Good news, folks! Thanks to a new wave of donations, the pledge drive is getting back on track! Huge thanks to everyone who has donated, some of you quite generously, and to those who helped spread the word.
I was really worried — terrified, really — that this was it for the blog, but you all came through in a big way and things are looking much more secure.
But we’re still not quite there. And so if you haven’t donated yet, please do!
You can also give by Venmo at David-Futrelle-1.
There are several more days to go in this pledge drive — though of course you are free to donate any time if you can’t swing it right now.
Thanks again! I honestly don’t know how to thank you all enough. Your generosity has really touched me deeply.
David
PS: I will have another post up in a few days in which I set out some plans on how to stabilize this blog’s finances so that this sort of crunch doesn’t happen again, knock on wood.
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@Lizzie
I tried being civil with everyone, and see what it got me? People conjuring up images of me jerking off or being dumbstruck by some pervert that likes to fantasize about hypothetical scenarios where I’m simultaneously drooling and shaking like a newborn pup as they crack the whip at me. Each and every one of your accusations is really just projection when you get down to it, but you all lack the self-awareness to see that. You just go about your days, thinking of yourselves as the good guys for doing fuck all and cowering in fear of the day that someone finds out what a fake you all are and how the convictions that you claim to hold so dear are just aesthetics to you, or things you claim to value so that you can feel like you’re doing something good for the world instead of just making more money for your bosses as you sit in front of your computer screens in your cubicles pretending to be busy.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this feller with the nom de plume from the genus larinae doesn’t know what prosaic means, and/or didn’t understand what I was saying. Perhaps, I slew myself with my own illustrative blade, having too much faith in teaching by example.
Did you though? Because what I see is that your first sentence is “Your site’s going down the drain, David” and your second calls him dull and a liar. Is that really trying very hard, love? We must at all times at least try to keep touch with the reality of our own actions and try not to lie.
Yes, I totally missed the posts where seagull said he tried to be civil.
Possibly we have different understandings of the word ‘civil’.
Here’s 12 rules for civil conversation, from 1692 (written 330 years ago): https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/etiquette/12-rules-civil-conversation/
Here’s something from three years ago: https://www.ncfp.org/2019/11/22/its-cool-to-be-kind-how-to-have-civil-conversations-in-todays-world/ and here’s a quote
“At its simplest, a civil conversation is a dialogue between two people or a group that intends to build a better understanding. Participants don’t have to agree—what matters is the act of listening to other people and learning their perspective. In that way, a civil conversation focuses on process rather than results. That means the conversation won’t necessarily reach a pat resolution or an answer. The point is to raise important questions and (hopefully) hear one another’s point of view.”
i know a few two-bit tabloids that’d be glad to have your sensationalist, slimy scribblings, David, worry not
Another day, another boring troll taking pride in his purple prose.
It’s so fucking gross!
No idea with whom it’s dealing. So fucking what? Let it slither and blather on.
@Seagull and Schmear
Your comments, including the first, are insulting characterizations and accusations about things you don’t show.
Why would anyone run to you?
@Stacey
Ma’am, my pronouns are “he/him” and not “it.” I suggest you follow the proper procedures here, and consider issuing an apology at your earliest convenience.
@VP
And what are you capable of writing of? Are you aware that I am a published author, in several publications of underground renown? I do not write for a mass audience, one that consists of such mediocre minds as the sort that would so foolishly display themselves on this blog.
@Brony
My first comment is not an insulting characterization, but a mere statement of fact. Nothing contained therein is untrue, and I stand by my depicture of this blog’s creator. It is not my job to merely heap calumny on David, but to educate any who would so chance to read my opinions.
@suspiciously-SRLO-like-troll:
Such as, say, the semen retention subreddit? Or maybe Stormfront or somewhere like that? :/
@ Seagull and Schmear
If you are suggesting we look to the Comments Policy, I would refer you to the part about how people who are, among other things, a “blathering dingus”, are not welcome here.
At any rate Mr. I’m-So-Much-Cooler-Online, care to explain what you are educating us on? Sounding haughty and pretentious? (It takes more than a little “I’m better than you” appeal to your own authority to impress people around here.)
@Seagull and Schmear
I just burst out into giggles. Of all the Mammotheers you could’ve asked….
Saying that you don’t write “for a mass audience” makes me believe that you’d have trouble selling copies to your own family. That doesn’t make you a good writer, though I applaud you for recognizing your limitations.
@ TyrantBitchGoddessStacey
Y’know, as annoying as the troll is, the bonkeyhead did remind me of a 2-book series you’d probably appreciate – The Clocktaur Wars by T. Kingfisher. The male lead is specifically described as a beautiful and very fit paladin (a friend of mine and I argue over whether Chris Evans or Henry Cavill should play him) who decides to take as his liege a petite woman. It’s a rather good example of how a buff good-looking warrior can dedicate his services (take that as you will) to a woman.
It’s not my favorite of the T. Kingfisher canon, but I enjoy re-reading it, and the paladin character would likely qualify under your standards.
I can honestly say I’ve been commissioned to write things. They’re generally hospital passes though. Like when I was asked if I’d like to do the new court martial manual.
“So it will take me a year to write, the fee will barely cover the print cartridges, it will be read by fewer than one hundred people, all of whom I know, and who will then just send me copious emails pointing out everything they think I got wrong?”
“Did we mention you get a free copy?”
@ VP
I bow to your excellent SFF writing/reading credentials. I am honestly jealous. I’ve been a jurist for the BFS Awards once, and I write a blog about books. I’ve written a couple of self-published novels and have contributed to anthologies and magazines on different subjects. My first love is fantasy, but Sci-Fi and crime come a close second. I was at FantasyCon last month (I hate London!) and at one of the talks, about mental health in SFF&H, an author mentioned a book he’s working on – a cross between Agatha Christie-type ‘Golden Age’ crime, and Discworld. I want it. Now.
I’m going to ignore the troll. I’m sure I’ve read that pompous, ‘I swallowed a thesaurus’, tone before. Either this site attracts verbose trolls or it’s the same person coming back for multiple verbal beatings because they think they’re clever *shrugs*. Humans are strange.
@Victorious Parasol
Thank you so so much for that recommendation. I love that motif! Not only the physicality of it, although that’s hot. It’s also that idea of a strong handsome physically fit man dedicating all that he is to the desires (physical or otherwise or especially both) of a sovereign woman. There’s so, so much to do creatively with those archetypes. And I think they truly can be archetypes and recognized as such.
I’m intentionally demanding and arbitrarily mean, even to my own guys, as part of making a creative point, extendedly, about women’s autonomy and patriarchy’s attempt to limit it. But they know that, obviously consent to it, and are co-creating with me as partners. They’re so handsome and gorgeous sometimes I dote of them seconds after screaming demands for worship. That’s part of the beautiful paradoxical tension of the art though. And it’s not as if they aren’t under my physical control anyway.
I don’t listen to men! I don’t fucking care what this one thinks especially!
How dare it @ me!!!
/~*
@TyrantBitchGoddessStacey
It’s a fun read, though it’s one of T. Kingfisher’s earlier novels, and she wrote it mostly for the fun of writing it. But you’d probably appreciate the order of paladins she created for the story – they’re demon-slayers, dedicated to the Dreaming God, and the Dreaming God has a particular set of requirements:
Handsome/beautiful – you only meet a male paladin in this story, but you meet one of his sisters-in-arms in another book, and EVERYBODY in-universe says, “Yeah, the Dreaming God likes ’em pretty.” The paladins themselves are pretty modest about it – they say that being good-looking makes it easier for them to give orders. ETA: The real-world equivalent may be “A handsome firefighter tends to be believed when he tells you to get out of the way.”
Physically fit – a lot of the demon-slaying involves dealing with livestock, so Dreaming God paladins have to be strong and have stamina.
Desire to serve – the Dreaming God’s paladins are basically motivated by being of use to others. If they can’t do their sacred duty, they tend to get depressed.
Oh, and as a side note, they aren’t sworn to celibacy. The order figures if the paladins are getting laid on a semi-regular basis, that’s one less temptation for a demon to use against them.
You also may like Kingfisher’s Swordheart, which again features a pairing of a woman and a mighty warrior sworn to her service. (He is literally willing to die for her.) I actually prefer it to the Clocktaur War books, in part because Kingfisher had had a chance to think through the worldbuilding a little more, but also because the female lead gets a lovely character arc where she ends up more confident and secure in herself. For his part, the male lead is from a culture where you’d better keep your bed-partner happy – it’s a religious commandment, in fact.
@RJ Dragon
Aww, thanks. Believe me, I have little illusions about my fame in the big picture – I barely qualify as a midlist author, but I’m pretty proud about what I’ve published.
I am always open to anything reminiscent of Discworld. GNU Sir Pterry.
*In the same tone as the Wayne character from the movie Evolution talking about dissecting a frog*
Technically I am an award winning author.
Ok, so it was a local contest for short stories and I really only placed because almost nobody else entered, but it was an award nonetheless. ;D
@Seagull and Schmear
No, you type “fact” when facts are things people can see for themselves. Since you’ve already decided you won’t show anything you literally have opinion at best.
And since you call opinion fact while refusing to show anything, I believe you are a liar. You’d go right to the education, and I don’t believe you will from here. You think opinions are facts.
This is just my ideal life.
I get glimpses of it through my creative work and love it and am willing to put in the huge amount of work it requires but that doesn’t mean I don’t truly want even more, because I do.
Thank you so much VP for this beautiful recommendation!!!
Can you describe in detail how David is mischaracterizing the manosphere, Smeagol? You’re gonna have to do better than your first comment for anyone to even start considering whether or not that’s true.
@TyrantBitchGoddessStacey
Hey, always glad to share book recommendations, especially for T. Kingfisher, who writes children’s books under her real name Ursula Vernon. I’m really fond of Swordheart because our female lead, Halla, starts the book out having had to fly under the radar and not make waves for most of her life, but that explicitly does not make her weak. But by the end of the book, she’s learned to better appreciate her strengths and generally leveled up, including taking control of her life and her sexuality.
Also, there’s a non-binary character, Zale, a priest of the Temple of the Rat God, who is AWESOME. Zale is not only an ordained priest but a lawyer, and you get to see both sides of their character throughout the book. Zale is the kind of friend I’d want at my side in a property dispute, especially when they get to be all snooty at people who have been treating Halla badly. (And they admit that they ENJOY getting to play the mighty lawyer at people who deserve it.)
Dear Seagull and Schmear:
Oh yeah? I’ll have you know that I’m a shareholder in a 2019 Hugo Award.
@Victorious Parasol
All this reminds me how I get so fucking angry that NiceGuys and other misogynistic manospherians don’t get that as far as I’m concerned “White Knighting” doesn’t mean fuckall shit IF THE KNIGHT ISN’T HANDSOME AND HOT.
I don’t fucking care how gallant and brave you are or think you are if you’re overweight with no muscle tone and look like a gross greasy creep. I’m not there for you to “defend” and I’m NOT fucking impressed by what you think is gallantry and I’m reviled by the thought of you.
@ any man who doesn’t like this
Fuck off!