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426. VOICETEAM'S FAN IN THE MIRROR.

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:11:37 GMT

I decided to go full meta and record this post. Felt cute, audio may end up deleted later!

This is for voiceteam Mystery Box 2025's Fan in the Mirror challenge, which says: Review what you've achieved in the past 12 months and write a blog post/meta roundup of at least 500 words, discussing the fanworks you created, what you were proud of, where you'd like to be next year, and what you'd like to do next year. This can discuss any kind of fanwork created, but it should spend significant time on audio fanworks—new podficcers who don't have audio fanworks to reflect on from this year can still write about audio fanwork goals for next year!

I apparently posted 128 works during 2025, with 66 of them being podfic. Wow. Who knew I'd ever post that much podfic? Whoever predicted I would podfic?

Most, if not all, of this work was for an exchange or challenge. I really miss writing for myself. I finally updated the last piece of one of my WIPs. I was avoiding updating you came back as the underdog (Wanda/Bucky) for three years because I really loved this story and I didn't want to say goodbye to it. I posted the last bonus piece a few days ago (and now I hope to record chapters for myself so I can go back and tighten up the writing). I feel like my fannish identity is one that I'd like to reclaim again, if that makes sense. I miss writing. I miss the obsessive need to write a story. I miss how I used to feel in the honeymoon of exchanges. (I miss getting comments, but I've never been one to get a lot of comments, but I feel like it hurts less when I'm not comparing myself to Writer B who wrote the same fandom/ship as me in an exchange. This is a whole other kettle of fish, I think.)

My goals for 2026 include:

Only participate in the exchanges/challenges I want to participate in. FOMO can get lost. While I enjoy exchanges a lot, I've felt burnt out and unmotivated over the last two years. I sometimes feel like it's not worth participating, because I can spend a lot of time on a piece and get really no traffic at all (including no acknowledgement from the recipient, which is burning me out). I know that's the life of a creative, but it's bummed me out when I'm surrounded by chatter about other stories that people enjoyed. (Yuletide remains so rough for me thanks to this!)

I miss writing stories for myself, so I want to return to that. I want to be obsessed! I want to write self-indulgent shit for ME! I'm my best recipient and I feel like I've been neglecting her a lot. I have half-cracked ideas floating around in my head—and have had some of them for years—and I want to put more time into those because I want to see them written.

I want to only create for fandoms/ships that I want to create for. This is more or less for podfic. There are some fandoms and ships on my profile that don't really represent my interests, but I participated in multivoices or challenges because 1) I wanted to be involved in a group thing and have fun and 2) for a friend. I suspect I'll never completely get away with only participating in projects that are of my fandoms/ships (and even fic that's more to my tastes) and I'm fine with this because what matters to me, especially when it comes to podfic, is that I have fun (especially since it's not a highly engaged with piece of fanwork, so having fun with people is my top priority and makes creating podfic worth it for me), but I'd like to be more mindful moving forward about what projects I take on. (Again, let FOMO exist.)

I do hope I continue to make podfic. There are so many benefits to reading stories aloud and having my stories read. I want to talk about that below.

One piece of advice I've seen and heard about writing is that it's beneficial to read your work aloud. I used to scoff at this because I never wanted to read my words aloud. Ever since I started embracing podfic—and even making it—I have learned so much about writing that's been beneficial to me.

Podficcing did bring up a lot of really cruel insecurities within me. I feel like I don't say things properly. I feel like I read too fast. I feel like some words blend together and you have no idea what I'm saying. My accent is shit! (Somehow the Aussie accent was one of the most attractive in the world? What the fuck are people on? LOL.) I had an (non-Aussie) ex-friend comment about how I didn't pronounce things correctly (I'm Aussie, mate). There are words that I just suck at saying. I'm not very good (at the moment—positivity!) at accents or speaking words from other languages. It was a whole new skill, and a perfectionist like me (who is also self-conscious!) really struggled with it at first. (I won't lie, my first Voiceteam Mystery Box was really rough that I ended up crying because of all the comparisons I was making with other people who have different accents LOL.)

My inner voice that reads quietly is perfect at accents (or "accents"). The words I don't know how to pronounce sound so posh and correct in my head. There are phrases that make sense when you read them quietly that are absolutely atrocious when you read them aloud. I've learned that fragmented sentences are an absolute nightmare (please, writers, stop doing this and write proper sentences). Run on sentences are a monster that need to be put down. (Use full stops! Less commas!) I've also learned that dialogue tags need to be clear, clean and used! I've read works where I have no idea who's speaking so I make an assumption based on the information I have.

There are some words I cannot say together. "One another" sucks for me. The way words feel in my mouth is obviously so different to how they feel in my head. I've realised that some description is too much, and it doesn't allow me as a reader to really embrace the emotion that I need because it overkills it. Sometimes I find some description is too little, and I literally have no idea what's going on. When people write dialogue interruptions, having narration before the dialogue that interrupts the interrupted dialogue breaks momentum. Some writers give the character too many things to do in a second—scoff, shrug, huff. It's hard to read! I've been taking a lot of this into consideration when I write now.

I feel like I have a good approach to reading. I try to read long sentences slower, unless I feel the pace is frantic. I try to read short sentences faster. I try to look at where the big, dramatic breaks need to be. I try to break up those long run-on sentences because, honestly, they need a bloody pause sometimes. I try to embrace the emotion a character is feeling, so if someone gasps, I try to gasp. If someone mutters, well… I don't really mutter, but I try to be softer. (I'm trying to figure out character voices.) I try to get into my reading in a way that entertains me as a reader, because if I'm not entertained, then why am I reading?

When I listen to podfic about my own stories (and read them for podfic), I hear the words that are too closely used together. I remember listening to a fabulous podfic about one of my works and a comment I said aloud was "Too many people are smiling". Another one was "Why is this character shrugging so much?" One in particular that I remember listening to while walking had me muttering, "Jesus, she's furrowing her brows a lot". (I remember the exact fic, too.)

One of the greatest lessons I've learned from podfic is that you have to trust the reader to understand what you're putting down. This is something I've been told numerous times during my writing course theory. Trust the reader. Give them just enough information, but trust them to make the conclusions. I've received podfics where I've listened to the reader and gone "They got it. I did my job." There is nothing more rewarding than listening to your work and hearing someone who never existed in your head, who never spoke to you about your work, and who never knew what your intentions were actually understand what you intended. This could be how I wrote a character, how I wanted a character to say a specific line, or just a work in general. (Sometimes people pick up on what I hadn't realised I had intended, or can't articulate as an intention. Sometimes I just write shit with no intention at all!)

I've also learned that sometimes some words don't mean the same to me as they do to someone else (hahahaha HAHAHA). We all come to the written word with our own experiences and baggage (and, as I've learned from talking to some people who speak other languages, your understanding of your own language. English is so fucked). I sometimes use words that aren't correct (they sure feel correct, haha).

I've had some people read my works in a way I hadn't intended or thought about. That doesn't mean they're wrong! It could mean that I didn't do my job as the author. It could mean that I had unintentionally written something that conveyed something else entirely. It could mean that the reader has brought their own experiences and perspective to my piece that I hadn't considered. I've never really had anyone miss the point of a work, or read it in a way that's made me go "You got that from my work?" It's always been "Oo, they understood what I wanted to achieve with that piece of dialogue!" or "Ooh, I didn't think about interpreting this this way".

There are a lot of talented readers in fandom who I wish fandom would appreciate a lot more. Podficcing is a lot of work (contrary to what some people believe!). My first Voiceteam Mystery Box team in 2024 encouraged me to listen to podfic I received several years ago that I avoided listening to because I felt ✨perceived✨, and I learned so much about a story I loved so much. It's another way to participate in fandom and appreciate something you love. Podficcers don't ask me to pay them to create a comic of a work that they apparently feel so inspired by and have ideas for… so they're good eggs in my carton.

I sometimes find listening to podfic to be an uncomfortable experience, although that discomfort only lasts a few seconds. Why is it uncomfortable for me? Because I feel perceived. A podfic is evidence that a real person has read my work. A fourth wall is created when you're interacting with a username. (It's why we sometimes forget we're dealing with real people.) I'm someone who's always been private about my creative endeavours and love for writing (until 2025, whoo! Character growth!). Writing is an act of vulnerability for me, and when I publish it, it is yet another act of vulnerability. I also realised over the last two years that podficcing was also a vulnerable act, too. (That's probably why I had a whole meltdown over insecurities, lol.) No matter how someone interacts with my work, they are interacting with a piece of me that I have put out there for their hands—or voice—to touch. It's something that I hope becomes easier over time. I'm very glad that I was encouraged to listen to podfic about my work, because I got to experience the stories all over again through someone who, I hope, really enjoyed the work in the first place and that's why they podded it.

I'm really grateful to that one person who encouraged me during a Snowflake Challenge prompt to give podfic a go, because there was so much to learn from it. There is. I benefit as a writer and a reader—and I feel like I could potentially take the plunge this year to try to learn how to do accents. :)

I didn't really have any intentions for how I wanted to format this post. I wanted to end on this note, though. When I started receiving requests to approve podfic links to my works, I thought everyone got podfic. When I realised that this was not the case, I felt so overwhelmed and privileged that someone felt the desire to interact with my work. And now that I've podficced myself, to know that someone may have sat for a few hours recording and recording, soundscaping, fixing errors, rerecording (hello, my life of saying the wrong word!), etc. means a lot. I often feel greedy during Voiceteam or Battleship when I say I want podfic of my works, but I do! And now that I know a little bit more about this pocket of fandom, I hope that me saying I want podfic of my works isn't seen as me being greedy or wanting to take away from others, but me saying "Hey, I'm one of those writers who likes podfic!" I hope that the people who have podficced and will podfic my works do so because they love the works as much as I do (and love the works I fail(ed) to love, but have gotten to appreciate through someone who challenges me to be proud of it because it's something they deem is worth liking).

Anyway, to wrap up: I hope 2026 is the year where I write a lot more for myself, because I feel like if I write a lot more for myself, maybe I can attract more podficcers with honey (aka the works that I really, really love, and wrote because I wanted to write them) and I will feel happier and more fulfilled and stop worrying about how my work is performing against someone else. I like exchanges, but I miss treating me with gifts.

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424. 2026 SCRAPBOOK.

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:47:01 GMT

( 2026 scrapbook. )

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418. DEAR YULETIDE WRITER.

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:18:28 GMT

Dear yuletide writer,

I'm buries and finnicks.

This is my fourth Yuletide. I've included prompts to help you have an idea of what I like, but please take what you like from this and don't feel like you have to take my prompts at face value. As long as it doesn't hit a DNW, I will enjoy it!

I'm happy to answer any questions via the mods. I welcome treats! (I have likes/dislikes in my letter for these.)

Thank you for creating for me! ♥

Letter completed 24 October 2025, AEDT. If you find any contradiction with my DNWs between my sign-up and this letter (there should hopefully not be!), please go with the sign-up.

( tl;dr )

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406. GENERAL DEAR PODFICCER LETTER.

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:10:18 GMT

[ JOE GOLDBERG VOICE ] Hello, you.

Dearest Podficcer,

This is my general podficcer exchange letter, which is pretty much an extension of my general exchange letter, but with more information for podfic, like fandoms! My general exchange letter is where you'll find my tropes and podfic likes, and is a letter I update frequently. This letter will serve as what my exchange sign-up usually does: telling you the fandoms, pairings, and characters I like. Please refer to this letter for my DNWs regarding podfic requests for events like Podfic Summer Swap.

My AO3 is buries, although you will most likely find my Tumblr reflects my obsessions best, which can be found at finnicks. (Please do not take my AO3 bookmarks to be a true representation of what I like; I have a conservative approach with my bookmarks, and I don't read a lot of fic anymore. My Tumblr and rec posts are your best bet.)

What I'm primarily looking for when requesting podfic is to be exposed to new stories and authors. That said, I love it when my work is podded! It teaches me new things about my writing, and it makes me appreciate stories I kind of take for granted/give little love to.

For my general likes, such as tropes, please see my general exchange letter, which I update regularly. My podfic likes are in this letter.

Last updated: 9 August 2025.

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( bridgerton )

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( house of the dragon )

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398. WRAPPING UP EXCHANGES FOR 2024 AND 2025 (SO FAR).

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:31:48 GMT

I want to clean up some of my notepad docs so, here we go, an exchange wrap-up! Because I've been feeling burnt out over the last year, I don't really have any recs compiled (I lied and did for FIAB, but I deleted the notepad after copying my bits over, so, RIP). I think I may move away from creating rec lists as I'm not quite sure how used they are and they take so much work that they're becoming unfun.

Anyway! Onto the good stuff.

candyheartsex 2024 -

I wrote -

myrtle
ENOLA HOLMES | Enola/Tewkesbury; Teen; 1.5k

"What?" she barked.

"What?" he repeated dumbly, blinking dumbly, too.

She rolled her eyes. "Not this again!"

"Enola," he said with a low laugh that ruffled the butterflies deep in her belly, "I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about. What gift?"

"My gift!"

*

Enola gets Tewkesbury a gift. Perhaps that's the problem in itself.

I really enjoy writing their banter.

My gifts -

Card Goat by McBangle
GRISHAVERSE | Jesper & Milo | Gen

Jesper and Milo play a friendly game of poker.

Really funny art.

*

'effable Spirit by Synergic
THE GREAT | Catherine/Peter; Mature; 1.4k

On an unprepossessing day in May two years after her husband’s death, Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, put out a hand for her morning cup of tea-laced vodka and received a letter instead.

I thought this was brilliant. This universe is so easy to get wrong, but Synergic makes it look so easy.

smut4smut 2024 -

I wrote -

we can chew through my bracelet
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Explicit; 3.8k

Elizaveta was gone, and the demon remained. Juris was gone, and yet she felt him stand beside her. But why hadn’t Nikolai come back to himself? They’d done everything that was expected of them—

Except she knew, deep down, that the obisbaya required more than being pierced by the thorn wood.

-

With Elizaveta dead and the obisbaya stopped, why does Nikolai stand before her as his demon?

I wish I had the guts to make this dirtier lol. I enjoyed getting to write my OTP for a lovely recipient!

*

just for tonight own me
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Explicit; 4.1k

"We can prolong it, Nikolai," she murmured as she hovered over him, effortlessly holding the chains between her hands like they were the bridle for his horse. He felt like one at times, although one that was whipped even when he behaved well. This was the penance for surviving the war. The Darkling ensured to leave his mark on Ravka. "Pretend we’re an old married couple, if you like."

"Go on, wife," he said, not looking away. He wanted them to play this game, and so they would. "Let’s pretend for a little while."

-

Nikolai likes it when he's bound to his bed and Zoya sits on his face.

What can I say? I got to write my OTP being playful. I really enjoyed s4s in 2024 because people requested my favourites!

My gift -

Not Your King Tonight by InsectKin
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Explicit; 3.4k

At the beginning of Rule of Wolves, Zoya and Nikolai debrief after visiting the revived Darkling in his sun prison. Nikolai shows Zoya that his demon can exist outside of himself, and the demon removes the ribbon from her hair.

In this fic, the demon keeps going.

I loved the whole concept of this. THIS IS WHAT WE DESERVED IN CANON.

fandom5k 2024 -

I wrote -

between the world and you
THE WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY | Vasya/The Bear; Mature; 8.1k

When the kikimora brings Vasya the one person she wants most, the chyerti suffer nightmares as a consequence.

I really enjoyed writing this. Grief is something I always gravitate towards, and this fic was no exception. The Bear/Medved is always so difficult yet fun to write, and I remember really enjoying writing this. I wish this fandom was bigger.

My gift -

Dark Mirrors by GalahadsGurl
CHARMED | Chris & Piper; Teen; 5.6k

Chris Perry missed his mother, but Piper Halliwell was not his mother.

Right?

This was a fun expansion on season 6's plot with "Who is Chris Perry really?"

rarepairexchange 2024 -

I wrote -

dreamers are selfish
THE HUNGER GAMES | Katniss/Finnick; Mature; 2.1k

When the rebellion fails to catch fire at the 75th Quarter Quell, Finnick and Katniss are left to pick up the pieces. Katniss is glad Finnick lets her be there for him for once.

I love writing Katniss/Finnick. This was meant to be a lot bigger than what it was, but what I ended up with was what I felt was a nice moment of a grander world that you still get a good pulse of.

My gift -

the siren call by aelisheva
READY OR NOT | Grace/Daniel; Teen; 1.7k

Daniel let out a shaky breath. “You’re not the real Grace Le Domas.”

Not-Grace stared him down again, and all over his skin and bones grew cold. She tilted her head, blinking innocently. “Is that really such an issue? I’ve seen into your mind, Daniel, thanks to Lord Le Bail’s help. I know how much you covet your brother’s widow.”

She leaned in until their heads pressed together. “I could be her, if you wanted it,” she said in a low voice. His breathing shuttered at the suggestion.

***

Grace has won the game, and Le Bail offers to bring back Daniel as a reward. But only if they both realize why her life force is still tied to his through a soulmate bond...

In a fandom overrun by time loop fics, this was very, very neat to receive. The concept was fun to watch unfold.

highadrenalineexchange -

For 2024, I wrote -

belonging
BRIDGERTON | Kate/Anthony; Teen; 10.5k

Kate struggles to find her place amongst the Bridgertons.

I wanted to explore Kate's relationships with the other Bridgertons and got to dabble in a few of those with this. It's not what I had wanted it to be, but I still enjoyed the end result.

My gift -

Through Midnights Pass by goblins_riddles_frocks
THE WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY | Vasya/The Bear; Unrated; 10.6k

Vasalisa Petrovna and Medved traverse the Midnight road.

I loved the exploration of grief and death. The banter between Vasya and The Bear was spot on. (I loved Ded Grib the most in this, though.)

For 2025, I wrote -

V1. The Lovers
AGATHA ALL ALONG | Agatha/Rio; Mature; 17k

Before Rio, there was Death. Before Death, there wasn’t Rio.

She tried to separate them, once.

*

When a witch hunter starts killing witches, Agatha and Rio begrudgingly team up to take them down.

This idea was a lot bigger than it had any right to be for a fortnight turnaround and I wish that the end result was reflective of that, but I'm still happy with it because I had a lot of fun exploring Rio's relationship with death and grief in this. I was inspired by some of the cards I like (and dislike) playing in Marvel Snap, and wrote some of those characters into this. I wish this story got a little action during the anonymous period, but I knew when my name was on it that it would find its audience, and I'm glad it did. :)

My gifts -

Hollow Heart by Major
THE MUMMY | Evelyn/Rick; Teen; 10.7k

Rick accidentally activates a curse that traps him and Evy in an apocalyptic time loop.

They've had better days.

This was a super cool concept, and I really, really loved Rick's voice throughout this. I feel like he's a character who appears easy to write but is truly difficult not to write flatly. Major did a fantastic job getting his dry wit and absolute dedication to those he loves down.

*

Annadóttir, Black, & Flamel, "Circular Reasoning: Applied Temporal Philosophy in Alchemaical Metaphysics," Journal of Magical Cosmology, 1645 (2001): 19–32. by avocadomoon
HARRY POTTER | Hermione/Sirius; Teen; 89k

"Science has its limits," Dumbledore said. "As does magic. And time. And everything else there is to see and touch and hear. But it is not a matter of fate, dear, no matter what the druid mystics say." He nodded at her wand. "When you throw a handful of petals in the air, can you control exactly where they fall? And would they always fall the same way twice?

It's not safe baiting avocadomoon because sometimes you end up receiving a mammoth of a gift. I only request Harry Potter when I see it in the tagset and have a feeling avocadomoon will participate. This was a wild ride, a fantastic, in-depth exploration of time travel and the consequences of time turners. Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite book/movie of the franchise, so to get a story that's based on that concept and seeing the concept of time turners fleshed out was so enjoyable. This was a delight to read.

fffx -

I wrote -

Ace
CHALLENGERS | Tashi/Art; Mature; 10.5k

Patrick didn’t call.

Sometimes, when she imagined it, she’d forgive him. Sometimes, she made him work for it over several weeks. Sometimes, she didn’t say anything at all.

Her phone didn’t ring for weeks after she popped her knee, and Tashi told herself she didn’t care. Why should she? She had Art, and Art was a good friend to have by her side.

Tashi/Art is a guilty pleasure of mine and I was thrilled I got to explore this pairing through a Tashi character study. She was so much fun to write and I really enjoyed how this story came together.

My gift -

negotiation by santanico
CHALLENGERS | Tashi/Art/Patrick; Explicit; 10.6k

“Yo,” Patrick said, and his eyes swept the main living space so quickly Tashi almost could have missed the widening of his eyes when he saw the oversized 8k TV or the double-sectional couch - in all creamy white, as if to make a point, Tashi thought - if she hadn’t been paying very close attention. He was dressed in jeans that fit him too loosely, a t-shirt with a button-up on over, as if that was somehow going to paint an illusion of professionalism to the look. He kicked off his shoes and handed her a bag.

“Chocolates,” he said, by way of explanation when she looked inside.

“I can see they’re chocolates,” she said, mesmerized by his choice of Ferrero Roche hazelnut chocolates. Maybe they were meant to be funny.

“Don’t judge,” Patrick said, brushing past her with intent and popping his head into the kitchen where Art was characteristically hiding. “Hey.”

This was a great exploration of the three of them post-movie and how they still are quite dysfunctional and shit at communication. I like that it didn't try to wrap them up in a pretty bow, and offered the implication that they aren't exactly going to work out long-term, but they might if they keep their heads in the sand.

ficinabox -

I wrote -

In the Middle
CHALLENGERS | Art/Tashi/Patrick; Explicit; 6k

She liked it better when he allowed them to be them, as they were. Her with her scarred knee, Art with his nervous tic of playing with his wedding ring, and Patrick… Patrick stayed the same. He rubbed his hands against his thighs, scratched the back of his neck, and laughed too much. His laughter was too loud, but it fit in their room, littered with wedding photos. Nothing in this room was his, but he fit. He was theirs.

Straight up smut lol.

*

what do you get your superhero best friend for their birthday?
MCU | Carol & Kamala & Monica & MJ & Peter & Ned & Nick & Pepper & Goose; Teen; 2k

r/SUPERBESTPETSANDTHEIRHUMANFRIENDS posted by u/KAMALACANDO

sooooooo i (18F) want to get my super duper best friend a birthday gift but i 1) don’t know when her birthday is and 2) don’t know what to get a man-eating cat when i don’t know her age. SO I DESPERATELY NEED SOME ADVICE because i want to show her how much she means to me!!!

Even though I had some strife with the coding (div tags hate me), I had a lot of fun creating this. I think it's funny.

*

Homemade Hot Chocolate
GRISHAVERSE | Inej/Kaz; Teen; 2k

Inej’s Homemade Hot Chocolate
Please note that this is not for the faint of heart.

Just Kaz and Inej being a little silly and heartsick. I wanted to try something a touch different to writing a straight fic.

My gifts -

rising up like the sun at dawn by Fleetling
GRISHAVERSE | Inej/Kaz; Teen; 1.2k

Kaz doesn't answer her, because that's not what she wants, and because it's not something he can offer.

A sweet post-canon Kanej where Inej returns from some of her adventures on the sea and Kaz ensures she's comfortable. when Kaz wakes in the morning it'll be to Inej, having risen with the sun, sitting in the window and talking to the crows. It can't get anymore perfect.

*

[fanmix] deuce by hearteyesfordays
CHALLENGERS | Art/Tashi/Patrick; Unrated

I have never gotten a fanmix before. This was so cool and perfect.

*

[Art] Katherine Pierce by QueerIntentions
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES | Katherine; Gen

An iconic Katherine Pierce, enshrined in stained glass.

I can't believe I got Katherine artwork.

*

hurt by kitsunerei88
CHALLENGERS | Tashi; Tashi/Art, Tashi/Patrick; Mature; 1.2k

Tashi's life is not what she wanted it to be.
Or: A character study about Tashi, her injury, and her relationships with Art and Patrick.

A really great character study that explores Tashi's resentment toward both Art and Patrick.

*

Poisoned Glory by Alley_Skywalker
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON | Aemond & Criston; Gen; 1.4k

Aemond had thought Rook's Rest would make him a hero, but instead, even the people closest to him seem to be pulling away.

A great character study of Aemond post-Rook's Rest, giving more depth to Aemond and Criston's relationship that we should've gotten in the show.

*

horror and wild by cacowhistle
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Teen; 1.2k

It is late this evening in Os Alta. There is an ominous air to the palace, and an evacuation of the king’s personal wing has been put in place.

You can never go wrong with demon!Nikolai. I love how this shows a glimpse of how Zoya, Tamar, Tolya, Genya, and David work together to try to keep demon!Nikolai under control. This should've been a scene in the book.

*

some kind of miraculous bind by cacowhistle
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Mature; 1.3k

It goes like this: Nikolai is the one to propose, but Zoya is the one to ask him to marry her.

This contains my favourite line She is a hurricane, and Nikolai lets himself be her eye and center. He is the calm that comes before her storm.

*

there is nothing in-between by cacowhistle
GRISHAVERSE | Zoya/Nikolai; Teen; 3.6k

It is the night after the obisbaya, and Nikolai cannot sleep.

A moment between Nikolai and Zoya on their travels back to Os Alta post-obisbaya. Nikolai's perspective is really well done, and come of the dialogue feels like it leapt right out of Bardugo's head.

*

[ MURDLE ] THE CASE OF THE PRODUCER ON THE PILLOW by swirlingvoid
THE HUNGER GAMES | Finnick, Annie, Johanna; Teen

A logic puzzle excerpted from the Panem Gazette. Which Victor killed again?
(Any resemblance to real events or persons living or dead is a coincidence, the paper claims. This is just a game.)

An in-universe Murdle in Panem is very cool and so very meta. This was so good.

trickortreatex -

I wrote -

go
GRISHAVERSE | Inej/Kaz; Teen; 600

Stay, he says, and Inej can do nothing but heed him.

I wanted to try a different style while keeping it in a tight word count of 600. I think it works.

My gift -

Tonight and the Rest of My Life by anr
BUFFYVERSE | Cordelia/Angel; Teen; 605

A thin curl of sweet satisfaction.

(aka, Five times Cordelia dreams of Angel.)

This filled me with so much nostalgia.

yuletide -

I was lucky enough to receive two gifts for yuletide 2024. I really enjoyed my time in this exchange (I had a rough go of it in 2022 with the gifting side and the Yuleswaps side, so I took a break in 2023). I think this was the exchange I had the most fun in.

I wrote -

Mother
AGATHA ALL ALONG | Agatha/Rio; Mature; 11.3k

Agatha closed her eyes. Swallowing thickly, she felt a stone within her throat shift. "How long will this last me?"

This was how it always went. Agatha would ask, and Rio would never respond. Agatha would always have her answer in the dread coiling low in her belly.

If Death wouldn’t help her, dark magic would.

I am so proud of this one. I had an easy time writing it. I really enjoyed the themes and I just loved how it all came together. This is set pre-canon, with Nicholas, and explores Agatha, Rio, and Nicholas, and how death haunted them all. I feel like it could've been longer, but I think the story is one of my best, and I was certainly proud of it when I wrote it.

My gifts -

to haunt a house nobody lives in by Twilfitt6
AGATHA ALL ALONG | Agatha/Rio; Mature; 3.9k

Agnes doesn't remember why she hates Rio. She doesn't remember that they've had this conversation before. Rio at her door with a peace offering, conversations about the case, the evidence sometimes differed but the case and the corpse were always the same, and they'd talk about these nothingnesses and then, as always, Rio would lean forward and ask.

"Do you remember why you hate me?"

Agnes never does. She remembers Rio's face, she remembers her name, she remembers the way her hands used to feel around her waist, but she doesn't remember what had happened between them. The memories had faded beneath Maximoff's spell but something still remained.

This is Agatha/Rio stuck in a timeloop during 1x01, while exploring how they came to know one another, get together, and split apart. I particularly loved the exploration of Rio's identity throughout this. Perfectly done. It has a nice rhythm to it.

*

All a wild heart needs by Dolorosa
WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY | Vasilisa/Morozko; Teen; 1.5k

Vasya has already transformed Morozko, but now her unpredictable magic has started to transform the world around them, as well.

The maturity between these two! This explores the concept of winter/spring in a quiet moment between the two of them. I was super thrilled to have gotten a gift from dolorosa_12. ♥

littleblackdressex -

I wrote -

my heart beats heavy
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES | Elena/Elijah; Teen; 1k

"Don’t you wish you had a scar?" she asked.
*
Elijah and Elena speak about mortality.

I missed writing Elijah/Elena.

pine4pine -

I wrote -

falling gracefully
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON | Baela/Jace; Teen; 1.7k

When Baela falls from Moondancer, Jacaerys doesn’t leave her side.

I won't lie, writing pining is a lot harder when you actually have to make sure it's heavily in the story in order to comply with an exchange's theme. I think I had intended to write this from Baela's POV (I was getting comfortable writing her thanks to DWRP), but because of the freeforms, I decided to challenge myself with writing Jace, which was a fun exercise.

No battleshipex or voiceteam as they have their own dedicated wrap posts. (I am not even going to bother wrapping what I missed for 2023.)

That's all, folks. :)

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391. JANUARY WRAP.

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 08:47:42 GMT

I started pulling together a post to wrap up everything I engaged in during January, but it exhausted me pulling books, television, and movies into a post with fandom. This is a post wrapping up all the fandom stuff I did or interacted with, and includes some recs!

*

I had a whole voiceteam post written, but it seems to have gone missing, so RIP. I have ficinabox and yuletide posts half-written and will do a separate post for all exchange wraps because I'm being honest with myself and I know I will never return to them. (I have to track down the creators for FIAB and Yuletide, and I am too lazy to do that right now.)

For Voiceteam Mystery Box, I created or participated in:

( voiceteam )

*

My contributions to threesentenceficathon:

( three sentence ficathon )

*

I decided to make my first ever non-challenge podfic, and it was for southernmedicine's fic. (I had actually half-recorded one of her other fics for Guess That Voice in Voiceteam, but I disliked how I said "luminous" and I couldn't stop laughing because it was such a surreal experience recording myself reading aloud.) When I chose this fic, I had forgotten she had written it for me!

[Podfic] Playdates
MCU | Fanny & Lucky ft. Yelena/Kate; Gen; 4 mins
If Kate and Yelena are going to be getting along, it only makes sense for their furry friends to be close companions as well.

I'm glad my first official pod that I made for the hell of it was for a friend's work! ♥

*

I commented on some of these on 29-Dec because I discovered them during voiceteam, but I think they deserve to be added to my list! These are recs, mostly of pods, but there's one or two fics in here that I remembered I had commented on. Give them a listen, and if you like them, comment! ✨ Sorry, I couldn't be bothered ordering them by fandom. I am that lazy today.

This does not include the podfic I listened to for comment_bingo, during January. I'll post those as part of my completed blackout when I'm done.

( recs )

*

It's been nice getting back into fandom and engaging again!

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385. 2025 SCRAPBOOK.

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 09:51:20 GMT

( 2025 scrapbook. )

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370. HO HO HO! ✨

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 20:43:17 GMT

Sup! Leave me your deets if you want a holiday card from me! Please note that I may have some fun with this and not give strictly Christmas cards…

For peeps who are on my flist -

For the DWRPers -

It'd be lovely to receive one in return! Please lmk how you'd like my address if you want to send me one.

Please note that I do not take responsibility for any cat hair that travels with your card.

Comments are obviously screened for privacy. Please give me your address by Sunday 10 November.

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366. DEAR YULETIDE WRITER.

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 07:19:57 GMT

Dear yuletide writer,

I'm buries and finnicks.

This is my third Yuletide. This letter will give you tl;dr detail regarding my likes, dislikes, and prompts. I've included prompts to help you have an idea of what I like, but please take what you like from this and don't feel like you have to take my prompts at face value. As long as it doesn't hit a DNW, I will enjoy it!

I'm happy to answer any questions via the mods. I welcome treats! (I have likes/dislikes in my letter for these.)

Thank you for creating for me! ♥

Letter completed 20-October 2024. If you find any contradiction with my DNWs between my sign-up and this letter (there should hotpefully not be!), please go with the sign-up.

( tl;dr )

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365. FIC OR TREAT OR SMELL MY FEET!

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:17:19 GMT

ficortreat

your mum's Door
I had an opportunity and I took it.

DW username: peaked

Light is on for: Anyone!

What's in the Bowl? Bite-sized fic (I will aim for <1k), 5 stock icons, and a quick and dirty tarot reading using a deck of my preference.

Let Me Know:

For fic:
Prompt me: fandom, character or ship, a prompt (one word, song, even a picture).
Let me know if you're up for something a little spooky. I'd like to try and write some creepy stuff.
What's the highest rating you'd like? Do you want something rated Gen? Horny? A little violent?
Hard DNWs that will ruin the "candy" for you. (Please don't make this list too long.)
Your AO3 name if you'd like it gifted to you. (All fic will be posted there.)
Fandoms (incl. ships) I'd like to write: WandaVision (Wanda, Wanda/Agatha, Wanda/Pietro); Agatha All Along (Agatha, Agatha/Rio, the other ladies as the show goes on); MCU (Wanda/Bucky, Wanda/Stephen, Natasha/Bucky); House of the Dragon (Aemond/Alicent, Aemond/Helaena, Aemond/Alys, Baela/Jace); Grishaverse (Zoya/Nikolai, Inej/Kaz, Nina/Matthias, Juris, Elizaveta, Alina/Darkling (not overly romantic), Darkling/Zoya); The Boys (Homelander/Maeve, Homelander/Starlight); The Hunger Games (Katniss/Finnick); The Vampire Diaries (Elena/Klaus, Elena/Katherine, Elena/Elijah, Katherine/Stefan, Katherine/Klaus, Katherine/Elijah, Bonnie/Kai); Bridgerton (Kate/Anthony).

If you know I'm into something I didn't mention here, you can toss it at me.

Please note I'm riding a bit of a creative burnout wave right now and am working on longfic for exchanges, so I'd like to dabble in something shorter to get my creative brain sparking again!

For icons:
Give me a theme, category, colour, etc. (i.e. purple, animals, warm, things starting with a particular letter).
I'll make 5—I may make more depending on how inspired I am.

For tarot readings:
Not offering questions. I'll ask the cards what you need to know and go from there. This will not be overly detailed.

I'll endeavour to leave you a little treat before Halloween arrives, but if I don't, I will do so in November or Mariah Carey season!

Other info: You can find my fic @ buries and my stock icons @ shithouse here. If you request a couple of things, there's a higher guarantee I'll be able to drop something at your feet.

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360.

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:21:30 GMT

This is my experience with the moderator team at rubilykskoye, something to which I alluded to in my SOTRP Plurk, posted 30 July 2024 AEST.

I originally wrote this draft on 24 January 2024 and completed it in August 2024. Please note all times/dates in screencaps and in this post are AEDT/AEST.

I've tried to keep this as concise as possible, but there's a lot of shit that's happened. I wrote this because I always intended to share these PMs. I've dropped because the game environment became too toxic for me.

( cut for length. )

I'm glad to be done with this game. Buh-bye! ✌🏽

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358. BATTLESHIP 2024 - GIFTS AND RECS.

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 10:17:07 GMT

Here are my recommendations (including the gifts I received!) for battleshipex 2024's round! I loved all my gifts and was very fortunate to receive almost 20 spanning fic, art, and podfic! There are so many fantastic works in the collection that I have and haven't checked out (mostly due to canon blindness) so please have a look at the collections! If you enjoy something, please consider giving it a kudos and leaving a comment!

My gifts are highlighted as so: GIFT

My list is in fandom alphabetical order. I didn't go as far as to list the works in chronological order via word count or ratings because I am not that dedicated and I haven't done a wrap up post in two years and actually wanted to get this out before we are all dead.

Collections: Mermaid • Volcano • Tunnel • Crystal • Main Collection

( BUFFYVERSE )

( CHALLENGERS )

( DISNEY )

( GAME OF THRONES )

( GRISHAVERSE )

( HARRY POTTER )

( HOUSE OF THE DRAGON )

( THE HUNGER GAMES )

( MCU )

( “MYSTERIOUS FOG NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT” SAYS WEATHERMAN WHO DIED 20 YEARS AGO - MARY GILLIS )

( ORIGINAL WORK )

( POKEMON )

( READY OR NOT )

( THE UNTAMED )

( WARHAMMER 40.000 )

( YELLOWJACKETS )

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357. BATTLESHIP 2024 - MY DAVY JONES' LOCKER.

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 10:10:42 GMT

My third year of Battleship is over! :D I was on Team Mermaid this year and I had a beaching time with my team! Even though we didn't win, it was one of the best social experiences I've had in this game, and I'm so glad that I not only got over my creative burnout and managed to create over 25 things, but I got to make some new friends, too. (D'aww!)

Things I want to brag about that are personal accomplishments:

I ended up writing approximately 40k of published works (not including the two WIPs that share 10k that I'm still working on), which I think is great. In 2022 for the Frost era I wrote 50k and in 2023 for the Tower era I wrote 9k (can you feel the burnout?). I'm back, baby!

I collaborated with peasina! This was my first collaboration ever! We bonded over tarot and peasina asked me if I'd like to do a reading and sent me the most beautiful Pokemon artwork. She would give me the cards and I got to decide which order they'd sit in the reading. A lot of the Pokemon puns are her work.

I hit work caps for Boards 1 and 2, and really enjoyed the rush of creating triple drabbles so we could clear our board and move onto the Bosses. I love the rallying the most in Battleship.

All the challenges we did as a team were so much fun! I really enjoyed the Rockpool Bar and am so glad everyone was game to participate in that. peasina came up with a comment bingo that made the work reveals period less quiet and lonely. (In case you didn't know: my team was orcawesome!)

I got two amazing podfic of my works! :O I also listened to a lot of podfic this year!

I wrote for new fandoms and converted myself into a shipper! I wrote for Challengers and House of the Dragon (and made myself ship Helaena/Aemond), and revisited a very old fandom in The Vampire Diaries. I did not write MCU or The Boys this year despite some really great requests (I have some superhero burnout).

The worst thing about Battleship is I struggle with titles at times. This will never change lol.

Last year I didn't go through the collections because I was burnt out, so I'm glad to say that I managed to get through all of the teams' collections and really enjoyed a lot of the works that I was familiar and unfamiliar with.

I lost for the first time! But I really enjoyed how my team members were always so encouraging and enthusiastic, and how some of them even ventured into new mediums for this round. Seeing others try podfic for the first time and having our veteran Mermaid podficcers help them out was really cool. That's what Battleship is all about imo.

This will sound lame but I MADE NEW FRIENDS and that is the reason why I participate in battleshipex!

Next year I'd like to contribute art, so I need to… get practicing… I'll be surprised if I try podfic. I don't think I have the reading voice for it lol.

When (not if!) I finish those two other fics, I'll update this list…

Anyway, here is what I wrote. (I did save all my tags in Scrivener… I wonder if it's easy to figure out which tags inspired what fics?) I asterisked my favourites…

( BRIDGERTON )

( CHALLENGERS )

( GRISHAVERSE )

( HOUSE OF THE DRAGON )

( THE HUNGER GAMES )

( POKEMON TAROT READINGS )

( THE VAMPIRE DIARIES )

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355. TRIPLE CROWN 2024 RAFFLE PRIZE OFFERING.

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 00:08:15 GMT

Hi! This is my offering post for triplecrownofexchanges' fourth round raffle (2024).

( OFFER DETAILS. )

( TAROT DECKS. )

( ORACLE DECKS + AFFIRMATION DECK. )

( QUESTIONS I LIKE TO ASK AND HOW I USE MY DECKS. )

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349. MAN, I CONSUMED A LOT OF MEDIA.

Sat, 04 May 2024 12:17:24 GMT

I don't feel like doing a real life update, so have some stuff I've enjoyed and not enjoyed -

TELEVISION

Baby Reindeer - This show was a lot. It was great (that feels like an understatement)—the actress playing Martha was phenomenal—and it made me feel really uncomfortable eight minutes into the first episode. (Nothing bad happened! It was the intensity of Martha and how I felt it was very reminiscent of some experiences I've had with strange men wishing to talk and bond with me when all I want to do is exist quietly.)

It's a very raw exploration of abuse and trauma response, and it really showed how fucked our [ GENERAL OUR ] legal system is when it comes to harassment. I disliked his prop comedy (one of the few things I disliked the most, which really is such a non-thing, given that's not the point of the show!). I caught myself victim-blaming Donny and then realised why I was doing it. (I found those I spoke to about the show also found themselves doing it.) It shows an imperfect victim, which I think we need to see more of in the media. I watched it in two days. I won't be rewatching it.

I'd recommend this if you don't mind fictionalisations of true stories. Please be aware that there's sexual assault (it's not what I would describe as overly graphic, but it's uncomfortable and present on the screen yet not prolonged), grooming, stalking/harassment, transphobia, and victim-blaming. There are warnings at the beginning of the episodes that contain the heaviest content.

Sent from my iPhone

The Flash - I forgot how much I loved this show. Seasons 1-2 are the best and the show never, ever reaches that level of writing and performance ever again.

The show begins to fall apart in season 3 because of how they disrespect Flashpoint (WHY WAS THIS NOT HALF OF SEASON 3?). The constant dogpiling on Barry was a lot, and I felt it depicted his friends as being rather callous towards someone with bad grief coping mechanisms and reacting from a traumatised place. ( season 3 spoilers. )

I remember being on Twitter when the last scene of season 3 was being filmed. I remember the on-location photos and everyone's theories. I miss being in fandom sometimes.

I want to get to season 9… Matt Letscher's Thawne comes back in seasons 7 and 9 lol. I'll do anything to see this man's version of Reverse Flash.

MOVIES

Challengers - THIS IS MY BRAINROT SO I WILL KEEP THIS SHORT. IT'S SO GOOD. I took the day off to see it and LOVED IT. The trailers do not do it justice! It's not a movie about threesomes and sex (though, the tennis is the sex). It's a character study of codependency, toxic relationships, and how tennis connects these three people together. It's so good; I've enjoyed reading people's theories and breakdowns on the movie and characters. The performances were phenomenal. The slowmo was a little overused, but I can look the other way because I'm still thinking about this damn story. This is a love triangle where all corners touch. I'd definitely go see it again.

Ghosted - We watched this for Friday night movie night and I wanted to include it to say that I remember being excited by the trailer. This movie was a dud. Chris Evans should do more comedy. Ana de Armas was okay! Their chemistry did not pop like it did in Knives Out. I think it was tonally confused, and that's why I didn't enjoy it.

BOOKS

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell - I found this on my bookshelf after we watched the movie. I believe kids books can be some of the best books you read, so I wanted something fun and light. It's definitely silly, but I felt that it was a bit long and overly tedious. It was not for me. I'm definitely donating this to a street library dedicated to kid books.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield - I cannot stop thinking about this book. It's a slowburn soft ocean horror with a sapphic romance at its core. I considered DNFing it, but Leah's POV was really interesting to me in the beginning because she gets trapped in a submarine for six months, so her POV explores her time there, while Miri's explores the aftermath of her return. I don't want to give too much away because it's such a thoughtful book that covers the themes of grief and letting go. The ocean imagery is beautiful, and the characters are well done. The romance is a priority on the page, and you really feel the love between these two women.

I cannot stop thinking about the last two pages—I was very emotional about the ending. I borrowed this book from the library and have considered buying my own copy. I looked into the theories about this book. Some call it an allegory. It's dual first person POV, with the tenses changing depending on the narrator.

I would recommend this if you don't mind a slowburn unravelling of a mystery. It's not heavy-handed in the horror; if anything, I feel the horror really kicks in towards the very last quarter of the book, and even then, the romance/relationship is still the priority. It's one that will leave you thinking afterward.

Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin - I skimmed Aegon's Conquest and read this for the Dance of Dragons section so I could be ready for House of the Dragon season 2.

I only got up to God's Eye because I was really tired of the threats of rape, impregnation to punish women, and calling women (especially Rhaenrya) "whore" (while Aegon II is just "The False King"). Quite possibly the bloodiest war in Targaryen history, and it's written really dully. It was a bit tedious, and I didn't care about a lot of side characters (something I feel GRRM fails at keeping in check). I wanted to read about Aemond, got there, then decided that I wasn't enjoying myself because the sexual violence against women (even the talk of it, or Mushroom's lies about it) was too much for me given the current climate in Australia when it comes to violence against women. Unfortunately, I picked this book up at the wrong time.

I just think if dragons can be real in your medieval world, violence against women can cease to exist, too.

Definitely a must for ASOIAF diehard fans. I am not a diehard fan, so I am okay with not reading anymore of it.

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison - I listened to the audiobook. This was a lot of fun. Aurora is bitten by a werewolf and turns into one while she's back in her childhood town to support her pregnant twin sister, Scarlett. It's a fun story about body transformation and your inner monster. It's written in first person, present tense, and I find it works well. The romance happens quickly, so there's no "will they or won't they?". I suspected one of the twists from the beginning, and felt satisfied knowing I was right.

I'd definitely recommend it if you don't mind graphic descriptions of shapeshifting/body transformation, some gore, and pregnancy.

*

I'm reading my annotated version of Six of Crows, which is AMAZING. I love Leigh's notes! I ordered the King of Scars annotated edition and cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on that.

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345. BEYONCE'S SECRET SOCIETY OF WINTER WITCHES.

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 21:21:35 GMT

Let's see if I can be one of the cool kids with my summary posts. I'm sorry in advance, but I'm inconsistent with how I format SOCIETY to WINTERNIGHT. /o\

*

LISTENING TO

I've been listening nonstop to Beyonce's COWBOY CARTER album. I think it's one of her best (although I think LEMONADE remains her best work because that album really demonstrated Beyonce being a vocal chameleon, with SELF-TITLED as the game-changing album that changed the fucking industry). Her work is very layered; the Beyhive on Twitter keep finding new things about the songs, which makes it a really enjoyable experience. RENAISSANCE was a party, feel-good album that had heavy production (and I admittedly was not feeling it until I saw snippets of her concert on Twitter, and then I started to love the live versions). I feel COWBOY CARTER is stripped back and lets her vocals stand for themselves.

My favourite songs are YA YA, BODYGUARD, ALLIGATOR TEARS, 16 CARRIAGES, SPAGHETTII, and DAUGHTER.

Beyonce is my favourite artist; I listen to her when I'm sad, angry, happy, need to be empowered, etc. and I really am hoping act iii is a rock album because I desperately need her to do a cover of Proud Mary now that her voice is deeper and richer and she does magnificent growls.

I can't wait to see how the CMAs snub her again and how she doesn't win AOTY again. She's changing the industry; no one does it like Beyonce!

This is the only time I'll ever do a LISTENING TO because I love Beyonce!

*

READING

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
READ FROM 9 NOVEMBER 2023 - 1 APRIL 2024

I listened to the audiobook and I really loved the narrator's voice. This was my first audiobook that I took seriously (I once tried to read one of the Twilight books via audio and kept falling asleep—granted, I listened while I was in bed…).

( SPOILERS. )

✓ Would recommend if you love witches, grumpy cat man/sunshine golden retriever woman couplings, a background but prominent m/m relationship, and kids. Don't expect a lot of worldbuilding, though. There is sex in it, and explicit language. This is a cozy book; expect it to be predictable.

-

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
READ FROM 21 MARCH - 28 MARCH 2024

Y'ALL.

Y'ALL.

Y'ALL.

I loved it.

Definitely more faster paced than the first book. I don't know what it is about this world that captures me, but I enjoy Vasya's growth so much. I love that we got to spend time with Sasha and Olga, and see how growing up has jaded them.

( SPOILERS. )

This book definitely served as a bridge between the first and third book, but I feel that it really ramped up the stakes, established that Vasya was no longer in her village and was playing in the real world, and really demonstrated that there were consequences (some absolutely devastating) to Vasya's actions and choices.

✓ RECOMMEND.

All my thoughts belong to the third book, though.

-

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
READ FROM 28 MARCH - 3 APRIL 2024

This is my favourite out of the series. Vasya comes into her own. The action is fast-paced. I adore that we get more mythological creatures. We get Vasya backstory and family history.

( SPOILERS. )

-

Overall, the Winternight trilogy is such a satisfying story. I like that each book shows progress and growth, and that it's a seamless journey for Vasya to become the woman she is in THE WINTER OF THE WITCH. I feel so satisfied after reading it, and I wish that there were novellas continuing her and Morozko's story. THE WINTER OF THE WITCH is definitely my favourite, with THE GIRL IN THE TOWER following after (I liked the cityscape over the villagescape) and THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE last as it did a lot of setup and was a bit slower/quieter/intimate than the other two.

( SPOILERS. )

WHY ISN'T YULETIDE TOMORROW??? (I wasn't planning to participate in rarepairexchange despite co-running it and now… well… WHY ARE THERE SO FEW FICS???) Time to dive into the fic now that I have all the context!

✓ In case it wasn't obvious: I would recommend this series if you like fantasy (historical fantasy), female protagonists, good m/f (slowburn, immortal/mortal), mythology, politics, and a main character who makes mistakes and isn't praised for it. It's such a satisfying story!

*

Making time to read has made me very happy. I can see why those of you who post about what you've finished reading read so much!

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343. APRIL TAROT READINGS.

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:46:56 GMT

I'm officially on my four-day long weekend, so there was no better time to offer this than now! If you'd like a tarot reading for April, let me know!

If you're interested in asking a question, we can see how I go with doing a reading for one (but if I don't feel comfortable with it, I'll default to my "What does X need to know for the next month?" question instead). No questions about finances, please. Open-ended questions work best, but if you can only phrase your question as close-ended, I'll workshop it to suit something more open-ended.

What you'll most likely get in a reading: A tarot deck + Oracle card + Listen Bitch affirmation. (I can throw in a Shadow card, which I use to call out a specific trait I may be ignoring/suppressing to work on. It's part of my shadow work. If you want this, let me know; otherwise, I'll leave it out.)

Disclaimer: I'm still a newbie! You can drop in at any time during the month for a reading—just know I'll do it when I am free and have the energy.

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341. THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE MADE ME LOSE MY COOL.

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 20:44:21 GMT

I finished reading The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden last night.

Wow.

I didn't know what to make of this book when I began reading it, because the writing style wasn't the usual style I'm used to reading. (This isn't a bad thing! I'm not used to following a child from birth to their teenage years, and was wondering what the point was of that journey. It made sense at the end.)

I've now ordered The Girl in the Tower and The Winter of the Witch as I want to dive back into this very rich world of magical creatures and mythology.

Spoilers ahead! ( ❄️❄️❄️ )

I really enjoyed this—and I really want to read fic now! (That's how much I enjoyed it!). I started this book on 1 March and finished it on 20 March. It was one of those books where I knew I liked it, and I'm certain I could've finished it earlier, but I also wanted to take my time.

It was nice reading a book set in Russia that had significant research/knowledge backing it. As much as I love the Gregverse, I really do wish it had more (slightly-more-accurate) Russian culture embedded in it. I'm not familiar/exposed to this culture, and I find it fascinating (I love Russian diminutives; it's one of my favourite things about the culture, and I liked learning about the names and different nicknames while reading this book, even if it took me a bit to understand who was who and how they were related because of the names/surnames).

I have a feeling the Winternight Trilogy will be a Yuletide request for me…

WHY AM I ME AND GET INTO THINGS YEARS AFTER IT WAS PUBLISHED/AIRED?

*

I want to be like those of you who read a few books a month! Carving time out in my day to read has been fun when I've let myself do it (after work for workdays, sometime during the weekends), and I think with the weather starting to cool (boo!) it might give me a good excuse to go outside with the heater on and a cup of hot chocolate (and cats, of course) and read for a little bit.

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338. femfeb: amy march meta.

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 23:56:26 GMT

scytale asked for Little Women's Amy March.

The Amy March I'm familiar with is the Amy March from Little Women (2019). (I've bought the book, but in true me fashion, I haven't read it yet.)

( AMY MARCH RULES! )

(You can bet your butt I'm doing a Zoya meta. The Ianthe one will have to wait as I'm stuck in the book and haven't met her yet!)

This was a lot of stream of consciousness. I hope someone enjoyed reading me waxing questionable poetry about Amy!

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337. it's ladies month!

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:48 GMT

Stealing this from svgurl!

FemFebruary:
Send me a fandom (my profile has some of my listed fandoms) + a female character + (optional) a specific topic about her, and I'll write meta about her in February!

Where are my fandom meta thoughts for 2024?? Help me make them!

Amy March • Zoya Nazyalensky • Ianthe • Janine • Yelena Belova • Inej Ghafa • Natasha Romanoff • Wanda Maximoff • Cordelia Chase

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Also inspired by the fact that February is for the ladies (!!!), let's use my Buffy tarot deck.

Comment below, and sometime in the next few days, I'll draw either one card or two to three for you from this deck. Depending on how I feel (i.e. if I feel compelled to draw from this deck), I may pull an oracle card from my new Seasons of the Witch Imbolc deck.

No questions for now, as I want to get used to my Buffy deck! I will ask the cards for a message for you, and you can take what resonates with you and leave the rest.

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336. snowflake #14 + #15: where i am an old (wo)man yelling at clouds.

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 07:20:53 GMT

Hello, snowflake_challenge! I wanted to combine two of the recent challenges together.

#14: Try something new.

I did not position these in the centre and it will annoy me until I forget about this crime.

So, I got into tarot! Finally! I told my perfectionism to shove it and I am allowing myself to be a beginner-slash-learner with tarot. I have experience using oracle cards and decided to just go for it.

I have so many decks I want to buy, but I'm not allowing myself to go crazy. This is a hobby I think I'll be in for a long time, so there's always time to get those decks on my wishlist.

I'm currently studying so I can understand the traditional meanings behind the cards and learn the decks I have. I… treated myself a little bit a few days ago and bought the Disney Villains, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Cat tarot decks and the Seasons of the Witch Imbolc oracle deck.

I'm practicing reading for myself and a couple of friends, but once I'm more comfortable, I'll most likely offer a few readings to my flist.

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#15: Fandom Snowflake Challenge's 2023 Fandom Wrapped!

Your top 5 fandoms for 2023 were:
In no particular order:

1. MCU (I'm now kind of burnt out on it now, so we're putting this away on the shelf so I can miss it again).
2. Grishaverse, specifically Shadow and Bone (TV show) and the Crows and Nikolai's (really Zoya's) books.
3. The Hunger Games.
4. The Boys.
5. The Vampire Diaries (now located on the burnout shelf).

Your top 5 fandom spaces (Discord, Twitter, etc.) in 2023 were:
1. I guess Dreamwidth for exchanges.
2. Twitter when I livetweet shows.
3. I guess Discord but that's more or less to talk to my friends about things.
4. Does getting back to DWRP on Dreamwidth count?
5. I guess Tumblr even though I have no idea how to use it and my layout changed somehow without me understanding why.

The top 5 things you did to contribute to fandom in 2023 were:
1. A lot of fic.
2. A lot of icons @ shithouse.
3. Got back into DWRP, so a lot of trash.
4. rarepairexchange, which I co-modded with the fantastic, wonderful, irreplaceable.mp3 ( affectionate ) svgurl.
5. A few comments on fic and art!

Your top 5 most appreciated fandom contributions were:

Sorting by kudos because my brain hurts otherwise (and I have no idea if I filtered this correctly, so YOLO!)

1. you kept me close
hawkeye | yelena/kate; teen; 2.9k
Five times Yelena and Kate wore one another’s clothes.

2. the little mallet of death
bridgeton | kate/anthony; gen; 463
Anthony wants to find the perfect way to inform his family that Kate's pregnant.

3. all i hear is your heart
the hunger games (movies) | katniss/finnick; mature; 16.4k
It’s been two years since the rebellion and Snow’s tyrannical reign of Panem ended. Despite having settled in District 13, Finnick and Katniss are still struggling to try and pick up the pieces. It’s an impossible task, especially when they still have ghosts to face.

4. i'll be there when your reality drowns
the vampire diaries/the originals | elena/klaus; mature; 18.8k
Klaus Mikaelson was the last person Elena ever wanted to be trapped in a time loop with. And yet, here she was.

5. the ghosts crawling on our skin
six of crows | inej/kaz; explicit; 10.5k
Kaz and Inej explore what it means to be intimate with one another.

Bonus questions:

Your fandom personality in 2023 was: (i.e. Fandom Eeyore, Twitter Refugee, Discord Party Animal, etc.)

I don't know how else to be.

In 2023, you discovered: (that you adore hockey RPF, but you hate the Liberty Mutual emu, etc.)
Apparently I like to write kinks I never thought I would ever write. They were fun! I like that I challenged myself and that I got to explore some things I wasn't entirely sure about, but I'd love to read/explore a little more.

Your fandom home in 2023 was: (Bluesky, Mastodon, Middle Earth, lying in my bed, with a good book, etc.)
Dreamwidth.

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335. snowflake_challenge #13: here are my recs.

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:46:50 GMT

Jumping back into snowflake_challenge with #13: Make a rec list of fanworks!

I had a few notepads open from when I was answering wishlists (and one when I was starting to make a rec list of ficinabox and then… forgot), so here are some fanworks I recommend!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avalanche by exceptionallyunfortunate
Toph/Zuko ; Mature ; 200 words
Even the earth bows to the blind Beifong girl, and the banished prince is no exception.

A gift for me for one of my rare pairs. It's just exceptional; it focuses a lot on earth imagery for Toph (who is an earthbender), and I've never been able to forget this one.

Beauty and the Beast

Coaxing by Missy
Beast/Belle ; Mature ; 426 words
Belle eagerly gives herself up to the town's beast as this century's virgin sacrifice. But she's surprised by the creature she meets.

Short and sweet look into a more mature Belle and the Beast. Beast's gentleness is stunning. Belle's curious nature gives her a freedom and strength that rings so true here.

Enola Holmes (Movies)

sing the body electric by the magpie said (hollowmen)
Enola/Tewkesbury ; Mature ; 8.2k
The problem with having an eidetic memory, Enola discovers, is that she can recall with perfect clarity the sounds Tewkesbury made in that thin, hazy half-dark.

Really fun casefic with fake dating and great banter.

The Hunger Games

reflect / refract / diffract by waveridden
Katniss/Peeta + Haymitch, Effie + OCs ; 3.9k ; teen
After winning the 73rd Hunger Games, Katniss gets her first tribute to mentor.

A fantastic, harrowing AU looking at Katniss and Peeta as first-time mentors. The first person reads like Collins' writing—very effective. This one didn't leave me for a while.

The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Happiness is a Warm Gun by perfectlystill
Lucy Gray/Coriolanus Snow ; Teen ; 3.1k words
"I'm looking out for you, too. I'll find a way," he promises.
Coriolanus teaches Lucy Gray to shoot a gun.

I'm planning to go through perfectlystill's THG works because they really captured Snow's toxicity and need to control Lucy Gray, so if you like complex, unhealthy dynamics with power imbalances, I think you'll like this one!

Little Women (2019)

zombie (what's in your head) by misura
Laurie/Amy ; unrated ; 1.2k words
“I think that deep down inside, you’re a romantic,” Laurie said. “Maybe everyone is. Maybe that’s why so many people are miserable.”
“I think that right now, a lot of people are miserable because there are things out there that are actively trying to kill and eat them,” Amy said. (zombie!apocalypse!AU)

This was a gift for me last year that I have not been able to get out of my head. It's Amy and Laurie during the zombie apocalypse set during their canon. It's simply superb.

MCU

Bargaining by gamerfic
Wanda/Vision ; Teen ; 1k words
After the bite, before the end.

One of my favourite gifts. It's Wanda/Vision during What If…Zombies? and it's such a poignant exploration of their experiences with the zombie virus. It's been three years and I have never forgotten this one.

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Glass Hours by Major
Wanda/Vision ; Teen ; 5.6k words
Time took Vision from Wanda.
It seems only fair for Wanda to take Vision from time.

This is a heartbreaking and hopeful Wanda/Vision.

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The Monsters in the Dark by Rubick
Yelena & Natasha & Alexei & Melina ; Teen ; 1.8k words
It was 1994. Natasha was ten years old. Yelena was five. It was a different time back then, when kids were allowed to bike or run around their neighborhood and no one would worry about someone stealing them away.

But Natasha knew better. And why would Melina and Alexei worry, anyway? They didn’t have to worry about the monsters that crept through the night. They were the monsters.

This is set pre-Black Widow and explores what it was like for Natasha and Yelena before entering the Red Room program. Be aware that there is some violence in this.

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A Letter Undelivered by alchemise
Natasha & Yelena ; Teen ; 300 words
Her sister was quiet next to her.

This was a lovely triple drabble exploring the idea of Natasha coming back post-Hawkeye.

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Marvels by persephonereturned
Monica & Carol; Gen ; 100 words
"Maybe I can fly up and meet you halfway.""Only if you learn to glow, like your Auntie Carol.""Or maybe I'll build a spaceship. You don't know!""He doesn't."
- Captain Marvel (2019)

The dynamic between Carol and Monica is perfect.

*

Exit Interview by MalevolentLighthouse
Yelena & Val ; Teen ; 200 words

The Val voice is great in this one, and the power dynamics is established incredibly within 200 words.

Original

The Napping Hour by shetiger
Witch's Cat; Gen
He goes wherever she goes...and naps wherever he naps.

Very atmospheric.

*

Pre-occupied by debirlfan
Gen ; 100 words
They're still here.

This drabble is incredible.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

Harvest Season by nasimwrites
Charlotte/George ; Mature ; 3.9k words
Sometimes, Charlotte finds solace in the heavens, too.

This is one of my favourite gifts I've ever received. It's an exploration of King George's illness through the seasons. It's so beautiful that I have to put it in other people's faces to enjoy. I cannot stop thinking about it even to this day!

The Vampire Diaries

A Clockwork Dream by nemali
Bonnie/Kai ; Teen ; 3k words
She kills him every single day. At some point, he stops hating it.

nemali is quickly becoming one of my favourite TVD writers. This was a gift for me; Bonnie and Kai get trapped in another universe (a "prison world") where she kills him over and over. It's a great exploration of Kai, who canon describes as a sociopath and paints with a one dimensional brush that nemali expands upon beautifully. CW for abuse.

The Witcher

Do What Pleases You by facethestrange
Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer ; Gen
Sometimes that's watching the rising sun together.

A very warm picturesque scene — stunning art.

If you like any of these, please consider leaving the creator a comment!

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331. 2024 scrapbook.

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 22:02:50 GMT

( 2024 scrapbook. )

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325. HO HO HO.

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 06:42:02 GMT

CHRISSY CARDS FROM DOWN UNDER

Sup! Leave me your deets if you want a Chrissy card from me.

Please note I am in Australia and you may become powerful from accepting a Christmas card from me, the Ultimate Survivor. There is also a very good chance your card will contain cat hair.

Comments are obviously screened for privacy.

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323.

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 11:20:29 GMT

I'm tired so no thoughts, brain is just buzzing with white noise. I saw dolorosa_12 and svgurl do this meme so I thought "I want to be cool, too".

Rules: go through your last 5 fics and share the first and last line. No context.

Obviously not including anything I may have written for unrevealed exchanges! I will also provide a note for my NSFW fic since you know I write horny stuff and I think it's fair I warn for this.

-

i'm desperate for your adoration [ IMPLIED CONTENT ]
first line: "So, does this mean I get to be your dirty little secret?" he murmured against her skin.
last line: Before he could utter another ridiculous word, she kissed him.

*

falling in my den full of lions
first line: "So, you’re sleeping on the floor," he declared with a swish of his cape.
last line: Instead, it held her and kept them at bay.

*

unafraid [ NSFW ]
first line: "You know, when I suggested you take me up against a wall, I was partly joking."
last line: Rather than shush her, he laughs loudly, letting the sound echo around them like he’s finally unafraid of being seen.

*

a broken clock
first line: With a jolt, he slurred, "I had fantasies about this."
last line: Turned out, Maggie Shaw’s a better kisser than him.

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bleeding in the snow
first line: The snow is cold against your back.
last line: You’re no longer in the snow.

*

In other news: did y'all feel the tectonic plates shift? I'm writing again! My brain is full of ideas. I'm writing things for myself and they are indulgent af. AND I'M LOVING IT. I hope to finish something soon. 🤗

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