#diane duchess tremontaine

[ellenkushner]

Little Tomato Pies for Micah!

#tremontaine #swordspoint #paris

[artsy-alice]

diane de tremontaine, CEO of tremontaine corp., has dark biddings on the internets.

(originally i just wanted to draw Esha but this ended up being about Diane anyway ahahah why)

[amatalefay]

Who else is 100% here for Diane, Esha, and Isabella Davenant teaming up to take down that asshole Dragon Greg and quietly ruling the Hill while all being wildly in love with each other?

[regardstosoulandromance]

https://twitter.com/serialboxpub/status/880159458520965124

[linovadraws]

At first, I was like “What card could Diane be?” and then it was super obvious! Wow!

EVERYONE READ THE SEASON FINALE OF TREMONTAINE @serialboxpublishing, RIGHT!?!?

[flying-elliska]

Hey i see that you made book commentary sometimes and Im trying to get back to reading so I wondered if you do some recs for great female protagonist? You really don’t have to of course but thank you so much if you do :)

Ooooh what a great question I love it ! That said it also really depends on what type of protagonists you like, haha, because that can be super subjective. But here are a few cool, complex female protagonists I love :

- Noemi from Mexican Gothic (Silvia Moreno-Garcia). My fave book last year, a twist on the gothic lit trope of a young woman arriving at a creepy old manor full of secrets, Jane Eyre vibes but in Mexico. Noemi is confident, frivolous and very sharp-minded, flawed but ultimately badass, which she needs to survive the horror she's landed in. I loved that her lust for life is presented as an advantage when faced with a family of creepy European eugenists who hold her cousin captive. I just loved her inner voice in general, and the book is big on female solidarity and the importance of women being believed and trusting themselves.

- Lyra from His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman) My fave books as a kid, also very readable as an adult. Lyra is wonderful, half-feral, resourceful and very unruly, which serves her well when she's faced with a child-abducting authoritarian church. Her special talent is the ability to make-up stories on the spot to get herself out of any sticky situation. It's such an important message for little girls, that you don't have to be obedient all the time, especially when the world is after you. The series really doesn't do justice to her spirit.

- Jane from Jane, Unlimited (Kristin Cashore.) This book is just so cool. It's a modern riff on Jane Eyre (lol notice the theme) and also a choose your own ending thing, where the book splits at a point where Jane has to make a decision - each ending becoming a different genre (sci-fi, fantasy, crime, horror, romance) and highlighting a different side of her character, which is such an interesting take on the idea that our choices make us who we are. I need to reread it.

- Vasya from the Winternights Trilogy (Katherine Arden) Another feral weird girl (another theme here) in this Russian folklore inspired medieval tale. She talks to horses and sees spirits and sticks out like a sore thumb in her little peasant community ; she's free spirited, reckless, stubborn as hell, and refuses to be cowed by the gender norms of her society (but not in that fake YA kind of way where it makes things too easy for her). She's also deeply kind and compassionate even as she goes through some really awful shit. I love her a lot and seeing her come into her power is awesome.

- Immanuelle from The Year of the Witching (Alexis Henderson). She lives in a fantasy version of a Puritan cult and is somewhat of a pariah because of her mother's involvement with witchcraft before she died. She's very brave and very caring, but also very much a product of her society who was taught women are meant to be subservient. She has to unlearn that and she keeps struggling between her need for independence and truth, and her need to be loved and fit in. It feels very real and very compelling (and also scary, since this is a horror book).

- Tiffany Aching, from the Tiffany Aching Series (Terry Pratchett) She is a witch in training and the books follow her from age nine to her late teens as she grows into her job, befriending a family of rowdy, chaotic miniature fairies. She's down to earth, practical and clever, and her calling is caring for people even when it's difficult or not very rewarding. These books are really a comfort read for me, funny and warm and full of wisdom.

- Diane, Duchess of Tremontaine and Ixkaab Balam from Tremontaine (Ellen Kushner and others). This is a prequel to the Riverside series (fantasy without magic but full of queer people, also awesome) centered around two women who are two equally complex forces of nature : one is a scheming duchess who came from humble beginnings and hides her cleverness behind her beauty, the other is a disgraced trader's daughter who becomes a spy to preserve her family's fortune. The whole thing is written as a serial with episodes by different authors, there are 2 seasons so far (I need to catch up with the last one) and it's a lot of fun.

Honorary mentions to the Six of Crows duology (fantasy heist + gang of misfits found family) and the Diviners series (1920s New York but with magic and grisly murder) who have ensemble casts with great female characters. There are probably others but these are the ones that come to mind right now....I feel like I need to read more non YA books....

[bedeliainwonderland]

Tremonteam Challenge #3

School’s in. Let’s help Rafe plan.

~Welcome to the William Alexander Tielman Academy~

    Under the patronage of the honourable Duchess de Tremontaine

A place for everyone, regardless of their social standing or means, who hunger for knowledge and thirst for understanding. Join us as we set on a journey of discovery beyond the limits of current academia and beyond the boarders of our City.

We offer many courses and expect many guests to frequent our halls, including:

Physical Sciences with Rafe and Joshua: discover their passion for celestial objects and their earthly magnetism as they take you beyond the unknown.

Mathematics with Micah, including Very Advanced Mathematics: fell in love with numbers and spheres and your life will never be the same.

Political Sciences with Diane de Tremontaine (classes taking place on the Hill over an afternoon cup of chocolate): learn how to manipulate your way through the society circles and keep your enemies in check.

Sociology with Tess the Hand: learn the social issues and interaction of organised groups of human beings from the woman who keeps the Riverside in check.

History and customs of Kinwiik with Kaab: expand your horizons and learn about the land beyond the sea (including a semester on many uses of chocolate powder).

Our first guest will be Esha from a far East talking about “Meditation through sword practice.”

(Yes, the school’s mascot is a turnip. Micah had demands.)

[malindalo]

The print edition of TREMONTAINE Season 1 is now available!

You may remember that a couple of years ago I was on the writing staff for a serialized prequel to Ellen Kushner's groundbreaking fantasy novel Swordspoint. If you've ever wished there was a queer Three Musketeers, this is it!

The prequel, Tremontaine, is set about 15 years before Swordspoint, and focuses on two ambitious and totally different women: Diane, the Duchess Tremontaine, who has plenty of ambition and very few hangups about how to achieve her goals; and Ixkaab Balam, the first daughter of a trading family from across the sea, who struggles to balance her family's business with her own hot temper and love for sword fighting (and the ladies).

Tremontaine was first released as a digital serial, sort of like a TV series, but if you're more accustomed to getting your fantasy in a paper format, now's your chance to dive in. Saga Press has released the entire first season as both a hardcover and a paperback. It's a hefty tome — perfect for epic tale it tells!

Here are a couple of very nice reviews of the print edition:

"Well-paced, excellently written, delighting in the opportunity to fully indulge in its drama of manners (and swords), it's one of the most accomplished and purely enjoyable things I've read in a while. I recommend it highly." — Locus Magazine

"Strong and charming … Kushner is joined by six peers, and the talented authors do a great job of juggling a large cast. Series fans will welcome the addition of racial diversity to a series that was already notable for its spotlighting of queer people and women. … the overall tale is excellent." — Publishers Weekly

In honor of the print publication, fellow Tremontaine writer Alaya Dawn Johnson and I guest posted at John Scalzi's Whatever blog, nerding out over our love for background research, specifically focusing on the cross-cultural trade of chocolate. Yes! I know! Read it here. 

Happy birthday, print Tremontaine! 

You can get your own copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound.

[artsy-alice]

Totally Correct Tremontaine: WLW Edition!  👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏳️‍🌈✨ (pt. 1 | 2 | 3 | #totally-correct-tremontaine ) In Which Diane probably drank more of Reza's truth-serum-spiked punch, and Tess knows her girlfriend's soul quite well.

Tremontaine is at Serial Box!  Finale Season starts this Wednesday, Sep. 12!

Also, I was informed that these redemption codes are still valid:

Grab either Season 1 OR Season 2 for $1.99 (normally that’s the price of just one episode!) - with code FriendOfTrem18. …or BOTH Seasons 1 and 2 for $4.99 (again, super discount!) - with code FriendOfTrem18x2.

Each season is basically 13 novella-length “episodes” that come in both delicious ebook and audiobook formats that you can download to read/listen offline, or access through the site and app! You’re basically getting novellas written by a group of rockstar authors for super cheap! Go go go!

[halewynslady]

Achieving World Domination no doubt! And I am so looking forward to more… DRESSES. ^^ Pictures: Blackadder

[amatalefay]

So I just realized this is totally Dragon Greg’s theme song.

[regardstosoulandromance]

Kaab and Diane are (almost) instant enemies when Kaab's family opens a chocolate shop across the street from Tremontaine Chocolate. But as the saying goes, "love and hate are horns on the same goat."

Meanwhile, Rafe and William Tremontaine start spending quite a lot of time together, Micah thinks chocolate covered turnips are the next big thing, and no one likes Gregory Davenant.

Chapter One: Kaab Looses Her Sweatshirt

Rating: PG, subject to change with later chapters Word Count: 1693 A/N: Horribly unbeta’d.

Read below, or on AO3

Ixkaab Balam stood with her back to a construction zone. Although, it wasn't much of a construction zone any more, paint was drying on the walls and tomorrow they'd move in the tables and shelves. Preparations for the latest location of Kinwiinik Confectioners were well in hand under her supervision and now she was ready for the next step- scoping out the competition.

Hands on her hips, Kaab grinned up at the pale blue and white sign that hung outside Tremontaine Chocolate. It was the oldest chocolate shop in Riverside, passed from generation to generation of the Tremontaine family until it had settled on William and his wife Diane.

They were both often in the chocolate shop, not because of a lack of staff, but because they enjoyed the atmosphere, entertaining the mostly well-to-do clientele.

Kaab crossed the street, paying no heed to any passing traffic. Riversiders, thus far, had been easily to get information from. Especially when it was gossip about the Tremontaines. William and Diane were happily married, monogamous, and there weren't any skeletons in their closets that Kaab had unearthed- yet. A gentle breeze ruffled her braids, she'd only been in Riverside a fortnight, there was plenty of time to discover their secrets.

Diane and William, a socialite and an academic- it would be easy to ensure that Kinwiinik Confectioners would be the top chocolate shop in the city, Kaab was sure of it.

Opening the tinted glass door, a familiar scent of chocolate filled her nose. It was a sticky sweet smell, sweeter then what she was used to but it smelled like home just the same.

“Welcome to Tremontaine Chocolate!” a young woman said, “Have a seat anywhere you'd wish.”

Kaab nodded, glancing at her name tag, “Thanks Lucinda.”

A hand waving caught her eye, “Kaab!” a decidedly male voice called.

Weaving her way through the tables, Kaab joined Rafe Fenton at a small table by the window.

“You're late,” Rafe said, “We thought you weren't coming, even though we were so interested in this place. What do you think?”

Rafe's 'we' referred to himself and the other person he shared the table with. Tucked close to the window, a younger girl hunched over a notebook, her short hair sticking up in all directions.

“I just got here,” Kaab said, “But it's very... clean.”

“Rafe already ordered for you,” the girl said, not looking up.

“Oh, Ixkaab, this is Micah. He and I are students at the university. Micah, this is Ixkaab Balam who I was telling you about,” Rafe said, gesturing to his companion.

“Just call me Kaab,” she said.

Kaab looked from Micah to Rafe to Micah again. Micah was obviously female but when Micah didn't correct Rafe, Kaab didn't question it.

Lucinda brought then three porcelain tea cups and a pot of chocolate, “Cream? Sugar?”

“No, we're good,” Rafe waved her off and turned back to Kaab, “So what's your interest in this place? You were asking an awful lot of questions about it when you ran out in front of my car.”

“You mean when you almost hit me!” Kaab said, avoiding the question, “Do you even have a drivers license?”

“Of course I do! I-”

“Hey who are they?” Kaab smacked Rafe's hand (harder then she intended) and jerked her head towards the counter.

Rafe followed her eyes. Kaab was watching a tall light haired man and an equally fair petite woman move behind the counter. They weren't dressed like the wait staff and people preparing chocolate, but instead more professionally.

“That's William and Diane Tremontaine,” Rafe said, “The shop's owners.”

The man caught their gaze and started making his way towards the table, smiling. Rafe rubbed his hands on his thighs.

“Joseph says he only does that with his hands when he wants to kiss somebody,” Micah volunteered and Rafe shushed her.

“Hello! I'm William Tremontaine,” the man said, “Has everything been satisfactory?”

“Y-yeah, everything's great,” Rafe said.

“Are you students at the university?” William asked, getting excited.

Kaab's interest drifted from William to his wife who'd moved out from behind the counter. Picking up her chocolate filled tea cup, Kaab stood, tucked her head down, and walked with purpose towards her. Then, Kaab dumped the entire cup chocolate down Diane Tremontaine's shirt.

Diane shrieked. Kaab's head snapped up to look her in the eyes. Oh, she was beautiful, and Kaab inhaled sharply, slightly taken aback at this

“I'm so sorry!” she cried, hand flying to her mouth as she faked embarrassment and hid a smile, “It was an accident!”

“It didn't look like an accident,” Micah said as she, William and Rafe turned to see what was causing the commotion.

Diane's face contorted with anger for a moment, a split second that Kaab was sure she alone noticed, before changing to a neutral expression. Grabbing a napkin off a nearby table, Kaab made a move to try to clean the chocolate covered blouse, but suddenly Diane's hand was wrapped around Kaab's wrist in a vice like grip.

“I've got it,” she said, her voice quiet yet deeper then Kaab was expecting. She, like everything else in the shop, smelled of chocolate.

“I am so sorry about your chocolate,” Diane continued, “Lucinda will fetch you another pot, on the house, of course.”

“You should probably run that under cold water ma'am,” Kaab said. She made sure her tone was a sticky sweet as the chocolate clinging to Diane's cleavage, “It would be a shame if it stained, what with it being Belgian chocolate and all.”

Diane's eyes narrowed a fraction, “Yes, it would be a shame, if you'll excuse me.”

“I'll help!” offered Kaab, realizing her chance to see the back rooms, “It's my fault after all, I'm so clumsy.”

“I can manage-”

“Oh no it's the least I can do,” Kaab let herself get louder.

By now conversations in the chocolate shop had come to a stand still. Both women could feel everyone watching them, whether it be discretely or openly and Kaab felt her face prickle with warmth. She was better as a spy not an actress! But this was exactly how to get what she wanted, access to Tremontaine Chocolate's backrooms.

Diane stilled for a beat and Kaab could feel her taking in her appearance for the first time. Kaab knew she didn't look like someone who'd normally be in a shop like this, ripped jeans, messy braids and a hoodie; a brown girl in a white and baby blue shop causing a stir.

“That's so considerate of you,” Diane replied, smile not reaching her eyes, “I was just going into the back.”

Leading her into the back, Diane, still not formally introduced to Kaab, gave a small sigh, shoulders dropping ever so slightly. The click of the high heels echoed on the tile floor as Kaab followed her into a tiny back room lined with shelves.

Kaab took mental note of the brands and quantity of supplies that lined the shelves and almost didn't notice Diane stripping off her blouse.

Although she didn't want to admit it, the younger women went momentarily slack jawed at the sight of a soft pink bra, lined with lace and smudged with chocolate. She made a small “uhh,” sound.

Diane turned on the facet and the sound of running water pulled Kaab from her daze. She reached for the shirt, “Here, let me help.”

“I'm Kaab by the way,” she said.

“Diane Tremontaine,” was the reply.

Kaab raised an eyebrow, “Like-?” she gestured around the room.

“Yes, this shop has been in my husband's family for years,” Diane said absently, like it was a line in a script, as she picked at the drying chocolate on her bra.

“I'm new in Riverside,” Kaab continued to prod for information, “And everyone said to come here. Business must be good then?”

“Quite. And what brings you to our city?” asked Diane.

Kaab shrugged, “Oh you know, family stuff, banishment- the usual.”

Diane made a sound, a very unladylike snort of laughter, and Kaab threw a grin and a wink over her shoulder. Finishing rinsing out the blouse, Kaab held it up for inspection. Unfortunately for Diane, but fortunately for Kaab, it was dripping wet.

As Kaab draped the shirt over a shelf, Diane suppressed a shiver. Noticing, Kaab quickly unzipped her sweatshirt, pulling it off and wrapping around Diane's shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Diane demanded.

She pressed back into the wall as Kaab moved closer.

“You look cold,” Kaab said, “Here put your arms in.”

“I'm fine,” said Diane, but slid both arms into the shirt all the same.

Moving closer still, Kaab slowly zipped the sweatshirt up, watching Diane's pale skin disappear under the black material. Diane was staring at her, eyebrows pulled together, face flushed. Kaab opened her mouth slightly, leaning closer still.

The world slowed for Kaab until it was a breath, the muffled sound of raised voices, the crinkle of paper between them-

“Balam? Ixkaab Balam?”

Kaab felt like all the air had left the room, replacing whatever heat there was with an icy chill. It was mostly due to Diane's cold glare and the fact that she'd just put a hand in the middle of Kaab's chest and pushed her back. In her other hand, Diane held a folded envelope with Kaab's name printed on the front.

“I...” Kaab began, but Diane cut her off.

“Get out,” Diane said, voice low with a dangerous edge.

Kaab stumbled backwards several steps before turning to dash out of the storage room. Back out in the sitting area, she found Rafe and William Tremontaine wrapped up in heated debate.

“We need to leave right now,” she whispered harshly, “C'mon Micah.”

“I'll say! How can I stay here with people like this!” Rafe cried, “The Bourgeoisie! The Bourgeoisie!”

With that, the three were thrown out of the chocolate shop.

Kaab leaned dejectedly against a painted wood barrier that said 'Coming Soon, The Balam Family's Kinwiinik Confectioners!'. It was too bad, Diane was quite beautiful and Kaab had been enjoying... wherever that was going.

“And she still has my favorite sweatshirt,” she grumbled.

[bedeliainwonderland]

Tremonteam Challenge #1: A Dinner for Diane

In episode 1 of season 3 Duchess Diane de Tremontaine is now a Duchess by right and a dinner is served in her honour.

                                                ~Menu~

Slab Tomato Pie with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves

When Micah heard there would be a party in Diane’s honour, she wanted to make sure her, ehem she meant Diane’s, favourite dish was served. We added a bit of flare to the dish to make it suitable for the high tastes of the elite. Micah did not understand why we tempered with perfection.

Venison with chocolate, fig, turnip and Brussels sprouts

Dark, bitter chocolate and gamey venison made an unusual but perfect match, with the sweet figs and earthy Brussels sprouts. Diane would appreciate finding a new use for her favourite cacao powder, as she loved to start new trends. Micah made sure we included turnips.

And for dessert, assorted macaroons

The next big thing to take the social circles by storm in all flavours and colours. Micah supervised our arrangements; all macaroons were to be the exact same size and laid out in perfect symmetry. 

[artsy-alice]

@tremontainetheserial​ + This Is A Thing Now Apparently Because The Whole Team Has Been Enabling Me, aka OF COURSE I’M GONNA DO THIS ONE, IT’S A CLASSIC (pt. 1 | 2 | #totally-correct-tremontaine )

This is my life now, @ellenkushner​ finds them funny, and I still haven’t run out of memes.

Tremontaine is at Serial Box! Catch up with us in time for the Final Season on Sep. 12!

[halewynslady]

Enrico Marini 

"Le Scorpion" BD

[amatalefay]

hey, Tremontaine fandom

Do we have a ship name for Diane/Esha yet? Because hot damn, episode 2.