#steampunk franny

[steampunkiejulie]

Do you have any siblings? And what do they look like???

Yep, I’ve got three! (tw badly drawn gun)

There’s Bea,

Franny,

And Jonesy! Aren’t they all super cool?

[zipzapzopzoop]

"From failing, you learn! From success... not so much."

Billie Robinson | Meet the Robinsons (2007)

[justmwahstruly]

INFORMATIONEN TIME! my dang phone with its german—/pos

• She’s still VERY autistic! She always will be in my mind!

• She’s the crafty one, if you will! Always starting on new projects for her friends!

• She really likes Sally— 👀

• Besides that, she’s the one you can go to to build something! She can figure out how to make something that SEEMS it should be very complex simple! (because of my lack of mech drawing skill)

• She has siblings! Very cool people! (sharing these AGAIN bc i loved them sm)

(and no i am never colouring these. MAYBE if I ever muster up the motivation 😔)

• Likes helping Poppy around! (what she does I’ll explain when she is introduced)

aaaandddd that’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll add later if I get anymore ideas!

Steampunk Julie design finally out! Lets goooooo

I’ll probably release some more info on her later skjdksks dies/lhj

[twigstarpikachutroll22]

Silly Game Time: Who are some of your favorite tech-oriented characters? And what do you like about them?

The technology they're good with can be very real-world based or complete fiction; it can be digital or mechanical (a hacker or a machinist), electric or nuclear or solar or petroleum or clockwork or steampunk or magic or use futuristic power sources.

They can be of any race/species from any genre of any media (books, movies, shows, games, etc.), too. What matters is that one of their primary skills, roles in the story, and traits as a character is being good with the story's available level of technology.

Buddy, the THINGS that c!Tubbo from the DSMP has been through, OH my freaking god. I could watch or read about what being a spy in Manberg or being president of a country at 17 was like for him all dang day and don’t even get me STARTED on anything else. The way he represses his emotions like heck to cope is interesting as heck to me. And the whole thing of him being underestimated like heck but being SO freaking smart and SO freaking strong and HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGG. Also he can be extremely funny.

I had a great time watching q!Tubbo from the QSMP as well. Him interrogating Cucurucho like that? His father-daughter relationship with Sunny? The gay pen-pal storyline with Fred the federation worker? Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

Ballister Blackheart from Nimona is also great. I say Blackheart as in the comic version, Ballister Boldheart from the movie is a great character with a great arc as well but if I’m being fully honest I do kinda prefer comic Ballister who’s been playing the “villain” willingly trying to take down the system for years and years, I do lowkey find that more interesting and enjoyable.

Also: Entrapta from She-ra, chaotic autistic icon. We stan.

Forever love Franny K. Stein little girl mad scientist as well.

Also! Guy Am-I from the Green Eggs and Ham cartoon! His arc and his dynamic with Sam are so GOOD I—

OH! Heinz Doofenshmirtz! How can one NOT love Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, I think we all can agree he’s one of the characters of all time.

May edit this and add more later.

[twelve-kinds-of-trouble]

AAPI Heritage Month Book Recs!

As some of you may or may not know, this May is AAPI Heritage Month. To celebrate it, I wanted to make a short list of books written by AAPI authors or with AAPI characters in them. This includes poetries, comics, and graphic novels! Special thanks to @introvertedscarecrow @silver-war @aheartfullofquestions and @waywardpudding who gave me some of these recommendations! If there is anything incorrect or offensive, please let me know! Also, feel free to reblog this with your own recommendations. Remember to check trigger warning before purchasing a book!

Young Adult Books

A Pho Love Story— Loan Lee (Contemporary) Legend— Marie Lu (Dystopian) Warcross— Marie Lu (Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Thriller) Wildcard— Marie Lu (Dystopian) Girls of Paper and Fire— Natasha Ngan (Fantasy) Girls of Storm and Shadow— Natasha Ngan (Fantasy) Gearbreakers— Zoe Hana Mikuta (Fantasy/ Sci-Fi) The Ones We’re Meant to Find— Joan He (Sci-Fi) Namesake— Jhumpa Lahiri (Contemporary) Last Night at The Telegraph Club— Malinda Lo (Historical) Counting By Sevens— Holly Goldberg Sloan (Contemporary) Cinder— Marissa Meyer (Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dystopia)

Biographies

Good Talk— Mira Jacob (Is also a graphic novel!) Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls— T Kira Madden Minor Feelings— Cathy Park Hong Woman Warrior— Maxine Hong Kingston

Poetry

Milk and Honey— Rupi Kaur Soft Science— Franny Choi World of Wonders— Aimee Nezhukumatathil Foreign Bodies— Kimiko Hahn Inside Out and Back Again— Thanha Lai (Autobiographical)

Graphic Novels and Comics

Batgirl (Cassandra Cain)— Kelly Puckett and Damion Scott Monstrous— Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Fantasy, Steampunk) Demon— Jason Shiga (Sci-Fi) Forget Sorrow— Belle Yang The Best We Could Do— Thi Bui (Autobiographical) They Called Us the Enemy— George Takei (Autobiographical) Mooncakes— Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (Witches! Sapphic Witches! And Sapphic Werewolves! HOLY SHIT!! Young Adult)

Adult Fiction

The Poppy War— R. F. Kuang (Fantasy) Arsenic and Adobo— Mia P. Manansala (Mystery, Cozy) Everything I Never Told You— Celeste Ng (Mystery, Historical) If I Had Your Face— Frances Cha (Contemporary) A Little Life— Hanya Yanagihara (Contemporary) Severance— Ling Ma (Sci-Fi/ Dystopian) The Inheritance of Loss— Kiran Desai (Historical/ Contemporary) Here and Now and Then— Mike Chen (Sci-Fi/ Fantasy) The Night Tiger— Yangsze Choo (Mystery/ Historical) On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous— Ocean Vuong (Contemporary)

I'm pleased to say that some of these novels are LGBTQ+ which is just the best news I’ve heard in all my days, so please come to me with your reviews for them, as a lot of these books are on my to read list! Thanks!

This is also a good time to say that the rising violent hate crimes against the Asian community are not excusable. They are disgusting, and anyone who condones them can get off my blog right now, before I tear out their kneecaps through their gut.

@the-fridge-is-on-fire @peachy-saladlover @neonified (just thought you might like to be tagged!) Please reblog this, I spent way too much time on it.

[booksociety]

Book Society presents its May reading event! As chosen by the members, the theme is All Things Victorian and the optional book of the month is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Join us as we travel back to the 19th century by reading a book that either takes place during the Victorian era (1837-1901) or was written during this time period. This event is open to everyone, not just our members.

✧ how to participate:

optional: reblog this post; check out our network and members

read (or reread) either The Night Circus (fantasy, historical, romance; 391 pages) or a book of your choice that fits this month’s theme

share what book you’ve chosen, thoughts, reactions, and/or creations

use the tag #booksociety in your posts, and include “@booksociety’s All Things Victorian event: [insert book title here]” in the description of your creations

the event starts on 1 May and ends on 31 May

✧ reading recommendations (under the cut):

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) by Deanna Raybourn (mystery, historical, romance; 339 pages)

A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle #1) by Libba Bray (young adult, fantasy, historical, romance; 403 pages)

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (adult, historical, mystery; 468 pages)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll (classic, children, fantasy; 96 pages)

A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom on Fire #1) by Jessica Cluess (young adult, fantasy, historical; 416 pages)

A Spy in the House (The Agency #1) by Y.S. Lee (young adult, historical, mystery; 335 pages)

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (classic, crime; 123 pages)

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas (mystery, historical, retelling; 323 pages)

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women #1) by Evie Dunmore (adult, historical; 356 pages)

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (classic, horror; 108 pages)

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare (young adult, paranormal, urban fantasy; 481 pages)

Dracula by Bram Stoker (classic, horror, fantasy; 488 pages)

Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration #1) by Lia Habel (young adult, steampunk, horror; 470 pages)

Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1) by Justina Ireland (young adult, horror; 455 pages)

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (adult, historical, lgbt, romance; 548 pages)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (classic, gothic, romance; 532 pages)

Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk #1) by Bec McMaster (adult, steampunk, romance, paranormal; 423 pages)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (classic; 449 pages)

Middlemarch by George Elliot (classic; 904 pages)

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (classic, romance; 521 pages)

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (classic; 608 pages)

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon (young adult, historical, retelling; 331 pages)

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (adult, historical, fantasy, fabulism; 464 pages)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (adult, historical; 269 pages)

Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1) by Susan Dennard (young adult, steampunk, horror; 388 pages)

Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1) by Kerri Maniscalco (young adult, historical; 327 pages)

The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1) by Caleb Carr (adult, historical, mystery crime; 498 pages)

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (historical, mystery; 384 pages)

The Falconer (The Falconer #1) by Elizabeth May (young adult, fantasy, steampunk, romance; 378 pages)

The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles (classic, historical, romance; 470 pages)

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo (fantasy, historical; 368 pages)

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1) by Roshani Chokshi (young adult, fantasy; 388 pages)

The Girl with Ghost Eyes (The Daoshi Chronicles #1) by M.H. Boroson (historical, fantasy; 288 pages)

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (historical, fantasy; 486 pages)

The Long Song by Andrea Levy (adult, historical; 320 pages)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic, horror, mystery; 144 pages)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (classic, horror; 241 pages)

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë (classic, romance; 576 pages)

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (adult, historical; 306 pages)

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd (adult, historical, fantasy, fabulism; 373 pages)

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (classic, gothic, romance; 464 pages)

[spotlightauthors]

Lorraine Rose

Lorraine Rose has just written a vivid haiku across your heart and it is starting to infect you with its octopus tentacles. She can be typically found hanging out in a whimsical world of haiku, tanka, and poetry where she is the gatekeeper to a large collection of Buddhist, feminist, and steampunk imagery scrolled in rose gold glitter.

Author name:Poetry published since 2020 is under my current married name of Lorraine Rose and before that, it was under my previous married name, Lorraine Cipriano.

How long have you been writing? I have been writing poetry since I was eight years old.

Did you ever imagine that you would be published one day? Yes, but for a while in my early 20's I thought I was going to be a famous songwriter. When that did not come to fruition, it took me a long period of time to think again about having my work put out there so that others could experience it. Honestly, I think having a women focused literary series, called Women Unbound, at the Sanger Branch Library in Toledo, Ohio is what prompted me to go for it. It gave me the courage to go to a haiku death match in the Cleveland area which led to my first book, Unbound, being published by Writing Knights Press.

What made you want to become an author? I grew up an only child in the 70's so I had a lot of time to just read books. Plus, when I went to a private school during my elementary years, I was placed in speed reading classes so I was able to burn through books quickly. My aunt Franny often tells the story of me reading the novel "War and Peace" when I was around six years old and quizzing her on it. This was a theme for me when I was younger, reading books with relatives and then quizzing them on the content like I was the teacher or something. It seems very obnoxious of me but when others talk about it they make it sound like I was cute about it. I was a big fan of classic literature, mystery novels, poetry and comic books as a child. When I became a teenager, I started getting into horror fiction, feminism, psychology, and Buddhist focused literature. I also was heavily into rap in my teen years and had dreams about becoming a female rapper. I used to write rhymes and scratch records on two turntables and then one day I just decided that I was over it. Later in life, I started reading more non-fiction, self-help and research based literature.

How long have you been published? My first poetry chapbook, “Unbound”, was published on November 9, 2014 but I had written a few newspaper articles in local newspapers before that very sporadically.

How does it feel to be published? I feel a small sense of achievement. I am always thinking of ways to expand my writing abilities such as breaking into writing screenplays. However, at the present moment, there are at least 50 books that contain my poetry which are essentially a mixture of my own chapbooks and various poetry/haiku anthologies. Also, I am published on several various poetry websites.

Are you self-published or did you go through a publishing company? Why? I am not self-published although, at one moment in time, I thought about creating my own press. It is easier to have someone else do the formatting of the cover, etc. which is why I choose not to do it myself.

How many books have you written? I have six poetry chapbooks that I have written so far under the name Lorraine Cipriano.

What is/are the name of your book(s)? "Unbound", "Out on the Streets", "On Pointe", "The Good, The Bad, The Lorraine", "Haikus Gone Wild" and "Crushed Out Steampunk".

What genre is it/are they in? Poetry

What do you feel will inspire others to never forget when they read your story(ies)? I would probably say some of my feminist inspired poetry because I wrote it from a point of view of looking at what could be possible for women, as far as being more visible in global leadership roles, and pointing out a small amount of the horrible misogynistic things that are currently happening in our world.

What's the hardest part about writing a book? Honestly, just self-discipline and giving myself permission and space to simply focus on myself and my writing. As a social worker and a mother, it is much easier to think about others versus myself. Yet, once I get started, it is a fast moving machine.

What's the easiest part about writing a book? Once I have a theme and outline of sections in the book identified, it is really easy to write pieces that go with it. I just have to find a theme that jazzes me and that I feel like I can be somewhat mystical in writing about it.

Where can interested readers purchase their copy of your book(s)? My chapbooks can be found on Amazon. "Haikus Gone Wild" and "Crushed Out Steam Punk" were published by Poems For All as tiny chapbooks that were given out for free in California in random areas. You can find a lot of the anthologies that I was published in on the Prolific Press website under the categories Haiku Journal, Tanka Journal, and Three Line Poetry. Under my current married name, Lorraine Rose.

Do you have any future projects in the works? I am working on writing a book of Buddhist themed haiku at the present moment.

Is there a tentative release date? June 2022

Do you have any social media sites that you would like to share with my readers? No, I do not have an author based social media site.

[cromulentbookreview]

A Perfectly Cromulent List of the Best Books I’ve Read This Year

Well, the best books I’ve read this year that I haven’t cromulently reviewed on this site. I read a lot of books because it’s what I like to do and I don’t really have a lot of friends to hang out with, or really anything that I do besides work and grad school so...yeah, I read a lot. My Goodreads challenge this year is 100 books, which would be the first and only time I’ve ever read 100 books in a year. I’m at 95 right now - so close! Just gotta get some short books and audiobooks in, and I’ll be good!

Anyway.

Below are some of the books I’ve read this year that I really liked, but didn’t feature here.

The Cromulent Book Review is where I like to post reviews of ARCs so I can ensure that I keep getting them. 

ARC = Free Book! 

Free Book = Me happy. 

Therefore:

Happiness = x(ARC+1) + H^2.

I have no idea if that equation works or even makes sense. Math was never my strong suit. Maybe I should’ve paid attention instead of reading The Hobbit under my desk. 

Anyway! Here, in no particular order, are some of the best books I’ve read this year:

Cucumber Quest by Gigi D.G.

Did you know this is a webcomic? Yeah, it is. I did not when I read the ARC from Netgalley, so I was all sad when I thought I’d have to wait for more books...but you don’t! Hurray! One of the best graphic novels / webcomics I’ve ever come across - snarky, subverts most familiar fantasy tropes, and, best of all: bunnies. And bunny-related puns. It’s fan-fricking-tastic. Read it now. Then go buy the books! Go on, I’ll wait.

Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869 by Alex Alice 

Love it. It has everything I love: German history, Steampunk, gorgeous illustrations, space travel...I desperately need more than just the first volume. Also, at roughly 60 pages, these "books" are way too short! I need the whole story now, please. God, I miss Germany. Nitpicking: Neuschwanstein was only just beginning to be under construction in 1869. Ludwig II never really lived there (well, he did for a bit while it was still under construction) - he never lived to see it completed, though it wasn't like he didn't have eleventy-million other castles. Like Hohenschwangau, which is literally across the way from Neuschwanstein. It's quite nice. There's also Herrenchiemsee, Königshaus am Schachen, and Linderhof which is the only castle Ludwig II lived to see completed. Neuschwanstein was opened to the public immediately after they were done building in 1886. It's been a tourist attraction since then. ...God, I miss Germany. I need to re-up my German and my German history. I've got a book on Ludwig II in German around here somewhere...

Eden West by Pete Hautman

It's rare that I ever finish a book in a day. I am way too easily distracted by the internet, the job I’m supposed to be doing, the graduate work I’m supposed to be doing, the writing I’m supposed to be doing, the chores I really should get to before something catches fire...you know, stuff. This book I think, is the first time I've seen an Amazon Kindle 1.99 deal, gone "sounds interesting, I'll buy it." And then, on the "thank you" page, clicked "read in Kindle Cloud Reader" and started reading immediately. I was over halfway through this book when the receipt email made it to my inbox. I was sucked into this book immediately and dropped everything to read it. My only complaint is that it ended too early - I would have loved to see Jacob adjusting to life in the world outside of the Nobb, interact with society at large, meet Lynna's friends. Also, it would have been nice to see some of the jerks within the Nobb get their comeuppance or see the place be shut down altogether. Also, protip: if you have to keep telling people "it's not a cult", you're probably in a cult. Just sayin'.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Yeah, I went to a rural high school chock full of conservative Christians, Mormons, and, oddly enough, members of the Russian Orthodox church. No way in hell were we ever going to go near The Color Purple. I mean, if Ricochet River was too risque for my school, then The Color Purple would’ve been considered pornographic. God forbid we have any books featuring frank discussions of female pleasure! The Color Purple all about female empowerment, friendships, relationships, sex, love, hate, racism, sexism... So of course my school didn’t teach it. By far the most beautiful book I’ve read this year, and I honestly wish they’d make The Color Purple required reading for not just all high school students, but for all humans. 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I don't often describe books as "compulsively" readable - for the most part, if I'm reading something, I can stop, switch to something else or go do something else for a while and I'll be good. But when I started The Hate U Give, I just could not stop. I had to keep reading, keep reading, keep reading. This book hooks you and just does not let go, it's awesome. The 4.5/5 is really only for some scenes which, in retrospect, set up just how normal and loving Starr's family life is, but they dragged a little too long. Some scenes could have been cut. That is my only criticism. This is a fantastic and extremely relevant book - it's another one of those books I'd like to buy multiple copies of and then just hand out to random people and be like "READ THIS NOW." Seriously, read it.

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

Immediately after reading The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, I just had to get my hands on everything Mackenzi Lee had ever written, but this turned out to not be a lot...still, I inhaled This Monstrous Thing, loved it, was disappointed when I learned it wouldn’t be getting the sequel, but then my heart nearly exploded when I learned that Lee herself will be writing a YA Marvel tie-in novel...about Loki.

About. Loki.

The awesome woman who brought us Gentleman’s Guide is going to write a novel about Loki!

Also, Gentleman’s Guide is going to be getting a sequel soon! Hell yes!

That high pitched ringing you heard a couple weeks back was my fangirlish squee - unless you have tinnitus, in which case, it was tinnitus and my fangirlish squee. Mackenzi Lee is probably my favorite writer that I discovered this year, and I can’t wait to see more of her stuff in the future. She’s also very tolerant of my pestering of her via Twitter. (Sorry, Ms. Lee!)

Nimona, the Audiobook by Noelle Stevenson

Loved, loved, loved the audiobook version of Nimona! It was absolutely perfect, and probably as close to a Nimona movie or TV series that we'll ever get (fingers still crossed! Noelle Stevenson writes for TV now - come on, Marvel, make us a Nimona TV series!). It's done in a BBC Radio Play style with a full cast and original music and it's just absolutely delightful. Sir Goldenloin sounds exactly like how you think he would, too :) It's only 2.5 hours long, so it would be perfect for a long car ride or if you need something fun to listen to while cleaning or doing housework. I actually managed to clean my whole room while listening to this - made the task fun rather than torturous. My only complaint was that occasionally the voice actors would ham it up a bit with growls and groans and such, but...eh, it's an audiobook/radio play. I'm mostly just glad now that Nimona has been made accessible to the blind. Nimona is awesome and everyone should get a chance to experience it, whether or not they can see the illustrations.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

This book broke my heart into a million pieces and then put it back together somewhat...but still. Beautiful and sad.          

Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan (曹文轩) translated into English by Helen Wang

Beautifully translated book about two young children growing up in rural China during the Cultural Revolution. A very heartwarming tale of a family sticking together no matter what in the face of poverty and diversity. Can't believe I hadn't heard of this book til it was assigned in my MLIS program! Love it love it love it. Stop everything and read it now.         

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

This book took my adolescence and distilled it into a middle grade novel about a girl who becomes obsessed with the idea that a jellyfish killed her ex-best friend. The way Suzy sees the world and the way people treated her was all to familiar to me, especially the story of how, around middle school, her elementary school best friend Franny suddenly became a different person, and that person didn’t want to hang around Suzy anymore. Not only that, she started being mean to Suzy. This is one of those awful, painful experiences that I’m pretty sure everyone has had at some point in their lives. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has lost a friend - whether it be because they died or they simply turned into an asshole as a byproduct of puberty.

The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

There are two things I love: YA and Sherlock Holmes stories, and most of the time when they're combined the end result isn't all that great, but the Charlotte Holmes books have both been absolutely amazing so far. Brittany Cavallaro became a new favorite of mine with A Study in Charlotte and she managed to top it with Last of August.  I am in desperate need of book three. Right now. I don't want to wait. I need it. Neeeeeed it.

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray

Oh God, oh God, oh God why did it have to end?!? Libba Bray is perhaps my favorite YA author ever - in fact, A Great and Terrible Beauty was the gateway book to my YA addiction. I remember reading A Great and Terrible Beauty under my desk during my high school chemistry class. Worth it! So what if knowledge of chemistry never really sank in? Anyway: I tore through all those books, endured the long, awful wait for the next one, and then was depressed when they ended with The Sweet Far Thing. And then The Diviners came out in 2012 and I was immediately hooked. Who doesn’t love fiction set in the Roaring 20s? I tore through Diviners, endured the long, awful wait for Lair of Dreams, and then endured the even longer, more awful wait for Before the Devil Breaks You. My only criticism is that I, somehow, had the idea that Before the Devil Breaks You would be the last book in a trilogy - and that this book would provide all our answers and give us an ending for Evie and Sam and Jericho and Mable and Theta and Memphis and Ling...but as I made my way through the book and the number of pages I had left began to dwindle, I rapidly realized this was the final book of a trilogy, but the third book in a series. There’s going to be a book 4. Which, first off: awesome! More, please! But also: NOOO! Agh, no, I want to know all the answers! I want to know whether Evie will end up with Sam or Jericho. I wanna know if Theta will finally find happiness. I WANT TO KNOW, DAMN IT! Ugh! So it was disappointing knowing that I would be taken along for a wild ride through the Roaring 20s but with magic and special powers and a 20s Stranger Things vibe only to be set up for yet another long, awful wait for another book. Ugh! I WANT IT NOW. In fact, I NEED IT NOW!

Also, when are we going to talk about the fact that Diviners and the Gemma Doyle series take place in the same universe?? Don’t believe me? Go reread that Post Office scene from Lair of Dreams. Go on, I’ll wait. I need Gemma and her friends to show up for the final battle, or to act as a mentor to Evie or something!

Aaaagggghh. Series books. They’ll be the death of me, I tells ya!

This is by all means not a complete list. Just a list I threw together to make up for the fact that I’m lazy and not blogging because...eh, busy. And lazy. So...there are some books to read. Go read them? I dunno, you don’t have to listen to me, I’m just some random person who has a Tumblr account. Read these books or not, your choice.

Still, you should read these. They’re great.

[duesouthseekritsanta]

Looking for tips on request-writing?

For folks who haven’t participated in many exchanges before, here are some ideas to help you write requests that will improve the experience for both you and your giftmaker: Remember that your request serves two purposes: 1) To let AO3 (and the mods) match givers with recipients.   We will match you on ONE FORMAT (fic, art, etc.) and ONE CHARACTER.  If possible, we'll also match you on one or more relationships, and/or on other details.  But the auto-matching only looks at what you listed in the "Character" and "Additional Tags" (format) fields, so make the best use of those fields! 2) To give your giftmaker a sense of your taste and perhaps some specific inspiration about what to make. Make multiple requests. You can make as many as 3 separate requests in your AO3 sign-up, and this year, you are required to make at least 2.  Multiple requests make it easier for us to match giftmakers to recipients, and they also give your giftmaker options! For example: Request 1: Benton Fraser, Ray Vecchio, Fraser&Vecchio, Fraser/Vecchio Request 2: Benton Fraser, Margaret Thatcher, Renfield Turnbull Request 3: Ray Kowalski, Damien Kowalski Ask for what you want…but don’t make it too narrow. Additional details/Dear Santa letter give you an opportunity to explain your want/don’t want boundaries. For example: Request: Benton Fraser, Ray Vecchio, Fraser/Vecchio, Kowalski/Vecchio, Fraser/Kowalski/Vecchio Details: I would like a story about a romantic relationship between Fraser and Vecchio. It could be a threesome, either with Kowalski or with some other character (male or female), but I’d like Fraser/Vecchio to be the focus. The one threesome I wouldn’t want to see is Fraser/Vecchio/Frannie (incest squick). If you include optional details, be specific…but not too specific. Your request is a description of what kind of thing you would like.  It is not a prompt for a specific story/artwork. Good: I love AUs! I’d love to see a steampunk AU (Fraser as mad scientist?).   Or a historical setting – here are some I thought of: Canadian and US soldiers meet in WW2, Fraser and the Rays as 18th century Arctic explorers (maybe members of the Franklin expedition), the Rays as Romans and Fraser as a Celt during the Roman occupation of England. Not so good: Kowalski is a serial killer and Fraser has been hunting him for years.  When Fraser finally arrests Kowalski, they end up snowed-in in a cabin in the wilderness.  Fraser falls ill and Kowalski has to nurse him back to health, which leads to them falling in love. Go ahead and ask for something unusual…but include a “safety request” so we can be sure to find you a match! We love to see variety and we encourage you to request minor characters and unusual pairings. However, we are a small exchange, so matching makers to recipients can be tricky. So, please do request that Gardino/Bob Fraser fic, but make your second (or third) request something easier to fulfill. A good rule of thumb is that at least one request should focus on at least one of the three primary characters (Fraser, Vecchio, and/or Kowalski). If there are things you really don’t want, say so. But please do so respectfully (no character bashing/kink shaming/complaining). And try not to restrict your giftmaker too much! In general: be honest but flexible.  Give your giftmaker something to work with, while leaving them room to exercise their creativity. Finally, remember that optional details are optional, for both you and your giftmaker.  Your giftmaker is required to make a giftwork in a format you requested, with at least one character you requested, and that’s it.  Many people do use the extra information you provide as inspiration, but no one is required to do so.

[nofomoartworld]

Steampunk Puppets Take Center Stage in Indiana | #50StatesofArt

What do you do when you're sick of your peers complaining that your city lacks creative capital? You found your own arts collective and focus on wacky puppetry, of course. That's precisely the route that the creators of Know No Stranger, an Indianapolis-based performance collective, took back in 2009. The group showcases puppetry with an improvisational flair—not to mention massive, steampunk-esque scenery and props. As Brandon Schaaf, one of Know No Stranger's members, tells Creators, the collective describes its aesthetic as having a "pervading sense of whimsy and inclusion, plus a style of kind-hearted, absurdist humor."

Know No Stranger does an annual show called Optical Popsicle, now in its seventh iteration. Developed with the group's signature freewheeling and slapdash humor, it's childish joy in performance form. A recent production ended with a raucous finale brimming with Broadway frivolity, titled "Our Dreams Aren't Over," a perfectly fitting platitude for the high-spirited artists.

Creators recently talked to Schaaf about Know No Stranger's beginnings and what it took to bring their style of goofy puppetry to Indianapolis:

A shot from last October's original, full-length musical, Heck Above Deck (Heck Above Deck, 2016) Photo: Gabe DuVall

Creators: How did Know No Stranger come about? Did the creative and performing arts in Indiana influence its inauguration?

Brandon Schaaf: Know No Stranger began in 2009 with the observation: "Everyone's complaining there's nothing going on in Indianapolis. But nobody's making anything happen." That was the birth of Optical Popsicle (the first of seven). It wasn't that this original incarnation felt it was the sole answer to everyone's woes—we wanted to show that anybody could make cool, engaging things. We were excited for the opportunity to entertain, inspire, and encourage more creation in our city that we could then consume. By 2010, the responses we got, including the many opportunities to collaborate with organizations we wanted to work with, showed us that we had created something that was worth feeding and growing.

A KNS performance of W.S. Gilbert's The Yarn of the Nancy Bell by Stephen Giles, Emily Gable, and Paul Pelsue (Optical Popsicle Hi-5 Live!, 2013)

Frannie's Diner, the set of a skit called Now We're Talkin', performed by Stephen Gilles, Jake Watson, Matt Helfrich, Megan Hart, J.D. Gray, and Brandon Schaaf (Optical Popsicle Infinity, 2015). Photo: Chaz Mottinger

How would you describe the artistic scene in Indianapolis?

We'd call it supportive, communal. We share. There's a lot more going on here than most would assume, but it feels small because other groups and solo artists seem genuinely invested and interested in the rest of the community's goings-on. Familiar faces pop up everywhere, and they always seem to be smiling.

A hand-cranked music-making contraption called the Rapparatus, designed by Alan Goffinski and performed alongside Neil Kieldsen, Twon Schroeder, and rapper Scoot Dubbs (Optical Popsicle 7, 2014). Photo: Alex Farris

How have you seen Know No Stranger's formation influence the community in terms of artistic development? We hope we've been an example to other artists who may feel bashful about putting themselves out there or experience any doubt about the value of what they have to offer. We wanted to take some of the heaviness and pressure off of public displays of art and compassion. This isn't about getting your foot in the door of some elite club; it's about simply speaking up and putting something positive out into the world.

We also hope that we've helped to create a culture of communication and support in the Indianapolis community. We dream big dreams — bigger than we can carry alone. So we regularly reach out to people who we think would enjoy partnering, and time and time again, we open working relationships that stay open for years. This kind of interconnectivity allows the entire community to continue to dream bigger and bigger.

Our Dreams Aren't Over, the big, absurd musical finale of the latest Optical Popsicle (Optical Popsicle Infinity, 2015). Photo: Kip Carter

To learn more about Know No Stranger, click here. Follow their future creative pursuits on their Instagram.

All year, we're highlighting 50 States of Art projects around the United States. This month, we're covering Illinois, Indiana, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Hawaii. To learn more, click here. Related:

The Richmond, SC Art Gallery That Dares to Be Different | #50StatesofArt

A Curator Gives Us the Lowdown on Art in the South | #50StatesofArt

50 States of Art: A Letter from the Editor

from creators http://ift.tt/2lhLVgH via IFTTT

[annelostshoe]

really do be like sometimes

*eats art*

Do you have any siblings? And what do they look like???

Yep, I’ve got three! (tw badly drawn gun)

There’s Bea,

Franny,

And Jonesy! Aren’t they all super cool?