#i miss reading fanfics where a character comes out via the protagonist seeing them in the midst of gay sex. IM SORRY

[livvyofthelake]

it’s crazy how we’re on chapter one billion and we are STILL doing the overly sensitive therapy speak coming out bullshit. i’m sorry but. ok i am going to say something that will sound sooo republican and i know that but you have to understand it’s just coming from a place of such utter annoyance i can’t be nice anymore. we need to stop Woke Writing… you can’t do anything these days because of Woke 🙄 it’s fucking sick we need to bring back characters who commit homophobic microaggressions against each other because they’re bored. i’m sorry…

[hope-for-olicity]

Fabulous Olicity Fanfic Friday - August 2nd, 2019

Happy Friday! So this is my attempt to both thank awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and offer my recommendations to anyone who is interested. Here are the fantastic fanfic stories I read this week! They are posted in the order I read them. This and all previous Fabulous Olicity Fanfic posts can be found on my blog.

SleepingQueens by @cruzrogue - Part 2 of the Who Knew? Series Oliver and Felicity are married... well the world knows they're married but to each other this is all fake. https://archiveofourown.org/works/19981492

Wait for Me to Come Home multi-chapter WIP by @wanderingmmries - AU. Oliver and Felicity are together before the Gambit goes down and their lives are forever changed. How does life go on after such a tragedy? https://archiveofourown.org/works/5766997/chapters/13289047

Forget Me Not multi-chapter WIP by @mindramblingsfics - Felicity was presumed dead after The Gambit was shipwrecked and she went missing. As the one year anniversary of her death approaches, a miracle happens and she is found. Just when Oliver thinks the universe has given them a second chance, he learns Felicity barely remembers him and the memories of their love together are gone entirely. Oliver and Felicity’s journey after they reunite prove to be a tough road ahead, and then they learn that Felicity’s accident may have had a more sinister motive behind it. https://archiveofourown.org/works/18392291/chapters/43556987

Helplessly Wrecked multi-chapter WIP by @cruzrogue - A very smart, passionate, woman. Worked to get her dual masters from MIT, it may have taken longer being a mother of triplets but at least she has her mother’s support. Oliver Queen still has a yacht incident and was marooned for shorter time frame on a real deserted island. He never flunked out of his Ivy League schooling and is a very sought-after bachelor. His relationships never last more than half a year and is known to throw himself into his work. His motto ‘work hard play harder’. https://archiveofourown.org/works/19194103/chapters/45628978

Time for a Story multi-chapter WIP by @smkkbert - This fic shows Olicity and their life as a (married) couple with family. Although Olicity (and their kids) are the protagonists, other characters of Arrow and Flash make appearances. YOU NEED THIS STORY IN YOUR LIFE. https://archiveofourown.org/works/3912157/chapters/8757172

Providence multi-chapter WIP by @so-caffeinated - Will Queen has struggled in silence in the year since he was shot. But when a shadowy crime lord known as Domino targets the only woman Will’s ever truly loved, fate forces him to confront his demons in ways he never could have imagined… Whether he wants to or not. Amelia Prescott has fought to take control of her life since learning two years ago that her personal and professional worlds were manipulated by others. But nothing can prepare her for just how hard she'll have to fight to set her own course, especially when her heart belongs to a damaged man and a crime lord threatens her every professional move... And her life. Destiny brings them together, but as chaos reigns and personal demons haunt Will and Amelia both, it may also threaten to tear them apart. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17919056/chapters/42308753

little wonders (twists and turns of fate) multi-chapter WIP by @alexiablackbriar13 - Oliver and Felicity's drunken mistake of a hook-up in the bunker comes with unexpected consequences in the form of a... souvenir. Deciding to remain romantically uninvolved, the two of them will have to battle all the trials and tribulations of maintaining a platonic relationship while Felicity is pregnant and the two of them are living together, coping with all the emotional baggage that they both bring to the table - and dealing with the fact that they are still very much in love with each other, but scarred by the events that broke them apart in the first place. https://archiveofourown.org/works/19436164/chapters/46256896

Somewhere With You multi-chapter WIP by @imusuallyobsessed - The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea. Felicity Smoak is on the run. She took a bus cross-country from Vegas to Star Beach, a tiny town on the East Coast that's the summer and weekend getaway for Star City's rich and famous. There, she vows to lay low for a couple weeks and then move on. Her plan lasts for about twenty minutes until she meets John Diggle. Then, her already shaky plan goes to hell when she meets Oliver Queen. - I'm finally catching up on this delightful story! http://archiveofourown.org/works/8762650/chapters/20085367

Post its and Promises by @yet-i-remain-quiet - Felicity is feeling as if there is never time for her and Oliver to get married. Oliver comes up with a compromise. Inspired by the Grey's Anatomy season where Derek and Meredith get married via post it note. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12252486

(Thank you for) Being There multi-chapter WIP by @3431jessica - There's always been something between Felicity and Oliver, a complicated relationship status of some sort. They were more than friends but not quite a couple. When the trial for William's custody intensified and Oliver was almost certain he would lose the battle, Felicity boldly came to his rescue, even when it involved surrendering her ‘Smoak’ surname. https://archiveofourown.org/works/11639799/chapters/26180820jj

Arrow Out of Context multi-chapter WIP by @smoaking-greenarrow - "Did I leave you with the impression that I was a rational guy?" Baseball Part 2 https://archiveofourown.org/works/14957309/chapters/47474989

When Did It All Go Wrong multi-chapter WIP by @wrldtravler - After a mission with A.R.G.U.S. goes south, agent Oliver Queen learns something he shouldn't about Director Amanda Waller. Sent on the run when A.R.G.U.S. turns against him, he’s forced to seek out the one person that never wanted to see him again but whom he trusts with his life: his ex, Felicity Smoak. Putting their past behind them, the estranged pair come together along with John Diggle and Lyla Michaels to stop the looming threat. However, the past never stays buried for long. With their renewed connection comes great strength. But where there is strength, there is also great weakness – one that may cost them everything they worked to prevent. https://archiveofourown.org/works/19019845/chapters/45169432

Mothers Know Best multi-chapter WIP by @smkkbert - Since they have been kids, they have been best friends. Since they have been friends, their mothers wanted them to be together. After coming back from the east coast, Felicity takes over a position at Queen Consolidated, the company her best friend will soon take over from his father. Their mothers still jjpush for them to be together, and they seem closer to that goal than ever because wedding bells are ringing. The only problem is that they both plan to get married to someone else. https://archiveofourown.org/works/18921118/chapters/44918146

The Voyage to You multi-chapter WIP by @obibalwin - Felicity Smoak didn’t want a complicated life. She enjoyed helping people as a nurse at Starling City General Hospital and spending time with her best friend Sara. When a John Doe arrives on the fifth floor of the hospital, she finds herself being dragged into a world of mysterious oaths and visions. The only thing she can hope is to stay strong enough to resist the man who has traveled to find her. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16596788/chapters/38895977

// @emmaamelia95 // @mel-loves-all // @oliverfel4 // @green-arrows-of-karamel // @coal000 // @miriam1779 // @memcjo// @captainolicitysbedroom // @tdgal1 // @spaztronautwriter // @lalawo1// @quiveringbunny // @wrongshipper // @thebookjumper // @vaelisamaza // @myhauntedblacksoul // @lovelycssefan // @laurabelle2930 // @laxit21 // - let me know if you want to be tagged or untagged!

[siren-theories]

Do Sirens have body hair?

TL, DR.: Females seem to consistently not have body hair, for males it is more complicated and seems to be a genetic choice between having body hair or facial hair. 

All images are taken from the PG-13 show Siren on Freeform. 

When I first saw the question by the very talented @imaginejolls (go read their Siren fanfic on Ao3 it is awesome) my initial answer would have been an (overconfident) "of course they do have body hair". This was based on a simple assumption: 

Sirens are biologically very close to humans, so close in fact that they can mate with humans and produce fertile offspring. This is a big deal as it means that Sirens are more closely related to humans than donkeys are to horses or zebras are to horses (different species that can produce infertile offspring with each other). So therefore it stands to reason that in everything (except for those things the show explicitly tells us are different) Sirens are generally replicating the human baseline. We see this for example with their diets - while they prefer fish, they are biologically speaking omnivores (Cami and Ryn for example ate fruit and digested it with no problem at all). So based on that I would have confidently claimed that they would have body hair.

I soon however realized that a more measured approach needs to be taken. For example, while things work the same or may even look the same on the outside there are several cases in the show where they are not the same. Take for example the reproductive system of the mermaids, which definitely is not human in structure even though it has human elements, works like a human reproductive system and is compatible with a human reproductive system. Another example of "similar looking, same function but different" would be the bones and muscles of our mermaids which are way denser and stronger than their human equivalents. So while I still think the general argument that they are very close to humans is a correct one there needs to be a case-by-case study being done to see if we can find evidence in the show itself for questions such as the one that is being posed here. 

Let's dive deep into the visual evidence of the show for body hair. I apologize in advance if pictures of armpits and male chests are not your thing. 

Part A: Females

We certainly never see as much as a hint of body hair on Ryn or any other female mermaid. The most exposed we see Ryn is in a backshot (Episode 102), her undressing on the boat (in 201) and the transformation scene in 210. She does not have any visible body hair in those scenes.

Ryn in 102 - notice the abscence of any body hair, especially in the armpit area.

Ryn in 201. At this time she has spent enough time out of the water that we would expect her to exhibit some signs of body hair.

What about the lower body areas? Ryn's legs are smooth and hairless.

Ryn’s (and Maddie’s)  legs from 209 (there also are plenty of leg shots in 205 when she was on land a lot longer but these suffer from bad lighting or lack of focus. Suffice to say they too do not depict any body hair).

Now it might be the case that Ryn decided to adopt human customs and started shaving her armpits and legs. I highly doubt this to be the case though as Ryn is quite possibly the person most comfortable with her body on the show. Everytime her body comes up in conversation she is very proud of it (except when one compares it to sharks). There is no indication at all that she would conform to human beauty standards or even feels the need to change anything about her body. After all, if she does not care a lot about what clothes she wears what are the odds that she suddenly cares about how much (hypothetical) body hair she is showing? And I cannot imagine any situation in Season 1 where Ben or Maddie or Helen would have decided to teach Ryn how to shave her body hair, nor can I imagine any situation where something this intimate and something this unimportant to the issues facing our protagonists in those episodes would even have been discussed. Considering Ryn reacted almost violently to slight pressure on her arm during an attempt by Ben to measure blood pressure in episode 103 it seems highly unlikely anybody would have even tried bringing a razor blade near her body.

Therefore, it seems most likely that Ryn at no point shaved her body hair and therefore it seems most likely she never had any body hair on her legs or armpits in the first place.

Due to this not being some HBO fleshfest no visual evidence exists for the genital areas (and thank god for that because that would not fit the tone of this show or the respect with which the show treats its characters). However I find it very unlikely that Ryn or other female sirens would have body hair in the genital area if their entire body is missing body hair elsewhere. Body hair in that particular area would also cause problems with transformation as said area is covered by layers of additional flesh and muscle in the water form. Having hair covered by flesh and muscle is not a good thing biologically speaking (if you want a horror show google "ingrown hair"). Given how Ryn's skin is also more insulating than human skin as shown in 208 there would not be a need to have body hair in the first place.

Furthermore, we have no indication that for the females forming body hair is even an option to form during their transformation.

Ryn's immediate post-transformation body in 210 shows no sign of any body hair (neatly sidestepping the whole ingrown hair issues).

The same seems to be true for the other female sirens who never exhibit any sign of body hair, not even when in states of light dress or undress (various scenes in Helen's shop or in the forest from the first half of Season 2 come to mind.)

Convincing any of those apex predators to start shaving seems out of character for any of the humans that interacted with them (they had a lot more important things to do) and in any case I cannot imagine that any attempt to convince an apex predator to let a sharp blade come anywhere near vulnerable body areas would have gone over well. In fact, it would have been downright stupid and suicidal to even attempt such a thing.

Therefore I have no other option but to conclude that female Sirens do not have body hair in human form.

Part B: Males

But what about the Males? After all, body hair does differ in humans as well according to their respective sex. 

Frank's body exhibits facial hair but otherwise is devoid of body hair, as seen in 205 before he jumps into the water.

This is also several days after his first transition, so if he has the capacity to grow body hair in those areas we would expect it to be shown there. As there definitely is nobody who has ever taught Frank to shave his body I would therefore argue male Sirens also have no body hair.

So case closed. No body hair whatsoever.

And then it got complicated, because there is one male Siren who constantly exhibits body hair.

Levi in Episode 108 (the first time he comes on land) has chest chair in human form. We get a closeup of his chest in Episode 201 when Ben drains the fluid from his lungs, this also shows clear chest hair despite him only having transformed a short time ago.

Levi in 108 and 201. 

However Levi is also an aberration in that he has no facial hair at all (and does not grow any during his time on land) but has body hair at the time of his transformation. Truth be told I do not know how to classify Levi. Is he the one exception that prove the rule? Is he the rare case where the recessive genes (body hair) triumph over the dominant genes (no body hair) in the males? Or did the writers and directors forget to be consistent here?

Assuming that Levi is not special in the genetic category the conclusion must be that for male Sirens you either have facial hair but no body hair (Frank) or you have body hair but no facial hair (Levi).

I tried to get a tiebreaker in the form of the walking sperm bank of Episode 214 but the lightning in his scenes prevented me from getitng any good evidence either way. I also wish I had more than two examples to base this analysis on - I am in general much less certain when it comes to the males than when it comes to the females as we have many more examples of the former than the latter. 

So after examining all visual evidence and the case for and against body hair, I have to conclude that my earlier assumption of them having body hair was wrong for the females and at least partly wrong for the males. It seems females have no body hair at all and males seem to either have facial hair or body hair - but not both.

Thank you for reading this long post about a (seemingly) trivial issue. I look forward to any criticism or additional information you might have, feel free to drop them via reply or message anytime.

TL, DR.: Females seem to consistently not have body hair, for males it is more complicated and seems to be a genetic choice between having body hair or facial hair.

(Oh and here is an imgur link for bigger versions of the pictures in case you have trouble viewing them in the low resolution I used for the article) 

[themagiciansreccenter]

Author Spotlight: @highkingfen

Every week we are going to be interviewing a writer from The Magicians fandom. If you would like to be interviewed or you want to nominate a writer, get in touch via our ask box.

First things first, tell us a little about yourself.

I am Cath, I’m 27 years old, I speak French and I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I met my husband on Tumblr, I love cosplaying and doing edits in photoshop. My main blog is @booksandanxieties and, my other side blogs are @themagiciansweirdface and @fillorymedia. I also co-own @neitherlandslibrary.

How long have you been writing for?

Since I am 12, there’s some french harry potter fic written by me in the dark web of ff.net.

What inspired you to start writing for The Magicians?

I missed writing! And there was not a lot of fics when I join (Still remember there were only 15 pages on ao3)

Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write? What it is about them that makes them your favourite?

Arielle and Fen, which is odd I am aware ahha! I adore writing about them because first, we don’t get to see them a lot and I love to explore what they could be and their story and I love writing about what it is to live in Filory and all of its lore, they are both great protagonists to do so.

Do you have a preference for a particular season/point in time to write about?

Lately, I have been fixed on 3x05 (life in the day) because I wrote an entire fic named The Golden Tile that is about the first five years of Eliot and Quentin in Fillory’s past. I love rewriting whole season with canon divergences. What if’s are fun to write especially in this fandom, the timelines make it easy to do it!

Are you working on anything right now? Care to give us an idea about it?

As some may know, I am currently writing an Unofficial The Magicians dnd book! ( @unofficialmagiciansdnd ) It is about 65% done. I have still some of the mechanics to write and a lot of lists to create (Such as a list of spells or a list of magical creatures)

I also write on the side Book 2 of The Golden Tile named Under Pressure. I finished the first fic with a surprise plot twist that was canon divergent, with the second book I explore the consequence; what if Eliot and Quentin found the golden tile 5 years into their quest and comes back on Earth 5 years older with Arielle and Rupert.

How long is your “to do list”?

Not so long, I try to focus on what I write and I tend not to think of other things. But I do have a Twin!Au with Fen and Q that I want to write and Book 2 of my Fenfic where we see her point of view during season 2 and 3.

What is your favourite fic that you’ve written for The Magicians? Why?

That’s cruel to ask. I have two that I am rather proud but if I have to choose, I’d say The Girl from the World in The Wall (that I nicknamed my fenfic) which is the story of Fen before Eliot. We follow her from her 2 years old until she married the High King, learning his name on the altar.

I had started to write it after season 2, totally in love with Fen and mad that we didn’t know anything about her and mad at how the gang treated her. So I wondered what it was to be raised knowing you might marry a king. The word might is important since they didn’t know if Eliot would ever come. I wanted to explore how did she join the FU Fighter and why, despite her beliefs, she accepts her forced marriage. There was a lot to explore there so I started to untangle everything and ended up having to create lore for Fillory because we do not know much of what it is to be a farmer, knifemakers, peasant, in this land. I fell deeply in love with the lore and discovered in Fen a strong woman that decided to choose love and kindness, not out of naivety, but because it is the right thing to do.

When Season 3 aired, I’d finished writing the fic (it was a NaNoWriMo goal) and I was more than happy to discover that what I’d written actually fit what they wrote about her. I ADORE that we got to know her more and don’t get me started on her being an acting king.

P.s: Some of the lore in the Fenfic ended up leaking in The Golden Tile; I love tying my fics in one large universe.

Many writers have a fic that they are passionate about that doesn’t get the reception from the fandom that they hoped for. Do you have a fic you would like more people to read and appreciate?

My fenfic, hands down. I wish they would read The Girl from the world in the wall to see where most of the lore and my love of Fillory comes from. Fen is underestimated in the fandom (Though less since season 3) and deserve more recognition.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any traditions or superstitions that you like to stick to when you’re writing?

I listen to podcasts all the time so when I write, I need silence. Music distracts me. I always need the thesaurus synonym because I tend to use the same word over and over or know what a word means but finding it imprecise. Which makes writing without internet hard, but now that I know its a must, I try as much as I can, to write where wifi is. Also, I can’t write if someone is in the room. Even if they are doing their own stuff. I don’t know why. Even when I was writing essays for classes it was like that.

Do you write while the seasons are airing or do you prefer to wait for hiatus? How does the ongoing development of the canon influence and inspire your writing process?

I had nothing really going during season 3 and then episode 5 happen and I kinda exploded. Knowing it was a self-contained story (the life having already been lived by Q and Eliot) I started to write while it was airing. It is at the end of it that I decided that the ending of The Golden Tile could be interesting if it was canon divergent; I’m excited to see what Arielle and Rupert bring into the group and if it will lead toward the same choice. Only time will tell!

Otherwise, I usually write One Shot during airing season time, that way I don’t have to overthink things if what I write is not canon compliant anymore.

What has been the most challenging fic for you to write?

My Fenfic. Maybe that’s why it is the one I am the proudest of. To have to create a whole character and yet stick to the canon was exciting. As well as reading as much as I can about Fillory. There was not a lot about it online at the time, so it had been meticulous research (I had the map of FIllory open most of the time I was writing just to be sure of the place I was saying were compliant. ) Before I never did much research before writing a fic, now it is one of my favorite parts

Are there any themes or tropes that you particularly like to explore in your writing?

Canon divergence, as you can see! I love to see the butterfly effect and how one thing can change the whole story. My first longfic Shake it off was about Eliot forcing back Quentin on his med. And that changed a lot of things! Yay for timelines that can make us say its canon!

Are there any writers that inspire your work? Fanfiction or otherwise?

J.K Rowling will always be important for my writing because her universe made me want to write. I read a lot of YA so I can say the author influence my writing because, through reading, I discover what I like and what I don’t which makes me better in the end.

Fanfic-wise, I discovered a lot of great author in this fandom and I hate naming people because if I don’t name someone they might be sad or get discouraged, and I don’t want that. I adore that we got so many writers and that the subjects are so different. It’s not only one trope on one ship over and over. Sometimes I read a summary and I laughed cause I wonder how the author came up with the idea! It made me want to be better and write more elaborate and less easy trope fics.

What are you currently reading? Fanfiction or otherwise?

Depression had kicked my ass with reading. I went from reading 92 books last year to 4 this year. So yeah, I don’t read as much, but I try to get back in, now that I am feeling better.

I just finished reading There there be Gerblins, a graphic novel of the first arch of The Adventure Zone podcast. It’s really good and funny. In fact, this podcast is part of the inspiration of me writing the DND book.

The Dnd book writing means that I carry everywhere the 5th edition of Dungeon and Dragon with me. It is not a copycat of it, but there are mechanics that are the same or, sometimes, they help me just figure out how to structure the book itself. I love the weird look I get when I go to Starbuck with it.

I just bought a new book by J.K Rowling name Very Good lives and I am excited to read it when I’m going in my next trip; a plane without wifi is a good excuse to read.

Fanfic wise; I usually binge. I wait a month or two and then read everything I haven’t read. But one fic I read the moment there is a new chapter is The Mess We Made by Rays. I looooovelove love it. A must read

What is the most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

Write first, edit after. Otherwise, you’ll edit the same paragraph the rest of your life.

that or

If 50 shades of gray can be published, you can do it.

they are my two mottoes.

Cringe time:

Are there any words or phrases you worry about overusing in your work?

oh, I have a ton of them. I can’t think of one example but sometimes I get stuck on a word on a paragraph and I am using it for like ever. Hense the wonder of thesaurus synonym website.

What was the first fanfic that you wrote? Do you still have access to it?

A harry potter one, I probably can find it. I don’t want to. LOL

Rapid Fire Round:

Self-edit or Beta? Self-edit, trying the Beta for Under Pressure!

Comments or Kudos/Reblogs or Likes? COMMENTS FOR SURE I LIVE FOR THOSE. how many time did one comment make me continue to write! But honestly, anytime someone acknowledges they read my thing, I am happy and blown away. I forget sometimes, that people want to read my stuff.

Smut, Fluff or Angst? All of the above? Honestly? Depend on the mood!

Quick & Dirty or Slow Burn? Depend on the mood too! Usually slow burn but sometimes a good Quick & Dirty is always good

Favourite season? 3

Favourite episode? Six Stories about Magic

Favourite book(The Magicians books)? The first one

Three favourite words? Bunny, kindness, writing

Want to be interviewed for our author spotlight? Get in touch here.

[innusiq]

Get to Know the Writer (meme)

Get to know the writer meme

@isabellajack tagged me, which I thank you for.  I won’t be tagging anyone else, but I wanted to answer this for you.  Any other writer who may be in a funk is welcome to grab, post and pass along.

Rules: Answer the following questions & share about yourself!

#1 Poetry Or Prose?

I’m leaning towards Poetry… though I’ve have to admit, haven’t read any in most recent years…

#2 Dialogue Or Description?

In regards to my own writing… it could go either way, but I do lean towards dialogue first and then build around it.  Sometimes… if the dialogue is done right and the voice of the character captured, that can sometimes lend to an unwritten description of a moment in regards to Fanfic. As a reader and writer of fanfic, I know what to expect of the characters… how they act, move, expressions… But I must admit, when reading… sometimes there are those fic authors that get waaaaaaay too descriptive… when that happens I tend to check out before I can get into the fic too deeply because there’s too much “colorful verbiage” being thrown together in an effort to try to stand out that I loose what the writing is trying to say.  I don’t need 6 types of metaphors/similes in one paragraph to tell me how a person feels. Don’t beat me over the head with words please.  I try to steer clear of beating readers over the head.

#3 Favorite Character You’ve Ever Written?

*Clutches Chest & Gasps* That is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child!  There was a time where I didn’t have too many to choose from… but that was (holds breath) nearly two decades ago… and so many fandoms ago… BUT, if I really had to choose, it would be when I wrote TeniMyu RPS TutixNagayan.  OMG I was smitten with those two.

#4 Least Favorite Character You’ve Ever Written?

I don’t think I really have one? I don’t tend to write fics with characters I’m adverse to.  Life can be a drag in and of itself, I prefer to write characters I love.  Sure there are characters I use that are antagonist, but they serve a purpose and I don’t feel any true negativity towards them, or struggle with writing them.  Even writing those characters that are unsavory, there is still something to like about getting their characterization accurate.

#5 Favorite Character Trait To Write?

Specifically Pre-Serum Steve’s stubbornness, that is always fun.  Generally, I tend to strive for realism of the characters, tangibility. Providing a snapshot in their lives that is 100% believable built off of the traits we know and love.

#6 Favorite Character Name You’ve Come Up With?

Rosalie… she was a niece of Ray Vecchio’s from a Due South I wrote.  Man, that was too many moons ago…

#7 Biggest Weakness In Writing?

Bringing a fic to a close. Sometimes it feels like I am forcing it, and it’s writing the ending that can take the longest for me.  I don’t want to beat a dead horse as I know, all fics must come to an end, but I struggle in keeping them from sounding/feeling cheesy and short.

#8 Biggest Strength In Writing?

My love of the characters I am writing.  It’s my love for a character/pairing that spurs me to write in the first place. There has to be a love for the characters for any writer, a desire to examine what we are given further than a given canon because it’s connected with something in outselves.

#9 Favorite Trope?

There can never be enough Coffee Shops AUs... Well written Mpregs…  A slow build/burn that has the lead up to a pairing’s first kiss feel more intense than the explicit scenes that may follow.

#10 Least Favorite Trope?

Trash Parties… I just don’t get that.  Dom/Sub isn’t my go to fic, either.  I can handle “light” versions, but even then just seeing it tagged Dom/Sub can make me scroll right on by an author’s work.  

#11 Author You Look Up To?

Will I be looked down upon if I do not have an author to list (even professional)?  History of me:  growing up… I detested reading.  This caused a huge struggle for me in school because if I had no interest in the subject matter, I was reluctant to read it.  Nothing really appealed to me.  Graduate, add fandoms, and now I can’t stop reading.  I know there are people who follow fanfic writers and everything they produce, but I can’t really pinpoint a specific author.  When I read a piece, it’s subject matter I pay more attention to, not the name of the person who wrote it.  I’m an Equal Opportunity Reader.

#12 Favorite Book/Piece You’ve Written?

I’m not one to toot my own horn usually, and it can be hard to single out one specific fic overall, so here are a few more recent ones:

The Social Network - https://archiveofourown.org/works/875838 (Missing Transition)

RPS-The Social Network – https://tsn-kinkmeme.livejournal.com/10450.html?thread=19299026#t19299026 (Hiding in Plain Sight - WIP)

Merlin - https://archiveofourown.org/works/1454626 (It’s You and Me Against the Odds)

RPS-MCU - https://archiveofourown.org/works/8294710 (No Longer a Place)

MCU - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12906372 (They Say Love is Pain…)

#13 Favorite Line You’ve Written?

They always say home is where the heart is, and before Chris’s heart has always been settled and well rooted in the city of Boston, but now… this is the first he realizes that home, his home, is no longer a place, but a person.

#14 Fanfiction Or Original Work?

FanFiction.  I like the feeling of immersing myself in a world I already hold dear to my heart.  It’s a bit like coming home, a comfort, of knowing what to expect of characters even when I may not know where a story is going and still get surprised by them all the same.

#15 Favorite Genre To Write In?

I tend to write romance. I just want to see people happy.  

#18 Heavy Description Or Little Description?

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t like seeing what is being said getting buried in colorful, disjointed ramblings of an author trying to prove their artistic flare.  I used to challenge myself with 100 word drabbles to help myself figure out ways to tell a full fledge story in few words. Description is totally necessary, but not to the point to losing focus.

#17 First Person, Second Person, Or Third Person?

Definitely third person. I may have written one first person POV fic eons ago, but I generally skip reading anything that is First Person, unless it is by an author I might recognize and love.  

#19 Multiple Point Of Views Or Just One Point Of View?

I lean towards one point of view, but I also like multiple points of view if it is done right.  If a writer is jumping between POVs within a paragraph/part/chapter, that tends to get a bit muddy (especially when using pronouns).  When I write multiple POVs, I choose a POV per section/part/chapter and make it clear in the beginning of each whose POV I’ve changed to.

#20 Multiple Protagonists Or Just One Protagonist?

I can barely handle one… so just one please.

#21 Favorite Villain You’ve Ever Written?

I have no answer for this.

#22 Longest Piece (Word Count) You’ve Ever Written?

Individual Piece:  A work in progress that has stalled out called “Hiding in Plain Sight.”  It is a Real Person Fic of Andrew Garfield/Female Jesse Eisenberg and it is presently 49K words. I, personally, am not a fan of reading fics where a character’s gender it changed… I’ve read a few definitely, I’m not adverse to them, but it’s definitely not something I do.  This fic started via a challenge group and it just drew me in to write.  I really need to get back to it…

Series:  A four part Fraser/Vecchio Due South series that reached over 100K words.  Man that really was a long time ago…

#23 Where Do You Get Your Inspiration From?

Life in general, really. It could be hearing a new song on the radio… watching something on TV… a personal occurrence in my life… and the characters themselves that draws me in.

#24 How To Deal With Writer’s Block?

Don’t sweat it.  I write for my own pleasure really.  If I write, I write, and if I don’t…. I can’t say it doesn’t get me down, but it’s not the end of the world for me.  I used to write rather prolifically when I first started, but as the years moved on and available writing time lessened, it’s been hard finding a moment to just sit and write (or stare at the blinking cursor). I haven’t given up, I still do write, but it may be one piece in a year, that I open monthly and plug away at. Patience is key.

#25 Writing One Book At A Time, Or Multiple At A Time?

One… for the most part… but I have more WIP’s left open than I like…

#26 Planning Out The Book Before Writing, Or Just Writing It On The Go?

For the most part I do write with a singular idea that in the end, I sometimes find myself surprised by where the characters took me.  There have been occasions where I’ve drafted an outline, but I’m more of the fly by the seat of my pants author.

#27 Picking Chapter Titles Before Writing Or After?

I do not usually name chapters of longer pieces, but in general… I usually start writing and name the piece something but in the end I usually change it to a final title.  Sometimes it’s easy, other times I struggle to figure out an official title, but it always works out in the end.

#28 Picking Character Names Before Writing Or After?

Most of the characters I write already have their names, but anytime I’ve introduced an original character, it’s during the writing process I decide on a name.  It’s like I can’t write the character if I don’t know their name.

#29 Simple Or Complex Plotlines?

Simple, plain and simple.

#30 Multiple Different Characters Or Just A Few?

I tend to narrow my focus on a few characters.  Less people I can screw up with the better.

#31 Sad Or Happy Endings?

Too much sad in the real world, I must write happy.  Angst is ok as long as it ends happy.  

#32 Rhymed Poetry Or Free Verse?

I really don’t have a preference here.  Either works for what is being written if it’s called for it.

[writer-and-artist27]

10Q x a billion

Tagged by: @owlsofstarlight

Put under the cut for the sake of not being long.

1. What’s one genre you really love the idea of, but are disappointed when you go to read/watch it?

Romance, because so many harem shows and so on just make it way too dramatic and painful to get through. Aside from Cardcaptor Sakura and stories like @langwrites‘ Catch Your Breath, which did amazing Slow Burn, I rarely go into Romance genre stuff.

2. Feelings about fire in general? (where my fellow pyros?)

Neutral. As long as it can help keep the house warm and cook food, I’m good.

3. Which of your OCs is the kinkiest?

In terms of hints/innuendos? Hikari, since she does tease Judai on occasion when they’re alone. Of course, this happens when Tomoko is not around. Hisako does troll Tomoko a little bit herself, but not in that category since sex-related stuff is very iffy for Tomo in general.

4. What is the one thing you most want a fan to say someday?

“Could I draw fanart for you?” or “I was hoping if I could write a fanfic of your fanfic?”

I’d be squealing all day if that happened.

5. Which OC do you think readers will like the most?

From personal opinion? Tomoko, Hisako, and Hikari, since those three ladies stand out so much in CP and in S&S. From what I’ve seen of FFN reviews though, Hikari’s the Ensemble Darkhorse, and that’s awesome.

6. Were your OCs born naturally, with pharmaceutical assistance, or via c section?

Aside from Hisako, because Nobody status for Tomoko, all my OCs were born naturally. I honestly think Judai was the only one that came from c-section, because his mother (and in turn, Tomoko’s paternal grandmother) suffered from some health problems. I can’t expand on it aside from that because I haven’t exactly thought about Judai’s parents. For as long as Judai himself knew, he was an orphan.

7. What is the single emotion that is the absolute hardest for you to write? (loneliness, loss, hopelessness, joy, etc)

Seething anger to the point of extreme action. I can get close with my empathy and sympathy to many different emotions, but anger in that level (where a character might even kill or something) is something I can’t imagine. Nor the simple mess that is Orochimaru’s craftiness, because all he is in my head is a pedophile snake that deserves to die.

8. If your OC were a cookie, what sort of cookie would they be?

Tomoko would be a sweet red velvet cookie. Hikari would be macademia nuts, Judai a chocolate chip protein cookie (because ninja status), and Hisako would be peanuts and M&Ms.

Tomoya, on the other hand, I see being birthday cake, because she’s still figuring out who she is past her assigned male gender.

The Hitoshi family would all be oatmeal cookies that got badly burnt in the oven. :d

9. How important do you think it is to describe a character’s appearance?

Pretty important, but not so much to where you dedicate entire pages to them. The reader should get an idea of how they look, but also leave some room for interpretation/fanart opportunities. Hence why when I do describe appearances in writing, they’re simple and sweet so that art has a leeway to come in.

10. And, spitballing off that, which OC do you think is the prettiest?

Right now? Hikari, since she can rock almost any outfit. Also helped by how she makes her own clothes. Tomoko is still growing, but she’ll get there.

11. Your absolute most evil OC is startled by a toaster popping. What happens next?

Mamoru (the original Drunk Guy) would kinda smash it with an alcohol bottle. Only for Natsumi to go on and yell at him because that was still a perfectly okay toaster. Satoru would be rolling his eyes and heading out the window to avoid another argument on his parents’ parts.

12. One of your OCs is in a Disney animated movie. What’s the “big” song of that movie? (Pocahontas’ was “Colors of the wind,” Aladdin was “A Whole New World,” Hercules was “Zero to Hero” etc.)

If it was Tomoko, the song would be Let’s Just Live from RWBY Volume 4. Simple as that.

For Hisako, it’ll be Neon, also from RWBY, this time being Volume 3.

For Hikari, it would probably be Taylor Davis’s violin cover of My Heart Will Go On from Titanic.

Judai naturally gets Teardrop by BOWL.

Tomoya would probably get something like Mirror Mirror, Part 2 from RWBY Volume 3.

13. Do you think having to write while stuck out in the wilderness by yourself (in a heated cabin, food and water but no wifi, tv, or phone service) would help or hurt?

I think it would help for a while, since I get peace and quiet, not to mention my laptop already having offline editing accessible. But after a few weeks, I would just get worried about how to get back to my family, since I’m still living with them and I love them very much.

Leo and Josh would probably be the first ones to blow a gasket out of worry about me, aside from my Mom and Dad.

14. You have written or thought about writing dirty fanfiction. What is it?

…Really? You’re asking this? From the sex-repulsed, demiromantic?

Well, I thought of fanfics where an adult Tomoko and Kakashi went and did it, but got too much second-hand embarrassment to even think of writing. I’m not even going to bring Kei into this, because Lang kinda had to witness my reaction to the revelation of Kei and Kakashi’s relationship going sexual by OSF firsthand last year, and it’s sorta painful to look back on because getting triggered sucks.

15. Someone offers you thirty million dollars to ghostwrite a book about how Hell is real and all dogs go there, good or bad. Do you do it?

Nope. My uncle has a sweet Corgi dog by the name of Yuko, and I do not want to think about a story where all dogs go to Hell. Yuko deserves better, and I can get the money elsewhere. If anything, I’d just point at that person with a blank face, say, “You’re just a scam,” and walk off.

16. You will automatically get a million dollar contract for anything you write, but it has to be at least five thousand words long AND you can only use as many letters of the alphabet as complete pullups you can do. How does that work out?

I’d have to exercise more, because I do more push-ups and rollerblading than pull-ups. So no. I’d prefer writing for fun, not for the money.

17. Your dog turns into a person and writes a book about your lives together, and it gets turned into a movie. During the premiere of the movie, your dog turns to you and tells you that Hell is a place of our own making. What kind of popcorn do you order?

I would order a medium popcorn with extra butter. And I don’t think I should worry about the dog part since I actually don’t have a dog. The only dog I interact with is the aforementioned Yuko, and she’s too sweet to say something like that.

18. What’s a genre of fiction you don’t think you’d ever get the hang of writing?

Smut, because sex-repulsed demiromantic here. And any despair-inflicting stuff since I know fluff runs in my veins so much better, hence why I’m still surprised about the Danganronpa crossover that’s been going in my head. Hell, the things my head has come up with for S&S Tomoko past the Memory Arc have been less than cheery, and I have to thank Lang and by extension, Os and Abalisk for getting me out of that mindset many times, because the things she has coming up hurt.

19. How similar is your story world to the Earth we live on?

Aside from the ninja and feudal Japan-like aspects, pretty similar. The only thing Tomoko misses is freedom of speech and democracy, because despite America’s flaws, it did allow Vy’s parents to immigrate and find better lives to meet each other.

20. What inspired any of your WIPs?

Catch Your Breath. I’ve said it enough already, and owe Lang many things.

21. What song best explains the squad in your WIP?

Let’s Just Live from RWBY. Because it’s the main theme for CP in my opinion, and going onto S&S, the message of moving forward is something I think everyone in the squad tries to aspire towards.

22. Do you use Pinterest for your characters/stories?

I have a Pinterest account, but I don’t use it. It’s kinda clunky, and Tumblr and FFN has been shown to be better in my opinion.

23. Do you have an Asshole character?

The entire Hitoshi Family. Even if Satoru hasn’t shown up in S&S (because all the flack surrounding him in his initial arc in CP was bad enough), the family’s bad.

24. What superhero is similar to or is idolized by your OCs?

I feel like Tomoko would idolize Starfire and Wonder Woman, since both had to deal with coming to new worlds and adjusting to life with new people. Not sure on the others though. Judai might sympathize with Batman, but aside from that, I’m blanking.

25. Do your protagonist and antagonist get along?

Nope. Tomoko would probably want to yell her head off at Madara for being so stupid in her opinion, and grab her Wayfinder to slash Black Zetsu with. Hisako agrees with the Zetsu sentiment, but would probably want to kill Madara more than yell at him.

Danzo on the other hand, is someone Tomoko and Hisako haven’t exactly encountered. Judai, though, would want that bastard as far away from his family as possible, since Danzo has offered Judai a place in ROOT back before he met Hikari. It was not pretty, to put it lightly.

26. How many of your current WIPs do you plan to publish, if you are publishing?

I’ve published most if not all of my WIPs on FFN. I don’t know about cross-posting on AO3, since it’s a pain in the butt, but yeah. The Danganronpa thing should come out when I get more chapters of S&S done, and when I finish the anime.

27. Is there a song that inspires you to write, or inspired any of your WIPs?

Let’s Just Live comes up yet again in this long post, but I also have to credit many of Kyle Landry’s piano covers of Kingdom Hearts, because his work on the already great soundtrack gave me the idea to make Tomoko into a pianist in the first place.

28. What trends do your OCs use/wear/etc.?

Anime-inspired kimono stuff. And casual, comfy wear that’s simple and pleasing.

29. Do you listen to music or ambiance while you write? Or just silence? If it’s music, what genre?

When I need to write somber moments, I use silence while sitting in a corner of my room. For everything else, I bring up piano music to keep up the theme of CP having piano themes.

30. Are any of your characters sassy?

All of them can be sassy in some ways, but the people that really dominate the “sassy” category have to be Hikari, Tomoya, and Hisako. Those three can really rip into someone if they want to.

31. How did you come up with the idea for your current WIP?

For CP? The simple question of, “What if Kakashi had a best friend from the near beginning?”

For S&S, though? “How would things be better or worse for Kei if she met Tomoko and they worked together?”

32. How long have you been working on your current WIP?

CP: a little over a year.

S&S: nearing a year, since its first anniversary is coming up in 2 months.

33. Are you planning to publish your current WIP?

Uh, they’re already up on FFN if that’s what you mean. Because honestly, I don’t see myself writing past fanfiction.

34. If your MCs were youtubers, what kind would they be? (ex. vlogger, artuber. booktuber, comedy, etc.)

Tomoko would be like Kyle Landry in putting up various piano covers of the songs she finds.

Hisako would be half comedy, half vlogger/booktuber as she comments on the many things she sees in Tomoko’s head and through Tomoko’s eyes. The booktuber part comes from Hisako’s home being Tomoko’s mental library, so she might be reviewing the books/memories that come her way while in front of the camera.

Hikari would probably be another musician, teaming up with Judai on occasion to be like the real life Videri String Quartet, only as a duo because they both handle stringed instruments.

Tomoya would probably put up piano covers like Tomoko, but also film advice videos for those who are trying to transition like she is.

35. What season do you associate with each of your characters, and why?

Hikari is spring, since she brings along the most cheeriness in the house when Tomoko can’t.

Tomoko is autumn, since she picks up the pieces after summer passes.

Tomoya is winter, since she’s still unsure about herself and trying to find her way in the world.

Hisako and Judai both share summer, since they can be pretty hot-headed when it comes to people they care about.

36. Is there one scene that you are particularly excited to write, or had a lot of fun writing?

In terms of scenes I’m excited to write:

CP has me waiting for Kakashi’s ANBU arc to come by, since Tomoko and Kakashi are already in a relationship at this point, and I’ll be able to flesh out both civilian and ninja sides since the two are going to be kinda separated as a result of ANBU forcing Kakashi to get his own apartment in the ninja barracks for security purposes.

For S&S, I’m looking forward to the Commencement and Memory Arcs, since October Tenth and Sorayama were two events that really impacted Kei’s life originally in CYB. Tomoko being there will lead to significantly different emotional aftermaths, so exploring that has me shaking in my shoes (in the good way).

In terms of scenes that I had fun writing…

CP had Kakashi buying his signature outfit for Kannabi in Chapter 42, because Tomoko (the innocent dork) is finally starting to recognize for real that she loves her best friend and honestly doesn’t want him to die while in the field. Also for Hikari being that fashion badass that I wanted her to be.

S&S had Tomoko’s bulging duffle bag of things in Chapter 16, since that was something I had in mind since the beginning of the brainstorming stages for the story, because Kei’s shown that she can be reckless already. Our civilian pianist, on the other hand, takes things to a completely different level, and I’m kinda sad no one commented more on that scene in the reviews anyways.

37. What would the ship name be for your favorite romantic pairing in your WIP?

For CP? KakaTomo, taking the first 2 syllables from Kakashi and Tomoko’s names to get this.

For S&S? It’s a crack and sunk ship at this point, but KeiTomo kinda grew on me since writing S&S.  More so since Tomoko has been shown in S&S to be very dedicated to Kei in a way that’s different from her CP counterpart’s love for Kakashi. It would’ve been pretty interesting to explore, but talks with Lang confirmed it wouldn’t exactly work (as KeiRin shippers from CYB can probably attest to), but thoughts of it are cute to think on.

38. Are you a planner, or a pantser, or in the middle?

In the middle. I plan, but also leave enough holes for the characters to fill in with their actions.

39. What’s your favorite detail that you put into your worldbuilding?

All the family relations between the characters and how a simple network of loved ones can easily make so many changes in the Narutoverse. I’m still happy about how everyone on FFN was so receptive to the CP version of Kannabi, because that was planned from the very beginning of the story. To know that all the build-up, family and fluff moments and all, showed the natural progression of how a canon-doomed mission turned into one that was mostly heartwarming and partly bittersweet.

40. How long are your chapters, usually?

From 5k to 10k words on average. The most I’ve done, I think, is 14k words.

41. If you could meet one of your characters, who would it be?

Tomoko, since I’d be able to assure her that everything will be okay and that she doesn’t have to worry too much.

42. If you could meet any fictional character (not yours), who would it be?

Kei, since Kei’s a dork, and I think I’d be able to get her to relax a bit more by introducing all of RWBY to her and updating her on what’s happened since her past self’s death.

43. Which character is the most fun to write?

Hisako, because she’s a nicer version of Monokuma. She can say so many things that Tomoko just doesn’t say, and without any consequences.

44. Which character is the most painful to write?

To be honest, Judai, since I’m still lurking on his Interlude that expands his backstory leading up to Tomoko’s birth, and trying to make all the Yugioh GX elements transition into Naruto-terms hasn’t been easy.

45. What are some of your favorite tropes?

You Are Better Than You Think You Are, You Are Not Alone, Glomp, and True Companions.

46. What genre is your favorite to read? What genre do you usually write?

Hurt/Comfort as well as a good Mystery mixed with Fantasy are my favorites to read. For genres I write, it’s obviously Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, and Fluff.

47. Earbuds or headphones?

If given an absolute choice, earbuds because portability, but both are fine.

48. What made you want to write what it is you’re currently writing?/ What was that first spark of an idea?

As I’ve said many times before, Catch Your Breath from Lang. The next spark was actually Inoue Shiori by Hermionechan90, since her take on civilians and their relationship with ninja got me thinking.

49. What are your project’s main themes or undertones? (Yes, I do really like this question)

“Keep Moving Forward for Yourself and the People that Care for You.”

“Don’t give into your own doubts — use them as a motivation to improve yourself.”

Also, quoting Madoka from the last episode of the TV series:

“If someone tells me it’s wrong to hope, I will tell them that they’re wrong every time.”

50. Which of your characters do you relate to the most, or has the most of ‘you’ worked into them? And what aspect of you is this? (If you’re comfortable with sharing).

Tomoko obviously has the most of “me” worked into her, because of her status as an SI-OC. The biggest aspect though? Her heart, emotions, and desire to help others. That’s something I still share with her greatly, despite maturing, so seeing her grow as been a wonderful thing to witness.

51. What are the main points of inspiration/original concepts or aesthetics behind your main characters?

There’s a reason why I keep turning back to Let’s Just Live, because it shows just how much aesthetic these characters take from the song and in turn RWBY. You shouldn’t give up just yet, even when life is unfair. You have to keep moving forward, because the ones who have passed on and loved you would’ve wanted you to. If you can’t live for yourself, live for the people that are still alive and that still love you. That’s why I believe Chapter 13 of CP and Chapter 9 of S&S are still so powerful, because it’s something that Sakumo and everyone else needed to hear, and why it still stays despite all this conflict.

52. What’s your favorite quote from your project so far?

From Tomoko herself:

“Don’t take the coward’s way out. Face your pain, your mistakes, head on, and recognize what happened. You can’t change the past, but you can change the present. The future. Don’t start to cherish something when it’s long gone. Recognize what you have now, and treasure it with your life. Remember all the positive moments you’ve had, all the people you’ve loved, and just live. Don’t fear loss or pain. Take it in, endure it, and use it to help others. Because in the end, life is a gift, but short, and with the world the way it is, wouldn’t it be better to impart love and care to our loved ones before the inevitable?”

53. What’s your favorite book and why?

Don’t know if I have one aside from manga and fanfiction.

54. Do the books you like/ genre you read influence your writing style at all?

Yep. Cardcaptor Sakura was all about fluff and positive relationships, for one thing. I can’t list more off the top of my head right now, but that’s a big one.

55. Do you have a weird writer thing? Like a habit or obsession or something that’s just generally unusual when it comes to scribbling words?

Sometimes, when I’m really stressed, I just put on my headphones and pull up hairbrushing ASMR videos, because the sound of hairbrushing is surprisingly relaxing and nice when I need to get into the right working-mood.

56. Are you a hand-writer or a screen-typer?

Screen-typer.

57. What’s your favourite character from a text you’ve been forced to study and why?

Surprisingly, even though I haven’t finished the book yet, Werther from Goethe’s The Sorrows of Werther stands out, because he’s the first male protagonist I’ve seen in historical texts that is so emotional and open, and considering how my HUM professor likens his development to that of the Romanticism Movement that I already unconsciously took from, all the right bells were hit.

Tagging: No one. Whoever wants to do this, go ahead! Just pick 10 from the questions up above. :)

[togekissies]

i read the red queen today.............. and, i mean, i read all of it in one day, but i didn’t like it much and i don’t know what i’m gonna tell sarah tomorrow lol (she’s been bugging me to read it)

the premise is: the peasant class (”reds”) has red blood. the upper class (”silvers”) (not all are nobles) have actual silver blood, and with it, neat powers. the silvers force reds that don’t have a job or apprenticeship by age 18 to conscript in the war that’s been going on for 100 years blah blah blah. before anyone asks, yeah, the author’s white.

the main character, mare, is a red living in poverty. she has no skills other than pickpocketing, so she steals things for her family. she’s 17 and knows she’ll be sent to war when she turns 18. she has a younger sister that can embroider, which is a lucrative trade. she also has a male childhood friend who is annoyingly cocky. the story opens with them going to a mandatory event meant to show off the might of the silvers, to scare the reds into submission.

YUP, it’s so blatantly inspired by the hunger games it makes me wonder if it didn’t start off as fanfic.

mare doesn’t get sent to fight to her death or anything--she actually gets a job as a servant by happenstance, serving the silvers. her first day on the job is the... whatever dumb name for the queen choosing ceremony the book had, where basically the noble houses send the ~most talented~ daughter to show her her super awesome powers to try to get one of the princes to want to marry her. and mare, predictably, ends up demonstrating she has powers over electricity even she didn’t know about. (the twist was so damn obvious, like, the fuck)

oh, and she gets the nickname “little lightning girl” from this. hello again, thg.

blah blah in order to hide that a red has powers they decide to claim she’s the lost daughter of a noble house that died out recently, and betroth her to the younger prince. 

it started out kinda interesting? but i couldn’t really shake how the premise was that an actual superpowered human caste was oppressing a non-powered human caste, and the way the narrative presents as the best way to fight it is by... giving some of the oppressed caste powers too. like, it just misses why thg worked. the citizens of the capitol weren’t any better than the citizens in the districts. they were just born into riches. the red queen tries to make us (via mare) care about the silver nobles, by making them feel human, but... they are biologically different from the reds. for no good reason? they have the literal power to destroy innocents with their mind--and a lot of them do!--and that’s why they’re incapable of seeing the reds as fully realized humans. by making the caste system involve ACTUAL SUPERPOWERS......... it really doesn’t make me appreciate the whole “but it turns out murdering silvers is wrong too, it turns out sometimes they have families and feel the occasional human emotion :(” bit the book tries. there’s just no overcoming that power imbalance, why is why the goddamn main character has to get superpowers of her own. 

also, some of the names are just. hilariously first draft. like the author got too attached and kept these hilariously bad names. for example, the town mare comes from stilts. fuckin STILTS. because the buildings are built on stilts, you see. cause i think it’s built on marshy land or something? idfk. then we have characters named will and lucas next to characters named kilorn and ptolemus. there’s just no consistency to it. even within mare’s own family: her siblings are gisa, bree, tramy, and shade. like............. what? honestly i like the punchiness of mare and shade and would have liked to see that sort of thing throughout the reds, while the silvers can get the fancier names. 

oh god and you can totally tell which scenes the author thought of and wrote first, before writing the rest of the book, cause they feel a bit jarring. they don’t quite match, like instead of rewriting or even scrapping them, the author jammed them in to make them fit. 

not only that, but i feel like mare is a weak protagonist. not because she’s actually weak or anything, but because i can’t get a good grasp on her character. you can SO tell the author was trying to write a katniss type character, but trying to shove katniss into acting like a noble wouldn’t have worked, so the author just kinda... makes mare good at it, for no reason? like she gets one morning’s worth of etiquette lessons and then is thrown to the wolves and doesn’t actually do a bad job. it’s so jarring because the mare in the first few chapters i read as always up for a fight, if she needs to. well, it’s textual she always runs if she gets in trouble, but she was down to tussle if she couldn’t. and she’s snappy. but this hardly ever manifests after she has to pretend to be silver, and it devolves into political drama, which i feel the mare of the first few chapters wouldn’t be suited for, and her character changes accordingly. at first mare seemed like an interesting character that wasn’t TOO much like katniss, but now she’s just kinda... half a character.

oh, and the other twists were kinda super predictable, and not in the fun and exciting way they can be if you see them coming. like (SPOILERS) her brother shade not actually being dead. god did i see that coming from the moment someone was like “btw ur bro’s dead.” or maven actually being evil. that felt like hans from frozen all over again. with slightly more hints, but still--the actual betrayal felt super out of left field cause it was all one character telling mare “i don’t trust him” and maven’s mask never ever slipping around her. 

speaking of maven (the second prince, ftr), i can’t tell who he’s supposed to be if this is a thg au. maybe an oc or something. cause the au peeta is obviously the older prince that mare is ~REALLY~ in love with. oh and au gale isn’t actually an irritating piece of shit, mostly cause he has no actual character. this book is about as long as thg is, but it sure sucks at establishing character & dynamics quickly. 

not to mention! basically ALL of the main players in this story are dudes, except for au peeta’s betrothed and the queen, both of whom are baddies. and the leader of the rebels is a woman too, but she has noooo characterization. she’s tough i guess? oh and there’s a female side character who is captured and then takes a cyanide pill.

the aesthetic this book tries to portray is weird, too. like i think everyone is supposed to be wearing kinda medieval-y clothing? but they have technology. like, they have airships and radiation detectors. au peeta fuckin invented a motorcycle. it seems really arbitrary too, since they have lightbulbs and shit but i don’t think they have computers? so like........... how

oh and there’s a line in there about rebellions and sparks becoming fire and shit. it’s so. just. how did it end up in the final copy. just. just cut it. don’t wear the “thg au” badge pls

the writing seems fine, though i have some gripes. like mare will start a paragraph saying one thing, then repeat it at the end like it’s supposed to be a revelation. uh... no? some lines feel really awkward and out of place. it’s in first person present, which i was surprised to discover. most people don’t do either of those things, much less both at once. i don’t actually hate first person like most people seem to (why...?) and write in present tense myself, so i’m cool with it, but i feel like the story isn’t done any favors by being in mare’s head, since, again, i don’t feel like she’s actually a solid character. third person limited may have served this story better. actually i feel like this entire book should have reached the editor and the editor going “alright. now rewrite the entire thing, from scratch.” woulda had a stronger product. 

i know there’s two other books in the series, but i don’t really have much hope it gets better because my biggest gripes are with the premise itself. i’m down for the “young girl destroys and oppressive government” story, hell yeah, i’m not sick of it yet. but damn. do it well. and can we let the katniss and the johanna get together for once? thanks.