#its not a trope i read that often but there ya go!!!

[adelcrait]

Glad you like my ideas! Its me again! And no anon! About Luke still remaining good being raised by Anakin? Well I guess he would be anyway. The reason is that Luke would be a gift from the gallows to improve Anakin's life and make him happy. It wouldn't be something that would be used to destroy the galaxy or go to the Dark side of the Force, as it does a lot of damage. No. Luke would be, the light in Anakin's life sent by his mother Force, who is tired of seeing her son so miserable.

But Luke wouldn't come in a *Poooof*. Since, he is made of Anakin's flesh and blood, then would it be something more, how can I say, more pregnant? but not at the same time as a woman. It would be more like, Oh, a lump, but it turns out not to be a lump and WHATHECK, IS THIS A BABY???? Of course it's not a pleasant idea for many, but I always found these things interesting. Mainly to think about how Anakin would process all of this and realize that he did something, what in his mind. would it be perfect, even with his body having been so destroyed? And I would love for you to give me recs of fanfics where Anakin survives in the end! I don't think many of those, unfortunately.

Sorry for the late reply! Here are some finished fics recs out of the top of my head of post-ROTJ where Vader survives:

Better Choices (Vader Lives AU) by SpyroTF (49k): a series with 11 different stories.

Rescued by his son from the second Death Star, Vader strikes a deal with the Rebel Alliance, in which he would help them reestablish the Republic in exchange for one year of life before his eventual trial and execution. There is no atoning for his crimes, and no forgiveness from the galaxy; but he might as well try and do right by those few who still matter to him.

It's been a while since I read those, but my personal favorite is Crumbling Chains (8.9k).

Post-ROTJ, Vader lives AU. Many years ago, Anakin Skywalker said that he would free all the slaves. He has to start somewhere.

broken roofs and bloody hands; a tragedy by luke skywalker by Anonymous (2.9k).

“Who would have thought that Darth Vader would one day be being forced to fix a roof with duct tape.” A snort and a squeeze on his shoulder is his father's response. “So,” he asks, turning his face to Anakin, “Did it work?” “Yes.” Or father and son talk, as they watch the rain.

Beyond Measure by Tairona (3k)

After Vader survives the Battle of Endor, Luke decides to learn Low Huttese, which is his father’s first language. But even though Luke is doing this to connect with the man, he’s not too happy when he gets a homework assignment that involves talking to a native speaker. Because his father is many things, but a supportive conversation practice partner isn’t one of them.

Asking Price by Husborth (4.2k)

Anakin looked at him shrewdly. “You are expecting me to be angry because you are angry.” “I am not!” Luke burst out. “I have traveled all the stars and found them no different from the gutter, and I have shaken hands with rage incarnate. I know that which I see. What angers you, my son, can be crushed, swiftly, and judiciously.” Luke sputtered. “I don’t want to crush anything! I want absolutely nothing crushed. Negative a thing should be crushed. Maybe I’m a little miffed that my best friend tried to rob my dad, I guess. I mean, that’d be a little crazy, considering—y’know, considering. But I guess I am.”

[squiddy-god]

If asks are still open can I request savanaclaw with a bf who is quite literally a golden retriever? (Their a golden retriever beastmen) make it nsfw if you want but that's up to you.

I decided to keep this as cute and fluffy but i really like the idea, i was torn between having reader be a member of savanaclaw  or themes till being the ramshackle prefect who happened to come from a world with similar beastmen. I left it ambiguous but yeah ♥︎REQUESTS OPEN♥︎ cw : none, fluffy, male reader!,

Leona 

At first he thought you were an annoying dog because like, cats and dogs haha

But he warms up to you, his silly puppy

The real grumpy x sunshine trope over here, honestly you can be a bit rambunctious sometimes but he just wants to cuddle 

You seem to just have a 6th sense for finding where he is lol like you can just automatically know where he is 

Will never admit it but the happy look in your eyes when he calls you a good boy for doing anything kinda makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside

Same with when he sees your tail wag when you see him 

You can pry that from his cold dead hands tho

He really values the loyalty that you have 

He is not immune to puppy dog eyes so use that info however you want 

Claims that cuddling when you let him scratch behind your ears helps him sleep better, he's a dirty liar and just wants to pet you 

Has never gotten used to you basically pouncing on him when hes napping but makes you pay in cuddles so its fine

Thinks its really cute if you do the thing dogs do when they sleep and chase things in their dreams 

He calls you “puppy” and “mutt” affectionately but if anyone else was to call you either he will be having words (read : hands) with them. 

Ruggie 

He loves this actually 

He ends up roping you into all of his schemes because you two always seem to be together, where one of you is the other is close behind 

He loves how sweet you are, and he often makes you food as a little treat

I think he would like having little matching charms, his being a golden retriever cham and yours being a hyena because obviously 

Favorite activity is flopping your ears because you are too adorable really 

He loves when you get all excited and run up to him and almost tackle him with a hug 

Yapper x yapper 

Teaches you the true ways of the puppy eyes so that you and him can tag team leona lmao because again he is not immune to puppy eyes

You become his little helper for everything and he loves rewarding you with treats and cuddles because you are in fact his goodest boy 

I think his nickname for you would be goldie because ya know golden retriever 

Jack

The two goddess boys 

He thinks you are so cute because he is a wolf beastman and you are just a doggy lol, 

He would never admit that but its super obvious with the way his tail is wagging furiously 

Its cute because when you two hug or kiss both of your tails are going absolutely bonkers 

I think he likes to play wrestle like dogs do, but the whole time hes trying to be gentle because again he's a whole wolf lmao 

Can't hold your hand without his tail going nuts because he sees your tail going nuts and he gets embarrassed 

Another one where you can tackle him with a hug, but unlike ruggie he will just catch you lmao 

If you try to be intimidating he secretly thinks its also cute because he really sees you as too cute

[kedsandtubesocks]

drive ╏ roll-a-trope fic challenge

Joel Miller x F!Reader

summary: An early birthday celebration trip for Joel arrives & you’re excited to tag along… there’s just something you’ve been meaning to tell him about

prompt: #2 - road trip

warnings/tags: no explicit warnings but all my writing is 18+ only so MDNI, no use of y/n, pre-outbreak canon, established relationship, brief pov switch, light gendered language usage, Sarah Miller being the best, thoughts of marriage & children, hidden/surprise pregnancy, fluff & then ending angst (I’m sorry)

word count: 2k

a/n: thank you so much to @burntheedges for putting on this challenge for us, I’m so grateful to be a part of this thanks again Kate! Divider by the amazing @saradika-graphics (thank you & ily) & to you, if you’re reading this - thank you so much ♡

The drive from Austin to Corpus Christi was not one Joel took often, but this time it’s special.

This is first road trip with his girls, you and Sarah. It’s an early birthday week celebration for him. And honestly? He could just be on the road, driving around all day with no destination, and he wouldn’t mind a damn minute.

You by his side, Sarah in the back singing along to the radio - he never thought he’d ever find this slice of heaven before him.

He knew how nervous you were about the trip, knowing this would be another big step in the relationship. But with how effortlessly natural it was seeing you wake up in his bed, help pack the truck, even make breakfast for Sarah… a settling sensation filled his chest like you were always meant to be here, like realizing you were a finishing stitch into Joel’s life.

It’s a perfect early birthday treat he wants to savor forever.

With the windows rolled down, the traces of the morning sunlight illuminating the air, the beat of the radio, and you laughing at something Sarah said, Joel Miller is beyond content. The scenery from the Austin city limits blurs into soft hills that turn into stunning stretches of green. Then the towering palm trees arrive.

The few benefits of the Texas heat is still getting beach days in mid September.

The shimmer of the ocean already in sight perks Sarah up, and Joel beams.

“Dad, we have to go to those beach shops first please.” She urges, then eagerly explains to you the lure of the way too ridiculous tourist trap spots.

“Some even have these huge fake sharks in front you can take pictures with.” Sarah paints the image with brilliant excitement.

You’re glancing back at Sarah, hanging on her every word with graced patience, and Joel thinks his heart might melt out of his ribs.

He’s found something special here with you. He almost feels selfish at how badly he wants to hold onto it tight, never let you go.

As promised, before heading to the shoreline, Joel stops by a tourist shop that has a very large plastic shark wide with its teeth open before the door.

You laugh, twinkling and brilliant seeing it.

“See I told ya!” Sarah laughs happily.

“Oh we gotta take all the pictures with it.” You eagerly suggest and Joel wonders…

If maybe inside he grabs one of those ridiculous sea shell rings and propose to you right here and now.

-

The shop stands coated in a unique type of plastic over coated painted wonder. There’s a painted mural of seagulls flying over a bright pink sky on the wall. Another wall is coated top to bottom in various t-shirts that make you and Sarah giggle. So many wind chimes made of seashells hang from above.

You can’t believe your eyes trying to soak it all in.

“They even have hermit crabs here?” You’re a bit surprised at the rows of take home creatures that crawl around in their containers.

“Yes, ugh I’ve been trying to convince dad to let me get one for years.” Sarah sighs slightly pouting. “But he isn’t a fan.”

“Say it’s his birthday present.” You joke, and Sarah snickers.

You adore Joel’s daughter. Sarah is bright, incredibly clever and sweet, a pure wonder you’re grateful has allowed you into her and her dad’s life.

She even has been secretly telling you what she might be getting Joel for his birthday.

“I think I’m gonna just end up fixing his watch for him. I know he won’t ever do it himself.” She’s a considerate and deeply caring soul. Something she takes after her dad beautifully.

“Well if you need me to cover for you or take you, I can help.” You offer.

Sarah turns to you wearing the kindest smile and thanks you for the offer.

“But I think I got a plan. If it doesn’t work out though, trust me you’re my first alibi.” She nods firm.

“I’m honored, just don’t have me breaking you out of jail just yet.” You grin, and she playfully nudges you.

It’s affectionate. You learned fast the Millers love to tease, love showing their affection with quick wit and deep bonding. You’re grateful to be a part of that now.

Sarah eventually wanders back to Joel. You wonder if she’s really going to try and persuade him to get a hermit crab.

Wandering on your own now, you stumble across more clothing.

Specifically, you find yourself gravitated to the baby clothes section.

The small little onesies with dolphins on them, and the few cute shirts that say my first beach trip, all tug at your heart.

It takes everything in you not to grab one.

But you don’t want to spoil your birthday gift to Joel, not yet. You just found out earlier this week after all.

You just had to wait a little longer. You hope it will be worth it.

Before Joel or Sarah can spot you, you try finding one of the Millers first. Sarah of course chats with one of the cashiers at the hermit crab counter, and you snicker walking towards Joel. He stands surveying the kitschy fish wall decorations.

“I think we’re going to be going home with an extra little crawling critter. Sarah’s persistent.” You smirk.

Joel rolls his eyes.

“She can try all she want, but we ain’t taking a damn crab home.” He drawls out with a classical grumpy Joel pout. “Unless it’s fried.”

You snicker moving to lean against his side while an indescribable affection, a cotton candy delicate sweetness, blooms in you and you haven’t even gotten to the beach yet.

Joel must sense it too. His arms immediately draw you into him more, and he kisses the top of your head.

“Glad we took this road trip.” He mutters soft.

“Me too.” You agree rubbing his back.

“Sarah said we should make it yearly thing.” He adds.

“We should. Good way to celebrate your birthday early.” You fondly say.

He huffs. “Don’t want any crazy celebration I told ya. Just my girls, Tommy, and maybe a cake, that’s all I need.”

“Nothing crazy huh?” You tease soft.

“Baby, haven’t had a crazy birthday since I was twenty and ain’t wanted one since.” He snorts.

Now slight fear tugs at you. Maybe you should tell him your surprise now, or sooner than expected.

“Hey,” Joel’s soft warm hand moves to your face letting his thumb softly rub your jaw. “Y’okay, darlin’?”

You swallow hard, but nod with a smile.

��Yup just ready to get to the beach.” You half lie.

“Me too,” then he leans down closer to your ear. “Can’t wait to see how fuckin’ sexy you’ll be in that swim suit of yours-”

“Joel Miller.” You cry playfully aghast and swat his chest.

Joel rolls his eyes, yet a smile tugs at his lips.

Soon enough Sarah calls out for her dad causing you and him to slowly pull away.

The beach is calling too after all.

-

The rain patters a soft steady melody against the truck. You’re thankful everyone got in a few good hours in the waves, soaking in the nice weather, before the rain drops began. A downfall to Texas weather is its unpredictability.

Sarah sleeps soundly in the back tired out from enjoying the beach.

Sitting in the passengers detached in the cozy warmth of the truck, you even catch your eyes dropping shut every now and then.

“Get some rest, sweetheart. We still got a few hours on the road.” Joel, ever considerate, softly says over the radio.

You decide to maybe just rest for a little bit, settling into the seat more.

“Sorry we didn’t get to spend a full day at the beach.” You mutter, closing your eyes.

“Don’t be sorry, honey,” Joel reassures warm. His hand slides over to squeeze your knee closest to him across the counsel.

“Today was great.” His voice is thick, earnest in the buried emotions waiting for you to sink into. Now opening your eyes again, you glance over to Joel.

The soft stormy lighting coats him dreamy and cozy. His hair is even still fluffed up from the sand and sea, the picture perfect dreamy vacation man or possibly a mythical sea god you’ve luckily caught onto land. He’s incredibly handsome, your Joel.

“Thanks for coming.” He adds above a soft whisper.

“Thanks for letting me tag along.” You reply back just as soft, delicate.

“Of course,” his eyes flicker to you briefly. “Here’s hopin’ to many more trips together.”

Your heart swells, and you wonder if you might just get swept into the current of Joel Miller forever.

“Here’s to more trips together.” You repeat, solidifying his words into your soul.

You hope he’ll be happy with the news you have. You’re still hesitant about it, but right now, simple tender peace envelopes you right now in this moment.

“Love you, Miller. Happy early birthday.” You say half asleep as the exhaustion creeps in.

“Thanks baby, love y’too.” His voice floats in with the rain drops, and it's beautiful.

Your eyes glance out at the misty road blurring before you and how the rain paints the world in a water color soaked dream. Closing your eyes, you decide to get some sleep on this drive.

Maybe you will tell him about your surprise when you get home.

Then Joel’s phone buzzes.

From what you catch, it’s Tommy. Must be something about work because Joel’s voice low takes on his contractor big brother boss tone.

“Yeah, I’ll check it out when I get home.” He sighs annoyed, tired.

Joel’s been so busy this month. You even know how much it took for him to take time for this trip.

A heaviness weighs you down, and a slight edge of guilt follows. Maybe you’ll wait to tell him on his actual birthday. Surprise him with the little longhorn onesie you bought ready to show him and of course Sarah.

In the truck, you simply slip into the cocoon of crystalized peace here. You already dream of another beach trip, the next time maybe with a baby car seat in the back and Sarah happily cooing over her sibling…

And your hand holding Joel’s staring out at the road ahead, hopeful for this new path with him.

-

Sarah’s morning knock jolts you and Joel up wearily out of bed.

“Didn’t know we slept in so late.” Joel mutters, dragging you closer into his sleepy hold.

“Mhm, early birthday sex would do that to ya.” You reply with a grin.

Today’s the day.

“Happy birthday baby.” You whisper adoringly, pressing your lips to his, basking in this moment with him.

“Thanks sweetheart.” His warm sleepy voice drips molten sin, and it’s hard fighting the urge to call into work today and begging Joel to do the same.

The morning is eased, perfectly Joel. Sarah even cooks eggs for everyone and soon enough Tommy joins.

A part of you wants to blurt out your announcement now with all the Millers here, but then contract work again takes over the focus of the conversation. Then the weird news announcement about Jakarta shifted the conversation. But you try not to worry about it.

Today would be a good day.

It’s Joel’s day after all.

As Joel talks to his neighbors, Sarah makes an excuse about forgetting something then drags you off to the side.

“Dad’s gonna forget a cake, I just know it.” She sighs knowingly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pick one up.” You reassure her warm.

She beams warm then hugs you tight.

Normally Joel drives you to work, but now with the mission of picking up the cake, you use the excuse of needing to stay late as to why you take your car.

Joel pouts but gives you a sweet see you later kiss.

Tommy almost seems to know something is up cause he winks knowingly at you.

It’s a soft morning, a rare beautiful day already with Austin traffic being somewhat manageable.

You happily reassure yourself you’ll tell Joel about the baby when you get home from work. You hope to

surprise him with a cake and then the little extra sweet announcement with it.

Still sitting in Austin traffic, the radio again discusses the news of Jakarta now going on lockdown. The somber tone sends a chill up your spine. You simply change the radio to another station.

You let your mind return to that possible dream of the road trips to come, and of the little onesie sitting in your work bag waiting.

Today is going to be a good day. You just know it.

[emeryleewho]

I saw a video talking about a choice author (who I will not name, don't ask) saying that they're popular because their books have no depth and are easily consumable by everyone. And look, I'm not gonna say that's *not* at all true in regards to that author's books, however, I don't think that is what "makes books popular", and to illustrate this, I'm going to use The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is one of the bestselling YA series of all time, and most people *do* miss the nuance and depth to it, but trying to argue that it doesn't *have* nuance and depth would be a lie. What makes it marketable is not *lacking deep themes*, it's telling a *good surface story*. Even if you don't have the bandwidth, the literacy, or the interest to care about the deeper themes, you can still enjoy the story because it's fast-paced and entertaining with interesting characters and a kind of common sense surface morality that are relatively easy to follow. This makes it *highly* commercially marketable.

However, the depth of the story, the complex characters, etc. etc. do not *hinder* it's popularity because people who don't have the appreciation for them just don't even notice they're there. Meanwhile, those things contribute to its longevity by making it a cultural staple of a book that is deeply analyzed and used in educational settings.

Commercial marketability may often mean things like "being accessible to the lowest common denominator reader" or even "being full of tropes and repetition that make it easy to skim read and still follow", but that doesn't mean these books inherently lack depth or nuance. It just means that there are two stories baked into one book--the story for people who just want to have a good time and the story for people who want to have a good think. I would argue that the difference between a book, like say, Twilight that has now come under wide-sweeping public disdain vs one like The Hunger Games that stood the test of time is that. What exists *underneath* the commercial hook? For some popular books, it's nothing, but for others, it's A LOT. If your story really is only good on a surface level, people will ultimately realize that. And in the case of Twilight, notice how the author is a one hit wonder? The fandom may continue to buy those specific books, but she's not the type of author who can continuously bring in new readers or even convince the nostalgia junkies to follow her elsewhere because most people *know her books aren't actually good*.

Anyway, it's easy to dismiss a commercial book as lacking all depth and nuance and easy to dismiss popularity as proof that something lacks all substance, but before you do that, I think it's worth remembering that books can do both, and that can very much show a higher level of skill than a deep introspective story with flowery prose where, on the surface, nothing interesting happens because taking your deep think and repackaging it in a way that is accessible and compelling to large numbers of people is *it's own skill*.

[olderthannetfic]

I'm a wattpad user solely because I write original stories and I was always too nervous to post on the ao3 site since I know it's more fanfic based. With the news of the whole wattpad purge I do not want to touch the app anymore and I've been slowly abandoning the place anyways so I was curious if ao3 even is an option for me to post my stories on the site or any other options?

I know there's an original work tag on ao3 but it just feels very daunting and almost 'wrong' since its fandom oriented

--

AO3 includes original work so it can host fandom-adjacent stuff. If you think your work counts, that's good enough.

So, for example, if it uses fanficcy tropes, it's intended for the same audience, it's not intended to be monetized, etc. People often use AO3 for weird porn that would get deleted elsewhere, original BL type content, original works that were part of a fandom gift exchange or zine or old archive, and that kind of thing.

In the past, queer stuff that wasn't specifically in a fandom was particularly likely to share hosting with fandom stuff just because it was hard to find places to host that kind of thing. And the audience for queer fanfic and queer original art had heavy overlap. But lots of kinds of content are on AO3 today.

AO3 isn't going to delete your work for not being fandomy enough if you claim it is. It's just a question of whether you think it belongs there.

--

If you'd prefer to keep the option to monetize open, the next question would be what kind of work you write. Different content does better different places. It's totally possible to just self publish on Amazon. There are many webnovel sites (though I hear most suck for authors).

If you write stereotypical Wattpad stuff that reads like standard het romance with a YA flair, that may be less popular on AO3 than some places. On the other hand, if you run afoul of any of Wattpad's content guidelines, that may be an issue on many sites, and AO3 may be just right.

I'd say, generally, if you want to sell your art for money, if you're good at beating the Wattpad algorithm and like the big audience that garners, or if your audience has limited overlap with fanfic types, I'd seek non-AO3 hosting.

If you want to quietly post not-for-profit art that might get read by people who also like fanfic, AO3 is probably the best option.

--

I mean, would you like to just use AO3? No one's going to stop you. If it's just diffidence that's the problem, you might as well do it.

A number of years ago, people had stronger feelings about allowing original work on AO3 because they were afraid it would swamp the archive. But by now, the site is so heavily used and big that this just doesn't seem like a serious concern. Original Work is one of the larger individual "fandom" tags, but it is dwarfed by the archive at large.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I remember you mentioning A court of Thorns and roses in your posts once when talking about malleus character archetype. Have you read acotar series? If so I really want to know what you think about it. Your post is how I found out this series. It's pretty meh 😕 to me but I would really like to read your thoughts on it 😊. Also are non twst related ask allowed? If not I'm truly sorry😥. You can just ignore this ask

Oh god 😅 That was such a long time ago that I can’t even locate the original post where I made that comment…

To summarize what I said then, I had expressed that the way Malleus is presented to us reminds me of the bad boy supernatural love interests in romantasy novels.I believe the online book community colloquially refers to these characters as “Shadow Daddies” and I find that hilarious. To clarify, I do NOT mean to say that Malleus is Yuu’s “canon” love interest or anything like that. When I say that Malleus is “like” a Shadow Daddy, it’s just in the tropes they share. (For example, being overpowered, brooding, and misunderstood as a “bad guy” when, in actuality, he has a heart of gold and is just lonely.)

… I’ve actually seen multiple posts comparing Malleus and Rhysand, if you can believe that 💀

The rest of my response isn’t really TWST related, so I’ll put it under the cut for ya ^^ I tried to keep my thoughts concise and free of spoilers.

But to your question! Yes, I actually have read the first three books of ACOTAR but not the novella (A Court of Frost and Starlight) or the sequel, A Court of Silver Flames. I got into the series because it was highly recommended within its genre, but I came out of it really disappointed. I continued reading hoping that it would get better, but it really did not.

Maas has this really melodramatic and yet simultaneously juvenile way of writing dialogue that does not mesh well with what I’m looking for in a romantasy read. She’ll have characters give exposition or speeches that go on for like 10 pages straight and also have supposedly wise ancient fae cracking potty jokes like a middle schooler trying to impress their friends. It makes the books a lot longer than they have to be. In actuality, the plot involves a lot of running around and having all the right questions answered by conveniently placed chess pieces. I also did not enjoy the vague world building (like several side characters are never given proper names and instead are always referred to by title) and the near-constant mention of mating bonds. What I did like was how Maas wrote action scenes and descriptions (even if they often veer into purple prose). She also comes up with some unique concepts—but the execution of those concepts isn’t great, so the ideas are left sort of shallow and floating there waiting to be fully realized.

Romantasy and fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite things to read, so I was sad that I didn’t think that highly of this beloved series. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book I’ve been able to seriously get immersed in 😔 ACOTAR’s explosive popularity has led to many other authors trying to replicate Maas’s success, which has flooded the market with horni fae books and even similar titles (“A [noun] of [nouns] and [nouns]”). (And as someone who does NOT find Malleus attractive at all, you can imagine I’m not thrilled.) I have really mixed feelings about that… While of course I don’t mind if people enjoy ACOTAR or ACOTAR-adjacent books, I dislike that it makes up the bulk of what is marketed to me. It makes it a lot harder to find something that’s more suited to my tastes.

If anyone seeing this post is interested in trying out ACOTAR, I caution you that it is a “new adult” book, meaning it is intended for older teens (I would recommend 18+, honestly). There is a lot of violence and… explicit intimate scenes… in the series.

[jayenator565]

My Tanthamore Comfort Fics

We were talking about comfort fics in the Tanthamore discord and I realized I have too many for a normal sized reply, so here's a tumblr post instead. In no particular order i've reread these fics...maybe too many times.

I'm just gonna list em by author cause that's easier. Keep in mind we may have different definitions of the word comfort.

@commanderbuffy

650 ft2 - Ok so like envision these girls have been best friends for forever and they've been secretly pining for ages, no sense of personal space, they can read eachother like books AND they were roommates!

The Tanthamore Affair - This fic has everything, one bed, fake dating, celeb au, the fic that changed the meaning of a certain emoji and all the tropes you could want really

@badlance

We've got to find other ways to make it together - this one line says all you need to know

"It is the greatest irony of Jade Claymore’s life to be a certified genius who is nevertheless in love with an idiot."

@spybrarian

More Than Just Survival - as far as 5+1 fics go this one has me in a CHOKEHOLD

I scream at your chest for as long as I must

one night at the start of the end of the world

@ilovemyships (i think you need an AO3 account to read these gems)

you won't believe it (they think we're lovers)

don't wanna pressure (but friends don't kiss friends)

@acre-of-wheat - Acre's way with words should be studied

Network Connectivity Issues - I have never related to a character more than I relate to this Jade

The Dark

The Bite

@jlmichigan

Out of the Cuirass - one of the first tanthamore fics I ever read actually and I still come back to it every so often

@stbot

lay down your armor (come lie bare with me) - saintbot has a catalogue lemme tell ya but this one for tanthamore is just so heartwarming

@overkill-max

Escaping Fate - the Kit runs away fic that everyone needs

Dil3mma (idk their tumblr right now sorry)

A Sword And A Shield (And Everything In Between)

Deja-Brew - the loveliest coffee shop one shot

Jad3dEt3rnal (idk if they have a tumblr either)

This Daydream is Dangerous - cuddly vampire Jade, need I say more?

ana_chronistic (idk if they have a tumblr either x3)

Oops. I proposed. - fake dating x 100, fake proposal it's like fake dating to the next level and I love the growth of communication and pacing in this.

@barmaid-anon

do what you feel now

you want a good girl that does bad things (to you)

fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an arrangement)

we simply don't have time to unpack why these are comfort fics, we're just going to accept it and keep going.

@thecsquirrel

Sword and Shield - I love this look at what post S1 life could have been like for the gang, revisiting Nockmaar, seeing Galladoorn, getting into the evil Elora storyline with Graydon, spending more time with the Nelwyn and in the Wildwood it's just everything

@wigster07

What a pleasant surprise - a fic of one of my other comfort fics, I know it's like fic-ception in the best way possible. If you liked Tanthamore Affair I have an inkling this will be right up your alley

@isabrella @jade-claymore @allthefakepeople @resurrecho

those rumors they have big teeth - BAND AU need I say more? I don't need to but i'm going to, this fic has everything Kit and Jade in a band, Kit's leather pants, gay-ifying songs, MAMA MIA, totally gay best friends who have basically been dating for years but won't admit to it, Jade gets to be a bit problematic as a treat, inner band fighting, what more can you want?

@swashbucklery

meet you where the spirit meets the bones (tanthamore 90s werewolf au) - its a SERIES of these repressed gay DORKS and they're werewolves, there's such a charming way to how this author writes them I legit can't even with these two gays

@onlyshestandsthere

these walls come tumbling down - look, we don't have time to unpack why there's so many were-related supernatural esque fics on my comfort list and I know this is only 2 chapters in but I can already feel the comfort in all the hurt ok I dont even have to wait I already know i'm gonna be rereading this like monthly

I'm gonna have to stop there even though I know i'm still missing some! If someone asked me what my favorites are we'd be here all day XD

[multi-fan-dom-madness]

I'm gonna ask for something I don't normally ask cuz I read them prompts and the idea struck me!

"the panic beforehand trying to decide if theyre leaning in to kiss or not" with Wrecker 👀

Idk man, sounded adorable and wanted to float it your way!

hello hello friend! apologies for taking so long on this; inspiration finally hit today while I was out shopping, so here ya go! <3 thanks for the lovely ask

Drinks and Decor

Summary: Wrecker finds a unique way to thank you.

Warnings: mostly fluff but this is an 18+ blog; bartender!reader trope, gn!reader, more fluff

Word Count: 1.1k

Bartending for Cid has its ups and downs, for sure, but one of the most consistent ups lately has been the group of mercs she hired earlier this year. Though the group of men and their little sister is often in and out of the bar without much time to really chat with them, on occasion they hang around. Maybe it’s Cid’s way of saying ‘thank you,’ or maybe they just get tired of wherever else it is that they go when they’re not on a mission and not at the bar, but either way, you’re not going to complain. 

Especially not today. Life Day. 

Cid had insisted that you help her decorate the bar for the holiday season (read: you decorated while she snarked out comments about things hanging crookedly). And you have to admit, you did a pretty karkin’ good job of it. Neatly cut paper snowflakes rotate lazily on their strings where they hang from the ceiling; garland of imported greenery and Mantell Mix arches in pretty curves under the front of the bar; and the usual neon currently suffuses the space with a gentle mix of red and green lights. Heady pine scents the air. Over the speakers, instead of the usual club music, gently holiday music croons.

You’re feeling pretty proud of yourself, and that feeling swells in your chest when the merc group has arrived. The girl, Omega, looks around at the decorations with a bright, beaming smile, her eyes dazzling in the twinkle lights you’ve strung around the edges of the tables. Around her, her brothers gaze around with varying levels of awe. Though you’re glad that they seem to enjoy your efforts, Wrecker is the only one whose reaction you truly care about. 

Face flushing with a pleasant warmth, you watch on in silent admiration as Wrecker turns a full circle taking in the new festive atmosphere. His jaw hangs open, a grin spreading over his scarred face. It’s only when he meets your gaze across the room that a similar jolt of joy sparks through you.

Instead of his usual armor, Wrecker, like the rest, has donned civilian clothing. Black-and-red plaid stretches over his broad, muscular form, the buttons straining at the front. Under the collar, plain white tee peeks out. Darkwash jeans encircle his thick thighs. In a word, he looks delectable.

And he’s walking toward you. 

Embarrassment at being caught staring claws up your insides, but Wrecker’s grin hasn’t faded. In fact, it’s only gotten bigger. And is that a blush you spy creeping over his face? 

“Did you do all this!?” he asks, voice entirely too loud for the space in his excitement. 

“More or less,” you say, shuffling your feet. “You like it?” 

“Cyar’ika, I love it!” He settles onto one of the barstools. “Got any festive drinks?” 

So he either didn’t notice you openly gawking, or he doesn’t mind. You’re not sure which option is worse. With a small shake of your head, you smile—not the falsely saccharine smile you usually reserve for customers, but a genuine, cheek-splitting beam that crinkles your eyes. 

“Sure do!” you say. “Any flavor preferences?” 

“Naw,” Wrecker says with a wave of his hand. “Surprise me!” 

“Alright, big guy.” You gather the liquor and a few new syrups and frozen fruits you’d convinced Cid to get for this holiday, and craft a drink for Wrecker that you’re sure he’ll love. In the months you’ve gotten to know the gentle giant, you’ve discovered that he, unsurprisingly, likes bold food: bright, citrusy colors with deep, rich notes. The drink you pour has all of it. 

Garnishing the drink with a sprig of mint, you slide the glass across the counter on a napkin. “Here ya go.” 

Wrecker eagerly scoops the glass up and takes an exploratory sip. You watch, chewing your lip, as his eyes slide shut, face twisting in an expression of bliss. Your heart skips a beat. 

“Cyar’ika,” he says, eyes fluttering open. “That was the best drink you’ve ever made.” 

A laugh bubbles up from your chest. “Why do I get the sense you’d say that no matter what I put in front of you?” 

“Because it’d always be true!” he says. “You’re a pro.” 

“Well,” you say, leaning your forearms on the bar, “in that case, I’m glad to put my expertise to good use.” 

He takes another sip of the drink, an appreciative hum sliding out of him and sending delightful shiver up your spine. “How much do I owe ya?” 

You’re grateful Cid disappeared to her office a while ago, because it means she’s not around to hear you say what you’re about to. “On the house.” 

Mismatched eyes widening, Wrecker gapes at you. “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah.” You shrug. “It’s my Life Day gift to you.” 

“Aw,” Wrecker says. “Well, I can’t be the only one gettin’ a gift tonight. How can I thank you?” 

His voice has dropped a little in volume; his siblings sit across the room, well out of earshot (save Hunter), but when you catch the look in Wrecker’s eye, your mouth dries. He cocks his head at you, curious, testing. Stars, is he—? 

“I might have an idea,” you say, voice coming out hoarse. 

“Great!” Wrecker leans over the bar toward you. 

Almost of its own volition, your body responds in kind. You have to stand on your tiptoes, but you think you’ll be able to comfortably reach across to hug Wrecker. 

Except, Wrecker’s eyes are trained on your lips. Breath catching, you can’t stop what’s been put into motion—not that you want it to stop. It’s just—kriff, what if you’re misreading this entire situation and he really does intend to just hug you? You know he tends to be a little looser with his physical affection than his brothers, so maybe this is just an extension of that. He doesn’t feel the same way about you that you do about him.

Does he? 

You’re about to protest, and then his large, scarred hand slips across your cheek and tugs you the final few inches across the bar. His lips are warm and smooth against yours, moving gently, like he’s as nervous as you are. In your chest, your heart threatens to burst with affection. He’s so warm, and his hand is so big against your face; heat flickers to life in your core. 

All too soon, though, he pulls back. His eyes remain closed for a beat longer than yours, and a pleased, dopey smile curls over his face. 

“Is that ‘thank you’ enough?” he asks, breath fanning your face, smelling faintly of cranberry and mint. 

Eyes fluttering, you search his face for a moment before biting your lip. “I dunno. I did make the drink custom...” 

Wrecker beams and pulls you back in for a second kiss. 

Ragu List: @dystopicjumpsuit @clonemedickix @freesia-writes @littlemissmanga @wolffegirlsunite @anxiouspineapple99 @wings-and-beskar @sinfulsalutations @523rdrebel @sunshinesdaydream @moonlightwarriorqueen @sev-on-kamino @starrylothcat @deejadabbles @starqueensthings @mandos-mind-trick @idontgetanysleep @eyeluvmusic21 @wizardofrozz @mythical-illustrator @sleepycreativewriter @bobaprint @thorsterstrudle @droids-you-are-looking-for @goblininawig @cw80831 @dreamie411 @jedi-hawkins @lune-de-miel-au-paradis @9902sgirl

[tlbodine]

Overthinking: Welcome to Dead House

Welcome to Dead House (1992) is first in series and proof of concept for what Goosebumps would become. To briefly contextualize the series: R.L. Stine (Bob to his friends) began as a comedy writer. He worked in magazines and television, helping to create the surreal muppet humor kid's show Eureka's Castle.

He started writing the Fear Street series -- a bunch of YA horror novels -- in the late 80s, at a time when horror was at its peak in pop culture and teen slashers were all over the movie theater. But horror for younger kids was a largely untapped market rife for the taking. (Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books blazed the way initially, between 1989 and 1991).

And thus, Goosebumps was born. The challenge? Writing books that would intrigue the middle grade set (generally readers between 8-12) and deliver them some proper scares without being too traumatizing. Where the Fear Street books often draw on tropes from 80s slashers, Goosebumps is more likely to emulate the kind 1950s pulp monster movies that Stine would have grown up on. Eventually, a pretty consistent formula would arise, and some favorite recurring elements begin here: siblings, a dog, an unfamiliar location, unhelpful parents. But in other ways, Welcome to Dead House is decidedly un-Goosebumps-like. We'll break that down, but first...

The Story

Welcome to Dead House is about Amanda and Josh, siblings who are rather reluctantly moved to the unnervingly named town of Dark Falls after their father (a writer eager to quit his day job and write full-time) inherits a house from an unknown great-uncle. He's excited for the opportunity to sell the old house and live off that until his career really takes off, and his wife is going along with that plan for....some reason. Hey, it was the 90s, maybe it could have worked!

Along for the ride is Petey, a white terrier who's normally sweet-tempered and obedient but will spend the rest of this book barking and growling at everyone he meets. If they'd just paid attention to Petey's instincts, this book's tragedies could have been avoided. Alas.

After a tour by the charming, handsome, (and utterly unpopular with Petey) realtor Mr. Dawes, the family moves into the big house. It's on a shady street, with tall trees looming over all the buildings, and a cemetery at the end of the block just past the school. Nobody ever seems to turn their lights on. We do eventually meet the neighborhood kids, though. There's a ton of them and they're very friendly but more than a little unnerving. Also, they keep telling Amanda that they used to live in her house. What's up with that?

We eventually figure out, after a few nights at atmospheric creepy haunting events -- figures seemingly appearing and disappearing on the stairs, giggling in the closet, curtains fluttering without a breeze -- that the neighborhood kids are undead ghouls. In fact, everyone in town is dead, courtesy of a toxic gas leak from a nearby factory. And in order to maintain their living dead status, they must annually sacrifice and drink the blood of a family. Which they do by luring them out with an enticing letter about inheriting The Dead House.

What a racket!

We find this out after, tragically, catching up with a now-ghoulified Petey. They had to kill the dog because he was onto them. Those jerks. Also, they're about to start the sacrifice with mom and dad. Luckily, the ghouls are weak to bright light, so the kids are able to free their parents by knocking down a tree (just go with it) and they haven't sold their old house so they pack up and leave right away.

Just in time for...new owners to show up at Dead House? Amanda tells them, "I used to live in your house." before they speed away, and surely that realtor couldn't have been Mr. Dawes...

Overthinking It

I read Welcome to Dead House the first time out of the library. I was already a dyed-in-the-wool Goosebumps fan at this point, so I read it with a kind of reverence, as if it were an ancient tome and not a book that had come out less than five years before I read it.

I have, since, always remembered it as the only Goosebumps book where a character actually dies.

In fact, in my memory, all of the characters die. That's the way I've remembered it for thirty years: the parents are lured to a party with all the neighborhood ghouls. There they are dead and turned. Petey is found dead and turned. And in the end, the kids have joined the rest of the community in perpetuating the cycle.

"I used to live in your house."

I had, apparently, completely forgotten the climax where we rescue the parents. What I had remembered instead was the truly chilling line from Mr. Dawes: "It's time to join your parents. It doesn't hurt to die."

Now, this would not be the first time I have rewritten the ending of a childhood story to be darker than it actually was. We all recall that I spent many years firmly believing that The Velveteen Rabbit ended with the titular stuffed bunny being burned alive in the trash heap. But in this case, if Reddit is any indication at least, I'm not the only one who thinks Stine's ending is at least ambiguous.

I think the ending I remember is certainly a stronger one, even if it's likely too dark for a Goosebumps book. It's already brutal that we kill Petey, and that the kids discover him, smelling like a corpse, with red eyes and a total disinterest in them. It's certainly for the best that they didn't find their parents in a similar state. (So why do I remember so certainly that they did?)

The book is at least purposefully ambiguous about the survival of Mr. Dawes. This is perhaps justified in that Amanda, our narrator, is frequently letting her imagination get away with her. Her natural-born anxiety is the main vector of scares for the first 2/3rds of the book. She's constantly getting herself worked up about things that aren't really there. Or is she? Because she's not really wrong about the ghost kids in her house. Her instincts actually seem pretty spot-on. I hope she lives long enough to learn to trust her own gut feelings.

I have many unanswered questions about the mechanics of the haunting in this book. They seem to be physical beings that can touch you and interact with the physical world well enough to play softball. But they can also seemingly appear and disappear at will inside the house? And the beam of a strong flashlight is enough (in the book's most horrifying sequence) to melt a ghoul's flesh off and render him to dust (not before his eyeballs pop out and roll away) but the dog isn't affected by the flashlight? Is it because he's newly turned? Are the rules different for dogs?

Also like. How does this entire town work. Is it just their neighborhood that's full of ghosts? Are there ghouls working at the grocery store? Who manages the utilities? Aside from Mr. Dawes, we never see any other adults, although presumably they must be there at the end in time to kill(?) them all (?) with sunlight??

At one point, George Romero wrote a screenplay for a film adaptation, and I am deeply saddened that we never got to see it made. I'm 100% Here For This.

If You Liked This One, THESE Will Really Give You Goosebumps

If you enjoy the idea of a young heroine rescuing her clueless parents, may I pointed you toward Neil Gaiman's Coraline (book or movie) or the Miyazaki film Spirited Away?

(I know Gaiman is persona non grata. But Henry Selick's film adaptation is top-notch. Your choice whether you feel comfortable supporting that).

For the specific horror of a beloved pet becoming an aloof, living corpse, there is of course Stephen King's Pet Sematary.

As for stories about haunted houses, there are too many to count. For the vibes of this particular book, though, may I direct you to the OG 13 Ghosts, directed by William Castle in 1960. It has essentially nothing in common with the 2000s film of the same name. Instead, it features a family who get the opportunity to change their socioeconomic status by moving into a home they've seemingly inherited, only to discover it comes with more than a dozen ghosts...and that's the least of their worries. Compare and contrast with Sinister (2012) in which an author's insistence on moving his family to a haunted house is their undoing.

When was the last time YOU read Welcome to Dead House? Do you remember the ending any differently than I do?

[animefeminist]

Queer time and the quarter-life crisis in contemporary yuri

Content warning for discussion of queerphobia and heteronormativity

Minor spoilers for Catch These Hands! and Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon

Historically, the tropes and traditions of yuri have been anchored in the school setting, meaning that the recent uptick in titles starring adult characters has been exciting and worthy of note. There’s an increasingly varied platter of yuri with post-high school protagonists, from college stories like How Do We Relationship? and I Don’t Know Which is Love; to workplace romances like Still Sick and I Love You So Much I Hate You; and even into the realm of genre fiction with titles like Otherside Picnic and SHWD. All these series do the valuable work of demonstrating that while schoolgirl yuri is surely going to remain a beloved mainstay, yuri can also function effectively outside the walls of the school setting and outside the structure of adolescent romance. Series that focus on adult characters also open the door to a storytelling niche that’s still relatively underrepresented despite the rich narrative potential it offers: the post-adolescence queer coming-of-age story. Or, in other words, the gay quarter-life crisis.  

Narrative tradition would have it that a person “comes of age” in their teen years and then marches into adulthood fully formed. Character development that hinges on big, pivotal milestones like first love and first heartbreak are often central to the bildungsroman in its many forms across YA fiction and high school anime and everything in between. But those big coming-of-age moments can happen outside of your teens, too, especially if those traditional milestones of maturity were out of reach or not viable at the time. This is common for people across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum: someone who doesn’t discover their sexuality until later in life might not have their first romance until they’re well out of high school; someone who transitions as an adult may initially miss some quintessential teen experiences but instead have them when they’re much older; and of course some people may not hit those supposedly crucial goals of love, sex, and relationships at all.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[cannonball-37]

Something to yap about?

How about your fav ships?

Or the best headcanons ya have?

Your opinion on the labyrinth?

You can choose any

-♠️

Ohh I like these questions so I’m gonna answer all of them.

1. Favourite ships

I am a multishipper so I have many but I’ll try and narrow it down a bit

Alibends

Runestraw

BendyRuneStraw

BendyStraw

Osix

Alibends: I love these two! But I swear if they don’t figure stuff out I’m gonna lose my stardust- Alice trying to find books on demon and angel love stories is adorable and her mother is supportive of it which gives me hope for them! I worry about Bendy trying to keep his distance as he thinks Alice and Jake are together but I hope that gets cleared up the second they actually talk again. (Bendy if you don’t answer Alice’s calls-)

Runestraw: The development of this ship is going great so far in the story. The gala broke me a bit but we’re going strong! Cup needs to sort out his issues for sure before they can truly be together and I hope it happens soon! Holly loving to learn about his race and where he comes from is so cute and I need them to get together at some point.

BendyRuneStraw: I LOVE THIS!!!! I’ve been a fan of BendyStraw for ages and the combo of that and RuneStraw GIVES ME LIFE! Holly loving learning about the dish race and Bendy’s time in Hell while she talks about her own experimentations with magic and suggesting things for the both of them to try out some day is a really cute idea and I fell like they mesh together so well.

BendyStraw: A classic. People were shipping these two before QFTIM was even a thing. Plus IMs development of their characters and the addition of their soul tie where they can feel each other’s emotions adds another layer to this which could be great for fluff and hurt/comfort scenarios as demonstrated by the authors already.

Osix: What can I say? Gay middle aged men is an amazing trope and these two are so good for each other. Obviously Ozzy needs to heal from losing his wife and slowly he has been! Felix is understanding of his reluctance to start a relationship and they’re honestly the most healthy ship apart from the already established ones like Mugs and Cala.

2. My opinion on the labyrinth(yea I’m doing this out of order)

I’ll be honest, while reading I was really cussing confused and it look 3 re-reads for me to understand what was happening but I think that actually proves how difficult the labyrinth has been for the Questers.

It opened up a lot of info about the characters such as Felix, Cup and Bendy and it shows just how dangerous the machine parts can get. It even caused lasting damage like Bendy and Boris’ estranged relationship, Cups heart, Felix mistrust of the Cupbros, Boris’ connection to the instrument etc.

I hate Sarah with a burning passion and I think the night terror is a really cool creature design (even if it did tear cups heart out). The way that stupid bird tried to get out into the real world was actually really clever but I am mad at what it had done emotionally to Bendy and causing him to go beastly.

The instrument needing to be played and choosing Boris as its guardian was genius storytelling and again I love the lasting effect of “Boris could go off the deep end and use the instrument at any moment”.

I love the instruments current use of finding information on the machine and why it’s so hidden. The information on the creators of it, the ancient Mugman, how the machine cured the sick etc are really useful for theorist like myself and put even more mystery to this already mysterious story.

3. My best headcanons

Honestly this is hard for me cause I don’t really do headcanons that often. If I have ideas they usually spiral out of control and become their own AUs. However I will try and pick up some I’ve picked up along the way from others or made up myself.

Cup and Bendy snitch on eachother whenever they’re feeling bad and argue about it even though they both do it.

The CupBros eyes glow in the dark and so does Cup’s hair cause it’s made of magic. So does the liquid magic in their heads.

Cup and Bendy shut themselves in their rooms to cry sometimes when they’re feeling down because they don’t want anyone to see.

Cup is an insomniac

Cup has vague memories of what his parents were like before they left while Mugs has none

Cup can and will kill Brute the second Fanny says he can

Demi has wanted to go back home to her kids but can’t for some reason

When they were younger Cup would sing Mugs to sleep if he ever had a nightmare

The Cupbros once has a magic flu scare while under hats care because he took their straws as punishment and forgot about it for a while until the Cupbros started getting sick

If Cups more demonic powers develop he could be considered a middle class or high class demon

The cupbros take the others out at night to go stargazing sometimes

If Cup is that pissed at someone he’ll start cursing at them in every language he know

I realise a lot of these are Cuphead centric. 🤦‍♀️That’s what I could come up with rn. I hope I answered your questions well!

[cataclysmicwriting]

hello, once again i am putting out a Writeblr Want Ad of sorts. theres plenty on my dash but i would like more like. interaction/community stuff on my dash and just in general. after seeing a post come through my dash talking about writeblr engagement and such, I thought my best bet was to put out feelers for exactly what I'm looking for and go from there!

a little about me!

I'm a 26 yo queer transboy (he/they pronouns)

i am completely normal about space and i have two cats i will not shut up about ever in my life

i moved across the country (usa) almost two years ago and my new home has mountains and my old home did not and i am in continual awe about mountains being right outside my door

a little about my writing and what i like to read!

i primarily write fantasy and sci-fi and really enjoy mixing the two together!

i am entirely weak towards Pyrrhic victories, bittersweet endings, and tragedies in general. love dark fiction, cannot get enough of it

favorite tropes and themes include: enemies to lovers / friends to enemies / friends/lovers to strangers type things | morally grey/villain protags | time loops | anything soulmates | heavy world building | conlangs | old/dead gods

more things i enjoy can be found here and here

What I'm looking for

people who want to and will send each other asks for ask games / tag games / themed days! I am not very often available or around when most people are doing the themed days like sts or wbw, and I really want to participate in them but like. I'm never around for them when the people on my dash are doing them. would love to have a solid group of people i interact with who i can send these types of asks to just. whenever. not just specifically for those days, and will receive them in turn!

i tend to keep things in my likes to look at later for. sometimes weeks at a time. would like people i interact with regularly to be aware that i sometimes get to things really late but know that I will get to it!

just people I can talk to regularly (either through tumblr's messaging system or over discord, though i prefer discord tbh) about writing or just general life stuff, i feel like my friends list doesn't have a lot of writing buddies anymore and I want to make more friendships with people who Get Stuff like this, ya feel?

would love a solid beta partner or two! I'll read your stuff, you read me, etc etc

if you also make conlangs, pls hit me up bc i would love people to talk to about conlangs with

just in general i'm looking for more writeblr friendships to form than just people to reblog posts from and such

If you'd like to see more about my main WIP, you can find its tag right here!

[swords-in-space]

You once mentioned you have a thesis about fanfiction as a genre of literature and its value to genre fiction. I reallyyyyy would like to read your thesis. If that's okay for you

okay so i don't actually have a thesis about it. like, i think about the topic a lot but writing a thesis would require a lot of research and interviews and compiling information and i am far too adhd to do that on my own, and i'm not going to grad school anytime soon to have an excuse to do it

however

some thoughts include:

-genre fiction can be (often is, arguably) a metaphor for current cultural fears. the popular tropes in sci fi particularly and fantasy to a lesser extent are often a reflection on current global events. (well, i say current. usually it's about 3-5 years behind due to the nature of, yah know, writing and publishing a book.) this ties into the first point too, a little, because genre fiction allows the author and reader to put some space between you and the fear/trauma/event -- you're not actually reading a story about someone who could be alive right now and suffering, you're reading about a guy with a name straight from Fantasy Name Generator and his life in the post-apocalyptic future. we can confront our fears about nuclear war and censorship while we read about a dude named Guy who burns books for a living. then -- to pick a non-random example -- how many fics have been written in the last several years that are sickfics, zombie aus, or just straight up about quarantines and isolation?

-fanfiction is already a massive part of genre fiction. just because it's licensed doesn't make it less fanfiction -- i dare you to go into your local bookstore, find the sci-fi/fantasy section, and take a look at how much of it is taken up by star wars, star trek, warhammer, dungeons and dragons. how many video games have licensed novelizations, how many popular movies. i was a bookseller for 6 years, i can tell you that easily a quarter to a third of the section is just this. so then the question is -- how is that functionally different from fanfic on ao3 or whatever other site you frequent? just because they have an editor and a publishing contract doesn't mean they can't also be writing fanfic. i know several published authors here on tumblr that i've found through their ao3 pages

-how many times do you see posts talking about people using fanfic as a way to process trauma? the posts are usually explaining away dead dove fics, but i was a child with a library card and no oversight in what i read and i have to say i've never come across a dead dove fic that broaches a topic that i've not also seen in an obscure fantasy novel

-all art is worthwhile and all art means something to someone. all art has the ability to be beautiful and moving, and you cannot gatekeep what will be to someone. i've cried reading fanfic before, i'm sure you have too. sometimes it's even mostly smut and it's still emotionally moving. i think we do a HUGE disservice to those authors who have touched us if we say that what they're writing is somehow lesser than just because they're writing naruto tentacle porn or whatever the fuck

-Wattpad is owned by HarperCollins. the company takes a look at the most popular fics on that site and offers publishing contracts. this isn't hearsay, i was literally told by a HarperCollins rep while i was at a work dinner with them. it's how the After series was published, to name the most famous example. if you look in YA and romance, you'll spot more than a few "Wattpad originals" too. if publishing houses think that fanfic has enough value to be financially beneficial to them, then we can't sit here and say it's not culturally or emotionally or thematically valuable. if someone is making money off it, then it has influence whether we like it or not

-Fifty Shades of Grey is infamous at this point. we can't deny that it's had a huge influence on the romance genre -- there are so many books being published today that are fanfic with the serial numbers filed off, and more that are from well-known fanfic authors who have an existing fanbase. it seems to be more and more, too, that if an author wants to publish an original romance novel, to have a loyal readership already is a huge point in their favour to win a publishing contract. this is less about fanfiction specifically a genre of literature and more about the influence it has within the publishing sphere already

-so: what makes a genre? they have specific tropes, sometimes unique to the genre, they have specific structures and themes. genre is hard to define, too, because the lines are so often blurred -- what makes The Woman in the Window, for instance, be shelved in general fiction instead of mystery. (the answer is usually "the publisher thinks it will sell better there.") so what do "legitimate" genres have that fanfiction doesn't? i've debated this point with my gf before, and she was on the side of "fanfiction is a type of fiction, mostly serial fiction, and encompasses a variety of genres" and i was on the side of "fanfiction is a specific genre unto itself". we never came to a conclusion, and i think that there's merit to both arguments -- my point here is that this is one of the things that would require a lot of research to make a compelling argument, and i don't have that research (yet. there's always hope.)

-there's historical basis for fanfiction too. for all that the term is a modern one, and fan culture as it is today being born out of women's star trek writing circles and the internet, people have been writing derivative works for centuries. what is Milton's Paradise Lost (and Paradise Found) but Bible fanfic. what is Dante's Inferno but self-insert rpf. what is Virgil's Aeneid but a historical au of the founding of Rome

anyway! there's probably more thing that i haven't mentioned and will wake me up at 3am, but this is long as it is

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Playing for Keeps Book Review 🦇

❓ #QOTD Soccer or baseball? ❓ 🦇 A baseball pitcher and umpire definitely aren't supposed to fall for each other, right? Especially not when star pitcher June and officiate-to-be Ivy are trying to go pro. Sometimes, life throws you a curveball, though. When Ivy is assigned as an umpire for June's elite club baseball team, they instantly clash on the field, only to find they have something in common: grief. Soon, they become enemies to friends to far more, despite the rules that prohibit them from dating each other. Will romance get in the way of them following their dreams?

💜 On the surface, Playing for Keeps seems like a fun, sweet young adult sapphic romance. The initial set-up gives us sharp, bittersweet enemies to lovers potential between a pitch and an umpire. Seems cute and fluffy, right? No one is that one-dimensional, though. Both Ivy and June are struggling with the loss of a loved one, balancing that on top of unrealistic expectations from their parents and the pressures they put on themselves to succeed. Add in the pressure you get from sports alone and it's enough to make anyone crumble. Ivy and June find happiness in each other, through stolen moments as they date in secret, wary that the conflict of interest between them will tear them apart. There's a potential for them to heal through one another, alongside one another, while learning how to navigate the external forces of loss while growing up.

💜 I loved that both Ivy and June were pursuing career paths that don't often make space for women. I would have liked to see more focus on that, though. It was sweet to see how the male players on the baseball team were quick to support June, but I expected to see more kickback (either from her team or other teams) to show (not tell us) how she struggled and still persevered.

💙 Unfortunately, the story is so rushed, so many scenes time-jumped, emotions mentioned but not illustrated, that you don't FEEL anything while reading this story. With the topic of grief, whether a character is processing it or trying to avoid it, readers should have an easy time sympathizing with the characters. Instead, the grief feels like a plot point, a reason for potential enemies to connect and eventually become more.

💙 Even with little jumps, the story lagged. Dugan has a tendency to pair selfless characters with less reasonable counterparts, which we certainly see between Ivy and June. Given that, it's difficult to root for both girls. Yes, they're both grieving, and yes, they both deserve happiness, but their actions are exhausting and (yes, I know it's YA) juvenile at times. Though the two girls had so much in common, the miscommunication trope constantly tugged them in opposite directions.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Some Girls Do, Home Field Advantage, and Cool for the Summer.

✨ The Vibes ✨ ⚾ Enemies to Lovers ⚾ Young Adult Romance ⚾ Sapphic Romance ⚾ Forbidden Love ⚾ Lesbian & Bi FMCs ⚾ Sports Romance ⚾ Grief ⚾ Pressure From Parents ⚾ Miscommunication

💬 Quotes ❝ Expecting it means I can prepare for it, plan for it, and figure out a way to keep my cool in its face. What I didn’t expect, though, was for there to be an extremely attractive girl throwing balls at about seventy-five billion miles per hour, striking out dumb boys left and right, like some kind of varsity, all-star Black Widow. ❞ ❝ There’s a lot of pressure on girls to conform, to become nice women, to do what’s expected. Smile more, whiten your teeth, lose the weight, don’t be too loud or too funny or too much. Make yourself less so the boys can feel like more. Don’t wear spaghetti straps or you might tempt them. Hold yourself accountable for the both of you, so they don’t have to. ❞

[beaconfeels]

Sometimes I wonder if people realize how snobby they sound when they act like people not being able to read into the deeper meanings of shows or books are just being deliberately obtuse or unintelligent. First of all, it’s ableist. Some people literally do not have the IQ to process things that way, and they shouldn’t feel ashamed of whatever way they can and do enjoy their fandom.

Second of all, it feels to me like you’re assuming everyone has had access to the kind of education where you’re taught those things. (And that you had the ability to learn in a traditional class environment) Personally, I had one year of public school, and the rest of my schooling was extremely lackluster. I never had a single class in my life where we read through a book and were taught how to look for symbolism, tropes, or any of the other things that people seem to know about when they’re talking about media. I didn’t go to college either, another thing that’s not terribly uncommon, so the only way I would have learned all that stuff was by studying it by myself.

Now, you might say, ‘That’s how I learned it!” You might be super smart and super motivated because you’re interested in it, but again, it’s kind of ignoring the different ways that people’s brains work, and also their life circumstances. I’m chronically ill, neurodivergent, and have a heck load of trauma. I’ve spent most of my adult life just trying to freaking survive, and when I’m in survival mode, I shut down. I end up only doing the things that are easy for my brain to process in my downtime because I’m so damn tired just trying to get through the basics of adult life.

I’m FINALLY at a place in my life where I have enough safety and time to be able to focus and learn things on my own, and I still end up often using the brain space that I do have to learn things that actually give me a shot at creating a better life for myself, ya know? Skills that I might be able to turn into a way to make money. This is not to say you might not have the exact same circumstances as me and you’ve self-educated yourself about a lot of shit. Good for you. That’s the way your brain lets you do things, and you should feel lucky.

Anyway, just know that viewing intelligence through a single type of lens has its roots in classism, racism, and ableism, and maybe just think about that the next time you’re writing a post about this kind of stuff. Honestly, I LOVE the people who actually talk about the symbolism and other things they catch in TV shows and books etc, because that’s been a really nice way for me to gain a little education about it in a way that’s fun and interesting. There’s a real difference between someone doing a post where they talk through something they loved in their fave show or book and point out all the parallels and color choices and what that means, versus someone basically saying, “I mean DUH. You’d think they haven’t even watched the show. OBVIOUSLY the red balloon represents his hopes for the future.” That kind of energy is not useful.

[littledead-ridinghood]

"he's jesus coded", other cultures have resurrection tales, Jason is whatever flavor of pagan i find funny that day, hes definitely NOT """christian""", sorry, i DO make the rules <3

Hey, man, ya, I agree! People are allowed to project whatever they want onto characters. I love it when other people bring their own cultures into characters. I don’t know if this was sent in bad faith or not so I’m going to treat this ask as you being light-hearted but also as an excuse to share allusions!

(Also: I am not religious. I was simply raised in a religious society therefore this is me not being an expert in the matter, but highlighting what I’ve ingested in my lifetime)

Jason, though, does have a lot of biblical beats surrounding him.

The constant allusion to “La Pietà” is a very common example. The sculpture by Michelangelo is of Mary cradling her dead son after his crucifixion. A la Bruce cradling his dead body after his infamous murder. Talia cradling his comatose body as she dips him into the Lazarus pit in Rebirth. Also cover-wise: Talia on one of the Lost Days covers, Bruce cradling RH's body on Batman Annual V1 #25, and the N52 cover after Jason gets his face burnt off by the joker. Also, Jason sometimes is the one to cradle others like Duela Dent in Countdown and Rebirth as well as Bizzaro also in Rebirth.

Another easy example is the Lazarus pit, earning its name in reference to the story of Lazarus of Bethany who was dead for four days before Jesus raised him from the dead. Different branches of Christianity have stories that say Lazarus never smiled again after his resurrection due to the horrors he saw. (Other stories say he was completely unaware of himself being dead). Similar to how Jason is haunted by his murder, his resurrection, and finds no joy in being alive again.

The story of Lazarus also centers around the idea that his disease was never supposed to end in death. Rather the resurrection was supposed to emphasize the glory of God. Again, similar to role: Cosmic Mistake #3: Jason Todd who was resurrected by the universe as he wasn’t supposed to die as he did trapping him in a limbo of not supposed to be dead, but not supposed to be alive either.

Jason is often referred to as the "prodigal son" which is a biblical parable. I don't fully believe the comparison as the story focus on a younger son who squandered his inheritance. Jason absolutely did not squander anything when he left home. His mother murdered him. Jason held hard and fast to Bruce. He loved Bruce more than anything. Still loves him. He did not waste that love. And if you want to focus the family disapproval around Jason killing, well he doesn't regret the murders, so that doesn't work either. (Jason also was not welcomed back with open arms when he decided to start playing by Bruce's rules for the sake of having a family. So that also doesn't work)

Jason's memorial's famous epithet reads "A Good Solider" as the archangels of heaven are good soldiers to God.

I think Abraham using Issac as a sacrificial lamb to God is a nice, albeit a bit lofty, comparison to Bruce and his mission. Bruce (Abraham) ready to sacrifice Jason (Issac) by slitting his throat so he can't kill the Joker. Here: The mission reads as the scriptures he promises God (Bruce's conscious) to uphold and believe in. Jason is who he has to place in front and kill to have his conscious stay clean.

Being raised from the dead, as you mentioned, many cultures have resurrection stories. The trope is not unique to Christianity. But also Jesus magically rising from his grave after 6 months 3 days of death.

Oh My God, the Lucifer comparisons I could draw to this man! Okay, okay, okay, so bear with me as I talk about the tragedy of God and Lucifer.

Lucifer, the morningstar, the angel of light, was God’s favorite angel who fell after he rebelled. Raising an army due to God favoring his creation, mankind, and wanting the angels to love mankind more than they loved God. Lucifer refused to, depending on the branch and story/translation (as the reblog your referencing was about Catholic stained glass, not Christianity. Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. It’s a branch of the over-arching theology), bow down to the human race because they had no free will to pick and choose if they worshipped God’s son, Jesus, or not. He believed it made them unworthy of that kind of respect. As well as he couldn't stand to love them more than he loved his heavenly father, God.

This is also why Lucifer acted as a snake in the Garden of Eden, also known as "The Fall of Man", tempting Adam and Eve. As they chose to eat the forbidden apple (i.e. excepting the Knowledge of Evil as that is what it represents), the act cast them out of the garden, and they now had to deal with the consequences of being alive (think Pandora’s box), but, in the process, humanity also gained free will to make the choices we make. You can see it as a gift of agency. Eating the apple allowed us to be tempted by sin, but also make that choice for ourselves.

This act of rebellion, viewed as the original and worst of the seven deadly sins, is seen as the first act of pride (sometimes called vanity or hubris). Lucifer wanted to be seen as more important than God's creation. He wanted God's love the way humankind got God's love. Lucifer wanted God to love him as he does his lord. Thus he rose an army of angels to rebel against God.

So you have this kid, say his name is Jason and he moonlights as this child vigilante, say his moniker is Robin. Robin is supposed to be Batman's "shining light"(an angel of light, if you will imagine). Say this version of Batman's shining light, say this OG 80s run, is where people agree this Batman figure (who just happens to view himself as a god) is seen at his happiest. Say this God-like figure is forever changed due to the snuffing out of this light.

Now, say this God-figure, Batman, as we've been calling him, has this code, this "No-kill rule" where he believes anyone can become better and deserves as many chances as necessary to become a better version of themselves. Repent and forgiveness, if one may say. So even one of the most dangerous murderers in this hypothetical God-adjacent treated character's domain's history, the one who also happened to steal his "love and caring" from this "Batman", also deserves that chance.

Continuing, this "love and caring," this "shining light," returns, but is changed. He has fallen from this "No killing" code and rebels within this God's domain, bringing everything that was the norm to its knees. He stands before his father and demands his love. This love that he shares for all those who sin against him: these greedy money launders, these prideful rogues, these wrathful murders, this fallen son's wrathful murderer. This son is angry--wrathful. This son hubristically believes himself to be more important than his God's creation. He begs his father to love him more, not his creation, his mission, his oath, but him, his son. The son takes a stand for what he believes, will end all the misery himself, will do the deed himself. If the father doesn't want that to be so then he can banish his son back to his grave.

So the father banishes his son, and his son loathes--envies-- the father's creation more than he can ever say.

MY personal opinion on the Morningstar, and please don’t get angry with me Christians, this is just my experience with religion and how I was brought up, is that he just is. He’s an obvious allegory. He exists to represent something. He doesn’t have choice in what he does, he just has a job to do. I have a lot of sympathy for the devil actually. There’s that one Mark Twain quote that always stuck with me: “But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most?” Completely, utterly altered my brain chemistry and how I looked at life when 10-year-old me read it. I just feel as though, just as Lucifer deserves help, I believe Jason deserves the help he needs to heal.