kerithwyn

where is me

2025-01-23T18:13:08Z

Haven't been here, obviously. Spending my fandom braincell energy at the Nine Worlds series (The Hands of the Emperor ) discords:

https://discord.gg/fJu3S8bc (big server, Victoria Goddard is here)

https://discord.gg/RYy8J3rV (smaller chatty fanworks server)

I miss you all.

Set up shop, good intentions, etc:. kerithwyn.bsky.social

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it might be time to change my paradigm

2023-08-16T12:43:16Z

Why yes, I have been earwormed by "Subspace Rhapsody." I am also typing this directly into DW, so we'll see how that goes.

It happened: I have fallen headlong into my new fandom and the obsession is in full effect. (Does being on deadline contribute to this? signs point to yes.) Starting to write again, which is wonderful and terrifying and I won't be linking it here, because 1.) I don't expect anyone to read thousands of pages to understand it, and b.) the AO3 tags contain a massive spoiler for the entire Nine Worlds series. I'll just flail toward www.victoriagoddard.ca/pages/reading-order and a suggestion to try The Hands of the Emperor if you'd enjoy a fantasy about an impossibly competent and quietly revolutionary bureaucrat, an emperor trapped under the weight of an Empire, friendship and yearning, comfort/cozy reading, fanfic-shaped series, All the Tropes, older characters, and virtually no fighting or dragons or the usual fantasy staples. Also if you enjoyed The Goblin Emperor, no relation except in its kindness and empathy.

Reading: Martha Wells' Witch King, which really deserves more attention than I am giving it, since I keep skiving off to read bits of Nine Worlds again. I also have Very Good Intentions to read the current run of Nightwing but remain leery of DC breaking my heart again.

Watching: All the Things and more. Loved most of s2 of Strange New Worlds. What We Do in the Shadows still makes me giggle a lot. Watched s1 of The Last of Us for elfin (TESS!!!!!) and super-amused that Pedro Pascal is again doing Lone Wolf and Cub, with zombies instead of spaceships this time. Also started watching The Expanse after reading and entirely loving the book series--don't adore all the changes and some of the casting, but Amos and Naomi are perfect, so that's all right.

Attending: Virtual Escapade this weekend, hope to see some of you there!

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Nine Worlds series

2023-07-19T16:25:11Z

I have been trying to find the time and spoons to write about the Nine Worlds series by Victoria Goddard, and failing utterly. A brief repeat because deadline:

Start with The Hands of the Emperor. There was a comment somewhere--Goodreads?--that reading this book was like reading fanfic for a canon you weren't familiar with. This is true! But it all makes sense in time, and each book adds another layer of explanation and backstory to the whole. Also, I will say that HotE is great (caveat: the first half is wonderful. The second half has...repetition issues.) The sequel, At the Feet of the Sun, is AMAZING. It hits so, so many of the tropes I love and is an exercise in pure ID-fic wish fulfilment. When I started making highlights, I knew I was hooked.

So instead I send you to this--extremely biased! hyperbolic, even!--post for some of the reasons. They are not my favorite books ever or the best books I have ever read, but they are compulsively readable. And they are trying their damndest to relight the fanfic spark in my discontented soul.

tor.com/2021/10/20/you-should-really-be-reading-victoria-goddards-nine-worlds-series/

For less gushy takes and some accurate criticism:

skygiants.dreamwidth.org/622775.html

raven.dreamwidth.org/831668.html

If you're interested, three notes:

First go to www.victoriagoddard.ca/pages/reading-order -- The author's page. Since these books are so intertwined, I highly recommend the reading order posted here. Absolutely start with The Hands of the Emperor (www.victoriagoddard.ca/products/the-hands-of-the-emperor-2).
Chronological is fun but that's an exercise for a reread, when all the little threads start making a lot of sense in retrospect. Also if you are so inclined, buying directly allows her to keep self-publishing.

Second, if you're like me, you immediately go to AO3 to see what fic exists for the series. DO NOT DO THIS. The tags contain major spoilers! When/if you dip in, there are at present 362 works and everything I have sampled is spectacular.

Third, the HotE Support Group Discord discord.gg/5HuzU5uq is full of fervent fans and delightful enablers and altogether lovely people I would like to spend more virtual time with. Ware spoilers everywhere! The author is also present on some channels, which are clearly marked. (There are plenty of author-free channels for fanfic discussion and such.)

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just push the damn button

2023-05-23T15:56:35Z

So, she said casually*, is anyone else going to WisCon? I'll be there with hederahelix, and I'm looking forward to hearing Martha Wells talk about MurderBot.

It will be no surprise to any of you that I am currently overwhelmed with life and family and work stuff, though I might--MIGHT--have found a new fandom to fall into. One day, when I have a couple of free moments, I would like to talk about Victoria Goddard's intertwined works--some of the most fanficcy, purely ID-satisfying work I've ever read. they're. just. everything. I have all the flails and no time to express them.

Important: DO NOT LOOK on AO3 for fanfic before you read, because the tags contain a major spoiler!

PUSHING THE DAMN POST BUTTON

* just skimming right past the part where I haven't posted for over TWO YEARS, though I hope you all know that in my heart I have been writing entries every day, and talking about all the shows and movies and books I've devoured, and thinking about you and trying to keep up with all your news--mostly failing but sincere in the effort--and wishing the best for all of you, especially those dealing with illnesses and tragedy; I'm fine, I'm more or less personally okay but the health and wellbeing of many people close to me is less so and continues the inevitable decline, as life does.

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does anyone really know what year it is

2021-02-17T19:24:13Z

I am still reluctant to officially welcome in 2021, considering...everything. But it's not like I have any say in the matter.

Things are fine, we're all fine here. Finished a giant project and back on free time, which I don't mind at all. Escapade is this weekend, and I would be delighted to see all of you who plan to attend. It ain't the same as fanpeople hugs, but it's what we've got.

Reading: I remembered how! Kind of. Clarke's Piranesi is stylistically fascinating and deserves a reread. thissugarcane, I read Looking for Group on your rec--don't think I loved it as much as you did, but happy to chat about it sometime. I wasn't immediately charmed by Novik's A Deadly Education, but preordered the next by the end because, because. And JMS's bio Becoming Superman is both horrifying and amazing and yeah, it probably is time for that B5 rewatch.

And then I caved and got the Marvel Unlimited subscription and fell into the vortex of Hickman's X-books, from which there is apparently no end and no escape. I'm...impressed. I mean, yeah, they're all gonna turn out to be mind-controlled clone zombie X-people in the end, but damn, Poly Island is just so much fun.

Watching: Too, too much. Finished Discovery s3, AtLA and Korra, Supernatural, October Faction, Queen's Gambit, Warrior, Mandalorian s3, Swamp Thing, Big Sky, I Am Not Okay With This, We Can Be Heroes, NeXt, Bridgerton, The Flight Attendant, Schitt's Creek...yeah. Currently WandaVision has me utterly enthralled, enjoying Young Justice s3, and wondering if I really want to attempt the madness that is Untamed.

Playing: D&D a couple times a week, and I discovered a couple of PbP Discord channels*, halp. I'm willing to indulge the obsession until more work comes in.

* Planescape and Theros. Can invite if you want to check them out, DMs (as always) needed.

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kerithwyn @ 2020-12-28T16:47:00

2020-12-28T21:58:37Z

...as usual, I have too much to post and too little time or energy to do it. I have Seen and Read many things that I would otherwise love to discuss.

And in keeping with this year where everything that could go wrong has, we got Wonder Woman 1984 -- I can't -- I am so fucking angry about this. I've been fuming since Thursday. I'm shocked and horrified and so, so disgusted by one casual plot element that just sits there, underlying the whole movie, toxifying everything else. Minus that? It would have been a mediocre-to-fine movie and again, given this year, I would've been okay with that. Elated, even. Instead I'm leaving 2020 with the movie's monkey paw following me every step.

...have a healthy and safe New Years', all, and best thoughts for turning the page and burning the book of this year to ash.

That Thing briefly in the comments, no energy to discuss.

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proof of life

2020-10-20T18:48:00Z

Nothing exciting to report, though https://fanworks.dreamwidth.org/ is this weekend and I hope to see you there!

Without being able to visit friends or go to the movies, we’ve had time to binge a whole lot of tv. Yay?

Reading: Still way off my usual pace but gaining ground. Finished Gideon the Ninth & Harrow the Ninth (...so, so bizarre, yet strangely compelling), Shadow of the Batgirl (better than The Oracle Code, classic Cass), Peace Talks & Battle Ground (I have a fic rebuttal idea but no time to write it).

Also listened to a couple of audio books. Audible: The Institute (solid classic King), The Sandman (amazing), Doctor Aphra (loved the comic, good adaptation). Serial Box: Thor: Metal Gods (eh) and Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire (the best to date). Currently listening to Black Widow: Bad Blood, enjoying so far.

The comic shop is open so I’m wading through the enormous stack, catching up. (I was hoping we could switch to digital. Sigh.) Didn’t realize Valkyrie was ending, boo. The only DC book I’m getting is Legion and I just can’t talk about that.

Watched: Suddenly got access to HBO Max, so we finished Harley Quinn. That just kept getting better and better. Doom Patrol was fantastic, easily among the best comic adaptations. Enola Holmes is adorable, needed to be a series. Teenaged Bounty Hunters was waaaaay more enjoyable than I would’ve expected. Couple of other decent things we binged: Cursed, Hanna, Warrior Nun. And yay for Umbrella Academy!

Watching: Disco 3, Lower Decks, Raised by Wolves (so very Ridley Scott), AtLA rewatch, October Faction, GBBO (I wonder if the Brits know how many in the U.S. cling to this show for sanity), The Alienist, Supernatural, NeXt (reminds me how much I miss PoI), Haunting of Bly Manor (not as compelling as Hill House), Swamp Thing.

Soon: Mandalorian s3 and the SW Lego Special. I am not prepared.

Back to work. Let's dance together separately at Sparkle Motion on Friday night, 'kay?

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con.txt!

2020-07-23T16:31:02Z

...this Saturday! is free and also virtual! Uses Conline (a new platform for online cons), Discord, and Zoom in various configurations.

Sign up instructions here: https://con-txt.dreamwidth.org/67623.html

Look at the list of attendees, you know you want some of that.

https://contxt.conline.club/attendees/

I miss my fanpeoples. My plan is to be online all day Saturday for chatting and virtual hugs. Actual con participation may vary.

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[too tired for titles]

2020-07-08T23:58:46Z

I've been writing this entry for five days and I'm playing virtual D&D tonight, so attention is suspect.

Big crunchy project is at the EATING MY FACE stage, but the end is (theoretically) in sight.

Reading: Finished Murderbot 5. Preordered Murderbot 6. Yes, good, more.

The Sleeper and the Spindle, Neil Gaiman. Hi Neil! Thanks for being creepy, Neil! He is good at it.

The Oracle Code, by Marieke Nijkamp: I miss Barbara Gordon. I have never stopped missing Barbara Gordon. Specifically, I have never stopped missing Barbara Gordon as Oracle. I did try to read some of the early "Babs is Batgirl again" comics. Couldn't. Too much cognitive dissonance, too much history being swept away. Batgirl is a step backward, in every way, of what Barbara can and should be to the DCU. I know, comics! But Oracle is special.

...anyway. This isn't our Babs, not really, but she's a pretty good alternate-universe teenaged version. The nostalgia factor weighed far more heavily than the actual story.

Loose Lips: Fanfiction Parodies of Great (and Terrible) Literature from the Smutty Stage of Shipwreck. Not as funny as I hoped--mostly goes for crudeness over sexyness--but I got a pleasant shock when Olivia Dunham and Dana Scully appeared. (Mulder's there too, separately,) Here, all her content so you won't have missed anything. Setup, such as it is, is a fictional character orgy.

( porn )

*shrug* I've read better.

Still haven't figured out what to do about monthly comics. It would be an ideal time to go cold turkey...but I don't WANT to.

Watched...so so much. We were tricked when Harley Quinn suddenly turned into pay-per-episode, so that binge ended abruptly.

( more tv )

How lucky we are to be alive right now...media-wise, at least.

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the least I can do

2020-06-07T00:13:41Z

~~First~~ Next five people to comment get this ginormous bundle of 742 PC games as a gift. Comments screened, include the email address where you want the download link. (elfin , you’re the preselected 1st. :)

itch.io/b/520/bundle-for-racial-justice-and-equality

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kerithwyn @ 2020-05-26T10:06:00

2020-05-26T14:38:11Z

Big crunchy project on desk again, which isn't bad, as long as I can find my concentration again. No bets.

Reading the fifth Murderbot, not wanting it to end.

Haven't held a new comic book in my hands in over 10 weeks. INCONCEIVABLE. It does mean what I think it means.

First ep of Stargirl was charming, and I want alllllll the JSA flashbacks. Cannot wait for Old Guard. Need to make time for She-Ra.

Also started watching Harley Quinn. It's...a lot. A LOT. ~~Perhaps~~ not surprisingly, I'm finding Poison Ivy hilarious (she is me), and "Frank," too.

Lunch now! Then worrrrrrrrk.

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and I feel fine

2020-05-06T14:32:43Z

Haven't been out of the house except for walks since mid-March. Doing okay, considering. Managing anxiety through hyper-obsessive organizing All The Things, but at least that's useful.

Still very little concentration, though I am slooooowly working my way through Murderbot. And we finally started listening to False Value again, though I'll probably need to skim-read along to pick up the details.

Watching the usual suspects. Binged Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which is a lovely mashup of a people-singing-on-my-tv show (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Eli Stone) meets the mysterious-power-to-help genre (Joan of Arcadia, Early Edition, God Friended Me).

Also just finished Clone Wars. Wow. That is the Star Wars we deserved. Dave Filoni, you're my hero. No joke.

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We're fine. We're all fine here...

2020-04-01T13:22:17Z

...How are you?

(More convincing than Han, I hope.)

Haven't left the house in two weeks except for brief walks. Selling ~~all~~ many worldly possessions on eBay. So that's fun (unironically, even).

No concentration for reading. Finished Picard, so great! Soon: Clone Wars! and a bunch of other things. Sporadically watching Schitt's Creek when I need brain candyfloss.

I'm around on Skype/Messenger/other platforms if you wanna connect. All day, every day. ;p

Bored? Here's a zillion hours of games!

100% of this bundle’s proceeds go to support organizations responding to COVID-19. Learn more on the Humble Bundle website!

www.humblebundle.com/conquer-covid19-bundle

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you make the best of what's still around

2020-03-19T18:08:22Z

so. uh. Things have changed since I posted a month ago.

But I'm not talking about THAT here. Aside from the fact that I just ordered delivery ice cream because now is the time.

Actual content sometime, but open invite to add me on Skype! Leave me a note in the screened comments.

<3 you all.

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oops

2020-02-20T00:49:55Z

...uh. Busy. Stuff.

Hey, look who’s coming with me to Escapade! THIS GUY. Just as unhappy to be crammed into the suitcase as he was last year, when I dropped a raffle ticket in his cup. He’s had a relaxing year on the couch, but now someone else will have the opportunity to cuddle him.

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Star Wars, nothing but...Star Wars

2019-12-23T19:20:00Z

A zillion zillion Rise of Skywalker thoughts but too busy scribbling very bad random wrongfic. I enjoyed it twice! I'm as nitpicky as the next fangirl but if there was ever a time to tell your brain to shut up and enjoy a movie for what it is, that time is now.

If anyone happens to know where a script can be found I need a dialogue check *facepalm*

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queer dinosaur pins!

2019-12-10T00:05:16Z

This is a perfect storm of amazing. Signal boost at will!

♥ queer dinosaur pins on Indigogo ♥

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round up

2019-11-22T17:04:53Z

...nothing much new to repeat on the media front--the usual appalling amounts of tv, still wallowing in comics.

And writing, yes.

Ongoing, vignette collection:

Tales from the Universo Project (1368 words) by kerithwyn
Chapters: 3/?
Fandom: Legion of Super-Heroes (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Brin Londo/Marella Tao, Salu Digby/Ayla Ranzz
Characters: Brin Londo, Marella Tao, Jan Arrah, Salu Digby, Ayla Ranzz
Additional Tags: Levitz Era Legion
Summary:

A collection of short vignettes about what the rest of the Legionnaires were doing while Imra, Brainy, Cham, and Dreamy were imprisoned by Universo. Circa LSH v3 #32–35, perhaps a bit before and after.

Written this morning in a haze:

Mertensian Mimicry (269 words) by kerithwyn
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Mandalorian (TV), Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: The Asset (The Mandalorian)
Additional Tags: Flash Fic, Chapter 1
Summary:

Mertensian mimicry describes the unusual case where a deadly prey mimics a less dangerous species. —Wikipedia

And now to try to speed-watch the rest of She-Ra before leaving on a trip. Oooooh, Scorpia episode next! I LOVE HER. :D

ETA: (S4e6) Scorpia's morning affirmations, OMG. We haven't even hit the credits yet and I am overwhelmed. ...ETA again: SCORPIA YES. *cheers!*

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No spoilers!

2019-11-13T00:43:55Z

The Mandalorian is astonishing. Yes, yes really. This is the high-quality Star Wars content we all deserve.

See it before you’re spoiled. The surprise is worth it.

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media consumed

2019-11-12T14:25:48Z

Deadline et me. But I've now booted the terrible, horrible, no really no good project off my desk and am hoping for a few days of much-needed catching up. (ha. ha ha ha ha never.)

ETA: Come back from errand and lo, a short-deadline project has appeared. *headbang*

Read: A lot more Legion and other comics. A LOT. The Calculating Stars (Kowal), which remained charming to the end and I need to pick up the sequel.

Reading: Comics, comma, Legion. FOREVER. But I’ll be out of town later in the month without the longboxes and I have a(n electronic) enormous pile of things to read: Murderbot, Call Down the Hawk that probably needs a Raven Cycle reread first, so many more....

Watching: Batwoman, Stumptown, and The Good Place are the big draws at the moment, plus the other superhero shows annnnnd I need to watch the new season of She-Ra ASAP!

Behind on: Lots of other things. Still want to sample His Dark Materials and Watchmen.

Writing: Fic only I care about. Still wallowing in nostalgia. I caught myself mulling over comic book timelines. SELF, YOU KNOW BETTER.

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first impressions

2019-11-06T20:52:14Z

of the Legion's first issue over at https://legion-of-super-heroes.dreamwidth.org/, which will be the home for my possibly-endless nattering about this book.

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boo

2019-10-31T18:37:08Z

Started in 1999, finished in 2019. I want a trophy. Or at least a cookie. Hey, there's chocolate in the freezer! COME TO ME, MY PRECIOUS.

...yeah.

When My Love is Away (14821 words) by kerithwyn, Dannell Lites Archivist
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Legion of Super-Heroes (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Lar Gand | Mon-El | Valor/Tasmia Mallor, Jo Nah/Tinya Wazzo/Tasmia Mallor, Querl Dox/Tasmia Mallor
Characters: Querl Dox, Tasmia Mallor, Tinya Wazzo, Jo Nah, Imra Ardeen, Lar Gand | Mon-El | Valor
Additional Tags: Levitz Era Legion, Angst and Drama and Sex, good old fashioned sexual healing
Series: Part 3 of The Mon-El Sequence, Part 6 of Private Lives of the Legion
Summary:

After suffering a psychotic episode and nearly killing Shadow Lass, Mon-El returned to the Phantom Zone. But the mortal wreckage left in the wake of his rage suffers lasting consequences. A sequel to Mon-El by Dannell Lites, an AU version of LSH v3 #23 “Back Home in Hell.”

*collapses*

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Department Of Redundancy Department

2019-10-26T13:47:32Z

First draft edit: I cut ~300 passive or filler words out of the document. Wish I could say they were all from the old draft, but no. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Now to start at the top and run through it again. And then once more to make sure I didn't over-correct, because sometimes passive is useful.

Still stunned the end is in sight on this.

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a draft is born

2019-10-20T16:50:05Z

Just about 15k expanded from the original 8,500 words written in 1999-2000. Needs a good scrubbing. Needs a strong de-purpling too, though I'm reluctant to fiddle too much with the original stuff. It's an artifact of its time. Oh, yeah, still needs a title.

The real fallout isn't this ridiculous fic, it's the realization that I stopped writing Legion fic too early. The DCU came calling in all its early 2000s glory and I fell hard. Dannell wrote me a Dick/Garth fic and obsession followed. Goodbye Legion, hello angsty batboys and horny Titans.

But it's not for nothing that I call the Legion the team of my heart, and I've found a bunch of notes and ideas in my old files for things I'm suddenly interested in writing again. So many pairings yet unexplored. :D A Jan/Shvaughn fix-it. "Tales from the Universo Project."

Whatever the new series brings, I'm glad it gave me the incentive to rediscover my old friends.

except right now I have to catch up on the work and reading I've been neglecting AUGH

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Yahoo Group Archiving

2019-10-18T12:44:55Z

Yahoo is removing a bunch of functionality from Yahoo Groups, so if you're interested in saving old archives for personal reading, this is invaluable and working as intended.

https://morgandawn.dreamwidth.org/1678027.html

Thanks to devilc for the heads-up!

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