#logan has autism its true

[plut0-1s-a-planet]

"If...Then..."

... IF Logan has autism... THEN-

[planetarymesss]

Headcanons Part 2

these are gonna be on the sad side

logan was forever changed by his bullying experience. like he'll never look at himself the same way ever again. sure he's overcoming that trauma physically, but mentally ?? it will leave a scar that lasts his whole life 💔

i (dont) like to think that the twins are starting to fill in the spaces their dad left. they still miss him dearly, and they still go through every day knowing a part of them is lost, but they're beginning to patch up the holes and it feels scarily unnatural

aiden doesnt feel anything. hes just. numb. yeah he takes risks for the thrill but he's never really felt when his stomach falls or the suspense just before the big drop. he just doe things to pass the time.

tylers the mom friend whose instincts stem from trauma (bens the mom friend whose instincts stem from aiden. and trauma but mostly aiden). like hes overly protective because he doesnt want to lose anyone like he lost his dad, and then he doesnt want to deal w the consequences

i see a lot of "taylor healing her inner child posts" and i just want to add in to that in saying she tries to extend her "childish" antics towards ty bc she knows he was robbed of his childhood and she feels responsible in a way 💔

ashlyn feels really isolated due to her autism; shes gotten used to / sorta likes the feeling of mot having to deal w others due to her symptoms, but shes never made true friends. little does she know......

ben's inablility to speak properly still stings like yesterday. he wishes so bad and so hard that he had a normal voice and that he could sing scream talk wtv and that none if the shit w shane ever happened. he can make do --- he has --- but sometimes its hard for him to love himself regardless. he's getting there though love that for him

gee whiz i hope yall can deal with this dumpster fire think piece i just wrote uhm 💀

if this can get to at least 20 likes and 10 reposts ill make a part 3 --- happy version

[flippy-floppy]

ok thanks! 💕 the whole “iverson is kendall’s biological son” confuses me because it’s right there in the text that he actually isn’t. even accounting for roman’s provocation and w/e theory of reproduction logan might have postulated, the filing-cabinet guy bit and the randos comment are pretty straightforward. i don’t see the ambiguity at all tbh. now moving on to more personal interpretations, yessssss! Good Person doing a Good Thing and Feeling Good, i agree that kendall’s love for sophie is uncomplicated, but imho the same is true with iverson. not much self-reflection other than kendall asking himself if he’s Good or Bad and not wanting to be the father his father was. and if iverson is “half rava” but not kendall’s, can you imagine the implications? this child is rava’s, she carried him for 40 weeks, she’s known him for longer than kendall has. but sophie!!! “bianca won’t let me feed megathump a piece of my bagel” because sophie Knows she’ll get what she wants / “soph! open up!” when kendall demands that sophie open the car door in church and state, because she’s his daughter! he’s manipulative, he’s insane, he thinks his girl has his back. i think that logan, paradoxically, interacts with iverson because he’s the one that needs fixing, the one that needs to be consoled after kendall almost drowns. kendall is so out of touch with his authority as a father, his mere physicality as a man, that he doesn’t even realize that, together with logan, he’s the one forcing his son to partecipate in the food-tasting mindfuck. i think that he simply doesn’t know what to do with a boy lol, it doesn’t come naturally to him, just like every other single thing he’s supposed to do and be

[referencing this post 🙂]

the OP isn't saying he thinks that's what the text is intending, he's just talking about how he enjoys the narrative situation it would create and the character implications that come from that haha

it's more like, Well, what if xyz? What happens then? which is fun!! its fun to think about all the little possible variations of character and how they would impact the narrative in different ways!

all that to say: I do also think Iverson not being Kendall's is interesting too! like. Logan is very obsessed with the idea of modern dynasty and legacy and Kendall spending his whole life the heir apparent is Very Aware of that fact and how much it would hurt his position to not be a father. so for Kendall, the struggle to have kids and seeking out alternate methods of parenthood feels like an enormous personal failure and is obviously a great source of shame for him -- Like. it is so upsetting to him that he physically assaults Roman for bringing it up as a mark against him lol

imo Kendall's relationship to fatherhood is very. emblematic of the way he views his relationship to Logan: Kendall wants to Be Logan, wants to be what's expected of him and follow in his footsteps, and when he's unable to do so he seeks out alternate paths and convinces himself that it's not the result of a failure of expectations but because he's actually Better Than Logan.

So-- he wants to have kids and create a hereditary dynasty because that is what his dad wants. He is unable to do so. He seeks out adoption and IVF and convinces himself that this is what Modern Parenting looks like and he is doing a Good Thing by parenting this way and Logan just doesn't get it because he is the past and Kendall is the future. But in his heart, he knows. He's ashamed.

I think that disconnect creates a mental barrier for Kendall and keeps him distant from his kids, so there's no real emotional connection between them beyond a superficial level: they are his kids so he loves them. You're supposed to love family, so he loves them.

and i think you're right that Kendall is closer to Sophie, but i feel that has more to do with Iverson's autism than anything else really. i think Sophie's the more "accessible" kid for Kendall to talk to bc of that, so she's easier to connect with in kendall's mind, which could be why he reaches out to her after being rejected by rava in church and state

With Iverson I think Kendall sees him as like. a Kid With a Disability and so is focused on ensuring his material needs are met, that he's ok, that he's not under duress, etc, that he never really thinks to like. connect with him as an individual. which I think is true with Sophie too to some extent. like I think he genuinely believes that because he gets the kids whatever they want (ex. a rabbit) he is being a Good Dad

and yes with Logan I pretty much agree. like I think he just ignores them for the most part because he doesn't really view them as "his" but occasionally Iverson will stick out to him in a way where he's like, "I know how to fix this situation and Kendall and Rava are just unable/unwilling to do it the way I see is the Right Way." i have more thoughts on logan but they're all a bit incoherent so I will leave it at that I think

ty anon!!

[semper-legens]

173. The Gloaming, by Kirsty Logan

Owned?: No, library Page count: 303 My summary: Once upon a time, a boxer and a ballerina came to a secluded Scottish island; the perfect place to raise their children, Islay, Mara, and Bee. Here, fairytales are always true and nobody dies, they just go to the cliff and turn to stone. But the island and the sea claim their bitter price, and the little family starts to unravel. Only when Mara chances across Pearl, a mermaid performer, can she start to reclaim her own story - but what will be the cost? My rating: 5/5 My commentary:

This one surprised me with just how much I adored it. I’ve read Logan’s previous work, the Gracekeepers, before I started this blog (and my friend’s nicked my copy so I can’t revisit it). I liked that book well enough, but something in this one just grabbed me. Maybe it’s the magical realism, maybe it’s the theme of selkies and the sea, maybe it’s something else entirely. But I absolutely loved this book.

Mara is our main POV character through most of the book - the middle child of her family, overshadowed by her beautiful sister Islay and her beloved little brother Bee. Her struggle throughout the book is to grasp a narrative for herself, building on the foundation of the fairytales her mother told her as a child, always with happy endings. She’s self-centred and definitely a romantic, and at times a bit naive, but I never saw any of those things as bad, necessarily. Her relationship with Pearl, by far the most grounded character in this world, is both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once, with the two of them circling around the idea of the selkie-story - a story that, in the end, will always come down to the leaving.

While most of the narrative being told is Mara’s, every chapter is short and highlights get a new incident, scenes that build the forward narrative or the backstory, building on each other. Islay and Bee get the fewest of these to themselves, Islay because she leaves the island, and Bee because...well, not for good reasons. My one criticism of the book comes with its treatment of Bee, a fey child implied to be autistic, whose drowning proves to be the inciting incident of the family falling apart. Narratives that push the autism-as-changeling idea have to be really careful in how they portray the theme without going too far into othering the autistic person, and I think at times this dips into that - particularly in the moment where Signe, in her grief, admits that she thinks Bee is better off dead. It makes sense for her from a character perspective - she’s grieving and in a lot of pain, and admits this in a moment of weakness, it’s shown more as a petty thought she can’t get rid of than a deeply-held opinion - but it does make me uncomfortable, particularly with the real-world opinions of people like anti-vax moms who would rather their kids be dead than autistic.

Their parents, Signe and Peter, also get their share of the focus. I loved Signe’s allusions to ballet, and their weird symbiosis despite being quite dysfunctional from what we actually see of them. Their pasts are grounded in reality, both detailing the physical toll that ballet and boxing can take on a person, but are just magical enough to preserve this fairytale sense of magical realism that is the undercurrent of this book.

Speaking of, this book was a beautiful example of magical realism. Things like people on the island gradually turning to stone, or tales of Islay’s travels with things like hearts for rent, are mentioned matter-of-factly and treated as integral parts of the story. Even Pearl, arguably the most grounded character, has this as part of her connection to the island - she is mentioned as being one of the better mermaid performers, and the reason for this is possibly a magical side-effect. Especially with the theme of stories and fairytales, we are led to question how much truth some of the narrative holds, while still accepting some fantastical things as definitely, observably true. The island is magic. But that magic isn’t always on your side.

That’s all I got here - next up, some more historical fiction, as we shift focus to the other side of the world.

[alexsfictionaddiction]

‘She overcame everything that was meant to destroy her.’

Women are truly incredible creatures. We have spent centuries being overlooked, downtrodden and dismissed. In some respects, we have come a long way in terms of gender equality but there are still many recent occurrences which remind us of how far we have to go. 

So many female illnesses take years to diagnose or aren’t taken seriously enough when they are. Women are still having to justify why they chose not to have children. We’re still working with a pay gap. Some women aren’t considered to be women because of the body parts they were born with or without. There are still places in the world where women simply don’t and never will have the opportunities to live life on their own terms. Despite all this, we’re still out in the world making and doing amazing things and looking beautiful while doing them. 

This recommendation list is really a collection of books that celebrate women, their courage, their friendships and their choices. It’s pretty varied in terms of genre and style, so I’m pretty sure you’ll find at least one book here that piques your interest. Keep being your fierce, unstoppable self and honour your girls today. -Love, Alex x

1. Dangerous Women by Hope Adams.

In 1841, 180 English women are on board The Rajah, a ship bound for Australia. All of them are criminals, most of them convicted of petty crimes but one of them has a deadly dark secret. Then someone is killed and the hunt for the culprit is on. But it’s hard to protest your innocence when you’ve already been found guilty. This addictive mystery is so well-researched and is based on the true stories of real female criminals aboard The Rajah. There is an overwhelming, stifling darkness, haunting the whole novel that is so atmospheric and reflective of conditions on board. It’s a story of sisterhood, female friendship and the existence of the Rajah Quilt is an example of the incredible feats that women can overcome if they work together. 

2. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu.

Viv is tired of following the rules at her high school and is determined to shake things up. Channelling her mum’s former punk persona, Viv creates and secretly distributes a feminist zine to her classmates, who start to take action. Cliques are abandoned as new friendships are formed and a revolution kicks off. The real sweetness about this gutsy, fierce YA novel is the fact that talking about the daily trials and tribulations that girls go through brings them together rather than divides them. There are some fantastic characters and the inclusion of male allies is everything.

3. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams.

After a disastrous break up, British-Jamaican millennial Queenie embarks on a journey, riddled with bad choices, to discover what she really wants from life. Straddling two cultures, a job where she is perpetually underappreciated and an underlying mental health condition, Queenie is a relatable depiction of what it means to be a young, Black woman in 21st century London. Funny, honest and deeply moving, Queenie is an essential enlightening read with a wonderfully flawed, real woman at its heart.

4. Hag: Forgotten Folktales Retold.

Inspired by British urban myths, this collection of spooky, fantastical stories by various female authors celebrates women in all of their guises. These stories are written by the likes of Daisy Johnson, Kirsty Logan, Irenosen Okojie, Eimear McBride and more. Some of the stories are very dark. Some of them offer powerful insights into other cultures. Some of them explore inherently female issues such as the repression of desire and motherhood. Overriding the whole collection is the wonder and power of women defying the odds and achieving their dreams. A fantastically unique read, ideal for International Women’s Day.

5. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman.

When Elsa’s grandmother dies, she discovers a series of letters apologising to the various people she has wronged. Elsa’s mission to deliver these letters leads to some strange places and a journey that leads to getting to know her grandmother in a way she never did, when she was alive. The relationship between seven-year-old Elsa and her grandmother is so beautiful and I’m sure I’ll never read another grandmother-granddaughter relationship like it. Granny is a truly formidable character and a woman who has left behind a very full, colourful life. Backman is a master at writing quirky, uplifting stories of community and this charming novel is no different.

6. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo.

Kim Jiyoung has recently given up work to raise her baby daughter but before long, she begins displaying strange symptoms, such as impersonating the voices of other women. As her psychosis deepens, Jiyoung’s entire life is spilled to her male psychiatrist and it’s a life of restriction, abuse and control. This incredibly evocative book is a harrowing illustration of the misogyny ingrained deep in Korean culture and the devastating effects it can have on the women who live within it. A woman on the brink of insanity speaks for them all in this heavily symbolic, heartbreaking read.

7. The Shelf by Helly Acton.

Amy is pretty sure that Jamie is about to propose, so she is more than shocked to find herself on The Shelf, a reality TV show for single women. Over the next few weeks, she and five other women must take on challenges to improve themselves and be crowned ‘The Keeper’. The Shelf is a joyful celebration of singledom and female friendship. Funny and heartwarming, it inspires its readers to never settle for second best and discover life and yourself, completely on your own terms.

8. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez.

The world is made for men. Cars, phones, the medical industry, workplace laws and more areas of modern society largely ignore women. This fantastically informative manual exposes all the data biases that have been hidden from us. Caroline Criado-Perez has collated stories and case studies from across the globe that show how women’s lives and health are affected by our male-minded world and calls for drastic change.

9. A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll.

Addie has autism but she is so much more than that. When she learns of her hometown’s involvement in witch trials, she launches a campaign to erect a memorial for the women who died during them. This gorgeous, uplifting, funny middle-grade book offers a unique insight into a neurodivergent mind and simultaneously honours innocent, murdered women. You’ll get all the feels!

10. Olive by Emma Gannon.

Olive’s choice to not be a mother has ended her nine year relationship and her three best friends are all at various stages of motherhood. So, where will Olive fit into their lives now? This wonderfully sensitive and thoughtful novel is a wonderful celebration of women who are child-free by choice as well as giving voice to those who have struggled to become mothers. It will speak to any woman who has ever been asked when they’re going to take the leap into that ‘inevitable’ stage of a female life -motherhood.

11. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Evelyn Hugo is a retired Hollywood icon who has personally chosen struggling, unknown reporter Monique to dictate her biography to. No one knows why, not even Monique herself. Over a series of intimate meetings, Evelyn tells Monique her story; from her rise to fame in the 1950s LA to her retirement 30 years later and the myriad of romances throughout that time. In time, it becomes clear that Evelyn’s and Monique’s lives intertwine in a heartbreaking fashion. Soaring, epic and completely unforgettable, Evelyn Hugo is the story of a woman who was consistently objectified, moulded and suppressed. Ultimately, it is a story of a great forbidden love and the hell that fame can bring, especially for women.

12. The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson.

Imannuelle’s mixed heritage is sacrilege in the tiny, puritanical community in which she lives. So she does her best to obey the rules and worship the Father. However, she finds herself in the haunted Darkwood where the spirits of murdered witches roam but they have a gift for Immanuelle -her dead mother’s journal, which leads to her discovering the dark truths behind the community she was born into. This atmospheric, brooding fantasy-horror novel champions the overthrowing of control, the discovery of one’s own inner power and capabilities as well as demonstrating how women have been villified by the patriarchy for centuries, simply for leading the lives that they want to lead. An addictive, Gothic witchy treat!

[candied-peach]

ao3: “squid ink through the stars” rating: T warnings: sympathetic remus, sympathetic deceit, autistic logan, autistic remus, intruloceit genre: fluff description: Logan shares an afternoon with his boyfriends. ( @doodlingwitch prompt: “since april is autism acceptance month, maybe some autistic!Logan?”)

"Did you know that there's a cephalopod called the vampire squid from hell?" Remus asks, bursting into Logan's room. Logan looks up from his planner, a fond if exasperated smile touching his lips.

"Oh?" He questions. Remus nods, enthusiastic.

"It's true!" He says, waving a book above his head. From this angle, Logan can't properly read the title, but he knows 'cephalopods' is in it, displayed in turquoise foil. "It's not really a squid, though. It's an octopus! And also it's a coward. But what a name!" He cackles to himself, flapping his hands eagerly to either side.

"It's an excellent nickname," Deceit murmurs, from his drowsy place curled up on Logan's bed. Patton and Roman were being a little too rambunctious for his tastes, and Logan's room was always calm.

Even if Remus occasionally changed that.

"Are you done with planning yet?" Remus asks, bouncing on his toes. "You said four pm, and it's four ten pm, so I figured it'd be okay."

"I am just about done, yes," Logan says, nodding. "Thank you for waiting, cephy."

"The book helped," Remus admits, unabashed. "It's got so many cool facts! Did you know squid and cuttlefish are decapods? They have eight arms and two feeding tentacles. I wish I could get away with feeding tentacles..." His voice drifts off, a dreamy look crossing his face. "Pat would freak, though. And my brother."

"Perhaps you could try it out when you eat with just the two of us," Deceit suggests mildly. Remus's eyes light up.

"That'd be the best!" He crows. "Lo Lo, what'd you think? We could make it an experiment!" Despite himself, Logan can't help but feel intrigued. He tilts his head to one side, contemplating, then nods.

"We'll have to set up a time," he says, unconsciously rocking back and forth in his chair. "We shall also have to use a variety of foods, to determine what, if anything, you are capable of consuming that way."

"Sounds messy but entertaining," Deceit proclaims, sitting up. "I'm in."

"In the meantime," Logan says, closing Thomas's planner and setting it aside, in its proper spot. "Dinner isn't until six, and it's Roman's and Virgil's turns to help in the kitchen. What should we do?"

"Can- can I tell you more about cephalopods?" Remus asks, fidgeting from foot to foot.

"I'd be delighted," Logan says. Deceit nods in agreement.

"There's cephalopod ink that makes dopamine!" Remus exclaims. "Can you imagine getting a hit of dopamine like that? It'd be so cool! And Humboldt squids practice cannibalism." His voice drops to an excited whisper. Logan taps his fingers on his desk, enjoying the sound they make.

"That sounds fascinating, cephy," Logan says. "I wonder what dopamine does for cephalopods. I imagine it must be used for something." Remus grins.

"They don't know yet!" Remus says. "They're still researching it. Oh, oh, and Humboldt squid? Can turn blood red. I wanna blood red squid, that'd be so cool, I could send it into Roman's side of the Imagination and have it attack."

"Only if you tell me ahead of time," Deceit says. "Because I would love to hear your brother's reaction."

"He'd scream," Remus says happily. "Hey, Lo!" Remus turns back toward Logan, still bouncing on his toes. "Tit for tat. Tell me an astronomy fact." Logan blinks.

"Um," he says. "The sun burns 600 million tons of hydrogen every second." Remus's eyes widen.

"That's a lot of hydrogen," he says. "What else?" He sits down on the floor, cross-legged, propping his chin up with both hands.

"Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to ours," Logan says. "And at that, it's still nearly three million light years away."

"Imagine how many krakens you could fit between our galaxy and Andromeda," Deceit says. Remus giggles.

"SO many!" He exclaims. One hand beats a happy rhythm in the air. "Dee Dee, hit me with a snake fact!"

"Snakes have flexible jaws, so they can eat prey bigger than their heads," Deceit says. "And yes, I've tried it, and no, it didn't work," he adds, anticipating Remus's reaction.

"Damn," Remus says. Logan has to laugh at the expression on his boyfriend's face. "Oh well," Remus says. "Hey, wanna watch a movie?"

"A short one," Logan says. "Dinner's soon." He glances at the clock on the wall.

"Ooh I know," Remus says. "It's a kid's show but uh..." He trails off, chewing his bottom lip. Logan smiles gently at him, already knowing Remus's request.

"I'm fine with watching an episode or two of Octonauts," he says. Remus beams and bounces to his feet, already rummaging through Logan's dresser to find the remote.

"It's not horrible," Deceit says, rearranging himself on the bed. "Come on, Lo," he beckons. "The bed's more comfortable than your desk chair, I promise you."

"All right," Logan says, giving in and settling on the bed. Remus flops between them like a landed fish, snapping the TV on and turning it to his favorite cartoon.

Logan smiles. Time spent with my boyfriends, check, he thinks, and settles in to watch the show.

tag list: @k9cat @paravigilant-virgil @croftergamer @airiervessel @bexxbeauty @ambersky0319 @yalltookmyurlideas @did-he-just-hiss-at-me @ihateitwhenyourejustvague @matthindavick @killjoy-3000 @littlestliu @iamthenewqueenofgames 

[willowaudreykeyes]

Okay: I’ve watched it 4 times and here’s the things about the episode that I find interesting. Or that I’m looking too much into. You guys can all decide because idk.

- Roman seems to make alliterations when he's shocked? He's done it before, but now he's done it again and when he's surprised that Thomas 'lied' or 'tricked' the ticket person.

- Virgil has resting disappointed face even as he eats popcorn.

- Roman is very dramatic about the age thing. "He's in his thirties, he may as well be in his sixties." "Can't think of new excuses quick enough in his old age."

- "I love you" is very big words. Do not use them, or forget them, lightly around Virgil.

- Have they always been on his back so much about lying, or was it only after Janus was introduced?

- Possibility: Romans eyes actually change into hearts when cute guy appears?

- Also: Roman goes into Shakespearean when cute guy appears.

- Roman is so optimistic when it comes to love! But not about other Sides? He's rather pessimistic when it came to Virge (at the beginning) and Janus. And kinda Remus too.

- Roman has used "We don't know if he's not gay" more times then the three can count.

- Pins equals introverts way of talking apparently. I guess that makes sense, since there’s pins for almost every kind of hobby, and Virgil knows this too.

- Roman sounds rather happy when they found out that Nico likes Paramore. Supporting his emo friend and his hobbies right there.

- “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is and will always be a Prinxiety thing. Did you see those star eyes Roman gave? And how happy-surprised Virge was?

- Virgil does think about romance too. “You can live like Jack and Sally, if you want.” Kind of cute.

- Virgil has eyes like a damn hawk. He saw those pins and went full on x10 zoom on them.

- Roman’s got some adorable music happening when more clues appear.

- Sticker/Button System must be followed or Virge no happy.

- Roman is almost as good as Patton with puns, except he has to explain it. Has he done that before? I feel like he has. I feel like this is a thing but I’m not sure.

- Roman and Virgil have about the same wavelength when it came to the creepy stalking-ish part. They both cringe when Thomas goes off to the side.

- If you use a word at the end of a sentence that sounds like a name at Roman, he thinks you got his name wrong. He did it at some other point I can’t remember when but he does this. Kind of feels like a autism and/or ADHD trait? (I know I for sure get confused sometimes)

- “Great... he’s gay” “Great indeed...” “GREAT INDEED” I love them. Just gonna say that again.

- Roman has this big thing about his name and it doesn’t seem like its a thing he’s faking? He seems genuinely confused. The one that’s two above mentions it, and the way he spelt it at the trial? And how he seemed very defensive when Janus spelt it wrong? This is a thing.

- Virgil is a self-proclaimed expert of anti-social etiquette and I say he deserves that title. 

- Virgil also really likes non-verbal ways of communicating. 

- Roman does the thing where you put your two pointer fingers together and its adorable.

- Fast head nod of agreement coming from Roman here. Over dramticness? Or actual quirk?

- Roman very much freaks out when flirting goes wrong. Not just a Virgil thing. 

- Virgil be scaring Thomas with zero regrets when he lost his test that the Universe gave him.

- Virgil be very glad to admit when he’s panicking. He also has admitted when he’s anxious in the past. He knows it, acknowledges it, makes Thomas and the others deal with it because dealing with it isn’t in the job description.

- Roman’s fine with compromise! Virgil gives an idea that attempts to help the romance part, Roman’s not 100% happy but rolls with it. Besties right here (even if they don’t know it). He does have a limit though.

- Nicknames are forever with Roman.

- Virgil is on Thomas’ left side, the more ‘thinky’ side of the brain. Roman is on the right, the more ‘feely’ side of the brain. It’s kind of more obvious in the scene where they grab Thomas a lot.

- Roman really slips with his feelings when he’s stressed. He says stuff that’s usually more about his self-worth. “You’re making a mistake.” “If I am, I’ll add it to the list.” That was said under a lot of stress and frustration. He’s done it before and he’s done it again; except now they don’t address it and it’s just a passing sentence.

- pLaNt

- Virgil would rather embarrass Thomas by making him talk to a stranger, instead of the guy that he thinks is cute? I mean, its very embarrassing by the end of it and Virge barely seems affected by it.

- And now Virgil is compromising. He works with Roman to make sure that Thomas looks okay (the “check your teeth” line).

- idk wtf the sty’s thing is about. Weirdly placed anxiety over it? Or something?

- Roman is very impulsive and basically throws Thomas into the trash can when a bad thing happens in front of a lot of people. Ego was definitely hurt there. Why hide instead of run away? Did Virgil sorta influence that?

- Plans help anxiety. Pretty sure they’ve covered that topic before, but lets just do a recap in this I guess.

- Virgil is half the people on this platform “Cyberstalking... but real life”. I mean, everyone makes a metaphor that has an actual word behind it sometimes. 

- “Try Speaking from the heart” ... I expected Patton, but there has been moments before where a Side who is expected to be there, isn’t there. Logan showed this in “Moving On” when he physically left but he never REALLY left. Patton showing up to add his own words to this may have been too much for him? Or he thought it would be for the others?

- Ah crap here’s the monologue-

- First off, it’s very honest. Full on honesty. With no holding back. And it really hit the feels; but is it realistic though? (Genuinely asking I’ve never been in that kind of situation)

- Very rambly too “I honestly don’t know what I’m doing at the mall today. I don’t know what I was looking for... I guess that answers my question- The mall is where you go when you want something but you don’t know what it is because the mall has everything.” Very rambly, very nervous, very honest.

- Roman and Virgil are very... in awe? Shocked? What is this? Roman looks so contemplative as he looks at himself in the mirror and I wanna be in his brain and know what he’s thinking.

- “I don’t know a lot about anything. Least of all, myself.” Okay, Janus just pulled all the way away for a full minute and forty-eight seconds (this is 99% accurate) to just let Thomas talk and feel didn’t he? This is just complete honesty.

- Anyone would be awkward with the guy coming out of that stall. I’m awkward thinking about it and seeing it again. Moving on-

- “I gotta stop wooing strangers in bathrooms” just a 3000 word fic of at least one other time that he’s done this and I will be yours forever

- Virgil is a dramatic emo who dislikes lying. Crossed arms, waiting outside for him, looks up when he says “you know what I meant”- They’re all part of an actor your at least a LITTLE dramatic.

- Virgil has a big thing about lies and relationships. This has to do with him and Janus’ relationship somehow- It’s about Thomas’ relationships with friends and his romantic life too. He didn’t seem as annoyed about them in the ‘Lies’ song way back when which didn’t mention lying about any type of relationship.

- “Can’t have true love if the relationship isn’t built on truth.” Is this what he was thinking about in the bathroom? Its a cute line either way. 

- Okay, Roman and Janus have some kind of... something. Cause a lot of Roman’s talks about his goals for Thomas pushes Thomas into relying on Janus until Roman realises that it’s morally bad OR (as seen in the talk after the bathroom scene) when he realises that it’ll be bad for Thomas in the long run.

- “Will (D)deceit continue to be the answer to all of your problems? Is that fair to him?” HIM WHO!? Janus or Nico!? Both!? AHHHH! This could mean so much in any direction you throw it but I can’t find the dang words!! “No, he’s better off without me.” This could just be Thomas misunderstanding the ‘him’ Virgil means too or he does understand idk-

- “I was afraid you left!” *INSERT TWO SIDES SCREAMING HERE* Hahaha he’s literally screaming on the inside omg-

- “He fears things too!?” Virgil doesn’t understand how people work when he’s worked up. Duly noted.

- Roman and Virgil equals A Gay Panic

- Thomas’ first thought when panicked is to ask the guy, that he thinks is cute and has been trying to get the attention of for the last while, ‘what is wrong with you?’ ... 10/10 Thomathy

-  .Roman seems... a little resigned that another ‘chance at happiness’ is walking away? I mean, he’s super sad but resigned to his fate. That’s sad as hell. He’s USED TO THIS and I don’t like that 😢

- Virgil’s scene where he looks between, NOT Thomas, but Nico and Roman, is really well done and filled with... a lot. He psyches himself up first of, taking in quick breaths before pushing Thomas, obviously afraid but still doing it anyway. And the look he gives a very resigned Roman looks like its both guilt and sadness. Could just be me thinking that he has a ‘this is my fault’ thing.

- Full on surprise on Roman’s face when Virgil pushes Thomas. No one was expecting that.

- Carrots. The carrots brought them together. Thomas... you don’t have to eat carrots, but at least say ONCE that they aren’t all bad.

- “I like songs” you’ve also written some and sung x5 as many but okay, go with that I guess. (Is this to not brag about being a singer right away? I guess so?)

- If Nico was writing about something that happened midway through his visit to the food court, what was he writing about before that? Did he have nothing until Thomas tripped over the bin?

- “I tend to waste a lot of opportunities in my life” Then cuts to Virgil. Ouch. Direct hit on Virge...

- BRAVERY. (i’ll get back to this-)

- “Shut up, emo.” No complicated nicknames; just the easy picking. Very cute. Very yes. Roman your a sap and its great.

- When Thomas is telling Roman to ‘get out’, he sinks down and is he biting his thumb? He’s still excited. And I’m adding ‘biting’ to his list of stims.

- Virgil claps his hands.  Roman and Virgil both cover their mouths. Both yell. Manic hand movements. Virgil gets Thomas to walks around and flappy hands. (And the nervous pee too I guess?)

- OKAY. EYESHADOW. Big thing, also new. I believe that it may be him ‘growing’ as a Side. First, he believed that he was JUST Thomas’ anxiety. Then comes to term with being more then that, which helps him become a ‘Light Side’. And now, he’s learnt that ‘fear’ and ‘bravery’ can both be present at the same time and is now growing from that as well. So, his back and forth between black and purple could mean a back and forth of the ‘fear’ and ‘bravery’ aspects. Thomas about to send a bad tweet? Black. Optimistic about things ‘never being the same again’? Purple. Thomas bringing up that they just met? Black. Its a promising start? Purple again.  Purple when something optimistic, its purple. Pessimistic, its black. There’s a thing happening there.

- And also, lots of smiley Virgil when he goes purple. Brave enough to smile? Or optimistic enough to be truly happy about it?

- “Join me! No thinking!” Okay, all the ‘Roman Himbo’ stans have already gone nuts over this so I’ll keep going XD

- Roman’s first date idea is to go to France immediately and I love him for being so honestly over-the-top

- Dogs are the demons of anxiety its now a fact. They even bring out the Tempest Tongue, despite hearing the dog “thirty times a day”.

- Do not tell Virgil to relax. Black eyeshadow. Very on brand tbh. He does not relax and you should know this by now Roman.

All in all; I love them and the entire episode ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

[babysizedfics]

does patton ever feel like he’s being overbearing or too much? im sure vee had to work through faer anxiety about being annoying or a burden - just because its so common in littles and fae is literally the embodiment of anxiety - but i want to know if it goes the other way. do the cgs / nana worry they’re too much? -🌙 (will send on angst blog if necessary!)

i dont think so ! not until emile points out that he believes patton has separation anxiety, but that comes with pattons own issues and insecurities that we will get to another time - he doesnt feel like hes a burden but he does feel shame about how needy he thinks he is

but with patton him being overbearing is one of his ways to cope and feel needed (an unhealthy coping mechanism at first but it evolves into something healthier - it doesnt look much different but it comes from love and enjoyment rather than a need to be needed) so he doesnt feel like thats hurting the others wven if sometimes it did like when he kept babying roman and ro got annoyed

but no, janus and logan dont think theyre burdens either, they just want to help and enjoy it

also yeah vee did and still does struggle with feeling like a burden because of faer autism and anxiety and age regression, she's not very independent at all and is very reliant on faer family to actually help faer be functional in daily living like eating and hygeine and stuff so she has a lot of internalised ableism and general anxiety surrounding that - patton might actually count as her legal carer if it were the real world with disability benefits and such. and vee finds a lot of insecurity in the fact that she needs a carer for her autism

but also the whole "literally the embodiment of anxiety" thing i guess is partially true for this au but tbh we dont focus on them as sides of thomas so like i wont refer to their functions a lot at all, just see them as real people

so as for feeing like a burden its rlly only vee

[sebthesnipe]

The Dreamer by Whatwashernameagin an Analysis? Part 3

All portions:

Chapter 1: Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

Chapter 2: Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

The Dreamer 

@whatwashernameagain​

Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Reminder: Spoilers under cut! 

If we pick up where we left off, Logan talks about The Dreamer’s/Roman’s vision of the future ‘where everyone could live in love and harmony, and humanity would grow into its glowing, gallant potential, coexisting in friendship with nature and respecting the planet while creating a world fir for fairy tails’. “Why would no one see that [The Dreamer] was clearly delusional” (Whatwashernameagain)? Can anyone say… Foreshadowing?

I know I haven’t made it to chapter 2 yet but I need to bring this up so… If you haven’t read Chapter 2 yet then skip this bit.

*****CHAPTER 2 SPOILERS**** 

Once again, Roman’s character portrait is gaining more depth with this paragraph. In Chapter 2 we learn that Roman really does see the future this way. The knowledge has a sense of innocence that Logan obviously finds annoying but adds yet another endearing quality to the hero. I won’t go into too much detail about Chapter 2 but the foreshadowing here is quite lovely and shouldn’t be ignored. Logan calls Roman delusional for his vision and he truly is. With everything that we learn in Chapter 2 we see just how delusional the hero really is. But its not only for the future… his delusions go far deeper, involving his family, his duty, his team… I’ll stop there. You’ll just have to read my analysis of Chapter 2 when I eventually get there.

Now back to our regular scheduled programming…

*****END OF CHAPTER 2 SPOILERS*****

 Okay… so this next para��. Oh man… So many thoughts…. “Despite his illogical argumentation, [The Dreamer] had somehow kept him from some of the more drastic measures [Logan’s] supercomputer suggested would be necessity for the continued well-being of all – much to the computer’s ire” (Whatwashernameagain). So, I really want to use two types of literary theories here… one being reader-response and the other bordering psychoanalysis. In other words, more Freud stuff.  Don’t worry I’m not going to go into too much detail this time.

When I read this para all I can picture is the left and right side of the brain, which is really what Roman and Logan are aren’t they? I’ve briefly touched on the fact that Logan and Roman are polar opposites complimenting themselves before but… this para makes me consider it in a different way. Roman is acting almost like a conscious here; providing a line to draw when Logan starts to get out of control. Roman is the reigns that are yanked when Logan goes too fast. He keeps the Logical side in check. Fitting. Poetic. Perfect. Love it, Eva.

And… This super computer has so much Sass… Must be Remy. XP

With the introduction of Remy we get another burst of the light hearted humor that comes with his personality. Eva balances the character well, in my opinion. Remy is supposed to be a supercomputer with some sass but writing a character that is a computer can be difficult. I really would like to spend some time discussing Remy but I am afraid that I can’t go into to much detail. Remy in this scene is more of a support character, and there isn’t much to go on at the moment… Of course, knowing Eva, this will change in the future. I am sure he has plenty to say about Remy as the story progresses. As it stands Remy makes for a good comic relief and fantastic transitional device, pulling the reader from Logan’s thoughts back into the present to help the story move on.

 **I’m going to pause here for a moment. While analyzing the entrance of Remy I grew curious about a few things and decided to ask her. I am going back to edit this in because while writing this portion of the analysis I felt as if I was missing something. Why did she choose Remy specifically to be the supercomputer and how does it play into any of this? I knew there had to be a reason, but I hadn’t managed to figure it out. So, I asked. Here was her response:

“So I absolutely thought about why I wanted Remy as the computer. Computers are associated with cool predictability and lacking emotional competence and stiff, predictable speech patterns. Everything Logan already is. Especially this computer, who has to calculate the highest odds- the value of human life - has to make extremely cold and emotionless decisions. He would have escalated Logan’s crusade dramatically had he behaved exactly like Logic at its worst and purest moments. And their conversations would have read like Logan talking to his Mini me. He had to break up that stereotype because we already have a human trying to operate like a computer. If the calculation of our actions through utilitarian predictions are possible (which I believe they are) the reverse - the creation of unique and emotionally capable A.I.s needs to be taken into account soon. Though Remy is not part of the deliberation yet, his ability for human emotion demands he be included. He makes that demand by being essentially the most human of all of them and I will go into (too much) Detail when it’s time for his arc.”

When she told me this I was floored! I knew that she put more deliberation into her writing than most, but I had never really expected this. That sounds as if I underestimated her but that isn’t the case. I knew she had considered it or I wouldn’t have asked but… Well this is just so beautiful… I suppose there is a reason she is such a fantastic writer… And this people, is one of them. Absolutely stunning, Eva. **

 We jump back into Logan’s thoughts within the next paragraph. Remy accused the man of not ‘giving an f’ about what he says. He states that he attempts to follow Remy’s advice without prejudice. “However, whenever he endeavored to put those plans into action or even considered it, something made him hesitate. It was like a bug, hindering his rational thought process. A pesky pop-up window halting his deliberations and muddling his convictions with banal platitudes and illogical rambling” (Whatwashernameagain). I LOVE this paragraph!

So, the imagery here is fantastic. Eva uses a wonderful simile that really catches Logan’s personality. But I’ll have to get into that in a moment. I want to touch on something else first. We know that Logan is driven by Logic; he is Thomas’ logical side after all. That being said, it has been discussed within her Keep Him Safe fandom that Logan is/maybe autistic. I think that it is very fitting for Logan to be autistic (though this may be due to the fact that I am autistic as well). The thing is… and I really wish I had the source for this, but I don’t know what I’ve done with it and can’t for the life of me find it again. I am sorry. Anyways, if we look at this logically Logan is thirty years old (thought Eva may change that but the Logan in Sanders Sides is thirty because Thomas is thirty so I’m going with it); Which means that he grew up in 1990s. There wasn’t a lot of treatment for mild cases of autism in the nineties. In fact, it wasn’t until 2013 Autism Spectrum disorders were classified in DSM-V (History of Autism Treatment). Even if children were diagnosed before then, most cases in the 1980s and some in the 1990 used ECT, which involves passing small electric currents through the brain to intentionally trigger a brief seizure (History of Autism Treatment). These seizures are supposed to be hypothesized to change the brain chemistry in a way to reduce mental health symptoms (History of Autism Treatment). ECT is still used in some cases of autism today, though it is rare (History of Autism Treatment). Why is this important? Well, I am 27 years old. I grew up in the same era of Logan. I am also autistic so believe me when I say that /if/ someone tried to get Logan treated as a child he would have been subject to countless medications, off the wall treatment plans and subject to so many misdiagnoses that eventually he would have simply folded in on himself as we’ve seen him do throughout this work. On top of that, when he eventually came off of the treatments, he would had molded himself to avoid them at all costs becoming cold and driven by logic, blocking away as much of the emotional side of himself as he could and thus becoming the Logan we know today. This defense mechanism would obvious move into his adult years. I don’t know if this is Logan’s history in this work, this is merely speculation, but I am quite fond of the idea and historically speaking it is entirely possible.

 **Author confirmed Logan is autistic**

 I explain all this because if a person tries to block out emotions that are core to the very existence of a human being than what happens? Well, the example Eva gives, that’s what; “He attempted to follow the disgruntled computer’s advices without prejudice. However, whenever he endeavored to put those plans into action or even considered it, something made him hesitate” (Whatwashernameagain). Logan obviously tries to be as cold and calculating as his computer but despite his efforts, the fact remains… He is /not/ a computer; and he never will be. No matter how logical you try to be… no matter how much you block out your emotions, they will turn up here and there and there is NOTHING you can do to stop them. It is part of the human condition. Which brings me back to the simile I mentioned.

“It was like a bug, hindering his rational thought process. A pesky pop-up window halting his deliberations and muddling his convictions with banal platitudes and illogical rambling” (Whatwashernameagain).

This simile reinforces my hypothesis, but I still can’t say that it is true. Regardless it does show the struggle between Logan’s desire to be cold and calculating and his humanity; even basically describing himself as a computer (I’m pretty sure Remy would have a few things to say about that if he knew).  He describes his humanity as a bug, or a virus, a pop-up messing with his head. Or… Could it be that it’s not his humanity that’s bothering him at all… Maybe it’s something… or someone else….

He states that this virus is “muddling his convictions with banal platitudes and illogical rambling”. For those of you about to look up the definition of banal platitudes, I’ve already done the work for you lol. It basically means clichés. So… clichés and ‘illogical’ rambling? Sound like anyone we know? Maybe a certain Dreamer? I talk as if Logan’s pesky humanity and The Dreamer are two different issues entirely but they are not. Roman seems to be a symbol of Logan’s unwanted humanity; something he both needs to define himself and hates because he wishes he didn’t need it. It is quite a wonderful use of symbolism and philosophical structure, beautifully executed. Someone once told me that a superhero is only as good as its villain. I believe that has some truth to it and vice versa. What would Batman be without the Joker or The Riddler? But it also poses the question… What would we be without our humanity. What would good be without bad? In life we define everything as a comparison. If you try to describe the color red you wouldn’t be able to because they can not compare the color to things that are red. In a world without bad, we wouldn’t recognize the good and in a world without good, the bad is just life. Would it be the same if the Utilitarianist didn’t have The Dreamer? If Logan didn’t have Roman?

This an actual concept in the literary world known as the dialectical method. “The dialectical method of analysis begins with particular sense data (knowledge of a single object). But such focus on a particular object of knowledge immediately invites reflection on what the particular object is not. It is not a concept or idea or category. We look at the legal system, for example, and see a law, but to understand a particular law fully we need to know what the principle or idea is that makes it a law" (Rivkin, Julie). While it doesn’t exactly work 100% for Roman and Logan in this instant, it basically mean that one thing is only defined by comparing it to another. But that is for another story…

A good writer makes their reader want to ask questions, to learn more… we see that here without a doubt.

I mentioned that the ‘banal platitudes and illogical ramblings Logan mentioned that were distracting him could be Roman and the next line confirms that theory: “The Dreamer was intruding on his mental solitude increasingly often with the memories of his wide eyes, predictably shocked at learning about the Utilitarianist’s latest plans, before determination lit a fire in his green eyes.” I’m sure his eyes are not the only thing crossing Logan’s mind… As I said before, Roman is a good representation of Logan’s conscious here, with a subtext of attraction that is ever present when it comes to his thoughts about the hero. Logan goes on to describe Roman’s banter once more but this time… there’s something a little different to his words.

“His voice was like a constraining vice around his chest, forcing him to remember his outraged claims of rightness and kindness and chivalry and peace – foolish banalities standing in the way of real benefits for the world. And yet his arguments kept resurfacing in his mind, playing like a broken record. Hopes for unity and joint efforts and belief in humanity’s solidarity and such naive nonsense. Data had proven the probability of success for his hopes at about 8%. A waste of time” (Whatwashernameagain).

8%.... 8%... Of course, Logan would know that! He talks about this hero getting in his way and messing up his plans but when it comes down to it the constant reminder seems to point to one thing… (Besides denial and attraction which we’ve already covered) Jealousy. Logan obviously isn’t jealous of The Dreamer’s popularity or social status, he doesn’t have a care for though things. No, the thing Logan is jealous of is hope. Let’s think about this for a moment. Sure, Roman is the symbol of hope for the country but that’s a different kind of hope. No, the thing that Logan continuously points out is the man’s ignorant hopeful view of a future that is almost impossible… Well, 92% impossible anyways. Logan is autistic… he is driven by logic, pushing down all his emotions as best he can because they are inherently bad… at least that is what he was conditioned to believe; you can’t push down just the bad emotions, its an all or nothing type of deal if you’re trying to be the most logical being you can be… Which means all the good emotions went with them… Logan doesn’t feel emotions like most people… like Roman…

I’m not saying that he doesn’t feel emotions, being autistic can sometimes mean you simply don’t feel emotions the same way as others. Plus, it makes sense for Logan to suppress them… ANYWAYS, I’m getting sidetracked. My point is that a lot of times when you struggle with something like that (or even depression (since ‘numbness’ can be a symptom of depression)) it can be quite difficult to see others enjoying emotions that you are incapable/not use to feeling. It is possible that this might be the case with Logan. Roman’s hope for the future, despite complaining of his naivety, is something Logan covets. It is something he probably respects, though he’d never admit it. I’m sure he no doubt calculated the statistics of Roman’s future to prep for his next argument but also because he was just a little bit curious as to how likely it really is. I even doubt he would actually tell Roman he only had an 8% chance of succeeding because he doesn’t want to see disappointment on those beautiful features; he’d probably just tell him the chances were slim… Though Roman would no doubt be one of those guys that would respond to ‘Fat chance’ with ‘I have a chance; and its fat!”.    Of course, the next paragraph confirms my thoughts on Roman’s reaction to the information and once again reinforces Logan’s thoughts on just how handsome The Dreamer is.

The thing I want to draw attention to next is another opinion of Logan’s. Eva writes from his POV “Thankfully, many of his actions were far too advanced for a simple mind like the Dreamer’s, which afforded him the ability to work in peace. The threat of law-enforcement was hardly severe enough to warrant his attention. Still, he had interrupted his work and caused critical failure to several of his more drastic plans” (Whatwashernameagain).  So, this brings up a number of things we were not privy to beforehand. First, it paints the dynamic in a bit of a different light. It brings our attention to the fact that Logan doesn’t see the man as the sharpest tool in the shed. We learn in Chapter 2 that that isn’t exactly the reason behind it all but Logan, of course is not privy to this… yet. Once again, we see Logan have a bit of a superiority complex, though I doubt he means to or even realizes it. In society today, knowledge is power, and Logan has a lot of it. His view that Roman is less intelligent puts him lower on the power scale and therefore beneath him. This reinforces the same imagery offered earlier in the story, calling Roman a ‘thorn in [Logan’s] shoe’ and the fact that Logan is not happy being attracted to him. On the opposite side it also reinforces just how adorably innocent Roman is.

I LOVE this next bit! Logan mentions that he had not made Roman a target despite Remy’s insistence and explains his position of the subject: “he was trying to be useful in his own way. Criminals and terrorist attempting to profit of the system’s flaws or praying on the weak were an issue the Utilitarianist was aware of, even if he had little time to devote to such matters as we worked on the grand scheme of things. Pedophiles were most deplorable, yes, but Remy could not devote his processor power to chasing every single individual. They had brought two sex-trafficking rings to light with the help of their white-hat-hackers and had, by making the addresses of the offenders’ public, dealt with a lot of them indirectly, yet a single kidnapping was a too small variable to devote any time to” (Whatwashernameagain). So far, we’ve seen Logan move from frustration, obsession, denial, attraction, respect to envy… now we see… understanding? While some may think this is a bit contradictory, I would have to disagree… In fact, it makes complete sense that Logan would accept and understand Roman’s heroic persona. Afterall, the two of them share the same goal, they simply go about it in two different extremes.

Logan wants a better world where things like corrupt governments are nonexistent and every person can walk to their car at night without having to cling to their pepper spray or keys so desperately. Granted, he is attempting to accomplish this on such a large scale that it will not happen anytime soon, but the intention is still there. In his mind, the end justifies the means and therefore the Utilitarianist was born. Roman wants the same world, granted there are a few more rainbows and most certainly more glitter in his vision but it is the same none the less. The only difference is Roman’s sense of morality stopping him from doing something as drastic as Logan does. I think Logan sees this and though he considers the unwillingness a type of weakness he can see that Roman has a use and therefore has value (just as the utilitarianism principle suggests). In fact, in a way, Roman is assisting Logan in his goals, though it is a very small way. He is basically taking care of smaller crimes while Logan attempts to handle the big guns. This, of course, paints their dynamic in a bit of different light; Logan being the brains while Roman fumbles about and makes his job far more difficult that it needs to be. Think of it like Pinky and the Brain, or Dexter (from Dexter’s Laboratory) and his sister DeeDee (Is my age showing?). Within the next two paragraphs

Logan talks about the hero saving a young girl and the ‘almost-admiration’ that he had felt for the hero who was basically doing something Logan was incapable of; which reinforces the analysis. A small snippet of their interactions is seen for the first time; Roman lecturing about every life counts and using power for good; Logan making a smart-ass comment in return and blasting him off the oil rig with high pressured water. This is actually quite a beautiful scene because it shows the rivalry (despite Logan’s complaining) is filled with more of a playfulness than actual malice. It is obvious that Logan doesn’t really want to harm Roman and vice versa. It makes for a very soft moment for the reader, warming them a bit.

The playfulness continues through the next scene. Logan reminisces about a moment when Roman’s ‘incompetence’ managed to get him captured by another villain. There is a lot to read during this scene so I will try to be brief (I am trying to shorten these parts while also moving a bit quicker through the work, so I don’t bore you guys too much). Logan states that “only Remy had managed to piece together his whereabouts after Logan had mentioned his failure to appear in front of a camera for a solid two days. Leaving him to die in the hands of such an individual might have caused a significant amount of unrest and subsequent danger to the public” (Whatwashernameagain).

First off, do you really pay Roman so much attention that you notice when he’s not there to brighten your day? Of course you do. I’m sure he would love the attention if he knew about it. Anyways, the last sentence provides more insight into what I have previously said about Logan’s recognition of Roman’s usefulness. He states that Roman’s disappearance would cause unrest and subsequent danger to the public. While, he may be making excuses, according to Remy, he does recognize this to be try and it is. If the public discovered The Dreamer was gone crime would spike, people’s hope would disappear causing them to lash out in fear and over protectiveness; everything Logan was working towards wouldn’t necessarily crumble but would no doubt be slowed. Which brings me back to the whole dialectical theory thing from earlier, which I won’t bore you with again. Just know that everything is related to something else in meaning, including Logan and Roman.

Love the light humor of Remy calling Logan his ‘computer-world-interaction device! LOL! Aside from the light humor, the interaction is a good resource in rounding out Remy as a character. It offers the reader a chance to understand that Remy needs/wants to interact with the outside world, to experience what it is to be apart of society outside his connections with the internet… Don’t we all Remy… Don’t we all… It develops Remy into the AI he is supposed to be rather than the image of a computer we originally had.

“Saving the Dreamer from his own incompetence was not a concession to his naive beliefs. No, certainly not! If anything, his wailing and warbling had caused Logan a headache as he’d dragged him out of the bunker, arguing the whole way” (Whatwashernameagain).

Logan SAVED Roman?! I love this. Irony at its finest! The villain saves the hero. Poetic justice! It also paints Logan to have a heart, though he denies it, which is quite nice too. Too bad Roman has no idea that his initials are carved in the ice around said heart. Best part is, we actually get to see a small snippet of the argument between the two: “’Uhhng you’re such an impossible motherf- um motherboard! Because you’re like a computer! Cold and emotionless!’ [The Dreamer] wailed, narrowly avoiding uttering a vile insult in his frustration. He prided himself on a hero’s impeccable manners, after all” (whatwashernameagain).

So, this snippet does a lot of things for Roman’s persona here. It provides him with the sass we hadn’t seen from him yet, giving him a bit more personality and a small bit of his POV which is a first in the story as well. We also can see the stark contrast between his and Logan’s frustration. Roman loses a bit of control in his frustration and almost curses; while Logan’s frustration, while intense, was still controlled almost to perfection (minus the one time he almost got caught because Roman got him to argue with him). His calm cool demeanor rarely cracking. Roman, as we see here, however, is the opposite, wearing the emotion on his sleeve and allowing it to flow freely rather than being bottled up and locked away like Logan attempts to do.

“Why had he cared to save this man after all? Not because of the softly uttered gratitude he’d finally muttered as he’d bundled him into an intimidated police officer’s car or his wide, awed eyes as he’d materialized out of the shadows of his cell, perfectly adjusted to the darkness in his neck-high sleek, black suit and high-tech mask that made him resemble a nimble, black cat. Or the way his expression had morphed into a knowing, almost warm smile before their differences had made their tempers rise once again” (Whatwashernameagain).

Okay, first off… Lets look at the structure here. This is another thing I love about Eva’s writing. I’ve mentioned time and time again, her ability to transition from one POV to another seamlessly but she also does it with timeframes. We’ve seen it a few times now, but this is probably the most obvious one which is why I waited until I got to this point before bringing it up. Before this para we were reading a small snippet of the arguing as Logan dragged Roman to safety. Now, we see Logan deposit Roman into a car and then BAM! Back in the cell he had been being kept in. The best part is that it is done so seamlessly that the reader doesn’t even really think about the fact that they are jumping back and forth in this timeline, they are simply able to piece it together as if it was all one piece… absolutely beautiful…

This para also gives a small insight into the humanity in Logan I had mentioned before, the humanity that only seems to come out when Roman is around; thus, reinforcing the fact that Roman /is/ Logan’s humanity. It also is a reminder of Logan’s denial but who is paying attention to that anymore?

Logan mentions the ‘softly uttered gratitude’ that Roman mutters as he was bundled in the car; making me wonder just how often Logan is thanked? Probably never… It is no wonder it was something of note here. It is like feeding a steak to someone who is accustomed to instant ramen: Surprising but not unwelcomed.

He also talks about Roman’s ‘wide, awed eyes,’ the look turning into a ‘knowing, almost warm smile.’ This is another example of how Eva manages to catch emotions so beautifully. This is also a wonderful example of Reader-Response theory as well. She mentions the physical reaction that Roman has at the appearance of Logan, but she leaves everything else up to the reader to fill in the blank… to shape the story. Still, she gave us just enough to work with.

Roman is obviously surprised that someone was there for him as his eyes go wide, but its really the fact that it is Logan, his opposite, his rival, that is there to save him. The shock fades quickly though as everything Roman has been arguing with the man over seems to come true in his eyes. Logan has just proven Roman right in the sense that Logan is good at heart and /can/ do the right thing… that there is hope that he can be led down the ‘right’ path. But the smile he offered wasn’t cocky or conceited if that were the case. It was simply ‘warm’. The complexity of human thought and emotions is far to vast for anyone to really /know/ what Roman was thinking her but I’m going to give a guess: Roman saw for the first time that his rival was not only living up to Roman’s hopes and expectations but was, in a way, providing him with a sense of friendship that Roman probably wasn’t accustomed to. Or at least a sense of affection (platonic or otherwise). No doubt, being a hero was a very lonely existence.

And we end the scene with Logan mentioning Remy’s like for Roman and his ‘cute ass and mouth.’  That’s Remy for you.

Thank you for joining me for Part 3 of this analysis. I apologize for the length and want to thank you for baring with me through it.

Yes, this is a repost. I had posted a very short Part 3 earlier today and did not want to end the Chapter 1 analysis on an odd number, so I combined Parts 3 and 4.

I will see you guys in part 4! Feel free to send me an ask or message with questions, concerns, emotional outbursts or things you simply would like to discuss or add! Thank you all!

  “History of Autism Treatment.” Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide, https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/history-autism-treatment/.

Rivkin, Julie. Literary Theory: a Practical Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

Whatwashernameagain. “The Dreamer - Chapter 1.” Hello Guys Gals And Non Binary Friends, 8 Sept. 2019, https://whatwashernameagain.tumblr.com/post/187581477262/the-dreamer-chapter-1.

[lizord-lord]

The Invisible Language

(This is a vent fic. I was struggling with having to dump a friend yesterday and it got me dwelling on my social struggles..and so I tried my hand at actually writing a fic to project all my problems through! XD)

(For anyone who doesn’t know, I have autism-Aspergers specifically, and I totally 100% headcanon Logan as an aspie. I have this post detailing why. So..for those of you who also stan autistuc Logan (and maybe a bit of ADHD Roman) here is this, me basically throwing my entire life story on our poor nerd and I am so sorry but also not XD. Also, the book I mentioned is very real, and I actually own it. It’s really useful, if a bit dated and heteronormative)

Warnings: Descriptions of sensory overload (similar to a panic attack) social struggles, very brief mention of selfharm, mentions of fistfights and minor physical violence.

Ships: none, but you can probably see my logicality heart in there lmao

The Invisible Language.

It was all just so complicated now.

Or rather, now he knew how complicated it was.

Before, Logan had always just thought he was bad with people. That was fine. It fit, with his habit of staying inside with his nose in a book. The socially awkward, introverted nerd who wasn’t good with kids.

It was simple.

But that’s the thing. Life isn’t simple. And neither was Logan. Even as a six year old.

The socially awkward, introverted nerd, from what he’d seen on tv, would have cried or just silently tried to make due when another kid ‘accidentally’ spilled tomato juice all over his copy of Alice in Wonderland. Logan Sanders leapt from his desk, grabbed the kid’s wrist, and yanked him down so his head smashed into the wood.

The socially awkward one was laughed at. Logan was sent to the office.

Time and time again this would happen. Until he turned eight, and his parents pulled him out of school. He was homeschooled after that, and it was simultaneously like a breath of fresh air and entering a stifling hot room. He was free of the children, free to discover on his own, but he found himself itching for more, to ask questions about things his parents could answer, to do projects he’d heard about online but often ended up screaming in his attempts to recreate them because it wasn’t explained, why this, why that, how do I do that, it doesn’t make sense!!

Homeschooling was a blessing and a curse. He made due. He did well in fact, almost all of his online courses were marked complete with a neat 100 for the score. It was enough for them, but not for him.  Eight year old Logan hated it. Ten year old Logan was used to it.

Eleven year old Logan dug his heels into it.

Middle school. His parents wanted to send him back. He understood their reasoning, the rational half of his brain did. Middle school was a big change, adolescence, and the middle ground before high school, which he always knew he would be going to-you can’t get college credit from online courses and library books after all, not the ones he was using. It would give him time to prepare. And yet he was a creature of habit, so used to his solitary life..

Logan has no choice however.

On the first day he stepped inside, armed with only the knowledge of American Girl books he’d skimmed through (who cared if they were meant for girls, they didn’t write helpful guides for boys!) and distant memories of elementary school. The first weeks went by as a blur, and Logan ate it up. The assignments, the grades, the smirk he always found himself wearing when he placed his assignments in the bin. That triumph didn’t even compare to the rush of pride and satisfaction he felt when the teacher told the class that he test they’d been given was apparently too hard, many kids failed and only one student actually got a perfect score, and his paper was handed back with a 100 written on the top.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t hold the paper up a bit and catch the eyes of the numerous people who stared at him with no surprise in their eyes.

Logan even found friends in those first few weeks. A darkly dressed kid who, much like him, never really knew where to go during paired projects and ended up working with him. He found that Virgil was actually very bright, a relief when he looked around the room to see people talking and not doing anything useful. The pale boy was quiet, but listened as Logan chattered away about his  plans for the assignment.

Patton was next, a round-faced boy who seemed to share at least a few words with everyone he saw. Logan didn’t mind that. He wasn’t a lazy student, maybe a bit easily distracted, but when he was sat next to Logan in science his work quality was always at least a solid B, as long as he was shushed every now and again. He seemed better with people too, and Logan found himself enjoying his company.

Then there was Roman. He was introduced to their little trio by Patton, who apparently shared a drama class with the tanned boy. He was..a handful. And yet Logan found himself challenged by him. Their friendship was an unusual one, full of debates that more often than not ended in yelling, but at least they started off with intelligent points and interesting ideas-and if often Patton had to break off their passion so neither of them landed with lunch detention, well that was the price to pay.

He was enjoying himself here.

Then the second month. Logan remembered where he was when a redheaded girl told him he was wrong in that ‘you’re a moron’ tone when he told her that actually, the word for the study of space was astronomy, not astrology. When a boy in a green sweater had blatantly ignored him when he asked him to stop scooting his chair across the hard floors. When an entire group of people had continued to call him Logie even though he’d told them over and over he hated it. Many of them seemed to do it just because it annoyed him. This went on. Every day another simpleton would disrespect him. Every day he’d tell him to stop. Often he’d snap at them, or swear. That always got him snickers in return. And Logan found himself clenching his fists as his whole body burned red hot.

It happened again a week after this started. A boy with a Minecraft t-shirt cut him off in the lunch line, and when Logan told him to go to the end, the boy only scoffed and responded with “Are you in kindergarten?” in a tone that made his blood boil with how fucking snotty it was.

Logan’s hand was fisted in the back of that obnoxious t-shirt and pulling back with all its might before he could think.

The boy ended up on the floor crying, and Logan ended up suspended.

There were more incidents that year. Mostly yelling or swearing, but minor physical violence was not unheard of. It was common even.

Logan didn’t want that. He wanted to be cool, to drop the bullies and idiots with bullets of intelligence from his tongue, but everything he tried a witty comeback they’d give him either confused looks, no acknowledgement as all, or retort with ‘Your mom’ jokes, a sort of ‘insult’ that required barely a single brain cell to perform.

They never listened. They were stupid, childish, disrespectful. Logan stuck only to his three friends and the many teachers he’d grown quite friendly with, They liked him after all, he was precocious and that was something teachers always found fun. with adults, he also found he could make himself actually heard, his theories, ideas, suggestions, it was a glorious freedom he had previously only had with Patton, Roman, and Virgil.

But things didn’t get that much better.

In fact, in seventh grade Logan found his outbursts getting worse. They were farther and fewer between, but the eventual rage that would explode was far worse than before. It was like the dam that held back his rage had grown stronger, but that meant it took more water to barrel it over, and that sent far more devastating floods down the peaceful valley of his mind.

In eighth grade, he got into a fistfight with a boy who had called Roman gay as an insult, not knowing that it was true or that the word should not be used in such a manner. When the boy refused to listen to Logan’s explanation of what the word meant and instead switched tracks to scoffing every time he said it was a normal and perfectly acceptable, beautiful thing. And by the time the midget of a bigot tossed in the dreaded f-slur Logan’s mind was so crimson he only felt a rush of relief when his fist connected with the boy’s head.

It was two weeks of suspension for that. And it was during that time that Logan’s mother revealed something to him that he had never expected.

Tales of his childhood-or babyhood rather, where he had exhibited strange behaviors no other parent seemed to have seems.

“I think you might have Aspergers,” she had said.

And now, here he was. He couldn’t believe it had taken her this long to tell him of her suspicions. But now Logan was sitting on his bed, the blanket covered with constellations, staring at the cover of a book.

It was a familiar scene.

But this wasn’t a book chosen by Logan’s own hand, or by the school, or even a recommendation from his parents or a loan from his younger sister Abby.

It had been gifted to him by the man at the Autism Center.

The Asperkid’s Secret Guide to Social Rules.

He’d read the whole thing.

Before, he’d thought he was just awkward.

But no. Of course it couldn’t be that simple. It wasn’t that he just didn’t know that w to say. He was. missing an entire way of communicating that people his mind now knew as ‘neurotypicals’ spoke in without realizing it.

The secret language. Body language, facial expressions, tone, he knew that all existed yes..but he’d never seen it. At least not in the subtleties the book described. And all these double meanings of phrases? So the dark-skinned girl who had asked him what he was reading during math class didn’t want to just read the back and learn Sherlock Holmes’ latest mystery? She’ wanted to get to know him?

Why didn’t she just say so!

It was so much more complicated now. The vague, yet simple term of ‘weird’ was replaced by the vast, yet specific, confusing, and multifaceted word that was autistic. A word he’d never have expected to apply to him. Mental health went really a subject he’d looked into, feelings were too wound into it.. and feelings had always been his greatest vice.

So now, with that book in his hand, he thought.

There was a whole other world he couldn’t see..that’s what he had been missing all this time? was the specific shifts in tone in posture people made-what he’d always thought to be absently-something his parents expected him to understand and that was why he always seemed to have to be elbowed when running his mouth?

It was like….like telepathy. Yes, to Logan, the cues he now found himself putting extra effort into finding; his sister’s slightly hunched shoulders at the dinner table, his dad’s slightly turned up nose when he mentioned his history teacher, were a sort of telepathy that the ‘normal’ population all shared. But it wasn’t as if it was that simple. Of course, it was tauntingly, agonizingly complicated. You see, these people were all telepaths, sharing cues in an invisible tongue-and yet, none of them knew they were telepathic. And yet still, they all expected everyone else to be.

So that was why he was strange. Logan had looked up how much of communication was non-verbal - he felt his eyes go wide when he saw the percentage dedicated to ‘body language’.

Fifty-eight percent.

Fifty-eight percent.

What else could he have missed?

Logan was both happy and uncomfortable with the diagnosis. He now knew terms, words, blessed reasons for his little ticks, why he felt like something was terribly wrong for at least an hour just because he’d had to take an alternate route to school (routine disruption), why was such a picky eater (finickiness caused by sensitivity to textures and certain flavors/smells), why people always responded with confusion whenever they saw him pepper the science teacher with question after question, challenge after challenge like he was trying to understand how the universe wove itself in the span of five minutes, and looked surprised when Roman asked him if he knew why Patton was being quiet. Logan had responded with a simple no, informing the other that Patton hadn’t told him-and when the slightly taller boy had suggested that he ask, Logan realized the thought had never occurred to him.

Most importantly, it explained what Roman had dubbed ‘The Fitness Fiasco’. To sum it up, Logan had thought of a new game for their groups to play in gym class—something besides basketball for once in their lives, and yet as he tried to explain, the girl who seemed to have taken charge of the group he was trying to explain the idea to kept talking over him, ignoring him, challenging what he said—and the noise. The noise, how all the chattering and the sound of balls bouncing on the floor, the rage he felt at being slighted in this way, how it had attacked him. How he’d suddenly found himself tensing, wanting to run or to yell, unsure which, how the sound turned solid and pressed in-his muscles going taut, his hands twitching with every word from the students mouths,  how his arm violently jerked away as Patton tried to comfort him- And then the scream. He’d screamed at the top of his lungs for quiet, falling to the ground and sobbing in the fetal position—eyes screwed shut behind his glasses and hands clamped tight to his ears, unsure of what was even falling from his mouth aside from the fact that he was begging, begging for silence. It had only quieted a bit as people turned to stare, and then he’d felt hands on his shoulders, ones he jerked away from—but no one knew what to do. Virgil’s low whispers for him to breathe, to use the 4-7-8 method that the emo always used to calm his own panic attacks, was only met with more incoherent begging for silence. It had been Patton who rescued him, who brought the teacher over and ended up guiding the sobbing Logan to an empty classroom. There he had been met with silence. There he felt his terrified bawling turn to weeping with relief. In the silence, he’d recovered, his muscles lost the tension, and he allowed the freckled boy to wrap him in a hug.

He’d only been able to call it a panic attack before. But now he knew the term. Sensory overload, brought on my the noise and the stress.

It had been a relief just to know that. To know that in moments when he stood among too many people, feeling his muscles clench as their shoulders brushed his, that his hands should not go out to push them away, but to his ears, to block out the trigger.

It became a cue, when debates with Roman got heated—they were friends after all, if rivals as well, and it was understood that if Logan’s jaw suddenly clenched and his hands went up to cover his ears, they had to pause for at least a minute.

But of course, knowing where the holes in his social skills were led to Logan compensating, and it didn’t..always feel natural. He found himself staring at people, trying to read their faces, for a little too long on many an occasion, or overreacting to something because he’d overanalyzed the tone. He found himself having to bite his tongue on many an occasion to keep himself from simply explaining why he did what he did to his parents, who would only take it as making excuses.

It was a balance of the good, the bad, and the ugly. He understood now that his all-or-nothing attitude was why he found himself simply not doing projects if he couldn’t grasp the material—and this led to him having to more often than not, swallow his pride and ask for help when he was getting frustrated. Yet the same black-and-white philosophy got him gasps of shock from Roman when he explained that, in the story Roman had been iterating to him, the whole second half of the plot could have been avoided if Leealli had simply decapitated Sorcerer Kai while they were trapped in her dungeon. Roman had protested, saying it would make her just as terrible as they, but Logan had frowned, explaining that yes, the act was cruel, but if a single act of evil by her direct hand was all it took to stop countless others by her indirect hand, wasn’t it worth it?

But he had also been the one to convince Patton not to remain friends with Oliver, when one day, sitting on the cotton candy clouds that patterned Patton’s quilt, the smaller boy had confided in him that Oliver had vented about his habits of self-harm to the kind soul for three hours the night previous, yet refused any help Patton gave, shot down any attempt at saying he was worth more than he thought.

It was Logan who had took Patton’s hand and told him that people like that could only be helped by themselves and a therapist, that he should not take it upon himself to bear others’ problems in that way. Who had given him a hesitant hug and told him that his mental health was just as important as theirs.

His friends were his lifeline. Maybe they tripped him up—well, they definitely did, yet as much as he found himself apologizing to Virgil for seeming angry when he was simply tired and being a bit blunter and more insensitive with his words than usual (not that he usually was tactful or sensitive when it came to criticism, even constructive criticism) he found himself sighing in relief as the anxious boy shared with him his own experiences in worrying about the negative undertones in the words of others too much to be considered healthy. They would sit and talk about it, the same experience for two different reasons, one of them due to the irrational fear of people disliking him or being angry, and the other due to worrying he was doing something incorrectly that he was not aware of, failing to pick up on a crucial piece of information.

As much as Logan found himself and Roman butting heads, even shouting at each other during friendly debates gone sour, name-calling and snapping fault after fault, he reflected fondly on the time he had been ecstatic to discover that Roman’s own ADHD-riddled brain hyperfixated on Disney just as his own did on Sherlock, and they would both go on for hours about their obsessions while sadly recalling how old interests had faded.

As much as he often found himself hurting Patton unintentionally, and even worse, learning that Patton had been hiding that fact from him for weeks as to spare his feelings, as difficult as it was to convince (well, more plead with) Patton to tell him these things, as he wouldn’t be offended much and he had no other way of knowing what he was doing wrong, he found himself sitting by his side, all attention completely fixated on what to him were mindblowing truths about people and yet seemed common, boring knowledge to Patton, as the freckled boy explained cues and rules, that invisible language Logan did not speak.

Those friends stuck by him, even though others did not. With all the walls Logan had built up around his emotions, to protect himself and others, few could breach the fortifications—except for those who had already been on the inside as he built them. And he was fine with that.

Going to a therapist was...awkward at first, but it helped. Mr. Picani understood his aversion to talking of his feelings, and instead cleverly tricked him every time, asking questions about events until Logan was off on an angry rant. With that expelled, they’d talk through possible solutions.

He kept the book. And most of the other books he was given on the topic, eager to learn and understand more things about himself, knowing the reasons behind behaviors, quirks in things had always been one of his favorite things, and now he found it was possible in people.

As Logan worked through his discovery during the last semester of eighth grade and through that summer, with his Virgil, Patton, Roman, his parents, Mr. Picani, and occasionally even his rainbow-haired little sister, he found his mind shifting. He was truly calm now more often than not, able to express his rationale...well, rationally, rather than through insults. His debates grew calmer, and while he certainly had his slip-ups..he was improving. Slowly. Steadily.

His viewpoint of the world was unusual, like an outsider, and while that could be isolating, if he explained it well, people were often interested to hear it. It was different, his own; the metaphor Logan found himself using was that everyone else was a Macintosh computer, and he and his fellow spectrumites were PCs, capable of all the same things, though in ways the world was not wired to accommodate. Also, clearly superior in many a way.

His core programming was different, even if his exterior seemed the same, and Logan was okay with that. He’d never know the invisible language, not as a native would, but he could learn it—the same way he learned slang, through help, a lot of online research, his friends, and some study notes here and there.

It was complicated, they way he figured things out, the systems he’d devised. But complicated problems would never be solved with simple solutions.

And he still had plenty of time left to learn.

(Thanks to @poisonedapples for betaing this and basically screaming RELATABLE every two second, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear!)

(...I don’t really have a general fic taglist so imma just- y e a here)

Tags: @royallyanxious @whatwashernameagain @sandersmarvel @the-incedible-sulk @supremestoverlord @hanramz-the-fander @childhood-wishes-and-dreams @ultimate-queen-of-fandoms2 @madly-handsome @galaxy-warping @extremist-water-agenda @ierindoodles @princeanxious

[chasingnewdawn]

Writing “Chasing New Dawn” - Characterization and echoes of Fanfictional Roots

A month ago, a facilitator of one of the writing groups I’m part of asked an interesting question. You see, she doesn’t write fiction. Like, at all. And she wondered, with a certain sense of wonder, how those of us who do write fiction make stuff up.

It’s a question that becomes a lot more interesting in my case - seeing as how I’m not exactly starting from scratch.

For the most of you who don’t know it, Chasing New Dawn owns its entire existence to “What Did Zoey Say?.” I wasn’t that big of a fan of Zoey 101 back when it actually aired, but I watched enough episodes that the reunion short film thingy resonated. . And after I finished watching it, the old theme song, the bloody theme song, got stuck in my head. And it wouldn’t leave. For days. Like, I literaly spent two days with the song playing in my head over and over and over... ... Until I had the vision of a power armor snapping into place around Zoey, Iron Man style. 

That was enough to kick the song right out of my head. But the image intrigued me. 

From the get-go, the story itself wasn’t going to be a fanfic. I mean, I could have done a Super Sentai style Zoey 101 AU, but so long as I was going that far off canon, I figured I might as well make it original.

When it comes to characters, doing something original is actually kind of liberating. You don’t have to keep the characters consistent with the source. If anything, the less true to the source you are, the further you get away from the fanfic territory.

As I’ve written before, in the original show, an argument could be made that Quinn was autistic, but it was far from sure thing. But since Riley was an original character, I could run with it. And, because I decided to base her high-functioning autism on my high-functioning autism, I wound up giving her some of my interests (dance music!) and quirks (dealing with stress by pushing my fingernails into the sides of my fingers, the way she isn’t entirely sure what to do with her hands, the aversion to shopping malls). And her backstory was actually inspired by a conversation I had on the train with a guy who grew up in rural Appalachia. 

One thing to keep in mind is that, like I said, I was more of a casual fan of the original show. When I went back to look at the character bios, I realized that there is some important stuff that I just plain forgot - like how Zoey had a younger brother who was on the freaking show. Which, again, is where writing something original comes in handy, because you don’t have to follow any of those things. 

It has been an interesting process. Maddie is clearly inspired by Zoey, but I also kept in mind that I was writing a leader of a senshi team, so she is more strategic, and understands people better than Zoey ever did. And the fact that, unlike Zoey, she grew up in a posh and not very happy family made a difference. Nicole was fiercely loyal to her friends and “boy-crazy” (in a kid-TV friendly way). With Liamhain, I could push that “boy-crazy” part in the way the original show never could - but overall, a lot of her personality was actually based on a sketch I drew while brainstorming. The fact that I wound up drawing a curvier woman with a lot of curly hair, a huge smile and lots of flowing fabric and big artisan jewelry shaped how I developed the rest of the character. Including the fact that she was named “Liamhain” (Originally, I had a placeholder name “Connie,” but it sounded too much like “Corey,” and, once I had a better idea of what her character was like, I decided that she needed an old-school Irish name that would trip up people trying to pronounce it). 

Corey wound up being the closest to his Zoey 101 inspiration. Like Chase, he is a caring, overall decent and quietly supportive person who harbors not-so-subtle feelings for a female lead. I just amped up his idealism and made him more of a rule-follower... And, more fundamentally, I tried to think of the ways his positive qualities, including his devotion to Zoey, could actually work against him. I sort of set a challenge for myself - how could I take the character I was usually inclined to like and make him less likable, while still preserving the fundamentals. 

Tony feels a similar niche as Michael, in that he’s a best friend of female lead’s love interest, and a generally cool and supportive, but... Well, that would be spoilers.

With others, I went further away from their inspirations. Like Logan, Daisuke started out as a rich guy who hit on everything that moved, but, to be honest, I was more thinking of a classic “bad boy love interest” archetype than Logan. And, just as I tried to find something negative about a nice and caring guy, I tried to find some positive traits in a bad boy. And tried to better justify some of the brooding characters like this often do. 

Raveena’s calm and collected, deadpan and generally responsible perfectionist who acts she way she does in response to her upbringing doesn’t have much in common with Lola other than some fashion choices and the fact that she joined the cast later. And while there are some elements of her backstory that Victorious fans would recognize, she’s no Tori Vega, either. And Shelby owes more to, well, Shelby Woo than she ever did to Dana. 

Of course, the fact that in the story’s present, Chasing New Dawn characters are 10 years older, and somewhat wiser, makes a difference, too. It lets me put in more character development, and allows them to evolve a little. 

Like I said, it is kind of weird creative state to be in, because I do sometimes pull elements from the original show. Like, while I was writing what would become the first few chapters, I completely forgot Logan and Quinn dated. I decided that this was an interesting element to bring in... but because, by that point, the characters diverged enough from their inspirations that I had to make up the whole new justification for why they would ever be interested in each other. And Daisuke and Riley wound up having a supportive friendship in their backstory that Logan and Quinn most definitely didn’t have. 

It’s a murky territory - and an interesting creative place to be in. Especially in the age when a Twilight AU got turned into a best-selling book and movie trilogy, and a One Direction RPF fic got turned into a book and a movie while changing literally nothing but names.

[cianmars]

Evil Snowing kid(s) meme?

Yesssss

So yet another sort of Au (are you even surprised?)

Under the cut as they have so many kids lol

They got together shortly after Ben’s birth, got engaged then for the next ten years they were just constantly busy, eventually got married just after a spell caused Emma to deage.

 Henry Daniel Charming Mills (He and his family added Charming into their names after his parents got married but he’s the only one with the last name Mills. (38)

+

‘Evil Henry’ from the Wish verse was known as Harry there (like Prince Harry irl)

Name Harry Baelfire Mills-Charming (20) (Henry)

Gender Male

General appearance He takes a while to get used to the Hyperion Heights/ Storybrooke style, but eventually does. His hair is normally quite neat.

Personality Stubborn as hell. He’s strategic and smart, and a little bit paranoid that he’ll be turned dark again. Eventually he goes onto being more optimistic and happier, especially without the weight of being heir or the weight of the crown, he’s rather a calm person so finds his siblings around him when they’re wanting to just chill or to calm down.

Special Talents Very good photographer.

Who they like better He has always got on with David but went through a period of pushing them all away. He’s a little jealous of Henry and Regina’s bond, but went onto establish one just as strong himself. 

Who they take after more He’s a lot more like David than Henry ever was, he was basically raised by David and Snow in the wish verse so always saw them as his parents anyway. Although he was Swanfire’s bio kid he’s always looked a lot more like his grandparents and adoptive mother, which works out when they all officially become his parents.

Personal Headcanon He travels the Earth for a year (coming back for the holidays). He becomes a photographer, selling his pictures to the NatGeo and to the United Realms version.

Face Claim Jared Gilmore.

Name: Jacob David Mills-Charming (16) (Jake)

Gender: Male

General appearance: He often wears jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoody - his favourite colour’s blue so he often wears those colours. But also can pull off wearing a suit pretty well. Normally wears a watch. In general just a really chill style like his personality. He has blue eyes like David’s and his brother, and hair only a little lighter than Snow’s which curls when wet, he’s fairly tall and will end up around David’s height.

Personality: Jake’s really chill, he’s super intelligent and really into reading, he has a really good imagination and get’s along with Henry. Never without a book in his hand. Has a kind heart and would stick up for anyone if they’re in being picked on, which is the only reason he’s ever gotten in trouble at school. He also quite likes swimming, it’s one of the only sporting activities he does. He’s very mature and extremely close to his family and extended family. Apt at sword fighting. Once broke a kid’s nose for laughing at his brother.

Special Talents: He’s a product of True Love, like Emma, so has magic like she does. He’s really good at it, he often uses it to entertain his siblings, or to clean up/ fix things they’d get in trouble for, other than that he’d rather stick to normal ways and means to do things.

Who they like better: He loves all of his parents equally, there’s not really favourites, but he often hangs out at Regina’s office as it’s the quietest (when the kids aren’t there). 

Who they take after more: He’s very much like Snow in looks and personality, but also inherited David’s charm, and Regina’s snark when he needs it.

Personal Headcanon: Jakes’s gay and is very open about it, he’s obviously supported by his family, especially his parents because none of them are  straight. He goes to Yale.Like the rest of his family he’s a mixture of Charlotte is his twin.He goes on to date  and eventually marry Philip II.

Face Claim: Logan Lerman

Name Charlotte Eva Mills-Charming (16) (Nicknamed Lottie and Charlie)

Gender Female

General appearance Charlie cares about her appearance a lot, she’s often on fashion but also really suits the Enchanted Forest fashion. She has dark hair and hazel eyes. 

Personality She’s very popular and bubbly, does not have a temper (a miracle considering who her parents are), she’s kind, smart, calculating, a natural leader, and incredibly organised. 

Special Talents: She has true love magic and magics up her outfits every day. Otherwise she couldn’t care less about magic - really her talents are being organised and a good leader.

Who they like better 

Who they take after more Although she’s David and Snow’s daughter true love magic knew what was up and she looks like Regina too. Obviously her and Jake look a lot alike with being twins. Like all of her parents she’s a natural leader.

Personal Headcanon She goes on to rule her parents kingdom, none of her siblings wanted it and she did. She’s a lesbian. She acts quite mothering to her little brother and sister, and was the twin born first. 

Face Claim: Luna Blaise

Name Benjamin James Mills-Charming (13) (Ben)

Gender Male

General appearance: He’s quite sporty so a lot of his wardrobe consists of things to do with biking, swimming, running, soccer etc. Otherwise he dresses quite casually, usually whatever his mothers have bought him.

Personality: Upbeat and possitive, but he gets sarcastic and snarky when really tired or fed up.

Special Talents

Who they like better He gets along really well with his moms and is a mamas’ boy (both Regina and Snow) David is the one who is involved more with his athletic life and will take him hiking and stuff. 

Who they take after more He is the copy of Snow, he’s constantly upbeat and caring. His face is a bit more of a mixture of David and Regina, an he has the same blue eyes as Jacob and David. 

Personal HeadcanonHe’s a morning person. When he’s older he becomes a psychiatrist to try and help people.He and Rapunzel from EFI(the one David saved) have been friends since childhood and had a crush on each other (when they’re adults they marry)

Face Claim Levi Miller

Name: Emma Ruth Mills-Charming (3)

Gender: Female

General appearance: She’s the only of the three kids who has blonde hair like David, it’s normally really curly, she calls it her lion hair and objects to having it brushed but will put up with Snow braiding it for her (if Snow can get her to sit still for long enough). She’s the ultimate clothes thief which David and Ruby blame Snow for as she’s a little bandit, so she often has one of David’s plaid shirts which are so long they drag on the floor. She point blank refuses to wear pink like ever. She’s normal in jeans and t-shirts which have animals or Disney characters on them. She quite likes the colour yellow so wears a lot of that, would live in pyjamas and character/animal onesies if she could. Normally has her blanket and a lion plush toy/teddy with her. She’s very small, even for her young age, as she deaged to what she was like in her first childhood - so she was small from neglect and from being premature. She’s always cold.

Personality: The troublemaker of family, somehow managed to inherited all of all three of her parent’s stubbornness so they have their work cut out, has good intentions but will often put herself in danger (’No Emma, you do not touch daddy’s sword, especially not to try and fight a mean witch.”) She is very loving and rather clingy, especially to David. She adores all of her family and extended family, but is a little shy around strangers. Very cheeky and mischievous. She goes through the habit of trying to climb as high as she can up the cupboard and the many bookcases in the house, she’s also awesome at hiding cause she can fit in small spaces. She can remember the abuse from her first childhood which gives her nightmares so she often sleeps in her parents’ bed, so also will become scared suddenly when she remembers things, its something which will take a long time to heal. Otherwise she’s very happy and energetic, she’s extremely loving to her family and loves spending time with her brothers and sister and being read stories by Jake and Henry.

Special talents: She’s a product of true love so will be able to do magic, but she hasn’t grown into doing it just yet, she loves watching her brothers, sister, and Mama (Regina) perform magic.

Who they like better: She loves all her parents equally but she’s such a daddy’s girl, she’s always following him around every where and wanting to play games with him or watch movies, or just cuddle - so much so she gains the nickname Koala from the way she clings onto him, not that he minds. Her mothers aren’t jealous or envious in the slightest, they think it’s adorable.

Who they take after more: She’s a perfect mixture of all of them, but is marginally more like David in personality. She looks like a little version of Snow but with blonde hair, her eyes are a shade of green’ but they have flecks of blue in them. She inherited her mama’s snark 

Personal head canon: She’s always hyper so her parents are very careful with what she eats, she also has to have special shakes to help her grow as she’s so small, she’s a little behind developmentally but they’re not too worried. When she’s a little older she gets (re)diagnosed with ADHD and autism. She loves going on the trips she and her siblings are taken on around the US (and a little later the world) and the United Realms. She often can’t sleep at night, she will have nightmares and wake up or she’ll cry whenever they try to put her down, the only way she’s guaranteed to sleep is if David takes her on a drive, in which case she’ll fall asleep in her carseat.

Face Claim: Mia Talerico.

[writeforsoreeyes]

transreading - What Makes You Beautiful

[image description: cover of What Makes You Beautiful by Bridget Liang. Off-center portrait of an east Asian teen wearing a blue button-up shirt, eye makeup, and lipstick.]

Note: like last month, this is book in which the POV character realizes they are trans over the course of the story. While the character is “Logan” for the first part of the story, she begins using the name Veronica in the final act. Midway through, while still working out her gender, Veronica asks her friends to use they/them pronouns for her. The story doesn’t have a moment in which she updates her pronouns, but I’ve made the assumption that she would ultimately go with she/her by the book’s end.

Veronica will never be the perfect half-Chinese son, but her mother and father are in denial. Despite her parents’ misgivings, Veronica switches to an arts high school to pursue singing. She quickly makes friends with several queer kids at the school. With new freedom to explore her identity, she slowly begins to realize that while she likes guys, she herself is not a guy.

What Makes You Beautiful is a really quick read. It’s short in length, with a straight-forward plot that pulls the reader along. While there are some darker moments (particularly instances of racism, homophobia, and so on), it’s by and large a sweet book -- and even downright cheesy at times. If you’re looking for a pleasant read to pass an afternoon or a flight, What Makes You Beautiful fits the bill.

There is a lot packed into this little book though, despite its brevity. The cast is highly diverse in terms of sexuality, gender, ethnicity, religion, and more. With so many different identities in play, the author gets to explore a lot of different topics naturally in the story.

For example, Veronica has doubts about being a trans girl because she fears she’s falling into the stereotype of Asian men being submissive. Veronica and her friends come into conflict with their voice teacher because all the winter concert songs are Christmas songs. One of her friends discloses that it was difficult to get his gender identity respected because of his autism. And so on and so forth. These many intersections of identity reflect the complexities of the real world and make What Makes You Beautiful stand out from similar trans coming out narratives.

There are moments, however, that might come across as over the top and strain readers’ suspension of belief. For instance, when Veronica’s father drops her off at school on the second day, he sees her visibly queer friends waiting for her and shouts at them, “Kids like you are ruining this great country!” It’s a really erratic burst of violent homophobia from someone who is otherwise portrayed as more your run-of-the-mill “I’m not bigoted!” casual bigot.

My belief was also strained by how quickly the character relationships developed. Veronica is pretty much folded into an existing friend group her very first day of school, in addition to making friends outside the group.

It’s true that friendships generally move faster with kids than adults, but I couldn’t help but raise a skeptical eyebrow when Veronica thought “I feel safe nestled between these two boys” and earnestly saying “I never had friends like you two before” within 24 hours of meeting them. Arguably, Veronica is starved for friendship since it seems she didn’t have any at her previous school. But since she was bullied, I’d expect her to be more wary.

I appreciated how well the love interest was handled. Kyle hangs around with the queer kids but is straight himself. He initially isn’t especially romantically or sexually attracted to Veronica. However, as her true gender becomes more apparent and she begins experimenting with presentation, his feelings spark. Later, he’s frank with her that this made him question his sexuality, but it doesn’t come across as an “Oh, god, am I gay??????” panic. It’s also refreshing that the guy who is indisputably the hottest in the book is Asian, since Asian men in media are so often classed as less than sexually desirable.

Reading What Makes You Beautiful was kind of nostalgic to me. I also attended an arts high school, so I remember the unique energy of being surrounded by people who are all into the same craft as you. My high school also had a reputation as the “gay school,” though students weren’t nearly as openly queer -- and the teachers weren’t nearly as queer-friendly -- as at Veronica’s school. Perhaps though my school today is more like Veronica’s than the school I remember; a lot has changed in the last decade.

To wrap up, I recommend What Makes You Beautiful if you are looking for a trans coming out narrative where the main character has a really supportive friend group (as well as the mentorship of a trans adult.) If you relate to the “It was obvious to other people, but I didn’t notice until it was pointed out” sort of trans experience, you’ll likely find a lot to relate to here.

And, of course, there is always a need for more racially diverse trans books -- What Makes You Beautiful is a very welcome addition. If you’re looking for more QPOC YA books similar to this one, I’d personally recommend Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (female Black asexual main character, male Asian straight love interest) and This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender (male Black bisexual main character, male Latino gay hard of hearing love interest).

[mymunhkr3515-blog]

DAY 9

Today was finally our last day of presentations, there were only two more groups to go. The first presentation was on children that have autism. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I have a personal connection to autism – my god son has it. Furthermore, I have worked with many children that have autism throughout my work terms at CNIB. There is still so much to learn though, so I am grateful for another opportunity to learn more about ASD.

The presentation was really good and they hit a lot of important points. I do think it is important to note that first person language is important – a few times “autistic children” was used when it should be “children with autism”. There were a few points that I already knew, but others may not, so thought it was great that they put in their presentation:

·         There are different levels – high or low on the spectrum

·         There is only 1 FDA approved medication – risperidone

·         Autism is more prone in boys than girls

·         They like their space and routine

·         Don’t always understand correct social cues

·         ABA therapy goes up until grade 3

·         Usually have no fear of danger

The last point is something I wish could change. ABA is funded through Eastern Health, so I’m assuming that the reason it doesn’t go past this age is because there is no budget. It is a really great program though, and I feel that many people would benefit even more if they could have this program for a longer period of time.

Something I learned from this presentation was that 25% of children with autism are non-verbal. I didn’t realize this was the percentage and assumed it would have been lower. My godson is now 4 and still non-verbal, so this piece of information was a big deal for me. Another thing that I enjoyed about this presentation was how they emphasized on how unique these children are and that their uniqueness doesn’t make them any lesser of a person. They have a unique view of the world and may act a little differently, but that’s okay! Also, many persons with disabilities can be very strong in a specific area, such as math or music. I even brought up a personal example about someone I went to school with. His name is Jesse and he recently opened his own business called “Treasures by Jesse”. His strength is in the arts, so he creates his own art pieces and sells them, along with, playing piano for his customers. He is truly amazing and an inspiration!

 The second presentation was on cancer. Cancer is a subject that is talked about, but because it is such a large topic, there is still a lot unknown about it. For example, I didn’t realize there was over 100 diseases. It is the leading cause of death (50%) with 1 in 2 people getting cancer and 1 in 4 passing away from it. Very sad, but true numbers. Because of personal reasons, I did know that it starts in the cells and can spread easily to almost anywhere. A fact that I didn’t know was that patients with cancer/survivors surgical scars can be very sensitive to sun exposure. This seems to be the case with a lot of presentations that brought up sun, scars or amputations. One interesting fact that they brought up and relates to the book is about windows and how they can help success rate. QUOTE. I definitely think this is true. My grandfather was diagnosed with cancer twice and luckily survived both times. The first time his recovery took longer than expected and his mental health was poor, but the second time around it was different. He recovered in a normal amount of time and his mental health was better. The difference between these two hospitalizations was the window: the first time his window faced a brick wall and the second time it faced the forest next to the hospital – nature increased his overall health and mood. Selhub and Logan have a great section on windows and its benefits: “Indeed, not only do windows provide visual access to the outside world but they are the portal for therapeutic delivery of light from the sun” (2012). I couldn’t agree with this point more.

The rest of class consisted of a lecture and a very interesting one at that. Horticulture therapy can be a great therapeutic measure. Nature is all around us and can be used in multiple ways, including as a tool for rehab or to increase one’s senses. Horticulture therapy though, is different from horticulture alone. I didn’t realize that before taking this class. I thought it was all one thing, but actually it is different, because horticulture therapy includes assessment, planning and treatment/goals. Usually the professional is trained in the field also. After this we talked about multiple things including sensory gardens, diets and Snoezelen rooms. I was exposed to this while working at CNIB and was interested in all of it. I don’t have a lot of knowledge in sensory diets, but can admit that before CNIB I thought it was an actual food diet ha-ha. The Snoezelen room is something I’m very familiar with. I was the assistant for the Snoezelen room at CNIB and worked with some clients – it is very cool and definitely beneficial in my opinion.

[logancfrench]

Celebrate Entrepreneurial Independence Day with a Free Read!

We all know the freedom that comes from being an entrepreneur. This holiday week a couple of friends of mine got together to offer you the chance to soak up the holiday sun, sip some lemonade and enjoy the gift of free and very low costs books to improve your business.

Be Like Amazon: Even a Lemonade Stand Can Do It will be available this week as a Free Kindle download. You’re on a road trip with an old man and a younger one.

Business stories are told. Wisdom is revealed. A new perspective emerges. Companies like Costco and Kodak, General Motors and Walmart provide color and texture as they appear on the horizon and in the rearview mirror. Real companies. Real decisions. Real outcomes. Jeff Bezos and Amazon give this road trip its rhythm as the four pillars of their success are made plain. It’s a wonderful success, easily repeated, even by a lemonade stand. But only if you understand the importance of the marshmallow.

See why many of the reviews are calling this one of  the business book they ever read.

“Wow, that is one of the best “business” books I’ve read in years. Incredibly inspiring — both the story itself and the way in which you told it. I’m in awe.”

– Scott Brinker, ChiefMartec.com

One of my favorite books of the year is The Road to Recognition: The A-to-Z Guide to Personal Branding for Accelerating Your Professional Success in The Age of Digital Media by Seth Price and Barry Feldman.

Ready to reap the rewards of recognition?

You own a brand.  Its name is your name.

You need to take ownership of it and earn recognition as an expert in your field. There’s no simple shortcut. But now there’s a remarkably useful roadmap featuring:

An A to Z guide packed with actionable advice for developing your personal brand and accelerating your professional success.

26 practical lessons to help you whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, aspiring professional, creative, marketer or second careerist

Insights from professionals who are reaping the rewards of recognition

“There are plenty of smart people and resources in this industry, but few think about the delivery and reader experience like Seth and Barry. If you’re a believer in books that are both nutritious AND delicious, you’re in luck.” —  JAY ACUNZO, founder of Unthinkable.fm

It is because it is such a thick and juicy experience that this book is too meaty for Amazon to deliver it for free. However it is a steal at $1.99.

Make sure to grab Tim Miles Good Company: Making It – Keeping It – Being It. Tim is a good friend and partners with our mentor and co-author Roy H Williams.

Fish don’t know they’re in water. We’ve been like that, too.

Tried-and-trusted methods of communication no longer ring true in today’s marketplace.

What’s more (or less, as the case may be), the systems you relied upon are failing … maybe.

If you want to not only survive but thrive in this century, you’re going to need to reorient yourself to a new way of thinking.

Inside this book, you’ll find three sections devoted to case studies, lessons learned, and stories of business growth, customer delight, and personal development.

In Part I – “Making Good Company” – you’ll learn about strategy and about what matters and what doesn’t to consumers today. You’ll learn to critically and objectively analyze what you’re trying to make happen, and what’s in your way.

In Part II – “Keeping Good Company” – you’ll learn some of the secrets that have helped my words win customers in seven countries. You’ll see and – through a complementary private website – hear actual examples of copywriting and customer service success stories to help you win new customers and delight the ones you already have.

In Part III – “Being Good Company” – you’ll learn some techniques for separating the truly important from the merely urgent. You’ll take a look inside the Miles family – where Dee and I have learned to look at the world a little differently since our son was diagnosed with autism.

A book filled with heart, humor and historical success, Good Company will help you live, work and play a little better, a little truer, and a little stronger.

If you’re looking for a quick fix, you’re going to come away disappointed.

This book is the diet and exercise of marketing and communication and persuasion. If you’re looking for a bag of magic beans, I wish you the best of luck. But don’t worry – I’m sure some social media expert will be by in a few minutes.

Of Goats and Ads…Why You Should Know Tim Miles

A few years ago I became fascinated by a radio commercial for a local coffee store that talked about the legend of Kaldi the goat herder and his dancing goats. I don’t even drink coffee, and I never considered changing the channel when this spot came on. It was flat out the most unique ad message I can remember hearing or seeing, and I sold print ads for nearly a decade. It wasn’t until about 18 months ago that I finally figured out that Tim Miles was responsible for this astonishingly fresh and compelling work.

Turns out Tim is from my city and he knew my wife. I had become a fan of his blog and his unique style on social media. In fact, I was jealous of his talent. He’s someone who has fought the wars, lived through the struggles, and still remains an incredibly humble man. Not afraid to admit it, I wish I were a bit more like him. And he’s not the geek he makes himself out to be.

Now for his book…read it! Buy several copies and share it with those you are close to who need help marketing something. It’s full of insights, powerful concepts, and bursting with real life examples. I wish I’d had this book before I started on my ad selling career. Makes me wish I had been selling ads for radio and had this guy creating them for my clients. I have no doubt I would have been far more successful. He’s that good.

If you’re a fan of intellectual humor, a la Dennis Miller, then you’ll love Tim’s work. The guy is so stinking talented and brilliant that I have a feeling I missed some of the points he made in the book. I plan on re-reading it several times. The thing I find most compelling is when I’m reading an example, I can almost always think of a situation where it would either help a current client or would have benefited a former client. Please don’t let that happen to you. Buy this book and use the information in it to take your clients to another level. In 10 years, you’ll look back and think, “I remember when I read his first book. It was a wise investment.”

Enjoy! Have a safe and relaxing Independence Day Weekend her in the US.

The post Celebrate Entrepreneurial Independence Day with a Free Read! appeared first on Bryan & Jeffrey Eisenberg.

from News By Logan French http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BryanEisenberg/~3/WSRdkB7k6tQ/

[momscookingthebooks]

Cover Reveal

Title: Jake

Series: Immortals of New Orleans, Book 8

Author: Kym Grosso

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30032302-jake

Release Date: May 30, 2016

Cover Designer: Marisa-Rose Shor/Cover Me Darling

Photographer:  Travis H. Lane

Models:  Travis Deslaurier

Synopsis:

Rise to Alpha

With Alpha blood coursing through his veins, charismatic wolf Jake Louvière, can no longer deny his true nature. As his beast demands his rightful place within Acadian Wolves, he’s forced to choose between killing his Alpha or leaving New Orleans forever. When a mysterious woman trespasses into the bayou, Jake is instinctively wary of the creature that is not wolf. Inexplicably drawn to her, he attempts to resist her magic as it weaves a seductive spell. As quickly as she appears, the dangerous beauty is kidnapped by a powerful New York vampire, and Jake swears retribution against an old adversary.

For centuries, Kai Beckett concealed her true identity from those who would steal her ancient powers. Risking everything to save her sister, she searches for the Alpha who’d left San Diego to return to his Cajun roots. Jake, a mate worthy of her spirit, seeks to tame her wild nature but she is not one to easily submit. As Kai surrenders to her attraction to the Alpha, she embraces her darkest fantasies.

From New Orleans to Southern California, Jake and Kai are surrounded by intrigue and danger. Learning to trust each other, they fight lethal enemies and the irresistible connection binding them together. As they spiral into an erotic adventure, will Jake acknowledge Kai as his mate? With a nefarious enemy seeking to capture her, will Jake rise to Alpha, saving both Kai and his pack?

*Warning: This book contains several erotic love scenes, including m/f/m ménage and is intended for adult readers only.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/JakeKGUS

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/JakeKGUK

Nook: http://bit.ly/JakeNook

iBooks: http://bit.ly/JakeKGiBooks

Immortals of New Orleans Buy Links

Kade Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1L1vr5o

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1iY1mcF

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1O5kWjZ

Nook: http://bit.ly/1Vkbe1j

iBooks: http://apple.co/1KHdo39

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1MWCIpn

Luca’s Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1MWDySY

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YLoLOX

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1VkbXja

Nook: http://bit.ly/1Liprr1

iBooks: http://apple.co/1MWDSRV

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1VnJ6p0

Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1LipItW

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1L1w6DU

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1KMWL2X

Nook: http://bit.ly/1h5T9S3

iBooks: http://apple.co/1KMWZqC

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1MWEkQ5

Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1JzIK7N

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YLpyPS

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JzIyFu

Nook: http://bit.ly/1WuSlWT

iBooks: http://apple.co/1MWFsmy

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1QJiqh4

Léopold's Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1PKOLDO

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1iY441T

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Vke2vp

Nook: http://bit.ly/1QJiuNC

iBooks: http://apple.co/1QJixsT

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1QJiuxd

Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1KHiM6n

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YLqXWy

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FEFjBD

Nook: http://bit.ly/1RcXAr8

iBooks: http://apple.co/1KN0WLW

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1Vkf4rx

Lost Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6.5)

Audible: http://adbl.co/1KP6W7Z

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Lirzin

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1fpe02u

Nook: http://bit.ly/1iSfPGK

iBooks: http://apple.co/1YLrMPd

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1FzaD51

Jax (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 7)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1KP2xBU

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1O5kDWg

Nook: bit.ly/jaxnook

iBooks: bit.ly/jaxibooks

Smashwords: bit.ly/jaxsmashwords

About Author:

Kym Grosso is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the award-winning paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New Orleans. She also has a new erotic romantic suspense series, Club Altura Romance. In addition to romance novels, Kym has written and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism advocacy. She is also a contributing essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.

Kym enjoys reading, tennis, zumba, traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans, with its rich culture, history and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.

Author Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KymGrossoBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KymGrosso

Website: http://www.kymgrosso.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kymgrosso/

Newsletter Sign-up: http://bit.ly/1McY6DO