#the books are Les guides noirs by the way

[take-me-to-valhalla]

I'm using Instagram stories to do unboxings of 1960s books that look like something you'd steal in a magical library and it's really no wonder I have no followers

[mask131]

Remember last time, when I posted about this excellent roleplaying guide, and shared various info about the French history of RPGs? Well I come back with more. Enjoy!

One of the big influences and helpers of the RPG genre in France was a series of books published by Folio Junior/Gallimard from the 1984 onward. This series was usually what introduced many people to the roleplaying game experience as a whole: and it is the line Un livre dont vous êtes le héros, "A book of which you are the hero". Thing is, this line actually gathered and united numerous English-speaking series into one whole. What I mean is that the French "A book of which you are the hero" (sometimes translated as "You are the hero") line wasn't just one translation, but a compilation of Fighting Fantasy (by Livingstone and Jackson), of Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, of Joe Dever's Lone Wolf, of James Herbert Brennan's Grailquest, and more...

Another game that deeply marked the early years of RPG in France was L'Oeil Noir, "The Black Eye". It is not an American game, however: it was a German game, Das Schwarze Auge, created by the Fantasy Productions group, itself founded by Ulrich Kiesow, Werner Fuchs and Hans Joachim Alpers. This game was created after the group had translated two American roleplaying games in German: D&D, of course, but also Tunnels & Trolls. Released in Germany in 1984, this game had a HUGE success in Europe, so much that it overshadowed the sales of D&D in some countries! In France, the game was notably purposefully sold in the same format and aesthetic as the Un livre dont vous êtes le héros - again, French folks wanted to give a cohesive look to all of these games.

The first two French RPGs were both flawed, but in opposite ways. The first one, L'Ultime Epreuve (The Ultimate Trial) was written by Fabrice Cayla and published by Jeux Actuels in 1983. It took place within a medieval fantasy setting (which even at the time felt a bit "recycled" and "already seen") and was about adventurers (the players) fighting various monsters while gaining power and strength, to finally vanquish the creatures that guard the gates of the Valhalla - it is the "ultimate trial" of the title. And then... That's it. The game is over. This game was very simplistic - too simplistic - but one of its originalities relied in its system of experience point. Or rather its absence of XPs: to have characters evolve, the players needed to spend money during "training sessions".

The other "primal RPG", Légendes, was created by a collective of five authors - Stéphane Daudier, Marc Deladerrière, Philippe Mercier, Jean-Marc Montel and Guillaume Rohmer. Published by Descartes in 1983, it is sometimes referred to as "Légendes celtiques" - which is actually incorrect... "Celtic Legends" was only the world-setting offered with the basic set/starting box - but it is just one possibility among many (the line also includes "Légendes des Milles et Unes Nuits" for an Arabian Nights setting ; and "Légendes de la Table Ronde" for an Arthurian setting). However, this game was far too complex: its rules were very heavy and very convoluted, and so the game was not fit for beginners. In fact, Descartes, understanding this, published in 1987 a lighter, simplified version called "Premières Légendes" (First Legends)

In 1985 was published Denis Gerfaud's Rêve de Dragon (Dragon's Dream). Described as an "oniric fantasy" game, this RPG is a strange and fascinating experience where each new adventure plunges the players in an entire new world, created out of the dreams of dragons. Every character was dreamed up by a dragon, and if they die during a game session, their "archetype" will be rencarnated under a new shape once the dragon goes back to sleep. The game ingenuously uses the symbolism of the Zodiac, the Tarot cards and more for its playing system. Gerfaud managed to create a very inventive, very poetic but also quite humoristic game. The first edition of the game was notably illustrated by Bernard Verlhac (aka Tignous), who was unfortunately murdered during the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack... Dragon Dream was a real "author game" where Gerfaud showed his talents as a writer, but it suffers from quite austere rules, definitively coming from the 80s, and which "chain" the dream rather than encourage the players' imagination... The problem was solved when a simplified version of the game was released in 2001, called Oniros. More recently, the game had a luxury re-edition at the Scriptarium editions, in 2018. As for Denis Gerfaud, he published only one other RPG, just as innovative and strange: Hystoire de fou, in 1998.

Christophe Réaux, alias "Croc", is another French author of RPGs. He first self-published games under the label Futur Proche. He created Bitume, about a post-apocalyptic world a la Mad Max, half-destroyed by the Halley comet ; and then Animonde, a poetic fantasy universe where all weapons and all technologies have an animal origin. Croc was quickly hired by the team of the Siroz Productions to create a game. Siroz Productions was founded by two members of a roleplaying circle of the Viroflay town (Parisian region) known as the "club 20 naturel" (nat 20 club), Nicolas Théry and Eric Bouchaud - a club to which Christophe Réaux belonged. Siroz Productions started out as a minor editor named "Théry-Bouchaud et Cie", but became quite famous due to its games relying on very strong, very contextualized concepts, and satirical humor - tackling issues such as the decay of suburbs, evolutionism, totalitarism, the misuse of ideologies and other futuristic predictios: Zone, Silrin, Whog Shrog, Berlin XVIII...

The game Croc and Siroz created was In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas. This game of biting humor is about the players embodying angels and demons infiltrated among humanity, and waging there a secret war for either heaven or hell... Except, as it turns out, both sides use the same methods and the same tactics. Unfortunately, Siroz found itself in a bad situation right before the game's release: drowned in debts, about to close, to survive the publishing house had to agree to the involvment of new investors, and a full restructuration. Siroz Productions became Idéojeux, under the leadership of Marc Nunès. It was under Idéojeux that INS/MV was first published - inaugurating a long line of RPGs written by Croc. Heavy Metal, Bloodlust, Scales, Nightprowler, COPS... Later, Idéojeux renamed itself Asmodée... From the name of the Demon Prince of Gaming within INS/MV, Asmodeus. While the society has gone away from the RPG world, it still forms today one of the big players within the French game industry - in fact, even within the international world of games! Since not only did they buy several French publishing houses (such as Descartes), but they also recently absorbed the American editor Fantasy Flight Games...

While it is quite rare, sometimes French RPGs are brought over to the United-States! It was the case with In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas, which in 1997 was published by Steve Jackson Games under the title In Nomine. However it wasn't a translation, but an adaptation: rewritten by Derek Pearcy, the American game is much darker, less serious and less parodic than the French game. The second edition of Rêve de Dragon was translated in English in 2002, under the title Rêve: The Dream Ouroboros.

I'm jumping a lot of things, because this book has so much info... But there is a cover about the "renewal" or "renaissance" of the RPG game from the late 2000s onward. It contains a brief segment about France. Among the numerous new editors that popped up during this "shifting era", when the old generation of gamers left the ground for a new, younger one, one famous is the Black Book Editions, created in 2004 in Lyon, and currently one of the biggest French editors of games. They are behind the French creations of Pavillon Noir, Chroniques oubliées, Polaris, and Héros & Dragons ; but they also are the ones in charge of bringing to France the American monsters that are Pathfinder, Shadowrun, and even (for a brief time) D&D5. The other emblematic editor of this era was Sans-Détour, created in 2008, which became the new French publisher of Call of Cthulhu and helped "renew" it and give it a "younger", "fresher" energy (unfortunately Chaosium removed the license from Sans-Détour in 2018 due to a case of unpaid royalties). A third unmissable name would be Le 7e Cercle, with a diverse and memorable catalogue including games such as Qin, Yggdrasill or Carpharnaüm.

[oonajaeadira]

tarot shelf tour!

I just cleaned and reorganized half the shelves in my library specifically to display some of my junk and @lowlights requested pics of my tarot shelf. So there's a tour under the cut, but here's a pic of the three shelves that are gonna drive the SO nuts: Mando/Star Wars shelf, witchy goblin shelf, and tarot shelf.

Okay kids. Buckle in.

We begin with some occult books--Gong Hee Fot Choi, Trolldom, tarot stuff, The Witch's Book of Self Care (currently reading, courtesy of @grogusmum), some Samhain/Mabon books, runes, guides for my Uusi decks (Pagan Otherworlds and Supra decks).

The Audacity Deck (gift from a friend)

The Dreamkeeper's Tarot

Le Tarot Noir (hard to get in the US, but a cheap find in Paris! this is just the box--I keep a lot of tarot knick-knacks and LWBs in it)

Oracle card of the week and tarot card of the day are sitting in front of the wooden box for my Alleyman’s Tarot which I’m slowly making my way through and reading about all the cards.

Stack 1:

The Field Tarot (nice beginners deck)

Crow Tarot (my gentle, empathic deck)

Somnia Tarot (I love the photography, but not happy about the printing. will be putting this one up for trade)

The Cosmic Slumber Tarot (gift from a friend. not one i would have picked out for myself, but it reads beautifully)

Labyrinth Tarot (illustrated by woodblock artist Tomás Hijo)

Tarot del Toro (another Hijo deck with woodblock illustrations of Guillermo del Toro’s movies)

Tomás also has a LOTR deck out and a Dark Crystal one coming and I’m probably gonna buy those too because they’re stunning. And nerdy.

Stack 2:

Light Seer’s Tarot (my #1 rec for beginners or those who want to find joy in their tarot)

Santa Muerte Tarot

Soul Cards Blush deck

Soul Cards Black deck (yes, they’re the same just different colors but they have totally different moods and they’re GORGEOUS cards that have a velvet finish and don’t at me okay they are lux AF)

Golden Thread Tarot (i don’t use these very often and might gift them. the card stock is plasticine and they shuffle like a dream, gold foil on black. i only bought them to support the makers of the app by the same name because they’re a wonderful tarot resource and the app is free!!!!)

Madame Clara Sees All 5 Cent Tarot (good for those who like words better than images! this is the deck i picked up in Salem when I visited with @grogusmum​!!!)

Stack 3 (sorry the chalice is in the way of the lower decks):

And yes, there’s a sword, wand, chalice, and pentacle on the shelf because tarot nerd.

Carnival at the End of the World Tarot (by one of my favorite artist duos, Kahn & Selznick. this is basically a character deck and i love it for the art and i actually took an online class to get to know it better because it’s teeming with all these esoteric symbols and meanings. but unfortunately, it doesn’t like to talk to me.)

Pagan Otherworlds Tarot (my baby, my bonded deck, my very favorite)

Ancient Italian Tarot (nice starter deck for those who like Marsailles decks. i could trade this one off.)

Angel Invoking Tarot (kickstarter deck by Travis McHenry)

Demon Invoking Tarot (another kickstarter by McHenry. they are both out of print and hella valuable and i’m keeping them for high trade. they’ve been reworked for mass-market--this one is the Occult Tarot now--but they’re nowhere near as pretty as these OG decks.)

Darkness in Light Tarot (STUNNING deck of hand-painted images, each suit in their own color theme. i’ve actually spoken to the creator during quarantine while he was gearing up to print this 4th edition and he let me pre-purchase. Then he signed it for me. <3)

New Revisited Alchemical Tarot 4th edition (you wanna make some money? buy this deck whenever a new edition is released. I bought this one at $35 and it’s already being hunted for like 10x that. the 6th is out for $40 right now. for some reason, collectors go nuts for this deck but like to buy it when it isn’t new anymore lol)

Pazzol Tarot (indie deck that’s all skeletons because the creator wanted to make a completely inclusive deck. and you know what all genders, races, ages, and body types have? SKELETONS.)

Rainbow Rider-Waite-Smith (gift from a friend)

Stack 4:

Seasons of the Witch Oracle: Yule

La Tarot Noir (again, wanna make some money? you can get these for like $35 in Paris and they sell for $100+ in the US.... It is a gorgeous deck tho....)

Seasons of the Witch Oracle: Beltane

Seasons of the Witch Oracle: Samhain

Am I obsessed with SotW Oracles? Maybe. Did I just pre-order their Mabon deck today? Not even a maybe. Stone cold yes.

Between the stacks is a bag of runes given to me by a friend. I have three sets of runes that were gifts and I don’t even use runes.

Corner stack:

Mildred Payne's Secret Pocket Oracle

16th century German playing cards reprint

mini Waite-Smith in a tin, Centennial version

OG Marsailles deck, majors only (this was gifted to me by a woman who used to read my tarot on a regular basis. i don’t use them. they’re a momento and i feel like they “charge” my other decks.)

Edward Gorey’s Fantod Pack

Supra Oracle (by Uusi, the makers of my favorite Pagan Otherworlds Tarot)

Mildred Payne's Oracle of Black Enchantment (omgs I love it so much)

Front stack:

Blank deck book

Knot magic kit

La Corte Dei Tarocchi (hand-printed in Milan, #854/2000, wax-stamped. christmas present to myself in 2020)

For those of you not into tarot: yes, I’m a collector, but I’m a casual collector. (Mostly just limit myself to the artwork I like.) This collection is tiny in comparison to real collectors.

[reasoningdaily]

Jessica B. Harris's Guide to Black Culinary History | Bon Appétit

Jessica B. Harris, Dawn Davis

Bahia, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Martha’s Vineyard, and Paris are the places she’s called home. Erudite, wickedly funny, and droll describe her personality. Who are we talking about?

None other than the culinary historian Jessica B. Harris, Ph.D.—founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a professional society championing women in culinary fields, an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author of over a dozen deeply researched books and too many articles to count. (If you’re looking for something that goes down like butter, check out her memoir, My Soul Looks Back, filled with tales about her adventures in New York’s Greenwich Village with friends James Baldwin and Maya Angelou.)

As the foremost expert on the foodways of the African diaspora, there’s no better (or wittier) guide to Black culinary traditions. Here, she shares with us a few of the dishes, books, and ingredients she finds essential to unpacking this long, rich, and ever-evolving history. —Dawn Davis, editor in chief

Photo by Suzi Pratt

Try the Homestyle Favorites

Chef Edouardo Jordan’s JuneBaby restaurant in Seattle is an edible praise song to the genius of African American cooks. The menu offers classic dishes like fried chicken and greens along with specials—like chitlins and Momma Jordan’s oxtails—not usually tasted outside of home kitchens.

Tour the Archives

Toni Tipton-Martin’s The Jemima Code reclaims and celebrates the heritage of Black America’s controversial “aunt” by documenting 200 years of African American cookbooks from her personal collection. Familiar figures such as Edna Lewis show up alongside unexpected personalities such as activist Bobby Seale and singer Mahalia Jackson in this must-own compendium.

Photo by Emma Fishman

Eat Like an Icon

The late New Orleans chef Leah Chase served Gumbo z’Herbes once a year on Holy Thursday. The dense green meaty gumbo is essential to the rich culinary history of the area’s Creoles de couleur. It’s still served annually at Dooky Chase’s, her iconic family restaurant.

Photo Courtesy Cuisine Noir/Ilaria Sponda

Required Reading

Two invaluable resources for those who want to deepen their knowledge: Black Culinary History and Cuisine Noir. Both websites preserve and promote the past and present contributions of chefs of color throughout the African diaspora.

For The Bucket List

The food of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos in northeastern Brazil is a linchpin between the food of western Africa and that of the Western Hemisphere. To taste a fish stew called a moqueca or nibble on an acarajé, a street food bean fritter, is to understand the connections.

Photo by Mike Lorrig

More Okra, Please

Okra, which originated on the African continent, is a love/hate vegetable. Its detractors hate the “slime” and the lovers delight in the way it thickens a soup or stew and its crunch when blanched. Get recipes, history, and gardening tips, in The Whole Okra by Chris Smith.

Photo from Vintage Postcards From the African World: In the Dignity of Their Work and the Joy of Their Play by Jessica B Harris,, University Press of Mississippi

Share Knowledge

You can find incredible images of African Americans and food on vintage postcards in my latest book, Vintage Postcards from the African World. They not only present the faces of ancestors but also tell amazing, often harrowing, stories of survival and triumph over adversity.

[noahsbookhoard]

📚 Hi! I'm Noah avid reader since age 6 and always happy to discuss books! 📚

I read almost all genre with sweet tooth for fantasy and sci-fi. I also have a growing interest in murder mystery and horror. Lots of queer fiction. I'm also catching up on my classics.

Mostly adult and some young adult but I have enjoy middle grade from time to time.

I especially love Terry Pratchett, Victor Hugo, Agatha Christie and T J Klune.

I read in both english and french, english not being my first language but I'm close to fluent.

Yearly book count : 123

Last finished reading

Une belle vie by Virginie Grimaldi

Reading in progress

La Dame du manoir de Wildfell Hall (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) by Anne Brontë

The Restaurang at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2) by Douglas Adams

Already read this year (in reverse chronological order)

If We Were Villains by M L Rio

(The lines in pink are book crushes)

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Wintersmith (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham #1) by Benjamin Stevenson

What Feast at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T Kingfisher

Le Bastion des Larmes by Abdellah Taïa

War and Peace by Leon Tolstoi

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Rule of Two (Darth Bane Trilogy #2) by Drew Karpyshyn

Les Dragons by Jérôme Colin

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J Taylor

Le dieu d'automne et d'hiver by Pauline Sidre

Les Possibles by Virginie Grimaldi

A Close and Common Orbit (Wayfarer #2) by Becky Chambers

The Outsider by Stephen King

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

Tous les silence ne font pas le même bruit by Baptiste Beaulieu

Trois battements un silence by Anne Fakhouri

Kiss Kiss by Roal Dahl

Assassin's Apprentice (Realm of the Elderlings #1) by Robin Hobb

Halloween Party by Agatha Christie

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diary #2) by Martha Wells

The Light Throught the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

Et que ne durent que les moments doux by Virginie Grimaldi

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim

Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark

The Rest of the Robots (Robots #2) by Isaac Asimov

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgerton #8) by Julia Quinn

Our Missing Heart by Celeste Ng

Book of Blood I by Clive Barker

Ilos by Marion Brunet

Babel by R F Kuang

Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1) by Seanan McGuire

Thud! (Discworld #34) by Terry Pratchett

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

Les aventures de Billy et du Pyrobarbare : la forteresse du chaudron noir by Bob Lennon

Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente

Magie et Sentiments : les secrets de Longdawn by Ariel Holzl

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

It's in His Kiss (Brigerton #7) by Julia Quinn

Les Cinq by Matthieu Rochelle

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Paul Smith

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C S Lewis

How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P Djeli Clark

An Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdoms #2) by Tasha Suri

Time to Orbit : Unknown by Derin Edala

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane

Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune

The Moth Keeper by Kay O'Neill

Cain's Jawbone by E Powys Mathers

Darth Bane : Path of Destruction (Darth Bane #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

Du thé pour les fantômes by Chris Vuklisevic

Labyrinthes (Caleb Tracksman #3) by Franck Thiliez

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers

Le dernier des siens by Sibylle Grimbert

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

Going Postal (Discworld #33) by Terry Pratchett

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Blanche-Neige et les lances-missiles (Du temps où les dieux buvaient #1) by Catherine Dufour

When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton #6) by Julia Quinn

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Celle qu'il attendait by Baptiste Beaulieu

Jusqu'à ce que mort s'ensuive by Olivier Rolin

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Umbrella Academy Vol 1-3 by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bà

Il était deux fois (Caleb Tracksman #2) by Franck Thilliez

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

To Sir Phillip With Love (Bridgerton #5) by Julia Quinn

Le papillon des étoiles by Bernard Werber

Beren and Luthien by J R R Tolkien

A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld #32) by Terry Pratchett

Le manuscrit inachevé (Caleb Tracksman #1) by Frnaxk Thiliez

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1) by Nnedi Okorafor

Romancing Mr Bridgerton (Bridgerton #4) by Julia Quinn

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

An Offer from a Gentleman (Bridgerton #3) by Julia Quinn

Delicious in Dungeon vol 1-14 by Ryoko Kui

Doctor Who : the Star Beast by Gary Russell

La promesse de l'aube by Romain Gary

The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1) by Tasha Suri

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adam

The Illiad by Homer (trad Emily Wilson)

The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton #2) by Julia Quinn

The Me You Love in the Dark by Scotty Young and

The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

Nona the Ninth (Locked Tomb #3) by Tamsyn Muir

The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune

I, Robot (Robot #1) by Isaac Asimov

Monstrous Regiment (Discworld #31) by Terry Pratchett

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in your Home by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 1-27 by Hiromu Arakawa

The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fischer by E M Anderson

All System Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

Veiller sur elle by Jean-Baptiste Andrea

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Segurant le chevalier au dragon by Emanuele Arioli

Chanson Douce by Leila Sleimane

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

He Who Drowned The World (The Radiant Emperor #2) by Shelley Parker Chan

Et à la fin ils meurent by Lou Lubie

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30) by Terry Pratchett

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Harrow the Ninth (Locked Tomb #2) by Tamsyn Muir

Histoire de coming out by Baptiste Beaulieu and Sophie Nanteuil

Heartstopper Vol 1-4 by Alice Oseman

The Old Guard by Greg Rucka

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Le Comte de Monte-Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

La Cicatrice by Bruce Lowrey

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Us by Sara Soler

Gideon the Ninth (Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

[alessiopettiphotography]

Sexy Photoshoot Services Melbourne | Alessiopettiphotography.com

With my love for   boudoir photoshoot, I could go on for hours about why every woman should book a session. The best part is you don’t have to just take my word for it. Check out some of these amazing testimonials and live videos from clients who’ve had the experience!

"A Photoshoot with Alessio is just an amazing experience!"

 Boudoir style photography was something I've always wanted to do and I finally acted upon that wish and booked in a session. It started with a phone call to Alessio who was just so friendly, guinuine and answered all my questions. Next came all the informative and helpful guides leading up to the big day. I felt prepared on the day and the Boudoir  photoshoot itself was so much fun! Alessio was professional but friendly and made me feel completely comfortable. I recently picked up my album and was blown away by the quality and the photographs themselves. I couldn't be happier with the result!

"Being photographed by Alessio from   Le Chat Noir Boudoir was one of the best experiences in my life!"

Alessio was a complete professional the entire time in the warmest, kindest and most respectful way possible. We had fun, we laughed a lot and I felt relaxed and happy as a result. I felt beautiful during the shoot and the photos were absolutely stunning. I love them and I am so proud of them. I could not recommend this experience more, it was so good and I can't wait to do it again!

"A Photoshoot with Alessio is just an amazing experience!"

 Boudoir style photography was something I've always wanted to do and I finally acted upon that wish and booked in a session. It started with a phone call to Alessio who was just so friendly, guinuine and answered all my questions. Next came all the informative and helpful guides leading up to the big day. I felt prepared on the day and the   boudoir  photoshoot itself was so much fun! Alessio was professional but friendly and made me feel completely comfortable. I recently picked up my album and was blown away by the quality and the photographs themselves. I couldn't be happier with the result!

[alessiopetti01]

best boudoir photographers in melbourne

Let’s start with the obvious – it's something you deserve!

Boudoir is a French word that translates to a woman’s bedroom or private sitting room. So, does a Boudoir Photoshoot mean bedroom photoshoot? Not by a long shot. Let’s talk about it.

At Le Chat Noir Boudoir, I define boudoir as an empowering experience that allows women to find confidence, beauty, and power in their own skin. Boudoir is a very personal and intimate form of photography. It is an artistic expression in which you allow your photographer to transform you into a living canvas. Each photo expresses stories of self-love, self- discovery, and the re-discovery of the woman within.

It is my ultimate goal to ensure that you embrace boudoir as not just a photoshoot, but an experience. The encounter that you will have with the woman behind the lens will amaze you. You will not leave my studio the same woman in which you came. I’m here to cheer you on every step of the way of your journey.

So Why Should I Do A Boudoir Session?

Let’s start with the obvious – you deserve it! YES, I said it. You deserve it. You’re present, showing up every day for life, and all the responsibilities that come with it. You’ve earned it! If that isn’t convincing enough, here’s a few more reasons:

1.IT’S A GREAT GIFT IDEA FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

Whether you’re getting ready to tie the knot, celebrating an anniversary, birthday, or commemorating any other special moment, this will be a classic gift and a great lifetime memory.

2.MARKING MILESTONES!

Every decade is a milestone. Many women love to capturetheir milestones from the ’20s to the infamous half-century marker of 50 and beyond. The age milestone doesn’t stand by its lonesome. With the strides many women are making these days dropping and keeping their weight off, this is a great way to show off that progress and strut your stuff. We’re marking those weight loss milestones too!

3.SHOPPING!!!

So you love to shop? Here’s a great excuse to do what you love and grab some lingerie while you’re at it. It’s a great time to add to your current collection or start one if you haven’t already. Once you get started, you’re sure to get lost in the array of sexy options available for every shape, size, and curve.

4.THERE’S A REMNANT OF HEALING.

If you’ve recently gone through a trauma and survived, there’s cause for a celebration. What better way to celebrate this moment than to unveil yourself in all of your empowered and liberated glory?

How Do I Find The Right Photographer?

Great news, if you’re reading this blog, you most likely already have!!!

If you’re in greater Melbourne or any of the surrounding areas, my team and I would love to guide you through this empowering experience. If you’re interested in having your photographer travel to you, I do that too!

Once you’ve made a decision that you’re ready to take this amazing journey, it’s important to find the right photographer. Here are some key points to consider in your search:

• Does my photographer give me a sense of comfort and trust? • Is their work good quality? Are their supporting “real” reviews? • Do they have experience posing my     , and size? • Are they local to me? • Are they available? or are they booked too far out? • Does their brand match my values and how I want to be photographed?

At Le Chat Noir Boudoir, our first meeting is an introduction to establish a sense of comfort, trust, and understanding. To make sure you are as comfortable as possible before the day of the shoot, I do my best to cover all the bases of what you can expect. I introduce you to the spaces you’ll be shooting in, give you a glimpse of what your day will be like, and give you a chance to sit down with me and ask all your questions. Even the tough stuff! Remember, this is all about you!

What do other women say about their Boudoir Sessions?

With my love for boudoir, I could go on for hours about why every woman should book a session. The best part is you don’t have to just take my word for it. Check out some of these amazing testimonials and live videos from clients who’ve had the experience!

[sensei-aishitemasu]

2020 Black-Owned Gift Guide!

2020 Black-Owned Gift Guide!

It’s that time again! Our SIXTH ANNUAL BLACK-OWNED GIFT GUIDE IS HERE!!!! This Black Friday, try and support a Black-owned business for all your gift-giving needs. For last years gift guide, click here. For the 2018 gift guide, click here. For the 2017 gift guide, click here. For the 2016 gift guide, click here. For the 2015 gift guide, click here.

Similar to previous lists, I kept every individual item listed under $100! Click on the links to be taken to the websites in order to peruse more yourselves: all businesses listed are Black-owned, and many are run by Black women, Black Americans specifically, manufactured here in the United States, and/or sustainably and ethically sourced with philanthropic causes attached to sales! Check them out. 

In addition, this year there are THREE NEW CATEGORIES! Check out items for the ‘Goth/Kawaii,’ for your ‘Activist Bae,’ and for the ‘Esoteric’ down below.

[As always, this guide has been split into categories to make it easier to get through, but feel free to mix and match for the person in your life that fits all of (or none of!) these categories!]

For the Homebody:

Lettie Gooch Small Safety Matches, $18 Lettie Gooch Amber & Moss Soy Candle, $20 Lettie Gooch White Concrete White Tea & Ginger Candle, $28 Lettie Gooch Planetarium Throw Blanket, $68 Lettie Gooch Soleil Throw Blanket, $68

Debra Cartwright ‘Bike’ Watercolor Print, $38 Debra Cartwright ‘Aura’ Watercolor Print, $87 Debra Cartwright ‘Astro Millennial Ladies in Quarantine’ Coloring Book, $5

Harlem Candle Company ‘Brownstone’ Luxury Candle, $45 Harlem Candle Company ‘Lenox’ Luxury Room Spray, $30 Harlem Candle Company ‘Langston’ Luxury Room Spray, $30

Jungalow Genie Vase, $89 Jungalow Handwoven Peach Planter, $49 Jungalow Azul Face Pillow by Justina Blakeney X Loloi, $89 Jungalow Soft Mint Pillow, $89 Jungalow Aja Wallpaper in Green by Justina Blakeney, $5 (per sheet) Jungalow Tigris Wallpaper in Onyx by Justina Blakeney, $5 (per sheet) Jungalow Cream Looped Wool Rug, $99.00 Jungalow Silvia Teal & Berry Rug by Justina Blakeney X Loloi, $69.00 Jungalow Striped Orange Outdoor Rug, $59.00 Jungalow Reindeer Games Hook Pillow by Justina Blakeney, $60.00 Jungalow Peace Vase by Justina Blakeney, $68.00 

Kashmir Viii ‘S is for Soul’ Print, $35-$45 

Galerie LA Rooted Incense Holder, $45

Duchess365 358 Art Print, $23.99 

Jeff Manning Art ‘Aplomb’ Art Print, $45 Jeff Manning Art ‘Pacific’ Art Print, $30

Kicky Mats ‘Get Naked’ Bath Mat, $30 Kicky Mats ‘Did You Wash Your Hands?’ Doormat, $50 Kicky Mats ‘Go Away, Come Back With Wine’ Doormat, $50 Kicky Mats ‘Did You Call First?’ Doormat, $50

228 Grant Street Candle Co. Tobacco + Patchouli Gold Travel Tin, $11 228 Grant Street Candle Co. Wild Blackberry + Absinthe Amber Jar, $21 228 Grant Street Candle Co. Oakmoss + Amber Apothecary Jar, $32

Shea Makery Strawberry Cheesecake Signature Candle, $40 Shea Makery Cinna-Bowl Signature Candle, $40

The Silver Room Cider and Cedar Leaf Candle, $34 The Silver Room Rose Water & Tea Leaves Diffuser, $28 The Silver Room Minnie Ripperton - Les Fleur Vinyl, $26

Rituals + Ceremony Anonomy Sculptures, $79 Rituals + Ceremony USB Travel Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser, $25

Handcrafted Ceramic Watering Cans, $64

Fill More Waste Less Natural Loofah Sponge, $2.50 Fill More Waste Less Food Huggers, $12. 99 

Ment Nelson Backwoods Baptism Print, $50 Ment Nelson Old Sheldon Print, $40

Quarantine Games!

Trading Races, $19.99

Winsults, $25

Cards For All People - Black Card Revoked (First Edition), $17.99

Trap Wars - The Urban Game Night Experience, $22.99

Lyrically Correct 90's & 2000's Hip Hop/R&B Edition, $24.99

Black Wall Street - The Black History Board Game, $49.99

Pull Your Card Music Trivia: Hip Hop Edition, $14.99

Spill It Card Game, $23

'Verified' A Party Game for Social Media Lovers (Original Edition), $19.99

For the Foodie:

Kashmir Viii ‘The Black Power’ Mixtape Coasters, $40 Kashmir Viii ‘Reclaim It’ Mug, $16 Kashmir Viii ‘I Slay.’ Clutch, $45 

Galerie LA Peak and Valley Balance Blend, $30 

‘The Cooking Gene,’ by Michael W. Twitty, $28.99 

‘From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes From the Boss Dog’s Kitchen’ by Snoop Dogg, $24.95 

Essie Spice Signature Sauce Collection, $42 

‘Your Guide to Tasteful Manners’ with Love Cork Screw, $19.95 

‘Deliciously Vegan’ Cookbook by The Chic Natural, $28.95 

EAT Apron, $30

Midnight Reflections Crowned White Ceramic Mug, $19.99

The Spice Suite Utensils + Oven Mitts, $50 The Spice Suite ‘The Little Black Spice Book’ (E-book), $30

Rituals + Ceremony Circle Mug, $40 Rituals + Ceremony Agate 6pc Plate Set, $24

Blk + Grn Stainless Steel Tea Ball Infuser, $4

Fill More Waste Less Reusable Tea Strainer, $14.99

Good Thoughts Tea Co. Tea Spoon Set, $12

KazvareMadeIt Personalised Alphabet Mug Tile Print, $20.99 KazvareMadeIt Banananana Cushion, $55.80

Addie Rawr ‘Addie's Cocktail Collection’ (Cards & Prints), $3.75

For the Beauty Guru:

Lettie Gooch Blends Perfume: Earth, $30 Lettie Gooch Bloom Perfume Blend No. 586, $48 

Galerie LA Hand Sanitizer, $10 Galerie LA Cream Cleanser, $16 Galerie LA Citrine Sea Tropical Exfoliator, $18 Galerie LA Botanica Rose Roller, $14 Galerie LA Botanica Lavender Roller, $14 Galerie LA Aurora Superfood Elixer (Face Serum), $27 Galerie LA Jade Eye Mask, $44 Galerie LA Rose Quartz Facial Roller, $28.00 

Shea Makery Scar Healing Serum, $23 Shea Makery Cinnamon Bun Body Butter, $25 Shea Makery Glazed Donut Body Butter, $25 Shea Makery Milk + Honey + Syrup Bubble Bath, $22 Shea Makery Honeycomb Bath Set, $16

The Lip Bar Cheek and Eye Palette, $15  The Lip Bar ‘Goddess’ Lipgloss, $14 The Lip Bar ‘Bawse Lady’ Liquid Matte Lipstick, $13  The Lip Bar ‘4:00 Stuntin' Fast Face Kit,’ $99 The Lip Bar Limited Edition Easy Holiday Glam Collection, $25  The Lip Bar ‘Lip Bar Littles,’ $18.99 The Lip Bar Minimalist Lovers Bundle, $36

Auda B. Beauty Soy Polish Remover, $26 

Breukelen Polished ‘Paid and Full,’ $11 Breukelen Polished ‘Get Me Right’ Treatment Set, $25

Beauty Bakerie ‘Milk & Honey’ Highlighting Brush, $18 Beauty Bakerie ‘Coffee and Cocoa’ Bronzer Palette, $38 Beauty Bakerie ‘Black Egg-cellence’ Beauty Sponges, $18  Beauty Bakerie ‘Sugar Cookies’ Palette, $28 Beauty Bakerie ‘The Butter’ Hydrasilk Primer, $24

Mented Mini Brush Trio, $10 Mented Everyday Eyeshadow Palette, $28 Mented Brush Collection, $45 Mented Holiday Faves Trio, $50

Blac Minerals Highlight Bundle, $32 

Danessa Myricks Beauty Oil, $30  Danessa Myricks Waterproof Cream Palettes, $36 Danessa Myricks Luxe Cream Palettes ‘The Nudist,’ $44

Pear Nova ‘Holiday Essentials’ Nail Set, $90 

Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in Voodoo, $18  Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in Midnight Cowboy, $18 Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in Black Orpheus, $18 Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in Scarab, $18

Hunny Bunny Cuticle Cream, $4.50 Hunny Bunny Grapefruit Sugar Scrub, $20

Taupe Coat in Good Fortune, $11

More Brands To Try:

People of Color Beauty

Mischo Beauty

Suite Eleven

Brown Butter Beauty

Beija Flor Naturals

Plain Jane Beauty

Ancient Cosmetics

Hue Noir

Lotus Moon Skincare

For the Fashion Conscious:

Merit ‘Fate’ Bucket Hat, $20

Chris Cardi Signature TwistDYE Tee, $33

Lettie Gooch Black Mineral Washed Jacquard Leggings, $68 Lettie Gooch ‘Smiling On The Inside’ Mask, $28

Kashmir Viii Face Masks, $16 Kashmir Viii ‘Around The Way Girl’ Clutch, $45-$60

Galerie LA Hemp Tie Button Down Sage, $90 Galerie LA Gratia Jumpsuit Tumeric, $100 Galerie LA Red Zipper Wallet, $45 Galerie LA Dopp Kitt (Makeup Bag) in Navy, $40 Galerie LA Lunar Star Earrings, $100 Galerie LA Meria Sunglasses Coral Pink, $75 Galerie LA Oda Ring, $45 Galerie LA Sabbath Cocoon Tunic, $85

Tree Fairfax Keychain, $22.50 Tree Fairfax Lois Belt, $45

LoveCortnie Polka Dot Leather Key Chain Clasps, $15 LoveCortnie Small Leather Tassel, $17 LoveCortnie ‘Color Me’ Coin Purse, $30 LoveCortnie Envelope Card Holder (Black & White), $32

Rue 107 ‘Toni’ Bikini in XOXO Print, $98 Rue 107 Signature Pencil Skirt in XOXO Print, $68 Rue 107 Tied Cropped Tank in XOXO Print, $48 Rue 107 Tied Cropped Tank in Vintage Rose Print, $48 Rue 107 Signature Pencil Skirt in Vintage Rose Print, $68

Grant Blvd ‘Sustainable Shit Only’ Fanny Pack, $26

Ebony and Green Mindfulness Earrings, $10

For the Bookworm:

‘Daymares’ by Kenya Moss-Dyme, $12.99

‘Hood Feminism’ by Mikki Kendall, $26

‘The Source of Self-Regard’ by Toni Morrison, $28.95

‘Tar Baby’ by Toni Morrison, $15

‘The Beautiful Ones’ by Prince, $30

‘In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage’ by Alan Schroeder, $12.95

‘The Street: A Novel’ by Ann Petry, $15.99

‘Chasing Down a Dream: A Blessings Novel’ by Beverly Jenkins, $14.99

‘Rebel (Women Who Dare)’ by Beverly Jenkins, $5.98

‘Night Song’ by Beverly Jenkins, $8.99

‘Tempest’ by Beverly Jenkins, $5.98

‘Our Black Year: One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy’ by Maggie Anderson, $17

Rayo and Honey ‘Books Change Your Mind’ Pennant, $75

Jungalow Face Bookend Vase by Justina Blakeney, $98

Midnight Reflections Black Nerd Tote Bag, $18.99

Addie Rawr Book Club Dolls Stickers (Die Cut Stickers), $9.50

For the Kids:

Jungalow Leela Terracotta Rug by Justina Blakeney X Loloi, $89.00 Jungalow Pink Looped Wool Rug, $99.00

Galerie LA Kids Face Mask, $25

Duchess365 237 Canvas Print, $98.99 Duchess365 231 Tote Bag, $24.99 Duchess365 279 Art Print, $23.99 Duchess365 241 Framed Art Print, $47.99

Shea Makery PB & J Soap, $10 Shea Makery ‘Save A Life’ Mini Assorted Hand Soaps (Set of 12), $5

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, $16.99

‘Clean Getaway’ by Nic Stone, $16.99

‘Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid’ by Mikaela Ulmer, $16.19

ABC Me Flashcards, $20

IkdKids Rag Doll, $40

KaAn’s ‘Living The Dream’ Denim Jacket, $40

Yinibini Baby Badminton Playing Octopus Tee, $23 Yinibini Baby Fox Pullover Sweatshirt Jogger Set, $41 Yinibini Baby ROAR Lion Hooded Pullover, $45 Yinibini Narwhal Toy, $28

For the Masculine:

ALWD Signature DC PROPER Sweatshirt, $40

Chris Cardi ‘Bastards’ Tee, $30.03

Merit Flannel Shirt (Green), $65

Kashmir Viii ‘Everybody Eats, B,’ Tee, $45 Kashmir Viii ‘The Knockout’ Tee, $45

Galerie LA ‘Mister’ T-Shirt, $45

Jeff Manning Art ‘Overflow’ Art Print, $30 Jeff Manning Art ‘The Golden Age’ Art Print, $45 Jeff Manning Art ‘Overflowed Emotions’ Art Print, $50

Levi Fisher Beard Bundle, $39.99

Scotch Porter Face Care Collection, $28.99 Scotch Porter Journal, $9.99

Shea Makery Beard Oil, $15

Enbois Matte Lava Rock Bracelet, $40 Enbois Benji Matte Sunglasses, $45 Enbois Bracelets Collection - Cocoa, $50

The Silver Room Tourer Backpack, $95

Urban Profile Black Panther Shirt, $24.99

Solo Noir Starter Kit, $28.99

Bevel Shave Starter Bundle, $89.95 Bevel Skin Starter Set, $61.95

For the Tech Savvy:

Enbois iPhone Case, $12 Enbois Power Bank, $15 Enbois Grip Socket, $4

Chic Geeks Brown Faux Crocodile iPad Case, $75 Chic Geeks Brown Snakeskin iPad Case, $75 Chic Geeks Emerald Faux Crocodile iPhone Case, $50 Chic Geeks Grey Marble MacBook Case, $80 Chic Geeks Black Faux Crocodile iPad Case, $75

Khristian A. Howell Cava Melon Sleek and Chic Phone Case, $39.99 Khristian A. Howell Cava Black Sleek and Chic Phone Case, $39.99

NSPRE ‘Inferno’ Bluetooth Sunglasses, $71.99 NSPRE Micro SD Card (128GB), $21.98 NSPRE ‘The Ombres’ Bluetooth Audio Sunglasses, $59.99  NSPRE ‘The Solars’ Bluetooth BlueTech Glasses, $59.99

For the Goth/Kawaii:

VickiBeWicked Vinyl Sticker Heart Drippy Mushroom, Laptop Decal, $4 VickiBeWicked Rainbow Unicorn, Black Girl Magic Laptop Sleeve, $30.99 VickiBeWicked AfroGirls Masked Up Laptop Sleeve, $30.99 VickiBeWicked Pastel Horn Face Resin Keychain, $12.99 VickiBeWicked Red and White Splatter Skull Dangle Earrings, $7.50

Kashmir Viii ‘The KeKe’ Print, $35-$60

Adorned by Chi ‘Goth Club Presidenct’ Unisex Raglan T-Shirt, $34.99 Adorned by Chi ‘Pro Black’ Unisex Raglan T-Shirt, $34.99 Adorned by Chi ‘Pretty Girls Like Anime’ T-Shirt, $32.99 Adorned by Chi ‘Awkward’ Iron-On Patch, $11.99 Adorned by Chi ‘I Need My Space’ Hard Enamel Pin, $12.99

The Colour Polka Dot iPhone XS ‘Creepy Cute’ Rainbow Phone Case, $40 The Colour Polka Dot ‘Creepy Cute’ Spoopy Ornaments, $12 The Colour Polka Dot ‘Kawaii Cute’ Face Mask Case, $16

Embrii Shop Blush Pink Laptop Sleeve, $36

Gothic Lamb Anti Social Goth Club Tee, $28 Gothic Lamb ‘FedUp’ Tee, $24 Gothic Lamb ‘Make America Goth Again’ Tee, $28 Gothic Lamb ‘Melanin Manson’ Tee, $24

For the Esoteric:

Behati Life Third Eye Vision And Prophetic Dreams Intention Oil, $22 Behati Life New Moon Bath Soak Herbal Mix, $22 Behati Life Lunar Goddess Moon Magick Intention Oil, $22

Lettie Gooch Ecuadorian Palo Santo Quartz Crystal Bundle, $18

Jungalow Chaya Wallpaper in Amethyst by Justina Blakeney, $5

The Silver Room White Sage Bundle, $6

Grandma Baby's Black Gold Lenormand Tarot Deck, $44

Pretty Spirits ‘The Truth’ Decks, $50

The Afro Tarot, $88

The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers by Tayannah Lee McQuillar, $18.66

‘Rootwork: Using the Folk Magick of Black America for Love, Money and Success’ by Tayannah Lee McQuillar, $11.99

Rituals + Ceremony Palo Santo Pack, $7 Rituals + Ceremony Empowered Vibes Ceramic Incense Holder, $10 Rituals + Ceremony Adinkra Intention Candles, $23 Rituals + Ceremony Cleanse and Protect Ritual Kit, $34 Rituals + Ceremony Crystal Candles, $22 Rituals + Ceremony Crystal Bliss: Attract Love, Feed Your Spirit, Manifest Your Dreams Book, $14.99

Ebony and Green Raw Clear Quartz Earrings, $15

For Your Activist Bae:

Kashmir Viii ‘Kash’s Bacon Shack’ Clutch, $45 Kashmir Viii ‘Copy and Paste’ Tee, $45 Kasmir Viii ‘We Did It First’ Stickers, $5.25-$20 Kashmir Viii ‘Reclaim It’ Clock, $45 Kashmir Viii ‘The Black Family’ Tee, $45

Jeff Manning Art ‘MLK’ Art Print, $35 Jeff Manning Art ‘We Shall Prevail’ Art Print, $45

‘The Spook Who Sat By The Door’ by Sam Greenlee, $21.99 ‘The Black Panthers Speak,’ $20 The Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975, $22.95 A Beautiful Ghetto by Devin Allen, $26.95 ‘Are Prisons Obsolete?’ by Angela Davis, $15.95

Angela Davis T-Shirt, $25

Legendary Rootz ‘Black Girls Are The Purest Form of Art’ Tee, $25

Alex Carter ‘BLACK BUSINESS OWNERSHIP’ Tee, $50

Rayo and Honey ‘Much To Be Done & Undone’ Pennant, $75 Rayo and Honey ‘Black Lives Matter’ Pennant, $75 Rayo and Honey ‘Joy Is An Act Of Resistance’ Tote Bag, $65

‘They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia’s Black Women Leaders’ by Allener M. Baker-Rogers & Fasaha M. Traylor, $ 28.99

Midnight Reflections Black Radical Woman Tank, $25.00

The Colour Polka Dot ‘Fuck Racism’ Resin Heart Keychain, $8

Rituals + Ceremony Be The Change Scented Candle, $24

Grant Blvd ‘Disrupter’ Tee, $30 Grant Blvd ‘End Cash Bail’ Hoodie, $54 

Cards, Notebooks and Wrapping Paper + Holiday Ornaments:

VickiBeWicked ‘Skull Santa’ and Candy Cane Greeting Cards, $2

Harlem Candle Company Set of 10 Vintage Nightclub Greeting Cards, $30

Kashmir Viii ‘Nina En Printemps’ (Nina Simone) Notebook, $14 Kashmir Viii ‘Boo Yow!’ Notebook, $14

Midnight Reflections Wrapping Paper 3-pack, $26.97

Midnight Reflections Claus Ceramic Ornaments, $15.99

Midnight Reflections Emoji Black Santa Christmas Stockings, $24.99

Bylianarae Note Cards, $15

KazvareMadeIt Rap Lines Inspirational Coloring Book, $18.20 KazvareMadeIt Lemonade Notebook, $18.20 KazvareMadeIt Fried Egg Wallpaper, $4.88 KazvareMadeIt Diamond Retro Wrapping Paper, $4.88

Khristian A. Howell ‘Speak To Me’ Wallpaper, $12 (sample pack) Khristian A. Howell ‘Palm Springs’ Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Sonar’ Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Twinkle’ Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Ansley Park’ Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Rosy’ Holiday Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Long Weekend’ Gift Wrap, $8.99 Khristian A. Howell ‘Bonjour’ Card Set (10 pk), $18

GreenTop Gifts ‘Clarence Claus’ HOHOHO Gift Wrap, $7.50 GreenTop Gifts ‘Clarence Claus’ Do Not Open Gift Wrap, $7.50 GreenTop Gifts ‘Clarence Claus’ Candy Canes and Trees Gift Wrap, $7.50

Addie Rawr 2021 Planners (Preorder), $30 Addie Rawr The Great Gratitude Journal, $20 Addie Rawr The Great Gratitude Journal, $20

[foreverlostinliterature]

6/29 Book Deals

Good morning, all! :) I hope you’ve had a nice start to your week so far. How are you all doing? It’s been a hot few days for a lot of people, so I hope you’re staying cool wherever you are (or warm if you’re in cool weather right now)! Apologies again for the lack of consistency in posts lately, I think we’re just going to have to stick with that for now because life’s been a bit unpredictable lately, haha. 

Anyway, about the books--there are a bunch of really great books on sale today, which is exciting! There’s fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, romance, nonfiction, hopefully a little something for all tastes out there. :) I read The Fifth Season recently and it was so crazy, I’m not sure yet if I want to continue the series, but the unique qualities of the book itself make it so worth the read.  And I had to include the Warriors book because I was pretty much obsessed with that series as a kid. 

I hope you all have a truly wonderful day/week, and happy reading! :)

Today’s Deals:

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin - https://amzn.to/3y8qiV4

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - https://amzn.to/2UR5N12

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine - https://amzn.to/3w9gQPT

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - https://amzn.to/3y4VlRL

Pax by Sara Pennypacker - https://amzn.to/3hged9Q

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs - https://amzn.to/3y3SGI7

The Herd by Andrea Bartz - https://amzn.to/3AdTQm7

Warriors #1: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter - https://amzn.to/3dsUqTl

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler - https://amzn.to/3yaWN5n

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir - https://amzn.to/3xbaMrO

The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman - https://amzn.to/3dsaTal

I, Claudius by Robert Graves - https://amzn.to/2TkYDlh

Caesar: LIfe of a Colossus by Adrian Goldsworthy - https://amzn.to/2TjaVuf

Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler - https://amzn.to/3y6JKl8

The Best American Noir of the Century edited by James Ellroy & Otto Penzler - https://amzn.to/3h3ZqzX

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin - https://amzn.to/3xhLiss

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - https://amzn.to/3A8jwAF

The Historians by Cecilia Ekback - https://amzn.to/3vZiR1j

Zorrie by Laird Hunt - 

This is Not the Jess Show by Anna Carey - https://amzn.to/3dmZLvh

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - https://amzn.to/3hgZKdI

Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane - https://amzn.to/3dowU9W

When Life Gives you Lemons by Fiona Gibson - https://amzn.to/3y5MBLf

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman - https://amzn.to/3heQ5EA

House of Many Ways (Howl’s Castle #3) by Dianna Wynne Jones - https://amzn.to/3y8sAn8

Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby - https://amzn.to/3yaoLOB

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - https://amzn.to/2SAaziB

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis - https://amzn.to/3dsjJoB

Reaper of Souls (Kingdom of Souls #2) by Rena Barron - https://amzn.to/3y6wi0U

NOTE:  I am categorizing these book deals posts under the tag #bookdeals, so if you don’t want to see them then just block that tag and you should be good. I am an Amazon affiliate in addition to a Book Depository affiliate and will receive a small (but very much needed!)  commission on any purchase made through these links.

[prudencepaccard]

Exhaustive list of Valjean and Vautrin references in the diss so far

below the cut!

Valjean:

An 1866 Jesuit polemic against romanticism entitled Le vandalisme littéraire evokes sunlight in this curious denunciation of Jean Valjean: “C’est le sombre héros de cette sombre histoire, le forçat sur lequel on a appelé votre commisération, l’homme qui a usé le soleil du bagne.” The story and its protagonist are dark not in spite but because of the fact that the latter has “usé” (used, or worn out?) the sun which is not only associated with, but in a sense constitutive of, the bagne. Valjean was, of course, in Toulon—not Brest or Rochefort. Léon Faucher goes so far as to describe the bagne of Toulon as being “sous un ciel vraiment africain.” In Le dernier jour d’un condamné, the protagonist says that he would prefer the bagne to the guillotine, even for life, because at least a forçat “marche encore; cela va et vient; cela voit le soleil.” The sun is not inherently tied to the bagne in this case, since it has been a leitmotif throughout the novella; however, it comes very à propos in a reference to the forçats which the condamné has seen earlier, since they were headed for Toulon, which is intimately linked to the sunlight. It is indeed Toulon that the condamné pines for, even if he does not know it himself; if he were to be sent to Brest, his days would instead be filled with a rain not unlike the one that falls on the day of his execution, or of the cadène’s departure. Similarly, Jean-Isidore Rous would almost certainly not have described Valjean as “l’homme qui a usé le soleil du bagne” if he had not been in Toulon.

Unlike Gustave, Valjean’s inability to appreciate “[le] soleil, ni [les] beaux jours d’été, ni [le] ciel rayonnant, ni [les] fraîches aubes d’avril” is not due to his aesthetics, but it nonetheless shows the limits of natural beauty in a bagne setting. “La nature visible existait à peine pour lui,” the narrator tells us; “Je ne sais quel jour de soupirail éclairait habituellement son âme.”

The bagne occurs as frequently in récits de voyage whose authors pass through Toulon, Brest or Rochefort as it does in exposés and reports that take it as a main subject; almost in spite of themselves, travelers saw the institution and its inmates as a tourist attraction, and were perhaps correct to do so––just as Jean Valjean was correct to fear especial infamy in Toulon because of his having being mayor in Montreuil-sur-Mer.

Another Jesuit, Jean-Isidore Rous, so wished to keep the bagnard at arm’s length that he could not even countenance an ex-convict between the pages of a book. Jean Valjean qua a hero and protagonist, he vituperates in the Les Misérables-focused chapter of the anti-Romantic tract Le vandalisme littéraire, is both an impossibility and an intolerable affront: “L’apothéose de Jean Valjean est la plus grande insulte qui ait jamais été faite à la société. Lavons-nous de cette boue comme nous pourrons, nous n’en aurons pas moins été salis. Type hideux d’une dépravation qui prend sa source dans la plus profonde immoralité, Jean Valjean secoue les plis de son manteau sur nous tous qu’il méprise. Il n’a pour nous, qui l’avons frappé avec les armes de notre justice, que des malédictions et des anathèmes.”

Even Victor Hugo, whose entire thesis hinged on the humanity of the downtrodden and degraded, emphasizes Valjean’s bestial and mechanical nature: hard labor transforms “peu à peu, par une sorte de transfiguration stupide, un homme en une bête fauve, quelquefois en une bête féroce,” and Valjean cannot help but follow the impulse to escape whenever the opportunity presents itself, “comme le loup qui trouve la cage ouverte.” Similarly, more than a beast of burden, Valjean is a human jack––nicknamed “Jean-le-Cric,” and able in a pinch to take the place of load-bearing statuary: “Une fois, comme on réparait le balcon de l’hôtel de ville de Toulon, une des admirables cariatides de Puget* qui soutiennent ce balcon se descella et faillit tomber. Jean Valjean, qui se trouvait là, soutint de l’épaule la cariatide et donna le temps aux ouvriers d’arriver.”** In context, these images serve as an indictment of society and of the penal system rather than of Valjean himself, but they still frame the victim as something less––but also sublimely more––than human. *Footnote: These sculptures––which, being masculine figures who show apparent effort, are technically atlantes rather than caryatids––still exist, although the building to which they were originally attached does not. Much like the stained glass of Chartres Cathedral, they were removed from the Hôtel de Ville in anticipation of bombing during WWII and stored in a less exposed place. After the war, a new mairie (now a “mairie d’honneur,” with the real mairie moved across the street) was built in the same spot on what is now the Quai Cronstadt, and the atlantes/caryatids reattached. They and the original building and balcony are visible in the backgrounds of period paintings such as Joseph Vernet’s 1755 Troisième vue de Toulon, vu du Vieux Port, prise du du côté des magasins aux vivres (see Chapter 2 for a discussion of the relationship between forçats and the naval, urban, and natural landscape). ** Footnote: Émile Bayard furnished an illustration for this scene whose title, “Les deux cariatides,” emphasizes the equivalence between Valjean and this load-bearing sculpture. According to the tour guide and local historian Jean-Pierre Cassely, the two statues are allegorical, named “La Force” and “La Fatigue” but nicknamed “Mal au Dos” and “Mal aux Dents.” In Bayard’s illustration, Valjean is shown to be holding up a slightly larger-than-life-sized version of La Force.

In a sense, it is the healing, and not the trauma, that makes a brand truly permanent—scar tissue is a deeper structural change than an open wound, and thus the convict’s body is complicit in his degradation. The limp was a similar kind of adjustment, an acceptance of the new state of things. Of course, the chain existed for its own sake in a way that a branding iron did not, so the leg-dragging effect blurs the lines between a purposeful marking and an unintentional (but useful) side effect. Either way, the convict begins as a tabula rasa and ends indelibly sullied by his ordeal, having acquired a contaminating knowledge against his will.  That is why it is so poignant that, while confessing his convict past to Marius towards the end of Les Misérables, Jean Valjean declares, “avec un accent inexprimable, ‘Je traîne un peu la jambe. Vous comprenez maintenant pourquoi.’” He is exposing himself completely to his son-in-law’s scorn, showing him a visible proof of his permanent degradation—after Toulon, even the way he walks is impure.

Joseph Méry uses the bonnet vert as sort of secondary synecdoche for hard labor for life, after the more obvious one of the casaque rouge for hard labor in general: “Ne savez-vous pas que l’irritation d’un moment, dans vos villes d’orages,” asks the convict protagonist of Le Bonnet Vert, “peut changer du soir au matin votre feutre noir contre un bonnet vert?” Hugo performs a similar maneuver in Les Misérables, as Jean Valjean is first identified as a convict because of his casaque and then as a convict for life because of his bonnet vert: “Tout à coup, on aperçut un homme qui grimpait dans le gréement avec l’agilité d’un chat-tigre. Cet homme était vêtu de rouge, c’était un forçat; il avait un bonnet vert, c’était un forçat à vie.” He then adds a description of Valjean’s hair––an additional layer which is altogether outside the bagne’s symbolic system and is revealed in the same moment he is freed of the bonnet––and immediately decodes it as well: “Arrivé à la hauteur de la hune, un coup de vent emporta son bonnet et laissa voir une tête toute blanche, ce n'était pas un jeune homme.” Thus a bonnet vert denotes a lifer while a casaque rouge denotes a convict alone, and together with Valjean’s white hair they form the syntagm “old convict for life”*; these declarations set boundaries or expectations (he is unfree and thus impotent, he is old and therefore incapable) which are shortly transcended through grace and Valjean’s own prodigious ability. *Footnote: It should be noted that Valjean’s clothing in the passage is both particular to its historical moment and in line with a partially contradictory gestalt imaginary. Statements like “all convicts wearing green caps are forçats à vie, all forçats à vie wear green caps, the casaque is entirely red, etc.” are incorrect when compared to the entirety of the historical record, but correct on a level that serves the story.

Like everything else, the actual shoes varied over time and from bagne to bagne; they could be wooden sabots, but they could also be souliers ferrés. In Les Misérables, Valjean, in a free indirect discourse, dreads the coming hardship of wearing such shoes (with no socks, a detail that may not be entirely accurate): “Si encore il était jeune! Mais vieux, être tutoyé par le premier venu, être fouillé par le garde-chiourme, recevoir le coup de bâton de l’argousin, avoir les pieds nus dans des souliers ferrés !”

Hugo evokes the cadène in two of its stages in Les Misérables: first the ritual of ferrage in the courtyard of Bicêtre, a solemn and tragic moment for Valjean in 1796; then the carnivalesque spectacle, in 1831, of the journey itself, which is witnessed both by an older Valjean (who has a flashback to 1796) and by Cosette (who is both disturbed and curious). This is the exact opposite of the treatment it is given in Le Dernier jour d’un condamné, where the initial ferrage is carnivalesque and the subsequent departure of the carts is a somber, rainy affair. In both cases, it is sunlight which stirs the convicts to action and provokes the grotesque: “Un rayon de soleil reparut. On eût dit qu'il mettait le feu à tous ces cerveaux. Les forçats se levèrent à la fois, comme par un mouvement convulsif [...] Ils tournaient à fatiguer les yeux. Ils chantaient une chanson du bagne”; “Brusquement, le soleil parut; l'immense rayon de l'orient jaillit, et l'on eût dit qu'il mettait le feu à toutes ces têtes farouches. Les langues se délièrent; un incendie de ricanements, de jurements et de chansons fit explosion.”

In Les Misérables, Valjean reacts with uncharacteristic joy when called “monsieur” by Bishop Myriel because “l’ignominie a soif de consideration”; related to the desire for consideration is a need for individuation.

A footnote: After his release from Toulon, a half-asleep Valjean is obsessed by the image of a fellow-convict’s checkered suspender: “[E]t puis il songeait aussi, sans savoir pourquoi, et avec cette obstination machinale de la rêverie, a un forçat nomme Brevet qu'il avait connu au bagne et dont le pantalon n'était retenu que par une seule bretelle de coton tricote. Le dessin en damier de cette bretelle lui revenait sans cesse à l'esprit.” The memory of this suspender allows Valjean to identify Brevet during Champathieu’s trial and to prove that he had known him in prison (and thus that he, not Champmathieu, is Jean Valjean): “Te rappelles-tu ces bretelles en tricot à damier que tu avais au bagne ?” Such is the importance of the detail which serves to identify and individualize the forçat.

The concept of the matricule number is mise en roman to particularly great effect in Les Misérables. Valjean’s prison number, his identité matriculaire so to speak, is woven into his character and narrative arc, and within the universe of the novel, form a traceable path through the bagne’s paperwork just as his aliases follow him through the twists and turns of the plot. Were he real, his second matricule entry would read “Jean Valjean, dit Madeleine,” and his first entry would forward the reader to his new one, hypertextually: “revenu sous le numéro 9430.” Jean Valjean’s return to Toulon and arrival in Montfermeil are both framed as numerical substitutions or transformations—the first is a simple change of name and state, and the second an act of prestidigitation in which the same number magically takes on new powers. The chapter in which the reader is informed that Valjean is once more a prisoner (“Le 24601 devient le 9430”), and that in which he is revealed to be Cosette’s mysterious benefactor (“Le numéro 9430 reparaît et Cosette le gagne à la loterie”), share a number of structural parallels. Both refer to Valjean’s prison number (and Valjean as number); one is the first chapter of the sub-volume in which it appears (Livre Deuxième, Le Vaisseau l’Orion) while the other is the last chapter of the following sub-volume (Livre Troisième, Accomplissement de la Promesse Faite à la Morte), thus bookending the contents of both; and the chapters themselves consist of short, dialogue-free recapitulations, both opening with a drastic update regarding Valjean’s coordinates vis a vis freedom and captivity (“Jean Valjean avait été repris”) or life and death (“Jean Valjean n'était pas mort”). “Le 24601 devient le 9430” introduces a setback that later turns out to be the setup for remarkable, even miraculous events. The reader sees Valjean apprehended (“repris”) and misapprehended as well (“Il a été établi, par l’habile et éloquent organe du ministère public, que le vol avait été commis de complicité, et que Jean Valjean faisait partie d’une bande de voleurs dans le Midi”), even being sentenced to death before being granted a royal commutation. He is condemned to spend the rest of his life in the bagne and his reintegration into the system seems to both proclaim and ordain this, his new address within the bureaucracy (“Jean Valjean changea de chiffre au bagne. Il s’appela 9430”) implying an existential imprimatur similar to the “pouvoir de faire ou, si l'on veut, de constater des damnés” that, according to Hugo, Javert and other “esprits extrêmes [...] attribuent à la loi humaine.” The inhabitants of Montreuil-sur-Mer, too, are the victims of this (con)damnation, as the sentence immediately following Valjean’s immatriculation shows: “Du reste, disons-le pour n’y plus revenir, avec M. Madeleine la prospérité de Montreuil-sur-Mer disparut ; tout ce qu’il avait prévu dans sa nuit de fièvre et d’hésitation se réalisa ; lui de moins, ce fut en effet l’âme de moins [emphasis in original]” (citation). Cosette would be yet another victim if it were not for Valjean’s determination and near-superhumanity. While coming to the aid of a sailor, he appears to drown, only to be resurrected in “Le numéro 9430 reparaît et Cosette le gagne à la loterie.” The reader can guess, of course, that the stranger in “Cosette côte à côte dans l’ombre avec l’inconnu,” the mysterious “homme à la redingote jaune,” is none other than Jean Valjean, just as they were never really in doubt about the identity of Monsieur Madeleine; nonetheless, it is this chapter that names him, and in so doing closes the file that was opened with “Le numéro 24601 devient le numéro 9430.” Furthermore, the comparison to a winning lottery number underscores the miracle of Valjean’s escape, and ties what is otherwise a dehumanizing anti-name to fate and fortune in a positive sense. It is qua 9430 that Cosette’s rescuer (re)appears, both in contrast to a name, and in contrast to 24601, whose escape attempts were never successful. Madeleine desires to save Cosette; 9430 accomplishes the deed. 

Vautrin:

Balzac and the penal reformer Benjamin Appert share Alhoy’s assessment of Rochefort’s lethality: in Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes, Vautrin tells his accomplice and lover Théodore Calvi, alias Madeleine, “S’ils nous ont déjà ferrés pour Rochefort, c’est qu’ils essaient à se débarrasser de nous”––a sentiment shared by the narrator: “[C]ette superbe évasion avait eu lieu dans le port de Rochefort, où les forçats meurent dru, et où l’on espérait voir finir ces deux dangereux personnages”––and Appert writes, “La mortalité est plus considérable à Rochefort que dans les autres bagnes. Mais on ne doit attribuer ce funeste résultat qu’au climat, et aux changemens fréquens de la température, puisque, pour les hommes libres, la même différence existe entre la mortalité de Rochefort, et celle de Toulon, Brest et Lorient.” 

Accouplement exposed the convict to very real risks of physical and sexual abuse and/or assault, but the specter of homosexuality preoccupied contemporary writers even in the absence of violence. Balzac appears to have been interested in the possibilities of consensual or semi-consensual accouplement (in all senses of the word); in between the events of Le Père Goriot and Illusions Perdues, Vautrin is sent to the bagne of Rochefort where he grows close to Théodore “Madeleine” Calvi, a young and handsome murderer whose companionship he “bought” from the administration, having bribed those in charge to chain them together. In addition to the obvious contact, the chain also engendered closeness between Vautrin and Calvi in indirect ways. In Splendeurs et Misères des courtisanes, Bibi-Lupin cites the quality of the patarasses (see page number) Vautrin made for Calvi as proof of his affection for his friend and lover: “Théodore Calvi, ce Corse, est le camarade de chaîne de Jacques Collin; Jacques Collin lui faisait au pré, m’a-t-on dit, de bien belles patarasses…” (47).

Anthelme Collet is probably the most famous convict memoirist after Vidocq; like the latter, he also served as an inspiration for Vautrin, but unlike him, he wrote his memoirs from the bagne of Rochefort, where he ended his life.

A generic workmen or bourgeois made for a viable disguise––Vidocq had success dressing as a sailor during his escape from Brest––but it could also be useful to impersonate someone more intimately affiliated with the system. Alhoy writes in Les Bagnes: Rochefort of a convict who managed to escape by posing as a pharmacist with the aid of a sheet: “Enchaîné dans un lit à l'hôpital, objet d'une surveillance spéciale, il coupe sa chaîne, s'affuble d'un drap qu'il tourne autour de son corps comme un tablier de pharmacien, cache sa tête sous une profonde casquette, passe au bout de la salle entre les deux lits où les gardes-chiourmes sont assis éveillés [...] franchit le mur, et jouit de la liberté qu'il a acquise par un trait de hardiesse peu commun.” Likewise, in what the narrator of Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes describes as a “superbe évasion,” the fictional Vautrin and Madeleine abscond together from Rochefort in 1820 by means of an ingenious ruse in which it is only necessary for one one person, Vautrin, to appear “legitimate”: “il était sorti déguisé en gendarme et conduisant Théodore Calvi marchant à ses côtés en forçat, mené chez le commissaire” (citation). The second escapee can, and indeed must, remain a convict, and that is what makes this particular escape one of Vautrin’s “plus belles combinaisons.”

Born in 1799 in Landreville where he served at one point as a notary clerk, Simon was a law student in Paris at the time of his 1823 arrest for burglary and forgery, and one can easily imagine him driven by the same sort of money troubles that cause Lucien de Rubempré to attempt suicide at the end of Illusions Perdues—but with no Vautrin to save him, as the future criminal mastermind had also done for his first love, the forger Franchessini.

A footnote: This is the juridico-historical context of Balzac’s so-called “Histoire des Treize” (La Fille aux yeux d’or, Ferragus, La Duchesse de Langeais) and “Trilogie de Vautrin” (Le Père Goriot, Illusions Perdues, Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes). Vautrin’s brand, TF on the right shoulder, corresponds to the provisions of the 1810 code; as Geoff Woollen notes in “Brand Loyaute in Balzac Criticism,” the phrase “les pauvres diables avec T.F. sur l'épaule” refers specifically to those condemned for forgery (as was Vautrin, wrongly), and not simply forçats in general. It must be noted as well, as Woollen does, that Vautrin’s brand does not mean “travaux forcés”; the T alone represents both words, and the F means “faussaire.” Forgery was apparently another one of the conditions under which a prisoner could find himself branded with a T (as opposed to a TP), as the matricules are replete with TFs. Note as well that a forger sentenced to hard labor for life would be branded TPF and not TFP; contrary to popular belief, including Victor Hugo’s, there is no such thing as a TFP brand.

Both:

To evoke the bagne was to evoke the sea; when the narrator tells us, during Valjean’s first appearance in Les Misérables, that he has come “[d]u midi. Des bords de la mer peut-être”, this is a hint that he is a forçat in much the same way as Vautrin’s disclosure to Rastignac that he has been “dans le Midi” in Le Père Goriot.

While self-fashioning on paper could serve many purposes, the convict’s material mastery of his visual identity had at least one eminently practical end: disguise for the express purpose of escape. The third convict witness against Champmathieu-as-Valjean, Chenildieu, is identified by Valjean-as-Madeleine because of a palimpsest of scars in the same way as Brevet was identified by his suspender(s) and Cochepaille by his tattoo: “Chenildieu, qui te surnommais toi-même Je-nie-Dieu, tu as toute l’épaule droite brûlée profondément, parce que tu t’es couché un jour l’épaule sur un réchaud plein de braise, pour effacer les trois lettres T.F.P., qu’on y voit toujours cependant.” His reasoning for trying to efface his brand is ambiguous; it may have been to aid in an escape attempt (Vautrin similarly disfigures his back as part of his transformation into Carlos Herrera, determined never again to be undone by the brand on his shoulder as he was in Le Père Goriot), or he may simply have resented having to carry around a permanent reminder of his sentence even in prison. These dimensions, of course, are not mutually exclusive; just like the casaque or the irons, the brand had both a symbolic and a practical function, and this duality is reflected in the desire to escape it.

[betterbewitching]

Inspired by @love-an-ood: posting the first line of the last twenty things you’ve written (I’m supposed to tag twenty people but I don’t even know twenty people, so if you want to do it as well, consider this an invitation).

In no particular order:

1. “You’ve heard of Edmund, of course.” (from my current novel manuscript)

2. THE INTERGALACTIC ALIEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND SEX by Naguthu Rawan was over six hundred pages long and bright pink. (from a Star Wars fic)

3. The first thing they called me was Little Half Moon. (from what will one day be a middle-grade fantasy)

4. She begins her day with nothing but her petticoats and an orange. (from a story I wrote called The Playwright and the Whore, a title of which I am very proud)

5. Richard was pretending that he was at the bottom of the ocean. (historical fiction short story)

6. The fact of the matter is that you’ve been lied to. (from an on-going story that I write just for myself)

7. There are red bows in all the shop windows. (from an in-progress Les Mis/Love Actually fic)

8. There was a hell of a storm brewing in the air that afternoon. (from a silly story I wrote for my dad recasting Winnie the Pooh in a detective noir setting)

9. Phoebe Lemon was dreaming that she was a biscuit. (from my last novel manuscript)

10. At the time that Yon was born, her people had no word for diplomacy. (written as a submission for a writing program)

11. I hope that there has been a fire in the night. (from a short story based on my last workplace lmao)

12. The first thing you need to know is that human beings are very small. (my first attempt at a science fiction short story, I think)

13. It was in the moment she first peered into her mother’s coffin, laid out in the drawing room like an abandoned banquet table, that Mary Stivvens knew her life was going to change. (from an attempt at an Austen-esque story for my mum’s birthday a while back)

14. It was a typical bleak New England morning, the sky dominated by thick, gray clouds, and the suggestion of rain to come. (this one is a bit of a cheat b/c I wrote it for a high school assignment, but it was so much fun--Hamlet meets Raymond Chandler)

15. In the weeks that followed the Battle of Hogwarts--while friends were buried, damage assessed, and while dodging numerous job offers and books deals--Harry Potter made a decision. (from a silly fic about Harry Potter becoming a barista)

16. Some say Alice returned to Wonderland wielding a sword. (flash fiction? A short story? Don’t know yet, this is all I’ve got)

17. My brother and I were indoor children. (from a short piece for Mother’s Day a few years back, collaboratively illustrated with @thewimpytank)

18. “Michele?” From behind her eyelids, Michele saw the dim lights flicker for a moment. (a fic which I began when there was only one season of 3% available on Netflix)

19. It was hard to tell which field was which, and not just because it was going on midnight. (from a novel that just wasn’t clicking, and which I will eventually find a way to completely overhaul)

20. There was a dead man in our front garden this morning. (ahh, this was my first full novel that I wrote in college! 64,000 words, I was so proud!)

This was so much fun! Please tag me if you decide to do this as well!

[deck-of-cards-arc]

The sun shines down upon the base, the rays sweltering and blinding. The one star in the sky looming over the entirety of Carterre. Yet somehow, the darkness still consumed the very likeness of the fortress. Every corner seemed like a shadow with its claws grasping onto the stone brick walls of the place. In the middle of it all, it was all but silence. The wind was still, yet the air was heavy. I was told this place used to be a place of common commerce, market stalls of produce and food used to line the stone walls. It was never intended to be a place reckoned as a fortress, now with the crimson banners and stains on the walls. This was the only place that blocked access form the Noir Kingdom. Hopefully, soon, it would change. And it will, as a lone soldier donned in red metal armour decided to patrol right into my line of sight. They walked too close, possibly could’ve seen the frightened eyes hidden in the darkness of the fortress, so I might as well have struck. One good smack to the head by the hilt of my sword later, that was at least taken care of. The other eyes stepped forward, the one with clubs for her brown irises simply poking the unconscious body with the handle of her dagger.

🌹 “Well, that was easy.”

🔥 “Too easy?”

🌹 “No, because we aren’t spouting clichés today, Ai.”

♦ “Besides, the real difficulty is taking the rest of them out. There's about a hundred of them here”

🃏 “Yeah…so many and so spread out.”

♠ “Focus, the stairway isn’t far ahead. We just have to move further”

🔥 “We’re near the gates, I think I can set the fire there. Should be enough to lead them off.”

♠ “Alright. Rose, get Ai over there. We’ll get into position to move up.”

🌹 “Roger.”

🃏 “Who’s Roger?”

🌹 “No I mean-, nevermind”

I huffed a breath, taking Ai by the forearm and guiding her through the shadows. Shuffling near the walls, hiding behind the mess of clutter surrounding the place, and soon we reached the gates. Ai stood by it, her hands rubbing together as if she were creating a spark. And unsurprisingly, it worked. The fire in her hand was bright and burning, remained as such whilst she lowered it to the grass. It was a good thing she got the endorsement from Morgan, otherwise, this would set him off. Once the fire was set, I grabbed Ai’s arm again. This time, with a finger snap, we were back in the shadows. I peeked around the wall, watching them all act like moths as they were drawn to the flame. From the opposite side, a few of those moths were tied up with vines before they could even move. Morgan raised a thumb at us before continuing up the stairs with Lou. I heard grunts and punches thrown from above us. Sounded like Jacques was in position too. All the pieces were set in place.

🔥 “It’s showtime.”

🌹 “You ready?”

🔥 “Born ready, let’s go”

 And with that, we split. Ai ducked and rolled to her position. I snapped my fingers to get in position, the whole of the second floor now in my sight and area.

The floor was clear of guards, thought the walls were a whole different story. Every inch of them was covered in the crimson flags and banners that dominated the fortress. I scoffed at the tacky decorations and moved on ahead. Through the openings of the wall, I could see the bursts of the fire from above on roofs. Accompanying the heated rage was the strong whirlwind just as planned. And according to that plan as well, the soldiers were absolutely demolished. I felt the smile grow on my face hearing the hermit’s cheery laughter so loudly before I reset my mind back to the task at hand. I kept scouring on the second floor. Passing by the grown flora around and the cracks against the walls. Soon enough, the familiar heads of brunet covered by a green hood and of twilight blending with his cape were in view. I whistled, turning them around to face me.

🌹 “You said there were a lot of guards around, no?”

♠ “Yeah, we took them down. Didn’t you seem them when running here?”

🌹 “What are you talking about, the floors were clean”

Morgan flashed a confused expression before he returned to his usual.

♦ “Nevermind that, the ones leading this platoon of soldiers should be here. For all we know, they may also be a Card-bound.”

♠ “Right. Let’s focus, we’ve got a serious target. Be on guard, Rosie, Morrie”

♦ “Pff-”

♠ “Now what's with the giggle?”

♦ “Nothing, nothing, you're too cute when you say our names like that”

♠ “AM NOT!”

I couldn’t help but giggle too as I marched on ahead. Morgan’s not wrong after all, he’s the one puffing up his cheeks and pouting. Nevertheless, we slowly made our way through the halls. It was strangely quiet. Strangely dark. As if this whole thing wasn’t as strange. Trailing my hand across the stone, I huffed a shaky breath. I stopped for just a second, feeling the flow of the soldiers come in rapidly. But it was just a platoon, no?  Luckily, I could bring in more help form myself, just with a finger snap. I was spreading myself, or rather my selves, out a little thin but it was enough to slow it down. Such a large flow of the Rouge soldiers, it was unsettling nonetheless.

It wasn’t until I took a turn, seeing the open ajar wooden door that it hitched. I held up a fist to stop the two behind me before I readied my sword. Slow, steady steps in the quiet hall down to the door. Palm against the wood, pushing it slowly to reveal the room. With openings for windows that reached almost the ceiling. With makeshift tables made out of empty crates and sheets of cloth. With boxes of parchments, books and charms. That what drew my eyes first, as I reached a hand to inspect the objects. The books were scriptures of the Cards. From their words contained within them, detail archaic events or quotes I couldn’t exactly grasp. For all those bound by either the Clubs or Spades. The charms were like dreamcatchers, in away. They all were strung by either string or wool, with small jewels for what I assume, good vibes. I placed the things back, looking back to Lou and Morgan. The Diamond-bound was busy inspecting the rolls of parchment on the table. The Spades-bound was preoccupied with swiping the unscathed map of the land. One thing was for certain with the room, the leader wasn’t here.

Or so we thought, as the echoes of clicking, clacking against the stone caught our attention. My hands reached for my sword instinctively and my legs lunged towards the door. Morgan took the initiative too and ducked behind the table, Lou hiding with him only a second later.

As soon as the door swung open, as soon as the figure took a one…two…three steps, the door shut tight

“NOW!”

The arrows were shot, just beside her cheek. The shock was enough to freeze her, giving me nice ample time to position my blade under her chin. The adrenaline hit us too hard since it was second before we realised who we were pinning against the door.

♠ “Ms…Le fond..?”

♦ “Evequeline, what are you doing here? Rose, lower your sword”

I followed the orders, the sword now at my side instead. The High Priestess heaved a deep breath and moved a few steps forwards away from me.

♥ “I came here to deliver urgent news”

♦ “Couldn’t it wait for after the mission?”

♥ “It affects this mission too, your highness”

♠ “Don’t call me that”

🌹 “What does it have to do with the mission?”

♥ “It’s important, you must listen”

♠ “Okay, okay, what is it.

My gaze shifted from Evequeline’s gentle but worried expression to her firm grasp on her staff. That small moment, as I saw that hand move, as that worry shifted to darkened face…

The realisation hit me too late.

♥ “You have already lost.”

I couldn’t swing my sword fast enough. But Lou could. His rapier knocked the staff away before she could even land her strike, his card pushed her against the wall firmly with the winds. I pointed my sword back to her, now with Lou’s blade and soon Morgan’s arrow also holding her back

♠ “LE FOND, HOW COULD YOU?”

♥ “I am not sorry, your highness.”

♠ “STOP CALLING ME THAT, YOU TRAITOR!”

♥ “Since when was I on your side?”

🌹 “…The Hearts Sisters…They were always with the Rouge kingdom…YOU were always with the Rouge kingdom. They weren't insurgent, and YOU knew that!”

♥ “How else did the armies find your base?”

🌹 “Not without a spy.”

♦ “Everyone died…BECAUSE OF YOU”

♠ “You're supposed to Priestess, yet you killed hundreds…Why? Why are you hurting us, why are you fighting for imbalance!?”

♥ “My reasons are none of your business. And besides, there’s in knowing now. Now when you’re losing”

At that very second, I reeled back. The sight was flooding back to me as she spoke of the devil.

Ai was on the ground, barely able to stand. Not with a figure’s foot pushing her down with a loud and agonising crack. The figure was chuckling away as I saw the hermit crying eyes and throat out for someone, anyone…

Jacques was grounded too, arms clutched and unable to reach for their card. It was only just a small rach away, but the deep crimson wounds all over their body made moving seem like hell.

Me? I was pushed against the wall, staring up the soldiers pinning me. I could barely breathe.

Even in the room with my actual self, I couldn’t breathe. Morgan was calling my name, but I couldn’t hear it. The vertigo was surrounding me, I spread my selves too thin. And of course, that was her chance. With a swing, she knocked back into the table. Lou was incidentally knocked back too, right into the boxes. Morgan was the only one still standing. Just before she delivered another blow, he dropped a seed. Vines of flowers shot up to knock the staff right out of her hands and into his. The plants were staring to wrap around the Priestess, to which she countered with a finger snap. The room became blinding, just as I was getting out of my blackening out before the light disappeared. Evequeline had moved to just behind Morgan. He wasn’t fast enough to stop her from knocking his card out of his hand. He wasn't fast enough to stop her from kicking him down to the floor. He wasn't fast enough to stop her point a card at him square on his bowed head

♥ “I’m sorry, Diamant…but this is the king’s orders. Do not take this personally.”

She flicked it, I didn’t know what to expect

Explains how I didn’t see Lou lunge towards Morgan as soon as it happened.

It was like déjà vu, seeing those ice crystals poking out of Lou’s stomach, the crimson that spilt from there. So much so, my short of breath came back around. And I only at the side to witness it. So I couldn’t imagine Morgan’s position at all.

What I could see was Evequeline backing up slowly, even she was taken aback by her actions. I panted, heavy and fast, I couldn’t regain any breath of mine. All I could do was crawling towards Lou, the pain already seeping in harshly. Morgan was clutching the body in his arms, the glow from his hands doing almost nothing to him. The tears were already beginning to roll down his face as he pleaded. I came closer, using my own white light to surround him. But he still was coughing up blood, whimpering under his own movements. Lou tried turned around, groaning and heaving dryly.

♦ “Please, please, please, p-please, p-p-please, p-please…”

♠ “M…or…rie…it…hu…rts…i…t…hu…rts…”

♦ “I know, chérie, l-Look at m-me, okay? L-Look at me, please, p-please”

🌹 “I-I can’t do anything! It’s not working!”

♦ “What do you mean!?”

I looked closer at the crystals in his stomach, trying not to let the choking screams hurt me even more. The crystals themselves were crimson, but the blood didn’t stain it. It was as if it flowed within the ice itself.

🌹 “…She froze his blood…”

♦ “B-But, that’s fucking impossible, not unless she’s higher than a…a ten…”

My head turned to Evequeline. She turned the card in her hand around to show us. It wasn’t the Five of Hearts

It was Queen.

♦ “H-How…”

♥ “We’re done here”

Her calm and peaceful silence returned, as she took the staff from the ground and flicked it to tear a sliver of light. She stepped in, back facing us. I took that last chance to get her as my feet and arms acted on their own. It was too late to take the action, however, my body and sword meeting the cold stone instead. Huffing, slamming my fist down and cursing almost everything. I turned back to Lou being cradled in arms. His frail weak whines were haunting, they floated and hung in the air even if they were quiet. The Spades-bound curled up, his hand grasping at the grassy green cloak. Breaths were getting shorter by the second, the shines of the sapphires dulled. No waterworks escaped his eyes, but he was already in pained and stinging tears. How do I even bear to watch it all end like this, without my own tears blurring my vision and sobs clogging up my throat? Morgan was barely able to bear it at all. His words were scattered, stuttered. His hand was still over the puncture in the stomach, the glow losing its luminance. His pleas were repeating, over and over and over through his voice. Emeralds searching for at least some sign, any sign something could work at all. One slice of a chance, something to reach for to save just one soul. Hopeless and wishful thinking was all it was, though…

♦ “Chérie, chérie, p-please, please-”

♠ “I…I’m…sorry…”

♦ “What’s there t-to be sorry for, don’t say t-that please”

♠ “I…I’m sorry t…that I can’t…can’t keep…our promise…”

♦ “Please, p-please, don’t say y-you’re sorry, please!”

♠ “Then…I should say, M…orrie…t…thank…you for everything…for being…my everything…”

♦ “C-Chérie…Lou, p-please don’t go, please don’t go.”

♠ “I…said the same…to you, when…you had to l…leave…what a…turnaround…huh? S…sorry…I just noticed it…”

♦ “F-Fuck, you’re r-right, I shouldn’t have l-left you, a-all alone in t-the c-capital, with a-all those fuckers, I s-should be sorry, I should b-be-”

♠ “Shus…shhh…it’s okay…you're still here…with me…and hey…”

♠ “You got…your kiss…in due time…”

♦ “Chérie, c-chérie-“

♠ “See…there’s the…the smile I love…”

He shifted himself, laid against Morgan’s arm and smiled too. His love couldn’t help but ruffle his twilight hair softly, as he tried to stop his sobs.

♠ “Rose…”

🌹 “Y-Yeah-?”

♠ “You know…I never thought…I’d say it like this…right now…but… you’re one of my…bestest friends…too…you showed me…so much…Thank you…”

🌹 “L-Lou…please, s-stay, ple-please”

♠ “I…I want to…so badly…”

🌹 “ I don’t w-want you t-to d-die like this! You s-still have so m-much to l-live for…”

♠ “I’ll b…be okay…I’ll see…mother, a…again…she’ll take c…care of me…I won’t have…to see…The King…ever again”

🌹 “Y-Yeah, y-you’ll n-never see that dick, a-again”

♠ “Heh..he...You two…are the best…I couldn’t h…have asked for better…friends…in the uni…verse”

🌹 “L-Lou-“

♦ “Chérie…”

♠ “I…love…you”

With that, silence. His hand fell limp, his sapphire eyes were gone, his pale skin lost the lively glow it once had.

The only thing left, was a scream from the one holding him piercing through the dead air.

---

[lpshappymeal-blog]

bester reiseveranstalter neuseeland

Experience New Zealand

Hawke's Bay is an internationally famous wine region. About 70 wineries (from large commercial estates to small family businesses) invite you to taste their wines. This region is especially known for its red wines, especially its Pinot Noir. The reason for the excellent quality of the wines is the high number of annual hours of sunshine, which also attract many visitors to the towns of Napier and Hastings. The former fishing village of Kaikoura in the north-east of the South Island is dedicated to ecotourism. A mega city like so many in the world, interchangeable. So we were already looking forward to the continuation of the journey to the "winterless" north to the Bay of Islands in Paihia. On the way and there arrived the bad weather was persistent, it only got warmer and the humidity increased.

B&B's are preferable to the big hotels, which of course also gives.

On the New Zealand Immigration site you can apply for this online.

The scenic variety of New Zealand is impressive and unique.

On Stewart Island you go with guide and binoculars on the search for Kiwis - the landmark of New Zealand.

>This tour was certainly one of the highlights of the whole trip.

German citizens do not need a visa for a stay up to 3 months.

Read more about campervan hire New Zealand here.

Refusal to do so may result in fines of up to NZD 5,000 for any form of employment, or a visa is required for longer stays. The region is also famous for its wines, including world famous names such as Cloudy Bay, Montana, Hunters, Fromm, Le Brun and Highfield. Especially recommended are the fresh white wines such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Swiss and Austrian citizens do not need a visa for a stay up to 3 months. Book your holiday apartment or holiday home in the most beautiful holiday regions and benefit from our early booking advantages and attractive savings dates. Find your perfect motorhome according to your requirements and experience the most beautiful landscapes in the world at your own pace. In European summer time New Zealand is 10 hours ahead of us, in European winter time 12 hours.

[sometimesalwaysmusic]

OBSIDIAN WILL

We caught up with the members of Obsidian Will (OW: Liam, Lloyd, and Justin) to discuss successes, challenges, favourite tracks of their own, and their most influential records. Check them out at one of their upcoming shows and witness their artwork for yourself! (Photo: Natalie Jeffery)

VITALS

Facebook: www.facebook.com/obsidianwill 

Web:  www.obsidianwill.com  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/owmelammu

Upcoming shows:  May 25 - Drone Day, Ottawa, ON June 20 - L'Ordre de l'Infiniment Nada, Obsidian Will, Transmit vs. Intangerines, Bar Robo, Ottawa, ON.

SA: How did Obsidian Will first start playing music together? OW: OW started in 2013 in the office of the Carleton University archives and rare book room, where Liam used to work and Lloyd still does. We were both in other bands, Liam’s was ending as his band mates moved out of town, and Lloyd’s was still going but winding down. We discovered a mutual appreciation for classic heavy metal and various metal sub-genres: black metal, folk metal, witch house, etc. and both came across funeral doom while poking around bandcamp and itunes. It was also around this time that Lloyd started experimenting with making soundscapes on garageband and integrating lyrics. Liam also went to see Merdaratha, which incorporated pre-recorded ambient loop tracks that could be played over by a live band. Liam thought it would be cool to layer some guitar over the soundscapes Lloyd was making, and Lloyd could provide the rhythm. That’s sort of, but not quite, what we ended up doing.

We decided to jam together and booked some time at the rehearsal space under Irene’s called Noise Annoys. The room was great but the shortest amount of time you could book was four hours. Four. Hours. It ended up being a lot of time but allowed us to work for long periods and figure out what our version of funeral doom would be. Originally, all of our songs were between 12 and 20 minutes long. The tightened-up versions of the songs we wrote at this time - like Ghost Acres and Marked Hands - are still part of our sets and are notably slower tempo and sparse-sounding. Eventually, we would move away from trying to fit into the funeral doom genre.

We got lucky somehow and booked a few gigs as a duo, including opening for Topon Das, Greylights, Black Oak Decline and Empty Vessels. We also did our first out-of-town gig at a nudist colony in Vankleek Hill. After we had played our original set list a few times, we decided our sound was a bit too sparse and thought twice about always having a pre-recorded backing track to break-up the silence. Luckily, Lloyd met Justin in an esoteric/occult reading group he started. Their conversation quickly turned to music and Lloyd invited Justin to join with the band to play violin and be the “live loop track” that would replace the pre-recorded one. A few weeks after Justin came on board, we had our first gig with him. We didn’t really have time to prepare, so we just told him to improvise as we played through our set list. Justin eventually purchased an electric violin and now an electric cello, and is integrated more fully into the songs and overall sound of Obsidian Will.

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound? OW: At the beginning it was certainly Doom bands like Skepticism and Nortt, as well as folk metal bands like Wardruna. Merdaratha was a huge initial local influence as well, as was Gates from Toronto. We are individually and collectively influenced by many different bands and styles of music and sound art, and as we have continued to work together more of our influences outside of the metal genre have crept in like The Mars Volta, Laibach, Lustmord, and many of the artists on the Cryo Chamber label.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been the band’s biggest success? OW: It’s all a success. Every time we get to play a show is an extreme privilege and it’s wild to us that we get to share the stage with some of the most exciting bands we know. It’s still a total novelty that we can contact bands that we like, or, even crazier, get contacted by rad bands out of nowhere, and have them agree to/want to play a show with us.

Picking out a few specific examples though, doing an Ottawa-Montreal show swap with Le Pélican Noir is a definite highlight. We are super glad to have met Sylvain and Maxime and are excited to collaborate with them in the future. Being asked to play the Ottawa Experimental Music 5 year anniversary show is also huge for us, and it’s kind of unbelievable that we got to be on the same bill as amazing local bands we admire like Novusolis, Clavius, Deathsticks, RAAS, and Forgotten in the Woods Again. Also, having an album and EP recorded by Topon Das at Apartment 2 Studios is like a dream come true, and, thanks to his production skills, having them turn out wayyy better than we thought possible was an added bonus.

SA: Conversely, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? OW: Obsidian Will doesn’t really fit into any one genre, or at least one of the genres you can pick from a scroll-down list on bandcamp/soundcloud/spotify etc. Our sets can range from quiet drone/ambient to a crushing doom-infused wall of noise. A blend of those two extremes isn’t always an easy sell. This might make us a bit more challenging to put on a bill, because we’re not really a fun high-energy band that would get booked for your usual bar or festival gigs - we have a tendency to bring the mood down. That said, we’ve managed to find a core group of local bands and artists we are similar to and that we work well with. We are still working to build our audience and find other artists to collaborate with. Having the ability to disseminate our music online helps when your project is more niche, like ours.

SA: How do you guys approach the song-writing process? OW: We’re still working on figuring this one out. Our older approach, when we were a two-piece of drums and guitar was to kind of work independently and rely on visual cues from on-another, mostly nods and looks. Essentially, it was the law of the jungle, but we made it work.

Once Justin joined the band, and now that Lloyd is incorporating synth, we realized we would need to work on coordinating. Right now, we’re working on a new song that will require a lot more structure and coordination between the three of us. We’re currently building a structure based on a few variations on the central theme.

Usually one of us has a concept or an idea we want to explore with the band. We sit and talk about it and then see if we can translate that narrative into sound. Occasionally we will also bring a riff or soundscape forward and work with that.

Also, we usually write lyrics first and try to build a song structure around them, or, for less structured and more ambient songs, pre-record the lyrics and play them over what we’re playing. For these less-structured songs, we end up doing our own thing to a great extent, recording it off the floor, and listening back to it to make sure everything we’re doing fits together. The tricky part is remembering what you were playing!

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? OW: There are positives and negatives. We recognize that we are a niche project and our music/performances don’t appeal to everyone; that’s totally fine. As a result of this, though, we had a hard time finding shows at first and are still working on building a local audience. Maybe this is commonplace and not exclusively an Ottawa thing, but it seems like crowds tends to follow specific promoters, and promoters tend to focus on specific genres, which totally makes sense. This can just make it a bit difficult to do something different and still play locally. That’s probably more on us than on “the scene” though.

That said, we’ve been super lucky to get support from other bands and locals. One of our earliest supporters was Topon Das. Not only did he record, mix, and master our self-titled album and the Night Sky EP at Apartment 2 Studios, he headlined our first show and also got us on early bills with bands we were amazed to play with like Black Oak Decline and Empty Vessels. We are super appreciative of all the help he’s given us and feel privileged that he’s been involved in the band’s development.

Another huge help to us is Adriana Ciccone (AKA Baba Ganoush). Finding the Ottawa Experimental Music facebook page was extremely helpful for promotion and finding shows. Adriana has been very supportive of OW, plus she’s a super talented musician herself that is contributing a lot to the Ottawa music scene as a performer, community radio host, writer, organizer, and show promoter. We consider her a very positive force in the Ottawa music scene and are extremely grateful to have met her and to have shared a stage with her. Check out all her stuff if you haven’t already! Forgotten in the Woods Again, Constellation 425, Ottawa Experimental Music, Hexon Bogon on CKCU. She does so much that is no doubt an incomplete list.

Ottawa Drone Day has also been a big help as well (full disclosure: Liam has helped organize Drone Day for the past 3 years). It’s always encouraging to see that there are so many local performers doing very different styles of music than you would normally see at shows, and it is great to be a part of that. Overall, though our niche is specific we are very encouraged that we’ve been able to find local bands to play on the same bill with and that like our music, and likewise, we like theirs.

SA: From Tamtu in November 2016, all the way to Night Sky, in November 2018, what kind of progression has there been in your music? Or, has it rather stayed constant over time, in terms of theme and expression? OW: Over time, we have played with the idea of structuring our shows and recordings as ritual spaces. As the ones creating the experience, we are guides bringing the listener on a sonic journey. We have structured our sets and albums to do this, trying to be conscious of what’s being communicated overall and being sure to open and close the ritual space of the performance before and after. This idea developed early on and has been a through-line throughout our performances and recordings... most of the time.

Similarly, we consider our songs, with and without lyrics, as meditations. We are often trying to explore things that inspire awe through their ineffability or by the contradictions they embody. Sometimes we borrow from classical mythology to do this, like in The Mother of Eleven and Marked Hands, and sometimes we look to the present like in Teratogenesis or Salvage. We are often writing songs about forces beyond our control and the feeling of powerlessness.

As far as recordings go, we’ve alternated between more structured songs and more improvised, noisy, and experimental “songs” (calling them songs would be kind of a stretch). Tamtu, Hollow Witch, and Night Sky are all less structured experimental pieces we recorded for Noisevember. For these, we try to tell a story through sound and sometimes incorporate pre-recorded lyrics. For Hollow Witch, we stayed at a friend’s house deep in Lanark County and recorded the songs in various parts of the house as well as one outside. We ritualized the session overall as well as each recording, and in the end, the album ended up being an ode to the house itself. Our self-titled album and Melammu are recordings of some of our more structured songs and is a bit less consciously organized overall. The elements are still there, but the songs are more able to stand alone.

Also, in the time we’ve been playing together we’ve all grown as musicians. We’ve also grown in terms of gear. We started with drums and electric guitar and now we have drums, baritone guitar, electric violin, electric cello, 3 or 4 synthesizers, and collectively we probably have 20 pedals. This allows each of us to shape our sound to better reflect the stories that we set out to tell with our music. As we grow as musicians our sonic vocabulary grows along with the amount of gear we have to load-in.

SA: Thus far in the band’s repertoire, what is your favourite track, and why? Liam: My favourite tracks are some of our earliest: Marked Hands and The Gestation of Homunculi. They are very simple but I never get sick of playing them when we are going through the set list. They are probably the most emotive songs in our repertoire.

Lloyd: My favorite track to play is Teratogenesis basically because it’s fun to smash through the song. My favorite song to listen to is The Mother of Eleven. For me the song is an invocation of the dark reaches of mystery. Each time we play it I treat it as a personal ritual.

Justin: The Gestation of Homunculi is awesome! This was the first song I wanted to learn and play when I joined and I still love playing it.

SA: If you had to choose, what three records would you cite as most impactful on your sound in this group? Lloyd: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Liam: Skepticism - Stormcrowfleet

Justin: Type-O-Negative - October Rust

SA: What comes next for you guys in 2019? Good luck this coming year! OW: We are working on a couple new songs and will most likely be playing Drone Day on May 25th. After that, we are playing June 20th with L’Ordre de l’Infiniment NADA and Transmit vs. Intangerines at Bar Robo - this show is so new there isn’t even an event to link to yet! We’ll probably also do another crazy noise recording for Noisevember and other stuff, stay tuned! 

[alessiopettiphotography]

Professional Boudoir Photography Near Me | Alessiopettiphotography.com

Boudoir is about liberation, celebration, freedom, and just being.

It’s a container to explore yourself however you want to, to be the version of yourself you want to be. Watch and read what other women have to say after their boudoir experience with Le Chat Noir Boudoir.

Boudoir style photography was something I've always wanted to do and I finally acted upon that wish and booked in a session. It started with a phone call to Alessio who was just so friendly, guinuine and answered all my questions. Next came all the informative and helpful guides leading up to the big day. I felt prepared on the day and the photoshoot itself was so much fun! Alessio was professional but friendly and made me feel completely comfortable. I recently picked up my album and was blown away by the quality and the photographs themselves. I couldn't be happier with the result!

"A Photoshoot with Alessio is just an amazing experience!"

Alessio was a complete professional the entire time in the warmest, kindest and most respectful way possible. We had fun, we laughed a lot and I felt relaxed and happy as a result. I felt beautiful during the shoot and the photos were absolutely stunning. I love them and I am so proud of them. I could not recommend this experience more, it was so good and I can't wait to do it again!

It's incredibly therapeutic because it challenges one and preconceived notions of one's body, image, beauty. And most importantly, I think it really challenges one's, I think negative attitudes or negative automatic thoughts that we all have about ourselves that you I'll be or I have these imperfections.

[alessiopetti01]

Boudoir Photo Studio Near Me

What Is A Boudoir Photoshoot

Let’s start with the obvious – it's something you deserve!

Boudoir is a French word that translates to a woman’s bedroom or private sitting room. So, does a Boudoir Photoshoot mean bedroom photoshoot? Not by a long shot. Let’s talk about it.

At Le Chat Noir Boudoir, I define boudoir as an empowering experience that allows women to find confidence, beauty, and power in their own skin. Boudoir is a very personal and intimate form of photography. It is an artistic expression in which you allow your photographer to transform you into a living canvas. Each photo expresses stories of self-love, self- discovery, and the re-discovery of the woman within.

It is my ultimate goal to ensure that you embrace boudoir as not just a photoshoot, but an experience. The encounter that you will have with the woman behind the lens will amaze you. You will not leave my studio the same woman in which you came. I’m here to cheer you on every step of the way of your journey.

So Why Should I Do A Boudoir Session?

Let’s start with the obvious – you deserve it! YES, I said it. You deserve it. You’re present, showing up every day for life, and all the responsibilities that come with it. You’ve earned it! If that isn’t convincing enough, here’s a few more reasons:

1.IT’S A GREAT GIFT IDEA FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

Whether you’re getting ready to tie the knot, celebrating an anniversary, birthday, or commemorating any other special moment, this will be a classic gift and a great lifetime memory.

2.MARKING MILESTONES!

Every decade is a milestone. Many women love to capturetheir milestones from the ’20s to the infamous half-century marker of 50 and beyond. The age milestone doesn’t stand by its lonesome. With the strides many women are making these days dropping and keeping their weight off, this is a great way to show off that progress and strut your stuff. We’re marking those weight loss milestones too!

3.SHOPPING!!!

So you love to shop? Here’s a great excuse to do what you love and grab some lingerie while you’re at it. It’s a great time to add to your current collection or start one if you haven’t already. Once you get started, you’re sure to get lost in the array of sexy options available for every shape, size, and curve.

4.THERE’S A REMNANT OF HEALING.

If you’ve recently gone through a trauma and survived, there’s cause for a celebration. What better way to celebrate this moment than to unveil yourself in all of your empowered and liberated glory?

How Do I Find The Right Photographer?

Great news, if you’re reading this blog, you most likely already have!!!

If you’re in greater Melbourne or any of the surrounding areas, my team and I would love to guide you through this empowering experience. If you’re interested in having your photographer travel to you, I do that too!

Once you’ve made a decision that you’re ready to take this amazing journey, it’s important to find the right photographer. Here are some key points to consider in your search:

• Does my photographer give me a sense of comfort and trust? • Is their work good quality? Are their supporting “real” reviews? • Do they have experience posing my     , and size? • Are they local to me? • Are they available? or are they booked too far out? • Does their brand match my values and how I want to be photographed?

At Le Chat Noir Boudoir, our first meeting is an introduction to establish a sense of comfort, trust, and understanding. To make sure you are as comfortable as possible before the day of the shoot, I do my best to cover all the bases of what you can expect. I introduce you to the spaces you’ll be shooting in, give you a glimpse of what your day will be like, and give you a chance to sit down with me and ask all your questions. Even the tough stuff! Remember, this is all about you!

What do other women say about their Boudoir Sessions?

With my love for boudoir, I could go on for hours about why every woman should book a session. The best part is you don’t have to just take my word for it. Check out some of these amazing testimonials and live videos from clients who’ve had the experience!