Notice Me, Reader! Tag Game

“Notice Me, Reader!” Tag Game

Thank you very much for the tag, @mysticstarlightduck!

Rules: Share 3 (or more!) small details from your WIP that you feel have gone/will go unnoticed. (You can choose whether or not to share why the detail is significant!)

Here's some for the Steph adventures:

I’ve actually been meaning to write a detailed post about this, but Stephanie and Bret mirror each other in a lot of ways. They’re both pretty traumatised and flawed, they both crave attention and connection to a certain degree, hating the feeling of loneliness, and they both have a capacity for being quite selfish, impulsive and hedonistic (as well as being major fans of instant gratification). This is partially why their affair storyline is so significant and impactful the more you think about it (and to think, it almost wasn’t going to happen…). An example of their connection that often goes unnoticed is that their dialogue has a bit of a parallel… in the beginning of book one, Bret says something along the lines of “Grades don’t actually mean anything in the real world when you think about it.” This was back when he hated school, before his whole self growth arc and wanting to change his life for the better. And towards the end, Stephanie basically says that same exact thing, almost word for word (despite disagreeing with Bret at the start of the story). It was in the context of her and Ben contemplating leaving the country together right before sitting her final exams. There are other small examples of parallels between their two arcs and thought processes in the story, too… many of which actually existed before I even wrote their affair storyline. Perhaps it was always meant to be lol.

I tried to write my characters in a way where you can kind of tell which parent they take after more. This is one of the reasons why I have the parents and family members be such a prominent part of the story - big part of who you are stems from your environment, and this includes the people you are surrounded by. It also adds a bit of mystery to our main protagonist… Stephanie doesn’t know her parents, so we don’t know why she is the way she is (like, we even know why Bret is the way he is, despite the fact that his parents are no longer around. He remembers his parents and we get a strong sense of what they were like, and this is something we don't get with Steph). A big example of this is Elise and Adam. Elise takes after both Maggie and Paul (maybe Paul a little more than Maggie) - she shares her mother’s drive and determination (comes in handy when you’re a lawyer), and her father’s empathy and intuition (comes in handy when you’re a therapist). Adam takes after Maggie, as well as his grandmother to an extent, in terms of his natural creativity (he has a heart of gold, but he is also very stubborn and prefers to do things his way. Whenever he gets pushback, he fights harder in the opposite direction. Very much like his mother… not that Maggie would ever admit that. Good thing both of them grew out of it somewhat after becoming parents! And by that, I mean she was much worse when she was Adam’s age lol). There are other examples of this in the story, but this one’s my favourite.

I got a fair amount of inspiration from the shows I mentioned in my intro post lol (plus Gossip Girl, which wasn’t included in the post. That's where I got the secret blogger idea from. Speaking of... I was meant to reveal that to you guys ages ago. Sorry about the delay lol. Saving that for a proper future post alongside the Bretanie analysis). Especially Bojack Horseman. I don’t know if I want to elaborate on this point… I think it’s more effective if you check out the shows for yourself, and see what I mean that way. But to give a vague little example of what I mean… Stephanie is sort of in and out of the crew’s lives, and whenever she’s not around, the others tend to thrive and live relatively peaceful, normal lives. In many ways, she’s the root of a lot of their drama. She does a lot of crazy things that cause damage to a lot of people, and she wrecks a lot of her relationships beyond repair. And throughout the course of the trilogy, the main crew members often find themselves wondering whether they should stay loyal to their friend, set some boundaries with her, or cut ties and separate themselves from her completely. Kind of like in a certain show (Bojack). They all take different approaches to this, each saying a lot about them as characters (Elise, for example, decides to cut Stephanie off. May seem out of character at first, but then you remember that this is after ages and ages of being patient and understanding with Steph… as well as everyone else who has hurt her immensely in her life. That makes her choice to end her friendship with Stephanie a little more understandable… she reached her last straw in book two), but they’re all better off once they reevaluate their relationships with one another.

I didn't mean to write so much... but what can you do.

Hopefully this was interesting! This tag game is such a good idea. Inspires you to look deeper into the stories and pay attention to small but significant details.

Tagging these folks next: @gummybugg, @winterandwords, @jessicagailwrites, @dyrewrites, @harleyacoincidence, @exquisitecrow, @leisoree, @wmlittlemore-is-writing, @mjparkerwriting and @janec23.

WIP Drinking Game!

Rules: make a drinking game that could theoretically be played while reading your WIP.

I saw a lot of these posts going around and figured it would be very fun to give it a try with one of my own stories. So I grabbed @i-can-even-burn-salad's open tag here!

Imma do this game for my WIP Enchanted Illusions this time! Let's see how this goes.

Take a shot when (please don't actually do this pls, it's a lot lmao):

Evangeline's former stepmom (Ophelia) tries to ruin her ex-husband's life or just actively obliterates someone's day

Augustus threatens to consume his enemies' souls (or legit does it)

Vincent nearly has a mental breakdown and just sighs instead

Cailean has a nightmare involving water

Thaddeus mentions his devotion to his mission/cause/revolution

Agatha fails to realize how madly in love she is with Cailean and vice versa

Harriet tries to convince Augustus to be a bit more chill and enjoy/understand normal things

Clarence fails to grasp "How To Human" and successfully fails every attempt possible at blending in

Good luck, you would need it! (:

Tagging (gently, with absolutely no pressure): @oh-no-another-idea, @writernopal, @tabswrites, @rickie-the-storyteller, @steh-lar-uh-nuhs, @little-peril-stories, @clairelsonao3, @jasperygrace, @jay-avian, @forthesanityofstorytellers, @aziz-reads, @doublegoblin, @gummybugg, @autumnalwalker, @olivescales3, @junypr-camus, @ashen-crest, @dreaminggoblin and @memento-morri-writes

badly summarized WIPS poll

I was tagged by @mysticstarlightduck in this post here and @cowboybrunch in this post here to poorly summarize what my WIPs are all about (and then make people vote).

Rules: Pick a bunch of your WIPs and summarize them as badly as possible, then ask your followers to vote on which one they'd be most likely to read. Multiple/all/none options are completely optional.

okie dokie artichokies, tagging time (barometer reading: 0 atm): @clairelsonao3 @starlit-hopes-and-dreams @i-can-even-burn-salad @whither-wander-whump (I hope it's ok that I tagged you? please tell me off if not)

Poppy, Rose, and Jam for the world building ask game? 👀

Thank you so much for the Ask, @dreaminggoblin!!! I'll answer this one for my WIP Enchanted Illusions (my Victorian-inspired dark fantasy).

(The Ask Game)

POPPY - What historical event does every student learn about?

I guess that in Ansburke (the main fictional capital city where most of the conflict in Enchanted Illusions takes place) the most important historical event that still haunts the inhabitants of the city (and which caused scars that still affect their society, whether they like it or not) is the centuries-old war between humans and Myths (non-human people, such as vampires, gorgons, faeries, etc), which came to a stop only a 100 years or so before the main book, with a peace treaty that gave start to the "peaceful" coexistence between humans and Myths in the main cities, an event often referred to as The Dawn - even though the truth is much darker, and some humans haven't accepted peace and want the war to start again from the inside out of the city, this being the main conflict of the book the protagonists need to prevent.

ROSE - What is the most known myth?

There are many legends and stories from both sides - both humans and myths - many of which tell the tale of the time before there was peace between humans and creatures. One of the most well-known myths is the tale of a forbidden romance between a human prince and a Myth commoner at the height of the war, centuries ago, and the tragic fate that their love ended in - though slightly hopeful, with their half-human, half-myth child being often seen as the proof humans and creatures could create a brighter future together. To some, that is a cautionary tale of what their society can do to innocent people, to others, a story about finding hope even in the darkest times.

There are also many different versions of how the current peace treaty came to be - some believe one version, others another. Most people have a hopeful or neutral interpretation of that story. However, some of the most belligerent humans say that the peace treaty is a farse, justification for their prejudice.

JAM - Share your favorite piece of worldbuilding information!

Hum... That's a tough one! I like a lot of things about the little world I created for Enchanted Illusions, from the aesthetics, the masquerades, and the different nooks and crannies of a city so full of secrets, lies, and intrigue. From the workings of the cruel Hemlock Society to the grim cobblestone streets of the lower alleys and the social web of the city's inhabitants, there's a lot to discover in this WIPs world. I also like giving my own spin to common mythological creatures, which are the basis for the Myth people in this book!

However, I guess one of my favorite details of this world is the Sorcerer Council, which is the "magical elite" of Ansburke. It's my favorite for a couple of reasons: I love writing political intrigue, especially if it involves the hypocrisies and secrets often associated with high society. The Sorcerer High Council, often known simply as High Council or just the Council, mixes all of that political intrigue and secrecy with the workings of magical hierarchy and spell-casting orders of the city, giving it a whole other layer. It has very strict rules, and its members are expected to be exemplary individuals worthy of representing the magical order they hail from. While, in theory, the Council exists to ensure the safety and common good of the people of Ansburke, some of its members - those with friends in even higher places and a lot of dangerous influence in the city's underworld - have grown complacent and often care more about money than the lives they're supposed to use their talents to protect. A once fair system - when it came to choosing the most talented apprentice from each magical domain/academy - has given way to a cutthroat competition where candidates are often chosen out of nepotism or convenience, rather than raw talent. It parallels some of the core issues with the very city of Ansburke and heavily represents some of the themes this story discusses/criticizes.

Not all of the members of the Council are bad, there are some really good people there who genuinely want to help the city thrive - but they are vastly outnumbered by the others who are more powerful and who are there only to deal with politics/gain money. Those who try to stand in the way of that corrupted side of the Council usually become either expelled from it, "eliminated" (let's just say some Council members made others conveniently disappear), or silenced in some other way. That's why Damien Daemitya chose a silent approach to his dealing with the other Council members - he wants to make a change but realized that if he doesn't pretend to play along with their game, he'll just become another casualty, and that would do no good to the city he wants to protect (that and the fact he wants to shelter his daughter from all of this mess).

I guess I just love writing complicated, often "not what it seems" organizations with dark secrets hidden beneath a gilded facade. It is also the origin of some of the subplots and other main conflicts in the story, so I have a lot of fun developing this aspect of Ansburke! (:

joy list tag

I was tagged by the lovely, amazing @mysticstarlightduck! Thank you so much!! <3333

Rules: Make a list of all of the things that have made you happy recently! Then, tag as many people as you want that you think may need it to keep the positivity going ✨

D&D!!! This game is my special interest, so it's no surprise that it's my favorite part of my week. We had really long roleplay sessions for my Friday campaign last night, and the party finally got to learn a few things about Cyra, plus she got some... interesting news about her old gang... And tomorrow for my (usually) Saturday campaign I get to traumatize my poor boy Rook some more! (Poor man really is my punching bag... he's already been through so much...)

Playing video games! I bought Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous on January 1st, and I've played 98.3 hours since then, and am enjoying it immensely. I just hit level 20 yesterday! Cannot recommend this game enough, especially to people who liked BG3.

Seeing pictures of my parents' cats! My mom just got a new kitten a little over a week ago, and I'm so obsessed with her, I can't wait to meet her! And my dad's cats are still being their adorable, weird selves, and I want to see them again soon.

Watching Critical Role! I'm inching ever closer to the end of Campaign 1, and I'm not ready for it to be over. I can't decide if this ending will devastate me more than the ending of Campaign 2. On one hand, I preferred C2 overall, but on the the other, my favorite character dies at the end of C1. But either way, I love this silly little show, and it brings me so much joy. Watching Campaign 2 was literally a life-changing experience for me.

Daydreaming about my OCs! Even if I haven't been able to write lately, at least playing around with scenarios for them in my head at night while I'm trying to sleep brings me joy. These silly little guys (gender neutral) are truly the lights of my life. (This does include my D&D characters, btw.)

Buying books! While I was home over winter break I bought 7 books, and just yesterday I ordered 9 more, including a few from some writeblr people! I'm excited to read them whenever I get the chance.

Finding new music! In the past week I got really obsessed with Arrows In Action's latest album (Built To Last), and then WE MADE PLANS AND GOD LAUGHED by Beauty School Dropout came around and put me in a chokehold. It's fun finding new music that I like, and I'm excited to share it with my mom when I get a chance.

Getting tagged in posts / getting asks here on tumblr! This website is my only form of social media, and I truly adore all of the friends I've made on here. Even if I haven't done the thing you tagged me in, or I haven't answered your ask, the fact that you even thought to tag me or send me one makes me so happy.

I'm going to make this an open tag!! If you want to do this and/or need a reason to remember the good things in life, please feel free to say I tagged you!!!

Take the character with endless optimism and put them in a scenario that their optimism can’t withstand.

Take the character who is strong enough for anything and put them in a scenario that they aren’t strong enough for.

Take the character whose pride never falters and give them no choice but to beg.

Take the character who can think of a solution to any problem and make their intelligence useless to them.

Take the character who can talk their way out of anything and give them an enemy who well and truly does not care what they say.

Break the most fundamental parts of your characters and see if they can still be put back together again.