cornerofmadness

Trying to clean up the living room before getting the landlords in here has been a chore, mostly because it's me shuffling paperwork which means reading it for a) what can be recycled b) what needs saved c) what needs shredded (I do this every year in Jan to get ready for the next year but failed this year to do so)

I realized I needed another storage box and maybe more food because another ice storm was predicted (so far it's mostly rain. I'll take it) And pain has slowed me down. I'm more than sure that I've cracked the cartilage in the good hip at this point since it's acting and hurting like the other hip (which I cracked the cartilage in at least 10 years ago)

So tomorrow I shall have to work diligently.

Also slowing me down is sadness. My dad called this morning and my cousin (by marriage) who was also in hospice died this morning within 3 months of his cancer diagnosis. This did not come as a surprise but sad none the less.

Here's thefridayfive a day late...again

1. Of the various cultures, ethnicities or nationalities you belong to, which most strongly do you consider yourself? Italian America, which I argue is its own distinct thing. I'm over 65% Italian genetically (and the other is mostly Croatian). I know very little of my Croatian side but I was raised with the Italian American culture, the food, the festivals, some of the language (which I'm trying to pick back up now)

2. Is there a culture you cannot claim heritage from but which you feel quite close to? Welsh. I've been fascinated by Wales for over 40 years (to the point I worked on my own trying to learn the language from one of those lesson books that were popular back then). I've since been two Wales a few times and I did love my time there. I'd like to go back and explore more.

3. What's one language you wish you knew fluently? Italian, Welsh, Japanese and Klingon (hey, you asked and I can't pick just one)

4. If you could move anywhere in the world and be guaranteed a job, etc., where would you go? Canada. What, not Italy or Wales? While tempting, Canada is so beautiful and I've loved it every time I've visited.

5. If you had a time machine, and could witness any one event without altering or disturbing it, what would you want to see? Pompei springs to mind. I wouldn't mind being able to see the moon landing and understand it fully (I have memories of it but I was so young it's just a short image of being at my grandmother's and my uncle with his Super 8 camera recording the TV.) I'd also like to see the first Olympics oddly enough.

fandomtrees revealed today. I got two stories. One has something weird going on with the coding (It's locked) so I'll share that another day. I did have a surprise, no icons. Well I did say no icons to everything but Hazbin so I was thrilled to get the stories. Here's one of them

Stress macrons Hazbin Hotel. It's super cute and I don't know if they went and looked at my stuff or if it's a coincidence but I write a lot of Hazbin cooking stories (as this is not one of my prompt suggestions. I did say anything with the characters was fine by me) this is a cooking story. Loved it. Sir Pentious gets to shine.

I wrote several stories and yes I am going to share them right now too.


Trivia Night Death in Paradise - Summary Camille wants Richard to feel more at home on the island and with his new team and enlists their help along with her mother’s. (for sysann)



Kaiju Love Hazbin Hotel -Summary: Valentino isn’t thrilled with Vox’s choice of movies but his ideas for a night out on the town prove they have more in common than they don’t and Vox is there for it. (for writtenwordsaloud)


No Such Thing as Ghosts Murder, She Wrote - Summary - When Eve begs Jessica to help investigate a historic property she’s preparing to sell as a B&B, claiming there are ghosts, Jess almost says no. Eve seems so worried, Jessica says yes. If nothing else, it might be a good plot bunny for her. (for spikedluv)


Hidden in the Pages Grimm - Summary - Rosalee and Monroe think they’ve found an important clue in the family journals. Nick can only hope they’re right. (for trobadora)


Troubled Waters Doctor Who - Summary Something is threatening the Roman bathes in Caerleon, Wales so the Ponds go to investigate while the Doctor is out taking Rory’s father sightseeing. (for 16jarrah)


Haunted Road Trip Prodigal Son - Summary - Malcolm and Edrisa set off on a road trip to check out an unusual unsolved case that’s interested the Killabustas and they get far more than they were expecting. (for badritual)

I also had a few other fills that weren't fiction

Also I have this meme from kingstoken which was the one (or very similar) to the one I wanted to do at New Year's but couldn't find it in my archive. I love this one.

AO3 Name: cornerofmadness

Total words posted in 2024: 377,539

Total stories posted in 2024: 88 (I think)

Fandom breakdown (Top fandoms):
Hazbin Hotel
The Owl House
Prodigal Son
Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Longest story: Hope Can Be a Cruel Gift Hazbin Hotel

Second longest story: Symmetry The Owl House

Shortest story: Keeper of the Pie Fullmetal Alchemist

Story with the most kudos in 2024: Sense of Necessity Hazbin Hotel

Story with the most comment threads in 2024: Where I have Lost I Softer Tread Prodigal Son

Story with the second most comment threads in 2024: Symmetry The Owl House

Story with the most bookmarks in 2024: Sense of Necessity Hazbin Hotel

Personal favorite from this year: Hope Can Be a Cruel Gift Hazbin Hotel I am incredibly proud of this one. In just a matter of months I wrote an entire novel in a brand new to me fandom that was well received and people want more. I plan for more.

Honorable Mention: In those same nine months I wrote multiple Hazbin series so I'm linking them all.

Surviving Horror Movies This was just silly (and sad) with Angel wanting to survive a horror movie (as he's making an erotic horror movie)

Fallen I am proud of this one following Angel from the living world, his death, meeting Val and finally to the hotel (I do need to fix a name in the first two stories)

All That Glitters Overlord Husk AU Everyone has a Husker Overlord AU, it's a right of passage. I'm starting the next story in line for this.



The Spider Brothers Overlords AU Angel can be more violent than a lot of fans give him credit (he's also smarter than they think) This AU is giving me a chance to explore that.

So many of us had a terrible 2024 and for a lot of us 2025 is cueing up to be just as bad so the less said the better. And no one wants to hear about laundry day, getting ready for work frustrations so let me slid right into the fanfic memes that I dug out of past years. There is one I've done multiple times that I can't find. I don't know what I tagged it or when I did it because it's gone (so I'm hoping someone in the flist does it because I know some of you have in the past, or hey I'm sure some of you will do a fun new one)

So this way to all the writing memes

But first have this meme I got from spikesgirl58 who gave me the letter L.

The Letter Game


If you want to play, ask me for a letter.


Something I hate: liars I guess. I mean we all lie from time to time but there are those who couldn’t tell the truth if their lives depended on it (looking at you, politicians)

Something I love: learning. I’ve been in love with learning my entire life. I don’t see that changing

Somewhere I have been: London. I was lucky enough to get about two full days there and hit a few of my bucket list places (Highgate Cemetery, the Tower of London) and while I’m not a city person, it’s hard to not want to do all the things London has to offer.

Somewhere I would like to go: Lisbon, Spain would be nice. I’d like to go back to Las Vegas too

Someone I know: L, my coworker.

Best Movie: Lord of the Rings and The Lost Boys


( a year in writing )

To go with the First Lines...( Last Lines )


( top most appreciated contributions )

I was setting the table and the bejeweled Christmas napkin rings cut my finger open. Side eyeing them so hard.

Today I didn't get nearly what I wanted to do done. I did post up 2 fandomtrees stories and thought about trying this open call that didn't get enough stories. My problem is I only have TWO stories with couples and neither are 21st century. Do I have time to do 5K + in the next few weeks...Hmmm Maybe one of you has something




Advent Joy

Day 17. Try a new recipe I went with this recipe from the Abruzzo region since that's where my family is from Ragù di agnello It came out very well.


Day 17 tea- Another literary tea, my favorite, Edgar Allan Poe which is lapsang Sou Chong, pue er and beetroot, I do love it.


As for fannish 50 I was thinking about what happens when your fandom becomes problematic such as anything by Neil Gaiman right now or Harry Potter. I was honestly debating should I watch the wizard baking challenge since I want no money flowing to that woman. The other day I saw someone on Bluesky saying if you mention HP they're blocking you because you obviously hate transpeople and are working against them if you stay with your comfort fandom.

I don't think it's as easy as that (or that's exactly fair) on the other hand I'm not out there buying their stuff either. There is no easy answers for that but it's been stuck in my head since I saw that post.

I'll be here for the duration of the holiday. Speaking of which I have not mailed any cards yet because I'm on the struggle bus (sorry to my overseas friends, yours will probably be late) That said if you still want a card you can check it out here. or if you prefer an ecard that's cool too

I went to the Abney Park online Christmas concert as well tonight. it was fun but on the other hand they wrapped it early like by 15 minutes. It was a bit disappointing, like you couldn't find 2 more songs (the concerts are usually 1 1/2 hours)

Since I didn't do much of any interest let's have the last two thefridayfive a day (and a week) late (because I really liked last week's but I was away at the con)

1. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a doctor and a archaeologist

2. Did you follow through? If not, what happened? Yes I was a surgeon then life took that away from me. (I still study archaeology on my own)

3. Is your life turning out the way you thought it would when you were a kid? If not, is it better or worse? No and it is not better. I loved being a doctor and losing that has left a stain on my life mentally and financially

4. Paradoxes aside, if you could time-travel back to when you were 10 years old, what would you tell your 10-year-old self? Apply to more medical schools, keep writing, insure your hands

5. Do you think the child you were, would like the adult you've become? Maybe? It's hard to be sure. I'm nothing like I was as a child



1. Take a book you've read. Now take the main character. put them in a band. What would the band's name be? How about a book I wrote These Haunted Hills I'd select Josh for the band. They would be the Moxy Foxy

2. What instrument would that character play? He'd play guitar

3. Who else would be in that band? Brendan would have to be there and Cass

4. Would they stay underground or get popular? Oh they'd get popular and have fun with it.

5. Why did you choose that book? because I wrote it and thought it would be fun to do this.




Advent Joy

Day 14- think about your achievements and set new goals. I was published in three anthologies and had one novel published this year. I have also finished a YA novel as well and my goal is to edit the novel. I would love a beta for it but at least I have one other set of eyes on it. Or even better get a few more people interested in my by email critique group.

Day 14 tea- Valentine's Blend, this is black tea with hibiscus, cacao nibs, more chocolate, pomegranate and raspberry. This is one I buy all the time. It's yummy.


Also the FeTV station has started rerunning the old Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I loved him best.

It was definitely that pizza that fucked up my sugar. I finished it today and my sugar is way high again. I've had other Private Select pizzas no issues, I've had hot honey pepperoni many places, no problem, it's this particularly pizza. Guess I won't be buying that again.

It snowed today. Not much, just enough to be pretty.

I stayed here and cleaned and tried to write. Is anyone else struggling to write fandomtrees stories? I have ones I can easily do but it's like where is my motivation? Sigh.




Advent Joy
Day 11 - have a virtual coffee date with friends/family. Done. I talk to my parents every night over tea, close enough

OMFG another tisane for the tea of the day. Winter Wonderland Rooibos: green rooibos, cacao nibs, cinnamon and 'winter wonderland' flavoring. It was...odd. I didn't like it at first but it got better but I wouldn't buy this one for myself.

And for the Fannish 50 let me queue up my favorite Galaxycon photos

( pictures under here! )


What I Just Finished Reading:

Wormwood - Susan Albert Witting not the best in the series but not bad (I'm not a fan of dual timeline stuff)

Blue Baby - FBI procedural (this was so misogynistic I was shocked a woman wrote it)

The Devil's Food Cake Murders - Joanne Fluke, ridiculous. I knew the entire mystery before the guy was even killed (I was right) and food everywhere, including talking about it in terms of the autopsy (did he get to eat Hannah's yummy cake.)


What I am Currently Reading:

Minstrels in the Galaxy (the SF anthology I'm in)

The Vanishing at Smokestack Hollow - true crime

The Lost House - icelandic noir arc



What I Plan to Read Next: working thru a bunch of mystery paperbacks to get them out of here.

I went through the fandomtrees spreadsheet for ones starting at zero and the ones I had already pulled off via tags earlier and started. One already has a ton of fills but it was paranormal experiences and I had that done so it's still going and another was recipes. I.e. Dana is doing the low hanging easy stuff.

there are actually a couple of Murder she Wrotes, a prodigal son too! As big as Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel is right now, it was NOT popular at this challenge. just two of us each (and I'm one of two in both). I was talking about this with a few others but these multi fandom challenges are getting harder and HARDER. There is podcast fandoms, your typical tv show/movie/book fandoms, video game fandoms, there seems to be almost no fandoms with more than 3-4 people in it and then people make it difficult with non-canon/rare pairings or no icons (and even I did that because I'm loaded with them now) I get the feeling we're seeing this at Valentine's Day....

But if you want to write/draw a little something for me my tree is here.

Today at the coffee shop, I said hello to the barista who was at galaxycon and then look over and see two of my friends from Athens there too. We talked a while. they were also were at galaxycon

Tonight I'm struggling because my sugar went well over 300 and I'm not sure why. I'll do the con pictures tomorrow.



Advent Joy

Day 9 - Look up to the sky and appreciate its beauty - Honestly I do like grey winter storm skies. Today there was grey puffy cotton candy clouds in part of the sky, rolling waves of charcoal grey and black ones going on and on unbroken to the horizon. Some had gold shimmery outlines where the sun struggled to break through. And on occasion the sun did shine through but it was silver like a metal disk.

Day 9 tea- Caramel Walnut Shortbread tisane. - green rooibos, Caramel Walnut Shortbread flavoring safflower and orange blossoms, tasted like liquid cookie, yummy but yes yet another tisane. Sigh.


Let's continue with the Music Monday and we're sharing songs that contain a certain color, starting with the rainbow and picking up a few of the other biggies down the road. Feel free to chime in with your favorite song(s) that follow the weekly letter. Hit me with your favs. I love hearing new music or revisiting older pieces. Indigo is the next color in the rainbow. I almost skipped it since it's been kicked out of the rainbow but I'm old and I'm keeping it in. That said I don't even need a cut because I know exactly two songs with indigo in it (and the latter I barely remembered).

However, Mood Indigo is one of my favorites.

This is the one I barely remembered and now I see why

Around 11pm last night I started getting sinus infection symptoms (because of course I didn't go for the sick cancelation insurance on my ticket) I hit it pretty hard with nasal saline but it took me until about 3:30 today to feel much improved (still damn tired though) I decided no to the Franklin Conservancy's lights because it too was 30$ and I wasn't sure I could hang in there to see it all and if I did would I be okay for tomorrow?

So I still didn't get anything cleaned (but I did get my next back procedure scheduled) Found out my fabric winter purse is too thick to use those push pin type of enameled pins well and somehow I've lost track of where my Fizzarolli pin went. sigh. Packed it up (forgot my lounge pants) and I'm at the casino. From here it's about 12 miles to the conference center so I can get up and get there while there's still parking and the line won't take up half my damn day.

Since I've been here last they've added Guy Fieri's Trattoria if I want over priced pasta. I decided yes I did but the wait was so damn long I almost left but she's like if you want to sit at hte bar you can eat now. Yes please. The pasta carbonara was very good, the Italian Manhattan wasn't worth the price but still good (god, when did cocktails become 15-20$)

From there I found a slot machine Devil's luck with a Helluva boss styled imp (okay I'm sure he was a fat little devil) and two fat nuggets pink piggie banks that said PLAY ME. Nearly lost 30$ in like 10 minutes (and I was bitching about the cost of dinner while I'm shoving bills into a machine like this was monopoly money) On the last spin before I hit my cash out limit I won 100$. I scurried off to my room after that.

And honestly I'm tired so as disappointing as it was to not go to the lights it was the right choice.



Advent Joy

Day 6 - Watch a funny video to lift the spirits: So easily done. Thank you Dylan Hollis for being so much fun. Ditto Reed Donat with your Hellaverse shorts

Day 6 tea is technically day 7's (it was a tisane so I switched it for 7) It was black currant (and they're supposed to be immune boosting). it was excellent. I need to buy this one from them.

My fic for the week

Title: My Bed at Three

Summary: Sometimes Angel wants the silliest of things. Who is Husk to say no?


Author Note - Written for spikesgirl58’s six word challenge and the six words were Use, Sass, Illustrious, Awake, Long, & Fantastic and for the allbingo prompt of body paint and the lyrical titles challenge for the prompt of Line from the chorus using Too Sweet by Hozier. You can find the song here.

( my story under here or at the above link )

Face From The Past. Fake

For What Is Telling Hazbin Hotel

Lieutenant Hornblower

Big Sister Torchwood

Krampus Claus is Coming to Town. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

the face I wear behind my grin Horizon

Sand and Water Batman

Just A Little Thing Helluva Boss

One Night, No Strings Hazbin Hotel

Unusual Excursion Torchwood

arms of a charming mistake Star Trek: Voyager

Cookie Time 9-1-1

Chill Overnight Hazbin Hotel

No Trip Could Be Too Far STargate Atlantis

The Tale of Josephine Lattimer Murder She Wrote & Supernatural

The Trade teen Wolf

I had a bizarre dream. The beginning is faded from my memory but I was somewhere with friends. We were going back home or at least to my hotel. I remember the GPS being too slow and I missed my off ramp which had happened before because I knew how to get back around but I missed another turn in the dark.

I was suddenly in a small village, completely lost. At one point I see a small church with a run down abandoned cemetery with the old style slate headstones, crumbling and broken. I drive into it but then the road disappears. Rather than put it in reverse I keep driving right over the head stones hoping I wasn’t breaking more, breaking my SUV and that no one saw me.

Once I get out of the cemetery (still lost) the road gets light…no, it looks like the graphics on a GPS at night, you know that white glowing road thing? I go to futz with my gps and I’m not alone in the car. My uncle (the one with brain cancer) is there and he’s young again, glowing (naked but sitting in a way you could barely tell.) I knew then he was gone so I asked him, are you crossing over? He said yes. Are you a peace? He smiled and I thought I need to call my parents and tell them he’s gone. (He isn’t by the way in spite of this feeling very much like a visitation)

I have accomplished so little with this day I'm not even sure where it all went. I got a little writing done and that's about it and oh boxed up gifts to mail.

I did the writing at the coffee shop which was still insanely packed on a freaking Tuesday (and so was Kroger, more packed than it was the Wed before thanksgiving! That lasted until an old couple sat next to me convinced I surely wanted to talk to them...

I need to send in 2 stories. I promised myself I'd be first over the door. Three days later, nothing from me. I'm terrible and sad.

I have to go back to Jackson because some fool who wanted her covid vaccine forgot to wear a shirt she could roll the sleeve up on...

If you want to get a holiday card from me (no need to send one back if you don't want to) you can head
here.

I got this advent thing from spikedluv and it sounded like fun.



Advent Joy It's a way of doing something good for yourself and others over advent (it doesn't seem to do alt text)

Let me catch up: Day one - list three things you're grateful for. My friends, my creativity and that I was allowed to do this sabbatical no matter how it has been turning out.
Day two - leave a review for a small business
Day three - thank someone for helping you. Thanks to evil_little_dog for all she does to help me, especially with my writing, all year.

And I'm doing a tea advent calendar from Simpson and Vail this time instead of Adagio. They didn't put the effort into the presentation...like at all but it's about the tea right?

1. Earl Grey - they're easing you into flavored teas with this one. Helps that it's one of my favorite teas

2. Joshua Tree Park - one of their National Park teas - green rooibos (which is much tastier than red which I dislike) yucca root, hibiscus (a no no for me but this amount isn't an issue) It's caffeine free and tasty

3. Acadia Nat'l Park - another national park tea, green tea, currants blueberry, oatstraw and blue cornflowers, very tasty as well. (and if you think you don't like green tea, try lowering the water temp (about 175) and steep time (2-3 min) to keep out the bitterness


Fannish 50. I was thinking of spin off fandoms. This is something that is definitely YMMV as to if you go into a spun off fandom. All the Star Treks for example, hard yes for me. Even Emergency! was a spin off of Adam-12 which itself spun off Dragnet.

I loved Angel as much as I did Buffy. I know many of you like all the 9-1-1s. Now there are others where being a spin off has not guaranteed I'd watch it, like it etc. For example there's a new NCIS this year. I was a fan of the original (not one that makes me create though) Didn't care much for LA or New Orleans. hated Syndey. Hawai'i was watchable. But in spite of its popularity, it got canceled to make way for Origins so that was strike one against Origins.

I was leery to try it. I am giving it a shot and honestly it's okay. The guy playing Franks is so spot on it's scary. But that's also a problem. I hated Franks. He's toxic masculinity personified and he mostly still is (I have noticed he's a bit mellowed) Not sure I'll keep it up though

You couldn't find a place to park in Jackson and my coffee house went from no one but me and a few others to people stacking up three deep along the walls waiting for orders. My parents ran into the same thing outside Pittsburgh to Mom's side of the family early Thanksgiving dinner that I missed and it was excessive in food and people so I can't be too mad I missed it.

On the way home I found Schmidt's Sausage Haus' food truck in Jackson. WOO HOO. It's one of the best restaurants (the main one in Germanvillage in Columbus) gimme that saur kraut and onion smothered frankfurter and a cream puff the size of my fist. That'll be 15$? take my money.


I did get some book shuffling done. What I need more than anything is room for one more bookcase or two in this place and it would look 100% better in here.

And I wrote this for comment_fic today. It's fluffy and hopefully fun.

Title: Another Sun That’s Brighter Still

Summary: Hell has frozen over and Husk and Angel are caught out in it. Husk, however, has plans to get nice, warm and snuggly.

Rating: teen

Author Note - Written for cozy_coffee in comment fic for the prompt Any, any, fuzzy and fluffy socks in winter and for the lyrical titles challenge for the prompt of folk song using the Italian folk song Ole Sole Mio sung here by Luciano Pavarotti & Bryan Adams. You can find the song here. It was also written for the allbingo prompt of slippers.

( story up at the link above or under here )


And here's a fun fandom meme I got from trobadora and shipperslist. Can't promise I'd give you these same 5 shows if you asked me tomorrow. I tried to give you a slice from the last 40 odd years

Rules: pick your five favourite TV shows (in no particular order) and answer the following questions. Don't cheat!
1. Star Trek: The Next Generation
2. The X-Files
3. Prodigal Son
4. Emergency!
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

( questions and answers under here )