Get to Know The Fantasy Reader Tag

Hello all! Today we’ve just got a quick book tag (does anyone even do these anymore? I’m so out of the loop) because we’re in the first few days of NaNoWriMo, which is always a bit of a slog, especially if you’re a slow writer like me. Anyway, this tag has been sitting in my drafts folder for months and months at this point, so I think it’s well and truly time that I posted it.

(Also, please let me know if you’re the creator of this tag! I stole it from somewhere and my sieve brain forgot where, I’m so sorry).

What Is Your Fantasy Origin Story (the first fantasy you read)

My mum loves fantasy, so most of my earliest reading memories involve fantasy. Probably the very first books I read (or were read to me) were The Chronicles of Narnia. Obviously I loved these and I was hooked from then on, I really didn’t stand a chance, fantasy was literally introduced to me in the womb.

After Narnia, I think was next introduced to The Magician’s Daughter, a self-published Australian fantasy trilogy, How To Train Your Dragon, The Little White Horse, and Emily Rodda’s books, including Rowan of Rin, The Key To Rondo, and of course the Deltora Quest series, the staple of every Aussie kid’s reading life. When I was in my preteens, I started on the Warrior Cats series, Rick Riordan, Lloyd Alexander, Stephen Lawrence, Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis’s adult fantasies.

Disability Representation in Storytelling: A New Series

A country road stretching towards a bend in the early morning sunrise, with trees on either side. A boy and a dog are walking along the road silhouetted against the sunrise.

Hello everyone!

I come to you today from the depths of university disability studies with a proposition for a new blog series.

Namely, as it says in the title, a series that examines disability representation in storytelling.

My favourite unit at uni so far has been one called Perspectives on Disability and it focuses on critiquing the representation of people with disabilities in media. My major assignment involves writing an examination of a YouTube clip from an X-Factor audition a few years ago.

I’ve really enjoyed the critical thinking aspects of this unit, but I felt a bit limited by the assignment. I wanted to branch out more, dig deeper into some of this representation. So, what better way to do that than with a few blog posts on the topic! I’m super excited to dig into this more, and raise some awareness on disability and also provide a guide for writers’ who are looking to add more diversity to their novels.

I already have a long list of characters, movies, and books to examine (way more than I’ll ever be able to actually write about), but if you have a particular topic you think would make a great instalment let me know!

Anyway, thanks for your time today, hopefully I’ll be more active on here, especially since I’ve convinced myself that “it’s uni work!” I’ll see you around!

How has life been for you, my friends? Are you studying at the moment, and if so, what? Who is your favourite disabled character in media? Any suggestions for topics in this series? Also, are you currently doing Camp NaNoWriMo?

The Fandom Tag

Hello all! Here I am, posting for the third week in a row, which I am incredibly proud of! How are you all doing?

Today, we’re going to be taking a look at some of my favourite fandoms. I’ve never really considered myself a fandom type of person, mainly because I’m not at all interested in the activity that makes up 95% of fandom interaction, ie shipping (and writing fanfiction about that ship). If that’s your thing, I don’t mind at all (I got my writing start by writing fanfiction, though not of the shipping kind, so I’m not biased against fanfic writers at all!) but its not my thing so I’ve never really interacted with a fandom before.

However, that does not mean at all that I don’t adore certain stories, so that’s what we’re going to be talking about today! My favourite fandoms, authors, characters and stories! What could be better?

01. What’s the first fandom you remember becoming a part of?

Narnia probably, or Black Beauty (does Black Beauty have a fandom?). Mum has been reading the Narnia books to us kids over and over again for years, and when I got old enough I started reading them myself and I’m just obsessed. I loved them as a kid and I still love them now. Black Beauty was the first novel I read by myself and I have always adored it. It’s a beautiful and moving story and it definitely ignited my passion for animals at a very young age. I have also never found a movie adaption that followed the book faithfully, or was anything other than some sentimental middle grade horse fantasy *insert derogatory word of your choice here* and I am mad. Give me some Victorian animal justice movies written by an awesome but chronically ill and disabled author please.

Also, I began listening to the How To Train Your Dragon audiobooks (read by David Tennant) when I was a wee lass and I absolutely freaking adored them, and I still do now. The movies are good, but the books are AMAZING. And there’s Cressida’s new series as well, which wasn’t published I until I was an adult, but they still feel like they were part of my childhood.

02. What’s the newest fandom you’ve come to enjoy?

I don’t know at all! Hunger Games? But I’ve enjoyed that for a few years now, have I truly joined no new fandoms since then? Harry Potter? But I wouldn’t really describe myself as in the HP fandom, I’m just obsessed with The Prisoner of Azkaban. Maybe Star Wars? I’m also not really in the fandom for that, but I really like talking about Star Wars things in an academic tone, which is pretty much my bar for entering a fandom.

The Thirty Song Tag

Hello! I’m not sure if you remember me, but I’m the little shadow of a human being who runs this blog. And yes, I’ve been absent for some time. I’m hoping to do a life update post soon to give you a rundown of this hectic life I lead. However, I recently had to renew my blog subscription and pay actual hard earned money to keep this blog going, which has been the kick up the backside I needed to get back into blogging. Spending money will do that to you. So I’m hoping to be more active here. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, to get me back into blogging I’ve got a really easy tag that was a lot of fun to write! It’s all about music and I adore music so much. Megan kind of tagged everyone, so go check out her blog.

1. Your Favourite Song

I literally cannot choose. It is impossible, so I’m going to cheat and list a few of my favourite songs. I promise though, I will keep to the rules for the rest of the post and only mention one song (or maybe two, if I’m feeling particularly indecisive).

“The Blessing” by Kari Jobe

“God Help The Outcasts” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame

“The Tale of Cu Chulainn” by Miracle of Sound (Irish folk rock/metal. Could there be a better combination?)

“Lothlorien” from The Lord of the Rings musical

“Wonder” from the same musical

“Into The West” by Annie Lennox

“Now and For Always”

“Anne Bonney” by Karliene

“I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran

“Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran

“Nancy Mulligan” by Ed Sheeran (Also check out this British Sign Language version, it is awesome!)

This list is so incomplete, but you’ll see more of my favourites as we go through this tag!

2. Your Least Favourite Song

This one is actually so easy. Out of all the songs I’ve heard, the one I’ve hated the most is Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, which is sad, because for years I refused to listen to any of his other songs because of this one, and I was really missing out on some quality music. But I hate this song so much. I know there’s a lot of songs that objectify women, but for me, this one just represents them all, and for some reason, people adore it??? I do not like it.

Rant over. Let’s continue.

3. A Song That Makes You Happy

“The Wellerman” is a such a fun song and I’m so very glad it came to the attention of whoever started the TikTok trend. It’s such a jaunty song and it makes me so happy to listen to! For the record, my favourite versions are Alina Gingertail’s version, The Hound and the Fox’s version, and Nathan Evans’s version.