Pride Post II

Hi, guys, it's Willow again. It's still Pride Month (yay); here's Pride Post the Second.

This post is really similar to my last one (LGBTQ+ characters I love). The next one's going to be characters who really should be queer, so stay tuned for that!!

Okay. Let's get started.

• Alex Fierro (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)
• Have I ever mentioned how much I adore what Rick Riordan's doing with his books? No? Well, I adore what Rick Riordan's doing with his books. 
• Alex is trans and genderfluid. She changes pronouns several times during the novel; this isn't made into a big deal.
• She even has a conversation with Magnus about this. He asks her if using they/them pronouns wouldn't be easier. Her reply? "For who, you?" (I Love Her So Much.)
• Alex is snarky and irreverent and gives Magnus hell. He is Immediately and Extremely Smitten. (Which, just saying, means that he ain't straight. Nice.)
• Alex is an enormous step forward for queer representation in mainstream media. 
• And she's not just a side character shoved in for token diversity. She's a well-rounded, three-dimensional protagonist who's integral to the plot of the story. Four for you, Rick Riordan. You go, Rick Riordan.
• She's also (most likely) Magnus's endgame love interest. This is the first time Riordan's written a queer romance featuring main characters. Sure, there's Solangelo and Emmie/Jo, but none of them are exactly mains. Apollo/Lester's a Useless Bisexual, yeah, but he doesn't have a love interest. 
• Unsurprisingly, Alex is a fan favorite. Here's hoping we see a lot more of her in the future.   
• Lark and Rosethorn (Circle of Magic, The Circle Opens, The Circle Reforged)
• Lark and Rosethorn are Everyone's Favorite Moms, to be honest.
• Lark is sweet, maternal ace lesbian who takes one look at the Circle kids and says "yes okay these children are mine now", an ex-acrobat turned dedicate who will always take the outcasts under her wing; Rosethorn is a thorny (ha) gardener who seems prickly at first but softens for her love and her kids, who doesn't put up with condescending pricks and shuts them down superbly, a mage with immense power who's willing to die (who has died) for the right cause.
•  Rosethorn's also polyamorous, and it's never a big deal. It's just a part of her.
• Anyway. They are the Circle's moms; their little home at Discipline is a haven of warmth and domesticity. 
• To the Circle, Lark and Rosethorn are family. Home. Everything a ragtag bunch of misfits could've asked for. 
• No "Bury Your Gays"-- Rosethorn dies, but she gets over it. Y'know. As you do.
• They're actually the only long-term relationship in all of the Emelan 'verse-- Daja and Rizu don't last very long, Briar's flings are just that, Sandry's aroace, and Tris isn't interested in romance at the moment.
• Tl;dr cute interracial gay moms of the Circle; I'd die for them but they can defend themselves so I wouldn't have to; the best teachers/parents the kids could ever have asked for.
• <3
• Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who, Torchwood)
• How do I even begin to describe Captain Jack Harkness?
• Just kidding. I don't even like Mean Girls that much.
• Jack Harkness is... well, he's Jack Harkness.
• He'll flirt with anything that's physically able to (and old enough to, of course) flirt back. Gender? Not a problem. Species? Even less of a problem.
• Seriously.
• What does Jack's flirting sound like?
• "Hi. Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?"
• Most fall for it, actually.
• It's not even that he doesn't have standards, he just... thinks everyone's pretty.
• :)))
• I've only watched one (1) episode of Torchwood, so most of my knowledge of Jack is from his days with the Doctor.
• Jack is a conman turned reluctant hero. He's disillusioned but still tries to do good. He's a natural leader and ~very~ charming; that doesn't mean he's very good at actual friendships, though. A bit cold, Jack has some attachment/commitment issues, coming off as selfish at times. Still, Jack's a good man. He's been through a lot (so much, poor baby) and come out without losing who he is.
• Also? He's the polar opposite of the "Bury Your Gays" trope. He's physically incapable of dying. That's nice.

Happy Pride Month, you guys! <3

Willow

A Pride Post

Hey, guys, Willow here.

As you probably (hopefully) know, it is currently the month of June-- Pride Month. I've decided to make a post (more than one, probably, stay tuned) in order to honor and celebrate that.

So, without further ado: Pride Post the First!

This post is a list of some of my personal favorite LGBTQ+ characters in fiction. Unfortunately, there aren't as many queer characters in mainstream fiction as there should be (representation is important, kiddos!); making this list was way easier than it should've been. There weren't too many to pick from.

Here we go, in no particular order:

• Katsuki Yuuri (and, by extension, his trophy husband Viktor Nikiforov) (Yuri!!! on ICE)

  

  THEY DESERVE THE WORLD

• Yuri!!! on ICE is one of the purest, most adorable things I've ever seen.
• No, seriously.
• Viktor and Yuuri are in love. I think I am in love with their love.
• One of my favorite things about YOI is that it was created to be a safe space; the story takes place in a world without homophobia. 
• So here's how this works:
• Katuski Yuuri is a Japanese figure skater with anxiety, almost no self-confidence to speak of, and a massive crush on a figure skating living legend. Reeling from recent tragedy and crushing failures, he goes back to his hometown of Hasetsu, only to be surprised by...
• ...Viktor Nikiforov, aforementioned living legend, a household name and heartthrob who's lost his inspiration and can't seem to find a family.
• I'll let you find out what happens next.
• Alex Danvers (Supergirl)
• Listen. Supergirl season 2 was a hot mess. Don't even try to deny it. 

  

  They make each other so h a p p y

• There were, like, two (2) good things about it. Three if you squint.
• One of those good things? Alex and Maggie.
• Alex Danvers is a lesbian. She was not aware of this until she met Maggie Sawyer.
• Awww.
• Team Sanvers, always.
• Seriously, though. Alex's coming-out arc was the best part of the season.
• It was heartfelt. Honest. Genuine. (Unlike, hmm, let's see, the entire rest of the season. Go die, Mon-El.)
• Alex lights up whenever she sees Maggie. Maggie makes her the happiest we've ever seen her.
• Historically, Alex has a tendency to put a lot of weight on her own shoulders-- taking care of Kara, being the responsible older sister, being the loyal DEO agent.
• Maggie... Maggie is Alex letting herself be selfish. Letting herself be happy.
• And while I'm always and forever salty at the Arrowverse in general for stealing Bat-characters all the time (Maggie Sawyer? One of Batwoman's ex-girlfriends.), Maggie has made a home for herself on Supergirl.
• Unfortunately, she's not going to be a season regular next season (whyyy), but as of the season finale, she and Alex are in a committed, beautiful relationship, and [spoiler ahead] Alex proposed.
• Loki Laufeyson (Marvel)
• Look, I'm going to be completely honest. Loki is one of my favorite Marvel characters

  

  look at my son/pride is not the word I'm looking for

  ever-- the trickster with a silver tongue and not-so-good intentions? Sign me up. 
• Like. He is my garbage son and I adore him.
• Also, he's pansexual and genderfluid.
• I mean. This isn't necessarily new or unusual-- Norse mythology, anybody?
• But considering Marvel's track record with diversity (hint: ugh), Loki is... good. 
• He's not quite like the other characters on this list. He's not an innocent child who deserves the world. He's a lying trashcan who probably shouldn't be trusted.
• <3333
• Well, actually, that previous bullet point isn't quite correct. Here's a brief rundown, as best I understand it:
• There was evil-Loki. Evil-Loki died.
• Loki was reborn as a child-- pure, innocent, not a villain.
• That child? Killed and possessed by evil-Loki.
• So now Loki is... somewhere in between. He feels guilty about what he's done. But he's also a liar, a trickster, by nature and by habit. The important thing: he's trying to do good.
• I love him so much.
• Loki is flippant about his gender and sexuality. Sometimes he is Loki, and sometimes she is Lady Loki. 
• There's no internal anguish, no fear of homophobia, no self-evaluation.
• Loki just... is Loki. And I love him for it.

These are just my top 3-- I noticed the post was getting pretty long, so. Yeah.

There's definitely going to be a sequel, though, so stay tuned for Pride Post the Second (probably featuring the likes of Alex Fierro, Keladry of Mindelan, Angela and Sera, and Sara Lance).

Happy Pride, everyone!

Willow

Bonus: the Babadook

Still Star-Crossed

Hey, guys, it's Willow, for the first time in forever. Sorry about sporadic updates recently! I've been busy with, y'know, getting an education and all that good stuff. But now that school's out, it leaves me free to do as I please... within reason, of course.

So.

"Still Star-Crossed" is a (relatively new, actually) TV show on ABC. It's a post-canonical adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Which, y'know. Catnip for nerds. Well. My kind of nerd, anyway.

So I watched the first episode. Here are some of my thoughts. Spoilers ahead, obviously.

Pros:

• The cast of this show? Incredibly diverse. About half of the main cast is POC; the main character, Rosaline Capulet, is a dark-skinned, beautiful Black woman. Prince Escalus? Black. Romeo Montague? Black. Excellent. I approve.
• This is... exactly the kind of overwrought, historically inaccurate, theatrical Shakespearean drama that I will probably always fall in love with, to be honest.
• Listen, I am so glad they made Count Paris a jerk. (So far, anyway.) He was an utter creep in the original-- an adult man, repeatedly asking for the hand of a teenager? Yikes. At least Romeo was somewhere in her age range. They've aged the lovebirds up in this, of course, but it's still sketchy.
• The mob/brawl after the funeral? Good.
• Ohhh, that scene with Rosaline and Escalus in the church. The softness in his gaze, the fondness in his voice, the helplessness that they can only try to escape-- yes.
• Isabella. Just... Isabella. Dang. Give me all the cutthroat, ruthless women who will do anything and everything for their city. "Escalus, Verona is burning."
• Escalus quietly cutting out his own heart to save the city he loves and is responsible for? Absolute perfection, my friends.
• We didn't get too much of them, seeing as they're dead and all, but I actually enjoyed the Romeo/Juliet dynamic. Cute.
• Rosaline and Livia. Everything about them: Rosaline, who would do anything at all for Livia's safety and happiness, who just wants to live a life where no one tells her what to do, and Livia, who doesn't understand her sister's quiet dream, who could be happy with a husband who loved her, who wants nothing more than to marry and live out a normal life.

Cons:

• Listen. At this point, I literally could not care less about Benvolio Montague. Give me a personality, Beardy McBeardFace.
• Same thing with Ben/Rosaline. They have no chemistry (yet), no reason to like each other (yet), and just... meh. 
• I think they might've gotten Benvolio's and Mercutio's personalities switched. Ben's the steady one, the designated driver, the Mom Friend and responsible adult. Mercutio, on the other hand? He does it for the Vine, he's an actual meme, and he will Fight Anyone.
• I'm kind of uncomfortable with the fact that Rosaline and Livia (dark-skinned WOC) are the servants of the Capulets, who are (drumroll, please) white. Like, I understand it as a narrative decision-- Ben and Rosa are both looked down on, they have to obey, they want a better life, yadda yadda-- but still, it skeeves me out.
• Why couldn't this show have given me Benvolio Montague and Rosaline Capulet, heirs of their respective houses, fiercely proud and loyal and also rock-solid and trustworthy and willing to do whatever it takes to keep Verona running smoothly? Who unwillingly agree to marry and find that they have more in common than they thought? Why?
• Related: love triangles are the spawn of evil and I despise them. Grr.

Final Rating: like, 3.7 out of 5 stars. Still, I think I'll keep watching. 

And there you have it. "Still Star-Crossed", ladies and gentlemen.

Happy summer! 

Willow

BILL BILL BILL BILL (No, Not That One)

Hey, guys! It's Willow here, and after 2 years, I'm jumping right back into Doctor Who.

As some of you might know, Doctor Who's 10th season starts this Saturday (April 15th).

Normally, I wouldn't make a whole entire post just to talk about a new season of a show, but this season? This season is special.

For one, it's the last season of both Peter Capaldi (the 12th Doctor) and showrunner Steven Moffat.
(I won't pretend I'm not glad to see Moffat go, but that's a story for another time.)

It's also the introduction of a new companion: BILL POTTS.

I barely know anything about Bill (played by Pearl Mackie), but I love her already.

Why? Well.

• She's no one special. She's not Clara Oswald, the Impossible Girl, woven into the Doctor's timeline and his hearts. She's just an ordinary human being who's been given an extraordinary opportunity.
• Doctor Who, here, is returning to its roots. At its core, it is a show about (ironic though it seems) humanity, about how normal people can do incredible things if you just give them the chance.
• It hasn't exactly adhered to that standard recently, though. Ever since Moffat took over as showrunner (from the inimitable Russel T. Davies), the show has gotten ever more convoluted and its characters more ~special~. In my opinion, it's too much. I, for one, miss the simplicity, the humanity of RTD-era Who, and I know I'm not the only one who does. So of course I'm glad the show's going back to where it started.
• Bill is New Who's second POC companion-- third, if you count Mickey Smith. I can't stress enough the importance of diversity in media, and Bill is an important step forward.
• She's also openly gay, and the first companion to be so. Once again: diversity. To have one of the show's main characters be both POC and LGBT+ is an incredible milestone. (She's not the first LGBT+ character on the show*, but she's the first gay companion.) (*Jack Harkness, Madame Vastra, Jenny, River Song, Clara Oswald, etc.)

Judging from the trailer, it's going to be a somewhat more light-hearted season, one that's focused on misadventures throughout spacetime rather than destiny and ominous prophecies. I'm also excited to see the return of John Simm's the Master, and how he interacts with Capaldi's Doctor and Michelle Gomez's Missy. 

All in all, this season looks to be absolutely ~fabulous~ so far, and I can't wait to watch it!

Happy watching,

Willow

Star Wars Has a Women of Color Issue

Hey, everyone. Willow here! The title of this post is fairly self-explanatory, so. Yeah.

A month or so ago, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released. Citali and I went to watch it together, and came out trembling, emotional, in awe.

What makes Rogue One so great is that not only is it gorgeously written, it's also infinitely more diverse than any Star Wars movie has ever been.

Only one of the protagonists was white. The others-- each with a fleshed-out story arc and excellent characterization-- were all men of color. 

Excellent!

But.

The white character was Jyn Erso, only female lead and arguably the main character.

Look. Every time there has been a new Star Wars story, the main female character has been white.

Padmé Amidala. Leia Organa. Rey. And now, Jyn.

Star Wars has a WOC issue. Namely: there are none.

But Willow, you say. What about Steela Gerrera? Or Depa Billaba? Or Korr Sella? Or Breha Organa? Or--

Well, my dear reader, what do all those women have in common? Oh, that's right. They're all minor characters. And they're all dead.

Fine. But what about Sana Starros? Or that one Rebel from Rogue One?

Hmmm. Tell me, if you go up to a hundred random people, how many of them do you think would recognize the name "Sana Starros"?

The galaxy of Star Wars is bigger than just the movies, yes. There are animated TV shows and books and comics galore, but here's the thing. The movies are the most important part. They're the franchise's biggest, most popular branch. 

If you want diversity in Star Wars, you need it in the movies. And I'm not saying that Finn and Poe and Chirrut and Baze and Cassian and Bodhi aren't helping, but we need our WOC too.

So give me a Calrissian daughter, or Finn's mother, or Poe's cousin. Give me WOC Jedi and WOC Sith and WOC pilots and stormtroopers and civilians and bounty hunters. Give me queer WOC characters and trans WOC characters and old WOC and young WOC and--

Well. You get my point, no?

Willow

Questions About Books, Reprise

So! Over a year ago (and oh my goodness, it's been a year) Citali and I answered a questionnaire of sorts about our literary preferences. I'm going to do them again, if only to catalogue my (dubious) character development.

1. Favorite childhood book

Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A.Milne

2. What are you reading right now?

Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik and Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore.

4. Bad book habit?

Forgetting to use bookmarks. All the time.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner, and My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

Nah.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

Just one, usually.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Um... yeah. I've been thinking about books in terms of diversity and political undertones a lot more lately.

9. Least favorite book you read this year so far?

Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

Dang, that's a hard question. Uh. It's either Gemina or The Hammer of Thor.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

Most things, actually.

13. Can you read in the car?

Noooooo.

14. Favorite place to read?

Curled up somewhere (a bed, maybe, or a sofa) covered in blankets and warm. But that's probably just my Winter Aesthetic (TM).

15. What is your policy on book lending?

As long as they give it back in good condition. Actually, I once let a friend borrow my Goblet of Fire and she returned it with the cover taped back on. :/

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

Only if they're older books. If they're relatively new I'd rather keep them neat and pretty.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

No, not really. I used to have to do it for school, but not anymore. I just think it's too sloppy.

18. Not even with textbooks?

See #17.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

...English? I can't read any other language, anyway, so...

20. What makes you love a book?

Fleshed-out characters, worldbuilding, humor, diversity.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

 Look up.

22. Favorite genre?

Fantasy. I've started to read more sci-fi, though.

23. Genre you rarely read but wish you did?

Mainstream, probably. Or realistic fiction.

24. Favorite biography?

 Boy Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

Nope.

26. Favorite cookbook?

Yeah, I don't do cookbooks.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.

28. Favorite reading snack?

 Hmm. Good question. Next question.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

Mehh. I tend to lean towards fandom in terms of book critiques.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

If I don't like something, you bet I'm going to complain about it.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

Latin!

35. Favorite poet?

C. Dale Young is amazing.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

It honestly varies a lot these days.

37. How often have you returned books to the library unread?

 Not too often.

38. Favorite fictional character?

How do I pick just one? It's impossible. However: not to be dramatic or anything, but I would actually die for Cisco Ramon.

39. Favorite fictional villain?

 Can I say Kaldur'ahm from Young Justice? I mean, he's not /quite/ a villain, but... oh, fine. Eobard Thawne/Harrison Wells, The Flash.

41. The longest you’ve gone without reading?

Not very long.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

 The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. The sheer density of it put me off a bit. I might try it again sometime.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Absolutely nothing.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

 The Lord of the Rings trilogy was absolute GOLD. GOLD, I tell you. The Martian was pretty good, too.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

Percy Jackson, probably. Maybe Eragon.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

 Hmm. I spent 999 rupees once, but I haven't been to too many bookstores since then.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Occasionally, when I've never heard of it or I'm dubious about the quality of its content.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through?

If they're inappropriate or cringey or Problematic.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

 Kind of? I mean, I try to keep my bookshelf neat, but it doesn't work out that well. Of course, that's mostly my fault, but still.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

 Look, I will /never/ give away a book unless I really detest it.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

 The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I got it for a birthday present last year, but I've just kind of been putting it off. I'm not sure how much I'll like it, is the thing.

52. Name a book that made you angry.

...Dark Disciple by Christie Golden. Well. Not angry, as such, just disappointed. I expected a lot more from it, and it was an entertaining read, but honestly? Asajj Ventress deserves so much better than a pitiful death for the sake of True Love (TM).

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I mean, I didn't expect to /dislike/ it, either; I was just kind of neutral about it. Now that I've read it, though, it's actually pretty good.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

 DC's Teen Titans series. It was nothing great, and the awkwardly misogynist costumes put me off. Also: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

55. Favorite guilt-free pleasure reading?

Fanfiction. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So, what do you guys think of my ~literary evolution~? How has this past year changed your literary preferences?

Happy reading, and happy holidays!

Willow

Willow Does NaNo

So. November is coming up, and y'all know what that means.

("No, we don't, Willow. Educate us, Willow.")

NaNoWriMo is almost here!

For those of you new to this blog, National Novel Writing Month -- aka NaNoWriMo -- is a project during the month of November in which aspiring writers attempt to churn out 50,000 words within the month. I know. Yikes.

I've done Camp NaNoWriMo before, with word count goals of a meager 15,000 each time, but this is my first actual NaNo. I'm nervous and excited at the same time.

Here's the thing, though: I feel like this experience is going to be very different from my previous attempts.

Why, you ask? Well.

When I did Camp, all I had to motivate/help me were a few enthusiastic cabinmates, my own inspiration, and the ever-wonderful Citali. Amazing as they are, they weren't quite enough to catapult me to success.

This time, it's a fully fledged NaNo, and I'm in a completely different environment. I've changed schools, and the one I currently go to? Has a NaNoWriMo club, Facebook group and all.

That means: twenty-something people my age working on the same project that I am, maybe encountering the same pitfalls, always encouraging and helping each other out.

Aww, yeah. This should be good.

Having a group of people to work with-- one that encompasses more than just Citali (sorry, dear) -- is going to be immensely helpful. Already we're having meetings, discussing how to plot properly and tips and tricks about characterization.

This month, I know that if I falter, if I lose track of where my story's going, I'll have someone to back me up, get me back on track.

I have a good feeling about this.

Happy writing!
~Willow

Willow Liveblogs "World's Finest"

Hi, you guys! Sorry I've abandoned you! But never fear, I'm baaaack~ and I have a liveblog for you! As some of you might know, I've recently (well, relatively recently, anyway) become a DC Comics fan. The first DCTV show I watched was The Flash, and I adored it. (How could I not? The main character is literally just a nerd who occasionally goes "nyoooooooom".) When Supergirl arrived on Netflix, I was like, "AWWW YISSSS" and immediately got started. This is me liveblogging the crossover between Supergirl season 1 and season 2 of The Flash. Here be spoilers, etc. etc. Anyway. Here we go!

W: I... Don't Like Siobhan, but at least Winn's not pining anymore.

W: Kara, poor baby. It's okay.

W: Casual Lucy in charge, yessss.

W: Cat. Cat. Caaaaat. How do I love thee.

W: That's The Flash's theme music and there's a red blur omg omg omg

W: "I-- Nope! I'm--" Oh, Barry. Never change, honey.

W: Speedy red dORK

W: Dorks i n t e r a c t i n g. I'm dead.

W: I /love/ the music of this episode. Casual insertions of the Flash theme --> my jam.

W: Okay, so confession: I watched The Flash before I watched Supergirl. And I actually watched this crossover before I started Supergirl. (Yes, I know, I know, don't judge. This is me liveblogging my rewatch.) Anyhoo.

W: Dude. Dude. Dude. Winn and Cisco would be /such/ good friends it's not even funny.

W: "Barry... is from another universe!" their faces argh they're so cute and Winn's reaction

W: These interactions are my bread and butter tbh. Winn is so psyched about this, and James is just "Whut", and Kara just wants ice cream.

W: lowkey (highkey) jealous James. Don't worry, Barry's got an Iris waiting for him.

W: I love Cat Grant. That is all.

W: ugh Siobhan again but w/e. Hoo boy. Soul destroying, eh?

W: giRL DON'T DO IT *Siobhan does the thing*

W: Awww, Cat. You do care.

W: SUPERHERO TEAM UP AWWW YEAH

W: Oh. Alex + J'onn reference. Sads.

W: Ah. Supervillain team up as well, then.

W: Quality James/Lucy platonic interactions! Yayyy.

W: Reckless Kryptonian golden retriever is reckless.

W: Winn is crushing on Barry so hard rn.

W: B a n t e r.

W: oh nooooes.

W: Y'know, it's weird to see /Barry/ being the mature one for a change. Nice, though.

W: Subtle piano Flash theme in the background. I love.

W: Oh. Oh. I just realized: when he says, "Me too," not only is he saying that he's glad he met Kara, he's also implying that compared to what he faces back home, this is... nice. Idyllic, maybe. Relaxing.

W: She knows Winn's name now. #characterdevelopment

W: Epic battle no. 2. Here we go.

W: "Hey, Sparky. Shrieky. Hi!" also casually feminist Barry is my jam

W: Okay, Livewire's powers are actually really cool???

W: Kara! Property damage!

W: Saved by the power of Friendship. Sorta.

W: Oh, Cat. How wrong you are.

W: "Girl of Steel"/"Scarlet Speedster" noice

W: Even Barry ships Karolsen. Hey, I bet Kara'd ship Westallen too.

W: Lookit ma supernerds, huggin' and havin' fun.

W: KAROLSEN KISS THIS IS NOT A DRILL THIS IS NOT A DRILL

W: Oh, shoot, what happened?

~the end~

So!

Pros of this episode: nERDS interacting, Karolsen getting together, endless fluff and banter, Cat Grant being perfect as usual

Cons of this episode: not enough Lucy Lane, anticlimactic final battle, too much adorableness

Happy watching!
~Willow

A Long-Winded Love Letter to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

So.

I read it.

The "it" I'm referring to is, of course, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the script of a recent play in London. It's Rowling-approved and officially canon, and ever since it came out it's been a source of extreme controversy within the fandom.

I, myself, quite liked it.

This is actually the second post on this blog about The Cursed Child. Citali wrote one already (go read it! It's far more eloquent than I could ever be), but I actually disagree with her opinions somewhat, so here I am. This post's probably going to be less coherent and more rambly, so you've been warned.

The book's in script format, so it's like (as quoted from one of my friends) reading Harry Potter on fast-forward. That, and the fact that the plot wasn't quite as stellar as we've come to expect from Rowling, explain why it's gotten less-than-great reviews from those who've read it.

However.

The Cursed Child is so, so important in that it acknowledges the characters' flaws and traumas. Lily and James and Rose are exactly what their parents wanted, perfect friendly happy Gryffindor children, not a care in the world, their parents' perfect legacy, but Albus? Oh, Albus. Albus Severus Potter: Slytherin, friendless, tormented, lonely. Albus, who so desperately wants to be more than just Harry Potter's loser son, Albus whose only friend is the son of Draco Malfoy, Albus who doesn't understand his father, whose father doesn't understand him, who isn't sure what to do about it and--

this is important, here. Not everyone is Harry Potter, who came to school and built a Golden Trio. Not everyone is Harry Potter, who stepped into the Wizarding World and became the youngest Seeker in a hundred years. Not everyone is Harry Potter, the golden child, the hero, the star, the Boy Who Lived.

This book, I think, focuses so much on stepping out of legacies and shadows. It takes Albus and Scorpius (and even Rose, to some extent) and says, firmly, "No. We are not our parents." Who would've thought, nine years ago, that there would be a tolerant Malfoy and a prejudiced Weasley?

I like this book because it forces you to confront the fact that its characters are imperfect, are scarred. That Harry Potter (the Chosen One, the one who killed the Dark Lord) is afraid of the dark. That Dumbledore made a hideous mistake in choosing to keep Harry with an abusive family (and wasn't reading that incredibly cathartic?). That Amos Diggory, all these years later, is still aching because his son was written off as merely "the spare." Rose Granger-Weasley, daughter of a Mudblood and a blood traitor, turns her nose up at Albus because he's friends with a Malfoy.

(I'm not saying The Cursed Child is perfect. It isn't, especially plotwise. I'm just saying that it's worth reading, because it delves into what Rowling didn't. )

Another thing. As we well know, Harry Potter suffers from a lack of diversity, both racially and otherwise. The Cursed Child (the play, I mean) cast Black actresses to play both Hermione and Rose Granger-Weasley. (!!!!! I know, right? So great.) In addition, although it's been confirmed that the late, the great Albus Dumbledore was in fact gay, he's the only canonically LGBTQ+ character in the Wizarding World thus far. Dare we hope Cursed Child is taking the first steps to change that? Nothing is stated explicitly, but. Reading the book, Scorpius's and Albus's interactions feel very much like the first steps towards romance. I'm gonna be honest with you: I ship it.

(Didn't I tell you it was going to be rambly? Hopefully it made sense.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

Anyway. If any of you have read it, feel free to tell us what you thought of it!
Happy reading, as always.
~Willow

Happy Birthday, Jason Todd!

Jason Peter Todd, Batman's second Robin. Killed by the Joker at age 14. Came back to life; became the Red Hood.

Happy birthday, Jaybird.

Willow Liveblogs Voltron: Legendary Defender

Okay, so I will freely admit that I only thought of liveblogging this halfway through the first episode. Still. I've heard people talk about how good this show is, so I decided to try it out. Forty minutes in, and HELLO NEW FANDOM.

Here we go, and be careful: Spoilers for the first episode ahead.

• Purple aliens! Cool.
• There's a moon of Pluto called Kerberos. I'm guessing Kerberos is the Roman form of Cerberus, Hades's 3-headed dog? Fun fact: Cerberus, literally translated, means something like "Spot". That's right. Hades, lord of the Underworld, named his dog Spot. Nerd.
• Hunk no don't vomit-- too late.
• Pidge is so smol. So. Smol. 
• Pidge is also, apparently, really smart. Nice.
• So this is the Shiro I've heard so much about. Hmm.
• There's an immediate Lance/Keith rivalry. Interesting.
• Giant blue robot lion aww yeah.
• Giant blue robot lion vs. evil purple aliens aww yeah.
• It's a pretty wormhole!
• Princess of an ancient civilization, and she's not white. Nice.
• Shiro is such a Dad Friend oh my gosh.
• C o r a n ' s  m u s t a c h e.
• Aww, Pidge. Smol insecure genius child. I want to hug you.
• Hunk. Chill. It'll be okay. 
• "Go. Be great." my little HEART just melted.
• With a name like Zarkon, there's no way he can be anything but evil. 
• Coran, not helping.
• Pidge. Oh, Pidge. I love you.
• The whole "Allura-in-a-computer-garden" thing is giving me River Song feelings.
• Why is forming Voltron the only way to stop Zarkon? 
• Armor. Sweet!
• *snaps fingers* That's it! That's who Lance reminds me of! Sokka!
• Yesyesyes. Keith is Zuko. Lance is Sokka. Even the color schemes match.
• Shiro, honey, you okay?
• Oh. Oh. Pidge, poor baby.
• "What the quiznak?"
• Helpful mice are helpful.
• Nice going, Keith.
• So. Apparently I have a thing for one-armed butt-kickers. Anakin, Bucky, and now Shiro.
• BLACK LION IS ACTIVE. SWEET.
• Oh, quiznak. This looks bad.
• Oh, yes. 

In conclusion: AWESOME. Go watch this right now.

Pros:

• Good characters
• Humor
• Character development
• Nice animation

Cons:

• Literally only one woman
• Minor plot holes

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch the next episode.

Happy watching,

Willow

A Very Short Post on a Very Underappreciated Character

So I was rewatching Doctor Who, and I watched "The Christmas Invasion" (one of my all-time favorite episodes), and then I basically went on a rant on the Camp NaNoWriMo chatroom. This is a slightly edited, elongated version of that rant. Apologies for excessive analysis and run-on sentences.

Mickey Smith. Mickey, good old Mickey, faithful, reliable, steady as a rock, watches helplessly as Rose wanders farther and father away from him. She has seen things and people that he can never, will never, imagine, and each time she visits, his heart breaks a little, doesn't it? Because this Rose, the one that stands up to an army of Sycorax, the one talking back to a Dalek's "Exterminate!", the one holding the Doctor's hand and positively glowing with happiness? It's not his Rose, not the Rose he fell in love with. She is so much more, but she is not his anymore, and that breaks Mickey's heart.

Mickey watches as Rose and the Doctor fall head over heels for each other. He stands by as they gallivant across the galaxy, hand in hand, making memories and chasing trouble. He understands-- and this, this is important-- Mickey understands that what Rose Tyler needs is something that he can't give her. But the Doctor can, you see, and it's oh so obvious that the two were made for each other. So Mickey Smith steps aside and lets the Doctor and Rose tumble through their epic romance. And the best part? He's not bitter, or petty about it. Not overly so, anyway. He will still always be there for Rose and the Doctor, but as a friend. Always a friend.

Here is what I love about Mickey: he moves on. He accepts the challenges life throws in his path, and he moves on. Alternate universe? Fine, I'm staying, I have a duty to this world. Rose Tyler madly in love with a time-traveling alien? Let her be happy. Mickey moves on from what he cannot change; he goes freelance and marries Martha Jones. (By the way: that was an amazing cameo.)

So yeah. Mickey Smith, everyone.

~Willow
P.S. Ten was the best. No question.

#SayNoToHYDRACap

It is true what they say:

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Marvel Comics knows this;

after all, it's a classic Spider-Man line, isn't it?

On the other hand, it is also true that

power corrupts, and that

absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Marvel Comics

has just proven that never

has a truer word been spoken.

I write this

Regarding the recent controversy

Surrounding the release of a new comic featuring

Steve Rogers as Captain America

(which, as you might have heard,

he has not been in a while.)

This is all well and good, only...

Plot twist.

According to the writers of this issue--

(Imagine I am reading this out loud.

My voice is heavy with sarcasm.)

--anyway, according to the writers of this issue,

Steven Grant Rogers, Captain America,

is HYDRA. And always has been.

Wow.

First of all, how dare you?

How dare you take something that was

written by Jewish writers to oppose Hitler

(in a time when it was not wise to oppose Hitler)

and say, "oh, yeah, he's been a 

Nazi all along"?

"We've been dropping hints for a while--"

No, you haven't. Please.

Spare me.

Second of all, how dare you?

Captain America, the paragon of freedom,

the very embodiment of America--

not what it is, but what it should be.

Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.

How dare you take Steve Rogers

(kind Steve Rogers, humble Steve Rogers,

selfless Steve Rogers, good Steve Rogers)

and turn him into a white supremacist?

Third of all, how dare you?

How, might I ask,

am I going to explain to my little cousin

(she idolizes Cap; who doesn't really?)

how will I explain to her that the hero

she looks up to,

the person she wants to be

 when she grows up,

is a Nazi?

How dare you?

Fourth of all, how dare you?

This travesty is akin to

Bucky Barnes saying that

he consented to brainwashing.

It is like taking MCU T'challa

and forcing him to say that

his father deserved to die,

it is as if Tony Stark

set aside the suit

because,  he says, the world doesn't 

deserve protection.

It is like Natalia Romanova

confessing, a smile on her lips,

that she enjoyed the murder she was forced to commit.

(as if she would ever. no, no, Natasha could never. would never.

likewise: never could Captain America be HYDRA)

It is worse.

This is taking every Holocaust survivor,

and every Holocaust survivor's descendants,

and slapping them.

Telling them that they deserved it.

How dare you?

(This has been, lovely readers, a poem inspired by shock and disbelief and deep, deep rage.)

~Willow

Willow Liveblogs Watching Son of Batman

Hey everybody, it's Willow!

So I've recently gotten into DC Comics... (I know. Citali's first reaction was "You're cheating on Marvel!" No. No, I'm not. You can like both.) and since a movie called Son of Batman was on Netflix and I had nothing better to do, I watched/am watching it. Well, by the time this post is done I'll be done watching it... but I'm liveblogging it. Son of Batman, I'm guessing, is going to be a Damian Wayne origin story, because... duh. Apologies in advance for the all caps and squeeing.

(liveblog:  to post commentary about (an event) online while the event is taking place, typically in the form of frequent short blog updates)

Here we go!

W: Oh, hey, look, it's the **League of Assassins** in **Nanda Parbat**. I have to admit,  Nanda Parbat looks better here than it does in live-action, on Arrow.

W: Who's the old guy Talia calls "brother"?

W: Oh... okay then. Someone's attacking the League. Shouldn't world-class assassins be harder to take down? 

W: Oh, it's Deathstroke! Cool.

W: Daaang, Damian! This kid is, like, ten, and he just stuck a sword through a guy's eye.

W: Aaaand the League is dead. Welp. Looks like Ra's [al Ghul] is dead too.

W: They're going to Gotham! Where Batman is! I wonder why? *sarcasm*

W: Hi, Bruce! *waves* Talia just saved his black-clad butt, BTW. Nice.

W: So Talia had time to change into a fancy dress and Bruce is still in his Batman costume? Hmm.

W: Yes, Bruce, you have a son. Gasp! Also: Damian is a brat and I love it. "Don't look so surprised, father. I thought you'd be taller."

W: Damian is tiny; how does he know how to drive?

W: Alfred Pennyworth is my jam. Sarcasm sounds the coolest in a British accent... wait a second. Wait a second. He just said "Master Dick." Does that mean... *gasp*

W: Ruh-roh, Deathstroke's back. Man-Bats, seriously? Oh noes, Talia!

W: Back to Gotham. Damian is chasing a dude named Ubu. Scratch that, beating up a dude named Ubu. Oop, he's trying to kill him...

W: YESSSSS!!! DICK GRAYSON DICK GRAYSON DICK GRAYSON YESSSSS!!!

W: *snorts* "Bruce, chill. What's he gonna do, swim there?" Yes. Yes, he is. Nightwing, I love you, but you really don't know Damian Wayne.

W: Climactic fight scene, Talia takes a bullet, yadda yadda yadda... more Man-Bats. Lovely.

W: Batman + his batarangs to the rescue! He just overloaded a bunch of overgrown Frankenbats with sonar.

W: Talia's with Bruce, and Damian's left to fight Slade.

W: DAMIAN VS DEATHSTROKE!!! This is a Very Good Fight Scene, and dang, Damian, you've got skillz! 

W: Seriously, though, kid can't be more than ten, and not only is he fending off Deathstroke, but he wins. The. Fight. Damian Wayne, everybody.

W: He won't kill Slade... why? "I am my father's son"? Damian, you literally just met the guy.

W: Talia knew Bruce would come save her? Please. This was a good movie if not for the awful characterization of Talia. She's the daughter of Ra's al Ghul? She drugged Batman once? She can handle herself.

W: End of the movie. Bad guys defeated, of course. Talia's going to rebuild the League, but Bruce wants Damian to stay with him and be Robin. Why? He's a (talented, but still) brat. And Talia just lets him take her son? *flips table*

W: Well, here we are.

The movie was pretty good.

• Damian kicked butt and was wonderfully bratty and arrogant.
• Alfred was appropriately dry and sarcastic, which I loved.
• Dick Grayson. 'Nuff said.
• That last Damian/Deathstroke fight scene was *perfect*.

However...

• Talia al Ghul should be a *villain*, not a *love interest*.
• The League was taken down too easily.
• This movie needed more Dick Grayson. I want that Dick/Damian fight scene!
• Where's Tim Drake? Or Jason Todd, for that matter? They're never mentioned.

That's the end of my liveblog. See you next time!

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na, BATMAN!

~Willow

(Sorry, I had to.)

April 2016 Camp NaNoWriMo: The Aftermath

From the peak of a mountain, two travelers look worriedly at the clouds rising to the summit and begin their descent. They've taken their pictures, planted their flag, and seen their sunrise. Now, it's time to go back into the world of mortals.

From the depths of the Underworld, Orpheus picks up his lyre. He's played his best music for Hades, and now the love of his life stands behind him. He plays again as he ascends.

From the depths of an ocean trench, two divers give each other the signal for ascent. They've collected specimens from the Twilight Zone and now must swim back up, quickly enough for their air supply.

From the fantastic state of novel-writing, we're back! Or as back as we can ever be on this mass of *gestures vaguely in the air in front of her* virtual air and cyberspace.

How'd it go, you ask? (Or don't ask, doesn't matter, I'm spilling anyway.)

Citali: I've written more this month than I ever have in a NaNo or a Camp. However, due to my low standards, that means I cleared 10,000 words. More specifically, 11,297, just barely above that. On the downside, I didn't finish the story. In terms of literature, I'm probably at the inciting incident/early rising action, depending on whether you'd count the multiple flashback/backstory bits. And this is probably the least stressful NaNo or Camp I'll do in a while, since July and November will be pretty busy months. I stopped writing around the twentieth because of a busy weekend that coincided with a plot pothole, and, well. On to the positivity flood! If I'd set my goal to the 10,000 words I did for the previous NaNo and Camps, I would have won, and that's making me feel good. I actually made a brainstorming document, though I don't know if it helped. I wrote mostly continuously. I read No Plot? No Problem! and followed mostly along with it (until week 3, when advice started getting less applicable because of my word slump). And lastly and most importantly (I think), I wrote with Willow for the first time (and got thoroughly beaten) and was able to be in a Camp cabin with lots of friends/acquaintances I'd like to get to know better.

Willow: Yeah. This April was actually my first time doing Camp, and I'm glad to say I enjoyed myself immensely. I made friends (!!!) in the Camp cabin, and like Citali said, I want to get to know them. If any of you guys are reading this, hi! *waves* As far as word count goes, I don't think I did too badly: 14,344 words, which while still a good few hundred away from my goal (15,000) isn't half bad. In case you're wondering, I wrote-- or started writing, anyway-- a Star Wars fanfiction-thing*. Don't judge. I can feel you judging. Stop it. *sticks tongue out* Anyhoo, it was a really great experience and I can't wait to do it again this July!

*if anyone's curious, it's a what-if story about Ahsoka Tano after the events of The Clone Wars Season 5 finale.

Happy reading, writing, and Camping!
~Willow and Citali

Happy Star Wars Day, Folks!

It's May 4th, and that means it's Star Wars day! Hooray! For those of you who don't know, on this day in 1973, Episode IV: A New Hope was first released.

May the Fourth (and Force) be with You Always!

~Willow

Just So You Know...

We won't be updating as often this month. Both Citali and I have Camp NaNoWriMo going on right now, so in the rush to get our stories done, we're kinda neglecting the blog. But that doesn't mean we've forgotten about it! Quite the contrary; we've actually got a TON of posts planned for the future. Just... the future after April. :-) Bear with us, please!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a couple thousand words to write.
~Willow

After

I sense a disturbance in the Force: Spoilers!

Luke gives him a Jedi's funeral, for which he is impossibly grateful. (You don't deserve it, says a voice in his head. It sounds like Palpatine's. He pushes the thought aside.)

No, the important thing right now is: where is he? He's fairly certain he's dead. Wait. If he's dead, how is he thinking? He lets out a huff, then another thought occurs to him. His breathing is... silent. For the first time in twenty-six years, he can exhale without the accompanying whoosh of his suit. Slowly, not daring to believe it, he looks down.

Hands, both flesh. Feet intact. He reaches up, trembling, to touch his head, and feels-- hair? Yes, hair, the roguish curls he last remembers having during the Clone Wars.

Nope. Impossible. He's hallucinating. (You can't hallucinate if you're dead, Ani. This voice sounds like Padme, and it's equally soothing and heartbreaking.)

How is this happening? He was a Sith for close to thirty years; shouldn't he be burning in some Force-forsaken netherworld?

"Always so dramatic, Skywalker."

The voice is not his; he has not heard it in decades. (There is a lump in his throat. It was not there before.) He looks up and there they are, alive and well-- well, not alive, but standing there in front of his eyes is the Council: Mace Windu, the one who spoke to him. Plo Koon. Ki-Adi-Mundi. Depa Billaba. Kit Fisto. Even Piell. Adi Gallia. Saesee Tiin. And standing in the front, green-gold eyes filled with liquid wisdom, Master Yoda.

He does not hesitate before dropping to his knees and prostrating himself in a full kowtow. "My masters," he manages to choke out, "I am so, so sorry." It is an incredibly inadequate apology, he knows. "I... failed you. I failed the Order, I surrendered to the Dark. I have done such horrible, horrible things, and I am so sorry."  Words cannot express his guilt. He hopes they understand that. Even so, he does not dare to raise his eyes from the ground. Cowardly to the end, Skywalker.

"Anakin." This voice (one more familiar to him than any other in the galaxy) is rich with warmth, with kindness. "Anakin, get up."

And oh, if anyone could ever break him, it was Obi-Wan. The sound of his voice shatters Anakin's resolve; suddenly there are hot tears rolling down his face, and Obi-Wan is helping him off the ground and embracing him. (He is sobbing like a youngling now, because this is Obi-Wan, and Force, he has not seen him for so long...)

After a minute or so, Obi-Wan holds him at arm's length and examines him."No, Anakin. You did not fail me."

"Master, I killed you."

At this there is a ripple of amusement in the Force. "Only because I let you, my young friend. Only because I let you."

Anakin smiles through his tears. Typical Obi-Wan. "Where am I, Master?" he asks.

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow in an all-too-familiar expression. "I would have thought that was obvious, Anakin. You're dead."

"I know that, Master. But where am I?"

It is Master Windu who replies. "You are one with the Force, young Skywalker."

"Or," supplies Obi-Wan helpfully, "rather colloquially, you are a ghost. A Force ghost, to be precise."

"That doesn't make sense, Master. I was Dark. How am I one with the Force?"

Master Yoda steps forward, and Anakin kneels to face him. "The Chosen One, you were. Jedi you were; Sith you became."

"I know, Master. I am so sorry." He is a rather tongue-tied ghost, it seems, only able to repeat one phrase of apology.

Yoda waves his gimer stick."Know this I do! Interrupt me not!"

Anakin bows his head in acquiescence.

The diminutive master harrumphs, then continues. "In the end, bring balance to the Force, you did. Die a Jedi, you did." He chuckles. "Only thirty years too late were you!"

Anakin winces. "Yes, Master."

"A joke it was, Skywalker. Bear no ill will, do we."

"I am responsible for so much death and destruction, Master. How can you just forgive me?"

"Jedi we are. Hate we do not, young one. At peace be. Your fall, the will of the Force it was."

He rises from his kneeling position and addresses the whole Council. "Thank you, my masters. I do not deserve this... but thank you."

"There is nothing to thank us for, Anakin," replies Obi-Wan. "Now come. Qui-Gon's been waiting for you a very long time. And Anakin?"

"Yeah?"

Obi-Wan smiles. "Welcome home."

FINIS

Hope you enjoyed! *hands you a tissue box*

~Willow

All Rise For the General (Episode I)

It's Willow here, with the first of my series of Star Wars posts. Enjoy!

Let's talk about Leia Organa. Princess, senator, rebel. Mother. Force-sensitive who chooses a different path. Who, despite having lost nearly everything, never even considers the dark side. (Skywalker boys, take notes. This is how it's done.)

We meet her first in A New Hope as she's captured by Vader and his stormtroopers. Leia never so much as flinches, going so far as to sass the man who captures her. ("I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.") Remember, this is a girl barely out of her teens. She's twenty. She's incredibly tight-lipped about the rebels' whereabouts, resisting interrogation by a menacing torture droid. Tarkin threatens to blow up her home planet, yet she remains silent. Tarkin actually does blow up her home planet-- and she lies, says Dantooine.

Think about this for a second. This twenty-year-old just witnessed a planet exploding. Millions of deaths. The destruction of everything she's ever known and loved. The massacre of her family. Yet Leia Organa maintains the presence of mind to lie to Grand Moff Tarkin about the rebel base. She allows herself no time to grieve. When Luke and company rescue her, she focuses on the task at hand. She snaps at Han, fires at stormtroopers, and comforts Luke when Obi-Wan is killed.

She allows herself no time to grieve. Even after the Death Star is destroyed, after Luke and Han are rewarded for bravery, she remains stoic. She has a duty to the Rebel Alliance, and she will bring down the Empire if it's the last thing she does. Do you think she never second-guesses herself? Do you think she doesn't blame herself for her parents' deaths? Leia pushes down her pain and carries on, something her biological father never learned to do.

To Be Continued

I hope you guys enjoyed this! This... Leianalysis will be continued in future posts. Please, don't hesitate to send me feedback. After all, as befits a Jedi, "I come to serve".

~Willow

Willow's Library

Bonjour! C'est moi, Willow. (Translation: *Adele voice* Hello... it's me...) :-)

You've all probably already seen Citali's wonderful worldbuilding library posts, and I thought I'd just hop on her bandwagon like the unoriginal copycat I am. She's written about libraries in different alternate universes, but I'm going to write a short piece on my school's library, which, honestly, has become my home away from home in these two years. It's cozy and inviting, and the librarian is absolutely brilliant. If you're reading this right now, Ms. N-, this one's for you.

Here we go:

My library is a good-sized room, with several aisles of bookshelves, the books themselves ranging from biographies to graphic novels. I wander through the fiction section, pinpointing my favorite authors with practiced ease. Brightly lit, the library also hosts a set of tables and several computers. These are perpetually occupied by students reading, doing homework, or just chatting. There's a buzz of conversation throughout the room; never is there pin-drop silence. The TAs behind the counter work steadily, checking books in and out. The librarian herself ambles through her domain, stopping to greet students, to recommend books, and, occasionally, to shush an overly noisy group of kids. She'll direct you to books and authors you ask for with a smile and a pointed finger. Always helpful, always polite, and always friendly, Ms. N- is half the reason the library is always crowded. Enthusiastic about books and her job, Ms. N- is always willing to give you book recommendations, discuss books or movies in detail, or even just give you directions to anywhere on campus.

The last few years have been tough for my family. We've gone through a lot, and I've had to deal with it in the one way I know how: bury myself in fiction. Read book after book after book until the future seems a little less bleak. Laughing about jokes in movies, analyzing minor details in my favorite volumes, discussing character development throughout a series-- these things have kept me going. I owe a lot of that to the library. It has given me the opportunity to read, reread, and discuss the books I love. So to my library and everyone in it: thank you.

*Fin*

Okay, so maybe I'm not as good at Citali at this whole "describing libraries" thing, and this got a little more personal than I originally intended it to be. But I really do mean every word. My library means the world to me; I don't know what I'd do if it wasn't there.

Au revoir!
Willow