Challenge #9: In your own space, promote at least one canon that you adore (old, new, forever fandom). Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.I'm not sure if these are supposed to have fandoms are not. I first learned of the Mermaid Love Songs story from a fanfic. AO3 has fanworks of Carmilla. And Mr. Spider, from The Magnus Archives, has
his own Tumblr page. Technically, The Deep could be considered a fanwork of the music of an
experimental rap group.
Not too long ago, I noticed I had three books on mermaids in my reading queue. So I decided to make it a thing. First up is Mira Grant's
Into the Drowning Deep. This falls into the ancient monster from the dawn of time chases scientists through the Smithsonian genre except the monster is mermaids and the Smithsonian is a luxury cruise ship set up for scientific research. Mira Grant nails the genre which is no surprise if you've read any of her other works. The science seems right (for someone whose closest encounter is computer science), the characters spot on, and the monsters scarily plausible. It's definitely an excellent read.
In Rivers Solomon's
The Deep there is no scientific rationalization for the existence of mermaids because they are not a scientific people. in fact, most rely on instincts over memories. Only one, the narrator, carries the burden of the memories of her people and it is overwhelming her. This is her story, of how she gives the memories back and flees, perhaps to find a better way for all of them. Mermaids as the descendants of pregnant women thrown off slave ships makes for a really interesting origin story, and the themes of generosity and denial work well with the plot.
In The Mermaid's Daughter by Ann Claycomb, Kathleen, a promising young opera singer, is plagued by inexplicable maladies - stabbing pain in her feet and the feeling her tongue is being ripped out. She follows a strange calling, voices heard in the sea, back to her mother's homeland. Will she find an explanation and cure or is this the same madness that has struck her motherline down generation after generation? It's been over a year since I've read this book but I loved it so much that I asked Dad to get me a copy of my own for Christmas.
A Ladies' Guide to Collecting Mermaid Love Songs by Aimee Pichee: I'm not sure how to describe this one. Once again there's science but in this case it allows the narrator to distance herself from desire. It's a fantastic story. I highly recommend you check it out.
Mayticks draws incredibly sensuous
images of lesbian mermaids. At this point I'd like to mention that all the stories recced above have lesbian characters. I didn't realize that until just this moment. I thought most, but not all, of them did. Back to mayticks' art, yeah, it's incredible. Check it out.
Aaand that all for mermaids. How about a bit of horror with comedic undertones?
Rusty Quill presents
The Magnus Archives. This podcast starts out as recordings of supernatural events by an archivist at the Magnus Institute. But of course supernatural entities aren't just going to sit there to be read about. They start coming into the Institute and following people home and taking them over. And then the real twists start.
The vlog of Laura Hollis, a student investigating odd goings on at Silas University, shows her falling for her new roommate - the old one having disappeared under mysterious circumstances - and learning that Carmilla has led other girls to their deaths. It's more comedy than horror and quite fun.
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Zhao Li Ying (Legend of Fei) as Buffy because she's proven she can play a spunky fighter. 
As Princes Nian Nian (Nirvana in Fire), we've seen her fight. Unfortunately women have smaller roles so it's harder for me to see how they'd fit into BtVS.
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