#it's just hard for my brain to fathom the characters who are portrayed as the happy ones? they aint clicking for me yet

[atoltia]

i think rn the only reason why i haven't even considered writing hayden, celine, reina, and ryis fanfic is because i can't seem to get into their headspace? idk characters like march, balor, eiland, valen, and juniper are much easier for my pea brain to comprehend

[bejaeyoung]

“i have a really bad memory,” jay replies, and he isn’t exactly lying. sarang should know best, since it was because of his failing memory that he got in trouble with his fellow mentor during next gen. sarang had been one of the immediate witnesses to that incident. although he wonders why sarang would willingly speak to him afterwards, jay has no reason not to be receptive. the other boy was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time—or, well, had been in a rather difficult position.

“a lot happened during the show!” he laughs, half-defending himself. he’s aware that sarang is feigning offense more so than anything else, but jay decides to play along either way. besides, it’s the truth. if he’s being honest, the fact that he managed to remember a handful of people and their names is a miracle in itself. sarang was probably always going to be one of the names he remembers though—it’s kind of hard to forget the person who called you handsome on national tv.

despite all the back and forth, jay knows sarang would be a lot more experienced in this field than he is. jay doesn’t even watch a lot of romantic comedy shows, doesn’t have a clue what the script he’s holding onto is about aside from the standalone scene he’d have to act out. so, when sarang drops a few bits of exposition about the overarching story, jay listens intently, paying attention. as much as he can, that is. it’s not music.

jay bumps their ankles together, once. like a sign of gratitude, almost. “thanks for the crash course,” he expresses, a smile on his face—genuine. “really needed it, because i don’t know anything about this show. i’ve seen bits of the webtoon here and there, but nothing memorable that sticks in my brain.” at the very least, this script isn’t horrendous and cheesy. jay can work with the written dialogue of banter too, he thinks. small steps. he isn’t planning on going the actor route anytime soon, if he can help it.

he’s glad, overall, that he hadn’t been thrown into the wolves and was paired up with sarang, who has more confidence in this scenario better than jay does. he doesn’t protest when sarang takes the lead on the scene; they were going to start off with sarang’s lines.

jay looks down at his script, reading through and along. he flicks his gaze back up to sarang, feigning a look of confusion—like he’s unable to fathom why sarang ( or rather, the character sarang is portraying ) would make such a request. “what?” he recites his line, just one word, sounding dumbfounded.

then, he leans closer over the table, invading sarang’s space. there’s a smile toying at the corner of his lips, which comes natural to him, teasing is one of his bonding languages after all. he keeps his eyes on sarang’s all the while. “i’ll listen to everything but that.”

when jay flashes him such a devilish, impish grin, sarang is quick to giggle; softly wooed. his partner's delicate, doe-like features only make his expression appear all the more charming, and he wonders if jay knows this about himself; knows that unveiling a smile like that only softens him even more, and paints him in a dreamier light than usual.

it's in this moment where he's able to truly see what siwoo sees in jay, and he knows deep down that he can't be angry or even jealous. it makes complete sense to him why they're so taken with one another, even if that's not something that either one of them are willing to admit to each other right now. a purveyor of unadulterated love, he knows it when he sees it. he knows that that's what's going on between them.

he tries not to let this color this experience, though. after all, they have to work together to create a compelling scene, and all things considered, he enjoys what he knows of jay. there's a specific brand of chaos about him that's electric, and exciting, and sarang's hands ghost over the currents to feel their energy, but not close enough to get zapped. he knows better than that.

poising himself to answer jay's questions, his sloped shoulders rise and fall in a shrug; offering a cheeky smirk of his own. "i think he's technically one of two love interests," he answers, pursing his lips together. "lim jukyung has caught the eye of two men, lucky her, and han seojun seems to be the one whose personality is more wild and full of revelry. sounds like you, doesn't it?"

it's then when he feels jay bump their ankles together, and sarang's initial response to him is to wink; mischievous. if that's the game jay wants to play, he wastes no time meeting him halfway; keeping them connected physically until jay chooses to stand and place his hand atop his head. sarang frowns slightly, but only because he doesn't want jay to mess up his hair. it looks really good today. "i mean, do you not remember our height difference from when i was coaching you in next gen?" he asks, pretending to be offended. "i've never felt so forgotten about before..."

dramatics aside, he laughs, then immediately reconnects their ankles when jay sits back down. "mm, i'd say that, from what i know of you, it seems accurate to your vibe, but at the same time, i feel like getting to know you even better will reveal the true answer. you're still a bit of a mystery to me, after all." his tone is teasing and light, and when it's time for them to start dissecting the material, sarang nods his head.

"i promise that i'll lead us in the right direction, and like you said—you may not even have to act much at all. if the character feels natural to you, then use that. it'll get easier the more we tap into things." flipping over the cover of his script, he reads over the first page, tries to envision that they're in a cafeteria surrounded by their classmates so he can fully marinade in the scene. his own high school experience was nothing like this, but that'll make reliving it through jukyung even more fun. all the what-ifs and could've-beens.

without prompting him, sarang looks over to jay and utters his first lines; wanting to see how he reacts.

"then... i have a favor," his voice takes on a new timbre and tone; one he finds more appropriate to the role. "can you please get lost?"

[archived-and-moving]

Well so... did you like Arcane? Favorite character, moment, etc? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Anon. Oh sweet anon I'm so very sorry you asked this (no im not >:))

Anyway, I loved Arcane. I'd just kind of...decided not to watch it for a few months now, so I missed a lot of the hype when it first came out. (Which, I'm pretty sure will be around 11-ish months while writing this. So uhm. It's been a little bit.) I'm not quite sure why, it's just kind of hard for my brain sometimes, even when my friends really like a piece of media and recommend it to me.

I was actually going on a quick trip, and needed entertainment, so I frantically texted one of my closest friends and boom!!! She recommended I watched Arcane! So finally a downloaded the fourth episode (blaming my phone's funky storage on this one) and watched Happy Progress Day in a good bit of confusion before going back and watching the first three when I got home.

So! Some thoughts: (Spoilers for anyone who's thinking about watching Arcane. It's really good and I truly recommend it, but you will be seriously spoiled if you read any further. You've been warned.)

Favorite Character: Oh!! That's so very hard because I don't think there's a character's writing that I specifically dislike! I enjoy how each and every character is so incredibly interwoven into the plot. However, I think I'm going to have to narrow it down to 3.

First is: Jinx!

Everyone and their mother I feel like has made art about Jinx, and also talked about her, from what little I've seen of the fandom. But goddamn does she deserve it.

She's so incredibly fucked up, but the narrative really makes you understand her actions and why they happen. It almost makes you root for her in a way. The way that her backstory is set up, from start to end is simply incredible.

Each and every path that she faces is another nail in the coffin for what she used to be. Her narrative arc is one of corruption, and her struggle with mental illness is one that is so compelling that whenever the show switches to her POV, I can't help but fist pump and also whisper a horrified "No" at the same time.

Because she's descending into a path of madness driven on by some serious abandonment, a rough life from the get-go, and the urge to convince someone that she's worth the trouble. She's worth it so please please please don't let her go. Don't leave her.

It's such a heartbreaking cycle that truly gets into my emotions and makes me feel. I'm obsessed with the way that the narrative does not throw her away like many of the characters coinciding with her arc are portrayed as doing, but also the way that it balances out her tragic past elements with some absolute badass scenes with such dope action and visuals that the screen she's on is only slightly tinged with sadness.

I wish I could put it into better words, but Jinx is simply off-the-walls in a way that is so unnervingly fun, but also devastating to watch as she scrambles to keep the people she loves close when she feels them drift away.

2. Heimerdinger

You don't understand my love for this eccentric ex-councillor. If I could go out and get lunch with any of these characters it'd be him. I want him to sloppily write all of his ideas on a napkin that I try to decipher for hours, only to fall back onto my bed in defeat.

I want to hear him talk about issues he think are important, and what he finds to be integral to his life. I would literally listen to this dude talk for hours and hours upon end, and watch with childlike wonder at his glorious inventions.

He's literally soooooooo amazing and I love him. I love the way that he was first introduced too!! He's just a goofball who really doesn't try to be funny. And omg when he's wandering the streets and shows the girl the top?? When he finds Ekko???

You literally cannot fathom how wiggily this man makes me feel.

Also I think it's something about his history.

He's seen dangerous devices before. He's seen the rise and the fall of entire planets and populations. He's built a city from the ground up, only upon the idea of progress and the scientific method. He wishes for those around him to let their curiosity take hold and lead them to projects and places all around them.

He truly wishes that everyone has the chance to be a scientist, and he's such an oxymoron. He's a scientist who gets stuck in the ways of his past, and it's a battle that he fights throughout all of his screen-time during the show.

I love Heimerdinger so much <33

Also have you seen his mustache?

[ID: Heimerdinger looking just off to the right, his face contorted in anger with his two fists on a table that reaches up to his waist. END ID]

And finally, last but not least:

Caitlyn Kiramman

This one isn't as rooted in narrative drive as it is for how amazingly Caitlyn fits into the show as a main character simply through her dynamics with other characters alone.

I'm head over heels for her friendship with Jayce. I love the scene that they share in Happy Progress Day, I'm over the moon with the fact that for her investigation she lets Vi go, only to grow to love her as their narrative throws shit at them that they have to face together.

I love that through Caitlyn, we get to see the soft side of Vi come back, the protectivness, the love, and the bickering that comes with it is absolutely a delight. I swear the two of them could have a spin-off Nancy Drew-esc story and I would read it.

And the way that Jinx sees her as a threat? The way that when she sees Vi finding love and being able to cope with her trauma by moving forward, she thinks that there is only one place at Vi's side. That she thinks that Vi is betraying her?

You don't understand. I'm going feral.

I also think that Caitlyn's ambition to do what she loves no matter who tells her otherwise is simply proven wrong. For the girl will be an enforcer, she knows that she will. No one can stop her.

Also she and Vi may or may not be in love and I simply think that that is absolutely a relationship that I need in my life as sapphic (?) myself.

(Honorable mentions go to Viktor and Mel. You both deserve the world and I adore them to bits.)

My favorite things about the show:

Dude. Dude this show is so incredible writing-wise. It tells a compelling story, grappling with so many issues at once and somehow managing to do it all in a clear way. The representation is at it's peak, because these characters are not gay for extra points, they are not black to check off a box. They are deeply thought out characters with narrative arcs that bounce off their traits. They are not simply marketing ploys and it's refreshing. (godDAMN my standards are low)

Anyway the storytelling capabilities that this show pulls off with the dynamic characters bouncing off one another, a seamless timeskip, lore that pulls me in and fascinates me as a consumer, and themes that pique my interest makes it one of my favorite shows of all time.

The art style too. Gah!! I'm in love with the way that the characters' designs work, the way that the lighting is handled in different scenes, the painting look that the models take. It's such an amazing and most likely time-consuming animation style, but it turned into one of the most gorgeous-looking shows that I've ever seen.

And dude. dude. The. The the the. The soundtrack. The incredibly differing soundtrack that varies from song to song, depending on the mood that the show is trying to capture is OUGh. Snakes, Enemy? Such bops, would sprint to them anytime, 11/10.

Favorite scene?

*shaking uncontrollably* The fucking ending one. The last scene takes into account all of the factors that make Arcane such a special show as a whole, and it wraps 'em up in this nice little present for the show to end off on.

The way that Silco is killed like any other man, the way that betrayal bleeds into his eyes as he dies, acceptance in his words as Jinx cradles his head in her hands, apologizing profusely for what she's done.

The narrative parallel to the line "She's a loose canon" so much earlier in the show is a stab to the heart as you watch the light fade from his eyes.

The way that What Could Have Been plays hauntingly through the entire scene, the viewer's eyes dreading the way that it's about to end. And the way that the characters' expressions twist in different ways as the final missile blows into the council window, the way that Mel's figure is highlighted before it's hit.

There are many scenes that are incredible, but this one might be my up at one of my favorites of all time.

To get even more specific, the way that Caitlyn's slow motion sob turns into her mother's resigned face as she makes her vote--that part literally broke me.

I think that literally might be my favorite shot in the entire show.

Anyway, to summarize my incredibly long post of thoughts, Arcane is a cinematic masterpiece, and I wish I could go into more detail, but it's like 12am and my brain isn't really up to the task. Thank you so much for the ask, needless to say, I loved the show to bits <33

[bowlegsandbiceps]

Top 10 Favourite Characters

I was tagged by @not-a-natural-born-idjit and then flailed because they’re one of my absolute fave writers! (Seriously go to AO3 and read everything right now) 

Rules: list your favorite character from 10 different fandoms and tag 10 people

1. Castiel | Supernatural I know I flail a lot about Dean and I love Dean’s face but Castiel is my #1. He’s fierce and brave and impatient and selfless. I don’t know how a being that’s been around for millenia can be innocent but he is. I like how messy he is, and he can be such an effective antagonist without being the big bad. Any friction he has with The Winchesters is from disagreeing on the right course of action and as viewers we can decide who to side with because both are inherently good. It’s their decisions that cause problems and that is a much more compelling narrative than “this thing is just evil.” I ship him with Dean (duh) but also Sam occasionally and I’d honestly love to see some Cas/Rowena action.

2. Hannibal Lecter | NBC Hannibal/Hannibal-verse Long before NBC decided to grace us with the absolute masterpiece that is Hannibal, I have loved this character. I think I was 14 or 15 when I fell down the Thomas Harris rabbit hole and I’ve yet to find a more perfectly crafted psychopath. He’s so refined that you really can believe that no one would suspect him of being the Chesapeake Ripper. His crimes are heinous and many without feeling sensationalized. Harris was originally a crime reporter which I think gave him the ability to ground Hannibal in reality. I really liked how the TV show fleshed out the main points that in the books Clarice Starling and Will Graham continually have to remind people of which is that he does these things to amuse himself. It was really amazing to watch him set up the dominos and then stand back to let everyone else knock them all down. I ship him with Clarice or Alaina mainly but I LOVE me some murder!husbands. It’s the slowest of burns and I will bask in those flames forever.

3. Malcolm Bright | Prodigal Son First of all Tom Payne okay. Second of all, poor, sweet damaged Malcolm. I really like that he has that rich kid air about him but it’s super subtle. He’s obviously very damaged by his father (Martin Whitley is a good example of one of those over the top “legendary” killer characters, though Michael Sheen’s performance REALLY goes a long way to making that believable) and the show doesn’t make his mental illness the forefront of his character. Malcolm works and visits his family and occasionally dates very similarly to any other main character but he’s doing all these things with severe PTSD, anxiety and depression. He’s always portrayed as upbeat and determined to push through any handicaps his mental health issues might cause. There are also times when he can’t and those are shown not by concerned family and friends banding together to throw him in a treatment center but it’s usually him, white-knuckling through it or attempting to work it out on his own which is another extremely realistic portrayal of how people deal with trauma and depression. I ship him with OFC because he and Dani have ZERO chemistry (I’m sorry Brightwell people). I like the IDEA of him and Edrissa but no one is writing it and I can’t even really get MY head around how to write it so I feel this serious urge to PUT HIM WITH SOMEBODY but there’s not been anyone on the show I’ve seen him have real chemistry with yet. 

4. Tyrion Lannister | Game of Thrones I love Tyrion so much. I love him so much I named my cat after him. I loved him so much that I lived in CONSTANT. FEAR. that GRRM was going to kill him off at any moment. I like that despite everyone always thinking the worst of him he still does his best and not even with any intention of proving anyone wrong. He plays into their expectations with the booze and women but deep down he’s got a drive to be fair and especially kind to anyone who’s on the receiving end of pain and humiliation that are undeserved. He’s also fierce and clever enough to deliver crushing judgement and justice when deserved whether its through setting the wheels in motion or wielding the crossbow himself. I ship him with Sansa, shut up I know I just love the idea of them growing to love each other despite the rocky start.

5. Hermione Granger | Harry Potter HP was my first real brush with fandom. Like I’d been a Justin Timberlake fangirl since I was 12 and despite his level of fame the fandom was very small. When I started the series at 17 the breadth of content available was staggering. You could literally find ANY combination of ships you could fathom and it all ran the gamut from fluffy to downright depraved. I also find it interesting that while I like Hermione as a character in the books/movies she is far from my favorite character but she’s literally the only character I stan in the fanfic world of HP. I mainly shipped Hermione with Draco or Snape (forgive me I know it was a simpler time where we ignored everything problematic with certain kinks and narratives) and sometimes Harry. She’s such a strong female character that no matter who you pair her with the dynamic is going to be different and complex. 

6. Peeta Mellark | The Hunger Games While I relate to Katniss on a very personal level, the boy with the bread absolutely fuels my little fangirl heart. The pining from a young age. The complete disregard for his own safety or survival in the games. Selfless and just good to the core, his subsequent torture by the Capitol and Katniss’ carelessness with his feelings is like taking blow after blow. And when they strip his loyalty to Katniss and his district away it’s even more tragic because he was just this sweet kid who had a crush. UGH feels. I ship him with Katniss. I just really can’t see him with anyone else.

7. Alexander Hamilton | Hamilton THIS was one where i just identify SO. HARD. with Hamilton. While I definitely didn’t endure a childhood like his, I did end up transitioning from a blue collar upbringing to a white collar career and experience the same chip on my shoulder and drive to prove myself. And I too write like I am running out of time. I ship him with his wife or maybe Angelica a little.

8. Persephone | Greek Mythology Not sure if there’s a “fandom” for this persay but Tumblr went through a phase in the early 10s where there was a ton of meta about Persephone and how her narrative as a damsel stolen by Hades didn’t do her justice. The flipped the script and made her Queen of Hell, powerful enough to sway the God of Death and terrifying enough to keep him in line unlike all the other Gods that were sticking their dick in anyone and anything. It’s such an empowering narrative, a girl taken from everything she’s ever known seizes the opportunity to become a force to be reckoned with. I love it.

9. Gregory House | House M.D. I was going to say Sherlock here but I never really went hard for Sherlock either the movies or the BBC show. I loved the show but really more for the canon and meta which is only half the fandom life. With House, I just love that he is so unapologetically hateful to anyone he deems stupid. But he’s also earnest and good too with a heavy dollop of man pain... you know... my favorite *cough*Dean Winchester*cough* I ship him pretty exclusively with Cameron beacuse I really like the dynamic. Her hero worship/white knight complex his emotional constipation but fondness of her optimism and ideals. Great dynamic.

10. Edward Cullen | Twilight This is my favorite Trash Monkey character in my favorite trash monkey series. The books are horribly written, the movies are better but not by much. But goddammit something about his level of obsessive fuckery speaks to my girl lizard brain and I am just rooting for this sparkly idiot and his clumsy human jar of mayonnaise. I ship him and Bella because apparently the universe didn’t find the fact that he’s my favorite character in this series humiliating enough.

Tagging (please don’t feel obligated to participate if you don’t want to): @navajolovesdestiel @chevrolangels @cas-you-assbutt-dean-needs-you @castielific @rauko-is-a-free-elf @astral-almighty @only4myfandoms @ charlie-bradburi @notfunnydean @blowthatpieceofjunk

[creideamhgradochas]

Thanks to the lovely @sgtjbuccky for taking the time to answer these! Get to know more about Salina, go give her a follow and then show her some love!

These questions are from this list. You should check it out, there’s 50 questions all together and they’d be great to ask your favorite fic writer!

1. How old were you when you first starting writing fan-fiction?

I honestly can’t remember! I began writing very early, so around the age of 11! But I gotta admit, I had no idea what fan fiction even was back then!

2) Do you prefer writing OC’s or reader inserts? Explain your answer.

I want to say both, actually. I believe that even if they’re reader inserts, they’re still kind of an OC. Yes we refrain from describing the physical traits, but the personality, and backstories of the reader insert are created by us writers, so in a sense reader inserts can also be OCs!

3) What is your favorite genre to write for?

I have several favorite genres actually! Romance, drama, action, and comedy.

4) If you had to delete one of your stories and never speak of it again, which would it be and why?

I actually already have deleted one of my fics and never spoken of it again! It was back when I first began posting. About reader being the Avengers’ getaway driver and it was fun/fluffy/flirty, but I kinda panicked and deleted the entire thing. I don’t even know if any of the OG’s remember it! It was up for barely two days!

5) When is your preferred time to write?

Definitely at night, after midnight!. It’s like my brain is a poetic basket of gold at that time!

6) Where do you take your inspiration from?

All sorts of things, from stories I read, to music I hear, to dreams I have. Daydreaming about scenarios is always a good source of inspiration as well!

7) In your Peach Scone fic, what’s your favorite scene that you wrote?

Oh there were so many golden moments in that fic! But I’ll have to say my favorite scenes to write was Bucky fainting, nearly choking on his tie, and the confession scene!

8) Have you ever amended a story due to criticisms you’ve received after posting it?

I have been very fortunate not to receive any direct criticism to the stories I write. I did, however, once have a reader that criticized my way of portraying a certain character in a fic even though the request required it - but I did not change it.

9) Who is your favorite character to write for? Why?

As I mostly write for Bucky, it’s safe to say he is my favorite. It has a lot to do with the lengths you can take his character, from cocky to sweet to the biggest cheeseball in history. That’s mainly what I love about fanfiction, we can portray our favorite characters the way we want! I have a special love for Steve as well, and I will be dedicating some love for him soon as well!!

10) Who is your least favorite character to write for? Why?

I wouldn’t say I have a least favorite character to write for!

11) How did you come up with the title for the Peach Scone?

I merely based it on the song the fic was originally very loosely based on!

12) How did you come up with the idea for Peach Scone?

It came to life from a request, and people wanted Bucky to confess his love so I just came up with a few attempts he’d have to go through before being able to say the magic words!

13) Do you have any abandoned WIP’s? What made you abandon them?

I have at least 10 abandoned WIPs! When inspiration lacks and I can’t move forward with the fic I usually leave it be, and at times I go back to it and other times I don’t!  

14) Are there any stories that you’ve written that you’d really love to do a sequel to?

Yes!! I’d firstly love to do a sequel to Always Be You because I believe they deserved a happy ending, yet I didn’t give it to them (cause it’s good to be mean at times). And for Run to Me - I love my mobster! Boss Bucky, but I’m also a bit conflicted with wanting to continue it, I’d never forgive myself if I managed to ruin the characters somehow!

15) Are there any stories that you wished you’d ended differently?

Yes, as mentioned above Always Be You deserved a happy ending!!

16) Tell me about another writer(s) who you admire? What is it about them that you admire?

I have tons of writers I admire, and they all know who they are! Especially here on tumblr, my mutuals are my babes and I admire them all in one way or another! They make me want to continue writing and together it’s amazing to create a support system!

17) Do you have a story that you look back on and cringe when you reread it?

Not plot wise, but the writing can make me cringe when I read some of my older works - which is why I want to go back and edit them one day!

18) Do you prefer listening to music when you’re writing or do you need silence?

Music for sure, makes the creativity flow!

19) Have you ever cried whilst writing a story?

Oh hell yes. I am very expressive when I write, and crying while writing is almost a must!

20) Which part of your Peach Scone fic was the hardest to write?

Probably part 5 where Bucky is high. I had to remember not to make him too cocky or self confident so I wouldn’t lose his dorky portrayal completely! It was a bit harder than the rest of it!

21) Do you make a general outline for your stories or do you just go with the flow?

I always make an outline - it helps me keep track of what I want in reach paragraph/chapter - that way I know what to include and when to include it.

22) What is something you wished you’d known before you started posting fan-fiction?

The fact that if a fic doesn't do “good”, the disappointment hits way harder than one should realize. I’m trying and also always preaching to focus on writing for oneself to keep this feeling at bay, but we’re all humans and I think many people feel this way!

23) Do you have a story that you feel doesn’t get as much love as you’d like?

I really liked my fic “Always Be You” but it wasn’t really to many people’s liking, why, I don’t know, but hey I will never try to force my stories down people’s throats! I do know those who read it loved it and that’s enough for my heart!

24) In contrast to 23 is there a story which gets lots of love which you kinda eye roll at?

It’s not that I don’t like the fic, I do, I just never thought I managed to write it any good, but “Bootycall” got tons of love and it left me so stunned!!!

25) Are any of your characters based on real people?

Yes! I often take inspiration from my friends when looking for certain characters traits, and as writing reader insert I believe a piece of the writer itself is always there.  

26) What’s the biggest compliment you’ve gotten?

Oh I’ve been so blessed with all the love I’ve gotten, I still have difficulty fathoming it at times! But I was once called a “Literary deity” and I don’t as a writer it can get any better than that. I still cry thinking about it.

27) What’s the harshest criticism you’ve gotten?

Someone once told me the journey of my characters was wrong, when it is my story. Kinda harsh!

28) Do you share your story ideas with anyone else or do you keep them close to your chest?

I often keep them to myself, and sometimes share if I want an opinion on if it would be any good!

29) Do people know you write fan-fiction?

They don’t! Or my brother knows, but that’s about it, no one else I know irl know!

30) What’s you favorite minor character you’ve written?

I haven’t actually written the character just yet - but it’s hopefully in an upcoming Steve x Reader fic. The reader’s twin is gonna be fun to write, and then I really like Mia from Run to Me because she was a sweetheart and I would’ve loved to write her way more than the two single scenes she was in.

31) What spurs you on during the writing process?

Music, and when the ideas just flow!!

32) What’s your favorite trope to write?

I’m a sucker for allI the classic tropes - friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, every single AU I can get my hands on. Basically it all! Fake- dating trope, I mean it’s all gold. I haven’t written enough of all these glorious tropes!

33) Can you remember the first fic you read? What was it about?

I do! It was a Harry Potter fanfic, more specifically Dramione, the classic “secretly dating”and honestly it was so good, I’m kinda bummed I can’t remember the title of it! It could be fun to go back and reread it!

34) If you could write only angst, fluff or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

Fluff for sure. Even if I do like a good round of angst as well, fluff is my go to. Life is so hard and full of problems all the time, with a goof fluffy piece all of that can be ignored!

[onceuponarrow]

Hey all! I’m back with some more random thoughts and musings about Arrow. This is a mashed up post on my thoughts on the last 2 episodes and some future speculations.

So last week episode 12 All for Nothing was truly all for nothing for me. I barely paid attention to the flashbacks. Although what I saw of them they were almost entirely a rehash of things we already knew. For me it was too little, too late to try and build up any sort of connection to Dinah and Vince’s (? I can’t be bothered to remember his name) relationship. So I didn’t really feel that bad that he was killed right in front of her. Plus I have a memory and I know that 2 episodes ago Vigilante was holding down Oliver so Bertinelli could kill him. So yeah, you tried to kill Oliver therefore I don’t care you are dead. Speaking of, who works for Arrow’s continuity department? Do they even have anyone? Do the episode writers not communicate with each other about actions they are having characters take? Whatever, back to the episode. Why couldn’t Dinah use her canary cry on Black Siren and Cayden James? I also kind of feel like Dinah showing up to rescue Vince is the reason he ended up killed. If no one showed up to try and rescue him I don’t think James would have had any confirmation he was betrayed and wouldn’t have killed him. Also on the subject of that rescue mission. I get the writers thoughts on trying to set up this not team arrow family thing, but Rene, his daughter lives in the city. If they don’t find the bomb, which Oliver said the warehouse was too big for him and Diggle to search themselves, James would still have the ability to destroy the city. The city Rene’s daughter is in, the daughter he betrayed Oliver for. Come on writers.

Last night I didn’t watch cause it didn’t sound like I would enjoy it and the Olympics are on. I’ve seen some clips, watched part of the episode this morning, and read a bunch of reactions and apparently I didn’t miss much. So I don’t get Cayden James at all. It’s Deathstroke 2.0, a man that is going to kill the entire city to get back at Oliver. Like I get it, its that comic book, tropey evil bad guy going to do illogical things for revenge, but I’m tired of it. Anyway, Cayden James, what an absolute let down. We have spent so much of this season on him and his cabal of bad guys for it to turn out that he isn’t the season’s overall big bad. What a waste of an actor and a huge portion of the season. So Dragon is the real big bad? I haven't seen the end of last nights episode but I gather he has control of the cops and set up Oliver to be outed as the Green Arrow. But he was really going to just leave town when it looked like James was going to blow the whole city? Why didn’t he just kill James at the beginning of the episode? All his planning to take over the city was for not and he’s just going to run away? And I’m supposed to be scared of this big bad? And think he has the intelligence to pull off all these sophisticated behind the scenes manipulations and digital trickery that fooled both Cayden and Felicity? I’m not buying that, unless Alena is the real mastermind behind all of this, but I would be utterly shocked if the Arrow writers actually go that way.

So random speculations and personal wants for the rest of the season and beyond. Rene, as I’ve talked about before I don’t like him and have never liked him. I want him gone. Either kill him and let Oliver and Felicity adopt Zoe (that actress is super cute and can act) or have him decide to leave the city with Zoe to get a start somewhere else. I’m not a fan of kids on this show but we’ve got William and they aren’t going to kill him or ship him off somewhere permanently so lets just go ahead and add another teen to the Smoak-Queen family. The way Rene has been portrayed I just can’t fathom how he can be realistically ever trusted again or why OTA would even want him back on the team.

Curtis can he just leave and try to reconnect with Paul. I’m over him. I hold him responsible for the utter lack Felicity’s company storyline and her sudden need for his help with hacking and building of tech. Yeah I know that might not be truly accurate but I can feel what I feel and it’s unfortunate that a character I initially enjoyed has been become such an irritant. If he’s gone we can get back to Felicity being the brains behind all things tech once again.

Dinah the way they have set up her personality I just can’t see her working long term on team Arrow. She’s supposed to be a cop so she should understand chain of command, which they have shown to be the case at times. But other times it feels like they are trying too hard to be comic accurate with Black Canary is Oliver’s equal and doesn’t need him. Which seems to be what they are going with especially in the next episode. Plus she’s a meta and I am still firmly with I don’t want to see metas on this show. I started watching because of the based in reality aspect, and I know shows change and morph, but I’m still going to want the non-reality based elements kept to a bare minimum so meta humans are not something I’m going to want to be a main character.

Anyway like I’ve mentioned before I hope all this ridiculous civil war stuff is a way to set up the ability to trim down the cast. Since Roy is returning as a way to write off Thea (I think that is all but confirmed based on spoilers) that’s one cast member gone. They have certainly set up non team Arrow in a way that most viewers wouldn’t be sad to see them leave or be killed. That’s 3 more salaries saved (plus the special effects needed for the canary cry and t-spheres). Lance what are they doing with him? They seem to be setting him to either be killed by BS or have an emotional break down. Either return him to his job of police chief and give him purpose beyond dead daughters or write him off. Black Siren I don’t know what they are doing with her. I’m beyond bored with her and don’t care if she’s redeemed or not. I can only see 3 ways to end the season with her. She’s redeemed (somehow and that seems unlikely) and returns to Earth2, she’s imprisoned in the meta human prison again (or by ARGUS), or she’s killed by Dinah. Any of those 3 options pretty much removes her from main cast again.

So my dream for the next season is a return to just OTA. Which would lead to hopefully better stories for my faves. More stories for Diggle. Can we see more of his family? Can he have a job again? Make him the head of security for either the mayors office or Smoak Tech. Or hell have him start a non-profit mentoring facility so he can also be a positive force for change for others like he was for Oliver. Speaking of can we get Smoak Tech for real this time instead of just teased for Felicity. Could we see her being an awesome force for change in the tech world? And since we have William and he’s not going anywhere lets add Zoe to the mix. I’m not crazy about that but she doesn’t irritate me as much as William and tends to be written more age appropriately so maybe that would rub off on Williams writing as well. We could even have some flash forwards with them being the next generation of team Arrow. Either way with a much smaller cast we could have some really cool stories that aren’t rushed. We could see them trying to balance the vigilante life with their real lives. Who am I kidding, none of that is going to happen, but I can always dream!

[thecosydragon]

My latest blog post from the cosy dragon: Guest Post: J.W. Golan on ‘The Persistence of Dragons’

The Persistence of Dragons J.W. Golan

Today I have J.W. Golan here to tell you about the persistence of dragons. I am of course excited about anything related to dragons, and I pretty much drooled when he suggested this as his topic. Take it away, J.W.!

The world of mythology has reserved a special place for dragons. They have persisted across centuries of human myth and legend: from the creation mythos of Babylonia where the dragon Tiamat gave birth to a pantheon of deities; to the dragon Fafnir of Norse lore – recorded in legend thousands of years later. Moreover, in one form or another, dragons have appeared in the legends of nearly every civilization: from the Chinese dragons who were the emissaries of the gods and the embodied spirits of the rivers, lakes and seas; to the feathered snake god Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs – whose forebears dotted the architecture throughout mezoamerica. Across languages, centuries, and continents, dragons have held an important role in human storytelling. In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien:

“I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in my timid body did not wish to have them in the neighborhood. But the world that contained even the imagination of Fafnir was richer and more beautiful, at whatever the cost of peril.” (J.R.R. Tolkien, “On Fairy-Stories,” The Tolkien Reader)

When certain elements reappear and persist across different cultures and across the centuries of human civilization, it’s usually a strong indicator that the element in question plays an archetypal role in the human consciousness. In other words, our human brains were pre-programmed to identify and anticipate certain archetypal characters or story elements. This is why, when we see these characters or stories on stage, in film or in literature, we instinctively know what we should expect. They form a tie between our shared human psyche and the stories we tell – a tie which was first identified by the Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung in the early 20th century.

But if the dragon forms a similar archetypal role in the human consciousness, then we must ask what role it is that the dragon fulfills and where in our human psyche does the need for that role arise? It’s easy to understand why the human brain would be pre-disposed to identify such roles as the mother and father figure, or the sage and the trickster. It’s easy to understand why we would have a preconceived, biological blueprint for what we should expect from such figures in our stories and lives. These blueprints, after all, help us to navigate the world into which we are born. But what role does the dragon fulfill?

There are two, common threads that underlie the depiction of the dragon throughout each civilization – from ancient times to today. The first, is its reptilian or serpent-like form. The natural human tendency to fear or at the very least respect snakes has been explained many times before. It is a natural fear that any arboreal species should have for one of its principal predators.

But there is another common thread that transcends all retellings of dragon legends – from ancient times to today: a sense of awe. Whether the dragon was feared as it was in Norse and other European mythologies or revered as it was in China or pre-Columbian America, the dragon was depicted as a creature of immense size and power. It was not merely that a dragon was larger than a horse or ox. Far more than that, it evoked a sense of respect and reverence even among those who feared them.

Of the Norse dragon Fafnir, for example, it was written;

“Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he went.” (The Volsunga Saga)

Or when describing stories of the winged serpent Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs would relate:

“Quetzalcoatl – he was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it cracked and there was a great din, it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: ‘He is wrathful.'” (Bernardino de Sahagún, Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain)

Image from https://ift.tt/2Xo0Wlb

Similarly, in Far East tradition, the dragons commanded the winds, the rain and the seas. In Tibet, dragons were depicted as the masters of thunder. In all of these instances, the dragon was portrayed as something more than just animal. They were the forces of nature embodied. A dragon was not just something larger than any animal which humans might encounter, they were something beyond the pale of humanity to tame or master. Even in those traditions where an evil dragon might be defeated by a victorious hero, the dragon was never depicted as something which might be subdued and muzzled. Even if it might be defeated, it could never be truly tamed.

So here we are, living in a modern world, with wonders which our ancestors from only a few generations past could never have imagined. And despite all of our technology, we continue to tell each other stories about dragons. Why is this? Why has the mythology of these mystical, magical creatures endured?

Archetypal theory suggests that the reason that certain characters and certain storylines have endured across the ages and across cultures and continents, is that our minds were pre-programmed to expect and embrace these characters and storylines. Our brains were pre-programmed with what a mother or father figure was expected to be, how a child coming to adulthood was expected to behave, or what an elderly sage was expected to embody. The fact that dragons have endured in our modern stories should tell us that our brains were hard-wired to recognize the role of dragons as well.

Perhaps, now more than ever, I would propose that we need to be reminded that there are things in the universe which we cannot tame. Things bigger than our ability to comprehend, and which, even if we might overcome them, we will never fully master. The dragons have been, and remain, all of this. Creatures of awe or reverence. A part of our own consciousness reminding us that the universe is bigger and more wonderous than we could possibly hope to fathom.

from https://ift.tt/32TiHdj

[mrmichaelchadler]

Thumbnails 1/25/19

Thumbnails is a roundup of brief excerpts to introduce you to articles from other websites that we found interesting and exciting. We provide links to the original sources for you to read in their entirety.—Chaz Ebert

1. 

"Still grieving, Anton Yelchin's parents try to move forward with new documentary": Amy Kaufman of The LA Times reports on "Love Antosha," scheduled to premiere at Sundance.

“Perhaps the biggest revelation in the film is just how much Anton struggled with cystic fibrosis — a diagnosis he hid from the public and the entertainment business. As a precocious kid, he was pink-cheeked and enthusiastic, shooting short films with childhood friends and constantly performing impressions for his parents. He never seemed sick and barely demonstrated any signs of someone with the progressive disease, which causes mucus to form in the lungs. In fact, he appeared so healthy that his parents decided not to tell him the full details of his diagnosis — CF patients have a life expectancy of around 37 — until he was 17. ‘I didn’t want to introduce him exactly to what it was, because he was so artistic and so sensitive,’ said Irina. ‘I was just afraid that he would go into it and he would get panicked or get affected by it too much. He didn’t even know what it was for real, how difficult and dangerous that illness was. Only after 17, 18, that’s when we talked, because I said: ‘You can’t go to this club. They are smoking there.’ You feel good, but it doesn’t mean you cannot get worse.’’ Upon learning about his illness, Anton worked hard to stay healthy, constantly running up and down the stairs and researching herbal remedies to try on top of his prescribed medications. Before long days on set, he’d wake up two hours early to put on an inflatable vest that helped him to clear his airways.”

2. 

"John Fricke on the 80th Anniversary of 'The Wizard of Oz'": The Emmy-winning Oz historian/author chats with me at Indie Outlook, in anticipation of the film's return to the big screen January 27th, 29th & 30th, courtesy of Fathom Events.

“For the last half century, you could start talking about ‘The Wizard of Oz; to just about anybody over the age of three, and there would be an immediate, shared reference point. People levitate from their chairs when they start discussing the movie. About six or seven years ago, The Weather Channel did a special on the 100 Most Pivotal Moments in Weather History, and at number 53, they listed the tornado in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ That sequence actually inspired people to become meteorologists. There’s no question that the film has impacted all ages on a multitude of levels. If you grew up watching it on TV, every time you revisit the film, you think, ‘That was the one night we were able to stay up late, put on our pajamas and have popcorn and orange soda with our family, and we all watched it together.’ I remember one poignant story about a man who grew up in a very troubled house. He said that the ‘Oz’ broadcast was the one very peaceful night of the year, because both of his parents loved that movie. As you say, Margaret Hamilton nailed it, as did Ray Bolger when he was a guest on ‘The Judy Garland Show.’ He spoke of growing up with the Oz books, and the great philosophy that they expressed. His mother had pointed out to him the message of these books: ‘Everybody has a brain, everybody has a heart, and everybody has courage. These are the gifts that God gives people on earth, and if you use them properly, they lead you home. And home isn’t a place. It’s the people you love and the people who love you. That’s a home.’”

3.

"Stephen Reinhardt (1931-2018): The Liberal Judge With a Fighting Spirit": Politico's Lara Bazelon eulogizes the late judge, who passed away in December, while honoring his extraordinary legacy.

“Judge Stephen Reinhardt, 87, reigned for 38 years as the liberal lion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the nation’s largest appellate court with jurisdiction over nine states. Nothing, it seemed, could kill him. Not triple bypass surgery in 1982, not quadruple bypass surgery in 2001. Not the execution—over his fierce objection—of individuals he believed had been wrongfully convicted, nor the Supreme Court’s numerous other reversals of his most famous decisions—decisions upholding the right to die, striking down the requirement that students recite the Pledge of Allegiance, declaring unconstitutional a law prohibiting late-term abortions. Not the slow loss of his beloved wife, Ramona Ripston, to dementia, and the stress, sadness and loneliness that came with it. Not even the election of President Donald Trump, whose rhetoric and policies targeted the very people—immigrants, the criminally accused, the powerless—whose rights the judge had done everything he could to protect. But in March, after he had gotten a clean bill of health from his cardiologist, Reinhardt’s heart stopped suddenly. His death left the hundreds who knew and loved him—his family, his law clerks, his colleagues and large circle of friends—grief stricken and in shock.”

4. 

"You ain't seen nothin' yet, but there's nothin' aplenty": Martha P. Nochimson reviews Adam McKay's Oscar-nominated satirical drama, "Vice," for Eye on Media.

“‘Vice,’ Adam McKay’s interpretation of Dick Cheney’s reign of terror, comes to a false ending in the middle of his film. The music rises to a mock triumphant crescendo, and credits roll over a montage of happy family scenes in which the actors we have seen portray the infamous Dick (Christian Bale) and his wife Lynne (Amy Adams) luxuriate in the lap of domestic affluence as they cavort with children and dogs. The credits are the actual credits of Vice, but prematurely displayed. The faux closure falsely celebrates the Cheneys’ permanent exit from politics when, after Carter’s win as president and the loss of Gerald Ford, Cheney’s prospects for running for and winning high political office began to seem impossible. What? It’s a tease. The movie isn’t ending; rather it winks at us about how stories work, and continues on to document the most destructive period of Cheney’s political life. It’s a mysterious rhetorical move by McKay. But it isn’t the only one, and it isn’t the first one. ‘Vice’ is a film about Dick Cheney and his partner in crime Lynne, to be sure, but it’s also about the way we talk about history, how we know what we know, how we fill in the gaps in our partial knowledge with our own fictions, and who has a voice in creating historical narratives.”

5. 

"Aaron Sorkin remembers William Goldman: 'He was the dean of American screenwriters and still is": An exclusive essay from the Oscar-winning screenwriter, published at The LA Times. 

“When I was starting out in my 20s, Bill Goldman saw something in me and took me under his wing, where I’ve remained and where I’ll continue to remain despite his death. I’m not the only writer he mentored — Scott Frank, Tony Gilroy, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are just a few he tutored personally, and countless others have been and will continue to be taught by his examples. ‘Kid, the next time I say, ‘Let’s go someplace like Bolivia,’ let’s go someplace like Bolivia.’ ‘They could always surrender.’ ‘For a second there I thought we were in trouble.’ Those three quotable lines aren’t just from the same movie (‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’), they’re from the same scene. ‘You keep thinkin’, Butch, that’s what you’re good at.’ ‘Who are those guys?’ ‘Well we tried goin’ straight, what should we try now?’ ‘The fall’ll probably kill you!’ A movie about two outlaws coming to grips with a world that’s changing around them won Bill his first Academy Award. Deep Throat never said, ‘Follow the money.’ It was a line Bill wrote for the character of Deep Throat in his screenplay ‘All the President’s Men,’ for which he won his second Academy Award.”

Image of the Day

At Vanity Fair, Donald Liebenson hails Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts as the greatest female comedy team of classic Hollywood, and explains "why they still pack a punch."

Video of the Day

The invaluable YouTube channel, Be Kind Rewind, has a wonderful series of videos dissecting that circumstances that resulted in various Best Actress triumphs at the Oscars. The video embedded above focusing on Joan Crawford's 1946 victory, where she finally won the accolade for "Mildred Pierce," also serves as an exceptional introduction to the icon's career bereft of camp. 

from All Content http://bit.ly/2WiyAYB