But, it is fun, and it is a community. I recognize may of the competitors from previous years.
AND I am wanting to be more creative / expressive. (yes, I know I have said that before...) probably many times...
2025 LJ Idol Week 1 Poll
That is the poll for Week 1.
I got 8 votes, next lowest got ten.
The previous year had more drama associated with it. (See my reply to the 2025 Week 1 Results post, as I like to the July 2024 posts.

After my last Reading Wednesday post (way back on June 4th), I got sucked into reading a ton of Naruto fanfic (KakaIru to be more specific) which has of course slowed down my book reading. However, I did manage to finish all of MomsDarkSecret's queer fantasy series, Bright Isle.
They're self-published original fiction works (available to read here on FictionPress, first book titled "The Wizard of Bright Isle") and so have many of the problems that such things have, like the occasional typo and meandering POVs. BUT overall they're enjoyable stories with low-stakes problems and satisfying consequences for the villain characters, plus multiple queer relationships. They do have romance though it's very light and not necessarily the focus of the plot, which is more about running a kingdom with evil wizards and greedy nobles trying to mess things up all the time.
Something about the writing style (especially in the first book) reminds me of old school fantasy books, like maybe from the 1980s? Like, books where the kid finds out he's a wizard and is basically like "okay, if you say so" and then there isn't much introspection on his changed circumstances and he just gets on with things.
I did enjoy the series but perhaps I shouldn't have read all of them one after another. There's a lot of repetition of plot points-- the greedy nobles/evil wizards just DO NOT LEARN-- and it became very obvious the author didn't want to actually permanently harm any of her non-evil characters, ever, so the tension doesn't work as well as in other books where people DO get just a little bit maimed.
As for my current reads: I'm like halfway through a 500k fanfic that's the first in a series, so I don't expect my book-reading pace to pick up any time soon. :P
CONNECTIONS, bleagh
27-29 June 2025, with Thursday 26 June being dealer day.
I will be volunteering during most of the show. (Need to find out if I can use my 8 hours of Volunteer Time work gives us for it... Or I may just save that for later, and use vacation time for Friday. I have been with CBS Outdoor / OUTFRONT Media long enough (It will be 18 years this year.) I usually struggle to take all my PTO. We can carry 1 week over into the following year, which I have done for the past few years,
I've had fun with stationery type stuff since grade school.
My Dad was with the Illinois State Police. He was in the US Navy during the Vietnam Era, but his ship was in the Mediterranean. When he got out, he joined the state police.
He was first stationed in Vermillion County, Illinois, along the East border of IL. Just east of Champaign County IL.
I do have fond memories of that time in my life. We lived there during most of the early 1970s.
In the summer between 4th and 5th grades, we moved to Union County, Cobden IL to be exact...
How did I get onto family moves from stationery?
oh yeah, when we were in Oakwood, Vermillion County, I remember using some of his extra paperwork.
I remember in Cobden, I would prefer the Green Ink pens. Bic I think.
(forgot to hit entere this morning)
Saturday I ran *counts on fingers* TEN errands. Got a pile of books and physical media at the library booksale for under $20, dropped off the things going to Goodwill, groceries, Walmart, post office, bought lavender and rosemary plants, etc. I got one duplicate CD because my spreadsheet isn't complete but at $0.50 apiece that's a gamble I'm willing to make. And I met a very sweet GSD named Bella, who leans heavily on your shins to make sure you pay attention to her.
Please be sure to stop by and give the creators some love! Remember, feedback is the breakfast of Champions!
( Read more... )
So, most of us prefer QUALITY of QUANTITY when we can only have one...
With my last name being Rose, I used to get asked fairly regularly if I was related to Pete Rose.
I had always said, "Not that I know of." because I really didn't know or care.
I've never been a big baseball fan. I will sometimes go to a St Louis Cardinals game with work. But I can very much take or leave the game, and don't watch it on TV...
There are currently 4 teams in the league, expanding to 6 next year.
But back to Pete Rose (Peter Edward Rose Sr 1941-2024), it turns out I am related to him, distantly. Using the WikiTree information, we are 19C1R (19th cousins once removed.) One of my sets of 19th Great-Grandparents, are his 18th GGPs.) They lived in the late 1300s, and I have no idea without examining the research how high quality that information is.
One of the fun things about WikiTree, is that they also provide a Connection Finder. It looks at the siblings and spouses of the various relations that have been entered.
I am 22° away from Pete Rose.

The connection between us is 2 brothers who lived in the 1600s. William and John Thorne.
Fandom: Labyrinth
Author: Apache Firecat
Characters: Jareth/Sarah
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: She's grown accustomed to commanding armies, but some things are personal.
Word Count: 500
Written For: LabyFic 214. Screech
Date Written: 20 June 2025
Warnings: Future AU
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
( Read more... )
Fandom: X-Men
Characters/Pairings: Kitty, mentions Wisdom/Pryde
Word Count: 500
Rating: PG-13/T
Summary: She's still standing, for better or worse.
( Read more... )
Fandom: X-Men/Avengers
Author: Apache Firecat
Characters/Pairing: Tony/Emma, Wolverine, Captain America
Rating: PG/K+
Challenge: Drabble Zone 454. Liberty
Warnings: None
Spoilers: N/A
Summary: There's always a reason.
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to Marvel Comics, not the author, and are used without permission.
( Read more... )

What do you get when you mix cats, magic, and action? Eleceed is one such of (admittedly) many examples! But with this one, come not only to be entertained but amazed!
With elements of both Triad-like lifestyles and martial arts as well, with healthy doses of humor, romance, and found family, and men and women equally beautiful and powerful, this series that started my love for WebToons is a feast not just for the reader but for the eyes as well! I'd rank this series' artist, Zhena, right alongside the best of Marvel, or DC, comics. Come see for yourselves!
Jeho Son's Eleceed has it all, for those of us fangirls (and boys) who love both cats and comics...
(WARNING: Beneath the cut is EXTREMELY load/graphic sensitivity!)
( Read more... )
The last sentence you wrote.
And to her joy, both she and Vasily were to attend the Hoogovens Tournament in the Netherlands shortly after New Year, which would give them nineteen days together.
2. A character whose POV you’re currently exploring.
Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit and Karen from All About Eve. Because I can never write on just one fic at the time.
3. How you feel about your current WIP.
Of the two I actively write on, I feel good. Of the ones that I haven’t written on for a very long time, varying degrees of guilt.
4. A story idea you haven’t written yet.
Several. On the top of my head I have ideas for Grimm, The Mummy and The Queen’s Gambit.
5. First sentence of the fifth paragraph of an unpublished WIP.
I don't have any unpublished WIPs… I have unpublished chapters, or rather chapters I'm still working on, though.
What made being married to Addison so difficult was what wasn’t there.
6. The word that appears the most in your current draft (wordcounter.net can tell you).
I’m sure it can, but I can’t muster up the energy to check. I don’t think it would be very interesting anyway.
7. Your preferred writing fonts.
Whatever is default. I don’t care, as long as it isn’t difficult to read.
8. If you had to write a sequel to a fic, you’d write one for…
A sequel to my Mummy-fic Ghosts. I have the whole plot mapped out, it’s the writing out that takes time.
9. Start to finish, how long did it take you to write the last fic you posted?
No idea. I never time it.
10. What is the longest amount of time you’ve let a draft rest before you finished it?
Probably a couple of years, but I’ve never timed that either.
11. A WIP you’d like to finish someday.
All of them. When, is another matter…
12. A trope you’re really into right now.
I’m not sure I can say I’m really into it, but marriage of convenience/forced marriage is looming large.
13. A fandom you’re thinking about writing for.
Grimm. Not sure I will write it, though. I’m having a lot of fun thinking out a plot for a Rosalee Calvert/Sean Renard-fic, but I doubt anyone would be very interested in it, so it may just live rent-free in my head instead.
14. Where do you get your inspiration?
I never really pinpointed exactly what it is that triggers my inspiration. I like strong female characters and morally ambiguous male ones, but there are plenty of media I really love that I never feel the urge to write for. Like Sens8 which certainly contains both and that I love so much, but when it comes to fanfic ideas, I have none.
15. Favorite weather for writing.
No idea. I never even thought about that.
16. Favorite place to write.
At work. I realize how that sounds, but my work largely is me having to sit in front of a computer waiting for things to happen. And mostly things don’t happen, and as long as I stay put I can do whatever I want to occupy myself, as long as I can drop it at once. I do all my writing and other computer activities at work and barely touch a computer when I'm home.
17. Talk about your writing and editing process.
I start with writing scenes and snatches of conservation I know I want to include. I’m not a very linear writer but go back and forth until the whole fic/chapter is complete. I usually do spellchecking continuously. When I need a little pause, but don’t do any major editing until I’m done. I usually read it through, and then run it through some kind of free grammar checker. If I have a beta, I then send it to them. And when I get it back I go over it again.
18. If you keep them, share a deleted sentence or paragraph from a published fic.
I don’t.
19. The most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic.
17th century medicine for a Versailles-fic.
20. In what year did you publish your first fic?
2003. Which means I’ve been writing for 22 years, as I have been writing for a year before I got the nerve to publish it. On LJ and fanfiction.net. And it was a Hook/Wendy Peter-Pan-fic.
21. When did you publish your most recent fic?
Last chapter on a WIP in February this year. Last WIP I started was in September 2021, and the last finished fic was in February 2022.
22. Do you ever worry about public reaction to what you’re writing? How do you get past that?
I do, as I often write about pretty traumatizing things, like non-con. I don’t want to upset people, but I know some people get upset just by the fact that people write it, not how it is written. I try to be respectful of my subject, and I also make sure the fic in question is tagged accordingly, and often also have an AN in the beginning with warnings.
23. Pick three keywords that describe your writing.
Historical, fantasy, female protagonists. Ok, that was four words.
24. How do you recharge when you’re not feeling creative?
I try to not force myself, but I also try to do something creative every day, even if it’s just a very tiny thing.
25. Besides writing, what are your other hobbies?
Reading and sewing, both everyday clothes as well as historical costumes. I also enjoy other creative pursuits like embroidery, beading and, very recently, making paper flowers.
26. Are you able to write with other people around?
Yes, people around and talking is not a problem. But music is too distracting
27. Your favorite part of the writing process.
Coming up with the story, and being done!
28. Your least favorite part of the writing process.
Getting to the point that I start writing. I’m very good at finding other things to do. When I started, I always wondered what the fuss was about.
29. How easy is it for you to come up with titles?
Quite easy. But I often use quotes from published authors and poets.
30. Share a fic you’re especially proud of.
A gen Penny Dreadful fic;A Place In the Shadows. It turned out exactly as I had envisioned it, which is rare.![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Name: Something Fishy
Story: Starfall
Colors: Vert #19 (Rescue from a dragon)
Supplies and Styles: Thread
Word Count: 1871
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: Portcallan, 1313; Viyony Eseray, Nin Valerno, Leion Valerno. Follows on immediately from On the Trail and Trap for the Unwary.
Summary: Leion has been found.
Name: Leftovers
Story: Starfall
Colors: Warm Heart #6 (Comfort)
Supplies and Styles: Novelty Bead (From 11 Years of Rainbowfic Space Month "sauce") + Thread
Word Count: 2604
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: Portcallan, 1313; Viyony Eseray/Leion Valerno, Imenna Pollens. Follows on directly from Something Fishy
Summary: Leion attempts to thank Viyony.