Roar Cat Reads

Author: Trish

  • Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    The Emperor needs necromancers.

    The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

    Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

    Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

    Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

    Of course, some things are better left dead.

    Goodreads

    Reading Gideon the Ninth for the first time is a chaotic dump of dense entertainment; Rereading Gideon the Ninth is a masterpiece. The first time through, it took me about 100 pages to be fully invested in the story, though Gideon’s brash attitude and compelling internal voice (and external, to be clear) endeared me to her immediately. Still, it wasn’t until Gideon and Harrow left home for the challenges in Canaan House with other necromancers and cavaliers that I became fully invested. The second time through? I was all in, immediately!

    These girls! Gideon and Harrow are giant messes, and Harrow in particular is legitimately nasty. And yet I love them with my whole shattered heart! Muir’s characterization skills are flawless, and with each additional character she just keeps showing off by creating unique, fully realized people. Dulcinea! Palamedes! The aggrieved teens! Magnus and Abigail! Literally just everyone (except for you, Eighth House).

    I am not, and have never been, a goth lesbian, but WOW does this book make a compelling case. Admittedly. there is a lot of body horror in the story (skeletons galore, beasties and monsters made of bits of people), but Gideon’s upbeat personality makes it all bearable, and this is coming from a Very Squeamish Person. Gore aside, the worldbuilding of a magical system entirely centered on death is incredible. The fact that there are nine houses, each with a different way of manipulating necromantic powers, is truly mind blowing. The religion that is shared but practiced differently on each planet is morbid and wonderful, and I loved the reveal that the heavy-handed religiosity that we are introduced to via Harrow is considered archaic by the other houses.

    Okay, okay, let’s get into the plot. Necromancers and their cavaliers are sent to a mysterious house to solve the mystery of immortality – aka lyctorhood. Everyone immediately assumes it is a competition, which is ridiculously paranoid. Eventually the monsters force some to work together, but maybe the true monster is within the group?? It is a little slow to start, but as I said before, there is a LOT of information being laid out that becomes super important in both this book and the next (so much talk of eyeballs!). It is a wild romp, and I love everyone and everything about it.

    What Make This Book Queer?

    Gideon is a horny repressed jock lesbian, and she has got crushes on everyone – Dulcinea the sweet sick woman, Coronobeth the hottie, and Harrow the archnemesis! This book is fanfic tropes come to glorious life, and we do not deserve it.

    The relationship between Gideon and Harrow is particularly satisfying. They grew up together and they have MAJOR beef with each other. However, if you are a fan of enemies-to-lovers, then my friend. You will be delighted. I love a story with a “I hate you! OMG, you might be dead, NOOOO!” realization. They are traumatized by the slightest vulnerability in each other, and it is satisfying at a bone-deep level to watch them start to work together, respect each other, and trust each other.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • How do I make sure everyone is having fun at my D&D table?

    How do I make sure everyone is having fun at my D&D table?

    Dear Roar Cat,

    I am a new DM, and I find it difficult to manage my players’ different social styles. Some are eager to jump in, but others rarely speak up unless I ask them something specifically. How to I make sure both my quiet and my performative players are happy?

    Sincerely,

    I Just Want Everyone to Have a Good Time

    Dear I Just Want Everyone to Have a Good Time ,

    Group dynamics is one of the most difficult things to navigate in D&D, both as a player and especially as a DM. Ideally, you want all of your players to be equally engaged and contributing to the story. However, we all know that in reality, this is hard to achieve!

    The fact that you are already asking questions about this is a good sign. You are aware of your players and you care about making sure they are having fun. When you notice that some players are contributing more than others, ask yourself why there is a disparity. In general, it will be one of two reasons:

    Personality: People are different! A quieter player might be happy to sit back and let others drive the story, or they might wish they had more room to contribute. Those who are more gregarious love to take center stage to fill the necessary role of building story momentum, and they may or may not be happy to cede time to others when necessary.

    Conflict. In any group of people, conflict is inevitable. Learn to look for its early warning signs (passive aggressive behavior or comments, one person always getting their way, multiple players ganging up on another) and address the conflict as soon as possible. This can be as simple as a light-hearted “Wow, things are getting pretty heated here!” or addressing a specific player with, “How did your character feel when everyone did x?” Unaddressed conflict can build, leading players to become less and less involved in the game.

    Once you have identified the source of the disparity, you have a few options.

    • Keep checking in with your players, both in-game and out. During the adventure, ask your quieter players, “What is your character doing while Loud Player is acting?” This gives them the opportunity to contribute as much or as little as they like. Similarly, it never hurts to send a message to your players after the session, asking if everyone was happy with the amount of play time that they had.
    • Encourage quieter players. Intentionally make space for them by designing part of the session especially for them (a puzzle only a wizard can solve, an NPC from their character’s backstory who distrusts strangers, etc). Think about where that player has shown interest and enthusiasm in the past, then try to build adventures with similar hooks in the future.
    • If your showboater keeps talking over others or playing for them, this is a boundary issue. Start with a gentle reminder that the louder character is not involved in the scene or that they need to make space for others. If this doesn’t work, you might need to flex your communication skills outside of the session. These conversations tend to go more smoothly if you bring them into a positive plan rather than shutting them down. Try something like: “Help me bring ___’s character out (not as your sidekick); I think you would be really good at it!”

    As the DM, it is your role to manage social dynamics as well as the story. If you ask your players how they’re doing on a regular basis, and speak up for those who are quieter when necessary, you should find that everyone has the chance to contribute and have fun!

    Wishing you high charisma rolls,

    Roar Cat Reads

    Send your D&D questions to Dear Roar Cat Reads at roarcatreads@gmail.com.

  • Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

    Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

    Pet is here to hunt a monster.
    Are you brave enough to look?

    There are no more monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. With doting parents and a best friend named Redemption, Jam has grown up with this lesson all her life. But when she meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colours and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption’s house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth, and the answer to the question — How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

    In their riveting and timely young adult debut, acclaimed novelist Akwaeke Emezi asks difficult questions about what choices a young person can make when the adults around them are in denial. 

    Goodreads

    Wow wow wow! This 200-page YA novel dives into the darkest of topics within one of the brightest worlds I’ve ever seen created. In a utopian society that has eradicated “monsters,” there is no crime and no prejudice. This has led people to believe that there are no more monsters…but this assumption proves to be dangerous.

    This is a story that is all about appearances and heart, and how it is not easy to differentiate a monster from an angel (literally or metaphorically). I got some serious A Wrinkle in Time vibes from Pet when an otherworldly being is simultaneously scary and comforting while offering a young person a hard choice via fantasy philosophy. I hope it goes without saying that this is EXTREMELY MY SHIT, and I was very moved by Jam, Pet, and their interactions.

    The names in this book are very strange (from Jam to Redemption to Whisper to Bitter), but the story is remarkable. Jam accidentally summons a creature from her mother’s painting, a creature who looks monstrous but is built to hunt monsters…one of whom lives in her best friend’s house. Her parents don’t believe it’s possible, and I adored the themes explored around people’s fear of terrible things leading them to ignore the terrible things themselves.

    Although the label of “monster” makes the topics this book addresses a bit more palatable, I think it is only fair of me to acknowledge that there is child physical and sexual abuse in this book; it is not described, but it is known to have occurred.

    Which leads me to my one complaint about Pet. Well, not even the story itself, but the book cover and design. The short length and the bright purple cover with a young girl in pajamas on the front made me assume that this was a middle grade book. When the text said Jam was 15 and she said “shit,” I went online and saw that it is categorized as YA. This makes much more sense considering the dark themes of the story, and I wish this were reflected in its design.

    Pet is one of the best books I read in 2021, and I am very curious to read Emezi’s adult novels!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Jam is a 15-year old trans girl. She doesn’t speak often, preferring to sign her words instead. When she does speak aloud, it’s for something truly important. When she was three, the first word she said (yelled, actually), was “Girl! Girl! Girl!” Her parents took her tiny word for it and stopped referring to her as their son. Her knowledge of herself is respected regardless of age, and she is given access to the hormones and surgery that allow her body to develop in more feminine ways during puberty. This is all explained within a page or two as an example of how this utopia differs from our current reality. Other than this section (and I think one mention later in the book), Jam is always referred to entirely as a girl. It feels revolutionary precisely because it’s NOT the focus of the book.

    Non-heteronormative relationships are also displayed in Redemption’s family. He has three parents, one of whom is non-gendered and goes by they/them pronouns. Overall, this world is just blithely accepting of everyone, and it’s beautiful.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here!

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 5 RECAP – Truth

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 5 RECAP – Truth

    I heard that this is the episode that would make me cry. It didn’t make me cry, but it was SO GOOD OH MY GOSH I HAD SO MANY WONDERFUL FEELINGS!!

    First, we’ve got to start with New Cap (who will henceforth be known as John), who we left towering over a corpse with murder blood dripping from his shield. I was ready to throw him out with yesterday’s trash, but seeing him grieve Lamar made me unwillingly sympathetic. I should have expected this from all the other times they’ve resisted turning John into a cartoon villain.

    Sam and Bucky show up, and John is paranoid, thinking they’ve come to take the shield. I roll my eyes, but that is what they are here for! All three fight, and it feels a bit like the Civil War fight between Captain America, Winter Soldier, and Iron Man. He says the most white man thing imaginable: “Why are you making me do this?” Booo! He goes full crazy and screams, “I am Captain America” before attempting to BEHEAD SAM WILSON!? Oh man.

    Bucky swoops in and takes him out, and Sam picks up the shield. It feels very powerful to see a black man wipe blood off of Captain America’s shield. Chills! This episode is all about Sam deciding that he wants to take the shield, and it begins when he leaves his wings behind with Torres.

    John is formally stripped of his title as Captain America, and he calls out the US military for making him what he is. By this point in the episode my eyes were SO BIG because I could not believe that the Disney/Marvel/US military industrial complex was explicitly addressing racism and military misjudgments. And then Julia Louis-Dreyfus swoops in and steals the scene as an absolute show stopper with a purple streak in her hair. I love her immediately and I cannot wait to see what her role will be in future movies. She’s got to wind up in a movie, right? She’s such a big name!

    Karli and her super soldier friends find out that the refugees in Latvia have been taken because they abetted the Flag Smashers. It’s amazing how quickly I don’t care about this subplot anymore. I just want Sam and – oh okay, a quick aside of Zemo and Bucky at the Sokovia memorial. Bucky “shoots” Zemo with an empty gun, and it’s a very nice (though scary) display of the control he has over the murderous impulses Zemo once tried to harness. The Dora Milaje show up to take him away, and I am confident he will reappear in future Marvel properties.

    NOW we get to Sam, who is visiting Isaiah in one of the best scenes in Marvel history. Isaiah tells his story, how the US military experimented upon him, jailed him for saving his partners, and erased him for 30 years before a nurse had pity and smuggled him out under the pretense that he was dead. By then, his wife was gone, and he had lost all respect for America.

    “You think things are different? You think times are different? They will never let a black man be Captain America. And even if they did, no self-respecting black man would ever wanna be.”

    Honestly, I would have been crying at this point if I weren’t so damn shocked that the show was allowing black pain and righteous anger to take center stage. I’m just white girl; I hope this meant a lot to black folks who are watching. I can’t wait to scour Twitter to see how all of this went over for people who understand far more intimately than I ever can.

    Sam goes back to Louisiana, and the heaviness is balanced with the charm and hopefulness of community coming together to fix the family boat! Bucky shows up too, and hits on Sarah. Now, I am a huge Stucky fan, but I was INTO IT. He also brings Sam a gift from the Wakandans, which we don’t get to see. I am also VERY INTO THIS, because I think it heralds a fundamental shift in the Marvel universe. Tony Stark, rich white guy, is no longer the supplier of cool tech. The Africans will take that over, thank you very much!

    AND THEN John visits Lamar’s mom and family, and I am fully struck by how unusual it feels to get to see a black family mourning the untimely death of their son. MORE OF ALL OF THIS PLEASE! Unfortunately, John says that the man he killed was responsible for Lamar’s death, which isn’t true! He’s telling himself lies to make him feel better.

    We get a brief scene of Sharon talking to Batroc on the phone, saying she got him out of prison, This confirms that she is the Power Broker, right? There’s not much more time left in this show, but hopefully she will have a bigger part to play in future movies! It would also be awesome to show more consequences of the US government forgetting and abusing people who are not straight white men!

    Bucky awakes on the couch to little black boys playing with Captain America’s shield and my heart fell out of my butt I love this episode so much! Sam and Bucky practice with the shield outside, and Bucky confirms that Steve talked to him about his plan, which is a nice BFF acknowledgment. Then he admits that neither Steve nor Bucky understood what it would mean to hand the shield to a black man. I am 100% sold on this show now; it would have felt disingenuous for Sam to immediately take up the mantle of Captain America without having space to work out if he wants it or if America deserves it.

    The vulnerability continues with Bucky breaking every heart with, “That shield’s the closest thing I’ve got to a family.” Sam is a super stunner with his warm but no- nonsense counseling advice. This scene, more than any fight, made me see Captain America in him. I am so ready for Sam Wilson, Captain America!.

    I’m really glad that Sam saves his decision for his sister, though. This is a conversation that needs to happen between family, between people who understand the struggle of being a black person in the USA.

    “What would be the point of all the pain and the sacrifice if I wasn’t willing to stand up and keep fighting?”

    That’s the most Captain America thing I’ve ever heard!!! We are treated to a solo Sam montage with bicep closeups and subtly patriotic shirts. It is working, because I am feeling patriotic; give this man America! He does parkour and everything!

    It is so anticlimactic to shift focus back to Karli, who gets bombs or something from Batroc and demonstrates how many people are on the Flag Smashers side. They act like zombies, and in NYC, the GRC are in trouble. I don’t care!! Just give me more Sam!

    We do get one last glimpse of Sam, finally opening the box from Wakanda. Is it new outfit time? We don’t get to see, and for once I’m excited for a week’s worth of speculation about what it will look like. Personally, I am very torn between wanting it very patriotic (THIS is America, bitch!) or something entirely new for a new age. I will likely be happy no matter what.

    Oh, and we get a mid-credits scene of John making his own shield. We’re done with you! I only want Sam in Louisiana with his family and future brother-in-law Bucky.

    That was an emotionally intense episode!
    How does your enthusiasm compare to mine?
    Leave a comment and let me know.

  • Hiking the Baden Powell Trail

    Hiking the Baden Powell Trail

    From Lynn Canyon to Deep Cove

    One of Rachel’s goals is to hike the entire Baden Powell Trail in North Vancouver, which stretches 45.5 km from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. There is no way that we are capable of doing this in one go, so we’re breaking it into chunks. Last fall we hiked from Grouse Mountain to Lynn Canyon (before the blog, so no written record), and today we knocked off another section, from Lynn Headwaters Regional Park to Deep Cove!

    Distance from Vancouver: 16 km

    NOTE: This is a point-to-point trail. You will need to park on one end and arrange transportation to get you back to where you started.

    Length: 16.5 km
    Elevation Gain: 600 m
    Time: 5 hours

    Our stats

    First things first: 16 km is longer than you think! Because we started at Lynn Canyon, we were going downhill for most of the first couple hours of our hike. I was feeling very cocky until we paused for water. “We’ve got to be almost done, right?” I asked. No. We were only a third of the way along the trail, and spoilers! The rest was not as easy.

    This is labeled an intermediate trail, and while most of it is tended very nicely with platforms, steps – you know, hiking for dummies stuff – there is a section that is a lot more scrabbling up the trail and hoping you’re still on the trail. If I hadn’t already hiked 10 km, I probably would have found it enjoyable to hop from rock to branch. But my knees were tired, and it felt like it took forever to break past the halfway point of the hike.

    However, the hike is truly beautiful. There are bridges over waterfalls and rapids, pools, forests full of green, backyards to make you jealous, and the occasional open space to keep the views fresh. As I write this, it is early spring, and the bright green mosses and tiny budding flowers along the trail reminded me why I love living in Vancouver. This trail is definitely worthy of attempting.

    By the time we got to Deep Cove, we were exhausted. This trail was a stretch for us, but wow did we feel proud of ourselves by the end!

    The Out of Shape Hiker’s Statistics

    Can you take your grandma on this trail? No. In addition to being long, there are some sections (mentioned above) that are not paved, and it is difficult terrain.

    Does the trail have Instagram picture spots? Yes. In addition to general BC forest beauty, there are overlooks in front of rivers and waterfalls, and the Quarry Rock overlook in Deep Cove is part of the hike.

    How many times did we get passed? Five. Normal hikers passed us, older hikers passed us, and towards the end, we shared the trail with mountain bikers and runners. We did pass one group, though, so we’re not the most out of shape!

    Is the trail dog friendly? Yes. Dogs are allowed on leashes throughout, and off for some sections. However, many people had dogs offleash throughout.

    Challenge Rating

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Have you hiked the Baden Powell trail from Lynn Canyon to Deep Cove?
    Leave a comment and let me know about your experience!

  • Black Sails Season 1 Episode 6 Review – VI

    Black Sails Season 1 Episode 6 Review – VI

    The costs of chasing the Andromache continue to mount.  Eleanor needs Silver’s help.  Billy wants Gates to confront Flint.  Bonny takes a stand.

    (Summary provided by starz.com)

    REWATCH Q&A

    Q:  Why doesn’t Mr. Scott help the slaves on the Andromache?

    A:  He says it’s because Flint’s plan to pursue the Urca gold and establish a self-ruling Nassau will lead to Eleanor’s death, and I think he’s telling the truth.  But I also think he’s hurt by Mr. Guthrie’s betrayal, and feeling rather hopeless.

    “I know what he says.  He says in Nassau a slave can be free, get a job and a wage.  Maybe for him, he’s strong.  A few others.  The rest of you, don’t kid yourselves.  You are cargo in Nassau or otherwise.”

    BEST FLINT MOMENT

    Flint didn’t really have a fists-in-the-air moment this episode, but he did look HELLA FINE when he went to investigate the slaves’ secret flag message.

    tumblr_omvx8luPls1sxtc6ro3_r1_540

    TODAY’S RUNNER UP

    Anne!!  FINALLY our girl gets her moment to shine.  From the first time we see her guarding Max’s tent against Asshole Pirate (I accidentally learned his name this episode, but I refuse to use it) until she jerks her hand away from Max and says, “I didn’t do it for you,” she gets some CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!  She feels so strongly about protecting Max from further rape that she even teams up with Eleanor, a pairing that is quite formidable.

    Why did she do it?  We know from a previous episode that Anne has experienced sexual assault in the past (and Jack warns her that her actions might end with her in the tent being abused with Max), and she likely feels guilty at her role in putting Max there in the first place.  Is there something more?  Time will tell, and I’m thrilled to finally know her a little bit more.

    LOL MOMENT

    No real laugh-out-loud moment in this episode.  It was excellent, but pretty bleak.

    WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

    From my actual notes:

    • YASS slave revolt!!!
    • YASS pirates helping!!!
    • YASS awesome slave woman!!! (later discovered her name is Eme)

    This episode gave us smart, ambitious, fierce African men and women!  I loved the conversations between Mr. Scott and Eme as she tried to convince him to help their efforts to escape.  I loved the reality of his hopelessness, but more than that I loved Eme’s insistence that even if they are not all free in Nassau, it is still a better option than remaining chained.

    The fake-out (“Mr. Scott NO – Mr. Scott YES”) was handled so well, and it pained me to realize that this was probably the first time he’d ever killed a man.  Later when Eme is given the narrative privilege of killing Captain Bryson and she exchanges a look with Mr. Scott?  WOW.  She is everything.

    I also really loved the unspoken cooperation between pirates and slaves, beginning with a white flag, then a dropped iron peg.  The scenes in which the pirates rhythmically chop the hull to pieces to cover the sound of the slaves escaping their chains actually made me cry.  And although the pirates could have left the slaves to fight the Andromache crew alone, they burst in to fight together!!  It’s SO GREAT, and I *ahem* am so excited for similar events in the future.

    BlackSails-106_1740

    FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

    • This episode is DARK – thematically and visually.  It all takes place at night, and the scenes’ darkness feels pretty oppressive at times.  I’m ready for some sparkling blue water again, please!
    • I didn’t realize in the last episode that one of the pirates Eleanor chooses for the consortium is Tits Pirate, and I love it.  He is excellent in this episode, countering everyone’s pessimism with a bleary, “I don’t know.  Perhaps you need to have a little more faith in people.”  And he’s proven right!
    • We get a real sense of what kind of couple Jack and Anne are in this episode, and the kind they are is Awesome.
    • Anne plans to murder eight of their crewmen without Jack’s knowledge, but her plan includes him backing her up.  This is the first instance of the blind faith they have in each other, and it never fails to make me feel all the Feelings.
    • “When you and Miss Guthrie were plotting this little coup, when she asked you, ‘Well shit, Anne, what makes you think old Jack will go along with this plan of ours and not plead the truth to his men as he’s most certainly going to feel duty-bound to do?’  What did you say?”
      “I told her given the choice between them and me, you’d choose me.”
      “That’s very fucking touching.”
    • Jack/Anne, proving you can be touching and sweet without being sickeningly sentimental.
    • Miranda and Pastor Lambrick talk again, and we get more information about her life with her husband.  It’s also super interesting that she’s betrayed Flint but is completely sure that he will not harm her.  And then, you know, the sex.  I still don’t know how to read this.  Is she trying to shame him?  Free him?  Is she just lonely?  Her face as she holds him looks pretty happy, but I just can’t understand why she wouldn’t go for literally anyone other than him.
    • The melody that’s been paired with Max several times throughout this season sounds so much like the hymn “What Wondrous Love Is This” which includes the really haunting verse: “When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down / When I was sinking down, sinking down / Beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul.”  The imagery definitely fits Max’s story so far, but I’d love to know if Bear McCreary intentionally chose this melody to be her song!
    • Silver realizes that Eleanor helped Anne for two reasons:  to rescue Max, and to reassure the pirates revolting against her that she is not to be taken lightly.  I’m appreciating Eleanor so much more during this rewatch!
    • Flint shows that he definitely does know the names of his crew members, which means that scene in episode 1 where he said “who’s Billy” was indeed just him fucking with Billy.
    • Speaking of Billy.  RIP.  I would feel worse about it, but he doesn’t know how to leave well enough alone!  Gates was COMPLETELY right that this was neither the time nor place to be investigating a mysterious letter whilst in battle.
    • POOR GATES.  Billy was a son to him, and his face during the burial at sea definitely showed he has his doubts about Flint’s role in Billy’s death.  Flint’s face is giving nothing away, but we have to wait to know how this will all pan out!

    ACCUMULATING QUESTIONS

    • Who was that other man (not Jack) with Anne when she murdered Asshole Pirate and friends?

    Not done reliving the episode?  Listen to Daphne and Liz’s podcast at Fathoms Deep!

  • Terminal City Tabletop Convention with Andrea Driedger

    Terminal City Tabletop Convention with Andrea Driedger

    On Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, Terminal City Tabletop Convention (TCTC) hosted its annual event, online for the second year in a row. I had Twitch on the TV throughout both days to watch as games were played. In particular, I was eager to see how the RPG Free Spacer could run, and Rachel participated in a playtest run of ‘Tis Mutiny, a pirate card game. Eager to learn more, I reached out to Andrea, one of the co-owners of TCTC to find out more about the convention and about the nerdy community here in Vancouver, BC.

    By day, Andrea Driedger (she/her) is a communications specialist with the local school district. By night, Andrea is a storyteller, roleplaying gamer, board gamer, bibliophile, writer, introvert, cancer survivor, and drinker of ALL THE TEA. She co-owns Terminal City Tabletop Convention (Vancouver’s tabletop gaming convention) and Adventure Dice (a tabletop gaming online store) with her husband, Blair. You can find her on socials @wisdomcheck. 

    Andrea, when did you become a fan of tabletop games?  

    I’ve been playing tabletop games since I was a kid. Whether it was family Monopoly marathons, or getting my butt kicked at Scrabble or Hearts, games have always been part of my life. When I was in university back in the aughts, I joined an online, post-based, Star Trek RPG. It’s really what introduced me to the bigger world of gaming. I’d had an interest in D&D, but the group I tried it with wasn’t the best introduction to the game. The interest waned until I met Blair at a convention, who opened the door to tabletop RPGs and other board games. 

    What is your favorite tabletop game and why?

    That’s like having to choose my favourite book! Yikes! If I had to pick one, I’d say Pandemic. I love cooperative games. You get to win together or not, and nobody feels like they got the short end of the gaming stick. It’s easy to teach, but still offers a lot of strategy.

    I know that you have participated in TCTC since it’s very first year.  How has the con changed in the years since then?

    It’s definitely scaled up in size. Going from the Firefighter’s Club in Burnaby to three rooms of the Croatian Cultural Centre has definitely been a big change. It’s given us the opportunity to add a dedicated RPG room, a small space for vendors, and more game play tables. I know events can sometimes lose that magic when they get big, but TCTC has been lucky to have been able to keep its heart and community intact even as it has grown.

    When did you and your husband Blair begin working/volunteering with TCTC?  What prompted you to do so?

    We both have a passion for sharing our love of gaming with others. We’d run a few small board gaming events with friends in the past, volunteered at some other conventions, hosted board game nights at our local FLGS, and even run a charity RPG event. Shannon (TCTC’s founder) had made a post looking for extra help as the convention was growing, and we knew it was a good opportunity to help our local gaming community.

    What has been the hardest part about organizing a virtual convention?

    Last year it was pivoting from an in-person event to an online event with two weeks’ notice. This year I think it’s been screen fatigue. Everyone is tired from being online so much more, so trying to come up with ideas that would motivate folks to be online for another two days felt tricky. But our community is so supportive and passionate about TCTC, that it didn’t end up being an issue at all.

    What is the most rewarding part of organizing TCTC?

    Seeing someone discover a new favourite game, no matter if they’re totally brand new to gaming or they’ve been playing for years. 

    Did you come away from the con excited to play any new games?

    I am really excited for Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum from local designers Hot Banana Games. This was their second year demoing at TCTC and their game looks like a lot of fun (and super adorable and delicious too). I mean… mini foam dim sum pieces?! 

    What can we look forward to from TCTC in the future?

    I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re just excited to hopefully be able to get back to in-person events. 

    What else would you like people to know about?

    We hope folks will join us June 5-6, 2021 for Andrea’s Adventurers Charity RPG Livestream! We’ll have two days on the TCTC twitch (@terminalcitycon) featuring some fun RPG adventures while we try to raise $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. More details coming soon, but if you watch the TCTC, Adventure Dice, or my own twitter accounts there will be more details coming soon. 

    I’ve got Andrea’s Adventurers Charity RPG Livestream in my calendar, and I am already looking forward to playing new tabletop games at next year’s Terminal City Tabletop Convention!

    Did you attend TCTC this year? If so, did you fall in love with any new games?

  • You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

    You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

    Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

    But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

    The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

    Goodreads

    You Should See Me in a Crown is a YA novel about prom that captures the high school experience in a way that actually makes me remember high school fondly. Yeah, it’s that good. I think it’s a mix of pop culture, swirling emotions, and combined fear and excitement about the future.

    It’s a little ironic that this book reminded me of my high school experience because I didn’t go to prom, but Lighty’s band geekery (woodwinds, represent!) made me so happy. I also resonated with her realization that although some popular kids are evil, most of them are good people who are fun to be around. I distinctly remember that experience during my senior year, and it made me wonder how different the previous three years might have been if I hadn’t been so committed to the nerd vs. popular crowd cliché.

    This IS a book that’s all about prom, and holy cow, does Lighty have to jump through hoops to try to win the crown. There is entirely too much volunteer work and event participation required, but despite my skepticism as to its basis in reality, it was a good set up for fun moments, from a bake off food fight to a football massacre.

    As much as I love the romance in this book (and we’ll get to it), one of the things I loved most was Lighty’s friendships. She’s got a great girl squad, but it’s her complicated relationships with Jordan and Gabby that show real depth and offer some lovely sentiments about forgiveness. And you know I love a platonic guy/girl friendship!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Liz Lighty has already come to terms with her attraction to women before this book begins, and she’s out to her friends and family. However, she keeps her sexuality hidden from the world at large, and I appreciated her hesitancy to come out in a small Midwestern town when she’s so close to escaping to a bigger, less homophobic world.

    This becomes much more difficult when she meets Mack, and omg, their relationship is so cute! Introducing a love interest with her defending the protagonist against a racist comment and casually being all, “I have a rule that I speak up when people do or say racist stuff” is excellent. I am also in love!

    My only complaint is that the drama in their relationship hinges on a lack of communication, and that is my absolute least favorite reason for drama. I get that Lighty is self-conscious about her family’s financial status, but it doesn’t feel that weird for a high school student to need a $10,000 college scholarship.

    Luckily, this is a YA novel, and….spoilers, I guess….but things wind up okay! I really loved every beat of Lighty’s experience of being outed and then supported. It gave me such “the kids will be alright” feelings.

    Oh, last thing: Campbell Confidential sounds terrible – do schools really have their own social media apps now??

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

    Find more books nominated for Lambda Literary Awards reviewed here!

  • D&D Monster Fight: VROCK vs. DRIDER

    D&D Monster Fight: VROCK vs. DRIDER

    Rachel and I both DM separate Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. In an effort to improve our knowledge of D&D monsters and fight more creatively, we decided to challenge each other to a duel.

    ROUND TWO
    Vrock vs. Drider
    Challenge Rating (CR) 6

    The setting: A 100 ft long section of a shady forest.

    Our battle begins when Razorbeak the Vrock stumbles into a dark patch of forest claimed by Helob the Drider. Helob hides, readying an action until Razorbeak is within range. When the vrock is 30ft away, Helob casts Bane! Razorbeak responds with the single use action Stunning Screech.

    Side note: both of these actions would have been more effective if Helob had companions. Stunning Screech would have affected the whole group and Bane, as we will see, is less effective when you are fighting an enemy alone.

    The screech leaves Helob without movement or any useful actions, so the vrock gets a second turn, swooping in with its beak and claws. When he is able, Helob responds with his sword, clasped in two hands to deal maximum damage. The vrock has greater movement, but with no ranged attack has to keep swooping in. The drider, on the other hand, can switch between sword and bow as needed. 

    On one swoop past Razorbeak releases a cloud of Spores, gross. The spore release becomes a feature of the vrock’s tactic for the next few rounds, and it is quite effective when Helob finally fails his constitution saving throw and takes poison damage. He takes that damage again at the start of each turn until he makes a successful save, a couple of bad saving throws are what turn the tide of this battle.

    Up to this point, the drider had the upper hand with three attacks per turn compared to the vrock’s two. Hello is landing more hits, and thanks to an AC of 19 he is able to dish out more damage than he is taking. This would be especially true if the vrock were not immune to poison since the drider deals additional poison damage on top of the damage done by his weapon.

    Choking on Spores each turn, not even two natural 20s can save the drider. It is a close match! The vrock only has 13 HP when the drider finally falls, its legs curling inward, its face twisted and riddled with spores.

    WINNER: VROCK

    The Takeaway

    Tricia aka Razorbeak the Vrock

    This time, I chose a vrock so that I could have a flying monster after my struggles running a Vampire Spawn against a Cambion.  This made it easy to swoop in on the drider and get away each turn.  However, because the drider had long-range weapons, this wasn’t as big of an advantage as I had hoped.  I liked this fight because it truly felt equally matched – my vrock was easier to hit (AC15) but took less damage (cold, fire, lightning, bludgeoning, slashing, piercing resistant), whereas Rachel’s drider was more difficult to hit (AC19), but if I did, the vrock’s attacks hit hard.  The vrock’s Stunning Screech felt a little bit wasted against a single opponent.  I would love to use it against a party of adventurers and cut through an entire round of attacks.  Perhaps I will…heh heh.

    Rachel aka the Drider

    I chose to use the spellcasting variant from the DM manual, but I found the spells did not really help me in this fight as they seem to be geared towards pre-combat or are only effective against humanoids (hold person is not the same as hold monster). I thought casting Bane early would give me a nice advantage on top of an already beefy AC19 but with no one else around to draw my opponents attention I found that the spell ended quickly when my concentration was broken by taking damage. Essentially I had the choice of foregoing attacking to maybe avoid taking damage for a round or two; the better option seemed to be charging in with the sword. 

    Two of the drider’s attacks deal additional poison damage and with the vrock’s immunity to this extra damage, the edge was taken off my monster. Six of my attacks would have dealt an additional 4 points of damage…with only 13 HP deciding the fight, that was important. Lesson: immunities and resistances matter.

  • All Systems Red by Martha Wells

    All Systems Red by Martha Wells

    In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

    But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

    On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

    But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

    Goodreads

    Martha Wells has written a series of novellas and occasional novels about Murderbot, a security robot that I adore. I mean, how can you not immediately fall in love with a character and a story that begins with “I’m a murderbot, but instead of murdering I’ve watched 35,000 hours of tv.”

    All Systems Red is a fun sci-fi adventure story about a group of scientists on an unexpectedly hostile planet, whose work is being sabotaged for some unknown reason. But the plot is entirely secondary to the character of Murderbot, whose hacked governor module allows it to think and act freely. Since it is essentially made of weapons, this is highly illegal. The joy of the book comes from Murderbot slowly having to open up and trust the team it’s been hired to protect. Relationships? Feelings? AGH.

    “Talk to Murderbot about it’s feelings? The idea was so painful I dropped to 97% efficiency.”

    Murderbot reads like someone who has social anxiety or is on the autism spectrum. It hates having its face exposed so that everyone can see its expressions, and despite its increasing fondness for the team, it would feel a lot more comfortable if it could just watch its soap operas alone, thank you very much.

    This book is super short, so there is no excuse not to read it. Please do so immediately – it is very nearly perfect.

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Murderbot describes itself as having no gender or sexual parts, which is perhaps not unusual in a robot. However, Murderbot truly seems to be written as queer, specifically agender and asexual. While watching its serials, Murderbot says that it fast forwards through sex scenes, then explicitly clarifies that this would likely be the case even if it had sexual parts.

    Side note: The audiobook that I listened to was read by a man, which felt very heteronormative. Most sci-fi books about sentient robots are male-coded, so I get it. But when the text intentionally challenges this assumption, it would have been nice for the audiobook to have been read by someone who identifies as genderqueer.

    That’s not the only queer thing about All Systems Red, though. The series is set in a future that embraces relationships of all kinds. During one scene, Murderbot describes the team it works for as a hodge podge of crushes and relationships that transcend genders. Toward the end of the book, established triads are also mentioned.

    Basically, the queerness of the Murderbot series is baked into the world, and I can’t wait for real life to catch up.

    Want more? Check out this interview with Martha Wells.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 4 RECAP – The Whole World is Watching

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 4 RECAP – The Whole World is Watching

    I am now officially confident that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would have been better if it had been released all at once rather than weekly. Every episode I start with low enthusiasm, but by the time it’s over I’m eager for more. In contrast, WandaVision was a perfect show to be released weekly, because it left us each week with a mystery to discuss and unpack. TFATWS is just one long story that loses momentum when it’s cut into chunks.

    Anyway, this was an episode all about Ideas. In particular: Can black and white heroes exist in a grey world? I have to say, I like it! The show could use some space to breathe and show rather than tell quite so much, but I’m really enjoying how I find myself sympathizing with everyone, even nincompoops running around Latvia in red, white, and blue with a shield complex.

    We start with the best scene of the night (objectively? Or only for Bucky fans?) in a Wakandan flashback to Ayo helping Bucky break free from the words that have controlled him for decades.. Um, it’s like, really beautiful. I did not expect to be hit with Feels right away!

    However, in the present moment, Ayo is PISSED that Bucky freed the man who murdered King T’Chaka. She gives him 8 hours to use Zemo before the Dora Milaje bust in (I am already excited for them to bust in, and spoilers, it’s very good when they do!)

    Zemo and Sam set up the basic argument of the show. Now that Karli the super soldier has starting killing people and setting demands, Zemo believes she is a hopeless supremacist who cannot be unradicalized. Sam empathizes with her motivation and believes he can change her mind about her methods if he can just talk to her. They stop arguing about philosophy to grill people about the location of Donya Madani’s funeral. Sam and Bucky get nowhere, but creepy songs and Turkish delights is enough to get Zemo the answer. He tells the children that Sam and Bucky are bad men, not to be trusted, but this does not pay off at any point in the episode. Strange.

    Sharon makes some guest appearances to heighten the general tension of the show, insisting that Madripoor is going to get nasty now that the guy who creates super serum is dead. I…really hope Sharon is the Power Broker.

    In a runner up for best scene of the episode, Karli and her friend push a SECRET TOMB BUTTON to uncover their SECRET FANNY PACK OF SERUM. Then Karli’s friend admits that he didn’t think there could be another Captain America until he met Karli, outlining the conflict of who gets to be hero quite nicely.

    “Today’s heroes don’t have the luxury of keeping their hands clean.”

    Sam is going to put his philosophy to the test; he gets ten minutes to connect with Karli before New Cap and Hoskins will ride in. He’s doing great, and they are really connecting! I am simultaneously so happy to see Sam using his counseling skills and so furious that they are literally having a conversation about oppression, and Sam is not allowed to explicitly name being a black man in a racist world. C’mon Disney! You’ve honestly surprised me with some heartfelt commentary on racism in America – just name it!

    New Cap screws everything up by guilting Bucky into distrusting Sam’s abilities. Zemo escapes, shoots Karli, and takes the serum….just to destroy them! Interesting! When New Cap knocks Zemo out, he gets creepy music AND a creepy head tilt before stealing the last vial of super soldier serum. This won’t end badly!

    Zemo and Sam continue their philosophy talk, and just when I’m ranting about the rich man deciding that gods can’t exist among normal people, Sam is all, “Isn’t that how gods talk?” Yeah, Sam! Unfortunately they are interrupted by New Cap, who no longer opens doors. He kicks them open with patriotism! The Dora Milaje arrive to apprehend Zemo, and New Cap TELLS THEM TO PUT DOWN THEIR POINTY STICKS. Neither Ayo nor I are having any of this patronizing bullshit, and they utterly hand his ass to him. This is also a runner up for second best scene in the episode because of three delicious moments:

    1. Zemo calmly drinks while fighting rages around him.
    2. Bucky’s poor confused face when Ayo ninja pokes his arm off.
    3. A Dora Miljae holds Captain America’s shield! (All too briefly.)

    New Cap feels bad that he’s losing fights to non-serumed soldiers, and just when I’m at the height of hating him, he wins my sympathy. I really like that he asked Hoskins about the serum, and it made sense that two military men would see its potential for good as outweighing its risk. This line also really hit me, so much so that I was ALMOST distracted from noticing that his profile looks very much like Mr. Incredible’s.

    “Three badges of excellence to make sure I never forget the worst day of my life.”

    Woof.

    Karli calls Sarah and threatens her children in order to get her to arrange a meeting with Sam. Karli! You could have just asked! Sam is very much in your corner. Which he says when he meets up with her, though he takes Bucky against instruction. It goes badly, because of course it was a trap to lure New Cap to his destruction. It is revealed that he took the serum just before Karli leaps in and super serum kicks Hoskins in the chest. It is…brutal. New Cap is MAD, and I don’t blame him. The episode ends with him chasing Karli’s super soldier friend through the streets of Latvia before caving in his chest with THE ACTUAL SHIELD of Captain America IN PUBLIC while people are filming him.

    This cannot end well.

  • Final Fantasy 8 – From Galbadia to the Assassination

    Final Fantasy 8 – From Galbadia to the Assassination

    Read the first section of my FF8 replay: From Balamb to Timber.

    We’re starting off hot with this observation: Why does Zell squat so much?? I didn’t really talk about Zell much in the first section of the game, and spoilers: I won’t be talking about him much in this section either. He is a perfectly adequate character whose defining qualities are “antsy” and “loves hot dogs.” Is he anyone’s favorite character? I would love to know what appeals to you!

    • The second Laguna vision takes place in a location that I do not remember.
    • This whole Esthar flashback (name known only because of save point labels) is pretty boring, though I do enjoy Laguna tossing Kiros and Ward off the cliff and then hesitantly lowering/falling himself.
    • It drives me CRAZY that no one cares about figuring out why they are having group hallucinations!
    • Galbadia Garden is rad. I like that it shares a similar aesthetic to Balamb Garden with the circular central location, but it is much larger and has a skate rink!

    The group finds out that Seifer is “dead,” and everyone is pretty thrown by it. Quistis thinks this is a good time to mention that she never liked him, and I am still so annoyed at her terrible instructor/student boundaries! Rinoa opens about meeting him at age 16. He made her feel like she could take on the world, and I ship them. Despite the game beginning with a cutscene in which Squall and Rinoa fall into each other’s arms, it is very clear that, as they are now, they are not a good fit for each other. I’m excited to see what will happen to make them a better match.

    • Raijin and Fujin don’t believe that Seifer is dead. If he wasn’t revealed shortly thereafter to still be alive, this would be incredibly heartbreaking.
    • We meet Irvine Kinneas, who in his introductory cutscene looks very much like a very sexy lesbian.
    • Before heading to Galbadia, I ducked back to Dollet, which has recovered from the earlier attack remarkably well. I played a lot of cards here, and I love the mini side game where the kid paints bones onto paintings to reveal the hiding spot for small treasures.
    • Before you can get very far in Galbadia, you are sent to the Tomb of the Unknown King to prove your mettle. I still remember the key to getting through without getting lost: always turn right. In the end you get the Brothers GF, which is very cute but whose fight scene is just too long.
    • At Caraway’s mansion, we learn that General Caraway is Rinoa’s dad! That’s a fun little bit of family drama, though I can’t help but wish this were explored more. A modern game would let you explore the house, and I want to do that so badly (especially since we later learn that there are secret passageways)!
    • QUISTIS!! Just when I start to like her for being firm with Rinoa, she goes and jeopardizes the mission because she decides she wants to apologize RIGHT NOW. Gah!
    • Rinoa is also being very teenagery, sulking on the floor and waving her dad away. Her idea with the bangle is good, but it’s way too late to try something new.

    Sorceress Edea is genuinely creepy. Even with the blocky graphics, the scene where she possesses Rinoa and hangs her by the arm is spine-tingling. She starts a speech by calling everyone “filthy wretches” and threatening to kill everyone…and then kills the president. Everyone cheers for this? It is not clear to me at all why everyone is going crazy for her. What does she offer them? Are they not scared??

    Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination.

    Sorceress Edea

    I mean, I guess that’s appealing, but what does it mean? And no one cares when she sends monsters careening through the street? Whatever, dudes, I would have been SO out of there.

    • The parade animation is super rad with the dancers and everything. It strikes just the right note of creepy and exciting.
    • Squall and Irvine save Rinoa, and she is shaking with fear! But Squall shrugs her off because he is still an emotionally unavailable jerk. Do better, Rinoa!
    • However, I do like that Squall tells Rinoa that Seifer is alive.
    • We flash back and forth to Quistis, Zell, and Selphie making their way through the sewers, which involves an annoying amount of junction switching. Also, the second they descended into the sewers, I had a flash of 11-year-old me fear. I hate that place!
    • Back to the good stuff on the carousel, where Irvine says that he always chokes. I have to wonder, why was he assigned on this mission, then??
    • Squall encourages Irvine, telling him to think of the shot as only a signal, and I think this is the first time Squall acts like a real leader. Go, Squall!
    • Cool cutscene time! Squall fights Seifer one on one, before Rinoa and Irvine join him to fight Edea. I’m glad I remembered the trick to use Carbuncle to reflect her third level magic!!
    • “A SeeD, planted in a rundown Garden.”
      Me: Oooooohhhhhhh.
    • The scene ends with Squall getting stabbed! It would be scary, except that he falls…so far…off of a parade float?

    This is where Disc 1 ended in the original game, right? It certainly feels like a significant transition point.

  • The Great Canadian Dog Cakes

    The Great Canadian Dog Cakes

    A Spotlight on Queer-Owned Businesses in Vancouver, BC

    The Great Canadian Dog Cakes is a local small business run by Olga and Natasha Vernev. They make healthy dog food as well as truly beautiful dog cakes and cookies that can be purchased on their website. I reached out to Olga on Instagram and asked if she would like to be interviewed for Roar Cat Reads. She very kindly agreed. I hope you enjoy getting to know Olga, Natasha, and The Great Canadian Dog Cakes as much as I did!

    Hello Olga! You were recently interviewed by Vancouver Magazine, and I highly recommend that all readers head there to read your story.  Both of you were born and raised in Russia and endured homophobia in many forms before escaping to Thailand and then Cambodia. You were eventually able to immigrate to Canada through Rainbow Refugees.  What has been your experience living in Vancouver as a lesbian couple?

    The first year in the life of an emigrant is called “the year of rose-tinted glasses”. Everything seems extremely magnificent, and your head spins like a weather vane. In addition, one of our great desires came true – we ceased to be a sensation for others. It became clear that all of our social self-defense mechanisms were completely unnecessary in Vancouver. When you are a lesbian in a Siberian city far from a somewhat more tolerant capital, you have to behave like a mongoose in a danger, using your appearance to show that you are a much more threatening and dangerous person than you really are. In Vancouver, it became obvious that those around us were not going to make comments or look at us like exotic animals. And, goddess, people smile at each other easily and help each other without expecting anything in return. In four years here, we have only twice encountered someone’s rudeness. It is very different from being faced with rudeness twice a day! Returning to the pink-tinted glasses, one of our friends who observed our enthusiasm for Vancouver and its residents in the first days after landing, said, “Live here for six months, and I will ask your opinion again.” Well, several years have passed, and we are still delighted.

    You brought your Scottish terrier Speilberg with you to Vancouver.  Tell us a little about him!

    This is a special dog in the sense that for many years, I dreamed of getting a Scottish Terrier and calling him Spielberg. I have had a childhood fixation since the time when Enid Blyton’s detectives about Five Find-Outers became available in Russia. The Scottish Terrier Buster was there, and he stole my twelve-year-old heart. Natasha gifted me the puppy for my 30th birthday; we didn’t know then that we would leave Russia in seven months. Spielberg’s passport name is Cynic In A Scottish Skirt, but we renamed him because such a long name is inconvenient to shout when your puppy is eating trash outside.

    His socialization in Siberia was impaired because his childhood fell in the winter when long walks are difficult for both dogs and owners. So he was raised by two cats who lived with us in those days. Since then, he is confident that he is partly a cat. His two main hobbies are standing in the doorway and sleeping on our chest. In Thailand and Cambodia, he had almost no friends. All of this ended when we brought a dog to Canada who did not know how to wave its tail and had no idea why it was needed. But here in Vancouver, he learned how to use it! 

    Olga and Natasha, you are both romantic and business partners.  How do you manage both of these roles in your relationship?  What is the hardest part?  What is the easiest part?

    We overcame the hard part of our business and romantic relationship while traveling in Southeast Asia. In the three years we spent there, we found ourselves in a situation in which some families found themselves occasionally in a lockdown. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We were both constantly together, and we often had to look for a way out of difficult situations. I think we got to know each other again, and our roles were finally determined. Natasha has a lot of business experience, and she knows how to think globally, plan in large strokes, and predict major turns on the path of development. I’m more focused on details. Once upon a time, it seemed to us that this major difference would interfere with any of our business cooperation. Later we realized that these are not opposing ways of thinking, but complementary to each other. In a romantic relationship, it works the same way.

    The Great Canadian Dog Cakes is a play on the television show, The Great Canadian Bake Off, correct?  What inspired you to choose that name?

    Yes, it is. You know, there is an assumption that immigrants who come to Canada become extremely patriotic. I can’t say for all the immigrants, but it was definitely true for us. We wanted a big and loud name for our company, and certainly a Very Canadian name in honor of the country that accepted us when our homeland actually abandoned us. But naming a business is very difficult when you have an intermediate level of English. The word playfield is reduced to the size of a tea saucer. In any case, a week after the opening, we found ourselves in the nice company of Тhe Great Canadian Dog Academy and The Great Canadian Dog Food. so we won’t brag about the originality of the company name. But this name gives us a sense of belonging to something big and significant. The feeling of belonging to this country and to the people around us. This greatly motivates us to do our business well and to be useful.

    What products are you most proud of selling?

    Instead of talking about a specific product, I will speak about the technology we are proud of. Natasha managed to invent a cream that is even more attractive and healthy for dogs than those used in dog baking. We wanted special frosting, and Natasha spent two months experimenting with potato and yogurt cream to get it. Seriously, we constantly had a fridge full of experimental cakes with frostings of slightly different compositions. Natasha checked every day how its appearance and taste changed during storage. We were not satisfied with the results. The main problem was that frosting instantly lost liquid, and in a day, even the most beautiful cake was covered with ugly cracks. Natasha added and removed ingredients. We were almost ready to abandon this idea, but just a few days before the opening, Natasha managed to find the perfect balance between potatoes, yogurt, peanut butter, and broth. We got the dream cream. It is similar to human cake cream and is easily stained with natural ingredients. Some owners of our furry clients have tried it and say that it is not bad!

    What products are your best sellers?

    We are very surprised by this, but in fact, our most popular product is homemade dog food. We have a hypothesis that this was influenced by two factors – the haste of the modern world and the desire of dog owners to feed their pets the same healthy food as they would choose for themselves. People do not always have time to cook something healthy and balanced for their puppies from vegetables and real meat. It is nice to know that many people trust us to do this for their dogs.

    What can we expect from The Great Canadian Dog Cakes in the future?

    Expect us to evolve into The Great Canadian Cat & Dog Cakes. We’ve got a lot of requests to take care of the cats in this city, so we’re busy researching the technology for making healthy cat treats and cakes right now! We would also like to launch our own pet food line, but these plans are so far on the horizon that they are difficult to see through the fog.

    Roar Cat Reads is a blog for nerdy, queer content.  What is your favorite queer and/or nerdy book?

    After the fall of the USSR, Western culture came to us slowly and adjusted for the cultural preferences of consumers. Natasha and I still laugh that our first feminist literature was written for us by Stephen King and Andrzej Sapkowski. Now it is difficult to call any of this feminist literature, but for the 90s in Russia, “Rosa Marena” and the female characters in “The Witcher” produced a strong impression.

    We read a lot, but there are not many queer books in Russian translation. We arrived in Canada with almost no English. Now, a few years later, when we read (still slowly but with great pleasure), we were bombarded with a ton of interesting books with queer characters. The last thing we read was Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. One Russian blogger wrote that it resembles “Warhammer”, created by a goth nerd, and we agree with that 100%. And right now on the home shelf, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon is waiting for us. We look at it with impatience, but in the first month after starting the company there is too much work, so the books will have to wait a little longer.

    As for non-fiction, we highly recommend the collection of stories from real people Basically Queer, edited by Claire Robson, Kelsey Blair, and Jen Marchbank. This is a whole kaleidoscope of stories and reflections about the formation of the queer movement and the emotions of the community. If someone wants to learn sensitivity and respect for others, this book will be the best textbook.

    Thank you so much for talking with me, Olga! Where can people find The Great Canadian Dog Cakes online?

    We invite everyone to join our Instagram @thegreatcanadiandogcakes. Every day dogs eat something delicious, and we have some fun atypical photoshoots for dog cookies coming up. If you would like to celebrate something with your puppy, or just to please him with healthy homemade treats and meals, we invite you to our website thegreatcanadiandogcakes.com.

    A Customer’s Review

    “When I first got Mala she had a lot of stomach issues, which I was able to help with switching her to a raw and fresh food diet.  I found that finding treats that were raw or not heavily processed was next to impossible.  Mala and I do a lot of training through Agility, Scentworks, recall on hikes, and posing for Insta photos, so finding raw and fresh treats that also motivate her is really important to her diet, as well as making sure she isn’t left with stomach issues after being given treats.  

    The Great Canadian Dog Cakes has done a fantastic job at combining both fresh ingredients, and ones that Mala likes and is motivated by!  She has now tried all their different flavours and loved all of them (although the Beefy Crunch and Cheese Milk Bones were her favourites).  I love that I can get not only a big cake for special occasions like her Gotcha Day and Birthday, but also smaller heart cakes because I love to spoil and surprise her!  All that at a reasonable price, supporting local, and not upsetting her stomach?  I’ll take that over heavily processed treats from Big Box stores, any day!  We will be trying their stews next!

    The dog community has always been incredibly supportive and inclusive, so I am also thrilled that Olga and Natasha are able to support this community, and in turn, the dog community can support the LQBTQ+ community as well!”

    -Kim (and Mala) from @furociouslypawsome

  • Black Sails Season 1 Episode 5 Review – V

    Black Sails Season 1 Episode 5 Review – V

    Flint and the Walrus crew play a deadly chess match on the open sea.  Richard forces Eleanor’s hand.  Rackham makes a career change.  Bonny confesses to Max.

    (Summary provided by starz.com)

    REWATCH Q&A

    Q:  Why is Mr. Scott on the Andromache?
    A:  Because Mr. Guthrie betrayed him!! How did I not understand this the first time through??

    BEST FLINT MOMENT

    The show starts out VERY strong with a conversation between Flint and Billy discussing both trust and leadership.  They walk such an interesting and fine line between admiration and suspicion!

    Billy:  How can you pretend you don’t have any doubts about this?
    Flint:  Years of practice.  There’s always doubt, Billy.  No sane man would deny that.  No good captain would acknowledge it.

    And then Flint proceeds to lay out every possible outcome of their chase, assuring both Billy and us that yes, he is in fact a tactical genius.

    TODAY’S RUNNER UP

    I would give this to Billy for his brilliant turn as quartermaster (especially in using Positive Manipulation to empower Dufresne), but I’ve got more to say about Eleanor, so I’m going to give it to her.

    When her father cuts his ties with their business in Nassau and runs, Eleanor refuses to let her life’s work go to waste.  She forms a consortium, choosing the exact right people who are low enough on the pirate totem pole to be grateful for the chance to serve her.  And in diffusing power, she also diffuses responsibility the next time a mob appears on her doorstep.

    I also adore her defense of Max.  Everyone insists it was Max’s choice to stay with the Ranger crew, and I earlier defended this viewpoint, but Eleanor is totally right when she says, “She chose it.  She chose it.  I’ve been repeating those words to myself for well over a week and I find them wanting.”  Who expected Eleanor to be the voice of morality on this show, huh??

    Finally, in the wonderful words of Jack Rackham, “To assume we’ve seen the last of Eleanor Guthrie is, well, not to know her.”

    LOL MOMENT

    There was no true laugh-out-loud moment in this episode for me, but I do love Jack’s conversation with Mrs. Mapleton and especially the camera-pan to his scruffy puppy friends lounging in the background.

    WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

    This is our first real look at pirate boarding strategy, and BOY IS IT GOOD.  Even better on rewatch when I could finally understand everything that was going on.  There’s so much!  It’s wonderful to see the roles of every crew member, from Captain Flint, who plans the strategy, to Quartermaster Billy, who explains it to the crew, who carry it out.  AND WHAT A STRATEGY.  Using a sharpshooter to make the Andromache’s helmsman lose grip on their wheel so that the current will bring their ship alongside theirs so that they can board?  IT’S BEAUTIFUL.

    Alongside the strategy, we get to see the crew up close as they prepare, putting on their Pirate Outfits and Paint, looking fierce but hiding from gunshot until the time to board has come.  We see how they psych themselves, and others, up, whether that means lying about being invincible or kissing their sword for good luck.  And then, WOW, is it such a good move to have us board the Andromache with Dufresne.  It’s his first time experiencing the fear and the chaos and the bloodlust, and we truly get a sense of how kill-or-be-killed the experience is.

    After all that…the quiet aftermath, and PART TWO because this is secretly a two-parter and we have to wait until next episode to find out how Flint will finish taking over the Andromache!

    FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

    • “Who’s Mrs. Barlow?”
      “You’ve heard the stories, haven’t you?  She’s a witch who pledged my soul to the devil, and anoints me with the blood of infants to keep me safe in battle.”
      “Come on, I’m not stupid.”
      “No, you’re not.  So you can probably guess it isn’t as much fun to tell stories about how your captain makes a home with a nice Puritan woman who shares his love of books.”
    • Jack Rackham now owns a brothel!  This is problematic, but less so than Noonan, who was AWFUL.  Also, Jack is either a terrible or a genius negotiator, giving Mrs. Mapleton a raise from 3% to 40%.
    • It is SO REWARDING to see Billy and Flint working together successfully and nodding in happiness at each other.
    • The Asshole Pirate is truly reaching new heights of Assholery, and I hate him.  MAJOR PROPS to Eleanor for powerfully walking towards him as he threatens her.
    • This is the episode when Anne becomes a fully-fledged character!  First she and Jack have a lovely moment where she wants to kill her problems and Jack is all, “darling, no,” and then we get her coming to help Max.  When she takes the horrific 1700s abortion machine away from Mrs. Mapleton and does it herself, we see a gentle Anne for the first time.  When she shares with Max a story of her own reaction to sexual assault (cutting off a dude’s balls), you see just how brutal you have to be to survive as a woman during this time period.  And WOW, the sadness of this:
      “You were the one who threw me to them in the first place.”
      “I only thought they’d kill you.”
    • Flint and Gates are Billy’s dads.
    • Vane loves that Eleanor is stronger than him, and this will never not be attractive to me.
    • And now we get to see “civilization”s true face:  the respectable Andromache is actually a slave ship.  As if that weren’t dehumanizing enough, Captain Bryson is willing to kill women in order to force a man to go above decks on a suicide mission.  Grossness on top of grossness.
    • Speaking of grossness.  Mr. Guthrie SOLD MR. SCOTT INTO SLAVERY because he sided with Eleanor, and this is The Worst.
    • Before realizing there are slaves aboard, Flint wonders why Captain Bryson wouldn’t fear them burning the ship and killing everyone aboard.  It’s because Bryson (who represents Civilization and England) knows that Flint (who represents Piracy and Self-Rule) would never massacre slaves.  😦 I am dead now, RIP me.
    • Silver does not know how to shut up, even when cuffed to a couch, to everyone’s benefit.
    • I’m not sure what to do with this:  “Guilt is natural.  It also goes away if you let it.  But losing your life’s work, that doesn’t go away.”  It is definitely a very Silver thing to say, but I can’t tell if the show wants us to agree with him.  What do you think?

    RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

    • Is it TRULY so important to have an extra pair of (unskilled) hands boarding an enemy ship that they’d risk their only crewman who is good at maths?  Hmm.

    Not done reliving the episode?  Listen to Daphne and Liz’s podcast at Fathoms Deep!

  • More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

    More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

    Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, part Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Adam Silvera’s extraordinary debut confronts race, class, and sexuality during one charged near-future summer in the Bronx.

    Sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness after a family tragedy leaves him reeling. He’s slowly remembering what happiness might feel like this summer with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, but it’s his new best friend, Thomas, who really gets Aaron to open up about his past and confront his future.

    As Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron discovers things about himself that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is?

    Goodreads

    I can’t say I liked this book, but I’m so glad I read it and I want everyone in the world to read More Happy Than Not.  I read the entire thing in one night: it was wholly engrossing, and then the plot kicked me upside the head and I learned a new kind of desperation for MUST READ.  This is not a feel-good book, but it might leave you feeling….no I can’t do the cheesy “more happy than not” line.  Because honestly, I closed the book feeling more UNhappy than not.  I tend to expect my YA books to have happily ever after endings, and this one was serious is a wonderful but disconcerting way.  

    More Happy Than Not is an intersectional LGBTQ+ novel, telling the story of young gay teenagers who live in poverty as people of color.  I really appreciated Silvera opening my eyes to the stories of men like Aaron…even though this is also, technically science fiction.

    And isn’t that so cool??  That I would wait until the end of the second paragraph to mention that there’s a sci-fi element, the Leteo Institute, which can alter and erase people’s memories.  Silvera masterfully creates a not-too-distant future that, for once, is far more about the things that are similar to our time than about the differences.  I found it really refreshing to read a book that wasn’t up in my face about Cool New Ideas and Technologies.  It made the sci-fi elements more believable, because if they were normal….people wouldn’t insist on talking about them 24/7.

    Anyway, this book will break your heart, make you think, and blow your mind.  So obviously–go read it!

    Originally posted on my blog www.itistrish.com.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!