#ursula vernon

[chitaqua-toast]

Mari Lwyd meme.

“I wish all [PEOPLE WHO HAVE HOUSES]

A very [LET ME IN]”

#seanan mcguire #ursula Vernon

[tkingfisher]

Divergent evolution in plague doctors

(I am nearly certain this has been done before but I couldn’t resist the shoebill stork doctor.)

#ursula vernon #art #procreate #weird little guy #plague doctor

[bookofthegear]

Oh, because I forgot to do this earlier and people asked, your total run avoided fourteen definite deaths and one Bad Choice that, while not outright fatal, would have meant that your luck would turn sour. (That doesn’t have, like, a randomized effect, given that much of this is improv, but ropes would snap, rungs would break, just how potable IS that water, maybe the pointy people did actually see your light and are lying in wait, etc.)

(Yes, there are actually things you can do to piss off the labyrinth. I won’t go into any details, because that would be too easy, but they do tend to be fairly obviously Significant Choices.)

Overall, you made it much, much deeper into the maze than any other players have, and a couple times I had to scramble to think “Jeez, what IS in that next room, anyway?” because you’d outrun my mental map.

Good job! The cabbages are proud.

#choose your own adventure #t kingfisher #ursula vernon #book of the gear

[crabs-with-sticks]

Just a lil rant about my newest beloved fantasy author

Something I love so, so much about T Kingfisher's (@tkingfisher) work is how she portrays the mundane as something so beautiful and wonderful. The majority of her protagonists are all quite regular people, with regular lives, regular hobbies, and regular bodies. And how despite that, all her characters are so interesting, so lovable, and so deeply and utterly human.

Its amazing seeing a series where multiple female romantic leads are plus sized, and there is a mix of both body positivity and body neutrality. Because like yeah, they are gorgeous. But also, at the end of the day bodies are just bodies. A bit in Paladin's Faith got me thinking about this, where the male lead asks about the female lead's stretchmarks, and its very much treated as just a normal thing that she has as a woman, not detracting from her beauty, not adding to it. They just are.

And don't get me started about how nearly all of her male romantic leads, who are for the most part, big, strong, sword-wielding paladins, have knowledge of some form of textile craft, and how it doesn't detract from their masculinity at all. And instead it is something that would actually be very useful for a soldier to know.

Tldr if anybody else is obsessed with T Kingfisher's work as much as I am please let me know so that my long suffering reading friend can have a break from it.

#t kingfisher #ursula vernon #world of the white rat #saints of steel #paladins faith

[torbooks]

This advertisement is for Thornhedge—a twisted fable standalone from fantasy / horror author T. Kingfisher that’s perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and Katherine Addison. 

WHAT IT’S ABOUT

Thornhedge is Sleeping Beauty reimagined: What if the princess was awful? What if you’re a fairy guardian and really struggling with your job because your charge is a menace? This is the story of Toadling and the monster she must keep locked away.   

A towering wall of brambles and a curse have held a princess for centuries. After so much time, a gentle knight approaches, undaunted by arms-sharp thorns. He’s here to free the captive and break the curse, but lofty as these aspirations are, Toadling has no intention of allowing anyone to vanquish this spell. Walls keep things out, but also hold things in, and no one was meant to cross those thorns.

#thornhedge #t. kingfisher #ursula vernon #tor books #books #booklr #frightening fantasy #twisted fable #horror with heart #fantasy

[dessertgeek]

The Twitter Mari Lwyd sagas (2019)

So way back in 2019, @seananmcguire and @tkingfisher (and also later @kbspangler) got into a whole poetry/rap battle involving the poor Mari Lwyd (played by Seanan) just trying to get some cheese from Ursula's stores. This went on for a few years, and I can't find transcribed sources, only screenshots.

So, with X/Twitter being What It Is, I wanted a text source to exist. CW for food, alcohol, and all the caps, and full credit to the authors. If you want the original source it's here.

Seanan: WE'RE HERE TO SAY PLEASE WON'T YOU GIVE US SOME CHEESE SOME CHEESE AND SOME BRANDY OR PORT. THIS FESTIVE HORSE SKULL HAS BEEN SHOVED ON A POLE SO GRANT ME YOUR FINEST RETORT.

Ursula: BEGONE WITH YOUR POLE (YOU CAN LEAVE THE NEAT SKULL) DEMANDING MY FOOD IS EXTORTION FOR CHEESE IS QUITE DEAR AND WILL BE WORSE NEXT YEAR AND I CAN’T SPARE YOU EVEN A PORTION

Seanan: IF IT'S HEAD FOR A HEAD, I COULD TAKE YOURS INSTEAD, THAT SEEMS LIKE A TRADE THAT'S QUITE FAIR BUT DECAPITATION REQUIRES CONTEMPLATION, I'D RATHER THAT CHEESE OVER THERE.

Ursula: YOU COME ‘ROUND WITH THE BITS OF A HORSE THAT IS QUITS DEMANDING I GIVE YOU MY CHEDDAR BUT HEY, YOU HAVE SAID, AT LEAST IT’S NOT MY HEAD— I’M SUPPOSED TO THINK THIS IS BETTER!?

Seanan: I AM NOT A QUITTER, NO NEED TO BE BITTER, AND I'D TAKE YOUR GOUDA OR BRIE. YOU ASKED FOR MY HEAD, THINKING THAT SINCE I'M DEAD YOU COULD JUST KIDNAP PIECES OF ME. I HAVE INFINITE TIME AND THE PATIENCE TO RHYME AND I'LL STAND HERE LIMITLESSLY.

Ursula: AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT ON NOT-QUITE-LONGEST-NIGHT TO MAKE FREE WITH OTHER PEOPLE’S CHEESES? YOU THINK ‘COS YOU SHOW WITH A WEIRD SKULL IN TOW IT CAN ASK FOR WHATEVER IT PLEASES?

Seanan: THAT'S JUST WHAT I THINK, GIVE ME CHEESE, GIVE ME DRINK, AND I'LL NO MORE CAST DARK ON YOUR DOOR. I'M NO TINSEL OR TREE, I'M CELEBRATORY OF SURVIVAL ON HEATH AND IN MOOR.

Ursula: THERE’S NO HEATH AND NO MOOR BETWEEN HERE AND THE SHORE I COULD MAYBE GET YOU A BOG IN LIEU OF MY BRIE WHICH I’M HOARDING FOR ME WHAT IF—LOOK, SEANAN! A FROG!

Seanan: THAT WAS JUST DIRTY POOL, AND YOU KNOW THERE'S NO RULE THAT SAYS I CAN'T LEAVE AND COME BACK. NOW THERE'S MUD ON MY SHOES I WON'T LET YOU REFUSE THIS FESTIVE DIGESTIVE ATTACK.

Ursula: ALL’S FAIR, SO THEY SAY WHEN CHEESE IS IN PLAY ALTHOUGH I ADMIT TO DECEPTION WHILE YOU CHASED A FROG I SCARFED THAT CHEESE LOG AT PERSONAL COST TO DIGESTION

Seanan: THEN I'LL COME FOR YOUR BOOZE I'M NOT LONGING TO LOSE, AND THIS IS THE HOLIDAY SEASON. I'LL STAND HERE AND SING AS THE MORRIS BELLS RING AND YOUR GUTS CONTEMPLATE CHOOSING TREASON.

Ursula: I’VE NO BRANDY NOR GIN THE SCOTCH STORES ARE THIN BUT OF A SOLUTION I’M THINKIN’ THIS HOUSE’S LIBATION AGAVE’S CREATION WILL NEVERTHELESS GET YOU STINKIN’ IF IT’S BOOZE THAT YOU’RE FOR BONE HORSE FROM THE MOOR IT’S TEQUILA THAT WE WILL BE DRINKIN’

Seanan: WE'LL GET HAMMERED LIKE BOARDS WHEN THE LIQUOR GETS POURED, THEY'LL ASSEMBLE US LIKE WE'RE IKEA. THERE ARE WORSE THINGS TO DO THAN START DRINKING WITH YOU. I'M SO HAPPY THAT I CAME TO SEE YA.

Ursula: I LOVE EVERY ENTITY IN THIS BAR *falls down*

#Mari Lwyd #food #caps #seanan mcguire #ursula vernon #t kingfisher #I think I got all the meter right #May tumblr be okay with this wall o' text #Mari Lwyd Project

[javaelemental]

Source.

#Ron Perlman #Ursula Vernon #WGA #SAG-AFTRA #WGA Strike #SAG-AFTRA Strike #Writers Strike #Actors Strike

[brianadrawsbooks]

I've always been a big Poe fan and a big T. Kingfisher fan, so I was thrilled to find out she's written her own take on The Fall of the House of Usher.

This spooky little book has all the gothic Victorian vibes of the original along with some new sci-fi concepts and a non-binary protagonist. While I loved seeing things from Alex's viewpoint, Maddy was the character who I really wanted to paint. She's a little bit crazy, a little bit dead, and absolutely fantastic.

#what moves the dead #t kingfisher #goth art #mushroom art #watercolor #book fanart #edgar allan poe #ursula vernon #skeleton drawing #book art #bookblr #witchy art #fantasy art

[swampcretures]

Three of Hearts

#swordheart #the temple of the white rat #my art #tarot #the saint of steel #ursula vernon #tkingfisher

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Church Ladies

Jessica Leonard: Submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of the church that hates witches Leonard: so this guy's dad was a lawyer but he gave it all up to be a farmer Leonard: and join a church Leonard: this guy just really loves church

Leonard: this farmer guy is all "hey i love tilling the soil, i'm gonna do that" Ursula Vernon: right right, tilling the soil Vernon: i mean, yeah, you gotta til the soil Vernon: real important part of being a farmer Vernon: probably the most important part

Leonard: so they join this church Leonard: but get this Leonard: it turns out this church Leonard: is disrespectful to women Angela Carter: whoa Leonard: i know, right???

Angela Carter: you're telling me this church doesn't respect womens autonomy? Leonard: no! in fact, they're kinda backwards on that issue Carter: wow Carter: well Carter: i would simply NOT go to that church

Leonard: yeah like this church says women can't be in leadership positions Carter: WOW Carter: well Carter: as a strong independent woman Carter: who is also intelligent Carter: i would not be down with that Patricia Highsmith: yeah i dunno i think they got a point

Carter: oh really patricia? is that so Highsmith: i'm just sayin' Highsmith: you know dames Highsmith: always yak yak yakkin' Highsmith: you want some skirt running a church council? Highsmith: she'll get her damn menses all over the tabernacle

Highsmith: look, i'm just sayin' Highsmith: women ain't there to do heavy thinkin' Highsmith: they're there to make casseroles and look pretty Highsmith: mostly look pretty Highsmith: i mean there ain't nothing like a dame am i right? Carter: Highsmith: the boys know what i'm talkin' about Edward Lee: bro Lee: bro Lee: you're being kinda problematic bro Highsmith: i'm just sayin' what we're all thinkin!

Leonard: so the church ladies are all "we love making casseroles for our men" Leonard: "also i haven't cum in 20 years, i should pray on that" Carter: this is like scary accurate church lady dialogue

Leonard: so the reverend is all "hmm our church ladies are getting too mouthy" Leonard: "what if we sent them to a torture farm for a weekend" Leonard: "ya know, just to scare 'em back in line" Leonard: but that's when these church ladies Leonard: stop making casseroles Leonard: and start getting real

Leonard: so the women are all "man, this church sucks! it hates women and its obsessed with witches" Leonard: "we should, like, join a different church"

#midnight pals #the midnight society #midnight society #jessica leonard #ursula vernon #edward lee #patricia highsmith #angela carter

[ibrithir-was-here]

Back from vacation! And instead of fixing my sleep schedule properly I made two fan covers of @tkingfisher ‘s fantastic fairytale book ‘Nettle and Bone’ cuz I have no self control xD

Also I haven’t drawn in a week and that’s waaaay too long for me. Anyway go check out the book!

It’s really fun and spooky and has the feel of an epic fairytale DnD campaign; with the fantastic cast of motley heroes—a sort of a nun princess, a fay stolen soldier, a dust-witch with a demon possessed chicken, a comfy fairy godmother who’s more then she seems and The Best Dog who happens to be made of bones—all off to save a princess from a wicked prince, while traveling through a deliciously creepy Goblin Market, a forest of sympathetic cannibals, and one of the most incredibly scary dungeon crawls I’ve ever encountered.

#my art #nettle and bone #t kingfisher #ursula vernon #book recommendations #fairy tales #fairytale books #dark fantasy #please understand when I compare it to feeling like a DnD campaign I mean it in all the best and funnest ways #epic and funny and crazy and moving #other people’s awesome writing #book fanart #book cover design #book covers

[jeremywhitley]

Are you in North Carolina? Do you like good books and people talking to each other about good books? Do you enjoy air conditioning or the sound of a sharpie scratching across paper? Are you looking for a place to sit down and talk about good dogs?

All of these are good reasons to join me and Ursula Vernon for the launch event for The Dog Knight on 5/16 at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill! It’s literally five minutes down the road from UNC where I went to college and met my wife! 

Come join us! You can bring other books for me to sign, but I’d really love for you to get this one too! And I’m sure Flyleaf would like that too.

#jeremy whitley #comic #comics #the dog knight #unstoppable wasp #princeless #flyleaf books #signing #ursula vernon

[tkingfisher]

I have been doodling a lot on my iPad mini these days, after a couple of years of just not feelin’ anything artwise. But I have shamefully neglected to post them to Tumblr! So have an art dump!

It started with a sheep. I was messing around with new watercolor tools and crosshatching tools, thought “that looks kinda like a sheep” and then took out the bits that didn’t look like a sheep.

The noble Aukhound, originally bred to herd migratory seabirds. These majestic, slightly damp creatures are now used extensively in ecological restoration work.

I do this whenever I see a frog.

Then I was just in the mood for weird shadowy cloaked figures.

You know that’s a clove cigarette.

Portrait Of A Creature With A Chicken On Its Head

Just two weird little creatures having tea together.

#art #artdump #ursula vernon #procreate

[bookofthegear]

Long, long ago, before Twitter descended into its end-stage hellscape, I ran a few iterations of a weird little choose-your-own-adventure game there, where I used the poll functions to offer options as we traversed a strange concrete labyrinth. I’d like to do that again. But as the shortest poll I can run is one day, this is more like a play-by-mail than a real-time on-the-fly. Fewer choices, but hey, you do get much longer descriptions!

The Rules

- Your choices are by majority poll (though if there are two identical options, they may be weighed together)

- If y’all choose to do something boneheaded, you WILL die, and the game will begin again with a new adventurer (who may someday find your corpse!)

- If y’all choose to retire and raise cabbages, by god, I will send you home to raise cabbages, which is sort of a happily ever after

- If you played on Twitter, please be kind and don’t spoiler too hard for the new players! Also, don’t assume the maze is still the same…

- Life being what it is, I cannot promise every update will land as soon as the poll closes—I love you guys, but y’know

Let’s begin, shall we?

You, friend, are the latest graduate of the Wentworth School Of Exploration and Adventure (Goooo Fighting Codfish!) the second-best explorer’s school in the city. You left behind your grandmother’s cabbage farm in pursuit of higher, better, possibly more fatal things.

It was at Wentworth that you first came across a reference to the works of Eland the Younger, that wandering naturalist, historian…okay, occasionally out-and-out liar…and his great fragmentary work, the Book of the Gear. It detailed his descent into a great clockwork labyrinth, filled with strange creatures and stone gears. Even for Eland, it’s a bit weird. Most scholars dismiss it outright as a fabrication, and the few professors who would talk to you about it strongly suggested that it was dangerous and you should ignore any rumors about its location and do something else. (Possibly on one of their projects! For course credit, obviously, not money.)

You didn’t listen. It was all just more academic cabbages as far as you’re concerned. It took a lot of research and guesswork and a lot of slogging, but after cutting your way through the overgrown woods, miles from any town, you find yourself standing before a stone wall with an immense crack in it. The edge of a stone gear taller than a man is just visible inside.

A small finch sits on a branch nearby, waiting.

Wentworth students are highly trained in the arts of adventuring, including Hiking, Skulking, Orienteering, and deciphering avian interpretive dance. Which brings us to the first question!

#choose your own adventure #gearworld #ursula vernon #t kingfisher

[godzilla-reads]

The much-anticipated sequel to “What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher!

I picked this up at Dreamhaven Books when I realized it was released and I had no clue! It is finally in my clutches, so happy reading!

#godzilla reads #what feasts at night #t kingfisher #ursula vernon #book blog #new books #books and flowers #what moves the dead #reading #bookworm #booklr #bookish #booklover

[kinsey3furry300]

If I had a Nickel for each time one of the best horror/fantasy authors currently out there wrote a take on the classic gothic haunted house story where the twist was “Mushrooms”, I’d have two nickels… which is not a lot but it’s still weird that it happed twice.

#ursula vernon #silvia moreno garcia #t kingfisher #what moves the dead #mexican gothic #do not fuck with the mushrooms #mycology #horror #fantasy #gothic horror #haunted house #heinz doofenshmirtz #doofenshmirtz meme