Look I know it's been 2025 for five days now but has it, really? In the few days before NYD I saw all your wonderful retrospective posts while feverishly finishing the last chapter of Basil Pitch's Diary and thinking "wow that looks so fun must keep writing," so here we are. Also, are the earth's rotations not a construct of capitalism? Think about it.

I'm not sure how to calculate words written, because I posted a lot of stuff that I wrote before 2024. If you include everything I *posted* in 2024, it's 4 fics, totaling 56k:

Simon Snow and the Selkies Four (3k, T, for the Carry On Picture Book, featuring gorgeous art by @ionlydrinkhotwater and @technetiumai)

Basil Pitch's Diary (WIP, 11/14, 56k, T).

The Stag Party (WIP, 1/4, 1k, T, for @facewithoutheart's birthday.)

Into Her Arms (7k, T, for @ivelovedhimthroughworse's birthday, co-written with the fabulous @cutestkilla)

The entire picture book fic was written in 2022, though, and the first seven chapters of BPD were written in 2022-2023, so if you look only at what I wrote this year, it's more like 3 fics totaling 33k.

I feel like these numbers are very low compared with most people who posted these kinds of roundups--I see you out there beating yourselves with "only" 100k--but I'm honestly feeling pretty chuffed about it. And chuffed about feeling chuffed, if that makes any sense, because historically, going easy on myself has not been a strong suit.

It would be a lie to pretend I'm any less thirsty for external validation than ever. Part of why I'm feeling content about my word count is because I've been showered in love and support, by readers in general and especially in the form of Bunbaz art by Skee, Ashton, Dalia, Monica (and Monica, and Monica). Oh, and there was also @rimeswithpurple getting him tattooed on her fuckin' body. (He now has gray fur and black ears, btw, but I don't think that version is on tumblr dot com yet.) Whenever I feel imposter syndrome creeping up I look at and/or squeeze the Bunbazzes, and feel better. Thank you all for being such a supportive, steadfast, loving community.

In other ways it's been a bumper year for fandom. I got to meet many of you at SSCONe, and otherwise visited with fandom friends in four cities and two countries. I brought Tiny Baz to Sicily to learn about his roots (and to keep me company when I got COVID and had to cross a lot off my itinerary). I also got my hands on a full-size Baz standee who is still folded up in my closet (I KNOW) but who I vow will be out and proud by this time next year.

Anyway, 2024 was pretty good for me personally even though American democracy, such as it is, is in free-fall, and no matter what 2025 brings, you'll be the best part of it.

A tardy thank you to for tagging me to @emeryhall @monbons @forabeatofadrum @rimeswithpurple @nausikaaa

@ileadacharmedlife @prettygoododds @artsyunderstudy @alexalexinii @best--dress

@j-nipper-95 @stitchyqueer @roomwithanopenfire @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @skeedelvee

@mooncello @whatevertheweather @aristocratic-otter @thewholelemon

It's my birthday and Halloween and Christmas rolled into one: @monbons's Bunbaz is here.

I didn't think to film the bunboxing, but it would have been a lot of high-pitched squealing from me, and Manwitch going "wow, that's incredibly good." And he is! The goodest!

He visited with his pals.

And the rest of the gang.

He let the littles try on his shoes.

He answered the burning questions:

He even let Mini Bunbaz play with his football.

At the end of a big day in his new home, Bunbaz curled up for bed.

@monbons, I have no words. I LOVE him. Good thing hoodie season has begun where I live.

While carrying Bunbaz around with me all day, and protecting him from a Labrador who fell instantly in love with him, I had a strange sense of déjà vu. And then I realized that before I properly conceived of Bunbaz, before Wayward Bun and Basil Pitch's Diary, I wrote this in Size You Up (7k, T):

Sometimes I think about chewing on Baz. Not even chewing, really, just carrying him in my mouth. (The Wellbeloves have a dog, some kind of retriever, that carries a stuffed rabbit room to room.) I wouldn’t really put Baz in my mouth. Obviously he’d smother. ... “Simon? Why do you have a Labrador tail?" I think of when my wings and tail burst out, of what I most wanted in that moment. Of carrying Baz in my mouth from room to room.

I am Simon, I am the Wellbeloves' dog, and I am living the fucking dream. Thank you, @monbons, from the bottom of my heart.

(Tagging Bunbaz stans @artsyunderstudy, @facewithoutheart, @cutestkilla, @ivelovedhimthroughworse,

Happy birthday to my friend @facewithoutheart. Christina, you're a force for good in the world. You help friends and strangers alike to trust their creativity and be brave. I'm so glad you were born!

For your birthday, I got you some weird shit. I hope it fits!!!

Leave it to Baz to be sophisticated, even as a bunny.