#// (it feels nice to say that about a character i didnt craft with my own two hands)

[destinysbounty]

This feels like a no-brainer, but since the very beginning Ninjago's biggest strength in terms of writing is its ability to craft memorable and compelling characters. This was part of the reason why I and a lot of other people were a bit wary about Dragons Rising before its release - people, myself included, were questioning if it could ever really feel like Ninjago if it decided to switch focus to a new cast. If they could conceivably introduce a new generation of ninja that would ever be able to match up to the old cast in terms of likeability and engagement. The core of Ninjago has always been the found family, after all - how could any sequel ever hope to compare to the original if it didnt focus on the og found family in question?

Well to my delight, we seem to all have been worried over nothing. Sure, the old cast does still carry the story in a lot of ways - looking at you, Lloyd - but i feel like the story can stand up well enough without them. Arin, Sora, and Wyldfyre are all strong characters in their own right, and if the ninja all permanently left the series at one point in the future i feel confident that plenty of people would still stick around to watch the new team's adventures (though ill be honest, the new team just doesnt feel complete without Lloyd as their dad mentor).

And yknow, its nice to see Ninjago regain its footing again, especially after Wildbrain. By no means am i trying to throw shade at Wildbrain, i love Wildbrain and it holds a special place in my heart, but i also wont hesitate to admit that its character writing kinda started to falter a bit. So to see Ninjago get back into the swing of writing strong, engaging, and lovable new characters again, while also giving the old characters a fresh coat of paint and some much-needed character development...its nice.

This seems to reflect itself in the way people talk about DR, too. Ive seen plenty of criticism thrown its way, but one of the aspects that ive seen the least amount of criticism for is probably the character writing. People will comment on plotholes and animation issues, but ive encountered much fewer people with something negative to say about the characters. Which, in my opinion, is exactly how a Ninjago series should be.

So yeah id say DR is pretty good

[myrcci]

Trigun Stampede final thoughts tldr didnt love it

it was bad. Not terrible honestly, but as a fan of the series it’s really hard to appreciate Stampede when the original message so thoroughly crafted in the 98 anime was just thrown to the side like it was. I can’t say I’ve read the manga either but I did do some digging and was informed of some of the key points and details that are explored in there as well.

I do want to point out some of the positives of the show first since I think it deserves them because it did some things good. The action shots were incredibly dynamic and utterly beautiful to look at, we got to explore more of some of the side characters and world building which was satisfying, and the animation was overall really smooth and is a really nice refreshing update to Trigun. And if you put this show in a vacuum you’d honestly probably have a really cool, interesting, engaging sci-fi western in its own right.

But this show doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and even thought it’s a re-imagining it almost completely treads on most if not everything the source material gave us. Meryl’s characterization gets a huge downgrade as her role in the story is greatly reduced and her design is downgraded. Wolfwood’s character becomes more twisted. Vash the man himself is kind of reduced to his more extreme qualities rather than his much deeper character. Knives as an antagonist loses his mysterious air and more feels like a typical big strong bad guy. And overall it feels like at it’s core the show lost the central theme of Trigun, the main message, the meaning behind it all. It feels like Stampede tried to grasp it, but instead just used it as motivation instead of a theme. That being the enduring spirit of humanity, the infinite love and violence that we are capable of. One of Vash’s shining characteristics is that he’s great at socializing, he’s funny, he listens and cares. And furthermore he hides a lot of regret and disgust towards himself which he hides well, but is constantly shown rather then told. It’s his ideal to both take on responsibility and not get too close to people that’s constantly tearing him apart and which makes him compelling and relatable. Vash is an incredibly deep character who I can’t even begin to cover completely or due justice but the thing to know about him is that despite everything Vash displays undeniably incredibly human qualities of love and grit. And it feels like Stampede overlooks those qualities to deliver a main character who instead carries a burden to usher a compelling story rather than a character. Stampede presents you with a goofy yet capable man constantly under stress but is ultimately very one dimensional in terms of his ideals and character compared to 98 Vash. And lest we forget the side characters, Meryl who’s role for the most part has been reduced to nagging woman when previously she was a pretty impressive character. Wolfwood, who remains a foil to Vash but now instead of being a raging catholic with a sense of good and evil he just seems to be depressed and unhappy, albeit a closer interpretation to the manga much to my own chagrin. Roberto is a new addition and takes on the role of the sole responsible character and narrator, replacing Meryl in that regard, though otherwise he’s not an unwelcome addition as he provides a much appreciated contrast of a very jaded experienced individual. And of course Millie is nowhere to be seen, hinted at in the final minutes of the show I am both saddened by the lack of heart and almost glad I didn’t have to watch her character butchered much like everyone elses. What I really enjoyed about the 98 anime, besides the goofy stints Vash got into, was just the raw and concise range of human emotion and value on human life the show constantly put in front of your face at every waking moment. Every conflict put the pressure of a very real tragedy in the air and made sure you didn’t forget. Vash would have to use every resource he had to save as many people he could, not just his gun slinging, and every win and loss was thoroughly felt. Knives was a more understandable villain, Meryl and Wolfwood were much more captivating and interesting, and Vash feels much more human in the end. Ultimately, I can’t say Stampede was a bad show. It did a lot of things right with what it had and would be interesting in it’s own right. But conversely, I can’t say I personally liked it as an adaptation of Trigun, and in fact feel like it dropped the ball in almost every category I appreciate about the franchise. However, in the end, that’s just the conclusion I came too based on my own reading and experiences, and this is just the long and short of my amateur analysis of Trigun. Good action, bad at what it was trying to be.

[kamari333]

Do you have any good recommendations for poly undertale fics?

I wasn't expecting to have as many as I ended up having… Poly fics arent super common to be honest, and while I KNOW there are some very nice oneshots that cover poly, my memory is trash and I can only really remember a few Longfics/series.

If you just want a big pool to choose from, you can use [THIS SEARCH] to get every undertale fic tagged for poly XD but my recs are here.

Most of these are E-rated so please read the tags and be responsible with your media consumption.

There is a papyrus poly fic by LadyKit if I remember right. "Atypical" I think? It doesn't really itch my personal scratch since it deviates too far away from the Undertale story (i.e. doesnt use it as a base for its lore at all), so it really isn't something I would rec normally, but its well written and has incredible character, so if youre not a picky weirdo like me its a rather good read.

Another is... The Simple Series by GoldenAU and TKWolf. It's a 4-parter series of longfics that starts with "It's Not That Simple". It's a little out there too, but references the undertale lore a little bit by way of referencing lore of the AUs, and is a Sans-Poly story. Unfortunately, it's incredibly graphic and dark, dead done do not eat, and doesn't really have what I would call a happy ending (the authors say it's a happy ending, and i suppose they have a pretty good argument for it, but i personally didnt get happy catharsis from it, so i would classify it as a 'win' ending rather than a 'happy' one). It is absolutely not suitable for everyone, but it is incredibly well written, masterfully crafted, and evocative beyond reason. it is a VERY GOOD FIC OKAY I HAVE FEELINGS-

An older work by Melda Burke called "Secretly Yours" is technically a slow burn Fell!Sans / OC / OC poly. It's a pretty good read! Has some interesting HCs about magic and human/monster relationships. It has a gritty take on life but in a fuck you i'm living it sorta way. My only real complaint is that it isn't finished yet, and I can't throw stones when my own house is made of glass XD

Another older work is Mercy Run's "Karmic Retribution", which I think was one of my first poly fics. It's part 1 of an unfinished trilogy, but it's a damn good Sans/Fell!Sans/Fell!Papyrus fic. I haven't read it for a few years, but if I remember right it has some really good character and a feel-good ending.

And of course "Ain't This the Life", a series by Nilchance, is a personal favorite too. Another Sans/Fell!Sans/Fell!Papyrus, but takes place on the surface rather than underground. It is a slowburn to end all slowburns type but the CHARACTERIZATION AAAAAAAAA- And if you like this, Nillchance has another, newer fic that is like this, but in space and with an additional Swap!Papyrus in the mix, which you can go find <3

[yeo-rims]

can i just say i really appreciate your reviews on kdramas in general. youre one of the few blogs that actually appreciates good writing for what it is rather than what you would have liked it to be. so many reviews about little women on things people 'didnt understand' or 'didnt make sense' are solely because the show or the characters didnt move in the direction fans specifically wanted them to. when overall the writing was complex and well thought out, almost every character was three dimensional and flawed and real and went through their own personal growth, and the ending was conclusive and tied up loose ends to make up for all the plot twists. idk i just think that this drama is receiving more hate than the appreciation it deserves and i feel like youre one of the only people who really tries to appreciate its details and symbolism and meaning and i wanted to say thank you for that

oh god, this is so sweet! thank you so much. I am obsessed with writing about the shows that I'm enjoying, it's part of how i interact with them, and if there is something that I've realized is that I'd much rather focus on what I am seeing rather than what I wish it was, because nothing will ever be perfectly crafted for me, but that's why watching something that challenges our perspective is so good.

That's not to say i don't criticize when I think it deserves, some of my favorite shows had moments that made me completely upset, but I tend to think if that's from a personal viewing experience or if it is just the writing not being as complex as it is trying to be, or if the text isn't making much sense. Recently I've read a review on The Red Sleeve and they liked that the court ladies in that show were the villains because it gave Deok Im agency. I never thought it like that, but I could see where they were coming from. For me, as I've written before, made me dislike seeing their complexity reduced to petty revenge, even though, it is still a show that I really loved. When I was watching 2521 this year I had a different sort of disappointment, it came from me wanting a different ending, but I could see how the ending we got was not bad, just different.

The thing about Little Women is that the ending was actually what I wanted and coincidently what I think made sense and also gave us that sense of justice served that I personally love in stories about class/money. I wasn't watching the show to see them fail and die and spend their lives in jail/ i would've hated that message so much. I was just thinking about how, in my personal opinion, think Hwa Young was only incarcerated because the moment she involved In Joo in her revenge (even if it wasn't with ill intent) she was using the same logic behind the General's ideology. Not nearly as awful, but still by failing to see how complicated that money would make In Joo's life, she put someone that is like her (poor) in danger. That was the only mistake she's done, and that's why in the end her app is popular, she will still have money once she's out of jail, and In Joo forgave her, walked through acid for her, and in the process killing Sang Ah. Because the money they stole was, actually, never the Won's family money. The money the rich gets by exploiting the poor isn't something they actually earned, is it? So the show never went that route of "In Joo was actually in the wrong for stealing, she should pay for that" that some shows do by the end, like how many revenge shows we know that the male lead has to spend time in jail/running away? Granted, In Joo has been through hell, but her ending is literally a new beginning, it's what that house represents. She can start over in a house like that and rest her soul.

Yes, it was her dream to be with her sisters, but was it In Hye and In Kyung's dream to be with her? Why must we consider only 1/3 of the sisters when thinking about everyone's ending. Considering how much In Joo was still willing to sacrifice in order to let In Kyung have a nice future, do we really want her to still live for others? Yes, Do Il could've stayed, but why would he, really? At that moment, at least. They all need time to heal, and healing is different for everyone. In Joo isn't alone, she has Hwa Young, her sisters albeit distant, and even her parents in the group chat. And she can start over and make new friends and buy expensive ice cream with that money, even if she killed Sang Ah in the process, even if she lies and steal. I get not everyone is watching dramas for how long I am, but still, this is such a different take from what we normally see. Every sister got part of that money, even In Kyung who was against it! Because they deserve that shit, for everything they've been through, for everything they couldn't have been before. Even Do Il got the money and got out with no time in jail, why so? He never betrayed In Joo (moral of the story: don't be a class traitor lol).

But honestly, the show uses its extravagance to talk about the ideology behind capitalism in a way that isn't like, say, squid game. Little Women is genuinely fun, it is so creepy at times, the rich are insane like people were so obsessed over plot twists they forgot to see what was in front of them. A mutual of mine on twitter said something about how straightforward this story is (compared to other things jsk wrote) and honestly!! people overcomplicated the show and if they didn't give them the slightest explanation to things that were honestly very easy to get... then it had plot holes? At this point is not the show's fault anymore. Even if I also got confused at first with In Joo leaving jail so quickly I feel like she paid a fine or something, because in the next scene they are talking about the grandma's house being sold. What I mean is, sometimes a show really won't give any clues, but Little Women actually gave us enough for us to understand what was happening without it being spelled to us every single time. The team behind it trusted us that much, man.

Anyways!!! thank you! for these kind words, it really brightened my day <2

[gwinnetts-archive]

// one of my favorite things about writing shaun is how secretly sentimental he is. granted, it’s only with a select few things, and it is extremely rare for him to express it, but it’s definitely there and it’s important and it makes him feel properly human

one of the things i hate most about writing shaun is his gotdamn unwillingness to express that sentimentality until it’s too late, when if he’d just be fucking straightforward about certain emotional things, maybe he’d be able to have an actual genuine dialogue with his parent. it wouldn’t magically fix everything if he did — he’s still completely convinced that he’s right about pretty much everything, and goal-oriented to a fault at this point and as a result manipulative as shit, but goddammit it’d make it possible to take at least one step in the right direction

And Yet,

[artemiseamoon]

Our Lonely Hearts 2

Steven Grant x f reader (nickname Cat)

Fic info | Previous | Next

Words:3,626

⚠️warnings: Moon Knight Spoilers ( level- mild) | losing gaps of time, fear, mental confusion. Later: mentions of DID

An: We’re back! So there are a few ways you can read this. You can read part one as a oneshot if you just want a little Steven x reader fluff. You can also follow along with the whole fic to see the entire journey 😁 I gave the reader the nickname Cat, you will see why in the chapter. As always you can read this as a reader insert if you want or read Cat as a character on her own. 

Please don’t copy or repost my work anywhere, this includes word documents. This is my creative property. Thank you 😁

💜 reblogs (directly sharing the original post via the arrows button on tumblr) are different, they help spread the fic to wider audiences.

🎶 🎶

Standing in front of the golden door, you slowly lift your hand and grip the star. A sense of excitement fills you, blossoming and touching the fibers of your being. What lies behind this door? What does it mean?

Waking from the dream, you lay in bed with your eyes open, starting at the ceiling. In the last few days the dream you’ve had for years has finally moved into a new scene; you standing at a door beautifully engraved with hieroglyphs holding ancient stories and spells.

When you look down, you can see the soft white robes you wear, your bare feet, the golden rings on your fingers and bangles on your wrists, the small yet eye-catching scarab around your neck. It’s no more than an inch yet beautifully crafted with gold and electric blue opal. Same as before, you can’t see your face, but you know it’s you.

For the last two nights you’ve woken just as you turn the knob, leaving you in a state of continuous mystery. Instead of feeling frustration like before, you feel hopeful. Maybe something needed to be unlocked in your waking life to finally reveal the truths of this vision. What changed that unlocked this new door?

It was now Tuesday morning and your sweet date with Steven continued to cast a glow in your aura and bring a smile to your lips. The day after the date, on Monday, Steven called to say hello. You were out with a friend when he called and must have listened to the message 10 times before you called him back. In fact, you still have it, you saved it for a rainy day.

Laters, gators. It was the cutest thing ever.

Usually phone calls made you nervous, you preferred to text but Steven was more than welcome to call. When you returned the call, you could hear his smile on the other end and the two of you chatted for half an hour.

You worked at the mueusum three days a week; Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday’s. Wednesday and Thursdays were already your favorite because Steven was there and if the date was any indication of the direction of your relationhip, those days would get even better.

But you also tried to balance your idealism with realism. There were things you didnt know about Steven and though you were pretty sure he liked you back, you werent exactly sure what that meant or looked like for him.

Plus you understood Steven had severe insomnia, maybe he didnt have the time or energy for a girlfriend. Before the doubt could get the best of you, you shift your mind back to the potential and look at the flowers on your nightstand.

They were opening up even more and the scent filled your room, making you smile everytime you caught the aroma. Your roommate even mentioned how nice it was whenever she passed your room.

Your schedules were like day and night, so it was nice. At times it felt like you lived alone. But you still dreamed of having your own place eventually, sadly you didnt make enough at the museum to do that.

You bury your nose in the roses once more and think about what book to bring Steven tomorrow. Just as you start to leave your room, you notice the sunlight cascading through the window and follow the golden ray to your desk. Ontop of your dream journey rests something that wasnt there before.

Feeling puzzled, you walk over and gasp. It’s the exact pendant from the dream. You take a step back, your hand still hovering over the pendant as you look around your room. Hesitant, you slowly pick it up and feel a rush of energy jolt through your body like an eclectic wave, moving through every muscle, every bone, every cell.

You lower the pendant on the journal again and quickly leave your room. You find your roommate in the hall just about to leave. When you ask if she’s left a necklace in your room, she says no, and you know she’s telling the truth.

Returning to your room, you sit at the desk and stare at it, trying to make sense of what's happening. You can’t be imagining this, it’s solid, real. You pick it up again and examine it in the sunlight. Despite the confusion it feels like home, like it was always meant to be yours. Before you consciously decide what to do with it, you find yourself putting it on and closing the clasp around your neck.

…

Wednesday

On the bus ride over you kept fiddling with the necklace. Since putting it on something felt different, you just couldn’t describe it or put your finger on it. It was strange but you almost felt more present in your body, more energized. Your dreams last night were wildly vivid and when you woke up, this world felt like a dream. For a good twenty minutes, you didn’t know which was which.

You finally opened the door last night. The temple was grand just as you imagined, it was everything you read books and saw in artistic renderings. It takes a moment, but as you observed you were able to put the pieces together; this was a Temple of Isis, this was a initation rite. As the others gather around you, and guide you to the altar you understand all of this was for you.

You almost miss your stop as you lose yourself in the dream again. Today felt like walking inbetween worlds, like part of you was still in that temple. You rush off the bus and head to the museum, trying to ground yourself with each step you take.

When you arrive at work, you drop your things off at your locker and head to the break room to put your lunch in the fridge. Upon walking in, you find Steven sitting up, asleep at the table. Infront of him is a canteen of what you are sure is coffee, the lid is off.

You gently place your things down on the counter and walk over to the table, occasionally glancing at him to see if he’s awake. You wouldn’t want him to slump over and fall face first into hot coffee. So you place the lid on and move it over. You also know it’s better you found him versus that nightmare of a person, Donna.

You notice his bag on the other chair and put it on the table. That way, if he did slump over, something soft woud be there instead of a hard table. Today you were scheduled with him at the gift shop, due to three big events happening they were expecting all the shops to be busy. You didnt mind, you enjoyed the tours, but days like this when you could just hang out with Steven and sell stuff were nice too.

Another perk about today ( if you could get away with it) was the ability to cover for Steven, so he could get a little bit of sleep. A nap in the breakroom chair wasn’t exactly comfortable, but at least it was something.

Looking around you find a little notepad and a pen. You scribble a note and place it on top of the bag for Steven to see when he wakes. You grab the second bag of figs you have and slide it into his pocket. It was your favorite brand, and after sharing them a few times, Steven was hooked too. You take one more look at him and leave the break room.

When you come back out, you find Donna at the gift shop already wearing a frown and chewing gum loudly.

“Where is Stevie? This is the third time this week, strolling in here late like a lazy -”

“It’s Steven,”  you cut in and make your way behind the register, “and he's not lazy. Insomnia is a real disorder, you know that, right? Insomniacs have a hard time just functioning and getting anywhere on time, it's not laziness. The body breaks down when you don’t sleep. It affects everything, time, motor skills -“

You stop mid sentence as she just stares at you, chewing her gum. Judgment deep seated in her eyes. You loved working in this exhibit but the only downside was Donna, she wasn’t even technically your boss, but she was the manager of the gift shop and liked to act more important than she was.

The downside? She seemed to be old friends with your actual boss. There wasn’t much you could do about Donna except try to avoid her and stomach her the best you could. You usually kept your annoyance to yourself, and bit your tongue many times, but today you were feeling a little more forward than usual.

It obviously takes her by surprise as well, for once she seems speechless. You glance behind her and see Steven coming toward the shop. Donna gives you one more look before walking away.

She makes one last comment as she passes Steven, “don’t forget you’re still on inventory tonight.”

Steven makes eye contact with you and raises his brows. You offer a smile and lean into the counter. Donna disappears down the hall and Steven stands across from you.

“Thank you for the note, and the figs. It was lovely.”

“My pleasure, I slipped a book in your bag.”

Steven smiles and joins you behind the counter.

…

After your shift, Steven has a break before getting to inventory. The two of you walk to the square and eat your food. It’s already dark out;  the fire dancers and golden statue man are already out putting on a show.

Taking another bite of your sandwich, you chew and swallow before asking your next question. Steven nods and responds,

“Honestly, it’s like my body wants to get up and wander about, you know, like it has to get the 10,000 steps in.” He takes a bite of his wrap, his eyes still on yours. “You know? And I don't even know about it until I wake up wherever. That’s why I try to stay awake at night. What do you think?”

You lower your sandwich and think it over. “I dunno, it sounds complicated. Is a mix of insomnia and sleep walking a thing?”

Steven shrugs and takes another bite. You glance at the small amount of space between your bodies, your shoulders almost touching. You remember when you first started eating together he always sat a distance away, out of respect for personal space you were sure. But now he was inching closer and closer, it was nice.

Steven wraps his food back up, “ I dunno. I guess there are stranger things that people do.”

“There are.” You nod.

Steven smiles sweetly at you once more. As he lowers his head, that curl you love falls into his face. You notice his eyes on your necklace again.

“I’ve never seen you wear that. It’s usually that purple one, Amethyst you said? And the blue one.”

You grin, “yeah. Very observant of you.” You pause, not knowing how to explain what happened, but if anyone would believe you, Steven would. “It’s the strangest thing, it just appeared in my room. I woke up and it was there,” you watch as Steven’s eyes grow wider, “even weirder, I saw it in a dream first.”

“That is odd, “ Steven’s gaze moves from the pendant to your eyes. You can tell, though he is paying attention, there is something else occupying his mind, like a memory or thought associated with your current conversation.  “It’s beautiful,” he adds.

You rub the pendant between your fingertips, “I guess part of me is still weirded out but it really feels familiar, like I’ve always had it.”

He smirks and reluctantly glances at his watch, he has to go, but doesn’t want to. You pack up your food and tap the book he lent you, it’s sticking out of your jacket pocket.

Steven holds his lunch bag with one hand and shoves the other in his pocket. It looks like he wants to say something, but doesn’t. The soft look in his eyes melts your heart.

“I’m sorry, I need to get back.”

“No need to apologize, Steven. Hopefully tonight goes quickly.”

“Or, she’ll get annoyed and I can go home early.” He replies with a small laugh.

Before you realize what you’re doing, you step forward and give him a hug. At first, Steven just stands there. But the moment you start to feel silly and think about pulling away, he raises his arms and wraps them around your body.

After a moment you hear the softest of sighs leave his lips as Steven holds you a little tighter. Neither of you want the embrace to end, but you pull away knowing he has to get back.

He’s wearing a sweet smile now, it reaches his eyes. “Thank you for that.” He beams, his hands now on your arms. He was warm and snuggly, you could have stayed there longer but didnt want to push it.

“Hugs are good.” you gaze at eachother as you both walk backwards.

Steven points to your backpack, over the years you sewed on an assortment of Egyptian symbols. Most recently, you included a rather large Bast patch. Steven loved it and started calling you Cat because of it.

Steven smiles again and waves, “see you tomorrow, Cat.”

“See you tomorrow Steven.”

You wave back, barely containing the ridiculous smile on your face. You turn around first, Steven watches you for a few seconds before returning to the museum.

…

Thursday comes and goes, and Steven is nowhere to be found. He didn’t show up for work, or answer any of the calls or texts you sent him. It was near impossible getting through the day, being so worried sick about him.

What if he slept-walked somewhere? What if he was in trouble? In an accident?

You knew the general area he lived in, he pointed out the street once on the bus but you didn’t know the building.

On Friday, when you still didnt hear from Steven, you walked over and spent some time in the neighborhood and the nearby businesses, hoping you would catch a glimpse of him or spot him going into one of the buildings. Steven didn’t have any local family you knew of, and you had no idea how to contact his mother who he called everyday, so there was no one to call, all you could do was wait.

Friday comes. Much like Thursday, you spend most of your day off trying to reach Steven and hoping he was okay. Maybe he lost his phone. You knew he didn’t drive, he mentioned something about not having a license a bit ago. If he did wander off somewhere far, he’d have to rely on public transport to get back.

It’s not until 9pm Satuday night when your phone rings and you finally see his name on your screen. You answer quickly and immediately hear the panic in his breathing and the way his voice shakes when he says your name,

“Steven! Are you okay?” You stand and pace infront of the bed.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Where are you?”

…

POV switch - Steven 

Steven didn’t think he’d ever have anyone over to his loft, not that he hadn't imagined it. When he let himself go there, it was a comforting thought, someone being here; coming home to a girlfriend and having someone to share meals with, to go to sleep with and wake up to.

Steven certainly didn’t imagine anyone seeing it the way it was now, with the sand around the bed, the stacks of books everywhere, dim lighting, and most importantly the restraints by his bed.

His heart was still racing from whatever just happened to him, and just behind that his mind was spinning trying to make sense of what happened in the time gap.

Even as he explained it all, the best he could to you, Steven still had no idea what any of it meant. Or, if he really saw what he thought he saw. He was sure you would leave, run right out that door. What he just told you was crazy right? He was clearly losing his mind.

But you don’t judge him, you just hold his hand and listen and even though he’s freaking out you calm him. His pulse eventually starts to slow down and the sweating stops. He even sits down with you.

You’re focusing solely on him in the most tender way possible and he realizes you don't even notice or care about the state of things in the apartment.

“I don’t have answers for you Steven, but I want to help. We’ll figure this out, the best we can.”

Steven only nods, his entire body and soul feels utterly exhausted. Like he’s just run a three day marathon and holding his head up requires strength he no longer possesses. His fragmented thoughts start to fade and some way, somehow, a calmness moves over him.

At this moment, he could sleep. How wonderful would it be to have you there, next to him. But Steven couldn’t trust that, he didn’t even know what he did in his unconscious states, his fail safes weren’t even working. It seemed like too much of a risk to have you here for that. Steven would never want to do anything that would put you in danger, hurt you, or make you distant.

Steven was terrified. His life was like a rollercoaster he couldn’t get off or control. He didn’t even have power over his own body. Nothing made any sense, except you. Steven had to keep you safe somehow, even if it meant denying your help, but to be honest , help sounded really nice.

When you hug him, Steven melts against you and closes his eyes. An indeterminate amount of time passes this way and it hurts him to let go of you, he wants nothing more than for you to stay.

From the look in your eyes, he knows you want to stay too. But he insists on walking you home and checking in with you first thing in the morning. Unlike him, you worked on Sundays and he mentions you needed your rest to deal with the weekend crowds.

You leave his place together and Steven walks you home. It’s a quiet walk, he doesn’t say much. But you don’t seem to mind. Halfway there, you catch Steven glancing at your hand. You smile and take his hand in yours, interlacing your fingers. The small gesture is enough to move him to tears if he lets himself. Steven holds you hand tight as you walk the rest of the way home.

After making it back to his loft, Steven makes a second cup of tea and tries to fight sleepiness. He sets up at his work desk and buries himself in books, hoping to find something, anything that can help him make sense of what’s been happening. He starts with the Ennead and Ammit.

...

‘Cat’ / Reader POV

You curl into bed feeling relieved but still worried. You hoped you could help Steven, but there was only so much you could do. And realistically, you could never understand the full extent of what he’s going through. But you could do your best to support him and be there to help along the way.

Grabbing the book he lent you from the bedstand, you rest your head against the pillow and continue reading where you left off, using the reading light. After a few pages, exhaustion takes over and you fall asleep.

🎶 🎶

As you slip away into another time and place, you hear beautiful string music in the background as you wander the halls of an ancient temple. Your eyes moving over the hieroglyphics as you slowly place one foot before the other. You stop at a particular block and run the tips of your fingers over the scarab.

A soft whisper calls you, beckoning you outside. You leave the temple and step into the golden rays of the sun. As you descend the stairs, the breeze is cool against your skin. Suddenly, you appear at the Nile and kneel down to dip your fingers in the water.

As you go deeper into the dream, the room becomes colder and you pull the blankets up to your chin. In the dream, as you make your way back to the temple you feel a hand grab yours; a strong warm hand.  As you walk in sync, a feeling of love blossoms in your chest. Whoever this man is, you know him, you care for him.

Before you can look up to see his face, the sand whips up violently and you both turn around to see a thin looming figure dressed in tatters, it has a bird skull for a head. The man pushes you behind him, protecting you with his own body.

You are suddenly taken out of the dream by a loud thud on the floor. You jolt in the bed and sit up, to your left is the book you were reading and the light. You turn on the bedside lamp and search the room with your eyes.

Slowly getting out of bed, you notice a heavy Egyptian text on the door, one you know for sure was on your bookshelf. The book is open. You take one step closer, then stop.

Your heart is banging in your chest, your hands shaking. You kneel down on the ground and look at the open pages, the room growing colder as you read the name,

“Khonshu.”

Next chapter

More soon!!!! Chapter 3 already in editing! Marc is appearing soon...

Tags? Ask or send an ask.

Next update (ch 3) around 4/12-4/13

Chapter 4 around 4/22-23

Fic taglist: @seasonschange-butpeopledont​ @charming-merlin​ @daddysfavoritesexkitten @endless-warrior-always-fighter @mylifeisactuallyamess @missingartist96​ @giona45-5​  @words-and-seeds​ @elliaze​ @anon1412​ @mysticalfairytales​ @missdictatorme​ @princessxkenobi​

can't tag you: @h-teja @aloneatpeace

[bondedtrauma]

send a url and i’ll tell you what i think of them!    /    ACCEPTING let me talk about u!!!!!

   @yallcoping​​  asked  :   ❤ / thru , gritted teeth: yallcoping

THIS MAY BE BIASED but leo, yallcoping, is my favorite blog on this entire hellsite :) your writing has always scratched an itch in my brain, no matter the character you were playing ! i’m so happy to see you running this multimuse, because i know that so many soloblogs would get you tired after the inital burst. everytime i see your muse roster, it leaves me SO tempted to put my other ocs on a separate blog just so they can interact on tumblr LOL. if only my laptop had the storage,,,,,,,, 

you’re genuinely so nice with me and we are on such the same wavelength with all of our plots ! i find myself feeling bad for mutuals outside of you because literally all of my verses intertwine with your own LOL. you’re so creative and brilliant and it’s such a treat that ur still interested in writing new AND old stuff after like six years. i love u ❤ ❤ 

as for the muses, OH MY GOODNESS ok ill go down the list so this’ll probably end up under a read more. ALEKS  :  the number one. the absolute darling of tumblr. elli’s other half. i love him as a creation! + it’s even better for us to plot because he and sekiko go hand in hand. he has the most gut wrenching backstory, and you display it so well in your writing. he’s so beautifully complicated and i love seeing him crack in other threads. all of these compliments will be TAKEN BACK if you end up keeping his inevitable young death canon. 🔫

LEO is my favorite besides milo methinks, but that’s probably because he was the first muse of yours i got to interact with :) !! ive loved watching him grow and shift into the nasty he is today. i felt like we grew a lot with him + elli as well pffft. i ask for his threads too much i just love him ;w; ISAAK is my WORST FEAR in an oc. i have an irrational fear of losing my significant other suddenly and traumatically and tbf isaak took it WELL i would’ve shot myself if i found u like he found traci. fuck that shit. he’s so well crafted and his backstory is so beautifully haunting and realistic. i wanna say that i wanna go back and give him a proper hug or some shit like “ i could fix him “ but hes genuinely one of the only characters that i dont believe can be Fixed(tm) and i actively stan keyaru redo of healer. on the same note because they’re pretty connected : JAYNE is so fine. i love her. sekiko loves her. elli would probably be scared of her but thats okay because ill just force her to love her anyways. russ hates jayne tho 0/10.

MILO is, despite all you say about him, one of the ocs you hold that has such untapped potential! maybe its because i’m a greys anatomy buff, but he is such a realistic depiction of a person and you can just see it in his interactions. maybe it’s because he’d older so he had more time to learn the what/why/how of recovery and such, but he’s grown SO MUCH since he was first created! i absolutely love he and sekiko’s dynamic. he balances her out so well and really is the perfect opposite half for her. i literally dropped all of her ships as soon as he came to fruition because i just had a FEELING!! and i was right c: i love milo let me hold him gentlly.....

TRACI is one of those characters that i am DYING to see more of. her and isaak’s dynamic is so iconic and parallels the bonnie and clyde relationship that i’ve always enjoyed seeing. i love her aesthetic and the representation she offers to trans women. her threads are such a treat, and i absolutely adore the one we have on my multi with her and ellie. give more pls.... RIVER is a character that i see and worry greatly for ur mental health. no i will not elaborate. what i WILL elaborate on is that i love supernatural characters and hes a very nice boy. wish he didnt give leo a lobotomy tho LOL

ROZKLAD has one of my favorite aesthetics EVER. i love their just....inevitable rot that always follows him around. they’re so perfectly disgusting and sekiko HATES him. he has way too much gossip on his mind and he needs to be stomped into a small brown stain. ANA is the best scp oc on this website. i dont take criticism, i just know the truth, and i’m ready to say it. shes so sweet and so is her relationship with mama elli! we don’t write the au enough anymore ;w; we should rework it!

tldr: leo is my favorite person in the whole wide world c:

[ruby-white-rabbit]

As a watcher of this chaos from the sidelines my previous biggest grivance was that people loved to defend this whole ren thing by giving the author excuses so that they could passively either remain neutral, so as to not accuse the writer of having flaws, or so they could (gross) enjoy it with a lazy hand wave arguement. Which bothers me so much. The author was not "forced" to write this relationship. "Historical accuracy" does not influence a history based fiction with fictional characters so heavily that the author has no control. There is no evidence of publishers forcing the author to write this do to fan pressure. This was a writing choice and saying its not is an insult to the writer in terms of how you think the craft works. [1/2]

[2/2]I say previous because before all this new info my take was that fans who want to could for example say they don't mind it because their INTERPRETATION was that the author didnt think about it enough (when it was assumed as 17,like some authors can have moments of weakness and forget how old a character was, forget what giving them a kid means when thinking of timelines, its very flimsy but IS A CRITIQUE. Its so important to admit a writer you enjoy can do something poorly that reflects badly on the writing. And this COULD still be the case. Heck the author could be trying to paint this as bad but not be showing it well. (Again sidelines.still hate every second of it.) But people stop white knighting for authors people i just need people to own up so i can say understandable i dont like your take have a nice day. Ive never had more sympathy for my English teacher before i now know her pain

---------

This is a very good take but I also feel like part of it is... They (the fans) don't care. They don't care if the author made a mistake and forgot or had a lapse. They were defending it LONG before it was confirmed and before the (fake)sequel came out. I'll even admit, under the right circumstances, I could see it. And by right I mean: not spending every waking hour with him, allowed to grow up separate from him so she could be her own person and actually choose, and also be like... 20+ when they finally got together.

THAT AINT EVEN CLOSE.

It is clearly stated EVERYWHERE including her current merch that RIN. IS. A. CHILD. She was a child through the series, the end of the series, and even when the new series began. They had NO excuse for what they did and for making her THAT young.

She gives birth before the 20 something year old kagome for christsake

Definitely be critical of authors. There are small slip ups from forgetfulness or ignorance that can be overlooked or educated to create change... But this was deliberate. Even with how carelessly they made the show, they had control over how far in the future to make ir and how old Rin would be. They could have made her older. They could have drawn her older. They could have even stuck to the preestablished character development and had sango and kagome kick his ass! (See them losing their shit over miroku and koharu). But they didn't. They kept her looking and acting like a child.

"but history!" "But sango was 17!" As other people have stated, history puts the average marriage in that time to be about 20. Not fucking 14.

Sango was a friend and equal to miroku beforehand. She had a choice, could kick his ass, and they were around the same age, about a 2 year difference between them.

Rin was 8-14ish and sesshomaru was a god damn 500+ year old adult. They are NOT the same.

All that said in this case... BURN THE WITCH. DEATH TO THE AUTHOR whoever it may be

[rantshemlock]

Midsommar

this contains spoilers for Midsommar 

so like, the cult is bad, right? you realise that? like you guys know cults are bad? like i know they were nice to her but you know this is a white supremacist cult thats manipulating mentally ill people to indoctrinate them? like you guys see that right?

i think maybe the scariest experience of Midsommar was seeing how much people completely accepted and justified everything the cult did in order to project into the fantasy of getting that ultimate catharsis; of completely breaking free from your terrible abusive boyfriend and doing so in a way that empowers you. but it’s a joke to pretend that Dani is empowered at all, or that she really wanted this.

Midsommar is about Dani, who suffers a personal tragedy and then travels with her horrible boyfriend and his awful friends (not you josh) to a cult in sweden for their nine-day midsummer festival. the longer they stay, the more dangerous and frightening the rituals become.

it’s kind of impossible to condense this movie to a short description without it sounding insanely stupid; there’s not a quick paragraph that really condenses the scope of this when so much of the movie is dedicated to crafting an incredibly specific mood. the visuals of the film are incredibly detailed and trying to describe them is almost pointless; its a movie that does need to be watched if you want to understand how Aster cultivates tone and pace. 

the utilisation of the incredibly limited colour; the way images are blended into pictures so subtly they are almost there only to create a subconscious understanding; the way sound is used to tell the story; the mood the permanent sunny day and clear skies sets in a world where the sun barely ever sets. it all adds something to Midsommar, makes it even more of an anxiety-inducing nightmare of the worst thing that could happen when left alone at a friend’s house.

i think one of the greatest skills in Midsommar’s toolkit is the dialogue; while i wouldn’t call it improv or naturalism, the dialogue is very natural and not-stagey, but laced with double meanings and subtext. i think this kind of incredibly believable dialogue is one of Aster’s strongest talents, and definitely one of the things i enjoy most about his movies.

i didnt really get as much out of Midsommar as i did out of my beloved Hereditary, but it’s hard to say exactly why that is outside of my own personal relationship to Hereditary. something about the scope and scale of Midsommar, the removal from the domestic, makes it a touch less personally evocative to me. 

Midsommar is a movie about gaslighting and abusive relationships, but there’s a pretty clear pattern in people recognising that with Dani’s horrible boyfriend and neglecting to see it in the cult. it’s very easy to get wrapped up in the cult’s apparent empathy and understanding of her trauma, but what we’re watching isn’t a genuine love and care for Dani. it’s an indoctrination tactic used to manipulate and brainwash her. all through the movie the cult imitates and pretends to share people’s pain, but they don’t truly experience Dani’s any more than they do that of the old man who survives a suicide attempt, only to be subsequently killed by the cult. they are merely reflecting what she was going through, utilising her pain to guide her to their own ends. 

the intention is stated clear as day during the exact same “does he make you feel held? does he feel like home to you?” conversation Pelle and Dani have that people love to reference so much as the heartwarming moment of the movie. Pelle tells Dani that his parents also died, but he never had to be sad because the cult was there for him, and then says that he’s glad Dani came on the trip to sweden because she’s the one he wanted there the most. later, we find out that it was the mission of Pelle and others to bring outsiders to the cult.

the meaning of this is clear; Pelle recognised that Dani was vulnerable, and took it upon himself to recruit her. this is a frequent favourite tactic of cults. the idea he was doing this trip out of the kindness of his heart is absurd; the cult deals in human sacrifice. he knew that he could more easily lead Dani to her death. 

pretending Dani is happy at the end of the film is a vast stretch, and pretending that any brief spell of happiness would justify what happened is even more so. right up until the very end she is either terrified or has been drugged, often without her knowledge or consent. she doesn’t know the extent to which innocent people have been murdered. she doesn’t know what the cult have planned, what their history is, what their future is. she can’t even communicate with the vast majority of the cult’s members. to pretend that she has any autonomy in this situation is to ignore how guided and controlled her actions are throughout the movie; she accepts the death of her boyfriend when she is drugged and almost catatonic from trauma, and is that really enough to say that she is happy? that she is docile and compliant?

throughout the film Dani is constantly trying to set up boundaries, to make tiny requests of people for her own wellbeing. time and time again they are ignored and overruled and her attempts to stand up for herself are flattened in the wake of other peoples desires. the cult is no different; none of her actions are borne of her own choices. no one has ever really cared what Dani wants. 

i think what is most prominent is that when Dani is becoming the may queen, an image of her sister committing suicide can be seen mixed into the trees in the background. drawing a direct parallel between death and Dani’s adoption as the May Queen feels like a very transparents statement of intent. 

what also should be mentioned is the white supremacist nature of the cult; of the victims, the first to die are all people of colour. white supremacist literature is seen around the camp. the cultists talk about how their children are born from specially chosen couples, in what is the most brushed over description of selected breeding and eugenics ive ever heard. every living person is white. it is not accidental or subtle. apparently the directors cut goes into much deeper detail on this idea; i couldnt say myself, i havent seen it. but its obvious in this film that this cult stands for the benefit only of themselves and the preservation of their rituals and past.

in the end the question to me is: was it all worth it? was all the suffering and pain the loss of life worth it, just for Dani to have a smile that expresses nothing but how far she has fallen into her trauma? 

one of the things that weighed on me watching the movie was that it was specified that the ritual lasts nine days -- we see maybe five. the other thing is that throughout the movie we are repeatedly shown dozens of photos of past May Queens, but never does a character ever introduce themselves as a past May Queen, never does a character reference other May Queens. after their need is abated, they just seem to vanish. it makes me wonder what happens in the other four days. 

[edge-lorde]

hp update: its ur favorite tumblr user back at it again with another great post. thats right, as promised here is a more in depth look at the recent dragon themed time sensitive event!

this event takes place in year 6. bill is graduated but has been coming back to the school periodically to teach us bootleg DADA just like harry did in the books. it is on one such occasion that bill lets it slip that his next job from gringotts involves him going to the dragon reserve that we know charlie will eventually work at. bill had not told charlie about this job prior to this discussion precisely because of what happens next, which is that charlie wants to go.

this brings me back to year 4 days with the first charlie focused sidequest, where we scrounged up money to by what may or may not have been a dragon egg (it was not) from a strange man who had been seen trying to approach other unaccompanied minors walking around hogsmeade. this pure of dragon centric heart, but dumb of dragon centric ass quality was what made me start liking charlies character in the game in the first place. he begins negging his older brother in a way that is very familiar to me as a younger sibling. i as the mc of course jump on the bandwagon with charlie immediately. 

bill sounds very defeated in this part because he knows the negging wont end, and/or knows that he will eventually cave to charlies demands. “no you cant come.” he says with a sigh.

but well see about that, because charlie and i go ambush bill at work to ask again. 

as stated previously bill works at gringotts bank, which is run by goblins. i already had access to the location diagon alley, but before this event gringotts itself was closed to me. newly unlocked, charlie and i walk inside. unlike the hogwarts kitchens, it does not feel like walking into hell for me to do this. unlike house elves which only have 1 basic model used for every elf except for the 1 named elf, there is some variety in the goblin designs. there appears to be one basic goblin face that i can tell, but its paired with several different outfits and hairstyles, giving them the illusion of originality typically spent on unnamed background characters. there are also 3 named goblin characters with all their own stuff.  

the first is obviously griphook, the only real goblin character from the books. hes bills supervisor. in the books hes a pretty unlikable guy but here, though hes not nice exactly, he seems at least kind of chill. he doesnt kick charlie or me out for barging in and says its ok for us go on the mission with bill. its nice to see him unstressed. 

the other 2 goblins are the perhaps, hopefully, cool ones. one is younger than the rest and has some friendly dialog with you and his other named goblin friend, who possibly exists so the first one has someone to banter with. they dont do anything else this event but gringotts stays open after the event is completed so hopefully they will come back again and get their own plotlines. 

anyway, charlie and i harass bill at work for a bit. his boss comes in, hears our plea, and doesnt immediately tell us to leave.  instead he tells us the rundown of bills mission: a long time ago a goblin boasted that he could craft a golden dragon egg that would be indistinguishable from the real thing. he did, and it was. so much so that a dragon destroyed his house and stole it, i think he died in the process. 

“so,” says griphook, “that is why we must send you, 18 year old we just hired, to go to a remote location filled with dragons by yourself to rifle through their nests and bring back what is rightfully ours. no we dont know which dragon took the egg or even the type. yes you can bring your little brother and his friends.” 

sounds legit. charlie and i convince bill to not only let us come with him, but also our other classmates from his DADA class due to scheduling mishaps. we go gather the rest of the class to tell them about this but only merula, penny, and barnaby show up and so only they get to go on the field trip, which is convenient because otherwise wed have half the school out there and that would be entirely too many characters for the devs to write at once. 

we borrow the same tent the canon characters will eventually use in all their camping shenanigans in the book from hagrid and get to the dragon reserve via portkey. the reserve now appears on the stairs screen as a permanent new location, not a fleeting one as i once thought. theres dragons flying all around, majestic as hell. 

its too late in the day to start searching so we set up camp and settle in, roast marshmallows, barnaby tells a story about a vampire broomstick. then we go inside the tent and play truth or dare. im asked to pick at one point which of my friends id most like to have with me if i were to get lost in the woods. i pick barnaby because hes the one who asked, but really id probably want merula there more. barnaby is supposed to be into dueling but ive never seen him in a real fight. ive seen merula take a Cruciatus curse and then get up and walk. pennys whole thing is potions too. i thought this choice would be relevant to something in the event but it was not. 

in the truth or dare game, merula gets bill to tell some embarrassing stories about charlie as a kid. he talks about charlie putting wings on their rat and a dragon mask on their owl, pretending that they are real dragons. everyone laughs.  this his a cord with charlie though and he storms out. we wrap up truth or dare and go to bed. 

the next day we begin the search.charlie has not come back yet. we realize this and begin freaking out, start looking for him instead. we scare a mother dragon off its nest for unfathomable reasons. eventually we hear charlies voice coming from inside a cave. we go in, charlie is alive and uneaten, but has a broken leg. he ran off to find the egg by himself in order to prove himself as teen boys are wont to do. bill and i then realize the other 3 didnt follow us into the cave, and a big ol dragon walks in. i gotta fight it singlehandedly while bill heals charlie in the back. 

the boss fight was actually pretty hard. it took me like 5-6 tries to beat the dang thing thing. much enjoyment many high stakes. i put a sleeping spell on it to stop its attack at the end, though i had the option to use the Cruciatus curse which seems a little intense, game. then the other 3 run in and are like cool your safe! sorry we couldnt help u fight the dragon, there was a dragon. im like “yes, understandable.”

bill had given up on finding the egg at this point, but then charlie finds it! its a gold egg. in retrospect this egg might have been the egg that will inspire the gold egg stealing challenge in hp book 4 but i forget if that was inspired by a story or not. 

then we have a cool down level with bill and charlie, where they both apologize, and charlie says what he did was stupid, but i insist its wasnt stupid it was cool and good even though that is factually wrong because thats what i would say in real life regardless. bill and charlie promise to never speak of this trip again, especially not to their mom. 

the last level is us going back to gringotts and regaling griphook with the tale of our journey, including the marshmallow and truth or dare bits. he says “great job, teens!” and then we all jump up in the air and the theme song plays as we freeze midair and the colors fade to black and white. we all learned some valuable dragon based lessons today friends. it took me 2 full hours to write this and i have to wake up at 6 tomorrow. 

[villainhore]

Do you go to any writing workshops or just any guides that help you with navigating your writing?

honestly, not at all! ive never taken a professional writing course/class etc. the last writing course i ever took was in high school several years ago and it didnt help at all because i was worried more about my marks, rather than my craft at the time. (i think w/professional learning, that is often inevitable.)

i think what has helped me- especially in the past 2 years, was reading a lot of other books (NA fiction/fantasy/contemp etc whatever my mood was) and writing some good ol’ fanfic (thank you lotura). it really helped me find my voice and helped me explore my vision and just taste for creativity. i think fanfic especially really helps because youre exploring a world and characters that you are already passionate about (vs your own story that might not be fully constructed perhaps). thats the biggest key for writing, in my opinion, is finding YOUR way of storytelling, rather than focusing on posts/advice from professional writers or experts about how you must follow xyz procedure to be a good writer.

a few tips to find your writing process (if applicable ofc!):

- read your writing OUT LOUD and IN CHARACTER/narration. this really helps you write more fluidly and helps you figure out your sentence structuring. i would say, don’t pay much mind to advice that says “less short, chunky sentences or less run-on sentences etc” because everyone has a different style of writing and if that is where your comfort lies, then definitely go with it!

- if you want, you can also act out certain scenes that you are envisioning. some of the best scenes i believe ive written are ones i acted out fully w/emotion and voice/accent changes etc (i have no acting background lmao)

- also, i highly recommend having a dictionary etc on hand-as in, right next to you, as you are writing. i like the google dictionary extension on chrome and i also love thesaurus. com. english is my third language, but i worked on my vocabulary a lot just by writing simpler terms or regular sentences and then looking up synonyms and replacing w/words there that MAKE SENSE in that scenario. (try to avoid using the most flashy or very creative type of synonyms, because specificity of the meaning is crucial. example: saying “his scintillating arms” in regards to edward cullen’s sparkly skin, might seem a little odd because scintillating also means being vibrant, exciting, animated. when in doubt, maybe keep things simple, so that if you do revisit that work sometime later, you might have a different way of going about the scene and it’ll help develop it a lot better w/o causing any confusion because of word choice)

- i love listening to audio sounds on youtube of a scene im writing. for example, if a character is on the beach, i will listen to those specific sounds of crashing waves, wind blowing, etc that i believe my character is experiencing in that scene.

- when you have planned a scene and you’re unable to find your writing voice, you can totally- and i encourage it even- write informally first and once youre finished that and happy with the idea, you can overturn it into your writing style. for example, before writing the para for this scene in my novel, i basically wrote the following: 

First draft: “Character is sitting by the water and because of the waves, she’s moving a little and is also getting splashed by water. The sun is beaming down on her as she is staring at this spider in front of her. She is casually leaning back and puts her leg up and her arm over it as she inhales from her cigarette. As she inhales, she can taste the smoke, but also the smell of the seaside or whatever is in the air and how cool and nice and refreshing it is. Other than the waves, there are sounds of seagulls and the chatter of town folk near her.”

Final draft: “She swayed to and fro as the crashing waves shook the rock pilings she lounged on, the spray of water wetting her sun kissed skin. Fascination had her fixated on the struggling creature as she exhaled a cloud of sweet berzi smoke in the air. Throwing an arm over her raised knee, she leaned against the cool rock, inhaling deeply, feeling the taste of salt on her tongue and the crisp cool air feeding her lungs. Crying seagulls soared above the port of Herija’s busy market place, the hustle and chatter of daily life a consistent background noise in her ears.”

i find im more likely to go back and rewrite that simple guideline, rather than sit through a writer’s block because i am hoping or even forcing myself to write a certain way.

i hope some/any of that can help!! feel free to ask anything else if you like!

[salfordiansiren]

Interview Questions for Ren Harvieu, God is in the TV ‘In Conversation with…’article

We do like to ask some ‘off-the-wall’ questions, also some slightly tongue-in-cheek and left-field ones not connected to the music business at all. There are also a few multiple questions and I’ve mixed them up a bit so that the subjects keep changing. Many of them are open-ended, giving you the opportunity to be as verbose as you wish.  Please ignore any question you do not wish to answer.

Hi Lauren, my name is David Bentley, I write for a UK-based e-zine God is in the TV (GIITTV).

The objective of this interview, which will be published in GIITTV within a week of receiving your responses, is to introduce you to a new audience in the UK and abroad and to promote your forth on ming album.

The interview will also feature some embedded videos and/or audio unless you ask us not to do that.

There will be an ‘introduction’ to the interview but that will be written after its completion.

Thanks for agreeing to take part.

So, here we go…

 

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. How are you?

I’m in a great mood today thanks. I had foot surgery last week and so I cant leave the house or really move for 6 weeks but I feel strangely calm about the whole thing, I dont mind bein

 

For the benefit of readers who may not be familiar with you, how would you describe yourself as an artist, in a paragraph?

 

 

You have released two singles, ‘Teenage Mascara’ and just now ‘Yes, Please’ from your second album, ‘Revel in the Drama’ which is scheduled for next April and the first one was well received by broadcasting ‘tastemakers’. How does the album differ from the first one, ‘Through the Night?’

 

The difference between Revel In The Drama and Through The Night is that this is a much more personal album. I spent the last couple of years honing my songwriting craft and these lyrics have come straight from my gothic salfordian brain. Its darker, more intense, stranger but still has the beauty of Through The Night. I think both albums sit nicely together.

 

 

Since 2015 you’ve been co-writing with Romeo Stodart of the Magic Numbers and he appeared on stage with you at your recent concerts. Will that relationship continue? Do you prefer to control the songwriting process yourself, or are you content to work with other music or lyric writer(s) into the future? If the latter, who has the final say?

I’ll keep writing with romeo till I die if he wants to. He’s the best of the best, and he understands me. I never really felt understood as an artist till I met him. I feel so comfortable in his presence that I let it allllll out, not just the versions of me t

 

You signed with Universal, a huge corporation, as a 17-year old. Is that too young, or are there any benefits in being ‘bloodied’ in the industry at such a tender age?

I think I was too young, although Universal were great that wasn’t the problem. But there was a lot going on behind the scenes that I was dealing with. I wasn’t a show biz kid from a showbiz family and I had real problems that seemed bigger than singing about about being dumped by some boy. I felt too young and overwhelmed but also too streetwise and smart for it all. It was a confusing time.

They say that everything happens for a reason. In 2011 you suffered a life-changing event, just as your debut album was about to be released, and one which set you back several years. Eight years on do you think the dreadful accident in which you broke your back has had any positive repercussions?

I think there had been positive repercussions,I dont think I would have started writing if it wasn’t for the accident. I dont

 

What attracted you to signing with Bella Union for your new album?

Well

 

Do you have any role models in the music business? A hero or heroine? Anyone you would enjoy being “mentioned in the same breath” with? (Dusty Springfield comes to mind, also perhaps Shirley Bassey).

 

I really admire Fiona apple because she does whatever the hell she wants. And her records are stunning, unique and completely un compromising.

You are compared occasionally with Elkie Brooks (I’ve done it myself!), a different kind of singer perhaps but a highly respected one who hails from the same city, and even the same suburb as you. And she’s still performing, in her seventies. Is there anything you feel you can learn from her and, indeed, are you ever in contact with her?

I dont know Elkie personally but I love her shes a legend. Rising Cost Of Love is my jam!

 

 

You left Salford and relocated to London a while ago. Do you miss it? How did the move impact on your creativity?

I really miss the north, everything about it but I needed to leave because I was really sad and I knew if i didnt do something soon I was going to slip down the back alleyof my mind and maybe disappear forever. I have memories on every street, bus stops make me emotional. Corner shops where me and my friend would try and get booze in our school, theres just memories everywhere and I needed a clean break. To create some distance so I could write about it

When you’re writing, how do most of your songs start life? A piano part? A chord? A melody? Does inspiration simply come, or do you have to seek it?

I feel inspired everyday by everything. When writing a song I like to visualise it, like a film, frame by frame. Sometimes I move around, dance, put on voices. Romeo will play something off the cuff that’s so beautiful that I’ll just start shouting and laughing and hugging him. Its the closest I get to spirituality. Writing wise, I want the narrative to have as much depth as possible, I want to feel something and I feel it is my duty to give the emotion and the stories the respect they deserve. I take it very seriously.

 

Do you see yourself as a live artist, or a recording artist, or both?

I see myself as both. I get to appease the introvert in me by being in the studio and attend to the outrovert by playing live.

 

How would you personally measure ‘success’? By ‘breaking’ America? Or something more modest?

Success to me would mean I get to create and perform music for all time and make a living on it. Success to me would mean that people are touched and moved by my music. I would love to be a voice to someone that can comfort them, just as say Rufus Wainwirght was to me when I was a depressed 14 year old. I’m not doing this just to stroke my own fragile ego, I genuinely want to reach o

 

When I saw your show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester recently, in one song (I think it was ‘Cruel Disguise’), you reached and sustained a note that convinced me and those in my company that you could probably tackle opera singing. Do you have any ambitions to perform in that or any other genre?

I would love to learn opera. I think

 

Back in 2012, while you were recovering, you performed several James Bond film theme tunes with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, including ‘You only live twice’ and ‘Nobody does it better’, both of which arguably could be applied to you. Do you picture yourself as a ‘Bond girl’ in the sense of recording the theme to a future movie, or do you even have any acting ambitions to actually play such a role? After all, the new album is constructed so that you can “revel in the drama of my life” as you say. (Incidentally, a female friend of mine – also from Salford – commented that you look like a 1950s Hollywood movie star).

Tell your friend I said thanks a lot! I would love to sing a Bond theme, I feel like it could happe

Acting wise I’m open to it, why not?

 

I saw one of your Christmas Special shows at the Soup Kitchen in Manchester in 2015. During the show you told a story about how a school choirmaster prevented you joining a musical assembly on four occasions for no better reason than that there was something about you that he didn’t like. Your rejoinder to that was “Well, fuck him” and of course you soon went on to release demos on MySpace which were picked up by a local manager and sent on to Amy Winehouse’s producer. The rest is history. A new song, ‘Little Raven’ was written cathartically as one to your younger self when you had no label and didn’t know if it would ever be recorded. What advice would you give to young people who find doors being slammed in their face as that schoolmaster did to you?

If anyone is picking you, school teachers, other kids, parents, anyone i would say to

If schoolmasters are singling you out and picking on you, its probably because your different and they cant stand

 

 

What touring plans do you have to support the release of the new album?

We are organising a tour right now around the UK, quite a big one its really exciting. I also cant wait to tour outside of England, I’ve never done that.

 

If you weren’t a musician what would you be? Do you ever aspire to being ‘something else’ entirely (model, politician, footballer, train driver…?!)

I think I’d try and be a fiction writer. I love books and stories and characters. I heard Donna Tartt say something life ‘as much fun as it is to read a book, writing one is one level deeper’ There’s something about losing myself into another world entirely that really appeals to me.

 

The environment. Whose viewpoint are you closest to? Donald Trump or Greta Thunberg?

 Greta or course.

United or City?

United

 

Coronation Street or EastEnders?

Corrie

 

Thanks again and good luck with the album and your future career.

[comicteaparty]

September 2nd-September 8th, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from September 2nd, 2019 to September 8th, 2019.  The chat focused on Home is a Distant Wish by Jurinova.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Home is a Distant Wish by Jurinova~! (https://tapas.io/series/hiadw)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until September 8th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. Given many of the characters deal with some sort of trauma, whose trauma stands out to you the most? What do you think the comic can show us in regards to how we deal with trauma in real life?(edited)

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. Do you think the Keld Ores can be trusted, or was Angelo right about him being dangerous? Why do you think Mute is sheltering him, and what consequences will the others face for bringing him to Mute?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. Who do you think Roara is accused of having killed, and what does this have to do with her ex? How do you think she wound up friends with Cane, and what do you think her role in the story will be now that she’s free?

RebelVampire

1) my favorite scene is probably the couch scene where Angelo and Kipu were getting intimate. It was nice to see this sort of character development since it was a stark contrast to how everything started. And I liked just how concrete it was despite both being kind of unsure where to take things. A lot of respect going around and just overall, the scene gave me warm fuzzies and gave me hope they could both have actual relationships with other ppl despite trauma. 2) I think Roara's trauma is what stood out the most to me. While only some people have to ever deal with the sort of physical issues like part of what Kipu suffers, I think everyone has been in some position to Roara's, at least on the level of being accussed of something they didn't do and being punished for it. That can be hardcore emotional trauma. In regards to what the comic can show us about dealing with trauma, I think that everyone handles it differently. Some people need revenge (even if that's not the healthiest), some people need time, some people need hugs, some people just want to be left alone, etc. Trauma manifests differently for everyone, and some people just handle it better than others. So ya gotta have patience and an open mind to spot it.

3) My favorite character is definitely Kipu. I like the concept that Kipu has to speak through text in short statements to convey whatever Kipu is trying to say. And I like to see how that, gestures, and other stuff are integrated to create a character who, while on the quieter side, can be just as vocal and opinionated as anyone else. Plus, I've enjoyed Kipu's backstory so far the most, cause Kipu strikes me as the most sympathetic so far.

4) I think Ores is kind of in between. Like I don't think Ores will randomly go murder hobo and is a nice person. But do I believe Ores is dangerous and is willing to kill to protect certain people's lives over others? Damn straight I do. Ores, regardless of the niceness, seems to have an agenda, and people will agenda's are generally gonn do some bad things in the name of those agendas. Mute...I'm gonna be honest. I get the impression Mute was paid to shelter Ores, but also secretly supports whatever it is Ores is trying to achieve. And I think this will come bite Mute in the butt when people come for Ores and probably destroy everything Mute has tried to build because desperation and murder don't mix well.

5) My favorite illustration so far is probably this city scape https://tapas.io/episode/1188947 I love the muted color scheme so that there can be glowing highlights, expressing the nightlife atmosphere that is taking over the city. I also love the variety in building shapes going on, cause it gives the place a lot of character as well. 6) I got the impression Roara was accused of killing her ex, perhaps by someone she knew and who had enough power to get away with it. And given it's her ex, Roara of course was prime suspect and its one of those cases where the police shrugged and didnt bother looking for anyone else. Given Roara's personality, I feel like she took pity on Cane when Cane first showed up at the prison and just kind of mother henned/big sistered herself in there out of pity. And then that pity turned to a lot of love and care to want to protect Cane who seemes kind of innocence. As for her future role, I get the impression she's gonna be on the wrong side of the law cause she seems like she'd go where Cane goes, and Cane is probably gonna switch side at the rate the flashbacks are going. XD

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. Why do you think the Keld are attacking people and causing destructive and deadly incidents? What does this have to do what the senators are doing that is supposedly very risky?

Attila Polyák

Finally I got around to reading a comic here... 1, Llama alien family visit! The entire visit there is just so wholesome, even though they are clearly in a rather rough situation. And they are soo adorable. 2, There's a... I'd prefer not to. So with the first part of the question unceremoniously skipped. People are different. Their circumstances, good and bad, are also different. It's no surprise that people react to the same event(s) differently. People can, and most often do, try to understand each other but seeing and understanding how someone else deals with negativity in general in life is very iffy. You are not them, you might on an intellectual level understand that something really bad happened to them, but without their experiences and way of thinking... The best you can do is try which I guess doesn't sound too promising, but it's still a lot better than being left in the darkness. 3, Kipu. He's awesome! His way of communicating, his backstory (or what we know about it so far), his choice of clothes. Everything about him is just so intriguing. I'm looking forward to learning more about his past the most. 4, I think Ores is dangerous, but despite that he can still be trusted. He feels like someone who can go to extreme lengths for what he believes in. And I think This is the reason why Mute shelters him. Their longer term goals I feel are not the same, but I also think those goals might align one way or another.

snuffysam

1) I agree with @RebelVampire - the scene where Angelo and Kipu are opening up to each other is my favorite. It's just beautiful to see how far they've come since the start of the story! For the record, that's also my answer to (7). Angelo is of course a sass-master to Kipu, but it's the moments where Kipu returns fire that really sell the relationship. For 6) - while I agree Roara probably became friends with Cane because she wanted to protect him, I also get the impression that she has also been bailed out by Cane a couple times. Perhaps she tangled with someone too big for her and Cane had her back?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. What do you think Angelo/Kilene’s relationship with Prince is, and what exactly is Prince trying to protect Angelo/Kilene from? What is Angelo/Kilene’s story in general, and what is the patch showcased several times in the story?

RebelVampire

7) I definitely enjoy seeing Kipu and Angelo interact the most. Once again, I really like the development that goes with their relationship as they find common bonds despite basically despising each other beginning. And character growth is fun to watch. 8) I get the impression that the Keld know what the senators are up to and are trying to get people's attention and stop it. And people only pay attention when things get crappy, or something like that. As for what the senators are doing, I'm not entirely sure. Although I'm sure it's very illegal whatever it is, probably gonna chop down some liberties. Maybe they're secretly genociding the Keld or something like that. Either way, don't trust politicians.

9) I really love some of the details for the world building. For example, how different species have different naming structures. It's just one of those nice little details that really makes a species feel like a different species that developed its own non-earth culture. And it's details like these a lot of people neglect since they aren't always that important. Still, it's really great to see and adds some depth to the world. 10) I get the impression that Angelo and Prince dated before and had a mutual split. Maybe due to potential family pressures. That or they're brothers. One of the two. Either way they give off the vibe they were close and known each other for years. I get the impression that Angelo ran away though, and Prince is protecting Angelo from the repercussions from that. As for Angelo's story in general, maybe a rich kid, got into drugs, had health issues, rebelled against family. He strikes me very much as the type to have rebelled against everyone cause he didn't want to fit anybody's mold.

Attila Polyák

5, The funeral sequence is probably my favorite illustration (as morbid as that sounds). https://tapas.io/episode/522887 Just not just shows how funeral ceremonies are held, but also how important that death was in the earlier parts of the comic. The page not just looks great but also enhances previous pages by giving extra context. It's both beautiful in a grandiose way and plot important. 6, I absolutely agree with @RebelVampire about Roara. I think she's accused of killing her ex, however that couldn't be further from the truth. As for Cane. I just feel like he's a person who's willing to listen (pun absolutely intended, sorry I'm a bad person). Most people wouldn't want to be associated with someone who killed a significant other, Cane, however, I feel like not just listened to her, but believed her, and thus their friendship was formed.(edited)

Attila Polyák

7, That's a bit odd. I'm not really much of a fan of Angelo, yet whenever he interacts with literally anyone it's just... I donno, somehow charming and interesting. 8, When I read the talk about the risky stuff the senators are doing I for some reason almost immediately jumped to the conclusion that they are trying to build the Sybil System from Psychopass or something very similar. I think it's rather understandable why some would be against a system that judges you for stuff you didn't do and makes your most important life decisions instead of you (not that there are no advantages to a system like that but you know... the downsides are also obvious).  Aaaand... While I have no rational reason to expect this to be the case, I still do and I also have a feeling that the Kled know about this somehow and are trying to prevent it. Probably one of their leaders was scouted for this plan and this leader said no. Thus the Kled had an opportunity to know about what's going to happen and they believed it, but the rest of the world didn't and that's because of a simple reason: The senat obviously has power, possibly enough to turn the truth into a ridiculed rumor.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. What do you think happened to Kipu and Naia, especially given they both have severe physical trauma? Overall, what do you think will be the consequences of Kipu and Cane/Naia reuiniting for everyone else in the story?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. Now that Prince is free to pursue Ores, what do you think will happen to Nkapu and the rest of the crew? Will they be able to get out of the situation, or will their deeds catch up to them? In general, where do you think the story goes from here?

Attila Polyák

9, What stuck me most is how architecture looks. Yes it's futuristic as it's expected to be, but different locations, cities, villages in different places look well... Different. 10, I have the feeling that they were together in the past, both from a relatively wealthy background, but Angelo somehow thumbled down the social ladder around the same time when they broke up. Ultimately I feel like the two are unrelated, and Prince is still trying to support Angelo one way or another. 11, The scenery is gorgeous. Especially the colors during sunset/sunrise. Really eye catching. Actually... Not just the landscapes, but backgrounds in general are really well drawn and just good to look at. 12, I'm really unsure, but I have a feeling the connected events in their past happened while Kipu was attending the academy. 13, Kipu's backstory. I usually am a sucker for good backstories, but since his seems to conenct to the rest of the story in multiple different points I'm genuinely curious how both his relationships and the past events turn out. 14, In short I feel Prince will successfully go after Ores and a confrontation seems to be inevitable. However I'm really unsure as to the extent of this confrontation. Like... Mute is ultimately not just the captain of a ship, but basically the leader of a small city. We clearly see that Prince is in command of a lot of people, but Mute and co also seem to be a more than just a few and while they are not as well equipped as Prince. At this point I feel like the real question is, how much is Ores worth and how far are they willing to go to get him.

RebelVampire

11) In my opinion the strength is probably the mesh between world and characters. When it comes to world-building, that can be an intense process. The more you develop, the more the "character" of the world can be to overshadow the actual characters. However, this comic finds a great balanced between being detailed yet having the story strictly remain about the character's and their struggles. Which creates an all around better reading experience. 12) Honestly, Kipu and Naia probably got into a war since ya know, that's kind of what they're training for. And no one expects war to be as shit as it usually turns out to be. So probably big devastating battle where everyone was scattered and everyone was just assumed dead. As for consequences about them reunited, I don't think any of Kipu's friends will care, but I think it's gonna be a big deal for Roara. She doesn't strike me as the trusting kind of person.

13) I am actually looking forward to seeing where Angelo goes from here since the comic pulled a red herring and Kipu's group is more or less probably gonna ditch Angelo now (since most never liked Angelo anyway). So I want to see what Angelo's role will transform to be now. 14) Everybody is screwed. That is what's going to happen. Things will come to a head cause Mute's group, and by association Nkapu's group, don't send a chance even if the might be able to runaway for a while. And I think this will drive Ores into a corner and cause much destruction and feelings of regret.

Jurinova

Hey, author of HiaDW here! Just wanted to drop by and say that reading all these comments has been wonderful and very insightful! It's interesting to see how different people read different characters and situations, not to mention how spot on some of the analysis were. Thank you so much to all who read the comic and commented!

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Home is a Distant Wish this week! Please also give a special thank you to Jurinova for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Home is a Distant Wish, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://tapas.io/series/hiadw

Jurinova’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jurinova

Jurinova’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/jurinova

Jurinova’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jurisaur

[evotter]

jan, march, sept + one of your choice, love. have a great day, u icon

thank u kyra i adore u

january: what was the first fic you posted this year?

the first fic i posted this year TECHNICALLY was the epilogue of a different path. the first standalone was chewbacca (aka my introduction to the jily world once again and i have such a soft spot for it)

march: do you listen to music whilst writing? 

yes! pretty much always; if it’s not music, it’s a TV show.

september: share a comment or review which still warms your heart?

quite literally anything you’ve left on any of my fics BUT there are a few that i hold dear to my heart. i’ll post them under the cut cause they are LONG :’)

ancient: the first fic you ever posted online?

hahahaaaaaaa. it was my own version of rick riordan’s the son of neptune before the actual book was published. it was on ff.net, and the first chapter got 7 reviews, and i felt so good about myself after that lmfao. who knew i’d still be writing 8 years later?

ask me questions!

OKAY so i have 3 top favorites:

from a different path:

okay so i had seen this in someone else’s bookmarks the other day, thought it was an interesting concept—especially since i too love slytherin!percy and strongly subscribe to ofswordsandpens’ headcanons about it—but didn’t give it another thought until i was listening to a video about the cursed child and went: wait, there’s a percabeth hogwarts au that i saw somewhere. and immediately i hunted this down and i’m just in awe? i tore through it. belatedly, i realized that i made a mistake: i didn’t write down my thoughts as i was reading, which is definitely a disservice to you. however, here are a generalized list of things that i loved.

first of all, with hogwarts au’s, there are three main aspects that i look for: plot, characterization, and quality of writing. normally, fics of this size lack one or more of these key factors, but i was astonished to find that the plot is tremendously tight and intriguing (my lip bled from biting it so much because i’ve been stressed to the max), you write these characters with such distinct voices i can easily picture them saying everything—except, of course, now in a little british accent—and your writing flows so well, it feels almost like i’m reading an actual harry potter book, just with percy and co. you also do a masterful job of weaving together aspects of the pjo universe with the established canon of hp.

and there are so many specific things that i love. primarily, the way you write the relationships in this story; not just concerning percabeth (though i will get to that in a minute), but also with each of the interactions between all of the characters. i applaud you for how you handled luke/annabeth and rachel/percy, and the friendship among them all is just incredibly well done. i especially love how well you wrote connor and zoë and just, a lot of characters that i don’t often think about when i think of pjo. grover and percy’s friendship especially is heartbreaking, i just. he’s so protective because he loves his friends and holy fuck i also love how you wrote grover in this. but i just adored how you wrote annabeth/percy—the love between them, both platonic in its early stages and the romantic all throughout, was doubly apparent. i ached when they kissed each other’s cheeks, and i inwardly cheered when she kissed him in the locker room. there was just such a natural progression, to me, of their relationship. and man did i dig it. i’m excited (and maybe a little scared) to see where you take their relationship in the future.

boy, this is getting long. sorry. but some more just little quick things: loved the b99 reference, with both of their competitive natures playing out in a similar way to jake and amy’s. i kind of want to go back and see if i can find any other references that i missed because i was just too engaged in the story to catch them. also, zoë’s death killed me all over again, thanks for that. i like how you’re working the kronos plot in, and i can’t wait to see how the Final Battle plays out. what else? oh! professor hestia? beautiful. eventual maybe professor percy? outstanding. percy kissing the top of annabeth’s head? breathtaking. rachel being a quidditch commentator? earth shattering. (truly i cackled when i saw that.) mrs. o’leary being a cat? incredible. how you incorporated percy’s water powers? stunning.

ooh, this exchange was beautiful and had me cackling it was so in-character:

“None of us are dying.” Connor clarifies. “Not you, not me, not Annie, not the rest of us.”

“I might have to dispute that.” Annabeth says, from Percy’s other side. “Call me ‘Annie’ one more time, Stoll, and I’ll kill you myself.”

Connor only grins at her. “Sorry, love. No more ‘Annie’. Can I call you Beth?”

“No.”

“Anna?”

“No.”

okay, so i just finished chapter nine and i am blown away. sorry for how long this comment was, but a fic of this magnitude truly warrants it. i can’t wait to see what happens next.

i leave you with just two words: “holy shit.”

from a different path: 

god, oh my god, am i the only dumb bitch who didn’t get what the prophecy was??

anyway, i stumbled on this fic last year, patiently waiting for its completion, and now that i’ve rediscovered it, i’m so glad i finished it all in one go! i couldn’t imagine the tension of waiting for the next chapter, especially since the tension is so well-crafted!! i hardly noticed the tonal shift even as the story got darker and darker as it led up to the war, and in that way i was reminded of how extremely similar it felt to reading the hp books for the first time! you nailed percy very well i might say, and the awkward-yet-caring relationship he has with his dad. i daresay you gave connor and zoe more characterization than rick riordan himself, and the percabeth you wrote is perfect to the nth degree. i appreciate that you didnt bother with all the love triangle and unrequited feelings nonsense as well.

but i have to say, even as i cried at sally and paul’s wedding, or at dionysus’ quiet mourning for castor, what really struck with me most was the way you handled silena. for that, i have no words. that was a job extremely well done. thank you so much for blessing us with this fic.

from chewbacca (a comment from u!): 

A girl in a bright yellow hooded raincoat stumbles into the cafe on one of the slowest nights James has ever seen. Her coat is dripping all over the floor he’d just cleaned (but it’s fine) and when he leans over the counter he sees that her boots match the coat.

First of all!!! Thats the best opening line in the world and nobody can convince me otherwise. I want to become a publisher just so that if you ever write a book, I’d be able to publish it. ( like omg, what an honor??? )

She looks like sunshine, standing there with the amount of yellow in her wardrobe. Briefly, James wonders if that’s her favorite color. It’s got to be.

Im going to quote this whole fic but I really love these lines? Like, you have this distinct style of writiting that I aim to acheive and you’re literally such a rolemodel!!! These are my favorite kind of fics to read. Funny story but I was going through a ‘no thanks Jily’ mood (  a horror, i know !! ) but your fics are just,,,,exceptions? You could write about trash and I’d love it and ask for you to sign me up.

 “Say it again, but convincingly this time.”

ooof this dialogue??? let me breathe

This is the longest he’s stood still since he started working. It’s actually a miracle.

and the funniest person award goes to YOU. also, the most talented and cutest but thats neither here nor there.

james taking care of fleamont, switching off the lights gives me just a nice and realistic vibe? its so simple but i love how you added it.

honestly at this point, ive been sucked again by the fanfic. it feels less like a fic and more like a masterpiece that belongs in a museum but anyway.

“James is supposed to be helping.

James is on his phone.”

ugh i love ur mind. im rereading and its so nice and lovely. even if its like 1am and im exhausted, this fic is sustaining me.

“Do it off the clock, would you?”

PEAK HUMOR

have i mentioned how much i love that scene with euphemia? she seems like such a lovely mom. i love ur euphemia the most. and ahh, both of them just rushing to the hospital ? another 100% good scene.

“Euphemia smiles too, but looks at Fleamont rather than at her son. “Yes,” she says. “It really does.””

fic? or shakspeare? HMMM

A girl in a bright yellow hooded raincoat stumbles into the cafe on one of the slowest nights James has ever seen // “Get fucked.”

the fic!! has made a circle!!! i love how it begins and ends along the same lines. I really want to know how??? are you so talented im in love.

i just really love this fic, okay? i love how james is just the kindest, lily is allowed to have feelings, its just so soft and warm. and it makes someone feel loved, want love anyway.

the dynamic between the characters are just so real and great and im astounded, in short.

your sirius is everything. so many fics potray him as a dick??? which is first of all #rude and also, not at all true. you made me love these characters even more so i sincerely hope you never stop writing.

you’re such a beautiful writer and the way you string words together is just poetic and gorgeous and all the other good adjectives you can think of. i read your spiderman x reader too and i was a goner for you. EVERYTHING YOU WRITE IS SO GOOD. i read it so long ago but i can vividly remember peter whipping the mask off and she just going wtf stop on the window ledge. what im trying to say is that you leave this lasting impression on people that make them remember random scenes and words / prose long after they’ve read it which is a remarkable feat, i believe.

and im so sorry im not on tumblr rn bc i cannot keep recing this fic but i have told my friends about your writing and they loved it too. you’ve got like a million fans. when i do get back from my hiatus, im going to keep recing your fics and people will cry because their universe will shift thanks to the newfound joy of your presence in their life.

lastly, im more of a dog person and that, more than anything, should tell you how much i love this fic. i love u. and basee on your writing, i want to hug you, be your best friend and make you cookies bc again

WOW

[crafiet]

1-50 of the writer’s ask thing, go!

BITCH UR RUDE AF

The Basics1.     Do you listen to music when you write?mostly yeah but it depends on my mood2.     Are you a pantser or plotter?both, i was a complete pantser up until recently but ive been trying to outline big scenes so i know where im going3.     Computer or pen and paper?computer for drafting. pen and paper for outlining/planning4.     Have you ever been published, or do you want to be published?not published, dont wanna be5.     How much writing do you get done on an average day?none but yesterday i wrote 2k /shrug6.     Single or multiple POV?usually single but ive been trying multiple!! its hard!!! idk what voice is!!7.     Standalone or series?ugh again mostly standalone, but ive been dabbling in series8.     Oldest WIPmy spies one which went though a fantasy and scifi phase and was originally dystopian9.     Current WIPmy mages! i have no titles bc who10.  Do you set yourself deadlines?nup

The Specifics11.  Books and/or authors who influenced you the mostuhhhh to be fair im v easily influenced so if i read a book and really like it i subconsciously try to implement that style of writing or try out that genre in my own work12.  Describe your perfect writing spacea desktop next to a big open window where i can play music without headphones13.  Describe your writing process from idea to polisheduhhhh i dont have a finished wip yet so idk lol usually: idea→ characters→ plot→ spur of the moment 10k word vomit→ more planning, outlining→ more words→ repeat planning and drafting until finished14.  How do you deal with self-doubts?i just take a break, read some bad books, read some good books, look at writing tumblrs and just marinate for a bit before going back in15.  How do you deal with writer’s block?i perpetually have it and since i dont have deadlines or a publishing contract i just ride it out, writing is strictly a hobby for me16.  How many drafts do you need until you’re satisfied with a project?i edit as i go, im onto draft 2 of my mages but its technically a rewrite bc i changed most of the plot17.  What writing habits or rituals do you have?i have none atm, but i usually pick a time where i know i wont be disturbed/distracted so usually at night18.  If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be, and what would you write about?idw collab sdkksdlkbnsd die19.  How do you keep yourself motivated?i just really really like my worlds lol conceited 20.  How many WIPs and story ideas do you have?i have!!! 5?

The Favourites21.  Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write?oh mannngggg i like all my protagonists, ary is the easiest bc shes the one i work with the most, but its super entertaining to be in remy’s head, and i like calyp’s bc hers is so different AAHH22.  Who is/are your favourite pairing(s) to write?remy and seth orrr red and kieran. if im answering this correctly? or do u mean types of pairings lol idk23.  Favourite authorhummm idk every author i really like have books i dont like so i cant say24.  Favourite genre to write and readfantasy25.  Favourite part of writingworldbuilding *.*26.  Favourite writing programgoogle docs. it would be word but im too poor to buy it lol27.  Favourite line/sceneidk if this is my favourite but“I am at least trying to be civil.”“I am being civil. You want me to yell at you? Turn into a wolf and fight it out like you’d want?”Kieran closed the file and stood. “I don’t—rem—”“Remember.”“I don’t remember you being so—” He searched for a word, but gave up and growled instead. Red got the idea.“Angry? Callous? I ought to reteach you the English language.”“I know how to speak,” Kieran blurted. “Remember, I spent twenty-four years a full human.”“And look how fast that’s disappeared.”28.  Favourite side characterwhat are side characters lol ENSEMBLE CASTS29.  Favourite villainossssshhhh probably michael bc i love him30.  Favourite idea you haven’t started on yetive started on all my wips im one of those bastards who can multitask

The Dark31.  Least favourite part of writingactually drafting lmao32.  Most difficult character to writeprobably christine bc shes meant to be relatable and down to earth and thats boring smh33.  Have you ever killed a main character?yes, not a pov one though34.  What was the hardest scene you ever had to write?probably any scene that requires a lot of research on a topic i know nothing about, like hacking or sword fighting or whatever35.  What scene/story are you least looking forward to writing?bridging scenes suck theyre necessary but they SUCK

The Fun36.  Last sentence you wrote“My plan would go smoother with you involved, but I can find others. Many want his head.”37.  First sentence or your current WIPShe squinted in the harsh light.38.  Weirdest story idea you’ve ever hadugh this girl who could see deaths coming and she worked for the fbi but she was like 15 so she still had to go to highschool lol39.  Weirdest character concept you’ve ever hadprobably her, only bc i was 13 when i created her and was reading this banshee series but somehow didnt connect??? and didnt realise she was a banshee?? without the screaming40.  Share some backstory for one of your charactersomg all of my characters have purposefully murky backstories bc i find that trope cool af lol. i guess ary has that typical woe-is-me backstory where her parents were killed, she spiraled and got involved with the wrong people and then was betrayed and arrested lol

The Rest of It41.  Any advice for new/beginning/young writers?literally i swear by: trying anything out. fiddle with pov, tense, perspective, genre, character identity, hell take a story you like and try to put your own spin on it. writing as a craft only gets better with practice and my best work is when im going outside of the box/my comfort zone42.  How do you feel about love triangles?is this even a debate anymore, this trope got flamed so hard i havent seen it in ya in years. i dont really care about it43.  What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline?good lol my outlines are usually done on the spot and i come up with more creative plots/scenes if i can think on it a bit44.  How much research do you do?i edit as i go so i research as i go. my pre-drafting research extends to saving links on things i might wanna write about and thats it lol. i would say i dont do as much as i should45.  How much world building do you do?a lot lol i LOVE worldbuilding. but i find it hard to incorporate it into my draft naturally so a lot of minute details get cut 46.  Do you reread your own stories?all the time lol i forget what i wrote half the time47.  Best way to procrastinatetwitter–OR if u wanna seem “productive”, writing blogs are a good way to get distracted48.  What’s the most self-insert character/scene you’ve ever written?bitch there was a time where i only wrote self insert characters lol49.  Which character would you most want to be friends with, if they were real?im too lame to hang out with any of my characters. they would be nice to me but i wouldnt get to know them like how i know them from an author perspective50.  [Other question—ask me anything]u didnt ho

[crybabybyee]

i feel like utter shit this morning.

so yesterday i came to the realisation of why he’s in that different server. i did some digging and found out the girl he first cheated on me with is in that server...

at first i just felt that stab of betrayal but then i didn’t care? obviously, he ALWAYS goes back to her his ‘dominatrix’ mistress. so i wasnt surprised at all. but it just played on my mind all night and i just pushed it away...

went to sleep and dreamt i was in the game and knowing he was with HER the whole time and it fucking sucked...woke up at 5.30 cuz baby was awake, then had another nap and had the same fucking dream...

i never wanted to think or dream of her again. she is the reason i have ptsd in the first place - the thought of him being ‘controlled’ in a sexual way when i was the opposite, i was submissive (and he ~tried~ to be dominant) and would make out he loves doing it to me, and loves that im submissive. but i would always imagine the roles reversed, except with her. because thats how he was in the beginning and i didnt ‘satisfy’ him. i lost SO much confidence and self esteem thanks to him and this fucking slag, who sounds like she smokes 20 a day, and she KNEW about me, she used to hang around us and even made conversation with me once!!! and she said to him when i found out “this is why youre supposed to keep things like this secret!”

she is the worst type of woman around. the women hating kind, but acts like she is friendly to your face.

and the dreams made me realise... what if they plan to ‘bump’ into me in game? so he can rub in my face that he got back with the woman who caused me the most trauma...? i absolutely fucking hate him...

why did it have to be her? why couldnt he just carry on with his list of other girls elsewhere? oh because he knew i was going back to the game. he WANTS to hurt me. im so scared. why did she even have to move other our data center? i felt safe because our worlds couldnt cross during duties, or you couldnt travel to the other data centre. part of me really regrets buying sub, but i had a nice time playing it yesterday and was looking forward to again.

i checked his steam a while ago (is this to be my life now..?) to see if he had been playing last night/today after those awful dreams...but he didnt even play since the 20th. which i find odd, but then, he will have her on discord so probly saying nasty things there all day e_e i hope they just stick to discord and he hardly comes on anymore. but it explains why one of his crafters is higher level than anything else right now... because thats what they used to do. she would ‘order’ him around to gather materials or craft stuff that she needed in game, and repay him with sexual favours. it’s just so gross that im having to relive a huge past trauma but...at the same time, i dont give a fuck anymore. as long as they dont rub it in my face and i never see them. and if i do...i will probly end up saying things, i just dont want to embarass myself, only him

but i did so well the last couple weeks of not checking his activity, and i felt free. and now im putting myself back in the same position, i wish i could have just left ff in the past. but i cant. my character is me, i feel like i am her, particularly when im out of touch with reality and dissociating she grounds me. but i kind of just view myself as her, because its better than viewing my own ugly ass self, whos face has become ugly and scowly the last few years.

i used to be pretty please can i smile and laugh and be pretty again