Life has been a LOT lately (impressively understaffed at work, my metamour just had major abdominal surgery, my second niece was born a couple weeks ago), so I completely missed posting about chocolateboxcomm reveals!

First of all, I got two lovely gifts - fic and art, the best possible outcome! :D

borrowedphrases wrote me a lovely little OT3 hurt/comfort coda to Leverage S5E9, "The Rundown Job:" Nearly a Near-Death Experience (Hardison/Parker/Eliot, T)

And I received this gorgeous Labyrinth fanart from Syksy, Ascension of the Goblin Queen, featuring an appropriately 80s-glam Queen Sarah and a kneeling Jareth (unf).

Also, I drew five things - a new personal best! I am definitely going to have to make a point of more art treating for future exchanges where possible, because this was really satisfying.


( Art for: Runaways, Excalibur, Gideon the Ninth, She-Ra and Wayfarers!Collapse )

I must admit, I really love that Wayfarers is my top fandom on the AO3 now (with three whole fanworks). Gosh, that was fun.

And now, back to my job+, sigh.

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After such a long, intense holiday season, it’s been extremely lovely to relax and spend time reading this year’s Yuletide crop! I have so many more I want to read, but since I’ve already been more thorough than I manage most years, I thought I’d put together some pre-reveal recs for a change!

First things first: I received two gifts this year, one in the main collection and one Madness treat. They’re both really fantastic - I am the luckiest to have stories for two of my obscure fandoms, written by such talented writers. <3

The Enchanted April - Elizabeth von Arnim
Do You See Me?
Lotty Wilkins/Caroline Dester, G, 5447K
This lovely fic is everything I could have asked for - it effortlessly takes up the dreamy, atmospheric quality of the source’s prose, puts plenty of delightful bite into Lady Caroline’s POV, and fixes the major painful problem I had with canon, beautifully. The sweetness of Lotty and Scrap’s dynamic is complimented by the cathartic reworking of Scrap’s reaction to Mr. Briggs. So good!

Chronin
Travelers
Mirai Yoshida/Hatsu, G, 1093K
Aaah! I’m so beyond pleased to get fic for this! It’s a delightful little post-canon conversation between Mirai and Hatsu that showcases everything I love about their dynamic (the way Hatsu challenges Mirai and all her expectations at every turn) and pokes at the whole topic of time travel a bit more. Deftly written and full of possibility. <3


I’ve been reading all over the archive in whatever order fancy takes me, and trying to really mix things up, so I haven’t read every story in nearly any fandom that has more than one. Here are some entirely random favorites( in 14th Century RPF, Captain Marvel, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Gideon the Ninth, The Good Place, Oxford Time Travel, Slings and Arrows, Victor/Victoria and Wayfarers.Collapse )

I’m looking forward to sharing a bit about my own story after reveals. After all these years, Yuletide continues to be one of my favorite fannish holiday traditions, period. And I really needed it this year!

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I've generally felt that I'm pretty lucky among trans and nonbinary folks, in that I haven't needed or wanted to change my (real) name, or at least not the version of it I already use with everyone I care about, and have for my entire life. It's relatively neutral, and I like it. Maybe people would have an easier time adjusting to new pronouns if they came with a new name, but ah well.

But my fandom names, the ones that have stuck for a good 15 years now, are Lilith and reflectedeve (occasionally Eve), and it's only striking me in the last year or so how confusing that is. Two very specific and powerful cultural symbols of womanhood! Good job, college me. But really, when I think about it, those choices largely came from an attraction to the idea of challenging norms and institutions, specifically around literature/religion (my academic subjects of choice), gender, and sexuality. So honestly, they still feel right, especially Lilith? (And also there's, you know, continuity and that. I've been Lilith since the very first year of Yuletide, jeez.) Ah well.

In other news, I am very upset that just as I've made a decision to back off fannish commitments again for a bit, I find out about this very intriguing xeno exchange for which nominations open tomorrow: close_encounters. It's so ME. :( Just look at that tentacle icon! Maybe I can grab a pinch-hit or make a treat ... anyway, if you're less overcommitted, check it out!

Also, and most excitingly, the chocolateboxcomm archive opened today! I have barely been able to look yet, BUT. I got two fabulous fanart gifts and I am so thoroughly pleased! <3

A Lesson In The Folly Library (Rivers of London, gen; Abigail, Varvara Sidorovna, Toby)
I have been wanting more fanart for these books so badly and this is a gorgeous mid-story sort of image with lovely background details and characterization. Fabulous and inspiring. Makes me want to go out and draw some in this fandom immediately, myself.

Austria, 1912 (X-Men, Mystique/Destiny)
SUPER cute shippy pin-up image of the two of them in the early days of their relationship, complete with lovingly-rendered period-appropriate outfits! Eeee so adorable!

Have I mentioned how happy I am that multi-media fan exchanges are becoming more common, even if they are still overwhelmingly fic-based? (I mean, I love fic, obviously. But I love ALL THE THINGS.) I am totally going to have to work on those guidelines/suggestions for prompting for fanart. At some point. Soon.

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

Well, apart from the fact that everything is terrible I love this time of year so much. I have my favorite indie convention coming up this weekend, femslashex stories and art have just been revealed, yuletide assignments are out ... and of course there's Halloween and (theoretically, sometimes) cool, crisp weather and changing leaves, etc.

My yuletide assignment is exciting and challenging and I am thrilled with it; I can hardly wait to start reviewing the source material! And check out the not one but two amazing femslash gift fics I found in my inbox this weekend ...! Both answering requests I've been stubbornly making for years, too. <3

Favors: Killjoys, Dutch/Delle Seyah Kendry, Explicit. The hot, aggressive but relatively light fake relationship/kinky sex story I've been dying for since season one!

Allegiances: Craft Sequence, Tara Abernathy/Catherine Elle(/Seril), Teen. One of my favorite pairings in one of my favorite series, brought together by an uneasy working relationship and an uncomfortable (but inexorable) divine connection. JFC, I'm delighted.

Sigh, I suppose I should get back to work, which is very boring today. Before I do, though ... I was poking around the yuletide community for the first time in ages, and I came across something intriguing: a challenge for folks who would enjoy receiving art treats for their Yuletide requests. Be still my overambitious fanartist heart!

Basically, people are leaving comments if they'd welcome fanart treats, and you should all go add yourselves immediately to: the Wrapping Paper Challenge on dreamwidth or on LJ. YAY.

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

I seem, for the most part, to have run out of Garak/Bashir fic (cue much wailing and gnashing of teeth) … and I feel compelled to make a recs list. As you do (although I haven’t in many years).

I may be procrastinating on both(!) my own fic. Shhh.

( Mid-series canon-compliantCollapse )

( Post-Canon (Cardassia)Collapse )

( Alternate UniverseCollapse )

I tried to be pretty selective about this, so there’s definitely plenty of other work out there worth reading … it’s quite intimidating, really. But at the same time, not enough.

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Well, I continue to more or less live in outer space (I’d feel guiltier about this, but it’s kind of a survival thing right now; finances and mental health are both pretty disastrous, although I’m doing my best to change that, slowly).

After an ... extended period of rewatching, note-taking and analysis, the outline for my Garak/Bashir fic project(!) is coming together, although I’m weirdly having a much easier time with the emotional arc than the plot. (This is seriously unusual for me! At least, in my original work, where concept/plot/worldbuilding are always the easier part, so far.) I’m getting closer, though ... and deeply excited to just immerse myself in writing these characters.

(Mainly, I’m struggling to invent the specifics of a convoluted, covert plot worthy of Elim Garak. I mean, that’s kind of next level, you know? Argh.)


Also, I semi-accidentally took a NSFW fanart commission based on the suspension scene from The Policy of Truth a scorching hot BDSM-centric fic by Prevailing (WiP, but worth it, and I’m fairly certain she will finish it eventually). Which was also a bit of a departure on a number of levels.

( Here’s the (NSFW!) full image.Collapse )

I kind of have a lizard problem. But at least I’m enjoying myself?

This show.

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

Oh my gosh. I just have an embarrassment of fannish holiday riches this year ... I'm a little beside myself. <3 How is everyone so awesome?

This has been, as I've said before, an extremely difficult year for me on a personal level, as well, of course, as on the larger social/political scale, and just. I can't say how grateful I've been for my fannish and online communities. This is just above and beyond. <3 (I am completely exhausted, because I stayed up until about 4:30 a.m. trying to finish art presents for my family, after spending the bulk of my 'free' time for the last few weeks working on commissions. So that's totally why I'm tearing up. No, really.)

For yuletide, I received three lovely stories:

The Kerkylas Society (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Phryne/Mac, Explicit)
In which blackmail and untimely death are plaguing a discreet Melbourne ladies' club, and Mac brings Phryne in to investigate. The plot is, of course, a bit sad and difficult, but handled well. The characters and their relationship are delightfully true to the material.

Interspecies Anatomy Lessons (Wayfarers series, Rosemary/Sissix, Explicit)
A porny little tag to the scene where Rosemary & Sissix get together in The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet, complete with delightful silliness, frank exploration and comparative anatomy. Just what I wanted, jfc.

Tea and Time Travel (Oxford Time Travel, gen, General Audiences)
Set immediately after the end of All Clear: Verity Kindle and Kivrin Engle step in to offer Polly Churchill some advice and support in her disorienting position, returning home subjective months and literal years later than ever intended. The post-time-travel historian solidarity I wanted so badly! OMG, so great!

And, for startreksecretsanta, this adorable fic:

My Dear Doctor by justabrain (Garak/Bashir, General Audiences)
On-station fake relationship fic! :D Delightfully tropey and fun; when Bashir hesitantly proposes that Garak pretend to be his boyfriend to set some visiting aliens at ease wrt his trustworthiness (since they value serious relationships as a sign of the same), Garak predictably goes right for it. It's just the right kind of fluff for this versatile pairing, and makes me so very happy.

How many times can I use variations on "delightful" in one post? But seriously, the warm fuzzies are just through the roof over here.

I need to get some sleep, and then I'm finally allowed to start reading A Stitch In Time and thinking (even more) about lizard aliens, lies and betrayal ... ;)

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

I’ve been thinking about posting here again (for things other than exchange letters) a whole bunch lately, especially with rumors of Tumblr’s increasing instability as a platform, and my lack of motivation to check out this Imzy thing. Oh, I’m sure if that’s where the next great migration lands, I’ll wind up following. But in the meantime, I miss this space, the sense of having a stable ’home’ for my fannish/private self online. I doubt I’ll ever post more than sporadically, since a lot of my internet/social media time is taken up by my more public persona, but even so.


Anyway, speaking of exchanges, sign-ups are open for femslashex, and you should totally get in on it. It’s become my favorite annual fannish event, for fairly obvious reasons ... all femslash, massively multifandom, and includes fanart. I really like this trend in fanwork exchanges, even though there are a fairly small number of fanart pieces every year; I’m not sure if it’s the problem with outreach to fanartists (this is definitely an issue, and one I’m at a loss with), the number of people only requesting fanfic, or both. (Request fanart, people. Please? I mean, I get wanting a story, but we make nice things toooo, and we want to make them for you!)


Also, possibly because I’ve become a heavy Goodreads user in the past year (and am thus much more conscious of what I’ve read when), I find myself wanting so many small SFF book fandoms lately. So I made a fairly tl;dr post over on my tumblr with some recs for books you should read and sign up for in exchanges! And now I’m going to crosspost it here.

( The Craft Sequence, by Max GladstoneCollapse )

( Wayfarers, by Becky ChambersCollapse )

( The Arcadia Project, by Mishell BakerCollapse )

Yuletide, here I come.

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

Ooh, I have had a week. It's been long and tiring and mostly dark and rainy to boot, and I've been singularly unproductive in spite of just having taken on some new (creative) professional responsibilities. This is about as grateful as I've been for Friday in awhile, especially since the femslashex archive opens today at 8pm EST! There are currently 179 new pieces of f/f fanfic & fanart all ready to go; I'm so excited! (My own contribution will be here, though naturally I'll do a post here as well when I may.)

I'd say things have slowed down a bit, but that's not true so much as that I've been working more on deadlines than at my own pace. Here's a small roundup of exceptions and the like ...



( Revisiting Rachel Summers.Collapse )

Oh, speaking of X-Men comics, I've also been listening avidly to Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men, which does what it says on the tin in an entertaining, clever and deeply nerdy way. Highly recommended.

Meanwhile, on a more contemporary note: ( A tiny Braeden tribute.Collapse )

Last but very definitely not least, my contributions to the little fanartremixexchange! Which deserved to be bigger, so I really hope the idea catches on! ( And for extra fun, I was matched with ataratah. ;)Collapse )

Huh, I've been doing a lot of color work lately; I suppose that's good practice? I'm never fully satisfied with any of it (except sometimes the flats), though; I might make an effort to go back to more of my b&w inks for the next little while. Coming up: tw_fallharvest, teenwolf_bb, allydiareversebang, and teenwolffemslashexchange. Um. Oops?

This entry was originally posted at my dreamwidth. ( comments)

So the other day I saw this post fancasting Rihanna as Crowley and Lupita Nyong'o as Aziraphale on my tumblr dash, and had to try and give it a shot. Could've done a better job with the shading, but it was super fun to do nonetheless! I should make a point of drawing more fancasts in the future.



Summer's ending, and with it, I'm supposed to be doing less fanart, but ... that doesn't really seem to be happening, does it? I'm currently signed up for fanartremixexchange, femslashex, and tw_fallharvest. All my assignments are super exciting! And of course, here I am producing completely random things.

( Scott McCall is a Magical Girl.Collapse )

Also, speaking of fanart, Teen Wolf, and Sailor Moon, I'm meant to be reccing the latter on fanart_recs this month (and I'm behind! I need to get another post up, stat). Here's a roundup of my ( Teen Wolf recs from last month!Collapse )

It occurs to me that I know nothing about any incoming new shows this fall. Anything you guys are excited about?

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