really really needed to know what was going on there. (Also The locked Tomb but I can't write that as an answer to everything)

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

I haven't read something more than once in a really long time, so probably books I read when I was a teen. I know I've read Memorias de Idhún by Laura Gallego or Rubinrot by Kerstin Gier at least three times each. (I am also planning on re reading The Locked Tomb as soon as they announce Alecto, I am not normal about these books)

5) A book on my TBR:

A LOT, I want to read the Thrawn books and the Revenge of the Sith novelization. I gave up a bit on finding the Thrawn books and bought the comic for the first one but I still want the books dammit! Also the rest of the Dune books.

In my physical TBR pile in my room I have The Atlas Six and Long Way Round. (The pile is finally a bit smaller after buying like 7 books in Scotland back in april and then not reading them and buying more)

6) A book I’ve put down:

If I'm honest I hardly put down books and if I do it's because they are so plain I just forget about them instantly. Let's say The husky and his white cat shizun because I have forgotten to take it off my currently reading in goodreads.

7) A book on my wish list:

Again, the Revenge of the Sith novelization and, anything in my tbr? Also the Taschen COMPLETE fashion history.

8) A favorite book from childhood:

This has to be Las Crónicas de la Torre by Laura Gallego. Really shaped my taste as a person. Anything from that author really. I also loved El pirata Garrapata as a child.

9) A book you would give to a friend:

THE LOCKED TO- jk. I don't know really. I'm a person that loves sharing what I like so I lend my friends a lot of books. Let's go with some of my books that my friends currently have: This is how you lose the time war by Amal El-Mohtar and Alex Gladstone, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (my friend has had this for like 4 years now lmao) and The Collector by John Fowles

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own:

I am not a poetry enjoyer so I don't consciously own any poetry books, but I probably have some around from when I needed them for High School? By Spanish authors of course.

11) A nonfiction book you own:

I do not really read nonfiction, we can put here the illustration books I own, Long Way Round, and The girl with the seven names by Hyeonseo Lee (a woman writing about her experiences in North Korea and running away from there)

12) What are you currently reading:

I am finishing Children of Dune and She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (yes, two at the same time because I only had like 50 pages left of Dune when I left on a trip and I didn't have space for two books and would have finished Dune in the first plane ride leaving me with nothing to read the rest of the trip. No, I couldn't buy God emperor of dune in scotland and leave children of dune with my sister I don't know what you are talking about)

13) What are you planning on reading next?

God Emperor of Dune, of course, and He Who Drowned the World (and The Atlas Six that has been in my room for months now)

I am honestly so late for this that I don't know who has done it already so I'm just gonna tag people and if you've done it I'm sorry, ignore this and send me the link heh

@heretolurkandnothingmore @tomicaleto @grapenehifics @heniareth @tideswept @somethingsteff

[lesvegas]

Reverse unpopular opinion: How about something about the Fallout series?

I was gonna start this by going on about how two of the games are lightning in a bottle, how it's miraculous how good they are, etc etc, but the reverse unpopular opinion post says "instead of salt or hot takes, you MUST talk abt smth you like about it" so I think instead of gushing about the good ones like I always do, I should take the opportunity to mention at least one thing I like about the other games instead of being a hater for once.

Fallout 2: They really did jam-pack every feature they could think of into this beast. I love all the parts that feel like a loose extension of Fo1, but on its own I really appreciate how massive the game feels. It also features one of my favourite factions/locations (so long as you have a mod that restores cut content) being the monks in the Abbey.

Fallout Tactics: Admittedly, I haven't gotten past character creation yet for personal reasons, but I remember liking the variety of headshots you could pick for your character. I recall picking the bald woman with some sort of headband? Other than that, from what I've seen, I do like how the settings look.

FoBoS: This one feels like cheating, because I genuinely like this game more than some of the others mentioned here. I bought a physical copy of it for the bit for fuck's sake. Besides finding its very existence hilarious, uhh... well, there's a cat. Was a cat. He's dead but he's still the first cat we actually got to see in Fallout. I do like a couple of the characters, too, namely the Vault Dweller, Ruby, and Vidya.

Fallout 3: Art direction so good the only Fo3 merch I own is the concept art book. While it would only really make sense if the game took place much earlier than it does, I do like how desolate it feels at times, and I love how some of the settings look. There are a few quests good enough to genuinely stand out and remain iconic after over a decade. In my mind Fo3 is the default 'turn your brain off and loot and shoot' game, which can make for a nice break.

Fallout 4: This one also feels like cheating because all positive association I have with this game is either watching a friend play it or playing it myself after she modded the hell out of it for me. Other than that, I do like elements of the character customization and many of the outfits/armour. Also I think there are cats? At least one cat? So that's a point in Fo4's favour.

Fallout Shelter: In a vacuum, this is a pretty good mobile game. I'm not (entirely) ashamed to admit I've spent some money on it in the past. It has that same satisfying loop of looting, crafting/selling, and expanding that Bethesda games are known for on a much smaller scale.

Fallout 76: Fun to fuck around in with a friend. I also liked seeing what other players have made.

[blairsanne]

I've seen many posts about people missing how common asks used to be so I have been trying to send about an ask a week. Now I send this ask first anytime I follow someone as I really don't want to bother anyone, so I'd love to know if you enjoy receiving asks and if so what kind of asks. Not having energy for asks or being comfortable with them is perfectly okay.

The categories I have in my ask notebook that I file under are in colour. Please feel free to make your response as long as you want or private (the asker cannot directly respond to private responses).

Self, Job/Work: please let me know what you are comfortable with from eh idk just ask it to nothing personal at all.

Baggishield/Tolkien, Dragon Age, Johnlock/Sherlock, ineffable spouses, other fandom: Please let me know what fandoms. I think my main fandoms and ships are Bagginshield/The Hobbit, Sherlock/Johnlock, Dragon Age Inquisition, {Pippin/Faramir Merry/Eowyn}/The Lord of the Rings and I dip my toes in a few that I currently can't remember but ships I don't engage with the canon of at all are: Good Omens but only for Crowley/Azirapheal, Stranger Things but only for Steve/Eddie , The Witcher but only for Geralt/Jaskier.

OC's, art/drawing, their writing, blog specific only

Story snippets ideas and prompts: Do you like receiving them?

Pets: I'd love to know all about them

Garden and Hobbies: What type of gardening and/or hobbies?

Like being tagged in things: If so what kinds of things?

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

This is a great way to meet, thanks! :D

Self, Job/Work: I'm happy to receive asks, but I may be vague about certain answers if I think I need to be. That said, I'm usually pretty open book.

Fandom stuff:

I do like Tolkien, The Hobbit, Bagginshield, and LOTR. I don't really have strong opinions on ships and will consume whatever floats my interest for that fandom. (Haven't gotten into Silmarillion yet.)

Although I have seen quite a bit of Sherlock, I wouldn't consider myself an active member of the fandom. I would passively consume it if I happened upon it.

Other fandoms I'm into would be Big Wolf on Campus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Revolutionary Girl Utena, The Almighty Johnsons, Sailor Moon, Young Hercules... Critical Role (tho I'm very behind in C3). Probably others I can't think of right now.

OC's, art/drawing, their writing, blog specific only: Happy to get asks about any of the above. I don't draw much lately so I haven't really posted art to tumblr, but I don't mind drawing things from time to time. I recently bought a tablet I need to figure out. I used to write a lot. I'm still recovering from burnout on that, but I'm sure I'll pick it up again. I have some fanvids up. I do have sideblogs (see my pinned post) but I wouldn't be upset if you asked my main about a topic one of the sideblogs handles.

Story snippets ideas and prompts: Always happy to receive.

Pets: Sure! I have two black cats.

Garden and Hobbies: I don't garden, but I guess I have hobbies. I play video games, and I'm in a competitive club in a really cute mobile app game (we were global #1 in the last club event). I run fandom spaces on Facebook and Discord. In theory, I write fiction. I do video edits occasionally. I hoard media. I've been reading a lot this year (physical books). I do some volunteer stuff here and there.

Like being tagged in things: Love being tagged in tag games/ask games/etc., picrews and the like, or on any fandom things you think I'd like. :)

[hanabeeri]

another week has passed uwaaah 早いね.. its a good practice though to sit down and to really think about what happened. at least to me because i have a memory worse than a fruit fly i believe 🥹 the week isnt over and i still have sunday ahead of me, but i dont think anything major or big will happen tomorrow. i may facetime my friends to talk about a book we're reading together though, so theres that 🧸💕

what happened this week? >i turned in my japanese essay (i will rewrite it until next week though... because i couldn't come up with any culture shock i experienced and picked the one i found in an old chat with a friend. but its a topic, way too silly, to use as a basis for our oral presentation in a month) >i started reading a good girls guide to murder with my friends! i read up until chapter 5. i already have some critiques, my friends and i talked about it briefly, and i do see that i may have been to critical. i wasn't aware it was a novel for a younger audience, but i can see it now 🥹 ill keep it in mind for the overall review >on wednesday i left university earlier so i could surprise a friend together with my other friends! she moved to a new place and we prepared a small gift for her and her boyfriend for their new home. we coordinated the visit with her boyfriend so she wouldnt notice anything and it worked! she was so overwhelmed at first, but later on she was really happy 🩷💕🧸 >i met a friend two times that i haven't seen in a long time. we planned on painting together, but i ended up doodling album covers that came up on spotify instead (does that count as an activity? www can you tell that nothing much has happened?) >on thursday i finally caught up on my japanese syntax classes and today i want to do the new grammar for next weeks classes. which reminds me... i still need to ask a friend from uni to explain 'quasiphrasen' to me. i only have like two notes jotted down from last semester but i dont think i really grasped the difference between that and a proper phrase >oh and i finished fight club! good book :)) the first half was okay, you can easily breeze through it without noticing, it picks up in its second half. thats when it got really interesting! >i bought both of my parents flowers and a card!! unfortunately i forgot that fathers day was on thursday, so im giving both my papa and mama flowers today - since its mothers day tomorrow

not exactly a productive week i would say, but its okay <3 im not here to compete or do things fast, im doing things for the sake of doing them and because they make me happy 🧸💕💞🩷 a more detailed and jucier version of my week is written inside my physical diary, but that is something i doubt ill ever share with anyone. maybe a future lover 🥹💞🌸

i think for next week i would like to set a goal. nothing too big, i just want to read up on ableism. to learn its forms and how its executed in daily life. so i can learn and grow and be better to people who deserve more than what they're currently given in life. read the bible some more and find peace. have i ever talked about a few weeks ago when i felt so miserable i had the wish to die again? i prayed to God in that moment and i felt so warm afterwards. like He put His gentle hand over my heart to give me the comfort i sought.

pretty decorations by huramuna and sunfoxpixels