amberdreams | Entries tagged with snowflake

Looks like I'll be doing this out of order, but not to worry.

Day 3
In your own space, share a favorite piece of original canon (a TV episode, a song, a favorite interview, a book, a scene from a movie, etc) and explain why you love it so much.

When I first saw this prompt, I didn't see the part in parenthesis, so that left me musing about what aspects of canon SPN have the strongest appeal for me, rather than something as specific as an episode or song. Added to which, recently I've spent far too much time clashing heads with a small but vocal and nasty group of fans on Twitter, who seem hell bent on remoulding SPN into an anodyne, clean and unrecognisable show. Their antagonism to Wincest in particular got me thinking about what constitutes the heart of SPN for me. What was it that pulled me in and what is it that keeps me watching today, even when the quallity of the storytelling is so diminished?

My answer to this question is actually easy. It's the brothers Winchester. It's the fact that canon has given us these two handsome heroes who may have saved the world several times over, but whose whole focus is saving each other. I love that it's canon that they will sacrifice anything for each other, and have done so, many times over. I love that canon said they are soulmates. I love their codependency, because it's a beautiful thing to have someone in your life who loves that hard and that fierce, with that kind of singular focus. It might be a scary thing in real life, but in drama and fiction, it's glorious.

The Winchester brothers encapsulate something I've always been drawn to - strong bonds between two male characters. When I look back at my favourite shows/films, there are very few that don't fit that genre or contain something along those lines. But SPN is the pinacle of that trope for me.

Day 4 is about reaching out to someone new, so I'm off to check out the responses on the

snowflake_challenge page.

Yes, I managed to miss the first day of

snowflake_challenge! Not a great start, but not to worry, because combining days 1 and 2 actually makes sense. Day 1 was:

In your own space, talk about your Happy Place—the things that give you joy, calms you or keeps you sane.

My answer to that one is - right here is my happy place. Online, on my sites where I can have conversations with like-minded people about the show that I love, whether it's debating the direction Supernatural is taking or celebrating all the things that made it so addictive; whether it's about ships or kinks or gen fic vs gencest vs any kind of 'cest. Where I can make art and share it, and admire the fantastic talents that this fandom (and other fandoms) is so rich with. Where I can read imaginative, adventurous, thrilling, moving and sexy stories written by some great writers, and where I can post my own stories and get feedback that gives me the motivation to keep creating.

Which brings me nicely to Day 2.

Rec at least three fanworks that you didn’t create.

Here goes:

I'm reccing this because I re-read it just this week, and it moved me just as much as it did the first time I read it. Close to the Sun in Lonely Lands by de_nugis. And no, I don't love this just because it was written for some of my reversebang art. It's awesome because it dissects Dean and Sam so beautifully into their component parts. Here's Dean the single focused, Sam-dedicated, big brother who doesn't know how to let go, and will go to extreme lengths to preserve Sam's life. And here's Sam - logical, exasperated, insightful and clever - finding a way to resolve their situation. It's fanfic gold.
This one is one I only discovered very recently, though it was written back in 2007. Battering Ram by astolat. A future!Fic, set in a dystopian, post apocalyptic world, and the summary pretty much explains why it's so good. This imagery permeates the fic and it's so grimly beautiful I want to hold this story in my heart forever. I'm gonna hit the highway like a battering ram/On a silver black phantom bike/When the metal is hot and the engine is hungry/And we're all about to see the light.
This isn't a single fic but a whole series by the same author - again, not new, but excellently done. I have a real weakness for Dark Angel's Alec, and minxmix writes him so well. But then she went and wrote a wonderful crossover AU, where Alec is Sam's son and it's just fabulous. All the SPN characters are totally in character, and the melding of the two worlds is fab. I'd recommend starting with With a Bang and take it from there.

I could add more but it's bed time so rather than miss another day, I'm posting!

Crossposts: https://amberdreams.livejournal.com/603014.html

Finally getting round to Day 3, which was to make 3 recs for fanworks. So very tough after some 10 years in fandom to narrow it down to only three! So this is, by necessity, a somewhat random selection, taken from my most recent bookmarks on AO3.

NB, just because they are my recent bookmarks doesn't mean they are all recent fics!!

1. Memory is a Fickle Siren Song by

sleepypercy.

Official summary: Sam’s trying to pretend he’s getting by, that he doesn’t feel guilty for walking out on his family to go to college, when Dean shows up with no memory of who he is or that they’re even brothers.

This was my gift in this year's snj2xmas exchange and beautifully combines at least three tropes that I love - amnesia, first times and Stanford era. It is sad, funny and the happy ending is only happy in the Winchester sense. I.e. kind of angsty! If you're still catching up on the fills over there, make sure you read this one!

2. Cartography of Empty Spaces by ignipes.

Official summary: "Nobody is looking," she tells him. "The world has already forgotten you."
This is a series, and most folk will probably have read these a long time ago, as they were written back in 2007. But I only discovered this author recently and so I'm busy catching up with her back catalogue. This particular set of stories features a Dean who is very damaged (torture and amnesia), and deals with both Sam and Dean coping with the aftermath of the trauma Dean's suffered. In some ways this is the post Hell scenario we never got from the show (without Dean actually having been to the Biblical version of Hell).

This writer is the author Kali Wallace, who has now published two novels. I've just started reading the first of these too, Shallow Graves. Thanks to

tsuki_no_bara for the heads up about these!

3. Mirror, Mirror by nomelon.

Another old one, from 2010, but it's so good... Official summary: A dark tale of the lengths Sam will go to to save Dean.

And that's pretty much it. Set in the gloriously angsty days of Season 3, it's an alternative view of Sam's efforts to save Dean from Hell, and has a lovely twist at the end. I do love me some dark Sam.

I feel now I should also do a separate art rec post - which reminds me, I was doing those a while back. Maybe I should revive them.

I'm out of order as I'm still mulling over my rec list for Day 3, so here's Day 4 first.

Day 4 - In your own space, create a fannish wishlist. No limits on size or type of fanwork; just tell us what you’d like to see

If anyone artistic wanted to do a drawble of just about anything related to any SPN fic I've written, I'd love that. Pencil sketches are my fave.

Likewise I absolutely love receiving feedback on my creations, fic or art. If anyone would like to read or check out my stuff (and yes, I know my masterlist isn't up to date, so I'm not making things easy!) and leave me a comment, that would be much appreciated.

I would LOVE people to use their own journals and our LJ communities more. There are lots of lovely people still here, with plenty to say and plenty of love to share - whether it's about the show or about your personal stuff. If you must post on tumblr, then post it here too! No harm in duplication, right?

Come and join in the fun at J2 jukebox in February!

This is a good, unpressured way to start a new year. If you haven't tried it before, give it a whirl! You might like it.

Crossposts: https://amberdreams.livejournal.com/540740.html

Um. Okay.

Snowflake Challenge Day 8

In your own space, make a list of at least 3 things that you like about yourself.

This is hard. Trying to do this without qualifiers is very, very hard. Take it that each statement has an unspoken qualifier saying I like to think that I'm...

...generous

...independent of spirit

...reasonably intelligent

Phew. There, it's done!

❤

Day 7: In your own space, create a fanwork.

I wasn't going to do this one but I got fed up of my unco-operative Sammy BB, so I thought I'd have a go on PS with a scratchy brush. Et voila, Sketchy Sam.( drawing under the cut )

Day 6: In your own space, create a list of at least three fannish things you'd love to receive, something you've wanted but were afraid to ask for - a fannish wish-list of sorts.

I've missed a couple (too much brain power required to complete them, though I might come back to them one day...) but this one should be easier, right?

My (mostly) Fannish Wish List

I wish my flisties will stay here on LJ doing fannish things and talking about fannish stuff even if they no longer love the show like they used to...after all, we can still talk about life, the universe and everything, right? Oh and I suppose, friend me on DW just in case! LOL

I would love it if you would read a fic of mine you haven't read before (or have read but never commented) and leave me a comment with one thing you really liked about it, and one thing where you thought I could improve my writing.

In the spirit of Random Acts, please sign this petition to save our local food bank! And if you could share it on social media, that would also be appreciated.

❤

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Day 2

In your own space, share a book/song/movie/tv show/fanwork/etc that changed your life. Something that impacted on your consciousness in a way that left its mark on your soul. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.( Read more... )

In lieu of a review of the year (which I might get round to when I've fulfilled some pressing deadlines) I thought I might join in the Snowflake Challenge.

So here we are, Day 1 and already outside of my comfort zone - self reccing!
The challenge is to chose three fanworks, so I've gone for fic - all short ones.

1: Quite often when I track back through my stuff, I don't even remember writing it. This short piece is one I'd totally forgotten. It's probably best classified as a gen cuddle fic. The boys dealing with Bobby's death. A Dreamless Sleep - on AO3/ on LJ

2: Sometimes when I track back, I find fics I have not only forgotten writing but that surprise me. Sometimes I'm not a bad writer at all, and manage to write stories I actually find amusing. LOL. The True Meaning of Turning Turtle - a little cracky fun. On AO3 / on LJ

3: And for my final fic, one that got no comments on AO3 but I thought was an interesting idea. 3k of Sam finding a solution to removing the Mark. The God Delusion - on AO3/ on LJ

Day 14: In your own space, share your love for something fannish: a trope, cliché, kink, motif, theme, format, or fandom.
( Read more... )

Yep, I know, I'm all out of order, but better late than never, hey.

Day 10: In your own space, post a rec for fannish and/or creative resources and spaces. Tell us where you go to dig up canon facts for your fandom, or where you get all the juicy details about your favorite ship. Where do you like to hang out and squee like a squeeing thing?

Obviously I use superwiki for research, and google images, but there are a number of websites and communities I've collected over the years, so I'll stick them here in case that are any that might be of use to anyone else. Um. This got a bit long. Sorry about that LOL

( Read more... )

Day 12

What makes you fannish? And by that we mean, what is it about a tv show/movie/book/band/podcast/etc that takes you from, "Yeah, I like that," to "I need MOAR!!!" Is it a character? A plotline? The pretty? Subtext that’s just screaming to be acknowledged? In your own space, tell us what it is that gets you to cross that line into fandom.

( Read more... )

Day 11 - In your own space, make a list of at least 3 things that you like about yourself.

Argh!! The hardest, hardest thing.

Ok, I'm biting the bullet and following

madebyme_x's example (and sort of stealing her answers too!).

I smile a lot

I think I'm largely a positive person

I like to be helpful and useful and kind

And putting positive things out there without qualifying them in some way? Torture!

I'll come back to Days 7 & 8 later. In the meantime, Day 9!

Day 09

In your own space, set some goals for the coming year. They can be fannish or not, public or private.

My goals are simple - write more, write better; art more, art better.

Easier said than done but there you have it. I'm continuing with

12mowrimo and the daily writing targets, I'm aiming to finish editing and submit my novel before the end of January, I'm always going to use a beta and take advice on improving my writing.
Art-wise,

wedraweveryday is having a weekly exercise to practice different techniques so I'm hoping to improve my drawing skills that way, and by general practice. I've got two Reverbangs to complete as the first official art challenges of the year - the first one for morezzela and I will be looking at starting that one very soon.

Now here the thing, Day 6 is this: In your own space, create your own challenge. What’s something you want to see more people doing in fandom? Is there something you’ve tried that you think other people would enjoy if they gave it a go? Dare your friends to try it out, and have fun with it.

Before Christmas, I had this bright idea to make up a fanfic meme/challenge thingy, but of course, having a brain the size of a pea, I forgot to do it myself. So, I thought I'd resurrect it as part of the Snowflake, but I'm going to start it in February from number 3, because this month is proving to be a bit of a bitch, and I'd just be setting myself up to fail.
But in case anyone is bursting for some fanfic challenges which are really mostly self examination and reccing, feel free to have a go. I've updated the challenges slightly.

Fanfic Daily Challenge
Answer a question a day

1.     Best use of literature/quotes in a fic
2.   Your own best original character
3.     Best romance
4.     Oldest/first fanfic you read
5.     First fanfic you wrote
6.    Your fanfic boyfriend
7.     Favourite re-read
8. Favourite fic of your own
9. Most recent read
10. Most recent fic you wrote
11.   Favourite fanart for a fic
12.   Best surprise in a fic
13.   Best ending
14.   Most heart pounding read
15.   Currently reading

16. Fave OC in a fic
17. Fave quote
18. Best friendship
19. Your most recommended/kudos'd fic
20. Best series
21. You couldn't put it down
22. Longest title
23. Should be a movie
24. New author to you in 2015
25. Scariest fic
26. Laugh out loud
27. Most enjoyable challenge of last year
28. Can’t wait for the next work/chapter in this series
29. Best one word title
30. Most anticipated challenge of this year

I didn't want to get too far behind with my

snowflake_challenge so here's my Day 4 fanwork creation, a pic I'm doing for my lovely friend and JIBLand future roomie,

dean_hugs_sammy.
When it's finished, it will be a banner for her fic, Battle of the Nations.
( Read more... )

In your own space, post a rec for at least three fanworks that you have created. It can be your favorite fanworks that you've created, or fanworks you feel no one ever saw, or fanworks you say would define you as a creator.

( Read more... )

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Page Summary

Snowflake Day 3 & 4
Snowflake Days 1 & 2
Snowflake Day 3 - recs
Snowflake Day 4 wishes
Be a Snowflake
Snowflake Day 8
Snowflake Day 7
Snowflake Day 6
Snowflake Challenge Day 2
Snowflake Challenge Day 1
Snowflake day 14 - something fannish this way comes
Snowflake day 10 - Resources
Snowflake day 12 - The nature of this fan
Snowflake day 11 - uncomfortable time! LOL
Snowflake day 9 - 2016 Goals
Snowflake day 6 - Challenge
Snowflake Day 4 - a creation
Snowflake Day 3 - self recs

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Blood will Flow

when flesh and steel are one

Entries tagged with snowflake

Snowflake Day 3 & 4

Snowflake Days 1 & 2

Snowflake Day 3 - recs

Snowflake Day 4 wishes

Be a Snowflake

Snowflake Day 8

Snowflake Day 7

Snowflake Day 6

Snowflake Challenge Day 2

Snowflake Challenge Day 1

Snowflake day 14 - something fannish this way comes

Snowflake day 10 - Resources

Snowflake day 12 - The nature of this fan

Snowflake day 11 - uncomfortable time! LOL

Snowflake day 9 - 2016 Goals

Snowflake day 6 - Challenge

Snowflake Day 4 - a creation

Snowflake Day 3 - self recs