Catch Me... If You Can

Happy Hallowe'en!

Been slacking off on the potterfests front.

hp_halloween on Dreamwidth is hosting a mini event today. Write a Hallowe'en double drabble (200 words) inspired by one of the provided prompts. You can find more information about the event here.

I read three showbiz danmei novels by Jiang Yu (将渝). Didn't expect all of them to be tearjerkers -- or that two of them involve the terminal illness angle. It's not really a gripe, but I do wonder why the main characters (who are actors) in the novels always pick the most depressing movies and TV shows to act in, and the roles they pick are almost always tragic characters who don't get a happy ending. This seems to be the norm in showbiz danmei novels in general.

Also finished Ji Mo Yao's (即墨遥) danmei novel The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth (反派们重生后都爱上了我), a deeply satisfying crematorium story with a sci-fi setting. This is a twist on what's essentially a villainess story, except the villainess in question is an ordinary 18-year-old boy who has some wits and half-baked acting skill in him and that's about it. There's an interesting plot twist at some point in the story, which was quite neat.

The author didn't state outright who the endgame is. Four of the five suitors have about the same amount of screen time with the main character -- and they have kissed the main character at some point in the story. Suitor number 5 is just kind of there, and it's obvious that he never had a chance. I quite like the way that the author went into detail regarding each of these five suitors' thought process and their feelings towards the main character. The story definitely kept me guessing who the MC will pick right up to the last couple chapters of the main story.

As promised to myself, here are more danmei novel reviews—and I got carried away.

"Going off script is a way of life—unless you are an actor acting in a film."

Chi Hai Yun (池海筠) is a relatively new author I'd come across earlier this September. Currently they have three finished books and one ongoing novel. Unusual for a danmei novel author, their first two books are anthology, though all the stories within the two anthologies share the same universe. One common thread that runs across Chi Hai Yun's entire body of works thus far is the Space-Time Administration, which governs countless micro-worlds to ensure that the main character in each world follows the script written by the world's consciousness. But of course, things don't always go according to plan.

Character-wise, the gong (top) is usually the main perspective character, and occasionally the POV would switch to the shou (bottom) and the supporting characters. Chi Hai Yun is fond of a specific type of main couple dynamic: a teasing older gong (sometimes by a few years, sometimes by several thousand years) who takes the shou under his wing; and a shou who is cold towards everyone else but agreeable and endearing towards the man he loves. They are rebels with a cause, and they can come off as ruthless and manipulative when it serves them. They are shades of grey, some of them a darker shade than the others.

Chi Hai Yun's stories are plot-driven with a healthy balance of romance. I'd say it's roughly 50-50. One particular theme that is prevalent in Chi Hai Yun's stories is the notion that you decide your own fate. A special mention goes to the writing itself. It's descriptive and atmospheric with a focus on the five senses. The result can be quite cinematic at times. It's the kind of writing style I love.

The reviews below contain very mild, non-specific, unmarked spoilers. Most of the details below can be gleaned from the synopsis and/or the first few chapters of each book.

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This is probably the shortest fall anime season preview I've written. There are lots of sequels this season. The nostalgia trend continues with a reboot of Cat's Eye (the first episode is already out) and the second season of Ranma 1/2. Disney Twisted Wonderland Season 1 will finally be out at the end of October.

As always, I'm only including the series I'm interested in. For a full list of anime airing this fall season, see AniChart.

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It's pumpkin season again; I got a reminder when I was grocery shopping the other day. Gotten through a hurdle that's been bothering me since last year, and I'm feeling more like my old self again.

About time to make a new post for the 2026 HP Fest Masterlists on potterfests. Will do that when the 2025 masterlist on LJ has reached the character limit -- or maybe I'll do that in October.

Speaking of which, there's been some talk in the HP fandom regarding the use of AI in fest submissions, including but not limited to fic creation, art creation, and fic beta-ing/editing. See HP Hedonism Fest (and about Grammerly) and Padfoot Fest regarding the mods' stance, i.e., banning any use of AI altogether. I wonder how the fest mods caught them in the first place. Maybe there's a program for it?

I don't get why someone would use AI for a fest piece. I was under the impression that if someone decides to participate in a fest in the first place, it's because they wholeheartedly wanted to create a piece of fanwork for the thing they love and are willing to put in the time and effort for it? The use of AI for editing and beta-ing is a bit more prickly. It's hard to tell whether the beta you find online is doing the beta-ing manually or using something like Grammerly to do it for them. One can only hope that they adhere to the honour system.

Anyway, my to-be-written danmei novel reviews are really stacking up. I'll write a couple shorter ones before the month ends. Haven't got started on the fall anime preview yet. At the moment, there are three to four series I'm interested in. We'll see how things go.

Still throwing around ideas for an original story. Currently building the main characters' profile in my head. (Maybe I'll try that thing that Zhichu talked about in her author's note.)

It's been a while. Hope everyone is doing all right. Autumn is here. Mid-autumn is less than a month away; Hallowe'en is less than two months away. I don't have anything planned for Hallowe'en. Still...

spook_me is happening again this year. This one is a multi-fandom prompt challenge with a horror theme. Sign-up is open till September 15.

Firewhiskeyfic is hosting a new round on October 3. This one is open to all fandom. Have a drink and start writing. Editing after the fact is not allowed.

There are lots of other multi-fandom events happening. Check out Fandom Calendar or Fandom on DW for more listing.

I've been listening to Faye Wong on repeat lately. At some point, the song "夜會" came up, and it just clicked in a way that it hadn't before. The guitar elevated the song into something more. There is a noirish, Portishead-like ambiance to it, albeit without the trip hop beat. And the lyrics is beautiful as always.

Been reading the danmei novels by 池海筠. When they wrote showbiz stories, the writing style became particularly cinematic. Lots of emphasis on light and shadow. Also, rain.

Kicking myself into posting something on here.

Minekura Kazuya is continuing Wild Adapter, and supposedly the manga will end at volume 8. Seven volumes are out so far, so the end is near, particularly considering the major plot point that happened right before the extensive hiatus. At this point, I'm just glad that Minekura-sensei decided to finish WA.

The rest is rambling about danmei authors since I don't have time to write proper reviews right now.

Been reading stories by Wang Sanshan (望三山), Lu Ye Qian He (绿野千鹤), Man Man He Qi Duo (漫漫何其多) and Zhi Chu (稚楚).

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Challenge 2: Tunnel of love.

The sudden realisation that I have encountered something special, predestined or by chance. My heart skipped a beat, and I held my breath, unable to look away. At first it was just a spark, but soon it grew into a flare. With happiness came a jolt of anxiety. I wanted to capture this moment and the feelings it stirred up in me. Ever so carefully I placed the flame inside a locked box in my mind as if locking away something precious. I wanted to keep it alive for as long as possible, knowing that this moment would not last. See? It had already faded into a distant memory of amber and sepia, a midsummer daydream with a bittersweet aftertaste. Still, I couldn't help but smile, for somehow we ran into each other in this vast expanse of space and time.

Note: I wrote this after reading the first arc of Zhichu's (稚楚) BE Crazy Demon Survival System (BE狂魔求生系统). "BE" stands for bad endings. The novel is about a danmei novelist known for writing depressing endings for his main couples. After his death, he must enter the world of his own novels, take on the role of the main character, and rewrite the ending into a happy one where the main couple gets together in the end. And in the process, he falls in love.

The writing is evocative and movie-like, at times lyrical. There is a sense of rhythm to the pacing. The way the author depicted emotions feels delicate and real, and some of the similes the author used are quite brilliant. You can easily picture the scene in your head.

I must say—I feel like I'm falling in love.

Danmei novel post.

Finished The Reviled God of Cooking Tries to Slack Off (万人嫌厨神试图摆烂 / 卷王躺平后变万人迷了) by Su Huai Huang (苏怀荒) a while ago. It's a career-oriented, crematorium story about an overworked ex-master chef returning to the past and changing his lifestyle for the better. Inevitably he's gradually drawn back to the food industry. Very heavy on the food industry main plot and very well researched.

Currently reading I Made the Top Star (我捧红了顶级流量[穿书]), also by Su Huai Huang. This one is a "transmigrated into a bleak, depressing entertainment industry novel" from the perspective of a top-tier talent agent-turned cannon fodder. The love interest is the actual main character of the say novel, but the MC doesn't know that.

Still in the midst of my Cyan Wings marathon, but I'm pretty close to the end. There are only a couple older stories I haven't read yet, and I'd like to reread Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know (魔尊也想知道). Cyan Wings' writing has a way of touching my heart and making me cry.

Currently reading The Heartthrob NPC in the VR Game (全息游戏里的万人迷NPC) by Su HuaiHuang (苏怀荒). A cannon fodder NPC became self-aware and is now testing the limit of what he could do within the game engine's perimeter to hopefully save himself from certain doom. It's quite interesting so far.

This novel has multiple layers. There is the main character's battle of wits against the game engine AI, the love interest's side of the story (he's the CEO of the game company and the game engine creator), the in-game main story about the conflict between gods and demons with lots of conspiracies flying around, the players' perspective both in and out of the game, and the game development team's perspective. It sounds like there are perhaps too many moving pieces floating about, but the pieces fit quite well together. My favourite part is probably the scene where the scenario writer talks about how the MC's action can be interpreted in different ways since the players aren't privy to his inner thought. (The MC is a metaphorical fox in sheep's skin, or in the tradition of Chinese internet speaks, a green tea character.)

Completely unrelated, Yofukashi no Uta got a new OP and ED by Creepy Nuts. Both the OP song and the OP credit sequence are really cool. Love the flamenco vibe.

Might try out the Sunshine Revival challenge when I have things to say.