It was such a cool experience to work on this zine. I've never done anything like it before, and I'm very thankful to be a part of it. Since it was such a special occasion, I tried to go beyond my usual comfort (portraits and squash-coloured backdrops 😉). I don't remember ever spending so much time doing background lolol. Overall, it was fun 🧡✨
An Atomic Affair — A (fake) contemporary modern AU clone x OC romance novel (not yet) written by Vimse
Blurb, trope map, inspiration and rambles under the cut ✨
BLURB:
His thesis project: ”Pine needles as bioindicator of atmospheric heavy metal pollution”
Her thesis project: ”Removal of heavy metals from polluted wastewater using pine bark as absorption material”
Silvie:
The very first day of school, I made a total fool of myself in front of the entire auditorium by trying to befriend a cute guy from my class. Since then, I’ve had only one goal in life: humiliate Tānekaha ”Tech” Fett. Unfortunately, the only skillset that I excel at is academics, so my only chance at besting him is in the examination halls. This…was easier said than done; I didn’t know I was up against a literal genius when I set myself upon this path. Still, my pride demanded revenge, and I won’t quit until we’re even.
Two and a half years later, at the last leg of my undergraduate journey, I faced the most devastating humiliation in my life. Even after my carefully composed letter and perfectly laid out plans, the one research mentor I’ve been vying for rejected me. Guess who they chose instead? Mother-kriffing Tech! I’m feeling absolutely bereft after hearing the news. The final showdown was over before it even began.
Just as I was about to call it quits and invest all my trust fund on an off-grid tiny house in the heart of Lappland—where I’ll live as a spinster and never have to face another human rejection ever again—Tech proposed a wild plan which ended with us shoulder-to-shoulder doing chemistry together in the tiny trace metal lab. I’m thankful to get the chance finish my degree. But also? I’m scared. Tech isn’t at all the aloof, arrogant, academic know-it-all asshole that my brain has appointed him to be. I know I need to be extra vigilant, but it’s hard to keep my mind on the goal when he’s shown to be honest, kind and considerate. I don’t know how to stop my feelings from reaching the boiling point, but I know one thing: I can’t show any vulnerability. If he rejects me like that first time, I might just never recover.
TROPE MAP:
Tiny lab setting
Academic rivals
Friends with scholarly benefits
There’s only one fume hood
Lots of pining 🌲
Black cat x border collie
Who did this to you(r digests)?
Actual chemistry
Asexual MCs
INSPIRATION:
RAMBLINGS:
Yall. I can’t believe I did this. I swear was possessed by some sort of spirit of creation that permeates the event. It started with me wanting to make a fake cover featuring Tilvie, then I started brainstorming what kind of fake trope this novel would have, and then finally I got into the shower and the blurb came to me in a vision. This is so silly. I’ve been cackling nonstop for days.
I chose the cover of An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister because it was cute and the character dynamics in that novel kind of fits with the dynamics I imagine Tilvie would have in the same setting. The MMC in that books writes footnotes as he’s telling the story from his POV, which I find hilarious and probably something Tech would also do. Not much else from this book is applicable with my pairing (the book MCs are English literature researchers), so I changed things so that it would fit them better. Instead of books, Tech and Silvie are holding test tubes stored in styrofoam boxes that are ready for analysis in an ICP-MS. The boxes weren’t coloured when I did this in school, but the art looked too dull in white, so I coloured them.
Still laughing at the trope map. It’s sort of a parody on the current ”trope-ification” trend on romance novels. I feel they are a bit overused and need to be reimagined from time to time. Also, if you know of any books with similar vibes as my fictional book, please let me know. This is literally the dream novel I want to read 🙏
✨.
I hope everybody is having a good time with the event. I was very on the fence with hosting it again this year, but I’m glad I pushed through. Seeing all the amazing creations is a huge joy, and I’m in awe at what everybody has been cooking up. I stumbled upon a message that someone thought Clone x OC week is important because it brings so many OCs into the limelight. I was really touched by that, and I’ll keep it close to my heart when I prep for next year’s event.
