Went on an entire road trip today- Michael's first, which is down near where I used to work but feels like the other end of the universe. I have, for months, kept thinking I should make a chunky list for when I finally got down there, because I need many things... Did I ever make this list? No. Did I get the one thing I really needed? Yes. (smallish ziploc bags, generally sold for beads and whatnot but I use them for gunpla accessories)
Then on to HobbyTown to pick up a belated prize from that contest a month ago. It is a ballcap, and I am not a ballcap-wearer, so it'll just chill on a wig head or something. Also picked up a couple of 30MM kits, RG Wing (all the Wings!), and a couple stands because I am direly low on stands and keep building critters that don't balance well.
After that, back across to a free "anime convention" also near where I used to work. I can't even say I managed to walk around once because it was the biggest shitfire I've ever seen of a convention and I have been to a lot of dire nerd shows. No parking (I parked at a drugstore nearby and hoofed it), no lighting, a rock band playing loudly over a wrestling show, and a bunch of randomly laid-out artist tables and some random woo and a poor guy selling fudge. The layout was so bad that it was impossible to walk down aisles normally, even without cosplayers in large costumes blocking things (possibly the only actual "anime convention" hallmark). Maybe stayed ten minutes.
Doing a lot of cleaning tonight, both in my bedroom and online. First is a quick journal cleanup, removing inactive accounts and a bunch of communities that I'm not doing anything with and probably won't any time soon. As always, it's not anything personal. I should do my fediverse accounts next, and discord servers that I haven't looked at in ages.
(Bedroom cleaning is cataloguing models and became a dedicated shelf clean of a bookcase where I think the old paperbacks and the old clearcoat are interacting badly. But I think I can replace that bookcase easily so *waves hands* I also gave the discolored/spotty book bottoms a quick sand and they look a lot better. Also also these are mass market pocket paperbacks from the ~80's so they are not in great shape to begin with and there's some book repair in my future.)
Title: Trouble in a Miniskirt Fandom: Viola come il mare (Italian TV show) Author:veronyxk84 Pairing: Viola Vitale/Francesco Demir Rating: PG-13 Warnings: none Word count: 100 (Ellipsus) Spoilers/Setting: Set after S2. Summary: Francesco tries to stay professional. Viola’s miniskirt won’t let him. Disclaimer:This is a work of fiction created for fun and no profit has been made. All rights belong to the respective owners.
As you leave the council chamber, you may observe many people entering and leaving a room to your left. This is the palace headquarters of the Emorian subcommander, who has charge over the Emorian army. During the daytime, the subcommander is generally to be found at the home camp of Emor's army, located on the palace grounds. However, most of the army clerks and scribes work in the subcommander's headquarters. Because the chamber contains valuable documents, it may not be entered except by prior invitation.
Further down the corridor, you will pass another door on the left, where palace guards are entering and exiting. Do not travel through this door. It leads to the guardroom. If you are a noble prisoner, you will be brought here and confined until your trial.
When you reach the end of this corridor, turn right. The corridor you are on wraps around the back of the court. You will see on your left the north doors to the court, which I mentioned before. Directly opposite them is another door, unguarded.
Do not enter. This door leads to the dungeon. Anyone who opens this door, who has no business in the dungeon, is assumed to be a spy and is promptly made a "guest" in the dungeon.
If you receive a formal invitation to visit the dungeon, I suggest that you not eat on the morning of the visit. Strong warriors have been known to regurgitate the contents of their morning meal when they witness what takes place in that dungeon. The Chara's dungeon represents Emor at its worst. You may wish to see Emor at its worst, if you are contemplating attacking Emor.
As you continue your journey around the back of the court, you will encounter a heavily guarded door. This leads to the North Wing of the palace, where many council lords and palace officials live. All of the guards will have their backs to you. Anyone who has been granted entrance to the West Wing may enter the North Wing, but upon your return, you will have to undergo the process of having your credentials checked again. Unless you have business in the remainder of the palace, it is best to remain within the East Wing.
[Translator's note: A little back tour of the East Wing occurs in Empty Dagger Hand, under increasingly unfortunate circumstances.]
Let's celebrate our awesome online home together! Activities, events, memes, all the special interest blog posts <3
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Carrie: Fellow Smart Bitch Shana has been trying to get me to go with her on the JoCo Cruise for years, and she finally succeeded. I joined Shana and two other roommates (Heather and John) on JoCo Cruise 2026 and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like it.
JoCo Cruise is named after its founder, Jonathan Coulton. Coulton is a singer-songwriter who is best known for his songs that are science fiction/fantasy adjacent. His most famous songs are probably “Still Alive” from the game Portal, “Redshirt” which was inspired by a John Scalzi book which was inspired by Star Trek, and “Re: Your Brains” which must be heard to be believed.
Here’s a video set to Jonathan Coulton singing his song “I Feel Fantastic” that gives the general vibe – not shown is crafting, discussions with authors, and general introverting (also it’s from 2012, so we had different guests):
JoCo was co-founded by Paul and Storm, a comedy duo who are known for organizing W00tstock and for Mystery Theater 3000 among other things, and Drew Westphal. JoCo Cruise has all kinds of special guests, but there’s a real sense t hat mostly Coulton, Drew, Paul and Storm invite all their friends and see who has time to attend.
Hallway decoration – one of many
For instance, Aimee Mann, a singer-songwriter, usually comes on this cruise , having just finished a tour with Coulton as her opening act. Author Mary Robinette Kowal has been an unofficial guest on four JoCo Cruises (counting this one). Author John Scalzi has been on eleven of these things, while sing-songwriter-ukelele player Mollyele has been on every single one since 2011!
You get the idea – there’s always a lot of new guests (mostly writers and performers of comedy and/or music) but there’s also a lot of regulars who put on a great show but also seem to just really like hanging out on a boat, and this sense of a gathering of buddies pervades the entire experience.
Last performance brought everyone together to sing Sloop John B by the Beach Boys because of COURSE they did
I’ve been to a lot of conventions, large and small. But I have never had an experience like JoCo Cruise. Being on the ocean is incredibly healing – and on top of that (literally, harr harr), there is gaming and crafting and reading and various panels and performances. If you want to do something that isn’t on the schedule, you can form an impromptu, unofficial gathering, which is why I turned a corner once and ran into twenty or so people playing instrumental Irish music.
When I went, I was in a bad emotional and physical place in my life. When I came home, I was so rejuvenated, so fully myself again, that when my daughter saw me, she cried happy tears. This was such a healing and inspiring event. Here are my two favorite memories, which I have selected largely because they occupy different spot on the “tranquil – wild” spectrum.
Iced tea with a little buddy on the Lido Deck, I did a lot of reading here!
There was an area called The Crow’s Nest that has floor-to-ceiling windows with cushioned, comfy reclining chairs lined up facing them. The Crow’s Nest was usually fairly quiet. One day I got comfortable on a chair. I fell asleep looking at the ocean and I woke up looking at the ocean and I felt that deep sense of calm that comes with knowing what you want from life, which in my case is to see the ocean waking and sleeping as many days as possible.
My other favorite memory was at the opposite end of the ‘tranquil – wild’ spectrum. Shana, Heather and I went to ‘John Scalzi’s Nerd Prom’, at which I danced so ecstatically (with my arms, since I use a wheelchair) with the whole group singing “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Titanium” in a state of pure joy, that I had a sort of tranced-out moment. Instead of the trance state taking me out of my body, I felt fully and deeply in my body (which is literally largely titanium at this point and I’m about to add more) and felt this surge of both communal and individual defiance and joy. I’ve carried that joy in my heart since.
CarrieS, photo by Shana, at the Nerd Prom
Shana: Dancing with you at Nerd Prom was one of the favorite moments!
My first JoCo Cruise was in 2020 right before the first Covid lockdown. I met NK Jemisin, took a writing class by Rebecca Roanhorse, read on the beach for hours, and knit by the pool with a bunch of people who patiently answered my embarrassing new knitter inquiries. It was bliss. For months after, while other people were learning to make sourdough during the lockdowns, I started dreaming about how to get back to that nerdy summer camp.
I’d hoped you would love it as much as I did!
This was my fourth JoCo Cruise and it felt like a snacking plate with little bits of my favorite things—crafting, music, comedy, board games, food, and of course, books. The world is dark right now, and laughing till my face hurt at Ron Funches’ stories about being wildly unsuccessful on The Traitors, was just what I needed.
John Scalzi helps organize the writers track and every year some of my favorite women authors are on the Boat. This year I got to meet Amal El-Mohtar, one of the coauthors of my favorite sapphic sci-fi romance, This is How You Lose the Time War.
Shana and Amal El-Motar
Linda Holmes was there too, and when I met her I blurted out that Evvie Drake Starts Over was my favorite romance I read in 2025 about white people. And then I walked away quickly.
There honestly aren’t a lot of places where I feel like I can be my most authentic self, and I’m glad I found this one. Every year I reconnect with some new part of my younger self on the JoCo Cruise. Last year it was playing card games, and this year it was dress up. I did cosplay for the first time, as Maru from Stardew Valley.
My first day on my first JoCo Cruise, I watched people sing karaoke with varying degrees of skill while receiving resounding applause and cheers. Another Black woman sitting near me saw my first time cruiser pin and told me, “This is a great place. Yes, there are a lot of White people, but people are kind and you can be as weird as you want to be.”
I’ve found that to be true, so while I unpack all the random swag I got during my cruise, I’m missing Boat fiercely and looking forward to being back, soon.
CarrieS at the Crow Party at which everyone wears black and trades shiny trinkets
Carrie: The feeling of being able to be your most authentic self was certainly something I felt, and I heard it stated in various ways by different people on the trip and actively encouraged by staff and volunteers.
I saw it encouraged by our name tags that said “Ask me about…” which not only allowed but encouraged people to wax eloquent about their special interests.
I saw it expressed by everyone’s generosity – I’ve never seen so many people give so many things away! Not promotional swag, just little presents, often handmade, given for no purpose other than to spark joy in the recipient!
I was most touched to hear the sentiment reflected in a discussion I attended about living as a transgender person in America. I’m paraphrasing, but basically the moderator stated that the JoCo Cruise is the version of the world we all want to live in, a world in which we are allowed to be fully ourselves and in which we are accepted as our authentic selves.
Boat gave me the chance to remember myself again, and that was probably the best thing about the trip. As I learned while solving a treasure map, the real treasure was the friends we found along the way (and also the chocolate coins).
Impromptu Irish music, anyone? Not pictured: author talks, panels, karaoke, gaming, crafting, eating, drinking, dancing, napping, legos, treasure hunts, swimming, making friends, sea chanties, stargazing, yelling at the moon, more napping…
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.
We have a lot of dogs around here and they're all great and also sometimes they like to run through the gardens so I fence some of them off. (The gardens, not the dogs.) My neighbor told me about some inexpensive fencing at a big discount store I'd never been to, and that's how I ended up with a backpack to carry my dog in and some new railing planters. Also the reason I was potting bare root blueberries at one in the morning (do those grow? they were in a plastic bag on a shelf and I was like, ima find out) which meant I had everything I needed out so I started my nasturtium seeds too.
This is what happens when I have space for more plants. And also when I don't.
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