youcouldmakealife

[youcouldmakealife]

Georgie

Is it really reminiscing if you don't miss it?

#fic update #still always in tandem

[youcouldmakealife]

Hate to break it to you but potentially 'cards on the table' should've been called 'the wooing offensive'

I still rather like it as a title because I expected the cards on the table to be like, a run of spades, but instead Holden showed his cards and apparently it's hearts fucking everywhere.

But teach Holden a form of poker called 'the wooing offensive' and he is ALL IN. (James disapproves of gambling. If any of you are surprised by this fact I have failed as an author.)

But I give. I'll admit it: what it really should have been called is Cards on the Table.

#cards on the table

[youcouldmakealife]

Do you think if you had started Brandon/Milan BEFORE Holden/James, Cards off the Table would have had a greater chance of remaining the intended angst filled hate-sex we thought might be possible?

This is a really interesting question. I think probably not, because the tonal change came from the characterisation rather than outside forces? COTT did start while Jared was wrapping things up in the most over the top soft way ever, and even Georgie was falling madly in love with his daughter, so they were set up at a good time to be combative.

Interestingly Holden and James didn't significantly change on me, like Bryce did, but the changes that did occur as I wrote my way into knowing them better were pretty fundamental.

I think I sort of...underestimated just how meaningful finding someone who actually gets them is. Yes, they've both been lucky enough to find that, to some extent, in a best friend, but both have had deeply unsatisfying romantic history (that neither would actually call romantic history), and both would swear up and down that they're not lonely, but, well. Neither of them have gone more than an hour without each other since that first night out, so maybe that's not quite true?

I also think I mistook James at the beginning as a fundamentally angry person, but it's mostly just Exasperated and Tired. (Holden is a fundamentally angry person -- the man is driven by spite and Dunkin' -- but even when it was going to be hate sex, he was always utterly fascinated with James and his composure, poking James for a reaction, and reacting to said reaction.

So with a change in James' behaviour, Holden's behaviour changes too. If James isn't acting like he's inherently superior to Holden, Holden isn't on the defensive. Just on the offensive now. The wooing offensive.

#cards on the table #holden chase #james erickson

[youcouldmakealife]

Last call to fill your brackets! At 5pm eastern the puck drops and the postseason is officially underway! (well, realistically it'll more like 5:13, and that's if they don't get cute with a ceremony, but semantics. You've got 'til 5.)

Bracket Challenge

It has been awhile sports fans, but this year I'm bringing the bracket challenge back. I'm juggling BTT publication, ongoing writing projects, and my new part-time job cooing utter nonsense at a baby, so this year there will only be one grand prize, a 1000+ word prompt, for whomever guesses the Stanley Cup Winning Team*

But it's always been a lot of fun to see who everyone picks to win it all, so here it is. I'll share the results with everyone at the end of each playoff round.

Teams have been randomised in the poll so as not to unduly bias anyone. If you're hesitant to vote because you don't know anything about hockey/the NHL, please know that picking by favourite name, team logo, or pure random chance is honestly likely to be just as accurate as most hockey insiders' predictions. Playoff hockey is many things, but it's rarely predictable, and I highly doubt this will be the year that changes.

I'm posting at this late hour because it's a pretty short window between the regular season and the start of the playoffs: You have until Saturday at 5 eastern to make your predictions. I'll reblog this at a more sensible time** tomorrow.

*random number generator will be the decider if multiple people are correct, which will almost certainly be the case.

**more sensible time eastern. I am sure your time is perfectly sensible.

#delete later #bracket challenge

[youcouldmakealife]

Bracket Challenge

It has been awhile sports fans, but this year I'm bringing the bracket challenge back. I'm juggling BTT publication, ongoing writing projects, and my new part-time job cooing utter nonsense at a baby, so this year there will only be one grand prize, a 1000+ word prompt, for whomever guesses the Stanley Cup Winning Team*

But it's always been a lot of fun to see who everyone picks to win it all, so here it is. I'll share the results with everyone at the end of each playoff round.

Teams have been randomised in the poll so as not to unduly bias anyone. If you're hesitant to vote because you don't know anything about hockey/the NHL, please know that picking by favourite name, team logo, or pure random chance is honestly likely to be just as accurate as most hockey insiders' predictions. Playoff hockey is many things, but it's rarely predictable, and I highly doubt this will be the year that changes.

I'm posting at this late hour because it's a pretty short window between the regular season and the start of the playoffs: You have until Saturday at 5 eastern to make your predictions. I'll reblog this at a more sensible time** tomorrow.

*random number generator will be the decider if multiple people are correct, which will almost certainly be the case.

**more sensible time eastern. I am sure your time is perfectly sensible.

[youcouldmakealife]

KS Fill: Mike/Liam; happy place

For the always welcome prompt: Anything where Mike and Liam are happy

Teensy bit NSFW because, well, it's Mike and Liam.

The kitchen’s always been Mike’s favourite room of the house.

Well, Liam would like to think it’s his second favourite room, but it probably isn’t. It’s not like they keep shit confined to the bedroom or anything anyway. There isn’t a surface in this house that Liam hasn’t gotten bent over at some point, though Mike was very, very thorough about disinfecting the kitchen counter after. Totally anal about it.

“Why are you snickering to yourself,” Mike says.

It doesn’t even come out suspicious, he’s gotten into such a rhythm cutting little stars out of a sheet of cookie dough. He probably wouldn’t admit this even to himself, but while Mike may like to cook, he loves to bake. Only ever does it for others, though, like the baking itself isn’t unmanly but eating the results is.

That means Liam usually only gets to sample his baking one filched cookie at a time, which is bullshit. But also, probably good for his career. Mike’s just as good at baking as he is at cooking. Possibly even better, but Liam’s got a sweet tooth, so he’s probably biased.

“Liam,” Mike says, and Liam realises he hasn’t bothered to answer.

“Thought of a sex joke,” Liam says.

Mike snorts. “Of course you did,” he says. “Do I want to hear it?”

“You always do,” Liam says. Mike secretly thinks he’s hilarious.

“Go ahead,” Mike says, trying and failing to sound long-suffering. Cutting little stars is clearly his happy place. Liam’s going to go completely nuts online later buying cookie cutters. He wonders if they have little skulls and crossbones or rockets or something. Maybe Mike will let them keep a batch of cookies if they’re badass enough. Probably not, but a man can hope.

“Remember how we fucked in the kitchen?” Liam asks.

“Which time?” Mike asks.

Liam waves a hand. “Irrelevant to the joke.”

“Okay,” Mike says. “Yes, I remember.”

“So I was thinking about how you were, you know, super thorough cleaning the counters off after?” Liam asks.

“I prepare food on these counters,” Mike says. “They need to be—“

“Not saying you shouldn’t have been,” Liam says. “Just, you know. That was kind of anal of you.”

Mike doesn’t stop himself from snorting in time. “That was bad,” he says, a second too late. “Completely juvenile.”

“I know,” Liam says cheerfully. Made Mike snort, though, so what does that say about him?

Mike looks down at his handiwork, a sea of stars across the baking sheet, enough for every member of the roster.

“You’re making two batches, right?” Liam asks. It’s just the team for this one, no significant others or kids, so technically only one batch is needed, but one per person doesn’t work out well. There are thieves on that team. He should know: he’s one of them.

“Three,” Mike says. “Make sure there’s enough for the support staff.”

Once again, Mike is going to be the most popular person at the team Christmas party. Third straight year. Liam thinks they should make him a trophy or something.

“Can we decorate them to be North Stars?” Liam asks. “Or is that not Christmassy enough?”

“Why do you think I picked stars, Fitzgerald?” Mike asks, and Liam grins at him. “Why don’t you make yourself useful, find the green food colouring for me?”

Liam has no idea where the fuck it would be, but he has eyes and hands and enthusiasm, and the full awareness that Mike will gripe at him from across the room like a backseat searcher until he locates it.

“Why would it be in there?” Mike asks, as Liam opens the cupboards, and Liam grins at the mixing bowls. The griping’s already begun.

“Baking stuff,” Liam says.

Mike sighs, and Liam moves one over.

“Liam,” he says, and Liam grins wider. “Really?”

“Tell me where to go, and I’m there,” Liam says, but instead Mike pins him against the counter, basically surrounding him. Liam leans back into him, closes his eyes when Mike wraps an arm around his chest, brushes his lips against Liam’s temple, the kind of thing he’d deny was a kiss if asked. ‘What? Kiss you? My mouth just happened to be in the area, don’t flatter yourself’.

Liam tilts his head up, and he gets a proper kiss for that, though Mike pulls away just as he’s starting to get a crick in his neck. He always seems to know, somehow.

Mike presses another not-kiss to his cheekbone, then smacks his ass. “Go find me the food colouring,” he says.

It takes ten minutes, and Mike almost throws the cookie cutter at him, but eventually Liam locates it.

“Can I help make the frosting?” he asks.

“You just want to lick the beaters,” Mike says, but he doesn’t say no.

#fic snippet #mike brouwer #liam fitzgerald

[youcouldmakealife]

Bracket Challenge

It has been awhile sports fans, but this year I'm bringing the bracket challenge back. I'm juggling BTT publication, ongoing writing projects, and my new part-time job cooing utter nonsense at a baby, so this year there will only be one grand prize, a 1000+ word prompt, for whomever guesses the Stanley Cup Winning Team*

But it's always been a lot of fun to see who everyone picks to win it all, so here it is. I'll share the results with everyone at the end of each playoff round.

Teams have been randomised in the poll so as not to unduly bias anyone. If you're hesitant to vote because you don't know anything about hockey/the NHL, please know that picking by favourite name, team logo, or pure random chance is honestly likely to be just as accurate as most hockey insiders' predictions. Playoff hockey is many things, but it's rarely predictable, and I highly doubt this will be the year that changes.

I'm posting at this late hour because it's a pretty short window between the regular season and the start of the playoffs: You have until Saturday at 5 eastern to make your predictions. I'll reblog this at a more sensible time** tomorrow.

*random number generator will be the decider if multiple people are correct, which will almost certainly be the case.

**more sensible time eastern. I am sure your time is perfectly sensible.

#bracket challenge

[youcouldmakealife]

Missing the hobgoblins -- do you think Milan is going to be one of that crew?

Milan is 100% a hobgoblin, born and raised.

Add Jessica (more a disaster than a hobgoblin, but she has embraced chaos as the manifestation of Gritty) and some of the more...mischievous Flyers, and there will hobgoblin, imp, AND gremlin representation.

And then there's Brandon. He's doing his best.

(Ironically I wanted to do these guys next because I thought levity was sorely needed because Holden/James alternating with Robbie/Georgie would be too heavy. Let's all take this moment to point and laugh at me.)

[youcouldmakealife]

Is Georgie next on the docket? Maybe? Possibly? Perhaps? Please, please, please!

Georgie's next!

#delete later

[youcouldmakealife]

The pun in the title Taylor are you proud

Always.

[youcouldmakealife]

Holden

has himself a game.

#fic update #cards on the table

[youcouldmakealife]

Just to tell you that Aaron’s last name is misspelt. It is Vazquez not Vasquez.

Not an error, just an alternative spelling! There are a number of variations of that surname, and Vásquez is, while not the original spelling, a fairly common variant.

#aaron vasquez #what's in a name

[youcouldmakealife]

KS Fill: Matt/Aaron; good first impression

For the prompt: Aaron and his mom come to see Matt play on the West Coast.

This was a fill for a Kickstarter supporter; they've generously allowed me to share this so everyone can enjoy.

It isn’t easy, getting his mother to go to a hockey game without telling her that the reason he wants her to go with him is because he’s dating one of the players. That things are serious. Serious enough that he’s trying to get a woman who gets cold in the shade on a summer day into an arena. A woman who changes the channel if any sport is on TV — except baseball, but he’s been assured that’s an exception she only makes when he’s around or if the game is one he’s playing in. A woman who makes sure to watch all the athlete profiles during the Olympics but never watches their actual events.

“I became a bit of a fan,” Aaron says, the first time she throws up her hands and asks him why he’s so intent on driving all the way to LA to see the Leafs play.

“You don’t have to drive hours and freeze your poor mother to death to watch them,” she says. “You can see them any time in Toronto, can’t you?”

Aaron would call her dramatic, but again: shade on a summer day.

“I’ve made a few friends on the team,” Aaron says, during his second attempt. “Thought I might catch up with them at the game.”

“That’s nice,” she says. “Maybe bring one of your cousins instead, go out after the game? I would just slow you down.”

The thing is, Aaron knows that if he told her that he was seeing Matt, that maybe seeing was an understatement, but he hadn’t actually seen him since the Jays season ended, and timezones and the unpredictability of Matt’s schedule means he’s barely even seen him on a screen since then, he knows that she’d be bundling up in her warmest coat and making Aaron tell her everything on the drive, listening avidly when she wasn’t scolding him for not telling her about Matt sooner or demanding that she meet Matt after the game.

But for some reason, Aaron can’t do it. It isn’t that he thinks Matt wouldn’t be okay with it, because he’s more chill about all this than Aaron is, and his family all knows about Aaron, even if they haven’t met him yet. It’s — he doesn’t know. He wants her to see Matt first, maybe. See him without knowing that he means something to Aaron, see him without any expectations, biases, even positive ones.

He wants her to take one look at him and go ‘that one seems nice’, even though he knows that wouldn’t happen, that they’ll be a hundred feet away, Matt just a number, a name too small to read without squinting. He wants her to like him.

It takes a bit of pleading and a night at a nice hotel, a reservation at a place he had to get a friend on the Angels to name drop for him, and offering to go shopping on Sunday, let her pick some things out for him, but when he drives up to LA Saturday afternoon, she’s in the passenger seat.

There’s a dramatic shiver when they do get down to ice level, but they just split a very nice bottle of wine and a good meal at an award-winning restaurant, so there’s some goodwill going on, and she keeps her phone in her purse, which is more than Aaron can say for a lot of the people around them.

Aaron’s still picking things up, but he knows enough by now to see the Leafs look a little slow, getting caught out easily, which probably isn’t a good sign. The Kings haven't manage to take advantage of it yet at least, though they’re pushing, and every whistle seems to happen in front of the Leafs’ net, the shoving matches getting a little more intense each time.

Aaron flinches as Matt starts to get into it with a guy who has some pounds on him, relieved when one of the linesmen intervenes before the gloves come off.

“Is one of your friends out there?” his mother asks. Maybe she saw the flinch. Maybe he’s got some other tell, one he doesn’t even know he’s showing. She’d probably just say it’s motherly intuition.

“You see the guy in the corner?” Aaron says. “The one with 22 on his back.”

“The one who just punched someone?” she says with a disapproving sniff.

“Uh,” Aaron says. “It was more of a roughing—“

“The one who just punched someone,” she repeats.

Matt and the King are both still wearing their gloves, so Matt would get a roughing call at most, but there may have been a punch thrown, gloved or not.

“That’s your friend?” she asks, after a moment.

Matt’s arguing as he gets escorted to the box. Aaron doesn’t know why. He really did punch someone. It may not be fighting, but it is a roughing call. But then he sees that only one penalty box door is open, and he understands entirely, indignant on his behalf. The King was just as involved as Matt was, and there were guys on the ice who dropped their gloves, should be in the box instead, or at least keeping him company in there.

“I—“ Aaron says. “Something like that.”

They’re both quiet. In the box, Matt’s fuming, and it’s hard not to fume himself, especially after the Kings finally break the stalemate with a power play goal. Aaron hopes they turn it around, and not just because if they don’t, Matt’s going to be annoyed all night. Apparently he's a fan.

“He seems nice,” his mother says. “Your friend.”

“Really?” Aaron says. “You seemed stuck on the punching, there."

“Well, they do that, don’t they,” she says. “In hockey.”

“Yeah,” Aaron says. “They do that.”

Not like he’s never been involved in a brawl himself, but in baseball they’re events. Hockey? Matt’s not even considered a fighter and Aaron’s handed over a few ice packs already.

“I’m sure the other guy deserved it,” his mother says, then, “What was that for?” when Aaron ducks down to kiss the top of her head.

“Nothing,” he says. “We’ll make a hockey fan out of you yet, mami.”

“God forbid,” she says, with a shudder that may be for effect, or just from the cold, and leans into him when he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

#matt o'connor #aaron vasquez #fic snippet #prompt fill

[youcouldmakealife]

James

lets Holden in.

#fic update #cards on the table

[youcouldmakealife]

1,3,6? I’m trying to figure it out, but I have the Fridays and so zero cognitive ability to be found. I figured one person on cover of CIFP represented the island of David and the three people on AT represented Kiro and Oleg becoming significant in his life. Obviously Jake is added for BTT, but I’m not sure of the other two? He gained quite a few friends and teammates that knew about him, but I wouldn’t put any of them as close to him as those three. So I am probably looking for the pattern at the wrong angle.

You're dead on about the first two. As for the third...

(spoilers for BTT below)

It's not so much the specific number itself as that David has multiple friends(!) and a team(!!) that he likes(!!!) and has built an actual support system around himself.

Once the concept was ironed out she specifically went hunting ~team images, and we quickly homed in on the wall of sticks and what that represents, both in general and to David. Over the course of the series David goes from an isolated, angry kid, to someone who cautiously makes space for a very select group of people, to part of a wider community, and we wanted to visually reflect that in the covers.

#btt publication

[youcouldmakealife]

Between the Teeth Cover Reveal

There's still a little ways to go before publication, so I'm not quite ready to put a date on things, but we're getting close enough for cover reveal time.

Finally, the third of the trilogy comes in to pay off, the titles combining to become an absolute groaner of a double entendre (not sorry, never sorry).

The covers were conceptualized and worked on simultaneously, and the pay off is here as well.

A simple problem: complete the pattern (1, 3, _).

All three are below:

#btt publication

[youcouldmakealife]

Is there a nibling update?!

My beautiful niece was born Tuesday morning. I'm obviously biased but I think she's perfect.

#the author talks about herself sometimes