#like . how big of a deal it'd be for folks to try and leave

[dsrtrose]

why  is  everyone  always  understating  just  how  much  of  an  actual  family  everyone  in  the  gang  was.

[thejollywriter]

IT'S TIME TO LAUNCH THE BOOK

WELCOME FRIENDS, TO THE BEGINNING OF AN ADVENTURE! Allow me to introduce to you, DELILAH JONES; free-lance Robin Hood and bad-ass extraordinaire.

In the cyberpunk future of The Redwood Files, Delilah Jones is half film-noire private detective, and half western-gunslinger, who rides into a lawless town and fights the bullies and the bastards that hurt innocent folks.

This anthology contains SIX, count 'em SIX short stories and novellas detailing Delilah's Adventures.

Through a Dream, Lethally; When tech CEO Michael Lense decides to hijack the soft-RAM in his employees heads in order to make people do his bidding, things can get awful, FAST. Being forced, without your consent, to be an assassin or a thief or a sex worker, and more. But Lense also has the city under-thumb. Only Delilah's got the brute force to break Lense's control, and free the city from his cruel influence.

Happy Endings, Guaranteed; Delilah has a partner, and after a long day of nonsense, is looking forward to visiting them at work to unwind. Only to get to the club where her partner works, and discover that they've been KIDNAPPED! Delilah races around the city, squaring up with every underworld hard-ass she comes across following every lead to find her partner. Except nothing is what it seems, and a simple (but tragic) kidnapping turns out to be way more nefarious than Delilah expected. . .

Delilah's Heart; recovering from the last adventure weeks later, Delilah meets a handsome butch at a dive bar. Things between the two show promise, but the butch gets called back to work by an abusive bastard who violates and exploits his employees. The butch asks Delilah for help, and as she digs into it, discovers a deeply connected mafia bookmaker who uses that underground protection to kill and exploit people without fear of consequences. Delilah's the only one who can bring justice down on this bastard, but it threatens a gang war if she does. . .

Gutter Medicine; a gang of outta-town skinheads robs an impoverished clinic in a rough neighborhood. Delilah digs into the theft, and promises to recover the medicine, only to discover that the outta-towners are stirring up trouble to pave the way for an invasion from the South. A Kingpin from Los Angeles is hungry for expansion, and Redwood is fertile ground. Unless Delilah can stop the gang, and convince the Kingpin it'd be too expensive to expand beyond the safe borders of LA.

Restitution; Delilah's robbing a rich billionaire's museum-like mansion one night when she's caught by an unlikely sentry, a very old man who'd had plans of trying to embarrass the billionaire for reneging on a deal, and leaving the old man destitute. Delilah invites him to tell his story, and she volunteers to see justice done, according to Delilah's exacting standards.

In a Name?; every trans person's name comes from a personal place and an intimate choice. This story is about a young thief, with big dreams and a hard head, how she picked her name, and the day she was reborn into Delilah-fucking-Jones.

These stories have literally been years in the making. Some of them are personal, all of them are personal favorites, and this anthology is a collection I've worked very hard on.

Genre fiction is deeply important to me, and I love bringing queer characters to this space. Every story published in this book appeared first, both as ideas and in rough-and-final drafts on my patreon.

HERE'S HOW TO BUY AND SUPPORT THE QUEER NOVELIST IN QUESTION!

my ko-fi store: this is the most direct way to support me (a disabled queer novelist) and I get the biggest cut if you buy the e-book from this source

AMAZON! you want a paperback, YOU GOT A PAPERBACK

and lastly, if you want to see my writing in advance, get your name in the credits, or get special copies in advance, my patreon

thank you for your support, and happy reading <3

[guaxinimraccoon]

Less an ask and more a comment, but I'll make it into an ask. I personally think I would love to be around little borrower tinies but my general vibe (especially while unmedicated) would be extra repulsive to them. It's the ADHD energy of never sitting still, always pacing, or leg bouncing, shifting my weight back and forth, being Loud, etc. Do you think any of your human (or non-canonly human) OCs would fit into this category? How do you think little folks would handle it?

Oh that's so lovely, we don't bring up mental conditions often enough in g/t scenarios (at least not that I'm aware of) and I think it's so important and interesting to show the difficulties of having to adapt to one's behaviours in g/t stories. It makes everything more interesting, not only we have the size barrier, but also the mental condition barrier, be it on that G's or t's side.

I don't believe mental condition habits would be repulsive at all! For the smaller fellas, it'd be part of the whole deal of having to adapt to the size difference, not so different for the big fella who also has to be more careful around them. It's all a process of adaptation and having fun with it!

Talking about OC's, I think human Toby would fit into this category coming to think about it, it would make soooo much sense if he had ADHD lol.

He'd definitely help Brad to move to someplace, like idk, to the top of the fridge and forget his friend is there and leave the room. And then Brad would be like "eh bud I didn't bring my rope- TOBY WAIT WHERE ARE YOU GOING I'M STILL HERE" I guess it'd take awhile for them to overcome this

Brad would probably feel like Toby's too dangerous to be around in the beggining, not only he's big but also forgetful and, in his perspective, unecessarily loud. But overall, it's all part of the package of befriending a giant. Toby's still nice, chill and friendly, he likes to be around him and seeing that he's trying his best motivates Brad to stay. The big dude may forget that his tiny pal was on his hand and start looking for him everywhere (making Brad inevitably laugh at it), but they have a excellent dynamic and Brad wouldn't change anything on his friend.

It'd be soooo angsty (I'm a bitch for that, I'm sorry) if Toby felt self conscious about the whole situation too. He can't help but notice Brad flinching when he talks too loud and paces around the house, making him wonder why his tiny bud keeps visiting him when he's such a mess to be with. He'd be extra careful, extra conscious, but just like Brad, be more chill eventually about it.

The habits won't stop, Brad learns to not be afraid of them. Brad will take some time to stop flinching, but Toby will do his best to keep his voice low and pay attention to where his friend is.

AND once they're all good with that, Brad will definitely enjoy being bounced up and down on Toby's knee, is like a mechanical bull for him. All the while Toby being "you're the weirdest, c'mon, come to the table" and Brad like "DON'T TOUCH ME I'M A COWBOY AND THIS IS MY INDOMITABLE STALLION" and then Toby "lmaoo I'm not even thinking abt it dude wtff"

[biff-adventurer]

today i met tiny chris

poor wean's da got et by a 'bon. now he wants 'em all dead. wiv' crossy eyes like them as drawed in the picture shows. dinnae get et and ye might be his new da.

he actually made me think about two things - the npcs/people we've helped along the way, and the writing of accents.

it's no secret i gave biff this accent - it tells you he ain't a city slicker but rather a rural boy, it tells you his folks ain't got a lotta money (at least, one would think), and it associates him with a specific cultural/ethnic profile (gaelic, i know/studied a little more about irish than scots so i lean irish)

i think we should, as a society, be wary of continuing to associate class with specific ethnic communities, but i'm not learned enough to make a post dedicated to my specific thoughts on that (yet? tbd)

mostly, i think it's important to look at the way characters speak as a vehicle of writing. when you write a character's accent, is it useful for what you're trying to establish in the scene? is the noble supposed to fail to understand the vernacular of his server? is it useful if the character is always going to say "dinnae" instead of "do not"? when dealing with non-western characters with accents, how far is it okay to go until the dialogue goes from representation to racist charicature?

writers have the power of flexibility. writing is about persuasion more than anything else, and we should remember to persuade our audiences that these are people. they aren't real, so don't bother with "realistic" - but they represent real ideas, concepts and associations in our world. it's important to be careful what you do with these, intended or not! and if you make an oopsie? acknowledge, accept and continue on your journey to being your best.

my preferences for writing accents based on my experiences, observations and education lean thus:

pick and choose what words require emphasis. if the whole sentence requires it, then so be it! but make conscious choices. words weigh differently, and they carry double the weight when they're written out to represent an accent. just really think about whether or not this is the point you want to say to, t', ta, or tae. the whole sentence doesn't need to be written out phonetically b/c avoiding doing that helps us steer clear of reiterating caricatures.

include culturally specific verbiage. "what's the craic" or "how's it hangin'" depending on who your character is. in india, lots of people greet each other with religious phrases (in english, it'd sound like saying "god is good"/"good is god" call and response) - so a thavnairian character could say anything between "sisters be with you" to "mindhurva guide your path today" (and also yours, brother/sister). but also: wain, wean, child, sweetling,

be careful which non-english words your character uses. i don't call it chai tea latte, i call it chai latte. my wife doesn't call it green tea latte, but matcha latte. i actually don't drink chai latte, i drink chai. but i call it both chai and tea interchangeably; so, when i want someone to know how to prepare my tea, i might ask for chai instead of tea. because with chai, you get half or whole base milk instead of water. you get dried ginger or an array of spices depending on the auntie. with tea, you get dried up leaves and some hot water. big difference for me.

above all, make sure it's legible most of the time. you can do this by avoiding writing a character's accent out completely phonetically. this isn't to say "conform your character to what people think they should talk like". this is about being aware that writing implies an audience. if you want your writing to connect with people, the important parts should be clearly communicated in the text. especially if you're writing in english. if i wanted my characters to speak hindi, why would i bother writing the story in english at all? you want people to see your character a specific way. write them the way you hope they'll be seen--if you've done a good enough job, it will lead to so much joy and satisfaction. if you haven't--it's back to the drawing board! but you get the chance to learn even more.

[velathetanager]

I think Hoxton could easily do it 😭

If they're fighting and Hoxton brings Dallas into it, I'm sure it would work, or maybe Houston messed something up on a heist and Hoxton would just not leave him alone

Saying he's completely useless and stuff

Hoxton might also just blame him for something he didn't do at all

Houston seeing how exhausted his brother is from having to deal with his and Hoxtons fights would maybe lead him to at least TRY to talk to Hoxton about it but he'd just end up being completely shut down by Hoxton and it would trigger a big fight?

Some ideas! I love your aus btw!!!! ♡♡♡♡

OMG I love these! I'm gonna write a thing based on the first one.

Seething didn't even begin to describe Houston's thoughts right now. The Fair Folk were horrible if you'd offended them somehow, he knew that, but this was ridiculous! It'd been months, and here they were, Houston still having to listen to Hoxton snap at him like this. "Bloody hell, twat, are you completely useless? We almost had the whole operation blown because of your little mishap!" Hoxton's voice, laced with contempt, echoed through the room. Houston clenched his fists, trying to keep his temper in check. "I told you, it was a mistake. I didn't mean for it to happen." "A mistake? You don't get to make mistakes, not when it's our necks on the line. You should have never been here in the first place. A replacement, a stand-in, a mockery of a mask. You bring nothing but trouble, you hear me?" Houston's breath hitched. He could feel the anger boiling over, threatening to burst free. Ghosts didn't do well with negative emotions, they had a whole society built around controlling them and it still only worked some of the time. Houston's fists clenched at his sides, trying to maintain his composure. "I did what I could, oh hard-assed one. It's not like any of us are perfect." "Perfect? You think this is about perfection?" Hoxton stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. "You're useless. And let's be honest, the only reason you're still here is because Dallas feels guilty. He probably thinks he's responsible for whatever happened to you." "What HAPPENED to me?!" That was it. Houston's anger erupted like a storm, and he felt the shift before he could stop it. His long hair turned black, lengthening and dissolving into the darkness around him. His eyes became pools of inky blackness, tears of the same color streaming down his cheeks. His teeth sharpened into fangs, his body growing lankier and taller, fingertips elongating into claws. Black, painted marks resembling his mask began to spread across his face, and his mouth twisted into a stitched smile, unable to frown in fear of scaring Dallas. His torso, riddled with holes that practically dripped with imaginary gore, looked like Swiss cheese. "HE DOESN'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, AND NEITHER DO YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET PAST IT WITHOUT A LOUDMOUTHED A..." Houston stopped then, realizing what he'd done. What he'd just shown himself to be. And who- no, what- he'd just done it in front of. "I... I-" "I knew it." The voice was different now. Almost musical, hypnotic in its malice. "I knew you weren't human before I even saw you. Though I have to say, not many of the dead are as good at hiding their nature or their energies as you are." As Hoxton spoke, his skin turned a bit paler and the scarred side of his face, and the part of his arms that Houston could see, sprouted silver floral markings. Four wings resembling those of a dragonfly, shimmering blue, slipped out of his back. "It explains a lot. Even your little mishap back there. I never liked being recorded, but you... heh." He grabbed Houston with a chilling strength and pulled him close, letting the now eerie beauty twist into a grin. "Now, let me ask you. Does Dallas know?" Houston knew better than to lie to one of them. He wasn't stupid. So he didn't bother. "Are you gonna tell him?" "Hmmmm... not now, Ghost. Perhaps not ever. Are you willing to give me your name to keep quiet?" Houston's expression, even with the smile, practically demanded to know how stupid the faerie thought he was. "No. Not a chance." "Mmm. It was worth a shot." He let Houston go and shrugged, the otherworldly qualities on his person disappearing. "You should probably put your 'alive human' costume back on. I hear him coming." Houston did, glaring at the faerie. "I don't know why my brother likes you." "He hasn't offended me. I'm quite agreeable when I don't have a reason to hate you." "Limpdick," Houston huffed, heading to his workshop to work on the van and ignoring Wolf, who'd been peeking in on the scene with a bowl of popcorn. "Wanker."

[ruukachoo]

Adventures of an Accidental Featherweight Tech: Cheryl (or: Learning the Deep Magic)

Okay. Ohhhhhhkay. As fairly straightforward as Patricia was, Cheryl turned into a bit of a production. I got to delve into parts of the Featherweight that I hadn't been before, and tbh, I'd be okay keeping that sort of excitement to a minimum.

So, Cheryl.

Cheryl is a 221- from 1954 and is, relatively speaking, a newer machine. From what I've read, no one really knows why some machines have the hanging dash, but it doesn't appear to make much of a difference beyond "the dash exists". What's more interesting is the decal work - apparently later in production they changed to a more art deco "paperclip" style, which is kinda neat to see. I'm not sure which I prefer, this or the earlier scroll-y version. They both have their charms.

But this is all superficial. Let's get into it.

Pretty minimal ephemera, but there was this newer version of the manual, which I get the impression is less common than the older green manual. I've started trying to leaf through the manuals, as one of the folks who adopted a machine mentioned that she found some fun annotations inside, so gotta keep an eye out for that.

Compared to Patricia, who needed minimal replacements, Cheryl needed practically the whole suite of basic replacement parts - new felt pad (although they pretty much all do), new light bulb, and a new cable. The only thing she didn't need, ironically, is new feet. Honestly I'm a little surprised at how few have needed new feet recently, as I would expect sitting on them for decades would've squashed more of them. Maybe some have had a more recent replacement that I'm not aware of. Or maybe certain feet were made out of a different, tougher material.

She was also possibly one of the lintiest machines I've worked on, as I found tons of lint up in the face plate, under the bed extension, and in particular, under the throat plate.

…FIZZGIG?!?

I feel like this is almost the same color as the last lint familiar I pulled from a machine. I'm curious as to what people were working with, or if this is just the average color you get after large amounts of lint buildup from various projects. I'm guessing it's the latter, but it'd be interesting if it was the former and people had, like, a huge thing for brown felt. On the other hand, given some of the fashions in the 70s…

Anyway, so after trying to clean some of the initial lint and after my standard oiling/greasing/part replacement I did the stitch test, which seemed to go well. "Cool!" I thought to myself, "Let's move on! But first I gotta get some more of this lint removed, so let's check for more lint under the machine and…wait what is that."

I went in and annotated this image because what I saw was SO DAMN TINY. But what I'm attempting to highlight here is the tiny, tiny, TINY red thread caught in the hook assembly. Normally when a thread is caught in that general vicinity it can cause a thread jam and lock up the machine (it's actually kinda impressive how such a tiny thread can gunk up the works, but I guess it's a testament to how finely engineered these machines are). Weirdly, though, Cheryl seemed to be stitching fine.

So, I had a decision to make. I could leave it, as it didn't seem to be causing any trouble, which would save me some work, but I wondered if perhaps this was a 'tiny problem that can become a big problem later if you don't deal with it now' sort of situation, so, with a sigh I decided to try and remove this thread. I'd removed thread jams before, this shouldn't be a big deal, right?

HAHAHAHA WRONG.

Reaching in and pulling it out seemed to be impossible, as between Eien and I we had tools that could reach in and grasp the thread, but didn't have enough grip to pull it out, and tools that had sufficient grip, but were too big to reach in to the space where the thread sat, but not something that hit both criteria. So I ended up going through increasing levels of surgery to get this damn thread out.

1.) Removing the bobbin case and throat plate and using my little handy-dandy thread jam removal tool to rotate the hook assembly and expose the thread. Nothing.

2.) Okay, let's open up the gib hook and see if we can access it that way, which from what I understand is the more traditional method of removing a caught thread. Cue a harrowing moment where I dropped the tiny tiny TINY screw that holds the gib hook in place. And also, that didn't help either.

3.) Well then. It's time to remove the WHOLE ASS HOOK ASSEMBLY. Because if isn't caught in the general expected thread jam area (which would explain why the machine was still running okay), then it must be behind the hook assembly, right? That involved loosening the screws that held the hook assembly in place, and I'd bet money that those screws haven't been removed since the machine was assembled, and they were STUCK. Like really suck. I was starting to worry I was going to strip the screws in the process of trying to loosen them, but after much swearing and twisting and pushing and putting a lot of SPITE into the whole ordeal I managed to get them loose and pull off the hook assembly.

THE THREAD ISN'T BACK BEHIND THERE. It is in fact BETWEEN the hook assembly and its loop guard. How. HOW.

And not only that, I STILL couldn't get at the thread.

4.) OFF WITH THE LOOP GUARD. And then finally. FINALLY. I could get the thread removed. Because there was nothing else left to hold the damn thing. I had exhausted all its arguments against my insistence that the thread needed to be exiled from the machine.

YOU. YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU.

Having finally achieved victory, now it was just a matter of reassembling anything. Loop guard back on, hook assembly back on, throat plate back on, we should be back in business!

…except why is the needle hitting the throat plate now?

After a bit of fussing and futzing with the throat plate as I was certain the issue was I had somehow put the throat plate back wrong, despite the fact that there's not exactly a bunch of give in how it sits. Finally I had the thought to check the needle itself. And…it was now bent. Odd.

So, okay! We'll put a new needle on and be on our--what is the needle hitting now.

The needle was now passing the throat plate but it seemed to be hitting something very big and metal and was in fact being very Gandalf to my needle Balrog and was refusing to let it pass (and must have at some point hit the previous needle and bent it). Turns out it's now hitting the hook assembly which, um, it Should Not Do. We now proceed to the part of this story where I, with increasing levels of frustration, try to figure out what I've screwed up. I reseat the hook assembly thinking maybe I didn't put it in far enough. I do lots of rotations with the handwheel to see if there was something wrong with how the needle is seated. I rotate the assembly 180 degrees thinking maybe I put it in backwards (the hook assembly shaft has a couple of grooves on it, so I thought that would theoretically limit the number of ways you can put the assembly on). I in fact break a needle in the process of all of this because, well, see previous comment about Gandalf the hook assembly.

Right as I'm about to achieve critical frustration because I cannot figure out what the problem is and I'm certain I've broken the machine I go back to my maintenance book and read about the hook assembly again.

And… and. Okay. So apparently I had in fact put the hook assembly back in wrong, but it wasn't a case of me putting it in upside down or even a quarter off. There is a VERY PARTICULAR way it's supposed to go on that can only really be divined by rotating the shaft just so and then looking for a particular protrusion in the metal and matching it up with the screw when it's seated and…I still don't entirely understand how this works. My guess is I must have had the hook assembly just the tiniest bit off so that it was messing with the timing.

But I follow the instructions, reseat the hook assembly, carefully rotate the handwheel to move the needle and…IT'S A GODDAMN MIRACLE, THE NEEDLE PASSES.

I feel like Featherweights are FILLED with this sort of secret knowledge that you can't intuit by looking at the machine itself. The hook assembly has to be seated just so. Make sure the needle is at the highest point when you start sewing or you risk a thread jam. The gib hook has to be opposite the bobbin case positioning finger in order to go back on the machine correctly. The only way to know is if someone tells you. Luckily I have some good resources for this, but I perpetually feel like I'm learning some sort of deep magic in order to work with these machines. Recite the incantation, rotate the hook assembly three times, and then you'll be able to make the magic work. It's both fascinating and frustrating in equal measures.

BUT. At least it was on and no longer breaking needles. Since I was worried about the timing I did a second stitch test and had a harrowing moment when I was seeing a lot of skipped stitches and thought I had royally screwed something up. But…that at least was an easy fix. Turned out I had installed the needle backwards, and once I fixed that everything was fine. Which honestly was a head-smacking moment for me because at this point it's kind of a rookie mistake and was something I probably did in my distracted frustration with the hook assembly. Still, I call it a rookie mistake but also it's something you can easily screw up if you don't know which side the flat side of the needle is supposed to face.

Deep magic.

Still. The thread is removed. Cheryl works. I've learned that I do not want to deal with hook assembly surgery if I can at all help it. But at least I know now the magic spell to make the machine work again.

STATUS: Finished (SOMEHOW) and ready for a road trip!

[loosesodamarble]

This might be a rules stretch uwaa i'm sorry i couldn't decide... Pick whichever you think is most interesting if you'd prefer. If you could write your HCs for how you think the pillars might react if they were called to deal with a demon, but it was a mistake and instead they just found an abundance of people who needed help with more minor things.

I know I said one character at a time but...

The Pillars... I love them so much.

Well, since there is nine of them and I said I'd do 5-10 points per headcanon...

How about I rank the Pillars on how willing they'd be to help and include a few sentences to explain? Hope that's okay with you anon!

..........

9. Obanai Iguro: No demon? Then no help. Obanai would be pissed if he got a false lead. Obanai does try to do good but I think that he believes the only way he can do so is by slaying demons, to make up for his family's sins. He can't get mad at some random people though so he'd simply tell them to fix the situation themselves before leaving.

8. Muichirou Tokitou: He's only so low on the list because, before character development hits him, he's got a one-track mind for demon slaying. Without a demon around, he'd simply follow his crow to a new mission. He probably wouldn't be sure how to help the people if he stayed long enough to be asked.

7. Tengen Uzui: Tengen's ego is overplayed so I think he could be convinced to help with mundane tasks without too much trouble. Although I do think he'd dip out as soon as he gets word of a proper mission. Nothing against the common folk, he just thinks his strength would be better used on the battlefield.

6. Sanemi Shinazugawa: On the surface, Sanemi is similar to Obanai, getting annoyed about the misinformation. But he knows what it's like to come from a troubled household and understand the feeling of wanting to be helped. With that in mind, he'd offer his services while he has time.

5. Gyoumei Himejima: He's a caring man and will show concern for strangers (such as when he met Shinobu and Kanae). He could go either way. If his crow doesn't immediately come to correct the misinformation, Gyoumei will certainly stay without needing any extra convincing. But if he's called away immediately, he will feel obligated to take the mission instead.

4. Giyuu Tomioka: I say Giyuu would be willing to help based on the fact that he decided to put his faith in Tanjirou and Nezuko not long after meeting them. He might be awkward at it and he might occasionally wonder "Should I be moving on?" But in the end, he would see the task through to the end.

3. Shinobu Kochou: Since Shinobu tries to be as kind as Kanae, she would feel obligated to help those who ask for her aid. Perhaps there are better things she could be doing. She and her medical work at the Butterfly Mansion are pretty important. However, helping people in general makes the world a better place.

2. Kyoujurou Rengoku: Kyoujurou acts pretty stiff and duty bound on the outside but he's a kind-hearted person and would be willing to help anyone in need, all thanks to his mother's teachings. The only reason he's not on top of the list is because, as much as I hate to say it, he'd hesitate to decide whether or not to stay. Only for a moment, but it'd be there.

1. Mitsuri Kanroji: Just like Kyoujurou, Mitsuri's got such a big and willing heart, she'd definitely be into helping the people with whatever they need. Plus, it's sure to put her strength to use. And unlike Kyoujurou, she'd immediately agree to whatever has been asked of her. It's her big sister energy and sociability that makes me think that she'd be so eager to help.

[cake-by-thepound]

How inconsistent children casting on TWD is? One would think it's not a big deal, especially if the children are practically babies and not a big factor in the story, but I think details are important no matter what and are what defines quality in all its aspects. You, as a writer, surely know what I mean. No matter how superfluous something in your story is (I personally think that nothing is superfluous, tho. Otherwise, it'd mean the writers is not a good writer), it has to be consistent. >>

It has to feel real. I get that it’s not easy to find twins a certain age who live in Atlanta, but Judith literally changed her eyes’ colors through the seasons. And what about Andre? They couldn’t find a three years old child whose skin color was consistent with his parents’? Those are details, but, you know, to those who pay attention and like to watch well thought out and written stuff, can’t help but notice. That’s why I love your ffs, they’re always so consistent and details are everything.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Don’t even get me started on the Andre thing. 🙄Like, do they not have anybody Black in or around casting that could’ve said, “Hey, he’s a little too bright for these two dark-skinned people.” Because I don’t know a single Black person irl that hasn’t commented on that scene. Even Danai said her sister was like wtf. Y’all shoot in ATLANTA. I can’t leave my house without seeing mainly Black folks. Do better. 

I’m slightly more understanding with the Judith thing, because once they found one baby, they had to find another every half season that looked enough like the previous that it wouldn’t be distracting. So finding lookalikes, and twins at that, even-tempered enough to shoot in the Georgia heat probably wasn’t easy. Also, this current Judith is adorable and I love her and I’m glad they’ve kept her. However, even back in season 4 when people were talking about Judith having blue eyes, Kirkman was basically like, “Yeah… we weren’t really paying attention to that.” I’m sorry, what? What kind of slipshod operation are they running over there? As you said, details matter, and any production worth its salt would pay attention to that when casting a baby – especially when the drama surrounding said baby is her paternity. That’s ridiculous. And it’s that kind of disregard for detail that keeps TWD from being one of the greats. As a fanfiction writer who does this shit for free, I shouldn’t be putting more thought into its logistics than the people making the show. Especially when they have this stellar set of actors who do give everything and they deserve greatness. Do.👏🏿 better.👏🏿

Anyway. That was a bit of a rant, but thank you for this lovely compliment. I’m not perfect, but I really do try, because it drives me crazy when you can tell someone didn’t give a shit. I promise if I ever get to that point, I’m just gonna stop writing. 😄