#award winning writing

[thatcerealkiller]

This scene is dear to me because I didn’t care for Astarion as a character when I first played BG3. I went into this game completely blind, I knew only that it was DnD based. I recruited him because that’s how you build a party but I didn’t do much with him because my Tav was already a rogue type. I was neutral to him and didn’t pay mind to what he liked or disliked. Then he came on to Tav at the party and I thought “Intriguing. Seems like harmless fun.” so I let them have a fling. That’s when I started noticing him. His way with words, his little mannerisms, his motivations. A little intrigue grew like wildfire just as he started to catch feelings for Tav. Now I love this guy and I’m down with the Astarion sickness. Every award absolutely deserved. Well done Neil and Larian 👏

[wonderarium]

date night

[diazsdimples]

Several Sentence Sunday

Tagged by @wikiangela @daffi-990 @thekristen999 @bidisasterbuckdiaz @theotherbuckley and @jesuisici33, thank you friends.

It's still Sunday somewhere, right?? Okay so I lied when I said I was only going to post one snippet of the Why Are Buck and Eddie So Dirty at Madney's Wedding Fic (this is not the title), but then I didn't get it completed on time so have another! Ngl not writing Buddie has been odd but I am absolutely loving writing Happy Buck and him being soft and squishy. So please enjoy a little bit of Bucktommy/Tuck/Tevan/Kinkley/whatever their name is rn on the way to Madney's wedding

“You - uh - you know my parents are going to be there, right?” Buck says, his voice slicing through the silence in the jeep.  Tommy chuckles, taking his eyes off the road for just a moment as he looks at Buck with a twinkle in his eye.  “Yes, Evan, I figured your parents were going to be at your sister's wedding.” “A-and you're okay with that? Meeting my parents, that is.” Buck twists his fingers together, something he does when he's nervous.  “Of course I am, I wouldn't have agreed to come otherwise.” Tommy glances over at Buck again, and his easy grin disappears as he takes in Buck's tight expression. He reaches over and takes Buck's hand, lacing their fingers together as he rubs his thumb over Buck's knuckles.  “Hey, you okay? What's going on?” Buck sighs and shifts in his seat as he brings his and Tommy's hands up to his mouth, brushing the gentlest of kisses against the back of Tommy's knuckles. Tommy's hand is warm against his lips, and he can very faintly smell the hand soap in his apartment, along with some of Tommy's cologne. It calms him, just the smallest amount.  “Yeah it's just -” Buck huffs, not sure where to even begin on the subject of his parents. Sure, they may have made nice after Buck's brush with death, but there is a big difference, in Buck's mind, between forgiving, and forgetting.  “My parents can be kind of… mean.” “Mean?” Tommy echoes, raising an eyebrow “Yeah, we have a sort of complicated relationship, a-and you know I haven’t told them about, you know, us yet. I’m a little nervous about how they’re going to react. My mother especially can say some pretty unkind things.”

[...]

They’re at a red light, so Tommy takes the opportunity to reach out and tap Buck’s chin, gently guiding Buck’s head in his direction. “Hey, look at me, baby. We’ve got this. It’s a wedding, not a war.” Buck laughs derisively, but allows Tommy to press a soft kiss to his cheek nonetheless.  “You have no idea.”

No pressure tagging @hippolotamus @watchyourbuck @neverevan @spotsandsocks @steadfastsaturnsrings @exhuastedpigeon @wildlife4life @cal-daisies-and-briars @actuallyitsellie @rainbow-nerdss @babybibuck @bibuckbuckgoose @loserdiaz @giddyupbuck @fortheloveofbuddie @spagheddiediaz @evanbegins @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @kitteneddiediaz @elvensorceress @underwater-ninja-13 @shortsighted-owl @loveyouanyway (lmk if you want to be added or removed)

[wildsaltair]

BONUS

[starbuck]

people talk about how we shouldn’t put “romantic love” on a pedestal and consider it more important than “platonic love” or “familial love,” but have we considered not sorting love into categories to begin with? Have we tried that?

[thealogie]

yea something about seeing david tennant do a canonical crowley love confession finally pulled me into the tennant trenches

it’s really all about the “and I would like to spend hnnmmng” like he really ruined some lives and brains with that line delivery

[am4zon]

like this and you get something.

[essektheylyss]

I highly recommend local bookstores because nowhere else can you pick up a book that is no different from any other books around it, which include publications by such authors as Ursula fucking Le Guin, and discover only once you get home that it's printed in batches of 200 and doesn't even have an associated ISBN. This has happened to me multiple times, and it is the best. This is not ironic, it's the funniest experience and you really will only get this kind of appreciation and uplifting of local and small artists in indie bookstores.

And also those books will usually knock your fucking socks off.

[save-the-villainous-cat]

wow isn't it cool that All Quiet on the Western Front won some Academy Awards in 2023, the same year in which Germany started to ban pro-Palestine protests :) isn't that amazing how we have learnt absolutely nothing?

[greenerteacups]

hi GT!

Lionheart had me the moment you kicked it off with “it’s a nice day to start again.” Might i ask why you chose that particular line?

And, if you havent already answered to this emoji:

❄️

P.s: you have my eternal gratitude for creating the most brilliant piece of writing i’ll ever read. I shout about it from the rooftops, share it on my socials, requested my spouse to read it so we may discuss it together (in lieu of a present for my 30th birthday), et cetera.

I see from your URL you are a fellow lad of taste.

There's a couple things going on in the epigraph for Book 1. On one level, it's a lyric from the first muggle song I picture Draco listening to on his walkman at the end of the book, so there's a cute full-circle thing there. The second layer is the theme of change and redemption, which, in Lionheart, doesn't so much come from major moments or self-sacrifice, but from the slow, grueling, everyday work of living, and living better. It's a nice day to start again because every day is. You always have the opportunity to start making better choices, no matter what lies behind you. That's the thesis of any Draco redemption arc, right? You have to imagine that he could have chosen to be better.

And then thirdly, there's the audacity of doing a full Hogwarts canon rewrite, a good 30 years after the original books came out, millions upon millions of words of fanfic later, and basically asking everyone to read the same story they did the first time around, only different. So it's a kind of winking entreaty. It's saying to readers, many of whom are understandably wary of doing it over, zeroing out the characters to starting positions, and starting from the beginning with 11-year-olds all over again. It's going: "hey. That was fun, right? Why not do it again?"

[funkytoes]

"is this movie featuring female empowerment roles ACTUALLY bad or are men just sexist" - me whenever a movie with unconventional and/or very powerful female leads gets super bad reviews from male movie critics and youtubers lol

[acertainmoshke]

I was thinking today about the fact that I’m finally confident enough in my writing to believe I’m good at it (thanks writeblr community!), and I’m building the patience and skills to actually finish a publishable project, and after all that I couldn’t take it if it never got to a point where people could discover it at the library or their local bookstore and go “oh cool” and pick it up, so I think when I get to that point (in 12-18 months probably) I will try the tradpub route first and only do it all myself if they demand fundamental changes or no one shows interest

[randlemartin]

gotta hand it to tom hanks. crossroads is such a well directed episode

[gentil-minou]

wangxian rookies in showbiz au where newbie idol Wei Wuxian is on set of a commercial wearing a ridiculously uncomfortable outfit getting yelled at for dumb reasons by his incompetent agent while bottom-of-the-totem-pole production assistant Lan Wangji is being bossed around by the awful director

Except wwx isn't actually a newbie he was once popular child actor Wei Ying seen everywhere, the golden boy of the industry known for his upbeat personality and the smile constantly on his face.

That is until his final role when he was 13 where he played a dark jaded teenage psychopath in a psychological thriller and was forced to perform intensely emotional scenes without any counselor or anyone there to keep an eye on him (his manager at the time Madam Yu's focus was always her other children's careers, Wei Ying was just an extra way to make money you see). He even got badly injured on set, and now has an ugly burn scar above his heart from a poorly done fire stunt.

But the movie flops and things just keep getting worse from there...

It gets no attention from critics that is until former golden boy becomes the teen misfit all the gossip rags talk about, with constant cover stories showing him at 15 doing drugs and partying and eventually getting kicked out by his manager/aunt at 16. The narrative becomes clear that Wei Ying is a flop and another failed child star turned deplorable diva

He disappears for a few years, only ever coming up in a low budget TMZ special or some commentary youtuber's videos, but Lan Wangji never forgot him.

Lan Wangji had often worked with his uncle when he came on as a consultant on set and so was able to watch and admire Wei Ying from afar. He's especially fond of Wei Ying's role as the happy go lucky middle child on a popular sitcom role and his smaller movie roles where he played a genius child inventor and solved crimes alongside a precocious bunny rabbit.

So well Lan Wangji has always been a fan of him so he's shocked when the new idol on set of their cheap commercial stage looks so similar to Wei Ying.

But at the same time, they're not the same at all. While Wei Ying was known for being friendly and silly, Wei Wuxian is acting like a pompous and cocktail overly confident ass, flirting with the director and everyone else while making a show of whiny and being cutesy with hopes for more screentime.

It's very unnatural and there's a moment where LWJ thinks he must have been mistaken but there's a moment in between when he's running back and forth on the producer's order while balancing cups of coffee when he spots WWX sitting by himself, huddled in a corner of the soundstage deep in the shadows where no one else is around.

He's staring at the fingernails they've painted and stuck gaudy fake jewels on and fiddling with the ridiculous black demon wings he's wearing, as he picks at the layers of makeup and stickers they've put on his face. He's tugging on his red crop top, cut indecently short and revealing so much, as watery eyes dart back and forth in front him like he's worried someone important might see.

In general he doesn't seem anything like the person he was under those lights just minutes ago.

As lwj approaches he sees that actually wwx shoulders are shaking his hands are clenched into fists, his eyes shut tight so that his makeup doesn't run

Wei Wuxiann watches as the director is barking orders for someone to fix the set as another idol takes wwx's place and finishes the shoot. Apparently his acting wasn't "peppy enough" so they've replaced him with someone else

But this was his first gig in months, years actually but months since he tried to come back and for it to fail like this, so fast without anything to show for it is absolutely devastating. He'd tried so hard to give them what he thought he wanted, desperately hoping for his big break. Only to fail again.

What does he do? What can he say? Why does he even bother?

He's staring at the floor like it might have the answer to all his problems when a pair of white sneakers appear.

He tracks those sneakers up to meet the stonefaced stare of one of the PAs he's seen running around, the youngest one who's been doing the most menial tasks. He looks somewhat familiar but his face is impassive and wwx can't tell at all what he's thinking

The PA hands him a bottle of water that wwx takes with both hands, too taken aback to do much else. Then the PA slips his headset off and sits next to him, the black faux feathers of wwx's wings brushing against the PAs arms, though he doesn't seem to mind

And so they sat. Two nobodies hidden in the shadows of a forgotten corner in a busy studio, far from the reach of the shining spotlights and stage. Little by little, wwx finds it easier to control his breathing and stray sniffles.

Eventually, the PA starts taking off his hoodie, revealing a plain white t-shirt underneath. He reaches into his pocket and holds out a marker for wwx to take as he turns so his back is facing him.

When wwx, understandably confused, doesn't do anything, the PA glances over his broad shoulders and just says "Sign, please."

Wei Wuxian blinks waiting for the punchline but it never comes. He's not even on the roster for any boy group, just a trainee idol whose only fans are the diehards who follow the trainee circuit and his sister. And this guy doesn't seem like the former and he definitely isn't the latter.

But the PA just sits and waits, back facing wwx.

Eventually, almost mechanically, he signs his new autograph, the one where he uses the 2 W's to make a smile.

He asks for a name to make the signature out to, and the PA answers in a quiet hesitant voice that he can barely hear over all the background noise, "Lan Zhan."

That name sends a spark up his spine like it should be familiar but wwx can't figure out why. So he finishes his autographs with a star and a flourish. He hasn't gotten to test out the new signature yet. He thinks he likes it better than he'd expected.

Wei Wuxian beams up at him, heart beating a beautific beat against his ribcage and asks, "Why would you want a signature from a nobody like me?"

He means it as a teasing joke but the PA, Lan Zhan his brain corrects him, gives him a grave look that steals the breath from his lungs.

"You're not nobody, Wei Ying"

Lan Zhan takes the marker and slips his hoodie back on, covering the autograph with their two names side by side, and with a final nod he walks away, melting into the general chaos of the production floor.

It takes a long moment for Wei Wuxian to realize he'd never told the guy his real name.

(originally a threadfic here)

[imperatorrrrr]

Jack’s one sided feud with Roman growing even stronger…. first his boyfriend and now his BROTHER?!

Journey with me into the Jack Hughes v. Roman Josi Cinematic Universe.

Here you'll find endgame Roman Josi/Quinn Hughes, established relationship Nico Hischier/Jack Hughes, MVP Luke Hughes and his boyfriend who is down to clown, Simon Nemec, and a whole cast of supporting characters and cameo appearances.

Important Events:

Quinn Hughes v. Roman Josi 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Nico Hischier giving up the C for Roman Josi when he joined Team Switzerland after Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks kicked Roman Josi and the Nashville Predators out of the playoffs.

Quinn Hughes' Norris Trophy Acceptance Speech feat. a special thank you to Roman Josi.

Roman Josi training with Quinn Hughes and the Hugheses and their cohorts in Michigan Summer 2024.

Jack Hughes One Sided Beef with Roman Josi:

Jack's feeling a type of way about being stuck in Michigan with his healing shoulder, while his older brother is in the playoffs, his younger brother is at Worlds, and his boyfriend is also at Worlds.

Jack watching Nico give up his C for Roman and everyone make a big deal about it.

Jack watching Nico turn into a giggling mess around Roman as they win games together, celly together, strategize on the ice together, and make it all the way to the Worlds final together and win silver together.

Quinn thanking Roman fucking Josi in his speech when he wins the Norris at the NHL Awards.

Roman showing up to train with the Hugheses.

Quinn giving interviews and being secretive about the things he and Roman discussed.

Jack going back to New Jersey to finally be reunited with his Captain only for said Captain to be yapping nonstop about all the things he learned from watching Roman be a Captain at Worlds.

Luke absolutely stoking the flames of Jack's one sided beef.

We get to the Olympics and its been a couple years of two of the most important people in his life absolutely gushing about Roman fucking Josi all the god damn time.

Plus, Luke, who just says things to rile Jack up.

Jack having to watch in real life in front of his salad, Roman and Nico cellying together, playing together.

Jack having to watch in real life in front of his salad Roman and Quinn flirting.

and it all comes to a head in what will hereafter be known as The Incident

featuring guest spots by the Chucky Brothers, Jesp and Petey in the stands being bitchy and judging everyone, Team Switzerland: Siegs and Timo and Pius Suter and Nino and Kurashev and JJ Moser, Sidney Crosby watching and reporting everything to Geno, the New Jersey Devils who aren't at the Olympics having a watch party because they know Jack is going to absolutely erupt, and much much more.

and most importantly, Roman Josi has no fucking idea.

coming to an AO3 near you at some point in the future when I finally write this crackfic of my dreams.

[ratwavegamehouse]

The Rascal community-sourced announcements have details on the new Webstore I've just opened for Rat Wave Game House.

"At launch the store features six titles, three of which are currently exclusively available through the Rat Wave webstore. First there's To Embrace a Swamp Creature, a Belonging outside Belonging game about mentally ill swamp things, reminiscent of Night in the Woods as well as films like Shiva Baby and Appropriate Behaviour. Then there's An Illustrator's Guide to the Dreamtlands, a solo journaling and sketching game using the artwork of Wassily Kandinsky. The final exclusive is The Story of a Story, another solo game this time with the player assuming the role of a story told round the camp fire as they evolve. Beyond these initial exclusive readers can also buy copies of Transgender Deathmatch Legend, The Infinite Dancefloor and Follow Me in the Night direct from the source."

I reckon after fulfilment it's probs the main place Ritual Magic for Besties will be available. I'm also thinking of experimenting with running pre-orders for a future new release (Godslingers)

Anyway, feel free to give me money anytime you want