#frankly it is surreal seeing something related to one's story without being the person creating it it's like an out of body experience /pos

[rpgmgames]

September’s Featured Game: Ghost Hospital

DEVELOPER(S): Lev, Kip, Rose, Tredlocity, C, Bittersweet ENGINE: RPGMaker MV GENRE: Adventure, RPG WARNINGS: Anxiety, Body horror, Implied child harm SUMMARY: Ghost Hospital is a game about anxiety, depression, despair, mental rock bottoms, and, of course, ghosts. You play as Robin, a twelve-year-old girl who has an anxiety disorder and is very much alive in this hospital meant for beings that are not alive. Frankly, her anxiety was already bad enough before she landed in a hospital full of dead people, the still-shambling shells of ancient ghosts who try to take her down for a sweet taste of life, and the hospital directors hellbent on keeping her contained, and more importantly, away from the reason she's REALLY there. Thankfully, you have your new friends Jay and Sarcastic Ghost- Jay is a ghost about your age, and still a very new arrival to the hospital, and Sarcastic Ghost…well, he's an amorphous blob of a ghost, who talks a lot despite not having a mouth.

Download the demo here!

Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! Lev: Hey, my name is Lev! I'm an artist and storyteller, and though I've wanted to make games for a long time, this is my first serious attempt! Most of my work is about my experiences in mental illness. Kip: I'm a freelance artist being allowed to write cheap jokes in ghost form. Rose: I'm a freelance writer and editor for the game! I also work on dialogue and story drafting. Tredlocity: My name is Tredlocity! I do some character designs and writing in the game! C: c / ghoul is a character designer, comic artist and Halloween enthusiast. They're currently apart of several indie game teams and are writing the webcomic, This Dark Forest of Ours. Bittersweet: I'm Kendall (AKA Bittersweet), and I'm the resident music person (one of two, technically, but the other left the project unfortunately.) This is my first (and thus far only) major soundtrack composition project, but thus far, it's been a satisfying one!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create your game initially? *Lev: Ghost Hospital is a game about anxiety, and the game was born out of an idea to put someone in the shoes of someone with clinical anxiety and depression without going for the prototypical 'horror game' or 'walking simulator', giving more game-friendly, practical narrative and gameplay examples of how it effects people.

How long have you been working on your project? *Lev: The game started development in late 2016 as a thesis project for college. At its inital completion, it was more of a beta or proof of concept than a demo- in its current state, it's far closer to what we have envisioned for the final project.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *Lev: Absolutely! The biggest influences are OFF, Yume Nikki, and Sweet Home, and a lot of Gameboy Color graphics and aesthetics- namely, Pokemon GSC and the GBC Zelda Games.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *Lev: RPG Maker is a versatile engine, but still fairly restrictive, so getting all the effects I wanted to work was challenging. Mental illness and real life have been taking a toll on development time, too. Getting things to work took teaching myself some javascript, and after being in serious development for this long, I've found ways to motivate myself to keep working. Having other people checking in on you helps, too.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *Lev: In its very first inital pitch, it was much closer to Yume Nikki, being more atmospheric and serious. At some point in character and world development, though, I couldn't bear to make it a stoic adventure, and with most of the stuff I already take inspiration from, it's hard for me to not put jokes into the media I make, anyway.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *Lev: At the beginning, it was just me working on everything. The first people I brought on board were my concept artist, Kip, my writer, Rose, and my musician, Bittersweet. I can't do music on my own, and I knew from word go that I wanted this to be the kind of game with a strong story and a lot of unique NPCs.

What is the best part of developing the game? *Lev: Call me biased, but the most fun part is making the art for it. It's hard for me to motivate myself to keep working if I'm just using default placeholder sprites, I have to make new NPCs to keep myself interested. It's not the most convenient, but it's fun to do, and it actually really does help with my workflow.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *Lev: Oh, absolutely. RPG Maker games have a bad reputation for being very cut-and-paste, and there's a lot of those out there. But it just takes a bit of effort to make yourself and your game stand out, and it can be done absolutely beautifully! The latest one I've played was Hylics, completely surreal and wonderful.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *Lev: Robin is a sort of proxy character for myself, so...I'm a bit biased on her. I love Jay a lot, too, he's kinda the friend I wish I had in elementary school when all this first showed up, haha. *Tredlocity: As someone who faces anxiety on a daily basis, I relate to Robin a lot. Though I would say my favorite character is Jay, since he can shoot plasma and has blue hair. *C: I'm partial to Coop [upcoming character], not just bc I designed them but bc I love big sister types. *Rose: I also relate to robin and jay! i try to control my anxiety while remaining positive and hopeful about situations. *Bittersweet: As an anxiety-riddled person, I relate immensely to Robin. However, my favorite character by far has to be Carna. (There's another character I'm particularly looking forward to when the full version of the game is released, though~)

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *Lev: Honestly, there's a few things I wanted the game to be able to do at the start that I wasn't able to make happen. I spent a LOT of time trying to get it to work without having to go in and code it myself, and I wish I'd been able to take a step back, remind myself that this is my first serious project, and just stop worrying so much about what, in the end, would've been a minor detail, anyway.

Once you finish your project, do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *Lev: Chances are I'm gonna leave it alone, but if I go back, I HAVE had a bit of a 'Ghost College' AU where they're exploring a haunted old library on their college campus instead of being trapped in a ghost hospital. It'd probably be cool as a point-and-click adventure, but it wouldn't exactly be a canon exploration of the postgame.

What do you look most forward to upon/after release? *Lev: I'm actually working on a few other projects, so being able to work on those more freely would be great, especially considering I'm really bad at keeping my own limits in mind, haha.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *Lev: Mostly, I'm afraid that making a game about a subject like this, as a minority and with other people in my team that would be considered minorities, that releasing this game to the mainstream public would get me a lot of negative attention from people who think that people like us don't belong in the gaming sphere. It's pretty nerve-wracking, but after the positive reception of games like Undertale and SLARPG, it's getting easier to convince myself that I should be more afraid of people just generally not liking the game, haha.

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *Lev: Have someone to work with! DEFINITELY have someone to work with. Even if it's just a friend to bounce ideas off of or someone to ask if you've been working on the game, having someone else involved helps a lot. And specifically for RPG Maker- if you can, replace your default font with a different one. It's a minor detail, but it goes a long way towards making your game feel more original. *C: Always have a backlog of different projects. I have about four or five ideas constantly on rotation so I don't burn myself out on just one. *Tredlocity: My advice for any creatives is to start small, and just get it out. Feedback is a great motivator, and the only way to get better at something is to keep doing it! *Rose: I think some good advice is to write a few drafts of whatever it is you're working on in order to see which version you'd like to continue! let your work have different scenarios and situations based on various elements you insert or take out of a story, game, or other piece. *Bittersweet: Don't pressure yourself to a dead-set deadline. I know, you want to get this project out eventually, and if you're on a roll with development then all the power to you, but if you're struggling, don't let it burn you out. That's just unhealthy.

Question from last month's featured dev @toxicshroomswamp: How do you feel about your main character(s)? What piece of life advice would you give them? *Lev: I love my main characters, I love them like my own children. I would probably tell Robin that she'll learn to handle everything, it won't be so scary forever. I'd tell Jay that stopping for a minute and thinking is way more important than it seems. I'd tell Sarcastic ghost to shut up.

We mods would like to thank Lev, Kip, Rose, Tredlocity, C, and Bittersweet for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Ghost Hospital if you haven’t already! See you next month! 

- Mods Gold & Platinum

[snkpolls]

SnK S3E09 Poll Results (Anime Only Version)

The poll closed with 145 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Please note this is the anime only viewer version of the poll. Manga readers, please click here for the results of the manga reader poll!

RATE THE EPISODE 132 Responses

Another episode with mostly positive reviews. Only a few were unimpressed with the episode.

HOW ABOUT THAT BARRICADES ORCHESTRAL REARRANGE? 124 Responses

The majority of voters continue to agree Sawano continues to kill it with the soundtrack.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WERE YOUR FAVORITE OVERALL SCENES? 128 Responses

Rod’s titan face reveal was the overall favorite moment of the episode, followed up by Levi finding Kenny. Rod’s demise created a tie between the Survey Corps defeating him and Historia giving him the final blow. 

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WERE YOUR FAVORITE MC CHARACTER INTERACTIONS? 126 Responses

Levi telling Kenny he’s going to die was the favorite character interaction for anime only watchers. Followed closely behind that was Eren showing Armin that he is gaining his confidence back, and finally Eren realizing horrifyingly that he insulted Levi while calling Rod a tiny, old man was another favorite. 

HOW COOL WAS IT TO SEE THE POV OF A MINDLESS TITAN? 129 Responses

The majority of people definitely appreciated getting this new perspective.  We agree this was a really nice touch!

YOUR REACTION TO ROD’S TITAN’S FACE REVEAL? 129 Responses

45% of respondents thought Rod’s titan was awesome, but 47% thought it was disgusting or horrifying - we think it’s safe to say some combination of all three.

Horrifying for sure, but in an awesome way!

It was simultaneously horrifying and impressive.

Sexy!

Ugliest Titan ever to grace the fandom.

WHO DREW IT BETTER - ISAYAMA OR WIT? 128 Responses

The majority of people thought WIT’s simplified version of Erwin’s sketch was drawn better.

WHOSE GRAVE DO YOU THINK EREN WAS VISITING? 129 Responses

61% of respondents thought Eren was visiting Hannes’ grave, but there were also a few interesting thoughts below.

An old friend in the survey corps?

His Mother’s

His fathers

Marco

HOW MUCH DO YOU RELATE TO EREN PUNCHING HIMSELF? 128 Responses

This question is much more evenly split than it was with manga readers, with nearly ⅓ of voters relating to each category. 

HOW DID YOU LIKE THOSE THROWBACK FLASHBACKS FROM SEASON 1?

127 Responses

A majority of respondents enjoyed the throwback or thought it was surreal to see Season 1 animation alongside Season 3.  

I think the quality of the first and second season was great. Frankly, Season 3 has been a bit disappointing in comparison, because its scenes (for the most part) have been very simple without a lot of movement or detail (despite being animated and not a still image). I think S03 is the least visually-striking season so far, with minor exceptions.

It made me reflect on the overall quality of this season. While I don't think is a bad season, it's definitely a downgrade compared to the first 2 seasons. On the first 3 episodes, the show got me excited as the first 2 seasons, but after that its just not that much exciting anymore. I really hope it improves on the next arc, since everyone are saying next arc is the best arc

WOULD YOU ACCEPT HISTORIA AS YOUR RULER? 127 Responses

The overwhelming majority of respondents would accept Historia as their queen.

ROD IS A TINY OLD MAN. IS LEVI A TINY OLD MAN TOO? 129 Responses

43% of voters agree that Levi is not old. 42% are ready to pay their respects to Eren for even considering such a thing, even if accidentally.

Eren insulting Levi will be remembered for eternity.

WHY DO YOU THINK EREN WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL ROD’S TITAN? 127 Responses

Plenty of different theories here but the majority of people thing that Eren is just not able to access his full titan power, just like Rod said.

Eren cannot control titan shifters

I don't think he has a very good grasp of how to do it. Karate chopping the air and shouting "YOO TITAN PLS STOP" is probably not the secret to unleashing that skill.

Noble blood immunity

eren is a noob when it comes to using the  power of the titans

EREN WAS REALLY DOWN ON HIMSELF THIS WEEK, DO YOU THINK HIS BEHAVIOR WILL CHANGE MOVING FORWARD? 127 Responses

84% of voters believe that Eren will step up his teamwork game, but are divided on whether he will continue to be his usually bothered self or if he will find his chill more easily. A small 13% believe he will not change after his breakdown.

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PARALLELS IN THIS EPISODE OF THE SMALL CHILDREN POINTING TO ROD LOOMING OVER THE WALL IN COMPARISON TO EMA DOING SO TO BERTOLT’S TITAN FIVE YEARS AGO? 129 Responses

Looks like everybody loves Isayama and his trios!

A little emotional

Childhood trauma! Yay!

They will be traumatised for life cos Rod was more horrifying.

DO YOU THINK HISTORIA WILL BE A GOOD QUEEN? 128 Responses

Overwhelming support for Historia as queen here, with a smaller portion of people believing she’ll be a ruler in name only.

I think she'll be very difficult to work with. She's strong-minded, but she's not a leader and she doesn't have the knowledge necessary to rule a kingdom. She has some foolish ideas and unrealistic expectations, and I think they are going to cause conflict.

I'm certain that she'll try her best

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT HISTORIA STANDING UP TO AND COUNTERING ERWIN ON HIS ORDERS? 126 Responses

Historia standing up to Erwin has overwhelming support from respondents.  

I expected it; she outranks him now after all.

I still think everyone is stupid for allowing such an important person to participate in battle. I was promised a real explanation for this silliness, and then Erwin was just like "Well I only have one arm so I guess you can do what you want" and I was angry at everyone.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HISTORIA CARRYING OUT THE FINISHING BLOW? 126 Responses

Mostly everyone thought Historia being the one to finish her father was super positive.

WILL KENNY USE THE SERUM? 127 Responses

85% of total respondents are certain that Kenny will not use the serum.

DISCUSSION QUESTION! HOW DO YOU THINK THE STORY WOULD HAVE CHANGED IF EREN HAD BEEN EATEN IN THE CAVE? 47 Responses

We enjoyed reading your responses and theories to this open discussion question:

Historia enslaves humanity like the biggest femme dom the world has ever seen

Historia would inherit Grisha's and Founding Titan's powers. If she would be able to resist the First King's will then Rod would be able to save humanity from the titans. If she wouldn't be able to resist the First King's will then Rod would lose another family member to the FT and the rest of humanity would get their memories erased.

Historia, with memories of the first king, would’ve probably erased the memories of everyone inside the walls

I doubt they would kill Eren at this point, so if he got eaten they would do something like the first season again (Eren "dies", but he is back because of some random reason), but that would be a horrible choice on the plot.

I think humanity would be screwed bc then Mikasa, best girl, would be too depressed to continue to help fight.

I thinking lots of shit will be avoided and more people would be saved I don't trust eren

Mikasa would've absolutely wreaked havoc, possibly even killing Historia. The Survey Corps would've had to fight Historia (assuming she got taken over by the First King's memories like Frieda and Uri), and maybe try to get her eaten by a mindless titan to regain humanity's 'ace'.

Mind control-->shit machine dismantled-->Ackerman/oriental rebellion

Things would have remained the same as it has always been for the past 100 years. Historia would have been controlled by the will of the first Reiss King. She wouldn't have saved humanity from the Titans and the Reiss family would have altered the memories of humanity and our main squad probably would have been caught and executed.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE?

The sight of Eren's Titan carrying the bomb was awesomely surreal.

Mixed feelings overall. It was an exciting watch at the time, but in hindsight, it still feels like they're cutting critical details for the sake of time. Rod was too easy to defeat and didn't really amount to anything as a character or a threat, and Erwin's decision to let Historia participate in the battle didn't make any sense. It looked like they opted to give us Eren's POV on that scene instead of giving us Historia's, and I think whatever she said to convince Erwin was pretty obviously cut. This is disappointing because it makes the characters look like fools for taking unnecessary, unjustified, and illogical risks.

According to the poll this was the best episode so far in season 3. I, personally, didn't like it THAT much, but I wager there will be even better episodes in the future. If WIT keeps the streak of really good episodes going on, then Attack on Titan will regain it's popularity in the West.

Best episode so far S3

Felt sorry for Rod in the end.  He was being more honest than I thought.

I wonder if erens titan will be recognised by the civilians in the future. If he will ever be considered a hero or not.

WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES? 110 Responses

Thanks again to everyone who participated! We’ll see you again on Tuesday!

[voicedbybetheyre]

My #Trypod Recommendations: #AudioDrama April Edition (Pt.2)

I felt so lazy when I didn’t finish this in time for March. Then #AudioDramaApril came along, which is perfect because this is an underrated audio drama list!

*Feel free to ask for any trigger/content warnings. My memory can be a little spotty but if you have a specific thing you are trying to avoid I’ll definitely make sure to accurately warn show(s) you want to try*

Adventures of Mechabetty

“ Just a small town girl turned giant cyborg to fight off an alien invasion.”

A campy retrofuturistic adventure which teaches you that with enough spunk and can-do attitude you too can deal with colonizers from another world and the following political implications it would have on a Cold War-era Earth! Also, the musical segments they had early on are really rad and the fake commercials that replaced them are the funniest I ever heard done on a podcast.  I’ve gotten back to listen to it as part of self-care.

This is one of the most underrated shows out there and I think it’s just that the audience is small at the moment.  So here I am listing it first because I really think it’s the first everyone should check out!

The Lesbian Romantic

“The Lesbian Romantic is a weekly podcast with lesbian romance stories. It’s like listening to an audiobook, but more intense! (All episodes of The Lesbian Romantic Podcast are for mature audiences only)”

This podcast is a fantastic anthology series of different serialized lesbian romance stories, written and narrated by the wonderful Sigrid. There’s been an exciting thirteen-part sci-fi adventure (The Space Story) and the long-running story of two women in tech that practically covers moment to moment of their growing relationship (The Blogger Story).  Frankly, there aren’t a lot of podcasts where exploring a lesbian (or sapphic) relationship as the primary storyline, and this one is a shining example of the romance genre. There’s a mix of sweetness and suspense that never becomes too sentimental or melodramatic, and I cannot wait for the next story.

Also a lot of the outros involves her being silly and playing around with sound effects and publicly available music,which is another reason to find Sigrid charming, especially after a particularly stressful twist. 

This is definitely one of my favorites and it’s so underrated!!!

Mabel

“a podcast about ghosts, family secrets, strange houses, and missed connections.”

There’s a lot that can be said of Mabel, put my instinctive reaction is to categorize it as podcast poetry. These anxious voicemails about a haunted house are unexpectedly atmospheric as the spell of Anna and Mabel’s situation takes hold. (Also……….QUEER!!!).  You really need to listen to understand and I would say get to it

Uncanny County

“Mystical truck drivers. Robots gone haywire. Killer clown demons. And pie. So. Much. Pie. This quirky, darkly comic, Southwestern-flavored anthology brings you a new paranormal audio play every month. Sit back, relax, and hold on tight. Because you’re about to take a quick detour…through Uncanny County.”

A collection of Southwestern stories on the quirky side of horror that can be best summed up by the trailer. Basically a less moralistic Twilight Zone that thrives on the absurdly unsettling and I can’t wait for it to come each month!

Favorites (since its an anthology): “Mother Loves You”, “Coulrophobia”, “Rainbow Magic Kittens”

Swings and Roundabouts

“Avery Edison (the person writing this right now) is pretending that she’s written software that turns her computer into a therapist. Obviously, that’s not possible with today’s technology, but it’s a great way to have another voice on her podcast without having to surrender control to an actual human being. With the conceit that these episodes collect recordings of therapy sessions, readings of emails, and tappings of phone calls, Avery (again, that’s me) is attempting to do something new and different. Hopefully along the way she (I) also makes it entertaining.”

Avery Edison is a very self-aware British comidienne who naturally when making a podcast reflecting on her younger days creates a metanarrative to the point where it’s meta about being a metanarrative. You would think the clear construction of her stories from her life would give it too much artificiality, but it only serves to zero in on the truth behind it all.  I really wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but come for Avery’s snark (I died hearing her fake ads for podcast sponsers) but stay for Avery’s heart. There’s only been four episodes for awhile now, but it’s been made clear she hasn’t abandoned the series and could use the support to keep it going.

Strange N Unusual Productions

“Our flagship show Friend of the Family, follows the adventures of the young monster hunter Alice Belford and the unforgivable monster she must team up with to defend the world. They… don’t get along. We also have Letters to Asmodeus, a companion piece to FOTF! And the worst advice column ever. Our other major title is the Dark Files, a collection of dark ruminations sometimes funny or twisted.”

What if there’s a story about the typical leading man who happens to be a vampire and more importantly a dick and the story goes out of it’s way to frame him as unsympathetically as possible instead of becoming apologist schlock? What if he trades barbs with the teenaged female lead and it’s explicitly not unresolved sexual tension but the tension that comes from having a soulless vampire bound by a curse to keep you (and the rest of your clan) out of harm’s way no matter how much in reality he really doesn’t care what happens to any of you? Friend of the Family is a biting satire of the paranormal and horror tropes/properties as we culturally accept them. Alice Bedford, who’s an asexual boss, is trying to keep the world safe with (and often in spite of) her amoral tool of a pet vampire Asmodeus. (who also answers questions in a separate series called Letters to Asmodeus).  Also on this feed you’ll find The Dark Files (more straightforward horror stories), The Katz Chronicles (a very unconventional detective and his team take care of supernatural situations), and Spooky/Cute (a young witch who’s the worse person I ever loved and her much more empathetic cat).

The Lost Cat

“The Lost Cat Podcast is a twice-monthly podcast detailing the things that have happened to me while searching for my lost cat. Featuring cats, dogs, ghosts, witches, Old Ones, several ends of the world and lots of red wine, I promise that these stories are all mostly true.”

One of the first things that pop out will be its obvious inspiration from Night Vale: town where the surreal is mundane, guy (although not a radio announcer) telling stories of the town, even a wine segment in place of weather (which has the podcast creator A. P. Clarke has admitted was a ripoff to get his own music out there). But this is superficial compared to the actual stories he tells about his quest to find his lost cat, which I think is gives it a more moving premise out of the gate. The narrator is a very empathetic, loving, and always knows when to find himself a break for some booze during whatever antics have come his way. The city he inhabits feels very fleshed out and full of life, and there are certain episodes where I wished I was there myself. The people still feel relatable even when the circumstances they are in seem too out of this world.  The writing is definitely more straightforward than Night Vale, but has enough of a feel emotionally to be not just be a British copycat (see what I did there) but a worthy companion because Clarke seems to understand what actually makes a podcast like Night Vale endearing past the obvious narrative devices. Also I tweet at the creator a lot to the point where I think we have a rapport now and he’s really funny so i’d follow him @LostCatPod on Twitter.  

Synesthesia Theatre

“Synesthesia Theatre is a podcast project from Burning Brigid Media featuring an anthology series of audio plays, along with interviews with the talent behind the voices.”

The production and acting are phenomenal and I wish this team got more recognition! From steampunk westerns (the riveting ride that is Iron Horses That Can’t Be Broken)to ten years in the future dystopias (the harsh reality of Cold Reboot), this team really delivers with stories using local Chicago actors that act out scenes in the room together to keep the chemistry up. Diversity is a priority (while also being very transparent about someone voicing a character of a different background). The stories are fast-paced and cinematic, so its very easy to get sucked in to its 10ish episodes seasons. Start bingeing! 

The Strange Case of Starship Iris

“In 2189, Earth narrowly won a war against extraterrestrials, but at a tremendous price. Two years later, in a distant patch of space, a mysterious explosion kills nearly the entire crew of the science vessel Starship Iris. The only survivor is Violet Liu, an intrepid, sarcastic, terrified biologist. But as Violet struggles to readjust to life after the Iris, questions abound. Was that explosion really an accident? If not, just what is going on? And why does every answer seem to get more bizarre and more dangerous? If Violet and her newfound allies want to untangle the truth, they’ll need courage, brilliance, and luck - and honestly, a couple of drinks.”

I’m so excited by how much the fanbase has been growing for this one. Starship Iris exemplifies the ragtag group of misfits trying to survive an international (possible interplanetary?) conspiracy made by a totalitarian Earth and it’s becoming one of my favorite podcasts ever. Violet Liu is so in over her head as she realizes more and more why the Earth regime has set her up to fail, and the only people who can protect her are a smuggling crew who’s personalities range from cute to caustic. Listen to the first and see how fast you put on the second!

Freed

“Freed is a radio-drama podcast detailing the ramifications a worldwide pandemic has on people and the world as a whole, told through bi-weekly updates from the cozy yet abandoned mountain town of Freed. Learn more about the town’s history, the fall of humanity, and how to help rebuild society. In the meantime, be safe. Be strong. Be alive.”

Raimi Jenner (i.e. wife goals) puts a lot of energy on her radio broadcast into being a ray of sunshine in a, plague-infected world because she’s striving to make a community into her own in the abandoned mountain town of Freed. This leads to contact with a lot of allies and enemies, all complicated characters trying to cope in a destabilized world. They’ve been on a hiatus for the last few months, but hopefully they will be able to get back to episodes when they’re ready! I need to know how my wife is doing!!

Hector Vs the Future

“The world’s largest museum of obsolete technology is threatened with closure unless Hector - its cantankerous, turnkey-operated clockwork curator - can match the popularity of the cutting-edge Uptodateum across the road. Only George - the mild mannered in-house caretaker with the mysterious past - steps up to help him.                      

Does nobody care about history? Will anyone ever get to ride the NHScalator? How will postboxes, leeches and face-to-face conversation be remembered if the Obsoleteum closes its doors forever?   Meanwhile, the Uptodateum has its own problems to deal with, as harried curator Biz and her guileless half-hologram, half-robot assistant Phil struggle to keep their enormous glass-and-touchscreen tower constantly up to date. If only they could work out what to do with their ever- increasing mountain of outdated exhibits…”    

This is gut-bustingly dark. If you love Wooden Overcoats, meet it’s even more deranged cousin (which has some of the Wooden Overcoats cast as supporting characters). You would think the bleakness would be too much but it circles back to being absurdly quirky. Hector’s an elderly man-child, George is trying to figure out who he is, Biz struggles with being the most up-to-date version of herself she could possibly bem and Phil is one of the best (half-) robot characters ever written (not that people can stop reminding him what a mistake he is). Also, if you really love Nazi-punching, you might want to check out Episode 3: Hector Vs the Past!

The Elysium Project

“The story follows those who are pulled into the world of a powerful formula that allows it’s subjects to manipulate the world around them based on thought and desire.”

A reboot of a previous project by Natalie Van Sistine, it’s the age old story of superpowered humans given new life as research subjects escape their prison  and along with a girl-in-a-tower type struggle with the superpowers they’re forced to have while the political landscape is unraveling around them. So basically it’s my catnip. It’s updated when the creator finds it possible, but it’s always worth the wait!

HOMECOMING

“The first scripted series from Gimlet Media, starring Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac, David Schwimmer, David Cross, and Amy Sedaris. Homecoming centers on a caseworker at an experimental facility, her ambitious supervisor, and a soldier eager to rejoin civilian life — presented in an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.”

This podcast stands out as one of the most naturalistic I’ve every heard, especially with on-location recording. The performances by A-list actors are amazing and the morally dark-gray experiment is haunting as the ramifications starts to unfold. It’s really hard to describe without spoiling but god do Catherine Kenner and Oscar Isaac rule. Gimlet is not known for audio drama work, but they really it knocked it out of the park with what  one review describes as a voyeuristic conspiracy thriller . I would go into more detail but I want to keep this spoiler-free, so check out what’s going on with Heidi Bergman’s psychological program.

Our Fair City

“Our Fair City is a campy, post-apocalyptic audio drama”

Possibly prophetic given America’s current political climate, in an enviromental disaster apocalypse leads an insurance company to morph into a corpo-government. However, not everyone fully buys the propaganda that have shaped generations before and even have these crazy notions of…basic civil rights and human dignity. It’s sprawling cast showcases the very different policies a citizen (or moleperson) of Hartlife can lead in an oppressive all-encompassing system. Also its hilarious? Yes, it’s easier to cope with campy humor. Hartlife is all the life you ever need, so get some!

Junction

“Junction is a slice-of-life, mystery series following four friends during their last summer before college as they podcast about their attempt to find answers for a classmate gone missing in the shadow of a mountain, steeped in local folklore. But personal relationships and blossoming romantic tensions begin to overshadow their goals.”

Junction (made by Bending Spectrum) a show where four high school students trying to do a Serial-type show (or Serial meets the supernatural if they could push that angle in) about a missing classmate during their last few months of high school, yet they keep getting distracted by navigating their personal relationships with each other. 

Well, they’re distracted because they’re all queer for each other and frankly when I started this podcast with so little information that I did not see that coming, so this was a pleasant surprise for me! The episodes are pretty short (the longest is about 10 min) but in them are distinct characters struggling to make sense of themselves and each other in a way I found relatable. Give it a listen!

MarsCorp

“MarsCorp is a 12-part scripted comedy podcast about Station Supervisor E.L. Hob’s first year at MarsCorp, a terraforming colony established on the red planet in 2070.” 

I love dark comedy and this one is so tragically hilarious(which I seem to have a thing for). This is about a dysfunctional Mars colony and the recently defrosted from her cryogenic pod Earthling manager is here to save them from their own incompetence. The dark absurdity and twisted twists really kept me listening, and the funny moments I don’t want to spoil keep flooding my head as I write this. Also, could someone give David Knight a hug? And maybe never let him go? Let it be a tight hug that goes on forever :’(

Rover Red

“Rover Red is a listener-driven post-apocalyptic epic that follows Leah, a girl who has lived her entire life thinking and being taught that the compound she’s been raised within holds the last of humankind. When her brother, Jonah, is kidnapped, she leaves the compound to search for him. While she’s out searching, the compound is destroyed, leaving Leah alone to travel across a dystopian wasteland in search of her brother. She soon realizes that those inside her compound were not the last humans on earth…”

THIS PODCAST IS KILLING ME

Okay, let me back the hell up. Rover Red is an interactive experience by writer Chrisopher Bloodworth, where listeners who sign up to be the Rover Council (which is free!) can send options in for actions the protagonist Leah can take and then vote for options selected. Also Leah could die. You can kill her and Bloodworth promises the podcast will cease. With the added personal stakes of you contributing to whatever happens to her, it’s terrifying. 

As someone who started about halfway through the first season, it’s a satisfying narrative experience catching up on. The world is large, well-crafted, and cruel. Mattie Martin shows her wonderful acting range by voicing pretty much every character (with the one exception of someone else…), and is a prime reason to give it a shot. Like if she doesn’t win some sort of audio award next season i will protest.

Side note: The show-fandom relationship is quality (especially the Discord chat that’s free for anyone to join!!!).

The Once and Future Nerd

“When three high school students from modern-day Pennsylvania find themselves trapped in a world of wizards, elves, and feudal intrigue, they must learn to survive in their new surroundings, and undertake an epic quest to save the world from the encroaching forces of chaos.”

First off: Arlene Redmoor/Gwen forever - I love this (canon!!!!!!!!) relationship so that I was moved to make a playlist showcasing the nuances of it as well as making for what I know is the only erotic fanfic currently available for this show- you’re welcome.

The Once and Future Nerd is one of two sword-and-sorcery high fantasy podcasts I listen to (I prefer and have much more a background knowledge of sci-fi than fantasy) and I think it’s one that really fits for me as a listener. At times its parodical, other times deconstructive, this is written by people who love high fantasy and understand the power of genre while being able to give it a critical look. Both the comedy and the drama are of high caliber to that exceeds expectations (the beginning is a little slow and seems to imply the humor will be more crass than anything, but the show evolves very quickly into something extraordinary). The characters are lovable (yes, even Billy, and not in the way you expect a narrative to sell that you should be sympathetic to him, but that’s a post for another day) and I am so excited for the current season because I’ve missed them. Can’t wait for what’s more to come with this one!

Big Data

“What if someone stole the internet? This comedy crime caper takes 100% real concepts, like the seven keys to the internet, cyber police, relay calls, photocopier black boxes, 419 scams, and more, and turn it into an anthology of nerdy crime stories tied together by a global plan to end the internet. it’s a series of heists, taking place all over the world… ranging from hijacking top secret military satellites, to stealing a dude’s pants. It’s a story about how hacking affects our world… but without a single actual hacker anywhere to be found.”

Ryan Estrada is a genius and frankly I suggest everyone listen to the interview with he did with Radio Drama Revival because he’s one of the medium’s great innovators.

And I’ll be honest. I tried to listen to the first episode, and I didn’t think the humor was my cup of tea, so I didn’t even finish it. Then when the interview came up on my feed, I shrugged and thought why not. Then it saw they were playing the second ep at the top so I huffed and went back to finish the last half, which I found unexpectedly compelling. And then by the second episode I was hooked. It’s part scripted, part improv, and entirely a love letter to the current players in podcasting while maintaining its own story, Big Data is a hilarious, riveting, and at times dark tale of how acting in an entangled world can breed chaos no matter what our intentions are. But fun!

Sable

“There is a town located in the deepest forests of America, a town that many would tell you doesn’t exist. It has seen it’s fair share of oddities, from a being of feathers and bones to a giant that promises doom to all in it’s path. The people there have been hiding a secret for the past 300 years, a secret that might just bring about the end of the world. Join Lane Lloyd as he tells you some of the strangest tales to come out of the town of Sable. From its founding onto today, there has not been a shortage of things to talk about. So, sit down, relax, and see if you can unlock the secrets to Sable.”

I just got to warn that there is a lot of descriptions of capital G Gore but its a very engrossing story narrated by creator Lane Lloyd. Without giving out any spoilers, it’s not immediately clear that the how the different threads quite fit together, even with twists that did give more insight but certainly didn’t explain why things were the way they were, and then it becomes clear. Not to over hype but its been months since that reveal and I’m still reeling. It’s stylistically done in an audiobook-type format (he speaks very clearly but there’s transcripts available for free for those who follow along better). Yet don’t get it twisted: when it comes to character voices, Lane Lloyd gives captivating (and at times chilling) performances that definitely keeps you’re attention.

Oh, and then he does an outro where he just says show news and updates with a stream-of-consciousness approach. Like if the very well-structured horror of the show tensed you up listening to him casually talk afterwards lets you relax again and have a laugh.

The Bridge

”It’s an alternate 2016, and Watchtower 10 sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, keeping lonely watch over the Transcontinental Bridge. Each watchtower sits hundreds of feet away from the Bridge, broadcasting regular traffic reports to ensure that proper safety precautions are taken. These lighthouses (for cars) are filled with a carefully selected (and very capable) crew.

Watchtower 10’s necessary personnel happen to be: a generalist DJ who spends her free time relaying folklore from abandoned parts of the Bridge, her supervisor (who’s only there because he lost a bet), an unfailingly optimistic Bridge Travel Agent, and a groundskeeper who has a thing for romantic comedies.

Unbeknownst to the general public (but totally knownst to each watchtower’s crew), these stations also hold a secret that could potentially destroy the world…or save it.

The Bridge is a fictional serialized fantasy podcast about the monsters we fear, the monsters we can become, and the stories we leave behind.“

All I can add to this one is two words: Persnickety Pete. Yes, that’s a word and its become my favorite word in all of the English language. Who is Persnickety Pete? You’re going to have to visit Aqualand by listening.

Part one: x

[writingguide003-blog]

9 short stories from female British writers you badly need to read

New Post has been published on https://writingguideto.com/must-see/9-short-stories-from-female-british-writers-you-badly-need-to-read/

9 short stories from female British writers you badly need to read

Nothing beats a good book.

Image: bob al-greene

Short stories may not take as long as novels to put together, but that doesn’t make them any easier to perfect.

SEE ALSO: I tried to write a novel in a month and now I have a publishing offer

Crafting a short story that really sings off the page — one that stays with the reader after the book’s been slotted back on the shelf — is no easy feat.

There are plenty of people who have one hell of a talent for it, though.

From libraries and hospitals to pressed roses and foot fetishes, here are some short stories from female British writers you badly need to check out.

1. “When the Door Closed, It Was Dark”, by Alison Moore (published in The Best British Short Stories 2011)

What’s it about?

A young woman in a foreign country starts a new job with an unsettling family.

Why should you read it?

Alison Moore is the type of writer who can communicate a whole atmosphere with just a few well-placed sentences. This story is the perfect example of her skill. It’s one of those ones that creeps up on you — there’s a kind of ominous, claustrophobic subtext to everything, and you know something is going to go horribly wrong without being able to tell exactly what, or why you feel that way. The ending, when it comes, is as grim as expected — but it’s not what you expect.

2. “Books and Roses”, by Helen Oyeyemi (published in What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours)

What’s it about?

A baby is found abandoned at a chapel with a note and a mysterious golden key on a chain around her neck.

Why should you read it?

This one has the kind of otherworldly, mysterious quality to it that will appeal to fans of His Dark Materials. Oyeyemi has a way with description that immediately pulls you into the world she creates — a world full of secret gardens, libraries, hidden doors, and more symbolism than you can shake a pressed rose at. It’s also one of those stories that’s like a puzzle you need to put together yourself; as soon as you finish — at least if you’re anything like me — you’ll want to skim back through and look for clues you might have missed.

Image: riverhead books/pan macmillan/mashable composite

3. “Feather Girls”, by Claire Massey (published in The Best British Short Stories 2011)

What’s it about?

A mysterious village populated by women who live in the lake as swans until they meet a partner.

Why should you read it?

This is one of the shorter stories on the list, which makes the vivid world Massey manages to paint all the more impressive. “Feather Girls” is like a dark, adult fairytale — there’s a magical quality to the girls who transform from swans when they leave the water, but it’s tainted by the threat of the men who catch and hide their coats to keep them from going back.

4. “Footer”, by Irenosen Okojie (published in Speak Gigantular)

What’s it about?

A woman with a foot fetish posts an advert on Craigslist.

Why should you read it?

You could make a strong argument that the first and last lines of a short story are among the most important — and the opening to “Footer” (“She wanted her feet fucked”) is certainly one that grabs the attention. This story is a good example of something Irenosen Okojie does very well in her writing, which is seamlessly weaving a kind of dark humour with something altogether more tragic and poignant. Another thing Okojie does well is hiding nasty little shocks right at the end of her tales. “Footer” is one of those ones that’ll make you want to go back over the final few paragraphs to make sure you read them right the first time.

5. “I Arrive First”, by Emma Jane Unsworth (published in The Best British Short Stories 2012)

What’s it about?

A student who sends a guy in her university’s library messages using books.

Why you should read it?

The best thing about this story is the way the tone subtly shifts and tilts as it progresses: we start off thinking it’s a quirky little love story about two students who are courting through the medium of library books; but the further in we get, the less reliable the narrator seems. Ultimately she’s not so much an unreliable narrator as an ambiguous narrator, though — is she the participant of a light-hearted, ongoing game, or a fantasist who’s manufactured an entire scenario in her own mind? We don’t get a straight answer, and I think the story is all the better for it.

Image: salt/jacaranda books art music ltd/mashable composite

6. “Then Later, His Ghost”, by Sarah Hall (published in Madame Zero)

What’s it about?

A man struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where gale-force winds never stop blowing.

Why should you read it?

I’ve always had a soft spot for a good ol’ post-apocalyptic tale, but more often than not they can be a bit samey. Zombies, plague — you know the type thing. The best thing about Then Later, His Ghost, though, is that it feels like a very original little story. The detailed descriptions of the wind’s nightmarish, destructive force give the whole thing a realistic, could-this-actually-happen vibe which makes the story constantly tense, and the relationship between the main character and the pregnant woman he’s helping adds an undercurrent of poignancy.

7. “Doctors”, by Anneliese Mackintosh (published in The Best British Short Stories 2013)

What’s it about?

A woman’s dad falls ill as she studies for a PhD in literature.

Why should you read it?

This is one of those stories that catches you totally off guard. It’s written in upbeat, skippy second person which makes it read like an email to a friend, and the effect is disarming. You start off thinking it’s going to be an amusing, relatable tale about a young woman struggling to find the right path post-university, and then everything suddenly gets a whole lot darker and more poignant. It’s jarring, and brilliant. 

Image: faber & faber/salt/mashable composite

8. “Fractures”, by Irenosen Okojie (published in Speak Gigantular)

What’s it about?

The lives of two damaged twins are shaken by the arrival of a mysterious man.

Why should you read it?

There’s so much going on in this unsettling little story that the one-line description above really doesn’t do it justice. The whole thing starts off with the potential for a budding romance in a cafe, and then the story completely goes off the rails: there’s a dark backstory about kidnapping and assault; there’s family bereavement, stolen identity and — wait for it — even the brow-furrowing hint of something extraterrestrial right at the end, just to really catch you off guard. The thing is, though, it works. Okojie’s style of writing — which melds realistic settings with surreal metaphor — allows her to sprinkle speculative elements throughout her story in a way that makes them feel bizarrely natural.

9. “The Not-Dead and the Saved”, by Kate Clanchy (published in The Not-Dead and the Saved and Other Stories)

What’s it about?

A mother sits by the hospital bed of her ill son at various stages throughout his life.

Why should you read it?

I could tell you this story didn’t make me cry a single tear, but frankly that would be a stone cold lie. Fair warning: it’s a sad one. But it’s also brilliantly written — Clanchy manages the story’s large time jumps perfectly, and the realism of the characters and the description makes the whole thing all the more emotional. Oh, and the story’s also won a couple of massive awards: it earned Clanchy the VS Pritchett Memorial Prize and the BBC National Short Story Award, which is pretty incredible.

WATCH: This futuristic library is an architectural marvel, but its walls are lined with fake books

Read more: http://mashable.com/

[souridealist]

Hello, Yuletide writer! First of all, I’m sorry it took so long to get this letter up, and I am genuinely touched you didn’t just say “to hell with it, this disorganized motherfucker is getting whatever she gets.” (And then I posted it half-written by accident, good Lord, why am I like this).

General Likes and Dislikes:

I DNW’d suicide and deportation, due to personal experience with both. I would lump POV character suicidal ideation under the heading of suicide, but ‘tactical’ suicides (eg: captured spy with an arsenic pill) don’t upset me at all. For example, I have a couple of canons that could allow for “Okay, my grand plan is that I die a little bit and then come back!” and others which could allow for situations where death is preferable to capture, and you can feel free to explore either. It’s specifically mundane, depression-based suicide depictions that I need to avoid. 

Deportation I would prefer you interpret a little more broadly. Acknowledging canon events are fine, but I’d rather the story not focus intensely on characters being forced to leave their families, their homes, their lives. (For reference if useful, I discovered this is a hard fictional limit while watching episode 1x08 of The Good Place.)

Other than that: I’ve requested all the canons here because I enjoy them, so canon-subversion fic is not really what I’m looking for here. I’m okay with dark, grim stories, but I’d prefer they not be hopeless ones. I like stories that are honest about characters’ flaws without condemning them.

I... hope that nails down some of the more nebulous points, in some way!

On to general likes: I’m really into things like epistolary fic, mixed media, in-universe documents, outsider POV, Rashomon stories, anything like that. I have no strong feelings on first/second/third-person or on past versus present tense, so run wild there. 

As a general rule, I’m going to be entirely happy to see non-nominated / non-requested characters make cameos or indeed take a central role in the fic, as long as the characters I did request are central as well. 

I’m a deeply polyamorous shipper at heart, and that informs a lot of these requests, but most of the relationships I ship are relationships where I just plain enjoy all their interactions, so gen works. I am also perfectly comfortable receiving smut for Yuletide, including for the teenage ships. One of my absolute favorite things is smut that uses sex to explore the characters and their relationship; relatedly, I like awkward human details more than idealized sex. (I don’t feel a need to get into things like historically-accurate lamb intestine condoms unless you really want to, though.) 

The only specifically-sexual DNWs I’d add are scat play, A/B/O, and parental incest, though I’d be frankly surprised to see the last come up with these canons. (Watersports are okay, since I know they’re often grouped with scat play without distinction.) 

Now, by canon! (Which may contain spoilers for their original canons). Also, as a note, I have more to say about some canons than others, but it’s not a measure of enthusiasm; I just don’t want to delay this letter any longer.

Summerlong - Peter S. Beagle

I loved this book’s lyricism, its sense of atmosphere and place, the wonder and beauty that ran through it all. And I loved how old the story felt, how timeless, and how nobody in it was young. Most of all, I was intrigued by the interplay between Lily and Lyonesse. A lot of it was sketched offscreen, related second-hand and in negative space, but there was still a sense of something layered and deep. I’d love to see it pulled into focus, whether in the form of missing scenes or post-canon stories.

Standout moments in my memory: when you forget that Persephone loves you. The dinner-party scene.

(Though I liked the book, I was very much disappointed that Abe and Lyonesse slept together. As I said, I’d be glad to see that played out with Lily instead, if you chose.)

Girl Genius

I am here for camp and shenanigans and gears on things and unabashed technobabble and the sheer glorious enthusiasm that spills out of every page. I love the canon’s sense of zany mayhem and bodice-ripper pulp novels and the way they’re willing to touch on very dark, sad, brutal things without ever losing its energy and color. I wouldn’t want to see them stripped down and rendered ordinary, but if you can get that sense of brilliant experimental chaos in a coffeeshop AU or a college, knock yourself out.

My other favorite thing about the comic is how it revels in Agatha being someone spectacular and extraordinary. We’re not here to watch our protagonist struggle and suffer, we’re here to watch her struggle and triumph. It’s great.

I’m also very, very much here for Tarvek/Agatha/Gil OT3, and this is one where it has to be an OT3 for me to like the ship; as far as I’m concerned, they all three need each other and care for each other. None of it’s going to work with only two; someone would be missing, no matter who it was. If you don’t want to write that kind of story, I’d much rather get straight gen than a story that picks a “team” in a love triangle. 

(As a note, I do prefer a three-sided true triangle to an open V, but I’m definitely okay with an open V as long as Gil and Tarvek are grumpily-fond metamours). 

One of the darker threads in the comic is the way all three of them have a very painful, bloody legacy; they have all been very isolated growing up; they have all three been failed and used and betrayed by their parents. It’s a heavy thing, and there’s absolutely no need, but if you go into it, I’m interested.

Bonus points: outrageous inventions, Jaegers being Extremely Helpful About The Romance, Castle Heterodyne being Extremely Helpful about anything. Bonus bonus points: if you happen to have read the novelizations, there’s some fascinating shit in the footnotes and epigraphs. If I’d wanted anything specifically novel-related I would have nominated the novelizations as a distinct fandom, but if you want to throw in some Easter eggs or if something novel-specific always struck you as a good starting point, I’d be delighted.

Standout scenes: The entire Hogfarb’s Resplendent Immolation arc; “We could have used him as a hostage! A bargaining chip! We could have... we could have... we could have kept him safe.” / “I’m sorry.” 

Clocktaur War - T. Kingfisher

These books are such a brutally detailed portrait of such flawed, tragic people who have done, and do, truly terrible things -- and yet the story is never anything but compassionate, never writes them with anything but tenderness and love. That’s what I love about it; hence the very specific DNW of villainizing anyone. 

I love all three of the characters nominated, but I admit that what fascinated me most was the relationship between Brenner and Slate, though Caliban/Slate was both excellent and made a great deal more sense as a long-term romance. I requested Caliban rather than just the two of them because I also very much enjoyed Caliban’s perspective on that dynamic, and on the ways that his presence changed it.

Having said that, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that I ship Caliban/Slate/Brenner (as a V, mainly, though the possibility of emotionally-fraught life-affirming let’s-do-this-instead-of-thinking-about-how-scared-we-are threesomes did cross my mind frequently during the wait between books).  I did spend a certain amount of time wailing that I wanted Slate and Caliban to get a nice little cabin, where Slate forges things and Caliban tries to ignore it, and every couple of month Brenner drops by and they all three fall in bed together and it’s kind of surreal for all of them but also a vital touchstone for all of them and NOBODY IS DEAD, but I also knew from midway through the first book that Brenner was going to die; I mostly have my peace with it. 

That said: I am on board for canon divergence, and not only on that one point. There’s so much going on in the story, and in the story’s world; it’s rife with what-ifs. I wouldn’t, however, want to see the characters pulled into any less flawed world than theirs.

Standout scenes: “I can make you die slow;” the scene where Brenner is prepared to strangle Slate to prevent her allergies inadvertently betraying them all; the very quick dispatch of robbers in Chapter Five of The Wonder Engine; “He had not quite realized that he would crawl on his knees to any god that would take him.”

The Innsmouth Legacy - Ruthanna Emrys

What I love about this one is everything it has to say about being an outsider, a monster in the world, and all the ways that that does not make one monstrous. The way it takes the empty vastness of the cosmos and turns it into a source of faith and strength, this too shall pass, and, more, the way it creates justification for kindness. That drew me too, so deeply; all the ways it is about love and community in the face of emptiness.

I need to confess that I don’t know the Cthulhu mythos that well, beyond these books. However, if you’re a huge mythos aficiondo and were all excited to include a bunch of details, I’ll probably need an index but I will be thrilled to know they’re there, because I still love that kind of thing. 

I requested Aphra and Audrey as my favorites -  in particular, I loved Audrey’s drive and determination, how quickly she clutched on to magic with both hands and would not let go, next to Aphra’s slowly opening heart. However, I do love pretty much the whole of Aphra’s spreading odd family, so if you want to write a more ensemble piece, absolutely feel free. In particular I loved the confluence, the idea of these people, all unexpected, finding such a view of each other’s souls, and coming back to find it was impossible not to care for each other deeply, now. Or, in other words, the soulbonding is both group and canonical. 

Note that although I’m interested in the soulbond elements of the confluence and have at least a passing interest Aphra/Audrey, I’m not asking for any shipfic that suggests their connection is deeper within the confluence. Just different. 

While I’m on the topic of shipfic, there’s a lot to possibly unpack with the legacy of Innsmouth and the question of having children to carry that legacy on, in a story where Aphra falls in love with a woman. Should that be an idea that bites you, I’m intrigued! 

Regarding the deportation DNW vis-a-vis the destruction of Innsmouth, anything on par with canon is fine.

I feel like talking about standout scenes would be redundant at this point (CONFLUENCE), but I also need to give out a shoutout to all the many and varied beach scenes in Winter Tide.

Although I haven’t read Deep Roots yet, I intend to, and even if I haven’t read it by Christmas, I spoil myself for things constantly, so incorporate it as much as you please without fear. 

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

This broader franchise is a huge part of my childhood, going back all the way to the first couple of Percy Jackson books, and the Norse were a delightful pick-up to the cast. Alex and Magnus charmed me immediately, weak as I still am to Rick Riordan’s bickering love interests, and Alex is such a wonderfully shitheaded highlighter pack of a person, while Magnus is so wonderfully caring, and so utterly, continuously stunned by her. (Every other chapter. “A minor physical detail of Alex looked really nice. I have no idea why I noted that.” BOY, YOU ARE SMITTEN WITH HIM.) 

Blitz and Hearthstone, meanwhile, struck me as absolutely married, the whole time; I loved their caring and their protectiveness and their trust, even when under stress. And I, er, have a history with dwarf/elf ships, to whit, that I am weak. And Blitzen kept on referring to Hearthstone as “my elf,” and frankly, at that point, it’s time to make an honest elf out of him.

However, if you don’t want to write shipfic, I also love the humor and the heart of these books, in addition to being an outrageous mythology nerd, so I will still be delighted to read gen adventure fic, or Shenanigans up at Hotel Valhalla, or just a thousand words (or ten thousand words) of the characters sitting around and snarking at each other. 

Standout scenes: the pottery studio sequence; Alex telling Magnus “your fly is down” in ASL in the middle of an important bluff; Alex and Magnus talking about books and Alex commenting on The Left Hand of Darkness. 

And thus, the letter is officially done! The mods reached out to remind me, so I tried to go into some detail, but please, especially after all this wait, I hope you don’t feel any obligation to my nonsense. Write the story that’s yours, that makes you happy, and I will enjoy it. Good luck, and thank you for writing for me. 

[jeannemalo-blog]

On self awareness, the creative process and  visual essays: Marshall Arisman

Self proclaimed illustrator and storyteller, not only he’s a great example of how far staying true to yourself and to your perspective on art takes you a long way (long enough to be considered one, if not, the pioneer of modern illustration).A teacher and storyteller, the way he speaks about himself is easily relatable on a personal level. 

Born in Jamestown, a small town in upstate New York (known for a thousand psychos and being the place where “nobody dies” according to the BBC) the landscape of his youth gave him a really different perspective on life, that made itself evident as he was trying to find himself as an artist in the 1960’s New York. By the time he was in his early twenties, he tried experimenting with all sorts of techniques, indulging in art movements in vogue at the time (pop art, abstract painting, fluxus). However, this movements, to him, were nothing but becoming what they were supposedly criticizing; “pop art was in essence doing what it pretended to be agains, becoming a commercial market” were his words when describing this period. It the heyday of expressionist and surreal graphic work. Non of this spoke to him due to the circumstances in which he grew up, away from pop culture and into a more traditional and simple way of living. Trying to create something real, close to home, he dig into his life, and started recreating subjects that he’d piled up in his poetic memory (there where without dates or precision you just keep stuff that touched you at some point). He then thought of things like deers, which he had killed, eaten seen but never drew. Cows, which he milked, ate, named but never drew. His mother, his grandmother, a spiritist who was able to see auras. He thought of his relationship with his brother, which he said came from a different planet than him - they had completely opposite personalities. All of this spoke to him truly; it allowed him to speak of something he actually knew, setting the foundation for his work on the next 40 years. 

After working in general motors as a graphic designer and going to the war, he came back and realized  one of the things he needed to explore through art in order to explain or understand (sometimes those two things are kind of the same thing) was violence. This brings us back to his brother. A hunter, gun-loving representation of the american dream, who thought violence was an ordinary thing in every man’s life. He represented a reality so alien; a way of thinking he could never embrace, and yet something so close that this became the subject of his first independent work Frozen Images (1974)

He tried to find a place for this series in quite a bunch of galleries in New York, and he says at least six told him “Man, you better take this thing to Germany, they love this dark shit over there”. Eventually he gave up on trying to fit this into NY pop galleries ‘cause apparently counterculture wasn’t as countercultural after all’, and finally his work was welcomed in print. He landed a job as an illustrator for the Times Magazine where he became the go-to guy for anything related to violence and crime. Influenced by Robert Weaver and André François, he realized that his story telling could be put into illustration (before that, illustration was but “pretty ladies” in feminine magazines) and he developed a thing he called visual essay. It consisted on allowing illustrations to speak for themselves, and to tell stories too, instead of relying on text (in literature this is called poetic images). Though now days this might seem a bit obvious to us, he’s one of the guys that actually made it that way. His style and way of thinking on what to portray relied on the works of Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Goya. That’s kind of like a bomb if you think how unapologetic and reckless they were.

Eventually, as time went by he became bolder and rawer and there’s an anecdote he likes to talk about of the time he was asked to make a cover for an article on death penalty. He came up with a painting (the one above this paragraph) and when he got to the office, the chief editor came out holding it under his arm and says “Kid, we’re not printing this; it’s too violent.” Arisman replied “Well frying a guy in a steel electric chair is pretty violent” and the editor then told him something he found rather profound. He said “We live in a culture where when people look at a picture, they don’t asks who the photographer was. They just take is as a reality. They don’t think of the guy taking the photo standing on the dead body. However, when they look at art, they know it takes time. They don’t think of it as a reality, they say the guy who made this is a psycho”. This kind of stories, not only the ones told on illustrations are what makes his work so rich. The context of the work, to him, is the work itself. 

With time, he sought to engage the context of his art in his work, as it enlarged the meanings of his work, and it revealed his creative process. This will inspired  works like The Last Tribe (2009) an exploration of nuclear annihilation (cheerful) or Ayahuasca series, Quechua people rituals (2012) where he used all the mediums taught himself along the way, putting painting, anecdotes and sound in videos where he speaks about the things around these series related to The Bomb. 

“The stories that surround the artwork are always more interesting to me than the artwork itself. And it’s been a luxury frankly, to be able to spend most of my life making pictures about things I’m interested in. And they generate all kinds of other things. I feel lucky about all that. I’ve had the time to do it. I mean I don’t know what it is I’ve done, but I’ve had the time to do it.”

Seldomly, artists allow themselves to reveal the integrity of their creative process, keeping to themselves the not so great, perfect parts of it. He however doesn’t pretend to come out as other “elegant” artist (elegant understood as hiding the processes and rough patches to make the final result seem effortless). In various interviews he’s been emphatic on how personal development relates to the evolution of his work. One of the things that were blocking him when he started was forcing himself to portray subjects that didn’t speak to him in a genuine way. He gives some advice on how this makes art meaningful for you and others regardless of what’s being done:

“If you’re lucky, and you go back to yourself and you start talking about yourself, you suddenly find out that there’s a connection there between you and other people.

Communication is part of the fun, right? It’s just so good when people respond, and say, “I know exactly what you mean” or “These pictures mean something to me.” That’s the nice communication.

It’s also the nice thing about being into print. All kinds of people are looking at it and I don’t have a clue who they are. It’s part of the fun, I think.”

He talks about his reflections naively, focusing on the human said of it. Though in this particular case he speaks only about the creative process, This anecdote is might ve valid when speaking of affecting other people’s life. Sometimes out of experience, or perhaps because we have the means or good intentions, we tend to interrupt the natural course of personal development for those around us. He makes the point when speaking about how he “killed” his mothers creative process:

“I killed the creative spirit in my own mother. Watching this process was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. My mother was a folk artist and made sheep out of bread dough that were her masterpieces. In an effort to bring her more income I marketed her abilities to the Smithsonian gift shop. The sheep sold out on the first order and they re-ordered. After designing a logo, tags invoices and opening a bank account for my mother I called her to find out how it was going. “Don’t ever interfere with my life again” my mother said. “I am so sick of making sheep that I could scream.” My mother never made anything again. The issue was never resolved. The morale is: Do not foll around with the creative process”

To analyze the evolution of an experienced artist like him, who’s still active is that we’re not only witness their process, but we can have its opinion on how things have changed. Despite the fact that illustration no longer offers the stability it used to as a job, he’s got a really optimistic perception on what’s happening in freelancing projects. 

“It’s not really a depressing time. But, if you talk to old-time illustrators, they’re all depressed. These are people who were booked up six months in advance. People who never had to pick up a pencil unless the phone rang. People who made more money every year with the same style for 30 years, and it looked like it was going to go on forever.

But it hasn’t. And those people are bitter. And that’s a shame. But that’s not what it’s about anymore. One of the ironies for me is that the very group of people who are trained to tell stories, the illustrators, never told their own stories.

But what’s replacing that is quite exciting. People are doing graphic novels and comic books. People are creating games and whatever. And what’s generating that, is that freelancing editorial work, which was the mainstay of illustration for most illustrators, is not a market that they can rely on totally anymore.

They’re doing some freelance. And, they’re patching it together with everything else, doing Flash animation and all kinds of things.”

Evidently times have changed, and illustration and the ways contemporary artists work nowadays is radically different. Nobody ever predicted how much technology, internet, social networks or the media would get to affect the panorama of, like, absolutely everything. Still, i believe that some things are inherent to the process of creation, no made which medium, which subject or which time. His story, and the way he tells it illustrate obstacles we ourselves experience in totally different context, and most importantly, the way he overcame this obstacles using art to vehicle the changes of life.

If you want to read all the other anecdotes and things he’s done check the sources for this article;

https://www.societyillustrators.org/marshall-arisman

success ideas from master illustrator marshal arisman:

http://thesherwoodgroup.com/interviews/interview-with-marshall-arisman/#.WPuRWlPyjEo

the last tribe (2009) an exploration of nuclear annihilation

https://vimeo.com/5432640

the new york times

wonderful look at the past. beautiful poetic simple image. Brilliant graphic dog. True aesthetic

https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/08/his-night-train-and-his-dog/?_r=0

On his referents:

Rober weaver

https://www.flickr.com/photos/leifpeng/sets/72157603995211043/

bacon

https://fumeedopium.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/if-you-can-talk-about-it-why-paint-it-francis-bacon/

Lucian Freud

Andre françois