the things stars are made of

Writer | Space Biologist | Gamer | Bookworm I post what I want. Probably lots of cosmemes Spoilers tagged for new books but probably not on old ones

[hydrogenandhelium]

I keep finding people reposting this book I made on different social media platforms so I figure I might as well post it here myself so I can get my meaningless tumblr points too

Just to be clear I am NOT sorry. I truly believe that the world needed this

Process vids on IG/TT/YT @ starlitbindery if watching 1 min videos of books getting rebound is your thing

[hydrogenandhelium]

I bought a dresser on Wayfair once and now they constantly email me about dresser deals. I have a dresser already. The ONE SINGLE THING they know about me is that I ALREADY own a dresser

[hydrogenandhelium]

Not once in my life have I ever walked into a dark dead end alley and found a treasure chest full of rare items and money and I just think that’s bullshit

[chongoblog]

ITS APRIL 13 YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS

FETCH ME NEIL

[chongoblog]

[teathattast]

Happy Neil banging out the tunes day!

[hydrogenandhelium]

Do you have a fun cosmere fandom memory from this year? Could be art you saw or fic you read, a funny interaction on tumblr or reddit, something that happened at Dragonsteel Nexus if you happened to be able to go... Whatever comes to you!

I definitely have to pick the way my meme rebind of oathbringer blew up. I fully was not expecting so many people to love it so much

(Side note, I close on my house in 4 days, then it’s some minor renos and then moving in, then I’ll finally be able to make some copies to sell and follow through on my promise for a full Stormlight series rebind featuring all the sexy main characters)

If I can’t pick my own rebind then it’s the release of The Way of Kings: A New Dawn by world renowned author Glenda (Gledan) Hidleston!!!

It was a good year to be in the fandom (especially if you’re a chronic shitposter)

Also, sorry it took me so long to answer this!! I saw it when you asked but my life is just pure chaos what with buying a house and I forgot to come back until now

[hydrogenandhelium]

I never fucking post on here I KNOW IM SORRY but

I started learning how to rebind books and I made this! (There’s also a link to my Etsy shop at the bottom if you want to buy it 😊)

I also make videos of the process if you are interested! (It’s the same video on the different sites)

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8RvqRQC/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAtaXC7vfAn/?igsh=MTVvenc1N2tlYzJiMw==

Youtube: https://youtube.com/shorts/0gcBssROP2w?si=aVU9Q0nz4VQJR5oe

And this set is available on Etsy! https://starlitbindery.etsy.com/listing/1804587073

[hydrogenandhelium]

Just in case you were interested in this set I just finished another one and it’s available:

Fall into the rabbit hole with these clothbound special editions of the Locked Tomb series! Each book was hand rebound in black cloth with o

Process vids on my tt/insta!

Probably the last books I’ll be selling for a few months, I’m about to close on a house!

[hydrogenandhelium]

i’m absolutely dyyying over your oathbringer oh my god. would you ever make more and sell them?

I am planning to make more of them! I’m also working on buying a house so it’s going to be a while before I’m able to get them out, but they will be coming! If you want to have a chance to get one I recommend following my TikTok/instagram/youtube (starlitbindery) because I honestly always forget I have a tumblr but when I have some available I’ll for sure be posting there

[hydrogenandhelium]

I never fucking post on here I KNOW IM SORRY but

I started learning how to rebind books and I made this! (There’s also a link to my Etsy shop at the bottom if you want to buy it 😊)

I also make videos of the process if you are interested! (It’s the same video on the different sites)

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8RvqRQC/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAtaXC7vfAn/?igsh=MTVvenc1N2tlYzJiMw==

Youtube: https://youtube.com/shorts/0gcBssROP2w?si=aVU9Q0nz4VQJR5oe

And this set is available on Etsy! https://starlitbindery.etsy.com/listing/1804587073

[hydrogenandhelium]

[hydrogenandhelium]

I just finished A Deadly Education and I’m DYING that I don’t already own The Last Graduate. That ENDING!?????!!!! I wish there was a 24 hour bookstore.

Is it weird if I buy the ebook just to start it tonight and then go to the bookstore tomorrow to buy the paperback?? (I checked Libby, months long hold ☹️)

[hydrogenandhelium]

Update: I’m on page 85 of TLG and I am ENTHRALLED. I can’t believe I slept on this series for so long.

If only I had MORE TIME to read (and less focus-destroying anxiety)

[hydrogenandhelium]

Those are you who are following this saga will be happy to know I just finished The Last Graduate and I am once again DYING. At least this time I was smart enough to buy The Golden Enclaves ahead of time

[hydrogenandhelium]

If some company made a tomato soup that was gluten and dairy free and came in a single serving package (so I could keep it in my desk at work) I would simply die. The only GF/DF tomato soup at my grocery store comes in 1 lb cans. What the fuck am I supposed to do with 1 lb of tomato soup??

[hydrogenandhelium]

I decided to try the 1 lb of tomato soup and

1 lb of tomato soup is less than I expected. The whole thing fit in my bowl.

It’s kind of weird. More like tomato sauce than soup, just not as strongly flavored. I like Rao’s sauce so it doesn’t taste bad, but I do kind of feel like I am eating a bowl of watered down pasta sauce.

Maybe I just need to learn how to make tomato soup. And can stuff. Am I willing to take that on???

Anyway hit me with your good tomato soup recipes, especially if they don’t use flour.

[cosmere-polls]

Confess your cosmere sins.

Has never read a WOB in their life

Didn't hate the Wired article

"Elantris is shitty"

Has never cried while reading a Hoid Story

Encountered Kelsier for the first time... in fortnite

Posts about the same Stormlight character >10 times/week

Doesn't bother with any of the short fiction

Has no strong feelings about Moash, either way

First Cosmere book was White Sand

Ignores the epigraphs altogether

Pronounces Kelsier the same way as Branderson does

Thinks the Rithmatist is part of the Cosmere

Voting ended onAug 4, 2024

[hydrogenandhelium]

If some company made a tomato soup that was gluten and dairy free and came in a single serving package (so I could keep it in my desk at work) I would simply die. The only GF/DF tomato soup at my grocery store comes in 1 lb cans. What the fuck am I supposed to do with 1 lb of tomato soup??

[takenbtwind]

Shallan third-wheeling the Truthwatcher boyfriends let's GOOOOO

[hydrogenandhelium]

Shallan isn’t going to third wheel, she’s going to wingman

[hydrogenandhelium]

Any fantasy-focused discord based writing groups looking for new members?

I promise I'm at least decent. I've got an original WIP and can send a longer writing sample via DM if needed.

I'd prefer a smaller group but I'm open to anything right now. I'd love to have a place to bounce ideas around and get some alpha critiques.

I'm in the US (Houston area, if it matters) and work typical day job hours, so I do most of my writing in the evening.

Hit me up if you know of something. I put a small sample of my writing (cut and paste from the middle of my book, so the world building/magic system isn't explained) below the cut.

Vost released Parit and used his uninjured hand to steady his grip on his axe. His eyes gleamed, and Thara knew he had been expecting her to call Sisk. Still, the only chance she had against a well-formed plan was to beat Vost with skill. He prowled to her right, where her reach was shortest when calling Sisk. She spun on her toes, raising her sword to meet his axe, but he did not swing at her. Instead, he dropped to the ground and rolled, then leapt to his feet behind her. His hand clamped around her forehead, wrenching her head back. She felt the sharp edge of his axe against her neck. Thara froze and released her mark. “I am sorry for your death, Thara. But when you die, I am free. That is my choice.” Thara laughed. At her side, she pressed her thumb against the rune on her first finger, calling Nikit. “You believe Valeske? You think that killing me will make you free?” she mocked, sliding one foot back between his legs. Although Nikit gave the gift of soundless movement, she took Thara’s speed as payment. Thara felt like she was dragging her foot through thick mud, instead of the familiar sand of the arena. “Do you know how much your master gave Valeske to put you in the arena today? If I die, he will find a new Chainbreaker. If you kill me, he will choose you.” It was a lot of words to say such a simple truth, but she had to keep Vost distracted until she was ready to act. Vost stiffened. “He cannot force a free man into the arena.” He sounded unsure. “He will give you a choice,” she agreed. “You can become the Chainbreaker, or he will kill you. You think the nobility will care if a freed slave dies? You think they will seek justice? You are a fool.” She felt the edge of his axe bite into the skin of her neck, drawing a small amount of blood. Her foot was almost in position. “I will be free,” he said, still sounding uncertain. Thara laughed. “There are no freed slaves in Havir.” “Then I’ll kill you and then myself. No more slaves will die.” “Slaves will always die, as long at it’s profitable. I’ve killed more obedient slaves than rebellious ones. Their masters bring them here for the pleasure of ignoring the law. Whether it’s me, or you, or someone else, Olethi Arena will always have a Chainbreaker. You called me legendary, but I’m not. I’m only the first.”

[batboyblog]

every once and awhile a post (and there are a few of them) will go around about how every bad thing in American life can be traced back to Reagan, and generally speaking this often times true enough.

but more and more I'm feeling like we're living through the anti-Reagan Revolution rn, that like in 40-ish years on whatever sci fi social media people will pass around the same kind of posts about the good things that have happened and the answer will be "Biden"

actually got serious on climate change? Biden

closed the racial wealth gap and brought about racial equity to the US economy? Biden

finally dealt with student loan debt? Biden

dealt with failing roads and bridges that we hadn't repaired since Reagan? Biden

brought drug prices under control and started capping them? Biden

idk its weird to live through a Revolution that everyone wants to ignore but such is life

[hydrogenandhelium]

I understand why people are making posts like this but I really wish they would stop saying that student loan debt is “dealt with” (or “solved” or any of the other descriptors people keep putting to it).

He did what he could, yes. It’s better than it was. But there’s still a lot of work to do. So maybe stop trying to convince people to vote for him by ignoring that millions of people are still in tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt because they were sold a lie. My debt isn’t “dealt with”. That bill still comes every month. (Not to mention that trying to push this narrative that the problem has been solved means that his administration doesn’t have to keep working on it. I mean if everyone is happy and everyone considers it solved, why bother putting any more time or resources into doing more work?)

Instead of telling to people who are currently dealing with crushing student loan debt that their problem has been solved, emphasize how he’s still fighting. Highlight the recent adjustment they just made that lowered monthly payment for a lot of people.

Gaslighting and misinformation is the far right’s game plan. We have to be better than that.

[hydrogenandhelium]

I’m looking for a fantasy writing group. Discord based is great! I’ve never been in one before and online seems a great way to try it out. But if anyone knows about a group local to the SE Houston suburbs (Webster/Friendswood/Clearlake or surrounding areas) PLEASE let me know! Drop it in my DMs or an ask (which I won’t post) if you don’t want it posted up publicly. I can’t promise I’m good at storytelling but I do understand story structure and am decent with grammar so my work (hopefully) isn’t painful to read.

The book I’m working on is a fantasy with a hard magic system, and the story aims to explore ideas around consent—namely who can give it and the consequences of imbalances caused by social power dynamics. That means that my work will come with trigger warnings. There is absolutely no gratuitous SA (it gives me major ick to read it, no way I could write it), but even still I’d need a group where I’d have a space to share some SA and SA-adjacent writing (sex where consent can’t truly be given, and one scene with “normal” violence as a result of saying no, all shared with appropriate warnings ofc) and get honest feedback. If you happen to know of a good group I’d love an invite!

Below the cut is a few things I’d really like to put into the void so I don’t feel like I’m the only one carrying them:

I asked for a raise today at work. I’ve never asked for a raise at a “big kid” job before today so I was anxious as FUCK. I really do deserve it though, I’ve taken on a lot of extra work (I probably should do a post about my job sometime, it’s super cool, I’m a space microbiologist) and my direct supervisor is supporting my request. I asked high, but I’m sure I’ll get a bump even if it’s not what I asked for. I’ll update with the results if anyone seems invested (or honestly even if I just feel like it)

Moving far away from home in your 30s is tough. It’s hard to find new friends when almost everyone you know has families and that’s just not your jam. Like I have friends at work and we goof off and have fun and go for lunch and talk about real life too, but then I come home and every night and all weekend it’s just me by myself. I have made one friend here outside of work but that situation is a little complicated right now and it’s forcing me to realize I should broaden my social circle. Thats partly why with the writing group. I need some motivation to keep writing and I’d love the opportunity to meet new people and maybe not feel so isolated. I mean I’m still in regular contact with some of my friends back home. I don’t feel like no one cares about me, I just feel like I’m not getting enough in-person socializing. It’s weird being an introvert and realizing that even though social interaction is exhausting, it’s still pretty damn essential for my mental health.

I dunno. Any potential interest in hearing about the book I’m working on? I guess I could post the blurb from my NaNoWriMo page. I have the main plot written and am working on the B and C story scenes now. Probably at least 60% through draft 1.