#my first jance i hope it's a good one

[theraggedygirl11]

Tant que notre amour est fou, il défiera toutes les lois

SUMMARY: Jan is a sorcerer. Nace is a human. An "accident" makes them meet and since then they are in each other's mind.

PAIRING: Nace Jordan/Jan Peteh

WARNINGS: swearing, and nothing else in particular, maybe some tears lmao

WORDS COUNT: 2.844

LINK: AO3

NOTES: First of all, I'd like to thank @mrsebastianmoran that created this amazing moodboard and @paperphilia who wrote this short fic inspired by that same moodboard. You two made me write my own version of dark sorcerer!Jan. Please, check both works, they are amazing!

I also thank @anxious-witch, my partner in crime (and in fangirling too) and beta reader.

I might come back to this au, maybe with a sequel. Who knows.

* * *

Oh, mon amour (oh, my love)   Tu es ma chance (you are my chance)   Si je renonce (if I give up)   Plus rien n'a de sens (nothing makes sense anymore)   Oh, mon amour (oh, my love)   La robe blanche (this white dress)   Est la réponse à leurs offenses (is the reply to their offenses)  

On se moque - Molière l’Opéra Urbain  

It all happened so fast that Nace wasn't able to realise what was really occurring. It still felt like a vivid dream.  

He was walking home in the city centre of Ljubljana. It was late at night, he had just finished playing with his band at an event in a local cafe when he noticed a shadow moving fast in the corner of his eye.  

He stopped and looked back. He saw nothing, he was alone in that street. He gulped, then decided to walk faster, marching towards his house, that wasn't even that far away.  

But as soon as he turned, in front of him there was a huge shadow figure, with red flaming eyes and an enormous, open mouth in which he could clearly see fangs as sharp as knives and as white as the Moon itself.  

He was petrified. His first thought was "this must be a nightmare". He needed to wake up, yet he couldn't do it. No, that was reality. A monster made of pure darkness was about to kill him and he couldn't do anything about it.  

He closed his eyes, praying to whatever deity he had in mind in that moment, not ready to die. He waited and waited but nothing happened.  

He heard a noise made by metal links, banging against one another.  

"How many times have I told you that you are not allowed to go around and scare people?"  

Who was talking? Nace opened his eyes and that shadow creature now looked more like a dog that was getting scolded by his owner. Around his neck there was a metal collar connected to a metal chain. A man was near the creature, holding its chain, and he was talking to it like it was his own-he was the owner of that monster?!  

"You are grounded. No more freedom to roam around the city until you learn to behave, ok?"  

The creature whimpered while looking at its owner.  

"No. Shut up. I won't change my mind. You could have killed innocent people! You must learn to behave, or I will send you back to Hell."  

The strange man sighed, then turned to Nace. "Sorry. My hellhound is learning to behave in the hum-"  

Nace was pale and still petrified. The weird man dressed in black kept looking at him.  

"You are human." He murmured.  

Nace saw him trying to get closer. At the same moment he felt his own body go numb, his vision blurred and then black surrounded him.  

"Oh, fuck-" were the last words he heard before fainting.  

* * *

Jan obviously didn't mention what happened the night before with that (handsome) human to Kris.   

He didn't want to be scolded like a child. He was one of the strongest dark sorcerers of the Balkan covenant, but he struggled to control his hellhound. It was a bit shameful for him, to be honest.  

That day Kris and he were at the local market in the suburbs of Ljubljana because they needed to buy stuff for their group of sorcerers.  

"Go to Marija, I need these herbs and ingredients for my potions and magic cures." Kris handed him a piece of paper with a list of stuff in it. He was a healer, his dominant element was water.  

Jan took the list and nodded. He needed stuff from Marija too for some of his spells.   

"I'll go to Primož, Bojan needs his animal blood for his damn blood magic."  

"He's always so lazy, he never goes to buy it himself." Jan shook his head.  

Kris sighed. "I know and I hate him for that."   

They then split to do their chores. It was at Marija's stall that Jan felt observed by familiar eyes. He turned and right behind him there was the human he had met the night before.  

"It's you," he said, his eyes widening in shock.   

"I think you mistook me for someone else." Jan immediately replied. He turned again to the stall to get his bags full of herbs and other stuff, then paid Marija and tried to go away quickly.  

The human had other plans however, he followed him and grabbed his arm.  

"I knew that it was all true, it couldn’t be a dream."  

Jan turned again to look at him. Their faces were so close.  

"I don't know what you are talking about."  

"You know. That...that shadow monster. You called it a hellhound. And you controlled him."  

"It was probably a dream, as you mentioned before."  

"I'm not crazy, I know what I saw!" His voice got louder. Some people around them turned to look at them.  

Jan's heart sank in his chest. The look in that human’s eyes was begging for answers, begging him to confirm what he saw that night.  

“What did you do to me then? I woke up in my room, in my house!”  

"It's better if you forget everything, man. Trust me.” He whispered.  

"Jan, is everything ok?" That was Kris. Jan felt his presence behind him.  

"Yeah, don't worry. This man thought I was someone else he knew." And he cast a quick spell in his voice to force that stranger to free his arm.  

He went away with Kris, leaving that human in the middle of the market. He turned to look at him with a guilty glance. He could almost touch his confusion with his hands. “I’m sorry”, he thought.

  

* * *

In the next few days Jan kept thinking about that human, about his eyes and his hand around his arm. He still felt his touch against his skin like a fire mark. In the end he decided to look for him, he deserved answers, even if it was against every law that ruled sorcerers around the world: humans mustn’t know about magic. He didn’t care, he felt so guilty.  

After a quick location spell, he found the stranger in a park in the suburb of the city. It was getting dark outside, so it was easier for him to use shadows to travel to his destination. He appeared in front of him. The human was holding his head between his hands and he was staring at the ground while sitting on a bench.  

“I think I owe you some explanations.”   

The stranger lifted his head and looked at Jan. His eyes opened wide, but the initial shock became anger. “Did you come here to make me look like a fool again? Wasn’t enough what you did today at the market?”  

His rage hit him like a dagger in the heart. “N-no.” He replied. “I want to talk to you.” He raised his hands, a gesture of surrender. “May I?” He asked then, pointing to the empty space near him on that bench.  

The stranger nodded, but his look was still angry.   

Jan took a couple of deep breaths before starting to talk. “What you saw yesterday was real. It was a hellhound.” He stopped for a second. “My hellhound. And I have problems with controlling it.” He sighed. “I’m a sorcerer. My specialty is dark magic.” He turned to look at the human. He felt judged by his eyes.  

“A sorcerer that practises magic.” The human repeated. “Like...Harry Potter?”  

“Hm...kind of, yeah. We are completely different from that...hm, representation. That it’s just completely wrong, to be honest. We don’t need a piece of wood to cast spells.” And to make him understand better, he raised his hand and called a small dark flame on his palm.  

The man startled and jumped a bit backwards. Jan made the flame disappear. “I shouldn’t tell you all this, but I felt guilty for how I treated you,” he explained. “Usually, when one of us ends up revealing magic to humans, we cancel their memories. I hate playing with people’s minds.”  

“A dark sorcerer who’s worried about a stranger? Shouldn’t dark sorcerers be evil?”  

“That’s kinda biased. Just because we bond with darkness and shadows, it doesn’t mean that we are evil.” Jan crossed his arms. “I fought against evil water and air sorcerers.” He even raised an eyebrow.  

The stranger giggled. Jan smiled, seeing the anger disappearing from his face and his eyes. The human kept asking Jan questions and he tried to answer, without giving away too much information about his world. He explained that sorcerers were born with a dominant element that guided their magic, that they all studied how to control and use their magic according to this element and also specialised in different roles based on the nature of their magic.  

Jan was a dark sorcerer, so his magic was mainly offensive, focused on curses and powerful destructive spells. He was also able to control people, summon creatures from Hell, like demons or hellhounds, control shadows and travel through them, bond with animals that lived at night and cast protection spells that could harm if activated.   

It was too late to continue talking, so they decided to meet again. Both enjoyed the time they spent together that evening. It wasn’t against the covenant rules to have friends among humans, in the end.  

“Oh, what’s your name, by the way?” The sorcerer asked.  

“Nace.” The human smiled. “Yours?”  

“Jan.” He replied with a shy smile.  

“Nice to meet you, sorcerer Jan, then.” Nace giggled. “Till the next time.”  

“Till the next time, human Nace.” And he vanished in the shadow, just like he appeared there a few hours before.  

* * *

Weeks passed. Jan and Nace kept hanging out together. They talked about everything outside of magic and sorcery. They met in various places, sometimes the sorcerer used his magic to travel with his human friend.   

Jan started feeling something weird inside of him while he was with Nace. His heart beat faster, he took every excuse to initiate physical touch between them. When they weren’t together, he missed him so much and he felt like there was an emptiness in his chest.  

“Kris, may I ask you something?” He entered his friend’s lair.  

He raised his head from the table where he was working on some potions. “Yeah, sure. Tell me.”  

“How did you realise you fell in love with Bojan?”  

“Well, we spent a lot of time together. I missed him when I wasn’t with him. The world gained colours when the feelings started blooming. And the deep and wild waters inside of me calmed the moment I felt his presence, a stormy ocean becoming a placid sea. And this happens also today, nothing changed.” Kris answered, then looked at his friend. “Why did you ask this?”  

“I...think I’m in love with a person.” He admitted.   

“Really?” Kris smiled. “Who is this person?”  

“It’s a human.”  

That smile on Kris’s face disappeared instantly. “You know that’s forbidden by our laws.”  

“I know, but I don’t care. This person soothes the shadows in me.” He looked Kris in the eyes. “There's been a light in me since I started hanging out with them.”  

“The Council won’t allow you to date this person, Jan.” He stood up and went closer to his friend. “It’s a human.”  

“I hate these rules! Just because they want to keep our damn power from mixing with humans, we are not allowed to date who we love!” He shouted.   

“These rules exist to protect us and our community. What if the wrong people discover that we exist? We already have sorcerers that turn evil, we don’t need humans to meddle with us too.”  

Kris was right. As much as Jan wanted to reply, his friend was right. They already had their problems to deal with.  

Jan felt tears invading his eyes. “...I love him, Kris.” He whispered, voice trembling. “I’ve never felt this way for anyone else. I-I can’t leave him.”  

Kris hugged his friend and gently caressed his back. Jan hid his face against his neck. He felt the shadows agitating in him, reeling like whirlpools. He grabbed his friend’s shirts while starting to cry silently, his shaking shoulders were the only sign that he was crying.   

“I’m sorry, Janči.” Kris whispered.   

But Jan wasn’t surrendering so easily. He was taught how to fight, how to resist, and how to persevere to reach his goal. And he didn’t want to lose Nace. If he wasn’t allowed to stay with a human without going against those laws, the only solution was to defy them.  

Some days after his decision, Jan met with Nace in the park where he revealed he was a sorcerer. His human was on the same bench too. He smiled when he saw his dear friend.  

“Hi, Janči.”   

“Hi, Nace.” He sat next to him, smiling. For a couple of seconds his eyes stopped on Nace’s lips.   

“Is everything ok? It’s early for you.”  

“I needed to meet you because I wanted to say something to you.” He explained while looking him in the eyes. He grabbed one of his hands and intertwined their fingers.   

“Yeah, sure, tell me.” He nodded.  

“Remember when I told you about our covenants?”  

“Yes, I remember that covenants are exclusives for sorcerers and humans are not allowed in.”  

Jan sighed and lowered his eyes on their hands. “There’s more about it. We are allowed to have human friends, but not relationships with humans. The elders say that it’s a matter of mixed blood not strong enough to carry magic and other stuff.”  

“Ok, but why are you tell-oh.”  

Their eyes met again. There was only silence between them. Nace freed Jan’s hand, then cupped his face and kissed him, slowly. Their foreheads touched when their lips parted.  

“I was afraid you didn’t love me back.” Confessed Nace with a delicate voice, almost inaudible. “Just because I’m a mere human and you are an amazing sorcerer.”  

“Don’t ever think about it, my love. You are as important as I am.” Jan cupped Nace’s face and caressed his cheeks.   

They stayed in that position for seconds, maybe minutes. The first to interrupt that intimate moment was Jan.   

“We need to go far away from here.” Said Jan.  

“It’s because of what you told me before?” Nace asked while caressing his cheek.  

“Yes, unfortunately.” He nodded. “I don’t want to give you up. No one can force me to do it. I don’t care if I need to become a fugitive or a traitor of my own kind. I just know that you calm the chaos created by the shadows in me.”  

“I calm the shadows in you?”  

“Yes, Nace.” Jan nodded. He grabbed his hand and put it on his heart. “Magic is this raw power inside of us. We learn to harness it, but there’s always a possibility that we lose control. Love can help us find a balance. You are the lighthouse that shines my way through this stormy darkness.”  

“I help you this much?”  

Jan nodded, then kissed him again. “Run away with me, my love. We can start over somewhere else where people don’t know us. And I can protect us with my magic. I won’t allow anyone to touch you. I’m strong, they fear me.”   

* * *

Nace hesitated at the beginning, but the next day he accepted the offer. In those past months he learned to love Jan and his true nature. He wasn’t scared of him, he was a lovely and kind person, maybe his only flaw was his ability to get lost so deep into his mind and in his thoughts. But Nace loved him so much even when he dove into his mind and he stared at him with heart eyes for hours.  

They ran away in northern Europe a few days later. They found a small house in a village not so far from the capital of the country they chose, so they could live in a quiet place but were also close to a bigger city in case they needed anything.   

It was hard to get used to the new habits, but they managed to in the end. Jan kept practising his magic, learning new stuff and new spells while Nace began working in the capital as a professional musician and then even as a bass guitar teacher in music schools.   

That night when they met neither of them could imagine what would have happened. Maybe Jan’s hellhound knew something they didn’t and escaped from his owner so he could meet the love of his life. Or perhaps it was just a coincidence of events that led them to living together as runaways.   

They only knew one thing, that they were luckier than Romeo and Juliet, because they got the chance to live their prohibited love, even if they had to abandon their previous life behind. Neither of them regretted that decision.  

[anxious-witch]

top 10 favourite Jance moments, go!

Xnxjxmxnnx love that this is what you decided you needed to know first 😂

*cracks knuckles* let's get to it, shall we?

Number ten because this little dance in Carpe Diem made me notice them the first time. It's sooo cute and they always seem to have fun no matter how many times they have done that.

Number nine, I mentioned this in my gay moments post but mentioning it again. Just, the way Jan grabs both the glass and Nace's hand?? Like he is challenging him to say smth? Love it.

Number eight. When Jan full on opened up his mouth to show Nace what kind of sweet he was eating??? Like good sir?? You are doing a public live??(I love it, please keep on going)

Number seven, the way Jan stares at his lips here?? Then back to his eyes? The kissing motion? Why would you, as a supposedly straight man, look at him that way? Huh? Why?

Number six, what the hell this was, honestly. Erotic face and chest touching while Jan is smirking like he knows something the rest of us don't (how Nace looks in bed)

Number five, Jan kiss8ng Nace's cheek. It's sweet, you can see how flustered Nace got for a second there. Adorable

Number four, we have Jan feeling tired and lying in Nace's lap. And Nace trying to lift his spirits by playing with the teddy bear. Like, my god, these two are so domestic my HEART

Number three, we have this bit from SSOL, about them sharing a bunk. Y'know, like bros do. Totally platonically

At number two, Nace going on his knees for Jan because A sem ti povedal hit him so hard. Truly their song

Anddd at number one is of course the almost kiss. And Jan doing...whatever that was with his tongue. Foreplay? God knows. Either way, made me go absolutely feral

Thank you for the ask and I hope it was educational for your further fandom experience

[eteisvalssi]

gig report london 11.4.2024

now that i'm back home and stuck inside for a couple of days bc of bovid, i can finally finish my gig report from london! it's gonna be a long one 😅

i won't be getting too much into how i traveled to london bc the story is long, but let's just say that i would arrange it differently now that i experienced it

in london i met up with @joyuntold, who was my roommate for the two nights! kiitos for letting me tag along with you <3 we had so much fun just yapping the night before the concert that i almost forgot how tired i was at that point 😂

i hadn't slept in well over 24 hours so i went to sleep at 8pm local time and had a good night's sleep before going queueing so that i could stay there for the whole day after i'd gotten my number

the queue had already started the day before because of a misunderstanding and it being posted on social media, which caused the word to spread and suddenly everyone was getting their numbers and just going away for several hours. can we please just not do this?

i did have a fun time in the queue though! there were a lot of familiar faces but i just got really shy with my english for some reason and felt very awkward not talking, so i hung out with my finns a lot during the day

but everyone i talked to that day like overall was just super nice once again! i met and talked to a few mutuals too!

the first band member we saw was jure, he walked past the queue and we all just said hi to him

jan and nace came to the venue together shortly after. i waved at them and nace waved back :)

i didn't see the other band members come to the venue but we did see the family guštin walk by a couple of times

the ee line worked so well, we formed the number queue ourselves and the crowd management worked really well for us. there were multiple lines formed for every type of ticket, but i heard that the ga line was not as successful

i had already lost my hope for barricade on jan and nace's side with how many people there were in the queue before me, but i literally got the perfect spot on the barricade and didn't even have to run for it!

when we got inside i had already completely forgotten about the soundcheck so i was actually surprised when they came on stage 😅 they played astp and proti toku

roots & wings were fun, they were just trying really hard and that was kinda adorable :)

elle coves was amazing! hadn't listened to her songs at all beforehand but i really enjoyed it!

they played the gola setlist and i do get why it's their favorite one

kris especially was on fire during the gig!! idk if it was because his family was there but he gave his everything on stage

we got the demoni scream!!!

also idk what was in padam that night but bojan was really living it and i really felt it and got literal goosebumps

i remember there being a moment when i was like the jance shippers are gonna eat this one up, but i'm too feverish to remember what it was rn

we had a surprise guest on stage! louie starkey, grandson of ringo starr, came on stage during umazane misli and did his own solo.

a finnish translation of umazane misli was also sung that night by yours truly <3 i have no memory from that moment but i just saw a video of it and bojan showed a thumbs up to the band when i started singing 😂 btw if anyone else has any footage from that moment, i would love to see more!

we were like there's no way they're not gonna play ssol and were kinda shocked that it was not on the setlist, but of course they came to play it as an extra encore

after the gig i stayed at the barricade and kiki came over to give the setlists and i got one <3 that was the first time i'd even tried to get one so i was kinda surprised to get it, but it's now on the wall next to my photos i got printed :)

when we went outside there were a lot of people waiting and bojan did come to greet us quickly and take the picture he posted on instagram

i waited for a while but my feet were hurting so much from standing all day that i called it a day just a bit too early and just went to the hotel

the next day i found out that if i'd literally walked back towards the venue with the others instead of leaving to the hotel i would've met some of them 😅

my next two days were spent exploring london, we went to camden town with a friend i'd met before at a gig but we only got to know each other in london! and on saturday i was on a bus on my way to london and it was a sunny day and suddenly sunny side of london started playing from my playlist and that felt so good

overall it was a very fun experience! i got to meet so many cool people, i saw my favorite band yet again, i sung in finnish at fucking shepherd's bush empire, i basically traveled solo for the first time and it went very well. i'm really glad i decided to go :)

also i joked about getting bovid from the gig when i was feeling kinda stuffy and tired yesterday and today i tested positive with covid 🤠

[leopardom]

because it’s gonna be 12 months from the start of this fandom (kinda mostly here anyway), would you like to give me a fav moment from every month so far (can be fandom related, can be only jo related)? if that’s something you’re in the mood rn 🩷

absolutely 🤩

welcome to the ✨Joker Out Chronicles (May 2023 - March 2024)✨ as viewed by user leopardom

this is gonna be a list of fav moments from every month so far and since i couldn't choose, it's gonna be both band related and fandom related

this is gonna be long so more under the cut

May 2023

band: the whole eurovision journey from befriending all the contestants to Bojan's date and eventual engagement with Käärijä to the band giving condoms to everyone and their mom to the rehearsals to the iconic turqoise carpet to the Käärijä sauna to the voting promo to the qualification to the finals to Bojan licking the camera and to Joker Out becoming pretty much esc legends despite finishing 21st in the final. the beginning of everything, absolutely chaotic but i wouldn't imagine it any other way

fandom: the formation this sounds cliche yes but i was here since April 2023 and it was... very silent. the non-esc related jo stuff were limited and people were still discovering them so yeah i was sitting here hoping that after esc people would stick around so we can scream together about the band as a band and not only as esc contestants. and thankfully people did that and here we are now 🥹

June 2023

band: first international gigs the gigs in Dublin are one thing but then came the announcements of the Nordic tour, the Warsaw gigs, the headline gigs in Novi Sad and Zagreb... honourable mention to Stožice going sold out

fandom: Tavastia 1.0 there's absolutely no way i will even forget how the jo, ka and esc fandoms had a collective meltdown when Bojan casually showed up in Helsinki and then joined Käärijä on stage on both his Tavastia gigs (mind you both as a singer and as a dancer lmao). no wonder why this moment still has a chokehold on all of us. 9th of June 2023, you will always be famous

July 2023

band: the appearance of Demoni scream i know that festivals and the first UK run were important and gave us some iconic moments too (like some slay outfits and Jan's sparklative confusion), but the damn Demoni scream is so dear to me it kinda tops it all. it's so good to see how Bojan embraced it after that first time (2/7/23 in Škofja Loka) and now there can't be Demoni without the scream/growl/whatever you wanna call it

fandom: the Jance wedding on stage iirc the Jance brainrot had started spawning before 29/7 but that Saturday night was the cherry on top. so glad we got to experience this live as well since there was a livestream going on that night and we saw Jan putting the veil on Nace himself <3

August 2023

band: the Koper gig i wasn't even there okay but judging from the content and people's comments on it, it was probably one of the most iconic jo gigs. also my favourite jo video in existence is coming from that night (here) side note: i've been to Slovenia once in my life, 11 years ago, and funnily enough we were staying in Koper and i recognised the place they had the concert. anyway, visit Slovenia and Koper, it's a very nice small seaside town and it's worth the visit <3

fandom: the collective screaming about things to be completely honest i don't remember much from that month in terms of fandom, but i kinda remember how most of us had started diving into the band's past more and more and “new” old content was posted almost every day. videos, photos, gifs, interviews, the amazing @jokeroutsubs translating more old content...

September 2023

band: Nordic tour i won't even start talking about this because you'll never hear the end of it. we all know what the Nordic tour was. even the release of SSOL, the first single after esc, can't top this whole thing, sorry

fandom: google drive content and *shocked gasp* Nordic tour another collective meltdown for the fandom. first being bombarder with backstage videos on a damn google drive folder (that ended up being a frequent occurence in the following months) to the whole run of the Nordic tour. do i need to say more? i feel like i can't. only this: Nordic tour, you will always be famous

October 2023

band: Stožice not much to say here either. they sold out a whole arena months prior to the actual concert date. it was their moment. a milestone (probably their biggest to date). and it was amazing to witness this in any possible way, whether it was by attending the concert or watching an ig livestream or keeping track of the photos and videos of that night

fandom: Stožice and Halloween outfits the chokehold both the Stožice and the Halloween (aka pilots and flight attendands) outfits had on the whole fandom... also love how we collectively agreed that Kris' Stožice outfit was his version of Princess Diana's revenge dress and how the Halloween outfits sent the fandom into a spiral in means of creations (fanart, fanfics etc)

November 2023

band: the whole touring well they did have a number of gigs during November and they seemed to be having so much fun 🥰 so much that at the end of November they announced their first proper european tour

fandom: collective screaming about things once again i mean all the gigs were feeding us well. the outfits alternating or not, Jance/Bokris moments, Bonace getting more spotlight (Bojan was and still is going through something during Demoni and Ona like wtf was he doing to Nace was it the serbian lyrics waking up something wild in him 😭😭😭). there was a lot going on back in November… honourable mentions: this Bokris moment, cvjetits (x x) and Kris riding Jure

December 2023

band: the whole Munich experience there's a good chance jo don't remember their whole stay in Munich for the first time as one of the best ones ever, especially if they think about the 1,5k euro taxi they paid as part of making it to The Hague in time for the next gig. but if anything, i feel like this captures their whole vibe as a band; ✨purely chaotic✨

fandom: european tour vlog and Bojan with the bi flag we waited for a long time for a Nordic tour vlog. maybe we didn't get it as an individual video but even as part of the whole tour vlog it was great and definitely worth the wait. also it was a great xmas gift let's be real 😌 now Bojan with the bi flag was probably not a very huge fandom moment and my bi ass may be biased here (this rhymed lol), but seeing him wrap himself with the bi flag followed by that speech before Barve Oceana in Barcelona will always be such a precious moment to me and i'll cherish it forever 💖 note: when i saw them last month in Munich i immediately started crying when i heard the first notes of Barve Oceana live; not only because i love the song and i finally heard it live, but also because i instantly thought of that moment of Bojan with the bi flag and the speech)

January 2024

band: Joker Out cooking livestreams London era my beloved (i never thought i'd say this about a city in the UK out of all places). their whole stay in London was an Experience both for the band and the fandom but well they got their chance to show the world they can cook besides playing music and they did. now let's not get into the kind of cooking they did, but the livestreams were very entertaining and bless them for doing them 😅

fandom: death by Damon Baker's photos yeah no i don't think i need to say more here, i'm still not over those photoshoots and i still can't quite believe they actually happened. like?????????? jo???? photographed individually or not by Damon fucking Baker???? ugh 😫 on that note i want to add that i loved and still love how those photos sparked the creativity in this fandom. from analyses of each photo to fanfics to fanart to creating anything in general. one of my favourite moments of the fandom <3

February 2024

band: release of Everybody's Waiting the whole road to the release of this single was Something with the band continuing the usual shenanigans and with Damon still releasing unseen photos of them. the release of it may have gotten us divided because of its language or the path they chose to take music-wise (it's not everyone's cup of tea and that's more than fine), but personally i like this for them. it's different, it showed a different side of them which they wanted to explored; they got a chances to do it and they did it. and you know what? it's so good live

fandom: death by Damon Baker's photos, Jure edition this could be merged with my fave fandom moment of January 2024 but this one is special because we just saw another Jure like WTF WAS THAT 😭 anyway i loved how we all kind of lost it when his photos dropped note: the moment Damon posted Jure's photos i was on my way to meet my friends in Dresden of all places and i was so shocked by what i saw i almost ran into a lighting column on the street 💀💀💀

March 2024

band: Jan and Bojan playing the piano at every gig of the tour i could've said the whole tour is my favourite thing from this March and it's not like it's not, this is a big moment for the band. it's just that once again i'm a bit biased here. many people, my pianist ass included, wished there would be a piano or some keyboard on stage during the tour because come on if Jan plays the keys for Everybody's Waiting studio version then why not do it live too? and you know what's better? not only there was a piano on stage for the whole tour, but not only Jan but also Bojan played it. however, Bojan playing it for Everybody's Waiting and Jan playing it for Padam, Metulji and the cases where they had special guests (like in Estonia with Alika, Lithuania with Monika and Belgium with Gustaph)... those were not on my bingo card and they were the most pleasant surprise ever 😌

fandom: meeting each other at the gigs when the tour started and even though i knew i would go to at least two gigs, i was extremely nervous because this meant i'd probably come across other fans from here and social media in general. as a person with anxiety, one of my worries was how i'd be perceived and how i'd manage to not come across as a snob person because i'm shy and scared to talk to people i don't know. as the tour went on and i saw people meeting each other irl after only knowing each other via tumblr/twitter/instagram, i got more nervous but also had a warm feeling in my chest because seeing people meet, bond over things they like and have fun at gigs together is actually very wholesome 🫶 i hoped i would get to experience this too at the italian gigs but i was still nervous. and then, around the middle of March, i made the spontaneous decision to do the Munich gig too, but instead of getting even more nervous i just got myself on autopilot. and i'm glad i did because if i hadn't i wouldn't have met some of you neither in Munich nor in Milan or Padua. i wouldn't get to trade stuff and joke about things and talk about fandom stuff or even about fanfics lmao 😂 anyway, point is that i most probably was worried about nothing. i got to meet so many people at the gigs and i had so much fun despite the inconveniences that may had showed up in the way (i don't wanna talk about it tbh) and everyone was so welcome and lovely i'll never shut up about it 😭 also i’m taking this opportunity to say that if we attended the same gigs but didn't get to meet, i'm so sorry about it really but we will do it at some point i'm telling you! and i also wish i get to meet more of you from in here so we can yap about things outside of tumblr too. btw i still have stickers to give away and i will make more whenever the time comes again <3

[harmaanoita]

sleepover weekend ask! I know it's already Monday!

I know you've been making your way through a lot of fanfic lately, including older stuff. So, can you please make a rec list? I'm hoping to see some gems I might have missed or forgot about (since I'm terrible at saving even the stuff I like)

Don't worry, it can be a weekend even during the week (especially since I work on most weekends)!

And yes, I can make a rec list. Lets see how long it will be. It's in alphabetical order by writers.

Bojere fic recs:

Do you think we'll be in love forever? by ate_my_brain - still going on but this has been a joy to read.

Dreams taste like you by ate_my_brain - friends to lovers with fluff and angst

The story of love (that hurts) by ate_my_brain - getting together with angst

Besane Su Naše Noći by cripplingdepresso and mitochondriencocktail - star!Bojan AU

my heart wants to come home by da_proti_toku_grem - short and fluffy

This time I'm ready to run ('cause I wanna be free) by hoddypeak - getting together and Nordic Tour

When I don't have you, my demons are with me by HotCat37 - possessive and jealous Bojan, very good smut

Io ti chiamo amore in una lingua straniera by JuliaBaggings - pining, languages and background Jance

Mai Dire Mai by JuliaBaggings - friends to lovers

Breakthroughs in breakdowns by kuurupiilo - Bluza insired hurt no comfort

Put Me Together, Thread a Needle by mitochondriencocktail - an excellent hockey!AU

You Can't Stop Me From Loving You by MyHeartIsYours4Ever - pining and angst

On a Good Day by Nothing_Rhymes_With_Orange - Bojere far in the future (this is very lovely, a little sad)

I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you by paperphilia - super sad but beautifully written

Midsummer (enought light to drive anyone insane) by PupperMasterOnAString - lovely midsummer fic. This was the first one I read, I believe.

the kid -series by Rosemind - I don't usually read fics with kids but this series is so adorable!

the tour by Rosemind - drabbles inspired by Nordic Tour

the wedding -series by Rosemind - very lovely and fluffy

Teach Me What Love Is by SamePlaceandTime - languages and fluff

sä saat mut by sepetajmikolikomeces - Tavastia feels

Summer wrote us a letter -series by Televa - lovely collection of summery and other kind of slice of life fics

oothan tässä vielä huomenna by tilhi - slow burn friends to lovers

Tarkotin sua by tilhi - soulmates!AU

toisiltamme mitä tahansa by tilhi - pining, jealous Bojan, such a joy to read

These are def not all the fics I've enjoyed, just a few (24) I picked for this list. This corner of the internet has such amazing writers ❤

[alien-girl-21]

today on posts that are for me and me only but i hope you get my vision, i present to you:

Songs in Spanish I think Käärijä and Joker Out members would like:

Käärijä:

BZRP Music Sessions #51

This song is sooo cunty + the references in the lyrics/rhymes are INSANE, Jere would go so fucking hard with this I don't have proof but I don't have doubts

Kali Uchis, Peso Pluma - Igual Que Un Ángel

Girlypop song, cute beat, the lyrics of the chorus literally being "god's favorite and she knows" (because she is god's favorite). Deffinitely not influenced by me showing pictures of Jere to people irl and them saying he looks like Peso Pluma (he doesn't)

Bojan:

Soda Stereo - De Música Ligera

Tbh all of Joker Out would love this song, it feels very them, but Bojan gives vibes of a Cerati fanboy that would hear you mention Soda Stereo and would ask you to name 3 songs by them and this was probably the first song he learned how to play on the guitar. Very good song, a classic, if you haven't heard this one yet, please do

Romeo Santos - Propuesta Indecente

I'm laughing so hard at myself going from 90s latam rock to bachata but hear me out. Bojan likes to dance, bachata is a genre with a pretty intricate dance that Bojan would learn to surprise girls with at parties. Also bachata just feels very him??? and this song is iconic and it had a pretty popular meme back in the day he would still quote today

Jure:

Cuarteto de Nos - Enamorado tuyo

This is such a good vibes song, makes me happy listening to it, and I feel like Jure also likes these types of songs. Good, chill vibes

Los Enanitos Verdes - Lamento Boliviano

Another classic latam rock song, a general vibe, everyone knows the lyrics. I feel like Jure would really appreciate the drums on this one (also he would do the joke of "bolivian lament? fuck yeah, I would also lament it if I was from there" <- as a bolivian, I get him)

Kris:

Miranda! - Don

Kris is one of the girlies, this song is for the girlies. He would scream the chorus at the top of his lungs and would probably learn the guitar solo just to show off.

Belanova - Rosa Pastel

....... no I'm not giving Kris the songs meant for the girlies whatareyoutalkingabout

But in all seriousness, this song is so perfect for heart breaks/wanting to be angsty but make it pretty that I feel like Kris would have looped this song so much it led him to writing NGVOT, plus just imagine him vibing to it, it fits him so well

Nace:

Luis Miguel - Ahora te puedes marchar

We know Nace likes citypop, now what if I told you that Luismi is considered citypop by some and was pretty big in Japan in the height of citypop??? Yeah

Quevedo - Columbia

Nace would vibe to this at the club so hard, idk he gives the vibes that he would like Quevedo (and not inspired by a jance fic I was intending to write at some point ofc not 😁)

Jan:

Los Prisioneros - Tren Al Sur

Another latam rock classic, the keyboard at the beginning is pretty mysterious, feels pretty Jan coded imo

Natalia Lafourcade - Hasta la Raíz

One of the most beautiful songs I've listened to. I feel like Jan would appreciate the technical aspect of the song more for some reason, probably what he listens to when driving

[arctixout]

What a year!

I've had probably one of the best years so far in my life, so many good things happened, I got to travel the country and experience a lot of cool things and make a lot of new, like-minded friends.

On top of all that I spent a lot of time here on this everburning hellsite being as normal as possible or disfigured on the floor, eating the walls and bedrock. And also getting to know lovely babyboos all around the world! I'd like to thank everybody who's interacted with my posts somehow, that's what keeps us content creators going, especially I want to give a thousand forehead kisses to people who reblog and go on about God-knows-what in the tags, they're always a lot of fun to read :) ❤

I'm not too good at writing long thank you posts, so I'm going to smack my top 10 original posts that have gotten the most notes this year in here as well, so enjoy some classic arcti content!

arcti's top 10 posts in 2023

10. Bojan's job crisis - 172 notes

9. Cat collaboration goes just as well as you'd expect - 173 notes

8. The first soft Jan hours - 175 notes

7. Bojan's most adorable smile - 180 notes

6. Bojan's one DVD screensaver shaped brain cell - 183 notes

5. Nace kicking off the doors of the closet he and Jan were in -195 notes

4. Bojan, Jan, and the ananaslonkero hat - 222 notes

Sharing the 2nd and 3rd places are, funnily enough,

The homophobojan masterpost - notes 265 notes

and

The totally legit Jance confirmation (they are married and together) - 265 notes

(god I love poetic cinema)

And of course, who else could be on the first place other than Stožice Kris with 281 notes! I gotta say, this is my favorite gif set of mine so far as well ♥!

And with that I hope you all have a wonderful new year's eve and a glorious 2024! Europe tour 2.0 can't start soon enough!!!

[frikatilhi]

Something where the joker out guys are sick of Bojan and Jere pining for each other and being totally oblivious so they scheme to get them together/admit their feelings/kiss whatever. I'm not sure exactly how they can do that but maybe someone else has an idea for some sneaky plans or how to trick them into a situation

Hello, dear anon! First, may I interest you in this (eventual) Jance fic by @ana-chronista that seems to have potential for this trope for Bojan/Jere. It's funny :)

Here's my take. Dialogue-only again (wanted to type something out quickly), Joker Out edition! You can decide for yourself who's who ❤️

"I think I’ve had enough. Haven’t you guys had enough?”

“Yeah, I think so. It was bad enough yesterday, and it’s only getting worse.”

“I’m going to strangle him with that fucking beanie soon.”

“If I have to hear one more fucking ‘ARE YOUU’ –”

“I swear, if they don’t work it out someone’s gonna get thrown out the window.”

“So, what do we do? We have to do something.”

“We could get them drunk tonight?”

“We’ve tried that before. Bojan drinks too much and becomes totally unfuckable.”

“We sabotage his alarm tomorrow morning so he’ll have to stay?”

“That would be good, except we kinda need him for Stožice rehearsal.”

“One day couldn’t hurt?”

“You really think he’d make it back after only a day?”

“Yeah, good point.”

“What if one of us just tells Jere?”

“Bojći would never forgive us.”

“He would if it works out?”

“We still don’t know for sure, though.”

“Don’t we? I mean. Look at them.”

“Still, it could backfire. I think he needs to do it on his own.”

“Truth or dare? Never have I ever, again?”

“One hotel room, one bed?”

“Sex pollen?”

“What?”

“Sorry, I thought we were just shouting out fanfiction tropes.”

“Again, what?”

“Never mind. CPR demonstration?”

“Mistletoe? Fake New Years?”

“We make them jealous? Someone hits on Jere?”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Yeah, maybe not.”

“What if we just… took off?”

“You mean, now?”

“We’re all in the van. They’re still out there. Now’s our chance.”

“But…”

“There’s still plenty of time before soundcheck. And we won’t go too far. Let’s just scare them a little.”

“It’s worth a try?”

“Fine. Hey, let’s go! Go go go!”

“I’m going to text him. Dear… Mr… Cvjetićanin. This is your audacity calling. I have kidnapped your band. To get them back and to recover your dignity, please let the one and only Mr. Worldwide next to you know how you feel, and beg him to let you in his pants ASAP. Do this at your earliest convenience so we can make it to soundcheck on time, and also so your band won’t have to slap you into next week. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Not too over the top at all, there.”

“Tell that to your shirt.”

“Has he seen it?”

“Yeah, he’s typing. ‘not funny, come back right now’. Predictable.”

“What’s next, ‘you are all jerks and I’ll tell your mommies’?”

“Umm, guys? I just got a text from Jere.”

“He has your number?”

“He knows your name??”

“Ha ha. It says, ‘I have plan tonight, back off.’”

“Huh.”

“Wow.” 

“Okay.”

“So… I guess we go back?”

“Yeah. But how are we going to…”

“Act like normal?”

“We’re so good at that.”

“So does this mean I have to put up with that same shit the whole day? Please, I can’t.”

“Maybe he’ll have something else to think about now, at least.”

“Who woulda thunk that guy had it in him?”

“Always knew it.”

“You would, you’re so soft on him.”

“Shut up.”

“I just hope it works out.”

“Which is worse, pining miserable Bojan, or just-got-laid-and-you-didn’t Bojan?”

“My money’s on the second, but I guess we’ll find out.”

“Yippee. Can’t fucking wait.”

[sepetajmikolikomehoces]

🕯️

🥤

🛼

writers truth & dare

🕯on a scale from 1 to 10 how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

I'd say... a solid 7? I usually edit a bit as I go, simply because I might come up with something that impacts a situation that happened earlier and I need to go back and change that while I remember it. I also edit once I'm done to try and catch any left behind half-finished sentences. It's good, it meeds to be done, but sometimes I feel like I need to know when to stop before I veer off and edit things into oblivion.

🛼 describe your latest wip with five emojis

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏼❤️🌃❓️❗️

Make of that what you will...

🥤recommend and author or fanfic that you love

You can't just ask me to rec one. You can't. I refuse. Putting this under a cut because I might get wordy.

Space AU series by kuurama (AO3)

Run, don't walk, SPRINT LIKE USAIN BOLT TO THIS SERIES. Had me from the first sentence of the first part until the very last sentence of the second part, at which point I had cried more times than I care to admit. Gorgeous prose, continuously makes you sit back and have an existential crisis. 10/10 would be destroyed again.

Besane Su Naše Noći by @mitochondriencocktail and @mewnyan

Honestly, anything by these two geniuses, but this one especially. Can't walk past Dumle without having to clutch my chest to make sure my heart won't escape me. So soft, and with the kind of hope that makes you feel tender at the edges.

lovefool by @punanenmarli

The amount of screaming I have done over this. It is hilarious, it is angsty, it is deliciously filthy and Jere's thirst tweeting is a delight. You will want to punch Bojan, though. A little.

mun ainoa oikea satama by @frikatilhi

I don't have words for how much this fic fucked me up when I read it the first time. And the second. And third. I felt like my heart was being pulverized throughout, trying to yell at Bojan, at Jere, at the mere thought that there could be a world where they are not what they are to each other.

Black Treacle by slightlysexualfiction (AO3)

A goddamn MASTERPIECE. Fucking glorious progression that builds and builds and you become so invested in both Jan and Nace and the something that is brewing between them. Whenever I get the update notification I immediately have to go sit down because I know that one way or the other, it will take me out.

The Marks on Our Skin by @electron-road-suspect

I love ERS's Kinktober verse with all my heart and whatever shreds remain of my soul, but soulmate AUs will always own me, and this one is so gorgeous and clever in its concept and execution, and though I thoroughly swoon at the two main constellations, it was the bonus chapter that truly took me out.

Do you think we'll be in love forever? by ate_my_brain (AO3)

An absolutely devastating what if scenario that feels so real I constantly ask myself if we're not looking at a very, very possible future. Heartbreaking, jawdropping, consistently mindblowing prose.

ljubili se (in se igrali) series by xianvar (AO3 + tumblr but tumblr refused to make it a tag)

I have gone back and reread this [redacted] amount of times. Like. I am in constant AWE at the emotional heft in this, it keeps hitting me every damn time, and I think xia may be one of my favourite Jance authors in the fandom.

[technicallycleverdetective]

For the kissy thing: Jance & 23? ☺️

Thank you very much for the prompt, my friend :) I hope you enjoy.

23…in relief.

Jan’s name appears on his phone and he sighs, more relieved than anything. Jan is always late to everything. It’s a well-known fact and not something to resent him over. Everyone else’s timekeeping just changes a little to accommodate him. Nevertheless, twenty minutes is a reasonable amount of time to wait. Forty-five minutes is starting to stretch the limits of patience and Nace was starting to get concerned.

“It’s Jan,” he announces to the room.

“Finally! Tell him he better have a good excuse this time,” Kris orders. Nace picks up the call.

“Hello,” he says cheerfully.

“Hi.”

He can tell at once that something isn’t right. “Are you okay, love?”

“Sorry I’m late.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine.” Kris gives him a look to indicate his disagreement. “Are you on the way?”

“Don’t be worried,” Jan says, which instantly worries him. “But I’m in the hospital.”

“What? What’s happened? Are you okay?”

“I got hit by a car. It was only a bump,” Jan adds quickly. “They made me come and get checked though.”

“Of course they did. What hospital are you in? We’re on the way.”

“He’s in a hospital?” Bojan yelps.

“University Medical Center. And seriously, Nace, don’t worry. I’m fine.”

There’s no point in saying that of course he’s going to worry. “Alright, I’ll try not to.”

As soon as he hangs up, he’s swamped with questions. “He was hit by a car, he’s in the hospital, I don’t know if he’s hurt or not, but he’s awake and talking at least. Let’s go.”

Jan is clearly not in a critical condition and there’s no reason to be unduly fearful, but nevertheless Jure takes over driving duties, and the front desk staff look very alarmed at the sight of four men barging through their doors and trying to talk over each other in search of their missing friend. They are directed to the end of a long corridor, around a corner and a little further to find the room with four beds where Jan is sitting, apparently unharmed except for the sling on his left arm.

Nace reaches him first and hugs him carefully, mindful of the sling, and is swiftly followed by the other four.

“Are you okay?”

Jan shakes his head. “I broke my arm.”

“Shit,” Kris stares at the sling. “Anything else?”

“What else is worse? I can’t fucking do anything for six weeks? What am I meant to do?”

Kris and Bojan have a silent conversation.

“We’ll rally around,” Kris declares. “We can make a rota to make sure one of us is always staying over to help out, if you want us to. We’ve handled illness and injury before.”

“Not like this! I can’t hold a guitar.”

“We’ll find a session musician,” Bojan says calmly. This doesn’t please Jan, who lets out a disgusted groan and buries his face in Nace’s shoulder.

“Does it hurt?” he asks.

“No,” Jan’s muffled voice replies. “That’s the thing, it doesn’t hurt at all, but the X-ray said there’s a fracture.”

“Mr Jan Peteh?”

They all look towards the door as a nurse walks in, stops short at the sight of them and then looks around. “I’m sorry, I must have the wrong room.”

She doubles back, looks at a chart outside the door and then comes back in. “Are you Mr Jan Peteh?”

“Yes.”

Her confusion does not vanish. “Were you brought in because you fell down the stairs?”

“I was hit by a car.”

“Hold on.” She walks out again. The guys look at each other and Kris tentatively takes a step back.

“Maybe I’ll go see what that’s about.”

He returns a minute later, just ahead of the nurse. “Hello again, I’m terribly sorry. I think your X-ray has been mixed up with someone else’s. You’re the Jan Peteh who was struck by a vehicle, correct?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Yes, your X-ray came back totally fine. You should have been discharged an hour ago.”

“Really? What about the other guy?”

“We need to call him back immediately. I’ll go and find someone to cut that bandage off you and then you can go home.”

She marches out briskly.

“What kind of incompetence-?” Kris begins, but the rest of his sentence is cut off by Jan gripping Nace by the collar and pulling him in for an enthusiastic hug.

“I haven’t broken my arm,” he says excitedly.

“No, you haven’t.”

“I can still play!”

Nace smiles and wraps his arms around him, kissing his temple and lingering for a bit longer over the warm skin, just as a reminder that Jan is here and safe.

[formulalakana]

Good evening, this is your joblr secret santa calling! A little birdie told me that you love Ruisrock and Riga gigs... Are you comfortable elaborating as to why? Kiitos ja hyvää yötä ❤️

Oh hiii!! I hope you are having a good day! 😊❤️

I don't know if this is going to be any helpful (probably not 🙈) but I just really loved the overall vibe of those gigs. There has never been a bad JO gig I attended but those two are some of my favorites, alongside the recent Cvetličarna ones.

From Ruisrock we got all of those cute videos of JO&Käärijä interactions plus of course the Vse Kar Vem hug (that i actually managed to miss despite being on the second row. I was on the Jance side of the crowd and was too focused on watching Jan play to notice Bojan wandering off to hug Jere 😅). The whole band seemed to really enjoy the gig, especially Jan looked more smiley than usually. And it had been exactly 4 months since I had seen the band last time so i was just really hyped to see them, especially in Finland. It always hits different to see them play in my home country.

Riga gig was the first one where i had the chance to see the soundcheck which is still my favorite one and in that soundcheck we got the best version of original Bluza i have heard (rip Bluza's intro i miss you). It was just a really good gig overall.

I think what mostly makes these so special to me is the memories linked to those days, both of them were the last gigs of week long travelings with my friends and i also got some new ones during the queueings. And in Riga i met some of the band members after the gig which makes it extra special to me.

Thank you for asking and sorry that I can't really explain it better. But feel free to ask again if there is anything you want to know, i'll do my best to try to make at least some sense in my ramblings 😅

[ren-c-leyn]

QnA tag game

I was tagged by @hyba​ to play this. Thank you very much.

rules: post your answers, and tag some pals.

1. When did you first learn you enjoyed writing?

Honestly, I used to hate writing. It wasn’t fun, it was boring school essays and annoying prompts on exams. That being said, I had always enjoyed storytelling, and had been telling stories since before I could remember.

How I reconciled that gap between the written and the spoken was I went through a really shitty period of time in my life and I took up poetry to help vent. And it was so freeing and fun that I kept with it.

I had been doing that for a while when I decided to try writing some fantasy story that popped into my head, though I can’t quite recall why I bothered to try. It wasn’t a very good story, but I filled up like an entire notebook with it and started writing it on another, and I discovered ‘hey, writing can be fun... if it isn’t about something boring.’

And over the years, fantasy has over taken poetry. I still write poems from time to time, but not like I used to.

2. Tell us about the first project you ever wrote.

It was one that tried cramming way too much into one story, but there’s elements of it that I still use a lot of. I can’t remember the exact plot I had in mind for it, because it was all over the place, but I remember there being some sci-fi, a lot of fantasy weirdness, and a chosen one who was both angry and horrified that her world ended when she had the power to save it, because no one knew what she was or that their world was in danger. It never got finished, but I had fun with it while I was working on it.

3. How does your favorite media shape who you are as a writer?

In ways I don’t even realize it did, I’m sure. Particularly since I binge read without really analyzing the writing techniques of people. My writer brain turns off and reader brain takes over. Which many people say is bad, but it works for me. That being said, I can draw some obvious parallels between things I’ve read and my own works.

I know that Tolkien was a big influence for my ‘this string pulls on this person’s string, which does that, which leads to a poor hobbit having to lose his finger to throw a cursed ring into a volcano and save the world’ kinda plots. I also enjoyed his world building, but, and this is just my opinion, it slowed the Lord of the Rings triology down a lot and made it a little clunky to read. So it taught me both what I kinda wanted to see in my world building, but also how I didn’t want it to come out in the story. Plus, The Hobbit is the book for me. It is one of the first ones I got when I finally learned ‘oh, reading can be fun’ (because child me hated reading like she also hated writing boring essays), and it’s the one that got me stuck on fantasy.

Douglas Adams, there are many who will probably consider it a crime I have not read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and yet still list his name in this, but my favorite book of all time is probably The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and it was the way the characters existed and the hidden easter eggs that I’m still finding like 7 read throughs later and the pacing and red herrings. I learned from and loved a lot about that book alone.

There was also J.A. Jance, the author of many of the murder mysteries my grandmother loaned me, and it was from her and other mystery authors that I finally, finally figured out how to set up suspense and tension. They were also really good studies in character motivations and how a character’s mindset can change the way they perceive the world and the things they notice and miss.

Video games is another thing I know has influenced me. I like story and lore rich games. Dungeons and Dragons is another thing I play a lot of and has followed me through my writings. The stories that get told can be every bit as awesome as a book, and the mechanics are also part of what helped me learn to structure my magic systems. Because if the wizards didn’t have rules, who would play a fighter who does? The same idea got translated into my writing very early on, ‘if I don’t give my wizards rules, why would warriors exist?’

And I can keep rambling, but I think I’ll leave it at this for now ^^

4. What’s something you’ve wanted to write, but aren’t sure you could? (A tv show, a genre, a style, a time period, a video game, etc)

I had an idea for a fantasy world inspired by various Asian myths, and even had a basic map drawn out in my head and some ideas for a magic system, but I’ve been too terrified to actually do anything with it, and it’s been so long since then that I don’t remember anything about it. Plus, I had no plot to use for it at the time.

I also wanted to write a mystery, but when I tried I found that while I has suspects and everything, I couldn’t think of the crime or how the heck anyone would just kinda figure it out from a bunch of random things normal people could just play off or not notice XD

5. What is the thing that keeps you from writing the most?

Procrastination is sometimes a problem, and I do occasionally need to kick myself in the shin. But there’s also life and plot snags and just days when a story isn’t working for me.

6. How do you deal with an inner editor?

That depends. Sometimes the inner editor saves me a lot of headaches later, and sometimes a tiny mistake can break the flow of writing. I normally don’t have an issue with fixing things on the spot, but on nights I need to focus on writing I just keep myself from reading back.

7. How long have you been writing?

I mean, they make kids write really young for school, so begrudgingly that long. Creatively and for fun? I’m not sure. I can’t quite recall how old I was when I started with the poetry. But considering the notebook I have the earliest pieces in is falling apart, I think it’s been a long time. lol

8. What is your general writing process? Do you write chronologically? Do you do a lot of planning?

I normally get this idea that shows up out of the blue as a daydream or a random thought. Then, there’s at least a month. If it’s still there, it gets considered. If it’s grown and expanded into something resembling either a world or a plot by then, it’s probably getting written.

After the idea finally bugs me enough, I’ll start world building and building a bare-bones plot, complete with bare-boned characters. I never flesh anything out completely, since I do most of that while I write and having strict outlines suffocates my story.

If the world building, characters, and whatever I have of a plot are interesting, I’ll start chronologically and keep moving from there.

9. Assign a scent to your writing style.

A scent for my style? Um... that’s kind of a weird question and I have no idea how I would even begin to think of an answer for that. Like, how do you translate comma usage and word choice into a smell? I mean, I use roses a lot in my stories, so maybe that would work?

10. One book you hope everyone reads?

I have to agree with hyba that I hope everyone just finds their version of the book. The one that gets them through a hard time, the one they really need, and that that book won’t be the same for everyone.

11. What is it about your least favorite genre that makes it your least favorite–and how might you change that to better appeal to you?

Oh that’s simple, it’s because horror does it’s job. That’s it. It’s nothing particularly about the style or anything besides that the genre is what it is.

12. Design a “collector’s edition” for your first novel. Include items that might be of interest to your audience.

Never thought about it, but I guess I could throw in the world map I drew for The Plight of a Sparrow into it.

13. If one thing was real from your project, what would you want it to be?

Nothing in particular? I can’t think of anything that would make sense to transfer from my projects to the real world, because I don’t want magic to be real, because my magic systems tend to be brutal, but also, we have stuff like or better than a lot of what doesn’t run off magic. Maybe some of the creatures would be cool, but I don’t know how that would affect ecosystems.... probably not for the better.

14. What’s something you always include in your work? Do you have any other Easter eggs?

As far as easter eggs, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. If I do, it probably wasn’t intentional.

15. What is your favorite passage from your own work?

I still am not really comfortable with sharing things out of my WIPs on here. As far as things I’ve written for the blog itself go, there are quite a few pieces and passages that turned out really good. I think one of my favorites is from a really old piece I did back before I was doing fusion stories. It’s from this one specifically, if anyone would like to read the full tale, it is a grim one, though.

The very edge of the forest was about as welcoming as a gallows. Crows watched us hungrily, like we were dead men about to sway. None of them made so much as a peep as their dead eyes followed our trek through the knotted mess of brambles, ivy, knotted shrubs, and gnarled trees. We hacked at the plants, and they hacked right back at us. We traded blows like it was a war. hatchet and sword blows countered with sharp thorns and parried with thick branches.

I’m going to leave this an open tag, jump in if you’d like to. =D

[anxious-witch]

holiday prompt you say? well well well, totally not based on my experiences

aheeem heeem

good ol’ jance (everyone’s favorite)

one of them offering a hot beverage, the other declining the offer. first one constantly being like “are you sure? you look cold”

I know I keep combining these, but some just fit so well! And I don't want to writing anything too short or repeat myself so! I hope this is fine, since I included both

Jan was having a bad day. His insomnia kicked in last night, which meant he didn't get much sleep. With Jere being over and Bojan's apartment for the holidays, the two of them kept constantly dragging the rest of them somewhere.

Because God forbid Jere didn't get the full experience with all of them around.

So here Jan was, after barely a few hours of sleep, standing by the ice rink. Freezing.

“Janči,” Nace said gently, “are you sure you don't want something to drink? Maybe mulled wine? Or hot chocolate?”

Jan set his jaw.

“No.”

Nace pursed his lips, giving him a worried once over. Jan knew he wasn't happy about how he dressed for the weather. He wore only a leather coat and a scarf that Nace wrapped around his neck at the last moment.

He wasn't that cold though. It was just sleep deprivation.

“You look cold.”

“I'm not.”

Nace sighed.

“Janči. Com'on.”

Jan crossed his arms over his chest.

“I'm tired, not cold.”

Nace reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. Jan felt an overwhelming fondness wash over him, despite his annoyance.

“I am just trying to help.”

Jan grabbed his wrist when he tried to pull his hand back and kissed his palm. Nace's cheeks colored slightly.

“I know. Sorry, I am just tired.”

“Coffee might help?”

Jan snorted at his weak attempt.

“No. Unless you are offering to whisk me away from these idiots,” Jan quickly glanced at the ice rink, “I think I'll pass.”

Nace chewed on his lip and glanced at the ice rink. Bojan, Jere, Kris and Jure were there, Nace and Jan didn't join them due to Nace pulling a muscle in the gym recently. Jan didn't want to leave him alone and frankly, he felt like he'd be completely uncoordinated anyway.

Nace got up from their table and Jan curiously watched him as he got to the rink and waved their friends over. He saw him talk to Kris-Bojan and Jure were currently being chased by Jere across the rink-and then quickly come back.

“What was that about?”

“We are leaving. You are clearly tired and I did pull a muscle so…how about we just drive around and look at the lights? And then go home and watch a movie or something.”

Jan smiled warmly.

“I would like that.”

So they did. Nace drove, not trusting him not to get drowsy behind the wheel with the little sleep he got, and simply drove around.

Jan felt slightly like a cat, looking at all the bright lights and Christmas decorations of the houses. Nace drove slowly, so he could steal glances as well, but also the streets seemed to be mostly empty. Like that lull of the day where everyone was just content to stay where they were.

“Maybe we should buy the rooftop Santa for next year,” Nace mused, looking at one of the houses.

Jan laughed.

“And put it where? We live in an apartment!”

Nace shrugged, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

“Maybe in a living room. Igor would love him.”

Jan rolled his eyes.

“Yeah. Would love tearing it apart.”

It was Nace who laughed this time. They continued driving and commenting on the decorations, either approving or disapproving of the choice.

After a while, they both got tired and Nace began driving them home. Jan looked at him as they passed all the colorful lights and decorations once more, suddenly struck by how lucky he was. How thankful he was for Nace.

For the fact that they got to spend the holidays together.

“Nace?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, you know that, right?”

Nace carefully parked the car before turning to him and taking his hands in his.

“Of course I know. I love you too. Is everything okay?”

Jan nodded.

“Yeah-yeah I just. Maybe I don't say it enough. But I really do. Thank you for this. Everything, actually.”

Nace kissed him. Jan was almost started by it, not expecting it. He kissed him back, melting into the kiss. Then Nace gently pulled away.

“You don't have to thank me for that. And I know you love me, you just express it in different ways and that's okay. Although I won't complain if you say it more often, either.”

Jan snorted.

“Alright then. I love you.”

Then he kissed him again. He could say many more things. He could tell him that he loved him and he loved spending time with him every day. That he couldn't wait to spend every holiday and special occasion with him, along with all the ordinary days and love him throughout all of them.

Jan might still tell him another day. For now, he'd be content kissing him and accepting the fact that despite all of it, he likely knew all that already.

[survivingyellow]

#FuckJohnny

Aye there people of the interweb. Hope you're all still livin', breathin' and being safe out there you sex driven motherfuckers. So I come to you with news. In my last post I declared myself available to love and all that jazz. In this post, I'm gonna talk to you all about how fucky the dating world is. Brooo, I was out of the game for a while and really didn't even realize it. I don't really know how many of you are going through this, but for those of you that are just getting back into the whole lovey dovey ordeal I want you to know that you are not alone.

I recently started interacting with a guy that I actually really enjoy talking to. Can you guess where I met him?? Ahh yes, bumble. The greatest dating apps of all times (not to be taken too seriously) I got my hopes up for this one, dude. He was handsome as hell, had a nice personality, and he was even more masculine than I am. (Wow, shocking I know) now I don't wanna shit talk him or anything but things just...didn't work out the best and probably for good reasons. But I do want to say that even though we didn't talk all that long I do wanna say (I was talking to Sean about this earlier) that it does kinda upset me. It upsets me and it probably does you too- because if you're anything like me, you put energy and time into these people so they have an idea of you or at least the best version of yourself. Which sucks. Because you think that things are gonna work out and you put so much effort into it because you feel like stepping away is quitting. And not putting a lot into it, that you look like you don't care. Which all you wanna do is look good to these people. Like a first impression.

I don't know man, then I have people that are interested in me and read my blogs and compliment me and ask me on dates and I should give them all of the attention that I have to spare and yet... I just can't seem to do it. Probably because I have a tendency of finding the most toxic, egotistical, high maintenance kind of guys known to man the most attractive. But I just feel like... We gotta get our shit together. Start picking the nice guys. Start having higher expectations. Start valuing our time more than just wasting it on these temporary people. Such as....bumble boys and or girls. (btw is a whole other topic).

Anyway, I love you guys and hope I kind put in perspective what you may or may not be going though. Or at least what's been going down in my life lately. I wanna do something different for my next post. Like ask me questions and I'll try to help out the best I can without giving any of your personal info or names or anything. If you'd like to partake. My snap is Jancie00. I'd loooooove to give my input.

Till next time

-Jance

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Third to Die by Allison Brennan

Mobile Response Team #1

Detective Kara Quinn has worked undercover most of her twelve years with the LAPD. She is good at her job but as a result of her last assignment is “on leave” for two weeks and has gone “home” to spend time with her grandmother. Not a woman to sit and relax she is soon assisting the FBI’s Moblie Response Team in finding the Triple Killer. This story has a great deal of police procedural information included as they look for the killer. As this is a new series each of the team of the new MRT has to be introduced and a bit said about them, too. Will they catch their man? Will they be able to save any of the people the killer is out to take the lives of? Will they figure out why the killer kills and why he chooses those he does to murder? Quite an interesting tale but not a happy ever after for everyone.

What I liked:

* The concept for the team and that it is not quite complete yet

* Matt: seems wise and mature enough to be in charge of the team

* Kara: dedicated police woman that is a bit of a chameleon. I want to know more about her

* The dynamics between the various people working the case

* The side story of Catherine the profiler and her situation (though I wonder if she has been in a previous book)

* The potential for a relationship between Matt & Kara

* The groundwork put in place for the series

What I did not like:

* The bad guy...what a creep. Toward the end he did sound mentally “younger” than his years...more teenager than adult at times

* That some very good people ended up dead at the hands of the serial killer

* Having to wait for the second book to find out what the next case will be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

BLURB

An edgy female police detective…An ambitious FBI special agent. Together they are at the heart of the ticking-clock investigation for a psychopathic serial killer. The bond they forge in this crucible sets the stage for high-stakes suspense. Detective Kara Quinn, on leave from the LAPD, is on an early morning jog in her hometown of Liberty Lake when she comes upon the body of a young nurse. The manner of death shows a pattern of highly controlled rage. Meanwhile in DC, FBI special agent Mathias Costa is staffing his newly minted Mobile Response Team. Word reaches Matt that the Liberty Lake murder fits the profile of the compulsive Triple Killer. It will be the first case for the MRT. This time they have a chance to stop this zealous if elusive killer before he strikes again. But only if they can figure out who he is and where he is hiding before he disappears for another three years. The stakes are higher than ever before, because if they fail, one of their own will be next…

EXCERPT

Wednesday, March 3

Liberty Lake, Washington

12:09 a.m.

Warm blood covered him.

His arms, up to his elbows, were slick with it. His clothing splattered with it. The knife—the blade that had taken his retribution—hung in his gloved hand by his side.

It was good. Very good.

He was almost done.

The killer stared at the blackness in front of him, his mind as silent and dark as the night. The water lapped gently at the banks of the lake. A faint swish swish swish as it rolled up and back, up and back, in the lightest of breezes.

He breathed in cold air; he exhaled steam.

Calm. Focused.

As the sounds and chill penetrated his subconscious, he moved into action. Staying here with the body would be foolish, even in the middle of the night.

He placed the knife carefully on a waist-high boulder, then removed his clothes. Jacket. Sweater. Undershirt. He stuffed them into a plastic bag. Took off his shoes. Socks. Pants. Boxers. Added them to the bag. He stood naked except for his gloves.

He tied the top of the plastic, then picked up the knife again and stabbed the bag multiple times. With strength that belied his lean frame, he threw the knife into the water. He couldn’t see where it fell; he barely heard the plunk.

Then he placed the bag in the lake and pushed it under, holding it beneath the surface to let the frigid water seep in. When the bag was saturated, he pulled it out and spun himself around as if he were throwing a shot put. He let go and the bag flew, hitting the water with a loud splash.

Even if the police found it—which he doubted they would— the water would destroy any evidence. He’d bought the clothes and shoes, even his underwear, at a discount store in another city, at another time. He’d never worn them before tonight.

Though he didn’t want DNA evidence in the system, it didn’t scare him if the police found something. He didn’t have a record. He’d killed before, many times, and not one person had spoken to him. He was smart—smarter than the cops, and certainly smarter than the victims he’d carefully selected.

Still, he must be cautious. Meticulous. Being smart meant that he couldn’t assume anything. What did his old man use to say?

Assume makes an ass out of you and me…

The killer scowled. He wasn’t doing any of this for his old man, though his father would get the retribution he deserved. He was doing this for himself. His own retribution. He was this close to finishing the elaborate plan he’d conceived years ago.

He could scarcely wait until six days from now, March 9, when his revenge would be complete.

He was saving the guiltiest of them for last.

Still, he hoped his old man would be pleased. Hadn’t he done what his father was too weak to do? Righted the many wrongs that had been done to them. How many times had the old man said these people should suffer? How many times had his father told him these people were fools?

Still, he hoped his old man would be pleased. Hadn’t he done what his father was too weak to do? Righted the many wrongs that had been done to them. How many times had the old man said these people should suffer? How many times had his father told him these people were fools?

Yet his father just let it happen and did nothing about it! Nothing! Because he was weak. He was weak and pathetic and cruel.

Breathe. Focus. All in good time.

All in good time.

The killer took another, smaller plastic bag from his backpack. He removed his wet gloves, put them inside, added a good-sized rock, tied the bag, then threw it into the lake.

Still naked, he shivered in the cold, still air. He wasn’t done.

Do it quick.

He walked into the lake, the water colder than ice. Still, he took several steps forward, his feet sinking into the rough muck at the bottom. When his knees were submersed, he did a shallow dive. His chest scraped a rock, but he was too numb to feel pain. He broke through the surface with a loud scream. He couldn’t breathe; he couldn’t think. His heart pounded in his chest, aching from the icy water.

But he was alive. He was fucking alive!

He went under once more, rubbed his hands briskly over his arms and face in case any blood remained. He would take a hot shower when he returned home, use soap and a towel to remove anything the lake left behind. But for now, this would do.

Twenty seconds in the water was almost too long. He bolted out, coughed, his body shaking so hard he could scarcely think. But he had planned everything well and operated on autopilot.

He pulled a towel from his backpack and dried off as best he could. Stepped into new sweatpants, sweatshirt, and shoes. Pulled on a new pair of gloves. There might be blood on the ATV, but it wasn’t his blood, so he wasn’t concerned.

He took a moment to stare back at the dark, still lake. Then he took one final look at the body splayed faceup. He felt nothing, because she was nothing. Unimportant. Simply a small pawn in a much bigger game. A pawn easily sacrificed.

He hoped his old man would be proud of his work, but he would probably just criticize his son’s process. He’d complain about how he did the job, then open another bottle of booze.

He hoped his father was burning in hell.

He jumped on the ATV and rode into the night.

Excerpted from The Third to Die by Allison Brennan, Copyright © 2020 by Allison Brennan. Published by MIRA Books.

Q&A with Allison Brennan

Q: Tell us a little about your new release, The Third to Die. What character in the book really spoke to you?

A: THE THIRD TO DIE is the first book in a new series, which is always exciting. I think what I like the most about THE THIRD TO DIE -- and the series concept of a mobile FBI task force tackling complex cases in rural and remote areas -- is that I can explore some areas that aren’t often written about. With the vast numbers of crime fiction set in New York City, Los Angeles, and the like, I wanted to do something different. (This isn’t to say other authors haven’t -- J.A. Jance has a small-town Arizona series and of course Craig Johnson’s Longmire series in Wyoming are two I enjoy.) I like moving the setting from book to book and keeping the core characters -- it’s one reason I had Maxine Revere investigate cold cases in places other than where she lived. Because of the nature of the task force, they will be outsiders wherever they go, and need to learn to work together and trust each other.

In THE THIRD TO DIE, a serial killer hits a small community outside Spokane, Washington. The Triple Killer surfaces on March 3rd to take three victims before he disappears for three years. But this time, the FBI is on the case early, and they have the best chance of finding him. If they don’t, a cop will end up dead. The best thing about this story is being able to create an ensemble cast of characters. I love shows like BONES and SVU where you have a lead character or two, but the writers spend a lot of time developing everyone else, so you feel like you’re part of a team. That’s what I’m trying to create with the MRT series.

Matt Costa heads the group, and what I love most about Matt is his ability to be a leader. He’s a workaholic, but he trusts his team to do their job. He’ll listen to everyone, but when he makes a decision he stands by it. Detective Kara Quinn thinks, “He’s an alpha male trying very hard, and failing, to be a beta.”

Dr. Catherine Jones surprised me. I pictured her (somewhat) as a female version of Will Graham from THE RED DRAGON (the book, not the movies!), torn apart by what she’s seen, but unable to leave the job behind even if it destroys her family. Knowing she’s a secondary character in this book, I was surprised that her few scenes had such an impact.

But it was Detective Kara Quinn who really spoke to me. Kara was never supposed to practically take over the book. When I first conceived of the opening, where Kara finds the body, I thought Kara would simply be a witness and that she might investigate on her own and possible even end up a victim herself. But getting into her head, learning about her childhood, watching how she interacts with Matt as well as his team … she intrigued me so much that I hoped she survived (it was iffy there for awhile!) because I wanted to keep writing about her.

Q: You write about some interesting and complex characters in your books. From Investigative reporter Maxine Revere to the Rogan/Kincaid families. What is your favorite type of character to write about?

A: This is a hard question! I like exploring a wide variety of characters, both heroes and villains. I love complex and conflicted characters, like Detective Kara Quinn, who has many strengths and a few weaknesses. I love writing villains and trying to figure out why they do what they do. To me, every great hero has a fatal flaw and every evil villain has a redeeming quality.

Q: How long did it take you to get your rough draft finished on your latest release?

A: Generally, a rough draft -- which is usually pretty clean because I edit as I go -- takes me 10-12 weeks to write. Because I wrote THE THIRD TO DIE “on spec” -- meaning, it wasn’t contracted by a publisher -- I had to write between other projects that had deadlines. I wrote three complete books while also writing this book, so it took me a little over a year to finish the rough draft. But it wasn’t really “rough” -- because I had to step away for weeks at a time, in order to get back into the story, I re-read and edited what I’d written, then wrote the next few chapters.

Q: For readers who haven't tried your books yet, how do you think your editor or loyal readers would describe your books?

A: My editor usually tells me that my characters are compelling and I know how to increase the tension through to the climax. My long-time readers usually tell me that they feel like they know my characters and that they can’t put the book down because they have to find out what happens. Most readers say my books are suspenseful. I also hear that my books are “intricately plotted” which makes me chuckle because I don’t plot.

Q: When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?

A: I’ve tried every method of note-keeping, but little works for me. When I’m writing, I write notes directly into the manuscript either using the comment function or just typing in the text *** NOTE *** so I can easily search the asterisks. During revisions I have a notepad next to me with the key points my editor commented on, so I can keep those in mind while fixing problem scenes. For ideas I have a computer file called IDEAS (original, I know!) that I add to from time to time, but I rarely have used any of the thoughts I’ve jotted here.

Q: In The Third to Die, were there any characters that started off as supporting characters, but then developed into a more prominent character?

A: Detective Kara Quinn, who ended up being my favorite character once I was done writing, I’d intended to be a supporting character but as I got into her head, I liked her so much I kept wanting to go back to her. She became much more important to the story -- and, ultimately, the series. Detective Andy Knolls, who was a strong supporting character throughout, was originally supposed to be a much more minor character -- just the local cop my FBI agents could tap into for whatever they needed. But once he walked out of the autopsy because he thought he would puke, I realized he was a terrific character and I wanted to explore the character of a small-town cop facing a violent crime he was ill-prepared for.

Q: What advantages or challenges does a writer in your genre face in today’s fiction market?

A: I think all writers, regardless of genre, face an overwhelming marketplace for stories. There are so many books being published today--both traditionally and independently--that standing out can be a challenge. But there are clear advantages to writing mysteries and thrillers -- I’ve talked to several bookstore owners and they tell me the genre has been selling much better over the last couple of years. Recently, one bookseller told me, “We used to sell tons of romances. Now, everyone wants mysteries.” There is always a market for good stories well told, and genre fiction is always in demand.

Q: The Third to Die is the first in a new series from you, called the Mobile Response Team. What made you decide to branch out into another series set in the world of the FBI?

A: I had this idea more than a decade ago. When I participated in the FBI Citizens Academy in 2008, I learned about the Evidence Response Team and how they work within the FBI -- basically, they are agents from different squads in one jurisdiction who come together because they have specialized training in order to process and investigate specific types of crimes. One example locally was the Yosemite murders that terrified northern California in 1999, investigated by the Sacramento FBI with crime scenes investigated by the Sacramento ERT.  But ERT agents also have their own cases, they’re only pulled together in extraordinary circumstances. So I mentioned an idea to the public information officer about having an ERT unit that worked around the country (rather than in one limited jurisdiction) and he said he didn’t see how it would practically work. I shelved it, but it nagged at me from time to time. Fast forward ten years and the PIO had since retired. He and I were chatting about another book of mine (I call him regularly for research!) and I talked to him again about my idea, but I had tweaked it. I had the concept of a Mobile Response Team to focus on rural and underserved communities, based on reading about some FBI offices that had huge territories and more limited resources (because of size, location, etc.) He thought about it, and said, yeah, he could buy into it, especially since the FBI is working hard on improving its image. So while it’s not an actual FBI task force, it was plausible. So I ran with it.

I love writing crime thrillers. I’m very comfortable writing in the FBI world, maybe because of all the research I’ve done and maybe because I’m interested in the cases they investigate. Because the MRT team moves around, I can explore a multitude of crimes that interest me. With an ensemble cast of characters, I can focus on different characters in each book, hopefully to make them more real to my readers. Matt and Kara will likely lead each book, but like Catherine was a pivotal character in this book, and Michael Harris will be a pivotal character in the second book, I hope to also go deeper into Ryder, Jim, and the rest of the team.

Q: I really enjoy the complex story lines and cases you have in your Lucy Kincaid and Max Revere Books. How much research goes into your stories and is there a particular 'right from the news headlines' that catches your interest for a possible storyline?

A: I love research! I read widely and have more than 50 research books on my shelf -- forensics, true crime, military, criminal profiling, psychology, police procedures, and more. I have contacts in many professions who I can ask questions. Before I start writing, I have to make sure the set-up works. After that, I research as I write. I participate in “generic” research whenever I have the opportunity--talking to people in interesting professions or going on “field trips” (such as to the morgue to view an autopsy or a ride along with the sheriff’s department)--just to keep my general knowledge about law enforcement up-to-date.

Because I read widely, and keep up-to-date on crime related news, many ‘right from the headlines’ stories catch my eye, but I rarely write about them. It’s usually a couple stories that I see together that give me an idea. Such as reading about a storm that unearths bones might interest me, but then I’ll read an article about a missing person or a mortgage fraud scheme and twist all the articles into one idea that’s completely different from the original stories. I’ve read a lot about human trafficking, and my second MRT book touches on that based very loosely on an article I read about how coyotes go back and forth across the border and the cost to their victims (financial, emotional, physical) coupled with another article I read about an abandoned camp that may or may not have been used for criminal activity, on top of a conversation I had with my brother-in-law, a wildlife biologist, about birds.

Q: What do readers have to look forward to in the future from you?

A: After THE THIRD TO DIE, the next Lucy Kincaid book will be out on March 31, where Maxine Revere gets to join Lucy in San Antonio -- but with a twist. In CUT AND RUN, Lucy is investigating the cold case and Max is investigating the recent murder. I’m almost done writing the Lucy book that follows -- COLD AS ICE (10.27.20) as well as finishing the revisions of the second MRT book (currently untitled) coming out in the spring of 2021. I also have an idea for a trilogy about a female private investigator that I’m super excited about, and I’ll be starting the first draft of the third MRT book this spring. Oh -- and there will be two Lucy Kincaid novellas coming this summer!

Q: What advice do you have for someone working on their first book?

A: Create good habits. Write regularly--create a schedule that fits into your life and stick to it, whether it’s an hour every morning before the kids get up, two hours at night when you used to watch television, or every Sunday afternoon. You need to make sacrifices to find the time to write, but if it’s important, you’ll do it. (For example, when I was working full-time out of the house AND had three young kids, I gave up television for three years and wrote every night from 9 to midnight.) Also, learn how to discern constructive criticism--some advice is good, some isn’t. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to take and what to leave, but it’s important. Generally, advice that is constructive will help you see your flaws while also motivating you to keep writing; advice that is destructive will make you feel like a failure. Don’t listen to the destructive advice.

Q: What is the hardest part about writing for you?

A: Procrastinating. I get easily distracted, especially when I’m just starting a book. So I guess that means the beginning is hard, hahaha. Once I am deep into the story -- somewhere between 100-150 pages -- something clicks and then I can’t write fast enough. In fact, I’ve often said that it takes me twice as long to write the first 100 pages than it does to write the last 300 pages!

Q: Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you work writing into your existing schedule?

A: Before my first book came out in 2006, I worked full-time and I only had nights to write. I wrote every night when the kids went to bed, from 9 to midnight. Now I write full time, and I treat it as a full-time job -- I start after the kids go to school (about 8 am) and generally wrap up before dinner (about 6 pm). Not all those hours are spent writing -- I’ll research, read, spend time on social media -- and sometimes I’ll write at night, especially if I have to take a day off for errands or I have an imminent deadline or if I’m super excited about the scene I’m writing. Because my time is flexible, I can go watch my daughter’s softball games or take a day to research on-site (like a ride-along.) I also write on the weekends, but only if we don’t have family things planned (or a softball tournament!)

Q: What is your favorite line from your book?

A: I don’t have a favorite line, per se. I have a couple favorite scenes. When Matt first comes to town and he and Kara walk through the crime scene. Matt’s conversations with Ryder Kim, his jack-of-all-trades analyst. Kara’s scenes with her grandmother. The climax was hugely fun to write, and needed a lot of choreographing on my part to make sure it made sense! There’s a scene from a child’s POV that was very emotional to write and stuck with me for a long time. I think Kara has most of the best lines, to be honest, and one of the best exchanges between her and Matt was after a press conference Matt gave with the Spokane PD, when Kara was in the audience trying to figure out if the killer was watching the speech. Matt was irritated because he hadn’t seen her, and Kara decided to have fun with him. At the end, as she’s about to leave the room:

Kara smiled and handed Matt his wallet. “You were too easy.”

Matt took his wallet, looking both surprised and angry, but also impressed. “You stole my wallet?”

“You gave me shit because you thought I’d bailed on you--I was just having fun. Don’t take it personally. I’ve been picking pockets since I was a little kid.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of three dozen thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, has had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids. Allison and her family live in Arizona. Visit her at allisonbrennan.com

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.allisonbrennan.com/

Facebook: @AllisonBrennan

Twitter: @Allison_Brennan

Instagram: @abwrites

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/52527.Allison_Brennan

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0778309444/httpwwwalli0f-20

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-third-to-die-allison-brennan/1131669020;jsessionid=C1F1BD4B1DE6C665460E505FA5022816.prodny_store02-atgap03?ean=9780778309444

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780778309444

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780778309444

AppleBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-third-to-die/id1464894471

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Allison_Brennan_The_Third_to_Die?id=0sWZDwAAQBAJ

[marjaystuff]

Flip flops and summer reading

I am T minus 4 days until the students are gone. That doesn't mean I won't be working this summer because there is always summer school. It does however mean that it's flip flops and summer reading time. I am particularly looking forward to it this year. It has been a hard year. I took on a new job with new responsibilities and as always more government paperwork to just muck-up the system. I have to admit the last couple of weeks I have really noticed every book  that has a beach, sand on it, or a lake.   I have put many of them on my to-be-read list. I noticed that the newspapers I read and the online book magazines  have come up with a summer list as well.

Looking for my flip-flops however have been a larger issue. At first, I couldn't find any of them. Then when I went to put away my winter boots lo and behold - my flip-flops were in the same compartment. But only one pair. That is very curious because I own many pairs of flip-flops. I have flip flops with flowers. I have flip flops with martini glasses. I have flip flops with the Boston Red Sox emblem. I have red flip flops. I have blue flip flops.  I have flowered flip flops. Today my young friend downstairs, for a reasonable amount of cash, agreed to clean out my car.  All parts of my car -including underneath the seats. Guess what he found?   That's right my pink flower flip-flops, my Boston Red Sox flip flops and  my martini glass flip flops. I am good.   I have flip flops galore to wear.  Well except for that one pair that is still missing - the flamingos flip flops.

This week you'll notice on my reading list that I have read some great books. Jenny Hale's new book called The Beach House was interesting. What's Worth Keeping by Kaya McLaren was a wonderful novel. It really made you pay attention to what is worth keeping. A Duke in Time by Janna MacGregor, a historical romance about a man who had three wives and when he dies, the three wives come together for a solution. C J Box has a new novel out called Dark Sky. It is another Joe Pickett novel where we see Joe up against the forces of evil in the wilderness trying to keep a client alive. Today I just finished the Hannah McKenna novel, Message in the Sand. It was a lovely read that reminds you,  families can be with people you choose to be families with, not just people you are related to by blood.

Elise Cooper sent us a book review and interview with J A Jance and her book Unfinished Business. The book focuses on a computer security service in Arizona.  The book sounds like a bit of a thriller.  Meanwhile I really hope all of you have a great  time reading this week.   If you find a book that really makes your heart sing - please drop me a note.   Thanks to all my readers. 

The Beach House by Jenny Hale 

What's Worth Keeping by Kaya McLaren

A Duke in Time by Janna MacGregor

Dark Sky by C J Box 

Message in the Sand by Hannah McKenna