#I added a bit more to this by adding his end-of-journey title and the 500 years ago havoc thing that mandarin intros usually add

[angstandhappiness]

LMAO CUTE

Nobody: Cantonese Wukongs introducing themselves:

(translation under cut)

Keep reading

[rueitae]

Writing Roundup 2020

This is a writing reflection I’ve been doing for myself every year for the last four years. Its a positive boost to myself see how far I’ve come and look back on my progress for the past year and look forward to the new year. 

Everyone is welcome to use this same format if they’d like to do the same! 

~~~~~~~

Stats:

Words written:

330,000, which is nearly half of all the words I’ve written on Ao3 in the last three years. 

One Shots Posted (all fics plance unless otherwise stated):

In the Arms of the Ever(pink?) Tree (4463 words)

For the Plance Secret Santa exchange. Post s8 date/not date on a snowy moon. Love confession. 

Birthday Treats (2129 words)

For Pidge’s birthday this year! Domestic family fluff, breakfast in bed, plance kids.

Begin Again (Together) (4805 words)

Canon divergence from before episode one! Pidge and Lance are established dating when alien intervention brings them to where they are supposed to be: with the Blue Lion. Just a brief look into what the AU would look like. 

Common Ground (4521 words)

A treat for my friends who introduced me to Magic Knight Rayearth and pointed out some fun character parallels. There is this beautiful art Arya made to go with it because we’re all trash for both series. Plance meet up with Fuu and Ferio post series for both couples. 

Bonded To You (1808 words)

For the Langstron Halloween Exchange! Established plance with a baby Lance is trying to keep safe from a witch who would take advantage of the child’s heritage. 

It Tasted Good (6785 words)

Pikelavar for Pikelavar Month! The premise is crack, but it's mostly treated seriously. Pike ate the Jewel of Jitan by accident and doesn’t realize it until Haggar finds them. Meklavar gets Protective.

The Remainder of Days (3188 words)

Part of my Bad Things Happen Bingo. Fantasy AU where Pidge is a minor forest goddess and Lance is her neighbor mortal farmer. 

I Love You a Lily More Each Day (3232 words)

Another of the Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon compliant where Lance is undercover at a flower shop and knee deep in an illegal smuggling operation. 

Lease on Life (4978 words)

This one was also part of Bad Things Happen Bingo and was an experiment. It’s POV of an oldest plance kid, canon verse. Her parents’ Paladin days come back to haunt them one night. Some cute family stuff too in there. 

Ready to Dance (4135 words)

For the Valentine’s Day exchange! Post series. Lance tries to get back into the party scene and Pidge rescues him from a disastrous night. 

Loopholes (5476 words)

Technically I didn’t write this fic this year, but a very kind reader asked if I would post this to Ao3, so it was my first fic of the year on Ao3. It’s Lotura! Originally a gift for a dear friend I’ve had since elementary school. It’s a fantasy AU where Lotor stumbles into Allura’s kingdom needing help. 

Next to Me (7311 words)

Also for Bad Things Happen Bingo, this is probably one of my favorite fics of the year. This is the canon verse AU that went all wrong in s7, and Sendak succeeds in destroying Earth. Lance and Pidge end up not only his prisoners, but also two of the last humans in the universe. Ends open ended, but it became a series in the end!

Into Me (14248 words)

The sequel to the above fic. There are two versions, this and the one below. The title tells all. Lance and Pidge come to terms with their new life aboard Sendak’s flagship and do their best to keep the other comforted.

Into Me (non-explicit version) (7228 words)

Exactly the same as the fic above, only this one is SFW

Sunshine (3831 words)

A Bad Things Happen Bingo! One of my favorite concepts. Canon verse. Pidge gets sick while she and Lance are on a scientific mission. 

Showoff (635 words)

A really short fic for a friend on their birthday, featuring their plance kids!

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

A fic I have been wanting to write for a very long time. I love the concept of Pidge as a Disney Princess in the sense she has the forest guardian theme and all these animals love her. So there’s some play on that as the Paladins stop for lunch on their journey back to Earth in early s7. Lance comes to a realization and they have a chat surrounded by the animal friends. @anchoredtetherart did a phenomenal piece to accompany it. Please look at it in awe here.

The Hardest Part (3960 words)

For Bad Things Happen Bingo! An AU of the episode The Reunion where Pidge doesn’t return when she’s supposed to. 

A Planned Sacrifice (4988 words)

Another Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon verse. Pidge assumes that being a sacrifice for the ‘forest god’ is strictly ceremonial and at worst a wild animal. It’s actually Sendak, who no one has seen since Shiro shot him out of the Castle. He remembers Pidge and is far too pleased to see her again, tied up on a silver platter. 

Almost Forgotten, but Not Gone (3946 words)

Bad Things Happen Bingo. AU sometime in s1 where Haxus isn’t as dead as Pidge thought. 

Touch (7519 words)

Written for the Lance Goes Boom bang! It was inspired by @fenixseraph ‘s amazing art here! It’s a different take on The Way Forward, where Pidge and Lance are separated from the rest of the team and placed in their own cell. And the Red Lion causes issues. 

Chaptered Fics started/added to:

Wolf In Thieves’ Clothing (4516 words)

An AU of The Castle of Cagliostro from Lupin the Third series. Lee, you have my thanks forever for making me watch this finally. Pidge is a literal princess whose kingdom is in the middle of an internal coup. Lance is a gentleman thief who rides with his best buds Hunk and Matt. Their paths are destined to cross again when Lance goes back to the castle he used to call home. 

Game of Love (4593 words)

The most crack of the bunch. AU of Fall the of the Castle of Lions where Sendak and Haxus get away with it all. Pidge and Lance are prisoners on Haxus’ new ship, and Lance finds an opportunity for eventual escape when he learns that Haxus has a crush on his second in command. Operation matchmaker begins. (happy ending planned for all)

What Tides May Bring (20704 words)

Collab with the fantastic @anchoredtetherart for MerMay! Established plance as mermaids and guardians of their elements with adorable mer child. Then angst because they are all captured by a ‘research’ institute. 

Seasons of Magic (16546 words)

I actually added a chapter this year! Ongoing collection of one-shots with mage Pidge who lives in the country and cultivates her plant magic and makes potions with the assistance of her dragon familiar, Lance. Mostly domestic fluff. 

Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words)

Added another chapter this year to my Keith-centric AU. It’s basically VLD but five years early and they’re all literally child Paladins. Keith gets to meet Krolia earlier and its fun to go into tween friendships as they try and navigate the reality of their situation. 

Seeds (48833 words)

Added a ton earlier this year. A collection of plance fics all or mostly under 500 words. All meant to be adopted by others if interest strikes. Covers many genres.

Chaptered Fics Finished:

Resolve to Fly (75799 words)

Written for the Pidge Angst Bang. My artist @alchemie0 did an outstanding job capturing the feel of the fic. Look at the art here! Canon verse AU where Pidge encounters Haxus, who has crashed on Earth. She helps him repair his ship in excitement and good faith, which he pays back by kidnapping her. For two years she survives as little more than a housepet on Sendak’s ship. Gen.

Who's Protecting Who? (28989 words)

Also technically not written this yeah, but posted. A collab with Hush waaaay back in 2018. It's a plance Altean AU with Pidge as distant royalty and Lance as a bodyguard.

A Dish Served Cold (21533 words)

Finally finished this one! Canon verse in which Pidge accidentally runs into Sendak on an isolated planet. Sendak takes advantage of this encounter and tries to return to the Empire with her in tow. Much Pidge whump. Gen

Reflections: 

Best title 

I still really really love Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words). Because it's too soon for the Paladins to be Paladins, and for Keith it's not nearly soon enough for Krolia to return. It just feels like it has a lot of heart to it. I hope I can keep it going, but my ideas are incredibly scattered for it. 

Worst title 

Touch (7519 words). Yeah it’s a play on ‘Don’t you touch her’ but it feels soooo dry. 

Best/worst last line

Best: This was really, really hard choice this year, but ultimately, making up for the terrible title, its Touch (7519 words) 

“It feels good to escape the ship with all of his teammates, secure in the knowledge that he has a way forward not just as a Paladin, but also with Pidge.” 

- Not only did I manage to fit the title of the episode in there, it's got that hopeful tinge to it and reflects on personal growth both internally and with Pidge. 

Worst: This one isn’t necessarily bad from Begin Again (Together) (4805 words), but it could be better. It didn’t get quite the epic sense I was hoping to pull from it.

“Okay,” he smirks, hand firmly on the throttle. “Operation save Earth starts now.”

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

Definitely wrote way more. Even with posting two fic that are essentially the exact same, I still ended up writing nearly half of my total Ao3 word count this year. (330,000/670,000). Doing Bad Things Happen Bingo was a bit part of that - I was very inspired at the beginning of this year - but also there were many events I participated in (8 total!!) on top of my personal projects. 

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.

A really hard decision this year, because there are several that make me really happy. I think oddly enough though, it’s Game of Love (4593 words) because of its potential and how much crack it is. It has such whacky rom-com energy to it but also that underlying angst of the situation I can fall back on. My favorite trope to explore is what happens to the characters when they’re captured. I just really enjoy the concept and the challenge to make such a concept believable with minimal suspension of belief. 

Okay, NOW your most popular story.

Using kudos as my gauge (and not counting the chapter fics), the winner is: 

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

Not surprising because Ivy’s art is STUNNING.

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

I think that’s It Tasted Good (6785 words), the pikelavar fic. Pikelavar is underappreciated in general

Story that could have been better?

For all I was excited to write Sunshine (3831 words), it didn’t quite fall the way I had imagined in my mind. I don’t know if it was the structure or I was running out of steam or what. All i know is that I wanted more but all I could concentrate on was that scene where he’s caring for her in bed. Maybe I was just too ambitious.

Sexiest story?

No brainer it's Into Me (14248 words). Literally. Which really shocked me that it happened. Didn’t think I’d write any smut at all, let alone this year. This particular fic just kinda called out for it 

Saddest story?

The prequel to the above fic: Next to Me (7311 words). How much more sad can you get than Earth being destroyed, being Sendak’s prisoners all while trying to tell each other ‘i love you’ without seeming weird because you’re the last humans in the universe. 

Most fun?

I think it's Ready to Dance (4135 words). Just Valentine’s fluff and impromptu slow dancing in the park at night. 

Story with single sweetest moment?

I’m picking What Tides May Bring (20704 words). Listen, mer Lance and mer Pidge playing with their mer baby in their domestic paradise is probably one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. Dad Lance has my heart. 

Hardest story to write?

The last chapter of A Dish Served Cold (21533 words) was like pulling teeth. I’m pretty happy with it in the end but at the time man it was so hard. 

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?

I wrote smut. It was...weird? But also strangely calming. I wrote more for another fic but it's still a WIP. I definitely need to be in the mood to write it. 

Proudest Achievement:

The Pidge Angst Bang. Resolve to Fly (75799 words). Look at that word count. I only wanted something under 3k at first, so it was just going to be Pidge meeting Haxus. But by the time I finished that part it was already 10k. So even though I was going through a rough part of my life, I just kept going and it ended up being my therapy. I’m really proud of the fic and I love my artists’ pieces. It really lifted my spirits. (You should all really go check out the Ao3 collection of all the bang stories and art they are AMAZING you won’t regret. If you love Pidge angst they are all must reads.)

What are your fic writing goals for next year?

I’d like to finish my Bad Things Happen Bingo card and then focus on my current WIP, that includes the Seeds collection. There are days I still feel a bit overwhelmed, and I’m still trying to find a routine after moving. I’d like to do more events too, but I think I need to be more selective about which ones I do. I don’t want to burn myself out. 

Apart from that, I’d really like to try and give back to the community more. I’d like to start consciously writing fics for others without an event to go by. 

Past Years:

2017

2018

2019

[marcmaccoy]

”LA DIVERSIÓN EN IDIOMAS”

The title above is translated as, “The fun in languages”, something that I never really felt and had at the beginning. Ever since the quarantine started, I really did not plan to do anything nor to improve myself in any of my hobbies at all. Maybe it’s because I expected that all these crisis will be over in a week or two, which obviously and sadly, did not happen. Before, I just like to play my musical instruments, paint, and I got into Korean Dramas as well because of my friends. Sometimes, I bond with my pets and do cooking experiments too. All of these are done in order for me to avoid boredom. However, as time goes by, those things became a bit dull to me and I felt the need to discover something new.

Let me share a bit of my journey first.

As I watch Korean Dramas, I got this tendency to copy what they say and it became a habit of mine whenever I want to express something. So instead of saying, “Salamat” or “Thank you”, I often say, “감사”(gam-sa) which is an informal way of saying “Thank you” in Korean. Also, “안녕”(an-nyeong) which means “Hi”, “네”(ne) which means “Yes”, “아니”(ah-ni) which means “No” and many more. At that time, I didn’t know how to read their alphabet yet but because of my curiosity, I’ve thought of studying it. Surprisingly, I learned “한글”(han-geul) or the Korean Alphabet in just a day! Nine total hours to be exact. I was dumbfounded by how I was able to understand that in just a short manner of time. This inspired me to continue moving forward until I decided to finally learn the Korean language.

In the middle of my journey learning the said language, I began to encounter a lot of interesting facts about it. Such as it wasn’t the writing system of Korea before and how it only existed at about 578 years ago during King Sejong’s reign. It is said that “한글”(han-geul) was created in order for people with little to no education could learn how to read and write. Because before, many Koreans are illiterate due to their very complex Chinese-based writing system called Hanja (漢字) which is difficult to understand. Meaning to say, it was created by the King for the purpose of literacy. Also, the shapes of the letters in 한글 was based on the surroundings and how you say it. These are among the facts that I knew while I became deeply interested in Korea’s traditions, history, and cultures. I was so excited to be fluent that time. I even made flashcards to enhance my vocabularies, watched a lot of tutorials on YouTube, surfed many websites on the Internet, and proceeds to watch Korean series. Little did I know, I was going to unexpectedly give up studying this language. Why? Well, when I got into its grammar, I was surprised by how complicated it is. I also saw videos on YouTube about Filipino learners of the Korean Language that aren’t still fluent after years of studying. So I got a bit down and frankly, I lost my motivation.

Even so, my language learning journey did not stop there. I still want to learn a foreign language that interests me other than the ones I already know which is Filipino, my native mother-tongue and English, my second language. I tried Japanese because of Animes but it was a bit complicated too. They have three kinds of writing systems and the grammar is similar to Korean. French because I have a French uncle and a Filipino cousin and aunt which speaks fluent French but when I knew how it sounded and how the words were pronounced, I already lost hope. French pronunciation is too complicated for me. I also dig up about German because my main to-go-to country in the future is Switzerland and of course, I would want to communicate with people there. However, German is laborious too! The words, the combinations of letters, and the grammar is too confusing. Until I finally encountered the language that’s spoken by the first colonizer of my motherland and it is no other than Spanish.

I started by memorizing basic phrases such as, “Gracias”, “De nada”, “Hola”, and a lot more. I was, once again, amazed by how easy this language is spoken. It is because Spanish is a phonetic language. Meaning, the words are pronounced exactly the way they are spelled. Also since Spain colonized my country for about 333 years, we adopted a lot of words from them which are now considered as loan words. It is estimated that about 4,000+ Tagalog and 6,000 Visayan words came from Spain. Some of the examples include baso(vaso), lamesa(la mesa), tinidor(tenidor), kutsara(cuchara), bumbilya(bombilla), and banyo(baño). As well as the number system, the names of the months, days, expressions, greetings, and many more. For this reason, I was determined to continue learning it because unlike in the other languages, there is no need for me to struggle in memorizing new vocabularies.

I did the same things I did to Korean and just added some new tactics. While my school is on a term break after the first semester, I enrolled at a Spanish Beginner course online where we are taught by a Filipino teacher who is fluent in 5 languages: English, Tagalog, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. My cousin from France, who’s also fluent in Spanish, gave me books like Spanish dictionaries and grammar textbooks for writing and reading purposes. I was also able to use my Netflix binge-watching skills and started to watch a lot of Spanish series for listening purposes. And on YouTube, I began to discover facts about Spain. Their rich culture, history, and traditions, and how their language was influenced by Arabic as well. Additionally, Spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in the world, surpassing the English language, having over 460 million native speakers located in Spain and in Latin American countries. It is also the 3rd most used language on the internet. That’s a lot of people to talk to!

Furthermore, did you know that being multilingual gives your brain several remarkable advantages? Some of it can be seen such as higher density of the grey matter that contains most your brain’s neurons and synapses. It also helps our brain engage in more activities in certain regions where that language is spoken. And although not yet definitively proven, learning many languages decreases the rate of having dementia by 5 years! In addition, more businesses nowadays are seeking applicants who can navigate the modern global economy. It can be seen that in the 21st Century, knowing a second language is not only beneficial, but necessary for success in life. The continual globalization of the world’s economy is bringing diverse cultures and communities into more frequent contact with each other.

Looking back in time, I was nothing like this way before the quarantine started. Learning languages was never really included in my interests. But now, it is! In fact, I am even determined to shift my college course to something related to languages and pursue a master’s degree about linguistics. Indeed, it changed my life. It changed how I see things from a monolingual perspective and it opened a new horizon for me. Gladly, I was even able to have Spanish speaking friends! I have this one friend from Peru who speaks fluent Spanish and I happily encountered Spanish native people here in Facebook who are trying to learn a different language as well.

Overall, my experience was a blast! There are times that I became tired and almost lose my motivation because of how slow my progress is. But even so, I will not give up. I am not fluent yet and I still have a lot to know but I will keep on practicing until I become one. I believe that in the near future, it will open new opportunities that will be helpful for me too. Moreover, It has always been my dream to travel and I truly think that language learning will be an aid to that. Hoping that I’ll be able to talk to that nearing 500 million people soon!

Before I end my blog, I just want to share this quote from Charlemagne, also known as Karl and Charles the Great, a medieval emperor who ruled much of Western Europe during 768-814, “To have another language is to possess a second soul.”

Bueno. Eso es todo. Gracias por su tiempo leyendo mi blog. Espero que encuentres algo interesante. Además, a aquellos que están aprendiendo otro idioma, nunca perder la esperanza! Pronto seremos fluidos.

Truly, there is fun in languages.

[imagine-loki]

The Witch’s Familiar

TITLE: The Witch’s Familiar CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 49/? AUTHOR: nekoamamori ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine getting so attached to Lokitty early on that you insist on carrying him just about everywhere.  RATING: T (so far) NOTES/WARNINGS: Also on AO3 Click here

Bright and early the next morning, you dressed in riding clothes.  You’d be a-horse all day and dresses weren’t conducive for riding that long.  At least Lady Sif was a warrior too so the people in the realm were used to seeing her wearing pants. You didn’t have to worry about them looking down on you for the same thing. So you dressed quickly in riding gear, made sure your supplies were safely stored in your dimensional pocket.  Your wand and broom were both wrapped around your wrist, your sword strapped to your sides, daggers in sheaths on your arms, courtesy of Loki.  He didn’t want you going without proper protection.  Even though he, Thor, and Lady Sif were all coming with you.

Overprotective Lokitty.

Loki walked down to the stables with you, where you met up with Thor and Lady Sif.  Both of them were dressed for battle and ready to go.  There were four horses waiting for them and Thor and Sif both had gear in their saddlebags.  They had to actually pack, unlike you and Loki.  Thor tossed a sack of something at Loki, who caught it automatically.  He opened the sack and lit up with delight.  “How’d you know?” he teased Thor as he pulled out a cinnamon roll and bit into it.

“You love about four things in the entire realm, Mother, your lady, me on a very few occasions, and those cinnamon rolls from Cook,” Thor teased as he swung into his saddle.  “I have to bribe you to not kill us on a long road trip somehow,” he added.  Sif laughed and swung into the saddle of her horse too while Loki chuckled.  

Loki led you over to one of the horses and handed you a cinnamon roll. “This is Star,” Loki told you, indicating the horse.  “Mother picked her out for you,” he explained.  “I didn’t think you’d want to ride a broom for days straight,” 

You laughed.  “It’s been awhile since I had to ride a broom that long.  A horse is way preferable,” you told him and kissed him softly before you swung up into the saddle, comfortable because of years of practice.  You used to have to ride every day, before cars and had more horses over the years than you could remember.  

“I thought horses were no longer popular on Midgard,” Thor commented as Loki swung onto his own horse’s saddle.

“They aren’t,” you replied.  “But I’m 500 years old.  I learned to ride as a child,” you reminded him.  Thor nodded and kicked his horse, setting the group of you off on your adventure.  

“So I get why Loki and the oaf are on this adventure,” Sif commented once you were on your way. “Loki is courting you and has a silver tongue, which is useful for dealing with individuals like this cursemonger. Thor is good to have for muscle and you two have gone on these kind of missions for the crowd together for centuries.  But why did the Allmother request I come with you?” Sif asked the three of you as you rode.  

It wasn’t a breakneck speed you were riding at, but you were reassured the Asgardian horses could keep up with any speed for days.  Still, it wasn’t urgent enough that you had to go at full gallop.  Especially since it was so far, over a day’s journey, even with these horses.

“I assume so Lady Y/N has a female companion for the journey,” Thor replied innocently.  Apparently he hadn’t been told either why Sif was here beyond that his mother had asked her to come. 

You shared a smirk with Loki.  You knew perfectly well why Sif was there.  Sif was there so Frigga could force her and Thor together since they were so perfect for each other. That meant that you and Loki had to help her.  So you and Loki rode side by side on the road while Thor and Sif rode together.  The pair chatted happily while they rode and you and Loki explained your quest to them.  

You stopped for the evening at an inn in a quiet town.  You slid out of the saddle with a groan.  “It’s been years since I rode that long,” you whined at Loki while he steadied you. He chuckled.

“At least it wasn’t a broom,” he told you with a laugh. 

“It also won’t be a boyfriend,” you grumbled at him, grumbling at him for teasing you.  

He chuckled. “Come on, magelet, let’s get you sitting on something that isn’t moving for awhile,” Loki told you warmly and helped you into the inn where you took seats in the tavern and one of the serving girls brought the four of you something to eat.  And of course ale for the Asgardians.  You were grateful to sit on something that wasn’t moving and enjoyed the meal with your friends.  You had spent all day riding with them and Sif had become a good friend on the journey.  

The evening was quickly coming to an end when Loki addressed the others.  “I feel better if I stay with my lady.  Thor, don’t snore too loudly or Sif will kill you in your sleep,” Loki told the others.  You’d gotten two rooms under the guise that you and Sif would be sharing one.  

That clearly wasn’t Loki’s plan.  

Sif laughed.  Clearly she was used to traveling with Thor, Loki, and the Warriors Three and was comfortable sharing with any of them.  “There better be more than one bed, or you’re sleeping on the ground, thunderhead,” she teased Thor as the pair of them got up to head to their room. 

“You would not do that, Lady Sif!” he whined as he followed her.

She smirked back at him.  “You better make it worth my while then,” she teased him as she headed up the stairs in front of him.

“Well, that was easy,” Loki commented from next to you as you watched the pair go.

[blacksapphrodite]

Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot Deck: Tarot Review

New post! This one is late, but well worth the wait I think! I reviewed my newest tarot deck: Ethereal Visions: Illuminated Tarot Deck! Click here to read all my thoughts and find out where to get it! I did my research. ;) Here’s a good size snippet as well! 

Time for another tarot deck review! This time we’ll be looking at the Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot Deck. This deck has an interesting history that’s a bit too juicy to pass up talking about at least a little bit. But more important than that, it’s one of the most beautiful decks I’ve ever seen, and certainly one of my favorites. It has its flaws as well, and we’ll discuss those, too, but trust me when I say that in spite of it all, it really is a glory to look at! This is also the deck I’ll be using for my Let’s Learn Tarot series, so trust me when I say you’ll be seeing a lot of it!

Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot Deck: The Story

So the Ethereal Visions Illuminated tarot deck began as a Kickstarter! I only found this out the other day when I started to do some research. The creator, Matt Hughes, raised $30,957 to make this deck–almost $5,000 more than the original $26,000 goal. That’s pretty impressive, and it’s not hard to see why so many people were willing to back it. The designs are truly gorgeous. Getting just the deck was $35 for early backers and $45 for later ones, with bigger prizes at higher tiers (two people backed the $500 tier!). I myself stumbled onto it at an indie bookstore in Washington, DC and my wife bought it for me (for less), so this was news to me, and I decided to do more reading.

Diving into the updates and comments, there are certainly some unhappy customers. Turns out there were some shipping difficulties and at least as of a month or so ago, some people still don’t have their decks. Yikes. The full details (and angry backers) are on the Kickstarter site, so I won’t go too far into it here. Let’s just say that some of these disgruntled customers claim the creator and the shipping company have stopped correspondence. I’m praying that all those people get their copies soon. It’s interesting to me how this deck came into being, though I can’t help but wonder how a lone copy ended up in a restaurant/bookstore combo. Either way I’m glad I stumbled upon it the way that I did!

The Art

The art. Oh, the art. The artwork on tarot cards might be the most important factor when it comes to using them. If they aren’t clear and easy to interpret, they’re mostly only nice to look at. Luckily, the Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot deck is both useful and beautiful. Matt Hughes chose to go with Art Nouveau for his illustrations and it was an amazing choice. The images are ornate, the colors simple, and the gold foiling on each and every card make them incredibly elegant. You feel quite decadent when you pull one and look at it, and I love to feel decadent. As the title implies, they really are an ethereal vision.

My least favorite thing about the art? These people are all looking awfully white for a tarot deck created in 2017/2018. We all absolutely know better than this by now. It would have been perfectly possible to keep the soft, otherworldly look and Art Nouveau style while still being inclusive. In fact, he did just that on another gorgeous project! I wish we could have seen the same here. Some people might whine about the traditional art style, etc., which is always a bunch of nonsense, but on top of all of that–this is an 80 card deck. Tarot cards are traditionally 78 cards, but the creator added two cards of his own making to add meaning. If he can flaunt tradition that way, he could certainly have included more people of color in his work.

All that being said, I’m glad I own the deck and I adore looking at it. It really is one of a kind and I treasure it. I  can’t wait to continue to share it all with you as I go on my tarot journey!

Continue Reading...

[warlockwriter]

To Lose Thee Were To Lose Myself: Chapter 6

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Chapter 6/10

Pairing: Gabriel/Sam

Chapter Word Count: 2696 (Story so far: 8422)

Summary:  Sam didn’t believe the “new man” speech from Gabriel, but he understood recovery and knew sometimes you just had to put on a brave face. He still struggled with his own recovery journey. Perhaps the two of them could help each other? And gank a few monsters along the way?

A/N: Begins right after 13x20 and goes canon divergent from there. Title from Paradise Lost by John Milton. Many thanks to @archangelgabriellives for the beta read and a couple of awesome suggestions/additions! Story is complete. I’m just trying the serial approach because I’ve never done it with a fanfic before.

Ao3 Link

Back at the car, Sam said, "You're going to do what?"

Gabriel had the expression you get when explaining things to particularly slow children. "Angel senses, Sam. Every creature has a distinct presence, which I can sense. If I was at full power, I could find the werewolf from miles away. With my current power level, it'll be more like 500 feet or so. Which means we drive around until I get a blip on my angel radar."

Sam shook his head. "So you're basically going to track him like a bloodhound?"

Gabriel sighed. "That's not exactly how I would have put it, but if that's the easiest way for you to conceptualize it, then fine."

Sam gave him a grin. "Let's get a motel room so we can change out of these suits, and we'll start driving around."

"Change out of your suit?" Gabriel asked with a smirk. "Why? You look so good in yours."

Sam rolled his eyes at the angel and decided not to mention that he was developing a thing for Gabriel's new leather jacket.

There was a Motel 6 not too far away, and they were able to get a room--Sam didn't even propose two rooms--and change back into more appropriate hunting gear. A text came in from Dean while Sam was double checking to see if he had any anti-werewolf ammo. He read the text and chuckled.

Gabriel looked up from tying his shoes. "What's so funny?"

"Dean says he just got to the Bunker but that he and Cas won't be leaving right away."

Gabriel developed a wicked half-smile. "Did he say why?"

Sam gave him a wide grin in return. "Something about research."

"Oh, is that what they're calling it these days?"

"Apparently."

He handed four shotgun shells to Gabriel. "Werewolf load. One part silver shot to three parts regular."

Gabriel took the shells and reloaded his shotgun with the new ammunition. "Good thinking. You must have been a Boy Scout."

Sam huffed out a bark of laughter. "Hardly."

One last check of their gear, and they left the room. Once in the car, Sam pulled up a map of the town on his tablet. Scrolling around, he stopped, and handed the tablet to Gabriel, who took it and asked, "What am I looking at?"

"I'm thinking the outskirts are the place to start. I don't see a nest being in the middle of town."

Gabriel scrolled around on the map. For an angel, he was oddly comfortable with technology. "Makes sense." He pointed to a small development. "Something about that's making my senses tingle."

"I thought that was a Spiderman thing," Sam said, taking and stowing the tablet.

"Hey, angels had it first."

They drove off, Sam navigating to the location he'd found on the map. As soon as they arrived in the neighborhood, he slowed down to a crawl, glad he'd boosted an automatic. Keeping this speed in a manual would have been impossible.

"Because this isn't creepy? Two guys slow driving through a residential neighborhood?" Gabriel commented. Sam noticed the nerves in his voice.

"I want to give you a chance to get a good...err...look?"

Gabriel closed his eyes and leaned back in the passenger seat. "Not my eyes I'm using here, Sam."

They made two passes through the neighborhood before Gabriel shook his head. "Not getting even a twinge. Guess my angel senses were wrong." Sam could hear the defeated frustration in his tone.

Sam drove to a nearby strip mall and got out his tablet again. After a moment, he said, "Okay. We'll try this one."

When he handed the tablet over this time, their hands brushed, and Sam felt a surge of grace.

"Sorry about that," Gabriel said absently as he looked at what Sam had found this time.

Sam knew they were going to have to deal with this at some point. It seemed like Gabriel's grace was getting more determined as time went on.

Gabriel handed back the tablet, obviously being careful not to touch Sam. "Yeah, that looks promising. We'll try that."

Sam drove to the new neighborhood and repeated his slow drive. One older lady gave them a suspicious look as they went by, but no one else seemed to notice.

As they reached the end of a street, Gabriel straightened in his seat. "That one," he said.

Sam drove a few yards further and parked by the curb. "Which one?"

Gabriel turned in his seat, and pointed. "That one. With the junk in the yard."

Sam turned to look where Gabriel had pointed. It was a dilapidated ranch-style house that looked as if it had once been painted a light blue. Now it just looked a tired gray. There was a ragged chain-link fence surrounding it, and the yard was hazardous with cast-off toys, old appliances and rusty auto parts.

"They are definitely bringing down the property values," Gabriel commented.

"Any idea how many are in there?" Sam asked, ignoring the real estate commentary.

Gabriel shook his head. "The werewolf I detected on the body is there, but I can't determine any more than that." He frowned down at himself. "If I only had more grace."

Sam placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've got plenty for what we need to do." He pulled his hand back abruptly as Gabriel's grace surged toward him.

"Yeah, better not do that again," the angel said, tone matter of fact.

"Right. How do we want to do this?"

Gabriel shrugged. "You're the hunter."

Sam didn't like the defeated note in his voice. "And you're an Archangel of the Lord. Don't tell me you've never planned strategy."

Sam was glad to see the angel straighten a bit at that. "Well, maybe."

"Okay, then. We've got the shotguns for the werewolves. And the machete for the vampires. I think you should take the machete. I've seen your blade work."

Gabriel gave him a small smile. "All right. You want to go in the front, shotgun blazing? I'll go in through the back?"

"Are we sure there is a back door?"

"Only one way to find out. Give me a minute," Gabriel said as he opened the car door.

Sam wanted to call him back, but he knew he had to let the archangel do this. Didn't mean he liked him going off alone.

Gabriel vanished around the corner of the house two doors down from their target. Sam waited, body tense in anticipation of all the things that could go wrong.

Long minutes passed. Sam was seriously considering heading after Gabriel, and his hand was on the door handle when someone knocked on the passenger side door. Sam whirled, gun in hand but breathed in relief when he saw it was Gabriel. He frowned and said, "You open your own damn door."

Gabriel was grinning as he climbed in the car. "Okay, there is a back door, as I'd thought. Kind of tricky to get there around all the trash, so I think you going in the front is still the best plan."

"Were you able to get any feel for how many there were inside?"

Gabriel half-nodded. "I heard at least four distinct voices and as many presences, but there may be more. Monsters generally make less noise than you humans."

Sam shot him an inquiring look. "What about that angel radar?" He deliberately kept his tone light and teasing.

Gabriel rolled his eyes at him. "It's not exactly like radar. For monsters especially, I need some hint to start with. Like a voice or a scent."

Sam nodded and gave him an encouraging smile. Oddly enough, he liked it when he learned angels had a few limitations. "So at least four. Any idea where they are?"

"It sounded like three were close to the front. I heard the fourth as I was approaching the back door."

"All right. How long do you need to get into position?"

Gabriel considered for a moment. "The yard is a mess. Better give me five minutes, to be safe."

"I can do that. Let's move a few more doors down and gear up." Sam started the engine and drove just out of sight of the house. They both got out, and Sam opened the trunk and got out his bag. He handed Gabriel his shotgun and machete. The angel glanced back and forth down the street and took the weapons. Sam grabbed his shotgun, extra shells and Ruby's knife, because it was familiar. He lifted up his jacket to conceal his pistol in the waistband of his jeans.

"Let's go."

Gabriel nodded and moved off, stride smoothing into that of a predator. Sam was again reminded of how much the archangel sometimes resembled a bird of prey.

Within a minute, Gabriel had moved out of his site, and Sam kept an eye on his watch. When Gabriel had been out of sight for two minutes, the tall hunter started to move. He walked casually down the street, attempting to look as if he belonged.

Right at the five minute mark, he arrived. Taking a deep breath, he kicked in the door and moved into the room.

Motion caught his eye, and he turned left, firing his shotgun. It was loaded with anti-werewolf shells. The man dropped immediately and didn't move.

Sam heard a crash and shotgun blast from the back of the house and knew Gabriel had started his part of the assault. Assuming the archangel had taken down his target, he mentally added one to the count of downed monsters.

He scanned the room and saw something charging him from the right. Another blast from his shotgun stopped the man for a moment but didn't take him down. Vampire, Sam's mind helpfully provided.

He lowered the shotgun and pulled out his knife. It wouldn't kill a vampire, but it might slow him down long enough for Gabriel to get in here with the machete.

One more shotgun blast, a few feet closer this time.

The vampire charged Sam, who dropped into a crouch to meet it. He moved close, inside the monster's reach, and thrust upward. The vampire grunted and tried to rip out his throat. With his other hand, Sam managed to get the shotgun between his own neck and the vampire's fangs, the gun acting as a shield. He slashed again at the vampire, hoping to wound him enough to slow him for a moment.

Just then a machete blade sliced through the vampire's neck, and the head fell, rolling several feet away on the filthy floor.

Sam straightened, and his breath caught for a moment when he saw Gabriel.

The archangel was standing at his full height, head darting back and forth, alert for threats. His shoulders rolled back, as if he were mantling invisible wings. He held the angel blade in one hand and the machete in the other and looked as if he could use either with equal proficiency.

Gabriel was gorgeous.

Unfortunately, Sam didn't have time to admire him. Something came through the front door at the same time as another threat came charging down the stairs to Sam's left.

They didn't need to signal or communicate in any way. As if they had been hunting together for decades, Gabriel darted to the side to deal with the vampire coming down the stairs, while Sam whirled to meet the werewolf behind him.

He swore to himself, wishing he'd had time to reload the shotgun.

The werewolf came in low, claws extended. Shit! This one was a pureblood and could transform in the middle of the day. Not good.

Sam danced back a few steps, surprisingly graceful for such a large man. He managed to get behind a table and used the few seconds the cover bought him to try to remember what he'd loaded his pistol with. Had he put in silver bullets?

The werewolf darted around the table, trying to claw Sam, moving to keep the furniture between them. He tossed the shotgun at the monster, who wasted a second dodging the projectile. Then the wolf wasted another few precious seconds, grinning at how his prey had disarmed himself.

Sam was vaguely aware of Gabriel and the vampire circling each other. This vampire must be the Sire to be giving an angel so much trouble.

He couldn't spend any time worrying about Gabriel, however. He reached behind himself, pulling out his pistol.

The werewolf grinned, obviously not worried about a gun.

That overconfidence is going to get you killed, Sam thought to himself as he took aim and fired.

Direct hit.

Too bad he had loaded the gun with the wrong ammunition.

The werewolf shook himself as if he'd been bitten by a mosquito and slammed the table to one side, tossing it into the far wall.

Damn! No cover and the wrong damned ammo. Fortunately, the shotgun slid in his direction. Sam dropped his useless pistol and grabbed the shotgun, hoping to find a moment to reload.

The werewolf charged, and Sam again used the shotgun as a shield for his vulnerable throat. He slashed out with his knife and scored a long, deep slash along the monster's ribs. Unfortunately, it barely slowed him.

Sam backpedaled desperately. And tripped over a wrinkle in the carpet.

As he fell, he managed to get the shotgun positioned across his throat.

The werewolf dove on him, fangs extended, reaching for the hunter's jugular.

Sam slashed desperately with his knife, but missed.

Just then Gabriel slammed into the werewolf, knocking the monster off of Sam.

"Reload, Sam!" Gabriel shouted as he fought the werewolf with both machete and angel blade. Sam was briefly distracted by the dance-like qualities of his movements, but he quickly refocused and rummaged in his pocket for two more shells. Of course, he dropped one, but he still had another, and he slammed it home in the shotgun. Closing it with a quick motion of his left arm, he tracked Gabriel and the werewolf.

The werewolf was trying to get away from the archangel, obviously wanting to get back to the more vulnerable human, but Gabriel foiled each of its efforts, one blade or the other appearing as if by magic to block whichever direction the monster tried to move.

Sam lifted the shotgun and yelled, "Gabriel. Down!"

The archangel dropped to his knees, and Sam fired, exploding the werewolf's head all over the filthy living room.

"About time," Gabriel said.

Sam stood for a moment, panting. It wasn't fair that angels didn't get winded in fights. "You try reloading a shotgun while in the middle of not getting killed by a werewolf."

"Point taken," Gabriel said with a small smile. "Nice shooting."

"Thanks. Now will you go get your shotgun so we can get out of here before the neighbors all show up?"

Gabriel nodded and started for the back of the house. Sam decided going out the back way was sensible and followed him.

They made it back to the car without incident, and, once again, Sam thanked the Winchester luck. It didn't keep them from needing to deal with monsters, but it did usually keep them out of trouble with the law.

As they drove off, Gabriel commented, "Well now I know why my angel senses were tickled by the last neighborhood."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, that pureblood that showed up last. He must have been there when we looked on my tablet."

"Would have been nice to know about him earlier. I wasn't sure I'd be able to take care of the vampire in time to help you out."

"Yeah," Sam said. "Thanks for that. And nice sword fighting. You looked good back there."

"Aww, Sam. You noticed."

Once again, Gabriel was making light of the good things he had done. Sam wished he would stop that but figured, like any recovery, it would take time.

"Of course I noticed. I make a point of noticing anyone who saves my ass in a fight."

He was expecting some sort of quip about his ass, but Gabriel remained silent for the rest of the drive back to the motel.

TBC

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[theonyxpath]

Yes! We have passed the first Stretch Goal in the Dark Eras 2 Kickstarter and we have added a Golden Age of Piracy Dark Era to the book. Thanks to much voting, we ‘re making that era featuring the Mage: The Awakening and Geist: The Sin-Eaters game lines.

Thanks to all of you who voted, especially if you took the time to vote on the second poll, too.

Now, we have a new poll up: this one is different than the last, as we’re asking folks to vote on one of three possible eras, but we haven’t linked any of them with specific game lines. Yet. They are:

King Arthur’s Britannia (400-500s C.E.) You’ve heard the stories of Lancelot and Guinevere, King Arthur and Mordred, Merlin and Morgana. Inspired by medieval romance, the Arthurian lives on and on. Get behind the myth, find the source of these tales, and adventure in Great Britain during the legendary King Arthur’s rule. For, in the Chronicles of Darkness, nothing is what it seems. The shadows we explore will expose darker secrets that follow King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table wherever they roam.

Epic of Gilgamesh (2100s B.C.E.) The Epic of Gilgamesh is believed to be the first surviving piece of literature. An epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, the work features Gilgamesh (or Bilgamesh in Sumerian), a king of Uruk. Translated into multiple languages, the story highlights this king and Enkidu who initially opposes him. Although the pair have many adventures, and even go on to face Humbaba the Terrible, Gilgamesh eventually becomes obsessed with discovering the secret of eternal life. In the Chronicles of Darkness, Gilgamesh’s perilous journey is marked by its denizens, and in this Dark Era we’ll explore not only who they are, but what they do when Uruk’s king discovers them.

Jazz Age/Roaring ’20s (1920s C.E.) Following the end of World War I, the 1920s ushered in a new decade of American music, fashion, and art. In New Orleans, African and European musical styles were fused together to create jazz, and musical legends like Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Kid Ory toured the states. American youth rebelled, reveling in this new sound, smoking cigarettes, dancing the Charleston, and partying in long-waisted dresses while their elders decried the end of society. As soft saxophones played and velvety voices crooned, the twenties also woke up forgotten creatures, drawing them to New York, Chicago, and the fabled New Orleans. This is a time of awakening in the Chronicles of Darkness, and its stagnant denizens are on the move.

    Wraith20 art by Ron Spencer

    This Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras 2 Kickstarter, even though it is nominally a Kickstarter for a book that’s a sequel, is still a chance to experiment with the way we do Kickstarters. Particularly since we have the first Dark Eras KS to work from.

To start with, each Era features two game lines. This isn’t just a play on Dark Eras Two, but is also us knowing we needed to keep the page count down compared to the out-size DE1, yet wanting folks to get plenty of Eras for their favorite lines. So: two game lines per Era.

We also have divided the book up between three developers rather than our structure for the first one. One uber-developer and all devs on deck for their respective lines was just way too unwieldy a process for a single book. It was a testament to Black Hat Matt McFarland’s long experience as a developer that the original Dark Eras book came together as fantastically as it did!

Then there is the fact, which I’ve written about before, that we haven’t started the actual writing of the Eras yet, although each of the three Devs has earmarked certain of the announced Eras as theirs, and no doubt are already thinking of how to approach them. We didn’t get them pre-written, even though we knew that approach might turn off some potential backers, because trying to shoe-horn in the added material from the KS rewards into already written text was just awkward and added a fair bit of extra time to the creation of DE1.

By waiting to start writing Dark Eras 2 until after the KS has run, we get to incorporate the material added by backers, who took the rewards that gave them the chance to alter and add to the Dark Eras earmarked for the book, organically into the writing process at its start. Not like before when it had to happen after the writers had already finished their sections.

Even the voting process has gone through some tweaking based on DE1. Our first vote, for which game lines to add to the Golden Age of Piracy, was one we made very similar to the voting in DE1. Even going so far as to pull back from the security set-up on the polling page to see if folks would “play nice”.

Now, we have added the tougher security measures (although we’re sure they mean little to folks who know how to bypass such things), a flipped around what we are voting for with the three Eras listed above, but not giving them game lines for the vote.

Basically, we want folks to keep having fun with these, to continue to get engaged with both the project and the KS process. And we want to explore how involved with actually determining the content our backers want to be. Kickstarter as a platform is actually continuing to evolve, and I know that a fair number of folks are getting tired of the KS “grind”.

So we keep looking at different kinds of projects and the different kinds of KSs that could go with them.

But don’t worry. Not every one of our KSs are going to be so experimental. In fact, as I look over the huge event horizon of Gen Con next month, the next three Kickstarters are slated to be Cavaliers of Mars, Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition, and The Trinity Continuum (Core plus Aeon Core books).

And those all should be much more the sort of straightforward sort of KSs, even if we figure on having a few tweaks and surprises for you once we get to them!

    Boat Battle art by Melissa Uran for EX3‘s Adversaries of the Righteous

    One of our more gratifying Kickstarters is about to ship its rewards, and of course, I mean Pugmire. Although we’ve talked so much about the game that it might seem pretty much a standard project and Kickstarter for us, it really was and is extremely experimental. Everything from the subject matter, the sorts of Stretch Goal rewards, and so forth, was actually new territory for us.

And nowhere is more new for Onyx Path than implementing the Pugmire KSs goal of getting the game into game and book stores with a traditional print run. I mentioned last week about how the gang at Studio2 is going to be fulfilling the Kickstarter reward packages. But even more importantly, they’ll then be soliciting orders from distributors to get Pugmire into retail stores.

This is simply not something Onyx was ready to do for a long time, but now that we are, I’m glad we have Studio2 to work with on this. If this turns out to be a process that fits within the way we create our game worlds, then we are hoping to slowly send more and more books to Studio2 and from them into the friendly local game stores in your area!

Many Worlds, One Path.      

BLURBS!

  KICKSTARTER!

Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras 2 has added the Golden Age of Pirates Dark Era, featuring the Mage: The Awakening and Geist: The Sin-Eaters game lines!

Now, help us decide on which Dark Eras and which game-lines should fill up this Prestige Edition book! We’re starting with The French Revolution for Vampire: The Requiem and Demon: The Descent, The Great War – Western Front for Geist: The Sin-Eaters and Werewolf: The Forsaken, Light of the Sun – Europe 1600s for Deviant: The Renegades and Mage: The Awakening, Seven Wonders of the Ancient World for Changeling: The Lost and Promethean: The Created, Rise of the Last Imperials – China for Mummy: The Curse and Hunter: The Vigil, and One Thousand and One Nights – Islamic Golden Age for Beast: The Primordial and Vampire: The Requiem.

We’re voting on which of these three Dark Eras to add into the book after our next Stretch Goal is met: King Arthur’s Britannia, the Epic of Gilgamesh, or the Jazz Age/Roaring 20s. Come back the Kickstarter and vote on your favorite!

  ON SALE!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY ON DRIVETHRURPG.COM!

DriveThruRPG’s annual Christmas in July sale is running once again, offering 25% off thousands of titles!

This includes:

More than 40 Scarred Lands products, both for the original d20 system and the more recent Pathfinder/5e material

260 Onyx Path products, including core rulebooks and supplements from the Classic World of Darkness, Chronicles of Darkness, Exalted, and more

Over 1000 classic White Wolf products, featuring material from older editions of all your favorite WW games

    ON AMAZON:

  We’re delighted to announce the opening of our ebook store on Amazon! You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle. Our initial selection includes these fiction anthologies: Vampire: the Masquerade‘s Endless Ages, Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition‘s Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage 2, Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition‘s Truth Beyond Paradox, Chronicles of Darkness‘ God Machine Chronicle, Mummy: The Curse‘s Curse of the Blue Nile, and Beast: The Primordial‘s The Primordial Feast!

And now you can get these books in the Barnes and Noble Nook store too!

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II

Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox

Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology

Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile

Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology

  And here are six more fiction books:

Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds

Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology

Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology

Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology

  Andand six more more:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)

Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)

Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)

      Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://ift.tt/1ZlTT6z

You can now order wave 2 of our Deluxe and Prestige print overrun books, including Deluxe Mage 20th Anniversary, and Deluxe V20 Dark Ages! And Screens…so many Screens!

    ON DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Satyr Phil Brucato beckons you once more into the Annex of Mage: The Ascension with this 300 page follow-up to M20. The M20 Book of Secrets goes on sale this Wednesday in PDF and PoD versions at DTRPG.com!

      Chomping it’s way to you comes the Dagger of Spiragos adventure PDF for Scarred Lands! This second in the Spiragos trilogy for levels 4-6 is now in both 5e and Pathfinder PDF versions on DriveThruRPG.com!

PF: http://ift.tt/2uvy38a

5e: http://ift.tt/2uS6FDT

The Titans’ Relics Must Be Destroyed! 

Artifacts from the fallen titan Spiragos have been recovered, and forces are at work that would see them used for ill. The Dagger of Spiragos and the Ring of Spiragos are now in the player characters’ hands — and they must do what they can to rid Scarn of the foul relics of the titans, whatever the cost!

What Came Before 

Dagger of Spiragos is a sequel to the 2014 Gen Con Scarred Lands Special Preview adventure, Gauntlet of Spiragos (available as a free download on DriveThruRPG. com and RPGnow.com). It is also the second adventure in the Spiragos Saga, with Ring of Spiragos, the dramatic finale, as the third and culminating title.

In Gauntlet of Spiragos, the PCs traveled to the legendary Chasm of Flies, where they discovered a tribe of spider-eye goblins who possessed relics of their fallen master, Spiragos. Now, with those items in hand, the PCs travel to the city of Fangsfall, where they must seek aid in destroying the foul objects.

But others wish to possess these items, too,

    Sailing out of the dark, the V20 Dark Ages Companion PDF and physical book PoD versions are going on sale Wednesday on DriveThruRPG.com! http://ift.tt/2pX42dq

Travel the long roads and deep seas in search of power and experience danger, or tackle the wilderness to hunt monsters and face death. Settlements large and small dot the black expanse with the promise of sanctuary, life, and community. These bastions of civilization present cold comfort, when playing host to vampire warlords and sadistic Cainite faiths. Whether led by a Prince, a coordinated belief, or hounded by monsters from without and within — no domain is truly the same as another.

Dark Ages Companion includes:

• Domains scattered across the world, from small fiefdoms to massive cities. Bath, Bjarkarey, Constantinople, Rome, Mogadishu, and Mangaluru each receive coverage.

• Apocrypha including plot hooks, new Paths, and mysteries to explore in your games.

• A how-to guide on building a domain within your chronicle, including events and servants necessary to make a domain as functional or dysfunctional as you wish.

• A study on warfare in the Dark Ages period, so combat in your chronicles can gain authenticity and lethality.

      From the Primordial to your Chronicles, Beast‘s Building a Legend has risen in PDF and PoD formats on DTRPG.com!

http://ift.tt/2u1BBkU

CREATING A CHRONICLE IS REWARDING…

…so why should the Storyteller have all the fun?

The whole troupe should get in on the action, making for a chronicle that reflects the preferences and predilections of all the players.

Building a Legend is a guide for doing exactly that — making a cohesive chronicle, starting with character creation, for Beast: The Primordial. It includes advice on creating Storyteller characters, folding in real world history, and populating the Primordial Dream.

        From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Requiem for Regina (Vampire: The Requiem Elizabethan London 1593). We have shared the world with monsters for millennia. In Elizabeth’s London, vampires built their own empire brick by bloody brick while Elizabeth I cemented her grip on newly Protestant England. Carefully balancing demands from those with Catholic and Lutheran sympathies, she forged a police state. Yet London emerged as a thriving cultural center, and from the crucible emerged a Kindred society forever changed.

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On sale in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG!

      What dark secrets do the eldest vampires hold? Find out in Thousand Years of Night for Vampire: The Requiem! Advance PDF version available now on DriveThruRPG.com. http://ift.tt/2sV8lZR

You may think that with a multitude of people coming, going, dying and running away, we’d be tired, done, or ready to give up. Instead, I find myself restless, looking for the next thing.  There’s always a next thing, and I for one am not yet ready to die.

– Elder Kincaid, Daeva Crone

This book includes:

• Detailed instructions on creating elder vampires, including how to base chronicles around them

• A look into the lives of elders, how they spend their nights, who they work with, and why including their roles in both their clans and covenants

• New Devotions, Merits, and Rituals for elder vampires

• The kinds of creatures that pose a threat to elder vampires, including Inamorata, Lamia, Sons of Phobos, a new elder conspiracy, and more

      From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: To The Strongest (Mage Death of Alexander 330-320 BCE). In the rise and fall of Alexander the Great’s Empire, armies marched and cultures clashed. In the birth pangs of Hellenistic civilization, Awakened sorcerers all over the ancient world met, fought, and joined together. In the chaos of Alexander’s assassination and the wars that followed, Cults became Orders amid conflicts still burning in the present day.

http://ift.tt/2tmTVl6

On sale in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG!

  From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Three Kingdoms of Darkness (Changeling and Geist China 220-280). Famine weakens the empire, and war splits it apart. It is an age of ambition and strife, where the hungry dead walk the earth in great numbers, and the Lost must rely on their own kingdoms. Warlords and commoners, ghost-speakers and orphans — who truly serves the Mandate of Heaven?

On sale in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG! http://ift.tt/2rp8hPL

    From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: The Wolf and the Raven (Werewolf and Geist Vikings 700-1100). The Viking expansion across Europe comes at a pivotal time in history, as new faiths rose to challenge the old and new ways threatened to sweep ancient tradition aside. The Forsaken sail with raiders and explorers, seeking new lands to claim and new spirits to conquer, while Sin-Eaters walk the battlefields bringing the honored dead to their final rewards. The world grows larger and more dangerous by the day, but there are great rewards for those brave enough to fight for them.

On sale in PDF and physical copy PoD versions on DTRPG! http://ift.tt/2rUjKtX

      Curated by Matthew McFarland, developer of Changeling: the Dreaming Twentieth Anniversary Edition and featuring authors such as Myranda Kalis, Wren Handman, and Peter Woodworth, this C20 Anthology of Dreams is on sale in electronic/PDF and physical copy PoD formats on DTRPG.com! http://ift.tt/2snBT0X

We dream, and we tell stories. We dream of love and the sort of person who might complete us. We dream of horror and wake breathless. We dream of magic, of flying through the air, or breathing underwater. We dream of fantastic vistas and amazing monsters.

We dream, and then we wake, and we tell stories. Our dreams create the Kithain, the changelings. Our stories are sustenance.

        CONVENTIONS!

GenCon IS COMING. August 17th – 20th, Indianapolis. Our booth will actually be 20? x 30? this year that we’ll be sharing with Nocturnal Media and White Wolf. We’re looking at new displays this year, like a back drop and magazine racks for the brochure(s). FYI, 4-Day passes have sold out! First time ever! Here’s the map again of where we’ll be:

  This week, at RopeCon (the world’s largest volunteer run convention) in Finland, Monica Valentinelli, the Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition developer will be running a game of Doubting Souls, the Hunter Dark Era she wrote for Dark Eras 1 as well as talking about freelancing and game design. Matt McElroy will be running a high-powered Dread Names, Red List V20 game, and they both will be there talking about their work and Onyx Path. http://ift.tt/2tkNsuA

In November, we’ll be at Game Hole Con in Madison, WI. More news as we have it, and here’s their website: http://ift.tt/RIm6qP

      And now, the new project status updates!

    DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Monarchies of Mau (Monarchies of Mau)

Night Horrors: The Tormented (Promethean: The Created 2nd Edition)

  Redlines

Kithbook Boggans (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

C20 Ready Made Characters (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)

  Second Draft

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

DtD Night Horrors: Enemy Action (Demon: the Descent)

Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)

  Development

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)

Scion: Origins (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)

  WW Manuscript Approval:

M20 Cookbook (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

  Editing:

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

V20 Dark Ages Jumpstart (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

  Post-Editing Development:

Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition

VtR Half-Damned (Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition)

    Indexing:

    ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook – Ellis is working on painting everything up.

Cavaliers of Mars

Wraith 20

W20 Changing Ways – AD’d… just dividing things up and writing up contracts.

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

VDA Jumpstart

Scion Origins

Ring of Spiragos

Ex 3 Arms of the Chosen – Finals starting to come in.

Beast PG – Sketches coming in… Leblanc finals in.

VtR Half Damned – AD’d and Contracted.

Book of Freeholds

  Marketing Stuff

  In Layout

M20 Art Book – In progress…

Prince’s Gambit – New Cards out for playtesting.

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary – Working up a test chapter.

  Proofing

CtL Huntsmen Chronicle Anthology – wrapping up this week for sure.

C20 Jumpstart – At WW for approvals.

  At Press

Beckett Screen – Shipped to shipper.

Pugmire – At fulfillment shipper, making rewards packages.

Pugmire Screen – At fulfillment shipper, making rewards packages.

Pugmire Cards & Dice, Pins – At fulfillment shipper, making rewards packages.

Scarred Land PGs & Wise and the Wicked PF & 5e – Printing.

Monarchies of Mau Early Access – PoD proofs coming.

Dark Eras: Lily Sabre and Thorn – PoD processing.

Dark Eras: A Grimm Dark Era – PoD uploaded and Processing.

M20 Book of Secrets – On sale this Wednesday in PDF and PoD versions on DTRPG.

VTR: Thousand Years of Night – PoD proofs ordered.

Storypath (Trinity Continuum) Brochure – Printing.

Gen Con 2017 Brochure – Signed off on proof on Thursday.

Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition) – PoD files uploading.

      TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: Our buddy Bill Holmes was just in a nasty traffic accident, but the doctors say he suffered no brain or spine damage. Bill is one of the heroes of the MidWinter Convention we go to each January, and he owes me a taco meal – so we’re very glad to hear he’s going to be OK!

[ecotone99]

[FN] Howl in the Night - A SpellForce Short Story

For a more visually pleasing version, you can read the story on DeviantART: https://www.deviantart.com/wormic/art/Howl-in-the-Night-A-SpellForce-Short-Story-793074138

The cold wind was blowing against the tall stone towers. A wolf's howling could be heard on the outskirts of the fields surrounding the city. Faint, but still strong enough to fill the hearts of local farmers with fear. It wasn't a common occurrence, but the occasional slaughter instrumented by the surrounding packs was enough to make sure no one dared to leave the safety of their homes at night – at least not unarmed.

The dim moonlight lit the white mountain stone as the urban lights began to fade out. Another day in Greyfell was slowly nearing its end.

Although still called the human capital of Nortander by some, the city was nothing more than a pale shadow of its former self. Like the rest of Eo, Greyfell couldn't escape the horrors and destruction that the Convocation had caused. Seven years ago, on that dreaded day, the call of the thirteen awoke the elements, and for a few hours, for the first time in 500 years, the city was completely silent. Once the dust had settled down, the survivors were left with a dreadful image of the once divine looking municipality. The crown at its peak, the Greykeep, had been completely eradicated, swallowed by the primal Elements and devoured by the colossal waves slamming against the island's cliffs and shores. The only parts that managed to escape total annihilation were the city’s lower district and its farmland – Greyfell, once the pride of the North, had been reduced to rubble.

Seven years have passed since then, and new life began to prosper. The people rebuilt, the trade continued, and the man solely responsible for its fruition stood atop its walls, alone and in deep thought. The silver-layered moonlight shining though his grey hair as he observed the distance with a melancholic gaze on his face. Rohen let out a deep sigh filled with a sense of accomplishment, but also regret. After the Convocation had ended, and the drums of war had gone silent, he embarked on journey, a quest seeking redemption. The once powerful mage took it upon himself to rebuild what had been broken – what he had broken.

More than five hundred years ago, on the initiative of the former queen of Nortander Ayelith, descendant of the ancient Hybernian Empire, a group of Eo’s thirteen most powerful mages joined forces to form a group destined to stop evil and injustice, and to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity – The Circle.

The Circle initially upheld their vows and Eo entered a golden age where all the races lived together in harmony. However, after mastering the power of the Allfire, the members of the Circle became greedy. Having discovered a hidden scroll detailing how to obtain god-like power, the Circle turned on their own brethren. For decades, they worked havoc upon Eo. Armies of man, beast, demon and undead ravaged the land, killing thousands upon thousands of innocents – the Circle cared not, for they were blinded by their greed, poised to be the one to make this world their dominion.

He was one of them. Rohen was there from the beginning all the way until the bitter end.

When the day on which the prophecy was to be fulfilled had come, they called upon the Elements which had been banished away ages ago by Aonir, the Allfather – none of them were able to force them to submit.

The Elements were free once again. They devastated Eo, rendering the once great continents to islands, and turning its once blue seas into plains of death. For one day and one night this continued. The sky became black with ash and fire rained from the clouds. The ground spat out living fire and showed the world the meaning of fear. Once the shadow had passed, the Elements were banished once more and forced back into the depths of Eo from which they had come forth.

Only few managed to take shelter by the Godstones. Protected by Aonir’s power, they repelled the Elements and prevented complete annihilation.

The Circle had been deceived, lured into a long-forgotten trap set by the Fial Darg. Their lust for power blinded them, and ultimately, became their downfall.

“I knew I would find you here once you returned from your journey.” – Sartarius said in a deep calm voice that echoed behind him.

Rohen was too immersed in his thought to react straight away.

Having noticed his absence, Sartarius followed up. – “Are you still thinking about it?”

He continued walking up the pathway leading onto the city walls, stopping as soon as he reached him. Sartarius placed a hand on Rohen’s shoulder and continued: “It has been six years already. You will have to let it go at some point. The people have forgiven you for what had happened.”

Rohen closed his eyes and finally broke his silence: “People forgive, but they do not forget – I know that better than most.”

Satarius lifted his hand from his shoulder and Rohen continued: “How dumb we’ve been. The most powerful on Eo tricked by a piece of writing. What I would give to undo it all…” “You are putting all of this burden on your shoulders. It wasn’t your fault alone, and you have done more than enough to make up for it since then.”

After the Elements had destroyed Eo, Rohen took it upon himself to rebuild it. He embarked on a six-year long quest to make the word whole again, traveling from land to land, island to island and connecting them again by building portals. He didn’t differentiate between the races of light and darkness, between races and creatures. And he accomplished his goal. Rohen may have taken part in Eo’s destruction but was now hailed as its sole rebuilder. However, not everyone was able to so readily forget his past.

“Dark clouds are rising on the horizon, my old friend. I’m beginning to get worried.” – Rohen turned around and exclaimed.

“Worried? You, a Circle Mage?” – Sartarius glanced at him confusingly – “Why even? The years after the wars have been calm. Bandits give us trouble occasionally, but better than anyone could have hoped for.”

“That is what’s worrying me, my friend. Erecting the portals has drained me of a lot of my power, and loot after the war is plentiful. Don’t you think it is unusual that no one is trying to benefit from this?”

“Aye, a bit unusual indeed.” Sartarius said and promptly followed with “But that is why you created our Order.” The Order Sartarius spoke of was the Order of Dawn - Rohen’s first creation after the wars. A neutral fraternity raised on the ashes of Greykeep with its sole purpose being to help Eo rebuild.

“I must be overthinking it, you are right.” Rohen said a bit reluctantly, but eventually agreed. “Ha-ha” Sartarius laughed “You might be ten times as old as me my friend, but the years of war and intrigues have surely taken their toll on you. On all of us, in fact.”

“I am the architect of my own destruction, Sartarius. I have neither wars nor intrigues to blame for it.” – He quickly followed it up – “But enough about my past. Tell me about the Order’s endeavors.”

Rohen smiled with a friendly look in his eyes as he spoke. The Order was his finest creation and he took great pride in its work. It was hard to dispute its influence in the new world, and at its head sat Sartarius, appointed the Order’s master by Rohen himself. A fitting role for an old captain of the Wolf’s guard.

Before the Convocation had happened, Rohen and Sartarius met in the busy halls of Greykeep, discussing plans and regularly being heard arguing. And although their views often collided on multiple fronts, the two quickly took a liking to each other. Perhaps because Sartarius’ calm and reasonable nature contrasted Rohen’s greed which he had developed after the Allfire started coursing through his veins. What ever it may have been, Rohen hadn’t wasted any time thinking about who to bestow the crucial role upon. And thus far, Sartarius has proven to be more than capable of bearing the title of the Order’s headmaster.

“It has been quiet in the halls of the Order.” – was Sartarius’ answer. “We are gaining members by the hour. Frankly, I am amazed by the will the people here have left in them after all that had happened.” “The people of Nortander always had this quality about them.” – Rohen quickly interrupted but signalled that he may continue by giving him a small nod with his head.

“Aye.” – Sartarius agreed – “That being said, we still have a lot of work to do. How are the other nations managing for the time being? The Highmark, and the races on Urgath and Xu?”

“They are faring well, still adjusting to this new way of life.” – Rohen said with a hint of pride in his voice. They both paused for a moment, then Sartarius added. “I have been thinking about gradually expanding the Order. We cannot hope to achieve what we’ve set out to do if we confine ourselves to just Nortander- and even so, our reach barely goes beyond the Wildland. While you were gone, I’ve given myself the liberty to establish further outposts, most notable in Greydusk Vale – we’ve gotten some… unsettling reports regarding the Darklands…” Rohen agreed. From the very start, it had been his wish for the Order to expand, but the lack of resources, and more importantly, the lack of time proved to be a hindrance.

Sartarius continued his voice: “We’ve made further plans to establish a branch of the Order in Sevenkeeps and one in Empyria. Should the circumstances remain as they are, we were hoping to progress within the next couple of moons.”

“Bold choice, but I am uncertain on how king Ulf would react to such a proposal. Ever since I’ve known him, he has been a patriot, one that is very reluctant to accept help to boot.”

“I cannot hurt to try.” Rohen got interrupted by Sartarius. “What about emperor Magnus Arias? Do you think our plans would be more fruitful in Empyria?”

“Perhaps. Empyria could always use additional support. Although the stubbornness of the people of Xu is not to be taken lightly. But do not let that stop you. I gave you command over the Order because you earned my trust, and rightfully so. You are able to make your own decisions.” He paused for a moment – “I left my days of issuing orders behind me…”

Both suddenly stopped conversing and turned their gaze towards the sky.

The full moon was steadily nearing its high point. Dead silence filled the air, not even the wolves cared to show their presence – either that or they were hoping to catch unsuspecting prey. The torches lighting up Greyfell’s streets were nigh extinguished, gleaming ever so slightly - enough to emit faint warmth in the cold night. There was nothing left to be discussed between the two friends. Rohen lowered his head and opened a big book, adorned with worn-out brown leather and multiples Runes, none of which could be read by Sartarius, or any modern scholar.

Sartarius decided to bring the conversation to a close.

“What are you going to do next?” He asked Rohen.

Rohen closed the book; “I am going to call on Darius, there are things we must discuss.”

Darius’ home had always been a frequent stop during Rohen’s travels. A mysterious old scholar and cartographer living in Liannon, he was rumoured to posses knowledge far grater than one would attribute to him. Sartarius tried to avoid asking, but curiosity prevailed; “You seem to visit him quite often.” He turned his eye to the book Rohen was holding “There’s something you aren’t sharing with me, aye?”

“Nothing worth discussing at present.” A rare, faint smirk appeared on Rohens face.

Sartarius would have preferred being told, but he knew Rohen and was all-too familiar with his mysteries. Not wanting to dwell on the question any longer, he followed it up with another; “What are you going to do afterwards?” This time hoping for a clearer answer.

“After I’ve spoken to Darius?” Rohen looked once again into the far distance crossing the elemental sea.

“After that, I am going to pay a visit to an old friend.”

THE END

submitted by /u/Wormic [link] [comments] via Blogger http://bit.ly/2ZGIBAq

[sizzlingcrusadebouquetfan-blog]

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

"Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

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My son just got his Jr's license will my insurance go up? Or does he need a Senior license for that

How does a car insurance work?

So the other day i hit an 06 mustang and it left a 1 inch dent it was very small i exchanged info and all then the lady called me and told me the damages were $1008 my insurance said they are going to go check the car to make sure, i was just wondering the dent seemed like a $250 dent will the insurance give them what they say or what the lady says its supposedly worth?""

How much my insurance will go up?

How much my insurance will go up? I had an accident which totaled my car. I am 100% at fault for that accident and my car worth 15000$. I have clear driving record and no tickets in past two years. How much will my insurance go up I am paying 900$ for six months

Can I drive my parent's car without auto insurance?

I am 22 , university student with G2 - 2006 , and G - 2008 license , Richmond Hill , Ontario , Canada can I drive my DAD car , his policy does not have my name . in case my name must be included , what are the suggested insurance companies ( probably need a cheap one ) because they might double his monthly payments""

Auto insurance?

what is the best auto insurance out there and why

401k vs Life insurance?

Which is a better way to plan for the future? 401k or life insurance? I think life insurance would be better because if I died tomorrow it would pay off and take care of my wife, but what would my 401 k do? She could take out the money I guess but how much would have to be in there for it to be more than life insurance?""

How much do health insurance cost?

my bf and i both 20yrs old are both still insured by our parents but ever since he had a brain anyeruism his parents of course took him over n moved him back 2 their home town and we didnt like that cuz he wanted me 2 take care of him & we dont get along with them anyway & because of that we didnt see each other for a long time so to prevent this from happening again we figured we would get our own insurance that covers us. i would like to know who is the best carrier and whats the average price and where could i get more info thats legit?

How much for car insurance?

Ill be getting my permit in a year and drivers license in 2. Im from Minnesota and i was wondering how much car insurance would be? I already have a car, its a 2006 Sebring Chrysler. Sooo any ideas?""

What is the cheapest auto insurance for 16 year old boy?

Thanks in advance

Flipping Cars - Insurance?

A few friends and I are looking into flipping cars while we're in college to make a little extra money. I'm not sure where to turn as far as insurance goes. We're not driving the vehicles ourselves - just parking them until they sell. What kind of coverage would we need and where can we find the best rates for our situation? We would only drive it from the auction house and with potential buyers on test drives. Thanks for the help!

Insurance.?

Does anyone know how much SR-22 Insurance Costs?

Can anybody give a good estimate on how much my insurance would be for me driving a 2002 ford mustang?

Im 16 years old and i'm a girl if that matters. My mom will not let me get one but I really want that to be my first car. Also can you give me some ideas to convince her to let me get it. I really need the actual price of how much the insurance would be.

Does anyone know where I can find auto insurance to cover car parts?

I need new tires and brakes, and rather than paying for them I want to get insurance so all I'll have to pay is the deductible. Please help. Thanks.""

""What is the average cost of home owner insurance in Houston, Texas?

I know this varies and are based on different factors. I am just seeking an average - thanks!

""Can a licensed driver, drive my car without having insurance?""

#1. I am insured under my parents Allstate Auto Insurance. My boyfriend is a licensed driver but does not have car insurance. If he drives my car and something happened, would Allstate cover it? #2. In a previous state, we were given the option of adding him to the plan or not allowing him to drive any of our vehicles. We signed the agreement that he would not drive our vehicles. Now, in a different state, would that follow us? #3. If he were to get insurance, I was told, a driver can not get insurance unless their name is on the title? Any help is greatly appreciated!""

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Where to find affordable auto insurance?

I have a 2002 Mi Gallant ES , I have had my full coverage insurance for over a year now but its currently 160$ a month and I would like to find something more affordable , any ideas? all comments and suggestions are appreciated BTW: Ive never had any tickets or accidents or a lapse in coverage I am 22 years old Thanks in advance!""

I wonder if anyone knows of any good but affordable health insurance.?

I have two children and lost my health insurance on them. My husabnd and I are trying to find insurance but cant afford alot of money a month and we dont qualify for Tenn Care so if anyone knows of any please let me know. Thank You!

""Is a $2,000 deductible 'affordable?'?""

Obamacare: Is a $2,000 deductible 'affordable?' http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/13/news/economy/obamacare-affordable/index.html""

Which company has the cheapest Car insurance for 16 year old drivers? I live in NC.?

How big will the difference be monetarily between owning a Honda s2000 or a $1000 old mazda?

Long Term Care Insurance?

Please give me the pros and cons of obtaining long term care insurance. What is the criteria, and who should buy long term care insurance? Conversely, who should not, or who does not need such a policy? What does it cover and what are the variable costs. Also, does it help prevent you from going into a nursing home should that be indicated? Thank you!""

Looking for best LIC insurance for Child?

Hello, I am new to this insurance/policy stuffs...i am looking for best LIC policy for kids... Please share some sites where i can get basic education about insurance policies... thanks""

How would insurance be on these cars?

first of all plz dont tell me call insurance or that im to young and dont need these cars and should get a camry. i just turned 17 and just got a job at In n Out and by my senior year in highschool which is after this summer i want to get a car and my parents would help me but everytime i ask them they say dont talk about it untill you have 2500$-_- so i was just wondering how much is insurance on these cars i have in mind, first, nissan 350z(any year) honda s2000(any year) mazda miata(1998-2004) and last a scion tc (2004-2008) the car will be under MY MOMS name and i will be put as an additional driver but not main driver or however you put it. can i just have the price ranges it doesnt have to be exact, if it help i live in califronia Orange county anaheim thanks guys""

Why doesn't insurance coverage increase along with premiums?

Suppose you have 100 / 300 / 100 car insurance coverage. Suppose you were paying $50 per month in 1990. Suppose you are now paying $75 per month in 2010. If the premiums go up because of inflation then shouldn't the coverage? It costs more to fix a car in 2010 than it did in 1990. Is it correct to say the insurance company's average risk is the same, but their maximum risk has gone down? Having to pay out $100,000 maximum today is less than $100,000 maximum in 1990. What do you think?""

""Im looking for affordable whole life insurance for myself and my husband, we are on a fixed income.?

our ages are male 42 and female 41

Is my car insurance in place.?

basically i applied for a car insurance and in the quote i put in a false licence held date as i only had my licence a month ago but i put in march 2012. They have taken the deposit of 300 already from my account so does that mean i got away with the lie about the licence held date and does that mean my insurance will be in place soon. I lied because i think insurance is cheaper if you have old licence. thanks

What are some cheap Car Insurance Companies for Full Coverage in Texas?

Lookin for some cheap Auto Insurance Companies in Texas for Full Coverage.Any ideas?

""Would it be fair if I give you a bit of tax hikes, since you can now save on more affordable health care which?

I gave to you?

""What is the best and cheapest car insurance for a 20yr, female living in Michigan?""

My dad is making me pay my car insurance and i dont kow where to start. I heard about something called PLPD, what is that and is it expensive? what are some other cheap places for car insurance in Michigan. Thanks!!""

What car would be more expensive on insurance a impala or a charger?

What car would be more expensive on insurance a impala or a charger?

""Can't get insured, what to do?""

In April 2008, my wife totaled out my Impala(at fault, fault of my wife). In Jan 2010, some lady totaled out my Saturn which was sitting in front of my house, we were inside the house at the time. I had full coverage, but the lady did not have anything. Of course my insurance went up. I am trying to get insured for a motorcycle that I want, but all I keep getting is that I am uninsurable. I personally have not had any at fault accidents. How can I get around this, Is there an easier way? I have to get full coverage 500 deductible and collision on this motorcycle. THIS SUCKS! HELP Please!""

Can i buy CAT 'D' INSURANCE WRITE OFF Vauxhall 2007 Car?

I have seen a car that I really like....Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Club, Manual 57 Plate...with 45,000 miles on the clock.... im a new and 24 years old young driver. Really liked it when I saw it....this car sell on ebay just  2500 recorded as a Cat D Insurance write-off on 14 Aug 2012 ......Now im really confused because I really like the car......Any advice please? Seller say car was excellent condition, nothing any wrong. buying guide please""

What is the insurance price for me to buy an 05 Toyota Solara?

I am a 16 year old from MN and I was wondering how much it the insurance would cost to buy an 05 Solara. I have been a B student most of my life. I know that 2 door cars cost more than 4 door. just spill out some price it would be per month. Thanks

Can someone give me advice on whether to get a 50 or 125cc scooter and how much insurance will cost for both?

I am a 15 year old boy who lives in Italy. Here at the age of 14 you can get a 50cc and at the age of 16 you can get a 125cc. My birthday is in 6 months ( January ), should I wait till then and get 125cc or should I just get a 50cc now ? Taking in to consideration that snow comes to Italy at about at January and that 50 cc is cheaper and safer than a 125cc. And how much would the insurance cost for the 50cc or the 125cc ? And I have a budget of around 1000 euro.""

How much is renter's insurance normally?

I already have insurance thriugh state farm and they do have renter's insurance but I'm asking people who actually do have it, how much should it be normally?""

Car insurance and full time employment?

After playing about on comparison websites I've noticed that with the same companies it's about 100 less if I am in full time employment compared to being a mature student with a part time job...why is this?

Young drivers car insurance uk?

I am 17 trying to find a car ive tryed suzuki alto1.0 and a clio 1.2 and both cost of 10,000-12,000 on go compare and compare market . I know insurance is high but come on it has locked garage immobilser fitted and I have no conviction any help just want a company with a lot lower price any ideas part from dont drive""

How to get cheap car insurance in my region?

i m little bit worried abt the insurance...

Help with car insurance?

It's my 17th birthday tomorrow, I am going to use the money I get for drivin lessons. But what I want to know is; Would I get insured on a range rover sport at my age and how much would it cost? This is the car I really want but I don't know if I'd get insured for it. I don't mind waiting, but if I can drive one now thatd be great! Thanks :)""

How much would Progressive's auto insurance cost for a 2 door honda civic for a 17 year old male?

Or a Honda accord v6 coupe? Standard Insurance prices.

Is it cheaper on insurance to have 2 people on the title?

I don't have a very good driving record, and when I had insurance under my name on my old car, I was paying almost as much as the monthly car payments. The bank I received the loan from told me that I had to have insurance under my name on the car. I'm looking to get a new car, and I know that the insurance alone would cost me a lot. If I put someone else's name (such as my father) on the title, along with mine, would I be able to get insurance under his name?""

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Health Insurance Costs?

Our health insurance premium is nearing $14000./year. My husband is a retired school teacher, and paints houses to make this premium. Pretty soon the cost is going to exceed the amount he is able to collect in Social Security - How about getting these companies to lower these premium. Seems like those on welfare have better insurance than those on private pay""

Car insurance Age: 18?

How much is insurance on average for a 18 year old in the UK

How much would car insurance be for me?

roughly what would i have to pay for car insurance heres some info -im 18 -car is a honda civic 2010, new -got my license at 18 -live in massachusetts""

""I'm 18, want a Toyota Supra in a few years. Need help!?""

I'm 18 and love cars, especially Jap cars. Before anyone starts, I'm not one of those boy-racer types, I'm genuinely interested in that car. I know you can get a 2nd-hand Supra for less than 5000, but can anyone advise on insurance and how/where to buy a Supra, by age 23/24? I plan on respraying the Supra a bright orange, and getting a bodykit for it - making it look really nice.""

A question about health insurance...?

Newly married and never had to pay for health insurance on my own before. What is a good price, through work, for health insurance benefits?""

What is the average cost for an sr22 insurance?

what is the average cost for an sr22 insurance?

Is $300 a month for six months too much to pay for auto liability insurance for an 18 y/o with no experience?

I just got my license. A quote for a '88 Honda Accord from Geico came up to about $300 a month for 6 months. Is this normal? If no, where can I get cheaper insurance. I live in ...show more""

Is there a grace period for insurance in california on a new vehicle?

How long can you go without insurance after purchase of a new vehicle? I know it should be done immediately but I have other things going on right now and dont have time to get quotes currently. If there is no grace period I just wont drive until I get insurance.

Car insurance for 17 year old male?

I am learning how to drive, and am looking at what cars would best suit me in terms of cheapness and how cheap to insure. I have looked at a few online quotes for a few cars being, 2001 peugeot 206 1.1, ford fiesta 1.2 1997, cheapest was 4 grand from post office. I know i haven't pasted my test yet, but i want to have a rough idea how much it will cost me. These quotes are madness i cannot afford that, i will be paying for this car myself and insurance myself, i work part time and will have to save. Is there any special classes i can take that would lower my insurance? I have heard of special night classes or something along those lines. What cars would be best for me looking at? Also are older cars or cars with higher mileage cheaper to insure? Many thanks :)""

Is a subaru wrx a good car for an 18 year old?

I'm 18 and I'm thinking about buying a wrx. It has 150000 miles with maintenance history and was run on high octane gas... seems to be mechanically taken care of. It needs a new paint job but I don't mind the project. Is it hard to drive this car on 5spd for people who have minimum manual experience? (i can drive a manual but I haven't had much practice) I plan on taking care of it and running it easy. How much does insurance increase if there's a lein in the car? Is it difficult to transfer leins? Car has 6600 left on lein and its a 2003.

Do most health insurance companies go by date of conception for insurance coverage?

I read this somewhere when I was looking for independent health care insurance. I now have health insurance through my work, and coverage started on September 1st (I have United Healthcare through T-mobile, if that matters). I was trying to look up my coverage online, and it didn't say anything about not covering me depending on date of conception, but I did read somewhere before that a lot of health care insurances go by this (which I think would be really inaccurate and wrong, but that's just me....)""

Would you accept a job working as an Insurance Call Center Agent?

The job entails helping senior citizens all over the country obtain affordable insurance solutions that cover their final expenses and medical bills. The work hours are Monday  ...show more

Is there a type of car insurance where anyone who drives is covered?

hey is there a type of car insurance or a plan of car insurance where anyone who drives the car is covered and not just the person who is under the insurance Thanks P.S. I also need to know how much it would be

Which is the best medical insurance ?

Can any one suggest a good medical insurance company and plan

Car insurance pay out?

Sombody hit my car the insurance wants to pay the value of the car. I can not get another car with the small amout of the pay out

How much would my car insurance be in new york?

i'm 27, this is my first buying a car, thinking buying a honda accord ex 2003 2 doors. but i'm a little concern about the cost of my car insurance for this particular one? please serious answers""

Do you need insurance for a scooter under 50cc in Pennsylvania

How much does it cost to replace the windshield on a 2003 Chevy Tracker?

I think my windshield need to be replaced, a small crack is spreading, I think its 20 in now, is it repairable or do I have to replace it? how much does it cost to replace it. If I do it through my insurance, will this change my premium? Thank you (I'm broke, if any one know a cheap place in Austin,TX to replace it, I would really appreciate it)""

Is insurance expensive for two cars (one person)?

I have an automatic car right now and I really wanted a manual but not as an everyday driver.One to just work on and drive occasionally. Can i just switch my insurance from one car to the next, instead of paying for two at the same time?""

What are the pros and cons of national health insurance?

It's going to be a hot topic in the next Presidential election. What do you think?

Can car insurance limit your driving distance by gade?

My father wouldn't let me road trip to another state because my car insurance would only let me drive from here to school. Can car insurance limit the places you drive?

""What are some cheap first cars, and low insurance.?""

I have 3400, in my bank account and ive been searching for a used car. The most I'd like to spend is 3000, so i have some leftover to get me started on insurance and license plates..Any suggestions on a good first car to look for? Also whats a good Max Milage on a used car? Like 100k? or 150k? I have no clue.""

Huoniao 125-8 Insurance?

I'm buying this bike in a couple weeks time brand new. And I was just wondering what insurance is best/cheapest for a 17yr old rider. Thankyou! Also i've heard about this company called Rampdale, it's cheap, but apperently they completely **** most riders over?""

Where can i get cheap car insurance for a new driver?

Where can i get cheap car insurance for a new driver?

Why is auto insurance through Geico so cheap?

I've been shopping around for car insurance and I am surprised at the quoted price of Geico in comparison to most other companies. Geico is much cheaper than my current insurance company, and many other insurance companies. How can they offer such cheap rates, especially with all of the advertising they do? Are people having difficulty getting money out of Geico when they make claims? It just seems odd to me that they can offer such low rates.""

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

Owingsville Kentucky Cheap car insurance quotes zip 40360

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/affordable-insurance-solutions-madison-ms-mark-meyer/"

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Amazon FBA courses have been all the rage lately, with lofty promises of a lucrative digital nomad lifestyle. There are hundreds of courses to choose from, but 3 stick out from the crowd. It might be due to their high price tag, or maybe its the individuals behind the course. Either way, you cant scroll through any Amazon forums with seeing these courses being discussed. So I went ahead and took all 3 of them. I didn't really intend on dong a review, I just got them so I could learn. I started my journey 2 months ago and today my first product arrived, with 2 more on the way :D Here is my in-depth video review:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD58vSR2Pv4 I will also post the script for the review here in case you prefer not to watch the video at work, or you dont want to use data :) Please keep in mid that the punctuation might be weird because I write my scripts how I talk as opposed to proper English lol. I have fully completed all 3 of these courses. Now full disclosure, I did not pay for amazing selling machine, I had a friend lend me all the videos and files for it. It is however asm 7, so its the newest version. I would also like to add that before taking these courses I knew NOTHING about amazon FBA. Nick just told me how much he was making, so I jumped right into tanner course. So I have have the complete beginner's perspective on this. lets get to it. FIRST UP, Amazon Seller mastery.Price: $498 USDTotal Watch Time: 2 hours 11 minutes= $3.80 per minute So tanners course is the cheapest of the 3, but it is also the shortest. He’s had many successful students come through, including youtuber james bowen. However this course really just skims the surface. There are a total of 5 modules, but I felt like they were all bare bones. Especially as someone who knew nothing about amazon FBA, I finished the course with a bunch of questions. For example, module 2, titled “suppliers and shipping” only contains 2 videos, totaling just 14minutes. To be fair, after finishing that module I felt like I knew all there was to know on suppliers and shipping and I thought “seems easy enough”, it wasnt until I actually tried contacting suppliers that I realized I was still in the dark for some aspects. Overall, tanner does a good job at teaching the material. Its very obvious that he knows what hes talking about and he instructs pretty clearly. That being said, you can tell the production and time spent editing was cut short. He doest cut out beginings or ending of the videos, and some mistakes that could be edited out are just kept in. It feels like he was just winging it for the most part and didnt have too much of the structure pre-planned. Theres even a part where he’s talking about shipping terms, and he straight up says “you can just google what they mean”. Now yes, thats fine and its common sense if you’re making any regular youtube video, but it wouldn’t be that hard for him to google it first and then provide a PDF for student resources. And finally, this might not bother you guys, but for me me it was a little annoying.. None of the videos in the course were captured in full screen. His window was always minimized, so you could see his desktop background. Again not a huge deal, but for a $500 course it just didnt float my boat. So lets get on to Kevin Davids Amazon ninja materclass. Price: $1,250 USDTotal Watch Time: 9h 50min= $2.12 / Minute So Kevin’s course is much pricier than tanners, but as you can see its still a better value per minute of actual content. He also gives you the option to buy each module separately. Now I do like the idea behind separating the modules, but it causes a little bit of overlap for someone that has the full course. What I mean by that is, in some modules, he’ll re-explain some things that he already covered in a previous module. Im sure hes doing it to cover the bases just incase someone bought the module separately, but when you’re watching them consecutively, it just leaves parts to skip. Kevin also has a little underwhelming video production for a 1200 dollar course, some videos his cam is way too big and actually blocks important information. In this clip hes talking about the display ad on the right side, but you cant even see it because its under his webcam. However other than that the visuals arent bad at all. The biggest issue I had with this course was that it wasn't totally sequential or chronological. Yes the modules are in order from product research to facebook marketing, but the content in the modules were all over the place. They werent following (for lack of a better word).. A storyline. Thats actually one thing I liked about tanners course. He starts with the lockpick set and carries on the process for that product in a good step by step order. That being said, Kevin does do long videos to end every module that kind of put the pieces together, but overall its like has all these superb bircks of information on a topic, and then it just all goes into one bucket as opposed to laying them out piece by piece. Now lets get on to what I love about kevins course. First off, and probably the most important. Its loaded to the brim with super insightful information. He goes a lot into the actual mindest or thought process behind what he does and why. And what I like even more is that he doesnt just say “you should do this or do that because im the master”. His vibe is more open ended, like “this is what I suggest you do based on all my experience, but dont blindly take my word for it” which I appreciate. The course is also very practical and inspiring, he doesnt have any fluff, and he’s a great communicator”. On his site he says its the only course you’ll ever need, and I cant say hes wrong. He goes way beyond Amazon in the later modules. Covering in depth facebook ads, instagram, getting onto blogs, and even virtual assistants. With the Ninja Masterclass I’d say the pros heavily outweigh the cons, and its the only course I really refer back to when I run into problems with my new FBA business. But before I crown the champ, I have to talk about the biggest course of them all. Amazing Selling Machine! Price: $3,500Total Watch Time: 36h 53m= $1.58 / minute Now of course I left the big fish for last. Amazing selling machine is longest running and most expensive one of the 3 of courses, and probably of all fba courses in the world. Along with the video lessons, ASM has huge events every year with tickets ranging from $400 to $750. But lets talk about the videos. With nearly 37 hours of screen time, it is definitely a lot to take in. I believe the actual course makes you watch it throughout 8 weeks, but since I just had all the video files already, I decided to binge it. Now I did not watch all the coaching calls, but I finished all the other modules. And I do have to say, compared to the other two, these videos are very dry. They provide lots of info, but they do so with text. I’d say 50-60% of the videos are taken up by this blue screen with white text. As opposed to just showing the practical stuff, they have a lot of fluff. They spend a few minutes before every video explaining everything thats going to happen instead of just diving straight into it. Now you might be thinking “well that makes it great for notes”, but they already provide all these bullet points in the form of PDFs. And thats honestly what bugged me most. Every single video had a pdf to accompany it, which is great, but the guys in the video were just reading off of it. Its almost like they wrote an awesome amazon FBA book, and they’re just reading it to us, instead of a cut to the chase kind of course. Here you can see the PDF, and beside it the video. Its line by line. Now that may be appealing to some people, but for me it was just filler. With tanner and kevin, it felt like you were learning from a friend or mentor, With mike and Rich, its more of a classroom vibe, less passion more rules. And that another thing, their rules or guidelines are very firm. Unlike kevins who i said leaves it at “this is what I suggest, based on experience”. ASM is very much “this is what you need to do to be successful. Use the ASM criteria”. With all that said, there’s still brilliant content inside. The most surprising to me was their product research, being new to FBA, I really thought that jungle scout was the only way to do solid product research. However in ASM they use DS quickview, and a method that heavily relies on a products BSR. While it seems like a little more work than using jungle scout and 999 track, I thinks good to see another perspective on product research, and its something I will add in the future just to be extra sure on my products. They are also the best when talking about having a sequential or chronological order. Its VERY beginner friendly with everything laid out nice and neat. I would even say that you could jump into the ASM course without ever using a computer before, thats how comprehensive they get with their explanations. However the one thing that separates ASM from all the rest in my opinion his how they give you actionable steps at the end of every video. Just like homework. The intention is so that you actually follow along with them as they go to ensure you get results. Of course this can be hard if you dont actually find a product after the product research module. But like I said it was designed to be dripped throughout 8 weeks, not 8 days. So what would I suggest? Well I can starting as a beginner, I feel like I definitely got my degree in FBA after all these courses. They all have a different and unique spin to them, and all of them offer their own little gold nuggets that the other doesn't. However this is just like goldilocks, One of them is too little, one of them is too much, and the other is just right. So, with all things considered, I would have to give the crown to Kevin Davids Ninja MasterClass. Its not the cheapest per minute, but its the most practical, It doesn't have the most content, but it cuts the fluff, and id say he gives the greatest perspective on incorporating amazon into your everyday lifestyle. He talks about how gets great product ideas outside of amazon by just being more observant or talking to people. And its that outside the box thinking that I think sets a good seller apart from a great one. His course actually dives deeper into the facebook and marketing side than ASM does, he could have almost sold that as a separate course. He also has the best tricks in terms of keywords and ranking. As for me, I started watching these courses last month, and today I have 3 products on the way. I can't confirm yet if the products are any good, but one of them gets in tomorrow, so we shall find out soon and update you guys once sales start coming in.

[garynsmith]

Why Bob Goldberg, NAR’s new CEO, has some convincing to do

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Reposted with permission from Rob Hahn.

In the middle of the afternoon on Friday, June 23 — a curious time to be releasing such major news — NAR announced that it had chosen NAR Senior VP Bob Goldberg to be the next CEO, replacing the retiring Dale Stinton.

As you can imagine, I’ve had more than a few emails, text messages, Facebook messages and the like from all sorts of people asking my opinion on the selection. Why they care about the opinions of some consultant/blogger is a bit beyond me, and I am … how do I put this … “humbled and excited” to be asked.

I have a bunch of thoughts, many of them in conflict and a few different emotions — a couple of those are in conflict as well. So in a way, this post may be my working out all of those different thoughts and emotions. Take the journey with me.

I wish Goldberg all the best in the world

My first emotions and thoughts are fairly positive. I don’t know Goldberg past saying hello at events and such. I know I’ve met him a couple times, and he’s always been nice, always been kind. But I have never had a big sit-down conversation with the man, nor have I worked with him in any capacity.

Just about everyone I know who has, however, are effusive in their praise for the man. They say he’s a really smart guy, a genuinely nice person and a very sharp business operator. I will try to take their word for it — although, well, we’ll get into that below.

Actionize big data with predictive analytics to win listings

Secondly, whatever else I might think about this selection, the fact is that Goldberg is the new CEO of NAR. Much like President Trump, for whom I did not vote and because of whom I left the Republican Party, I want him to succeed.

I want him to succeed beyond my expectations. I want him to succeed despite my skepticism. I want him to be the most successful CEO in the history of NAR.

Because if he fails, that means the organization fails.

Maybe that will turn out to be for the best in the end, but right now, I think NAR is worth saving (and yes, that means I think NAR needs saving right now) for a bunch of reasons with the most important being that NAR is the only large political organization in the U.S. that gives a crap about property rights.

So I do wish Goldberg the very best, and I sincerely hope that he will prove to be the greatest CEO NAR has had in its 100-plus years.

Having said that …

What his selection says about NAR leadership

(I was originally going to title this section, “What his selection says about Realtors” but realized that really, we’re talking about 23 people: 15 on the CEO Search Committee and eight on the leadership team with one overlap — Beth Peerce, VP of association affairs, is on both. Seeing as how many of the criticisms are coming from card-carrying Realtors, I think it’s better to limit my thoughts to the leadership of NAR.)

The former NYC Mayor Ed Koch once said upon losing his bid for re-election, “The people have spoken … and they must be punished.” And no less an expert on the subject than President Obama once said, “People have a tendency to blame politicians when things don’t work, but as I always tell people, you get the leaders you deserve.”

My overwhelming feeling about this selection is that NAR leadership looked at the environment of real estate, looked at what was happening to the business of their members, looked at what was going on with important stakeholders such as MLSs, brokerages, franchises and tech companies, looked at the direction of NAR, looked at what was happening and said, “Yep, we’re good — steady as she goes!”

How else to explain the selection of not just an insider, but the ultimate insider? Just about everyone in the industry understood that Goldberg was the No. 2 man at NAR — Stinton’s right-hand man. His chief of staff, if you will.

Not six months ago, in January of this year, a broker named Daniel Bates published “An open letter to the new NAR CEO” on Inman and just laid into NAR.

His first request was “Define your goals” because he had no idea what they were.

Stinton himself responded to that letter, and after defending NAR as best as he could, he wrote “we need a new story to tell.”

So the NAR leadership chose the ultimate insider, who has been at Stinton’s right hand for 22 years, to tell that new story? Really? So they believe that the best thing to do is to stay the course? If so, that’s amazing. If not, this pick for CEO is inexplicable.

We have a political environment the likes of which we have never seen, which really could mean the end of the mortgage interest deduction, government sponsorship of mortgages and so on.

The big brokers and franchise companies are obviously unhappy and stressed the hell out.

The emergence of the agent team has wrought massive change and is in the process of eating the brokerage from within.

Technology continues its relentless march with things like Zillow Instant Offers and Opendoor, and that’s just within real estate. Driverless cars and self-learning machines are around the corner, and nobody knows what to do about any of that today.

Many of our major metro markets, where most of the Realtors live and work, are in echo bubble conditions brewing up an affordability crisis that will soon swamp the economy and the industry.

The economic environment is dysfunctional at best, and that’s with central banks around the world pulling out all the stops to prevent a full scale crisis.

Despite all of these things, the leadership of NAR believes that real change is not necessary. I mean, they must, right? Because when you think Bob Goldberg, you think a lot of positive things, like competence, and nice, and even hope. But change isn’t one of those words.

Bob Goldberg: Change agent?

It is possible that Goldberg will actually change everything. It is possible that in private interviews behind closed doors, he laid out his vision for transforming NAR to meet present and future challenges.

I’m going to need to be convinced.

The most amusing and amazing thing about the selection and the accompanying announcement is the video statement put out by NAR leadership, represented by President Bill Brown:

VIDEO

What he said is: “Bob articulated to the leadership team the ability to have the vision, to be innovative, and to think into the future with bold, new initiatives to enhance the benefits to our members.”

Leave aside the curious phrasing about having the ability to have vision, to be innovative, etc., rather than having vision, being innovative and so on. Just about anybody has the ability to have vision and be a change agent.

Hell, I have the ability to have a sculpted physique; I haven’t ever done it, but I have the ability to do so. That’s a bit of an embarrassment to the PR team at NAR for such awkwardly bizarre language.

The substantive issue is this: Where has this visionary, innovative and future-thinking leader been for the past 22 years?

Bob Goldberg has been the No. 2 guy at NAR for years. From his official bio:

“Robert Goldberg serves as senior vice president of sales and marketing, business development and strategic investments, professional development and conventions for NAR. In this recently expanded role, Mr. Goldberg oversees several groups that are focused on building the NAR brand and its value to members and the association, and has far-reaching responsibility for revenue through publications ads, products and trade show sales and sponsorships.

“Through his lucrative negotiations with Fortune 500 and other companies, the Realtor Benefits alliance program continues to provide value to members and generates significant non-dues revenues for the association. He also oversees the internet products group, the marketing research group, the product management group and the marketing communications and promotions group.

“Mr. Goldberg leads the conventions group, which develops and manages programing and events for the world’s largest real estate trade show and convention and other major NAR meetings. He has been with the National Association of Realtors since 1995.

“In his role as senior vice president administration for Realtor University, he is responsible for oversight of University graduate school staff and day-to-day operations including the research center, curriculum development and budgets.

“Additionally, Mr. Goldberg is the president and chief executive officer for the Realtors Information Network (RIN), a for profit, wholly owned subsidiary of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the nation’s largest professional trade association.

“As CEO, he is responsible for oversight of the realtor.com Operating Agreement with Move, Inc. Previously, Mr. Goldberg was the chief operating officer and senior vice president of marketing for RIN. As a member of the executive management team, he was responsible for business development and strategic partnerships, product marketing, management of all products and services, contract negotiations, strategic planning, competitive positioning, marketing and corporate communications, advertising and promotions, and conventions.”

Basically, he ran pretty much everything that isn’t lobbying.

Where was this vision, this innovation, this future-based thinking, this forcing change during all of those years? Negotiating discounts for Realtors at Hertz is none of those things.

I’ve been to most of the NAR conventions, and none of those are exactly futuristic events filled with a vision for how conventions could and should be done. Do we even touch Realtor University? The Realtor Credit Union?

We’re going to have to talk about the track record

In the press release, we find this passage:

“Bob’s vision, business acumen and unique ability to successfully leverage NAR’s technology investments will ensure Realtors remain at the center of the real estate transaction,” said 2017 NAR President William E. Brown, a Realtor from Alamo, California.

“With extensive knowledge of the association and real estate industry, Bob brings with him a strong track record for future-based thinking and enacting change, which is why the NAR leadership team is extremely confident in his ability to lead the association and membership to continued future success.”

So this strong track record for future-based thinking and enacting change — what are we pointing to as examples?

Can’t be realtor.com

Under Goldberg’s watch as president and CEO of RIN, realtor.com plummeted from being the No. 1 real estate portal by a wide margin to a distant third, behind Zillow and Trulia struggling to compete. Move was then sold off to News Corp. for about what Zillow makes in annual revenues today. That is double-plus ungood on any level.

Now, to be fair Goldberg didn’t run realtor.com; he only oversaw the relationship between Move and NAR based on the operating agreement between the two.

Which makes this story from 2013 relevant for us:

“At NAR’s midyear conference in May, the 785-member board authorized a special, closed meeting in Chicago to contemplate whether to update the agreement between NAR and realtor.com operator Move Inc. to give realtor.com more freedom to compete with rivals such as Zillow and Trulia.

The board said NAR’s leadership team would work with Move and its subsidiary RealSelect to develop recommendations ‘to enrich and broaden the user experience’ on realtor.com and present them to the board at the closed meeting Wednesday.”

Of course, loosening the restrictions on realtor.com in 2013 after it had already fallen to third place proved to be too late.

A reasonable question one could ask might be, what was Goldberg doing between say 2008 and 2010 when it was obvious to all of us in the industry that Zillow was making huge gains on realtor.com?

A huge part of the reason was that Move (which owns realtor.com) was fighting with at least one hand tied behind its back by the restrictions of the operating agreement.

Why didn’t Goldberg remove the shackles from realtor.com so it could compete with the upstarts before those upstarts grew up and became real problems? It isn’t as if the management at realtor.com — particularly Errol Samuelson, then president of realtor.com — wasn’t constantly asking him to do just that.

Maybe Goldberg did go to bat for freeing up realtor.com but was overruled. We just didn’t hear about it. Either way, that part of the track record isn’t exactly a confidence-inspiring career highlight.

Brand marketing?

(Note: Please see Heather Elias’s comment below. It appears that Goldberg had no role in the debacle that was “Great time to buy or sell” campaign:

“To clarify one of your assumptions made within the post: regarding the entire section questioning Bob’s judgement for the ‘great time to buy or sell’ and Phil Dunphy pieces, the communications division of NAR is responsible for advertising campaigns, not the marketing side. This includes all consumer messaging and member messaging. Bob’s side of the shop had nothing to do with those. Might want to note that somewhere in there.”

Because I don’t work for or with NAR, I had assumed that marketing controls well, marketing. Apparently not at NAR. Well, it gives me a great deal more comfort and hope to know Goldberg is innocent of this particular sin.)

His bio says Goldberg was overseeing several groups that were focused on building the NAR brand. Presumably, that means the Realtor brand because the two are ostensibly the same thing.

If that’s the case, we might ask whether the Realtor brand has been strengthened or weakened over his tenure. And we know that NAR spent something north of $38 million in 2015 in advertising and promotions. Doing some rough math, we’re looking at maybe half a billion dollars or more spent on promoting and advertising the Realtor brand over the past two decades.

That brand marketing include this gem from 2006, over a decade from Bob Goldberg starting at NAR:

Without hearing otherwise, we have to assume Goldberg oversaw that “Great time to buy or sell” marketing campaign. What about commercials like this one?

VIDEO

Was NAR really running TV commercials telling people that it was a good time to buy in 2007? Yes, yes it was. #SMH

A quick reminder of what happened from 2007 to 2011:

So NAR was telling the American consumer to buy homes in 2006 and 2007.

If you can think of a faster way to tarnish the Realtor brand, a more effective way to undermine consumer confidence and trust in Realtors — what would that be?

That entire campaign may have been the most effective anti-Realtor campaign in history of advertising.

Reasonable people can differ on something like value of a brand, but from where I sit … in 1995, the Realtor brand was merely meaningless. People just didn’t think about it very much, kinda like Kleenex or Xerox. In 2017, the Realtor brand is a punchline.

Maybe you also think Phil Dunphy is a great role model for the public perception of Realtors.

VIDEO

Maybe Goldberg wasn’t involved with any of those. Maybe he wasn’t a senior executive in charge of consumer advertising in 2006, though I believe he was. Or maybe he argued vociferously, with vision, innovation and future-based thinking, against such idiotic branding and marketing campaigns but got overruled by Dale Stinton? The various presidents over the years?

I only hope that the search committee and the NAR leadership team asked him those questions and got satisfactory answers.

Either way, I’m going to need to be convinced on this stellar track record that inspires such extreme confidence that Bob Goldberg is the man to lead the Association and its members into future success.

What does NAR leadership think NAR’s mission is?

Now, look, it isn’t as if Goldberg got to where he is because of those obvious failures. Great leaders misstep and make mistakes. He has a long track record of success on a number of fronts and initiatives. I have no doubt that he’s a capable executive who gets things done.

The real issue isn’t with Goldberg but with the NAR leadership and what it was thinking. Let me explain.

Goldberg’s portfolio covered pretty much everything outside of lobbying. In particular, his area covered non-dues revenues programs. From his bio above:

“Mr. Goldberg oversees several groups that are focused on building the NAR brand and its value to members and the association and has far-reaching responsibility for revenue through publications ads, products and trade show sales and sponsorships.

“Through his lucrative negotiations with Fortune 500 and other companies, the Realtor Benefits alliance program continues to provide value to members and generates significant non-dues revenues for the association.”

The relationship with realtor.com generates non-dues revenues for NAR. Conventions generate non-dues revenues for NAR. The word around the industry campfire is that Goldberg brings in tens of millions of dollars in non-dues revenues to NAR every year. He’s a good, maybe great, businessman.

But what that means is that Goldberg’s entire track record is precisely those things that the rank and file members of NAR do not care about.

Ask anyone who is committed to the Realtor organization what the value of the Association is. The answers you get are usually these three things:

Political advocacy

Code of Ethics/professionalism

Education

Not a single Realtor I have met or asked has ever said discounts on cell phone plans. Not one.

Now, if you do a search on YouTube for Bob Goldberg NAR, you find some videos of him speaking and being interviewed. After all, he’s been a senior executive for more than two decades. But what you find is things like this:

VIDEO

Are these programs impressive at a certain level? Of course they are; $500 off and two year’s of free oil changes if you buy a Chrysler are useful — if you’re buying a Chrysler. But $57 million in savings for 700,000 members amounts to $81 per person.

The storyline pushing that this represents a competitive edge for NAR members is risible. Competitive edge against whom? The millions of non-Realtor licensees competing for brokerage business?

In most markets 100 percent of the people in real estate brokerage are Realtor members themselves. How in the world does saving money on Chrysler help you gain an edge against another Realtor?

Now, Goldberg can only accomplish what’s put in front of him. If his job was to go out and do the Member Benefits Program, then he has done that and done that well. So again, this isn’t about Bob Goldberg. It’s about the Leadership Team.

Because in the video announcement above, Bill Brown says they chose him because Goldberg articulated bold new initiatives to enhance benefits for members. In the press release, they talk about Goldberg’s “unique ability to successfully leverage NAR’s technology investments.”

What in the world do they think NAR’s mission is? Member benefits? Technology investments?

Why do they think members join NAR in the first place?

When we talk about Goldberg’s vision for NAR, we’re really talking about the vision of the NAR leadership team that chose him. What is that vision? NAR as a giant benefits program for people interested in buying Chrysler cars?

Finally, the process

In the above video, Brown says that the search committee started this process seven months ago. OK, fine. I mean, just about everybody knew Stinton wasn’t going to renew his contract long before that. The subject was a common conversation topic as early as 2015, after all. But let’s go with the seven month timeframe.

We know that the job description wasn’t published until March. So in just under four months, the committee looked at some 80 candidates, interviewed a bunch of them, narrowed them down to four finalists, and then the leadership team interviewed them and selected Goldberg by acclamation?

From the very start, there have been a lot of us who worried that this entire process was an expensive, time-consuming charade. Many of us thought that the fix was in, and Goldberg was “the chosen one,” but for some reason, Stinton and the leadership needed to make it appear as if there had been some full exhaustive search process.

And lookee here — what a shock! After a seven-month highly secretive and exhaustive process involving a top-tier executive search firm, the new CEO is — Bob Goldberg by acclamation! So the leadership team was unanimous in its choice. It wasn’t close, apparently.

Well, I’m going to need some convincing this was all on the level.

It has been widely rumored that the “final four” included Alex Perriello, former CEO of Realogy Franchise Group. I for one would love to know in what way Perriello was found wanting in terms of “extensive knowledge of the association and real estate industry,” “a strong track record for future-based thinking and enacting change” or managing a large staff with a big budget.

The man helped guide Realogy through some of the roughest times in the company’s history when the bubble burst. He was instrumental in growing the largest real estate company in the world, and instrumental in bringing it back from the brink of bankruptcy.

I don’t know Goldberg; but I do know Perriello. I worked for the man as a junior executive at Realogy. He’s a natural born leader in every respect. And with his lifetime in the industry, starting as a Realtor on the street, then as a manager of a local brokerage, then into the franchise world, all the while being heavily involved with NAR, there is no one who embodies the real estate industry more than Perriello does.

It’s no secret that I wanted a female CEO for NAR. But if that wasn’t going to happen, Perriello would have been an inspired choice.

He would have been a CEO who has walked in his members’ shoes. A CEO who knew what it’s like to wake up with no promised paycheck. A CEO who knew what it’s like to operate a brokerage as the world changed around you. A CEO who was leading brokers large and small through the information technology revolution.

At a critical juncture in NAR’s history, when it absolutely needs a leader who could bring all of the disparate factions including brokers, agents, local associations, the MLS, vendors, portals — those who hate them altogether, Perriello would have been a marvelous choice.

Like I said, everyone I know who knows Goldberg says he’s a capable leader. But most of them would agree, I think, that it is no knock on Goldberg to say that he does not embody real estate like Alex Perriello does.

Did the leadership team offer Perriello the job, and Perriello turned it down? OK, that’s one thing.

Because I do know David Charron, former CEO of MRIS, refused to even consider the job, and he’s another leader with extensive knowledge, strong track record and personal integrity. But Perriello wasn’t their first choice, and the leadership team chose Goldberg over him by acclamation? Not even a close vote, but by unanimous consent?

How convenient.

Because if Stinton wanted Goldberg to get the job, as has been widely rumored for over two years now, and the leadership team wanted him to be the next CEO — then they should have just named him the successor two years ago and saved everybody a lot of time and money.

Heidrick & Struggles, the corporate headhunter NAR hired for this, isn’t cheap. The time and energy of 15 volunteer leaders who spent months on this don’t come for free. The 80 people who applied for the position could have used their time and energy doing something more productive than being players in an elaborate puppet show.

So please tell me, tell the rest of us, that this wasn’t just an elaborate internal politics dinner theater designed to convince people that y’all had not made up your minds years ago. But you’re going to have to do more than tell us; you’re going to have to convince us.

How to convince me

At this point, no amount of talking is going to convince me or anybody else who has these questions. Actions — and nothing other than actions — can convince me that this entire process was on the up-and-up and that Goldberg is indeed the exact change agent with deep experience, institutional knowledge and the vision that NAR needs right now.

Three suggestions for actions that would convince the hopeful skeptics like me.

1. Personnel is policy

Most of that will come as issues arise and as events unfold. But there is one thing that he can do in August to make me believe as I so desperately want to do: Clean house among the staff at NAR.

Because personnel is policy.

If Goldberg as CEO has a vision of the future that is based on innovation and future-based thinking, and he has been chomping at the bit to enact changes that he could not as a mere senior VP of everything, then he needs to replace the bureaucracy that is NAR staff.

He doesn’t have to fire everybody and bring in fresh blood. But senior management, department heads and maybe a couple of levels under them need to be looked at very carefully, and in all honesty, most of them are going to have to be replaced.

Not because they’re bad people or incompetent, but because they’re so used to the way things were under Stinton. You want new thinking and new actions? Get new people because personnel is policy.

And based on who the new people are, what their track records are and what they’re all about, we’ll know whether there will be some change to go along with the hope of the Goldberg reign.

Otherwise, nothing will change. I mean literally, nothing will change except the name on the door.

This is nothing new or unusual. When a new CEO comes into an organization, he or she will typically do a bunch of reshuffling, house cleaning and changing personnel to drive his or her strategy and vision.

Don’t do that, and we’re more or less saying that the status quo is just fine, it works and don’t fix what ain’t broken. That appears to be the message being sent by the NAR leadership with this pick.

We’ll find out soon enough whether the new CEO of NAR is saying the same thing.

2. Professionalism

As Stinton said, NAR needs to tell a new story. The A1 problem of the DANGER Report was widespread incompetence among Realtor ranks.

I can understand that Goldberg’s portfolio did not include really doing something about that problem. Well, as CEO, it does now.

If I see huge shifts in NAR’s budget and policy toward reinforcing professionalism, enforcing the Code of Ethics and raising the bar for Realtor membership, I will be convinced.

Example? Sure thing. Free consulting to the incoming CEO — more of which will appear over the next several years here, I’m sure.

Currently, the NAR Handbook prohibits Association staff from being involved in ethics complaints. That’s silly. Change that policy so that local and state associations can have staff ethics compliance people in much the same way that the MLS has compliance departments who investigate complaints and bring enforcement actions when necessary.

If your core mission includes professionalism and your whole identity is the Code of Ethics, then you need to be involved in that.

The single greatest member benefit that NAR could provide is to kick out those who should not be part of the organization.

Let me see Goldberg do that, and I’ll be his biggest fan and acknowledge that he is indeed a visionary change agent.

3. Cut, cut, cut

One of the cornerstones of corporate strategy — which is what I do for a living — is to figure out what you’re good at doing and then stop doing everything else. Great CEOs routinely sell off profitable, money-making divisions of their company that isn’t core to the company’s vision or mission.

The former CEO of Procter & Gamble, A.G. Lafley makes clear that the CEO must make hard choices:

“There’s a mindset among CEOs and other leaders that they don’t want to get pinned down or painted into a corner. They want to keep all their options open. Why do they want that? Because they don’t want to take on the risk of making a bad choice or a wrong choice.

“But the fact is, strategy is all about making choices — choosing where you’re going to play and how you’re going to win, along with what winning means.”

The hardest and most important choice to make is to answer the classic Peter Drucker question: What business are we in?

In my humble opinion, the biggest problem of NAR as an organization is that it has lost sight of what business it is in. It’s in so many businesses including magazine publishing, events, providing lockboxes, zipForms and DocuSign and MLS software (with RPR/AMP).

And the leadership team exacerbates the problem by talking about “leveraging NAR’s technology investments.”

NAR is not now, has never been and never will be a technology company. It is not now, has never been and never will be a venture capitalist with a portfolio of technology investments. In those industries, NAR has no competitive advantage and enormous competitive disadvantages. So get out of those, and focus on your core competencies.

Spin off RPR. Sell Second Century Ventures to an actual VC firm. Sell off the publishing “business” — it’s not the business you’re in as NAR. Realtor University? Credit union? Cut, cut, cut. Divest. Partner. Above all, focus on who you are and what business you’re in.

If Goldberg can lead NAR to focus on that core mission, which incidentally involves spinning off and eliminating virtually everything he has worked on at NAR to date, then I’ll be convinced and become his biggest cheerleader.

Hope and maybe change?

This is getting way too long, even by my standards. And I feel certain that we’ll be talking more about Goldberg as the CEO of NAR in the months and years ahead.

What can we say in conclusion?

We can say that given everything going on, Goldberg is without a doubt the candidate for hope rather than the candidate of change. He may end up surprising all of us with how much he can and will change NAR the organization and the real estate industry as a whole.

But based on his track record and his long tenure, he represents maintenance of the status quo and the hope that it will continue to work.

We can say that in the minds of the NAR leadership, Goldberg must have been the best person out of the 80 or so highly accomplished men and women who applied for the job. Assuming that the process wasn’t an elaborate puppet show, I suppose we have to take them at their word.

But y’all better recognize that there are a lot of your members out here who think that the fix was in from the start. There’s a strong whiff of Frank Underwood over the whole process. Your choice whether you want to convince us otherwise or not.

We can say that the leadership team at NAR has some explaining to do about this choice. Not because of Goldberg, but because what the choice says about their vision of NAR, their perspective on what is going on and what is coming down the road.

President Brown needs to do more than just a short video announcing the decision. He and Elizabeth Mendenhall, the 2018 president, and John Smaby, the 2019 president, as well as everybody involved in NAR in a leadership position now need to tell us a lot more about how they view the future of NAR.

We can say that the Goldberg is facing challenges that his 11 predecessors have never faced. If things have been worse for organized real estate in past decades, I’m not aware of it.

At least in the dozen years or so that I have been in the industry, this is as bad as it has ever been. He may be the exact person we all need at this moment in time who will restore trust and faith in the Realtor brand and the Realtor movement. Time will tell.

And I don’t know about the rest of you, but I can say that I need to be convinced on a few things.

But I haven’t made up my mind yet. Goldberg deserves a chance to prove himself to all of us, myself included.

So in closing, let me reiterate my hope in and support for Bob Goldberg, the new CEO of NAR. He would not have been my first choice, or even my second. But it wasn’t my decision, it was NAR’s decision to make. And now, with the decision having been made, I sincerely hope that he succeeds. Because his success will mean the success of NAR and the Realtor movement.

If he fails, NAR fails. And right now, I believe NAR needs to be saved. The Realtor movement needs to be saved.

Best of luck to you, Mr. CEO! Do the right thing. We’re counting on you.

Robert Hahn is the Managing Partner of 7DS Associates, a marketing, technology and strategy consultancy focusing on the real estate industry. Check out his personal blog, The Notorious R.O.B. or find him on Twitter: @robhahn.

Email Robert Hahn

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Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell

Hive, the UK’s leading smart home brand founded by Centrica, a division of British Gas, is now expanding across the pond with a trans-Atlantic marketing campaign and a new global brand platform.

Hive’s new “Let’s Get Living” integrated campaign is rolling out in the US, Canada and the UK, the cornerstone of a £500 million investment by the global energy and services company to expand Centrica’s footprint beyond the UK. It follows the launch of Hive Welcome Home, a starter pack of subscription-based smart home products customized for the three markets.

Discover the Hive smart home and do more of the things you love #LetsGetLiving http://pic.twitter.com/fjnn50zH0y

— Hive Connected Home (@hivehome) June 9, 2017

In a shift in its marketing strategy, Hive’s subscription-based connected home ecosystem is now being promoted to highlight benefits over functions, with the Hive hub at the heart of its smart home and its app enabling remote control. For example: “Imagine turning on your music by walking through your front door. Or switch on the hallway lights by stepping out of your bedroom in the night.”

“There’s still a big job to do to show people how having a smart home enhances daily living, which is what our campaign sets out to do,” stated Nina Bhatia, managing director of Hive parent Centrica Connected Home. “Our brand positioning, creative and our subscription plans are all about freeing people up to help them get more out of life.”

From your home to hers, our MD Nina Bhatia is passionate about making life easier. Get living #likeaboss https://t.co/0iFM7iMeu6 @Forbes

— Hive US (@hive_us) June 12, 2017

Centrica Connected Home has refreshed the Hive brand visual identity and tone of voice, so they enable both emotional and functional storytelling.

“Our aim was to bring the human touch to the Hive brand,” stated Nicky Mackrell, Global Brand and Marketing Director, Centrica Connected Home. “We want everyone to be able to connect with the Hive experience, not just people interested in technology.”

“Our brand is designed to be bright, friendly and approachable.  We’ve focused on vibrant colors and dynamic stories of people in real use case scenarios to shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category.”

“Until now, Hive’s positioning has been focused largely on function, emphasising the ability for the user to control their home,” Mackrell commented to PR Week.

“We wanted to reposition the brand as one that helps people live brilliantly. That the home is a place of enjoyment and Hive is about bringing together products and services to make everyday life effortless and enjoyable.”

The new spot (US version shown above) titled “Perspectives on Life” uses vibrant colors and dynamic stories in real use-case scenarios to “shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category,” Mackrell added. “We want consumers to see themselves in that moment, warm to the bright happiness shown, and have an ah-ha moment. They may not say, oh I need to invest in that right now, but they will think about it.”

In the U.S. and Canada, the spot will run on local broadcast and cable channels including Prime, Sports, Morning News, Prime Access, and Late Fringe. In the UK, it will run (with an English-accented voice-over) on selected major stations including ITV, Channel 4, and Sky1.

Below, Mackrell shares more insights about the new brand positioning and expansion strategy.

bc: What consumer insights are you using to position Hive in the North America smart home segment?

Nicky Mackrell: It’s a category that’s at a tipping point in North America. There’s a number of brands out there that are already talking about smart home services. It’s not mainstream yet. So we did a big study at the end of last year across the US and Canada to really look at what were the barriers. They were the things you’d expect: price was in there. Consumers don’t see yet what the need for it is—”How will this make my life better?” They were the key things.

We know that when people get one of the smart home products that it becomes a bit like a normal part of their life and they start rolling out the services from there. The other thing is tapping into people in an emotional way. People love not just being home but living a life, spending time doing the things we want to be doing. And we can help do that. That was a real category insight also.

We haven’t had a presence in North America, whereas in the UK we’ve had three to four years. It’s a different journey. We’ve launched the Welcome Home plan in the UK and it’s the key proposition that will be the proof points in both North America and the UK. And we’ve got a lot more plans in the pipeline and more products and propositions.

bc: The launch 30-second spot doesn’t show your products. Why?

Mackrell: Our point of view in the campaign, on life, is showing how the product can make everyday moments that much richer. People really get an “aha!”moment when they see those. A lot of brands are pushing product and devices per se and not the emotional connection.

It’s strategic, but the product will make a difference in people’s lives. One of the use-based things we’ll do on TV is specific moments in life for entering the smart home.

One of them is when you expand the family—Dad with a newborn baby that has been crying for ages and you don’t want to move a muscle, for instance. So sitting on the sofa, he has his phone in his hand and he can switch off lights and TV and all those different things that you want to do if you’re sitting on a sofa and you want to make it feel like night-time. You don’t need to get out of the chair.

It’ll be very much about the moment and bringing those use cases to life in our integrated campaign.

bc: Are North American consumers enthused about smart home devices or confused? Or both? How can you get beyond the early adopters?

Mackrell: Through use cases. Finding real moments that resonate with real consumers. “Oh, that is for me and I see value to that.” And I think through the Hive Welcome Home plan there are different entry points. We’re giving consumers a real choice in how they can improve it. It’s all about showing the real moments where you can see Hive really working for you.

bc: How are you differentiating Hive from your competitors?

Mackrell: Obviously the brand point of view, our positioning around living brilliantly and our tagline, “Let’s Get Living.” We’re encouraging people to go out there and spend time with the people they love the most and doing the things they enjoy the most, and we can take care of making your life easier and more enjoyable by looking after all the different products in the home.

We’re also coming in as a subscription approach, and that will be very different in the category. That’s the only way that consumers can get Hive. They can’t buy individual products at a one-off price point, it’s a monthly plan. It’s an affordable way in.

bc: What does Apple’s plan to introduce Home Pod, its Siri-based voice-activated speaker, mean to the market?

Mackrell: My understanding is the one they announced in the last few days is another way to access services and that’s what I see for accessing services. It’s no surprise. You can access Hive services through Alexa and Google Home.

We have a hub that’s connected by Wi-Fi but you can access our platform through Alexa by telling her what to do, to create actions to control your Hive services. It’s not a direct competitor. The more companies talking about smart home the more the mainstream (consumer) is likely to pick it up and we can spend more time educating on ‘Why Hive?’

For more on Centrica’s Hive brand and Centrica, watch Salesforce UK’s recent video profile:

Get more branding insights in our Q&A series. Suggest a Q&A: editor@brandchannel.com.

The post Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell appeared first on brandchannel:.

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Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell

Hive, the UK’s leading smart home brand founded by Centrica, a division of British Gas, is now expanding across the pond with a trans-Atlantic marketing campaign and a new global brand platform.

Hive’s new “Let’s Get Living” integrated campaign is rolling out in the US, Canada and the UK, the cornerstone of a £500 million investment by the global energy and services company to expand Centrica’s footprint beyond the UK. It follows the launch of Hive Welcome Home, a starter pack of subscription-based smart home products customized for the three markets.

Discover the Hive smart home and do more of the things you love #LetsGetLiving http://pic.twitter.com/fjnn50zH0y

— Hive Connected Home (@hivehome) June 9, 2017

In a shift in its marketing strategy, Hive’s subscription-based connected home ecosystem is now being promoted to highlight benefits over functions, with the Hive hub at the heart of its smart home and its app enabling remote control. For example: “Imagine turning on your music by walking through your front door. Or switch on the hallway lights by stepping out of your bedroom in the night.”

“There’s still a big job to do to show people how having a smart home enhances daily living, which is what our campaign sets out to do,” stated Nina Bhatia, managing director of Hive parent Centrica Connected Home. “Our brand positioning, creative and our subscription plans are all about freeing people up to help them get more out of life.”

From your home to hers, our MD Nina Bhatia is passionate about making life easier. Get living #likeaboss https://t.co/0iFM7iMeu6 @Forbes

— Hive US (@hive_us) June 12, 2017

Centrica Connected Home has refreshed the Hive brand visual identity and tone of voice, so they enable both emotional and functional storytelling.

“Our aim was to bring the human touch to the Hive brand,” stated Nicky Mackrell, Global Brand and Marketing Director, Centrica Connected Home. “We want everyone to be able to connect with the Hive experience, not just people interested in technology.”

“Our brand is designed to be bright, friendly and approachable.  We’ve focused on vibrant colors and dynamic stories of people in real use case scenarios to shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category.”

“Until now, Hive’s positioning has been focused largely on function, emphasising the ability for the user to control their home,” Mackrell commented to PR Week.

“We wanted to reposition the brand as one that helps people live brilliantly. That the home is a place of enjoyment and Hive is about bringing together products and services to make everyday life effortless and enjoyable.”

The new spot (US version shown above) titled “Perspectives on Life” uses vibrant colors and dynamic stories in real use-case scenarios to “shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category,” Mackrell added. “We want consumers to see themselves in that moment, warm to the bright happiness shown, and have an ah-ha moment. They may not say, oh I need to invest in that right now, but they will think about it.”

In the U.S. and Canada, the spot will run on local broadcast and cable channels including Prime, Sports, Morning News, Prime Access, and Late Fringe. In the UK, it will run (with an English-accented voice-over) on selected major stations including ITV, Channel 4, and Sky1.

Below, Mackrell shares more insights about the new brand positioning and expansion strategy.

bc: What consumer insights are you using to position Hive in the North America smart home segment?

Nicky Mackrell: It’s a category that’s at a tipping point in North America. There’s a number of brands out there that are already talking about smart home services. It’s not mainstream yet. So we did a big study at the end of last year across the US and Canada to really look at what were the barriers. They were the things you’d expect: price was in there. Consumers don’t see yet what the need for it is—”How will this make my life better?” They were the key things.

We know that when people get one of the smart home products that it becomes a bit like a normal part of their life and they start rolling out the services from there. The other thing is tapping into people in an emotional way. People love not just being home but living a life, spending time doing the things we want to be doing. And we can help do that. That was a real category insight also.

We haven’t had a presence in North America, whereas in the UK we’ve had three to four years. It’s a different journey. We’ve launched the Welcome Home plan in the UK and it’s the key proposition that will be the proof points in both North America and the UK. And we’ve got a lot more plans in the pipeline and more products and propositions.

bc: The launch 30-second spot doesn’t show your products. Why?

Mackrell: Our point of view in the campaign, on life, is showing how the product can make everyday moments that much richer. People really get an “aha!”moment when they see those. A lot of brands are pushing product and devices per se and not the emotional connection.

It’s strategic, but the product will make a difference in people’s lives. One of the use-based things we’ll do on TV is specific moments in life for entering the smart home.

One of them is when you expand the family—Dad with a newborn baby that has been crying for ages and you don’t want to move a muscle, for instance. So sitting on the sofa, he has his phone in his hand and he can switch off lights and TV and all those different things that you want to do if you’re sitting on a sofa and you want to make it feel like night-time. You don’t need to get out of the chair.

It’ll be very much about the moment and bringing those use cases to life in our integrated campaign.

bc: Are North American consumers enthused about smart home devices or confused? Or both? How can you get beyond the early adopters?

Mackrell: Through use cases. Finding real moments that resonate with real consumers. “Oh, that is for me and I see value to that.” And I think through the Hive Welcome Home plan there are different entry points. We’re giving consumers a real choice in how they can improve it. It’s all about showing the real moments where you can see Hive really working for you.

bc: How are you differentiating Hive from your competitors?

Mackrell: Obviously the brand point of view, our positioning around living brilliantly and our tagline, “Let’s Get Living.” We’re encouraging people to go out there and spend time with the people they love the most and doing the things they enjoy the most, and we can take care of making your life easier and more enjoyable by looking after all the different products in the home.

We’re also coming in as a subscription approach, and that will be very different in the category. That’s the only way that consumers can get Hive. They can’t buy individual products at a one-off price point, it’s a monthly plan. It’s an affordable way in.

bc: What does Apple’s plan to introduce Home Pod, its Siri-based voice-activated speaker, mean to the market?

Mackrell: My understanding is the one they announced in the last few days is another way to access services and that’s what I see for accessing services. It’s no surprise. You can access Hive services through Alexa and Google Home.

We have a hub that’s connected by Wi-Fi but you can access our platform through Alexa by telling her what to do, to create actions to control your Hive services. It’s not a direct competitor. The more companies talking about smart home the more the mainstream (consumer) is likely to pick it up and we can spend more time educating on ‘Why Hive?’

For more on Centrica’s Hive brand and Centrica, watch Salesforce UK’s recent video profile:

Get more branding insights in our Q&A series. Suggest a Q&A: editor@brandchannel.com.

The post Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell appeared first on brandchannel:.

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Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell

Hive, the UK’s leading smart home brand founded by Centrica, a division of British Gas, is now expanding across the pond with a trans-Atlantic marketing campaign and a new global brand platform.

Hive’s new “Let’s Get Living” integrated campaign is rolling out in the US, Canada and the UK, the cornerstone of a £500 million investment by the global energy and services company to expand Centrica’s footprint beyond the UK. It follows the launch of Hive Welcome Home, a starter pack of subscription-based smart home products customized for the three markets.

Discover the Hive smart home and do more of the things you love #LetsGetLiving http://pic.twitter.com/fjnn50zH0y

— Hive Connected Home (@hivehome) June 9, 2017

In a shift in its marketing strategy, Hive’s subscription-based connected home ecosystem is now being promoted to highlight benefits over functions, with the Hive hub at the heart of its smart home and its app enabling remote control. For example: “Imagine turning on your music by walking through your front door. Or switch on the hallway lights by stepping out of your bedroom in the night.”

“There’s still a big job to do to show people how having a smart home enhances daily living, which is what our campaign sets out to do,” stated Nina Bhatia, managing director of Hive parent Centrica Connected Home. “Our brand positioning, creative and our subscription plans are all about freeing people up to help them get more out of life.”

From your home to hers, our MD Nina Bhatia is passionate about making life easier. Get living #likeaboss https://t.co/0iFM7iMeu6 @Forbes

— Hive US (@hive_us) June 12, 2017

Centrica Connected Home has refreshed the Hive brand visual identity and tone of voice, so they enable both emotional and functional storytelling.

“Our aim was to bring the human touch to the Hive brand,” stated Nicky Mackrell, Global Brand and Marketing Director, Centrica Connected Home. “We want everyone to be able to connect with the Hive experience, not just people interested in technology.”

“Our brand is designed to be bright, friendly and approachable.  We’ve focused on vibrant colors and dynamic stories of people in real use case scenarios to shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category.”

“Until now, Hive’s positioning has been focused largely on function, emphasising the ability for the user to control their home,” Mackrell commented to PR Week.

“We wanted to reposition the brand as one that helps people live brilliantly. That the home is a place of enjoyment and Hive is about bringing together products and services to make everyday life effortless and enjoyable.”

The new spot (US version shown above) titled “Perspectives on Life” uses vibrant colors and dynamic stories in real use-case scenarios to “shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category,” Mackrell added. “We want consumers to see themselves in that moment, warm to the bright happiness shown, and have an ah-ha moment. They may not say, oh I need to invest in that right now, but they will think about it.”

In the U.S. and Canada, the spot will run on local broadcast and cable channels including Prime, Sports, Morning News, Prime Access, and Late Fringe. In the UK, it will run (with an English-accented voice-over) on selected major stations including ITV, Channel 4, and Sky1.

Below, Mackrell shares more insights about the new brand positioning and expansion strategy.

bc: What consumer insights are you using to position Hive in the North America smart home segment?

Nicky Mackrell: It’s a category that’s at a tipping point in North America. There’s a number of brands out there that are already talking about smart home services. It’s not mainstream yet. So we did a big study at the end of last year across the US and Canada to really look at what were the barriers. They were the things you’d expect: price was in there. Consumers don’t see yet what the need for it is—”How will this make my life better?” They were the key things.

We know that when people get one of the smart home products that it becomes a bit like a normal part of their life and they start rolling out the services from there. The other thing is tapping into people in an emotional way. People love not just being home but living a life, spending time doing the things we want to be doing. And we can help do that. That was a real category insight also.

We haven’t had a presence in North America, whereas in the UK we’ve had three to four years. It’s a different journey. We’ve launched the Welcome Home plan in the UK and it’s the key proposition that will be the proof points in both North America and the UK. And we’ve got a lot more plans in the pipeline and more products and propositions.

bc: The launch 30-second spot doesn’t show your products. Why?

Mackrell: Our point of view in the campaign, on life, is showing how the product can make everyday moments that much richer. People really get an “aha!”moment when they see those. A lot of brands are pushing product and devices per se and not the emotional connection.

It’s strategic, but the product will make a difference in people’s lives. One of the use-based things we’ll do on TV is specific moments in life for entering the smart home.

One of them is when you expand the family—Dad with a newborn baby that has been crying for ages and you don’t want to move a muscle, for instance. So sitting on the sofa, he has his phone in his hand and he can switch off lights and TV and all those different things that you want to do if you’re sitting on a sofa and you want to make it feel like night-time. You don’t need to get out of the chair.

It’ll be very much about the moment and bringing those use cases to life in our integrated campaign.

bc: Are North American consumers enthused about smart home devices or confused? Or both? How can you get beyond the early adopters?

Mackrell: Through use cases. Finding real moments that resonate with real consumers. “Oh, that is for me and I see value to that.” And I think through the Hive Welcome Home plan there are different entry points. We’re giving consumers a real choice in how they can improve it. It’s all about showing the real moments where you can see Hive really working for you.

bc: How are you differentiating Hive from your competitors?

Mackrell: Obviously the brand point of view, our positioning around living brilliantly and our tagline, “Let’s Get Living.” We’re encouraging people to go out there and spend time with the people they love the most and doing the things they enjoy the most, and we can take care of making your life easier and more enjoyable by looking after all the different products in the home.

We’re also coming in as a subscription approach, and that will be very different in the category. That’s the only way that consumers can get Hive. They can’t buy individual products at a one-off price point, it’s a monthly plan. It’s an affordable way in.

bc: What does Apple’s plan to introduce Home Pod, its Siri-based voice-activated speaker, mean to the market?

Mackrell: My understanding is the one they announced in the last few days is another way to access services and that’s what I see for accessing services. It’s no surprise. You can access Hive services through Alexa and Google Home.

We have a hub that’s connected by Wi-Fi but you can access our platform through Alexa by telling her what to do, to create actions to control your Hive services. It’s not a direct competitor. The more companies talking about smart home the more the mainstream (consumer) is likely to pick it up and we can spend more time educating on ‘Why Hive?’

For more on Centrica’s Hive brand and Centrica, watch Salesforce UK’s recent video profile:

Get more branding insights in our Q&A series. Suggest a Q&A: editor@brandchannel.com.

The post Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell appeared first on brandchannel:.

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Welcome Smart Home: 5 Questions With Hive’s Nicky Mackrell

Hive, the UK’s leading smart home brand founded by Centrica, a division of British Gas, is now expanding across the pond with a trans-Atlantic marketing campaign and a new global brand platform.

Hive’s new “Let’s Get Living” integrated campaign is rolling out in the US, Canada and the UK, the cornerstone of a £500 million investment by the global energy and services company to expand Centrica’s footprint beyond the UK. It follows the launch of Hive Welcome Home, a starter pack of subscription-based smart home products customized for the three markets.

Discover the Hive smart home and do more of the things you love #LetsGetLiving http://pic.twitter.com/fjnn50zH0y

— Hive Connected Home (@hivehome) June 9, 2017

In a shift in its marketing strategy, Hive’s subscription-based connected home ecosystem is now being promoted to highlight benefits over functions, with the Hive hub at the heart of its smart home and its app enabling remote control. For example: “Imagine turning on your music by walking through your front door. Or switch on the hallway lights by stepping out of your bedroom in the night.”

“There’s still a big job to do to show people how having a smart home enhances daily living, which is what our campaign sets out to do,” stated Nina Bhatia, managing director of Hive parent Centrica Connected Home. “Our brand positioning, creative and our subscription plans are all about freeing people up to help them get more out of life.”

From your home to hers, our MD Nina Bhatia is passionate about making life easier. Get living #likeaboss https://t.co/0iFM7iMeu6 @Forbes

— Hive US (@hive_us) June 12, 2017

Centrica Connected Home has refreshed the Hive brand visual identity and tone of voice, so they enable both emotional and functional storytelling.

“Our aim was to bring the human touch to the Hive brand,” stated Nicky Mackrell, Global Brand and Marketing Director, Centrica Connected Home. “We want everyone to be able to connect with the Hive experience, not just people interested in technology.”

“Our brand is designed to be bright, friendly and approachable.  We’ve focused on vibrant colors and dynamic stories of people in real use case scenarios to shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category.”

“Until now, Hive’s positioning has been focused largely on function, emphasising the ability for the user to control their home,” Mackrell commented to PR Week.

“We wanted to reposition the brand as one that helps people live brilliantly. That the home is a place of enjoyment and Hive is about bringing together products and services to make everyday life effortless and enjoyable.”

The new spot (US version shown above) titled “Perspectives on Life” uses vibrant colors and dynamic stories in real use-case scenarios to “shake up what’s traditionally been seen as a device-led category,” Mackrell added. “We want consumers to see themselves in that moment, warm to the bright happiness shown, and have an ah-ha moment. They may not say, oh I need to invest in that right now, but they will think about it.”

In the U.S. and Canada, the spot will run on local broadcast and cable channels including Prime, Sports, Morning News, Prime Access, and Late Fringe. In the UK, it will run (with an English-accented voice-over) on selected major stations including ITV, Channel 4, and Sky1.

Below, Mackrell shares more insights about the new brand positioning and expansion strategy.

bc: What consumer insights are you using to position Hive in the North America smart home segment?

Nicky Mackrell: It’s a category that’s at a tipping point in North America. There’s a number of brands out there that are already talking about smart home services. It’s not mainstream yet. So we did a big study at the end of last year across the US and Canada to really look at what were the barriers. They were the things you’d expect: price was in there. Consumers don’t see yet what the need for it is—”How will this make my life better?” They were the key things.

We know that when people get one of the smart home products that it becomes a bit like a normal part of their life and they start rolling out the services from there. The other thing is tapping into people in an emotional way. People love not just being home but living a life, spending time doing the things we want to be doing. And we can help do that. That was a real category insight also.

We haven’t had a presence in North America, whereas in the UK we’ve had three to four years. It’s a different journey. We’ve launched the Welcome Home plan in the UK and it’s the key proposition that will be the proof points in both North America and the UK. And we’ve got a lot more plans in the pipeline and more products and propositions.

bc: The launch 30-second spot doesn’t show your products. Why?

Mackrell: Our point of view in the campaign, on life, is showing how the product can make everyday moments that much richer. People really get an “aha!”moment when they see those. A lot of brands are pushing product and devices per se and not the emotional connection.

It’s strategic, but the product will make a difference in people’s lives. One of the use-based things we’ll do on TV is specific moments in life for entering the smart home.

One of them is when you expand the family—Dad with a newborn baby that has been crying for ages and you don’t want to move a muscle, for instance. So sitting on the sofa, he has his phone in his hand and he can switch off lights and TV and all those different things that you want to do if you’re sitting on a sofa and you want to make it feel like night-time. You don’t need to get out of the chair.

It’ll be very much about the moment and bringing those use cases to life in our integrated campaign.

bc: Are North American consumers enthused about smart home devices or confused? Or both? How can you get beyond the early adopters?

Mackrell: Through use cases. Finding real moments that resonate with real consumers. “Oh, that is for me and I see value to that.” And I think through the Hive Welcome Home plan there are different entry points. We’re giving consumers a real choice in how they can improve it. It’s all about showing the real moments where you can see Hive really working for you.

bc: How are you differentiating Hive from your competitors?

Mackrell: Obviously the brand point of view, our positioning around living brilliantly and our tagline, “Let’s Get Living.” We’re encouraging people to go out there and spend time with the people they love the most and doing the things they enjoy the most, and we can take care of making your life easier and more enjoyable by looking after all the different products in the home.

We’re also coming in as a subscription approach, and that will be very different in the category. That’s the only way that consumers can get Hive. They can’t buy individual products at a one-off price point, it’s a monthly plan. It’s an affordable way in.

bc: What does Apple’s plan to introduce Home Pod, its Siri-based voice-activated speaker, mean to the market?

Mackrell: My understanding is the one they announced in the last few days is another way to access services and that’s what I see for accessing services. It’s no surprise. You can access Hive services through Alexa and Google Home.

We have a hub that’s connected by Wi-Fi but you can access our platform through Alexa by telling her what to do, to create actions to control your Hive services. It’s not a direct competitor. The more companies talking about smart home the more the mainstream (consumer) is likely to pick it up and we can spend more time educating on ‘Why Hive?’

For more on Centrica’s Hive brand and Centrica, watch Salesforce UK’s recent video profile:

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