#queer caribbean literature

[queerlitaroundtheworld]

9 Queer Books from the Caribbean

Tentacle by Rita Indiana (Dominican Republic)

In Another Place, Not Here (Grenada)

Frigid Tales by Pedro de Jesús (Cuba)

Sirena Selena by Mayra Santos-Febres (Puerto Rico)

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn (Jamaica)

Sweethand by N.G. Peltier (Trinidad and Tobago)

If I Had the Wings by Helen Klonaris (Bahamas)

My Brother by Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua and Barbuda)

Our Caribbean: A Gathering of Lesbian and Gay Writing from the Antilles

[andthenlightningstrikes]

i was on the roof standing just now after waking. after taking pictures at 2:00 am of little things around the kitchen. after having such a wonderful evening with my friends—late-night games and camaraderie, wendy’s taste, and strong debating about movies and culture. the things about being friends as our lives unravel. we’ve been deep on the journey of being friends, and we’ve seen each other’s faces and the ways that they’ve changed.

one thing that i notice is there’s something about living the life i live. perhaps it’s the bohemian spirit that caught me, or maybe i led myself into it. i should look where it comes from. maybe it calls right from the green of the trees and trying to live at peace—not with nature, but with what surrounds me. it’s accepting and embracing reality as it is. there’s potential in defining then what reality should become, with actual nuance and understanding one’s own role in how to shape it. finding balance. being hopeful and present.

there’s such a deep joy in one of my friends giving it a try and seeing the change, being in charge of shaping his reality. there’s such a joy in seeing ourselves being with our friends. the joy and satisfaction of being present with what matters to us. being on our constant way to be our better selves. being hopeful and present.

i then go back to thinking of my own way to live life. i think it would help them all so much to maybe find themselves meditating, understanding their breaths, and finding the present as a crucial way to grasp reality and see. but who am i but a witness of their own breathing patterns, in all the shapes they take? help them find their own way to experience and find meaning. i know they are all here as well. i don’t know if i’m explaining myself well.

because then i go back to hesitate for a bit, since there’s the role that substance plays in experiencing reality. and i like the role it plays. i get to find my feelings heightened, to find new ways to understand. and with my breaths, my philosophy, my art, and my poetry, i then get to love even more deeply. and i know that does make sense.

i get to embrace not being perfect as i get to have it just like this for being high. and it’s the ways where i’m not completely perfect yet wondering deeper about if it’s ancestry or if it’s personal desire that leads me to these conclusions and this way of living.

i then think—there’s a queerness in living life this way. is that the bohemian spirit radiating from the trees? the way the ancestors lived their life?

yet there’s no way to completely explain it, as it lives in the air. almost as if it were clear transparent purple air, living amongst everything and manifesting in many ways. i can’t see it, yet i feel it. trace connections to how i get to perceive. to how i get to exist.

purple air. the roof. standing. and then off to catch my breath. and then feeling the sun warming—my clothes, my weight. and then letting go. and then going back to being a writer and being this.

just last night, i understood. as i got higher than i intended, i grasped something enjoyable. something tied to the queerness that lives in the air and breathes through me. something about taking a late-night shower after being out with friends. the clumsiness of forgetting the towel and walking wet and naked back to your room. getting to see your body through that light. through the waterdrops and the soft trace of water i left behind after rubbing my hands all across my body, so i could at least be a little dry and less pouring.

something, something, something about drinking cold water and turning the lights off. something about drying. something about letting water fall over the kitchen floor. alright, as it would dry.

then something about the memories and the embodied sex i’ve had with my lover. the person who’s brought deep pleasure into my life. something, something, something about exploding long and hard. thoughts that only clash together as i lose my breath and feel how everything’s alright.

but again, one way or another, i’ll choose to still go for alright.

[salvadorbonaparte]

Since my big Languages and Linguistics MEGA folder post is approaching 200k notes (wow) I am celebrating with some highlights from my collection:

Africa: over 90 languages so far. The Swahili and Amharic resources are pretty decent so far and I'm constantly on the lookout for more languages and more resources.

The Americas: over 100 languages of North America and over 80 languages of Central and South America and the Caribbean. Check out the different varieties for Quechua and my Navajo followers are invited to check out the selection of Navajo books, some of which are apparently rare to come by in print.

Ancient and Medieval Languages: "only" 18 languages so far but I'm pretty pleased with the selection of Latin and Old/Middle English books.

Asia: over 130 languages and I want to highlight the diversity of 16 Arabic dialects covered.

Australia: over 40 languages so far.

Constructed Languages: over a dozen languages, including Hamlet in the original Klingon.

Creoles: two dozen languages and some materials on creole linguistics.

Europe: over 60 languages. I want to highlight the generous donations I have received, including but not limited to Aragonese, Catalan, Occitan and 6 Sámi languages. I also want to highlight the Spanish literature section and a growing collection of World Englishes.

Eurasia: over 25 languages that were classified as Eurasian to avoid discussions whether they belong in Europe or Asia. If you can't find a language in either folder it might be there.

History, Culture, Science etc: Everything not language related but interesting, including a collection of "very short introductions", a growing collection of queer and gender studies books, a lot on horror and monsters, a varied history section (with a hidden compartment of the Aubreyad books ssshhhh), and small collections from everything like ethnobotany to travel guides.

Jewish Languages: 8 languages, a pretty extensive selection of Yiddish textbooks, grammars, dictionaries and literature, as well as several books on Jewish religion, culture and history.

Linguistics: 15 folders and a little bit of everything, including pop linguistics for people who want to get started. You can also find a lot of the books I used during my linguistics degree in several folders, especially the sociolinguistics one.

Literature: I have a collection of classic and modern classic literature, poetry and short stories, with a focus on the over 140 poetry collections from around the world so far.

Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia: over 40 languages and I want to highlight the collection for Māori, Cook Islands Māori and Moriori.

Programming Languages: Not often included in these lists but I got some for you (roughly 5)

Sign Languages: over 30 languages and books on sign language histories and Deaf cultures. I want to highlight especially the book on Martha's Vineyard Sign Language and the biography of Laura Redden Searing.

Translation Studies: Everything a translation student needs with a growing audiovisual translation collection

And the best news: the folders are still being updated regularly!

[fakerobotrealblog]

"Our Flag Means Death" provides a fictionalized take on historical pirates with a focus on queer representation. While the show doesn't strictly adhere to historical accuracy, it offers a unique lens on the lives of pirates. In the context of queer historical pirates and queer history, let's explore the themes:

1. **Anne Bonny and Mary Read:**

- In real history, Anne Bonny and Mary Read were two female pirates known for their exploits in the early 18th century. While their exact sexual orientations are not explicitly documented, their unconventional lives and the fact that they disguised themselves as men to join pirate crews challenge traditional gender norms.

2. **Edward Teach (Blackbeard):**

- Blackbeard, one of the most infamous pirates, has been the subject of various historical accounts and legends. While not explicitly portrayed as queer, his mystique and unconventional lifestyle contribute to the broader spectrum of diverse identities in pirate history.

3. **Jean Laffite:**

- Jean Laffite, a French pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico during the early 19th century, is another historical figure whose sexuality is a subject of speculation. Some historical accounts suggest he may have had relationships with men, adding complexity to his historical narrative.

4. **Pirates in Non-Western Contexts:**

- The history of piracy extends beyond Western narratives. Pirates in other parts of the world, such as Cheng I Sao in China or Grace O'Malley in Ireland, may have had diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. These lesser-known stories contribute to a more global understanding of pirate history.

5. **Queer Pirates in Literature:**

- The fictionalized world of pirate literature, including works like "Pirates!" by Celia Rees or "Pirates!" by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov, explores queer narratives within the pirate genre. These stories often blend historical elements with imaginative storytelling.

6. **Queer Pirates in Popular Culture:**

- Movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean" or books like "The Pirate Hunter" by Richard Zacks, while not explicitly focusing on queer pirates, contribute to the popularization of pirate lore. Contemporary interpretations in media can influence how audiences perceive historical figures.

In essence, "Our Flag Means Death" aligns with a broader trend in media to explore and celebrate diverse identities within historical narratives. By fictionalizing elements of pirate history, the show opens up conversations about the often overlooked and underrepresented aspects of queer history, inviting viewers to consider the complexity of LGBTQ+ experiences in different historical contexts.

[livingfictionsystem]

Get to Know The Alters: Xanthe Zeitstück

Origin:

Inworld Germany, then inworld Victorian England---First a fictional character who died in their own story and became a ghost, then an alchemical Frankenstein'd creation. Began fronting in late outerworld 2012. Was created as a clinical Narcissist to counter our abuser's NPD and borrowed traits of Howl Pendragon, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Magnus Bane for a personality. Believed for a long time that it was actually a Victorian ghost that was possessing the body of someone who had already passed.

General interests:

Literature, queer history, Oscar Wilde, culture, psychology, sociology, travel, fashion/aesthetic, fiction.

Music taste:

Shayfer James, Sarah and the Safe Word, Starset, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Charming Disaster, Randall Shreve, Queen, Cinema Bizarre.

Food taste:

Sushi, scallops, and curries.

Favorite shows:

Are You Being Served?, Black Books, Vicious, Peaky Blinders, Fawlty Towers, Darkwing Duck, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Shadow and Bone.

Dating:

A long history of dating non-binary Virgos, Kaspar being one of them since early 2016. Strictly polyamorous. Was married to Seran and Visarden of the same collective, but Seran broke up with them and Visarden has vanished, presumed deceased. Now considered widowed; has had little interest in romance since, though occasional 'situationships' arise.

Aesthetic:

Jewel tones. Blue, gold, and blacks. Silks and ruffles, chiefly Victorian-inspired, ranging anywhere from dandyism, to fop, to a gothic vampire sort. Top hats, canes, and frocks.

Favorite films:

Grand Budapest Hotel, The Great Gatsby (2013), Wilde, The Happy Prince, V for Vendetta, Pirates of the Caribbean, Treasure Planet.

Favorite Books/Writers:

Oscar Wilde (Particularly the Picture of Dorian Gray), Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows), V.E. Schwab, Libba Bray, Neil Gaiman, Gail Carriger, Anne Rice.

Drink taste:

Gin with floral flavors such as rose and lavender, champagne, cognac. Non-Alcoholic includes floral and/or spiced black teas.

Dream Job:

Professional author and book critic.

[pyladeshungover]

intro post

Tara // 29 // Australia

she / her / hers

oops i got into hockey sorry guys

my url is from approximately 2013 when I was a les mis blog, and my pfp is athelstan from vikings in a flower crown because that was cool in 2015. title is from the boat that rocked. I've been here forever.

i'm very not normal about sidney crosby and travis konecny

i'm slightly more normal but still unhinged about claude giroux and jamie drysdale

i do occassionally lb the hockey - pens lb, flyers lb

tag lists also i do tend to be pretty good about tagging everything so if you blacklist nothing should slip through

I did not realise you can only access that page on desktop but also the hyperlinks won't work in this post so here's the list:

FROM THE SELF

my face; sort of - my face and my thoughts

university life - university/college experiences

adulthood - attempts to function as a successful adult

millennials - the Adulthood Experience™ specific to millennials

life is hard - depression tag

so not straight - i am queer

mine - shit i’ve made or drawn

tumblr - i’ve been on this godforsaken website since i was 15 and i hate everything about that

RELIGION

blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord - christianity

jc and the boys - jesus and the apostles

jc and the girls - ladies of the disciples

upon this rock - history of, stories about, and images of the church

do not be afraid - angels 

your kingdom come - prophets, saints, and the apocalypse

the old gods are dead - graeco-roman mythology

folklore - local folk and fairy-tales 

WORLD AFFAIRS/CULTURE

straya - things about Australia

auspol - Australian politics

uspol - US politics

i’m a pathetic history major - general world and cultural history

who likes bad jokes - especially awful attempts at humour

words - poetry, quotes, literature

reclaiming the women - feminist re-tellings of fictional women

humanity - the good and incredible things about humans and community (also includes human and alien speculative fiction)

christmas - i love christmas

covid 19 - self explanatory

2020 - see above

2021 - mamma mia, here we go again

2022 - we’re three years into The Great Loneliness

FANDOM

fandom / fanfic

# - 911

A - abfab

B - brooklyn 99 / black books / beauty and the beast / birds of prey /buffy

C - criminal minds / code black

D - dirk gently / doctor who / disney / derry girls

E - elementary

F - firefly / fresh off the boat / friends / fleabag

G - great british bake off / grace and frankie / greys anatomy / galavant / game of thrones / gilmore girls / the great / the good place

H - holes / hunt for the wilderpeople / the hobbit / hannibal / hamilton / harry potter

I - inside llewyn davis

J - jurassic park / jesus christ superstar

K - kingsman / killing eve

L - lethal weapon / lucifer / lotr / les mis

M - moulin rouge / mamma mia / moana / mad max / the man from u.n.c.l.e. / mindhunter / miss fisher’s murder mysteries / the marvelous mrs maisel

N - narnia / nhl

O - the office / the old guard / oitnb

P - pushing daisies / parks and rec / the princess bride / psych / the prince of egypt / the parent trap / pirates of the caribbean / pride / prodigal son / phantom of the opera

Q - queer eye

S - spn / star wars / scrubs / the song of achilles / schitts creek / santa clarita diet / six the musical

T - teen wolf / twilight / to all the boys i’ve loved before /

U - umbrella academy

V - vikings / venom

W - what we do in the shadows / the witcher / wonder woman

X - xfiles

HOCKEY

nhl

hrpf

the rituals are intricate (n-h-is-for-for-homosexuality-l)

they’re so stupid 🥹 (memes)

hockey narratives

hockey art

hockey poetry

hockey vid edit

Players tagged initials jersey number (ie. sc87)

Other player tags - hughes bros / tkachuk fam / love thy goalie 

Ships - tknp / sidgeno / drygras / mattdrai / brioux / mike likes jeff but jeff loves mike / swaymark

Teams - bruins / ducks / flyers / gritty / leafs / oilers / pens / sens / stars / yotes

Liveblogging semiregularly - pens lb

Liveblogging very occassionally -  flyers lb / sens lb / panthers lb

[astramachina]

Would anybody on here be interested in ✨ beta reading ✨ a hot piece of fucked up literature before I turn to reddit for help? I'm in a bit of a massive pickle with an October deadline + a gig that'll have me away for a week, and while I do have a pair of eyes on it, I would like to have an extra pair or two! I'd be willing to do a beta swap and provide feedback for your troubles. (Yes, this includes fic.)

The story in question is roughly 90k words, give or take a thousand depending on how the next week goes. It is an adult contemporary/folk horror (with a heaping of Gothic tropes) that goes deep into family dynamics, generational trauma, the lengths queer folks have to go in order to survive, and has an entire CreatureTM.

General info:

You've got your afrolatino transmasc protagonist (who happens to be disabled) and his gay husband. So we have an established t!m/c!m relationship that is kinky, loves communication, and reference a life of healthy polyamory. (Their relationship is not the center of the story but it does play a pretty major role.)

Found family? You betcha.

Daytime horror (as in a chunk of the spooks happen during the day).

Takes place in the Caribbean, specifically in Puerto Rico. Which means there's a lot of Spanish though knowledge of Spanish is not required. In fact, not knowing Spanish would actually be a plus.

The folklore part of the folk horror is to do with Puerto Rican culture as a whole; a blend and exploration of belief systems that have carved the sociopolitical landscape of the country dating back to its aboriginal roots.

That creature? El chupacabra. I am not joking.

There's also ghosts.

The ghosts may or may not be a metaphor, as it goes.

I'll delete this post once I've gotten it all settled!

Content warnings and other info under the cut.

Note that this is a horror novel, so not great things happen and are discussed all throughout, including:

Transphobia

Homophobia

Ableism

Racism/the effects of colonialism

Child neglect/physical abuse

Familial trauma

Police brutality

Implied sexual assault by a cop

Gore. Like, a lot.

Violence

Animal death (and explicit descriptions of corpses)

Public shootings

Suicidal ideation

Also gay sex of the consensual kind although it feels wrong to add here at the end of a fucked up list of fucked up things.

What exactly am I looking for in a beta?

Does everything make sense.

Glaringly obvious inconsistencies (my ADHD will not let me realize that I have the character doing the same action twice in the same chapter).

Ease of reading for the 85% that is in English.

If you wanna get finicky about grammar, I'm not going to stop you. But I can and will choose what stuff to change/keep.

I need to get this baby as cleaned up as humanly possibly by the end of September (a tall order, I know), but I can maybe get away with getting it wrapped by the first week of October. Method of doing the deed is through Google Docs because it's only a fraction more reliable than MS Word on this two-way street.

If you're interested, don't hesitate to send me a message off anon! Or, if you have specific questions about the manuscript and aren't sure if you want to commit quite yet, anon is a-okay.

I hope you've hydrated today! And thank you for giving this a read.

[commajade]

obviously i want to ask you everything but 6, 16, 25, 35, & 50 for the book asks!!

omg dez ily 😍😍😍

6: which book was the last one you really loved?

parable of the sower! lauren olamina is truly the character i relate to the most in my adult life: traumatized preacher's daughter crossdressing (should've been a dyke imo) and creating her own religion to survive and build community in the end days of decaying empire, it hits so close to home.

16: if u could bring 3 books to a deserted island which ones would u bring?

oooh. just from my bookshelf i would bring 1) my book i bought for learning hanja/sino-korean characters and haven't started yet +cute hanja notebooks. because i would have so much time to study. 2) almanac of the dead by leslie marmon silko because i got it as a gift from the english department of my college and its huge and i haven't started it yet. and i have a feeling it would be a good one to reread cuz there's so many storylines and silko is such a gorgeous writer. 3) the wretched of the earth by frantz fanon because i need some theory to feel politically grounded.

25: if i could be a character in a book just for 1 day which one would i choose?

i want magic i want superpowers i want to have fun! maybe a cool girl character in a kids fantasy book, can't think of anything specific.

35: name a book you consider to be terribly underrated

cereus blooms at night by shani mootoo. read it in college in a literature and colonialism class and no one i asked has ever heard of it, but it's so good? gorgeous prose vibrant characters starring a rly cool hermit woman and the queer nurse narrator that takes care of her. it's set in an ambiguous fictional caribbean country and talks about intergenerational trauma from colonialism i highly recommend it.

50: why do u love to read?

omg.... it was my entire childhood my entire identity as a child. i was either reading or daydreaming about the books i just read. i read like all the novels in the library at my elementary school, i would borrow 14 books from the local library every week. it's just familiar and expansive and exciting. i miss that feeling of being a voracious reader eating up stories and not thinking rly of craft. just spending hours tearing through books and being deeply immersed in the images and places in my head and being a part of the stories. it's rly special, to be transported by a book. there's nothing like it.

[dagreenlion]

The "Mami Wata" archetype is a fascinating and complex figure that appears in various forms across worldwide ancestral wisdom traditions. To explore this archetype, let's start with Ayiyi, a water spirit from African diasporic traditions, and then draw correlations with other similar figures from around the world. We'll also examine how modern scientific understanding can provide additional insights into this archetype.

# Ayiyi and Mami Wata

In West African traditions, Ayiyi is a water spirit associated with fertility, beauty, and prosperity. Mami Wata, a related figure, is a water goddess revered in West, Central, and Southern Africa, as well as in the African diaspora. She is often depicted as a mermaid or a snake charmer, and is associated with water, fertility, and spiritual growth.

# Correlations with Worldwide Ancestral Wisdom

Similar water spirits and goddesses appear in various ancestral wisdom traditions worldwide:

1. *Yemaya (Yoruba, Afro-Caribbean)*: A goddess of the ocean, fertility, and motherhood, often depicted as a mermaid.

2. *Kali (Hindu)*: A goddess associated with time, change, and destruction, often depicted with serpentine or aquatic attributes.

3. *Ochun (Yoruba, Afro-Caribbean)*: A goddess of rivers, love, and fertility, often depicted as a mermaid or a woman with a fish tail.

4. *Sedna (Inuit)*: A goddess of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld, often depicted as a mermaid or a woman with a fish tail.

5. *Calypso (Greek)*: A sea nymph who appears in Homer's Odyssey, associated with the ocean and the underworld.

# Correlations with Modern Scientific Understanding

While the Mami Wata archetype is rooted in ancestral wisdom, modern scientific understanding can provide additional insights:

1. *Water and Life*: Water is essential for life, and its symbolism in the Mami Wata archetype reflects its importance for human survival and spiritual growth.

2. *Evolutionary Biology*: The mermaid-like depictions of Mami Wata and similar figures may be linked to the evolutionary history of humans, who evolved from aquatic ancestors.

3. *Neuroscience and the Brain*: The association of Mami Wata with fertility, beauty, and spiritual growth may be connected to the brain's reward system, which is linked to pleasure, motivation, and personal growth.

4. *Ecology and Environmentalism*: The Mami Wata archetype's connection to water and the natural world highlights the importance of environmental sustainability and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Mami Wata, a powerful water spirit from African diasporic traditions, has evolved and adapted to modern times, inspiring various interpretations across art, literature, music, and spirituality. Here are some modern interpretations of Mami Wata:

# Art and Visual Culture

1. *Afrofuturism*: Mami Wata has been reimagined in Afrofuturist art, symbolizing the connection between African diasporic cultures and futuristic, technological advancements.

2. *Mermaid Iconography*: Modern artists have reinterpreted Mami Wata as a mermaid, blending traditional African and European folklore with contemporary styles.

3. *Water Spirituality*: Mami Wata has inspired artworks focused on water spirituality, highlighting the importance of water in African diasporic cultures and the need for environmental sustainability.

# Literature and Poetry

1. *Reclaiming African Heritage*: Modern literature has reexamined Mami Wata as a symbol of African cultural heritage, resisting colonial and patriarchal erasures.

2. *Feminist and Queer Perspectives*: Mami Wata has been reinterpreted through feminist and queer lenses, emphasizing her power, sensuality, and non-conformity.

3. *Magical Realism*: Authors have incorporated Mami Wata into magical realist narratives, blending myth and reality to explore themes of identity, culture, and social justice.

# Music and Performance

1. *Afrobeat and World Music*: Mami Wata has inspired musicians across the African diaspora, incorporating traditional rhythms and instruments into modern Afrobeat and world music.

2. *Performance Art and Theater*: Performance artists have embodied Mami Wata in theatrical productions, exploring themes of identity, culture, and spirituality through movement, music, and visual spectacle.

3. *Electronic and Experimental Music*: Electronic and experimental musicians have drawn inspiration from Mami Wata, incorporating elements of African diasporic music and mythology into their work.

# Spirituality and Activism

1. *African Diasporic Spirituality*: Mami Wata has been reclaimed as a symbol of African diasporic spirituality, connecting practitioners with their ancestral heritage and the natural world.

2. *Environmental Activism*: Activists have invoked Mami Wata as a symbol of environmental protection, highlighting the importance of preserving water sources and respecting the interconnectedness of all living beings.

3. *Feminist and Social Justice Activism*: Mami Wata has been adopted as a symbol of feminist and social justice activism, embodying the power and resilience of women and marginalized communities.

These modern interpretations of Mami Wata demonstrate the enduring power and relevance of this ancient water spirit, inspiring new generations of artists, activists, and spiritual practitioners.

Mami Wata, the mythical water spirit, has been reimagined in various modern art forms, reflecting her enduring significance in African culture. *Contemporary Artistic Expressions* include:

- *Visual Arts*: Artists of African descent have incorporated Mami Wata into their work, blending traditional and modern styles. For instance, the exhibition "MAMI" at the Knockdown Center featured woman-identifying artists of African descent who drew inspiration from Mami Wata ¹.

- *Performance Art*: The water spirit has also been reinterpreted in performance art, exploring themes of identity, culture, and transformation. This is evident in the concept of "Circum-Atlantic Performance," which highlights the connections between African diasporic cultures ².

- *Literary Works*: Mami Wata's legend has been reimagined in literary works, such as novels and poetry, which explore her symbolism and cultural significance.

These modern adaptations demonstrate Mami Wata's continued influence on African art and culture, as well as her ability to inspire new generations of artists and writers.

In conclusion, the Mami Wata archetype is a complex and multifaceted figure that reflects the importance of water, fertility, and spiritual growth in human cultures worldwide. By exploring correlations with worldwide ancestral wisdom and modern scientific understanding, we can deepen our appreciation for this archetype and its relevance to our lives today.

[rinasdigitaljournal]

¸.·✩·.¸¸.·¯ ABOUT THE WRITER

✩ hi-hi! my name rina (she/her)! I'm a queer  afro-caribbean eighteen year old college student who treats tumblr like an open diary. i wanted to create a little post about myself just in case new friends want to know a little about me. 

hobbies. ✩ reading. playing minecraft & mario kart. listening to music. transcribing french poetry.  watching video essays.  drawing.  working out.  thrifting. writing. cooking.

favorites. ✩ sarah j maas literature. dc comics. batman & batfamily. arcane. when the wind rises (studio ghibli movie) . minecraft. coffee. non fiction literature. fantasy. aespa. r&b. kpop. indie. dresses. nail polish. makeup. dogs. cats. women. horror games & movies. sci-fi movies. 

writing pt. 1 ✩ i don’t like to separate what i write about bc i do like a variety of things. i write about call of duty, arcane , throne of glass, crescent city, & acotar. if i expand with more, i’ll update this tab but so far that’s what i write about. i do write about darker themes so MDN please and thank you <3

writing pt. 2 ✩ i love receiving prompts and talking about literally anything so please don't hesitate to reach out. 9/10 i'm looking for a distraction anyways. however, as a college student im most likely always going to swamped with something but i do push myself to write something at least once a week for my own mental health so i am pushing myself to be more consistent. 

non negotiables. ✩ i do not tolerate homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, or any rudeness, disrespect, and hate speech. just be kind, if you don't have anything nice to say, literally don't say it!

[theworldimworkingtowards]

Nourishment of Craft:

Sheep made out of moss that looks like sheep wool

Teddy bear shaped moss containers. Other containers have things like swans, a crescent moon, a rose, a lily etc

Deer plushie keychain 🦌

Culinary little library in front of MRC

Sourdough starter donation kit

Apothecary starter kit: basic herbs needed to get started on an apothecary space

Knot tying event:

Aesthetic knot-

Efficient knot-

What are things you feel tied to-

What are things that make you feel secured-

Knot keychains-

A practice in Cord cutting- rope soaked or spritzed in herbs good for cord cutting, cleaver, Motherwort, etc

High end Lesbian bar but the walls have straps of different sizes and colors on display

Art Murals- Rabbit in the cemetery mural

Newsletter- Mailing people a podcast

Little fragrance library

Little Bead library

Little *Adult Library

Little Cookbook library

Little Seed Library

Little Tea Library

Lollipop exchange

Winter food exchange

If I had a cafe- an hour (maybe 6-7) where an educational podcast is playing. Different themes every week

Bipoc marine biology/ science library

Bipoc Bread Library - Asian baked goods, Caribbean pastries, black southern chef sourdough, etc etc

Bipoc Mushroom library

Native fish of the [blank] lakes spray painted on the sewer lids

Apothecary vending machine - What Medicine is calling you? Illustrations of Herbs, Plants, Roots, Quotes, Literature, Fate, Spells, Rules to oneself, Tarot Cards, Spirits

Hot chocolate party; Raspberry hot chocolate. Beetroot hot chocolate. Orange mint hot chocolate. Ginger hot chocolate. Vanilla Chai hot chocolate. Cardamom sea salt hot chocolate

Book Swap party

Carnival day - popcorn tasting day (thyme popcorn, chili popcorn, caramel corn, more)

Cake day - ice cream social

Tea Party: Intimate Tea offering and tasting - building your own tea blends. Fundraising event.

Cookie swaps + clothing swaps

Rainbow potluck

Mutual aid market

Communal styling parties

Clarity: Event Based on Truth Telling. Cocktail drinks of different flavors but they’re all clear and served in the same glass. The little glass walls in 90s architecture, people wearing white/black/accents of green or other colors/ beige.

Cosmic Pull, escape based survival party about leaving [blank] - the cosmic pull this land has- wanting to escape but still ending up at the same place.

Libra Venus- Caribbean + African sensuality, queer, loving, movement and dancing and sexy based event. Food, cherry, dancing, party

Accessory party: everyone wearing all black/white except for their favorite accessories 🍌💎🐞💼

Christmas tree made out of children’s clothing and then donating the children’s clothing at the end

Christmas tree who’s ornaments are just gold metal mesh bags

Girl Drink: Bartending party where we serve or make feminine drinks (fruity, floral, juicy, colorful),

But also pushing back against the masculinization of drinks - there are beer girls, there are dry cider girls - there are fermentation girls, there are sake and souju girls.

Starting the night off with - we are not responsible for any injuries. Do you have someone who can take you home? Do you have a way of getting home safely? Emergency contact list in case something happens

Newsletter:

Curated Music. Curated Cocktail recipes. Curated Skill-share (bee keeping, gardening advice, circus, ink making). Online safety. Curated Podcasts list. ^ Fun things/ concepts in fashion. Curated recipes period.

Palestinian community reading lending library

Wrangler: Cowboy event (but evil)

By the Horns: Demonic Cattle, Cartel, and Livestock Worship

Orchid Mantis: Cunt in Camouflage

Sugar and spice autumnal party: Desserts spiced with ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, allspice and other warming spices.

Little gardening library

Wreath making party

Luxury bake sale fundraiser

Most expensive spices Mutual Aid garden : growing expensive spices like cardamom, fennel pollen, vanilla and more for community

Mushroom mutual aid farm / garden

Tea Subscription

Sexy/ Scorpio Yoga session: Cobra Pose Etc etc

Black farmer starter pack seed box - everything a farmer needs to start their first crop harvest

Simmering Rock: Community Rock/ Stone/ Clay playspace

Earring making workshop

Halloween costume swap

Fundraiser idea- Reaching out to local farms and seeing how they would feel if we hosted a petting zoo. Easier to manage animals like the baby goats and etc

[flameswallower]

Fourth and final!!! HONORABLE MENTIONS

Thank you for sticking with this super long post lol. I promise it's really over now! I hope you have found some new stuff you're excited to check out.

Anyway, last I will mention a few books (and one podcast) that didn't quite make it to "favorite fiction of the year" status, but that deserve a shout out anyway.

Girl Parts, by May Leitz (2023) was a book I edited, and it was a joy to edit. I was proud to help this Lynchian lesbian splatterpunk nightmare look its best! Already known for her work as a musician and youtube movie critic, I think Leitz is going to go places as a horror writer.

Green Fuse Burning, by Tiffany Morris (2023) is a deeply felt, beautifully drawn novella about an Indigenous Canadian artist undergoing a transformative supernatural experience as she struggles with grief, depression, and alienation, and attempts to reconnect with her ancestors' culture and language.

The Merry Dredgers, by Jeremy C. Shipp (2023) isn't exactly bizarro, it's not really horror, it's not quite fantasy or magical realism...call it Hot Topic whimsy, I suppose? Like, if you went to high school with one of those girls who was halfway between mall goth and neo-hippie, you know, she was bisexual and into creepy carnivalesque aesthetics and sea shanties and paganism and maybe had some bubblegum pink striped armwarmers, this is exactly the kind of book she would have loved. Shipp is currently suffering from Long Covid and has unpaid medical bills, so if this sounds at all interesting to you, I strongly suggest buying the book to help them out.

Camp Damascus, by Chuck Tingle (2023) was way better than I expected a horror novel by the novelty object-sexual/dinosaur/Bigfoot kindle erotica guy to be. Not always bringing the greatest prose or the deepest take on its subject matter, but super fun with impeccable pacing and a very well-drawn queer autistic protagonist. Cinematic in a good way. Would pair extremely well with my own 2023 novella The False Sister, which was a total accident. I guess it's just the zeitgeist!

Tentacle, by Rita Indiana (trans. Achy Obejas, 2018) is a short, brutal, psychedelic punk rock punch in the gut, succinct and overflowing with acerbic, grimy, violent, slur-slinging, absurd, pathetic, sympathetic, horrible, well-drawn characters. Deals with gender and sexuality in a way that feels simultaneously very modern and like a throwback to the New Wave of sci-fi in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Definitely give this a read if the above sounds like your kind of thing, especially if you are also interested in queer and trans literature from the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, or the global south.

The Magnus Archives (2016-2021) was a supernatural horror audio drama podcast that, if forced to use a hacky elevator pitch style description, I would describe as "M.R. James meets The X-Files." Like the latter, it combines lovable investigator characters who have a touch of will they/won't they romantic intrigue, an overarching plot that becomes rather silly and convoluted, and episodic "monster of the week" one-off case file stories. There are some great recurring villains and antiheroes (personal faves: Trevor & Julia, Agnes, either Distortion incarnation), and while not every one-off story in its 200 episodes is very good (it would be a miracle if that were the case), the best ones knock it out of the park. I binge-listened to the lion's share while smoking weed and doing psychedelics on a rocky beach in the summer, watching the sea, over the course of about two weeks, and I would strongly recommend that experience.

Briar's Favorite First Time Reads of 2023!

I read sixty or so books (start to finish) for the first time this year, which is pretty average for me. I liked most of them pretty well, since if I dislike a book I usually won't finish it. But there were some stand outs, which I'm going to list here.

First up: NOVELS!

Pseudotooth, by Verity Holloway (2017) is the first portal fantasy coming of age novel I've read in a long, long time that I found genuinely charming. It has a very dark Gothic edge to it, with shades of Gormenghast and Edward Gorey making for a uniquely unsettling and bleak fantasy world. The novel also deals frankly and seriously with themes of ableism, eugenics, medical abuse, xenophobia, socio-economic class, rape/sexual abuse, and the psychic fallout of rape/sexual abuse. But it's got a lot of whimsical absurdist humor to it, too, and a deep humanist compassion for its characters. The three young adults at the center of the story are all quite likeable, and though they are involved in a kind of love triangle, I found the particulars of it refreshingly queer, strange, and not the primary focus of the story.

The Marigold, by Andrew F. Sullivan (2023) is a pitch-dark, stone cold bummer that is also frequently hilarious and emotionally moving in tender ways that took me by surprise. In this dystopian satire, a bunch of down-and-out relatable characters and one horrible rich guy struggle to survive as near-future Toronto is engulfed by "the Wet"-- a sapient mold-based hive mind accidentally created by the depravity and greed of big business. The residents of the titular condominium/apartment complex feature in short vignettes that demonstrate the despair and alienation people suffer under late stage capitalism, and the way the Wet calls to these people, lures them in, hunts them.

The Open Curtain, by Brian Evenson (2006) is a harrowing nightmare about madness, violence, possession, Mormonism, and the destabilization of one's known reality (well, see also "madness"). It's a type of story that could easily feel shlocky and exploitative of people with certain mental disorders, or just predictable (there are some plot twists you'll guess very quickly if you've ever like...read books or seen movies before...), but Evenson's unornamented yet masterful prose, his meticulous attention to detail, and his non-condescending empathy for both victims of violence and people struggling with delusions, violent impulses, etc. make it rise above those potential problems. At least in my opinion! This one's very disturbing, will definitely leave you feeling like shit.

Hummingbird Salamander, by Jeff VanderMeer (2021) is very emotionally moving and a suspenseful, well-plotted eco-noir page turner! Also a bummer, but leaves one feeling awe and hope and determination as well as mourning the devastating loss of life that climate change has wrought. The protagonist is great, a truly unusual and unlikely detective. I loved her voice-- like any good noir hero, she can throw off a legitimately funny sarcastic quip with the best of them, but she's also prone to astute social observations and flights of breathtaking lyricism.

How to Get Over the End Of the World, by Hal Schrieve (2023) is a TRAGICALLY under-promoted and underrated punk rock magical realist YA masterpiece about trans high schoolers, and their dysfunctional adult mentors, putting on a rock opera to save their community center. This one, unlike most of what I read, is NOT EVEN KIND OF A BUMMER. It's delightful and hilarious from start to finish, though it's definitely not saccharine-sweet or afraid of conflict. In fact, it deals quite bluntly and refreshingly with topics ranging from the relationship one character has with his violent, abusive father, to sexual relationships between teenagers, to the ever-looming awareness of climate change. Every major character is trans! Every single one!! This is kind of a spoiler, but, like, not really lol

Sudden Glory, by Hal Johnson (2023) just goes to show that guys named Hal can really write comic novels. This book has perhaps the highest joke-to-paragraph ratio of anything I’ve ever read, and also probably the most varied types of joke: a person whose sense of humor runs to preposterous situation comedy, slapstick, and lowbrow sexual humor will find a lot to like here, and so will someone whose sense of humor runs to moderately esoteric literary/historical references, social satire, five-layer wordplay, and Wildean bon mots. Since it’s set in the New York City of 2003, there’s even room for a few 9/11 jokes, which could not have appeared without controversy in a book actually published in 2003. This slightly "politically incorrect" edge comes off as good-natured and in keeping with Johnson's commitment to absurdism-- there's never a "laughing at" vibe, more one of "laughing with" human folly, futility, pretensions, etc. At base, this is a story about a person who feels he can't tell the truth or be himself for fear of social rejection, and all the trouble that gets him into.

Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke (2020) is fucking gorgeous, probably one of my favorite books of all time now, this hole was made for me, etc. I can't reasonably expect that most others will have as intense a response to it as I did-- I felt it perfectly conveyed some very important and difficult to articulate things about, like, my personal experience of consciousness, and my experience as a person with certain types of neurological/cognitive/developmental disability navigating the world, through a kind of fabulist prism. But it got great reviews, so, you know, give it a shot! I think it's better not to know anything about it going in, but let me just say, if you're into weird, massive labyrinthine buildings, this hole might also have been made for you.

Devil House, by John Darnielle (2022) is exactly the novel you'd expect "the Mountain Goats guy" to write, in all the best possible ways. It's a story that elevates the inner lives of neurodivergent outsider teens to the mythic heights they deserve. It's a story that brutally critiques the true crime industry. It's a story about the problems of defining people exclusively by their victimhood, or exclusively by the worst thing they ever did. It's a story about the importance of having a little space to oneself, a shelter from the demands and threats of an often cruel world, and the lengths to which a person will go to defend such a shelter if it's broached. Also, there's a long, nauseating section about how it's actually really difficult and gross to chop up a human corpse for disposal.

[sharlbranch]

Spoiler card for Decentred Lit's (@decentred_lit_ja on ig) June Book Box, titled Spectrum 🌈✨. The September pick was Life After Love, by Ingrid Persaud.

[aceoflights]

Does anyone know of good literature about/that mentions minority pirates (like women, queer ppl, POC, etc.) or minorities in relation to pirates?

No fiction. Historical stuff. I need it for a kinda thesis thing.

Minorities and sailors or stuff like that would also be helpful.

Thanks! :)

[blackwhitelotus]

The summer I realized I was a lesbian, I thought about my island. What, I asked myself, if we built islands around ourselves, because it’s no sin to be self-sufficient? I even tried to write a poem about it. It was about independence and loneliness, protection and fear—the latter I tried to deny for a long time. I tried to make the imagery beautiful—the landscape lush, and the sea a color from my childhood when we still lived in Jamaica and my father used to take us to the beach on Sunday mornings. I returned to the poem two months ago, when I finally quit my job at the law firm and found an administrative job I was overqualified for, but which freed up my evenings to write.

But eventually and repeatedly the poem would come to a standstill because language betrayed me every time. I didn’t know how to articulate the face my mother made when I told her that I’d gone against everything and found myself in love with a woman. First, I wanted to be a writer, and then I discovered that I was a lesbian, and after everything, attending law school and all those years of sleeping with men, those desires still found me in the end. There seemed to be no island that could hold me then—no place seemed far or big or safe enough. Yes, I could leave, could wrap blankets of protection around myself, but I would remember my loved ones and what they were thinking of me. The silence would be lonely.

- Island

How to love a Jamaican - Alexia Arthurs

[the-headbanging-ballerina]