#sam's venting

Coyotes and Band Kids are the same thing.

Before you come at me, I'm saying this as a former band kid and someone who lives in the middle of nowhere surrounded by coyotes.

Let me give you a few brief descriptions:

Mangy little gremlins.

They really don't want to be around others like them, but they'll do it if it means achieving a goal.

They avoid each other at all costs.

They prefer sticking to small, close knit groups they formed.

They get along great when it comes to food unless they're running out of a specific type of food. That's when they all start fighting each other like it's life or death.

They fight with each other and are absolutely horrible to one another, but they will team up on am outsider who tries to pick on one of their own.

They are sneaky little fuckers who know a little bit too much about certain things while either gives them an advantage or gets them in a lot of trouble.

The are HELLA loud for no reason at all.

The more you tell them to shut up, the louder they get.

They are viewed as outsiders/they are unwelcome by certain groups.

They communicate by loud, high pitched sounds that scare off anything within a five mile radius.

They pick fights with stronger outsiders even when they shouldn't because they think they're hot stuff.

They can make a beautiful sound if they are on time and aren't all projecting different parts at once.

They have a really weird obsession with raccoons and frogs.

They can form a dysfunctional family unit.

It is uncommon that they travel in a big group, but they have adapted to their world and will travel in groups/packs if necessary.

These describe both band kids AND coyotes.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.

Now there are a few different descriptions of this book that I think help set it into perspective and help catch the reader's attention!

Publicist Description: Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

Author Description: "Under seige by monsters beyond the Great Wall like that crappy Matt Damon movie[except the monsters are cybertronian-like sentient machines], a society that has the fashion, social customs, and beliefs of pre-colonial China[except with futuristic tech] fights back by pulling a Neon Genesis Evangelion and rebuilding their very invaders into giant mecha. A boy-girl pair in their teens[because of course they have to be teens] pilot the mecha Darling and Franxx style[except in a much more sensible position. He hugs her from behind instead of... you know]. Under command of human pilots, these mecha take on forms inspired by East Asian mythology and transform like Transformers through a Digimon-esque transformation line that gets more humanoid as they go on. The pilots physically embody them[so it's more Attack on Titan rules than Gundam rules]. Oh, and they blast qi blasts, so the battles honestly just read like a bunch of furries engaged in a Dragon Ball Z fight[and that's no one's fault but my own :)]." -Xiran Jay Zhao, Tik Tok.

My Description: This book is a futuristic, science fiction take inspired by China's only female Emperor. Influenced by Chinese legend and customs, the book takes the reader through an educational and action packed story that is left open ended for a future sequel! Not only does the author portray Chinese customs, but they also crack down hard on the sexism that often still infects the world today. They revolutionize what it means to be a female protagonist in a dystopian world and breaks stereotypes typically seen in such books. The book is action packed to the brim and is not shy to show the reader that the main characters are far from perfect icons. With a love story that breaks the mold of what a "normal" relationship should be while not distracting from the plot of the book, Iron Widow is truly a spectacle that will lead the way to reshaping how the publishing world defines science fiction books.

I would honestly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction, Chinese legend, action books, and a major break in stereotypes.

I sincerely recommend looking into it!!!

*deep breath*

WOUNDS HEAL

The human makes friends with the mermaid. They become best friends, even. The human brings books for the mermaid to read(because she has found abandoned newspapers and old books, so she taught herself how to read). The mermaid brings the human unique rocks and "treasures" from the riverbed.

The human expresses how hard it is dating because they identify as a sex repulsed asexual. The mermaid listens and learns that some humans feel physical attraction while others don't. Some humans only feel physical attraction sometimes or after they form a strong emotional relationship.

The mermaid expresses how difficult it is living in the river. There are other mermaids and the fauna of the river, but even in one of the most protected rivers in America the water is polluted. The human starts advocating for clean water and preserving the climate to protect life on Earth.

The mermaid tells the human about a person who visits the river a lot. The mermaid hears the human talk about how they also are a sex repulsed asexual, but they can never find anyone who respects that or who is also sex repulsed. The human is hesitant and doesn't want to believe the mermaid.

The mermaid starts studying the patterns at which the other human visits the river with their friend or their dog. The makes a plan to get her human and the new human at the river at the same time.

The mermaid successfully gets the two humans to talk and develop a friendship that eventually evolves into a romantic relationship.

The human eventually tells their significant other about the mermaid. When they both go to meet the mermaid, the mermaid doesn't shy away from telling both humans that she knew they would be great together. The mermaid plays with the one human's pet dog and they all enjoy each others company.

One day, a huge storm hits and floods the river. It causes massive mud slides and rapid currents. It takes five days for the humans to be able to reach the river.

The bank where they meet the mermaid is washed out and covered with debris. The water is still rushing and muddy. They worry that the mermaid might have had to flee to another body of water, or that she might not have had the chance to flee.

Everyday, for three weeks, the humans go back to the river in hope to seeing the mermaid again. And every day, they leave without seeing her. The water eventually clears up, back to normal, and the park starts restoration projects on the river. The humans help. Even though they have lost their friend, maybe forever, this park means so much to them.

It's not until two months later that they finally see the mermaid again. It was purely coincidence that they met, the humans having been on a walk in the park. They have a happy reunion, although all are a little worse for wear.

The mermaid now has a massive scar from her eyebrow to the edge of her chin and one of her fins has only just recently healed from a tear. She says she's okay though and she's happy to be home.

The humans visit the mermaid everyday after that and eventually buy a small home on the lake that a stream from the river empties into. The mermaid visits the humans and their dog. She visits when the humans decide to foster. She talks to the foster kids when the human foster parents get to be too much.

That list includes, but isn't limited to:

(Not my GIFs)