#I keep thinking I need to write my book first so I get a copyright but that's a lot of work man

[scarletwinterxx]

the grumpy cat's secret soft side - chwe hansol imagine

hiiii ~ tbh i liveeee for the black cat turn into golden retriever type of guy🥺😭😅 this one is soooo cute, i hope you like it🤍 i’m trying to make up for being gone in the past weeks hence why the back to back posts.

for my other svt fics, check them here

if you want, u can buy me coffee(totally optional but any donation is very much appreciated!) thank you🥺💛

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2024 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

(pics not mine, credits to rightful owner)

You’re hanging out with your friends at a café, and, as usual, Vernon is sitting at a corner table, a frown fixed on his face. His arms are crossed, his eyes barely leaving the book he's reading, and his presence is just… intense. You know the drill—no one dares to approach him unless absolutely necessary.

Your friends chatter away, but their eyes keep flicking toward Vernon, trying to gauge the seriousness of his aura. You can practically hear them whispering:

"Does he even smile? He looks like he's plotting something dark."

"I bet he has some secret double life where he's a villain or something."

You roll your eyes, amused by the misconception. Sure, Vernon has this reputation of being the "grumpy cat". The guy who scowls at anyone who dares to speak to him but you know the real Vernon. The one who’s soft, playful, and okay, maybe a little too clingy when you're alone.

You sip your coffee, trying not to laugh at the thought of what they would say if they knew. They think Vernon is all sharp edges and cool indifference, but when it’s just the two of you? He’s a total golden retriever.

Later, the café empties out, and it’s just you and Vernon. You lean against the table, watching him flick through his book, clearly trying to seem like he's deep in thought.

"You know, you should really smile once in a while. People are starting to think you're some kind of cold-hearted villain."

He grunts in response, his eyes not leaving the pages "I don’t need to impress anyone. Why pretend to be something I’m not?"

You can feel the smile tugging at your lips. If only they knew how dramatically different he was when no one else was around. Just the other night, he’d insisted on cooking you dinner and then gotten mad at the TV when you laughed at a cooking show he didn’t even like. 

And the way his voice softens when he talks to you? Don’t even get you started.

"Mhm, sure. Just make sure no one sees you with your 'scary' persona, or they'll think you’re a supervillain." you tease him, a playful smile on your face

Vernon finally looks up at you, raising an eyebrow.

"You do realize you're the only one who gets to see me not acting like a 'villain,' right?"

You grin, taking a casual sip from your drink.

"Yeah, lucky me."

Fast forward to a few days later. You're out with Vernon and a few friends, walking through the park when you trip over a crack in the pavement. It's not that big of a fall, but you scrape your knee, and it stings just a little.

No one notices at first—except Vernon. His eyes snap to you, and you can see the panic flicker across his face. 

Before you can even fully recover from the stumble, he’s already by your side, crouching down with an expression that can only be described as dramatic concern.

"Oh my god, are you okay?! Did you hurt yourself?"

You blink, slightly surprised at how intense he’s reacting. He’s usually so calm in public, but now his eyes are wide, his hand hovering near your knee like he’s afraid even the slightest touch might cause more harm.

"It’s just a scrape, Vernon. I’m fine." you stutter, still surprised by his actions

He shakes his head vigorously, ignoring your reassurances, his face completely serious.

"No. You’re not. You're bleeding, and... you’re my responsibility!"

You blink at him wide eyed, "It’s really just a small scratch. It's not like—"

"Small?!" He looks at the tiniest red mark like it’s an open wound that could be fatal. His voice grows louder. "You’re going to need a bandage! I’ll—I'll carry you home!"

You can’t help but laugh at how over the top he’s being. The guy who looks like he’s plotting world domination in front of others is now losing it over a scraped knee. But he doesn’t seem to find it funny at all.

"Do not laugh! You’re injured, and this is serious business." he scolds you, already helping you up still chuckling, as he holds out his arms like he’s ready to scoop you up at any moment.

"I don’t need you to carry me, Vernon. I can walk." you assure him

"I insist." 

He’s so dramatic about it that it almost seems like he’s going to faint from the sheer concern he’s radiating.

"Is he seriously offering to carry you?" Dino asks, watching the whole scene

“What the hell is happening?" Seungkwan mumbles

You hear your friends muttering from the sidelines, their voices full of surprise, and you can’t help but smirk. This is the first time they’ve seen Vernon act this way, and they’re all shook by it.

"Vernon, seriously. I’m fine!"

But he’s already kneeling in front of you, looking up at you with wide, concerned eyes, ready to scoop you up into his arms like you're the most fragile thing in the world.

"Nope. I’m not risking it. Let’s go home. You need rest, and I need to make sure you’re not going to pass out or something."

You can’t hold back your laughter anymore."You're impossible."

"I’m just trying to keep you safe."

You finally let him win, letting him gently lift you as if you’re the most precious thing in the world, completely ignoring the curious stares from everyone else around. And despite how embarrassing this all is, you can’t deny it. You love how much Vernon cares about you. The "grumpy cat" persona is a total act.

You lean your head on his chest, feeling the warmth of his embrace.

"You know, I’ve never seen this side of you before."

"Good. Keep it that way. I’m only like this for you, got it?" voice full of seriousness

"Got it."

And in that moment, you realize, as much as Vernon tries to hide it from the world, he’s completely smitten with you—and you wouldn't have it any other way.

[writingquestionsanswered]

I'm planning on publishing my written fiction online in both Portuguese (my native language) and in English (the other language I speak which might help to share the story with more people), but something is worrying me.

I watched a movie where the a main character (a writer) had a book that wasn't popular and another character "translated" into her language (what she actually did was rewrite it as an erotic novel) and the book was super loved there (the readers didn't know the book was supposed to be different)

Sometimes I see artists who allow fans to share translations of their comics, but I'm concerned on what could happen if someone asked for permission to translate. Do you think it's worth the risk of someone making my story popular with something that goes against my values, like supporting disregard to a human right or making it erotic when it was supposed to be family-friendly?

Worried About Fan Translations

I want to be clear that this advice is specific to fiction published online versus e-books or print books, which are a different matter entirely. First and foremost, if you post a story online, give permission to a fan to translate it, and then they rewrite it into something else, that is plagiarism and a copyright violation, and you have every right to ask them to take it down. If they refuse to cooperate, you can threaten them with a lawsuit, even if you don't really have the means to follow through. That could be enough to get them to take it down. If not you can report them to the platform for stealing your work. You can also let your fans know that this person has stolen your work and to please block them or refuse to engage with them.

If you post a story online and are approached by a fan who asks to translate it into their native language, there are some things you can do to potentially protect yourself:

1 - Do not give them permission to post the translation on their own account. Thank them for their offer and let them know you're happy to let them translate the story, but they will need to e-mail it to you so you can have it vetted and post it on your own account with credit. Be clear that you do not give them permission to post a translation on their own account. That way, not only does it dissuade people who are only interested in plagiarism or benefiting off your hard work, it also means you keep full control of your story and its translations.

2 - Do your best to vet the translation. You can try to find a beta reader who is fluent in that language who can read it and make sure it's a good translation, though you'll likely have to pay them, which is worth it to make sure the translation is accurate. Or you could copy chunks of the story into Google Translate, which isn't a great translation service, but at least you'll see right away if the person has added erotica or written anything that's drastically different.

3 - Do your best to vet the translator. Another thing you can do is try to vet the translator. Ask them if they've ever translated a story before, and if so, ask them for examples. Look at their account and see if they have posted other translations or have posted links to translations. Investigate the authors of the stories they translated and see if there are any complaints. Read through the comments of the original story and the translation (you may again have to use Google Translate if it's a language you're not familiar with... not perfect, but just fine for this application...) are similar. If a lot of comments on the translation mention elements that aren't mentioned in the source story comments, that's a potential red flag.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[blushpawss]

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄 ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ

ᡣ𐭩 masterlist .ᐟ ᡣ𐭩 wattpad .ᐟ

hi lovelies! 𖹭

i’m yuzu — a 21-year-old asian writer who’s just here to spread cozy vibes ~ currently working on love and deepspace, my fics are all fluff, zero angst/tension/smut. this blog? strictly sweet moments, no drama. just here to make hearts smile — one cute story at a time!

when i’m not lost in my stories, i’m probably curled up with a good book or vibing to my fav music. oh, and i’ve got an adorable orange kitty named garfield, who somehow always knows when i need a mood boost ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ !

english isn’t my first language, but hey, i’m working on it — one word at a time. writing feels like my personal little adventure. sure, progress is slow, but hey, at least i’m getting somewhere… right?

anyways, welcome to fluffy paradise! if you’re here for the fluff, stay for the feel good vibes 🩷✨️ ～

𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ

1. no reposting

please don’t repost my work anywhere without my permission! sharing the original link is totally fine, but reposting the content itself is a no-go.

2. translations

translations of my fanfics are okay, but only with proper credit! please credit me as the original author and link back to the original post. just let me know if you plan to translate anything!

+ any unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of my works without permission is prohibited.

3. copyright notice

all the content here is my original work, so let’s keep it real! i love when you share and enjoy my stories, but please don’t claim them as your own. we all love a little kindness, right?

4. fluff only

this blog is strictly for fluffy content — no angst, tension or even smut in sight. if you want something edgier, head over to my main blog, @sushiyuzu

5. no hate

this is where readers and writers can enjoy soft, comforting content. if you’re bringing hate or negativity, you can leave that at the door. let’s keep it kind and supportive!

6. requests [ closed ]

fanfic requests are currently closed! thanks for your interest, but i’m taking a break from new requests for now. keep an eye out for updates when i’m back!

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ

i love hearing what you think about my work! comments, reblogs, and constructive feedback? always welcome! let’s keep the love flowing and support one another! 🩷

curious or have questions? just swing by my third blog @salmonyuzu ᡣ𐭩 ～

and of course, don’t miss out on my ongoing sylus fic book! go check it out if you haven’t already — it’s a journey you won’t want to miss!

[yallthemwitches]

Hey!

First off, I just gotta say I’m a huge fan of your Lily and James stories, especially the smutty ones, haha. I love them! Seriously, I adore my smutty jilys and can’t wait to see what else you have in store for them. I’ve been reading your fics for a while now, and I’m totally hooked – your writing is amazing!

Speaking of which, what do you think of CH darling and their story The Last Enemy? I’m absolutely hooked, even though I know they’re taking their time with the next book (TLE 3 confirmed). I’m dying for it to be published, but I get it – every writer needs their space. Still, the wait is killing me, haha. I’ve been reading their stuff for years, and after all this time, I finally worked up the courage to message them, and they were so sweet in their reply.

And of course, I really want to thank you so much for always responding to my writing requests and ideas. You’re awesome! You always deliver and make my day with your stories.

I just wanted to say that, right now, you and CH darling are my two absolute favorite writers, and I’m always looking forward to what’s next from both of you. I seriously love everything you write!

Sending you a big hug, hope you’re having an awesome day!

Love ❤️

So, I had to step away from this message and hold my heart for a minute because, wow. Uhm. THANK YOU.

I'm sure you're aware but The Last Enemy is my biblical jily and marauders. period. end of story. I've been reading jily fics since I was a stinky 13 year old and I've never found a fic that felt so close to canon that honestly jkr should just give copyright to chdarling and call it a day.

To even have someone say that @chdarling and I are their favorite writers is insane. More than insane. Like you don't understand, I'd cut off my own hand to have half the talent she has for cobbling a plot together, weaving in character povs, political commentary, obscure canon references AND keeping it succinct for THAT long. My god. So thank you, I actually might tear up. I am not worthy.

So you can imagine I am not doing well waiting for TLE3 but I respect her needing the space and time and I totally understand where she's coming from when she says it's hard to find motivation to write while the world is literally on fire. Do I very selfishly wish she would say 'fuck it' and release what she already has? Absolutely- would ritually sacrifice a small child for it-but again, life comes first and I'm already so thankful for everything she's given us. I also mad respect her for using her platform during this hiatus to keep people politically aware and involved. Absolute queen.

I hope you know she has little snippets here and there on her tumblr which I always go back to reread when I just need a little pick me up in the day. Her jily just is so flawless...(ok, I'll stop gushing.)

Anyways, again THANK YOU SO SO MUCH. I know thanks can sometimes sound hollow but I honestly don't know how people even continue to read what I write. Every message in my inbox or comment or kudos or like or whatever feels like a little firefly fluttering in my heart in the greatest of ways.

[londonfoginacup]

Dude I’m slogging my way through a batch of books from the 1800s trying to figure out if they’re out of copyright or not and that’s TOO HARD so I’m just gonna post about something totally unrelated I’ve been thinking about.

I haven’t actually seen it in this fandom at all but probably because our fandom didn’t exist pre- 2010. But like there’s been a general *idea* circulating recently that fic authors are *too sensitive* now and in the old livejournal/forum days people *begged* for critiques on their fics. They think it’s insane that we, the authors of today, keep telling people to stop being assholes and putting negative comments on fics.

And first of all, I’ve got sort of a “and then everybody clapped” mentality about it. Like I’m just side eyeing anyone who’s like “yeah I wanted everyone to give me HARSH FEEDBACK so I could IMPROVE” as if Hans Christian Andersen himself didn’t lay down in the mud and cry when he read a bad review. It is not in human nature to be like “here is my precious child now everyone give her a good prodding with a knife”. It’s just not.

But ALSO you know what was DIFFERENT about LJ days? The community was SMALLER. I might be more willing to risk some negative critiques if the fandom is just me and, say, 300 other people who are so insanely into said fandom that they’ll track down a fucking livejournal community for it. Fandom is SO accessible now that 1. The Normal People (no offense) are involved and 2. Much YOUNGER people are involved. And that’s a big demographic shift!! (Okay “normal people” needs explained but like. A quick explanation being that fandom used to be for the people who would unabashedly say “squee” and “glomp” and wear cat ears in public. If you are not that level of brazen you may be slightly on the normal side. It’s not bad. It’s just different).

Like I personally do not want a negative critique left by someone who hasn’t figured out that a negative critique isn’t “I didn’t like this plot so the fic sucks”. I TOOK A CLASS ON CRITIQUE IN COLLEGE. I do not expect a high schooler who stumbled upon my fic to be able to leave a helpful negative critique! They’re new to this!

But also like. I’m gonna be real. I don’t care what a stranger thinks of my fic. If they post a negative critique on my fic and I read it and I cry, that’s not me caring about what a stranger thinks, that’s me walking along and being punched in the face by a stranger. I still don’t care what the stranger thinks but I will be getting a restraining order bc I don’t want that to happen.

I *will* sometimes go to my friends whom I *trust* and say “hey this fic is a mess pls help” and they DO they say HELPFUL THINGS. And maybe that’s actually what Fandom Olds are thinking of. Because in a small fandom community you can TRUST people! Like being in a church of 20 where everyone has known everyone for forever versus being in a mega church of thousands. I’m not gonna trust a rando in a mega church. I’m gonna trust Linda from the tiny neighborhood church because she makes the best pizza casserole and she cat sat for me once. Expecting critique in a tiny livejournal community =/= expecting critique in the vast ocean of ao3.

Anyway I’m getting on a tangent. The point is, is authors aren’t *weak* for not wanting negative critique. It’s natural. I don’t know you or your history with fic. I will take comments and compliments because that is fuel in the fire of a writer’s heart. That’s symbiosis. I will not let you prune my writing tree with big loppers because I don’t even know if you’re a tree surgeon, and pruning a tree in the wrong places KILLS IT. DON’T BE A TREE KILLER. Yes this is two completely unrelated metaphors. No im not changing my them.

[davidmariottecomics]

It's Weird Being Between Two Jobs

Hi there and happy new year! 

Title kinda says it all in this week's blog, but the strangeness of this time in my life is really settling in. 

Just because of how things worked out with leaving IDW and starting the new job, I ended up with a little under a month of free time. And the first week and some change of that was the end of the year holiday season. But the past week has been me sort of watching from the outside as people started going back to work. I did finish up some additional new hire paperwork, but that took maybe an hour total and I'm still over a week from starting the new gig. It's an odd space to be in. I'm not working for anyone--I'm not getting a paycheck (and am currently sort of living this month off of my last IDW paycheck plus paid out time-off)--but I'm also not so far removed from a gig as to be strictly freelance. 

And to be totally honest, I don't know that I really like it. I am not great at having free time. I like the idea of free time. I like the idea of having time to write for myself or relax with my hobbies. But I am not great at the latter and the former betrays the fact that even with my free time, I'm often trying to switch into work mode. Heck, at the end of the day, my starting this blog and crossposting it as a newsletter/Tumblr/Patreon is all influenced by my not being good at not at least trying to be productive with my free time. 

If you're also someone who has been working from home and especially if you've been working from home freelance, I'm sure you know all the complications of the domestic and recreational life against your job and probably are familiar with how helpful routine and scheduling is with all that. Right now, I'm freeform. I don't want to just use my old habits--the advantage of time off is specifically that I can break a 9-5 M-F format--but I feel like I don't have enough time to start building new routines. So, it's been a challenging couple of weeks. I have not done nearly as much as I think I'd like to have at this point, but I also keep needing to remind myself that I have done a number of things that were on my to-do list and that it's okay to have time off for myself. 

As such, instead of a really specific blog on something of late, let me share a couple quick bits that've been on my mind. 

The Anti-EGOT I recently finished a big relisten of season 2 of Dungeons & Daddies and in the intro to the show of one episode, Anthony Burch introduced the idea of an Anti-EGOT. I think he retroactively changed it in a later episode, but the general idea was to be a writer in four of the least respected mediums and not win an award for any of it. I believe, in the initial mention, the idea was the four mediums of choice would be video games, comic books, podcasts, and pornography (with wrestling being retroactively either added or replacing one of these, but I don't think I'm much of one to write for wrestling). Honestly, that kinda sounds like a dream to me. As I was listening to this stuff in the run-up to the new year, there was a part of me thinking "is going for the Anti-EGOT my resolution"? And I ultimately decided, no. I don't think that's a good resolution, but it is sort of my stretch goal for the year. If I can write in all those fields, get paid for it, and not win any awards (or, y'know... do) in my lifetime, I'll be pretty stoked. 

What my actual goal for the year would be is I want to try to release 6 comics. Different lengths and varieties. I'm not currently anticipating having that be like a single mini-series or whatever, but I want to try to do more in comics with what I am producing. And if I can maybe branch out into one of those other areas this year, even if it doesn't have a release for another year or more, I'd be cool with that too. 

Steamboat Willie Last year, you may've read my four part explainer about copyright! One thing that is repeatedly touched on there is the public domain and what all that means. Obviously, this year, Steamboat Willie and two other Mickey Mouse shorts entered the public domain. And it's been really interesting to watch that play out a little. It seemed like--and I know it's only been a week--most everyone got it out of their systems within the first 2-3 days of the year. A lot of that probably goes to Steamboat Willie and those early shorts not actually being all that interesting (fun, but very story-light). A lot of it goes to so much of what people would want to do with "Steamboat Willie" is either already legal because it falls under parody, is not actually meant to be sellable in any way, or was knocked out in a day. A lot of it too probably goes to how unclear what counts as public domain remains. For a character like Mickey, people have been pointing out are you using elements that were added after 1928 or treading on issues of trademark that are not copyright and are not as available. I am very curious to watch how this continues to play out this year (if it does), how things develop next year, and in the next couple of years, watch how things fall in preparation for about a decade from now when more of the early Disney catalog will be public domain (including Snow White) and other major companies start having some of their big hits become PD (like, say, Superman). 

I'm also kinda bummed to have not seen any immediate announcements/releases of new comic versions of Lady Chatterly's Lover like there were of The Great Gatsby or anything. That's the other really interesting/wild thing about this year--to me, it seems like the majority of the fuss was around the Mouse and the things that've remained popular in part due to the mouse, Peter Pan and Tigger. I have not seen nearly enough talk about One Million Cats or any of the film or music. 

Post-Twitter

The other day, Diana Sousa was asking on Bluesky (and Twitter, I guess), if Twitter is still the major non-convention way that comics editors discover new talent. And I responded as someone who is NO LONGER ON TWITTER but who is still needing to have discoverability of comics artists. I said, part of it is I am on other socials. I see new folks on Bluesky or Instagram or whatever. I also keep an eye on various databases--you don't have to be on Twitter to have access to #VisibleWomen or the Cartoonist Cooperative database or Cartoonists of Color or the Queer Cartoonist Database or the Disabled Cartoonist Database or any of these many sorts of resources. Something I didn't mention there, but will mention here is when you've got a company email address, you've often got agents of various sorts emailing you about talent, internal talent databases and/or recruiter-type folks, sharing info with other editors (and, y'know, I've in the past shared talent who I didn't have a gig for with editor friends at other companies because I thought they'd be a good fit). 

As I've mentioned before, the lack of access to talent was why I did wait so long to delete my Twitter (and also wanting to make sure I had ways of keeping up with world events and following non-comics people). But, genuinely, I am not stressing over continuing to find new people now that I've been without it for a little bit and know I've got a system.  Check Yourself for Midjourney Training Hey, speaking of my explainer on copyright and the lengths of time therein I talk about how "AI" is a tool of theft and companies trying to avoid paying artists for the use of their copyrighted works, the lawsuit against Midjourney's resulted in a list of names of "artists" they've scraped. Now, I only put "artists" in quotes because the list was made by incompetent tech bros and/or their clueless lawyers, and so there are a number of writers listed who do not particularly do art but where you can extrapolate that the artists they work with were scraped as well as companies, systems, game platforms, etc. While I understand that of course lawsuits are expensive, I do know a number of artists have been reaching out to the lawfirm of the existing suit and seeking to join the case as plaintiffs. If you're a visual artist, probably worth the time to double-check and, if you can, do something about it. 

Okay, I think that's it for this week! See ya next time! 

What I enjoyed this week: Dungeons & Daddies (Podcast), Reverse 1999 (Video Game), Nancy (Comic), Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links (Video Game), Baldur's Gate III (Video Game), Blank Check (Podcast), Spy x Family (Manga), How to Read Nancy (Book), Hitman 2 (Video Game), Pokemon Conceirge (Cartoon), Ted Lasso (TV show, finally started season 3), Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Movie--can you tell I'm in a D&D mood?), The Floor (TV show), my new discord (friends can ask for access!), sending out some feeler emails for new projects and getting to do at least a little bit of writing for myself.  

New Releases this week (1/3/2024): Sonic the Hedgehog #68 (Editor)

Announcements: The Cartoonist Cooperative is still doing E-Sim cards for Gaza and at least 500 people have shown their proof of donation. You can donate a digital sim card so that residents can get access to the internet and have more functional phones and, in exchange, get some comics or a drawing or whatever else is available from the many participating artists. 

You can also give more directly. Things are obviously still very bad in Gaza as we've hit 3 full months of them being under siege. Over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, including plenty of women and children. Israel has killed more journalists than any single conflict in my lifetime. They are attacking not just Gaza and the West Bank, but other neighboring countries. I hope the Internatioal Court of Justice can help bring this to an end, but in the meantime, the US has significant influence over the situation (between internatioal political power and the weapons and money we're sending as both a nation and that are being sent my many corporations in the US). You can call or fax or email or show up at the offices of your representatives to demand a ceasefire or to protest their inaction so far or to throw eggs at the president for participating in and encouraging a genocide. You should keep aware of actions, demonstrations, protests, and celebrations in your community too. Given the nature of the things, they often come together fairly quickly, so do exercise your due diligence. Also, of course, being informed and just giving your time to Palestinian journalists and writers is incredibly valuable. I don't tend to be a big TikTok fan, but it has proven to be one of the most reliable resources for firsthand accounts of what's happening on the ground. 

Meanwhile, Becca's got their first show of the year next weekend, 1/13 at Alesmith for a mini-con with BizBaz! Come pick up some new for 2024 stuff! Also, they've still got a little room in their schedule for this year, so get them for your comic project before it's too late! 

Finally, calling out my Patreon again as well as my webstore (final stock on basically everything there except Jimmy Squarefoot), my Kofi, and my eBay account as I am between paychecks for a while and those are other ways you can support me! 

Pic of the Week: We went to one of our favorite local restaurants, Rakitori in Hillcrest. They had a spicy cheesy tonkatsu ramen and I'm not a food picture guy usually, but I did quite like this photo and I'm actually very fortunate we ate there at the tail end of 2023, otherwise I'd have already eaten the best meal of 2024. 

[braveclementine]

Chapter 1

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (However they are very few so those under the age of 18 can still read a majority of this book. However please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

🧡🧡 🧡 🧡 🧡  

𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 a nice, pleasant conversation with Severus. By nice, pleasant conversation, I meant that my lips, and his lips, were touching and he was holding me in a way that made me want to stay there forever.

But we couldn't. Dad would probably kill me- or Severus- if he walked in on us. Considering he lived here, there was a very high chance of us being discovered.

I lowered my lips from his and said, "You should probably go. Dad'll be looking for me now that the meeting is over." I whispered. A lovely shiver went over me as his lips went to the side of my neck. My hands, which were on the front of his robes, curled into fists, pulling him closer to me.

"In a minute." he whispered. I grinned as he brought his lips back up to touch mine. I closed my eyes and fell deeper into the kiss. I could just barely feel the tip of his tongue on my bottom lip.

"Alright." he said, pulling away as we both gasped slightly for air. "Now, I'll go."

I got up from the chair and he stood and ran a hand through his hair. "It looks fine." I said, handing his his traveling cloak. I, meanwhile, checked myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess. I quickly smoothed it down. Severus kissed the top of my head.

"I'll see you later." He said, his fingers trailing across my cheek.

"Bye." I said and he left the room.

Once he was gone, I felt happy for a little longer before the depression I'd been suppressing set back in. I took in a shuddering breath and tried to push Cedric's death out of my mind.

I went to the dresser in the corner, in the room I got to myself, and quickly pulled out parchment, ink, and a quill. The only way to get my mind off Cedric's death was to write to Harry.

Harry wasn't here. Dumbledore didn't want him here yet. I thought it was bloody stupid that we weren't allowed to tell him a damn thing. There was a large injustice to it. If it wasn't for Harry, none of us would've known that Cedric was dead- or Harry for that matter. And because of that, we wouldn't have known Voldemort was back. (Well except for the fact that I had visions and would've told them unless Peter had managed to get to me before Severus). So, I tried to tell him as much as possible.

In the first couple weeks of June, Dad and I had stayed at our house and I had been really glad about this. Sirius had stayed with us and I had gotten to hang out with Trang every day. I had also explained every detail of last year to her.

Trang had been very alarmed about Voldemort rising- she'd accepted my story without questions. She was also alarmed that I'd been tortured to stop me from preventing the rise of Voldemort, and that a student, my best friend in the Hufflepuff house, had been killed.

I clenched my quill as an image of Cedric lay, eagle-spread on dead grass and dirt, eyes open and blank entered my mind. I quickly pushed it out of my head, trying to think of him alive, soaring on his broom, chasing a snitch, racing me, dancing with me- but even thinking of him alive was painful. A tear dropped onto the parchment. I cursed and tossed the parchment in the trash. I didn't need Harry knowing I'd been crying while I wrote to him.

But now, Dumbledore had made Sirius move into 12, Grimmauld Place. Dad had moved in as well, mostly to keep Sirius company, and so had the Weasley family- minus Percy- and also Hermione. But that meant that I was far away from Trang, for Trang had not moved into the house, and Dad had told both of us that it wasn't a good idea for either of us.

So, we had to contend ourselves to sending letters and only seeing each other on Saturday and Sunday when Dad would let me go back to the house using side-along apparation- we were never allowed to use the floo network.

I knew what it was like to be trapped and so this is why I wrote to Harry telling him as much as possible.

Now we were in the second week of July and today I wrote:

Dear Harry, I know you're looking for information on Voldemort or what's going on. It's hard to say, you know? But you deserve to know so I'm going to try my best. I know you've been watching the Muggle news and getting the Daily Prophet. No, the Daily Prophet is never going to print anything about Voldemort- Fudge won't let them. Voldemort, we've decided, is laying low so you're not going to hear anything on the Muggle news either. I know you're frustrated with Ron, Hermione, and Sirius for not giving you more information. I would find it frustrating as well considering you are the one that came back to tell us Voldemort is here. I've asked Dad to ask Dumbledore to let you come but Dumbledore keeps saying 'not yet'. I don't know what he's playing at. You should probably know, so you're not surprised, that Dumbledore has people following you. I won't share their names just in case, you know? We also aren't at the Burrow, so, while I know you're tempted to fly there- don't. I'm not allowed in the meetings so I don't know what the adults are talking about. It's stupid really. I thought Sirius would let me in even if dad wouldn't, but even Sirius seems to want to keep me out. Says I've been through enough. Bloody hell Harry, I know for a fact he'd let you in the conversation in a minute! It's so unfair! But I won't talk about unfair while you're stuck there and I'm at least here. Even Severus won't tell me anything! (Professor Snape). I'm trying to see if Dad will let me come and visit. I haven't asked yet. I'll let you know soon. I'll send this the minute Sadie comes back from visiting Trang (or if Hedwig shows up before Sadie gets back). I won't tell you to be a good boy or stay out of trouble (though I hope you do). But it is of utmost importance you do your best not to use any magic. The Ministry would love an excuse to put you on trial and expel you from Hogwarts. I'd tell you to stay inside at all times but I can't because I'm inside at all times and it sucks. Write soon, love, Elizabeth

Yes, that looked about right. I was giving him information- Voldemort wasn't doing anything, people were following him, meetings. . . but not too much information.

I set the parchment aside and heard a knock on my door. I quickly pulled some runes homework onto my desk and said, "Come in!"

Dad came in, closing the door behind him. My eyes quickly scanned the bedroom in case Severus had left anything but he hadn't and my eyes flicked back up to Dad. "Meeting done?" I asked a bit coldly, turning back to my homework.

"Elizabeth." Dad said in a warning voice, "You know perfectly well why I won't let you into the meetings."

Yes. Because I had a tendency to try and take things into my own hands and dad was afraid I was going to do something rash and dangerous with the information.

"Besides." Dad continued in a soothing voice, "Fred and George aren't allowed to attend and they're two years older than you."

"Yeah, but you're not supposed to keep me out of stuff." I said grumpily. "We promised not to lie to each other."

"I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble and that's what I'm doing. And it's not lying, it's just not telling you more than you need to know." Dad said sternly. "Now, have you seen Professor Snape?"

My cheeks flushed red. Bloody hell. "Why would I have seen S- Professor Snape?" I asked, letting my hair fall down the left side of my face so Dad didn't see the flush on my cheeks.

Dad sighed. "Alright Elizabeth. We need to talk about this."

"No we don't." I snapped, standing up angrily. "Don't you think your being a bit unfair?" I regretted the words the minute I said them. I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated and sat back down, my anger blown out. "Sorry." I muttered. "I didn't mean that."

"Parents need to keep dangerous things from children." Dad said, standing before me. "but children are never supposed to keep things from parents because they could be doing something that is dangerous."

I narrowed my eyes. "Well maybe you're right about that, but then again, it's a good thing I'm no longer a child."

And I snatched up my letter and stormed out of my bedroom. It was Friday. I couldn't wait for tomorrow. I was going to go straight to Trang's and not come back ever again. Except I said this every Friday when I got angry with Dad, and then ended up coming back because I missed him.

I went up the stairs, retreating from the rest of the house. And then up another flight of stairs into Buckbeak's empty room. Buckbeak was so used to me, I didn't even have to bow anymore. I locked the door behind me and went and sat down next to Buckbeak, petting his feathers.

Sadie flew into the room, dropping a letter into my lap from Trang. She saw the other letter next to me all folded up and ready for mail and stuck out her leg.

"You don't want to rest first?" I asked softly.

She hooted and kept her leg out. I tied Harry's letter to her leg and I kissed her head. "Safe flight Sadie."

She flew out of the room and I leaned my head against Buckbeak, closing my eyes to rest.

🧡🧡 🧡 🧡 🧡  

𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖐𝖊 𝖚𝖕 to someone carrying me into my room. "Dad you're going to hurt your back." I muttered, my eyes fluttering open to see his drawn face.

"No I'm not." he muttered stubbornly.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." I said sleepily. I really was sorry. I hated when dad and I fought.

"And I'm sorry I called you a child." Dad said though he sounded more amused than anything else.

"Well I guess I can't blame you when I throw childish fits." I muttered.

Dad sighed, laying me down in my bed, pulling the covers over me and sitting on the edge of my bed. "I haven't tucked you in since you were ten." A pause and then, "I am sorry I'm keeping you out of the meetings. I just don't want you to get hurt Elizabeth."

"I know Dad." I said, taking his hand. "I get it, I'm just. . . just frustrated I think. . ."

Dad bent down and kissed my forehead and left his lips there for a second longer and then pulled away. "Good night sweetheart."

"Night dad." I said sleepily.

The door clicked closed softly. I lay awake, my eyes looking up at the ceiling above me. Slowly, I sat up. I crept to the door and looked out both ways, making sure no one was there. Then, I crept back into bed and opened up a side dresser drawer. I pulled out the charm bracelet that I had gotten from Fred in my first year. On it were charms from Cedric and Fred. I fingered the charms on the bracelet that were from Cedric, my pointer finger resting on the Snitch.

'Your going to make a great seeker one day, Elizabeth, I can feel it.' Cedric's voice seemed to whisper through the air. I swallowed hard and tossed the bracelet back in the drawer and buried my head my pillow, my sorrow overwhelming. I took in a shuddering breath and did my best to fall asleep.

⬅️➡️

[rainbowchewynuggets]

Update - re: Focus and Rags

So remember how I said I’d be working on my first original comic next, Rags, now that I’m done with TMA: Encore?

I haven’t actually worked on it in months. I’ve instead been hopping between other writing projects and working on a much less conceptually complicated video project.

And that makes me feel terrible. But the thing is, I’m not sure I should feel that way.

On this edition of I’m Having to Rethink the Way I Learned to Make Art and Am Posting About It to Organize My Thoughts and Maybe Help Someone Else, I’m gonna be considering the entire purpose of why I make art. Wheeee here we go.

POINT ONE: The Thing vs. the Making of the Thing

So I was raised to make art as an object, not an action. Any project needs to have a beginning, middle, and end, or else it’s a failure. I accepted that because people encouraged it. Having a finished piece that people would appreciate made me feel good. And I liked having a finished piece of art. The drive to see something sparkling and complete in my hands has pulled me through many a difficult spot in a project.

However, it was always framed to me as a business thing, extended as a self-worth thing. If you want to be an Artist, you have to produce art. You have to sell it effectively. It’s about proving that you deserve the role of making art in the first place. The second I started being “good” at art, people were telling me to cut out the “bad” pieces for my portfolio. And that’s awful. I can’t stand the fact that that’s something someone taught me before I turned ten.

And that’s what Rags is. Was. Is. I had a really low point a couple months ago where I never felt like I’d measure up in life if I didn’t start selling my art. Rags is a fully original idea with a finite scope that could be made into a book and sold, which might bring me closer to the role of Artist. The story and design of it are all tributes to things that I love emotionally and writing it brought me joy, but it was being made out of a fear of failure and inadequacy. That’s... also awful. Honestly. I don’t want to make art for that reason. I may never get to make art full-time or even part-time, but nobody can take away my role as Artist. That’s just not how it works.

Furthermore, I don’t think finishing things even why I make art. I make art because the act of making it does something for me. It’s interesting. It’s educational and a little bit spiritual. It’s a physical stim and meditation activity. Writing feels like a simultaneous act of building and solving a puzzle. Drawing, painting, and sculpting feels like a wild experiment with turning feelings into lines and shapes. Making art about bigger art may be a never-ending copyright firefight, but it helps me process why I like that art.

And therapy. Art’s a great opportunity for therapy. It is the only form of therapy that has ever helped me. Pouring my woes and flaws into the shoes of my characters and then having to research and conceptualize solutions for them to build their arcs is a kind of self-loving praxis that is slowly peeling back layers and layers of trauma and ignorance in me. I want to do it and share it with people forever.

In embracing this, I remembered that my childhood wasn’t all business anxiety. There was also this really cool person making the coolest videos I’d ever seen and giving it out for free on purpose. Her name’s Nina Paley. Go watch Sita Sings the Blues.

POINT TWO: Going in Circles

So having the object of art hasn’t turned out to be as valuable to me as doing the process of art. Which is why I can’t seem to finish anything. Which is because I rapidly switch between projects. “Rapidly” sometimes means spending months on something or an afternoon, it always depends.

This never happened to me as a kid, but it’s been a nonstop occurrence in my adult life. Maybe it’s just that I don’t have eight classes worth of homework to keep my ambitions down anymore, I don’t know. But I always felt bad about it. It’s the kind of thing the kids with ADHD in the seats next to me got yelled at for. And I should get yelled at, because it means I’m never going to get anything done.

Well, no. Because that’s not the point. And fuck them for yelling at people.

Also, I do get a lot done. I looked back at my personal website a few weeks ago and felt floored looking at all the little things I’ve made over the years. No big impressive monetizable comics, but a lot of cool ink drawings, some weird paintings, a big group project, and one music video that I literally still can’t believe I made. (Here’s a link to all that, if you wanna look at it, too.)

I through my docs and found so much fun writing that I’d given up on because I “failed” to finish it. So I went back to them, and now they’re a little bigger and even more beautiful than before.

I did all that amidst the circle-going. Because I’m not broken. That’s just how my brain works. Leaning into it works so, so, so much better than fighting it. I realized this while watching an anituber I like, Hazel, talking to her illustrator wife on a Q-n-A about how they get projects done (genuinely can’t remember which one, but here’s her channel). It turns out that they both cycle through projects like I do and have both made enormous and wonderful bodies of work (and careers) that way. I can’t tell you how good it felt to find that out.

POINT THREE: What now? / TL;DR

I’m gonna not latch onto big projects... declaratively anymore. I’m just gonna post updates to things I’m working on currently. If the thing I’m fixated on is a thing that’s already on the index, I might put a little flag to it so that people popping by can see what I’ve added to most recently.

But in short, I’m treating the blog as more of a living archive. I might even put up stuff from my website, too. If I make a poster, it’s a poster and not an announcement. I've always wanted to make trailers for big projects, but it would be better off interpreted as a stand-alone thing made for the sole joy of the art of a trailer. Dev art is dev art. Etcetera.

If I get something big all the way done someday, that’ll be icing, not the cake.

Right now, I’m working on an animatic entitled Chuncho, about Yma Sumac and birds and Peruvian festivals. Here’s some stuff from it:

I’m trying to get it done by mid-September (Yma’s birthday). But if I don’t, that’s okay.

As always thanks for reading,

Rainbow / Carlie

[dgct2]

This is a FANTASTIC article written by Marisa Roffman who runs Give Me My Remote. Definitely worth checking out if you're a member of the Wolfpack and want to help out the writers and actors.

FBI MOST WANTED

For FBI: MOST WANTED showrunner David Hudgins, this marks his second strike. The first time, in 2007, he was a co-producer on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. Now, “it’s really interesting to be going through this…where I’m a showrunner and I’ve been doing this 17 years longer,” he explains in the video below. “The issues to me are incredibly important.”

Hudgins acknowledges that some of the bigger issues impacting writers are in the streaming world, “but I’m here for basically the younger writers—the people down below,” he says. “Because we got to give them the chance to make a living…it’s not fair. And I think about what they’re dealing with now versus what I was dealing with back then. And something needs to change. And I think now is the time…we’ve got all these people out here, and nobody has relented.”

While arguments have been made online that people should just accept their one-time initial payment for the script or acting performance—a specious argument considering the revenue syndication continues to bring in for the studios—Hudgins shares how he explained it to his family: “If you write a play, you keep the copyright; if you write a book, you keep the copyright. If you do television or film, it’s a work for hire, you don’t own the copyright and the compensation for that is a residual. And they’re not paying enough. So it’s gonna take something like this to get them to come to the table, I think. And we’re not going to stop until they do come back to the table.”

HOW FANS CAN HELP

Entertainment Community Fund

WGA Strike Hub

Donate to TTIE ( Think Tank For Inclusion in Entertainment ) which has various funds.

Use Your Social Media - Amplify what is being said by WGA, SAG, and writers.

Come out to the pickets - Follow the rules here.

Sign the WGA Petition to have the lot at NBC Universal made safer for Picketers. Anyone can sign it.

Contact your member of Congress or Senate and tell them that you support the strike by the actors and writers.

[smol-grey-tea]

Hi! Sorry if this is a bit weird but I recently finished Nameless and have been trying to find more content of it because I love it so much, and came across your Tumblr. I've been reading your posts on the game and I especially like your one post talking about Yuri because you put into words what I couldn't. Thank you! I also really love that you're transcribing Nameless into a book! I was wondering if you want some help with that because I cannot get over this game and am planning to go through it all over again

Hi (●’◡’●)ﾉ!!!! This isn't weird at all, it is very very appreciated!!! 😁😁😁😁 I'm always glad to see anyone who loves Nameless, new or old :3 if you want more content of it, I do recommend the dlcs!! ^^ I'm very glad you love my own Nameless content!!! 😊😊 it means a lot to me :)

Yes, Yuri is such a fascinating character!! I have more to write about him and others, there really should be more Nameless essay content imo!! I am doing the Lord's work here!! 😂

Transcribing it has been such a passion for me recently, I like that it gives me a sense of purpose, so I'm very glad people like the idea of it!!! But some of it is difficult yes, and I would appreciate some help 🤔ᴴᴹ

I've already completed Eri, Lance and Yeonho's books, but before I can do anything else with them, they'll all need to be proofread. I've attempted to proofread Eri's before but rereading shit that I've already written, especially for the purpose of looking for mistakes, is actually so. Fucking. Boring. My mom's tried to but she never has the time either, so she can't..

I'm rly not sure how to get someone to proofread it but I think it'd cost a lot of money?? 😦😬 ouch.. So if there's any way you could help with that, that'd be very much appreciated!

After they're proofread ik I want them to have pretty covers :) my dad told me to make the covers myself but, (￣ヘ￣）ᵁᴹᴹ no 😂😂 I think I want them properly done, but preferably by someone who's already a fan of Nameless. I have a couple different people in mind for commissioning the covers but if you'd like to make them, please don't be shy!! We can definitely talk more in depth about stuff in dms if you'd like!! :) ^^

After they've all been proofread and such, I can I think get them self published on Amazon? It should be for sale both digital and physical but I would highly prefer for people to buy it physically since that's the whole point I'm making it

The more time passes, the more anti-digital I am.. It's about media preservation. Streaming services can pull your favourite shows or movies at the drop of a hat, just because they don't bring in enough profit, not to mention the strikes lately. If buying isn't really owning, then piracy isn't stealing. I'm growing to appreciate physical media so so so much more.

I love Nameless so so much, it is my biggest passion in life, that's no exaggeration. It's highly unlikely, but if it was ever unavailable to play, for whatever reason, I don't know what I would do.. I don't care if Cheritz throws copyright issues my way, I am determined to commit this game to a physical copy. To actually touch the pages and display them in my room and keep them forever.

So that's why I'm doing it. I do still of course plan on releasing it digitally, and will always keep the 1st chapters of each book public, but releasing it as physical copies is the reason why I'm doing it in the first place, so I'd really love if people would enjoy them physically :)

In the meantime! On the subject of Nameless merch, I do recommend (￣ヘ￣）ᵁᴹᴹ @/nocturnal-lullabies because they've made their own Nameless merch before as well! I'm not sure if their old stuff is still available but they've said recently that they wanna start doin merch again, so keep an eye out for any new posts of theirs! :)

[scarletwinterxx]

WE NEED MOREEE Taeyong dad au honestly all ur dad aus r so good liekkkk

a/n: hiiiiiiii ~ honestly i didn't think about writing more abt taeyong dad au, i loved writing the first one and how simple and cute it was. but never say never 😅 so here we areeee. thank you for liking my stories🤍🥺

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

and if you want, u can buy me coffee(totally optional but any donation is very much appreciated!) thank you🥺💛

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2024 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

The sight of your husband sneaking around the house to prepare for the twin's birthday. The big 7. It feels like yesterday you were inside the bathroom making Taeyong look at the pregnancy test first because you were too nervous.

As the two kids grow up, they showed more of their individuality which you and Taeyong love watching. Minseo the ever confident one, she took a liking in joining school musicals and performances. She's always been the star in your household and she shines just as bright whenever she goes. Minhyuck, on the other hand, is a big bookworm. As soon as he started to learn how to read, there wasn't a day he didn't have a book on hand. He's also very into drawing much like his dad. You have a collection of his drawings hidden away to keep forever.

If there's one thing you and your husband learned about being parents, it's that time really does fly when you have kids. One day you have to hold their head up for them and the next second they're out making their own marks in the world.

"Do you think they'll like this?" Taeyong asks, looking at the rows of balloons he got for the twins. "They'll love it"

"I got the pink scooter with purple glittery handles Minseo wanted and the orange bike Minhyuck wanted"

"Good job"

"Are we forgetting something?" "Taeyong love, what are you stressed about?" you chuckle

"I just want tomorrow to be perfect and a day they will always remember. They only turn 7 once" he pouts, recalling the days when his babies were younger. Indeed wondering where did the time go.

"Aw love, come here" you open your arms for him, stepping in your embrace and burying his head between your shoulder

"They're going to love all the gifts you give them, we taught them well to appreciate even the little things"

He picks his head up to look at you, "They're not babies anymore"

"I know, I'm sad too but more so excited about they're future. I'm excited to see them explore more, know more about themselves, grow up" you play with the ends of his hear on his neck, looking into his big eyes both your kids inherited. Thank the heavens.

"Does it make you sad, that we never had kids after the twins?" you ask him

"Of course not" he answers without missing a beat, "You, Minseo and Minhyuck are my everything. There isn't a day I felt like there something missing in me the moment I met you" the same words he told you the day you got married.

After the twins birth, it was very stressful for your body to the point you were told by your doctor it was going to be very dangerous when you decide to have another kid. Taeyong is right, the twins are enough and there isn't a day you felt like your family isn't complete. But there are moments, very few, where you wonder what it would be like if you had more kids.

"If we're blessed to have more then that's good, if we're not then that's okay too. Losing you isn't a risk I will ever take. Don't ever feel pressured about that, okay? I love you very much and this life we created together" he tells you, holding your face in his hands

"I love you too" you give him a sweet kiss, finishing the night.

The next morning, very early you get the cake ready for the twins. Waiting for them to wake up. You light up the candles when you hear voices coming down the stairs,

"Gotta keep your eyes closed okay, no peeking" Taeyong appears with one child in each arm, carrying both down the stairs. He puts them down before telling them it's okay to look, "Happy Birthday!" you and Taeyong say at the same time, the two kids immediately smile upon seeing the surprise waiting for them.

The two blow their candles and open the gift you and Taeyong got before you eat breakfast as a family.

It's days like these that makes life worth it, making you excited for the days yet to come and the future you're going to live. You look over your husband, playing with the kids and letting them put icing on his face and think your self how much you love your little life.

[theotherackerman]

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Any recognizable elements belong to Attack on Titan or the Beach Read  

NOTES: Not the fic update you thought but one none the less. Still working on others as well!

CHAPTER FOUR:

There was a part of Mikasa that felt guilty for having feelings for Eren again. She came to this conclusion as sat trying to write her romance book.

First thing was first, she had to figure out who these characters were and what they wanted. 

Wasn’t the point of every romance novel to find romance? 

Well, expect Jaeger’s. 

There was always something else going on in the background besides the romance. 

Then again, she hadn’t read any other romance novels. 

She wasn’t even sure what possessed her to read Eren’s novels. 

Okay, another lie.

Too many lies. 

Too many things to keep straight in her head right now. 

The cursor flashed on the screen. 

This was even worse than the other novel. 

Maybe she should just write a novel about Porco getting killed by a ghost.

Her phone went off.

Mikasa stared at her phone for a moment. She almost typed yes but thought better on it. 

Eren sent her another message before she could respond.

Had Eren really propositioned Mikasa? 

Yes. 

Did he regret it? 

Yes.

Did he make it weird?

Apparently not because now she was pulling the front of his cart through Target. It was literally the only department store they had in the small town. 

She had also vetoed the sheets he had tried to buy. 

“Ah. Newlyweds. Remember those days?�� An older woman said as they passed them. 

Her husband just grunted as they went by.

Mikasa ignored it so Eren did the same.

“So tell me why those sheets won’t work again because these are twenty dollars more expensive,” Eren asked as he leaned on the cart.

“Because I had them. I had to wash them ten times in a ridiculous amount of fabric softener before they didn’t feel like you’re sleeping on plastic.”

Well, that was a good enough reason for him. He took the plain black sheets from her and dropped them into the cart.  

Mikasa laughed. 

“You know I’ll have you know I’ve never had a woman complain about my sheets before.” 

“That’s because they didn’t have good taste. Besides, who shopped for them before?” 

Mikasa did have a point. His mom had been the one when he went off to college and Carly had done it when they had lived together. 

But he didn’t really want to think about Carly so he changed the subject.

“Armin is coming up towards the end of the summer,” he informed Mikasa.

Mikasa smiled, “really? I haven’t seen him since college. How is he?” 

“He’s good. Always working on his PHD these days.” 

“I cannot imagine being in school for that long.” 

“Me either.” 

A comfortable silence drifted over them as they made their way to and through the check out. 

It was strange because Eren didn’t feel the need to fill the silence between them. It just felt natural. He wondered if Mikasa felt the same. 

Eren had opened the trunk, then put his purchases into the back of his car. 

“So what reckless thing did you do?” Mikasa asked as she watched him.

“What do you mean?” he frowned. 

“Once your engagement ended, what reckless thing did you do?” 

Eren laughed, “nothing. She moved out. Why? What did you do?” 

“Oh. I covered my tattoo I got with him.”

Eren raised an eyebrow, “you got matching tattoos with him?” 

Mikasa laughed, “I know. It was stupid. I thought he got it. I thought he understood that I can’t love anyone. I won’t love anyone. At least not in a romantic sense.”

“I’m sure you could fall in love,” Eren teased her as he unlocked the doors.

“Hmm…maybe in your world everyone falls in love but in mine….”  Mikasa got into the passenger seat. 

“What happened to make you so cynical?” 

“Before or after most of my family died in a fire during a family reunion?” 

“Shit. I knew you mentioned that Levi saved you, I just didn’t know….”

Mikasa shrugged, “it’s not that big of a story. Family reunion at a fancy hotel. Fire started in the basement.  Levi carried me through the fire and then…Kenny tried to go back but it was too late. Glass exploded just as we got out. Levi and I were both hit with glass, Levi worse than me. That’s all there is to it.” 

“Oddly calm talking about the death of your family.” 

“Years of therapy. Kenny and Levi wanted to make sure I would be well adjusted.” 

“And not believing in romantic love is well adjusted?” 

Mikasa shrugged. “Romantic love fades. Yeah, sure. You feel it then things get hard and it stops. Porco swore up and down he loved me. You don’t cheat on someone you love. You don’t fuck someone else when you know how much that will hurt the person you love. That’s not love.” 

Eren nodded in agreement. “That is true. It’s why I can’t understand what my dad did. If my mom approved, it would have been different. But….I don’t know. I can’t wrap my head around it.” 

“So what’s the deal with his first born?” 

Eren scoffed, “you probably know more than I do.” 

“Because I live here? I live out in the woods for a reason. There were kids who called me a witch during Halloween because I had no candy. I wasn’t expecting anyone to come out there. But besides that he works with Hange, I know nothing about him.”

“His instagram didn’t tell me anything when I checked. Not even a post about our dad.” 

“Seems like he didn’t have a good relationship with him either then.”

“I guess not.” 

“We’re both very depressing, huh?” Mikasa laughed.

Eren found himself laughing as well. 

“If you want, I can see what I can find out about Zeke. Petra knows everything about everyone around here and she won’t tell anyone.” 

Eren thought about it for a moment. Did he want to know about Zeke? 

“No need to tell me right away. Just if you ever decide, I can,” Mikasa interrupted his thoughts. 

“I don’t know,” Eren muttered. 

Mikasa nodded. 

“What was your tattoo?” Eren asked to change the subject.

Mikasa groaned. “It was on my ribs. It was stupid. It said forever his and he had one that said forever hers.”

“Wow…”

“I know, I know. It was stupid. But it’s covered now. He got his covered not long after I did.” 

Eren nodded, “so what did you cover it with?”

“A tree,” Mikasa answered simply. 

“A tree?” 

“A tree.” 

“Why a tree?” 

“I don’t know. I like trees?” 

Eren laughed as he turned onto the gravel road that led to their cabin. “Okay but what kind of tree?” 

“I’ll show you when we get back. What about you? Got any tattoos?” 

Eren smirked, “a few.” 

“Hmm…”

“What’s that about?” 

“What?”

“The hmm….”

“Oh. I just never thought you’d be the kind of person to have a tattoo.” 

“Why? Because it doesn’t fit your prince charming ideal?”

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” 

Eren laughed, “no. Not really.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes before she laughed. "So you coming over to have a beer or are you going to go wash your sheets?"

"Both?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

Mikasa laughed again.

-----------

It wasn't long after Mikasa posted the picture that her phone began to blow up. Honestly, they just talked about stupid shit from college. It hadn't been anything exciting.

------------

Eren shouldn't have been surprised when he returned home that he got a message from Jean.

--------

Mikasa's phone went off.

-----------------------

Taking a chance, Eren swapped over to instagram.

-------

Mikasa may have turned on notifications for when Eren posted. She grinned as she pulled up his page.

Mikasa stared at the comment before she switched over to twitter.

--------

The notification of Eren being followed by Zeke Fritz on instagram pulled the smile off of his face.

------------

Mikasa was waiting out there, smoking. 

She didn’t speak. She was just there. 

Eren ran his hand through his hair. 

“It’s so fucked up,” Eren sighed as he walked towards the railing. “I…I just…”

Mikasa moved closer to the railing. “Is there anything I can do?” 

“I don’t even know what I want to do.”

“Egg his car?” 

Eren snorted a laugh. 

“Just an idea. A bad one but an idea.” 

“Thanks.”

Mikasa nodded. “You know you can talk to me anytime, right? I know everyone says but….I mean it.” 

Eren nodded. 

Mikasa gently reached across and put her hand that was not holding the cigarette on his arm. 

His eyes locked with her’s. 

Mikasa looked away, removing her hand. She lifted the cigarette almost to her mouth before Eren grabbed her wrist.

She stared at him again.

He lifted the cigarette still in her hand to his mouth, his lips briefly brushing against her fingers before he took a drag. 

It was single handedly the hottest thing Mikasa had ever witnessed. She was slightly disappointed when he released her hand.  

His eyes locked onto her once again. 

Did he feel it too? 

This electricity that was coursing through her body, like how she felt dancing at that party with him. 

This was bad.

This was so very bad.

If this was just some college crush that she could push away, it would be easier. 

But no.

They had chemistry. 

But had that ever really been a problem? 

Sure, they were rivals but there was also this underlying sexual tension. 

Eren ran his hand through his hair again. “What are you doing tomorrow?” 

“Huh?” Mikasa asked, being pulled from her thoughts. 

“Tomorrow. I know I said you could go first but I think I just got an idea.” 

“Nothing. Staring at my laptop, waiting for inspiration to strike.”

“Good. I’ll pick you at seven. Goodnight, Mikasa,” Eren said before he turned back towards his cabin. 

“Goodnight,” Mikasa called to him.

She was going to need a cold shower. 

[hollandorks]

Do you have any advice for someone who’s attempting to foray into writing but already has other obligations? Any suggestions for balancing work and other aspects of your life with writing? Also have you encountered any issues with creating an original work based on a your own fanfiction such as toeing the line with being original and paying homage? You seem successful with all of your writing and so getting your thoughts would be so great!

*cracks knuckles* had to get on desktop for this to be sure I answered thoroughly! First of all, thank you!! I don't necessarily feel succcessful with my writing but it's really nice to hear.

I actually asked a lot of favorite authors about this (especially when I was in college!) during their Q&A on social media etc and the #1 response I got was: you have to make time. And it's so true. Obligations suck, work sucks, school sucks. Those things unfortunately have to come first just because, yknow, life!

So you have to carve out time to write and be purposeful about it. For motn I wrote a ton on my lunch break at work on my phone but I also like....gave up on laundry and keeping my house clean as often as I needed to in order to write more after work.

Even if it's only 15-30 minutes a day, you have to just purposely make time, which sucks. But also, prioritize it if it's really important to you. Like I said, I decided laundry and a clean bathroom were a lot less important (lol) when writing motn. Just decide what's most important and focus on that, even if only a little at a time.

On to the next part of the question: an original work from a fan work. Listen, you have to get rid of copyright stuff. For motn, I got rid of anything even remotely related to Batman. Symbols, names, etc. I renamed the vigilante, the city, revamped the backgrounds and such. And when I paid for a beta reader, I let her know that it was based on the Batman movie and she purposely looked out for stuff that was too similar! (Like a couple of lines she noted that it sounded "too Batman-y" so I changed it accordingly)

I can't answer about legal stuff (like if I'll have to delete the original motn) because I'm not there yet! I do know Ali Hazelwood wrote the Love Hypothesis, a hugely popular romance book, that was based on her own fanfiction, but it also isn't set in the same kind of world of the movie if that makes sense! (As in, it was a Star Wars AU fic I think, and the book is set in the "real world" so she likely didn't have to change much other than names!)

I definitely toed the line in a lot of places. I mean, I set it in a gritty, corrupt city that has a vigilante who is a billionaire with cool gadgets and an armored car and dead parents....but still altered enough to not be copyrighted. Again, I'm not really into the publishing process yet so I may get notes back (if I get any) saying it's still too close to the source material! But my goal is for 1) anyone familiar with Batman at all to get the gist and 2) OG readers of motn to still be able to recognize it!

Last but not least, it's super important to realize that every person is different and every story is different. What worked for motn might not work for my next project! And what worked for me, personally, might not work for you. It's just a matter of keeping at it and being persistent until you find what works.

Idk if any of this makes sense so feel free to send any other questions and stuff! I'm happy to answer them, I love writing and am passionate about it and love to talk about it!

[delivermytuneo6]

Why Every Musician Needs a Bio for Their Music Page (and How to Write One)

As a musician in today's digital age, one of the most essential tools for connecting with fans and industry professionals alike is a bio for music page. It serves as your introduction to the world, conveying your unique style, background, and vision in a way that can capture attention and help grow your fanbase. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out, a well-crafted bio is a key element of your online presence.

The Importance of a Bio for Your Music Page

A bio for music page is more than just a brief description of your career; it’s your musical resume, an opportunity to tell your story and showcase your artistry. Think of it as a digital handshake: it’s your chance to make a positive first impression with potential listeners, collaborators, and even industry gatekeepers like record labels or booking agents.

Your bio should be authentic, engaging, and reflective of your musical journey. Start by considering the following key elements:

Who are you?: Introduce yourself in a way that connects with your audience. Include your stage name, musical influences, and what makes you unique.

Your musical style: Describe the genre(s) you play and the sound that defines you. Don’t just list genres—paint a picture with words so people can hear your music in their minds.

Your journey: Share how you got started in music. What challenges have you overcome, and what achievements have you earned along the way? This helps to build a personal connection with fans.

Professional highlights: If you've performed at significant venues, collaborated with well-known artists, or received notable accolades, include them to demonstrate credibility and build trust with your audience.

Once you've got a draft of your bio for music page, it’s essential to keep it concise while still reflecting your personality and professionalism. After all, your bio isn’t just an introduction—it's a marketing tool.

How Can I Get a Copyright to Protect My Music?

As you share your music with the world, it's crucial to understand how can I get a copyright to protect your creative work. Copyright gives you exclusive rights to your music, ensuring no one can reproduce, distribute, or perform your work without your permission. This is especially important in a world where digital platforms make it easy for music to be copied and shared.

To register a copyright, you must file with the relevant copyright office in your country, such as the U.S. Copyright Office if you’re in the United States. You don’t need to register your copyright to own it, but registration provides legal advantages, including the ability to take legal action against infringement.

The process typically involves submitting a copy of your music and completing an application form. Many artists mistakenly think that how can I get a copyright is a complicated process, but it’s quite simple once you understand the steps involved.

Combining Your Bio and Copyright

As you prepare your bio for music page, don’t forget about the importance of copyright protection. Your bio helps you present your artistry to the world, while copyright ensures that you have the legal protections in place to safeguard your work. Together, they make up a crucial part of building a sustainable music career.

By taking the time to craft a professional and engaging bio for your music page, you can enhance your visibility and reputation in the industry. And by ensuring that your music is properly copyrighted, you can rest easy knowing your intellectual property is protected as you share your creative work with the world.

[culttvblog]

afterlife and the BBC Fake Psychic Podcast

Content warning: death, ghosts, abuse, suicide, mental health, fake psychics.

This post may either mark the final end or a pause in my posts for Seventies TV Season. I actually have another dozen seventies TV shows listed on a post-it on my laptop, but of course I could always keep them for another Seventies TV Season in the future! I haven't written a post of conclusions after the thirteen posts on seventies TV series because I honestly don't have much to conclude except to say that seventies TV obviously needs to be treated with caution but I am particularly pleased to have discovered The Organisation, which I didn't think I would like.

I was turning over the possibility of a series of posts in the run up to the holiday about the legendary BBC series associated with Christmas, appropriately enough called A Ghost Story for Christmas (1971 to 1978 and 2005 onwards), and the show which was their inspiration, Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968), broadcast in the Omnibus series. However I think that these would probably be difficult propositions for a series of posts lasting over weeks, since they have all been chewed over at length and it would be a bit difficult to say anything which hasn't already been said. In point of fact if you haven't seen it, my personal opinion is that the 1968 Whistle and I'll Come to You is head and shoulders above the rest.

Instead this post may be a stand-alone post about afterlife or it may be the first of a number. In fact I can't believe I haven't blogged about this series yet, since it is honestly the best ghostly TV series there is. Perhaps I should make it clear that this post is about the 2005 to 2006 ITV series created by Stephen Volk and starring Andrew Lincoln and Lesley Sharp, and not the 2019 to 2022 Netflix series After Life created by and starring Ricky Gervais, and I really wish people would start copyrighting the titles of their shows. The series stylises its title as afterlife with a lower case a but I doubt I'll remember to do that for a whole post.

The show takes virtually all of the tropes of the classic Victorian ghost story and brings them horrifyingly into the 21st century: ghosts who warn, the angry dead, a ghost who kills her abusive father, the dead who refuse to die, the dead who just won't leave, an apparent ghost which foretells the future, those who've dies by suicide and accident, ghosts who kill people, and so on. Take any of these stories, set them in a nineteenth century castle of cathedral city, and you pretty much have M R James. Stephen Volk is perhaps best known to TV fans for writing the legendary mockumentary Ghostwatch (1992) which was so realistic that there had to be an enquiry into the show's effects as a result of people thinking it was real. That sheer writing ability shows through here in stories which really take hold of you and shock you, even after repeated viewings.

The idea is that Robert Bridge is a university lecturer in psychology who deals a lot with the psychology of belief in the supernatural in his lectures, including taking his students to see a medium, Alison Mundy, and the rest of the show is how Robert and Alison get involved with each other and an exploration of what follows from both their perspectives. Robert starts off deciding to write a book about Alison but ends up more involved than he would like to be. Lincoln actually does an incredibly good job of playing the world's least competent and sensitive psychologist, who has a habit of saying 'No, no, listen to me,' to people, and Sharp absolutely shines as the unwilling medium who is pursued by the dead everywhere she goes but doesn't want to be. I cannot overstate how challenging these roles must have been, especially as both portray incredibly difficult things in both their lives that are revealed in the course of the series.

In line with this the emotional pitch of the series is cranked up to the max. This absolutely is not a criticism: you can't talk about having a dead person trying to kill your baby in a calm tone of voice so it fits perfectly. In fact I would say it is perfect that the whole cast all act at such an extreme emotional pitch because if there was somebody acting normal in the cast it would make the others look completely loopy. I suppose the show didn't really have an option about this because it is a drama rather than a documentary, and so cold, objective description isn't the agenda here.

That notwithstanding, afterlife does not stray away from the terribly difficult life events that are involved here, however always depicts them with sensitivity. Both Robert and Alison face things from their pasts during the course of the series: Alison a train crash, her previous compulsory mental health treatment and issues with her mother, and Robert the death of his son and the break up of his marriage. This show is not light viewing unless you've been burned out by years of psychiatric nursing and stopped feeling emotions as a result.

The series also deals very well (in what I suppose you would call a 'non-denominational' way) with the religious aspects of death and mediumship. The people who invite Alison to medium for them after she moves to Bristol certainly look as if they would be church goers and I think most mediumship in Britain carries on under the aegis of the Spiritualist Church, but no church is mentioned and God barely comes into it except at a funeral. The cosmology Alison describes sounds broadly in the line of modern mediumship: of describing people 'passing over' etc.

I f you want a criticism you could say that this highly-layered show covers most of human life and you may think it's a bit ambitious, but of course that's what makes it such an excellent show. Where it doesn't do so well in my opinion is that I don't think it is as sure-handed at dealing with the mental health aspects that come up. For example, there is an episode where a young man called Daniel is troubled by another entity who he calls Daniel 2, and ends up sectioned and diagnosed with schizophrenia but Alison unravels what is actually happening. We don't notice it because Nicholas Shaw does an excellent job of running round half naked, covered in blood and being deranged, but I'm far from happy with Daniel being diagnosed with schizphrenia when he has been the same and seeing the other Daniel for well over a decade. This feels terribly nitpicky, which is a reflection on the quality of this series. My background is in mental health not psychology, but I'm not sure how representative what we see of Robert's teaching would be with undergraduate psychology lectures. I suppose in common with shows featuring nurses or clergymen, the profession is the background, and I still feel really nitpicky. My final criticism, which I think is more reasoned, would be that as depicted in the show Alison is just fair game for any passing spirit. I refuse to believe that if you are a trained medium you wouldn't have ways of defending yourself from just any odd spirits passing you who might wander in. In fact, I know for a fact that these ways exist because Dion Fortune published Psychic Self Defence in 1930 (and incidentally I can highly recommend her novels).

afterlife is one of those shows that you have to watch by order.

On the same subject matter but in a very different vein, I have listened to the BBC's Fake Psychic podcast, and can also recommend that very highly. It is about self-confessed fake psychic Lamar Keene, who was a medium trained by the Spiritualist church and set up his own church. He published a (hotly denied) expose of the tricks he saw used to produce messages from the dead for people, and in fact said that the whole thing was fake. It's a fascinating listen, although again it provides a reflection on human life when he tells the members of his church that he has been cheating them, expecting them all to walk out, but they are all quite happy to stay in the church and continue to be cheated!

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Archives from 2013 to September 2023 may be found at culttvblog.blogspot.com and there is an index to the tags used on the Tumblr version at https://www.tumblr.com/culttvblog/729194158177370112/this-blog

[amoveablejake]

A Constant Companion

Indiana Jones understands the importance of it.

When I look at photographs from my life, a common through line in most of them is that I am wearing some sort of headwear in these pictures. Sure, in the photographs from colder months it is some sort of beanie hat that can be seen but for the most part, what can be seen adorning my head is a cap of some sort. And that, seems about right. I can look back through the years and say cap I associate with that time, certainly in my most recent years that is certainly the case. There are certain caps that define that period, a trip or even a certain memory that then extends beyond only the time where the cap was worn to represent even more than that. My Vancouver Canucks baseball or I guess hockey cap in this instance is a clear example of this. Yes, it is is the Canada cap and it always makes me think of that wonderful trip as it was constantly on my head after getting it on the first day but it also makes me think of that time in my life and all of the adventures that I have with my Mum then and now. So yes, a hat sure but so much more than that.

There are a few things that I always have with me and then there are those items that I always have with me. For instance, when I’m packing to somewhere there are the items that I need to think about bringing and then the ones that just appear next to my rucksack instinctively. Among these items there is ofcourse a book of some sort, a pen, a notebook because you know I may have mentioned every now and then that I may enjoy writing in a notebook, a camera and then a cap. Always a cap. There are actual practical reasons for me to bring a cap with me, to keep the sun out of my eyes or to keep the rain off my face but I will admit, those thoughts do come second to me thinking that the cap will be a sponge for the memories that will be made. When I look at my caps, the memories associated with them do come flooding back and that certainly ties in to my feelings of hygge that I am always looking for or stumbling across.

As I write this, it will come as no surprise at this point to find out that there is a cap on my knee. This particular cap actually only made its way into my life yesterday as I stumbled across it in a store in Winchester when I was with my two friends that make up the trio that, well, I won’t include the name of this particular supergroup here quite yet for copyright reasons. And even though this cap is new, it feels like there is already a lot of lineage connected to it. One of my friends in the group, the one who I will be the best man for come their wedding in the fall, he too is always wearing caps and when I look at this one I think of that and all of the photographs I have of us wearing our caps. I also when I have this cap on think of my two friends yesterday saying that it suited me and how the friendship that we have is one that is founded on just nice boys doing nice things. It is a cap that I will most likely bring me with on our next voyage that will then become a vision of that trip and the antics that happen there will always be associated with it. Maybe it was because I got it on such a happy day, or that it came to me with my friends but there is something about this cap that, I don’t know, I think this might be on my head for sometime to come. And maybe, one day on a little person’s head too.

-Jake, a man who can’t get enough of Boy Genius, 18/06/2023