Welcome to the first In the Spotlight blog of 2022! First of all, happy new year to everyone, and happy times for writing new (or continuing) fiction! In this edition we have our usual round of up interviews with sitewide award winners and also some exciting news about upcoming events. Enjoy!

Our first staffer of the month of 2022 is one of our lovely moderators and prolific graphic artists, @grumpy cat!

I N T E R V I E W
| G R U M P Y   C A T |

What are you currently reading (fic or otherwise)?
i got hooked on +the pride of burrough house by @RonsGirlFriday  and i'm currently reading the wisdom of crowds by joe abercrombie which is a+++ grimdark.

What are you currently writing?
i've got another story in the works for mine and @something wicked's asoiaf ashara dayne/brandon stark series +on a bed of spider web called it's a terrible love and i'm walking with spiders, and i've also been working on my new poetry collection +shadowplay, as well as two new stories in my +favourite worst nightmare collection. i'm fickle and flighty so i kinda alternate between all of these lately

What are you currently watching?
last season of the expanse. it's an amazing sci-fi show. i also just finished yellowjackets and really need someone else to watch it because i need to yell about it  

Where do you hang out on the forums a lot right now?
writer's nest i feel like? started some new threads in there and review tag is always fun when i have the time

January's story of the month was One Foot On the Platform (And the Other On the Train) by @inmyownlittlecorner!

I N T E R V I E W   W I T H   T H E   A U T H O R
| I N M Y O W N L I T T L E C O R N E R |

What was the inspiration for One Foot On the Platform (and the Other On the Train)?
I wrote this story for the Sing-Me-A-Rare competition hosted by the Fairest of the Rare Facebook group. This group, and the competition, is dedicated to Harry Potter Rare Pairs, or relationships that are less known/less written about. For the competition, we had to choose a song from a list, and we got to choose the main character of the story. Then they offered us three other characters to form the other half of the pair. When I saw Rita Skeeter on the list as an option, I snapped her right up to go with Eileen, my chosen MC. Sinead O'Connor's cover of House of the Rising Sun was my song prompt. It's a haunting, heartbreaking rendition, so that informed the trajectory of the story, which takes us through this dizzying rush of a new relationship, and down into tragedy as everything falls apart.

What informed your characterization of Rita and her actions here?
We see a young Rita in this story, one who is just starting out on her journalistic career. She isn't as hard and jaded and ruthless as she is by the time we see her in canon. I wanted her to be dazzling and extraverted, the sort of person who would come in and overwhelm melancholic, reserved Eileen with her charm. She's driven, and determined, and has a lot of qualities that can be very positive. But, by the end of the story, we see her ruthless streak rear its ugly head.

What three words would you use to describe Eileen Prince?
Long-suffering. Deep. Resigned.

I see you with those McMalfoy references in this story!   Have any plans for more Abraxas/Minerva in the future (particularly at this... stage... of their relationship??)
Yes! I have a McMalfoy novel in my plot bunny queue that will be set during the First Wizarding War, which will focus on what happens to them during that time. And they keep popping up pretty much everywhere they possibly can, so be sure to keep your eyes open for them  

Our member of the month for the first month of 2022 is the great @RogueSlytherin!

I N T E R V I E W
| R O G U E S L Y T H E R I N |

What are you currently reading (fic or otherwise)?
I've been keeping my eye out for every sneak peek of more Kingdom Keys by @maraudertimes   and I need to catch up on the latest few chapters of @prideofprewett's Hardened Hearts so I can scream about Septimus a bit more  

What are you currently writing?
I have this random Next Gen story I've been trying to write, but it's currently just a collection of incoherent 'and then this should happen' paragraphs in my Google Doc. Okay, maybe I have the first chapter done - but I'll probably take another pass at it. If it ever gets posted it'll be a Scorp/Lily kind of friends to lovers vibes. 

What are you currently watching?
Our Beloved Summer!!!!!!! Everyone go watch this show. Seriously. It's so freaking adorable and heartwarming and sad and beautiful. I've also been re-watching older Task Master seasons and simply dying of laughter.

Where do you hang out on the forums a lot right now?
So I've definitely been low-key lurking in people's WJ lately. I always love to see people's process. And I hang out in discord a lot. If you're not playing Among Us on the weekend you're missing out on the best kind of chaos!

New year, new reading challenge. Let us know your personal reading goals and how it's going!

It's also time for a new planner  -- talk bullet journals and show yours off here.

Goldens and himbos and jocks, oh my! Check out @maraudertimes's blog post and @Lost_Robin's blog entry about soft heroes. Then hop on over to @BookDinosaur's counterpoint about morally grey love interests.

 Look who's back! @Stella Blue has revived her review thread, and @hopelesslyaddicted just started one as well!

Shout out and big welcome to the site's newest members, @joys22 and @Lurker  

The annual review event is coming very soon! Look to the skies.

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credits:

couriers: melanie, shaza
news, highlights: melanie
compilation: madi