I misunderstood the point of this ride

Dear Yule Writer,

2025-10-14T17:25:25Z

Hi there!! Thanks so much for writing for me! I hope you have as much fun with that as I know I will, reading it.

I keep telling myself I’ll write a shorter letter, but I get so much enjoyment out of imagining possibilities and squeeing over the books (and webcomic, this year!) that I love. That means I’m going to have some prompts and some possibly disjointed thoughts about why I love these fandoms. None of it is there to be prescriptive! Feel free to go your own way!

My general feeling going into this Yuletide is that life is pretty tough right now and things are rather dark in the real world, and well, I could use some joy. While every canon is different and the tone that fits each one varies, my tastes are running towards silly shenanigans, adventures, and comfort ... if sometimes flavored a bit by darkness, spookiness (how I love spooky things), or hurt. I’m not looking for schmaltz, but I’m looking for going relatively light on the hurt.

(Er, also. I want to acknowledge something: for all my reliable enthusiasm about this event and the process going in, over the last few years, I’ve struggled pretty hard with reading and commenting on my gifts in anything like a reasonable time frame. It seems to fit in with some other mental health struggles, but that’s not an excuse, and I feel genuinely terrible about it. So, mainly for my own accountability/breaking this cycle: feedback will be prompt this year. Probably on the 25th, and definitely before the 1st; that's a promise.)

A note on DNWs (and Likes): I think these lists are helpful, and I very much appreciate you taking them into account! That said, I think they’re there as general guidelines, to be given and taken in good faith. There’s always going to be some possible interpretation of something (my Likes or DNWs, something in canon, something you’ve written) that one of us won’t have thought of that could maybe be borderline, and I don’t want you to stress it! (My AO3 sign-up includes some fandom-specific annotations to the DNWs, in case those are helpful.)

I hope that you have a marvelous Yuletide - whatever that means to you! Thank you again! <3

( DNWs, requests and prompts! )

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Dear Yule Writer,

2024-10-16T13:22:25Z

Well hello! I'm so sorry this letter is a little late--and thanks so much for writing for me! I love the books I requested, and I’m so excited that you’re into one or more of them too! Nice taste. ;)

If you’re the kind of person who likes to poke around past requests, you’ll notice that a couple of the ones here are repeats from previous years. Please know that this doesn’t mean I have a preference for those fandoms over the others I’ve just added, or vice versa! I promise, that’s not the case at ALL.

There are plentiful thoughts and prompts (and in several cases, links to promo posts) below. I’m just like this (and as a writer, I just like this kind of thing - lots of material to work with, I mean); believe me, I do not demand or expect you to adhere to my ideas! It would be lovely if you took a look to have a sense of my feelings about the characters/books, but ultimately the best stories are the ones where you follow your own vision, and in any case, I’d rather you enjoyed yourself writing something you want to write. Seriously, as far as I’m concerned, that’s what it’s all about. A story you’re invested in writing will delight me the most, by a mile.

Thank you again, and I really hope you have a blast!

(Oh, and treats are always welcome. <3)

( fandom-specific thoughts, prompts, etc )

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Dear Yule Writer,

2023-10-21T20:07:05Z

Hi there! I'm Lilith. Thanks so much for writing for me! We clearly have some taste in common, and I’m always pleased to “meet” new people who enjoy the same books. ;) I’m psyched to see what you come up with, and I dearly hope that you have a blast doing it!

(And hello to any random browsers or window-shoppers. I hope you’re having a good time too! I haven't been around this year - is that whole "open to gifts" thing still worth noting? I am, for the record. <3)

If you’re the kind of person who likes to poke around past requests, you’ll notice that a couple of the ones here are repeats from previous years. Please know that this doesn’t mean I have a preference for those fandoms over the others I’ve just added, or vice versa! I promise, that’s not the case at ALL. The best fic comes from the effort and investment of the writer, so frankly, what I want the most for Yuletide is whichever one of these canons YOU’D be most excited to write about. I am and have always been unapologetically Pollyanna-ish about this exchange. It’s a long, longtime favorite seasonal tradition for me.

There are plentiful thoughts and prompts (and in several cases, links to promo posts) below. I’m just like this (and as a writer, I just like this kind of thing - lots of material to work with, I mean); believe me, I do not demand or expect you to adhere to my ideas! They’re there for you to use as much or little as you want (and because I have a lot of fun rambling about stuff I enjoy).

I hope that you have a marvelous Yuletide - whatever that means to you! Thank you again! <3

( DNWs, requests and prompts! )

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Dear Multifandom Doodler,

2022-11-14T23:04:59Z

Hello, delightful person! Thank you for doodling for me! This exchange is just the best, and so are you!

The spirit of this exchange matters to me a lot. I hope participating will be super fun and low-pressure for you, regardless of your "skills" (SO relative!), experience, media of choice, or level out output you happen to be feeling like. I am honored that you're making me a thing, and I cannot wait to see it!

I enjoy prompts and the like, so I'm going to provide some in case you do too. That said, this will probably be a pretty inconsistent letter on that score. I'm a little all over the place right now, so in some cases you might see some detailed ideas, probably cobbled together from past exchanges; in others, some broader strokes. Preference should in no way be read into any of that, please! I'm excited about all my requests, just having a very busy time and feeling extra ADHD lately.)

I am absolutely open to treats - and always giddily grateful if you feel inspired in that direction!

( Onward! )

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Dear Yule Writer,

2022-10-18T00:11:11Z

Hello! Thanks so much for being my writer this year. I’m deeply excited to see what you come up with, and I hope you have fun with it. I am really into all these canons, and I’m delighted that we have that in common!

(And hello to any random browsers or window-shoppers. I hope you’re having a good time too! Since this is a thing now: I am absolutely open to treats - and giddily grateful if you feel inspired in that direction.)

All my requested fandoms are in the “Books & Literature” category, but they range in length from a fairy tale that would barely meet the Yuletide minimum word count to a four-book series (although my request focuses on one particular volume). There’s a darker trend to them, with a lot of themes around abuse, repressive circumstances and troubled interpersonal relationships. My Yuletide tastes tend to run in the direction of hope and positive change for the characters (even if stuff is pretty messy or creepy, and almost certainly complicated on the way there) - though the degree to which this is possible obviously depends a good deal on the details!

I’ll save any additional rambling for the individual canons; there are thoughts and prompts (and in most cases, links to promo posts) below. (Sometimes there are a LOT of thoughts and/or prompts. I absolutely do not expect you to adhere to them - they’re there for you to use if you want to, or if not, not!) I’ll just end the letter portion by noting that Yuletide is a long, longtime favorite seasonal tradition for me, and I’m just really happy to be back for another year. I hope you have a fantastic Yuletide - whatever that means to you!

( DNWs, requests and prompts! )

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Dear BDSM Exchange Creator,

2022-06-12T03:01:17Z

Hi! Thanks so much for creating for me.

I was excited to learn about this new exchange, because while I enjoy all kinds of kink, it’s often hard to find stories that scratch my itch for the kinds of kink practices, protocols and history that you find in a lot of IRL BDSM communities. Whether or not those kinds of communities are explicitly included in the story—it doesn’t always fit with the canon—I enjoy things like negotiation (talking about hot things can itself be so hot - it doesn’t have to be rote!), characters checking in with each other, taking care of each other when things don’t quite work as planned or there is emotional aftermath … very very much. I’m very into things like honorifics, defined scenes (in the kink sense) when people take on roles/fall into headspace within those delineations, and so forth.

I also have a huge thing for cathartic kink, for characters (especially strong/stoic/leader characters) getting a chance to let go, give up control, process emotions and trauma, and feel protected/under the control and care of someone else, through the medium of bondage, pain or submission. There’s a lot of that in here.

And, I enjoy non-sexual and non-sex-centric kink quite a lot! I also love hot, filthy porn! Basically, with most of these requests, I’d be equally happy with a focus on the one as the inclusion of the other.

I won’t ramble further, I think, at least in general terms … I’ve offered a mishmash of prompts and ideas below, to varying degrees of specificity, for you to play with if you would like (but as always, that’s up to you). I have some general thematic and smut likes over here in a separate post, but I’ve put together some DNWs specific to this exchange. Thanks again, so much. I hope you have fun with this!

( DNWs, requests and prompts! )

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Dear Multifandom Doodler,

2022-05-29T19:52:33Z

Hi there! This is the best exchange; I’m so excited. Thank you for drawing for me!

I had a wonderful time with the first iteration of MFD; the low-pressure, mutually enthusiastic and encouraging feeling of the whole thing was a breath of fresh air and a source of inspiration to me. Let’s keep that going! I’m so glad you’re here; please know that whatever your skill level or experience is (and these things are SUPER relative, srsly), whatever your style(s)/medium(s) of choice, I can’t wait to see what you make. Making stuff! It’s the best!

I happen to really love prompts, likes, and that sort of thing to play with, so I’m going to try and provide a bunch below, but they are entirely take-them-or-leave-them as far as I’m concerned. I’d appreciate you taking my DNWs into account, but apart from that, please have fun with whichever character, group, ship, setting, etc I’ve requested that catches your fancy. However you like. (On the subject of likes: note that the "Thematic Likes" and "Art Likes" links under the cut will open a separate post, in a new tab. I've kept my DNWs in this post because they're a bit more MFD-specific.)

Treats are very welcome and appreciated tremendously.

Eeee. ( Okay, here we go! )

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we've not yet lost all our graces

2022-02-21T20:17:42Z

Whoops, Chocolate Box reveals are here already! I have so many comments to leave, which I intend to do today. But first, I'm excited to share my all-X-Men slate of contributions. I've been feeling such a fannish resurgence for the last few months, so I ... pretty much could not resist.

( Mutant gal pals, and more! )

Also, the rarefemslashexchange archive is open now, and worth a look! I do believe I'm going to enjoy wrapping up my much-needed three-day weekend with a lot of fannish appreciation.

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interest without meaning, solutions without problems

2022-02-17T16:52:27Z

Taking a breather mid-work-day after a somewhat nerve-wracking meeting with my boss, so, hello out there. I hope you lot are doing all right.

In the world of Lilith Does Too Many Exchanges, a lull of sorts approaches; the chocolateboxcomm archive is live, and the rarefemslashexchange archive will be soon (hopefully tomorrow). I'm not doing anything but once_upon_fic, which has a pleasantly long creation period, until May at least. Whew. I'm hoping to come out of the winter blues with a more balanced professional life (as I keep getting the hang of this position) and fresh energy to put towards my original projects. Fingers crossed.

Oh, but speaking of Chocolate Box! My gifts are amazing and deserve all the eyes on them.

In The Script of the Future, X-Men Comics, Mystique/Destiny, 721 words, G
A sweet look at the earliest days of their relationship, through Raven's eyes, which includes one of the best and most intimate, lovely uses of her powers as an accessible adaptation and it's so romantic and I just can't. I love them so much.

Gravitating towards you, Sailor Moon, Hotaru/ChibiUsa, G
A beautiful portrait of this pairing; in the creator's own words, a "royal portrait, sort of. Because they can't stop looking at each other instead of the painter." Delicate, graceful lines and gesture, a deeply intimate mood, and an excellent use of a limited palette. Could be appreciated with no canon knowledge whatsoever, I suspect.

In other news, I stumbled across an old fannish friend out of the blue on tumblr this weekend, someone I hadn't spoken to in 10+ years, and I've been feeling a little giddy about it off and on. I mean, on the one hand, help, I'm old. On the other, she's still writing (and tormenting a fascinated audience with her cruel chapter cliffhangers and intense emotional scenes) and it's just so lovely to rediscover a lost connection. It makes me feel more hopeful about the world, or life, or something.

Onwards and upwards and all that jazz!

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one vast, glassy desert of arsenic white

2022-01-31T19:30:04Z

This has been an absurdly long month, even for January. I'm ready to move forward with this whole 2022 thing already!

Work is trying to eat me alive with busy--new job continues to be an adventure!--but I have finally convinced my boss to let me have (all of) one day of remote work every week, starting with this Wednesday. I'd have given anything to be able to do it today instead (10 degrees Fahrenheit, unshoveled sidewalks galore, and the buses running 20 minutes late), but she claims the Dean of the College is very against Monday and Friday telework (presumably because of the general atmosphere of suspicion the entire administration of the College has towards staff actually working if we're not under the gimlet managerial eye at all times, because this is such a healthy workplace). Whatever. It's a bit frustrating to feel locked in to this place for another 2-3 years, but I figure it's a reasonable price to pay for the soft career change I was able to make; moving from a purely administrative role to a creative/marketing role with nothing like that on my resume (except education), because I've been with this office for years and they knew I could do it. Now I just have to rack up enough portfolio material and solid career time and I'm out of here. Not sure where to yet, but somewhere else, and quite possibly our of higher ed altogether.

Er, anyway. On the fun and fannish side of things, I'm finally well into my Chocolate Box assignment (which is good, as it's due in a week) and pondering potential treats; I'm also really looking forward to once_upon_fic sign-ups! Writing-based challenges are harder for me than exchanges where I can draw, but I had such a brilliant time adapting Bluebeard last year. It's such a delightfully small, niche exchange. This year I nominated an old favorite obscure story from my favorite class in college: Belle-Belle, ou Le Chevalier Fortuné, by the Countess d'Aulnoy, who is also credited with coining the term "fairy tale" (contes de fées). Also that creepy unattributed tale about the woman who wore a ribbon as a choker that she never, ever took off (you know the one; it's retold as "The Green Ribbon" in In A Dark, Dark Room, among other versions).

Also, today marks the end of my month of X-Men recs over at fanart_recs! ( Click here for eight-ish works of rather (ahem) x-ceptional X-book fanart. )

I'll be doing a month of Sailor Moon fanart recs for February!

I could ramble a bit about the end of The Expanse, the cover reveal for Nona the Ninth, and so forth, but this endless pile of work is calling, so I guess I will leave it there for now. Egad.

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Dear Once Upon a Fic Writer,

2022-01-28T19:40:53Z

Hi there, fellow fairy/folk tale enthusiast! I’m delighted that we share an interest in one of these stories, and I’m very much looking forward to your take on any of them!

I come to this exchange with a particular interest in retellings/reinterpretations of, and expansions on, the original tales. And while I tend to prefer fic that works hard to match the tone/style of canon in most other fandom contexts, that absolutely does not apply here; if anything, I think I prefer works that tell (versions of) the stories in their own voice.

(In fact, many of my general likes/DNWs for other exchanges really don’t apply to this one. If you happen upon my pinned post with those, please disregard.)

I have a particular love for queer and feminist retellings, and also stories that lean into the horror elements that are so tightly woven into many traditional fairy tales and more contemporary urban legends alike. (Especially when they do so subtly - I’m much more fond of creeping dread and terrifying events that are never thoroughly explained, than jump scares and on-page mayhem, etc.) Playing up the inhumanity/otherworldliness of beings such as mermaids and fairies is also a favorite tactic. Which isn’t to say I don’t also enjoy a wholesome lady-knight-rescues-trans-princess happily-ever-after sort of scenario. To be clear. ;)

Down below, I’m going to talk a bit about what interests me about each of the tales I’ve chosen, and a few ideas for where you might take things (which you are free to use or disregard as your inspiration takes you). I’m interested in your version of the story, and I very much hope you enjoy telling it. Thank you so much. <3

Likes & DNWs | Belle-Belle | Bluebeard | Fitcher’s Bird | The Little Mermaid | The Snow Queen | The Velvet Ribbon

( Herein lies a ramble, or several. )

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well, some can manage once or twice

2022-01-05T20:39:51Z

( Belated 2021 round-up )

In more current news, I'm reccing X-Men comics fanart over on fanart_recs this month! You should totally check it out, although I'll probably also do a roundup post of my recs once I'm done. (Done with this month, anyway. I've been collecting amazing fanart, on deviantArt and tumblr for so long ... I'm feeling the urge to share the love.)

One final thought, if anyone else who enjoys The Locked Tomb happens to be around: have you seen the summary for Nona the Ninth yet??? (Not sure when the update actually happened, but I only saw it the other day.) I'm going to die of suspense, JFC.

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Dear Chocolatier,

2022-01-02T01:54:25Z

I'm so delighted that you could stop by! I love this exchange to bits. I hope it's a fun time for you, too. <3

I'm keeping some lists of general likes over here, and more fandom/character specifics below the cut. Please feel free to use them as much or as little as you like! I get ... enthusiastic, but this is supposed to be a low-pressure exchange, so please take that to heart and follow your bliss; I'm going to love finding out where that takes you. (I appreciate you avoiding my DNWs in the process, of course!)

( A plethora of prompts! )

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less than forget, but more than begun

2022-01-01T19:34:11Z

Happy New Year, friends. I really hope 2022 is an improvement!

I may do some kind of personal ramble/reflection thing later, but for now I thought I'd just go ahead and share some stuff I made, since we have Yuletide and Multifandom Doodle reveals today!

( Five doodles in four fandoms under here! )

That's a pile of art, and yet, just a FRACTION of the prompts I wanted to draw for. I have a whole list leftover, and I really hope this event runs again, because it was so much fun. I would heavily encourage anyone who likes to draw or doodle to join in if it does, regardless of whether you think of yourself as "good" or "an artist." It truly was for everyone, at every skill level, and was such a fun, open-hearted, enthusiastic experience across the board.

And then there's Yuletide.

narrative context
The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells
ART & Murderbot (subtext-y gen), G, 7.3K
"It gave me context for the emotions I was feeling, I managed not to say." -Exit Strategy

( A short ramble. )

Once again, I did not manage to treat, and was in fact writing furiously down to the wire on my main assignment. Perhaps by next year I will have figured out some better time management strategies? Or at least nailed down a better regimen of ADHD meds.

I've also only read a small fraction of what I wanted to from the archive, naturally. I hope to share some recs later on.

Anyway, more personal stuff later, maybe. I'm feeling jazzed up about working on my rarefemslashexchange assignment, and of course, my OTHER favorite exchange, chocolateboxcomm, opened for sign-ups today. Making things! It's the best part of every year, and seems like a great way to kick off this one.

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fanwork likes/dnws (for exchanges)

2021-12-29T21:09:44Z

This is my general list of likes and DNWs for exchanges, in the event that it's useful and/or that I don't have time to write a letter. (In the latter case: thank you so much for creating for me, awesome person! <3)

Regarding treats: Since there's this whole question of opting in or out now: I'm always open to and over the moon about treats. <3 And in multimedia exchanges, I may sometimes make fanfic-only or fanart-only requests, but in those cases I am also always open to treats in the medium I did not actively request.

Story/Thematic Likes | Smut Likes | Do Not Want | Art Likes

( Story/Thematic Likes )
( Smut Likes )
( General DNWs )
( Art-specific Likes (with examples) )

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Dear Rare Femslash Creator,

2021-12-27T17:48:20Z

Hi there! Thank you for creating for me; I hope you have a great time! I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. <3

I'm trying something new with this exchange, I have a separate General Likes and DNWs post, in case you find that helpful. Under the cut, I'll share some more specific prompts for my requested pairings, which you're welcome to use, adapt or ignore in favor of other ideas - whatever works best for you.

( Prompts under here. )

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last night I dreamt I'd forgotten my name

2021-12-27T14:26:46Z

Nearly at the end of the year at last. Happy holiday season, friends; I hope you're all cozy somewhere with people you love and/or good things to do.

It has been really wonderful to be home with my family again for Christmas, after the miserable isolation of last year. I feel incredibly lucky that we were able to swing it; that we don't live far enough apart to require flying, and that my brother and his girlfriend were willing and able to come get me in their car so I didn't have to carry the risks of mass transit home to my parents, both in their early seventies. It has been a mostly peaceful, occasionally very goofy time; certainly a respite from my life in the city (though I'm nearly ready to go back - I miss my cat).

I'm looking forward to reading some of the Yuletide stories I've set aside on the train and leaving lots of belated but heartfelt comments on the delightful variety of multifandomdoodle works! Speaking of which, if you haven't, you should seriously check out the Multifandom Doodle archive. This exchange is really living up to its promise of inclusivity and low-pressure fun and general goodwill. I don't suppose we could have it quarterly? ;)

I received a really lovely gift from each of those exchanges:

tingle, Sex Education, Lily-centric, 1946 words, M
A contemplative journey through Lily's creative inspiration and endeavors, from childhood viewings of Star Trek through a modest adult side career as a writer of delightfully weird and retro-futurism-tinged self-published erotica and cozy domesticity with Ola and their kids. <3

Poor Jody ..., The Locked Tomb, Judith/Coronabeth, G
Pre-series, an incorrigible Coronabeth flirts with a rigidly uncomfortable Judith at a Third House party. Sheer delight!

As ever, I want to keep this fandom train rolling a bit longer, so I'm signing up (to draw) for rarefemslashexchange and chocolateboxcomm (currently in sign-ups and nominations, respectively). My writing brain needs a rest ... I am pleased with how my Yuletide story came out, but I struggled with it more than I have in years.

Oh, and I finally saw Die Hard last night (yes, for the first time). Honestly, a bit bloodier than I'd have preferred, but it certainly had its moments.

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for awhile, we had no fear

2021-12-06T19:42:54Z

My ex asked me this weekend whether I'd finished my Yuletide story. No indeed, but it's moving along. (Though I will say - knowing that there's a relatively concrete neuropsychological reason why I struggle so much with time management does not magically solve the problem!)

This fall has been a lot. The hibernation urge is strong as we move into winter. That said, I haven't been entirely unproductive! femslashex reveals went up yesterday:

( Vulcan kisses and Fairy Tale AUs )

It was a fun exercise in drawing for fandoms I've been meaning to for ages, and never gotten around to. I should really do more TOS art (how were these my first??); the retro sci-fi costuming is so much fun! Also I've been loving all the canon Harley/Ivy comics I keep catching glimpses of on tumblr ... every once in awhile I feel so genuinely grateful for the way some segments of culture really have changed (or started to) from the norms of even a decade ago.

My own gift was this lovely little Sailor Moon S interlude, A Little More Time, by SugarFey - a depiction of Haruka and Michiru (with a little Setsuna) in between the two major arcs of that season. I've been having a lot of resurgent Sailor Moon feelings this year, and I was so delighted to get this gift. It's just the right mix of sweetness, hotness and angst!

It's very strange how thoroughly out of the habit of reading fanfic I am lately, even though I've participated in so many exchanges this year. I'm always excited to read my gifts, when I get fic, and writing now and then is a delightful and tantalizing challenge, but ... IDK. I do think Yuletide will be different (even though I never manage to read more than a fraction of the archive), because it's very much its own thing. So much variety! Such novelty! And reading the archive is just a favorite holiday tradition, of course.

The malaise is probably a combination of the fact that I don't have a "main" fandom, that the ones I'm most interested in lately are fairly rare, and that I mostly want to listen to audiobooks while I draw (or ride my bike, or do almost anything else). I should find myself some podfic. I'm sure there must be some for The Locked Tomb, at least?

I'm especially excited for multifandomdoodle. I would love to have more all-art exchanges; I crave ALL THE FANART even more than I used to. I go looking for some after almost every book I read lately (the genre ones, in any case). If I didn't hate running things like this, I would totally start a book fandoms fanart exchange.

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Dear Multifandom Doodler,

2021-11-03T12:34:22Z

I haven’t done an all-fanart exchange in ages and I’m psyched about this! It’s supposed to be low-pressure and I want to honor that. Whatever your skill level or experience is (and these things are super relative anyway), whatever your style(s)/medium(s) of choice, I’m looking forward to seeing what you make! Let’s make stuff!

I want you to draw whatever you want based on any of the characters, groups and/or ships I’ve requested (taking DNWs into account, please). But given that I, personally, really love to have prompts and likes to play with, I’m providing some below! Feel free to use them as much or little as you feel like, yeah?

General Likes | DNWs | Sailor Moon | The Locked Tomb | The Snow Queen
DCU | Marvel 616 | The Wicked + The Divine | Labyrinth | Farscape

( In here! )

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he wanted the mountain to love him back

2021-10-26T14:44:50Z

Have you ever been excited about something to the point that you're balking at getting started, because you don't want the anticipation to be over quite yet? Yeah, that's me right now. My Yuletide assignment is a delight and I'm about to do my usual deep dive canon review. Whee, I say.

I'm very sleepy this morning because I was up a little late getting cat pee out of clothing. Again. I have a system now, although I really hope I may not have to use it too much more? Sigh. Poor Eugenides. I guess that's one way to convince me to get rid of extra gift bags and odds and ends cluttering up my closet floor that I was probably never going to use.

Also I rode to work on my bike in the rain this morning, which might have something to do with it. It's ... really difficult to convince myself that I should take the crowded, steamy bus (with, no doubt, at least a couple people flouting masking rules) when I can get here so much faster on my own, with a little endorphin boost to boot. Even if it means getting soaked.

Back to fannish things ... remixrevival (and Remix Madness) revealed creators a few days ago! What a fun exchange; I could wish the time of year were a little more convenient, but still, it's definitely something I'll want to do again (and may try and nudge others toward). I love how collaborative it feels, how it both allows me to pay homage to other fans' creative work, and stretch myself in directions I might not have come up with on my own. Similar to my enjoyment of Big Bangs, but with more choice on my part, and a bit more parity too.

( change you like a remix etc )

Now to try and wake myself up to work properly. I don't know how I can feel the effects of a rainy day from my new office, with fluorescent lighting and no windows, but my body knows. More coffee please.

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the clock is moving, hands to midnight

2021-10-22T14:29:41Z

Jeez, I can't believe that Yuletide sign-ups are already almost over. It felt like it went by fast this year! I'm so hyped to get my assignment, though. This really is my favorite time of year; all the possibility and the outpouring of fannish excitement! I've been haunting the letters post all week; I love seeing what people are into, even if it's not my thing.

(I'm also just delighted that bastet, aka the BFF, is planning to participate. I hadn't quite realized that the last time she completed a Yuletide fic was in 2006. The passage of time, how??)

Meanwhile, though, the remixrevival collection revealed this week, and I have to share this! Some mysterious fanartist remixed my old DS9 Bond poster pastiche, From Kardasi'or With Love, by creating one with Garak in the role of Bond Girl: The Quadrant Is Not Enough. And very sexy he is, too, in that sheer nightgown. ;) I think I'm going to have to yell a lot more about this particular exchange next year, as I really adore the premise of it. (I can't wait to share what I made!)

Real life continues to be a lot, as my new job continues to be a bit overwhelming, and navigating long-term feline medical care is still presenting challenges (such as brand-new anxious incontinence during car trips), though the boy is a lot perkier in general now. I also received an ADHD diagnosis this week. This is a good thing, in that I think it's useful information, but I've only just begun to process.

Thank goodness for fandom, is all I can say.

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Dear Yule Writer,

2021-10-14T02:51:03Z

Well hello! Thank you so much for writing for me this year!

Of note: I am a relatively detailed and prolific prompter! Some people really enjoy working from prompts; some don’t. ODAO, and if you’d rather strike out in a different direction, please know that I’ll be delighted by that, too. Not to go all nonbinary Pollyanna on you, but: for me, Yuletide is primarily all about everyone having as much fun as they possibly can and sharing their love of something with a like-minded fan (a rare experience, for many of these rare fandoms). I am genuinely more invested in your enjoyment than in any of my ideas below. They’re there for fun and in case you want them.

But enough of that. I’ve requested, as is my wont, a bunch of books (two series and two stand-alones--at least, so far), as well as a podcast and a Netflix show. Some I’ve requested before (many times, even), and a couple are brand new to me. I love them all. I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out which one you love too! Happy Yuletide, and I hope you get the experience you want out of it. <3 Let's get to the good stuff!

You can find me at Lilith and reflectedeve if you like! (My twitter is locked and little-used.) And should it come up for some reason, my pronouns are they/them.

I am opted-in to these mini-challenges: Wrapping Paper, Make The Yuletide Gay, ... and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

General Likes | DNWs | The Girls I’ve Been | The Locked Tomb
Wayfarers | The Witch Family | Unwell | Sex Education

( All of the above! )

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hey baby, are we losing touch?

2021-09-22T17:53:31Z

I do believe I will be cutting down on my exchange participation in the future. I decided to try a whole bunch of new ones this year, and I have enjoyed the heck out of them, but goodness. This is a lot, and I'm not able to produce as much as I'd like for a given exchange because of a deadline coming up for another, etc. It's been an adventure!

Real life hasn't had any compassion for my self-inflicted busy schedule, of course. As of mid-August, I've transitioned to a new job within my existing office - essentially a career change, moving from purely administrative work to marketing & publicity - and have been teaching myself all its requirements (since it's been vacant for more than a year) while simultaneously training a temp to do the many and varied pieces of my old job. I've also had a huge deadline crunch within the scope of my new position because of the timing of all this, so I've celebrated becoming a salaried/exempt employee with ALL THE (NOT) OVERTIME. And my poor kitty was diagnosed with diabetes. On the bright side, giving insulin shots is much, much easier for me than anticipated; on the less well-lit, we are still trying to find the right dosage and it's painful to watch him struggle.

All this and, you know, an ongoing pandemic, the Texas abortion ban, the general state of the world, and so forth.

I'm so tired. :(

Thank goodness Yuletide season is starting. All these other exchanges I've been doing are fun, and they've been great stretches for me in various directions. But there really is something special about Yuletide. Maybe it's the size, or the traditions, or the timing (the way it has basically taken on a good deal of the childhood love I had for that particular holiday season, replacing other problematic things while giving me similar warm fuzzies).

I've done my nominations and I have some preliminary request and offer ideas. I can't wait to see the final tag set.

Anyway, hi out there, folks. I still miss having my less exchange-based fandom community to interact with on the regular ... although then again, that's also one of the best things about Yuletide. So many friends and old familiar faces participate. Hope to see you "there." <3

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Dear FemslashEx Creator,

2021-09-18T16:22:15Z

Thank you for creating for me this round! This fest has been one of my favorites since I first discovered it seven years ago, and I'm excited to have fun with it again this year. I hope the process is as enjoyable for you!

I've decided that I'm in the mood for a smaller slate of requests this year (at least, in terms of fandom; some of them have a bunch of pairings). Nearly everything here is something I've asked for, and occasionally received, before, but will never get tired of. And a few ideas are new!

I'm an ... enthusiastic prompter; please, don't feel constrained! Those details are there to give you options, not remove them! If you make something for one of these pairings, and avoid my DNWs, I will be over the moon. <3

General Likes | Art Likes | Smut Likes | DNWs
Sailor Moon: Haruka/Michiru | Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna
Haruka/Michiru/Usagi | Queen Serenity/Sailor Pluto
Marvel 616: Raven/Irene | Kitty/Rachel | Dani/Illyana
Star Wars || Sex Education

( All the details are in here! )

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Dear FFFX Creator,

2021-08-01T02:54:21Z

Hello there! Thank you so much for creating for me! Whether you're planning to write fic or draw a comic, this exchange calls for a significant amount of work, and I appreciate it so much in advance.

I hope you'll have fun with this, and please remember that my prompts are by no means intended to be demanding; they are there for your use IF you find them useful. If you have a completely different idea that fits in with my general likes and excludes my DNWs, I will be super excited to read it! If one of my prompts inspires you more directly, same! I'm on the edge of my seat. I’m just so delighted that you’re creating for me.

General Likes | Art Likes | Smut Likes | DNWs
Sailor Moon | The Locked Tomb | The Snow Queen
Labyrinth | Jeeves and Wooster x Miss Fisher

( All the details are in here! )

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