#Mary Clark author Community

[wondermutt20]

"Approach your lives as if they were novels with their own heroes, villains, red herrings, and triumphs."

Mary Higgins Clark, author at Saint Joseph College (2002)

[sjsmith56]

The Gilded Age, Part 3 - Courtship

Summary: A bouquet of lilacs, symbolizing early love, is sent to Amelia, where a secret admirer professes his love. Proposing to meet through an intermediary, Amelia agrees. Everything seems to be going well, until a man from both their pasts suddenly appears.

Length: 5.5 K

Characters: Avengers, Amelia, James Buchanan Barnes, John Walker.

Warnings: John Walker opening his big mouth, description of physical and psychological abuse, revelation of closely guarded secret.

Author notes: Remember this is an AU story. However, I have retained many of the customs of the time involving dating. Even with her liberal upbringing, Amelia is still quite naive. Barnes, as a gentleman, will respect her reputation and strive to keep their public encounters appropriate for the time period. Alvan Clark made telescopes were among the finest made at that time. Several of the larger models are still in use today. In researching court-martials in the US Army, the information for that time period frequently conflicted. I wrote the judgement to suit the plot. Divider by vecteezy.com.

<<Part 2

Part 3 - Courtship

The aftermath of the altercation with HYDRA was dealt with in the days after the events of that evening. Clues had been missed, but considering the notice had been given late, it was understandable. Secretary of State Fury, who visited the Society personally the next day, took the blame for that, while denigrating himself for not providing the cavalry to back them up from the beginning. They did inflict damage on the enemy, interrupting and even damaging their operations enough for the dark organization to slink back into the inky waters of anonymity for a time. The mission confirmed that the owner of the docks, Wilson Fisk, by day a supposedly well-respected member of the New York business community, was involved with HYDRA, although any evidence that could be used to prosecute him either disappeared or was destroyed. The Avengers own ground support team, led by Mr. Hogan, suffered no fatalities, although there were several injured by gunshot wound or sword wounds. Young Peter's vigilante acquaintance, who the citizens living in Hell's Kitchen referred to as The Daredevil, had been there, helping in the clash. He sent word that he would keep an eye on the docks, utilizing his own network of people who lived in the underbelly of that locale. Their mutual friend, a blind lawyer by the name of Matthew Murdock, visited to assure himself that Peter would recover, sitting with the young man as he was confined to his room for the week. His Aunt May and her maid / companion, Mary Jane, also visited which bolstered the young man's spirits considerably.

Clint and Vision concerned themselves with looking after their beloved ladies, Natasha and Wanda. Both men doted on them, making sure the two women were comforted in every way possible. Dr. Banner did not return to the headquarters of the Society for two days, although it appeared that Hogan and his men were able to keep track of him. Apparently, the doctor was upset at himself that his other being, the green hulking giant, had only presented itself for a brief time during the heat of the battle then had inexplicably retreated. Banner, ashamed of what he saw as his failure, went on a bit of a bender. When he finally passed out in a tavern that had been paid to watch for him, Hogan went to retrieve him and bring him back to the safety of the Society headquarters. No one ever confronted the man about it, or even mentioned it in passing. Amelia, still getting used to the routine in the building, took it to mean that it had happened before and would likely happen again. Since the good doctor was already hard on himself about it, it wasn't seen as helpful for anyone else to be.

As for Amelia, it seemed that the intimate experience of providing medical treatment to Sergeant Barnes, signalled the beginnings of an increased awareness between them, at least it seemed that way to several of the others. Captain Rogers, who admitted to Sam Wilson that he considered beginning a courtship with the young librarian, noticed it first. Every time Amelia and Barnes were in the same room together, she glanced the Sergeant's way and smiled, while he conducted himself in a gentle manner around her person. Small acts of service, such as pulling out her chair for her, or getting a book from the top shelf, then gazing at her from a distance were apparently how Barnes expressed his interest in this particular member of the fairer sex. As exasperating as it was for the Captain to be relegated to the side, he was also happy for his friend, knowing that since Barnes was rescued from the clutches of HYDRA, the man had shunned any romantic entanglements.

Ten days after the altercation with HYDRA, everyone was in the common area of the 21st floor. It was a beautiful spring day, and the morning sun shone through the large windows, making the space feel warm and inviting. Natasha, although still not wearing a corset was well enough to dress and leave the confines of the apartment she shared with her fiancé. She and Clint looked at images of Paris in the stereoscope, contemplating a visit there for their honeymoon. Rogers, Wilson, Thor and Loki were playing billiards. Wanda played the piano, while Vision sat next to her and turned the pages of the music sheets. Peter was writing a letter, while Mr. and Mrs. Stark worked together on a word cross puzzle in the newspaper. Dr. Banner, Sergeant Barnes, and Amelia were all reading a book. Hogan called up from the lobby to say that a bouquet of flowers had been delivered for Miss Winston. Instructed to bring it up, everyone perked up when he walked in carrying a large bouquet of purple lilacs, placing it on the table next to Amelia, then leaving.

"Someone has declared himself," said Natasha, knowingly. "Purple lilacs symbolize early love. Who are they from?"

Amelia opened the card and read silently what was written. You have captured my heart. This is but the first of many expressions of my ardour for you. If you would but grant me the honour of your company at a time and place of your choosing, please send a message through Mr. Hogan. He will be discreet for both of us. I am at your mercy, sweet Amelia.

She looked up at everyone. "It isn't signed. But it appears I have an admirer."

Leaning close to the flowers, she breathed in deeply, her face taking on a dreamy expression. Without delay she stood up, picked up the vase and left, presumably to take the flowers to her apartment. Everyone returned back to their amusements, except for Captain Rogers who noticed his friend, Sergeant Barnes still looking in the direction of Amelia's departure. After the small pang of loss he felt at being too late in declaring his own interest in her, Rogers hoped this bold step, taken by his longtime friend, would lead to lasting happiness for both of them.

It was another two days, before Amelia requested permission to leave the Society headquarters for personal reasons. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stark, who she directed her request to, smiled at her as she stood hopefully before them.

"You do not have to request permission to conduct your own life," stated Mr. Stark. "You are a grown woman, after all. Your hours of employment are not set in stone, since like all of us here you are available for any task at any hour. Go, take what time you need and enjoy yourself."

With a smile and nod thanking them, Amelia returned to her apartment and placed a straw boater hat on her head, securing it with a hatpin. She secured a short jacket around her upper body, then checked her small pocketbook, ensuring there was enough money to return home on the subway if she became stranded. For a moment, she hesitated at the thought that in less than two weeks she was already thinking of this building as home, but it was. Other than the intensity of that first night when she was thrown into the figurative fire of being a nurse tending to the injured, she had felt safe and secure here. The people in the building had become dear to her, almost as dear as her own father and brother. If her secret admirer was one of them, it could signal the start of a turning point in her life, one that she was eager to experience, having never being in love before. Satisfied with her appearance she left her apartment and took the elevator down to the lobby. Hogan was there and came out the door with her to help her into a waiting hansom cab.

"I was going to take the subway," she protested.

"No, Miss Winston, the gentleman was emphatic that you take the safety of a cab as New York can be dangerous. He has engaged one to return you back here as well." He persisted, leaving her no choice but to take his hand as she stepped into the interior. He looked at the driver. "Drop off the young lady as close as possible to the boathouse in Central Park."

The driver touched his cap and with a short command from his lips, set off in the direction of the large green space, already famous for its location in the middle of the large metropolis. Sitting inside the cab, Amelia watched the life of the city pass by her, as the route went through several neighbourhoods. When it finally stopped and the driver dismounted to help her out, he pointed in the direction she had to walk for a short distance. With thanks to him, she set off and approached the lake, where boaters and gondolas were already in abundance on the blue green waters. Approaching the spot where she agreed to meet her admirer she waited only a short moment, then heard footsteps behind her.

"You came," said a familiar voice that set her heart racing. "I was afraid you would change your mind."

Turning around to look up into the face of Sergeant Barnes, whose soft gaze at her couldn't disguise the emotion the man was feeling, she smiled.

"I hoped it was you," she answered. "No one else has me thinking of them as much as you do ... James."

"Amelia," he responded, "dearest, sweetest Amelia. How I've longed to hear my name from your lips and to say those words to you."

Offering her his arm, he placed his other hand on hers briefly when she took it, as they began strolling through the park. Sergeant Barnes, until this moment, had never thought he could live a life like this, of walking openly in public with a sweetheart, not consumed with dread over whether he was recognized and avoided as something distasteful. In the years since he was rescued from HYDRA, he had lived a mostly reclusive life, staying indoors at the Society headquarters, reading, tinkering with Anthony Stark in the basement on the engines they both were fascinated with, occasionally observing the night sky through the six-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope in the small observatory on the roof, or improving his marksmanship skills in the firing range also located in the basement. Almost all of his excursions were when they went on missions, mostly at night. It was a lonely existence, made bearable only by the patience and understanding of his colleagues. From the moment he was introduced to Amelia, it seemed like a curtain had been drawn back, letting in the bright light of life. Although she was considerably younger than him, being with her just felt right, as her warmth and zest for knowledge and enjoyment, provided what he had been missing for so long. Every fibre of his being longed to not just cherish and protect her, but also to support her as she explored all that life had to offer. He meant every word of what he told Samuel Wilson; that a woman like her should stand next to her man as his equal, not as a subordinate. If he was so fortunate to win her hand, he would spend a lifetime making sure of that.

A small kiosk was set up with small bags of food for the ducks in another pond. Reaching into his pocket, Sergeant Barnes withdrew a nickel to purchase one, and they approached the water. Opening it to her, he watched as her small, gloved hand dipped in, coming back out with dried corn and peas. She tossed her fare into the water, sweeping her hand in an arc to reach as great an area as possible. More ducks hurried in as they realized food was at hand and she reached in again, scattering the food to feed many of them, at least with a small morsel. He watched her face, as she frowned at some of the ducks attempting to prevent others from reaching the floating meal.

"Even though I try to scatter it to as many as possible there are always some who want the food all for themselves," she stated, reaching her hand inside the bag again. "It must be innate in most species, not just humans."

"Yet, humans are capable of the greatest tenderness and sacrifice," he answered. "Our intellect and reason make us humane. I wish we could witness it more."

Amelia looked up at him, seeing a moment of painful remembrance on his brow, then he smiled softly at her and checked inside the bag, noticing it was almost empty. Turning it over he emptied the contents into her waiting hands and smiled as she tossed the food away from her, then brushed her hands together to remove the crumbs. A passing breeze had blown a small fleck of dried food onto her face and he gestured with his right hand to remove it. Looking up at him again, she gazed into his blue eyes as he gently brushed the fleck off her cheek. For a long moment, his hand stayed there as if he wished to cup her cheek in his palm. Then the moment passed, and he dropped his hand, before offering his arm to her again, as their walk resumed.

"May I ask you a personal question?"

She glanced up at Sergeant Barnes, hoping he was amenable to the request.

"You may."

"How old are you?"

"I turned 33 on March 10 of this year," he answered, then continued speaking. "My father fought in the Civil War, for the north, and was anxious to start his family upon his mustering out. I am the oldest of four children. The others are sisters, ranging in age from 23 to 31, all of them but the youngest married with children of their own. She is being courted by a serious young man who will not ever say no to her."

"Were you ever married?"

"No, I enjoyed the company of several women when I was younger but never entered into a formal courtship with any of them. I had decided to join the military and felt certain that the life was not one favourable to the formation of a family. Although I still wear the uniform, as officially I am on secondment to the Society, I now live as a civilian." He glanced down at her. "Your turn, Amelia."

She blushed and smiled. "I am 24, and you already know I have a father and brother. My mother died when I was five years of age, of scarlet fever. My father never remarried, choosing to devote himself to raising my brother and me while practising law. I graduated from the Armour Institute in Chicago with a diploma in library science, as it was one of the fields where a woman could be successful in her own right. I worked at the public library in Chicago until I received a letter from Mr. Stark six weeks ago, asking if I was interested in this position." She smiled a little. "He wasn't fully forthright in what it would entail, grouping my additional responsibilities under that heading, with the caveat "as needed," but I have no regrets. I feel very energized by my position. In fact, I was just thinking before I left that I am very much at home there."

"I'm glad," replied Sergeant Barnes. "I was concerned about you on that first evening. It was a harsh introduction to your other responsibilities, but you were steadfast, and I admired you for it."

For a moment, Amelia looked away, then she returned her gaze back at him. "When did you know? About how you felt about me?"

"Almost from the moment I met you. Definitely when we worked on the cryptograms together. You were so focused but I had a hard time doing the same. I think the actual moment was when you were tending to my injury. Every part of me wanted to hold you in my arms, and convince you that it would be alright, since I was there with you and would be whenever you needed me. Of course, that would have been highly inappropriate considering the brevity of our acquaintance and the lack of clothing on my part."

She breathed out quickly then stopped. "I wouldn't have been offended. The gesture would have been welcomed."

This time he did rest his fingertips on her cheeks, regarding her with intensity.

"You are too kind to trifle with me. Would you entertain the possibility of me formally courting you? My intentions are honourable. I have never felt this way before and every part of me longs to be near you, always."

"I would like that," she replied. "Although my father has encouraged me to make my own decisions, I would like you to meet him, and put forth your request to him in person, out of respect. He has already written that he is coming to New York within a fortnight to meet with a gentleman who requires representation for building a factory in Illinois. Until then, would you be offended if we kept our future assignations private?"

For a brief flicker of time, he was disappointed at her caveat, but she was correct. Given the difference in their social status, it was a prudent request. In this matter, he would defer to her.

"I agree that we should keep this private for now. It will be difficult to keep a neutral attitude towards you as a colleague, but I will endeavour to do so."

"We can still meet, James," she smiled. "If Mr. Hogan is amenable to continue assisting us, I'm sure we can find a way to meet privately without the others being in the know regarding our intentions."

He laughed. "You're aware we are a society of spies. Being in the know is part of our job. They will find out."

"Then let them enjoy the hunt while we lead them on a merry chase."

How her face lit up at that declaration, a look that filled him with elation. She was truly a formidable woman. When he returned her to the spot where the hansom cab was already waiting, he helped her up into the interior. Removing her glove from her right hand she offered it to him. He removed his glove to take it, then bent over her hand to kiss the soft skin of her fingers. Their eyes met and stayed on each other as the cab pulled away to return her to the Society headquarters. Ten minutes later, Barnes hailed his own cab, and spent the entire ride home feeling happier than he had in a long time.

In the interval since that first meeting, they had managed to meet privately three times. Their next meeting was attending the opera together in a private box that afforded them anonymity to the other patrons. During an emotional rendition of a romantic aria between the soprano and tenor performers in the third act, Amelia linked her fingers with his. The sublime look on her face during the performance would stay with Sergeant Barnes forever. Even though their hands were gloved it was confirmation that their attachment was fated to be. Once again, he kissed her bare hand in farewell when he sent her home ahead of him.

Their subsequent encounter found them enjoying dinner together in a private dining room followed by dancing to a string quartet provided just for them. With both of them in evening dress, the Sergeant found himself entranced by the shape of her shoulders revealed by the cut of her gown. Her natural beauty was almost hypnotic in its power over him. When he offered her his hand to dance, he couldn't quite believe she was in his arms, gazing into his eyes while he maneuvered her around the small dance space. It took all of his discipline not to kiss her fully on the lips, as he wasn't sure he could stop.

Their most recent rendezvous was spent riding in Central Park on this warm Sunday afternoon. For the latter meeting, she arrived with her long hair loose down her back, wearing a skirt split in such a way that she could ride her horse western style. It was very daring of her to wear that style of skirt, and wear her hair down like that, but Sergeant Barnes appreciated the practicality of her clothing. As for her long locks, he longed to run his hands through the silken tresses, despite the inappropriateness of such a display in a public setting. Removing his own hat, he left it at the stable. They rode as closely together as they could, enjoying each other's company, not realizing a storm cloud was approaching their sunny vista. Deciding to rest their horses, Sergeant Barnes dismounted, then grasped Amelia around her waist, effortlessly lifting her down to the ground. In the process she placed her hands on his chest, an act considered almost inappropriate for an unmarried couple, even though they were unofficially courting. As neither wanted the moment to end they didn't move. Instead, they enjoyed the close interlude.

"Amelia Winston, what are you doing in New York?" said a man's voice and she turned to see someone she never expected to see again.

"John Walker. I live and work here now for SHIELD."

Immediately, Sergeant Barnes whole body stiffened, and he turned towards the other man, who also stiffened when he recognized the Avenger.

"Sergeant Barnes."

"Lieutenant Walker."

"I'm not in the cavalry, anymore, Barnes. I'm a U.S. Agent with the Secret Service." Walker looked from one to the other. "You are courting? With him?"

"It really isn't your business, is it Mr. Walker?" Anger flashed briefly on Amelia's face. "You made it very clear in Chicago that my family's wealth and connections weren't enough to warrant your attention."

He hummed a little. "But Barnes ... you do know about him, right?"

"I think you've said enough," stated Sergeant Barnes, darkly. "Good day, Agent Walker."

Grasping the reins of both horses with one hand and taking Amelia's arm in his other, he turned to leave but Walker's voice reached them both.

"Does she know what you did, Barnes? Is she aware of your court-martial?"

She looked up at him. "What is he talking about, James?"

He kept walking until she pulled her arm out of his and stopped. With a sigh, he turned back to her.

"Please, let's return the horses to the stable and I will explain but I won't do it here, not where anyone can listen as it is a private matter."

"But you were court-martialed? Why did you not tell me before?"

"Amelia, please, not here. Back at the Society. Captain Rogers will verify what I tell you. I beg you to indulge me on this."

He waited, pleading with his eyes for her to accompany him back to the stable. With a nod, she walked towards him but wouldn't put her arm in his. For the five minutes it took to reach the stable, they didn't speak. All that Sergeant Barnes could think of was that it was over. Once he told her, she would have nothing to do with him and he couldn't blame her. From the stable they walked to the hansom cab stand and both of them got in. Again, they didn't speak, and the tension grew between them. The trip back seemed to take forever with Barnes feeling more and more ill as they got closer to their destination. Several times, Amelia looked at him with concern, but he was so lost in his misery that he didn't notice.

"Why are you sharing a cab together?" asked Hogan, when he stepped forward to open the cab door. "What's wrong?"

"Walker," stated Barnes and he went to the door, then turned to Amelia. "Please."

She nodded and went through the door ahead of him. As soon as they entered the lobby Hogan phoned up to the 21st floor.

"John Walker has appeared," he stated. "Sergeant Barnes is quite perturbed. Miss Winston is with him and is also unhappy. I surmise that Walker is the cause."

By the time they got up to the 21st floor almost everyone was there. Looking from face to face in confusion, Amelia wondered what was so dire that everyone felt compelled to be there. Mrs. Stark stepped forward and took Amelia's hand in hers.

"Exactly what did John Walker say?"

She related the short conversation, surprised when the others swore openly.

"What is going on? Why would he say such a thing? Is it true that James was court-martialed? Please, I need to know."

From where he sat, with his head in his hands, Sergeant Barnes looked up, pure agony on his face.

"I told you about my being a prisoner of HYDRA. I wasn't the only one."

"Yes, you already said Captain Rogers was taken."

"So was Lieutenant John Walker," said Mr. Stark. "He was taken at the same time as Buck, but he made no attempt to escape, find the Sergeant or rescue him, even though he was uninjured. When Captain Rogers was taken and transformed with those injections, he immediately realized his strength would allow him to escape but he wasn't going without Buck. By the time he got to a fort with him, having carried him in his arms for miles, Walker was already there ahead of them. He accused Buck of cooperating with HYDRA, of performing an act so cruel that he should be shot at once."

"He was in no condition to do anything when I found him," said Rogers. "He didn't know up from down, yesterday from today, or even who I was. He couldn't walk and the arm they put on him was like a lead weight, weighing him down. What Walker accused him of wasn't possible. He said Buck attacked a farmhouse where women and children were taking refuge from the range wars and killed them with his bare hands. He didn't do it. I know Buck, like a brother. He wouldn't do such a thing. But Walker had connections, high up in the military and they arrested Buck. Secretary of State Fury was our colonel then and he agreed that it was impossible given the condition he was found in to perform that act of savagery. Despite Walker's insistence on a summary judgement, Fury was able to delay it so that medical treatment could be sought for him."

"Even then they treated me like an animal," said Barnes, staring blankly ahead of him, as if he was reliving it once more. "Shackled at my wrists and ankles, dragged by my elbows and thrown into a paddy wagon. I was placed in a prison first, beaten and starved. It took an intervention by the President himself on appeal by my mother to release me to a medical hospital where Dr. Banner was working." He looked at the doctor, smiling wanly at him. "I will never forget his kindness as he helped me. It was him who told me what those injections did to me based on his study of my blood."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Amelia's eyes were glassy. "I would have believed you."

"Then you would have been one of the few. My fate was to be decided by three high ranking officers, Colonel Fury, General Alexander Pierce, and General Howard Stark, Anthony's father. A friend of Fury's, Colonel Rhodes, represented me. He was magnificent, calling in Dr. Banner and Steve, other men from our unit to provide character references, even calling in a HYDRA prisoner that had been taken to verify that I was unable to do what they said I did. He took one look at the tribunal, grasped a gun from the guard and shot himself in the head. Right there, in front of all of us."

"Captain Rumlow was the prosecuting officer and he brought in other HYDRA prisoners that said Buck did it, but you knew they were lying. They were terrified." Rogers sat next to Barnes and placed his arms around his shoulders. "I wasn't going to let them railroad the judgment. I was prepared to break into the prison and take him out of the country if I had to. Then Rumlow offered a deal. Buck plead guilty to one count of accidental death, accept a sentence of one-year hard labour and he would be free. They went from a summary execution to a one-year sentence. It wasn't right."

"No, it doesn't sound right," agreed Amelia. "Did you accept it? I mean, James is here, alive and free."

"No, I refused it," said Barnes. "I didn't do it. Two out of the three superior officers agreed, Fury and Stark. Pierce voted guilty. According to military law, a unanimous decision is required to find a soldier guilty. Since it wasn't unanimous I was free to return to duty."

"But with your name still blackened from the charge and the one officer who found you guilty," said Amelia. "There is something dastardly about the whole affair and you think John Walker was involved?"

Barnes exchanged a look with Steve who nodded his head curtly. "The HYDRA prisoner who was going to testify on our behalf said it was Walker. He was also injected and transformed. To prove his strength and loyalty to HYDRA for the gift they gave him, he killed those people. Now he's in the Secret Service, privy to all sorts of top-secret information."

"What?!" Anthony Stark jumped up. "He's a U.S. Agent? There is definitely something rotten in Washington. I'm calling Fury. He needs to know this."

He rushed off to his apartment while the others sat quietly. A cough from Loki drew attention to him.

"Sergeant, I owe you an apology," he said, sounding shaken. "I never knew the whole story, only what was gossiped about in the newspapers. I assumed the worse about you and it wasn't right. You have conducted yourself with honour while I've known you, but I was too wrapped up in my own petty prejudices to see it. Please forgive me."

Barnes smiled slightly and nodded his head at the man, then stood up in front of Amelia.

"I didn't mean to hide this from you, but I didn't know how to tell you. It took a long time for me to trust that people would believe I could never do such a thing. I didn't give you a chance to decide for yourself and I'm sorry."

"Oh, James. I do believe you but why would Walker be against us courting? That was his intent, wasn't it, to stop us from being together?"

"I knew it," grinned Natasha. "It's written all over them."

Barnes smiled at the vivacious redhead. "I can only think he doesn't want me to be happy at all. He never did like me. Steve had to reprimand him more than once for harsh treatment."

"Well," stated Mrs. Stark, standing up. "We have a dinner guest to prepare for. Amelia's father, Harris Winston is visiting tonight. We're going to give him the grand tour to show him that his daughter is a vital part of our organization. I want everyone in their best clothes and on their best behaviour this evening. Drinks are 7 pm. Dinner is at 8. Don't any of you dare be late." She laughed. “Anthony’s not the only poet.”

"I forgot he was coming," said Amelia. She looked up at the man she loved. "It will be alright. He will like you and I'm sure he will give his blessing to our courtship."

The man couldn't help himself. Now that their unofficial courtship was in the open, Sergeant Barnes did what he wanted to do for weeks. Removing the glove from his right hand, he placed it on Amelia's cheek, then leaned down, gently pressing his lips against hers. It wasn't a chaste kiss, but it was sweet enough that the others who witnessed it sighed at the obvious display of love between the normally reserved Sergeant and the young librarian. When he wrapped her in his strong embrace after, as she rested her head against his chest, everyone felt like something wonderful had just happened for the couple. It was beautiful to witness.

Part 4>>

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[georgieluz]

Juleeees, how are you? I'll go with 4, 10, 11, 21 and 28 for the "not from the US" ask set

jess! hello!! i'm not too bad, thanks! just got back from braving the rain to buy christmas jumpers (it's christmas jumper weekend at work on friday so had to go searching), how about you?

4. favourite dish specific for your country?

probably glamorgan sausage, which isn't made of actual sausage. it's made of cheese, but it's a vegetarian alternative to normal sausage. but yeah, usually made with cheese and leek.

i do also love a slice of bara brith, but specifically the one served in the restaurant at my workplace!

if we wanna be really basic then welshcakes are always a good shout and i have one every friday with a cup of tea in work!

crempogs are soo very good also!!

10. most enjoyable swear word in your native language?

ooh okay so i don't know if it would necessarily be the most enjoyable but it's the one my friends and i used most whilst growing up and that's "cachau bant" which is a way of saying "fuck off" but if you translate it literally it's "shit away".. and then i can't not include "cont" which i imagine you can guess the translation of (we use it affectionately here though, so it's more like "alright, cont?" or "shwmae cont" when you greet your friend)

11. favourite native writer/poet?

okay, it's probably very predictable to choose dylan thomas but i do love his poems and his poetry is loved for good reason! he didn't write in cymraeg, only saesneg, but he's welsh and wrote about wales and life here, and i think the fact that he wrote in english and not welsh speaks a lot about the journey our language unfortunately went on

also r.s thomas' poems about wales are always interesting to study, in particular welsh history, which has the ending lines:

when we have finished quarrelling for crumbs under the table, or gnawing the bones of a dead culture, we will arise and greet each other in a new dawn

his other poems a welsh testament, welsh landscape, the village and sorry are all really interesting as well!

niall griffiths is a great welsh author too. his books set in aberystwyth are really really good!

oh and richard king!! both his books about music and his oral histories of wales book are 11/10!!

menna gallie's work is awesome as well, i loved 'the small mine' which explores how a fictional welsh village comes together after a mining tragedy. it focuses a lot on how women in the community deal with the loss. her other books are great too and she has a really witty writing style that i enjoy a lot

a few others: owen sheers, gillian clarke and sarah waters!

not quite relevant, but still worth a mention, is the story of the soldier-poet known as hedd wyn and the eisteddfodd of 1917!

21. if you could send two things from your country into space, what would they be?

ohhhh this is really hard.. does it have to be an object or can it be like just a welsh tradition or?? oH WAIT I KNOW i'd send mari lwyd up there!!! to maybe freak out all the aliens. it's one of my favourite welsh customs and traditions for christmas! this is what it looks like:

28. does your country have a lot of lakes, mountains, rivers? do you have favourites?

oh boy! it does indeed... if you wanna know how many mountains wales has, it's better to just look at this topography map

there aren't any genuinely flat areas of wales. my high school was near the top of a mountain, and my house growing up was halfway up the same one. we hated having to walk up it every morning, and yet, we still went down to the village on our lunch hour. maybe that's why we were all fucking tiny bc we trekked up a mountain twice a day.

here's one of our rivers, which we similarly have a fuck ton of

so yeah. a shit ton of rivers and a shit ton of mountains. my favourite mountains are the brecon beacons bc we used to go there so much when i was growing up. it's like a tradition for welsh people to climb there and hike there as soon as the weather gets milder!

oh wow, sorry this was SOOOO long but it was fun to talk about these things so thank you for asking!!

for this ask game!

[keplercryptids]

books i read: february 2023

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. 4/5.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire. 3.75/5.

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben. 5/5 (i love trees).

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey. 3/5.

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco. 3.75/5.

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson. 4.5/5.

Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brisset. 3.5/5.

How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin. 5/5 (soooo good).

A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey by Jonathan Meiburg. 4/5.

Galatea by Madeline Miller. 4/5.

average rating: 4! (thank god)

other stats!

📚 50% were audiobooks. this is a higher percentage than normal, but i was really busy this month so. audiobooks all the way.

📚 80% were from the library and 20% were physical books that i own.

📚 genre breakdown: 5 fantasy, 3 nonfiction, 1 afrofuturism/scifi, and 1 SFF short story collection.

📚 6 authors were new to me and 4 were authors I've read from before.

(friend/follow me on goodreads where i occasionally even write full reviews for books lol)

[reasoningdaily]

To Be Equal: Hate Crime Surge Continues With Burning of Black Churches

By National Urban League Published05 AM EDT, Sun Apr 2, 2023

"A lot of people want to make it a hate thing. Well, we don't represent hate. We represent love. Togetherness. Peace. Long suffering. Hope. That's what we're here today to say, not just to our community, but to our country. Be strong." -- Rev. Gerald Toussaint, pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, one of three Louisiana churches burned down over 10 days this month.

Though they were more than 100 years old, Greater Union Baptist Church, St. Mary Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, were nowhere near as grand and ancient as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Tourists never flocked to admire them.  The flames that burned them to charred ruins were not observed in horror by an international television audience.

But burn they did, all within a span of 10 days. And unlike the fire that damaged Notre Dame, the fires that consumed them were deliberately set by someone motivated by racial hatred, according to authorities.

In response to billionaires pledging to fund the rebuilding of Notre Dame, activists were inspired to raise money for the Louisiana churches – contributions can be made through GoFundMe.

The arsons are part of an ongoing spike in hate crimes that began in 2015, fueled by racist rhetoric throughout the Presidential campaign that continued into the first year of the current administration.

The destruction of Black churches, the spiritual and cultural heart of many Black communities, has long been a tactic of white supremacist terrorists, predating the Civil War.  Churches were the gathering places for civil rights activists in the 1950s and 1960s.  The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963, which killed four young girls gathered for worship, marked a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement and galvanized support for he Civil Rights Act of 1964.

At the end of last year, the FBI reported that hate crime reports increased 17 percent in from 2016 to 2017, the third consecutive year reports have risen.  Of the more than 7,100 hate crimes reported in 2017, nearly three out of five were motivated by race and ethnicity.   That’s not the only sign that violent racial and ethnic hatred are on the rise. The Southern Poverty Law Center reports a nearly 50 percent increase in the number of white nationalist groups in the U.S. in just a single year, from 100 chapters in 2017 to 148 in 2018.

The Anti-Defamation League reports a 182 percent increase in incidents of the distribution of white supremacist propaganda, and an increase in the number of rallies and demonstrations by white supremacy groups, from 76 in 2017 to 91 in 2018.

The number of terrorist attacks in the United States by far-right actors, including white supremacists, quadrupled between 2016 and 2017, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee convened a hearing last week on the rise of white nationalism. Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, testified, “The violence that erupted in Charlottesville in 2017 was a wake-up call that demonstrated that racial violence continues to stand as a threat to our democracy and presents a danger to vulnerable communities.”  

She called on the FBI to redouble its efforts to fight racist extremism. She called on Congress to “encourage the use of existing laws to investigate and prosecute acts of hate violence to the full extent of the law and oppose efforts to create new legislation that risks the further criminalization of communities of color.”  She called on social media companies to terminate “purveyors of hate who violate those terms by promoting and inciting violence.”

Unfortunately, her expert testimony was overshadowed by right-wing activist Candace Owens’ absurd and baseless assertion that the “Southern Strategy” -- the electoral strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism – was a “myth.”

Owens’ presence at the hearing is evidence in itself that appealing to racism, or at least the fantasy that racism isn’t a threat -- remains a political strategy.

The threat is real, and it is growing. Elected and community leaders across the ideological spectrum need to confront it for the crisis that it is. 

16TBE 4/18/19 ▪ 80 Pine Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300  

[dollycas]

Special Guest Nupur Tustin Author of Bearer of Secrets: An Art Heist Mystery (Celine Skye Psychic Mystery Series) #Author Interview #Giveaway @ntustinauthor

Bearer of Secrets: An Art Heist Mystery (Celine Skye Psychic Mystery Series) by Nupur Tustin It is my pleasure to welcome Nupur Tustin to Escape With Dollycas Today! Hi Nupur. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m a former journalist with a Ph.D. in Communication, a creative individual with a passionate interest in music, art, and history. You’ll see that reflected in the three amateur sleuth series I write—one set in Haydn’s Austria with Joseph Haydn as the protagonist; one that takes on the unsolved Gardner Museum heist; and one in which a French sleuth travels the world as an undercover sleuth recovering stolen art. Oddly enough, all my characters are Catholic—or in the case of Celine Skye, a lapsed Catholic. But I wasn’t Catholic or even Christian when I started writing these series. So I suppose that tells one something about the authority of the Church, that even as a non-believer one saw it as the true faith. What is the first book you remember reading? It must have been an Enid Blyton book. She’s a British writer from the early twentieth century and was hugely popular and very prolific. I loved her books. She wrote quite a few mystery series as well—all for children, of course. If you’re familiar with her works at all, it’ll be in the context of Noddy and Toyland. And if you know about Noddy—you either have young children or grandchildren in your home! I have to confess, I still enjoy reading children’s books and picture books. Biscuit is one of my favorite series. What are you reading now? I read several books—fiction and non-fiction simultaneously. So here goes: Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O’Connor Playing Dead by Allison Brennan The Caravaggio Conspiracy by Peter Watson How to Pray Always by Raul Pius, S.J. And I’m listening to a podcast of the Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila What books have most inspired you? As a mystery writer, I’ve been inspired by Emily Brightwell, Kate Kingsbury, Stephanie Barron, Susan Wittig Albert, Mary Higgins Clark, Jayne Ann Krentz, among others. I’m always on the lookout for mystery writers who excel at their craft in whatever genre they write in. You might wonder why I haven’t mentioned Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s because I enjoyed their stories but never reflected on their craft. I’ve learned the art of plotting from Emily Brightwell, of using dialogue to further the story from Kate Kingsbury, and when it comes to contemporary suspense, I’ve learned from Mary Higgins Clark and Jayne Ann Krentz. I ought to add Donald Bain—author of the first fifty or so Murder, She Wrote mysteries—to the list. I love the way Bain integrates cozy/traditional elements with a sound mystery. There’s a lot one can learn about Bain’s editing—I don’t mean editing for style. I’m referring to the type of editing you’ll find happens behind-the-scenes for a movie or TV show. There’s an art to knowing which scenes to cut out from a story—whether it’s a novel or a movie. What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries? Great question! I suppose I was like most people who decide to write. I wanted to write the Great American Novel! But I had to admit to myself that what I enjoyed reading wasn’t so much great literary fiction, it was mysteries. I also had to admit that the Great Novel is written not by an author who sets out to write such a novel but by one who doesn’t set out to do so. Shakespeare didn’t set out to write great art; neither did Charles Dickens or Thomas Hardy. Their works achieved greatness because they set out to write about humans and the world they lived in. They immersed themselves in the stories and characters. Had they not done so, their works would’ve been pretentious and unimaginative and certainly wouldn’t have stood the test of time. Do you have a special place where you like to write? No, but I do prefer being at home—surrounded by my books and very close to my teapot and coffee maker. I used to have a desk in our open-space kitchen-dining area. I’ve had to relinquish that, but my husband’s promised to make me a new desk just beyond the kitchen. Where do the ideas for your books come from? Mostly they come from my reading. If it’s a Haydn Mystery, immersing myself in his world will lead to an idea for a murder mystery. That’s how every one of my Haydn stories have come about. But true crime can give me ideas as well. That’s the source of my inspiration for the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries. It’s based on the true story of Gardner Museum theft. The fact that 13 valuable works were stolen and that the FBI still has no clue why, how, or where is very intriguing. Since I couldn’t get resolution on the story, I decided to concoct my own theory. Many of my Haydn short stories are adaptations of true crime stories that we’ve watched. And when I read about art heists and art recovery, I often come up with a good Sophie’s Adventure story as well. Is there anything about writing you find most challenging? If I had to pick one thing, I suppose it’s where the plot meets reality. What I mean is this—every plot has a geographical setting and sometimes the specific landscape of the setting doesn’t quite suit the plot. So the plot needs to be finessed, adapted, really, to geographical reality. I’m working on a story set in Marseille, which, until I researched the place, I thought of as a delightful little town close to a delightful little village. Well, it’s a big, bustling city. And the nearest village isn’t exactly a bike ride away. So some plot details need to be changed. I always say fiction transcends reality, but changing Marseille from a bustling city to what I’d imagined requires too much suspension of disbelief from the reader. It’s asking too much. Of course, I could just make up a little town. But I like my title: Mystery in Marseille! This is a Sophie’s Adventure story, by the way. What do you think makes a good story? In addition to believable characters, the plot needs to be well-thought-out—and needs to exist! Random events strung together don’t make a story. And the events, in order to be plausible, need to stem from the characters and their motivations. Let me give you an example, from a show you may have watched, Mr. Monk. There’s an episode in which Monk goes off to investigate on his own, tricking Natalie, his assistant, into thinking he hasn’t really solved the case and that, therefore, there’s no need to call the Captain. Why would Monk, a seasoned detective, do something quite as stupid as that? Well, because the clue in question leads directly to the killer of his beloved wife, Trudy. It’s a case Monk hasn’t been able to solve and it eats at him. Besides, this is his wife. It’s personal. As a result Monk is framed for a murder he didn’t commit. The writers needed to get Monk to this point where he could be plausibly framed for murder. But the events leading him to that point needed to be plausible. Monk fans needed to understand what he was doing and why. If the writers had ignored Monk’s character, the plot would’ve fallen flat. Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you? None of them are like me. I don’t write myself into my stories. I enter wholly into the character I’m writing about. Haydn was an actual person. And although Celine and Sophie are fictitious, to me they are as real as Haydn. What makes your books different from others out there in this genre? There’s a unique blending of fact and fiction to the point where you can’t tell where fact ends and fiction begins. I like it that way. In fact, after I’ve written a story, I myself forget what’s fact and what’s fiction. In addition, I focus on music and art. It’s not for nothing that my tagline is: Painting Intrigue. . . Orchestrating Murder!  I like to think that my stories arouse readers’ curiosity about the facts—about art theft and recovery or Haydn’s life. I hope it sets them looking to find the truth. The best fiction has done that for me—aroused my curiosity and sent me on quest. And that’s what I want to do for you, the reader. What’s next on the horizon for you? I’m researching and plotting two Sophie’s Adventure stories, one set in Marseille, as I mentioned, and the other in Rome. I’m also working on the next Celine Skye mystery. At some point of time, Celine will need to go to London—some of the Gardner art has made its way there! Then it’ll be back to Haydn, and if I have the time, to a couple of other series I want to develop. Thank you Nupur for visiting today! ____ Keep reading for more information about Nupur and her new book! About Bearer of Secrets Bearer of Secrets: An Art Heist Mystery (Celine Skye Psychic Mystery Series) Psychic Mystery 3rd in Series Setting – Where does your book take place? Paso Robles, CA and Boston, MA Publisher ‏ : ‎ Foiled Plots Press (June 27, 2024) Print length ‏ : ‎ 397 pages Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D5PCCSDR SIZZLING SUSPENSE: Based on the True Story of Boston's Gardner Museum Theft! Could a stolen Degas unravel a cold-case art heist? Celine must find out before murder closes in . . . Shattered by a journalist’s death and sensing danger to his mother, Clara, psychic art sleuth Celine Skye struggles to focus on the Gardner Museum theft. Until a stolen Degas taken eight years after the heist surfaces—along with new clues and visions of Clara in peril. Compelled to investigate, Celine has a startling revelation linking Clara to a Gardner Museum insider. Could Clara’s son have uncovered evidence implicating her friend in the theft? With the threat to Clara escalating, Celine must find the truth before murder finds them both. . . With smart taut writing and great characterization BEARER OF SECRETS will have you pondering the unsolved crime while waiting for the other shoe to drop. ~Cozy Up With Kathy About Nupur Tustin Nupur Tustin is a former journalist who misuses a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to paint intrigue and orchestrate murder. She is the author of the Joseph Haydn Mystery series set in eighteenth-century Austria and the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries about a psychic art sleuth who takes on the still unsolved Gardner Museum theft of 1990. She also writes the Sophie's Adventure series about an art sleuth who recovers stolen art as an undercover tourist. For more about her and her books, please visit https://ntustin.com Author Links - Website (Get a Free Taste of Murder) - N Tustin Bookstore - Blog - GoodReads Link - BookBub   - Facebook  Purchase Links: From the Author    Amazon    B& N Nook     Kobo     Apple iBooks Also by Nupur Tustin TOUR PARTICIPANTS - Please visit all the stops.  July 8 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT July 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST July 9 – Boys' Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT July 10 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT July 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST July 11 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT July 11 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews -SPOTLIGHT July 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT July 12 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT July 13 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT July 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW July 14 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT July 15 – Christy's Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT July 16 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW July 17 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT July 17 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent Read the full article

[maskedinstructor]

The Adventures of David Dashiki- Stories of an African America Hero... 2024- Year of the Black Man Aaaahhh! But What To Read ?

READING...

We have agreed that reading is our starting point. Then, here are some essential and brilliant authors that you must possess in your quiver as ammunition in the battle against illiteracy. Make no mistake, this is scholastic warfare. An ill-equipped reading warrior is only armed for his own demise. Secondly, on the battlefield, we must be able to fluently communicate. We must speak the same language. One cannot speak Swahili and the other, French. This type of preparation would only lead to disaster of major proportions.

Garvey is the primer. Other authors of significant fame and reputation that our young readers must master are: Arna Bontemps, Claude Brown, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Alex Haley, Ta-Nehisi Coates, August Wilson, Malcolm X, Nelson Madela, W.E.B. DuBois, Calvin Baker, Junius Edwards, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Harold Cruse, Maulana Karenga...

Female Authors: Alice Walker, Amanda Gorman, Toni Morrison, Chi Mammanda, Ngozi Adichie, Bell Hooks, Audre Lorde, Lorraine Hansberry, Terry McMillan, Ntozake Shange, Jesmyn Ward, Angela Davis, Ida B. Wells, Claudia Tate, Dorothy Koomson, Cheryl Clarke, Sioban Brooks, Elaine Brown, Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Dorothy Porter...

Poetesses: Nikki Giovani, Maya Angelou, Phyllis Wheatley, Mari Evans...

Poets: Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Countee Cullen. Jean Toomer

We must read so that we can survive the myths. We live in a country in which myths about our character and industry have been propagated for centuries. History has not told our story with veracity and pride. We have been maligned. Therefore, we use the Year 2024 to read what WE have to say about US. If we do not read, we will succumb to the vicious lies spoken and written about us. Our children will never overcome in the current social environment. What is most important is that we read our story and focus on why is it important to omit the truth about what has happened and will continue to happen to us in America. This is a land of opportunity. It is our duty to reveal the truth. This can only be accomplished if we read, act, do, speak, question, create, develop, execute, move, pursue, respond, persevere, operate, persist, exert, represent, exploit,... Damn it! We must do something. The plan is that we read. Fill the knowledge gaps. Then act. The dormant days of life have ended. We are in the moment knowledge warriors.

Here are a few questions I advance: Why is it important that America omit our true history in our textbooks?

Why has America hidden the history, of our past, our successes and achievements from all who call themselves AMERICANS?

What has been taught are lies, propaganda and MYTHS.. America is a land of opportunity. We can right these wrongs. First , we must be armed with our own stories and triumphs. We must be READERS.

[jvnla]

Exciting Promotions at JVNLA!!!

Alice Tasman and Ariana Philips Join as Partners at JVNLA

Cole Hildebrand is Promoted to Junior Agent

As JVNLA celebrates its 45th Anniversary, owner Jennifer Weltz is thrilled to announce that agents Alice Tasman and Ariana Philips have joined as Partners in the company.

Alice Tasman has been an agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency for over 25 years. She represents a wide range of award-winning writers with an emphasis on commercial and literary fiction, young adult and middle grade. Her clients have earned numerous awards, honors, and fellowships, including the Calvino Prize, the C. Hugh Holman Award, the Henfield/Transatlantic Review Award, the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award, the O. Henry Prize, the Saint Francis College Literary Prize, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Her clients' writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Times, Best American Short Stories, McSweeney's, Salon, A Public Space and elsewhere. Awards and honors for her children's writers include a Caldecott Medal Honor, Newbery Medal nominee, Midwestern Booksellers Association Award, Texas Bluebonnet Award, Edgar Finalist and International Thriller Writers Finalist.  Alice earned her BA from Brown University and her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College.

Ariana Philips has been at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency for over 10 years. Starting as an intern at the company, she now represents a wide range of award-winning fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children. In addition to being a full-time agent, she is the office manager, royalties manager and heads up audio and permission rights for the agency. Ariana attended Iona College, where she graduated with honors in English and Communications.

Additionally, Cole Hildebrand has been promoted to Junior Agent, representing literary and upmarket fiction as well as narrative non-fiction and poetry, while handling the Australia/New Zealand market.

Cole Hildebrand joined JVNLA in 2021 as an assistant, working alongside Jennifer Weltz in international rights, film rights, and contracts. Prior to joining the agency, he was Managing Editor at YesYes Books, working on manuscript acquisitions, event planning, website design, and publicity. He earned his B.A. from Lewis & Clark College and his M.A. from New York University.

“JVNLA’s mission statement sums up the core precepts of our agency,” says Jennifer Weltz, “We are a locus of guidance, support and partnership for our many authors. With Alice and Ariana joining as partners and Cole joining our roster of accomplished agents, I look forward to an exciting future where championing our authors’ literary careers is our passion and highest priority.”

Along with Agent Alicia Brooks, JVNLA looks forward to celebrating this milestone in the Fall in New York City.

JVNLA was started by Jean Naggar in 1978. Headed by Jennifer Weltz since 2013, current President of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), JVNLA has grown tremendously over the past 45 years. The agency represents bestselling and critically acclaimed authors including Jean M. Auel, Maud Casey, Erica Cirino, Boyah J. Farah, Matt Goldman, CW Gortner, Bonnie Kistler, Phillip Margolin, Mary McGarry Morris, Linda Pastan, Ellen Potter, Carl Safina, Timothy Schaffert, Nancy Springer, and Sarai Walker as well as numerous prestigious literary estates. The agency's titles have been published in over 50 countries; featured in short story anthologies, magazines, and webzines; adapted for audio and showcased on big screen, small screen, and stage. As is stated on the website - “Our collaborative team redefines commitment and passion and our ideas seek out publishing's cutting edge with a bold business philosophy that has proved its worth.”

To learn more about JVNLA visit www.jvnla.com.

Contact jweltz@jvnla.com.

-----

Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency

216 E 75th St., Ste. 1E

New York, NY 10021

[reveal-the-news]

TDA names marketing and communication specialist | News

TDA names marketing and communication specialist | News

The Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority (TCTDA) welcomes Gracie Sheffield who will assume the role of Marketing and Communications Specialist previously filled by Mary Jo Gordon. Sheffield will work closely with Executive Director Clark Lovelace and marketing partner agency Market Connections to support TCTDA’s growth and expand its internal work. Born and raised in Shelby,…

[smorgasbordinvitation]

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore - New Author on the Shelves - #Memoir #NYPolitics - Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen by Mary Clark

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Author on the Shelves – #Memoir #NYPolitics – Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen by Mary Clark

Delighted to welcome Mary Clark to the Cafe with her latest release, a memoir – Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen About the book An arts coordinator at a midtown church in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, Mary Clark began a fifteen-year journey through New York City politics. From the volatile streets to the halls of power, she experienced the triumphs and defeats…

[sallygcronin]

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore - New Author on the Shelves - #Memoir #NYPolitics - Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen by Mary Clark

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Author on the Shelves – #Memoir #NYPolitics – Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen by Mary Clark

Delighted to welcome Mary Clark to the Cafe with her latest release, a memoir – Community: Power Politics and Democracy in Hell’s Kitchen About the book An arts coordinator at a midtown church in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, Mary Clark began a fifteen-year journey through New York City politics. From the volatile streets to the halls of power, she experienced the triumphs and defeats…

[beardedmrbean]

Two people are dead and six others injured in a stabbing spree outside a Las Vegas casino on Thursday, according to police.

Three victims were in critical conditions and the other three survivors were in stable condition Thursday night, Las Vegas police said.

The victims include both locals and tourists, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said during a press briefing Thursday.

The initial stabbing, which took place around 11:40 a.m. local time, occurred on the sidewalk along Las Vegas Boulevard, Deputy Chief James LaRochelle told reporters. It appears to have been unprovoked, he said.

The suspect then proceeded south and stabbed five more victims, and then an additional victim on Sands Avenue, he said. It's unclear when or where the eighth victim was stabbed.

One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and a second died after being transported to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, police said.

The two people who died were identified as Brent Allan Hallett, 47, of Las Vegas, and Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30, of Las Vegas, according to the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner.

The suspect, 32-year-old Yoni Barrios, was taken into custody within a "matter of minutes" by a security guard and police officer after fleeing the scene, police said.

A large kitchen knife used in the incident has been recovered from the scene, police said.

Police believe Barrios acted alone, adding that a motive is unknown.

During questioning by detectives, the suspect allegedly confessed and said he was sorry and acknowledged what he did was wrong, but did not have a coherent explanation, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Police currently believe the victims were randomly selected, the official said.

Detectives are investigating reports that the suspect said he was a cook, and that prior to the stabbings a group of street performers might have laughed at the suspect when he showed them his knife, according to the official.

Detectives are also seeing if multiple phones the suspect had on him might reveal information about the attack or the suspect’s recent activities, the official said.

Barrios was booked on two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and six counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, police said.

He is believed to be from Guatemala and had traveled through Mexico and was in California prior to arriving in Las Vegas, according to the law enforcement source. Authorities are investigating whether he was in the U.S. legally, the source said.

Barrios allegedly has a criminal history in California, including driving under the influence and a domestic violence episode, but nothing that would have made a noticeable risk to the community, the source said.

He is believed to have had a wife and children in California and went to Vegas to stay with a male friend, the source said. Detectives are investigating what that relationship was and seeking out other acquaintances, according to the source.

[davidmann95]

Sooo… Superman and the Authority?

magnus-king123 asked: Your thoughts on Superman & the authority Give it to me...lol

Anonymous asked: Seeing Bezos take his little trip into space the same day Morrison puts out a Superman comic that touches on how far we’ve fallen from the days when we dreamed of utopian futures where everyone explored the stars was a big gut punch. Not used to Superman being topical in that way.

Anonymous asked: What'd you think of Superman and the Authority#1?

This is far beyond what I can fit in the normal weekly reviews, so taking this as my notes on the first six pages, with this and this as my major lead-in thoughts:

* Janin's such a perfect fit for Morrison - the scale, the power, the facial expressions selling the character work, the screwing around with the panel formatting as necessary to sell the effect, the numinous sense of things going on larger than you can fully perceive amidst the beauty and chaos. It's a shame he wasn't around 25 years ago to draw JLA, but I'll take him going with Morrison onto other future projects.

* His intro action sequence is such a great demonstration of why Black actually does have something to offer, and also how he's such a dumbass desperately needing Superman to save him from himself.

* While Jordie Bellaire didn't legit go with an entirely monochromatic palate the way early previews suggested, it's still an effect frequently and excellently deployed here. And glad to see Steve Wands carry into this from Blackstars since there's such an obvious carryover from its work with Superman.

* "Gentlemen. Ladies. Others." Great both because of the obvious - hey, Superman's nodding at me! - and because it's a phrasing that reinforces that this take on him (and let's be real Morrison) is old as hell.

* I'm mostly past caring about whether this is an alt-Earth Superman until it becomes indisputable one way or another, this and Action both rule so what does it really matter? But while there are still a couple signs in play suggesting some kind of division (the Action Comics #1036 cover, Midnighter up to time-travel shenanigans) the "lost in time" quote clearly thrown in after the fact to explain how he could have met Kennedy outside of 5G that wouldn't be necessary for an Elseworlds, the assorted gestures towards Superman's current status quo, the Kingdom Come symbol appearing in Action, and that Morrison would have had to completely rewrite the ending if this wasn't supposed to be 'the' version of Clark Kent going forward as was the intent when they first planned it all say to me that no, no fooling around, this is our guy going forward one way or another.

* Janin and Bellaire making the first version of the crystal Fortress ever that actually looks as cool as you want it to.

Anonymous asked: I like that Superman and The Authority is basically the anti-All-Star; instead of the laid back, immortal Superman who is supercharged, we have a stressed, ageing Superman whose tremendous powers are fading. The former will always be there to save us, but the latter is running out of time and needs to pull off a Hail Mary. Also, he mentions in his monologue to Black that he was "lost in time" when he met JFK, so maybe he is the main continuity Clark. Or he's the t-shirt Supes from Sideways.

* You're absolutely right - the power reversal is obvious and the ticking clock in play seemingly isn't for his own survival but everyone around him as he wakes up and realizes all the old icons grew complacent with the gains they'd made and he's not leaving behind the world he meant to. Both, however, are built on the idea of preparing the world to not need them anymore - it'll still have a Superman in his son, but that'll only work because of the others he empowers and inspires. The question is what happens to Clark if he's not going to live in the sun for 83000 years.

* Clark's 'exercise' here does more to sell me on the idea of Old Man Superman as a cool idea than however many decades of Earth 2 stuff.

* Intergang being noted alongside Darkseid and Doomsday speaks to how much Kirby informed Morrison's conception of Superman.

* This isn't exactly the most progressive in its disability politics but at least it makes clear Black's being a piece of shit about it.

* It's startling how much Clark can get away with saying stuff in here you'd never expect to come out of Superman's mouth. "I made an executive decision" "Privacy, really...?" "You have nowhere to go, Black. Nothing to live for." "There are few people in my life who I instinctively and viscerally dislike, and you've always been one of them." It only works because there's zero aggression behind it, he's just past the point of niceties and being totally frank while making clear none of these assessments preclude that he cares and is going to unconditionally do the right thing every time. He is absolutely, per Morrison, humanity's dad picking us up when we're too drunk to drive ourselves home.

* The story doesn't put a big flashing light over it, but it's not even a little bit subtle having the material threat of the issue be a ticking timebomb left by the carelessness and hubris of generations past.

* Manchester keeps trying to poke the bear and prove his hot takes about Superman and it's just not working. The front he put up under Kelley is gone after decades of defeats, and as Morrison understands what actually conceptually works about him as a rival to Superman underneath the aging nerd paranoia he's exposed as what he absolutely would be in 2021: a dude with a horrific terminal case of Twitter brainworms. I was PANICKED when I heard there was an 'offensive term' joke in this, I was braced for Morrison at their well-meaning worst, but it's such a goddamn perfect encapsulation of a very specific breed of Twitter leftist who uses their politics first and foremost as a cudgel and justification to label their abrasive, judgmental shittiness as self-righteousness (plus it's a killer payoff to a joke from way back in his original appearance). Cannot believe they pulled that off when they're so very, very open about basically not knowing how the internet works.

* @charlottefinn: Manchester Black using his telekinetic powers to force someone he hates to fave a problematic tweet so that he can screenshot it and start a dogpile

@intergalactic-zoo: “Once they cancel Bibbo, Superman won’t be *anyone’s* fav’rit anymore!”

* Friend noted this issue had to be fully the conversation because the whole premise stands on the house of cards of these two somehow working together, and with three 'silent' inset panels the creative team pulls off that turning point.

* So much of this feels on the surface like Morrison bringing back the All-Star vibes with Clark, but when he drops a "That's all you got?" in a brawl you realize what's underlining that bluntness and confidence in the face of failure is that deep down this is still the Action guy too. This dude ain't gonna get wrecked in his Fortress while the other guy chuckles about him being A SOFT WEE SCIENTIST'S SON!

* Bringing up Jor-El made me realize that Morrison already spelled out that this is the final threat to Superman, what he faces at the end of the road:

"Now it's your turn, Superman."

* A l'il Superman 2000/All-Star reference with the Phantom Zone map!

* There's so much intertextuality going on here even by Morrison standards - Change or Die with the old hero putting together a team of morally nebulous folks out to 'fix' everything, Flex Mentallo with the muscleman trying to redeem the punk, Doomsday Clock with the fate of the world hinging on whether Superman can get through to a meta stand-in for an idea of 'modern' comics cynicism, DKR and New Frontier and Kingdom Come and Multiversity and Seven Soldiers and What's So Funny and All-Star and Action and the last 5 years of monthly Superman comics and Authority and probably Jupiter's Legacy and Tom Strong - but none of that's needed. You could go in with the baseline pop cultural understanding of the character and not care about any of the inside baseball shit and get that this is a story about a leader of a generation that let down the people they made all their grand promises to as inertia and day-to-day demands and complacency let him be satisfied with the accomplishments they'd made long ago, looking at a new era and seeing the ways its own activists are dropping the ball. The only thing that fundamentally matters in a "you have to accept you're reading a superhero story" sense is that because he's Superman he's willing to own up to it and listen to people who might know better about some things and try to set things right while he and those who'll take his place still have a chance. And yes, the oldster looking back on their legacy with a skeptical eye and hoping for better from the next generation, hoping most of all that their little heir apparent can fulfill the promise inside of him instead of being a provocating little shitkicker, is obviously also autobiographical.

* The overlaying Kennedy reprisal is such a great visual of a sudden intrusive thought.

* The Kryptonite secret is the obvious "This is going to matter!" moment, but "He lied about his son" is a bit that doesn't connect to anything going on right now so maybe that's important here too? More significantly, the Justice League can't actually be the villains here but that Ultra-Humanite's crew are in an Earth-orbiting satellite makes pretty clear what's up.

* I've said before that between Superman, OMAC, and a New Gods-affiliated speedster this was going to use all of Morrison's favorite things. King Arthur playing a role isn't exactly dissuading me.

* Love the idea that all the antiheroes have their own community in the same way as the capes and tights crew. They definitely all privately think the rest are posers though and that they alone are Garth Ennis Punisher in a mob of Garth Ennis Wolverines.

* Manchester's fallen so far he's gone from trying to convince Superman to kill to convince him to dunk on people for their bad takes and Clark just doesn't get it. Official prediction of dialogue for upcoming issues:

"According to these bloody Fortress scans, the only thing that can restore your powers is an unfiltered hit of dopamine. Don't worry, Doctor Black has a few ideas."

"Hmm. Maybe I'll plant a nice tree?"

"...fuck you."

* Ok I already talked about how great the Fortress looks in here but LOVE this library.

* A pair of pages this seems like the right spot to discuss from Black's original appearance that underlines both his and Superman's inadequacies up to this point:

Responding to the problem of "the government and penal system are hopelessly corrupt" neither of them has any actual notion of what to do about it in spite of their respective posturing beyond how to handle individual outside actors - each is in their own way every bit as small-minded and reactionary as the other. Clark's coming around though, and he's holding out hope for the other guy.

* Superman: Have a lovely mineral water :) proper hydration is important :)

Manchester Black: *Is a dude who can get so mad he vomits and passes out. At water.*

* That last page is the one to beat for the year, and does more to put over the idea of this as an Authority book than that Midnighter and Apollo are literally going to show up. It also feels like Morrison tacitly acknowledging all the ways the premise could go or at least be received wrong - from Superman saying 'enough is enough' to who he's bringing into the fold to go about it - in the most beautifully on-the-nose fashion imaginable. Maybe they'll save us all! Or maybe they'll drown us in their vomit.

[bryte-eyed-athena]

Afrofuturism in the work of Janelle Monáe

Ashley Clarke, a curator for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, defined Afrofuturism as “the centering of the international black experience in alternate and imagined realities, whether fiction or documentary; past or present; science fiction or straight drama.”

Themes of Afrofuturism can be found throughout the works of Janelle Monáe. Her previous albums like The ArchAndroid and The Electric Lady showcase this through the exploration of androids as a new “other.” Today I want to talk about one of her most recent projects, Dirty Computer, and the way it contributes to the conversation on Afrofuturism. Janelle Monáe released Dirty Computer as an album and a 48 minute long Emotion Picture to draw her audience into a visual and auditory world of her own making. The dystopian future she presents to us is very similar to our own current reality, except that the voices being amplified are those that have historically been silenced. People of color and the LGBT+ community are central in this story rather than pushed off screen. Dirty Computer is so powerful because it focuses on joyful rebellion, love, and freedom in an oppressive dystopian setting.

The project, as Monáe has shared, can be split into three parts: Reckoning, Celebration, and Reclamation.

Part I: Reckoning

gif credit: scificinema

gif credit: scificinema

The Emotion Picture begins with Monáe’s character Jane 57821 laying out how her society has begun to capture people deemed dirty in order to “clean” them of their supposed filth against their will. This is meant to produce beings that are stripped of all individuality and ready to conform to societal norms and expectations. Jane tells the audience that, “You were dirty if you looked different, you were dirty if you refused to live the way they dictated, you were dirty if you showed any form of opposition at all. And if you were dirty it was only a matter of time.” The dichotomy between dirty and clean has created a system where an entire class of people can be demonized and oppressed. This foreboding tone at the beginning prepares the viewer for the grim implications of the cleaning process in this universe.

Dirty Computers are strapped to a table and forced to undergo the “Nevermind” which is a program that deletes memories. It is a process that is horrifying because of what it symbolizes to the individual and entire communities of people. To erase someone’s memories is to erase who a person is. The character of Mary Apple 53, Jane’s love interest, shows us just how alien a person can become once their memories are gone. The horror of erasure is also something that marginalized communities have faced for centuries and continue to face today.

In an interview on Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe said “I felt a deeper responsibility to telling my story before it was erased. I think that there’s an erasure - of us, and if we don’t tell our stories they won’t get told. If we don’t show us we won’t get shown.” Afrofuturism is a response to this erasure of black people and people of color in culture, history, and art. Monáe has made a deliberate choice to tell her story even if it might get erased because if she doesn’t do it then no one else will. Remaining silent would be to assist in that erasure and Afrofuturism is all about refusing to be erased.

This first part of the Emotion Picture is all a reckoning with the Dirty Computers and how they are pushed to the margins. The lyrics in Crazy, Classic, Life speak about how the same mistake made by two people on different ends of the spectrum of social acceptability is punished unequally. Take A Byte follows it with a more upbeat tone, but even then the lyric “I’m not the kind of girl you take home to your mama” speaks to a feeling of being outside social norms.

There are moments of light and joy that are counterweights to the dire situation Jane is in. These come in the form of her memories which are played one final time before they are erased. Jane’s life before she was captured was filled with exploration, youth, love and celebration.

Part II: Celebration

Gif credit: normreedus

Gif credit: daisyjazzridley

Gif credit: nerd4music

Dirty Computers seem to recognize that they are living on borrowed time and that any day could be the day they are forcefully disappeared. This is why they fill each moment with as much fun, life, color, and joy as they can. There are many scenes at clandestine parties where Dirty Computers live freely and openly despite the threat of drones or police that could capture them at any moment. It is important to have these scenes of celebration though because Afrofuturism is also about providing hope.

The future must be a hopeful one if we are to strive for it and Afrofuturism allows us to be creative in crafting our visions of a hopeful future. Even though Monáe’s future is dystopian, there is still room for hope and joy because those are the things that make life worth living. These Dirty Computers have to live their lives joyfully because they don’t know when they’ll be sterilized.

In the interview mentioned previously, Monáe added that “I had to make a decision with who I was comfortable pissing off and who I wanted to celebrate. And I chose who I wanted to celebrate, and that was the Dirty Computers.” The LGBT+ community, people of color, black women, immigrants, and low income people have all been mentioned as people Monáe wished to celebrate. This celebration comes intertwined with images and themes of rebellion as expressed in Jane’s memories. Screwed, Django Jane, Pynk, Make me Feel, and I Like That are the songs that embody celebration the best. Whether it's a celebration of sexuality, femininity, unity, or of self love it is all encompassed in these songs. Jane is shown connecting with others and being unapologetically proud of herself. We also see her falling in love with two people, Zen and Ché, and we see them love her in return.

Gif credit: thelovelylights

Viewing these memories and interacting with Jane seems to encourage the questioning of authority. The employee utilizing the Nevermind process seems to question why he should be deleting Jane’s memories at all. Mary Apple 53, previously named Zen, also directly questions their matriarch after speaking with Jane and realizing that she’s connected to her. It all culminates in a nonviolent escape attempt where Jane, Zen, and Ché reclaim their names, bodies, and their lives.

Part III: Reclamation

Gif credit: thelovelylights

The Emotion Picture ends with Jane 57821 and Mary Apple 53 freeing themselves, and their recently arrived lover Ché, from the facility. They escape without harming others the way they themselves have been harmed. By leaving they are reclaiming their freedom and their right to be proud of being Dirty Computers. They refuse the new names that were forced upon them and leave to rediscover the memories of the life they lived before capture.

It is a hopeful ending that plays into the themes of Afrofuturism. Even though both Jane and Zen’s memories were erased they still have the ability to create new memories and stories. Their ability to recreate their past as well as create a new future was not taken away. As they escape the song Americans can be heard in the background. The lyrics subvert the typical American patriotism expressed by racist white southerners. The trope of preserving gender roles and being a gun carrying american are satirized in these lyrics. America as a whole is being reclaimed by Janelle as a place for the people who have been marginalized.

Janelle sings “Don’t try to take my country/ I will defend my land/ I’m not crazy baby/ nah I’m American.” This sentiment is typically espoused by xenophobic americans, but when it is sung by Janelle she is saying that she won’t be forced out of America due to the bigoted beliefs of the people who hate her. She also pleads for the listener to love her for who she is which is something that has been denied to black women for centuries. The song ends with a powerful message of reclaiming America by Rev. Dr. Sean McMillan who said “Until Latinos and Latinas don't have to run from walls/ This is not my America/ But I tell you today that the devil is a liar/ Because it's gon' be my America before it's all over.”

This also shows themes of Afrofuturism since Monáe is reclaiming her history and is refusing to be excluded from it. She is asserting her presence and that of all the Dirty Computers by saying that they too have a claim to America. The Emotion Picture and the album are both a masterpiece of Afrofuturism art and music. Monáe masterfully weaves various musical genres and visual storytelling to show her pride in being a black queer woman. There is no other artist like Janelle Monáe, and I am excited to see what new worlds she will take us to next.

[weepingpiratepoetry]

Doesn’t Carbon-14 Dating Disprove the Bible

But sometimes, awesome can use a bit of assistance in the dating department. Errors in procedure can also lead to errors in the results. Let the Lord lead you! But once you both made the effort to put on nice clothes, commute, and pay for drinks, the least you can do is let them know it’s not a good match and that you wish them the best. For just about every type you can imagine. This guide can help you figure it out. Everything from biting ice cream to not tipping 15%, your preferences help guide your online dating for free. The Sister Cleophas Costello Lecture is free and open to the public. Loyola University Maryland will hold the 31st annual Sister Cleophas Costello Lecture with speaker Sharon Donnelly Love, co-founder and spokesperson of the One Love Foundation, which works to empower young people to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships and prevent dating and domestic violence. Previous Sister Cleophas Costello lecturers have included authors Amy Tan, Mary Higgins Clark, and Piper Kerman, poet Maya Angelou, Olympian Gabby Douglas, activist Elizabeth Smart, activist Tarana Burke, and Paralympian McKenzie Coan, ’18.

One Love films have also been shown in undergraduate and graduate counseling courses at Loyola. Love has reached groups of students at every age level, professionals in the relationship violence arena and politicians on both a local and national level. “I didn’t know then what I know now, that relationship abuse is a public health epidemic and that young women in Yeardley’s age group are at three times greater risk than any other demographic,” Love said. HG: Would you say that you are more interested in a serious or a casual relationship post-pandemic? נערות ליווי באילת The original OP then replied to the tweet, and it isn’t surprising that he seemed even more confused than before. Then try to start a conversation about that. Find men and women in your local area today and start dating. Doing this whenever you start to feel negative emotions about your ex and his new partner will help you accept what's going on-and it may even help you move on, too. You may feel like you are alone, but once you get out there you will notice that there are a lot of people your age dating online.

I have met some great people on this website. We lied. Actually, sending an unsolicited picture of your genitals to a person you haven’t met is unacceptable. We’re talking about people you haven’t met in person yet. “We think of Preferred as being an accelerator for the people who are highly motivated to move quickly and find the people who are most compatible for them,” says Tim. This means they don’t want to talk to you, so move on. But if someone didn’t specify that they want to connect outside the app, don’t do it. More importantly TGD not simply a dating site for transgender women and men and those that want to meet them. We're leaning more toward Glake. Such goals are often treated as incidental in traditional explanations, but I believe they are just as important as more conventional goals. As of 2022, J4L numbers more than 15 million ladies and guys, while more than 10,000 users actively communicate on the site every day. If you’re the one who feels uncomfortable, make sure to read up on tips to help you stay safe while online dating.

You can read what research suggests are the best profile pictures. The study reconstructed changes in the magnetic field of the earth as recorded in 21 destruction layers in 17 archeological sites throughout Israel, constructing a variation curve of field intensity over time that can be used as a scientific dating tool. What’s cool about the tool is that it was designed so that even users with no coding skills can use it. You’ll be surprised to know how this can be an exciting topic as you both look forward to where you’ll be dining in on your next date! Worst case, they don’t feel the same, and you’ll get your answer right away instead of having to wonder for the rest of the week. Find a Slavic woman of your dreams on Amour Feel! If that isn’t funny enough, it seems like this man was on a search to find out who this Jungkook is after not getting answers from ARMYs fast enough. Netflix has taken the concept of fast engagements to the next level. 2001. Radiocarbon dates of Old and Middle Kingdom monuments in Egypt. To specify dates over periods longer than 52 years, Mesoamericans used the Long Count calendar.

[sophia-sol]

Whew, coming in just under the wire, here's my voting plans for the Hugo best novel! Obviously She Who Became The Sun is required to win, but in any other year both my #2 and #3 choices would be strong contenders for first place in my mind, and it's just too bad they can't all three get awards!

(I don’t want to go to the effort of looking up the tumblr links for my original reviews for any of these right now, but I tag all my book posts with title and author so you can find them on my blog that way if you’re curious)

1. She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan

I cannot vote anything but this for first place because it's perfect in every way.

2. A Desolation Called Peace, by Arkady Martine

It may not reach the same degree of delighting-me-on-every-level that A Memory Called Empire did, but it's still a fascinating and compelling book and very well done.

3. Light From Uncommon Stars, by Ryka Aoki

A book that's doing its own thing, haven't really seen anything else like it, and I am HERE for it.

4. A Master of Djinn, by P Djélí Clark

Not as strong as his novella in the same world (The Haunting of Tram Car 015), especially in terms of development of character for the protagonist, so I was disappointed -- but it was still good, and I do love the worldbuilding.

5. The Galaxy and the Ground Within, by Becky Chambers

Usually I love Chambers' approach of writing plotless novels about disparate characters interacting and being generally hopeful, but this one focuses on themes of children and parenthood and reproductive choices, and those are just not themes that inherently speak to me, so instead of finding it cozily enjoyable I was just bored.

6. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir

Andy Weir doesn't understand how humans work, doesn't understand how the soft sciences work, doesn't understand how communication works, is a little too into leaders being autocratic, and mostly just cares about expositing at length about science things he thinks are cool. I'm glad he has found his niche, and I am charmed by how much he loves science, but I did not like this book.