#i love snowbaz though??

[iamamythologicalcreature]

Keeping Neverland

Sometime after my fourth Neverland dream, I started to draw sketches. Whatever I could remember from my dreams. Everything I could remember. Drawing became preservation and sanctuary. Once captured onto paper, I’m able to return to Neverland whenever I want, simply by flipping through my sketches. It isn’t the same, but it’s something. Something tangible, in a way my dreams are not.

Excerpt from Lost Boys, Chapter 2, by @mooncello

(I can't believe it's taken me a month to post the art from chapter 2 of this beautiful, beautiful fic, but here it is at last! Of course, it's been viewable inside the story this whole time so if you haven't seen it yet... well. Ahem. XD)

Keep reading below the cut for some extra info on what went into this particular illustration!

One of the things that got my attention from the get-go - not just as a reader, but as an illustrator - was Baz's artistic side within his story. He develops his talent for visual art almost out of necessity; he has no other way to record his adventures in Neverland, and thus preserve them in something less flimsy than his memory.

And, in particular, I was drawn to how Heath writes his artistic journey. In Chapter 2, he states, via the narrative, that he began working in graphite, but by the age of 15, charcoal was his preferred medium. (It's written far more eloquently than that, but I don't want to spoil your reading experience...)

It was (is) very important to me that I do my best to illustrate that side of Baz's artistic journey as best I can. And thus, the illustration from Chapter 1 is very much a pencil drawing, with sketchy elements, and in Chapter 2, I've used (digital) charcoal. (I did use actual charcoal for a couple of the sketches that surround him on the bed, though.)

I'll do my best to stay with Baz as he explores new artistic mediums, and we'll both push ourselves to be the artists we need to be to somehow (somehow!) help Baz find (and keep) the boy of his dreams. XD

(Seriously though, if you haven't checked out Lost Boys yet, you're missing out!)

[certainthingnight]

Words cannot describe how much I love the carry on series. As a literal book addict these books have my heart and I will always carry a little piece of Simon and Baz in me. IT'S JUST SO GOOD. The characterisation is sublime. Thank you Rainbow Rowell for blessing my life with this.

[sucrosette]

★— ⋆｡˚ [04. A Life as a Writer (and a Barista)]

For Day 21 of Carry on Countdown 23, Begin Again. @carryon-countdown

Basil is a writer in dire need of a starting line. But where the bloody hell is he going to find it?

Rated T for Basil being a Smut Author and Simon being a Smut Enthusiast.

This is a series of snapshots of different Simon Snows and Baz Pitches in the greater multiverse. You can find the other "lives" here: [Day 3: Alternate Universe][Day 19: Sci-Fi][Day 20: Flowers]

⋆｡˚

The hardest part of starting a love story, or any story really, is the bloody first line. No matter the environment, the characters, the whole setting, that first bloody line’s always the hardest. Basil’s been sitting on this one for three and a half weeks now. He’s been in bars, dive bars and class acts both, libraries, cafes, parks, even secluded little psychic shops. Nothing seemed to do the trick though. Basil’s remained just as wordless as ever, no matter where he goes.

Lately, though, he’s been haunting this one cafe in particular, with a little disaster of a barista and, he thinks, baker. He hasn’t actually been here early enough to see whether Simon does more than put the pastries out, but he’s always got a bit of a flour smear on his cheeks and his apron’s always a bit of a mess and it just sort of adds up to him being a baker, at least as far as Basil can tell.

He wouldn’t actually know, he’s never been a baker.

Right now, he’s not looking to be much of a writer either. He’s got to at least start this thing. Basil’s got a deal and everything, publishers and editors and such waiting on him. He pitched a damn good plot too and had a decent cast of characters. Now he just had… to bloody do something with it.

Resorting to staring down his empty document just seemed the obvious ‘something’ to do. The cursor blinked threateningly back at him. The cursor was unfortunately, undeniably winning.

Another cup of coffee slides itself in front of Basil, the prior empty one skillfully whisked away to Simon’s tray of dirty dishes. “Still no luck on your start?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve noticed,” Baz groans at the barista, glancing over to him out of the corner of his eyes and sipping his coffee even despite the apparent call-out.

“You’ve been in here every day for the last week,” Simon shrugs, “That doc remains as blank as when you came in the first day.”

“And the coffee?”

“Two hour mark.”

“Well, thank you then,” Baz says with another long spit of coffee, “I just don’t know where to start.”

Simon looks around the cafe, seeing it all but empty except for Basil, and plops himself down across from the struggling writer. “Well, what is it you’re actually trying to start?”

“It’s…” Basil pauses for a moment, assessing Simon with a little more scrutiny before shrugging. He worked in a cafe, there was only so much straight in anyone who works in a cafe, “It’s a romance. I’ve a contract. It’s a supernatural, enemies-to-lovers, witches and werewolves story with all the bells and whistles and underlying fairy tale elements except it’s a bit more future based than middle ages based. Oh, and they’re gay, but you probably could’ve guessed that.”

Simon blinks. “I still have no idea what that’s about.”

“Ah,” Baz lets out an awkward little laugh, “I can give you the proper pitch? I’ve got it all outlined, mostly, it’s just starting it.”

“You got a contract without a manuscript?”

“It’s a sequel, sort of. Like. Same verse, different characters. So yeah, I’ve a contract,” Baz confirms, “I just need to get it rolling.”

“Well, what’s the first one?” Simon asks, precious and innocent.

Basil sighs, supposing if he’s this far in he may as well unmask himself, hopefully Simon just didn’t know what the book was. “Prince of the Drowned.”

“Oh my god,” Simon leans over onto the table and closer to Basil, “That was so smutty… you look so respectable though.”

“Thank you? I think,” Baz snorts out a small laugh. “I guess there goes any hope of you not knowing who I am.”

“I’m not sorry. In fact I might be a little too proud. I don’t read a lot, but that book was hot. So is your next protagonist as much a rake as the last?” Simon, apparently, knows all the romance tropes.

“Well, not as much,” Baz wavers his hand a little bit, “This one’s more a like. Life-long obsession come to fruition sort of vibe. Unhealthy attachment, codependency in all the wrong ways, probably some sick and twisted fantasy fulfillment. You know, not exactly ‘clean’ stuff.”

“Ohh~” Simon bites his lip as the door opens to a new customer, “Okay I’m getting this, but I say start it with a fight. If they’re going to be messy like that, start it with a nasty fight.”

Basil takes a moment as Simon walks away, thinking it over. It works with his rough outline and it fits the vibe. Thank you, random cafe boy, you have truly helped a drowning man out. He puts the first words to page.

And ends up writing three thousand words in a single sitting. It’s a start, he might change it later. He might scrap it entirely later, or put it somewhere else in the novel, or in a different novel altogether, but it’s a start, and that’s better off than he’s been in over a week.

He doesn’t leave without Simon checking in again. “Hey, you’ve got words,” Simon half-sings from over Baz’s shoulder, and Baz immediately tabs away from his work.

“I do,” Baz twists in his seat to look at Simon properly, “And no spoilers for you.”

“That filthy already?” Simon teases and Basil only shrugs.

“Suppose you’ll have to read and find out, won’t you?” Baz smirks a little bit at Simon’s obvious curiosity, “Since you’re obviously a fan and all.”

Simon sighs, “If I bring my book in tomorrow, will you sign it for me?”

Baz can’t quite tell if that’s a tease or not, but he may as well take it for a genuine request. “I feel like that’s the least I can do for someone who helped me at least get a start going.”

“So generous,” Simon sighs, leaning just a little on the back of Baz’s chair, “Your boyfriend must be lucky though, I bet he gets previews of your smut.”

“Ah, well,” Baz shrugs, “If I had one, maybe he would.”

Simon’s lips form a precious little oh, terribly unsubtle for half a moment before leaning off Baz’s chair just as Baz closes his laptop entirely. “So what do you look for in a boyfriend… if you’re up to sharing?”

“That’s incredibly unsubtle, Simon,” Basil fixes his face in an unimpressed sort of look, but Simon’s clearly not buying it.

“So was asking you back tomorrow– and you already agreed.”

Baz let’s Simon have half a smirk and shrugs, “Suppose that I did, didn’t I?”

“That you did,” Simon grins back wide at Baz, knowing somehow he’s already won, “So is Basilton you’re real name or…?”

“It is,” Baz answers as he packs everything up, shoulder bag neatly in place, “If I do decide to show up tomorrow, though, you can call me Baz.”

It’s no surprise at all when Basil shows up just as invited the next day. It’s even less of a surprise when he signs his name in that book with his phone number alongside. ‘For the Unsubtle One with a spicy little mind,’ it says in neatly curled silver script. What’s least surprising of all is how quickly Simon calls that number, Baz’s phone ringing before he even manages to leave the cafe.

[palimpsessed]

Looks like the gang is up to something...better expand the post to see what it is. 🤔

@carryon-countdown Day 13: Devotion

A full commitment’s what I’m thinking of...

Look. You can’t tell me this wouldn’t make the most powerful song-based devotion spell in the history of magic.

Closeups:

This one goes out to @foolofabookwyrm-activated 😉

[cosmicalart]

I'm 400 words into the first chapter of "Baz to the Past" and omg am I excited to share a bit of it on Sunday. I'm not gonna be able to get through work I'm so impatient

[imagineacoolusername]

@carryon-countdown day 30: the beginning

Simon and Baz reunite after a long summer. also they're boyfriends :)

258 words

I open the door to our room and a wave of smoke hits my face.

Crowley, the school year hasn't even started yet and Snow already managed to get worked up over something. Honestly, this boy. What a beautiful, beautiful mess.

"Baz!" He says as he leaps to his feet. He's smiling at me, though a bit hesitant. I pretend not to notice.

"Hello, Simon, it's good to see you." I smile back at him. I know I sound a bit uptight, but I don't really know how to act around him anymore.

I mean, we're boyfriends now –I still can't believe it–, but we only got together the second to last day before the previous school year ended, and we haven't seen each other over the summer.

He must find something in my expression, because he finally beams at me and tackles me in a hug. I hug him back tightly.

I missed him dearly.

I spent a great part of the summer thinking of all the possible reactions Simon could have when we came back to school, and I must say, a big chunk of those were negative reactions.

I didn't allow myself to picture him jumping into my arms as soon as he saw me, because I was afraid he would come back to his senses during the holidays and would distance himself from me. I didn't want to get hurt any more.

But he is now in my arms, looking happy and comfortable, and I love him so much.

I'm living a charmed life.

[sailorblossoms-snowbaz]

Simon knows Baz is the love of his life by 19. He escalates so fucking fast even before realizing he wants Baz (progressively touching him more and more after the truce) (quickly asking to be boyfriends after kissing him, who cares about all the years being conditioned to see him as An Enemy!!). And yeah, he has always just wanted a family… so no way he’s going to be even half a decade with Baz without wanting marriage popping up – the idea itself is already out there in SFC (“we could be married with children”) and Simon escalates quickly…

Unfortunately I’m posting because I have some comphet thoughts here (I can focus on the not fun part since I took that “Simon is probably already married by 26” “how would proposing go” tweets as Word Of God confirming snowbaz is married lol) (always feel like I’m getting jump scared when the relationship with Agatha is mentioned in a snowbaz moment such as this so I cope by analyzing, what can I say)

Comphet for Simon is very specifically about craving for a home and a family (security and stability, belonging). He matches Baz there in a way too, as comphet for Baz is also about family… because for Baz is about heirs. However, Baz is the only one who’s ever thinking “having heirs implies having sex with a girl and getting her pregnant,” and because he thinks he can identify that even the idea makes him feel sick, that he doesn’t want that, that it would be miserable for him and that girl, and so he’s able to walk away when an opportunity to be with a girl presents itself.... but a big part of that it's not just thinking and processing (overthinking by itself won't save you from the crushing weight of societal expectations) but rather... Baz has a family. The expectation of having a traditional family is caging for Baz, but having a family who loves him provides him with the confidence, strength, and security necessary to be able to resist pressure, even if that pressure is coming from his own family. Without Daphne, who softens Malcolm, and his siblings in his life, would he have that? Or would he have been more like Simon, who's exposed and neglected to such extremes he will do anything – no matter how wrong or uncomfortable – just to not feel that way anymore?

Simon defines the entirety of his relationship with Agatha as just going through the motions – neither is thinking outside of the need to belong and conform to expectations. They’re not processing their shit – Agatha breaks things off as soon as she starts to… and she’s direct in her thoughts because she is starting to process, and Simon gives things away indirectly isn’t because he’s not processing unless there's a trigger (such as wanting Baz to understand him more, even if he himself hasn't figured things out yet, or Baz expressing he believes Simon truly wanted Agatha romantically or sexually, which feels wrong for Simon because it wasn't true). Comphet tells a boy like Simon that the only way to get a family is "to settle down with a nice girl." He literally doesn't think there's any choice – that's the only path forward. Believing in the HEA is not about believing he could be happy with Agatha ("that's where my life will begin," he says, giving away that he hasn't been happy dating Agatha, nor does he even think he's living while being with her) (which is nothing personal but rather "that's how dating someone who's wrong for you/comphet feels like" and "that's how it feels like for Simon to be in love and attracted to Baz but to be with someone else because he's not able to figure that out"... it's miserable). Using the HEA as comfort, even though his true belief is that he's going to die before it ever got to that, is about believing "I can have a family"... even if he can't visualize how he wants that family to look like (outside of fantasies about his parents) because he doesn't think. And that's key, I think.

Simon is not thinking so he's not really visualizing. There are some logical conclusions to going through the motions such as "what job will I get and what house, will the doc help" which is more about housing and "how will I sustain myself, supposing I live, which I doubt anyway" which aligns with how Simon is just surviving. But Simon is not ever thinking about Agatha having his children – he never thinks about Agatha sexually, never. We have Baz's exact body proportions and you wouldn't know what size or shape to draw Agatha's breasts with Simon's POV (who supposedly "likes women because he's not mad about big breasts meaning he's a boob person" according to some – I for one call that confirmation bias and see the entire boob affair as proof he doesn't) "Previous sexual partners" gender neutral and plural makes it harder for you to associate the idea of sex with Agatha, doesn't it. It probably distracted you, even. The guy tellingly covers himself, doesn't want to be left in a room with her alone while half-naked, and self-harms through talking about having sex with her – that shit is on purpose. All of this is to say: Simon is not thinking what Baz thinks (which is part of why he does it, even though he doesn't want to).

Simon wants a family, but he's not thinking about Agatha having his children. Everyone and their moms assume "I'm gonna marry that person" automatically means "I'm gonna have children with them as well," and that's part of comphet here, but Simon doesn't process. Neither does Agatha (part of why they dated). You gotta remember how young they are too (how a kid's idea of marriage is – how much copying what they see without processing is involved as they don't have the tools to know shit – compared to a grown-up.)

"Simon was set to marry Agatha because he wanted to believe he could have a family" is not in contradiction with "but he didn't really it was going to happen as he would kick the bucket soon." And in practice? I think Simon being with Agatha because he wants a family wasn't really about building a family with her, but rather, about being a part of the family she already has. When Simon shares why he wants to date Agatha, he's projecting things onto her (like being protected, untouched) and sharing not that he wanted her, but that he wanted to be like her. When he shares everything he loves about going to Agatha's house, he mentions the nice comfortable house (the tv!) and the adults in it, and Agatha is glaringly missing from that list. It's not ever "love to spend time with good ol' Agatha" but we do get "Agatha" and "trapped in that house together" in the same sentence. Agatha the friend might be family like Penny (in a page where we should be hearing why he doesn't want to lose her as a girlfriend, he goes on and on about how said it would be if they're no longer friends) but Agatha the girlfriend is more of a door or a "device." When they break up, the list of things Simon gives to explain why that upsets him includes Agatha's parents, but not Agatha herself.

Through dating Agatha, Simon was trying to feel part of a family... but not because he ever had any intention of building something with her. But because Simon wanted to feel like a son. You assume kids come with marriage, but in the marriage-parents-children circle, Simon always wanted to be in the role of the child. It's never been about being a parent with Agatha, but about being a son. It's part of why it feels so triggering when Penny's mom seems to be rejecting him (and so he can't spend Christmas in her house).

It's part of why Simon's reaction to "we could be married with kids" "could we?" – that italicized could giving the impression this is a new idea, perhaps something to be questioned as "is it possible?" ... I don't think this is about "can gay men have this?".... I think this is Simon's first time looking at marriage like "a grown-up." Considering marriage and children while fully conscious he would be in the role of married father, and not the child. And Simon wants to build something with Baz. Simon never thought of the future outside of comforting himself with the idea that he could have a family (any family) so his "inevitable death" doesn't feel paralyzingly sad (which also tells you he didn't truly see Agatha as his future – there was none – even if admitting that would have been difficult then...).

Simon never thinks about building something... until he's with Baz. Realizing that Baz is the love of all his lives, and that a future without Baz is unbearable, and that he wants him in his bed every night, and that he enjoys the domesticity of furnishing a house with him.... it inevitably leads to "Baz is my home and my future" and what's "figuring it out he wants to get married" after that?

[brilla-brilla-estrellita]

Stitchy Sunday!

As predicted, this is a day late, but I was off having a lovely cottage on the lake weekend with my friends followed by a Hobo Johnson concert. We're just going to pretend this is on time.

So thank you to @roomwithanopenfire @thewholelemon @blackberrysummerblog @tender-ministrations @artsyunderstudy

@emeryhall and @ic3-que3n for tagging me in your S-allerated Sunday posts!

As promised, today is the final outfit reveal for my Simon-inspired Ren Faire wings!

Wings closed, front and back:

Wings open, front and back:

I didn't get to make any of my other adjustments (like stronger magnets), but I did discover that the magnets are adjustable, meaning I can loosen or tighten the screws they're on to make the wings sit a little higher/lower and ensure the wings aren't tilted. I made them as tight as possible (so they sat as high as possible) and tbh I had no issues with them?? Was this the fix I needed all along?

When we arrived at the fairgrounds, I put the wings on, and as I tightened the straps the rivet popped off the left strap. I thought "Did I just do all this work to break them at the last minute and not be able to wear them?" Yet I was oddly calm, resigned to my fate. I asked Kat to see if she could jerry-rig it just in case. She slipped the disconnected top strap through the adjuster-thingy and... it worked??? We are unsure why this was so successful, but I had NO problems with it all day.

I got lots of comments, complements, and a few picture/video demonstration requests, validating my own belief that the wings are cool as shit. The LARPers were especially impressed. And becuase the fair was expanded this year, including more open space and less crowded walkways, I was even able to walk around with them open for a bit! And I didn't knock anything over inside the booths, either!

I also got my first trinkets from trinket-traders because they liked my wings!

I did not come prepared with my own trinkets as I have never been cool before, so I'm workshopping some ideas for next year, including: polished rocks (dragon horde shinies), painted bottle caps (perhaps with a dragony logo on each one?), sea glass (does require effort of going out and finding the sea glass...), scales (not sure what they'd be made of, though. 3D printed and painted? acrylic? gotta be a simpler solution...). Suggestions welcome.

Bonus: As we watached the joust, I of course started to build a Snowbaz Ren Faire AU based around the semi-scripted joust performances we have each year. I doubt I'll ever write it, but it's fun to think about!

I would like to thank Kat for being my Ladie's Maid every year and helping me get into my corset and, now, wings. Also for driving. I would also like to thank Dropout's D20: A Starstruck Odyssey and Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives for being my companions throughout this project. And of course, thank you to all of my Simon Snow friends for the enthusiasm and encouragement along the way!

Next year's upgrade: Tail!

Tagging even though it's late:

@bookish-bogwitch @onepintobean @technetiumai @martsonmars  @cutestkilla

@fatalfangirl @ileadacharmedlife @moodandmist @palimpsessed  @skeedelvee

@theimpossibledemon @shrekgogurt @cccloudsss @mooncello @monbons

@theearlgreymage @youarenevertooold @larkral @facewithoutheart @messofthejess

[facewithoutheart]

Not Mine

drabble, 601 words, established SnowBaz

I thought one day I’d look in the mirror and see the Mage staring back.

But this is one of those Things I Don’t Think About. AKA Things I’ve Thought About Once and Then Swiftly Pushed Down Into a Pit Deeper Than The Well Agatha Once Got Trapped In.

Thoughts that are Not My Problem.

Baz thinks about it. I see him sometimes, frowning at his jawline in the mirror like his father’s jowls are going to show up without permission or warning. Then he’ll dart a look in my direction and the fear will hover in the air between us. He waits for it to land, forgetting I’ve had quick reflexes since that time the Humdrum sent a hoard of buttercries my first week at Watford. I swat this thought away just as easily, even without being able to call the Sword of Mages. Hyah! Take that.

(I’m pretty sure if I were still in therapy my doctor wouldn’t consider mentally karate-chopping intrusive thoughts a sign of progress but her last notes called me “markedly improved” and she let me go without setting a follow-up appointment, so. Thbbft.)

Although, if I’m being honest, maybe it’s less a factor of repression that I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about whether or not I will one day look like the Mage. Because, honestly, I’m too busy seeing how I look like Gran. Or Grandpa. Uncle Jamie.

My mum.

Gran made me copies of her old photo albums and I lose myself in them sometimes, seeing all the ways I connect to this person I never got to meet. Her eyes. Her shoulders. Her hair.

Her freckles.

She smiles in her photos; the Mage never smiled. Not really. Sometimes he’d try, like he thought I needed his face to show that expression, but it was never his.

I smile. I have smile lines. Baz likes to trace them. Mostly when he thinks I’m sleeping but sometimes when I’m awake. He’s got them, too. No jowls, though. I don't even think not yet after that statement because I don’t think that’s the way he’ll end up looking like his father.

(My bet’s on the silver hair.)

(Mmm.)

Not every son looks like his father. And I realize that’s not something I get to choose. Maybe one day I will wake up with a terrible moustache and Baz will hold me down before I’m even completely alert just to shave it off so I can’t see.

Which is silly.

But that’s love.

Love is the way Baz fears I might one day look in the mirror and see the man who nearly killed me. The man who manipulated me, abandoned me. The man who was meant to be my father but never ever deserved that title.

Love is the way Baz worries over the things I can’t. He holds that fear outside me. He’s ready for the day when it lands.

But I don’t think it ever will.

Maybe this is less a Thing I Don’t Think About and more a Thing That’s Not Mine.

This face is mine. These wrinkles are mine. These freckles, moles, shoulders, eyes … mine.

So is Gran. Uncle Jamie.

Baz.

I don’t look in the mirror and fear. I see. That means—

“Mmm,” Baz hums, coming up behind me, his arms wrapping around my middle as he hooks his chin over my shoulder. He catches my eye in the mirror. “What’s that brain of yours thinking?”

I smile, spinning around so I can kiss away the furrow digging between his brows. “Nothing,” I say. “Nothing at all.”

[iamamythologicalcreature]

What the WIP Wednesday am I doing?

Okay, sooo apparently everyone is doing WIP Wednesday, today. (Okay maybe not the entire internet, but you know, there's a lot of wipsday action, today.) I thought, "Okay. Sure. I can get lost in this crowd. It's a good crowd."

So, I say to @alexalexinii, @monbons, @prettygoododds, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @mooncello,

@blackberrysummerblog, @fiend-for-culture, @shrekgogurt, @bookish-bogwitch, @noblecorgi,

@drowninginships, and @artsyunderstudy (who is the devil on my shoulder today apparently XD)... You are all to blame for this. Yup. Your fault. Peer pressure! (Thank you for tagging me though, I look forward to seeing what all you have happening in your creative minds. <3)

Cause. Well. I don't usually post art in progress. I'm far too anxious a person to do such a thing. It's fine if it's a sketch that's like... finished as a sketch. But in progress? *gulp*

Well, here goes.

This is what I've been working on, usually when I'm supposed to be working on something else:

Mermay!

(sorry for the low contrast, my eyes are delicate orbs that shy away from bright light...)

I did three sketches. One of which I will endeavor to color and make all nice and pretty. I've already determined it's not going to be the first one. The other two are neck-and-neck and it will likely come down to who has fins I like better. Which will it be? Tender snowbaz or playful snowbaz?

(Either way, I'm very determined to give Simon mermay wings. So that's going to happen come hell or... high water... *ahem*)

Honestly, I just really love merpeople. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to attempt this. The very first thing I ever learned to draw as a little bittle babe was a mermaid. (My teachers did not appreciate my dedication to anatomical accuracy the way I did.) Soooo Mermay? Mermay is a THING? Well, twist my arm, guess I have to snowbaz it.

(Oh, and shoutout to another guilty party, the SSCoNE server. They put the idea in my head. OH, and @cutestkilla. For general encouragment. And @hushed-chorus. For general encouragment and writing a gorgeous fic with merman Baz in it. )

Even more tagged people under the cut:

HELLO OUT THERE! @rimeswithpurple @run-for-chamo-miles @youarenevertooold @whatevertheweather @that-disabled-princess

@arthurkko @raenestee @facewithoutheart @emeryhall @agni-ashes

@skeedelvee @thewholelemon @supercutedinosaurs @tender-ministrations @bazzybelle

@ic3-que3n @imagineacoolusername @valeffelees @roomwithanopenfire @ileadacharmedlife

@aristocratic-otter @best--dress @technetiumai @brilla-brilla-estrellita @onepintobean

@palimpsessed and anyone else who wants to join in/say hi.

(I love getting tagged, because I tend to miss out on things if I don't get it stuffed into my notifications. Feel free to hit me up on Discord, too, send links. I just can't often browse tumblr as I wish. Not if I want to draw and... read... I need to do some reading...)

*Pitch Manor is still happening, I'm just taking a break to draw fish boys in between doing a few too many other things. I like being busy.

[orange-peony]

Thanks for tagging me @monbons! I've been working on three snowbaz fics (Space Oddity and my two CORBB collabs). I've also been reading the Green Creek series with Pato and I'm losing it because I love them all so much.

Here's a snippet of one of my WIPs (Baz's POV):

I tell myself that maybe I can push my luck a little.

That maybe no one will notice if I get the smallest of my sketch pads out and hide it in front of my keyboard. Maybe if I move my laptop a little to the left and point it his way, Snow won’t notice that I’m drawing him. I’m not the only person here, after all. There are other customers coming and going. I tell myself that no one will pay attention to me, even though I’m usually much more cautious than this. But I’ve had a shit week, and Father is probably going to bother me even more than usual because one of my cousin’s wedding is coming up, and I’m supposed to bring a plus one.

My heart stutters as I slide my hand inside my work bag and get my drawing kit out. My eyes are fixed on Snow while my fingers move almost seamlessly, so used to doing this covertly. It’s not the first time I sketch him—far from it. But I usually plan this beforehand. I wait until rush hour or pick a moment when he’s busy to sneakily draw him. I have a massive drawer under my bed full to the brim of sketch books. It’s all freckles and moles, blue eyes and bronze curls. That elusive smile, the determined frown and that vulnerable look he has sometimes, when he thinks no one is paying attention to him while he’s torturing his curls.

Tags under the cut:

@pato-roldnart, @bubble-gumhead, @cutestkilla, @thewholelemon, @artsyunderstudy, @leithillustration , @iamamythologicalcreature , @mooncello , @hushed-chorus , @larkral , @letraspal , @you-remind-me-of-the-babe , @facewithoutheart , @emeryhall , @imagineacademia , @alexalexinii , @fatalfangirl , @wellbelesbian , @shrekgogurt , @skeedelvee , @blackberrysummerblog , @rimeswithpurple and anyone who fancies sharing a WIP of any kind.

[thehoneyedhufflepuff]

thanks for the tag @monbons ! We love to see some stitched snowbaz!

27 has been out in the world since Friday! Thanks to all who have read & commented 🥰 I'm currently trying to get back to working on 28. It's a little over 6k atm so it's coming along. I expect it'll be out sometime this month 😈 Though as things amp up toward the climax I'm finding it more difficult to write. I just want to do a good job so I'm also a bit anxious about it. What else is new.

Here's a bit of Simon POV from 28

@thewholelemon @aristocratic-otter @youarenevertooold @raenestee @larkral @artsyunderstudy @noblecorgi @ivelovedhimthroughworse @blackberrysummerblog @confused-bi-queer @bookish-bogwitch @arthurkko & anyone who wants to share!

[yellobb]

Had book club discussion about Carry On today! Here’s some of the highlights:

People were mostly a big fan of the Magic system. Main criticism about it was that it would sometimes take them out of it, like the snickers spell while ebb is actively dying

There was much discussion over Penny and Baz kidnapping the dog, which was very entertaining to me

One of my managers asked if Agatha was in the rest of the series. I told her “she is, but I don’t think she wants to be”

People loved Baz lol. There was a bit less love for Simon (that’s okay, that’s what I’m there for)

I explained the lore behind Fangirl and why the titles are the way they are. Thoroughly confused some people

Someone had to leave the zoom call halfway through because his neighbors called the cops on his van???? Idk that was just wild

One dude who showed up also didn’t even finish the book yet, which I didn’t find out until partway through, so that was fun

They noted some Harry Potter similarities, but agreed it was a very different book

Number one complaint was that “nothing happened”. They were really interested in the politics of the world, how relationships were formed and were pretty disappointed that a lot of that was exposition

One coworker was confused as to why Nico couldn’t do magic anymore, since they mentioned he used to be able to use Ebb’s staff and honestly I don’t remember the answer, so help here would be great if anyone knows. He should be able to even though they snapped his wand, right?

One coworker was frustrated that Simon lost his magic because he thought that was the most interesting part. I told him that he was not alone in that, since I remember so many people being upset back in the day

Everyone saw the plot twist that the Mage was the bad guy coming. Tbh, I read it so long ago that I can’t remember if I was surprised

Everyone also saw snowbaz coming lol. One guy said “I knew by chapter three that those two would be fucking” (oh just you wait my friend. Soon the issue will be that they’re not fucking)

They found it very entertaining that the endorsement was from Lev Grossman because “The Magicians is the polar opposite of this book”

I brought in Skee’s ABC’s of Carry On, Venessa’s art book, the whole series, Fangirl, Scattered Showers, MRB, and various pins from Selkie and others. Also wore my dragon wing earrings and Kris’ shirt :P I let myself be unhinged about it because this is my time to shine. I also have the Wayward Son poster pack at my desk that I pointed out

Overall reviews are positive. Most people didn’t love it quite like I do, but they enjoyed it well enough. I am lovingly forcing two coworkers to finish out the series because they made the mistake of being my friend lol

One guy’s review was “I liked it and I don’t know why. I hate Harry Potter and stuff like it usually.”

Very happy that this is done though, since I can finally hang back up Kris’ Carry On poster. It has too many spoilers, so I’ve had it on the ground hiding for two months for when people came over 😭 it’s going back in its place of honor next to my TV

[larkral]

First Line Analysis

Thanks @kiwiana-writes for the tag! Apparently even though I've been back in fandom for two years, that doesn't equate to ten fics. So this includes the opening line from one of my ancient Battlestar Galactica fics. Which, honestly stands up IMO.

RULES: post the first lines of your last 10 fics/chapters posted on AO3 (if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics) and try to draw some conclusions.

Lines

The Co-captain D-men Reveille (™, patent not yet pending) spits out a rapid guitar riff, the CD alarm and selection of Haus mix CDs randomizing their wake-up soundtrack to Infinity Guitars. (Friday Prime - a Check Please Ransom/Holster time loop fic)

The call comes at 3am. (finally (already, always) - a Carry On Snowbaz fic but let's be honest a love story to lesbian mums, still a WIP)

The ocean is a warped mirror, and the sun is glancing into my eyes from its every shifting peak. (Feet Burried in the Sand - a Carry On Snowbaz fic)

If you've never seen a MG in person, you aren't ready for it. (Three Months or 3,000 Miles - a Carry on Snowbaz fic)

It's very hot. (Visible at sea - an In Other Lands / Turn of the Story Sunbrat fic)

The day I became a Sophomore, as our dorms rotated down, my room was suddenly twice its previous size. (A Dangerous Affinity - a Carry On x Naomi Novik's Scolomance Snowbaz epic)

The first thing I noticed about Agatha was the line where her jaw slopes into her neck, the interplay of tendons and skin and bone: the sternocleidomastoid, the hyoids, the styloid process. (scapulae - a smutty femslash offshoot of A Dangerous Affinity, so technically a Carry On fic featuring Agatha/OC)

It’s been ages since I’ve walked in on Snow crying into his pillow. (Good at Something - a Carry On Snowbaz blowjob epic)

We’re leaving the movie theatre when Penny sees the ice cream shop. (Baby, it's cold - a Carry on Snowbaz+Stormchaser fluff-fest)

He wouldn’t say his ears are ringing, but there’s something vibrating just like that, his consciousness modulating on its axis. (An Arranged Meeting - a Battlestar Galactica Starbuck/Apollo sex club fic)

Analysis

Apparently I have two types of opening lines: SNAPPY AS FUCK and heavy with figurative language.

Literally none of these tell you who the POV character is. Apparently I like to keep that information close to my chest.

Most of these seem to be about establishing concrete details that will be relevant to the story. Only 2 and 8 don't do that work.

Looks like I'm into showing not telling. In context all of these lines except for 9 have meaningful emotional weight, but I'm going to make you work for it.

Tags below the cut!

Come join me in navel gazing about your writing! <3

@facewithoutheart @cutestkilla @hushed-chorus @sillyunicorn @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

@ileadacharmedlife @bookish-bogwitch @captain-aralias @petedavidsonscock @artsyunderstudy

@martsonmars @nausikaaa @nightimedreamersghost @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @that-disabled-princess

@shrekgogurt  @palimpsessed @fatalfangirl​ @blackberrysummerblog @wellbelesbian​

@j-nipper-95 @youarenevertooold @emeryhall @run-for-chamo-miles @talentpiper11 @mooncello

@run-for-chamo-miles @roomwithanopenfire @monbons

[best--dress]

Ten Questions for Writers

Thank you for tagging me @aristocratic-otter! 🥰

How many works do you have on AO3? As of this week - three!

What’s your total AO3 word count? 26,297, which seems low for a year's worth of writing, but I have a lot written for Who Are You In The Dark that isn't ready to publish yet

What fandoms do you write for? Just Carry On

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I am admittedly not the best at responding to comments. I get sort of overwhelmed by people saying nice things about my work and every response I draft in my head feels completely insubstantial to express how precious their comment is to me. I am making an active effort to be better at replying though 🥺

Have you ever had a fic stolen? No

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but I'd love to! @iamamythologicalcreature and I have kicked around some really fun ideas

What’s your all-time favourite ship? It's gotta be snowbaz. I think about them all the time

What are your writing strengths? Banter, flirting, and conversation generally come pretty easily to me. I often laugh at my jokes while I'm writing; I don't know who else is laughing, but if I think it's funny, I'm pretty happy. At this point in life, I also think I'm pretty good at just getting started, writing on a blank page, trusting that it will go somewhere and it doesn't matter if it's shit at first.

What are your writing weaknesses? Everything I write is short as hell - I've always been a really succinct writer. I feel like all of my stories would be much longer and more fully fleshed out in another writer's hands. I'm also always working on "show, don't tell"...the eternal struggle

First fandom you wrote for? Carry On is the first I've ever published anything for. But I was definitely writing some kind of self-insert Baby-Sitters Club fic when I was 9 years old. Too bad I didn't have the Internet back then??

Tagging @iamamythologicalcreature @thewholelemon @mooncello @louisandtheaquarian

[philaet0s]

Six Sentence Sunday

except more than six sentences because i don’t like only being able to put six sentences

Yes this is a new WIP, no, we're not talking about it. It's going to be short, though, so I can have a new WIP

Simon

He twists his wrist to check his watch. My eyes are drawn to it too. It’s 11:43. “I still have time.”

“Baz.”

He laughs, softly. “Alright. I promise I won’t stay up past two. Is that okay with you, Mr Grimm-Pitch?”

“One?”

“Snow,” he says, as he wordlessly waves at the pile of paper. Which he clearly won’t have finished correcting by one. “Two.”

“Half-past one?” I try, in a sweet voice, a big smile on my face.

He rolls his eyes at me, but it’s tender. He pats my hands. “You win. I’ll go to bed at half-past one. But if my students complain that I’ve still not given them back their grades, I will send them your way.”

I shrug. “How hard can it be dealing with the complaints of a bunch of 20 year olds?”

“You’d be surprised. Now, shoo,” he adds, gesturing at me to leave. “You’re distracting me.”

…

Baz comes to bed at half-past one. 

So does his laptop. Physical copies of his students’ essays are less practical to bring to bed, I suppose.

It’s not the light that woke me up, but my bladder. However, I can’t not notice the light once my eyes are open.“Babe,” I grown. “Go to sleep. It’s…” My eyes search for the red numbers on my bedside table clock. “Three in the morning! You have to be up in three hours!”

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

I love writing domestic Snowbaz <3333 it's really not necessary I could just jump straight to the actual 'plot' of the fic but it's so much nicer like this <3333