#Inspiration de voyage

[massi-arezki]

Comment chaque voyage enrichit ma vie et me transforme ?

Je dis souvent qu’après chaque voyage, je reviens changé, pas totalement, mais je remarque toujours un petit changement dans mes habitudes, surtout après un long voyage de plus d’un mois dans un pays avec une culture et des habitudes de vie complètement différentes de la nôtre. Cela peut être un changement dans ma routine quotidienne, un changement dans mon habitude alimentaire, ou même plus…

[thomtmexploration]

🌌✨ Découvrez avec moi la Galaxie des pierres levées à Crazannes !

Vidéo 👇

Photos 👇

Imaginée en 2005 par l'association Les Lapidiales, cette œuvre unique consiste en un champ de mégalithes. Au cœur de ce lieu magique se trouve une agora entourée de 5 Pierres Mères, représentant les 5 continents. 🌍✨

Autour, 360 sculptures, toutes réalisées à la main par des artistes du monde entier, s'organisent en spirale galactique, inspirées par le nombre d’or et la suite de Fibonacci. 🌠

Les pierres levées, ces majestueux blocs de pierre dressés, sont souvent liées à des rituels anciens et des observations astronomiques. La pierre de Crazannes, avec sa pureté exceptionnelle (98% de calcaire), offre une beauté unique et une durabilité remarquable. 🪨💧

Cette œuvre monumentale sera achevée vers 2060. Ne manquez pas l'occasion de plonger dans cet univers fascinant ! ✨💫

[lejournalfaitmain]

Le Paris d’Haussmann

Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1809-1891), était un fonctionnaire français choisi par l’empereur Napoléon III pour rénover et renouveler une grande partie du centre de Paris afin de le rendre plus au goût du jour.

Le premier projet visait à améliorer l’assainissement, l’approvisionnement en eau et la circulation routière à Paris. La population de la Ville Lumière ayant doublé, les améliorations comprenaient une nouvelle division de la carte pour inclure huit arrondissements, ou districts, supplémentaires, et de nouveaux égouts ont été installés. Deux nouvelles gares, un marché, un hôpital et l’Opéra de Paris ont été construits et quatre autres parcs ont été créés. Les bâtiments anciens ont été détruits pour être remplacés par un style spécifique d’architecture néoclassique, tous de même hauteur et revêtus de pierre de couleur crème, pour créer une apparence uniforme sur les boulevards parisiens. Il a traité les bâtiments non pas comme indépendants, mais comme des éléments d’un paysage unifié. Ce style d’architecture est devenu connu sous le nom de style haussmannien.

Le rez-de-chaussée est généralement réservé aux commerces, tout comme la mezzanine. Les deuxième, troisième et quatrième étages sont des unités résidentielles et le cinquième étage dispose d’un seul balcon continu. Le toit mansardé, incliné à 45°, était occupé par des locataires à revenus plus modestes et des concierges.

À l’extérieur, des portes cochères pavées de pierre qui communiquent avec une cour servaient d’entrées à la noblesse pour entrer avec ses calèches.

Les cheminées qui servaient à l’origine au chauffage symbolisent désormais les toits emblématiques de Paris dans les films. À noter également que les minuscules balcons offrent certaines des plus belles vues de Paris.

Les intérieurs présentent généralement des parquets à chevrons, des moulures en plâtre élaborées, de hautes fenêtres, des armoires et des étagères intégrées, des cheminées en marbre et des portes françaises. C’est l’appartement par excellence du style parisien.

Comment reproduire ce style néoclassique typiquement parisien

Si jamais vous désirez ajouter un peu de charme haussmannien à votre propre appartement, pensez à investir dans un miroir au cadre doré. Il est généralement placé au-dessus de la cheminée en marbre, mais vous pouvez choisir un miroir pleine longueur pour votre vestiaire dans votre chambre. Ajoutez également des chandeliers dorés ou des plafonniers assortis. La plupart des murs sont généralement blancs, ce qui peut rendre les choses un peu plus faciles pour les locataires soumis aux restrictions de leurs propriétaires.

Si votre budget le permet, introduisez une cheminée en marbre ornementée dans votre salon, ainsi que des moulures en plâtre élaborées et des parquets en bois chaleureux. Cela donne une touche européenne à la pièce et augmente la valeur potentielle de la propriété sur le marché immobilier. Associez la cheminée en marbre à un vase en porcelaine avec vos fleurs préférées pour une touche romantique.

[focusgroupentertainment]

Chioke : L'acteur-chanteur américain ultra séduisant qui fait sensation !

Chioke Dmachi est un artiste aux multiples talents, né à Hollywood, en Californie, le 4 novembre 1983¹²³. Dès son plus jeune âge, il s’est passionné pour le chant et la comédie, et il a suivi sa passion en prenant des cours de théâtre et en rejoignant une agence de talents dès l’adolescence¹². Il est apparu dans diverses émissions de télévision, telles que “Drake & Josh” et “House M.D.”, ainsi…

[livesunique]

The courthouse building for the Tribunal de Commerce,

Paris, France,

Built between 1859 and 1865 on a design by architect Antoine-Nicolas Bailly, inspired by the Renaissance Palazzo della Loggia in Brescia. It was ceremoniously inaugurated by Napoleon III on 26 December 1865.

Credit: Bon Voyage Cleo

[elizadraws]

Bulgarian Music in Studio Ghibli films

”Myth has it that Orpheus was born in what is now Bulgaria. It seemed to be fact, not myth, that his daughters are still singing there”

These words were written by the New York Times in the remote 1963 — the year in which the largest Bulgarian folk ensemble crossed the Iron Curtain to conquer an entire continent with its cosmic art.

The 1975 release of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, a compilation album of modern arrangements of Bulgarian folk songs, further popularized Bulgarian music, and in 1977, a vinyl record featuring the folk song “Izlel ye Delyo Haydutin” (Eng: Come out rebel Delyo) began its journey aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts.

From this point on popularity from the West spread to the East, and Bulgarian folk music made it to the entertainment industry, including legendary Japanese anime films, like the cult cyberpunk “Ghost in the Shell” or the heartwarming Studio Ghibli features.

In this short article I write about two occasions of Bulgarian music playing in Studio Ghibli’s films.

The record that inspired the creation of “Only Yesterday”

“Only Yesterday” is a 1991 Japanese animated drama film written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the 1982 manga of the same title by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone. Set in rural Japan, the film draws parallels with the peasant lifestyle present in Eastern Europe.

The original work is a compilation of short stories about 11-year-old Taeko’s daily life in 1966. Director Takahata had a hard time making it into a movie since the manga, told in the form of a memoir, has no plot to hold a feature. Together with producer Toshio Suzuki, they came up with the solution of bringing the narrator of the story, adult Taeko, into the movie. But there is a curious anecdote about how this idea came to mind.

Taeko picks safflower as the Bulgarian song “Malka moma dvori mete” plays in the background. © Studio Ghibli

In a 2021 interview with students from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, producer Suzuki recounts how a record of Bulgarian songs performed by the children choir “Bodra Smyana”, introduced to him by director Takahata, inspired the creation of the movie. Moved by the cosmic voices of the children, they decided to make “Only Yesterday” a musical. He also recalls what a tiring process it was to acquire the rights to the music, but if you’ve seen the movie, I am sure you will agree that it was worth it; the haunting, beautiful songs with the pastoral images of farmers picking flowers contribute to one of the greatest scenes created in cinema.

Producer Suzuki showing the record that inspired the creation of ”Only Yesterday”. Source: Studio Ghibli’s Twitter

In “Only Yesterday”, we can hear two songs from the album Bulgarian Polyphony I by Philip Koutev Ensemble. The upbeat “Dilmano Dilbero” [Eng. beautiful Dilmana] sets a happy mood as the protagonist gets changed and ready to go on the field. As the scene shifts and Taeko starts narrating a sad story about the girls in the past picking safflower with their bare hands, the song and mood shift as well.

While the first song has a fast rhythm, with lyrics about pepper planting that can also be interpreted figuratively, the second one, “Malka Moma Dvori Mete” [Eng., a little girl sweeps the yard], is a ballad about a young girl who is forced into marriage but has never known true love.

Both compositions sing about life-cycle events like marriage and the regular coming of the harvests, with lyrics perfectly fitting the setting and plot of the movie, which makes me wonder if the filmmakers chose them by chance or if they had someone translate the words.

Bulgarian Cosmic Voices Enchanting Howl

“Howl’s Moving Castle” is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, loosely based on the 1986 novel of the same name by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Set in a fictional kingdom the movie draws inspiration from various places in Europe. One of them being Bulgaria.

The story focuses on a young girl, named Sophie, magically transformed into an old woman, and a self-confident but emotionally unstable young wizard, Howl, living in a magical moving castle.

A sketch of a Star Child. Source: The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle

If you’ve seen the movie, you surely remember the scene when Madame Suliman ambushes Howl and tries to strip him of his magic powers. Star Children encircle him and his companions; their shadows grow big, dark and intimidating. They start dancing and chanting unintelligible magic words and are almost successful in their devilish act.

This scene, together with the music played in the background, have been a favourite of many fans of the film. Some even recount it giving them nightmares when they were children.

Star Children encircle Howl in an attempt to strip him of his magic powers. © Studio Ghibli

It turns out, however, that these aren’t any incantations, but the lyrics of a folk song. In Bulgarian. And a love song! Contrary to popular belief, the lyrics have nothing to do with magic and are actually about a boy taking his sweetheart, Dona, to the market to buy her new clothes. The excerpt used in the movie is very short and a bit altered from the original, but the words used go like this: Trendafilcheto, kalafercheto, Done mamino, translated as “the rose, the costmary, my darling Dona”.

I am planing a follow up article where I will post the translated lyrics together with a brief explanation on how they are related to the movies.

If you want to comment on or add something, I would love to hear!

Source

[novlr]

6 More Writing Playlists for Scenes and Vibes!

If you love music, you’ll love these playlists! We’ve added 6 more amazing playlists to our already-growing collection.

From sweeping classical themes to write a royal court, some eerie tunes and soundscapes for writing a creepy carnival, vinyl classics for a vintage record store feel, pumping euro tunes for a European road trip, sea shanties for ocean voyages, and some vintage and modern French melodies for when you need a French bistro vibe, we’ve got you covered.

Writing a Royal Court

The pomp and circumstance of a Royal Court are palpable in this collection. This classical playlist is perfect for writing grand palaces, stately homes, balls, banquets, and court intrigues. Be transported to a world of nobles and chivalry where life is decadent and opulent.

Writing a Creepy Carnival

Creepy carnivals are staples of the horror genre, so we’ve put together this collection to help you write it. Whether your carnival travels the world, putting up stakes and causing mayhem wherever they go, or if you’re writing a static circus where visitors inexplicably go missing, then this is the playlist for you. Terrifying ringmasters, creepy rides, and eerie rituals – whatever your carnival holds, this is the playlist to write it to.

Writing in a Parisian Cafe

Sitting in a window of a cafe in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, watching the world go by, the young writer puts pen to paper. The characters who pass by them every day inspire and come alive. If you can’t people-watch, you can certainly imagine it! A mix of classical, acoustic folk, and French pop tunes, this collection will make you feel like you’re really there. So grab a croissant and a coffee and bring the Paris to you!

Writing a Vintage Record Store

Indie record stores have a vibe and are always full of interesting characters. There’s something special about them, and they’re always full of people who love music. This is a playlist for those who need to write a modern vintage feel. It’s a mix of tunes from the 1960s to the early 2000s – the kind of records vinyl aficionados would love a first pressing of. Get in the creative space to write about some of the weird and wonderful obsessive characters you’d find in an underground record shop in your favourite city.

Writing a Journey at Sea

Beware, me hearties, for here be dragons! Whether you’re writing an arctic exploration, an ancient sea voyage, preparations for a naval battle, or a band of intrepid pirates, there’s something in this playlist for you. With a mixture of modern folk tracks, sea shanties, and sea journey-themed instrumental pieces, this collection will conjure images of the salt spray on your face and the wind whipping your hair as you stand on deck, exploring unmapped places.

Writing a European Road Trip

Travel is always an adventure, but there’s something unique about a European road trip where you can fit so many different countries and cities into a small space of time. It’s a whirlwind of sights, tastes, and sounds, so this collection of tracks from all over Europe is sure to get you in the mood. From visiting the sights to sampling the cuisines, and nights out in some of Europe’s most infamous superclubs, this collection is sure to inspire you.

[weyounpussyindulgence]

Some highlights from my week at STLV

- Meeting Garrett Wang first, giving him a special Voyager limerick I wrote for him, and him loving it

- Getting my picture with John Billingsley and his wife Bonnie and getting some great advice about starting out in the acting industry from them

- Telling Tawny Newsome she looked beautiful and her complimenting my TOS inspired blue eyeshadow (and then her recognizing me the day after when I got her autograph)

- Jess Bush also complimenting me on my eyeshadow

- Walking past Anthony Montgomery and telling him “Hi! I think you’re really cool!” and him replying “Thank you, I appreciate that! I think you’re cool too!”

- Getting a duo picture with Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner, and Frakes telling me that I looked pretty

- Talking to Marina Sirtis, telling her I was there for my birthday, and her wishing me happy birthday and gifting me a free signed photo of Deanna

- Talking about Out to Sea with Brent and listening to him regale the fun he had making that movie

- Talking with Cirroc Lofton about his experience working with Avery Brooks and mutually agreeing that Star Trek needs more wholesome parent/child relationships

- Listening to John de Lancie talk about his experience sailing from California to French Polynesia (I could listen to him talk for hours, his voice is so soothing)

- Going to a memorial panel for Nichelle Nichols that featured her sister as a surprise guest (holy moly, she looked and sounded exactly like Nichelle 🥹)

- Going to another memorial for Aron Eisenberg and getting to make a toast to him with Cirroc and other fans (they used root beer for the drinks and had gummy worms “tube grubs” as table snacks)

- The moderator for the TNG panel not showing up, allowing Frakes to take over and him, Brent and Gates going absolutely batshit feral on stage

- Walter Koenig speaking out against the genocide in Palestine (and just getting to hear him talk in general)

- Seeing Armin Shimerman again and getting to tell him how much I enjoyed Betrayal of Angels (and his face lighting up when I told him how great an author he is)

- Sara Mitich and Ronnie Rowe both wishing me happy birthday and just being all around so kind and patient

- Telling Nana Visitor that she had the voice of an angel when she sings, and seeing how big and beautiful a smile she got

- Telling Kate Mulgrew she looked beautiful and her replying “Thank you! So do you.”

- JG Hertzler telling an absolutely hilarious story about how Avery Brooks and Rene Auberjonois got into a fight about one of Rene’s line deliveries while filming Far Beyond the Stars

- Richard McGee, Jay Chattaway and Jeff Russo conducting an absolutely phenomenal orchestral concert of Trek songs

- Seeing a really fun dinner show with some of the actors singing Broadway songs (my personal favorites being Nana, Robert Picardo, Bonnie Gordon, Jon Jon Briones and Celia Rose Gooding)

- Seeing Jeffrey Combs again and getting to ask him during his panel what would happen if all of his Trek characters were in the same room together (his answer: they would probably start either a baseball team or a rock band)

- Getting a picture taken with myself and both Carol Kane and Christopher Lloyd together

- Getting Mary Chieffo’s autograph and her writing happy birthday in Klingonese on it

- The entirety of the Rat Pack performance

- Getting to meet and interact with Trekkies of different ages, race, gender and sexuality and all of them incredibly nice

[whencyclopedia]

Leo Africanus

Leo Africanus (al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Wazzan al-Fasi al-Granati, 1485-1554) was a diplomat, merchant traveller and scholar who famously voyaged from Timbuktu to the Niger River and wrote 'The History and Description of Africa' (La Descrittione dell'Africa, 1526). Captured by Mediterranean pirates, he so impressed them with his learning and linguistic ability, that they gifted him as a slave to Pope Leo X (1498 -1526).

Leo Africanus was born into a family of clerics and accountants to the court of the Nasrid Dynasty (1238-1492) of Granada during the last days of their rule over the Emirate of Granada. Hasan was baptised Johannes Leo Africanus, and known in Italian as Giovanni Leone. He trained as an Islamic scholar and became a diplomat, travelling across West Africa, from Cairo and Aswan across to the Hejaz and Syria. It was during his return journey from Egypt that he was kidnapped by Mediterranean Christian pirates and ended up becoming a slave to the Vatican Pope Leo X (born Giovanni de’ Medici). Pope Leo X offered Hasan his freedom on condition that he converted to Christianity.

Leo Africanus' scholarship and translations from Arabic inspired early modern ideas of Africa and the Islamic world. His work Descrittione dell'Africa became a blueprint for European explorers seeking to monopolise trade and resources from the African subcontinent. Some historians believe that William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) Othello is based on Leo Africanus. Descrittione dell'Africa was widely read in Europe. It became an important resource and guidebook on Africa, until the European colonisation during the 19th century.

Hasan al-Wazzan

Hasan al-Wazzan’s father, Ahmad al-Wazzan was a cleric in the court of Abu Abdallah Muhammad XII (c. 1460–1533), known in Europe as Boabdil. Hasan’s forbearers worked as aids to the court muhtasib of Granada – a magistrate who oversaw merchant trade and accounts, while also upholding morality and decorum in the public sphere. Hasan grew up alongside his father and grandfather under the influence of the Nasrid court. As a child, he spoke Arabic at home and Spanish in the streets.

Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello

Théodore Chassériau (Public Domain)

In 1492, after a decade long war, Boabdil surrendered Granada to the Spanish Catholic monarchs Isabella I of Castile (1451-1504) and Ferdinand II, King of Aragon (1452 –1516), marking the end of 700 years of Muslim rule. Hasan’s family may have left Granada before 1492, or they could have stayed until the Reconquista. Hasan was a young child when his family, like many Andalusian migrants, fled persecution under the new Christian monarchs, crossing the Mediterranean to settle in Fez. Luckily Hasan’s family was well connected thanks to his uncle, already settled in Fez, who was a diplomat to the Wattasid rulers, serving Sultan Muhammad al-Shaykh (1490-1557). Consequently, they secured a home in a prominent quarter of Fez. His father purchased land north of the Rif Mountains and rented a castle above Fez. Other emigrant families from Granada however struggled greatly in Fez and complained publicly.

Continue reading...

[histoiresduninstant]

𝑵𝒆𝒖𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 | Valse

*↷◌ Info:

||Personnage : Neuvillette ||Origine : Genshin Impact ||Nombre de mots : 2 600 ||Inspiration musicale : Gramophone waltz de Eugen Doga et C'est ça l'amour de Cendrillon ||Synopsis : [T/P] et Neuvillette sont des amis de longue date. Alors qu'un passe ses journées à son bureau, l'autre est une aventurière aguerrie qui ne rêve que de nouveaux paysages et de nouvelles contrées à explorer cachant en leur sein de nombreux contes et histoires. Mais que ce cache-t-il derrière ce visage toujours impassible? 

⁎↣♡↢⁎

     3 mois. 

     3 mois d'attente. 

     3 mois de silence. 

     3 mois était la duration du voyage de sa chère amie, [T/P]. 3 mois durant lesquelles Neuvillette ne pourrait avoir de nouvelle de cette dernière, ni du dérouler de ses péripéties. 3 long mois à exercer sa fonction de juge; L'iudex infaillible de Fontaine. À passer cas après cas, à analyser crime après crime, jour après jour. Il s'agit là de sa fonction et de son rôle au sein de la société fontainoise, alors pourquoi, pourquoi durant ces 3 mois la tâche lui paraissait plus longue et laborieuse, plus lente et ennuyeuse? Ne remplissait-il pas cette fonction depuis bientôt trop longtemps pour qu'un changement de sentiment face à sa position ne soit visible? 

     Pour un être de son envergure, 3 mois ne représentait qu'un bref instant, et pourtant, l'absence de sa chère amie lui était douloureuse. L'enthousiasme que son doux visage arborait lui manquait, ses récit interminables détaillant le moindre instant de ses péripéties lui manquait terriblement. Ce silence qui régnait autour de lui, attabler derrière son large bureau, devenait assourdissant et oppressant. N'entendre que le simple bruit des pages tourner et la plume de son stylo écrire lui rappelait constamment cette solitude qui le suivait à longueur de journée. 

     Voyant la grandissante solitude du juge, son entourage le convia à plusieurs reprise à des après-midi thé où le but étant de le faire sortir de cette macabre solitude qui couvrait son visage et ternissait ses traits. Mais ce dernier rejetait l'invitation prétextant qu'un homme de la justice tel que lui ne pouvait laisser son jugement être influencer par quelconque activité futile. Et cette après-midi encore, Neuvillette avait décider de ce retirer afin de rester seul derrière sa paperasse administrative. 

     Néanmoins, il pouvait peut-être réussir à convaincre son entourage, lui-même était conscient que cette excuse était plutôt un bien nécessaire quant à cacher cette mélancholie et inquiétude qu'il ne cessait de nourrir à l'égard de son amie [T/P], partie bien trop longtemps en voyage. Et  aujourd'hui encore, son esprit ne pouvait se concentrer correctement, divaguant constamment. 

     Assis derrière son bureau, Neuvillette poussa un soupir, voyant très clairement qu'il n'arriverait pas à terminer le dossier sur son bureau. Fermant les yeux, il soupirant de nouveau, se leva et se plaça face à la grande fenêtre derrière son large pupitre. Dehors, le ciel était gris et nuageux, annonçant très certainement une pluie prochaine. Le fait de savoir que le temps se joignait à ses complaintes silencieuses le fit sourire tristement. Le vide qu'installait votre absence le rongeait de l'intérieur. Pour personne auparavant n'avait-il eu de telles pensées ou sentiments, ce qui les rendaient d'autant plus proéminant et de plus en plus difficile à contenir à votre égard, mais il le devait. Son jugement ce devait de rester neutre et impassible face à toute éventualité; la justice n'admettait point les sentiments humains. Et pourtant, il ne pouvait nier cette tendresse qui grandissait en lui envers votre personne. Il pouvait tant bien que mal essayer de se convaincre qu'il n'en était rien, son cœur en avait décidé autrement. 

     Ses yeux violets parcoururent la cité qui se dévoilait sous lui, ombrager par les nuages. Observant le quotidien des fontainois comme il en avait pris l'habitue récemment, un sentiment de mélancholie l'envahit alors, assombrissant ses yeux. Cette tendresse qu'il éprouvait devait-elle rester interdite de tous? Devait-il se taire et garder à tout jamais ce doux penchant pour vous sceller de ses lèvres? Mais, cette option lui paraissait douloureuse, mais le prix d'avouer son doux pêché lui laisserait probablement un goût d'amertume en bouche. Pour rien au monde il voulait se résoudre à s'éloigner de votre tendre personne. 

« Ma chère amie, voyez dans quel état vous me rendez à disparaitre durant 3 mois. Moi qui ne doit être qu'impassible, me voilà à laisser mon cœur dicter mes actes vous concernant. » 

     Il soupira de nouveau, décidemment, votre absence le tracassait plus qu'il ne voulait l'admettre. De sa main gauche, à l'aide de l'élément hydro, il représenta dans le creux de sa main une petite statue de vous, le sourire aux lèvres. Il regarda avec amour et bienveillance cette représentation de vous, avant de ne refermer sa main dans un point, faisant disparaître cette petite illusion de vous. Neuvillette ne savait pas s'il pourrait garder ce fardeau plus longtemps avant qu'il n'en devienne fou. 

« Ma tendre [T/P], à tournoyer dans mes pensées, vous aller me faire perdre l'équilibre. »

     Neuvillette murmura cette dernière parole avant de ce décider à revenir derrière son bureau, se remettant au travail. 

     Alors qu'il approchait de la fin de son dossier, il put entendre les pas décisifs d'une personne se dirigeant vers son bureau. Cela l'ennuyait légèrement, lui qui avait spécifier au garde qui se trouvait de l'autre côté de la porte de ne laisser entrer personne, à part en cas d'extrême urgence. De ce fait, il espérait ne pas être déranger. Seulement, un léger vacarme se fit entendre de l'autre côté de la porte et les voix montèrent en puissance. Depuis son pupitre, Neuvillette ne pouvait que distinguer des bribe de conversation ça et là sans trop comprendre la raison de ce qui semblait être une dispute. L'irritation monta tranquillement lorsque soudain, la porte s'ouvrit brusquement avant de ne se refermer dans un même vacarme sonore. Levant les yeux afin de savoir de qui il s'agissait, son cœur se serra automatiquement à la vue de sa tendre amie [T/P]. Il aurait voulu se lever afin de pouvoir vous serrer dans ses bras, mais le simple fait d'enfin revoir ce visage au trait si familier le rassura tout autan, faisant disparaître cette inquiétude qui le rongeait depuis trop longtemps. 

PDV [T/P]:

« Quelle tête de mule celui-là! Plus têtu serait difficile à trouver, franchement! AH, Neuvillette, mon cher ami, comme vous m'avez manquer durant ce voyage! Mais ne vous inquiété pas, cette petite aventure est riche en rebondissement, vous ne serez pas déçu!  »

- Je suis ravi d'apprendre que votre voyage c'est bien passé ma chère amie.  »

Neuvillette répondit tout en gardant les yeux rivés sur ses dossiers, ne m'adressant que de très bref regards ça et là. 

- Et vous toujours impassible à ce que je vois. Mon cher ami, à quand aurons-nous droit à un sourire de votre part? C'est à croire si les rumeur ne disent pas juste à votre sujet mon ami. dis-je en m'appuyant contre son bureau, lui tournant le dos. 

- Et que disent les rumeurs à mon sujets? 

- Aaaaahhh, soupirais-je, si vous saviez le nombre de petits ragots que l'on raconte sur votre personne afin d'animer nos petits après-midi thé, vous n'en reviendriez pas. Les gens se demandent même parfois si vous êtes bien un humain tant vos émotions sont indéchiffrables! Même moi qui vous connaît depuis maintenant assez longtemps, j'ai toujours un certain mal à vous cerner mon ami. Mais, je dois admettre que cela fait partie de votre charme. 

- Hmmm, et bien soit, si ces divers récits amusent les gens, alors il en est ainsi. répondit-il, le nez toujours plongé dans ses documents. 

- N'y a-t-il donc rien qui ne puisse ébranler cette impassible et stoïque façade qu'est la votre, monsieur Neuvillette? »

     En posant cette question, le ton de ma voix se fit plus doux et curieux, presque taquin. Me retournant pour maintenant lui faire face, je remarquai qu'il fit une pause, d'un bref instant, certes, mais assez visible pour casser la fluidité de ses mouvements. Cette question l'avait-elle déstabilisé? Et ce pourquoi? 

     De son côté, le cœur de Neuvillette se serra, ne connaissant que trop  bien la réponse à cette question. Toutefois, il préféra rester interdit, de peur qu'émettre une réponse ne révèle son amour interdit. 

     Face à lui, son regard toujours plongé dans ses écrits, je pris un instant pour observer son visage. Ses cheveux blancs parsemés de teintes bleu, ce visage composée de traits fins, et pourtant, prononcés, arborant une certaine austérité. Cette peau blanche comme de la porcelaine, ses yeux couleur améthyste qui vous dévisageait aux moindre regard. Je pourrais m'y noyer si je m'aventurais à y plonger mon regard trop longtemps. Et puis, il y avait cette bouche. Ah, le nombre de fois où mon esprit s'était égarer à imaginer la baiser tendrement! Hélas, je ne pouvais souhaiter une telle chose, un soupir s'échappant de ma bouche face à cette triste réalité qu'est la mienne. Aurais-je un jour le droit de lui avouer mon doux amour?

     Ne voulant continuer à ruminer ces pensées noires, je décidais qu'il s'agissait du bon moment pour me changer les idées. Je m'éloignais du bureau afin d'aller chercher dans mon sac un objet que j'avais trouver lors de mon voyage. Je sortis la pochette d'un vieux vinyle dont le titre avait complètement disparu, ne donnant aucun indication sur le contenu de ce dernier. 

« Neuvillette, regardez donc ce que j'ai trouvé lors de mon voyage: un vieux vinyle! Voudriez-vous bien en découvrir son contenu avec moi? » 

     Alors que je sortais le vinyle afin de le placer sur la platine du gramophone, je lançais quelques regards en direction de mon ami qui, à mon désarroi, n'avait pas bouger d'un poil ni énoncer une quelconque réponse. Plaçant la pointe sur le bord du vinyle, la mélodie commença alors à raisonner à travers toute la pièce. L'air y était doux et calme, comme un secret que l'on vous murmure à l'oreille à l'abris des regards. D'un pas léger, je me dirigeais vers Neuvillette, m'imprégnant du rythme de la valse que jouait le gramophone. Puis, me plaçant à son côté, je fis une révérence, lui présentant ma main droite, plongeant mes yeux dans les siens. 

« Me ferriez-vous le plaisir de m'accorder cette danse, Monsieur Neuvillette? » 

     Je pus voir le bout de ses oreilles se teinter très légèrement d'un rose pâle avant d'acquiescer à ma requête, se levant avant de ne prendre ma main dans la sienne. Puis, d'un geste vif et remplis de délicatesse, il nous rapprocha à l'aide de son autre main, la posant ainsi délicatement dans mon dos. J'eus le souffle coupé l'espace d'un bref instant face à cette prise de risque soudaine, non pas que cela puisse me déplaire. Ensuite, c'est les corps collés l'un contre l'autre que Neuvillette se mit à mener la valse, suivant le rythme lent de la musique. 

     Pendant ce moment d'intimité, mon cœur battait la chamade contre ma poitrine, et mes joues arboraient probablement désormais une teinte rosée. Nous ne nous quittions pas du regards, oubliant complètement l'environnement qui se trouvait autour de nous. Seule la musique et le mouvement de nos corps était important, tout le reste pouvait bien disparaître. 

     Alors que je savourais cette valse, les traits de Neuvillette s'assombrirent, cachant une peine inconnu. Un sentiment désagréable s'empara alors de moi, une inquiétude, ou peut-être la sensation d'avoir compris, d'avoir enfin eu la réponse que je redoutais le plus. Mes émotions se chamboulèrent dans ma tête, et mon cœur se serra. Malgré cette proximité, j'avais l'impression qu'un gouffre se formait entre nous, une plaie ouverte qui ne se refermerait jamais. Mes pas se firent alors plus hésitants, douteux, ne sachant comment finir cette valse qui plus tôt, avait un goût sucré. 

     Alors que la valse touchait à sa fin, je me retrouvais appuyé dos à son bureau, la respiration légèrement saccadée. Le visage de Neuvillette, à peine à quelques centimètres du mien, je pouvais sentir sa respiration lente et chaude sur mon visage. Le silence avait repris sa place dans la pièce, ajoutant une certaine lourdeur à l'atmosphère qui nos entourait. 

« Pourquoi cette mélancolie sur votre visage, Monsieur Neuvillette? dis-je dans un souffle. Le simple fait de murmurer ces quelques mots me plongeait dans une tristesse profonde, connaissant déjà le dénouement de cet amour interdit. 

- Car je porte un lourd secret. Un secret qui me ronge de l'intérieur tel une gangrène qu'il faut arracher. Hélas, je n'ai pas la force de le faire moi-même, ayant peur des conséquences de cet acte. » 

     Sa voix était plus douce que d'habitude, à peine plus haute qu'un murmure. Elle paraissait assurée, et pourtant, elle était tremblotante et fébrile, remplis d'émotions poignante, lui qui d'ordinaire avait un timbre neutre. Cette humanité nouvelle dans sa voix me fit chavirer tel un bateau pris dans une tempête en haute mer. Je restais muette, ne pouvant émettre aucune parole de peur que ma tristesse ne se fasse entende. Était-ce la fin? La rupture d'une relation qui n'avait même pas eu la chance de fleurir au grand jour? Non, ce n'était pas possible, pas maintenant, pas après avoir partager un moment d'intimité tel que celui-là. 

     Sans m'en rendre compte, le vinyle avait déjà silencieusement entamé la prochaine piste qui avait été graver dessus. Un rythme lent et suave enveloppa alors doucement la pièce, la réchauffant par la même occasion. Pourquoi un tel changement d'ambiance, c'est comme si l'air autour de nous se soumettait aux complaintes de Neuvillette. En effet, se dernier me regardait avec plus de tendresse et de pudeur que jamais, les joues rosées, comme un enfant embarrasser de dévoiler son petit secret. 

« Ma chère amie [T/P], pardonnez mon jugement hâtif, mais mon cœur ne serait en décider autrement. »

     À peine avait-il fini de prononcer cette phrase qu'il prit délicatement mon visage dans ses mains avant de ne poser ses lèvres contre les miennes dans un baiser rempli d'amour et de tendresse. Mes yeux se fermèrent automatiquement au contact, et je sentis une explosion d'émotion dans mon cœur, frémissant de bonheur. Les joues chaudes et le cœur battant, j'enlaçais Neuvillette de tout mon être. Le temps semblait s'être arrêté, et en cet instant, rien ne comptait plus que de sentir nos cœurs vibrer l'un contre l'autre et nos lèvres danser l'une contre l'autre. Puis, après de longues minutes, nous nous séparâmes à contre cœur, la respiration encore chaude et légèrement haletante de ce baiser passionnel. 

« Alors c'est ça, l'amour»

     Il murmura ces quelques mots qui lui étaient encore nouveaux, une excitation nouvelle brillait maintenant dans ses yeux violets. Il esquissa un léger sourire, ses yeux ne quittant jamais les miens. L'émotion nouvelle d'enfin pouvoir vivre cet amour me fit monter les larmes aux yeux, ne pouvant les retenir plus longtemps. Face à ce spectacle, nous ne pûmes nous empêcher de rire avec légèreté de la situation, soulager d'avoir enlever un poids de nos cœurs amoureux. 

« Je vous aime [T/P]. Voudriez-vous bien rester à mes côté encore quelques temps?

- J'avais peur que jamais vous ne me le demandiez. Moi aussi je vous aime Neuvillette. » 

𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓒'𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓬̧𝓪 𝓵'𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓻

𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓛𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓻!

𝓛'𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓺𝓾𝓲 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓽 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓪 𝓿𝓲𝓮. 𝓛𝓪̀ 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓼, 𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓙𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓮́𝓳𝓪̀... 𝓠𝓾𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓷 𝓫𝓸𝓷𝓱𝓮𝓾𝓻 𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓲!

𝓜𝓸𝓷 𝓬𝓸𝓮𝓾𝓻 𝓼'𝓪𝓯𝓯𝓸𝓵𝓮, 𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶...

𝓔𝓽 𝓳𝓮 𝓶'𝓮𝓷𝓿𝓸𝓵𝓮.

𝓙𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓼𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓾𝓷𝓮 𝓹𝓵𝓾𝓲𝓮 𝓭'𝓮̨𝓽𝓸𝓲𝓵𝓮. 𝓣𝓾 𝓮𝓼 𝓬𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝓳'𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓲𝓼, 𝓣𝓾 𝓮𝓼 𝓶𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓮̂𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓾!

𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓗𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶 𝓱𝓾𝓶... 𝓒'𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓬̧𝓪, 𝓵'𝓐𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓻!

⁎↣♡↢⁎

[chiropterancreed]

amc lestat is bluebeard. he is the brothers saving the young bride from him. he is prince charming and the dragon he has been sent to slay. he is the wolf, pretending to be a lamb - please believe that he is the lamb, love him like he is, see he can be so sweet and gentle (ignore the fangs and the blood on his muzzle). he is also heathcliff AND mr rochester. he is lord byron with blond hair, he is everything the romantic and gothic writers wrote about. he's percy shelley taking mary shelley's virginity in the graveyard. percy shelley dies and is cremated and it turns out his heart was calcified: he is also lord byron begging mary shelley for percy's calcified heart - to keep always in remembrance of him, and mary shelley denying him, keeping the heart of her beloved, the heart that loved her.

this is not to say that book lestat isn't also like that! he definetly is. but he is also satan from "paradise lost". he is also dante on his voyage through hell and beyond, fainting at the sight of the tortures the wicked endure.

anne rice wrote a character that is so damn compelling! lestat de lioncourt is the summation of 200 years of gothic literature, and is also the superhero in your favorite comic series. he is both a deeply serious character - and deeply unserious (here's to looking at you "blood canticle")!

i love lestat so fucking much! i love the show, it has taken something that is beloved and (for the most part) well written and revived it and turned it on it's head. just like anne rice did when she wrote "interview with the vampire" in the 70s, it's a re-imagining of the vampire genre. but not just vampiric horror, it's also turning romance on its head!

historical shows seem to pale in comparison to what the amc IWTV crew are doing, just as anne rice mixed well researched history with the gothic and vampiric in her novels. she changed the game. if she hadn't come along and turned the horror genre on its head, we'd still be stuck with dracula and other dracula-inspired knock-offs.

anyway - if you are new to the show and anne rice in particular, i highly recommend reading the books. not all of them are gems, but they all have something to say and to bring to the table.

[lorienn-art]

FR [Whale song] Heyyy Je suis enfin en vacances donc j'ai pu terminer cette illustration que j'avais commencée il y a environ deux mois hahaha — la partie qui m'a pris le plus de temps à faire a été l'apposition de toutes les couches nécessaires pour créer cet effet d'"onde sonore" (ça m'a vraiment pris une éternité), j'ai utilisé des crayons de couleurs pour accentuer l'effet ✨️ L'illustration est inspirée des chants de baleines à bosse — ces arrangements complexes de sons peuvent voyager des dizaines de kilomètres sous l'eau et sont produits par les mâles pour courtiser les femelles  ; ça me rappelle un peu l'idée d'être "loin des yeux, près du cœur" car qu'importe la distance vous séparant de la personne qui vous est chère, elle pourra toujours vous entendre (concept très Jotawife à mes yeux hahahahaha) Bref, j'espère que vous aimerez cette illustration autant que moi (parce que putain j'en ai sué) 💖 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

EN [Whale song] Heyyy I'm finally on holiday so I was able to finish this piece I started roughly two months ago hahaha — the part that took the longest to do was the layering process to create this "sound wave" effect (it literally took forever), I used coloured pencils to accentuate the effet ✨️ The piece was inspired by humpback whale songs — these complex arrangements of sounds can travel tens of kilometres through the water and are produced by males to court females; it kinda makes me think of the idea of being "out of sight, near to heart" because no matter how far your loved one may be, they can still hear you (which is a very Jotawife concept to me hahahahaha) Anyway, I hope you'll like this piece as much as I do (cuz boi did I sweat to make it) 💖

[francepittoresque]

21 novembre 1783 : premier vol habité en montgolfière non captive ➽ http://bit.ly/Vol-Humain-Montgolfiere Ce premier voyage aérien en ballon non captif exécuté par des hommes eut un immense retentissement, la nouvelle remuant le monde entier. En France, l’émotion fut générale et profonde, l’événement inspirant non seulement les poètes mais également les caricaturistes

[burningvelvet]

Let me tell you about John “Foul-Weather Jack” Byron, Captain James Cook, a doctor named James Lind, and also a different doctor named James Lind, and how they all knew each other, helped to cure scurvy, and inadvertently helped to inspire Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein (1818) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) -- a long-winded history ramble

John Byron next to a first edition copy of Frankenstein.

John joined the Royal Navy at 14 and by the ripe old age of 17 had proved himself by surviving a deadly shipwreck off the coast of Chile. The voyage was part of George Anson's famous circumnavigation of the globe done to seize Spanish ships. Only 188 men of the original 1,854 crew members survived; several, including Byron, were taken as prisoners by the Spanish. Recollections of the voyage were sensationalized and it was depicted in stories like William Cowper’s poem The Castaway. John Byron published his own successful memoir, The Narrative of the Honourable John Byron (1768).

The novel's full title deserves attention for it's 18th century pre-Byronic melodrama: "The Narrative of the Honourable John Byron (Commodore in a Late Expedition Around the World) Containing an Account of the Great Distresses suffered by Himself and his Companions on the Coast of Patagonia from the Year 1740, till their Arrival in England, 1746. With a Description of St. Jago de Chili, and the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants. Also a Relation of the Loss of the Wager Man of War, one of Admiral Anson's Squadron." I can only imagine that had his grandson Lord Byron's memoirs been published instead of burned, their title would have borrowed from his grandfather's by including something similar to "Containing an Account of the Great Distresses suffered by Himself . . ." but I digress.

I do not digress. The beginning of his preface opens with this gem (I've swapped the 18th-century "long s" for a regular one):

"But here I must say, I have been dubious of the partiality of my friends; and, as I think, justly fearful lest the world in general, who may perhaps find compassion and indulgence for a protracted tale of distress, may not give the same allowance to a luxurious imagination triumphing in a change of fortune, and sudden transition from the most dismal to the gayest scenes in the universe, and thereby indulging an egotism equally offensive to the envious and censorious."

Which brings to mind Francis Cohen's criticism of Lord Byron's Don Juan: “Lord B. should have been grave & gay by turns; grave in one page & gay in the next; grave in one line, & gay in the next. And not grave & gay in the same page, or in the same stanza, or in the same line… we are never drenched & scorched at the same instant whilst standing in one spot" (letter to John Murray, 16 July, 1819). And (not the most entertaining part, but to keep things brief) part of Byron's retort: "I will answer [Cohen] who objects to the quick succession of fun and gravity — as if in that case the gravity did not (in intention at least) heighten the fun. His metaphor is that ‘we are never scorched and drenched at the same time!' Blessings on his experience!" (letter to John Murray, 12 August, 1819).

John went on to be considered one of the greatest naval commanders of his era, commanding several ships as captain during the Seven Years’ War and beating the French as leader in the Battle of Restigouche. He later set the record for fastest global circumnavigation at the time while commodore, became a notable explorer, became a commander at multiple Royal Navy stations, and was appointed Governor of Newfoundland in Canada for three years. According to Wikipedia, “his actions nearly caused a war between Great Britain and Spain.”

It seems like he basically just did whatever the hell he wanted. We can see that the apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree. Everyone in the Byron family was kind of crazy. See: psychologist Kay Jamison's Touched By Fire, a novel on the mental illness of famous writers, half of which is focused on Lord Byron (as it should be) and includes an extensive psychological analysis of his whole family tree, which in a short summary brings me back to my previous point: everyone in the Byron family was kind of crazy.

John's health declined after sustaining storm-induced injuries and an unsuccessful attack against the French at the Battle of Grenada. He died at 62 with six living children. His grandson, the poet Lord Byron, borrowed inspiration from John's life and the shipwreck descriptions in his memoir while he was writing the shipwreck sequence in his magnum opus Don Juan.

In an epistle to his half-sister (Epistle to Augusta) Byron mentions their grandfather thus:

"A strange doom is thy father's son's, and past / Recalling, as it lies beyond redress; / Revers'd for him our grandsire's fate of yore— / He had no rest at sea, nor I on shore. / If my inheritance of storms hath been / In other elements, and on the rocks / Of perils, overlook'd or unforeseen, / I have sustain'd my share of worldly shocks, / The fault was mine; nor do I seek to screen / My errors with defensive paradox; / I have been cunning in mine overthrow, / The careful pilot of my proper woe."

On to the Scottish doctor James Lind! He's important because he developed the theory that citrus fruits treated scurvy, and in attempting to prove so he conducted the world's first ever official clinical trial. In his tests, he used the survivors from this famous shipwreck. This likely included Byron himself, being one of the few survivors and having reported the healing effects of citrus in restoring men who were on the verge of death. Needless to say, the discoveries and implications of Lind's clinical trial had an unprecedented impact on the fields of nutrition and medicine, and all of history, particularly in the Caribbean. In 1753 he published his Treatise on Scurvy.

Lind's theories on scurvy influenced the famous Captain James Cook, who implemented these ideas and proved their efficiency by how few men he lost to scurvy compared with every other Captain at the time. When Cook circumnavigated the world on his first voyage, no one died of scurvy. This didn't help with malaria and dysentery, which nearly wiped out his whole crew at one point on a journey to Indonesia. Aside from Anson's shipwreck, Cook's voyages were the other major instance of what I would call "social experiments at sea, or, fuck around and find out: scurvy edition" which led to the development of scurvy research.

As an aside, there is a famous town in Australia named Byron Bay. That town was named by Captain Cook in 1770 as a tribute to John Byron. Cook was sailing around on the HMS Endeavour doing even crazier colonial shit, and he likewise died as the result of his sea travels. He was killed in a scuffle on Hawaiʻi Island which transpired after he had casually tried to kidnap King Kalaniʻōpuʻu-a-Kaiamamao in broad daylight, planning to ransom him out of revenge for the theft of one of his boats, although Cook himself had stolen their sacred wood first after they had been so nice to him. This is what I've gathered from reading a bit about the confusing affair, but the main point is that Cook got what was coming to him. The Journals of Captain Cook were published to major success, contributing to the history of English travel narratives. But Cook is a pretty well-known historical figure so I can't go into his chaotic life any more than this, lest I be writing forever.

Lord Byron in an Albanian oufit he bought while traveling for 2 years, & Captain Cook thinking about navigation. The backgrounds make them look part of the same painting, no?

Back to the Linds: interestingly enough, the scurvy-studying physician James Lind had a younger cousin who was also a physician named James Lind, as well as a scientist/philosopher/teacher. While teaching at Eton, this Lind became a tutor and mentor of a young Percy Bysshe Shelley, and had such an impact on him that Shelley refers to Lind in several of his works. Shelley especially enjoyed Lind’s experiments regarding galvanism - the study of bringing things to life with electricity. It is widely believed by scholars that Shelley’s conversations and rememberances about Lind at Lord Byron's Villa Diodati were some of the primary inspiration for Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818).

For further reading on Shelley's Lind: The real Doctor Frankenstein? by Christopher Goulding via Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Lind's Wikipedia page has a section devoted to Frankenstein.

Percy Shelley described his Lind:

". . . exactly what an old man ought to be. Free, calm-spirited, full of benevolence, and even of youthful ardor: his eye seemed to burn with supernatural spirit beneath his brow, shaded by his venerable white locks, he was tall, vigorous, and healthy in his body; tempered, as it had ever been, by his amiable mind. I owe to that man far, ah! far more than I owe to my father: he loved me, and I shall never forget our long talks, where he breathed the spirit of the kindest tolerance and the purest wisdom . . ."

A tie-in to vampire literature: Lind is also thought to be an influence on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), which was influenced by (Lord Byron’s doctor) John Polidori’s novel The Vampyre, the first ever vampire novel, which was inspired by Lord Byron’s short vampire story Augustus Darvell, which was written at the same time as Frankenstein during their infamous ghost story competition at Villa Diodati. Augustus Darvell was inspired by Byron's travels through Eastern Europe, and was likely in part inspired by (another famous Romantic poet) Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s gothic poem Christabel, which Byron terrified Percy Shelley with after reading it aloud at the Villa Diodati, and which Byron loved so much that he helped Coleridge publish it through his own publisher. Christabel began in 1797 but wasn't published until 1816 for this reason.

To continue on vampires: Byron's enemy, the famous poet Robert Southey (who Byron roasted in Don Juan, among other works, and basically cancelled him as a result) also wrote a poem called Thalaba the Destroyer (1801) which is sometimes considered to be the first true depiction of a vampire in English literature. He also wrote it while traveling. Shelley (and Keats) both loved this poem, and so it also *could have* inspired some of the conversation at the Villa Diodati if Shelley had related the vampire theme to Christabel or Darvell. Southey is also the first English writer to write on Haitian zombi folklore, which would later become the zombie of modern horror. Southey was also reportedly in love with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, the mother of Mary Shelley and philosopher who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), one of the most influential proto-feminist texts.

I relate these connections to demonstrate how small the literary world was at the time; so small that all the writers pretty much knew each other. In 1801, the English population was about 11 million, and in 1899 had grown to around 37 million due to industrialization (source: Black, Joseph, et al. "British Literature: A Historical Overview." The Broadview Anthology of British Literature, Broadview Press, vol. B, 2010, p. 70).

That's nearly the current population of London alone, but around 75% of that 11 million English population in 1801 was rural, whereas at the end of the century the national population was about 75% urban (source: same as prior), again due to industrialization. London in the early 19c was much less populated than today, and the amount of people who were educated or even merely literate was also much smaller than today. So really, it makes sense that all of the artists/writers/scientists/aristocrats knew each other. But it's still insane to see examples of how small the world really is and always has been.

The front-facing portrait is of Scurvy Lind, the shadow portrait is of Galvanism Lind.

The Shelleys: the King and Queen of Romanticism.

Southey, Coleridge, Polidori, Stoker: some early Kings of Vampirism (as represented in popular British literature).

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

E Rated Fics Masterlist (35)

Part 1- Part 25 / Part 26 / Part 27 / Part 28 / Part 29 / Part 30 / Part 31 / Part 32 / Part 33 / Part 34 / 

Created: March 17th, 2024

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Of Course - An Elevator Tale Demona424 (ao3)  Summary: Katniss Everdeen dislikes Peeta Mellark with a burning intensity. But it's not her fault! Ever since she started working at Panem Advertising Agency he's treated her like some sort of leper. And of course on one of her worst days ever she gets trapped with him in an elevator. She can't help but think somebody up there hates her. Our Time-ashyblondwaves (ao3)  Summary: My original story for Prompts in Panem's modern day Everlark challenge: Baby Boomers Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen meet each other on an online dating website. Pas de Deux-dispatchesfromdistrict7 (ao3)  Summary: AU. Katniss and Peeta, two principal dancers at the Panem Ballet Company, must honestly communicate in order to address a newly arisen trust issue affecting their performance.  Pity Party-Demona424 (ao3)  Summary: Katniss never expected to be in a bar on Christmas Eve drowning her sorrows surrounded by people dressed in Santa outfits but she also never expected her ex-husband to cheat on her with her best friend. She also won't ever expect what the night will bring when Peeta Mellark sits next to her with his own sorrows to drown. Pity parties are the best with some company. Play My Way-HGfanonezillion (ao3)  Summary: Katniss discovered a way to take back a lot of the control she feels she loses with her chronic pain by controlling men for pay. But she is ready to have a more meaningful relationship by tying up the same man every day. Play That Song-Broken_everlark (ao3)  Summary: I really wanted to make a one shot collection based off songs. So for my first post on Ao3 here is my one shot collection. (Mostly based off songs but if I have inspiration for a oneshot it'll be posted here.) I will credit the song artists in every chapter, don't worry. Pound of Flesh-bathsheba78 (ao3)  Summary: My body sings for him, longs for him, like a lover for her beloved, like a flagellant for the lash. Prayers Answered-Alliswell (ao3)  Summary: "Lord almighty in heaven, please show me the plan you have for my life... may I be a bright light in the darkness, a blessing upon another soul. Show me what plan there is for me," Was the nightly prayer of a boy who survived the Mayflower voyage to the new world, he waited patiently for and answer, until the first harvest Plymouth Colony celebrated in the new land, when God showed him a girl, as broken and alone as he was, in need of a defender and a helping hand. Loosely based on Historical accounts citing the voyage of the Mayflower and the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. Private Dancer-angylinni (ao3)  Summary: Peeta Mellark lives a lonely life. Every night he comes to the Capitol to find solace in the only way he knows how. Katniss Everdeen is a girl trying to get her life back on track. She can't afford any complications but he can't walk away from the one person that makes him feel alive. What happens next will change them both.... Reviving Romance-DandelionSunset (ao3)  Summary: Valentine's Day is around the corner and no one hates it more than Katniss Everdeen. She keeps receiving messages from a supposed secret admirer, who she's positive is a nonexistent, horrible practical joke. Worse yet, she finds herself falling for her archery student and fellow classmate, Peeta Mellark, who is shy, sweet, sensitive, sexy... and assumably gay.