I Wish Kinky Sex Ed Wasn't So Stigmatized Even Among Left-leaning "sex Positive" Circles. Everyone's

if you like crafting and also free things, might i suggest the antique pattern library?

it’s a not for profit that’s gathering books, patterns, and other materials related to crafting that are out of copyright (or getting permission from copyright holders in some cases) in order to share them online. they scan items, clean them up, then make everything available for free!

free things are great, especially when you’re just starting to get into something. like oh, i’m supposed to spend money on this hobby i just picked up 20 minutes ago???

the first time i ended up on the site, i seriously spent hours just trawling through everything. there’s the usual suspects like knitting, crochet, embroidery, but there’s also woodwork, calligraphy, and books on things like how to mount and frame pictures. with cross stitch patterns, they also make modern charts with the dmc colour codes available.

links to their webbed site and instagram:

https://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/

https://www.instagram.com/theantiquepatternlibrary/

behold, a glorious cat cross stitch pattern (link goes to antique pattern library page):

[image id: Multicolour charted cross stitch design of a cat sitting on a red pillow with tassels, holding a green ball]

From a friend: Google is so powerful that it "hides" other search systems from us. We just don't know the existence of most of them.

Meanwhile, there are still a huge number of excellent searchers in the world who specialize in books, science, other smart information.

Keep a list of sites you never heard of.

www.refseek.com - Academic Resource Search. More than a billion sources: encyclopedia, monographies, magazines.

www.worldcat.org - a search for the contents of 20 thousand worldwide libraries. Find out where lies the nearest rare book you need.

https://link.springer.com - access to more than 10 million scientific documents: books, articles, research protocols.

www.bioline.org.br is a library of scientific bioscience journals published in developing countries.

http://repec.org - volunteers from 102 countries have collected almost 4 million publications on economics and related science.

www.science.gov is an American state search engine on 2200+ scientific sites. More than 200 million articles are indexed.

www.pdfdrive.com is the largest website for free download of books in PDF format. Claiming over 225 million names.

www.base-search.net is one of the most powerful researches on academic studies texts. More than 100 million scientific documents, 70% of them are free

Yoooooo!!!!

itch.io

FilmCow Royalty Free Sound Effects Library by FilmCow

FilmCow Royalty Free Sound Effects Library by FilmCow

𝑪𝑼𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑴 𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑬𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀 𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑺 + 𝑺𝒀𝑴𝑩𝑶𝑳𝑺 ─ as someone who's always found it extra unnecessary but fun to have custom, cute tags for my blogs, here are a few custom ideas for you! you do not have to credit me, but please don't steal or repost (: a like or a reblog goes a long way!

𓍢 ・ your tag here.

⌗ tag.   ﹙ lorem ipsum  ﹚

꒰ lorem ipsum ꒱ ⌗ tag

𖥸 ─ your tag here.

୧ ও your tag here ଓ ৴

✦ ・ your tag here

⩇⩇:⩇⩇ lorem ipsum ᐢ. .ᐢ tag here

ׅ ࣪𓏲ּ ֶָ lorem ipsum ꞝ tag here

⌗ tag ⁝ lorem ipsum ( ☁︎ )

𐫱 › your tag here.

˖ ࣪ . ࿐ ♡ ˚ . lorem ipsum ⌗ tag

.　　. 　 ˚　. ⌗ tag

↷ lorem ipsum ꒰ tag   ꒱

𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐒𝐘𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐒

﹕ ⌗ 𐫱⠀ ୨⠀ ⋆⠀ ﹫ 𓂅⠀.　　. 　 ˚　. ↷ ・ ୧ 𖥸 ও ♡ 𖣠 ✿ ❛ ଓ ❜   ❟ ꒰   ꒱ ✧ Ꮺ ₍ ᐢ..ᐢ ₎ ✢ ∫ ∬ — ➷ ﹖ ！﹟ ◞ ◟ ◝ ◜ ┆ ५ ꒳ ✹ ᆞ ★ ﹏ ꧕ ╱ ܓ   〣  ꜜ 、˖ ָ࣪ ❅ 𖧧   ఇ - ̗̀ ̖́- ♥︎ ❥ ❤︎ 𖥻 ෆ ꩜ ⸙ ˖ ࣪ ˖  ╳ ❝ ❞ ⊹ ꛁ ꢂ

Let's talk about foreshadowing.

Foreshadowing can add a lot of depth to your writing and make it more exciting for the readers. They create a sense of coherence and satisfaction when future events unfold as hinted—or shock if they don't.

Here are some tips for effectively using foreshadowing in your novels and books:

Plan Ahead: Foreshadowing works best when it's woven into the fabric of your story from the beginning. As you outline your plot, think about key events and revelations you want to foreshadow, and strategically place hints and clues accordingly.

Use Subtlety: Foreshadowing doesn't have to be obvious or heavy-handed. The best foreshadowing is often subtle and understated, leaving readers with a sense of intrigue and curiosity rather than outright prediction.

Establish Patterns and Motifs: Look for opportunities to establish recurring patterns, motifs, or symbols that can subtly hint at future events. These can be visual, thematic, or even linguistic cues that tie into the larger narrative arc of your story.

Create Tension: Foreshadowing is most effective when it creates tension and anticipation for the reader. Use foreshadowing to hint at potential conflicts, obstacles, or twists.

Reveal Gradually: Foreshadowing doesn't have to be limited to one-off hints or clues. Instead, consider how you can layer foreshadowing throughout your story, gradually revealing more information as the plot unfolds.

Pay Attention to Timing: The timing of your foreshadowing is crucial. Introduce hints and clues at strategic points in your story, building anticipation and suspense without giving too much away too soon.

Revisit Foreshadowing: Ensure that foreshadowed events are eventually fulfilled or addressed in the story. Revisiting earlier hints or clues can provide a satisfying payoff for readers and reinforce the narrative coherence.

Balance Subtlety and Clarity: Foreshadowing should be subtle enough to intrigue readers without giving away major plot twists too early. Aim for a balance where foreshadowing is noticeable upon reflection but doesn't detract from the immediacy of the story.

Let's look at some ways to incorporate foreshadowing:

Symbolism: Symbolic imagery or motifs can serve as subtle foreshadowing devices. Think about objects, settings, or descriptive details that can serve as symbolic foreshadowing. A recurring image or object, for example, might subtly hint at future events or themes in the story.

Dialogue Clues: Characters can drop hints or make cryptic remarks that foreshadow upcoming events. Dialogue is a natural way to introduce foreshadowing without being too obvious.

Character Reactions: Pay attention to how characters react to certain situations or events. Their emotions or responses can foreshadow future conflicts or revelations.

Subtle Descriptions: Incorporate subtle descriptions or details that hint at future events. These can be easily overlooked on a first read but become significant upon reflection or when the foreshadowed event occurs.

Dreams and Visions: Dreams, visions, and other forms of altered consciousness can be effective vehicles for foreshadowing—they can hint at an upcoming event, or explore characters' subconscious desires and fears. This method can sometimes be either blatant or subtle depending on how it is incorporated.

Foreshadowing Through Setting: Use the setting to foreshadow events or developments in the story. For example, a stormy night might foreshadow conflict or turmoil ahead, while a serene setting might signal upcoming peace or resolution. (On the flip side, this can be used to catch readers off guard, like a "calm before the storm" type of situation.)

Parallel Storylines: Foreshadowing can occur through parallel storylines or subplots. Events in one storyline can subtly hint at future developments in another, creating anticipation and intrigue.

Recurring Themes: Identify recurring themes or motifs in your story and use them to foreshadow future events. These thematic elements can serve as subtle hints or clues for attentive readers.

Misdirection: Foreshadowing can be used to misdirect readers and create suspense by hinting at one outcome while actually leading to another. (See my post on misdirection for more!)

Happy writing! ❤

Medium

A beginner’s guide to publishing books on itch.io

There’s a high chance that you’ve never heard of itch.io. This website was originally — and is still focused on — highlighting indie game…

Hello! I spent several days putting together a guide to self-publishing books on itch.io, for anyone interested in a new platform.

I've seen a lot of success putting my books on itch, so I wanted to share what I've learned for a few years of working on it 📚

I was today years old when I learned that when you type “otp: true” in AO3 search results it filters out fics with additional ships, leaving only the fics where your otp is the main ship