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Hello wonderful yuletide author.
Thank you for writing for me this year :)
As always with yuletide, the point is to have fun. Please pay attention to all the optional details only as much as they help and inspire you, and ignore all that does not!
You will find many past years on this blog - feel free to scroll on down and take inspiration from them also, my likes and dislikes have not changed much this past decade.

( CLick here for optional details )

I've been re reading and Mercedes Lackey has fallen under my eye again. Specifically the Herald's of Valdemar, more specifically the three books in the arrows series. Also known, in my mind, as "those horse girl books". I went into this re read with very low expectations. I have been assuming that these are books you read as a teenager, remember fondly, and should perhaps never revisit, the better to keep the memories fond! I was also well aware that I had read quite a few of the more recent Mags chronicles as they were released, only to give up on them after a while. They came to feel very samey, and a little like wading through mud.

So with all that (especially my low expectations) in mind, I was pleasantly surprised. Where they dated? Yes, absolutely. A little simplistic? Very much, in the way where, if published today, they would be immediately slotted into the young adult section and belong there (keeping in mind that what does and doesn't get placed in the young adult section is very questionable, and young adult books do not need to be simplistic... which is a whole nother post). Did I have a fun reading these again? Yes!

I wouldn't recommend them. I wouldn't give them to my nieces, because there are a lot more recent books published that, for example, treat queer relationships in a more positive light (yes, at least this book has queer relationships at all, and some even get a happily ever after, but the level of homophobia and stereotyping is still... not great). I will, however, probably re read them again one day when I feel like a bit of light entertainment.

So, all up, three out of five stars aka happy trash, not throw in a bin trash.

I've been reading and rereading more published books again lately. The most recent re read as been starting again on Eric Flint et al.'s Ring of Fire series. I've read a lot of it before, but wandered away from it at some point when I could no longer keep track of the massive cast of characters or incredibly confusing politics of alternate universe Europe.
Still, I recalled the first few books fondly, and so far they still stand up to re reading.
Yes, the characters can be a little clunky. The focus is very plot driven at times, with a lot of political calculation. But Flint still has room for impulsive characters making in character but at times frustrating decisions, and I like that.
I suspect I'll be running into the 'this universe is too large' problem - especially if I dive into the Grantville Gazettes - so this is, as much as a review, a reminder to myself that the first three books hold up.

Welcome lovely yuletide writer!

I'm excited to be back yuletiding again this year. For me, this exchange is all about having fun, so read as much or as little of the information below as you want, and I hope you enjoy yourself.
In other words, please do treat all this optional detail as entirely optional, and write what you want :)

I’ll do a general bit on my likes and DNWs, and then go a little more in depth on the fandoms I requested.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: excited

The tides of yule are upon us and I am glad

Dear Yuletide writer. Welcome! I’m delighted to be doing yuletide once again this year, and I do hope you have a really fun time too.

I’ll do a general bit on my likes and DNWs, and then go a little more in depth on the fandoms I requested. Feel free to ignore that! I’m sure I’ll be delighted with whatever you write, and yuletide is all about having fun. In other words, please do treat all this optional detail as entirely optional, and write what you want :)

General Likes
For yuletide I really like positive/happy endings.
I love worldbuilding, all the fandoms I’ve picked this year have rich worlds and I always love reading headcanons and the details around the edges of the story writers pick up and examine more closely. Linked to this, close canon AUs are a love of mine, I delight in stories that start from the ‘what if this one thing changed’ premise.
I also love the missing scene and slice of life moments, things that happened around the stories or in the middle of them.
Competence and women being awesome is fantastic.
Crack treated seriously is also great.
For all prompts gen, het, slash or femslash is equally great.

Do not want
Please no infidelity, non-con, dub-con, death of major (requested) characters or particularly darkfic (darker than the cannon).

Ballet Shoes - Noel Streatfeild

Petrova is my favourite character, but I love all the Fossils, and fic with any or all of them at any age would delight me.

Slice of life fic? I especially love grown up successful Fossils living their very best lives. What about a time Petrova saved the day? Or Posy? Did all three meet up in America? What about a time when the Fossils where younger? Are any of them in relationships (femslash encouraged!)?

Please no infidelity, non-con or cross-generational relationships

Emelan - Tamora Pierce

These are some of my favourite books. I love the friendships in the Circle. I adore Lark and Rosethorne. But most of all I love Daja, for being awesome, and queer, and practical but also creative.

Please no magic-free AUs or non-con

The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison

I chose to identify no particular characters beyond Maia as my very favourite thing about this series is the world building.
I really really love the bureaucracy, the courtly intrigue etc
Maia interacting with anyone (or even just dealing with paperwork) would absolutely make my day

Dear Yuletide writer.

Welcome! I’m delighted to be doing yuletide once again this year, and I do hope you have a really fun time too.

I’ll do a general bit on my likes and DNW, and then go a little more in depth on the fandoms I requested. Feel free to ignore that! I’m sure I’ll be delighted with whatever you write, and yuletide is all about having fun. In other words, please do treat all this optional detail as entirely optional, and write what you want :)

General Likes
For yuletide I really like positive/happy endings.
I love worldbuilding, all the fandoms I’ve picked this year have rich worlds and I always love reading headcanons and the details around the edges of the story writers pick up and examine more closely. Linked to this, close canon AUs are a love of mine, I delight in stories that start from the ‘what if this one thing changed’ premise.
I also love the missing scene and slice of life moments, things that happened around the stories or in the middle of them.
Competence and women being awesome is fantastic.
Crack treated seriously is also great.
For all prompts gen, het, slash or femslash is equally great.

Do not want
Please no infidelity, non-con, dub-con, death of major (requested) characters or particularly darkfic (darker than cannon).

Provost’s Dog

( Read more... )

Hi awesome and anon yuletide writer. I just wanted to let you know I'll be away from my keyboard 'til a couple of days after christmas.
Have a great x-mas, and I'm looking forward to reading your story on the 27th-ish.

( Dear Yuletide Writer )

Current Location: bed
Current Music: Rilo Kiley

Dear Yuletide writer,

Happy Yuletide! Thank you for being matched with me in a fandom. It’s the first time I’ve done yuletide, and I very excited about it. Yuletide is for fun and enjoyment, so please pay my requests only as much attention as you wish to have a great time writing this month.

That being said, you may be one of those people who (like me) likes to know detail. I know this journal is pretty sparse (um, make that nonexistent) regarding fannish stuff, so I’ll try to give you some general likes/dislikes and info, followed by some fandom/request specific comments. Feel free to look at none of it.

( details under cut )

Current Mood: excited

( I’ve finally finished with Honours! )

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Rilo Kiley

This post has been circling through my mind for months, and I figured it was about time it got actually written. I’ve read some amazing pieces about disability, disability politics and the like, and I really don’t think I can add to that. So instead, this is a personal stream of consciousness about some of my disability experiences.

I have an ‘invisible’ disability. Around the start of this year I finally gave in, and started using a walking stick, which physically helps out amazingly, allowing me to walk about four times as far as I can without it. Using a stick was a super big change for me, first because it required inner acknowledgement of my disability, which, quite frankly, I’m generally terrible at, preferring to ignore it, second because it was effectively a shift from being invisibly disabled to being visibly so. I was very worried about what this would mean – specifically how it would change others treatment of me. This worry had been part of what made me hesitate for years before I started using a stick.

There’s a heap to say on this topic, so today is just about interactions with strangers – I’ll address changes with friends, family and all in a separate post later sometime.

( long ramblings )

Current Mood: contemplative

So, jumping on the blogswarm bandwagon of world health day: abortion is not a crime, it is a health issue.

First off I thought, I didn't have anything to add to this discussion. Because, yeah, abortion is not (should not be) a crime. That needs to be said, a lot, aloud. But it's been said many times, in many better ways than I could manage.

But then I thought maybe I do have something to say. Because there is one bit of this I have a strong opinion on, and haven't seen much comment around. People say (many people, whom I think highly of, and agree with in most things - and even, just to be confusing, in this thing too, mostly) 'abortion is a matter between a woman and her doctor'.

( why the doctor? )

I've finally emerged from under the rock that was a 7000 word end-of-degree essay (I'm a sheep, here me BA!). With only a week till honours starts, I'm enjoying doing some fun stuff for a change - including baking.

With my numerous food intolerances, cooking tends to involve some creative recipe manipulations. I've found one of the easiest ways to find good recipes is to search for egg-free ones, then do my own flour substitutions. My latest success a yum banana muffin recipe I modified from the the egg-free one provided here.

( Here is my version )

Current Mood: accomplished

First post in DW!
I got actually got an invite around a week ago (to very excited squees) but left the next day on my overseas trip - this is the first place i've had internet for long enough to start getting myself sorted.
Speaking of which, does anyone know why I can't access LJ here? everything else seems to be working fine, & I am in China, so was wondering if the site was blocked? I keep trying to find links and info (not to mention check my old friends page) and I can't get on it at all.

China itself is absolutely amazing. I keep pinching myself, unable to believe i get to be here, trying out my stuttering attempts at communication ( I can talk to people! & they understand me! - I just don't often understand them back) - walking on the great wall - seeing the gardens, building and temples of yihe yuan (the summer palace) - even just catching the subway is an adventure (especially when i get the tone wrong, and the taxi driver and i take 5 repeats to figure out which station i'm trying to get to).

yip, i'm a bit floaty atm - in more than one way, unfortunately. I'm having to spend at least every second day flat on my back, to keep well enough. At least it gives me time on the net - & time to organise my photos!.

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Location: Beijing