#i've invested myself too much in these books

[tales-from-the-abbey]

Sure my favorite character was fatally wounded but as long as I don't read the words he won't die and you can't convince me otherwise

[astrxealis]

okay rambles but i started creatively writing in like ... 5th grade? and. oh god just a little encouragement to anyone looking to get into writing or insecure or whatnot, but HELLS, maybe it's to he expected with my (obviously) very young age and inexperience with writing then, but my writing was really. yeah. Yeah. but then i'm what... a lot older now, obviously, and my writing has gotten leagues better. i'm probably not a good example for this bcs childhood years development stuff are different etc etc BUT practicing writing more and whatnot really does go a long way :]

[thatgirlchallenge]

Financial Health

I've been reading a lot of books and watching a lot of videos about financial health, and how the system is set up to keep you " poor".

It's extremely interesting, and I didn't realize how much of a victim I was of this system. Like, sometimes, I am thinking of buying a certain very expensive bag to " reward" myself, or expensive skincare ( by the way, I'll make a post about this. A very interesting one, I think).

But genuinely, are those expensive things an actual reward ? Like is there a need to buy these stuff, instead of investing in your financial health...?

Too many trends, too many supposed high brands that target lower and middle classes as a PART of their maketing strategy, and too many influencers, completely out of touch, recommanding products that we don't need.

This very finely curated system is meant to keep you poor.

Right now, I am in a phase wherein I am realizing how much money I've wasted and how that money could have gone to useful or memorable things ( education, investing, travels). This realization part is the most important part of the journey.

Trust me, it's never too late to realize this, and correct the trajectory of your life.

Being an it girl is not about the expensive stuff you own, it's about the mindset. It's about how you carefully invest in yourself.

[learnastrowallura]

💜The 8th House in Astrology💜

The source if this information is The Astrology Podcast (Chris Brennan) on Youtube and from the book The Twelve Houses: Exploring the Houses of the Horoscope by Howard Sasportas and I will add a personal example as well

8th house: the occult, loss, taxes, loans, debt, inheritance, banking, accounting, investment expertise, others' finances, others's values, shared assets/values, merging, sexual intimacy, transformation, regeneration, the hidden, the unconscious, mediums, spirits, ancestral work, shadow work, trauma, fear, death, giving things, succedent

What we inherit (money, knowledge, family heirlooms, businesses, assets etc), our relationship with other people's money, how well off financially or in terms of value systems are our partners, how we set boundaries in terms of intimate relationships, our sexual nature, the themes that trigger transformations in our lifetime and how we handle that type of chaos and regenerative process, how we process and handle our fears particularly relating to loss, what kind of destructive thoughts/behaviors we might have or face sometimes, our relationship with our shadow self etc

Personal example: Gemini in an empty 8th house

I have an empty 8th house so it seems that the topics mentioned at the start are not so significant for me, however I am a Scorpio rising so my whole life is "transformative" lol it is just less emphasized like this I suppose

As for Gemini in my 8th house for me, it could indicate an innate ability to advise people on what to do with their money? This was purely an intuitive interpretation tho and since there is no emphasis on my natal 8th house I will let it go for now

What I have witnessed in the past as well is that I've always had a talent for helping people have breakthroughs; however with my Sagittarius energy and Mercury conjunct Pluto I may have come accross as too blunt and intense, and so this has only worked in situations in which the person knew me kind of well/trusted me and/or for some reason was not fazed by my intense energy and demeanor (Note: I have an Aries moon too lol)

With introspection and communicating my thoughts to others I can trigger transformative phases in my life whether good or bad but the main point is my relationships dictate a lot whether it is a start, end, break etc it always affects me and somehow feels like a shedding of my old self which very much aligns with the concept of death and rebirth in my opinion

Another thing to note is that the conjunction between my Mercury (8th house ruler) and Pluto (my chart ruler) takes place in my 2nd house of finances which makes me think that this theme in particular is quite important for me

Oh and rn I'm 19 so I am in my 8th house profection year and I'm healing from past connections that kept me stuck in life as well holding myself accountable for everything which has been cool like lots of ups and downs for sure but I do feel reborn and close friends have noticed and have been talking to me about the transformation as well haha I am receiving a lot of recognition, affection and praise <3

I might make a post resuming profection years in my own style/perspective soon but @lilacstro has posted about in detail already so check that out here x

Thank you for reading <3

Masterlist

Paid readings available

x

[emmitaaa4]

Hey so i just think its funny how every elriel i've talked to has said they'd read elain's story no matter what: we're pretty fking sure she'll end up with shadow man, but if sjm decides to give her fire man instead we'll indulge it and see if she can convince us.

The funny part is that in all my years I've literally almost never seen people on the other side reciprocate that sentiment. People feel very strongly against elriel, and theres nothing wrong with that! but it makes you think.

musings below the cut

For gwynriels primarly invested in Gwyn's story--makes sense. I get it. I personally wouldnt jump on a gwynriel book should it ever exist: in fact if the next book isn't elain's im abandoning the series.

not bc i dont care about Az, but bc: A) i wouldnt care about him if it turns out he is a flaky guy who thinks of elain as a sexual object he is entitled to, B) a gwynriel book being next completely disregards the narrative importance of elain's choice & story which makes it C) extremely poor writing in an already mediocre series. oh and D) gwynriel's "storyline" (where) is so boring to me.

For gwynriels primarly invested in Az's story...perso i dont see why they wouldn't give it a shot, but fine.

Eluciens? Most of them seem to believe that the only way we'd ever get lucien's story is through elain, that elriel implies an eternity of heartbreak for him, and that sjm loves him too much to not let him have his mate... again, perfectly fine.

(but then they call fellow lucien enjoyers like myself stupid for thinking he is too important not to have a PoV and would have his story told in his own book. sigh.) also sidenote but WHO knew yrene would have a book until it happened, huh? and now u have vassa given more narrative importance than any side character AND connected to every retelling sjm wants to write... but no we dont know her enough for her to have a PoV. the irony.

In this equation I'm just wondering... Where are all the folks primarily invested in Elain's story?

whereee?? i know you exist but theres so few of you.

where.

im aware im making generalizations. they're based in my years quietly observing the fandom on all sides and withstanding a shit ton of "elriel is a lesser love cause mates mean everything" and "baby lulu deserves his HEA that can only come with elain" and "eplain has to be evil she cant be with Az shes too weak & boring".

[mookymilksims]

ULTIMATE Realistic Money overhaul | Roleplay Guide | The sims 3

TYSM for 600+ subscribers on Youtube!

Introduction:

Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel! In today's video I'm going to show you how to overhaul the sims 3 economy, how to have complete control over your billing system, and how to have a more realistic money exchange mechanic! We will also be exploring how to go about a much more realistic renting/mortgage system. This guide has been a long time coming, it's very simple and beginner friendly, but to find all the mods it would take to set this up would be a pain for anyone trying to revamp their sims economy. I've playtested this mod setup for a couple of years, and I can never go back to the original EA economy and billing system. All of these mods work with each other in a synergy circle, they compliment, play off of, and enhance one another. All links will be included in my tumblr guide, and the comment leading to my tumblr guide will be pinned in the comments below. I recommend following alongside the guide and the video, especially if you do not speak english, so you can translate the guide to your native language, while still being able to follow along the video! If I am talking too slowly for you I highly recommend everyone to increase the video speed to x2, and slow it down at certain parts you need extra focus on. Don't worry, I won't be offended at all by this, I do it myself for tutorial videos.

First - Overhaul the sims economy.

No bills

First we need to get rid of the EA billing system. This is because we are going to add new mods that introduce much more realistic billing and rental mechanics. This also eliminates some core issues with the EA billing system. Such as having a large piece of land, but a tiny house, and your bills being upwards of 40k every couple of days. Utilities not being calculated properly. And being billed more because of your more expensive items on your lot. Since we are also overhauling the sims economy, the original EA calculations wouldn't make any sense anymore.

EVM Career Wages

This mod adds a much more realistic financial wage system. Since we have now removed EA bills, our sims wages need to be able to reflect the more realistic economy we are going for. Gone are the days of every Sim earning a fortune with a mere $45 per hour entry-level job. This mod adjusts the wages across all career levels to align with real-world standards, creating a more immersive gameplay experience.

With EVM Career Wages, climbing the career ladder feels genuinely rewarding as higher pay accompanies each promotion. This encourages players to strive for advancement and invest in their Sims' professional growth. Additionally, when paired with the UC mod, promotions become more challenging to attain, placing greater emphasis on the player's decisions and strategic gameplay.

Camo fairer priced groceries and books

Camo tweaked goods

Revamped Economy Essentials:

With Camo's Fairer Priced Groceries and Books alongside Camo's Tweaked Goods, the Sims 3 economy undergoes a significant transformation. These combined mods slash the prices of commonly purchased items, bringing a newfound sense of realism to the game. No longer will a single egg set you back $11; now, it's a mere $2, making grocery shopping a more authentic experience. The same principle applies to book prices, ensuring that essential items are now more affordable for Sims across the board.

This overhaul becomes even more impactful when paired with the Savvier Seller mod, which ensures that prices are not only reasonable for your household but also for the entire neighborhood. This adds a more balanced and lifelike economy, where every Sim can afford the necessities without breaking the bank.

taxi charge

simsmathew subway charger

Realistic Transportation Fees:

Combining the Taxi Charge and Simsmathew Subway Charger mods introduces a new level of realism to transportation in The Sims 3. Each time your Sims opt for a taxi ride or subway journey, they'll incur a small fee. This adds a layer of financial consideration, prompting players to rethink their Sims' commuting habits.

Immersive roleplaying opportunities emerge as players strategize the best way to navigate their Sims from point A to point B. Whether it's opting for eco-friendly methods like walking or biking, or planning a journey that involves a mix of walking and subway rides, every choice impacts your Sims' budget and experience.

This deeper level of engagement allows players to connect with their Sims on a more personal level, experiencing the journey alongside them and enjoying the rich scenery and interactions along the way. Now you'll be pushed to experience y

Ani tax collector

New Billing System:

The tax collector mod essentially allows you to create your own billing and taxing system. This mod introduces a scripted computer interface with customizable settings, allowing players to seamlessly implement various taxes and fees. From water and electricity bills to health insurance premiums and car payments, Sims will autonomously be directed to settle these financial obligations once the tax settings are activated.

For an added layer of realism and roleplay, consider situating these computers at opened rabbithole like the city hall. This not only streamlines your Sim's outing tasks but also enriches the gameplay experience, allowing players to engage in more dynamic and immersive storytelling.

I'm going to go in game and show you how I achieve this effect for a very quick and easy tutorial.

So because we turned off the EA billing system, we need to create our own bills, to still simulate having to lose money through our gameplay. You can place these new tax computers on an opened city hall rh lot (if you don't care for aesthetic then I recommend placing these in the basement), or another community lot altogether. Please note that if you place these computers on a cityhall RH lot, and you enable UC mod on that lot, you should lock the doors leading to the tax computers. This is because with SonyaJu's UC version, the sims working on the lot will be pushed to use the computers which will result in all of your sims being sent to pay their taxes throughout the day. You can lock community doors using Nraas Go Here, or nona lock community doors mod as an alternative.

Now that we have set up our computers, you click the settings and rename the computer. Rename this to any bill you want to pay. Here I am setting up a, Water, Electric, Phone bill, Car note, and Car insurance computer. Now I can click on tax collector > settings > edit multiplier.

Water = 0.8

Electric = 0.4

Phone - 0.2

Car note = 0.5

Car insurance = 0.6

these multipliers automatically calculate what you currently have available in your sims household funds, and deducts the "tax" based off of the multiplier. This adds a more logical calculations to what each individual household could actually afford, without being too overbearing on your funds loss. This make a much more realistic and immersive billing system actually possible in the game, that fixes a lot of the issues with EA billing system, and matches the new sims economy we have created with this combination of mods.

Which leads me to my next part. I pay all of these bills monthly in my game. This adds a much more immersive and realistic experience, and I even have to keep an eye on my sims budget throughout the month, like in real life. Sometimes, I may have to sell things or find any way to make extra money to pay my new bills, or pick which bill I have to pay if I can't afford them all. I give myself consequences if I can't afford certain things. When I show you how to use the new renting system, I'll even roleplay getting evicted as a consequence if I can't afford my rent.

Enhancement Miscellaneous Mods:

The collection of these next mods serve to either rectify the Sims economy hiccups or introduce a fresh layer of roleplay, prompting players to reassess their spending habits and EP career choices.

Some of these mods make purchasing certain items actually reusable like bubble bath products and painting supplies. While others make certain careers have higher payouts which makes the wages for that career make more sense and become more satisfying so you'd actually want to work at it. This also enhances rags-to-riches playthroughs, rendering them more intricate and gratifying.

For instance, with these mods combined, the necessity for pets to rely on manually refilled food bowls instead of random props elevates pet care to a level akin to caring for a toddler. This makes having a pet a lot more impactful in your household, as well as financially.

In general, all of these mods balance back out certain EA default settings, which slowly begins to push together a more and more realistic economy.

I will place the mods you want to add on the screen, and all the links will be provided in the tumblr guide.

speedo higher concert payouts

picnicbasketpricechange

bubble bath runs out

pet bowl needs food

Nona always more gigs 3 times money

wildflowernerf per value

Double money highchancs faster mooch skill

painting needs supplies

painting costs money

government benefits and service

This mod is tailored to amplify the immersive experience of playing as lower-income households in The Sims 3. This mod introduces a plethora of meticulously scripted game mechanics designed to add depth and realism to the struggles and triumphs of impoverished Sims.

One standout feature is the ability to establish child support payments, calculated with precision based on the target parent's income. This introduces a compelling dynamic for players who wish to roleplay scenarios involving relationships with wealthier partners, where child support checks become a lifeline for sustaining the family's livelihood, as an example.

Furthermore, Sims can now apply for various forms of assistance such as health insurance and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), opening up new avenues for navigating the challenges of financial hardship within the game. These additions inject a newfound sense of complexity and realism into rags-to-riches playthroughs, providing players with additional gameplay mechanics to consider and explore. You'll find yourself embarking on a journey of resilience and resourcefulness as you guide your Sims through the highs and lows of economic adversity in the game.

If you are following my guide step by step consider applying these tweaks to the xml's.

As an added note, I no longer add a health insurance tax collector computer, as with MonocoDoll's new GA mod poorer sims can get affordable health care, and sims who do not qualify for this have a good job where I imagine the job offers it's own health insurance instead. So because of this new mod addition, this eliminates the need to set up health insurance payments for my households.

Second - Career's addon's

Gamefreak's check for work

job overhaul

lemonaise 50 jobs offer

These mods revolutionizes the Sims' job acquisition process, enhancing realism and depth. This also enhances the effectiveness of attending university. Without a degree, Sims may struggle to secure certain jobs and will always start at entry level.

The mod introduces a comprehensive interview and application process, typically lasting about an hour in-game, during which Sims disappear into the rabbit hole. Sims can attend resume building and interview classes to improve their chances of employment, mimicking real-life strategies. Uploading a resume, particularly a University Life degree, significantly boosts job prospects.

Maintaining cleanliness, hunger, and a positive mood is crucial as neglecting these factors decreases the likelihood of job offers. The "check for work" option allows Sims to scout for job openings beyond the replaced job hunting UI.

Lemonaise's 50 Jobs Offer expands job opportunities, reflecting the realistic scenario where obtaining desired employment may require starting elsewhere. Just as in real life, a degree does not guarantee the desired job immediately, necessitating patience and flexibility in career pursuits.

This mod combination adds layers of realism and challenges, making Sims' lives more expansive and rewarding. Achieving dream jobs becomes a testament to perseverance and hard work, enhancing the sense of accomplishment for players.

Ani's job board

Ani's Job Board introduces a WA-inspired board object that fills the gap left by missing opportunities in UC mod. With UC's scripted behaviors for work, some autonomous opportunities were removed. However, this mod remedies the situation by providing Sims with a platform to browse and undertake additional work and school opportunities. Now, players have the autonomy to choose whether to pursue these extra projects, adding depth and flexibility to their Sims' lives.

Nraas Careers

Nraas Careers is a mod that expands the possibilities for Sims by enabling custom careers and establishing a homeworld university. While the details of setting up a homeworld university can be explored in another video, this guide focuses on how this mod integrates custom career opportunities with UC. With Nraas Careers, players can seamlessly bind custom careers to EA careers, unlocking a wealth of new professional paths for their Sims within the game. What this means in basic terms, is that UC works by adding a number of objects sims use on a lot, to increase their work/school performance. If you are playing as a custom career, UC won't know which objects can increase that careers performance if the career hasn't been bonded to an EA career.

Sonja's UC

Sonja's UC is an enhanced iteration of Zerbu's UC mod, designed to optimize the original mod's scripting for improved performance and stability. While still a work in progress and subject to occasional issues, this update enhances the main features of the mod, resulting in faster and smoother gameplay. Sims now spend less time deliberating their actions, experience reduced lag before heading to work, and are not as rigidly constrained to complete tasks. Instead, they are encouraged to take breaks and socialize, mirroring real workplace dynamics.

Although ongoing testing is underway, I recommend trying out this version as it also introduces additional modded script objects to careers. Setting up the mod in-game is straightforward and can be easily demonstrated.

zoeoe flower arranging

knitting

pheobejaysims take sims to court

pheobejaysims betting

On the Screen, will be a selection of miscellaneous mods that enrich your gameplay experience by introducing custom playable careers and intricately scripted mechanics.

With these mods, you can immerse yourself in diverse professions such as modeling, flower arranging, or managing a home-based Etsy-style knitting business. Additionally, you have the opportunity to delve into the legal world as an attorney or explore the unique avenue of earning money through litigation against other Sims and establishments.

For those inclined towards risk and excitement, Phoebejaysims' Betting mod allows for a full-time gambling lifestyle, leveraging specific store objects to enhance the thrill of the game.

These mods significantly expand the scope of gameplay possibilities, offering players a plethora of new career paths and immersive money mechanics to explore and enjoy.

Third - Biggest gameplay changes and fixes

Bank mod

Otherwise known as the non-core global banking mod, this mod is a game-changer in how you manage money in The Sims. This mod allows you to establish a bank account for your Sims, complete with essential banking functionalities like deposits, withdrawals, and money transfers.

I'll guide you through setting up a new renting and mortgage system in-game, offering alternative perspectives on cash handling, including household funds versus bank account funds. Additionally, I'll show you how to separate all Sims' incomes and present an edited version where the bank account resembles a debit card in your Sims' inventory.

Let's dive into these transformative features that will revolutionize your Sims' financial management experience.

How to make a bank account.

Simply click on a computer, whether on your home lot or community lot. Navigate to online banking interaction > Open Account. $25 will be deducated automatically, and you will have a new bank account in your sims inventory.

How to create a landlord.

Simply select any sim you would like to be your new landlord. Using Nraas MC > Make Active, you can then open a bank account for the selected sim you've chosen to be your landlord.

How to pay rent.

Once the bank account has been sucessfully opened you can go back to your original active household. Then select the bank account in your sims inventory > Transfers, if you are friends with the landlord then select "Sims you know", if you are not friends with them then select "in your neighborhood". Navigate the list to find your new landlord, then send them your rent or mortgage for the month.

How to separate income.

Using this banking system I separate my sims money by having their bank account as their debit card and their household funds as their cash on hand. I typically, split up the funds reasonably between everyone's bank account in the household. This leaves $0 in the household funds. Once a sim is done with their work day, the exact amount of money they made for the day will go straight into your household funds. From there, I deposit that money into their bank account. It only takes a couple of seconds and is very simple.

As an added note, when sending the sims out and about in the world, I'll need the money from their account in the household funds so that they are able to spend money. So I quickly withdraw a random amount of money I think they will need for the outing, allowing them to actually buy what they want from the community lots. For extra immersion, consider adding a deco ATM machine, to simulate where your sims would be withdrawing their money from.

Just as promised, I told you how I would roleplay an eviction process, using this new renting system. If my sims cannot pay the rent, and they ask their landlord to an outing, if the landlord does not have a good time then I only get 1 sim month to leave the home or pay rent for both months. If the landlord does have a good time, then I imagine they allowed me to skip my rent payment for that month. If I still don't have rent money by the end of the month, I move my sim to a 10x10 empty lot somewhere in the world, and have my sim live out of a tent, or shady motel (set as a base camp), until I can afford to move into another home. If I choose to live in a motel, while the base camps are free to stay in, I create a custom role titled "Motel front desk", open that sim a bank account, and then pay them $100 weekly, while this is still a payment it is much cheaper than my sims rent that we couldn't afford, and still allows me to roleplay money being lost. If I don't have to be completely homeless then I won't, if I have $0, then I will.

nraas consigner

nraas register

Nraas Consigner and Nraas Register are essential mods that address the shortcomings of the register systems in the base game. Consigner enhances gameplay by introducing the option to make all items consignable, simulating a realistic thrift store or pawn shop experience. Meanwhile, Register adds extra checks to ensure Sims are correctly assigned, along with providing additional population controls beyond the capabilities of Story Progression. Whether or not you utilize other mods, these fixes are indispensable for enhancing your gameplay experience.

Exciting Update Alert!

@olomaya on Tumblr is currently developing an innovative new renting system for the game, which promises to offer Simmers a wide array of options for money roleplaying. This upcoming system represents a significant evolution in gameplay mechanics, potentially replacing older systems and providing fresh opportunities for immersive financial management.

Stay tuned for a comprehensive guide on this mod, which will delve into its functionalities, compatibility considerations, and potential replacements for older mechanics. Until this mod is developed, playtested, and released, I'll be using this system that I have set up and just showed you guys in this video!

So this concludes everything that I wanted to show you guys! You now know how to set up a more realistic billing system. Renting/mortgage system. You've learned how to add and roleplay more complex money gaming mechanics. You've overhauled your wage system, as well as your cost of living economy in the world. And none of these are too overbearing, with just a little bit of set up, you'll have an ultimate realistic economy and money system in your sims 3 from now on! Thank you all for joining me, thank you for 600 subscribers, and thank you for your love and support! I'll see you all in the next video!

[enam3l]

dirty thirty (@funsonmunson-again's mafia eddie x reader)

funsonmunson-again's birthday week writing challenge / prompt #24: saving the best for last haha, but birthday spankings with any of the eddies!

happy birthday evie!! thank you for reviving the timeline with your amazing fics. it's eddie's birthday too and he's in trouble...

CW: very much 18+, pure smut, bdsm, use of guns, truly the most depraved thing i've ever written.

 For his 30th birthday, Eddie Munson has nearly just taken a shot to the head... but in your defence, he really fucking deserved it. 

Slowly - albeit on wobbly feet - Eddie, Gareth, Jeff and Freak turn around to face you, eyes still wide from seeing the bullet fly past their boss's shoulder. They're stood in a line like naughty school boys in your garden, caught doing something they shouldn't be. Which is exactly what's happened.

You stand in front of the glass doors that lead onto the patio, curtains billowing and light glowing behind you. Flanked by four growling dogs. The light from the house reveals the curves of your body under the sheer babydoll lingerie you're wearing. But no one is looking at the small number, they're cowering at the pistol in your hands and the infuriated look on your face. 

'Get inside, now,' you snarl, the dogs' snapping in agreement with you. 

At the stroke of midnight, by some miracle of god, the unimaginable happened and Eddie Munson reached thirty years of age. Each year of his life since he hit ten, felt like a bonus. He was sure he'd never see twenty and absolutely certain he'd never meet thirty but here he was. He'd been surprised you let him go out with the guys that night but you insisted. 

'Let loose with the boys, then I can have you all to myself in the day,' you'd smirked, clearly hiding something. 

The four men left the house at 8pm, promising to be back by 2am at the latest. Yet, by the fourth shot of tequila, that promise was long forgotten as well as Eddie's suspicions that you'd been planning something. 

Which you had. Throughout your four years together, it had been near impossible to surprise Eddie. Firstly, his line of business meant he liked to know everything that was going on. Surprises equalled the opportunity for danger. Secondly, you shared your finances - although, in all honesty, his finances, but he enforced a what's mine is yours policy. So, it was hard to splash on something for him, without him noticing when the bills came or his accountant alerting him. But for his thirtieth, you devised enough was enough. 

After hearing him murmur to himself so many times about his disbelief he had survived this long. Not only had he survived, but now, with you by his side, he was living. Your man deserved for once to be surprised and spoilt. To reign in a new decade of life together in the best way possible. 

Therefore, for the past year you had been plotting. With the help of Eddie's accountant and the boys, you'd secretly been putting money aside. Slicing off a chunk of any 'shopping trip' money, he gave you, and putting into a secret account. The accountants making investments on your behalf throughout the year that also went into the account. 

Now, you had a hefty chunk of cash that was being spent on the most devastatingly romantic holiday to France that money can buy. A long glamorous weekend in Paris, followed by a week hiding away together on a private beach in Monaco. The flight was booked for Eddie's birthday, that's why you'd let the boys take him out - so you could pack without getting rumbled. But nothing is ever so simple with a Munson. 

At 1am, with still no Eddie, you'd become impatient. 

By 2am, you were irritated. 

By 3am, you were furious. 

By 4am, you were terrified that something awful had happened. 

At 4:15am you thought those fears were confirmed as you heard gunfire from the gardens.

Not even thinking how you were dressed in an entirely unsuitable birthday present for Eddie, your instincts kicked in. Taking the pistol out the bedside table and with your precious pups quick on your heels, you ran down the stairs. Brain screaming with all the awful possibilities of what could've happened. No matter how long you've been together, the fear over Eddie's job never truly leaves. You burst through the patio doors and fire a warning shot... and then you see the culprits. 

Eddie and the boys, lined up, their own pistols in hand. Before them were (once) law ornaments which they had clearly lined up and started target practice on. Now they were looking at you, the tiny remaining sober part of their brains were doing some explaining. Maybe coming home late and doing target practice whilst you were oblivious and gone alone, wasn't a great idea. 

With big blinking eyes, like Bambi in front of headlights, Eddie begins to stumble on his words.

'K-k-kitten, hi... I'm s-sorr-'

'Shut the fuck up,' you snapped harshly. The rest of the guys immediately looked down at the ground. 

'Edward, get inside NOW. The rest of you, leave.' 

Immediately, the four grown men begin to wobble and scramble. The three that weren't your fiancée, babbling, 

'We're so sorry Y/N... we didn't mean to... we lost track of...'

'I don't care. Go, before you're limping as well as swaying and this time it'll be because I've shot you in the fucking leg.' 

In a flash, they were gone. You glowered at your now shattered flamingos in the distance before turning to look at Eddie. He was tripping over the entrance to the house when you finally looked him in the eye. 

'Baby... I really sorry,' he whispered. 

'I don't think you are,' you said coolly, 'go to the bedroom. Now.'

Eddie didn't hesitate, he quickened his stumbling pace. As you locked the doors, you could see him gripping onto Lucifer for stability. Then using Zeus as well once he attempted the stairs. You could hear him unsubtly whispering to them as he climbed the marble steps. 

'I've never seen your Mom this mad before.'

It's true, he hadn't and he was petrified. More terrified than he had ever been in a sticky situation during work, he had far more to lose with you. Good job Munson, he grumbles to himself, not even five hours into 30 and you've fucking blown it. 

When you finally come up to the bedroom, Eddie is sat on the edge of the bed, throbbing head in his hands. Now he's not stumbling around, he can finally look at you. The pretty sheer dress you're wearing in his favourite colours, pretty bows and ruffles and microscopic matching panties. Your hair is swept up how he likes as well. Everything you've done, as ever, is for him. He feels awful and not because he's drank the best part of a bottle of tequila and a whiskey more expensive than several of his rings. 

'You look really beautiful, kitten,' he whispers, big eyes now wet. 

But your eyes are still filled with anger. 

'How could you, Eddie!' You shout, 'you scared the shit out of me!'

'I'm sorry, I-' he croaks. 

'No!' You snap, taking a kitten heel off and launching it across the room. 'No excuses. I've not finished! Can you imagine if I had done that? Disappeared longer than I said and without contact? Then you heard random shooting outside?'

Eddie's blood ran cold at the thought and knuckles white as he gripped the sheets beneath him. If he was in your shoes, a search party would be out and he'd be sick with worry. 

'That's what I thought,' you mutter as you see the look on his face. 'You wouldn't let me ever leave without an escort again.' 

It's true, he'd never let you leave his side. 

'I thought you were...' your facade and your voice finally cracks, 'I've never been so scared in my life!' 

Irritated that your mask has slipped, you stomp forward to Eddie. With all the anger in your body, you shove your lean fiancée, causing him to fall backwards on the bed. Eddie stays lying there, not wanting to look up and catch you sniffling. He doesn't want to make it worse. His heart cracks hearing what he's done to you, especially on what is supposed to be a happy day. Especially when you'd clearly planned something for his return. 

He clears his throat, wanting to ensure he gets his words out perfectly. 

'Kitten, I know. You never would've done this to me. I'm so sorry. What can I do? How do I fix it?'

There's only silence for a little while but he keeps his eyes trained to the white ceiling. Then, he feels your hand hovering on his knee. 

'Turn over,' you say firmly but quietly. 

Eddie lets out a confused mumble but does as he's told. Right now, if you told him to eat his own shoes, he would. Then, he feels you take an ankle, lifting it so you can begin to take off his boot. Once it's off, he kicks off the other himself. He gulps then, truly unwitting over your plans. Your hands now tug at the waist of his slacks, nails scratching at his back. In attempt to aid you, he raises his hips and undoes his belt and buttons, allowing you to slide them off. 

He hears the sound of his eyelashes flutter against the duvet as he blinks, anxiously. Are you just getting him ready for bed? He would like to just go to sleep in your arms right now. Whisper he's sorry and he loves you until you both fall asleep. But that's not what is going to happen. 

No, that's definitely not going to happen, Eddie realises suddenly. As before he can even process, you've quickly tugged down his underwear, and have cracked down your palm against his ass cheek. Eddie gasps. 

'You're going to feel how angry I am, Eddie,' you say so calmly that a trail of goosebumps prickle down his spine. 

'I'm going to do to you, what you would've done to me in this situation... and you're going to take it.' 

Crack. You hit his cheek again. 

'Do you understand?'

'Yes, kitten,' he barely whispers. He's scared, confused and aroused. Never, ever, have you done this to him before but he doesn't dare protest. 

'Good,' your palm soothes over the attacked cheek. It's barely blushing, your own hand nothing in comparison to Eddie's own sprawling ones. He widens his legs so you can stand further between them. He knows right now, he just needs to let you do what you need to do.  

Crack. Crack. Eddie gasps. Crack. The fear, surprise and arousal mixed together is intoxicating. His heart is in his throat and his palms are sweating. Each smack, full of raw emotion, sends a zap through his body. 

'That's five, Eddie... I'm going to do thirty.' 

Eddie's eyes widen. 

'If you're going to act like this, at your age now, then I'm going to give you a present deserving of it. So, twenty five to go.' 

He's not sure he can last that long in silence, without crying out your name or moaning or worse, popping a boner whilst you're angry. Then, he feels a dip on the bed alongside him. For the first time since you shoved him, he dares to steal a glance at you. Your eyes are dark and looking back at him. 

'You should probably sit across my knee. It'll make this easier for everyone,' your voice is unwavering. This new stern side to you is equal parts unnerving and sexy. 

Eddie scrambles to his feet quickly and stands before you. You look him up and down, infuriatingly, he looks so good. You'd thought that when he left the house and you couldn't wait to throw yourself at him upon his return. But he ruined it. Now he's just there, a sheepish look on his face, shirt still on but his cock out. You had planned to ride it until you both collapsed, but now plans have been spoilt. 

'Take your shirt off and get over my knee,' you sigh. Your voice sounds so uninterested, it makes Eddie's heart pang. He wants to get on his hands and knees and beg for your attention and forgiveness. Desperate to smother you in kisses. 

However, he does as he's told. A shiver rippling through him as he rids himself of the shirt. Anxiously, he walks to the side of you and clambers onto the bed and then spreads himself over your lap. He wiggles, following your guidance to get his lap perfectly across your thighs. 

'Baby, is this right? Do you need to me to move more?' Eddie asks, desperate to please you. 

'S'fine,' you say casually. 

But there's nothing casual about the gasp that escapes him as your fingers trail down his back. Small circles drawn into the dimples above his ass. Then one hand trails down to the top of his thigh and rests, whilst another stays on his asscheek. There's nothing for a moment and Eddie feels his heart racing and the anticipation. Until, he feels your soft lips place a peck on the one cheek you'd struck. It gives him butterflies knowing you still want to give him gentle loves. 

'That's nice... thank you, baby,' his voice sounds smaller than ever before. 

'S'okay, Eds. I'm gonna go again now, okay?' 

He nods. Your hand smooths over the untouched cheek, stealing a squeeze. 

'This one needs to catch up, hmm?' You coo. Oh god, he thinks, you're playing with him now. Like a cat with a mouse. 

Five sharp, consecutive slaps, crack down against the porcelain skin. Each jolting Eddie and causing him to gasp. You squint, wondering if part of him actually enjoys this. So you test the theory. 

'Nineteen,' you say. 

Then, the hand smacks down, harder than ever before. Hard enough that he knows there's a mark. 

'Eighteen!'

This one even harder, your hand clearly coming down from quite a distance. The jolt from the force causes his cock to flop between the gap of your thighs. 

'Seventeen! Sixteen!' 

Smack. Smack. Both as hard as the last. There's no denying it hurts, but it's also good. Eddie feels good that you're punishing him for scaring you. It satisfies the shame he feels and his body knows it because his cock springs to life. Rock hard now between your soft thighs. 

'You're fucking hard?' You scoff, turning the cheeks on his face, not just his ass, bright red. 'Do you not understand that I'm angry? This isn't for your pleasure! Fifteen!' 

'Oh fuck,' Eddie cries. Fifteen was the hardest yet and it pushed his body down, causing your thighs to tug at his cock. 

'You're sick, Eddie. Getting off on this...' you rake your nails down his back now, causing more moans from him. 

'Do you like it? Facing the consequences of your actions for once, baby?' You snarl. Your hands have now reached the base of his neck and tug at some hair there. 

'Yes, yes,' he wines. He can't stop himself, he thrusts into your thighs some more. Fucking himself between your plush skin. You're genuinely shocked. 

'Oh my god... you really are getting off on this, hmm? Engaged and I'm still learning new things about you. My dirty boy, hmm. Ready for more?' 

Panting from thrusting at your thighs, Eddie nods. 

'Okay, you asked for it...' 

Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Each one is quick, sharp and alternates between each cheek. Eddie snaps his hips, jerking his throbbing cock off in time with your hits. Your own panties are soaked at seeing your big, scary, mafia boss, so desperate and pathetic. 

Eddie whelps something you don't make out. You pinch the skin of his hip and ask him to repeat. 

'The belt, the belt,' he cries, 'god, please use the fucking belt!'

Your face scrunches up, wondering if he really just said what you think. But before you can process, you feel him shift. His arm stretches out down to the floor. Your questions are answered when he thrusts the belt he had holding his slacks up, behind his back and into your hands. 

Oh, you gasp internally, he really fucking wants this bad. 

Tauntingly, you brush the smooth leather across his skin. 

'You feel that bad, huh? Understand just how angry I am, Edward?' 

'Yes, kitten, please...' he cries, 'please show me.'  

At first you hesitate, not wanting to do some serious damage. Folding the belt in half, you bring down the looped end against his bright pink cheek. Nine. The sound is heavier than any your palm could make but you know the sensation is even harsher. 

Eddie groans in frustration and shakes his head. He wants it worse. 

You tighten your grip and bring it down harder. Eight. Instantly there's lines imprinted on his skin from the edges of the belt. But it's clear that's what he wanted, as his hips thrust ferociously and you feel precum trickling down your calf. 

Seven. 

Six. 

Five. 

Eddie is crying your name, fists white knuckling the bed linen. His skin has transformed from magenta to blooms of purple. 

'Just five more and then it's the big 3-0, okay?'

He's barely paying attention, so lost in the high, continuously fucking himself in your thighs. You take the belt to the other cheek now. 

Four. A warning spank. You lean down and press a kiss each cheek. This is it. 

'Say' 

Three. 

'You're'

Two.

'Fucking'

One. 

'Sorry!'

Eddie's cock spurts his load all down your legs as he cries. 

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry kitten, I'm so fucking sorry!' 

His body trembles on you at the aftershock of such intense touch. Another load of cum squirts out. He sobs real tears, you can tell, into the sheets. 

'Kitten. I'm sorry, m'sorry, love you s'much,' he whimpers. 

You let both your hands soothingly rub his back and thighs and you lean down to presses kisses to his ass. Perfect porcelain now splattered in purples and pinks. 

'I know, Eds. It's why it upset me so much. You're never reckless like that... I wanted you home. Was supposed to be perfect when you got home...'

Eddie can hear that the anger is gone and now there's just a soft sadness in your voice. Ignoring the ache in his backside, he crawls off you, sliding onto the floor. Slotting himself between your thighs as he rests on his knees. Capturing your hands, he kisses them. 

'Let me make it up to you, sweetheart,' he pleads. Big brown eyes, red from tears and begging. Letting go of your hands, Eddie takes your knees and pushes them further apart. He reveals his cum still dripping from you thighs. Leaning in, eyes still looks at you, he kitten licks his own spend up. 

'You shouldn't have let me cum,' he mumbled against the velvety skin at the apex of your thighs. 

'Should've forced me to make you cum, over and over and over... so that's what I'm gonna do.'  

You just nod and let Eddie take over. He tugs your soaked panties off. 

'These were so cute, kitten. I didn't deserve them,' he sucks at the wet crotch, 'daddy was so bad but now daddy will make it up to you. I promise.'  

With that, Eddie dives into your folds. Lapping up the wetness that's been gathering like he had his own cum. That alone makes you sigh, so much of the tension leaving your body. Bringing your thighs over his shoulder, he buried his face further to access to your clit. Latching onto it the moment he finds it. Sucking until you squirm. 

'That's it,' he sighs, his voice happy now, 'going to make my girl feel better.' He punctuates each word with a soft kiss to your bud. 

It's all parts feral and tender and causes your tense body to flop back onto the bed. Eddie is shortly quick to chase you. With your thighs round his neck, he guides you to lie back against the pillows so he can completely lie down and lose himself in your cunt. 

Now his body is fully relaxed, he makes out with your pussy. Going from sucking your clit to lapping at your hole. 

'That's so good, Eds,' you coo, hand twisting curls round your fingers. Now, Eddie knows he's on his way to forgiveness. 

Forcing your legs a little further, he goes in for the kill. Using the move he knows always makes you crumble. He sucks both his thumbs, letting one come up to toy with your clit and the other drops to press against your tight asshole. 

The concentration alone sobers Eddie up. He hears you gasp and cry his name as the thumbs circle each pleasure point. Then he lets his tongue fuck into your hole unrelentingly. Faster. Faster. Your thighs are squirming but Eddie won't stop until you get the release you deserve. The wiggling results into his thumb popping into your asshole causing your hips to jerk and your hand to rip at his hair. 

'Jesus fuck, Eddie,' you sob, tears erupting at the overwhelming sensation.  

Eddie plunges his tongue as far as he can, along with his thumb in your ass and then tears aren't the only thing erupting. Your little cunt spasms, squirt soaking his tongue and face. Your whole body left trembling as you gasp. Eddie doesn't let on that it causes him to cum against the bedsheets where he'd be gently rubbing himself against. 

Wiping his face and licking his fingers clean, Eddie smiles at your fucked out frame. 

'That is the best birthday present you can ever get me, kitten.' 

Leaving you to catch your breath, he gets up and waddles over to the light switch. His sore cheeks definitely limiting his movements more than the alcohol ever did. The bedside lamp keeps the room in a soft glow as he turns the main light off. 

Slowly, he climbs under the covers and into bed next to you. 

'Is it... is it okay if I hold you now, Y/N?' Eddie's voice is soft but nerve filled. You turn and look at him, chocolate eyes full of worry still. Nodding, you shuffle under the duvet and into his waiting arms. Lying in a way that you can both look at each other. 

'I love you and I'm sorry. I can't imagine how scared you must've been. We got carried away,' he sighs, stroking fallen strands out of your face. Leaning forward, you press a soft kiss to his chewed lips. He melts into you instantly, soul settling to be fully reunited with yours. 

'Just... don't do something like that again or I won't let you make it to thirty,' you smile against his lips.  

Eddie pulls back and looks at you, wide eyed in shock. 'You see us being 60 together?' 

His response makes your brow furrow. 

'Yes? Obviously, you silly boy? Eds... I'm marrying you in just a couple of months.' You laugh, pressing another few kisses to his lips. When you look back, his cheeks are flushed like his backside. 

'Doesn't seem real still. Don't know how I made it this long, but you wanting to marry me? S'the most unbelievable part...' 

You shake your head. 

'Best get believing. You're about to experience a week long love fest...'

Eddie cocks his head in confusion and you lean up to peck his cute round nose. 

'I think we'll have to bring your ruined ass a cushion though for the journey... filthy boy,' you chuckle causing Eddie to groan and bite his lip. 

But your words must finally hit him. Releasing you from his hold, he now waves his arms maddeningly in confusion. 

'What the hell, what's going on, woman!'

You chuckle to yourself, knowing you're finally about to pull off a surprise on him. Even at 30, the love of your life, Eddie Munson, still doesn't know how spectacular he is. But it's okay, you've got the rest of your lives to show him. 

did you enjoy that? i bet you did, you sick fucks x

[yueichihara]

I can't even explain the amount of joy I got when I found out about tsc. I didn't even know! This is a little tmi about me from the past few months:

So... the AFTG books got officially translated and available in my country, and I didn't understand why. I used to read the trilogy at least once a year since I first came across it, like, YEARS AGO. So I've been pretty invested in the story and Neil and Andrew and the foxes for quite a while. Coming to tumblr to look for fanarts, fanfics, any kind of AFTG fandom or canon stuff.

But lately, I'd been too busy with life and found other things to watch, read, that got me going. Last year, I read AFTG at the very veeeery beginning of the year, I actually started in 2022, I think, slowly finishing the trilogy again. So by the end of last year and the beginning of this one, I felt very disappointed in me for not reading the story. 2024 was basically me thinking about reading AFTG but always finding something else to do (games, other books, music). About a month or so ago I thought: 'the only thing that would boost my year right now, is reading some andreil and looking for some fanart'. So I did. Read the trilogy, open the tumblr app and decided to look up some new things that may pop up.

That's when I found this fanart with Jean and Jeremy and the foxes in pride outfits celebrating in a picnic. Turns out, TSC had come out at the beginning of the year and I was only recently finding out. I barely stopped myself from crying, even now I can't find the words to describe how I felt then or now. From 'knowing' Nora wanted to let go to finding my boys in a new story...

Thank you so much Nora for giving them another chance. Three books. THREE BOOKS.

[bryszket]

MAEJ TIME. IT IS MAEJ TIME.

Social media is always fun, as I'll have to try to condense into two sentences why one of our books just HAS to be read by someone, so thank God for tumblr, where I get to have as many sentences as I want and go into the nitty-gitty a bit.

I haven't talked much about publishing on here, but I started this project (aka tRaum Books) with a friend in 2021, as a labor of love and as a venue to put out the types of books that even indie queer presses (probably) wouldn't touch. Because they were too risky (in theme and/or length); because they were queer and/or trans in a way that wasn't necessarily validating or relatable, because they slipped between genres, or were written by someone with too low of a following to net a guaranteed readership. I've never embraced the 'publisher' role and to the end, consider myself an artist and writer: of things that are too X for this crowd, and not Y enough for the other. This is not meant to be a pissNmoan about 'genre', or readers who want clear signposting on what they are about to get into. I get it. Our money is limited, our time even more so, and it makes perfect sense that someone would want to dedicate their time to a book that can clearly outline what the experience will be. That just happens to not be the type of writing I produce or what I am drawn to. I like to be surprised and am often drawn to books that surprise me.

So that is the type of work I have sought to put out. The hard-to-pin-down. More accurately, I should say it is the type of work that has found me, because our press notoriously has never had an open call for submissions. Books just find us when the time is right.

So I had come to Dale Stromberg's high-fantasy MAEJ not as a potential publisher, but as a beta reader and I still remember vividly my first impression of being blown away by the sheer attention to detail, the pure CRAFTSMANSHIP of the story. As intricate and precise as one of those handmade wooden puzzle boxes. But I also remember another impression: a certain sorrow from thinking, man. There is nobody on earth who would ever publish this. Not because it isn't excellent, amazing, in turns difficult and also fun to read (MAEJ is all of these things). But because it requires an immersion and trust from the reader that I believe many (if not most) simply do not possess anymore. The most powerful publishers could weave their marketing magic and get people to buy it, but the amount of readers who would actually make it to the end (if we say a book being read, not just a book being bought, is the goal)--so, such a reader seemed rare.

More simply, I felt like I had been allowed to witness some rare endangered species of a book--the kind everyone online bemoans nobody publishing anymore, yet few would honestly want to confront.

Both a relic and a touchstone. A vociferously political book that didn't sermonize--the message was baked into every magical tile paving those fictive streets. I knew then that i wanted to try to help publish the book. If the author wanted to deal with small press, that is (which many times, let's be honest, could be bestowing upon a book's forehead the kiss of obscurity).

There is not much a tiny publisher like myself can bring to a book's release that the author could not do themselves (given some investment and time and oh yeah, patience). Much of us have limited reach, and again, MAEJ was not the type of book that I felt would automatically pique the interest of many of my followers. What I could do though is help the author along in what is sometimes so hard to do for your own fiction. I could go out and yell, yo, you should really really read this. If you enjoy high fantasy, an effortless gender subversion, and prose infused with a magical playfulness. If you like to try to recreate the reading experience akin to being ten again and curling up with a huge tome of an adventure, and letting the outside world slip away. YOU NEED TO READ THIS.

Those who push past the initial resistance will be rewarded handsomely by the final grand mosaic Stromberg creates of what seem at first a plethora of chaotic, colorful tiles. It is indeed a rare and complex, awe-inspiring thing of beauty.

Order your own physical or ebook copy of MAEJ. Grab a free ARC copy of the book. Add MAEJ on Goodreads.

I want to thank the author @dalestromberg for his patience with working with me. I know that dealing with me is often chicken-fried chaos, so thanks for coming along for the ride. I want to thank @zillanovikov. While she was not directly involved in this project, nobody can ask for a better writing and pub buddy and I'm really grateful to know her.

I want to thank @flameswallower for writing one of the best reviews of MAEJ ever. Not only are they an inspiring writer, but a vocal supporter of small press, and another author I am happy to have gotten the chance to work with.

And @baconorigami for all his support. <3

And to thank you, dear readers! To those of you who boost our posts, collect our books, leave reviews--engage. You make it all worth it. <3<3<3

[botanicalsword]

What does your Solar Return Chart look like?

I just wanted to check in and jot down some personal observations notes for my Solar Return chart.

How are you feeling so far? ♡

❥❥❥❥

Instagram : @le.sinex

♡̆̈

Self-love is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Embrace the process and be kind to yourself.

ʕ·͡ˑ·ཻʔ♥︎

Venus in 1H - I used to place a strong focus on my appearance, constantly checking myself in the mirror. However, this was not due to an obsession with my own body. Instead, I checked for any transformative changes in order to feel more confident and beautiful.

North Node in 1H - Improve overall well-being and learning to love and accept yourself for who you are. By focusing on your own personal growth and development, you can cultivate a sense of self-love that will radiate outwards and positively impact all areas of your life.

Jupiter in 6H - I was making a career change or upgrading my skills, I aim to learn new things and challenge myself. Seeking out mentors can provide valuable guidance and support as I navigate my new career path.

Sun in 12H - Personality transitions: I have been craving more knowledge and wisdom from books and online resources. However, I feel that there is not enough time to absorb all of this knowledge. As a result, I am searching for more channels to obtain the information I seek.

Moon in 1H - I was in a state of longing for something new and exciting to come into my life; a desire for recognition and the opportunity to make a name for myself. I had been feeling restless and unsure for a while, but determined to make a change. I was craving something different and wanted to reach my goals, but wasn't sure how.

Chiron in 12H - I was struggling with substance abuse, which had been affecting my daily life for quite some time. I knew that I needed to seek help for my mental health issues, which were related to trauma that I had experienced in the past. I understood that this was going to be a challenging journey, but I was determined to take the necessary steps to improve my well-being.

12H stellium - I stayed in a lot and enjoyed my own solitude, detoxing from social media and even taking a break from my network connections. Read a lot of spiritually oriented and self-help books.

Moon in 12H - My depression was a terrifying experience. I felt trapped in hopelessness and despair. The sadness and emptiness were unrelenting, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Coping was a struggle, and at times, the darkness consumed me. It was difficult, but I am grateful for the lessons and strength gained.

Pluto in 10H - Struggle to work: too much distractions When become interested in learning about a subject or a new way of organizing information, may experience an intense focus and drive to learn.

Saturn/Moon aspect - I was more sensitive to feedback from teachers or people you admire and respect. I attempted to draw a line to limit myself.

Venus/Saturn aspect - I need to reevaluate my core values in order to better determine how to invest my time and energy in others, including potentially cutting off unnecessary relationships.

Ascendent in Libra - delighted to be surrounded by friends who respect each other's personal space, which makes for a great social circle.

North node/MC aspect - I was experiencing some difficulties with working on publicity and reputation. My lack of experience is making it difficult to develop an effective strategy for promoting my brand and building a positive reputation.

Mars trine moon - experiencing positive outcomes and making progress towards your goals - have the added benefit of feeling emotionally supported by the important people in your life such as friends, family, and colleagues.

❥❥❥❥

This is just my personal take from what I've seen and been through.

Masterlist @botanicalsword

[sarahreesbrennan]

sorry if you have already answered this, but are we getting any queer rep in Long Live Evil? 💕 i am super excited to see what you've cooked up for us either way!

I came back after I'd gone off on one, seeing the post had struck a chord and being thankful but fearful of my inbox. Let me say with delighted surprise that all the asks are very kind.

Thank you for this one, sweet anon. I am so excited and so nervous about my best beloved, Long Live Evil, and about coming back with a new book of my own after so long, when I believed for a long time it was hopeless.

I'm really grateful to find readers waiting for me. But I know readers are naturally more invested in characters they know: I extremely appreciate you taking an interest in the future.

So, short answer: YEAH you are!

Long answer: Long Live Evil wouldn't exist without its queer narratives.

C.S. Pacat and I were talking in our virtual Brookline Booksmith event recently about our favourite Disney villains. C.S. Pacat picked Maleficent, a fine choice. I picked Snow White's Evil Queen. We agreed we loved most of them.

Here's the relevant excerpt I was quoting in my last post from Carmen Maria Machado's In The Dream House, saying 'I think a lot about queer villains, the problem and pleasure and audacity of them.' Well... me too.

I think many of us have experienced feeling made wrong in some way - for not wanting what society said we should or being what we were expected to be - and that one step along that journey of discovery is going 'Okay, if it's wicked, I'll just BE wicked.' And that's part of why those characters appeal - because they seem free, and free of pain.

But modern storytelling isn't confined to coding, and audiences can now feel free to expect, not the certainty, but the possibility characters who aren't introduced as such still might actually turn out to be LGBT+. The essays I've read about Supernatural, Teen Wolf, Sherlock, Ted Lasso, Fox 9-1-1... I think the latest argued Jaime Lannister was bisexual. (Pretty persuasive.)

I remember reading the Raven Cycle going 'oh? OH.' I remember being at a writing retreat in 2013 and running through the halls screaming about Nico diAngelo. Ten years later we got a Nico diAngelo book co-written by Rick Riordan and the amazing Mark Oshiro. I watched Red, White and Royal Blue with a friend and she said 'honestly I hope the guys get together, but...' and I (having read the book) silenced myself with a herculean effort and watched her hopes come true. I didn't know about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and almost dropped the book in a swimming pool. But I've also read and watched many things thinking, just maybe... oh, no. Still that hope existing is meaningful, the thought that if the story had gone differently, if this revelation had happened, if this realisation had happened, if, if, if...

Long Live Evil is a story about the story going differently and asking yourself questions about your own nature, and the escape to fiction of those who really need escape. The book is based on that 'if,' and the 'if' itself is joyous, and brings me back to the idea of gleefully transgressing the narrative that much villain love is based on.

It's also an ensemble story with a rogue's gallery of characters and multiple PoVs. (I was much inspired by the Six of Crows ensemble.) So it isn't about any one character's romance, and by the book's nature there exist many possibilities. A critique partner read and said 'I didn't know you were going THERE' and I responded 'Should I?'

I've never been one to confirm where stories are going, and I won't do so now. I'm not talking about any one character or telling you a direction.

I'm just saying yes to rep. It's baked in.

[enlitment]

Do you have any book/movie/podcast recs for entering the frevblr Fandom? I'm very into marie Antoinette, but I want to dive into the rest of it

Hi, thanks for the ask!

Marie Antoinette is an interesting gateway to frevblr, as she tends to be quite unpopular here. But I'm certain that if your interest in her runs deeper than an appreciation for the glamour and aesthetic, you'll fit right in!

MOVIES

I myself started with watching La Révolution française (1989). The movie has been criticised a lot here, and for good reasons, but I still think it works well as an introduction, as long as you don't treat it as the literal truth.

Plus, finding differences between the movie and a more accurate historical interpretations is, at least for me, part of the fun! You can watch it here. I would definitely recommend watching the second part with subtitles, as @saint-jussy points out some of the movies... biases as the scenes play out.

There are certainly better movies to watch though. La Terreur et la Vertu is one of them. It has been recommended to me by people on frevblr (@nesiacha I'm pretty sure?), and I'm definitely more than happy to pass the recommendation on!

There's also the Danton (1983) movie, but I'd personally recommend to go straight to the source and read Stanisława Przybyszewska's The Danton Case (and Thermidor, if you find yourself liking her style!). It feels different from the more contemporary plays, but I personally think it's great! It also covers the period of the Revolution I'm personally most invested in (1793 and especially pre-Thermidor 1794).

Oh, and if you're not put off by old movies, I have watched the 1927 Napoleon and thought it was really spectacular! It focuses mostly on Napoleon obviously, but you get to see the revolutionaries as well, in a way that is now rarely portrayed on the big screen.

PODCASTS

When it comes to podcasts, there's one called Revolutions which covers the French Revolution in great detail, but I haven't listened to all the episodes myself yet. It's not always perfectly accurate but I think you can see that a lot of work went into it.

I'd usually recommend BBC's In Our Time as a solid starting point for any topic you might be interested in. They bring on academics that specialise in that topic and often have great discussions. That said, if there's one thing I've learnt this year, it's that the French Revolution and the BBC don't really mix...

BOOKS

As for books, Twelve who ruled by R. R. Palmer is a classic! It helps to show how the evil all-powerful dictator Robespierre narrative is very much a myth.

I have also read Scurr's biography of Robespierre as well, but I feel like I'd risk being thrown to the Luxembourg if I recommend it to anyone. It's a fun read but Scurr's approach to historiography is often... let's say lax and a bit too creative a lot of the times. McPhee's Robespierre: A Revolutionary Life is meant to be much better, but I'm sadly yet to read it!

I also loved Marat's biography - Jean Paul Marat: Tribune of the French Revolution! I love a good biography and Marat is such an interesting and important figure for the revolution.

That said, if you are looking for books to read, @saintjustitude already put together a great list here!

Hope this helps, and welcome!✨

(if anyone feels like adding things to this feel free to reblog!)

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

This was the hardest monthly wrap up I ever had to do because I forgot about it until like two days ago and my brain is not at its best and I'm tired so I can't really write a lot. So anyway as usual, spoilers and opinions below, read at your own risk.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 Blue Canvas of Youthful Days [2/12] - I really like the look of this show and all the art. I'm not yet sold on the main couple as a possible item but I really like the characters individually. I adore the second couple. The scene with the hearing aid was beautiful and I like the fact that it's not about the couple. Perhaps in a bl from a different country this would be about them finally being able to communicate, but because Liu knows sign language, it's simply about helping Tan Yin. Don't know why but I really liked this.

🇰🇷🇹🇭 Eccentric Romance [8/12] - It's not the worst thing ever but at several points during the episodes I find myself asking, what am I watching?

🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me [4/8] - This show constantly surprises me. The different stories every week and the aspec rep was how they got me at first but now I'm invested in the meta and the absolutely adorable mains. And this show is just so gorgeous to watch.

🇹🇭 Fourever You [5/16] - Beautiful Pond. Cute Earth. I'm annoyed. Hopefully the next couple is better in terms of storyline.

🇹🇭 Jack & Joker [8/12] - Can they just get together first and then give me all the drama? I'm okay with that. I actually liked Love Mechanics, so give it to me. But Jack is all over the place with his behaviour, he says Joke is family and they seem to have a shared view of the future, and they sure behave as if they're a couple, but then he hides things from Joke, supposedly 'for his own good'. I feel for Joke, because he's being jerked around by Jack.

🇹🇭 Kidnap [8/12] - I love Ohm. And that is the one and only reason I'm still here.

🇰🇷 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo [6/8] - I'm obsessed. I think about this show way too much. It's painful and beautiful, brilliant writing and visuals and I need it to be over but I don't want it to end. I think we're gonna have a second time skip since they are not in our present yet and I just want to see them happy.

🇰🇷 Love in the Big City [4/8] - Obsessed in a total different way. This story is like an open tab in my brain at all times. I'm dreaming of edits and gifsets. I think of Young and my chest tightens. I'm having a hard time writing about the second part of the show because it's just so much, although it feels lighter than the novel. I'm dreading the next part.

🇯🇵 Love is a Poison [7/10] - I love it here. Everything about it. This being Shiba's first love sure explains a lot, and the onsen date was amazing. I think the actors are nailing this.

🇹🇭 Peaceful Property [10/12] - I've said enough about it. I'm here for TayNew and trying to just ignore everything else.

🇹🇭 Perfect 10 Liners [1/24] - And so it begins. Every gmmtv boy is here and they are all playing engineers. They got two Flukes and everything. I wish Force wasn't once again an asshole jock and Book the clueless fool but I guess that's too much to ask. This is the couple I'm least interested here so I want to see the rest.

🇹🇼 See Your Love [3/13] - Taiwan just doing giving all the rep with disabled characters and as usual a parade of bl actors. It's fine for now.

🇯🇵 Smells like Green Spirit [6/9] - I love Mishima. I think the scenes with him and Kirino are always great. I'm still not totally on board with the romance but I'm somewhat fascinated with Yumeno.

QL - Finished

🇹🇼 First Note of Love - I feel like I need to rewatch this as a binge because I think this format didn't help this particular show. Although I like the mains and I really liked the actors, their romance never truly clicked for me. I need more of the sides. The language banter was my favourite thing about this.

🇹🇭 I Saw You In My Dream - This is super cute. They are all adorable and they actually communicate. Ultimately I was a little underwhelmed about the concept.

🇹🇭 Monster Next Door - It's fine. I like Big and he was great here. But I've already forgotten everything about this.

🇭🇰 Our Golden Times - I watched it. It was okay.

🇹🇭 Reverse 4 You - Pretty show. Good concept. Not great execution all the way through.

Dropped / On Hold

Waiting to binge - 🇹🇭 The Loyal Pin | 🇹🇭 Apple | 🇻🇳 Teenager Judge

Rose Watches OJBL

Same Difference aka Docchi mo Docchi (2014) - I don't even know what to say. It's not good. That's it.

Others - Watched

🇯🇵Densetsu no Head Sho| 🇰🇷Black Out | 🇯🇵Double

Upcoming Shows - November

As usual my ask box is open. Have a wonderful weekend💜

[katatty]

Shifting Priorities

Thank you for all the nice comments yesterday! Some really helpful perspectives that gave me a lot of ideas on how I can tackle my simmer's block :)

Mostly, I think I need to trim down the number of neighbourhoods I consider "active" and the amount of projects I am doing in general. I have a hard time letting go of neighbourhoods, especially if I am still somewhat invested in them! But I also need to face the fact that I only have so much free time, and do not want playing the sims to be the sole thing I do with that free time XD

For some neighbourhoods I will also be trying out a more stripped-down approach to blogging, similar to what I've been doing with Driftwood. It makes me a little sad because I like my sims to feel fleshed out as characters and giving them voices is a big part of that! But maybe I can save the prose/dialogue for times when it is particularly needed, rather than including it as a default.

Finally, I am going to prioritise based on what I actually have the most fun with, rather than letting popularity drive my decisions!! Some neighbourhoods I feel sad about potentially retiring because I know people enjoy them, or I feel bad admitting I am never going to finish projects people were excited for, but I have to remember simming is something I do for myself, not for popularity or for other people.

So, plans for my neighbourhoods:

Pleasantview Plus - will continue in its current form for the most part, but holdholds I found less inspiring will just get short summaries rather than extensive documentation. This hood is waaaaaaay too big and I think not that many people follow it all that closely, but it's also my one true love and I would like to start prioritising it again rather than it always being on the backburner

Uberhood Challenge (YouTube Series) - This is a short-term series, and will continue as planned until I finish the challenge, which I'm over halfway through :)

Hollyhead - I hate to say it because I know a lot of people love it, but I feel like I have sorta outgrown this neighbourhood? Some simmers like their settings to be an escape from the real world, and when I made Hollyhead I think it was what I needed too, but these days I find how upbeat & wholesome it is a bit, idk, constraining?? I crave drama and conflict in my stories!! I also have kinda lost interest in the BACC rules and have started to find it more book-keeping and hassle for what I get out of it... Whenever I do open the neighbourhood I still really enjoy actually playing it, and I love the characters so much, but I just haven't found the events interesting enough to want to write about. I think this neighbourhood will not be retired completely (yet), but I will move towards writing much shorter updates in the form of newspaper articles and see if that helps. If by the end of this season I still feel ehhh about it, I might formally end it <3

Driftwood - no complaints about this hood, I'll probably continue with the current style of documenting major events & new builds only

Spruceburg (YouTube series) - I would like to do another season of this next year, after I finish the uberhood challenge! But I will probably go for a schedule of like, one season of series per year, rather than posting consistantly. I enjoy YouTube a lot, but its a lot of work too and I think has majorly taken away from my blogging time this year, which I am mourning now lol!!

The Fiero Legacy - it is probably time to throw in the towel with this and admit I just don't enjoy playing legacy style or with story progression that much! I always enjoy the period where the heir is dating but once they settle down and have kids it becomes a chore and a grind, plus with story progression's time system I always feel rushed and like I can't take a sim out of the house for an outing without potentially missing important milestones - the urban setting feels so wasted when its all family gameplay, haha. Hallie should be at the club!! It was an interesting experiment and a nice change of pace, but idk if I really see myself returning to it. I love the sims themselves and the setting, but whenever I actually load up the neighbourhood I just feel kinda stressed and overwhelmed :(

As for my building projects like Belladonna Cove, perhaps at some point I will get really inspired and return to them but for now they are on indefinite break. I remember saying a few time in the past that I didn't really feel much need to make over Pleasantview and Strangetown because if I wanted nice makoevers I would use frottanas, and tbh I feel the same way about Belladonna Cove - if I was playing it I would just use plumbtales makeovers XD With my past neighbourhood makeovers I was really inspired to make them because there wasn't anything out there that was exactly what I wanted but, well, there's loooooads of nice Belladonna cove makeovers these days so I just don't feel much drive to make my own version I guess?? I think I also have lost interest in building a little becasue I am no longer into super heavily decorated lots - I prefer lighter lots that won't cause lag lol! So yeah, I am probably not retiring from building forever but its no longer a priority for me :)

[floating-in-waves]

I wanted to say thank you to all that reached out and checked on me regarding Helene. My part of the state was super lucky. I traveled to Savannah and they took a bigger hit than my part of Florida. I have been off social media and with good reason. I have seen so much ridiculousness, while thousands upon thousands of people lost everything they owned in a blink of an eye including loved ones. I can't even imagine that type of loss and devastation, it just hurts my heart. But then, there is the otherside of me that feels rage when I see posts of people being midly inconvencied due to a missed vacation, or posts calling people ignorant for not evacuating. Thats a major problem with modern day, everyone has a fucking microphone to voice their goddamn opinion instead of showing some fucking compassion. All of that is to say, its been extremely eye opening as to where I invest my time and where I will not. It sounds clique to say life is too fuckin short, but it is. And I would rather spend my time holding fast to the ones I love, or sitting outside with a book or digging in a garden than having my emotions ping pong all over the place because of a hand held device and the algorithm driven media apps that are really nothing but complete mind control. It aint social for damn sure. I've made some.great frienda here and I appreciate the hell outta you and wish you all the best in this lifetime. But, its time for me to take a major digital detox and spend my time in ways that serve not only myself but those around me. I wish you all lots of peace and love

[hermitw]

I've been thinking about this reblog of yours for months and I finally figured out how to respond to it.

I went and read No Longer Human by Junji Ito and it was a very upsetting thing to go through. I don't think I can read it again. However, I came out of it thinking that Gege was probably inspired by it.

When Yozo is first introduced, I noticed that Takaba's backstory was very similar. Feeling isolated from others, he decided to become a clown to gain acceptance from others. (Citations in Image Captions)

And later when Yozo was caught "cheating" (it's in quotes because those women are child rapists), I noticed that her face was really similar to the one Higuruma's client made when he felt betrayed by the trial outcome.

There's probably a lot more to say about how themes surrounding CSA and suicide in this work are echoed in JJK, but I'm not able to make the post myself. No Longer Human is too far out of my comfort zone in terms of graphic depiction to delve into it deeper.

But you seem strong enough to handle it, so... Idk maybe run with this some more.

Ohhh this is so interesting! I could definitely read No Longer Human again - tbh I read Junji Ito's version years ago. This year I listened to the audio book and bought a copy - but it's like, a draft in the author's handwriting (bc I thought it would help me study Japanese and if I had an English translation that I'd read it on repeat lmao). But you're real for that - I forget how disturbed people tend to be trying to read through it, I'm sorry that was rough.

I did go back to read the reblog and idk how relevant all that was - I've reread the manga since and felt like, oh I might have been misremembering some things like Uraume - idk if they actually had a freeze response in ch. 219, since they did tell Yorozu to back off though it took a minute - but it's also interesting how their CT deals with ice. Like to have a fight response, they freeze others? It's so interesting but I can't be sure whether it's there at all. (ik that yap II inspired some more coherent posts, like how it influenced Choso's self-image, etc., I linked but didn't tag you back then bc I felt Annoying especially w heavy topics but I can definitely go back and find them if you'd like.)

On a twin peaks note (without spoiling it), I feel like it inspired jjk to some extent - I've been feeling like the last chapter will end the way s2 did. Or at least - with the weird dreamy themes, "we are the dreamer who dreams and who lives inside the dream", etc...

But you're right - Yozo and the others' reactions resemble more jjk characters than I would think to connect. Takaba's jokes are truly a shield... And now I have an excuse to read Junji Ito's version again? Thank u so much (also isn't it funny how September 28 Uzumaki airs and September 30 jjk ends?).

I think gege gets inspired by the most tragic stories, I wonder how much of that is accurate but I can't always be convinced otherwise.... Especially when anime / manga series that he's confirmed as influences often deal with autonomy in ways that I couldn't handle (Evangelion, the night beyond the tricornered window).

By the way - ik we've mentioned elfen lied before, but in the first episode, you know that coffee mug? How it looks like jjk foreshadowing? Even has snail head Mahito - cut off-, the baseball, Panda, the worm (also cut off).... and later the newborn babies that look just like Yuuji...

I swear that elfen lied, Kagewani, and banana fish influenced jjk. It seems so obvious w those, maybe Vampire Princess Miyu as well.

Sorry for getting off topic - I've been looking into why Momotaro keeps coming up in jujutsu kaisen, and in the end it came back full circle to that damn coffee cup. Invest in a baseball team? A zoo? I'm going insane.

All this to say - rereading Junji Ito's version and seeing if I notice similarities between manga panels is so exciting. Gege even made a note that he asked for permission before drawing - I think it was the Uzumaki CT - So we know he's a big fan of Junji Ito. And it seems like there is a rly good chance No Longer Human inspired him as well (though I feel like characters with similar traumas having similar reactions is inevitable to some extent, if they're written in a believable way, it should be clearer when I'm reading both stories in the same format) based on the stories he has officially referenced.