#Yet she looks like Robert smith

[tovarishch-dyke]

Not to be one of those stereotypical haters of Wednesday but I don’t like how we are constantly getting just “weird feminine girl” type goth shit all the time.

can we for the love of god get like a real butch or masc type goth girl who’s just weird as all fuck for once?

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

This part in Jon III AGoT when he’s realizing that he means to swear his life to a celibate institution at only the age of 14, before he could explore all the options the world has to offer him.

“I don’t care,” Jon said. “I don’t care about them and I don’t care about you or Thorne or Benjen Stark or any of it. I hate it here. It’s too… it’s cold.” “Yes. Cold and hard and mean, that’s the Wall, and the men who walk it. Not like the stories your wet nurse told you. Well, piss on the stories and piss on your wet nurse. This is the way it is, and you’re here for life, same as the rest of us.” “Life,” Jon repeated bitterly. The armorer could talk about life. He’d had one. He’d only taken the black after he’d lost an arm at the siege of Storm’s End. Before that he’d smithed for Stannis Baratheon, the king’s brother. He’d seen the Seven Kingdoms from one end to the other; he’d feasted and wenched and fought in a hundred battles. They said it was Donal Noye who’d forged King Robert’s warhammer, the one that crushed the life from Rhaegar Targaryen on the Trident. He’d done all the things that Jon would never do, and then when he was old, well past thirty, he’d taken a glancing blow from an axe and the wound had festered until the whole arm had to come off. Only then, crippled, had Donal Noye come to the Wall, when his life was all but over.

This part in Jon V, only two chapters later, when he’s finally about to become a man of the Watch but he can’t get too excited because he’s realizing that there’s a great big world down there, yet he’s all the way up here at the Wall - a cold, unwelcoming home; a prison with no escape unless he wishes to die.

He had no destination in mind. He wanted only to ride. He followed the creek for a time, listening to the icy trickle of water over rock, then cut across the fields to the kingsroad. It stretched out before him, narrow and stony and pocked with weeds, a road of no particular promise, yet the sight of it filled Jon Snow with a vast longing. Winterfell was down that road, and beyond it Riverrun and King’s Landing and the Eyrie and so many other places; Casterly Rock, the Isle of Faces, the red mountains of Dorne, the hundred islands of Braavos in the sea, the smoking ruins of old Valyria. All the places that Jon would never see. The world was down that road… and he was here. Once he swore his vow, the Wall would be his home until he was old as Maester Aemon. “I have not sworn yet,” he muttered. He was no outlaw, bound to take the black or pay the penalty for his crimes. He had come here freely, and he might leave freely… until he said the words. He need only ride on, and he could leave it all behind. By the time the moon was full again, he would be back in Winterfell with his brothers. Your half brothers, a voice inside reminded him. And Lady Stark, who will not welcome you. There was no place for him in Winterfell, no place in King’s Landing either. Even his own mother had not had a place for him. The thought of her made him sad. He wondered who she had been, what she had looked like, why his father had left her. Because she was a whore or an adulteress, fool. Something dark and dishonorable, or else why was Lord Eddard too ashamed to speak of her? Jon Snow turned away from the kingsroad to look behind him. The fires of Castle Black were hidden behind a hill, but the Wall was there, pale beneath the moon, vast and cold, running from horizon to horizon. He wheeled his horse around and started for home.

Yes Jon could leave the Watch, but he has no place! Because where would he go, bastard that he is?

That’s why the most underrated endgame theory is ‘Traveling Diplomat Jon’. Yes he’s a talented politician and he would do very well as a ruling lord, but there’s so much he’s yet to discover because he struggled to see where his illegitimate status could take him. But even in his bastardy, Jon is connected to so many important locations all around Westeros. Forget Winterfell. He could visit Harrenhall where his parents met. He could go look for rubies in the Trident and see where his father died. He could visit the Vale, the place that raised his adoptive father and the man he’s named after. He could take a trip to Starfall and visit his milkbrother, then visit the Tower of Joy’s ruins. He could got to Dragonstone and Summerhall, his father’s birthplace and home. If he wishes, he can cross the Narrow Sea and visit his friend (and personal banker) Tycho Nestoris in Braavos. And if his suicidal tendencies get stronger, why not visit the smoky ruins of Valyria where sleeping dragons were once brought to life, just like himself?

Jon has spent five books earning his ‘Lord Snow’ title. And though it’s an oxymoron everyone, from baseborn bastards to mighty kings, calls him that and not all of them do it as a sign of mockery. He’s put in a lot of work towards coming to terms with his bastardy. So it’s finally time for him to take that in consideration and realize that there’s a great big world out there that’s ready to welcome him, bastard as he is.

[pernadette]

Ghost: Are you touching my sister?

The soldiers were speaking to Robert Smith, the lecherous head of security at the mall you worked for. You were initially nervous when they approached you, looking quite serious and official in their tactical gear. “Need to view your security footage,” one of them told you bluntly. He was a fearsome sight, face completely closed by a skull-covered mask. 

You were forced to call Robert on the radio, despite your serious apprehension. The man was a pervert that enjoyed cornering shop girls and speaking as inappropriately as he could to get a reaction. He seemed to get off on embarrassing and intimidating you all. You tried to avoid him as much as you could, but being that he was your boss and you were new, and the only female security guard, it was near impossible.

With trembling hands that hopefully went unnoticed by the soldiers, you pressed down on your radio and spoke into it, "Robert to the downstairs office please, Robert to the downstairs office."

Several very awkward moments passed as you all were forced to wait for him to get there. The soldier with the Scottish accent looked you up and down, assessing you. "How'd a little bit like you become a security guard?" he asked conversationally.

You shrugged, not entirely certain yourself. "I needed a job and there isn't really much trouble here besides misbehaving teens and shoplifters."

The door to the office opened before he could reply, and Robert stepped inside. He was a tall man in his late forties, with narrow blue eyes and a hawkish nose. After a short exchange with the soldiers, he rather unhappily brought the security footage up on the computer and stepped back to let them watch what they needed to. “Hello lovely,” he greeted you quietly as he stepped to your side. 

You shifted away, trying to be subtle. “Robert,” you greeted formally, dipping your head an inch. A nervous smile lifted your lips. Why were you smiling? He didn't deserve politeness nor civility. Yet you found you could not help the defensive smile that always came when faced with anxiety.

He leaned closer, lips far too close to your ear than was appropriate. “Those pants look good on you today. Nice and tight in all the right places.”

Panic filled you, but before you were forced to come up with a reply to the outrageous comment, the soldiers stepped back from the computer, looking pissed. “He was here hours ago,” the Scotsman complained.

“Missed him,” the skull-masked man affirmed with blunt irritation as they headed for the door. They were about to leave you alone with Robert. Heart hammering in your chest, you opened your mouth, yet words failed to escape your lips, caught in your treacherous throat. Don’t go, you wanted to cry out, but nerves struck you dumb. What if you spoke and they didn’t believe you? 

The brawny Scotsman dipped his head courteously to you. “Thank ya’, lass.” The skull-masked man barely offered a glance.

"Wait!" you blurted out then, halting them both in their tracks. They turned and looked at you with mixed irritation and curiosity.

"Yea, lass?" the Scotsman asked, crossing his brawny arms over his chest.

Decision made, heart thundering in your chest, you moved swiftly to the skull-faced man and grabbed onto his arm, earning a sharp look. "This is my brother," you told Robert with a pointed look. His face paled a shade at the skull-faced man's attention. He looked between the two of you, eyes narrowing further as he picked apart the obvious lie. The skull-faced soldier remained silent, assessing the situation. Licking your lips, you pressed on, "He would prefer if you stopped speaking to me and the other girls inappropriately."

Robert's eyes widened then, and he stammered out, "I don't know what she's talking about!"

"Also," you pressed on, words coming fast now as you clutched the soldiers arm, "He would prefer if you stopped making all sexual advances, and stopped cornering us. And stopped touching us," you added as an after thought, though that was loosely covered under the first one.

Silence followed, and you risked a glance up at the soldier. He was staring hard at Robert, who was stammering out all kinds of defensive drivel. What if he didn't believe you? Your hands tightened instinctively on his thickly muscled arm. Please believe me, please believe me.

He took a step towards Robert then, pulling you with him as you refused to let go of his arm. "You touching my fuckin' sister, mate?"

Robert's ruddy complexion went about two shades paler as the blood drained from his face. "She's not your sister - I mean - no I - she - they're always-"

"Always what?" The Scottish soldier asked then, walking over, eyes glaring. "What exactly are they always doing that makes you think it's fine to harass the girls here?"

The skull-faced man removed his arm from your frightened grip but placed a heavy hand on your shoulder, eyes still on Robert. "We hear anything about you touchin' the girls here again, we'll be back."

"You understand?" the Scottish soldier pressed.

Once they received a sound affirmative from the stammering man, the soldiers deemed it fine to leave the two of you in pursuit of whoever it was they were chasing after. You watched the two march back down the long hall and disappear up the stairs that led to the second floor. Apprehensively, you looked at Robert.

Good news: That was the day Robert stopped the touches and comments.

Bad News: It was also the day you got fired.

[xtruss]

At Long Last, Mathematicians Have Found a Shape With a Pattern That Never Repeats

Experts have Searched for Decades for a Polygon that only makes Non-Repeating Patterns. But No One Knew It was Possible Until Now

— Will Sullivan | March 29, 2023 | Smithsonian

Infinitely many copies of a 13-sided shape can be arranged with no overlaps or gaps in a pattern that never repeats. David Smith, Joseph Samuel Myers, Craig S. Kaplan and Chaim Goodman-Strauss (CC BY 4.0)

From bathroom floors to honeycombs or even groups of cells, tilings surround us. These patterns cover a space without overlapping or leaving any gaps. Like a rug filled with diamond shapes, where each section looks the same as the one next to it, every tiling ever recorded has eventually repeated itself—until now.

After decades of searching for what mathematicians call an “einstein tile”—an elusive shape that would never repeat—researchers say they have finally identified one. The 13-sided figure is the first that can fill an infinite surface with a pattern that is always original.

Repeating patterns have translational symmetry, meaning you can shift one part of the pattern and it will overlap perfectly with another part, without being rotated or reflected. The shape described in a new paper does not have translational symmetry—each section of its tiling looks different from every part that comes before it.

The designs on these rugs have translational symmetry—the patterns on the rugs repeat themselves. Juli Kosolapova via Unsplash

Sarah Hart, a mathematician at Birkbeck, University of London, who didn’t contribute to the finding, tells New Scientist’s Matthew Sparkes that she had thought finding an “einstein” (named for the German words for “one stone,” or one tile) could not be done. “There are infinitely many possible candidate tiles, and even the existence of a solution feels quite counterintuitive,” she says to the publication.

“Everybody is astonished and is delighted, both,” Marjorie Senechal, a mathematician at Smith College who did not participate in the research, tells Science News’ Emily Conover. “It wasn’t even clear that such a thing could exist.”

David Smith, a retired printing technician and nonprofessional mathematician, was the first to come up with the shape that could be a solution to the long-standing “einstein problem.” He shared his ideas with scientists who took on the challenge of trying to mathematically prove his conjecture, per the New York Times’ Siobhan Roberts.

The team published a preprint paper detailing the findings on the site arXiv last week, and it has not been peer-reviewed yet. But experts say the work is expected to be supported with further investigation, per Science News.

“This appears to be a remarkable discovery,” Joshua Socolar, a physicist at Duke University who did not contribute to the finding, tells the Times. “The most significant aspect for me is that the tiling does not clearly fall into any of the familiar classes of structures that we understand.”

Each "einstein" tile has eight kite shapes inside of it. David Smith, Joseph Samuel Myers, Craig S. Kaplan and Chaim Goodman-Strauss (CC BY 4.0)

The “Einstein” tile is made up of eight kites, or four-sided polygons with two pairs of adjacent, equal-length sides. Researchers call it “the hat” because of its resemblance to a fedora.

The shape is simpler than some experts expected it to be. Chaim Goodman-Strauss, a mathematician at the University of Arkansas and one of the authors of the paper, tells Science News that if he’d been asked to guess what the shape might look like before the finding, “I would’ve drawn some crazy, squiggly, nasty thing.”

In the 1970s, mathematician Roger Penrose discovered that two shapes could form a non-repeating tiling pattern together, prompting hopes that a single shape may be found to do this one day. Researchers have been able to make other non-repeating patterns in the past, but the challenge has been finding a shape that can only make a non-repeating pattern, Goodman-Strauss tells the Times.

The shape of “the hat” can also be morphed to form additional tile shapes that make non-repeating patterns, as shown in the video above.

This new finding could lead to materials science investigations—for example, shapes that form non-repeating tilings could help design stronger materials, Hart tells New Scientist. The elusive shape might also spark creative inspiration for new decorative designs or art.

[hms-no-fun]

a little late asking you a question but do you have some favourite books to share? and why they are your favourite? like such as how did they influence your way of thinking, your relationship with art, your way of writing, &c.

i've gotten a few asks about books/writing that influenced me and this is the most open-ended one, so, congratulations on winning that lottery anon.

the book that most recently affected me is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. it's about a representative from an intergalactic alliance of worlds embedding within and learning about the culture of a previously uncontacted civilization, to try to get them to join. but really, it's about observing the sociological particulars of a human culture where everyone is functionally intersex, and sort of swap male/female gender roles during the time period when they're (for lack of the term actually used in the book that i can't remember) "in heat". it's an astonishing work of science fiction that is every bit as good as its reputation suggests. i had a hard time getting into the first 20-30 pages, but once it really digs into the particulars of "shifgrethor" (this culture's all-important sense of decorum and near-invisible communication that the protagonist struggles to understand til the end) i was hooked. i love fictional social systems. i'm a homestuck, i can't help it. there's a profound materialism in how Le Guin observes this culture into being that unlocked something in me. i'll be thinking about the journey across the ice for the rest of my life.

i was also very inspired by This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, perhaps the most pure distillation of the feminine desire to hatefuck your rival into an ascendant beacon of cosmic revolution yet put to the page. much of how they write about time travel has made it into godfeels, not to mention the wildly extravagant and brief but numerous visions of absolutely batshit speculative alt-history tableau. i mean, the way they talk about Atlantis as this sort of annoying constant of the timeline, sometimes real and sometimes fake depending on the strand, definitely casts a shadow over the metaphysics explored in Chapter 8.

the other book i always recommend alongside Time War, because i read them at the same time while i was in the middle of production on Chapter 8 in 2021, is There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm. anyone who's read it or knows about it can immediately spot the gargantuan influences it's had on Silverbark's narrative in Chapter 8 and especially in Double Album. if you're not aware, Antimemetics Division is a standalone SCP novel about a branch of the Foundation dedicated to studying & intercepting the phenomenon of antimemes, ideas & entities that defy our ability to remember them in various ways. think The Silence in Matt Smith's second season of Doctor Who, or the Void Fish in the Balance arc of The Adventure Zone. i'm not an SCP person at all, i think i've read maybe half a dozen other SCP entries, so i'm not totally full of it when i say this book stands very tall on its own two legs. i very much intend to take a closer look at it in detail down the road because i think, whether intentional or not, the main "villain" of Antimemetics Division operates as a very handy analogue for the socio/psycho-logical effects of the profit motive on individuals & on society at large. also: Marion Wheeler is so fucking good. i did not know she existed when i came up with Silverbark but you bet your ass it's an influence now.

a non-fiction book that's had an outsized influence on me is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. i always feel self conscious about bringing this one up because it sounds like a self-help book or some kind of Chicken Soup for the Soul ass grifter textbook. that absolutely could not be farther from reality. ZAMM was written in the 60s and it's a semi-autobiographical philosophy of metaphysics text by a professor of rhetoric who some years ago underwent electroshock therapy after a destructive manic phase. it follows Pirsig on a motorcycle trip across the American west with his son and some college friends, as he tries to uncover the ideas that drove his past self (who he characterizes as a different person that he calls Phaedrus) off the wall. those ideas concern the nature of "quality" and how we perceive it. as in, why should we Know that a good painting is "good" within seconds of examining it, in the same manner that we know a stove is hot almost before we've even touched it? he digs deep into how we conceptualize the split between objectivity and subjectivity, and posits that understanding Quality requires a substantial re-evaluation of our base assumptions about human perception. of course there's SO much more to it than that, it's a beautiful and strange book that succeeds in part because its philosophy is deeply couched within the metaphor of a road trip, making it a lot more accessible than an otherwise straightforward metaphysics text. i read it in an honor's philosophy class full of incurious Christians at age 22, and that was absolutely the perfect time for it.

another non-fiction entry would be Acceptable Men by communist labor agitator Noel Ignatiev. it's a memoir about his time working at Gary Steel Works in the 70s, at the time the largest steel works factory in the world. it relates in very simple terms how racism sabotaged the USAmerican labor movement through anecdotes from his workplace. it's important, i think, for those of us dreaming of & pushing for a more equitable world to stare long and hard at struggles past and not lose their most valuable lessons in our desire to simply have it be true that unions are good. they are good but they're not everything, and in fact they're just as capable of systemic dysfunction and capitulation to capitalist white supremacy as any other organization of human beings.

what else? i started reading The Traitor Baru Cormorant and much enjoyed its early pages, but holy shit that's one long book in a series of long books. people are telling me to read Exordia so i might give that a shot. i've got Gretchen Felker-Martin's Manhunt as well as May Leitz's Girlflesh on my desk, just waiting for the day i'm psychologically prepared to be ravaged by transfem body horror. i keep picking away at China Mieville's October, i'm sure one of these days i'll just sit down and power through it. of course i recommend everyone check out Lenin's State and Revolution, great book from the original poster, absolutely still relevant more than a hundred years later. and much easier to read than you might expect! no one ever talks about how entertaining he is as a writer, unless you hang out with communists in which case you're probably sick of us never shutting up about it.

i hope there's some good stuff in there, and not too much that i've written about before. i really need to make myself read more, but then again who doesn't?

[creamqueen]

inspired by a conversation between me and oomf i will be ranking the vdl gang from best to worst based on how good i think they'd be at badminton

Sadie Adler - I have the feeling that sadie would be an absolute unit in badminton , idfk why I just get that vibe from her , she has a MEAN backhand and is insanely good at smashing. ( off topic i need her to yell at me during a match )

Tilly Jackson - next to sadie i just get the feeling that tilly jackson would make a meaaan badminton player , i feel like she would play more on tactics , she somehow still looks flawless after every match too.

Lenny Summers - i feel like he would get into it as a casual hobby but somehow get super good at it , like tilly i feel like he'd play more on tactics , if you ever give him a smash though he's returning it 3x as hard .

Javier Escuella - i have the feeling he wouldnt be as good at serving but when it comes to his strikes ??? he's so good it's sort of scary. sometimes he gets hits in that you don't even think possible but he pulls it off anyway and it leaves u confused

Charles Smith - Charles would be a more casual player but if u challenge him ?? hes locking tf in , i feel like he'd make a MEAAAAN defense, he'd make a good teacher though.

Abigail Roberts - Abigail wouldn't have that much time to play badminton cause of Jack but if u ever challenged her/teamed up with her she'd be another great defense .

Karen Jones - i get the feeling that Karen wouldn't play as much but when she does every single one of her serves would be so flawless and hard for u to hit , they never land outside too, its always far enough from u to not be able to hit and close enough to not land outside .

Micah Bell - i'm ashamed to say it but i get the feeling that when he wants to be micah would be an absolute offensive unit , his only flaw being sometimes he hits too hard and lands outside .

Mary-Beth - Mary-Beth would be more of a casual player i believe , i get the feeling she'd be an amazing teammate to have though , she always comes in clutch .

Hosea Matthews - another casual player , i feel like hosea would only play if it was a casual back and forth , he usually only plays drives or lobs ... he's too old to play a fast game .

Molly O'shea - another casual player , molly would prefer to just watch but she's good enough to play a casual round or 2 , her weakness is back hands though ...

Arthur Morgan - i feel like arthur wouldn't be too interested in badminton ... he doesn't like moving too fast but i do feel like he'd like playing defensive every now and then .

Sean Mcguire - he'd only play with lenny cause when he's not he's missing every shot , he'd hit a shot or too but it either hits the outline of the racket and doesn't land past the net , it hits too hard and lands outside , or it just lands outside of the court completely .

Keiran Duffy - i feel like he'd see how fast the game goes and just chicken out ... if u offered him a casual back and forth tho i feel like he'd go for it ... just don't expect him to hit all his shots .

John Marston - He's doing so much yet nothing at the same damn time , he's shuffling all around the court doing useless turns , he jumps high as hell just to miss the shuttlecock entirely .

Dutch van der linde - he either doesn't gaf or he's taking it too seriously , when he does , he turns red and there's veins bulging out of his forehead , if he misses a shot he yells as if it was your fault , if you hit a strike he wasn't expecting u to he's too angry to hit it back , he's making new rules up out of thin air , if he serves and it lands outside he's gonna gaslight u into thinking it counts as his point .

Josiah Trelawny - he doesn't like how sweaty it makes him , that and he doesn't realize it's a game where u have to actively move , he just stands still in one place and waits for your serve to reach him . he says he's not missing his shots just that your serves are bad .

Reverend Swanson - he would not like how fast the game goes , he hits a shot then sees how fast it's returned and can't register it fast enough to hit it back . he can't handle fast paced games .

Simon Pearson - he gets super sweaty super quick so he wouldn't want to play , he'd be very enthusiastic abt it though even though he's not all that good at it ...

Susan Grimshaw - she wouldn't opt to play cause she doesn't like how much u have to move around , like hosea she likes a slow back and forth though , she still misses most of her shots sadly .

Bill Williamson - he's missing all his shots entirely and smashing his racket which leaves a huge dent so he can't even play anymore .

Uncle - he played once . ONE TIME . and he accidentally let go of the racket trying to serve and it flew and hit John in the face .

Strauss - he's sitting on the sidelines critiquing everyones every move ( he can't play for shit but he doesn't wanna talk abt that )

Jack Marston - he just wants to watch . trust he will be rooting for his momma when she plays though .

[i-am-a-bad-influence-writes]

Wherever I rest my head is home if it's with you

Part 1, Luck be with you

Masterlist Word count: 2 k Charles Smith x Fem!Reader Arthur Morgan x Mary Linton John Marston x Abigail Roberts Dutch Van der Linde x Molly O'Shea Mary-Beth Gaskill x Kieran Duffy

Summary: Looking for gold is a men's world in a town run by women. The amounts of violence and suffering these men go through with the hope of getting rich is insanity. Gold fever broke marriages and relationships alike until the settlement was nearly all women.  It's a small settlement, nearly a small town, next to the Elysian Pool. Most men red hot with gold fever pass through to stock up on supplies before heading down to the mines near Beaver's Hallow or Annesburg.  The settlement has only one law set in stone, as lawmen do not want to come there, and it is praised like it was one of the ten commandments. You do not harm the women.

Preview

Going up towards the Grizzlies always brings a bone chilling wind along. It's that kind of cold that flows right through your lungs, into your bloodstream, and infects your every inch of being. But the four men on the road to prosperity aren't in that part of the woods yet. These men being Arthur, Charles, John, and Hosea. None of them are particularly fond of finding the gold around these parts but they are concerned about their friends who rode up weeks ago.  Before their journey, the men had been told and warned about a settlement. According to the men that came back, you're lucky if you leave with a broken heart and a nugget of gold in your saddlebag. If you're not so lucky, well, you don't make it out alive.  So many stories about this little settlement. They could just push through to Van Horn or go straight to Annesburg, but they have to admit they're curious. All the stories about beautiful, cruel women only fanned that curiosity. Hosea, with all his experience traveling through America, had never heard of the settlement which strengthened their desire to go see for themselves even more. After all, they've all had their hearts broken before, so what’s another chip?  What Hosea did seem to know is the major of the town. He had met the woman down by Emeral Ranch while she was picking up a delivery for the town. Hosea had, so kindly, offered to be a hired gun for her in hopes of taking over the stocked wagon but was met with the barrel of a shotgun against his back when he tried to get up onto the driver's seat. She had smiled at him and kindly told him to fuck off.  How he had managed to get onto her good side after an encounter like that was a mystery to the other men, but she had offered a place to rest their heads if they were ever close and in need.  As they reach the edge of town, they can already tell this is a settlement like no other. Though most settlements are one street, a good place to ride through, this settlement is spread out like a village. Down by the lake is a huge ranch and down by the train tracks seems to be a hotel and post office, but no train station which strikes both John and Arthur as curious. There's a grocery store, a tailor, a saloon, a barber, a gun store, a doctor's office, everything one might need.  And, as the stories predicted, a lot of women wearing pants and barely any men.  Hosea points at a large house a little bit higher up on a small mountain: 'From what I've been told, that's where the major lives. Let's go introduce ourselves gentlemen.' 

[annabolinas]

Tudor Week 2023:

Day 5: Most Used Tudor Related Resource: A Non-Comprehensive List of My Favorite Tudor Books

I know I said this wasn't comprehensive, and it really isn't; I used 63 secondary sources and 9 primary source collections for my novel alone. These are just my favs, the ones I go back to regularly, plus one surprise. Warning: this is a long post. *crying emoji*

Tudor England: A History - Genuinely the best one-volume history of Tudor England out there. If you're a Tudor buff, GET THIS BOOK!!! There's not only refreshingly balanced interpretations of every Tudor monarch, but Wooding is careful to focus on ordinary people in Tudor England, with chapters dedicated to their religion, literature, relations with the wider world, authority and dissent, and more! Plus, the footnotes and Further Reading are an absolute delight, chock-full of fascinating research. This is academic history at its absolute best.

The Tudor Chronicles - Ever forgot what important stuff happened in Tudor England in 1505? 1563? 1589? This is the book for you. It's a year-by-year look at Tudor history. This was an invaluable book while writing the novel; it really provided a chronological framework on which I could structure the story. Absolutely essential.

Henry VIII by J.J. Scarisbrick - Despite being published in 1968, this remains a classic biography of Henry VIII, one of the very best out there. While Scarisbrick has aged poorer in some areas than others (i.e. his underestimation of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr), his treatment of Henrician foreign policy and the struggle for the annulment has IMO never been bettered. Plus, he has a whole chapter on matrimonial canon law if you want to better understand the background to Henry's quest for an annulment from Catherine of Aragon.

Henry VIII by Lucy Wooding - I actually think Wooding is a better biography of Henry than Scarisbrick, if only because this was published in 2015. Understanding yet never excusing Henry, and with balanced and well-argued interpretations of every historiographical controversy in his reign, this is a book I keep coming back to! Plus, she manages to be sympathetic to Catherine, Anne, and Henry in the Great Matter, no small feat.

Henry VIII: The Mask of Royalty - A bit of an odd book, this is a psychological profile of Henry in his last years, 1540-7. Nevertheless, Smith is careful to never armchair diagnose Henry with anything, but rather bring out facets of his personality which are often ignored, like his obsession with honor and deep-rooted conviction in his close relationship with God as an anointed monarch. This was really helpful in fleshing out Henry as the main character in my novel.

Henry VIII: The Decline and Fall of a Tyrant - If Lacey Baldwin Smith focuses mainly on Henry's psyche from 1540-7, Robert Hutchinson provides a more general picture of these last years. He's particularly insightful on Henry's declining health, his war with France, court factionalism, and the economic woes England faced as a result. I wasn't as familiar with the non-matrimonial aspects of Henry's reign when I was writing the novel, so this book proved a godsend to me.

Six Wives - I know, I know, David Starkey is a racist POS. But he somehow managed to make the (so-far; I hope Suzannah Lipscomb will change this) best overview of the six wives. Weir is downright unreliable and Fraser repeats a number of myths and is a strong CoA partisan. It's Starkey who debunks myths and offers intriguing interpretations of everything from the dating of Anne and Percy's relationship to proof of Foxe's story of Catherine Parr's near-arrest.

Catherine of Aragon by Giles Tremlett - Why it took seventy years to supersede Gareth Mattingly's biography on Catherine, I don't know, but Tremlett did it. This is a richly detailed, fair book on Catherine, and while he is sympathetic to Catherine, he doesn't present her as a plaster saint. Still, it's hard to feel anything but admiration for her after this biography. This is the closest book we'll get to knowing her as a person.

The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives - This book deserves to be called "the Anne Boleyn bible". An underrated feature of this biography is its fascinating and insightful analysis of Anne's faith, presenting convincing evidence of her evangelical beliefs, and her artistic patronage. Even if I don't agree with his theory of her fall, this is still the best Anne biography out there.

Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves by Elizabeth Norton - In a small field of books about these two queens, Norton manages to produce the best ones. Due to the paucity of evidence, there's naturally a lot of speculation and use of "might have", but she does the best of any book at producing a picture of these two queens as actual people (with thorough citations to boot).

Young and Damned and Fair by Gareth Russell - I feel I should clarify that I don't agree with Russell's analysis of Catherine Howard's relationship with Manox and Dereham; it was not consensual (although I think Dereham groomed her into thinking it was). That being said, Russell sweeps away many of the myths and misconceptions about Catherine to present a very empathetic, yet never biased book about this tragic queen. Plus, he includes a wealth of details about court life and anecdotes about Catherine not found in other bios.

Catherine Parr by Susan James - James is practically the expert on Catherine Parr; it was James who really proved that Catherine was far more passionate and lively than popular belief has it. Thus, it's no surprise this biography is superb. James is particularly good on Catherine's 1544 regency, household, and her Protestant beliefs, really giving you a detailed picture of her faith.

Letters and Papers (L&P) of Henry VIII and the Calendar of State Papers, Spain (CSP Spain) - These two Victorian primary source collections are invaluable resources for researching Henry's reign. They're collections of summaries (and sometimes transcripts) of primary sources for Henry's reign. This is the bedrock of nearly all books about his reign, so much so that excerpts of it are part of my set texts for next term. Plus, there's so much in it; it's a never-ending-buffet for Tudor buffs.

Dress at the Court of Henry VIII - What color shoes did Catherine Parr like to wear the most? How did clothes communicate royal status and political leanings, for both Henry and his wives? How did Henry's children, courtiers, and servants dress on different occasions? This book is the one-stop shop for Henrician fashion. My only complaint is that its illustrations are B&W, but if you combine this with the drawings of gowns in Herbert Norris' Tudor Costume and Fashion, you're pretty much set.

Elizabeth I - The later Tudors aren't really my wheelhouse, but I had to include this amazing biography of Elizabeth I. Forget Weir or Plowden, this is the best biography of Elizabeth out there, and it's a masterpiece of historical biography, period. This book manages to grapple with everything that happened in Elizabeth's nearly 70-year life without getting bogged down in details and preserving a sympathetic, nuanced picture of the woman behind the queenly mask. 10/10, highly recommend!!

[lilacsupernova]

Dead hags

[Dr Hannah] Bows notes that elderly women have been sidelined in the reporting and analysis of men's fatal violence. Research, she writes, 'has focused on young women as victims and survivors':

'we remain 'shocked' when an older woman is killed by a man, believing this to be an unusual occurrence, when in fact my research has identified at least one in four domestic homicides involves a woman aged sixty or older, despite them constituting only 17 per cent of the population.'

Until 2018, the murders of women over the age of fifty-nine were not included in the Crime Survey for England and Wales, masking the prevalence of violence against them (the cap has now been raised to seventy-four; the life expectancy for women in the UK is 82.9 years). 'When you look at police data on abuse, rape and murder, older women aren't there,' says Bows in the interview with the Guardian's Yvonne Roberts. 'If a crime is looked at, at all, it's treated as a safeguarding issue, gender neutral, "elder abuse" with no perpetrator.' Yet it is not as though the murders of older women appear less violent and hence more ambiguous. On the contrary, older women are more likely than younger women to suffer five or more injuries beyond what would be needed to kill them (known as 'overkilling), even in cases that subsequently regarded as mercy killings. In her article, Roberts even mentions research which indicates the murderers of older women are 'the least likely to express remorse or empathy'.

– Victoria Smith, Hags: The Demonisation of middle-aged women, p. 276-7.

[mightyflamethrower]

When Donald Trump seemed to have a lock on the 2016 Republican primary, the Democratic Party concluded that the people could not be counted on to do the “right thing” of electing the Democratic candidate in waiting Hillary Clinton.

What followed were eight long years of extralegal efforts to neuter candidate, then President, then ex-President, and then candidate again, Donald Trump.

The nonstop efforts were all justified as “saving democracy”—albeit by nearly destroying it.

In 2015-2016, the Hillary Clinton campaign fueled the lie that discredited ex-British spy Christopher Steele had discovered Donald Trump to be a veritable Russian agent.

Hillary did not disclose that she had paid Steele—with checks hidden through three paywalls. The FBI, under Director James Comey, also hired the fraudster.

Yet almost nothing in his “Steele dossier” was true.

The FBI doctored evidence submitted to a FISA court. Comey leaked to the press confidential documents about his private conversations with President Trump.

Comey’s successor, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, lied on numerous occasions to federal investigators.

Both former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper repeatedly lied to the nation, saying that Trump was de facto working with the Russians.

The result? Trump lost the 2016 popular vote but still won the Electoral College.

Next, celebrities and well-funded liberals waged a media campaign to convince the electors to become “faithless.” Left-wing elites begged them to renounce their constitutional duties and instead throw the election to Hillary Clinton.

Once Trump was elected, “Russian collusion” was fired up again in hysterical fashion.

A special counsel, Robert Mueller, consumed 22 months of the Trump presidency. His investigation team constantly leaked falsehoods about the “walls closing in on” Trump.

After nearly two years, Mueller announced there was no evidence of a Trump effort to collude with Russia.

Next was the first impeachment of Trump—nearly the moment he lost the House in 2018.

Supposedly, Trump had leveraged Ukraine to investigate a corrupt Hunter Biden by delaying foreign aid.

Trump was impeached on a strictly partisan vote.

But later, no one denied that the drug-addled Hunter Biden had indeed gotten rich from Ukraine, or that Joe Biden had fired a Ukrainian prosecutor looking into his son’s misadventures while still vice president, or that Trump released all the military assistance designated by Congress, or that he included offensive weapons formerly denied Ukraine by the Obama-Biden administration.

Next, in 2020, when Hunter’s laptop turned up abandoned at a repair shop and full of incriminating evidence of more Biden family skullduggery, the left struck again.

It rounded up “51 former intelligence authorities” to mislead the American people on the eve of the vote that the laptop was likely a fake—once again cooked up by Russian disinformation experts to aid Trump.

And once more, that was another complete falsehood. But the lie proved useful to Joe Biden in the debates and campaign. And he won the election.

Next, the learn-nothing, forget-nothing left turned to the 2023-2024 campaign.

This time, their next extra-legal efforts were twofold.

One, they unsuccessfully sought to remove Trump from some 15 state ballots.

Two, local, state, and federal courts began to wage lawfare to convict and jail candidate Trump, or at least bankrupt him and keep him off the campaign trail.

Three county and state prosecutors campaigned on getting Trump on charges never filed before against a presidential candidate—and rarely against anyone else as well.

The Fani Willis Georgia lead prosecutor met secretly with the Biden White House counsel.

Alvin Bragg’s Manhattan team hired the third-ranking federal prosecutor in the Biden Justice Department.

Special counsel Jack Smith was found by a court to have been illegally appointed and much of his case was dismissed.

On July 14, a shooter nearly killed candidate Trump, nicking his ear after somehow firing a rifle from a rooftop a mere 140 yards away—while undetected by law enforcement inside the very same building below.

Prior to the shooting, Joe Biden had boasted to donors that “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”

Biden had railed nearly nonstop that a Trump victory would spell the end of democracy—a theme the left had fueled by comparing ad nauseam Trump to Adolf Hitler.

Yet here we are in mid-July 2024 and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is alive and leads incumbent Biden—either because of, or despite, the crude efforts to destroy him.

After nearly a decade of utter madness, can we finally order the FBI, DOJ, and CIA to butt out of our elections?

Can a bankrupt media cease whipping up hysterias about a supposed Nazi-like takeover?

Can the left stop relying on washed-up British spies, corrupt ex-spooks, and teams of clownish partisan prosecutors?

Instead, why not, at last, just let the people choose their own president?

[dicnna]

savannah smith.     she/they.     demi woman.      ›      spotted   at   the   met   steps   ,   dianna   grayson   ,   most   likely   listening   to   7 rings   by   ariana grande   with   their   airpods   pro   .   the   twenty two   year   old   gained   quite   a   reputation   ,   known   to   be   -superficial   yet   +glamorous   to   anyone   who   knows   them   .   you'll   easily   spot   them   when   you   hear   about   a   dozen   cameras   being   shoved   in   your   face , expectations   that   you   didn't   live   up   to   ,   an   overzealous   need   for   attention ,   and   never   leaving   home   without   some   bling   ,   followed   by   born in rome by valentino   .   latest   nepoupdates   article   talks   about   dianna   possibly   being   replaced   in   the   next   season   of   the   big   apple   —   could   the   grayson   wild   child   be   too   wild   for   reality   tv?   (  false   )   ,   but   i   guess   any   reputation   is   good   reputation   .

♡     ◞        statistics.

full  name:  dianna  camille  grayson. nickname:  prefers  dianna  only. date  of  birth:  october  1st,  2001  (  22  years  old  ). zodiac  sign:  libra. place  of  birth:  manhattan,  new  york. current  location:  new  york  city,  new  york. gender:  demi  woman,  uses  she / they  pronouns. sexuality:  bisexual  (  preference  for  women  ). languages:  english ( native ), french ( basic ). father:  robert  grayson. mother: octavia grayson. siblings: tba.

♡     ◞        bits and bops.

character  tropes:  the  black  sheep,  the  baby  doll. traits:  glamorous,  outgoing,  carefree,  determined,  superficial,  vain,  frivolous,  unpredictable. likes:  wearing jewelry, being the center of attention,  spicy food, juliet roses, getting  dolled  up. dislikes:  family  dinners,  sweating or getting hot,  cheap beer, insects, enclosed spaces.

♡     ◞        background.

being  a  grayson  came  with  maintaining  a  standard  of  perfection  in  every  way.  even  though  she  was  the  youngest-born  of  six  grayson  siblings,  dianna  was  of  no  exception  to  that  rule.  as  the  chief  executive  officer  of  grayson  oil conglomerate,  the  grayson  family  patriarch  robert  always  ensured  that  their  surname  and  family  image  remained  clean  of  any  scandals.

but  being  the  youngest  grayson  also  meant  that  there  was  little  room  for  dianna's  own  achievements  to  be  acknowledged.  dianna  craved  more  than  just  approving  looks  and  the  occasional  smiles  from  her  parents  when  told  about  their  excellent  grades  in  school.  it  was  never  enough,  especially  since  all  her  other  siblings  seemed  to  thrive  effortlessly  as  well.  dianna  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  only  way  to  get  their  parents'  attention  was  to  start  acting  out.

dianna's  rebellious  acts  started  out  small  at  first,  and  they  were  brushed  aside  most  of  the  time  and  handled  privately  when  they  came.  when  she  was  sent  to  the  principal's  office  after  a  class  fight,  her  parents  agreed  that  it  was  only  because  of  a  quarrel  with  a  friend  that  could  be  settled  easily.  when  their  grades  started  slipping,  their  mother  only  advised  her  to  do  better  the  next  time.  dianna's  frustration  only  grew  throughout  the  years,  and  as  they  became  older  and  more  unruly,  her  father  took  her  aside  and  told  her  to  start  behaving  like  a  grayson  or  he  would  make  her  stop  ...  permanently.  and  in  that  moment,  something  in  dianna  snapped.

robert  was  livid  when  the  headlines  broke  out  with  photos  of  dianna,  aged  sixteen,  kissing  multiple  girls  and  boys  in  a  nightclub.  there  were  also  reports  of  her  smoking  in  the  alley  behind  the  club  with  her  other  underaged  friends. gone  was  the  squeaky  clean  image  of  the  grayson  family,  and  dianna  felt  a  sense  of  triumph  at  the  amount  of  damage  control  her  father  had  to  do  because  of  her.  she  didn't  stop,  not  even  when  she  was  sent  to  a  boarding  school  in  switzerland  as  a  way  to  tame  her  wild  behaviour,  far  away  from  the  eyes  of  the  press.  they'd  gotten  their  parent's  attention  —  and  that  was  all  they  needed.

two  years  at  an  expensive  boarding  school  did  not  discipline  her  one  bit.  dianna  only  managed  to  scrape  through  to  graduation  with  subpar  grades and close  friends  by  her  side.  coming  back  to  new  york,  she  knew  that  every  gaze  was  on  her,  waiting  for  her  to  wild  out  again.  the  tension  between  them  and  their  parents  were  still  palpable,  but  they  felt  little  guilt  on  what  had  happened  years  prior. and though  dianna  no  longer  craved  her  parents'  attention,  her  defiant  behaviour  had  become  a  habit  and  her  name  was  once  again  the  subject  of  a  new  scandal  every  other  week.  dianna  was  now  known  as  the  wild  child  —  the  anomaly  of  the  otherwise  polished  grayson  family.  with  this  reputation,  it  cemented  the  contentious  relationship  they  had  with  their  parents.

having  spent  their  whole  life  trying  to  prove  a  point,  dianna  didn't  have  much  idea  on  what  she  wanted  to  do.  all  her  siblings  had  achieved  excellency  by  establishing  careers  in  various  fields  by  the  time  they  were  in  their  early  twenties,  and  dianna,  ever  the  black  sheep  of  her  family,  was  still  out  partying  every  night.  they'd  always  been  told  they  had  a  face  and  personality  for  the  screen,  but  she'd  never  thought  she'd  be  able  to  make  a  career  out  of  it  —  until  they  got  the  offer  to  star  in  the  first  season  of  the  reality  show  the  big apple,  a  show  centered  around  the  lives  of  young  socialites  in  new  york  and  the  drama  that  surrounded  them.

due  to  their  loud  personality  and  frivolous  nature,  dianna  received  polarized  reactions  from  viewers  during  the  show's  first  season  premiere.  nevertheless,  the  show  was  a  massive  hit  and  the  stars  of  the  big  apple  were  catapulted  into  fame.  dianna  suddenly  found  herself  having  various  job  opportunities  she  didn't  have  before  —  and  though  their  future  was  uncertain,  dianna  was  content  with  where  their  career  was  heading.  as  per  her  contract,  dianna  was  asked  to  return  if  the  big  apple  became  a  success,  and  the  second  season  is  currently  in  production.

♡     ◞        personality   +   headcanons.

has  the  personality  of  a  reality  tv  star  down  to  a  T.  her  confidence  is  what  attracted  the  showrunners  to  cast  her  in  the  first  place.  bold,  carefree  and  talkative,  her  energy  will  light  up  a  room.  definitely  an  extrovert.

the  personification of IDGAF — at least, about what the public and tabloids say about them — a stark contrast to the grayson family's core values, who always prioritized their public image.

determined to prove a point. can absolutely achieve something if she puts her mind to it.

not really book smart — a bit of an airhead academically. stopped paying attention in school early on as they didn't see the point of getting good grades when no one cared about them.

as stated above, she is super childish. holds grudges, kinda petty, impulsive at times, is an attention seeker and very, very vain.

can't cook for shit. if she says she's going to cook, pls call the fire department immediately. their attempts make for great tv, though.

their wardrobe is mostly black, with the occasional hues of soft pastel colors.

a constant wip, so more will be added in the future <3

♡     ◞        wanted   connections. 

anything and everything really, but off the top of my head: best friend, friends with benefits, rivals, flirtationship, reality show co-stars, annoyed at first sight, fake friends, good influence on dianna, bad influence on y/m, party friends !

also, someone bring her siblings PLS PLS PLS !!!

[veronicaleighauthor]

Emma & Mr. Knightley

“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” – Jane Austen once wrote of her character Emma Woodhouse.

But really, since I first read “Emma” in the mid-2000s, Emma Woodhouse was never difficult for me to like. The novel opens with this: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition… had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.” We are more than prepared that we’re about to be introduced to a spoiled, little rich girl who likes to have her way. I believe it’s Emma’s faults that endear us to her. She’s not a bad person; she’s not immoral or vicious. She’s devoted to her father, she looks after the poor, she adores her former governess/companion Mrs. Weston. Though she’s twenty-one at the start of the story, the novel is a bildungsroman – one of self-discovery and self-improvement. When I first read “Emma” and watched the adaptation with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam, I was totally Team Emma and Knightly – the two actors totally sold the romance on screen. Emma should be a difficult character to translate to screen – but every actress that portrays her brings her to life in a new way.

Time passed, and after other re-readings and study of articles and literary criticism, I began to question Austen marrying Emma off to Mr. Knightley – the guy who spends most of the book scolding and lecturing her. There were times I thought she and Harriet Smith should have a Boston Marriage (apologies, that term comes later in history), or Emma should remain single and free. After all, throughout the book Emma insists she will never marry, and from the adaptations it seems the one she shows continual interest in is Harriet. I became dissatisfied with Austen’s ending and couldn’t fathom why she ended up with Knightley.

In the last couple of months, I re-read “Emma” and I rewatched “Emma 2009” where Romola Garai portrays Emma, and Johnny Lee Miller plays Mr. Knightley. The 2009 version is four episodes long, so we are able to spend time with the characters and enjoy their story arcs. Also, kudos to Johnny Lee Miller for making Mr. Knightley absolutely hilarious. And Romola Garai….Emma Woodhouse seems to have been created for her. Because of the re-read and rewatch, I’m back to being Team Emma and Knightley. Why did I change my mind yet again?

Following the marriage of Miss Taylor to Mr. Weston, Emma has time on her hands and decides to take Harriet Smith under her wing and match her up with Highbury’s vicar, Mr. Elton. For the first volume, most of Emma’s attention is on Harriet, the belief that Harriet is the daughter of a gentleman, and this prospective match. There are other things going on, but Emma’s focus is primarily on Harriet…but as the book progresses her interest in Harriet wanes. Harriet is still a sort of companion to Emma, but after Mr. Elton drunkenly proposes to Emma at Christmas time and her plans are ruined, Harriet is more in the background. Emma occasionally thinks of her, considers setting her up with others, and then after Harriet fancies herself in love with Knightley, Emma ghosts her friend. In the book, their friendship is never quite the same. When Harriet’s father is revealed to be a *gasps* tradesman and she marries Robert Martin, placing her in a different place in society, they go their separate ways. Harriet is also an afterthought when characters like Frank Churchill, Mrs. Elton, and Jane Fairfax show up in Highbury.

Mr. Knightley, however, is consistent throughout the book. Yes, he’s often scolding or mansplaining, but he is there and Emma’s romance with him is foreshadowed from the start. In his defense, he does own up to mistakes and faults. Emma and Knightley were always friends; they speak with out reservations, with complete honesty. Theirs is a friendship to lovers trope – perhaps its even the origin of this trope. In a way, I prefer their romance. They are equals and will never have to worry about one or the other being higher or lower in their sphere. They bicker and fuss like an old married couple. Yet Emma greatly admires Mr. Knightley; in her opinion he is the best example of what a gentleman ought to be. He is intelligent, honest, responsible, considerate of others, thoughtful, loyal, diligent, active…Emma becomes the best version of herself when she’s with him.

Like Emma, I’m searching for my own Mr. Knightley – someone I admire enough to fall in love with. My aunt once told me it's best to have a friendship with the person you fall in love with. Because if the romance and sparks peter off, and hard times come along, you'll still have that friendship to sustain you.

Until next time.

[thethistlegirlwrites]

🍸 character who inspired your mc

🌱 book that inspired your wip

🐠 author who inspires you

🍯 author you know

🍄 name a song that represents your mc

🌾 book you would / have writ(t)e(n) fanfic for

🍸 character who inspired your mc Emmett - It took some figuring out when I restarted Thief of Hearts after 9 years (and trying to tell by the date of the original note with its premise), but I still find it sort of funny that I took a serial killer from Criminal Minds (episode 3x02 if you're curious, I made someone cutting out hearts a little more metaphorical, but not by much, and gave him a much less forgettable name than what IMDB claims is Joe Smith) and went 'what if you weren't the villain actually' and ended up with a whole novel. Although this isn't an abnormal way for me to get a story. (Just ask Emma from Magic & Silver) Rory - Meg Galligan/Galloway (depends on whether you mean book or movie version) See below

🌱 book that inspired your wip I did a Tolkien and Birnam Wood on Northern Lights by Nora Roberts, believe it or not. (Ok I liked the book just fine but kept wondering when the lights were going to become really plot relevant.) And I ended up weirdly fond of Meg, half of the main character duo and feisty without leaning into overly 'strong female character', and managed to be tough, jaded, vulnerable, and damaged at the same time. Some of that 'everyone at arms' distance so no one can hurt you anymore' definitely bled over into Rory (although I may actually have dialed it up a little...a lot).

🐠 author who inspires you Right now I'm going a little feral over Jules Dyrud, an indie author I found through Bookstagram. Her book Majesties is wrecking my heart (I picked it up thinking it would be a good comp for Thief of Hearts and honestly I look kind as an author in comparison to what she's put her main character through). I love finding writers who don't shy away from tackling brutal topics and yet do it with grace and sensititivity.

🍯 author you know Erin Bartels from my home state of Michigan! My parents worked at a summer camp with some of her family so when her first book came out we went to her signing to support her, and while it took me a few years to actually read her novels, I quickly found out she was the kind of writer I can't get enough of and I eagerly await each new book and the accompanying author visits to my local bookstore!

🍄 name a song that represents your mc Emmett - Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri Rory - Seven Devils by Florence + the Machine

🌾 book you would / have writ(t)e(n) fanfic for Dracula! I don't do a lot of book fanfiction (maybe because books feel more complete to me than most movies/shows) but the characters from that one have a piece of my heart forever and sometimes I just need to yell about it in the form of fic about their precious little found family.

Thanks for the ask!!

[korgbelmont]

Male MC (Will Redgrave) x Charlie Smith

Part 1

The first part of an alternate ending to Distant Shores, and it's a race against time as Charlie has been poisoned. But time has other ideas...

Written in the present tense

Tagging: @choicesficwriterscreations, @jerzwriter

Warnings: Talk and threat of death, violence, use of a gun

Word Count: 1005

Notes: I don’t own these characters, they are the property of Pixelberry Studios.

The first section is text used in Chapter 16, all text belongs to Pixelberry

An Alternate Path made on cooltext.com

I was thinking about this post I made ages ago, and decided to write a story sort of based on it

Will has finally reached the heart of the mysterious time temple, just as Charlie collapses.

Charlie - Nnhhhh...

Will - Charlie!

He drops to his knees and examines her side. The wound there is much worse, swollen and discoloured where the darts pierced her skin.

Will - Oh no... the darts must've been poisoned!

Charlie tries to brush is hands away.

Charlie - I'm... fine... We have... to stop... Admiral.

Will - I'm not risking your life. Not for him. It's not worth it.

Charlie - My life... is not worth... the thousands who will be at risk if we let the admiral win.

She grimaces and sits up a little straighter.

Will - Charlie...

Charlie - Don't cry for me yet, love. A little poison can't stop me.

Will - You better not die on me.

Charlie - I wouldn't dare.

Will, Edward, and Oliver get Charlie back on her feet. She sways, then manages to gather herself enough to wink at Will.

Charlie - Let's go save the world.

Will nods before drawing his weapon and stepping forward into the heart of the temple.

WHERE THE PATH DIVERGES

Water falls around them, with no sign of the Admiral or Robert. The four continue on up the steps. It's there they find the two before a portal.

Will - It's like the one that brought me here to this time.

Admiral - You're too late. And you...

His eyes fall on Oliver.

Admiral - You're a disappointment. Working wit--

Edward - If you were going to say 'Pirates', then I'd be looking next to you.

Will - So tell me, Robert, when are you from?

Robert - It doesn't matter. None of you will live to see the future.

Drawing his sword, Robert lunges at the group, but Edward intercepts, blocking Robert's blade with his own.

The Admiral reaches into the portal and pulls out a rifle from a time period Will recognises. His own. Acting on instinct, Will grabs Charlie, ducking down. Edward and Oliver do the same as the Admiral pulls the trigger, bullets flying.

Charlie - Will...

Will notices that the colour has drained from her face and he checks where the dart hit her.

Will - Dammit, it's getting worse.

Edward - Get her out of here!

Oliver strikes the rifle from his father and it falls to the ground. While a duel of father and son as well as that between Robert and Edward happen around them, Will's focus is purely on keeping Charlie conscious.

Charlie - Nnnnhhhh...

Will - Keep your eyes open...

The portal suddenly flares, and Will looks up to see that the Admiral and Robert have frozen. As has Charlie. Oliver steps back, as does Edward, both of them looking over towards Will.

Edward - What is this?

It was me...

The three men look over at the portal as the silhouette of someone appears. A woman who they have never seen before stands before them.

Edward - Are you...?

Magdalena - I am the one you know as the Pirate Queen, yes. I have watched you Captain Mortemer. You are a man of honour. And you, Oliver Cochrane, a man destined for great things.

Oliver - You know us?

Magdalena - I do. All of you. Including those out of time.

Her eyes lock with Will's as he carefully sets the frozen Charlie down, standing.

Will - Robert and I...

Magdalena - It is why I'm here. By coming to this time, you have unbalanced the scales of space and time.

Edward - Unbalanced the scales?

Magdalena - There is a way to fix this. Two of you must return to William's time. Only then will things return to how they should be.

Will - Wait two of us?! Not Robert and I specifically?

Will looks over at Charlie. Even though time has frozen around them, once it resumes, the poison will only spread.

Edward - I know what you're thinking, Will.

Will - Medicine from my time can save her.

Magdalena - Know that when you go, you can't come back. This would be goodbye.

Will nods, making his decision.

Will - I'll go.

Oliver - You're sure of this?

Will - I am. But I won't make the decision for Charlie.

Magdalena approaches Charlie, taking her hand and a glow appears from her palm. Charlie's breath are strained as Will takes her in his arms, helping her up slowly.

Charlie - Will...

Edward kneels down, giving her a smile.

Edward - There's a way to save you. But it would mean this is goodbye.

Charlie - All that matters is... stopping the Admiral.

Edward laughs lightly, taking her hand in his.

Edward - Always so stubborn.

Magdalena - The decision must be made. I can only hold this for so long.

Edward - Oliver and I can see to Robert and the Admiral. You two see to saving your life.

Charlie - You just want the glory of saving the world.

Both Will and Edward laugh.

Edward - All that matters is your life. And you can be saved by going with Will to his time.

Will - But this is your decision.

Charlie looks up at Will.

Charlie - You'll be with me?

Will - Always.

Charlie looks to Edward and nods.

Magdalena - Then the scales will balance once more.

Charlie - Tell the crew...

Edward - I will.

Will stands, taking Charlie in his arms and lifting her. Edward gives Will's arm a squeeze, the two sharing a nod.

Will - Goodbye, Edward. Thank you for everything.

Edward - Live well. Both of you.

Oliver gives them a nod and soon, Will steps through the portal with Charlie and Magdalena.

The next thing they know, their on the set Will left behind.

Steve - Uh, Will? Who's this?

Will - Call an Ambulance!

Steve - But--

Will - NOW!

Steve - Alright!

Steve grabs his phone and dials for Ambulance while Will checks Charlie.

Will - Stay with me...

[pop-pop-pop-popculture]

My Favorite 2023 Met Gala Outfits

(link // link // link)

*this is out of random order!!!!*

Jenna Ortega

Rihanna

Gigi Hadid

Anne Hathaway

Aubrey Plaza

Elle Fanning

Keely Shaye Smith-Brosnan

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Olivia Rodrigo, much to my surprise

Teyana Taylor

Rita Ora

Ben Platt

Stormyz

Whitney Peak

Penelope Cruz

Russell Westbrook

Stephanie Hsu

Quannah Chasinghorse

Serena Williams

Barry Keoghan

Halle Bailey

Angèle

Nicola Peltz Beckham

Maya Penn (simple yet elegant, and gorgeous!)

Karen Elson

Stella McCartney

Baz Luhrmann

Maya Hawke

Catherine Martin

Alexa Chung

Joan Smalls

Ava Max

Imaan Hammam

Amber Valletta

Vittoria Ceretti

Labrinth

Jennie Kim

Pusha T

Ke Huy Quan

Usher

Chi Ossé

Daisy Edgar-Jones

Bella Ramsay

Glenn Close

Ashley Graham

Phoebe Bridgers

Alton Mason

Maude Apatow

Miranda Kerr (simple yet elegant, and gorgeous!)

Devon Aoki

Lily James

Jeremy Scott

Nicole Kidman

Amy Fine Collins

Emma Ratajkowski

Gisele Bündchen

Kaitlyn Dever

Kim Petras

Grace Elizabeth

Jodi Comer

Suki Waterhouse

Jared Leto (he came as Choupette (literal cat costume), Karl’s cat!!!!)

Kendall Jenner

Kim Kardashian and Cardi B (they’re both pieces of shit, and I hate myself for liking their outfits)

I love that the stylists for the people I went all out and, for some, were camp-esque.

Kind of...

Paris Hilton

Yung Miami

Tems

Burna Boy

Alex Newell

Jennifer Lopez

Amanda Harlech

Dua Lipa

Irina Shayk

Quinton Brunson

Margaret Qualley (I like the dress and shoes, but I’m not, like in love)

Bad Bunny (I like the head-to-toe white, but I’m not crazy about the outfit????)

Lily Collins

Lily Aldridge

Ashley Park

Eh... / I Don’t Know... / Indifferent

Olivier Rousteing

Karla Bruni

Zac Posen (lookin’ dapper there, though, sir!)

Cara Delevingne

Lala Anthony

Chloe Fineman

Karlie Kloss

Brian Tyree Henry

Ice Spice

Robert Pattinson

Donatella Versace

Kate Moss

Lila Moss

Camila Morrone

Yes and No

Mary J. Blige

Madelyn Cline

Alexandra Daddario

Jeremy Pope (yes for the cape and no to everything else)

Viola Davis

Allison Williams (I love the shade of orange and the dress itself, but the whole look is still a no from me)

Ariana DeBose

Sydney Sweeney

Um...

Erykah Badu

Conan Gray

Doja Cat (edit; 11 PM - she’s supposed to be Choupette too?!)

Lil Nas X

What the ACTUAL Fuck?

Pedro Pascal

Erykah Badu

Lil Nas X

No

Bradley Cooper

Nick Jonas

I Don’t Give a F*ck

Priyanka Chopra

Emma Chamberlain

Kylie Jenner

Vanessa Hudgens

|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

I’m sure there are tons of more attendees, but I didn’t care to do more research because I am tired. I’ll probably research more tomorrow and reblog this. (I purposely left off some people out of pure, genuine laziness)

▪️ May 1, 2023 ▪️

[waitingforwinterwinds]

A Clash of Kings - 07 CATELYN I (pages 97-110)

Cat deals with some heavy feels as Robb sends his Terms and Conditions to Cersei, then reunites with her uncle Brynden to plot some strategy in the face of concerning news.

-

The ancient crown of the Kings of Winter ad been lost three centuries ago, yielded up to Aegon the Conqueror when Torrhen Stark knelt in submission. What Aegon had done with it no man could say but Lord Holster's smith had done his work well, and Robb's crown looked much as the other was said to have looked in the tales told of the Stark kings of old; an open circlet of hammered bronze incised with the runes of the First Men, surmounted by nine black iron spikes wrought in the shape of longswords. Of gold and silver and gemstones, it had none; bronze and iron were the metals of winter, dark and strong to fight against the cold.

*gasp* Lore and jewellery! I love it.

Although from a "the Starks were there for the original Long Night" perspective, (and I believe it remains true across books and show: obsidian kills the Others) I think it would have been really cool if at least one of the swords on the crown was made from obsidian. Or the blades of them.

Living men had gone south, and cold bones would return. Ned had the truth of it, she thought. His place was at Winterfell, he said as much, but would I hear him? No. Go, I told him, you must be Robert's Hand,for the good of our House, for the sake of our children... my doing, mine, and no other...

Oh Cat. The guilt is eating her alive. But you know, Cersei and Joffrey and Littlefinger all had not-insignificant roles in what happened. She made a bad call with Tyrion, sure, but the initial call to appease the king was a good one. Stop hogging the blame, it's not all on you!

Even if Cat had said "no, don't go," Ned probably still would have ended up in the south. Robert was his friend who needed him, and his king who commanded him. It was more than likely going to happen no matter what.

"Third, my father's greatsword Ice will be delivered to my hand, here at Riverrun."

mmmm, yeah, I'll count it, cause I'm thirsty. Valyrian steel weapon ⚔️ = 🥛

I want my sisters back I want my father's remains back I want my family heirloom back I want my people back I want our land back

They aren't bad demands. Unfortunately Cersei lost a Stark Sister, and she's very greedy, and actually quite stingy. (especially since you won't be giving her brother-lover back.)

"Your lords made you their king." "And can unmake me just as easy." ... "I might have been able to trade the Kingslayer for father, but..." "...but not for the girls?" Her voice was icy quiet. "Girls are not important enough, are they?" ... That was unworthy of me, she told herself. Gods be good, what is become of me?He is doing his best, trying so hard, I know it, I see it, and yet... I have lost my Ned, the rock my life was built on, I could not bear to lose the girls as well...

brb, being disgusted with the northern lords. Cause, when they talk about "the girls aren't equal value of the Kingslayer" what they mean is, The Northern Lords, don't think it's a fair trade, two girls for a valuable political hostage most of them have a huge beef with. But Ned? They'd be fine if it was Ned, he's for sure equal value to the Kingslayer. Even if Robb was truly willing to make the trade, Jaime for the girls, the Northern Lords would pull their support so fast.

Autumn had come, the Conclave had declared, but the gods had not seen fit to tell the winds and woods as yet. For that Catelyn was duly grateful. Autumn was always a fearful time, with the spectre of winter looming ahead. Even the wise man never knew whether his next harvest would be his last.

Ah, okay, so they can't guesstimate how long autumn will last.

She sighed. "I wish I had their faith. Crimson is a Lannister color." "That thing's not crimson," Ser Brynden said. "Nor Tully red, the mud red of the river. That's blood up there, child, smeared across the sky." "Our blood or theirs?" "Was there ever a war where only one side bled?" Her uncle gave a shake of the head.

At last. Ser Brynden with The Most Correct interpretation of the comet.

"but your father's bannermen make a sadder tale. Robb should never have let them go. They've scattered like quail, each man trying to protect his own, and it's folly, Cat, folly. -"

Divided they fall. Like dominoes. like... oh wow they are legit getting the snot beat out of them, and by snot I mean blood they are being slaughtered left, right, and center.

"Harrenhal." Every child of the Trident knew the tales told of Harrenhal, the vast fortress that King Harren the Black had raised beside the waters of the Gods Eye three hundred years past, when the Seven Kingdoms had been seven kingdoms, and the riverlands were ruled by the ironmen from the islands. In his pride, Harren had desired the highest hall and the tallest towers in all Westeros. Forty years if had taken, rising like a great shadow on the shored of the lake while Harren's armies plundered his neighbors for stone, lumber, gold, and workers. Thousands of captives died in his quarries, chained to his sledges, or laboring on his five colossal towers. Men froze by winter and sweltered in summer. Weirwoods that had stood three thousand years were cut down for beams and rafters. Harren had beggared the riverlands and the Iron Islands alike to ornament his dream. And when at last Harrenhal stood complete, on the very day King Harren took up residence, Aegon the conqueror had come ashore at King's Landing.

On today's episode of Grand Designs Westeros, we visit a place that answers the questions "what if Neuschwanstein Castle but evil?" and "what if Neuschwanstein Castle but we don't pioneer new building techniques that are used even in modern day construction" and "how to make my castle as cursed as possible?" The hella cursed, kinda melted Harrenhal.

"Another nephew?" The Lannisters of Casterly Rock were a damnably large and fertile house. "Cousin," Ser Brynden corrected. "Brother to Lord Tywin's late wife, so twice related. An old man, and a bit of a dullard, but he has a son, Ser Daven, who is more formidable."

Oh, so incest actually runs in the Lannister family. Like the Targaryens. And Tywin's problem with Cersei and Jaime was... what? The lack of political enhancement they provided the Lannister Legacy if married to one another, and the whole, 'it's treason now actually' thing? Or is he a "first cousins but no closer/this many degrees of separation make it not incest" kinda guy?

"Unless he must leave Harrenhal," she said, "to face some other threat." Her uncle looked at her thoughtfully. "Lord Renly." "King Renly." If she would ask help from the man, she would need to grant him the style he had claimed for himself. "Perhaps." The Blackfish smiled a dangerous smile. "He'll want something, though." "He'll want what kings always want," she said. "Homage."

Catelyn knows what's up. I'm excited to see her flex her political and diplomatic muscles. Shhh, we're ignoring how this ends for now. "For a moment I was so excited by Catelyn preparing to Get Stuff Done, that I forgot we lived in a world..."