#india hill brown

[nanowrimo]

"Don’t love what you wrote? Keep writing. The goal of NaNoWriMo is words, not editing. That part comes later."

— India Hill Brown is an author with a passion for writing, reading, and all things literary. Her debut novel, The Forgotten Girl, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Youth/Teens and a 2020 ALSC Notable Children’s Book. She graduated from Claflin University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications and with a Concentration in Print Journalism. In her spare time, she can be found curling up with a good book, a hot drink, and a snack. A self-proclaimed southern belle, she lives in the Carolinas with her husband and two sons.

Check out India on Twitter, Instagram, or Youtube!

Read more camp care packages here!

[dremilioastutoworld]

US Universities for Gaza! Free Professor Caroline Frohlin!  New Song by É. Roscha!

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

African Death’s-Head Hawkmoth

Acherontia atropos

The African death's-head hawkmoth is part of the family Sphingidae and is the most widely recognized of the three species of Death’s-Head Hawkmoth. The species was described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. Its common name comes from the skull shape on the back of its thorax. It’s binomial name comes from the river Acheron in Greece, which was believed to lead to the Underworld, and the Greek goddess Atropos respectively.

Description The forewings are black/brown with mottled shades of brown while the hindwings are buff orange with two black/brown stripes that curve with the edge of the hindwing. The head and thorax are the same black/brown color as the forewings interrupted by the brown skull on the back of the thorax. The abdomen is the same buff color as the hindwings with similar stripes of the same color. There is also a single stripe down the center of the abdomen called the “dorsal stripe.”

Average Wingspan: 13 cm (5 in)

Females are large than males with a rounded abdomen tip and larger, thicker antennae

Males have a pointed abdomen tip

Diet and Habitat Larva of this species mainly eat the leaves of potato plants which have alkaloids. The larva accumulate these toxins to become unpalatable to predators. Adults eat the nectar of flowers and stolen honey from the beehives of the Western Honey Bee. They are able to mimic the scent of bees and steal the honey undetected. They use their proboscis, a tube used to drink nectar and honey, to break the honey comb.

Their ranges stretches from the Middle East, as far south as the southern tip of Africa, as far north as southern Great Britain, as far east as India and western Saudi Arabia, and as far west as the Canary Islands and Azores. It is known to move into western Eurasia, but a majority do not survive the winter.

Mating This moth has multiple generations per year. In Africa, the broods are continuous. In the northern range, the larva overwinter in the pupal stage. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of species in mainly Solanaceae but also Physalis, Verbenaceae, Cannabaceae, Oleaceae, Pedaliaceae and others.

Predators This moth can emit a special squeak noise by sucking in air to vibrate a flap in its mouth and throat. The purpose of this squeak is unclear, but the two hypotheses are it is to scare away predators or to mimic the sound of a queen bee makes for the workers to stop moving to easier raid beehives for honey. They are also immune to bee venom and can mimic the scent of bees.

Fun Fact This moth has appeared many times in pop culture as symbols of death and evil:

It appeared in The Hireling Shepherd, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Un Chien Andalou, the promotional marquee posters for The Silence of the Lambs, in the music video to Massive Attack's single, "Butterfly Caught,” and on the American edition's cover of José Saramago's novel Death with Interruptions.

It is mentioned in Susan Hill's Gothic horror novel I'm the King of the Castle and John Keats’s "Ode to Melancholy.”

It is referred to in The Mothman Prophecies.

Finally, the moth is used as a calling card by the serial killer Buffalo Bill. However, in the movie script they are referred to under a different species of death’s-head hawkmoths.

(Source: Wikipedia, Simple English Wikipedia)

[cthulhusstepmom]

Fae!Soap Superstitious Bastard! Ghost: Gifts

(Just a heads up this got way more intense than I meant it to but that’s kind of the Fae for you.)

TW: mentions of torture, human remains

Soap is a collector, though not of any one thing that Ghost can discern. He’s seen the man pick up anything from an abandoned rolex to a nondescript piece of broken glass. It doesn’t seem to be about size, it’s not shape and definitely not value; Ghost had thought he’d pinned it down as things that caught the light a certain way but was swiftly proven wrong when Soap went on a spree of collecting pebbles and sticks. He’d glared sullenly at the first jagged gray rock when Soap had picked it up before swiftly changing the subject when he was noticed. There was no apparent rhyme or reason to any of it… well not quite. There was one singular pattern that stood out in his mind, a single thread that held firm no matter how much he rearranged or plucked at it.

 Anything that Ghost gave him, Johnny kept. 

The first had been a bit of pretty blue ribbon that was a close enough approximation to Soap’s eyes. It’d snagged on a bramble bordering the clearing where Ghost had set up for overwatch. Without even thinking he’d snagged it on his way to RV down the hill, offering it to Johnny in the armored car taking them back to base. Soap hadn’t said a thing. It was then that Ghost realized maybe giving your subordinate a piece of trash you’d found in a bush perhaps wasn’t the most well adjusted way to express affection. He’d been about to play it off with a quip, beginning to retract his fingers ever so slightly, when Johnny snatched it lightning quick from the palm of his hand, holding it close to his chest for a moment before stuffing it into his chest pocket next to his journal. Soap had given him a small strangled “Thank you” as they sat the rest of the ride in an awkward but warm silence. Johnny disappeared almost immediately after they got back to base but Ghost could see light in the space under his door so he wasn’t too worried that he’d done permanent damage to their relationship.

After that his eyes just seemed to catch on things that he assumed Johnny would like. He couldn’t help it. Little glass marbles, a river stone with an interesting marking, a large brown feather; Somehow it all made its way into the hands of his Sergeant. Usually with a gruff “Here”, barely waiting for Johnny to hold out his hands before he dropped his small offering into his gloved palms. Soap has also gotten over whatever his episode of silence had been, responding with a blinding smile and enthusiastic gratitude and a happy quip. (“Thanks Lt!” a piece of antler, Montana “Y’ shouldn’t have!” an old toy car, Finland “Find this on sale?” a scrap of pink fabric, Brazil “Ghost you’re spoiling me.” green river stone, India etc.(no he didn’t catalog all of them that would be creepy. He only wrote down his favorites.))

The next time Ghost thinks he’s permanently damaged their relationship and scared Soap off for good comes after an operation sweeping out an AQ base in Afghanistan. 

It’s stuffy and dark, the blistering heat of the day beginning to fade into the bitter chill of the night. The compound has long since been abandoned by all but the stubbornest of rats, slowly being reclaimed by the wild desert it carved its blackness into. They roll into the courtyard through the open front gate, the outer walls have seen multiple breacher charges and calling them walls at this point is more out of respect than any dedication to accuracy. The whole place has already been swept by drone and Laswell has had satellite eyes on it for months confirming just how fucking dead it is. They’re here for information, the drone identified documents left behind as well as at least two hard drives. 

The 141 has split off, each clearing their own section and radioing in at even intervals, they’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to be safe than sorry. Beyond extra caution, the whole place has an eerie, black aura that drags forth memories of scorpion stings and dull knives biting at his flesh. Assisting in his nightmarish stroll down memory lane, Ghost is assigned the lower levels of the compound. Each room is another scene from a past he tries to forget, filled with rusted over implements of pain and brown stains no one cared to clean. 

Something in the last room makes him pause. 

A small barred window allows light from a waning moon to pool into the room, catching on something on the table. Small, most no bigger than his fingernail, a collection of about five objects sits in a tray on the corner of the table. Brilliant white patches shine in stark opposition to the bed of rust brown they lay on. 

Teeth. Human teeth.

His mind is acting on autopilot when grabs them and stuffs them in a pocket, so similar but so different to his first experience with the ribbon months ago. He finishes his sweep of the room, conveying his findings back on comms (“Seems like we’re late for the party.” “If only you didn’t take so long to get ready.”-Soap “Shut the fuck up the both of you I just saw a rat the size of a terrier.”-Gaz “I’ve got the hard drives if any of you fuckers remember why we’re here.”-Price), and turns back to rendezvous, his mind now firmly on finding his comrades and getting the hell out.

As they start readying themselves to duck into the humvees they arrived in, Ghost’s muscle memory kicks in to complete his self assigned mission objective. He turns to where Soap stands almost expectantly at his side. It’s not every mission that he has something he’s decided is a worthy offering but it has become more often than not. Mind already halfway back to base, a gloved hand chases down each tooth where they’ve burrowed themselves in the pocket of his tac vest, collecting them and dropping them in Soap’s proffered hand with a grunt. His brain turns back on when the bloody bones hit his Sergeant’s glove, panicking because what the fuck did he just do? What kind of fucking sociopath gives his friend(more?) human fucking teeth as a souvenir. Much less human fucking teeth that were pulled forcibly out of some poor bastard’s skull during a bygone torture session. 

His hand is trembling. 

Ghost forces himself to look down and meet Soap’s assuredly outraged and disgusted gaze. 

Only he doesn’t.

Johnny is staring down at the teeth in his palm with a look of fucking reverence. His pupils are dilated beyond just the darkness surrounding them and Ghost’s detail oriented eyes catch the slight flare of his nostrils on every inhale. Soap slowly tilts his head up to meet Ghost’s eyes and a gasp lives and dies in his throat.

“Oh Simon, you treat me so well.” His voice is gravelly and thrumming with an emotion that Ghost doesn’t know the name of. But, god if this is the look he gets after bringing Johnny desiccated human remains?

He’ll rip the teeth out of some unworthy son of a bitch himself.

[bookaddict24-7]

12 Books By Black Authors I've Recently Read & Recommend:

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

When it All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw

The Melancholy of Summer by Louisa Onomé

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

The Girl in the Lake by India Hill Brown

Her Good Side by Rebekah Weatherspoon

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

___

Have you read any of these books? Would you recommend them?

___

Happy reading!

[cyarsk5230]

1. Sonya Massey - "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." 2. George Floyd - "I can't breathe." 3. Eric Garner - "I can't breathe." 4. Michael Brown - "I don't have a gun. Stop shooting." 5. Philando Castile - "I wasn't reaching for it." 6. Breonna Taylor - "Why did you shoot me?" 7. Freddie Gray - "I need a doctor." 8. Tamir Rice - "It's not real." 9. Oscar Grant - "You shot me! I got a four-year-old daughter!" 10. Laquan McDonald - No audible last words; shot while walking away. 11. Elijah McClain - "I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?" 12. Alton Sterling - "What did I do?" 13. Walter Scott - "I’m just going home." 14. Botham Jean - "Why did you shoot me?" 15. Stephon Clark - "Grandma, call the police." 16. Atatiana Jefferson - "I’m here." 17. Sandra Bland - "Why am I being apprehended?" 18. Tony McDade - "I'm not armed." 19. Daniel Prude - "Give me your gun, I need it." 20. John Crawford III - "It's not real." 21. Manuel Ellis - "I can't breathe, sir." 22. Amadou Diallo - "Mom, I'm going to college." 23. Aiyana Stanley-Jones - No audible last words; shot while sleeping. 24. Terrence Crutcher - "I'm not doing anything." 25. Sean Bell - No audible last words; shot multiple times. 26. Jonathan Ferrell - No audible last words; shot while seeking help after a car crash. 27. Ezell Ford - "It's me, it’s me." 28. John Crawford III - "It's not real." 29. Renisha McBride - No audible last words; shot while seeking help after a car accident. 30. Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. - "Why are you doing this to me?" 31. Tamir Rice - "It's not real." 32. Eric Harris - "I'm losing my breath." 33. Jamar Clark - "Please don’t let me die." 34. Rayshard Brooks - "I don't want to hurt you." 35. Alfred Olango - "Please don’t shoot." 36. Shantel Davis - "What did I do?" 37. Kendra James - "Please don’t kill me." 38. Akai Gurley - No audible last words; shot in a dark stairwell. 39. Miriam Carey - No audible last words; shot in her car. 40. Timothy Russell - No audible last words; shot during a car chase. 41. Malissa Williams - No audible last words; shot during a car chase. 42. Jordan Edwards - No audible last words; shot while leaving a party. 43. Yvette Smith - "I'm coming out." 44. Jordan Davis - No audible last words; shot at a gas station. 45. Victor White III - No audible last words; died in police custody. 46. Dontre Hamilton - No audible last words; shot in a park. 47. Eric Reason - No audible last words; shot during a dispute. 48. Emantic "EJ" Bradford Jr. - No audible last words; shot in a mall. 49. Oscar Grant - "You shot me! I got a four-year-old daughter!" 50. Clinton Allen - No audible last words; shot during an encounter. 51. Ronnell Foster - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase. 52. Tony Robinson - No audible last words; shot during an altercation. 53. Charly Keunang - No audible last words; shot during an altercation. 54. Samuel DuBose - "I didn’t even do nothing." 55. Quintonio LeGrier - "I’m sorry." 56. Bettie Jones - "I've been shot." 57. India Kager - No audible last words; shot in a car. 58. Keith Lamont Scott - "Don't shoot him. He has no weapon." 59. Jordan Baker - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation. 60. Christian Taylor - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation. 61. Michael Dean - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop. 62. Rumain Brisbon - No audible last words; shot during an altercation. 63. Gregory Gunn - No audible last words; shot during an encounter. 64. Yuvette Henderson - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation. 65. David Joseph - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation. 66. Calvin Reid - No audible last words; died in police custody. 67. Antonio Zambrano-Montes - No audible last words; shot during an encounter. 68. Zachary Hammond - "Why did you shoot me?"

69. Anthony Hill - No audible last words; shot while naked and unarmed.

70. Saheed Vassell - No audible last words; shot while holding a metal pipe.

71. Willie McCoy - No audible last words; shot while sleeping in a car.

72. Robert White - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

73. Micheal Lorenzo Dean - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop.

74. Monique Tillman - "I didn’t do anything wrong."

75. Randy Evans - No audible last words; died in police custody.

76. Vernell Bing Jr. - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

77. Cameron Massey - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

78. DeAndre Ballard - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

79. Maurice Gordon - "Can you let me out?"

80. Rayshard Brooks - "I don’t want to hurt you."

81. Pierre Loury - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase.

82. Deborah Danner - "I’m not feeling well."

83. Jason Harrison - "I’m sick."

84. Corey Jones - "Hold on, wait!"

85. Keith Childress - "Don't shoot."

86. Justine Damond - No audible last words; shot after calling 911.

87. Amilcar Perez-Lopez - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

88. Mario Woods - "I'm not going to shoot you."

89. William Chapman II - "Don’t shoot me."

90. Chad Robertson - No audible last words; shot while running away.

91. Charlie Willie Kunzelman - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

92. Terrence Sterling - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop.

93. Sylville Smith - "Why are you harassing me?"

94. Bruce Kelley Jr. - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

95. Korryn Gaines - No audible last words; shot during a standoff.

96. Maurice Granton Jr. - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase.

97. Paul O'Neal - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

98. Antwon Rose II - "Why are they shooting?"

99. Patrick Harmon - "I’ll go with you."

100. Aaron Bailey - "Why did you shoot me?"

101. Miles Hall - "No! Don't do it!"

[andiatas]

Royal(ish) Reads: Jul-Sep 2024

Note: Some of the following links are affiliate links, which means I earn a commission on every purchase. This does not affect the price you pay. Also note that all titles mentioned are written by historians, researchers, or scholars. Only in rare cases are featured titles not written by someone with training in historical research.

For more book recommendations like in this post, you can follow my blog & Instagram

The Tragic Life of Lady Jane Grey by Beverley Adams (published Aug. 30, 2024) // All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil by Stephen Alford (published Jul. 4, 2024) // Dancing With Diana: A Memoir by Anne Allan (published Sep. 10, 2024)

Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor by Nathen Amin (published Jul. 15, 2024) // Planning the Murder of Anne Boleyn by Caroline Angus (published Aug. 30, 2024) // The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA by John Ashdown-Hill (new paperback version published Sep. 26, 2024)

The Fall of Egypt and the Rise of Rome: A History of the Ptolemies by Guy de la Bedoyere (published Sep. 10, 2024) // Richard Beauchamp: Medieval England's Greatest Knight by David Brindley (new paperback version published Aug. 29, 2024) // A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown (published Aug. 29, 2024)

Henry III: Reform, Rebellion, Civil War, Settlement, 1258-1272 by David Carpenter (new paperback version published Sep. 24, 2024) // Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain by Heather R. Darsie (published Sep. 30, 2024) // Prince Eugene of Savoy: A Genius for War Against Louis XIV and the Ottoman Empire by James Falkner (published Aug. 30, 2024)

Normal Women: From the Number One Bestselling Author Comes 900 Years of Women Making History by Philippa Gregory (new paperback version published Sep. 26, 2024) // The Romanovs: Imperial Russia and Ruling the Empire, 1613-1917 by Professor Lindsey Hughes, Professor Erika Monahan (2nd edition published Sep. 19, 2024) // Lady Pamela: My Mother's Extraordinary Years as Daughter to the Viceroy of India, Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Wife of David Hicks by India Hicks (published Sep. 3, 2024)

Hannibal and Scipio: Parallel Lives by Simon Hornblower (published Sep. 26, 2024) // Oliver Cromwell: Commander in Chief by Ronald Hutton (published Aug. 27, 2024) // Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography by Robert Jobson (published Aug. 1, 2024)

Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones (published Sep. 12, 2024) // Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition, and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor by Valentine Low (new paperback version published Sep. 17, 2024) // Kings & Queens: The Real Lives of the English Monarchs by Ann MacMillan, Peter Snow (new paperback version published Sep. 12, 2024)

The Romanovs Under House Arrest: The Russian Revolution and A Royal Family’s Imprisonment in their Palace by Mickey Mayhew (published Aug. 30, 2024) // Queen Victoria's Favourite Granddaughter: Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the Most Consequential Royal You Never Knew by Ilana D. Miller (published Aug. 19, 2024) // Cooking and the Crown: Royal recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III by Tom Parker Bowles (published Sep. 26, 2024)

Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish by Francesca Peacock (new paperback version published Sep. 12, 2024) // Henry VIII and the Plantagenet Poles: The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty by Adam Pennington (Sep. 30, 2024) // Everyday Life in Tudor London: Life in the City of Thomas Cromwell, William Shakespeare & Anne Boleyn by Stephen Porter (new paperback version published Aug. 15, 2024)

Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman's Astonishing Life of Seduction, Intrigue and Power by Sonia Purnell (published Sep. 19, 2024) // The Secret Diary of Queen Camilla by Hilary Rose (published Sep. 26, 2024) // Adventures in Time: Heroes: The Box Set by Dominic Sandbrook (published Aug. 29, 2024)

Adventures in Time: Heroines: The Box Set by Dominic Sandbrook (published Aug. 29, 2024) // Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint by Professor Peter Sarris (new paperback version published Sep. 12, 2024) // Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age by Kathleen Sheppard (published Aug. 19, 2024)

Marriage, Tudor Style: Love, Hate & Scandal by Sylvia Barbara Soberton (published Jul. 29, 2024) // A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women by Emma Southon (new paperback version published Jul. 4, 2024) // A Rome of One's Own: The Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire by Emma Southon (new paperback version published Sep. 17, 2024)

Cleopatra: The Woman Behind the Stories by Alexandra Stewart and Hannah Peck (published Aug. 15, 2024) // The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I by Steven Veerapen (new paperback version published Sep. 5, 2024) // The King's Loot: The Greatest Royal Jewellery Heist in History by Richard Wallace (published Aug. 8, 2024)

The Beaumonts: Kings of Jerusalem by Kathryn Warner (published Sep. 30, 2024) // Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China by Jack Weatherford (published Sep. 26, 2024) // Ravenous: A Life of Barbara Villiers, Charles II's Most Infamous Mistress by Andrea Zuvich (published Jul. 30, 2024)

[puddlexdeep]

Walking through the picturesque streets of Cardinal Hill, you find ( story aitken ), the ( 28 ) year old ( yoga teacher/aerial artist ) originally from ( killin, scotland ). Living alongside them in such a small town, you know that they're ( confident ) and ( stubborn ), but what you might not know is that they are a ( human ), and that they’re hiding something… 

quick facts

name: story aitken age: 28 gender: man sexuality: undefined (by story, but he's more or less pansexual) occupation: yoga instructor/aerial artist height: 5'8" weight: 157 pounds hair: brown, kind of wavy, usually kept shortish eyes: brown languages: english, russian, italian, some yiddish time in cardinal hill: 4 years

bio

triggers: injury, some brief pregnancy mention in the beginning

story's mother is scottish, and her home address has always been listed as her parents' home above their bakery in killin, scotland. thus, story's own home address was listed as the same up until four years ago when he settled down in cardinal hill.

he was actually born in the back of a caravan just outside of indore, madhya pradesh (india). his parents were both performers in the circus, acrobats and trapeze artists. though for the last few months of her pregnancy, his mother had merely been assisting with riggings and props for the other performers.

his parents had been with this particular circus for ten years by the time story came along. it wasn't the biggest circus, but it was one of the best-traveled, almost always on the move. a new city every few nights. the aitken's even had three children already by the time story came along. story was their last, though.

life on the road was normal for story. he didn't know anything else, and for most of his early life he didn't think to question it. it wasn't until one of his older siblings started dreaming of life in one place that story even realized that could be an option. his sibling eventually moved back to killin, working with their grandparents at the bakery, and the aitken parents offered this same placement to each of their children. but only one of the aitken children took the offer.

the other three continued to travel, learning everything it took to keep the circus running smoothly. the other circus workers were like other parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc. this was their family, always surrounding them. story knew he didn't want to leave that. he was happy.

the psychic taught them to read books as well as stars and tarot cards. the strongman taught them arithmetic, and also how to create illusions with items that were supposedly too heavy to lift. history was taught to them by the ringmaster, science by the animals' caretaker. story never stepped foot in a school, but he was always a good student.

his best "subject", so to speak, was the aerial arts. he definitely took after his parents in that way. by the time he was six years old, he was able to join in the beginning of the acrobats' performances. he didn't do any of the more challenging tricks and techniques in front of an audience, everyone in the circus going to great lengths to ensure the boy's safety, but he could do little things in the beginning. cute things, leaving the audience cheering and "awwing" and then gasping as he flew through the air.

he didn't care so much about the sounds the audience made. he was too focused on the feel of the air rushing past him, the lack of ground beneath his feet. when he let go of the bar or the ropes or whatever he was hanging from with one hand, and could feel nothing but air in his fingertips. he loved it. he lived for it.

by the time he was thirteen, he was performing with the circus regularly. his parents were on their way out of performing, happy to watch their children take their place. they became support for the circus, the way all older employees did, and they were content to do so. story became a headliner, photos of him in the air on several of the posters and flyers distributed when the circus would be arriving in a town or city.

unfortunately, while performing in ireland when story was 18, there was an incident. story fell at the worst possible moment, resulting in a pretty bad arm injury. he ended up needing surgery, and then traveled to scotland to recover in his grandparents' home for a couple of months. afterwards, he returned to the circus. it took a few more months before he was ready to perform again, but something had changed. the passion was still there, but there was something about the determination he had that scared his family. his need to perform even if it hurt him.

for years, story continued to bring crowds to their shows. but just before he turned 24, his father sat him down and had one of the only serious conversations story can ever remember having with his parents. story got angry when his father asked him to at least take more breaks between shows, if he wouldn't stop performing entirely. the two men didn't speak for several weeks, something none of their coworkers had ever seen occur in the aitken family before.

story never had a chance to reconcile with his father. it was such a silly argument, and he regrets not just apologizing and moving on. after his father passed, story decided it was time for him to leave the circus. he said good-bye to his family, and traveled around the united states.

he'd always liked when they had traveled to smaller towns, so when he found cardinal hill it seemed like a good fit for him. story got himself an apartment, and then found a studio he could rent a room in to start teaching yoga. it wasn't quite set up for aerial work, and besides that he was smart enough to know he needed a customer base for something like that before putting his savings into it.

for a few years, he cheerfully taught yoga and made himself at home in the small town. he got to know everyone that he could, established himself as part of the population. he rigged up in trees when the weather was good, performing aerial arts for tips and to garner interest in what he was doing. he made friends, and connections, and then finally bought a run-down old studio near the one he was renting in. it hadn't been used in many, many years, and he knew it would need fixing up. besides, he would need to construct all the things he knew it would need for rigging the hoops and ropes and silks necessary for aerial work.

currently, he still works as a yoga instructor. when he isn't working, he's usually doing something in the studio he's fixing up. and when he's not doing either of those things, he's out and about in town, always the social butterfly. it's rare to find him alone, or at home. he prefers to be out and doing things.

personality:

story was taught to always be kind and share whatever he has that others might not. he takes those lessons very seriously to this day, and will drop everything to help someone in need. he doesn't care too much about material possessions, so whatever is his also belongs to his loved ones (and oftentimes strangers that seem like they need a hand).

he can be a little aloof. he doesn't mean to be, he's just got dreams that he can't seem to pull himself away from all the time. it isn't abnormal for him to ask someone to repeat themselves because he zoned out for a moment or three.

when he is performing, he's hyperfocused on what he's doing. people used to think he was just a really good performer, but as you get to know him it becomes more obvious that he's truly just in love with what he does. it isn't about the performance, or the audience. it's about how he feels when he's in the air.

when story has his mind set on something, he won't stop until he achieves it. it doesn't matter what the cost may be physically or mentally, he doesn't give up. it can probably get pretty frustrating to the people who love him and don't want to see him stretched too thin or hurting himself.

this will be added to every so often!

[partisan-by-default]

If you want to invoke ACAB (made popular in the 1970s by skinheads before being used post George Flloyd), let it be to resist this, and not to denigrate a BIPOC prosecutor. If nothing else… this first. - Anonymous

Sonya Massey - "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."

George Floyd - "I can't breathe."

Eric Garner - "I can't breathe."

Michael Brown - "I don't have a gun. Stop shooting."

Philando Castile - "I wasn't reaching for it."

Breonna Taylor - "Why did you shoot me?"

Freddie Gray - "I need a doctor."

Tamir Rice - "It's not real."

Oscar Grant - "You shot me! I got a four-year-old daughter!"

Laquan McDonald - No audible last words; shot while walking away.

Elijah McClain - "I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?"

Alton Sterling - "What did I do?"

Walter Scott - "I’m just going home."

Botham Jean - "Why did you shoot me?"

Stephon Clark - "Grandma, call the police."

Atatiana Jefferson - "I’m here."

Sandra Bland - "Why am I being apprehended?"

Tony McDade - "I'm not armed."

Daniel Prude - "Give me your gun, I need it."

John Crawford III - "It's not real."

Manuel Ellis - "I can't breathe, sir."

Amadou Diallo - "Mom, I'm going to college."

Aiyana Stanley-Jones - No audible last words; shot while sleeping.

Terrence Crutcher - "I'm not doing anything."

Sean Bell - No audible last words; shot multiple times.

Jonathan Ferrell - No audible last words; shot while seeking help after a car crash.

Ezell Ford - "It's me, it’s me."

John Crawford III - "It's not real."

Renisha McBride - No audible last words; shot while seeking help after a car accident.

Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. - "Why are you doing this to me?"

Tamir Rice - "It's not real."

Eric Harris - "I'm losing my breath."

Jamar Clark - "Please don’t let me die."

Rayshard Brooks - "I don't want to hurt you."

Alfred Olango - "Please don’t shoot."

Shantel Davis - "What did I do?"

Kendra James - "Please don’t kill me."

Akai Gurley - No audible last words; shot in a dark stairwell.

Miriam Carey - No audible last words; shot in her car.

Timothy Russell - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

Malissa Williams - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

Jordan Edwards - No audible last words; shot while leaving a party.

Yvette Smith - "I'm coming out."

Jordan Davis - No audible last words; shot at a gas station.

Victor White III - No audible last words; died in police custody.

Dontre Hamilton - No audible last words; shot in a park.

Eric Reason - No audible last words; shot during a dispute.

Emantic "EJ" Bradford Jr. - No audible last words; shot in a mall.

Oscar Grant - "You shot me! I got a four-year-old daughter!"

Clinton Allen - No audible last words; shot during an encounter.

Ronnell Foster - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase.

Tony Robinson - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Charly Keunang - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Samuel DuBose - "I didn’t even do nothing."

Quintonio LeGrier - "I’m sorry."

Bettie Jones - "I've been shot."

India Kager - No audible last words; shot in a car.

Keith Lamont Scott - "Don't shoot him. He has no weapon."

Jordan Baker - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

Christian Taylor - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

Michael Dean - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop.

Rumain Brisbon - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Gregory Gunn - No audible last words; shot during an encounter.

Yuvette Henderson - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

David Joseph - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

Calvin Reid - No audible last words; died in police custody.

Antonio Zambrano-Montes - No audible last words; shot during an encounter.

Zachary Hammond - "Why did you shoot me?"

Anthony Hill - No audible last words; shot while naked and unarmed.

Saheed Vassell - No audible last words; shot while holding a metal pipe.

Willie McCoy - No audible last words; shot while sleeping in a car.

Robert White - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Micheal Lorenzo Dean - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop.

Monique Tillman - "I didn’t do anything wrong."

Randy Evans - No audible last words; died in police custody.

Vernell Bing Jr. - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

Cameron Massey - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

DeAndre Ballard - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

Maurice Gordon - "Can you let me out?"

Rayshard Brooks - "I don’t want to hurt you."

Pierre Loury - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase.

Deborah Danner - "I’m not feeling well."

Jason Harrison - "I’m sick."

Corey Jones - "Hold on, wait!"

Keith Childress - "Don't shoot."

Justine Damond - No audible last words; shot after calling 911.

Amilcar Perez-Lopez - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Mario Woods - "I'm not going to shoot you."

William Chapman II - "Don’t shoot me."

Chad Robertson - No audible last words; shot while running away.

Charlie Willie Kunzelman - No audible last words; shot during a confrontation.

Terrence Sterling - No audible last words; shot during a traffic stop.

Sylville Smith - "Why are you harassing me?"

Bruce Kelley Jr. - No audible last words; shot during an altercation.

Korryn Gaines - No audible last words; shot during a standoff.

Maurice Granton Jr. - No audible last words; shot during a foot chase.

Paul O'Neal - No audible last words; shot during a car chase.

Antwon Rose II - "Why are they shooting?"

Patrick Harmon - "I’ll go with you."

Aaron Bailey - "Why did you shoot me?"

Miles Hall - "No! Don't do it!

Justin Horton Smith- Can’t breathe.

[boltedgarlic]

taglist~

you’ll have to use the search function unfortunately :( i am no longer linking all my tags. if you’re on desktop, my theme should have a search bar!

dated by year

1980 | - | 1994 | - | 1997 | - | 1999 | - | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | - | 2039

dated by month

january | february | march | april | may | june | july | august | september | october | november | december

holidays/seasons

christmas | easter | fall | halloween | valentines day | winter

locations

australia | belarus | belgium | brazil | bulgaria | canada | china | france | georgia republic | greece | holland | india | ireland | italy | japan | medellín | netherlands | new zealand | palestine | peru | poland | spain | sweeden | switzerland | syria | russia | thailand | uk | ukraine | uae | usa

alabama / alaska / arkansas / california / connecticut / idaho / illinois / indiana / iowa / kansas / kentucky / louisiana / maryland / missouri / new mexico / new york / north carolina / ohio / oregon / pennsylvania / tennessee / texas / utah / west virgina / wisconsin

Chuck E Cheese | Dongdaemun Market | Hershey Park | Moody Gardens | NASA | Rocky Mountain National Park | Treasure Island Beach | Walmart

animals

anemone | birds | bees | bugs | bunnies | cats | chickens | cicadas | cows | crabs | deer | dogs | ducks | ferrets | fish | goats | goldfish | guinea pigs | horses | kittens | sheep | snakes | swans

pets

Abby | Augustine | Azuki | Bert | Bob | Mr. Boot | Bruce | Cupid | Donna | Dusty | Ellsie | Fiona | Fudge | Gizzy | Huckleberry | Itzl | Kiwi | Mattie | Mookie | Muffy | Newt | Noose | Ollie | Pepe | Mr. Punky | Ramses | Shika | Smokey | Tamako | Tucker | Xoco | Ziggy | Zoey

art/mediums

art car | ceramics | collage | crayons | crochet | drawings | food art | glass art | installation | knitting | miniatures | mural | oil pastels | origami | ornaments | paint | painting | paper crafts | patchwork | quilt | sculpture | tapestry | tiles | yarn

artists

Anne-Sophie Landou | Enrico Delponte | Jen | Keith Haring | Mark Schaer | Ryan Gander | Terry Ravan

Ween

colors

red | orange | yellow | green | blue | purple | pink | brown | black | gray | white | silver | gold | multicolor

food & drink

baking | batter | bento | birthday cake | bread | breakfast | cake | candy | cereal | cheese | coffee | cookies | cooking | curry | dessert | drinks | fake food | fruit | hot pot | ice cream | meat | onigiri | pancakes | pastries | pie | potluck | pumpkins | salad | sashimi | smores | soup | sushi | tea | torte | vegetables | wine

characters/licenses/media

animal crossing | anpanman | boognish | candy land | dora | doraemon | evangelion | garfield | giant microbes | hannah montana | hello kitty | hoops & yoyo | joe cool | miffy | moomin | moppy | muppets | nasa | powerpuff girls | sanrio | sesame street | snoopy | sonic (the hedgehog) | spongebob | texas chainsaw | universal studios japan | wallace and gromit | winne the pooh | yotsuba | yugioh

interior

apartment | attic | bar | basement | bathroom | bedroom | cabin | chandelier | dining room | dorm | foyer | hallway | home | hostel | hotel | kid’s room | kitchen | library | living room | mall | playroom | shelves | stairs | studio | unfurnished | window

bead curtains | beds | bookshelf | computer | crt monitor | chairs | curtains | desk | fishtank | fridge | furniture | kitchenware | lamp | laptop | lava lamp | salt lamp | sewing machine | stove | tablecloth | tables | tv | vase | whiteboard | wood paneling | wood stove

exterior/outside

backyard | balcony | beach | bridge | building | canal | car show | cemetery | chapel | chicken coop | church | city | clothesline | dam | fair | fence | ferris wheel | gate | highway | hills | house | iron gate | mailbox | neighborhood | park | patio | picnic tables | plants | pool | porch | road | street | tables | train | train station | tunnel | wind chimes | wreath | yard

clouds | creek | dirt | field | flowers | fog | forest | frost | garden | mountains | mushrooms | nest | night | lake | lawn | ocean | path | plants | rain | rainbow | sky | snow | snowman | sunset | topiary | trail | trees | waterfall | woods

miscellaneous tags

altar | angel | antlers | astrology | beekeeping | baby shower | bamboo | basket | bicycle | birthday | birthday cake | blankets | books | brick | bowling | camera | candles | chain | cherub | chess | clock | clothing | car | card game | cards | chess | cigarettes | collection | construction | decor | desk | dollhouse | dolls | dusty | figure | figurines | flowers | fortune telling | gift | globe | gloves | hay | installation | karaoke | kite | knife | knives | lace | landmark | lanterns | leak | lock | machinery | mannequins | market | moving | nursery | objects | orbs | party | pearls | people | piano | pillows | plane | playing cards | plush | polaroid | posters | preschool | pyrex | rail | remodel | religion | retail | roadtrip | school | school bus | sculpture | seashells | shoes | sign | silverware | smoke | spirits | suburbia | sunlight | stained glass | swords | tech | toys | trinkets | vehicle | vhs | video games | visual clutter | water | wedding | window

blur | edit | fisheye | flash | frame | glow | low quality | panorama | photo collage | text | timestamp | video | vignette | watermark

my tags

11:11 | baby tag | birthday tag | fav | grandmas house | magic tag | personal | thank you post

updated: 09/13/2024

[narcobarbies]

A YEAR IN REVIEW: CREATIONS OF 2023

Post your favorite and most popular post from each month this year (it’s okay to skip months).

Tagged by @maxxxines <3 thank you so much for taggging me!!

JANUARY

MOST POPULAR: india love via instagram stories (2,547 notes)

FAVORITE(S): victoria monét via instagram stories , ryan destiny as alex crane on star on fox 2.02 , beyoncé as lilly on the fighting temptations

FEBRUARY

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét via instagram (1,716 notes)

FAVORITE(S): ryan destiny via instagram , carlacia grant via instagram , joyce wrice's bittersweet goodbyes MV , keesha ward from general hospital , joyful joyful from sister act 2

MARCH

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét via instagram (2,901 notes)

FAVORITE(S): nikolas cassadine calling out everyone in port charles from GH , carlacia grant via instagram , tessa thompson for armani beauty

APRIL

MOST POPULAR: sydney sweeney via glencocoforhair's IG (1,152 notes)

FAVORITE(S): victoria monét via tiktok , sydney sweeney via glencocoforhair's IG , sofia wylie via tiktok

MAY

MOST POPULAR: taylor russell by kali kennedy (2,789 notes)

FAVORITE(S): victoria monét party girls MV , saweetie via instagram stories , tems met gala after party , carlacia grant via instagram

JUNE

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét and janelle monáe at the age pleasure LA listening party (06/10/2023) (2,283 notes)

FAVORITE(S): saweetie via instagram (06/26/2023) , saweetie via instagram , ryan destiny via instagram , victoria monét via instagram , carlacia grant as cleo for obx s4 promo , kiana ledé via instagram , sofia wylie via tiktok

JULY

MOST POPULAR: Earth, Wind & Fire sit down with Victoria Monét (1,682 notes)

FAVORITE(S): flo milli in want em hood MV , saweetie birthday mv , india love in flyest in the city mv , sydney sweeney via glencocoforhair's IG , carlacia grant during the ACQUA DI GIO and Gen A event by Giorgio Armani. (07/15/2023)

AUGUST

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét via instagram (1,651 notes)

FAVORITE(S): foxy brown in i'll be mv , mya whine mv , kiana ledé via instagram , saweetie shot o clock mv , saweetie via instagram

SEPTEMBER

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét via instagram for spotify’s RNBx (779 notes)

FAVORITE(S): FAITH EVANS | CAN’T BELIEVE FEAT. CARL THOMAS (2001) , NELLY FURTADO – 2023 MTV Video Music Awards , sofia wylie via tiktok , saweetie via basedkenken’s instagram , ryan destiny via instagram , victoria monét via instagram

OCTOBER

MOST POPULAR: victoria monét photographed by byjamiebruce (615 notes)

FAVORITE(S): kiana ledé via instagram , saweetie via instagram , savannah smith via tiktok , alina baraz in breathless mv , faith evans in never gonna let you go mv , saweetie via instagram , danna paola via instagram

NOVEMBER

MOST POPULAR: sydney sweeney for armani beauty (1,150 notes)

FAVORITE(S): VICTORIA MONÉT photographed by chanellington , cassie photographed by jorden keith , india love for true religion , sydney sweeney via glencocoforhair's IG , ryan destiny for off white

DECEMBER

MOST POPULAR: tems via instagram (2,333 notes)

FAVORITE(S): tabyana ali as trina robinson on GH , sydney sweeney 'anyone but you' NY premiere , victoria monét via instagram , chloe bailey via instagram , jhené aiko via instagram

tagging: @miss-lauryn-hill , @oneofdem , @itszonez , @blackerthings , @ivanpellicer , @agorahills , @saw-x , @keatinglayla , @zendadya , @possession

[gelassen-in]

The Enchanting Tale of Indian Tea

The Enchanting Tale of Indian Tea

As we approach International Tea Day on March 21st, it's a perfect time to delve into the captivating history and rich culture of tea in India.

In a memorable scene from Bridgerton Season 2, Kate Sharma (played by Simone Ashley) crinkles her nose in distaste for English tea. Instead, she opts for a cup of masala tea, crushing cardamom to prepare it. This moment sparked a newfound appreciation for Indian tea across the internet. But what exactly is Indian tea, and can its diverse range of varieties be neatly categorized?

Unveiling the Tea Legacy

Tea garden workers in India

Tea has a deep-rooted history in China, where it was enjoyed for centuries before making its way to India. The British, known for their love of tea, sought to establish a trade route that would bypass China's tea monopoly. Recognizing tea's potential as a valuable commodity, they began exploring opportunities to cultivate it in other parts of the world.

In the early 19th century, the British East India Company turned its attention to India as a promising location for tea production. They began experimenting with different tea plant varieties and established tea gardens in various regions. One key figure in this endeavor was Robert Bruce, credited with discovering wild tea plants in Assam, northeastern India, in the early 1820s. This discovery laid the foundation for commercial tea cultivation in India.

A tea garden in Sikkim

Assam, with its favorable climate and soil conditions, proved to be an ideal region for tea production. The British started cultivating tea on a larger scale in Assam, and by the 1850s, Assam tea had gained recognition for its unique flavor and robust characteristics. This variety became a cornerstone of Indian tea production and is still highly regarded today.

Encouraged by the success of Assam, the British expanded tea cultivation to other parts of India. The regions of Darjeeling, Nilgiri, and Kangra soon emerged as prominent tea-growing areas, each producing teas with distinctive flavors and qualities.

Darjeeling, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, gained renown for its delicate and aromatic teas, while Nilgiri in southern India produced teas with a smooth and mellow character. Kangra, situated in the scenic state of Himachal Pradesh, also contributed to India's tea diversity with its flavorful and fragrant offerings.

Tea gardens make for quaint holiday spots

Here is a listing of some of the best regional varieties.

Assam Tea: Grown in the lush valleys of northeastern Assam, Assam tea is renowned for its strong, full-bodied flavor, malty notes, and bright reddish-brown liquor. Assam tea is often used as a base for breakfast blends and is favored by those who enjoy a robust and bold cup of tea.

Darjeeling Tea: Hailing from the picturesque Darjeeling region in the foothills of the Himalayas, Darjeeling tea is highly regarded for its exquisite flavor and aroma. Unlike most Indian teas, Darjeeling tea is crafted from the small-leaved Chinese variety of Camellia sinensis, giving it a unique flavor and profile.

Darjeeling tea was also the first Indian product to be awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognizing its origin and protecting its identity.

Darjeeling tea commands a global repute

Often referred to as the "Champagne of Teas," Darjeeling tea is characterized by its light golden color, floral fragrance, and delicate muscatel taste. It is often enjoyed without milk and is cherished for its nuanced and refined profile.

Nilgiri Tea: Grown in the misty slopes of the Nilgiri Hills in southern India, Nilgiri tea offers a unique and smooth cup. It is known for its bright, brisk liquor, balanced flavor, and gentle floral notes. Nilgiri tea is versatile and can be enjoyed plain or with a touch of milk. It is often used in blends and is prized for its refreshing character.

Kangra Tea: Hailing from the scenic Kangra Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Kangra tea is a lesser-known but highly regarded variety. It is appreciated for its delicate, floral aroma, gentle astringency, and subtle fruity undertones. Kangra tea leaves are carefully processed to preserve their delicate flavors, resulting in a tea that offers a refined and soothing drinking experience.

Preparation A Vast Variety

Despite the metamorphosis of chai and chai-tea, there is more to tea in India than masala chai. The diverse tea varieties produced in India cater to different tastes and preferences, offering a wide range of flavors, aromas, and strengths. Depending on preparation methods, here are a few more variations.

Kashmiri kahwa is a traditional aromatic green tea

Kashmiri Kahwa: Originating from the picturesque Kashmir Valley, Kashmiri Kahwa is a traditional aromatic green tea infused with saffron strands, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and sometimes almonds.

It has a delicate flavor profile, with a pleasant blend of spices and a slight sweetness. Kahwa is often served with crushed nuts and is cherished for its soothing and warming properties.

Munnar Tea: Munnar, located in the Western Ghats of Kerala, is famous for its tea plantations. Munnar tea is known for its bright, golden liquor, aromatic flavor, and crisp character. The tea gardens in Munnar produce a range of black, green, and white teas, each offering a distinct taste and aroma influenced by the region's unique climate and elevation.

Sikkim Temi Tea: Grown in the hills of Sikkim, Temi Tea is a specialty tea known for its exceptional quality. It is produced in limited quantities, making it highly sought after. Temi Tea features a smooth, mellow taste with a hint of fruitiness, floral notes, and bright amber liquor.

Bihar Tea: Bihar, a state in eastern India, is known for its tea cultivation, primarily in the regions of Kishanganj and Purnea. Bihar tea is admired for its well-rounded flavor, medium body, and pleasant aroma. The tea gardens in Bihar produce both black and green teas, providing a diverse range of options.

Kangra Green Tea: Apart from Kangra tea, which I mentioned earlier, the Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh is also renowned for its green tea production. Kangra green tea is known for its delicate and refreshing flavors, with a milder profile compared to its black tea counterpart. It offers vegetal notes, a light sweetness, and a pale liquor.

Manipur White Tea: Manipur, a northeastern state of India, is gaining recognition for its production of white teas. Manipur white tea is made from young tea buds and leaves, carefully handpicked and minimally processed. It offers a delicate, nuanced flavor with floral undertones and a slightly sweet aftertaste.

[suguruugetoo]

here! 🤭

Geto Suguru is no stranger to beauty.

Within his 34 years on Earth he’s had the ability to travel the world and experience all that it’s had to offer — the explosive colors of Holi in India, the beautiful waterfront of Sicily, the architecture of ancient Rome, and the breathtaking artistry contained within the Lourve, but none of it compares to Chi.

He’s mesmerized by her. The way her lips hold a natural pout. How her beautiful brown eyes shimmer in the light. The curves and hills of her body that lead to mile long legs he wants nothing more than to have wrapped around his waist.

God, If he were a were a weaker man he would’ve groaned out loud, but he won’t. He’s gonna make sure she get exactly what she wants — to fall apart on his mouth, his fingers, and his cock.

“Hello Chi, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. ”

[bookaddict24-7]

New Young Adult Releases! (May 30th, 2023)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Standalones/First in a Series:

Her Good Side by Rebekah Weatherspoon

When the Vibe is Right by Sarah Dass

The Girl Next Door by Cecilia Vinesse

The Melancholy of Summer by Louisa Onomé

You Bet Your Heart by Danielle Parker

Rhythm & Muse by India Hill Brown

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko

The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro

The Moonlit Vine by Elizabeth Santiago

The Map of William by Michael Thomas

New Sequels: 

The Night in Question (The Agathas #2) by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson 

Earth Called: Tales of a New World #4 by P.C. Cast

Cherish (Crave #6) by Tracy Wolff

___

Happy reading!

[intheticklecloset]

TickleTober Day #27: Leaves

Sai and Gen (Dr. Stone)

**MANGA SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT**

~~~

It had been thousands of years since Sai watched the leaves change colors.

He stood looking out over the postmodern world, taking in the reds and oranges and yellows and browns of the autumn season in India, reveling in the peaceful silence of it all.

“Saiiiii!”

And the silence was over.

Sai sighed and turned around, not surprised to see Gen trudging up the hill to join him, beaming from ear to ear.

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you,” the mentalist said, glancing out at the view Sai had just been taking in. “Ooh, it’s beautiful up here. I see why you come here.”

“What do you want?” Sai asked, trying not to sound impatient. He knew it wasn’t this poor man’s fault that his brother was being so insistent about joining them on their voyage around the world, but it was no less irritating that he kept sending others to try and recruit him on his behalf.

Gen tilted his head innocently. “Why, to make sure you’re all right, of course.”

Sai blinked. “What?”

“You’ve been missing for a while, and we were beginning to worry. I know dear Ryusui can be a bit…much,” the mentalist hedged, “but his intentions are pure, I promise.”

“Don’t bring my brother into this. I’ve had enough of his meddling already.”

Sai turned his back on him and took a few steps in the opposite direction, trying to indicate without words that he didn’t want company.

Gen was, of course, undeterred. “It’s probably been a while since you’ve seen the leaves changing colors.”

“Yeah,” Sai admitted. “It’s beautiful here.”

The mentalist sidled up to him and playfully poked his side. “Is that why you chose to run away here? Because of the pretty colors? Oh?” He poked him again, grinning when he got a wobbly smile for his effort. “Someone’s sensitive.”

“Shush,” Sai muttered, then let out a high-pitched giggle and jerked away when Gen tried digging into his side. “Hehehey!”

“Are your sides your worst spot? That would mean you’re like Senku~”

Sai found his opportunity and leapt on it. “Are you and that guy together? It’s cool if you are – you’re just pretty obvihihihious! Hehehehehey!”

“Why, Sai, since when are you interested in my love life?” Gen teased, grasping his ribs and tickling gently. “I’m flattered that you noticed! Senku is quite handsome, isn’t he?”

“N-No cohohohohomment! Wohohohohould you stohohohohop?!” Sai giggled, unable to help himself. “Whahahahat the hehehehehell? Is thihihihihis how you convihihihihince peheheheheople to join your cahahahahause?!”

Gen giggled himself, keeping up masterfully with Sai’s squirming. “No, but if it makes you happy, I’m not opposed to continuing~”

Sai sputtered and protested, though he was surprised to find himself in much better spirits all of a sudden. “Nohohohohoho!”

“No?” Gen stopped, deciding it was enough for now, and winked playfully. “Well, since you’re so interested in our romantic lives, what if I told you Ryusui has been showing an interest in a certain someone lately?”

Sai’s brother had a crush? “Who?” he asked, unable to help his interest. And just like that, he fell into the mentalist’s trap.

He was on their ship and joining their voyage within the week.

[thehappiestshrimp]

Ghosts of Departed Quantities “Historically, one of the earliest recorded references to the mathematical impossibility of assigning a value to a/0 is contained in Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley's criticism of infinitesimal calculus in 1734 in The Analyst” “And what are these Fluxions? The Velocities of evanescent Increments? And what are these same evanescent Increments? They are neither finite Quantities nor Quantities infinitely small, nor yet nothing. May we not call them the ghosts of departed quantities?” - George Berkeley

As Israel fills the throat of civilization with dust and the soil with the ocean’s salt we try to measure that which is lost as a sum or quantity, a real number. Impossible as Mahāvīra found, bare feet cool on the red clay on the knees of the Chamundi Hills searching for a resolution to Brahmagupta’s error: that a number remains unchanged when divided by 0. Impossible, Berkeley cried eight centuries later to divide something into nothing.

How to measure four year old Ahmed Shabat’s legs amputated after an Israeli bomb burst Nuseirat refugee camp, a world wound, his home in Beit Hanoun destroyed with his parents and fifteen family more? “Where is my mother? Where is my father?” he asks over and over, and how will we answer?

How to measure the infants left to decay in the shell of the bombed hospital as death pressed in like gravity? Christ in the hay was not more beautiful than they.

How to measure Khaled Nabhan kissing the eyes of his granddaughter Reem? “She is the soul of my soul.”

How to measure the olive trees, two millennia on fire?

How to measure Refaat Alareer, poet of life, who wrote his death before he was killed with his brother, his sister, their four children? “If I must die let it bring hope let it be a tale.”

Let it enter your heart!

Let it enter your heart, mathematician of the world house, inheritor of the geometry of India, and Baghdad’s House of Wisdom. Let it enter your heart, sons of Baldwin, that son of America, who knew “Every bombed village is my hometown.” Remember algebra itself, born from the Arabic الجبر: “a reunion of broken parts.” Al-Khwarizmi in his wisdom wrote ilm al-jabr wa'l-muqābala, ‘the science of restoring what is missing and equating like with like’.

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord. They rejoice in the bounty provided by Allah. And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them in their bliss, the martyrs glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they cause to grieve.”

Let my life be a witness to the witness.

“She will stay with me,” Khaled Nabhan says, Reem’s earring glittering like a tear of gold on his brown palm. “I will remember her through it.”

When mathematics fails, how will we measure? Let it be undefined, but not forgotten. Let your heart equal mine, let my blood be that hot quantity which remembers yours. Let my breath be your breath. Let your life be that line which, sacred function, approaches infinity forever and ever, amen.