Sunshine Blogger and Liebster Award

Hello! I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by the amazing, lovely notjustabook, whose stories are gorgeous dramas with amazing visuals and relatable characters. I also got a nomination from samasasim, whose writing is very beautiful and emotional, little pieces of happiness. Thank you so much, notjustabook and samasasim! Go check out notjustabook’s stories here and samasasim’s stories here. I was also nominated for this and the Liebster Award by livinasimminlife, whose amazing world-building and character-writing skills can’t be praised enough. Thank you so much! You can check out her stories here.

So, the rules for both of these awards are the following:

1. In a blog post, thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or your blog.

I won’t be nominating stuff, but check out my other award-posts if you want to see some stories I love:
Liebster Award
Animal Award
Sunshine Blogger -Award
The Versatile Blogger -Award

So, here are the questions and my answers, first from notjustabook:

1. What do you most enjoy about being a member of the WordPress community?
   I like the easy access to lots of really great stories, and I like commenting and reading the comments. At least the Sims-story circles here are very nice, so it’s lovely to connect with them.
2. How often do you check to see if there’s anything new out here on WordPress?
   Daily.
3. What makes you call a person a skillful writer?
   When a person can evoke thoughts and feelings with their writing and make the world and the characters come alive, be it through plots, words, dialogue or something else, that’s skill. And add to that some genuine interest in writing and a passion to create and tell their story, you’ve got yourself a great writer.
4. What do you do when you feel like you’re stuck on a particular storyline and don’t know where to take it? [for the story-driven blogs]
   Sometimes I just go into the game and play. Sometimes I sketch the characters or make them have conversations in my head. Sometimes I just idly think about them while biking or in a sauna. Some of that usually helps.
5. The prettiest Sim you’ve ever had in your game?
   Don’t make me choose! I find all of the main Sims in my stories aesthetically pleasing. I draw them pretty often. I also have a preference for redheads and pixie-like looks, so there’s plenty of extra prettiness for my eyes in Fey of Life.
6. Your favorite couple in your gameplay/stories?
   Uuuh… I don’t have many couples that I focus much on. The ones I like the best are very spoiler-y so I can’t really say. 😛
7. Your favorite non-romantic relationship in your gameplay/stories?
   Tad x Everyone he has a friendly relationship with. 🙂 Well, especially Amelia and Emily. They ground him a lot, and they all have this fiercely protective streak towards each other (well, Emily will, once she grows a bit older). They’re just very natural around each other, which is quite a feat from the eternally shy and awkward Tad. Also I’m very entertained by Novak and Vanja. They have this sort of vitriolic friends/allies -relationship and are constantly snarking at each other, yet they still make a great team.
8. Have you had a Sim that you fell in love with right away?
   
   Duh. Though I really like most of my Sims. Especially the ones that become main characters in my stories.
9. If you ever did any storylines, what is the one you’re most proud of?
   Right now I’m pretty proud of the first arc of The Chrysanthemum Tango. It allowed me to do so many things I want to do in writing, and I think it tied up everything pretty nicely while still leaving a lot of room for more. Sure, it’s not… all that original plot-wise, but I think the characters and themes and the execution are… okay-ish.
10. Have you had any Sims that remind you of someone?
    Brigitte Hewitt kind of reminds me of my mother-in-law. 🙂
11. Is there any random fact about your blog story you want to share?
    I can’t think of any right now. Sorry.

Here are the ones from samasasim:

1. 1. Has any of your writing been inspired by someone else’s SimLit?
   I think the Alien Adoption collab inspires me a lot with my Stardust Sapling. Also I’ll answer this in a little more detail at the end of the post.
   2. What is your favorite word?
   Hankiainen – it’s the Finnish word for the hard-ish crust that sometimes forms on top of snow.
   3. Do you spend an equal amount of time playing as you do writing?
   I think I write more.
   4. Would you rather lay on the beach under the sun, or curl up in front of the fire in a snowy lodge?
   Snowy lodge! Snowy lodge! I could then go outside into the snow!
   5. Have you ever recreated your own home in any Sims game?
   I tried back in TS2. I always got stuck because there wasn’t a possibility to make a sauna with the default stuff in the game and EPs.
   6. What do you do when you get stuck developing a character?
   I talk to them in my head or draw sketches of them.
   7. Has a story ever taken a turn you didn’t expect? What did you do about it?
   Yes. Many times. Usually I roll with it, if the result feels good.
   8. Have you ever tried to rewrite an old story from a new perspective?
   Fey of Life is sort of a recreation of my old (bad) SimLit story. It’s not exactly the same story, but it is about a redheaded, fairy-like child growing up among normal people and realising they have the power of clairvoyance, among other things. The characters are completely different, though, so its not exactly a rewrite, more like adapting old ideas into something new.
   9. Bella Goth is one of my favorite of EA’s townies that jumps between each of the games. Have you ever played her and given her a different life than EA’s mystery?
   I’m not that fond of Bella, so no. There are some writers who have put awesome spins on her story, though. Like munterbacon and livinasimminlife.
   10. Think about someone who makes you smile. Who is it?
   My husband.
   11. If you could sit down with any of your characters for an hour, who would it be, and what would you ask them?
   Tad? I might spend most of the hour being too shy to say anything, and then would try to ask something deep about the universe and failing to ask anything relevant in the end. Um… we could also talk about tea and cute animals?

And here are the ones from livinasimminlife:

1. What’s your favorite Sims expansion pack (any game) and why?
   SEASONS! I really like the packs that expand the basic gameplay, bring something new without going too far out there (which is odd considering my stories are… probably a bit out there). So also something like The Sims 3 Generations. Also I loved University for TS2.
2. If you were a Sim, what would your traits be (either TS4 or TS3, unless you feel compelled to answer both)?
   Vegetarian, Artistic, Loner/Shy, Perfectionist, Eco-friendly, Unflirty. (I’ve been to university – two, actually – so I get an additional trait. Ha! :D)
3. What do you feel you’ve learned from your Sims (the characters, not so much the game, but feel free to write about the game if you’d rather)?
   My writing is quite introspective, so I feel like I learn quite a bit by delving into my characters. Especially about myself. Especially Amelia and Tad both seem to make me look at life from brighter angles, both in their own ways.
4. What kind of SimLit do you like to read?
   Story-driven, something that is not afraid to be its own thing and also shows the love its creator has for it. I’m partial to fantasy, scifi and detective stories as far as genres go.
5. What helps you write SimLit? (i.e. for me, I like writing late at night when the house is quiet).
   I think I answered this in previous questions (question 4).
6. If you could equate your SimLit story to a genre of music, what would it be and why?
   I listen to a lot of progressive and psychedelic rock, especially when I write, so that’s what comes to mind first. Also I think my stories can get a bit psychedelic and artsy. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up to you, I guess.
7. What inspired you to work on the SimLit story you’re currently writing?
   Fey of Life: Just knowing there was still a Sims-writer community going on inspired me to write again, and I felt like trying to bring back some old ideas… in a hopefully more developed form.
   Chrysanthemum Tango: Indirectly, the death of Sir Terry Pratchett, which inspired me to write a CampNaNoWriMo and then expand on the Death-character in that one.
   Forget-Me-Not and Stardust Sapling: A cool challenge. And especially in Stardust, the cool people in the collab for that challenge.
8. How do you feel you’ve grown as a writer of SimLit?
   Uh… hopefully I’m better now? I’m better at pacing and also blending the game and my own ideas. I’ve also learned a lot of technical stuff for photoshoots.
9. Name a SimLit writer (or two or three… if you so choose) that inspires you and tell us why.
   CathyTea: You always make me happy, and your stories paint a picture of a better, kinder world I’d love to live in. Your writing is excellent and amazing, and the kindness you put into everything you do is all kinds of inspiring.
   Livinasimminlife: Seriously, you rock! Your worldbuilding is amazing, and I love how you balance the events of the game and your own ideas. Also you tackle a lot of difficult issues with your writing, which is great.
   MedleyMisty: You write with a hauntingly gorgeous, distinct style and do your own thing, and it really works. Your stories are moving and beautiful, and I admire your strength and the love you put into your stories.
   friendsfan: Your pacing is great and your stories are so touching and funny at the same time. And I love how you haven’t given up despite all the technical difficulties.Really, so many people I could name, but there’s at least some.

And her sunshine questions:

1. What keeps you going as you write SimLit?
   Both the need/want to tell the stories and the support I get from others. Also it’s super fun.
2. Of all the worlds in all the Sims games, which world could you see yourself actually living in (i.e. either because it’s similar to your own hometown or it’s a place you’ve always wanted to live)?
   Riverview. It’s kind of like a smaller version of my hometown.
3. If you could ask any one of my characters (or my Simself) any question, what would you ask? (and if you don’t follow/read my stories, you may replace with another character of your own).
   Mal! How are you? Darn, I just wasted an epic question on that. Just… I’d love to hear more about Mal and his complicated family and his role in his world. 🙂
4. What’s on your desk (or your immediate writing area) right now?
   My computer, an external hard drive, a pencil case, a sketchbook, a teacup, pens, rulers, an eraser, drawings, an activity tracker, an old tin can where I store stuff like pens, a box cutter etc., hand cream, shea butter, a couple of books, some old tea boxes that are now storage boxes for stuff like USB-drives or tissues, a felt fox I’ve made myself, and some TS3-discs in their boxes.
5. How do you go about character development, and what part does the game play?
   Lots of it! All the time it feels natural and makes the story better! The gameplay is more prominent when I’m going for a story that spans a long time and has the characters literally grow. Then I take more note on their behaviour in-game as well. But the gameplay does in general give me a lot of ideas and cues for character development.
6. How would you describe yourself as a reader?
   I read a lot and rather quickly. I can immerse myself into reading easily, but I can also snap back easily. I’m often juggling several stories at once, and might sometimes switch what I read mid-chapter! It sounds a bit aimless, and maybe it is, but it seems to work for me.
7. If you could change one thing about your writing, what would it be and why?
   Better plots? Because I’m not good at plotting.
8. What is your overarching goal as a SimLit writer or what are you trying to achieve?
   Write a lot of hopefully good stuff and have fun while doing so. At first one of my goals was also to become more confident about showing my work to others, but I feel like I’ve sort of achieved that already.
9. Who is one of your favorite SimLit characters and why?
   Gah, so many good ones! I don’t know… I really like Jasper from CathyTea’s Forgotten Art -story. He’s like all the lovable recurring traits in Cathy’s characters condensed into one.
10. Which of your own SimLit characters is a personal favorite of yours?
    Oh, I shouldn’t play favourites, and I really like all my characters and…
    It’s Tad. So obviously Tad.
11. If you (or your Simself) could spend a day in another SimLit writer’s story, what story would that be and why?
    Probably anything by CathyTea. Her stories are so happy and in worlds that are just a little bit friendlier and happier than ours while still being exciting.

Well, these have been sitting in my tabs way too long. Sorry for the wait! But thank you again for the nominations. Have a lovely time, everyone!

Some last Rays of Sunshine this Summer

…because my summer break will be officially over in just a couple of days. On the other hand, it’ll be nice to return to studying because at least then I have something regular to do. But on the other my studies keep me away from my hometown and my friends and loved ones and some of my very beloved hobbies for the majority of the time. So yeah, not all great. But anyway, the point of this post is that I was nominated once more for the Sunshine Blogger Award by the awesome livinasimminlife (award post here)! Check out her richly built world and intriguing, well-written stories if you haven’t already:
Kassiopeia Fullbright Mystery Series
Livin’ a Simmin’ Life -blog

The rules of the award:

• Thank the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 bloggers and add their links.
• Notify the bloggers you include.
• Keep the rules in your post.

Here’s my original Sunshine post, so check that out for my nominees and my questions!

And now onto the answers:

1. If you were going to live forever, how would you spend your life?
   Probably travel around and frequently change my identity so nobody would figure out my secret. Or then I’d start a private dojo somewhere in the depths of some forest and become a crazy yet cool martial arts master. 😀 I think eventually I’d just get really, really bored and lonely. I’d probably become that anyway, unless some of my loved ones or friends could live forever too.
2. What’s your favorite TS3 supernatural and why?
   Hmm… I’m actually not that interested in playing with the supernaturals, though writing Tango has made me appreciate them a lot more. I’m gonna say fairies, because I like how they fly around and because I just really like fairies in general. Also their wings are nice.
3. Who is your favorite SimLit couple and why? I don’t know… I really like the very interesting and sometimes dysfunctional but still loving couples from Trip and rednenemon’s stories (Eight Cicadas, The Racket-Rotter Chronicles).
4. What’s your favorite Sims world and why?
   I’ve really fallen in love with Riverview. It reminds me of home and I like this small countryside town aesthetic. Though I really, really like Twinbrook too because swamps for the win! And Bridgeport has its charm with its big city theme and the different feel it has compared to almost any other town. I also think Roaring Heights and Monte Vista look really nice, but I haven’t played them because I don’t want to buy the store worlds.
5. If you could travel through space, what would be your vessel of choice?
   The Normandy SR-2 from the Mass Effect -series. Provided it came with the awesome and lovable crew of Mass Effect 2.
   
6. What is currently on your reading list?
   I should finish Syötäväksi kasvatetut by Elina Lappalainen, which is a non-fiction book about meat-production in Finland. I’m also in the middle of reading the first book in the Witcher -series by Andrzej Sapkowski, AND I should also read the last three Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. After that I think I’m going to continue with both the aforementioned Witcher -series, and a detective series by Kristina Ohlsson. And then… well, we’ll see what I’ll feel like. I’ll probably soon also read The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa for the (roughly estimated :D) hundredth time again because I love it soooooo much.
7. Do you listen to music when you write SimLit, and if so, what?
   Yes. Depends on what I’m writing and if I want a specific feel to it. If I don’t have anything specific in mind, I’ll just listen to something by Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson, or possibly Apulanta or something from Silent Hill -soundtracks. Lately I’ve also been listening to a lot of The Pineapple Thief, while writing.
8. What SimLit character do you find most inspirational? So many. I think that, for example, CathyTea’s stories seem to have whole worlds full of inspirational characters, with very nice, loving attitudes towards life and so much positive energy despite a lot of them facing hardships. On the other hand, I’m also inspired by people living with darker thoughts and lifestyles and still finding moments of happiness and compassion, like in Trip and rednenemon’s stories (again). I especially find rednenemon’s take on Dennis Racket inspiring in this way. livinasimminlife’s Kass, Davis, and Gage are also very inspiring with how real they seem to be, and how they all have their own hardships and flaws but they still find ways to get through life. But, like I said, there are so many inspirational Sims I can’t really pick one.
9. What culture would you like to learn more about and why?
   Any culture, because I love cultures and I love finding out more about them. But I’ve got a special interest in the Mayan and Irish cultures. Not sure why those, but they just interest me a lot. The languages and the stories about them definitely have something to do with that. I also want to learn more about old Japanese culture mostly because it’s closely connected to karate, which is one of my beloved hobbies/lifestyles. Also I’d like to learn more about the old Finnish culture because it’s interesting, and it’s fun to know the roots of one’s own people. And connected to that, old (and also modern) Scandinavian and Slavic cultures because of their close connection to Finnish culture, plus their really interesting history and lifestyles! And shamans!
10. What was your happiest/saddest/sappiest Sims game moment?
    Happiest: I remember that when I was a younger, more materialistic kid, I’d love those moments when I got a new expansion pack. It wasn’t just because yay, new stuff, but because there was just so much excitement in that moment when I’d look at the game that was still in its packaging, and wonder what it would hold. Gameplay-wise… I don’t remember. I have many happy moments. Usually I just get happy for my Sims whenever they get over a more difficult moment.
    Saddest: Probably the first time a Sim died, though I don’t remember it well. I think I managed not to permanently kill Sims in TS1, but during TS2, I started to accept my Sims dying, even though it was still sad.
    Sappiest: I remember back in TS2, when I wanted to have a couple go on a perfect date, so to score points in it or whatever it was that TS2 was counting to rank the success level of the date, I made them be so sappily romantic all the time that I think a part of my brain was caramelised from just watching it. The couple even got engaged via a romantic proposal over dinner, even though it was only their first or second date! But hey, the game said the date was awesome so… win?
11. What’s the hardest thing about writing SimLit and how do you get past it?Writer’s block and the moments when I think my story sucks and should be burned. Though that happens with anything I write or otherwise create. I get over it by taking a step back and maybe rereading things with a slightly different mindset and then maybe do some edits that are needed, or then just find some good things about my writing. Otherwise I have to say that I am occasionally pretty nervous about communicating with people through my blog or the forums. I’m a bit nervous about communicating in general, though, sometimes.

Have a lovely time, people. I’ll try to be back soon with an update!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Oh, wooooow, both of my blogs were awarded for the Sunshine Blogger Award by thewindsorlegacy! You can check the award-post here. And the next day after that happened, The Fey of Life was also nominated by blamsart (award post), and The Chrysanthemum Tango was nominated by violincat (award post)! Thank you so much, you all. You’re amazing!

I figured that since I posted my last award-post to The Fey of Life -side of things, this time I’d put the post here for balance’s sake. Anyway, I’m so happy and honoured and I should probably see what I have to do now. Okay, here goes:

Both this award’s name and that pic inspire happy thoughts, and it feels like summer and happiness. Not sure if my stories are about summer and happiness, but I’m so glad to hear that they at least make some people happy!

What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?

Well, it is of course an award for bloggers from other bloggers. It is a beautiful way to share all the amazing things other bloggers do and write about. To recognize their efforts in inspiring others to do what they love.

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 11 bloggers and add their links.
4. Notify the bloggers you included.
5. Keep the rules in your post.

And here are the questions I was asked by thewindsorlegacy:

1. Would you rather fight a hundred goose-sized elephants or a goose the size of an elephant?
   A goose the size of an elephant. Because a hundred anything vs. one would definitely drop my odds of winning. Though I’d rather not fight any animals.
2. Shuffle your songs on your phone/computer/whatever — what’s the first song that pops up?
   I don’t have playlists (my songs are mixed into my fiancé’s playlist), but if I did, it’s very likely that most of the songs on it would be by Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson. So one of those, maybe.
3. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to be?
   I’m happy here, at home. Though I’d love to visit Ireland again. It’s like my other home, even though I only lived there for a five-month exchange study -period.
4. Savory or sweet?
   Savory.
5. What made you create your blog?
   My love for Sims stories and storytelling in general. And nostalgia because I have such fond memories of my TS2 -storytelling days.
6. What do you do when you want to relax?
   Go for a walk in the forest, or draw, write, read, meditate, or bike. Or just sit down with a nice cup of tea and some reading or a video I can watch. Or, of course, go to a sauna.
7. What never fails to make you laugh?
   My fiancé being silly. Also cute animals being silly.
8. Do you prefer living in a city or in a rural area? Or somewhere in-between?
   In-between. A small or medium-sized town near a rural area is nice.
9. If you could live in any fictional universe, which would you choose and why?
   This is really a tough one. I’m going to go for nostalgia and say the Disney Ducks -comics universe (as written by Carl Barks and Don Rosa – so not DuckTales). As for why, well, it’s basically like real world but with funny animals, all the myths basically true, and an awesome, rich duck from Scotland owning most of the world.
10. If you could domesticate any animal and have it (safely) be your pet, which would you choose?
    A fox or a lynx… ooh, or a dragon!
11. What is your favorite word?
    I really like most of the Finnish nature words, especially ones that describe wintry things. Out of them all I’m going to say hankiainen is probably my favourite at this moment. It means the phenomenon when the snow can hold a person’s weight (while usually still being rather fluffy underneath a layer of hard snow). In English I just realised I really liked the word serendipity. It’s cute and fancy at the same time. In Swedish I love kramsnö, which means sticky snow, but could literally be translated as “hug snow”. I could go on, but I guess those will do.

Questions from blamsart:

1. Fav song! Right now! I want to discover more
   Sooo many… but I’m gonna say Drive Home or Ancestral by Steven Wilson (and sooo many of his other songs too).
2. How’d you come up with the title/last name of your story?
   For Fey, it was a pun on “the way of life”. For Tango, it was just a random thing. Something about flowers and dancing and beds of roses. And because the word chrysanthemum just stuck somehow.
3. How much space does sims storytelling take up in your life?
   Right now quite a lot, mostly because I’m a student without a steady summer job, so I have a lot of free time. It’ll change a bit once university starts again.
4. Are you sometimes afraid your next hiatus could be your last?
   Maybe? Though I’m very stubborn to finish my stories. I think I’m more worried that I’ll eventually reach a point where I’ve written myself into a corner and just can’t figure out how to gracefully end the story.
5. Favorite type of romance to write?
   Platonic. 😀 Does that count? If it doesn’t, well, I’m not a fan of writing romance, but if I do, it’s slow-building and consists of lots of talking.
6. Any deep dark fears? Like afraid of lightning or water?
   I have mild claustrophobia. As in I feel very uncomfortable with just the thought of being stuck in a space so small that I wouldn’t have room to properly move. Also being outside during a thunderstorm makes me really uneasy.
7. Are you the type to run away from danger or towards it?
   I consider myself a reasonable person with a healthy sense of self-preservation. So I guess it depends on the danger.
8. Do you have any characters that represent who you want to be? Or wanted to be at some point?
   Any non-biological character I’ve ever written, in a way. Sometimes I’d just want to be a spirit of some kind. Or some forest-dwelling pixie-thing. Also any cat character I’ve ever written too.
9. Take one of your characters. Pick randomly! Got them? Okay drop them in a pit of snakes (venom or not? no one knows). What’s their reaction?
   I asked my fiancé to randomly pick a character, and he picked Vanja, so:
   Vanja Leifsdóttir: Oh, good, these make for excellent potions! *zap* –> Dead snakes.
10. Have you ever watched a movie and gone – “oh that gives me a really great idea for my story…”. If the answer was YES, what movie? And what idea?
    When I watched Det Sjunde Inseglet (The Seventh Seal), I was like: “Yes! I want to feature the danse macabre in Tango at some point!” And I did! I’m sure there are other moments like this too.
11. The ultimate question…Patch 1.67 or 1.69? Did you feel the disturbance?
    Yes. I feel the disturbance, but I’m also too lazy to change back to 1.67.

Questions by violincat:

1. Do you have any favorite characters in your own stories? Who?
   I love all of my characters in some ways, but I have to say that Tad has an extra special place in my heart. He’s usually very easy to write, and sometimes he helps me think about things in new perspectives.
2. What are your favorite genres to read or watch?
   Fantasy, especially urban fantasy. Murder mysteries. Dark comedy. Scifi.
3. Which fictional character do you wish you could be real life friends with?
   Death from Discworld. Also Nick Valentine from Fallout 4.
4. Would you rather land the perfect job or find true love?
   Well, right now I’m very happy with the person I’m sharing my life with, so I’m gonna say perfect job.
5. Do you cook or bake? If not, would you want to learn how to?
   I cook and bake. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s a chore. Thankfully my fiancé also cooks and bakes so we take turns.
6. What is your dream career?
   Teaching art to kids (not in school) and doing my own creative work on the side.
7. What is the one thing you absolutely can’t live without?
   Food. Water. Oxygen… Okay, but less obviously, art (be it visual arts, writing or whatever).
8. Which country do you most want to visit?
   Right now I really want to go back to Ireland at least for a short visit. I’d also really like to visit Iceland. And Australia and USA would be interesting too.
9. Are you a day or a night person?
   I like evenings the most.
10. Would you want to become famous?
    No. I wouldn’t mind getting a book published or some art into an exhibition or a gallery someday, but I’d rather not become famous.
11. What do you like the most about gaming?
    The interactivity and the extra dimension of immersion it can bring. Also good stories and characters, but I like those in any medium.

And then to the next part… uh… So right now I really have to say that there aren’t enough blogs that I’m following here that I wouldn’t have already nominated on my other two award-posts, so uh… maybe go check them out? I mean, I think the blogs I’ve nominated before are so awesome and great that they deserve heaps of awards! So here’s my Liebster Award -post and my Animal Award -post, where I say nice things about the blogs I’d nominate all over again!

AND I do have a few new finds for awesome reads that I’d like to nominate right now (in alphabetical order):

The Chains of Lyra by Trip – This story is a pretty new one, but it’s already very intriguing with its scifi-premise, with its connection to Trip’s other awesome story Eight Cicadas, and with Trip’s great writing.

The Last 100 Years by JLBDreams16 – Another new story, but it’s also already looking so promising. It has a Korean mythology -inspired setting that had me hooked from the start, and a very nice theme of balancing between past and the present, tradition and change, and experiencing new cultures and also holding onto one’s roots.

The Racket-Rotter Chronicles by Senna – This is a dark, delightfully twisted story set in the Sims 3 world. Great characters, humorous moments, and a good heap of heartwarming blended together with the dark, intense themes and events into a truly great mix. Note: This story is definitely intended for mature audiences.

And here are some questions anyone who feels like answering can answer:

1. What are your greatest blogging-related moments or memories?
2. What is the nicest place you have ever visited?
3. What are your greatest positive qualities?
4. Why do you write? What are the things you like the most about writing?
5. What do you do when it’s raining outside?
6. Favourite drink?
7. Pet peeves?
8. Which superpower would you like to have?
9. Which foreign language sounds especially nice in your opinion?
10. Do any of the characters you write have a specific voice that you hear whenever you write their lines?
11. What are some of the little things in life that make you happy?

Have a lovely day, everyone!