I picked up one of Frank Tuttle’s Markhat stories via cyprinella  when it was going free on Amazon, and so far I’ve read The Mister Trophy, Dead Man’s Rain, The Cadaver Client and Hold the Dark. They’re a fun paranormal mystery read, with a protagonist who seems to be a kinder and more functional adult with a bit more emotional and social intelligence than I’m necessarily used to from my detective figures. (I need to stop benchmarking everything against the Dresden Files don’t I?).

The books are set in a city called Rannit, and I keep trying to draw (early, pre-Vetinari) Ankh Morpork comparisons to the set up. It’s a relatively low tech multi-species city with a civil peacekeeping force that isn’t terribly earnest about enforcing the law if it’s too much bother, and an obvious class divide. And a big mucky river, but you get those everywhere. It’s a lot less fleshed out than Ankh Morpork, though to be fair what I’ve read so far has been short stories and a novella so Tuttle hasn’t had that much space to flesh Rannit out even if he were so inclined. That hasn’t bothered me as I’ve found skimming along at the surface level of the world waiting for the what-happens-next and who’s-doing-it satisfying.

( More thoughts on Markhat, with spoilers for Hold the Dark and dead Man’s Rain and a vague spoiler for the Doctor Who finale which I imagine everyone has already seen if they want to )

Results you get when checking Amazon for the release date of the next Rivers of London book (which is in like two months!!!111!):

BRAND NEW - HIGH SECURITY CHAIN AND PADLOCK SET - FOR BIKE, MOTORBIKE, MOTORCYCLE, HOME, GARDEN SHED, BROKEN FENCE...

And:

Homefront Slim Pro-V Advanced Unisex Abdominal Abs Toning Belt (NO REPLACEMENT PADS OR GEL REQUIRED EVER)

Thank you Amazon, that's so helpful.

 

Throwing this out there as I think my current music selection and I may now be fed up of one another.

So, does anyone have any favourite music that they think would be suited for a jogging/cardio type playlist? Stuff that's worked for me before has often had a strong or steady beat, and I'm generally wired to be quite lyrics driven, so if the words are clever or memorable (or just fun to belt out on the inside of my head) then I'm likely to find them motivational.

...this is probably terribly vague. *Makes hopeful eyes at the internet*

I feel like I have spent THIS ENTIRE DAY on the cusp of a sneeze. I kind of want to itch the inside of my face. Ew.

Anyway, an Id-fluff ficlet brought to you by my need for a brain cleanser on my lunch break.

1057 words of Hendricks and Gard playfighting, because that is my favourite. Matureish, no warnings required, sexual situations but no sex, build-up-but-cut-to-black-fic.



( Fiiiiiiiiic )

In my request for prompts to write on the train, Luce asked for 'Epistolary sequel to the bonnet fic'. Here's a G rated no-warnings required ficlet that will make absolutely no sense unless you've already read Buckets of Bonnets.



( Epistolary Bonnets )

I have just realised that the remainder of 2012 is going to be The Time of Much Laundry, Bags and Trains.

According to my compulsively backed up diary (without which I’d descend into a pit of geographical-temporal confusion) I’m spending every weekend until the end of the year getting a train to and from some distant celebratory gathering (...and maybe a panicked shopping trip in London?). I quite like train trips; it’s a slice of time where I can read, or prat around on the internet, or maybe even take a nap without the vague guilt of, well, if you have spare time, you really should be doing X/Y/Z.

But what I really like doing on trains is writing. Yes, if I’m writing porn, this does occasionally involve contorting myself into bizarre positions so that my unsuspecting neighbour doesn't get an eyeful of smut, but it’s still fun.

Except at the moment I keep staring at blank pages/documents with an equally blank mind. So, flist, (and random passing strangers), I’d like to request prompts, if you please. Give me something to write on the train! If you want timestamp fic of something I’ve already written, that’s totally fine, as are new things or prompts for fandoms I haven’t written in but you know I know (...though I don’t promise to actually be any good at writing in those fandoms!)

Comments are only open on Dreamwidth, but you’re welcome there anon/openID etc.

Title: A Little Touch of Harry in the Night
Fandom: Dresden Files
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 1999
Pairing/Character(s): Harry Dresden/John Marcone
Notes: Written for the sleepy/unconscious square of kink bingo.
Warnings: None applicable.
Summary: Harry has had a long few days. Marcone helps him relax.

Fic! And podfic! Tasty, tasty podfic!

This was fun to write, and even more fun to listen to :-) As part of Podtogether 2012, I’ve written a fic for Binz to podfic, and Binz and Shiplizard have written a fic for me to podfic. Podficcing is a pretty new arena for me, and listening to Binz read is alllllll kinds of cool. Go, download, enjoy! Binz is listed as an author on the AO3, so she’ll get notifications for any podfic feedback you’d like to leave :-)

Title: Idle Fancy
Author: Grenegome 
Reader: binz 
Fandom: Dresden Files
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Word Count: 5786
Time: 40 minutes
Pairing/Character(s): Sigrun Gard/Nathan Hendricks, John Marcone
Notes: Written for Podtogether 2012, and the vanilla square of Kink Bingo Round Five.
Warnings: None applicable.
Summary: Hendricks gets rescued. Gard has a birthday. There is wooing.

Fic and Podfic at AO3

People out there who like urban fantasy stories, who haven’t happened across the Rivers of London series yet, by Ben Aaronovitch, might want to check them out.

Particularly if you like:

London.
Protagonists who actually Google the things they don’t know but need to.
Magic that someone keeps hopefully applying the scientific method to.
Sarky comments about the Daily Mail. And Northerners.
Old school, upper class, Old Etonian-style traditions of magic being taught to a protagonist who very much isn’t from that background, and who doesn’t fall into the habit of thinking he’s getting the true or only story of the way it works. Post modern magician?

Having just read the third book, Whispers Under Ground, a couple of spoilerish thoughts under the cut, and The Fic You Should Write So I Don’t Have To.

( Cut for Moderate Spoilers )

Hey guys,

I’m locking up comments on LJ because a prolonged wave of spam has started to get on my nerves. I’m not a prolific poster, so I don’t think that should inconvenience anyone! You’re still very welcome to comment over on Dreamwidth.

At some point, when I have more time and am feeling super organised, I might reshuffle my flists so I’m not following the same people in both places.

While I’m here, if someone needs an AO3 invite (and you don’t have to know me, random passing strangers are welcome!) feel free to take the below:

268aa239e74d1d9b4bf9581ce5b9d19fd6c715b5

In other news, oh my life. How come everything happens at once? I always seem to be busier towards summer, but this is getting silly.