#danielle brooks the woman that you are......

[knittedbond]

Much Ado About Nothing, Great Performances (2019) dir. Kenny Leon // Hellelil and Hildebrand, the Meeting on the Turret Stairs - Frederic William Burton

[thegetdownrebooter]

Also it‘s funny that white women finally realize, that the Oscar’s are rigged now that their fave isn‘t nominated.

[dilemmaontwolegs]

We’ve Got Tonight || LN4

Pairing: Lando Norris x singer!reader Summary: When you catch your boyfriend cheating you get your sweet revenge and a handsome stranger who steps in to protect you. Warnings: being cheated on, angst, injury

Songs: Shania Twain - Man! I feel like a woman Garth Brooks - Friends in low places Carrie Underwood - Before he cheats Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton - We’ve got tonight

Lando couldn’t believe he had let Daniel drag him out to the Texan bar. It was completely polar opposite to anything he was used to, but Danny fit right in with his Stetson hat and cowboy boots. 

Lando winced into his glass as the latest woman to take the corner stage butchered a Shania Twain song but it didn’t seem to bother his drinking buddy as he left to join the rows of people line dancing. Lando was grateful when the song came to an end but it was short lived as he heard a familiar Australian accent on the mic talking the band into playing Friends in Low Places. Spinning around on his stool at the bar, the McLaren driver found his old teammate on the small stage grinning like a fool as the music started. 

Lando watched the older driver and envied the confidence he had to sing terribly to a bar full of strangers. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t hold a note or match the key - Daniel had presence and was always entertaining. The song was almost over when a change of light caught Lando’s eye and he swivelled back to see the saloon doors swing shut behind you. 

Lando nearly fell off his chair. The sight of your smile was dazzling and he swore the colours in the room were brighter because of it. He hardly remembered to breathe as you cast your eyes around the bar, searching for something he suddenly hoped he had. Disappointment landed heavy on his chest as your pretty eyes settled on the pool tables and he wondered which one of the handsome men was lucky enough to have you. 

He started to turn away and wash the bitter taste of jealousy from his mouth with his drink when he saw the smile dim. It was like a cloud had come and blocked the sun, shadows curving your lips down until they pressed to a hard line and your eyes narrowed on a man. Lando swallowed at the change thinking you was even more beautiful, like lightning in a thunderstorm. Beautiful, dangerous, deadly.

Then you were gone, the tassels on your boots swaying quickly as you disappeared out the door as quickly as you came. 

“Whatcha looking for?” Daniel asked as he dropped back into his seat. Lando hadn’t even noticed the song had ended while he watched the empty space in the doorway, another singer taking the stage. 

“N-nothing,” he stammered quickly as he turned back to the bar and raised his glass to his dry lips. 

“Whatever you say, mate,” Daniel chuckled as he clapped Lando on the back. “She was hot though, right?” 

Lando coughed and sputtered on his drink as Daniel laughed knowingly. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“Yeah, but I’m not blind. And since you’re single, you should get off your ass and lasso yourself a lady friend. You know what they say: save a horse, ride a cowgir-” Lando clamped a hand over Daniel’s mouth as his cheeks turned pink. 

“You can’t say that, dude! You are totally going to get cancelled one day.”

Daniel shrugged and sent him a lopsided grin as he looked over Lando’s shoulder. “Looks like it’s  your lucky day.”

—

White hot rage left your hands shaking as you dropped the baseball bat and walked away, the metal clanking loudly on the asphalt of the parking lot. You didn’t even notice the trickle of blood running down your fingertips from cutting your palm with Damon’s hunting knife when you slashed the tyres of his Ford Raptor. You couldn’t feel anything except the burning need for revenge.

All the joy you had felt on the drive to the bar had been forgotten. The phone call with the news seemed like a lifetime ago and you hated him all the more for ruining what should have been the best day of your life so far.

After years of hard work you were finally catching a break and had been signed to Big Loud and would soon be recording your own country music. You had been so excited you had left work early and driven across town to surprise Damon. What a surprise he would get.

You looked ahead at the bar you had left, still seeing the way he curled himself around her, the pretense of pretending to teach her how to play pool - the same trick he had used to get close to you the night you met. Rotten bastard. It made you question the last two years together and how many other women he pulled the same moves on. You were going to teach him a lesson, and maybe save her from the same fate.

You swaggered into the bar and felt eyes on you, but the only pair that didn’t turn were his. Damon was too enraptured by the woman dancing against him, a dainty cocktail spilling over her glass. 

“Mind if I butt in next, Jimmy?” you asked the old man who loved to sing a bit of Kenny Rogers after a few drafts of beer. 

“Not at all, pumpkin, been a while since you joined us.” The song was just finishing and Jimmy jutted his chin at Damon as he poured two shots of whiskey, offering one to you. “Say, ain’t that your old man?”

“Not any more.” You downed the shot and inhaled the burn before taking the stage and telling the band what to play. 

—

Lando stepped off his stool as the song started and his feet carried him closer to the stage with Daniel right at his side, not that he noticed. You hadn’t even parted your lips but he knew, somehow he just knew, you would sound perfect. The song was one he recognised, maybe from a movie or just on the radio, but it hit differently when he saw your eyes boring holes into the couple still dancing together by the pool tables. 

Right now, he's probably slow dancin' with a bleach-blonde tramp and she's probably gettin' frisky. Right now, he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink 'cause she can't shoot whiskey. Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showin' her how to shoot a combo. And he don't know…

Lando couldn’t breathe as he watched the realisation dawn on the stranger who looked up from the blonde woman he had been grinding on. The man’s jaw went slack and he half shoved the woman from his lap as he straightened up, a small shake of his head when he met the eyes on the stage. He could almost hear the whispered ‘oh no’ fall from his lips and he felt a smug satisfaction on your behalf. 

I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive. Carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights. Slashed a hole in all four tires. Maybe next time, he'll think before he cheats.

Your smile was dark and you watched Damon blanch at the sight, only making you feel even better for what you had done.

I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl, 'cause the next time that he cheats, Oh, you know it won't be on me. No, not on me.

“No, no, baby, no,” Damon whined as he tugged the short strands of his hair and rushed out of the bar, leaving his date in a state of confusion until her brain caught up and her hands shot to cover her mouth in shock. 

“Yeah, he played us both, honey,” you said as you shoved the mic back in the stand and crossed your arms as the doors burst open.

“You crazy bitch!” Damon tried to rush the stage only to find himself shoved back by a handsome stranger who was apparently a lot stronger than he looked. “Get the fuck out of my way!”

“Not gonna happen, mate,” he said with a chuckle, his British accent sweet on the ears. “I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?”

“She ruined my fucking truck! Do you know how much that cost?”

You scoffed and stepped up behind the stranger, feeling bolder as you saw his arms flex ready to protect you. “Too much, but I guess you had to overcompensate for something small,” you said as your eyes darted to his trousers and the taller companion barely contained his laugh.

“Oh, I like this one, Lando. She’s got fire.”

“Just give me my house key and leave, it’s over.” You held out your palm waiting until he fisted his keys from his pocket and cursed your name as he pulled it off the keyring. 

“Where the fuck am I meant to live?”

You looked over at the woman and asked, “Do you want to take him home, honey?” She shook her head now that she knew he was a no good cheater and your smile widened as you turned back to Damon. “You’ll be nice and cozy in your pickup.”

He stepped forward but Lando’s friend joined him shoulder to shoulder and Damon quickly realised he was not going to win whatever went down. With his tail between his legs, he turned and grumbled his way out the door before the band started up and Jimmy kicked off with We’ve Got Tonight. 

“I don’t know how to thank you,” you said as the two strangers finally deemed it safe to turn their backs on the door and face you. A pair of stormy blue eyes met yours and you blinked twice before you managed to look away, scanning a quick glance over the messy styled curls on his head to the slim black t-shirt that fitted perfectly. Your lips dried as you realised you were staring and he cleared his throat when he caught himself doing the same. 

“Can I buy you a drink?”

You bit your lip at the offer and tipped your head to the side. “I think I should be the one buying you a drink, your friend too. It’s the least I can do.”

“Daniel,” the taller man said with a grin and held his hand out to shake.

“Y/N.���

“Enchanté.”

“Uh, bless you.”

Lando laughed and the sound brought a smile to your face. “I know how you can thank me,” he said as he nodded to Jimmy who was grabbing a second microphone and pointing it your way. “I’m fairly sure this song is a duet. Know it?”

You smirked as you stepped back and gave him a wink before taking the stage, his eyes never leaving yours and you sang just for him.

We've got tonight, Who needs tomorrow? Let's make it last, Let's find a way Turn out the light, Come take my hand now We've got tonight, babe, Why don't we stay?

His nod was almost imperceptible and you weren’t sure if you imagined it as you let the question hang in the air while the music faded out. In two long, self-certain steps, he closed the distance and offered his hand to help you down the steps and you grinned at the warmth of his palm as he laced your fingers with his.

Suddenly he froze and looked down, concern etching his features as he pulled his hand back and found it stained red. “Fuck, you’re hurt.”

You blinked at the cut on your palm, only noticing the ache after your attention was drawn to it. “Huh, guess that’s what I get for slashing his tyres,” you murmured with a weak laugh.

“He deserved more than that,” Lando growled as he led you to the bar and asked for a first aid kit. “But he definitely didn’t deserve you.”

“You don’t know me, I could be a terrible person.” You winced as he cleaned the cut before pressing a bandage to stem the bleeding.

“I’m a pretty good judge of character, Y/N.” He pinned the bandage into place before lifting your hand to his lips and kissing the top softly. “I knew it from your smile when you arrived, and everything after just proves you’re strong.”

Your chin dipped as you felt your face flush and you couldn’t remember the last time someone was so sweet. “You really know how to make a girl feel special. So how long are you in town for?”

His lips turned down slightly as he sighed and reluctantly admitted. “We fly back to London tomorrow.”

You felt the same disappointment but chased it away and squeezed his hand that still held yours, your eyes meeting with the same idea flitting past. “We’ve got tonight?”

His smile returned and grew until his eyes wrinkled with how wide it was, brightening up his whole face and sparking yours to match. “Yeah, we’ve got tonight.”

[sapphicreadsdb]

Hi do you by chance have any sapphic fantasy recs? preferably adult fantasy but YA is fine too

sure! tho this could will get quite long... no links, sorry!, bc it was kicking up a fuss with those for some reason

+ = ya

pennyblade by j.l. worrad

lady hotspur by tessa gratton

sofi and the bone song by adrienne tooley (+)

she who became the sun by shelley parker chan

the scapegracers by h.a. clarke (+)

the third daughter by adrienne tooley (+)

the daughters of izdihar by hadeer elsbai

the malevolent seven by sebastien de castell

blackheart knights by laure eve

the warden by daniel m. ford

the unbroken by c.l. clark

dark earth by rebecca stott

witch king by martha wells

scorpica by g.r. macallister

the mirror empire by kameron hurley

now she is witch by kirsty logan

silverglass by j.f. rivkin

the woman who loved the moon and other stories by elizabeth a. lynn

...(this answer is how i discover there's a character limit per block so. doing this in chunks.)

fire logic by laurie j. marks

a restless truth by freya marske

when angels left the old country by sacha lamb (+)

the traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson

an archive of brightness by kelsey socha

the bladed faith by david dalglish

the winged histories by sofia samatar

dragonoak by sam farren

the forever sea by joshua phillip johnson

into the broken lands by tanya huff

the jasmine throne by tasha suri

daughter of redwinter by ed mcdonald

the last magician by lisa maxwell (+)

the fire opal mechanism by fran wilde

...

the black coast by mike brooks

high times in the low parliament by kelly robson

foundryside by robert jackson bennett

the enterprise of death by jesse bullington

mamo by sas milledge (+)

from dust, a flame by rebecca podos (+)

uncommon charm by emily bergslien & kat weaver

wild and wicked things by francesca may

the unspoken name by a.k. larkwood

brother red by adrian selby

the final strife by saara el-arifi

way of the argosi by sebastien de castell (+)

the bone shard daughter by andrea stewart

ghost wood song by erica waters (+)

into the crooked place by alexandra christo (+)

ashes of the sun by django wexler

the midnight girls by alicia jasinska (+)

the midnight lie by marie rutkoski (+)

the never tilting world by rin chupeco (+)

water horse by melissa scott

...

a master of djinn by p. djeli clark

the good luck girls by charlotte nicole davis (+)

among thieves by m.j. kuhn

black water sister by zen cho

the velocity of revolution by marshall ryan maresca

sweet & bitter magic by adrienne tooley (+)

the dark tide by alicia jasinska (+)

the library of the unwritten by a.j. hackwith

a dark and hollow star by ashley shuttleworth (+)

the chosen and the beautiful by nghi vo

the councillor by e.j. beaton

these feathered flames by alexandra overy (+)

the factory witches of lowell by c.s. malerich

fireheart tiger by aliette de bodard

...

city of lies by sam hawke

bestiary by k-ming chang

the raven and the reindeer by t. kingfisher

the winter duke by claire eliza bartlett (+)

master of poisons by andrea hairston

the empress of salt and fortune by nghi vo

night flowers shirking from the light of the sun by li xing

down comes the night by allison saft (+)

wench by maxine kaplan (+)

girls made of snow and glass by melissa bashardoust (+)

girls of paper and fire by natasha ngan (+)

the impossible contract by k.a. doore

burning roses by s.l. huang

the house of shattered wings by aliette de bodard

not for use in navigation by iona datt sharma

weak heart by ban gilmartin

girl, serpent, thorn by melissa bashardoust (+)

the devil's blade by mark alder

...

we set the dark on fire by tehlor kay mejia (+)

the true queen by zen cho

moontangled by stephanie burgis

a portable shelter by kirsty logan

sing the four quarters by tanya huff

all the bad apples by moira fowley doyle (+)

the drowning eyes by emily foster

the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon

miranda in milan by katharine duckett

the afterward by e.k. johnston (+)

thorn by anna burke

penhallow amid passing things by iona datt sharma

in the vanishers' palace by aliette de bodard

summer of salt by katrina leno (+)

the gracekeepers by kirsty logan

out of the blue by sophie cameron (+)

black wolves by kate elliott

the circle by sara b. elfgren & mats strandberg (+)

unspoken by sarah rees brennan (+)

thistlefoot by gennarose nethercott

passing strange by ellen klages

(and breathe)

[mariacallous]

In early September, Warner Bros. released a teaser for A Minecraft Movie, the studio’s new film based on Mojang’s nearly 15-year-old sandbox game. Directed by Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess, it was, frankly, very goofy. Jack Black was Steve; Jason Momoa was sporting maybe the worst hairdo he’s ever had. Everyone involved, even the animated creatures, seemed to think they were in a different movie.

But that wasn’t what the trolls latched onto. Instead, they fixed on the fact that a Black woman—Orange Is the New Black’s Danielle Brooks—was in the Overworld.

As the trailer racked up dislikes, right-wing influencers like Elijah Schaffer and Nick Fuentes posted Brooks’ image next to disparaging comments and made references to “forced diversity” and “woke” Hollywood. It was Gamergate 2.0—a reimagining of the decade-old harassment campaign aimed at rallying against diversity, equity, and inclusion—but aimed at a kids’ movie, rather than a video game.

According to Wendy Via, cofounder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, which just published a report looking at the far right’s racist comments about the trailer, the response comes from a new, and also quite old, playbook. “Large-scale campaigns against trailers specifically are a relatively new phenomenon, but attempting to frame ‘wokeness’ as an invisible enemy infiltrating the entertainment industry is not,” Via says.

Via points out that back in spring of 2023, the far-right X account End Wokeness made similar noise about a “Protect Trans Kids” flag that appeared briefly in the trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The goal of these campaigns is to target “spaces where young, white men are influenced,” like sci-fi movies and video games, which appeal to younger audiences, Via adds. “Providing racist and homophobic commentary on popular franchises through large social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube serves as an effective means to propagandize and recruit young people to hate movements.”

Take, for example, The Acolyte. Earlier this year, the Disney+ show found itself the target of fan backlash while star Amandla Stenberg was subjected to racist comments online. So, too, was Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose Tico in the most recent Star Wars movie trilogy. The minimizing of her role in the last installment, The Rise of Skywalker, perhaps emboldened diversity detractors further.

Reception of The Acolyte seemed, almost, to be a solidification. Fan unrest in the Star Wars universe is a cousin to, if not a direct descendant of, Gamergate, and since former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon harnessed the energy of that movement and used it to fuel the then burgeoning so-called alt-right, influencers have used similar tactics to convince aggrieved men that their games, their shows and movies, and their country are somehow being taken from them.

By the time the Minecraft Movie trailer dropped, the script was already set. Influencers just had to pick which lines to say.

Whereas 2014’s rallying cry was a more broadly misogynistic, racist one, the Gamergate of 2024 seems focused on the idea of the “DEI hire”—a woman, LGBTQ+ or BIPOC person who ends up blamed for “ruining” something. Pundits used this language to attack Vice President Kamala Harris. Right-wing talking heads pointed the finger at female Secret Service agents for not fully protecting Trump during the July attempt on his life. Fans have lobbed it at the inclusion of a Black samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Campaigning against diversity in games came into particular focus earlier this year when Sweet Baby Inc., a Canadian consultancy, became the focus of a group of players upset at what they viewed as the “wokeification” of video games. Online harassment of the company’s employees hit new heights last winter when a Steam curation group called Sweet Baby Inc Detected popped up purporting to list all the games the company had advised on, giving people an easy way to boycott certain titles or post bad reviews of them. Even though the company hadn’t touched several of the games, and as founder Kim Belair told WIRED this winter, the company “[doesn’t] want forced diversification either,” the harassing comments continued for months.

On September 4, the same day the Minecraft Movie trailer went up, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against two employees of the state-backed Russian news network RT, in which it alleged that they had secretly funded the right-wing influencer network Tenet Media. The DOJ accused the company of posting content full of Kremlin-approved talking points, though individual influencers working for Tenet say they knew nothing about the ties to Russia and are not accused of wrongdoing. A WIRED analysis of Tenet’s videos, since taken down by YouTube, found several frequently used three-word phrases. Among them: “Black Lives Matter,” “diversity equity inclusion,” and “Sweet Baby Inc.”

Into this firestorm landed Minecraft. As Adrienne Massanari, an associate professor at American University’s school of communications and author of the forthcoming book Gaming Democracy: How Silicon Valley Leveled Up the Far Right, points out, Minecraft (the gaming platform), already had some right-leaning fans. Its creator, Markus “Notch” Persson, who sold Mojang to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, has sent some dumb tweets about race, and Minecraft “has a reputation for being connected to the far-right pipeline,” Massanari says. Being based on a game connects the Minecraft Movie to Gamergate-like responses in some ways, but it’s also possible that a movie based on “this particular game,” she adds, has activated a certain kind of fan.

Back in August, Deadline reported The Acolyte would not be getting a second season. It was, Stenberg would later say, “not a huge shock” considering the response online. Other reports claimed it didn’t get a second season because it was expensive and didn’t attract a huge viewership. Regardless of the reason, Via says the far right saw it as a victory of the “go woke, go broke” narrative they’ve been pushing.

“Going after The Minecraft Movie may be an attempt to recreate this ‘victory’ and provide the far right with the opportunity to craft the narrative about a series or film themselves,” Via says. “If Minecraft were to perform poorly at the box office, they could point to “diversity” as a reason for its failure and justify petitioning for more media that excludes everyone but straight, white men.”

[elizabeths-dumbassery]

All People Should Have Moments of Being Angry in Media

Looking through videos of female anger in movies, in media, etc, and being disappointed to not see all the nuances and the power of a minority woman's anger.

I'm so disappointed to see mostly white woman or paler skinned woman.

I'm disappointed, especially because in all that talk of feminine rage, I don't see enough trans-woman, or non-binary woman, or other feminine gender identities there. Where's the emotional spectrum of disabled woman? I've personally never seen a trans-woman express pure feminine rage in media before.

DISCLAIMER: This post includes some feminine rage, but isn't about that subject. It's about the anger of women in general. If you want a post about feminine rage, go here. Im by no means a professional, and these may not be reliable either:

So here's my compilation of a woman angry in media, because I couldn't find what I was looking for. This varies in all kinds of situations. Some are just frustrations, sorrows or disappointments. They're unique, but they're all capable of being interpreted as anger. And they're all real.

Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorcese) - Mollie Kyle (aka Mollie Burkhart) portrayed by Lily Gladstone

Helluva Boss: Hell's Belles (Vivienne Medrano) - Sally May played by Morgana Ignis

Hidden Figures (Theodore Melfi) - Katherine Johnson portrayed by Taraji P. Henson

The Color Purple (2023) (Blitz Bazawule)- Sofia played by Danielle Brooks

Wicked - Elphaba played by Indina Menzel

Lilo and Stitch (Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois) - Nani Pelekai played by Tia Carrere

Arcane (Christian Linke and Alex Yee) - Vi played by Hailee Steinfeld

Barbie (Greta Gerwig)- Gloria played by America Ferrera

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (ND Stevenson) - Catra played by AJ Michalka

The Owl House (Dana Terrace) - Eda played by Wendy Malick

Avatar: The Last Air Bender (Michael Dante, DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko) - Azula played by Grey Griffin

If I got anything wrong tell me! May make a part 2 depending how well this does, this post is just long as hell.

Share some clips or examples you think would fit. This can include quotes from novels, movie clips, show clips, comic panels, etc!

[ericdeggans]

Why hoping Lily Gladstone won an Oscar does not equal valuing race over talent.

Social media is never a great place to have discussions about race and culture. The real issues at hand are way too nuanced and detailed for outrage factories like X/Twitter and Instagram to handle.

Still, I was disappointed to see so many people – perhaps willfully – missing the point online when discussion rose after the Oscars about Lily Gladstone failing to win best actress honors.

No doubt, a win for Gladstone – who would have been the first Native American woman to earn a major acting Oscar – also would have felt like a serious triumph for champions touting the power of diversity in film.

Feeling the love big time today, especially from Indian Country. Kittō”kuniikaakomimmō”po’waw - seriously, I love you all ❤�� (Better believe when I was leaving the Dolby Theater and walked passed the big Oscar statue I gave that golden booty a little Coup tap - Count: one 😉)

— Lily Gladstone (@lily_gladstone) March 12, 2024

Those of us who clock these things regularly knew that Emma Stone’s turn in Poor Things was most likely to spoil that scenario. Stone offered a showy-yet-accomplished performance as a singular character in an ambitious, creatively weird production. A much-loved past winner delivering a career-best effort, she was just the kind of nominee that Oscar loves to reward. And, as Vulture pointed out, modern Oscar voters seem to enjoy turning against expectations in big moments like this.

But when I expressed those feelings online – that Stone was marvelous and more than earned the award, but the Oscar academy really missed a chance to make history by overlooking Gladstone’s more subtle, quietly powerful turn in a better movie – the knives came out.

The gist of most negative reactions was the implication that I and others lamenting her loss were insisting that ethnicity should trump talent. As if the only or most important reason that an indigenous woman could be nominated for such a lofty award, is by people trying to bring social justice to the Oscars. (I guess Gladstone’s wins as best actress at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards, among others, were also nods to diversity?)

As if it couldn’t be possible that perhaps -- just perhaps -- some racial cultural preferences were mixed up in Oscar voters’ attraction to the story of a beautiful, young white woman who has loads of sex while learning to define herself in a male dominated world.

What really disappointed me, however, was reading an analysis which reached all the way back to the 2017 Oscars to imply that one reason Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece Moonlight won best picture honors over La La Land was the pressure to bring social justice to the Oscars.

Talk about missing the point by a mile. What I’m driving at, when I advocate for contenders like Gladstone, Barry Jenkins and Jeffrey Wright, isn’t a finger on the scale to make up for past exclusion.

It’s a plea for Oscar voters to see these performances the way I and so many other people actually see them.

I still remember watching last year’s version of The Color Purple in a screening alongside lots of folks from Black fraternity and sorority organizations. And when the moment arrived where Danielle Brooks’ character intoned about her husband, “I loves Harpo — God knows I do — but I’ll kill him dead before I let him or anybody beat me,” it felt like the whole theater said those words with her. That’s how iconic those lines -- first spoken on film by Oprah Winfrey in the 1985 production – have become for Black America.

That same feeling came after I first saw Cord Jefferson’s brilliant American Fiction, centered on a frustrated, floundering Black writer who creates a stereotypical parody of a Black novel as a dark joke, only to see it become a best seller. I felt as if Jefferson had pulled the same bait-and-switch with his movie that his lead character managed onscreen – using the outrageous premise to draw us all into a more subtle and deliberately powerful story of a Black man struggling to connect with his family after huge losses.

I needed three attempts to get through watching all of Gladstone’s work in Killers of the Flower Moon. Not because the movie was so long I had to “get my mail forwarded to the theater,” like Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel joked. But because it was so hard for me to watch a film centered on the historic exploitation and murder of Native American people by white men.

It sounds like a simple idea, but it’s worth repeating: evocative moments in films will speak differently to different people.

Sometimes, when I’m pushing for a win in an awards category, or championing a particular project, it’s not because I’m putting a finger on the scale for the sake of equality. It’s because I’m more invested in that story than some others because of who I am. And I’m challenging some people, who might not see their cultural preferences as preferences, to consider exactly why they love one thing over another.

In many ways, it is sad to see great artists pitted against each other in these contests. Comparing the delightful, dangerous absurdity of Poor Things to the gritty, punishing tone in Killers of the Flower Moon feels like a fool’s errand, anyway.

But with so much that comes from an Oscar win – including proof that inclusion brings success, accolades and a great argument for more equity – it is important to understand why some people value some performances.

And part of living in a diverse society means valuing the wide range of opinions and reactions, not shrugging off those that don’t fit your worldview.

[tessa-liam]

Turning The Page 

Chapter – 2 –The Sacrifice 

Choices, The Royal Romance. Alternate Universe 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!MC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who belong to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression 

Rating: M🔞Warnings - crude language - not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 2499 

Turning The Page 

The Sacrifice -Chapter 2

Chapter Summary: Riley is reunited with Maxwell, as Daniel attempts to lift Riley from her feelings of melancholy at Club Kismet. Liam meets with Olivia in Lythikos searching for another perspective on the night of his coronation and his father’s transgressions against her and Riley. Madeleine discloses a secret. 

Turning The Page Masterlist 

Music Inspiration: Sacrifice, Elton John; The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known, Juice Newton; Always Remember Us This Way, Josh Rabenold 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found. 

A/N2: My submission for @choicesflashfics , Week #47, Prompt #3 - “Why are you being so weird?” 

Brooklyn Heights, New York City

Sitting beside the second-floor level home office window, Riley opened the heavy canvas satchel that held the new correspondence from her latest client. Working hard at starting her new home business, she put her business accounting skills to use for employment and landed her first client very quickly.  

After leaving Cordonia, Riley enrolled at Brooklyn College to finish her accounting accreditation while she was pregnant with William. She wanted the absolute best for her son, so earning a living was the top priority. 

Now that Riley was back in the States, her set goals also included building a life and creating a happy future for her son. So, when Daniel’s partner Matteo, who owned a six-bedroom brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, offered her a home when she arrived back in New York at Daniel’s old apartment, she readily accepted. 

Daniel met his love interest soon after Riley had left New York City to pursue her prince who captivated and captured her heart in Cordonia. Matteo and Daniel had a spacious brownstone and insisted that Riley and her baby share their home. 

 Checking off these challenges as completed, she once again found her thoughts drifting back to the life, she left behind in Cordonia.  

...and to Liam. 

Riley could not help but think, she had made a huge mistake. As William began to grow and start to talk and walk, the guilt she felt was overwhelming. All the ‘firsts’ that Liam deserved to witness of his son; the family that she knew was his ‘heart's desire’. 

...but then, she would remind herself that if she stayed, Madeleine would demand that William live at the palace as his guardian as per the Cordonian Arrangement. Since he is the Crown Prince, she would be obliged and subjected to Madeleine’s wrath, and be forced to abide by her control as Queen. 

Riley was convinced that Liam would want his son with him, and rightfully so. The King and Queen, and the Crown Prince would be the Royal family. Leaving her as the other woman; the ‘dirty little secret’, who was never seen in the daylight. Without a doubt, Riley was convinced that Madeleine would make it her mission to sabotage her relationship with her son, and with Liam. 

If only, they could have found Tariq.  

If only Constantine had cleared her name before passing away. 

It was devastating when the day came to her realization that the marriage between Liam and Madeline would go forward. The heartbreak she had to endure, having to watch the love of her life marry another. 

Liam said he would never want her as his mistress; but she was. 

He said he wanted her to be his number one woman, his queen, but she was not. 

….and now, here she was. The mother of his child. In self-imposed exile; just like Olivia. 

This realization reminded her why she had to change the course her life was taking. To justify why she had to sacrifice her heart and move forward, without Liam. 

‘And I have never been afraid of losing now. 

And I have never wanted love to be a chain. 

I only know that when I’m with you, you’re my sunshine, you’re my rain. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known is loving you.’ 

Riley needed to make a connection with her past life in Cordonia. For William’s sake. It all starts with Maxwell. 

House Nevrakis, Duchy of Lythikos, Cordonia 

The crackle of an ember in the roaring fireplace snapped Liam from his thoughts as Olivia set his scotch down before him. 

Olivia studied the troubled expression of her friend very closely, noticing the added stress lines on his face. Only seeing him on video at his press conferences, this was the first time in four years since she decided to leave court, that the pair were in the same room together. 

“So, what’s on your mind Liam? Don’t get me wrong, I am delighted that you have stopped in for an unannounced visit. But I am very curious as to why, after all this time?” 

Olivia kept the following thoughts to herself, ‘I would not be lucky enough for him to declare he was wrong and made me his queen.’ 

He sighed, and a wistful expression spread across his face. “I have been thinking about my father’s transgressions against yourself and against Riley, very frequently lately.” 

“Oh?” This comment intrigued her. Olivia moved forward in her chair, moving closer to Liam. 

“Yes, well, and so you should Liam,” Olivia scoffed. 

“But why now? What has changed? 

“Liv, when you originally received the intimidation letter the night of my coronation, why did you not tell me at once upon receiving it? All you told me that evening was that you were withdrawing officially from the social season. I never saw your letter.” 

Olivia raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at his statement, “I thought I could handle it on my own. I destroyed it.” 

“Bertrand and Maxwell intercepted a courier with a letter marked ‘urgent’ addressed to Riley, as well. Like you, the letter was from an unknown sender, telling her to leave court at once saying, ‘she will never be queen.’” 

“The letter I received.... I was being blackmailed.” Olivia shook her head.

 “I had no other choice. Whoever wrote that letter knew things about my parents. That they were traitors to the crown. They had attached proof.” 

Liam sat with his head resting in his hands, a faraway look on his face. He took a sip of his scotch, his face a mask of conflict and turmoil. 

Liam let out a heavy sigh, “I now know and have proof of the party who sent those letters.” 

“You have my full attention.” Olivia rose from her chair. “Who do you mean?” 

Liam ran his hands through his hair, “along with my father, Duke Godfrey.” 

“Godfrey confessed this to you?” Olivia gasped. 

“No, I have not personally spoken to him about this matter.... not yet. This information was given to me by a very credible source. I plan to have him interrogated very shortly.” 

“Lord Beaumont has the original letter that Riley received that night locked in his estate vault.  

Along with the photographs, from both my bachelor party in New York and the Applewood incident during my social season; these documents are all now with my legal counsel.” 

“Olivia, I need two things from you.” 

“Name it; let me be the one to interrogate that bastard!” 

Liam guffawed, “I will consider it...” I am formally asking that you partake in upcoming Royal council meetings at the palace and rejoin court.” 

Olivia was unprepared to hear that request. “Me? Why me?” Olivia asked, confounded by his request. 

“Liam, did Madeleine know about this? Was she complicit?”  

Liam downed the rest of his scotch in one gulp. “Yes, and yes.” 

New York City, Club Kismet 

“All right, kids, have a couple of drinks for me tonight,” Matteo joked as he held the front door open for Riley and Daniel. 

“Thank you, Matt, for watching William tonight.” Riley smiled as Daniel held her coat out for her to slip on. “He was at the playground all afternoon and fell asleep quickly after dinner with all that fresh air. He should sleep soundly, but if you need me for anything, please call me.” 

“Matteo has lots of experience sitting for his sister’s boys,” Daniel re assured her.

“No worries, I have lots of contracts to review tonight anyway. It’s my pleasure Riley, really.” 

Matteo pulled Riley in for a hug. “Now, go. Have a fun time dancing the night away with this one.” 

“Ha, ha, Matty,” Daniel winked and kissed Matteo good-bye. 

It was a Friday night, and the New York City streets were buzzing with people going out for a night ‘on the town’. After a lot of convincing, Daniel was finally successful at persuading Riley to go out for a drink at Club Kismet. 

The past six months of not going out and enjoying herself, it was time she started living again. 

Sitting at the bar, Daniel ordered drinks as Riley turned and surveyed the room. The club was packed, and the dance floor was full. Everyone seemed to be having an enjoyable time, which made her feel a little rueful about her decision to leave William with Daniel’s partner, Matteo, for the evening. 

She was about to turn back around to face the bar when she noticed a man sitting by himself a few seats down. Riley did a double take as she was struck by his resemblance to someone she knew. 

“Maxwell?”, Riley whispered. 

“What?” Daniel said, not hearing her clearly over the loud music. 

Riley didn’t hear him. She was too focused on the man who looked like Maxwell.  

Daniel turned his head, as Riley stood and walked towards the mystery man. 

“Maxwell?” The man looked up in surprise at the mention of his name. His eyes widened when he saw her. 

“Little blossom? Oh. My. God. it’s you!” Before she could respond, he was off his chair, engulfing her in an over-the-top hug that lifted her up off the floor and spun her around.

After many moments of laughter mixed with tears, Maxwell took Riley’s hand and together with Daniel, the trio left the club and walked towards the pier next to the Hudson River. 

“Max, thank you for coming to New York.” Riley stopped walking and sat down on a bench. 

“You two get re-acquainted. I am going to get everyone some coffee.” 

“Thank you, Daniel,” Riley looked up and smiled appreciatively.  

Sitting down next to her, Maxwell was nervously fidgeting, waiting for Riley to begin. Daniel had told him that Riley needed to speak with him urgently. This had him thinking that what she had to share was going to be dire.

Looking out at the Statue of Liberty, Riley started to get emotional. 

“I didn’t know where else to turn.” 

Maxwell’s eyes softened, picking up her hand. “Little Blossum, it's no problem at all. I am here for you.” 

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, Maxwell pulled out his handkerchief for her and pulled her into a side hug. 

Riley smiled and gave him a quick squeeze before letting go. 

“I have a lot to tell you, so you might want to make yourself comfortable.” 

Taking a deep breath, “when I left Cordonia, I thought it was the best for Liam in the situation that we were in. I wanted him to be happy, and the situation in what I found myself in.... I could not bear the thought of him being put into a situation that could taint his rule and embarrass him.” 

Maxwell looked puzzled, “Riley were you sick? Oh no, no... are you sick?” 

“No, nothing like that, but I was wrong, Maxwell. I made a huge mistake. I should never have left.” 

“I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to leave.”  

Maxwell put his hand on her shoulder, “Liam was really upset about your leaving. He still is devastated.” Riley looked down, shaking her head,

“He misses you so much. He is not the same without you.” 

Riley’s heart broke at his words. She was devastated to hear how much she had hurt him. The guilt was overbearing.

“Maxwell, I don’t know if I can face him.” 

“Riley, I’ve known Liam since we were kids. I’ve seen him happy, sad, angry and every emotion in between. And what I can say without a doubt is that he’s never been as happy as he was with you. You have no idea how much he loves you.” 

Hanging her head, “he is going to be so mad when he finds out why I left.” 

“Maybe, but he’ll also be happy to know that you came back. That you want him too.” 

Daniel walked slowly towards the pair with a tray of coffee, overhearing the last minutes of their conversation. 

Riley bit her lip, “do you think he will forgive me?” 

“Riley, did you mention William?” Daniel interjected.

Maxwell looked at Riley, noting her shaking her head. 

He then looked up at Daniel, noting his questioning stare at Riley. 

“Why are you being so weird?”

“Who is William?” Maxwell asked, clearly puzzled, and looked at Riley. 

Riley had her head buried in her hands, weeping. 

Daniel looked at Riley sadly, “William is her son.” 

Cordonian Royal Palace 

Madeleine stepped out of the SUV as the Royal guard stood at attention. After opening the door for his Queen, he bowed as she strode confidently up the stairs and turned towards the east wing in search of Liam.  

Liam, having just arrived back to the palace from Lythikos, was in his study looking over some documents that his advisor had dropped off earlier in the morning. He was distracted by the conversation he had with Olivia on his mind and could not concentrate.  

“Your majesty”, Bastien interrupted his thoughts. 

“Queen Madeleine is here to see you; shall I bring her in?” 

Liam’s jaw clenched at the sound of her name. “Yes, send her in.” Mentally preparing himself for a confrontation by his wife, he slid the documents into a folder and sat back in his chair. 

Madeleine glided into the room, dressed impeccably as always. 

Liam rose from his chair and gave her a formal nod, “Madeleine.” 

He gestured for her to sit down and then reclaimed his seat behind the large desk. 

“Liam,” Madeleine acknowledged and in turn sat in a wing back chair across from her husband. 

“What do I owe this visit?” He asked. 

Madeleine crossed her legs and smoothed her dress, “well, we need to schedule a press announcement.” 

“An announcement?” 

“Yes, regarding the new royal line.” 

Liam frowned, “what are you talking about?” 

Madeleine gave him a patient look, “Liam, we need to announce my pregnancy.” 

Thanks for reading💖

📌@ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @jared2612 @irisk12 @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @walkerdrakewalker @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesficwriterscreations

[thienvaldram]

(Doctor Who) UK Prime Ministers and US Presidents

Full (Incomplete) UK PM List in the DWU from 1950 – 20XX (Some years are guessed)

Will be updated whenever I can be bothered we get new information. Just random speculation jamming together a list that was never meant to be jammed together.

Historical Before This Point

Winston Churchill (1951-1955)

Anthony Eden (1955-1957)

Harold Macmillan (1957-1963)

Sir Alec Douglas-Home (1963-1964)

Harold Wilson (1964-1970)

Edward Heath (1970-1972)

Jeremy Thorpe (1972-1974)

Harold Wilson (1974-1975)

Brenda Jones (1975) (According to a Jonathan Morris Tweet)

Shirley Williams (1975-1976)

James Callaghan (1976-1979)

Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990)

Margery Phipps (1990-1992)

John Major (1992-1997) (Assassinated)

Lord Greyhaven (1997) (De Facto PM for several weeks)

Tony Blair (1997-1999)

Terry Brooks (1999-2000)

Phillip Cotton (2000) (Deputy PM until election was called)

Kenneth Clarke (2000-2001)

Tony Blair (2001-2002) (Second term)

Unnamed Male Pro-Europe PM (Possibly Hugh Grant) (2002-2005)

Tony Blair (2005-2006) (Third term)

Joseph Green/Jocrassa Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen (2006) (Only served as acting PM for a day)

Harriet Jones (2006-2008)

Harold Saxon (2008)

Aubrey Fairchild (2008-2009)

Brian Green (2009-2010)

Denise Reilly (2010-2013)

Kenneth LeBlanc (2013)

Denise Reilly (2013-2014) (Resumed for a second term after Kenneth Le Blanc died)

David Cameron (2014-2015)

Daniel Claremont (2015)

Theresa May (2015-2018)

Felicity (2018-2019)

Fiona (2019-2020)

Boris Johnson (2020-2021) (Revealed to be an Auton)

Jo Patterson (2021)

Edward Lawn Bridges (2021-2023)

Unnamed Woman (2023-2025)

S J Wordley (2025-2026)

Glenda Jackson (2026-2028)

The Director (2028-2046)

Roger ap Gwilliam (2046)

Dai (2047-2049)

Lomax (2049 - 2050)

Mariah Learman (2050-2055)

Unnamed (?-2065-?)

Corollaries (PM List)

Jeremy Thorpe and Shirley Williams are said to be Prime Minister contemporaneously with the UNIT stories (Which are assumed here to take place on their airdates as per Mawdryn Undead and most Modern Who references)

In a tweet Jonathan Morris claimed the Prime Minister in Terror of the Zygons or Mawdryn Undead was Brenda Jones, Harriet Jones' auntie. I put this in 1975 (for less than a year) because why not. Ignore this if you think it's bad.

The Torchwood Encyclopaedia claims that Denise Reilly succeeds Brian Green, since the next PM chronologically is ‘Unnamed Female PM from BF Silence Audios’ these have been welded together.

Actual dates of Kenneth Le Blanc and Unnamed Female PM are unknown, but are set in the UNIT audios between Power of Three (2012-2013) and DotD (2013).

Felicity and Fiona are given as PMs in Aliens Among Us and God Among Us (Torchwood S5 and S6) released and presumably set in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Eight gives the PM list as Heath -> Thorpe -> Williams -> Thatcher -> Major -> Blair -> Clarke in Interference, this is not supported as a direct list by other sources, though I tried to fit it as best I could, resulting in Blair having two non-adjacent terms.

2010s are a mess due to BF, Titan Comics and the Lucy Wilson novels all giving conflicting accounts of who is PM only a couple years apart, apparently there were a lot of elections/resignations in that decade

Harriet Jones initially served Three terms prior to the Doctor altering history and deposing her, given UK Term Length is unclear, it's unknown how long this would have been, I would guess around 15 years, which would've put Harriet Jones at (2006-2021) where she'd be succeeded by Jo Patterson.

The UK becomes a military Dictatorship from 2028 until 2046 headed by ‘The Director’.

Dai is described as the 'first Prime Minister to serve after the Director is overthrown' this seems to contradict 73 Yards depicting Roger ap Gwilliam's election, but if Roger ap Gwilliam was overthrown as well he can't be said to have 'served', his deputy PM, Iris Cabriola technically succeeds him, but is never the official PM and presumably Dai is then elected the following year.

Then in 2050 Lomax is the dictator of the UK. In the 'mid 21st Century', Mariah Learman is a ‘benevolent dictator’ of the UK.

An unknown Prime Minster led the UK during the weather crisis of December 2065.

Full (Incomplete) US President List in the DWU from 1960 – 20XX (Some years are guessed)

Historical Before This Point

John F Kennedy (1961-1963) (assassinated)

Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) (VP who succeeded their predecessor)

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

Gerald Ford (1974-1977) (VP who succeeded their predecessor)

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

Carrol (1993-1994)

Bill Clinton (1994-1997) (Presumably VP who succeeded their predecessor)

Tom Dering (1997-1999)

George W Bush (1999-2001) (Presumably VP who succeeded their predecessor)

Bruce Springsteen (2001-2003)

Chuck Norris (2003-2005) (VP who succeeded their predecessor)

George W Bush (2005-2007)

Arthur Coleman Winters (2007-2008) (VP who succeeded their predecessor)

Winter’s VP/Speaker of the House (2008-2009) (Succeeds Winters after he’s killed by Saxon)

2009-2017 Term

Felix Mather (2009-2017) (Presidency overwritten by Faction Paradox)

Sampson (2009-2017) (Presidency induced as an aberration by Lolita)

Barack Obama (2009-2017) (Replaced Felix Mather in history)

2017-2021 Term

Daniel Strunk (2017-2021) (Presidency overwritten by Faction Paradox – Mather’s Successor)

Matt Nelson (2017) (Presidency induced as an aberration by Lolita – Assassinated at Inauguration)

Lola Denison/Lolita (2017-unknown) (Assassinated her predecessor)

Donald Trump (2017-2021) (Replaced Daniel Strunk in history)

After 2021

Courtney Woods (unknown-2049-unknown)

Gavin A32X40 (unknown – 2086 – unknown)

Corollaries (President List)

The Eighth Doctor gives the list of Presidents as Carter -> Reagan -> (HW) Bush -> Clinton -> Dering -> Springsteen -> Norris

The President given in 2004 is referred to by the nickname ‘Chuck’ in Cat’s Cradle: Warhead which combined with the fact Springsteen was the President in 2003 and ‘Norris’ succeeded them suggests that the 2004 President was Chuck Norris.

The President in 2006 was implied to be George W Bush based on Harriet Jones’s dialogue. He was previously stated to be President in 2000 (Which he hadn’t been in real life)

Clinton is stated to be President in both 1997 (by metaphor in Placebo Effect) and in 1999 (in Rosa). However both of these are less conclusive than Tom Dering’s direct appearances in Option Lock and and Millennium Shock (also 1997 and 1999) implying that the mentions in Placebo Effect and Rosa were merely off by 1-3 years.

Obama is explicitly stated and shown to be President in 2009, 2012 and 2016, however Felix Mather is stated to be President in the 2010s, physically meeting the Eighth Doctor in Trading Futures. It is stated that Mather’s role in history was replaced due to Mather refusing to make a deal with Faction Paradox and so that has been taken into account.

Concerning the 2017-2021 Presidential Term

Donald Trump is stated to be a candidate in 2016 and is subsequently stated to be President in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

In contradiction, Daniel Strunk is stated to be President in 2017.

This is resolved by having Strunk be Mather’s successor who’s term was also replaced when Faction Paradox remove Mather’s term from history.

The Faction Paradox novel ‘Head of State’ depicts a 2 term Democratic President named Samson who is succeeded by Matt Nelson of a newly formed Radical Party. They are subsequently assassinated by their VP, the sentient humanoid TARDIS Lolita (Who has also been War Queen of Gallifrey and Queen of the UK before, as well as having devoured the Eleven Day Empire). It’s unknown how long she served nor when beyond ‘Early 21st Century’. She (along with Matt Nelson and Samson) have been as a temporal aberration replacing Mather and Strunk before themselves being replaced by Obama and Trump following Lolita’s defeat in True History of Faction Paradox and the ending of the War in Heaven.

A 2000 Bernice Summerfield short story claims Hillary Clinton was US President at some point. However, these records are portrayed as suspect with Bernice questioning them herself and have been ignored for lack of a position to place Clinton into the timeline.

[b-plot-butch]

Portraying Black Female Characters in Sandman Fic

A fanfic may not have the same reach as a published book, but being aware of how we’re portraying the many Black women of the Sandman in our fics and our posts is still imperative. As I am nonblack, the only piece of advice I can offer is this: pay attention to how Black women write about themselves. Read books by and about Black women. Listen to music by Black women and consider their lyrics. Educate yourself on damaging stereotypes Black women face in order to avoid reinforcing them in your writing. Just…see how creators portray people who share their own identities. That’s vital. Absolutely essential, even.

Below the cut I have included a few personal recommendations if you’re interested.

Books

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. A gorgeously written, emotionally expansive novel beginning with vignettes about two sisters who never met: in 18th century Ghana, one sister marries a white British officer, and the other is sold into slavery and trafficked to the United States. The book then follows the descendents of these sisters through eight generations. We only spend a single chapter with each character, but Gyasi is so, SO gifted at making you care about them as people in the limited time we spend with them.

(She also wrote an article in 2020 that is well worth a read, and raises points that are important to keep in mind as we seek out more diverse media.)

The Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert. These three books are romances (each book is about one of the titular sisters), and they’re fun and flirty with interesting, distinct characters. I was trying to think of a favorite one, but I couldn’t! They’re all enjoyable in different ways.

Music

“Deathless,” “River,” “Creature (Perfect),” “Vale,” and “Juice of Mandarins” by Ibeyi

“Black Woman” by Danielle Brooks

“Protect Your Queen” by Sampa the Great

“She’s Got Her Ticket” by Tracy Chapman

The entirety of Lemonade by Beyoncé + “Brown Skin Girl” and “I Was Here”

Additionally, here are some links to posts or articles that address the “Strong Black Woman” trope. I see undertones or overt representations of this with Lucienne often in this fandom, and I think it’s a stereotype we need to be especially aware of.

Post: a quote from the TV show Harlem

Post: 10 Ways You Can Support Black Women (specifically #9, but the whole post is important.)

Article: Why the “strong black woman” stereotype is an albatross

[micamicster]

Hi! Do you have any romcom (movie) recs? I feel like i hypothetically like the genre, but have a lot of trouble finding ones i enjoy. So many romcoms feel so formulaic (in a dead way) and misogynistic and stale to me. I think they’re a lot easier to do well in the context of a series because there’s actually time to build. Recently i thought rye lane and fire island were fun. I like kdramas when i have the time for all the episodes because i appreciate the build. I need chemistry— people who both convincingly like each other and seem like actual human beings. I thought you might have some good ideas! Thanks <3

HELLO LARGE VOICED ANON <3

I hope you weren't waiting on my recs all day haha i have been. hm. hungover af <3 (i'm going to leave kdramas off this list for now but if you would like specific recs for kdrama romcoms send me another ask and i can try to do them justice!)

I think this is a genre with underrated range! So one thing that I find very interesting about the genre of romcoms is that I think there tends to be a split between romcoms whose goal is, like, to be a fun lighthearted movie with a central romance, vs romcoms whose goal is to Say Something About Love in the vehicle of a funny movie. Both of these categories are represented on this list but for giggles i will not be saying which i think are which <3

anyway recs under the cut <3 i will link my tags for these movies if you want to take a look but be warned for spoilers ofc

I think for your purposes my primary rec would be Lovesick (aka Scrotal Recall). It's a (short) tv show so it would likely give you the chance to get to know the characters and see a slower build. In contrast to the frustration you've had with some more "formulaic" romcoms the writing in this show is very deliberately in conversation with romcoms of the past. Also it's just one of my favorite romcoms ever made so I rec it to everyone. The premise is that a young man, Dylan, is diagnosed with chlamydia and instructed to tell his past partners. Being a hopeless romantic (emphasis on hopeless), he decides to try to turn this into an opportunity to revisit relationships that didn't work out, and try to figure out where he's been going wrong. Two simultaneous storylines play out in each episode, the flashbacks to the exes (and breakups) and the present, where Dylan's best friend is getting married.

Older romcoms: When Harry Met Sally (ive heard this is divisive? but idc its SO funny and so well made), Moonstruck (a romantic-comedy in the operatic sense. also cher <3), The Philadelphia Story (katharine hepburn the woman u r. tw for a classic 1940s gag about punching ur wife in the face), Bringing Up Baby (screwball comedy my beloved), Roman Holiday (audrey hepburn is lethally charming in this movie), Dirty Dancing (someday ill write something this good and then You Will Realize), Much Ado About Nothing (i tend to enjoy either the danielle brooks shakespeare in the park version or the classic tennant/tate combo)

Teen romcoms: 10 things I hate about you (young heath ledger and young julia stiles ur welcome), to all the boys i;ve loved before (lana condor is ADORABLE), The Half of It (my other favorite sort-of romcom of the decade)

More recent-ish: Speed (like its keanu and sandra what more do you want), Strictly Ballroom (i used to watch this literally weekly as a child and I WAS RIGHT TO), Miss Congeniality (sandra bullock what u did for us all <3), Fire Island (thank u 4 my LYFE), The sandra bullock/channing tatum movie that came out last year (i forget what its called but he's so funny in it), Mamma Mia AND Mamma Mia Here We Go Again (beautiful greek islands, abba, cher, what more can you ask for?)

Indian/bollywood: Jab We Met (after dramatically quitting his job, Local Man somehow ends up escorting a woman he meets on the train while she attempts to elope with her boyfriend. aka classic screwball comedy heroine and Guy She Dragged Along For The Ride), khabie khushi khabi gham (multiple generations of romance and family drama featuring Kajol, the Most Beautiful Woman In the World), Band Baaja Baaraat (two wedding planners fall in love--great choice if you want to watch idiots ambushed by their feelings)

Other tv recs: Selfie (john cho and karen gillian in a show canceled far too soon)

[mong---mong]

How You Met SKZ (Hyunjin)

Hyunjin:

With Hyunjin being a well-known drama queen, you had to be his knight in shining armor, it’s not like you didn’t want, but it’s not like you wanted to either. 

You were a bouncer, and just because you were a woman didn’t make you approachable. Now for the men the could easily pick you up, and throw you to the side, you partner in crime ‘Teddy’ was their.

Everything was going well, the underaged people, had gotten caught and left with no problem no one tried to sneak in. The music was muffled through the door onto the silent street of Seoul.

When three men came up, two of them were these built, Europeans, clearly not from here. The third one was in between the two looking a bit scared. “Go on tell them, that we are of age! Before we beat you again!” The men said in Italian. 

You understood the language, and observed the much more thinner males body, he was very skinny, his skin was red, his eyes were bloodshot, tears had run down his face, and his hair was messed up.

“H-Help..” is all he said in a Korean. “These men broke into my apartment and kidnapped me, so I could translate..” he said. ‘Teddy’ looked at you and you nod.

You let the through the door, but before the could entered, you grabbed both the Europeans arms and pushed the out.

“What the fuck did that punk say!” The first male says in Italian. “It was your dirty mouth that got you in trouble, I can speak Italian.” You said back to defending the male behind you.

‘Teddy’ stood infront of them and they quickly ran off, as you faced the poor male. “Our shifts are over in 5 minutes, can you wait for us to escourt you the hospital?”

He nodded, and when taking him to hospital you learned things about each other. His name was Hwang Hyunjin, and he lived in Gangnam, he is studying to be a dancer. He learned, that you are a martial artist and have pursued a career, in teaching others self-defense.

He also learned that ‘Teddy’ was actually named Taehyun and he had been your bodyguard since birth. Your parents insisted on keeping him hired since your career choice.

You paid for Hyunjin’s hospital bills, since the poor boy had been through so much in one night. A couple weeks later he had sent you a letter, thanking you and paying back double, and signed his name with his phone number.

‘Call Me ;)’ -x-x-x-x- My Stories are not biased, just I have different ideas for each person. Listen to Lighthouse by TEMPTEST and Bye Bye Bye by Brooke Danielle Way

[thewritingofspencerrose]

A Grid Thanksgiving

Logan Sargeant x OC

"And that closes up this wrap up for Vegas, we'll see you all next week in Abu Dhabi," an official closes, glancing around the room for someone to take the microphone from him, Logan Sargeant of all people being the one to do so, stepping on to the stage in an unusual move.

"Uh, if the grid could stick around for just a couple minutes that'd be great," the Williams driver requests, drivers left and right sharing looks.

And they wait, the crews and principles exiting the room before Logan, now without the microphone, has everyone crowd around.

"What's up kid?" Daniel is the one to ask, one brow raised at the American driver.

"I actually was sent on a mission from the missus-"

"You have a missus?" Max asks, the idea setting in over the last few races that he may not be all that young anymore.

Logan chuckles, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck with a nod. "Yeah, I'm going to try to not take that as an insult."

"That's not what he meant," Charles corrects, waving his hand. "You just do not seem as the type to settle down young and we haven't seen any woman with you around the paddock or online."

Logan knows they're right, but that doesn't change the fact that he's tired of always experiencing these assumptions.

"Welp, for eight months now we've been married, her names Brooke, and she sent me to work today with one request."

"Which was?" Oscar questions, expecting something outside the box from the woman who somehow manages his close friend.

"If you all out be available and on location next Tuesday, we've rented a rental apartment rather than a hotel room, and she was hoping you all and your significant others may be willing to join us for Thanksgiving."

"Isn't that typically on Thursdays?" Lando asks, already knowing the answer but hoping for something more.

"It is, but with the race and everything we won't be able to make it home to be with our families, so she got her heart set on cooking a traditional thanksgiving meal for all of you," Logan explains, knowing the request may be a stretch in a lot of places. As much as they respect one another, they are also all still competitors, even if Max and Red Bull had already won. "Its just an open invite, she just really loves the concept of taking a day to appreciate what you're grateful for and keeps saying she's grateful for all of you, even though she only knows you two," He finishes explaining, gesturing to Alex and Oscar. "And none of you have to come, absolutely don't feel like you've got to."

"When will you need numbers by?" Max speaks up, giving the boy a rare grin for a competitor. "I'll have to see if Kelly and P will be traveling with me."

And Logan beams, because at the very least, at least a few drivers are considering the offer.

"Sunday or Monday, Brie isn't planning to shop for anything until Monday."

Max nods, a simple gesture to wrap up the impromptu meeting.

——————————————————————————————————

"Baby, you said to invite the grid, why are you so surprised?" Lo questions with a chuckle, making me want to throw my whisk at him/

"Because I wasn't expecting a good chunk of them to text saying yes! How does Lewis Hamilton even have my number?!"

"He asked me for it so I sent it in the driver's chat," He explains simply, taking a finished dish from my hands to the kitchen island that we set up as a buffet. "Who ended up being available?"

"Carlos, Charles and Alex, Lando, Oscar and Lily, Lewis, Max with Kelly and P, Pierre and Kika, Yuki, George and Carmen, and Alex and Lily," I list smiling brightly at how bustling this home will be in no more than half an hour. "Valterri and the Haas men texted saying they would love to come but they were going home for a beat instead of straight here," I explain, scooping the whipped topping into the bag and twisting it shut.

"Wow, half the grid, good job Baby," Lo compliments, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my temple.

"You're just lucky I didn't invite your boss just to get more baby snuggles," I can't help but jest, but he doesn't look remotely upset at the idea, smiling with a look in his eyes that I just can't place. "What's that look for?"

"You act like I wouldn't love to see you wondering around with a baby, although I'd prefer it to be ours," He admits, making my heart soar. It's before I can answer however that the doorbell rings, calling him away from a conversation we've had many times.

"Brie!" Lily exclaims as Oscar quietly follows her in, Lando following his teammate.

"Lils, it's been too long," I greet her with a hug, pulling both of the Mclaren drivers into hugs as well. "You need to come to more races, I'm always lonely."

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Kelly asks, announcing her little family's arrival, Max clapping Lo on the back as her little girl runs into my legs.

"B!"

"P! I've missed you sweetie," I coo, pulling her onto my hip and kissing her cheek, hugging Kelly and Max.

"P, what do we say to Brie and Logan?" Max prompts, smiling softly at his little girl and I.

"Thank you for inviting us to your American holiday!" She thanks, kissing my cheek before fist bumping Lo.

"I am so happy you all could come," I assure, looking around the progressively filling kitchen. "I love that we're all able to be together for one of my favorite holidays."

She smiles brightly, Max coming up to take her from me with the reasoning that I should be greeting guests as Alex and his Lily walk in, the Lily's being introduced.

And I can't help but smile around me, my heart warm as Lo joins me, wrapping me in his arms.

"Is this everything you wanted?" He asks, words whispering in my ear as he leans on my shoulder.

"Everything and more Lo, everything and more."

[bebepac]

The Galentine’s Day Queens

First off thank you @peonierose for sending me a Valentine’s Day pic, that got this idea rolling. I was planning to write on one of the gaggle of series I should be trying to finish but up popped this little one shot.  This really wouldn’t have happened if you haven’t sent that ask to me, so thank you. :)

It crosses TRR x Open Heart  as it features Casey Valentine as a friend to Riley Brooks the TRR Character. 

I used the quote from @choicesflashfics prompt 2: I thought that if I acted like it didn’t matter, than it wouldn’t.”  which will appear in bold.  

This also can be a submission for @choices-february2023​ prompt for Day 13 Galentine’s Day. 

The Book:  TRR x Open Heart Pairings:  None:  All characters are single Word Count: 997 Warnings and Ratings: None:  minus the curse words in the mood board.  LOL Summary:  Daniel takes Riley and their friends on a special night on the town as Galentines.

Original Post: 02/13/23 at 3:01PM EST.

“I thought that if I acted like it didn’t matter that it wouldn’t.” 

“Of course it matters, Von left.  He left the both of us high and dry.  Well not exactly dry, we’ve been covering his portion of the rent for months.”

“I didn’t think he’d really leave, or was serious, I mean just going to California without a plan? He has no money, no job, no place to live?”

“I know.”  

“I need more stability in my life than what he attempted to provide, if you can even call it that.  Things weren’t great between us for quite some time.”  

“It’s true.”  

Riley wiped away the tears from her eyes and took a long sip from her drink.

“I don’t even know why I’m crying right now.”  

“It’s because it’s the end of your romantic relationship with him.  But it’s also the beginning of whatever else is out there for you, and something great is out there for you. Hell for all of us.  But we won’t find it sitting inside this apartment, eating chips and queso all night.”    

Riley leaned in and rested her weight on Daniel; he always had a way of making her feel better.  

“Get dressed.”  

“What? I thought we were staying in tonight?”  

“Um what?  Not on Galentine’s Day, we’ve got reservations.  Put on something nice, and I’m talking top shelf nice. The girls are meeting us there.”  

“Who all is going?”  

“You’ll see when we get there.”  

Riley pulled out the outfit in the back of her closet that she had found at a small shop that  because of a small tear in the fabric, they were selling at a steal.  She had decided to fix it, and it was clearly a smart idea.  A dress that would have cost thousands, she got for a hundred, and now she was wearing it looking like a million dollars.

It’s a pity, she didn’t meet Him that night.  But we all know a woman that “looks like a million dollars” wasn't the thing that would get His attention.  He was looking for more.

“Is it too much Daniel?”

Daniel himself was wearing a very nice fitted suit.  

“Wow, you look handsome!”

“And you’re beautiful, and we look perfect for where we’re going tonight. Our rideshare will be here in ten.”  

On the ride over he watched Riley.  For the first time in a few weeks after Von had left, she looked excited.

“Just so you know, I’ve been saving for this night for a while.  I’ve put in the reservations almost six months ago.  You’re not paying a dime.  We won’t let you.  It’s something special for you, because of the person you are and you’re always looking out and caring for everyone else, but yourself.”

“Daniel….”

“It’s true.”  

“This already sounds like too much.”

“Think of it as a belated birthday, friendsgiving, and just because, all combined into one.”

They pulled to a stop, stepping out of the vehicle she gasped, slapping Daniel on the arm, causing him to feign pain but he laughed out loud.

“We’re eating at the Manhatta!!!”  

“Hell yes we are!”  Mia screamed, giving Riley a hug.

“You know we’re going to totally have to act like we’re part of the upper crust for the evening right?”  Casey chuckled.

“Whilst getting out of our rideshare that the hubcaps don’t even match.”  

“Hey now, at least we all had ‘drivers’ for the evening.”  Riley joined in the joking around.

“Exactly, now ladies shall we go?”  

Linked arm in arm they walked inside.  

Daniel, as if he wasn’t already  a gentleman, started by pulling out all the chairs for the ladies in his company.  

Once menus and first wine samples were passed out, Casey glanced around the restaurant. It  was quite the scene, couples as far as the eye could see, and then them.  

“I feel like people keep looking at us.”

“Do you blame them? Whereas most of these men here only have one beautiful woman to gaze upon, I have three lovely ladies here for my optical delight.  Girl, they’re just jealous, and trying to figure us out what’s going on over here. But you know, as the saying goes, there are three places you can stay for free?”

“In your own lane!”  Riley giggled.

“Over there,” Mia chimed in.

“And out of my business.” Casey finished up.

“Okayyyyy!!!!”  

Dinner was the most amazing appetizers and dishes they had ever tasted, and everyone cleaned their plates.  

Before dessert was delivered, four boxes were given to  Daniel to which he smiled and glanced around the table at his friends.

He gently clinked his glass, to silence the others at the table.

“We had all decided months ago that we would come out tonight and celebrate our wonderful friend  Riley, who is always there for us,  and is always willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on if we need it, or a swift kick in the pants  and give us tough love.  We all know you’ve been a little down lately, and want you to know we’re here for you and appreciate you, for all that you are and who you are as a person.  You can take this however you want to take this because in every sense of the words, it is true.  You will find what you’re looking for, but more importantly, it will be more than just that, it will be exactly what you need.”  

Riley’s eyes glistened with tears.

“Thank you, Daniel.”  

“We all will. It’s what we deserve.” Riley pulled her friends into a group hug. 

“But until then….”  Daniel placed a box in front of each person at the table.  “We’re The Galentine’s Day Queens. Put on your crowns.”

Each person put on their crown.

“I don’t know about you ladies, but I feel like dancing the night away.”  

That’s exactly what The Galentine’s Day Queens did.

Daniel was also right about his declaration as six months later, Riley ran into Liam Rys, ACTUALLY, on the streets of New York City, and her life was forever changed.

[starland4678]

I don’t think I have drawn any of Lucille’s backstory here, or if I have I have forgotten

I’m not the best at drawing backstories, but I can write them!!

So here’s some writing I did with a bit of lore for ya :D

(I messed up some of the spacing but it’s good enough)

Interview.

Lucille sits in her empty cell as usual, waiting, when suddenly her name is called and she stands up.

She is handcuffed and lead to another place by a keeper, despite her empty expression as they walked her mind was racing with thoughts, then she was asked to sit down at a table. An interview, great.

They had tried before to get her to talk about herself, and what she was doing here, trusting the ink demon. But she refused to speak, especially to the Keepers.

The door opened and instead of the Keepers annoying static, she heard a person, their coughing and wheezing as they walked made them instantly know who it was before they were in view.

“Wilson.” She greeted him almost coldly, her expression unchanging as she glared at him

“Calm down, demon” he assured with a wave “this is not a test”

“You are here because I refuse to speak to them?” She almost interrupted him as she questioned him.

“Correct.” Wilson nodded, pausing to cough before continuing to speak “you have been difficult with the keepers, so I assumed talking to someone… more human, may help”

She didn’t respond, just continued glaring at him. She wasn’t going to speak, not to him, not to his little pets either.

He sighed and continued to talk, looking a bit disappointed by her not complying “despite your demonic nature you’re still a human. And unlike the others, you are different, the only other soul I have seen like you is-“

“Henry Stein, I know….” She added, her gaze becoming a bit softer as they changed subjects. “because I’m so much like him is the whole reason I’m here, I’ve heard it before...”

“There is some information about you I have been able to gather.” He mentioned, changing the topic “You used to be an artist here, and now you’re working for that… monster”

Lucille’s fists clench as she hears him say that, but she doesent reply. If she argues she will show weakness, and it’s not like anyone else doesent also think of the ink demon the same way. She gives a small nod instead.

“But there’s more to that story, isn’t there?”

He almost grinned at her eyes suddenly becoming wide, he didn’t really know that much about her, did he?

“Dissapeared five years after running away, once a bright Christian woman, became an artist at Joey drew studios.” He added “isn’t that right, Lucille Anderson?”

She suddenly slammed her fists onto the table and rose from her chair to lean over the table, absolutely infuriated.

“Do not call me that name, ever again….” She muttered sternly, looking him dead in the eyes almost like she would kill him in this exact moment if she wasn’t chained up. “It’s Lucille Brooks. If you know so much about me you should also know that that man, Daniel Anderson, is dead to me.”

“Even if you are considered the dead one?” He asked with a almost creepy smile

“Even if I am.” She responded, a smile growing on her own face as she slumped back into her chair “you know it makes so much sense why the keepers have such strange personalities, talking to you is almost the same as talking to them.”

“And even if I’m the dead one I didn’t have to almost kill myself to do something that would make my father proud.

I think this conversation is over...”

“No. It is not” Wilson didn’t even seem phased by her remark, it did hurt him though “there’s one last question for you, how did someone such as yourself become so close to the ink demon..?

Even though he hurt you.”

She stared at the door for a moment before turning to him “because unlike you I know it’s not his fault that he’s like this.”

[hockeygossipdaily]

Love this page. But I don’t agree with the sentiment that saying something racist when you’re young makes you a racist as an adult. As a black woman in a SEC college I believe that intent is important. There’s people who say the n word in a derogatory manner and people who used it as slang because they were ignorant assholes. Both deserve to be held accountable but it’s different. Danielle is racist. Dixie was an ignorant asshole trying to sound cool. I don’t think that repeated behavior for her as an adult. I don’t like the girl but I would provide her more grace than any other blonde wag who doesn’t hang out with anything but other white women with blonde hair.

Danielle has said derogatory terms for POC and people in the LGBTQ+ community and a known Zionist.

Dixie may not have said it directly to someone but it’s the fact of she said it twice in a joking manner. She was 15 so she knew what it meant. And I don’t particularly agree with people in the non black community saying it even if it’s a song lyric. She is indeed very ignorant and her and her family are just detached from reality and ignorant as a whole.

Her and Daniella rub me the wrong way equally. To me, both are racist. Including Brooke and Alix.