#book club pres

[blackbird-brewster]

Friday Monday Fic Recs

What I've Been Reading:

JJ/Emily, Tara/Penelope || Rated: E || WC: 43,369 Author: @swpf

Why I Love It: This is such a great read! The introspective look at all of these women is both refreshing and titillating. I love both of these ships and watching two couples try (and often fail) to get the other pair together is one of my favourite fic tropes.

Tara/Rebecca || Rated: E || WC: 3132 Author: swpf

Why I Love It: If you want my full essay about how perfect this look at Tara/Rebecca is,, check the comment section of the fic. In the meantime, just know this is a beautiful piece that explores what it was like for Rebecca to watch Tara diffuse a bomb in the field in 17x06 and how that led to them getting back together.

Tara/Penelope || Rated: T || WC: 14,714 Author: swpf

Why I Love It: Hot butch mechanic Tara Lewis, need I say more?? This AU is delicious. The interactions between Penelope and Tara are so enthralling, I couldn't stop reading. This is an incredible little AU full of hilarity and queer joy. (And Queer Joy 😏)

JJ/Emily/Tara || Rated: E || WC: 1376 Author: Anonymous

Why I Love It: Je T'Emily smut!!!!! This is just extremely sexy.

Tara/Emily || Rated: T || WC: 1103 Author: @mammothluv

Why I Love It: The balcony scene in 13x16 is one of my favourite Temily moments in canon. This was a beautiful take on that scene and just a really wholesome fic. I'm always a sucker for Temily fluff.

What I've Been Writing:

Tara/Penelope || Rated: E ||WC: 13,268+ (WIP)

Notes: After this 'one-shot' evolved into a three chapter fic, I've decided to continue exploring this dynamic. There is definitely more to come, after putting together an outline of where I want this one to go, I think it could be around 8 chapters in total. Stay tuned for more hot, sexy, Dom Penelope!

[UNTITLED HOLIDAY FIC]

JJ/Tara || WC: TBD

Notes: It's that time of year again! This year's holiday romcom will focus on JJ/Tara! In the same vein of Homo For the Holidays, I'm planning for this to be a festive, Hallmark-esque, tropetastic, romcom fic.

[Ready To Be Loved - A Fooled Around Interlude]

Derek/Luke, Luke/Spencer || WC: TBD

Notes: This is the second installment of my three-part Fooled Around expansion! I'm so excited to share this look at how Luke and Derek came to be a couple. I've wanted to explore their relationship more ever since I wrote FAAFIL - Part 2. Not sure when this will be ready for posting, so just keep an eye out!

ICYMI:

JJ/Tara || Rated: G || WC: 1932

Summary: In the Jareau-Lewis household, there was a Halloween tradition of rotating who got to choose the family costumes each year. This year, it was six-year-old Michael's duty to choose the theme of their costumes…

More CM Fic Recs Under Cut

Past Friday Fic Recs:  [Friday Fic Recs - Tumblr] || [CM Fic Recs - AO3 Collection]

My Fanfic Master Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily] || [JJ/Tara] || [Tara/Rebecca]

2023 Rec Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily + Other Femslash]

2022 Rec Lists: [JJ/Emily] || [Tara/Emily] || [Other Femslash]

[blackbird-brewster]

Shoutout to the above, y'all are the real MVPs!!

I cannot count how many of my fandom friendships began as one or both of us being each other's repeat reader

Dude it is SO FUN and EXCITING to see a reoccurring reader. If you've commented a handful of times on an author's work, I guarantee that they recognize you. You can't imagine how many times I've excitedly informed my friends "the person with the funny cat image commented!" "- anon is back!!!!" and the friends've recognized who I was talking about because I talk about my commenters so often LOL. We love you all!!!

[likeshestoleit]

a classmate and I are doing a lil summer book club ✨

[chimerical-daydreams]

Love your It Never Happens au.

Question, in what order do they pick up the family members? Obviously Bonnie is first, and I'm guessing Siffrin is last? But what about the rest? Is it canon order(if there is one?) And how does king like they rest of the family?

Again, love the au. You don't have to answer this, but I would be honored if you did.

While I don't have anything concrete for now, I imagine the order would go something like:

Bonnie & Nille: live in the closest city to the coast where King washes up. King really leans on Nille for his problems, and would probably tell her anything. He helps offset Bonnie's constant enthusiasm, and acts as a grounding point for them.

Odile: Arrived by boat, so probably somewhere along the coast as well. King asks deeply respects her knowledge, and shares in her interest for Vaugarde's culture, but struggles getting past her emotional barrier.

Mirabelle: Dormont is pretty far inland, so it'll take a while for everyone to get there. King appreciates her more than he could express, so he settles for helping her out whenever possible.

Isabeau: Jouvente is the furthest town from the coat we know the location of. King gets a little flustered by his boisterousness, but form a kin of warrior's bond as the party tanks.

?. Siffrin: A wanderer. I actually imagine the group will have passed by them multiple times before he actually joins (because someone coughcoughLoopcoughcough keeps going away from him). King and Siffrin are very similar in many ways, but I feel like Siffrin would struggle with having someone who Sees Through Them, so he'd kind of avoid King a bit.

[lackadaisycats]

Lackadaisy Pre-Orders Status Update!

Some of you have made pre-orders for Lackadaisy items and are waiting for them to reach you. Here's what's up: Club Pins -

They're in progress! The pin backs are printed, and the metal castings of the pins have been made. We're waiting for the gold plating and enamel yet, but we expect these to be done and delivered soon so we can start fulfilling these orders.

------------------------------------------------

Lackadaisy Essentials Art Books -

They had a rough road trip on their way to the distributor. The pallets were damaged and the books arrived late, because that is just how the universe works, but the books themselves are fine! The distributor reports they've shipped most of them out already for Kickstarter backers. I've seen a number of people posting on social media that they received theirs this week, so keep an eye out!

For those of you who bought Essentials books in the Overflow sale in May/June, yours will begin shipping right after the remaining Kickstarter backer books are fulfilled.

[lucigoo]

A faunt, two dwarflings and their Uncles

No warnings. Just pure family friendly Halloween fun! As wel as to prove I can write fluff, see Bagginshield besties 😂😂

Summary: Bilbo takes his nephew and ward Frodo to a haloween party at the community center. There he meets two little boys dressed as dwarflings and their handsome Uncle who was also a fellow casualty of the Tolkien fandom.

And of course and excerpt:

Bilbo was looking around at the other children’s costume, noticing that Frodo was in fact the only hobbit. But he wasn’t surprised. Most of the kids were superheros of some sort. He saw no less than 3 Wonder woman costumes and at least 5 Captain America’s. He was pleased that Frodo still wanted to be a hobbit. He could blame it on the literary snob inside of himself, but after all, with a name like Frodo, he was just glad the boy embraced his namesake. As he was looking around, his attention was caught by two boys also near the food table. They were dressed as little dwarves, complete with toy weapons: one had a sword slung at his side, and the other carried a bow and quiver of fake arrows. Both had matching toy daggers that appeared to be carved from wood tucked into their belts, and what belts they were. Bilbo was sure they weren’t really gold, but they sure looked like it, decorated with fake jewels that shimmered in the lights. They also had large, clunky boots on that fit the look they were going for, and Bilbo couldn’t help but gasp at their fake beards. They must have cost a pretty penny with how wonderful they looked, and along with the boys’ naturally long hair, they were braided and beaded. The effect was stunning, and Bilbo was amazed at the sight of the two pint-sized warriors who looked like they could have just stepped out of Arda.

[winniemaywebber]

hi bestie!! from those intimacy prompts: could I please request “i’d rather sit and do nothing with you than do anything with anyone else.” for Jean & Croz, and “your collar’s all crooked, let me fix it” for Olive & Dougie? Love you honey!! 🫶

hi darling!!! I'm sorry these took so long - my brain didn't let me make a coherent sentence for a week and it was torture 💔 ily!!!! under the cut to save space

“i’d rather sit and do nothing with you than do anything with anyone else.”

Harry Crosby, newly enlisted in the United States Army Air Force, has a date to keep. Ever since he had set his eyes on beautiful Jean Campbell - Jeanie, he called her. Jeanie Bug, affectionately - in the debate class he had been ordered to take in order to get his GPA up, he had been taken with her. It was her beautiful brown eyes he had noticed first, her delicately rouged cheeks. But it was that smile, dazzling, so big it made those eyes sparkle that had made him fall for her - hook, line and sinker.

As he reaches the building to await Jeanie after debate club, he is greeted by a friend.

“Back so soon, Crosby?”

“Nah,” he laughs. “Waiting on Jean.”

“Of course. Say, which branch did ya choose?”

“Air Force. You?”

“Navy.”

Harry reaches over and offers his hand to his friend. They shake, a silent moment passing between them.

“Well, good luck, Crosby. See ya in a few years.”

“See ya, pal.”

At that moment, the classroom door swings open. Sweet Jeanie Campbell stands in the doorway, her cheeks flushed as she blows a strand of hair away from her head.

“Bing!” She runs to him, burying herself in his arms and sighing with relief. “How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long at all, Jeanie Bug. How was your day?”

“Ugh, don't even get me started–”

“Miss Campbell, you're up!”

“You're not done?” Harry questions, glancing glancing the lecture hall as the door closes. “I thought–”

“That's what I came out to tell you. We're running a little over time.”

“That's okay, darling. I'll be here, don't you fret.”

“Good,” she smiles, kissing him on the cheek. “Won't be long.”

***

An hour passes, Harry growing restless and beginning to pace the hallways. He pats his pockets numerous times, ensuring that he had in fact pocketed the small square box that had been sitting on his dresser for a week.

“Come on, Jeanie Bug,” he whispers to himself, checking his wristwatch. They'd missed the start of the movie by now, but there was still dinner - there was still time.

Thirty minutes later, she emerges, eyes tired and curly brown hair all over the place, as if she'd been stressfully running her hands through it.

“Darling,” she sighs, patting down her hair and smoothing her skirt. “You waited!”

“I told you I would, honey,” he shrugs, pulling her close to him. “We've missed the movie, though.”

“Oh, heck,” she replies, wincing apologetically. “That's what I get for being so darn competitive.”

“Hey, don't ever let it go. It's one of the many things I love about you.”

She pulls him into a quick kiss, stroking at his cheek as he blushes. “Come on,” he whispers, taking her hand. “Let's take a stroll around the park. It's a nice night.”

***

After a long walk, a bench to sit on is welcomed by the pair, aching feet finally able to relax.

“Sorry tonight was a bust, my love,” Jean apologizes again, laying her head on Harry’s shoulder.

“Hey, no need. This is nice. I'd rather sit and do nothing with you than do anything with anyone else.”

“Ditto,” she whispers in response.

“In fact,” Harry starts, moving from his spot on the bench and kneeling in front of her. She gasps, eyes immediately filling with tears as her glasses begin to fog up. He pulls the box from his pocket and opens it, revealing a simple gold band with a singular diamond. “I'd like to do that for the rest of my life. What do you say, Jeanie Bug?”

“Oh, Bing,” she weeps. “Yes. A thousand times over.”

“your collar’s all crooked, let me fix it”

“Darling, you look like you're about to pass out,” Olive says, observing Jules’ eyes as they glaze over. “Earth to Juliet,” she urges, waving a hand in front of her face to try and get her attention.

“S-sorry,” she stutters, shaking her head as she returns to herself. “I'm just–I'm so nervous.”

“About what, chickie?” Val pipes up. “You're marrying your boy. Smooth sailing from here!”

“Yes!” Vika replies, nodding enthusiastically. “This is the day we've been waiting for!”

The girls hear a clink from the other side of the room, Jean mixing her famous martinis for them all with equipment they'd procured from the hotel bar the night before. Jean had known that Jules would need a drink pre-ceremony, knowing those last minute jitters all too well. It was Jo that had somehow sweet talked Rosie into speaking to the barman, knowing his lawyer charm would work a treat.

“Here,” Jean says, shoving the glass into Jules’ hand. “Drink up, pumpkin. Only half an hour to go.” Jo helps Jean hand the glasses to the other girls, before raising her glass.

“The Bradys,” she says, everyone repeating her words. After a sip, her face contorting at the strength of the drink, she turns to Jules and places a hand upon her shoulder. “Now, doll. Do you need us to check up on anything?”

“If one of you could walk over to the church…make sure everything is set–”

“I've got it, chicken,” Olive soothes, draping the silk shawl that matches her bridesmaid dress over her shoulders. “Anyone wanna join?”

“Me!” Vika agrees, raising her hand.

“You're keen,” Olive winks. “I'll look at the floral arrangements - you go look at Benny.”

“Oh, hush,” she giggles, the alcohol already taking effect on her. “But I'm not denying it.”

“Cheeky!”

***

The gardenias and bows tied perfectly at the end of each pew, Olive takes a final look around the currently empty church. She takes a deep breath, sighing longingly over the day that's to come and is filled with so much excitement for her friends that she could burst into tears right then and there.

“Sis,” she hears, turning to greet the voice. Benny Demarco sidles up to her, squeezing her hand quickly before pulling her into a hug. “You look wonderful.”

“Oh, thank you, doll. Wait til you see your girl though.”

“She's–she's not my girl.”

“Not yet, Benny. Give it time.”

“I just–oh…oh my goodness.”

Her eyes follow his gaze, spotting Vika across the church. “There she is,” Olive whispers, chuckling at how Benny’s eyes soften upon seeing her. “Told you.”

“Holy sh–”

“Hey, no cursing in church, Demarco.”

It's Olive’s turn to soften, feeling Dougie’s arm wrap around her waist and plant a kiss on her temple as he squeezes her closer to him.

“I'll give you guys a minute,” Benny says, smiling at the couple. He begins to make his way over to Vika, who smiles broadly as he approaches.

“Wish they'd get it together,” Dougie murmurs, watching them.

“Don't we all,” Olive sighs, shaking her head. “Maybe Val can lock them in a room to sort it out, hm?”

“Worked for us, didn't it?” He laughs, kissing her deeply. “You look so beautiful, my girl.”

“As do you, lovey. Here,” she says, voice soft. “Your collar’s all crooked. Let me fix it.”

“What would I do without you, Ollie?”

“I don't think either of us want to find out,” she giggles, patting his collar as it's straightened to perfection. “There, baby. All done.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. Hey, our turn soon.”

“Our turn soon,” she nods, James taking her hand and toying with her engagement ring. “Blakely's first, then us.”

“I could just go ask now–”

She squeals as he jokingly pulls her by the hand towards the padre.

“James Robert, don't you dare!”

[no-where-new-hero]

This weekend I finally will sit myself down and play catchup on the EONMBC, but since I'm currently battling with the opening chapters of the WIP-that-hates-me, I'm realizing how good Maud was in the beginning of EONM for scaling the amount of detail of Emily's life we're allowed to see.

Like, Maywood and the "Maywood people" are purposefully vague. I remember someone said something like "who did Emily choose as her pallbearers (during her eavesdropping-on-the-Murrays scene) she doesn't know anybody." And to our eyes, this seems to be the case. Emily is certainly not close to anyone. But there are still butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers that Douglas likely bought from. He made enough of an impression on them to be disliked. They presumably went to church and socialized there (she writes sadly in her account book about her sunday school teacher moving away). I'm sure Ellen Greene would have chattered about the locals. Would one or two local ladies have flirted with the apparently beautiful Douglas?

But it's not important to us to know about them, so they fade into the background. Emily's integration (or lack thereof) into Maywood has no impact on the story--in fact, it works better that she seems to exist in her Edenic glass bubble, so that when she goes to Blair Water and New Moon, it gets written onto her as if onto a clean slate. Part of this is that she comes of age there, but it also works so well narratively because then we aren't bogged down by comparisons and other old baggage. It can all be new and wondrous and also suddenly very social. Hard as it is to believe, it seems like Emily never tried to make any friends at all with Maywood kids, even if she didn't go to school. Her account book is all just descriptions of sunsets and cat conversations, never people (we hear her biting tone in accessing people in the letters to her father, yet these also feel like a product of her fall lol).

This is all a lot of useless analysis, but I guess my point is that Emily clearly had a life in Maywood that LMM simply didn't find it worthwhile to focus on or describe because its only use would have been for nostalgia and that's not the story she's telling. And IDK I just think it's incredibly subtle in how she knows what she wants us to know and doesn't have to painstakingly "world-build" if it's not going to effect the plot. And her very vagueness contributes to her theme.

[crystallizsch]

Hi Ian!

How about 💬 for Yuusha with Ace or Deuce?

hiya janjan!! thank you for the ask 💖💖 (ask game here!)

YEAHH RARE HEARTSHACKLE MOMENT WITH YUUSHA!! when i saw this, immediately basketball club went into mind so i kind of just went with ace hgdksjflsda

Yuusha & Ace ━━━━━━✦

Ace invited Yuusha specifically to one of his basketball games. In the crowd, Yuu was one of the NRC team's loudest supporters. The prefect had also brought Grim and Deuce with her.

If Ace were to be honest with himself, he only cared about Yuu's support. Sure, Grim and Deuce's presence wasn't bad. More people aggressively "cheering" him on doesn't hurt. But it wasn't going to matter if they happened to be absent either since they were just a bonus.

This attitude towards Yuusha was like a kid looking for approval from an older sibling, which was weird considering they were the same age.

In between the last matches, Yuusha went down the bleachers to chat with Ace and hand him a water bottle.

♥️: Where's Grim and Deuce? I thought I saw them with you.

💜: They're going to be picking up snacks at Sam's shop. We'll celebrate back at Ramshackle!

♥️: Wow, a party for me? Sweet!

💜: Yeah as long as you win, Trappola. Or else we're kicking you out of your own congratulations party.

Yuusha didn't mean it though. They both know that celebration party will turn into a "cheering-ace-up-party" if they didn't win.

Ace laughed. Before Ace could continue the banter, he was called back out into the court.

💜: Don't disappoint us!

♥️: Like hell I will!

And with that encouragement, he'll help ace the court.

[feelingthedisaster]

everytime i watch a new tv show or read a new book set in usa, i just get even more confused how tf the educutional system works

[tdcloud]

The latest title in my catalog, Infaust is for the readers who love bad endings, fallen heroes, and a book that asks the question "When you've already seemingly lost it all, how much further can one fall?" Pre-order Infaust today to get the answer to that question. It'll shock you. I promise.

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A witch with a dead familiar is an outlier and an ill-omen to every village they pass through. Rehan Nadir is one such witch. The only jobs available to him are terrible ones, and vagrancy is his only recourse… At least, it was until he heard tell of the town of Hamelin’s plight. Stories of a malicious entity, a chaos god, have tormented the village for hundreds of years, and like clockwork tragedy has struck once more: while the adults gathered elsewhere, the children were spirited away. No trace of them has been seen since. The town is desperate to bring them back. Very desperate. Finding and returning the lost children would be just the thing to give Rehan a new chance at the life he lost after the death of his familiar, and if all it takes is killing a god of chaos, then he’s more than ready to take the plunge and open that door. Unfortunately, he just didn’t anticipate opening a few more in the midst of dealing the finishing blow.

Infaust is a dark romance recounting the tale of the witch Rehan Nadir and the elusive chaos god known only as the Piper. Trapped in a world where even the very dirt wants them dead, the two must depend on one another to escape—and along the way realize that perhaps the definition of a happily ever after really is a subjective one.

Contains psychological horror, violence, dubious consent, protag corruption, villain "love interest", blood, descriptions of being burnt alive, and other gruesome acts. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Signed copies + merch boxes: https://tdcloud.itch.io/infaust

Am/zon pre-orders: https://amazon.com/dp/B0CRX5M7TX

[blackbird-brewster]

Friday Fic Rec

Tara/Peneleope || Rated: T || WC: 14,681 Author: @swpf

Summary:

Tara is a mechanic, killing time while bored on a slow day at work. What happens when she meets a new customer?

Why I Love It: TARA!MECHANIC AU!!!! Need I say more? (no, but I will anyway) This is the Tenelope AU you never knew you needed. Everything about this fic is perfect, but my favourite aspect was simply how perfectly in character Tara and Penelope are. I highly recommend giving this one a read.

[uwmspeccoll]

Fine Press Friday 

This week we are sharing Notre Dame de Paris, by Victor Hugo, translated by Jessie Haynes, illustrated by Flemish artist Frans Masereel (1889-1972), and printed by French printer and typographer Robert Coulouma for the members of the Limited Editions Club in 1930. Victor Hugo’s novel Notre-Dame de Paris was originally published in Paris in 1831, and first published in English in 1833.

This edition, illustrated in wood-engravings by Masereel, is printed in two volumes which are divided into 11 books, each book begins with one full page illustration and a chapter header. Including the frontispiece there are 23 unique illustrations.

Masereel worked primarily in France. He produced many wordless graphic novels in relief printmaking and has been described as a father of the modern graphic novel. He was also key figure in the revival of the relief print, which has been used to illustrate books since the introduction of moveable type in the 15th century. Masereel’s cleanly cut, easy-to-read relief prints compliment the typography making it well suited to the book format.

The paper is Velin d’Arches and he book was set in Monotype Bodoni and printed by Robert Coulouma, master printer in Argenteuil, under the supervision of artist and designer Henri Barthélemy. Both Volumes are bound in a soft paper cover.

Our copy is a gift of Loryn Ramadka, from the collection of Austin Frederic Lutter.  Printed in an edition of 1500 copies, our copy is number 1113, the number for long-standing LEC member Austin Fredric Lutter of Waukesha, Wisconsin. This set is signed by the illustrator in the colophon. 

View more Limited Edition Club posts. 

View more Fine Press Friday posts.

View another Fran Masereel post. 

Teddy, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[rrcraft-and-lore]

If you want to help out the people who were devastated by Hurricane Helene, consider getting a copy of APPALACHIAN STRONG: A CHARITY ANTHOLOGY FOR HURRICAN HELENE VICTIMS.

All proceeds go DIRECTLY to folks who've been affected by the hurricane.

Being put together by @johnhartness & Falstaff Books. Stories by @JonathanMaberry , Sherrilyn Kenyon, Robert J. Sawyer, Maurice Broaddus, Richard Kadrey, L. Marie Wood, @ChuckWendig , A.J. Hartley, Diana Peterfreund, Kat Richardson, Drew Hayes, Matt Dinniman, Me, and many more!

The anthology includes reprint stories all rallied/grabbed up ASAP to help raise money for the victims.

[ura-niia]

Social anxiety be damned your girl was yapping on stage in front of people and did an improv discussion about the benefits of reading to students from a different school

[meya-lily-writes]

pre-relationship. garak feels he isn't getting the attention he's obviously entitled to and gets all haughty and fussy over it. it can go down however, as long as it's a bit silly.

Here it is! I hope you like it.