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I've been largely absent here for far too long, but I've got a little burst of fannish joy I definitely want to post today.

I bid on the lovely artist pennydrdful in Marvel Trumps Hate last year, and she's now completed her illustration for my story Captain America Finds His Fella.

You can click on the image for a glorious full-sized version.



I'm an absolute sucker for stories where Bucky learned ballet while under control of the Red Room, and this story is my take on that. It's part of my Captain America Has a Fella series, where Steve reconnects in the present with one of the USO girls from the War Bonds Captain America show. Audrey is now an elderly ballet teacher who helps Bucky recover from his time as the Winter Soldier. The illo is from the scene where Audrey takes Bucky through a ballet class, while Steve watches in amazement.

You can go show pennydrdful some love on Tumblr here.

I was excited to find out that there's another Cap Reverse Big Bang this year. I'm still struggling to get writing and that's always been my fave Marvel fic event.

Then I signed up and found out that the claims period starts at EXACTLY the same time as the second concert I've bought tickets to in two years. (That would be Sparks, a band I had only a passing acquaintance with until I saw Edgar Wright's utterly wonderful documentary about them. The first concert is Nick Cave, in three weeks!) Now, I'm not saying I want yet more concerts to be cancelled because of the pandemic, but maybe I am? (My alternative plan involves taking the car to the concert, hotspotting my phone to my computer to do my art claim for the Bang, then showing up at the concert a bit late. The Sweetie looked at me like I was insane when I shared this plan, but after over 20 years, he should know I'm like this.)

Anyway, here's the trailer for the Sparks doc. It's fab! You should watch it!


In other Marvel news, I had to get the battery on my laptop replaced, which also meant replacing the bottom case of the laptop (thanks Apple), which ALSO meant losing the adorable and now irreplaceable Stucky stickers I've had beside my trackpad for years. Boo. But that also meant I could go to Etsy and find replacements. So '40s artist!Steve and army! Bucky have been replaced with these beauties.


Finally, I'm toying with signing up for Fandom Trumps Hate, but since the last time I participated I ended up turning my story in a year and a half late when my writing was derailed by a broken wrist, a concussion, and a worldwide pandemic, I'm a leetle gunshy about doing it. I may stick to bidding on some auctions. Or offering beta services.