#Bio Takes London 2024

[queerbauten]

Kinda crazy that I'll be visiting the UK in a couple of weeks

[stylespresleyhearted]

THIS JUST IN: CALLUM TURNER SOON TO BE DAD

masterlist can be found here

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yourinstagram strollin’ London w my London boy

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fan12 am i gonna have to be the one to say it … she’s pregnant

fan23 i agree she’s only been seen in callum’s clothes of oversized jackets it’s diff from her usual style

user13 deuxmoi said on her podcast that a trusted source confirmed she’s pregnant. I believe it you can see a hint of the belly here.

user23 1) we’re in 2024 how about we stop speculating women are pregnant every time their bodies change and 2) if they are pregnant Callum will share when he’s ready respect their privacy

fan49 PLEASE Callum she ain’t going anywhere why you gripping so tight 😭😭

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tmz BREAKING NEWS: After months of speculation TMZ is finally able to confirm, Callum Turner and his girlfriend are expecting. Turner’s leading lady was photographer exiting his Los Angeles home. More pics and video in link in bio.

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user23 the violation of privacy is INSANE! Callum and Y/N I’m so sorry.

fan41 DM SAID IT!!! Congrats to the lovely couple!

user02 They were probably trying to enjoy it between the two of them but TMZ sat outside their home to snap photos. Callum’s already so private now he’s going to give us NOTHING i hope ya’ll nosy people happy

user78 callum been daddy iktr 🙌🏼

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yourinstagram When we found out I was pregnant we were so overjoyed we felt like our hearts could burst. It was something we were keeping sacred between our friends and family now that has been taken from us.

Mumma and Daddy can’t wait to meet you, baby. We promise to always protect and put you first. Thank you everyone for all the love and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time. - Cal & Y/N

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rafflaw His hand is always on the belly! Congrats man!

keoghan92 Let me and Brando know when you’re free for a playdate ♥️ children are the most precious things, much love

austinbutler Congratulations, love you guys.

lillyjames The media is horrid. So much love to your little family <3

camillerow Can’t wait to spoil them rotten

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dailymail Despite how news of his impending fatherhood broke, Callum Turner was all smiles on the Masters of the Air set as he received hugs and congratulations from the cast and crew.

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user13 He is overjoyed he is going to be the best Dad

fan12 it feels so good to see him so happy 😭

user93 do ya’ll think Barry and him crack Dad jokes on the set? LMAO

fan21 Sending him and his family all the love as they celebrate these fantastic news ❤️❤️

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callumupdates Y/N spotted looking a bit sick at the market yesterday. Hope she is doing okay 🥺

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user21 she looks insanely gorgeous wdym sick

callumupdates she’s always gorgeous but you can’t deny she looks tired and pale i’m worried the attention could be getting to her i hope callum is taking good care of her and their baby.

fan12 She’s pregnant, leave her alone.

fan13 Some women get overly tired/sick while pregnant. It’s a big change for the body. We should do what they asked and respect their privacy during this time. Why would a pap be following her around in her state?

user09 i’m really worried guys

yourinstagram Guys, I promise I’m fine and Callum is the best support system I could have ever possibly asked for 💘 Some women thrive during pregnancy but it’s kicking my ass and having someone follow me around snapping pics when I don’t feel my best doesn’t help, however I’m still so so happy to be carrying our precious gift. Thank you all for the love and support.

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callumfan HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO SAY IT? Callum and Y/N already asked for privacy and Y/N has already stated she doesn’t feel her best/isn’t comfortable having people take pictures of her right now! Why is that so hard to respect?

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user19 this picture is heartbreaking. he’s glaring at the camera and it looks like she’s sinking into him trying to hide.

user11 she looks so tired and sad it sucks

fan13 don’t want no one complaining about callum being private because this right here is why he doesn’t share with us

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callumupdates Callum was not happy when he stopped for fans and they approached Y/N after he explicitly told them not to. She was in one of his sweaters and beanies and looked like she was trying to hide, according to a fan there. Callum stepped in and told the fans to step away from Y/N before the couple walked away.

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user23 Y/N is acting like she’s the first person to get pregnant she’s dramatic

fan13 she has stated she is happy to be carrying their child but the pregnancy is taking a toll on her body and mind which is why she’s always hiding/ looks tired. Not everyone has amazing pregnancies

keoghan92 It’s already annoying as is when you’re feeling like shit and people shove cameras in your face. Can’t imagine having to deal with it while also being pregnant. Cheers Y/N, may everyone start giving you the respect you deserve

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callumupdates New photo of Callum consoling Y/N last night after the restaurant they were at was swarmed - March 28

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fan23 he’s gonna pop off on someone and at this point he has every right

user12 I love them so much it hurts to see her he so sad!

fan19 alright who do I have to fight?

user10 there’s nothing Callum wouldn’t do for her 🥹

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yourinstagram Little munchkin is wearing momma out 🫶🏻 Thank you to everyone for the concern, as I stated before it’s been a huge change for my body to adjust but I have never been happier. Callum, I love you and our baby to the moon and back forever. ♾️

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kaiagerber you’re unreal

lillyjames I know Mr. Turner is taking great care of you 😌

yourinstagram He’s the best and possibly more nervous/excited than me haha

yourfriendsinstagram LOVE YOU PEOPLE ♥️

anthonyboyle if I buy the pregnancy stimulator can we put it on these assholes saying shit online? You’re great Y/N!

yourinstagram LOL STOP IT!

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rafflaw Catch us outside if you wanna talk about @yourinstagram 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

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yourinstagram YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY 😂🫶🏻

keoghan92 where am I at? I’m leading the cause

anthonyboyle photoshop us in right now

tomhanks I want a piece of this too.

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callumupdates Y/N and Callum on their babymoon in Cabo. Friends and family in attendance are: their mothers, Barry Keoghan, Sabrina Carpenter, Austin Butler and his girlfriend, Lilly James, Sophie Turner, Daisy Lowe, and Nick Grimshaw.

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fan19 they are so loved 🥰 as they should be tbh

user23 I’m so happy they have a strong support system

fan24 it feels so good to see Y/N smile again

yourinstagram honestly it’s been a wild ride but Callum’s been my biggest blessing through it all 🫶🏻♾️

Hope you all enjoy, this was a request <3 If anyone’s interested in part 2 let me know because I have loads of baby pics I can use lmao & as always feel free to pop in and talk to me about Callum, Austin, Elvis, or Harry if your heart desires 💘

[canonicallyobserving911]

Several Sentences Sunday

Fanonwriter2023 on AO3

Where CANON and FANON collide!

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Season 7 FANON Speculation: Buddie Multi-Chapter Fanfic - Hiatus Reading: “I’m still in love with you but... I needed to learn how to love myself too!”

Chapter 20 was made available on AO3 yesterday.

Chapter 21 will be posted soon.

Currently 20 chapters completed: 757.3K Words; Rated: Mature

One chapter will be posted at a time.

____________

I'm excited to finish writing Chapter 21 because there are only 7 days left until Buck and Eddie get married.

For anyone who hasn't read Chapter 20, here's a brief overview: Eddie completed his Paramedic Certification Course and he started planning a surprise for their wedding evening, night and the morning after. Buck asked his bio dad if they could meet in-person while they're in London. Eddie and Buck had an important early morning conversation about the way they'll make decisions for their family. They went to the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles with their two witnesses and now they have all the legalized documents they'll need to get married in Rome. Also, they tied up a lot of loose ends by verifying their 'To Do' Lists along with reviewing all of their documents.

Buck and Eddie will tie the knot before Christmas 2023 but they are NOT getting married in the U.S. and they won't have a wedding ceremony until May 2024. They've revealed their relationship, their engagement and the fact that they're going to Europe to their found family during the 118's Thanksgiving dinner (Chapter 17), to Eddie's parents, his sisters, his abuela and Tia Pepa (Chapter 18) and Buck told the Buckley parents he's getting married and that he has a son (Chapter 19). Only three people know they're getting married in 7 days and they are Chris, Carla and Malone. They told Carla and Malone (Chapter 19) because they asked them to be their witnesses at the Italian Consulate and they told Chris (Chapter 20) that evening after they got the "Atto Notorio" (Declaration) signed but no one else knows.

Now that Buck and Eddie have their signed Declaration and everything else is in place, will they be able to leave Los Angeles Friday afternoon headed to Rome, Italy without anyone else finding out they're getting married in Chapter 21?

___________

Here's a snippet from Chapter 21 of Protective Eddie taking care of his fiancé Buck.

__________

Buck’s staring straight ahead, he’s holding his breath and he hasn’t inhaled or exhaled in more than 20 seconds.  In his mind, he knows he’s supposed to be breathing automatically but he can’t and he’s not sure how to make his mind and body do what they’re supposed to do without him thinking about it.

Since Eddie hasn’t taken his eyes off him, he can tell he might be entering a state of shock.  He knows how long he’s been staring off into the distance along with the number of seconds that have passed since he stopped breathing because he’s been counting.  Once he reached 12 seconds, he started to worry because he knows if Buck doesn’t start breathing soon, he’ll decrease oxygen to his brain which could lead to him fainting or having a seizure.  It usually takes a minute or two for someone not breathing to faint but he’s not going to let that happen.

They’re still holding hands and he’s still counting but when he reaches 20 seconds, he releases Buck’s hand, moves off the couch, gets on his knees right in front of him so he’s in his direct line of sight.  He lifts his hands, cups both of Buck’s cheeks and searches his eyes to see if he can get him to look at him.

He doesn’t want to startle him, so he gently rubs his thumbs across both of his cheeks and says, "My love, I need you to breathe!"

Within a millisecond, Buck’s eyes meet his but he still hasn’t inhaled or exhaled yet, so Eddie gently asks, "Babe, I need you to inhale and exhale with me.  Can you do that?"

What happened to cause Buck to enter a slight state of shock and stop breathing? 👀

___________

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Fic Summary: Months after Buck and Eddie were hit by the same lightning strike; they’re still struggling with the aftermath of it.  But before they make their love confessions, they’ll spend time getting to know themselves as individuals first. Eddie learns to enjoy the simple things in life as he participates in activities on his own and with new friends while Buck learns the rest of the 31-year-old deep dark family secret about his conception and birth. Their journey to forever is still a work in progress but once they finally admit they’re in love with each other, everything that follows their love confessions will be cataclysmic.

__________

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 - Eddie makes a new friend while Buck receives devastating news regarding the sperm donation he made for Connor and Kameron.

Chapter 2 - Buck does a lot of research to learn more about the abnormalities found in his red blood cells and Eddie starts a new therapy journey that’s all about him and not the traumas he’s experienced.

Chapter 3 - After more than a month, Buck and Eddie finally spend time together outside of work but it doesn’t end well and they part with a lot of uncertainty regarding their places in each other’s lives.

Chapter 4 - Eddie has a few realizations about his life which causes him to consider moving back to El Paso, TX while Buck continues to be reminded of his past which causes him to take an impromptu road trip across America.

Chapter 5 - Both Buck and Eddie have difficult conversations with their parents and Buck finally learns the truth behind the reason why his mother despised him while Eddie finally tells his mother about the way she tries to control him.

Chapter 6 - More than two weeks after Buck pushed Eddie away after suggesting they needed a break; Eddie decides to try again. Eddie’s there for Buck when he’s at his worst just like Buck was there for him when he was at his worst and he won’t let Buck give up.

Chapter 7 - After Buck’s mental breakdown, Eddie has his back the same way Buck had his when he had his own breakdown more than a year ago.  They share several vulnerable and emotionally intimate moments with one another and they begin to realize their small, sweet and caring gestures matter just as much if not more than any grand gesture ever could because these are the foundations of a long-lasting love relationship.

Chapter 8 - Buck, Eddie and Chris all have their own therapists and during their sessions, they reflect on their pasts while they’re in the present so they can prepare for their future together as a family.

Chapter 9 - Buck and Eddie are there for each other when Buck has to testify as a witness during the trial.  But by the end of it, they’ll both realize their individual and shared traumas are going to keep resurfacing until they talk about them, deal with the fact that they’re in love with one another and face the fact that they can’t live without each other.

Chapter 10 - As Buck and Eddie finally begin to confront their past traumas, they realize how much they need each other to fill in the gaps of their memories.  Additionally, the universe screams at them for what appears to be the one hundredth time so Buck can realize he doesn’t have to ‘find it’ because he already ‘made it’ and Eddie’s reminded tomorrow isn’t promised and he doesn’t have to die alone if he doesn’t want to.

Chapter 11 - A “virga” or dry thunderstorm is in the forecast but once the rain starts, the thunderstorm happening outside won’t be able to match the storm brewing inside between Buck and Eddie.  It’s the universe’s final scream and when the tumultuous winds begin to blow, they’ll have one last chance to hold onto everything they’ve built over the last six years or they’ll lose it all forever.

Chapter 12 - Buck and Eddie have always shared a deep physical attraction and an emotional intimacy that’s unmatched but now that they’re in a relationship, they’re learning how to navigate the romantic intimacy they’ve been waiting for six years to explore. The love they have for each other is a once in a lifetime, soulmate, love of their lives type of love that transcends space and time.

Chapter 13 - While navigating the newness of their romantic relationship, Buck and Eddie take advantage of every moment they spend together. As their individual lives, people from their pasts, time constraints and the possibility of losing each other again make attempts to interrupt and interfere with their journey to forever, they love, care for, support and hold onto each other even tighter to withstand it all.

Chapter 14 - Buck and Eddie can see the lights at the end of the tunnels regarding the results of Buck’s Cancer Screening along with everything else they’re dealing with. But are the lights they see exits to the tunnels or are they headlights on different runaway trains that are speeding towards them in an effort to interrupt their forever?

Chapter 15 - Buck and Eddie have known they were exactly who the other one wanted in a partner since they met six years ago when they agreed to have each other’s backs. They’re in a romantic relationship, they’re both preparing to ask the other one to spend forever with them and by the end of the seventh week into their relationship, together they will plan their most important and greatest adventure for their future.

Chapter 16 - As Buck and Eddie begin to prepare for their marriage ceremony that will take place in Rome, Italy in December 2023, they start planning their first international adventure as a romantic couple. Even though Chris is still the only person they’ve told about their relationship, several people who know them have already witnessed the love they share and as the days continue, others will witness it too.

Chapter 17 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to departing Los Angeles for their international adventure, a moment in time will remind them; life is fragile, tomorrow isn’t promised and every second of everyday should be cherished because everything can change in an instant. The result of that realization will cause them to hold onto each other even more.

Chapter 18 - As Buck, Eddie and Chris prepare for family gatherings before and during the Thanksgiving holiday, the “Santa Ana Winds” start to blow and all sorts of expected and unexpected familial drama ensues.

Chapter 19 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to their wedding day, the universe begins to align everything so that some of their parent and children's relationships are strengthened while others come to an abrupt end.

Chapter 20 - With only 14 days remaining until Buck, Eddie and Chris depart Los Angeles, CA traveling to Rome, Italy, for their first family adventure, an early morning conversation about “tying up loose ends” helps Buck and Eddie realize there are still several things left unfinished on their ‘To Do’ lists. The question is will there be enough time to complete all of them?

Chapter 21 - Will be posted soon.

__________

Read chapters 1-20 are available on AO3.

Continue reading on AO3

Chapter 21 will be posted soon.

[hannahxsinclair]

[ciswoman, she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [HANNAH SINCLAIR]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [ELLE FANNING]. You must be the [TWENTY-SIX] year old [MUSICIAN/BROADWAY ACTOR]. Word is you’re [DEDICATED] but can also be a bit [SELF CRITICAL] and your favorite song is [UNTAMED BY LINDSEY STIRLING]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [CRYSTAL COVE CONDOMINIUMS]. I’m sure you’ll love it **Jasper Morgan's biological daughter connection**

Basic info:

Full name: Hannah Ray Sinclair 

Age: 26

Occupations: Musician/broadway actress

Faceclaim: Elle Fanning

Birthday: April 3rd, 1998

Zodiac sign: Aries

Hometown: London, England

Residencies: Born in London, England, moved to Los Angeles with mother in 2004- 2015, moved back to England to live with grandparents from 2015- 2017, moved to New York 2019-2024, currently in Aurora Bay for the last 3 weeks

Instruments: violin, guitar

Family:

Mother: Natalia Sinclair

Father: Jasper Morgan

Maternal Grandmother: Julia Sinclair

Maternal Grandfather: Thomas Sinclair

Paternal Grandfather: Alexander Phillip Morgan

Paternal Grandmother: Jillian Florence Morgan

Bio:

Tw: anxiety, depression, grief, death, attempted kidnapping

Hannah Ray Sinclair was born on a chilly spring evening to her mother Natalia Sinclair. She was a healthy baby girl with little wisps of blonde hair and the doctor who helped deliver her joked that she would be a star someday just like her mother. It wasn’t far from the truth.

Hannah was surrounded by the spotlight even before she was in it. She was well aware of the paparazzi even at a young age and some of her earliest memories were of people taking photos of her and her mother out at cafes or walking down the street. It was something that always made her uncomfortable but it was a part of her life that she quickly realized she would have to get used to. In 2004, when Hannah was only six years old, Natalia was offered a roll for a big movie in Hollywood, so Hannah was left with her grandparents for a few months while the movie was shooting, but during that time, she was offered other roles and landing auditions, so she came back to London and packed up Hannah’s things and moved her to Los Angeles with her. 

Hannah remembered the paparazzi was even worse there than it was in London and after her mother’s first movie came out, it only got worse. Hannah hated going out in public with her mother because she knew they would get bombarded by cameras and creeps, but that never kept Hannah away from the spotlight fully. She remembered walking on the red carpet with her mother and people were eating it up, thinking it was so adorable to see Natalia with her little daughter. Interviewers would tell Natalia that Hannah had that star power and asked if she would ever get her into child acting, and Natalia always said that was up for Hannah to decide. There was an interest in acting, but she mostly loved music. During one of the many events she was dragged along to with her mother and nanny to watch her, Hannah remembered the live orchestra that played at the event and she loved the sound of the violin. She begged her mother to let her take lessons and she was signed up that same night. Hannah loved playing and she loved music theory. But Hannah didn’t want to stop at only knowing one instrument, she wanted to learn even more. She got her first guitar at the age of ten and started lessons for that as well as continuing her violin lessons. 

Hannah knew she wanted to write songs and she wanted to sing for people. It’s what she started doing when she got a guitar and she would practice for hours and hours a day. As much as she loved her violin, she loved her guitar even more. It was when she started high school that Hannah started acting. She joined the drama club in her school and she was given lead roles and she performed for years. It was easy to get lost in her art and ignore the fact that her mother was always gone for shoots or when she was home she was in bed with a stranger. It was hard for Hannah to only feel seen by her mother when she was dragged to award shows and red carpets for those cute mother/daughter photos, only to be discarded when they got home. Natalia never showed up to Hannah’s performances because she was always too busy, and she never had time to listen to any of Hannah’s new songs either. 

When Hannah was sixteen she was invited to an award show with her mother, where she met a music producer and she told him about her own music. They talked, she shared some of her original songs with him, and next thing she knew, she was in a recording studio. Hannah made her first EP titled When You Decide To Love Me, featuring four songs and two were played on the radio. Even though Hannah knew the only reason she got her chance in the studio was because of her Sinclair name, she asked for the EP to only have her name as Hannah Ray.  The first time she heard Stars and Dollar Signs playing on her car radio, she screamed and cried happy tears. Life was good, Hannah was becoming successful as well, and even though she was struggling with the anxiety that came with what little fame she had and depression from what her home life was like, she knew she should be happy. 

Things came crashing down in 2016. Hannah overheard some of the girls in her high school’s drama club complaining that Hannah was only getting lead roles because of who her mother is. Hannah started to spiral a bit, because she knew that she was only given the chance in the studio because of her mother’s name and fame, but she didn’t think it was the same in high school. She deserved those roles, didn’t she? Hannah decided to press on and she even hired an acting coach to make sure she was as good as everyone was telling her she was. Even though there was that anxiety and doubt there, she continued her work because she loved acting and music too much to let anxiety and other people’s opinions destroy it. 

2017 was one of the worst years of Hannah’s life. She was not famous for her own name, Hannah Ray, but she was seen as dollar signs due to her mother. Not what one would think, as in she could make them money by endorsing a product or something, but ransom. A man attempted to kidnap Hannah one night when she was leaving her violin lessons, and the only reason he didn’t succeed was because her driver was closer than he realized. There was a full on police investigation and it was theorized he wanted ransom money from Natalia. But Natalia couldn’t even show up to the precinct or even answer a phone call while Hannah was talking to police, so she absently wondered if Hannah would’ve just been a goner if the man was successful. He was never found. 

This was hard on Hannah and made her fall deeper into a depression and her anxiety became so awful she had panic attacks daily. It was this and Natalia’s lack of sympathy for her own daughter that Julia and Thomas Sinclair decided to offer a spare room in their home in London to her. Hannah accepted the invitation and left LA behind to try to live a quiet life in London. About a year later, Hannah started getting back into acting. She took roles in theaters in London and she never stopped her music. She was recognized as her mother’s daughter and she decided to embrace that she would get farther using the Sinclair name. She knew she was good, so there was no need to keep tearing herself down. With offers and needing more gigs, she ended up moving back to the United States to live in New York, where she discovered the Sinclair name gave her more connections than she realized and she ended up on Broadway. 

Hannah could never forget the way she learned about her mother’s passing through headlines. She was in the middle of a show and after curtain call, she went down to her dressing room and her friend was there, showing her a headline about Natalia Sinclair, dead. Hannah rushed to her own phone and found missed call after missed call. She couldn’t even cry and that made her feel guilty, but when she finally did cry it made her feel stupid. She and her mother weren’t close at all, so why was it hurting her this way or why wasn’t it hurting her enough? Grief is a strange thing. 

When asked to return to London so she could read her mother’s will and sort through some of her things, she saw that she left a diamond ring to Jasper Morgan, a name Hannah had only seen in movie credits or in articles. She knew they worked together at one time, but why was she giving her prized possession to him. A ring, of all things. When she asked her grandparents if they understood the significance of this, they told her the truth. Jasper Morgan was her father, a taboo subject in her home for decades. Every time she would ask Natalia about her father, Natalia would ignore her or tell her never to ask again. So Hannah stopped. 

Curious and angry that all these years even her grandparents knew her father but wouldn’t tell her, Hannah decided she was going to find him. And that’s what led her to a little beach town called Aurora Bay. 

Wanted Connections:

Friends

Neighbors

Roommate

Broadway friends

People with connections to Jasper

im down for pretty much anything

@aurorabayaesthetic

[whimsicaldragonette]

Blog Tour and Arc Review: The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews

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Publication Date: January 16, 2024

Welcome to The Lily of Ludgate Hill book tour with Berkley Publishing Group. (This blog tour post is also posted on my Wordpress book blog Whimsical Dragonette.)

Synopsis:

Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms. No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare. Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Shelf Awareness, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. Learn more online at www.mimimatthews.com.

Author Photo Credit: Vicki Hahn

Rating: ★★★★

*My Review, Favorite Quotes, and Non-Exclusive Extract below the cut.

My Review:

I loved this. It was exactly the sort of banter-filled stubborn hero and heroine who are gone for each other but refuse to admit it story that I love. It's easily the best of the Belles of London series. Anne and Hartford are perfect for each other but it takes them a while to admit it. The only problem I had with it was that it was *extremely* predictable. I knew exactly how it was going to go from the beginning and there was no deviating from that. I actually stopped about 75% of the way through and checked goodreads to make sure I hadn't already read it before. I hadn't. And yet I had predicted every. single. thing that happened. It was like deja vu but more so. The last quarter unfolded exactly as I expected it to. I don't know if the foreshadowing was just really intense or what but that did lessen my enjoyment of the story. Aside from that, however, everything else was exactly as I like in a historical romance. I am curious about the next one, as well, after meeting who will obviously be the new wheelchair-bound, artist hero. I have high hopes because neither of those is something we typically get in a romance hero. *Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an early copy for review.

Favorite Quotes:

"I wish I were more eccentric," Anne declared, rousing her spirits to the cause. "I might have traveled to Yorkshire weeks ago and saved Julia from her fate."

Non-Exclusive Excerpt:

The twin fragrances of pipe smoke and parchment met her nose. Lemon polish, too, though there was no sign that the maids had done any recent tidying up. The library was a place of spectacular clutter. Bookcases lined three of the walls; leather-bound volumes on botany, agriculture, and natural history were pulled out at all angles as if an absent-minded researcher had wandered from shelf to shelf withdrawing tomes at random only to change his mind midway through extracting them. The fourth wall was entirely covered in framed sketches of flowers and greenery. Some images were produced in pencil and others in delicately rendered watercolor. They were-along with the teetering stacks of botanical journals and drooping maps that spilled over the sides of the earl's carved mahogany desk-evidence of his prevailing passion. Lord March's love of exotic plants was legendary. He'd spent much of his life traveling the globe, from the wilds of America to the highest peaks of the Himalayas, bringing back rare seeds to nurture into bloom. A distracted fellow at the best of times, but a kind one, too, as far as Anne recalled. It had been a long time since she'd darkened his doorstep. A lifetime, it felt like. She tugged restlessly at her black kid-leather gloves as she paced the worn carpet in front of the library's cavernous marble fireplace. She'd never excelled at waiting for unpleasantness to arrive. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long. "Hello, old thing." A familiar deep voice sounded from the library door. Anne spun around, her traitorous heart giving an involuntary leap in her breast. Mr. Felix Hartford stood in the entryway, one shoulder propped against the doorframe. Lord only knew how long he'd been observing her. She stiffened. After all these years, he still had the power to discompose her. Drat him. But she wouldn't permit her emotions to be thrown into chaos by his attractive face and figure. What cared she for his commanding height? His square-chiseled jaw? For the devilish glint in his sky-blue eyes? And devil he was. The very one she'd come here to see. "Hartford," she said. Her chin ticked up a notch in challenge. It was a reflex. There was no occasion on which they'd met during the course of the past several years that they hadn't engaged in verbal battle. This time, however, he made no attempt to engage her. He was dressed in plaid trousers and a loose-fitting black sack coat worn open to reveal the dark waistcoat beneath. A casual ensemble, made more so by the state of him. His clothes were vaguely rumpled, and so was his seal-brown hair. It fell over his brow, desperately in need of an application of pomade. There was an air of arrested preoccupation about him, as if he'd just returned from somewhere or was on his way to somewhere. As if he hadn't realized she was in the library and had come upon her quite by chance. An unnatural silence stretched between them, void of their typical barb-filled banter. Greetings dispensed with, Anne found herself at an unaccountable loss. More surprising still, so did Hartford. He remained frozen on the threshold, his usually humorous expression turned to stone on his handsome face. At length, he managed a smile. "I knew one day you'd walk through my door again. It only took you"-withdrawing his pocket watch from his waistcoat, he cast it a brief glance, brows lifting as if in astonishment at the time-"seven years to do it." She huffed. "It hasn't been seven years." "Six and half, then." Six years and five months, more like. It had been early December of 1855, during the Earl of March's holiday party. She'd been just shy of seventeen; young and naive and not formally out yet. Hartford had kissed her under a sprig of mistletoe in the gaslit servants' hallway outside the kitchens. And he'd proposed to her.

But Anne refused to think of the past. Never mind that, living in London, reminders of it were daily shoved under her nose. "You're not going to be difficult, are you?" she asked. "That depends." He strolled into the room. "To what do I owe your visit?" "Presumptuous, as always," she said. "For all you know, I'm here to see your grandfather." Hartford was the only child of the Earl of March's second son-the late (and much lamented) moralist Everett Hartford. Anne well remembered the man. He'd been as straitlaced and starchy as a vicar. Rather ironic, really, given his son's reputation for recklessness and irreverence. "My grandfather is in his greenhouse," Hartford said, "elbow deep in chicken manure. If it's him you've come to speak with, you're in for a long wait." She suppressed a grimace. There was no need for him to be crass. "Really, Hartford." "Really, my lady." He advanced into the room slowly, his genial expression doing little to mask the fact that he was a great towering male bearing down on her. "Why have you come?" Anne held her ground. She wasn't afraid of him. "I've come to ask a favor of you." His mouth curled up at one corner. "Better and better." He gestured to a stuffed settee upholstered in Gobelins tapestry. "Pray sit down."

Excerpted from The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews Copyright © 2024 by Mimi Matthews. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

[tessherongraystairs]

Oh idk if I've ever mentioned the background on Lacy but she was turned when she was 19 by her older brother who is ALSO the bio father of Chris' eldest kid, so you can imagine how Chris felt when he found out who his little sister is dating/publicly fucking

Also Lacy looks really young but she was born in like 1976(the drabble takes place in 2024), and Ana is newly 19

(Even though technically Ana's been obsessed with Lacy since Lacy broke her curse when she was 17, Lacy doesn't remember that first meeting but she's been in love with Ana since she saw her perform on stage at another club a few months before Ana permanently moved to London, when she was 18)

Anyway yeah I love them sm my favorite freaky sapphics

Some tags that will be there when I post this drabble to ao3🤭: possessive behavior, biting, blood kink, scratching, hair pulling, multiple orgasms, hickeys, bruises, tattoos, piercings, spanking, masochism, sadism, bratting, dom/sub, and so many others

WHAT CURSE

SO MANY QUESTIONS

THIS IS SO GOOD

[unitlead]

UNITLEAD: Document type | headcanon: NPC bio.| timeline: 2004-14/15

Name: Siobhán Anne Lynch ( FC: Michelle F.airley ) D.O.B: born August 15th 1963, South Belfast, Northern Ireland. Occupation: Barrister Spouse/partner: Eileen Waters 1985-97 (sep.) Kate Stewart 2000-14 ( div.) Children: Moira Lethbridge-Stewart. stepmother to Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.

UPBRINGING/EARLY LIFE: Siobhan was born into a protestant household, very conservative, loyalist. She was the middle child of three, but as the only daughter, she was easily spoiled. Her parents had very high hopes for her, and were delighted when she decided to pursue law, In 1982 she made the very difficult choice to leave the only home she had known, young and terrified of the situation. By that time she wasn't so sure she completely agreed with all of her parents'views either. She pursued international law at university in London instead, and though her parents funded her aspirations, they were disheartened to see her leave.

MEETING/MARRIAGE: They met in early 2000. By now in her late 30's and wanting a family, Siobhan had accompanied an acquaintance as a plus one to an international scientific research gala in Paris. Kate, then working in the private sector, was also in attendance.the attraction was instant. Siobhan was more than happy to be pursued and very quickly abandoned her acquaintance that night. And the gala. Whatever early flaws she might have seen in Kate and vice versa) she happily dismissed, in love and desperate to have it all. Though she adored Kate's son Gordon, Siobhan she knew that he would never view her as a mother too. She was the one who brought up the idea of another child, the one who went through IVF and carried their daughter through a very difficult pregnancy given her age. And once she was born, Siobhan thought of no one else. She put her career on hold to stay at home and raise their daughter, and for a time everything was wonderful. THE PROBLEM WITH BEING KATE S.TEWART's WIFE: is that once her life's mission became to restore U.NIT, her commitment to Siobhan took a backseat. At first, Siobhan encouraged Kate to take up her father's suggestion to work at UNIT, she knew what it was like to be estranged from family. And in the beginning, while Kate wasn't overly important at U.NIT, everything was fine.But then came the promotion and the late work hours and then even that rolled into never knowing if her wife was going to come home that evening at all. It was always a D.alek attack this or A.uton invasion that. The more it happened, the more Siobhan tried to cling to her family, and pour everything into that, A proud person by nature, she tried to control and exert her influence over their home life and slowly, her behaviour pushed both of the children to prefer Kate to her, both wanted to follow in her footsteps, by and by she came to resent the woman she'd once loved. Kate's work was everything. And where did that leave Siobhan?

THE DIVORCE ERA: By late 2012 they argued more than they talked. If Kate was home, it was for the kids. Siobhan knew she wanted out, long before Kate did and by this time had become increasingly paranoid that her wife was having an affair. So much as to hire a p.i. It didn't pan out to be true. But that didn't ease her doubt. In the end, she was the one to end the relationship. Her need for control taking over, she represented herself at settlement, asking for full custody of their daughter but ultimately having to settle for more realistic expectations. The house too, had been in Gordon's name the entire time, a parting gift from his Grandfather. Much to Siobhan's chagrin, and disbelief. ( how had she missed that ) The divorce finalised in 2014. She returned to work as soon as she was able to. By 2024 she once again resides in South Belfast, focusing her energies on her family, in particular her many nieces and nephews and their children. She no longer speaks to any of the lethbridge-s.tewarts.

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Burn Gorman

full name: Henry Ashford

nickname(s) / goes by: Henry, Ashford at times.

pronouns & gender: he/him & cis man

sexuality: Demisexual 

birth date: July 20, 1976

birth place: London, England.

arrival to merrock: April 2024, was residing in New York previously.

housing: Downtown 

occupation: History of the Arts Professor

work place: Community College

family: two siblings (one younger & one older), mother, father has passed away.

relationship status: Single.

PERSONALITY

Henry is a complicated man, he likes to pretend that he doesn't care, that he is fine with his circumstances and that loneliness suits him but that is far from the truth. Deep down he craves connection, even if he is terrible at establishing it.

He does try to attempt to be polite but can't help but be sarcastic at times. 

POSITIVE TRAITS: Organized, Determined, Resourceful. NEGATIVE TRAITS: Short-Tempered, Grumpy, Stubborn.

WRITTEN BY: Poe (she/her & they/them), WET.

BACKGROUND / BIO

For what it was worth, Henry Ashford found himself agreeable to the role of middle child, letting his siblings take center stage in his parents lives, as he faded into the background. Even so he never felt unloved by his family, having a strong bond with both their siblings even now.

Henry was a somewhat peculiar child, a bit unfriendly at times opting to be upfront, fortunate for him his younger sibling made it their mission to call him out whenever necessary, and with time he mastered enough fake interest to pretend pleasantries, which allowed him to create friendships, even so as was his nature Henry did come off as rude at times, something that carried out unto adulthood.

Ever since childhood Henry has had a soft spot for museums, especially when it came to art. Most of his birthdays were spent in museums, art galleries or libraries. 

It came as no surprise when he decided to further his studies ending up as a professor, a rule that suited him well.

His life was uneventful or so that was how he liked to portray it, during his 20's Henry had grown to be quite skillful at taking things without being notice, usually jewelry that he wanted for himself, a hobby that grew into a freelance job on the side whenever he found convenient. Henry liked the beauty that came with the fine things in life, bracelets and necklaces being his favorite, growing quite the collection as he got older.

Perhaps he had grown far too ambitious and confident in his work. all good things came to an end eventually and Henry found himself in need of changing his course. 

Now Henry finds himself in Merrock, not sure of what life has in store for him.

[tokyotimes]

This autumn is set to deliver an exciting array of cultural offerings across literature, film, art, and fashion, with themes spanning dystopian futures, family dynamics, mid-life reflections, and political intrigue.

In Imagined Futures, expect thought-provoking narratives with Tim Winton’s Juice and Ali Smith’s Gliff. Wayne McGregor’s ballet MaddAddam, based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian trilogy, envisions life after bio-engineered disaster. On the big screen, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and Dreamworks' The Wild Robot tackle futuristic worlds. Meanwhile, designers Rick Owens and Fendi embrace utopian aesthetics in their autumn/winter 2024 collections, while Tate Modern’s Electric Dreams showcases five decades of artists' visions of the future.

Family Matters feature prominently this season, with Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo and Tessa Hadley’s The Party exploring sibling relationships. Netflix’s His Three Daughters and Fatma Aydemir’s Djinns delve into family tensions, while Jean Strouse’s Family Romance explores John Singer Sargent’s family portraits.

Mid-Life Stories offer reflections on ageing with Neneh Cherry’s memoir A Thousand Threads and Gail Crowth’s Dorothy Parker in Hollywood. In fiction, Virginie Despentes’ Dear Dickhead provides an irreverent look at mid-life, while the comedy My Old Ass blends humour with themes of growing older.

As Awards Season approaches, literary giants like Alan Hollinghurst, Richard Powers, and Haruki Murakami release new novels. In film, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II leads the charge, with Alfonso Cuarón’s Disclaimer and Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door following suit. Steve McQueen’s Blitz opens the London Film Festival.

This season also sees a surge in Origin Stories, with biopics like A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, and The Apprentice with Sebastian Stan. HBO's The Penguin and Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King breathe new life into beloved franchises.

On the political front, State of the Nations narratives stand out, with Jonathan Coe’s The Proof of My Innocence and Michel Houellebecq’s Annihilation. Espionage takes center stage with The Day of the Jackal and Conclave, while Netflix’s The Diplomat returns for a second season.

Emerging Rising Stars like actor Adam Pearson and singer Flowerovlove are set to shine across music, fashion, and the arts, ensuring a culturally rich autumn ahead.

[queerbauten]

[cocktailsfairytales]

Designs on Love

by Tomi Tabb

(Friends of the Unexpected Royals, #1)

Publication date: August 30th 2024

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Min grew up with dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, but fate had other plans for her.

Fresh out of the London School of Fashion, she’s set her sights on one goal: earning an internship at one of the most exclusive fashion houses in the country—the Clarissa Lee Atelier.

When a series of unfortunate events leads to an unexpected meet-cute with a tall, dark, and handsome royal guard, Min’s plans are suddenly turned upside down.

She never expected to end up with a date with a soldier named Sam instead of applying for her internship.

Despite the setback, it’s not long before Min is offered her shot at a dream design commission. This is everything she’s been working toward. Devoting all her time and energy to it should be a no brainer, except she’s started to fall for Sam, who’s also laser focused on advancing in the army while taking care of his sisters.

As they navigate their growing feelings for each other, Min finds herself at a crossroads. With their careers on the line, can Min and Sam find the time to get their happily ever after?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214973822-designs-on-love

Purchase:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cIpPwM

AUTHOR BIO:

Tomi is a sweet romance author who enjoys writing feel-good stories with a heart.

Her first published novel, "Dancing With a Royal," made its debut in 2020.

Outside of her day job, and attending grad school, Tomi enjoys figure skating and hunting for new pumpkin flavored foods. Her current favorite item is pumpkin spice Milano cookies.

Become a part of Tomi's Treasured Community of readers by joining her newsletter or visiting her official website.

Author links:

https://tomitabb.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tomitheauthor/

https://www.tiktok.com/@tomitabbauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20965108.Tomi_Tabb

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

10 x ebook copies of Designs on Love

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251235792/

Hosted by Xpresso Book Tours

[moonfacerecords]

So here it is (finally!) - the full line up (in alphabetical order). We’re super proud to announce the final line-up of traders that will be present at the fair. We've attached all the social links that we know about as well as a brief bio so you can get a great idea of what will be on offer at the fair on 28th September!

Venue Details

Brentwood Record Fair

Date: Saturday 28th September 2024

Location: Bardswell Social Club, Bardswell Close, Brentwood CM14 4TJ - (5-minute walk from Brentwood High Street and 15 minutes from the railway station).

Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Free Entry for consumers

Food & Drinks: Debz' Delicious Cakes will be on-site. The high-street is close so you can also grab breakfast/lunch there - plenty of options.  

The Stallholders

The Betterdog Records

From: Buckinghamshire

Bio: Betterdog Records, hailing from the wonderful Milton Keynes, are a very established based traders who run a successful and popular online store that also attends record fairs, mainly in the Bucks region. They're making the trek, and from what we understand, their debut in Essex, bringing a fresh selection of excellent vinyl, from vintage to new sealed records, at great prices. Co-owner Amanda previously ran a highly successful London record shop. You can check out there shop / stock here - https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/thebetterdogrecords & https://www.discogs.com/user/thebetterdog

Social media Link(s): Facebook: thebetterdogrecords, Instragram: thebetterdogrecords, TikTok: thebetterdogrecords, X: thebetterdog

Chris Morris

From: Surrey

Bio: Coming from a land far-far-away (Surrey) we have Chris, an independent trader specialising in all kinds of fantastic records. We have been at a number of fairs alongside Chris and he offers a real all-rounded range of titles. A bit of everything, new sealed stuff and vintage. Great prices!

Ed Rug

From: Northamptonshire

Bio: Another coming a long distance for the fair is Ed, or Eddie. Ed stocks a variety of pre-loved vintage vinyl. His stock ranges from pop & rock, prog & psych to soul, jazz & reggae. Generally an all rounder stocking all genres. With 10 years experience in record trading, some of which alongside us, we can guarantee you that Ed’s selection will as always be amazing. If your a vintage collector definitely take a look at this stall!

Social Media(s): Instagram: teddy64lps, TikTok: teddy64lps

Fatmod Records

From: Essex

Bio: Locally based trader offering a wide range of music with a focus on Mod/60s and beyond. Offer a bit of everything, including Metal, Jazz, Reggae (lots of Ska), Female artists, and box sets. Stock both old and new albums, singles, cassettes, CDs, and music-related items like tote bags, dividers, badges, and occasionally t-shirts. Has done pop-up shops and various fairs around Essex, Herts, and Kent, and also sells online (Discogs, occasionally eBay).

Social Media Link(s): https://www.fatmod-records.co.uk/, Facebook: Fatmod Records, Instagram: Fatmodrecordsltd, X: @FatmodR

Glenn Evans

From: Essex

Bio: Glenns stall will offer you a real mix of vintage gems in the form of classic rock, punk, pop and many more. Through selling alongside Glenn at fairs such as the Pink Toothbrush, Southend and Chelmsford we've had plenty of opportunities to browse their stock, and it's always gold! All are in great condition and great prices!

Jim Mallard

From: Buckinghamshire

Bio: Jim is the organiser of the Milton Keynes Record Fair which takes place at the famous Crauford Arms in Wolverton (where some pretty awesome bands play) every quarter. Jim is a Hard Rock / Heavy Metal specialist, but stocks other stuff too. Seriously, if you are a metalhead Jim is your main man. Regardless of whether other dealers are carrying heavy metal classics you will find a range of popular titles as well as obscure gems in there.

Moonface Records

From: Essex

Bio: Your host for the day - Moonface Records (us) - are a travelling record shop selling across Essex, Herts, Bucks, Beds and Berks but have also made appearances in Surrey, Kent and London as well. We specialise predominantly in new sealed vinyl (priced at around 30% lower than the high-street) but also dabble in vintage LP’s, as well as a 7 inch singles, CD’s and cassettes also. Our primary target market is younger enthusiasts, collectors or those curious however we stock to suit all ages overall. We stock new releases and popular must-haves.

Social Media Link(s): Facebook: moonfacerecords, Instragram: moonfacerecords, TikTok: moonface.records

Nilsatis

From: Essex

Bio: Paul’s first record fare was way back in 1982! So if you are looking to buy off a real veteran, here is your man! Paul moved to Essex 10 years ago and remained trading regularly around the area. His goal is to spread the love of vinyl especially to younger people as they are the future. They specialise in a range of goods, most genres - so another all rounder

Owen Pointing

From: Essex

Bio: Owen is the resident local trader - as he lives in Brentwood! He specialises in Soul, Tamla Motown and Reggae but carries a huge range to suit all pockets. Owen is a regular at many of the Essex record fairs and offers some absolute classics!

Phoenix Records

From: Berkshire

Bio: Phoenix Records, run by the fantastic Mike, who co-runs the fantastic Windsor and Bracknell Record fairs in Berkshire. Phoenix boast probably one of the most amazing selection Funk, Soul and Reggae selections i’ve ever seen. Whilst these remain their primary servings they also stock a lot more - so no matter what your taste check out their wares!

Social Media Link(s): https://www.windsorrecordfair.co.uk/, Facebook: windsorrecordfair, Instagram: windorrecordfair

SLAB Records

From: Essex

Bio: SLAB Records, an extremely popular shop in Loughton, Essex, is run by the friendly James and paired with the Sound Lab recording studio, known for working with big names. James also is the host and creator of the excellent Epping Record Fair. We recently had the pleasure of selling in their shop as a guest, which gave us a really good insight to what they have - literally everything. So expect a real mix of amazing vintage and new gems to be in the boxes. You can take a look for yourself here at his discogs shop - https://www.discogs.com/seller/slabrecords/profile.

Social Media Link(s): Website: https://www.slabrecords.co.uk/, Facebook: Instagram: slabrecordshop, Tik Tok: slab_records, X: SLABRecords

Swoonara Records

From: Essex

Bio: Swoonara specialise in second-hand, vintage rock LPs and have been trading for over a year. They have their own radio show called ‘The Vinyl Revival’ which airs every Thursday at 9pm on City Sounds Chelmsford, an independent radio station based in Essex.

Social Media Links(s): Facebook: swoonararecords, Instagram: swoonararecords

Vinyl Matters

From: Essex

Bio: Mark is an independent trader based in south-east Essex, specialising in all genres - we personally love his Classic / Hard Rock selection - there is always gem upon gem in there. A hobbyist and enthusiast, Mark is definitely one you want to check out if you are looking for vintage classics!

Vinyl Revivalist

From: Essex

Bio: Phil is a vinyl fanatic & occasional jazz-funk bass slapper, who has been buying and selling vinyl for around 40 years! Operating in Essex and London and specialising in 1960’s to 1980’s vintage vinyl he also offers a solid selection of collectors items (the rare bits!) from the 2000’s when vinyl wasn’t being pressed as much. So if you are looking for that rare noughties original you have always wanted, check out Phil’s stall!

Social Media Link(s): Website: https://www.elvinyl.com/vinylrevivalist, Facebook: Vinylrevivalist, Instagram: vinylrevivalist

Others

Friends: Also, there are two excellent indie record shops in Brentwood - Hey Joe Music and Coffee and Spinalong Records. They are both a 5 minutes walk away from the fair so make sure you go check them out too!

PLUS - superb, delicious cakes will be on sale on site courtesy of DebzDeliciousCreations!

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen - a real mix of brilliant local traders as well as awesome shops from outside the area. So catch them all in one place whilst you can! A lot of the dealers will of course not be able to bring their entire arsenal of stock so do check out their online stores too!

[elizadevere]

name: elizabeth viola de vere

nickname: eliza; she's been called lizzie and beth before, but she isn't fond of either of them.

gender: cis woman (she/her)

sexuality: straight

age: 46

birthday: 3 november 1977

occupation: singer and music instructor at bellevue assembly hall

hometown: oxford, england

time in town: arrived August 2024

positive traits: passionate, intelligent, empathetic, warm-hearted

negative traits: perfectionistic, stubborn, guarded

neutral traits: witty, flirtatious, observant

zodiac sign: scorpio

mbti: infj

relationships: frederick sullivan (first ex-husband); richard littleton (second ex-husband)

children: daughter (born in 2002; with frederick sullivan); twin daughters - Poppy and Kitty de Vere (born 15 February 2024; with richard littleton; she has full custody)

about || connections || playlist

bio tw: manipulation, emotional abuse, divorce, infidelity

wanted connections:

daughter (age 22): her daughter with Sully

biography:

Eliza was born in Oxford, England to Simon and Charlotte de Vere (a wealthy art dealer and his socialite wife) on 3 November 1977. Being born into a wealthy family, neither of her parents were very affectionate to their daughter, and Eliza was raised essentially as an object to be pawned off to the highest bidder. It was absolutely archaic, as far as she was concerned, especially considering that her father still wished to choose (or at least control) who she was to marry one day, as if it were a business transaction. She, of course, refused to listen to her father, particularly as she grew into her teens and realised his true intentions with her was to try and use her to his advantage. She battled more than one attempted arranged marriage to some wealthy client’s son, and sometimes even an older, wealthy client himself. Needless to say, Eliza purposefully distanced herself from her parents the minute she was able to move out and go to university at nearly 18 years old.

Against her parents’ wishes, she chose to attend Oxford for music (specifically in opera performance). She had always had quite the musical talent ever since she was little, and took lessons in cello, piano, and voice as she was growing up. Most of the lessons her maternal grandparents actually paid for and supported her in, as her father found it all rather trivial. In fact, for most of her childhood Eliza would often run to her grandparents for the affection she craved from her parents. Her grandmother, who had been an opera singer as well, encouraged her in her love of music, and attended every performance she did in high school, university, and into her career. Both her maternal grandparents attended her performances until they passed away.

A year after she graduated from her Masters in Opera Performance, one year into her career, she met Frederick Sullivan on a cruise she decided to take over one of her holidays. She fell for him while she was on board, and they continued to speak over video calls or she would join him on an occasional trip. After a year of dating, they got married on the ship, where she decided to spend her time singing for a while, effectively putting her opera and theatre career on hold. She gave birth to their daughter a few months after her 25th birthday.

They stayed married for about 10 years, during which she and their daughter returned to land––mainly for her daughter to start school, but also for her to begin pursuing her career again. Their daughter was nine when they divorced. Towards the end of their marriage, her career in theatre and opera began to grow, and she began to become well known.

About 3 years after she and Sully divorced, she remarried at the age of 37 when her daughter was 12. Richard Littleton, the owner of a premier league football club in Tottenham, London. They met through her father, and he was nearly twenty years older than her, though he was charming and made her feel special. He loved her singing and had seen a few of the operas she had been in, and had experienced many of her musical theatre roles. However, that charm disappeared not long after their wedding. He started to give her backhanded compliments in front of his friends. He controlled what she wore, what she ate (which led to her previous eating disorder resurfacing), and how she acted in public. Eventually, the manipulation and emotional abuse turned into physical abuse as well, something she tried very hard to hide from her daughter.

The older her daughter got, though, the more she noticed what was happening. She eventually managed to get her mother to leave Rupert eight years into their marriage, not long after her mother gave birth to her twin siblings, two children Richard hadn’t even wanted. Eliza gained full custody of her children in the divorce––a rather messy one where the press often slandered her rather than her abusive cheater of a husband. Rather than staying in London where the press could continue to hound her about her divorce and Richard's numerous affairs that had come to light, she let her daughter convince her to move to Kismet Harbour, where her first ex-husband so happened to live.

[liliannasprereadmediathek]

Don’t worry, we won’t question your reality. There really is a new episode out today ;)

Join us as we discuss Gaslight (1944) and try to shed some light on its more well-known progeny - ‘gaslighting’💡

(light bulb emoji)

What can adaptation theory tell us about how language evolves, the use of therapy speak, and the role of media in our understanding of medical terms? Let us enlighten you… 🕯️

(candle emoji)

🕯️💎🏚️🎶👰🧤🖼️ 

(candle emoji, diamond emoji, derelict house emoji, person with veil emoji, gloves emoji, framed picture emoji)

To listen, head to the link in our bio, or find us on YouTube, Spotify, or your podcasting platform of choice 🔗 

(link emoji)

For German, English, Arabic and Turkish speakers (also available in simplified German and German Sign Language) in Germany please visit https://www.frauen-gegen-gewalt.de to find local support in cases of domestic violence

Episode content warnings: murder, domestic abuse and violence, emotional manipulation and gaslighting, including interpersonal, medical, political, and institutional gaslighting. Mentions of institutional racism and white supremacy. Neither of us is a mental health professional and we will be looking at these issues from a cultural perspective.

#Gaslight #Gaslighting #IngridBergman #AngelaLansbury #GeorgeCukor #Gaslight1944 #CharlesBoyer #JosephCotten #MGM #MoviePodcast #LiliAnnaPod #LiliAnnasPrereadMediathek #queer #FeministPodcast #QueerPodcast 

📝 Shownotes: 📝

📼 Preread text (Rowan Ellis, https://youtu.be/SMFll3aIbmo)

Primary Sources:

🎞️ “Gaslight” (1944) (dir. George Cukor, wr. John Van Druten, Walter Reisch, John L. Balderston) (Screenplay: https://www.scripts.com/script/gaslight_8807) 🎭 “Gas Light” (1938) (wr. Patrick Hamilton) (premiered at the Richmond Theatre in London) 🎞️ “Gaslight” (1940) (dir. Thorold Dickinson, wr. A. R. Rawlinson, Bridget Boland)

Secondary Sources:🌐 APA Dictionary of Psychology Definition of “gaslight” (dictionary.apa.org/gaslight) 📰 “Donald Trump is Gaslighting America” (2016) (Duca, Lauren) (www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-is-gaslighting-america) 📼 SciShow Psych: “Gaslighting: Abuse That Makes You Question Reality” (2017) (youtu.be/ImBEhNku_YA?si=QimAV-ZdRhigQDEO) 📚“Adaptation and Appropriation” (2005) (Sanders, Julie) 📼 The Take “Gaslighting, Explained | What Does It Meme?” (2021) (youtu.be/eN4la0xOBdM?si=Fh6tClaShAVnoE8B) 🎞️ “The Truman Show” (1998) (dir. Peter Weir, wr. Andrew Niccol) 📺 “Gaslit” (2022) (Starz) (cr. Robbie Pickering, dir. Matt Ross) 📰 “The Limits of Therapy-Speak” (Volpe, Allie 2023) (www.vox.com/even-better/23769973/limits-therapy-speak-narcissist-gaslighting-trauma-toxic) 📰“‘That’s triggering!’ Is therapy-speak changing the way we talk about ourselves?” (Morgan, Eleanor 2023) (www.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/20/triggered-toxic-narcissist-are-you-fluent-in-therapy-speak) 📰 “What is gaslighting?” (Wilkinson, Alissa 2017) (www.vox.com/culture/2017/1/21/14315372/what-is-gaslighting-gaslight-movie-ingrid-bergman) 📰 “How to Spot 'Medical Gaslighting' and What to Do About It.” (Caron, Christina) (www.nytimes.com/2022/07/29/well/mind/medical-gaslighting.html) 📺 “Live Your Own Life” (“효심이네 각자도생”) (KBS2 2023-2024) 📰 “Time Magazine 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift” (Lansky, Sam) (time.com/6342806/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift/) 🎙️ “Stockholm Syndrome” (2018) (You’re Wrong About Podcast) 📰 “Bystander intervention” (Wiki) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_intervention) 📺 “Unbelievable” (Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldman, Michael Chabon) (2019, Netflix) 🎞️ “They Cloned Tyrone” (dir. Juel Taylor, wr. Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor) 🎞️ “The Stepford Wives” (1975) (dir. Bryan Forbes, wr. William Goldman) 🎞️ “The Girl on the Train” (2016) (dir. Tate Taylor, wr. Erin Cressida Wilson) 📚 “Rosemary’s Baby” (1967) (Levin, Ira) 📚 “The Stepford Wives” (1972) (Levin, Ira)

📱Social Media Handles📱:

IG:     https://www.instagram.com/liliannapod/ Twitter:     https://twitter.com/liliannapod Tumblr:    https://www.tumblr.com/blog/liliannasprereadmediathek

🎹Intromusic🎹: "Wall" by Jahzaar, licenced under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)  

🎹Outro Music🎹: “Waterbeat” by DJ Lengua, licenced under Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

🎹Transition Music🎹: gas burning stove activation and burn by EdR from Pixabay

Old fashioned clock sound by Pixabay

Walking on wooden floorboards by Pixabay

[nityarawal]

3/21/2024

Norooz - 

Spring #Rockets

First Day Of Spring

Norooz

New Beginnings

Where Are My Kids

We're You Only Kidding

Quit Clove Cigars

Got Carbons In

Yards

Spades And Spades

Of Bio- Carbons

Coming Out Of Me

What'd Metropolitan 

Hospital Do

When Politicians

Sold Me Out

In 2022

What'd Lexus Do 

When They Sold

My Head To You

In 2017

Printed Black 

Plastic Crap

White Stripes

Every Color Of

The Rainbow

From China

What'd Trumpleberry

Release With His 

Secret Service 

In 2020

Tell Us Please

Why Did Mr. And Mrs.

Smith

Steal Our Kids

From London

Are You Really Going

To Let Your Attys

Scare Us

Dangle Another

Chowmilla

Or Airforce Nanny

Are You Really Going

To Let The Airforce

Bully

For Lab Mammas

Or Are They Trans

Are You Really

Going To Say

This War For

Genetically Modified

Babies

Is More Important

Than One

Viable

Astronaut

One Martian

Raised By Mom

One King

For Planetary Law

One Mother

To Bring Back

#4BillionMothersStrong 

#4BillionMothers4NaturalLaw

#4BillionMothers

#50ShadesOfGold 

#4BillionMothers

Do You Have Her

Still

Do You Want 

To Take

Her

To Mars

Do You Have Her

Still

Maidens Ready

Out In The Night

Do You Love Her

Still

Mr. Falcon 9

Do You Love Her

Still

Will You Take A Bird

To Mars

Will You Love Your

Baby Mamma

Co-Parent

For Eternity

Minutely

Karnal Body

Only Lasts

Another Finite

Minute

With The

T.I.T.T.S.

California

Camp

On The Move

Peace,

Nitya Nella Davigo Azam Moezzi Huntley Rawal 

[linneatanner]

Book Review The Low Road Katharine Quarmby #WomensFiction #FeministFiction #HistoricalFiction #TheCoffeePotBookClub #BlogTour @katharineq_ @thecoffeepotbookclub

FEATURED AUTHOR: KATHARINE QUARMBY It is my pleasure to introduce Katharine Quarmby as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour that is being held between January 16th — February 6th, 2024. Katharine Quarmby is the author of the Historical Fiction / Lesbian Fiction / Women’s Literature novel, The Low Road, released by Unbound Publishing on 22nd June 2023 in the UK, on September 2023 in the US, and on 2nd January 2024 in Australia/NZ (400 pages). Below are highlights of The Low Road, Katharine Quarmby's author bio, and my review of her poignant 19th-century novel. Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2023/12/blog-tour-the-low-road-by-katharine-quarmby.html HIGHLIGHTS: THE LOW ROAD   The Low Road By Katharine Quarmby Blurb: In 1828, two young women were torn apart as they were sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay. Will they ever meet again? Norfolk, 1813. In the quiet Waveney Valley, the body of a woman – Mary Tyrell – is staked through the heart after her death by suicide. She had been under arrest for the suspected murder of her newborn child. Mary leaves behind a young daughter, Hannah, who is later sent away to the Refuge for the Destitute in London, where she will be trained for a life of domestic service. It is at the Refuge that Hannah meets Annie Simpkins, a fellow resident, and together they forge a friendship that deepens into passionate love. But the strength of this bond is put to the test when the girls are caught stealing from the Refuge's laundry, and they are sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, setting them on separate paths that may never cross again. Drawing on real events, The Low Road is a gripping, atmospheric tale that brings to life the forgotten voices of the past – convicts, servants, the rural poor – as well as a moving evocation of love that blossomed in the face of prejudice and ill fortune. Buy Links: Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mg5RAD Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-low-road-katharine-quarmby/7418138?ean=9781800182394 AUTHOR BIO: KATHARINE QUARMBY   Katharine Quarmby has written non-fiction, short stories and books for children and her debut novel, The Low Road, was published by Unbound in 2023. Her non-fiction works include Scapegoat: Why We Are Failing Disabled People (Portobello Books, 2011) and No Place to Call Home: Inside the Real Lives of Gypsies and Travellers (Oneworld, 2013). She has also written picture books and shorter e-books. She is an investigative journalist and editor, with particular interests in disability, the environment, race and ethnicity, and the care system. Her reporting has appeared in outlets including the Guardian, The Economist, The Atlantic, The Times of London, the Telegraph, New Statesman and The Spectator. Katharine lives in London. Katharine also works as an editor for investigative journalism outlets, including Investigative Reporting Denmark and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. Author Links: Website: https://www.katharinequarmby.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatharineQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katharinequarmbywriter/ LinkedIn: Katharine Quarmby - Writer, Journalist, Editor - Self-employed | LinkedIn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katharinequarmby_/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Katharine-Quarmby/author/B004GH8LS6 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2082356.Katharine_Quarmby BOOK REVIEW: THE LOW ROAD     The debut historical fiction novel, The Low Road by Katharine Quarmby, is a tragic tale about female prisoners banished from Britain to Australia in the 19th century. Based on real-life events, the story takes place in the Victorian era when women were judged by rigid moral codes and suffered social injustice. At the beginning of the story, Hannah Tyrell reflects on how her fate was cast at the moment her out-of-wedlock mother—Mary Tyrell—gave birth to her. She recalls how they were taken in by a kind couple in exchange for work on their farm. Fate throws Hanna's mother a cruel twist when she is raped and impregnated. She keeps her pregnancy a secret until her baby dies shortly after birth. Arrested for murder, she is jailed and commits suicide. Hannah is forced to witness the gruesome act of her mother's body being staked through the heart for her unpardonable sin before being buried. Later, Hannah is sent away to the Refuge for the Destitute in London, where she is trained in domestic service. She meets and falls deeply in love with a fellow resident, Annie Simpkins. Their strong bond and friendship are tested after they are caught stealing from the Refuge's laundry and are imprisoned in filthy prisons where they wait for their sentences. Eventually, they are separately banished to Botany Bay where they may not see each other again. Author Katharine Quarmby has written a compelling story told from the first-person perspective of Hannah Tyrell. The lyrical stream-of-consciousness narrative delves into her inner thoughts and emotions from childhood to adulthood. The tale is gripping and engaging as we learn about the injustices that Hannah and her mother must endure. The aspect I liked best about the book is Hannah's relationships with other females: her mom, her friends at the Refuge, and other various side characters. Mary Tyrell comes across as a strong and tragic heroine—a protective mother who has a profound impact on her daughter Hannah. The spiritual bond between mother and daughter permeates throughout the story. The story reflects the author’s impeccable research and passion for the subject. At mid-point, the story promises to be an epic tale of Hannah's fight to overcome her struggles. However, the relationship between Hannah and Annie did not resonate with me, and the story veered in a different direction than I anticipated when Hannah arrived in Australia. Still, it is an evocative, gripping tale of cruelty juxtaposed with courage and kindness that an orphaned girl experiences, struggling to survive poverty and seek love on the other side of the world. I recommend The Low Road to historical fiction readers interested in the realistic depiction of female convicts transported from Britain and Ireland to Australia where they help build a young colony in a harsh land.     Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Bluesky Handle: @cathiedunn.bsky.social Read the full article