it’s what I’ve got

Hey New York people!

The city’s libraries have already had to cut Sunday service and limit hours. The new budget being put forward is even worse for libraries and may require the loss of another day of service.

Please contact City Council and the Mayor asking for budget restoration

I wrote a large portion of my 1st book in NYC libraries, a small portion of my second novel, and my 3rd has a very specific author's note about the Brooklyn Public Library and the work it has done and continues to attempt to fight book bans, create equal access for anyone who wants to read, and the essential services they provide.

(AKA a theory I’ve had kicking around for awhile but have been fleshing out lately as I continue to work on SWMF.)

We’ve heard from Patricia that there are rootcraft Prophets & since we know Ms. Tracy never just puts details in for no reason at all, I think we’ve “met” one already in the books— Bree’s grandmother Leanne Charles.

I’ll explain: Leanne’s mother Jessie was the one who moved around a lot. In bloodwalks Bree sees her encounter the Hunter in Lafayette, LA, New York, & then somehow her daughter ends up in Texas (I think it’s most probable that Jessie moved them there to try to outrun the Hunter, but there’s no textual evidence of this.)

We know that Leanne was a hairstylist, died of cancer when Faye was 18, & had a different last name than her daughter’s birth surname. So from these facts I have inferred:

1. Like Bree, her rootcraft power of foresight was tied to the bloodcraft because her life’s work within the line of Vera was to get her daughter to UNC. She didn’t need to ask the ancestors to gain knowledge about someone’s future; it just came to her, usually while she had her hands in someone’s hair at work. She basically lived with her body partially in the ancestral streams, which is likely why she is the “signpost” ancestor who Bree encounters first when she taps into her Mediumship in LB.

2. She didn’t tell Faye she was sick because she knew how important it was for her daughter to go to & stay at UNC. She also didn’t seek treatment for her cancer because she knew that Faye would need access to the red root to fight with at some point very soon, & she didn’t want to be the reason her own daughter couldn’t protect herself against the Shadowborn. 😭

3. Faye’s father either died when she was young or Leanne never married him. She married her husband (Mr. Charles) when Faye was ten or so. Faye liked him okay, but he was kind of absent even when they lived in the same house & he faded into the distance after her mom’s death. Her mom really was her only support system in Texas despite Leanne having lots of friends from church & the salon. Many of these people reach out to Faye and try to be there for her after her mom’s death but she doesn’t accept help as her trauma response.

(I’m sorry that these hc are sad but I’m not sure how they could not be lol.)

Was banging around on tv tropes today & realized that Leanne is Vera’s seventh daughter.

From the prologue of BM:

Selah. Mary. Regina. Corinne. Emmeline. Jessie. Leanne. I even see a glimpse of my mother, Faye.

(AKA a theory I’ve had kicking around for awhile but have been fleshing out lately as I continue to work on SWMF.)

We’ve heard from Patricia that there are rootcraft Prophets & since we know Ms. Tracy never just puts details in for no reason at all, I think we’ve “met” one already in the books— Bree’s grandmother Leanne Charles.

I’ll explain: Leanne’s mother Jessie was the one who moved around a lot. In bloodwalks Bree sees her encounter the Hunter in Lafayette, LA, New York, & then somehow her daughter ends up in Texas (I think it’s most probable that Jessie moved them there to try to outrun the Hunter, but there’s no textual evidence of this.)

We know that Leanne was a hairstylist, died of cancer when Faye was 18, & had a different last name than her daughter’s birth surname. So from these facts I have inferred:

1. Like Bree, her rootcraft power of foresight was tied to the bloodcraft because her life’s work within the line of Vera was to get her daughter to UNC. She didn’t need to ask the ancestors to gain knowledge about someone’s future; it just came to her, usually while she had her hands in someone’s hair at work. She basically lived with her body partially in the ancestral streams, which is likely why she is the “signpost” ancestor who Bree encounters first when she taps into her Mediumship in LB.

2. She didn’t tell Faye she was sick because she knew how important it was for her daughter to go to & stay at UNC. She also didn’t seek treatment for her cancer because she knew that Faye would need access to the red root to fight with at some point very soon, & she didn’t want to be the reason her own daughter couldn’t protect herself against the Shadowborn. 😭

3. Faye’s father either died when she was young or Leanne never married him. She married her husband (Mr. Charles) when Faye was ten or so. Faye liked him okay, but he was kind of absent even when they lived in the same house & he faded into the distance after her mom’s death. Her mom really was her only support system in Texas despite Leanne having lots of friends from church & the salon. Many of these people reach out to Faye and try to be there for her after her mom’s death but she doesn’t accept help as her trauma response.

(I’m sorry that these hc are sad but I’m not sure how they could not be lol.)

I did this last year, and I thought I’d do it again. To close out 2023, here’s a list of some of my favorite fics I’ve read this year. These aren’t everything, just of course the highlights. If the author has a tumblr, I tried to tag them, but if I missed anyone let me know or feel free to tag them yourself!

WILLOW

did i dream (that we were so perfectly entwined) | General | Tanthamore | One Shot | 8.9k

Jade and Kit, from childhood through season one. Jade’s pov.

Our hardest battles are the oaths we keep by @rehizle28 | Mature | Tanthamore | 7/25 | 50.9k

Jade grows up as a Knight of Galladoorn. When Graydon and Kit are engaged, she travels to Tir Asleen as Graydon’s personal guard. Words cannot describe how much I love this. The pining and shenanigans these two get into is so so good. Kit causes problems on purpose and Jade Cannot figure out what the princess’s deal is. King Hastur is perfectly normal and has Totally Good intentions.

be my mirror (my sword and shield) by @onlyshestandsthere | Explicit | Tanthamore | 30/? | 228k

Bone Reaver Jade helps the Crone’s followers bring Kit to the Immemorial City. Quite easily one of the angstiest fics I have ever read. But for all 100k of angst there’s another 100k of fluff and that’s only vaguely an exaggeration. The magic is absolutely horrifying but it feels totally realistic to what we’ve seen in canon. Jade and Kit both need a hug.

if we’d turned a corner (if i had waited) by @sugarfey | Mature | Tanthamore | 5/? | 13.9k

Soccer au! There’s plenty of angst in this one, but it focuses on the healing. I love everything about this fic. Kit and Jade are so dumb as usual and I love the social media bits.

The Flawless Five, Vol. 1: Rise of the Five | Teen | Gen | 2/6 | 11.9k

Superhero au! It’s silly and goofy and so so much fun to read. I’m really liking the mystery so far, and I’m looking forward to how it unfolds.

Triumph of the Wyrm | Mature | Tanthamore | 3/12 | 13.8k

Series still currently in the first book. Kit successfully runs away, and every attempt to rescue Airk fails. Twenty years later, the world is under the rule of the Wyrm. Kit and Jade work in smuggling, unaware what happened to the other. Until, of course, they end up working together on a job. The world is so so horrifying but so well done. Also, Kit is allies with Sarris the Troll.

Let’s take a knife and cut the world in two by @spybrarian | Mature | Tanthamore | One Shot | 7.9k

Exorcist Jade and possessed Kit! Very angsty. The worldbuilding is very very well done and so so horrifying.

these walls come tumbling down by @onlyshestandsthere | Teen | Tanthamore | 4/? | 28.8k

Vet Jade and Perfectly Normal Human Kit. After Jade hits Kit (as a cat) with her car, she takes it upon herself to take care of her. Told in two timelines, one in Kit’s pov before the accident, and one in Jade’s pov after. I have laughed so much reading this I absolutely adore it.

One Night in October | Teen | Tanthamore | 9/9 | 29.k

Slasher fic! Angsty, mysterious, but it has a bittersweet ending.

Sink or Swim | Mature | Tanthamore | 7/7 | 16k

Lifeguard Jade and disaster Kit. Seriously she is so, so dumb and it is so, so funny.

LEGENDBORN

Rescue | General | Gen | 1/1 | 4k

Valec’s point of view of Chapter 42. I love Valec okay.

A Place at the Table | General | Gen | 1/1 | 7k

Legendborn/Merlin cross over. Basically, Arthur is a lot better than in canon and it’s so nice to read after Bloodmarked.

Beach Day Memory Walk by @justbrainrot | Mature | OT3 | 1/1 | 3.5k

Bree takes Sel and Nick on a memory walk during Sel’s birthday. Super cute and fun.

Mother, Merlin | Mature | Gen | 4/? | 13k

Natasia healing Sel after the events of Bloodmarked. Very very angsty, but also very very good. I love how Natasia is written.

Dancing in the moonlight by @nightworldlove | Teen | Willark | One Shot | 3k

William and Lark dance. Uh. In the moonlight. Very cute one shot.

Sometimes Hunting and Running Blur Together… by @ficnoire2 | Explicit | Other | 4/? | 11.9k

Valec backstory and I absolutely adore it

DESCENDANTS

Yeah I’m pretty sure we’ve all probably read most of these but nevertheless

Blessed Art Thou Among Women | Mature | Gen | One Shot | 1.3k

Claudine and the Catholic virtues

Descendants: A Different Tale by @kanzakurawrites | Teen | Gen | 9/? | 17.9k

I think this altered my brain chemistry tbh Mal deserves the best parents

Dark Fire by @dragoneyes618

Yeah just go read these if you like Claudine

Obligatory @isleofdarkness shoutout I am quite literally obsessed with this au

Let Dead Men Lie by @dragoneyes618 | General | One Shot | 2.6k

Everyone takes the blame for killing Frollo. Ben is struggling.

Death threats on Dead Beauty by @panthera-tigris-venenata | Mature | Gen | 2/3 | 2.7k

Listen I think Harry should be this feral all the time

the devil had done for the rest | Teen | Gen | One Shot | 2.5k

Harriet! Harry! Yeah that’s all.

Cursed || Harriet Hook | Teen | One Shot | 10.7k

Any Harriet content makes me insane and this is no different. Harriet backstory.

THE MECHANISMS

love in his own eyes by @nonbinarylowkey | General | Gen & Multi | One Shot | 5k

Arthur’s first night as a father

(im)mortality by @nonbinarylowkey | Teen | Multi | One Shot | 7.7k

Arthur handles Mordred’s “death” in a perfectly normal way. Sometimes I think about this fic and take physic damage.

From The Wastes His Child Came (Bringing Revelations Of All Things) | Teen | Other | 3/3 | 7k

Arthur forgets trans people exist and finds Mordred. I’ve reread this so many times I adore it.

la soleil passe son bras par la fenêtre by @ladydragonkiller | General | Gen | One Shot | 6.4k

Brian falls from the gallows and stops the Battle of Camlann, as he should

Inverse Suspension | General | Gen & Multi | One Shot | 3.4k

Mordred frees Brian, and everything turns out okay

no path past kindred’s stain | Teen | Multi | 3/3 | 9.8k

Yay for @ficnoire2 @medium-bloodcrafter-scion @nightworldlove because their fics are amazing & everyone should read them.

Camelot - Watercolor Project 

the last king of faerie

the last prince of hell

HAND IN UNLOVEABLE HAND

The Oathbound/LB4 news has thrust me into a full-on Nick bender. I’m super freaking excited for blondie to turn it tf out in OB. I’m sure he has some secrets to reveal, vengeance to rain down, & a King to romance. I am ready.

For some reason this has manifested itself as writing lots of smut from his pov 🤪😆 so here you go. First chapter of 2? 3? Idk as of yet.

here’s 5 things you can do to encourage them:

Reblog their fic link on tumblr (bonus if it’s with tags)

Bookmark the fic with a note about what you’re excited about/love in the fic

Recommend the fic to your friends or local discord channel

Draw art or create other media for the fic (as indicated by the author’s comfort level)