#The Silent Book Contest 2020

[milkdongcomics]

“ HEY HUMAN, SEE WHAT YOU DO!? ” has been selected by the Jury among the 12 finalists of the Silent Book Contest 2020 – Gianni De Conno Award Italy!

被評審團選為2020年意大利Silent Book大賽－Gianni De Conno大獎的12位決賽入圍者！！

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[drew-mga2022mi6011]

Research | More Past Winners of the Silent Book Contest

Costruttori di Stelle (2019) - Soojin Kwak 

This is a continuation of the previous post, where I briefly summarise the story of each winner of the Silent Book Contest, the author's life (in case it provides any insight into the story) and my own thoughts on the narrative.

This story is an innovative and humorous take on the question of how stars are born. Behind the scenes there is a team of small and ingenious "star-builders" who, with great work and passion, every day design and build these magical inventions that fill the night sky. I'm particularly enthralled by the use of colour and texture in this book. The designs, although simple, contain so much life, personality and enthusiasm. The concept itself is also something I am fond of, taking the idea of something that is known and flipping it on its head in a fantastical sense.

In The Association of Illustrators website, the author - Soojin Kwak - does not mention much about this project. She does mention that the book was made entirely using Photoshop. This replication of textures through the digital medium fascinates me, and I may explore this possibility in my own work going forward.

Che Febre! (2020) - Rina Allek

The book follows a sick protagonist, who wants to get through a long night forced under the covers. It turns out that her red sofa is not all that it seems; it's a magical companion that takes care of her whisks her away on an adventure, that makes the protagonist feel better. It is heavily implied throughout this sequence that the events that take place are just a dream.

Apart from the flavour text on the Silent Book website and her portfolio, there isn't much information on Rina Allek. She is an artist based in Moscow, who loves observing the world around her. In 2020, she graduated from the University of Moscow and currently works at a TV Channel. She dreams, like the best of us, to one day quit her job, move to the seaside and work on her own stories in private.

One thing I found nice was the use of a limited colour palette in this project. As of right now, I am thinking of doing the same; using a grayscale palette throughout the story, and switching to more vibrant colours during key moments of the plot.

Lo Zainetto di Matilde (2021) - Written by Silvia Del Francia and Luca Cognolato, Illustrated by Fabio Sardo

This book is based on the premise of children's backpacks. What do they carry? For the protagonist, Matilde, they carry more than pencils, a water bottle and a blanket. They carry memories of a good day. The book also emphasises the importance of grandparents in the development years of a child, with the deuteragonist being Matilde's own grandfather waiting to spend the day with her.

Lo Zainetto di Matilde was a collaborative effort between two writers and an illustrator. Silvia Del Francia and Luca Cognolato usually write together, but they also write alone and work with teams to design stories. They are part of the Arambì collective, and acclaimed award winning creators. Fabio Sardo lives and works in Milan as an illustrator. He holds workshops for children and online courses on illustrated books for adults. His works are also published by the major Italian publishing houses and translated abroad.

As with the other books, I enjoy the level of simplicity that goes into the character design itself, and the unique textural qualities embedded into the final product. Additionally, it appears that this book uses a mix of single page and double page illustrations as well.

Avventura nel Regno di Porcellana (2022) - Katerina Illnerova

Katerina Illnerova's story is one of a fisherman depicted on a porcelain vase. One day, a gust of wind takes aways his hat, which is lost in the decorations of other porcelains. So the fisherman sets off on a long search that will lead him to discover distant lands and new friends, from one porcelain vase to another. The idea came from Illnerova's love of teapots, she said in an interview. During her iconographic research on teapots, she fell in love with the world of blue and white porcelain.

Katerina is a very young illustrator from the Czech Republic. She is studying for a Master's degree at the Faculty of Design and Art of Ladislav Sutnar with a focus on illustration for children. Her work has been selected in numerous national and international competitions and comic festivals. In the Czech Republic, many of her illustrations have been published in children's books and magazines.

I enjoy this project's creativity, telling a story purely through the medium of porcelain. It puts the reader in the humble world of someone's kitchen or home, a mere observer to the events happening to this poor fisherman. It is also a clever way of paneling the story, by using in universe items to represent the "panels" in which events take place.

Il Ninja Innamorato (2023) - Ale Puro

As the latest competition winner as of writing this, Il Ninja Innamorato tells the simple story of a ninja scheming a thousand ways to steal his one true love; the moon. According to the author, the idea started from a very simple image he made recently, which depicts a dark silhouette of a character (very relatable to a ninja) with a moon-shaped backpack and a starry sky behind it. From this he imagined a sympathetic story and realised that it could be perfectly told without the use of text.

Puro lives and works in Vigevano. Fascinated by the world of graffiti, he start making murals under the pseudonym PURO and study the different forms of lettering. He studied at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, in that period he approached the culture of street art and with his gaze turned towards the world of illustration, he began to create his first figurative works, on different surfaces and in different shapes. The style inspired by illustrations for children, combined with the simplicity and poetics of the dreamy world of the little ones, has allowed him to work and collaborate in various sectors, from private individuals to companies and above all with schools. His work can be found here;

These are all the senior winners of the Silent Book contest as of right now. Additionally, in order to gain a better understanding of what I can and can't do, I also want to look into the other contest entries. There is also a junior section of the competition, which may merit some value in looking into.

[wangxianficrecs]

Follower Recs

Stories I haven’t read yet, but clearly need to put on my ever-expanding List.

~*~

Welcome back queen [Thank you, it’s so lovely to be back!] if ur still doing follower recs I gotta recommend I would wait for a thousand years by bleuett it’s soooooooo good

[This one was actually recced to me by two different people, the other of whom said, “ Maybe I'm crying a little so I feel like a should recommend ‘I would wait for a thousand years’ by bleuett on ao3.”]... it’s def. on my List!

I would wait for a thousand years

by bleuett (T, 10k, wangxian)

Summary:  During the worst of winter, a traveler comes to stay at Lan Wangji's inn. He wears a red ribbon in his hair.

“Do you see the rabbit?” Wei Ying asks and points at the moon. “That’s the moon rabbit, he helps make Chang’e more immortality elixir. He keeps Chang’e company.”

“I do not wish the rabbit for company,” Lan Wangji says tightly. “You are the one I want by my side.”

“And I’m here, Lan Zhan. If you go to the moon, I’ll follow you, I’ll always be here now.”

~*~

I just read a great fic by aisthuu "every love story is a ghost story", didn't see it in your recs so wanted to recommend it! LWJ is a guqin composer and teacher, buys a cheap guqin off eBay which ends up being attached to WWX's spirit from canon era. It's bittersweet, LWJ deals with Lan's homophobia (implicit in a Lan way) and his feelings towards the ghost. This is author's only ao3 fic and honestly I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I'm happy I did and hope you will enjoy it too!  [I’ve recently read this one, and loved it!]

every love story is a ghost story

by aisthuu (M, 59k, wangxian, my bookmark)

Summary:  The man is in Lan Zhan’s bed. Did they—he begins to wonder, eyes trailing to where the man’s body lies under the blanket. Had Lan Zhan—?

Then the sleep-fog clears and Lan Zhan realizes that the young man isn’t quite opaque around the edges.

“You’re a spirit.”

The spirit narrows its eyes. “I’m so much more than that.”

(Lan Zhan buys a guqin off eBay for a suspiciously low price, only to find that it’s haunted. And now there’s a ghost in his bed.)

~*~

Ok so I absolutely have to rec "see you yesterday" by glyphic. It's a wip, but it's currently at 101k so there's a whole lot there, and it's terrible and wonderful and beautiful all at once. The way the backstory of canon events is adapted to the modern-with-cultivation setting is brilliant, and then there's the amnesia, and then there's the time loop. This fic lives permanently rent-free in my brain.

see you yesterday

by glyphic (M, 101k, wangxian, WIP)

Summary:  

Wei Ying 21:09 hey lan zhan what’s the weirdest way youve died

Lan Zhan 21:11 Falling encyclopedias.

Wei Ying 21:12 omg no way that’s so rude turning books against you???

Lan Zhan 21:13 A betrayal I will never forget.

On Halloween night, an exiled demonic cultivator and a Lan disciple get stuck in a time-loop, find each other, and try to figure it all out.

~*~

If you are looking for recs for yourself I absolutely love (the complete!) story Just as the Snow Melts by draechali on AO3. It's a canon divergence where everyone lives, even WWX! ~ @airmidcelt

Just as the Snow Melts

by draechaeli (T, 67k, wangxian)

Summary:  Like a snowy mountain top in spring the residents of the Burial Mounds trickled down the mountain and joined the flow of society.

“I went to the Burial Mounds,” Lan WangJi said.

“Ah, yeah… I’m sorry Lan Zhan,” replied Wei WuXian, “I hadn’t thought anyone would come to visit. I am still not sure how it happened; I brought A-Yuan to Yiling to play by the river and then ended up somehow teaching a bunch of children swimming and writing along with him.”

~*~

Hello! It's come to my attention that you have not as yet read Grandmaster of Meme-onic Cultivation! Please do! It's the only thing that gave me joy during 2020 😆 like proper belly laughs and disney villain style cackling. It is a wip, and it is long but so so worth it!! The author has reworked the entire canon through these message crystals and still conveys complex characters despite the tricky format. It's just so good!! Highly highly recommend it! ❤ ~ @theladypeartree  [Oh!  I’ve been subscribed to this one, and know that @swaglexander-the-great is a reliable provider of Hilarity, so I’m excited for it to be finished!]

Grandmaster of Meme-onic Cultivation 

by Hades_the_Blingking (T, 49k, wangxian, WIP)

Summary:  The Untamed universe is exactly the same, except everybody has magical crystals that have a suspiciously familiar messaging system. The story is pretty much the same as the show, except everyone lives!! (so minor changes).

or in which Wei WuXian tries his darndest to date Lan Zhan, Jiang Cheng possibly has a aneurysm, Jin ZiXuan is still the most awkward human alive, and Xue Yang makes me write some VERY cursed things. Written in chatfic format! :3

~*~

Chomrafy on AO3 deserves love and encouragement; she’s written a body of compact, poetic, and eloquent shortfics each of which can stand alone, but that comprise an intricately cross-referential and mostly internally-consistent universe. They’re grouped as chapters in works according to theme; for example, “in cupped hands” focuses upon Jin Ling and his second-generation baggage; “Departure in Autumn” portrays the last years of WWX’s first life. Follow the tag “Chomrafy’s MDZS shortfics.” [I don’t see this tag?]

in cupped hands

by chomrafy (G, 2k, wangxian)

Summary:  Of secrets, of futures, of love. A Jin Ling-centric collection of 200-word fics.

Ch.1: Jin Ling repays a debt (JL, JC, & WWX). Ch.2: Jin Ling and a ghost in the mirror. (JL & JYL) Ch.3: A matter of friends (JL & the other kids) Ch.4: In this house we don't keep dogs (JC & WWX) Ch.5: In the end, he remains silent (JL & uncles) Ch.6: A first night hunt, of sorts (JL & the other kids) Ch.7: Jin Ling, forgiving, forgetting (JL & LXC & JGY) Ch.8: Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling argue (JL, JC, & WWX) Ch.9: Jin Ling and his father (JL & JC) Ch.10: Jin Ling speaks up (JL, JC, & WWX) Ch.11: Jin Ling and a piece of home (JL, JC, & WWX)

Departure in Autumn

by chomrafy (not rated, 6k)

Summary:  Four perspectives. A steady march to the end.

Ch.1: Because if anything happens to them, Wen Qing would never be able to heal with these hands again. Ch.2: As long as this is still home, Jiang Yanli will wait as long as she needs to. Ch.3: Five times Jiang Cheng reaches for Wei Wuxian, one time he turns away. Ch.4: Whether the road is broad or narrow, bright or dark, they would have to keep walking. Wei Wuxian digs Wen Qing's grave.

~*~

Hello, hope all is going well. I don't have an ask, by I do have a recommendation. I read this fic a while ago and found it again. I just wanted to recommend this for everyone. Let me know what you think please. Thank you. [Oh!  This one’s in my To Read list, but  I’d forgotten about it.  Mmmm, fox!wwx and dragon!lwj.]

Ten miles of Lotus Flowers

by Yukirin_Snow

M, 274k, wangxian

Summary:  He was a mischievous fox spirit, wreaking havoc where he went, about to depart on a journey that would span centuries.

He was a heavenly prince, a proud dragon destined to ascend the throne to become emperor.

Neither expected their paths to collide over the span of three lives.

~*~

I forgot if it was your blog 😥 that recommended “Bestseller” (when Wei Wuxian writes the Xianxia cut-sleeve equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey, based entirely on his experiences with Lan Wangji, he doesn’t expect it to become the next big hit) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/21528316/chapters/51318766)

But OMG IT WAS HILARIOUS!!! I LOVED IT!! And if it wasn’t your blog, I’m so sorry for how weird this sounds 😭😭😭😭 I just loved this fic so much that I have to tell it to someone 😢 [It’s on my List, but I haven’t read it yet!]

Bestseller

by pupeez4eva

M, 8k, wangxian

Summary:  He had written the book to prove a point. It was never supposed to be a big thing, and he certainly never intended for everyone — Jiang Cheng, Zewu-Jun, the Juniors, literally everyone— to be reading about his sex life.

Oh God, he definitely needed to make sure Lan Zhan didn’t find out about this.

(Or, when Wei Wuxian writes the Xianxia cut-sleeve equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey, based entirely on his experiences with Lan Wangji, he doesn’t expect it to become the next big hit).

~*~

I’d like to rec On Your Marks, Get Set, Bake! by @blackwiresgrowonherhead

It’s one of my absolute favorites and I laughed out loud so many times when reading it

on your marks, get set, bake!

by BlackWiresOnHerHead

G, 41k, wei wuxian & juniors

Summary:  Jin Ling resumes thumping on the door to room 721, and the small collection of freshmen starts chanting “Senior Wei! Senior Wei! Senior Wei!” with increasing volume until finally Wei Wuxian opens the door.

“Yes?” he says with his widest, most innocent eyes.

“Senior Wei!” demands Lan Jingyi, shoving himself to the front of the group. “Why didn’t you tell us you’re a contestant on this year’s season of The Great Gusu Bake Off?!?”

--

Several months ago, college student Wei Wuxian secretly competed in the most popular reality show in the country. The show starts airing in the fall. The freshmen in his dorm collectively lose their minds.

~*~

If you're in the mood for v. short ridiculous fun fic, may I suggest My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio by x_los It's 2k modern cultivators AU, featuring WWX calling LWJ's sword Bitchin' [omg I’m laughing so hard] and I think it's more fun going in blind?

My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio

by x_los

T, 2k, wangxian

Summary:  Lan Wangji finds he doesn't even need to call for help for Wei Wuxian to come running.

[thr-333]

Mismatch- Part 7

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020

A nice family dinner, not that anyone needs to know that (:

First< Previous> Next

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“I got the feeling this would happen,” Marion shakes his head, looking at Marinette and Damian, both trying to explain how they ended up fighting.

“And yet you didn’t stop it,” Jason was smirking at the adults. Both looked exhausted, probably from listening to Tom for the past hour or so.

“Me? You encouraged them,” Marion scowls at Jason.

“How?” He was already looking down at him, smirking.

“Really?” Marion raises his brow, the two falling into a staring contest.

“If I hadn't they’d also be getting Alfred’s ‘not angry just disappointed speech’,” Jason relents, looking away from Marion, who was silently gloating his victory.

“Oh, Damian told me about that one,” Marion looks over at Damian as he was arguing with Bruce.

“I still can’t believe Demon spawn was willingly talking with you,” Jason muses.

“Rude,” Marion scoffs, trying not to smile as Jason whips around with a panicked look.

“What?- ah no - I meant-”

“I know,” Marion breaks down in giggles.

“You-”

“This garden is beautiful,” Marion cuts him off, Jason huffs and turns away, “Also Mr Wayne is glaring at you,”

“Let’s go,” Jason spins around and hastily walking into the garden. Marion laughs, jogging to catch up.

“That got you moving,” Marion teases as they walk behind a hedge to hide.

“I am not about to get lectured for Demon-spawns decisions,” Jason snarls, glaring back at where they came from.

“Been meaning to ask about that nickname,” Marion tries to lighten his mood.

“It’s accurate isn’t it?” Jason smirks slightly but Marion can still see the anger behind it.

“He doesn't seem that bad,” Marion mutters, making Jason scoff.

“Trust me, that's the best mood I’ve ever seen him in,” Marion can’t tell if he’s telling the truth or not, but he seems to be relaxing.

“Maybe he just doesn't like you,” Marion teases, before realising with horror just how rude it sounded.

“Oh he definitely doesn't,” Jason snorts, Marion tries not to feel uncomfortable as he seems to cheer up.

“I’m sure he does deep down,” Marion can’t help but to try and fix the situation.

“You can only go so deep,” Jason says, with too much bitterness to be humorous.

“Please, I somehow doubt that anyone has to reach very deep to like you, I don't, you seem nice,” Marion misses Jason's shocked look, instead noticing some nearby flowers, “These are gorgeous,”

“Alfred tends to them, none of us are allowed to touch them,” Jason murmurs quietly, as Marion lightly touches the petals.

“Sorry!” Marion jumps back as if the petals burnt him.

“No you’ll be fine,” Jason chuckles, “We were only ban after the incident,”

“The incident?” Marion still doesn't risk touching the flowers. He’s literally holding the miraculous of destruction. “Sounds ominous,”

“There was a flamethrower involved and that's all I’m telling you,” Jason says definitively, walking away from the flower bed.

“Oh come, you have to tell me now,” Marion stands, bouncing to catch up to him.

“Nope,” Jason keeps his eyes forward.

“Please,” Marion comes forward to walk backwards in front of him, giving him the babydoll eyes.

“Not happening, so stop it with those eyes,” Jason looks away, so Marion turns around and falls back into step with him.

“Never,” Marion stops anyway, not wanting to ruin the light mood by making him irritated again.

They keep walking through the garden, in comfortable silence. Marion starts to hum a tune as he looks around at the foliage. He doesn't notice Jason's eyes are on him, not the scenery.

“Can we stop here for just a minute,” He gestures at a bench, “I need to write this down,”

“Sure,” Jason sits down, Marion sitting next to him, bringing out his notebook to jot down some musical notes and lyric ideas as they came.

“So you write music?” Jason asks, after Marion slows down his rapid pace for a more leisurely one.

“Yeah I sing a little too,” He answers, still mostly distracted but not minding the conversation.

“Written any songs?” Jason already knows the answer as he had been watching Marion do just that.

Marion wanted to laugh. He had albums full of songs that were listened to worldwide, but he couldn't share that. Instead he decided to tell him about before he became MCD.

“My friend Luka and I used to make some together,” They still technically did as Luka worked with him as MCD, not that Luka knew it was him.

“Used to?” Jason repeats.

“Yeah, things got awkward,” Marion pauses, looking up from his book, “You want to hear about the worst love square in history?”

“A love square?” Jason looks puzzled and amused.

“Don’t laugh, it’s possible,” Marion defends, closing his book.

“I think I’m going to need to hear this story to believe it,” Jason turns towards him.

“Alright, Lukas sister Juleka is in our class, that's how Marinette and I met him,” Marion puts his notebook away,  “Nette had-has a crush on… someone else, but Luka liked her,”

“Right,” Jason nods along, as Marion faces him.

“But I liked Luka,” Marion looks away and tries not to blush at the admission. He didn’t any more but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t embarrassing.

“Is he good looking?” Jason teases, leaning into his field of vision.

“Not the point, but yes,” Marion turns back, matching Jason's smirk with a flat look. “The thing is Juleka liked me,”

“And let me guess the ‘someone else’ that Marinette likes is Juleka?” Jason says, getting in on the love square insanity.

“No, but that would bring everything full circle wouldn’t it?” Marion hums contemplatively, “Anyway, I was the first to confess, ending in a very awkward conversation where everything was brought out into the open,”

“Sounds like a pain,” Jason declares with a sympathetic look.

“Yep, after that things got pretty weird, we didn’t have to see Luka much but Juleka is still in our class, she tends to avoid us,” Marion gives a thoughtful frown. Thinking about how it basically sent Juleka to Lila with a wrapper and bow.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Jason says softly, breaking Marion out of his daydream, “People drift apart,”

Marion smiles, pretending not to notice the bitter edge to Jason's voice. He changes the topic to Jason's hobbies, the two striking up a conversation about books they both enjoy. The two keep chatting until Alfred appears out of thin air, making Marion jump.

“Dinner is about to be served, I advise you make your way to the dining room,” Alfred tells them before swiftly leaving.

“Witchcraft,” Marion mutters, making Jason laugh.

“Let’s go, trust me you don’t want to miss Alfred's cooking,” Jason leads Marion back to the manor, keeping up their conversation. They reach the dining room to find everyone, including Dick and Tim at the table.

“Where have you two been?” Aunt Selina grins, as they take their seats, Marion next to Marinette, Jason sitting on his other side.

“The gardens, they’re beautiful Alfred,” Marion tells the man, as he places dishes on the table.

“I’m flattered you think so,” Alfred, not the cat, says.

“Noticed you conveniently disappeared,” Marinette whisper-hisses to him. “I get lectured, you get lectured, it’s all about balance,”

“I’ve been lectured enough today,” He whispers back, then even quieter, “Also I don’t think that's what Tikki meant,”

“Pretty sure it is,” Marinette mutters as the last dish is set down and they are told to begin.

Tim and Jason immediately start to fight. Stealing food from each other as the other is about to grab it, only for Damian to steal it from them both. Bruce ignores them only sending a warning glare that the three either didn’t see or chose to ignore.

“I am so sorry about them,” Dick apologies, trying and failing to subtly stop them.

“Hmmm?” Marion hums, swooping in to steal a piece of meat Jason had been about to claim.  

Jason looks shocked at Marion's teasing smirk. It was probably rude, but hey so was stealing food, Marion went straight for a bite without breaking eye contact. That was apparently a declaration of war as the four of them now started thwarting each other. Marion went for the cooked onions, which he hated, just to stop Damian from getting them. The death glare he got in return had no place at a family dinner.

“I’m so sorry about him,” Marinette parrots Dicks words, completely embarrassed.

Dick didn’t seem to mind so much now anyway, watching their antics with fondness. Bruce had even stopped glaring, instead focusing on trying to keep his amusement off his face. Marion pulled the plate out of reach just as Damian and Tim both went for it. Marinette decides to ignore him. She doesn't attempt to join the fray and instead steals food off his plate. Marion pouts that she didn’t take any of the food he dislikes. Dinner continues like that. The four of them fight over food, taking bites in between, usually as taunts. Meanwhile Marinette had a civil conversation with Aunt Selina, Bruce and Dick.

They finished the meal, it being Alfred who put an end to their fighting by sending them back to the living room. Cat-fred was lying by the fire so Marion goes to sit on the floor near him, petting the purring cat. Damian comes to sit next to him on the floor, while everyone else sits on actual furniture. Marinette next to their Aunt on the couch.

“Marinette, Marion what do you for… fun,” Bruce asks, as if fun is a foreign word to him.

“... I like fashion,” Marinette tells him, once it was clear Marion wasn't going to be distracted from Cat-fred for anything.

“Do you know MDC?” Dick asks, with what Marion unfortunately recognises as fanboy gleam in his eye.

“Uh,” Marionette exchanges a glance with Marion. He looks over to their Aunt who just smiles smugly. “I’ve heard of her,”

Marinette replies bashfully, and Marion's evil twin tendencies kick in.

“Heard of her?” Marion exclaims with a fake disbelieving tone, ignoring Marinette trying to shush him, “She’s MDC’s biggest fan, she's memorised every one of her designs, theres posters and articles all over out room, she knows every event coming up and where it will be, attends all of them,”

Marinette glowers at him with outrage. Marion grins back, he wasn’t lying after all.

“Really? That’s great,” Dick, bless his heart, looks genuinely excited.

“Yeah,” Marintte agrees, still glaring at Marion, “But I don’t like MCD, guy seems like a jerk,”

“Thats where you’re wrong,” Jason snatches their attention, “He's a great guy,”

“I’ve got some pretty good evidence to suggest otherwise,” Marinette glances at him again. If it was meant to make him remorseful, it wasnt working.

“He’s an advocate for super heros, he visits children hospital and orphanages for free, has held numerous anti-bullying campaigns, among others, he donates most of his concerts proceeds to the local charities in the city they are held in, also provides work and recognition to new-

“Well, that isn’t all him, MDC is part of all that too,” Marion squeaks out, face completely flushed, probably to the confusion of every other man in the room.

“Yeah but so is he, so I don’t know how you can consider him ‘a jerk’,” Jason seems genuinely offended and Marion has to hide behind Cat-fred to hide his blush.

“Sorry,” Marinette smiles, not at all sorry, with a teasing edge, “Marion is his biggest and I just wanted to rile him up,”

“You are?” Dick asks, all eyes on him.

“No,” Marion pets Cat-fred, unwilling to meet the others' eyes.

“He knows every song, sings them all the time, and don’t get me started on the dances he's always practicing in our room, he goes to every concert, probably the closest to the stage you can be,” Marinette turns his earlier trick back on him.

“Are you going to the concert in Gotham?” Tim breaks Marion's attention away from Marinette's smug grin.

“Yeah we are, it was Marinete's idea, why she insisted on doing the class trip,” Marion throws in.

“That's not true,” Marinette snaps.

This starts a too long conversation, lead by Dick, about why MDC and MCD are worth the trip. The twins have to spend the next, what felt like an eternity, talking about themselves. Their Aunt seems highly entertained watching them blush whenever a compliment was paid. Marinette tries to ask her to help them out by tapping morse code onto her hand. She finally gives into her pleading and tells them they need to get back to the hotel and rest.

“You two are welcome to stay here, I can make the arrangements,” Bruce offers, walking them out to the car.

“Oh, no that's fine thank you,” Marinette blushes, “We should probably stay with the class,”

“Which we have to thank you for as well,” Marion adds, Marinette looks mortified that she forgot to thank him earlier.

“That’s not necessary, I didn’t play any part in the selection process,” Bruce tells them before Marinette can start apologising, “Although I am certainly glad it was your class who was selected,”

“So are we,” Marinette smiles as they reach the car, “Thank you for tonight, dinner was lovely,”

“It was nice having you,” Bruce watches as they climb into the car, Selina taking the wheel, “Make sure you get some rest,”

“Thank you, we will,” Marinette says through the window. Both knowing perfectly well that was a lie.

They are sent off with a wave and watch as the Mansion travels out of sight.

“Thanks for all the help tonight,” Marion leans forward from the back seat.

“What can I say, it was funny,” Selina laughs, Marinette next to her in the front seat.

“It was embarrassing,” Marion groans, still a blushing mess.

“As if no ones ever talked about you in front of you,” Selina drives along quickly, probably faster than the speed limit would like.

“They have,” Marinette agrees, also blushing, “But that was-”

“So much worse,” Marion hides his face in his hands, peeking through his fingers.

“Worse? Or better?” Selina gives him a sly look from the mirror, “Those boys are big fans of yours, especially Jason,”

“Stooop, I’ve had enough teasing today,” Marion flops across the back seat.

“About what?” Marion realises it was a mistake, letting his Aunt in on gossip.

“Nothing,” Marinette’s tone suggest it was definitely not nothing, “Just ran into his crush for the first time today,”

“Why do you feel the need to hurt me this way,” Marion laments dramatically, making their Aunt laugh.

“Who is it,” She asks Marinette, ignoring him.

“What's the worst way to meet someone?” Marinette asks instead.

“I’d say- wait… Red Hood?” She turns back to him, looking away from the road, much to Marinette’s alarm.

Marion pulls his hood up and over his eyes with a nod. She bursts out laughing.

“Oh of all the-” She shakes her head looking back to the road, “Don’t worry kitten, that's definitely not the worst way to meet someone- I’d know,”

“Not even if you’re wearing his outfit?” Marion says miserably, glaring more than staring out the window as buildings go by.

“Trust me, not the worst thing you could be wearing,” She reaches back to give him a comforting pat on the shoulder, “Is this why you stepped in today?”

“No,” Marion frowns at her, once again, teasing tone, “It was just the right thing to do,”

“Hmmm, I feel it’s probably not the best example to agree with you,” She hums, turning a corner, “But, I’m glad your first instinct was to help people,”

“So-”

“And no, you can not bring that up next time you get in trouble,” She cuts Marinette off, pulling over in front of the hotel, “Now go straight upstairs and get some sleep,”

“Yes Auntie,” They both say mischievously, jumping out of the car leaving her with a suspicious glare.

They wave goodbye, planning to go straight to the roof. They don’t even get off the elevator before Marinette is giving Marion her scarf to turn inside out into a mask.

[butterflymar]

DAY 2: FAVORITE BL DRAMA

I have quite a few... I can’t choose just one so bare with me lol

Life Senjou No Bokura

Synopsis According to MyDramaList: One day after school, the serious Ito and the child-like Nishi meet by chance, as each endeavors to remain walking  on the sidewalk`s white line. As time goes by, Ito recognizes he is drawn to Nishi in a way that is new to him. Nishi, for his part, is frustrated that they only get to meet on the sidewalk. Ito decides to act upon his feelings and kisses a surprised Nishi, who agrees they need to walk side by side for a change. The sparks between them are undeniable as their relationship blossoms in high school, survives the college years, and matures into adulthood. A deeply moving work that bears witness to loving partners, whose unchanging feelings must co-exist within a world of changing realities.

My Personal Thoughts: I already wrote a review for this so I am going to re-share some of those thoughts here. This is one that I have watched countless times already. They went by the manga for mostly all of the episodes and I appreciated seeing that. They gave more context for certain details that may have been lost while reading the manga and translated it to screen. I think they depicted the age gaps well too. For 4 episodes only, I feel that they did a great job including the most important aspects. Actually now that I think of it, I would have loved to see more of them in their early 20s depicted on screen because that was like one of there honeymoon phases and I’m a hopeless romantic lol but that’s just a personal preference not complaining. Also, the show stopped at age 40 and they could have gone on throughout there entire lives but I understand why they chose not too. The manga is great as well!!! I think that the main actors depicted beautiful true love very well. They had amazing chemistry. Japanese BL’s have that special spark about them that I love. I also loved that it showed there relationship from high school till there later years. I don’t see that a lot with BL’s. They usually just stick to one time period. The aspect about them being connected by a line in relation to there love was a nice touch as well. I am glad that it has a happy ending as well. This is a pretty quick one to watch and a great one at that!!! If you haven’t watched it yet, I would highly recommend it!!!

I Told Sunset About You 

Synopsis According to MyDramaList: Teh and Oh-aew were best friends until a boyhood line of reasoning turned them into rivals. Years later as they're preparing for university admissions, both pursuing interests in the field of Communication Arts, the two meet in a Chinese language class. Their reunion awakens complicated and unstable feelings.

My Personal Thoughts: Same as above, I already wrote a review for this so I am going to re-share some of those thoughts here. This is DEFINITELY one of my top BL shows of the year 2020. This is such a beautiful masterpiece of a show!!! I remember when the preview trailer first came out… I was already hooked!!! I was on the lookout for it and it did not disappoint me one bit when it finally started. I looked forward to seeing it every week. It made me feel all of the emotions. I was up here sitting in my room crying over everything. I don’t think any other BL has made me this emotional before in my life. The two lead actors really DELIVERED!!! I could feel every single stare, every single body movement, and every single touch. You could cut the TENSION with a knife!!! No one couldn’t tell me that there wasn’t a magnetic true love between these two. I know this sounds cliche but it's like they were destined to be together from when they were childhood friends. Also, I would love to see them in future projects!!! The cinematography in this show is TOP FREAKIN NOTCH!!! Every single scene is just so beautifully shot. The cinematography alone makes me want to cry lol I saw somewhere that someone said the filming of the show reminded them of an indie film and I totally agree!!! The writing and directing on this show was impeccable to me!!! No cringy dialogue and every single line served its purpose well. This is movie grade writing. I also wanted to quickly just say that I loved the attention and callback to details throughout like with the tutoring book that Teh made for Oh-aew that was left empty by the end of episode 4, the flower that was supposed to be colored the same as Tan’s garment but Teh colored it red because he was thinking of Oh-aew, the rubbing of Oh-aew’s back when he sniffles, the references to Teh’s favorite actor, and the use of Chinese phrases to get meaning across. I could go on and on but wow I just loved how they really connected all of the details throughout. I can’t wait for Season 2!!!

Theory of Love

Synopsis According to MyDramaList: Third is a filmology major and a member of the Savage Team along with his best friends Two, Bone, and Khai, but he has a secret. Third has been secretly in love with Khai for years. For three years, he has kept his secret love in his heart, silently supporting and loving Khai while knowing there is absolutely no future between them since Khai is as straight as a streetlight pole and also an absolute player. To make matters worse, Khai has a "no dating friends" policy. How long can Third love Khai silently while watching Khai bring a different girl home every night? Third has tried to see Khai as just a friend. But has failed time and time again. Because as easy as it is to fall in love, to stop is just as hard.  Maybe even harder. That is until Third learns a secret that breaks his heart completely. But when Third decides to stop, Khai decides to start.

My Personal Thoughts: As sad as this show can make me feel at times, I love rewatching it. I still to this day think that it is one of the most well written BL’s that I have seen. Everything flows nicely and everything connects. Your not left wondering how you got from point A to point B. I thought the show had great character development especially when it came to Khai’s character towards the end of series. I know a lot of people had mixed feelings about his character due to how careless and dare I say stupid he acted at times but if he can make the audience hate him that much as a character... I would say he is doing something right!!! Gun’s acting never fails to amaze me!!! He really is one of the best actors I have seen. I know he had to be drained from all of that crying that he did throughout the show though lol It just goes to show that when you truly love someone you can’t just stop what you are feeling inside that easily no matter how the other person feels about you or treats you. As the old saying goes, love is blind. I also loved the friend group as well and Two and Bones side stories with the teacher and crush from school. They added to the shows greatness and didn’t take away from it. The friendship dynamics throughout the show was I feel something that really kept me engaged. The cast acted well together. There was no awkwardness or hesitation. I feel everyone bought there best for this drama. They incorporated the movie references so cleverly and I love how the title of each episode was the title of a real romance film. Just the overall theme of film was very intriguing to me. This drama left me filled with heartache and a rollercoaster of emotions but the ending is worth it!!!

HIStory3: Make Our Days Count

Synopsis According to MyDramaList: At first glance, high schoolers Xiang Hao Ting and Yu Xi Gu appear to be polar opposites: While Xiang Hao Ting is an outgoing, hot-headed extravert and some-time bully, Yu Xi Gu prefers to keep a low profile and focus on his schoolwork. They seem bound for totally different futures – the bookish Yu Xi Gu looks destined for academic success, while life is just a long popularity contest for Xiang Hao Ting. But a quirk of fate – and a crucial intervention by a female schoolmate – results in the two young men’s paths crossing. But there is more to both young men than first meets the eye. Xiang Hao Ting was not always this way. He started out as a perfect student until he discovered the joys of going off the rails. And Yu Xi Gu has a reason for being so aloof and studious: His parents died in a traffic accident while he was younger, and he is being fostered by his aunt. As such, he works hard to get good grades in an effort to win a scholarship and ease the financial burden on his relatives. Yu Xi Gu also works part-time at a convenience store, where his manager Liu Zhi Gang has developed a crush on a man he has met at the gym. Back at school, meanwhile, Yu Xi Gu and Xiang Hao Ting find themselves drawn together, and passions ignite. The former notices that he has the unique ability to bring Yu Xi Gu out of his shell – and becomes intent on melting his cold-as-ice exterior. What will happen when their two worlds collide? And can love be the catalyst that helps bring these two unlikely students together – as their high school days draw to a close?

My Personal Thoughts: I will stand by this notion for all of my days but this show is one of the best shows I have seen PERIOD!!! Not even best BL shows I have seen but just in general. It highkey saddens me that it is rated at an 8.1 right now on MyDramaList due to how it ended when other than that... it’s a top notch show. This was one that I watched as it was airing and I would get excited to see it every week. My clown self should have known by the title “Make Our Days Count” that some mess was about to occur but I didn’t pick up on it. Now, I just disregard the last episode (WE DON’T KNOW HER!!!). You can just tell that they had a great budget for this series. The production was on point. It had great cinematography, great storylines, and it felt realistic too. The main couples acting was OFF THE CHARTS AMAZING. I loved the whole opposites attract thing going on. Although the show was set in high school... it almost didn’t feel like it nor did it have those typical clichés going on. I liked how it dealt with topic of LGBTQ+ acceptance as well. I wasn’t so sure about the side couples relationship at first but I grew to love them as time went on. One last thing I wanted to point out was that even though I am always looking for a happy ending... I learned from this show that not everyone can get a happy ending. That’s not how life works sadly. In real life, there have been a lot of people who were truly in love and lost there partners tragically. Although it may be hard to accept the outcome, it is something that happens in real life. This is a drama that you appreciate even more as time goes on. It truly is a gem of a series!!!

TharnType

Synopsis According to MyDramaList: Type Thiwat is a handsome freshman with a passion for football and spicy food. Although he’s a friendly boy, he hates gay people because, in his childhood, he was molested by a man. His life turns upside down when the new academic year of college brings along a charismatic roommate, Tharn Kirigun. Tharn is a gorgeous, compassionate music major, who is also openly gay. When Type learns this, he is determined to make Tharn leave the dorm, as he won't live with a gay person. Tharn is equally determined not to give into Type's homophobic tantrums. With a gay guy and a homophobic guy that have to share a small space together for the rest of the year — what can possibly be the outcome of their story? Hatred? Or maybe love?

My Personal Thoughts: *Goes to hide in a corner* I know this drama is problematic and controversial as hell but it’s like a train wreck that you can’t turn  away from. What truly carries the show I feel is the chemistry between MewGulf. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the series as much if other actors were cast in those roles. They just exude confidence, passion, love, and lust. In terms of the storyline, I found it to be a chaotic occurrence of situations where I just had to know what was going to go on next. Everything that occurred had me intrigued for the next episode and so on and so forth. I loved Type’s character development. One quick thing I want to touch on was I know there were a lot of problematic things that happened which I will touch on at a later date but one thing I wish people were more understanding of was Type’s outbursts, thoughts, and feelings in certain situations. He was a victim of sexual assault so I felt the way he handled certain things was in response to what he had gone through as child and I think some viewers kind of missed that and were almost too harsh on him. Everyone processes and deals with trauma differently. This show went through so many twists and turns and I honestly lived for it especially the shocker towards the end of the series. I didn’t see that one coming at all!!! Despite all of its flaws, this show still holds a special place in my heart.

Honorable Mention:

Cherry Magic: As of today, this show has 4 episodes left and I think I am just going to come out and say that THIS IS MY FAVORITE BL OF THE YEAR!!! It’s a beautiful Japanese BL and I rewatch the old episodes while I wait for new ones to come out alot. It’s such a fluffy, heartwarming, and precious Bl series!!! I love it to pieces!!!

[lavenderdaisyhoney]

Hello everyone! My name is Hana and I’ve been watching kdramas for…many years lmao. Due to covid, I’ve had more time to watch some of the newer ones and wow. I was blown away. Anyways, here is the list for some of the memorable ones I’ve seen between 2020-2021. If you end up watching any of these or have already seen them, please lmk. I could discuss them all day!!!

Vincenzo - 2021

A Korean-Italian mafia lawyer heads back to Korea to serve justice in his own way.

Thoughts: Watch this. Drop everything and watch this. I’m not exaggerating when I say I was on the edge of my seat every episode. It’s so refreshing to watch a show where the protagonist isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty to serve justice 100/10

World of the Married - 2020

A woman is given the shock of her life when she finds out her husband and friends have been deceiving her.

Thoughts: This story been overdone but it was still enjoyable to watch. So many characters made my stress level insane but that only means they did a good job portraying them, right? If you like angst, cheating etc then this is the drama for you! 7/10

Silent Sea - 2021

A 24 hour mission to an abandoned base on the moon, what could go wrong?

Thoughts: Oh. My. God. You must watch this. I ain’t even giving you the option not to. It’s insanely good and I was left shocked after each episode. The ending though 😭 you’ve been warned. 100/10

My Name - 2021

After the loss of her father, a woman is driven by revenge to find the person responsible

Thoughts: We love a badass female lead, don’t we? This satisfied my love for the revenge trope and left me wanting more. Was kinda sad though so prepare yourself. 9/10

Devil Judge - 2021

Dystopian South Korea where a live court show is aired for the citizens to watch and participate, hosted by a heartless judge

Thoughts: Okay so this judge had me questioning him from the START. I was like ain’t no way he’s a judge. Turns out every thing he did had a really good reason behind it. It’s nice to see justice ACTUALLY being served. 9/10

Squid Game - 2021

Many contestants compete in a series of children’s games to win a huge prize but they should’ve read the fine print…

Thoughts: This just made me paranoid in reading contracts ALSO it really showcased the greed of humanity and how far humans really will go for money. I enjoyed it but I definitely feel it might’ve been overhyped just a bit. 7/10

Itaewon Class - 2020

A wrongly convicted ex-con fights to make his dream of a street bar a reality

Thoughts: Ugh the way my heart broke for the main boy. He really went through it so that’s why it was so satisfying to watch, seeing him grow into a man and try to make his dream come true. 9/10

The King: Eternal Monarch - 2020

An emperor fights to close the doors to a parallel universe but he unexpectedly falls in love with a detective.

Thoughts: A fantasy romance with crime? Sign me up. I loved this. I’m a fan of Lee Min Ho so my eyeballs were happy to see him on my screen. It was kinda sad though so prepare the tissues. 8/10

Crash Landing On You - 2019

Paragliding gone wrong lands a South Korean heiress in North Korea, running into an officer that helps her back home.

Thoughts: Okay, this made me laugh and cry and then laugh and cry. No in between. Also made me angry. It was nice to see Hyun Bin in a drama again. I’ve loved him ever since Secret Garden. 8/10

It’s Okay Not To Be Okay -2020

A book author that is anti social and an employee in a psychiatric hospital fall in love during their journey of healing

Thoughts: y’all are not ready for the PLOT TWIST. I promise you’re not. It had my jaw on the FLOOR. Also the characters were refreshing. 8/10

Kairos - 2020

A fantasy thriller about time travel and crime solving. Two people connected by a phone for mere minutes a day.

Thoughts: If you haven’t figured it out by now, I really like crime dramas. It’s just so interesting to me and I always end up learning lots but also add in time travel? We stan. The way they solved crimes was so unique because the past, present, and future were tied together and it made me shake with anticipation. 7/10

[tcstu]

Ekphrastic Fiction Contest Winner (January 2021)

This month’s piece, created by @hydraart​ generated some incredible stories. I chose this work of art believing there were numerous stories buried within it, and I was not disappointed. Each entry took a completely different perspective on what is happening this scene. In addition to reading the winning piece below, I hope you’ll look for my Honorable Mentions post later today to see some of the other interpretations that gave this story competition for the win.

The winner for this month’s contest is...Maree Brittenford @mareebrittenford​! Congratulations! If you like the story below, you may also want to check out the three books this author has published, which you can find by clicking here.

As a reminder, I celebrated the new year by featuring one of my favorite artists, @hydraart​. If you’ve been following this contest, you may remember that this artist was also featured in January of 2019 and 2020. This seems to now be a New Year’s tradition, and I am happy to be able to continue it this year. If you would like to see the pieces previously featured by this artist, you can view them here:

January 2020

May 2019

January 2019

The piece for this month was titled, “Hide and Seek.” Here it is with the winning story below:

It was a soggy, sullen sort of war. Fought over a piece of land that neither side actually wanted.

If their leaders were in a saner place then the grim swampy valley could’ve been deemed no man’s land, and left as a natural barrier between the two nations.

Instead they pushed and pulled at each other and when they gained a little ground they tried to build fortifications on the slightly firmer islands that rose a few inches above the water.

Ethel was no patriot. She didn’t see the point of wasting so many lives over such a place. All she wanted was to live a quiet life, but she was forced into the conflict, just like so many others.

Search and Rescue was what she was supposed to be doing. But it was a joke. She searched, but there was no rescue. The ones she carried back were either thrown back into the conflict or executed, depending on the colors they wore. The ones who were injured were supposed to get some kind of treatment. Mostly they just died.

The wind currents were brutal as she walked into the narrow pass between the mountains. It was part of what made the valley so unusual. Of course if a bird gained enough height they could fly across, but to get access to the valley one had to walk through the pass. It was too dangerous otherwise.

She was soon able to take flight over the mist that swooped and swirled through the valley, as if the spirits of all those killed were lingering.

She had to angle down low to even see anything through the mist, cutting dangerously close to the ground, and dodging the few spindly trees that suddenly appeared out of the mist ready to cut her down.

A movement caught her eye and she banked to investigate. Ethel’s landing on the spongey ground was silent, as silent as her wing strokes.

It wasn’t a bird, it was one of the little creatures. It cowered in the ruins of an old fort. The valley was infested with them, and most of the larger birds of prey considered them convenient snacks, but something about the way they acted troubled Ethel. She didn’t like food that looked at her with so much intelligence in it’s eyes. So she pretended not to see it and took flight again.

Perhaps some day, when the endless war was over the little creatures might make something of themselves, down there in the valley.

Someone deserved to.

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December Contest Submission #11: Cinnamon

words: ca. 4500 setting: mAU lemon: no cw: angst, anxiety, panic attacks, pajama cuddles (not for faint of heart), feet touch (in a gay manner)

A shiver ran down Anna’s spine as she quickly skipped across the hallway, her fuzzy socks slipping on the polished wood like skates on ice. Her head had two close encounters with the wall by the time she reached the destination–Elsa’s bedroom.

It was dark as hell in the hallway, so she could easily see the light seeping out from under the door. With no time to waste for knocking and waiting for an answer–and silently hoping Elsa was just reading or playing with her phone, and not doing something private that she should not see–she turned the doorknob and almost fell into the room.

“Anna?”

She shut the door behind herself and turned around to look at Elsa, who was, indeed, sitting on the bed with an open book in her lap, her brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and worry as she stared back at Anna over her reading glasses.

Without saying anything, she trotted over the floor, slowing down a little only once she reached Elsa’s fluffy rug until she almost flinged herself on her sister’s bed.

“Are you cold?”

Anna huffed irritatedly. “How’d you tell?”

Elsa reached to take off her glasses. “For one, you’re shivering and you have goosebumps on your arms,” she said, touching the tip of her–cold! Anna almost jumped–finger to Anna’s exposed elbow while she put her glasses away on the nightstand. “Two, you came in running here like a startled horse, and you had that little grumpy little baby expression.”

Anna pouted.

“Exactly this one.”

“Stooop,” she whined. Then she quickly swatted at Elsa’s hand as it was making its way to tickle her side. “Elsa! It’s not funny!”

Elsa giggled. “I’m sorry.” There was no hint of remorse in her voice. “I just thought that maybe a bit of physical activity could help warm you up.”

“More like physical torture,” Anna muttered, pulling her feet up to fold her legs on the bed. “Anyway, yes. I’m cold. I’m freezing, honestly.” She sighed. “It feels like maybe fifty degrees in my room, and the rest of the house is barely any better.”

It’s been a few months since they moved in together (after years of living apart, the pandemic of 2020 forced them to re-think the whole ‘independent living alone’ situation) to this lovely apartment in an old building, allegedly built in the early 1800s, a parting gift to them both from their late grandmother. The entire move took place at the beginning of August, when the Summer was still happily around, but not as hot as to make enough of an impact for either Elsa or Anna to notice anything odd–and with the following Autumn being very mild, it still never hit them something was very wrong until after the middle point of November.

Anna had been the first to notice. She’d been sitting in the kitchen pretty late at night, working on a very overwhelming project that made her completely lose track of time and space for a good few hours. Had it not been for the little burst of chilly wind on her neck, she’d probably have spent the entire night up.

Yes. Wind. Cold, frigid gust of wind through the soft hairs at the nape of her neck while she was sitting inside. At first, she’d thought it was a ghost–which she now could admit was maybe not the best assumption, but to her defense she and Elsa did spend the previous two weeks or so watching horror movies every evening.

So, naturally, she’d screamed in horror and ran out of the kitchen, zooming across the hallway to her room, where she’d hid under her covers for about two minutes before a very sleepy and confused Elsa appeared in her doorway.

They’d established it could not be a ghost–it took some time to convince Anna, though–and instead probably just a random little crack in some window frame that let in the cold air from the outside.

The random little crack seemed to be untraceable, though, and soon it had become very painfully clear they were instead dealing with isolation issues all over the place.

“Did you get an extra blanket?” Elsa asked, looking at her with that worry back in her eyes.

“I got three.”

“And you’re still cold?”

“Elsa,” she said–softly, lovingly, but with all the desperation of her aching bones, while she looked her sister deep in the eyes. “I’m not joking. It’s literally freezing in my room, and it’s only marginally better here and I have no freaking idea how you’re just sitting there like this.”

In an attempt to keep warm, Anna took to sleeping in a pair of those long, warm sweatpants and a hoodie, even though she hated the way they kept tangling in her three blankets to the point of her always ending up sleeping in some weird position for the entire night.

Meanwhile, Elsa was reclining against her pillows in nothing but a spaghetti strap silk nightgown.

“It doesn’t really bother me that much,” Elsa answered simply, shrugging with those bare, exposed shoulders. “I actually think the cold helps me sleep better.”

It took every ounce of willpower still left in her for Anna not to burst out laughing/crying at the same time.

Instead, she donned her best kicked puppy expression.

Elsa’s soft, vaguely worried expression turned to outright concern. “Is something wrong?”

“Can I sleep with you tonight?”

“Wha– yes?” It sounded less like Elsa agreeing, and more like her just wondering if that was even an option. “I mean– Yeah, you can. Will that help?”

Anna shrugged. “I felt a chilly breeze right on my head when I laid down in my bed tonight so I’m literally fresh out of other options. And it is a little warmer in your bedroom.”

Elsa nodded, then closed her book and put it next to her glasses, before patting the unoccupied side of her giant bed. “There’s plenty of room, so you can hop– actually, you probably want to grab some of your blankets. I only have this one.”

She held up her not exactly thick cover, as if to prove that it was of no use. With a deep, world-weary sigh Anna stood up and went straight for the door.

~*~*~

Less than two minutes passed before she barged back in with all of her necessities bundled up in her arms, then promptly went around Elsa’s bed to drop the heap on ‘her’ side.

“Really?” Elsa asked in an incredulous voice while Anna watched her pick up a plush seal from the pile. “You’re twenty-six.”

“And you’re judgmental,” Anna hissed back at her, snatching the toy away to put it next to her pillow. “It’s an anxiety thing.”

“It’s alright, Anna.” Elsa smiled. “I didn’t want to offend you. I’m sorry.”

Anna just huffed–too cold and tired to even think of a response–and laid out her blankets, then promptly jumped in the bed and burrowed. She let out a low, content grumble and heard Elsa laugh softly in response.

A faint scent of cinnamon tickled her nose.

It was… surprising how open Elsa could be, sometimes. She thought back to the tickle attempt earlier–which she was too grumpy to appreciate at the moment, but could now think over with a clearer (warmer) head.

When she’d first come to the conclusion that she’d have to move in with Elsa, mostly due to financial problems tied to the world pandemic, she was mortified. The last time she’d lived with her was when they were both still in high school, and after Elsa’s graduation they didn’t exactly keep in touch all that often during college or afterwards. Honestly, moving in with her sister was almost like a random lottery roommate–completely unpredictable and potentially devastating.

But Elsa was a blessing. Even though they were forced to spend almost all their time together, it almost never felt like they were in each other’s way–and when it did, it was usually Anna’s own fault. Elsa worked quietly, cleaned up after herself, took care of bills and utilities and even cooked for both of them, none of which Anna herself was exactly known for. Perfect roommate, and it turned out it was Anna who had something to live up to.

And of course now she had to breach another layer of intimacy because of the damned cold house.

“Here, you forgot about this guy,” she heard a soft whisper right after Elsa turned off her light, and peaked out from under her cover to see Elsa holding her seal out to her. She took it slowly, and briefly wondered if Elsa thought she was a nuisance and was just very good at not showing it. “Are you a little warmer now?”

She spoke to her like to a small child, and that pretty much answered Anna’s self-conscious question.

~*~*~

The next night, she tried sleeping in her own room, too ashamed to bother Elsa again. She woke up with a dull ache in her joints and blocked sinuses, courtesy of the damn little constant breeze blowing onto her head and shoulders.

Elsa would send her worried looks the entire day, sometimes asking her if there was anything she could do for her, offering tea, painkillers and even drawing her a hot bath to ease the pain. Really, she was too good to be true sometimes, definitely not the girl who left her at their parents’ place all those years ago without much of an explanation.

She’d refuse everything–aside from the bath–of course, at times resorting to say she’s ‘an adult’ and ‘can take care of herself.’

~*~*~

She lasted a week before she just couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Ah, I was thinking about you.”

Elsa was sitting in her bed reading a book, again, but this time she seemed to be prepared for Anna–the other side of her bed was left empty, clearly meant for her to put all her stuff in.

All the better, since Anna literally came with her entire sleeping equipment in her arms.

“How’d you know?”

Elsa smiled. “The forecast said it was going to be three degrees out tonight. I figured you won’t be able to just stubborn your way through that.”

Anna gasped in mock–okay, not exactly fully mock–offence. She walked over to the empty side of the bed and dropped everything to start crafting her nest.

Elsa watched her carefully, almost to the point of discomfort on Anna’s side, but she didn’t comment anything. Again, she picked up her seal and held it while Anna tried her damnedest to straighten out her pile of blankets.

As soon as she managed that, she jumped in the bed so hard she almost knocked the book out of Elsa’s lap.

“Here.” Elsa placed the seal–Anna really should give it some name–in her arms and went back to her book.

For a moment they were silent, Elsa reading and Anna just lying there, enjoying the warmth and cursing under her breath. Somehow, one of her legs was already tangled in the sheets. Her favorite t-shirt and shorts combo wasn’t exactly the best for this kind of weather, but sleeping in sweatpants and a hoodie was a logistical nightmare to someone who moved around as much as she did.

“It’s going to be about three degrees for a few days now, and then it’s only dipping lower,” Elsa said suddenly just when Anna’s eyelids started to drop and she was slowly lulling herself to sleep. “We really need to fix the windows in your room, you can’t just walk around the entire day like a zombie,” she continued with a sigh, and Anna felt a wave of fresh embarrassment wash over her. “Say, why don’t you just keep sleeping in my room until we can get it done?”

The wave turned into a tsunami as she nodded.

~*~*~

They managed to get a hold of a repairman that had some free slots for the next month. Their neighborhood was full of very old buildings, and it really was showing by how sought out good repairmen were.

So, the next few days were a torture. Her room was sealed shut, but the entire apartment got so cold over time that even Elsa would sometimes shiver hard in the night, something that would wake Anna up with a start. Half-asleep but concerned, she’d pull the covers up to Elsa’s shoulders, only to have to wake up and repeat it after a few hours.

She was lying now next to Elsa in the dark, trying not to make too much ruckus as she tried to rub her feet together without waking her sister up.

“Anna,” her voice was muffled by her covers, but Anna could clearly hear the annoyance. Normally, Elsa would try to keep most negative emotions out of her voice when she talked to her–something she noticed she very much did not do when talking with people in her Zoom meetings–but at about 2 a.m. she apparently couldn’t fight it anymore. “What are you doing?”

She asked the question in a softer voice, but there was still no mistaking how miffed she was at being woken up.

“I’m just…” she trailed off, not even sure if Elsa actually wanted to hear an explanation or just wanted her to stop, but after just a few seconds of her hesitation Elsa hummed expectantly for her to keep going. “My feet are super cold…”

Oh, that came out as a very pathetic whine. Not part of the plan.

Elsa sighed, then shuffled–she’d been facing the door with her back towards Anna, but now she turned to lie on her back, her bare shoulder almost brushing against Anna’s nose. She smelled really nice, a very festive mixture of cinnamon–her usual shower gel–and apple–her new shampoo–that somehow already made Anna feel warmer. She kept shuffling under the covers until suddenly Anna almost jumped when she felt Elsa’s fingertips on her hand.

“Come here,” Elsa whispered, retreating her arm and patting the bed somewhere next to her. “Under my cover. I’ll keep you warm.”

In the cold night air Anna’s face felt steaming.

“A-are you sure?”

Elsa nodded and turned back around, leaving the passage for Anna to slip her legs in until her feet touched Elsa’s calves. She heard a surprised inhale, and against reason Elsa shifted closer to her.

“Why did you take off your socks?” She said it over a yawn, and Anna felt really bad for keeping her up again. “Your feet are freezing.”

“I can’t sleep in socks.”

It was enough to try and sleep in pants. With socks, she only felt like she was capturing the cold next to her feet.

Elsa chuckled, and rubbed one of her own bare feet on Anna’s.

~*~*~

“What’s this?”

Anna looked curiously at the giant box in the hall. It was delivered while Elsa was taking a shower, and Anna’s been waiting for her to finish almost buzzing in her seat with the need to know.

“Oh, I didn’t think they’d deliver it so fast.” Elsa was still drying her hair with a towel, dressed only in a thin tank top and sweats while Anna sat there in a giant plush robe wondering how in hell was her sister not just a giant cinnamon-scented icicle. “It’s a space heater.”

Anna’s eyes lit up.

“I figured you might use one in your room.”

“Oh.” That instantly dampened her enthusiasm, though. Over the past days she’d really grown accustomed to sleeping with Elsa–she was surprisingly warm once she started dozing off, and with every night Anna would snake her way a little closer. First it was just her feet leeching Elsa’s heat, then her legs, and when Elsa didn’t seem to mind she actually migrated almost entirely under her cover. Last night she was even able to finally sleep in a t-shirt and underwear, as god intended. “You want me to sleep in my room tonight?”

She didn’t actually mean to say that, especially not in this broken of a voice, but it was out before she could bite her tongue. Elsa’s eyes grew wider and Anna prepared for impact.

“Jesus, no!” Elsa looked like she’d just said the stupidest possible thing. “I meant that for sometime in the future when we fix your window. It’s minus four tonight, we might actually need to use this thing in my room first.”

Anna could only hope her face didn’t show how elated she was.

~*~*~

She came to Elsa’s room that night to find the bed set neatly–Elsa could really be a little of a pedantic freak sometimes, who the hell sets their bed every night–and Elsa standing in front of her TV, shuffling through videos on YouTube.

“Hey,” Anna said quietly, sitting down on Elsa’s side of bed with folded legs. Elsa murmured a greeting back. “What are you doing?”

The frustrated shuffling stopped for a moment. “I’m trying to find a– oh, this one looks nice! Turn off the light, please.”

Anna looked at her in confusion, but she reached over to the bedside lamp and tapped it gently. For a moment they sat in the dark as the video Elsa chose buffered, but then a warm, orange glow filled the room.

“A fireplace?”

The fire crackled happily on the screen. “Yeah, I thought it might be a nice ambience for sleeping,” Elsa chirped, which was very unlike her, while she bent down and– Anna had to turn her gaze away. Looking at her sister’s lace underwear was probably more than she could handle at the moment. “Especially combined with this.”

A soft hum followed right after and the ever-present, soft scent of cinnamon intensified–then Elsa moved out of the way and a wave of warm air hit Anna straight in the face. Elsa had to literally haul the heater into the room on her own while Anna was bathing.

“It does fit nice,” she admitted, looking into the flames and enjoying the warmth. “Almost like a real fireplace.”

Elsa climbed on the foot of the bed and crawled over to her on all fours, and suddenly there was more heat on Anna’s face and her mouth was dry. “You used to say you wanted a fireplace when we were kids,” Elsa said, shimmying on the bed until she was sitting next to her. “You had to be…five or six, and you’d keep saying you wanted to live in a cottage so that you could have a nice fire going every night and sit there with a cat in your lap, quote unquote like a witch.”

Anna laughed nervously and moved out of the way to let Elsa under her cover.

“And this is obviously nowhere near a real fireplace, but…”

She locked eyes with Elsa, and the orange glow of the TV made her irises look a fiery, sparkling purple. They were only a few inches apart, so close she could actually feel Elsa’s soft exhale blow over her own nose. Anna’s heart beat fast in her chest, fueled by some very odd and unwelcome emotions. “T-thank you,” she managed out through a clenched throat. Elsa really tried. She really, really tried, not only tonight but all the days before, pushing her own boundaries to accommodate Anna in her bed and it finally hit Anna just how much she had to love her.

And in this same, orange-glow filled, cinnamon-scented moment it also hit her how much she loved Elsa.

“Are you alright?”

Elsa’s face was concerned. Worried. Let down? Shit, she thought Anna didn’t like it.

“Y-yeah, I’m just– I’m super tired. I love this all, Elsa, thank you,” she repeated again just to make sure there was no mistaking how grateful she was for Elsa’s thoughtfulness, and something sank in her stomach at the sight of Elsa’s absolutely delighted smile. “Can we sleep?”

Elsa nodded and moved the covers away.

If not for the orange light, she would probably get worried again at Anna going absolutely white at the sight of her blankets spread nicely under Elsa’s cover.

“I figured this would be easier,” she said as she slid under and patted the space next to her. “You roll up into this tight ball every night before you fall asleep and then crawl under my cover anyway, so I figured this way you’ll be warmer.”

Anna gulped down the stone in her throat. “Y-yeah, sure.”

“We can even cuddle if you get cold. There’s supposed to be a blizzard tonight, so lots of wind.”

As if on cue a strong gust of wind rattled Elsa’s window and managed to get partially through, right onto Anna’s back. The surprised yelp and violent shiver at least let her hide how absolutely mortified she was with the idea of soft cuddles under the blankets with the fireplace glow.

Elsa pretty much pulled her under the blankets after that, and even tucked her in lovingly before lying down next to her–facing her, lord have mercy–and letting out a tired sigh.

“Goodnight,” she whispered, reaching out blindly to touch Anna’s cheek.

That one soft gesture sent a jolt down Anna’s spine. “Goodnight,” she answered, and she hoped that Elsa would pin the shaking in her voice on the cold gust of wind. Had she always felt like this? There had been a time in her life that Elsa was everything to her, but it was more like…younger sibling idolizing the older. Elsa had been her role model and her best friend, but after her high school graduation she just– Stopped. She wasn’t there anymore, busy with college, then busy with post-grad, then busy with work with no time to ever even visit. It seemed the only Anna ever heard from her was postcards and short birthday phone calls.

In that time she made herself at least pretend to resent Elsa for leaving her behind. She could never actually hate her, but the anger she felt was raw and it was at least better than grief.

But this Elsa– the Elsa that moved in with her, she was the same but she was different. The last time she actually saw her, she was a shy teenager with huge glasses and nerdy sweatshirts, always in a messy braid. When she saw the absolute glow-up Elsa went through, how beautifuller with emphasis on fuller she was, she did have to take a moment to collect herself.

Did she feel like– like this then, though? She was shocked, yes, but was she–

She looked up at Elsa’s calm, gorgeous face.

Was she–

This absolutely wonderful, sweet woman who literally had to take care of her because she was a fucking child that couldn’t even make sure to eat properly. The woman who would wake up half an hour early just to make her some chocolate chip or blueberry–or both because Anna was a mess–pancakes just because she knew it would make her happy. Who would randomly come up behind her and stroke her hair when she saw something was making her stressed, and it was the best way to calm her down.

Was she– Could she–

All of these little acts of affection that Elsa thought were innocent– that were innocent on her side and Anna has apparently been corrupting them in her depraved mind this entire time.

Was she in lo–

“Anna, what’s wrong?”

She opened her eyes to see Elsa look down at her with actual fear in her eyes and she realized she was shaking violently in her spot with no idea how much time had passed while she was spiraling. Her muscles were flexed and aching, jaw clenched so hard there was ringing in her ears. She was coiled in on herself like a tight spring.

“O–” she started, but her tongue felt like lead. “O-Olaf?”

Fear mixed with confusion. Then, suddenly, it changed to understanding. “Your seal?” Anna nodded. “It’s right here.”

She reached above Anna’s pillow and pulled Olaf out from where he was wedged, then softly placed him in Anna’s waiting hands. She immediately gripped him hard and curled up on her side, eyes tightly shut for fear of seeing her sister’s face.

“It’s okay,” Elsa’s whisper was breezing through her hair. “It’s fine, babygirl, I got you– d-do you want me to hug you?”

No, please, don’t. She nodded. I’m disgusting. Elsa enveloped her immediately, surprisingly strong as she pulled her closer to her chest. I don’t deserve to touch you. She burrowed her nose between Elsa’s breasts and inhaled.

Cinnamon.

She had no idea how long Elsa held her like this, her hand gently caressing up and down Anna’s bare arm, legs intertwined with Anna’s. She was planting soft kisses to the crown of Anna’s head. “It’s okay, baby, it’s alright,” she kept murmuring in between the kisses like a mantra, and with time it wasn’t even the words Anna was listening but just her voice, her breathing, the rhythm of her heart.

Her own was still racing when she spoke. “I’m s-s-sorry.” The words, already stuttered and slurred, came muffled out against the bare skin of Elsa’s chest.

“No, don’t be,” Elsa whispered hurriedly, not making a single move to pry her away. Even though she should. Anna should not be allowed to be anywhere near– there. “It’s my fault, sweetheart.”

What?

“I– I got overexcited and did things too fast,” she continued and if it wasn’t so hard for her to speak now, Anna would have shouted in disagreement. “I wanted to make things nice for you. I thought it would be– and then I saw how overwhelmed you were and I knew I messed up, and I– shit, I should have thought to give you Olaf earlier.”

Elsa remembered her plushie’s name.

“Do you want a tissue?” At first she didn’t understand the question, but then she realized she was crying. Heavily. Elsa’s chest was soaked.

She pulled away to try to answer–

Fuck, Elsa was gorgeous.

The glow dimmed considerably by now, but she could still make every detail of her face. Her big, round eyes. Her parted lips. The way she was looking at her with worry, but also pure adoration.

Anna wasn’t exactly thinking straight. She was very far from any remotely intelligent thought, her senses overwhelmed by cinammon. At a complete loss of the ability to speak with so many things to say.

What she couldn’t say in words in her state, she instead said with her lips on Elsa’s.

In the next second it dawned on her, and she immediately wanted to pull away and apologize, but Elsa held her in place with her hand on Anna’s stupid head.

They didn’t make out wildly like they do in the movies. It was a soft, tender and slow kiss. “It’s okay,” Elsa whispered against her lips in a few minutes. “It’s okay, baby.” She locked their lips again, a little firmer. “I understand.”

Four and a half thousand words all died on Anna’s lips, brushed off with Elsa’s tongue.

It was the explanation. It worked, for now at least, as she lay cradled in her sister’s arms, trading feathery kisses in the orange glow of their fake fireplace. In time, Elsa’s hand moved from her head to rest around her waist, keeping her warm and secure in place as she promised her we’ll talk tomorrow and it’s alright now, love.

And a tiny voice in her head, so small she could barely hear it through the shouts of self-hate, said that maybe.

That maybe it was going to be alright.

[joannerowlingfans]

Great article from June by Eileen Blair. Here’s some excerpts: 

“The Bodily Function Which Must Not Be Named

Daniel Radcliffe knows some things about menstruation. Recently he wrote a statement assuring us that the correct word for those who experience periods is not “women” or “girls,” but “people who menstruate.” However, when he told us this, he didn’t actually tell us this. He never used the word “menstruation,” or “period,” or “blood,” or any related word. There was no mention of clots, or cramps, or dysmenorrhea, or endometriosis. He did not name the “people who” experience these things.

Instead, Radcliffe did name author J.K. Rowling, who recently came under fire for stating the controversial opinion that the word “woman” is still of use, and that this now-contested term may even provide a more appealing way to describe human beings than “people who menstruate,” or the more streamlined “menstruator.” But while Radcliffe invoked Rowling’s name, he did not acknowledge her ideas, which she has expressed publicly in a number of tweets and in a recent essay. Instead, he opened his statement by simply insisting that there is no “in-fighting” between him and Rowling, without mentioning why anyone might think there is. He anticipated that “certain press outlets” might seize on the opportunity to report on a conflict between Radcliffe and Rowling, which they promptly did. The Guardian, the Independent, and the Times all referred to a “row” between Rowling and Radcliffe.

On social media, many enthusiastically shared Radcliffe’s statement, but I have yet to see any of Radcliffe’s fans mention that he both failed to identify the topic at hand and neglected to consider Rowling’s ideas about it. In 2020, it seems, if someone mentions Rowling, however obliquely, and with even the slightest hint that they disapprove of her for some reason they need not even state, they can count on being showered with unreserved praise.

The Menstruators Who Must Not Be Named

There is more that is not mentioned. The third sentence of Radcliffe’s statement asserts, “Transgender women are women.” Curiously, he does not go on to say, as anyone familiar with scripture would expect, “Transgender men are men, and nonbinary people are who they say they are.” In fact, there is no mention of transgender men or nonbinary people anywhere in Radcliffe’s statement, even though the ultra-specific term “people who menstruate” is intended to accommodate these groups—people who have periods who do not identify as women.

Why does Radcliffe choose this occasion to remind us that trans women are women? Trans women do not menstruate. This is why it is now considered exclusionary for those women formerly known as women to claim that menstruation is related to being a woman. That’s pretty much the point of terms like “menstruator.” By intoning “transgender women are women,” Radcliffe associates women, and only women, with the expression “people who menstruate.” This is exclusionary and transphobic. Not all women have periods, and not all who have periods identify as women.

Among those who cheered Radcliffe, I have yet to see anyone call out Radcliffe for his exclusionary and transphobic refusal to acknowledge “people who menstruate.”

The Silencing That Must Not Be Spoken Of

There is yet more that is not said. Rowling has been on the receiving end of misrepresentation and verbal abuse for over two years, simply for suggesting that women formerly known as women have the right to discuss the word “woman.” For advocating free speech, she has been derided, slurred, and even threatened.

Into the fray saunters Daniel Radcliffe, who, without any apparent effort, scribbles a few words calculated to score points with his base. His four-word magic incantation, “transgender women are women”—again, this is transphobic and exclusionary of people who menstruate—ignites passions and encourages continued demonization of Rowling. Readers need not even know what Rowling has said, for Radcliffe’s magic spell sanctifies him and positions him securely on the moral high ground. Rather than discuss menstruation, or Rowling’s point of view, he describes the discrimination young transgender and nonbinary people have self-reported. It goes without saying that this should be eradicated, but it is a diversion. Rowling, the prop he uses to display his righteousness, is at this very same moment being mercilessly bullied online and in the press. By ignoring this, by saying her name only to turn away from her, by making the sinner a foil to his own saintliness, he lazily enables those who would consign her to the online ducking stool.

Rowling has taken pains to be considerate and measured, just as women formerly known as women are still expected to do. Nevertheless, she has been described as “hateful” and “transphobic.” She has been accused of saying trans people “don’t exist.” Rowling has been called a “bitch,” a “cunt,” a “whore” (also “hoe”), and even—gasp—“a Karen.” (In reality, the offense seems to be not that Karen has demanded to speak to the manager but that she is the manager.)

As expected, Rowling is also called a “TERF.” (Rhymes with “serf.”) Proponents of “letting people be who they are” have proposed that “TERFs” like Rowling deserve to be physically assaulted or killed. One TERF-hunter calls upon a well-known veteran to do the honors: “I’d pay to watch [Charlotte] Clymer put on her army camo and shoot the TERF.” Another goes for the DIY approach: “Smack JK Rowling so hard I give that fool a lighting scar on HER forehead.” Rowling has been challenged to a duel by Tara Flik Wolf: “Oi JK rowling ow about you meet me outside! Hyde park! Lets fucking have it you cunt!” (In 2018, Wolf was convicted of assaulting Maria Maclachlan in Hyde Park in London.)

The demeaning comments are not limited to the blue circle of hell known as Twitter; otherwise reputable news outlets have also adopted the term “TERF.” Mainstream publications insist that this is not a misogynistic insult but a neutral term, an acronym radical feminists invented and applied to themselves. No matter how many times we insist that we consider this term a slur, no matter how many times we see “TERF” joined to “bitch” or “cunt,” we are informed that we have misunderstood, that this term is not intended to demean us. We really do like it, we are told. And a minute later we receive, for the 83rd time, a cartoon image with a gun pointed at us, an anime character threatening, “Shut the fuck up, TERF!”

The mainstream media has also joined in telling Rowling to “STFU.” The Washington Post says it directly in an article titled, “J.K. Rowling’s Transphobia Shows It’s Time To Put Down The Pen.” Molly Roberts informs us that Rowling is flailing; she’s a bigot; she’s even—middle-aged! And therefore obsolete. Other prominent publications have described her tweets and essay as “transphobic” or “anti-trans.” This is eerily reminiscent of how second-wave feminists were described as “man-haters.” In the 1970s, we were said to hate men. Nowadays we are said to hate trans people. Fifty years ago, we learned to speak about our bodies. Nowadays, we learn how not to.

Major advocacy organizations have issued patronizing “reminders,” as if Rowling has forgotten her lines. The Human Rights Campaign laments, “We see JK Rowling is at it again. Helpful reminder: If your feminism isn’t trans-inclusive, then it’s not feminism.” A GIF of Emma Watson as Hermione is included for no extra charge, mocking the author with her own invention.”

“Radcliffe’s statement has been applauded online by people like me: college-educated, feminist, middle-aged American women of the sort formerly known as women. I haven’t seen any of them mention the gleeful dehumanization of Rowling; nor I have I seen any of them object that Radcliffe has remained silent about the abuse, or that it was taking place as he crafted his “response.” While he is not directly responsible for others’ treatment of Rowling, he is responsible for contributing to a hostile climate, and not just among anonymous Twitter trolls.He is responsible for what he does and does not say, and for what he does and does not know (or pretends not to know).”

“The final paragraph of Radcliffe’s statement offers consolation to those who feel betrayed, who feel as though their experience of Rowling’s fiction has been sullied by Rowling’s continued existence. He assures fans that they may still be nourished by—well, by “the books,” “these stories,” and “the book that you read,” despite “these comments.” He doesn’t say whose books, whose stories, or whose comments.

The explicitly violent tweets and the contemptuous journalistic dismissals are unsettling enough on their own, and it’s troubling to think that Radcliffe’s failure even to address the matters at hand may have amplified them. But here he moves from omission to erasure. Whereas he began his statement by focusing on Rowling’s name and not her ideas, now he appropriates her ideas while refusing to utter her name. This final negation is pernicious in its own way. Radcliffe opened his statement with an acknowledgment of J.K. Rowling’s influence on his life, but just a few paragraphs later, he seems to have forgotten that he played Harry Potter in the movies based on the books rather than inventing Harry himself. At the same moment when Rowling is being “cancelled” by those who loved her books, as her former fans and even major publications demand that she surrender her agency and autonomy, Radcliffe steps in and arrogates the right to speak for “these stories.” He assures his base that they may still find meaning and solace in the books, despite the mortal sins committed by—She Whose Name Must Be Erased From The Covers Of Her Own Books. Chillingly, Radcliffe assures his readers that “nobody can touch” their experience of the books, implying that the unnamed, erased author has been purged entirely. How magnanimous of him. How inclusive.”

“I haven’t seen any complaint that Radcliffe fails to mention the trans men and nonbinary people who menstruate, or that he pretends not to know Rowling has already been fending off verbal attacks for years, or that he erases her name as he refers to “the books.” 

“Daniel Radcliffe seems to have forgotten Harry Potter began as an idea in J.K. Rowling’s head. But he wants “women” to be an idea in his own.

For all its popular appeal and re-postings, “Daniel Radcliffe Responds” does not respond to what J.K. Rowling expressed, and much is communicated by what he did not say. Radcliffe did not acknowledge the terminological issue or the content of what Rowling said about it. He did not mention the “people who” are affected by the issue or even credit Rowling as an author of “these stories.” Nor did the thirty-year-old honor Rowling as an elder who carries significant wisdom and experience—and who just might know something he doesn’t about the word “woman” or the practice of menstruation. He expressed fervent opinions about who counts as a woman, but didn’t show respect for this woman. Perhaps it is Daniel Radcliffe, not J.K. Rowling, who should “put down the pen.”

[richincolor]

New Releases For The Rest of 2020

The year ends with a number of books we've all been anticipating which makes for lots of great reading for us during the winter holidays. What books are you looking forward to?

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir Razorbill

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off…

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty #1) by Diana Ma Amulet

Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph Candlewick Press

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life in a mostly white high school as a smart and increasingly popular transfer student was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to the white friends and acquaintances who didn’t see the negative impact they were having and who would change if they knew how.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter includes the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, screenwriter of Moonlight; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many of us need. Back matter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrations) BOOM! Box

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha Entangled Teen

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

Based on Portuguese legend, this #OwnVoices historical fantasy is an epic tale of mystery, magic, and making the impossible choice between love and duty…

New Releases on Dec. 8th

A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton Random House Children’s Books

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

Authors include: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

New Releases on Dec. 15th

Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) by Maya Motayne Balzer + Bray

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is travelling and revelling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.

That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families. Now one of the four Thief Lords of Castallan, she’s forced to preside over the illegal underground Oculta competition, which coincides with the summit and boasts a legendary prize.

Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. Los Toros, the mysterious syndicate responsible for his brother’s murder, has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events all unexpectedly converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass.

But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?

This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano Philomel Books

17-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke has one muggy Houston summer left before college. She plans to spend every last moment with her two best friends before they go off to the opposite ends of Texas for school. But when Ellen is grounded for the entire summer by her (sometimes) evil stepmother, all her plans are thrown out the window.

Determined to do something with her time, Ellen (with the help of BFF Melissa) convinces her parents to let her join the local muggle Quidditch team. An all-gender, full-contact game, Quidditch isn’t quite what Ellen expects. There’s no flying, no magic, just a bunch of scrappy players holding PVC pipe between their legs and throwing dodgeballs. Suddenly Ellen is thrown into the very different world of sports: her life is all practices, training, and running with a group of Harry Potter fans.

Even as Melissa pulls away to pursue new relationships and their other BFF Xiumiao seems more interested in moving on from high school (and from Ellen), Ellen is steadily finding a place among her teammates. Maybe Quidditch is where she belongs.

But with her home life and friend troubles quickly spinning out of control–Ellen must fight for the future that she wants, now she’s playing for keeps. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

[milkdongcomics]

Silent Book Contest 2020 Italy - Virtual Exhibition! Thank you to SBC Silent Book Contest and CARTHUSIA EDIZIONI!! HEY HUMAN, SEE WHAT YOU DO!? Instagram:  milkdongcomics Facebook:  Milk DoNg Comics

[adapembroke]

Dreamwork as a Spiritual Practice

Many of my most powerful spiritual experiences have happened in my dreams. I have looked up into the sky on a rainy night and heard the stars sing. I have gotten writing advice from a favorite author who died before I was born, and I have explored caves with an ancient hunter-gatherer. Dreams allow us to do things that are impossible in waking life, to hear voices that would otherwise be silent and go places that are inaccessible or don’t exist in the physical world. An active dream-life can be awe inspiring and terrifying, but dreams can also help us find meaning in our lives. They can help us grow and change if we take them seriously and use them as a tool for meditation and introspection. 

In my experience, there are four types of dreams: processing dreams, shadow dreams, divinatory dreams, and spirit work dreams. Each of these types responds best to different types of examination. Though, individual dreams can have elements of more than one type. 

In this article, I examine the four types of dreams, show you how to recognize them, and share how I work with them in my spiritual practice.

Processing Dreams

Processing dreams are a mashup of things that have happened over last day or two. 

Example: Characters from Outlander (TV) were contestants on the Great British Baking Show. Dougal was angry because his cake collapsed after Jamie stomped around the tent.

I had this dream when I was reading the Outlander books before bed and binging the Great British Baking Show. Usually, dreams of this kind are funny and not deeply meaningful. They can be helpful on a practical level. Recent scientific studies suggest that we learn skills by practicing things we do when we’re awake in our dreams. As a focus for meditation, though, processing dreams aren’t very useful.

When I have a dream like this, I ask myself if things represented in the dream are taking up more space in my life than I’d like. After having the dream about Outlander and the Great British Baking Show, I decided to watch less TV but keep my reading schedule the same. 

Shadow Dreams

In shadow dreams, I encounter needs, hopes, and fears that I haven’t been looking at closely enough in waking life. 

Example: I was a teacher in a one-room school house filled with students who are talking over me, won’t listen, and don’t want to do their work.

Dreams are this type respond particularly well to Jungian-style analysis. In this way of looking at dreams, each character in the dream corresponds to a part of yourself, not just the point of view character. The plot tells you something about the way these parts of yourself feel about each other and how you live your life.

When I figure out that I’ve had a shadow dream, I journal from the perspective of each character in the story. Allowing each side a chance to speak helps me to learn what their needs are and how their needs aren’t getting met. This is an important step because I often think that I understand the issues at play in the dream, but journaling reveals the places where my assumptions aren’t correct.

When journaling about the dream about the one-room school house from the perspective of the teacher, I learned that my inner teacher was frustrated because my schedule was disorganized. Like a one-room school house, my day had a definite beginning and end, but my work and interests had no set place in my life, like students at different levels being lumped together under the care of one teacher. As a writer, I don’t have a boss imposing a schedule, so I didn’t have one. My inner teacher pointed out that without order, I spent my time on the things that “yelled” the loudest instead of on the things that were most important to me.

When I switched sides and journaled from the perspective of the students, I expected my inner student to whine about needing freedom. This was the story that I’d been telling myself, that there was a conflict between my need for order and my need for freedom and the best way to resolve the conflict was to give myself as much freedom in my routine as possible. Instead, I discovered that my inner student didn’t fight for its freedom. It only asked for kindness. 

I realized that when I’ve tried to create a structured schedule for myself in the past, I was overly strict. I set unreasonable expectations, planning every minute of the day and refusing to change my routine when my mind and body needed it. I’ve learned a lot about self-care since then, and I discovered that when I tried to create a routine again I approached things with a more mature awareness of my own limits. As a bonus, I found that I had more freedom in the end because I knew when I’d met my obligations and my work day was over.

There are some who say that every dream is a shadow dream. In my experience, when a dream is a shadow dream, it is always obvious from the beginning that there’s something for me to learn from the dream, even if I don’t know immediately what it is. I’ve found that if I work too hard to find the hidden motivations in a dream, the interpretation ends up being trite or doesn’t stick. The shadow reveals itself when it’s ready. It can’t be forced by ruminating. 

Divinatory Dreams

Divinatory dreams seem to predict the future or tell us things that are going on in the world around us that we would have had no way of knowing otherwise. These dreams are often dramatic, as if the universe is trying to wake us up to an awareness of our power.

Example: There was a war in a park in my city. When I woke up, I learned that, while I was asleep, there had been a shootout between police and a man having a breakdown not far from the park. 

I have heard stories about people for whom divinatory dreams are an important part of their practice. Their dreams give them useful information that they can use in waking life. Scientists and artists sometimes seed dreams like this to help them solve problems. By musing on problems before they go to sleep, they often find that they dream about the answers to their questions. Depending on the source of the information (and the beliefs of the person having the dream), these might be thought of as either processing dreams or divinatory dreams.

Personally, I have not had much success seeding dreams like this, and I find that there is little I can do with divinatory dreams when I have them. The dream about the war in the park gave me a creepy anecdote to tell, but it didn’t tell me anything I really needed to know or wouldn’t have found out when I woke up. Worse, I had a spike in dreams about intruders in my home for a week after the shooting.

In my experience, divination dreams come when I’m not doing enough divination in my waking life. They’re a nudge to make it more of a priority. 

Spirit Work Dreams

When I’m doing a lot of work with a spirit I particularly trust, I give them permission to work with me in dreams. I don’t have the ability to lucid dream, so for me, giving a spirit permission to work with me in dreams is a big deal. I’ve had spirits abuse this privilege in the past. Like Lady Poole from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, I’ve woken up exhausted after a night of spirit work dreams, as if I’d been working all night. Right now, only one spirit, my guide, has permission to give me dreams, and I ward my dreams against everyone else.

Example: I was in a school cafeteria getting food, and I was told by a faculty member to fill my plate with vegetables first. By the time I filled my plate with vegetables, all of the protein and grain dishes were being taken away because lunch was over. My guide appeared and told me that if I followed that advice to the letter, I would never have enough time to get my needs met. 

In this case, I was given this dream because my guide wanted to have a conversation with me about the difference between rules and guidelines, a subject that was unlikely to come up in our conversations in waking life. I was embarking on the quest to schedule my life more strictly, and he wanted me to beware of meeting some needs completely at the expense of other needs. It’s better, he said, to meet a few needs imperfectly than to meet one need completely and the rest not at all.

At other times, my trusted spirits will give me dreams about experiences they want me to have that I can’t have in waking life. 

Example: I was camping without a tent in the rain. While I was waiting to fall asleep in the dream, I had a mystical experience of oneness with nature.

My guide is very old and closely connected with the wild. I am limited in the ways that I can commune with nature, so he gives me wild dreams about sleeping under the stars and making homes in caves. This helps me to feel closer to him, and it helps me to understand his values and examine my own.

Sometimes, my guide uses dreams to give me direct, practical advice.

Example: A voice said, “It will be hard. Take this.” A disembodied hand gave me an apple.

In this case, with the help of Lee, I was able to figure out that I was on the edge of getting a cold, and I needed to take care of myself. Because of my guide’s warning, I rested and was careful with my diet, and I was able to avoid getting sick.

The best way to know if you’ve had a spirit work dream is to ask the spirits you work with. If you aren’t actively working with spirits, I suggest warding your dreams for the reasons I gave above.

This post was originally published on Aquarius Moon Journal on 7 February 2020.

[sagiow]

Mercy Street - Hallmark Edition

For Mercy Street Hallmark Movie day, here are the synopses of the Luke MacFarlane Christmas movies recast in Mansion House based solely on their names (no cheating, the only one I’ve watched is The Mistletoe Promise). And because it’s 2020 and the Hallmark Channel still won’t, I’ve made them all LGBTQ.

Chateau Christmas (lol ok I Iike that one)

Through a mysterious letter, still-mourning-although-it’s-been-two-years widow Mary Phinney finds out that she inherited a small, struggling vineyard and ramshackle chateau from Gustav’s unknown great-aunt in Alsace, and decides to put her veterinary practice on old for a month to evaluate her new assets. There she meets - and butts heads with -  the winery’s exacting yet artistic master vintner, Lisette Beaufort, whose guarded, veneered exterior hides also a grieving heart. Will their common care for the vineyard’s survival, appreciation for art and Gewurtzstraminer, and the magical Christmas season in picturesque Strasbourg make allies - et peut-être plus - out of these two women?

Secret scoop: Expect plenty of outdated, Emily In Paris-style French stereotypes and swooping views of Alsace that were actually shot in British Columbia.

Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen (FFS)

Following their mother’s second, ruin-saving marriage to her distant cousin, Sir Alfred Summers,  Emma and Alice Greenwood move from their native Virginia to his estate in Connecticut. There, Alice is swept on a whirlwind romance with the dashing Captain Willoughby Tallboots, under the melancholy eyes of retired officer Colonel Bullen, while Emma silently pines for her best friend and secret love, Isabella Friars. More distant cousins appear with convoluted relationships, passive-aggressive exchanges over long country walks and they probably go for a fortnight to Bath Newport before it all ends happily in a double wedding.

Bonus scene: Colin Firth emerges from the frozen lake in a wet shirt (Wrong movie? Don’t care.)

Maggie’s McBurney’s Christmas Miracle (ugh so cheesy)

Clay McBurney had landed the hottest deal of the season: planning the upstate New York wedding of Virginia heiress Emma Green to local war hero Henry Hopkins. He has booked the best location : Mansion House Lodge. It has everything: rustic yet elegant charm, breathtaking views, killer cellar, and a top celebrity chef, Pink Erton (yes, they’re that Pink Erton). However, he soon learns that Pink and him don’t exactly see eye to eye on how the Lodge should run the year’s biggest event. With a major snowstorm threatening to bring utter chaos to his carefully laid out perfect plans, and the bride’s family, total Armageddon, perhaps Matt Brannan, the gardener who used to be their army general (and could also be Santa) can help bring the magic back and save the day.... A musical ensues. 

Secret scoop: Some themes sound maybe kinda similar to Christmas Chateau? Of course they do: it’s a Hallmark Christmas movie!

The Mistletoe Promise (this one I’ve actually watched (thanks @fericita-s!) so real plot adapted)

Henry Hopkins wants to make partner at his law firm, but the company has a policy of promoting only “good family men with proper conservative values”, and he is happily single - and very, very gay. Jed Foster is running his travel agency with his ex-wife, Eliza, who now has the most irritating and single-brain celled new boyfriend, Byron. As this wasn’t bad enough, the Christmas party season is upon then, and showing up solo is not option. After meeting and commiserating in a mall food court, the two men enter an agreement to be each other’s "+1″ for the holidays to stick it to their workplaces. Could this “strictly business” arrangement (and weekend getaways to Christmassy NYC with horse-drawn carriage rides and a hotel suite with only one bed) lead to more?

Bonus scene: Henry teaches Jed how to ice-skate (shot on a shitty greenscreen + treadmill with no appreciation whatsoever of how one actually moves on skates)

Christmas Land (well that’s just terribly vague)

Real Estate developer Anne Hastings hates Christmas, which is why she always gets TF out of Chicago to spend it on a white sandy beach with many-a sweet drink and many-er sexy strangers. However, this year, her firm has the opportunity of purchasing land next to the little town of Nowell, close to the Canadian border in Vermont, to turn it into a giant, duty-free, fireworks-and-booze-and-pot selling outlet mall, and she is shipped out to strike the deal. There, she meets Charlotte Jenkins, the Georgia girl who always dreamt of a white Christmas, and who came all the way North after her husband died to open a florist/bookstore/coffeeshop, raise her two children, and hey, write a novel, why TF not, in the town she lovingly calls Christmas Land. Will Charlotte’s bright eyed goodness, delicious hot chocolate and adorable -and hammy, over-acting- kids make Anne discover the true meaning of Christmas... and perhaps even true love?

Bonus scene: There is a snowball fight that ends with them slipping and falling one on top of the other, with their laughter fading in an oh... oh moment, that’s interrupted by a kid before it gets anywhere interesting.

A Shoe Addict’s Christmas (uuuuugh whyyyyy)

Byron Hale loves shoes. He looooves them. He can never have enough, but his small bakery barely makes enough to cover rent and supplies. All this changes when he decides to take part in the Great Gingerbread Bake-Off, which whisks him off in magical Genosovia, a non-descript European country where people speak in Britishish accents. There, he meets Samuel Diggs, another competitor in the contest, whose lebkuchen with royal *wink wink* icing is the stuff of legends. Despite himself and the romance of Old Québec City Europe, Byron cannot help but slowly fall for the sweet, kind, really really ridiculously good-looking adversary. But perhaps there is something more regal *nudge nudge* to good ol’ Sam?

Bonus scene: Flour fight while baking something festive, which ends with Samuel pinning Byron to the fridge, their laughter fading in an oh... oh moment -ah crap just used that one already... ok, so let’s go with grandiose decorations in the palac---- huh town hall.

Secret scoop: Sam is a Prince. Oh that’s not a scoop? Nor secret? Damnit.

Of course, all first kisses occurs in the last scene of the movie under the mistletoe, softly falling (fake) snow and a jazzy rendition of a classic Christmas tune.

[ellie-winthrope]

Ripple - [Lucien]

First post in Tumblr and also first time attempting to write a fanfic. A Lucien fanfic written for the MLDD mid-year contest year 2020. It was inspired by the moment when Lucien first met MC and told from Lucien’s POV. Hope everyone will enjoy it, especially Lucien fans and my best friend who had encouraged me to write this.

Word count: 2058 words

It was less than an hour before noon when Lucien was partly done with analyzing the new set of data for one of his research projects. Like a pianist conducting a solo performance, his slender fingers were moving rhythmically across the keyboard, forming lines after lines of words on the computer screen. His bespectacled violet eyes had never looked away from the screen, focusing solely on the running numbers and figures with rapt attention. Anyone who saw Lucien at this moment would know instinctively not to interrupt him without a good cause.

Nevertheless, his attention was momentarily interrupted.

Not by a person, but by his vibrating phone that was set on silent mode and was laid forgotten at the side of his desk.

The movement of his fingers on the keyboard gradually came to a stop as he looked away from the computer screen to glance at the lighted-up lock screen of his phone with narrowed eyes. The notification banner on the lock screen had indicated an incoming message from a “Professor John”.

The name didn’t ring a bell to him. However, since it was part of his contact list, Lucien deduced that this person must be a work acquaintance. It wasn’t until he had spent a moment skimming through the list of acquaintances in his mind that Lucien eventually remembered this “Professor John”.

Even so, the realization had only caused the young professor to look away from his phone and turned back to his computer screen. Lucien didn’t bother to unlock his phone to read the content of the message. Instead, he resumed his work, as though he had never been interrupted at all.

By the time Lucien had tapped the final key on the keyboard to conclude his work, the time that was shown by the wall clock in his office was already ten past twelve in the afternoon. Leaning back on his chair with eyes closed, Lucien stretched his arms and let out a deep breath.

Since the designated lunch time for all staff at the research center was at twelve noon, this meant that he was supposed to be having his lunch now. Nonetheless, he had no intention of going to the cafeteria to grab a light lunch. The reason was simple; he was neither hungry nor was he in the mood for the fuss that will be brought about by his presence in the cafeteria.

Glancing at his schedule for the day, he was reminded of his upcoming lecture class at Loveland University at half past one. There was plenty of time before then. So, Lucien decided to browse through a book that was related to the subject of this lecture, more as a means of relaxation than as preparation for the class. Having straightened up on his seat, he took off his glasses and placed them on the side of his desk. He briefly massaged the bridge of his nose before he stood up and strode towards the only bookshelf in his minimalistic office.

His finger had brushed past the spine of several books on the middle level of the shelf before eventually settling on one with the title, “On the Origin of Species”. Having pulled the book out with ease, Lucien then flipped straight to the page that he was looking for without a moment of pause, as if he knew every page of the book by heart… which actually wasn’t an exaggeration.

After all, evolution was a topic that Lucien had been keenly interested in since childhood and this book that was considered as the foundation of evolution theories was to Lucien, what a child would consider as a fairytale book or what a bible would mean to a pious worshipper. In other words, he knew the whole content of the book so well that the only reason he would choose to open it would be to allow his mind to wander while he absentmindedly skimmed through the words on the book.

Why did he choose to read a book when he didn’t intend to do so in the first place?

Well, as said before, it was one of Lucien’s ways of resting and relaxation. He felt somewhat at peace whenever he gazed upon an opened book, even when his attention wasn’t fully on the written words on the pages. Thus, Lucien was currently skimming through the words on the page while his mind had wandered to the thoughts of the next agendas in his schedule after the lecture class.

The rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall was the only sound amidst the peaceful serenity of the professor’s world… up until that very moment.

Without any sign or warning, his gaze that was hovering over the page of the book was suddenly drawn away by a glint of light at the corner of his eyes. Perplexed, his violet eyes had instinctively followed the direction of the glinting light, towards the panoramic glass windows of his office. What he saw at that moment had taken his breath away as his violet eyes gradually widened in surprise.

There, at the sparsely-populated walkway below, a petite girl with wavy, shoulder-length brown hair, who was dressed in a simple white blouse and black skirt, had stood out vividly against everything else in Lucien’s sight. She was carrying a cream-colored tote bag on her left shoulder, while holding up a phone with pink casing that she never ceased to look at every few seconds as she walked and glanced around at her surroundings.

Why?

Lucien couldn’t believe what he had seen.

An imagination? An illusion?

Yet, there she was, wandering below like a lost kitten, looking exactly as his eyes had first perceived her, filled with different shades of colors.

How … is this possible?

For once in his life, Lucien was baffled. Despite being hailed as a young genius in the scientific field, he couldn’t think of a possible explanation for the current phenomena. The monotone sight that he had accepted as a constant and unchanging norm in his life was suddenly challenged by the appearance of this random girl.

Who is she?

With that thought in mind, the young professor had totally forgotten about the opened book that was being held within his hands. Instead, all his attention was focused solely on the petite girl beyond his office windows.

The only resplendent figure in his world of gray.

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

That wasn’t the last he had seen of the girl, though.

Truth be told, Lucien wasn’t aware that it was her who was standing outside his office for the past three minutes when he had gone to pull the door aside in one swift motion. The sudden motion had startled the girl, who gasped aloud as she instantly retracted her right hand that was lifted midway towards the door.

As for Lucien, having not anticipated the person to be her, he was stunned by the burst of colors that had suddenly greeted his sight when he opened the door. In fact, he was so taken aback that he had failed to hide the glint of surprise in his eyes when he locked eyes with the girl. Nevertheless, he managed to regain his composure within seconds and nodded at her with a gentle smile.

“Can I help you?”

He spoke amiably, hoping to put the girl, who was evidently intimidated by his towering presence before her, at ease. It seemed to work since the girl had then straightened up and smiled back at him before stating the purpose of her visit.

“Hello, I am looking for Professor Lucien.”

What a surprising coincidence… For the girl who caught his attention earlier to be looking for him deliberately. Such coincidence might have been considered a pleasant experience by most people, but for Lucien, who didn’t believe in coincidences, he couldn’t help but to be skeptical about it.

From a glance, the girl didn’t seem to be a new staff at the research center. Even though she could pass off as a university student by her youthful appearance, the way she carried herself was more mature and resolute. Then again, looks can be deceiving. He, of all people, should know that.

Thus, until he could clear his doubts towards her, Lucien decided to play it safe by not revealing himself yet. By doing so, he will also be able to test and observe the girl’s character. So, feigning ignorance, he acted as though he was someone other than “Professor Lucien”.

“Lucien? Why are you looking for him?”

If the matter she intended to discuss was private and confidential, he expected the girl to excuse herself at that moment. However, contrary to his expectations, she had gone on with introducing herself to him as a producer from a small entertainment industry and even told him that she intended to invite “Professor Lucien” to be the guest expert in the last episode of a show called “Miracle Finder”.

By right, shouldn’t she have spoken about such matters directly to the person she was looking for, instead of telling it to a complete stranger?

Aside from being puzzled by the girl’s lack of caution, Lucien also found the purpose of her visit to be questionable.

“I have heard of the show, but why do you want Mr. Lucien to be on your show?”

After all, there are plenty of other scientists at the research center who she could look for help on her show.

“It’s because Professor John recommended him,” the girl had responded firmly as though she had sensed his subtle rejection towards her plan.

Upon hearing the name “Professor John”, Lucien recalled the unread message from few hours ago, which he didn’t bother to read when he picked up his phone from the desk and placed it into the pocket of his lab coat. This realization had allowed the puzzle pieces in his mind to click into place one by one and he knew then that he was right about his meeting with this girl being anything but a coincidence.

Feeling less wary of the girl, Lucien decided to carry on with this façade a little longer ... for his own amusement.

“I have seen your recent shows. Your choice of themes is somewhat problematic.”

He had kept a close eye on the girl’s expression as he bluntly pointed out the flaws of her show. As expected, the girl was offended by his sudden remarks. The twitching of one of her brows and her wavering smile were clear signs of that. Even so, instead of lashing out at him, she had reined in her anger by begrudgingly thanking him for his opinion in an even tone, before adding that maybe he didn’t understand the show well.

The sight of her trying so hard to hide her displeasure towards his remarks was rather amusing. If he wasn’t mindful of his public image, he would have already chuckled at her silliness, which would be nothing but rude towards someone he had just met.

While Lucien thought that it was about time to reveal himself as the person she was looking for, the girl had suddenly come up with the idea of calling his phone via the number given by Professor John, which made him wondered...Why didn’t she call him before showing up at his office in the first place?

Curious to know how she would react when she discovered the truth on her own, Lucien decided to keep quiet. Coincidentally, right after the girl had tapped the call button on her phone, one of the female staff who was passing by had greeted Lucien cheerfully.

“Hello, Professor Lucien!”

After he had returned the staff’s greeting by nodding at her with a smile, Lucien glanced back at the girl to notice that she had stiffened on the spot with her gaze glued towards her phone and it was right at this moment that his phone had started ringing within his lab coat pocket.

The girl quickly hung up the call and Lucien’s phone fell silent.

There was an awkward silence in the air as a pair of round brown eyes nervously looked up from the edge of the phone to meet violet ones that were filled with amusement.

“Would you like to talk inside my office?”

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

Unbeknownst to them, that was the first ripple to their unchanging world.

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

[manuscripts-dontburn]

The Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era

Author: Gareth Russel

First published: 2019

Pages: 423

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 4 days

This is a beautifully written account of the Titanic which concentrates on a handful of selected passengers and delves into their pasts, feelings and how they lived after the tragedy. It has enough new information to engage those who already have read on the subject (like me), and it takes time to dispel some of the popular myths and contested theories. The only thing which I slightly minded was the fact that from time to time the attempts of painting the picture of an era the reader is actually taken away from the Titanic for far too long and so the narrative is disrupted. But this happens mostly in the first part of the book. The story of the sinking and its immediate aftermath are done a very respectful and moving manner.

My Dark Vanessa

Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell

First published: 2020

Pages: 384

Rating: ★★★★★

How long did it take: 7 days

This was a really difficult book to go through. So much about it is so messed up, so disgusting. And through it all, though Vanessa herself never admits it, it is a cry for help which so many girls and women have sent into the unfeeling world, which still does not care.

Seduction: A History From the Enlightenment to the Present

Author: Clement Knox

First published: 2020

Pages: 516

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 8 days

First of all: this book does not cover the entirety of human civilization, in fact, it only starts with the era of enlightenment. And if you are only after the discourse on seduction and sexuality, you might as well only read the last portion of this book. However, if you like engagingly-written accounts of interesting people (in this case chosen as representatives of ever-changing stances on the question of seduction), you might enjoy it as much as I did. True, the author sometimes goes into such details that have very little to do with the original topic, and I was also surprised that the focus was pretty much only heterosexual, but overall I found this interesting, well-written and food for thought.

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

First published: 1886

Pages: 320

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

How long did it take: 1 day

Soooooo The Secret Garden is one of my absolute favourite books and I also loved The Little Princess, but this book.... is really boring and ridiculous simply because the kid in the centre could never exist. Also, poor people are to be PITIED, but also HATED when they want something. Or was that not the message?

Brontë's Mistress

Author: Finola Austin

First published: 2020

Pages: 320

Rating: ★★★☆☆

How long did it take: 3 days

This was.... fine. It is well researched and read very easily.... it does make Lydia Robinson into a real, flawed human being (still unlikeable though).... but on the whole it did not excite me in any particular way. I did not understand Lydia´s fascination with Charlotte at all, in fact all of the references to the Brontë sisters, besides Anne being the governess, felt rather forced.

The Hobbit

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien

First published: 1937

Pages: 374

Rating: ★★★★★

How long did it take: 17 days

This was a re-read. I loved it of course. Utterly charming.

The Pull of the Stars

Author: Emma Donoghue

First published: 2020

Pages: 304

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 2 days

Three days on a small maternity ward for pregnant women afflicted by the Spanish flu. On one hand, it does move very slowly and goes into great detail. But for all the relative "shortness", this story is full of intense emotions. Meticulously researched, it also offers a grim, but fascinating view into the reality of an ordinary Irish woman at the end of the WWI. After I have finished, I needed a long, deep breath to calm down everything I was feeling. What else can I say?

Sea Prayer

Author: Khaled Hosseini, Dan Williams

First published: 2018

Pages: 48

Rating: ★★★★★

How long did it take: 10 minutes

A cry for help made of painful words and stunning pictures. A cry for humanity. A silent cry. No less heartbreaking for its quiet tone.

The Other Bennet Sister

Author: Janice Hadlow

First published: 2020

Pages: 655

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 13 days

What a wholesome, comforting book! It is very respectful to the original Jane Austen novel, draws and builds upon it and always managed to stay true to the atmosphere and nature of it. It is not plot-heavy and is more of a character development story, but that character development is truly wonderfully done. Janice Hadlow lets Mary Bennet bloom!

They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South

Author: Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers

First published: 2019

Pages: 320

Rating: ★★★★★

How long did it take: 3 days

Though some of the points are repeated over and over again, this is an excellent book both as a source of learning and engaging reading material. It is also painful. And necessary.

High Society: The Portraits of Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Author: various

First published: 2016

Pages: 256

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 2 days

This book is made stunning simply by featuring a vast number of Wilterhalter´s paintings. It is hardly a detailed exploration of his life or development as an artist, but it gives a casual admirer of art enough information to create an image of him as he was and as he worked. I especially appreciated that the descriptions of every painting included a life story of the sitter. All in all this book is a tribute to Winterhalter, a beautiful gallery of portraits and an introduction to some of the most prominent members of the high European society of the 19th century.

Sin Eater

Author: Megan Campisi

First published: 2020

Pages: 304

Rating: ★★★★☆

How long did it take: 2 days

This book has the most intriguing premise, presents a little known but fascinating institution of sin-eaters, is heavy on atmosphere and above all is compulsively readable. The constant theme of death and dying is handled with great respect but could be too much for more sensitive readers. What the book needed though was some more editing. Certain thoughts and sentences appear way too often and lose their meaning, becoming more annoying than powerful. And I swear that the word "mayhap" constituted like 20% of all of the vocabulary used.

Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag

Author: Orlando Figes

First published: 2012

Pages: 352

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

How long did it take: 20 days

I feel kinda bad giving this book mere 2 stars, but I would like to point out that it is not the story, but the overall presentation of it that made this book an unpleasant chore. The whole time I was reading I kept having the same thought: This book should have been an edition of selected letters with explanatory footnotes, not a "proper book". Considering the 75% of the text ARE the letters anyway, the writing by Orlando Figes usually just jerked me out of the story and frankly seemed redundant. Interesting subject and admirable main characters, whose love and devotion is inspirational, but somehow still not a good book.

All My Friends Are Dead

Author: Avery Monsen

First published: 2010

Pages: 96

Rating: ★★★☆☆

How long did it take: 5 minutes

Gave me a few chuckles and was cute. Nothing deep about it though.

[kristallioness]

2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

*arrives a month late*... Happy 2021 to all of you, my dear followers! *raises a glass* It seems that my tendency to finish my artwork or personal posts on time has only gotten worse over time (I blame work *lol*). Oh well, better late than never, since there are things I would still like to take with me from this extraordinary year of 2020.

It is cringeworthy that I have two huge red X-s this year. But after I'd put these puzzle pieces together, I remembered far too well what was going on in my (work) life at the time, so it's completely understandable why I didn't have the time nor the energy to draw at all during those two months.

What were those typical statistics that I wrote about again to compare the years? *goes to read last year's post*.. Oh, right! In 2020, I managed to finish 3 full digital drawings (from the months of April, July and December) as well as work on several sketches. I wrote 28,154 words worth of fanfiction (oohh, that's a lot better than previous year), plus 3,126 words in English (I dare say I wrote an equal amount in Estonian) for the prompts I got during UYLD (making the total 31,280 words, which is quite impressive!).

I finished reading the 1st Kyoshi novel in the evening of the 20th and slightly past midnight on the 21st December (barely before the holidays, but I set this goal for myself and I did it!). Am already looking forward to starting with the 2nd part some time this year. Besides that, I ordered and received all the other new Avatar books that came out (3rd part of "Ruins of the Empire", "Katara and the Pirate's Silver", "Legacy of the Fire Nation") as well as BOTH Avatar series DVD sets (I still can't believe I found these on sale on some random online store in Estonia, but these are now among my most prized possessions!).

I finally started my Avatar rewatch last January, but merely got to the Ba Sing Se episodes in Book 2 (I need to continue with "The Earth King") and now it's been 5 YEARS since I last saw Korra. Reading through my journal personal posts from last year, I know far too well that it's not about rushing through it as fast as possible. Instead, I should enjoy the ride and continue watching the episodes when I'm well rested and in the right mood. That way I'll end up feeling much more at peace.

As for the entire year as a whole? I don't think anyone in this world of ours was prepared for the way this decade would begin - with an uncontrollable pandemic, the virus of which is randomly attacking and threatening to wipe out the weakest amongst us. If any of you (or even if you know someone who) have lost a loved one to this plague, there is not much else I can offer but my sincerest condolences! Me, my family, friends and colleagues seem to have managed to avoid catching it so far. *spits 3 x over her shoulder*

I had such high hopes for this year in so many ways. Event-wise I was looking forward to watching the Eurovision Song Contest in May (where Uku Suviste was supposed to represent Estonia for the 1st time ever after so many unfortunate failures to get selected as the winner of our local competition), the European Football Championships in June (asking my colleagues which countries they support, perhaps make fun bets / guesses with them to see whose team would win the matches), the Tokyo Olympic Games in July-August, the President of Estonia (Mrs. Kersti Kaljulaid) coming to visit my hometown to celebrate our Victory Day by taking part in the parade together with the Defence Forces (after 15 years *sigh*)...

I will always remember my last big event, which took place when life used to be "normal", so to say. It was the 102nd anniversary of Estonia on the 24th of February, when I took part of all the most important celebrations in Tallinn on our Independence Day, FULL-TIME (whenever I scroll through my Facebook timeline, I see the photos I uploaded of that day, my heart melts and I smile fondly). But the day after that.. utter hell broke loose. We had our first infected person in the country.

I will also remember the last day I went to work in "normal" conditions. Friday, the 13th of March (typically my lucky day-number combination): I missed the tram I wanted to get on in the morning, at work my team received great news that one of our colleague's family had grown bigger by a new tiny member the day before, we had our last team lunch together, we discussed the safety measures that we should take and joked about what might happen next week, I took the bus home instead of the tram (as the tram's route came from the airport and that place was considered to be more dangerous and with a higher risk of catching this virus).. It was another 2.5 weeks later by then (since the 25th of February) - Estonia (along with the rest of Europe) went into full lockdown.

The beginning was frightening and people were on edge, nobody really knew what to do nor what was gonna happen next. But in time, things began to shake into place and everybody developed a comfortable routine for remote work, including figuring out how to get everyday things done (such as grocery shopping). I found solace in taking photographs of various beautiful bird species, who began to fly around and serenaded me during spring, visiting the trees around my "nest" i.e. rented apartment (with a pair of them ACTUALLY building a nest in the chestnut tree right beside my window, thus turning me into a protective godmother of their chicks).

To be honest, I was awestruck by the positive / surprising aftermath of this lockdown: how the world / environment began to heal itself from the pollution that was normally caused by humans. I was taken aback by how dead silent our usually loud capital became in my neighbourhood (I could only hear trams passing by my house according to their schedules, practically no cars whatsoever, streets were empty of people.. absolute silence).

By May-June, things started to look up in Estonia (as well as the rest of Europe) and people were allowed to start travelling / moving around more freely. During my vacation in July, I managed to go to my last (open air) event (for the rest of the year) under these new "corona" conditions and ended up having a blast at the Open Farm Days in my home county for the first time.

Our country's shining moment came during the first week of September, when we hosted the first ever Rally Estonia of the World Rally Championship (WRC), where our very own Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja won. The event was so well organized and successful that nobody caught the virus nor did the spectators / participants spread it to others, which surely must've helped in ensuring us a spot in the WRC calendar for 2021 as well.

The remainder of the year was rather dull, with the exception of the US Presidential elections in November, when we were all holding our breaths that Joe Biden would win (congratulations, my American friends!). This eventually led to the painful downfall of THE WORST government the Republic of Estonia has ever had, and to the rise of our first female Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas (both happening in January 2021, I couldn't believe it all spiralled so soon, ha-ha!).

Anyways, during the last 4 months, work was very stressful and driving me nuts, so badly that when I eventually went on vacation before Christmas, I had a slight anxiety disorder that wouldn't let me relax for several days (luckily it went away just as quickly once I began to take it easy and managed to get some proper rest / sleep).

In hindsight, I kind of get this weird feeling as if I saw this whole thing coming, given how actively I was living my life throughout 2019. My final year of the 2010's was so full of important events and personal achievements. It's almost as if something mysterious inside was driving me, telling me to visit all the places and do all the things I wanted to do, cause I wouldn't have this sort of a chance again for a very long time.

This must be the main reason why I am thankful for 2020 for going the way it did. Sure, I'm disappointed that a lot of events were cancelled, that so many people have had to leave this world so soon due to this unpredictable disease.. But I think there are so many lessons to take from what came out of all of this. I believe the world needed some sort of a restart or break, given in what direction we were headed (politically, economically, environmentally, socially etc.). I'm just sorry it's had to come with such a high price of innocent lives.

I have even higher hopes for 2021, given how amazingly January has already passed for me and my country, and what is to come in my hometown in February. Let's take the lessons learned from 2020 with us and keep on heading back towards the "normal" lifestyle we used to know. Except this time, let's improve our ways, put all the hatred behind us, be more considerate, keep a distance, stay safe, but still try to make the world a better place for everyone. Thank you so much for reading, for remaining by my side, and for your support and love throughout the years, my friends! I hope to see you all alive and healthy at the end of the white metal ox year of 2021! *virtual hugs*