Wade's Common Sense started tingling and felt he should try to get Wade moving again! He didn't know what he was getting into. Wade claims he is sending him to Abu Dhabi.
Maybe you can help! It's been a while since we've done a collaborative project. It's just too expensive to send around a big figure for you all to play with. How about a nano figure?
Are you interested in hosting Nanopool (aka Wade's Common Sense) for a few weeks this coming year? Right now, I am looking for interested hosts. Here is what I am asking. Hosts must:
Provide your name and address (I won't publish them or keep them after we're done. Only I and the host before you will see it).
Be willing to pay for postage to get Nanopool to the next host. (I will do a weighing so you can estimate.)
Post photos of Nanopool with something interesting. You can a) show off your artwork or WIPs, b) show off something about your town or city, or c) show Nanopool doing something silly!
Be following me.
I will have more instructions after I gauge interest, but I am thinking we will shoot for one person a month. Essentially, the host will have three weeks from when they receive him before sending him to the next person. Obviously, the time he's in the mail is a variable, so I can't guarantee he will be with you at any specific time.
Participants outside the U.S. are welcome, but must be willing to pay the postage to me or the next host, who will likely be back in the US. (I will arrange it so U.S. hosts will not have to pay international postage.)
I will make one of my side blogs for the project. You can help me think of a name.
If interested, please message me! Deadline is 10/15.
Once I see if we have enough people, I will provide more specifics, and only then ask for a commitment.
THEMES & TROPES various fantasy species, elves, dwarves & orcs, oh my! tournament arc, soft magic and sorcery, court intrigue and conspiracy, political and character drama, grey morality, villains in love, reverse harem with unconventional love interests, monster romance, LGBT cast & polyamory, lots of porn and lots of plot, enemies to lovers from all sides, with some horror themes.
CW explicit scenes of sex and violence
Quince is the most favoured flower maiden of the Empress Honras of the Sashos Empire, and the only human in the royal elven court. Having loyally served as handmaid, bodyguard, spy and secret lover for as long as Quince can remember, it comes as a shock when the Empress announces her plans to marry after years of ruling alone. To seek a companion and ally to the Empire through a violent, brutal tournament, inviting prestigious challengers from all kingdoms of the realm.
And beyond.
Undeterred and devoted, Quince enters as her Empress' champion to fight the foreign competitors. Only now, exposed to all manner of peoples and cultures from outside the palace walls, Quince begins to discover that the tournament, the realm, even the Empress herself, is not as Quince always knew them to be.
To complicate matters, entering the tournament is Quince’s old rival, Ruł.
Pirate turned privateer, Ruł, has long admired and loved the Empress from afar. The youngest of thirteen dwarven princes - whose impressive fleets span the turbulent icy seas of Sikusaaq - Ruł sees the tournament as an opportunity to prove himself to his expansive family, as well as a chance to win the Empress' heart at last. He plots a course for the Imperial capital, confident in his ability to best the impressive, diverse competition. Only, Ruł's trust in the Empress is shattered when the enemy of his entire people is welcomed into the tournament with open arms.
The enemy comes in the form of the most controversial of champions. A massive orc by the name of Katva Har'Kal.
Posing as the newly appointed Lord Marshal of Ghazikahn - a secretive country looming beyond the borders of the spanning Sashos Empire - Katva's surprise participation sends shockwaves throughout the palace. Though a constant disappointment to her mother, the Grand Marshal herself, Katva has been conveniently promoted at the invitation of the Empress' tournament for her hand. While used to violence and blood-sport, Katva is dragged into her mother's schemes within the Imperial court and thrust into political turmoil she finds herself completely unsuited for. Katva quickly comes to realise that a place by the Empress' side cannot be won by brute strength alone.
Among the many other capable, skilled and dangerous champions, hailing from all corners of the Sashos realm, Quince, Ruł and Katva are forced into facing each other - and fighting each other - for the Empress' entertainment and attention. In their individual attempts to win the deadly tournament challenges, dark secrets within the Imperial court are unveiled, set to tear their own worlds apart while bringing the three of them closer together.
Who will win the serpent's flower?
For The Serpent's Flower is a collaborative working project from husband and wife, @leighsobczak and @faelanvance.
TAGLIST
Let me know if you would like to be + / - at any time 🌺
Hello! For our next section of pregaming NaNoWriMo, I thought maybe I should share some more details about our protagonist Artemisia (or at least, what she looks like). But I can’t draw, so here’s a Picrew approximation:
This makes her look a bit more dainty and soft than she is, but it was the best I could find lol.
Artemisia is 27 years old and, like most of her siblings, a war veteran (specifically, she led ships in their kingdom’s navy). She’s known for being beautiful, but far better known for her skills in battle. That makes her choice in hairdo rather baffling for most who meet her - in their kingdom, especially among high-ranking citizens and nobility, short hair is a mark of disgrace. Heirs who lose important battles are always made to cut their hair, but to the kingdom’s best knowledge, Artemisia never lost any major battles - especially none important enough that she hasn’t allowed her hair to grow out in the five years since the war ended.
Other important traits: The third thing Artemisia is best known for is being... chilly. The poor thing is painfully awkward, but she’s very good at passing it off as just being cold to people. Artemisia is very rigid, structured, and set in her ways/ideals. Needless to say, she’s not very popular.
Bonus
Pictures taken moments before someone got written up for not wearing her uniform properly
An outdated depiction of Artemisia’s love interest - from a better time, about five years before the start of the story.
an excerpt from the opening scene of some princes don’t become kings, which i’ve been struggling with a little and finally managed to blast past the “what if my opening scene isn’t good enough” thoughts and just write.
***
“We’re stealing a car.”
“We’re not stealing it, we’re borrowing it. Temporary lease. Although it’s pretty nice…” Greed runs his hand over the dashboard. “We could steal it.”
“Please tell me you didn’t just teach me this so I could help you steal cars.”
“I’m not answering that,” Greed tears off another strip of tape. “And I don’t want to fuck up the insides of a car I’d steal for myself. Isn’t sustainable,” He reaches for the other wire. “Gimme.”
Ling hands it over. “I still don’t know why I need to know this anyway,” He folds his arms over the steering wheel, watching Greed’s reflection on the inside of the windshield. “It takes too long to be practical if you need to steal a car and run.”
“Yeah, but it’s flamboyant as hell, and you’re learning the secrets of the criminal underworld,” Greed tosses the now-taped wires aside and leans back in the seat, props his feet on the dashboard. “Isn’t that enough?”
“For you, maybe,” Ling grumbles. “I also don’t know why I need to know the secrets of the criminal underworld.”
“That’s because you work for me,” Greed grins around the toothpick he’s chewing on. “You’re part of it now, might as well know all the tips and tricks.”
“I don’t work for you, I fight for you.”
“Same difference,” Greed says. His sunglasses slip down his nose again. “Besides, you said you wanted more adventure in your life, right? Here’s your adventure.”
“I just didn’t think it would involve so much…illegal activity.”
Greed looks over the top of his glasses. “You’re in an illegal streetfighting circuit.”
“That’s different,” Ling protests. “It’s not breaking and entering.”
“Well, ’s called the criminal underworld for a reason.” Greed pokes at one of the strings of beads hanging from the rearview mirror with his shoe. “It gets easier. Once you quit worrying so much about being caught, this kind of stuff is nothing. Everything’s extra-legal in Dublith if you’re smart about it.”
“Even breaking and entering and vehicle theft?”
“Even breaking and entering and vehicle theft. This ain’t Central.”
Ling frowns. He’s still not quite sure why he decided to get into this situation—both hot-wiring a random car, and being the apparent mentee/protege/student-of-crime of one of Dublith’s notorious gang leaders—but he has to admit it’s better than sitting around at home waiting for something to happen. His father and Fu would have a stroke if they knew what Ling got up to; his mother would faint if she knew he snuck out at all. Lan Fan already gives him shit about it, but at least she doesn’t tell anyone. She’d been the one to help him sneak out in the first place, actually. They’d been in some wing of the mansion, and Ling had asked, “Hypothetically, if I were to sneak out, how would I do it?”
“Hypothetically, that’s not a good idea,” Lan Fan replied, staring daggers at him. Ling flopped over on the floor and stared at the ceiling.
“Hypothetically, if I spend another second in this place I’m going to go insane.”
“Hypothetically, go outside.”
“Hypothetically, I’ve tried that and I hate the grounds.”
“Hypothetically, suck it up.”
“Lan Fan…” Long gave her a pleading look. “I just want to see the city. Get some actual dirt on my shoes. Maybe stand on a roof and look around. Is that too much to ask”
“We’re kept here for a reason,” Lan Fan didn’t budge.
“What, because it’s dangerous?” Ling scoffed. “We both know I can hold my own in a fight.”
“You’ve never beat me.”
“If I do beat you, will you help me sneak out?”
Lan Fan glared at him for another long moment. “You’re not going to shut up until I do it, are you?”
“Yup!”
“Fine,” Lan Fan shoved her chair back and stalked toward the door. “I’ve been wanting to punch something.”
Needless to say, Ling found that, given proper motivation, he could take Lan Fan in a fight, even if he did end up with a few bruises in the process.
Here is the first chapter of my To All The Boys I've Loved Before/Harry Potter fusion.
Love, Hermione
It was written for @dramioneromcomfest hosted by the wonderful @quintalon and @nuclearnik. I have loved planning this fic and it is even going to end up as a series rather than one solitary fic. It's now my project for NaNoWriMo and I'm excited.
author’s note: I’ve been busy with grad school which finishes this week, so more updates about our soft boi August will be posted here. I’m honestly proud of the progress he’s made throughout the story. He went from this tired character who had an unwillingness for change, to someone who cares deeply for his friends, family, and wants nothing but the best for everyone around him. I enjoyed writing both arcs of August, but he was the most enjoyable character I’ve ever had to write - because he just feels so human. It’s comforting, knowing that you created something that you can’t wait to share with people. I hope August resonates with you the same way he did with me.
Anyhoot, here’s an excerpt from chapter 26.
“All my existence, I’ve observed and guided. Knowing you – and in tandem, Reina, Tobias, and Haruhi – I’ve learned to live,” He said, choking up. “But what is the point of living like this knowing that you die?”
“Is the Grim Reaper seriously having an existential crisis right now, because he’s grown fond of a stupid and ordinary human?” August laughed, finding the entire situation ludicrous. And yet, here they were.
There was a soft gasp behind them, and August turned, to see Reina standing by the fire escape. “I – I’m sorry. I don’t mean to interrupt,” She said gently, and sat next to August. “But I think I might have an answer for you. It probably won’t suffice, but it’s… something.”
Azrael nodded, lifting his head from his hands.
“Toward the end of her life, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.” Reina slowly admits, taking August’s hand. “We all knew about the clock. It was there, ticking, until it stops – the day you guided her soul. I feel comforted knowing that she was safe in her final moments, because now I trust you.” She smiled weakly, and Azrael was taken aback. “Humans are finite. I realize that, now. But that doesn’t mean our possibilities are. They are infinite. We have every opportunity to seize each day like the last one. We all have a clock. You, me,” Reina nodded to August. “And my mom. Still, we did everything we could with her. We went to the Zoo. We went to an Onsan. We went to her favorite hotpot place. She didn’t waste her final days in bed, because she didn’t want us to worry. We did the best we could… with what we were given. That is the reason for life. To enjoy it. To live with it, the good times and bad ones. To… leave our Earth with no regrets.”
August and Azrael watched her, hanging onto her every word.
“It’s… comforting. That no matter what we do in life, we all meet the same end. You know?” She shrugged, “Death doesn’t scare me. Living without purpose does.”
