#sad that I missed the bit in the original post where Eddie's like 'those are fancy names! Makes a fella feel humble' | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thompsborn · 3 years ago

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Happy FFWF! What's your favorite title you've given a fic? Why?

okay so i looked through ALL of my posted fics, including my ~secret identity~ and my it account, and i’m too indecisive to pick a FAVORITE favorite, so here are the ones i can’t choose between, in no particular order

• sea green, see blue

this one isn’t marvel, it’s my ron/harry one shot that i’m still planning to write a sequel for eventually, but this title just HITS me okay?? i love this fic a lot too, like i put say more thought and effort into this bitch than i needed to, and i spent literal HOURS of my time trying to think of a name for it, and then i found this song while listening to a playlist of music that was on how i met your mother, because himym is one of my favorite shows and had so many great songs in it and oftentimes i’ll find such good lines in those songs—case and point being this one, which, while the lyrics don’t FULLY fit how i think of ron/harry, the title of the song fits the fic PERFECTLY, because the entire central point and theme of the fic is the two of them seeing each other—how they think, how they act, how strong and smart the other is. it’s all about their perception of each other and harry, green eyes, seeing ron, blue eyes, who sees harry right back. it’s just. i love it. SO much.

• when healing hurts

this title is kind of self explanatory and not hard to grasp, but i still just love it a lot, especially since it perfectly grasps the main part of why i wanted this fic to be in this series and why i wanted to write it in the first place. peter’s healing factor is incredible and is written about a lot but i just always think about how there are situations where his healing would be agonizing, and i’ve read fics that explore that but i wanted to write my own version of it that fit into the series, and the title gives the two main points of the fic—healing and pain, and how they can go hand in hand. idk i just think it’s nice and suits the fic really well!!

• the portal closed

again, self explanatory title once you read the fic, but that’s kind of the entire point of it! this is a fic about a different version of the mcu, one where everything changed due to a singlilar event going differently—tony not making it out before the portal closed. and this is an exploratorion of everything that follows from that point. it’s simple but it’s exactly the purpose of the title and i get so excited whenever i open the doc to work on it (which i need to do since i haven’t updated in a hot minute) and it’s just v satisfying to me!!

• hold me (like the night sky holds the moon)

lol so ~secret identity~ (even though anyone i’ve been in a marvel discord server with knows this) but this is my other account where i post anything that includes ~spicy~ content just bc i like having it completely separate from my main fics since a majority of my fics don’t actually include explicit content, HOWEVER i love this fic and the title and wanted to include it anyway! this entire one shot was directly inspired by three songs written by anson seabra and i don’t even remember how i got the idea but i rememver listening to those three songs (especially broken, which i still listen to very regularly) on repeat and busting this fic out in like a day or two, and the title comes from one of those songs (this one, specifically) and it just. it captures the point!!! the point of the fic!!! is peter going from “fuck it i ruined my life and i’m still ruining it and now i’m just living what’s left of it and that’s just what it is” and then making it to “this is still hard and i’m scared and i’m sad but you helped me see what i wasn’t seeing before and i’m so grateful for you and i want you to be here and me to be with you even though that scares me even more” and the song is just AAAAA !! the title is so poetically lovely and from the song that CAPTURES THE ENTIRE POINT and just. wow.

anyway.

• butterflies and storms and ooey-gooey feelings

i have no justification for this other than i think it’s a really cute title for a really cute one shot

• fall into your blue

so this is also a lyric from a song (any jon bellion fans? anyone? hello?) that i was so grateful to realize fit this fic because this was also a fic i remember spending HOURS trying to brainstorm a name for, and i just happened to be listening to jon bellion and this song came on and i was like,,,, wait. this fic isn’t complete (but i did recently get back into my it fics a little bit and started rewriting the second part) but the premise behind the fic is these guys, two different separate people, who are in their senior year of high school and who are getting ready to become adults and have their whole futures ahead of them but they can’t do that yet because there is so much behind them that they need to address and deal with, and they meet and they fall into each other and help each other and end up being the people they needed to help them through this last year of really being like a high school student.

they’re both sad—aka blue. they fall into each other. hence, the lyric fall into your blue being literally the PERFECT lyric for this.

• empty world

i’ve mentioned this fic before on this account because it is still my favorite thing that i’ve literally ever written so far in my life, but the title is also very important to me and to the fic. it has a double meaning!! this fic is three parts, right? part one is richie being forced to grow up in a world that is literally empty—he doesn’t know why, but everyone else is just gone, in the blink of an eye, and he’s alone, and it slowly gets more and more apparent that this loneliness gets to him and all he wants is to see his friends again, to see eddie again. part two is eddie growing up in a world where richie is “missing” and they can’t find him no matter how hard they try, and he runs on empty hoping that richie will shownup one day, and bases so much of his life around the fact that he knows a huge part of it is missing, and he may have the rest of the losers and he may go to college and get a job, but he still feels empty because he knows that a vital part of him is just gone. part three is the reunion and the aftermath and how they try to process the fact that all of this happened in the first place and the fight against pennywise and all of that, and then they win and that emptiness is gone because the losers are all together, eddie and richie are together, and they get to have the rest of their lives like this. there’s so much meaning packed into the words empty world that it’s insane!!

plus i wrote a literal song in order to have good names for the chapters, as well. so

part one — “i have not seen your face in so long” aka richie and being alone, doing everything he can to never forget the losers and eddie and trying to picture what they might look like as he gets older since he never got the chance to see them grow up with him

part two — “but i will never forget your name” aka eddie doing what he can to live his life after having to accept there’s nothing else he can do to try and find richie but in every single thing he does he remembers the boy he loved anyway and it constantly weighs him down

part three — “without you, this is an empty world” aka they feel that emptiness in them start to fill up and heal once they’re together again and they get their happy ending

• an old heart, a new home

another one that feels a bit self explanatory once you’ve read the fic, but it’s a reddie fic and this is a marvel blog so i doubt anyone has or will pfjjf, but the title captures the fic! an old heart (eddie, due to being cursed to live forever until blah blah magic magic i can’t remember the specifics—and to an extend, richie, too, since he is a reincarnation of the man eddie originally fell in love with) a new home (the apartment building, each other). plus this is a fic series that i’ve been considering taking down and turning into an original book for a while now, and if i did i’d keep the name the same bc i feel like it fits so well !!

and that’s it :D i listed too many but oh well !!

#ffwf #happy friday!!#my writing

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thoughtfullyyoungduck · 5 years ago

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It’s been a long long time

Summary: Eddie left with Richie the day after he got back from Derry, leaving you with your mother. A few months pass and you’re finally going to see your dad again, but you’re not all that excited.

warnings: curse words and some homophobic comments

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this, I hope you like. Please let me know what you think!

You had no idea why you were here right now. The airport was bustling with a bunch of people, who all seemed to be as hurried as he other, pushing past each other without a second glance. You did not want to step on the plane. The row in front of you kept getting smaller, and the realization that you would have to get up from you seat made you sigh. The flight attendant glanced your way, and you shot her a small smile as an hello, before dragging yourself upright.

You watched the plane from the window for one last time, bidding your adieu to New York for at least three weeks. You loved living in New York. Despite the fact that life at home had always been hectic, it was home, and were feeling a little sad that you had to leave it. Not as sad as it made you however to think about having to see your dad and his boyfriend. That’s where you were going after all. To spend the entirety of three weeks with a man who had abandoned you for a man, leaving you all by yourself with your deranged mother.

You winced as the thought crossed your mind, despite her many flaws, your mother was your mother and you loved her to bits. But that didn’t mean she was in any way a good person. She was overbearing, an drove everyone who tried to get close to you away. Myra loved to lock you up in your room, using whatever excuse came to mind to keep you at home.

Your dad was a solace, who often helped you sneak out when you really wanted to go somewhere. It felt like it was you and him against the world at those times, and that only made it hurt more when he packed his bags in a flurry, without even saying goodbye, calling a few days later to say he was divorcing your mom and was moving to California with a guy called Richie Tozier.

He only stopped by once, to pack his bags and to sign the divorce papers, two days after his original phone call. When he did he told you that he was sorry, that a lot of things had happened and he just couldn’t stay with Myra. That wasn’t the problem though. You knew Eddie deserved more than what your mom could give you, and it didn’t even matter that it was a guy he was leaving her for. Straight, gay or bi was all the same to you, as long as the person was happy. But Eddie left, and after signing the divorce papers, you had never heard off him again.

It had been six months and in those six month you had never received a phone call or a letter, or any sign of life. You had looked Richie up of course, and thank to videos on the internet you found out that he and your father were living happily in their big house with a stupid Pomeranian. Richie seemed like a fun guy at first, judging by interviews and tweets he had posted, until your mother had begun to tell you the truth. The ringing of your new phone was what drew you out of your thoughts. You had gotten a new phone right before leaving, because you had accidently dropped your old one. You glanced at the screen, the name dad popping up. You placed your passport onto the counter, while picking up the phone with one hand.

‘Hello,’ you said into the phone, fumbling your way through baggage control.

‘Hi, Y/N. How are you?’ Eddie sounded breathless, almost like he was surprised that you picked up.

‘Why are you calling me right now Dad? I’m about to get on the plane.’ You could hear how snappy you sounded, but you couldn’t help it. You were not looking forward to seeing him again.

‘Sweetheart, please’, Eddie pleaded, and in the background you could hear Richie’s voice, though you couldn’t make out what he was saying.

‘Leave it, I’m on the plane now, did you want something,’ you asked.

‘I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be there when the plane lands okay. I brought you a gift’, Eddie said, just as you entered the plane and trudged towards your seat. You were the last one boarding, and you knew you had to hurry.

‘I don’t want anything from you, we’re about to take off, Goodbye.’ You ended the call without waiting for a reply of his.

You dropped in your seat, the uncomfortableness already settling in. This was going to be a long five hour flight.

You tried to sleep, and you managed to pretty quickly. While you slept, you dreamed. You dreamed off fights and arguments, of your mother getting even more overbearing as Eddie left, of a clown terrorizing you. You shot up, your breathing heavy, but you were relieved to see that you hadn’t screamed, like you usually did after a night terror. For some reason, you had always had dreams with a clown in it, ever since you were only four years old. Myra was convinced it was either a tumor or a behavioral problem, but Eddie had consoled you, telling you, that it was probably just picked up form watching a scary movie as a child and being traumatized by it.

You still had about 3 hours to go, and you shuffled down, trying to get at least more comfortable. You still couldn’t believe you had actually agreed to this. Though to be fair, your mother had made it pretty clear you didn’t have a choice but to go. It was strange, considering Myra was the one who had chucked all the pictures that Eddie was in away.

It had actually been kind of funny, seeing Myra lose it like that. It gave her something else to focus all her anger on. You let your mind wonder towards the nearby future. You imagined all the scenarios that could happen once you landed, and came to the conclusion that a lot of it was depending on you. There was no excuse for what Eddie had done, but there was no doubt in your mind that he would apologize profoundly, and it was up to you to decide whether or not you would accept it.

You were so mad, and all you wanted to do was to stay in your room for this whole vacation. The hurt that you felt when Eddie just started his life anew, dropping you like you were weighing him down. Myra told you that he had never really cared about you. That Richie had come first. Richie hadn’t wanted you there, and Eddie had obligated. He didn’t want you in his life, he wanted to start fresh. It confused you that he suddenly demanded you to come over.

Your mom had said that it just to keep up appearances. You figured she was right, but that knowledge would not help you get out of this mess. You were going to be with them for a while, and you needed to at least be polite to them. You were just going to have to suck it up.

The landing of the plane was not nearly as bad as you had thought it would be, and in no time, you had arrived in California. It was warm, a lot warmer than it was in New York, and while you dragged you suitcase behind you, you were starting to regret not opting for a dress. You were almost glad when you saw the familiar figure of your dad. He was easy to recognize with his small figure and his hair that still looked like the day he had left you with Myra, but he looked different somehow too. He was less tense, his shoulders dropped in a relaxed state.

The permanent frown on his face was no longer there either, and it reduced the wrinkles in his face. He looked younger somehow, not just because he had less wrinkles, but because he had this childlike happiness like a cloud hanging above him. He seemed to stand straighter too, like he was more proud of who he was then he was before. You grind your teeth together, clearly he was happier here than he had ever been with you, off course your mother would tell the truth for once in her life and it would be about this.

He didn’t seem completely relaxed though, his eyes kept scanning the room as if he was looking for something, and his eyes screamed how terrified he was. A hand was placed on his shoulder, you’re your eyes followed the hand to a body. The body of one Richie Tozier. The best way to describe this guy was in the word of General Leia herself: a scruffy looking nerf herder.

His hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks, he was wearing an awful looking Hawaiian shirt, and his glasses lay askew on his face. It looked almost comical. He looked nothing like in the interviews, where he had seemed somewhat decent. This guy screamed that he was comedian. Another hand joined the other on Eddie’s shoulder. It looked like he was giving Eddie a massage, who seemed to be enjoying it. Richie said something, but you were too far away to hear what he said. Whatever it was, it made Eddie laugh, loud and unbothered, and you had almost never seen him laugh like that. It was insane to think that this was the guy your dad would want to be with. They were so unlike each other.

It stung, worse than you had expected it to do. It seemed like this was completely different Eddie than the one you were used to. You gripped your suitcase tighter, shaking your head as if you could ban the angry thoughts away, and started walking forward. Richie was the first one to see you. His mouth dropped open a little, as if he was surprised to see you, as if you could just jump out of plane and not show up. He mumbled ‘Eddie’, to your dad, and that caused Eddie to look over your way as well.

Eddie rushed forward, Richie following him like a shadow. ‘Y/N’, Eddie mumbled, instantly enclosing his arms around your shoulders as soon s he got within touching distance. The urge to lean back is strong, but you do your best to stay as still as possible. If you were being honest, you really missed your dad’s hugs. His demeanor might have changed, but his personality was clearly still the same. He pulled back, asking you how your flight was, if you were alright and if anyone had bothered you during the flight.

For a second, it was like nothing had changed. Your dad had always been protective, not like your mother, who took it to the extreme, but still protective. Then you was movement behind Eddie, and you realized why you were there in the first place. You still hadn’t even responded to Eddie’s questions, but you had already turned all of your attention to Richie.

Richie, who waved dumbly, a weary smile on his face. ‘Hi’, he said, ‘It’s nice to finally meet you.’ He had an air of arrogance in the way he spoke, but somehow he still seemed kind regardless. Richie seemed like the kind of guy that you would have to truly know, beneath all of his layers, to like him.

‘Hello’, you responded blankly, taking notice of the was his face fell as you spoke. The tone of your voice was cold, but you had intended it that way. As long as you kept your voice cold, you kept it neutral, and if kept it neutral then you could maybe survive this entire trip. Despite this mantra going over and over in your head, you couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty when you watched the way Richie’s eyes seemed to turn sadder. He laughed awkwardly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

‘You almost look as cute as your dad did on you age’, he said, clearly intending it as a joke but it fell flat miserably. Eddie tried salvaging the situation by laughing at his joke, but it was obvious that it was not the kind of first impression he had wanted to make. When you turned around towards your bags, you could see Richie shoot Eddie a helpless look, who just shrugged back. They looked kind of cute together.

‘Y/N’, Eddie tried again, because he was desperate to get any kind of reaction from his daughter at all.

‘I’m really tired dad, can we just go to your house?’ Y/N asked blandly.

‘Yeah of course’, Eddie replied, gesturing his hand in the way they were supposed to be going.

When you entered the car, you swear you could hear Richie whisper, ‘at least she still called you dad, Eds,’ you chose to ignore the words, busying yourself by typing away on your cell phone. You didn’t look up once during the entire ride.

Richie was the one who carried your bag into the massive house. It was located at the edge of a street, and though it wasn’t a villa, it was close too it. When you walked into the hallway, after passing the front yard full of flowers and green, you saw the staircase on your left. On your right was the living room, a big open space with a massive sofa and flatscreen. There was also a piano, but when you looked closer you saw that there was a layer of dust on it.

Following that you came into the kitchen and dinner room, the walls being a beige color. ‘We could make you something if you want? We weren’t sure what to cook so.’ Eddie spoke, running his hand through his hair. He looked even more nervous than before. The conversation had not gone the way he hoped. ‘I’m tired, I’d like to go to bed.’

Eddie nodded, but it was actually Richie that spoke up. ‘Yeah sure, I’ll show you to your room,’ Richie proposed, waiting for your conforming nod before walking ahead. ‘Goodnight Y/N’, Eddie called out to you, not expecting an answer and not getting one either.

Your room was a pastel pink color, with a twin sized bed in the middle. There was a desk in the corner, and a big window looking out over the garden. There was a built in closet, and while Richie dropped the suitcase at the side of your bed, you went to check it out. It was filled with clothes, every favorite color of yours was in it, but most of it were sweaters and long pants. You glanced at Richie, still waiting, with a questioningly look. ‘Oh’, Richie exclaimed, ‘we bought those when you were supposed to come over during winter.’

You raised one eyebrow. ‘When was I supposed to come over?’ You asked, trying to make sense of what Richie was saying.

Richie frowned, scratching the back of his head. ‘You know, before you canceled. Eddie wanted to buy you something season appropriate because he know your mom would probably refuse to see reason and pack you way to hot clothes. When you canceled we kind off forgot it was in there.’ Richie looked almost accusingly at you.

Your hearts starts pounding, your face turning bright red. You grind your teeth together almost painfully, and Richie gulps slowly. You suddenly remind him a lot of Eddie, when Richie did something stupid again.

‘What the fuck, are you even talking about? I was never going to come here, how could I when dad didn’t even try to call me. This is so stupid, both of you are acting like it’s such a pleasure to have me here, well if it was then why did you guys just leave me with my mother?’ Your voice got increasingly louder towards the end, but you couldn’t help it. Who was he to judge you like this? A guy that had killed someone. A guy that looked like he didn’t know what the word shower was. He was the one your dad had chosen over you, and he knew you for an hour before he judged you like you were an open book.

‘Y/N, I don’t know what I said but I’m sorry I guess? Jesus you really are Eddie’s daughter aren’t you. He’s constantly making me apologize for everything too.’

Coming from anyone else, you would have found it funny. As it stand though, you find it hard find anything relating to Richie amusing.

‘See, look at that frown, that’s the exact one your dad gets when I’ve done something stupid.’ He laughs albeit vaguely, trying to drag a chuckle out of you. ‘I’ll just go fuck myself,’ he says, shaking his head while slapping his palm against his forehead harshly. Just then Eddie appears in the doorway aswell, staring at Richie for a minute, a soft ‘Rich’ falling from his lips, before focusing on you.

‘What do you mean, when I was supposed to come here during winter? You never called me dad how was I supposed to come up here?’

Eddie looks appalled, taking a few quick steps towards you. ‘Y/N, I’ve called you twice a day since I left, I never gave up. When I called Myra a couple of months ago, I begged her to let you stay over, and she said she would ask you. We then agreed that you were going to come here to spend two weeks with us, but you cancelled last minute. Remember?’ Eddie explains, almost looking as confused as you feel.

Your mom had never told you he called. And she certainly hadn’t asked you to go spend some time with your dad before the summer. On the other hand, you had never received any phone calls from your dad, let alone two on the same day, so maybe it was possible that he was just making this whole thing up. You nodded to yourself, that must be what was happening.

‘Whatever, I just want to go to bed now.’ You said tiredly, and it wasn’t even a lie, because you were really tired. You needed some time to recharge.

‘Y/N’, Eddie tried again, but he was stopped when Richie stepped beside him.

‘Let’s her get some rest Eds, we’ll talk later.’

Eddie sighed but nodded none the less. ‘Alright, Enjoy your nap sweetheart. We’re just downstairs if you need anything.

‘Oh, we forgot to mention but some of our friends are going to come over today? We called ourselves the losers club but we were actually really cool. You’ll love them I’m sure. Did you knew that I met Spaghetti there? Yeah we were best friends since forever and then when I turned eleven I just suddenly had a crush on this weird hypochondriac with super tiny shorts.’ He laughed awkwardly, ‘And I still do, I mean you don’t have to like me, though I would love that because I really don’t want leave Eds, but I’ll do if you want me to I just hope-‘

He was interrupted by Eddie’s shout of ‘Richie, You were rambling again.’

‘Right’, he muttered before turning around and walking out the room. Eddie shot you a small smile before closing the door behind him softly.

‘Really Richard? You had to mention my shorts?’

Despite the situation, you couldn’t help but laugh. Your father had always seen so uptight, to have someone call him Spaghetti just seemed so out of the ordinary.

You had hardly just rested your head onto your pillow, before you were pulled into a deep sleep.

A knock on the door pulls you from your slumber, your head shooting up from your pillow. You groan, the nap did the opposite of what the plan was. You felt more tired than before, and you were not looking forward to getting up at all. ‘Y/N, my friends will be here soon, maybe you should wake up?’, Eddie called out from behind the door. It sounded unsure, like a question, and that sounded really unlike your dad that it almost scared you.

You shouted a quick yes, before realizing that he said his friends were coming over, which meant that you were meeting even more people today. You were not looking forward to that at all.

You were curious however to hear more about who Eddie was when he was a kid. You had always asked him and he said that he couldn’t remember, but that all seemed like a bunch of bullshit to you. When you reached for your phone you came to the conclusion that you had forgotten to answer your mom’s call, and that she had left you a hurray of voicemails.

‘Y/N, where are you? Do you have any idea how worried I am about you? Did your dad pick you up? Have you met Richard yet? I need you to be careful sweetheart, you don’t want to catch what those disgusting q...queers.’ You winds at your mother’s words. You couldn’t help but feel for your dad, having to endure your mother for all these years, and even now.

‘Please call me back honey, you know that I miss you. I need you here, you understand that right? Call me back.’ You groaned. You knew that she hated you were coming to California, but you hadn’t expected her to call you eight times in a day. Calling her would be emotionally draining as always, but you really couldn’t put it off anymore.

By the time the phone call was done, you had heard the door open at least seven times. Nobody had come up again to come and get you, for which you were glad. Your mom didn’t ask about your flight, in fact, she didn’t ask anything about you but everything about Eddie. After finally getting her off the phone, you got up quickly and walked downstairs.

You paused on the stairs for a second, listening to the bustling sound of laughter coming from the living room. You hoped that the night would get by fast, and that meeting these people wouldn’t be too bad.

When you walked into the room, the chatter stopped and everyone turned to look at you. You smiled hesitantly, letting out a small; ‘hi.’

A man with dark curly hair responded first. He got up, looking collected as ever, reaching out to shake your hand. ‘Hi, I’m Stanley,’ he said. Next was his wife Patricia, followed by Bill, Audra, Mike Beverly and Ben. They seemed nice, but it was still awkward. You weren’t exactly talking freely to your dad, so it was weird to try and talk to these other people. You decided to sit next to Patty, because that was the spot closest to the door, and she seemed to be the friendliest.

‘How are you sweetie?’, she asked with a knowing smile on her face. You glance at her, trying to gauge what she was doing. You didn’t really know this person, and you didn’t know if she really cared for the answer or not. ‘I’m okay,’ you chose to say, going for the safe answer. She looked at you but didn’t say anything more. ‘I love your hair Y/N, it’s really pretty,’ Mike told her, interrupting the awkward silence that seemed to suffocate the room.

‘Yeah, she definitely gets that from her father’s side of the family. Miss K always looked so good when I sneaked in through the window.’

It pulls a few sniggers from the group, Eddie throwing out a ‘beep beep Richie’, but giggling himself.

‘You’re really funny Richie’, Stan deadpanned, looking entirely unbothered. It pulled a laugh out of you, unable to help yourself. Eddie’s head shot to you, a smile taking up most of his face. You break eye contact as fast as possible.

‘So Y/N, have you heard the story about how we all met?’

When you shook your head, Bill started the detailed story of a crazy summer where they did all fun and crazy types of things. You noticed that Eddie shot Bill some looks during his story, which caused Bill to stutter and change the course of his story. It was suspicious, but you were glad that everyone was focused on Bill instead of you.

‘And so Eddie chased Bowers away. He was so scared but he didn’t leave anyone behind.’

‘He didn’t leave you behind you mean’, you grumbled, louder than you had suspected. Eddie looked betrayed, kind of like you had slapped him in the face.

‘That’s enough, Y/N’, Eddie bellowed, his voice tinged with a hard edge. It was the first time since you had seen your dad that he actually acted like your own father. Strict but fair and you had missed this. But that didn’t mean Eddie could just do it, coming back into your life after not wanting to be in it for months. ‘Yeah, or what else? You’re going to ignore me again? Refuse to talk to me for ages?’

Eddie’s eyes are burning, both with fire and tears. ‘Alright that’s it. We’re talking about this, right now.’

At your hesitance, your father repeats the words. ‘Right now, Y/N’, he ads softer, ‘please.’

You follow him up the stairs, pointedly ignoring the stares of the ‘losers’. You feel like a small child walking up the stairs to be scolded. It’s the way you always feel around your mom, and you hate that you feel this way around your dad, the only person you really trusted throughout your childhood.

You follow your dad into his study upstairs, closing the door behind you. Eddie had already chose to sit down on the sofa, and he waited until you sunk down before opening his mouth. ‘Sweetheart, I really need you to tell me what’s bothering you. I’ve been patient with you, but you’ve done nothing but push me and Richie, being as distant as possible.’ He declaimed.

‘Why did you never call me?’ You began, the hurt coming true in your voice. ‘I get that you wanted to be with Richie, and had to leave mom. But why did you leave me?’ You started to cry, even though you didn’t want to. The first week when you were left alone at home, you cried all night. It was a great excuse for your mother to baby you once more, but you hadn’t been able to help it. Eddie frowned at you, he looked appalled.

‘I did call you, I even called Myra a few times, and she told me that you weren’t interested in talking to me. That you were mad and you didn’t want anything to do with me. She said you didn’t want to know me anymore because I was not your dad anymore.’ Eddie continued, trudging through. He looked hurt, like someone had stabbed him in back.

‘I said no such thing. I could never. Dad, how can you ever think that I would hate you because you were gay? I don’t care. As long as it makes you happy it doesn’t matter to me. I love you way too much for that. But that doesn’t change the fact that you left me with mom by myself.’ Eddie turned sad, opening his mouth to interject, but ultimately deciding against it and letting you finish.

‘I used to complain about her to you all the time, and I waited for you to come and get me, but you didn’t. Why didn’t you at least come to visit? I hate that I can’t hate you, or Richie. The guy is so stupidly funny, he’s hilarious.’ Eddie snorted despite himself, finally seizing his chance to respond to the accusations.

‘Y/N, I swear to you that I tried everything. Every single thing that I could. I left voicemails to ask if you wanted to come here. I called your mom multiple times to beg her to let you visit. She finally relented when I told her that if I wasn’t allow to see you I’d call the police.

I couldn’t take you with me right away because that would be kidnapping, and by the time the divorce was finalized, I was scared that you didn’t want to see me anymore. I’m sorry Y/N, just please, I’m begging you. Just try to like it here. You’re always welcome here. You’re my daughter and I’m so proud that you are. If you don’t like It here that you can go home, I just want you to be happy and if that isn’t with me and Rich than I’ll accept that. The same goes if you want to stay here longer, you are just as much a part of this family as everyone else.’

You blinked a few times, really trying to see with clear vision, without the tears. Eddie’s words were genuine, you knew your father well enough for that. And you knew all of these things, you knew that logically your dad couldn’t just drag you off across the country, but the hurt and doubt had wormed it’s way inside your head, and had changed your perspective on reality. It was actually kind of nice to have deep and meaningful conversations with someone, you hadn’t had that in a while.

You leaned forward, wrapping your arms around Eddie’s shoulders. He instantly reciprocated, bringing you as close as possible. You weren’t ready to forgive him quite yet, but you had missed your dad a lot, so you were going to do your best to leave the problems in the past.

‘Okay just’, Eddie laughed, standing up and walking towards the door. He placed his finger to his lips, mimicking a hush sign. He then waited for about five seconds, before pulling the door open. Richie fell flat on his face, letting out an ‘ouf’. You let out a surprised laugh. Richie scrambled back up, trying to be graceful about it, but failing miserably. ‘I was not listing in to you guys, at all.’ You couldn’t help but laugh again, you were not lying when you said Richie was funny.

‘What do you say we start over again and get some food downstairs, Bev brought cake and it’s as almost as good as Eddie’s ass,’ Richie joked. He watched as you scrunched up your nose, and Eddie smacked his arm.

Turns out that the ‘losers club’ had some great story’s about your dad growing up, and they were not shy about sharing. By the end of the night, you felt like you had known these people for years, if not hours. They called you an honorary member of the losers club, while Richie joked about you having to cut your palm in order for that to happen. Eddie wasn’t so happy with that statement. Richie was really good to your dad, even though they bickered to no end, you could see that they did it out of a place of love, and you had never seen a smile do big on your dad’s face as when he was with his real family.

You were sad when they night ended, and you hoped that you could meet Eddie’s friends again soon.

‘Maybe next time you can come over to our house,’ Beverly said as she hugged you.

‘That would be great’, you responded with a big smile on your face, not noticing the proud look Eddie shot you.

Right after the door closed, your phone rang. It was your mother, once again. Worried that something might be wrong, you picked up, respectfully walking into another room, because you were sure your dad wouldn’t want to talk to her.

‘Mom, is everything?’ You asked the second you picked up. You heard a sigh of relief on the other side of the phone. ‘Oh honey I was so worried about you, you haven’t let me know you’re okay in so long.’

You frowned, looking up at the clock. ‘Mom I talked to you like five hours ago,’ your voice was questioning. There was absolutely no reason for your mom to be this worried, she knew you were with your dad. ‘Is this entire trip going to be like this?’

‘Excuse you Y/N, don’t you dare talk to me in that way. I’m calling with good news, I’ve found a way for you to come home. I can book you a plane and you can be home with your mommy in two days.’ She sounded really smug, like she had just won something. You glanced up when the door opened, Eddie carrying two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands. He placed one on the table in front of you, smiling warmly at you, before making his way back to where he came from. Before he closed the door, you could see Richie waiting excitedly for him to return, placing his broad hands on his back.

He gave you you’re privacy, without you even having to ask it off him. Your mom would never ever do that. You’re heart felt heavy all of a sudden. ‘Y/N’, Myra continues to chirp in you ear, trying to get your attention. ‘I don’t want to leave her mom’, you say, though you weren’t even aware that the words were forming. Eddie freezes, just before the door is shut. He stares at you, and he looks conflicted, like he doesn’t know what to do.

You place your phone on speaker, indicating that it was alright for him to listen in. He steps into the room more, showing that Richie is also in shock and wanting to listen in.

‘Y/N, what do you mean? Don’t you want to live with your mommy? Why would you want to stay there?’ Your mom demanded, her voice sounding slightly hysterical.

‘Because I like it here mom. I haven’t been able to spend time with dad in a long time, and now that I can I really want to take full advantage of it.’ You explain, but god knows that nothing could ever get through to Myra when she was in one of her moods.

‘Like it there? Honey it isn’t safe for you out there. What if you catch’, her voice lowered to a whisper, even though she had no idea that Eddie and Richie were listening in. ‘what they have.’

Richie gasps angrily, his hands squeezing together in tight fists. Eddie shoots him a warning look. You guessed he got used to the homophobic comments.

‘Mom, stop it. That isn’t okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. Love can come from anyone and really they’re happy.’

Eddie and Richie share a look of love towards one another, their hands finding each other’s.

‘Y/N, don’t even start with this. Your father left you remember. He didn’t call you or came to visit you once. He only demanded to see you now and he threatened me to let you come here, after not caring about you for such a long time.’ She reprimands, and how stupid it might seem, it makes you feel small again.

Eddie’s face turned red in anger. ‘How dare you. How fucking dare you? I called her every day, and I don’t know how she didn’t get them but I did. I called you at least two times a week to ask you to get her to call me back, you know this. In those phone calls I constantly asked if she could stay over with me for a couple of weeks, and you said no. So yes I did threaten to call the police in you because you wouldn’t let me see my own daughter Myra’, Eddie snarked, Richie silently cheering him up.

‘Edward, get my daughter back on the line. I did that for her own good. Do you have any idea how heartbroken she was when you left? I know that if I let you talk to her she would only get hurt more so I blocked your number when she wasn’t looking. You bad news Edward and I want my daughter to come home now.’

You were shocked. You had had no idea that she blocked your father’s number, cutting him out of your life. And all this time you kept crying and hurting and blaming your dad while it was all your mothers fault. That little-

‘You bitch’, you screech, unable to think clearly through your feeling of hatred towards her. ‘I hate you. You’re the worst mother ever. I’m not coming home, not today, and not in three weeks. Goodbye Myra.’

Richie shrieked with laughter, hitting his knee with his own hand. He doesn’t even attempt to conceal how funny he finds it, and that only makes things funnier.

You mother screams to the funny, but you’re pulled into a side hug by Richie, and you choose to ignore what she says.

‘You heard her Myra, we’ll call you. I think you should leave her alone for a while, in fact I might just block your number.’ Eddie says, and before she has a change to answer, he ends the call.

He joins the awkward hug, pressing a kiss to your head and Richie’s lips.

‘Welcome home kid.’

#reddie #reddie imagine #My writing #reddie x daughter #reddie as parents #reddie x daughter reader #eddie x daughter #richie x daughter #eddie as a parent #richie as a parent #the losers club imagines #it chapter two imagine #it chapter 2

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insufferable-know-it-all-blog · 5 years ago

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A Ranking of the Gayest American Girl Dolls

When it comes to lesbian subtext in the American Girl series, there's so much to unpack. Today I'll be discussing the 6 girls I deem the gayest.

Honorable Mentions

Felicity

Tomboy and horse girl. Has a companion doll. She hates learning etiquette. The Jiggy Nye redemption arc in her series is better than Snape's redemption arc, in my opinion. You may think she’s gayer than an honorable mention, but I think her traits read as “see this is a good and interesting colonist! She’s not like other girls uwu” as opposed to gayness. I am open to debate on the matter.

Addy

Her stories are much higher stakes than most of the other dolls', so the most time we have for subtext comes in her short stories and in her relationship with her friend Sarah. For example:

An enemies-to-lovers fic where Addy and Harriet are grown up could be veeeery interesting though.

Certified WLW (women-loving women)

6. Molly

Molly's lesbianism is more quantifiable than some of the other dolls. Some contributing factors are:

- bad at math

- lots of internalized self-loathing

- obsessed with her teacher Miss Campbell/daydreams about how pretty she is/snoops into her love life

- her OUTFITS

5. Josefina

Josefina Montoya is a Historical Doll (now called BeForever) from 1824 living in what would later become New Mexico. She's a soft girl with aspirations of becoming a healer. She's scared of goats and has a cool aunt, Tía Dolores.

Much of her stories revolve around adjusting to life after the death of her mother, and her relationship with Tía Dolores.

I don't want to gloss over this: there's a lot of discussion (in the stories and in the historical information at the back of each book) of colonialism and America's treatment of the west and those who live there.

There's also a fair amount of domestic tasks, playing music, and admiring flowers.

tldr; Josefina was the original cottagecore lesbian

4. Julie

If Molly's gayness isn't quite subtext, Julie's is canon. She's so lesbian-coded by way of lesbian stereotypes that I'm surprised a pride flag doesn't come with her accessories.

Julie petitions to join the boys basketball team, becomes an environmental activist, runs for student body president, and attends a Presidential debate. Her mom also has some very gay vibes, being a recently-divorced woman starting a career by opening a resale shop.

Julie lives in 1970s San Francisco and uses her privilege to lift up the voices of others and hold those in power accountable. Julie and her pet rabbit said gay rights.

3. Lindsey

Lindsey is the first Girl of the Year, released in 2001. She was also the first Jewish American Girl Doll. The title of the second chapter of her book is "What a Mess!" A mood. She’s not as well known so I’m going to fill you in a little bit more than with other dolls.

Lindsey is a flaming ball of chaos that ruins everything important to her family (according to herself.) Her story kicks off with her being disgusted to learn that her school is holding a "pet parade," which entails dressing pets up in human clothes and parading them around. She prepares a speech for her class to tell them off, but her teacher shuts her down. Lindsey doesn't take this well. She snatches an iguana and climbs up a tree in protest.

She plays the trumpet in her school band. One day she asks her band teacher if he has a girlfriend and she's very sad to learn he's single. How can he be happy without a woman to take care of him? Projecting much?

Lindsey also befriends a girl who is often bullied in school, cries in the bathroom (a gay ritual), and is told by her uncle, while dancing at her brother's bar mitzvah (post-Matzo ball food fight) that she is not a worm, and despite her chaos, is very loved.

Lindsey knows what she values and will throw food at your face or climb up a tree if you disrespect her. She also craves validation because she feels like a failure due to her unconventional approach to life. A lesbian icon in the making.

2. Kit

Kit spends six books telling you to fuck off with your gender roles, thank you very much. There's a lot of focus on Kit's life as a reporter and what her growing up during the depression will mean for her future expression of identity.

One part of her books that highlights Kit's relationship with gender roles and heteronormativity is when Ruthie reads fairy tales because she likes princesses, but Kit reads Robin Hood because she likes how he steals from the rich to give to the poor and tricks a sheriff. While Kit could become a case of "I'm not like other girls," I think this is avoided by her close friendship with Ruthie. She doesn't necessarily look down on traditional women's roles, she simply has other ambitions.

So yes, this part of her story is important, but what really sells it for me is her longing for adventure and her passion for baseball and Amelia Earhart.

Also? Her bomb outfits.

At one point, Kit gets anxious and hides under her porch. A lesbian oasis.

Kit is a practical and clever young lady with a bright future ahead of her. Keep up the great work, you icon.

1. Samantha

I have read, with my own two eyes, people calling Samantha a homophobe. Please.... I am so tired. Do not underestimate her like that. Let's dive in to the biggest lesbian of the bunch: Samantha Parkington.

Okay so first of all her series begins with her falling out of a tree and sassing her sexist Grandmary. From there, she grows close to Cornelia, her Uncle's girlfriend, who is involved in the fight for women's rights in the city. Samantha is heavily influenced by her and through the books, develops many of the same opinions.

When an Irish girl (Nellie) moves in next door to become a servant to Eddie Ryland's family, Samantha befriends her and teaches her to read. She never speaks down to Nellie or looks at herself as a savior, she just acts on what she thinks is right. The "Looking Back" sections of Samantha's books cover topics like social progress for women, the wealth gap, the treatment of servants, and the disparity in education between classes.

While Samantha follows in Cornelia's path, she also forms her own ideas. For instance: Samantha wins an essay contest with her essay on progress in American factories, and why America is excellent for such progress. When she shows Nellie her winning essay, Nellie tells her that it doesn't represent the truth of factories. Samantha sets out to uncover the truth about child labor that many Proud Americans have kept hidden. She decides she can't read her winning essay, so she changes it and calls out those who condone unfair labor in factories.

Samantha respects every person she comes across and always sees herself as an equal, not a superior. (Except her asshole neighbor, Eddie Ryland. He can choke!) Like Julie, Samantha uses her privilege to bring accountability to oppressors and fight for what's right.

Samantha loves women and won't rest until they all live safe, healthy, and happy lives. She questions the status-quo. She seeks revenge on the men who have made girls' lives hell. And she really loves her Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia. And climbing trees.

I imagine Samantha growing up and moving to New York City, hanging out in lesbian-owned speakeasies, and becoming a Mae West stan.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about American Girl subtext on twitter! If you enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend or two! Thank you for supporting an independent writer and American Girl stan.

#american girl #*

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sparrowjaywrites · 6 years ago

Text

Survive We Shall (Chapter 02: Survive Alone?)

Disclaimer: All recognizable Characters, places, and plots belong to those who own the copyright for Walking Dead and Criminal Minds respectfully such as AMC and Robert Kirkman, I do not know all their names.

All new characters such as Kat, The Takers, and Kat’s original group belong to me. Please do not use them or my storyline without my permission.

Warnings:

This story will contain foul language, nudity, sexual content, graphic violence, mentions of sexual assault, death, abuse, mentions of domestic abuse, partial depictions of sexual assault, depictions of domestic abuse, torture, suicide, depictions of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, PTSD, flash backs and much more.

Each Chapter will have its own trigger warnings directly below this warning at the start please use these to protect yourself while you read. If there are any issues regarding this please PM me.

Standing Warnings for All Chapters: (These Warnings are used so frequently it is pointless to add them by specific chapter.

Gore, Graphic Violence, Death, Swearing

Chapter Warnings:

Mentions of Sexual Assault

AN:

As I said in the last chapter I will be posting two Chapters a week as I tend to write two chapters at a time if I have the option. Enjoy!

Survive We Shall

Season One

Episode 02: Survive Alone?

---Line Break---

“And in the end all I learned was how to be strong alone.” – Unknown

Kat stopped in her tracks a deep frown on her face. For the millionth time she’d gone in a circle. She shakes her head her eyes locked on that god forsaken farm house. Maybe if they’d just kept going, if they’d never stopped there, maybe then she wouldn’t be alone right now?

“Hey! It’s her!” Kat spins on her heal her eyes widening as seven men race towards her across a field. Eddie a man in his late fifties with a shaved head and a swastika tattooed on his arm led the charge. Kat recognized Brian and Philip as well, the other four men she’d seen a hundred times before but didn’t know the names of. Kat spins on her heel charging back into the forest, veering to the side as she see’s walkers in front of her. She couldn’t get caught… not again.

“Shoot that bitch!” A man’s voice calls, a second later a bullet wizzes past Kat’s ear. She ducks and dodges as she runs being sure to move back and forth as she does no sense in giving them a predictable target. Up ahead she could see a small herd of walkers, perfect she heads directly towards them knife up and ready stabbing the first one she comes too in the top of its head using her momentum to drive the knife in before dragging it out as she shoves the body into the next closest walker. She ducks down sprinting quickly through the slow moving bodies. Once on the other side she keeps up her pace, it isn’t long before she hears the gunshots and screams behind her as the men run into the herd.

Kat had been running for over half an hour slowing only when the bullets stopped whizzing by her, speeding up if they started again. Kat glances behind her grimacing as she sees the five living men gaining on her, two clearly having been taken down by the herd. A small scream rips from her as her foot suddenly catches on something pitching her forward tumbling down a small hill.

“Hello again, Miss. Kat. You know we’re all damn tired of these games. I think it’s time we ended them, don’t you agree?” Brian, a man with long blonde hair only a few years older than Kat with a missing front tooth and a long scar under his left eye Kat had given him a few months before bends over her with a wicked grin. Kat gasps for breath her eyes wide as she stares up at the men. Her hand tightens on her gun.

“Nu uh. That ain’t happening.” Eddie slams his boot down on her arm. Kat glares up at him biting the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. She would not give these bastards the pleasure. Eddie bends down taking the gun from her belt before stepping back for a second. He stares down at her with a look of pure hatred. “Should’ve killed you with the other bitch.” He swings is foot back bringing it back against her side. Kat gasps out as searing pain flashes through her side.

“We should have some fun before we kill her.” Phillip grins licking his lips, his light brown mullet blowing in the breeze.

“I like that…” One of the other men begins to say before a crossbow bolt slams into his eye.

“What the fu…” Brian shouts stepping back, a gunshot ringing out as he goes down.

“Brian!” The last unknown man begins to speak before a different gunshot sounds blood splattering the trees around them. Kat scrambles to her feet she grabs her knife from her belt.

“You’re not going anywhere, Bitch.” Eddie growls stalking towards her. Kat brings her arm back aiming her hunting knife for his chest and throws it; the knife buries itself in Eddie’s neck. Not what she was going for, but it would work. Eddie stumbles to the ground pulling the knife out and falling face first in the leaves blood pooling around him in seconds.

“You!” Phillip lunges at her before Kat can move; seconds before he can grab her, a crossbow bolt slams into his head. Kat scrambles forward grabbing her knife from where Eddie dropped it and turning on her heel to stand up, looking around for whoever had been shooting.

“You alright?” Kat turns her eyes locking on three men as they approach her cautiously. The man who spoke had a short brown beard, with brown wavy hair; he held a gun in one hand pointed at the ground. Next to him was an Asian man, younger than her, maybe in his early twenties, a gun also clutched in his hands. About a foot behind the first guy was a man with a crossbow, chin length brown hair hanging limply, he wore a leather vest. “Ma’am?” The first man says again coming to a stop when he notices her knife.

“Who are you?” Kat asks her voice tense her knife clutched tightly in her right hand.

“My names Rick Grimes, this is Glenn,” He motions to the Asian man, “and Daryl.” He motions to the other man. “What’s your name?” Kat narrows her eyes, why had these men helped her? She’d never seen them with the Takers, but then again there were at least sixty of them when they first got her and around forty last she saw… well thirty-three now. But would they really kill their own people? She’d seen them do it before. Kat’s eyes scan over Rick; he is watching her with a sad look in his eyes.

“Why’d you help me?” Kat asks her brown eyes locking with Ricks, confusion clear in her tone. Rick shares a look with Glenn and Daryl frowning.

“It looked like you needed it.” Rick says simply. Kat narrows her eyes.

“What’s your angle here? You trying to earn points with Carlton or some shit? Bring me back yourselves?” The men share a confused look before turning back to her.

“We don’t know who this Carlton is, but we can assure you we’re not with him.” Rick says holstering his gun and holding up his hands as if talking to a spooked animal. Glenn lowers his gun with shaky hands slipping it into its holster, his eyes locked on Brian’s dead body looking like he’s going to be sick. Daryl lowers the crossbow but doesn’t put it away.

“He your first kill or something?” Kat asks looking at Glenn and nodding to Brian. Glenn looks surprised by her question but nods shakily. There was no way these three where Takers, not with how he’s acting. “That’s never easy, thank you though.” Kat says slowly holstering her knife keeping her hand on the hilt. It wouldn’t do much good against Daryl’s crossbow anyways.

“Uh, your welcome.” Glenn says hesitantly, he looks to Rick who nods motioning for him to take over. “We have a group, men, women, children, fences if you’re interested?” Kat raises an eyebrow eyes flickering between the hesitant young man and the two older men.

“You’d just offer me a place with your group?”

“Well you have to answer three questions first, but yeah.” Glenn nods.

“Ask away.” Kat crosses her arms.

“How many walkers have you killed?” Kat snorts shaking her head.

“I don’t know just let me check my kill count. A lot.” She shrugs she thinks she can see Daryl smirk at her snide answer.

“How many people have you killed?” Kat frowns looking down at the ground as she thinks, this was where they’d either shoot her or tell her to fuck off.

“I don’t know around twenty to thirty.” Kat answers honestly her eyes flickering back to theirs. A look of shock ripples through the men as they process her answer. Daryl raises his crossbow eyes now narrowed. Rick’s hand moves to his gun but he doesn’t pull it. Glenn is just staring at her with wide eyes.

“Why?” He asks his voice tense. Huh, well they hadn’t shot her yet, so that must be a good sign.

“Most of them where Takers.” She motions to the men on the ground. “I’ve killed a lot of them escaping each time they catch back up with me. I have no clue how many but considering the last time I was in their camp I counted around forty of them, while they had sixty the first time, I’ve taken out at least twenty. I have no idea how many I killed last time.” Kat shrugs her voice bitter.

“And anyone else?” Rick asks. “You said most.”

“I shot a woman in my old group after she was bit.” Kat scowls thinking back to Tiffany. “And a lady who was on the plane I was on when this all went down.”

“You were on a plane when this started?” Glenn asks eyes wide. “And you shot someone… on the plane?”

“She had a gun pressed to the window it was shoot her or everyone on the plane would have died.” Kat defends herself.

“Why did you even have a gun on the plane?” Rick asks.

“I was going to check it, but they boarded us without checking our luggage. I told them I had it they didn’t care. It was just before Seattle was bombed. I think they were just trying to evacuate who they could.”

“Anyone else?”

“No.” Kat shakes her head. The Takers had forced her to become very good at killing the living, something she hated with a passion.

“Alright then, we should head back.” Rick nods giving her a soft smile. Kat moves forward stabbing Eddie in the head so he wouldn’t turn and grabbing her gun slipping it into its holster she walks over to them staying a few feet back.

“What’ yer name?” Daryl asks.

“Katrina Reid, most people call me Kat.”

“It’s good to meet you, Kat.” Rick smiles at her leading them through the trees. Glenn walks beside Rick, Daryl standing a few feet away from Kat behind them; he keeps glancing at her bow and bags curiously. After around ten minutes they exit the trees coming onto a simple road leading to a prison. Kat stops for a second taking it in, walkers where lined up around the fenced in yard pressing at the metal. It was perfect, built to keep people in, it was perfect for keeping walkers out.

“You comin’?” Daryl turns to look at her. She nods following behind him. The three men break into a sprint as they approach the front gate, metal doors had been rigged attached to the outer layer of fences, wooden spikes flanked the gate to help keep walkers away. A boy rushes over pulling a rope to open the gate as the four of them sprint inside. The gate clinging closed behind them. He opens the inner fence running up to Rick hugging him.

“Dad! Who’s the new lady?” He asks peering around Rick to look at her, his long brown hair falling in his eyes. He couldn’t be older then thirteen.

“Carl, this is Kat. Kat this is my son, Carl.” Rick introduces them with a large grin.

“Uh, hi.” Kat waves at the kid awkwardly.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to Carol, she’ll know where you’ll be staying.” Glenn offers motioning her to follow him. Kat nods slipping past Rick and Carl as Carl starts bombarding him with questions about her. Daryl follows silently behind her. Kat can hear people talking and laughing as they make their way up the road to another set of gates that stand open. Breathing in the smell of cooking meat reaches her. People are lined up getting food from a few women who stand by some kind of makeshift grill. “Dinner time.” Glenn grins leading her to one of the women passing out food.

“Hi, Glenn, Daryl.” The woman nods to them. She was older maybe late forties early fifties. She had short gray hair, and a very slim frame.

“Hey, Carol. This is Kat, we found her in the forest, she’s joining us.” Glenn introduces her, giving Carol the simplified version, although based on the look shared between the two Kat was sure the whole story would be told later.

“Welcome to the prison, Kat. Why don’t you have some food and when your done I can show you around. Glenn would you ask Maggie to get Karen to set up a cell for Kat?”

“Sure thing.” Glenn takes his plate and walks off towards a table where a woman with shoulder length brown hair, a teen girl with long blonde hair, and an old man with a white beard sat. She watches as he kisses the brunette before sitting down.

“Here you go.” Carol gives her a kind smile holding out a plate. Kat stares at it for a second before slowly taking it, she was sure she made a sight staring at the food the way she was. But it’d been months since she’d had a hot meal.

“Kat you can sit with us.” Kat turns as Carl runs up Rick walking behind him. Carl grabs a plate for himself and his Dad heading to the same table Glenn was at. Rick motions her to follow, Daryl taking a plate and following as well. “Guys this is Kat.” Carl says looking excited.

“Welcome, I’m Hershel, these are my daughters Maggie,” The old man motions to the brunette, “and Beth.” He nods to the blonde girl.

“Hi.” Kat says, slowly sitting down next to Maggie. Rick, Carl and Daryl sit across from her beside Hershel.

“Where are you from?” Carl asks her curiously. “Dad says you were on a plane when everything started.” Kat looks between the group of people her mouth dry. It’d been months since she’d been around so many people… or so many people who weren’t trying to kill her at least.

“Leave her alone, Carl.” Beth says shooting him a look. “Let her eat.” Beth shoots her a small smile. Kat smiles hesitantly back. She picks up her fork taking a bite of the meat, it was deer, she’d only had it once before when Tom had shot one and brought it back to the house their group had been hauled up in at the time. Carol had seasoned it with salt, pepper, and garlic. Kat smiles eating the rest slowly, knowing if she eat as quickly as she wanted she’d probably be sick. She’d learned that the hard way a few weeks before.

Kat sat silently while she eat and the rest of the people around her talked. The conversation flowed freely until the soft cry of a baby cut Rick off. Kat’s eyes widen as she turns to see Beth pick a small baby, only about a month or two old out a small bin she hadn’t noticed next to the table.

“You have a baby?” She asks mouth open in shock.

“Rick’s daughter, Judith.” Beth says as she rocks the baby softly. “I’m gonna go change her.” Beth says with a nod to Rick.

“I’ll come she needs to eat still right?” Beth nods. Kat watches them go shaking her head. This day couldn’t get much stranger if it tried.

“Beth takes care of Judith so Rick can go on runs and work around the prison.” Maggie explains seeing the look on her face. “Most people react the same way to seeing her.”

“Well considering making a lot of noise means death most of the time now days, it’s not exactly common to see a living baby.”

“The fences help with that, and Judith is pretty quiet.” Glenn says with a smile.

“Can I ask where your from now?” Carl pipes up.

“Uh Las Vegas originally.” Kat answers not sure why he cares so much.

“But you flew out of Seattle?” Glenn asks.

“I grew up in Vegas till I was six, then moved to DC with my brother it’s where I was headed when the world went to shit. I moved to Seattle a few years ago.” Kat explains.

“How’d you end up in Georgia?” Maggie asks.

“Plane ran out of fuel we had to land. We were supposed to refuel during a layover in Texas but the airport wouldn’t respond.”

“Damn. You still headed to DC?” Glenn asks.

“I was trying to, but I kept going in circles without a map.” Kat shrugs. “I’m pretty positive I won’t make it there alone, so I guess I’m here for the time being at least.”

“Well I hope you choose to stay, it’s too dangerous out there to go it alone.” Maggie smiles sadly at her. Kat smiles back before standing up with her empty plate. “Where do I take this?”

“To Carol.” Carl points to where Carol is standing by a bin finishing up her own food. Kat nods and walks over to her.

“Thank you for the food, it was delicious.” Kat places her plate and fork in the bin that is full of other dirty dishes. She hoped she didn’t get assigned dish duty, she’d do it of course, but dishes had always been her most hated chore.

“No problem, Dear. I’ll show you your cell and give you a tour.” Carol places her now empty plate in the bin and leads Kat into a Cell Block marked D. “This is where all the new arrivals live. Those of us who founded the prison live in Cell Block C.” Kat nods following her up some stairs to a cell against the back wall. The cell beside it is clearly vacant as well. “I thought you might want a cell by yourself. You can of course take one of the other empty ones.”

“No this is fine, thank you.” Kat smiles weakly at her. The cell has a sink, a bunk bed, and a few small shelves. A curtain is hung inside the door for privacy and some sheets, pillows, and what looks like toiletries sit on the bottom bunk.

“You can decorate or do whatever you want with the place.” Kat steps in peeling her bags off her shoulders for the first time in a few days and sets them on the floor by the bed. She rolls her shoulders wincing at the tightness in them. “Hershel is our doctor, we also have Doctor S, so if you need anything looked at just come to me or one of them and we’ll get you squared away. I’ll show you the showers.” Kat follows Carol out of the cellblock down a few halls into a large bathroom. There are showers lined up, separated by curtains, they had set up a few water barrels that pumped water into the shower pipes.

“Toilets are over there.” Carol motions to a room. “You have to pump the water yourself, but it works pretty well. The waters clean we get it from the creek.”

“This is amazing.” Kat says looking it over. “I never thought I’d see running water again.”

“We make do.” Carol laughs. “If you have anything that needs washing just put it in the laundry basket in your cell, we’ll wash it and put it back. We have some clothing stocked up if you need any as well.”

“I’d love some clean clothes. All my stuff is beyond dirty at this point.” Kat says following Carol to a supply room. She quickly picks out a few tank tops and t-shirts, a few pairs of jeans, a few flannels, a package of socks, a few bras, and a package of underwear. “You guys raided a clothing store didn’t you?”

“A few weeks ago.” Carol laughs. “Welcome to the prison, Kat. I hope you like it here.” Carol pats her arm keeping a straight face when Kat flinches away. Kat’s cheeks burn as she looks down.

“Thanks.” Carol gives her a sad smile and leaves her to her own devices. Kat quickly makes her way back to her cell. She dumps most of her new clothes on the bed before grabbing the shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a towel and heading to the showers.

She pumps the water spending almost an hour under the cool stream. The water was far from warm, but it was good enough to get clean. She scrubbed her skin raw, wincing as she washed over the many bruises, cuts, and scrapes. She was relieved there wasn’t a mirror for her to see her new scars with. After her shower she dresses quickly in her new clothes, opting for a t-shirt with a flannel over top, some jeans, and new undergarments. She laces back up her boots braiding her wet hair back before brushing her teeth and heading back to her cell. Kat dumps her dirty clothing in the basket a long with her hunting jacket.

“Wow, you look awesome!” Kat turns as Beth steps into her cell.

“Uh, thanks.”

“I brought you some bins and a few things so you could organize your cell.” Beth holds up a few storage bins that seem to have some more bedding and what looks to be a few knickknacks, some tape, and a packet of a disposable hooks like Kat used to use to hang Christmas decorations. Kat takes the bins setting them on the bed.

“Thank you.”

“I’m in cell block C if you need anything.” Beth smiles brightly at her before walking out. Kat turns to the bins moving them to the floor she starts emptying her very dirty bags, tossing any clothing into the laundry bin. She piles books, pictures, and other personal items on the bed setting her weapons on the lower shelf. She puts the bags in the bin as well to washed, although she’d probably wash them herself the next day.

Kat stands up making the bed. She stores her weapons in one of the bins sliding it under the head of bed. She hangs a hook beside the foot of the bed to hang her bow and quiver from. Her knife and gun staying on her belt for now. She slides the black box she keeps her electronics in under the bed and folds her remaining clothing into a bin. She puts her books on the shelves and tapes up a few of the pictures storing the rest in a bin with her jewelry, her many pairs of glasses, and a few other trinkets. She places her stuffed cat next to her pillow and looks around.

It was surreal she had a bedroom, an actual bed, pictures on a wall. Maybe she was settling in too quickly, trusting too easily. But did she really have a choice? They seemed nice enough, maybe a bit naïve just letting her in so easily, but maybe she could make a life here? At least until she was strong enough and prepared enough to head to DC? Or maybe even forever?

Kat steps out of the cell and closes the cell door seeing if it auto locked or not. The door opened easily at her pull. Okay she wouldn’t get locked in, good. Kat steps back in the cell closing it and taking off her belt; she removes her gun holster and gun setting them on her bed and her knife holster and knife. She wraps the belt around the doorframe and a few bars into the door, buckling it so a walker wouldn’t be able to push it open. Better safe than sorry. She closes the curtain moving her gun under her pillow, tossing the holster into the weapons bin and pinning the knife holster to her belt loop, she lies down. Kat hesitates before kicking off her boots, pulling a blanket over herself she takes off her glasses setting them on the closest shelf; she needed to remember to get a small table brought in for those.

It isn’t long before Kat hears other people entering the cell block clearly heading to bed based on what they’re saying. Kat closes her eyes letting her body relax into the mattress. She is out in minutes her exhaustion pushing her too deep to dream.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” – Ernest Hemingway

---Line Break---

AN:

And with the post of Chapter Two I can now explain my chapter layout. In ‘Season One’ as I’m calling it all odd chapters are set at the start of Kat’s story. All Evan chapters will be set starting between seasons 3 and 4 of walking dead and continuing from there. I don’t know yet how many chapters will be in season one as that keeps changing. I will say when that changes and the chapter set up changes. A version of this explanation will be added to the start of each chapter from chapter 3 on. This chapter set up is largely why there will likely be two chapters a week.

I hope everyone enjoyed!

Any kind of review that is nice even a Good Chapter or a smiley face is appreciated!

– Kat

#walking dead #Criminal Minds #crossover #Daryl Dixon #daryl dixon x oc #walking dead fanfiction

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etherealrj · 7 years ago

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loving someone - part one

BLURB : years after the IT incident, the loser's slowly drift apart due to a misunderstanding on eddie's behalf. the misfits haven't been the same since that summer. now eddie comes face to face with the mistake he made six months prior and his world gets turned upside down all because the losers didn't try hard enough.

PAIRINGS : reddie

WARNINGS: homophobia, depression, mentions of suicide

read on ao3

A/N If we want to be real legit i wrote this while listening to the 1975 and I think its one of the best things I’ve ever done so if you guys like it I’m doing a part two bc I want this to become a series maybe idk tell me what u think!

masterlist

part one

part two

part three

part four (coming soon)

words - 900

Eddie brought the pale blue inhaler up to his mouth with his right hand, pushing the hard plastic between his lips and holding. He released his grasp on the canister and took a deep breathe, feeling the medicine enter his lungs, relief fell over him. He brought the dispenser away from his lips with an exasperated sigh and glanced behind his shoulder.

“You’ve been smoking again Richie.” Eddie stated with a slight quirk of his eyebrow. He could practically taste the nicotine in the air. He cast a quick look in Richie’s direction before turning back to the book that rested in his other hand.

Eddie was not impressed.

Attached to Richie’s side was a barely conscious female. Eddie thought she was all too skinny to be able to hold herself up right. What a perfect match for Richie Tozier then.

“What are you doing here, Ed’s?” Richie questioned. He had long lost any form of character; his jokes were gone, his bad accents faded away. To an outsider, which is what you would call Eddie nowadays, Richie was a depthless human being void of any personality. He smoked too much and ran with the wrong crowd. He was a mystery to all those around him and if you thought you knew him you were wrong.

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie’s reply was hasty and subconscious. He sat on the table top, impatiently waiting for the boy to leave, he eagerly anticipated Bill’s own arrival, knowing that his appearance would send Richie away. None of the Loser’s, if you could still call them that, had spoken to Richie in months. They barely even spoken to each other, but they had all at least attempted to keep in minimal contact.

All those expect Richie, who a few months back decided to drop off the face of Earth never to be heard from until he resurfaced a few months ago unconscious and laying in a hospital bed. Rumours spread like wild fire, majority claiming him he had tried to O.D but just become another name added to the never ending list of unsuccessful suicide candidates.

He stopped talking to the Loser’s and prevented any of the six to ever get closer enough to try. No one had ever found out the truth as to why the boy had disappeared. He was see moping around town and barely attending school, leeching off whichever drug addicted teenager could supply him with cigarettes. Richie had lost an extreme amount of weight which paired with his tall, long limbed frame made Eddie want to vomit.

Deep down he missed the boy a lot, he’d never tell him that because this Richie Tozier who stood present in front of him with dark circles under his eyes and the forever lingering smell of tobacco was not his Richie Tozier. As he stood in front of Eddie for the first time in five months all the small boy wanted to do was hug him and never let go.

Eddie was beyond pissed that it was now of all times that Richie made his presence in Eddie’s life prominent again, after he left everything else fell apart. Eddie blamed Richie for all of it and he was not too quick to forgive him.

Eddie was broken out of his thoughts by a loud cough. Gazing in the direction of the noise, he locked eyes with Bill and noticed Stan trailing on behind. His body instantly relaxed as he stood to greet his old friends.

Richie turned in his place and watched the interaction between the three boys that he was hardly seen without during majority of his childhood. Enduring all three original members of their little club in such proximity to himself, was overwhelming to say the least. He could feel his face heating up and his heart beat erratically, if he stayed any longer he thought he may just have a panic attack.

So, he took one last glance at the teens who seem to be having a mental conversation between one another, before pulling the sleeve of the ratty blonde-haired girl and heading in the opposite direction.

Eddie glanced over to he now vacant spot where Richie once stood. Repressing the guilty feeling that was creeping its way into his heart.

“W-what’d he w-want?” Bill asked, eyebrows frowning on confusion as he starred at the side of Eddie’s face.

Eddie shrugged his shoulders in response, his head shook slightly. “He didn’t get that far.” Eddie paused to look up at Stan, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Do you think he’s okay?”

“I think it’s a bit late to ask that question, isn’t it?” Eddie felt his hand shake, and if Bill or Stan had ever asked, he would've blamed it on the wind for sending a chill down his spine. They all knew that would be a lie.

“What did I do wrong?” Eddie’s asks lowly, voice cracking through a sob, “What’d we do wrong?” Bill set his arm around Eddie’s shoulder, pulling him into a side hug. A sad smile playing on his lips, as he watches Eddie’s eyes glass over using his peripheral vision.

He glanced at Stan who just shook his head in disappointment before saying, “We just didn’t try hard enough.”

A/N I get too excited when I write I s2g I wasn't gonna post this today. if yall want part two let me know!

if you wanna be in the taglist lemme know!

if you wanna be removed also lemme know.

taglist : @colinmorgay @its-ya-girl-mercy @tastes-like-cherry-coke @netzoflix @bitch-its-youknowwho @prkrptr @ladycataztrophe @whoisjjacob @eddies-inhaler @stenbroughh @eddierichietozier @scienceyyy @randvmfandoms @letgoofmygreggo @liadfh @smol-and-annoying @trashmouthloser @acourtofbooks @richiedenbroughs

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justkeepshuffling · 7 years ago

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21 Albums From 2017 Ranked

I probably don't need to explain anything since nobody really seeks my opinion on these matters, but this isn't a "Best Of 2017" from a guy who digests ton's of releases. These are albums that were (mostly) already on my radar by bands I already enjoy and I'm listing those particular albums in order of my level of enjoyment. It's been a few years since I've done this, but I'm working overtime until 4am and what better way to stay awake and stimulated? Ah, music...

21) Circa Survive - 'The Amulet'

I literally downloaded this album and never listened to it. I think I checked out two music videos and thought, "This seems pretty Circa Survive". I technically still haven't fully digested 'Violent Waves'. Sometimes that happens for me. Someone puts out a record before I've fully absorbed the prior one and I just never catch up accordingly. My full listen through 2014's 'Descensus' did nothing for me, unfortunately. I'm not sure if these guys are doing any reinventing. It mostly feels like mid tempo monotony.

20) Maroon 5 - ‘Red Pill Blues’

This album holds a special place in my heart since my daughter really took to the single “What Lovers Do (Feat. SZA)”. When my wife told me this was her favorite song I thought she was just being a cute Mom. Winds up no matter how fussy she is, the baby stops and smiles when the opening starts. I could go on about how I miss Maroon 5 having real drums and how little James Valentine gets to let his guitar shine (especially after releasing such a beautiful signature model Ernie Ball guitar), but there’s catchy material all over the place. It’s the Adam Levine show and nobody wants to get off that money train, understandably. At least I can always think of a beautiful little newborn enjoying music with her beautiful Mama when I think of this album.

19) Kelly Clarkson - 'Meaning Of Life'

Yet another album I never got a front to back session with. When tracks come up on shuffle I'm usually impressed though. Once again, I never gave 2015's 'Piece By Piece' a full front to back, nor 2011's 'Stronger'. I was too busy being in love with 2009's 'All I Ever Wanted', which still stands as her masterpiece.

18) Less Art - 'Strangled Light'

If you know anything about me, you're probably aware my love for anything Thrice related. This band features the brotherly rhythm section of Riley Breckenridge (drums) and Eddie Breckenridge (bass in Thrice/guitar in Less Art) so I had to investigate. While the post hardcore soundtrack is within my taste, the vocal delivery, sadly is not. I'm a melody man, myself. I cannot say enough good things about the production. This is how guitars should sound. The low end is so thick and distinct. Everything cuts through. The guitars are heavy but you hear every note within the chords. Just beautiful. Hats off to the engineer, producer and mixer for achieving tonal supremacy.

17) The Killers - 'Wonderful Wonderful'

I may have fizzled out on this band with 'Battle Born', but I was hopeful. After a full once over, I don't find myself coming back to this often. Standard rock record, but maybe a little wavering and uninspired. If they continue putting out records for another decade or so, I'd be curious what gets played from this particular collection.

16) St. Vincent - 'Masseduction'

There's something about Annie Clark. When I stop and think about her entire catalog, I sometimes ponder if she's overrated. I honestly think she's just so damn cool that it's hard to say anything negative about her. She certainly has some great songs and she's a phenomenal guitarist. I tend to cherry pick with her songs. I was a bit thrown off by the creative choices on this album. I certainly don't worship at the altar of Jack Antinoff so I don't understand why everyone seeks him out as a producer (Note: his taste in women is uniquely questionable). The production is bare, all electronic drums, and less guitar than I would have hoped. Standout tracks like "New York" and "Los Ageless" are catchy but not much else gripped me. Expectations are high post Grammy win. I felt a little let down.

15) Katy Perry - 'Witness'

Speaking of high expectations... Katy's part of the pop machine now. The songwriting credits on this album are absurdly astronomical. 2013's 'Prism' was mature and inviting with real raw moments mixed in with the colorful fun. The few moments on ‘Witness’ that had real possibility didn't pop where they needed. "Chained To The Rhythm" had a ton of potential but the chorus lacked the brightness to make it stand out. It just fell flat, like most of the album. The pre-release tag of “Purposeful Pop” bit her in the ass post-release. My theory, there were probably 30+ songs written (some of which were, in fact, social conscious) but didn’t make the final cut. A week prior to the release, there were still only two titles out of about thirteen that were listed on iTunes, which I feel proves she was slighted by the powers that be. If you don't have full say in your career decisions, maybe don’t make bold statements about your upcoming album.

14) Weezer - 'Pacific Daydream'

I walked into this album expecting disappointment. 2016's self-titled "White Album" was right on par with every other self-titled color release in their catalog as their best work. Seeing another album coming down the pipe a year later that had an off title left me uneasy. This album is in a similar vein, albeit not as great as it's predecessor. It plays a bit more like a good b-sides record from those album sessions. Very worth the listen, and makes up for some of the mess that 'Hurley' and 'Raditude' left on their hands.

13) Envy On The Coast - 'Ritual'

This EP has been explained as a revisiting of old idea's through the lense of the reformed present. While Envy On The Coast is "back", it's missing three original members. When your drummer is as incredible as Dan Gluszak, it's noticeable when he's not there. I've had many discussions about how a band is never the same after losing their drummer. It's such a strong part of the blueprint. I'm not overly familiar with Dillinger Escape Plan's Billy Rymer, but the drumming on this release could have been done by anyone. Envy vocalist Ryan Hunter drummed on 2010's 'Lowcountry' with descent results, I'm not sure why they didn't go that route again. Songs like "Virginia Girls" sit right in play with where they had left off. The songs are a bit straight forward/on the nose. Perhaps some of the songwriting flare left with the eloped members. I think this release was to get the lingering idea's of the past out of their system so they can properly attack a full length album next. Considering how meandering all the post breakup projects were, I'm excited for the future.

12) Glassjaw - 'Material Control'

Fifteen years between full lengths is not ideal. Most began to give up hope on this mystery record. That Billy Rymer kid played on this album too! Unlike 2002's 'Worship & Tribute', some of the songs tend to blend together with only a few true standouts. Further parallels with Envy on the Coast include writing songs without an official drummer. With Daryl and Beck doing all the heavy lifting, I can't help but feel that when the time comes to show a studio drummer 12 songs, structure gets watered down. The tracks lack a sense of adventure, complexity, hard left turns. The vocals are buried in the mix at times, which lends itself to the aggressive bite of the guitar/bass attack. Alas, it's just nice having something come out finally.

11) Foo Fighters - 'Concrete & Gold'

As my wonderful bass player Joey P. said, "After two career defining albums late in your career, this is the inevitable letdown". The man is a wordsmith. Sad but true, and yet... it's worth noting their mediocre effort is still better than most. The Greg Kurstin production choice makes zero sense, still. I think Dave thought it would yield something incredible and people would be amazed by his oddball idea that really paid off. It did not. The musicianship is always crisp, so they can hang their hat on that since the songs aren't something you'll come back to again and again. This is sadly a mostly forgettable album by the biggest band in the world.

10) Haim - 'Something To Tell You'

I waited years for this album. Chomping at the bit. Anxious. Excited. Impatient. Guess what... I barely listen to the damn thing. I was obsessed with their debut. Every song was perfectly crafted. There's some real head scratching moments on this album. Like producer Rostam Batmanglij using an obvious vocal effect he used on Vampire Weekend albums. One song features awkward silence as a bridge. The closer "Right Now" has this off beat drum loop that is damn near impossible to follow which takes you way out of the song because you're trying to nail down the confusing timing. The girls still shine, and perhaps I just forget that the album is there but I thought with the amount of time invested in writing and recording it would be at least on par with their first album.

9) Brand New - 'Science Fiction'

The elephant in the room. Sexual misconduct allegations aside, I'm going to concentrate on the music because there's three other band members who invested everything into creating this album and discrediting them would be a disservice to their efforts. That being said, I listened to this album a lot. People lost their minds over this surprise release. I did not. I was excited, yes. But let's be clear, peoples obsessive nature for this band clouded their judgment. It's a good album. It's not the masterpiece people sold it as. Considering their penchant for reinvention via back to back releases like 2003's 'Deja Entendu' and 2006's 'The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me', which both served as career defining milestones, an eight year wait should have yielded a much more refined and impressive product. Still, this record is more tainted by Jesse Lacey's admittance of exploiting his status to take advantage of female fans more than the fact that a very good record isn't a great record. Who'd have thought that their cheeky T-shirts saying "Brand New 2001-2018" was a much more ambitious timeline than they had anticipated...

8) Portugal. The Man - "Woodstock"

Just a good catchy rock record from a great workhorse of a band. "Feel It Still" getting radio play should be a victory for us all. There's a lot of winning moments on this record. They deserve every bit of success they've worked so long to achieve.

7) Bush - 'Black & White Rainbows'

Yes, I like Bush. Gavin is the reason I switched to guitar and became a front man. Since their "reformation", this music has been questionable, at best. I hadn't realized how much Nigel and Dave reigned in the songs until they were absent from the process. Most of Gavin Rossdale's lyrics in the 2010's are complete garbage. Just meaningless phrases thrown against the wall. How many ways can one phrase "Don't lose yourself", you ask? Aside from "what the hell does that even mean?", too many ways apparently. Here's the thing about this album for me... I loved the production. The dry, tight drum sound spoke to me. The guitars/amps had a vintage pawn shoppe vibe. It was Hi-fi Lo-fi done to perfection. Then, out of nowhere... months later the album is re-released as a "Remaster" with a completely different track listing, two new songs and the lead single has an extended outro chorus. Lead guitarist Chris Traynor didn't have an answer as to why this happened. It helped the drums cut through harder and the kick became more vibrant. It was the right call. I just wish I was able to blast this album with windows down without feeling embarrassed someone's going to hear the lyrics and lose all respect for me.

6) Dreamcar - 'Dreamcar'

What happens when you mix all the core dudes from No Doubt and AFI's Davey Havok? You get 80's pop rock bliss! I was super excited to hear this album and I probably don't listen to it as often as I should. Not having any expectations or label constraints truly comes across in the music. It's the musicianship you've come to expect from Tom, Adrian and Tony with the vocal theatrics of later-era AFI with touches of The Cure, Kraftwerk, and countless other New Wave/Post Punk influences.

5) SAINTE - 'Smile & Wave'

I wasn't familiar with Tay Jardine's prior band We Are The In Crowd. I'm not even sure how I stumbled upon this band. Maybe Youtube? Either way, this 7 song EP blew me away. The production is pristine. The drums sound huge, the guitars and bass are so full, almost like an Eric Valentine produced record without the gritty/metallic/digital tinge he sometimes gets. The melodies soar, they're memorable, they're fun. I wish they had perhaps waited and recorded another 3 songs to make a proper full length. I can't imagine the challenges of being a female rock vocalist in a post-Paramore landscape but if this is a band finding it's leg's, the future is incredibly bright.

4) Minus The Bear - 'VOIDS'

I'm realizing drummers are a recurring theme in this post. Minus The Bear traditionally wrote the foundation of their records with guitarist Dave Knudson and drummer Erin Tate. After Erin's vague dismissal, they had to regroup. It's odd hearing a release without the heavy handed hi-hat work, but it still feels like a Minus The Bear album. A casual listener may not take notice, but it's certainly an adjustment with keyboardist Alex Rose taking lead vocals on 3 of the 10 tracks. While some tracks hit the mark, there's a few slow drones in the mix. The only unfortunate moment is the climactic ending on closer "Lighthouse". The "A Day In The Life" style noisy build to a cool 16-bit, glitchy, audible seizure seems like an idea they tacked on to a song that was in the same key but doesn't quite follow the songs chord progression. It confuses the musician in me. Sometimes you have to let an idea go, no matter how much you love it. Serve the song. This was a transitional period navigated better than most. The next release will be the true test of their ability to gel with the new method of songwriting.

3) Incubus - '8'

So many polarizing, conflicting feelings with this album. How do you wrap your head around an album with such catchy songs yet such garbage production? Let's start with the negatives. This album is really only 9 songs. The instrumental track is a total throwaway and the mariachi joke song "When I Became A Man" should have been a hidden track at best. If you combine the prior EP "Trust Fall Side-A", you have a proper full length to be proud of. Now let's talk production. Holy hell, it's God awful. Dave Sardy apparently made Brandon do a million vocal takes and when his voice was good and shredded, used the last wreck of a take. Guitarist Mike Einziger, a Harvard grad, and a wildly underrated and innovative guitarist had the batshit crazy idea to have Skrillex come in and mix the album. Dr. Wubwub Laptop Millionaire went even further and restructured songs and removed pre chorus' on top of it. I'm hoping for the 20 year anniversary edition of this album they'll release the album we should have received. I want to know Incubus' vision and perhaps a proper mix that doesn't sound like noisy kids trying to blow out your car speakers. The redemption? It's hooky as hell. There's a reason these guys are huge. They write catchy rock songs. There's a few odd lyrical moments, but I can get past it. Lead single "Nimble Bastard" is way to similar to the aforementioned EP's "Dance Like You're Dumb". I'm still hoping to find out the "vision" for this album. If I had to guess, they wanted a hard hitting gritty garage rock sound that was a nod to their debut full length 'S.C.I.E.N.C.E.' to compliment/balance the more refined rock they currently create. Still, nothing will touch 2011's Brendan O'Brien produced 'If Not Now, When?'. This album might have been a knee jerk reaction to the atmospheric, sparse, mellow vibe of that record. I would have been equally as happy with a continuation of that mindset. Though, a hard rock record still feels right for this band.

2) Paramore - 'After Laughter'

The last time I did one of these lists was 2013, and Paramore's self titled album was my number one pick that year. Here we are in 2018, reviewing 2017 and boy was it close. So close! I probably listened to this album the most over the course of the year. Negate the artsy back patting exploration of "No Friend", which serves nothing more to the album than a self indulgent excuse to have the Me Without You singer inaudibly mumble over a painfully droning outro to "Idol Worship", and you have a perfect record. Now that we have that out of the way, we can discuss everything they did right with this album. The 80's aesthetic even has a place in the experience. After the prior albums brilliance, it was a logical move to stick with producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Where the prior album had bells, whistles and flourishes all over the place; 'After Laughter' has a more spacious sound. Not to say if you don't pay close attention you won't find wonderful additions all over the place, but the production and mix on this album was a bit more bare bones. The structures are simpler, the songs are dancier, and the flow is damn near perfect. The guitars shine when necessary, and the neck pickup finds it's place on the bouncier riffs. Zac Farro's return to the drum riser shows off what he learned in his time away. Groove. The drumming is not that of a rock drummer. It's someone who's peppering in rhythmic atmosphere and holding back when necessary. I was so invested in the upbeat tone of the music that I hadn't noticed the writing on the wall. The lyrics should have tipped me off that things weren't so great in Hayley Williams' camp. When she announced her very quick post nuptial split from NFG microphone hog Chad Gilbert, the information was in front of us the entire time. The dark lyricism over the backdrop of uplifting tunes is reminiscent of early Saves The Day records, which, considering the reach of their influence was likely a conscious decision. This might not have been a step forward in their sound, but a playfully necessary sidestep for a band that felt they were maturing faster than they wanted to.

1) Michelle Branch - 'Hopeless Romantic'

Oh the shit-eating grin on my face right now. I didn't expect this either. But holy effing hell! What an album! I downloaded this out of sheer curiosity. 2017 was the year of overdue albums and this one beat Glassjaw and Brand New by a mile. It seemed odd for such a big pop star to go without releasing a full length for fourteen years. Then to find out she had the Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney producing/performing seemed really interesting. Winds up the guy is incredible at producing. Every song is a perfectly crafted pop song. Not bubble gum pop, but rock songs that could all be radio singles. If I had to chose a criticism, it would be that "Knock Yourself Out" sounds too Michelle Branch-y. Like, the Michelle Branch of the early aught's. There's a vintage feel to the soundscape. The bass is plucky, the drums are dry and punchy, and the melodies are what dreams are made of. This collection has been a reminder that you can worry about a million aspects of a song, but a solid catchy melody is what we're all looking for. It's brought me back to what truly counts in song writing. A song you can sing along to. There's not much more I can say about this album. My inability to dissect this album is truly it's strong suit. When a great song works, it just works. Sometimes it comes together so quick you can't even explain the process. Imagine that 12 times over. Sometimes it's that simple.

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josephkitchen0 · 7 years ago

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Something

Even though I am not in Oregon, not with my Mom and Aunt, not by my Grandma's side, I am still waiting. Keeping vigil, I think of it. I think of her, Eunice, Grandma, all the time, trying to recall everything. Yes, basically, everything... words, occasions, holidays, the smell of her cooking, important ideas or lessons she may have been imparting when I wasn't paying close enough attention. But I was paying attention. I did enjoy her company, her laugh, the way she made things fit and work, and come out beautifully. I was paying attention to all of that. And I bitterly resent that it is behind me now... that I cannot enjoy photographic memory, perfect recall, or simply have her in my life for always. And so go my thoughts, the emotional tug of war, pulling me between absolute grief, and acceptance. Acceptance? No, more like resignation, at best. This is the part where I feel compelled to apologize. Sorry, I am being obtuse, and for those who think otherwise, I could say, Sorry I'm 'oversharing' and 'obsessing.' But. Really... screw that. I've got forty-two problems, and justifying my existence and ways of coping, making myself invisible, will not be one of them. I do need something. Something to make or do, or think about. Something to show at the end of the day, something that honors the goodness and inspiration that I love and treasure about Eunice, Grandmother. Before leaving, last week, I'd brought home fabric, with the idea that I could make skirts for Maria. I didn't want to wrestle with a pattern. I wanted to take this "simple" notion in my head, which I was sure I could easily turn into a waistband-ed, buttoned, long, prairie-style skirt. I was eager and excited for my scheme, for the feeling, that I know can be fleeting, that this was going to be a sure thing, sewing success. As I was packing to fly to Oregon, setting aside the already laundered fabric, I knew I would have to be deliberate and purposeful if I was ever going to make anything of the pretty prints, because the muse that inspires successful sewing is fleeting, and "the real world" is pressing and insistent. I dreaded the idea that I would give up, miss the chance to enjoy testing my simple notion. Yesterday, finally, I declared, "Today I will do something. I will make that skirt." And I added, "At the end of this day, I will have something to show for my time and energy." And I wish I hadn't said, literally, "end of this day," because as it turns out, it did take practically an entire day to execute my simple notion. Hello, old friend. On the first seam, no less! Out came the seam ripper, my old, familiar friend. I was pretty sure I could engineer a pocket, and even scanned through an online tutorial on adding pockets to skirts. I just love that confident, I'm being oh-so methodical and correct about this sensation, which so often visits me before I mess up. I closed the seam over the opening of the pocket which was hanging out like a floppy flap, wrong-side out. Don't ask me how I did this. Don't ask me how I got it right, the next time. But, I did get it right. And eventually, I got the whole skirt "right." I could have sewn two skirts for all the do-overs and seam-ripping I went through. And I can't explain, either, how I could make so many mistakes, and remain so calm and composed. I was never flummoxed nor flustered, there was not a single f-bomb. It could be that I am accustomed to my haphazard methods. It could be that thinking of my Grandma, as I was, I felt content, resigned, happy to have something to do, something pretty, familiar, if challenging. Should I add? Yes, I will... I have not had a single halloween candy. Not one. Not a fun-size, not a Smartie. Everyone here knows it, too, because I repeat it often enough. Like, when I feel sad, "I've had no candy, at all." When faced with cat barf, featherless chicken antics, spam-phone calls, spilling tea all over myself... I declare it, again, "Not even a Kiss." I do not know what kind of sorry-ass badge of honor I think this merits, or why I have to share it. But there it is. Hmmm... perhaps I do 'overshare' and 'obsess.' I made it to grow with her. At least, that is my notion... that with a second button, and letting down the generous hem, she can wear this skirt for a few years. I kept thinking, I should take notes, so the second, third, fourth skirt will be easier to make. Yeah, that would have been a good idea: notes. Let's see... 32" waistband, 15" for the front panel, and 15" for the back, and two spare inches for the adjustable waist. No... wait, no wonder it's so loose. Her waist is 28". Did I mention it's adjustable? And she seems to prefer wearing it low, anyway. I should have taken notes. Better notes. I wonder if I will make another... Here's the part where I started to feel it. To feel like this was a pleasure. It still seems improbable, but hand sewing is a pleasure. When did this happen? When did the slow, repetitive, chore become a meditation, a happy pastime? I don't know, but likely it grew over time, with practice. Even understanding it in a practical sense, doesn't clarify for me why I should enjoy something I'd always considered dull, daunting. Now, with each stitch, my mind wanders and I ponder contentedly on what I am doing, who it is for, how I love them. If hand sewing were athleticism, I would be a triathlete, a distance runner. William knows buttonholes. I can do it... but he's done more of them, and he kindly obliged me, making first the one I asked for, which was wrong, and out came the same ripper, again. Again. And with the same grace and calm, he made a second one, and it was correct, the way he suggested to begin with. Lovely. We got through that, and I sewed the button on, then realized we needed a hook and eye for that extra bit of waistband length. Someone has to agree with me... vintage sewing notions are charming. Right? Does anyone know what the middle row are for? I did it all wrong if I should have put those to use. The hem is a 10" fold. I'm sure she won't grow ten inches, but the weight of the heavy hem gives the skirt a nice fall. Find Chango. I still haven't had any candy. In a moment of weakness I put a Milky Way in the freezer, and a Snicker. That's a trick I learned from Handsome Eddie... chocolate bar in the freezer. I was seven or eight when he took us into his garage, offered us frozen Snicker bars, and I marveled at the patience, the foresight to delay gratification, to wait for a treat to freeze, to trust it wouldn't be lost. My favorite parts are the gathers at the waist band, and hearing it rustle when she walks or twirls. Grandmother was one of the women that taught me to sew, and that is a day vivid in my memory, thankfully. She was patient, and insistent. She encouraged me to see the worth of doing things correctly, to not sacrifice quality for poor work. It wasn't about being 'perfect,' but more of an idea of making the best of what you know, what is possible. When sewing, even when I don't know what I am doing, I strive to get it right, to make it pretty, worthwhile. It took most of the day to make, but I was so happy to have something to show for my time and energy. It could have been laundry, or paperwork organized, it should have been "important" stuff. But I am in a hard place, and I need something to help me get through this. Something was originally posted by All About Chickens

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irescot · 7 years ago

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Scotland Tour - Day 3 (8/29)

First off, I've been wanting to say this since we got to Edinburgh, but keep forgetting to mention it. I think that Irish and Scottish drivers are terrific. They manage to drive side by side in these teeny weeny lanes and not get in each other's way. In addition, they are very polite drivers in that they hardly ever honk, and they stop for others when doing so would make the other person's passage easier (or even possible). Hats off to them!

Also, as a side observation, while some of the Irish people were "-ish" when it came to time, that was not the case in Scotland. Everyone we dealt with was right on time.

Lastly, my pictures from now on are going to feature a lot of landscapes; I've never met a landscape I didn't like, particularly if there are photogenic clouds involved. So just keep going to another picture that gives more context to the post. The other sad thing is that sometimes the pictures are in the reverse order than what I described because of the way photos are uploaded and sorted in my PC, and then by Shutterfly. Nothing I can do about that.

Okay, back to the tour. Toda we leave Edinburgh and head for St. Andrews, then Pitlochry and finally to a town in the Scottish Highlands, where we'll stay two nights (yay!).

We travel North out of Edinburgh and cross the Firth of Forth on the bridge we say earlier from the train. Our guide tells us that there was a famous disaster here when the train bridge sank, killing all aboard. When they rebuilt it, they left little pieces of the old bridge as a memorial to those killed. Then we go along the coast for a bit (just like on the train) and then go on to St. Andrews.

St. Andrews is not famous just as the self-titled home of golf, where golf first started, but it is also the name of the town that's nearby, that in addition to being very pretty, contains the University of St Andrews. Among other claims to fame, Prince William attended St. Andrews. He and the royal family wanted a place where he could get a first rate education, but not be in a famous place like Oxford or Cambridge where he would be in the public eye constantly. They chose St Andrews and the media even cooperated, leaving him alone while there. He apparently met Kate Middleton there, and gossip has it that they split, but reconnected later on during William's stay.

St. Andrews's was founded in 1413 and is the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. Almost 80 years before America was discovered. We drove around the town after we finished with the golf course.

St. Andrews (golf and town) are by the sea; that's maybe not news to most of you, but I was surprised. It has a nice little beach.

As you come into the St. Andrew's golf course, one of the first things you see is a statue of two horses, called Kelpies. The Kelpies were mythological beasts that possessed the strength and endurance of 10 horses. They represent the heavy horses that pulled the wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships (in the canals), the essence of Scottish industry.

St. Andrews has The Old Course, i.e., the original golf course and The Old Course Hotel runs alongside it. But nowadays there are 7 courses in total and they are all public. There are 6 additional courses in the area, and they are also all public. Apparently now someone is building or thinking of building another one, a high-end one, that would be a membership-only course, and furthermore, by invitation only. This does not sit well with the locals because they now pay around 180 pounds for a one-year membership at any of the public courses. That is the cost of one round of golf, so it's a heck of a bargain.

One wall at the course is called the Faces of Golf and features a lot of famous players.

We went on to Pitlochry, a small village on the shores of the River Tummel. It was made famous by Queen Victoria when she fell in love with the Scottish Highlands, she told everyone that it was one of the finest resorts in Europe and people started flocking to it. We mostly walked around a main street with lots of shops and restaurants, but not really a lot to see. We ate at one of the restaurants and it was just okay. Other people did some shopping as well.

Today was one of the days when we had an Optional Experience; these are activities for which you pay extra, but take you (in theory at least) to interesting places. So this afternoon those of use who selected the Optional Experience were taken to Blair Castle, home of the Duke of Atholl - the only man in Britain to have a private army. So while the rest of the people had more time to spend in Pitlochry, we went on.

Blair Castle is, in contrast to most castles, painted white. It is surrounded by really nice scenery. They let you take pictures outside, but not inside. We had to wait a while outside, as they like to leave a little room between groups so that there are no crushes.

We trudged up and down the castle and visited several anterooms, bedroom, sitting rooms, music room, dressing rooms, etc. After a while it got to be too much walking for me and I went through the rest of the exhibits as fast as I could. Of all I saw and heard, this is what I remember. The main room you come into from the grounds is covered in weaponry, every inch of every wall has halberds, swords, muskets, and other weapons, as well as a bunch of antlered deer heads. Clearly a man decorated this room. A woman was heard to tell her husband that there was no way he was going to do that at home.

I also remember a room filled with awards that were interesting by the many different designs that the awards had.

The last item I remember is that the current duke (the 12th) had to be found by going up and across the family tree because there were no direct male descendants. So a guy who is a computer programmer in South Africa became the Duke of Atholl. Carol was trying to picture him at a bar trying to pick up a young lady by telling her that he was a programmer, and the 12th Duke of Atholl. She ran with this idea, and it was very funny.

While we were in the castle, our driver Eddie went to pick up everyone else and brought them to the castle; when they arrived, we hopped aboard and kept on with the regular tour. Next stop was the place where we were going to spend 2 nights.

We passed a lot of reasonably flat areas, with mountains way in the background, and lots of pastures for sheep (mostly), cows, and horses. Lots of areas are very rocky and there you tend to see a lot of rock fences, which are made from rocks found in the pasture which have to be removed. They are fitted together without mortar. That makes it "easy" when there is a need to move animals from one pasture to another, to remove a part of the wall, get the herd moved, and then rebuild the wall. In other places they use lines of trees, or rows of hedges, or even posts and bailing wire.

The hills varied from just rocky crags with moss growing here and there, to very forested, to forested partway up the hill and nude above, and anything else in between. But always looking beautiful and changing as the light changed. There were great cloud formations wherever you looked.

We arrived at the place where we were staying, called Laggan House, a hotel in the middle of nowhere, but nestled in a lovely setting. It rained as we were arriving and as we enter the main lodge, they started assigning room numbers. Most were in the main lodge, but there were also a couple of cottages a little off to the side. We ended up in a biggish room with a gigantic bathroom (which is why I took the picture). The only caveat I had is that the floors creaked with practically every step and I tried to float, but it didn't work. Later on I was able to see that there were no other bedrooms underneath the rooms on my side, and I felt better.

There was going to be another Optional Experience, this time a Highland Farm Experience, where we would meet Neil and his border collies, who would show us how he could command the dogs with various whistling and words, and get the sheep rounded up, moved from one place to another, split up into two groups, and other maneuvers. This was a "weather permitting" activity, so Gary our tour guide checked the weather where Neil was located, and he said it was not supposed to rain.

Off we went to see Neil. He was pretty amazing; he had 6 or so border collies and they couldn't wait to get to work. He had general commands for everyone, and he had individual command for each, the general mostly words, and the individual with his whistling. Dogs have very keen hearing, so they were able to obey commands that he spoke in a low voice while they were on the other end of the pasture. It was a very entertaining show.

Then he told us about shearing. Most of it is done with electric shear during the summer, leaving them a little bit of coat so that they wouldn't go into the cold with nothing. When an animal went missing and was not caught until later, then they used shearing scissors. He had his son (13?) start shearing a sheep. When they grab a sheep for shearing, it looks like they are being handled with a lot of force and violence, but the sheep don't put up a fight or look particularly discomfited. The sheep are heavy, so to turn them on their back required a bit of heaving and dragging. He started shearing another animal, and after a few cuts, opened it to anyone who wanted to experience it. Mind you, he didn't just hand the shears to someone and let go of the animal, but the held the animal and guided the person hand in making the cuts. Several people volunteered to go, including Carol.

By this time I was tired and went to sit in the bus and my timing was impeccable as it started to rain harder. It had drizzled a little, on and off, during the demonstration, but this was serious, and so it was over and everyone piled onto the buses (there were two other busloads there to witness the demonstration).

On the way home, some more shots of different types of terrains and some typical houses.

There was water all around, pooling, streaming, creating temporary waterfalls, rivulets and mud puddles.

Lots of lochs or lakes around, there's a string of them running to the North Atlantic, that are salt water and some are tidal lochs. Other are further away and are fresh water.

Since we've been in the Highlands, the mountains have moved closer.

And that's it for Day 3 (8/29) of the Scottish Tour.

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mysteryshelf · 8 years ago

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BLOG TOUR - Two Heads are Deader than One

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Two Heads Are Deader Than One by Elena Hartwell

…the author does a great job of weaving details and people together making a ‘Who Dun It’ that mystery lovers will want to read! ~The Journey Back

Eddie’s witty no-nonsense personality and Hartwell’s well-paced writing style make the chapters fly by. This book is a buy. ~Readeropolis

Don’t miss this intense story that grabs your attention from the very beginning . ~Texas Book-aholic

Two Heads are Deader Than One (Eddie Shoes Mystery) Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series Camel Press (April 15, 2017) Paperback: 286 pages ISBN-13: 978-1603813136

Private Investigator Eddie Shoes is enjoying a rare period of calm. She’s less lonely now that Chava, her card-counting mom from Vegas, is sharing her home. She also has a new companion, Franklin, a giant dog of curious ancestry.

Hoping for a lucrative new case, Eddie instead finds herself taking on a less promising client: her best friend from her childhood in Spokane. Dakota has turned up in Bellingham in jail, where she is being held on a weapons charge. Eddie reluctantly agrees not only to lend her friend money for bail but to also investigate who is stalking her. Soon after Dakota is freed, she disappears again, leaving Eddie to answer to the local cops, including her ex-boyfriend Chance Parker. Has Dakota been kidnapped? If not, why did she jump bail? What are Eddie’s business cards doing on the bodies of two murder victims?

Character Interview With Eddie Shoes

You dropped out of high school and then traveled a bit before you ended up in Bellingham. What kind of places did you go to?

For the most part, I stayed on the West Coast. I went as far south as San Diego, but realized very quickly that wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the beach a great deal, but that wasn’t going to be enough to keep me there. I had a great little apartment for one summer on the water in Ocean Beach, a neighborhood full of tattoo parlors, motorcycle shops, and bars. I loved the community, but it felt like I was melting away with all that sun. So come September, I worked my way north. I’d come into a new place, find a job, and earn enough to move on. I stopped in Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara. I worked in Solvang and Lompoc, and no, not at the prison if that’s what you’re wondering. Then I made my way through Oregon. Medford, Klamath Falls, The Dalles. After working in smaller towns, doing everything from picking grapes at a vineyard to night watchperson at a mostly empty mall, I decided I should give a bigger city a try. I got to Seattle and settled in. I met my mentor, Benjamin Cooper, who taught me everything I know about being a private investigator, and a lot about life in general. I stayed there until he died. From there I moved to Bellingham, and the rest, as they say, is history.

What do you feel were some of the biggest takeaways from those travels?

I confirmed I can take care of myself. That there’s work if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. That having brown skin can make people have assumptions about who I am and what my story is. It taught me not to make assumptions of my own when I meet a new person. We’ve all got stories, and some of them would surprise other people if they knew about them. I read a quote once, that said something like “everyone has troubles you don’t know about, so be kind.” After moving to so many different communities, that stayed with me. We’ve all got difficult things to overcome, so we should treat people with kindness, have a little compassion if someone else is having a bad day. It also taught me I’m very comfortable picking up and starting over. There’s a certain kind of freedom in that. It can also be an easy out. If things get difficult, to just leave. It’s harder, in some ways, to stick things out and put down roots. I’m trying that now and I think it’s going to be worth it. Ask me in a year and I’ll let you know.

Any particular fond memories from those times?

I had a morning on the coast of Oregon, when the gray whale migration was going on. It was late March, so they were heading north for the summer. I sat on a promontory over the ocean and watched these massive beasts cruising past. It made me feel small, but in a good way, like I was part of something larger. I always loved the first day I arrived somewhere new and the day I left. The sense of starting something, being new in town or heading out is a feeling I almost always enjoy. That changed when I left Seattle and moved to Bellingham. Leaving Seattle was the first time I experienced the grief of losing someone important to me in such a permanent way. I guess you could say, that was the first time I fled instead of left, if you understand the difference. I remember mornings, driving onto a half-empty highway, the sun just barely breaking the horizon line, the radio on in my old Subaru. My heart would soar with the endless possibilities of what lay ahead of me. When you’re tethered by family, friends, responsibilities, that’s not something you experience in the same way. I wouldn’t trade my rootless years for anything. Though I feel pretty good about where I am now.

Anything that particularly surprised you?

Did you know you can manufacture a fan belt out of a pair of pantyhose? I was broken down at a rest stop, my fan belt had given up the ghost and I was trying to figure out what to do. An older couple in an RV was nearby walking their little white dog. They came over to see what the problem was, I had my hood up in the universal signal for “help,” and when I told them, they solved the problem for me. She had a pair of nylons in her suitcase, which she’d brought along to wear to church on Sundays, when they found one on their journey. We cut one leg off the pantyhose and tied that around the pulleys as tight as we could and it worked. I couldn’t believe it. I drove all the way to the closest auto parts store, about twenty miles away, and got a replacement. They even followed me to make sure I got there safe and sound. We probably didn’t have anything in common, except we were at the same rest stop at the same time and they could help out a stranger. That surprised me throughout my trip, the kindness of strangers.

Did you ever, at any point, miss home or were you always happy just to be away?

I didn’t miss “home” per se. I enjoyed growing up in Spokane, but I didn’t feel sad about leaving it. I did feel sad about being away from my mom sometimes. I’d wish we were closer. She’d moved to Las Vegas and was having a life of her own, for the first time in her life as an adult, since she was only sixteen when she had me. Sometimes I’d wish she’d call and ask me to come stay with her. But that never lasted very long. I wouldn’t have wanted to live in Las Vegas, way too hot for me! and we might not have gotten along very well. I think everything worked out great, she’s staying with me now at a time when we’re both ready for it.

It’s been a pleasure talking with you.

About The Author

After twenty years in the theater, Elena Hartwell turned her dramatic skills to fiction. Her first novel, One Dead, Two to Go introduces Eddie Shoes, private eye. Called “the most fun detective since Richard Castle stumbled into the 12th precinct,” by author Peter Clines, I’DTale Magazine stated, “this quirky combination of a mother-daughter reunion turned crime-fighting duo will captivate readers.”

In addition to her work as a novelist, Elena teaches playwriting at Bellevue College and tours the country to lead writing workshops.

When she’s not writing or teaching, her favorite place to be is at the farm with her horses, Jasper and Radar, or at her home, on the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River in North Bend, Washington, with her husband, their dog, Polar, and their trio of cats, Jackson, Coal Train, and Luna, aka, “the other cat upstairs.” Elena holds a B.A. from the University of San Diego, a M.Ed. from the University of Washington, Tacoma, and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.

Webpage – http://www.elenahartwell.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ElenaHartwellAuthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Elena_Hartwell

Blog – http://www.arcofawriter.com

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3975429.Elena_Hartwell,

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/emhartwell/

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N

Tour Participants

April 14 – My Journey Back and My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 16 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

April 17 – Readeropolis – REVIEW

April 18 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

April 19 – Books Direct – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 20 – Omnimystery News – INTERVIEW

April 21- Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

April 22 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW

April 24 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

April 25 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 26 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 27 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

BLOG TOUR – Two Heads are Deader than One was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf

#shannon muir #pulp and mystery shelf

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