Salt Water and Sawdust

You ever listen to the original broadcast of ol’ H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds? It caused quite a stir when it first hit the radio waves. It’s always a fun one to give a listen to, I think!

That’s great, huh ? I mean, I totally get that a lot.

Oh my God, shut up. (Don’t, actually, you are precious) Everytime I mention Stiefvater, people look at me like I just said a curse word, which fair, I probably can’t say her name right. Do you also say vater like water?

I don’t mind young adult novels, some are really great. Pullman’s trilogy is a true masterpiece and I’ll never stop loving it. I started reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy lately. The second book is actually better than the first. It’s a bit different from the lore you are used to see in books, but it’s quite good, and I find it really well written.

Groosham Grange is a great one too. Spoiler alert, looks a lot like Harry Potter, except it was published a decade earlier. Clearly it’s for a young audience but spotting all the similarities is what makes it fun.

It’s a shame you don’t prefer paper because I could probably let you borrow most of my library.

What kind of shop do you run ?!

I think it’s steve-otter but that’s only because I was watching a video of a book event she did in some bumfuck town in Missouri and she said it like that. I definitely used to fuck it up super bad when I was just going off what it looked like. 

I mean I could sit here and say that I didn’t pretend to have an alethiometer when I was a kid and go on adventures around the house... but... that’d be a lie and I’m not big on lying. I love that though. Because we see like... the same euro-centric lore over and over and over again so it’s so fucking fun to read stories that take from other world mythologies. Speaking of that, now that the last book is finally out, The Daevabad Trilogy is fantastic. 

I want you to know I’ve got a large pad of sticky notes and there’s now one on the fridge that’s just your book recommendations that I keep adding to every time you say something. 

It’s mostly because I”m just a fucking slow-ass reader. Also I spend my days working with my hands so audiobooks are just way more convenient for me. Plug those earbuds in and drift off into a good story. 

I’m a woodworker! So yeah, definitely keeps my hands busy. 

Fishing Tackle || Ricky and Dave

It’d be good to get back on the water, Dave thought to himself. Being underneath it? That was already one hell of a thing. There was no escaping the wonder of seeing the world in bright technicolour, of being able to feel every ripple of that water through his body. The land was great for socialising, for talking and meeting people, but the ocean was a dream. 

All the same, sometimes he wanted to be man over seal, and still enjoy the water. Not to mention that it was cheaper to catch his dinners than buy it, in either form. It’d be nice either way to get to know some of the local fishing folk, like this Ricky guy. Good to know people for the company, and the information both on the town and the waters. The last twenty years had been lonely enough without Dave avoiding meeting new people, just as long as he was always prepared to say goodbye. 

He’d had a look at the kid’s pic online - well, he wasn’t really all that much of a kid, was he? But still young. Easy enough to recognise too, standing easily by the locks, hair catching in the breeze. “Morning!” He called, raising his hand to catch the man’s attention. This one had a deep animal scent to him too. “Ricky, am I right? Nice meetin’ you. I’m Dave.” He offered his hand to shake.

@ricky-corderbro

Ricky had been working nearly nonstop since the probably-vampire Raul had commissioned the truly exorbitant project of seven bespoke coffins, and he was truly pumped to get out of the workshop and back onto the water again. The fact that he was going out with someone who enjoyed fishing as much as he did was just a cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. 

He’d gotten down to the docks about thirty minutes before he was set to meet Dave, just to make sure the boat he’d borrowed from the Crandalls a couple of doors down was fueled and ready to go. Simply standing on the boat, feeling the incredibly gentle bobbing in time with the waves was enough to bring him back to a space of calm. There was no place Ricky felt quite at home as on the ocean. 

I don’t think so, no. I’m Agatha, nice to meet you !

Excellent ! If you have recommendations for me, I’ll be happy to hear them too. I never seem to have enough books to read.

It’s a classic, you’ll love it. People say it’s the first ever Gothic novel, so you really must read this. You know, that’s where it all began.

A true true true pleasure, Agatha. I’m Ricky. 

Oh god damn do I ever. I mean. I don’t physically read a lot, but I listen to a ton of books on tape. My favorite book of all time is Deathless by Valente. Also her collections of short stories split into two volumes The Orphan’s Tales are just amazing. I think she’s one of the greatest living writers. Her prose just feels.... vital. Like it literally feels alive, like if I dropped the book it might start bleeding. Stiefvater’s All the Crooked Saints is a really beautiful allegory for struggling with mental illness and working through therapy in a very sort of Southwestern-Gothic setting. They’re definitely written for a younger audience but Garth Nix’s Abhorsen trilogy has some of my favorite dark fantasy world building. I could go on and on and on honestly. 

I’ve literally already downloaded the audiobook and I’ll start it first thing in the morning when I get into the shop. I’m excited because it’s always fun to see like... the seed from which genres sprouted

Oooh I have a whole bunch! They’re not as fun as my playlists, but they’ll do in a pinch! Here’s the links! 

Specifically you should start out with Saved by the 90s!

You’re my podcast guardian angel. Now that I’m fully graduated and just working full time suddenly I’m burning through my backlog of stuff way faster than I was when I was still going to class! 

Long time, no talk. But unfortunately, me and books haven’t really went hand-in-hand lately; at least not good fiction books. Mine are more…reality based. Sorry, but hey, how’ve you been?

Yeah sorry I went back to Ireland for a few weeks to see some family. Reality is lame and you should escape it as much as possible... hence my love affair with fiction. 

Gotta stretch those vocal muscles somehow.

[pm] I’m alright, I guess. I feel the same as I did before. Did Winston tell you about Nell and Remmy and what the plan is?

How about you?

I can definitely help with that. I’m not big on podcasts but books ? I’m your gal.

I suppose you’ve already read or listened to all the classics. Dune, Tales of Horror, The Castle of Otranto, most of Gaiman’s work… If not, I can only recommend it all.

I don’t think we’ve met before but I immediately fucking love you because your first recs were Dune and Gaiman. 

I haven’t read Otranto so I”m gonna add that right to the list because at this point I trust your recommendations beyond any shadow of a doubt. 

I’ll send you a recording that’s just me screaming for 15 hours straight. That should keep you busy, and I get to sleep in a little.

Gotta be honest with you girl, I probably won’t listen to that. 

But it’s really sweet that you’d take the time. Appreciate it. 

Me talking for 6 hours straight, duh

[pm] I guess that means you know Rio. Is he actually okay? He looked rough as shit when I brought him back. Wouldn’t go to a hospital. Which, I mean, he said why but still.

I’m alright. Just injured my ankle a little. Probably sprained. Doesn’t feel broken. Mostly. Not the first time it’s been fucked up. Hunter healing. Should be fine.

[pm] He’s my roommate. He’s.... well he’s not gonna die. But, he’s in some rough shape. We’re taking care of him though. He’ll be fine. Just gonna be in pain for longer than if he’d gone to get professional not a seal with a first aid kid and field medic training help. 

[pm] I'm gonna climb those stairs and poke you right in the goddamn ribs with a wooden spoon if you keep needlessly thanking me. This is what we do in this house. I will always do literally everything in my power to make sure you and Winston are safe and cared for. 

[pm] I blame all three of you. Mostly Ari, but you too. 

You can’t hold that against me. Or I’ll swear off celebrating your birthday for the rest of the month :/ I don’t think anybody believes you about being a douche Ricky… your reputation is too good. People like you too much.

Speaking as a not chill person, I’ve never seen a chill person vacuum as quickly as you did because I dropped one (1) muffin crumb on the floor. 

[pm] It’s amazing that someone so small has so much crafty mischief inside of them. 

Oh Rio.... nobody believes that. You’re far too nice a person to not celebrate somebody. You’re the biggest sweetheart in the house and we love you for it. 

WOW. WOW. WHAT AN UNNECESSARY AND RUTHLESS CALLOUT THERE, QUINN. Do you want ants? Because muffin crumbs are how you get ants. I consider it a point of pride that my home is beautiful and spotless. 

Originally posted by fuckyeaharchergifs

[pm] Ricky, for a man who’s slept with you many a time, why do I feel like I was one of the more normal dates you’ve had? (You know, minus the inter-species element.) :P I haven’t had any hookups I’ve been ashamed of, before. Hell, don’t even know if this is… shame, so much as it’s… I don’t know? I’ll try the sage, clearly.

Ah, yeah? Wanna let me know or anything more, or are you gonna hang that bait out there for my dumb ass to latch onto? And… Ah, alright. Okay. Just… I mean, you can ask ‘em, if you want, but it’s… I’m tryin’ to fix it. We’re all good. I think. Rio came to me with a gay crisis (heard that’s goin’ smoother from your other roommate, mazel on gettin’ a normal house again) and Blanche is comin’ over to the new place to yeet a ghost, so… I think, like, I think it’s good. Um, the biggest thing is that my memory is… not all there? Winston pointed me in the direction of someone, though, so might be resolved soon.

[pm] That’s a really narrow sample of cases though since I can count on one hand the number of dates I’ve been on in the last five years. You can never go wrong with a good saging. Not just for bad hookups. Just clear the air, cleanse the vibes,

an exorbitant enough amount to ensure discretion. But it’s a lot of work. so it’s pretty much all I’ll be doing for the next few months. Ah yes. That gay crisis. I didn’t think this would be my life when I was 18 and had a pretty large house to myself. But, honestly, everything’s better with them around so I’m not complaining.