sine lucro friget ludus

Hello! I got your message and I’ll respond shortly — I’m currently in the middle of eating a Peach, which is a delicate operation and thus I cannot type right now. Hope you understand!

Schism? Schism today?

Wow, I didn't have "catholic schism" on my 2026 bingo card

"why does no one talk about straight girlfriends of bisexual men" because most straight women would not date a bisexual man.

From Hondo and Fabian, illustrated by Peter McCarty, first published 2002

you know you are really being very solipsistic and self-centred right now. the universe is vast and you are not the protgaonist of every story. have you considered that from some prespectives, the radiator is being handcuffed to you?

I've always loved that descriptor "exquisite" for Philippa Somerville". Not beautiful, or even lovely, but exquisite, a word that connotes craftsmanship. She looks the way she does because she was made (forcefully) aware that it was possible, and she could have very justifiably rejected everything she learned in Topkapi, but she chose to keep it, and build on it, and USE it. And Dunnett doesn't make a huge deal out of it, but there's just enough detail ("Philippa rose, and cleaned and tinted her face") to remind me that Philippa puts work into this every day. Exquisite.

the thing that bewilders me about a lot of fantasy readers is that they read about settings and plots featuring imperialism, war, and slavery and then call the inclusion of violence, abuse, and sexual exploitation "edgy" and "gratuitous" and it's like what did you think was happening. why were you under the impression that you were going to get a cozy story about fascism or something. far be it from me to criticize anyone for not wanting to read about torture in their spare time, and there are certainly cases where heavy subjects are poorly executed, but is it not equally insulting to sanitize them for a feel-good adventure.. like no one put a gun to your head and forced you to give your fantasy novel an enslaved protagonist. sometimes writing is supposed to make you feel bad