iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 04/10/2026

Not really keeping up with various #inktober or #drawloween prompts, but am still doing daily art. This one is the first digital painting I've done that I'm somewhat happy with with. (I've been too sick this week to spend much time in the studio, or writing, but I can lie in bed & draw on my phone)

A digital painting of a witch silhouetted against a full moon in a cloudy sky, with bare trees in silhouette in the foreground.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 29/09/2026

Source images! Raccoon: bsky.app/profile/good... Fox: bsky.app/profile/good... Possum: bsky.app/profile/mc20...

A trailcam image of a raccoon standing looking at the camera with glowing eyes.

A trailcam image of a young fox, with its eyes squinted shut.

A tailcam image of a possum eating an apple slice.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 29/09/2026

Here's my submission! My first time drawing in digital instead of traditional, all done on my phone! This was super fun! Still can't get over how feral and stabby the possum rogue is! On the trail of adventure!

A raccoon on two legs, with a cloak and a sword, a fox in a hat holding a lantern, and an possum with two daggers and a fierce look on its face!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 24/09/2026

This shit got tangled so much in the Egg Prime Directive that I kinda got carried away making it make sense!

The massive Egg Prime Directive polycule diagram, showing the different relationships between the many characters in the book.

The massive Egg Prime Directive character timeline, showing major milestones in their transitions and also explaining how/when/where the characters know each other from.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 24/09/2026

I feel like I'm finding my style with the digital sketching. Really quite pleased with the mood of this one!

A digital illustration of a Valkyrie Necromancer, in black line art.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 20/09/2026

Make friends with nice lesbians who have goats, and you can have an afternoon that is the Greatest Of All Time!

Tess, holding a goat, surrounded by goats, and smiling the biggest smile ever!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 20/09/2026

I've had enough people ask me "when did you get top surgery?" this summer that I guess it's time to accept that my breast growth is real and not just a figment of my hopeful imagination. Y'all, I don't think I should be trusted with this kind of power...it's highly unlikely I'll use it responsibly.

Selfie of Tess, in a very dyke-y outfit: hiking boots, blue shorts, punk belt, green tank top, and an ankh necklace.

Tess, in a very dyke-y outfit: hiking boots, blue shorts, punk belt, green tank top, and an ankh necklace. She is bent over, and her boobs a boobing mightily.

Tess, in a very dyke-y outfit: hiking boots, blue shorts, punk belt, green tank top, and an ankh necklace. She's looking down at the camera with one hand on her hip, and an expression on her face that says: "Hello, bottom."

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 13/09/2026

This stabby possum is officially my favorite thing I've ever drawn! #possum #sketch #natureissoothing

A black and white digital line art illustration of a possum standing on two feet, with her mouth open, hissing. She wears two black booties, and holds two curving daggers in her fists, which are raised up to her mouth. She looks INTENSE!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 12/09/2026

This call has inspired me to try digital drawing for the first time. I have a phone with a stylus that has been unused up till this week. So far I am having WAY too much fun!! H/T to @jellyfishlines.itch.io for sending this my way and @goodtrailcams.bsky.social for amazing reference images!🫶🏻🙏🏻

A digital drawing of a raccoon standing up wearing a cloak and carrying a sword, and a fox kit holding a lantern in its mouth.

A trail cam photo of a raccoon standing and staring at the camera.

A trail cam photo of a fox kit squinting its eyes.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

I just can't get over how these pieces are turning out as I start to finish them. My next big dilemma is how to price them for sale, since I generally don't know how to value my art, and I've never tried to sell originals before.

Five completed paintings for my upcoming show, all in variations of this style.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

I'm such a nerd for process, and I can't get over the surreal alchemy that happens when I add the black walnut ink on top of the acrylic. It does something to the colors and textures that makes my whole mind vibrate with excitement!

An abstract acrylic ocean landscape, with a band of sunset coloring separating the ocean from the sky.

Drops of black walnut ink, splattered on the acrylic painting.

The black walnut ink, still wet, spread evenly over the entire piece.

Once the ink is dry, I come through with a damp cloth and pull out any relief textures that I like, by wiping away excess in. Then I use a wet brush and paper towel to lift away additional details. And a spray bottle and paper towel to create a speckled pattern in places.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

Continuing to prepare art for my October show. This is the biggest piece I've done so far in this style and I just can't get over how cool it turned out! #traditionalart #mixedmedia #acrylics #blackwalnutink #painting #art

Tempest (2026) acrylic, black walnut ink, and ephemera, on watercolor paper, mounted on plywood, painted with acrylic and black walnut ink.

The painting is of a seascape, with palm trees in the center, and three-story book princesses standing on a rise made of strips of an old letter.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

Really thrilled with how these pieces are coming together!

Four mixed media paintings lined up on the windowsill.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

I'm framing and mounting some of my paintings for an upcoming show and had a fun idea that I think has turned out SO cool!! (Posting in reverse order so the finished piece is at the front and then the process works backwards...)

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/09/2026

Holding this beautiful thing in my hands tonight & I'm so thrilled that my poem "With all due credit to Kafka, etc." was chosen to be a part of it! It's a STAGGERINGLY brilliant collection of writing! Y'all should pre-order now so you don't miss out when it is unleashed upon an unsuspecting world!

Tess holding a copy of Your Body is a Fever Dream with a stunned but happy look on her face.

"With all due credit to Kafka, etc.
Theresa Jean Tanenbaum

One day I woke up and the skin of the woman
I'd been becoming
had sloughed off me
It stuck to the bed sheets starting to dissolve

I thought I knew what I was transitioning into
when I started HRT
but I didn't | couldn't | wouldn't"

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 02/09/2026

New band photo just dropped! We are the weirdo kids your parents warned you about! with Zabé Ellor, @viengsamai.bsky.social, @mothmother.com, @charliejane.bsky.social, and @fozmeadows.bsky.social!

Five extraordinarily attractive people across a wide spectrum of gender expressions. They stand in a cluster, staring at the camera and smiling. Several of them wear WorldCon badges.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 28/08/2026

1st day of Worldcon done! Chatted with @adapalmer.bsky.social on zoom, caught up with @fozmeadows.bsky.social, talked about writing neurodivergent folks, met @eruditorumpress.com, read speculative poems & a chapter from The Egg Prime Directive, & found a copy of my book on sale on the dealers floor!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 27/08/2026

Got my poster hung in the Worldcon poster session. If anyone is around on Saturday afternoon, I'm gonna blather for 20 minutes about witchcraft!

Tess, in a floral dress and WorldCon badge standing next to her poster.

a poster for "Transgender Witching, Successful Deviants, Magic Circles, & Storytelling:
Lessons in rewriting reality from the Matrix, Mage the Ascension, Maya Deren, and pervasive games."

The poster itself is a large magic circle with a pentagram over one of my mixed media paintings of witches dancing around in a forest.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 27/08/2026

@catblackard.bsky.social and I finished the 4th draft of The Egg Prime Directive tonight, and @drtanenbaumii.bsky.social is halfway through copyediting and proofing the final draft! And I'm having a blast laying out the interior with @jayeallisonashtear.bsky.social's drawings!

The title page spread of The Egg Prime Directive. On the lower left is a line drawing of an egg with a crack that has been badly repaired with tape. On the upper right, above the words The Egg Prime Directive is a line drawing of a pair of cat ears.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 27/08/2026

We are enbadged! It's @drtanenbaumii.bsky.social's first #Worldcon and my second! I spent my entire first WorldCon thinking "Gods, I wish Karen could see this!" and now we're here together! *happy speculative fiction queer noises!*

Karen and Tess holding up their WorldCon badges!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 21/08/2026

Now you can sign up to be notified when The Egg Prime Directive is available for pre-order! eggprimedirective.com

The Egg Prime Directive promo banner

A fantasy sword against a purple and neon pink gradient background.

Top Left Text: The Egg Prime Directive.
Bottom Right Text: EggPrimeDirective.com

There are little curly arrows coming from the sword, with the following labels:
spicy sapphic T4T eggfic
trans-affirming magical girl anime
neurospicy weeb MCs

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 19/08/2026

This was my first time working at this scale —15"x22"—and it allowed me to do all kinds of tasty details that would usually be too difficult for me to fit in!

Tess holding a large pad of paper with the finished illustration on it. It is bigger than she is.

A close up of the obelisk showing the clockwork mechanism and pictograms.

A close up of the column showing the details of the images carved into it.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 19/08/2026

New commission for the Myst TTRPG is done and I'm so proud of it! This is the biggest, most difficult, thing I've ever tried to draw, and I can't believe how well it turned out! Done entirely with my homemade Black Walnut Ink! #MYST #TTRPG #Illustration #TraditionalArt #Ink #BlackWalnutInk

A shaded black walnut ink illustration of a crumbling temple surrounded by alien jungle. In the foreground a broken column illustrated with alien writing and pictograms is wrapped in thorny vines. On the right, a winged feathered serpent statue sits atop a plinth. To the left a large obelisk with more alien writing and pictograms towers above the jungle. Clockwork mechanisms are attached to the structures.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 15/08/2026

She knows *exactly* what she's doing....

Seiko, a small tortoise shell cat, sitting on top of my work in progress commissioned illustration. Both she and the illustration are on a folding table, which is cluttered with art making supplies.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 15/08/2026

Aw, gosh! Thanks!! Check out how the shading is coming together! I'm very much at the "giggling maniacally at how it looks" stage of the project!

A close up of the shaded section of the illustration: the clockwork obelisk as alien landscape next to it.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 14/08/2026

Almost done with the linework for my most recent commission for the Myst TTRPG and it really feels like I've outdone myself on this piece. I just can't believe how far my art has come this year! #ink #blackwalnutink #illustration #ttrpgArt #myst

Tess holding up a 15" x 22" pad of paper with a complex ink illustration on it

The in-progress inked linework. In the foreground a cracked obelisk lays across the scene, wrapped in thorny vines. Cryptic writing covers its surface. One face of the structure has pictograms that show two suns and a moon rising above some mountains and buildings. Another face shows a crystalline compass rose, surrounded by complex intersecting rings with more writing on them. In the mid ground is a feathered serpent statue on a pedestal, and a crumbling temple with an obelisk rising from it. More writing and pictograms cover the structures, which also have mysterious clockwork structures sticking out of them. Surrounding all of this is a tangled alien jungle.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 12/08/2026

I need the world to understand what estrogen is capable of. Then I need to back in time 20 years and show tonight's photo to the desperate egg who was certain she'd ruined her body forever because she hadn't transitioned before her first puberty. Girlypop had no CLUE what was waiting for her!

Tess 20 years ago, from the torso up: bald, with yellow, frameless, oval sunglasses, and a goatee. She wears a short sleeve button up shirt with gray and tan lines. In her right hand is a hatchet. In her left hand is a glass bottle of Corona Extra beer. She has a dumb look on her face. There's woods in the background.

Tess tonight, lying in bed. Wearing a red scoop neck bodysuit. She has on glasses and her eyes are wide as if she too is surprised that she's posting a thirst trap online. Oh yes, there are tits..

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 10/08/2026

I knew *something* was up with my gender around 5. Contemplated transitioning in college but couldn't bear the gatekeeping in the late 90s. Came out and started hormones in 2019 at 40. Living my best life at 47 & only regret that it took me so long to take the leap of faith.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 09/08/2026

Thanks! I love how the texture pops under the ink. It's like alchemy when you come through with a damp paper towel and start lifting it from the relief of the acrylic.

An early version of the mothman painting: the mothman is painted in red, black, and white against an abstract backdrop of neon greens and yellows.

An intermediary step in the mothman painting. The bright acrylic painting has been completely covered in a layer of black wallet a layer of black wallet ink. This first layer isn't very opaque, but it does dull down the image significantly.

An almost final version of the mothman painting. Two layers of black walnut Ink have been applied and allowed to drive fully. I've been come through with a wet brush to outline the mothman. I've also used the damper paper towel to pull out of the paint texture.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 02/08/2026

Working on a new commission this weekend, and discovering the joy of drawing on much larger paper than I'm accustomed to! I think this one is going to be incredibly cool!

A pencil sketch of an obelisk with clockwork gears sticking out of it. It rises from a dense jungle. In the foreground the beginnings of a ruined temple are sketched in.

Tess, almost completely obscured by her 15"x22" watercolor pad with the sketch on it.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 30/07/2026

This is my second WorldCon, and y'all...look at the amazing lineup of stuff they're letting me chatter about! 🤯🎉 It's so rare for me to leave the house these days, so if we're friends here hmu if you wanna grab coffee or something and hang out! guide.lacon.org/people/d702f... #booksky #LAconV

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 27/07/2026

I'm not nearly as skilled at wheel throwing, sculpture, & pottery as my wife. But I made these two pieces that I just got back from the kiln today & I'm really proud of them! The Ramen bowl is probably the most difficult form I've thrown & the wonky vase works surprisingly well for pens & brushes!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 25/07/2026

Sometimes just getting some time out in the world with your wonderful girlfriend is occasion enough to celebrate! Love you, @jessicamudd.bsky.social!🫶🏻😘

Two cute girls at a restaurant! On the left, Jess is adorable with a big smile, straight brown hair, and a red leather jacket. On the right Tess is smiling in a black and white off the shoulders dress and red lipstick.

Seared Pork Belly Ramen

Braised Thick Cut Pork Belly, Fortified Broth, Soft-Boiled Egg, Seasonal Vegetables, Mushrooms, Scallion, Sesame

Harmony Korean Chicken Pizza
Tomato Sauce, Korean BBQ Glazed Chicken, Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms, Kimchi, Jalapeno, White Cheddar, Scallion, Sesame

Gooey Beet Cake
Lemon Vanilla Goat Cheese, Candied Beets, Whipped Honey, Berry Gel, Fresh Fruit

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 23/07/2026

Me, trying to write my bio in a query letter....

A screen capture from project runway. It contestant sits in the middle of the frame, head cradled on one hand, a sad look on their face. The contestants around them all express sympathy, and sadness. The caption reads "I'm too conceptual for America"

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 22/07/2026

Yeah, seems like that is the case. It's dire: I have chronic insomnia, so sometimes I only sleep 2-3 hours a night, even WITH the CPAP. Without it I don't sleep at all. But according to this I am not "complying" with their directives if the machine doesn't register at least 4 hours of usage a night.

Because PAP therapy is only beneficial when used consistently, you must use your therapy device every night to achieve benefit from therapy. Most health insurers require the following:
4 or more hours of use each day for 70% of a 30 day period (21 days per month minimally).
An appointment with your physician for follow up between 31-90 days after starting PAP Therapy.

What you can expect from our compliance team:
We are here to assist you in complying with PAP therapy. If you can’t fix a leak, or can’t seem to adapt to the pressure, please call our Compliance Department at (844) 896-9595, so we can help get you on track.

Our Compliance Department attempts to monitor usage, and may reach out if we notice you struggling to meet compliance. Should you receive any live or automated messages from MSC SLEEP (voice/text/email), regarding your use or compliance issues, please call us so we can assist you. It is our goal to help you get the most benefit from your therapy.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 22/07/2026

Last night was my first night with a new CPAP machine & what the hell kind of nightmare panopticon dystopian bullshit is this!?

An email from Medical Services Company:
Important message regarding your PAP therapy

MSC Sleep division of Medical Services Company

Are you funny yet difficult to use your sleep therapy device?

We noticed that you missed your goal for sleep therapy usage last night. Using your machine for at least 4 hours each night could help you experience better sleep and improve your quality of life. Message ID: 57VX

A visual voicemail:
833-958-2987
10:08 AM today
Sleep therapy device. We noticed that you missed your goal for sleep therapy usage last night. Using your machine for at least 4 hours each night could help you experience better sleep and improve your quality of life. Message ID: ZSV

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 21/07/2026

I can't get over how much I love your tattoo! I've been contemplating something with similar placement and geometry to go with the two I currently have....

My POV looking down at myself and my two tattoos. I'm lying on my back, holding the phone in my teeth, and pointing it down along my body, and my arms are held out in front of me. On my left forearm is a gender fluidity sigil I designed and got years before my egg cracked (but there were no signs!)- it is circular, with a triangle and a smaller circle within. Coming off of the inner circle are a half moon, an arrow, and a plus sign. On my right forearm is an eight pointed star of Innana, also in a circle. Also visible in this image is my cleavage, which is begging for matching ink of some sort!

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 20/07/2026

Yesterday was my 7 year Traniversary! Today is my 4 year Vagiversary! As has become my tradition, I've made a video of my annual no-makeup selfies to celebrate the magic of estrogen! (Song is "Her biggest fan" from the unreleased Maiden's Last Stand OST I'm writing.)

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 18/07/2026

@drtanenbaumii.bsky.social got a rare candid picture of me tonight where I'm actually smiling genuinely and I kinda love it! If you asked me to smile on purpose I'd never be able to do so in a way that wasn't goofy or awkward: genuinely didn't even know that my smile looks like this right now!

Tess stands at podium holding a microphone. A sticker encrusted laptop is open in front of her. She wears a Witchy hat and glasses. Behind her, is a large screen with a slide that says "we need to talk about magick".

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 17/07/2026

I finished the 3rd draft of my novel, The Egg Prime Directive, and it's so much better now! And then @jayeallisonashtear.bsky.social made an illustration of the magical sword in the book that blew my mind! We're so much closer to release then we were a week ago!

The Kogitsune-maru, a sword with 9 fox tails sprouting from the pommel. The guard and hilt are an ornate basket weave. A pink gem is set into the guard. An ornamental section connecting the blade to the hilt has a blue gem inset into it.
The blade widens slightly along its length, and the tip ends in an asymmetrical flick, with a trailing point on the tip, pointing up.

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 17/07/2026

@jayeallisonashtear.bsky.social has created the definitive illustration of the Kogitsune-maru: the magical sword that Inari Ōkami uses to trans Seiko's gender in Maiden's Last Stand, and Kitty uses to crack Kyla's egg in The Egg Prime Directive! *hyperventilating gay writer noises!* 🗡️🏳️‍⚧️❤️‍🔥😭

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” she asked. I scanned the racks, still distracted by that first encounter, and by that feline voice.

“I’m just browsi…” I started to say but my words caught in my throat because there she was! Seiko-chan’s Kogitsune-maru! A pang of unexpected longing shot through me. This was the sword! The one I didn’t think anyone still carried! And it was perfect! The pink Maiden
Gem in the guard was cast in resin, with whorls of iridescent glitter creating the illusion of otherworldly nebulas within its depths. The blue Spark of Inspiration glittered where the blade met the guard. The handle was wrapped in real leather, and I suspected that if I peeled back the flap at the center that there would be a replica of the bloodbond needle beneath. Even the nine miniature foxtails on the pommel were perfect! I realized I had stopped breathing as I drank in all the little details that had been worked into the replica, from the inscription along the runnel to the ghostly handprint (seared onto the metal by the Dark Seiko during her escape from the nightmare hospital). It was beautiful!

“So,” a velvety voice said by my ear, snapping me out of my weeb reverie, “you have a thing for magical girls…very interesting…”

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Tess is Surviving the Horrors @mothmother.com · 15/07/2026

Through a strange series of events I am the opening speaker at River City Pride this year! Pretty sure it's going to be livestreamed, although I don't know, since I don't have Facebook. www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

A poster for the In Queery speaker series.
"Designing playful rituals of resistance through transgender worlding and magic"
Theresa Jean Tanenbaum Ph.D. composer, consultant, speaker, and scholar. She/her

July 17th
6:30 pm
Cafe Santa Rosa
5901 N Prospect Road, Peoria IL
61614-1395, United States.

Hosted by Peoria Proud.
Community, not Commentary
Podcast . Webinars . Live Panels . Workshops

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