#Sorry according to my dates this was asked on like the first of december aka 2 months ago. I had 67 drafts when writing this up at first

[fumifooms]

Hey what're your thoughts on how marcille and chilchuck show affection for marchil?

I mean, marcille seems to be the type to be the most blatantly affectionate of the two, but I want to know your headcanons and observations on the subject. How do they communicate their wants for affection, and what do they view as signs of affection (ex: hugs, small gifts, ect.) and such?

Sorry it took me this long to answer!! Thank you sm for sending a marchil ask my way I swear I love them sm, they spark joy and even if I have uhh -checks- 67 drafts already I love dropping everything for them when the mood comes hehehe. I love talking about love languages actually! Little did you know that the first post I made on this blog was about analyzing the love languages of an ot3 lmao. The only reason why this is so late overdue is because as always I’m going to talk so much about it. The pics I put in it are relevant but I don’t put them right beside where I make my point, so stick with me even if they’re a bit jarring at first, they’re just meant to show aspects of them~.

Marcille and Chilchuck’s love languages

+ their domestic romantic dynamic. I’ll say, I ended up talking even more than I expected, and though it is in a marchil context I think my analysis of the characters is relevant even if their partner was anyone else, so non-marchil shippers might also enjoy this post! Give it a shot maybe~

To open it up, I think this post is very relevant. Marchil is def a ship where the ways in which they say they love each other feel more subtle, for Chilchuck at least.

Their perspective, boundaries and overlap

I think Chilchuck and Marcille recognize the other’s way of showing affection well, though it’s very obvious that Marcille and Chilchuck’s ways are super different. Marcille is very open and loud and Chilchuck… Isn’t. Chilchuck is reserved while Marcille loves to get all the affection she can get. Marcille could be seen as too much while Chilchuck would be too little. One could even say they aren’t compatible, but I think that’d be a mistake.

Yes Marcille loves big grand gestures and a lot of open communication, but her thing is analyzing people as they are, like how when she imagines how it’d have been like as his wife she put in details like how he’d be annoyed at having to wait for her to get ready and didn’t idealize that part of their relationship. She’s very good at putting herself in others’ shoes, at understanding why they might feel this or that way. She typically doesn’t seem put off when Chil is snappy or discouraging at her, like when she shows him the ball of Izutsumi’s hair that she shaped into a cat lol. (The panel at the start of this section was when she was disappointed in him for cheating on his wife, so her good esteem for him was gone). She has a high esteem of Chilchuck’s intentions and has good faith in him overall, so instead of going "He’s annoyed at waiting on me… Am I annoying to him? Does he dislike me?" or "He didn’t notice I got upset when we were out drinking with his colleagues. Does he even love me anymore? Would he care if I left him?" she goes "Oh that’s just how he is, I know if there’s an actual issue he’ll tell me, and he still has my best interests at heart.". Who knows if she’d always be able to rationalize and keep that optimistic attitude up long term, but it gives me a good impression that she would! Or that at least she’d communicate about it if she felt their relationship had a problem. She loves to confront people about that sort of thing! She can be more insecure and meek when the topic is sensitive to her like her being a half-elf, but when it comes to relationships like that, I believe she’d stand up for herself if it came down to it. The way she said that his wife might have left to "test his love" and see if he’d chase after her is a bit worrying to me, but ultimately I think that was her dramatic novels fan self talking and not something that she’d do herself. If she did leave, she would sooo leave a super long dramatic letter about how she felt and the situation and he’d reply and they’d make up I think. ANYWAYS!

Of course everyone needs to be shown some affection once in a while regardless of if she knows well how he is or not, and Marcille would be very unashamed about asking that of him. She’d respect his boundaries with public displays of affection as much as he’d demand it, but she’d be her usual overt self with stealing kisses or making him say I love you regularly. 0 PDA would be rough on her if Chilchuck wanted it that far, but she’d do it, she’d be able to twist it into something endearing too, like her being like "No one else gets to see him this way but me, I have this sweet side of him all to myself" and "He’s just reserved like that, it makes the time when he does show it all the more meaningful", them cuddling a ton as soon as they get home and Marcille feels touch starved, etc etc. So what I’m getting at with all this is: Marcille’s love languages are very self-evident and hard to miss so unless Marcille suddenly acts mopey and doesn’t tell him why, and unless Chilchuck has some anxiety (what with his ex wife just up and leaving without him having been able to see the warning signs), he would feel very confident in her love for him and comfortable in the relationship, if not a little tired or frustrated with some aspects of it if she sometimes does too much.

Meanwhile, like mentioned, even if Chilchuck’s love languages are more subtle, more rooted in casual domesticity rather than big gestures or words, Marcille would see and recognize that and not hold it against him or feel burdened by it. She highly values communication —in a way they both do, even if when it’s about feelings Chilchuck becomes a bit of an ostrich hiding his head underground— so if there’s a problem she’ll for sure confront him about it too. Chilchuck is good at voicing when there are practical problems or when he’s uncomfortable, and Marcille is good at voicing when there are emotional problems, so they’re pretty complementary in that way.

Surprisingly I think if she ever did a marriage proposal it’d be very private though, it’d be a big deal to her and she would want to talk about it in the comfort of their lonesome, already thinking through the grief and how everything would work. I think Chikchuck would also prefer a private proposal, but on the other end I could totally see him thinking she’d love this grand fancy gesture of a big public proposal and organize one for her (Ooh good fic prompt right there). Once they’ve talked it through though they’re both very enthusiastic about it and openly talk about it with friends and coworkers, and Marcille gushes about her fiancé and they both have bachelor parties on their own end and whatnot. The big day would be a fun one, and the daughters would be the perfect wingwomen I believe~

Their love languages

Alright now that the groundwork is done let’s do this thing! Ok so the "official" love languages are words of affirmation, physical touch, gifts (giving and receiving), quality time and acts of service.

Marcille

Starting with Marcille, she’s pretty balanced I’d say! In the sense that she cranks them all to the max. Oh yes, and part of it is that she’s very aware that the time they have together is counted, so she wants to make the most out of every moment.

Idk if it’s fair to say that Marcille has something like separation anxiety, what with her getting mad at Falin when she left and they didn’t see each other for 4 years, and with during canon with Falin and such, because they’re all intense situations that don’t necessarily show how clingy(or not) she would be under normal circumstances (and she doesn’t live with them so she’s def ok with distance to some degree), but also I def think it’s fair to say that due to her experiences with loss she’s scared of taking her eye off of someone she loves for one moment and for them to disappear, also like how we see her talk to Izutsumi when she thinks she’s going to prison. All that to say that yes, quality time!! She adores quality time, she’s the kind to soak up in someone’s presence even if they’re doing completely different things in the same room. She loves talking with him, cooking with him, bathing with him, even just chilling on the couch together. Post-canon they’d both be rather busy I imagine, so it only makes those moments they share more important. They’re trying out the long distance thing and making it work with the power of communicating well 🙏 Again, she’s big on acts of service, would resurrect you, would bathe you, would nurse you back to health or do something for you. Since she’s observant I could see her noticing subtle things in Chilchuck’s routine that she could help with, like getting his mug of coffee for him each morning, etc. I feel like those things are so natural to her that she wouldn’t mention them to Chilchuck or talk about how she does these things, so if she’s doing too much Chilchuck has to tell her because she won’t realize otherwise.

Gifts. We see with how she showers Chil in apology gifts intended to be from him to his family that she does value gifts! Giving wise, I think she’d be the type to be out shopping, see something that reminds of you then get it for you casually. It’s probably resulted in a few joke gifts that did not land lol, like idk modern AU a grumpy cat mug, or socks with "If you can read this bring me a beer" written underneath them. She’ll also put her heart and soul into gifts sometimes, especially for birthdays which mark the passage of time for her and even if a year passes by a little fast she makes it a point to always always go all out about it, she wants to show that he matters to her and thinks of him a lot, so she’ll put all of herself into picking out an heartfelt gift. She can get a little stressed and perfectionist over it but she does genuinely enjoy picking out gifts and giving them. Receiving wise, she’s also super big on it! She’s the kind to instantly value gifts more than other, maybe better suited options she has, like if you give her an ugly hair accessory or a mug she’ll 100% use them all the time from then on… Until she passes onto something new and the item gets sidelined a bit, but then when she’ll find it again years from then on she’ll be struck by memories and emotions and how much it all meant to her. I could see Chil getting her choker necklaces like she often wears for example, or books he can’t begin to understand about magic theory. It’s not as much of a ‘love language’ as the other ones I think, but she does really appreciate them, and if Chil makes an effort to get her flower bouquets somewhat regularly it would for sure make her feel really loved and happy. Oh yes! Also I def think that if she took up sewing or (personal hc) she’d love felting bc of when she did a tiny Izutsumi with her hair, she’d love making handmade gifts! She’d weave him a bracelet. She’d write him letters and put a nice scented oil on them.

Physical touch ohhh she’s big on touch. Even platonically we see that she’s very casual with her touches and does it a ton to most people (mostly Falin, Izutsumi and Chilchuck, but with her being a healer it also happens with Laios etc) and likes to cuddle or hang onto others, in daydream hour artworks, when sleeping with Izutsumi in an extra, etc etc. Even if she had a romantic partner I think she’d keep doing that with her friends and maybe even favoring Falin when she’s there for platonic touch, but I also def think that she’d be super touchy feely with her partner both in public and in private. As long as it doesn’t interfere with what Chil’s doing and he can remain cool and collected™️ he wouldn’t mind I think, so they’d be holding hands often and like, if he were to sit down on a couch with a beer she’d just drape herself over him and they’d chill out there (until they talk and she makes him laugh too hard and he spits his beer out all over them rip), not unlike how Izutsumi would. But YES physical touch is def a big love language for her, wether they’re arguing or just sharing a soft moment together, if he put his hand to her cheek gently she would melt into his touch. And she loves doting on others herself and touching them and feeling like they’re real and warm and alive, so yes yes touch is a big thing to her. Words of affirmation aren’t a big deal to her to give out, because it’s so natural to her, but they would mean a lot to her to receive. She can get insecure and feel lonely/alone, and having someone be supportive and tell her that she is valued like in the mandrake chapter lifts a lot of weight off of her shoulders, and I imagine that’s doubly meaningful when the words are each and all true and earned when they come from Chil. Whenever he says "I love you" unprompted it’s like an arrow to the heart. Again, if he made the effort to be romantic and like idk, tell her poetic things like it’s a love letter she would absolutely melt. "My boyfriend is the best, most romantic most loving most virtuous man" @ everyone in hearing distance etc etc. She wants to keep his words all to herself and be a little greedy but just maybe while kicking her feet she’d go "and then he said blablabla~" with friends and coworkers at the palace (who may or may nit be willing listeners lol).

So because of all of this, of how she values all of them, I think she’d cherish whichever love language her partner does the least! She likes variety, and like we’ve talked a bit she adapts herself to whoever she’s with a bit. She’s personally a big cuddler, but she’d value whenever Chilchuck says that he loves her etc more in the end because she knows how much that means for him and how many feelings were put into that gesture for her.

She wants the full range of affection, everything that someone is ready to offer. She wants the full storybook romance experience babyy, if it’s a crumb of love she’ll take it and gobble it up whichever form it takes. They all mean something to her in different ways.

Chilchuck

Chilchuck is more picky. He knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like, and he doesn’t like to compromise much (though learning to do so is part of his arc in canon). His favorites are acts of service and words of affirmation, and physical touch selectively, imo.

First of all, Chilchuck is a more private person by nature, but I think it’s also worth pointing out that he has some stress over how things ended with his wife, so someone growing on him and him getting to trust them etc also just takes slower. Wether you think Chilchuck will largely be open and comfortable once the confession’s done and they’re dating, or if him opening up and growing used to being loving and loved again is more gradual even throughout their romantic relationship, his love languages will differ depending on what "stage" he is at. For example, I think he’d actually love receiving words of affirmation, they’re just not his highest priority and he needs to highly value them and trust them first, trust that they’re not lies or that you don’t have shit judgement. For the rest of this though I’ll assume they’ve been dating for a good while and have grown used to it and are very familiar with each other. Like Marcille maybe his insecurities creep up on him sometimes, but with the power of communication and support those moments tend to be short lived 💪 She keeps him from using alcohol as a bad coping mechanism & distraction too much.

Ok so starting out with quality time… I’ll get it out of the way but yes I think they’d be sexually active, though with how they work away from each other like with his wife and he spent 4 years holding out fr her his libido isn’t as intense as we’d asssume I think, and for elves "often" might be like once a month, so who knows. This is gonna come back in the physical touch section~ But yes Chilchuck spent a lot of time away from his family, so I think if he values quality time he super values the quality more than the quantity of time spent together. That said, I also headcanon that he gets stuck in his head a bunch about it so as long as he thinks about his family to motivate him on the job for example, he also half-asses the time he spends home and he’s generally too tired to go out and do big things, just wanna relax, so idk!! He might be a bit of a neglectful lover and Marcille needs to poke him so they go out on dates, but yes I think in a similar way to Marcille he really appreciates the time just spent together, even if it’s working on their own thing in the same room. As for conversations or emotionally meaningful moments, I think emotional stuff tires him out quickly, unlike with Marcille where she seeks emotional stimulation from books, so spending time being heartfelt and vulnerable together would be appreciated, but would need to be kinda rare for him to not be exhausted dead lying on the pavement and unable to keep up. Feeling gets him tired too, he never knows wether to repress or let the love grow or how to word what he’s feeling etc etc. At least at first, dates that are activities and allows him to just have fun without thinking much are best. It’ll take him time to grow more used to feeling emotionally naked with her and for it to come more easily and naturally, but they’ll get there and they’ll be sooo domestic. So in the end! Quality time is appreciated but not particularly important, Chilchuck can really keeps the love going even when spending a loooong time away from each other or keeping the moments spent together casual. Oh yes I haven’t gone into that in any of my posts so far I think, but part of why he’s so casual and seemingly dismissive with his wife imo is because the relationship was sooo based on familiarity, respect and trust to him, they’ve been together forever, he trusted that they loved each other and were in this together and that he didn’t have to be extra for her to feel comfortable in the relationship because he trusted that she knew him well enough, trusted that she would stay with him even if their relationship wasn’t perfect, etc etc. So imo as long as he’s like "I love her and that’s enough for me, I trust that if there’s something up she’ll tell me and we can figure it out, I trust in our relationship to stay strong even if we don’t see each other much" then he can seem very casual and neglectful from an outside perspective. But make no mistake he thinks about her all the time and sighs forlornly because he wants to sleep in her arms after a hard day of work and has horny dreams of her 10/10 she matters a lot to him.

Acts of service!!! Biiig big one, there’s little more that Chilchuck values receiving than respect, though he’s much more stingy about giving it out, what with his teasing and insulting snappy remarks and how he’s always laughing at Marcille in canon. But yes like mentioned just before, Chilchuck likes familiarity in a relationship, so his partner anticipating his needs and going out of their way to do services for him would be suuper appreciated and would make him feel loved, would make him feel understood which in turn makes him feel safe that he doesn’t have to try and be someone he’s not to satisfy her and that she understands him well enough that she wouldn’t leave him due to miscommunication. Doing big favors would also be appreciated, but he prefers to live a routinely daily life imo so the acts of service would show themselves in small ways, like idk letting the water run in the bath because he knows Marcille will want to take a relaxing bath when she comes home from work. It’s definitely the love language that he does/give out the most imo, they’re the way he’s most comfortable showing that he cares and that he thinks of them and that he loves them, and he can feel safe doing them in any context wether he has all the eyes in the world on him or if they’re alone. He’s also generally protective, and looking out for her would fit into this category imo. But yes post-canon, I think one way in which this shows is that he’d do her hairdos, maybe even daily if possible. He loves blonde hair and he’s agile with his fingers, but he doesn’t value complicated hairdos much, but he’d learn a lot of hairdos for her, because he loves her and knows how it was once super important to her, and also bc he wants her to slay out there and at the same time he’s doing himself a favor by prettying it up hehe. He had a thing for undone long hair but he loves Marcille and when in the final chapters her hair was all messy the unfamiliar sight of it unsettled him, so besides just wanting her to get through the day without eating her hair and getting the urge to shave it all off, he also just does it because it feels so her and he remembers that side of her fondly (yes, even if that used to make her take even longer to get ready in the mornings).

Might surprise you might not but I think gifts are everything to him. Like the cowl from his daughter that he always wears, and all the mementos from his family we see he keeps in his room, like the dragon plush and the flower. Maybe they help him feel that the love people hold for him is real and exists/has existed at least at one point, maybe it’s about the memories, maybe it’s about being able to keep hanging onto them even after a relationship is over, idk!!!! But I think having gifts from his loved ones makes him feel like his life is fuller and warmer and like he always has some love surrounding him. For that reason he would super value gifts that Marcille would get for him. She overdoes it a bit and often gets him stuff for no particular occasions, mostly stuff that’s useful and that gets consumed so it’s not a problem or a bother though, but when it sticks it sticks, like a durable pair of gloves in a style he likes that she got for him. I don’t think photographs exist (at least not for the non-dwarves) but if they did oooh he’d be keeping stacks of them, would have some framed, he wouldn’t want people to know because he thinks he’d look corny but he wouuuuuld. He’d also have the "this reminds me of Marcille" moments when out into town, looking at jewelry or food that she likes (I imagine this is often the sort of gift/act of service he’d get for her, meals that he picked out because she loves them), but he’d also have the instinct to get her a gift on special occasions, and he’s s bit clumsy with it but he wants to make the item meaningful. He knows what she thinks is romantic, the woman has made plans for him to apologize to his wife with gifts after all, but he also knows that she loves gifts that scream "him" too so the man just doesn’t know what to do to make it as best as he could and he really doesn’t want to fuck it up. I think once he’d made a little metal sculpture-puzzle for her, like a little rabbit out of metal scraps, and he’d be so self-conscious about it but my god she’d adore it sooo much. It’d be cute if he got her a locket, even, and then with the help of imported dwarven technology they could get a picture of them or even all their friends into it and it becomes her most precious item for the following centuries. Ouuugh that’d make a sweet fic where he plans out a birthday party for her…… But yes yes, practical gifts… He knows she values ornamental useless things, unlike him, and though he doesn’t fully approve he also wants to do right by her so he’d go out of his comfort zone and find pretty gifts for her. I touch upon it a bit in my fic Grind Me Down Sweetly (named bc ground coffee beans & it’s meant to be like her slowly getting through the walls he built around himself :] Finding a newfound vulnerability with someone new but finding it soothing, sweet even if a lil bitter bc it’s coffee), and for example he gives her money for a favor she did for him as a friend. She doesn’t want to accept it, because to her doing something for her friend to help them out is more meaningful than getting rewarded for it, but for him respecting each other’s time and abilities is a big thing too. They end up compromising somewhat, because she then spends that money on gifts for him/them to share, so it ends up being a gift to the both of them for a shared effort~

Alrighty physical touch. In canon we see him get touched quite a lot, and when it isn’t patronizing or crowding (like others going to pet his head) he doesn’t seem to mind at all. But it’s a question of wether he’d enjoy it here. We don’t really saw that I think? He often doesn’t mind touching others but usually his touches have a practical purpose like pushing or pulling someone out of danger, and when it isn’t he doesn’t seem to enjoy it, like when Izutsumi sleeps in his bed. As far as I remember the only time we see him happy for touch beyond the few meaningful hugs like when he wanted the party to head back to the surface, was when his succubi were seducing him, sooo overall I get the feeling he’s not big on touch. Like being open with his feelings it’s something he’d keep for the more occasional time rather than something he does often. He is casual with touches but doesn’t give it out and seek it out naturally, so Marcille being very clingy’s not a problem, and as we see with Izutsumi always sleeping with him he’s ready to sacrifice his comfort for others too sometimes. I think being Marcille’s lover though I feel like he’d warm up to touches more, like she’d love to have him rest his head on her lap and to massage his scalp so eventually Chil looks forward to that as part of their routine and it relaxes him and feels right. I think he does like kissing, the routine goodbye peck feels warm and soothing, but with touch what he’d like the most would be making out and having sex and whatnot. Listen it’s super meaningful to him like, the peak of being vulnerable and naked and pouring out his emotions for someone for him. But yes she hangs onto his arm, holds his hand, goes to hug him from behind when he’s cooking, etc etc, and he doesn’t dislike it, but it’s not one of his love languages perse in that sense. It’s more that physical touches are a part of her, so he associates those with her, and so in a way he quite likes them, but it’s nit something he gravitates towards.

Words! I forget what I’ve mentioned already and what I haven’t oof, but yes Chilchuck values respect a lot, and with his last relationship he now values straightforward communication a lot. "If you want to leave me, at least please tell me first" style. But just with the way he is in canon too, where he hypes up his professional skills a lot, getting earned praised does mean something to him. Inversely, he devalues himself interpersonally quite a bit, calling himself a coward or selfish etc etc, and ultimately it’s Marcille telling him that he was a virtuous husband and that he may still have a shot with his wife that makes him see the glass half full and reflect on himself more positively! Remember what I said about Chilchuck first needing to value someone’s opinion before putting stock in their words? This is the canon moment that makes me feel the most like she earned that trust from him, he values what she says and her perspective. He knows her words aren’t empty and he’s able to trust in them more than he trusts his own judgement about himself. So yes yes, he loves getting told that he has qualities, that he’s skilled and manly and handsome and virtuous and kind, though he doesn’t need to be told "I love you" he’d still find it nice ofc. I say this because as I’ve said I think his way of being in a longterm relationship is soaking in the familiar casual soothing energy of it, he loves knowing her and noticing the little things (much like her with how she notices that he hates having to wait on someone for example), and he trusts her love in him, so he doesn’t feel like being told I love you is necessary, but it is a nice bonus.

And this is the bit where the post I linked at the beginning becomes especially relevant. I think Chilchuck shows his affection in subtle but thoughtful ways that showcase just how much they know each other, because to him love languages are less about proving how much love one holds for another but about defining the bond that they share, about quality more than quantity. He’s not one for big gestures, he just wants to feel connected with the person he’s with. Access intimacy, in-jokes, being protective/attack dogism, knowing the little details (Marcille’s favorite) and voluntary vulnerability… These truly ARE more in line with how Chilchuck shows his affection. And thus Marcille would see them for what they are and greatly value them as well.

Last points

… Help I forgot to talk about how teasing is like their whole thing lol

Ok so more concisely, Marcille will receive and give as much affection as she’s allowed, while Chilchuck needs to have the right setting right mood for it and makes more efforts for her sake to outwardly show it.

Edited in: Short section about pet names!! Chilchuck likes to call people by name and finds that in itself to be intimate but with half-foot names having ‘first names’ where Chilchuck’s is Chil, he might instinctively shorten it to Marci. Otherwise I’ve thought it’d fun if he gave bunny themed pet names teasingly, like his silly rabbit like the meme or harebrain rip, ‘bun’ would have the benefit of being related to food… But also I could see him defaulting to calling her ‘love’, ESPECIALLY if they had a conversation about pet names and discussed it- it could be a more sustainable way for her to feel loved since he’s not regularly showing his affection outwardly much or saying "I love you", that’d be sooo sweet I think. They discussed pet names, and since he doesn’t regularly say "I love you" or show affection all that much, having him call her love as a pet name eases all of that and makes her feel so special and loved. He takes a bit of time to get used to it and not feel silly and self-conscious, but nowadays it slips off the tongue so easily.

How do they communicate their wants for affection: Marcille will blatantly ask for it and/or make the first move herself, except for when she senses that Chil is tired and needs his space. Chilchuck will blink in morse code, and Marcille will somehow understand (to his upmost relief and adoration). He’ll grab her sleeve subtly to ask for her attention and touch, wordlessly walk up to her and reach for her face to leave a tender kiss on her lips, quietly speak to her if he wants to tell her something. And, you know, the other half of the time he feels horny and on top of the world so he indulges her wants for big passionate gestures and being very blunt and forward about it.

What do they view as signs of affection: They recognize each other’s way of showing affection well enough, but it’d be more about which signs they prefer I’d say. For example, Chilchuck does love getting smothered by her kisses and affection sometimes, but if it’s in public 99% of the time the embarrassment will win over, so it ends up meaning more to him that she doesn’t, that she holds back for his sake and she loves him enough to do that and she doesn’t blame him for it and she cares and she would stay with him even if he’s maybe flawed and- It means a lot!!! It’s like an act of service in that way. They compromise and do acts of service sooo much for each other, like she hurries in her care routine so he doesn’t have to wait on her for long, but then he sees her get out ready with her hair a mess and he takes the time to tie it up nicely for her. But yes Marcille overanalyzes everything and will seek out signs of affection into literally anything, but values whichever way to show affection she knows is hardest to do for Chil beyond the ones that feel so heartwarming because they just scream "Chil" to her. Meanwhile Chilchuck values her keeping in mind his boundaries, values her words and her being there for him, an unchanging fixture in his life offering him unconditional love through thick and thin. He values how well they know and understand each other, and how they communicate when things don’t feel as easy. Like, you know, when one of them becomes a dungeon lord and threatens humanity for example.

The compromises that being in a romantic relationship inevitably brings, and having to put some efforts to understand the other person and better the relationship, are points at the heart of Chilchuck’s plot with his wife imo. With the bicorn chapter, Marcille and Chilchuck have already hashed out a lot of their differences and come to a deeper understanding, so I’d say they’re halfway there to making it work :) Oohh what if I gave you hope in the world sometimes being a good bright p’ace where things can go right and love can be fulfilling and rewarding, and what if you gave me a concrete real example of the virtuous man figure that I’ve always idealized in books even if no one real can be as flawless, and the compromise both our outlooks on lives mixed to make made something beautiful and productive…

A bit like how the sweet & salty sandwich feels like an ill-fitting mix of ingredients but still tastes surprisingly good… Like perhaps a sweet woman and a sour man would go well together after all.

I’ll share this lil marchil song analysis @thatsmimi did once of Soap by The Oh Hellos to be the note I leave this post on~

[bailey-writes]

So You Want Your OC to be Jewish

So you’re writing a story and you want to make a Jewish character—great! I’m here to help. I always want more Jewish representation but I want good Jewish representation, so this is my attempt to make a guide to making a Jewish character. What are my credentials? I’m Jewish and have been my whole life. Obligatory disclaimer that this is by no means comprehensive, I don’t know everything, all Jews are different, and this is based on my experiences as an American Jew so I have no idea, what, if any, of this applies to non-American Jews. 

If there’s anything you want me to make a post going more into detail about or if there’s anything I didn’t mention but you want to know please ask me! I hope this is helpful :) Warning, this is long.

Jew PSA

If you are Jewish you can use the word Jew(s), e.g. “She’s dating a Jew.” If you are not Jewish you cannot use the word Jew(s). This is not up for debate. Non-Jews calling us Jews has a negative connotation at best. Don’t do it and don’t have your characters do it.

Basics, Plus My Random Thoughts that Didn’t Fit Anywhere Else

A confusing enduring issue is, what is Judaism? It’s a religion, but some Jews aren’t religious; is it a race? A nationality? A culture? A heritage? The only constant is that we are seen as “other.” There’s a lot of debate, which makes it confusing to be Jewish and as such it’s common for Jews to struggle with their Jewish Identity. However many people agree that Jews are an ethnoreligious group, aka Judaism is a religion and an ethnicity.

Temple/Synagogue/Shul = Jewish place of worship. Shul is usually used for Orthodox synagogues.

Keeping kosher = following Jewish dietary rules: meat and dairy can’t be eaten together and you can’t eat pork or shellfish. Fish and eggs are pareve (aka neutral) and can be eaten with meat or dairy (but again not both at the same time.) When eating meat it has to be kosher meat (e.g. kosher Jews are allowed to eat chicken, but not all chicken is kosher. I know it’s kinda confusing I’m sorry.) Kosher products in stores will have symbols on them to identify them as kosher. If someone is kosher they’ll probably have separate sets of utensils/plates/cookware/etc. for meat and dairy

Shabbat/Shabbos/Sabbath = holy day of the week, day of rest, lasts from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Depending on observance Jews might have Shabbat dinner, attend Shabbat services, or observe the day of rest in its entirety (making them shomer Shabbat)

Someone who is shomer Shabbat will refrain from any of the prohibited activities. These can easily be looked up but include: working, writing, handling money, cooking, and using technology.

Bat/Bar/B’nai Mitvzah = tradition where a Jewish boy/girl becomes a man/woman. Celebrated at 13-years-old for boys, 12- or 13-years-old for girls. Girls have Bat Mitzvahs (bat means daughter in Hebrew), boys have Bar Mitzvahs (bar means son in Hebrew) and twins or two or more people having one together have a B’nai Mitzvah. They will study for this for months and then help lead services and, depending on observance level, read from the Torah. The ceremony is often attended by family and friends and followed with a celebration of sorts (in America usually this means a brunch and/or party.)

Goy/gentile = non-Jew. These words are not slurs, they are literally just words. Plural of goy is goyim and is a Yiddish word, plural of gentile is gentiles.

Jewish holidays follow the Hebrew calendar, meaning that according to the current solar/Gregorian calendar the dates of our holidays are different each year.

Jewish law recognizes matrilineal inheritance. This means that Jewish law states your mother has to be Jewish for you to be Jewish. This is because of reasons from biblical times that I can explain if you wanna come ask, but as you can imagine is a bit outdated. While Orthodox Jews might embrace this idea and only consider someone Jewish if their mom is Jewish, many Jews are more flexible on the idea (and yes, this does cause tension between Orthodox Jews and other Jews at times.)

Judaism =/= Christianity

Some people think Judaism is just Christianity without Jesus (some people don’t even realize we don’t believe in/celebrate Jesus so newsflash, we don’t) and that’s just wrong. Yes both religions share the Old Testament, so they also share some history and beliefs, but the entire ideologies of the religions are different. In brief, they are similar in some ways but are not the same.

What seems to me to be the biggest difference is that Christianity (from what I understand) has a heavy focus on sins, more specifically repenting for/gaining forgiveness for your sins. In Christianity you are born tainted by original sin. In Judaism we believe everyone is born pure and free from sin and everyone is made in God’s image. Judaism has some concept of sin, but doesn’t focus on them and instead focuses on performing Mitzvot (plural, singular form is mitzvah. Direct translation is “commandment” but basically means good deed or act of kindness. It also relates to the commandments, so following the commandments is also performing mitzvot.) Examples of mitzvot include anything from saying a prayer or lighting Shabbat candles to helping a stranger or donating to charity (called tzedakah). One of the main tenets of Judaism is tikkun olam, which directly translates to “repair the world” and means exactly what it says on the tin. Instead of focusing on being forgiven for doing bad Judaism focuses on doing good. The only day we focus on past wrongdoings is Yom Kippur, one of our most holy holidays, discussed below.

Holidays

Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year, occurs around September and lasts for two days, though Reform Jews often only celebrate the first day. Day of happiness and joy, celebrated by eating sweet things for a “sweet new year” (often apples dipped in honey) and circular challah to represent the end of one year and beginning of another. Also celebrated with services and blowing the shofar (rams horn.) Some spend the day in prayer and/or silent meditation. Possible greetings: chag sameach (happy holiday; can be said on almost any holiday), Shana Tovah, or happy new year (which is what Shana Tovah means, some people just say it in English.)

Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement. Occurs ten days after the start of Rosh Hashanah. One of if not the most solemn day for Jews, but also the most holy. The day is spent reflecting on yourself and any past wrongdoings and atoning. The day (sundown the night before to sundown the day of) is spent fasting, a physical way of atoning. We do this in hopes of being “written in the Book of Life” and starting the year with a clean slate. The shofar is blown at the end of the holiday. Most Jews will end the fast with a grand meal with family and friends. Most common greeting is “have an easy fast,” but happy new year is still appropriate.

Sukkot – Celebrates the harvest, occurs on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts seven days. Celebrated by building a temporary hut outdoors called a sukkah and having meals inside it, as well as shaking palm fronds tied together (called a lulav) and holding a citrus called an etrog. Very fun and festive holiday. Possible greetings include chag sameach or Happy Sukkot.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah – Some Jews (mostly Reform Jews and Jews living in Israel) combine both holidays into one day while some celebrate them as two separate days. Either way they occur immediately after Sukkot. Shemini Atzeret is similar but separate from Sukkot and features a prayer for rain; Sukkot is not mentioned in prayers and the lulav isn’t shaken but you do eat in the sukkah. Simchat Torah celebrates finishing reading the Torah, which we will then begin again the next day. It’s a festive holiday with dancing and fun. Some Temples will roll the entire Torah out and the children will run under it. Appropriate greeting for both would be chag sameach.

Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah are referred to as the High Holidays.

Chanukah – We all know about Chanukah, celebrating the reclaiming of the Second Temple and the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. The most represented Jewish Holiday there is. Unfortunately it’s one of the least significant holidays for us. Occurs around November or December and lasts eight days and nights. Celebrated by lighting candles in the Menorah each night with a prayer and kids usually get gifts each night. Also celebrated with spinning tops called dreidels, fried foods like doughnuts (sufganiyot in Hebrew; usually the jelly filled ones) and potato pancakes called latkes. Greetings: happy Chanukah or chag sameach.

Tu B’Shevat – Birthday of the trees, basically Jewish Arbor Day. Minor but fun holiday, sometimes celebrated by planting trees. Occurs around January or February.

Purim – Celebrates how Queen Esther of Persia defeated Haman and saved her people, the Jews. Occurs in Spring. Festive holiday traditionally celebrated by dressing in costumes, eating sweets, and giving tzedakah (it’s also technically commanded you get drunk so woohoo!) Whenever Haman’s name is mentioned you make a lot of noise, booing and using noisemakers called groggers. Greetings: happy Purim, chag Purim, or chag sameach.

Passover/Pesach – Celebrates the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt. Occurs in Spring and lasts eight days. The first two nights (some only celebrate the first night) are celebrated with seder, a ritual meal with certain foods, practices, prayers, and readings from a book called the Haggadah and often attended by family and friends. Most famous prayer/song of the holiday is the four questions, which ask why that night is different from all other nights and is traditionally sung by the youngest child at the seder. The entire holiday is spent not eating certain foods, mostly grain or flour (the food restrictions are complicated and differ based on denomination so look it up or ask a Jew.) We eat a lot of matzah during Pesach, which is like a cracker kinda. I personally hate it but some people actually like it. Greetings: happy Passover, chag pesach, or chag sameach.

Tisha B’Av – Anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. Occurs in Summer. Very sad, solemn day. Some celebrate by fasting from sunrise to sunset. Not the most widely celebrated holiday. Some also commemorate the Holocaust (also called the Shoah) on this day as it was the destruction of a figurative temple.

Denominations

There are a bunch of denominations in Judaism, we’ll go into it briefly.

Religious denominations:

Reform/Reformed: This is the least religiously observant level. Often Reform Jews don’t keep kosher or observe Shabbat, their services on Shabbat will use instruments. Reform Jews probably attend services for the high holidays at the very least and probably had a Bat/Bar Mitzvah. Might say they consider themselves more culturally Jewish. Their Temple/Synagogue will be the most “liberal”—aka have more female/diverse Rabbis and a more diverse congregation. I’m Reform and my Temple’s lead Rabbi is a woman and we used to have a Rabbi who’s a queer single mother.

Conservative: More religiously observant and more generally traditional. Might keep kosher or observe Shabbat, but not necessarily. Services likely won’t use instruments (not supposed to play instruments on Shabbat). Most likely had a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, but girls might not read from the Torah, though this depends on the congregation. They do allow female Rabbis, but in my experience it’s less common.

Modern Orthodox: Very religiously observant but also embrace modern society. Will keep kosher and observe Shabbat. Men will wear kippot (singular=kippah) and tzitzit under their shirts. Women will cover their hair (if they’re married), most likely with a wig, and wear modest clothing (only wear skirts that are at least past their knees and long sleeves). Emphasis on continued study of Torah/Talmud. Parents will likely have jobs. Might have larger families (aka more children) but might not. Services will be segregated by gender, girls won’t read from the Torah publicly, and female Rabbis are very rare. Children will most likely attend a religious school. Will attend shul services every Shabbat and for holidays.

note: there are some people who fall somewhere between modern Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox, or between any two denominations really. as you can imagine people don’t all practice the exact same way.

Ultra-Orthodox: Very religiously observant and not necessarily modern. Will keep kosher and observe Shabbat. Men will wear kippot or other head coverings and tzitzit under their shirts, and are also often seen wearing suits. Women will cover their hair (if they’re married) with a wig or scarf and wear modest clothing (only wear skirts that are at least past their knees and long sleeves). Emphasis on continued study of Torah/Talmud. Men might have jobs but might instead focus on Jewish studies, while women most often focus on housework and child-rearing. Don’t believe in contraception (but this is kinda nuanced and depends). Will often have very large families because having children is a commandment and helps continue the Jewish people. Might be shomer negiah which means not touching members of the opposite sex aside from their spouse and some close family members. Services will be segregated by gender, girls won’t read from the Torah publicly, and there won’t be female Rabbis. Children will attend a religious school. Will attend shul services every Shabbat and for holidays.

Ethnic denominations (the different denominations do have some differences in practices and such but tbh I don’t know much about that so this is just the basics):

Ashkenazi: Jews that originate from Central/Eastern Europe. Yiddish, a combination of Hebrew and German, originated from and was spoken by Ashkenazim and while it’s a dying language it’s spoken among many Orthodox Jews and many Jews of all levels know/speak some Yiddish words and phrases. Majority of Jews worldwide are Ashkenazi.

Sephardi/Sephardic: Jews that originate from the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and southeastern Europe. Ladino, a combination of Old Spanish and Hebrew, originated from and was spoken by Sephardim. It is also a dying language but is still spoken by some Sephardim. After Ashkenazi most of the world’s Jews are Sephardic.

Mizrahi: Jews that originate from the Middle East and North Africa.

Ethiopian Jews: Community of Jews that lived in Ethiopia for over 1,000 years, though most have immigrated to Israel by now.

Stereotypes/Tropes/Controversies/Etc.

There are so many Jewish stereotypes and shit and I ask you to please be mindful of them. Stereotypes do exist for a reason, so some people will fit stereotypes. This means your character might fit one or two; don’t make them fit all of them. Please. Stereotypes to keep in mind (and steer away from) include:

All Jews are rich.

All Jews are greedy.

All Jews are cheap/frugal.

All Jews are [insert job here]. We’ll go into this more below.

All Jews hate Christians/Muslims/etc.

All Jews are white. 

First of all Ethiopian and Mizrahi Jews exist, many Sephardi are Hispanic, and today with intermarriage and everything this just isn’t true.

All Jews have the same physical features: large and/or hooked nose, beady eyes, droopy eyelids, red hair (this is an old stereotype I didn’t really know existed), curly hair.

Many Jews do have somewhat large noses and curly hair. I’m not saying you can’t give these features to your characters, but I am saying to be careful and don’t go overboard. And don’t give all of your Jewish characters these features. As a side note, it is common at least among American Jews that girls get nose jobs. Not all, but some.

Jews are secretly world elite/control the world/are lizard people/new world order/ any of this stuff. 

STAY AWAY FROM. DO NOT DO THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS. If you have a character that’s part lizard, do not make them Jewish. If you have a character that’s part of a secret group that controls the entire world, do not make them Jewish.

Jews have horns. If you have characters with horns please don’t make them Jewish.

Jews killed Jesus.

The blood libel. Ew. No.

The blood libel is an antisemitic accusation/idea/concept that back in the day Jews would murder Christian children to use their blood in religious rituals and sometimes even for consumption (did I mention gross?) Not only did this just not happen, but it’s actually against Jewish law to murder, sacrifice, or consume blood. Yes these accusations really happened and it became a main reason for persecution of Jews. And some people still believe this shit.

Jews caused The Plague.

The reason this conspiracy exists is because many Jews didn’t get The Plague and the goyim thought that meant it was because the Jews caused it/cursed them. The real reason Jews didn’t get it is because ritual hand-washing and good hygiene kept them from getting it. Sorry that we bathe.

Jewish mother stereotype.

Ok, listen. I know stereotypes are mostly a bad thing but I have to admit the Jewish mother stereotype is not far off. Jewish moms do tend to be chatty and a little nagging, are often very involved in their children’s lives, and they are often trying to feed everyone (although they don’t all cook, my mom hates cooking.) They also tend to be big worriers, mostly worrying about their family/loved ones. They also tend to know everyone somehow. A twenty minute trip to the grocery store can turn into an hour or two long trip because she’ll chat with all the people she runs into.

Jewish-American Princess (JAP) ((I know calling Japanese people Japs is offensive. Jews will call girls JAPs, but with a completely different meaning. If that’s still offensive I am sorry, but just know it happens.))

This is the stereotype that portrays Jewish girls/women as spoiled brats basically. They will be pampered and materialistic. Do these girls exist? Definitely. I still recommend steering away from this stereotype.

Names

Listen. Listen. There are some names that Jews just won’t have. I won’t speak in definites because there are always exceptions but you’ll rarely find a Jew named Trinity or Grace or Faith or any form of Chris/Christopher/Christina etc. Biblical names from the Old Testament? Absolutely Jews will have those names they’re actually very common.

I’m in a Jewish Sorority. My pledge class of ~70 girls had five Rebeccas and four Sarahs. Surprisingly only one Rachel though.

When it comes to last names I have two thoughts that might seem contradictory but hear me out: a) give your Jewish OC’s Jewish surnames, b) don’t give your Jewish OC’s the most Jewish surname to ever exist.

By this I mean I would much rather see a character named Sarah Cohen or Aaron Levine than Rachel Smith. Just that little bit of recognition makes a happy exclamation point appear over my head, plus it can be a good way to hint to readers that your OC is Jewish.

On the other hand, please don’t use the most stereotypical Jewish names you’ve ever heard. If you have five Jewish OCs and one of them is Isaac Goldstein then fine. If Isaac Goldstein is your only Jewish OC I might get a little peeved. There are tons of common Jewish surnames that are recognizable and easy to look up, so don’t revert to the first three that come to mind. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it yucky, for lack of a better word.

Jobs

We all know there are certain jobs that are stereotypical for Jews to have. We’re talking lawyer, dentist, doctor, banker type stuff. To an extent these stereotypes exist for a reason, many Jews go into those careers. Do not make these the only careers your Jewish OCs have. Stereotypes might have reasoning behind them but it doesn’t mean they aren’t harmful. If you have multiple Jewish OCs some of them can have these careers, but not all of them. I do know a lot of Jewish lawyers, dentists, and doctors. I also know accountants, people involved in businesses (“mom, what does Brad do?” “he’s a businessman” sometimes there just aren’t more specific words), people involved in real estate. I don’t actually know any bankers personally, and with money and stuff being one of the most common and harmful Jewish stereotypes I would suggest steering away from that.

These are common fields for Jews, but Jews can have literally any job. Please feel free to get creative. And if you have more than one Jewish OC you can think about making one of them a Rabbi, but DON’T do this if they’re the only Jewish OC. Please.

Yiddish

So I mentioned Yiddish earlier. Like I already said, it’s not a very widely used language anymore but there are some words and phrases that are still used by a lot of Jews (in America at least.) Here’s a list that is absolutely not comprehensive:

Oy vey = oh no

Shvitzing = sweating (but not just a little bit. Shvitzing is like SWEATING)

Kvetch/kvetching = whine/whining or complain/complaining

Mazel tov = congratulations; this is the same in Yiddish and Hebrew

Chutzpah = nerve or gall (e.g. “He’s got a lot of chutzpah for breaking up over text like that”)

Kismet = fate; I just learned this is Yiddish

Bubbe and Zayde = grandma and grandpa

Schelp/schlepping = drag/dragging, can also mean carry or move (e.g. “I had to schlep the bag all around town” doesn’t mean they literally dragged it)

Schmutz = dirt or something dirty (e.g. “you have schmutz on your face”)

Schmatta = literally means rag but can be used to refer to ratty blankets or clothes

Plotz = collapse (usually used in the sense of “I’m so tired I might plotz” or “she’s gonna be so excited she’s gonna plotz”)

Schmuck/shmendrick = both mean more or less the same, a jerk or obnoxious person

Shtick = gimmick, routine, or act (can be used like (“I don’t like that comedian’s shtick” or “he always makes himself the center of attention it’s his shtick”)

Spiel = long speech, story, or rant

There’s so many more so look them up and think about using them, but don’t overdo it. A Jewish person isn’t gonna use a Yiddish word in every sentence (or even every day or every few days.)

Israel

In my community at least it’s very common that by the time your college-aged that you’ll have been to Israel at least once.

Israel is a controversial topic within the Jewish community and in the world. It’s sensitive and complex. I really, really suggest not getting into it. Just don’t bring it up because no matter what you say someone will be unhappy. Just don’t do it.

Ashkenazi Disorders

Ashkenazi Jews have some sucky genes (I’m Ashkenazi so I can say this, you cannot.) These sucky genes cause certain disorders to be more prevalent for us. Children only get the disorder if both parents are carriers of the disorder, so Jews usually get genetic testing done before having children. If both parents are carriers the risk of the child getting the disorder is high, so parents might reconsider or have some indecisiveness/fear. Some of these are:

Tay-Sachs

Cystic Fibrosis

Canavan Disease

Familial Dysautonomia

Gaucher Disease

Spinal Muscular Atrophy  

Fanconi Anemia

Mucolipidosis IV

Niemann-Pick Disease

Torsion Dystonia

Bloom Syndrome

Ashkenazi Jews also have a high prevalence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer in men.

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Lactose Intolerance are also very prevalent

In a dorm of like 40 Jews, six of them had Crohn’s.

Ways to Show Your OC is Jewish

Wears Jewish jewelry, e.g. Star of David (also called Jewish Star and Magen David), Chai symbol (means life), jewelry with Sh’ma prayer, or hamsa (but beware this symbol is used outside of Judaism).

Mentions their temple, their Rabbi, having a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, going to Hebrew School, Shabbat, or a holiday coming up.

Have someone ask them a question about Judaism.

Have someone notice they have a mezuzah on their door. 

Most Jews will have a mezuzah on the doorframe of the front door of their house/apartment, but they could even have one for their dorm room or whatever. It’s traditional to kiss your hand then touch the mezuzah when walking through the door, but most Jews don’t do this every time, at least not most Reform or Conservative Jews.

Have them call out antisemitism if you’re feeling spicy

The end! I hope this helped and if you have any questions my ask box is always open!

[vladdocs]

Dracula and the Boyar Mane Udrische Original in Russian: http://samlib.ru/.../dracula_ziznvzrosl_1448_1456_boyarin... Annotation: Of all of Dracula's associates, it is Mane Udrische who is the most interesting figure. The fate of this boyar deserves to be told separately, and the reason is not only that it was Mane who helped Dracula to become prince for the second time. Before us is a very unusual person - the traitor, who suddenly came to his senses and corrected the consequences of his betrayal. It's not every day, you have to admit... To begin with, it is necessary to clarify how to call this boyar correctly, because in some books, they try to hide the unsoundness of his nickname and write "Udrische". All this is ridiculous because in the original Romanian letters of the 15th century, drawn in the Slavonic language, this boyar is listed as Udrische - without any "t" - so most likely, the nickname is based on the ancient Slavic verb "drill". (note: this google translated, so don't worry about his name, it will keep changing) There is no need to be surprised, because in the Middle Ages unsound names were quite common. Suffice it to recall one of the close associates of Ivan the Terrible, a high-ranking oprichnik, called Vasily Dirty. In the Service of Father Dracula The first information about the boyar with the nickname Udrishche is found in the charter, issued no later than 1445, so we can say with certainty - this man made a career thanks to Dracula's father. Mane Udrische is mentioned in the charter together with his brother Stoyan (aka Stoyka). Both brothers are named as participants in the princely council. Sometimes this charter is dated 1439-1440, which means that Mane Udrisce could have begun service not in the 1440s, but earlier - soon after Dracula's father became prince - or even earlier, that is, at a time when Dracula's father was living with his family in Sighisoara and was only a candidate for the throne. In the Middle Ages in Romania, it was customary for any candidate for prince to gather around him a handful of trusted men from the boyar milieu to help him conduct affairs concerning politics. These people had no money or connections, but they had useful talents, such as the ability to speak well, strategic thinking, the ability to write things down on paper, etc. If the candidate became prince, all his assistants, who until then had served for free, received positions at the court, land, and other favors. Among the confidants of Dracula's father who gathered in Sighisoara may have been Mane Udrisce, but even if he came to the service several years later, it can still be said that Dracula himself remembered "Uncle Mane" from his childhood. There is also no doubt that in the 1440s Mane Udrisce with his younger brother Stoyan though established in the princely council, but did not play a serious role there. The position of the two boyars can be shown by recalling the rules, according to which the medieval Romanian charters and edicts were composed. Not only that the text had to list all the boyars, who were present at the princely council on the day of the publication of the charter, but it was also required to keep the order of listing - the more noble person, the closer to the beginning of the list. That's why the fact that Mane Udrisce and his brother in the charter of Dracula's father are mentioned at the very end of the list says a lot. Betrayal Of course, Mane Udrische considered himself destitute, and he was not willing to accept that. He wanted to continue his career, and brother Stoyan probably held the same opinion, but both brothers understood that it was unlikely to expect new favors from Father Dracula. Then came the memorable events of December 1446, when the Hungarian Janos Hunyadi came to Romania with an army, had Dracula's father beheaded, and installed Vladislav on the vacant throne. Mane Udrische supported the Hungarian protégé, and did him some very valuable service, because Mane's influence in the princely council increased dramatically. In all Vladislav's letters

where Mane Udrische is mentioned, this boyar is always the first in the list of council participants. He was the last, and now he is the first! Such changes do not just happen! As for Stoyan, he became the head of the cavalry along with another boyar - Dimitar. Awakening of Conscience With the change of prince, Mane's career ambitions were satisfied. Manet became the most influential boyar in the council, and a higher position simply did not exist. This man's thoughts were no longer preoccupied with material concerns and, quite naturally, switched to the spiritual. In the letter of January 2, 1450 it says that Mane Udrische gives a watermill to the monastery called Kozya. What caused such generosity is not specified, and this is quite strange, because the same letter tells in great detail the story of how the boyar Kazan and his brother Radu decided to make a gift to the monastery. Kazan and Radu wanted abbot Joseph to include their entire family, namely their father Radul, their mother Stana, Kazan and Radu themselves, and their late brother Sahak, in the "monastery memorial". Kazan and Radu asked for "eternal remembrance" for themselves and their kin, and in return they gave a watermill and "a place under the cell" so that one of the monks could live near the mill and watch over it. In the charter it is reported that Kazan and Radu have asked sovereign Vladislav to certify this agreement between them and the monastery, so that the next abbot will remember who should be remembered - in general, a lot of details, and in this heap somehow strange looks a single phrase that another watermill donates boyar Mane Udrische. One gets the impression that the idea of the donation occurred to Mane suddenly when, while attending the council, he heard Kazan and Radu's request. "Well, and from me, add the mill," probably said Mane, who suddenly wanted to do a good deed, but what sins he sought to atone for with this beneficence, he did not say. To Dracula for forgiveness Apparently, the gift of the mill did not help much, and his conscience continued to plague Manet, so that no later than 1455 he began negotiations with Dracula. That the initiative in these negotiations came from Manet and not from Dracula is almost certain, for we know how Dracula felt about Janos Hunyadi, the murderer of his father - a reconciliation never took place. So why would Dracula seek reconciliation with any of the traitor boyars? Dracula had no reason to negotiate with Mane Udrische, but Mane had a reason - an unsettled conscience. I want to remind that this boyar got into the princely council thanks to Dracula's father, and although after that Mane's career growth slowed down, it was not a sufficient reason for the careerist to condemn Dracula's father to death. Probably in 1446 Manet Udrisce thought otherwise, but after 8 or 9 years, having received all the material benefits he wanted, he changed his mind and decided to rectify the consequences of his long-time betrayal - to return the Romanian throne to the rightful heir, i.e. Dracula. From a purely practical point of view, it was more advantageous for Mane not to do anything, because the risk was serious: 1) Who knows how Dracula would behave at the first meeting - maybe just seeing a traitor, would cut him down and would not listen to anything; 2) Vladislav could have found out about the negotiations with Dracula, and then Mane would have been executed; 3) The coup d'état could have failed, in which case Mane would also have paid with his head. And yet this boyar decided to act - he sought out Dracula, who was at that time in Moldavia or Transylvania, repentantly bowed his head to him and offered help. In the service of Dracula. The fact that negotiations really took place is not doubtful, because of all the boyars who betrayed father Dracula, Mane Udrisce and his brother Stoyan were the only ones mentioned in the letters of Dracula himself. The other traitors (12 people) are not mentioned by Dracula even once. They are not mentioned in the letters of subsequent sovereigns. These

boyars simply disappeared, and what happened to them is clear - they were put on a stake. So why did Mane Udrishe and Stoyan escape this fate? There is only one answer - they helped Dracula to regain power and told about the details of the boyar conspiracy, which could not be found out by studying the archives. It is also important that Mane Udrisce with his brother Stoyan repented in time, because it is obvious that in the autumn of 1456, when Dracula had already overthrown Vladislav, the remaining boyar traitors also tried to beg for forgiveness. The 12 previously unrepentant conspirators were shedding tears and saying they were sorry, but it was too late. Mane Udrische and Stoian repented beforehand - no later than 1455 - and therefore survived. Secret agent for the recruitment of the boyars It is not known how Mane's conversation with Dracula took place when the boyar came to the son of his former sovereign for the first time, but the outcome is known. Dracula agreed to accept help from Mane, but set a condition: "I will no longer forgive any of my father's traitors - I forgive only you and your brother - so if you pull any of Vladislav's boyars to my side, pull only those who have recently entered his service and have not stained themselves with betrayal. Manet returned to the Romanian court and began to conduct "subversive activities" there - he spoke with several boyars from the princely council, offering to go into the service of Dracula. As Mane had promised his new lord, he spoke only to the new boyars, and eventually recruited several. These boyars are mentioned in Dracula's letters of commendation: 1) Kazan Sahak, the same one who in 1450 gave a watermill to the Kozia monastery, and he got his nickname from the name of his deceased brother. Some researchers write that Kazan served as head of the Chancellery of Prince Alexander Aldea in 1431-1436, as well as his father Dracula in 1445, but in the charters of those times Kazan is mentioned without a nickname, so it is likely that the head of the Chancellery was another boyar with the same name, and Kazan Sahakov to Vladislav did not serve anyone. 2) Stan Naegrev - the son of boyar Naegrev, who served as head of the cavalry of prince Dan. Stan Naegrev served no one before Vladislav. 3) Duka - he descended from a Greek family. He served no one before Vladislav. The subversive activities of Mane continued until the spring of 1456, and then the preparation for a coup d'état began. In a letter dated April 15, 1456, drawn up shortly before Vladislav was overthrown by Dracula, there remains evidence that Mane Udrische was not present at the council that day. Instead of Mane, his son Dragomir Udrisce sat there, and the boyar himself apparently went to Dracula in Transylvania to give an account of the work done and to discuss all the details of the impending seizure of power one last time. Further Fate Dracula came to power in August 1456, and the boyar Mane Udrische is mentioned for the last time in a charter dated April 16, 1457. His younger brother Stoyan is mentioned for the last time on September 20, 1459. Researcher M.Cazacu in his book "Dracula" hints that these boyars disappeared from the charters because they were executed, but it is unlikely that Cazacu is right. One must not forget that Mane Udrische and his brother in the second half of the 1450s were already in a respectable age. Both were under 60 years old, and Dracula was a vigorous ruler, constantly going on campaigns, so it is likely that the elderly boyars simply could not cope with the pace and decided to retire. Another argument for a peaceful departure has to do with the fate of Mane's estates. If Dracula had executed this boyar, he would have confiscated his land, but this did not happen. It is known that Mane's son Dragomir inherited the estates. Dragomir is not mentioned in Dracula's charters, but is mentioned by Radu the Beautiful, as well as by subsequent sovereigns.

[remuswriting]

So, I’ve decided to write up this post about my pet peeves even though literally no one asked.  This focuses on a lot of things but the majority of it speaks about male readers.  I’ve noticed the majority of people who write male reader are cishet girls and while it’s great that more male reader content is being made, the content is not always the best when it comes to accuracy.  These are all things I’ve noticed as a gay man and I feel like should be addressed and fixed.

Something to keep in mind is that I say gay man throughout this but you can put in any sexuality or gender (besides cishet) in there that makes more sense for you.  Obviously mlm doesn’t mean gay men but gay relationship because man loves man.  Just wanted to put that disclaimer out there.

Submissive Reader

Okay, so the reader being submissive is totally cool and everything but not when it’s literally every single male reader post out there.  Now, submissive in this case isn’t just sexually but ‘personality’ as well. The media depicts a lot of gay men as very feminine and over the top or incredibly soft, which everyone says is submissive.  This idea feeds into heteronormativity, which means “denoting or relating to a world view that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation.” You could also just say that it’s forcing straight roles onto lgbt people, even though they’re not straight.

The reader doesn’t need to be all soft spoken and uwu just because you want the Haikyuu guy to be the dominant one in the relationship.  Personality doesn’t go with what you’re like in bed because why would it be?  Do girls always act like the way you’re writing submissive male readers just because they ‘bottom?’  No, they don’t.  It’s very aggravating to read because it literally discredits every guy who doesn’t act or dress that way and may ‘bottom.’  I know gay guys who literally just wear ratty t-shirts, cargo shorts, and sandals they bought three years ago and drink beer like no one’s business. They’re still gay submissive men who are being looked over because people want to use heteronormativity when it shouldn’t be.

  Over Sexualization + Fetishism

This is not always the case but I’m going to mention it.  A lot of cishet women read or watch yaoi and find it so incredibly hot and then become obsessed with mlm relationships.  If that is your reasoning for writing male reader, then don’t. It’s already disgusting enough that me being in a relationship with another man has gotten me messages asking who tops and who bottoms and what the sex is like.  It’s really easy to see who sees mlm relationships as yaoi and fetishizes it and who sees mlm relationships as relationships between two men.  There are blogs who are ran by gay men and them posting nsfw things dealing with mlm is completely different than a woman doing so. We are not your fetish.

Also, the over sexualization of gay men is when you’re always thinking about mlm couples having sex and you have to make everything sexual is starting to become more and more prevalent in any fandom and real life, which is disgusting and ridiculous. When a mlm couple goes to the store to get groceries, don’t find some way to make it where they’re going to have rough sex when they get home.  Let them buy their fucking groceries and have a fluffy moment.  You ruin the quality of the writing when making everything sexual.

If you write smut, then make them use lube and a condom.  Spit hurts so fucking bad, an asshole isn’t like a vagina that self-lubricates, so use lube.  I’m literally just saying that I don’t know any gay men that would rather have spit be used to prep instead of lube.  Also, I know you all think it’s so hot for guys to come in each other, but it’s so unsanitary.  Of course, if they’re each other’s firsts, it’s not as disgusting (still disgusting) but if they’re not each other firsts; have them wear condoms.  They should be getting tested after every sexual partner to make sure they’re not getting any STDs.  There are some STDs that literally never go away and they need to wear a condom any time they have sex or else they could infect that other person.  Yes, I know that you’re writing where they’ve never had sex with anyone before but let’s be real with some of your prompts.  Majority of men have sex in college and when they got to bars, so it’s not unlikely for them to not be a virgin.

  Sexualizing Minors

I know everyone has an opinion on this, so here’s mine; don’t.  I don’t give two shits if it’s fictional, you are still sexualizing minors. I don’t understand why you are all so dead set on only writing them in high school when there is literally a whole time skip to use.  According to Japanese law, you become an adult when you’re 20, which means that high school guys should not have any smut written for them.

None of the Haikyuu boys were even thinking about sex in high school.  The fandom has made some of them sex gods when they were all volleyball losers who only thought about school and volleyball.  It’s confirmed Kuroo was in college prep classes and he also forced Kenma to be on the volleyball team.  He only thinks about school and volleyball, sorry guys. Ushijima is literally only volleyball and it is so funny you guys think he’s all sexual.  The guy is too stupid to realize common things about earth and it’s gravity, do you really think he’s going to be all ‘daddy’ with anyone?

Another thing is how I don’t see the appeal for anyone to have sex in the gym or club room or in public due to the number of germs there are.  This goes back to people over sexualizing mlm relationships but there’s no need to have so many public sex things written about high schoolers. Instead of doing all that weird shit, write for the Haikyuu guys when they’re 20+ and do like college AUs (my favorite) or just follow the time skip.  I promise you, it’s not that hard when there’s a whole Haikyuu wiki page just about the timeline that breaks everything down into years and months.

 Americanization

Buckle your seatbelts boys because this is going to be a long one.

I notice in nearly everything I read is that you guys Americanize it.  Sure, you don’t know Japanese culture, so you write what you know. This is really annoying though because you’re taking away from the culture Haikyuu comes from.  If you want to make it like it’s in the United States, then make it an alternate universe instead of doing whatever you’re doing.

I have been writing Haikyuu fanfiction for years and have done plenty of research when it comes to Japanese culture from Googling things to intense reading to taking notes from what I notice in different animes.  One thing I’ve been working on for awhile focuses on Hinata, who is a trans guy. There are a lot of people who would just make it as American as possible but I’ve been researching about how Japan is with the lgbt community.  Just because I want to write a character to be something doesn’t mean I’m going to Americanize it.  Let me share what I’ve read.

Gay marriage isn’t really a thing in Japan.  Two prefectures have it but it literally means about nothing when it comes to the government.  If they just want to get married because they really love each other, then that may work for them but they will not be seen as married to the government.  It is still taboo for people to be gay in Japan, so no one really screams it from the rooftops that they’re gay and dating someone of the same gender.  Transgender people are just now getting places to go to get hormone replacement therapy and if I remember correctly, it’s maybe a handful of places but at least one for sure.  LGBT things in Japan are not the same as they are in the United States, so don’t write it like it is.  I’ve been told I’m writing it that way to create angst when in reality it’s because that’s how it is over there.

I’m going to come off as rude here but how the fuck are you guys writing their schools wrong?  They don’t go to different classrooms each period; they literally stay in one class all day and the teachers change for each period.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves because why do you have to Americanize this thing when it’s literally clear as day something that doesn’t happen over in Japan. Here are some things about Japanese schools.

They start at 8:45am and end at 3:15pm.  Schools in Japan go from Monday to Friday but used to be Monday through Saturday. There are three terms: April to July, September to December, and then finally January to March.  Each term gets a report card and finals.  Classes are 40 minutes long with 10 minute breaks in between to do whatever as long as you’re back in your seat before the next class. Elementary and middle schools always had some type of field trip, so if you could always have reader meet one of the boys on the field trip because maybe both of their schools went to the same place.

It’s not that hard to look this stuff up.  To look all of that up, it took maybe 30 minutes because I was checking different sources to try to fact check somethings.  I’m just one for accuracy and it drives me nuts when someone doesn’t put in the same effort I did into making things as accurate as possible.

 Settings

I’ve already discussed school setting, so let’s go into some settings that are typically written incorrectly.  This is usually because people don’t have actual experience with that environment.

University

I can’t find just a whole lot all about university in Japan but I’ve found some, so I’ll share what I’ve found.  University students take fashion seriously because they’ve been forced to wear uniforms for the last six years.  In the United States, we value comfort over fashion and I’ll admit I’ve gone to lecture in pajamas before and not cared because it was an 8am class but it’s not like that in Japan.  Everyone tries to look as good as possible because they finally can.

Dorms are not like they are in the United States.  My living situation right now is more like theirs than the U.S. aka I live in an apartment by myself (I need a roommate though because rent is so fucking expensive). About every student lives in an apartment and there are no dorms unless you are a foreign exchange student and you’re still technically in an apartment but you have a roommate you didn’t pick. Characters can live in the same apartment complex if you want them to but Kenma literally lived in a house in his second year of university if you want to have that accuracy.

They don’t change their major once they start college.  As much as I could see some of them constantly changing their majors, you just don’t do that in Japan.  It’s a pretty weird concept because my mother changed her major six times before she stuck with nursing and I know a guy that has been at a two year college for five years because he keeps changing his major.  They decide what they want to do because they start university and have to hope they’re going to like it.

I read an article from someone who went to university in Japan and the entrance exams to universities are apparently the hardest part about university there.  You don’t have to really work much to pass classes in Japan because all you need to do is show up to get the units for the course.  Some classes don’t even require attendance, you just have to write a report by the end of the semester.  This is so different than university in the United States where you are literally drowning in homework every single day and debate on dropping out constantly.

Hospitals

As someone who has multiple family members who worked in hospitals, which made me be in hospitals constantly as a child, and had a lot of medical issues, it is the most annoying thing to see people write hospital wrong.  There is so much information online that you can look up as well as just asking people you know who have been in hospitals as either patients, visitors, or employees.  This is going to based off of American hospitals because I was having a difficult time finding things about

In regular hospitals, you cannot leave the floor without anyone knowing.  There is literally no way to break out of there without someone knowing. This applies to at night too because there are always nurses there at the nurses station because they have to check up on patients and give medication as well as help people go to the bathroom.  Doctors don’t stay at night because their shift is during the day.  You may not have the same nurse twice while in the hospital because they work 12 hour shifts.  I don’t know if this is the same system as in Japan but nurses don’t work every single day if they work in a hospital, they do have days off where other nurses will take their shifts.  In the United States, some hospitals have four 12 hour shift days in a row and then three free days.  Nurses change patients a lot because of the people taking that shift or they have to go work on a different floor.

You are required to eat, even if it’s through an IV.  Also, you always have an IV in your arm if you are admitted to the hospital because it’s just how it is.  Typically regular hospitals aren’t all that pretty and I’ve been to like dozens for multiple things, but psychiatric hospitals usually have the prettiest grounds. That’s just a random thing that I’ve observed in my 21 years of going to hospitals.

[alarriefantasy]

do you know any really long and hella angsty larry fics on aooo ?? sorry to bother you!

No bother at all! I LOVE getting asks!!! Also, I got a little ahead of myself here, so this is a long list! I’m doing this in numerical order starting at 100k and up! I will forewarn you, some of these fics may not be as angsty as you’re looking for, but I figured I’d add them still because you might like them! Hope you find what you wanted! :D

                                             Angsty Fic Rec

take my hand (and my heart and soul) by bananasandboots

Words: 45k

Or, the one where Harry hasn’t spoken to his best friend in sixteen months and can’t remember why.

Even Angels Have Their Demons by AFangirlFantasy

Words: 53k

Louis is appointed the role of Guardian Angel, and his first mission is a boy named Zayn Malik. Unfortunately, it seems that a certain Demon has gotten to him first.

Or… an Angel/Demon AU where Angel Louis hates Demon Harry, but somewhere along the way that stops being so true.

No One Does It Better by nodibs

Words: 49k

Harry’s an alcoholic and Louis is a bartender. The first time they meet isn’t the first time they’ve met.

Tug-of-War by cherrystreet

Words: 63k

Louis’ husband dies suddenly and he is left with nothing. Well, not really nothing. He has Harry. And a St. Bernard puppy named Link, whom his late husband left behind for him. Louis takes care of Link and Harry takes care of Louis. Everything is okay until suddenly, it isn’t.

All Your Dreams Are On Their Way by1Diamondinthesun

Words: 73k

Or, Louis Tomlinson is a grieving author with a deadline. Harry Styles is afraid to realize his potential. The Caribbean is the perfect place to dream bigger. Featuring cocktails, imposter syndrome, and a race-against-the-clock rescue under a starry St. Lucia sky.

don’t tell the gods (we left a mess) by bottomlinsons 

Words: 71k

After a misunderstanding with Liam’s mother, Louis agrees to accompany his best friend to a family wedding and pretend to be the world’s best boyfriend. But their simple plan goes awry when he learns that Harry, ex-boyfriend/ex-love of Louis’ life, will also be in attendance. (aka: fake!boyfriends with a twist ft. bromance, romance and cake.)

Truth Be Told (I Never Was Yours) by JustForTommo

Words: 76k

or the one where Louis and Harry have a complicated past, Louis is getting married to someone that’s not Harry, and the universe has decided to have a laugh and make Harry the wedding planner.

Baby, I think we might be too cold to float by forreveries

Words: 81k

AKA: Harry is a journalist that goes to Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, to look into a girl’s disappearance after a year of no movement from police. What he finds instead is his ex boyfriend Louis, who, six years earlier, ghosted him after five months of dating in university. A story of trauma, secrets, and the power of finally letting people in.

And down the long and silent street by whimsicule

Words: 86k

The year is 1881 and if you’re alone in this world you might as well be dead, because starving dogs have no mercy.

Or: Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis’ past finally catches up with him.

Here In The Afterglow by fondleeds

Words: 88k

1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

Off The Record by Tomlinsontoes

Words: 90k

Louis is an out of control teen heartthrob, Harry is hired to get him back on track and they both hate each other while they secretly don’t.

Who Painted the Moon Black by throughthedark

Words: 95k

Hunger Games AU where Louis Tomlinson is district six’s victor from the 69th Hunger Games and Harry Styles is district seven’s victor from the 72nd Hunger Games.

Dance to the Distortion by Lis (domesticharry)

Words: 96k

Louis accidentally breaks Harry’s camera lens and in order to get it fixed, they decide to participate in a romantic couples study. The only issue is that they are not actually couple. Well that and the fact they cannot stand each other.

Untangle Me by suicxne

Words: 103k

Louis finds himself out of place in LA, unable to get at an itch that’s been bothering him for years. He supposes back in the early days, home hadn’t been a place. It’d been a person. He’d etched it permanently into his skin for fucks sake.It was always him and Harry. Stuck to each other like super glue. Pulled together by some magnetic force, existing in their own bubble. Everyone could see it, but that was half the problem, wasn’t it?

It’s not like Louis can pinpoint the exact moment in time when him and Harry fell out of sync. There wasn’t really one at all. It had been a gradual slip, like the tide wearing away at a sandstone cliff. Chipping the solid foundations until there was nothing left to stop the structure falling to the waves below. It’s not like he spends all of his time sitting around moping over a lost friendship, he’s good at distractions. But LA only seems to accentuate the distance between them. Two separate planets, not even in the same solar system.

Or the one where Harry and Louis finally get it right.

Take me down with you by harrystylesandstuff

Words: 107k

Louis is fine. He just happens to walk to the suicide bridge of Bristol at least once a week, just happens to be dealing with a lot of anxiety, and just happens to be done with life. But he’s fine.

Everything is just fine until a mysterious guy starts showing up every time he tries to kill himself, and he should be very scared, but he’s somehow very glad to have company. Until he’s not.

AU where Louis tries to kill himself multiple times but he’s not very good at it, Harry keeps showing up out of nowhere, and maybe life isn’t as bad as it looks sometimes.

Give Me Truths by iwillpaintasongforlou

Words: 110k

Louis is a psychology student with a tattoo count as high as his genius IQ. Harry is in a (sort-of) relationship with a homophobic man and hates himself a little more every day. Things fall apart and Louis puts him back together.

Or, the one in which Louis falls in love with a fragile boy and tells him every beautiful truth in the world, as long as it makes him happy.

Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can’t Lose by dolce_piccante 

Words: 112k

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).

Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.

A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?

Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

Words: 113k

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

nobody shines the way you do by wildestdreams

Words: 115k

Louis pretends to be Harry’s boyfriend to help him win back his douchebag ex-boyfriend, but things don’t go according to plan.

The Dead of July by whimsicule

Words: 117k

or: Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.

Never Be by cherrystreet

Words: 117k

The one where Harry Styles moves to Connecticut from England for nine months as a part of a study abroad program, and he just so happens to move in with Louis Tomlinson and family.

In Vogue by otpwhatever

Words: 121k

Fashion AU. Louis is the editor in chief of Vogue magazine, and Harry’s running British GQ. Featuring Zayn as the crazy creative director and Louis’ confidant, Liam as the sports writer that gets to sit front row at fashion week and DJ Neil as the only sane person in the whole story. (There are no skinny jeans in this fic)

more than just a dream by spit_on_me_larry

Words: 122k

Louis Tomlinson loves his life, he really does. It’s just that he’s constantly on the verge of everything completely going to shit. He’s disorganized and clumsy and hotheaded and just a little bit ridiculous.

And then he meets Harry Styles. Harry is the type of person Louis hates. It seems like everything comes easily to him. He’s rich and brilliant and everyone loves him and he has his life impossibly and perfectly together.

Louis detests Harry Styles. Except for the inconvenient fact that he can’t seem to get Harry out of his head.

Wild And Unruly by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews

Words: 123k

Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

got the sunshine on my shoulders by hattalove

Words: 124k

(or, an au based on the movie sweet home alabama.)

Coeur d'Enfants by lavenderforluck

Words: 126k

As Marx said of the bourgeois class: all that is solid melts into air. St. Peter’s verse.

For As Long As I Can Remember (It’s Been December) by green_feelings

Words: 128k

After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.

Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.

Empty Skies by green_feelings

Words: 134k

For three years, Harry has been running from his past. Now, he is moving to London and pledges to fulfil his only dream – making it big in the music industry. Not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. As is his past catching up on him.

Louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there had meant a lot of hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. He’s still happy. Maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?

Let’s Fall in Love in a Place You Want to Stay by embro

Words: 134k

A George of the Jungle / Tarzan AU where Louis is a model who meets Wild Man Harry in the Congo. He was raised by apes and barely speaks a word of English and turns Louis’ life upside down.

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews

Words: 134k

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who “has made Mozart cool again” according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

Don’t hum Bolero.

Empty Skies by green_feelings

Words: 134k

For three years, Harry has been running from his past. Now, he is moving to London and pledges to fulfil his only dream – making it big in the music industry. Not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. As is his past catching up on him.

Louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there had meant a lot of hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. He’s still happy. Maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?

Featuring Perrie as Harry’s adorable flatmate, Niall as his manager, and Liam and Zayn as Louis’ bandmates.

Lights Will Guide You Home by louisxharry1

Words: 137k

Louis Tomlinson is his school’s resident bad boy and easily the most liked person there. He’s loud and confident and popular. He spends most of his time abusing his parent’s money or partying or playing football. He also spends a good deal of it obsessing over the quiet curly boy in his English class, but no one really needs to know that.

Harry Styles is more or less invisible at the same school (unless he’s being harassed). He’s shy and painfully insecure and quiet. He spends most of his time crying on his bedroom floor with a razor pressed against his skin or trying (and failing) to think of reasons to stay alive.

So, of course, it’s inevitable that they fall for each other.

As You Are by zarah5

Words: 139k

AU. Five years after The X Factor launched his career as a radio host and songwriter, Louis Tomlinson returns as a judge. Falling for a contestant is the last thing he needs. It’s also against his contract.

Empty Gold by rainbow_kings

Words: 148k

AU where Louis Tomlinson attends the vigorous, demanding performing arts school: Guildhall in hopes to complete his theatre degree. He is a scholarship student, always having to work twice as hard to prove his worth which has caused him to feel resentment and anger towards his subordinate position.

Harry Styles is the wealthy, naturally gifted actor who effortlessly snatches all the main roles within the class. The complete contrast to everything Louis is.

Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles have had bad blood and despised each other for the two years they attended Guildhall together, making each task a competition between each other.

In the final year, when Guildhall produces and performs an original play, Louis is heartbroken to learn the lead role has been been received to Harry and he’s the second role. He’s mostly terrified, however, when he realises he has to date Harry in the play as their characters. They come together through awkward stage kisses that transforms to hate sex, heated arguments, rehearsal times after lectures and baking carrot cake together.

Take My Breath Away by RealityBetterThanFiction 

Words: 153k

There is a prestigious school in the British Royal Navy classified as Premier Delta - or as it is known by its flyers, 1D. These select pilots are an elite set of Naval lieutenants who are trained in the skill of aggressive aerial combat. They are instruments of war, trained in times of peace. They are dogfighters, relentless and fearless in their mission to protect their beloved country. From their lofty vantage, they are always watching, waiting, and ready to lay it all on the line.

Lt. Harry Styles, call sign Sparrow, is a prodigy when it comes to flying. The owner of an unrivaled Naval pedigree, being a pilot was always written in the stars for Harry. With his trusty RIO, Lt. Niall Horan, Harry has made an unprecedented ascension in the ranks of the Naval aerial combat elite, and has been recruited to the esteemed Premier Delta flight school, carrying on his family’s legacy. What he finds there are unexpected friendships, perilous challenges, and something beyond what he ever thought possible. Because as his father had always told him, before the great Captain Styles went tragically missing in combat, you don’t fall in love with the sky, you fall in love with what keeps you on the ground.

Nameless Night by green_feelings

Words: 155k

For their 18th birthday, every person receives a letter that reads a simple date. That is the date you’ll meet your soulmate.Harry and Louis have different beliefs, live in different worlds and have different dreams, hopes and fears. Yet, they’re not so different from each other when it comes to love. When their paths cross, there is no doubt they belong together. Except for that one, essential difference: they didn’t receive the same date.

Or, a fic about differences that make no difference at all: Harry and Louis are soulmates. In every way possible. Featuring Niall as a role model, and Liam and Zayn as a different kind of role models.

And Then a Bit by infinitelymint

Words: 158k

(aka Harry and Louis fake a relationship for publicity. Eventually it becomes a lot less fake and a lot more real.)

I Need A Fix Cause I’m Going Down by larryshares

Words: 158k

louis has been dealing with depression for as long as he can remember. he doesn’t expect green eyes and toothy grins and sweet petals in messy curls to save him, but they’re doing a hell of a lot more to help than regular therapy and prescribed pills ever have.

To Destroy a Dam by Evancalous

Words: 198k

AKA: Louis and Harry are best friends for six years. They lose touch, and sixteen years later, fate collides their paths into each other again.

Gods & Monsters by Velvetoscar

Words: 201k

The instructions were simple: seduce and destroy Harry Styles. Not once did they discuss the option of Louis actually falling in love. So, naturally, that’s exactly what he did.

Fading by tothemoonmydear

Words: 202k

Louis knows about beauty; the combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses. He creates that combination every day in the garments he designs while studying fashion at uni. The cut of the design, the color of the fabric, the intricacy of the stitching; it all comes together to create something beautiful. When the science student with the long legs and dimpled smile agrees to model for him, Louis decides he’s found beauty personified. Harry just thinks Louis needs someone to show him how beautiful he is.

Shake Me Down by AGreatPerhaps12

Words: 208k

Harry’s new to college, fresh out of Catholic school and conversion therapy camp, and Louis runs the campus LGBTQIA organization.

Young & Beautiful by Velvetoscar

Words: 227k

Louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name Zayn Malik means something, Niall Horan doesn’t stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and Harry Styles, only son of a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes.

You are in love by wildestdreams

Words: 270k

The one where there’s late night coffee runs with deep conversations, lots of frat parties with cute frat boys, TV show references, numerous social network interactions, first kisses in the rain and a slow burn love story between two unlikely people.

You’ve got to see yourself from far and wide by Emm77 

Words: 286k

(No summary so check tags) 

He kissed my lips, I taste your mouth by MrsStylinson

Words: 290k

When Louis moves into the flat next to Harry’s, neither of them thinks it will change their lives. Louis is stuck in a relationship with his controlling and overly possessive boyfriend who he loves too much to break up with.. Harry is content, seeking refuge from the snobby world he grew up in and forging a new path for himself. He does happen to have a habit of wanting to fix people though and when he meets Louis, the gorgeous man with a prat of a boyfriend, he finds himself trying to do just that. While Harry tries to avoid getting tangled in a messy situation, Louis tries to deny that there’s a niggling voice in the back of his head that prefers Harry to his own boyfriend. While both studiously refuse to let change come, they fail to notice that exact force wrapping around them and pulling them tighter together until there just might be no escape from the feelings brewing within.

The Afterlife Fic (The Best I Ever Had in My Entire Life… Or Death) by LovingCup

Words: 491k

AU- After dying in an accident, Louis Tomlinson arrives in the Afterlife. Not Heaven and not Hell, Louis finds himself in Judgment City UK: a pristine city where the food and entertainment are divine and the newly departed must undergo a Review of their life on Earth to determine if they have lived a life worthy of advancement in the universe, or if they must be returned to Earth to be born again in a new body.On his first full day in the Afterlife, Louis meets Harry Styles, and the two have an instant connection. Over the course of their Reviews, they fall in love and begin to find that even though they didn’t know each other on Earth, they are nonetheless linked to one another in perfect ways. Both are hoping to move ahead in the universe together, but they are challenged with the threat of separation if one or both of them is sent back to Earth to be born again

credit to the owner of the manip

updated 08.17.19

[fpcgv]

Reports from Houston

by Karen Trost

Immediately after Hurricane Harvey, the associate pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Grapevine (a church in the PCUSA’s Grace Presbytery) sent out a call to the congregation, seeking volunteers who might be interested in participating in hurricane recovery. At the same time she reached out to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, who referred her to All Hands and Hearts - Smart Response, a secular organization that was the result of the 2017 merger of two nonprofits, All Hands Volunteers and Happy Hearts Fund. Both organizations had been in existence since the devastating Thailand tsunami in 2005. According to the All Hands website, together they have helped over half a million people around the world recover from natural disasters over the last 13 years (www.hands.org). The combined organization was recently given the highest possible ratings (four stars) by Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org).

Many more church members responded than were able to volunteer in the middle of the Advent season. Our group consisted of six people from all walks of life: a retired technical writer (Beverly), a former pharmaceutical CEO (Miles), a pastor (Ashley), a retired pilot (Larry), a freelance editor and writer (yours truly), and a real estate attorney (Rick).

                        Day One (Tuesday December 12, 2017)

Larry in front of the All Hands Base (Photo: Beverly Chernoff)

Caraleigh giving All Hands orientation (Photo: Beverly Chernoff)

Work completed as of December 12 (Photo: Karen Trost)

All Hands and Hearts is set up to provide transportation only at the beginning and end of a full day of work. After learning that we would be unable to work a half day, we changed our departure time from the rather ungodly (sorry, Pastor Ashley!) hour of 5 a.m. to a much more tolerable 10 a.m. We met at the church, split up into groups of three in two cars, and got to know one another better on our road trip and during our lunch stop at a local burger place. When we arrived at Faith United Methodist Church, which had graciously donated a Sunday school building to house the All Hands Base, we were greeted warmly by a number of volunteers and staff members, received Home Base orientation from Caraleigh, the fabulous All Hands volunteer coordinator, and learned about the great work that has already been done. Although our group came in on the later part of this process, “muck + gut” is pretty much what it sounds like: mucking out/cleaning damaged portions of the structure including walls, floors, and studs; removing moldy sheetrock and flooring; and scrubbing and then vacuuming all surfaces of the exposed studs to loosen the mold spores in preparation for the next step. Sanitizing involves application of Shockwave, a mold-killing chemical that is so potent that hazmat suits, masks with hard filters, and gloves are required for application, and the homeowner cannot return for several hours (sadly, many of the homeowners found it necessary to occupy their damaged homes during the restoration process). Sanitization may need to be done more than once if the home does not pass the post-sanitization air quality check.

Sanitizing product (Photo: Beverly Chernoff)

              The four braver (?) members of our crew then toured our accommodations to select upper bunks (all of the lower ones were already taken). The church had cleared out all of their Sunday school rooms in this separate building so that 20 or so metal bunk beds with air mattresses could be brought into each one to house the enthusiastic volunteers. Two in our crew had already elected to get rooms at a local Motel 6 (“We’ll keep the lights on for you!”).

Ashley, Karen, and Miles seeking bunks (Photo: Beverly Chernoff)

              Dinner—prepared by volunteers--was served at 6:30. Following dinner, a very organized but friendly meeting was held that included reports of work completed that day, staff notes and reminders, group assignments for the following day, hellos from new volunteers (including us), and heartfelt goodbyes from those who were departing. This evening and throughout the week we observed a passionate and somewhat paradoxical sense of community among a continuous flow of volunteers old and young from all walks of life who came to Houston from all over the world (including Canada, the U.K., Australia, and states throughout the U.S.). Some stayed for just a few days and others remained for weeks, but it was very evident that all were touched by their experiences and formed lasting bonds with their fellow volunteers.

Toasting our upcoming adventure at Bo's (Photo: Karen Trost)

              After the meeting, our group had after-dinner fellowship with some of our new friends at a (very) local establishment called Bo's. We had passed this worn, corrugated metal structure on the way to the church, and I had remarked to the others in our car that Bo’s looked like a place where outsiders would likely be unwelcome – I was SO wrong!

 Day Two (Wednesday December 13, 2017)

Miles geared up to re-sanitize at Evelyn's (Photo: Karen Trost)

              The lights came on at 6:30 a.m., and there was no time to waste – breakfast had to be consumed and individual lunches prepared by the 80 or so volunteers before climbing into the vans promptly at 7:15 a.m. to head to the equipment pickup site (at another church) and then to our assignments. Our group was split up. Miles and I went to a home occupied by a lovely senior citizen named Evelyn that had to be re-sanitized (on retesting, the air level of mold in her home was not low enough to pass muster). We learned the hard way that the rather innocuous-sounding process of "mold dusting" was not as easy as it sounded (unless you’re accustomed to scrubbing every exposed wood surface with a brush 7 times!). Then Miles got to gear up for sanitizing while I did more scrubbing and played photographer.

Me (less geared up) doing more mold dusting (Photo: Karen Trost)

              Once the sheet plastic mold barrier was installed to protect Evelyn’s home from mold seeping in from the attached house next door (the likely cause of the retest fail) and spraying was complete, we ate lunch in Evelyn’s driveway (after extensive use of hand sanitizer), observing a steady stream of potential buyers going into said attached house, which was up for sale (and wondering what they made of the motley crew in hazmat suits next door). Then we joined Beverly's group at a different site to mold dust/vacuum/spray an elderly man's garage that her team had to empty in order to get the job done—with the exception of a 2000-pound safe that was just going to have to stay.

Ashley (aka Picasso) joined another group to muck and gut at Teresa's home, which involved using a saw to cut a straight line through the sheetrock to be removed. Our beloved pastor got her nickname from the results of her efforts, which was supposedly a very straight line (hmmm).

Beverly mold dusting the emptied garage (Photo: Karen Trost)

              Larry and Rick mucked and gutted Martha's home, giving her a ray of hope--and maybe even a little joy--during this very dark time, which involved the loss of her father and sister as well as the home she had shared with both of them, in the span of just a few months.

After our return to The Base and much-needed showers (some at The Base and others at Motel Six), we enjoyed a pizza dinner and another meeting that included more heartfelt sharing by those members of this tightknit community who had just completed their last day of volunteering. Following dinner our group met to share our experiences and for devotional time/sermon/advent candle lighting preparation at another fine local establishment called Dry Creek (note the developing pattern...).

Day Three (Thursday December 14, 2017)

Larry and Rick continued to muck and gut at Martha's, which necessitated the removal of some plumbing; this caused a water issue that their dedicated Team Lead (also a volunteer) returned to fix at the end of a very long day. Ashley continued work at Teresa's, who was so discouraged by the prospect of continuing expenditures that she was rethinking her pride in home ownership. Beverly helped prepare All Hands' new base, which did not appear nearly ready to be occupied on the planned date of December 21, but we hope that they are all tucked in there by now and continuing the great work we helped with in our small way. Miles helped sanitize Minnie's house by removing damaged sheetrock (no word on how he fared with the saw…). I was delighted to be a member of a team that was helping one of the helpers; our homeowner, another Martha, had been involved with a group called Hurricane Harvey Leadership in Action since shortly after the hurricane, but waited until now to accept help (removal of ceiling and wall sheetrock) because she felt the needs of others were so much greater.

Karen's All Hands crew at Martha's (Photo: Karen Trost)

              Note that I was not nearly as successful as Ashley at cutting sheetrock, and was relieved of my duties after the first try (no Picasso here!). Before the day even started something happened that made me realize that, while asking for help is tough enough, maintaining dignity when doing so can be even more challenging. On our way over, the team lead had to call the homeowner to arrange for a waiver to be signed so we could begin work. Martha had to explain over the phone to a complete stranger that she was unavailable, but that her ex-husband would be there and--despite their divorce--the house was still in his name. Martha shared this very personal information with grace, and was deeply moved by the small amount of help we were able to offer her.

 Day Four (Friday December 15, 2017)

On this last full day of work, my team went to Sheryl’s home. She had followed some popular - and false - information and remained in her home after the storm, under the mistaken impression that spraying bleach on the flooded areas would get rid of any mold. By the time of the All Hands evaluation, she had been living in her home for two months post-flood and was appalled at the extent of the mold that was discovered behind the sheetrock. While she moved between a backyard tent and a motel room as her lodgings, the All Hands volunteers took her home of 20 years all the way down to the studs in a process that lasted for more than two weeks. While plugging in the shop vac to vacuum the exposed studs (which had already been scrubbed by other volunteers), I noticed a tilted, candle-less menorah on the windowsill next to an extension cord that led to the backyard tent (it was day 4 of Hanukkah). We hope that the work by All Hands helped her see some light at the end of the tunnel during the 2017 Festival of Light, and that in 2018 she will be able to actually light the candles each night in her fully restored home.

Karen, Amy, and Team Lead Laura making tar angels at Sheryl's (Photo: Karen Trost)

              Some areas of Sheryl’s home were being sanitized as the vacuuming was completed, so all work had to be done in Tyvek suits and masks; this is the only way I would consider participating in the making of tar angels (and other shenanigans) on the sticky floors with Amy and Team Leader Laura. All floor coverings had been secured with tar except for the tiled kitchen, which we heard made life miserable for the last crew of volunteers, who had to pry up the linoleum bit by bit during the muck and gut process, until they got fed up and headed to a local home improvement center to invest in some additional equipment.

All Hands and Hearts - can you see it? (Photo: Karen Trost)

Ashley's group at Teresa's (Photo: Ashley Hood)

              Ashley continued her work at Teresa’s, taking time out for a group photo to celebrate a job well done. Her group must have had more energy than mine – at the end of the day my group witnessed them doing an unfamiliar line dance to some rather loud music as we unloaded the surprising large amount of equipment that we had jammed into the back of our van. And unloading was not the end of the job; as on the other days, we also had to put the equipment away and sanitize all hats, masks, filters, and gloves so they were ready for the next group of volunteers.

Beverly mucked, gutted, and sanitized at a new (to her) location: “I’ve learned much about gutting (tearing out sheet rock et al.) and black mold remediation. The woman at our second site today was so sweet and incredibly grateful.”

Miles continued mucking and gutting at Millie’s, and Rick and Larry did the same at Martha’s, who was becoming increasingly concerned about getting back into her home, as her FEMA money was running out and she had nowhere else to go.

All 80+ volunteers crowded into The Base for dinner, as the church was busy hosting the first of two weekend weddings. After dinner, Rick and I delivered the goodbyes he had prepared so beautifully on behalf of our group, which included sharing how the outstanding leadership of the dedicated All Hands staff members and volunteers—most of whom were Millennials--had given so much hope for the future to this group of baby boomers (and one Gen Xer – you’re welcome, Ashley!).

Beverly's Day 4 assignment (Photo: Beverly Chernoff)

Day Five (Saturday December 16, 2017)

Despite Ashley’s assurances that she could still preach on Sunday even if we arrived home in the wee hours, we decided to give her (and us!) a break and head back to Grapevine by early afternoon. As we could not go on site for just part of this last day, we were assigned to Day Crew. After sleeping in just a little (waiting until the volunteers left at 7:15 to ease the people traffic), breakfast and lunch makings were put away, bathrooms were cleaned (thanks, Beverly!); hallways, bathrooms, and kitchen were swept and mopped (way to go, Larry!); dishes were washed (Rick rocked this!); the coffee/tea station and microwave were cleaned and a new pot of coffee set up to warm the volunteers who would be returning after a drizzly, dreary day (my small contribution); and rooms and the staff office were vacuumed (kudos to Ashley and Miles). All of us did post-experience surveys, and I was able to set up an All Hands account to accept the very generous donation by my sister on behalf of the AYNI Foundation, which sent our group over the moon! Once we were done, the staff took our picture in our new shirts in front of the All Hands Christmas tree.

We cranked all of this out by mid-morning, so we headed back to Grapevine a bit earlier than planned, stopping for lunch at—where else?—Whataburger. We all agreed that it was a wonderful experience to help such grateful recipients with the assistance of some truly amazing and accomplished staff members and volunteers. Although we hope beyond hope that Houston won’t need their assistance for much longer, we would all be happy to go back and again serve alongside other All Hands and Hearts volunteers as God’s hands at work in the world.

[christinaengela]

Hello friends and fans!

Welcome to my 6th newsletter: June 2017 – jam-packed with tidbits and information about new releases and projects I’m currently busy with!

Coming up in this edition of Another Round @ The Crow Bar:Regular updates and a monthly spotlight on one of my books, this time “Dead Beckoning“, the third title in the Galaxii Series!

New Releases

June 2017 kicked off with the launch of “High Steaks“, the sixth title in the The Quantum Series and sequel to the recently launched “Prodigal Sun“! If you want to know more about the story being told in “High Steaks“, you can find more info here: What Readers Can Expect In “Prodigal Sun”, “High Steaks”, “Fortitude” & “The Last Hurrah”.

Also released during May, “The Peed-Off Peasant’s Collection Of Awesome Parking Memes” provides printable memes that can be left under the windshield wipers of cars that are illegally parked in your driveway! That’s right, instead of hastily scribbling a powerful angry note that might get you into trouble, you can print and choose from a stack of these witty, clearly legible items to embarrass, shame and show up offenders!

The Galaxii Series

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I’ve been busy with ‘Panic!’ and upcoming titles in the Quantum Series, so I still haven’t got round to title 4 “Where Darkness Softly Treads” yet! Sorry! 😉 I should get round to it soon as I feel like writing something darker for a change.

The Quantum Series

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With the release of “High Steaks” this week, the Quantum Series now consists of six titles! Work is progressing on “Fortitude” and I hope to get that out by December or January 2018.

To get a better idea of what this story is about, read What Readers Can Expect In “Prodigal Sun”, “High Steaks”, “Fortitude” & “The Last Hurrah”.

Panic! Horror In Space

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The first title “Panic! Horror In Space #1” is available in paperback and ebook versions on various distribution platforms including Amazon and Lulu.

“Panic! Horror In Space #2” is also complete, with a release planned for August.

Panic! is a sci-fi/horror series, which will have some decidedly sci-fi characters encountering some decidedly horror entities – ghosts, haunted objects, zombies, etc. along with my usual twisted brand of humor!

As a fan of paranormal investigator TV shows, I really enjoying writing this new series!

Short Fiction

“Panic! Horror In Space” has taken most of my writing time in the last few weeks, so it’s likely that “Space Really Sucks!” will be delayed a good while yet.

Poetry

“Trumpocalypse” (Horrified Press), containing my poem “State Capture“, which was published in May can be bought here.

Non-Fiction

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Collaborations

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Translations

Nothing new to report in this section for now. Several translations into Afrikaans are currently available for free on the shop site’s Afrikaans page. In the meantime, if you have any up-to-date English-Afrikaans dictionaries newer than 2010 containing new words about technology and stuff you want to get rid of, please keep us in mind!

Editing

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Competitions

There are no competitions currently running.

On A Personal Note

Fan Mail & Honorable Mentions

Noticed in the past month by my long-suffering PA Wendy K. Gloss, were the following honorable mentions:

Mambaonline quoted me in an article about a local South African hate-preacher who got taken on about her promotion of false information that gay people are not biologically gay by nature and that they can be ‘prayed’ (or is that ‘preyed’) straight. “The book excerpt was met with disbelief and anger from members of the LGBTQ community. Activist Christina Engela commented: “Gretha Wiid has obviously gone beyond the effort of NOT researching sexual orientation or gender identity issues to simply spout her own bigoted, ignorant and biased views on LGBT people.”” The issue has escalated, since after a few days of backing and forthing, the SA Human Rights Commission is investigating Ms. Wiid for her homophobia.

I display my Fan Mail & Compliments with pride, gratitude and humility. You are always welcome to have a look.

Hate Mail

May was rather quiet on the hate mail front.

(I’m rather proud of my hate mail, and you can review it here – but be forewarned, don’t do it while eating or drinking or you might choke while laughing!)

Reviews & Interviews

Nothing new during this past month! If you would like to do an interview with me about my works, please do get in touch!

New Videos

Here is the book trailer video for “High Steaks”!

New Listings

All my books now seem to be listed just about everywhere – except for the ones I haven’t published yet! As of this month, new listings include Foyles Bookshop chain (UK), Book Depository and 24 Symbols, who now also stock my books.

Monthly Book Spotlight [Spoiler Alert]: Galaxii Series 03 – “DEAD BECKONING”

The second title in the Galaxii Series, “Dead Beckoning” is the third title in the Galaxii Series, a saga set in a distant future. Sona Kilroy is the one that got away – the most dangerous Corsair of them all! Having survived the fall of Meradinis, the Corsair base world, and escaped the full might of the assembled Terran Space Fleet, he has outwitted and captured an Imperial warship! Using the Indomitable, he has set about rebuilding the Corsair culture on  another world in the dark depths of the Omegan Quadrant, from where he threatens to wreak piratical vengeance upon every Terran colonist in deep space – and he has put a bounty on Blachart’s head for good measure.

Blachart is a reformed Corsair who, while making the most of his new imperial pardon –  and going by the name Adam – has only just begun to forge a relationship with Marsha, a girl who came to the fringe to make a fresh start, and to get away from her former male past.

For Marsha, life out on the fringe is definitely not what she expected – and for her, having met someone she can finally feel safe and open with is a relief met with the counter-weight of risk to her safety by whatever it is this man has got himself into.

Adam is recruited by the Space Fleet on the barely-established new Terran colony of Caries – in the person of Captain Mykl d’Angelo of the starship Antares – to help them hunt down a dangerous fugitive …an old acquaintance of his, a Corsair – but not just any old space pirate – the most cunning and vicious of them all!

I.S.S. Antares

Mykl d’Angelo – the closest thing Adam has to a friend in the universe – asks Adam’s help to hunt down Sona Kilroy, end the threat of Corsairs once and for all, and to put an end to the bounty on his life – comes at exactly the right time! Together they embark on a wild adventure to find, capture or end Kilroy – before it’s too late!

This is the third episode in the Galaxii Series, and the second story in which Mykl d’Angelo, Ripley Jones and Blachart appear – along with the characters from the second title, “Demonspawn” – chiefly Captain Joe Lofflin and his crew from the I.S.S. Mordrake.

The I.S.S. Mordrake

Summary: This is the third book in the Galaxii Series, packed with comedy, suspense and action, and tells the tale of Adam – a former Corsair working to expunge his bloody past by doing good… Starting with helping Mykld’Angelo – captain of the imperial star ship Antares to track down and capture one of the most powerful and feared Corsairs in legend: Sona Killroy… aka The Hammer.

In Closing

As I said in last month’s newsletter, I’ve resolved to release several titles per year. I expanded on the background of indie publishing – at least “according to Christina Engela” – and how I do it, in a short article “Are Indie Published Authors Really “Published” Authors?” I posted on May 5.

Sales-wise in April-May, sales (including free downloads) were up, largely due to the paid FB ad campaigns I took in April which got a lot of hits! No, I can’t afford to retire just yet, and the small island in the Caribbean will have to wait! In the meantime, keep your chins up and keep on keeping on! Thanks again for all your support, friendship and interaction! Until next time,

Cheers! 🙂

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website. If you want to know what Christina Engela’s focus group or target market is, please read here. If you would like to read more about Christina’s life and experiences, please go to her Biography and the article “Timeline of Milestones, Awards & Achievements“. To leave her a message, please use the Contact form. Visit her Shop. ‘Add’ Christina Engela on Facebook (Profile). ‘Like’ Christina Engela on Facebook (Page). All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2017.

Another Round @ The Crow Bar #6 – June 2017 Hello friends and fans! Welcome to my 6th newsletter: June 2017 - jam-packed with tidbits and information about new releases and projects I'm currently busy with!