#jennifer visits the shire

[snowbellewells]

CS Fic Rec Monday: Fics I Loved in 2019/// October - December

So here we are, the last list of 2019 fics! I wasn’t sure I would get them done each week, but I did it! (And I think several of you seemed to enjoy :) Thanks!)  I apologize for not having this posted sooner, but everything rebooted just as I was getting nearly done, and I lost my entire post in progress!

Anyway, here we go with the fics from October to the end of the year...

Seeing as how October brought all things a bit spooky and Halloween-y, it seemed only right to start this list out with a fic from the @csrolereversal event that I simply adore: “A House is Never Still” by: @capnjay21  This fic is completely unique and full of such a great blend of mystery, angst, backstory, and thrills that I was completely sucked in from the very first chapter. I’ve gotten woefully behind, as I know there is at least one chapter update I haven’t gotten to read yet, but it is so well-written and creative, you will absolutely be enthralled!

Another awesomely spooky story is “An American Haunting” by: @welllpthisishappening  I loved this modern AU take on Emma, Killian, and many of the rest of our OuaT favorites as workers at an American historical village, and their encounter with a very real (and vengefull!) ghost. Plus, there’s plenty of secreative flirting and pining as well, since Emma and Killian like each other, but haven’t yet admitted it. ;)

October also brought us the @cspupstravaganza which allowed us to have several stories starring our pirate and princess alongside various adorable versions of man’s best friend. All of these fics deserve a read, but I especially loved: “Captain Morgan” by: @pirateherokillian, “Twelve Legged Matchmaker” by: @shireness-says, “...between a rock and a bark place” by: @thisonesatellite and “Arm’d with Hell Flames and Fury all at Once” by: @darkcolinodonorgasm. 

@profdanglaisstuff also wrote an incredibly funny and irresistible CS with a dog fic (that I thought was part of @cspupstravaganza, but I guess not!) called “Release the Kraken”.  This one had me both giggling and melting at the sweetness - don’t miss it!

“Drift” by: @thisonesatellite is a one shot which just blew me away with the emotion and the healing worked into the modern au verse of it. Emma and Killian’s finding each other and slowly connecting and allowing each other to be less alone in the world is just beautiful. I really can’t say enough about how gorgeous and affecting it is. If you missed this one, please do yourself a favor and read it now. <3

“Until the Stars are all Alight” by: @whimsicallyenchantedrose was another excellent AU MC I began to enjoy in these last months of 2019. It was an entry to @cssns19 and mixes together two of my very favorite things: Lord of the Rings and Once Upon a Time in a thrilling crossover. This has questing, romance, angst and adventure in equal measures, and is so well-done all around. It is a WIP, but I have never known Jennifer to leave an MC unfinished, so I know you won’t be disappointed!!

“Not Your (Soul)Mate” by: @let-it-raines probably doesn’t really need my introduction, but just in case you didn’t see the modern AU take on soulmates for the @cssns, definitely read it now! I love how awkwardly humorous the way Emma and Killian’s soulmate status makes itself known (even the two of them definitely do not!) Not only that, but the comic element mixes in real emotion as they try to fight destiny to really make the piece more meaningful. Plus, Killian as a doting uncle is not to be missed either! ;)

Fandom Birthday Playlist by: @searchingwardrobes  I did tell you there would be entries from this collection on every list, didn’t I? Melanie really excelled with this mission she set herself - so many engaging and fitting fics for fandom friends, and the three on this list are some of the best yet! You’ll totally fall for Killian as a young minister looking for someone to love him for himself in “Raging Fire”, with Killian and Emma as a young Lieutenant Duckling helping each other through a painful trial in “Burn the Ships”, and with single father Killian and lost amnesiac Emma in “Start of Time”.

“the unexpected life” by: @thisonesatellite An author!Killian/librarian!Killian, adorable Captain Cobra, and a hesitant-but-drawn-to-him Emma -- what more could we really ask for as readers?  This story is beautiful and heartwarming and all the good things the best fics are. I love how this Killian and Emma move from acquaintances to friends to loves to eventually a wonderful family with Henry.

“Drink the Wild Air” by: @profdanglaisstuff  I just love EF AUs with dashing sailor Killian and young princess Emma, and this gives us that very thing in gorgeous fashion. Both the adventure and the romance are excellent in this one, and though it is still a WIP, you will love and simply devour every bit of it posted so far -- I can almost guarantee it!!

“Four Eyes” by: @welllpthisishappening  Oh my goodness, this helping of sweet papa Killian, fighting a bit with admitting he’s aging when he finds out that he needs glasses right along with he and Emma’s little girl, is just beyond perfect!  There are references to The Great Gatsby (a sure way into my affections!) an adorably exasperated Emma and lovably realistic fluff galore. 

“The Swan of Misthaven” by: @slow-smiles Oh my! This is an EF Captain Duckling AU that will absolutely steal your heart - and in truth the final part of a larger collection of one shots called “My Princess, My Pirate” by this author.  They’re all worth reading, and again, I am a little late to the party, so maybe most folks know about this fic already. Still what a thrilling adventure plot - and some great moments of pirate Killian slowly winning over Snow and Charming as they all fight for the princess they love!

“Across the Snowy Places”  by: @profdanglaisstuff  There truly aren’t enough Thanksgiving fics in this fandom, and that made me love this five part offering all the more. I love the pretend relationship trope and how efficiently Saira uses it here. The pining and the chemistry between Emma and Killian is off the charts and SO well done!!  I got such a kick out of the cast of characters she surrounded them with too, and just how amazingly they come together for good in the end!

“Tell Me It’s Real (it’s real)” by: @let-it-raines This one plays with the same trope as the story before it. Best friends Emma and Killian pose as a couple to appease her family over the holidays, but their feelings keep threatening to upset the whole ploy and reveal how much more they both want. Plus, there’s Liam visiting his “little” brother as well as a wonderful rendition of David and MM. The angst and the pining and the steamy moments “for show” just make this one - even before things work into their eventual happy resolution!

“The Perfect Gift” by: @terreisa  This is a modern au featuring CS as office co-workers that just charms you from beginning to end! Emma thinks she doesn’t want anything to do with the handsome Brit at the desk next to hers, but after a holiday gift exchange run by meddling matchmaker Mary Margaret, she begins to realize he isn’t who she believed him to be. This is seriously a gift for the reader, and you’ll love every word!! <3

“Hashtag Holiday Party” by: @shireness-says  No exaggeration here when I say that I start cackling with laughter whenever I think of this story. Devon does such a great job painting the worst kind of first date at a holiday party and how Emma deals with it. Luckily Killian and Belle are at the same party as well (as friends) and Emma finds that while the date was a bust, the party itself might not have been a waste at all... ;)

“To Keep it All the Year” by: @profdanglaisstuff​   This story reminds me exactly why I love a good Christmas story - the heart and good will found within it will truly warm your heart. The Killian we meet at the start of this is angry and alone and has nothing left, but then he meets Emma (and Henry) and he begins to see a way forward. I don’t want to spoil all the heart-tugging and glorious moments as the story progresses, but if you missed this around the holidays, please go back and read it now!!

“We Kill the Flame��� by: @thisonesatellite​  Seriously, if you haven’t been reading this WIP futuristic MC, then put down whatever you’re doing, and go start it ASAP!  This one will take your breath away with the pulse-pounding action, the high stakes, and the risks Emma and Killian go through for each other and for the tiniest chance at grasping a better life. The whole roster of characters are perfectly cast, and the plot is amazing! So original, so well-done... you won’t even want to blink until you’ve swallowed each chapter whole  -- it’s that intensely good!

[soracities]

hey happy new year, i was wondering if you can give a list of books to read while in your 20s or books that deal with being in your 20s or books written by people in their 20s. It can also be poetry or else. Just anything that can help me reach my 2019 book goal thank you xx

a very, very loose mix of recommendations that, I hope, will fit what you’re looking for

the opposite of loneliness by marina keegan

too much and not in the mood by durga chew-bose

a field guide to getting lost by rebecca solnit

cat’s eye by margaret atwood

the unabridged journals of sylvia plath

heroines by kate zambreno

the heart is a lonely hunter, carson mccullers

letters to a young poet by rilke

bluets by maggie nelson

as consciousness is harnessed to flesh: journals and notebooks by susan sontag

the complete persepolis by marjane satrapi

a concise chinese-english dictionary for lovers by xialou guo

ways of seeing by john berger

gilead & housekeeping by marilynne robinson

the secret history by donna tartt

my brilliant friend by elena ferrante

the fire next time & giovanni’s room by james baldwin

a visit from the goon squad by jennifer egan

just kids by patti smith

philadelphia, here I come by brian friel

demian & steppenwolf by hermann hesse

girl meets boy by ali smith

a little life by hanya yanagihara

near to the wild heart by clarice lispector

white teeth & swing time by zadie smith

sister outsider by audre lorde

madame bovary by gustave flaubert

between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates

garments against women by anne boyer

all about love by bell hooks

far from the madding crowd by thomas hardy

the country girls by edna o’brien

the girls by emma cline (if you want something much darker)

poetry:

what is this thing called love? by kim addonizio

elise cowen: poems and fragments by elise cowen

teaching my mother how to give birth by warsan shire

bright dead things by ada limón

coeur de lion by ariana reines

loose woman by sandra cisneros

what the living do by marie howe

the book of women by dorianne laux (though I would recommend anything by her)

rose by li-young lee

chloe by kristina haynes (you can find her work here)

night sky with exit wounds by ocean vuong (you can follow him @oceanvuong and find his work here)

citizen: an american lyric by claudia rankine

twenty-one love poems by adrienne rich

our bodies and other fine machines by natalie wee (you can follow her @natalieweepoetry and find her work here)

anything by emery allen (you can follow her @wethinkwedream and find her work here and more on her patreon)

anything by mary oliver

anything by lorca

and if you want to try slam poetry: anything by sarah kay or sierra de moulder

[fuck-onionboy]

where to begin?

i really dont know where to begin, so let’s begin with onision’s earliest interactions with women, the following are excerpts from lifeofonion.com because they seem to have the most comprehensive knowledge of greg’s pre-skye life:

Childhood Girls Greg dated and/or had crushes on in Elementary School.

Aubry

He says Aubry was the first girl he ever dated and the first girl he ever thought he loved. They dated in the 2nd grade. Greg says one day a boy named Phillip said Aubry was his girlfriend and told Greg to get away from her. He said other "nasty things", so Greg asked Aubry if she minded watching him beat Phillip. She said she did not, so he turned around and "began swinging as hard and fast as I could..." Phillip grabbed Greg's long hair and flipped him. Greg says he landed on the ground and Phillip "managed to land quite a few punches." The fight was broken up and Greg says Phillip cried and Greg smiled. Greg says he and Phillip were "ok" after the fight, but Phillip passed away two years later.

He says he and Aubry never talked after the incident.

Alana Greg says he had a crush on Alana in elementary school. He says she always had surgeries on her arm and felt bad for her.

Amber Greg says he fell for Amber in the 4th grade and she was the most beautiful girl he met up until that point. He says he spoke to her on occasion, but in 2005 he said he lost track of her.

[Unknown Name] In the 4th grade, he asked a girl out that looked like Winona Ryder with a letter. She ended up dumping with with a letter.

This could be Amber (above).

Pre-teen Girls Greg dated and/or had crushes on when he was 10 to 12 years old.

Lindsey Greg says Lindsey asked him out when he was in the 5th grade. He didn't understand what she meant and asked, "which movie?" She later broke up with him from a line he believes she got from the WB. He says it was all a "sham", but he thought she was funny at the time.

Julia Julia was Greg's first kiss. He also had his first sexual experience with her. Greg was 11 and Julia was 15. This would have been in 1997. Greg spoke about his experiences with Julia several times over the years. In 2018, Greg named and modeled a character in his 3rd book, Reaper's Creek, after Julia and wrote about their sexual experiences. This caused some controversy due to their ages.In 2019, Greg bought a love doll to sell nude photos and videos of and named her Julia Love.

Crystal Greg says he dated Crystal in the 6th grade. He says she looked like Zooey Deschanel, "except she was Mexican". She dumped him because she thought he had blue eyes, when he really had green eyes.

Teen Girls Greg dated and/or had crushes on when he was a teenager

Monica Greg says he asked out Monica in the 7th grade. He says "she basically looked like Jennifer Love Hewitt with braces." They dated for two weeks. She dumped him because her friend did not like him.

Sharnell

Greg says they dated when he was 15-years-old. He says he groped Sharnell's boob, then broke up with her.

Jennifer Greg had a crush on Jennifer when he was 15. Jennifer is Michael's sister. They attended Greg's father's church. Greg says she was hyper and loved to run. Greg says he had his eyes on Jennifer for a while. He loved her high energy and he thought she was fun. He also notes that he liked that she was inexperienced with boys because he likes "teaching people about everything".

Greg confessed his feelings for her in a letter, but she called him and told him she did not think of him the same way. Greg continued to see her for a while whenever he would visit his father.

Ashley Greg says he met Ashley in his high school Earth Club. They spoke on and off for three years. Eventually they began watching movies together in each other's arms. The relationship came to an end when Greg invented his religion, Sicesca, and they had a huge fight over it. Ashley told Greg she never wanted to speak to him again and he laughed about it.

Unknown Age Greg did not specify when he dated these girls.

Danielle

Greg says he broke up with Danielle because "she kissed me like a garden hose." Greg says years after they dated, she called him to brag about how large her breasts got. Keesha Greg says he thought that Keesha was "literally, psychotically in love with me... like... horror film "in-love"." He says everything she owned had his name on it and "every other word she spoke was one directed towards me, about me..." He says he broke up with her because she hit on him too much. He tied to tell her he preferred smiling as flirting, but she did not understand.

Tia

They were friends, but ended up dating. He said it was weird and when they kissed, he didn't feel anything. They broke up after only dating four days.

In 2005, while talking about their short relationship, Greg says, "she's quite fantastic, she has a wonderful laugh, beautiful eyes, smile.. she just makes me feel comfortable..." They possibly could have still been friends at that point as he kept in contact with many of his exes at that time.

and now we move onto the skye era, which my main source will be lifeofonion still but also skye and shiloh’s testimonies about their relationship. 

skye and greg met in 2001 in their computer class, but didn’t start talking until 2003, and by 2005 they were married and greg was enlisted in the us air force (usaf)

“Skye and her sister, "Netunesa", participated in many of Greg's early websites and videos. For example, they began working on a video series on January 2, 2005 titled Odd Dolls. This was described on their site as dolls doing "hilarious/nasty things to one another.. these things involved such acts as, murder, arson, PDA, swearing, and various other non-PC actions." They made about 24 episodes. Greg said he broke up with Skye for the first time because she was depressed and he told her he could never make her happy. They because friends. In January 2005, Greg signed up for the United States Air Force. A few months later, in March 2005, someone who is believed to be Skye's mother told her to "be careful around Greg" because of his anger. Greg confronts this person through email and explains that he argues with Skye to "teach her something." The next day, Greg sent Skye what seems to be an email talking about a separation between them. He forwarded the email to his ex Tanya and asked her opinion. He then sent his ex another email, seemingly trying to win her back. Two months after the incident, on May 28, 2005, Greg and Skye became engaged. Greg stated, before their marriage he asked Skye to sign a prenup and she cried. Greg now uses this incident as evidence of his claim that Skye put on "water works" because she was interested in his money.”

greg and skye married in august of 2005 and for the first few years of their marriage they moved around a lot due to greg’s military job.

“On January 24th, 2007 Greg wrote a long blog post explaining why he made the decision for he and Skye to stop hanging out with friends and only hang out with each other and family. He explains he chose Skye to be with him for the rest of his life and having friends does not improve it and makes him suffer. Three days later, on January 27th, 2007, two mutual friends of Greg and Skye tried to separate them because the friends believed Greg was bad for Skye. Greg replied to this on his blog and told the friends that they are in-fact the ones that are bad for Skye because they can't look past his personality and they don't know he tells Skye he loves her every day.”

this is clearly the beginning of greg’s isolation and abuse patterns which he continued with shiloh, and continues with kai.

“In a 2008 blog post, Greg reveals his worst nightmare is not about monsters, but of his his wife leaving him or vice versa. This is something he would again say about his [husband], [Kai], in 2016. During his marriage to Skye, Greg would publicly express never wanting to have children. He said it would be selfish to have children due to overpopulation. (this was a speaks video) Years after the marriage (and after becoming a father), Greg said it was Skye who didn't want children and that's why he would say that. Greg revealed a couple of their marriage agreements in a 2010 video titled "Lover's Pact". One is an "honesty pact", to never lie or keep secrets from each other. The other agreement is a "health pact", to stay skinny. He states it would be selfish for one of them to gain weight and not take into consideration the other person's sexual needs. He says it would be hard for them to maintain attraction for the other when they are "intentionally, consciously letting themselves go". Greg spoke more about his marriage to Skye on his OnisionSpeaks channel and would give viewers advice about how to have a successful marriage like theirs. It is believed most of these videos were removed from his channel after the divorce.During the entirety of the marriage, Greg would often talk about he and Skye's relationship fondly online. Even as late as 2010 (the year he divorced her), when Greg was asked "At what point did you realize that Skye was the one you wanted to spend your life with???" he responded "When I realized her morals and interests were almost identical to mine… and that she loved me more than any girl I ever met… even when I’m being annoying or rude… she loves me… as I do her." Now, Greg says he only saw Skye as a friend and describes the marriage as "friends with benefits" or "bros hanging out". He says he was actually in love with his ex Shiree and only married Skye to receive military benefits, such as living off base and not having to live in the dorms. He says he and Skye would watch anime, play video games, and make love, but the making love stopped at the end of the relationship.“

so the patterns of abuse and control continue with the “health pacts.”

“Greg created his Onision YouTube on January 29, 2006. Greg was discharged from the United States Air Force in January 2009. He and Skye lived with Greg's mother for 8 months while they were finding a house. According to Greg, there was an [incident] where Skye was crying and his mother laughed and screamed in her face. He says this was because Skye didn't want help out around the house. After the military, Greg began to seriously pursue a YouTube career. Skye worked out of the house and supported both of them while Greg stayed home and worked on building his YouTube career. When his channel became successful enough to financially support them both, he asked her to quit her job and work for the YouTube channel with him full time. Skye would often act in the Onision Channel skits and appeared in his first viral hit, Banana Song. She would also make appearances in some OnisionSpeaks videos, usually messing around in the background or sitting next to him. Skye also designed some Onision shirts for Greg. Skye was adored by virtually all of Greg's fan base at the time.Skye joined YouTube on February 9, 2008 with her own channel, Tantaga (channel now removed), where she uploaded comedy and blooper videos. The last recorded number of subscribers on the Tantaga channel before its deletion was 13,164. At some point, it seems Skye lost interest in YouTube and would not work with Greg on videos anymore. He says she would lay on the couch all day and watch anime or look at pictures of flowers and dresses on her laptop. Skye later revealed she was suffering from depression. Toward the end of their marriage, the Onision channel became hugely successful. The channel had reached the Top 100 Most Subscribed YouTubers list by 2010.“

so greg was beginning to take off, but his and skye’s relationship was far from perfect, and skye was depressed, probably due to the isolation from her friends and most likely family, and they “divorced” on christmas eve 2010

“On December 24, 2010 Greg announced through his Facebook fanpage that he and Skye had been separated since December 17th. That same day, he uploaded "Greg & Skye Divorced", where he says he and Skye decided to get a divorce because they are not compatible and many other reasons. He says they are still friends and he still loves her. He says he and Skye will still be living together for a while. He says he moved on because he couldn't do it anymore and he hopes she moves on too. He tells his fans to be kind to her and show support because she deserves respect. Many fans were hoping it was a joke, but soon found out it wasn't. As the news spread, it brought mixed emotions to Greg and Skye's fanbase. Most were saddened by the news and some even went as far to say they felt like their own parents were getting a divorce. This news came seemingly out of nowhere to fans, as Greg and Skye seemed to be keeping up the same energy and emotions into their videos as when they first started. Some fans even contacted Greg to tell him he was making a mistake by divorcing Skye. Greg replies in the video "Onision's Divorce Was A Mistake?" saying these fans are ignorant and he did not have a perfect marriage. He says it was sad and draining. On December 25, Greg uploaded the skit video "Demon Possessed Girl" to his main channel. The video featured him, Skye and Cyr. It was the last skit Greg uploaded with Skye. At the end of the skit he asked fans to show Skye love, she could use it due to recent hardships. During this time Greg had his friend Cyr staying at their house. Sometime after Skye had moved out of the home, Greg uploaded the video "She Betrayed Me". In the video he walks around his house as he lists items Skye and her sister have taken from the home. He heavily implies she stole over $2,000 of his items from his home when he was not there. He says he wished she had told him she was going to take items from the home beforehand and that he was still willing the follow the "agreement" they had over living arrangements and monthly payments. Text appears under him, revealing the details. "I agreed to either cover her bills in my home for 2 years, or pay her $1,000 a month for a year outside my home" Greg has since deleted the video. After uploading this video, he uploaded another video showing surveillance footage of Skye and her sister removing items through his front porch. In the video he says he will take legal action. This video has also been deleted.After Skye began receiving harassment due to Greg's videos, he uploaded "Please Leave Skye Alone", where he asked fans to stop leaving hate comments on her channel. Skye says the divorce was sudden and came out of nowhere. Greg states he threatened her with divorce for the first time in June 2010 over an argument about their possessions. He has also stated he asked for one in October and regrets not following through with it at that time. There are two main reasons Greg states as to why he divorced his first wife. One reason is that he was upset that Skye "felt entitled to 50% of his assets". He says he made it clear their relationship was not about material items. He says despite marriage being an asset split in the eyes of the law, he believed they had an agreement that "everything she acquired in her life was hers, and he in his". He says when she wanted their possessions to be split, she was showing greed and he wanted out. The other reason Greg says he divorced Skye was because she "just sat around and browsed the web". He says she began to have problems with motivation and would quit making videos with him in the middle of filming. He also says she once had a "melt down" in-front of him and his mom for no reason.”

so this is where things start to get legally sketchy, he writes HIS OWN DIVORCE AGREEMENT, and follows skye around the house screaming at her to sign it. so it wasn’t legal to begin with because it wasn’t notarized, or written by an actual lawyer, or an actual legal contract in any way, shape, or form, but then he makes skye sign it under duress, making it doubly invalid

“When talking or blogging about his ex-wife, Skye, Greg often posts the divorce contract he created. The contract is dated December 22, 2010. In the contract Greg states that he would let Skye continue to live in his house rent free until December 22, 2011, 1 year. If she moves out, he states he would pay her $1,000 a month. The contract also states, when Skye signs the papers, she forfeits all home ownership rights to Greg. Greg often brings up this contract to prove that Skye ignored her signed agreement to him. He says when she and her sister took items from him home, she stole the signed agreement, although he had already made copies. He says in the end, that made no difference. According to Greg, Skye declined the offer to continue living with him because she was still in love with him and being around him would be too painful for her. (It's worth noting Greg was planning on starting his relationship with Shiloh during this time and shortly after separating from Skye he began living with Shiloh.)According to Skye, after Greg wrote up the contract he demanded her to sign it. "He would proceed to follow me around the house for hours at a time screaming at me that if I really loved him, I would sign the paperwork, Eventually after the endless onslaught, I gave in as my spirit was quite broken." Skye says due Greg forcing her to sign the contract and the fact that it was not proper or notarized, the court determined the contract was null. Skye [pursued] Greg legally for alimony payments. For years Greg has said Skye stole from him by lying about how much money of the Onision business she was entitled to. He says he got scared and settled without stepping into a courthouse.”

this is everything up to the skye era as described by outside sources, my next post will be skye’s testimony of their relationship (if i can find it), if not my next post will be the beginning of the shiloh era.

im sorry this was so fucking long but if you actually read the whole thing sauce me a follow? this is going to be an ongoing project but i just started and appreciate any exposure i can get

[parf-fan]

Followup: Blackfryars!

Mount Hope, I’m begging you.  👏 Hire 👏 a 👏 copy 👏 editor. 👏

As always, visit the Faire’s website for headshots

Estelle Angrist :  Millicent Goodnestone – Apprentice Stone-Carver 

Inside every stone is a piece of art, so says Millicent. All you need to do is listen to the rock and take away the unnecessary pieces. Now, the artistry comes in the patience with which one removes the extra bits of stone. Patience, hammer, chisel, and a light touch are all that are required. Otherwise, a good piece of stone can become a dust pile very quickly. Thank goodness today is a festival day, because Millicent has been sweeping piles of dust for a while.

Alessandra Appiotti :  Bernadette Albright – Matchmaker 

The shire is being visited by the World’s most famous Bachelorette: Queen Elizabeth! If Bernadette can find the one for Queen Elizabeth, she will go from rising star to full-on supernova! She’d better get started lining up eligible bachelors! Or Bachelorettes! She hasn’t met Her Majesty yet, so who is she to judge her tastes?

Andréa Barton :  Lady Blanche Parry – Lady in Waiting 

This devoted Lady has served the Queen from the time our monarch was in nappies! They are boon companions, sharing court life and all its intrigue and frivolity. While she may look like the marzipan on the cake, her skilled organization of the Queen’s library and fondness for a good jest keeps her wit sharp enough to cut like a knife. Just ask the fool that attempts to play with her heart strings or guitar strings!

Kristin Bauer :  Frances Newton, Lady Cobham – Lady in Waiting

Lady Cobham is thrilled to be on progress with the Queen. After all, this busy mother needs some time with the Ladies. With her soft nature and quick smile, she can often times be found with the children of the Shire, telling stories, rhymes, riddles, and playing games. Her sense of mirth does not leave her without a streak of mischief, as she does love to put her finger in the pot, give it a stir, and see what happens! Naughty or Nice? You be the judge!

Lauralette Bernard :  Tolly Muneford – Harbor Master 

Nothing comes in or out of the shores of Mount Hope that Tolly doesn’t know about. Her web of knowledge reaches far and wide, and she does it all in the service of the Shire. If only she wasn’t so keen on sharing all this knowledge with literally everyone, she might be able to use it for personal gain.

Jennifer Blackwell-Yale :  Emily O. Bales – Fire Brigade 

It has been 15 years since a monarch last visited the Shire of Mount Hope. Coincidentally, it has also been 15 years since the last fire in the shire of Mount Hope. Emily is always ready for action, but no one is quite sure she would know exactly what to do should action arise. When in doubt: stop, drop, roll, and have some wine. It seemed to work out just fine for the Old Dun Cow!

Karen Rose Bitzer :  Rosie DuLait – Milkmaid 

This milkmaid typically spends her day milking the cows and goats on the farm; carefully churning the butter; separating the curds from the whey; making the precious cheese to sell at market; all the time, singing and talking to her fine, generous, milk-laden friends! Is it any wonder that Rosie’s dairy products are highly sought for their sweet, creamy nature? It is even said that her happy cows seem to prance in the fields, as if dancing to a jig. Is that even possible? With Rosie, one never knows! Today she was up early: the Queen is expected and she wants to offer the sweetest cream and the finest butter to lay upon the Queen’s table.

Tabitha Borges :  Abigail Montgomery – Governess to the Lady Mayor 

Abigail has always had a way with children, and has taken care of all the Lady Mayor’s progeny, which means she is quite resilient! Of the many duties, trials, and tribulations the Penburthys have put her through, her favorite activity is still telling stories, and she is a masterful storyteller. Now that the Penburthy children, Calvin, Penelope, and Danforth, have all grown up, she is experiencing Empty Nest Syndrome far more than Delores is!

Elizabeth Burkholder :  Paraffin Dyson – Bellows-Mender

Paraffin is a fan. She is a fan of fans. Her bellows will blow you away, that’s how big of a fan she is. Sometimes she can be a bit of a blowhard, but usually she can play it cool. And yet, even the coolest of bellows-menders may have a difficult time not having a meltdown with our Queen on the Shire. Time will tell if Paraffin maintains her composure or has a blowout, but one thing is for sure; she will certainly enjoy this festival day!

Jasmine Crist :  Mary Robin Richland – Shire Ne'er-Do-Well 

Every shire has one, ours is Mary Robin! While good-natured and always seen with a smile, it is known that one must keep a hand on your purse and an eye on your goods, for you may come up short when the back side of Mary Robin you see! Slight of hand, quick of feet, and always with a jest to share, it is her good nature and sharp wit that keeps her just on this side of the law, for now! It has been heard that she has high aspirations, but for what? Ask her, she may or may not share!

Ashley Crowther :  Ira Roth – Actuary 

Everyone’s heard of mad scientists, but a mad actuary? That’s much rarer. If you stare at numbers all day long, apparently they start staring back. Eventually, everything starts to look like a ledger, and you can see the numbers everywhere. Sure... that adds up...

Josh Dorsheimer :  Jakob Werner – Landsknecht

Professional mercenaries fight the wars of the Kings of Europe. Professionals like Jakob. He does his level best to never think about any of that, though! He would rather spend his time gallivanting around town, spending his hard-won gold on drink, friends, and frivolity. The oldest of the family, Jakob is sometimes mistaken as the decision-maker of the clan. While he won’t outright deny this, the three siblings all know who really calls the shots: their baby sister!

Elisia Freeman :  Agnes Lambourne – Apple-Monger 

Apple cider, apple butter, apple sausage, apple crisp, apple cake.... Just ask this happy-go-lucky lady what you can do with all those apples, and she will tell you! Be prepared, her list is LONG! Apple juggling, apple carving, apple tossing, apple dicing, apple bocci. Do not be fooled, she knows that man does not live by apples alone; everyone knows you need a little cinnamon and a lot of laughter!

Corey Graff :  Wagner Werner – Landsknecht

Wagner travels all over Europe fighting battles with his brother and sister for one reason: he loves them both dearly. Honestly though, he would much rather be laying down in a meadow watching butterflies. Sometimes suffering from middle child syndrome, Wagner’s gadabout ways certainly make life interesting for all the Werner siblings.

Steve Hager :  Rip Skeleton – Gravedigger 

There are two things certain in this world: Death, and Taxes – and Rip ain’t no accountant. Its always nice to have a friendly face build your final resting place.

Jeremiah Halteman :  Ronald P. Eversmeyer – Yeoman Guard 

They say history is written by the victors. Ronald has every intention of ensuring that our good Queen’s name goes down in the history of the world as the greatest victor of them all! He is always prepared to put himself between Her Majesty and danger, wherever it comes from, in whatever form it takes, and at any personal sacrifice! His extensive training in the art of personal security has rendered him one of the elite of the yeoman guard; as long as Her Majesty is not attacked from the air. Unfortunately, Ronald has a fear of butterflies. Something about the wings just throw off his rhythm, but no worries....butterflies in Mount Hope? Never!!

Jonathan Heise :  Sir John Giffard of Chillington, Minister of Parliament, Knight – Nobleman 

This Minister of Parliament felt it his duty to be present during the Queen’s progress at Mount Hope. Concerned that perhaps this tiny village would not be up to the task of hosting our Queen, he would be quick to move the festivities to Chillington. Upon arrival he realized his foolish mistake; never had he seen such a shire, and thought perhaps ‘twas time to move Chillington to Mount Hope! However, for now, why not enjoy the festivities?

Brianna E. Holmes :  Mary Hill, Lady Cheke – Lady in Waiting 

This gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber is well loved by all. Her husband, John Cheke, a gentleman of the court, encourages her in her service of the Queen. The Queen has blessed them often with gifts, grants, and an estate or two. Even at this show of opulence, Lady Cheke takes it all in stride. She finds joy in the simple things in life; her children, her rose garden, and her love of arachnids. Their homes, their legs, and loving little eyes; can you ever have enough? I think NOT says Lady Cheke.

Anastasia Keno :  Louise Weaver – Shepherdess

A diligent if mischievous shepherdess, Louise has a passion for all things fluffy! Why should sheep be the only animals allowed to graze free? Let the cats graze free! Let the puppies graze free! Let the mice graze free! Free the animals! Sorry... she can be very passionate.

Jennifer Litzinger :  Cherie Piquant – Spice Merchant 

If the first pinch of salt is free, be prepared to pay dearly for everything else. A shrewd business woman, do not let Cherie’s smile fool you. She was born to barter, and barter she will! Well-known on the shire as the woman who can get what you need, do not be afraid to ask; as long as its cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, or cardamom, by day’s end, it will be in your kitchen. Ask for a song, and you could be in for a treat.

Dana Micciché :  Katherine Champernowne, Lady Kat Ashley – Lady in Waiting

Appointed governess, tutor, friend, and confidante, Lady Kat Ashley ensured that her Queen had all the necessary tools to rule England. Well versed in astronomy, geography, history, Latin, Spanish, Italian, and Flemish, this unassuming woman is also trained in the art of swordsmanship, axe-throwing, archery, and caber tossing! Think you know a little about a lot? Lady Kat knew it first!

Traci Mohl :  Olivia Charnwood – Huntress 

The family tradition of hunting and tracking lives on in the guise of Olivia. Like her mother and grandmother before her, ear to ground, sniffing the air; hunting prey is in her blood. Mount Hope’s finest archer, Olivia never fails to bring home the meat – just don’t ask her to cook it!! On this festival day, she plans on showing off her tracking skills by sniffing out a merry time!

Beverly Newton :  Charlotte Seaswift – Shipwright

This buoyant aquatic engineer helps keep the Harbor of Mount Hope afloat. An eye for design and a passion for innovation drive Charlotte. She knows that the fine line between sink and swim is just a patch away, and she is always ready to keep things floating on.

Jared Nocella :  Miles I. Gore – Professional Henchman 

Some people are natural born leaders. Miles is not one of those people. Miles is a natural born lackey, and he’s the best there is at being second fiddle. Always down for doing the dirty work, and he does it dirt cheap! Miles is a sidekick with a smile and has a flare for following.

Alexandra Pentz :  Dorte Werner – Kampfrau 

The youngest of the Werner siblings, but make no mistake: she is the one that keeps the family together. From designing the boys’ clothes, managing the family finances, and fighting her share of battles, she is as clever as she is dangerous. And after all that, she still has the ability to be the most mischievous of the three!

Lianna Pike :  Rosalind Anne Uxbridge – Gardener 

Rosalind has had her hands deep in dirt, up to her elbows, preparing for the Royal visit. The gardens must be perfect! Simple details like stone placement can be so critical, yet every time she plants, those chipmunks and rabbits have a feast . That is why Rosalind has a bed in all of her garden plots. She sleeps in a different flower bed each night. Thank goodness the festival is finally here, she can finally get out of the beds and enjoy the beauty of her work with the rest of the shirefolk.

Nicolas Rainville :  Grayson Thomas Hemplewhite – Squire to the Master of Horse, Sir Robert Dudley 

What an honor to serve the horse that carries the saddle that seats the man who serves the Queen so closely! To say that Hemplewhite is a hard worker is putting it mildly. His work is never done. Clean the tack, muck the stall, check the hooves; not to mention ensuring that Tinker, the horse, is always sweet-smelling for his Master to ride. But today is a festival day. Tinker smells sweet, now its time for Hemplewhite to have a bit of merriment.

Jessica Reesor :  Holly Teacake – Baker 

Everyone likes sweets at a festival, and Holly has made sure the shire is stocked with confections to please any palate. Fruity, chocolatey, savory – whatever your taste, Holly has you covered! An obsessive planner, Holly loves the order of a recipe. It is a mathematical equation for pleasing people. If only everything else was that simple!

Laura Reesor :  Pearl Topstitch – Tailor 

A visionary designer with an eye for style. Never satisfied with the same-old same-old; when something works once, she’s done with it! Her appetite for new and exotic is matched only by her skill. She can look at a piece of fabric and see the hidden...pearl...of genius within. Now it is time to show off her skills to the Queen.

James Riley :  Adam Cringer – Yeoman Guard 

A newly-minted member of the Yeoman Guard following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father before him. Legend of Adam’s monster-hunting exploits have already preceded him. Now it is time to see if the man can match the Legend.

Victoria Sangston :  Dorothea Anne Heartley – Etiquette Mistress 

Today is a big day for the shire of Mount Hope, and the Lady Mayor has tasked Mistress Heartley with making sure everyone puts their best foot forward. Of course, is that the right foot or the other right foot? Joyfully surveying the shirefolk, she knows everyone will be on their best, smiling, bowing, hat tipping, formal greeting behavior – or else!

Michael Sheffield :  John Dee – Royal Astrologer

A good ruler has good advisors. Time will tell what kind of advisor John Dee will be. He says he talks to angels. Perhaps he does. Perhaps he’s just a brilliant con man. One thing is for sure – eccentric only scratches the surface of describing this stargazing man.

Jessie Smith :  Polly Lynne Pickering – Apprentice Rag-picker

Polly Lynne has been following in her mum’s footsteps for as long as she can remember. Mum does have a keen eye for bits and pieces, but Polly Lynne is impatient! When she is THE Rag-Picker, she will be much more efficient! Would anyone REALLY notice if a bit was snipped off a gown here and there? Bushes and scissors are a picker’s best friend. She has heard of the fine fabrics worn by the Nobles of the court and is hoping to snip.... errrr....snag a piece or two of those fabrics for herself!

Mary Smith :  Penelope Ann Pickering – Rag-picker 

Some call it rag-picking, but Penelope prefers to call it fabric repurposing opportunities. Opportunities abound in the shire of Mount Hope, all you have to do is look around! And look she does!! With a keen eye for bits of fabric, lace, gossip, and good will, she has a kind word for everyone and perhaps a bit of scrap for those in need; and, really, who doesn’t need a bit of scrap now and then? And now, with the training up of Polly Lynne, she’s busy busy busy! Thank goodness for the Festival. Mirth, merriment, and fabric scraps!

Evelin Stayner :  Buttercup M. Rosehips – Scullery Wench 

This young lady is happy when surrounded by a pile of dirty anything. Beginning, middle, end! That is where she finds her joy. Every day has its adventures, and they all start when the sun comes up and last throughout the day. You may find her dancing, singing, or generally making herself an asset to the Shire of Mount. Hope. Some might even call her a fledgling pillar of society; probably more like a fence post. But everybody has to start somewhere!

Katrin Stayner :  Eva Froman – Sausage Queen of the Shire 

Blessed with infinite patience, and a lithe mind to keep up with her husband. The Fromans are nouveau riche, and happy to flaunt it. Eva is the true brains of the operation. Her wurst is the best, and her husband is the best at being the worst.  [the Sausage King is being played by one of the improv directors who doubles as an independent act.]

Jordan Taft :  Dorothy "Dottie" Brooke – Lady in Waiting 

This Maid of Honor is a seasoned Lady of the court. Certainly Lady Dorothy has done it all, seen it all, and has the bodice to prove it. However, Mount Hope intrigues her. After all, it is time for her to settle down and have a family of her own, and the matchmaker of the Shire is famous throughout the land. She may leave here betrothed, or at least,with several good prospects. Love is in the air, or, is that TURKEY???

Robyn Thompson :  Fiona Erin O'Donald – Personal Foot Post of the Lady Mayor 

When Fiona came to Mount Hope, the first person she met was the Lady Mayor, who had just lost her third foot post in six months. Fiona needed a job; she had no idea what a foot post was, but she knew she could do it! She is Irish after all! As it turns out, she is the best foot post the Mayor has ever had!! Messenger, she’s the Lady Mayor’s personal messenger!

Sandi Trait :  Becky Billingsly – Town Crier and Lady Mayor’s Official Letter-Opener 

Becky Billingsly, the voice of the shire, knows full well the weight her proclamations carry. As Official Letter Opener for the Lady Mayor, she is at the forefront of all the news that is news in the shire. Of course, nothing beats today’s happenings! The young Queen makes her way to the gates of Mount Hope. How thrilling to share her news and tidings with the court of her Majesty!

Ariel E. Urich :  Kathryn Bridges – Lady in Waiting 

This Maid of Honor is on her first progress with the Queen. She has lived her entire life in training for this very time and now that it is here, she realizes that something is missing. She knows how to carry the cup with grace and style; the basket is a simple matter; smiling at the proper time, sitting, standing. So, what is the problem? She has this deep desire to make people laugh! So far, she has shared a bit of her talent with the Ladies of the Court, but perhaps this small shire is where she can be a bit more free with her jests and merriment. Oh, the festival day could not get here soon enough!

Brianna Yale :  Lydia der Schlachter – Butcher 

Leaving home to work for the Fromans was a tough decision but one she is happy she made. Butchering brings her such delight. From the time she begins to sharpen her blade to the beauty of well-cut chop, this butcher knows her way around a slab of beef, pork, and lamb. However, never ask her for a capon! She has been squeamish since the capon incident of 1552. Enough of that! This is a festival day, and she plans on celebrating with the shire folk and perhaps even catching a glimpse of the new Queen.

Darrell E. Yoder :  Sylvan Farelight – Tinker

If it needs mending, this is the man to do it. If it needs replacing, step right up, he has it. If you need a bit of magic in your life, having Sylvan on the streets ensures that your needs will be met! Always popular when he arrives on shire; Sylvan can be counted on to share a bit of news from afar; a bit of wisdom from within; and a bit of magic from, well, from where magic comes from!

To the newcomers, welcome!  To those returning, welcome back!

[khorazir]

Enigma Research

Now that my Codebreaker/WW2 AU Enigma is finally, after almost four years and over 250k words, drawing to a close, I though it might be of interest to its readers and others who are writing fic set in this particular era to reveal some of my sources for the extensive research I undertook to learn more about the period and, hopefully, capture it adequately.

Huge gratitude goes to my brilliant beta rifleman_s who not only checked grammar and spelling (English not being my native language), but also offered valuable Brit-picking and, most importantly, fact checking when it came to historical accuracy. All remain inaccuracies or deliberate anachronisms are mine.

While I tried to stay true to historical events most of the time, in some instances I tweaked their timeline a little for dramatic effect or to better integrate them into the story. This is particularly relevant for the discovery of the German messages that opened the door to finally breaking the Lorenz Cipher. They were indeed intercepted in late August 1941, but of course their significance was not noticed by Jennifer Wilson, who is fictional. The explosion of a left-over bomb in Russell Square is fictional, too, although there were many similar occurrences all over London at the time.

A lucky guess was the address of Sherlock’s and John’s billet in Bletchley. Since the town looks a lot different now than it did in the 1940s (Milton Keynes, the town Bletchley is now a part of, didn’t even exist back then: it was built from 1967 onwards), I looked at old maps and aerial photographs, and decided that the oldest parts of the town must have been built along the major roads. I picked Buckingham Road, and was very pleased to discover during a later visit to the Bletchley Park Museum that there were indeed lodgings for staff of Station X on Buckingham Road.

Two other helpful factual sources were my two remaining grandparents: my maternal grandmother (born 1924) and paternal grandfather (born 1920) who, albeit not living in England at the time but in Germany, were invaluable when it came to remiscing about what life was like during WW2, as seen from both a soldier’s and a civilian’s perspective.

Apart from these helpers, I researched a lot, and enjoyed said research immensely. Here are some of my sources. I’m sure I forgot to list some, particularly those I consulted online. If you have questions about any of them, or my research or the fic in general, I’d be happy to answer them.

Films:

The Imitation Game (2015)

Enigma (2002, better than The Imitation Game at recreating the atmosphere of busy Bletchley Park during WW2)

Hope and Glory (1987, WW2 London seen through the eyes of a boy)

Atonement (2007)

Lady Henderson Presents (2006, Windmill Theatre)

The Landgirls (1997)

Dunkirk (2017)

Their Finest (2017)

Swing Kids (1993, 1940s swing music)

TV-series:

The Bletchley Circle (2012)

Small Island (2009)

Fleming (2013)

The Cambridge Spies (2003)

TV-documentaries:

Wartime Farm (2012, brilliant BBC documentary about everyday life in Wartime England)

Back in Time for Dinner (2015, BBC2)

Back in Time for Tea (2018, BBC2)

Wie ein Mathegenie Hitler knackte (2014, German documentary about Alan Turing, broadcast on French/German channel Arte)

Museums:

Bletchley Park (brilliant, brilliant museum, absolutely worth a visit)

Imperial War Museum, London

HMS Belfast, London

Museum of London

Victoria & Albert Museum (for 1940s fashion)

Churchill War Rooms, London

London Transport Museum

Literature:

McKay, Sinclair. The Lost World of Bletchley Park. London: Aurum. 2013

McKay, Sinclair. The Secret Lives of Codebreakers. London: Penguin. 2010

Smith, Michael. Bletchley Park: The Code-Breakers of Station X. Oxford: Shire. 2013

English Heritage. Bletchley Park: Home of the Codebreakers.

Imperial War Museum. HMS Belfast Guidebook. London: IWM. 2014

Dirix, Emmanuelle and Fiell, Charlotte. 1940s Fasion: The Definitive Sourcebook. London: Carlton. 2013

Shrimpton, Jayne. Fashion in the 1940s. Oxford: Shire. 2014

Lussier, Suzanne. Art Deco Fashion. London: V&A Publishing. 2009

DK. Fashion. London: DK. 2012

Noble, Christine. Portrait of an Era: An Illustrated History of Britain 1900 to 1945. London: Vivat Direct Limited. 2011

Ross, Cathy and Clark, John. London: The Illustrated History. London: Penguin. 2011

Winn, Christopher. I Never Knew That About London. London: Ebury Press. 2011

Geo Epoche Nr. 67. “Geheimdienste: Die Geschichte der Spionage”. Hamburg: Gruner & Jahr. 2014

Geo Epoche Nr. 43. “Der Zweite Weltkrieg: Teil 1 1939 – 1942”. Hamburg: Gruner & Jahr. 2010

Geo Epoche Nr. 44. “Der Zweite Weltkrieg: Teil 2 1943 – 1945”. Hamburg: Gruner & Jahr. 2010

Internet (selection):

Wikipedia (yeah, I know ... but it was very helpful for getting an overview over historical events and particularly the progress of codebreaking of both the Enigma and Lorenz Ciphers, John’s adventures in the North Atlantic, the various listening stations, etc.)

WW2 bombsites in London

Historical roadmaps

Wartime diet and rations

Wartime money

Historical photographs of Bletchley

London Necropolis Railway

John’s Naval uniform

People’s memories of WW2

Music of the 1930s and 40s

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Hunger of Crows by Richard Chiappone

 Five Star Read – Highly Recommend.

Alaska is a place I have always wanted to visit, and maybe one day I will. Karmon was my first introduction as a college roommate who came from Sitka and a few years later Maggie from Aleknagik told me more after she left to take up nursing and world travel. I still would love to see it though I am not sure I would be up to the dark nights of winter, long days of summer, and the severe winter weather. Anyway…this book took me back to dreaming about Alaska and perhaps one day I will actually get there though I hope it will be a much easier visit than some in this book had!

 What I liked:

* The story and the way it was written – well done

* Scott Crockett: divorced, carpenter, fisherman, survivor, protector, good man

* Shire Kiminsky: bartender, waitress, fishing boat owner, great mother to five-year-old twin daughters, good person

* The setting: Alaska, a place I hope to visit someday

* That the story was set in summer and not in winter

* Quirky aging hippie-like surfer wannabe George Volker owner of Orca Grill

* Carla Merino: divorced, educated waitress, disillusioned, seeks affirmation in interesting ways, memento thief, a product of her past choices, wondered about her life and how it might have been and may end up in the future.

* Cosmo D Angelo: military veteran, divorced, father of Jennifer, works for large security firm, capable, lethal, chef caliber cook, conflicted, intriguing, a bit of a bad boy that might have more beneath the surface…maybe?

* The tie-in to politics, politicians, and political issues that are current and contentious

* The Ravens…brilliant birds and perhaps smarter than the people in this story

* That the story felt believable and that I was along for the ride

* Being able to see this as a movie

* Lying in bed last night trying to figure out who I would cast in each role instead of counting sheep

* Thinking and wondering about the future of the characters in this book

* Reading a new-to-me author that I would gladly read again

 What I didn’t like:

* Exactly who and what I was meant not to like:

* Gordon McKint’s aspirations and his plots and plans and willingness to do anything to achieve them

* Knowing that much experienced by the characters is no doubt all too real

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Definitely

 Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 5 Stars

     BLURB

 Carla Merino is hiding out in Lost Bay, Alaska, after a one-night stand with the wrong man, living in a camper and waitressing to stay afloat. She'd taken a memento from the evening (a habit of hers), a photograph from the man's wallet, of a younger version of himself and some very important military men. But she quickly realizes who the men are--including Gordon McKint, giant in the military contracting industry, who just happens to be running for president. She knows that the photo is valuable, and having taken it makes her a target by men who are known for their ruthlessness. When she finds out she's been tracked to Lost Bay, she leaves for another hideout by boat, unprepared and unaware of the dangerous weather headed her way. Cosmo D'Angelo is a man grieving his daughter, living with the sins of his past, who's in search of a certain woman (and a good meal) in the Alaskan backwater. In the era of political secrets and deep fake technology, he was foolish to let that photograph out of his sight, no matter how satisfying his evening with Carla had been. McKint--and his dangerous men--are after that photo, and he needs to get to it first. Scott Crockett is a stand-up guy, nursing a broken heart, out dipnetting alone. But when he finds a floating bag of tortilla chips, an overturned boat, and a nearly-drowned woman in the rough water, his life will get infinitely more complicated--and dangerous.

[honorrollplaywrights]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Yvette Heyliger, Laura Rohrman, honorrollmembers@gmail.com

The SHE PERSISTED Series WOMEN+ PLAYWRIGHTS OVER 40 DEBUT NEW BOOKS

NEW YORK, NY, October 23, 2021 -- As gender discrimination in the theater is once again making headlines, Honor Roll! an advocacy and action group of women+ playwrights over forty and their allies, confronts both sexism and ageism.

Honor Roll! is pleased to give voice to this historically marginalized group with the debut of two books, She Persisted: 30 Ten-Minute Plays by Women Over 40 and She Persisted: Monologues from Plays by Women Over 40 by Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, the Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group.

These anthologies were edited by Lawrence Harbison with preface by Jacquelyn Reingold and introduction by Theresa Rebeck. The books may be purchased at the Drama Book Shop, 266 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018, or at your preferred bookseller. The monologues and 10-minute plays in these collections are perfect for professional as well as student actors, directors, and producers looking for fresh material by established as well as emerging playwrights. As editor Lawrence Harbison says, “It is my hope that these books will help to combat the rampant ageism which pervades the theater.”

With more than 1300 members and growing, Honor Roll! is making its first foray into publishing opportunities for its members. Honor Roll! members are the generation of women+ who were excluded at the outset of their careers because of sexism, and are now overlooked because of ageism. They celebrate diversity in theater and work to eliminate age discrimination as it intersects with sexism and other biases including those based on race, gender identity, ethnicity, faith, socioeconomic status, disability, and sexual orientation in the American Theater and beyond.

As Pulitzer-winning playwright Theresa Rebeck explains in her introduction, “These women are in their forties and fifties and sixties, and they have been writing a long time, and they are at the height of their craft. These are tight, complex, nuanced pieces of writing, which no one has seen because for too long they weren't looking…These are important writers, and important plays.”

The playwrights featured in She Persisted: 30 Ten-Minute Plays by Women Over 40 are: Liz Amberly, Rita Anderson, Jenny Lyn Bader, Susan Cinoman, Cynthia L. Cooper, J. Thalia Cunningham, Victoria Z. Daly, Inda Craig-Galván, C.S. Hanson, Yvette Heyliger, Donna Hoke, Michael Angel Johnson, Christine Toy Johnson, Susan Kim, Donna Latham, Judith Leora, Jennifer Maisel, Karen Malpede, Jacquelyn Reingold, Laura Rohrman, Lynn Rosen, Betty Shamieh, Royal Shirée, C. Denby Swenson, Lucy Wang, Audrey Webb, Julie Weinberg, A.D. Williams, Sheri Wilner, and Bridgette A. Wimberly.

The playwrights featured in She Persisted: Monologues from Plays by Women Over 40 are: Crystal Adaway, Shari Albert, Barbara Blatner, Diana Burbano, Laura Maria Censabella, Cynthia Chapman, Susan Cinoman, Alice Eve Cohen, J. Thalia Cunningham, Victoria Z. Daly, Elizabeth Dement, J. Lois Diamond, Charlene A. Donaghy, Jeanne Dorsey, Phoebe Eaton, T. Cat Ford, Christine Foster, Inda Craig-Galván, Dana Leslie Goldstein, C.S. Hanson, Yvette Heyliger, Betsy Howie, Christine Toy Johnson, Carol S. Lashof, Annie LaRussa, Donna Latham, Andrea Lepcio, Felice Locker, Shellen Lubin, Ali MacLean, Karen Malpede, Susan Miller, Lori M. Myers, Jamie Pachino, Martha Patterson, Jacquelyn Reingold, Cynthia Grace Robinson, Laura Rohrman, Lynn Rosen, Kate Schwartz, Royal Shiree, Saviana Stanescu, Caridad Svich, C. Denby Swanson, Ann Timmons. Sarah Tuft, Lucy Wang, and Julie Weinberg.

American novelist, nonfiction writer, screenwriter, activist and yes, playwright, Sarah Schulman, gives a shout out to Honor Roll! in her recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times. "Women are working together to fight back," she declared.

Women+ playwrights over 40 and women+ allies over 40 may join our ranks by visiting us on Facebook or writing to us at honorrollmembers@gmail.com. To learn more about Honor Roll! visit our web page, http://jd03.myonepager.com/. To learn more about our members visit Honor Roll! Profiles. Onward! # #

[eyeconsults-blog]

What is Jennifer Aniston talking about with eye love?

 http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7820851-shire-plc-chronic-dry-eye-awareness/

Jennifer Aniston is advertising a new #dry eye medication called Xiidra.  It was just approved this past summer by the FDA for treating the signs and symptoms of dry eyes.  It is estimated about 16 million adults in the US are diagnosed with dry eyes. Currently, the only other prescription eye drop available for dry eyes is Restasis.  Some common signs of dry eye syndrome are the following:

#Burning eyes

#Redness of the eye

#Fluctuating vision

#Stinging

#Itching

#Tearing

#Sandy or gritty feeling

#Scratchy or foreign body sensation

#Frequent blinking

 visit us at EyeConsults.com

[jennhoney]

[sarahvsalcedo]

REST DAY

Trying to make today as restful a day as possible. Jennifer is still recovering from a 30+ hour bus ride from San Diego and we're all trying to get as much rest as we can because tomorrow we'll be waiting all day in line for The Dark Knight Rises midnight showing! 

Tonight I am also making potatoey dish for Jennifer, since it's the first dinner I'm making for her while she's here. I'm sure there will be pictures up on the internet later, because potatoes are glorious enough to be photographed and displayed for you all to see.

We may also introduce The Claire to Game of Thrones, on the agreement that we tell her when to look away wherever it gets too gory. Thus Jennifer and I amended our offer and have told her that we're introducing her to a really great radio play called Game of Thrones.

Read The Claire watches Game of Thrones...  

[jennhoney]

The Claire is the only person I've ever side-by-side tumbld with, like, hours of mutual dashboard sharing. I think I only had to hold my hand over my dash one time:

me: hold on. I'm just going to scroll past this, real quick, never know what's going to happen with that tumblroo.

at the time of the Hiddleston/frog posts photo we had both gasped in interest at each other's dashboards. I was gasping FOR Jules (who wasn't there) but when I told Jules the story, later, I'm pretty sure she growled at me. She's so Hiddletorial.

I was very behind on tumblr (always) while in The Shire and The Claire was very supportive:

The Claire: You are almost caught up!

me: No. I'm almost caught up with this timeline. I have a tab of older posts and a tab of newer posts. I'll never be caught up.

The Claire: Honestly, I would have given up by now.

and that's just one of the tiny reasons that you are infinitely smarter than me The Claire. Congratulations on your great brain!  and your FACE and your EVERYTHING! <3

and the bottom picture is when The Claire received her fantastic Merlin Comic Con care package from the even more fantastic Of The Houses.

[jennhoney]

This is one of the only things I drew in the past three months. Just a note to remind myself that there was totally a vampire at our midnight screening of TDKR . Mary sighted him, I helped track and document his quest to find a seat or his next victim, and Sarah finished an outline of his story.

and when I heard Mary sing

~break Batman's back~

I realized she was singing a Bane musical to me.

and that was, just like, 20 minutes of my WA trip.

[jennhoney]

July 22 - Leavenworth, WA

Sarah really knows how to dress a sausage!

She's the fanciest <3

[jennhoney]

Pike Place with Sarah, Vasant, Mary, & Lilo. I catch a glimpse of something and run into the crowd.

I catch up with the man and tap him on the shoulder.

me: excuse me, sir, where did you get that bag?

guy: through that door and to the right. Have you tried their peaches? YOU HAVE TO TRY THEIR PEACHES!

and he was Southern so, I sure as hell tried those peaches. ohmypeachesgod. they were good and peaches are not my favorite.

I'm totally going to hang that bag on my kitchen wall. These are my favorite kind of souvenirs. I'll always remember chasing the ~moustache~ and the looks on my friend's faces as they were working out that I did indeed run after a stranger to get a paper bag.

I mean...

~*~

HANDLED!

It’s Good Mustache Thursday. I’ll handle the mustaches, you handle something else, and we might just get the hang of Thursday!

[jennhoney]

me: Is that a mustache in the refrigerator?

Sarah: yep, better get your camera.

~*~

HANDLED!

It’s Good Mustache Thursday. I’ll handle the mustaches, you handle something else, and we might just get the hang of Thursday!

[jennhoney]

Magic is what we do.

Music is the way we do it.