Oh, Heaven never really had any mercy, Castiel.

i. the monster's body is a cultural body

ii. the monster always escapes

iii. the monster is the harbinger of category crisis

iv. the monster dwells at the gates of difference

v. the monster polices the borders of the possible

vi. fear of the monster is really a kind of desire

these are all direct quotes from jeffrey jerome cohen's "monster culture (seven theses)" (full pdf linked) i highly encourage you to read it yourself!

that said, while i think cohen's writing is evocative, it can be a little dense, so while i'm here, here's my capsule summary (you can also hear me talk about this in the first episode of my podcast) (listen to @ghostswerepeopletoo)

i. the monster's body is a cultural body - The monster is a work of fiction to be analyzed through tools of literary and sociological theory.

ii. the monster always escapes - As long as the cultural fear from which the monster stems persists, the monster will reappear in retellings, reimaginings, and sequels.

iii. the monster is the harbinger of category crisis - Monsters defy binaries and challenge easy comprehension or categorization.

iv. the monster dwells at the gates of difference - The monster represents the Other.

v. the monster polices the borders of the possible - Tales of the monster exist to discourage unacceptable or taboo behaviors.

vi. fear of the monster is really a kind of desire - Subjects can vicariously participate in the disruption of the social order through the monster.

Falling Inn Love by MalMuses (@malmuses) Rating: Explicit Word count: 58k

Romance and remodeling collide when Castiel, suddenly finding himself single and jobless, accepts a business proposition from his untrustworthy colleague, Crowley. He finds himself the new owner of Bellbird Valley Farm, an entirely decrepit husk of a building that he has big plans for: Castiel is going to open his own self-sustaining eco-inn. There are only a few problems… like the feral pig living on the property, the nosy locals, his total lack of DIY skills, and Dean Winchester—the prickly, sarcastic local handyman that Castiel accidentally assaulted with a dildo the moment he got off the train.

What happens when things go south with both Cas' boyfriend and his job? He finds himself in Bellbird Valley Farm, Kansas, and meets a handsome stranger... whom he immediately "attacks" with a dildo!! This is probably the most hilarious meet-cute I've ever read between Dean and Cas.

They're immediately drawn to each other but prefer to pretend the other is nothing but annoying. So from then on, we get a wonderful, slow burn, incredibly hilarious fic with enemies-to-lovers kinda vibes that still leaves room for fluff, smut, with hints of angst, and even a wild pig as a tenant named Fatback while Cas and Dean rebuild the Inn.

Not everything is rainbows and puppies, though. Dean is haunted by his own tragic past and feels reluctant to start anything with Cas. Cas, on the other hand, finds himself face to face with his ex again and is forced to make a decision.

Like if you could just hear it more clearly, you'd understand what they're saying, but in reality it's nonsense and there's nothing to understand.

“I didn’t inherit Rowena’s magical legacy only to let you die in a stupid barn!”

“But… I had this speech prepared for 20 years…”

“I’ve heard it before and I’m not gonna hear it again!! Now shut up and pray to Jack!”

1. Tone Words: Use tone words to convey the emotional quality of a voice. For example, you can describe a voice as "melodic," "soothing," "sharp," "gentle," or "commanding" to give readers a sense of the tone.

2. Pitch and Range: Mention the pitch and range of the voice. Is it "deep," "high-pitched," "raspy," or "full-bodied"? This can provide insight into the character's age, gender, or emotional state.

3. Accent and Diction: Describe the character's accent or diction briefly to give a sense of their background or cultural influences. For instance, "British-accented," "Southern drawl," or "formal."

4. Volume: Mention the volume of the voice, whether it's "whispering," "booming," "murmuring," or "hushed."

5. Quality: Use terms like "velvet," "silken," "gravelly," "honeyed," or "crisp" to convey the texture or quality of the voice.

6. Rate of Speech: Describe how fast or slow the character speaks, using words like "rapid," "slurred," "measured," or "rambling."

7. Mood or Emotion: Indicate the mood or emotion carried by the voice. For example, a "quivering" voice may convey fear or anxiety, while a "warm" voice may express comfort and reassurance.

8. Resonance: Describe the resonance of the voice, such as "echoing," "nasal," "booming," or "tinny."

9. Timbre: Mention the timbre of the voice, using words like "rich," "thin," "clear," or "smoky."

10. Cadence: Highlight the rhythm or cadence of speech with descriptors like "staccato," "lilting," "rhythmic," or "halting."

11. Intonation: Convey the character's intonation by saying their voice is "sarcastic," "apologetic," "confident," or "questioning."

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)

I’ve been thinking about it all morning. What would the plot points be for that? What makes a 30 year old coming of age story?

Burying a parent that never encouraged independence

Acknowledging a trauma you've spent your life ignoring

Finally opening yourself up to a truly mutual, non-transactional relationship (platonic or romantic)

Student loan forgiveness kicking in, suddenly you can afford to live. That one small change snowballs into something big.

Starting over after the end of The Big Relationship you thought would define your life. Engaging in a new hobby/social group that adds context to how small life felt in that relationship.

You find yourself with a pet you have to care for, which teaches you to care for yourself.

spanner in the works by casdoms (moffwithhishead) Rating: Mature Word count: 5k

“You have to choose, Castiel. Us, or them.” Them. It was always going to be them.

In which we follow Castiel through everything. Everything! And yet, the most profound moments, the ones that shape him and change him irrevocably, are all squeezed together in a decade or so, and are all connected to a couple of humans.

I've been a destiel fan for over a decade and have been reading fanfics for almost as long. I thought that when it came to canon, pure canon, there were no more stories that could move me like when I was still a newbie in the fandom, especially after the finale that shall not be named. But this story felt so profound and tender, Castiel's feelings were so absolute, so all-encompassing, and yet so human, that something inside me lit up. As I was reading this story, I thought, "this! this is why I'm in this fandom. this is why I love Dean and Castiel. this is what I fell in love with." And I cried.

hello hello! it's me, rach!

as the new year approaches, many of us set goals and resolutions - myself included. one of my goals for 2024 is to write a novel (I've been procrastinating on this for quite a long time now). i assume that some of you might have the same goal, that's why I'm writing this post today.

over 2023 i've been releasing some freebies for authors just like me, so I thought I could compile my favorites in this post. hope you find this useful :)

1) the writer's workbook

this workbook has over 60 exercises to help you develop characters, scenarios, etc. if you're ever stuck, I'm pretty sure this workbook will be your best friend.

2) author's corner (notion template)

this is the most downloaded freebie in my shop! it is a notion dashboard with everything you need to organize your writing and has some templates included (like scrivener)!!

3) another notion template

this one has two themes you can choose from: cottage-core and dark academia. they're very similar to the previous template, but this one is more recent and I added some new features. feel free to explore both and pick the one you like the most.

4) the author's journal

this is a cute printable with 20 pages that will help you stay on track and manage your social media accounts as a writer who shares their work online. you can also register what you're currently writing and your personal research and resources.

5) plan your book printable

this is a 6-page printable for you to fill out and plan your book easily and effectively.

6) excel sheet to organize tasks & word-count

this is a simple excel sheet, but it is very effective for keeping track of your tasks & word-count of your novels. also, it is 100% customizable to your liking!

that's all for now! feel free to explore my gumroad shop where I have plenty of freebies to grab! also, don't forget to subscribe so that you never miss any opportunity to get a goodie for free :)

hope this post was useful!

have a nice day,

where there is darkness: now complete

pairing: dean/cas tags: historical au, angst with a happy ending, slow burn, h/c

When Castiel Milton takes a job to be the new assistant keeper at Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery, Maine, he expects to live out his new life in quiet isolation. What he gets instead is Dean Winchester: bitter, brash, and, like Castiel, harboring a dark secret. As the spark of attraction between them grows into a flame, the lighthouse walls start closing in—as do the ghosts of Dean and Castiel's checkered pasts.

read on ao3