#why are most books by non Americans so weird like i just want to have some fun queer literature that is cute and soft

[orkbutch]

ok ok, i know this isnt a wicked blog but its time for me to say my thoughts on the Wicked movie trailer.

I'm not stoked. I'm not much of a musical version lover already, but two things really rubbed me wrong, and I believe they apply to the musical as much as the book in their importance within the Themes.

Elphaba being played by Erivo and being black is cool. Erivo is a great singer, and her hair looks sick, and Elphie's hair is important. However, that casting choice being combined with a white Fiyero (who is Not White in the book, and very much experiences colonialist racism) and with no prosthetic effort to make Elphaba Not Beautiful (which is a Significant Element of Her Experience And Character), spoils any truly transgressive or progressive bite to that casting decision.

The only of the core mains thats not white is the character that is green. Interesting. The character who is extremely belittled for her appearance because she has a deformity, and because she's unattractive by conventional standards (esp because of her hawkish nose and strong chin), is a beautiful woman. Interesting!

Something about this just rubs me wrong. I think the musical has always made me skeptical in this area because its core adaption decisions were always bent toward stripping Wicked of much of its commentary on racism. In the book Fiyero is Vinkan, clearly coded Native American, and Winkie is a slur. They made the slur the name for the Vinkans in the musical. If I recall correctly, Quadlings aren't even mentioned in the musical. But Fiyero in the musical... I don't even know Why they keep him being a foriegn prince because he isnt written like hes foriegn from Gillikin at all. His ethnicity seems totally flattened, a slur that indicates no cultural or experiencial distinction from Gillikin.

I think that may have happened because Animals were already considered an allegory for racism, and they wanted to make that allegory cleaner and easier to condense into a musical plot. Thats my theory. However, that is a misreading. The Animals are not a perfectly singular allegory, and I think you could argue several inspirations, but the most apt interpretation for sure is that the Animals are an allegory for people with disabilities and neurodivergence, as Elphaba's experience is.

The Animals are not merely culturally different or isolated. They are not falsely believed to be different from the Gillikins or the Munchkinlanders or Vinkans. They ARE different, not because they aren't people but because their basic needs are different, and are not adapted to by society. They have hooves, and different skeletons, and different senses, and different mouths that can't necessarily make the kind of speech humans use.

This is important because Elphaba uniquely relates to the Animals, and its because Elphaba has a deformity and is super autistic. This is the other thing that always rubbed me wrong about the musical: it always implied that the only thing that made Elphaba "ugly" to people was her green skin. Thats... weak shit!!! In the book, Elphaba is Not beautiful. She is hatchet faced. She is tall and androgynous and looks weird. And this is IMPORTANT, because it makes Elphaba a genuinely transgressive character!! Her experience is layered! She is green but also breaks gender rules, is awkward, is self hating, is rude, ect. ect. It strengthens her empathy she feels toward Animals, because she feels so othered from society that she feels non-human, alienated.

The book also handles Elphaba's attractiveness much better; it does a great job of depicting someone who is not beautiful but is nevertheless Hot, which Elphaba is. When Glinda looks at her for the first time and thinks that shes beautiful, she is not looking past Elphaba's skin and she does no make over. She puts Elphaba in an orange hat as a joke, and sees how it matches her skin and suits her, and it makes Glinda realise that the green of Elphaba's skin can be beautiful to her. And that changes how Glinda sees Elphaba; Elphaba does not change.

okay im just complaining about the musical now. But idk, I wish that they'd used this opportunity to do better by Fiyero, make the themes a bit better... and just... put some light prosthetics on Erivo. Just make her look a little uglier! A little more hatchety. Its not like it'd be out of place, Ariana Grande as Glinda looks spooky as fuck. Why does she look like that. I like it bc I like Glinda looking intense and spooky but it IS weird

[houseofbrat]

In Philadelphia, PENNSYLVANIA.

So...are we to assume Kamala is intent on picking PA Governor Josh Shapiro? Seems like it by announcing it in Philadelphia. I don't know why else she would announce not in someone's home state.

But picking Shapiro just proves how bad Kamala's political thinking and instincts are.

And also her timing.

— Student protests and Gaza. No issue has divided the Democratic coalition like the war in the Middle East. Shapiro’s strong support for Israel is arguably in line with other top Dems, but critics cite his reluctance to call for a cease-fire in Gaza and in particular his strong stance against pro-Palestinian student demonstrators, using his platform to urge Penn to shut down its protest encampment and even seeming to compare pro-Palestinian activists to “white supremacists” in interviews. But Shapiro has also spoken out against Palestinian civilian casualties, and his supporters say activists’ focus on the one VP finalist who is Jewish smacks of antisemitism. — Handling of sexual harassment. The Shapiro administration last year agreed to pay $295,000 to a former female aide who accused a long-time political associate of the governor — Mike Vereb, his legislative secretary, a cabinet post — of making unwanted sexual advances and frequent lewd talk. Female lawmakers in both parties have criticized the administration — which cites a non-disclosure agreement for not talking about the case — for an alleged lack of transparency. The Democratic candidate for state treasurer — political outsider Erin McClelland — sent shock waves through the veepstakes when she tweeted that she wanted a VP “who doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug.”

This is a hopeful moment for the whole left-liberal coalition. The vibes, for once, are good. Almost every leftist I know is excited about Harris and thinks Trump is beatable. With a newly united party behind her, there are only so many ways Harris can screw it up, but one seems all too plausible: She could select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate. On paper, it’s understandable why Shapiro is among the leading candidates reportedly being vetted by Harris. Like nearly all of the veep contenders, he’s a white male governor with a centrist reputation. At 51, he’s even younger than Harris and a fresh face, having only held his current job for 18 months. He has already shown himself to be a more than capable administrator, generating a lot of good publicity for repairing a damaged section of Interstate 95 within two weeks. Most importantly, Pennsylvania is the most valuable swing state in play, worth 19 electoral votes, and Shapiro is very popular there. Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights. In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the state’s constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerry’s after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements. “BDS is rooted in antisemitism,” Shapiro wrote in a statement in 2021, as he condemned a company named for its two Jewish American founders. “The stated goal of this amorphous movement is the removal of Jewish citizens from the region and I strongly oppose their efforts.”

[...] CNN’s John King has already flagged that antisemitism might make the selection of a Jewish vice presidential candidate risky; likewise, calls from the left to oppose Shapiro risk being branded as antisemitic. Shapiro is not, however, the only Jew who has been suggested as a possible running mate for Harris. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has also garnered attention, and he has taken a very different approach to this issue. Asked by the Illinois state politics site Capitol Fax whether he agreed with Jewish organizations calling for the resignation of Northwestern University’s president over a pro-Palestine encampment, Pritzker replied, “I support the Jewish organizations. I’m not about calling for people to step down.” He also drew a distinction between antiwar, pro-Palestinian demonstrators and “some bad actors” engaged in antisemitism, and affirmed the need to protect free speech along with student safety. Most other candidates floated for the V.P. spot have also taken a far less provocative approach to student protests than Shapiro (one partial exception is Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who endorsed some GOP smears of campus protesters in an interview, though he hasn’t shown Shapiro’s same level of fixation). North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper actually drew criticism for making no public statement about an encampment at the University of North Carolina. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said that encampments at the University of Wisconsin were “in good faith,” even as he acknowledged they would eventually need to end. Neither Kentucky’s Andy Beshear nor Minnesota’s Tim Walz made any public statements about similar demonstrations in their states. [...]

Still, his particular hostility toward pro-Palestine activists threatens to blunt the enthusiasm among young progressive voters that Harris has managed to generate in the past few days. It could also undermine the Democratic ticket in Michigan, where Arab American activists have cheered the news of Biden’s withdrawal and are adopting a wait-and-see posture toward Harris. Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, the lone Palestinian American in Congress, is currently holding off on endorsing Harris but has expressed interest in engaging with her on ending the war in Gaza. Beyond Arab and Muslim Americans, Harris will need to mobilize thousands of young people across the country not only to vote for her but to knock doors, phone bank, and do all the other kinds of grassroots volunteering that translates into a successful presidential campaign. Younger Americans disproportionately sympathize with Palestinians, which is one reason Biden’s approval numbers have suffered badly over the past year. As long as U.S.-made bombs keep falling on Gaza, this issue won’t go away—protests will haunt the Democratic convention in Chicago next month and the beginning of the fall term on college campuses in September, and the anniversary of the attacks on October 7 will fall 29 days before Election Day.

And what happened recently? Oh, Israel decided to assassinate someone on Iranian territory, pretty close to the new Iranian president.

And we can all tell that a bigger war is coming in the Middle East because the airlines are starting to cancel flights.

So... when is the next attack going to happen? Wouldn't surprise me if it happens next week after Kamala announces her VP pick.

That would be just her luck.

Because let's not forget that Israel is trying to drag the US military directly into this. They can't fight Hezbollah on their own.

[positivelybeastly]

If I may, what's your opinion on Hank from Earth-41001/X-Men: The End and GeNext: United?

So, I had to brush up on my X-Men history for this one, because Chris Claremont's post-2000 work often tends to slip my mind, especially his The End series, which has as many insane and weird choices as it does good ones.

The man really did lose a step after he got taken off the books in the 90s, and while I think that he's written some good stuff after that (his 2000s Excalibur runs are honestly better than I remembered them being), there's a reason he doesn't get asked back to do much more than the occasional story here and there, like the recent Uncanny #700 feature on Mystique, Nightcrawler, Destiny and Rogue.

Compare and contrast that to Louise Simonson, who got asked back to do a whole Jean Grey mini-series during Fall of X, and it's pretty clear that he's just not considered frontline talent anymore.

That being said, I think this Hank, and Claremont's work on GeNext, definitely skews more towards the good side of the scale.

This version of Hank is, of course, best known for his relationship with Cecilia Reyes, which, in this universe, blossomed into a fully fledged marriage with multiple kids - and that's a good choice, honestly! Of all his romantic partners, Cecilia has always struck me as the most level headed, the most stable, and the most likely to want to settle down, which Hank has, on some level, always wanted to do, and has perhaps the best ability to out of a lot of the X-Men.

Despite his physical mutation seeming like the biggest obstacle to him living a normal life, Hank's work with the Avengers and Defenders has resulted in a massive boost to his popularity in-universe, he's equivalent to a real life celebrity, and it's made it easy for him to settle down and stop doing superhero work if he so chooses.

It doesn't hurt that his public persona, of a well spoken, charming, and funny blue little guy, is an effective one, and one that's easy for him to maintain because, well, it's pretty damn close to what he's actually like.

But, back to The End and GeNext. It's a clear sequel to X-Treme X-Men in a lot of ways, something Claremont establishes pretty clearly by bringing up Hank's trauma regarding the death of Psylocke in Valencia, which I appreciate, because I feel like it really gives a lot of important emotional context to Hank's state of mind in New X-Men, and it weighs heavily on him. I don't think Hank is a person who takes death easily, and Claremont gets that.

I also have to include this, because it is hilarious.

I also really appreciate this moment, because . . . yeah, Hank is the guy you want to leave behind, because Hank is a fundamentally nurturing, bridge-building, educational force. There was a period of time, from roughly 2001-2005, where the X-Men became a lot more like the school focused book that people always kind of think of it as, where hundreds of mutants were running through the halls and the X-Men were teachers.

And, to be frank, a lot of those X-Men didn't really feel fit to be teachers? A lot of them have very good practical experience to teach certain applied subjects, but Hank, Emma, and a few select others have always felt like the most suited to actual higher education for the students, which is why Hank's recurring role in New X-Men vol. 2/Academy X always felt like such a natural fit.

Like, this man was born to be the cool teacher.

And born to be a dad, too.

I'll be real, I'm not . . . 100% on the clothing? I'm not an expert, but I don't know that a WASP man, even if he's blue, should be wearing this kind of clothing, even if he does rock it. Someone who's more of an expert on American cultures and African clothing would need to weigh in here, but it's not a choice I personally would have made? It feels a little bit 'older hippie accidentally strays onto the landmine that is cultural appreciation because he has a non-white girlfriend.' But, then again, this series was written in 2006, and Claremont is an older generation writer, so I can't judge it too harshly.

So, now we move on to GeNext, which, as the first issue states, deals with the premise that the X-Men's ages progressed in real time, rather than being stuck in the sliding timescale, which means that Hank is nearing 50. I've long since headcanoned that his healing factor, even if it isn't up to Wolverine or Sabretooth's levels, means that he should be just as agile and spry age 50 as if he were 20, and this series generally tends to hold to that?

I do appreciate that this series leverages the differences in Hank and Cecilia's outlook on the X-Men. Hank's always bought into Xavier's dream, always regarded the work the X-Men do as necessary, and while Cecilia holds to that, she reflects another aspect of Hank's take, which is that it's a worthy job, sure, but not everyone with an X-gene is suited to be an X-Man, and it's a worthwhile thing to consider.

Sometimes, people just want enough training that they can control their powers, and then they just want to bounce, and that's an outlook that should be respected, even if it doesn't always pan out.

This is a particularly interesting development, given where Scott would fall on the axis of letting kids be kids, versus making kids into X-Men, later on in the 616 continuity.

But it makes sense. In this universe, the Decimation never happened, and the arc of these two characters changed as a result - hell, Hank never turned feline, either, which I always regarded as a massive learning process and maturation for him, a furthering of his arc in New Defenders where he was learning what it meant to be a responsible adult.

It feels, in this universe at least, like he never quite lost the devil-may-care spirit that feline Hank's brushes with mortality beat into him. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe that's a bad thing, but it's hard not to see his point - if good kids have the power to effect change, then they're going to do it, with or without your say so. Denying that fact only leads to a New Mutants/Magneto situation, where they kind of end up resenting you for holding them back, even if your intentions are only to keep them safe.

His tune does change a little bit in United, though it's a very different situation here - rather than pushing the boundaries as an Xavier sanctioned X-team, seemingly with some training wheels on, as Hank seemed to be suggesting, here, Cooper is hinting at a more formal, more high stakes, more original flavour X-Men solution, which. Hank has thoughts about. Though, it wouldn't be Hank if he weren't capable of holding two contradictory viewpoints at the exact same time about the exact same thing.

It does always make me laugh when people say that Hank always turns evil in alternate futures. What about this one? He's like the coolest old guy ever. He's solid. He's reliable. He's flexible. He's understanding. There's not a goddamn evil bone in his body. He counts just as much as Dark Beast does, is all I'm saying . . .

Soft. Sweet. Gentle. This is Hank McCoy at his purest.

Hank McCoy. Everyone's friend.

That being said, I'm a sucker for moments like these.

Oh, shit, yeah, Hank IS strong enough to bench press ten tons, and he IS a raging beast with uncanny speed, reflexes, and brutality. Maybe fucking with him and removing the thing that tempers and controls and keeps him reasonable - his soul - isn't a good idea??? Oops.

There's not a ton more left to comment on, Hank is very much a supporting character in United, but it does remind me of something that I've always felt in my heart of hearts - that even though Chris Claremont didn't get to write Beast very much, he had a very strong appreciation for the character, and enjoyed writing him when he had a chance.

There's an alternate universe out there where Hank stayed with the X-Men rather than joining the Avengers and Defenders, and though I don't think I'd want to live in that universe - I enjoy New Defenders entirely too much to give it up for anything - I definitely think it'd make for an interesting What If, where Hank's present for much more of Claremont's defining 16 year run on the X-Men. I definitely think he would have done him justice.

[books-and-strawberry-tea]

Lucy Undying - Kiersten White.

If I was to describe this book in two words, it would be:

Utterly Insufferable!

I was so excited for this book. I rushed out to purchase. Spending $35AUD on this garbage just 3 days ago. Today I sat down to read it, and my cat decided to spill a whole 1L bottle of my hydrolyte drink on it. Absolutely soaking the back half of the book. I should have took this as a sign and thanked him for his service. Unfortunately, I had no clue what absurdity he was saving me from. If only I'd just thrown the book away.

The book follows Iris, but it also follows Lucy...and vampire Lucy. Iris' events is set in 2024 - 2025. Lucy, the vampire, is followed by tape recordings following her life as a vampire and how her past human life had impacted it. As well as human Lucy in the form of journal entries. At first I was intrigued at how this would play out. As I love different media in books. Unfortunately, the POV's were all over the place. The voice recordings would give away spoilers to the journal entries, completely taking away the element of surprise, holding no suspense what so ever. Making the proceeding chapters boring as you'd already know what was to happen.

Iris...Iris, Iris, Iris. Girl you are absolutely intolerable. 20% through the book, and she's mad at life, her mum, her dad, her past. But the reader has no idea as to why. Making her frustrating to read about as she is always angry. The author also repeats every chapter over and over and over that she needs to sell items in her mothers property in England. Every chapter with Iris' POV, these same words are repeated over and over again. Like yes, thank you, I've read the other chapters. I get it. Also why are all rich people in stories the same? So desperate to be away from the money and wealth of their family, but actively try to benefit at the same time from their families wealth.....but repeat over and over again they want nothing to do with it. I don't understand.

Other issues I had with the book involved the usage of the word queer, and the obvious declaration that the author has no clue to the history, original meaning, and modern usage of the word. It honestly felt like an insult. Two examples of the words usage, both used in a 1890's journal, frustrated me to no end. The first example, the author used the word queer as a quirky cool thing to be. Like how "wonderful" it is for me to be using the word queer in a 1890s view point (Obviously sarcasm on my behalf). I read the word in this usage and wanted to scream. This word historically was not something you wanted to be called. It had such a negative connotation and literally meant weird, strange, abnormal. But White used the modern day usage and connotation in this journal. Then, only a few chapters later, for example 2, in another 1890s journal, she used the old meaning of the word. Lucy describing herself as queer and strange, like something is wrong with her. Does White actually know much about this word? Cause it truly feels like they don't.

The book felt like a fanfiction. Written purely for self fulfilment, and not actually intending for a wider audience.

Also, was the modern day American politics necessary to mention?? Personal gripe, mentions like this in books automatically centres American audiences as the only intended audience. It's incredibly frustrating. Not everything has to involve American centralist mindsets. But apparently we non American's can't escape it. Even in fictional world's.

The 2024 references also made me cringe to my soul. 'The Last of Us' as a reference?? Really?? This is just a perfect way to age a book. Especially since the most recent editions of that game made audiences furious. Not a good look.

I'm seriously disappointed. The cover was gorgeous. It's a real shame the cover is the only good quality about this book.

Star rating. 1/5.

Wish I could label it 0. But good reads won't allow that.

DNF 20%.

[alatismeni-theitsa]

Aunty,

I recently came across a book called Wrath Goddess Sing and while I have nothing against the original premise (showing Achilles as a trans woman) despite how that would not really have worked in those times, it's actually so weird how the author decided to magically turn Achilles into a "real woman" whose beliefs around womanhood center on the ability to give birth and be a mother, which is just insane if you consider that the author is also trans (by making Achilles a bio woman, she's literally erasing what the premise was about and then claiming that it happened either because the Gods knew she wanted it *so much* or because she wanted it "enough" to make it happen which invalidates all other trans folks in the story because they suddenly don't want it "enough"). Apart from that, there are constant homophobic, transphobic and incredibly racist remarks throuought the book which is why it's so weird to see it praised by so many.

Also, the author used the term "kallai" to refer to trans people in Skyros and now some fans of hers are using it to speak of themselves, despite it being plural and despite it not making sense in the way they're using it. F.e. "I'm a kallai/good morning Kallai", which is just peak US centrism (and like the author literally claimed that the female version of "Achilles" was "Achileas" - why don't they do research?).

What I often explain to foreigners when they throw tantrums about people (often Greeks 😄) telling them something is wrong, is that we are not unreasonable. I think most Greeks would just go "hm!" at the thought of someone exploring the thought of a trans Achilles, and we would all realize the problem with this book would actually be the historical/language/societal inaccuracies. Like the cringe I feel when I read the "I'm a kallai/good morning Kallai".

As far the female version of the Achilleas go, we know this to be Achillea ("Αχίλλεια" ), not Achilleas. The author perhaps found a woman named Achilleas ("Αχιλλειάς" / "Αχιλλειάδα"; ) somewhere? But I haven't read or seen that name in any Greek text. Grammatically it also feels "off" to me, (having been exposed to enough ancient Greek grammar) but if someone has found it, pls tell us.

For the lack of research... I don't care how progressive you say are. If you are not doing any research on the culture and language of the people you're writing and you're still making a profit, and no one in the industry cares to check you, that's a form of privilege and you're engaging in harmful - and very much not progressive - behaviors.

And because I had a few discussions with other Greeks and non-Greeks on this let me share something here.

A reaction from Greeks and other people would also be "but Achilles was not trans...?" and yes, that's a normal reaction and it's not linked to American conservatism, sorry to burst the US neoliberal bubble.

While the author has the right to write what she wants, it's still a fact that we don't have any evidence of Achilles being anything but cis. If anything he was the most macho male man out there according to Greek standards and very much happy with his predicament. And when this figure is popular and, well, your ethnic hero, you just want to ask about that. Not in a "I don't want this book to exist" way but you want to ask why did it have to be Achilles, and why a historically cis person.

I'm not saying all this to imply that the author shouldn't write this. Anyone can write whatever they want, and I don't think exploring this scenario is harmful to anyone. But it's fair to assume the author went "I want a trans Achilles no matter what!" And because the ends clearly justified the means here, the character of Achilles and all the themes of the initial story were thrown out the window - which is also not the best thing to do when writing well-known figures and stories from other cultures.

Sure, the premise of "what if Achilles liked being a woman?" is an interesting idea and, if written well, I would read it. However when a writer does all the above it's clear to most people that they just make a far-fetched play-pretend out of myths that cannot be changed - bc they are already written and we preserve them for the last 2.000 years.

Then, you have the... odd (for lack of a better word) tropes. For this specific trans writer the tropes worked and good for her. At the same time I can see why other trans women might have an issue with the transformation into a "real woman". From what I hear, there are trans women who'd like this transformation and others who don't find it validating. And ofc there's always the issue of why Achilles got her wish and what the other trans women did "wrong" to not get it.

With all the paragraphs above I also want to raise an extra issue. Why take a completely cis person and make them trans, instead of writing the story of a historically trans person or creating a new trans character? (if history doesn't have any) Relying on an established cis figure for trans representation can be a bit icky.

"Apart from that, there are constant homophobic, transphobic and incredibly racist remarks throuought the book which is why it's so weird to see it praised by so many." That's also unfortunate 😩 I won't read the book but if you have passages and stuff to demonstrate this point, let me know

[jasper-book-stash]

March 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I got bronchitis and my period at the same time in March, and then spilled tea on my computer, so March was a very stressful time for me. Regardless, I managed to read 10 books! And honestly, overall, this is one of the better months - the lowest I've ranked a book is 6/10, which is damn good considering the absolute bullshit I usually read.

Religious Text

None applicable.

1/10 - Why Did They Publish This?

None applicable.

2/10 - Trash

None applicable.

3/10 - Meh

None applicable.

4 to 6/10 - Mid-Tier

Tomb Sweeping | Alexandra Chang

I read this book while sick. And boy howdy, did that make it a weird experience. I get what it was going for, but it really wasn't my vibe. It just felt like everything was...unfinished. Which was the point, I suppose, but it was still annoying.

7 to 8/10 - Good With Caveats

What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality | Daniel A Helminiak

This is a very short book compared to my usual reads, topping at 152 pages. And I appreciate a book that gets straight to the point and analyzes the historical context around various works, particularly religious works. Good job. My only complaint is some editing issues.

Born to Love, Cursed to Feel | Samantha King

This was a poetry collection and was the only other book I read while sick, and boy howdy did I have a time of it. I spent most of the reading just...putting post-it notes in and nodding along to the lines. It was a surprisingly good book, considering I found it in the back alley version of a book store.

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South | Aaron Oberon

Look. This is not a 101 book. It's not a 102 book. It's not even a 201 book. It simply is. And as much as I enjoyed it and enjoyed reading it, the fact that I spent most of my reading time fixing the editing means that I cannot, in good faith, put this any higher than an 8 out of 10. Dear Aaron Oberon, if you ever read this, PLEASE give me access to the original file so I can fix your punctuation and spelling mistakes. Sincerely, a fellow Southerner.

9/10 - Very Very Good

Snow White with the Red Hair, volumes 21-23 | Sorata Akiduki

I am still so fucking feral over this series. I love them so fucking much. I want them all to be happy but I also like seeing their shenanigans. Unfortunately, though we're at 26 published volumes, we've reached the end of the ones in Missouri Evergreen that I may access. I'll either have to wait and hope that someone gets them, or I'll have to bite the bullet and buy them myself.

Not Pounded By Anything: Six Platonic Tales Of Non-Sexual Encounters | Chuck Tingle

This is my first expedition into the erotic Tingleverse after reading some pieces of the horror Tingleverse in Straight and Camp Damascus. And I really, really like this book. It's 77 pages and is such an easy read. Godspeed, you glorious bastard.

10/10 - Unironically Recommend To Everyone

Well, everyone who's into the genre these fall under, at least.

Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, tenth edition | Janet Burroway

I found this in the free section of a bookstore in the middle of nowhere, and let me tell you, it is now marked up one side and down the other with highlighter, because I needed it. There are so many good parts of this book that it's genuinely one I would recommend to people who are trying to figure out why their writing feels flat.

Sacred Gender: Create Trans and Nonbinary Spiritual Connections | Ariana Serpentine

First, I want to congratulate the author on what is possibly the coolest name ever.

Second, if you're an occultist, polytheist, witch, magic practitioner, or in any other way affiliated with things beyond or within mortal ken...get this book. It's making me rethink a lot of my own experiences with my craft and my religion, but in a good way.

[purplesurveys]

1902

If you had $10,000 dollars right now what would you do with it? I'd give my parents a portion of it, then keep the rest tucked away in my savings. I'm planning to hunt for a condo by year-end anyway so that amount would honestly take me super super far.

When was the last time you consumed alcohol? Two weeks ago at Angela and Hans' engagement party.

Have you ever broken a bone? No. Sprains were the worst I've had; fortunately never broke a bone.

What type of perfume do you use the most? I don't really like perfume as I find them too strong.

What book are you reading, currently? I haven't read anything in a while.

Are you interested in creative writing of any sort? No. I dabbled in it in my younger years but quickly learned that it wasn't and would never be my forte. I couldn't even think of creative plots so there was barely anything that translated to writing either. I've always enjoyed writing non-fiction stuff much more – and am miles miles miles away better at it too.

Would you introduce the last person you kissed to your parents? They knew her.

Can a boy and girl be friends without having feeling for one another? Yes? Why is this even a question haha.

Can you ever see yourself and your ex back together? No.

Are any of your friends virgins? There may be a couple but I'm really just guessing. Sex isn't ever something that comes up except with close friends.

Who did you last go out to eat with? Family – we were at a Japanese restaurant a week ago.

Is your ex a complete loser? I'd rather not call them such names at this point. Of course, they suck for many things but let's keep it at that haha.

What does the shirt you’re wearing look like? Where did you get it from? It's an olive green shirt that's turtleneck-ish but not really? I don't really know how to explains it haha but it kind of bunches up at the neck area. Shopee.

Who is the funniest person you know? Hans.

Do you say sorry first? If I know I should.

What do you look like right now? Pretty decent, tbh. We spent the entire evening hosting dinner for our extended family who've flown in from the States, so I wanted to make sure I looked nice even if we were just having the gathering at home. They came complete too for the very first time – it's usually just the immediate family who comes but they've brought in husbands and boyfriends too, who were all American.

It was a lot of fun! This might sound weird to those who live in countries with more diversity in cultures, but coming from a homogenous country it was so fascinating to meet Americans for the first time!! They were so nice and easy to talk to! And very chatty so it really helped me come out of my shell.

Who’s bed were you on last? Mine.

Who was the last person you talked to before you went to bed last night? Elijah, I think.

Do you like to cuddle? Yeah it's nice but I haven't done it in years.

Is sex on your mind more than 3 times a day? Not usually.

What were you doing an hour ago? Washing the dishes.

Do you like it up against the wall? Sure.

Do you prefer girlfriend / boyfriend or friends with benefits? Continued from last night. A relationship.

Are you smiling? No.

When did you last eat pizza? Last night. The dinner-hosting was super impromptu and my mom only had time to make simple pasta, so I rushed to get follow-up pizza + mojos so that everyone was fed well.

Honestly, are things going the way you planned? I don't really plan to begin with....? I know that sounds bad, but I generally just try to do my best out of what life hands. The only things I try not to do are fuck up at work and lose relationships; and so far that has been going well.

Is the last person of the opposite sex you texted single? No.

Who did you spend your summer with last year? For the most part, with my family; but I also had a reasonable portion of it with my closest group of friends.

Did you wear what you are wearing today for a specific reason? I chose to wear it for a reason last night, yeah. I just haven't changed out of it since then because I was exhausssssted and just wanted to sleep.

What was the last thing you ate? A slice of pizza + god knows how many mojos.

Are you taking this survey in a place other than your home? No, I am at home.

Did you get ice cream from the ice cream truck when you were little? Do they still have an ice cream truck where you live? Every once in a while, yeah. We just were rarely allowed to – and to this day, I rarely entertain them – because the markup is bonkers. One came over during the pandemic and a popsicle that would go for ₱15-₱20 pesos cost like ₱50. So ever since then I've been wary about going out to meet them and only do when I have a very particular craving for ice cream.

*We also don't have ice cream trucks. They travel on bikes with a little extension on the side for their coolers.

What has been the most traumatic experience of your life? Does it still bother you? My breakup, because it sent me into a downward spiral in ways I had never reached before and have never reached since. If you look at my camera roll today, it literally jumps from August to October 2020 (it happened in September) as I barely ate and only stayed in my room at the time. Traumatic, but also the most emotionally exhausting thing I've ever been through.

No, I hardly think about it these days; and if anything, I only think about it when I want to be reminded to be grateful for the life I have now and the nice things I have been able to experience since. If I had let my sadness win, I never would have found BTS, witnessed my best friend get engaged, be able to travel to other countries, etc.

What would happen if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? I mean it would be a scientific breakthrough more than anything because we are both girls, so I'd worry about that part first lol.

Don’t you hate it when your cell phone dies in the middle of a convo? Sure, but I always run to plug it in so that it doesn't happen.

If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today? No.

Would you run down the street naked if it meant earning $15,000? Sure.

Where was the last place you got completely wasted? 2017? 2018? idk that was the last time it went horrible, and since then I've managed how much I drink.

Have you ever changed the prices of items at a store? Wow, no.

Would your parents disown you if you got pregnant? At this point no. They'll get SUPER disappointed if I got pregnant without a legal partner (aka married lol) and will probably take it out on me but I'm sure they will be excited at least for the going-to-be-grandparents part.

When was the last time you drank alcohol? What was it? Two weeks ago. Just a couple bottles of apple-flavored beer.

Do you like where you live? Yes. It's okay, it's quiet, but I'm also looking for a change in pace.

Are you going to any concerts or festivals this summer? Nothing planned out.

Have you had sex with someone you weren’t married to? Someone you weren’t even dating? Not married to, yes. Not dating, no.

Are you under the age of 18? No.

Do you have a job? I do.

Are you going to school still? Do you plan on going to college? No more school. I graduated in 2020 and have no plans on getting any higher degrees.

Are you overweight? No. My last medical exam was very clear in stating underweight.

Would you get married at 18? Well, I didn't.

Have you ever been so wasted, you couldn’t walk? Just a handful of times.

What is the last thing that you got really excited over? Meeting my extended cousins after 8 years, and for the first time their husband/boyfriend too.

Any baby names you think you might name your future kids? I have a few favorites. Not that I'll ever have to use them.

When was the last time you had sex? A few years back.

Who did you last hang out with other then family? Co-workers.

Do you remember the last boy you texted? What was it about? Probably Hans, and I think we were just talking about proposal plans. I don't text much.

If you could go back in time and change things, would you? Nope.

Has anyone had their hand in your pants today? Uh, nope.

Do you like your dad? How about your mom? Sure. My dad's great; my mom's okay for the most part but she also has her psychopath/sociopath moments that make me question her...entire person, essentially.

Have you had a good day today or was yesterday better? I feel yesterday would be better because I know we have no plans today.

Do you have anything that belongs to your boyfriend/girlfriend? I don't have one.

Think back to your most important relationship, was it all your fault it’s over? It was both of us.

Was your last kiss drunk or sober? Sober.

What’s your favorite color? Purple.

Do you drink? Socially.

Do you smoke? Kind of.

Ever had a black eye? I have not.

When was the last time you slept in bed with a member of the opposite sex? Who was it? I don't think that's ever happened.

Did your most recent kiss take place in/on a bed? No.

Has anyone seen you naked in the last 6 months? Nope.

How would you describe your current relationship status? I'm single and voluntarily avoiding relationships.

Have you ever shared food/drink off the same plate/glass as someone you like? Not just with someone I like, but with friends or family too.

Have you ever had a valentine? Sure.

Have your lips ever gone numb from kissing? I don't think so.

Last person to cuddle with? The person I was with years ago.

[bison-appreciation-club]

wait how have you been hated on for liking Native American history??? That's so weird 😭😭

oh boyyyy do I have stories for this.

I've never received any online hate, for which I am extremely grateful, but people have been exceedingly weird about it in real life, ranging from bizarre to just plain racist. I can't remember all of it, so I'll just take you through the highlights.

My grandmother never quite knows how to introduce me to her friends (because she has a lot of friends and is quite the social butterfly) so she often introduces me as 'her grandchild, who knows a lot about Native American history'. Which isn't really true. I know a little (well, maybe more than a little) about a very specific area of Native American history. So most of the following things have come from my grandmother's friends.

Native Americans aren't actually American *smug face* they actually come from Nepal. *smug face again*. She seemed so pleased with herself to know something I didn't. And honestly I didn't know how to react. I think that one was more funny than anything. Why are you trying to out-knowledge someone sixty years younger than you. why.

*Accusingly* I suppose you hate Columbus, then. Yes. Yes I do

You're only interested just because you like the aesthetic the what now?

It's just because you're woke why do conservative people have to use the word woke so many times. hey, sorry folks, researching cultures different to your own is WOKE. Proper right-wing fellows are INSULAR. they don't CARE about the rest of the world.

You're disrespecting and abandoning your white heritage ok. Tbh if you consider yourself peak white heritage, I'm glad to be out of it. Seriously tho, how do you think race and nationality works? I can be white and interested in Native American history. The two don't cancel each other out.

Similar to that one, is my personal favourite:

You're committing cultural appropriation by being interested in Native American history. What. This was also said to me by some rando in a bookshop when I was buying a book on, well, guess what topic. I thought they were one of the staff at first, but looking back at it I think they were really Just Some Rando. Why would you say that to someone who is just trying to buy a book. You don't even know me. I don't want your opinion.

That one really worried me for a while, I'm gonna be honest. I had to send a particularly grovelling anon to some Native American I found on Tumblr. And they said it wasn't cultural appropriation. AND they gave me book recommendations. So yeah.

(PS I can't remember who you are, but if you see this, then you metaphorically saved my life and literally saved my dignity)

That's all the specific incidents I can remember, but there have been a lot of other things. Jokes, mostly. Quoting westerns. Speaking like the Native Americans from Peter Pan or some shit whenever I enter the room. I once had someone make those western style war cries at me for five hours.

Making fun of their names is a big one. (Guys, there are only so many times you can make fun of anyone's name, and that amount is zero. even if they're called some shit like techno mechanicus -looking at you, Elon Musk. I literally don't see what's so funny about the name Black Kettle anyway. Either I've been reading about him too much, but it's not a weird name?? Also. He got fucking murdered. I'm researching how he got murdered and you're taking the piss out of him. Get some respect and dignity).

Also. If I have to hear one more joke along the lines of 'did you ever have any reservations about studying this topic' I am going to wring your neck.

So uh I'm sorry I turned your question into a bit of a rant but if I've learned one thing it's this: researching non-white history really shows you people's hidden racism. The amount of shit people have said to me about the Native Americans. My guys your opinions belong in a Victorian dime novel about the frontier. And that's not a compliment.

[chimerathewriter]

Oh my god is 2023 and I have seen a lot of delulus this year I will list yall a bunch

Billy Hargrove stabs who hoped that he would have come back even if we saw his racist abusive should live that fine body he didn't deserve. And about him being racist...

Stranger Things stans who started to throw racial slurs when Lucas showed up in the trailer playing basketball and thought that he betrayed the gang.

Stranger Things stans again who made fun of Lucas Sinclair hair, as if is not the most time accurate

Again Stranger Things stans who made racist jokes so that Caleb could notice them. And the ones who tried to invalidate Caleb's expurience with racism.

House of the Dragon stans saying that Targaryen incest is better that Lannister incest bffr, and if you tried to say that Jamie raped Cercei yes even Aegon

Aemond Targaryen stans, trying to completely victimise him, if Jace died that night with that rock yall would be silence

Team Green stans saying that team Green is morally better than team black, nope the writers cut a lot of things

Alicent and Rhaenyra shouldn't be idolise as iconic feminist. Because Alicent was indeed a victim of the pathriarchy but she still let his son be a rapist and become King. Rhaenyra wanted the crown and power not because she's a woman she just want to have power just for herself.

Alicent stans who think she never wanted Rhaenyra's demise, delulu as hell if the writers followed the book 100% yall mouth would be shut

Aegon Targaryen stans

Team Black stans who completely ignore how Viserys ignored his other children for his grown ass daughter. And think that Luke shouldn't have a little bit of accountability

Team Black stans who think that Daemon is a good person

Team Black stans supporting blood and cheese

Writers who decided to change some parts of the story

The bitxh who told me that house Martell is white

People who are racist to the black cast of Hotd

Genshin Impact stans

Stans who think that the representation thingy is not a big deal but poc players have to look at their culture being whitewashed

Stans who say Sumeru isn't inspired from North African, Middle Eastern and South Asian culture

Stans who say that the adultificatiom of little girl character is not weird

Ppl who simp for the 1000 Yr looking boy

Miracolous Ladybug stans who hate Marinette beign a stalker (and becase she rejected Chat many times, but we ain't gonna talk how chat is 2 persistent? OK just close your eyes) and praise Cloe even if at this point she's an irredeemable character and the new episode ugh

Girlies who say that Selwyn is the better love interest when Nick is standing right there

The white reader who didn't like Babylon because she didn't related with the main character

Quentin Tarantino stans

MCU stans

White Wanda Vision stans

TVDU stans

The bros who says woke

American Psycho stans

Jk Rowling stans

Hp stans who say there aren't racist undertones in the book

Some yt Encato Stans

Lore of Olympus Stans

Kpop Stans

I Army that tries to put their opinions in Korean politics

Defending Stephanie Meyers racist writing just because she's mormon

Holland Roden stans

Harry Potter stans who ignore the Maruder girls for new gen of Harry potter

People who fancast darkskin black Maruders biracial

People who cast Peter skinny

People who get angry at poc Maruder fancast

People who say that they don't like the new interview with the vampire series, they like everything except Louis and Claudia casting

Now we all know why don't yall like the casting, go and Stan your non canon white movie, and live us queens alone

And lastly

White one direction stans who say that the guys were under contract is for this they couldn't defend Zayn against racism and islamophobia

I still have alot probably I will do a fandoms slander series

[solitarelee]

Does anyone else have those things that their parents were weird assholes about that they're actually glad for as adults? I'm not talking about the stuff that left you with disordered eating for life, this isn't a place for you to tell me your trauma, I mean those random annoying inconveniences that, in retrospect, you like the skills you developed from them. Here I'll give some of mine as an example:

Our video game and TV time and internet time were all limited.

We were fortunate enough to be in a house surrounded by nature, with a lot of non-digital toys and books because this was the 90s. This meant we spent most of our time reading, playing outside, and just general developing physical and mental skills that weren't "look at screen." This wasn't as much of an issue for my generation, but seeing how deterimental constant forced screen time (even in SCHOOLS) is to modern children, I find myself grateful for it.

Whenever I wanted to know the definition of a word, mom would hand me a children's dictionary.

This one is still so annoying. Even thinking about it, I get annoyed. But what it meant was that I learned how to use a dictionary (important), and I also learned that when I want to know something, I should go to the source and research it myself instead of just asking the nearest authority figure. I don't actually think that was her reason for doing that, but that's what it did, and it is a VERY good personality trait I'm glad I have. Also she would spell the word for me at least so that was nice LOL.

My dad was a huge asshole about enunciation.

Because my dad is an immigrant, I think, he was always a huge stickler for careful and proper enunciation. He would deadass stop me in the middle of sentences and be like "e-nun-ci-ate" and make me repeat it but carefully and with each syllable clearly audible. This is one of the reasons why, if you hear me speak, I sound like a gay (that part's me) Californian (that part's learning English from sesame street) newscaster (THAT part's dad). Whenever I see one of those guides for English language learners (ELLs) about American pronunciation where every syllable is hopelessly slurred into the next, and I realize I don't talk like that, or every time I can make myself easily understood over phone or drive thru speaker or to a robot, I am, in retrospect, extremely grateful he was such an asshole about it. I am a very clear speaker who is easily understood, especially by ELLs, and that is a priceless skill. Thanks for being a dick, dad!

Do you have anything your parents were weird and strict about that actually wound up being useful instead of a huge waste of time?

[jeannedarkterraguard]

HoloAdvent Debut Reactions

So we're finally getting another HoloEN generation and Lisa and I decided to fuck up our sleep schedule (I mean not that there's gonna be much of a sleep schedule left once BG3 comes out next week) to watch the Debuts live and I'm gonna write down my thoughts about them so lets get to it...

first up Shiori Novella

-this loading screen is somehow comfy and spooky at the same time... weird

-wow... not the voice i was expecting from that model

-"Age: eye-don't-know"... oh god we have another Ina

-well that was... certainly a story...

-i literally never heard of any of these books... but to be fair i only ever read like 15 books if you don't count the ones that i was forced to read in school

-hey, i recognize some of these cartoons... well i recognize blues clues... and I've heard of courage and south park

-so she likes harvest moon huh

-i also don't recognize any of her husbandos, anime or games... am i old or are these just very niche (I'm old... the answer is I'm old)

-eating with scissors... why?

-story-driven games... that's interesting could we finally have another Kiara?

-would you look at that... my phone finally got the notification that her debut stream is starting... thanks YouTube...

-Lisa: "oh god she dresses like me when i was 16"

Me: "well, let's be real you tried that for like a week before you decided it was too much work and went back to wearing sweatpants and t-shirts"

-everything at 9pm CST... sometimes i hate living in Europe...

Koseki Bijou

-so will Shiori do the intros for all of them?

-she already sounds like a gremlin

-okay, cool little animation

-140cm? So we continue the tradition of every hololive member being short...

-dislikes mushrooms... i can relate

-what the fuck is interactive food?

-oh ok she means annoying food...

-man i really have no idea what any of these anime are... then again i haven't watched any anime that hasn't aired on TV here in Germany... and we only really got the absolute most popular ones like one piece, dragon ball and naruto...

-long streams... by what metric? Kiara long or Kaela long?

-oh 3+ hours... that's... just regular hololive numbers

-play as herself... pretty sure holocure will take care of that

-okay I'll admit it... i don't get this joke... are gems one of these things that people want to eat despite them being non-edible like cattails or sea-foam?

-interesting segment...

-those times are not better... why can't we have someone in hololive stream at European times?

So those two were pretty fun now back to sleep and then the other two Debuts tomorrow...

Nerissa Ravencroft

-okay I like her voice

-is it just me or can her model turn around pretty far compared to other vtubers... it almost seems like that already is a 3d model

-175cm... we have a new tallEST Hologirl... we still don't have a TALL Hologirl...

-pepperoni + pineapple pizza... i'm okay with either of those on its own but not both of them together you should never mix savoury, sweet, sour AND spicy (wait I just remembered americans mean salami when they say pepperoni... that's fine)

-doesn't like underwear... artist are gonna have a field day with this...

-doesn't like mushrooms... likes Zelda, Mario, FF7... she's quickly becoming my favourite

-she's also the first one where I know at least two of her favourite anime, Naruto and sailor moon

-i mean who doesn't like binge watching (if I have to wait a week for the next episode I will forget what happened in the last one)

-500.000 subs... well she's already halfway there...

-ah Keffiy-papa should have known

-aaaand there it is... 7 pm CST...

The Twins

-not sure about these overly cute voices

-okay maybe it's the sleep deprivation but i'm having a hard time following what they're talking about

-fuwa likes cute girls... I can relate...

-mococo also likes cute girls... oh and black licorice... again I can relate

-IT'S THE BGM! THE BGM IS TOO LOUD! That's why I can't understand them...

-okay what's a pon-de-ring?

-nice song... but that's all I can really say about that... i'm not really a big music girl

-wait 16:00 GMT... that's... almost a good european time... no wait that's just their morning streams not their main ones... Fuck

Well that was fun. Out of all five girls I think nerissa is my favourite but we'll see how that works out in the future... kinda hard to tell in just 45 minutes... anyway i'll need to get ready for work now so I can't write anything more detailed...

bye

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

A Long, Unnecessary Love Letter to Comic Books

I’ve gotten way the fuck into comics lately, ranging from weird titles from publishers I’m pretty sure are defunct (Solar, Man of the Atom follows the ongoing adventures of an energy being whose origin story includes accidentally destroying his own timeline) to unsettling little horror tales (Gaiman’s Likely Stories disturbed me to the point of feeling physically ill once or twice) to big, bombastic superhero fair (just give me anything with Batman). It’s particularly this last category that I want to focus on, because it was while reading the 2018-onwards run of Justice League that I realised why I’ve been getting so into comics at the moment. They’re currently filling the niche that film used to fill.

You see, folks, I have a little problem when I go and see most films nowadays. The problem is very simple. While I still enjoy movies, that enjoyment is somewhat marred by the fact that NINETY PERCENT OF THE TIME I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING TO HAPPEN! I’m a progressive chap- I’m a commie, a sometime-advocate for fat acceptance (obvs) and I’m viscerally disgusted every time I hear about some fresh injustice perpetrated against non-white ethnic groups by the racist-as-shit American legal system. I’d never call myself a feminist, but I accept that feminism has a point in terms of its broad complaints and aims (I part company from both rad and third wave on a fair number of specifics, but that’s probably just because of my nine foot musical penis). And yet, as most of you already know from my previous spates of bitching and moaning, media wokeness winds me up. It’s not just that it’s obviously insincere and designed to curry favour with an imaginary demographic of humourless wankers- it’s that it also hobbles any story’s ability to surprise or engage meaningfully with its own fictional universe. Give me a list of characters and tell me nothing about them besides skin colour, age and gender, and I’ll tell you who’s going to live, who’s going to die, who’ll be permitted a redemption arc, and who’ll turn out to be a ‘twist’ villain (and I use the term ‘twist’ with heavy-duty sarcasm marks). It’s cloying, constrictive and a death sentence for any kind of creativity. It’s gotten so bad that, whenever a movie does manage to pleasantly surprise me, I have to fight back tears of fucking gratitude. Progressive values are all well and good- I actively subscribe to them myself every time I go out and assassinate a member of the fucking Tory party- but modern movies and telly don’t operate from a place of deeply-held progressive values (or any values). The mainstream media’s ‘wokeness’ is just a tired list of boring tropes that cowardly, talentless screenwriters cling to lest creating something original engender cancellation.

And so, we come to comic books (and on comic books, if they have General Zod in them. Kneel before Zod? I certainly fucking will!). I was about type the words ‘even mainstream comic books are great’ but then I started laughing like the Joker watching a snuff movie, because that would have been an idiotic sentence. You see, while Superhero comics are ‘mainstream’ in the sense that they’re the thing people most associate with the medium, they still have a relatively tiny readership. In fact, I suspect that requiring their audience to know how to read is the main barrier to entry nowadays- it seems like something of a lost art.

The point is that I’ve been reading the ‘Justice/Doom War’ arc in Justice League and I’ve noticed something about it. It has a huge, diverse cast of characters from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, different genders and different belief systems and walks of life… and not even one of them is an insufferable twat defined only by their relative privilege or oppression! To give you an example, Green Lantern John Stewart is a heroic space cop who happens to be black, but the plot never grinds to a halt so he can give us a lecture on race dynamics in modern America. He’s too busy using constructs of solid light to smash the ever-loving crap out of pan-dimensional cosmic monsters. When the plot does slow down to give him time to breathe, we learn more about his conflicted yet complementary history as both a soldier and an architect than we do about his skin colour. I mean, it’s not like it never comes up- the DC universe has some ties to reality and characters do occasionally find themselves on the receiving end of racism, but if it’s not relevant to what’s happening, the story doesn’t bend over backwards to include it. Conversely, Batman is a rich white dude, but the story never feels the need to ‘hold him accountable’. His main arc at the moment is about learning to be a good father figure to a sentient, telepathic starfish who wants to be the next Robin (yeah… the 2018 run is gloriously fucking weird). Hey! Here’s another example! On the surface, Hawkgirl is the epitome of the ‘strong female character’ beloved by modern media: a ferocious, take-no-shit warrior woman with countless lifetimes of carefully-honed experience. But she’s not some bloody sexless, characterless archetype designed as a flag for empowerment rather than a person: she’s a fully-developed character. She has complex internal motivations; she has romantic feelings for Martian Manhunter; she experiences grief and loss and is changed by them; she makes mistakes that she then has to triumph over. She doesn’t get to win just because she’s the first person on hand with a clitoris- she actually has to work and go through a character arc. Surprising and sometimes unpleasant things happen to her, making her a sympathetic and interesting character who I actually want to see triumph.

I could go on… and on… and on… and on… pretty much forever. I could probably write an entire essay just on how Lex Luthor uses his wealth for selfish ends even while purporting to represent a higher cause while Batman embodies an idealised version of how those with power and money should use it for the greater good. I could talk about how Superman is both effectively an immigrant and the most endearingly Rockwellian slice of walking Americana one can imagine. I could write fucking books on what the character of Perpetua says about the modern world’s complex relationship with faith and fanaticism and where the line is drawn.

But the real point is that I don’t know what’s going to happen next! Character who would never be allowed to triumph under their own power in movies succeed. Characters who would never be allowed to fail in movies get broken by horrible events and circumstances. Arcs are never what I expect them to be about, but always make sense when I look back and consider what I know about the character’s personality. It’s wonderfully refreshing in a way we just don’t get to see much nowadays… and I started to wonder why comics are so much better than everything else going on at the moment.

I was recently reading an Editorial in Metal Hurlant (basically the French 2000AD- a comic anthology of sci-fi and horror tales published on a monthly basis). The top brass were bemoaning the niche-ness of the comic book medium, asserting that comics should be promoted in bookstores and literary circles; that there should be a widespread push for them to reach a readership and audience that traditionally don’t engage with pulp culture (my term, not theirs). And what I realised is that this would be a terrible, terrible idea- because the main reason comics are so good is because they’re niche; their small; their disposable. Consider, if you will, the mainstream film industry. A big part of the reason that it mainly produces hot garbage is that it’s too big to take risks. Hollywood (for want of a better catch-all term) has spent its entire life-cycle pursuing larger and larger audiences so it can fund more and more epic blockbusters with bigger names and bigger, bolder FX. It’s a cycle of abuse in which each new generation of films has to outperform the generation before it. Meanwhile, because the audiences have to be so vast, the people making the flicks don’t think of those audiences as individual people with specific interests and ideas and a desire to be challenged and entertained. They think of them, instead, as demographic swathes; undifferentiated and united by broad, base commonalities that each project has to play to. But people aren’t demographics and the movie industry is currently getting a royal drubbing for its decades of ever-increasing contempt-of-the-viwer. Disney in particular is haemorrhaging money because it thought it would be a good idea to make Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and telly shows for a generic set of imagined demographics instead of people who actually like those franchises and are interested in the themes and ideas that go with them. As much as watching Disney fail gives me the warm fuzzies, I have to ask: who in their right mind would wish this fate on comics?

You see, folks, comics do sell plenty of copies- more than enough to justify the fairly modest expense of printing the darned things) but the overall audience for any one title is less than half the audience for any given major film release (I did some research and applied some maths that I won’t bore you with, but the absolute top selling comic books of recent years sold under a quarter million copies overall while an average film from any of the major studios sells around half a million cinema tickets in the US alone- and then there are the DVD and streaming sales on top of that. Notice how the latter number is more than double the former number. Regrettably, data on both films and comics is jealously guarded by vested interests, so I apologise for how ballpark those figures are, mind). Meanwhile the total audience of comics in general is much narrower in certain key respects. Perhaps the most obvious point is this: pretty much everyone who reads comic books is a comic book fan, whereas not everyone who goes to the cinema is a cinephile. But what does that actually mean? Well, for one, it means that comic book readers and writers are more of community- they tend to trust one another more; leaps can be taken that would be considered too chancy when dealing with ‘demographics’. At the same time, however, the writers’ connection to the fans means they have a better sense of when something is going to alienate large sections of their audience or piss people off (something film-makers have proved either bad at or wilfully blind to lately). The result is stories that know what bold ideas they can pursue while also knowing where to draw the line.

I think another reason comics are currently kicking the film industry’s pallid white buttocks in terms of creative merit is that they’re real cheap. Paper on ink is much easier to organise and send forth into the world than a vast audiovisual experience containing hundreds of actors, countless FX and goodness-knows-how-many extras, all put together by an enormous team of people who often never get to meet one another. If I wanted, I could probably write, draw and distribute a limited run of say, fifty comics, for the price of a Payday Loan. I wouldn’t, because it’s not where my talent lies, but the point I’m trying to make is this: companies and distributors are more willing to do interesting things when there’s only pocket change on the line compared to when there’s millions or billions of dollars. It’s why we get comics like Serial Artist (about a dude who claims his paintings are of his murder victims and becomes the centre of a vast government conspiracy) and W0rldtr33 (an ongoing slice of weirdness in which the internet comes to life and starts murdering people). It’s why something comparatively mainstream like Justice League can have an arc about Batman parenting a starfish and why the whole thing becomes Dark Nights: Metal and Death Metal for awhile (the Metal comics are end-of-the-world stuff inspired by- obvs- heavy metal albums… and they’re fucking great). It’s why stuff like Metal Hurlant and 2000AD is given a chance to find readers. So do comics need to be bigger and more widely accepted? Fuck no! The fringe is always where interesting stuff happens and aiming for mainstream acceptability is, it seems to me, a massive trap. The allure of more money and better social status is like one of the bug-zapper lights that draws in the moths and then fries their brains.

But what the fuck is the point of all this rambling? Comics are good- and thank goodness, since a lot of shit isn’t at the moment. There, I got it all down to once sentence, so what was the point of the rest? Well, I suppose there’s a lesson to be learned here. I’m a writer finally starting my career; finally putting work out into the public domain with a real publisher. No, I don’t do comics: I do sci-fi and fantasy books. But the lesson’s still applicable and it’s this: it’s a lot better to be good than popular and sometimes- just sometimes- you really do have to pick between the two.

[thesmallestpelekai]

Was that [AULI'I CRAVALHO]? Oh no no, that was just [LILO PELEKAI], a [CANON CHARACTER] from [DISNEY’S LILO AND STITCH]. They are [TWENTY] years old, use [SHE/THEY], and [ARE NOT] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long.

FULL NAME: Lilo Kailani Pelekai AGE: 20 SPECIES: Human FANDOM: Disney’s Lilo and Stitch GENDER IDENTITY: Non-binary; she/they SEXUALITY:  Pansexual NATIONALITY:  Hawaiian ETHNICITY: Native Hawaiian HOW LONG HAS YOUR CHARACTER BEEN HERE?: One Week JOB: Barista at The Roost WHERE HAS YOUR CHARACTER BEEN PULLED FROM IN THEIR FANDOM?: Roughly 13 years after the events of Lilo and Stitch. HAS ANY MAGIC AFFECTED YOUR CHARACTER?: Yes, Lilo currently believes she has lived in Washington DC her whole life, though something about that doesn't feel quite right.

FACE CLAIM: Auli'i Cravalho SPECIAL / RECOGNIZABLE FEATURES: Long dark hair. HAIR COLOR: Black EYE COLOR: Brown ACCENT: American

SIBLING(S): Nani Pelekai PARTNER(S): None atm. CHILDREN: None atm. PARENT(S): Alani Pelekai [deceased] and Koa Pelekai [deceased]

- Lilo loves arts and crafts! She made her favorite childhood doll, Scrump, completely herself! She loves making things, whether it's art or jewelry or dolls - anything creative is a great outlet for her! - Photography is one of Lilo's great loves. She enjoys taking candids of people when they least suspect it, she likes capturing the humanity in others. She still uses an old fashioned camera where she has to get the film developed, but she also has an instagram dedicated to her work. - Music is an important part of Lilo's life. She's obviously a huge Elvis fan, but just in general she feels like music has saved her life a bunch of times. She loves to listen to records and she loves to dance. She also plays the ukulele. - Lilo is a huge fan of anime and loves to cosplay! She even sometimes makes TikToks in character. She enjoys putting together a costume and playing pretend for a while. - Things like Voodoo have always been intriguing to Lilo. She's constantly reading books and consuming media about witchcraft and similar things. She just finds it fascinating! - Lilo is not a fan of storms. (tw: death) Her parents died in a car accident because of a very bad storm late one night. It's why feeding Pudge the fish his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is very important to her, since he controls the weather. - She enjoys helping people find what they're good at. She likes getting to know someone and if she can be of help to them should they need it, that makes her extremely happy! - Lilo is not afraid to get her hands dirty. If you come after her, or especially if you come after her family, be prepared to endure her rage. She will go absolutely feral on your ass.

platonic connections: Friends! Stitch has been Lilo's only friend for most of her life. Most people tend to find her weird. She'd love some genuine friends!! more platonic connections: Bring me anyone from Lilo and Stitch or the t.v. series but especially bring me Nani please!!! Lilo needs her big sister! colleagues: Does your character also work at The Roost? Then they work with Lilo! They can get along or just be colleagues, it's up to you! models/fellow photographers: Lilo loves photography, and especially taking candid shots of people when they least expect it. You could be a model for her (knowingly or unknowingly) or a fellow photographer would be fun too! water buddies: Lilo loves the water, she loves to swim and surf! So fellow water buddies are always welcome! non-human friends: When it comes to things like vampires, mermaids, werewolves, fairies, etc - Lilo believes in them all, and she always has and always will. I would LOVE some non-human friends for her! She'd be so stoked and have a million questions and comments for them, so be prepared. potential romantic connection: Lilo doesn't do hook-ups but she does want to find love one day. She develops crushes very easily, to be honest. I think a slow-burn could be cute for her!

[depizan]

I hate clicking on/picking up an interesting looking book, only to find out it's a fucking romance. The weird thing is, I don't necessarily hate romances. I will, occasionally, pick up actual romances that are recommended to me, and I have an unholy and completely irrational fondness for gothic romances. But when a book appears to be sci-fi (well, space adventure/sci-fi-lite) or fantasy, but noooope, it's all about how the interesting sounding female main character is goopy over some dude, it pisses me off.

I've tried to get a handle on this before, because it makes absolutely no sense that I will accept romance as a way to get atmospheric old chalets/manors/castles, families with bits of their past that no one talks about, people sneaking about at night (probably by candlelight), and climactic showdowns in thunderstorms in unsafe parts of castles or on top of cliffs...and yet every fiber of my being revolts against accepting romance as a way to get my space adventure or fantasy adventure fix.

Is it because I know non-romance-focused versions of those exist? (Unlike the gothic romances.) Because I came to those genres from stories with male leads, and thereby no equally huge romance plots? So I resent that a female lead inherently means some giant stupid romance plot in an otherwise fun sounding story of intergalactic adventure or fantasy shenanigans?

Is it just that I still don't trust female led sci-fi after all those yeeted-after-the-first-chapter-due-to-rape books I tried from the Science Fiction Bookclub when I was a teen. I mean, if there has to be something wrong with the books, I'd rather it was a romantic plot tumor than rape, but jesus fucking christ, I just want to read adventure stories with leads that don't have to spend most of the book schmooping over some fucking dude. (And, like, 90% of the time if you just removed the romance part, whatever else might be going on between the main character and the romantic interest is perfectly interesting.)

(I am also at least 50% less annoyed if the lead is schmooping over another woman. And, weirdly, I am not anywhere near as put off by romance in fanfic. I don't search for parings, but I don't object to them.)

Admittedly, part of it is probably that the gothic romances are more like those ordinary person sucked into adventure stories that were so popular in the '80s across genres and genders (American Dreamer, Romancing the Stone, Adventures in Babysitting, Innerspace, The Last Starfighter...). The main character is an ordinary person swept up in some kind of creepy shenanigans, and usually kind of come into their own in the process (rather like in the movies above). While the books that flip my rage switch feature characters who are already doing their thing being somehow reduced to romance partner.

...

It's the underlying sexism, isn't it. It really is just the modern, less bad version of the "welp, gotta rape the main character and put her in her place" shit from the books I never finished as a teen. Can't have women as actual full on people doing people things. They're only good as romance prizes, even when they're supposed to be the main character.

Haaaaate.

(And, yes, I know that is the absolute worst interpretation possible. But it is so fucking rare for a story to actually treat a female protagonist the way it would a male protagonist. Which is probably also why fanfic doesn't annoy me...)

[aezuria]

*ੈ✎ he's an all american boy!

content: american football player! jason grace x reader

╰┈▸ back cover: mortal! au; part I | part II

warnings: cursing (sorry guys), kinda random non-linear plot (but its hcs so its fine)

librarian's annotations: guys help i need a song title/lyric that fits this so it can be my title

also IM GOING FERAL I THINK THE ANGST MADE ME INSANE SO THIS IS HOW I COPE can you guys tell im projecting by the way ppl fawn over him in this

bro is actually hotshot #1

right when he walks into the school he is BOMBARDED with students like theyre papparazi

hes just

tall, handsome, buff- what more could a girl want?? (there are other criteria he meets but we'll get to that later)

the picture perfect quarterback straight from a damn movie

NOT TO MENTION HES NOT SOME COCKY JERK

at first ppl were like "omg hes so hot but im not gonna go up to him cause what if hes mean???"

and then he goes up to them and hes all shy like

"excuse me? i need to get to my locker, sorry if i interrupted your conversation." and hes scratching the back of his neck and smiling awkwardly

HEART EYES

word spreads fast in hs yall already know

so when everyone finds out hes not only tall, handsome and buff but also KIND??

head over heels

and hes not exactly oblivious to it but hes not fully aware of it either

probably like "oh yea a lot of ppl talk to me idk why tho its probably cause my friends are popular"

bby you’re the most popular out of your friends don’t even

hes such a good student too

teachers love him

hes everyones golden boy fr (especially mine teehee)

usually sits in the front of the class unless his friends make him sit with them in the back

then he pulls out his glasses that he keeps in its case, even having the lil wipe thing folded neatly

cue shocked gasps

"omg you wear glasses?"

"do you need to clean them? here have my handkerchief!" ("who even are you can't you see he has one")

"those suit you so well!"

his ears turn red at the sudden burst of attention and he laughs nervously, muttering his thanks

even the teacher wasnt mad at the disruption bc who would get mad at jason?

(he got little nudges from his friends after)

you guys know that one jock whose actually a nerd x nerd trope???

i dont even know if it exists but it sounds cute anyway

thats you and jason

he had his first conversation- if you could call it that, at the library when you guys were abt to grab the same book (ugh so cliche right)

being the gentleman he was, he let you have it

to which you tried to refute but he INSISTED

"oh, y/n it's yours. i'll just get a different one."

which got you a little intimidated bc who wouldnt be intimidated by a 6'2 jock thats the talk of the town

you thanked him profusely and scampered away

wait did he just say my name? how does he even know who i am?

that probably kept you up at night

like "oh my god did i just embarrass myself in front of THE jason grace???? did i walk away weird?"

little did you know that the jason grace was awake that same night

"did i scare her?? why did she look like that when i said her name? did my voice crack? did she think i was weird cause my hand brushed against hers? oh my god my hand brushed against hers.."

started noticing you EVERYWHERE after that

like he knew you guys were in some classes tgt

but he finds that he passes by you SO many times in the hallway

and somehow spots you at a table across the library

was that your usual spot? was this his usual spot now?

like what?? his delusional never-had-a-real-gf-because-that-one-time-he-dated-his-friend-she-turned-out-to-be-a-lesbian ass thinks its fate

very much influenced by all the books he reads (NO he does not read romance he simply finds an interesting book that HAPPENS to have romance)

(and if he did, WHAT OF IT HUH??? THEY COUNT AS BIG BOY BOOKS OKAY)

i have this headcanon that he remembers the name of everyone in his classes because he was always forgettable as a kid and no one really knew his name cause he was so quiet (or he tries really hard to remember because he has this aching feeling that in another timeline he could never remember)

so he doesnt want to make others feel that way and yea

BACK TO HOW HOT HE IS

(stealing part of this from my earlier rant)

its late, hes tired, but hes back in the library to cram for his test tomorrow

so unlike him, usually hed be on top of things, but his minds been on some... other things. persons. person.

hes still sweaty and sore from football practice, having (literally) ran straight here after changing

throws his bag down (quietly of course, he's not some brute) and takes out like three different notebooks, his worn pencil case from freshman year, and his glasses

jason slides them on, pushing it up the bridge of his nose as he gets up and searches for the textbooks he needs

he knows its more comfortable and less time-consuming to just study at home, after all he already has loaner textbooks given out at the start of the school year, but something in his heart wanted him to drag his beat ass here and work

and good thing too, because he sees a familiar hand grab a book from the other side of the bookshelf

not that he just knows what your hand looks like, that'd be weird

it reveals your beautiful eyes, ones jason would love to see closer

he smiles at you from the crack in the bookshelf, murmuring a soft "hello"

you think you just saw an angel with the way the warm light crowned his head

but when you offer to help him study??? he thinks he fell in love

you were his SAVIOR

thanked you a billion times every other sentence and fumbled over his words cause hes never talked with you for this long

his ears are bright red even though the ac in the library was always to the max

also how is he wearing just a shirt

not that you minded though, it gave you a chance to ogle at the way the fabric was fighting for its life to keep him under wraps

and daydream about fantasies that shall not be named (one involving a pink bow around his bicep)

you dont know how long you were helping and how long you spent daydreaming

you hoped you werent being too obvious (it was very, very obvious but jason was too focused to notice)

it felt like mere minutes when jason looks up, a tired but accomplished look on his face

he thanks you one last time, saying he'll make it up to you

you couldnt help but feel disappointed until the fatigue from the day hits you like a bus

he offers to take you home, saying it was too dark out, and that it wouldnt be safe

god, hes such a gentleman

you take him up on the offer as you did NOT plan on dying a virgin

walks you to your door too, can he get any better???

apparently he can because after he got his scores back for his tests, he rushes to you with a bright smile and presents them like a child with their artwork

”i got a hundred! it’s all thanks to you, you’re a really great study buddy!”

of fucking course he gives the credit to you how is he so humble??

like that was alllll him you just sat there and admired the view (so real for that)

after that he practically begs you to go to his next game, saying he'll return the favor by playing extra hard for you

(can he be extra hard for me tho)

you needed no convincing because a. hes jason grace. end of question. (and b, you know his ass would look great in his uniform GOOD GOOGLY MOOGLY)

he even said he’ll treat you if your school wins (which should be the other way around, but he again, insists)

they won, to absolutely no one’s surprise

took you to a cute lil cafe where you guys got drinks and sandwiches

then he overthinks it before bed cause he didn’t make it sound like a date but he really wanted it to be but he wasn’t sure if you felt the same and-

when you guys do start dating, everyones jealous but they cant bear to hate because you guys are just so cute together (bonus if youre short cause height difference couple !!)

he tried to keep it secret cause he didnt want to get you overwhelmed with a bunch of attention, but its obvious to everyone hes extra soft with you

he thought he was being sneaky when he slowly shifted his usual seat day by day to be closer to you so it wouldnt be obvious (spoiler: it was)

you assured him you were okay with your relationship being public if he was okay with it too

of course he is how can he NOT want you by his side forever

he sees his friends give their gfs their jersey to wear to their games and is like “i so want that” but he’s too shy to ask youu

but it’s written all over his face as you catch him staring intently at the way his friend hands over his spare jersey to his girlfriend when they think no one was looking

so, being the great girlfriend you are, took it upon yourself to ask him for it

which he gave to you a blushing, stuttering mess

the next game, he was worried

where were you? you weren’t usually this late; the game was about to start and he didn’t even get a good luck kiss yet!

he knows it’s probably nothing strange, that you’re just running late, but he can’t help but worry

the whistle blows and he sighs, getting into position, but not before sneaking one last glance at the bleachers

his sky blue eyes found you instantly, and was that-?

you were wearing his jersey, practically swimming in it as you waved your arm excitedly.

he broke into a wide smile, unfortunately hidden by his helmet, and waved back at you, forgetting all about the game for a moment until his friend whacked him upside the head

he buzzed with anticipation, wanting to just hurry and finish so he could run to you and spin you in his arms

you were his driving motive as he scored touchdown after touchdown, never letting the other team bridge the gap in their points

his team wins unsurprisingly, and the first thing he does is throw down his helmet and run to you, tackling you gently

he sweeps you off your feet and kisses you as you spin, giggles muffled by his lips

hes sweaty and sticky but you couldn’t bring yourself to care, the way his smile lights up the world is all that matters

and he knows that you’re his world, and he’d do anything to make you light up

[thetorturedmusesdept]

Was that [AULI'I CRAVALHO]? Oh no no, that was just [LILO PELEKAI], a [CANON CHARACTER] from [DISNEY’S LILO AND STITCH]. They are [TWENTY] years old, use [SHE/THEY], and [ARE NOT] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long.

FULL NAME: Lilo Kailani Pelekai AGE: 20 SPECIES: Human FANDOM: Disney’s Lilo and Stitch GENDER IDENTITY: Non-binary; she/they SEXUALITY:  Pansexual NATIONALITY:  Hawaiian ETHNICITY: Native Hawaiian HOW LONG HAS YOUR CHARACTER BEEN HERE?: One Week JOB: Barista at The Roost WHERE HAS YOUR CHARACTER BEEN PULLED FROM IN THEIR FANDOM?: Roughly 13 years after the events of Lilo and Stitch. HAS ANY MAGIC AFFECTED YOUR CHARACTER?: Yes, Lilo currently believes she has lived in Washington DC her whole life, though something about that doesn’t feel quite right.

FACE CLAIM: Auli'i Cravalho SPECIAL / RECOGNIZABLE FEATURES: Long dark hair. HAIR COLOR: Black EYE COLOR: Brown ACCENT: American

SIBLING(S): Nani Pelekai PARTNER(S): None atm. CHILDREN: None atm. PARENT(S): Alani Pelekai [deceased] and Koa Pelekai [deceased]

- Lilo loves arts and crafts! She made her favorite childhood doll, Scrump, completely herself! She loves making things, whether it’s art or jewelry or dolls - anything creative is a great outlet for her! - Photography is one of Lilo’s great loves. She enjoys taking candids of people when they least suspect it, she likes capturing the humanity in others. She still uses an old fashioned camera where she has to get the film developed, but she also has an instagram dedicated to her work. - Music is an important part of Lilo’s life. She’s obviously a huge Elvis fan, but just in general she feels like music has saved her life a bunch of times. She loves to listen to records and she loves to dance. She also plays the ukulele. - Lilo is a huge fan of anime and loves to cosplay! She even sometimes makes TikToks in character. She enjoys putting together a costume and playing pretend for a while. - Things like Voodoo have always been intriguing to Lilo. She’s constantly reading books and consuming media about witchcraft and similar things. She just finds it fascinating! - Lilo is not a fan of storms. (TW: death) Her parents died in a car accident because of a very bad storm late one night. It’s why feeding Pudge the fish his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is very important to her, since he controls the weather. - She enjoys helping people find what they’re good at. She likes getting to know someone and if she can be of help to them should they need it, that makes her extremely happy! - Lilo is not afraid to get her hands dirty. If you come after her, or especially if you come after her family, be prepared to endure her rage. She will go absolutely feral on your ass.

platonic connections: Friends! Stitch has been Lilo’s only friend for most of her life. Most people tend to find her weird. She’d love some genuine friends!! more platonic connections: Bring me anyone from Lilo and Stitch or the t.v. series but especially bring me Nani please!!! Lilo needs her big sister! colleagues: Does your character also work at The Roost? Then they work with Lilo! They can get along or just be colleagues, it’s up to you! models/fellow photographers: Lilo loves photography, and especially taking candid shots of people when they least expect it. You could be a model for her (knowingly or unknowingly) or a fellow photographer would be fun too! water buddies: Lilo loves the water, she loves to swim and surf! So fellow water buddies are always welcome! non-human friends: When it comes to things like vampires, mermaids, werewolves, fairies, etc - Lilo believes in them all, and she always has and always will. I would LOVE some non-human friends for her! She’d be so stoked and have a million questions and comments for them, so be prepared. potential romantic connection: Lilo doesn’t do hook-ups but she does want to find love one day. She develops crushes very easily, to be honest. I think a slow-burn could be cute for her!