Owls

it is chilly and I want to be in bed under a big blanket but instead I am doing my job and for this I deserve a medal

From the Fantasy community on Reddit Explore this post and more from the Fantasy community

So, me, @sarareads.bsky.social and @dianthaa.bsky.social will be doing a thing over at r/fantasy. Please come join us!

I AM VERY EXCITED AND VERY NERVOUS.

#booksky

Today is a very good day to quit something.

Hine Mizushima - Purple Octopus and Eyeball Starfish

I'm assuming @premeemohamed.com already knows this artist, but just in case: hinemizushima.com
Sea creatures! Innards! Spiky things!

A sweater is never late, nor is it early. It arrives precisely when it means to!

I hope this ishmael finds you whale

Only reason anyone cares that Avatar even exists is because of the VFX artists' work. Like does he think it made a billion dollars because of the script?

an appropriate response to your product killing a child after months of psychological manipulation and torture is to take the product off the market before it kills again and the fact that this isn’t universally accepted right now is incredibly frightening

I've been sitting on a story about the absurdity of author income for around two years. I think it's time to tell it.

Just in case you didn't know: there is a feature you can toggle on so that Bluesky automatically reminds you to add alt text. I use/need it all the time!

"[T]his is a solved problem. [...] No innovative solutions are needed; just common sense, and putting in the work in advance."

Calico cat curled up on her side, one front leg covering the top half of her face. Still visible: her very boopable nose and various toe beans.

Yes 🥹

So happy for you! 🖤

Can confirm. 100%.

Never 💜

Omg, that's the same guy??! Why* are people still taking him seriously??

*I know why, but come the fuck on!

"Just ones more things, precious..."

Gollumbo.

A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls.

"There are three kinds of magic," said Wizzler, handing us each a balloon. "You can control tigers, you can shoot tornadoes from your fingers, or you can fly by holding your breath. The color of confetti inside your balloon will reveal which kind of power you have." I felt the panic rising in me. What if my confetti turned yellow, indicating that I was a Tiger-Talker? My family, a long line of proud Tornado-Fingers, would disown me. Could I ever return home, bearing such shame? I tried to calm myself as I readied the ceremonial safety pin. Green, I thought, willing my hopes into reality. Please be green. I popped the balloon, involuntarily shutting my eyes. When I opened them, would I see the green I hoped for? The yellow I feared? What if, gods forbid, the confetti were blue? I opened my eyes, seeing shock on the faces of my classmates. Wizzler himself stared at me, wide-eye. Looking down, I saw myself covered in confetti... purple confetti.

“I don’t understand,” I growled, my body trembling with pain. “I combined eighty percent Earth-elemental mana with twenty percent Fire-elemental mana (Type B), focused through a twenty-four-sided icositetragon made of yellow topaz. This, in conjunction with my blood type, star sign, sense of humor, and nickname, should have produced a blazing column of lightning to vaporize my enemies. Instead, it made a big bubble that smells like fresh laundry. Why?” Skullgrumbler began to laugh. “You fool! You don’t even realize…” he squealed. “You’re facing east!”

“It’s whatever you want,” explained Magemaster Grampledog. “Magic is just whatever you want.” I knew he was speaking in riddles, but I couldn’t grasp his hidden meaning. “So the rules are…” Grampledog lit a sliver of smokereed. “No rules. You say some words and you wave a stick and whatever you want just happens. You don’t even need the stick.” His wisdom still eluded me. I stared into his face, trying to decipher what he was really saying. “No, listen.” Grampledog snapped his fingers and his desk turned into a pile of chicken nuggets. “I didn’t even know that would happen.” His hat then came alive and began to yodel. “It’s pandemonium,” he explained. “It’s complete nonsense.”

In my experience there are three kinds of fantasy magic novels:

I heard the L(orge) A(ppetite)Polis are investigating. Maybe bugge should be careful about returning to the scene of the crime.

The building opposite featured lots of huge vases - think small human-sized. At least one had suspiciously big holes, like something with a lorge appetite had scuttled all over it.

Photo of a wall of white tiles, each with a colourful drawing of a child. One features a huge stag beetle in black and white (as well as two snails and one other little insect).

Random bug that made me think of @premeemohamed.com . Sweden seems to like SFF authors and I haven't even been to my favourite bookshop yet.

HOLY SHIT

Photo of library book shelves with, among others, Stormsong, Witchmark, Soulstar and The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk.

Photo of a library book shelf with four copies of A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark and others.

Lots of love from Malmö city library for @clpolk.com and A Master of Djinn by @pdjeliclark.bsky.social

A screenshot from Emperor’s New Groove that shows a cartoon llama desperately trying to pick up vials strewn on the floor. The image is titled “What's in my brain when someone asks, "what's your favorite book?"” The llama is titled “me.” The scattered vials are titled: “The last book l read.” “The last books I put on my TBR.” “Book memes.” “The last book l read whose plot I actually remember.” "Spec fic." “The series lidolized in my teens that didn't age well.” “Roasts about popular books I didn't like.” “Panic.” “My favorite authors who have written a million books I can't choose between.” “Jokes about how big my TBR is.” “Some award winners I managed to get through but don't remember.

💙📚 Someone asked me this today, and it STRESSED ME OUT enough to make this handy graphic that I will save on my phone so that this travesty of a conversation never happens again.

#booksky

Interesting to see the writing process! Still I like the final version better:

'It is a pity,' said Legolas, ‘that Gandalf cannot go before us with a bright flame, and melt us a path.'

'It is a pity about your STUPID FACE,' Gandalf replied.

Now I want metal songs where oryx gnaw on the spines of their foes and dikdik drink from the skulls of their enemies 🤘

👀

YouTube video by Mindy McKnight Subtle Twist Side Braid | Cute Girls Hairstyles

If you wanna give it a go anyway, the picture above is from this video:
youtu.be/wkCpHUFk9is
I didn't watch all of it for work reasons but if you start at 1:25 and watch for a minute or two it covers the important bits.

Brunette with twisted side braid

This kind of thing works with any hair longer than about 5cm. You just clip it in place at maybe ear height or on top of your head instead of going for a full braid. And fine hair sometimes holds more easily if you add a little bit of dry shampoo.