The goal is to herd all the "What do you call this?" posts into the comments there. It never ever works. However, they do occasionally get comments like "Here are the answers to the questions you asked rhetorically as an example" and "Why do you keep posting this and asking the same questions" and "There is no such thing as a pork burger".

Yes, Virginia, there is a pork burger. This is why I have a picture of pork burger patties on my phone, so I can post it every time somebody says that those don't exist, or that they "really" mean a breakfast sandwich or a pulled pork sandwich or a ham sandwich or a BLT.

I always want to ask these people who, I guess, don't get out much why they're so sure that anything they haven't personally heard of before must not exist. It's a big old world, but apparently, not so much for them.

(I suppose I can be forgiven for being a bit snippy this time around, I mean, given everything.)

***********************

( Read more... )

james_davis_nicoll

So, I asked on Bluesky:

Aside from Larry Correia, are there any big name Baen authors who debuted at Baen, after Jim Baen's death?

(So, Tim Powers wouldn't count because he debuted not at Baen and also long before JB died)

I got three names: Chuck Gannon, Jason Cordova and Mike Kupari. Gannon actually debuted at Baen in 1994 but only two (I think) short pieces, after which there was a long delay until his novels began appearing. I don't know the other two but SF is huge and it's perfectly possible for me to overlook BNAs. Still, granting all three, with LC that makes four... and in 2028, Toni Weisskopf will have been running Baen for as long as Jim Baen did.

This could, of course, be the natural consequence of the Del Monte approach.

[added later]

smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/whatcha-reading-december-2025-part-one/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164216

Cozy winter still life: cup of hot coffee and book with warm plaid on windowsill against snow landscape from outside. Welcome back! It’s our first Whatcha Reading of the month, and that means only one more to go before 2026. Here’s what we’re reading:

Lara: I’m reading and enjoying Dom-Com by Adriana Anders. ( A | BN | K | AB ) I’m finding the growth of trust and intimacy in this book particularly great. There’s a lot of (hot) sex/scenes but each one pushes the characters development and evolution.

Elyse: I’m reading Audition by Katie Kitamura. ( A | BN | K | AB ) It’s not romance but I’ve heard multiple people say it’s wonderful and its shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

It’s also 200 pages which is right where my attention span is right now.

Amanda: I’ve been using my TBR game board and landed on “continue a series.” Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco ( A | BN | K | AB ) is book two in the Prince of Sin series and I really enjoyed book one. My only gripe is that it’s hardcover and lugging it around is less than ideal.

Carrie: I’m polishing off The Novel Life of Jane Austen: A Graphic Biography by Janine Barchas and Isabel Greenberg ( A | BN | K ) and it is delightful.

Sarah: I’m currently reading Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel, which I just started. I think I might have a thing for “magical hotel/boarding house” stories. I know I like innkeeping stories – one of my favorite Nora’s is Born in Ice, about a woman who runs a bed & breakfast, though magic isn’t a major plot point. I’m very curious about where this book is going.

A | BN | K | AB

Shana: So I’m currently hate reading Fascinating Womanhood, ( A ) an anti-feminist self help guide published in 1963. It is WILD.

Sarah: I’m both intrigued and alarmed.

Shana: I can’t really recommend it. The book feels a bit like if NXIVM and a religious cult had a baby, and that baby spoke with hyperbolic mania.

I’m at the point where the author explains that men’s ideal woman has the “charms of femininity, radiance, good health, and childlikeness.” Also domestic skills and inner happiness.

So a child in a frilly dress, who happily scrubs floors using her healthy body and knowledge of cleaning supplies.

Sarah: Yikes on trikes.

Whatcha reading right now? Tell us in the comments!

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/whatcha-reading-december-2025-part-one/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164216

conuly

And one email and voicemail later, my pay didn't come in and nobody has responded yet. (I did wake up pretty late, but seriously.)

I'll call again in the morning, I don't care if it is a weekend, but....

*headdesk*

I don't know what I'll do for groceries if this isn't resolved by Monday, but I'll wait until Monday to worry about it.

xkcd_feed

https://xkcd.com/3180/

The experimental math department's budget is under scrutiny for how much they've been spending on trains leaving Chicago at 9:00pm traveling at 45 mph.

https://xkcd.com/3180/

yuletidemods posting in

yuletide_pinch_hits

This post is no longer being updated, but see below for request details if you are interested in treating! For all pinch hits currently needed, see https://yuletide-pinch-hits.dreamwidth.org/tag/currently-needed

These pinch hits are due two days after the main deadline; they're due at Friday 19 December at 9pm UTC.

Comments are turned off for this community. To claim a pinch hit, please email the mods at yuletideadmin@gmail.com and:

Include the pinch hit number in the subject line
Include the recipient’s AO3 name in the subject line
Include your AO3 username in the body of the email

For example, if your AO3 username is yuletidehippo and you want to claim Pinch Hit #42 for AwsomRecip, you might email us with the subject line “PH 42 for AwsomRecip” and “I’m yuletidehippo on AO3” in the body of the email. As was the case previously, if you don’t receive a reply you did not get the pinch hit.

Also, remember our pinch hitters' prompts post! If you weren't signed up and you're pinch hitting, your rare fandom prompts are very welcome!

If the pinch hit you're interested in has been claimed, you are still welcome to post treats.

PH #121: SMPLive, Roughhouse SMP, Mirai SMP - XYouly, Highcraft (Web Series)

Request 1 by serilly
SMPLive
Characters: cscoop (SMPLive), Traves (SMPLive), Joko (SMPLive), Worldbuilding (SMPLive)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I love Joko/Cooper, they have a really fun dynamic that's like "when I like a guy so I have to psychologically torment him about it". I'm always interested in reading about them.
I also just love Travis in general, I think he's a very fun character.
SMPLive's world also has a lot of fun underexplored aspects for worldbuilding both from a metafictional (hits, the wheel, chats and the court system) and fully in-universe (the bread/void/salmon cults, Spawn City's economy, the server cop mechanic) perspective.
Likes: Fish hybrid Cooper, dog hybrid Travis, goober Joko (skin color matches emotions), courtroom drama, worldbuilding, shenanigans, light metafiction
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, power dynamics, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, graphic violence

No letter

Request 2 by serilly
Roughhouse SMP
Characters: Pokay (Roughhouse SMP), RoastedJames (Roughhouse SMP), Wuna301 (Roughhouse SMP), Michaelmcchill (Roughhouse SMP)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I really really badly want to read Poke/James fic, there's like none!! I think they have a really fun dynamic, they're basically inseparable. I would say they're almost like the same mind in two bodies. They are infesting my brain lately.
I think this is my most wanted out of all my requests. There's absolutely no content for this SMP or these guys in general which makes me really sad.
I really like interpreting James as being like, very emotionally reserved and hiding it under being "the funny guy" and "the problem causer".
Likes: Alien (vaguely Slowpoke-esque) Poke, avian James, trans male James, mutual pining, chaos, avian courtship, the rest of Roughhouse terrorizing Michael, Michael/Luna as secondary pairing, Michael in general (he's really funny)
Other characters from RHSMP very welcomed as supporting characters, i.e. Beef, Dink, Burren, Crumb, etc!
As a heads up, if you include Luna in the fic, Luna uses they/them pronouns now, they used he/him when RHSMP was ongoing.
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, power dynamics, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic

No letter

Request 3 by serilly
Mirai SMP - XYouly
Characters: Travis (Mirai SMP), Technoblade (Mirai SMP), Joko (Mirai SMP), Cooper (Mirai SMP)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I am OBSESSED with the dynamic between Travis and Joko in Mirai SMP. They're very "toxic yaoi". However I'm really not a fan of the possession plot twist so please just disregard that entirely!
I would love to see some relationship study on how their roles sort of shift towards the opposite as the game goes on, with Travis hardening up and using his crazy emotional intelligence to read Joko like a book and Joko struggling to keep up his apathetic, intimidating persona.
Especially with how the underlying guilt Travis has with Cooper's death and his falling out with Techno plays into it. Super fascinating stuff.
I'd also really love to read an AU where they win and get out together with their plan to exploit the bounty on Techno.
The fic can be read on here or on Wattpad, no SMPLive knowledge is needed at all.
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, Amanda (I know she's canon in Mirai SMP, but I don't like that she is)

No letter

Request 4 by serilly
Highcraft (Web Series)
Characters: wtbarce (Highcraft), traves (Highcraft), JOKO (Highcraft), cscoop (Highcraft)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

This series is mostly episodic, so you most likely won't need to watch all of it if you've never watched it.
I have a couple different ideas in mind:
- Building off the SMP and "I raised his property value" where Cooper rebuilds Joko's house in the sky could be fun
- I love the modded episodes, especially the more fantasy-based ones like the Aether and the Twilight Forest ones, I'd love to see something based on one of those with worldbuilding and such
- I really love Travis and there's not a lot of good fic about any of his characters, so anything centered on him would be nice. A lot of stuff writes his characters as naive or childish when he's not and it frustrates me because I love how he's incredibly intelligent and can read people like a book despite his shenanigans. He's kind of a high int low wit type character.
Likes: Anthro dog Cooper, tired basemom Cooper or little bastard Cooper with no in between, Joko/Cooper, Travis/Barce, troublemaker Travis, adventure map worldbuilding, mod worldbuilding
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, graphic violence

No letter

Canon links: Playlist for Roughhouse SMP, partial playlist for Highcraft, link to fic for Mirai SMP

CLAIMED - PH #130: 2020's Men's Tennis RPF, The Bikeriders (2023), Challengers (Movie 2024)

Request 1 by serve_cunt
2020's Men's Tennis RPF
Characters: Jannik Sinner (2020's Men's Tennis RPF), Carlos Alcaraz (2020's Men's Tennis RPF)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags; or it may use exceptions I explain in the form

The sincaraz dynamic has become SO compelling over the last year. They're alone at the top of the rankings, in a world all their own basically. They will probably face each other in most important finals for the forseeable future — each is deeply invested in beating the other. Carlos is clearly SO invested in the meaning and drama of the rivalry, Jannik seems to keep Carlos (and the rest of the world) more at bay... I love fics that really play with that, so whether or not Jannik is ALSO interested in Carlos is up to your discretion.

No letter

Request 2 by serve_cunt
The Bikeriders (2023)
Characters: Benny (The Bikeriders), Johnny (The Bikeriders), Cal (The Bikeriders), Danny Lyon
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I thought this movie was fine, but the setting was GREAT. would love a story involving the gang, specifically about loyalty to the detriment of your own happiness and about being Known and Loved Anyway.

No letter

Request 3 by serve_cunt
Challengers (Movie 2024)
Characters: Patrick Zweig (Challengers (Movie 2024)), Art Donaldson (Challengers (Movie 2024))
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

Would love an outsider POV of this love triangle?? like from Art's trainer or something along those lines.

No letter

CLAIMED - PH #131: Crow Time - Secondlina_Isa (Webcomic), Crypt Custodian (Video Game), Final Fantasy IX, Stray (Video Game), Eerie Indiana, Stay Cozy and Spooky - NemiMakeIt, Haunted Mansion (2023)

Request 1 by spoke
Crow Time - Secondlina_Isa (Webcomic)
Characters: Jellybean Juice (Crow Time), Apple (Crow Time), Candy (Crow Time), Olive (Crow Time)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I absolutely love all of Crow Time, but my favorite so far has to be the story of Jellybean Juice and its unlikely adoption by the most caring and optimistic of crow moms. So Optimistic, Sarah. Abby is right to be terrified.
I would love any story at all with this adorable rainbow family of crows, or their sort of adopted auntie? Cornelia. I am especially interested in the kids, since we get to see so little of them, except we know Apple is kind - not because JJ said so, but because she's the one they chose to talk to first. And that whole terrible self-sacrificing bit, they must not have believed they'd really be accepted, once everyone knew. But oh, oh all the bebes piling in trying to save them. ;_;
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.

Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 2 by spoke
Crypt Custodian (Video Game)
Characters: Rusty (Crypt Custodian), Pluto (Crypt Custodian), Grizz (Crypt Custodian), Crouton (Crypt Custodian)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I do love this little game! It's a bit short, but the characters are so vibrant. And silly. Though Grizz and Rusty have fairly rough backstories. But I'd love to see their further adventures in the afterlife, and if they ever go wandering around the ..space? bit? of the afterlife. Or any of the gang visiting their old homes, because Pluto going home made me cry.
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.

Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 3 by spoke
Final Fantasy IX
Characters: Vivi Ornitier
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

I've been feeling very nostalgic about this game lately, and would love any kind of story about Vivi. Including fix-it fic for the huge spoiler, but let's say I tended to level grind while reading a bit excessively back in the day, and spent that time thinking maybe Vivi would grow up into a Waltz.
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.

Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 4 by spoke
Stray (Video Game)
Characters: Orange Cat (Stray), B-12 (Stray), Clementine (Stray), Doc (Stray)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

Okay, but what next? Seriously, what next?! What happens to Clementine in Midtown with its creepy control freak culture, or Doc, inventor of the best weapon ever, or or. Does the cat get back to its clowder even?!
Do the Companions make sure to open up the sewers and destroy every last cell of the abomination the humans left them with. Because they need to.
What about Ant Village?! Because they noticed the world shaking as the roof opened, surely, but.
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.

Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 5 by spoke
Eerie Indiana
Characters: Dash X (Eerie Indiana), Marshall Teller, Simon Holmes
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

This series ended way too abruptly, and did nothing to resolve anything whatsoever about Dash. Casefic would be great for this, or alternate reality, or just. Go nuts! Can't get weirder than the show, right? (I mean clearly you could, and if you want to go for it.)
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.

Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 6 by spoke
Stay Cozy and Spooky - NemiMakeIt
Characters: Worldbuilding (Stay Cozy and Spooky)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I just love this artwork, and would adore a spooky little story about the ghosts and their library and shenanigans.
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.
Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

Request 7 by spoke
Haunted Mansion (2023)
Characters: Gabbie (Haunted Mansion), Ben Matthias, Father Kent (Haunted Mansion), Harriet (Haunted Mansion)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

This movie was awesome, and retroactively made the ride scarier - not sure I'll be able to raise my hand on the 'room for one more' line the next time I'm there. This very messed up little found family is ridiculous, and I'd love anything, from slice of life to new problem ghost showing up - and in that case, how do the residents respond?
DNW: Scat, gore, noncon of any sort this year.
Letter:
https://spoke.dreamwidth.org/409030.html

CLAIMED - PH #132: Heartless - Marissa Meyer, Princess Tutu, Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer, The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword, Nevermoor Series - Jessica Townsend

Request 1 by Juno999
Heartless - Marissa Meyer
Characters: Cath | Lady Catherine Pinkerton (Heartless), Jest (Heartless)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Fix-it Fic, Modern AU, nobody dies everyone lives, missing scenes, Alternate ending, Fluff no angst, domestic fluff
DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence

Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 2 by Juno999
Princess Tutu
Characters: Fakir (Princess Tutu), Ahiru | Duck (Princess Tutu)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Soulmate AU, fairytale AU, fluff, post canon, feelings realization, confessions
DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence

Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 3 by Juno999
Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Characters: Carswell Thorne, Crescent Moon "Cress" Darnel
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Optional details: Soulmate AU, post-canon, missing scenes, fluff, domestic fluff
DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence

Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 4 by Juno999
The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury
Characters: Joe "Pip" Pipkin, Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, Tom Skelton (Halloween Tree)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

Post-canon, missing scenes, lore exploration, alternate ending
DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence

Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 5 by Juno999
Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Characters: Matthew (Fire Emblem), Uther (Fire Emblem), Hector (Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword), Eliwood (Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

Missing scenes, family dynamics, lore exploration, pre-canon, sibling relationships, friendship
DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence, incest

Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 6 by Juno999
Nevermoor Series - Jessica Townsend
Characters: Morrigan Crow, Jack Korrapati, Jupiter North
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

Missing scenes, family dynamics, family fluff, sibling relationships, found family

DNW: pregnancy past, present or future, animal violence, cruelty or death, graphic or explicit NSFW, graphic descriptions of violence, incest
Letter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ffIzgsaCOZXy6GP7-2SaVih4QMdmVtWT5T63YWaygMY/edit?usp=sharing

Request 1 by chronoshift
ฉลาดเกมส์โกง เดอะซีรีส์ | Bad Genius: The Series (TV)
Characters: Lin (Bad Genius: The Series)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags; or it may use exceptions I explain in the form

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. Anything involving the team of four working together to pull something off. Another cheating plot or a heist(!!), Inception-style theft, etc. Feel free to age the characters up slightly or alter the circumstances that bring them together.
2. Bank and Lin during the period leading up to their GATT-PATT night. How did they interact with each other after everything that happened in Australia? Could Lin see how Bank was too deep into the plan? OR Bank and Lin after Bank gets out of juvie, piecing their relationship back together. I'd love if they continued to correspond after Lin's visit to the detention center.
3. I kind of thought Bank and Lin were perfect for The Social Network kind of relationship and fallout—young geniuses, one becomes too interested in the product or start-up idea and screws the other over.
4. Grace and Lin, literally anything. Sleepovers and practicing lines in the early stages of their friendship, first times, forbidden romance when Grace's parents prevent her from seeing Lin after their arrests, Lin finding herself caught between Grace and Pat.

Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

Request 2 by chronoshift
โปรเจกต์ เอส เดอะซีรีส์ | Project S The Series (TV)
Characters: Puen (Project S)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. Puen and Singha during their junior year. Singha teaching Puen how to play volleyball, Puen slowly opening up to Singha and learning to rely on him, the core four team members becoming close. I would love some feelings realization if you're into that, and I am fine with the feelings being unrequited in this timeframe.
2. Or Puen and Singha in college. I would love for them to play as rivals like Puen said at the end of the series, but I think it would also be neat to explore them as teammates again and how their time apart and everything went down would affect their working relationship.
Puen and Than. I'd love anything set during their time playing together. The gradual trust! 3. Than wanting to prove himself to Puen! Or anything after—Puen continuing to coach and work with Than to develop his skill, introducing Than to Singha.
4. Volleyball team beach outing featuring Puen/Than. Bonus bed sharing and late night talks.

Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

Request 3 by chronoshift
顾事与你：值日300天 | The Story About You x Me (Webcomic)
Characters: Gu Ze, Ye Ruchuan
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. I would love a redo of their amusement park date! Gu Ze convincing Ruchuan to get on a roller coaster and holding his hand the whole time, winning prizes at carnival games, haunted houses. Or really I'd be happy with any slice-of-life date day or night.
2. Chapters 82 and 83 had me [eyes emoji]. I want to know what happened after Gu Ze invited Ruchuan in. I'd love some inexperienced, fumbling first times or heavy petting. And sharing a bed after <3
3. Anything set during their before-friendship before-dating period. Trapped together in the archives office! Forced bonding! Tutoring!
4. I love the serious conversations they've had together so please show me more! I'd love something that deals with Gu Ze's abandonment issues and establishes how much they mean to each other.

Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

Request 4 by chronoshift
มิตรภาพคราบศัตรู | High School Frenemy (TV)
Characters: Saint Thamnithit Nitiroj, Shin Naruebet Ittiwat
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. I spent the entire first half of the series thinking about Saint being willing to do anything for Shin's forgiveness and how for all of Shin's tough posturing, taking him up on that would make him feel so much worse. I'd love for one of those times on the roof where Saint is begging for forgiveness to end with Saint on his knees.
2. I'd love something set pre-breakup. I'm especially interested in thinking about unstated feelings, or feelings that aren't even acknowledged or realized yet. I'm a huge fan of that vibe where all characters really know is that things feel Different with a person. (But I'm also a huge fan of boyish playfulness leading to boners.)
3. Or post-canon feelings realization like oh it turns out I did not mean these multiple declarations of love in a platonic way.

Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

Request 5 by chronoshift
Heesu In Class 2 (TV)
Characters: Lee Heesu (Heesu in Class), Kim Seungwon (Heesu in Class)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. I loved watching Seungwon's quiet pining and I would take an infinite amount more. Or something from Heesu's pov about his feelings shifting from Chanyoung to Seungwon.
2. I've prompted this for every fandom but first times, any of them. I want to see them navigating those early stages of dating with the same awkward tenderness.
3. What's it like to be in a secret queer relationship when most of your classmates probably don't consider that queer people exist? This could be done with the same level of angst as the series or in a more playful way where they have fun seeing what they can get away with.

Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

Request 6 by chronoshift
ひだまりが聴こえる | Hidamari ga Kikoeru | I Hear the Sunspot (TV)
Characters: Sugihara Kouhei, Sagawa Taichi
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Likes, dislikes, and additional information in letter.
DNWs: Character death as a central plot, death by suicide (or suicide attempts), terminal illness, sex involving bodily waste or blood, first person POV, discussions of dieting/body image/weight loss or weight gain. And please avoid storylines or characterization focused on asexuality or sexual hangups, such as mismatched sex drives, low/no attraction, or conflict over levels of desire.
Prompts:
1. The hand touching in episode 8 was one one of the most memorable moments in the show for me and I need a fic where that scene ended in making out.
2. On a related note: first times! I'd love some awkwardness and some of Kouhei's intensity. I can easily imagine that Taichi has never felt desired before and I'd love to see his mind being blown.
3. Post-canon! I'd love to see Taichi continuing to find his purpose in his job and Kouhei working on law school. Any slice-of-life moments like cooking together or Kouhei studying while Taichi prepares materials for work. I would also love to see them doing more of the healthy communication shown in the first half of the series.
Letter:
https://staygame.dreamwidth.org/47801.html

CLAIMED - PH #134: True Pretenses - Rose Lerner, Running Close to the Wind - Alexandra Rowland, 将军在下 | Jiang Jun Zai Xia | My Lady General (TV)

Request 1 by whetherwoman
True Pretenses - Rose Lerner
Characters: Ash Cohen, Lydia Reeve
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

I love these grifters in love. My favorite thing about Lydia and Ash is how they both notice the many layers of lies going on, and build on each others' lies without needing to talk about it. Some of my favorite moments are when they both notice how calculating Mary Luff is being and approve of it, or when Ash tries to deflect Lydia's questions by talking about sex and she's both turned on exactly like he planned but also aware that he's deflecting and why. I love how they notice each other, how they're constantly aware of what the other needs and what they're deflecting away from. I love their sex life - how they enjoy PIV sex, but as one of many ways to have sex, how they roleplay or have little competitions. I love how they both love babies and children but are both absolutely certain they do not want bio kids.
I'd love to see them grifting together after the book. Either in Lively St. Lemeston for charity and the greater good, or taking a little vacation together like Ash imagined in some port town, pretending to be other people for a month just because it's fun to lie. If you're interested in writing sex, I'd love to see more of their sex life as they get to know each other better. They're so playful, I can imagine them having so much fun with roleplay, toys, sensation play, or any sort of challenge or competition in bed.
(There's a little more about Ash and Judaism in my letter if you want to explore that!)
Fandom-specific DNW:
Either Ash or Lydia changing their mind about wanting to have kids.

Ash participating in Christian traditions as a primary focus of the fic. Ash casually going to church is fine (and I love how this is handled in canon); focusing the whole fic on how Ash feels while he's in church is not.
General DNWs:
Female characters getting pregnant, wanting to be pregnant, or trying to get pregnant as part of the fic.

Infidelity, lying about a sexual or romantic relationship to a partner, hiding a sexual or romantic relationship from a partner.

Fic focused on Christian holidays.

High school AUs.

Sexual acts involving a character under age 18.

Physical harm or risk of physical harm to characters under age 12.

Noncon - sexual acts that a character is certain they don't want.

Letter:
https://whetherwoman.dreamwidth.org/1652.html

Request 2 by whetherwoman
Running Close to the Wind - Alexandra Rowland
Characters: Teveri az-Haffar
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

Everything about Tev's backstory makes me v i b r a t e, anything you wanted to write about that would be amazing. Or future fic - when Tev becomes legendary and isn't just hungry for fame any more, what's that like, how do they adjust?
More on Tev's relationship with Avra? god they're so fucked up, I love them so much. I love the implication that they've never had good sex - I would read all the fic about people who love each other so much having mediocre-to-bad sex. Does Tev also think they have bad sex or is that just an Avra thing? We know Avra thinks Tev's incandescent, but what drew Tev to Avra and why do they keep coming back? From Tev's perspective, the most annoying man in the world has been blindingly in love with them for fifteen years - how do you even DEAL with that?
I'd also enjoy Tev/Avra/Julian if you want to write that. I would never pass up smut right after the book ends. Julian's perspective on all the weirdness that is Avra/Tev? Does Julian ever help them figure out that third act of sex? I absolutely adore how any two of them interact, and how any two of them see the other one.
General DNWs:
Female or nonbinary characters getting pregnant, wanting to be pregnant, or trying to get pregnant as part of the fic.

Infidelity, lying about a sexual or romantic relationship to a partner, hiding a sexual or romantic relationship from a partner. (Consensual nonmonogamy is welcome. I'm happy to assume canon levels of consent, no need to spell it out.)

Fic focused on Christian holidays.

High school AUs.

Sexual acts involving a character under age 18.

Physical harm or risk of physical harm to characters under age 12.

Noncon - sexual acts that a character is certain they don't want.

Letter:
https://whetherwoman.dreamwidth.org/1652.html

Request 3 by whetherwoman
将军在下 | Jiang Jun Zai Xia | My Lady General (TV)
Characters: Wei Lin (My Lady General), Jiang Juan (My Lady General)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I fell into watching this just a few weeks ago and am captivated. I love that Wei Lin is both highly competent and an utter dumbass. I love that she can pick up Jiang Juan in a princess carry. I love how Jiang Juan falls absolutely ass over teakettle for her, and how he supports and bolsters her weaknesses without that ever making him think any less of her.
Sexy prompts: femdom Wei Lin obviously. I love that Jiang Juan clearly knows what he's asking for and Wei Lin clearly doesn't - experienced sub/inexperienced dom is one of my all time favorite dynamics. I'd love to see how their canon dynamic where Jiang Juan goads and guides her but makes sure she still has the upper hand shows up in sex. I think it's hilarious that she's made it this long in the military without understanding innuendo in the least, and can only imagine how carefully Jiang Juan would have to explain the mechanics of sex and pleasure to her. I'm sure she'd catch on quickly though!
I'd also enjoy Wei Lin/Jiang Juan/Prince Yue - I love the squabbling between Jiang Juan and Prince Yue and I'm pretty sure Jiang Juan blatantly came on to him??
Non sexy prompts: swordfighting! What does sparring together look like when Jiang Juan isn't holding back? Or outsider POV of their relationship - what shenanigans might Jiang Qiqi and Li Qi get up to while trying to support and/or prevent Wei Lin and Jiang Juan's shenanigans?
I marked this as "must feature one or more" of the character tags - if you'd like to focus on Wei Lin or Jiang Juan and exclude the other, that's great! I'd love to read backstory or character studies for either of them, or their relationships with their respective right hand men.
General DNWs:
Female characters getting pregnant, wanting to be pregnant, or trying to get pregnant as part of the fic. (Epilogue-era references to Wei Lin previously being pregnant is okay, as is kidfic, but I'd like the focus to not be on pregnancy.)

Infidelity, lying about a sexual or romantic relationship to a partner, hiding a sexual or romantic relationship from a partner. (Polyamory and consensual nonmonogamy involving Prince Yue is fine, as long as no one's doing it without the other's agreement.)

Fic focused on Christian holidays.

High school AUs.

Sexual acts involving a character under age 18.

Physical harm or risk of physical harm to characters under age 12.

Noncon - sexual acts that a character is certain they don't want.

Letter:
https://whetherwoman.dreamwidth.org/1652.html

Canon promo post: Running Close to the Wind

CLAIMED - PH #135: Killjoys (TV), Warrior (TV 2019), Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel), Plastic Trick (Visual Novel), 不恋爱就完蛋了 | Love Curse: Find Your Soulmate (Visual Novel), Miss Sherlock (TV), ReGenesis (TV 2004), Mean Girls (2004)

Request 1 by YOLO1882
Killjoys (TV)
Characters: Delle Seyah Kendry, Aneela (Killjoys)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Other Preferred Characters: Everyone else is welcome!
Preferred Relationships:
* F/F
* General
* Aneela/Kendry
* Aneela/Kendry/Dutch
* Aneela/Kendry&Jaq
* Aneela&Dutch

Optional Prompts:
1)Post-canon, an assassination attempt on Kendry and Aneela. You come at the Queens, you best not miss!
2)Missing scene in season 3, the Hullen abducting Kendry and Aneela’s first impression of her.
3)Fake Dating/Modern AU
*Will accept Treats!

Greetings, my anonymous Yuletide writer! I’m very excited for the story you’re writing for me! Thanks in advance for all the blood, sweat, and tears that you’ll sacrifice! In case you get stuck, here are some extra information to help you!
I love fluffy and romantic fanfiction! I love reading about my favorite characters being happy and living their best lives. Conversely, I also enjoy drama and heartbreaking angst, preferably with some comfort. I love reading fanfiction that provides deeper insight into a fictional world, or character. I also like some types of AUs.
Killjoys is one of my favorite tv shows! In case you’re not familiar, it’s about a trio of bounty hunters in space. But that’s just scratching the surface! Diverse cast of interesting characters! Complicated relationships and found family! Hope for redemption and breaking cycles of trauma! Killjoys has a perfect balance of drama, humor, and heart!
So many great characters in this show! Delle Seyah Kendry and Aneela are definitely my favorites! They’re quite controversial, starting as villains who become almost anti-heroes. I just have a thing for hot, morally complex women. Sue me! Their romantic relationship, and interactions with other characters were amazing! Their growth throughout five seasons was amazing!

No letter

Request 2 by YOLO1882
Warrior (TV 2019)
Characters: Ah Toy, Nellie Davenport, Lai (Warrior TV 2019)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Preferred Relationships:
* F/F
* General
* Ah Toy/Nellie
* Ah Toy/Nellie&Lai
Optional Prompts:
1)Lai has a secret crush. Her two moms are determined to embarrass her to death.
2)Nellie’s POV after the brothel attack, and reuniting with Ah Toy in season 2.
3)Fantasy AU-Cynical goth witch and sunshine cottagecore witch are in love.
*Will accept Treats!

No letter

Request 3 by YOLO1882
Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel)
Characters: Gisette (Seven Kingdoms), Sayra (Seven Kingdoms)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries

Optional Prompts:
I'm just a big sucker for dark, toxic, complicated femslash, and Sayra/Gisette is right up that alley! It's also highly amusing for me to imagine Gisette's frustration while pining (which NEVER happens to her) for someone who's completely immune to her *charms*. However, I do understand other people's reservations about anything romantic between them (love Gissy but yeah Sayra deserves better). So I'll happily accept any interpretation of a relationship between them, which would be really fascinating no matter what.
*Will accept Treats!

Greetings, my anonymous Yuletide writer! I’m very excited for the story you’re writing for me! Thanks in advance for all the blood, sweat, and tears that you’ll sacrifice! In case you get stuck, here are some extra information to help you!
I love fluffy and romantic fanfiction! I love reading about my favorite characters being happy and living their best lives. Conversely, I also enjoy drama and heartbreaking angst, preferably with some comfort. I love reading fanfiction that provides deeper insight into a fictional world, or character. I also like some types of AUs.
Seven Kingdoms the Princess Problem is an otome visual novel game for PC. Seven kingdoms are on the brink of war after 100 years of peace. Every seven years they send delegates to a secluded island for a summit. This game is great because you can create your own character. Your character can have different backgrounds that gives unique skills and advantages. There’s a diverse cast of characters, and fascinating fictional world. Every choice you make can affect the story, leading to different endings.
So many great characters in this game, including SIX female love interests! As a wlw who enjoy visual novels, this literally blows my mind! Princess Gisette is my favorite;cold hearted, manipulative, ambitious. She can be very charming and romantic, despite an assassination attempt via horse. My other favorite is Sayra, who sadly is not a LI. The antithesis of Gisette, noble and ethical. Unraveling her backstory was very satisfying.

No letter

Request 4 by YOLO1882
Plastic Trick (Visual Novel)
Characters: Velvet (Plastic Trick), Serena (Plastic Trick)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Greetings, my anonymous Yuletide writer!
I played Plastic Trick a few months ago and totally fell in love with Serena/Velvet! The game is super fun and cute, with many curveballs that I did not expect! So I'll be happy with anything as long as our girls are in love and living their best lives! :)
*Will accept treats*

No letter

Request 5 by YOLO1882
不恋爱就完蛋了 | Love Curse: Find Your Soulmate (Visual Novel)
Characters: Wen Jiran | Iris
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Greetings, my anonymous Yuletide writer!
I played this game a few months ago and absolutely loved it! It was fascinating how each character had their own strengths and flaws that lead to different outcomes in the story! I love all the characters, but especially Iris! I don't have any specific requests for this, but anything with MC and Iris's relationship would be great! Feel free to include any other characters! :)
*Will accept treats*

No letter

Request 6 by YOLO1882
Miss Sherlock (TV)
Characters: Sherlock | Futaba Sara Shelly (Miss Sherlock), Tachibana Wato (Miss Sherlock)
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Preferred Relationships:
* F/F
* General
* Shelly/Wato
* Shelly&Wato
Optional Prompts:
1)First kiss-after a whole lot of denial and teasing.
2)Undercover seduction of a suspect and jealousy.
3)Talking about their pasts, wondering about their futures.
*Will accept Treats!
No letter

Request 7 by YOLO1882
ReGenesis (TV 2004)
Characters: Mayko Tran
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Optional Prompts:
1) I can't remember the exact episode, but there's a scene where Jill and Mayko talked about going out on the town. I've always wondered how that would turn out. Could be femslash or friendship.
2) Nothing else comes to mind, so I'll be happy with whatever! :)
*Will accept treats!*
No letter

Request 8 by YOLO1882
Mean Girls (2004)
Characters: Any
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags (if 0: any from tag set)

DNW:
*Incest
* Non-con/sexual assault
* Extreme BDSM
* Some sexual kinks(please tell admins to contact me with questions about a specific kink)
* Gore
* Animal abuse
* Child abuse
* Genderbending
* Furries
Honestly, I'll be happy with whatever! :)
*Will accept treats!*
No letter

smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/podcast-696-your-transcript-is-ready/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164220

The transcript for Podcast 696. Holiday Wishes IV with Rae A, Josephine, and Sneezy has been posted!

This podcast transcript was handcrafted with meticulous skill by Garlic Knitter. Many thanks.

❤ Click here to subscribe to The Podcast →

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/podcast-696-your-transcript-is-ready/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164220

smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/reminder-2pm-et-on-december-13-crafty-zoomy-zoomy-craft/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=163830

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!

Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun!

If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.

Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/reminder-2pm-et-on-december-13-crafty-zoomy-zoomy-craft/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=163830

james_davis_nicoll

I got much better at spelling his name once I realized it contains "lie".

Embattled CPC leader's Christmas card list gets one name shorter.

thewayne

I blitzed back to Phoenix Tuesday to get my brother, 66, to the hospital. Turned out I couldn't move him and it required paramedics and an ambulance.

He's now sedated and on a ventilator in intensive care, in critical condition. He has improved a bit since admission, but still critical. At least they haven't called me in the middle of the night for permission to do stuff. He's got like ten different meds being pumped into him. If I'd been delayed a day or two he wouldn't be in the hospital, he probably wouldn't be at all.

Fortunately the library closes from the 24th through the first Monday in January, so I'm not losing much work. But I'm not going to leave town until he's at least out of ICU and breathing on his own. If he lives and gets out of the hospital, he'll have to go into a critical care facility to recover from some wounds (not assault-type wounds), and he'll probably will have to go into assisted living after that.

When I was here in November, he did a holographic will (hand-written) in which he explicitly gave me everything, which isn't much. And after this hospital stay, it may be pretty much nothing. He absolutely hates our sister and the will is phrased to specifically exclude anyone but me, i.e. her and her kids. And the hatred is returned: she hates him, and I know the kids don't like him either.

I'm 95% comfortable with not telling my sister and her kids that he's in such shape. I don't think they'd come to see him. But there's that tiny, niggling bit that if he were to die and I didn't tell them, there'd be problems. At the same time, I never hear from them. And if he does recover and finds out I did tell them, there's also the chance of blowback. Quite the Catch-22.

Thus the quandary.

Anyway, I need to get dressed and off to the hospital.

Pity I couldn't have transported him, he would have been a mile away. Instead, it's half an hour with good traffic.

james_davis_nicoll

Where to start reading — or rereading — Varley's many series and stories.

Looking Back at the Work of John Varley, 1947-2025

smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/sports-romance-ghost-hunting-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164149

The Love Wager

The Love Wager by Lynn Painter is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance with some friends to lovers and fake dating elements. Fingers crossed this deal lasts!

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Right Player

The Right Player by Kandi Steiner is $2.99! This is a sports romance and book two in the Love of the Game series.

I have a three date rule — but it’s not what you think.

See, I’ve been told I’m the “good time girl,” not the one you take home to Mom. And while that label stung at first, I’ve since embraced it — living the wild and free life and sticking to a three date max. That’s just enough time to have some fun and snuff out the possibility of catching feelings. And it’s been working for me for years…

Until Makoa Kumaka.

Sadly, he also has a three date rule — and it’s the exact opposite of mine. From the second I meet him, all I can think about is stripping down that six-foot-five Herculean hunk of a man. But like the gentleman I wish he wasn’t, he’s making me wait.

The more time we spend together, the more I feel those pesky emotions creeping in. I’m even tempted to trust him, but blame it on my past or my instincts, I can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something…

I’ve been playing the game forever, and no man has ever won my heart — which meant they never had the power to break it.

But maybe I just hadn’t met the right player.

Maybe I’ll wish I never did.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Haunt Your Heart Out

Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts is $1.99! This is a romance between a ghost hunter and a heroine who is about to take ownership of her favorite bookstore, set in small town Vermont.

Everyone Lex McCall knows always moves on from their sleepy Vermont hometown. Unable to imagine a life outside of her quiet bookshop job, Lex has one rule for no tourists, newcomers or anyone bound to leave her behind.

One day she hitches a ride with a handsome stranger from out of town, and when he stops by the bookshop a few days later, Lex finds herself questioning this rule.

It turns out James is not just any tourist but a ghost-hunting filmmaker looking into the town’s “haunted” landmarks including the bookshop she works in. Lex can’t resist tampering with his research, especially because these so-called ghosts are made-up stories from an anonymous vlog she started as a teenager and if her secret gets out, it could ruin her chances of owning the bookshop one day. After all, James’s stay is only temporary and her career dreams come first.

But as they spend more time together, Lex realises she’s falling for James. Worse, his mission isn’t as frivolous as it seems and her interference may cost him much more than a spooky story.

Will her ghost-faking secret be the end of them?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Siren

The Siren by Katherine St. John is $1.99! This one is a mystery novel. Elyse loved St. John’s first book, but be warned that despite the fun colorful cover, these are pretty dark.

From Katherine St. John, author of The Lion’s Den, comes another sublimely escapist thriller: When dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power hires his ex-wife Stella Rivers to play opposite him in his son’s film, he sparks a firestorm on an isolated island that will unearth long-buried secrets–and unravel years of lies.

In the midst of a sizzling hot summer, some of Hollywood’s most notorious faces are assembled on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Genesius to film The Siren. Written and directed by Cole Power’s son, the thriller promises to entice audiences with its sultry storyline and intimately connected cast.

Three very different women arrive on set, each with her own motive. Stella, an infamously unstable actress, is struggling to reclaim the career she lost in the wake of multiple, very public breakdowns. Taylor, a fledgling producer, is anxious to work on a film she hopes will turn her career around after her last job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella’s mysterious new assistant, harbors designs of her own that threaten to upend all their plans.

With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/sports-romance-ghost-hunting-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164149

malada

When I was still working I seemed to always have a natural wake up time of around 5 AM. This was annoying because my alarm was set for 6 and it would take me half an hour to resettle and maybe get a little snooze time.

In retirement I seem to still have that wake up at 5. Now I just get some breakfast (oatmeal!) and cozy back into bed until around 8:30. This is working for me.

And just as a reminder to you all:

Epstein files, Epstein files, Epstein files.

His victims can't forget and neither should we.

How am I? mellow

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by john (the hubby of Jen)

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/hit-it-with-the-rock-2025

Thanks to Steven C., Elizabeth E., and Jennifer S. for remembering that it could always be worse.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/hit-it-with-the-rock-2025

james_davis_nicoll

The visitors might be Bird Island's salvation or simply the next step in its doom.

The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson

smartbitches_feed

Posted by SB Sarah

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/696-holiday-wishes-iv-with-rae-a-josephine-and-sneezy/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=podcast&p=163947

We’re back with more Holiday Wishes! This week we’re talking with Rae A., Josephine, and Sneezy!

This week we are talking romance bookstores and road trips, luxurious bidets, webtoons, and, of course, books. And some ranting about women artists in history.

We are traveling as far as Taiwan in this episode – and this should be the last of my laryngitis – hooray for all of us!

Updates? Updates!

Thanks to your Patreon pledges, we have reached our goal with the F’ICE campaign, and all dynamic ads will be turned off permanently for everyone who listens. Thank you so much!

You can gift a Patreon membership if you’re so inclined! A lovely gift for someone you know who loves the show.

AND! The Smart Bitches Candle Collection is LIVE! I partnered with Wax Cabin Candle Company, an independent small chandlery, to offer two limited edition candles just for the holiday season!

They are on sale now through early January, and you can buy one or both in a gift set! And they are going very fast!

The Smart Bitches 20th Anniversary candle is an 11 ounce hand poured soy candle with notes of sea salt, book pages, sandalwood and jasmine.

The Bad Decisions Book Club candle, also 11 ounces, is designed to be the perfect pairing for late night reading, with scents of sweet tobacco, book pages, leather, rose, and sandalwood. I had a marvelous time picking out the scents.

So if you’re looking for the perfect gift for yourself or the book lovers in your life, check out the 2025 Smart Bitches Candle collection. You can shop small, support the site, and spread light and warmth this year.

Listen to the podcast →

Read the transcript →

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

We also discussed:

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https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/696-holiday-wishes-iv-with-rae-a-josephine-and-sneezy/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?post_type=podcast&p=163947

james_davis_nicoll

Multiple sources report the death of SF author John Varley.

smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/books-by-sarina-bowen-lynsay-sands-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164053

The Kraken’s Sacrifice

The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert is $2.49! This is book two in the Deal with a Demon series. This is under 200 pages and feels like a rare miss from Robert, based on the Goodreads review average.

Catalina only made her deal with the demon because she had nowhere else to go. The world has kicked her every chance it got, so she’s all too happy to leave the realm she knows behind. What’s the worst that could happen?

She doesn’t anticipate being auctioned away to a kraken.

Thane is cold and distant…but he’s not unkind. Isolated as they are, Catalina finds herself seeking his company again and again. And when she finally agrees to uphold her portion of the bargain?

That’s when things get really interesting.

But she only gave the demon seven years, and when the time is up, she’ll have no choice but to leave behind the kraken who’s stolen her heart and return to the world that doesn’t want her.

Author’s Note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author’s website.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Tempting Olivia

Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton is $3.49! This is book two in the f/f contemporary Oxford Romance series. Many of Ashton’s books have been mentioned and recommended on the site.

Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching romcoms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence – pure escapism and cinematic perfection.

But, when the actor walks into Olivia’s office with a bag full of divorce and a messy personal life, that perfect bubble bursts. Kate seems nothing like the screen goddesses she plays, and Olivia must put aside her comfort viewing and handle the case like the true professional she is.

It requires secrecy, especially with indiscreet friends. Will best-friend Charlotte ever read the room? And will Millie, who instantly reads the room, ever stop commenting loudly?

And Kate? She doesn’t know what to think about this frosty lawyer. But she needs a quick divorce from a mistake of a marriage, which was over before it started, and Olivia Sachdeva is the best.

But little by little, Olivia and Kate glimpse behind the mask, to find someone they weren’t looking for, who may not even be perfect, but might be the right person for them.

Read as a stand-alone romance or book two of the Oxford Romance series.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

A Little Too Late

A Little Too Late by Sarina Bowen is $2.49! This is book one in the Madigan Mountain series. It’s a small town, second chance romance. Are you familiar with this series?

New from twenty-time USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen!

How to behave when the guy who broke your heart two thousand miles away turns up in your office:

One: Don’t drop your lucky coffee cup in shock, even though it’s been ten years.

Two: Don’t get defensive when he asks how you ended up working his family’s ski mountain… and why you kept it a secret.

Three: Give him the worst room in the resort. He deserves it for suddenly waltzing back in like he owns the place. (Which he kind of does.)

Four, five, six, seven, eight and nine: Do not kiss him in the hot tub.

Ten: Try to keep your heart intact after you break all of your rules.

Because Reed is leaving again. Hate can’t turn back into love. And it’s a little too late…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Brat

The Brat by Lynsay Sands is $1.99! This is a medieval romance and doesn’t appear to be part of a series. It was originally published in 2007.

Rumor has it that Lady Murie, King Edward III’s goddaughter, is stunningly beautiful, with bright blue eyes, golden hair, and a bewitching smile. Rumor also has it that the doting king has spoiled her rotten. When Sir Balan spies her wailing and sobbing in public, he decides that Lady Murie is the last person he would ever wish to have as a bride.

But there is far more to Murie than meets the eye—and soon Balan discovers, to his great delight, that he’d be lucky indeed to deserve such a bride. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one to discern this truth . . . and the other suitor is much less honorable. Now a plot is afoot and Balan must prove himself a chivalrous knight and win the love of Lady Murie. . .

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2025/12/books-by-sarina-bowen-lynsay-sands-more/

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/?p=164053

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/he-sees-you-a-holiday-horror-story-2025

[movie announcer guy]:

This Christmas...

get ready...

for a one horse...

open...

SLAY.

"AAAIIIIEEEEE!!"

Run as fast as you can...

[insane giggling]

And don't go outside:

"ZOMBIE PENGUIN!"

And never...

"THEY'RE COMING!"

EVER...

"Oh, thank goodness we found you, Santa! ....Santa?"

"AAAAAIIIIEEEEE!!!!"

...FALL ASLEEP.

"He's not real. He's not real. HE'S NOT REAL."

"He's... right behind me, isn't he?

"Great. Juuuuust great."

[child singing]

He sees you when you're sleeping

He know when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good,

So be good...

...OR DIE.

Thanks to Erinn M., Aymara A., Gene H., Ben & Janelle, Chandria D., Zach R., Ann H., & Shannon S., who better watch out, and they better not cry, because wusses get left behind.

******

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/he-sees-you-a-holiday-horror-story-2025

james_davis_nicoll

One of (Blish's) best novels, in my view, is The Star Dwellers, first published in 1961 and now nominated for the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award for Best Classic Fiction.

vs my

How does a novel this terrible not only get published but remain in print for twenty years (more than sixty in the UK)?

Profile

delphipsmith

December 2022

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conuly - So, over at /r/Englishlearning there is a weekly "What is this thing" post
james_davis_nicoll - Huh
smartbitches_feed - Whatcha Reading? December 2025, Part One
conuly - Well, my pay didn't come in
xkcd_feed - Apples
yuletidemods in yuletide_pinch_hits - No longer updating - PHs #121 & #130-135 [now just 121!]
smartbitches_feed - Podcast 696, Your Transcript is Ready
smartbitches_feed - Reminder! 2pm ET on December 13: Crafty Zoomy Zoomy Craft!
james_davis_nicoll - Merry Christmas for Poilievre!
thewayne - Life genuinely sucks, and I have a quandary
james_davis_nicoll - Looking Back at the Work of John Varley, 1947-2025
smartbitches_feed - Sports Romance, Ghost Hunting, & More
malada - One sleep cycle discovery
cakewrecks_feed - HIT IT WITH THE ROCK
james_davis_nicoll - The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
smartbitches_feed - 696. Holiday Wishes IV with Rae A, Josephine, and Sneezy
james_davis_nicoll - John Varley (1947 - 2025)
smartbitches_feed - Books by Sarina Bowen, Lynsay Sands, & More
cakewrecks_feed - HE SEES YOU: A Holiday Horror Story
james_davis_nicoll - We seem to have read different books

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The transcript for Podcast 696. Holiday Wishes IV with Rae A, Josephine, and Sneezy has been posted!

The Love Wager

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Right Player

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Haunt Your Heart Out

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Siren

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Here are the books we discuss in this podcast:

More ways to sponsor:

Remember to subscribe to our podcast feed, find us on iTunes or on Stitcher.

The Kraken’s Sacrifice

You can find ordering info for this book here.

Tempting Olivia

You can find ordering info for this book here.

A Little Too Late

You can find ordering info for this book here.

The Brat

You can find ordering info for this book here.

This Christmas...

get ready...

for a one horse...

open...

SLAY.

Run as fast as you can...

And don't go outside:

And never...

EVER...

...FALL ASLEEP.

He sees you when you're sleeping

He know when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good,

So be good...

...OR DIE.

Links

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