Para 🌵
@paracactus.bsky.social
Sci-fi & fantasy reader. Antelope appreciator. Also posting a lot about my many and varied crafting WIPs. She/her (or they/them) 🏳️🌈
Filter topics: #booksky (reviews) | #NamibiaCam
📍🇸🇮
otherworldsreviews.wordpress.com
goodreads.com/parawanderer
Filter topics: #booksky (reviews) | #NamibiaCam
📍🇸🇮
otherworldsreviews.wordpress.com
goodreads.com/parawanderer
Ordered some fancy paper for making notebooks and threw in a couple treats to make the shipping worth it 😁
(The colour of the pen is even more obnoxious irl, I LOVE it)
(The colour of the pen is even more obnoxious irl, I LOVE it)
November 25, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Ordered some fancy paper for making notebooks and threw in a couple treats to make the shipping worth it 😁
(The colour of the pen is even more obnoxious irl, I LOVE it)
(The colour of the pen is even more obnoxious irl, I LOVE it)
My preorder of Hello Sunshine by @keezyyoung.bsky.social finally appeared! It's a hilariously heavy little paperback and I'm really looking forwards to it :D
(In a mood for a graphic novel too!)
(In a mood for a graphic novel too!)
October 29, 2025 at 3:12 PM
My preorder of Hello Sunshine by @keezyyoung.bsky.social finally appeared! It's a hilariously heavy little paperback and I'm really looking forwards to it :D
(In a mood for a graphic novel too!)
(In a mood for a graphic novel too!)
Oh this is lovely to hear ❤️
Yeah, I listened to all the post-season Q&As I could so far, and they come across as very thoughtful and considerate. Just massive respect from my end.
(example from s3 q&a)
Yeah, I listened to all the post-season Q&As I could so far, and they come across as very thoughtful and considerate. Just massive respect from my end.
(example from s3 q&a)
![Alex: So, this one is a tough one. This is from confectionery via Reddit.
Jonny: Right, right, right.
Alex: What are Jonny and Alex’s values when it comes to horror?
Jonny [background]: (intrigued) Oh.
Alex: As in: what should well-written horror fiction accomplish other than scaring people, obviously?
Jonny: To me there are almost two sorts of horror. There’s what I think of as, uh, “escapist” horror.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreiagpg7cetqswdu4gbvauxtatd2f6ulqujil2yxq6xki4g6nqeoowu@jpeg)
![Jonny [cont.]: And what I think of as “literary” horror. “Escapist” horror is- it’s very practical in a lot of ways. Uh, it is, uh, a way of… catharsis, uh, it’s a way of, uh, indulging in fear and, uh, spooking yourself out in a controlled, safe way, allowing you to safely indulge in those, uh, slightly darker, uh, emotions and feelings.
Which is one of those reasons that, for Magnus, uh, I think it’s so important to take certain, uh, certain boundaries and treat certain subjects with a lot do respect and sensitivity, um, because one of the key things here is you need to be able to trust that you can enjoy the horror. Um, you need to be able to trust the- the writing and the performance that it’s not going to suddenly cross lines and what has previously been a very pleasing spooky catharsis, suddenly becomes, uh, incredibly upsetting. And of course there is the other sort of horror and obviously it’s not- it’s not a binary here, it’s very much um…
Alex: It’s more of a spectrum.
Jonny [cont.]: It’s very much on a- on a spectrum. Uh, but what I think of more as “literary” horror which is using the… mechanisms of horror, the mechanisms of, um, being spooky, being scary to actually examine and, uh, come to terms with darker subject matters. “Literary” horror is just as thoughtful about how it engages with that sort of thing. And to be honest, I don’t write “literary” horror, I… don’t really feel like I have any place writing “literary” horror most of the- most of the subjects that it tackles and it deals with well are things that I have no real experience of and that I would not be coming from a place where I feel comfortable exploring it. It’s- they’re not often my stories to explore.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreiheh6pmm5fg7fsx4kuevhmg25bu6unnjhwun3xwo5jer6ovulb2de@jpeg)
![Alex: Mine is going to be a lot more specific, but I think a lot less profound, let’s say.
[Jonny snorts with a small laugh and says “Yeah”]
Um, I think that in all fiction you should- I’m going to have to expand on this, you should avoid being intellectually lazy and I think horror more than with any other genre. More than any other type of fiction you must not be intellectually lazy. Now, to be perfectly clear, I’m not talking about, y’know, using big, long words or writing in a weird way that no one’s ever seen. When I’m talking about being intellectually lazy, I’m talking about knowing that there’s a better way in doing something and taking the shortcut. It’s stuff like for horror it’s very easy to spot the, uh, the shortcut, because what someone will do is they will write a taboo and then look at the taboo and go (dramatic, fake-OMG) “I broke a taboo! HORROR!”
And it’s not. It is a shortcut, because you aren’t putting the work in to really engage with stuff and trying to pick at the bits that are interesting. You are just taking something wholesale and slapping it out there and that for horror, bizarrely, is the thing that encourages people to take that shortcuts most.
[Jonny agrees with a “Yeah”]
And especially things like body horror, actually that’s the one and most often, yeah, you’re- you’re heading into like horrible, torture porn-kind of sub-genres and stuff and actually, it doesn’t need to be that and it- it’s just about putting the work in and not just taking quick easy low-hanging fruit every time.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreibqj3rfptny4swx6sibevaueql7zjm37zc2aaxqypfgawaddkcuey@jpeg)
![Jonny: Yeah.
When we talk about being intellectually lazy, we are, a hundred percent, not talking about being original.
Alex: No! No, no, no, no, no!
Jonny: Because… weirdly, horror is actually one of those genres where I feel like you, thinking about it, in terms of originality is actually missing a lot of the point. There’s only so many spooky things that you write!
[Alex agrees with a “Yeah”]
It’s all to do with the rhythm and the pacing and making sure that you’re getting the- the right beats in the right place to… evoke the- the emotions the- the same way that, y’know, you need to, uh, evoke the right notes from an instrument.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreighp67o2ejn7fhfh5uchsza3jcs7eqjavt5u35fhvxgdw4u4hfz5u@jpeg)
October 1, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Oh this is lovely to hear ❤️
Yeah, I listened to all the post-season Q&As I could so far, and they come across as very thoughtful and considerate. Just massive respect from my end.
(example from s3 q&a)
Yeah, I listened to all the post-season Q&As I could so far, and they come across as very thoughtful and considerate. Just massive respect from my end.
(example from s3 q&a)
Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy. Not a selfie.
September 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy. Not a selfie.
MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT 🥩
September 17, 2025 at 1:39 AM
MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT 🥩
Having such a good time with The Magnus Archives and my little bookclub that I'm highly tempted to vanish from most social media for a while, released from the earthly desire to doomscroll lmao
September 8, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Having such a good time with The Magnus Archives and my little bookclub that I'm highly tempted to vanish from most social media for a while, released from the earthly desire to doomscroll lmao
Busy touching grass this week
August 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Busy touching grass this week
Magnus Archives obsession entered that phase where I'm trying to get people into it like a rabid squirrel
August 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Magnus Archives obsession entered that phase where I'm trying to get people into it like a rabid squirrel
Me: I should find a new obsession, that'd help :D
Monkey's paw: [curls]
Monkey's paw: [curls]
August 20, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Me: I should find a new obsession, that'd help :D
Monkey's paw: [curls]
Monkey's paw: [curls]
I'm still feeling a lot better and could theoretically catch up on Bingo, reviews, etc...but unfortunately The Magnus Archives has me in a fucking death grip, I went from normal about it to unhinged as fast as Jonathan spiralled between seasons 1 and 2 😂😂
August 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
I'm still feeling a lot better and could theoretically catch up on Bingo, reviews, etc...but unfortunately The Magnus Archives has me in a fucking death grip, I went from normal about it to unhinged as fast as Jonathan spiralled between seasons 1 and 2 😂😂
Finally. FINALLY!!! 😍
August 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Finally. FINALLY!!! 😍
One review down, let's see what else can I do while I feel like it...
[peeks into drafts folder]
Oh dear 😅
[peeks into drafts folder]
Oh dear 😅
August 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
One review down, let's see what else can I do while I feel like it...
[peeks into drafts folder]
Oh dear 😅
[peeks into drafts folder]
Oh dear 😅
Giant anteater has to be up there because The Snoot
August 13, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Giant anteater has to be up there because The Snoot
I don't usually crosspost but that's internet and reading comprehension in a nutshell, lolsob
August 11, 2025 at 6:42 PM
I don't usually crosspost but that's internet and reading comprehension in a nutshell, lolsob
Sailor Kin-mokusei is pure sunset joy in a bottle. Hesitated for years even though I adored the sample bc the bottle is SO small and SO expensive but yeah, though I do also love Diamine Flame for its red shading, nothing compares to the ink that made me love orange. It's a well behaved delight 🥰
![A swatch of Sailor Kin-mokusei, a bright but legible orange ink with reddish shading. The smear is a shockingly even and smooth sunset-like gradient, a little glossy at the top. The text below, all in print, contains the pangram "Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow," that it was written with a Jinhao 82 in F, and a short review: Absolutely, indisputably, THE orange ink. It's so bright and so cheerful and so well behaved (sorry Diamine Flame, you're pretty but swatching one after the other like this...). Worth the steep price. Joy and sunshine in a tiny bottle. Love love LOVE [drawing of three little hearts]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreih3rjvaf74hg7idlnmhvhxgiqe4xn7w5a7jdck6b226xl7d6lzkaq@jpeg)
![A swatch of Diamine Flame, a red-orange ink. Redder than Kin-mokusei, especially the shading. It would not smear at all, the best attempt is from a small accidental spill at the bottom of the page. The swab test also has some jagged edges when it reaches three layers. But the text below is fine, very high shading and clear flamelike delineation between orange and red. It contains the pangram "Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow," that it was written with a Platinum Little Meteor in F, and a short review: A cheerful, genuinely flamelike orange. Shades red [drawing of a heart] One of my favourites, but then I do love a good orange. Most importantly, no sickly yellow-green undertone when wet.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepf7mi5maaugqfk5wrfh2k7/bafkreifu7cz6e3k5tyzno3j32tgs3ww2xea5ni3zza6syrweermuwlxdjq@jpeg)
August 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Sailor Kin-mokusei is pure sunset joy in a bottle. Hesitated for years even though I adored the sample bc the bottle is SO small and SO expensive but yeah, though I do also love Diamine Flame for its red shading, nothing compares to the ink that made me love orange. It's a well behaved delight 🥰
Pingtung Clematis is similar to my beloved Troublemaker Foxglove, but darker and bluer and the dual shading is a lot more subtle. Also it's less dry.
(Terrible quality pics but I genuinely cannot get better light 😭)
(Terrible quality pics but I genuinely cannot get better light 😭)
August 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Pingtung Clematis is similar to my beloved Troublemaker Foxglove, but darker and bluer and the dual shading is a lot more subtle. Also it's less dry.
(Terrible quality pics but I genuinely cannot get better light 😭)
(Terrible quality pics but I genuinely cannot get better light 😭)
Treated myself to ink for my birthday (was last week) bc I saw stiloestile has Ink Institute Pingtung Clematis in stock (I waited a YEAR). And finally a full bottle of Sailor Kin-mokusei, the best, most cheerful orange ever 😁
(+ an A5 notebook, I'll need one v soon and why not choose fancy paper)
(+ an A5 notebook, I'll need one v soon and why not choose fancy paper)
August 7, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Treated myself to ink for my birthday (was last week) bc I saw stiloestile has Ink Institute Pingtung Clematis in stock (I waited a YEAR). And finally a full bottle of Sailor Kin-mokusei, the best, most cheerful orange ever 😁
(+ an A5 notebook, I'll need one v soon and why not choose fancy paper)
(+ an A5 notebook, I'll need one v soon and why not choose fancy paper)
Was lost in thought and almost stepped on a goddamn snake. Woke me up for sure!!! 😅
August 5, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Was lost in thought and almost stepped on a goddamn snake. Woke me up for sure!!! 😅
That one has like 10 posts alone 🤣
The funniest thing to me is that the actual smell doesn't even sound bad...? Like maple syrup and coffee is hardly a stinker. But the ungodly potency lmao
The funniest thing to me is that the actual smell doesn't even sound bad...? Like maple syrup and coffee is hardly a stinker. But the ungodly potency lmao
August 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
That one has like 10 posts alone 🤣
The funniest thing to me is that the actual smell doesn't even sound bad...? Like maple syrup and coffee is hardly a stinker. But the ungodly potency lmao
The funniest thing to me is that the actual smell doesn't even sound bad...? Like maple syrup and coffee is hardly a stinker. But the ungodly potency lmao
Fine, have a couple more 😂😂
Common genres: "pee and/or dirty genitals," "unholy lovecraftian stench beyond mortal comprehension," and "wouldn't be unpleasant per se if it wasn't chemical weapon strength, holy shit."
Common genres: "pee and/or dirty genitals," "unholy lovecraftian stench beyond mortal comprehension," and "wouldn't be unpleasant per se if it wasn't chemical weapon strength, holy shit."
August 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Fine, have a couple more 😂😂
Common genres: "pee and/or dirty genitals," "unholy lovecraftian stench beyond mortal comprehension," and "wouldn't be unpleasant per se if it wasn't chemical weapon strength, holy shit."
Common genres: "pee and/or dirty genitals," "unholy lovecraftian stench beyond mortal comprehension," and "wouldn't be unpleasant per se if it wasn't chemical weapon strength, holy shit."
Lately I've been really into the tumblr blog that collects unhinged fragrance reviews, especially those that should probably be banned under the Geneva Convention.
Makes me absolutely lose it every time
Makes me absolutely lose it every time
August 5, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Lately I've been really into the tumblr blog that collects unhinged fragrance reviews, especially those that should probably be banned under the Geneva Convention.
Makes me absolutely lose it every time
Makes me absolutely lose it every time
