#patience dodd

[annabellecane]

i've never done one of these before but i've also never written almost 11k in a handful of days about a show i legit didn't like, so why not have devil in ohio be my first case of cross-platform promotion.

I wrote a Jules/Mae fic that attempts to fix the mess of the show. Or at least fix parts of it, i don't have the time or the patience to fix the whole thing, but it's a band-aid.

mae dodd deserved better and by god i'm gonna give it to her

[stockmarketanalysis]

15 Must-Read Stock Market Books: A Comprehensive Guide for Investors

Introduction:

For both seasoned investors and newcomers to the world of finance, the stock market can be a complex and daunting landscape to navigate. However, gaining knowledge and insights from experts in the field can significantly enhance one's understanding and proficiency in investing. Stock market books offer valuable perspectives, strategies, and lessons learned from experienced investors, analysts, and economists. In this article, we present a curated list of 15 must-read stock market books that cover a diverse range of topics, from fundamental analysis to behavioral finance, providing readers with the tools and knowledge to make informed investment decisions.

"The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham:

Considered a timeless classic, Benjamin Graham's "The Intelligent Investor" offers essential principles of value investing. Graham's approach emphasizes the importance of diligent research, margin of safety, and long-term perspective in stock selection, making it a must-read for investors seeking to build a solid foundation in value investing.

"A Random Walk Down Wall Street" by Burton Malkiel:

In this influential book, Burton Malkiel presents the efficient market hypothesis and argues that stock prices follow a random walk, making it impossible to consistently outperform the market. "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" offers insights into various investment strategies, including passive indexing and asset allocation, making it a valuable resource for both novice and experienced investors.

"Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits" by Philip Fisher:

Philip Fisher's investment philosophy focuses on qualitative factors such as management quality, product innovation, and competitive advantages. "Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits" outlines Fisher's approach to stock selection and offers practical guidance for identifying high-quality companies with long-term growth potential.

"One Up On Wall Street" by Peter Lynch:

In this insightful book, legendary investor Peter Lynch shares his experiences and investment strategies during his tenure at Fidelity Magellan Fund. "One Up On Wall Street" advocates for a bottom-up approach to investing, emphasizing the importance of thorough research, industry knowledge, and patience in achieving superior investment returns.

"Security Analysis" by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd:

Considered the bible of value investing, "Security Analysis" provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing stocks and bonds. Graham and Dodd introduce fundamental concepts such as intrinsic value, margin of safety, and market efficiency, offering timeless wisdom for investors seeking to identify undervalued securities.

"Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" by Edwin Lefèvre:

Based on the life of legendary trader Jesse Livermore, "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" offers a captivating account of the highs and lows of stock market speculation. Lefèvre's narrative provides valuable lessons on market psychology, risk management, and the importance of discipline in trading.

"The Little Book That Still Beats the Market" by Joel Greenblatt:

Joel Greenblatt presents his "magic formula" for investing in this concise and accessible book. "The Little Book That Still Beats the Market" outlines a simple yet effective strategy for identifying undervalued stocks based on earnings yield and return on capital, making it a valuable resource for investors seeking a systematic approach to stock selection.

"Stocks for the Long Run" by Jeremy Siegel:

In this comprehensive book, Jeremy Siegel explores the historical performance of stocks and their role in long-term wealth accumulation. "Stocks for the Long Run" advocates for a buy-and-hold strategy, backed by empirical evidence demonstrating the superior returns of stocks over bonds and other asset classes.

"The Essays of Warren Buffett" by Warren Buffett and Lawrence A. Cunningham:

Compiled from Warren Buffett's annual shareholder letters, "The Essays of Warren Buffett" offers invaluable insights into Buffett's investment philosophy and approach to business. Buffett's wisdom on topics such as value investing, competitive advantage, and market behavior provides timeless lessons for investors of all levels.

"Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets" by John J. Murphy:

John J. Murphy's definitive guide to technical analysis covers essential principles and techniques for analyzing stock price patterns and trends. "Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets" offers practical strategies for identifying entry and exit points, managing risk, and maximizing profits in the stock market.

"Fooled by Randomness" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb:

Nassim Nicholas Taleb explores the role of luck and randomness in financial markets in "Fooled by Randomness." Taleb's provocative insights challenge conventional wisdom and highlight the importance of understanding probability, risk, and uncertainty in investment decision-making.

"Margin of Safety" by Seth A. Klarman:

Considered a rare and sought-after gem among value investors, "Margin of Safety" offers profound insights into Seth Klarman's investment philosophy and approach to risk management. Klarman emphasizes the importance of patience, discipline, and contrarian thinking in achieving superior investment returns.

"The Little Book of Common Sense Investing" by John C. Bogle:

John C. Bogle, founder of Vanguard Group, advocates for passive indexing and low-cost investing in "The Little Book of Common Sense Investing." Bogle's straightforward advice on building a diversified portfolio of low-cost index funds resonates with investors seeking simplicity and long-term wealth accumulation.

"Market Wizards" by Jack D. Schwager:

In "Market Wizards," Jack D. Schwager interviews some of the world's top traders and investors, uncovering their strategies, insights, and lessons learned. Through candid interviews and real-life examples, "Market Wizards" offers valuable perspectives on trading psychology, risk management, and market dynamics.

"The Dhandho Investor" by Mohnish Pabrai:

Mohnish Pabrai draws inspiration from the principles of value investing practiced by Indian entrepreneurs in "The Dhandho Investor." Pabrai's book distills the essence of value investing into a simple yet powerful framework based on the concepts of margin of safety, concentrated bets, and asymmetric risk-reward.

Conclusion:

Stock market books serve as invaluable resources for investors seeking to enhance their knowledge, skills, and confidence in navigating the complexities of financial markets. From foundational principles of value investing to advanced techniques of technical analysis and risk management, the books listed above offer a wealth of insights and perspectives from seasoned investors, analysts, and traders. By studying these must-read stock market books, investors can gain a deeper understanding of market dynamics, develop robust investment strategies, and ultimately achieve their financial goals with greater clarity and conviction.

[steveskafte]

IN THE USUAL HURRY The path to Porcupine Rock is steep and rocky, but not so long once you settle in to climb. The precarious cliff spreads out over a quickly shifting autumn, and the winding Chinese Dragon of the Annapolis River winding down below. The change seems in the usual hurry, sparks of bright orange showing up between eternal evergreen. From here, I can see the old farm of the late Stanley Dodds, a lifelong neighbour of mine. He was a somewhat mercurial fellow, friendly to a point with little patience beyond that – a certain brusque charm that seemed to fit him well. Like a lot of older folks from my childhood, I knew him only as retired. That's what he was when he moved to Nova Scotia. It's a strange kind of experience for a child, as if the elderly exist as eternal and distinct from all other people. They were often better company for me than anyone my age. Stanley died in 2011 at the age of 86, and is marked with a small plaque among these rocks. For everyone who ends up here and loves it well, it's worth remembering that we're standing in the wake of a man who loved it more. October 15, 2023 Beaconsfield, Nova Scotia Year 16, Day 5817 of my daily journal.

[booasaur]

Nancy Drew - 1x18

[pjotvshownews]

April 16th blog update from Rick Riordan:

“[...] I also don’t have to be on Twitter to anticipate what questions you are probably asking.

Like for instance: When are we announcing Annabeth and Grover, and can it be right now? Answer: Soon. And no, it cannot be right now. As I said before, I think we’re very close to having everything wrapped up for our main trio, but there are numerous levels of approvals to get and deals to close before we can announce anything. Things are starting to move into high gear, though, since we begin filming in June, so we are probably talking weeks, not months, before we can share more news. As always, I need to warn you that this is ONLY my personal guess. What I can say is that the production team is united and excited about where the casting decisions are heading, and we are receiving excellent support from our studio and network partners.

Other questions I bet you are asking: Are we going to make Walker dye his hair black? Answer: We have had zero conversations about this. Personally, I think this is a non-issue. For me, finding the right actors  has never been about hair color, eye color, skin color, or any other single physical trait, even if they were described a certain way in the books. As many of you know, I flubbed such details myself several times in the series. Thalia’s eyes changed from green to blue. Oops! Annabeth’s hair was curly and then it was straight. Nico was described as olive-skinned, then later as pale. Blackjack even changed from a mare to a stallion over the course of two books. Whelp, not sure what happened there, but too late now! If I may invoke the Movies That Shall Not Be Watched, I know a lot of you cared deeply and were unhappy when Annabeth turned out to be a brunette rather than blonde, but for me, that was never the main issue. What mattered were that those actors, as talented and wonderful as they are, were WAY too old for the parts as I wrote them, and their age was central to the plot. What I want to see are age-appropriate actors who can embody the personalities of the characters, nail their voices and their sense of humor, and make you believe: “Yes, that is Percy. That is Grover. That is Annabeth,” even if they’re not exactly how the characters were described physically in the books. Again, that’s just my personal opinion and my approach. So blond Percy? Hey, why not? IMO Walker is awesome just as he is. He is perfect for the role. The same will be true for our other characters when I can announce them.

You are asking: What about the other casting choices? Those are well underway. We are reviewing a flood of audition tapes as we speak for all parts. And yes, I am involved in every decision. I have seen dozens of Sally Jacksons at this point, and even more Mrs. Dodds . . . all wonderfully sinister. In fact, I may or may not have had nightmares about math teacher Furies last night….

Will there be open casting calls for (fill in the character you wish you could be)? As I’ve said before, I very much doubt it. There are so many great actors out there who are looking for work and who have already made the commitment to devote their lives to acting, have put in years of training, have struggled to get agents and get parts — we have no shortage of great, diverse options. Acting is hard. Getting good at it takes time, patience and tons of unglamorous difficult work. Also, it’s simply not practical or economically feasible to do open calls for every character, especially extras. There are also many laws in place  . . . for instance, to work as an extra in Vancouver, where we are filming, it’s my understanding that you have to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, in order to support the local economy. So can we fly you halfway across the world so you can appear on set as “Tree #3” for a day? Alas, no, although I agree it sounds like fun!

In addition to all the excitement about Walker last week, we were working hard in the writers room to outline the remainder of the first season scripts. I’m very pleased with how that’s going. This will be The Lightning Thief — the story you know and love, but with added depth and layers of nuance that many of you have been yearning to know about, judging from the fan letters I have received over the past fifteen years.

Have a great weekend, and Happy Easter to those celebrating. I will get back to you with more news as soon as I can!”

x

[plaidbooks]

SFW Alphabet - Mike Dodds

A/N: Hey y’all! This was requested by @caracalwithchips​! I forgot how fun these are--I know Mike a little better now than when I did the NSFW version, so a lot of these headcanons I’ve had in my brain. Hope you all enjoy <3

Holy fuck, how did I never notice that none of these have an S?? It took Tumblr breaking this post for me to realize.... Oh my god?!

Taglist: @witches-unruly-heart​  @beccabarba​ @thatesqcrush​ @itsjustmyfantasyroom​ @permanentlydizzy​  @ben-c-group-therapy​ @infiniteoddball​ @glowingmess​ @whimsicallymad​ @lv7867​  @storiesofsvu​ @cycat4077​ @alwaysachorusgirl​ @glimmerglittergirl​ @joanofarkansass​ @redlipstickandblacktea @caracalwithchips​ @berniesilvas​​  @averyhotchner​ @qvid-pro-qvo​

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) While out in public, Mike will stand close enough that he’s brushing against you. Depending on what’s determined “okay” in social situations, he may have his hand on your arm or around your waist (like at a gala). When he can’t touch you, though, he’s giving you long, emotionally charged looks.When you’re both home, however, Mike is all over you. He has you pulled against him on the couch, holding you to his chest, fingers playing in your hair. Or he positions you so that he can gently massage your neck. He makes up for all the time he couldn’t touch you in public.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?) You probably met at work, or in the gym (or on a jog). Mike is incredibly kind and will listen to you rant about something stupid happening in your life. But he will crack jokes about it until your problems seem so much smaller than you first thought they were. He’s also one to take you out to go do something fun after a rough day, if you need it.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)Boy does he! That broad chest and big arms are made to cuddle! His favorite position is on his back, with you curled against his side, head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. But after rough days, he needs something—or someone—to hold onto. Days like that, he’ll be on his side, snuggling into you, his face pressed against you (whether your back or chest).

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?) Mike wants to settle down, but with someone he chose, not his father (but he also needs his father to at least like you). He’s on a self-made diet, and will cook things low in fat and high on protein. Thankfully, he has a way to season it, so it tastes good. He’s a relatively clean guy, but he’ll do things like vacuum and dishes on the weekends/days off.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?) In person for sure. He’ll come to your place—out in public is too…public. He doesn’t want to embarrass you (or hurt his family’s reputation). He’ll tell you why it’s not working out and be civil about it.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?) Mike’s in no hurry to get married. He wants to know that you’re the one for him before he’ll even entertain the thought of proposing. You need to be able to not only deal with his work and his workout regiment, but also with his family—especially his father. He knows that William will make snide comments directed at you, and while Mike will do his best to defend you, he also can’t go against his father.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?) Mike is a teddy bear! He’s incredibly gentle, sometimes too much so. He has a big, strong body, and he’s accidentally hurt too many people in his life, especially in childhood. When you first get together, his touch is feather-light. At first, you thought it was something about you, that he was treating you like a china doll. But after talking to him about it, you learned that he thinks light and easy is better than accidentally hurting someone he cares about.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) Outside of emergency reasons (hostage situations or long stints out of the city), then Mike doesn’t really hug in public. You may get a side hug or something if you’re far in your relationship, and maybe a quick peck. Once home, though, he gives you massive bear hugs (he won’t squeeze tight, not unless you give him the okay).

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?) Definitely not on the first date. Probably a few months into a relationship. He’s not afraid of love or anything, but he’s a busy man and he wants to be sure you’re sticking around before he’ll drop the word.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?) Mike isn’t a jealous type. But, like most SVU detectives, he’s wary of other men. He’s protective to a point—he’s not possessive and he trusts you completely—and will definitely stick around you if he notices too many eyes in your direction. He also teaches you basic self-defense, just in case he’s not there.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) Again, out in public, it’s a quick peck on the lips or cheek—maybe a kiss to the back of your hand. Behind closed doors, however, Mike loves kissing you. He’s the master of slow, deep kisses, memorizing each other’s mouths while your lungs burn for air. Outside of your lips, he likes kissing your forehead or the top of your head; it’s intimate and sweet. But he loves loves loves when you kiss his jaw down to his chest. Any marks you leave, he can blame on sparring.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?) Mike’s super sweet around kids! You know that Big Brother program—where only children get to hang out with an “older sibling” (usually volunteer college students)? Mike is that kinda guy! He knows how to connect with children, especially little boys. And they love him!

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) Mike’s up early taking a jog and hitting the gym. You usually catch him after he comes home (unless you join him). By the time he’s out of the shower, you have a protein shake for him and one of the breakfasts he showed you how to make (the shake is for the day, the breakfast for now). You usually get an hour to chat and catch up before he’s giving you a kiss and heading out the door.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?) He usually comes home late—he is second in command (first, once he’s transferred from SVU). If you’re still awake, you’ll catch up on the day, chatting into the night. You know once he’s in bed, he’ll be out like a light, so you sit on the couch and talk. But he’ll eventually get that glazed look in his eyes, and you’ll have to convince him to go to bed, no matter how much he insists on wanting to talk to you.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?) It’s not that he reveals things about himself on purpose, but you’ll start to notice little things (like how soft his touch is). When asked about these things, he’ll sit you down and tell you…if he knows the answer, that is. Somethings, he doesn’t know why he does them; it was just something to survive as a kid that he never really thought about.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?) Angered isn’t the correct word; Mike gets frustrated. It mostly is things about work, but you learn that he has a shorter fuse every now and again. He’ll never admit that it’s stress from his father, instead blaming the cases he’s working on. But you know the signs.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?) Depends on when you tell him. If he has a lot on his plate, his mind turning, he’s more likely to forget something. He knows the basics (birthday, allergies, favorite color), but things like an ongoing issue at work, you may have to remind him of the details.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?) It was before you moved in together; the first night he stayed at your place. A little girl had been kidnapped, and the squad found her body the next day. Mike was on the scene, and it hit him hard; it was the first child case he had in SVU. He was really broken up about it and he asked if he could come over. You, of course, accepted, and Mike flew to your place. It was a) the first time he told you details about his job and b) the first time you saw him cry. You calmed him down and hugged him throughout the night, running your fingers through his hair as he slept, his head on your chest. He thanked you for that, but he never told you just how much he appreciated it.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?) Mike’s afraid that he’s not around enough. As such, his dates are incredible. He’s also the type to leave you little trinkets; either something useful, or something that reminded him of you. And if you’ve been cleaning and doing all the chores, then he’ll wake up super early on his day off and do everything before you get a chance to. He’ll call it a spa day for you, and while he’s waiting for something (laundry or food or what have you), he’ll massage you or rub lotion into your skin for you.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?) Hopefully you like chores, because Mike doesn’t do them often. He works so much and is on call on his days off. It’s not like he doesn’t want to help around the house, but if you had a dollar for every time Mike got called away while he was halfway done with something, you could afford a bigger house.He also will do anything his father asks, whether it’s in Mike’s best interest or not.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?) Very concerned—he has a reputation to keep. Even on his days off, he’s in nice slacks and a nice shirt. The only time you see him “off” is when he announces he’s not leaving the house. He’ll be in sweats and a tight shirt on the couch (unless he’s called in, and he has to quickly change).

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?) Once you own his heart, he can’t imagine life without you. Sure, he can remain polite at galas you couldn’t make it to, but inside, he’s missing you. It’s just not the same without you by his side, to make fun of all the pompous people around you. He definitely has a well-worn picture of you in his wallet that he’ll look at if he’s stuck at work super late.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.) Mike knows his father is overbearing, but he doesn’t know what William does to him. He grew up with his father’s expectations weighing down on him, so it’s all “normal” in his mind. You’ve tried talking to him before about it, but Mike will brush it off as “that’s just dad being dad.” It kind of makes meeting up with William weird, because you want to tell him off. You can see how he berates Mike, and you now understand why Mike likes to be praised so much; he obviously didn’t get it as a child.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?) Anyone that can embarrass him/his family. You need to be able to fit into the high social circles (whether you’re in them or not). You need to be eloquent and polite, ready to bite your tongue when someone says something incredibly sexist at an event (at least until you learn how to clapback without drawing attention to yourself).

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?) Ever since he was in the Army, Mike normally sleeps on his back. The only time he doesn’t is if one or both of you need the cuddles. It took you a while to get used to laying on his chest—it’s much higher than your old pillow, and it takes some adjusting. Otherwise, Mike is quick to sleep, his arm around you.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Youth Kept In Cells And Brought To Court While No Charge Laid,” Toronto Star. September 18, 1931. Page 01 & 03. ---- Had Called at Station to Report Officer Had Struck Him --- ARMOUR IS ANGERED --- ‘No Charge,’ Magistrate Patterson Decides When No Information Offered ---- The startling circumstances of how a young man had been thrown into the cells at No. 1 police station and detained there all last night when there was no charge laid against him, was revealed in women’s police court to-day, when John Tunstead appeared to answer to what was marked on the court calendar as a charge of aggravated assault.

No one but the young man knew the real reason for his appearance, Tumstead said he had walked into the station to report a policeman who had struck him for ‘no reason at all.’

He was immediately locked up and remained there until brought to court to-day.

No One Knows ‘Where is the information - who laid it?’ asked Crown Attorney Eric Armour, K.C.

‘I don’t know,’ said Magistrate Patterson.

No one knew. The officer on duty didn’t know.

Delos Childs, the clerk of the court, didn’t know.

‘Who laid it?’ roared Mr. Armour. The same response - no one knew.

Probation Officer Freer was summoned.

The young man was on probation and had been reporting regularly - he didn’t lay the charge.

His wife was called and said she didn’t lay the charge.

Only Alternative ‘Dismiss the case,’ said Mr. Armour, all out of patience.

‘No charge,’ said Magistrate Patterson, and the young man was given freedom.

Says He Was Attacked Referring to the alleged assault, Tunstead told The Star that on Wednesday evening in company with one Romeo Farmer he was walking along King St. toward Berkeley.

‘Two plainclothesmen drove along the street in an open car,’ he said. ‘They appeared to be chasing a young boy who darted across the street and managed to escape behind a sign board. After driving up the street a short way the plainclothesmen returned to where we were and jumped out of the car. One hit Farmer over the head and the other struck me behind the car with a black jack with the words: ‘Get to - out of here.’‘ Tunstead said yesterday he went to the police station and conferred with the deputy chief of police, who told him to go to No. 4 police station in the evening.

On arriving there in company with his wife, he informed the inspector in charge of what had taken place. ‘That is what my men carry billies for - to hit brats like you,’ was the alleged reply of the inspector.

Searched by Police ‘I was then taken into a separate room apart from my wife and searched,’ said Tunstead. ‘On finding but a few cents in my pocket, they told me I was ‘nothing but a bum’ and that they were going to lock me up and that they would ‘sure sweat this out of me in court to-morrow.’ With that they locked me up.’

Mrs. Tunstead admitted to The Star that some time ago she had made a charge against her husband because of domestic difficulties, but had had it withdrawn. Last night, she said, after her husband was locked up, Detective Doolittle called her in from the street, where she was awaiting her husband, and asked her to relay the charge. This, she said, she declined to do, and had only gone to the station with her husband to lay the complaint of the alleged assault.

The Star was informed at East Dundas police station that John Tunstead of 247 Church St., was arrested last night on a warrant charging aggravated assault. The complainant was Florence Tunstead. Detective-Sergeant Russell Dodds made the arrest.

[billehrman]

Markets Hate Uncertainty

Markets Hate Uncertainty

There are many questions out there today: when will the Delta variant peak; will opening reaccelerate; will shortages end; will supply line issues abate; will inflationary pressures ease; will the Fed begin tapering; will Congress pass an infrastructure bill and raise the debt limit, and when and if will Federal Chairman Powell be reappointed. That’s quite a lot of uncertainty, and there’s more to factor in.  The successful investor must formulate an opinion on each. That is why each week, we believe the greatest value we can bring you is to discuss issues and what is happening overseas, to help you develop your investment outlook.

After taking a top-down global economic, financial, and political view, we then take a bottom-up approach analyzing industries/companies searching for the best investment opportunities. Our approach is analytical and systemic. We attempt to take emotion out of the decision as best, which is not easy at times, we can especially if our conclusions point to going against the grain. We invest with a 12 to 24-month time frame while the market is dominated by day traders who rely on charts and momentum, which creates unusual opportunities for us at times. Several long-term investable trends are apparent today, such a digitalization, the cloud, the web, security, EV, going green, 5G, and infrastructure spending, but patience is necessary as the rewards come over a few years, not months, weeks, or days.  Do you have the patience to be an investor?

Let’s look at each of these issues, including an update on current economic data points, then formulate a market opinion including a view on interest rates, and finally discuss the sectors we emphasize in our portfolios. We continue to focus on shortages and supply line issues as overcoming them is pivotal to accelerating growth next year and beyond.

The spread of the Delta variant continues to impact global growth. Fortunately, the number of cases here and abroad continues to decline on a 14-day basis, although deaths continue to increase here but are falling abroad. More than 5.83 billion doses have been administered globally across 184 countries at a rate of 30.3 million doses per day. In the U.S., 382 million doses have been given so far at an average rate of 787,751 per day. At this pace, it will take six months to cover 75% of the global population, which should be enough for herd immunity. Studies indicate that a booster shot slashes the rate of covid infections and restores waning immunity. We must vaccinate the unvaccinated, including children. Fortunately, there will be ample supplies of doses available over the foreseeable future to vaccinate the world, including booster shots six months after being vaccinated. We also need to worry about the upcoming flu season. Get your flu shots too. While we are learning to live with COVID, the opening will slowly reaccelerate here and abroad as we move through the fall, which will naturally help the global economy.

We expect no change in Fed policy next week or a proposed time frame for tapering to begin. There are tremendous crosscurrents in the economy from a slowdown in travel and leisure, an increase in unemployment claims, a turndown in high-frequency data, and the end of extra unemployment benefits. On the other hand, we have strong capital spending, higher industrial production, and retail sales. The Fed has a dual mandate: reducing unemployment and controlling inflation. The last employment report was a big disappointment while the rate of change in the CPI slowed in August. The jury is out whether higher inflationary pressures will be transitory. Powell thinks so, as do we. He wants the economy to run hot rather than risk taking the punch bowl away too soon. Also, the Fed knows that their policy will have little impact on shortages and supply line issues. If the economy improves over a few months and employment numbers improve again, we expect the Fed to announce tapering in November and begin by the end of the year or early 2022. We expect them to finish tapering by the fall of 2022 and start hiking the fund's rate by mid-2023 if the data points support the move. Remember that tapering and a negative real funds rate are NOT tightening. Finally, Powell seems to be gaining ground in the Senate for his reappointment as Fed Chairman with bipartisan support. Even Chris Dodd and Barney Frank (remember Dodd-Frank?) support Powell’s renomination.

Biden and his party are pushing hard for their vast $3.5 trillion-dollar social infrastructure bill as well as hiking the debt limit. Highlights of the Ways and Means proposal to pay for the bill include:  top capital gains increases to 25% from 20%; maximum corporate rate rises to 26.5% from 21%; increases carried interest holding period to five years from three; cut some estate tax discounts; cuts tax rate for small businesses to 18%; crypto subject to wash rule; and a Medicare surtax on high earners. The package is expected to raise $2 trillion. The Dems are looking for $700 billion in revenue and cost savings from Medicare drug price changes and $600 billion from faster economic growth. Democratic Senator Manchin and other moderates are against this enormous social spending and tax bill, a deal-breaker for the Dems which dooms Biden’s economic agenda. Fortunately, he needs a win as his poll ratings are hitting new lows, so we believe that he will support the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, in the end, without tying it to his $3.5 trillion social infrastructure bill. This bill could be on his desk within a month, which would be a pleasant surprise for the market benefitting specific sectors tied to infrastructure.

Recent data points continue to be a mixed bag: industrial production increased by 0.4% in August despite shutdowns caused by Hurricane Ida; wholesale sales increased 2% in July while inventories rose only 0.6%, bringing the I/S ratio to new lows at 1.25; monthly retail sales increased a surprising 0.7% in August and are up over 15% from a year ago; the CPI increased only 0.3% from July and excluding food and energy the core inflation index rose only 0.1%, the smallest gain since February; and finally, the Phili and Empire Manufacturing surveys were robust. On the other side, unemployment claims rose to 332,000, an increase of 20,000 from the previous week; small business optimism fell to 99.7, and the August PPI index rose 0.7% and is up 8.3% year over year while the core PPI increased 0.6% and 6.7% vs. last year. Shortages and supply line issues are continuing to penalize sales and production while increasing inflationary pressures. We do not see improvement for both problems until mid-2022, but by then, we see higher sales/production/margins and lower inflation.

While the outlook for the Eurozone, India, Australia, and Japan have improved, China’s economy has not begun to recover from the outbreak of the Delta variant. ECB President Christine Lagarde said, “unprecedented monetary and fiscal aid and more vaccinations have brought the region to a point where it is recovering more rapidly than anticipated and output should reach pre-pandemic levels before the end of the year.” Most Japanese firms see the economy recovering to pre-pandemic levels in FY2022. The Japanese economy grew by 1.9% in the April-June quarter. India’s economy is expected to expand by over 7% this year and more next year, while Australia could expand close to 4% in both years.

On the other hand, China's outlook has slowed over the last month due to the outbreak of the Delta variant and needs additional monetary and fiscal stimulus to reaccelerate. So far, the government has targeted programs for smaller businesses and pledged additional support using local government bonds. We expect the Bank of China to announce another cut in the reserve requirement soon plus additional stimulus programs to boost consumption, which has been hit far more than production. The financial problems of Evergrande, a huge developer in China, will force the Bank of China to inject trillions into the domestic economy to prevent a Lehman moment. Foolishly, the government continues to release industrial commodities from its inventories, including oil, to put downward pressure on inflation just as global demand increases and supplies are tight.

Investment Conclusions

As indicated by the latest bull/bear ratio, market psychology has turned decidedly bearish, which is interestingly a contra-indicator, meaning that it is an excellent time to be nibbling at the market. It helps that inflows continue at a record pace; corporate deals and buybacks are nearing prior peak levels; dividends are increasing at a record pace; we have record excess liquidity in the trillions; the earnings yield compared to 10-year bond yield has never been wider; operating profits/margins/cash flow are increasing to record levels, and the Fed is our friend. Of course, there are negatives. We are worried about COVID, excessive federal spending, taxes that hurt our global competitiveness and investing in America, the buildup in government debt, excessive speculation, the political climate in America, geopolitical risks, and the power of fringe factions.

We maintain a positive view of the financial markets over the next 12-24 months based on an improving global economy as put the coronavirus in the rear view mirror; shortages and supply line issues abate; record operating profits and cash flow; accommodative fiscal and monetary policies; continued record flows from abroad keeping a lid on our interest rates; and trillions of excess liquidities still in the financial system. The preconditions for a market top are not present, but there can always be corrections like now.

As always, it is where you invest that counts. We maintain a balanced approach between growth, mainly technology and value. We like to invest where the government is our friend, so we own sectors that will benefit from the infrastructure bill, increased capital spending, and higher high-tech defense spending.  While we expect the yield curve to slowly steepen, we do not expect the 10-year treasury yield to get much above 1.80% over the next year, which is good for stock valuations.

Markets detest uncertainty, creating opportunities for true investors with a positive longer-term outlook. The key has always been to remain patient, which most can’t do, and always maintain reserves.

[madpanda75]

“Taking Chances Part Six: You’re Invited”

After busting the reader and Rafael, Sonny tries to take matters into his own hands.

Sonny sat at his desk, trying to finish up a police report, but instead all he could do was watch the cursor flash on his laptop screen. The usually happy-go-lucky detective had been in a bad mood all week. He couldn’t shake the thought of you and Rafael. Together. It was his idea of a living nightmare.

One thing Sonny had learned while working at SVU was to keep his work life and private life separate. He was close to his family. He was close to his squad. The last thing he needed was for those two groups to mingle. Working with special victims, it was hard not to bring your work home with you. Sonny knew Rafael struggled with that as well. He didn’t want that for you. He didn’t want you sitting alone at a table set for two while Rafael was working late on a case. He didn’t want you to deal with the nightmares, the horrific images, the scenes they witnessed everyday.

Sonny had seen firsthand how this job affected personal relationships. He saw it on the day Mike Dodds died. Mike’s fiancé, Alice, was heartbroken, having lost the love of her life. What if that was you? Rafael had made some powerful enemies and it wasn’t too long ago when the ADA had several threats made on his own life. What if something happened to Rafael and you were the one left alone or worse, what if something were to happen to you. Sonny would never forgive himself. You just didn’t understand. You couldn’t. Sonny had hidden that part of his life, wanting to protect you.

Amanda woke the detective up from his reverie, placing a macchiato on his desk after going out for a coffee run. “So you never told us what happened to your eye,” she teased while doling out the rest of the beverages. “Did Barba finally punch you cause he was getting tired of you asking to shadow him again?”

“Nothing happened. I ran into a glass window,” Sonny lied.

“Really? Cause it looks like you ran into someone’s fist.” Amanda got closer and inspected Sonny’s nose.

“Speaking of Barba,” Fin chimed in from his desk. “I saw him the other day. The man actually smiled at me and not one of those little half-ass grins of his, but an actual smile.”

“Yeah, I stopped by his office and caught him flirting on the phone with someone,” Amanda said.

Fin swiveled around in his chair, nearly choking on his frappuccino. “Flirting?!”

Amanda nodded and took a sip of her latte. “The minute he saw me. He started blushing and immediately hung up.” She leaned on Fin’s desk and lowered her voice. “And I could’ve sworn I saw a hickey peeking out from under his collar.”

Fin laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “Aw man, it’s official. Barba is definitely getting some.”

Sonny slammed his hands on the desk and stood up. “He isn’t getting anything! There is nothin’ to get! And even if there was, I would hope Barba would treat the woman like the queen she is!!”

Sonny blushed and looked around the room at everyone’s shocked faces. The bullpen was silent with the exception of the sound of Fin’s straw as he slurped his frothy coffee drink.

Having heard the commotion, Olivia came out of her office. “Something you care to share with the rest of us, Sonny?”

“It’s nothing,” Sonny mumbled and sat down, returning to his police report.

Olivia quirked a brow. “Well then since it’s nothing. Why don’t you head over to Barba’s office. He has our warrant for the DNA swabs.” Sonny didn’t budge, simply staring at his computer screen, his hands balled into fists at the mention of the ADA’s name. “That’s an order, detective,” she sternly said.

“Copy that, lieutenant.” Sonny replied, grabbing his coat and stomping away.

“What the hell was that all about?” Fin asked once Sonny had left.

Amanda shrugged. “Beats me, but it’s definitely not nothing.”

*****

Sonny steeled himself in front of Rafael’s door before delivering three sharp knocks.

“Come in,” he heard the ADA call out.

Rafael sat at his desk, furiously writing notes on a legal pad, barely glancing up as Sonny walked into his office. “What is it, Carisi?”

“Liv sent me over to pick up that warrant for the DNA swabs. Ya’ got it or not?” The clipped tone of Sonny’s voice caused Rafael to drop his pen. He glared at the detective and handed over the warrant before resuming his work.

Sonny stood there for a moment, tilting his head as he looked over Rafael. He had never noticed how old the ADA really was—the graying hair, the deep lines etched into his face. Were those crow’s feet around his eyes?

On top of all the reasons Sonny could think of as to why you and Rafael should not be together, the age factor was by far the biggest. You had just turned thirty and Rafael had to be in his mid to late forties. The detective knew that there was only one thing a man wanted from a woman who was about 15 years his junior .

Sensing eyes on him, Rafael glanced up from his work and caught Sonny observing him. “What?” He snapped.

“How old are ya’?”

Rafael huffed out a laugh. “I beg your pardon?”

“What like 46? 47?”

“You’re out of line, detective. I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Rafael arched a brow, his already tested patience wearing thin.

Sonny scoffed and crossed his arms. “Actually, you’re seducing my baby sister, so technically it is.”

“Technically”—Rafael got up and walked around his desk to square off with Sonny, the two men standing toe to toe—“it’s between me and Y/N. She’s the one I’m in a relationship with, not you.”

“C’mon, Rafael. Look at you and look at her. Do ya’ really think you can make her happy?” Sonny shook his head in disgust. “All these years we’ve worked together. Never took ya’ for a cradle robber,” he sneered.

“Careful, Carisi,” Rafael growled with his jaw clenched, nostrils flaring out. “I punched you once. I can do it again.”

“I’d like to see ya’ try.” Sonny leaned in. “Hope the dry cleaners can get the blood out of your Zegna suit.”

Right before it came to blows, there was a soft knock on the door “Hey, Raf?” You poked your head into his office to find your brother and boyfriend. “Oh good, you’re both here.” You stepped inside, carrying two gift bags. “Is this a bad time?”

“No,” Rafael said.

“Yes,” Sonny said at the same time, his eyes never leaving the ADA.

“Ohhhhhkay,” you replied. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

“Come in, querida.” Rafael led you inside, your presence instantly calming him.

You gave your brother a hug before moving to Rafael, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He took you by surprise and cupped your face, deepening the kiss. Sonny awkwardly stood there, rolling his eyes while you both continued to play tonsil hockey.

You eventually pulled away, your cheeks flushed pink. “Wow,” you breathed, about to start kissing Rafael once more when Sonny cleared his throat to get your attention.

“Y/N, did ya’ need something? I have to get this warrant to my boss.”

You sighed. “Ma called me this morning and since someone”—you smacked your brother on the arm—“spilled the beans about me and Rafael. She invited us all over for church and then a big Carisi family lunch this Sunday.”

“Wait, we ALL have to go?!” Sonny groaned

“Yes and we’re ALL going to behave.” You shot both men a warning look.

Rafael’s pulse began to quicken. He knew that eventually he would have to meet your parents, he just didn’t expect it to be so soon. “Really, Y/N? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s too late. Ma’s already trying to get tomatoes flown in from Naples for her marinara sauce. So as an incentive for you two to get along for one evening. I come bearing gifts.” You handed Rafael and Sonny each a gift bag.

Sonny eyed the bag suspiciously. “This feels like a bribe.”

“That’s because it is a bribe,” you replied with an innocent smile.

“Fine. I’ll see ya’ Sunday,” Sonny grumbled and gave you a hug.

“Mass starts at 10:30.” You straightened his jacket and waved goodbye as he was leaving.

Rafael leaned back against his desk and dangled the bag in front of you. “So do I get to open my present now or do I have to wait until Sunday?”

“Hmmmm.” You steepled your hands and rested them against your chin. “You can open it now, but it’s really only part of your gift.”

You watched him reach into the bag and pull out a box of cannolis from Antonio’s bakery.

“Thanks.” He took out a cannoli and a napkin. “Is coffee the next part of my gift?”

Your eyes widened and you smacked the Italian dessert out of Rafael’s hands. “Oh no, that’s the wrong present.” You grabbed the box and ran to catch up with your brother. “Sonny, wait! Don’t open the—”

Sonny was already there by the time you opened the door. His face beet red.

“Box,” you quietly said.

“Too late,” he muttered and swapped presents with you before storming off.

You cringed and quietly shut the door. “That was embarrassing.”

Rafael couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on Carisi’s face. “Must be one hell of a present.”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.” With a nonchalant shrug, you walked back over to him. Placing the box on his desk, you gingerly opened it and pulled out a sheer black lace corset detailed with emerald green silk. “I just earned a big commission and decided to splurge at Bordelle. What do you think?” You held the lingerie up to your body. The corset complimented your curves and featured a plunging shelf bra that barely covered your breasts.

Rafael licked his lips, envisioning your hard nipples straining against the fabric. “Mierda. Eres una tremenda manguita,” he purred.

You gave yourself a mental high five for picking out the outfit. Apart from the occasional pet name, Rafael only spoke Spanish to you either when he was extremely turned on or whenever you were making love.

He reached out to touch you, only to have you slap his hand away. “Ah ah ah, not so fast, counselor. You only get this if you behave on Sunday. That means no punching my brother.”

Rafael nodded and circled you like a predator does his prey before stopping to face you, his nose barely brushing up against yours. “So just to be clear, if I’m good on Sunday. You’ll wear this.” He motioned towards the lingerie you had pressed up against you. “And as a reward I get to touch you here.”  Brushing your hair back, he placed a kiss right below your ear.

“Y-Y-Yes,” you whispered in a shaky voice.

“Well, what about here.” He dropped another kiss on the hollow of your throat, grinning like the cat who ate the canary when he saw goosebumps begin to erupt on your skin.

“Mmmhmm.” You bit back a moan. The man had barely touched you and already a heat was beginning to pool between your legs. His lips on your flesh. The smell of his cologne. Your resolve was quickly wavering.

Glancing down at your cherry red pout, he ran his thumb across your bottom lip. “And what about”—his other hand skimmed under your skirt, dragging his fingertips up your inner thigh, tracing your slit with a single digit through your lace panties—“here.”

You gasped at his touch, allowing him the chance to kiss you hard, his tongue snaking into your mouth. Surrendering to the moment, you clutched his shirt as your mouth moved fervently over his, the corset falling to the floor. He stopped and looked down at the silk and lace at your feet before meeting your gaze. “Whoops, looks like you’re not wearing it anymore,” he said with a devious smirk.

“You’re terrible, counselor.” You ghosted your lips over his and arched your hips, pressing up against his growing erection.

His eyes darkened and a low growl rumbled from his chest. In an instant, he had you up on his desk and flat on your back. “I’ve been called much worse,” he teased in a husky voice and captured your mouth with his once more.

*****

With the correct present now in his hand, Sonny headed to the elevators only to stop in his tracks when he thought you may need a ride to the gallery. He walked back to Rafael’s office and froze when he heard your soft moans coming from the room followed by a muffled groan from Rafael.

Sonny made a face and quickly retreated back to the hallway. First the lingerie and then hearing his baby sister having sex again, he was in desperate need of a Silkwood shower and a stiff drink. To make matters worse, his plan of telling your parents about you and Rafael seemed to backfire. He was hoping they would freak out and call you to try to talk some sense into you. But instead, it looked like they were welcoming Rafael into the family with open arms. What was next? Picking out china patterns? His Ma giving you Nonna’s wedding dress to wear on the big day?

Sonny realized that he had to be the one to break you both up and he knew exactly how to do it. Pulling out his cell phone, he made a quick call. The phone rang for several seconds before a voice on the other end answered. “Sonny? You sonofabitch, how are ya’?”

“Hey Theo. I know it’s been awhile. Say, how would you like to come over on Sunday to my folks’ place for lunch. Y/N is gonna be there and I’d know she’d love to see ya’.” As Sonny continued to talk to your ex-fiancé, a wave of guilt washed over him, knowing that he shouldn’t be meddling in your love life. But he tried to suppress it, confident that you would thank him later.

@glimmerglittergirl​ @southern-magnolia​ @sweetcannolicarisi​ @delia26​ @obfuscateyummy​ @sass-and-suspenders​ @eclecticminded​ @thatesqcrush​ @katmstanton​ @amirightcounsellor​ @beltzboys2015-blog​ @letty-o​ @sonnysdoll​ @lyssa1385​ @sweetsummertime99​ @burningsorr0ws​ @gibbs274​ @izzythefanfreak​ @riodallas​ @babypink224221​ @livxrafa​ @esparza-army​ @obsessionprofessional​ @ottosuricato​ @melsquared79​ @dreila03​ @frenchiefoxy​ @tropes-and-tales​ @thecraziestcrayon​ @goodluckfindingone​ @scarlettsoldier​ @amirightcounselor​ @yeah-boiiiiiiiiiii​ @graniairish​ @ashley-chi​ @imjustreallynosy​ @lolacolaempath @cocomel0613​

[dealbrekker]

✏ if you still want to do these

Thank you! The following comes after a scene in which Henry balks and rudely leaves Ophelia’s company once he believes her to be part of what was known historically as the Eastern Fishing Fleet: groups of young women who went abroad in search of husbands. Henry has no time or patience for such nonsense.

Their eyes met, and Henry offered a wary smile.  “I projected my prejudices onto you, which wasn’t fair regardless of your—intentions.”

His minor pause amused Ophelia, but she didn’t want him to know that.  “My intentions?”  She pondered glibly.

The Egyptologist tapped his fingers along his glass and cleared his throat.  “It’s none of my business as to whether you’re—you’re—”

“Fishing?” Ophelia ticked an eyebrow when Henry finally looked up at her.  His shoulders sagged when he realized she was poking fun at him.  He pushed his glasses back, and nodded guiltily.

...

“Mr. Abbott,” Ophelia set her drink down and fixed the man with a level eye.  “I accept your apology, and thank you for it.  I trust you won’t cast presumptions on me again.” Here, Henry nodded solemnly. Ophelia sat back in her chair.  “Because it really was uncalled for.  I have Mrs. Dodd do all my fishing for me.”

She almost laughed at Henry’s incredulous expression.  He blinked a few times, evidently shocked by her remark.  And then when she smiled at him, he fell into a fit of laughter that shook his glasses right back down his nose

I’m about to start my 9th chapter, even if I can only manage a few paragraphs. But continue to send pencils to my inbox if you want any snippets!

[savewritingnsw]

Save Writing NSW

An open letter to Create NSW and the NSW Minister for the Arts

We, as writers and active members of the literary community, were dismayed by Create NSW’s decision not to grant Writing NSW Multi-Year Organisations Funding in their latest round, despite the fact that Writing NSW was recommended for funding.

This decision demonstrates the ongoing devaluation of literature within the Australian arts funding landscape. We know literature is the most popular artform in the country, with 87% of Australian reading some form of literary work in any given year, yet in this round Create NSW offered only 5.7% of their ongoing funding to literature organisations.

The decision to defund Writing NSW carries a particular sting. Writing NSW is the leading organisation representing writers in a state with a long literary history and one that is home to many of Australia’s leading publishers, writers, literary agents and other core participants in the Australian literary industry.

Writing NSW is an important stepping-stone for writers at the beginning of their careers, providing high quality professional development programs, and it also employs emerging and established writers to deliver and lead these programs. For decades the organisation has provided high-quality courses, seminars, workshops, festivals, events, grants and literary prizes. In putting such programs at risk, Create NSW is jeopardising both an entry point and an ongoing support system for writers.

Macquarie University research shows that the average income of an Australian author from their practice is $12,900. The current economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic makes the situation of writers even more precarious. Writing NSW offers key employment opportunities to writers, through teaching, publication, speaking engagements and both curatorial and judging positions. The removal of these opportunities will mean many writers will not be able to maintain the other income streams that support their writing careers.

The removal of $175,000 from a single source would be catastrophic for any business – not-for-profit or otherwise. For a government funding body to enact such a blunt economic withdrawal in the midst of a global pandemic and without concern for the economic flow-on effect to hundreds of industry professionals is deeply distressing.

We call on Create NSW to reverse this decision and ask them to reveal their future strategies for arts funding and how they plan to rectify the disparity in funding between other funded artforms and literature.

As writers, we will never accept the loss of a vibrant, essential cultural network such as Writing NSW.

What you can do We invite anyone affected by Create NSW’s decision – writers, publishers, literary agents, illustrators, readers alike – to co-sign this letter. You can copy and customise this letter to draft a version from your own point of view on this matter to send to a Member of Parliament.

To co-sign this letter, add your name here: shorturl.at/dERX6

Signatories

Pip Smith, Writer, creative writing teacher Sam Twyford-Moore, Writer and arts administrator Fiona Wright, Writer, editor, critic, reader Gabrielle Tozer, Author, writer, editor Brigid Mullane, Editor Jules Faber, Author, Illustrator Dr Christopher Richardson, Author and academic Liz Ledden, Author, podcaster, book reviewer Kate Tracy Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Writer, reviewer, reader Julie Paine, Writer Nick Tapper, Editor Belinda Castles, Writer and academic Simon Veksner, Writer Amanda Ortlepp, Writer, reader, reviewer, High School English Teacher Bronwyn Birdsall, Writer, editor Robin Riedstra, Writer, reviewer, reader, English teacher Dr Delia Falconer, Writer, critic, academic Robert McDonald, Author, writer, creative writing teacher Dr Kathryn Heyman, Author Wai Chim, Author Kirsten Krauth, Writer, editor Tricia Dearborn, Poet, writer, editor Dr Mireille Juchau, Writer Gail Jones, Writer Dr Jeff Sparrow, Writer, editor, academic Linda Jaivin, Writer, editor, translator Adara Enthaler, Poet, editor, literary arts manager Keighley Bradford, Writer, editor, arts and festival administrator Nicole Priest, Reader and aspiring writer Shamin Fernando, Writer Andrew Pippos, Writer Bianca Nogrady, Writer and journalist James Bradley, Writer Ali Jane Smith, Writer Dr Eleanor Limprecht Idan Ben-Barak, Writer Jennifer Mills, Writer Nicole Hayes, Writer, podcaster Michelle Starr, Writer/journalist Phillipa McGuinness, Writer and publisher Vanessa Berry, Writer and academic Blake Ayshford, Screenwriter Emily Maguire, Writer Sarah Lambert, Screenwriter Anwen Crawford, Writer Sarah Bassiuoni, Screenwriter Jackson Ryan, Writer, journalist, academic Simon Thomsen, Journalist, editor, other wordy stuff Ivy Shih, Writer Miro Bilbrough, Writer, filmmaker, screenwriting teacher, script editor Graham Davidson, Writer, artist, festival director Christos Tsiolkas, Writer JZ Ting, Writer, lawyer Susan Francis, Writer, teacher Suneeta Peres da Costa, Writer Dr Harriet Cunningham, Writer, critic, journalist Adele Dumont, Writer, reader Sheree Strange, Writer, book reviewer, book seller Phil Robinson, Reader Ashleigh Meikle, Reader, writer, book blogger Naomi RIddle, Writer, editor Cathal Gwatkin-Higson, Writer, book seller Hannah Carroll Chapman, Screenwriter Angela Meyer, Writer, editor Steve Blunt, Reader, supporter Ambra Sancin, Writer, arts administrator Michelle Baddiley, Writer, reader, archive producer Dinuka McKenzie, Writer, reader Catherine C. Turner, Writer, reader, freelance editor and publisher, arts worker Hilary Davidson, Writer, poet, academic, reader Dr Eleanor Hogan, Writer Nicola Robinson, Commissioning Editor Kim Wilson, Screenwriter Jane Nicholls, Freelance writer and editor Lisa Kenway, Writer Virginia Peters, Writer Sarah Sasson, Physician-writer and reader Dr Joanna Nell, Writer Laura Clarke Author / Copywriter Nicole Reddy, Screenwriter Anna Downes, Writer Sharon Livingstone, Writer, editor, reader Lily Mulholland, Writer, screenwriter, technical editor Benjamin Dodds, Poet, reviewer, teacher Markus Zusak, Writer Alexandria Burnham, Writer, screenwriter Sam Coley, Writer Marian McGuinness, Writer Selina McGrath, Artist Adeline Teoh Natasha Rai, Writer Catherine Ferrari, Reader Jessica White, Writer & academic Zoe Downing, Writer, reader, creative writing student Amanda Tink, Writer, researcher, reader Lisa Nicol, Children's author, screenwriter, copywriter Aurora Scott, Writer Gillian Polack, Writer, academic Susan Lever, Critic and writer Denise Kirby, Writer Michele Seminara, Poet & editor Meredith Curnow, Publisher, Penguin Random House David Ryding, Arts Manager Catherine Hill Genevieve Buzo, Editor Hugo Wilcken DJ Daniels, Writer Linda Vergnani, Freelance journalist, writer and editor Tony Spencer-Smith, Author, writing trainer & editor Dr Viki Cramer, Freelance writer and editor Petronella McGovern, Author, freelance writer and editor Jacqui Stone, Writer and editor Talia Horwitz, Writer, reader & writing student Sophie Ambrose, Publisher, Penguin Random House Rebecca Starford, Publishing director, KYD; editor and writer David Blumenstein, Writer, artist Rashida Tayabali, Freelance writer Sheila Ngoc Pham, Writer, editor and producer Rosalind Gustafson, Writer Alan Vaarwerk, Editor, Kill Your Darlings Gillian Handley, Editor, journalist, writer Karina Machado Isabelle Yates, Commissioning Editor, Penguin Random House Michelle Barraclough, Writer Natalie Scerra, Writer Melanie Myers, Writer, editor and Creative Writing teacher Emily Lawrence, Aspiring Writer Nicola Aken, Screenwriter Jennifer Nash, Librarian, writer Clare Millar, Writer and editor Kathryn Knight, Editor, Penguin Random House Linda Funnell, Editor, reviewer, tutor, Newtown Review of Books Stacey Clair, Editor, writer, former events/projects producer at Queensland Writers Centre Virginia Muzik, Writer, copyeditor, proofreader, aspiring author Lisa Walker, Writer Sarah Morton, Copywriter, aspiring author, Member of Writing NSW Board Laura Russo, Writer and editor Vivienne Pearson, Freelance writer Justin Ractliffe, Publishing Director, Penguin Random House Australia James Ley, Contributing Editor, Sydney Review of Books Alison Urquhart, PublisherPenguin Random House Debra Adelaide, Author and associate professor of creative writing, University of Technology Sydney Magdalena Ball, Writer, Reviewer, Compulsive Reader Anna Spargo-Ryan, Writer, writing teacher, editor, reader Charlie Hester, Social media & project officer, Queensland Writers Centre Mandy Beaumont, Writer, researcher and reviewer Chloe Barber-Hancock, Writer, reader, pre-service teacher Dr Patrick Mullins, Academic and writer Wendy Hanna, Screenwriter Chloe Warren Dianne Masri, Social Media Consultant Jane Gibian, Writer, librarian, reader Dr Airlie Lawson, Academic and writer Karen Andrews, Writer, teacher, reader Tim Coronel, General manager, Small Press Network and Industry adjunct lecturer, University of Melbourne Tommy Murphy, Playwright and screenwriter Evlin DuBose, Editor, writer, screenwriter, director, poet, UTS's Vertigo Magazine Tony Maniaty, Writer Emma Ashmere, Writer, reader, teacher Alicia Gilmore, Writer Suzanne O'Sullivan, Publisher, Hachette Australia Jacqui DentWriter, Content Strategist Rachel Smith, Writer Intan Paramaditha, Writer Cassandra Wunsch, Director TasWriters (The Tasmanian Writers Centre) Meera Atkinson Eileen Chong, Poet, Writer, Educator Debra Tidball, Author, reviewer Beth Spencer, Author, poet, reader Lou Pollard, Comedy writer, blogger Bronwyn Stuart/Tilley, Author and program coordinator, Writers SA Gemma Patience, Writer, illustrator, reviewer Amarlie Foster, Writer, teacher Dr Felicity Plunkett, writer Angela Betzien Drew Rooke, Journalist and author Michael Mazengarb, Journalist RenewEconomy Katrina Roe, Children's author, broadcaster, audiobook narrator Liz Doran, Screenwriter Arnold Zable, Writer. Tom Langshaw, Editor, Penguin Random House Brooke Maddison Monica O'Brien, ProducerAmbience Entertainment Jacinta Dimase, Literary AgentJacinta Dimase Management Jane Novak, Literary AgentJane Novak Literary Agency Sarah Hollingsworth, Arts Organisation ManagerMarketing and Communications Manager, Writers Victoria Barbara Temperton, Writer Sandra van Doorn, Publisher Red Paper Kite Alex Eldridge, Writer Karen Beilharz, Writer, editor, comic creator Esther Rivers, Writer, editor, poet Jane Pochon, Board Member, lawyer and reader Zoe Walton, Publisher, Penguin Random House Eliza Twaddell Alison Green, CEO, Board Member, Pantera Press Emma Rafferty, Editor Sarah Swarbrick, Writer Dayne Kelly, Literary Agent, RGM Léa Antigny, Head of Publicity and Communications, Pantera Press Jenny Green, Finance, Pantera Press Sarah Begg, Writer Mark Harding, Writer, Brand Manager, Social Media and Content Specialist Shanulisa Prasad, Bookseller Katy McEwen, Rights Manager, Pantera Press Olivia Fricot, Content Writer/Bookseller, Booktopia Jack Peck, Writer, Open Genre Group Convenor, Writing NSW, Retired Kathy Skantzos, Writer, Editor Serene Conneeley, Author, Editor Kerry Littrich, Writer Merran Hughes, Creative Cassie Watson, Writer Lisa Seltzer, Copywriter, Social Media Manager and Marketing Consultant Gemma Noon, Writer and Librarian Tanya Tabone, Reader Laura Franks, Reader, Editor, Writer Dani Netherclift, Writer Who to contact We urge you to join us in advocating for Writing NSW and the state of funding for Australian literature, by contacting Create NSW, your NSW Member of Parliament, and the NSW Minister for the Arts.

Chris Keely Executive Director, Create NSW Email: chris.keely@create.nsw.gov.au

The Hon. Don Harwin, MLC Phone: (02) 8574 7200 Email: office@harwin.minister.nsw.gov.au

Who to else to contact

The Hon. (Walt) Walter Secord, MLC Shadow Minister for the Arts Phone: (02) 9230 2111 Email: walt.secord@parliament.nsw.gov.au Ms. Cate Faehrmann, MLC Greens representative for Arts, Music, Night-Time Economy and Culture Phone: (02) 9230 3771 Email: cate.faehrmann@parliament.nsw.gov.au A full list of names and contact details for NSW State MPs is available here.

[carisi-dreams]

Fictober 2019 Round-up!

Sonny Carisi x Reader

“It will be fun, trust me.” (bonnie&clyde!au)

“No, and that’s final.” 

“Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.” (mc!au)

“What if I don’t see it?” (bonnie&clyde!au)

“I can’t come back.” (bonnie&clyde!au)

“Listen. No, really listen.”

“You could talk about it, you know?” 

“Change is annoyingly difficult.” (mc!au)

“You keep me warm.” (Halloween themed) 

“I’m doing this for you.” (Halloween themed) 

“Scared, me?” (Halloween themed) 

Nick Amaro x Reader

“I know you didn’t ask for this.” (motorcycleclub!au)

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

“Yes, I admit it, you were right.”

“Can you wait for me?” (Halloween themed)

“I’m with you, you know that.” (Halloween themed)

Sonny Carisi x Nick Amaro

“Just follow me, I know the area.” (titanic!au)

“Patience… is not something I’m known for.” (underworld!au)

“I could really eat something.” (Halloween themed)

Olivia Benson x Alex Cabot

“Now? Now you listen to me?”

“There is a certain taste to it.” 

“It’s not always like this.” 

“Enough! I heard enough.” (Halloween themed)

Alex Cabot x Reader

“Secrets? I love secrets.”

Casey Novak x Carmen

“I might just kiss you.”

“There is a certain taste to it.” 

Sonny Carisi x Carmen

“There is just something about them/her/him.” 

Peter Stone x Mike Dodds x Rafael Barba (titanic!au)

“I never knew it could be this way.” 

Sonny Carisi x Miguel Galindo (cartel!au)

“Can you stay?”

“We could have a chance.” 

Razor x Veronica (original characters from the mc!au)

“Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

“You can’t give more than yourself.”

[lovemesomerafael]

El Amor Todo Lo Puede      Chapter 32:  All In

Source:  @barbaoutfits 

Chapters 1-31

The hotel ballroom was crowded with people wearing expensive suits and cocktail dresses.  Drinks were flowing as they always do at a professional function with an open bar.

Rollins leaned over to mutter into Laura’s ear.  “Don’t look now, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and $2,500 shoes is checking you out.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Staring like a dog in heat.  How romantic,” she quietly responded.  They turned back to the conversation of the group they were standing with.

“Look, all I’m saying is that judge was wrong.  Our search was legit,” Carisi was saying.

The woman next to him took the bait, and they were off on a debate of the 4th Amendment in which neither Rollins nor Laura had any interest.

Laura sighed.  “Has it been an hour?  Can we go now?”

“Thirty-five minutes.”

“That’s it.  I’m calling the ACLU.  There has to be an exception to mandatory work events for people who can’t drink.  Because alcohol is the only possible way to survive these things.”

“Lemme tell you, it’s not helping that much,” Rollins responded drily.  “We could network, I guess.  Kill some time.  Maybe enhance our careers.”

“Uh-huh.  Cuz I’m just dying to become a white-shirt.  Can you see me in those administration meetings? I’d have Dodds in a chokehold and be banging his head against the conference table in about five minutes.”

Rollins held up her empty glass.  “Well, I hate to do this to you, Parker, but I’m going to get a refill.”  

As Amanda moved off toward the bar, the man who had been openly admiring Laura walked over.  

“I’m Adam Watson, new head of Public Affairs at One PP.”  He held out his hand, and she shook it.  “I’ve been in NYC for two weeks now and the only people I’ve met are old men. I decided to introduce myself to you so that I can say I know at least one beautiful woman in the city.  Help a guy out?”

“Hmmmm.”  Laura took a sip of her drink.  “Not terrible, but a little on the cheesy side.  Also, just bordering on sexist.  Wanna try again?”

He laughed.  He did have a very nice smile, and nice laugh lines at the corners of his blue eyes.  “Uh…  how about simply, ‘Hi, I’m Adam Watson?”

“Better.”  She said, and shook his hand again.  “Detective Laura Parker, SVU.”

“Ah.”  He nodded.  “So, basically the exact wrong person to try that line on.”

“Basically.  But I’ll overlook it because I know like five people in this room, and they’ve all deserted me.”

“You’ve got me beat. I think I know three.  Mind you, I’ve been introduced to probably 50% of the people here, but I’ve already forgotten all of their names, and I’m going to be expected to recognize them when I see them again.”

Laura laughed.  “You mean I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to be here?”  

“Detective, 95% of the people in this room don’t want to be here.”

She laughed.  “Well,” she said, clinking her glass with his. “Misery does love company.”

He moved closer to her, encroaching slightly on her personal space, but he didn’t touch her.  “Looks like you could use a fresh drink.  Can I buy you a refill?”

“At an open bar.  Chivalrous.”  They both chuckled sociably as they turned toward the bar area.  

There was a mass of people crowded around the bar, jostling and trying to catch the attention of one of the bartenders.   “Stay here,” Adam told Laura as they approached the edge of the crowd.  “I’ll take on the mob.  What are you drinking?”

“Pellegrino with lime.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s no good.  Sparkling water isn’t going to soften the edges of this command performance, is it?  I’ll see what I can do.”

“No, thanks. Pellegrino is perfect.”  

He winked at her and waded into to the melee around the bar.

A soft but scornful voice beside Laura’s ear said, “You do realize that wink means ‘I’m not listening to you, I’ll never get you back to my place if you’re sober’?”  

She turned her head to grin at Rafael.  “Cynic. 20 bucks says he comes back with Pellegrino.”

“50 says he comes back with whiskey.”

“You’re on.”

They turned to face one another.  “Man, I’m glad to see you.  Liv is requiring all of us to show the flag for at least an hour.  I’m only forty minutes in and I already want to slit my wrists.  Twenty more and I might end up starting a fistfight, just for something to do with my hands.”  

Rafael laughed, smiling at her in a way that sent hot shivers through her.  “Promise you’ll give me a heads up so I can get a good seat. And if you’re taking requests, may I suggest Rita Calhoun could use a good ass-kicking?”  

“Uh-oh.  What’d she win now?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.  I’d rather talk about how pretty you look tonight.”

Rafael actually thought she looked better than pretty.  Stunning was closer to the mark.  The simplicity of her black dress accentuated her curves, and the low-cut back showed enough skin to make Rafael’s hands itch to caress her.  The dress was exactly long enough to be appropriate, and not one millimeter longer.  He had seen her from across the room and admired her legs as she walked with that yahoo in a cheap suit now getting her a drink.

“Thank you.  You’re just not used to seeing me in drag, is all.”

“Tonterías.[1]  I have excellent taste.  If I say you look great, you do.”  

“You look even better than usual, yourself,” she replied, a little shyly.  The suit he was wearing, one she’d never seen before, was a beautiful worsted wool featuring a green stripe that made his eyes even more dazzling.

At that moment, Adam Watson returned, holding a small tray over the heads of the crowd.  When he brought it down, Laura and Rafael saw that he had, indeed, brought her sparkling water.  He had also brought two shots of tequila.  

“Here you go,” he announced. “Pellegrino for your thirst, and tequila for the pain.”  He looked quite proud of himself.

Laura looked at Rafael and saw the smirk she knew he would be wearing.  But it was tinged with something unpleasant.  “Laura,” he said, “You don’t drink, do you?”  There was an edge to his voice.

“No, I don’t.”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

Rafael picked up the shot and tossed it back without bothering with the salt and lime on the tray. “Thanks, guy,” he said to Adam with an obviously fake smile.  He put an arm possessively around Laura’s waist and steered her past Adam Watson.  

He led her to a table about halfway across the room.  “You owe me 50 bucks.”

“Technically, I don’t. You said he’d bring whiskey.  But you do owe me 20, because I said he’d bring Pellegrino.   Which, by the way, I didn’t get to drink before you whisked me away like the Secret Service.”

“I’ll buy you a case. Who is that slimeball?”

“New head of PR at One PP. Which means both of us are probably going to regret what you just did.”

“I doubt that very much,” Rafael snarled.  

Laura squinted at him. “You OK?  He’s just some flirty dude at a cocktail party.  Why aren’t we just making fun of him?”

“I’m surprised you’re not more annoyed.  Guy tries to force alcohol on you…”

“That might be a little overdramatic.  C’mon, you know I can handle him.”

“Knock yourself out,” Rafael snapped.  “I was just trying to do a good deed.”

“And you did.  Thank you.  But it wasn’t necessary.”  

“Yeah.  Whatever.”  He tossed back the rest of his drink.  “Then you’re on your own.  You can probably still get that Pellegrino.”

As she watched him stalk off across the room, Laura wondered whether the motion he’d lost to Rita Calhoun today had gotten under Rafael’s skin, or whether this was an extension of the feelings he’d been having a few nights before.  She made a mental note to call him when she got home and ask if he wanted to talk about it.    

She turned around to look for a familiar face in the crowd, and almost immediately caught Adam Watson’s eye again.  He was looking at her, and still held her drink.  He raised it up to her in invitation.  Not wanting to be rude, she walked over.

“Thank you,” she said. “Sorry about that.  He’s um, protective of my sobriety.”

Adam ignored the mention of Rafael as though he didn’t exist.  “Sobriety, huh?  Good for you. How long?”

“Over eight years now. But you don’t want to talk about that.”

He again stepped just a little too close.  “Actually, I’d enjoy talking about you.  Let’s go see if we can find a quiet table where we can do that, shall we?”  

Laura would rather not. His manner was a little oily for her, and she had no intention of sharing any kind of personal information with the new head of Pubic Affairs for NYPD.  “I have a better idea.  Why don’t we see if we can find the rest of my squad?  They’re here somewhere, and…”

“Please, don’t make me meet any more people whose names I won’t remember.”  He smiled down at her, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her toward a table.  “Besides, I’m sure they can’t be as beautiful as you.  I’d rather spend some time getting to know each other.”

She mentally rolled her eyes and decided she was going to have to find a way to extricate herself gracefully from this situation.  This guy was definitely sleazy, but neither she nor her SVU colleagues needed the new brass to start out with a grudge.   She let him lead her – drive her, really – toward a table.  Seriously, he was good looking, she guessed, but did women really respond to this bulldozer treatment?  

He pulled his chair too close to hers and leaned in, touching her hand.   She could smell some kind of spicy aftershave and something else – maybe a hair product.  He put his face in front of hers and looked her square in the eye.  “So.  Who is Detective Laura Parker, hmmmm?”  She almost laughed.

Laura caught Rafael glowering at them from across the room, and knew she would have to explain at some point how this had happened.  She spent the next twenty awkward minutes trying to back away from Adam Watson, and out of the conversation.  She realized that he was not only obnoxious but actually fairly drunk.  Her patience ran out when he put a hand behind her head and tried to pull her in for a kiss.  “I have to tell you, Laura,” he breathed tequila into her face, “I haven’t been able to look away from you in that dress.  The way it hugs your body and shows off those perfect tits –“

Laura pulled away from him, but he grabbed her wrists.  “Listen, let’s get out of here.  I have a town car waiting for me, and I’d like to get you in the back seat and lick -“ His speech ended in a high-pitched squeak as Laura took the fingers of his left hand into a very particular grip.

“Mr. Watson, you and I have to work together.  And that means that you will speak to me with respect.  I understand that you’re drunk, and I’m going to assume that you would never act this way under normal circumstances.  I’ll forget this ever happened.  But, if you ever talk to me like that again, I’m going to break your fingers one by one.”  Her expression had been as hard as her words.  Just as suddenly, however, she favored him with an overly-sweet smile as she dropped his hand.  “With all due respect, of course.”

She didn’t wait for a response.  She got up and walked rapidly away, immediately scanning the room for Rafael. She was looking forward to hearing him laugh when she told him what had just happened.   The first familiar face she saw was a junior ADA who had handled a few motions and arraignments for SVU.  

“Hey, Suneetha, have you seen ADA Barba?”

“Yeah, he left about 10 minutes ago.  Looked like he was in a foul mood, too.”

“Thanks.”  

What did that mean? Rafael couldn’t think…  He knew her better than that.  As soon as Adam Watson tried to give her a drink she had told him she didn’t want, any possibility of even friendship between them had ended.  Rafael had to know that.  Although, to be fair, he did have the right to be a little miffed that he had tried to rescue her from a jerk, only to see her head right back to said jerk.   She had been planning to call Rafael anyway. She decided she would need to begin the call with an apology, or at least an explanation.    

Fin signaled her from a stand-up table a few yards away, where he was chatting with some people – clearly cops – she didn’t know.  She spent the next hour in a surprisingly pleasant conversation with them.

Fin dropped her at her building around midnight.  She was exhausted from trying to act appropriately in front of the NYPD brass and city legal dignitaries at the event.  She’d much rather have been with him, chasing some suspect down a crowded street. She was also a little concerned because she had texted Rafael and received no response.

From the street outside their building, she had seen that his lights were still on, so she assumed he was still up.  Besides, they often texted each other late at night.  As she waited for the elevator, she decided to try another text to see whether he would talk to her.  

Laura: You left without saying goodbye.

10 minutes later, when she had dropped her coat and purse on the couch in her apartment, he still hadn’t responded.

Laura: If you’re not speaking to me, it really only works if I know that.

That got him to text back.

Rafael: It’s late.  Go to bed.

Laura: I’m coming up.

He might have answered, but she didn’t wait to find out.  She grabbed her keys and took the stairs to his apartment, still wearing the dress she’d worn to the cocktail party.  

When she knocked quietly on his door, she initially heard nothing.  Then, his muffled voice came through the door saying, “Use your key.”  He didn’t add, “if you must,” but she heard it anyway.

He had changed his immaculate suit for a dark green polo shirt and jeans.  He was in his kitchen, in the process of slamming dishes none too gently into the dishwasher.  He looked up at her, but didn’t stop what he was doing.

“I don’t know why you’re here,” he told her.  “It’s midnight.  I am not mad at you, I left because I wanted to, and everything’s fine.”

“Uh-huh.  And that’s why you’re doing your best to smash those plates to bits.”  

“Really?  You’re going to criticize my kitchen abilities at this point in the conversation?”

She stepped to him and put a hand on his arm.  “Rafael. Please.  I can’t stand it when you’re mad at me.  Will you let me explain what happened at the party?”

Rafael sighed and turned toward Laura.  “There’s no need.  I’m not mad at you.”

For a moment, they just stood looking at one another.  

“I threatened to break that PR guy’s fingers, you know.  I shut him down, and I wasn’t nice about it.”

“Yeah, but why?  What was the point, Laura?” He turned his back, resuming his noisy work.

“He was a dick.”  

“OK, that guy’s a dick, but maybe the next guy won’t be.”

“Stop it, Rafael.  There’s no ‘next guy’.  I’m not having that conversation again.”  

“Laura, you could do better than me.  And that is a conversation I’m not having again.”

“I don’t want to do better. I want you.  Deal with it.”

Rafael slammed the dishwasher shut.  “I’ve been dealing with it!  Look what you’ve done to my life!  I was doing just fine until you showed up.  Now I’ve got you texting me nonsense all day, you’re on my couch every night, I’m leaving work early when I could be getting things done, I’m tripping over your kicked-off shoes everywhere…  I can’t think straight!  I haven’t had a moment’s peace since the day I met you!  So why don’t you do us both a favor and take ‘no’ for an answer?”

Laura’s shock showed plainly in her face.  She stood, speechless, confusion and humiliation robbing her of her senses.  

“Laura, I…”

“Stop.”  She managed to choke out in a small voice.  She put a hand on his arm and tried valiantly to paste a small smile on her face.  “Please, you don’t have to say any more.  I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…  I can be… blind sometimes.  I didn’t…  I thought… I’m sorry.  I really am.  Good night.”

She straightened her spine and held her head high as she stepped, working furiously to maintain her dignity, out of his kitchen.  Rafael thought he could actually feel the pieces of his heart tearing apart as she left the room.

He went after her.  “Laura, no… Don’t go…”

“It’s late, I’ll see you at work,” she said, her voice beginning to break free of her control.  

He reached her as she got to the door.  As she tried to pull it open, he stepped behind her, reached his arm out past her and put a hand on it, keeping it closed.  She stood, facing the door, in the small space between his body, the wall, and his arm.

“Please.  Don’t go.  I’m sorry…” Rafael spoke softly, his voice gruff, fighting with his own emotions.  He moved his body just a bit closer to hers, testing to see whether she would tolerate his touch.  

She felt immobilized by her own conflicting desires to flee from him in shame and to throw herself into his arms and beg him to love her.  Without words to express any of that, all she could do was stand, forehead pressed against his apartment door, traitorous tears welling in her eyes and escaping to slide hotly down her face.

He risked another half step toward her, lowering his arm and wrapping it lightly around her waist.  She could feel his face next to hers, his mouth just beside her ear.  “Don’t leave me.  Please,” he whispered, leaning his head on hers.

“I’m sorry f-for leaving my shoes here,” she choked, leaning just a bit back against him.

“Oh, God, Laura-“  He turned her to face him, placing a hand on either side of her tear-stained face.  “Everything I just said was a lie.  Do you have any idea what it does to me when I come home and I see those little holey tennis shoes next to my couch?  They make it possible for me to start to believe you’re real.”  He kissed her messily as she sniffled.

“I think about you all day long.  I’ll be meeting with some asshole talking about unspeakable crimes and I’ll get a text from you with some stupid thing Carisi said, and I just want to start singing. I hardly ever stay late at work anymore because I can’t stand to be anywhere but where you are.  And it scares the hell out of me.  You know it does.”  

“I know,” she sniffed.  “It’s OK.”

“No.  It’s not.  I lost it just now because halfway is no good for either of us.  I need to be in or out.”

Laura’s face lost all color except for flushed areas on her cheeks from crying.  “Rafael, don’t-“

“Laura, I’m saying I’m in.  The minute you started to walk out that door I knew I could never let you go.  Who am I kidding?  I’ve been in this whole time.”

Leaning down, Rafael tilted his face toward Laura’s, taking a long time to touch his lips to hers to let what he’d said sink in.  When she tilted up to him and tightened her arms around him, he pressed his mouth more firmly to hers, deepening the soft, light kiss just a little. 

“Are we OK?”  He asked.

“We’re OK,” she whispered, moving to continue the kiss.    

He began to kiss her more deeply then, pushing her gently back against the door.  She returned his kisses with growing intensity, her arms winding around him as tightly as his around her.  Soon they clung together, pressing their bodies together as though they couldn’t get close enough. 

He realized, in some dim recess of his mind, that he wanted to move them somewhere other than this corner of his small, dark foyer.  But he didn’t want to do anything to break the spell, anything that might make her change her mind and want to leave again.   Only after a very long time, when he felt her relax against him and heard her begin to breathe soft moans of pleasure, did he take a step backward. He moved away from the door, tentatively pulling her with him while they kissed passionately, almost desperately.

He took his time, needing her to want to stay.  It was working.  She shivered as he ran his hands down her sides and the bare skin of her back in the low cut dress, her own hands enjoying the contours of his muscular shoulders and upper arms.  He thought he felt her initiate a step then, and within minutes they were standing, locked together, a few feet inside his living room.  He felt her hands move to his chest, sliding them slowly down his torso in a maddening caress.  She stopped moving and drew in a sharp breath as she felt him effortlessly lower the zipper on the back of her dress.  He ran his fingers lightly up the bare skin of her back from the bottom of the zipper to her neck.  They both felt her skin break out in goosebumps.  Such undeniable evidence that she was enjoying what he was doing ratcheted up his arousal a few more notches.  

He kissed slowly down her jaw and began on her neck.  When he heard her breathy moan, he slid his hands up her arms until he reached her shoulders, hooked his thumbs on the straps of her dress, and pushed them off her shoulders.  As the straps slid down her arms, the dress slithered down her body, pooling on the floor.

“Smooth,” she breathed.

Rafael began with his hands on her hips and glided them slowly up her sides.  “For half that damned party, I was working out how I could get this dress off of you.”

“I thought you liked my dress.”

“I like it even better now,” he said, leaning down to scoop her up in his arms.

He carried her easily into his bedroom and set her gently on the bed, then pulled off his shirt in one motion as she playfully kicked off her shoes and moved over to make room for him.  He lay down on his side next to her with her arm behind him, and immediately reached over to pull her to him.  They made quick work of his pants and her panties.

Immediately, she tried to pull him over on top of her.  He chuckled down low as he kissed her, and stayed where he was, lying on his side.  He propped his head up on one arm, placing his free hand on her shoulder and running it slowly down her chest, across her breast and stomach, to her hip.  “Relax,” he murmured, dipping his head to give her a sweet kiss.  “We have all night.”  He took a very long time to simply look at her, drinking her in as she lay there next to him, entirely exposed to his eyes. 

“’Ño, Laura, eres tan hermosa.”[2]

She found lying there, simply allowing him to admire her nude body, the most erotic thing they had done thus far.  His eyes sparkled in the half-light, his expression hungry and appreciative.  But she wasn’t going to be able to lie still for long.  As he slid his hand back up to her breast, she couldn’t help but arch her back, pressing into his hand.  Laura moaned and squirmed beneath him, feeling every touch of his hands and mouth like a jolt of lightning to her core.  He cupped her breast, using his thumb to tease her achingly hard nipple as he leaned over to use his lips and tongue on her other breast.  “Rafael…”

She tried to turn toward him.  She wanted him inside her, now.  He wasn’t having it.

“Shhhh… Just let me…”

“I want to touch you.  You made me wait so long-”

“And I’m gonna make you wait even longer,” he said, kissing her fondly.

He used his hands and mouth to worship her breasts for so long that she could feel her wetness beginning to actually drip down the inside of her thigh.  When he began to slide one hand down her side to her hip, he heard her breath catch.  From the way she shifted her pelvis, he guessed his caress was having the intended effect.  He slowed the movement of his hand, prolonging her anticipation.  

Laura was becoming desperate.  He was deliberately teasing her.  Fuck, he was good with his hands, and his lips, and his tongue…  She cried out as he finally ran a finger between her lower lips. He began a slow, thorough exploration with his fingers while he continued nuzzling her breasts.  He smiled to himself as he felt her begin to move her hips and heard her whimper.  He took his time teasing and caressing her with his fingers before finally, slowly slipping a finger into her.  She cried out again.  He began a maddeningly slow rhythm, sliding his finger deliciously in an out of her dripping passage, as he moved up to recapture her mouth with his.  He relished her hungry response over prolonged minutes of deeply intimate kissing.  She began to rock her hips wantonly, unable to control her moans, as he deliberately teased her with the tip of a second finger for long moments before giving in and sliding the second finger inside of her.  

Finally, she couldn’t stay still any longer.  She rolled toward him, throwing a leg over his.  She kissed him, immediately taking control, exploring his lips and tongue with her own, while she reached down and ran her hand up first his leg, then slowly across his buttocks, before sliding it down his hip to caress his cock for the first time.  His lips became nearly motionless as his entire attention became focused on what she was doing to him.  His groan sent jolts of electricity through her.  The idea that it was her causing Rafael Barba to make that noise was overwhelmingly exciting.  

She had known, from their frustrating but delicious experiences on the couch, that his cock would be superb.  Now, finally past the barriers of his clothing, she reveled in being able to see and fully touch him.  She wanted everything all at once.  She pushed herself up on one hand so that she could explore his chest with the other, stroking and nuzzling haphazardly in her excitement.  When she bent down to lick the tip of his cock, the movement of her body made her intentions clear.

“Mi cariño,[3] you need to stop that,” he growled.

“And if I don’t?”  She whispered wickedly.

He took her by the upper arms and guided her back up the bed, then rolled them over so that he was lying on top of her.  “Then I won’t be able to do what I want to do to you.”

“You mean what I want you to do to me.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, laughing softly and moving her hips in a way he couldn’t resist.  As he entered her, he groaned gruffly, “Eres una hechicera, ¿cómo tienes ese control sobre mí? Algún día podré decirte que no.”[4] She gasped in answer. 

Neither of them were able to prolong things longer than a few minutes.  Rafael was beyond thinking, overwhelmed by the sensations – both physical and emotional – he was feeling.  He reveled in the hot wetness of Laura’s body gripping him as he moved in and out of her. Laura had already been impatient to feel him inside her, but the sheer ecstasy of Rafael’s size stretching and filling her exceeded even her expectations.  He pushed into her, withdrawing almost completely, then joyfully entering her again.  He wasn’t going to be able to last much longer, hearing Laura cry out her excitement and feeling her rock her hips in time with his pumping.  Her arousal was his.  He lifted up onto his elbows so that he could look down at her face. Seconds later, she cried out his name and arched her back.  He wanted to stay with her through her orgasm, but that was more than he could take.  She was still bucking and shaking as he felt his own overwhelming climax burst upon him.

Many minutes later, Laura felt him roll them over so that they were lying side by side, holding one another.  She was too spent to open her eyes.  She wasn’t sure whether she felt better physically, with all the endorphins and other hormones swirling through her, or mentally, knowing that she had just – finally - had mind-blowing sex with Rafael.  It had been too fast, but she would take care of that in a little while.

Rafael cradled her to him.  She felt him lift his shoulder to tip her head toward him and kiss her forehead. He held his lips to her face for some time, thinking that the smell of her shampoo would make him horny for the rest of his life.  He found he was smiling to himself.  Had it really been that long since he’d gotten laid, or was she really that special? He knew it was both.  Go slow, my ass, he thought.  

He felt much, much more than a blissful, post-sex haze.  He tried to stay completely in the moment and think only about this woman he held, who had slipped so blithely past all his defenses.  He cared far more for her than he wanted to, and he would much have preferred not to be that vulnerable.  In his more confident moments, he reminded himself what they’d been through together and the complete trust he had in her as a result.  But that was his body.  This was his heart.  Still, it was too late now.  He had no choice but to trust her, because he knew, without a doubt, that he was in love with her.

“So that happened,” he finally managed to say, still trying to catch his breath.

“Holy shit,” she panted.

“Yeah.”

“When I regain the power of rational thought, I’ll try to form a sentence about how great that was.  But for now…”

“Holy shit will do,” he chuckled, kissing her forehead through her hair.

“But, are you… OK?”  

He replied in a more serious tone, and put a hand to her cheek.  “I’m way better than OK.  When we get under the covers, I’ll be perfect.”

“Now there’s a double meaning I really like the sound of.”

“Don’t end a sentence with a preposition.”

Laura sat up.  “Seriously? At this moment, what you have to say to me is, ‘Don’t end a sentence with a preposition’?  What is wrong with me?  How am I naked with you right now?”

Laughing, they slipped between the crisp, cool sheets of his bed to cuddle together.  

Rafael knew he was smiling in the dark like an idiot, and he couldn’t have cared less.  Laura had her eyes closed, enjoying the sensory experience of breathing in Rafael’s scent, feeling his muscular shoulder under her cheek, running her fingers lightly over his chest to savor the softness of his chest hair.  

She was dimly aware of a sense of awe underlying her post-coital bliss.  He was so much more than she’d imagined – more tender, more skilled, more sensual and romantic.  And they hadn’t even started.

They dozed together, sated and happy.  Rafael woke a while later, distantly curious about what time it was, but didn’t have the energy or inclination to move enough to look at the clock.  He felt Laura stir against him and heard her sigh happily.  The idiotic smile was back on his face.

“Hypothetically, if I said you rocked my world tonight, how insufferable would you be about it?”  Her voice was languid and dreamy, with a tinge of amusement.

“One to ten?”  He asked. She loved the rumble of his voice in his chest under her ear as she snuggled into him.

“Sure.”

“Well, my baseline’s about an eight, so…”

She squeezed him as she laughed, kissing his chest, then lifted up so she could kiss his lips.  She didn’t say anything, just looked at him with a satisfied smile.  

“Ven aca,”[5] he whispered, sliding his hand up her bare back and pulling her to him. She kissed him back, deepening the kiss and running her hand over his chest.  When she felt the kiss change, she slowly let her hand drift down his chest and abdomen, until her fingers lightly traced over his cock.  She could feel the first stirrings of arousal in him, and tenderly fondled him while they kissed.

“I know that was fast before,” she murmured provocatively against his lips, “but what I lack in patience, I make up for in perseverance.”  He thought he had never known a woman who challenged him so often to kiss and smile at the same time.  

As he grew harder, she moved to kiss his jaw, then his neck, and shifted her body to scatter a long, meandering line of kisses and soft nips down his chest and abdomen.

He groaned again, low in his chest, when she took him into her mouth, softly exploring his balls with her fingers.  The musk of him, and of their lovemaking, was intoxicating.  He was soon grinding his hips and gulping air, moaning heatedly, which inspired her to do everything she could think of to pleasure him.  She spent long minutes stroking him, sucking and licking him, following his movements and his cries to establish the rhythm he wanted.  Fuck, it was hot to hear Rafael so undone, and to know that it was her giving him such gratification.  When he began to fuck her mouth wantonly, she knew he was close.  She continued to suck him, running her tongue up and down his shaft and around the head of his cock until a cry and a salty jet in the back of her throat told her that she had given him the pleasure she’d been aiming for. She paid close attention to him as he rode his orgasm to its completion, moving with him until she had drawn out the last shudders.  

He was still breathing heavily as she crawled back to his side and cuddled up to him, throwing an arm and a leg over him as she kissed his chest.  He fell asleep with his nose buried in her fragrant hair.

It took Laura a few blinks to realize where she was when she awoke.  When she did, her stomach did a little flip and she scooted closer to where Rafael lay behind her with his arm over her.  She felt him kiss the back of her hair.

“Hi,” she muttered.

He nuzzled the back of her neck.  “Did I wake you?”

“I don’t think so.  How come you’re awake?”

“I had a nice dream.”

“About?”

“About you.  Turns out it was real.”  She felt him chuckle behind her.  It felt wonderful.

“I had the same dream.  It was nice.”  She turned over to face him and put her arm over him, pulling as close to him as she could.

“Laura…”

“Hmmm?”

He didn’t answer.  She looked up.  

“Rafa?”

“The waking up part is really nice, too.”  He kissed her long and slow, and began to make love to her again.  

[1] Nonsense

[2] Fuck, Laura, you’re so beautiful.

[3] My sweetheart

[4] You’re a sorceress.  How do you have such control over me?  Some day I’ll be able to say no to you.

[5] Come here.

[alwaysfine]

˟    @o177​    ━━    A NEWFOUND RESPECT.

&.          𝐒𝐇𝐄’𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄  ,  completely oblivious to the footsteps approaching the break room.  hand is resting on top of the backlit plastic cover of the metal machine before foot collides with it when the coca-cola she payed for doesn’t make an appearance.    her patience is wearing thin  ,  and as she looks up and sees dodds  ,  she nearly kicks the machine again out of irritation.    ❝    so i kicked the vending machine   ─   you gonna tell on me?  bill me for the damages?    ❞

[janeroe435-blog]

Absolute Capitalism – No holds barred

Apple Inc. hits a trillion in value —

With major tax cuts for the rich, minimum taxes for big companies and stock buy backs on Wall Street, these companies have over-valued their stock prices, giving us a mirage that the economy has been doing better than reality.

Trickle-down economics is a concept where it is assumed that by giving wealthy folks tax cuts, they will invest the money they have from those tax cuts into their businesses, and thereby increasing employment all over the country. This is flawed as the wealthy folks purchase their already inflated stocks and become wealthier.

While Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon) is valued at $150 Billion, amazon.com employees in warehouses have been working in substandard conditions and have been getting paid $10 an hour. Cool. With significant pressure from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Amazon has announced it will pay its warehouse workers $15 an hour starting November 2018. Behind the scenes, this $5 per hour wage increase is borne by the average Joe working for Amazon (not the wealthy Board of Directors) who will be losing out on yearly bonuses and reduced stock options.

Middle America’s average wage increased by just 1.8 percentage this year. Poor Bezos just became $50 billion richer. So poor!

Classic case of how trickle-down economics will never work.

Do we want to continue to live in societies where most of the wealth in this country and most other countries is held by the very few individuals at the top? A few billionaires hold as much wealth as the bottom 85% of this country. The amount of people living in absolute poverty, including some of the richest countries in the world, should at the very least, be a collective stain on our morality. There are more people dying out of want for food, shelter and man-made climate disasters while the very rich continue to selfishly flaunt their wealth in their multi-million-dollar mansions; the rest of us wither away in silent desperation clutching hopelessly at every straw of hope and optimism.

This is how capitalism is insanely spiraling out of proportion.

Here are some interesting observations after Donald Trump became President:

There were regulations on Wall street that were put in place by the Obama administration after the 2008 meltdown to keep a check on Wall Street’s recklessness. The major two regulations - Dodd Frank Act and HDMA were repealed by Donald in Jan- Feb 2017, right after his inauguration.

Alarmingly, synthetic CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligations), which caused the 2008 economic meltdown, are now back on Wall Street with a different name and are being heavily leveraged by companies like Goldman Sachs, Citi and other major wall street banks.

Guess who’s currently offering the maximum interest rate in America for savings accounts? - Marcus. And Marcus is owned by - Goldman Sachs. Marcus Savings Account product line of Goldman Sachs came into existence in Feb 2017 – right after Donald Trump got elected in Jan and repealed the Dodd Frank act.

Here we are on the cusp of another recession, where middle America will suffer again while billionaires will get bailed out eventually by the federal government, just like the last time.

Hah, what a truly despicable time to be alive!

We know what they all say about the Millennials and Gen Z, that how we're the generation that wants everything instantly, how we don't have enough patience and how nothing is ever good enough for us.

Well I say, if we're saddled with student loans up the wazoo, can't afford to buy a car or a house or get a halfway decent job, while the billionaires continue to decimate the planet and Wall Street continues to toy with the financial system causing it to collapse and lose every dollar of savings we ever had, then yes we don't have the time to wait. We don't have time for capitalism or the markets to save us anymore. We've tried that for about 8 decades and it hasn't worked. It's time for us to radically revisit the notion of capitalism and it's time for us to abolish it. There has never been a generation that has cared about social welfare as much as millennials. We are not only the single largest voting bloc in 2024 and beyond, but we will have the wherewithal and the tenacity that is needed to bring about lasting and meaningful Change.

Change -- where there are no more billionaires, no more homeless people, no more unemployed, no more staggering levels of income inequality and a world where corporations don't exist because of their greed but only because they want to make the world a better place.

A world where everyone will have a shot at being their most productive best. A world where we don't jail people for using marijuana or for crossing the border "illegally", a world where we have a criminal justice system that is both just and fair (as it was intended to be).

A world where America is this shining city on the hill, this beacon of hope that no longer goes to war, but is a refuge for every man, woman or child fleeing destituteness and hopelessness that a capitalistic system brings about.

This is not a pipedream of some ranting delusional millennial whose brain cannot take the "harsh realities" of the world . This is what we desperately must become and what we need to aspire to be!

-P.S. and P.R.

[barmcakemag]

Halifax Festival of Words talk

This is the talk I gave at the Halifax Festival of Words. It took place in the front room of the Grayston Unity bar (pictured below) last month, just before publication of Barmcake 9. Some of the posters from the talk are also pictured below. Thanks to the festival and bar for having me.

I love this front room.

It sort of reminds me of being a kid, at my grandparents, on Boxing Day.

Some of the family used to get up and do a turn ­– a song, a sketch, a tune.

Among the aunties and uncles was my Great Aunty Mary, who was great in all respects. She was very funny, wrote poetry  –  and was the spitting image of Hylda Baker, (poster below), who I’ll be coming to later.

 I didn’t have an uncle like Lou Reed ­– fortunately.

That would have made Christmas a bit tense.

‘Uncle Lou, you’ve spilt heroin on your roast potatoes again.’

Anyway, I’ll be coming on to the Velvet Underground later as well.

So, I’m Dave Griffiths and I make Barmcake.

The magazine started in April 2014 and the new edition – issue 9 – is out next week.

There are usually two editions a year. I only brought one out last year because I was busy with my other work – I’m a freelance writer, editor, proofreader and journalism tutor.

Barmcake is available free in about 45 venues in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Sheffield, and North Derbyshire. You can also obtain copies by post, if you send a donation.

I write all – or all but one or two – of the articles in each edition. I also design the magazine, edit it, find the advertising, sort the fundraising, promote it, and deliver it.

This afternoon I’m going to be telling you why I make a print magazine in the digital age.

And why I make this particular magazine, which I believe is different from anything else out there.

(I know it’s definitely the only one that offers northern entertainment for the middle-aged.)

I’ll also tell you how I make an issue from scratch.

There are high points about ­making Barmcake – interviewing people like John Cooper Clarke, Viv Albertine, and Ken Dodd.

But there are perils about making a magazine on your own – for example when my computer packed in a week or so before deadline for issue 8 and I had redo the pages from scratch

I’ll also tell you about the money side of things.

I’m happy to take any questions at the end. Although don’t ask me anything about maths. The square of the hypotenuse is worth two in the bush, or whatever.

I’ve been a journalist since 1989.

I’ve worked for all the ridiculously-named weekly newspapers – the Congleton Chronicle, the Biddulph Chronicle, the Ormskirk Advertiser, the Wigan Observer.

I’ve never been a Woodward and Bernstein-type journalist. I used to love doing  golden wedding anniversary interviews – finding out about people’s lives. (The secret for most couples is: ‘Never go to bed on an argument’).

I moved to London in the mid-90s and became a sub-editor. Then I came back up north to Leeds to work for PA New Media’s Ananova website as a sub and writer. It was a really exciting time to be part of a new national media organisation.

At that point the digital world seem to offer limitless possibilities – a chance to hear fresh voices and cover things that didn’t get much attention on a national platform

But as it went on – on Ananova and elsewhere – the choice of topics became narrower and the coverage shallower.

It felt like a missed opportunity and after a few years, I left to become a sub on the Manchester Evening News print edition.

That disillusionment with the digital world fed into the creation of Barmcake. I even stopped doing my own blog, which is a sort of forerunner of the magazine.

I feel websites lack the personal touch of magazines and newspapers. Each edition of Barmcake is yours to hold, to savour, to read how you want. It’s not borrowed on a screen in a clutter of links and dowdy, keyword-heavy headlines.

Print is more personal.

I was reminded of that a few years ago when I was flicking through a paper, turned the page and there was a two-page picture spread of the inside of a doll’s house – with fantastic detail of each room

Now, if that had been a website link – say ‘See the amazing doll’s house, click here’ – I probably wouldn’t have looked at it.

But the photo, text and design on the printed edition stopped me in my tracks.

And it was me who chose to stop and look at it, not a website trying to guide me

Of course, I can’t do Barmcake without digital media.

I can get instant access to performers and venues via their websites and email addresses.

And Twitter is a great promotional tool.

Even the front page of each Barmcake is partially designed that way so it looks good on Twitter.

Crucially, it’s how you use all that information available on the internet.

And I think many websites, magazines and newspapers aren’t making the most of it. They are picking from the same narrow pool of stories.

Meanwhile arts coverage in regional newspapers – with a few notable exceptions – is not as good as it used to be.

Some newspaper bosses are so pleased they can offer the same size newspapers as 10 years ago with half the staff, they forget about the quality of the editorial content.

When I look at some of the free lifestyle magazines in shops and pubs, the editorial content seems to be a shoddy afterthought.

And some website and magazine interviews are written by people who don’t appear to know anything about their interviewees, beyond what the PR company has told them

So that’s another reason why I started Barmcake – I want the articles to be the top priority.

I don’t stint on research ­and writing and rewriting.

For a two-page article in issue 8, for example, I read four books and endlessly wrote and rewrote the article.

They were four books about The Fall so it wasn’t the worst thing ever.

Hashtag firstworldindieproblems

Pete Wylie was another reason I started Barmcake.

I read he was crowdfunding to make a new LP which to me was huge news.

But I couldn’t find much about it in magazines, newspapers and websites.

Now I’ve got Northern entertainment for the middle-aged in my strapline.

But I hate some middle-aged people’s attitudes to new bands, the sort of people who say: ‘Well, of course,  they sound a bit like the Velvet Underground but they are not as good as them – and I speak as someone who has a 23-minute out-take of John Cale whittling a spoon.’

But having said that, there are artistes aged 40 and upwards  – like Pete Wylie  – whose work is either being ignored or under-appreciated, while some fairly dull, conservative, twentysomething bands are lauded to the hilt, merely because of their age.

I also felt audiences aged 40 and over were being ignored by many websites and magazines – the sort of people, for example, who might live in West Yorkshire but travel to gigs or comedy shows in Sheffield and Manchester (hence my circulation area).

People who like a nice real ale pub, a good book and trips to theatres and galleries.

Those were the subjects I wanted to write about.

Plus I wanted to provide a decent listings service.

I used to love looking at City Life and Time Out and picking out gigs I wanted to see.

Can you do that on the internet? Not really, unless you want to wade through lists of venues or dates of gigs.

Barmcake is also a reaction against magazine shops like Magma and websites like Stack and Magculture.

They only consider design-led, rather than text-led, magazines (spoof trendy mag, above).

Their view, unfortunately, seems to dominate the indie-mag culture.

The Magma magazines are beautiful, for sure, but slightly formulaic – lots of photos, lots of white space.

Some of the articles can be slightly sterile and desperately in need of an edit.

I was brought up on 80s NME and Sounds with writers like Steven ‘Seething’ Wells and his  hectic, hectoring, hilarious prose, which is completely at odds with something you’d read in, say, Monocle.

Word magazine and Forty-20, a rugby league magazine, are other influences as they put – or did put in the case of Word – witty text first, before the design.

So a year before I left the MEN, I was thinking about going freelance and starting a magazine.

I went on a Guardian course about how to make one.

I wanted to know if I could make a magazine on my laptop and how much it would cost.

But the course wasn’t particularly helpful about either the basics of making a magazine or the money side of it.

And I realised I had a lot to learn when I went to a printer in Manchester after I went freelance.

I wanted someone to guide me about the basics of the printing process.

At the MEN, you simply had to press a button to send it to the printers. The page sizes, colours, etc were all set up for you.

So I came bounding into the shop, all enthusiastic, to be met by this spectacularly miserable bloke.

I said: ‘I’m going to make my own magazine and I was just wondering what I need to do.’

He said: ‘How many pages?’

‘Er..I don’t know, about 35.’

Shakes head: ‘You can’t have that number. What type of paper do you want?’

‘Er…I don’t know, just standard magazine paper.’

‘What sort of paper do you want for the front?’

‘Er…I don’t know.’

‘Do you want colour or black or white?

‘A mix of colour and black and white.’

‘Which pages are colour?’

‘I don’t know yet.’

I left the shop with my tail between my legs; my hopes not exactly crushed but dented.

Fortunately, I discovered the Footprint Workers Co-operative in Leeds who were very helpful and answered all my daft questions with patience.

I can definitely recommend them if you are starting your own magazine or fanzine.

So I had an idea of what I was going to cover (music, comedy, pubs, theatre, books. film, art).

I had an idea of how I was going to write it (make the writing as good as it can be, keep the articles short)

I wanted to target an over 40s audience living in and around Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, (although I don’t mind who reads it -– I’m not going to tell a youth with a fashionable beard to ‘put the Barmcake down sunshine’)

I wanted to keep the design simple and retro (the headlines are meant to look like 70s sitcom credits).

And I wanted to make it as cheaply as possible – so I would do all or most of the writing, as I couldn’t pay anyone else, and I would deliver it.

I found a free design program (called Scribus) and I only use publicity photos or photos that I take myself.

I don’t charge for Barmcake because I want to get the magazines in the sorts of pubs, cafes and independent shops where people like to read books, newspapers and magazines.

In these sorts of places, most of the other magazines and newspapers are free.

Keeping it free also means less hassle for the owners of the pubs and cafes – no separate pots of money to keep etc.

I wanted a funny northern word for the title and Barmcake fits the bill.

There’s also the ‘You starting a print magazine in the internet age? You Barmcake!’

‘Northern entertainment for the middle-aged’ gives some idea of what the magazine’s about, but it is not entirely serious.

I don’t want to go down the professional northerner route:

(Hovis voice):‘Eeeeeeeh, we’re all right friendly in t’ north.

‘London? They never speak to anyone.’

I’m always up for challenging northernness, because let’s face it – some of the world’s most miserable people are in Yorkshire!

I also didn’t want to get stuck in a straight, white, indie, male, middle-aged rut where The Smiths, The Fall or Half Man Half Biscuit can never be criticised.

And where it would  be blasphemous to suggest that Temptation by Heaven 17 is better than Temptation by New Order.

Barmcake is A5 because I wanted something that people can fit in their pocket or bag when they are out and about and it only costs a first class stamp to post a copy.

Apart from postage, my other costs are printing and petrol.

So I need to find about £850 for each issue.

Initially I used some of my voluntary redundancy money from the MEN and money from my other work to pay for the magazine.

I started seeking advertising from issue 2 onwards.

My advertising revenue has gone up from £60 in issue 2 to £630 in issue 8.

It will be more than that in the new edition.

I feel that if you give people something to read, then they don’t just flick through the magazine and so they are more likely to see the adverts.

I am pleased that plan appears to be paying off.

But, it’s tricky balancing the amount of time you spend on editorial and advertising.

On some issues, I’ve left the advertising a little too late because I wanted to get the editorial right.

But, if I spend too much time on the advertising, I may get more ads in the short term, but I won’t keep the advertisers in the long term as the quality of the magazine will drop.

I set up a Paypal account for donations, which you can access via my website, and that brings in between £150 and £200 per issue, so I was more or less able to cover my costs for the first time for issue 8.

I also sent some copies to Australia for the first last time.

However I’d like to bring in more money through donations.

So I’ll go through how the magazine has developed over the years.

Here are some bits from Issue 1 (above).

That issue had interviews with Cud, the Wedding Present, the director of a Frank Sidebottom doc, and the Revolutions Brewing Company owners, among others.

Features included Maxine Peake, a pub crawl on the Tour de France Yorkshire route, and Alan Bennett.

I did ask for interviews with Maxine and Alan.

With Alan, Faber and Faber gave a curious response – not no, but: (Alan Bennett voice): ‘Mr Bennett is aware of your interest.’

(I like to think everyone at Faber speaks with an Alan Bennett accent).

I was hoping perhaps that they were giving him potential material for his diary.

That would be the dream for me: (Alan Bennett voice): ‘I used to be contacted by the Guardian, but now it’s only bread-related magazines.’

In general I find about 75% of people I contact agree to interviews.

I was excited to get the first issue out.

There were 1,000 copies for that, it’s been 1,500 copies from issue 2 onwards

There was a good response to Barmcake 1 – the title, strapline and the front cover probably made the biggest impact.

But in hindsight I felt the interviews were too short and there were too many, fairly ordinary, one-page previews.

I addressed those issues for Barmcake 2 by making most of the interviews two or three pages long and sticking about 6-7 previews on two pages at the back – and that’s been the format ever since.

So issue 2 (above) had interviews with Viv Albertine, Pete Wylie, Age of Chance, Steve Huison, among others.

My friend Richard wrote about why Otley is better than Prague for beer.

He has also done Bluetones and Skids interviews in other issues.

My friend Roshi has written about David Bowie and Count Arthur Strong.

And Prue, my wife, has interviewed Bryony Lavery and done a piece on the theatre company she co-founded – Root and Branch Productions (more northern entertainment for the middle-aged).

I’ve only used one feature from a writer I didn’t know as I want to be in a position to pay people for their work.

 Viv Albertine was one of my most important interviews I’ve done for Barmcake.

It’s one of the most popular pieces with readers and it encouraged other artistes to get in touch.

I thought her book was one of the best memoirs/autobiographies I’d read, yet many of the reviews concentrated on the Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious anecdotes and didn’t focus enough on her fascinating life.

She answered my questions within a day (some people take nearly 2 months) and I was really chuffed she’d taken the trouble to give such interesting answers.

For example I asked her: Was punk the only time she’d come across so many strong and interesting characters?

She said: “God no.  Those people weren’t that strong and interesting.  Vivienne Westwood was.  

“We were all very flawed.  But at least we didn’t hide our flaws, we flaunted them.  

“I would say it was the only time in my life when you were allowed to be yourself, not smiling and saying thank you all the time.  

“Not greasing the wheels and aspiring and careerist.”

 The Ken Dodd interview, from issue 5, in 2016 was also a highlight.

Here’s an extract:

He was fizzing with jokes and anecdotes.

When I mentioned I was from Huddersfield, he immediately recited a limerick about the town involving udders.

He told me an interviewer once asked if Dodd was his real name and he told him it was an anagram.

While I took that in, he’s onto the next joke.

I was also fascinated with how works an audience.

He said: “You play an audience like a musician plays his instrument.

“You know where the hotspots are, you know where you’ve got to work hard on them when they’re a bit stubborn, you know where to flirt with them, where to encourage them, and where to take it easy.

“You put little ad libs in, little asides, go faster, slower, louder, quieter, take it easy.”

 So it was great to interview Ken and it was great to interview John Cooper Clarke for the same issue.

The interview was difficult to set up but turned out well.

I was meant to be interviewing him at a gig in Buxton but my car broke down and I couldn’t get to the gig in time on the train.

The angle I went on was his accent – whether it was the most important thing about his work and whether living in Essex for 25 odd years had affected it.

Here’s an extract:

“Accent? I don’t think it’s at all important. It’s what the work contains.

“I don’t think the accent’s got anything to do with it.

“I think vocal quality might have something to do with it, as in musicality.

“Listening to my old stuff it sounds like I’ve got a problem with my adenoids, and it can’t be that because I had my adenoids removed when I was about eight-years-old.

“To be honest, I think my voice is better than it’s ever been.

“But that’s not because of the accent, it’s because of the sonorous baritone quality.”

And of course, I can’t think of anyone else who says ‘sonorous baritone quality’ quite like John Cooper Clarke – stretching the vowels and punctuating the words so they got a real rhythm., He makes run-of the mill words sound magnificent.

Issue 3, (above), had interviews with, among others, John Shuttleworth, John Bramwell, O’Hooley and Tidow, the organiser of the Glossop Record Club, and Professor Paul Salveson, who talked about railways and northern regionalism.

The latter is an example how I’ve occasionally moved away from my core subjects as I think it would interest readers.

In issue 7 I interviewed the marvellous Beers Manchester blogger who wrote about dealing with grief after his son died.

And in issue 8 I talked to Rosie Wilby who has written a really interesting book about monogamy.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about Barmcake is finding out about wonderful artistes I didn’t know much about, like O’Hooley and Tidow, and looking into topics I’ve not really thought about much, such as non-monogamous relationships – and record clubs.

Glossop Record Club was the first of the groups or people I featured from Twitter.

I noticed the people who started following me were doing some interesting and unusual stuff.

In other issues I’ve done features on 8bitnorthxstitch, (pictured below) who makes fabulous cross-stitch creations of bands such as The Fall and TV shows such as Coronation Street

There’s Beer Mat Movies, who writes film reviews on beer mats

And Jennifer Reid, or as she calls herself, the pre-eminent broadside balladress of the Manchester region.

 In Issue 4, I decided to make a few tweaks to the structure with a picture-led centrespread and a bigger listings section.

I don’t want the magazine to date so my listings look up to four months ahead.

The listings are usually the first and last thing I do in the magazine.

I look at every gig venue, theatre, and gallery website in my circulation area, looking for potential star interviews, cover stars and centrespreads.

I listen to bands I’ve not heard of before who are playing at these venues.

Artistes are also contacting me now and I use three or four stories an issue from them

Once I get two or three big interviews, the rest of the magazine falls into place.

I feel it’s a bit like organising a festival – you need headliners plus strong supporting acts.

And once I get the headliners, I start looking for advertisers.

I have a mix of regular and new advertisers.

I then ask all my stockists, I ask local brewers and some businesses who follow me on Twitter.  

Most of my interviews are by email, the rest are phone interviews although I did one face-to-face chat with Martin Parr.

There is always a mad panic at the end of each issue , either because of a missing interview or ad, but all you can do is politely grovel with people to please, please, please in send the material.

As it’s just me making the magazine, there are no back-up features, no IT team to deal with technical problems, such as converting pdfs to jpgs.

Fortunately I’ve always managed to fill an issue in the end.

Once I’ve written and rewritten my pieces, I go back and check everything – the original source material, fact checks, spell checks.

The issue is then proofread by Prue and then by one of our friends.

I don’t want a daft literal or incorrect name to undermine the magazine, especially as Barmcake takes about two months to do, on and off, between my other work.

My printer then gives me a final proof before it goes to press and I get it back within a week.

The new Barmcake is due out midweek next week.

I like to do a big reveal on the day of publication but I can tell you it is the biggest Barmcake ever, with 9 exclusive interviews, more than any before, and 5 features – including Hylda Baker.

It takes me four  days to deliver the copies.

I cover an area bordered by Wigan, Ilkley and Sheffield.

The list of venues is on the website, although it will change slightly over the next few days. Venues ask to be stockists and readers also recommend places.

I keep about 300 copies back for people who want a copy in the post, and for friends and media people.

Then I do a Twitter promo campaign for about 2-3 weeks.

I only put one article per issue online and I only do that months after the issue comes out.

In February, I start on a new issue.

It will be the fifth anniversary issue and a chance to take stock.

Ideally I’d like to be making more money for it, getting regular sponsorship from a suitable partner, and in the long term looking to pay others to write.

But anyway, that’s the story of Barmcake.

I hope you have enjoyed it