#gwynriel week 2022

[emilyondemand]

Why are there 2 Elain weeks? I'm not upset with celebrating more Elain! But I'm confused. Did the hosts lose the login info?

So the very first Elain Archeron week was hosted back in 2021, that torch was passed onto the current hosts who have been running the appreciation week since September of 2022. The current hosts were harassed by Eluciens and Gwynriels who were trying to claim their own Elain week in 2023 which they held in March or April (?) and it flopped, so they abandoned it. They have always been welcome to celebrate in our long running Elain week, but if they do, they typically only contribute to the Romance prompt.

When Elain week posted their rules this year (which have been exactly the same for the past 3 years), antis decided to use it as a chance to bash the event and create drama over… males. Thus elaingate was born by people who were never going to, nor had any intention of actually participating in Elain week to begin with.

Our current hosts are very familiar with harassment surrounding the week, unfortunately, and just held their boundaries. Antis didn’t like that the hosts didn’t give into their tantrums, so they took the more manipulative approach of playing victim, and acted as though they didn’t feel welcomed to participate because the week is hosted by Elriels. Despite the fact that Elriels were by far and large interacting with, liking, and sharing ALL of the content posted. (From what I saw anyway, I can’t speak for what may have been happening on Twitter and I apologize if any Eluciens were being unfairly attacked on that platform. From what I’ve heard it’s unhinged in those parts, so I avoid)

A lot of them pretended to be nice to our faces on IG, while coming onto Tumblr to whine and complain about how many Elriels were participating, any nods to Azriel in any form in any piece was criticized, they tried to start drama over an artist who theorized Elain having shapeshifting abilities and gave her wings, one of the captions on one of my own commissions was mocked and made fun of in the pro Elain tags, and many of us were blocked, unblocked, and reblocked- it was just bizarre tantrum throwing behavior and a poor show of trying to play the victim while simultaneously manufacturing all of the drama.

So now, someone has taken over the reins of the random one time elucien led elain week and has decided to host it again, I’m assuming they will be resuming in March of 2025. The sad thing though is that it isn’t being held because of actual love for Elain’s character, but because they want to be spiteful and ugly over not being the first ones to host and control the real Elain week. And that is what it really comes down to- pettiness, unfortunately.

[lunainfortuna]

It's so funny to me when someone says that ‘gwynriels and elriels are equally problematic/toxic’ and that ‘people weren't harassed! that's fiction!’ because you just had to be there (or have to be here) to know how this shipwar really works.

You just had to be there to remember how Azriel's bonus chapter leaked. And who exactly celebrated first. You had to be there to remember how Gwyn and Az, as a ship, were welcomed in this fandom. How people who shipped them were ‘insane’. Or how Gwyn was ‛just a maid/servant’ (I'm being sweet. We all know what she was actually called). Then, how Gwyn ‛could not be with Azriel because she couldn't have sex, you all. She was a SA victim!’. And then, all the harassment towards real people: us and content creators.

I could ask my fellow gwynriels: raise your hand if in 2021, after SF, you were harassed!

You just had to be there, now in 2022, to know how the ending of HOSAB was leaked. I mean, we all are familiar with ‛bread and roses’. Do you remember who once again celebrated first? (or celebrated at all). Because I do. Do you remember what it was like to be a gwynriel then? Or how many of us were heavily harassed? 🤷🏻 You just had to be there, weeks ago, to know how CCT3 spoilers were leaked and by whom. You just had to be there to know exactly how this fucking shipwar works.

But somehow we are as toxic as them. We cannot answer them or answer all the false information they spread because we are ‘fighting and not enjoying things’. We cannot mention Elain and Azriel or debunk their theories because oh, damn, we are fighting again! Just let us fuck the shut up and let them call us whores, hoes, stupid. Or let them say that victims of SA can't have a sexual life. Or print us and share on their pages to make fun of us. Or change canon facts and distort Sarah's every word.

Funny. It's so funny when someone also says that we all could be ‘happy’ and enjoying things together without disturbance.

Like we haven't tried already. Like, before us, there weren't Eluciens.

No one is angry that someone is shipping something different. NO ONE. We are angry by their fucking behavior.

See, if you feel comfortable by not getting involved in this shipwar, great! If you haven't been harassed, that's perfect. I'm happy for you. But do not assume that everyone is like you. Do not assume you know how this shipwar works. Do not assume how gwynriels and elriels behave without seeing it. Do not assume we are here being ‛lazy and childish’ by pointing out that they are nastier.

Believe me, any of us could leave our social media and forget about this while elriels would still be saying shit about our ship and us. And I'm not excusing bad behavior from gwynriels. I know it happens. A lot. But we aren't the same.

Go look closer. Talk to some people. Some content creators.

Dito isto, como brasileira, devo admitir que o fandom gwynriel anda bastante equivocado. Quase se assemelhando ao elriel. Por isso, peço: não sejam. Não interajam com conteúdo do ship ao lado, especialmente fanarts. Pelo amor.

[aldbooks]

ACOTAR Masterlist

AO3 ALDBooks

ACOTAR 🥀

Like After Images - Valkyrie Week prompt 'Blood Rite' *TW*

Several weeks after the Blood Rite, once the excitement of Nesta's mating ceremony and the birth of Nyx subside, the Valkyrie wade through the aftermath of what they faced in the Blood Rite

The Temporary Roommate - T - 3/3 - 13,951words

ACOTAR Secret Santa 2022 gift Mor's meddling family sends her and Emerie away to her estate for two weeks. It's either the best, or the worst thing that ever happened. She hadn't yet decided.

A Strange Melody - M - 12/12 - 19,752

ACOTAR Secret Santa 2023 gift for @sunshinebingo - a Gwynriel Little Mermaid AU

ACOTAR Writing Circle 3

A Friendly Wager - M - 1/1 - 2,205 words

Gwynriel oneshot fluffy fun - Alternate storyline A Fresh Spark

“Because of you I didn’t sleep at all last night” prompt Gwynriel

“I’m guessing you stole them?” Prompt Gwynriel

Azriel and his mother headcanons

Gwynriel/Kanthony headcanon

The necklace - Angsty Gwynriel

Snap me baby one more time - Nessian 2,175 words

Inspired by all the gym bro thirst traps that keep crossing my FYP that remind me of Cassian. Here's a silly little Nessian one shot with a side Gwynriel and Emorie plot (naturally)

Bodyshop - E - 4/4 - 19,441 words

Inspired by the song Unholy by Sam Smith & Kim Petra Mor and Cassian drag Azriel to Rita's the strip club the partially own with their friend Rhysand to see a new troop of dancers. A trio of women who go by the name Valkyrie.

Don’t you wanna be more than friends? - M - 3,839 words

Azriel and Gwyn have been growing steadily closer thanks to their midnight meetings in the training ring but, tonight, something is different... TW: mentions of SA

“Who says I want to reject it?” - Elucien

Drunk confessions - Elucien

Elucien angsty Drabble & Part 2

More angsty Elucien 

The haircut - Lucien cuts his hair and Elain has feelings about it

Gwynriel/Elucien drabble

Should've Stayed Dead - M - 4,437 words

Nessian (sort of) Lucien receives a message requesting a meeting with the Night Court. Specifically, the Archeron sisters. Cassian's POV

Angsty prompts requests:

Elucien [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Gwynriel [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Lucien/Feyre [1]

Her tears like diamonds on the floor - 1,610words

Angsty Gwynriel Starfall drabble

Embrace - E - 14/? :

Collection of Smut prompt requests including the following ships:

Amren x Varian

Gwynriel

Helion x LoA

Feysand

Elucien

Viviane x Kallias

Jassa

Nessian

Gwynriel week prompts:

Solstice Night

“You’re the new ribbon Az”

To Win a Prince - Cinderella AU

Elucien story inspired by Persuasion - The Remembrance of Regret

Unchained Melody - angsty/smutty Gwynriel

Rosaline inspired Gwynriel scene

Gwynriel sparring

My Jolly Sailor Bold - Gwynriel mermay

I thought my demons were almost defeated but you took their side and you pulled them to freedom - Gwynriel based on @acourtdelaluna head canon

Moth to Flame - Gwynriel Summer Solstice

Frost and Flame - Pure angst from Lucien's POV, no happy ending

A Court of Light and Shadows series - Elucien/Gwynriel

This series consists of an Elucien prequel then a Gwynriel and Elucien story that run tandem to each other - the directions for the tandem read are in the notes of each respective chapter for those interested

A Breaking - M - 1/1 - 2,899 words

After witnessing the almost kiss on Winter Solstice, Lucien makes a decision.

A Court of Shadows - E - 37/37 - 94,718 words

Azriel has begun to notice that his thoughts regarding a certain priestess have begun to shift. Before he can fully set aside his more inappropriate musings, Gwyn makes a proposal he can't resist

A Court of Light - M - 31/31 - 88,258 words

A year after the events of A Breaking, Elain feels a tug on the bond and realizes her estranged mate is in danger. Lucien, now returned to the Night Court, wonders if he might have been too hasty in his decision to leave, and if there might still be a chance for him with his mate

[vikingmagic33]

WIP Tag/Ask Game

Thanks @foreverinelysian I’m honored to be your one tag! @thelovelymadone not sure what to say about your impressively intimidating list! Kisses! Light it up, bitch!

Rules: reveal the titles of the documents in your wip folder and tag as many people as there are documents. Let others ask questions about the ones that interest them and post snippets or explain the contents as you see fit!

I guess I have three fics in the works, meaning I have some portion of it already written. I have another that is a long time Gwynriel HC but no outline or text.

1. A Place In This World is a canon compliant Elorcan fic covering his POV during the three days after he first spots Elide. I wanted to post for @headcanonheadcase birthday but got hit by some serious writers block and decided to reread the book and not rush it. Could be it turns into a much longer series eventually.

2. Fox & Alice is my ongoing regency style Elucien fic with a strong Alice in Wonderland aesthetic showing Elain navigating the fae world she finds herself dropped into. I have posted 9 chapters on AO3 between Elucien Week 2022 and 2023. Hope to have the last four or so posted this fall before Kinktober takes over my life.

3. TBD Jaime x Brienne ASOIAF fic is soft dom/sub book compliant fic that ignores all GOT exclusive plot. I’ve been working on it this summer, but not sure when I will be ready to post.

Tags: @headcanonheadcase @beaumaismortel @azrielshadowssing

[the-autumn-court]

I posted 1,270 times in 2022

That's 1,270 more posts than 2021!

4 posts created (0%)

1,266 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@isterofimias

@acourtofthought

@sydneymack

@nessiandaily

@highqueenmorrigan

I tagged 30 of my posts in 2022

#elucien - 7 posts

#elriel - 5 posts

#gwynriel - 4 posts

#acotar - 4 posts

#fandom wank - 3 posts

#monster smut - 2 posts

#signal boost - 2 posts

#do not support plagiarism - 2 posts

#incorrect quotes - 2 posts

#this is not something to ignore - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 111 characters

#got attacked by an elriel within a week of joining this tumblr fandom for daring to wish for lucien's happiness

My Top Posts in 2022:

#4

All of the intense fighting between Elucien and Elriel shippers makes me wish everyone’s wrong and Elain runs off with Mor.

0 notes - Posted August 20, 2022

#3

Elucien or Elriel?

I’ve seen a lot of posts on how the other side of this shipping war (aka both sides) only have an opinion when it comes to which ship will come out on top.

I just want to say - BOTH sides only have opinions right now because until SJM publishes something, nothing is set in stone or proven.  Both sides have credible evidence that their ship is going to happen.  Only one side is going to ultimately win, and the other side will be upset.

Can we not just be really excited for Elain’s journey, regardless of who she ends up with?  We’ve seen her go from this boring, two-dimensional, meek character to one who is much stronger than most people around her give her credit for.  She stabbed the King of Hybern to protect her sister (and Cassian).  She volunteered to go after the trove.  There is real power simmering under the surface.  She is coming into her own and I can’t wait to see the ultimate queen she is going to be in her book.

1 note - Posted August 23, 2022

#2

I love watching Elliot Brooks and she did a great video on divisive issues in reading - at approximately 8:12, she has a great segment on shipping and shipping wars and I love her for it.  She perfectly sums up my feelings on shipping.

5 notes - Posted August 23, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Wishlist for ACOTAR #5

My wishlist for the next (full-length) ACOTAR book:

- Gwynriel & Elucien - Happiness for all pairings (whatever they may be, with a little angst along the way) - success in war - surprise twists and turns - more Emerie - more Gwyn & for her to finally leave the library - redemption for Tamlin (as bad as he treated Feyre, he was also dealing with his own trauma - guy needs a break) - Lucien finding out he is the son of Helion

10 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[theshadowsingersraven]

Hi! Had to unblock you real quick since I had you blocked due to Elaingate. Let me address some concerns for you and refresh your memory, since I'm not sure how you're confused about this.

Why were Eluciens upset about the prior Elain Week? Well, firstly, it wasn't exclusively Eluciens upset. It was many people with different alignments about Elain interpretations, different ships, etc. People were upset that any ships were banned at all, because a concept not everyone seems to grasp, particularly people like you is that character apprecation does not look the same way for everyone. This is kind of a base rule for all of fandom, not just ACOTAR. People were further upset because Elain Week's rule about banning abusive ships or features of other characters was based on "protecting survivors". And doing that meant, even unintentionally, creating a dynamic where only survivors who felt like they related to were/triggered by Tamlin's behavior deserved those protections. Not people who felt triggered by Rhys, Nesta, Feyre, etc.

There is a page for this Elain Week. It had to be taken over by new hosts because the prior hosts dealt with so much harassment and hate that they no longer felt comfortable hosting after 2023. If you check Elain Week's Archive, you can see the blog started in 2022 and has had posts since then. This is not a new blog. In fact, I personally reached out to the prior hosts, and here's my post doing so. Which, fun fact, is also tagged Elriel. Which means that any single one of you who felt like you should be included/represented were more than welcome to collaborate with me. That didn't happen. One Elriel (something like Pluto, iirc?) commended me for actually taking action and taking the vast recommendations Elriels made--which was to make our own Elain Week. And that happened.

Elain Day was spontaneous. That's the point. Some people who were friends with one another or mutuals discussed it with each other to make something, but it clearly wasn't widely announced to anyone since you can see that there are Eluciens who didn't know, Gwynriels that didn't know, Tamlains, etc.

You are, in fact, in a fandom of adults. The reality is that you isolated parts of this community who were shamed and treated like they were less than or didn't care about survivors of DV because their version of appreciating Elain didn't align with yours. Many of them DV survivors themselves-- including me!

Hi, I'm Raven, I'm a DV survivor, particularly at the hands of my dad. And yet, I'm capable of not treating people who have any appreication of Beron or might find a dynamic between him and any other characters interesting, particularly romantically, like shit or like there's some kind of moral failing. And these are my posts from months ago expressing that I, like anyone else, am responsible for my own triggers, as a DV survivor. I learned how to filter content that's tagged accordingly so I'm not exposed to things that trigger me, and there's even posts about how to do so yourself. x, x

Speaking as someone whose been in therapy for many years--art is therapy. Art is a way for people to cope, to experience things safely, to take their power back, etc. And it's gross to shame people for how they choose to explore topics, appreciate characters, or engage with a fandom generally, but especially when you don't know them or what their art means to them.

Respectfully, you have reaped what you sowed. I don't know how you can take a look at the elaingate tag and how many Elriels reacted, and not expect people to want to create a space for themselves to celebrate a character without further harassment and shame. No one is barred from participating in Elain Day, unlike the prior Elain Week.

You want to contribute something? No one is stopping you.

But you have no place to be upset that people stood on business about creating a different space when they didn't feel welcome in the other. And since Elriels were the ones pushing for the idea that not everyone is welcome in every space (which I personally disagree with) or that not everything is catered to you...shouldn't you be relieved to know that no is actually barred from this second one? That this isn't even the actual official event, just a random one-off day, and no one is prevented from participating?

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

Leaving Elriels out of Elain Day, Real Classy Y’all

The Eluciens complain about how they felt like they couldn’t participate in Elain week, even though they were welcomed and given every opportunity to commission art. And chose to mostly not participate because they were upset about who the f knows what.

So then they host their own day for Elain and don’t advertise it anywhere and don’t even have a page for it, presumably to keep us out. How demure. How charming. How mindful. 🙄

All the sudden there’s commissions for an Elain Archeron Day, and not one Elriel I know had anything commissioned because we didn’t know about it.

I thought I was engaging in a fandom of adults, not overgrown mean girls who thrive on catty behavior and peaked in high school.

[sabrinasam]

In honor of Gwynriel week, thought I'd share another version of a previous commission of mine from the amazing Natalia Tezmoon on IG. See the first version (without the lighting) here. 🤍

[tpcanvas]

Just a reminder that gwyn calmed az’s shadows with her smile. 🖤

my ig: @/cutiegwyn

[lady-riel]

Nesta: Gwyn?

Gwyn: *yells from the shower* I’m in the shower!

Nesta: I’m coming in.

Gwyn: Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Azriel: *also yells from the shower* Yeah that’s a terrible idea.

@gwynrielweek2022

[vikingmagic33]

Such a lovely idea, Yaz! Thanks! Don't mind if I do!

I have 21 works on AO3. Quick Links Masterlist. All are SJM (ACOTAR, TOG, CC) except my most recent fic is a FBAA oneshot that rewrites TWOTQ Ch. 44 from Kieran's POV called Attempting to Behave Appropriately. All are complete except The Fox & Alice (regency vibe) which has been part of Elucien Weeks 2022 and 2023. Just wait for me to finish or my random posting schedule will drive you insane.

My Top 3 (ranked by kudos) are all Explicit Gwynriel (my OTP) set post ACOSF and canon compliant:

On My Radar: Azriel POV that follows Gwyn moving out of the library and her bold plan to overcome ptsd triggers with Azriel's private help. Roughly 115k words/33 chapters is a commitment, but with 34k hits/ and nearly 700 kudos it seems people like it. Thanks to @freyjas-musings it has been bound by @maddy_reads_bindery on Instagram. Gwyn's POV (In the Name of Science) is technically my second ranking fic, but it was my first fic ever and I didn't have everything figured out. It is 40k words and there are plot holes that got filled hopefully in Radar. All can be read as stand alones.

We Don't Slut-Shame Males in the Night Court: My ode to AzHimbo, which has a sort of Tony Stark/Pepper Potts and Natasha/Bruce Banner vibe. I love this one. It is only about 12k words and could be an excellent place to start to test out my style.

Stealth (Explicit) was my first commission from @freyjas-musings inspired by two of their amazing art commission from @lucielart for Chapter 1 and Chapter 3. Az and Gwyn are on a mission to rescue a priestess fleeing the Autumn Court. At about 10k words, it is a good intro, but you might be mad at me for the slow-burn and idiot (singlular for just Az) to lovers.

Hope you enjoy! I've been talked into continuing my Manorian, but for the time being it is a complete two shot fic and I hope to have a new Elorcan one shot later this month that hopefully will grow into a larger project. I write mostly m/f and some f/f, though I'm working on a FBAA fic for my sweetheart Delano (my first m/m). Disclaimer: I don't write/read Eris, even though many of my friends do. I found out the hard way that he is a personal trigger for me and sends me into a toxic and unsafe spiral.

A Note on Triggers: I also wrote a rant/rage fic based on tumblr outrage around a sexualized Gwyn called When Do I Get To Be Ready? and there is a trigger warning on that one for discussion of assault as told from Gwyn's POV and does include harsh language.

Not Looking for Smut: try my sassy Valkyrie fic with only implied Gwynriel tension called Book Club.

I've had the pleasure to collab on writing circle fics with @hlizr50 @thegloweringcastle @sunshinebingo @thehaemanthus @aldbooks @rosanna-writer and with @headcanonheadcase because she is amazing and kind and forgives all my flaws. Go check them out!

Thanks again, Yaz for the chance to shamelessly self-promote! Cheers.

I also want to collect titles to give a shout out on bookstagram since I often get asked about fanfic recommendations.

So don't be shy and let us know 🥰 These are the most popular ships but if you also have fics for different characters that's fine too!

[crownofnight]

last day of @gwynrielweek2022

[houseofhurricane]

art by @carol-pisarro | fic by @houseofhurricane

Gwyn is losing the battle, but she has a secret weapon.

Somehow she manages to get out from under Nesta and Emerie's pillows, and she races through the House of Wind, sprinting for the sanctuary of her bedroom, where she's hidden her weapon of last resort: the pillow that houses her diary, thick and leather-bound and filled with all her secret thoughts. It's a weapon of last resort, a high risk, but Gwyn is losing the pillow fight badly and she's desperate.

She's only a few steps ahead of Nesta and Emerie when she reaches her door, and she flings it open in her haste.

For a moment, tearing into the room, focused on her pillow, Gwyn doesn't realize that there are candles lit on every surface, that the air carries the scent of cedar and mist, the petals of new roses.

She's still so focused on the pillow that the first thing she sees is the head resting on it. Azriel's head, his hazel eyes lighting up, his lips curving into a smile that's equal parts glad and sensual.

Then, as Emerie and Nesta tumble into the room after her, Gwyn realizes that Azriel is completely naked. That he'd arranged himself to invite her perusal.

Instead, Gwyn can feel her friends staring as Azriel swiftly pulls Gwyn's quilt over his body, his muscles rippling with the motion. Dimly, Gwyn realizes that her cheeks are flushed crimson, that her thighs clench at the sight of him, the place where the tented fabric reveals he feels the same desire as she does.

"I thought you wouldn't be home until tomorrow," she says. The words come out a squeak. She can only guess at the expressions on Nesta and Emerie's faces, and she's very aware of her ridiculous pajamas, with pegasus wings and a unicorn's horn, a gift from the House.

"I wanted to surprise you." His bronze cheeks are flushed.

"Gwyn is definitely surprised," Emerie offers, a smirk in her voice. "But I suspected a few things. A few big things."

"We're also very impressed with the surprise, Az," Nesta adds, smug as an empress.

Gwyn resists the urge to hide her face in her hands. Instead, she thinks like the spy she is training to become.

So rather than running from the room, she makes a bold offensive maneuver, striding towards her bed and launching herself at Azriel. When she captures his lips against her own, she doesn't hold back the moan that rises in her. The taste of him, the warmth, it's all better than she remembered during his absence the past few weeks.

Still, even as she surrenders herself to the kiss, feels Azriel's shock give way to need, Gwyn is keenly aware that neither of her so-called friends have left the room.

She pulls herself away from Azriel and turns to them, hands on her hips.

"Are you hoping to join us?" she forces herself to drawl, all false bravado.

Nesta looks like she's considering it, but Emerie pulls her out of the room, winking just before she closes the door.

"We'll let you enjoy the big surprise," she says.

Gwyn can hear their snickering through the door, but she turns back to Azriel and pulls down the quilt. Around them, the scent of scattered rose petals rises.

"I'm glad you're here," she says, drinking in the sight of him, all lean muscle and intricate tattoos, those hazel eyes that have darkened with desire. He rests his hands on her hips and pulls her closer. "I'm sorry about that. I'm sure Cassian will tease you about it."

"Not if Nesta is accurate in her retelling," he says, smiling as he pulls her down towards him. "In fact, I think she might be a little jealous of you, love."

Gwyn only smiles at him. All the stress of the past month melts away. Azriel is here, safe and naked in her bed, looking at her as if she were made of something very precious.

"Want to make her more jealous?" she asks, reaching for the buttons on her pajamas.

"I have plans to do a lot more than that."

He reaches out and hooks his fingers on the elastic of her pajama bottoms, then pulls her onto the bed with him, fitted against his own naked body.

"I missed you," he says against the column of her throat, his fingers running over her skin, making her blood pound with her rising need.

She reaches her hand out for his cock, circling it with her thumb.

"I know," she says, and it's the last coherent word that escapes her lips for quite a while.

[shadowsxgwynriel]

🍓 How did you get into writing fanfiction?

Embarrassingly, I first started writing stories about “Jelena” (yes, Justin and Selena. I know, I know. I’m cringing just thinking about it 😭) when I was like 13 and was obsessed with them. I posted them on YouTube (they’re still on there, but I’ll just pretend that they’re not 🥲). And then I started reading book related fanfics (Twilight, Harry Potter, etc.) and I attempted to write stories for those, but never felt confident enough to post them. But when I joined Tumblr in 2022, I decided to take a chance and write a one shot for Gwynriel, and here we are.

🍇How many fandoms have you written in?

Just the SJM fandom so far. Maybe one day I’ll try new ones, but there are so many to pick from.

🍎Do you read or write more fanfiction?

It depends. I have weeks when I’m not writing and only reading, and then I have weeks (like right now) when I’m writing and not reading anything because I’m too focused on the writing process.

🍌What is one way you've improved as a writer?

Actually having the courage to post. Ha just kidding (sort of). I can’t really say for sure how I’ve improved, but I like to think that my storytelling overall has gotten better.

🍑Do you have any bad habits as a writer?

Having too many ideas, which sounds a bit ridiculous, but it’s true. Sometimes I’ll get an idea and start to write it, and then another idea will pop up and I’ll get sidetracked. So I have so many unfinished drafts that are just sitting there waiting for me to finish them.

🍉What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

All of them. I love and appreciate any kind of feedback. Even if my fic only gets one comment, it still makes me happy that someone took the time out of their day to leave that comment.

🍋What is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

Honestly? I’m too intimidated to write JJK fanfics, but I would love to one day.

🍇what made you choose your username?

So “shadowsxgwynriel” is pretty much just from Azriel’s bonus chapter in ACOSF. Shadows, because of how the shadows reacted to Gwyn, and Gwynriel for Gwyn and Az. It’s really basic because I suck at thinking of clever names.

Thanks for the tag @sunshinebingo! 💛☀️

Tagging (if you want): @hlizr50 @captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship @aldbooks @panicatthenightcourt

Answer the questions and tag five fanfiction authors you know!

Thank you @metalbvcky. NPT for @mrs-illyrian-baby @doasyoudesireandlive @km-ffluv @labella420

🍓 How did you get into writing fanfiction?

As a teen I was a voracious reader and tried to write my own stuff based on other books I'd read. I also loved ST:TNG and wanted dearly to be in an episode and had lots of the books. I wrote my own ST stories with OC's (gratuitous self inserts), but they never went anywhere. In my late teens I read some Xena fanfic on the internet. But that was it for a great number of years.

At the beginning of 2021 I sat and watched the entirety of the MCU films in chronological order (I'd seen most of them before and was mainly a Thor gal.) I fell down the Stucky rabbithole. Deep. I decided to look up fanfic. AO3 was now a thing! I wrote (a very poor) Stucky fic and here we are, almost 3 years later

🍇How many fandoms have you written in?

As my ST stuff never made it further than my parent's old PC in the days of dial-up, I won't count it.

I've written for MCU, various Chris Evans and Seb Stan Characters and one fic for RWRB. I've been toying with writing a one-off Criminal Minds fic as a gift for a friend.

🍈How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

Three in July since I first published anything on AO3.

🍎Do you read or write more fanfiction?

I try to balance it out. If I have a period of hyperfocus writing I try to then go through a period of reading. I read on both Tumblr and AO3, so try to keep that even as well.

🍌What is one way you've improved as a writer?

Getting betas to pick me up on tense changes, overuse of words and rogue commas. Reading more. Practising. Writing outlines for longer stories so I don't go off-piste.

🍑Do you have any bad habits as a writer?

Getting bored half-way through a long fic, especially if the first few parts haven't had a lot of interaction. Which is why I try to write the whole thing before I start posting.

🍍 What's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Engineering courses at MIT and, for a separate fic, Violet wands, including the ways to use them and the differnt types of accessories you can use with them. I even watched a Youtube video.

🍉What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Any comment! Anything that gives me the validation I need!

🍐What's the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

I wrote a transformation into Tsum-tsum fic that was both cracky and smutty. That's pretty niche.

🥭What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

Action scenes. I loathe them. I'm constantly wondering if they are long enough, and make sense.

🍏What is the easiest type?

Short things that are either PWP or fluffy slices of life.

🍑Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

Mainly on my elderly laptop on G-Docs, and in every moment I can - normally afterwork before dinner and on Mondays when I don't have work.

🍋What is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

There are a few characters and ships I haven't written that I'd like to. And I suppose I'd like to write a proper long, over 100k fic at some point.

🍇 what made you choose your username?

When I made my AO3 account I felt as though that at 40, and only really starting in Fandom in this way, I was late to the party, so that is who I became.

[vikingmagic33]

I posted 540 times in 2022

That's 457 more posts than 2021!

89 posts created (16%)

451 posts reblogged (84%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@headcanonheadcase

@booknerd87

@ofduskanddreams

@hlizr50

@damedechance

I tagged 148 of my posts in 2022

#gwynriel - 89 posts

#gwynriel fanfiction - 71 posts

#pro gwynriel - 63 posts

#gwyneth berdara - 54 posts

#azriel - 46 posts

#gwynriel supremacy - 45 posts

#gwyn and azriel - 42 posts

#gwyn x azriel - 41 posts

#acosf - 31 posts

#azriel shadowsinger - 29 posts

Longest Tag: 47 characters

#this is exactly how their relationship would go

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

In celebration of @the-bookish-valkyrie recent Gwynriel commission. This is also my reaction to yesterday’s bullying on this site and others regarding creators who openly celebrate Gwyn as a fully sexual being.

Thank you to @headcanonheadcase for the beta and the awesome title card! Please adhere to all ratings! All characters in this fic belong to SJM. Let’s hope she treats them well.

Read my NSFW fic here!!

61 notes - Posted August 12, 2022

#4

A Picture & The Story Behind…

Part 1 - STEALTH

COMMISSION BY @smahesh87 (booknerd)

https://smahesh87.tumblr.com/post/682452389745278976/a-picture-the-story-behind

ART BY Lucielart on Instagram

FANFICTION BY @vikingmagic33

Or Read on AO3 link here!

Disclaimer: all characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

————————————

‘Azriel, this had better not be like that dreadful mission from last month?’ Her husky whispering made it no less of an obvious threat.

‘And which one was that, Gwyneth?’ Though their shoulders brushed, neither spy turned from their post. Both sets of eyes still scanned the darkness intensely for any hint of movement.

‘The one where you dragged me all the way to the Day Court, just to wait in that damn tree for over a week.’ A flutter of wind against his cheek told him that she had raised a finger into the air for dramatic emphasis. ‘Watching a whole lot of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happen, I might add.’ He could picture the curt nod of her chin in punctuation. Azriel rolled his eyes to hide his smirk. He had enjoyed that tree. He had enjoyed that tree a lot. So had she, if she was being honest, but right now Gwyn was bored. She didn’t do well with bored.

Gwyn took in their damp little corner of cave and made no effort to disguise her disgust when she sighed. ‘This is gonna be just like that, I can already feel it.’

‘Better that one, than the total disaster from the month before.’ Gwyn snorted her scoff, but Az didn’t seem to hear her. ‘The one where I had to drag your ass OUT of the Day Court for engaging our target.’ This time, it was a scarred finger in the air, for dramatic emphasis and a hint of friendly mocking. ‘When I specifically told you not to do exactly that.’ Gwyn opened her mouth in retort just before Azriel cut her off. ‘Under any circumstances. I think those were my exact words. Were they not, Gwyneth?’

He always called her Gwyneth when they were playing, Valkyrie when he tried to give an order, Priestess when he wanted to comfort her, Berdara when he thought her a damn child, and Gwyn less and less lately. Which was fine, hearing Gwyn on his lips made her knees jelly.

‘He earned that beating, Az. And you damn well know it.’

There was granite in the depth of her voice. Azriel didn’t hear it often these days. It hinted at the roiling rage she reserved only for a certain type of male and only for a certain type of crime.

‘I do know that, Gwyn.’ The softness in his own voice startled both of them and Azriel had to look away.

‘Anyway.’ Gwyn rose from her crouch and dusted off her leathers. The hard lines of her face twisting into a smug smile. ‘As far as beatings go though, it was downright glorious.’

‘That it was.’ They shared that smile between them somehow and it was Gwyn’s turn to look away. Azriel was getting that comfortable look that did weird things to her insides. She looked around for a distraction. She found only more damp cave darkness, but she ambled toward it anyway.

‘Helion should give me a medal or something.’ Gwyn threw the mumble over her shoulder at her partner, and she knew it would not miss.

‘Helion should never HEAR of it, which was sort of the point of the mission, Valkyrie.’ Azriel recognized the bait for what it was. Gwyn was always baiting him. He always recognized it, and yet he rarely resisted. This part he would allow himself to indulge in. He stepped closer to her back, anticipating the coming volley.

‘Speaking of the Valkyries.’ Gwyn rose to her full height and tried hard not to smile at how little it helped to balance them out. Azriel was massive and he always made her feel dainty in comparison. Not small, but quick and darting. She felt dangerous in his shadow. ‘I answer to Nesta. I don’t answer to you.’ He took another step into the darkness, toward the sound of her voice. She moved slightly to his left. His shadows sidled between them, twisting this way and that watching the pair launch words at one another. He felt them snicker. They’d always sided with her. He suspected she knew that.

‘On these missions you damn well do. I outrank you.’ Another step. This time a little to the left. Gwyn turned suddenly and their chests were almost touching.

‘So you keep saying. I’m just curious, does it make you feel powerful, Shadowsinger? To boss around a female half your size?’ Gwyn slid the words up and around his stubbled, haughty chin.

She loved this part. Even in the darkness, she could track his emotional calculus in the course his breath ran through his body, in the cast of his eyes down toward her, and in the slight pull at the edge of his mouth. She glimpsed the moment the math was found wanting and something in her deflated with it. He was pulling back into himself. That part, she hated.

‘You’re a menace, Berdara.’ Azriel stepped away and crouched, turning his attention back toward the faint light at the cave mouth.

‘And you’re just mad I don’t bow and scrape to you the way everyone else does.’ She hadn’t intended the edge to creep into her voice. She’d have to work on that some more. That wasn’t the type of tension she enjoyed with her SpyMaster.

‘You mean the way you do with Rhys?’ His smirk vanished the tension immediately.

‘You’re never going to let me live that down are you?’

See the full post

100 notes - Posted April 24, 2022

#3

Another great art commission by @artofseda on Instagram. This time for The Fox & Alice, an Elucien fic that I am posting on AO3. It can be read as a stand alone, but it does further the plot from In the Name of Science (Gwyn’s POV) and On My Radar (Az’s POV) and is told from both Elain's POV and Lucien's POV.

Updates weekly on Mondays! Mature rating for later chapters! Thank you to @headcanonheadcase for the excellent beta :)

Reposting only allowed with proper credit to artist and commissioner.

******************************************************

Elain was always a vivid dreamer, even before she tumbled down the rabbit hole to be made High Fae and deemed a Seer.

As she comes to terms with what is reality and what is pure imagination, she forms an unlikely friendship with Lucien over the perfect cup of tea, regency style romance, and the true meaning of gibberish.

Will they write their own romance along the way?

100 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#2

Super excited to post my most recent art commission of Azriel and Gwyn.

Everything about this commission has been an absolute joy. I need to thank @headcanonheadcase for entering me into the giveaway and @llibiarts for just being amazing at every step of the way. When we couldn’t decide on the version, I was surprised with both!! This piece has so much personal significance to me. Hope you enjoy!!

@azrielshadowsingerweek Day 4 Romance Day.

See the full post

155 notes - Posted September 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Happy Azriel Ship Day 2022! @azrielweek2022

I’m excited to share my very first fanart commission. This art by the amazing @artofseda on Instagram!!

Celebrates the 1 year anniversary of my Gwynriel fanfiction series In The Name Of Science/On My Radar on AO3. Gwyn & Az are what finally inspired me to write. I wanted to tell the story of Gwyn’s struggles with flashbacks of her attack and how she sets about scientifically to overcome her touch triggers with the help of our Shadowsinger (who might have a few tiggers of his own) and the very hands that saved her.

Meet the Shadows in all their snarky glory & enjoy some free therapy and smut along the way :)

Reposting not allowed. Shares through stories allowed with proper credit for artist and commissioner. Characters belong to SJM and featured heavily in ACOSF.

216 notes - Posted August 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[carol-pisarro]

Ok guys please forgive the ugly watermark, I’m having some tech issues here ;-;, but here it is my take on the gwynriel being the little mermaid retelling theory for @gwynrielweek2022 <3

[shadowsandtea]

This art is so tender, I can’t 🥺💙

I love them so much Your Honor. I—

Art by: @witchlingsart (IG)

Commissioned by: @punziespintower (IG)

Link to art post here

@gwynrielweek2022