If you're here just because you want the binary chapter translation - skip to the SPOILER WARNING heading! From Lora Beth Johnson's instagram. Lauren here - seasoned member of the month-old Court of Books and Bullshit club, cousin of Willow and book-lover usually lacking the commitment to actually, well, read. Book one on our list… Continue reading The Goddess In The Machine & The Chapter In Binary
The thought of someone else choosing books for me to read has always seemed horrifying. I’ve never joined a book club for this reason. There are so many books out there – I will never read all the ones I have chosen for myself, let alone what a group chooses. So, naturally, I’m starting a… Continue reading A Court of Books and Bullshit
My face goes slack, I feel my body sinking and locking and I try to shake myself. It happens lightning-quick, this loss of control. [...] HELP! I'm screaming, SHAKE ME! But I can't speak.
Hello bibliopals! I didn't just succeed at my reading target this year (to read 25 books), I smashed it (I've read 38 books), whoo! But how many of those would I actually rave about? Here are the few that make my shortlist of best reads in 2019*. *Note: I do not mean published in 2019.… Continue reading My Best Books of 2019
Earlier this year, it struck me to the core that my quality of life has changed dramatically for the better because of D&D. It's practically a form of free therapy without ever feeling vulnerable. I even sent a message to my cousin saying, "I don't want to be melodramatic, but I sincerely feel that D&D… Continue reading Dungeons & Dragons is life-saving
Last November, I related my bubbling and excitable story that StoryShop was the perfect tool for writers. I likened it to having a private Wikia. A perfect place to plan your novel, D&D campaign, anthology, the next epic fantasy with 500 characters... Visually beautiful and easy to navigate. A notebook that made sense and had… Continue reading StoryShop has let me down, so I’ve found something better
You know what's awesome? Viewing the human condition through the lens of artificial intelligence that we have created, which then looks back at us. Do you know what's not cool? Defining the human condition in sweeping generalisations and assuming an A.I. would care about exactly the same things we do. Hi, my name's Willow, and I… Continue reading Detroit: Becoming Human | The Concept of Freedom Applied to Robotics
When I announced to my previous employers that I was leaving them to work in a library, their response wasn't, "Congratulations," but, "Aren't libraries dying? What do librarians even do? Won't that be boring?" And I was both incredibly irked and flustered. I didn't know what to say other than I'LL DIE BEFORE I LET… Continue reading What do librarians even DO anymore?
If you've floated around this blog long enough, you might know that I love good voice acting. I adore it. When I'm reporting for MCM Comic Con, I'm the only one who throws herself forward to interview voice actor's like she's just heard Daniel Radcliffe is selling ice cream in the foyer. The human voice is incredible,… Continue reading The Carrow Haunt | Audiobook Review
So, based on the last post I did, you've got your setting, you've got some friends, you've got a map, you've watched some Matt Mercer and Critical Role, and you've maybe got the D&D Starter Set. What next? The Protagonists Your friends. It's time to ask them to create their characters. From what I've seen… Continue reading How to Start Playing D&D for the Total Noob (aka: Me) • Part 2
So You Want to Start Playing Dungeons and Dragons, Aye? I've only played D&D once before, long ago, on someone's laminate floor with a tiny print-out dungeon and no idea what any of the numbers meant. Five years later, my friends want to Play It For Real. Yippee! Let's get nerdy! AND THEN. YOU (me)… Continue reading How to Start Playing Dungeons & Dragons for the Total Noob (aka: ME) • Part 1
Mass Effect is a great game series but it failed to create a non-gendered alien race, let alone a matriarchal one. To be honest, I struggle to realistically imagine the full depth of what a matriarchal society would look like. In the context of Mass Effect, it means looking at the evolution of humanity without men, let alone… Continue reading Mass Effect: What Would A Matriarchy Look Like?
Many writers have a large notebook or digital file affectionately called their "Writing Bible". It contains everything they need to remember—details about their characters, plotting, locations, fictional races, ancient history, research—you get the idea. I've always been one of those writers who puts it down by hand in an A4 notebook with a rainbow of… Continue reading Make a Private Wikia for Your Novel!
In the wake of being made redundant, hopefully scoring a new job with greater prospects, and forever waiting to hear back from my agent (I've bought Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2018 because I'm beginning to worry he doesn't have time to take me on - I also need to brush up on knowledge of publishing contracts), I am desperate… Continue reading We Need More Lesbian Knights
Don't agree to everything your agent says. Soooooo... Last time I updated, my agent Suresh and I were talking about THE ENDING of my novel. And we talked for nearly two months about the bloody ending. For the first time, I just couldn't accept the changes he wanted me to make, full stop. Originally, I'd… Continue reading Getting Published: part…six?
