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elipheleh · 1 year ago

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TV & Satellite Week Magazine (issue 418) feature on Red, White & Royal Blue

text under the cut, image by myself.

When Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of US President Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), is invited to a royal wedding in Britain, he's expected to be on his best behaviour and be as diplomatic as possible. Unfortunately, things don't quite turn out that way...

Alex has an ongoing feud with Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), which comes to a head when a fight between the pair causes the destruction of the very expensive wedding cake. To avoid a PR disaster, they are instructed to stage a high-profile friendship until the gossip dies down - but the campaign proves to be far more effective than either of them anticipated.

"In doing their damage control, they discover that they actually like each other -and love each other, says Matthew López, who directed and co-wrote this adaptation of Casey McQuiston's bestselling novel. ‘This was absolutely a passion project for me - I read the book, and it zoomed straight to the top of my "must-do" list. The idea of anybody else making this movie would have thrown me into fits of jealousy.’

López was acutely aware that the key to the film's success would be in casting lead actors with credible chemistry, and he was delighted that Zakhar Perez and Galitzine sparked together instantly.

‘The nightmare scenario for me was finding two perfect actors who did not gel at all’, says López. ‘But what was innate from the moment Taylor and Nick first met was that they played so incredibly well together.’

The two leads were equally keen to make their characters relationship evolve believably.

‘Nick and I felt a responsiblity to bring to life these sexual moments that are in the book in a real, grounded way’, says Zakhar Perez. ‘The intimate scenes were choreographed and specific when it came to whether it was a moment of passion, or a tender experience. In a relationship you go through different stages, and we got to explore those throughout the film.’

For Galitzine, another part of the appeal of the project was the chance to portray a character who was experiencing such an intense internal conflict.

‘Henry feels a very strong sense of duty, but he's completely in denial of his own feelings’, he says. ‘There's something very selfless, if not really heartbreaking, about that. He's in this totally solitary position of this role he was born into’.

In addition to Thurman as the US President, the film also features Stephen Fry in the role of Henry's grandfather, the British King- and López was delighted to have Fry on board.

‘Stephen took no convincing whatsoever, and that was such a happy thing for me’, says López. 'And it was really important to us to create a lot of daylight between the fictional royal family that features in the movie and the actual royals. These characters aren't the Windsors, they are completely made up. But when we had Stephen Fry walk on set that day as this fictional king, I think everybody in the cast and crew stood to attention!’

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #rwrb movie #elio's #rwrb promo #rwrbsource #idk if this interests u but ik you search that tag #saw this in the telly book and very calmly reacted. definitely didnt have a strong reaction at all.#also i absolutely adore the last bit about stephen fry #hopefully there arent any typos i copied the text off the image #i fixed all i could find

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richincolor · 6 months ago

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Exploring Big Cities Via Novels

Exploring large cities can be a lot of fun, but my feet and knees can’t always take all of the running around. Visiting via novels (or graphic novels) makes it a lot easier. It’s clearly not the same experience, but I do enjoy a little tourism via literature. The last few young adult (or new adult) titles I’ve read take place in London, San Francisco, and New York with nods to quite a few of the local landmarks. I enjoyed each of these in different ways and appreciated seeing the cities through other eyes.

London on My Mind is a rom-com with a bit of family drama and a brush with royalty. Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies has all that you might expect with the title including a bit of romance along with a few thrilling moments. Roaming leans more coming-of-age as college freshman wander through the streets of New York.

With all three, it was nice to experience the settings along with the characters. When I saw the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco while on a walk last night it definitely made me think of a specific scene in Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. I didn’t make it all the way there though since as often happens, my feet were done before the rest of me wanted to give up for the day. I’m thankful for these glimpses of cities from the comfort of my reading chair.

London on My Mind by Clara Alves translated by Nina Perrotta PUSH

Sixteen-year-old Dayana has always dreamed of visiting London — to walk along the Thames, take pictures outside Buckingham Palace, and maybe even get a glimpse of Arthur, Prince of Wales, whose marriage has been all over tabloids. But the trip of her dreams turns into a royal nightmare when her mother passes away. Now, Day must leave Rio de Janeiro to live with her estranged father and his new family in London.

As it turns out, the U.K. isn’t exactly Day’s cup of tea. She struggles to forgive her father for walking out on her and her mom all those years ago; fights with her stepsister constantly; detests her stepmother; and she can’t even see One Direction in concert because they’ve been broken up for ages. All she wants to do is trade the rainy skies of London for the sun and beaches of Rio.

That’s when she runs into the girl of her dreams — literally: The coincidentally named Diana, a witty, funny, redhead who was in the middle of . . . escaping Buckingham Palace? Something isn’t right here, but it makes Diana all the more alluring. As time passes, and the two girls grow closer, Day can’t help but wonder if there is more than a little truth to the rumors surrounding Prince Arthur — and if Diana might be involved somehow. Is it all in her head, or could Day be caught up in a real-life royal scandal?

Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen Feiwel & Friends – Available August 13, 2024 (Thanks to the ALA Convention for the ARC)

Tan Lee finds himself embroiled in an unusual love triangle, all while trying to defuse a heist, unravel a conspiracy, and navigate the most complicated babysitting assignment ever in this YA novel by national bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen.

After a magical kiss at Prom, best friends Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool it off, a plan that goes awry when their parents jointly head off to Hawaii and leave Tan and Winter to babysit Tan’s sister Sana together. If that isn’t complicated enough, Tan’s ex-girlfriend from Shanghai arrives on his doorstep with money stolen from her billionaire father and thugs on her heels.

Tan soon finds himself on the run, trying to out-maneuver international hackers and protect his friends, family and sister – and his own heart.

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki Drawn & Quarterly

Spring break, 2009. High school best friends Zoe and Dani are now freshman college students, meeting in a place they’ve wanted to visit forever: New York City. Tagging along is Dani’s classmate Fiona, a mercurial art student with an opinion on everything. Together, the three cram in as much of the city as possible, gleefully falling into tourist traps, pondering so-called great works of art, sidestepping creeps, and eating lots and lots of pizza (folded in half, of course). Roaming is a ground-breaking graphic novel from the authors behind New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Honor Book This One Summer.

#young adult #young adult lit #new adult

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www-jungwon · 2 years ago

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a frappuccino addict's guide to love

synopsis : jungwon is the cute regular at the cafe you work at. you wonder what he’s always typing about on his computer.

tw: mentions of drinks, swearing, yelling (in surprise)

wc: ~1k

notes: this is all over the place lol

–

It’s unfairly distracting, the way Jungwon sips his coffee. His fingers are way too pretty for you not to stare as he lifts the coffee cup, and his lips look so soft–

“No crushing on the customers!” Eunchae teases, and you snap out of your mildly creepy trance to glare at her.

She just laughs, and when you turn to look back, Jungwon is typing away on his computer like he always does. He smiles, suddenly, leaning back into the same wooden chair he always sits in–

Eunchae fake-coughs super loudly, and you turn around, exasperated.

“No one’s even he–” you trail off, making eye contact with a grumpy-looking woman standing in front of the counter.

You shuffle over to the cash register.

“Sorry about that. What can I get for you today?”

—

“Maybe he’s sick?” Eunchae suggests.

You both stare at the frappuccino, sitting untouched on the counter.

You look out at the night through the glass cafe doors.

“But he’s a Hot Coffee Shop Guy. Those aren’t supposed to get sick.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Eunchae mumbles.

There’s a beat of silence, and then, “You’re probably right. He’s probably just sick or something.” You take the frappuccino and sip it.

Eunchae rolls her eyes. “You switch up so fast sometimes.”

But what she doesn’t know is that you’re smiling because you’re thinking about him, butterflies rushing around in your stomach.

—

If he is sick, it must be serious, because he’s been gone for 2 weeks. He hadn’t missed a day of your shift for 8 months, and now nothing.

“I hope everything’s okay,” you mutter to Eunchae.

“Mhm,” she says, too engrossed in her book to listen to you.

You grab the book and tug it out of her hands.

“I’m serious! I’m kind of worried about him. What are you reading that’s so important, anyway?”

She finally looks up. “Oh my god! It’s so good, it’s about this girl who’s a barista, and she writes her number on this hot customer’s coffee cup, oh yeah, he’s like a regular, and she has a crush on him, but anyway, one day she writes her number on the cup that she gives him and, well,” she trails off a bit, “that’s how far I’ve gotten.”

You scoff. “That sounds so cliche.”

“It is! But, it’s like, good cliche, you know? Like a kdrama.” You look at the cover.

#1 New York Times Bestseller

a frappuccino addict’s guide to love

by Yang Ju-

“I have to know what happens next.” Eunchae pulls the book away from you.

“Hold on a second, Eunchae, what’s the author’s name?” You swear it looked familiar.

She sighs, dramatically closing the cover to look at it. “Yang Jungwon.” she states, eyebrows raised. “Now let me read my book in peace. We never get a lull in customers on Fridays.”

You freeze. That feeling of deja vu appears again. “Yang,” you pause, “Yang Jungwon?”

“Oh my god, yes, now will you please shut up?”

“Eunchae!” you yell. “That’s Hot Coffee Shop Guy’s name!”

There’s silence.

“No way…” she whispers. “Is that-”

“why he was always typing on his computer!” you both yell.

Eunchae whips out her phone, and her mouth drops open in shock. She turns her phone around so you can see, and there, on google, is Hot Coffee Shop Guy.

“He’s famous!” she exclaims.

Your first thought is that he looks really good. He looks so happy in his author photo, his smile making you smile.

And then you get sad, which feels stupid, because you only ever talked to him in a cafe while he was writing and you were working, but you miss him. You miss him because he would always smile at you when he came in, which may or may not have made you freak out internally, and sometimes he would leave little smiley faces on sticky notes with his tips. You miss him because sometimes he would sit at the counter and he would talk to you about his life, how it was his little sister’s birthday tomorrow, and how he had no idea what to get her (a book, maybe? Does she like to read?) You didn’t notice how he lit up when you mentioned books that day. You miss him because one time you were having a terrible day, and he told you everything was going to be okay, and then it was. You had a lot of terrible days, and he always made them better somehow. You miss him because he’s been in the cafe every day of your shift for a year, and his presence is comforting and familiar and reassuring. You miss him because you think maybe you were in love with him.

—

“One grande cappuccino, please.” Ordering is that same grumpy woman from the day you zoned out because you were staring at Jungwon.

Jungwon…

“Of course,” you start to pour cappuccino roast into the cup, and it isn’t until you’re putting the lid on that you realize you put frappuccino roast into the cup instead, and what you’ve actually made is a frappuccino. “Shit,” you mutter, placing the cup on the counter so you can make the right order, when you hear the door open and then shut and people yelling and you look up and it’s Jungwon, walking into the cafe with sunglasses on, but you can still tell it’s him. And he smiles at you and you melt.

“Yang Jungwon!” you hear, and then there are a lot more “Yang Jungwon!”s and “Oh my god, can I get your autograph?” and “I love your book so much!” and he’s in a crowd of people and you lose his eyes.

You stare at the frappuccino cup, and the Sharpie in your hand, and you turn it so you can write your number on it.

The crowd clears and he takes his coffee cup, leaving a tip with a smiley face on a sticky note. You accidentally brush it off the counter, and it flips over to reveal a note.

i missed you

-your favorite frappuccino addict

#jungwon x reader #jungwon fluff #jungwon imagines #jungwon drabbles #enhypen #enhypen x reader #jungwon

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hollymbryan · 9 months ago

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Blog Tour: Top 5 Reasons to Read THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE by Holly Jackson! #tbrbeyondtours

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the TBR and Beyond Tours blog tour for The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson! I've got all the details on this taut and twisty YA thriller, which released yesterday, for you below, along with my top 5 reasons to read it!

About the Book

title: The Reappearance of Rachel Price author: Holly Jackson publisher: Delacorte Press release date: 2 April 2024

From the author of the multimillion bestselling A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series and Five Survive comes a new true-crime fueled mystery thriller about a girl determined to uncover the shocking truth about her missing mother while filming a documentary on the unsolved case. Lights. Camera. Lies. 18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on. But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again. Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . . From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.

Add to Goodreads: The Reappearance of Rachel Price Purchase the Book: Amazon | B&N | Bookshop

About the Author

Holly Jackson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, an international sensation with millions of copies sold worldwide as well as the #1 New York Times bestseller and instant classic, Five Survive, and her forthcoming novel, The Reappearance of Rachel Price. She graduated from the University of Nottingham, where she studied literary linguistics and creative writing, with a master’s degree in English. She enjoys playing video games and watching true-crime documentaries so she can pretend to be a detective. She lives in London.

Connect with Holly: Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Top 5 Reasons to Read

There are *a lot* of reasons to love this latest book from YA thriller queen Holly Jackson, but I've tried to capture here my top 5 for you!

It's Holly Jackson. Enough said! I mean, not only does she have the best name (ha!), but she is quite possibly *the* reigning YA thriller queen! Seriously, I must not have even looked at the synopsis when I signed up for this, because I thought the title referred to a teen who'd gone missing--that's how eager I was to read the next HoJay book!

The book is a great examination of how our past traumas shape us, even if the event itself happens when we are far too young to actually remember it. Because trauma isn't just a one-time thing, is it? There are residual emanations that last--sometimes years, sometimes forever. Traumas shape who we are as people, and they affect our relationships with other people far into the future.

There is an amazing bond between Bel and her cousin Carter that I loved so much and just really had me missing my older sister.

The mystery is *so* well-done, I was quite literally oblivious until the moment Bel discovers the truth herself. And I'm not saying this in a cocky way, but that literally almost NEVER happens to me at this late stage in my life when I've read hundreds of mysteries and thrillers.

The book is a great examination of the lengths to which a parent/parents will go to protect their child. What do you do if you find yourself suddenly a single parent of a 2-year-old, with a missing spouse and suspicion on you for their disappearance? What would you do if that missing spouse suddenly reappears? What do you do if you are instead the missing spouse who has returned--do you tell your child the truth about what happened to you? So many points during this book had me questioning just what I would do for my own son!

Seriously, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. And in typical Holly Jackson fashion, it's not only twisty and thrilling but also deeply emotional. Also, she never writes as if teens are too young to handle the horrors of the world, which is one reason I especially love reading her books. Go pick this one up, you won't regret it!

Rating: 5 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour.

Make sure you check out the Bookstagram tour too! You can find my post here, and the full schedule is here.

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a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives · 2 years ago

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Scrublands: Award-winning ‘ripping page-turner’ becomes the latest crime thriller shot in Victoria

The adaptation of the novel Scrublands into a crime series is the second Stan original after Bali 2002. Photo: Stan

Ever since award-winning Australian crime writer Chris Hammer published his 2018 thriller Scrublands, television networks and production studios worked furiously to get their hands on the rights to bring the story to life.

Canberra-based Hammer, a former political journalist with just two non-fiction books under his belt, couldn’t believe it when he landed a book deal with Allen & Unwin to publish his debut fiction novel.

Shortly after, he sold the international and TV rights.

“I was laughing and crying, it was just unbelievable,” he told The Guardian at the time.

Fast forward to 2023, and Scrublands – an Easy Tiger production co-commissioned by Australian streamer Stan and the Nine Network, in association with VicScreen – is now filming across Victoria.

Easy Tiger founder Ian Collie and its chief executive Rob Gibson issued a joint statement, saying: “From the moment we opened Chris Hammer’s ripping page-turner, we knew Scrublands was destined to be a must-watch crime series”.

“[It] will be an unmissable TV event for rusted-on Chris Hammer fans and everyone else alike.”

Hammer, too, can’t wait to see it, telling his 2000 Instagram followers he’s thrilled with the cast, the director and just about anyone involved in the series.

“Can’t wait,” he wrote on Tuesday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chris Hammer (@thehammernow)

instagram

What’s it about?

Scrublands was an instant bestseller in 2018, topping the Australian fiction charts and shortlisted for Best Debut Fiction at the Indie Book Awards.

It was also shortlisted for Best General Fiction at the Australian Book Industry Awards and won the UK Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey Debut Dagger Award.

The story is set against the backdrop of the New South Wales Riverina, in an isolated country town called Riversend, where a charismatic and dedicated young priest (Jay Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners.

One year later, Hammer’s main character, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives in town to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy.

“But when Martin’s instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart and he finds himself in a life-and-death race to uncover the truth,” according to the Stan synopsis.

Turns out there’s a love triangle, fraud, organised crime and cover-ups, all sub-plots worthy of a series.

Prepare to be ‘dazzled’

Although we’re yet to discover how the novel has been adapted to the television series by scriptwriters Felicity Packard (lead writer, and she’s penned Ep 1), Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong, one book reviewer said it was a first-rate crime mystery who was “dazzled” by Hammer throughout the book.

“There is a sense of imminence to Scrublands, particularly in its recognition of drought and the plight of small towns,” Amanda Barrett wrote.

“This one sure bowled me over right from the hooking premise and opening sequence.

“Scrublands will floor you.

Although it’s a work of fiction, she said “there is so much truth to Hammer’s writing and his depiction of the events that take place in Riversend”.

“This is a fastidious novel that works to build a complete picture of what is happening across many country towns, across all states and territories in Australia.

“Riversend is simply a euphemism for so many rural locales in Australia that are grappling with the impact of drought, a decline in services and a rise in crime.”

As a result, she said, the book came across as an authentic tale, tapping into issues that strike at the heart of rural townships.

Hard work starts for the cast at the table readings. Photo: Stan

Table readings of the adaptation with the lead cast of Arnold (Black Sails, Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS), Bella Heathcote (C*A*U*G*H*T, Relic, Pieces of Her) and Jay Ryan (It: Chapter Two, Top of the Lake) have been completed as cast hit the road to various locations across the state.

Nine’s director of television Michael Healy says “joining forces with the teams at Stan and Easy Tiger on Scrublands has realised an ambition we have had since Chris Hammer’s novel was published in 2018″.

He says they’re confident it will turn into must-watch television, suitable for a global audience.

VicScreen boss Caroline Pitcher reveals more than 500 Victorians will be employed throughout the series, “adding to the state’s pipeline of local productions”.

Scrublands is the second co-commissioned production between Nine and Stan following Bali 2002.

Source: The New Daily

#luke arnold #luke spam #bella heathcote #jay ryan #scrublands on stan #scrublands #stan australia #Instagram

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fantomcomics · 1 year ago

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What's Out This Week? 8/30

Come aboard and bring along all your hopes and dreams this Thursday to our One Piece Live Action Watch Party and Craft Event!

Ancient Enemies: First Responder #1 - Dan DiDio, Mario Guevara, & Joe Prado

Trapped inside the shattered hull of an alien spacecraft and imprisoned for over twenty years, firefighter Sonny Palmer is transformed into something greater than and less than human. He is THE FIRST RESPONDER and dedicated his life to saving others while unable to save himself. In this one shot, we learn his origin and set up the world-shattering climax to the ANCIENT ENEMIES series.

Everything's Coming Up Beatrix! GN - Georgia Dunn

Join Elvis, Puck, Lupin, Tommy, Beatrix, and the whole team for spooky tales around the space heater, daring hairstyles, not-so-hilarious sweaters, an Easter egg hunt disaster, new cat foods, "Heck on the Deck!", something called a papasan, and the first ever celebration of St. Catty's Day! Tune into a ghostly broadcast when Puck makes a harrowing journey to the attic and gets in over his head.... Can Elvis and Tabitha work together to save him?

The Devil's Cut One-Shot - Mirka Andolfo, Elsa Charretier & Jock

The Devil's Cut is your introduction to DSTLRY, a new publisher redefining creator-owned comics. In the aging process, the whiskey that evaporates is called the Angel's Share. But the most potent spirits are captured in the wood-the Devil's Cut.

This is The Devil's Cut - unfiltered stories from the most fearless creators, offering a distinct taste of the quality to come. 88 oversized pages printed on premium paper, featuring a flight of high-proof work from our Founding Creators including Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tula Lotay, Mirka Andolfo, Jock, Becky Cloonan, Brian Azzarello, Marc Bernardin, Elsa Charretier, Lee Garbett, Joelle Jones, Stephanie Phillips, Ram V, Jamie McKelvie, Junko Mizuno and friends including Francesco Francavilla, Ariela Kristantina, Eduardo Risso, Christian Ward, and more. Edited by the legendary Will Dennis.

Displacement SC - Cullen Bunn, Alison Sampson & Ray Shappell

Dr. Rachel Anderson treats those who suffer from the most extreme phobias. Fear of crowds. The fear of the outdoors. The fear of death. But after a session with a violent patient goes awry and her daughter goes missing, the only way Rachel will survive the night and save her daughter is to face her own fears.

Eden II TP - Kenny Wroten

A blistering critique of digital media and a kaleidoscopic depiction of consumer culture, Eden II is both fanciful and satirical, a combination of deft cartooning and virtuosic storytelling.

In the grungy, punk-inflected world Kenny Wroten creates, a cast of disaffected young characters struggle to find their purpose in life. Faced with a dying Earth and numbingly useless jobs, protagonists Ellis and Dr. Otis Heck invent an immersive virtual reality game, Eden II. But when Heck betrays Ellis and sells the game to a mysterious corporation, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur. As each chapter highlights a new character in the ensemble, the game's impact grows as the world becomes consumed by fantasy.

Far South: The Great Union Score - Rodolfo Santullo, Leandro Fernandez & Matias Bergara

Whatever the hell happens in the Far South stays in Far South! Montoya's bar has seen it all. Everyone who lives in the area frequents it, and those who don't, won't take long to do so. Everyone's a regular: scoundrels, prostitutes, thieves, truckers, bandits. There's wine and grappa to last for ages. Darkness is the only color you see there. So when the Police is looking for a culprit, they know where to knock first.

The hardboiled brutal land of the Mobsters and Gauchos continues to unfold, as bestselling international author Rodolfo Santullo and THE OLD GUARD superstar artist Leandro Fernandez present a new set of blood-soaked Noir tales, a must-read for fans of gritty crime fiction.

The Great Gatsby: The Essential Graphic Novel HC - F Scott Fitzgerald & Jorge Coehlo

An all-new faithful and beautifully illustrated graphic novel adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby. Adapted by Ted Adams (The Island of Doctor Moreau) and illustrated by Jorge Coelho (Loki, Rocket Raccoon). Whether you already love the book or are experiencing it for the first time, we've got you covered. It's all here, the roaring '20s in all its glory --the decadent parties, the gangsters, the car crashes, the love triangle, and so much more. Young and old can appreciate the dedication of veteran comic creators, Adams and Coelho, as they adapt this American classic story into the classic American art form of comics. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

It's Only Teenage Wasteland TP - Curt Pires, Jacoby Salcedo & Mark Dale

In the first days of the apocalypse, a group of high school boys may be the last alive in the city. When his parents go out of town for the weekend, Mexican-American high schooler Javi decides to throw a party-one that'll launch him and his buds into popularity! Or at least get them noticed by some girls. But no high school party goes off without a hitch. Javi can only watch as his friend takes a beating from the school bully, but then-BAM! The apocalypse has the worst timing. With few survivors-and even fewer sane ones-Javi and his friends will have to learn to survive together, and mend the fallout from the last party before the end of the world.

Kaptara: Universal Truths #1 (of 6) - Chip Zdarsky & Kagan McLeod

Back because YOU demanded it! Yes, you! Don't you remember? We were having drinks and you said, "Hey. Whatever happened to... was it KAPTANNA?"

CHIP ZDARSKY (PUBLIC DOMAIN, Batman) and KAGAN MCLEOD (Infinite Kung Fu, Cobra Kai) are BACK with a BRAND-NEW STORY ARC of their "beloved" "science" fiction series! Astronaut KEITH KANGA, trapped on the planet of Kaptara, is trying to find his way home, but first he needs to solve a mystery: who is stealing all the adorable CAT-TANKS? Who would DARE??? This wild and colorful series full of heart and chuckles could be yours for the low, low price of $3.99!

Kariba GN - James Clarke, Daniel Clarke & Daniel Snaddon

An African fantasy-adventure graphic novel inspired by the mythology of the Zambezi River and the history of the Kariba Dam, one of the largest dams ever constructed. Siku has always called the Zambezi River her home. But things are changing on the river-a great dam is being built-and things are changing in Siku, too, as her ability to manipulate water grows out of control, and visions of a great serpent pull her further from reality and her loving father, Tongai. When Tongai ventures to the Kariba Dam to find a cure for Siku and never returns, she sets off to find him with the help of Amedeo, the young son of Kariba's chief engineer. With the future of the Shonga resting on her shoulders, Siku must journey to the source of the river to understand the ancient power hidden within her.

The Knight Captain Is The New Princess To Be GN Vol 1 - Yakinikuteishoku

In this shojo rom-com tale, a dashing female bodyguard pretends to be engaged to her childhood friend, the prince... but is their fake betrothal really just an act to him? Christina, a.k.a. "Lady Chris," was born into a noble family and treated more or less like a boy growing up. Now a dashing young woman, Chris is not only captain of the imperial guards-she personally protects Prince Leonardo, who has been a dear friend since childhood. When his father, the king, demands he find a suitable girl to marry, Leo insists that he's already found one: Chris! Chris is shocked, but figures that Leo doesn't really love her like that; it's probably just some ploy to keep the king happy. Chris decides to play along, but as the charade goes on, she starts to wonder if maybe her princely pal has actually fallen for her!

Memoirs Of A Man In His Pajamas TP - Paco Roca

Spain's answer to Seinfeld, these observational, relatable autobio vignettes by Spanish cartoonist Paco Roca poke fun at the vexing tribulations of modern life. At 40, cartoonist Paco Roca has finally achieved his childhood dream - to spend all day at home in his pajamas! However, his blissful, loungewear-clad reverie is beset with a host of mundane problems: He dreads small talk with "the world's biggest bore," but his excuses and white lies are finally catching up with him. When a good friend breaks up, taking either side could lead to social disaster.

The simple mission to change his train ticket descends into an impossibly complicated, Kafka-esque affair. And worst of all, his partner keeps hanging the toilet paper roll the wrong way! In the vein of sitcoms like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Roca's comic vignettes brilliantly satirize the pesky pitfalls of modern-day life. Like most of us, Roca's alter ego just wants to be liked and to do the right thing, but finds that through crippling indecision, cowardly behavior, and the absurd machinations of the universe, he is usually thwarted. The ensuing situations he finds himself embroiled in are as hilarious as they are often painfully relatable.

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special - Ryan Parrott, Hendry Prasetya & Dan Mora

A landmark celebratory special featuring 5 brand new stories paying homage to the legacy of Rangers with stories by Ryan Parrott (Rogue Sun), Mat Groom (Inferno Girl Red), the original Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson (Titans), and young adult author Maria Ingrande Mora (Fragile Remedy), along with current Mighty Morphin Power Rangers superstar scribe Melissa Flores!

Joining the celebration are returning fan-favorite Power Rangers artists including Hendry Prasteya, Eleonora Carlini, and Marco Renna!

Between a spotlight on Ernie in Angel Grove, Alpha 5's struggle to find his true purpose, a mind-bending "What If?" story about Tommy's powers which introduces an all-new alternate universe, an additional tale about his marriage to Kat, and a deeper look at the Ranger Academy, this anniversary issue is truly packed full of content worthy of the 30-year legacy.

Along with 40 pages of brand new morphinominal material, celebrate 30 years of Power Rangers with an additional 24 pages of classic material that fans new and old will be delighted to experience!

The Plot Holes #1 (of 5) - Sean Gordon Murphy

THE PLOT HOLES are a squad of fictional warriors who transport themselves into the pages of other books, using their unique skills to save the plots in order to stop them from being destroyed. And Cliff is their newest recruit, a comic creator who's just realized his world isn't real-in fact, it's a complete fiction that literally exists inside a novel. The other members are misfits like him, pulled from unpublished books that couldn't be saved: a manga samurai, a barbarian tiger, a kid from a comic strip, and a vampire assassin. Outclassed by the other members, Cliff sets out to prove his worth to The Plot Holes as they fight to save as many books as possible.

Punch Up GN Vol 1 - Zachary Sterling

Young orphan Pitch is an aspiring tournament fighter who has big dreams of traveling to the city and competing in the Wide Plains Fighting Tournament. He also harbors a secret wish-to be trained by aging tournament fighter Sonny Chan. Can Pitch make it in a big city filled with unsavory types that want to do him harm? And is Emperor Jayson, host of the fighting tournament, one of those people? Will Sonny decide to act decent . . . for once? Find out in this exciting blast of battle energy!

Star Wars The High Republic Adventures: The Complete Phase I GN - Daniel Jose Older & Harvey Tolibas

"For light and life!" Set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures chronicles a time of galactic renaissance when the Jedi are at the height of their power and the Republic is experiencing unparalleled peace... until a mysterious force known as the Nihil, threatens to cast its shadow over all the free worlds of the galaxy!

Follow the adventures of Lula, Farzala, and Qort, untested Jedi Padawans, with their Masters, Torban Buck and Yoda, on their first mission to rescue the inhabitants of the planet Symant IV in the wake of a deadly Nihil attack. But the Nihil are not the only opposition they will face. Many of the planet's citizens resent and fear the Jedi, and two of those citizens will have to decide whether to go against all they believe and trust the Jedi lest they fall prey the Nihil's evil plans. Perfect for readers of all ages, The Complete Phase I collects the entire Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (Phase I) series, with 6 never before collected issues, a new epilogue story, and of course, fan-favorite, The Galactic Bake-Off Spectactular one-shot!

The Witch's Marriage GN Vol 1 - studio HEADLINE

Opening the Door of Truth is the ultimate goal for many a witch. Gathering enough power to do so is no easy feat however, and a popular method is entering into a "Witches' Marriage," a contractual bond that generates more power the closer they grow. Melissa is one such witch-but is her heart truly immune to the adorable Tanya as she claims?

Whatcha scooping up to close out August, Fantom Fam?

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bingsoo-jung · 2 years ago

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This or That

I was tagged by @writinglittlebeasts if anyone else wishes to do this, please just do it. I grant you permission to tag me saying I tagged you okay?

I am also incredibly opinionated and this is about to show.

|| HISTORICAL or FUTURISTIC ||

So while I almost exclusively write historically set fantasy, I’m actually far more of a scifi girlie! I just... struggle to write it. But I tend to enjoy scifi set in the future a bit more and find the tropes easier to understand. I just tend to get caught up in the granularity of writing it and the science of it. This is very likely because I study astrophysics and math.

|| OPENING or CLOSING CHAPTER ||

While I love closing chapters from other people. I’m better at writing openings. What can I say, I’m a ‘make a fucking splash’ person.

|| LIGHT+FLUFFY or DARK+GRITTY ||

I love fluff. I read so much fluff. I, however, write fucked up little dudes in fucked up little worlds. I also think that keeping your eyes to purely hopeful things can limit the stories you want to tell. While the same can be said for dark and gritty, let’s be honest, no anti-colonial story is ever told with a purely light and fluffy setting. The premise of addressing such violence predicates darker themes. And I really enjoy telling colonizers to fucking shove it.

|| ANIMAL COMPANION or FOUND FAMILY ||

While I can intellectually appreciate a good animal companion. I’m going to be so real with you, I don’t care enough about animals for that. I was never into cats or dogs as a kid, never wanted to be an animal. I like being human so much. On top of which, I think found family is so sweet. While I tend to keep more to ‘actual family’ rather than found family in my writing, I like the idea of making your own fate and comfort and friends, and of binding yourself to people out of choice and dedication and blood. So found family all the fucking way.

|| HORROR or ROMANCE ||

I don’t write horror or romance. But I think there is something shocking and beautiful in the macabre of twisted delights as we fall together and apart and back together again. Also most romance is just written so badly that I think I have to choose horror for this.

|| HARD MAGIC SYSTEM or SOFT MAGIC SYSTEM ||

So legally I should say hard for this, since, once more, local science bitch here. But in reality, soft magic systems I think allow for magic to be more of a mechanic of the plot and relationships than something that must be defined for “plot purposes.” As long as a soft magic system maintains its internal logic system I will often prefer it to a hard magic system. I also think a lot of hard magic systems end up being weirdly sexist (@brandonsanderson you mfer.)

|| STANDALONE or SERIES ||

I love love series. But I think people’ve lost sight of what a good standalone can mean. I also think a lot of people are being pushed into writing series because publishers want money more than they want quality.

|| ONE PROJECT AT A TIME or ALWAYS JUGGLING 2+ ||

I used to be always juggling, but I like having one thing to focus on and spiral about. It also means I’m going crazy over one story, but that’s fine.

|| ONE AWARD WINNER or ONE BESTSELLER ||

Bestseller statuses are meaningless. You know what’s not? A Ignyte or Hugo or Nebula. I like having shiny statues that let you know I was very good at a very specific thing.

|| FANTASY OR SCI-FI ||

See this goes back to the original thing. I am a scientist, most of the media I consume by myself is science fiction. While I do play ttrpgs and almost only play them in fantasy settings, and only write fantasy, this is because I can’t convince other people to play science fiction games with me. I almost only watch scifi shows and listen to scifi podcasts. While I tend to read more fantasy this is because of a lack of good modern scifi in my opinion. Science fiction is at it’s best when there is research behind it, when people bother to realise that the universe is near infinite and thus there are near infinite possibilities for different existences out there.

Magic to me, while beautiful, is something of fairy tales and unrealities in a way we use to discuss the past. Fantasy is how we discuss what was and unpack the yesteryears of existence. The past, no matter how we memorialize what was and what we lost, will always have been imperfect. That’s an unfortunate reality. I write Asian fantasy, and even though I celebrate what was good and what was lost, the deal is that was lost, and we can never truly regain it. And for all the things that were beautiful, there were a hundred more things that weren’t. Like while queerness was more acceptable in Siam and Ayutthaya, it wasn’t perfect. There was still sexism and structural homophobia, and no wishing for what was will change that. But the future is what we make of it, and thus science fiction is how we set down the roads to dream of those better and more perfect futures. I want to make a better world and I think we do that through dreaming a better one.

|| CHARACTER DESCRIPTION or SETTING DESCRIPTION ||

I appreciate a good character description, but I think people tend to focus too much on the reality of what someone looks like rather than the impression it leaves. I also just enjoy writing the setting more. I don’t think character description is always necessary. But knowing where you are and the ways in which location fill characters with sensation are just more fun.

|| FIRST DRAFT or FINAL DRAFT ||

I WANT TO BE DONE. I WANT TO BREAK FREE.

|| LOVE TRIANGLE IN EVERYTHING or NO ROMANTIC ARCS ||

Am I currently trying to solve love triangles with polyamory? Yes. Do I think people need to stop acting like romance is the end all be fucking all of stories and existence and that love comes in more forms than romantic overtures? Yes. Draw back on the romance folks. Sometimes a good plot with solid friendships is better than two people kissing.

|| CONSTANT SANDSTORM or RAINSTORM ||

I hate both of these. But I hate sand more than I hate water. I am a SEAsian from SoCal. I need humidity to live.

#tag games

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