Two hot off the press HR recs, and an older GC one.

cut to the feeling - by Charlotte_Stant, one of my fave authors in HR and HR RPF. For magical realism reasons, 18 y.o. Shane wakes up in the body and life of himself at age 35, married to Ilya. It's brilliant, very funny and just the best "crack taken seriously" imaginable. Also hot as hell. So good.

Torture Me (With All I've Wanted) - by Toomuchplor, also an absolute fave author. 17 y.o. Shane and Ilya end up on a long bus ride together. Under a blanket. Yes, it's super hot but all the details are so lovely, the writing so good. I love it.

And so it's gonna be forever has already been reccd by people and is still a WIP damn it, but it's completely addictive. I just loooove fix-it fics, and in this, Ilya dies in the Centaurs' plane crash but is magically transported back to his teens again, reliving his life with all his future memories intact, determined to get it righter this time - and boy, does he make some changes. I could do without a few of the mystical bits but the majority of this fic is like pure crack to me.

Title: Fragile and Unprovable Things
Fandom: Batman: Wayne Family Adventures
Characters/Pairings: Jason Todd, Damian Wayne
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with DC. It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jason tries to cheer Damian up. He wasn't ready to question what he wants for his future.
A/N: Written for Przed for the 2024 Yuletide. Thank you to midnightclarity for the beta. Title is from Coming Home by Mary Oliver. Jason talks about reading Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher.

( Fragile and Unprovable Things )

Strawberry Lemonade Pie (BPAL) - free imp w/ purchase. no site description.

On application sweetness and citrus. Sweettart candy vibes. There's a something else in there with food vibes, but I can't identify it.

After a few minutes the candy smell is gone and the food thing is stronger, but I still can't identify it. Maybe it's like pie crust? But if pie crust was derogatory. It's not a good smell.

Few minutes later: if I sit really still I get the nice candy smell. If I move at all it's bad wanna be pie crust. I think the pie crust is burnt. I think that's why it's bad.

Like a half hour / 45 minutes later - migraine says no more scent enrichment for me today. Burnt crust with no candy left.

I've been applying my scent to a small bit of cotton ball in a scent locket on a bracelet. There is little to no "warming" of the scent, but I don't have skin reactions and have to deal with hives. The trade off is worth it to me.

ONLINE E-BOOK (html, epub, mobi, pdf, and xhtml)

Free at my website.

The Motley Crew (The Thousand Nations). When a young man named Dolan flees from the north, he faces danger on all sides. The Northern Army wants him back. The Empire of Emor wants him dead. His native homeland of Koretia may not want him at all. And his only protection is a man with motives that are mysterious and possibly deadly.

New installment:

3 | Suspicion of the Guards. Why bother to guard a man who has the ability to torment you?

REISSUES

Already available free at my website, these two omnibuses are now also available at AO3, SqWA, and Ream.

Law Links: Novel and Side Stories (The Three Lands). Few events are more thrilling in a young man's life than a blood feud between two villages. Or so Adrian thought.

Death Mask: Novel and Side Stories (Death Mask). For eighteen years, he has survived in an army unit where few soldiers live more than two or three years. Now he finds himself in circumstances where his life is a living hell. Will the soldier who defied death find that life is too great a challenge?

BLOG FICTION

Tempestuous Tours (Crossing Worlds: A Visitor's Guide to the Three Lands #2). A whirlwind tour of the sites in the Three Lands that are most steeped in history, culture, and the occasional pickpocket.

New installments:

• Capital of Emor.
• The City Court and Law Academy.
• Physicians' Quarters and Medical Academy.
• Engineers' Rooms and Engineering Academy.

NEWS & UPCOMING FICTION

As of January 20, Amazon Kindle began allowing customers to download some of its DRM-free ebooks in epub and pdf. I've opted in my e-books to this program.

My apologies to Ream readers for the formatting quirks in the Ream editions of Law Links and Death Mask. I worked with Ream's forever-patient customer service for eight months to try to work out the conversion problems I encountered, before I had to give up. The text isn't affected by the formatting issues, you'll be happy to know.

"Heir" (The Three Lands: Blood Vow side story) – delayed because of my concussion last year – will be my next release.

I am learning to knit! I am very proud of my casting on, and am working on the tension while actually knitting. Today, I did multiple rows for the first time; I got up to row four before I tangled something too badly to continue and started over.

I am currently using a giant pair of kids' plastic needles that C. had from a kit she did last year, and some neon purple acrylic yarn. I also have a nice pair of circular needles that drinkingcocoa helped me to pick out at our local yarn store; I started with those, but am now seeing how a longer row works.

I have no idea how long it will take for me to knit something that I'd actually wear, but the point for me is the process. It requires some concentration plus being in the moment, and will be a good thing to do while waiting for things or, potentially, getting back into listening to audioplays and the like. Plus, it's more mobile than doing a puzzle.

My many friends who knit are so excited..

My first attempt at hand carving the Seattle Kraken logo into rubber to make a stamp for my journal. Not great... but I don't hate it.

Oh, should probably provide a reference for what the logo looks like. *hastily makes icon* There! I will take a few more stabs are getting the center tentacle right, but also... is not terrible.

I enjoyed it!

Before I talk about the movie I want to be meta about the whole hype going on right now. The original game it's based on is low poly, low resolution, almost no dialogue, extremely basic controls and only a few interactions. Extremely few assets at all. There is not one pixel more than is needed. It is the epitome of 'minimum viable product'

This is all you see for most of the game:


The game barely even exists even by indie horror standards. This should be a case study in 'finish your projects'.

How long it took the guy to make it, we don't know. AFAIK he's never talked about it. Was this the result of years of thought on minimalism or a weekend fever dream?

Anyway, I enjoyed the film but I don't know how it will hit with people unfamiliar with indie horror games or

IYKYK

SCP Foundation.

I don't think this was a project designed to escape containment.

Basically, I expect wont hit with most mainstream reviewers and people outside the scene coming to check it out due to buzz, but the large group of teens in the theater with me gathered in the hallway after to start breaking down all the details.

Poor Clickbait has finally passed on to the greenbean fields in the sky.



He was the first katydid Alex caught last summer. August 6th was the first day I heard a katydid clicking in the trees, and Alex caught him later that same night.

He was the smallest of the three that we had last year, and the "fussiest." He would make little tiny territorial clicks at just about everything; water running in the sink and cereal bags crinkling were big for him, haha. He acted like he wanted to make sure everyone knew that he was the toughest katydid in the room!

And it turns out he was! Typically broad-winged katydids like ours only live a couple months as adults; the two from last year both died in October, I think, and the two others from this year died in late October/early November. When Clickbait was still going strong, I thought it would be really cool if he made it all the way to December, but I didn't expect it. Then he did. Then I thought "Christmas? Christmas katydid?" And he was here at Christmas! "All the way to the new year??" And he made it to the new year!

I was very sad he finally passed, though a little glad he waited until I was home from the hospital. (I returned late on Thursday; he passed on Saturday morning.) He clicked all the way up through the end, with plenty to say even on Friday night! But he didn't eat his Friday night beans, and then he went down to the bottom of the cage, which is always how it goes at the end. :(

It's hard to even say "aw, poor guy" because he lived more than twice, approaching three times as long as expected! He was just about two weeks shy of hitting six months, which is wild!

I'll miss him. He was a fun little guy to have, and the overnights are just a little too quiet without him click-click-clicking like mad. I hope that some of our katydid eggs (most of which were probably sired by Three, but some of which were sired by Clickbait) will hatch, and we might have some of his progeny roaming around.


(Eating green beans, his truest love.)

---

For me: I am recovering! The process of trying to gather everything required for the leave application has been the biggest frustration and time sink and stress of the last week. (There will probably be a bigger post about how much I hate government paperwork later.) For now, it at least feels like things are improving. Food has mostly been sitting well, though I'm still trying to be really cautious. (Lots of soup. Lots of yogurt. Some toast.) I would commit minor crime for a pizza or something, but I think that'll have to be a few days out, still. My guts are still not right, but seem to be slightly better than they were. My incision sites still look pretty gross, but are healing well. Trying to walk more, as advised, to deal with the fact that I am still just bonkers bloated.

Thank you so, so much for all the kind thoughts and comments. I'm going to try to respond to at least the most recent ones. I am also going to try to get caught up on the weeks of stuff I've missed here, but it'll take me a while. I hope everyone else has had a better few weeks than I have!

* I need a new hoodie, but I am going to do this amazing things where instead of buying it today, I am going to buy it tomorrow and that solidarity is going to fix everything! No change is spending or behavior patterns, no need to like actually sully your karma by voting, but boy howdy me waiting a day is going to show the billionaires for reasons!

Some very left-leaning small businesses here in PDX were posting against the general strike, asking what the demands were and how they could be satisfied even if we had them, asking who organized this and what the message even is. Then they later posted they were closing today, because people are so in love with the idea that this is going to send a message. One bookstore is now asking for donations because of how closing on a Friday and what they'll need to cancel will effect them. Small businesses are going to feel the pinch more than Amazon. Why the fuck are they included in this? And don't get me started on the 'don't go to school' part of this.

Anyway, the best and most cost effective place to get said hoodie and some other stuff I need is Target, but I haven't touched them since their bullshit and still wont.

A small catch-up with works I've posted to AO3 recently and not mentioned in other posts. There are three seasonal exchanges I take part in each year, so it's been a productive time for me. I also feel much less blocked in terms of writing fic, with Heated Rivalry getting me fannishly excited again, and my other fandoms have been benefiting.

Things I wrote, podficced, or arted in Procreate:

due South seekrit santa:
Roommates (Fraser/Ray Vecchio & Ray Kowalski, Dief)

Stargate Atlantis secret santa:
The Ancient Texts (Gen, Ronon & John)
Bribery (Jack O'Neill Gen, background John/Rodney - a mod treat)

SGA Discord Server annual fic exchange:
A Good Walk, Spoiled (Team, John/Rodney, Action/adventure)
and It Takes a Village (Gen, Radek & Biro)
and in the Leftover Treats category of the exchange:
A New Lease of Life (older John/Rodney, Explicit)
and The Way To a Man's Heart (Ronon/Rodney, Teen)

In podfic, just the one:
Christmas At Dukes Denver by Persiflager for ITPE (Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. Harriet/Peter)

My fanart's still all Heated Rivalry - unsurprising, with such inspiring material!
Ya Tebya Lyublyu (I Love You) for the drawesome romance prompt (Shane/Ilya)
Shane's Emotional Support Crotch (2 chapters/works so far, maybe planning more) (Shane/Ilya, NSFW)
Touch Yourself (Shane)

And of course I've enrolled for way too many Big Bangs etc, in HR. One is ICE OUT a tumblr-based HR fanworks auction to raise funds to support those combating ICE. Sign ups as a creator are almost closed, and the bidding starts in a couple of days.

Okay, so this vid is wonderful (courtesy of a rec by dine). It's long, lushly romantic, and Jesus, why is the kissing montage in the middle so goddamn hot?

a thousand years by mybelovedismine

Thinking about why some vids work for me and others don't. First, I have to like the song. If I don't, no amount of clever editing will save it. Sometimes a really great song will carry me through average editing, but not vice versa. But a good song plus clever editing, so the vid's coherent and well-matched to the lyrics? That's the very best.

---

And here are some maybe controversial recs: not everyone likes RPF, so dl;dr. It's damn hard not to be delighted by Hudson and Connor, though, with their obviously close friendship and the way they cheerfully talk about loving each other at the drop of a hat.

I hate it when people read more into that and make shit up, causing drama in public spaces like social media - as Jacob said, Shane and Ilya are for the fans, Hudson and Connor are private. But creating RP fiction about them in a fanspace like AO3 doesn't bother me at all as long as no one brings it to their attention. Fanwriters have created RPF for years and although I've never been in any of the big RPF sports fandoms like hockey or baseball, I've enjoyed Joe/David RPF in Stargate Atlantis, in particular. Plus there's the whole Jared/Jensen pairing in Supernatural.

There's some incredibly good Hudcon RPF. There's also some very mediocre stuff, so here are a few of my specially selected recs. The writing is top tier in all of these, and they're all rated explicit.

Carterhaugh, Ontario by charlotte_stant. After filming, the boys go back to Connor's room to hang out, and end up fucking. Gorgeous banter, funny and nuanced, just great characterisation. Hudson's pov.

"Ya Blew It!" with Jay and Dan & Obvious - a 2-part series by falsescience (YankingAwry). This features complex relationships as the boys inveigle Jacob into a throuple – the first one's in Jacob's pov, with Hudson seducing him at the TSN SportsCentre set. Brilliant insights into actors & directing, funny, and super hot. The second part is Connor's pov - Hudson and Connor hanging out, fucking, and talking about what happened with Jacob, with Hudson setting Connor up for his own encounter. Amazing characterisation, and the Jacob aspect wasn't off-putting for me as the Hudson/Connor relationship is so resilient and lovely. (Also, have you seen JT's IMDB pic from younger years? He was hot!)

for the sake of auld lang syne by twnkwlf. This is Connor's pov, while he's staying with Hudson in Vancouver for New Years. It's mostly them hanging out lazily and talking, then fucking, and like the other recs here the characterisation is funny, subtle and feels bang on target. Excellent stuff.

that indescribable feeling by thermocline. Six encounters, real or imagined, in their developing, complex relationship. Beautifully written, balanced on an aching edge of ambiguity, and fundamentally hopeful. Alternating POVs.

Humble Bumble has on their site a Big Finish Doctor Who audio bundle for sale for the next ~20 days. The full bundle costs US $493 but can be obtained in full if you donate a minimum of US $18. The audios available in this bundle:

The Sontarans (minimum US $1 donation)
The Auntie Matter (minimum US $1 donation)
The Black Hole (minimum US $10 donation)
The Third Doctor Adventures Vol. 1 (minimum US $10 donation)
Night of the Vashta Nerada (minimum US $10 donation)
Empire of the Racnoss (minimum US $10 donation)
The Carrionite Curse (minimum US $10 donation)
Day of the Vashta Nerada (minimum US $10 donation)
Ravagers (minimum US $18 donation)
Infernal Devices (minimum US $18 donation)
The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles Vol. 1 (minimum US $18 donation)
Ravenous 1 (minimum US $18 donation)
The Diary of River Song Series Three (minimum US $18 donation)
UNIT: Silenced (minimum US $18 donation)
Theater of War (minimum US $18 donation)
Expiry Dating (minimum US $18 donation)
The Elite (minimum US $18 donation)

All proceeds go to BBC Children in Need.

The new year has started and I almost forgot about monthly recs already.
To start with, three Hermitcraft fanworks, 1 animation and two fics: fusions with Slay the Spire, Uma Musume, and Pokémon (knowledge of other fandoms not required.)

Slay the Citadel by cocoabats
Animation, Hermitcraft s10/Slay the Spire
Summary: i spent way too much time on this but hey! decked out 2 in the style of slay the spire!
slay the citadel?
Why I love it: This is so cool! I know nothing about Slay the Spire but all the Hermitcraft parts are so fitting and look so cool and the atmosphere is so great.

( and two fics )

* I am excited to watch the Kraken game tonight, especially since it should be a Joey start... but I have D&D tonight so no hockey watching.

* I just leveled my character and had to redo all my pages of combat notes... I will never not hate how D&D chooses to lay out information across their books in a way that makes you need to check multiple chapters to get all the info. People are like 'GURPS is such a complicated system!' No, it's not. The basic calculations are in numerical format and we have charts. D&D info is a word problem with the words spread out between pages 15 and 293.

* IDK what is going on with the Conjuring House right now. There is a typically fairly drama-loving clickbaity youtuber who was covering it, and in the absence of my usual sources I decided to watch his update... and his update was that the matter had devolved into so much doxxing and doing illegitimate copyright strikes and stuff that he's noping out of covering it for the time being. Jason Hawes did a video a bit ago not saying the full situation, but pointing out that a lot of other people's takes were fundamentally wrong. So, I am just going to go by whether he says anything or not until this resolves. I am sure enough that the doxxing, strikes, trying to drag in family members, etc does Not come from Jason's camp, it's against his. I am curious if it's coming from the Rife camp, but what it would take to look into with all of my known sources deciding it's too hot to touch... yeah, I've got better things to do with my time.

Just going to hope to wake up one day to the news that Jason got the house.

* Because I need someone not HR/hockey in my media diet to avoid burning out hard, I'm going to start a new Scarlet Hollow playthrough. Hopefully, the next chapter will be out by the time I get there. (It's a chaptered visual novel about going to town in Appalachia your family came from. Spooky, amazing, fantastic, but accounting for the very many possible branching paths means the final chapters are taking a bit. Chapter 5 of 7 should be out soonish, tho)

I need to decide what traits to do, because even though I have a couple of saves this will likely be the one I roll into the new content with.

OMG this HR vid by Nestra! I love it!

from the beginning