2025 Writing Log, Part 50
Dec. 20th, 2025 06:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynling- I wrote Chapter 7 of The Archives of Hyrule, a post-TotK Modern AU. In this chapter, Zelda almost explodes her face while experimenting with a Zonai Flame Emitter (this bad boy), but she’s saved at the last second by Ganon, who was creepily watching her from the doorway. The beginning of the chapter models the process of archival work, and the end of the chapter models the process of being roughly handled by a large and fashionably dressed man.
- Speaking of being roughly handled by Ganon, I posted a story called “Chains” on AO3 (here) that’s about Zelda seducing Ganondorf on the night before his execution in the timeline leading to Twilight Princess. I would call this story “darkfic smut with angst,” but both parties seem to be enjoying themselves. So maybe the genre is more like “not safe, not sane, but 100% consensual.”
- Speaking of handsome video game villains, this week I wrote the first section (out of five) for “A Minor Footnote,” the Shinra Mansion archives horror story I’m contributing to Gloriosa, a Sephiroth fanzine.
- And speaking of difficult but attractive men, I commissioned the stylish and powerful Frankiesbugs to draw Fhiad, my wizard detective OC who uses magic to solve mysteries in gothic castles. Fhiad is the star of “The Case of the Phantom Portrait,” an original short story that I submitted to a handful of fantasy magazines earlier this week. Huzzah!! You can check out Frankie’s magical illustration on Tumblr (here).
- In the realm of “difficult but attractive women,” I commissioned the sharp and shining Taxkha to draw Zelda from Twilight Princess, and they posted their illustration of my beloved sword queen on Bluesky (here). She is beauty, she is grace.
- I published a review of Cathy Malkasian’s new graphic novel, Shadows of the Sea, on Comics Beat (here). I have to admit that I struggled with Malkasian’s previous books, which are brilliant but tonally dark and emotionally devastating. Shadows of the Sea is just as strange and heartbreaking as the artist’s earlier work, but it ends on a gloriously high note that gives me hope for the future. I was prepared to write a review about the value of portraying despair in dark times, but man. Hope is good too.
- This week’s post on my book review blog (here) is about Masatsugu Ono’s short novel At the Edge of the Woods, which is a strange and disquieting literary exploration of contemporary anxieties relating to immigration and climate change that draws deep from a well of European gothic tropes and imagery. There’s not really a story here, just a lot of creepiness. This book isn’t for everyone, but I can appreciate what it’s doing.
- I’m still slowly fighting my way through Silksong, and this week I did a quick illustration of the Second Sentinel, a robotic knight who occasionally helps Hornet out in battle before ultimately challenging her to a duel. I really like this character’s design, and I posted my illustration on Tumblr (here).
- I also posted an illustration of Hornet (here) on Tumblr. This was a bonus treat for Knave_of_swords for the![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
doodle4doodle fan art exchange. The exchange collection is on AO3 (here) if you’d like to check it out.
- My main gift for the exchange was a short and slightly creepy comic about the Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time. It’s on AO3 (here) with a short commentary on the uncanny visual tone of early 3D games, and I also posted it on Tumblr (here). I really enjoyed working on this!
Happy winter solstice! May all your nights be filled with stars, and best wishes for brighter and warmer days to come. 🌟🌿
- Speaking of being roughly handled by Ganon, I posted a story called “Chains” on AO3 (here) that’s about Zelda seducing Ganondorf on the night before his execution in the timeline leading to Twilight Princess. I would call this story “darkfic smut with angst,” but both parties seem to be enjoying themselves. So maybe the genre is more like “not safe, not sane, but 100% consensual.”
- Speaking of handsome video game villains, this week I wrote the first section (out of five) for “A Minor Footnote,” the Shinra Mansion archives horror story I’m contributing to Gloriosa, a Sephiroth fanzine.
- And speaking of difficult but attractive men, I commissioned the stylish and powerful Frankiesbugs to draw Fhiad, my wizard detective OC who uses magic to solve mysteries in gothic castles. Fhiad is the star of “The Case of the Phantom Portrait,” an original short story that I submitted to a handful of fantasy magazines earlier this week. Huzzah!! You can check out Frankie’s magical illustration on Tumblr (here).
- In the realm of “difficult but attractive women,” I commissioned the sharp and shining Taxkha to draw Zelda from Twilight Princess, and they posted their illustration of my beloved sword queen on Bluesky (here). She is beauty, she is grace.
- I published a review of Cathy Malkasian’s new graphic novel, Shadows of the Sea, on Comics Beat (here). I have to admit that I struggled with Malkasian’s previous books, which are brilliant but tonally dark and emotionally devastating. Shadows of the Sea is just as strange and heartbreaking as the artist’s earlier work, but it ends on a gloriously high note that gives me hope for the future. I was prepared to write a review about the value of portraying despair in dark times, but man. Hope is good too.
- This week’s post on my book review blog (here) is about Masatsugu Ono’s short novel At the Edge of the Woods, which is a strange and disquieting literary exploration of contemporary anxieties relating to immigration and climate change that draws deep from a well of European gothic tropes and imagery. There’s not really a story here, just a lot of creepiness. This book isn’t for everyone, but I can appreciate what it’s doing.
- I’m still slowly fighting my way through Silksong, and this week I did a quick illustration of the Second Sentinel, a robotic knight who occasionally helps Hornet out in battle before ultimately challenging her to a duel. I really like this character’s design, and I posted my illustration on Tumblr (here).
- I also posted an illustration of Hornet (here) on Tumblr. This was a bonus treat for Knave_of_swords for the
doodle4doodle fan art exchange. The exchange collection is on AO3 (here) if you’d like to check it out. - My main gift for the exchange was a short and slightly creepy comic about the Forest Temple in Ocarina of Time. It’s on AO3 (here) with a short commentary on the uncanny visual tone of early 3D games, and I also posted it on Tumblr (here). I really enjoyed working on this!
Happy winter solstice! May all your nights be filled with stars, and best wishes for brighter and warmer days to come. 🌟🌿
