#and grateful to share with such an awesome fandom full of amazing creators

[ilkkawhat]

[gentlemancowboy]

Hello friends! I recently hit 1,000 followers, and I am truly blown away. The past year has been a wild and crazy ride, but I am so grateful for all my followers and the amazing people I have met through this site and these fandoms. 

So here’s the part where I tell you what I’m doing to celebrate.

I know a bunch of people have done events like this in the past, and I have loved participating in them. So for the month of November, I’ll be hosting a Giving Thanks Follower Celebration, and I’m including two ways to participate:

❊ FOR EVERYONE ❊ Send me an ask telling me a blogger you’re thankful for and why (please include their username or URL). This can be anyone: a creator, meta poster, your BFF that dragged you back to Tumblr, that one person who you don’t actually know but always reblogs your stuff, WHOEVER! This is just a simple way of lifting up the awesome people on this site. You can start sending these in to me whenever you want, but I will start sharing them on November 1 and continue through the entire month.  

❊ FOR CREATORS ❊ A month of prompts for you! I’ve come up with two prompts for each full week in November that creators can choose from. Pick one, or combine them, and interpret however you wish. All forms of content are welcome. Post as many or as few times as you want for each prompt (or feel free to skip any you just aren’t feeling). Here are the prompts:

Week of November 1: Changes // I never thought that this would happen. // Fall Week of November 8: Journey // Where do we go from here? // Colors Week of November 15: Gathering // Where have you been? // Time Week of November 22: Thankful // What would I do without you? // Family

A couple rules if you are participating:

You don’t need to be following me to participate! I will reblog anyone who creates something for the event.

Please tag your work as #givingthanks1k or feel free to tag me directly in the post. I’ll be reblogging content as it’s posted and will also be compiling everyone’s creations into a master post at the end of the month.

Content can be either Supernatural or Schitt’s Creek (or both! who doesn’t love a crossover). You are more than welcome to use these prompts for other fandoms and tag me in them. I’ll do my best to reblog.

No w*nc*st/incest/non-con. 

I want everyone to be able to participate and enjoy the content, but I also don’t want to hamper anyone’s creativity. So if you choose to go in a more suggestive direction with your content, please tag it as #nsfw (if you’re a minor and you follow me, please filter this tag). And if you have any specific triggers, please let me know so I can tag them!

Most important rule: Have fun!

Any questions, feel free to send me a message. 

Thank you once again for 1k followers. I can’t wait to keep hanging out with you all. ♡ 

Tagging some mutuals under the cut who might want to participate and help spread the word:

@deanwinchesteradjacent @theomenmp4 @casblackfeathers @theedorksinlove @buckystiel @xofemeraldstars @myaimistrue @creeepycas @danieljradcliffe @honeystiel @harvestforcas @deandarko @ghostbela @jacklelanterns @emeraldcas @spookynightdeancas @maverickbucky @subbydean @saileen-away @oddityofstars @sexynursejess @itsinjustbeing @stanforderadean @becauseofthebowties @achillestiel @you-cant-spell-subtext-without @undeadcas @casifersbody @ne8ula @alivedean @one-more-offbeat-anthem​

[petekaos]

2020 creator wrap + a follow forever

rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (or so) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

hiii hello everyone! sorry it’s taken me so long to get on this BUT it’s all for good reason! i thought i would combine this post into me sharing some of the works i am most proud of this year as well as spreading more love in this wonderful little community because i truly love you all tons and being a part of such a lovely group of people has made me beyond happy this year. it’s been a difficult year for all of us and i’m just so glad that i can give back the love and care y’all can give to me 💛

onward to spreading love to people who tagged me, in no particular order! thank you all for tagging me, it means so much and know that i have read through your posts at least twice with a smile on my face.

@wjmild: kylie!! you constantly surprise me with how kind and insightful you are, as well as your dedication to watching absolutely every show with lee thanat in it. you are so smart and educated and every time you talk about your research and your studies i can’t help but feel so incredibly proud of you. i really hope life brings you the peace and fulfillment you deserve. i love you!

@gigiesarocha: cata - it is always such a pleasure to see you on my dash. i can rely on you losing your shit over ingredients every two weeks and every time i see jeff doing things it 100% reminds me of you! you possess such a kind soul and i’m so glad to have had the pleasure of following you this year :’)

@yihwas: sometimes i still can’t believe you know who i am and that we’re grouped together, soph! your blog is such a refuge to me, i adore scrolling through your replies and laughing at all the witty things you say. you are simply so kind and thoughtful in your responses and criticism and you have such talent in gifmaking! i am forever grateful to you for introducing me to new lakorns and to you and shannon for creating @lakornladies​. 

@morksuns: sumaya! my url twin! i absolutely love seeing you on the dash, it really is that trans desi solidarity, no? your moodboards are always so aesthetic and your blog is so soft and calm. i see you sending such lovely asks to people, including myself, and i truly admire your personality so much!

@gayvlad: nico, my sibling! i love you so much and seeing you on the dash always makes me smile. sometimes you’re too hard on yourself, but that’s okay, because i’m always here for you. i loved your reactions to dbk in live time, and that you’re now as attached to the show as i am. we love a lot of the same things, and i’ll forever be grateful to you for indulging my headcanons and developing them with me, like the ram and bohn friendship. the ram fic of him finding the gym as a home was developed through much of your influence, and i’ll never stop being astonished at how kind and supportive you are. i love you! 

@khaotungthanawat: saaaam! your gifs are always a beauty to behold. i admire you so much for making those bl compilation gifsets because that takes so much patience and dedication, especially to find all the moments. i can always count on you for underrated gifsets, too, and i smile every time you send me an ask!

@tanwirapong: roa! oh i adored getting to know you better this year through the gifted gays gc. i remember still when you made a post about there’s an art to honesty and it truly made my day - i sent it to my partner and best friend and they were so fond as well! i will always be so happy about the fact that we both lose it over petekao every now and again, it means the world to me :’)

@emisfritish: your wisdom and way of expressing your thoughts will never fail to amaze me, emma. i can always count on you for calling things like they are and writing out well-worded, thought-provoking posts that express everything i have ever thought about fandom but could never quite write down. it’s such a pleasure seeing you on my dash and honestly, whenever i see tay, he reminds me of you!

so that was everyone who tagged me, for which i am eternally grateful! (if i missed anyone... i am so sorry ily...) now onto me rambling about how much i love specific people in the fandom generally that i haven’t already mentioned.

@earthfluuke: maddie... where do i even start. getting to know you this year means the absolute world to me and i love how many thoughts we can share together and how many aus and ideas we can plot out to the finest detail, but i also love how we can talk about serious topics and irl issues affecting us both and know that the other person will be there. i admire you so much for going on and persevering despite the many difficult factors in your life right now. know that i will always be there - to listen to you, to support your gifs and fics, to develop characters with you, to weigh in on problems or ideas you have. i love you!

@asianmelodrama: faiza!! i can never address you without immediately adding ‘jaan’ after it honestly. you are a sister to me in all things and knowing you has been such an honour. your wise words, your calmness in dealing with things, your infectious excitement - they are all facets of your personality that i both admire and adore. whether it’s getting angry about shitty muslim rep or freaking out about a movie, i know that i can always count on you to be there for me if i ever need it. i hope light and love touches your life always, and you find peace in everything you do. if i ever happen to be in england, i am definitely coming over for your chai :’) i love you!

@yioh: yura my laddoo! i say this all the time, but i simply am so grateful that we met. i love seeing your tags on my posts and i just... adore seeing you doing your thing on your blog, your posts always make me smile. i know school is hard right now, but know that i’m always rooting for you and believe in you completely. words cannot express how happy i am to have found another tamil lgbt person who can understand the same experiences, it really does mean everything to me. and know that i will begin reading tyk soon, i promise, and i’ll tell you all about my thoughts! i love youuu!

@1akorn: shannon!! i still cannot believe people group us together because i’ve always admired you from a distance - imagine my absolute surprise when i found out that you followed me! i 100% rely on you for the good mek content and love your gifs so much. you’re so articulate and speak your thoughts incredibly well, which i truly admire.

@brightwin: jelly - you already know the amount of love and fondness i hold for you. you’re such a kind and bubbly person and your personality shines not only through your tags and responses to people, but also through your gorgeous gifsets that are just so warm and lovely. i can always rely on you to give me updates on all things related to brightwin and 2gether. you’re wonderful!

@yibobibo: aamna! i know i can always get my yibo content from you, and i adore it. i love seeing updates about your bunnies and your kind responses to your anons, you truly are a ray of light! you’re also one of the fairly concentrated cql blogs i follow - and for that i am always grateful.

@metawwin: ali! your gorgeous gifs are always such a light on my dash. i remember once you called me ‘rahulito’ and it made me so soft. your voice and songs are so lovely and i don’t even know where to begin thanking you for sharing your art with us. i know it means a lot to me, and it means the same to many others.

@taytawan: nuriaaa! i remember seeing you so often in the petekao tag and i gotta say that your sets of both petekao and sarawatine, especially the heart eyes series, always make me so soft. and of course, the fact that you gifted me this wonderful url! i will always be thankful for that and for your general kindness and warmth that you bestow upon everyone.

@piningbisexuals: axelle! although we don’t talk that much, i always love seeing your gifs and your thoughts on shows on the dash. i’m wishing you all the best with your thai classes and hope that everything goes well with you! also, you should know that i read that manboss fic you gifted to me at least once a week because it just means that much to me - and i’m so glad i got you into this little silly ship of mine. 

@sunsetchimyeon: nene, my pk anon! i love seeing your asks in my inbox and writing essays as replies. having conversations with you was one of my absolute highlights and i’ll always be blown away by how kind and calm and supportive and patient you are! i hope life is treating you well, my friend.

@toptaps: zey!! oh i love seeing your gifs and kindness on my dash and know that whenever i see toptap in anything, he always reminds me of you! also your gifs of sammy? absolutely gorgeous!

@giftedgays: i love you all SO much it is truly insane. being part of our tumblr gc that evolved into a discord server with a thousand channels has been one of my 2020 highlights. i loved yelling with you all about tgg every week and i must thank you all for sitting through my chanonpom breakdowns every second day. 

in particular: 

@pangwave - dawnie, i love you! i admire you and your no bullshit attitude so much. i know you’re going through a process of change right now, and i could not be prouder of you for persevering through it, regardless of the painful and strange circumstances we find ourselves in. i have full faith in you, and i know that you got this. we’re all here for you! 

@doctorbahnjit: - alexa! i still remember when you wrote the first manboss fic and an anon sent me a link regarding it. you are genuinely one of the funniest people i know and you deserve the absolute world. i read out of the blue every day, no kidding, because it means so much to me! thank you for being my fellow chanonpomer, my fellow manboss-er, and just being an all around ray of absolute sunshine.

@gunatps: vee! i have already embarrassed myself enough in my post to you but it’s worth repeating. i adore our eden chanonpom breakdown sessions, which we should have again soon when you have time, and i love us roasting modi in the chat, it truly cracks me up! we have so much in common and i just want to say that i am so proud of you for studying and taking your exams - i know how difficult they are. 

@wavelovespang: cass!! how i adore your analyses and breakdowns of scenes and relationships, you have so much insight and wisdom that you spread in such thoughtful ways! you’re so supportive and kind and such a great teacher, i know that. your writing is so wonderful and i’m truly so honoured that we all get to read it, it’s a gift!

@class2clown: angel! i cannot say this enough but i admire your art so much, it’s so so beautiful! you’ve always been so kind and lovely, and just like with cass, thank you so much for organising the gifted week events! although i couldn’t properly partake this year because of time constraints, i loved seeing everyone’s creations and it was super thoughtful.

@soulmatelines: i’ve said this before, jo, but it must be said again: i cannot believe you thought i was cool. i’ve always adored your gifs from afar and you’re such a sweet person! i love love love talking with you in the kpop channel (even if you personally hate 3racha smh), and you truly do bear the novel agenda! i’ve learned about so many more novels i must read and for that i am so grateful :’) 

@billkinpp: violet, i will never fail to crack up at a) your and kylie’s plans to run away and get married, and b) you having a thousand sideblogs and complimenting yourself on your own gifs in the tags, as you absolutely should! i hope the next year is kind to you and that your sleep schedule isn’t too fucked up :’)

@vihokratanas: mel, i will always be in complete awe of your gifs! they are always so clean and crisp. i remember still when you were fondestphan and my phannie days flashed in front of my eyes fhsnfg but either way, you’re so kind and sweet! 

@pvrrish: eleni!! i don’t think i’ve ever told you this before but i’ve always loved the 2gether poster that you made, i sometimes go on your blog to look at it for like 5 minutes, it’s truly so beautiful! i hope you’ve had an okay year, all things considered, and that life is kind to you!

@lee-thanat: another leesbian, ke! y’all always crack me up in the lesbians for lee thanat channel truly. your simping for ms ladda is so valid, i miss her so much honestly. i hope that the coming year is kind to you, and that you find the peace you deserve!

okay, so i think that’s everyone that i either talk to regularly or admire a lot! in case i didn’t mention you, please please feel free to reach out to me because i mean no offense at all - my brain is small haha. would also like to shout out all my anons who send me asks and bear with my late responses these days because of life, i adore you all and i love answering your asks.

if you’re still reading after this... whole monster of a post, i’m just gonna quickly mention some things i’ve been proud of either writing or making this year. in no particular order:

1. my weary heart has come to rest in yours. this is a fic i wrote in an... interesting headspace, and i was really going through my chanonpom feelings at the time. i’m really proud of how it came out and i adored writing chanon through pom’s pov. also i kinda love how i tied in p’bird’s song prip dtah in with the fic because i adore the song and it fits so well with them.

2. petekao week 2020. i guess this is sort of cheating, because these are technically 7 fics, BUT. i am actually proud of myself for writing seven, and i think they’re all of fairly good quality. i just really love this little universe i created for the dbk characters after the show and this whole week was just so warm and lovely to be a part of.

3. this set of num and prang from a gift for whom you hate. this moment really stuck with me from the finale and i actually am really proud of the colouring and how it came out! i think the blues really popped and i managed to lighten this dark ass scene without whitewashing mek or aye. the fireworks gif also is one of my favourites i’ve made! num and prang’s whole relationship was so pure throughout the entirety of this show, i adored them. 

4. but love is impossible and it goes on despite the impossible. this is the longest fic i’ve posted so far and i’m super proud of it - it’s also my most well-received fic. the yunmeng brothers mean the world to me and i just... wanted to write about jiang cheng and his love for his brother and give them a somewhat happy ending, in one future at least.

5. there’s an art to honesty. i think i really nailed my version of kao in this work! i just really loved writing this fic so much, especially because it was right after the whole ‘scandal’ with new happened. i was really just finding a way to separate kao from him, and i delved into my feelings with this fic as well, because i relate to kao in multiple ways. either way, i thought writing this fic was fun and a lot of people loved it too, which made me so soft!

if you’ve read this far, i personally adore you! while this has been a difficult year, i am blessed to have been part of this loving community, and i really hope that next year will be kinder to us all and give us good shows and discussions! i love you all. stay safe and stay kind, friends 💛

[dessarious]

Misconceptions, Miscommunication, and Misinformation Pt69

Inspired by @ozmav Maribat AU

AO3   Beginning   Previous   Next

Damian was pacing back and forth across the living room, scowling at everything and nothing. Tim just watched from his corner hoping the boy didn’t explode, or at least that the explosion wasn’t aimed at him. Luka on the other hand was eyeing Damian with amusement. The boy obviously had no sense of self preservation.

“Calm down Dames, I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason they left. Mari doesn’t just run off on a whim.” Damian turned to glare at the boy but it had no effect.

“They just left us to deal with the police and the press without telling us anything. How could there possibly be a good excuse for that? They probably just ran off to celebrate since they had idiots who they could pawn the work off on!”

“Don’t I wish.” They all turned to see Discorde coming in through the window with a sleeping Marinette in her arms. The girl's voice was raw and it was obvious she’d been crying, even more so when she detransformed.

“You look like shit Bourgeois.” Tim knew Damian’s comment was hiding concern but he still mentally facepalmed. Plagg actually hissed at the boy before dropping on Marinette’s chest and cuddling up to Tikki who he hadn’t even noticed before.

“What happened?” She didn’t answer Luka’s question, instead walked past them to lay Mari on the couch gently before flopping down on the floor in front of her. Damian opened his mouth again but Luka shook his head at him. To Tim’s amazement the boy actually heeded the warning. Luka knelt down next to the girl. “Chloe please talk to us. What’s wrong?”

“It didn’t work.” The words came out in a choked sob. Tim shared a look of confusion with Damian. They’d taken down Hawkmoth, what the hell hadn’t worked?

“Chloe, we don’t understand. What happened? What didn’t work?” Luka kept his voice calm and soothing but Tim saw him reach up to check Mari’s pulse and held his breath until he saw the boys shoulders relax.

“Tikki’s cure couldn’t fix everything and the Guardian couldn’t help and it’s all my fault. If I’d just been faster…” Plagg flew in front of her face looking pissed beyond belief.

“It’s not your fault kit. Nooroo doesn’t even know how that ass managed to access his powers like that.” The Kwami was vibrating with indignation but Tim still had no idea what they were talking about.

“But if Tikki didn’t have to heal the damage I’d done she could have fixed Mari.” The Kwami shook his head sadly.

“That’s not how it works. Use your brain kid. Tikki’s had to heal over half of Paris in one go before, a few times actually. It’s not the amount of damage, but the cause. On the plus side Gabriel will be walking with a limp the rest of his life.” Chloe managed a watery smile before dissolving back into misery.

“Will one of you explain what the hell is going on?” Damian’s limited patience had apparently run out. Tim actually saw him flinch when Plagg growled at him.

“Tikki’s bug is paralyzed. She’ll never walk again unless she’s transformed.”

“Why didn’t she tell me to reset?” Luka’s voice was soft and full of pain but Plagg just gave him a bland look.

“Because we won genius. Yay us. You don’t honestly think she’d put her own health and happiness above the mission do you?” No one seemed to know what to say to that. For his part Tim was having a hard time grasping the fact that she’d actually known how bad things were and hadn’t given them any indication of it. She probably didn’t want to burden or worry them. He felt nauseous at the thought that this kid showed more heroism than half the league and she was paying dearly for it.

He felt his phone buzz against his hand and looked to see a deluge of texts from the family. Hawkmoth’s capture must have hit the news. He was actually grateful Ladybug’s injunction against information leaving Paris gave him a reason not to answer.

“Damian. You may have to bounce some League members again soon if they decide to come see what’s going on before she wakes up. I wouldn’t be too gentle about it either.” Tim knew his baby brother was going to need an outlet. Despite his outward indifference Tim had never seen him warm up to people the way he had the Parisian heroes. The demonic smile on his face at the thought actually made Tim shiver.

“What is she going to tell everyone? Her parents…” Luka just looked lost and Tim felt like he’d been punched in the gut at the reminder that her parents had no idea she was Ladybug. There was absolutely no explanation for this that would satisfy concerned parents. The ‘I fell down the stairs’ thing wasn’t going to cut it.

“She’ll tell her parents the truth. Now that Hawkmoth isn’t a threat them knowing isn’t nearly as much of a danger. We’ll have to come up with a story for everyone else.” Chloe sounded so worn out, and he wasn’t the only one that heard it.

“Come on, I’ll carry Mari to the bedroom so you two can sleep properly since I know you’re not going to let her out of your sight.” It was a testament to just how tired she was that she didn’t even protest.

AO3  Beginning   Previous    Next

Ko-Fi

Tag List

@noirdots @valeks-princess @chocolatecatstheron @krispydefendorpolice @bee-wrecker @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @northernbluetongue @paradoxal-occurance @scrumptiouslyelegantchaosqueen @sonif50 @thequestionablyhuman @persephonebutkore @elspethshadow @geekydragonyt @mmwolf1605 @da-tasuky @mjisntme @bluerosette23 @anjuschiffer @littleredrobinhoodlum @tazanna-blythe @resignedcatservant @schrodingers25 @seraphichana @persephonescat @punstoppablechatnoir @magicalfirebird @crazylittlemunchkin @corabeth11 @cyborgcandy @casual-darkness @shamefullove @miraculous-simmer7 @tamoni112 @cat181818meow @littleblue5mcdork @allthebooksandcrannies @enchanted-nerd @disneyfoxuniverse @fallinginthe-void @mandy984 @goggles-mcgee @fontegagrilledcheese @dorkus-minimus @theatreandcomicfreak @zerotosiki @ayuchan07 @mindfulmagics @urbanpineapplefarmer @winter-gardenflower @mooshoon @my-name-is-michell @melicmusicmagic @7-sage-7 @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @alicesangelofmusic @caffeinetheory @nataladriana9 @multplelifes @wanderingreader1019 @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @mvaree @redscarlet95 @storyteller-d @howabouticallyou @ginamarie1512 @kurogaya913 @tbehartoo @maddrag @two-faced-biatch @senyahgirl @unabashedlyswimmingtimemachine @iloontjeboontje @kakashixobito @welcometopradasa @amirahevens @amlesi @miraculousbelladonna @virgil-is-a-cutie @18-fandoms-unite-08 @cupcakeandkisses @angelofmusickaterinapetrova @book-r-the-best @dur55 @moonlightstar64 @fertileleaf @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @thecaptainthunder @danielslilangel @novicevoice @nyaabinch @interobanginyourmom @welcometopradasa @charlietheepic7 @im-here-for-the-content @maya-custodios-dionach @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @starwindmaden @tired-butterfly @rogueptoridactyl @emeraldpuffguide @suzen23smith @yuulxd @animegirlweeb @alovelyocean @kris-pines04 @semaalcocer-blog @cadencehood @jardimazul @shethecat @silent-storms-posts @simplysslytherin @tog84 @thesunanditsangel @dast218 @tall-and-angry @the-alice-of-hearts @captainmac6 @theyellowfeverexperience @chrismarium @alessialeone6997 @heaven428 @tinyterror333 @smolplantmum @lilyellowink @naoryllis @katiegardneriscoolerthanyou @magewriter @doodledeerest @athena452 @peachedpocky @tired-butterfly @risingmoonyue @lunammoon @mylife-demonstrates-murphys-law  @bobothyross @silvergold-swirl @loysydark @heaven428 @peachedpocky @hauntedwintersweets @awesome-starfish-and-tacos @silvergold-swirl @rosesgonerogue @castielsofficialtoothbrush @myazael @aestheticnpoetic @creator-josie @sturchling @snowstar1016 @myblacknightworld @kittycatwowmeow @midnightkaito @chylou34 @hufflejournals @indecisive-mess-named-me @uwuteamleader @sassakitty @jessigurl-design @demigodgirl20031 @freshbark @soup-served-chilling @elmokingkong @unknownvsworld @thatonegaybitchfromschool @tis-i-beanbandit @damianette-is-life @peachesbackup @nobodyw8s4evr @the-fusionist @iwantwhirlledpeasandlotsatrees

[bouncyirwin]

Happy New Year!

I swear I meant to make this post yesterday but I got to bed at like 4:30 A.M. and pretty much passed out oops

2020, huh? That’s kinda wild, man. The start of a new decade and all. I didn’t even think I’d make it this far but I’m do glad I did. 2019 wasn’t very kind, but this fandom has been such an important aspect of my life, and such an amazing support all around.

Just a few thank yous to the most wonderful people ❤️

@birkastan2018 you may have singlehandedly made half of my year by just existing. Bless you for all your kindness and cheering, you’re truly wonderful and I don’t deserve you 💖

@sayurinomoe hands-down the funniest, most dedicated, most beautiful person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. There’s no one like you Sayu-chan, and you’re just amazing in every way. My life would absolutely suck without you and I’m so grateful you continue to stick around ❤️

@mrssakurahatake your support and kindness mean the world, you’re such a sweetie and you deserve so much more ❤️ thank you for always cheering me up with your awesome reviews and messages 🙏🏼

@the-real-kakashisgf1 where would I be without you, you brilliant soul. You’re my partner in crime, and I’m so, so lucky. Your talents and kindess never cease to amaze me, and I’m looking forward to all the stuff we’ll do together this coming year ❤️

@thatpinkshinobi literally just seeing your art on my dash is enough to flip my mood like a switch. I hope you realise how amazing you are 💖 never ever stop drawing, the world would be duller for it 💖

@skittledoodles your comments on my art have been the highlight of my year! You’re such a talented artist and I really respect you and love your work so it means the world to me when you like my stuff. Thank you for all the support, you always push me to want to do better ❤️

@alienwritesstuff your fics have gotten me through the worst times, and cheered me up when I needed it the most. Gods, you’re a gift. We definitely don’t deserve you, you’re way way too wonderful. Love ya ❤️

[[MORE]]

@spnfox you’ve been such an amazing source of help when it comes to art and poses, and I just want you to know I appreciate every second you take out of your time to help me or give me tips. Hope life’s treating you well, you’re so under appreciated man, thank you so much for everything you do ❤️

@sairusb you talented bean! Happy new year, I wish you all the best and hope to always see you in the KakaSaku tags because you make that place so much better! It always cheers me up to see you there, just wanted you to know I appreciate you and your wonderful work ❤️

Man I feel like I’ll never finish! @mhisa-mhisa @claudi3594 @moonlady9 @kakashis-kunoichi @alixx3pl @thingsmaygetalittlecrazy @fallinginlovebythemilligram @emesspozo @ayamashie @ceashax @xxleaf-kunoichixx @xxjayukixx you guys are the most wonderful supporters ever, and the kindest souls, truly blessed to have you in this fandom, you’re all are such cuties and I adore you to pieces ❤️ don’t you think I don’t notice you in my notifications hehe~ wishing you all the best this year! Keep on kickin’~

@ohayohimawari you do so, so much for everyone and especially for content creators. Your support, your kind words, your amazing fics, they were all part of why 2019 didn’t suck all around. You impact so many people around you in such a positive way, don’t you ever forget that ❤️

@mummapaintstheblues you always make me feel so loved and supported, and it means the whole world to me. Sometimes when I’m nervous to interact with everyone and I see you there, it gives me the little push I need to do it. Thank you for all the love and kindness you show me, it means the world ❤️ I wish you all the best for 2020!

@thekatthatbarks your cute little face makes my day 💖 I’m so excited to see you exploring digital art and can’t wait to see where it takes you! Thank you for the random messages that make my days so much better, I swear you have some sixth sense, because everytime you send me something it’s when I really need it the most. Love you darling 💖

@allicaj @kyo-chans literally just want to say thank you for existing. I know we don’t talk much but I love seeing you in the tags or my notifications, you’re such a solid and constant part of my fandom life and this place wouldn’t be the same without you. Keep being you, keep being awesome ❤️

@moderndayportia what would this bleak place be like without you and all the wonderful Kakashi art you bring to us? You’re a gift Portia 💝 you’re really under-appreciated so I’mma spend 2020 trying to change that! Just remember you’re loved and wonderful, stay awesome ❤️ sending good vibes your way~

@nikkigrand I couldn’t be happier to see you slowly coming back to fandom. You have impacted me in more ways than you probably realise. Did you know you beta’d my first ever smut? That’s absolutely crazy. Adaline has touched me so deeply it’s practically a part of me now. You’re so kind, wise, and amazing and so, so damn strong. You inspire me every day. Hope 2020 is kind to you, lots of love sweetie ❤️

@tipsyraconteur i know we don’t talk much (we should definitely change that!) but I want you to know I really love and respect you as a content creator and look up to you a lot. I wish you a productive year ahead! Can’t wait to see what other amazing stories you spin~

@raizagabriel aka super lady because there’s isn’t a thing this wonderful bean can’t do! I squeal everytime I see your art. I mean, literally squeal. You’re such a GIFT! Gods we are so damn blessed to have you in this fandom! What even is this fandom without you? This place would never ever be the same. Love you lots and lots, wishing you the best this coming year! Really looking forward to what you’ll share with us next 😍

@littlegreenstrawberry @doctorcapaldy you two are so under appreciated, don’t think I’ve forgotten you! Really excited to see how your art develops this upcoming year, you’re both slaying 😍 2020 will be THE year, you’ll see~ Feel free to slide into my PMs whenever you please, I would love to chat with you more ❤️

@groovy-hottub-llama i need more of you in the tags because you make it so much better! I lost count of how many times I read your little fic fatherhood. You have such a talent man, I hope you decide to bless us with more of your wonderful work! Happy new year, wish you all the best xx

@dimigex you probably don’t know this but I awiated your return patiently and with lots of crossed fingers! You impact more people than you realise and you’re so wonderful and talented. I’m really happy to see you in the fandom again, it always felt like something was missing when you weren’t around 💖

@denilmo I know you’ve taken a break from the fandom and I don’t know if you’re coming back but you have left a lasting impact on me and a lot of people. We miss you dearly, and you have a space here in this fandom carved out just for you for when you decide to come back. Lots of love darling, hope life’s treating you well and I wish you all the best for 2020 ❤️

@empress-nariko good gods I just ADORE you! The gods blessed me the day you came into this fandom, seriously. What a gift you are. And your support means the world in every way. I always look forward to your amazing reviews and kind words. Sending good vibes your way! Stay awesome, love youuu ❤️

@onemoreword-writesmore you’re one of the special ones I’ll tell you. You have impacted my life in such a positive way 💖 your constant messages and check-ups have gotten me through such rough times, I absolutely don’t deserve you and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you your kindness in full. Looking forward to 2020 with you, happy new year honey 💖

@mouseymightymarvellous where do I even start?! You’re wonderful?? Amazing?? Unique?? An absolute legend??? Most under-upreciated person on the planet?? The most talented ever??? In case it’s not obvious I absolutely adore you. You absolutely deserve all the good in the damn world. I’m wishing you all the happiness this 2020 💖

@neraawritesxx @maxx-powers @kakawaifu @port-wind-waves @ravinemichelle don’t you think I forgot about you guys! I know we don’t talk much if at all, but you have all impacted me in your own unique ways (probably without even trying!), and your talents push me to better myself all the time. Really glad you’re part of this fandom, have an amazing year ahead! Happy new year 💖

@xoxoendoh my life would literally not be the same without you. You’re a wonderful soul and an absolute delight to be around, thank you for making 2019 for me, and I’m looking forward to 2020 with you! Maybe we’ll finally get around to writing some OtaYuri together ;) Hope life’s treating you well 💖

Oof, I really hope I didn’t miss anyone! If I did, hit me up let’s fix that! Happy new year, much love to everyone and particularly the new peeps! Welcome to the fandom ❤️

[hannah-writes]

RNM Creators Appreciation Week

So I’ve not been in the right headspace to flail and rec as much as I wanted to, but today, on Cheerleader Appreciation Day, I can’t let this one pass me by. Without cheerleaders, I don’t think I’ve have posted much past my first couple of fics, and I certainly wouldn’t have finished some of the fics I found hard to write, and Not in this World would be nothing but a pipe-dream.

I don’t think those people who spend time cheerleading realise just how important they are. It’s not always telling you that you’re great (which does happen), but it’s helping bounce plot ideas off, boost you when you want to give up, to scream in excitement and help tell people that you’ve posted fic when you’re too shy to do anything more than post it and stick the link on Tumblr.

I’m so grateful for those people I have in my life right now that are fearlessly cheerleading me through everything that I want to do, especially when it comes to fic. They’re kind when I’m having trouble wording, they help unjumble the shite I write sometimes that’s full of spelling mistakes and half-finished thoughts. They bump up my confidence and tell me I’m awesome when I feel anything but. They make me feel less like I’m throwing my stuff into the void.

There are a few I really want to say a special thank you to:

@mandsangelfox: y’all know that she’s my wife, but she’s also a massive cheerleader behind the scenes. She deals with me texting her randomly, or telling her to pause what she’s watching so I can read a section to her to see if it sounds okay. She puts up with me throwing ideas at her until something sticks (and it was her idea to build out my current sci-fi horror Roswell project into something that resembles a choose your own adventure, and when I’m done you’ll all be amazed). She’s an unwavering pillar of patient support, and deals with my nonsense with aplomb.

@insidious-intent: What can I say about you? You’re always so kind and enthusiastic and impromptu beta-services help de-jumblify and sensify my fever-written crap and helps shape it into something better, and also removes some of the Britishisms that sneak in despite my best efforts! You’re a delight to talk to, and genuinely one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Talking with you is genuinely a highlight of my day, and having you as a sounding board has helped up the angst factor of my stories, past and present (Darkest Before Dawn, I’m looking at you!). Your unwavering support and reassurance is so helpful, and I’m honoured that you let me do the same for you. Even being a small part of your creative process, I’m honoured to be included. You’ve got such a big heart, and I love that you’ve got such a loud voice when I post. I’m 100% sure that most of the people who read Not in this World ended up reading it because you yelled so loudly about it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. And I am so grateful to have met you.

@beamirang My fellow angst queen! Man, I don’t even have words to describe how much I adore you. Not only your writing - and how you let me cheerlead for you even when all it is is incoherent screaming, emojis and gifs - but who you are as a person. I’ve never told the time in a regular way, but my time is now split into MJ leaving for work, @insidious-intent saying good morning and then 4:30am LA time when you wake up and say hello. I’ve told you this before, but I’m going to say it again, I have learned so much about how to craft stories from reading your work and from talking to you. Your enthusiasm and excitement for the things that I write constantly baffles me as you’re amazing and I’m bowled over every time you tell me that you like what I write/you’re excited. You’ve been such a boost for my confidence in sharing random snippets, you’ve inspired some of my personal favourite fics that I’ve written (including not so starcrossed, as Baxu was 100% your fault and I adore you for it) and being able to scream at you when the muse isn’t working helps immensely. I’m so glad to have messaged you out of the blue a while back, it feels like we’ve been talking forever and that’s something that I treasure. I can’t wait for our DA Fusion to be ready to share so we can cement our places as rulers of Angst.

@lire-casander & @ubiestcaelum - you ladies were the first two people I started talking to in the fandom properly and I’m so very glad I did! Getting to know you both, being able to be part of your creative process and see your wonderous works unfold and being the recipient of your feedback and comments as I post random bits of crap into our chats has helped me refine things that don’t work. You are both so ridiculously kind and talented and I’d not have posted my earlier works without you two in my corner, gently encouraging me on.

@saadiestuff SADIE. WHAT MORE CAN I SAY THAN YOU ARE GOOD PEPPE. The creator of 🐸 [frog emoji, if it doesn’t work]. It’s delightful that we have entire conversations that, to anyone else, might seem like code because we’ve got so many ridiculous jokes between ourselves. And I love that sometimes we don’t even say hello to each other, we just go 🐸🐸🐸 [frog frog frog] because of something we’ve seen each other post or mention on tumblr, or in a discord server. I adore you, girl. So very much. I’m glad we started talking.

@el-gilliath I’m SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU. Though we don’t talk as much as I want us to, the fact that we have so much in common and spend a large chunk of time screaming at each other about what we’re writing really brightens my day. Knowing that you’re on the other end of a message if I’m struggling and you’re ready to listen is such a boon. Knowing that you don’t care if I’m typoing all over the place and am generally a mess makes me feel so safe when we talk, that I don’t have to second guess everything. And knowing that, no matter what it is, you’ll read it and give me an opinion means I genuinely feel that it’s okay to just swing in and ask you for help whenever. And you know the feeling is mutual. I adore you, dude.

There are so many others, too, and I couldn’t possibly list them all though I want to, but the Junkyard folk, @jumbled-nonsense, @nielrian, @soberqueerinthewild... all of you guys who yelled at me during Not in this World and encouraged me to keep writing when all I wanted to do was pack it in. You’re SO VALUED. I’m sure there are people I’ve forgotten, and if I have, please don’t think that doesn’t mean I don’t value you, because I do. So much. Omg. 

And, as a quick special mention, to those of you who are kind enough to let me cheerlead for you? It is my honour and privilege to scream at you in excitement for things. I love helping people create, I love encouraging people to keep going and do something they love and I am thankful that you let me do that for you. 

Finally, finally! I can’t leave out @queersirius. Though I’ve never spoken to you, you have taken on a mammoth task with your rec list. I’ve been on there a few times and each time I’m flabbergasted by the nice things you have to say about what I’ve written. But it’s not only me, you’re a gift to the fandom, a one-stop shop for recs that has proven to be such a good way to discover new fic. I’m always excited to see what new fics you rec, I’d discovered a few new favourites as a direct result of your list. The fact that you take the time to write such detailed, thoughtful commentary and tailor a gif for each fic is mindblowing. Thank you! <3 

[upsettlspaghettl]

Empire City Con 2019

I can say with confidence that this has been the best weekend of my life. People will be so quick to say that the Steven Universe fandom is one of the most toxic fandoms out there, but in all my years of going to conventions, this has been the most welcoming and friendly by far. Now, this could be because it’s a convention based on one singular fandom, as opposed to the mishmash of fandoms that gather at other conventions, but even Bronycon was nowhere near this level of welcoming. Then again, I only got the chance to go to 2 Bronycons so I don’t know if I can say much.

The flight to North Carolina was surprisingly not that bad. I’m very prone to getting lost, but I left 4 hours in advance and I didn’t even need those 4 hours. But this was my first time ever flying somewhere completely alone.

I got the chance to meet Deedee Magno Hall, who signed my Guide to the Crystal Gems. Now it’s my goal to get all the character pages signed. But it’s got all the fusions of season 1, so chances are I won’t ever get the chance to get Sugilite’s page signed. Oh well, a fan can dream, right? Just kind of a bummer because she happens to be my favorite fusion.

She also validated my OC ship with Yellow Pearl which was super cool of her. Deedee is a really sweet person. While waiting in line to meet her I made friends with a kid, and he was fanboying like crazy. Later on we met somebody else, and we all did karaoke together. Then they got to do a group Karaoke with Deedee, which I was unfortunately too nervous to join. She said she would try do one with me but we never got the chance, but either way I’m so grateful. She’s a really kind person and I hope I can meet her again!

My part in the karaoke was still really fun though. Me and my 2 friends were having a hard time figuring out what song to do, and since the instrumentals were live, the people playing only had a limited number of songs they could play. Eventually we agreed on Stronger than you. But the instrumental team couldn’t play that one, so one of my new friends asked everybody to sing along and be inclusive. I got to to do the Peridot rap onstage too! Only me and 1 other person in the audience did that though so it was really scary and I fumbled a lot... but I’m still so happy that I got to because it was just such a good time for everybody.

There was actually a garnet cosplayer who’s act was right before ours and they were still by the karaoke lineup, so one of my friends asked them to come join us. Toward the middle of our act, this same friend spotted a Jasper in the front row, dragged them up on stage, and we had an adorable fake fight scene. I had to hop off stage right before the song ended to hug somebody in the front row who was crying. I was relieved to hear that they were tears of joy. In the end, they invited my group to sit in the front row with them.

Right, and Garnet’s act! They actually sang the original SU opening in German which was super amazing. Toward the end, there was a Pearl cosplayer in her Mr. Greg tuxedo who sang It’s Over isn’t it with Deedee, and a Yellow Pearl cosplayer who did an amazing Yellow Pearl-y take on Do it for her. So yeah the variety of acts was fantastic and the whole thing was just so feel-good all around.

At the very end of the karaoke, after everyone had gotten a chance and we were all just hanging out in the karaoke room, I was given a Spinel promo pin by a Mystery Girl. Not literally a Mystery Girl cosplayer, but somebody who I thought was just... well, somebody. They mentioned having extras from the movie screening in CA, and were handing them out to Spinel cosplayers. Of course I was hopping up and down being super thankful to an awkward degree, like I normally do.

That night, I told my roommates what happened, and they told me just who that Mystery Girl was. None other than Mackenzie Atwood, creator of the Pearl’s Secret Rap Career series. My facial recognition is terrible, so I didn’t realize at the time. I was lucky enough to run into her again the next morning during breakfast in the hotel lobby, so I got to thank her personally in the end.

Speaking of Mystery Girls, there actually was a Mystery Girl cosplayer who was especially awesome. Not even ten minutes after arriving at the convention, I see 2 Spinels who welcome me into their Spinel group. A Mystery Girl cosplayer is with them, and they hand me a pair of shoe squeakers. They look like tiny clear whoopie cushions, and Mystery Girl was handing them out to all the Spinels. I don’t know about everybody else, but mine drew a lot of attention from other con-goers because I was super happy and energetic at this con so I ran everywhere I went. People were always laughing and it made me so happy that I was able to make people smile. I’ll definitely be using them again in my future Spinel cosplays.

One of the people I shared a hotel room with was a Spinel cosplayer on the first day, and they were carrying an amazing Spinel plushie that I remember seeing a photo of on Deviantart, and later showed up for sale on Etsy. It was super expensive and I remember wanting it, but I couldn’t be jealous because I know I was super lucky to even see the thing in real life!

On the second day, I met a sweet little girl who seemed to think I was the real Spinel. She drew me a picture of Baby Spinel, and I gave her my drawing of Baby Spinel which I’d made earlier that day in the quiet room. Later on, one of the convention organizers was holding a game session, and this kid crushed me in a round of Gem Gem Clod... which is Duck Duck Goose, but better. Note to self: playing games that involve running when wearing pink high heeled boots probably isn’t gonna go well!

After some games, we made some meep morps. Somebody started a trend of drawing Lion on the little canvases we were given, but my Lion wasn’t coming out quite right, so after I finished drawing his head I just. put it on one single leg. You’ve heard of Leg Pearl, now get ready for Leg Lion. I was super happy about that too because I made everybody laugh.

Once we ran out of canvases, the organizer offered to take polaroids of some of us, so now me and this adorable little kid had matching photos, which we put in tiny pink frames and put a Spinel gem on each.

oh also! the game organizer had a tattoo on their leg of a bunch of anime characters, mainly the cute “squad mascot” archetype. There was Hawk, Happy, a few other characters, and Keroro! I totally freaked out over Keroro because it’s a relatively obscure series, and it was the first show that really got me into anime! I’ve always loved things like Pokemon and Naruto, but Keroro Gunso was my gateway to the anime community as a whole.

At around noon, I spent a little more time in the room where the games were held, which had some board games of its own, books, and art supplies and overall functioned as just a room to hang out in. There I met a Pink Diamond cosplayer in a pink schoolgirl uniform and an Uravity hat (really cute outfit!), and a goth Spinel cosplayer. The Pink Diamond cosplayer was a great artist and drew a really cute magical girl Steven. These 2 people also taught me what a vsco girl was when they were joking about the fact that Pink Diamond would totally be one. I was super confused but it was really funny after they explained it.

There was a cosplay fashion show much later in the day and I made friends with a Ruby and Sapphire while sitting in line. They were a couple irl and went on stage together and they were adorable! They were also both Hazbin Hotel and Harry Potter fans, so we had a lot to talk about. We kept talking while we waited in line for the Sadie Killer and the Suspects concert too, and a few other people joined us. I’d only just met these people but I really felt surrounded by friends.

Earlier in the day, while I was waiting in line to meet Kinetic Cosplay, I ran into an amazing Sour Cream and Buck Dewey. I got their photo, only to later see them on stage as a part of the real life Sadie Killer and the Suspects. Jenny Pizza was also on stage, but I didn’t see her before that.

While the convention was great, something also happened that scared the hell out of me. At NYCC just last month, I bought some very tiny stickers, one of which was Froppy from BHNA. When I got home and unpacked, it was gone. I thought maybe it fell into the fabric of my backpack, and if it did, there was really no way to retrieve it unless it decided to fall out again. However at the convention... I was at the registration table, decorating my con badge. I pick up my phone, and suddenly the Froppy sticker falls out of nowhere. It looked like it came from the phone, but I can’t imagine where it would have fit and gotten stuck. It kinda just fell out of the void. Either way I’m glad to have it back.

Lets see... I also got some pictures of the real life Mr. Universe van... and later on I ran into the owner of the van in full Mr. Universe gear.

The Garnet cosplayer was Cotton Candy garnet on the second day and I still can’t get over how sweet and nice they were.

There were some family cosplays. On the first day I saw a Yellowtail carrying a baby doll dressed as Onion, and then on the second day the same person was with a Vidalia cosplayer, and an actual child dressed as Onion.

There were also a pair of parents dressed as Connie’s mom and dad, and their kid dressed as Connie.

On the first day there was a Mr. Smiley which was super cool and unexpected, and then on the second day they were Bismuth. There were actually 3 Bismuths in total at the con which was surprising because that wig looks super difficult to make. Anyone who can pull that off is amazing!

The last day only went on until about noon, but my flight didn’t leave until the next day. I didn’t book my hotel room for that night because I wanted extra time in case I got lost on the way to the airport. Turned out there were free shuttles. I ended up in the same shuttle as that Pink Diamond cosplayer and her dad, and she showed me this adorable RPG game app called Wholesome Cats. We took some snapchats together and now I know what I’d look like as a boy...

Since there was a shuttle to the airport, that meant I was super early for my flight. Super early as in, almost 12 hours early. After going through security, I was planning to just sleep at the gate, but my gate number wasn’t on the screen. So I asked an airport employee, and he told me that I wasn’t even supposed to be let through security until the next day, which was when my gate number was supposed to show up... whoops. It wasn’t so bad though, either way I’d just be hanging out at the airport for the night. I decided not to sleep though, just in case. It felt weird late at night, when the airport was more or less completely empty. It was so nice and quiet, and the Starbucks was still open so I had a super yummy dinner of pumpkin bread and cheese danishes.

I think that’s about it? If you wanna see pictures, I’ll be posting them all to a public album on Gnomie Leviton on Facebook, and I’ll also select a special few to post on QueenGnomie on Instagram.

If you add me on FB please tell me your url! I only add people who I've talked to before.

In conclusion!

This was by far my favorite convention I’ve ever been to, because you could literally just go up to someone, start talking, and you’d immediately have an awesome new friend. I’ve never been to a con before where every single person was so approachable. It really felt like everybody there was one big family. I already have a potential roommate for next year, so I really hope to get back on my feet soon so I can go!

[lovenikkilibrary]

the great, big popnikki contributors post

Greetings from Miraland! Love, the POPNikki Team

That’s all of us. All 30+*. This is the team that’s worked (for a lot of us daily) since May to brainstorm, draft, and bring life to this crazy vision-turned-project. 

Now that we’re literally 30 days from Zine launch (and two weeks away from launching Site + our YouTube channel), I want to introduce you to everyone because POPNikki is not just the simple FanZine Project I started out asking fans to join. It’s since become a collective of like-minded creators, and don’t you think you’d like to meet all of us? 

*NOTE: Our FanArt Team Co-Lead Kira is technically missing from this group shot, but she’s with us in spirit and despite a busy schedule WILL make an appearance in our Summer Zine after all! ^^ Also not pictured is Site Team’s periidote and IRL Team’s Luna-- also with us in spirit!

Team Leads

POPNikki is divided into three divisions and each has its own subdivs requiring, well, WORK. The following group of Contributors help me keep each sector running smoothly (including a Contributor named Lilly who you’ll meet in the next section!).

The Librarian: Editor-in-Chief of POPNikki Zine and the founder of this operation, I have a toe in every division if I really think about it. But my personal skillset lies in brainstorming, cheerleading, and editing, which is why I head up the FanFic Zine Team and Co-Lead FanVid with Sea. ^^ Follow my blog for LN Resources. I archive them neatly so we can find them all again later ^^

Clow: Site Team Co-Lead, Developer, and Zine Editor (read: my partner-in-crime), Clow is a great collaborator who can take a vision, no matter how messy and turn it somehow into exactly what you need + want. Clow’s creative but modern style (and way of thinking) is reflected in the Site she’s helped design (can’t wait for y’all to join and see! ^^). You’ll want to follow Clow’s blog for all sorts of LN related posts, my faves being the lovely Starry Corridor photos found from all over.

Yoko: Unfortunately Yoko is taking a break from Tumblr, but when Site opens, we’ll update with a way to reach her! Yoko is the other Site Team Co-Lead and Developer whose incredible patience and research skills have helped bring Site to fruition. 

Ms. Loki: Ah, Loki... What can I say that you don’t already know? When I can’t find my head or my glasses (which often leads to me consistently uploading the wrong things), Ms. Loki is right there going above and beyond the call of IRL Team Co-Lead. Not only does she manage a group of Contributors (and I swear, most days, me!), but she also finds time to Contribute, herself! Look forward to her art and articles as she’s become a key part of our FanArt and IRL Teams. (And if you’re not already following for ALL OF THE LN THINGS... ^^ Ms. Loki is usually the OP!)

Val: FanArt Team Co-Lead Val has really had to step up this season due to an unexpected scheduling conflict. "Single-handedly” juggling a whole team of artists using a collaborative leadership style, Val has shown not only her skill as an artist but as a leader this term. Follow her art blog for a peek at her versatile art style or her personal blog to reciprocate the support she’s shown to POPNikki this Summer~

Sea: My FanVid Co-Lead and one of our three video editors, Sea is just amazing to work with. Perhaps it’s her eye for beauty (or the fact that she can find the beauty in everything), but every conversation ends in laughter and every problem finds a solution. She’s always ready to cheer our team on, so please do the same for her (and we’ll be sure to link you to her personal YouTube channel after Zine Launch!).

Dayan:  IRL Team Co-Lead and Artist, Dayan’s ideas and participation have both played integral parts in the fruition of this project. Dayan almost bursts with creativity and an energy that really keeps you going. Did you know that in addition to her LN Blog, she also has another blog for her art? I’m such a fan of all our Contributors, but there’s something so lovely about Dayan’s style that I can’t help but share every post. I feel so lucky to have her on board, and y’all are lucky too because you won’t have to wait for Zine before seeing some of her work. She’s also been working on a very fun Site Feature that will meet you guys once we launch! ^^

*Kira: FanArt Team Co-Lead (and supposed to be on break for this issue, Kira did a few of the background illustrations for Zine articles I know you are going to LOVE! If you don’t follow her LN blog, you’re missing out on a wealth of .png and background resources.

Site + Social Media Contributors

Lilly:  Despite a busy schedule offline this season, our Social Media Manager Lilly still managed to pull off a very special project, complete IRL and FanFic write ups, edit, and head the Social Media subdiv by some miracle over the past few months (thank you so much). Lilly’s eye for detail has been extremely valuable and so when you go to follow her LN blog, be sure to note how you’ll only be getting the good stuff over there ;) You may also get to chat with Lilly at some point if you follow us in her domain-- the POPNikki Tumblr (and soon, our other social media).

Red: Our IRL, Site, and Social Media Contributor, Red, has been such a gift to this project. In Fall, we can’t wait to show you the fun project he’s been working on, but in the meantime, look forward to his Game Guides. Are you counting down the minutes with us? Red can be found here and here on his LN specific blogs! 

Royce: Royce recently joined POPNikki but has hit the ground running. Now our go-to for Site graphics, we can’t wait to hear how you like the awesome visuals Royce has whipped up! You may already know to follow his LN blog for only the best Royce RP aesthetics on the block. Blue roses to anyone who does XD (or check out his OCs RP blog)  

Clark: Part of our Social Media subdiv and working on a super fun, super secret FanFic project for a future Zine edition (why yes we are thinking about Fall...), Clark’s been a supporter of this project from the get-go. Follow him for fun from a slew of different fandoms (Monster High meets LN, anyone? I’m just sayin’).

periidote: periidote is a Site Team Contributor who will be helping with Site FanPOP Features starting end of Summer/ early Fall! Follow periidote’s LN blog here and get ready for great content from her~

YouTube Contributors

Legs: My go-to video editor in a pinch (whether it’s for advice or for help or to make sense of this vision I had in a dream...), Legs always returns a product above and beyond expectations. July 18th, y’all. Be ready! And in the meantime, follow Legs, for game-related jargon (including but not limited to Love Nikki)

Haley: FanVid Team Contributor and YouTube Channel manager. Haley is always full of great ideas, but when YouTube opens, feel free to drop us comments with even more! 

Brittany:  FanVid Team + FanFic Team Contributor Brittany is also one who’s always brainstorming. We can’t wait for you to see her tutorials and meet her ideas in Zine when it drops this August! 

LittleAvalonia: I’m very excited for what the future holds with an actress like LittleAvalonia on our team. Funny (and having fun), LittleAvalonia brings a new element to LN FanPOP that we can’t wait to share with you. 

Witchy: IRL + FanVid Team Contributor, Witchy, is a gem in the POPNikki Contributor pool. Look forward to Halloween (feels so far, I know!) when we debut their sketch(es ^^) and articles. In the meantime, follow Witchy to check out their art and more.

Joltik: Our newest video editor thanks to her enthusiasm and helpfulness after our latest Open Call, Joltik is already hitting the ground running in her new role! Full of ideas and ready to work, I feel so grateful she’s joined our team! ^^ Don’t forget to give her a follow for LN related tips, tricks, and info. 

twinklebear: Joining us with awesome content come Fall, twinklebear helps out where needed, particularly in Site Team and of course, here in the FanVid group. ^^ 

Zine Contributors: 

Donsveertje: Donsveertje (known as Beetle to me) is a phenomenal artist who answered a POPNikki Open Call. Happy to help with any project when time allows (and actually working a few zines at the moment!), Beetle has great energy, ideas, and can really bring your vision to the page. The laughs are a blessed bonus. ^^ 

Fishbone: The more I work with Fishbone, the more I fall in love with her work. An artist who’s willing to try different things (no matter how crazy they sound) until they work, Fishbone is such a dedicated and positive team member. With like a million Tumblr accounts XD (follow them all here and here and here as well!).

ArtisticArmoury: Another Open Call gem, ArtisticArmoury has been so great to work with. Every part of the process is not only well done but also fun as we’ve been having a blast adding even more expression and visual color to the FanFic Feature he’s now a part of. Check out ArtisticArmoury’s art or personal blogs to get a sense of his work. 

Inky: Also finding the time between a tight schedule, Inky has jumped into this project as an artist from an Open Call. You may recognize Inky as the artist of that awesome piece re: the doctor. But Inky has another, strictly LN blog that I hope you’re following because it is full of fun LN stuff (like important update infos but also MEMES y’all). 

Zemiki: Zemiki is a Feature Artist in the POPNikki Zine Summer Issue. Already known for her great work, Zemiki’s providing several original pieces for fans to enjoy to accompany our second FanFic Feature! Get a feel for her style by following her art or personal blogs. 

Astie:  IRL Team Contributor Astie has an unstoppable energy that brings life and joy to the POPNikki Team. Look forward to the article Astie has prepared for y’all in Zine this Summer (while we work on finding the link to the Tumblr-- we’ll update you on Site after the launch! ^^).

Roulette:  Roulette is such a hardworker for Zine I cannot. Contributing content to both IRL and FanFic Teams, Roulette writes articles and provides Spanish translations for our guides. Give her a follow! (EDITED TO UPDATE: her blog link! Here’s the best account to reach her at~)

Sophie: My writing buddy, I could honestly send all of the virtual hugs to Sophie. Working together on her FanFic Feature story has shown me both her dedication to the game and being a writer-- two of my favorite things in the whole wide world! XD We also share a love of tea (which is besides the point, but still). While you await Zine launch to get a taste of her words, check out her Tumblr and say hi to my hardworking team member (whose mind and articles are split between FanFic and IRL)~

Yasjupe: Another FanFic Team Contributor (and Feature writer), Yas is a writer whose gorgeous ideas flow into gorgeous thoughts and words on paper. I think you’ll truly enjoy the story she’s been working on. Check out her Tumblr while waiting for Zine to drop! 

Megaera: After reading a fic by Meg re: Prehistory Lord, I knew she HAD to be a part of POPNikki’s FanFic Team this first issue. Megaera’s Summer Feature does not disappoint, and I count my blessings that I get to work with so many talented writers-- and read their work early, of course ;) Be sure to follow Megaera’s LN blog in the event she posts more fiction! She also has a personal blog you’re welcome to follow.

Rev: For this summer’s issue, IRL Team Rev teamed up with FanVid Team to create a sweet tutorial for you all. Honestly, you’ll be amazed, I think when Zine drops! In future, we might also see articles by this Contributor as Rev is known for helpful guides and great Starry Corridor pics! You can also check out Rev’s personal blog. 

Iri:  Many of you might recognize Iri for her helpful event guides and suit breakdowns on YouTube. We know her as apart of the team (and seriously, what a joy ^^)! Despite a hectic schedule, Iri has Contributed an article and exclusive interview for you guys this summer. Can you imagine what Fall will bring? If you’re already hype, subscribe to her YouTube channel to hold ya over to Aug. 1st ^^

Contributors Debuting this Fall 

Jace-Darkheart: Officially part of FanFic Team as a comic writer and artist, we hope you’ll get to see Darkheart’s work come Fall!

Ile: Though scheduling conflicts mean you won’t be seeing our Artist, Ile’s work this Summer, we hope you can find some in Zine this Fall! 

Luna: Though scheduling conflicts mean you won’t be seeing IRL Team Contributor Luna’s work in Zine this Summer, we hope you’ll be able to see her fun article on Site or in Zine by Fall!

Our Team is huge so following everyone might seem like A LOT. But don’t forget that you can follow @popnikkiofficial​ on Tumblr now to ask questions about the project and officially become part of the POPNikki Community here on Tumblr. In all honesty, y’all already are part of that Community, and I mean, so are we! So if you can’t follow all, here’s the best one! We’ll see your lovely comments and someone will be checking the POPNikki Ask box later this week to answer questions. (And, I mean, I’m always down to fangirl about this project lol!)

To all of the Contributors on this list (and to come), thank you all so much for making this thing happen. ^^

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Legend of Korra Comics: Irene Koh Interview

The Legend of Korra is back! We spoke to Irene Koh, the artist behind Turf Wars, the upcoming graphic novel trilogy. The first graphic novel trilogy continuing the series, written by co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino, is coming out this month.

Irene Koh is an illustrator from Seoul, now living in Los angeles. She received her BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and has worked for Dark Horse, DC, Marvel, IDW, Oni Press, and Stela.

If you read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Batgirl, you might have seen her work before.

But we are here to talk about Korra! So let’s get started! Spirits, elements, martial arts, and maybe a bit of Korrasami?

– For those who might not have heard yet, can you tell us a little bit about how you got the job on the Korra comics?

I’d been joking for years that I’d be a perfect fit for the comic, as a bisexual Asian martial artist and avid Avatar fan. After Brittney Williams dropped out of the project, a friend of mine was offered the gig, to which she referred me instead.

I drew a few test pages, and now here I am, almost done drawing Part Two.

– There have been a lot of artists who have worked on both Avatar and Korra, do you have any favourites that informed your own style?

The key art people on staff (or at least the ones whose work I can readily find on the Internet) have been great to look at. Not necessarily for style’s sake, since I was asked to draw the book in my own style, but for movement.

Animation folks have totally different way of approaching movement and character acting, and there’s a lot of great tricks I picked up just studying their work. Specifically, I looked at Steve Ahn’s work for action, and Ki Hyun Ryu’s amazing, expressive faces.

– Animation and still drawing are different disciplines, what kinds of changes do you make when taking something from screen to page?

I know very little about animation itself and have even less experience doing it, but I have formal training in both cinematic art and comic art respectively, and there definitely differences. It manifests sometimes in my layout designs versus what Mike and Bryan would like to see on the page (though, for the most part, they let me do my thing compositionally).

As a small example, comics can do vertical formats/panels, which is not something animation can necessarily pull off in the same way. It is far more about overall page flow than individual moments. Additionally, it’s can be harder in a way to show an element bending motion without the full movement shown, so I have to come up with ways to imply/depict the direction, effect, and impact of fighting action.

– How do you keep the spirit and flow of the original while also giving it your own unique style?

If I love something, it’s because I’m good at distilling why it’s good, what parts of it are done skillfully, things I admire and would like to emulate in my own work.

In the case of things like Avatar and Korra, it’s a mix of incredible character acting, humor and expressiveness, and the lively, realistic fighting (minus, y’know, the elements). None of these things require a specific kind of art style to pull off, just understanding and good old hard work.

I think it’s also been extremely helpful that I have 10+ years of doing martial arts under my belt, particularly kickboxing and judo, that consistently inform the action. When there’s something specific Bryan wants in a fight scene, I can understand his language.

– How involved did the creators – Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko – get in the process? What was working with them like?

It’s a deeply collaborative process; I get pretty extensive notes from both creators, plus notes from Nickelodeon. Mike’s notes tend to be less art-focused and more to do with if I’m expressing his script correctly.

Bryan’s notes are all technical, fixing my art where it’s wonky and the like. They’re fantastic to work with — concise with their vision, but also open to feedback and suggestion. They give my art a lot of breathing room, which I’m grateful for, and let me design new characters.

Just on their critiques alone I’ve leveled up immensely since starting the job.

– Has Korra been different from other comics you’ve worked on?

It’s definitely the biggest book I’ve worked on since entering comics. I’ve only done shorts or monthlies up until now, so being tasked with 72 pages at a time was pretty daunting at first (and honestly still kind of is).

The amount of notes I got back for my pages was also a first, though it’s a blessing. As well, it’s the biggest IP I’ve dipped my toes into, and I’m definitely feeling the support (and pressure) of the fandom.

– When did you first realise that being a professional artist was something you wanted to be?

I don’t think it was ever a realization or a conscious choice. I’ve been drawing nonstop for as long as I can remember! I used to get in trouble for drawing at the dinner table.

I’ve always been a very decisive, driven person, even as a kid, and in seventh grade an art teacher told me about the Rhode Island School of Design. At twelve years old I decided that’s where I was going to college. (I did.)

– Do you look back at your earlier works at all? How have you changed as an artist? (Attitude, technique, work ethic, etc?)

I don’t really linger on old work because I’m still at a point where I’m improving rapidly, so even a few days after I’ve drawn something, I look back at it scornfully because I’ve already learned something new in that time, haha.

Thematically, my work tends to stay the same: I focus a lot on intimacy, in all its forms and expressions. I’d like to think I am getting better at drawing those moments! At this point, I have the whole working-from-home freelance thing down solidly, in that I know what working hours are best for me and what not to force (I am decidedly not a morning person); when and how often to take breaks; and getting better at just grinding through assignments.

I tend not to wallow in “art blocks” anymore, since I don’t really have a choice.

– Any advice for people who want to go into illustration and comics? What’s the best way for people to get their talent out there?

I posted this on my blog recently, and I stand by it:

1/ Do them on your own. The Internet has made it so easy to get noticed/paid for the work you do on your own, so take advantage! Don’t quit your day job for comics unless you know you’ve got a good amount of stability or financial cushion.

2/ Comics are a really intense exercise in time management. There is no way you can put in 100% on every single page like a single illustration; you would never meet standard schedules. You’re going to only be able to put in 60-70% of your true potential — the trick is to get your 60-70% to be Really Good.

3/ Finishing something and putting it out there for people to see is just as much a skill to nurture and improve upon as draftsmanship, coloring, composition, etc. Give yourself deadlines and try to meet them, and try to share your work. Peer critique is how you improve, and also how you build confidence.

4/ Have a social media presence and post art consistently, and don’t expect or feel entitled to any kind of mutual, instant friendliness or attention. For me personally, Twitter is how I’ve met colleagues, employers, friends, and been inspired by other people’s work.

5/ Don’t apologize or speak disparagingly of your work, even if you notice flaws. Chance is, most people didn’t notice it, or they it didn’t detract from the piece itself to be worth a comment. It also comes off as unprofessional.

6/ Do not undersell yourself. Here’s the Fair Page Rates info: https://fairpagerates.com/

– Other than Korra, what are you working on? Any big projects in the works?

I’ll be part of the final Spera book by Josh Tierney along with an awesome roster of other artists, and then I’m off to work on my own original things. At my core I’m a storyteller, and I have my own stories I’d like to share.

– Where can people find you online? Social media, etc?

Twitter: @kohquette Tumblr: http://prom-knight.tumblr.com Website: http://koh.money

The first issue of Legend of Korra: Turf Wars is scheduled for release in comic book stores on July 26, 2017, and in mass market retailers on August 8, 2017.