#plumcoloredblazer

[st-just]

Hey, I'd re-recommend the Red Rising Trilogy. It does lean into the Hunger Games in the first book because Pierce Brown was an uncertain author at that point I suppose, but it's still very bearably enjoyable. Golden Son is a real Space Opera romp though. And Morning Star keeps it going. Iron Gold is sort of a getting into a new trilogy slog in my opinion. But then Dark Age doesn't skew from its title. It's really dark. Everyone suffers!

To summarize: I've read Golden Son a few times for fun, so at least give the first two books a try then see if you want to move onward.

I mean, I will be honest, a five-book YA series is a real hard sell for me at this point. But will remove it from the DNR list (imaginary in my head), at least.

[victoriadallonfan]

@plumcoloredblazer

Nailfarer my darling.

God that entire scene makes me tear up every time. I used to work EMS and worked a lot with EMT's. It reminded me of this poor old man who was losing cognition, unable to control his body fluids, and seeping blood. He was so kind and trying to put on a brave face for his wife, but you could tell he was scared.

Nailfarer squeezing Victoria's hand, giving the EMT the thumbs up, and trying to give them as much information as possible... Victoria crying while the EMT's pretend to not notice for her privacy...

Ugh, it's fucking heartbreaking.

I do wish Wildbow had let them reunite once before the story was over, but I understand why he didn't, since he was getting near the end game of things.

[redaynia]

15 People, 15 Questions

tagged by @apaigeturner (thanks!!!)

1. Are you named after anyone?

No. My brother and sister got at least one family name but they just picked random ones for me.

2. When was the last time you cried?

I actually can't remember? That's nice.

3. Do you have kids?

HA. No.

4. What sports do you play/have you played?

They put me on the school hurling team once in national school and subbed me on for the last five minutes of the game. Every time the sliotar came towards me I ducked lmao

5. Do you use sarcasm?

It's a chronic condition.

6. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Probably their tone and how they address people.

7. What’s your eye color?

Grey.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary films! But a good happy ending has its place too.

9. Any talents?

I can write (allegedly). I'm very good at memorising information. I can draw a bit. I've been told I'm clear and concise when I'm explaining things but I guess that's a skill.

10. Where were you born?

England, UK (crowd booing)

11. What are your hobbies?

Video games, reading, writing, puzzles. Intent on finding a dnd group so that can be my new hobby for the year. Oh I want to take pottery classes too!

12. Do you have any pets?

2 cats!

13. How tall are you?

160cm

14. Favorite subject in school?

Art or English. I loved maths as well though!

15. Dream job?

I never really had a dream job? I have like. Flights of fancy. But I never thought of a career where I was like "oh THAT'S what I want to do." I think I'd like to have something published one day.

I don't think I know 15 people? But no pressure @saintalessia @jozefumi @arborstone @filantestar @plumcoloredblazer

[dahliasgloom]

dove, loveseat, stargaze maybe?

Oh, these are lovely! Thank you

Dove - How do you express love?

Usually by giving small handmade gifts or writing something just for that person. I’m not a fan of physical contact, but cuddling with someone I love? Fantastic.

Loveseat- Describe your ideal house

A small, cozy apartment. Full of books and photos with my loved ones. I want to have a special part dedicated just for that.

Stargaze - Celebrity crush?

Inexistent. I think the last time I had one was when I was like 14 or something like that. 

[rainfrazier]

Chastity for @plumcoloredblazer! she’s my favorite heartbroken!!

[eatersgrin]

@plumcoloredblazer 's Tess 'Redoubt' Tudo, the latest Ward for The Protectorate ENE in Brockton Bay.

Original is in the middle and then ran it through my four favorite algorithms and then did touch ups!

[thehiddenbaroness]

Leo? (But, I will admit, I'm curious about Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer too)

You bless me. Thank you! <3 leo: what things will show up in every book you write? do you ever feel like a one-trick pony? My own barely-disguised emotional issues. *ahem* Although I think I end up with strong repeating themes in my work, oddly enough I’ve never really considered myself a one-trick pony. Maybe that’s because I’ve dabbled in a variety of genres/tones. That said, I think what actually gets published by a writer adds a different sort of context by which they’re judged, so maybe I have a bit more freedom in that regard. And isn’t all storytelling ultimately the same trick? Philosophizing aside: I’m always going to have strong women (usually with a flavor of identity issues, tragedy, vulnerability issues). Dream sequences are a common feature. I’m fond of political backdrops and deep worldbuilding, and for the former I usually have a character that’s a lynchpin element therein. Found families. I try to get away from love triangles but it’s difficult. Sometimes dark, often unconsummated sexual tension seems to be a recent trend. There’s always going to be some kind of symbolic, poetic, emotional vignette. On a funnier note, I’ve realized that I always wind up with the textual equivalent of a moneyshot of my protagonist, haha. taurus: how long will you spend on a story or scene before you give up? I guess it depends what’s meant by ‘giving up’! I never really consider myself actively giving up on a scene, though I guess if you stop working on something for however long a period of time, that’s a form of it. But I can’t recall ever getting halfway through something and deciding I don’t like what I originally set out to write. I usually stick with my original idea, however long it may take me to finish it. Whether I then go back later and scrap it is another matter.  gemini: how often will your plot change throughout the course of writing? Typically, as above i don’t really do vast overhaul corrections midway through that requires extensive rewriting. Now, I do have a tendency for my plots to evolve out of their original proportion! So in that sense they change. I set out to write something straightforward and shorter, and suddenly I’m neck-deep in something extremely convoluted with seven side-plots, ten new character bios and a family tree. Happily that burst of back-growth tends to only happen two or three times in a project.  I will say that I have made drastic overhauls after first drafts are done, or if something’s sat in the drawer for a few years and I decide I want to make it better. However, usually the plot isn’t what changes. cancer: how do you write emotional scenes? do you ever feel what the characters feel? Oh gosh all the time. Most of my emotional scenes draw in some way on emotions I’ve felt before, even if the source was different. I don’t think that’s avoidable for any writer worth their salt. I think it’s possible to write emotional scenes that you haven’t personally been through as well, though. If you have any degree of sympathy or empathy and can use it creatively and skillfully, you can do it.  When I actually write the darn things, though, I find that I have to be in an environment conducive to channeling those feelings, whatever they may be. Sometimes the chicken and the egg swap places -- I’ll be in a certain mood so I deliberately set out to write a scene that channels that mood. But if I want to facsimile an emotion I typically have to have a degree of solitude, mostly so I can play appropriate music for inspiration. I find often it’s the same track on repeat, once I hone on something that’s especially stirring for a specific conversation, thought, or gesture in mind. Usually those things lead to successful emotional vignettes, for me. Ask Away! Done: Scorpio, Virgo, Taurus, Leo, Gemini, Cancer

[cajolions]

📺 Fave anime 📖 Fave book 💕 Your two top fave fictional characters 📏 How tall are you

📺 Fave anime 

oof i have not thought about anime in a while… was always more of a manga kid anyway but Cowboy Beebop is wonderful! Should get around to watching NGA and Serial Experiments Lain as well, I think I’d enjoy them

📖 Fave book 

Right now? Red Doc> by Anne Carson

💕 Your two top fave fictional characters 

Corto Maltese, which shouldn’t be a surprise at this point, and… Kim Wexler 

📏 How tall are you

As @succubused was just saying “one minute 72 seconds and statuesque” 

[st-just]

I need a good podcast to listen to (informative or entertaining audio, not really looking for a story at the moment). Do you have any recommendations?

Oh do I!

But honestly, it depends on what you’re interested in?

So, like, historical lectures (in increasing order of my impression of obscurity)-

Mike Duncan’s Revolutions. Decent chance you’ve already heard of/listened to it, he’s one of the more commonly interviewed semi-intellectual pop historians at the moment (..that might come off as derogatory. Not intended. Just in terms of where he gets interviewed). A series on the great political revolutions of modernity, starting with England, though America, France, Haiti, Spanish America (told as an extended biography of Simon Bolivar), the July Revolution in France, 1848, the Paris Commune, Mexico, and Russia (currently ongoing, to be the last). The first two aren’t...bad, but no great either. Haiti is amazing and a topic that’s basically never covered in mainstream historical surveys. Honestly a better historical survey of the long 19th century in Europe and Latin America period than you’re likely to have gotten in school. The first dozen episodes of the Russia series are also a generally decent explanation of the development of marxist and anarchist thought in the 19th century.

Partick Wyman’s Fall of Rome and Tides of History. Fall of Rome is what you would expect from the name, though rather than trying to do any sort of general survey after the introduction he focuses episodes on specific regions or themes rather than just a slice of time, generally. Tides of History is the same for the period from 1250-1550 (I think? might be a century off there), which he considers Europe to have developed the necessary conditions for the creation of the modern world. More recently, still under the Tides of History title, he’s moved on to early humanity, with the most recent episode being on predynastic Egypt. Found of, like, hypothetical case studies/explaining events and situations by describing what the biography of someone unexceptional living through it would have looked like. Spices things up with interviews with other academics and book club discussions with his producer on occasion

Sharyn Eastaugh’s History of the Crusades and Reconquista. On the opposite end, these very much are chronological narrative histories of the periods and subjects (including the Albigensian and Baltic crusades). If you’re the sort of person whose eyes glaze over at lots of names and places or zones out after fifteen minutes spent on one battle, you’ll bounce off of this, but she does an excellent job of getting into/trying to describe the personalities involved, and digs up plenty of interesting anecdotes to spice things up. First part of HotC excellent to listen to as you read Foucault’s Pendulum.

(Okay, I’m too lazy to write out descriptions of all of them, but History of Japan, Egypt and Byzantium, Age of Napoleon and Fall of Civilizations are all also good)

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

Still history, but more conversational

Robert Evans’ Behind The Bastards. Which, again, decent chance you’ve heard of. Biographies of the worst people in history interspersed with comedic banter with a rotating cast of guests. Early episodes are more comedic and obvious, stuff about Hitler’s attempts at painting or Saddam Huessein’s poetry and such. After that focuses on digging into terrible people and horrifying things that you probably wouldn’t have heard of, though! (also gets significantly more openly political).

Isaac Meyer and Demetria Spinrad’s Criminal Records. A true crime podcast but instead of serial killers its about digging up really weird of interesting crimes or court cases - ‘the oldest court case in ancient mesopotamia for which any record still exists’ is probably my favorite example. The hosts are a couple with a solid rhythm to their banter, and in between episodes on like the Stonewall riots or Jack Johnson or William Calley, they really do dig up some wonderfully obscure and bizarre bits of history.

Anthony Kaldellis’ Byzantium and Friends, an interview series with various experts in the study of byzantine/eastern roman history and related fields. Far more than any of the others listed, this is academics talking to academics for a presumed audience of academics, so neither a great introduction if you don’t know the field at all nor very snappy or highly produced or polished and often more than a bit dry. Still, really interesting and extremely current in terms of the state of the field.

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

Pale Reflections is the unofficial-official Pale read-along podcast, analyzing a week’s updates at a time as they release. Useful substitute for having any friends irl you can actually talk to about new updates! Also good for pointing out the obvious things you missed and letting you feel smart for noticing things the hosts didn’t.

Pale in Comparison is a recently started Pact live read podcast where one of the hosts has read Pact and the other hasn’t but has read Pale, trying to figure out what Blake’s in for and understand the setting with that accurate-but-incomplete grounding. Doing an excellent job so far of making me want to reread Pact!

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

Beyond that mostly scripted fiction which you don’t want, various politics/current events/opinion shows whose value basically depends on if there’s an ideological niche you wanted to fill in your news diet, and a couple Canadian investigative journalism shows which are probably a bit parochial. So hopefully one of those appeals!

[redaynia]

Hey, why not? A bookish ask or four. 6, 16, 17, 39

6: Which book was the last one you really, really loved?

Honestly it's been a while since i read one that really hit me so I don't think i have an answer to this one. I haven't read anything this year that's really wowed me.

16: If you could bring three books to a deserted island which would you bring and why?

1. Lord of the Rings omnibus edition. This is three books in one. No that's not cheating.

2. Secret Diary of Adrian Mole. I've read that book so many times over the past like 17 years and it still makes me laugh. It would be like having a friend.

3. The Terror could be a fun experience.

17: If you owned a bookshop what would you call it?

Cooking the books. The gimmick is i choose like 2/3 books that i decide have the literary equivalent of complementary flavour profiles and sell them as a book meal. Like sure you coud just buy one book but where's the fun in that.

39: Name one of your favorite childhood books

Wind in the Willows probably. It's one of the first novels i remember reading on my own :) also the Hobbit.

[st-just]

Have a hankering for parahumans fanfic? How about Redoubt (Worm OC) on spacebattles? Terribly sorry for the self-promotion. I'll be on my way.

Officially at the point where I have to admit I’m keeping up with too many things/have too long a reading list to give this a proper try in the short term, but will try to keep it in mind! 

And here’s the link, I think, for anyone with more spare reading time/energy than me. 

[st-just]

It terms of Victoria-can barely help you at all, there’s no basically no Ward fanfic around at all, insofar as I can tell. 

Well, sorry, not quite true. There’s Warp, about a Victoria circa the end of arc 9, who goes to sleep and wakes up in her own bed, in her own body, right after a particularly portentous bank robbery back in Brockton Bay. Beautifully written, but only two chapter long and no updates since June.

Worm-wise we’ve got a bit more luck, though. 

The one I was just reading is Not Looking Forward To It which-you know how in Persona 3 there’s the bad ending where you accept Thanatos’ offer and finish the year in blissful ignorance before you die without fear or pain as he euthanizes humanity? It’s kind of like that, except with Dinah and her power. (Well, there’s barely any Taylor on screen so far, but she does run Brockton Bay). Three chapters, last updated...today, actually, with some nice art. 

Significantly more in line with the request is Butcher’s Bill, where-whoops, turns out Butcher is deathly allergic to bees! As Taylor rather unfortunately finds out when she gets a major level up, a bunch of new voices in her head, and the realization that the whole ‘surrender to the PRT’ thing probably isn’t going to work out. 14 Chapters, last updated in..2016, so probably safe to call it dead. 

Sliiiightly more current, there’s Terminus, where the invincible genius with the eidetic memory plans things out a bit better, and after turning herself in Taylor is sentenced to the Birdcage for failing to kill Alexandria, and gets vanished en route for an exciting new life as one of Cauldron’s extra dimensional deniable assets. By the same author as Warp, actually. (I think I’ve mentioned how it has my favorite portrayal of Contessa?) ~30ish chapters, last updated in February, and that was after a year-long hiatus.

Finally, I’m not generally a fan of alt-powers, but if you ever feel a desperate need for gore and angst, Dominion should scratch that itch nicely. Basically, QA fucked up and accidentally switched Taylor’s control power form ‘bugs’ to ‘people’ when she triggered, and she ended up on the run after the entire school got Khepri’d into sending Sophia et al into the ICU. Then she got conscripted into the S9, with the whole initiation trial shebang. Exactly as gruesome as it sounds. 21 chapters, last updated in August. 

Hope at least one of those helps!

[dahliasgloom]

this or that

I was tagged by @thehiddenbaroness (thank you darling, hope you’re doing well <3) 

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables // hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest // braids or pigtails // dc or marvel // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty  // ice cream or chocolate // hoodies or sweaters // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // house or apartment // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds // disney or nickelodeon // strawberries or watermelon // essays or posters // phones or laptops or desktop // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or paintings // circuses or theatres // reading or writing // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

I’m tagging @ofcoloursandthings, @plumcoloredblazer, @autodidactadelavida

[dahliasgloom]

Tag nine people you’d like to get to know better!

I was tagged by @ofcoloursandthings  Thanks darling! 

And a note: I only have academic books in Spanish right now but if you wish to read some I can email you the PDFs 

Favorite Colour:  You see the shade of blue on my blog? That’s the one.  

Top Favourite Ships: Ruby and Sapphire, from Steven Universe I don’t really like romantic plots so that’s it

Lipstick or Chapstick: Chapstick

Last Movie: “The experiment” by Paul Scheuring

Currently Reading: “La Guerra Secreta en México” (The Secret War in Mexico) by Friedrich Katz, “La Historia del Arte” (History of Art) by Ernst Gombrich for an essay, and a section from “La Imagen Pornográfica y Otras Perversiones Ópticas” (The Pornographic Image and Other Optic Perversions) by Roman Gubern. Everything is for my career 

I’ll be tagging @thehiddenbaroness  @plumcoloredblazer @gatarojastuff

Feel free to ignore this if you want though!

[thehiddenbaroness]

plumcoloredblazer replied to your post “Finding it hard to sleep on account of this cold-thing and the fact...”

Oh no. I'm not a font of effective advice or <b>commiseration, but my heart's with you. I hope the best case scenario wins out </b>

Thank you! Yeah, me too. It’s only that he hasn’t been out much before. I remember Penny disappearing for a while the first time we let her out and she (obviously) came back so I’m trying to console myself with that. I miss my baby boy!

[thehiddenbaroness]

How about this bouquet? Cyclamen, Gladiolus, Rhodendron, and Tropical White Morning Glory

What a lovely bouquet to greet me when I get home! Thank you!

Cyclamen: Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? What was it? 

It began with a dalmatian from 101 Dalmatians that I called “Lak”, and loved to threadbareness. Then I honed in on cats, so until I grew out of stuffed animals it was one that looked like the cat I had to leave behind when we moved to England.   

Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two? 

I have a few goals for my “thirty-one for 31″ list, among them a smattering of appointments with medical establishments, finishing my DuoLingo Japanese course, and getting a logo done for my business so I can have proper marketing materials. 

Rhodendron: What is something you used to believe in as a child? In the classical (omnipresent, omnipotent, omnibenevolent) God of Christendom. Um. That adults were without fault. Hmm. I can’t think of anything particularly unusual... Oh! Sometimes if I happened to look at a digital clock at the exact moment the seconds digits changed, I thought I was briefly slowing time because it seemed to linger on that digit.  

Tropical White Morning Glory: Describe your aesthetic.  My ‘About’ page has ‘dark, vicious, elegant, earthy feminine’, which I feel is still a pretty good summary. I’d add that there’s still some melancholy I can’t shake, but a hopefulness and grace too. An old tree contorted into a fanciful shape by the elements, growing impossibly in a crag on a weatherbeaten mountainside and leaning into the abyss but never quite falling, then? There’d be a bird roosting in it.

Send me some flowers!