#choices september challenge 2023

[choicesseptemberchallenge2023]

[Masterlist]

Welcome to Choices September Challenge!

Hello everyone! I'm Aura (@midnightmelodiz ). This is my first time hosting this monthly challenge, so I'm really excited about it. I really hope you all will like the prompts chosen for this month.

🍁GUIDELINES🍁

This is a prompt based contest. There's a prompt given for everyday, using which you'll have to create a content. Some days have multiple prompts, and different types of prompts. Feel free to use them all in the same work if you want.

You can use multiple prompt for the same work if the prompts are for same day. Don't mix and match prompts from different days.

Almost all kind of contents are acceptable. List of acceptable contents : fanfictions, drabbles, short-story/one-shot , poetry, microtale, art, mood board, theme, banner or other graphics etc.

Work based on any book from the Choices universe are welcome.

Submitted works will be featured on a weekly masterlist.

You can participate as many times as you want throughout the month.

Multiple entries for the same prompt, or same day prompts are allowed.

If your work contains NSFW/mature or triggering content, please use appropriate warning.

Mention/list the prompt(s) you are using in your content.

If possible, in stories, drabbles etc., write the prompt(s) in bold.

You can use the tag #choicesseptemberchallenge2023 & #choicesmonthlychallenge .

Please tag @choicesseptemberchallenge2023, feel free to tag me too : @midnightmelodiz . You can dm me your entries as well since Tumblr glitches a lot. Honestly I'd prefer if you dm your works, as Tumblr tags don't always work.

If I don't mention your work in the weekly masterlist, please send me a dm with the link.

🍂PROMPTS🍂

🍁 DAY 1 : Memories •||• "I can't be who you want me to be"

🍁 DAY 2 : Stars •||• Two people who keep crossing paths but miss actually meeting.

🍁 DAY 3 : Sea, Ocean •||• "You really like it?" "No, I was kidding."

🍁 DAY 4 : Moonlight, Moon •||• They have been secretly in love with each other for a long time.

🍁 DAY 5 : Diary, Journal, Notebook •||• "We're here now. Everything's alright."

🍁 DAY 6 : Dreams, Day Dream •||• "I'm in love with you!"

🍁 DAY 7 : Hope •||• Sharing something personal about them that they've never shared with anyone before.

🍁 DAY 8 : Coffee, Hot Beverage •||• "Come back! I'm not ready to get up yet. So you aren't either."

🍁 DAY 9 : Date Night •||• "I'm home, sweetheart!"

🍁 DAY 10 : Gift •||• "I care about you. I always will."

🍁 DAY 11 : Travel, Holiday , Vacation •||• Sharing an ice-cream together.

🍁 DAY 12 : Books, Reading, Writing •||• "You and me, it's never going to happen."

🍁 DAY 13 : Flowers •||• "I want to be with you." "I don't."

🍁 DAY 14 : Polaroid, Picture •||• Clicking candid pictures of their S/O to capture the special moments.

🍁 DAY 15 : Childhood, Nostalgia •||• "I love you. It's always going to be you."

🍁 DAY 16 : Cooking, Baking •||• Pretending to date each other to get out of a situation.

🍁 DAY 17 : Picnic •||• "That's all I really need. Some time with just you."

🍁 DAY 18 : Cuddle, Snuggle •||• Taking care of the other when they're sick or feeling low.

🍁 DAY 19 : Museum, Library •||• Picturing a future together even though they know it might never be true.

🍁 DAY 20 : Blue •||• " Are you saying that there's hope? Maybe in the future-" "No."

🍁 DAY 21 : Love, Kiss •||• Sending love letters to the other.

🍁 DAY 22 : Friends, Friendship •||• "It feels like I've known you forever."

🍁 DAY 23 : Fall •||• "I'm seeing someone."

🍁 DAY 24 : Serene •||• "Guess all those romance novel paid off after all, huh?"

🍁 DAY 25 : Secret, Surprise •||• "Is that my shirt?"

🍁 DAY 26 : Chocolate •||• Predicting the other's words or moves.

🍁 DAY 27 : Sunset •||• "Why did I know you would say that?"

🍁 DAY 28 : Wedding •||• "I always knew you would get together someday. What took you two so long?"

🍁 DAY 29 : rêveur, rêveuse •||• " You are all I could ever ask for."

🍁 DAY 30 : Home, Heart •||• "I'm here for you. Always."

**{Credit for most of the dialogue prompts goes to this blog~ @youneedsomeprompts}**

Have fun creating!

#choices stories you play #choices #choices monthly challenge #choicesmonthlychallenge #choicesseptemberchallenge2023 #choices september challenge 2023 #writing prompt #dialogue prompt #fic prompt #prompt challenge #word prompt

[idrellegames]

Wayfarer 2024 Roadmap

It’s the start of a new year and I’m excited to announce my plans for Wayfarer’s development.

The primary focus for 2024 is finishing Episode 3 and starting Episode 4. My goal has always been to get the alpha build to the point where it is one episode ahead of the public build, and forcing my way through this period has been very difficult. Episode 3 has turned into a more challenging endeavour than I anticipated due to its sheer size and complexity. I did not intend to take over a year to finish it, but if I’ve learned anything from the creative process it’s that it is unpredictable and things never go according to plan.

The 2024 roadmap is for an idealized scenario. I am hoping I have given myself enough wiggle room should things go off-course. With that in mind, the plan for the last 6 months of the years is an estimate and will likely change. Regardless, the goal remains the same: finish Episode 3, finish Episode 4, and release Episode 3 publicly.

Winter • January to March

This quarter will be focused on finishing the next stages of Episode 3. Episode 3 is divided into 4 parts:

Part 1: the beginning of the episode, following the routes that occur if the player ends Episode 2 with Aeran or Veyer. This part is finished and was added to the alpha build in May 2023. It includes over 300,000 words of playable content.

Part 2: the beginning of the episode, following the routes that occur if the player ends Episode 2 with Melchior, alone, or drunk. This part was skipped over and will be returned to at a later date.

Part 3: the middle of the episode, split into three different routes that eventually bottleneck at a specific point. This part is currently in-progress, with Route 1 nearing completion.

Part 4: the episode finale

January and February will be devoted to writing Episode 3 Part 3, which includes finishing Route 1 and completing Routes 2 and 3. In March, I will code that material and playtest it. Once it has been thoroughly playtested, it will be added to the alpha build (playable on my Patreon).

March will also see an update to the public build. Patch 2.7. will not add any new content, but it will patch reported bugs in Episodes 1 and 2 and update some quality of life issues.

Spring • April to June

This quarter will be focused on writing Episode 3 Part 2, the Episode 3 finale, and coding and playtesting all of the remaining material. Should all go according to plan, the Episode 3 alpha will be finished at the end of June. All routes will be playable for members of my Patreon.

The next round of playtester applications will open in May. Playtesters are volunteers who play the alpha build in search of bugs, continuity errors, and typos. They get first access to new content, and updates and patches before anyone else does. Because Wayfarer’s gameplay includes hundreds of choices and many, many variations that build on each other, playing multiple times and checking different options is essential for testing to ensure each area of the game functions as intended.

In June bonus content (short stories, writing tutorials, worldbuilding and lore posts, etc) will return to my Patreon. It is currently on a break, but the backlog of extras and specials are available to members of the Apprentice tier.

Summer • July to September

If the Episode 3 alpha is finished on time, this quarter will start the development of Episode 4. Episode 4 is divided into three separate routes that have no-crossover and each feature a main companion. Alexia’s (Route A) will be worked on in August and Ren’s (Route B) will be worked on in September.

This is an estimated timeline and is subject to change.

Fall • October to December

The last quarter will see the end of Episode 4’s development. This includes Calla’s route (Route C) and additional coding and playtesting. A second round of playtester applications will open in October. If all goes well, December will see the release of the Episode 4 alpha on Patreon and Episode 3 will launch on the public build.

This is an estimated timeline and is subject to change.

#wayfarer #wayfarer if #housekeeping #announcements #dev log

[lunar-wandering]

HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO: THE MONKIE DESTINY CHALLENGE!!!!!

For the month of October, there shall be a daily prompt! These are dual prompts, you may choose one or the other, or simply do both!! It's your choice, have fun with it!!

GUIDELINES:

Please attempt to keep this event SFW, so that everyone may join in!!!

Ships and OCs are Allowed!!! Have fun!!!

You may do Art or Writing- or simply whatever creation this inspires you to do!!!

Tag every post with #Monkie Destiny Challenge 2023, so that we may all see your creations!!

Note: I shall release a Discord Server Link on Thursday, September 28th!!! This is by no means obligatory, but if you'd like to join, you may! Once the month is over, the server shall swap to weekly prompts.

In case anyone is incapable of reading the prompts in the image above, I have written them down under the cut. Have Fun Everyone!!!

Beginning / End

Fire / Ice

Patience / Focus

Peaches / Thief

Shatter / Weapon

Show / Fear

Lies / Truth

Mountain / Chains

Day / Night

Crown / Curse

Havoc / Chaos

Sword / Shadow

Family / Enemy

Fireworks / Stars

Spiders / Ghosts

Bug / Wifi

Song / Future

Dance / Past

Silence / Present

Horse / Dragon

Delivery / Monkey

Clone / Ink

Tragedy / Comedy

Game / Fight

Magic / Trick

Noodles / Home

Demons / Gods

Key / Bones

Amnesia / Gold

Hero / Warrior

End / Beginning (Free Day!!)

#Monkie Kid #lego monkie kid #LMK #Monkie Destiny Challenge 2023 #probably shoulda waited for tomorrow to post this but #im impatient hslfkjsdlkfs #i can't wait to get this whole thing started up #plus i figured people would need a lil time to prepare so. givin yall a week

[doumadono]

Step into the sin bin! Sinful Sunday is a unique writing extravaganza on this blog, where I explore your every idea and curiosity about your beloved characters. Got a headcanon burning to be shared? Craving to explore a particular kink? Look no further, you're in the right spot! Send me an ask, and in return, you'll receive either a little blurb or set of headcanons! Share your thoughts anytime you fancy. Saturday morning is when the floodgates open, and the posts will come pouring in! 😉🔥

GENERAL RULES

for Sinful Sunday participation, kindly ensure you're 18 or older. Your safety matters, and I'll tag my content accordingly. Please respect this request and do your part

feel free to send your asks, thoughts, imaginations, or requests either anon or not

you're also welcome to share your own headcanons or imagines for the character of your choice! I'm eager to engage in conversations about them with you 😊

Sinful Sunday will last all through Sunday and will end Sunday night at midnight, 23:59 CET

any additional Sinful Sunday requests I receive afterward will be either reserved for the next Sunday or considered for a future request, depending on my current mood and availability

Sinful Sunday-specific tag for all asks, blurbs, and headcanons will be: #doumadonos sinful sunday 🔥

Sinful Sunday kicks off on the upcoming Sunday, September 10th!

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 3/12/23

Firstly, on the Sundays of December 24th and 31st, I won't be posting anything for Sinful Sunday. Given that it's the Christmas season and I'll be with my family, I've decided that the last Sinful Sunday of the year 2023 will be on Sunday, the 17th.

Due to the high volume of requests every Sunday, it's become physically challenging to complete all of them in a single day. To address this, I'm implementing a new rule – I'll be posting approximately 5 pieces for every Sinful Sunday. Any requests remaining in my inbox will be automatically scheduled for the following weekend.

I'll be adjusting the priority for Sinful Sunday requests, giving top priority to those that come in off-anon. While anonymous questions are still welcomed, I'll be initially focusing on non-anonymous requests.

I'm aware many of you enjoy the Hantengu Clones, but I kindly request not to ask for similar scenarios with different clones once a scenario has already been published with one of them.

I'm open to delving into darker content, so feel free to share your more intense thoughts/thirsts with me without hesitation! 🔥

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 31/12/23

In light of the recent poll results, I'm thrilled to share that Sinful Sunday is set to unfold bi-monthly, taking place every two weeks, starting January 14th, 2024

Any requests submitted from now on will be posted on the specified day (in the event of a substantial number of requests, they will be posted based on the order of reception in my inbox. Just a gentle reminder: I'm featuring only 4-5 pieces each Sunday!)

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 15/02/24

As I'm heading to Japan on March 1st, there will be some changes to Sinful Sunday.

the upcoming Sinful Sunday by the end of February will be the last one before my Japan trip. Sinful Sunday will resume on April 27th, and I'll remind you about it in a post

SINFUL SUNDAY UPDATE AS OF 23/04/24 - TOTAL CHANGE IN FORMAT

due to the large number of 5k celebration requests, Sinful Sunday will be postponed to May 11th

I've decided to change things up for this recurring event. Since Sinful Sunday happens every two weeks, in the first week - I'll collect your requests. Then, a week before the event - I'll post a poll with all the submitted requests, so you can vote for your favourites. I think this will be the healthiest approach, especially since the last few Sinful Sundays have been overwhelming due to the influx of requests in a single day

the two works with the most votes will be posted every Sinful Sunday

all unused requests will either be deleted or saved for separate stories (only if I really like specific requests)

repeated or similar requests to stories I've already posted will be deleted

you can submit requests for Sunful Sunday starting now, and the first poll will be posted on May 4th

fandoms I write for: My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Honkai Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Jujutsu Kaisen, Wind Breaker, Bucchigiri!?, Obey Me, Haikyuu

#doumadonos sinful sunday 🔥 #sinful sunday #x reader smut #smut #kny smut #mha smut #jjk smut #bnha smut #obey me smut #my hero academia smut #haikyuu smut #navigation #genshin impact smut #hsr smut #honkai star rail smut #jujutsu kaisen smut #bucchigiri #bucchigiri?!

[sea-wolf-coast-to-coast]

7,935 total entries were submitted in 2023!

This includes all entries that were submitted via the Google Form, including late entries (and excluding duplicate entries).

Which brings us to 50,656 total recorded entries since we began this challenge in 2017! 

And, we had 109 volunteer artists in 2023!! Which means that there are 109 prize-winners!

A breakdown of the stats + announcement of the Participation Prize winners are below the cut ~

Want to see all public entries? Here’s a link to the Master Spreadsheet. This omits entries that people requested to keep private between them and I.

There's a lot to be gleaned from the data this year. Firstly, this is the first year where we see a real dip in participation, numbers dropping to the pre-2020 range. There are a couple of probable causes for this dip: this year, I chose, a) not to promote the challenge in any discords, b) not to repost any prompts to twitter, and c) not to post reminders throughout the challenge for folks to submit their links.

I was curious to know how much my own direct participation effects the challenge these days, and the numbers seem to point to "quite a bit!" So, that's good to know.

Secondly, we have finally approached the "data visualization salad" limit in which there are enough data points to confuse the visualization of the data overall, rendering them a little tough to understand at first glance. So, next year will probably see some fine-tuning of the data so that it's easier to digest.

Now, onto the good stuff!

Total Participation Year to Year:

Prompt Participation by Year:

NOTE: The big dips are Make-up / Extra Credit Days. Lots of folks choose to take a break over writing Extra Credit. Legit!

Prompt Breakdown by Week:

Submissions by Day:

NOTE: Day 7 was the day before the 24-hour deadline went into effect. Hence, the big ol’ spike.

Submissions by Platform:

Participation Prize Winners

Winners were selected via a random raffle dice roll made by Moen and span all online writing platforms, including Tumblr, Ao3, Google Docs, and others (like Twitter). This writing challenge is not a contest - no one’s work was being judged for length, skill, etc. The prizes are based on participation only! The more entries that you wrote and submitted within its 24-hour deadline, the higher your chance of winning a prize.

Prizes are a simple black & white portrait of the winner’s character. Most are shoulder up but the artists are free to take liberties if they’d like. Prizes are not commissioned work, so ultimately it’s the artist’s choice for what they’d like to do for the piece. Some artists (not all) accept commissions and might be open to colorizing a prize piece, after it’s been posted, at their normal rates.

Due to recent changes in Discord's username format, this year (and this year only) all winners will be notified by yours truly (MoenMoen) via a friend request and message in Discord. Next year I'll be teaming up with some folks to find a better, more streamlined process for informing and connecting winners with their volunteer artist.

So, keep an eye out for me in your Discord friend requests/inbox over the next week or so (it will take me a minute to get to everyone):

As always, there are a few winners whose artists may need to drop out for personal reasons, and that’s ok! In those cases, the winners will be carried over into 2024′s pool of winners where another artist will pick up their prize and complete it.

Congrats to all 109 winners, and I'll see you in September 2024 when we do it all again!

#FFxivWrite2023 #FFxivWrite #FFxivWrite2023 Results

[tmsource]

15 YEARS OF THE MENTALIST

The 15th year anniversary of the show is near (23/9/2023) and we at @tmsource are hosting a week creator challenge event to celebrate! The event will run from the 17th of September to the 23rd and each day will be dedicated to different prompt themes. You are all invited to participate with any type of content: gifs, edits, fanfics, fancams, etc. More info & prompt list below the cut!

In order to participate, simply post your contributions on your own blog according to the theme(s) of each day of the event and tag #15yearsofmentalist & #tmsource for us to see your posts and reblog them on here. Also, make sure that the day/prompt you are posting for is stated somewhere in the post.

There are prompts that are more oriented to edits and a separate prompt for fanfics. For edits, there are two themes for each day, you can pick either or both of them. Generally, feel free to mix&match according to what creatively speaks to you the most.

PROMPT LIST Day 1 — 17/9/2023: Songs, quotes or poems / Beloved quote Day 2 — 18/9/2023: Parallels / Beloved platonic relationship Day 3 — 19/9/2023: Cinematography / Beloved scene Day 4 — 20/9/2023: TV Tropes / Beloved romantic relationship Day 5 — 21/9/2023: Fashion / Beloved antagonist Day 6 — 22/9/2023: Colors / Beloved plotline Day 7 — 23/9/2023: Free choice

FANFICS Go to this website, select a number of characters and generate a random dialogue prompt. Then decide who says what and write a story around it. Do this for each day of the event.

We can't wait to see what you create!

— With love, the mods

#the mentalist #15yearsofmentalist #thementalistedit #mentalistedit #tuserkers #useremsi #userhella #userlolo #userharumi #userjochi #userastrid #userkitkat #userairi #usercrime #tvedit #userkarissa #tusereve #tuserthay #userelliee #tusersel

[dryemiddi]

DRAW THIS IN YOUR STYLE: SUMMER BAD SANSES EDITION!!!

So I hit 5000+ followers earlier this year! Crazy, right? I was at a complete loss for what to even do, and for months I froze up from the pressure of what I could possibly to do celebrate it.

Even though I've never done one of these before, I wanted to give this a shot! (This was totally not inspired by @/zucchiyeni it's fine don't worry about it)

RULES:

The art has to be set in a beach or similar summer scenery. It doesn't have to be a full background; it can be as simple as a blue sky or implying a beach scene with the characters holding pool toys and beach umbrellas.

You can use any of the main members of the Murder Gang as the central focus of the piece: including Horror, Killer, Dust, Nightmare and Cross. Other characters (including your own!) can be included alongside any of the aforementioned murder gang members.

Characters must be in some form of summer attire: be it swimsuits, cheesy Hawaiian shirts, bikinis, or even sundresses! The more creative and/or elaborate you get with it, the better!

Bonus points if there's food involved. You can't go wrong with a good summer treat.

No art theft, stealing, tracing, etc. Y'all know the drill.

Please use the hashtag #hotmurdergangsummer and tag me @dryemiddi or I might not find your work!

Apart from all that... go wild! Have fun and get creative with it!

DEADLINE: THE AUTUMN EQUINOX ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 (4pm EST)

And what would a DTIYS Challenge be without some Prizes:

1st place: Fully rendered bust up shot of a character of your choice (reference required)

2nd place: Partially rendered head shot of a character of your choice (reference required)

3rd place: Coloured sketch head shot of a character of your choice (reference required)

Have fun y'all! And let's make the most of this summer!

#hotmurdergangsummer #dtiys #draw this in your style #art challenge #dtyis challenge #utmv #murder gang #bad sanses #horrortale #undertale au #undertale #dryeart #my art #sans #fanart #I've never done this before so bear with me if there's any bumps #hot skeleton summer #hot summer #summer art challenge #summer art

[sapphicbookclub]

Author Spotlight: Apolline Lucy

This week, we're excited to bring you a guest essay titled Exploring the Dark and the Romantic in my Upcoming Novel: THE SILVER BIRDS from author Apolline Lucy. THE SILVER BIRDS will be released on September 26, 2023.

When the idea for my novel struck me, I immediately knew I wanted it to be a sapphic enemies-to-lovers story. Sapphic, because I wanted to write about women; enemies-to-lovers because I basically live for this trope. But I didn’t want romance to be at its core. I wanted to craft characters filled with rage and wants for revenge, characters so fiercely protective of the ones they trust enough to love, that they became monsters.

By mixing gore—the visceral, the violent, and the gruesome—and sapphic—love, desire, and identity—I wanted to explore the darkest corners of human existence, defy expectations, and create a space for queer characters to exist outside the confines of heteronormative narratives. My novel isn’t about characters being lesbian—they just happen to be. It’s about them grappling with their own demons and external threats.

That being said, the horror elements in THE SILVER BIRDS do serve as a metaphor for the discrimination and violence LGBTQ+ individuals have historically faced. The book explores the themes of survival and resilience, reflecting the real battles queer people face in their daily lives. But it’s more than just thrills; it's about empowerment. It’s about wanting to give voice to characters from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities, and make fantasy a more inclusive and richer genre.

As THE SILVER BIRDS is self-published, I had the freedom to explore taboos and delve deep into themes of obsession, vengeance, and the blurred lines between love and violence. Some scenes are quite graphic and might have faced heavy censorship in traditional publishing. But I believe they challenge readers to confront uncomfortable truths and question the boundaries of desire, love, and violence.

Despite the darkness, my novel ultimately celebrates sapphic love. It’s a reminder that love is a powerful force, even in the face of adversity. I’m committed to writing happy endings because the world is already a terrible place, and I want my books to offer an escape. Yes, I will torture my characters, present them with impossible choices, and reveal terrible consequences for their actions. But I will also grant them happy endings. Love must triumph, even in the darkest of places.

#booklr #wlw books #lgbt books #book recs #sapphic books #diverse books #fantasy #the silver birds #Apolline Lucy #guest post

[world-of-wales]

Happy International Women’s Day! Celebrating the impact of amazing women today, and every day. Here are just a few of the brilliant women we’ve been inspired by over the past 12 months. #IWD2024

After her daughter Brodie's death by suicide in 2020, Emma Webb launched a suicide prevention campaign. Brodie was a talented equestrian, which is what inspired @thewebstermwebb’s challenge pulling a life-size resin horse 160 miles from Chepstow to London.

Sarah Goldson has directed the @Wimbledon Ball Boy and Girl training since the 2012 Championships. The training helps develop life skills among young people, with 280 BBGs selected from local schools.

Vaitea Cowan is a co-founder of @Enapter, a company aiming to account for 10% of the world's green hydrogen by 2050. Enapter won the Fix Our Climate category at the 2021 Earthshot Prize and continues to thrive.

Bianca Sakol is the founder and CEO of @Sebbys_Corner, a shop-style baby bank which believes no child should go without the basic essentials they need to thrive. They provide a warm, welcoming environment and gives families choice and dignity to choose the items they need.

Mother and daughter, Jennifer and Emilia Clarke, were awarded MBEs for their brain injury charity work. They are co-founders of @SameYouOrg, a charity which develops better mental health recovery treatment for survivors and raises awareness around rehabilitation.

Dr. Gubby Ayida has been the CEO of @EvelinaLondon since May 2023 and oversaw its opening of the new Children’s Day Surgery Unit last year.

Wendy Simm was born and raised in Moss Side, Manchester and founded ‘Keeping It Real 24/7.’ The food bank focuses on delivering culturally important foods to those in need, such as yams and sweet potatoes, which generally are not provided by other food banks.

Captain Preet Chandi is a British Army Captain who holds three world records for polar trekking, most recently in December 2023 for becoming the world's fastest woman to complete a solo South Pole ski expedition.

Barbara Smith is a psychotherapist who has served over 16 years with @BritishRedCross, offering psychosocial support in disaster and war zones, aiding those in trauma.

Sarina Weigman began her role as England Women’s Head Coach in September 2021, leading The @Lionesses to Euro 2022 victory. She was presented with an Honorary CBE in June last year.

Renee Salt is a Holocaust survivor who was born in Zdunska Wola, Poland in 1929. She survived both Auschwitz and Belsen, but her family did not. Renee has spoken to thousands of young people as part of @HolocaustUK's programmes.

Professor Uzo Iwobi founded @rcccymru to boost art, heritage, and culture for minority groups in Wales. She empowers African Caribbean elders through learning initiatives and mentors young people to fulfil their aspirations.

In 2024, @hmsoardacious will be represented by Team Valkyrie, the first all-serving women's military team to row across the Atlantic. The @toughestrow challenge raises money for military charities and organisations that support veterans and their families.

- The Prince and Princess of Wales

#kensingtonroyal #international women's day 2024 #prince of wales #princess of wales #kp twitter #kp tweets #8.03.2024 #february24

[choicesseptemberchallenge2023]

Choices September Challenge Masterlist

• OPEN HEART :

What Could Have Been (9/9) by @liaromancewriter [Day 7] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Public & Private by @liaromancewriter [Day 14] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC; Sienna Trinh x M!OC)

Sadie's Self-Care Sunday#40 by @peonyblossom [Day 6] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Predictable by @jerzwriter [Day 9] (Ethan Ramsey x F!OC; Tobias Carrick x F!MC)

Her Secret Weapon by @jerzwriter [Day 18] (Tobias Carrick x F!MC)

Shopisticated by @liaromancewriter [Day 14] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

A Special One by @zealouscanonindeer [Day 3] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

By Chance: The Morning After by @jerzwriter [Day 7] (Tobias Carrick x F!MC)

Movie Night by @jerzwriter [Day 22] (Tobias Carrick x F!MC; Bryce Lahela x M!MC)

Love Bites by @liaromancewriter [Day 21] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Fairytales by @liaromancewriter [Day 22] (Sienna Trinh x M!OC)

Summer's Kiss by @peonierose [Day 3] (Bryce Lahela x F!OC)

What Could Have Been? by @zealouscanonindeer [Day 19] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

High Seas (2/2) by @jerzwriter [Day 2] (Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick)

Not Meant To Be by @zealouscanonindeer [Day 20] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

What's Cooking? by @jerzwriter [Day 16] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

A Quick Study by @jerzwriter [Day 5] (F!MC x F!OC)

Bookcase Corner by @potionsprefect [Day 19] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Know It All by @jerzwriter [Day 25] (Bryce Lahela, F!MC)

Celebrate by @jerzwriter [Day 22] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC; Tobias Carrick)

Recovery by @jerzwriter [Day 25] (Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick)

The Great Outdoors by @jerzwriter [Day 2] (Tobias Carrick x F!MC)

Produce-ing A Laugh by @jerzwriter [Day 22] (Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick)

Our Little Girl by @storyofmychoices [Day 21] (Bryce Lahela x F!MC)

It Was A Date by @liaromancewriter [Day 8] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Private Matters by @liaromancewriter [Day 14] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

Taking Care Of Business by @liaromancewriter [Day 25] (Ethan Ramsey x F!MC)

• BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW :

Shadows of Hope by @storyofmychoices [Day 1] (Mal Volari x F!MC)

Go On, Feel It by @storyofmychoices [Day 1, Day 21] (Mal Volari x F!MC)

Her Legacy by @storyofmychoices [Day 1, Day 4, Day 7] (Mal Volari x F!MC)

The Quest For Daenarya by @storyofmychoices [Day 21, Day 30] (Mal Volari x F!MC)

Love Is Love Is Love by @storyofmychoices [Day 21] (Mal Volari x F!MC)

• THE ROYAL ROMANCE :

Smoke And Mirrors by @tessa-liam [Day 6] (Liam Rys x F!MC)

Turning The Page by @tessa-liam [Day 30] (Liam Rys x F!MC)

(Less Than) Noble Intentions: Chapter 15 by @karahalloway [Day 25] (Drake Walker x F!OC)

Marabelle by @tessa-liam [Day 4] (Liam Rys x F!OC)

• PERFECT MATCH :

Saffron Sugar, Turmeric Spice by @lizzybeth1986 [Day 14] (F!Hayden x Poly M!MC, F!Hayden x F!OC)

Harvest Moon by @lizzybeth1986 [Day 4] (M!MC x F!Hayden, Basil Park x Sloanne Washington, Kim Washington)

• CRIMES OF PASSION :

A Moment In Time by @jerzwriter [Day 4] (M!Trystan Thorne x F!MC)

#choices monthly challenge #choices september challenge 2023 #choicesmonthlychallenge #choicesseptemberchallenge2023

[choicesficwriterscreations]

September 2023 WOTM: lilyoffandoms

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @lilyoffandoms. We hope you will enjoy learning more about them and their work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

This month's Writer of the Month was selected a little differently than normal. We announced that we would be selecting the WOTM from the participants in last month's Writer Appreciation Event. But the eleven writers involved all agreed the honor belonged to Lily. Lily has been a staple in the Choices community for so long, and they continuously go out of their way to support creators and spread positivity while continuing to inspire and create themselves. We couldn't think of anyone better suited for the honor, so please join us in congratulating Lily... September's Writer of the Month!

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog Name: lilyoffandoms Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? Lily is fine (they/them preferred)

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

Best guess would be back in January of 2018. It was a joke at first since a friend saw one of their god-awful ads and said we should both try it. Next thing you know, we were both arguing over which books were better and regretting our decision to start. Though their opinions on what constitutes good books are almost as bad as the Choices ad that got us to jokingly play (and I say this most lovingly because they are awesome and I love them). I started with Most Wanted, and my friend started with The Freshman. 

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

Oh gods! I joined back in March 2019. I know I’m a Tumblr baby by most everyone’s standards, but that feels like a really long time. I joined when Open Heart book one was released. I had lurked, reading fanfics, for a few months before biting the bullet and creating a blog and actually posting. Only joined because I was taking my editor’s advice and writing something entirely outside my norm to break a particularly bad case of writer’s block. Thought I might as well share those silly things if I was taking the time to write them. Maybe someone would enjoy them. Never did plan on sticking around, but found so many lovely people that I’ve come to call friends.

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

It was lilyofchoices. My name + Choices because I am super creative like that with those sorts of naming things 😅 I changed it to lilyoffandoms when I left the Choices fandom for a bit. I’ve thought about changing it more times than I can count but I can’t bring myself to actually follow through on it. How do y’all’s change your blog name with each new book release? You are a crazy different breed of tumblr and you fascinate me.

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it!  

I deleted the first one years ago. It was my first drabble. Currently, as it stands, the first thing in my archive is this post about Desire and Decorum, and it still makes me giggle.

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

I’ve only been writing fanfic since I joined Tumblr. I never really tried writing fanfic before that. Some nonfiction personal things before that but never anything like this world. It's been an adventure, to say the least haha

6- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to write about?

My favorite book is probably Blades of Light and Shadow, book one, but there are plenty that are really close behind. This is also the book I’d say I enjoy writing for the most because it is my favorite book, contains my favorite LI, and has one of my favorite OCs (Maiele) in it.

Though recently, I’ve been writing more for Crimes of Passion because it's more of a challenge for me. It's a different vibe between the MC and the LI and it's one I don’t often explore so I’m here for that right now. But I have a sneaky suspicion once Blades 2 drops I’ll be back on my bullshit with that again.

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were writing it today?

I don’t think it exists on this site anymore. Maybe in someone’s reblog? I still have it in my files. It was an Ethan x MC drabble featuring my MC, Merida. I still like it. I’d not change it cuz I’m a firm believer in writing it and don’t look back haha.

This is it:

He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to form in his eyes. There it was. He had told her. Dr. Banerji was dying and Ethan was at a loss as to what was ailing his mentor and friend. Ethan stared at the young woman in front of him and then to the floor. He cleared his throat and made a small motion to turn back into Naveen’s room but froze instantly the moment he noticed her take a step towards him.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him, wishing to take away all of his pain, all of his loneliness. Silently willing him to understand that she cared for him. Cared deeply for him and much more than she should. “Ethan. I’m so sorry,” she whispered, one hand stroked through his hair while the other grasped his neck and slowly bent his head toward her shoulders as she raised herself to her tiptoes to meet him halfway.

He tensed upon feeling her arms around him. Arms, he thought to himself, that he had imagined holding him for a number of weeks now. Ever since that night spent sitting up with her watching little baby Ethan. “Merida,” he sighed as he gradually relaxed into the embrace.

She didn’t let up on the hug, squeezing him to her just a bit more tightly. God, she had wanted to comfort him when Dolores died but she didn’t know how he would respond. Now, he was facing the possibility of another friend dying and she couldn’t help herself.

He responded to the increased pressure of her hug and tightened his own hold upon her. Finding himself tracing circles up her spine and imagining what it would feel like to move his hands to tease along the skin of her back where her pants met her shirt.

Her breath caught when she felt his hands move lower. No longer making gentle movements along her spine but increasing their pressure upon her body, nearly massaging their way lower. She brought one of her own hands around to his chest, lightly bunching his white coat in her fist to try and pull him closer to her.

A loud crash echoed down the hall. “Shit!” a construction worker cursed. The two doctors jumped back from each other both staring into each other’s eyes seeming to question if they had both felt the same in the other’s arms. She blushed slightly. “I should see to my other patients. Dr. Banerji’s condition stays between us. Understand, Rookie?” he stated, his eyes narrowing. She nodded and he turned and marched down the hall.

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

I love asking this question of others but don’t like it asked of me. I’m so bad at self-rep and advertising my wares 😂 But if I had to pick one, I’d say this one. It was so far outside my comfort zone when it came to writing that I almost abandoned it two paragraphs in. But I’m a stubborn person, and I refused to let it beat me. Plus, I had been wanting to write a noir fic for this book since it was released. Furthermore, I adore Hayden’s work too much not to gift a little something back for all the art he shares with us, so I knew I just had to make it work.

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but found could use a little more love?

I didn’t expect last year’s Luck of the Draw fic to garner much love. Attention? Maybe. But not love and definitely not the response I got. I really enjoyed writing that one. 

10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Fluff. I’m a sucker for happy-ever-afters and an endless hopeless romantic. Give me the fluff. All the fluff. 

I pull a lot of what I toss into my silly drabbles from real life. Always been a believer in writing, most often what you know, and sprinkle that all with a dash of the stuff you don’t as a treat. And my life is pretty fluffy thanks to my incredible partner. 

However, I do so adore angst I’m just not able to write it often because it hurts more to write. But I’ll always always read it. That pain is *chef’s kisses*

11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Maiele, my Blades MC, is most definitely me coded. His whole personality, his choice of partner when it comes to personality, his constant flirting with said partner, his sense of humor, his lack of a filter most times, it’s all pretty much me. Gabriel, my CoP MC, is me when it comes to romantic gestures and Valentine’s Day. I may be a romantic, but I get weird when it’s aimed at me 😂 

12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

Editing. I refuse to do it. I hate it with the burning light of a thousand suns. Those of you that manage to edit your fics have all my admiration. I honestly don’t know how y’all do it. Doesn’t it just bore you to no end? 

13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

I have more drafts than I care to admit. I would like to complete a series I started long ago for Ethan x Merida, but I don’t know if I’ll ever do that. I’d settle for finishing one of my drafts 😅

14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? 

Nope, haha, I’d not be able to do that. If I were that brave, I’d recommend this one maybe. I do so love Flynn. Or this one, mostly because I do so love the idea of Gabriel just pouting on the couch.

15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

Not really. I mean all of em probably. I read a lot of books in a lot of genres. Mostly I use my drabbles as morning warm ups for my day job. 

There are definitely fanfic writers I admire around here that encourage me to share my silly things everyday. Especially all those queer writers out there that have a rather thankless existence sometimes around here but keep sharing their stories! They are all my heroes!!

16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

Any and all of my Maiele and Tyril stories. I just love them sooooo much!!

17- Do you write original fiction? 

Yes, but until recently, I wrote mostly nonfiction.

I do have a fic I began a few years back when I was still teaching. I had a student who hated their writing class, so I promised to write a short story alongside them and read it to the class like all the students had to if they gave it an honest go. 

They did and so I did too, and I was asked the following year to do it again by more students and so I continued the same story. I’ve since continued that same fic, and maybe someday I’ll actually go looking to publish it. 

18 -  What other hobbies do you have?

I love the outdoors. Hiking, spelunking, kayaking, gardening, camping, anything and everything outdoors. My other favorite hobby, which I've done for years and years, is fencing. I still am part of a club and teach a few levels. 

19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 

😅 because it’s legit my state of existence at this point in life. 

20: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

I want to send a special shout-out to all the absolutely lovely participants of August’s writer appreciation event I hosted. I still cannot believe y’all did this for me. 😘 These are each of my favorite fics you’ve written. Thank you for making our fandom a little brighter each and every day!

@aallotarenunelma Bathed in Sunlight @coffeeheartaddict2 Moths to a Flame @karahalloway A Leviathan Surprise @jerzwriter A Mother's Journal @ladylamrian Ma Cherie @mydemonsdrivealimo Run, Run @peonyblossom We're Gonna Get Married @petiteboheme Familia @storyofmychoices Passing Shower @tessa-liam All is Fair in Love and War @trappedinfanfiction What's In a Name? Lily's Top Three Commissions can be found here:

Crimes of Passion by @javsarts

A Year of Kisses by various artists: @lethendralis-paints @cashweasel @kundool @deheerkonijn @javsarts @weetlebeetle @kollapsar @mooreaux @rosefuckinggenius @/ArtbyAinna (IG) @littlestpersimmon @callmebeem

Trystan x Noel by @rosefuckinggenius

#cfwc writer of the month #playchoices #choices the stories you play #lilyoffandoms #choices fic writers creations #choices fanfiction #choices fanart

[astrologanize]

2023 september sun horoscope pt. 1

sun in aries: well, i don't think most of you are going to be too fond of this month because it is challenging for an aries. august's theme of priorities will be carried over for you, you may feel like your connections are changing, there may be some connections that you are unwilling to let go of, there may be some connections that are deepened with greater emotional intimacy, but overall there will be a change in what you have been doing. throughout september you will encounter new experiences or have a notable experience with something new and there will be hiccups along the way as there usually is with something new. your best advice is to 'cool your heels', check the ego, and allow yourself to be insecure this month as you choose to walk away from what is not worth it and step into a new chapter. otherwise, this could be a month of stagnancy as you cling too tightly to needing to feel in charge.

sun in taurus: don't get bitter get better. this is a month where you're going to feel like you have no choice, there may be a bitter pill to swallow, you may feel like you miss/missed out on something, but overall you will be narrowing down what it is that you can and cannot do so that you can make the best of your situation. throughout september you're going to realize that feelings are not welcomed this month and that this is a month of putting your money where your mouth is; there will be a focus on your job or having a job or whatever is equivalent for you, you may have a falling out this month or reconnect with someone from the past, you will feel unfulfilled and out of your mind at times because it's a very "fuck it imma just do this and get it over with" type of month for you. if you find yourself thinking that something isn't making you happy and you can't see the long-term success then try to meditate on what does/will and put some things in motion. otherwise, this could be a month of making things harder for yourself than they need to be or a month of going through the motions.

sun in gemini: wooooow aren't y'all lucky.....a good month for geminis, hm? this is a month where you understand the value of peace and no longer persisting with the inane things that aren't worth it, overall it's a month of surrendering and finding fresh eyes again. throughout september you will be making the decisions that you need to make, you will have a focus on support and the people close to you, you will have heart to hearts, if you live with anyone then it may be that this month is a very peaceful time within the home or you may get closer to someone within your home, this is a time of stability that is strongly reminiscent of having a sense of belonging and feeling at home regardless. hold your tongue this month and be a friend, focus on your connections, be there for people, confide in people, let feelings that are an anvil to your heart go. otherwise, you're wasting the blessings of this month for virtually nothing.

sun in cancer: we live and we learn, yes? this is a month where your moods are highlighted, what is unfulfilling you in life, what & who you have conflict with, where your life is out of whack, and overall recognizing issues within yourself and your life. throughout september you will be introspective and perhaps keeping to yourself more, you will be strengthening your mental sphere, you will be finding greater sensibility, this will not be a month of confronting what you need to just yet because you're going to be rehashing the past and reflecting on it with a more discerning eye, and you will hopefully be trying to avoid jumping the gun on issues that you need time to properly consider. try to trust in feelings and not let moods get the better of you, try to avoid being bent out of shape over things, and if you have an issue then try to work on it. otherwise, this could be a month of shutting people out and being unwilling to see another's perspective.

sun in leo: getting things in order for yourself i see...this is a month where you have something in mind that you're trying to sort the details with and make happen or there is an opportunity that is going to present itself and you won't have to do much to obtain it or there is an opportunity that you either have in mind or will present itself that you need to cowboy up for, overall this is a month of opportunity. throughout september you will be able to be productive, there will not be an ungodly load on your plate impeding you, if any issues come up then you will be able to take them in stride, this may be a month where you are not social or you may have issues with others (probably because you are focused on other things) but so long as you try to be mature and communicate then things should find resolve. it would be in your best interest to allow your feelings to show this month and to be okay letting your emotions come as they may because you are needing to level up in some capacity, it may not be easy but you have to believe and you have to express yourself and put yourself out there. otherwise, this could be a month of going through the motions doing the same ol' thing.

sun in virgo: happy birthday to the virgos! this is a month where your plans are changing and y'all totally love that...lol. there are things that you are needing to figure out this month because of the change in plans that will be happening - somehow some way you're going to have to break out of your routine and it seems to be a positive change because you're leaving something behind that thrusts you into freedom elsewhere. this may very will be a time of wandering for you and that's okay because you need to rely on others this month and get out of your comfort zone. maybe you've been hyperfixating on something that's caused you to be a hermit and this month you realize you need to get out of the house and reconnect with your friends to do something fun, maybe you've been trying to do something on your own and you realize that you need help and you have to step out of your comfort zone to ask for such, maybe you have been wanting more friends and you realize you have to branch out in order to do obtain them, whatever it is...other people/connections and getting out of your comfort zone are important this month. otherwise, this could be a month of lacking accountability and being avoidant.

#2023 #september 2023 #horoscope #long post

[merlinfluffalooza]

Sign up for Merlin Fluffalooza 2023 - October 1st to October 31st!

Merlin Fluffalooza is back after taking a break last year to once again bring you all the fluffy Merlin content you could desire!

Happy Endings make your day? Rainbows and unicorns are just your style? You crave all those warm and fuzzy feelings that come from witnessing your favourite characters fall desperately in love?

Then you should sign up for Merlin Fluffalooza - The Merlin fandom’s 2023 fluff fest!

We want it all: Your most daringly fluffy ideas coming to life. Tooth-rotting love declarations, tropey pining, happy happy joy joy moments, the silliest schmoop that ever schmooped or the kind of filthy, sexy fluff that makes your heart skip a beat: Bring it on!

This year the fest runs from October 1st to October 31st and we have some exciting things in store for you: 

The Main Challenge - The Red Thread of Fluff Taking inspiration from Kinkalot's infamous Kink Link challenge, we provide you with three sets of choices: Choose a setting, add a trope and sprinkle it with details, or just let the Dice Maiden on our discord server choose for you. 

If you sign up, you challenge yourself to complete at least one work for The Red Thread of Fluff. Don’t worry, you’re not competing against each other. And nobody is stopping you from threading some more fluff together��

Prompts will be revealed on September 24th allowing you a bit of preparation time before the start of the fest! Note that posting will only be allowed from October 1st.

Surprise Bonus Challenges 

Not yet fluffy enough? We’ll present you with a surprise and fun bonus challenge each week, lovingly selected by your mods.

We’ll be running this fest on discord (join our server here), Livejournal and Tumblr. There will be an Ao3 collection to post to.

The fest is set up to be a laid-back, feel-good affair (much like the fluffy fanwork you’ll be producing!).

Sign-Up here is possible from September 17th to the end of the run (October 31st).

Fanwork Requirements:

At least one type of Fanworks: fic, fanart (including digital and moodboards),  podfic of an original work, videos for the Main Challenge (Red Thread of Fluff)

Minimum word count for fics: 500 words

No minimum requirements for the Bonus Challenges

All ratings and all pairings welcome

Work must be considered fluff (⅔ of a written story should be happy making ;-))

Requirement: must have a happy ending or ooze fluffy feelings!

For detailed rules check out our Rules & Info!

Want to get involved? Get started here!

Please help us promote the fest by reblogging and liking this post or sharing our pimping post on your Livejournal or using the above banner to promote them yourself on your accounts. Thank you!

If you have questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line on Discord (@Admin) or [email protected] Fluffy Art by the wonderful @maryluis​ thank you for letting us use it!

#merlin #merlin bbc #bbc merlin #fandom #merlin fluffalooza 2023 #mod post #sign up

[macgyverbingo]

Welcome to MacGyver Fanworks Bingo!

To honor the 7th anniversary of the first reboot episodes, we’re challenging fans to a game of MacGyver bingo. The game starts September 1, 2023. 

This is going to be a fun and low-key challenge open to all fans!

There are two bingo cards to choose from, and each square on the card has a choice of two prompts. You can use almost any type of fanwork to mark off a square on your bingo card. 

The bingo cards:

5x5 Bingo Card

3x3 Bingo Card & Alternate Squares

Check the FAQ for more information about how to participate. Send an ask if you have questions, comments, thoughts, etc.

#macgyver #macgyverbingo #macgyverfanworkbingo #writing challenge #art challenge #whump challenge #fluff challenge #macgyver 2016

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 10/3/2023

september was not kind but we're back with a real making section babEY and lengthy all other sections

listening

SHIFTED by Jolynn J Chin, a progressive jazz (?) piano piece that changes time signatures on every bar. i am led to understand this is a massive technical achievement but more importantly to me it sounds cool as hell. this is a little funny bc pianist friends occasionally complain that the technically challenging pieces that are fun to play aren't that fun to actually listen to. spotify

the artist uploaded an explainer video that went well over my head but i have no music theory background. i know that not every video with a lady patiently talking through a problem on a whiteboard is going to be a physics video but spiritually this is a physics video to me

how'd i find this: spotify discover weekly

-

reading

lee winter's The Fixer. perfectly fine technical quality of writing but absolutely bizarre plot. there will be spoilers for this book bc i cannot talk about this book without them.

A naive activist is hired by a corporate villain but doesn’t realize it. Cue one awkward farce, a twisty puzzle, and the slowest of slow burns in this opposites-attract, ice queen romance. Nine years ago, aloof, icy Michelle Hastings chose career over love. She’s now living with that choice as she rules a secret corporation catering to the rich and powerful. Enter Eden Lawless. The guileless activist finds it a bit weird being employed by a mystery organization to bring down a corrupt mayor. But, hey, she’s up for a challenge. Much harder is getting her beautiful new boss out of her head. The pull between them is electric.

this was not the fanfic level of mean woman i prefer. this woman is a bit of a tsundere boss with some past regrets. like yeah her Company does awful shit but she herself is a very restrained sort of James Bond villain level of icy polite.

unfortunately the actual plot itself is so fucking bizarre.

one of my two concerns: the author is not Jewish but has written Michelle as such, and employed sensitivity readers. i do not know that it is in the very best of taste to have a Jewish woman as the head of a shadowy, textually evil, para-governmental organization pulling strings behind the scenes for the rich and powerful.

the other thing that really threw me is that the series of events we are concerned with, a mayoral election in small-town uhhhh maryland??? i have returned the book and cannot fact check-- seems to be a very thinly veiled rehashing of the 2016 presidential primaries. but as a mayoral campaign.

there is an obnoxious redheaded used car salesman who is running for national publicity for his used car business and writes nasty jingles about his main opponent, a very unpleasant woman who nevertheless gets things done but WAS a slumlord and DID ruin our activist Eden's life. everyone in the county is in her pocket. things are running quietly and well in town, and her platform is solar. the solar farms would take up literally all the actual farmland in the country and (spoiler) she is defeated bc the townspeople think this would be an eyesore and not actually bring that many jobs to the town. again, i stress this is a small town mayoral campaign. they are a college town but it is an EXTREMELY small lib arts college. she has the correct idea about renewables but downfall is that she personally is reprehensible and is going about renewables WRONG!!!

our main character Eden sinks this renewable energy plan bc, again, in college, legally-not-Hillary-Clinton got her dad fired from the local hospital and ran them out of town bc of Eden's protests against her slumlord activities.

then there is the objectively best candidate, a retired pediatrician in the very early stages of dementia who is sort of a puppet candidate for his wife, the actual political mind who hired the evil CEO Michelle's company through a shell company in order to sink her husband's opponent. VERY weird setup.

this was indirectly recced by a big name romance writer who would would not appreciate being tagged lol. i will not be reading the second half of this duology. too much stuff that made me go WHUH???

-

watching

The Big O is a 1999 and then 2003 detective noir mecha anime. i have never wondered what batman: the animated series would look like if it went in a different retrofuturist direction and put bruce wayne in mecha, but now i have that answer.

this show looks good as fuckin hell. there are SO many dutch angles and dials and gadgets and switches. there's a cut in the first episode that doesn't translate well to screenshots, to the interior of a luxury apartment building and the water in the pool is sloshing around as mechs fight outside.

ive only seen the first three episodes but im having a marvelous fucking time. very importantly for me, there is a robot who is a child but notorious womanizer Bruce Wayne Roger Smith isn't fuckin weird about it.

how i found it: this post reblogged by @ouroborosenso ! the line "You're a louse, Roger Smith." got one short sharp bark of laughter out of me, and a bone dry sense of humor is an excellent selling point. it's available on the internet archive (dubbed but no subtitles)

-

playing

im having a grand old time with g/enshin's new area. my shit did kind of get rocked with the revelation that the prisoners-- okay let's back up. the player character gets sent to prison on false charges so they can investigate something for the chief justice. backing up farther, the watery land of Fontaine runs on magic energy produced during its court trials. this incentivizes them to make the court trials full-on fucking dramatic productions with very little care for like. victims. once convicted (fontaine feels like it has a near 100% conviction rate, very much like japan) prisoners go to an underwater prison that is a more steampunk version of bioshock. these prisoners make the automated clockwork humanoid police force, as well as the automated clockwork police dogs. there is a panopticon.

the economy in the prison (cannot believe this game that wants me to spend money on anime waifus so i can watch their skirts billow teasingly in the wind while i fight big monsters also wants me to think about prison economies) anyway the economy in the prison is scrip-based. you get one free meal a day but everything else runs on scrip. apparently many people choose to stay in prison after their terms are up bc they have achieved some sort of power and stability there. says a lot about the surface world, don't it? wish we SAW literally any of that in the surface world!

i guess being very overt about drawing from a fifteen year old game is like. kosher? so many other games have drawn from bioshock, but genshin draws so heavily and frequently from Breath of the Wild that it was a little jarring to go from the last area with the cute little korok seed knockoffs and a lot of thinking about academic misconduct to somewhere with a flavor of politics i think a lot more about. as you travel throughout the land of genshin impact, you are quite involved in big diplomatic incidents and overthrowing various baddies, installing the correct people, things of this nature. i think this new land of Fontaine is the most overtly political in that literally all of your time here is spent thinking about exactly how this country's administration operates. it's not a real "hey look we've recreated the Torture Nexus" situation yet but i am curious about what sort of themes the next expansion will be chewing on. im also not quite done with the second of two giant quests that take place in the prison so stay tuned.

bonkers fucking game. wish it wasn't gambling based and didn't have to adhere so closely to chinese restrictions. wish literally ANY outlet was regularly covering this insane lore hiding under the gacha and grind systems

-

making

the goddamn couch covers are finally done. they are 9x12 and 12x16 100% cotton drop cloths from Chicago Art Supply, and im quite happy with their quality (evenness of weave, normal selvededge, normal seams). i used rit all purpose dye in fuchsia (hot bucket method with colorstay, more on that later) and the itajime triangle method of shibori dyeing. this involved folding the fabric accordion-wise, folding it like a flag, then sandwiching it between two triangles of wood or plastic with many many many rubber bands or twine.

it was a right fucking bitch to prewash, dry, and fold these fuckers. mack was deeply unhelpful. if i need to wash them in future i will be visiting a laundromat.

i could not procure enough dye locally for the recommended 1 packet per 1 lb of dry fabric (4 and 8 pounds respectively) so i did a .75 strength dye bath, since i wasn’t trying to dye the entire thing perfectly and evenly. i think you could probably do a half or quarter strength with more time and be fine. the photo on the left is the smaller dropcloth after a half hour in the bucket (unfolded in the washer to reduce. well to just reduce many problems) , and i did not like that high of a contrast bc i did want some color on all the fabric. so i unfolded and dunked the whole thing back in for literally thirty seconds and it promptly sucked up the rest of the available dye molecules, making it lower contrast than i wanted. so it goes.

i didn’t like how even and neat the triangle motif was on this go round (when deciding on colors and patterns for this project i was thinking about coral and pink cow print but did not want a literal pink cow print couch), so for the next one i did a much worse job folding and was way more aggressive with the rubber bands. i also folded it in half lengthwise to make the accordion folds easier for myself, something i did not do for the smaller one.

and here she is through my balcony screen door after an hour in the dye bucket and a wash with half the recommended amount of fixative to get it to bleed a Little for better coverage of the fabric but keep it lower contrast. i am not completely thrilled with how this came out bc i feel it reads a little sorority girl tshirt. im not sure if making the motif/triangles smaller would have helped any, and even though i was not folding it in half every time you can only fold something so many times before it becomes extremely cumbersome.

couch before the cushion, the cover loosely on the couch. i am going to safety pin and tuck the shit out of this but do not currently have the bandwidth to actually sew it. we’ll see how this goes! kind of a pain in the ass and physically taxing but not a lot of actual hands on time, and now the dyeing bug is out of my system.

preview of next project: i am going to repaint this somewhat shabby globe bar with northern hemisphere constellations :)

#tuesday again #tuesday again no problem

[threebooksoneplot]

Three Books One Plot FAQ

Who are you?

Hosts Shannon and G are both relapsed 2000s twihards from the DC-Maryland-Virginia area of the US who found their way back to Twilight fandom just in time for the Renaissance™. They met through fandom in 2019 and have been friends ever since!

Shannon (@flowerslut) lives and works in LA. When she’s not obsessively writing 250k-word fanfictions, you can find her at Emo Nite LA or making her own music under the name Maybe. Her personal blog is @uncancellable. You can also follow her on Goodreads/Storygraph!

G (@volturialice) lives in Colorado and works remotely, which leaves plenty of time for her to take long walks in the mountains and look for loose bears in the neighborhood. She is a graduate of the Fanauthor Workshop and spends a shocking amount of time at the library. You can follow her on Goodreads/Storygraph here!

What is Three Books One Plot?

3B1P (2022 - present) is a podcast created to compare and contrast Twilight and its two published rewrites: Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined (genderflipped Twilight) and Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward’s point of view.) One part literary analysis, several parts jokes, and the rest utter shenanigans, it’s a bimonthly read-along in which hosts G and Shannon take turns reading and recounting chapters of Life and Death/Midnight Sun, and a rotating guest of the week reads and recounts Twilight. For more information on the podcast's genesis and the history of the three books, give Episode 0 a listen!

Where can I listen?

You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts.

Are you planning to do episodes on New Moon/air a season 2?

Yes! Season 2 begins 9/13/23 (Happy 36th birthday to Bella Swan.)

How will you keep your “three books” gimmick going into Season 2 and beyond?

We’re not telling. You’ll have to listen and find out 😏

When do you post new episodes?

We post new episodes every other Monday! Season 1 of 3B1P aired from June 2022 through May 2023, while Season 2 (New Moon) will air from September 2023 through June 2024 (reverting back to Monday releases after a Wednesday, September 13th premiere.)

Why do you have an episode 0/8.5/11.5? And why is your season 1 finale episode longer than Return of the King (2003, dir. Peter Jackson)?

Listen, we never claimed to be perfect.

What are the "show notes" and where can I find them?

After each episode, we compile any references we or our guests made into a post full of links, images, videos, articles, etc. Find them on our tumblr here!

How can I support the podcast?

You can slide us a few bucks over on the 3B1P Ko-fi. Anything we raise that goes over the cost of breaking even will be donated to the Quileute tribe’s Move to Higher Ground project! If you’d rather not shell out, we’d also love getting ratings/reviews on your listening platform of choice. Or you can recommend us to your goofiest friends!

Where can I find you on social media?

We post (and reblog) the most stuff here on our tumblr, but we also have an Instagram, TikTok, and previously had a (now-defunct) Twitter. You can also contact us with inquiries or long-form comments and letters at [email protected] 🤩

How can I interact with the podcast?

We love responding to tumblr asks, emails, and other comments! Sometimes we even read out comments during an episodes. We also post weekly polls and short-answer questions both here and on Spotify (only accessible from the mobile app.) We even occasionally host contests and challenges! You can also join our spinoff project Bella’s Book Club, a virtual book club open to anyone, which meets on discord once a month in order to discuss “Bella Swan’s” (Stephenie Meyer’s) favorite books as listed in Midnight Sun chapter 11 (and sometimes watch movies!) More info on Bella's Book Club can be found on its dedicated tumblr (here) Goodreads (here) and Storygraph (here!)

#faq #twilight podcast #twilight #midnight sun #life and death #show notes