raisedbymoogles

Il Mistero di Felina
https://spesknight.itch.io/felina

Il Mistero di Felina (The Mystery of Felina) is a free-to-play 2D narrative horror game that takes about twenty minutes to finish. The story follows Lara Lorenzi, a travel influencer who’s been invited to the small island of Felina to participate in a festival that celebrates the island’s cats.

( Read more... )

The game has a convenient autosave function, but you can easily play Il Mistero di Felina in one sitting. The story is enjoyably campy but also legitimately creepy, with excellent pacing and a tidy conservation of detail. I’m a fan of the unique aesthetic, whose bright colors work brilliantly to enhance the horror. I love every indie horror game I play, but this one is something special.

I can’t resist closing this without at least one cat pun, so here you go: Il Mistero di Felina is a cautionary tale that knows exactly how to sink its claws into contemporary anxieties.

senmut

AO3 Link | Scheduling Time (312 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DC Comics (General)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Diana of Themyscira & Lois Lane
Characters: Diana of Themyscira, Lois Lane
Additional Tags: Epistolary, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis
Summary:

Lois and Diana have a back and forth email chain

Scheduling Time

To: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
From: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
Subject: Reschedule?

I know it's short notice, but I'm sure you saw the small invasion of Mole Men from last week. Turns out their exodus turned over a few leads for me. Maybe Tuesday after next?

To: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
From: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
Subject: Re: Reschedule

I look forward to the story you publish… and the other bits when we do meet up. However, can we shift that to the Thursday of that same week? I am giving a small talk at Bryn Mawr on the topic of holding out hope to others.

To: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
From: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
Subject: Re: Reschedule?

Oh I hope they record it so I can download it after. Thursday of that week is great. I told Clark he could go hang out with the boys while I have a ladies' day to myself.

Okay, autocorrelate might be… no, that's not the word… ugh, Perry's yelling.

To: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
From: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
Subject: Re: Reschedule

I can guess what you were going to say. I find the auto-correct function useful for highlighting the changes in spelling and grammar since my mother taught me English. As there have been shifts in the decades since she had learned it.

Following up to let you know that your co-worker, Miss Grant, could learn to be less inciting in her choices of words for interviews.

To: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
From: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
Subject: UGH Cat

I'm sorry. I didn't even know that interview was happening or I would have put a stumbling block in place.

Did you read my exposé?

To: Lois Lane@thedailyplanet.com
From: Diana Prince@embassy.thm
Subject: Article

Very nice work. It seems the Mole Men had true reason.

See you on Thursday!

piratequeen

Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

[Goodreads | Storygraph]

4 / 5 stars

( More under the cut )

white_aster

Not...dead...yet....

What I've read lately:
- Katabasis by RF Kuang - Two analytic magic grad students go to Hell to try to retrieve their terrible mentor. This was inventive and ponderous and kind of inherited the kind of pretentiousness you'd expect when the main characters were Cambridge grad students. The main character is incredibly flawed and I didn't always understand her mood shifts. Still, I finished it and ended up liking it more than I disliked it.

- The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts by Shane Parrish, Rhiannon Beaubien. A good, originally-indie book on...common sense, really. Philosophy and logic and reasoning. Most of this I already had heard of and use, but it was a good rundown of things that folks might need to be reminded of, lest they fall into fallacies and such.

- Quit Like A Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung. Current events this year have left me crunching a lot of numbers, and this was one of the first financial independence/retire early (FIRE) books to come out. I feel like it's a bit glib in some ways, and it is a bit dated now since finance and the economy move so fast, but it did have a great discussion of investing and how to calculate when you have enough to retire.

Reading now:
- The Last Watch by JS Dewes. Unsure on this one. Ragtag group of misfits and malcontents save the universe is one of my fave tropes, but temporal shenanigans are not my fave, and I don't know if this has enough oomph to hook me yet.

piratequeen

The Names by Florence Knapp

[Goodreads | Storygraph]

4 / 5 stars

( More under the cut )

marthawells

Some news:

* The Murderbot and fantasy novel Humble Bundle has returned for two days. The charity donation is still World Central Kitchen:

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/martha-wells-murderbot-and-more-tor-books-encore

* I'll be co-guest of honor with John Picacio at AggieCon 55 on January 30-February 1 2026 in College Station, TX.

https://www.aggiecon.net/

* Also you can preorder Platform Decay, the next book in The Murderbot Diaries, at whichever retailer you prefer, and it will be out on May 5, 2026. Published by Tor Books, cover art by Jaime Jones, edited by Lee Harris.

https://bookshop.org/p/books/platform-decay-martha-wells/8cf1662cf8bf8d15?ean=9781250827005&next=t

rynling

I know I said I wouldn't respond to bait, but this is funny and I want to share:

I just got an anonymous ask on Tumblr with a passive-aggressive question about why I think it's okay to repost art without linking to the online gallery of the artist. Which is a fair question. However.

The art in question (this piece here) is from the eighteenth century.

( Read more... )

rynling

Atticus
https://www.atticus.io/

Create professional print books and eBooks easily with the all-in-one book writing software.

Ohhhhhhhhh I’ve been looking for something like this. I knew there was a specialty ebook publishing software for Apple, so it’s good to see that there’s one for PC as well.

Next year I’d like to start my own press and put some of my zines on Amazon as ebooks. I’d actually be happy to do this right now, but I need to save enough money to (1) buy ISBNs, (2) compensate the cover artists, and (3) get this software, I guess.

If you’re wondering: InDesign moved to a subscription model, and it can burn.

senmut

kalloway! Thank you for the card and stickers!

senmut

AO3 Link | Useful Gathering (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Partners in Crime [TV - 1984]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sydney Kovack & Carole Stanwyck [Partners in Crime]
Characters: Sydney Kovack [Partners in Crime], Carole Stanwyck [Partners in Crime]
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Event - Funeral, Community: ladiesbingo
Summary:

Sydney and Carole are holding a second funeral for their mutual ex, mostly to preserve their business.

Useful Gathering

Sydney carefully adjusted her skirt as she stood up, hand not holding the handkerchief going out to catch Carole's.

"Why did we agree to hold a wake for him?"

Carole gave a reserved smile to one of the businessmen here to pay respects.

"To help us keep the business running," Carole answered after she was certain no one else would be listening. "Besides, were you ever any good at saying 'no' to Jeanine?"

Sydney made an indelicate sound at that, and covered by bringing the handkerchief up to dab at her nose. "Were you?"

Carole had to bite back the unseemly laughter that came with it. "We need his contacts, to get the agency in the black, and start paying off that mortgage."

"Can't just ask some of your old polo pals to lend a hand, oh wait, you just take their pictures now."

That lit Carole's temper, but she gathered it back in check, and squeezed Sydney's hand. "One way or another, Sydney, we can make this work for us. Neither one of us is the woman he married any longer, but I think we can find a place for ourselves anyway."

Sydney took a deep breath, then smiled sadly at another pair of suits walking past them. "You're right, and I'm sorry for the dig. We'll get through the speeches, cut to the meat of promising to help them for standard fees going forward, and make the agency solvent.

"Just, don't leave me alone with any of them? I'll point out the fanny-patters and lewd ones as we mingle."

"And if they're the older ones, I'll tell you how Raymond got his hooks into them," Carole promised in turn, steeling her spine for the possibility of dealing with 'old friends' from the failed marriage.

"We have each other."

rynling

This past Saturday, I posted a review of the manga Mushishi on my book review blog. As per my usual schedule, I linked to the review in a Monday-morning promo post on Bluesky (here). I used the hashtag #booksky, which is cringe but sometimes helps these posts connect with people.

My post on Bluesky was quote-tweeted (here) by an #booksky account with 5.5k followers. What this account does, apparently, is quote-tweet posts made on the hashtag with text about the book generated by AI. Is the account making money? No. Is the account promoting anything? Also no.

A friend of a friend recently posted an observation (here) that a lot of people running Gen-AI accounts aren't doing it for any reason other than to watch numbers go up, and that seems to be the case here. But like, why? Why do this?

I suspect that, in the case of this particular #booksky account, there's some sinister underlying purpose involving a study of engagement metrics, which will then be used to train more Gen-AI bot accounts. God I hate this.

springsodas

Seasonal depression is just. So fuckin' rough this year, man. Anger, sadness, frustration, getting upset over the dumbest shit, months of progress I've made dealing with personal issues undoing itself--it's been ages since I've been this unstable emotionally and while I fortunately still have the sensibility to remove myself from conversations if I'm about to unfairly blow up at someone, it doesn't change that I've been feeling all kinds of bad about myself and just... I'm not having a lot of good thoughts, to put it vaguely.

On the brighter side of things, couple of TMNT things I had on preorder for a while finally came in; first was the Arrow Films Limited Version of the TMNT 1990s live action trilogy, complete with all the goodies that came with it. Only thing I'm confused about is why I had opted to preorder the regular blu-ray and not the 4K Ultra HD version when it was only $5 more... Eh, doesn't matter too much, I suppose. Worst is that the movie might not look quite as good playing it on my PC monitor than if I had gotten the 4K version. The other was the Pipin' Hot Collector's Edition of Splintered Fate, which FINALLY came out after being delayed for months. I think the only reason I wasn't totally bouncing off the walls was because the amount of time between when I originally preordered it and when it actually arrived on my doorstep was so long my hype died down. Still a very nice collector's edition, though!

Also, Pokemon Center official website had me laughing. Yesterday, I went ahead and ordered myself a new Eevee Christmas stocking as well as a Pikachu throw blanket because. Retail therapy does help sometimes. But as I was browsing their holiday section, I couldn't help but notice just how much their stock for the holidays was already sold out. Like damn, guess I'm not getting that classy Gardevior and Ralts stocking I wanted. (No, seriously. It's a nice stocking. I'm sad I didn't scoop it up when I still had the chance.)

Current Mood: sad

senmut

AO3 Link | Cat and Bird (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DC Comics (General)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Selina Kyle & Dinah Lance
Characters: Selina Kyle, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Post-Crisis, +Modern Age (1986-Present)
Summary:

Selina's in the neighborhood

Cat and Bird

"Hey there, little birdie," came a voice from above Dinah, and she looked up to see her friend Selina on the roof. That made Dinah's mood much better, and she hastily made use of the fire-escapes — and walls — to get up there.

"Hey yourself, tabby cat," she said with a grin, barely breathing hard for that exercise. "A bit out of your territory, aren't you?" She plopped herself down on the roof-edge next to the other girl.

"Hmm, came to check on one of the ones that got adopted out, make sure it was on the up and up."

"This neighborhood? It better be, or word will get around. Bunch of nosy people around. And Dad hears all the rumors like that."

"Nice older couple, and the kid was from their faith. How he wound up in a Catholic orphanage is anyone's guess," Selina said, giving Dinah the clues to keep her own ears out for the kid.

"Glad you decided to stick around when you got done," Dinah admitted, leaning over against Selina.

"Knew you'd be out sooner rather than later. Make any money today?"

"No; this tutoring is a trade. I help the blockhead learn, Mom gets her bad cooler fixed for free."

"You seem to be the one giving up time and effort a lot for these trades," Selina said, disapproving.

"Family business, Selina. Have to support mom somehow, and Dad uses it as an excuse to keep her off my back when I go out in the evenings." She slung her arm around Selina's shoulders and squeezed. "I get what I need."

"If you say so." Selina shrugged. "C'mon. I know who's working the door at the Regal. We can catch a movie and be irresponsible teenagers for once."

Dinah considered, then grinned broadly. "Sounds fun!"

rynling

In more material terms!

For Black Friday I got myself a sun lamp (this one here), and it changed my life in less than an hour. Holy shit. Amazing.

I saw someone on Bluesky describe Ghost Trick as "what if a person who was really good at making games really loved his Pomeranian," so I downloaded it from Steam. I'm not good at puzzle games, but I will use a walkthrough like a boss. Like a boss who really loves his Pomeranian.

The yen is relatively weak right now, so I bought a "like new" copy of the official Japanese strategy guide for the Final Fantasy IV DS remake. I had a lot of fun with FFVI in 2025, and one of my resolutions for 2026 is to rediscover my love for FFIV by being an insane completionist. I read on the internet that if you get all the secret summons you can watch Golbez ride Kain Highwind like a bicycle. Sounds legit. Let's go!

I also donated money to a local animal shelter and a local human shelter, as well as to AO3 (so people can post porn) and Wikipedia (so people can do research for the porn they post). I continue to be a broke-ass bitch, but every once in a while it's nice to cosplay as someone with money to throw around.

rynling

Now that 2025 has forced everyone to learn about Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA, what I want to see in 2026 is for everyone to learn about bait.

This applies to myself as well. If I see someone being unhinged, the strategy is to immediately block and ignore. If they are unhinged in real life, I will block and ignore them in my heart.

We only have so many days on this earth. 🍵

senmut

More Joy Day announced

Jane Siberry has a new song free to download - Very Political, called "bailout" and it hit hard

Scarpetta, the Patricia Cornwell series, is getting a TV Show.
Latest Doctor Who BluRay release short film
Sheriden/Delenn gif set with Tolkien words

A "Punny" photo
SarahSeeAndersen cartoon about cats and hot pads
Kermit the Assassin and further commentary

Sissy Spacek Photo set

The Restorer and the Butler - haunted house story
The Kents and the Pediatrician - DC Comics fanfic
Human and Alien - a story of Uncanny Valley
Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus in their later years - Fic and art

Good Wicked! meta
Mood board for the original Thrawn Trilogy

rynling

2025 has been a productive year of writing lyrical and well-crafted short stories with unique and original conceits, but this has gotten me nowhere. Now that the semester is over, I will write what people actually want to read. I'm planning a multichapter fanfic titled "Bowser's Massive Cock Challenge," and it will be about... Well. I'm sure you can guess.

I'm not joking btw. Readers need joy, and writers need positive feedback.

(And purity advocates need to go fuck themselves, perhaps literally.)

rynling

( Read more... )

It's been a tough semester, but I managed to make it through. I’m looking forward to having a few weeks to do fuck-all while I take the space I need to tackle a few deadlines and then think about what I’m doing and where I’d like to go in the future.

senmut

2015 - A decade ago! Oh right, I was dirt poor by the end of the year because I remember thinking I wasn't going to get to see the new Star Wars film in theater.

Furious 7 - So my late partner and I had fallen in love with this crew in the first movie. She LOVED Brian. And... well. Paul Walker died before completing this one. And then they released it on her anniversary with me. So Yeah. Saw it twice in theater.

Jurassic World - This looked interesting, was okay, but wife and I both had Issues with it. And then, of course, Pratt lived up to his name, and I let the franchise go away. Still kinda want to see the one with the original trio.

Carol - I don't do arthouse style films, I protest mightily. AND YET. I decided to see what the fuss was about, and FELL IN LOVE. Cate and Rooney sold the story. (and having read up about the author, wow it's toned down from the inspirations / she was a helluva bitch it looked like)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - such characters! such potential! Shame they never made more after it to explore Finn and Rey and Poe in a way that highlighted EVERYTHING THAT MADE THEM INTERESTING! (It did however set me on the SW track of writing, so I can't complain too much)

senmut

AO3 link | Her Turn (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer [TV]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Willow Rosenberg & Buffy Summers
Characters: Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers, Dawn Summers [Buffy & Angel Universe]
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, Post-Canon
Summary:

Willow left a letter...

Her Turn

This one, it's not for you. You get that, right? This time, it's about me. It has to be me. You can't… you can't keep reaching. I know you love me. I know you would want to step up, to take my place. You've always been the one making the sacrifice. That's who you are, the One. You changed the game to begin with, and then when that wasn't enough, you changed the whole playing field.

Okay, maybe I had something to do with changing the gameboard up. But I was only able to do it because of you, because you had so much faith in me. I need you to have that faith in me now. I need you to be the stronger one, the one who has to live, to keep facing the evil.

Hopefully it won't be as bad, not once I do this.

All my love.

Dawn wasn't used to seeing her sister frail, not even after all the losses they had faced. She'd guessed, though, that this one might be the breaking point, and hurried to get to Buffy's side. She saw the paper crumpled in a fist, but ignored it, just turning her sister to hold her.

At first, Buffy was stiff. The grief broke to Dawn's coaxing, a howl of pain and denial. Dawn just held on, petting her hair, tears streaming on her own face.

"Maybe… maybe it didn't end her?" Dawn suggested once the crying gave way to the heavy silence.

Buffy pushed the crumpled paper to her sister, letting Dawn read Willow's own words. It made Dawn swallow hard, as the pain and finality gripped her all over again.

She couldn't give into it, though. Buffy needed her. Buffy had lost Willow, and Dawn needed to step up even more.

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Il Mistero di Felina

LadiesBingo: Epistolary fic: Emails, letters etc.

Book review: Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

What We Weading Wednesday

Book Review: The Names by Florence Knapp

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I just think we should have nice things

Atticus

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LadiesBingo: Funerals and Wakes

Today's adventures in hating Gen-AI

Ugh...

LadiesBingo: Teenagers

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All I want for Christmas

Various Links 11/30 - 12/6

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2025 Writing Log, Part 48

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LadiesBingo: Sacrifice / Letting Go

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