Asp (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
senmut) wrote2025-06-16 09:08 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-16 09:08 pm
Entry tags:
Daily Check In
| *\o/* | Word Count | Step Count | Headache? |
| Daily | 3,418 | 6,649 | yes |
| Monthly | 13,032 | 164,994 | 4 days |
marthawells (marthawells) wrote2025-06-16 01:49 pm
marthawells) wrote2025-06-16 01:49 pmEntry tags:
Things Coming Out Next
Storyteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology
Out in ebook and paperback on July 1. My story is "Data Ghost"
https://bookshop.org/p/books/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology/a74b320486117220?ean=9798992595406&next=t
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology?sId=e0bafab6-32a8-4ffb-9436-2dcda473349c
Edited by Julie C. Day, Carina Bissett, and Craig Laurance Gidney. Stories by Martha Wells, Andy Duncan, C.S.E. Cooney, Nisi Shawl, Mike Allen, Alaya Dawn Johnson, CL Hellisen, Maya Deane, Rocío Rincón Fernández, Theodora Goss, Getty Hesse, Starlene Justice, Amelia Mangan, Michael Yuya Montroy, Marisca Pichette, KT Wagner.
Sixteen new stories from some of today's most renowned authors. All inspired by the master storyteller Tanith Lee.
Drowning cities and unicorns. Burning deserts and forgotten gods. Golems, elf warriors, and inner-Earthers. Alien lifeforms and museum workers. Ancient plagues and the future of humanity. The familiar and the fantastical. Each story in this anthology is both unique and compelling: from fairy-tale retellings to romance-tinged high fantasy, from nihilistic horror to gripping science fiction. Immersive, wide-ranging, and sublime, Storyteller features worlds and characters that are sure to travel with you long after the last page has been read.
***
Short Story: "Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy" by Martha Wells
will be available on Reactor Magazine on July 10
Illustrated by Jaime Jones
Edited by Lee Harris
Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover...
***
Summer of Science Fiction & Fantasy: Martha Wells in conversation with Kate Elliott
https://www.clarionwest.org/event/summer-of-science-fiction-fantasy-martha-wells-in-conversation-with-kate-elliott/
July 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT
The Clarion West Summer Reading Series will be held virtually and streamed live over Zoom during the Six-Week Workshop.
Join us for our final event, a conversation between Martha Wells and Kate Elliott!
This event will begin with a conversation between Martha and Kate. There will be time to take questions from the audience. Participants will be able to submit questions in the webinar.
***
The New Yorker announced "Platform Decay" will be the next Murderbot novella. No word on publication date yet.
***
Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology For Seattle Worldcon 2025
https://grimoakpress.com/products/grimoire-a-grim-oak-press-anthology-for-seattle-worldcon-2025
My story is a fantasy called "Birthright" which is reprint that's not currently available anywhere else.
***
Queen Demon, the sequel to Witch King, second book of the Rising World, is up for preorder and will be released in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover on October 7.
From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.
Dahin believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs' Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there's something he isn't telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.
Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?
And can he trust his companions to do what's right?
Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/queen-demon-martha-wells/21751501?ean=9781250826916
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/queen-demon-martha-wells/1146167707?ean=9781250826916
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/queen-demon
Audiobook Libro.fm https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781250291981-queen-demon
Bakka-Phoenix (indie bookstore in Canada): https://bakkaphoenixbooks.com/item/3Czr8TaWU9-_fwJ25ytSCw
Out in ebook and paperback on July 1. My story is "Data Ghost"
https://bookshop.org/p/books/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology/a74b320486117220?ean=9798992595406&next=t
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology?sId=e0bafab6-32a8-4ffb-9436-2dcda473349c
Edited by Julie C. Day, Carina Bissett, and Craig Laurance Gidney. Stories by Martha Wells, Andy Duncan, C.S.E. Cooney, Nisi Shawl, Mike Allen, Alaya Dawn Johnson, CL Hellisen, Maya Deane, Rocío Rincón Fernández, Theodora Goss, Getty Hesse, Starlene Justice, Amelia Mangan, Michael Yuya Montroy, Marisca Pichette, KT Wagner.
Sixteen new stories from some of today's most renowned authors. All inspired by the master storyteller Tanith Lee.
Drowning cities and unicorns. Burning deserts and forgotten gods. Golems, elf warriors, and inner-Earthers. Alien lifeforms and museum workers. Ancient plagues and the future of humanity. The familiar and the fantastical. Each story in this anthology is both unique and compelling: from fairy-tale retellings to romance-tinged high fantasy, from nihilistic horror to gripping science fiction. Immersive, wide-ranging, and sublime, Storyteller features worlds and characters that are sure to travel with you long after the last page has been read.
***
Short Story: "Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy" by Martha Wells
will be available on Reactor Magazine on July 10
Illustrated by Jaime Jones
Edited by Lee Harris
Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover...
***
Summer of Science Fiction & Fantasy: Martha Wells in conversation with Kate Elliott
https://www.clarionwest.org/event/summer-of-science-fiction-fantasy-martha-wells-in-conversation-with-kate-elliott/
July 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT
The Clarion West Summer Reading Series will be held virtually and streamed live over Zoom during the Six-Week Workshop.
Join us for our final event, a conversation between Martha Wells and Kate Elliott!
This event will begin with a conversation between Martha and Kate. There will be time to take questions from the audience. Participants will be able to submit questions in the webinar.
***
The New Yorker announced "Platform Decay" will be the next Murderbot novella. No word on publication date yet.
***
Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology For Seattle Worldcon 2025
https://grimoakpress.com/products/grimoire-a-grim-oak-press-anthology-for-seattle-worldcon-2025
My story is a fantasy called "Birthright" which is reprint that's not currently available anywhere else.
***
Queen Demon, the sequel to Witch King, second book of the Rising World, is up for preorder and will be released in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover on October 7.
From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.
Dahin believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs' Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there's something he isn't telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.
Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?
And can he trust his companions to do what's right?
Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/queen-demon-martha-wells/21751501?ean=9781250826916
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/queen-demon-martha-wells/1146167707?ean=9781250826916
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/queen-demon
Audiobook Libro.fm https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781250291981-queen-demon
Bakka-Phoenix (indie bookstore in Canada): https://bakkaphoenixbooks.com/item/3Czr8TaWU9-_fwJ25ytSCw
Rynling R&D (rynling) wrote2025-06-16 10:50 am
rynling) wrote2025-06-16 10:50 amEntry tags:
Bless His Heart (affectionate)
I'm really enjoying the two newest chapters of Deltarune. There are bits and pieces of the game that remind me of Homestuck, and so I wondered what Andrew Hussie is up to these days. I think I found him on Instagram, and I am simultaneously amazed and 100% unsurprised.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
marthawells (marthawells) wrote2025-06-16 08:42 am
marthawells) wrote2025-06-16 08:42 amEntry tags:
Another Murderbot interview
In ‘Murderbot,’ an anxious scientist and an autonomous robot develop a workplace-trauma bond
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-15 08:51 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-15 08:51 pmEntry tags:
Daily Check In
| *\o/* | Word Count | Step Count | Headache? |
| Daily | 1,914 | 10,470 | yes |
| Monthly | 9,614 | 157,872 | 3 days |
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-15 03:30 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-15 03:30 pmEntry tags:
Into A Bar: The Golden Girls/Designing Women
Title: The PFLAG Conference
Author:senmut
Prompt: Dorothy Zbornak goes into a bar and meets... Julia Sugarbaker (Designing Women)!
Fandoms: The Golden Girls / Designing Women
Word count: 587
Rating: General Audiences
Contents: The situation for support for Southern queers has not changed since the era of these shows and that is referenced here.
As far as conferences and political rallies went, Dorothy was glad this one seemed to be staying at a civil discourse. Not, she amended in her own thoughts, that she wasn't ready to blaze truth across narrow-minds in a hope of seeing people live better, stronger lives in the open. She had to stand up for all of her principles, and was glad that joining PFLAG had given her a new outlet to do so.
Still, it had been a long day, and while she wasn't given to drinking much, a nightcap would settle her muscles down, giving her a better chance for sleep in the hotel's luxurious bed. She slipped into more casual, but still classy, attire, picked up her clutch, and headed down to the bar. It might even give her a chance to mingle with others of like minds.
If she found some of different minds, she had a piece or two of her own she'd be able to give out.
Julia Sugarbaker had been brewing on a storm since early that morning. It was bad enough that Georgia didn't have a proper organization to help the young men and women suffering from vitriol and hate, but she'd run into one too many damned Yankees tossing around their patronizing looks about even attempting to get one set up!
She straightened out her blouse, adjusted the sleeve at the wrists, and then snatched up her purse rather than stay in this ridiculously ill-decorated hotel room. She'd seen a bar downstairs. A nice little cocktail hour would help bring her down from her anger, and leave her more likely to find the right words on where to tell the next New York organizer where they could stick their disbelief in gay rights for the South!
Dorothy had seen the brunette going into one of the conference rooms earlier in the day. The decided emphasis on how the woman sat at the bar next to her spoke of difficulties.
"You're here with the PFLAG conference, yes?" Dorothy asked after the woman had a mint julep in front of her, while playing with the straw in her Long Island Iced Tea.
"I am here attempting to convince them to invest in my geographical region instead of writing us all off under the heels of those — " The woman cut herself off completely, took a deep breath. "Yes," she answered instead. "Julia Sugarbaker."
Dorothy raised an eyebrow. "The Julie Sugarbaker who was thanked in Representative Sugarbaker's speech last week?"
Julia softened her stance. "You pay attention to Washington, I take it, ma'am?"
"Dorothy Zbornak. Trying to put more effort into my ideals these days.
"And yes. Helping keep my chapter informed of events, since I have more free time."
"Were you instrumental in organization, or did you step in later? And either way, would you be willing to share any tips? The idiot I spoke to today doesn't feel there is any room in Georgia for them."
Dorothy sighed. "There are so many places in Florida that need outreach, and we run into that there. Or upstate New York, because no, the entire state does not follow the city's lead," she agreed, sympathizing. "I would be glad to work with you, and talk about how to get the support you need."
Julia smiled broadly. "Then Ms. Zbornak, I am looking forward to getting to know you."
"Likewise. Someone willing to stand up when the deck is stacked that way is the kind of woman I'd like to know," Dorothy agreed.
Author:
senmutPrompt: Dorothy Zbornak goes into a bar and meets... Julia Sugarbaker (Designing Women)!
Fandoms: The Golden Girls / Designing Women
Word count: 587
Rating: General Audiences
Contents: The situation for support for Southern queers has not changed since the era of these shows and that is referenced here.
The PFLAG Conference
As far as conferences and political rallies went, Dorothy was glad this one seemed to be staying at a civil discourse. Not, she amended in her own thoughts, that she wasn't ready to blaze truth across narrow-minds in a hope of seeing people live better, stronger lives in the open. She had to stand up for all of her principles, and was glad that joining PFLAG had given her a new outlet to do so.
Still, it had been a long day, and while she wasn't given to drinking much, a nightcap would settle her muscles down, giving her a better chance for sleep in the hotel's luxurious bed. She slipped into more casual, but still classy, attire, picked up her clutch, and headed down to the bar. It might even give her a chance to mingle with others of like minds.
If she found some of different minds, she had a piece or two of her own she'd be able to give out.
Julia Sugarbaker had been brewing on a storm since early that morning. It was bad enough that Georgia didn't have a proper organization to help the young men and women suffering from vitriol and hate, but she'd run into one too many damned Yankees tossing around their patronizing looks about even attempting to get one set up!
She straightened out her blouse, adjusted the sleeve at the wrists, and then snatched up her purse rather than stay in this ridiculously ill-decorated hotel room. She'd seen a bar downstairs. A nice little cocktail hour would help bring her down from her anger, and leave her more likely to find the right words on where to tell the next New York organizer where they could stick their disbelief in gay rights for the South!
Dorothy had seen the brunette going into one of the conference rooms earlier in the day. The decided emphasis on how the woman sat at the bar next to her spoke of difficulties.
"You're here with the PFLAG conference, yes?" Dorothy asked after the woman had a mint julep in front of her, while playing with the straw in her Long Island Iced Tea.
"I am here attempting to convince them to invest in my geographical region instead of writing us all off under the heels of those — " The woman cut herself off completely, took a deep breath. "Yes," she answered instead. "Julia Sugarbaker."
Dorothy raised an eyebrow. "The Julie Sugarbaker who was thanked in Representative Sugarbaker's speech last week?"
Julia softened her stance. "You pay attention to Washington, I take it, ma'am?"
"Dorothy Zbornak. Trying to put more effort into my ideals these days.
"And yes. Helping keep my chapter informed of events, since I have more free time."
"Were you instrumental in organization, or did you step in later? And either way, would you be willing to share any tips? The idiot I spoke to today doesn't feel there is any room in Georgia for them."
Dorothy sighed. "There are so many places in Florida that need outreach, and we run into that there. Or upstate New York, because no, the entire state does not follow the city's lead," she agreed, sympathizing. "I would be glad to work with you, and talk about how to get the support you need."
Julia smiled broadly. "Then Ms. Zbornak, I am looking forward to getting to know you."
"Likewise. Someone willing to stand up when the deck is stacked that way is the kind of woman I'd like to know," Dorothy agreed.
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-15 12:21 am
senmut) wrote2025-06-15 12:21 amEntry tags:
On a centennial
Mary Dell (Tanner) (Allen) Shipp June 15, 1925 to August 28, 2015 (aged 90).
( Miss you Grammy )
( Miss you Grammy )
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-14 10:26 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-14 10:26 pmEntry tags:
Daily Check In
| *\o/* | Word Count | Step Count | Headache? |
| Daily | 520 | 12,000 | yes |
| Monthly | 7,700 | 146,446 | 2 days |
Rynling R&D (rynling) wrote2025-06-14 07:28 am
rynling) wrote2025-06-14 07:28 amEntry tags:
2025 Writing Log, Part 23
( Read more... )
Despite the ongoing horrors this week, the potted plants in my backyard have begun to bloom. Behold my lilies, boy; look at them:
( Read more... )
Despite the ongoing horrors this week, the potted plants in my backyard have begun to bloom. Behold my lilies, boy; look at them:
( Read more... )
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-13 11:03 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-13 11:03 pmEntry tags:
Fandom50: #16
1990, [redacted a lot of depressing anecdata]. Let's just roll the credits, hmm? Nine movies because I was choosy... and honestly don't have much to say about movies of this year.
~ Tremors - AWW YEAH a hella good creature feature. To be honest? This was like catching old 50s B movies on TBS, because those creature features were my kind of camp horror comedy.
~ The Hunt for Red October - I can't remember much of this film, but there were some pretty people in it.
~ Ghost - +sighs+ Patrick and Whoopi, I loved. I am still on a fence about Demi's acting, but she's pretty.
~ Quigley Down Under - the movie that reinforced lessons I had begun studying due to "Beds are Burning" by Midnight Oil. It's also the movie that put Alan Rickman on my radar properly. I love his villainy here.
~ The Rescuers Down Under - Hmm, two Aussie based movies for me this year? MARAHUTE! Not quite mixing the adventure and scary like the first, but a DAMN GOOD FILM.
~ Predator 2 - So I enjoy the first. So much. BUT THIS?! This movie started solidifying actual lore for me (BLESS DARK HORSE COMICS) and the yautja in this one is BADASS.
~ Mermaids - A really sweet film, and the cast? +faints+ Hoskins, Cher, Ryder, Ricci? Excellent. A little angst and harm to children warning.
~ Hamlet - So I rather hate putting this on the list. And I know it is seriously panned. But honestly? Seeing this in the theater, watching EVERY ACTOR CHEW THE SCENERY? Made me delighted at an above the top performance. Just wish the fucker in the lead role wasn't... himself.
~ Kindergarten Cop - Sweet. Funny. Dramatic at parts. "It's naht a too-mah" Was surprised when I went back to find that his partner that was supposed to do the teaching and got sick was Iza from Clan of the Cave Bear.
Fave? Toss up between Predator 2 and Kindergarten Cop.
~ Tremors - AWW YEAH a hella good creature feature. To be honest? This was like catching old 50s B movies on TBS, because those creature features were my kind of camp horror comedy.
~ The Hunt for Red October - I can't remember much of this film, but there were some pretty people in it.
~ Ghost - +sighs+ Patrick and Whoopi, I loved. I am still on a fence about Demi's acting, but she's pretty.
~ Quigley Down Under - the movie that reinforced lessons I had begun studying due to "Beds are Burning" by Midnight Oil. It's also the movie that put Alan Rickman on my radar properly. I love his villainy here.
~ The Rescuers Down Under - Hmm, two Aussie based movies for me this year? MARAHUTE! Not quite mixing the adventure and scary like the first, but a DAMN GOOD FILM.
~ Predator 2 - So I enjoy the first. So much. BUT THIS?! This movie started solidifying actual lore for me (BLESS DARK HORSE COMICS) and the yautja in this one is BADASS.
~ Mermaids - A really sweet film, and the cast? +faints+ Hoskins, Cher, Ryder, Ricci? Excellent. A little angst and harm to children warning.
~ Hamlet - So I rather hate putting this on the list. And I know it is seriously panned. But honestly? Seeing this in the theater, watching EVERY ACTOR CHEW THE SCENERY? Made me delighted at an above the top performance. Just wish the fucker in the lead role wasn't... himself.
~ Kindergarten Cop - Sweet. Funny. Dramatic at parts. "It's naht a too-mah" Was surprised when I went back to find that his partner that was supposed to do the teaching and got sick was Iza from Clan of the Cave Bear.
Fave? Toss up between Predator 2 and Kindergarten Cop.
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-13 03:00 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-13 03:00 pmEntry tags:
PRIDE 7: Dick Grayson
Dragged to Fabulous (200 words) by Sharpest_Asp
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dick Grayson, Original Human Character(s)
Additional Tags: Pride Parades, Double Drabble
Summary:
"Oh honey, you cannot be seen next to me looking that… plain," the drag queen said when Dick walked in to get ready for the beginning of the parade. "Girlfriend, I know good and well you have something more fabulous in your closet — wish it was me, honestly, but — because I have seen what you wear on your dates!"
Dick smiled, holding up the duffel bag. "Knowing I'd be riding with you, Miss Syl, I figured I'd better bring a few things and let you pick."
Miss Syl put both hands over his heart and made a dramatic sound. "You know just how to flatter a girl." He held his hand out for the bag, dead set on making certain Gotham's younger prince was ready to sparkle at the parade.
"If I promise to keep it toned down and mostly straight, may I do your makeup?" Miss Syl asked as he settled on which outfit would work best.
"Total package," Dick agreed, laughing some.
"Oh I wish. I could show you things those débutantes have never heard of," Miss Syl answered, before setting to the crafting of perfect look for one of their wealthiest allies in all of the city.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dick Grayson, Original Human Character(s)
Additional Tags: Pride Parades, Double Drabble
Summary:
Dick gets there in time for Ms. Syl to make him over.
Dragged to Fabulous
"Oh honey, you cannot be seen next to me looking that… plain," the drag queen said when Dick walked in to get ready for the beginning of the parade. "Girlfriend, I know good and well you have something more fabulous in your closet — wish it was me, honestly, but — because I have seen what you wear on your dates!"
Dick smiled, holding up the duffel bag. "Knowing I'd be riding with you, Miss Syl, I figured I'd better bring a few things and let you pick."
Miss Syl put both hands over his heart and made a dramatic sound. "You know just how to flatter a girl." He held his hand out for the bag, dead set on making certain Gotham's younger prince was ready to sparkle at the parade.
"If I promise to keep it toned down and mostly straight, may I do your makeup?" Miss Syl asked as he settled on which outfit would work best.
"Total package," Dick agreed, laughing some.
"Oh I wish. I could show you things those débutantes have never heard of," Miss Syl answered, before setting to the crafting of perfect look for one of their wealthiest allies in all of the city.
marthawells (marthawells) wrote2025-06-13 12:08 pm
marthawells) wrote2025-06-13 12:08 pmEntry tags:
Murderbot Day
* Interview with Sue Chan, the production designer:
https://filmstories.co.uk/news/murderbot-designing-a-future-world-that-doesnt-look-like-alien/
“I started out by taking the most ancient societies on each continent – Etruscans, Asian, European, and African cultures,” Chan tells us. “I looked at the most fundamental motifs and gathered them into a bible, then asked my team to imagine 100 generations from now, when the diaspora of Earth have chosen to live together in society. How would they evolve a unified set of symbols? A language that really honours where they came from.”
This informed the alphabet that can be seen in the decoration painted across the otherwise grey, corporate habitat the PresAux crew are leasing. At the same time, acknowledging how much of the crew is queer and polyamorous, the colours of the rainbow are also entwined into their decorations.
“All of that is mashed up but it has a fundamental logic to it,” says Chan.
* Interview with Akshay Khanna (Ratthi):
https://squaremile.com/style/akshay-khanna-murderbot-actor-interview/
I’m incredibly excited for people to watch Murderbot on Apple TV+. Sci-fi has been my favourite genre by a country mile forever, and being on a show like this has always been a career goal of mine. Frankly, I had too much fun filming that show, and getting paid to do it constantly felt like I was getting away with something on set.
And the show is just so good. I can confidently say it’s fantastic – and if you don’t like it, then I would gently tell you that it’s OK to be wrong sometimes.
* Interview with Sabrina Wu (Pin-Lee):
https://www.autostraddle.com/sabrina-wu-interview-murderbot/
And then once I got the role, I read the books and I was legit just blown away at how funny the books were. I just haven’t seen such a dry sarcastic sensibility with this kind of hero sci-fi stories. And then I also just really liked that it was in the tradition of I felt like Octavia Butler, where it’s like, “oh, this is a queer imagining of the future.” So I don’t know. I just thought it was a really sweet, funny, different world. I also, obviously every comedian who becomes an actor, their dream is to get to work on something with action to move beyond an It’s Always Sunny kind of comedy. I believe there was already an opportunity for me to be in a spaceship and shoot guns, and it just made me happy that it was genuinely funny source material.
* Video interview with Tattiawna Jones (Arada) and Tamara Podemski (Bharadwaj):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NllgfEekw9s
* And a video interview with Noma Dumezweni (Mensah)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZpigqUqZXQ
* and a video interview with Noma and David Dastmalchian (Gurathin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=361cKOujISE
* And a video interview (with a transcript) with Alexander Skarsgard, Jack McBrayer, and Paul and Chris Weitz:
https://collider.com/murderbot-alexander-skarsgard-jack-mcbrayer-creators-paul-weitz-chris-weitz/
* And there is a profile of me in The New Yorker (!!)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/do-androids-dream-of-anything-at-all
* ETA: In ‘Murderbot,’ an anxious scientist and an autonomous robot develop a workplace-trauma bond
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
*
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
https://filmstories.co.uk/news/murderbot-designing-a-future-world-that-doesnt-look-like-alien/
“I started out by taking the most ancient societies on each continent – Etruscans, Asian, European, and African cultures,” Chan tells us. “I looked at the most fundamental motifs and gathered them into a bible, then asked my team to imagine 100 generations from now, when the diaspora of Earth have chosen to live together in society. How would they evolve a unified set of symbols? A language that really honours where they came from.”
This informed the alphabet that can be seen in the decoration painted across the otherwise grey, corporate habitat the PresAux crew are leasing. At the same time, acknowledging how much of the crew is queer and polyamorous, the colours of the rainbow are also entwined into their decorations.
“All of that is mashed up but it has a fundamental logic to it,” says Chan.
* Interview with Akshay Khanna (Ratthi):
https://squaremile.com/style/akshay-khanna-murderbot-actor-interview/
I’m incredibly excited for people to watch Murderbot on Apple TV+. Sci-fi has been my favourite genre by a country mile forever, and being on a show like this has always been a career goal of mine. Frankly, I had too much fun filming that show, and getting paid to do it constantly felt like I was getting away with something on set.
And the show is just so good. I can confidently say it’s fantastic – and if you don’t like it, then I would gently tell you that it’s OK to be wrong sometimes.
* Interview with Sabrina Wu (Pin-Lee):
https://www.autostraddle.com/sabrina-wu-interview-murderbot/
And then once I got the role, I read the books and I was legit just blown away at how funny the books were. I just haven’t seen such a dry sarcastic sensibility with this kind of hero sci-fi stories. And then I also just really liked that it was in the tradition of I felt like Octavia Butler, where it’s like, “oh, this is a queer imagining of the future.” So I don’t know. I just thought it was a really sweet, funny, different world. I also, obviously every comedian who becomes an actor, their dream is to get to work on something with action to move beyond an It’s Always Sunny kind of comedy. I believe there was already an opportunity for me to be in a spaceship and shoot guns, and it just made me happy that it was genuinely funny source material.
* Video interview with Tattiawna Jones (Arada) and Tamara Podemski (Bharadwaj):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NllgfEekw9s
* And a video interview with Noma Dumezweni (Mensah)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZpigqUqZXQ
* and a video interview with Noma and David Dastmalchian (Gurathin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=361cKOujISE
* And a video interview (with a transcript) with Alexander Skarsgard, Jack McBrayer, and Paul and Chris Weitz:
https://collider.com/murderbot-alexander-skarsgard-jack-mcbrayer-creators-paul-weitz-chris-weitz/
* And there is a profile of me in The New Yorker (!!)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/do-androids-dream-of-anything-at-all
* ETA: In ‘Murderbot,’ an anxious scientist and an autonomous robot develop a workplace-trauma bond
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
*
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-12 08:50 pm
senmut) wrote2025-06-12 08:50 pmEntry tags:
Daily Health
| *\o/* | Word Count | Step Count | Headache? |
| Daily | 0 | 9,617 | no |
| Monthly | 6,793 | 125,847 | 1 days |
piratequeen (piratequeen) wrote2025-06-11 07:26 pm
piratequeen) wrote2025-06-11 07:26 pmBook Review: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
[Goodreads | Storygraph]
5 / 5 stars
( More under the cut )
[Goodreads | Storygraph]
5 / 5 stars
( More under the cut )
Aster (white_aster) wrote2025-06-11 12:54 pm
white_aster) wrote2025-06-11 12:54 pmEntry tags:
What We Weading Wednesday
Currently Reading:
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie - I remember reading a few early Abercrombie books and liking them while thinking they were just a bit overlong and overwrought. That's still my view, but I am weak to heists and this one is entertaining if you can stand Abercrombie's particularly grungy and body-fluid-spattered style.
The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov - :sigh: I'd evidently put it on my holds list even though I didn't enjoy the last one very much, and I took it just with an air of "oh fine, whatever". I suspect that i am going to DNF this, as there will be the recurrence of a character who I thought was really stupidly dealt with in the last Robots book (someone who's let off the hook for a murder because of egregiously -ist reasons that I just can't overlook).
Just Finished: Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland and That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming. Both very good. The former is um..."pirates+heist+surprisingly complex interpersonal dynamics+hyperactive main character who is a Whole Mood". Loved it! The latter is "very light-hearted but still quite funny fantasy romance about two grumpy people falling in love oh and one is a dragon".
Up Next: I'd still like to read Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil by Stephen Batchelor again. Also I'll be picking up my copy of Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes today. I dunno, I have had a solid hit and a very bad miss with this author, we'll see how this one lands.
Aster (white_aster) wrote2025-06-11 12:21 pm
white_aster) wrote2025-06-11 12:21 pmEntry tags:
(no subject)
NIH scientists call on director to protect biomedical research
Hundreds of scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a call for action they dubbed the Bethesda Declaration on Monday to push back against cutbacks and changes at the biomedical research agency.
I'd like to point out that the people who signed this are actual people who work directly for NIH. It is extremely brave for them to speak out like this, especially since it's so unlikely that anyone will listen to them.
Asp (senmut) wrote2025-06-11 10:17 am
senmut) wrote2025-06-11 10:17 amEntry tags:
PRIDE 6: Natasha/?
Filing Flirtations (300 words) by Sharpest_Asp
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel's The Avengers [2012]
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Natasha Romanov, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Avengers Tower, Flirting, Triple Drabble
Summary:
Nat just sat back and watched the beer-laden flirting going on, listening with half her mind as alcohol lubricated more honest impressions of one another. She didn't really get it sometimes — Tony wanted everyone but Pepper was being far choosier — yet it made for good intel on who she could push and manipulate that way should it be needed.
She got the impression Bruce was more like herself. Something in the total package had to be there for that kind of fireworks to happen. On cue, Betty warded off a very cute pass from Darcy, and settled more firmly in Bruce's space. Those two — they had that look of having a true orbital lock on each other.
She let her eyes shift briefly to Clint, who gave his tiny hitch of a shoulder, then raised an eyebrow before his eyes roved Thor's well-built form. Nat gave him a go-for-it nod with the nuance of 'not both of us'.
Thor didn't meet her particular points of interest enough to spark anything, but it was always fun to watch Clint does his mix of shy and blatant flirtation.
She wondered how Jane was going to handle it, but Jane moved closer to Bruce and Betty, talking science and leaving Thor on his own. Darcy nudged her once to look over. When Jane did, she rolled her eyes, and went back to the discussion at hand.
That nudged her up in Nat's books. They were all, now, part of a very intense way of life, and being weird about who slept with whom was going to make friction.
Tony dropped into her space, and she arched a look his way.
"Checking."
"No."
He grinned. "Her?"
"Maybe."
"I'll have her schedule a date to figure it out."
Nat smirked over at Pepper, who smiled.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel's The Avengers [2012]
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Natasha Romanov, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Avengers Tower, Flirting, Triple Drabble
Summary:
It's a lazy day in the Tower and Nat's just taking it all in.
Filing Flirtations
Nat just sat back and watched the beer-laden flirting going on, listening with half her mind as alcohol lubricated more honest impressions of one another. She didn't really get it sometimes — Tony wanted everyone but Pepper was being far choosier — yet it made for good intel on who she could push and manipulate that way should it be needed.
She got the impression Bruce was more like herself. Something in the total package had to be there for that kind of fireworks to happen. On cue, Betty warded off a very cute pass from Darcy, and settled more firmly in Bruce's space. Those two — they had that look of having a true orbital lock on each other.
She let her eyes shift briefly to Clint, who gave his tiny hitch of a shoulder, then raised an eyebrow before his eyes roved Thor's well-built form. Nat gave him a go-for-it nod with the nuance of 'not both of us'.
Thor didn't meet her particular points of interest enough to spark anything, but it was always fun to watch Clint does his mix of shy and blatant flirtation.
She wondered how Jane was going to handle it, but Jane moved closer to Bruce and Betty, talking science and leaving Thor on his own. Darcy nudged her once to look over. When Jane did, she rolled her eyes, and went back to the discussion at hand.
That nudged her up in Nat's books. They were all, now, part of a very intense way of life, and being weird about who slept with whom was going to make friction.
Tony dropped into her space, and she arched a look his way.
"Checking."
"No."
He grinned. "Her?"
"Maybe."
"I'll have her schedule a date to figure it out."
Nat smirked over at Pepper, who smiled.