#and then there’s Emily who is just. zen

[askweisswolf]

Understated potential Chaggily dynamic: Emily being the emotional support dog to Charlie and Vaggie’s anxious cheetah energy when it comes to anything Heaven related.

[beware-of-you-98]

Small silly hc I have about jj’s zen garden is that originally it was just the small little box with sand and the rakes that michael bought for her at a school shop that was set up for mother’s day or christmas or another silly lil holiday but anyway when she brings it in to the office she sets it up on her desk and just kinda leaves it there until she comes in one morning and there’s a small crocheted frog just vibing in the sand and jj just kinda stares for a while until penelope passes by and is just like “his name is fredward” and jj just kinda accepts it and then day by day the other members of the team brings little things to fill up her little garden (tara brings the tiny bucket of shells, emily gets the chair, and luke brings the cocktail umbrella) until the zen garden is just a little paradise for fredward who has on a yellow bikini (bc luke insisted that blue was so not fredward’s color) and a tiny fake bottle of corona that no one will admit to getting (rossi is adamant he did Not supply the small bottle but he’s also denying it too hard for it to be completely believable) but yeah it’s stupid it’s silly but it’s all i can think about ok bye <3

[richincolor]

January's New Releases

2024 has already started off right with a strong list of new releases of debuts, a few sequels and trilogies, and a whole slew of highly anticipated novels. Which book will you start your 2024 TBR list with? Click below to read all that has come out so far.

Week of January 2nd

Stay with My Heart by Tashie Bhuiyan Inkyard Press

From the author of Counting Down with You  and  A Show for Two comes a new YA contemporary about a girl who accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band and falls for the guitarist while secretly trying to make up for her mistake.

Liana Sarkar lives and breathes music, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her A&R coordinator father. Maybe if she succeeds, he’ll finally give her the time of day instead of drowning himself in work to distract from the grief of her mother’s passing.

When Liana accidentally sabotages an up-and-coming local band, Third Eye, she makes it her mission to steer them towards success—without them discovering her role in their setback. But as she gets closer to Third Eye, especially their enigmatic leader Skyler Moon, it becomes harder to hide the truth.

With both her heart and their futures on the line, will Liana be able to undo the damage she’s caused?

Just Happy to Be Here by Naomi Kanakia HarperTeen

In this YA standalone perfect for fans of Tobly McSmith and Meredith Russo, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school must choose between keeping her head down or blazing a trail.

Tara just wants to be treated like any other girl at Ainsley Academy.

That is, judged on her merits—not on her transness. But there’s no road map for being the first trans girl at an all-girls school. And when she tries to join the Sibyls, an old-fashioned Ainsley sisterhood complete with code names and special privileges, she’s thrust into the center of a larger argument about what girlhood means and whether the club should exist at all.

Being the figurehead of a movement isn’t something Tara’s interested in. She’d rather read old speeches and hang out with the Sibyls who are on her side—especially Felicity, a new friend she thinks could turn into something more. Then the club’s sponsor, a famous alumna, attacks her in the media and turns the selection process into a spectacle.

Tara’s always found comfort in the power of other peoples’ words. But when it comes time to fight for herself, will she be able to find her own voice?

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White (Song of the Last Kingdom #2) by Amélie Wen Zhao Delacorte

Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.

Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.

The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.

Ghost Roast by Shawneé and Shawnelle Gibbs & illustrated by Emily Cannon Versify

For as long as she can remember, Chelsea Grant has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It’s not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a “paranormal removal expert” in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans!

This year, Chelsea’s all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she’s finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal Services. All. Summer.

Worst of all, her new job reveals an unexpected secret she has to keep: While Dad hunts ghosts with his own DIY tech, Chelsea can actually see them. And when she meets Oliver, a friendly spirit, at the fancy mansion her dad is getting a handsome fee to exorcize, she realizes she has to save his after-life, even if it risks everything her father’s worked for.

Week of January 9th

Somewhere in the Deep by Tanvi Berwah Sourcebooks Fire

Seventeen-year-old Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents’ debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. After a fight goes terribly wrong, she’s banned from the pits. Now hopeless, she is offered a deal: in exchange for the erasure of her debts, she must join and protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the island.

Krescent is determined to keep her head down and fulfill her role as the dutiful bodyguard, even though she is trapped underground with her childhood enemy and a company of people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. As they come across creatures she believed only existed in legends, it becomes clear they are in far more danger than she could have imagined. But someone doesn’t want her to make it out alive. And she’ll have to figure out who before she’s left alone… in the dark.

From the author of Monsters Born and Made comes an action-packed South Asian inspired fantasy that will have your heart racing at every turn.

Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat Wednesday Books

Shaadi preparations are in full swing, which means lehenga shopping, taste testing, dance rehearsals, and best of all, Arya’s sister Alina is home. The Khannas are together again, finally, and Arya wants to enjoy it. So she stifles her lingering resentment towards Alina, plays mediator during her sister’s fights with their mother, and welcomes her future brother-in-law with open arms. (Okay, maybe enjoy isn’t exactly right.)

Meanwhile at school, Arya’s senior year dreams are unraveling. In between class and her part-time gig as a bookshop assistant, Arya struggles to navigate the aftermath of a bad breakup between her two best friends and a tense student council partnership with her rival, the frustratingly attractive Dean Merriweather.

Arya is determined to keep the peace at home and at school, but this shaadi season teaches Arya new realities: Alina won’t always be in the bedroom down the hall, Mamma’s sadness isn’t mendable, friendships must evolve, and life doesn’t always work out like her beloved Bollywood movies. But sometimes, the person you least expect will give you a glimpse of your dream sequence just when you need it most.

Structured like a Bollywood film (entertaining intermission included!) Arya Khanna’s Bollywood Moment will make you swoon, laugh, cry, think, nod your head in agreement, and quite possibly make you get up and dance.

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by LeUyen Pham First Second

Valentina Tran was named after Valentine’s Day, which used to be her favorite holiday. But when Val learns the truth behind what happened with her parents and why she’s being raised by a single father, she realizes true love is a lie. This is reinforced when she meets the spirit of Saint Valentine, who tells her she and her family are cursed to always be unlucky in love. Val is ready to give into her fate, until one Lunar New Year festival, where a mysterious lion dancer hands her a paper heart, and ZING. Val becomes determined to change her destiny, prove Saint Valentine wrong, and give her heart to the right person.

Meanwhile, lion dancing is the only thing that has given Jae peace after his dad passed away. It’s also what keeps him connected to his father’s side of the family. Both Jae and his cousin Leslie notice Val at the Lunar New Year festival, and for some inexplicable reason, Jae hands Val a paper heart. But it’s Leslie, with his K-Pop good looks, who starts to date Val. Jae still feels this connection with Val and feels it’s somehow tied to how he feels about losing his father.

Both Val and Jae struggle with the spirits who haunt them as they are inextricably brought together in a love story that is satisfying, sweet, and moving.

Week of January 16th

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney HarperTeen

Jane has no interest in a husband. Eager to make her own way in the world, she accepts the governess position at Thornfield Hall. Though her new employer, Edward Rochester, has a charming air—not to mention a handsome face—Jane discovers that his smile can sharpen in an instant. Plagued by Edward’s mercurial mood and the strange wails that echo through the corridors, she grows suspicious of the secrets hidden within Thornfield Hall—unaware of the true horrors lurking above her very head.

On the topmost floor, Bertha is trapped in more ways than one. After her whirlwind marriage to Edward turned into a nightmare, he locked her away as revenge for withholding her inheritance. Now his patience grows thin in the face of Bertha’s resilience and Jane’s persistent questions, and both young women are in more danger than they realize. When their only chance at safety—and perhaps something more—is in each other’s arms, can they find and keep one another safe before Edward’s dark machinations close in around them?

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa Feiwel & Friends

London, 1812 . Oliver Bennet feels trapped—not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he’s forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society’s expectations. The world, and the vast majority of his family and friends, think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone’s wife.

But Oliver can’t bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family’s home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It’s during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to “Elizabeth” at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart, not to mention attractive.

As Oliver spends more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares to hope that his dream of love and life as a man can be possible. But suitors are growing bolder―and even threatening―and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he’s not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly his own.

So Let Them Burn (Divine Traitors #1) by Kamilah Cole Little, Brown Young Readers

Whip-smart and immersive, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who’s forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland.

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel Rick Riordan Presents

Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.

Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

Beasts of War (Beasts of Prey #3) by Ayana Gray Nancy Paulsen Books

Once a prisoner to Fedu, the vengeful god of death, Koffi has regained her freedom, but she is far from safe. Fedu will stop at nothing to hunt her down and use her power to decimate the mortal world. Koffi knows when Fedu will during the next Bonding, a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event. To survive, Koffi will have to find powerful new allies quickly, and convince them to help her in the terrible battle to come.

Once a warrior-turned-runaway, Ekon has carved out a new life for himself outside Lkossa, but the shadows of his past still haunt him. Now, alongside unexpected friends, Ekon tries to focus on getting Koffi to the Kusonga Plains before the next Bonding. If he fails, Koffi will be consumed, either by her own dangerous power, or the terrible fate Ekon is doing everything he can to prevent. Ekon devotes himself to protecting Koffi, but the lingering threats from his own past are more urgent than he knows.

As Koffi and Ekon race to the Kusonga Plains—and try to garner the help of Eshōza’s ancient gods along the way—they must face a slew of dangerous beasts old and new. In the end, destiny may unite Koffi and Ekon for the last time—or tear them apart for good.

Week of January 23rd

Into the Sunken City by Dinesh Thiru HarperTeen

In the slowly sinking city of Coconino, Arizona, the days are long, the money is tight, and the rain never stops.

For Jin Haldar, this life is nothing new—ever since her father died in a diving accident, she’s barely made ends meet for her and her younger sister, Thara.

Enter Bhili: a drifter who offers Jin and Thara the score of a lifetime—a massive stash of gold hidden in the sunken ruins of Las Vegas.

Jin knows it’s too dangerous. She stopped diving after her father’s accident. But when her sister decides to go, Jin’s left with only one choice: to go with her.

A ragtag crew is assembled—including Jin’s annoyingly hot ex-boyfriend. From there, a high-stakes heist ensues that’s beyond even Jin’s wildest fears. Crumbling ruins, sea beasts, corsairs, and a mysterious figure named João Silva all lie in wait. To survive, Jin will have to do what she promised herself she’d never do again: dive.

Out of Our League: 16 Stories of Girls in Sports edited by Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacopelli Feiwel and Friends

A compelling YA anthology from editors Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacopelli about the trials and triumphs of girls in sports.

Ambition. Drive. Determination. Talent. Courage. Teamwork.

Every athlete knows what it takes to win. But for teen female players, the stakes are so much higher. In this anthology, the voices of these athletes come alive, highlighting the ferocity of those who are often shunted to the side. From navigating rampant misogyny to forging a sisterhood through sweat or just reveling in the love of the game, the stories in Out of Our League address the phenomenal physical and emotional power of teenage athletes as they compete, persevere, and thrive, on and off the field.

The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee by Ellen Oh Crown

When a Korean American teenage artist gets sucked into the world of her own web comic, she must find a way out with the help of a cute boy all while facing off against a villainous corporation. Inspired by the A-ha’s “Take on Me” music video, this entertaining YA novel is a grounded speculative fiction adventure from the co-founder of We Need Diverse Books.

Mina has become the hero of her own story. Literally.

When Mina Lee woke up on Saturday morning for SAT prep, she did NOT expect to:

1. Nearly be fried by a superhero who turned out to be a supervillain. 2. Come face to face with Jin, the handsome boy of her dreams. 3. Discover a conspiracy involving the evil corporation Merco that she created.

And it’s all happening in her fictional world. Mina is trapped in the story she created. Now it’s up to her to save everyone. Even if it means losing Jin forever.

Barracoon by Zora Neal Hurston, Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi, Illustrated by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson HarperCollins Childrens

In the first middle grade offering from Zora Neale Hurston and Ibram X. Kendi, young readers are introduced to the remarkable and true-life story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last survivors of the Atlantic human trade, in an adaptation of the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Barracoon.

This is the life story of Cudjo Lewis, as told by himself.

Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America to be enslaved, eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis was then the only person alive to tell the story of his capture and bondage—fifty years after the Atlantic human trade was outlawed in the United States. Cudjo shared his firsthand account with legendary folklorist, anthropologist, and writer Zora Neale Hurston.

Adapted with care and delivered with age-appropriate historical context by award-winning historian Ibram X. Kendi, Cudjo’s incredible story is now available for young readers and emerging scholars. With powerful illustrations by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, this poignant work is an invaluable contribution to our shared history and culture.

[fahye]

I just absolutely inhaled The Will Darling Adventures on your recommendation. Thank you, thank you, thank you. If you found your way to reccing more books that combine romance with a solid adventure/fantasy plot and amazing characters, I would be eternally grateful.

romance plus adventure or fantasy! okay, let's see.

if you haven't checked out a taste of gold & iron by alexandra rowland and a strange & stubborn endurance by foz meadows, start there: queer romance, impeccable command of tropes, plotty political fantasy, MMM DELICIOUS.

both of everina maxwell's books are amazing space opera adventures with wonderful romance and characters I want to be friends with. winter's orbit is arranged marriage, ocean's echo is a fantastic subversion of telepathic soulbonding.

honeytrap by aster glenn gray is a roadtrip romance with cold war espionage shenanigans; no fantasy, but I adore it.

sorcerer to the crown by zen cho is regency fantasy with a truly delightful romance. I would die for prunella gentleman.

the entire saint of steel series by t. kingfisher, starting with paladin's grace, is wall-to-wall romance with fantasy adventures. also check out swordheart by the same author.

there may not be quite enough explicit romance in natasha pulley's works for what you want, but they are soul-wrenchingly beautiful and the plots are jaw-droppingly good. go with the kingdoms, the watchmaker of filigree street or the half life of valery k to start.

everyone knows that I love the captive prince series by c.s. pacat, right? do check out content warnings if you've never heard of it, but I tell you: THE ANGST, THE POLITICS, THE YEARNING!!

and on a lighter note: in other lands by sarah rees brennan is YA but romance, adventure and fantasy all rolled together. and hilarious. can't overstate that aspect.

emily wilde's encylopedia of fairies just came out, and it's folklore academia and creepy fae adventures and a wonderfully grumpy autistic heroine who is determined to ignore how badly her hot academic rival wants to bang her and marry her and cherish her forever.

[little-butterfly-writes]

Commissions

Hello everyone! I know it has been a while, but I hope you are all well.

I’m happy to be here with everyone, but I have an ulterior motive (and I apologize for this being my comeback post). Recently, there was a fire in my sister’s neighborhood and it spread to her house.

Why is this important?

Due to the fire spreading, my sister’s house took a lot of damage. With damage comes (expensive!!) costs to repair the building and replace furniture. Fortunately, no one was in the house at the time of the fire and my sister is safe.

To help my sister out, I am opening commissions where all profits go to her. As long as the rules are followed, I will be writing something personal for you! Down below, my rules, what I refuse to write, fandoms I write for, what I will write, and costs.

Here is the link to our Cash App for all purchases or donations. - Pay $LittleButterflyWrites

Note: Anyone who has made a request before the date of me posting this (07/02/2024) will get their requests free of charge as originally intended before my unannounced hiatus.

This is available until July 30th, (07/30/2024), so please act fast since I'm not sure if I'll open them again! Read more if you're interested!

Rules *read and approved by my sister

I have the right to refuse any request. Respect my final decision and read what I will not write for before making a request.

Refunds will only be available 24 hours after you place the order. If you do not tell/ask for a refund within 24 hours of your transaction, I will write what you requested and you will  NOT get your money back.

Before making a request, please consult with me about what you want for your writing. See below on how to request. This makes things easier in case I am unable to fulfill/accept a request, AND it prevents you, the buyer, from spending money before you get an answer.

If you want any changes to the details, let me know within 24 hours of talking to me.

If you request for a character letter, you will have to give PROOF OF PERMISSION by an adult if you are a minor. You will also have to be comfortable with giving me your address.

If I find that you request anything NSFW as a minor, you will be BLOCKED AND REPORTED. I will reject your request and you will get your money back.

What Do You Refuse To Write?

Dub/non-con

Incest

Hate towards another group of people (race, orientation, gender, etc.)

Beastiality/Zoophilia

Pedophilia

I will NOT write NSFW for certain characters. Said characters will be in a bracketed list after their name. (example: [Character] = no NSFW). The NSFW list of characters will always be BEFORE the NO NSFW character list.

Anything I am not comfortable writing. Again, I reserve the right to refuse any request. If you are unsure and need clarification, please message me with questions.

What Fandoms Do You Write For?

With this new post comes some new fandoms!

Mystic Messenger

- Yoosung Kim, Zen/Hyun Ryu, Jaehee Kang, Jumin Han, 707/Saeyoung Choi, Ray, Saeran Choi, V/Jihyun Kim, Rika Kim, Vanderwood

Mr. Love, Queen’s Choice

- Lucien Xu, Victor Li, Gavin Bai, Kiro Zhou, Shaw Bai

Stardew Valley

- Alex, Elliot, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, Shane, Abigail, Emily, Hayley, Jodi, Leah, Maru, Penny, Caroline, Robin, Sandy, Willy, Wizard M. Rasmodius - [Clint, Demetrius, Evelyn, George, Gunther, Gus, Jas, Kent, Krobus, Leo, Lewis, Linus, Marnie, Pam, Pierre, Willy, Wizard M. Rasmodius, Vincent]

Monster Prom/Camp

- Vera Oberlin, Damien LaVey, Zoe, Polly Geist, Miranda Vanderbilt, Calculester Hewlett-Packard, Scott Howl, Liam de Lioncourt, Joy Johnson-Johjima, Dahlia Aquino, Aaravi Mishra

Ikemen Sengoku

- Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Akechi Mitsuhide, Date Masamune, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Ishida Mitsunari, Uesugi Kenshin, Takeda Shingen, Sanada Yukimura, Sarutobi Sauske, Kennyo

The Walking Dead - Up to season 5 in the TV show OR first comic compendium. I can write apocalypse TWD or non-apocalypse lives, just tell me your preference.

- Rick Grimes, Lori Grimes, Shane Walsh, Glenn Rhee, Maggie Greene, Daryl Dixon, Tyresse, Sasha, Abraham Ford, Carol Peletier, Michonne, Negan, Tara Chambler, Rosita Espinosa, Gabriel Stokes - [Herschel Greene, Dale Horvath] - *I will write NSFW for Beth Greene or Carl Grimes BUT they will be AGED UP TO BE 18 or OLDER.

What Will You Write?

Comfort

Fluff

Angst

SFW

NSFW

Character x Character

OC x Character

Unnamed FemReader x Character

Unnamed MascReader x Character

Unnamed GenNeuReader x Character

CMC x Character

What Can I Get And For How Much?

*Before making a request, please consult with me about what you want so I can give you a set price before I start working. Some prices depend on the details like how many characters you want, so talk to me before paying!

Personalized Playlist - $2

I make you a playlist for your character x character, OC x character, or CMC x character. I will give you links via Spotify or YouTube using my taste in music along with your taste. Minimum of 20 songs.

Headcanons - $3-6 (Depends on the amount of characters. Maximum of 8 characters)

I write headcanons about the character, how they interact with other characters within their fandom, and how they interact with your OC/CMC.

Matchmaker - $3-9 (Depends on amount of characters

You choose between 1-3 characters from any fandom (can be different fandoms) and give a description of yourself to me (including MBTI, hobbies, likes/dislikes, and preferences). Can be SFW or NSFW.

Dabble (500+ words) - $4

A small piece with details you customize for a character. This can include interactions with other characters in their fandom, interactions with OC/CMC, or something about themself.

Character Letter (Only within the US and Canada) - $6 + any mailing fees

A letter from a character of your choice. Must show PROOF OF PERMISSION if you are a minor as we mail it to your address.

Fic (1000+ words) - $7

A piece with details you customize for a character. This can include interactions with other characters in their fandom, interactions with OC/CMC, or something about themself.

Oneshot (1500-2000+ words) - $10

A larger piece with details you customize for a character. This can include interactions with other characters in their fandom, interactions with OC/CMC, or something about themself.

How Do I Order A Commission? *Very important!

Look at the list of fandoms/characters I will write for.

Choose what you would like me to write for you. (Example: FemReader x Character, SFW, Dabble, with [insert details]).

Consult with me BEFORE PURCHASING to determine if I will accept the request and set the price.

Once all details are given and the request is approved, continue with purchase using the link to the Cash App linked above.

Here’s another link for purchases or donations in case you don’t want to scroll up! - Pay $LittleButterflyWrites

Reblogs are always helpful if you are uninterested or want to help :)

[myastrouniverse]

⭐️

My name is Dr. Kerri M. Hoseney, PhD Philosophy, amongst other awards and PhDs⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I AM still ALIVE despite YOU murdering lying fucking frauds whores and thieves⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can’t ‘magickly’ stop zionist apes from destroying the world⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤡

People with responsibility NEED to ACT RESPONSIBLE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t see ANYONE doing ANYTHING but ACTING LIKE ASS CLOWNS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Humanity is being HERDED like COWS TO SLAUGHTER over the EGOs of PRIVILEGED 🦍💩🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WAKE UP because the FALSE SHAMBALLA IS HUMANITY LOSING THEIR SOUL TO PSYCHOPATHS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You understand my ‘esoteric’ job has been to PURIFY the lineages that have been darkened or destroyed by IGNORANCE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Since I will be defending MYSELF in court tomorrow, I WANT the courts to UNDERSTAND: IN ORDER TO SERVE JUSTICE, YOU MUST GO OVER EVERY ASPECT OF THE CASE OF THE HUMAN BEING. IF A JS OR JDS HIDES OR DELIBERATELY CONCEALED OR CONCEALS ANY ASPECT OF THE CASE FROM THE CLIENT OR LAW OFFICIALS THAT JS OR JDS IS IN VIOLATION OF JUSTICE AND THE LAW AND MUST BE DISBARRED FOR THEIR UNJUST CONDUCT⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Again, my name is: Dr. Kerri M. Hoseney, PhD. Philosophy, ‘Zen and The Art of Hula-Hooping.’

👌JUST between US(A)USA⭐️

You CAN/MAY herd cats by attaching STRINGS of YARN AROUND the HULA-HOOP⭐️At the END of EACH string of YARN U TIE a BALL with CATNIP INSIDE. You CAN/MAY only MOVE with the HULA-HOOP going in the RIGHT DIRECTION⭐️LEFT ACTIONS ONLY MOVE BACKWARDS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Again, my name is: Dr. Kerri M. Hoseney, PhD. Philosophy, ‘Zen and The Art of Hula-Hooping.’

AMONGST OTHER PENDING PhDs⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️JESUS IS THE ARCHTYPE FOR THE HOLY SACRIFICIAL ACT TO THE WILL OF GOD⭐️ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE JESUS CHRIST IS A HERETIC AND A FALSE PROPHET⭐️IT IS THE SAME THING AS ME SAYING, I AM EMILY DICKINSON, JUST BECAUSE I RESONATE WITH A LONELY OLD MADE WHO SITS AROUND AND WRITES POETRY⭐️I AM NOT FUCKING EMILY DICKINSON⭐️WHY FO YOU FUCK HEADS CONSTANTLY CONFUSE THE ABSTRACT WITH PHYSICAL?⭐️Whatever…⭐️

⭐️What they did is put a curse on Ole Abe Lincoln, to BREAK the curse that was on Every (whatever) Number of Presidents, that were to be assinated⭐️Placed by the Native Americans(?) or Masons(?) or both(?)⭐️That is why Ronald Reagan didn’t die⭐️So when the curse was placed on Ole Abe Lincoln, they could begin corrupting our government, without the ‘American spirit’ of his interference⭐️Now apparently I have interfered⭐️It is only my hypothesis⭐️For now⭐️The eruption of MT SAINT HELENS was a RESPONSE to that HEX⭐️DO NOT MESS WITH A MOUNTAIN⭐️

[starrygalazy]

I keep seeing people doing this so this is my official ship list and some explanations. (Hell I may even take writing/drawing requests for the ones I like)

PSA: These are all my opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I ask you respect mine, as I'll respect yours.

~'Love it' ships (aka I WANT THESE TO BE CANON or I LOVE THAT THESE ARE CANON)~

Genji x Mei (Aka my OTP): At first it was a joke ship bc I simp for Genji and kin Mei, but then it spiraled into thinking it'd be a really cute ship with a unique dynamic. Now they're my faves and I'll NEVER get tired of talking about them

Cassidy x Hanzo

Ramattra x Echo: Saw some cute fanart and it was OVER for me

Ana x Reinhardt

Bap x Mauga

Tracer x Emily

Soldier x Reaper

Gerard x Widowmaker: Their story makes me cry 😭 They both deserve sm better than what the world put them through

~'Like it' ships (aka "This is cute, but I like other ships more")~

Pharah x Mercy

Genji x Zen: This is only here bc Meiji takes top spot. When done right, this ship is so cute puppies and kittens are jealous. I also don't care too much about age difference here because, Zen's a robot.

D.Va x Brigitte

Mei x Zarya: Same situation as Genyatta

Lifeweaver x Bap

Cassidy x Bap: I definitely think Bap canonically has a crush on Cass (I won't break his heart, in at least a few realities they're together)

Mei x Lifeweaver: I've grown pretty fond of this ship and even wrote a fanfic (platonic) about them a while ago. They'd have such a unique dynamic either way, and I definitely am a fan

Lucio x Junkrat

Ashe x Widowmaker

Junkrat x Mei: The age difference has put me off for a while but I can't lie, it's kinda cute

Mei x Zenyatta

~'Meh/Nah' Ships (aka any I'm indifferent or negative abt)~

Genji x Mercy: For those who scream at any ship that's Genji x someone who's not Mercy or vice versa, I don't have a place for you here. To the nice Gency fans who're chill abt this, thank you. I just already have my favorite ship and some of you guys are way too toxic for me to really appreciate the ship. They're still besties in my mind tho, dw

Any type of *ncest: Please leave, thank you.

Any type of b**stiality: Same as *ncest. Leave the poor monkey and hamster (and all other animals) alone.

D.Va x anyone over 24: She's basically a child mentally, it's weird

Junkrat x Roadhog: I definitely think they're more like father/son, and I do NOT like that age difference.

Ramattra x Zen: It's just the fact they call each other 'brother' so often, so my mind is hard-wired to keep it that way

Soldier x Mercy

Sombra x Anyone: Sex-repulsed aro-ace Sombra supremacy 🙌🙌🙌 (queerplatonic is good tho), Bap's the only sorta-exception

And that's all for ships. I have a ton more but this is already a long post so I'm gonna end it here. Anything catch your eye? Pls let me know! Also here is the link to my ship chart which I'll update occasionally (so it's a bit less hectic):

https://www.tumblr.com/meibaestars/730349773528481792/i-got-bored-so-i-did-another-ship-chart-thing-with?source=share

(Btw I'll be editing this as I see fit and changing different ships most likely)

[cybernightart]

my overwatch ship list

very random but here are my Favourite Overwatch ships as of right now! in no particular order: .genji x mercy is my Favourite

.Ana x rein

.soldier x reaper

.Hanzo x Cassidy

.genji x Cassidy

. genji x mercy x Cassidy

. Kiriko x Pharah

.Lifeweaver x Baptiste

.dva x lucio

.dva x brig

.tracer x emily

.ashe x widowmaker

.sombra x widowmaker

and there's probably more im missing lol

there is ships that i dont mind (i like the art of/ i dont mind the ship in general) i just personally view their relationship in a different way!:

.genji x zen, i picture more like force adopted young adult and sassy wine aunt mentor, or "your my kid now, but im 30?, shush and have a cookie, Ooo ok!"

.junkrat x roadhog are best bro for life, they are basically dating but in a bro way, or tired dad and hyper (crazy) son he was forced to adopt/ kinda just started following him one day

.soldier x mercy is a old one ive seen but i see them more as father and daughter that aren't that close (but he is still hyper protective of her), same thing with Cassidy x reaper, i view them as father and son (where alot closer until retribution where they fell out and then after when cass thought he died)

then there's alot of less popular ships i also like but aren't up there on my ship list or i just dont happen to ship these characters and i also see more as friends then couples: genji x sombra genji x widow genji x tracer ram x zen dva x kiriko tracer x widow pharah x mercy (i dont mind the ship, i dont ship it, but alot of the people who do have made me not like it because of how they have acted) and more that im definitely forgetting

[sparxaf]

TSIME: The Casa Girls

While I was preparing to write Casa Amor from the boys' point of view for The Sun in My Eyes, I realized I'd have to create the girls, because we only really know Shannon. Even Blake is a bit of a mystery as we learn almost nothing about her, other than she's seems thin-skinned. So I spent some time sorting out the main personality trait of each original islander, and then made each CA girl a combo of 2 of them.

Marisol + Priya

Amber is a huge snob and decided as soon as she met Emily that she was stupid and low class, and needed to be put in her place. Amber is a bitch. It was really fun to write two women who were both WAY too good for Jakub, get so caught up in competing with each other that they forgot that what they were fighting over wasn't actually a prize.

Just Hope

Originally Siobhan was Hope + Lottie. A self-important troublemaker, but she just didn't flow that way when I started writing her. I didn't want to write yet another brittle black woman (Fusebox has that on lock). It was more fun to make her have all of Hope's best traits (playful, direct, ambitious) yet none of her worst. Siobhan is who Hope could be if she weren't so insecure. A self-actualized Zen badass. Basically she's S3 Yasmin before S3 came out.

Hope + Marisol

What's there to say about Shannon? I love this manipulative, savvy bitch. And she deserved better than Rahim's triflin' ass dithering between multiple girls.

Lili + Lottie

Yuna was an accidental villain. It was supposed to be Siobhan telling everyone about what Emily did, but once I started writing, it just felt right for this spoiled, chronic talker to thoughtlessly spill Emily's business to anyone who'd listen. And for her to lie to Bobby in order to manipulate him into choosing her. Love Yuna or hate her, you gotta respect the audacity.

Lili + Priya

You know, I really wanted to redeem Blake. I always thought she took a lot of heat for simply being a little thin-skinned, and I wanted to give context for her behavior when she came to the villa. But I underestimated just how much she was hated and no amount of context was gonna make anyone empathize with her 😆 Oh well. I tried.

Chelsea + Lottie

Oh, Emily. Girl. I love her tragic, bad decision making ass. And her wise, resigned kitchen conversation with Bobby is my favorite thing I wrote for Casa. I head canon, but never explicitly wrote into the story, that she DMed Lili the moment she left the show to apologize. Because that's just how she is. Emily is a fuck up, but she's an honest one.

Just an aside, but I gave her my mom's most endearing skill, the ability to cross one eye and keep the other straight. Something that never fails to make me laugh 🤣

Stay tuned, my post about Bobby's OC family is coming... eventually.

Thanks @longbobmckenzie for pointing out that my original post is missing for some reason.

[bubblepopsims]

after a while they all settled down at the bar and JuJu being the double extraverted being she was introduced herself and the gang. Maddi had decided to slip to the bathroom and Juju thought this was a perfect time to get to know Conner. J: "Hi conner i am JuJu. we heard "GREAT" things about you." C: " your the gay one right ?" J: "Excuse me?" I: "My love.." Juju was about to snap back when Emillie came around the bar, taking the seat that was once inhabited by Maddi.

E: "Wow conner you are already off to an AMAZING start with YOUR girlfriend's friends.." C: "oh well if it isnt Emillie." E: "oh well if it isn't Emilie." she mocked and rolled her eyes "God even your voice is just so fucking annoying, how about you do us all a favor and shut it okay?" C: "it was a simple question." E: "To start off with?! Are you dumb? how is that a normal conversation starter??"

C: "are you still talking?" E: "ahahah. wow..just wow. To this day i am still trying to figure out what she sees in you. You are literally the split image of a douchcano, Preppy prissy bitch boy." C: "That is bold coming from a low-income musician whose music is crap and thinks that having blue hair makes you edgy. " the arguing just continued scanning over to Izzi who was just trying to find Zen in this ridiculous argument they were having. "Juju in lingerie... Juju In lingerie... mmm yes... happy place..."

previous - next

[wvsteria]

event starters!!!!

doubling as a final starter call and just the main tracker for the event stuff bcs my event page is just a mess

there’s no longer a cap as i’ve gotten most of my owed starters finished

reply here who you want a starter for and from! and you can reference here for their ball outfits and moods

( 4 / ?? ) audrey rose | descendants | 22 | not aware

chad charming ( @devilsmenu ; owed to me)

evie grimhilde ( @ofxbloomed ; owed to them)

uma ( @youllalwaysbemyporcelain ; owed to them)

mal faery ( @drvcxrys owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) dani powell | prodigal son | 32 | aware

malcolm bright ( @mccnlighht ; owed to them)

jennifer walters ( @treasurerfm ; owed to me)

elizabeth swann ( @irongcld ; owed to me)

kyoshi ( @irresistiibles ; owed to me)

( 5 / ?? ) tara carpenter | scream | 19 | not aware

lexi howard ( @ofxbloomed ; owed to me)

randy meeks ( @recklcssabandon ; owed to them)

elijah mikaelson ( @hxartbreaker ; owed to me)

amber freeman ( @softsliders19 ; owed to me)

billy loomis ( @mischiefmuses ; owed to me)

( 4 / ?? ) bucky barnes | marvel | 32 | not aware

hayley marshall ( @ofxbloomed​ ; owed to me)

piper halliwell ( @stcrlvght​ ; owed to me)

peter parker ( @recklcssabandon​ ; owed to them)

gamora zen whoberi ben titan ( @drvcxrys ; owed to them)

jessica hamby ( @hxartbreaker ; owed to them)

( 5 / ?? ) arya stark | game of thrones | 19 | not aware

charlie dalton ( @nightwhispcrs​​ ; owed to me)

emmett cullen ( @stcrlvght​​ ; owed to me)

catra ( @dcpravities ; owed to me)

ygritte ( @mischiefmuses ; owed to me)

myrcella baratheon ( @drvcxrys ; owed to them)

( 6 / ?? ) missandei | game of thrones | 33 | aware

blathers ( @mvsicinthedvrk​​​ ; owed to me)

helga hufflepuff ( @stcrlvght​​​ ; owed to me)

drogon ( @youllalwaysbemyporcelain​ ; owed to them)

jorah mormont ( @mischiefmuses ; owed to them)

sansa stark ( @mgrhee ; owed to them)

kenna de poitiers ( @hxartbreaker ; owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) reva sevander | star wars | 28 | aware

jane margolis ( @mccnlighht​​​​ ; owed to them)

anakin skywalker ( @recklcssabandon​​​​ ; owed to me)

satine kryze ( @mischiefmuses​​ ; owed to them)

sella palpatine ( @mcrcki ; owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) jules vaughn | euphoria | 20 | not aware

craig manning ( @nightwhispcrs​​​​​ ; owed to me)

felicia hardy ( @devilsmenu ; owed to me)

lydia martin ( @treasurerfm ; owed to me)

tifa lockhart ( @mccnlighht ; owed to me)

( 3 / ?? ) bail organa | star wars | 30 | aware

leia organa ( @mcrcki​​​​​​ ; owed to them)

padme amidala ( @stcrlvght​ ; owed to me)

anakin skywalker ( @recklcssabandon​ ; owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) kc cooper | disney | 21 | aware

katie gardner ( @stcrlvght​​​​​​ ; owed to me)

diana holland ( @youllalwaysbemyporcelain ; owed to me)

allison argent ( @hxartbreaker​ ; owed to me)

marceline abadeer ( @softsliders19 ; owed to me)

( 4 / ?? ) margaery tyrell | game of thrones | 24 | not aware

katniss everdeen ( @nightwhispcrs​​​​​​ ; owed to me)

helaena targaryen ( @ofxbloomed​ ; owed to them)

sha hualing ( @mvsicinthedvrk​ ; owed to them)

sansa stark ( @mgrhee ; owed to me)

( 2 / ?? ) emily fields | pretty little liars | 25 | aware

hanna marin ( @mccnlighht​​​​​​ ; owed to them)

ainsley whitly ( @hxartbreaker ; owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) ekko | arcane | 20 | aware

jinx ( @mccnlighht​​​​​​ ; owed to them)

caitlyn kiramman ( @masqce ; owed to me)

yuri plisetsky ( @mvsicinthedvrk ; owed to them)

kirby reed ( @mischiefmuses ; owed to them)

( 4 / ?? ) laenor velaryon | house of the dragon | 24 | not aware

angelina johnson ( @likecometsx​​​​​​ ; owed to me)

ian gallagher ( @treasurerfm​ ; owed to me)

steve harrington ( @softsliders19​ ; owed to me)

rhaenyra targaryen  ( @mgrhee​ ; owed to me)

( 7 / ?? ) kiara carrera | outerbanks | 22 | not aware

xie lian ( @mvsicinthedvrk​​​​​​ ; owed to them)

john b routledge ( @treasurerfm ; owed to them)

mariana adams foster ( @nightwhispcrs ; owed to me)

esther mckinnon ( @irresistiibles ; owed to them)

jj maybank ( @irongcld ; owed to me)

lizzie saltzman ( @ofxbloomed ; owed to me)

asami sato ( @irresistiibles ; owed to me)

( 4 / ?? ) jacen solo | star wars | 27 | not aware

tenel ka djo ( @mischiefmuses​​​​​​ ; owed to me)

elara palpatine ( @dcpravities ; owed to me)

liu qingge ( @mvsicinthedvrk ; owed to me)

leia organa ( @mcrcki ; owed to them)

( 4 /  ?? ) nezuko kamado | demon slayer | 26 | aware

will byers ( @dcpravities​​​​​​ ; owed to me)

lee jordan ( @nightwhispcrs​ ; owed to them)

chihiro ogino ( @irresistiibles​ ; owed to them)

nami ( @mccnlighht ; owed to me)

( 4 / ?? ) rue | the hunger games | 20 | not aware

coraline jones ( @irresistiibles​​​​​​ ; owed to them)

luke patterson ( @irongcld​ ; owed to me)

azari t’challa ( @devilsmenu ; owed to me)

blue sargent ( @irresistiibles ; owed to me)

[infoarticle]

Exploring Toronto's Finest Tattoo Studios and Know Which Takes the Lead

When it comes to tattoo artistry, Toronto stands out as a city rich in diverse creative talents. Among the multitude of tattoo studios that grace the city's vibrant streets, Heartless Ink emerges as the true gem, securing its rightful spot as the best tattoo studio in Toronto. Renowned for its exceptional artists, impeccable hygiene standards, and a commitment to turning every tattoo into a masterpiece, Heartless Ink sets an unparalleled benchmark for the industry.

Join us as we take a closer look at Heartless Ink and some other remarkable tattoo studios that contribute to Toronto's dynamic tattoo culture.

1. Heartless Ink: Where Art and Passion Converge

Situated in the heart of Toronto, Heartless Ink is a studio that embodies the essence of creativity and artistry. Founded by visionary tattoo artist Emily Williams, Heartless Ink has garnered a reputation for pushing boundaries and translating ideas into inked reality. With a team of experienced and versatile artists, each with their own unique style and specialization, Heartless Ink caters to a diverse clientele, ensuring that every client's vision is brought to life in the most exquisite manner.

Heartless Ink is one of the best tattoo studio in Toronto as it provides unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and safety. The studio follows strict sterilization protocols, assuring clients a worry-free experience. Moreover, their dedication to creating a comfortable and welcoming environment ensures that clients feel at ease from the moment they step through the door until the final session concludes.

2. Ink Reverie: Where Dreams Take Shape

As we explore Toronto's tattoo landscape, Ink Reverie emerges as another prominent player that deserves recognition. Known for their ethereal and whimsical designs, Ink Reverie's artists possess a rare ability to transform ideas into intricate works of art. The studio's focus on custom designs allows clients to collaborate with the artists and craft tattoos that hold personal meaning.

3. Chroma Collective: A Fusion of Colors and Styles

Chroma Collective shines brightly on the Toronto tattoo scene with its emphasis on vibrant colors and a wide range of tattoo styles. Led by a team of artists with diverse backgrounds, Chroma Collective is a hub where different artistic influences blend seamlessly. This studio is an ideal destination for those seeking tattoos that are not just visually striking but also tell a story through a myriad of artistic techniques.

4. Serenity Ink: Where Tranquility Meets Expression

For those drawn to the intersection of spirituality and tattoo art, Serenity Ink offers a haven of peace and creativity. With a focus on Zen-inspired designs and calming aesthetics, Serenity Ink is the go-to place for individuals who wish to carry a piece of tranquility within their ink. The studio's artists excel in minimalist designs that exude powerful symbolism.

5. Urban Edge Studio: Where Urban Culture and Tattoo Art Collide

Celebrating the urban spirit of Toronto, Urban Edge Studio brings street art and tattooing together in a harmonious blend. Their artists are experts at incorporating graffiti-style elements, bold lines, and urban motifs into tattoos that reflect the city's dynamic energy. This studio is a testament to the fact that tattoos can be a canvas for expressing not only personal stories but also the spirit of an entire metropolis.

Toronto's tattoo scene thrives on diversity, innovation, and talent. While Heartless Ink claims the top spot as the best tattoo studio in the city, the other studios mentioned here contribute their own distinctive flavors to Toronto's rich tapestry of ink. Whether you're a first-timer looking for a meaningful mark or a seasoned collector seeking a new masterpiece, Toronto's tattoo studios have something exceptional to offer. So, embrace the art, creativity, and culture that these studios bring to life and find the perfect place to etch your story onto your skin.

[nikola-1]

Once upon a time in a small town nestled between lush green fields and a clear blue river, there lived a dog named Charlie. Charlie was a beautiful golden retriever with soulful brown eyes and a playful personality. He had spent his entire life in a small dilapidated dog shelter on the outskirts of town, hoping to find a home and a family he could call his own. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, but Charlie remained unclaimed. His heart longed for love and companionship, but each day brought only frustration and a growing sense of desolation. The barking of other dogs echoed through the shelter, but Charlie seemed invisible to those looking for a new furry friend. One chilly fall morning, a young couple named Emily and Mark stumbled into the shelter. They had recently lost their beloved canine companion and were eager to fill the void in their lives. As they walked through the rows of cages, their eyes were caught by Charlie, who was sitting at the gate of his enclosure with a wistful expression on his face. Charlie was wagging his tail, desperately hoping that this was the day he would find his new home. Emily knelt down, carefully reached through the bars and ran her hand through Charlie's fur. She felt the warmth of his body and the depth of his longing as he brushed against her fingers. Tears came to her eyes, and she whispered: "It's him, Mark. We have to give him a chance." Mark nodded, fascinated by Charlie's gentle nature and the spark of hope in his eyes. The couple approached the shelter staff, overwhelmed with excitement. The papers were signed, the dues paid, and Charlie's cage door swung open, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life. At first Charlie couldn't believe his good fortune. Emily and Mark showered him with love and affection, making him feel like the happiest dog in the world. They took him for long walks, played ball in the park, and even let him curl up in their bed at night. Charlie had never felt such warmth and contentment before, and his heart overflowed with happiness. The weeks turned into months, and everything seemed perfect. But then Emily received the news that she had been offered an incredible job across the country. The decision to do so tore at her heart, for she knew that their cozy little home would no longer be a good fit for Charlie. Desperate for a solution, Emily and Mark placed an ad online, hoping to find someone who could offer Charlie the love and care he deserved. Weeks went by, but no one showed interest in the middle-aged dog. Finally, the Anderson family got in touch. They lived in a large suburban home with a spacious backyard and were looking for a companion for their lonely Labrador Bella. The Andersons had lost their previous dog a few months earlier, and the emptiness in their lives seemed to be the same as in Charlie's. With a heavy heart, Emily and Mark agreed to meet the Anderson family. On a misty Sunday afternoon, they found themselves in the Andersons' living room, surrounded by family photos and the soothing aroma of homemade cookies. As tears came to Emily's eyes, she hugged Charlie one last time and whispered: "I love you, my sweet boy. It's better for you." Charlie's tail wagged weakly, as if he understood everything, but deep down his heart ached. It felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under his paws, leaving him unsteady and heartbroken. Just when he thought he had finally found his home, he was snatched away as if cruelly pranked. The Andersons, seeing the sadness in Charlie's eyes, promised Emily and Mark that they would give him the love and care he deserved. Emily's hand. unique stories not found on zen read here https://clck.ru/34tiK4

[star-anise]

Funny thing happened to me recently.

Twitter was on fire a few weeks back when a lady who runs a podcast about being a better writer tweeted about how shitty fanfic is and how "bleak" it is that young writers are cutting their eyeteeth on it. She got massively, massively dunked on, which I’m sure ruined her week but was pretty great for the spectators, but this story isn't about her.

I was clicking around in the discussion, and I found a guy who agreed with a lot of her points, and had tweeted like, "Good thing this lady's got everyone talking about fanfic, maybe it will drive traffic to MY new article about how terrible fanfiction is!"

YOU GUYS. THIS ARTICLE.

A jeremiad is a literary form named for the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah. It is a work in which the author bitterly laments the corrupt and immoral practices of their times, and preaches about how this break from humanity's more innocent past will lead to society's immediate downfall.

And this article's subheading is literally, "Fan culture’s endless search for “content” is leading us into artistic poverty."

You can read it here, but the basic gist is: Fandom used to be about creativity and telling new stories, but now it's just about sucking up whatever derivative drivel Disney wants to sell us and never demanding better from corporate mass media. Fans are slaves to capitalism and never resist being monetized or economically exploited!

At which point I was like... not only has this dude failed to prove that there was an Edenic "before" point, especially since he himself points out that Sherlock Holmes fans in the 1890s were clamouring for Arthur Conan Doyle to produce more content the same way Star Wars fans want new eps of The Mandalorian, but also, have you fucking met modern fandom?

And like, I get that in, say, video game fandoms, there are a ton of fans who scream loudly when their newest Call of Duty game release is pushed back two weeks because it's not like the people making the thing need to eat or sleep, and when it’s out they scream at any reviewer who doesn’t give it 10/10. But this guy specifically comments on stuff like Sherlock, Star Wars, and slash fandom:

"[O]fficial shows or books could offer ambiguous homosocial/sexual relationships between characters with a nod and a wink, while counting on fans to generate the more explicit possibilities of Johnlock on Archive of Our Own. The [copyright owners] could therefore capture audiences hungry for homoerotic content without needing to create any themselves [...] these corporations have realized that the existence of fan-made slash fiction means they don’t need to actually include diverse relationships in official works."

THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS

THAT’S NOT HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS

So I got Big Mad and I tweeted about it. And the author found and replied to my tweet, defending himself.

I pointed out how bad his takes were, especially since fan communities have been a leading force in the push for more diverse media over the last decade and fan frustration over Sherlock and recent Star Wars movies IN PARTICULAR led to mainstream publishing houses putting out books like Claire O’Dell’s A Study in Honor, where Holmes and Watson are Black lesbians, Zen Cho’s The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a Rogue One Malaysia-inspired wuxia Baze/Chirrut love story, and Emily Skrutskie’s Bonds of Brass, the Finn/Poe space royalty AU the movies never gave us. I stayed civil, and I think I made some pretty good points.

Because, uh...

The magazine @ed me to say they’d buy my response article.

My word limit was 1600 because that was all they could afford to pay me for, so I had to cut out the part where my eyes rolled out of my head because this dude called some white guy who published a Sherlock Holmes pastiche in 1949 “the first truly archetypal ‘fan’“, but I’m mostly over that. I worked out some of my rage and cut my initial 3400 word draft down. I tried to focus on the facts.

And... it’s up. You can read it here.

Please consider giving Blood Knife Magazine a high five for paying me to dunk on its assistant editor. It’s a digital magazine about science fiction and anticapitalism, and it’s funded primarily through its Patreon.

And if you like the work I do, please consider supporting me through PayPal or Patreon.

[criminalmindsgonewrong]

my mama’s in the kitchen, worrying about me

criminal minds fanfic rating k wordcount: 3.8k part of the ‘hotchniss future au’ series

Part of the 'Hotchner's Future AU' series. The Hotchner's are awoken in the middle of the night by phonecall; one of their kids needs them, as usual.

read on ff.net, ao3 or under the cut.

"The first things that she took from me were selfishness and sleep, she broke a thousand heirlooms I was never meant to keep. She filled my life with colour, cancelled plans and trashed my car, but none of that was ever who we are."

- Brandi Carli, 'The Mother'.

___

"Aaron." Her voice was warm, familiar, but not quite strong or urgent enough to pull him out of his slumber.

For most of his life, Aaron Hotchner had been a light sleeper. Always on high alert for an unprecedented work call and, later, the high-pitched, mewling cries of his children, he hadn't been able to fully relax into unconsciousness since his teenage years. In recent years, however, ever since his early retirement from active duty, in part due to injuries sustained at work and in part due to wanting to finally dedicate most of his time to his family and life at home, he had become a much more restful, relaxed person.

So it was that Emily had to raise her voice and roughly shake his shoulder to rouse him from sleep as his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

"Aaron!" She said, irritated by his ability to sleep soundly through it. Perhaps, when she retired in the next few years, she would achieve the same level of zen. Emily sincerely doubted it.

Finally, though, after a particularly vicious punch to his arm, her husband blinked awake, bleary eyed and confused, with a mumbled, "Wassup?"

"Phone." Emily told him, falling back against her pillow, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes and seeing stars.

Uncoordinated in his half asleep state, Aaron sat up, grasping for his phone, tiny in his hand, and blinked at the light as the screen flashed a name up at him.

Olivia

"It's Livvy," The clock read 2:30am and he was suddenly as awake as he had ever been, as was his wife beside him, already climbing out of bed and searching through the sheets for the sweats she had taken off only hours ago.

"Liv?" He answered the phone, his voice terse, and was immediately greeted by what sounded like a mewling cat on the other end.

"Daddy," His crying daughter said in relief, "Daddy, I'm s-sorry it's s-so late." She was stumbling over her words, having worked herself into such a state, and by the slurring, Aaron could tell that she was drunk.

Already up and pulling trousers on, the phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear, Aaron let his wife take it and put it to her ear, as he finished dressing. "Olivia, where are you?" Emily demanded of her daughter; no pomp or ceremony, and Aaron knew that, right now, Emily would not appreciate being told how much she reminded him of Elizabeth in those moments when she took a no-nonsense attitude with their children. Come to think of it, he didn't think there would ever be a right moment to tell her that.

"Mommy," Livvy's crying became more hysterical at Emily's voice and she collapsed into tears on the phone.

"Are you still at Sophie's?" Emily asked, already knowing the answer, and Olivia's sobs only confirmed it. Emily closed her eyes, biting back the reprimand that rose to her lips. "I have your phone linked to my Find your Iphone," she said, instead, "Just stay where you are and stay on the phone."

In their experience and line of work, a crying, drunk nineteen year old was a red flag, a cause for concern, and when it was their daughter, neither of them hesitated which was why, fifteen minutes later, they had pulled up outside of a dingy club that, from the outside, was nothing more than a red metal door on a wall full of graffiti, to find their youngest daughter sat in the rain, on the freezing cold floor, heels at her side and mascara on her cheeks.

She had stopped hysterically crying, instead being reduced to pathetically sniffling and as they pulled up, she hung up the phone. Aaron climbed out of the driver's side to bundle her up in his coat and Emily got out to open the back door. Livvy didn't even look at her mother as she climbed into the car, and Emily and Aaron shared a glance over the roof. Emily opened her mouth, furious and concerned in equal measure, but one look from her husband and she was restrained and, in that way, she was completely different to Elizabeth.

The drive home was completely silent, aside from the occasional sniffle from Livvy.

___

"Straight to bed, young lady," Aaron told his barely adult daughter as they stepped into the house, though he needn't have. "And try not to wake your brother."

Livvy dropped heels Aaron had never seen before at the bottom of the stairs, where they clattered on the wood, and Emily turned to Aaron, a furious expression on her face. He shook his head, and, to her credit, she said nothing. She chewed her cheek, folding her arms across her chest tightly as she shook her head, disapprovingly at her daughter's retreating frame. She turned to Aaron, shaking her head more vigorously in an I can't believe her kind of way, and walked past him, into their kitchen. Aaron watched Livvy disappear onto the landing, and waited for the click of her bedroom door closing, before following her mother into the kitchen.

"I can't believe her," Emily gave voice to the expression that had been on her face since they'd picked Liv up off the curb. She was clanging around the kitchen. She went into the glasses cupboard and, finding the shelf completely empty, slammed it shut with a bang. "She's so irresponsible. Out, at her age, dressed like that-" She was sounding like Elizabeth again, but there wasn't a chance in hell Aaron was about to tell her that. Finding the dishwasher was also bereft of glasses, Emily slammed that, too. "I'm so sick of having a house full of teenagers who never bring down their dishes," She shouted at the ceiling, unaware that it was 3:30am and Aaron approached her, taking her shoulders in his hands, rubbing gently to soothe her.

"You'll be lost in two years when Alex goes off to college and we've got an empty nest for the first time." He said, and Emily didn't reply because she was annoyed that he was right. He leaned his face against her hair, kissing her head. "What do you need a glass for?"

"To take your daughter a drink." She said, shortly, and Aaron smiled against the back of her head.

"She's your daughter, too, Emily." He said, going back to the dishwasher and taking out a mug. He filled it with water and crushed ice from the dispenser.

Emily was shaking her head, her lips pressed together in a tight line. He set the glass down in front of her and Emily regarded it a moment before she lifted rich brown eyes to his and shook her head. "Ava was never this difficult."

"Yes, well, sometimes I think Ava is too much like me for her own good." Aaron said, leaning his forearms against the counter.

Above them, they heard the familiar groan of the pipes that told them Livvy had started running her shower.

"And Olivia is too much like me." Emily pointed out, with a heavy, impatient sigh. She chewed her lip again, contemplating, then looked at him with sad eyes. "What is she punishing me for, Aaron?" The question took him aback and he frowned at her. "What?"

"When I acted out the way she does, it was because I was trying to punish my mother. For being absent, for being present. For making me move or making me stay. For my dad not being there, or for making me see him. So what is Olivia punishing me for?"

"Baby," Aaron moved closer to her, wrapping strong arms around her shoulders. Emily rested her hands on his arms, the fabric of the fleece he'd pulled on soft beneath her fingers. "I don't think Liv is punishing you. If she was, I don't think you would have been her first port of call tonight."

"I wasn't," She murmured against his chest.

"What?"

"I wasn't," This time, her voice broke a little and Aaron thought he might have to deal with two crying Hotchner women this evening, "You were."

She had him there and he took a moment before speaking again.

"Livvy is a spirited, outgoing, social girl. She has been all of those things since before she could even talk, so I don't think it's about punishing you, darling. Really. I think she's trying to find herself." He raised a hand to stroke at his wife's soft hair, "She's got you and Ava and Elizabeth to live up to. Not to mention the others; JJ and Penelope and Tara and Kristy. She's surrounded by so many women she's aspiring to be like and I can't imagine that's easy."

"I don't compare her to Ava," Emily defended and Aaron chose not to point out that she had done just that not five minutes before.

"Let's just give her the benefit of the doubt for tonight," Aaron suggested, "And try to talk to her."

"I'll go," Emily said. Above them, Liv's shower groaned as she turned off the water, and they both cast a glance to the ceiling. "You get yourself to bed, I'll be up soon." She kissed him, then turned to pick up the glass from the counter and headed up the stairs.

___

Olivia's room was a good reflection of her daughter. They had redecorated it a few years ago, for her sixteenth birthday and not much had changed since. The walls were a rich forest green, aside from one which Emily had insisted stay white, to brighten the room and make it appear bigger, but Olivia had since covered that wall with all manner of things; doodles and paintings, album prints and magazine cuttings, song lyrics and book quotes. It had become somewhat of a project; an artistic amalgamation and, though she didn't often venture into her daughters room anymore, whenever she did, Emily saw that Olivia had added to or changed it, always having a new verse or drawing. It was an unending project and there was a tin of white paint on the floor (Emily tried to ignore the splatters of paint on Olivia's cream carpet) so that Liv could always have a blank canvas; there was always a blank space, waiting for her, so that, should the mood take her, she would have the space to create.

The door to Olivia's ensuite clicked open and her daughter walked out, barelegged and wearing an oversized t-shirt that Emily recognised as once having belonged to Jack. Emily thought he'd handed it down to Alec but clearly Olivia had stolen this one for herself. Her face was scrubbed clean and red from the shower, the black trails of mascara gone from her cheeks, the red lipstick that made her look too old washed from her full lips. She looked at her mother and her cheeks began to flush, though whether she was embarrassed or preparing for a fight, Emily didn't know. She hesitated only a second when she saw Emily, then carried on across her room, throwing her dirty laundry at, not into, the washing basket, and climbing onto her bed with a thump.

"I'm really tired, mum," The shower had sobered her somewhat, Emily could tell. She shoved her comforter down with the heels of her feet, shuffled under it and then pulled it right up to her chin, turning over so she was facing away from her mother. "Can you just go? And turn out the light when you leave."

Emily looked at her daughter, remembering when she was so much smaller, all tucked up under her blanket, eager for her mother to read her a bedtime story. She looked at the back of Olivia's head, dark curls laying limp and knotted on her pillow and, even with her daughter right in front of her, found herself missing that little girl.

She padded quietly across the carpet, and sat down softly on the vacant side of Olivia's queen-sized bed.

"Sit up, have some water before you sleep." Her anger had somewhat dissipated, replaced by a quiet sort of sadness at her daughter's easy dismissal of her.

"I'm fine." Olivia said, stubbornly, into her pillow.

Emily paused for a moment, biting back the retort she wanted to snap at Olivia, then said, softly, "Just a sip, Liv, please. It'll help."

Olivia heaved a sigh, but she sat up, shoving down the comforter and turning to her mother. Aaron's eyes, though full of a defiance that Emily knew came entirely from her, met her own, as Olivia took the mug from her hands. She sipped, pointedly, at the water, paused, and then, with a glance at her mother, gulped it down until most of it was gone. Handing the mug back to Emily, and wiping the back of her hand across her mouth, she gave her a little, shy smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, baby," Emily returned her smile, setting the mug down on the side table. Her hand hesitated and she pulled open its draw, taking out the heavy, wooden hairbrush she knew she would find there. On it's back was painted an ornate O, in pink calligraphy and surrounded by tiny pink and white roses with big green leaves. A present from Auntie Penny, years ago. "Turn around."

Olivia didn't argue this time, turning away from her mother and letting Emily partition her wet hair. It was knotted, from the shower, but Emily was practised and gentle, and she didn't tug or drag. When she began to brush it, she started from the bottom, methodically working her way up, carefully teasing out any knots that she found, and Olivia barely felt it. She closed her eyes against the sensation, relaxing as she let her mother take care of her like she was a little girl again.

They were quiet for a while, as Emily teased out the knots that had formed in Olivia's hair. Where her curls had come from, Emily didn't know. Her own hair was naturally pinstraight; Aaron said his mother's hair had been straight, too. It was, like Alex's green eyes, an anomaly. Liv didn't strike up a conversation, and Emily didn't try to push one on her. She was just grateful that Olivia was letting her take care of her.

Emily spied something fluffy beneath the pillow on the spare side of the bed and, smiling, tugged it free. She held it out, over Olivia's shoulder. "Want Rocco?"

Olivia took the plushy from her mother's hand with a little smile, thumbing the fur of her stuffed raccoon. He had long since lost his tail, and one of his ears had split a long time ago so that it flopped, sadly, down towards his eye. He was greying on his brow, where she had rubbed away his fur over the intervening years since her first birthday, when Auntie JJ had gifted him to her, but he was still her Rocco. Out of habit, Liv brought him to her face, rubbing her nose against his head, like she had since she was a tiny child. It made Emily's heart ache.

"You brought him home from college." She said, casually, as though it were no big deal and not the sweetest thing to her.

"I take him everywhere, mom," Olivia said, in a small voice, as Emily finished brushing her hair. She tilted Liv's head back, gently, and split her hair into three pieces, beginning a french braid from her crown.

"Hm, you always have." Emily was quick, practised, and the braid was perfect, and the quiet, relaxed way Liv was letting her in made her confident, made her brave enough to ask; "Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Olivia was acting dumb, but that was fine, Emily didn't mind elaborating.

"About whatever had you so upset tonight, Liv." She smoothed out Liv's hair, which she thought needed a trim. It was longer than Livvy had worn it for years, reminding Emily of when she was younger.

"You're not going to yell at me for being out at a bar?"

"I thought about it," Emily said, honestly, with a hint of humour in her voice. Liv cringed slightly, and Emily took pity on her, "Your dad talked me out of it."

On another night, she might have blown up on her daughter. If Aaron hadn't been there, she for sure would have. But he was right; their daughter was a social butterfly, outgoing and exuberant. Emily was right, too; she was too much like her mother for her own good. Emily sighed, telling her so.

"Honey," she shook her head, "If I had a dollar for everytime I went to a bar with a fake I.D…" She trailed off, and Olivia was quiet for a moment, picking at Rocco's little black, plastic eye.

"You did that?" Emily wasn't about to tell her daughter all of the things she had done; she was sure Olivia didn't need more ideas putting into her head on how to worry her parents. Instead, she gave her an affirming "hm" and didn't elaborate any further. Olivia, though, seemed contented by that answer, and it made her brave enough to open up a little more.

"So there's this girl…" Ah.

Aaron and Emily had never been under any illusions about Olivia; not since she was four years old and pointed to Modern Family on the TV, telling them she was going to marry Sofia Vergara. Then when she was five, she was going to marry Harry Styles, and so on and so forth. Their daughter was an out and proud bisexual from childhood. It was a non-issue, commonplace in their household. It had never even been a discussion, just a fact, one that neither Emily nor Aaron had ever questioned.

"I see," Emily responded gently, waiting for Olivia to go on, not wanting to push and have her close up again.

"I don't know," Olivia shrugged, "I guess I thought she liked me," Her voice went quiet, like she was embarrassed, "But I saw her making out with some guy." Another shrug, "It doesn't matter. It's just hard, sometimes."

"What is, baby?"

"Being me," Olivia hadn't been this frank with her in a long time, and Emily felt she was treading on uneven ground, as though any wrong step would make her close up again, and who knew how long for. So again, she didn't force it, she just waited for Olivia to carry on, which, after a heavy sigh, she did. "Liking girls, it's hard to know when they like you back. It's still not really…normal, you know? It is, but it's not. Not like liking guys is. When I like I guy, I can be pretty sure he'll like me back." She gave a little shrug, "Maybe that's vain, I don't know. But with girls...you never know until you know and sometimes, by then, it's too late and you've already made a fool of yourself."

Emily finished wrapping the hair tie around the bottom of Liv's plait, taking her time, enjoying being this close to her daughter again; she couldn't remember the last time Liv let her do her hair. Maybe middle school? That was so long ago. Emily wondered, between then and now, how many heartbreaks like this had her daughter been through that she knew nothing about? With Ava, it was different. Not only had she been with Henry for so long that anything before him had been fleeting and fickle, but she had never hesitated to come to her mother with romantic problems. Emily had always been Ava's first port of call, in happiness or sadness. Olivia preferred to either keep things to herself, or, if she needed someone to talk to, she usually went to Jack or Ava.

"Hey," Emily rubbed her hands up and down Liv's forearms, "You have always been open with your heart. That's not a bad thing."

"It just never works out for me, mom," Liv was staring down at her hands, rubbing anxiously at Rocco's ears, one upright, one folded over, out of habit.

"Sometimes having a big heart leaves you open to getting hurt." Where Liv had gotten her openness, her frankness, her trust in people from, neither of her parents knew. They theorised that it came from her Uncle Sean, with whom Liv had always gotten along like a house on fire. "So this girl wasn't the one," She carried on, softly, gently, and Liv leaned back against her mother's chest, relaxed, calm. "She doesn't know what she's missing."

"You have to say that, you're my mom." Liv made to sit up, but Emily wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugging her, and Olivia didn't fight her.

"You're nineteen, baby," Emily reminded her, rocking her from side to side, like she was five years old again. "You've got time. You're going to find somebody amazing, and who sees how amazing you are. You're going to find someone who sees all of that love you have to give, and wants to give it back in return. I'm so confident about that, Livvy," And she really meant it, "You're too beautiful of a soul not to."

They sat there for a minute, Liv listening to her mother's heartbeat in her chest, feeling her breathe, finding comfort in the quiet and the closeness. Her night had been turmoil, between the anxiety of using a fake I.D, the heartache of seeing Dani kiss that guy, the fear of calling her parents to come get her. But she had called them. She always called them. No matter what kind of mess she got herself into, no matter the time of night, no matter how mad they would be, she knew her parents would always show up for her, no hesitation. It had always been that way, and she knew it always would be that way.

"Thank you, mom, for always being there for me," She mumbled, and Emily blinked, smiling, savouring that moment. She turned her head, pressing a kiss to Ava's damp hair.

"I love you, too, baby."

___

"Mother is a verb. It's something you do. Not just who you are."

- Cheryl Lacey Donovan.

[themonsterisinlove]

My copy of Zen Cho’s “Spirits Abroad” just arrived. :)))

“Prudence and the Dragon” was my introduction to Cho’s writing and it was so goddamn charming I’ve reread it several times since. Then I realized it was part of a collection of Zen Cho’s short stories, I listened to the audiobook on Libby (narrated by Emily Woo Zeller who did an AMAZING job), and I loved it so much I immediately ordered the above print copy. (And now I’m branching out into Cho’s full length novels, just started reading “Sorcerer to the Crown” this week.)

Now I’m going to sing it’s praises while keeping in the theme of this blog. Do you like monster romance? Do you like monster boyfriends, monster girlfriends, nonbinary monster datefriends? Queer monster romance? Do you want to read about non-western monsters/spirits/myths? READ SPIRITS ABROAD. Not every story in the collection has romance, but they all feature spirits/monsters from or inspired by Malaysian and Chinese stories/myth/folklore. Many of them also touch on immigration, diaspora, generational memory.

You can also find a lot of the stories from the collection online, free and legal! I’ll link to some below:

Prudence and the Dragon - near and dear to my heart. Monster romance, features Prudence, one of my favorite protagonists ever

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again - queer monster romance! This one made me a little weepy, but in a good way

Monkey King, Faerie Queen - not romance but IT’S SO GOOD PLEASE READ IT. One of my faves from the collection, it’s just a really good time from start to finish.

The First Witch of Damansara - not romance. A story about family drama, and an undead grandma!

The House of the Aunts - teen monster romance. another one of my faves, this one is SO fun and charming and heart-wrenching please read it!!! (tw for mentions of pregnancy and death during childbirth)

The Four Generations of Chang E - the only sci-fi in the collection, I think. Features alien romance, kind of?

起狮，行礼 (RISING LION — THE LION BOWS) - not romance. A sweet ghost story.

Okay, this has been my ramble about how much I love this collection of short stories. Please check it out and come scream about it with me.