#digital signatures for email

[exclaimeruk]

Exclaimer

Exclaimer is the industry's leading provider of email signature solutions, empowering businesses to unlock the potential of email as a key digital advertising channel. With its award-winning tools, organizations can simplify the management of email signatures to deliver consistent branding, promote marketing campaigns and company news, gather real-time customer feedback, and much more.

Over 60,000 organizations in 150+ countries rely on Exclaimer for their email signature solutions. Its diverse customer base includes Sony, Mattel, Bank of America, NBC, the Government of Canada, the BBC, and the Academy Awards.

Contact Us;

Address: Farnborough (HQ), 250 Fowler Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7JP, United Kingdom

Phone: + 44 (0) 1252 531422

Website: https://exclaimer.com/

Business Email: sales@exclaimer.com

[msharkness]

Severus becoming headmaster: Finally, a position I'm suited for. Merlin knows I already almost ran the place, so why not make it official?

Severus seeing the announcement in Witch Weekly with his promotion: I, uhm, are these people serious about this? Investing money for an announcement no one cares about *rips page and frames it, displaying it in his bedroom.

[next-genbusiness-cards]

Create Personalised Email Signatures.

[senadimell]

You know, as a young ish person who's grown up in a primarily digital world, there's something really grounding about spending time with people older than my parents. Went to a Guild activity last night and it was delightful being with the older ladies there.

Someone offered to drive me home because it was over an hour back to my house by public transit. We're in a city, and she took me back to my home by driving through neighborhoods and back roads, in the dark, to a place she hasn't visited in four years, without a GPS (before I gave her a landmark to drop me off at, I gave her my exact address and she got frustrated with the search engine and said she would just use the paper map in her car).

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with a friend's parent's coworker/boss/friend, and she told me I would learn to find my way around and would know the area like a native. It strikes me that this is what she meant, but she wasn't right--if I were to live here for years and go about it as I had been doing, I wouldn't get native knowledge of the area because I would just be relying on GPS and not actually navigating. If I want to really learn the area, I have to pay attention in a way I only learned how to do (and rarely use) because I spent six months in a foreign country without a smartphone or computer.

The lady who drove me home said something to the effect of "you're new to the area so you won't criticize the route I take. I'm just going to take the way I know so I won't get lost." What I don't think she realized is that even if I had been here for years, I wouldn't criticize the route she took, because I lived in my last area for six years and didn't even learn the name of the highway I took weekly. Stupid GPS brain.

So I'm going to Guild meetings for a Formal Skill, but there's all sorts of other basic, hidden life things that I wouldn't learn on my own. It's also been striking to realize that there's a major gap in expectations about how people operate in the world. Nobody above a certain age who's talked to me about the routes I take seems to realize that I don't actually know the names of roads and exits, or that it's possible to get around. I don't want to continue in ignorance, but if I did, I could get around in a smartphone, live here for probably ten years, and only learn about four street names.

[brainmuncher]

So I had another idea come at me while making lunch (I'm starting to sense a pattern with myself, lmao)

What if when Jazz sends out letters to the colleges she wants to get into, she gets sent rejection letters from every single one... except the local community college. She's absolutely devastated about it. She thought that she did everything she could to be chosen. How could every single one reject her?

Danny, of course, hears about it and asks Tucker to check and see if something happened digitally. Surely, Technus or Vlad or someone messed with something to sabotage her. But when Tucker checks, there's absolutely nothing wrong. She still has her perfect grades and attendance record all set with no marks. Her community service hours are all there. It's only when he looks at the letters themselves that he finds the problem...

After looking online to see what the letters look like, he comes to a puzzling realization... the letters were fake. It's a good fake, but it's not the real thing. The signatures were off, and the writing had been changed.

This is what leads him down the rabbit hole.

He tries to ask about it online to ask others who've also been rejected. Except nobody is answering him.

Sam tries to call the numbers listed on the websites of the colleges... but the person who answers is strangely unknowledgeable about the college they represent.

The only college that seems normal about it was the nearby community college. And that somehow feels the least normal about everything.

It was only when he heard his mom complaining that they never heard from family anymore after they moved to Amity that he figured it out.

Containment. Nothing is leaving Amity. No emails, texts, letters, or posts online. Everything was being blocked.

Of course, this sends him on a mission as to why and how. He spends weeks on it. Sam and Danny actually began to become concerned for him. No, this isn't a pride thing, Sam. And yes, he is taking care of himself, Danny.

Technus is the one who gives him the answer. It was just a passing comment about how he needed to funnel through the GIW in order to infect the world. It didn't make sense to any of them because surely that's the last place you would want to do that. But then it dawned on Tucker. That's who has the power needed to do it! That's where he needed to look!

So he hacks into the GIW and is astonished by what he finds.

The anti ecto acts aren't real. There's no laws even acknowledging ghosts.

There's a file on Phantom, marked as 'candidate for X'.

And all he can find on the containment is a name he's seen described as the creator of the GIW and the main supplier of funds.

Amanda Waller.

[joelsdagger]

🚨 if you voted in a swing state and you get a call from an unknown number in the next 24 hours, answer it!! it might be a lawyer trying to cure your ballot so it can count. hundreds of thousands of ballots get rejected for things like digital signatures not matching what’s on file. many are reporting a lot of these among gen-z voters who do not know how to sign their ballots and it's affecting the election. and many states will continue to cure ballots days after the election.

if you are contacted, they will ask you to appear in-person at an official location to attest your ballot. 🚨

EDIT: CHECK YOUR EMAILS TOO!!!!

[lilyprettyremy]

Mastering the It Girl Life on Campus/ at school : Confidence, Class, and Style

On-Campus Essentials: Sophisticated and Ready to Conquer

Structured mini tote – Think sleek and polished. Choose something that says "I'm on my game" while fitting your essentials: a slim laptop, your chic planner, and a pair of sunnies.

Signature scent – A travel-sized luxury perfume, like Byredo or Le Labo. It leaves a lasting impression without overpowering.

Hydro flask in a neutral tone – Hydration, but make it aesthetic. Bonus points if it matches your outfit.

Protein bar or matcha to-go – Snacks are essential, but we’re keeping it elevated. Opt for a protein bar with clean ingredients or a homemade matcha latte in a reusable tumbler.

AirPods Max or sleek earbuds – Perfect for tuning out the noise between classes with a curated podcast or chill playlist, keeping your energy cool and collected.

In Class: Own the Room with Confidence and Intelligence

Effortless note-taking setup – Digital is where it’s at. Use a tablet with a stylus for sleek, organized notes that sync across all your devices. Bonus: it looks high-tech and minimalistic.

Command attention – Sit where you can engage, but it’s not about the front row anymore—it’s about being present and prepared. Contribute thoughtfully when needed, and stay poised.

All-in-one app for organization – Ditch the old-school planner. Use an app like Notion or Google Calendar to sync your schedule, assignments, and deadlines. Effortlessly keep everything streamlined and on point.

Refined confidence – Instead of always speaking up, choose your moments wisely. Command attention through well-thought-out points that showcase your intellect, not just participation.

Breaks Between Classes: Elevate Your Downtime

Mini face mist – A refreshing face mist with a subtle scent keeps your skin hydrated and glowing, giving you a post-class refresh. Think Tatcha or a rose water mist.

Quick mirror check – Always have a compact mirror to do a quick hair and lip check. It's about looking polished and put together without effort.

Reset with movement – Walk around campus to stay energized, but with intention. Pop in your favorite playlist, take in the surroundings, and use this time to clear your mind before the next task.

Digital declutter – Use breaks to clear out any unnecessary tabs, update your notes, or respond to quick emails. Keeping your digital life tidy is the new version of looking organized.

[sits-bound]

Bound: A bunch of fics by @cricketnationrise

These two binds were created for the @fandomtrumpshate auction that @cricketnationrise won. (Technically, the first was for the auction, the second was just a bonus.)

Collected Cricklets (aka "Cricket's Ficlets")

This bind is a collection of over 100 ficlets in four collections representing four different fandoms. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to typeset this, it was a fun challenge. Here's what I did:

Each fandom got a different font

The page header (?sider?) had the collection name and fandom name and page number.

The time or date (all fics had a place and a time and/or date) were in a digital clock font.

Each collection opens with a title page foiled in gold (should have been silver, alas.)

I wanted to include the summaries and tags and other metadata for each ficlet, but I didn't want to clutter the pages too much, so I put them in the back as an appendix.

The cover design includes symbols from all of the fandoms (Check Please!, Red, White & Royal Blue, Tortall, and Parasol Protectorate.)

Defining Expectations

I learned how to make a hardcover pamphlet bound book recently, and I decided as a bonus I was going to bind this wonderful fic as one. It's a little long for a single signature bind (27 sheets!), but it worked in the end. I used this tutorial from DAS.

This one was fun for a few reasons. First, there were texts and support tickets and emails and definitions, and I had to figure out how to typeset them all to make them stand out in the text. Then, I decided it should look like a dictionary, so I used faux leather (from Dollar Tree, it's great for binding) and took inspiration from a few dictionaries for the cover and title page.

And, okay, I may have had too much fun with the photo shoot for this one.

Thanks again Cricket for bidding on my auctions! I very much enjoyed putting these together.

[panthera-dei]

Technomancy 101

Hi, friends! I'm back with another witchy FAQ from the past couple weeks. This time from the world of tech magic!

Here are some quick TL;DR technomancy tips for those who may not want to read the long FAQs post beneath the cut:

1. Chest spells (like a jar spell but with a chest filled with in game items that match the intent)

2. Poppet spells using the game characters by giving them items or altering their names/appearances

3. Similar to a chest spell but not necessarily magic per se - using chests or sheds with in-game items as altars and/or offerings

4. Build a shrine / altar / temple with offerings, or leave an item such as a torch in the game world as an offering

5. Burn/bury/destroy ingredients to activate a spell with the desired effect

6. Write an affirmation or a spell on a sign or other in-game item and destroy it to activate as a sigil

7. Build a golem or animal pen or something as a servitor for protection

8. Use some form of sympathetic magic connecting in-game items to IRL items

9. Light sticks, flashlights, plastic lightsabers, and toy sonic screwdrivers make *awesome* wands, especially if they light up and make noise.

10. The possibilities are limited to your imagination!!

(I am choosing Wittgenstein from The Brave Little Toaster movies as my mascot for tech magic, simply because I like him and because I can. Image credit - Fandom Wiki.)

What is technomancy?: Technomancy, techno magic, and tech magic are all terms for a form of magic that utilizes common modern technology, such as smartphones and video games. Technically, “technomancy” could refer specifically to divination with technology; however, in my experience, the term usually has a broader meaning in common usage. I personally tend to use these terms interchangeably, with perhaps a slight preference for technomancy, since I learned that name first.

What are some forms of technomancy?: Common forms of technomancy include digital sigils, emoji spells, shufflemancy, video game spells, and video game altars.

How do I create a digital sigil?: The ways are about as unlimited as creating a physical sigil on paper. You can use a drawing app on a smartphone or tablet, find a digital sigil generator online, use a photo editor on a picture, or even add a string of charged letters to an email signature (just make sure they blend in!).

OK, and what's the deal with emoji spells?: Yes, this is an actual thing (though not a thing that I'm particularly experienced with). They're pretty straightforward. They can be done like a sigil - string emojis together and charge them. Or like an actual spell - put them together and send to cast, or like to charge and send/reblog to cast.

What kind of games can you use for technomancy?: Any of them. Minecraft is a very popular one. So is Stardew Valley. Skyrim and other RPGs are other common choices. As with other forms of magic, the only real limit is your imagination.

What kind of spells can you cast in a game?:

Chest spells - like digital jar spells - are very common.

Poppet spells are another common choice. In games that allow you to create a character, or in games where you can give items to an NPC, you can turn the character into a poppet of someone and give them an item to cast the spell. For example, if I wanted emotional strength, I could create a Skyrim character as a poppet for myself, and have the character drink a strength potion to cast a spell of strength for myself in the real world.

Burying or burning items in games like Minecraft can be done to cast spells that are similar to physical spells that require burning a paper, bay leaf, or other ingredient.

Enchanting! Use the enchanting function in a video game like Skyrim or Minecraft to enchant a physical object. For example, you might choose to connect a physical scarf to a shield in Skyrim, and when you enchant the in-game shield with a damage resistance effect, voila! You now have a fancy enchanted scarf to protect yourself from spiritual attacks.

Customize your avatar to your advantage! In games such as Sky: Children Of The Light, where you can accessorize your character, you can equip different items to cast a different spell on yourself. For example, you might use the Saluting Captain's staff as a cosmetic to cast a spell of protection on yourself, or you could use a particular cape as a spiritual veil.

For deity work & spirit work, consider creating a space in your game (e.g. a chest, shed, home, biome, character, etc.) dedicated to the entities you work with. For example, temples and altars in Minecraft are common. Devotional sheds and chests are popular in Stardew Valley. I’ve named some appropriate Pokemon after an entity or dedicated the critter to them. You can even place a torch or candle in the game world as an offering.

There are lots more out there, too! This list is a starting point, not a limitation. Use your imagination and swap ideas with others, too!

How exactly does all of this work?? How is it possible?!: OK, so the principle behind tech magic is that you're harnessing the energy of multiple sources.

First, the device itself (and if you're using something like a Switch, the cartridge or other physical media). Each of these items has its own materials - electricity, glass and metal, etc. And each of those materials has a magical property that you can use... Glass and metal come from the Earth and have their own correspondences, while electricity is pure energy in itself.

Second, you have the energy of symbolism, or as I like to think of it with a butchered sociology term, symbolic interactionism - i.e., the idea that we create our own reality (or our *perception* of reality) via symbols. In other words, the power of correspondences! A candle is still a candle whether it's physical or digital. Lapis lazuli has the same qualities in this world that it does in a pixelated version. And so forth. So when you use the correspondences in digital spell work, provided that you raise the energy, it can and does have real world consequences. Similar to doing magic in the astral as opposed to the physical world... you are making a conscious decision to connect a digital item to an effect either in the astral and/or physical worlds.

Finally, you're also harnessing the power of belief and the energy of attention, which is where the chaos magic concepts start to come in. The digital worlds are real because you believe they are and you pour parts of your energy and personality into them - and so do *millions* of other people, in many cases. All of that energy is sort of like a reservoir in these games and it's just waiting to be harvested for spell work!

So… This is another subset of chaos magic, then.: Pretty much, yes. I haven't seen it categorized as anything else yet, except for in those cases where technomancy is given its own category.

And what did you mean by “energy of symbolism” again?: Correspondences. Both traditional ones and your own. For example, obsidian corresponds with protection IRL. So if you were making a chest spell in Minecraft for protection, you'd want to consider adding an obsidian block to your spell. Some of this is also stuff that you can brainstorm on your own and explore! Like for example, in the Elder Scrolls series, there are several plants and items that don't exist IRL, such as the corkbulb root - but in the game, that item can be used to make a potion of healing, so for me, it has a healing correspondence. Also, if the game you’re playing has spells already, you can consider how to adapt those spells to affect the real world in a logical, realistic way! Many pop culture magicians have done a great job of turning Pokemon moves into real spells, for example. So feel free to play around (pun intended) and see what works best for you!

How come you only mentioned shufflemancy once in this whole entire post??: That, my friend, needs to be a post for a later date. I assure you, I absolutely can (and probably already have, and probably eventually will) write an entire post about shufflemancy.

How come your formatting is crap?: Because I wrote all of this on a smartphone and pieced it into a post with the mobile app. Bear with me. XD

Where do I learn more and fact check you, smarty-pants?: Tumblr. The answer is usually Tumblr for this kind of thing. Or sometimes Discord. Like pop culture magic, techno magic is simply very new. Some tags to search include tech magic, techno magic, technomancy, video game magic, etc.

[runningwithscizzorz]

Sorry if this isn't where questions about your commissions go, but I'm really bad with navigating new websites and stuff like that haha

For the contract, do I have to email you first and then fill out the form? Or do the form, submit it, and then send a picture of the signed contract via email?

Sorry, I'm very easily confused haha

No worries! Here's the process, 1. With your commission in mind, look through the price sheet and specify what kind of commission you want and the price of it 2. Go to the google form on my website and fill it out, putting in your email/contacts (I've seen some people ask this, but if you're somehow unable to sign the form, you can just take a screenshot of the end of the form with your digital signature either typed out or signed) 3. I, the artist, look through your google form application, then I am the one who contacts you based on the contact you provided. Therefore, you are not the one who initiates contact, I am👍 This is for safety reasons and to keep me from becoming overwhelmed with messages

[arsonistmoth]

Commissions are Open!

Times are a little rough right now and I find myself in need of help paying some crucial bills! So! It is commission time!! Any bit helps and is appreciated greatly.

A few basic rules:

-As an artist I do hold the right to refuse any commission, it might be that I am not confident in my skills enough for what is asked Or the subject matter might be way out of my comfort zone. There are things I will and will not draw buddies!

- All payments must be in US currency (usd) and through P@ypall!

-Payment is asked for once I have finished the cleaned sketch of your flat or full piece and have your OK on how the piece looks.(With sketches It is an upfront payment)   -Now, I’m no mind reader, So a Colored reference will be required for each character! If you have a ref but it is not colored I /am/ willing to work with you on color picking but that might add a slight charge to your bill depending on how long it takes to decide on hues! -IF you only have a description of your character or you want me to DESIGN the character for you, that will be a significant additional charge as that sort of work adds hours onto the process. - You may repost your commissioned piece but please, do not crop out my tiny signature  and Please remember to credit me wherever you post! - I do not haggle my prices. -Characters with complex markings May require an additional complexity charge. just based on how wild we're talkin.

Things I wont draw

Fandoms that do NOT allow commissions of their artwork Heavy NSFW (think sexual themes) [I only draw these themes for those who are 18+ and are willing to prove as much. no minors allowed] No fetish art Certain pairings(ask me DM and i will let you know if that pairing is ok for me to draw) No underage/Incest/selfcest and things the like. This is an  /instant/  no  and potential block from me.

Ref sheet rules:

Ref sheets will vary in price based on a number of factors. Complexity of design, number of additional details included, whether or not i design the character for you. All these things can have a hand in the final price of the ref. If you are interested in this option we can discuss your budget and what all you are looking to include. I am always happy to work with people :>

All my artwork is digital and once the piece is complete you will receive the HD, Unwatermarked version in DMs. The version i post publicly will have my main watermark.

Interested? shoot me a message via tumblr/twitter messenger or over at my email sunlitgoat@gmail.com ! Twitter: Gingergoats BlueSky: Goatsgalore

[tacticaltaxonomist]

The Commission page is easier to read HERE thanks to additional formatting.

Fanart and all original human/furry/creature characters welcome!

Price: 15-50€ (ca. 16-54$) OR Donate any amount (+1€/$) to a charity supporting Palestine.

Slots: Unlimited (Queue is public HERE)

Queue: 0

Price: 15-50€ (ca. 16-54$) depending on style and complexity (consider 15€ as 1h drawing)

Payment Method: Paypal or Kofi (no accounts needed)

Charity for art!

Donate any amount (+1€/$) to a charity supporting Palestine and get art. - send me a screenshot of your receipt (date, amount, charity) - art complexity depends on amount you donated, but i'll draw you at least something small! List of charities you can donate to: UNRWA https://www.unrwa.org/ Doctors without Borders https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/palestine Defense for Children Palestine https://www.dci-palestine.org/ Palestinian Red Crescent Society https://www.palestinercs.org/en United Palestinian Appeal https://href.li/?https://upaconnect.org/ Heal Palestine https://healpalestine.app.neoncrm.com/ eSims for Gaza https://t.co/VtvHlIRdWs Care for Gaza https://twitter.com/CareForGaza Medical Aid for Palestinians https://www.map.org.uk/ ANERA https://www.anera.org/ Help Gaza Children https://helpgazachildren.notion.site/ Sulala Animal Rescue https://sulalaanimalrescue.com/ Palestinian Youth Movement https://palestinianyouthmovement.com/ BDS Movement https://bdsmovement.net/

Timeframe: 1 week once it's your turn in the queue, first come first serve. Need it by a specific date? Let me know! Specs: Digital art in format of a PNG image, average size is around 1500-3000px square. Need a specific size/ratio/format/dpi? Let me know! TOS: - Art will have a readable signature, but no watermark. - The signature may not be removed. - You may post the art wherever you'd like, with credit to my TH, Tumblr, or KoFi. - I can post the art wherever I like. - Digital art file only. - No refunds, unless I can't deliver. - Limited revisions at my discretion. - Won't draw sexually explicit art. Nudity ok! - May decline drawing gore designs. Inquiries welcome!

Contact: You can alternatively reach me via Email: tacticaltaxonomist at outlook dot com Discord: tactax Tumblr: tacticalTaxonomist / tactax-art Toyhouse: tactax

How to Commission:

1) Contact me by replying here, sending a DM, or via the alternatives in "Contact"

- What character do you want? - What do you want to pay? - What kind of art do you want (see examples below). - Tell me a pose / emotion / outfit / vibe / meme you'd like! - Tell me what coverage you want, like full body / half body / bust / headshot! - If you have no pose/emotion etc. in mind, please tell me about your characters vibes. If you don't give any information regarding pose, vibes, coverage etc when you contact me I will assume 'whatever' is ok, I will not dig for details.

2) Wait for me to confirm that I accept your commission! 3) Make payment. Easiest on Ko-Fi: Below 'Support tactax' enter 12, list your username and/or the characters name in the 'Your Message' box so I can identify you. (Charity option: Donate and send me a screenshot of your receipt, via email or Discord would be easiest. Do not post this publicly. On screenshot I'd like to see: date, amount, charity) 4) Wait your turn in the queue, and for art to be posted!

Pricing

I don't do a strictly-set price range, because different characters and coverage take different amounts of time! Just tell me what you want, and I can tell you if your budget works / I'll do it for less / I'll do it for more / where we can cut corners to make it fit what youre willing to pay :)

Art

This is also easier to view / get full sizes HERE, or right-click and 'open in new tab' to view bigger. And yk, this is my art blog :)

↓Memes (also say a style)

↓Icons/Tokens (also say a style)

↓Style: Doodle (very simplified, soft colors, chibi-ish)

↓Style: Sketch (no color, might have a few grey shades/highlights for distinction)

↓Style: Colored Sketch ( like sketch but with soft colors, slight shading/lighting for depth)

↓Style: Cellshaded Sketch (proper full color, usually a bit cleaner than just sketch / colored sketch, solid colors and cellshading, highlights, gradients, the whole thing)

[elialys]

Anna Torv Fan Book

✨ DOWNLOAD a PDF version of this booklet ✨

Once again, this project can only happen if enough people participate. Please reblog this post, even if you don't plan on participating! We are scattered all over the world, but if we work together, we can make something great ❤️

[OFFICIAL TWITTER PAGE] ✨ [Link to the initial Announcement post explaining the project]

TRANSCRIPT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS UNDER 'KEEP READING'

1 - HOW TO PARTICIPATE

You'll be able to participate in 4 different ways:

Short letters

Thank you notes

Pictures (of you) with sign

Fanarts & Cosplay

2 - INFORMATION

This book will be made physically, not digitally, which means most things will be printed out and added to an actual scrapbook. If able, anything written is encouraged to be handwritten, as it adds a personal feel to it! Anything handwritten will need to be photographed in good quality so that it is legible once printed. The thank you notes/signs can be in your native language!

Signatures with your name and country are optional but highly encouraged! We want Anna to know she’s got fans all over the world.

3 - SHORT LETTERS

Write a short letter thanking Anna for her work. The content is up to you. You can thank her for her work as a whole, or you can focus on specific characters she played. Write about what they mean to you, how they made you feel, etc…

You can thank her too, of course, for being a lovely human being, as she has inspired many of us, but please avoid mentioning anything we know about her personal life.

ONE PAGE MAXIMUM

4 - THANK YOU NOTES

Write a simple note that says “Thank you, Anna!” or variations of it, such as “Thank you for Olivia” or “Thank you for Wendy”.

Handwritten notes on little pieces of paper are highly encouraged for this. Get creative if you don’t want it to simply be on a piece of paper!

For the digitally savvy, you are more than welcome to make something digital, as long as it’s not too big, so we can put several notes on a page.

5 - PICTURES OF YOU

Take a picture of yourself (with your face visible or hidden), holding a sign that says “Thank you, Anna!” or variations of it, such as “Thank you for Helen” or “Thank you for Tess”.

You are welcome and encouraged to get creative on the sign!

6 - FANARTS & COSPLAY

There are so many incredibly talented people in this fandom. If you have made fanart for Anna or one of her characters, don’t hesitate to submit your work. (We won’t include AI generated work.)

If you have cosplayed some of her characters, we would also love to include your pictures!

7 - CONTACT US

You can submit your contribution or ask any question through:

Twitter: @at_fanbook

Email:  at.fanbook@gmail.com

If anyone would like to physically mail us their submission to be added to the book, please let us know so we can provide you with a postal address. Don’t hesitate to message us if mailing fees are an issue, this is part of why we’re working on setting up a project fund!

YOU CAN SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE THING! (e.g. a letter and a picture)

8 - DEADLINE

The original deadline was August 15th, 2024. We received many wonderful submissions throughout the summer, but we are extending the submission period to get as many contributions as possible. Therefore, there currently is no fixed deadline.

[sterekreversechallenges]

Sterek Reverse Bang 2024

**TIMELINE**

*April 15, 2024* - Sign-ups open via Google form

*May 30, 2024* - Art due, sign-ups close

*June 2, 2024* - Art goes up for viewing

*June 8, 2024* - 7 pm UTC - Claims round 1

*June 9, 2024* - 7 pm UTC - Claims round 2, if necessary and until all art has been claimed.

*June 14, 2024* - Check-in 1: Teams must confirm that they have made contact and are good to collaborate.

*July 14, 2024* - Check-in 2: Team update: Writers submit an outline of 200-500 words to their artist for comment and mods for check-in.

*August 11, 2024* - Check-in 3: Writers should have 3k written. They will submit a draft link to the mods and their artist. Artists will confirm that their writer has been in communication with them and that they have seen the draft.

*August 30, 2024* - Last day to request a pinch hitter and receive a one year ban. Dropping after this date will result in a permanent ban.

*September 14, 2024* - Check-in 4 aka The Final Check-in: Teams must confirm that they are on schedule to post. Writers will receive a link to a Google form for submitting their drafts. Drafts should be 80 % done with any parts/scenes that are not yet complete outlined. Artists will confirm that their writer has been in communication with them and that they have seen the draft.

*October 6, 2024* - All collaborations posted to the challenge collection on AO3.

*October 11, 2024* - Moderated posting starts and runs until all collaborations have been posted.

**RULES and EXPECTATIONS for all Participants**

Sign-ups open April 15th via Google Form.

By signing up to participate you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the rules.

While the mods will send out reminders in the Discord server, it is your responsibility to meet the Sterek Reverse Bang deadlines.

Communicate with your partner within 48 hours of your claim being confirmed. Mandatory partner check-ins should be met as well. This is meant to be collaborative and fun.

>>>Check-ins are mandatory and deadlines are strict.<<<

Participants must be 18 years or older.

Participants need an email address that they check on a regular basis, a Google account for sign-up and submission forms, and must have a Discord account.

Any questions or disagreements should be taken to the mods.

**GUIDELINES for ARTISTS**

In the regular reverse bang round the following types of art are accepted:

painting/drawing (traditional, digital, mixed)

mood boards

fanvids (min 30 sec)

original gif sets (min 6 gifs)

>>All art will be uploaded through a Google Form so you must have a google account.

>> In the spirit of anonymous claims, no watermarks, signatures etc. are permitted during initial submissions! If you are worried about art theft, you can add "Sterek Reverse Bang" as a watermark. Signatures will be added for the final posting with the fics.

>> Artists are limited to submitting one or two pieces.

>> Art must not have been published before, been a commission, or be associated with a fic at the time of claims.

>> When you submit your art, it should be finished. You may of course keep working on it until posting.

>>You may choose to create more art or headers for longer fics but this is not a requirement.

>>If you do not regularly have communication from your writer or you have not seen an actual draft as a deadline approaches, please contact the mods.

>>If you feel like an explicit dislike of yours is being disregarded by your writer, you are not being kept up to date with major story changes (especially when the deadline is approaching), or your input is not being heard, please contact the mods.

>>TLDR Your mods are here to help but we can’t help if you don’t talk to us.

**GUIDELINES for WRITERS**

>> Minimum word count for fics in this challenge is 10k.

>> Artists' prompts and requests need to be followed unless both writer and artist agree to something else.

>> Squicks and triggers have to be followed without discussion.

>>Authors may not demand or request changes to the art. The artists may offer to do this, but that is up to the discretion of the artist.

>>Fics must be in English.

>>Submitted drafts for check-in must be typed and be in a standard document form (.docx or Google Drive). iOS extensions or photos will not be accepted.

>>Writers must follow all check-in dates, including sharing an 80% completed draft with the mods and their artist by September 14, 2024.

>>All fics should be posted in their entirety on the submission date.

>>You must tag for any of AO3’s major warnings and use appropriate tags, including the Sterek Reverse Bang tag.

>>All fics need to be beta read. If you need help finding a beta reader, you can ask on Discord. Mods for the bang will not assign beta readers.

Like a regular Bang, a Reverse Bang is meant to be a collaboration between artist and writer. Think of your artist like a partner in your creative process and follow the sharing guidelines that we have laid out in terms of sharing outlines and drafts. Everyone has their own creative style, but do be willing to listen to the input from your artist as you write. One of the joys as a writer is having a collaborative partner to bounce ideas off of and talk through your WIP. Your artist will probably love to be part of this process.

>>>This means that you should regularly be sharing drafts with your artist.<<<

>>TLDR Your mods are here to help but we can’t help if you don’t talk to us.

**Dropping**

>> Should any participants drop before claims, no harm done, no worries.

>> Should any participants drop out after claims without extenuating circumstances, participants may not be allowed to take part in the next round. In any case, talk to your mods! There is usually a solution, both for the person dropping and the person remaining in the bang (e.g. finding a pinch hitter), and the sooner one is figured out, the better.

>>If you drop before August 30, 2024, and request a pinch hitter, you will receive a one year ban. Dropping after this date will result in a permanent ban.

>> Should a team wish to drop out by mutual consent, they may do so, but may not post their work as part of the Sterek Reverse Bang Collection.

**COMMUNICATION**

The STRB is meant to be a collaborative effort between artist and writer. Part of the fun of the process is working with another creative person to make something new in the Sterek fandom. With that in mind, we have a set of things you should be talking about with your partner.

**First check-in: June 14, 2024**

Teams must confirm that they have made contact and are good to collaborate.

Talk to your artist/author partner and exchange:

Names and pronouns

Account names (AO3, Tumblr, Discord)

Best way to communicate

Any general ideas you have

**Second check-in: July 14, 2024** - Team update

Author to Artist contact

Writers submit an outline of 200-500 words to their artist for comment and to mods for check-in.

**Third check-in: August 11, 2024**

Writers should have 3k written. They will submit a draft link to the mods and their artist. Artists will confirm that their writer has been in communication with them and that they have seen the draft.

**Fourth check-in: September 14, 2024** - The Final Check-in (insert klaxon siren here)

Teams must confirm that they are on schedule to post. Writers will receive a link to a Google form for submitting their drafts. Drafts should be 80% done with any parts/scenes that are not yet complete outlined. Artists will confirm that their writer has been in communication with them and that they have seen the draft.

Artists and writers are free to decide mutually on how much contact they wish to have and in how much detail they wish to collaborate.

🟡 **Check-ins** 🟡

All Check-ins must be done on time and are mandatory. Missing a check-in forfeits your art prompt (writers) and will result in a year ban (before August 30th) or permanent ban after August 30th.

**SIGN-UPS**

Sign-up via Google Doc

https://forms.gle/xt1pm2UY3HospyAPA

You may sign up as both an artist and a writer.

[idontknowreallywhy]

Tried but failed to reach a conclusion on what I’m loosely calling the paint mystery but the majority of the chapters have deviated so wildly from any kind of plot that I may have to rethink whether it’s a story or just a collection of scenes.

Unrefined, unedited previous bits for reference:

Bit the first

Bit the second

Bit the third

The interlude after the third where I lost control of the characters and everyone went a bit nuts

Now, Bit the fourth which was supposed to be the end but that still eludes me… ALL the thanks to @astranite @womble1 and @sofasurf for the beta reading and suggestions and encouragement and to the Thunderfam generally for being a friendly safe community to practice a new thing within.

Light

A rush of harmonics drowned out Two’s steady hum as her sister raced up beneath her and barrel-rolled overhead before shooting off into the Californian twilight. Virgil watched as her vapour trail angled up, up, up and over backwards before taking a steep dive and spiralling back towards where he and Gordon watched in various shades of amusement and baffled awe.

“How is he still conscious?” Gordon murmured. “I’d be either sick… or dead. Ugh… nope, definitely dead.”

Virgil watched as his elder brother steered the rocket plane into the vertical zigzag he recognised as the signature move of the ‘Vomit Comet’ Scott had piloted for the trainee astronauts during his 6 month NASA secondment from the Air Force.

“He doesn’t have a… normal relationship with G force, Fish, you know that.”

As if to prove the point, One screamed past them, spinning, and doubled back to overtake at a distance which set Two’s proximity sensors blaring.

Again.

Virgil cringed and covered his ears.

John’s wry smile materialised in front of them. 

“Aunt Val is going to be inundated with emails from the alien spotters again isn’t she?”

Virgil snorted. Then sighed.

“Should we… you know, rein our dear flyboy in a little?”

There was a delighted snicker in the background as John coughed uncomfortably.

“He couldn’t doooo it” came the familiar singsong voice of Virgil’s digital niece. John, who now appeared to be heavily focused on brushing non-existent dust from his baldric, frowned slightly.

“I did open a comm with him, yes.”

“And?”

“He was… whooping, Virgil.”

It was Gordon’s turn to snort. He looked up from his tablet where he’d already accessed the usual conspiracy theory websites to check for new flying saucer sightings over Arizona.

“What, Scott? Pfft, seems unlikely”

John raised an eyebrow and patched in the audio from One’s cockpit.

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat as he was accosted by a sound he hadn’t heard since his brother was a teenager. Warm, hearty, unfettered laughter punctuated by… yes, that could only be described as a whoop… and then an elated giggle. 

Virgil was aware that to most people sound didn’t have colour but it was second nature to him. Scott’s usual speaking voice was a familiar steely blue, rich and dependable. It could deepen to almost navy if he was angered or concerned, or gain highlights of cerulean when he was amused or speaking affectionately. Now it was as if an arc of blazing summer sky was overlaid on the late evening clouds ahead of them, marred only by the static effect of the comm. Virgil was overwhelmed by a sudden longing to hear his brother laughing properly, truly, untainted by digital interference and simultaneously afraid the opportunity to do so would never arise.

Nobody moved, not waiting to break the spell. Then One did it for them, as her pilot pushed her into yet another feat of aerobatic madness and her own burning white squeals of delight muffled those of the man at the controls.

John muted the feed. Virgil releases the breath he was holding and swallowed, glancing at Gordon whose jaw had almost parted company with his face, his tablet hanging from a limp hand, his mission of winding up the ufologists forgotten. 

It was sobering to realise how infrequently a website tracking the rare and precious phenomena of happy-carefree-Scott would be updated. He met John’s eye and inclined his head. He couldn’t intervene either. Drop kicking a puppy would be less morally questionable.

“How’s his fuel?”

John’s gaze shifted upwards as a graceful sweep of his left hand obviously brought up some kind of display and a swift flick of the right closed something else down. Virgil was momentarily distracted by the image of his elegant brother conducting a symphony orchestra from space, his attention snapping back as he noticed the slight furrow in John’s brow.

“Low, I take it?”

“At this rate he’ll drop into F tank in about 10 minutes. Which will get him home if he flies in a straight line…”

“If.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s F tank when it’s at home?” Gordon had abandoned his tablet and was observing his elder brothers’ with overt curiosity.

John rolled his eyes. Virgil bit his lip and radiated guilt. Scott had never been told about that particular upgrade to his ship and it always made him uneasy to keep such a secret but the secrecy was necessary for it to work as intended.

“Gordon you have to swear to keep this to yourself… but you remember all those times when the paragon of caution that is our big brother has reassured us his fuel supply was “Fine” when One was actually running on fumes?” 

More like the distant memory of fumes in some cases. His little brother of course knew all too well because he’d flown enough missions himself to take fuel to whatever godforsaken location Scott had stranded himself in.

“Well… Brains and I installed a little extra tank about which the fuel gauge is ignorant and so is One’s primary pilot.”

Gordon appeared to ponder this for a minute.

“Won’t that just make him believe he really can fly on fumes?”

“Precisely what I said” John threw a hand in the air. “I had suggested a flow rate limiter instead, so she can’t do more than Mach 6 once the gauge gets below a certain level”

“But that’s slower than the Big Green Mom Bag!”

“Oi!” the Mom Bag’s pilot objected “But, yes. Can you imagine what his reaction would have been if…” Another screech of scram jets announced One’s return from who knew where and she decelerated with a shudder to match Thunderbird Two’s more sedate pace, flying above and just a nose ahead with her pilot looking down at them and flipping a cheeky salute. Virgil nudged the comms open again:

“Having fun, you big show-off?”

Scott’s hologram appeared, all shark-like grin and wildly dilated pupils. Virgil found himself leaning back into his chair, slightly intimidated by the intensity of his sibling’s manic expression.

“Well?! What are you going to PLAY?!”

Three younger brothers performed a perfectly synchronised double-take.

“P-play?”

“The concert, short stuff! What are you going to play in the concert? You should play that one that that goes ba-da-da-da da da ba-da-da-da da da da dum…” and then One was spiralling off again in a roar of jet engines, her pilot’s hologram blurring into incomprehensibility from the vibrations and leaving his younger brother blinking in confusion.

He shut off the comm before it gave them all a headache. At some point prior to the spontaneous post-tornado-rescue singalong in the school hall, their old teacher Ms Knighton had accosted Virgil and persuaded him to be the guest soloist at a benefit concert she was already planning to fundraise for disaster relief in their hometown. ‘Persuaded’ wasn’t quite the right word. He wasn’t aware that he’d actually been given any kind of an option. The woman was a tidal wave of organisation and he’d been well and truly swept along.

He wasn’t sure how he felt about it anyway. He’d not played in front of anybody but family since their Mom had passed and he hadn’t planned to either, for all that the idea gave him a tiny flutter of anticipation. He’d been meaning to send an apology citing work commitments later that week.

THIS was what had got Scott so excited?

He squirmed guiltily as he’d begun to theorise that his renowned flirt of a brother had encountered an old flame during the course of the evening and that was what had caused the adrenaline spike. But, it seemed Scott wasn’t celebrating for himself at all. This vanishingly rare level of joy from his big brother, was on HIS behalf?

He suddenly pictured Scott sat in the front row of every little school performance, even the ones Mom couldn’t get to. He’d always put the constantly jiggling denim-clad legs down to frustration at having to sit still and listen rather than climb and run but then… maybe that wasn’t it at all?

There was the gift of the electronic piano… and that time his brother flew back from college to talk round his father who’d objected to Virgil’s nervous suggestion that maybe he could do joint honours music alongside his engineering degree. Granted, when he realised IR on the horizon, Virgil had changed his mind and decided to keep music just as a hobby but thanks to his brother, it had been HIS decision to make. 

Now he thought about it, he couldn’t think of a single occasion when he’d sat and played the lounge piano where Scott wasn’t either at dad’s desk, on the sofa, or leaning against the body of the instrument chatting or just watching with a fond smile.

Scott had been his cheerleader at every step.

“Earth to Viiiirg!” Gordon leaned over and poked him in the side of the head. “So what are you going to play then?” Virgil smiled awkwardly and rubbed away the sudden excess of water in his eyes.

“Guess I’d better figure out what “ba-da-da-da da da” is.”

[daisychainsandbowties]

Mrs. Villaumbrosia cleaning out the beach house and just sending all Lilith’s notebooks to her professional address which Lilith is used to and not bothered by except there’s a graduate assistant who goes through all of it and digitizes all the data Lilith has kept since she was, what, 7? when she started really overcoming her writing difficulties. The GA compiles everything Lilith has; esp. roughly two decades of lumpfish data and emails Lilith a copy to approve for publication. Lilith’s only edit is to add Michael as a coauthor.

It starts with dozens of emails from her overeager grad student, taglines full of exclamation points, all caps, conga lines of commas ,,,,,,,LUMPFISH!!!!

Her mother sends it over in an old orange crate she found in the basement, and Lilith would have felt her hands shake if it had been her - and not Michael - who cracked the lid. If she saw how neatly her mother packed each notebook, adding wads of fabric to stop them from falling over.

Inside, also, are her father’s binoculars in their green leather case; old film and videotapes; an adult’s snorkeling mask that’s been cannibalized to fit a child’s head.

One of her old hoodies for stuffing, with a picture of a cartoon crab on the front. Tourist rubbish, given to her by a stall owner who saw her walking up off the beach in a t-shirt and shorts at the advent of a storm, shuddering from the chill and drenched in saltwater. He handed it to her, along with a can of Coca Cola he’d been saving to have with a cigarette after closing up the stall.

The notebooks are held shut with rubber bands so none of the loose pages escape. Her mother would have done this by hand.

But it’s not Lilith who finds this silent “i love you” hidden in an old crate, specially couriered from their old beach house. It’s her grad student, but the sight does at least arrest him.

(and Lilith won’t know this for another decade, but her mother was cleaning up the house to sell it. instead she puts it in Lilith's name. just… gives it to her, slots the keys into an envelope: to be delivered upon my death)

Michael describes how he shook sand out of some of the notebooks, the smell of the ocean dried into the pages when he cracked the spines again to sift through a summertime of drawings.

They’re precise, for the most part. Practical, with neatly described dimensions, notation in a scrunched-up hand because writing hurt, but even then it was impossible not to do it. She had to record what she saw underneath the water.

Sea urchins chewing through the holdfasts at the bottom of kelp, their bodies so bright with the water fleshing down past the moving canopy. Lilith, diving to the seafloor to watch them, armed with the ruler from her father’s old geometry set. Lilith, finding their fivefold symmetry, noting the length of each spine and gently prizing their tube feet from the rocks to carry one of them ashore.

And Michael is like her so he doesn’t balk when she describes slotting her penknife into its shell, little notes on how the spines still moved, and for how long. Observing them down on the sea bed and noting in a scrawl surrounded by water droplets “spines used for locomotion?”

There are drawings of her octopus friend. One, from memory, of her wrapped around Lilith’s arm, trailing her suckers up towards the elbow joint. She finds, scrunched in against this drawing, an almost indecipherable note that Michael mistook for a child’s attempt at an artist’s signature. But it’s not that - when she was eight she never dreamed that anyone would read her notes, or care as much as she did about the ocean. There, in tiny writing, she finds a note (to herself, perhaps?) that reads “me and Octi in july. it was warm.”

It’s a charter of one small stretch of coastline, every species hunted down and documented. She only dissected a few of them, just crabs and sea urchins, comb jellies and sea sponges and, once, a dead pyjama shark.

The others she only observed, diving until she was dizzy and only for as long as a breath could hold her.

Michael sends her the proof, and it’s beautiful. her coloured sketches and her simpler ones arrayed around the sections of commentary she sent him in return emails, over months and months and months. Next to that, her childish observations - crude science, but some of it astounds her. It’s almost poetry, or maybe it only seems like it, to her.

Because she lived it, lungs aching in the aching depth, watching the kelp sway and cast shadows. An octopus wrapped around her arm, following the span and clench of her fist with its little arms, watching the waves crash overhead but sitting calm in the drag of the undertow. It was the only peaceful place in the entire world, back then.

Lilith has found another one since then.

The proof copy of the book arrives festooned in bright customs stamps, stickers haphazard on the cardboard. Lilith scatters packing peanuts across her office floor when she opens it, makes a mental note to pick them up before paprika tries to eat them. The cover is what she expects, but it steals her breath. It’s the drawing of her octopus, tangled around the thinness of Lilith’s seven-year old arm. She can almost feel the water moving around her, the pressure of the suckers on her skin.

Camila finds her staring at it, coming gently into the room with a thermos of soup and half a plastic-wrapped loaf of bread under one arm. Hearing her, Lilith looks up, and there are tears in her eyes.

She blinks, slow, and Camila is there, leaning down to take Lilith's jaw in her hands, thumb swooping over her cheeks.

“It's here,” Lilith mumbles, inarticulate in the presence of her own tears.

And she can’t explain it, really.

Only that she was happy, back then. Curled up in her crab hoodie with her notebook, sketching the sea stacks that you can spot from on top of the cliffs. Her coloured pencils scattered in the sand as she switched between them, trying to capture the deep green of the kelp suffused in sunlight, the red trail of innards from the pyjama shark she hauled up onto the sand. Sea urchins and the quiet rustling of their spines. Jellyfish in their medusa-phase trailing their tentacles.

The peace of floating with them, of following fish and watching sessile creatures creep over the seabed. It was her home, her safest and most sacred place.

But she was also alone, and it was also lonely. Walking home to her unlatched window, she’d sneak down to steal crackers and cheese from the pantry, or cold cuts of ham from the refrigerator - bathed in that cold glow in her bare feet, hands covered in tiny punctures from handling sea urchins without care. She used to pour alcohol-based hand sanitizer over them in the kitchen sink, wincing, and then find the aftertaste of it on the crackers and the cheese.

“I just…” she leans into Camila's touch. “I miss being there, and I don't.”

Camila nods - and Lilith thinks she does understand, growing up poor, hungry, looking after her little brother when the money ran out mid-week.

She leans down, and Lilith rises to meet her, feeling for an instant like she’s back home, surging up towards the air and the light.

Cam kisses her, and Lilith lets her eyes flutter closed because this is it. Her second, sacred, peaceful place. And maybe she’s a fool for finding it in Camila's mouth, but Lilith is a lover of short-lived creatures.

And this one, at least, can also love her back.