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Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 10:15 pm
Fandom: Batman - All Media Types
Pairings/Characters: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 4,742 words
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] Wisetypewriter
Theme: siblings, complicated relationships, drinking & talking

Summary: Dick drinks on a rooftop.

Jason shows up.

Reccer's Notes: Really interesting fic! I love the exploration of Dick and Jason’s relationship, especially how the story weaves in elements from different comic continuities. It hit me right in the feels <3

Fanwork Links: Brothers around a beer
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 04:32 pm

⌈ Secret Post #6997 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.


More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 22 secrets from Secret Submission Post #999.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 11:12 am
Fandom: The Protomen
Pairings/Characters: Megaman & Protoman & Quint
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Length: 53,236
Creator Links: VioletVulpini on Ao3
Theme:
Siblings, Science Fiction, Time Travel Fix-it, Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort
Summary:
"The sound of Machines marching into a screaming mass did not cause Megaman to turn. The sound of children crying for their mothers would not pull his gaze from the far edge of the city."

And then he kept walking.
Reccer's Notes:
This fic takes the premise of an existing Mega Man character from the games, who was used as a minor sad character, and makes him the main character of a time travel fix-it in this alternate universe of The Protomen. Megaman goes back in time to before he killed his brother Protoman in an attempt to fix things, and manages to save his brother -- but now both his past self and his brother are after him, not to mention Dr. Wily, whose iron grip still holds the city. It has some of the best robot hurt/comfort I've ever read and amazing looks at the family dynamics between the characters.

Fanwork Links:
Through the Window to the Mirror on Ao3
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 10:52 am
Fandom: Mega Man (Cartoon 1994)
Pairings/Characters: Mega Man & Proto Man, Mega Man & Roll
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Length: 342,087
Creator Links: BlackRussian on FFN and BlackRussian on Ao3
Theme:
Siblings, Action/Adventure, Enemies Working Together, Plotty Fic, Series, Science Fiction
Summary:
Fighting Dr. Wily while watching your rebellious sister is tough for anyone, even a robot. Add an evil brother who's determined for you to join his side (or else battle to see who's strongest), things get ugly. Retcon of the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon.
Reccer's Notes:
An amazing AU take on the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon from 1994 which adds heart and multiple intertwining subplots, as well as fixing major plot holes and including more background for various characters. The central character relationships are between Mega Man and his (evil?) older brother Proto Man, and Mega Man and his sister Roll, but there's plenty of background relationships that keep the story engaging, along with a lot of clever worldbuilding and cheesy moments to fit the original cartoon's tone. It's part of an ongoing series, but seasons 1-2 are complete.

Fanwork Links:
Read it here on Ao3 and here on FF.net
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 01:08 pm
https://www.dn.se/kultur/fan-edits-har-blivit-filmbranschens-nya-maktfaktor/

”Fan edits” har blivit filmbranschens nya maktfaktor

Thanks to naye for posting on bluesky! Translation via google translate.

“Fan edits” have become the film industry’s new power factor

– Fan edits are created out of genuine commitment, rather than a commercial purpose, and then they can certainly be perceived as more credible than traditional trailers, says Lovisa Jönsson from the PR agency Jung.
In July 2025, the anonymous TikTok account Areq posts a video collage of scenes from the boxing movie “Creed.” In the clip, punches are thrown wildly to the beat of the music, while blood and sweat spurt.

The clip has over 215 million views at the time of writing. Less than a week after it was posted on the platform, the number of viewers of the film increased by 29 percent on Amazon Prime, according to data from Luminate.

Areq is an example of a growing group of TikTok creators, often fans, who make so-called video collages, or “fan edits,” of series and films for fun. The phenomenon has its origins in fan fiction, where fans use characters and settings from existing works to write a new story.

Several film studios have recognized the explosive power of fan logic and have now started to hire fans to drive their marketing efforts.

The film studio Lionsgate has recruited a dozen or so fans to make TikTok clips under the film studio’s banner. The company’s TikTok page now has around a hundred clips from films like “Twilight” and “Divergent.” All of them are bursting with references and Generation Z jokes that only a die-hard fan can understand.

In an interview with Variety, Lionsgate's head of international marketing, Briana McElroy, says that fan edits are a "love letter from fans" and that it is free marketing.

- If we are going to have a conversation with fans online, we have to speak their language, she tells Variety.

Streaming giants such as Netflix, Hulu and Paramount+ also publish clips on their Tiktok channels with clear inspiration from fan logic.

Fan-edited video collages from the ice hockey drama "Heated Rivalry" have been streaming on social media since the series was released in late 2025. The clips have reached both existing fans and attracted new viewers.

Some of the fan community's most viewed clips are edited by fan Melanie, 25. In one of the clips, countless sex scenes and hockey matches flicker past in one minute and thirty seconds. That clip has received over four million views.

When DN reaches her, she wants to remain anonymous, she wants to protect her privacy on the internet but is happy to talk about the phenomenon. Since she was 17, she has spent countless hours editing such videos, about everything from One Direction to Harry Potter and Marvel.

– Fan edits are their own art form. It is a way for a fan to tell a story or describe how they themselves interpret a series through their own lens. It is noticeable in the way they edit, in what order they place the clips or which song they use, she says.

Unlike a traditional trailer that is directed and tailored by a film company with the aim of reaching as large an audience as possible and generating revenue, fan edits lack a financial drive and are born out of pure desire and love for a series or film.

– It is created out of genuine commitment, rather than a commercial purpose, and then they can certainly be perceived as more credible than traditional trailers, especially for Generation Z, says Lovisa Jönsson from the PR agency Jung.

She points out that fan-produced content is spread organically on platforms like Tiktok and that it can reach target groups that do not usually watch traditional trailers. This provides a large distribution at a low cost.

– When marketing arouses emotions and is perceived as authentic and genuine, it tends to be more effective. It is a quick way to spread content and can create hype that makes more people feel that they “have to see” a certain film or series, says Lovisa Jönsson.

It is not only within the world of film that fan logic is being valued. For example, the artist Miley Cyrus hired superfan Olivia Rudensky to be responsible for her digital marketing and fan contact. Rudensky was recruited because she ran one of the star’s largest fan accounts, according to Forbes.

In the book “Blank Space”, the American author W David Marx describes how fans have shaped the popular cultural landscape. According to him, they have been crucial in consolidating the position of international artists. He writes that: “At a time when the media landscape has become increasingly fragmented, fans have contributed to strengthening the cultural power around a few top artists.”
The “Star Trek” character Spock was the subject of the first fan-made video clip.
The “Star Trek” character Spock was the subject of the first fan-made video clip. Photo: Paramount Television/REX/TT

Fan-produced video collages set their first milestone in 1975 when Kandy Fong made a slideshow featuring the space officer Spock from the science fiction series “Star Trek”. The slideshow was set to music with the Spock actor’s interpretation of “Both sides now”. At the time, it was shown at various fan conventions, but since then they have been exhibited at museums in both Queens and Vancouver.

When YouTube became established, fans began publishing video collages there. As Instagram and Tiktok consolidated their role, fans have instead moved their creations there and through the spread of algorithms, some of them reach a huge audience.

Sweden is no exception. Here, fans of reality series such as “The Traitors”, “The Game” and “Paradise Hotel” have made their own compilations, where they highlight certain participants, among other things. Among other things, there are several collages about the “Best in Test” program host David Sundin, with carefully selected clips from the competition program, set to music by Arctic Monkeys’ “505”.

During the new film adaptation of “Doktor Glas”, the production launched a Tiktok account. Some of the content is clearly modeled after how fans usually edit their fan clips. Lovisa Jönsson at the PR agency Jung, however, believes that there is a risk when production companies follow the fan logic.

– When companies start to commercialize fan edits and use them in strategic marketing, authenticity can be lost, which is the very basis for the impact. To succeed, they must continue to be created on the fans’ terms, she says.
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 10:05 am
Photograph of two adorable Vietnamese toddlers in identical denim overalls and dinosaur sweaters, text: Siblings, at Fancake.
[community profile] fancake is a thematic recommendation community where all members are welcome to post recs, and fanworks of all shapes and sizes are accepted. Check out the community guidelines for the full set of rules.

This theme runs for the entire month. If you have any questions, just ask!
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 04:30 pm

Posted by Amanda

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams is $2.99! Sarah wrote about  the release of this book last spring. It was also our fourth most popular post of 2025.

From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite.

Sarah Wynn-Williams tells the wrenching but fun story of Facebook, mapping its rise from stumbling encounters with juntas to Mark Zuckerberg’s reaction when he learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election. She experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, all while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in.”

Careless People is a deeply personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decade—told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Overnight Sensation

Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen is $2.49! This is book two in the Brooklyn series, which is a spin-off of the Brooklyn Bruiser series. This features one of my least favorite tropes: the off-limits heroine. However, Bowen is an auto-buy for a lot of us.

Everyone knows the girl is off limits. But it’s so good to be bad.


There’s this girl…
Heidi and I have been trading hungry looks all year, and everything she does makes me smile. But I don’t do girlfriends, and I certainly can’t get involved with the league commissioner’s daughter. I need shots on goal, not a hookup and a widely misunderstood paparazzi photo.

Can I resist her, though? The way she teases me should be a game penalty for interference with my libido.

There’s this guy…
Jason wants me, but he won’t admit it. That man looks at me the way a hockey player eyes the lunch buffet after practice–and I love it.

But when victory is finally within my grasp, I blow it and humiliate myself. Even then I can’t even avoid him–as the team intern, I’m in constant view of his hard body and cocky smile.

I need another chance. Jason Castro is about to learn the true meaning of an overnight sensation.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

How the Word is Passed

How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith is $2.99! This was mentioned either on Hide Your Wallet or Whatcha Reading, and generally comes highly recommended. How are library waitlists doing for this one?

Poet and contributor to The Atlantic Clint Smith’s revealing, contemporary portrait of America as a slave owning nation 

Beginning in his own hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads the reader through an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks-those that are honest about the past and those that are not-that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves.

It is the story of the Monticello Plantation in Virginia, the estate where Thomas Jefferson wrote letters espousing the urgent need for liberty while enslaving over 400 people on the premises. It is the story of the Whitney Plantation, one of the only former plantations devoted to preserving the experience of the enslaved people whose lives and work sustained it. It is the story of Angola Prison in Louisiana, a former plantation named for the country from which most of its enslaved people arrived and which has since become one of the most gruesome maximum-security prisons in the world. And it is the story of Blandford Cemetery, the final resting place of tens of thousands of Confederate soldiers.

In a deeply researched and transporting exploration of the legacy of slavery and its imprint on centuries of American history, How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country’s most essential stories are hidden in plain view-whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods—like downtown Manhattan—on which the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women and children has been deeply imprinted.

Informed by scholarship and brought alive by the story of people living today, Clint Smith’s debut work of nonfiction is a landmark work of reflection and insight that offers a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in understanding our country.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

It’s a Love Story

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance with a former teen TV star who tells a lie that spirals out of control. Have you read this one?

From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 11:20 am

Posted by Zach Weinersmith



Click here to go see the bonus panel!

Hovertext:
The other option is good cop, cop pretending to be a fish on the floor that keeps flopping around but won't die.


Today's News:
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 10:46 am
Not too long ago, I read something by a designer about changes a Scandinavian town made to its snow plowing strategy after people realized that they could cut way down on emergency hospital visits if they focused on plowing side streets first, then plowed the main roads. Apparently the reason why this works is because of gender differences in travel: most men make fairly straightforward trips, e.g. to and from work, whereas most women trip-chain and wind up needing to use many more of the side streets (think: groceries, picking up and dropping off kids, visiting elderly relatives, etc). When the side streets aren't plowed promptly, more accidents happen there.

Anyway, because I usually bike everywhere, I also do as much trip chaining as I can, and that's particularly true if I'm going to do driving errands. Today's driving errands:

1. Drop off finished oars and plaques at the boathouse, pick up more oars to fix and paint:

Do you see the plaques, all lined up out of the way now?
Plaque update

Can you tell which oars were freshly repainted?
Oar swap
As a hint, it's the shiny orange pair in front towards the left, heh.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like there are too many more oars that are so seriously beat up that they'll require major surgery. Just these two sets:

Oar swap

These two sets seem to have the same sort of damage as I repaired on another recent set, on the inner surface of the blade, but it's somewhat odd damage that I'll probably show you later on.


2. Pick up some cinderblocks. This turned out to be as cool as I'd hoped it would be. I went over to visit a place called Grimm Building Materials, near Troy, that has apparently been in existence since 1879, because I really don't want to patronize big-box hardware stores if I can help it anymore. A challenge with patronizing Grimm is they're only open weekdays from 7 am - 3 pm, and I generally don't travel towards Troy on weekday mornings. So, car trip. To my relief, they did indeed carry regular old cinderblocks (8x8x16"), and the price was right ($2/ea). I can't even describe how much better it is to buy something like cinderblocks from a shop like this as compared to those big-box hardware stores. I'll definitely patronize them in the future, if/when I need this sort of material.

Whenever I think about cinderblocks, I think about The Impoverished Student's Book of Cookery, Drinkery, and Housekeepery, which is essentially an old-school Zine on those three subjects, written by a Reed College student. Ages ago [personal profile] annikusrex and I encountered a copy of Rosenberg's book while reorganizing her parents' books, and I was sufficiently enchanted by it that I bought my own copy. One of its tips for impoverished students is to use boards and cinderblocks to build inexpensive bookcases.

My plan for my cinderblocks isn't all that different, really - I want to use them to elevate a wire shelf for germinating and growing plants out on the front porch.


3. Drop off some freeweights at work. I have students who want to carry out some exercise physiology experiments next Tuesday where they want to carry or lift weights. I could certainly have hauled the 40 pounds of freeweights by bicycle, but if I'm going to be out and about with the car, I might as well add that to the errands list.

And now it really is time to work on grading, really.
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 11:06 am
This week's prompt is lament.

Your response should be exactly 100 words long. You do not have to include the prompt in your response -- it is meant as inspiration only.

Please use the tag "prompt: #484 - lament" with your response.

Please put your drabble under a cut tag if it contains potential triggers, mature or explicit content, or spoilers for media released in the last month.

If you would like a template for the header information you may use this:

Subject: Original - Title (or) Fandom - Title

Post:
Title:
Original
(or) Fandom:
Rating:
Notes:




If you are a member of AO3 there is a 100 Words Collection!
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 03:00 pm

Posted by Amanda

This HaBO is from Anna, who wants to find this romance:

I recently came across this scene from a new book an author was self promoting on Instagram and looked it up on Goodreads but I guess I forgot to add it. She’s probably not as well known or maybe an indie author. It was one of those pictures of the excerpts.

The heroine is a transfer student to Eastern or Central Europe, most likely in a college setting (possibly Austria? Switzerland?). From what I remember, a female side character started insulting her or started an argument and the hero publicly defended her.

The trope might be sports romance as well but I could be wrong. I’ve been trying to look everywhere for it.

Sound familiar?

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 02:00 pm

Posted by Jen

I'm pretty sure most one-year-olds will never remember their first birthday cakes, which is why I'm here to provide an invaluable service: reminding little E.J. that her (yes, her) parents got her this:

Any guesses on what EJ will be getting for her 12th birthday?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, parents, but I think age one is a little young for boys to be discovering their bananas, IF you know what I mean.

And if you don't, just look at this:

Don't worry, George, all monkeys get curious eventually.

 

Things I'm Pretty Sure One-Year-Olds Like:
- Cheerful colors
- Cute animals
- Putting things in their mouths
- Pooping

Thing I'm Pretty Sure One-Year-Olds Do NOT Like:
- Guys with guns
- Who are shooting cute animals

 

This next one isn't a first birthday cake; it's a christening cake. So little John was, what? A couple of days old maybe? Right. SOMEONE GET THAT KID A GUINNESS.

Honestly I don't know what all is happening here, or what in that mess is considered edible. And I think I spied a tiny plastic poodle in a Santa hat in front of that tree stump with a face before my brain broke.

(ACTUAL CONVERSATION I JUST HAD WITH JOHN:

John: [seeing cake] "What is THAT? Hahaha! He must be Irish, huh?"
Me: "What?! That is a terrible stereotype! How dare you!"
John: "There's a pot of gold and a shamrock."
Me: [looking] "Oh. Right. Ok, maybe they're Irish.")

 

"But you look good for your age, Levi. Really. And hey, one is the new six months! I read it in Vogue!"

 

Something here just doesn't add up.

 

And finally...

Please let his last name be Johnson. Please let his last name be Johnson. PleaselethislastnamebeJohnson.

 

Thanks to Anita T., Amy N., Jill B., Amber, D'arcy, Vinny A., & Melissa M. for the memorable first impressions.

*****

P.S. Speaking of things that are dirty, I have to introduce you to the handiest little kitchen gadget for under $8:

Dishwasher "Dirty/Clean" Slider Bar

The whole thing is magnetic, and it also comes with a double-sided adhesive for non-metallic machines. Also comes in black, and there's a prettier cursive option if you don't like the bright red/green!

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 10:19 am
I got my labcorp results last night and I made a spreadsheet of the last five years of lipid and A1c
five year snapshot
Cholesterol isn't too bad so I'm not going to fret about that. When I can get back to regular exercise, the LDL should also improve but it is on the lower side of borderline at least.

However, obviously the A1c is back to being complete crap so starting Monjauro is important. I'm going to aim for late tomorrow afternoon since I take metformin after that with dinner. I would start it today but my vaccination site is still warm, red and a bump. It is starting to look a little less red so hopefully by tomorrow, it'll be one less thing to worry about.
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 11:23 pm
11:02pm: That France was so good at Biathalon - I'm rewatching some Olympics since I missed so much of it - and so far they've won the mixed relay and in the men's a French dude is kicking some ass. Although wait, he's just missed a shot so now he has to around the penalty loop.

Also I wonder how far away the targets are, they didn't say, I guess you can look it up, but it's late and I have to get my butt to bed, especially because I need to wash my hair tomorrow morning before work. Usually, I'd have washed my hair on Sunday, but because of my digestive issues I never got around to it, and it's been over a week now, LOL.

In other news, I've been trying to download a demo of House Flipper 1 Remastered and it is taking for-bloody-ever, I don't know what's going on, but it's really annoying.

Haha, now the Norwegians are in the lead, which is pretty much what one would expect in a Cross Country Skiing type thing and alas, an Italian who was doing really well had to pull out, bummer for the home nation. But considering this happend like two weeks ago, I'm not sure why I'm bothering to talk about this race. Although...is this the one where the guy who won bronze went on international TV to confess to cheating on his girlfriend and begging her to take him back? Seriously, what the Hell was that? Last I heard, said girlfriend was not taking him back, which isn't surprising to be honest...bad enough cheating, but then announcing it to the whole world? What a dingbat.

Probably not though because two of the Norwegians stuffed up so to the Penalty Loop they go :OP

Right, onto the current situation - there's not much to report if I'm honest, although I've got more desk shifts to look forward to because one of my colleagues is on sick leave for the next couple of weeks. Which considering I still haven't purchased properly supportive shoes is a bit of a worry.

I did washing my underwear this evening after I got home from the gym, so go me! Speaking of the gym though, I had to wear my work shoes because in my rush this morning I forgot to bring my gym bag to work - I did go looking for some sneakers to buy, but I didn't really have enough time at lunch, shoe purchasing requires more consideration.

OK, right, I better get the Heck to bed!

Ta-ta!

Hunger

Comfort

Hygiene

Energy

Fun

Social

Bladder

Room

Biatholon

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 11:32 pm
Fandom: due South
Characters/Pairings: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Maggie Mackenzie/Francesca Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Frannie Vecchio, Ray Kowalski/ Maggie McKenzie
Rating: Explicit
Length: 7587
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: luzula on AO3, and on the Audiofic Archive.
Themes: Siblings, Marriage, Family, Domestic, Kidfic, Polyamory, Bisexual characters, AU

Summary: Sedoretu AU. Glimpses from the marriage of Fraser, Ray K, Maggie, and Frannie.

Reccer's Notes: I love the 4-person marriage invented by Ursula Le Guin - the sedoretu - and [personal profile] luzula makes it work perfectly here. In this 'verse there's the category of gender, plus another category called moiety - morning and evening people. In a sedoretu there are two same-sex and two opposite-sex couples, and two pairings (morning-morning and evening-evening) that are forbidden. Here, the forbidden pairings include the half-siblings, Fraser & Maggie. Luzula writes them all beautifully and lets us see how well this poly marriage works. We also get glimpses of how the sedoretu is the usual form of marriage in this AU, with their parents also in sedoretus. Domestic and lovely.

Fanwork Links: Puzzle Pieces, and luzula also recorded it as a podfic here.

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 09:00 am

Posted by Amanda

Welcome back and happy Tuesday!

Just a handful of books on our radar this week, but there are busier weeks ahead this month.

Which new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

A Ghastly Catastrophe

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

Author: Deanna Raybourn
Released: March 3, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: , ,
Series: Veronica Speedwell Mysteries #10

Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure, but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide—and Veronica and her intrepid beau Stoker know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Romany boy may know more about their first victim, and the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear that the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . .

Sarah: I love this series. LOVE it. I am so ready to hang out with Veronica.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

In Her Own League

In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

Author: Liz Tomforde
Released: March 3, 2026 by Golden Boy Publishing
Genre: ,

As the first female team owner in Major League Baseball, Reese Remington has spent her entire life preparing for this role. With a sharp mind and years of experience working behind the scenes, she’s more than qualified. But the public only sees a woman in a man’s world — not the person who’s earned their place on the field. Under constant scrutiny and pressure to prove herself, Reese can’t afford distractions.

Especially one that comes in the form of the team’s tempting field manager who questions her every decision.

Emmett Montgomery is a former All-Star turned coach who treats his players like family and the field like home. After years of running the team his way, the last thing he wants is a new boss, let alone one who seems ice-cold and laser-focused on business. But forced to spend long hours – and too many away games – side by side, he begins to see the fire beneath Reese’s control, the heart behind her ambition, and the unwavering determination to prove herself.

When heated banter turns into sizzling chemistry, professional boundaries blur and the spark between them becomes impossible to resist. But Reese is constantly reminded of how many people are waiting for her to fail, and the safest move is to keep Emmett at arm’s length – for the sake of the team, the season, and her career.

But keeping their distance is one game neither of them can seem to win.

The heroine is the first female team owner in Major League Baseball.

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The Library of Amorlin

The Library of Amorlin by Kalyn Josephson

Author: Kalyn Josephson
Released: March 3, 2026 by Erewhon Books
Genre: ,
Series: The Age of Beasts #1

A brilliant con artist and a secretive librarian collide in New York Times bestselling author Kalyn Josephson’s enchanting adult fantasy debut packed with twists, tricks, slowburn romantic tension, and magical creatures — perfect for fans of S.A. MacLean, Mai Corland, and K.A. Linde.

“Absolutely fantastic—I couldn’t put this book down! A stunning, absorbing, and timely tale about a wondrous library, magical beasts, and a conwoman with both everything and nothing to lose. I loved it!” —Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

Kasira used to be a masterful con artist: choosing her target, building trust, judging the precise moment to make her move. Now, she’s working off a lengthy prison sentence by hunting dangerous magical creatures on behalf of the fanatical kingdom of Kalthos.

But Kasira’s past catches up to her when the ambassador from Kalthos arrives at her camp with a deal: her freedom in exchange for infiltrating and destabilizing the magical institution meant to protect all six kingdoms—the Library of Amorlin.

When Kasira assumes the role of the new Assistant Librarian, she enters an enchanting world brimming with books and beasts, tempting her with a life she can never have. But Kasira’s real future depends on her long con to bring down the Librarian. Unfortunately, Allaster is as prickly as he is handsome, and his monstrous secrets are about to catch up with them both . . .

Amanda: A former con artist and a librarian!

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No Matter What

No Matter What by Cara Bastone

Author: Cara Bastone
Released: March 3, 2026 by The Dial Press
Genre: ,

Sometimes love sends you back to the drawing board.

After a traumatic accident threatens the foundations of their happy marriage, a couple tries to rebuild and find their way back to each other—and themselves—in this tender, slow-burn romance by the bestselling author of Ready or Not and Promise Me Sunshine.

“Cara Bastone is an absolute master of tender, emotional, soul-charged love stories.”—B.K. Borison, New York Times bestselling author of First-Time Caller

Roz and Vin can’t look each other in the eyes anymore, let alone share a bed. It’s been a year since they survived a life-altering accident, and their marriage hasn’t been the same. But Roz has held out hope that they can fix things, until she discovers Vin has signed a new lease. So she does what any soon-to-be-divorced Manhattanite would do: sign up for a figure-drawing class.

Between Roz’s determined attempts to improve her artistic skills and her adventures with her best friend, Raffi, she can almost ignore Vin’s impending move-out date and his footsteps in their previously unoccupied guest room. But it would all be a lot easier if Vin wasn’t Raffi’s older brother, and if she didn’t still find him incredibly, debilitatingly attractive and kind.

So kind, in fact, that Vin offers to let Roz draw him. What is she supposed to say? It’s probably better than her original plan of finding some random male model online, and she needs all the practice she can get. Plus, that’s sure to make a separation easier, right? Focus on every detail of your estranged spouse’s body while drawing him in the nude? But after the year they’ve spent avoiding each other, it feels good to see and be seen by one another again.

As Roz works to capture the wholeness of the person she fell in love with, will they both be able to draw upon the feelings they buried deep inside to finally heal together?

The latest Cara Bastone, featuring a marriage in trouble!

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Star Shipped

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian

Author: Cat Sebastian
Released: March 3, 2026 by Avon
Genre: , ,

Cat Sebastian’s long-awaited foray into contemporary romance! A witty, emotional, and deliciously slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between two costars on a popular sci-fi television series.

Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.

Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.

The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything… right?

Elyse: I loved Sebastian’s historicals, so I’m excited for this contemporary.

Lara: I adored this book! It lifted me out of my Heated Rivalry hangover.

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Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 08:12 am
In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

Happy Lantern Festival, as the first Full Moon of the Chinese New Year dawns... or dusks... you know what I mean?

Those of us hoping for at least one month of the current US Presidemcy which wasn't an entire new verse of "We Didn't Start the Fire" were disappointed again when the US and Israel decided to bomb Iran. And those wondering "Why" have the disturbing benefit of multiple choices answers, as Trump, Vance, Rubio and Netenyahu all appear to have different explanations.

The fact folks were instantly able to point to a series of tweets from 2012 when Trump speculated that Obama would, because of plummetting popularity declare war on Iran as a distraction has not gone un-noticed.

Sigh...

A by-election in England last week gave us the first Green MP to ever win a by-election (As opposed to a General Election), and by a handsome majority too. This led Reform, who are finding out out that being hostile arseholes to pretty much every possible minority group is not paying off the way they hoped it would, to immediately pull a Trump card, and claim/whine that the election was rigged against them.


We bid a sad farewell to co-creator of Red Dwarf, Rob Grant, who passed away at the age of 70. "Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!"

I've not watched the new Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode yet, but I have high hopes.

I did watch the latest Starfleet Academy which is a strange mix between working through grief via "Our Town" (a 1938 meta-textual play which, as far as I am aware, has no real pop culture relevance outside the US) and a rather beautiful subplot (Which was a lot stronger than the actual plot IMHO) with Robert Picardo's Doctor and SAM.