Thursday, December 31, 2015

A Year in Review

Ah, 2015. What a year you've been.

A lot of people would take this opportunity to compile a Best Of list... and I am no different. And so, without further ado...

Best New Horror: It Follows



Jaw-droppingly good. A wickedly smart throwback to horror movies from the 80s. Bliss.

Best New Addition to a Franchise From Far, Far Away: The Force Awakens



Good GOD I loved this. It has heart, soul, warmth and grit — a huge departure from the prequels and a wonderful continuation from the original trilogy. I couldn't have done it better myself.

(Well, I could have, but they didn't ask, so...)

Best TV Show: The Walking Dead



This was a close one, with Game of Thrones running a tight second, but its White Walker mayhem was matched by episode upon episode of zombie thrills. And unlike GoT, I didn't know where The Walking Dead was going to end up...

Creepiest Horror Seen on Blu-Ray: Sinister



Oh I love a good creepy horror, and this hit the spot.

Most Disappointing Horror:  The Babadook



I don't get it. I just don't.

Best New Addition to a Franchise Thought Long Dead: Fury Road



A car chase that lasts an entire movie. How awesome is that? Not as feminist as I'd been led to believe, but still a thousand times more awesome than most other movies.

Best YA novel: The Rest of Us Just Live Here, by Patrick Ness



Get this book. Read this book. Love this book.

I didn't get to see all the movies I wanted to, didn't get to watch all the TV I wanted to (Ash Vs The Evil Dead and Jessica Jones being top of my To Watch list), and definitely didn't get to read all the books I wanted to, but all in all 2015 was a good year.


Next year is going to be busy. I've got the second Demon Road book out at the very end of March and the third and final one out in September. But I've learned my lesson, oh yes. No more six month publication schedules for ME, boy howdy. A lot of things have suffered as a result  of this workload (that still isn't over, by the way) and I want to get back to a nice and healthy communication routine with you, my lovely Minions.

2016 is going to be FUN.



3,913 comments:

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Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Blinks] My hair is silver? Sorry about that.

[Concentrates for a moment]

[It turns back]

So, Adra and Niccolò were taken by whoever or whatever took Alastair? Or did something else happen? Is it safe to stay here?

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Her ear would turn back at the same time as her hair))

Noelle said...

*Adra's hesd is fuzzy, and feels as if it's full of cotton* *She can't stand- she has zero balance* *Lays on a wooden floor, her surroundings barely registering* *She has trouble breathing, and more blood pours from her mouth over the floor* *She can feel the emptiness- her magic is gone* *It's hollow- and she has never felt anything like this before*
*Adra reaches out for familiarity, but can't* *Her heart is stuttering quickly now, and her head hurts*

*She slips unconscious*

Dugglyn Carzainia said...

((Hi. Popping in real quick to say the role play is really awesome and I really want to join but we're doing touristy stuff today and leaving so I can't be on for extended periods of time but maybe before our flight or when we get home if people are still awake or tomorrow if it's still happening!))

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

I don't think anyone took them..

Aretha Tesla said...

Um. I don't know... Presumably, I guess- it doesn't sound like Niccolò teleported, and I don't know who else would have taken them, or how it could've happened.

I don't know if it's safe... I mean- probably not, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with location.

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

What do you think happened, then? I mean, usually the lights don't usually go out when people teleport... Do they?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

No not usually.. but if they were taken I imagine one of them would've made some noise? We need a plan

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Hey Dugglyn! [waves]))

Well, then, let's check out where they were right before they disappeared, see if there's anything important-looking.

Chione Asahina said...

Actually they're not dead yet. It's up to Soph if the twins live or die. They're still in the game. For whenever she comes back on and stays long enough to continue it.
So yeah.

Alastair Cruciatus said...

*appears a moment after Adra, just in time to see her fall unconscious* *carefully reaches out and touches her shoulder, shaking her gently* Adra?

Aretha Tesla said...

I mean... I guess, maybe. *nods to Fabi* Yeah- let's check it out.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I hope you have a good time dug)

Okay.
*walks over to where they disappeared*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

Okay. [Walks over to where Nic and Adra were and looks around, scanning for anything that seems out-of-place with both her eyes and her metal senses,]

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*sweeps her gaze over everything, listening carefully for danger*

Aretha Tesla said...

*goes to look around, also* I don't know- there's nothing here... It looks like they just teleported, but why would they have done that? And Niccolò didn't sound like he intended to leave.
*closes her eyes, and projects her thoughts out as far as she can, trying to reach him*

Noelle said...

*She is unconscious, laying in a pool of her own blood* *Her face is pale* *More is missing*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

We need to find them.. Adra didn't look good, and I doubt she'll be okay without more of her medicine stuff..maybe something in here triggers the teleportation or something?

Alastair Cruciatus said...

*Adra doesn't answer, so he lets go and moves away from her, curling into a distant corner of the room* *he feels his head growing heavy, but fights to stay conscious* *if he sleeps, someone else might take over* *so he stays in his corner, and waits for her to wake up*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

I don't see anything either...

[She's thinking...]

Aretha Tesla said...

*tries projecting once more, before she gives up* He can't answer me, so he probably can't hear me, wherever he is.

I guess it would make sense if there were some sort of trigger, somewhere. *starts looking around in the room, then, touching everything that looks like it might have an effect*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*walks around the floor, looking for anything, sigils, cracks, loose flooring*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Walks around the room, not sure what she's looking for exactly]

(([Selects all images with soup so the blog will let me comment gosh darn it]))

son of the moon said...

((Testing...))

Aretha Tesla said...

((Aw, I love that picture!))

Star Inkbright said...

((:) :) *happy to see Esquibeth again*
*not really here*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*watches kitty bounce*)

son of the moon said...

((Me too!))

((Okay, the block seems to be limited to my main account, so I'll use this one for now.))

((Where was I? Ah, yes.))

[Fabi walks around the perimeter, scanning the floor for any markings that might show exactly where Adra and Niccolo were standing]

Aretha Tesla said...

*shakes her head* I can't find anything. Ok, I wasn't here when this stuff started happening last night. Was there anything especially... Off, or weird, that happened then? Aside from Adra coughing up blood, that is.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*looks to Fabi since she herself doesn't know*

son of the moon said...

Well, Adra's phone disappeared, and there was another one that was there that didn't work, but it wasn't a bomb in disguise or anything. Could that be important somehow?

son of the moon said...

Also, right before Adra started coughing up blood, she sort of...paused. As in, she was saying something and stopped mid-breath.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Maybe..
*wonders if she's ever had Niccolò or Adra's blood before*
*she's had alastair's once, she nearly died from all the damned diseases, only reason she didn't is he helped fix her for some reason*
*hasn't had Niccolò's blood*
*Doesn't remember having Adra's blood*
*blinks and breathes deeply, hoping some blood dropped on the floor or something*

Aretha Tesla said...

*runs her fingers through her hair* Ok. Ok. Her phone went missing. That does seem odd, but I'm not sure what that would have to do with this... Do you know what she was trying to say before she was cut off?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*pauses, thinking about the fact that Adra is seriously ill*
Two questions. One, clearly Adra is ill, is the illness in her blood? Two, can anyone see any of Adra's blood, even just a drop?

son of the moon said...

Just "Fabi I think that you..."

I...can't think of anything else especially weird that happened before she started coughing up blood.

son of the moon said...

Right after though, Niccolo asked if it always happened like this, and Adra said it had always been the same pieces missing.

Then Niccolo asked me if I was alright for some reason. I was, but I guess I must have looked really worried, and then Adra asked us to carry her to the lab, and then we did, and then she collapsed.

son of the moon said...

There'd probably be a bunch near the fire pit, or between the fire pit and here. Will finding it help somehow?

((BBS, lunch))

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

I can usually find anyone after I've had their blood. If I find some of Adra's, presuming it doesn't kill me, I might be able to find her.

Chione Asahina said...

Omfg the first episode of the walking dead after the season break was amazing!! omg omg so much happened. Lots of people died and ahhhh. The best it's been for a while.

Aretha Tesla said...

No, It's not a blood disease- I know that much. When she got back from Hell, a few pieces of her organs were missing... She was bleeding because more pieces are gone now, for some reason.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I'm glad you're enjoying it gem)

Then it won't kill me to try track her by it right? Search for a drop of her blood

Aretha Tesla said...

No, her blood isn't like Niccolò and Alastair's. It won't kill you. But could you track them if they haven't left a trail? Even though they just vanished?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

So long as she has blood in her body I can find her and it.

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

You should be able to find some. Try where she was sleeping.

Aretha Tesla said...

Wow. Ok, that's cool, and super useful. *starts looking around for blood, then*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*nods at Fabi*
*goes back to the room where they were originally, looking around*

Aretha Tesla said...

*there should be some blood on the bed, where she was sleeping*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*runs up to the bedroom*
*glances at the bed*
*calls down*
Guys! Found some.
*looks at it, humming, wondering if they should wring the material to get it out..*

Aretha Tesla said...

*runs up to join her, looking it over* So, how do you, you know, get it? Does it matter that it's sort of dried by now?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

So long as I can digest it it should be fine.. uh..

Aretha Tesla said...

Can you still digest it if it's dry- or, mostly dry?

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Back, but don't have much to contribute just now))

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

It's not as pleasant but yes.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*cuddles Fabilous*)

Aretha Tesla said...

((Ok, Fabi. ^.^))

*nods* Ok. If there's a way I can help you, let me know.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Just.. step back a bit and uh be ready to run, just in case.
*sighs and awkwardly shifts, leaning over the bedding*
*grumbles to herself and starts licking the blood stain*
(*facepalm*)

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Fabi's still downstairs]

[She figures she'll let Ari and Silente handle the blood thing]

[She walks outside and sets down a teleportation amulet near the lab entrance so she can come back later]

[She disappears and reappears about ten minutes later, looking as though she'd just been exercising and had started sweating liquid metal]

[It gradually fades over the next five minutes, and when she's pretty sure she's clear, she walks back inside]

Aretha Tesla said...

*Oh, right- Ari sort of forgot about the whole vampire thing* *she doesn't know if Sil will have to rip her skin off for this or not, so, she leaves the room quickly, and starts looking around for any serum Adra might have had, just in case* *she passes Fabi on the way* Fabi- do you know if she has to be all vampire to track them?

Aretha Tesla said...

((Oh
I guess imagine Ari finding Fabi happened five minutes later, then. XD Oops))

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*shudders slightly and tenses up, focusing on her breathing, controlling herself*
*sucks slightly on the blood stain before straightening and swallowing and closing her eyes as the blood courses through her, setting alight every nerve and sense, scents hurting her like a brick wall*
*digs her fingers into her palms, using the pain to anchor herself*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

No, I don't know. I'm not super familiar with vampire tracking methods. I wouldn't think so, typically, but because there's something very atypical going on here, it's entirely possible she'll need to dig deep into that much raw power to be able to do it.

Aretha Tesla said...

*nods* I'll keep looking, then. *sorts through medicine cabinets, still looking for serum*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[helps Ari search]

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*slowly walks down stairs when she feels less like she's going to drain the next person she sees dry*
*starts focusing on Adra's blood, trying to track it*
*will she be able to?*

Aretha Tesla said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Noelle said...

((I don't know :/ I don't imagine blood tracking would work.. It's a sealed room.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I haven't yet come up with a logical process for vampire blood tracking, I mean, I know they can track teleported people because Celean could track Val even when she was teleported by Fletch, but I don't know about sealed (magically) rooms..
One sec, imma check something)

Aretha Tesla said...

((OH! Ok
She wouldn't be able to smell it. Sorry! ))

Aretha Tesla said...

((There is some stuff about the room that would make her not able to smell it. So
Sorry about that.))

Noelle said...

((Hello again.

I cannot disclose the nature of the room at this time they are in, but Silente, no, would nt be able to smell her, or him.

You can find out later, but believe me- this room is impossible to find if one doesn't know where to look, or how.))

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Okay.)

*sighs, focusing as hard as she can on the blood*
*shakes her head*
I can't get a read..

Noelle said...

*Should Fabi allow Noelle to direct this action, a strip of Fabi's hair might turn silver*

Noelle said...

*Though if Fabi isn't okay with that, then perhaps not*

Kai The Immortal said...

( :P hai)

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Yeah, that's fine. Does Noelle need an explanation for what causes the silvering? I don't want to say here, but I can email.))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Hello Keiron))

[Fabi doesn't notice that her hair turned silver. She usually doesn't]

Noelle said...

((That would be swell, thank you :)))

*Moves, a little, her side twitching* *She hurts so much, and her head feels like it's going to explode* *Her blood covers a lot of her body* *Scrubs at her face, wiping her blood away* *She groans, in terrible pain*

Chione Asahina said...

I HAVE MY LAPTOP BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!! now i can play minecraft with you guys :D

Kai The Immortal said...

( how are you all ? :P

I know baby :D -nudges- download skype :P :3 )

Alastair Cruciatus said...

Adra... *looks up when she starts to stir, but he keeps his distance from her* Is there still more missing?

Noelle said...

*She doesn't know how to move* Yeah... *She also doesn't know why he's so far away from her* *She's very achey, and can only roll around*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Typing it up as best as I can. Should I cc Ari as well?))

Noelle said...

((Yes please :)))

Alastair Cruciatus said...

I'm sorry... *pauses* I don't know for how long I'll be able to keep the others back.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*frowns*
Um, Fabi.. your hair..

Noelle said...

*It hurts, but she pushes to one arm, and slowly drags herself over to him**Tries to rest her head on his leg* *Reaches up, and places her hand against his cheek* *Delves into the link that binds them together, and supports him, by taking a few names from him, and holding them to herself*

Alastair Cruciatus said...

*he pulls away before she can touch him* Adra- this room is bound... I didn't have enough time to clean my blood completely. I can survive for a few days, but you might catch some of it if you touch me, and you can't afford to lose any more blood.

Noelle said...

*She breathes out, but doesn't move her head far* *Just lets it slide off of him* *Someone better explain to her what's happening, and quickly* *Her heart hurts as he says that- and it yearns for him to be alright* *Doesnt want him to die*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Fabi frowns]

Is it silver again?

[She's used to this happening, but not without an apparent cause, and she just released a bunch of energy not that long ago]

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Yeah.
*shakes her head*
I can't get a signal on Adra. Either she's had her blood drained from her or someone thought about vampires.

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Ok sent. Hopefully the explanation makes sense. I wrote it a bit out of order.))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

That's... Concerning. I hope she's alright...

[Puts a hand to her head again, and focuses on restoring control of her magic]

Alastair Cruciatus said...

It's alright. I'm sure they'll find us. We'll simply have to survive until then. *pauses* Thank you for helping me with the names...

Aretha Tesla said...

Ok. How else can we find them? Or, if we can't find them, at least we can try to figure out why this is happening to them.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

So how do we find them now?
*sighs*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

Well, what do we know about when they disappeared?

The power went out shortly afterwards. Was that because something happened to Adra or because of the unknown entity that took them? If the latter, what might cause that?

Noelle said...

*Nods, and cradles the names gently* im sorry...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

A powerful ghost might..

Noelle said...

*There is a soft knock at the door to the lab*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*blinks before walking over to the door, slowly pulling it slightly open, peaking out*

son of the moon said...

Well, the only ghost I'm personally familiar with was called Charlie, but he couldn't be behind this, because he--

[The knock]

Oh! Should we go see who that is?

Alastair Cruciatus said...

*shakes his head* It's alright, Adra. They'll find us. And you have nothing to be sorry for.

Aretha Tesla said...

((Ok, guys, I think I have to vanish now for a while. See you!))

Noelle said...

*There's a thin woman at the door, her body nearly devoid of muscle and left*
*It's an effort to force the words from her*
you should know

you have two weeks

*And the woman falls to the ground*

Noelle said...

*Adra's personally terrified* *If he dies, she'll be alone*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*stares*
*runs out and kneels beside the woman, checking for a pulse*

(Okay Ari :)

son of the moon said...

((Okay Ari, see you!))

[Stands over Silente and the woman]

Two weeks...

Is she...?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(NEW POST!)

Noelle said...

(New post)

Anonymous said...

Remember when Derek told us not to read his blogs or be audacious and post comments?

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