#those are probably terrible answers and also the chaos seven was a terrible choice since they are all alike

[breitzbachbea]

1, 3, 9, 11?

OH, thank you very much!!!!

Meta OC Question

What inspired you to create your oc?

Depends on the OC, but there's two reasons at the start of all my OC endeavours in the past, which also intertwine:

I've always been a very creative kid with adhd that makes her daydream all day long, so I've been plagued by visions that needed a creative outlet & writing was the choice.

Since I wrote since elementary school, whenever I liked another piece of media, I'd express it by writing fanfiction, which would usually involve OCs. I'd often spin so hard and so fast out of control that I would make up a whole batch of OCs, often together with friends, who'd interact with the main cast and story, but also spin off into their own storylines.

These days, where I only make OCs and write mostly for my Hetalia Human AU (which is 10% Fanfic, but 90% Orig Fic): The mainer characters come to me because I am plagued by visions and constantly inspired by real life. I have over 250 named characters in this AU, PLEASE stop me from making more. Went to Romania for Erasmus for a week and came back with an OC concept that could have such a dysfunctional and toxic queer romance with one of my underdeveloped Hungarian OCs. I need to be stopped.

However, once mainer characters are established, OCs related to them spring up out of necessity or because I am like 'You know what I didn't do yet and would be fun in relation to these new bitches and also the old bitches?'. OC creation never happens in a vacuum, I am all about how they add to the world I created for the past 10 years and could interact with its inhabitants.

3. What is the origin of the character's name?

Used to go on babynaming sites and look at the most popular options, which is why all my Irish mainer characters have English names (RIP). These days I like to do some research on the cultural background they come from and also take inspiration from public figures from their country/region/city. However, once that is done I usually just visit Behind the Name and spend 15 minutes browsing, talking with friends about options, ignoring their feedback and then choose a name by closing my eyes and throwing a dart at the PC. I do consider nominative determinism to a degree, but I'll tell myself that the parents who named the kid couldn't have known what they will grow up to be and I'll also get used to any name.

I also love to use names I encountered in life, too! Like old classmates or family names of friends!

9. In a group dynamic, what kind of role does the oc usually fill? Are they a worry wart? A troublemaker? The straight man?

I LOVE GROUP DYNAMICS AND I HAVE SOOOO MANY OF THEM. Let's take the Chaos Seven, aka Team Ireland + Soph and Team Sicily as an example.

Team Ireland shares one collective braincell. Paddy, who's twice as old as Harry and Charlie, is its keeper about 40% of the time. Since he helped raise Harry since he was six, is a father figure to Charlie and helped raise Sophie since she was born, he's the Guardian figure of the Group. Hashtag Daddy Paddy. However, he's also a bastard like his own kids, so while he tries to be a good influence, he's not exactly the voice of reason. Just hopelessly devoted to the three and wants to ensure that they don't make choices they will regret without return.

Charlie is the social butterfly, or at least the one who's the most willing to engage in diplomacy and also enjoys working people the most. Do not let that fool you, half of the European underground wants to punch his teeth in for being endlessly annoying, but the other half wants to either fuck him or keep him as a purse dog. He and Harry are brother's from another mother and when Harry is too stubborn and fatalistic to consider anyone outside of himself, Charlie will pick up the slack and care for him and their goals. To Soph, he's the big brother figure with whom she can discuss personal affairs that she feels Harry and Paddy are too close and guardian-like for comfort to discuss with.

Harry's the driving force that inspires the others, since if he is hellbent on something, he'll pull through with it and won't let anyone push him around. He bickers all day long with the rest (especially Charlie, Soph and Harry do nothing but pick on each other), but is also always there to root for the others and take risks on their behalf. Probably the biggest troublemaker, but since Team Ireland as a whole is nothing but troublemakers, it's a bit unfair to single him out. He's got an unmatched love for pranks, though!

Soph is the nestling, the little darling of the family. All the others care for her, and as she grows up, she takes more and more after her brother, for better and for worse. Being Harry's little sister, the two are especially close, but she worries and cares for all three of them, as they do for her. When she's with the other three, she's a troublemaker who's not gonna let anyone push her or her family around, much like Harry.

Michele ... he is the leader and the voice of reason in Team Sicily, the one who raised the twins Marco and Lorenzo together with his mother. Since Marco and Lorenzo look up to him, he's also their guardian figure and tries to be as good an influence as he can - he's also constantly herding cats with these two mischievous guys.

Marco and Lorenzo share their creativity and their analytical thinking, as well as their love for mischief. They're definitely troublemakers, but at the same time problem solvers extraordinaire. And while their devotion to Michele is blind to a degree, they also unite in pulling him back onto the rug at times. It's not often that they need to play the straight man and they aren't good at that role with anyone but Michele, but they can do it.

11. What is your least favorite trait regarding your oc?

I mean it is an Organized Crime AU, so for most it gotta be, among others, the uhhhh ability to justify the horrors to themselves.

But that aside. I don't really think in favourite and not-favourite, since an interplay of traits is what makes OCs so close to actual humans and simply fun as literary constructs.

If I was held at gunpoint, though - That Hugo is so persistent in his quest to be liked/loved/the best that he can't take no for an answer in the long run, to his own detriment and everyone else's. That SK, aka Sri Kadek, is so stubborn in her perceived role as being the fixer of the family that she won't consider someone else's motivation for how they treat her could be genuinely out of caring for her. And most of the OCs are assholes, again because of the circumstances and I am a messy bitch who loves drama, but the Arora twins (Frej and Freja) take the objectification and the prioritization of their entertainment a little bit far even for this crowd. (... but also, that does make them very very sexy <3).

[potter-loves-malfoy]

you have a few favorites? They don't have to be brand new or anything. Just some that you love?

I have some new and some old! Also some Jeddy cuz I’ve been reading a whole lot of Jeddy lately, but I’ll put those in the end! Also, this is gonna be mostly smut because that's what I mostly read unless I’m in a very wholesome mood. This is gonna be long, like very long, I’m bad at picking favorites there are just too many (34 to be exact, apparently and this is the most I could narrow it down). (I also ran out of things to say because I remember loving those fics SO MUCH but I dont remember enough to give a “review”)

The Magic Cat by dot_the_writer

When Harry sees Draco Malfoy with painted nails and wearing an oversized jumper covered in cat fur, his obsession from school comes back in full force. Featuring supportive friends, cute cats and lots of Harry figuring out what he wants.

This one I read just this morning when my best friend asked me to rec her some hurt/comfort (hi Jess) and it’s my most recent favorite. Sooo cute!

A New Page by bixgirl1

Draco just wanted to find out what was up with Potter’s new attitude. Some light stalking, the discovery of a hidden diary, and a lot of wanking later, and he has some answers.

They’re just not the ones he expected.

(Things have changed since sixth year, folks. …Mostly.)

This one also, I read fairly recently and I mean @bixgirl1 fics, do I even need to say more?

The Tapestry of Kinship by khalulu 

Harry is at loose ends, Draco is good with needles, and Draco’s young daughter wants to see a certain tapestry repaired. The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black will never be the same.

Helix by Saras_Girl

Seven months after the end of the war, Harry is feeling lost. Fortunately, he is about to be offered an unexpected and sparkling chance to find himself again. [2014 advent fic]

Sanguis Vita Est by Shiguresan

Whilst Voldemort’s prisoner, Draco is made a vampire and forced to take Harry as his first meal. With Draco managing to resist the temptation to drain him, just barely, in a moment of blind rage at what he has been forced to become, he aids Harry in the destruction of Voldemort. But even with that threat vanquished, once back at Hogwarts, Draco finds himself disturbingly addicted to Harry’s blood. And amongst all this, a dark shadow looms ominously on the outline of the forest, watching them closely. A vampire!Draco story and also an ‘Eighth year’ story.

I read this ages ago but I remember hesitating before I started to read this because it’s 312k+ and I didn’t really read super long fics back then, but I loved this so much, also vampire!Draco is a good

Turn by Saras_Girl

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

My favorite execution of the “character’s life kinda sucks so character magically gets sent to an alternate universe” trope. Oh also, it’s part of a series

dirtynumbangelboy by magpie_fngrl

After Harry’s unfortunate encounter with his ex, Draco Malfoy makes him a proposition. Draco wants his parents to stop matchmaking him and Harry wants to make his ex jealous. All they need to do is simply pretend they’re in love. Problem is… Draco already is.

Again another amazing fake relationship fic!

Give Me Sweet Oblivion by tryslora 

Italy seems like a long way to go to keep a fetish secret. But the club is exclusive, and the far away location, and Muggle nature, promises anonymity from Wizarding Britain. The only problem is that sometimes, great minds think alike.

One of the actual hottest smut fics that I’ve read, recced to me by my friend @the-cellar-spiral Fun fact, we planned and failed to write a kind of sequel to this, we had @tryslora ‘s permission and everything, we just never really had time, but who knows maybe in the future.

Every Me and Every You by bixgirl1

Harry liked his life just fine, thankyouverymuch — so it was bad enough when a sly fairy cursed him to leap into alternate realities. But seeing Malfoy in all of them? Definitely way too much. And worse yet: needing the bastard’s help to figure out how to get out of of it.

It was a disaster waiting to happen, really.

Well… probably.

Another AMAZING alternate universe fic, using @magpiefngrl ‘s tumblr prompt AU’s as said alternate universes that Harry keeps going in and out of, which makes it 974957839 times better! Also Unspeakable!Draco, also the alternate realities are almost always sexual and it’s great

Dating for Dads in Denial by aibidil

In which one wizard designs and another reluctantly patronises a magical matchmaking service, amidst the chaos of children and parenting.

Since You Asked by Magnolia822

Newly retired Draco Malfoy writes an anonymous agony column for the Quibbler, for which he quickly gains a reputation for offering pithy, practical advice. His life is comfortably predictable until he receives a letter from a reader seeking a divorce from his wife of thirty years. The situation seems far too familiar … could the writer be the Savior himself?

Salty Sweet by Aelys_Althea

Draco was a Master. He’d always been one, but having a town of Muggles consider him as close to God’s gift as they would ever receive was certainly validating. Except it wasn’t enough. After years of settling, of conjuring masterpieces with his fingers and his prowess, Draco realised he needed a change.

How hard could it be to find an apprentice pâtissier that did what they were told? As it happened, doing ‘what was told’ was about the last thing on his inevitable prospect’s mind. Trust Harry Potter to be the one to turn Draco’s life upside down.

Moldova’s Magical Tea by aibidil

Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and—to everyone’s surprise—Draco Malfoy are opening a magical tea shop to revive wizarding tea culture and, hopefully, to bring the community together after the war. Harry, who is unemployed and trying to find his way in post-war society, wants to help his friends with their new business—but that means spending a lot of time around Malfoy. Featuring Muggle music from summer 2001, trips to the Muggle cinema, herbology and magical herbal infusions, and Draco trying to convince Harry that, while he’s still a snarky git, he’s no longer a bigot.

The Critiquer by dysonrules

When Harry submits his cock photo to a renowned Cock Critiquer and gets a terrible review, he decides to take a photography class to hopefully improve his skills.

Career Choices: Harry: Shiftless layabout; Draco: Cock Critiquer

But, In Dreams by kedavranox

Harry is a Seer, with a particular affinity for speaking to the dead, but this comes at a price he’s slowly killing himself to pay.

My Name Was Safest in Your Mouth by alpha_exodus

Harry didn’t ask for Malfoy to walk into his shop after so many years. But one event leads to another, and soon they’re scrambling to help Hermione find the solution to one of the most insidious viruses the wizarding world has ever seen. To make matters worse, Malfoy’s hiding something, and Harry really wants to kiss him—except Malfoy doesn’t date. Ever.

I Can’t Take It! by XxTheDarkLordxX

After the war, Draco Malfoy became an author. A best selling author whose books move the hearts of those who read them. Which wouldn’t be a problem for Ron if all of them weren’t about Harry! It was obvious to him that Malfoy was in love with his best friend but why was it that no one else seemed to think so? He was going to get to the bottom of this and get Harry to stop mooning over the blonde idiot at the same time. Perhaps, they just needed someone to come along and get them to fess up. For the safety of his own sanity, Ron was going to help Malfoy ensnare Harry. That is, if they can get along long enough not to kill each other.

The Full Monty by magpie_fngrl

Harry poses for a naked Auror calendar and Draco goes batshit crazy with lust.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop

It’s Potter’s fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It’s been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco’s getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he’s falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?

Moon-Eyed by loveglowsinthedark 

Draco Malfoy, Head of Veela Affairs at the Department of Magical Beings, does not do people favours.

Harry Potter, recently turned werewolf, is not “people” – not to Draco anyway.

Does Draco plan to fall in love with Harry when he decides to help him? No. Does he end up falling in love with him anyway? Pft, what do you think?

Adventures in Solitude (Are You There, Sirius? It’s Me, Draco) by oceaxe 

Draco is grateful to have had Sirius’ portrait to confide in all those years ago, about his sexuality and unwanted feelings for a classmate named Harry. But when he gets the portrait out of storage after twenty years, the secrets he has kept from Sirius all along come out. Secrets about Draco’s role in the war… and secrets about Harry Potter.

Proof of the Pudding by gracie137 

When Greg’s bakery opens on Diagon Alley, Draco doesn’t expect it to the place he ends up finding love, but then again Harry Potter had always ended up defying Draco’s expectations.

AKA: The One Where Gregory Goyle somehow ends up running both a bakery and a match making service.

The Rules of Matchbreaking by PalenDrome (nerdherderette)

For Prompt #51:When Draco gets fired, he reluctantly agrees to break up a girl’s relationship for her disapproving mother. Through word of mouth, the one-time gig turns him into a professional Matchbreaker, however he winds up falling for one of his clients and must somehow balance his secret job and love life.[excerpt]:“So who is it? The Curse-breaker and the Veela? The head of the Department of Magical Transportation?” Draco’s eyes lit up. “The Dragon-tamer?” Now that particular Weasley could be fun.

“No. It’s Harry,” Hermione said, the name exploding out of her in a rush.

Draco blinked, stunned into silence.

“Harry,” he said, after he recovered his faculties. “You want me to break up Harry and the Weaselette?!“

One Night at the Leaky by birdsofshore

Harry should have known better than to accept a drunken dare. Especially when Malfoy was sitting right there, looking like that and wearing those bloody tight trousers.

This is the very first Drarry fic I read, while trying to research dares for a seungchuchu fic I was writing at the time and it is the fic that made me ship Drarry and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Ligabus Filium by Tessa Crowley (tessacrowley)

It should be careful, deliberate, but it isn’t. Like every other part of their relationship, it happens gradually and then all at once, before they even realize it. And when the little blue threads bind them together, there’s no going back.

The Printed Press by Soupy_George

Draco Malfoy was still slightly amazed that he was standing on the doorstep of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He never would have thought that Harry Potter’s very public and very … sweary, emotional explosion would have led to him offering Draco, of all people, a job.

All Life is Yours to Miss by Saras_Girl

Professor Malfoy’s world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

Foundations!verse by Saras_Girl

Reparations by Saras_Girl

Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.

Foundations by Saras_Girl

When one door closes, another one opens – with a bit of a push. Life, love, and complications. [sequel to Reparations]

So this was included in my healer!Harry rec list but this series is just so good also it has way too many fics in the series for me to link to all of them but once you read the two main fics there’s no way you’re not gonna wanna read the one-shots that come with the series as well.

Are You Mine? by gracerene

A trilogy of fics set in an Epilogue-Compliant Harry Potter ‘Verse, with various accompanying time-stamps and one-shots. Fics are in chronological order.

Not Just When You Want to Be by gracerene

A little over a year after the end of the war, fate seems intent on pushing Harry and Draco together. Staying together is a different matter entirely.

What I’m Waiting to Find by gracerene

James has devoted the past two years to being the best damn Chaser that Puddlemere United has ever seen…and to getting over his teenage crush on Teddy. But when Teddy comes back to England after a long stint abroad, James’s resolve to move on is put to the test.

All of the Time by gracerene

Twenty-five years later, Harry and Draco find their way back to one another.

I read this one fairly recently as well and this is definitely one of my all-time favorite series, the first and third fics are Drarry and the second is Jeddy. I honestly love this so much that I lowkey want to go find @gracerene09 down and thank her for writing such an amazing series. Oh fair warning though, the first fic made me ugly cry and opened a wound that only the third fic could heal so you know, prepare yourself. There are also accompanying oneshots that are also v amazing!

This Must Be the Place by aibidil

When your dad is Harry Potter, your face shows up in Teen Witch, your social media videos go viral, and sometimes your life depends on pretending to date your metamorph godbrother, whom you’ve been over for years, thank you very much. Or, the one where James and Teddy do animal yoga and risqué karaoke and their families could do with seeing fewer videos of them snogging.

I’m a sucker of the fake relationship trope and @aibidil wrote this sooo beautifully

The Hidden Side by gracerene

Twenty years ago today, James Sirius Potter was born into this world. Four years, two months, and six days later, somebody took him.

Oh god this, THIS Auror!Teddy is one of my favorite Teddy’s. Also super intriguing plot and still quite a few unexpected twists even though the biggest revelation you guess/know pretty early on. Oh and background drarry!

[bthenoise]

To Play Or Not To Play: Thoughts & Predictions On The MLB and NBA From Some Of Your Favorite Bands

We can all agree 2020 has been a pretty terrible year so far. There’s no need to go into detail. You know. We know. End of story. 

One thing we might not all agree on is whether or not 2020 is deserving of professional sports. See, starting over the next couple weeks, North America will officially have the return of Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. 

Some fans, as you might expect, are thrilled to see sports back as they’ve officially streamed all their stay-at-home content and cannot wait to watch competitive athletics again. 

The others, well, they think rushing back into playing games again is like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole as we as a nation still attempt to fend off the deadly coronavirus. 

Nonetheless, despite what we all think, sports are back. And knowing some of your favorite musicians probably have opinions and predictions on what the upcoming MLB season and resumed NBA games will look like, we decided to ask them for their thoughts.

To check out what members of Black Veil Brides, Movements, Silverstein, Thirce and more had to say, be sure to look below. 

ANDY BIERSACK - BLACK VEIL BRIDES

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

I’m definitely excited for sports to come back however I am interested to see how it’s all going to play out in terms of safety. Obviously things will need to be demonstrably safe and the players’ health and well being are taken into account in a way that can be replicated as we get closer to football season, etc. I am excited for all sports to “come back” though. What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

I am actually very curious to see how it plays out. Unfortunately with a truncated season you won’t get to see how it all would have shaken out over the course of the full regular season but if the Reds (who were predicted to be markedly better this year) can make it to the post-season it will be a big deal for everyone in Cincinnati! It’s been, as most years are in Cincy sports, a long stretch of crappy years. As far as the Astros go, I remember earlier this year seeing the “Astros shame tour” twitter account, I wonder how they are holding up with the delayed start to the “shame” haha.

How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

Again, I think a lot of fans are excited to see it come back but also share concerns about player safety. That said, if they can make “the bubble” work it will certainly be exciting to get this season going again. I was raised a Milwaukee Bucks fan and that’s really “my team” but since I’ve lived in Los Angeles my entire adult life I always root for the Lakers in the west. Ideally that would be the finals, with my Bucks winning of course! 

Who are you rooting for to win both the World Series and NBA Finals this year

World Series - CINCINNATI REDS NBA Finals - MILWAUKEE BUCKS

IRA GEORGE - MOVEMENTS:

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

I am very excited! Opening day for baseball is on my birthday so I’m definitely most excited for baseball to be coming back. It’s going to be a great birthday!!

What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

I think the 60 games get finished and it will be one of the most exciting seasons yet. Anyone can win with only 60 games. The Marlins could win for all we know. I love the added extra inning rule with an inherited runner starting on second base and I am very excited to hear that ball crack on the bat in an empty stadium. A truly magical sound. Astros still get drilled every game but COVID-19 has definitely helped cool down the hatred towards them. We will see.

How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

I am super pumped to watch the bubble NBA season take place. It’s going to be something we most likely never see again and I’ll be watching as much as I can. Lakers are still a favorite to win it all but no home court advantage will be detrimental to some teams. Let’s just hope the Lakers don’t have to face the Clippers in the first round....

Who are you rooting for to win both the World Series and NBA Finals this year?

World Series I gotta go with my team the Angels facing off against my second team the Phillies. Anything can happen right?

I think it would be great to see a classic Lakers Celtics finals. Lakers would sweep in 4, completely destroying any hope of a championship for the Celtics.

BRENT WALSH - I THE MIGHTY:

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

Provided it actually happens, I'm incredibly excited to watch the NBA again. I've missed it so much. It's been FAR too long since I've watched Steph [Curry] drain a deep three. What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

Can't say I've been too up on MLB news other than the fact that the entire process of starting back up seems to be a total mess. I know the MLB is incentivizing people NOT to peg the Astros every at bat.... but... I mean, they kinda deserve it right? Cheaters. How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

I'm trying to keep my expectations low because I don't want to get my hopes up. I don't think all players are going to take part, which is going to throw a wrench in the works for certain teams who were in contention provided some of their star players decide it's just not safe enough. The bubble is possible... but these guys are all up on each other during games. If one person comes down with COVID it could have pretty wide spread consequences. Definitely playing with fire here.. Who are you rooting for to win both the World Series and NBA Finals this year?

Being an A's fan and a Warriors fan, I have little faith in my team taking it all this year.... I mean, very, very little faith. So to answer this question honestly? I really don't care. I'm just excited to watch people throw and catch things at the highest level of talent while yelling obscenities at my TV again. :)

STEVE SLADKOWSKI - PUP

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

To be completely honest, I’m not really excited at all. To be steaming recklessly ahead, as both the NBA and MLB are, feels very dangerous for the players, coaches and especially the employees of organizations and stadiums/areas contained within the ‘bubble’ (who don’t have a choice to opt out.) The fact that MLB thinks there can be cross-border travel and have teams moving around with some semblance of normalcy is particularly insane and I am disappointed that the Federal Government of Canada has granted an exception to the Blue Jays to potentially play baseball in Toronto at all. [Ed note: Since the posting of this interview, Canada has sense denied the Blue Jays access of playing home games in Toronto.]

Honestly, I am still on the fence about whether or not I will be watching if -- I think it is still an if -- both or either sports do end up coming back. There’s just so much more that demands society’s attention right now; it’s hard to believe that sports will actually call attention to the injustice and fundamental inequality of life in North America that the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare for all to see. I hope I’m wrong though!

What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

The unwritten rules of baseball are bullshit but that’s probably not going to stop anyone from throwing at the Astros. From a sheer numbers perspective, the season feels like it’s going to be small-sample-size chaos -- if they do have to play (they shouldn’t), it’s a great way to mirror the chaos going on throughout the world as we navigate this pandemic. I don’t think they’ll be anywhere close to finishing sixty games, though!

How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

How dare you ask a fan of the longest-tenured single-season NBA Champions whether any other team is the favourite? The Raptors will repeat or there will be no Finals. Those are the only options. If we’re doing some straight comparison between the NBA and MLB, the smart money is on the NBA being able to complete the playoffs within that bubble -- but part of me thinks that there’s too much potential for a super-spreader event at Disneyland in the weeks before the season restarts for there to even be an NBA season. Ultimately, like MLB, this feels like a fundamentally irresponsible undertaking that exposes too many people to too much risk in one of the continent’s hardest-hit regions.

Who are you rooting for to win both the World Series and NBA Finals this year?

There is no evidence to contradict a Toronto sweep of the MLB and NBA seasons this year. But in all likelihood, COVID over common sense in six… maybe seven games!

SHANE TOLD - SILVERSTEIN 

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

Sports are back. VERY back. We go from having nothing to watch to having three major sports all cramming in games at the same time (let’s not forget the NHL!). As a cautious, health conscious person do I think it’s a good idea? HELL NO. But as a sports fan, BRING IT ON.  

What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

I think one of the three sports is not going to make it through. My vote is baseball because of the sheer number of players and teams and traveling. However, it’s also the least physical, so maybe that will help. And as sick to my stomach I am with what the Astros did, sorry Houston fans but that shit was dirty, I think the pandemic helps keep the focus away from drilling them with every pitch and just going out there and trying to win a game without contracting a potential fatal disease!

How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

Prediction: The Raptors repeat. Yes, losing Kawhi was bad but did you know the Raptors actually had a better record this year without KL than they did with him? Now that the team is healthy, still deep, and has proven to have amazing chemistry, I think there’s reason to think they have a great chance of beating these “super teams” whose stars aren’t as used to playing together, especially with all the distractions. They’re also awesome on the road. And no, they will not beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals… they will beat Denver - who no one talks about but I predicted would make it to the Western Conference Finals at the beginning of the season.  

Additional Predictions:  

MLB: The Blue Jays make the playoffs. The kids are coming in hot, and with little time to watch tape and readjust, I think the Blue Jays have a great shot at the AL Wildcard. It will be hard to stop the Yankees (I think they will win it all), but the Blue Jays have nothing to lose, have that youth energy, and in a shortened season, that could make an impact.

NHL: The Maple Leafs lose three straight and are out. It’s what they do! I hope I’m wrong. And Boston wins the Stanley Cup - just to make my life a little bit worse.

RILEY BRECKENRIDGE - THRICE

As a sports fan, how excited are you for the MLB and NBA to get started back up again? And which sport are you most excited to watch first?

I’m pretty sure I miss baseball and basketball as much any fan, but I REALLY think starting MLB and the NBA back up in the middle of a surging pandemic is a bad idea. Our federal response to COVID has been an absolute shit show. We’re at 130K+ dead and we still don’t have a coherent plan of how to flatten the curve. Large swaths of the country think that wearing a mask and social distancing is either unnecessary or an insult to their freedom somehow. Cops are killing black people and abusing peaceful protestors. There’s FAR more important shit to think about right now. Professional sports can take a backseat. It’s got to.

What do you predict the MLB season is going to look like? Will it actually finish all 60 games? Are the Astros going to get drilled every single at-bat?

At this rate, I think there’s about a 50% chance they make it to opening day on July 23rd and a 0% chance they finish the season. They’re blowing the testing to even open up practices at this point. That doesn’t really bode well.

How do you see the rest of the NBA season playing out? Will they really be able to pull off a season in a bubble? Are LeBron and the Lakers the favorite to win it all?

Nope. And they shouldn’t even be trying. Eh. Who cares.

Who are you rooting for to win both the World Series and NBA Finals this year?

I am rooting for us (but feeling awfully dire about our ability) to flatten the curve so that I can work and support my family. That’s all I really have the time or energy to root for at this point.

WATCH MORE:

[back-alley-magic]

The Renegade

Powers: Not much is known about him. He's mostly regarded as irresponsible, selfish, and unprincipled, a young hedge witch with wasted talent. If the rumors are true, he has a pair of Seven League Boots, a silver chain inscribed with gold and ash, and a knife carved of ivory. Those who know him say he is rather talented with blood magic, but practices a variety of highly symbolic magics (with varying degrees of success). These symbolic magics require substitution of items with those that are logically or emotionally connected to another object, such as lighting a log on fire by holding a piece of coal. This takes a strong physical toll the larger the logical leap.

He was the one to introduce the New Initiate to the world of magic, though he is afraid of getting them involved now that he is being hunted for The Stone.

Faction: Hedge Witches

FC: Dane Dehaan

Name: Lysander Crane (true name unknown)

Any other titles, nicknames, or epithets: The Thaumaturge, though no one actually calls him that. More often he's called Prick, ***hole, or some other choice four letter words. And now, he's The Keeper of the Stone, or simply the Keeper.

Age: 24

Personality:

+creative

+moral...ish, at least in principle. In practice he is more than willing to bend and break rules for what he views as the right cause. And yes, his own benefit does count as a "right cause."

+thinks better on his feet. If he's given too much time to plan he begins to second-guess and overthink

+intelligent, though he tends not to apply himself

+surprisingly disciplined about learning new things when he really cares about them.

+surprisingly accepting of others' flaws

+logical, though this logic is internal and can seem erratic to others

+/-dramatic

+/-headstrong

+/-dark sense of humor

+/-blunt when he shouldn't be and cryptic when it's very inconvenient 

+/-obsessive over small tidbits of information and completely oblivious to other (usually more important) facts

+/sarcastic

+/-self-indulgent

+/independent

+/-thrill seeker

+/-provocative

-pretentious

-disloyal

-cynical

-addictive personality

-aimless

-easily bored, and often turns to dangerous distractions

-selfish

-flippant

-chaotic

-self-destructive

-can be childishly spiteful, the "I'll hold my breath until I pass out, that'll show you" kind of vindictiveness

-irresponsible

Powers, weapons, and skills:

highly symbolic magic. His catch-all conduit is blood, for the sheer power it provides. But he tends to mix this raw energy with more targeted magic. His workings are usually very complex (some would say purely convoluted) and highly dramatic. Mostly it seems he wants to impress himself with crackpot, improbable, but often strangely beautiful magic when a simpler but humbler thing would do the trick. 

Since magic draws on connections and symbols it helps to have a powerful internal logic. He's good at quick-thinking and rushed spells, whereas most witches fall back on prior planning to ensure success. This makes his magic seem very fluid and organic, but also unpredictable. 

His magic deals mostly with change, usually in objects, and perception. He calls it his magical word games. In reality it's connecting a current reality with a desired outcome by making a series of logical leaps, folding and shifting reality until it meets that outcome, like magical origami. This magic is extremely energy-consuming so in his day-to-day magical life he usually uses a few pre-made magical objects. 

These pre-made magical items include a very worn pair of leather boots which, thanks to the sigils on their soles, allows him to move at incredible speeds. These seven league boots don't come without their dangers though. Operating them isn't as easy as simply walking. Without a careful input of energy proportional to the speed and distance you'd like to travel, you could end up literally walking your soul faster than your body. 

Lysander also has a knife carved from mammoth ivory which he uses for his blood magic. He found it deep in one of the underground tunnels, buried in a forgotten barrow. He may not know it yet, but it was buried for a reason, and the more he uses it, the more strange coincidences start happening around it. It does help focus his magic though, so he'll keep using it despite the random occurrences that spark around it. 

He also has a silver chain inscribed with gold and ash. As yet, he hasn't figured out what it does. But that won't stop him from wearing it. In the very least, the silver gives him some modicum of protection against fae.

Weaknesses:

Not very good at explaining himself. He prides himself on that fact, but it can be a big weakness when trying to work with others

extremely self-destructive, addictive, thrill-seeking behavior.

Hell-bent on doing things his way or not at all

Puts more raw energy into magic than is necessary. He's generally regarded (among those who know him in the magical community) as a waste of talent. Everyone assumes he'll burn himself out before he does anything worthwhile, and it seems he's determined to show just how quickly he can prove them right.

Gets bogged down with his own logic and the theoretical side of his actions when given time to plan. When he's working on the fly things come easier to him because he doesn't have time to overthink

Generally comes off as a rude, pretentious little s*** who cares only about himself and is hell to work with

Likes:

puzzles and logic problems

the sound of bells and tinkling jewelry (he wears a lot of bracelets and charms, only some of which are magical)

beautiful solutions (though not necessarily simple ones)

neon lights

deep pounding music

maybe experiments with hallucinogenic compounds more than he should

new experiences

staying one step ahead

confusing others

letting others know he knows they're confused

other curious individuals

taking notes on random scraps of paper

experimenting with....everything

frustrating authority figures

surprising turns of events

heights

theoretical mathematics

making then breaking things then making them into something new (with mixed results)

Morrow (especially the twisting maze-like streets and the underground tunnels)

the more theoretical side of magic (he isn't here for practical magic)

getting swept up in a moment

Dislikes:

not good at making sure he eats regularly and doesn't really care about food (he smokes more than he eats and jokes that he has a liquid diet consisting mostly of vodka)

coming down from a high (whether emotional or otherwise)

that look of disappointment in authority figures' eyes (he reflexively fights back with biting sarcasm and even more outlandish behavior)

his family

stifling regulation, especially from the witches proper, who he thinks act superior to hedge witches without good cause. He sees them as one-trick ponies who have closed themselves off to some of the most beautiful (though maybe more unorthodox) forms of magic

people trying to organize his things (it's a physical representation of his thought process and isn't very linear. But he knows exactly where everything is in the chaos, he swears)

the finer points of emotional interactions with people (he tends to interact with others in over-the-top, off-puttingly extreme shows of emotion or no emotion at all. Complex nuances of relationships are beyond his logic, and therefore very tough for him to understand)

people who refuse to innovate and experiment

water and swimming, he's terribly afraid of drowning

boredom

Short bio: As with all those who sink into the murky waters of hedge magic, Lysander gave up his old life and drowned the boy he was. It seemed an easy price to pay for the ability to grab the fabric of reality and tear it to shreds, and oddly satisfying to murder everything his family made him. Who he was before is shrouded in mystery. But a few close to him (and that is a very, very few) know he studied theoretical mathematics somewhere before finding his way to Morrow. Even those who haven't heard his fragmented, sparse telling of his past can recognize the pedantic, vaguely disdainful drawl of an academic when he discusses his craft. His horrible, gaudy tastes also hint at squandered wealth. It takes good money to look that cheap. The flippant disregard for the finer points of surviving (like the necessity of a job or even the basics of housekeeping) also hints at an upbringing as another spoiled, pampered child hell-bent on a downward spiral. No, that past is nothing but a murky shadow, his true name nothing more than an echo. He was truly born, as he'll tell you on a good day or from the bottom of a bottle (which, all in all are often the same), in a dark alley in the warehouse district, blood dripping from his chin and fury burning in his throat. His blood hit the cracked pavement of Morrow and, whether he knew it or not, it was his first offering. The ley lines of Morrow focused all his anger, all his pain, and left nothing but two vaguely-human singe marks on the alley walls. A better man would have been horrified, running far away from that power. And a lesser man would have been devoured by it. But Lysander is none of those, lost maybe, unprincipled sure, unfocused definitely. But he is no hero, and he is no villain. It's true, he hasn't killed since. But most agree using reality-shattering magic fed from your own life-blood to perform petty party tricks is not the most responsible path. But Lysander doesn't care. What matters is learning, knowing, searching. And it appears that searching has provided more questions than answers.

Life in Morrow: Those familiar with the party scene in Morrow have probably seen Lysander. He appears to be nocturnal, though that may just be a product of nights that leave him in hungover stupors more often than not. He isn't exactly a "productive member of society," spending most daylight hours holed up in his grimy apartment/laboratory (which in all reality is an abandoned warehouse full of mismatch furniture, dirty beakers full of who-knows-what, an entire wall covered in chalk markings, and haphazard stacks of books) fiddling with his powers. Every so often a question catches hold of him and he can be found rummaging through the university library. No one knows how exactly he gets in. Maybe he knows someone, or maybe he just jimmies the fire escape lock. In any case, his daylight appearances are few and far between. Most of his time not spent downing whatever alcohol he can get his hands on or trying to break the laws of physics is spent exploring the subways, sewers, and tunnels under Morrow's streets. His apartment has a small cellar with a few precious treasures and a staircase that descends down into the veins of the city. While he prefers to explore alone, he has been known to venture out with a few trusted acquaintances on occasion. No one really knows how Lysander survives. He doesn't seem to take in any money, though perhaps he has no need for it. He doesn't even have a kitchen, and most of his food comes from the few friends he has leaving leftover Chinese or a few cold slices of pizza on his desk. In all, it's a rather lonely existence, surrounded and consumed by his studies and drowning in his vices. While he doesn't go out in search of company, he doesn't turn it away when it finds its way to his doorstep, often desperate, frightened, and in need of help. It takes a /very/ peculiar sort of desperation to rely on Lysnder Crane for help, but surprisingly enough, he never refuses.

Why do they want the Stone? Right now he's doing his best not to get murdered in an alley for it. He's also trying to figure out how to get it to work (equally, if not more dangerous). In the long-run, many people are worried he'll use it for his own magic. Anyte Vale is the only one who believes he actually knows what he's doing with it.

Greatest wish? To make something truly beautiful.

Greatest fear? Losing his magic. Life was boring and pointless before, and now it's the only thing that makes sense. Also, that feeling of power is hella addictive.

What 5 items would you put in a pentagram to summon them? a bottle of cheap vodka, a pair of expensive leather shoes, a half-empty pack of cigarettes, chalk, a broken shot glass (the two biggest things to know about Lysander: he's always wasted, and always dramatic)

[pink-earmuffs]

MULTI ARC REVIEW POST (QUEUED POST) SECRETS OF SKIN AND STONE - ARC via Netgalley READ: 5/26/17 RELEASE: 6/5/17 3/5 "Something is wrong in Hidden Creek. The sleepy Alabama town is more haunted than any place fiend hunter Grisham Caso has ever seen. Unearthed graves, curse bags, and spilled blood all point to an evil that could destroy his gargoyle birthright. The town isn’t safe for anyone, and everyone says fiery Piper Devon knows why. Piper wants to leave Hidden Creek behind. She’s had enough of secrets—they hide in the shadows of her room and tell her terrible things are coming. Too-charming city boy Grisham might be her only chance to save herself. To survive, Piper and Grisham have to shed their secrets and depend only on each other. But what lurks in Hidden Creek still might take everything away from them, including each other." I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for a fair review. I liked this one. It was definitely a different sort of creature used within the typical YA genres and I've never seen a gargoyle being used. So I appreciated the chance to read something new and the change it gave. I have to give the author props for trying something new and giving a twist on the kind of "mythology" that hasn't been used much in YA. The down vote is for the typical "insta love" type of trope but I was able to over look it in favor of the book and also props for the author giving the reader a heads up incase they decide they might be triggered by some elements that were written about. ------------------------------------------ NYXIA - ARC via Netgalley READ: 5/27-28/17 RELEASE: 9/12/17 4/5 "Every life has a price in this sci-fi thriller that has the nonstop action of The Maze Runner and the high-stakes space setting of Illuminae. This is the first in a new three-book series called the Nyxia Triad that will take a group of broken teens to the far reaches of the universe and force them to decide what they’re willing to risk for a lifetime of fortune. Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family. Forever. Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe. But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human." I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and Random House/Crown Books Publishing in exchange for a fair review. This was or is one of the most diverse books I've ever read with characters from different places and ethnicities and I'm very pleased about that. It's one of the main reasons I wanted to see if this was different from the usual teen gets thrown into a death game scenario that originated after Hunger Games popped up. This is not that. In fact I'd go a bit farther and say that this book explored that idea a bit better and turned things on its head (I'm remaining spoiler free here but there were a few surprises in this book and I can't wait to see how those are expanded upon). Every time there was a moral dilemma the book presented Emmett with things and I was surprised to find that I was left with the idea of wanting more answers (I'm wanting a sequel). The writing here is vivid and imaginative with what seems to be the layout for a very well thought out universe. Lastly, Nyxia, what is it? ------------------------------------------ AS YOU WISH - ARC via Netgalley READ: 5/29/17; RELEASE: 1/2/18 3/5 "What if you could ask for anything- and get it? In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself." I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and SOURCEFIRE Books in exchange for a fair review. Eldon, the main character who gets a wish on his 18th birthday, like the rest of the town's inhabitants, in this drove me a tad crazy. I get that he's the narrator and you're going to sympathize with him but his indecisiveness got to me after a while also he was fully fleshed out at least because he wasn't perfect. This kind of dragged to be honest and I was more than confused about how the "mythology" about the wishes worked and why it just seemed to be this thing in the town without any extra world building going on. By no means is this a bad novel, it's unique and gives the reader something to chew on but overall it just wasn't for me. ------------------------------------------ NOSTALGIC RAIN: GALAXIES AWAY - ARC via Netgalley READ: 5/30/17; RELEASE: 7/1/17 4/5 "What seventeen-year-old Leland finds in the abandoned basement of his house is something he will never forget. Leland lost his father when he was seven. Since then, he has successfully adapted to the awful life of being a student, the man of the house, and a father figure to his two younger siblings. All of that changes when he and his best friends stumble upon a secret in his deserted basement, and fall into another dimension with three moons, foggy woods, and an ancient castle-Oremanta. Learning who he really is, how he came to this remote planet, and the shocking, ugly mystery of Oremanta aren’t as bad as the quest he finds himself obligated to complete-killing someone he never thought he’d meet in Oremanta to save everyone." I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and the author in exchange for a fair review. I wanted something original with this book but it also seemed familiar enough to have maybe certain things I could enjoy about it. It definitely didn't disappoint and I felt like this was a mashup of certain things but also fresh and entirely new in terms of world building and creation and was definitely new and welcome to read by a "new" author. The POV changes were hard to follow once I started but by the end I found them seamless. Will definitely be looking forward to a sequel. ------------------------------------------ SHIMMER AND BURN - ARC via Netgalley READ: 5/31/17; RELEASE: 8/8/17 3/5 "To save her sister’s life, Faris must smuggle magic into a plague-ridden neighboring kingdom in this exciting and dangerous start to a brand-new fantasy duology. Faris grew up fighting to survive in the slums of Brindaigel while caring for her sister, Cadence. But when Cadence is caught trying to flee the kingdom and is sold into slavery, Faris reluctantly agrees to a lucrative scheme to buy her back, inadvertently binding herself to the power-hungry Princess Bryn, who wants to steal her father’s throne. Now Faris must smuggle stolen magic into neighboring Avinea to incite its prince to alliance—magic that addicts in the war-torn country can sense in her blood and can steal with a touch. She and Bryn turn to a handsome traveling magician, North, who offers protection from Avinea’s many dangers, but he cannot save Faris from Bryn’s cruelty as she leverages Cadence’s freedom to force Faris to do anything—or kill anyone—she asks. Yet Faris is as fierce as Bryn, and even as she finds herself falling for North, she develops schemes of her own. With the fate of kingdoms at stake, Faris, Bryn, and North maneuver through a dangerous game of magical and political machinations, where lives can be destroyed—or saved—with only a touch." I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing in exchange for a fair review. This started off really promising and I was loving the different take on magic and the world that had been created (even though I think it may be expanded upon in the last book) and I genuinely like the characters but it lagged in the middle and started getting a tad predictable for the genre. Probably will seek out the sequel to see how it ends.