#the gilpin ones specifically

[unlucky-number-4]

You guys DO NOT understand how much I wish I looked like this bastard

what haircut does this mfer have I NEED TO KNOW

[enibas22]

Why Father Ziegler From Mrs. Davis Looks So Familiar

https://www.looper.com/1264263/father-ziegler-mrs-davis-looks-familiar/

Why Father Ziegler From Mrs. Davis Looks So Familiar Peacock

BY BRANDON SHOAFF/APRIL 21, 2023

Spoilers for "Mrs. Davis" Season 1, Episode 3 "A Baby with Wings, a Sad Boy with Wings and Great Helmet"

"Mrs. Davis" proves that if a priest asks you where you got your shoes, you should probably answer. Episode 3 of "Mrs. Davis" sees Simone (Betty Gilpin) and Wiley (Jake McDorman) travel to the United Kingdom in order to continue their search for the Holy Grail, and they soon find themselves at a massive contest involving historical helmets and a giant sword in a stone. Wiley then finds himself a part of this simple endurance contest that just requires its participants to keep at least one hand placed firmly on the massive sword, much to the dismay of Simone.

As Wiley stands there for countless hours, he communicates with Simone through cans connected by a string, and at one point a mysterious priest known as Father Ziegler (Tom Wlaschiha) manages to get on the line; he then asks Wiley where he managed to get a pair of BK Knights sneakers. This pair of shoes was given to Wiley by Simone, who in turn received them from a proxy of Mrs. Davis. However, Wiley should have answered Father Ziegler, as soon another conspiracy is revealed. Of course, Father Ziegler has a unique look, and there is a very specific reason why he looks so familiar.

Wlaschiha appears in many German shows and movies before reaching English audiences with The Deep:

Tom Wlaschiha has an extensive career, with IMDb noting that he currently has over 80 acting credits. His early career consisted of several German-language television shows and movies like "Stubbe — Von Fall zu Fall," "Wolkenstein," and "Ich wunsch Dir Liebe." Following those, Wlaschiha soon started to appear as unnamed background actors in Hollywood movies like 2001's "Enemy at the Gates" where he plays a soldier, 2005's "Munich" where he is part of a news crew, and 2008's "Valkyrie" where he plays a communications officer.

His first big break when it came to English-speaking audiences, though, came in 2010 with the British miniseries "The Deep." Starring alongside Minnie Driver and James Nesbitt, this five-episode show follows a crew of deep-sea researchers investigating a mysterious new source of energy found only at abyssal depths. Wlaschiha plays the role of Arkady, a Russian survivor trapped at the bottom of the sea in a damaged advanced research and drilling station.

Though the protagonists of "The Deep" aren't quite sure what to make of Arkady, he is eventually able to prove his worth.

Wlaschiha plays a German occupier in Resistance:

Tom Wlaschiha's next endeavor was in the 2011 Welsh film "Resistance," where he played a character named Captain Albrecht Wolfram. This movie follows an alternate reality where the Germans were able to successfully invade the United Kingdom after the failure of D-Day. As such, the countryside is now filled with German soldiers and the wives of British soldiers and partisans. However, Albrecht soon becomes involved with Sarah Lewis (Andrea Riseborough), a Welsh woman whose husband went off to fight against the occupiers, and the two have a very nuanced dynamic.

Speaking with Cover Media (via Film-News) in 2011, director Amit Gupta said that Wlaschiha was absolutely perfect for the role of Albrecht, and explained, "Well, I knew that I wanted the German [parts] to be in German, so I knew I'd be casting German actors. We met quite a lot of actors and I saw Tom Wlaschiha do a couple of things and when I met him I thought, 'He's perfect for Albrecht'. He was sort of beautiful looking, but sort of tragically beautiful. I just met him and thought, 'This is a man who's carrying some history with him' — and I found that really powerful."

Wlaschiha has no name in Game of Thrones:

Though Tom Wlaschiha certainly has a history of playing foreign soldiers and individuals, the role that put him on the proverbial map, at least in the eyes of the vast majority, is from the massively popular HBO show "Game of Thrones." Originally introduced as Jaqen H'ghar in 2012's Season 2, this enigmatic figure becomes a fixture in the life of Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) when he shows her that he is actually a powerful assassin that has an assortment of magical skills.

However, Jaqen may not actually be his real name, as the character is actually part of a group called the Faceless Men. This group is essentially a religion, and they pray to the Many-Faced God, which is just another name for death. Calm and collected, Jaqen and Arya have a fascinating teacher-student relationship, and he is partly responsible for turning Arya into one of the most fearsome fighters in the world of "Game of Thrones."

During an interview with Geek Culture, Wlaschiha spoke about what he liked about his character, and he said, "The Faceless Men have this philosophical aspect that all men are equal regardless of their social status, and what they've done in life. They regard all of them as equal, and they will kill anyone for just the right price. I like this aspect."

Wlaschiha is a dangerous operative in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan:

Dropping his magical persona and getting into the world of high-stakes espionage, the next major project for Tom Wlaschiha found him appearing in 4 episodes of 2019's "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan." Similar to his role in "Game of Thrones," Wlaschiha's character in this show is also a deadly assassin. Starring alongside John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, and Michael Kelly, Wlaschiha is a Season 2 villain known as Max Schenkel, a dangerous German operative that gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse with Jack Ryan (Krasinski).

Speaking with The Knockturnal during a red carpet interview, Wlaschiha explained some of the background history of his character. He also mentioned that he spent an incredible amount of time running and jumping during many scenes, which he added was quite a problem at the altitude they were at because of the thin air. Wlaschiha was then asked if he did his own stunts, and he replied, "I did the stuff that I could do, but obviously I mean I wasn't allowed to do everything. I would have loved to do everything but wasn't allowed to do so. But the running was really, I mean I think I always thought I was a good runner, but at this height, it's a completely different thing."

Wlaschiha helps Jim Hopper escape a Russian prison in Stranger Things:

Besides appearing as everybody's favorite smooth-talking assassin-zealot in "Game of Thrones," Tom Wlaschiha also lent his talents to another massively popular television series, "Stranger Things." Popping up in Season 4, Wlaschiha plays Enzo/Dimitri, a Russian prison guard who is instrumental in reuniting Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Jim Hopper (David Harbour). However, these three soon find themselves all trying to escape from Russia once it is discovered that Dimitri has been aiding Jim in his escape attempts.

During an interview with Collider, series creator Matt Duffer mentioned that the original draft of Season 4 would have seen Dimitri die, but that particular plot point was later changed. Duffer explained, "In terms of who makes it, who lives or dies. I think there was a version where Dimitri, AKA Enzo, didn't make it. Then he ended up making it. But that's [the most] radical of a departure from the original idea versus what we ended up with."

The reason for this character change could be that "Stranger Things" managed to recruit Wlaschiha, but whatever the case may be, it seems that whenever a television show or movie needs a foreign-sounding soldier, killer, or priest, Wlaschiha is just a phone call away.

[erstwhilesparrow]

sparrow's short story and poetry recs (incomplete)

@desultorydenouement requested some recommendations for [generally stuff i've read that inspires / influences my writing]. i don't know if these all fit that requirement exactly, but. i sure do think about these ones a lot. here you go, hope you enjoy!

poetry:

Per Fumum by Jamaal May - My father was an astronomer / for forty minutes in a row / the first time a bus took us so far / from streetlights he could point out constellations / that may or may not have been Draco, / Orion, Aquila, or Crux. Sometimes I still catch myself using the phrasing of "[someone] was [a role / profession] for [some number of units of time] in a row" in my own writing. I like... the idea of curiosity / wonder / experimentation as something that puts you in a tradition of all the scientists and thinkers that have come before you.

Evolution by Linda Bierds - You know that feeling when it occurs to you for maybe the first time ever that hey, you're an adult now and you can decide what to do about your [fashion / food / leisure time] and you pick something you like that you wouldn't have tried to pick before and now that thing is special to you specifically? This poem is that, for poetry, for me. Alan Turing, and life, and all the dark mares on their dark shadows.

A Toast To The Alchemists by Laura Gilpin - Look, I like when people do poetry about science, and I love love love talking / thinking about the history of science, I don't know what to tell you. Last stanza makes me vaguely achy.

The Fish by Marianne Moore - If I had to pick a favourite poem ever, it'd be this one. First learned about it How to Read Poetry Like a Professor by Thomas Foster and it fills me with delight. I like how it looks on the page, I like its rhyme scheme, I like its language and imagery, I like the whole act of digging around in it. Did one of my favourite high school presentations on this poem.

NUMBERS by Mary Cornish - A joy to read out loud. I said this to a friend of mine and she immediately called me and demanded I read it to her and it was delightful! Highly recommended experience. It's... fun! Playful. Appreciative of something I think we are not appreciative of enough.

Rick Deckard Comes Home by Kanami Ayau - Even if this poem was just the phrase 'syncopated two-step dog-tag paramour' I would still love it. Have you ever heard anything condensed so perfectly well? Can you hear the drumbeat of it? I will never stop thinking about this.

Second Street Drifting by Austin Walker - You may have noticed this link takes you to a wiki page. I'm cheating with this one because the poem is from a podcast (Friends at the Table) and the podcast, really, is the thing that's a huge inspiration / influence for me, but this poem on its own, too: perfect. It is delicious to read out loud and delicious to hear read out loud -- Austin savours every syllable in his reading, and it is completely justified.

Catastrophe is Next to Godliness by Franny Choi - Lord, I confess I want the clarity of catastrophe but not the catastrophe. Just. Yeah. Big fan of Franny Choi in full generality. More of their work here!

Beautiful Short Loser by Ocean Vuong - Joy? Gender? Brilliance and confidence and that one interview he gave where he was like, and this is paraphrasing badly, "I insist on being a man and on using he/him specifically to complicate what those things can / should mean" ?

The Melancholy of Mechagirl by Catherynne M. Valente - Part of a collection of poems and short stories by the same name. I love this poem; it is fun and bright and touches things I care about (mechs, bodies, sci-fi concerned with the individual and the personal). The short stories I don't tend to feel as strongly about but some of them are stick-in-your-brain-for-days-after great. Recommend taking a look at the whole book!

I can't pick a Mary Oliver one. I simply cannot do it. But read her poems. They're excellent.

short stories:

The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis Borges - I love weird architecture. I love buildings and structures that make no fucking sense. I love infinity. I love finding horror or wonder or despair or meaning in those things. This story is about more than that, but mostly it's about an infinite library that our narrator moves through and describes to us. Don't ask me why it's on genius dot com of all places.

I Am In Eskew Episode 1: Correspondence - This is cheating because it's a podcast transcript. It's not cheating because this first episode is entirely stand-alone, really excellent, and caters to (almost) all of the interests I like to talk about on Tumblr: architectural horror, unusual intimacies, meat, locations that are alive and have a lot of feelings about you. A man named David, a relatively recent arrival in the city of Eskew, chases down the source(s) of a series of bizarre exchanges in the correspondences section of the local paper.

The Narrative Implications of Your Untimely Death by Isabel J. Kim - Judging by where I remember seeing your username around, you will also care about this. Get fucked up about characters that know they are characters with me. Get fucked up about people who are constantly putting on a performance, forever aware of where the audience is and what they might inflict on you, intentionally or not. (Second person POV story about someone signing on to a reality TV show and trying to play the part just the right way to get to leave.)

Exhalation by Ted Chiang - A thoughtful, melancholy, wonderful exploration of a different world, where people explode into showers of gold when they die, and the narrator learns about and comes to terms with how utterly temporary and completely doomed their people are. Makes me sad, but in a slow and gentle way, you know?

A Guide for Working Breeds by Vina Jie-Min Prasad - Two robots become friends by bonding over the following: dogs, killing, and the horrors of capitalism. Very sweet, very [sunshine x storm cloud] pair of characters. I feel fondly about it and managed to make me very sad by shuffling some numbers around in a list of unread notifications. (Also, I've found Tor.com has a lot of cool SFF stuff in general?)

A Very Special Pigeon by Cao Wenxuan, translated by Helen Wang - Pigeons. Friendship. Something complicated and difficult to describe but nevertheless recognizably sad. Reading this definitely Did Something to my writing style, but it's hard to tell what. Two boys somewhere in China are joined by the fact of pigeons, and the racing thereof.

Alien Hand Syndrome (Nth Street) by Molly Ofgeography - Utterly charming. When I say I want to write characters that are strange and specific and charming and alive, I mean like this. Cavendish Grotto (what a name, right!!) does not control his left hand; it does what it will. Cavendish Grotto lives his life.

[���Power absorption?” you ask him over your pasta, which you are currently absorbing powerfully.] by inkskinned - Written for a prompt, about how someone with a fairly mediocre superpower gets to be considered one of the top ten most powerful superheros. There's plenty of stuff on Tumblr that's in this wheelhouse or adjacent to it that I also really enjoy, but this is one of the first I read and it still sticks in my brain.

The Magician's Apprentice by Tasmyn Muir - Power and hunger and eating people. Welcome to All Of My Interests. A magician teaches his apprentice the utterly laborious art of performing magic. It's horrifying, it's glorious.

The Hydraulic Emperor by Arkady Martine - That vaguely sick feeling of trying to tally up some numbers and realizing, as you redo the calculations with increasing desperation, that it doesn't add up, that you're going to fall short? You can assume I'm being metaphorical or literal, but this story is like that. It's gorgeous, it's terrific, it's about how much you are willing to give up and for what. (It's about a collector on the hunt for a film that is effectively lost media. To win access to a print of it, they go to an auction where people are made to sacrifice irreplaceable parts of themselves or of history.)

Sestu Hunts the Last Deer in Heaven by M. H. Cheung - This one just feels good to read? Wild and lovely. It doesn't feel like it tries very hard or wants very much to explain itself, just drags you into its world and makes you keep up. I think the title gives you enough of a premise. I couldn't offer anything better, sorry.

A Farce to Suit the New Girl by Rebecca Fraimow - A new girl joins a Yiddish theatre troupe travelling through Russia right after the Tsar has been killed. (I don't know / recall which Tsar.) Everyone's trying to get through in one piece and help each other out, and everyone is so insistently themselves in a way I wish I could do more.

Texts from the Ghost War by Alex Yuschik - There's a war, because there are ghosts. People fight them in mechs. One of those mech pilots accidentally strikes up a friendship with a prince. This story is the development of that relationship, as told through texts. Describing it as sweet feels insufficient, though it is that. I like when things are true in SFF worlds without trying to explain themselves, I think.

L'Esprit de L'Escalier by Catherynne M. Valente - I did just say I am not particularly taken by some of her short stories. HOWEVER. THIS ONE IS VERY GOOD. Orpheus succeeds in getting Eurydice back. This is what happens after, and it sucks massively for everyone involved. Graphic depictions of decomposing bodies, which is both content warning, and reason I am so admiring of it.

[A scorpion, not knowing how to swim, asked a frog to carry it across the river.] by sadoeuphemist - I think about this one frequently. The scorpion and the frog, across many iterations.

[pjensen777]

Put a END to trolling

After reading the article by Stanford they talk about how easily people can turn into internet trolls, depending on their mood and the environment they find themselves in online. The study also explains that trolling can spread really quick, with one negative comment influencing others to join in. This behavior shows how quickly online spaces can become hostile. It shows how emotions play a big role in fueling negativity online, even for those who don't usually behave that way. The research offers an important solution by creating more positive environments that can stop the spread of trolling. By encouraging healthier conversations, we might help people avoid falling into trolling behavior. This study shows that anyone, not just a specific type of person, can be influenced to troll based on the situation. I also looked at the PDF Trolls spotting by Dawn Gilpin and I couldn’t believe how many different categories of Trolling there were. Trolling behavior that I have personally seen is Mocking/Insulting; Harshly making fun of or disparaging the target. Threatening; Suggesting that the harasser intends to harm the target or their associates, Impersonating; Creating fake accounts that post content pretending to be the target, as well as Swatting which is caused by Calling law enforcement with a false report of a crime, giving the target’s address. In my personal time of being on different social media apps, I tend to see a lot of fake accounts, even people that I'm friends with. These trollers are creating a second account copying all of the images and posts from their feed acting as if they were my friends and Texting me on different social media platforms. I’ve never experienced this myself but one of my best friends' brother got trolled by a troller and got swatted while being home playing a video game. This is done by the troller researching the victim's I.P. address and getting the address then making a local Police department call and making crazy accusations against the victim which is exactly what happened to my friend's brother while gaming. 

[slate48videoproduction]

Hire a Portrait Photographer in Phoenix: Top Picks

If you're looking to capture life's most memorable moments, finding the right portrait photographer in Phoenix, AZ is essential. Whether you need professional headshots, family portraits, or creative individual shoots, the Phoenix area is home to some of the most talented portrait photographers. This guide will help you choose the best local photographers based on style, experience, and customer satisfaction.

Why Hire a Professional Portrait Photographer in Phoenix?

Hiring a professional portrait photographer brings out the best in your photos. Whether it's the desert backdrop of Arizona or modern cityscapes, Phoenix offers a unique environment for stunning portrait photography. Here are a few reasons why investing in a portrait photographer in Phoenix is worth every penny:

Expertise in Lighting and Composition: Professionals know how to use Arizona's natural light to create the best shots. From the golden hour in the desert to indoor studio setups, their expertise ensures a perfect balance of light and shadow.

High-Quality Equipment: While smartphones offer decent cameras, professional portrait photographers come equipped with advanced cameras, lenses, and editing tools that produce far superior results.

Creativity and Vision: Experienced photographers in Phoenix bring creative flair to each session, understanding the perfect angles and poses to make each shot unique.

Editing Skills: The magic doesn’t stop with the photoshoot. Expert editing elevates your portraits, ensuring professional results with attention to detail.

What to Look for in a Phoenix Portrait Photographer

When selecting a photographer, there are key factors to consider:

Portfolio: Review their previous work to see if their style aligns with what you're looking for. Every photographer has a different aesthetic, from natural to artistic or dramatic.

Specialization: Some photographers specialize in specific types of portraits. Whether you're looking for family photos, corporate headshots, or creative individual shoots, ensure they have experience in your desired type of photography.

Customer Reviews: Check reviews and testimonials to see what past clients say about their experience. A photographer's reputation is crucial for understanding the quality of service they provide.

Budget: Professional photography services can range in price. Discuss pricing upfront to ensure their services fit within your budget.

Location Flexibility: Does the photographer offer on-location shoots? Phoenix has a range of breathtaking natural settings like South Mountain Park and the Desert Botanical Garden, which make stunning backdrops for portrait photography.

Top Portrait Photographers in Phoenix, AZ

To help you choose the right professional for your next photo session, here’s a list of some of the top portrait photographers in Phoenix. Each offers something unique, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your vision.

1. Jen Jinkens Photography

Specializing in modern family and lifestyle portraits, Jen Jinkens Photography brings a vibrant and creative approach to portraiture. She’s well-known for her bright, airy aesthetic that captures genuine moments between loved ones. Jen is also highly regarded for her professionalism and ability to make clients feel at ease during sessions.

Best For: Family portraits, engagement sessions, and lifestyle photography.

Location: Phoenix, AZ

2. Melissa Donaldson Photography

If you're looking for a photographer with a knack for capturing artistic and bold portraits, Melissa Donaldson is a standout choice. She offers a wide range of services, including individual portraits, creative headshots, and senior photoshoots. Her editing style is moody and elegant, giving her work a distinct feel.

Best For: Artistic portraits, professional headshots, and creative projects.

Location: Scottsdale, AZ (serving the greater Phoenix area)

3. Kacey Gilpin Photography

Kacey Gilpin is known for her candid and natural photography style, focusing on capturing emotions and authentic moments. She is particularly skilled at outdoor shoots, using Phoenix’s breathtaking landscapes to enhance her portrait work.

Best For: Candid family portraits, maternity shoots, and outdoor sessions.

Location: Phoenix, AZ

4. Studio 616 Photography

Specializing in wedding and portrait photography, Studio 616 offers a more traditional approach to portraiture. Their team captures moments with a timeless quality, whether you’re looking for individual portraits or large group shots. They’re also known for providing excellent customer service, making clients feel comfortable throughout the process.

Best For: Family portraits, wedding photography, and formal sessions.

Location: Central Phoenix, AZ

5. Lea Bremicker Photography

Lea Bremicker is a rising star in the Phoenix portrait photography scene. Her minimalist style puts the focus entirely on the subject, making her portraits feel intimate and personal. Lea specializes in creative portraits, headshots, and branding sessions.

Best For: Personal branding, headshots, and editorial portraits.

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix’s Best Locations for Portrait Photography

One of the benefits of hiring a portrait photographer in Phoenix is the city’s diverse array of shooting locations. Here are some popular backdrops photographers often use:

Papago Park: With its iconic red rocks and Sonoran Desert plant life, Papago Park is a favorite for outdoor portrait sessions. The stunning scenery provides a natural Arizona vibe.

South Mountain Park: Offering panoramic views of the city and desert, this is a perfect spot for family portraits, engagement photos, or individual shoots with a dramatic backdrop.

Desert Botanical Garden: For portraits with a botanical twist, the Desert Botanical Garden is ideal. Its exotic desert plants and vibrant colors add a unique element to any photoshoot.

Downtown Phoenix: If you prefer a more urban aesthetic, downtown Phoenix offers modern architecture, street art, and interesting cityscapes. Many photographers in Phoenix love this location for its variety.

Tips for a Successful Portrait Photoshoot in Phoenix

Preparing for your portrait session ensures you get the most out of your experience. Here are some tips to help you get ready:

Clothing Choice: Choose outfits that reflect your personality but are comfortable enough for movement. Solid colors or soft patterns work well, especially against Arizona’s desert backdrop.

Weather Considerations: Phoenix can get extremely hot, especially during summer. Schedule your session early in the morning or around sunset to avoid the midday heat.

Discuss Your Vision: Communicate with your photographer about the style you want. Whether it's casual, formal, or artistic, make sure they understand your expectations.

Incorporate Props: If relevant, bring props that add personality to your photos. Whether it's a beloved item, pet, or something relevant to your profession or hobby, props can make the session more personal.

Final Thoughts on Hiring a Phoenix Portrait Photographer

Hiring a portrait photographer in Phoenix gives you access to some of the most talented professionals in the industry. Whether you’re looking for a fun family shoot or an artistic headshot, Phoenix’s vibrant community of photographers can bring your vision to life. Be sure to review portfolios, discuss your goals, and choose a photographer who aligns with your creative vision.

The right photographer can turn ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. So, explore your options, and capture your best self with one of these top portrait photographers in Phoenix!

[ear-worthy]

The Intimacy & Challenge Of Audiobook Narration And Audio Fiction Acting

Quick. Name some of the greatest actors of all time. Olivier. Garbo. Streep. Nicholson. Those GOAT actors are movie actors. How about the best actors in audio fiction. You know, podcasts or audiobooks?

While voice actors in audio fiction may not be as high-profile as their visual counterparts like Tom Cruise who can drive a motorcycle off a cliff, actors of note and talent -- sometimes mutual exclusive categories -- are leaping into audio fiction. These actors are not thespians who are desperate for work. No, these actors are well-known in the acting community. 

Here's a brief list of well-known actors now acting in audio fiction podcasts: Anthony Anderson (Black-ish, Law & Order), Alan Cumming (Instinct), Betty Gilpin (Glow), Helen Hunt (Mad About You), Justin Min (Crazy Rich Asians), Will Sasso (Mad TV), and Billy Zane (Titanic).

Some od the most notable and talented audiobook narrators include: Anni Arndt, Robin Miles, Frank Muller, and Bahni Turpin.

The questions driving this article are straightforward. Do actors narrating an audiobook in an audio fiction podcast need specific skills that they may not have learned or encountered during their non-podcast acting careers?

 What specific skills does it take to succeed on audio fiction podcasts? 

To get answers on audiobook narration, Ear Worthy went to an accomplished voice actor, Curt Simmons.

Curt is a semi-retired stage actor and has also produced and performed several audiobooks over the past few years, one of which received the Earphones Award for Exceptional Audio Performance from AudioFile Magazine.

Curt is still active as a stage actor.

 Q. How did you break into the audiobook business? Do you audition to narrate? A. Well, first of all, thank you for the interview. I appreciate the exposure very much. And it’s just fun to talk about. But to answer your question, I did some research about how it worked, technically, contractually, promotionally. I built a little recording studio in my closet, opened an ACX account, submitted five or six auditions, was offered a Romance novel, and started recording. I also have a background in Radio and TV, as well as live theatre — acting, directing, producing and editing audio, which helped a lot. I’ll talk more about that later. Q. Do you read the book before narration? Or as you go? A. Yes, I do read the entire book prior to starting narration. It’s important for me to know what’s coming because, while surprise developments in story and character are great for keeping the reader/listener interested, they can be problematic for the narrator if they’re somehow incompatible with the narration that’s already in the can, so to speak. For example, when I’m familiar with the character arc, the obligatory scenes, the plot twists, the changes in the overall tone, etc. I can set them up better and finesse them more effectively. I think it makes for a more enjoyable listen. Q. How do you prepare for audiobook narration? A. Well, as I mentioned earlier, I read the entire book before I begin. Throughout the process, I might even read the entire book more than once. My goal is to fall in love with the story. That makes everything so much easier. When I’m in love with the story I don’t have to work so hard for story elements like characterization, pacing, emotional content, finding the author’s voice and such. It all adds up to the meaning of the story. I need to decide within myself why the author wrote this story. What are they saying? What is the theme? I want to be able to answer the question, “what is this story really about?“— The vanishing American dream? The price we pay for the life we live? The insanity of family politics? What we’re willing to do for love? It’s not always obvious. I cast myself as every character in the story. Doing audiobooks and short stories are great for developing an actor’s characterization chops. I try not to “report” the story. To me, that’s boring. I do try to act the story. If I’m engaged, the listener is more likely to be engaged. I decide what each character wants. I choose a voice for each character, including the narrator. A lot of these things will overlap and get developed simultaneously. Q. How do you infuse such emotion into an audiobook narration? A. A couple of things. I rely on my training as an actor, particularly techniques I learned utilizing emotional memory. But the main thing is just really being engaged in the story. I think of each story has a performance, not just a reading. I want to “tell” the story as if I were remembering it or relating my experience out loud, and not just read it. I know that may be a bit controversial, but I can’t help it. It’s what I do naturally. But It really boils down to the material, though, in most cases. If it’s a well written story, and I am truly engaged and paying attention to it, the emotion just comes out naturally. The thing I try not to do is push the emotion when it really isn’t there. Faking emotion is a big no-no.

Q. Did your radio experience help? If so, how? A. Yes, my radio experience is very helpful, as is my acting, directing, and editing experience. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Radio-TV and a Master’s in Theatre. And I started acting in stage plays as an undergrad. So I have at least a conceptual reminiscence of audio production, acting, and directing. I grew up splicing magnetic tape, so now, with waveform editing, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I also produced and hosted live and pre-recorded radio programs that would be considered podcasts today. Q. Do you have a favorite audiobook narration story? If so, can you relate it? A. Well, when I go back and listen to my first audiobook, the twelve-hour Romance novel I referred to earlier, I am truly embarrassed. I have to think of that production as my audiobook boot camp because I very nearly bit off more than I could chew. I was reacquainting myself to mic technique, learning waveform editing, signal processing and mastering on the job. Plus— The narration included fifteen characters, including teenage boys and girls, as well as four languages in addition to English, and three distinct European accents. What was I thinking? It nearly killed me. Well, not really, but it was very, very difficult. Took me three months. However, I learned a lot. And as a result, my next project was a bit easier, as each successive one has been since.

Q. Can you name audiobooks you've narrated? A. Three of my best are: Vacation by JC Miller Taking On Water by David Rawding Omari and the People by Stephen Whitfield (Earphones Award winner for Fiction AudioFile Magazine) (Photo: A younger Curt Simmons and his beautiful wife Faye) Curt Simmons adds: "I’m currently focused on live stage acting and on my Substack podcast, Classically Speaking — doing audio short stories from the public domain. I love it. Each piece is much shorter. I get to work with famous authors who are no longer with us, but the material is fantastic. And I don’t have to pay royalties. Although, I haven’t started monetizing it yet, because I’m not sure I can sustain it with everything else I have going on in my life. A good problem to have. Right?"

I took up narrating and producing audiobooks to keep my creative juices flowing and marinating between stage roles," Curt explains.  "After eight or nine audiobooks in the can, I realized how lonely I was in the studio being my own producer, narrator and technician. At the same time, I found that I did enjoy editing, processing and mastering, having put myself through college working at local radio stations, both on air and in the editing lab, and I’m talking cutting magnetic tape. It always felt like a playground to me. Curt adds: "I knew I needed to be in a more collaborative storytelling environment. So I've stayed focused on stage work for the next couple of years, which is my first love, Theatre, specifically acting, which I am still engaged in."

Curt tell us that, "My wife and I recently relocated from Seattle to Colorado Springs to be near our daughter and grandkids. At the same time, I’m still pursuing theatrical work. I never thought I could be so busy in retirement. But I am. And that’s a good thing." When we talk audio fiction then, let me toss out a name for you. Tal Minear. Tal is an Southern California-based actor, sound designer, and producer. They're the creator of Sidequesting, What Will Be Here?, Someone Dies In This Elevator, and several other productions, and Tal can be heard in audio fiction shows such as Tales of the Echowood, Circles, Deconstructive Criticism, and more. They do sound design for Seen and Not Heard, Surreal Love, Wizard Seeking Wizard, and their own podcasts. They also write about audio drama production on Medium, and The Simplecast Blog.

"It takes, like with most things, a lot of patience," begins Tal. "Auditioning is really the job. Beyond that, I think being able to portray emotion with your voice and finding different ways to read the same lines will really help you go far! If you have the option to send multiple takes for an audition, do a read for the second one that is different, weird, or simply out there. Variety flourishes in audio fiction!"

In 2019, a scripted sci-fi podcast, Cryptids, was released to strong reviews and healthy audience numbers. The podcast was developed by Wild Obscura Films (WOF) and produced and directed by Devin Sheperd and written and created by Alex Thompson.

"The audio medium allows the imagination to take over in ways that no visual medium can, so there was a lot of fun and tension to be mined in letting the listener fill in some of the blanks for themselves," says Thompson, who was interviewed during the podcast's initial release. The podcast director, Devin Sheperd, knew it would be a challenge. “As a director, it was definitely different," Sheperd says. "A lot of the actors haven’t worked in the audio space before. Our actors are based in theatre so with a podcast these actors are now working in an enclosed visual space.” Alex Thompson also acted in the Cryptids podcast, and he notes, “As an actor, I’ve done some voice-over work so I’m comfortable with the mic in front of me. The continuing challenge was to make sure that the acting came through in my voice. So in the visual medium, I can use acting mannerisms and physicality to get into the role but in the podcast that had to be channeled into my vocal chords. Even then, is the story you’re telling in the room the story the audience is hearing on the tape? It was more akin to a theatrical performance than film acting.” As the director of a podcast, Sheperd found that she would have to turn away from her actors while they were performing to ensure that her eyes weren’t influencing what she was hearing. “Often, I would listen to the actors with my headphones on, looking away,” continues Devin. “In the audition process, we found that the actors we loved in the audition room while watching them, we didn’t love as much when we listened to just their voice later on. Their physical performance would give us a totally different read than the audio performance. That was hard to adjust.”

There's a bias toward video over audio. The enthusiasm for YouTube and video podcasts (oxymoron?) is evidence that there's a long-standing belief that video is more complex than audio.

 However, listening to an accomplished audiobook narrator like Curt Simmons, audio fiction actor Tal Mineal, writer / actor Alex Thompson, and director Devin Sheperd, we understand that listening to an audio fiction podcast or audiobook is an intimate experience between you, your ears, the narrator and/or actors. It's like inviting these people into your brain. They stay for a while, maybe an hour, and then leave you with some info, a few insights, a kernel of a new idea, a funny story, a tale of woe, or the sense that the wrong person was convicted.

[totallynotreadingatwork]

Mini Book Reviews Again Again

Look I know I did one of these five minutes ago but I still have 20 books to get through here so bear with me okay.

Down Among the Dead Men by Peter Lovesey, book 15 of the Peter Diamond series - I don't normally read crime novels and this book reminded me why. It was a lot of police propaganda in places, a lot of nonsense in others, and overall just a bit boring. There was also a bit where someone being a lesbian was a major plot twist like??? what decade are we in??? (tbf it was written in 2015 but that's no excuse!). So yeah, didn't like this one much.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor, book 2 of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series - Well, if I could marry a book series then this would be the one. It's beautifully crafted and beautifully written, and the worldbuilding in this one is incredible. I love the characters and the conflict and I can't quite articulate specifically how or why without giving too much away but seriously everyone should give this a go, I've even given it to my mum to read.

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley - Oh boy was that one weird. It's not very long, but it doesn't need to be. It was cool and creepy and ominous in so many ways, and I think it would be good for people who like more gothic horror than slasher horror. I'll never look at a hare the same way again. TW for off-screen child death though. Like almost the whole book is focused around a couple dealing with the loss of their son.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, book 3 of the Heroes of Olympus series - What can be said that hasn't been said already? Pretty sure all of Tumblr already knows that this man is a brilliant author and that these books are amazing so I'm not going to elaborate here.

Fractured by Teri Terry, book 2 of the Slated series - Very early 2010s dystopia but still very good. I really do very strongly believe that part of the reason these books never majorly blew up the way The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner did is because they're set in Britain, and obviously weren't marketed as much. I'm enjoying them a lot. They're not the very best things I've ever read in my life, but I would have devoured them as a teenager if I'd gotten around to reading them back then.

Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick - Cute little lesbian love story. I enjoyed it well enough but it wasn't my favourite. It made me laugh in places, but I was never really invested in the relationship between the girls unfortunately. However, I was in a major reading slump at the time I read it, and was really stressed with work and life and stuff so maybe that was why I bounced off it.

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri - I'm not normally one for books that feel like they'd win a lot of awards (I like Blue Bloods for crying out loud!) but this one was very good indeed. I can't say I enjoyed it because the subject matter was really depressing, but it was very well written and had a lot to say about it's topic. It's about a live-in maid called Nisha who works for a woman in Cyprus but goes missing in chapter 1 and the rest of the book is her partner and her employer desperately trying to find her but struggling because basically no one else cares. It was a very powerful book in all honesty.

Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, and Penycae: A Collection of Pictures by Dennis W. Gilpin - Just me out here reading some local history. Nothing that would really interest anyone who doesn't know the area, but it was fun to see places I know today as how they looked in the past.

The Dissolution of Valle Crucis Abbey by Derrick Pratt - Again, local history. It was a bit dry, as expected, but still fun to learn more about the local area.

Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz, book 2 of the Blue Bloods series - Again, complete trash, but for some reason I love it. I think it's partially nostalgia because I first read these back in 2010 or so when I was 11 or 12 and loved them then, but sometimes I think it's because we all need something to just switch our brains off to. Some people like reality TV, some people like Ali Hazlewood, I like Blue Bloods. It's all the same.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - This is one of those books that you get from the library and enjoy so much you immediately wan't to go out and buy your own copy of. Like I feel like I'm going to be incomplete if I don't have this book in my life forever. A truly beautiful world-hopping story about finding yourself and where you belong, and it has the 'book within a book' thing going on like in The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Can't say too much without giving it away, but it's very good and I recommend it.

Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz, book 3 of the Blue Bloods series - It's Armageddon time baby! No not really but there is a little bit of a reckoning. That all obviously comes secondary to the terrible romance thought because of course it does and that's what we're all here for anyway. It's still thoroughly problematic and off the wall, but hey, 2000s vampire novels were never going to be sensible. Cringe is dead give me more vampires.

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz, book 4 of the Blue Bloods series - Oh look, more vampires! Originally, and for most of the year, I decided not to read too many books form the series too close to one another in case I got burnt out on the series, but Blue Bloods made me break that because I was having too much fun with them. I'm officially caught up to all the ones that were out when I first read the so form here on out I'm in uncharted territory. I'm hoping it's still all just as trashy.

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan, book 4 of the Heroes of Olympus series - Again, we all know Rick Riordan is god so I won't spend too much time on this one but I will say that I think that one is my favourite of the series. The bits in Tartarus are really well done and I still love all the characters and everyone on earth should read this book series.

The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman, book 7 of the Invisible Library series - This is the second to last book in the series so things are really ramping up here and getting everything in place for the finale, and it managed to do all that whilst also telling a satisfying contained story. We've got another new main character, the return of an old villain or two, and adventure to be had all round. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King - Another lesbian romance one I didn't really enjoy. I think I'm getting too old for coming of age stories like this. Or maybe this one just wasn't very well written. It was okay for the most part, but I didn't like the love interest at all and it seemed a lot of the time that the main character didn't either, which isn't ideal for a romance. Also, there's a running thing where the main character will watch aeroplanes flying overhead and 'send her love' up to the passengers and then we'd cut to a passenger on the flight for a few pages as they magically feel overwhelmed with a sense of love that helps cure all their troubles or whatever and I thought that was silly and I didn't like it. Not the worst thing I've ever read though.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan, book 5 of the Heroes of Olympus series - A cracking finale, even if I do still find the fight with Gaia a little anticlimactic. I love getting to hear from Reyna and Nico for the first time; they're some of my favourite characters. Honestly just a 10/10 series.

[warningsine]

Betty Gilpin has a succinct way of describing what she sees as an “overcorrection” to female characters on screen. “I used to be a bimbo with tits. Suddenly I’m a Magic 8 ball with tits,” she says, referring to the child’s toy that tells fortunes. She clarifies: “I’m 35. The roles that I played 10 years ago used to be the bimbo with no answers. Now, even though I’m playing the therapist wife, I have all the answers about my husband’s problems at his Nasa job. Which is not really realistic, either! It’s just making me one-dimensional in a different way.”

Perhaps more than most actors, Gilpin has spent a lot of time analysing her industry’s treatment of women. Before her thrice Emmy-nominated role in Netflix’s prematurely cancelled female wrestling dramedy Glow, she spent her early career mostly smiling, nodding, taking her top off and being zipped into body bags (including on one occasion being accidentally left zipped inside one after the director called cut on the set of Law & Order).

Much of this typecasting is down to the way she looks, and Gilpin is more than aware that her blonde bombshell exterior is what got her booked for certain jobs and discounted from others. “I work within the shell that I’ve been given,” she says, speaking from her bedroom at home in Brooklyn, New York. “But it doesn’t always square with how I feel inside. I think I’ve been trying to shake the world by the collar and say: ‘I’m a character actress! I am more than the sum of my cheekbones and areolas!’ But if that’s what gets me the job then sure, let’s put on a push-up bra and some contour if that means I get to make some weird faces and choices.”

It is likely these “weird choices” that have garnered Gilpin a reputation for making the most of lightweight roles: reviewers regularly cite her as “underused”. That might explain the appeal of her latest project, the TV series Gaslit, a sideways look at the Watergate scandal that focuses on people – and specifically women – who, Gilpin says, history has “tried to make invisible”. Chief among them was Martha Mitchell (played in the series by Julia Roberts), the outspoken wife of Richard Nixon’s attorney general, who tried to draw attention to Nixon’s corruption, and paid a heavy price in the process.

Gilpin plays Maureen “Mo” Kane Dean, the liberal cabin attendant who falls for White House counsel John Dean, despite her politics. “Mo was known for being the pretty, silent wife in the background of the Watergate hearings,” says Gilpin. “As someone who has qualified for health insurance and paid for appetisers by being the curvy wife with no lines in the background, I really related to her. Fortunately, in our series, she now has lines!”

Although Dean is still alive, Gilpin didn’t contact her. “I composed the email in my mind,” she says. “And then I was like: ‘I don’t wanna bother this poor woman.’ I prepared more in trying to think about what it was like to be a woman in 1972 and less what Mo Dean’s left shoulder does when she’s tired.”

Perhaps it is surprising that Gilpin was willing to dive back into politics after her last outing on that front: starring in button-pushing horror movie The Hunt, in which a group of wealthy liberal “elites” hunt down poor, rightwing “deplorables”. Not only was the film’s initial 2019 release pulled in the wake of two mass shootings, but the rightwing media, missing the intended satire, labelled it “demented and evil”, prompting then President Trump to tweet about Hollywood being “very bad for our country”. The Hunt was finally released in 2020 just as the pandemic hit, and was marketed with the tagline “The most talked about movie of the year is one that no one’s actually seen”. Gilpin concurs: “I really stand by that movie still. The controversy was sort of the most meta advertising campaign we could have asked for and America proved itself to be exactly the nation we said it was in the movie.”

More than anything, she now sees polarised debate as “almost part of the creative process”. She nods through the steps: “You make the outline, you find the right shoes in the costume fitting, you film the thing, Twitter explodes, then the actual reaction happens, the dust settles. It’s like getting your wisdom teeth out. It’s an inevitability.”

Gilpin steers clear of social media herself – she has no public profiles on any platform – and instead of the incessant babble of Twitter, there are plenty of other voices that she is tuned into. This autumn her first essay collection, All the Women in My Brain, will be published, its title referring to how she views her brain as “a room full of women who take turns at the wheel”. Talking to her – loquacious, witty and fond of a colourful metaphor – it is both evident how frustrating it must have been to have so few lines for so many years, and unsurprising that she’s turned to writing.

Prior to the book, she had well-received essays published in Lena Dunham’s newsletter Lenny Letter and Glamour magazine (that one, true to form, was titled “What It’s Like to Have Pea-Sized Confidence With Watermelon-Sized Boobs”). She is clearly bursting to express herself. While her essay makes the case for the women living inside her head, they have already emerged via the women Gilpin has played. She describes acting as “the perfect allegory for being a woman in the world … cycling through selves to give whoever is in front of you the girl they want”.

Having grown up with two actor parents, who worked primarily on the New York stage, she was dismayed to emerge from her own drama training to find that being a young actor in the 2010s meant establishing a brand: “In theatre school, they taught you: ‘Just be this strange vessel,’ and I graduated and it was like: ‘Oh no – I have to convince people how inherently myself I am.’”

Those early roles – her IMDb credits include parts like “Young Model” and “Blonde Chick” – required Gilpin to distance herself, but gradually she found ways to subvert expectations. When she was cast on the Edie Falco-fronted comedy Nurse Jackie she played a sexed-up, incompetent doctor, but two of the writers, Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, twigged that she could do more and fleshed out the character. It was Flahive and Mensch who later cast her in Glow as a washed-up soap actor who finds new purpose in her all-American wrestler alter ego, Liberty Bell. When it was abruptly cancelled towards the start of the pandemic (cruelly, while shooting for the fourth and final series was already under way), Gilpin penned a heartfelt ode to “the best job I’ll ever have” for Vanity Fair. She still speaks to co-star Alison Brie “every day” and thinks the fourth season should happen in 20 years; her eyes light up at the idea of playing an ageing Liberty Bell.

Most recently, she and Brie worked with the Glow creators again in the Apple TV+ series Roar, adapted from Cecelia Ahern’s book of feminist fables. Gilpin is perfectly cast as The Woman Who Was Kept on a Shelf, a wife placed on a literal pedestal by an adoring, controlling husband. For her it was a cautionary tale of what might happen if she gave in to eating “the candy of validation”, and it feels especially pertinent given that Gilpin considers herself at “a scary crossroads” regarding her looks. “That’s all gonna go away soon,” she says. “The more centrefold-friendly parts of my aesthetics will wither away and hopefully what will be left is a more Martha Mitchell type – a snarling, swirling human martini of a goblin person.”

Nevertheless, despite all that work on self-worth, it’s hard to completely cast aside that lingering doubt over why she gets hired: “Is it the internal ‘ocean of weird’ that conjured the character’s tears? Or is it the perky-for-now tits on which those tears plopped? Because one has an expiration date on it … It feels like a dangerous moment where I’m like, ‘I’m still allowed to keep doing this, right?’”

It seems likely that the bimbo roles are behind Gilpin. Her next two parts are as an AI-battling nun in Damon Lindelof’s new sci-fi show Mrs Davis, and as Lina, the mother-of-two embarking on a passionate affair in the TV adaptation of Lisa Taddeo’s bestseller Three Women.

Both will be added to the gaggle of women that Gilpin carries with her – a Rolodex that she is constantly scrolling through and learning from. “It’s an exciting push and pull to play as a character – in terms of how far along in her deprogramming is she?” she says. “It’s almost like through these avatars of women who are further along in the empowerment journey than I am, I get a little closer to my own.” After too many years being flattened by an industry that told her she could only be one thing, Betty Gilpin is finally ready to reveal all the women she can be.

[ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm]

draco malfoy reads “the two headed calf” by laura gilpin

This was written a bit back for the @drarrymicrofic prompt “beguile”, although it got a bit out of hand. I think Harry is trans in this, although nothing in this fic is anything specific, really. Kisses to the void!

Read on A03

He wasn’t looking for anything in particular when he found the poem. It was on a piece of paper that someone had ripped out of a magazine, probably Luna, the only tenant of Grimmauld Place without any reverence towards the printed word. The back featured the lower quarter of a beige advertisement for wristwatches.

The thin gloss text paper of the magazine sticks to the natural moisture of Draco’s fingertips, so light he doesn't even have to pinch it, just balance lightly on slender fingertips. “The Two Headed Calf”, read the title. “By Laura Gilpin.” The paper smells like bitter and chalk and flutters under his breath.

Tomorrow, when the farm boys find-

Tomorrow, when the farm boys find this

freak of nature,

Three dates into their relationship, in the kind of dramatic display of lavishness a younger Draco would have accused him of, Harry had taken Draco to America. A portkey dropped them off at Honeymoon Island Beach, Florida, where they spent an afternoon floating in the green, salty water, hands linked like otters. That was the first time Draco heard it.

“Freaks.”

Draco felt Harry flinch bodily. It could have been about anything, their joined hands, the pale half-moon scars on Harry’s chest, Draco’s left forearm. It maybe wasn’t even directed at them. But the muttered word had done something, turned Harry rigid and diminutive where he was always broad, expansive, brimming with life.

Later, hands clasped between them under covers, lying like commas curved to each other, Harry told Draco about Uncle Vernon. About how the word was a weapon: a category of one, that had previously included Harry’s now-dead parents, but had since their death been left only to him. Freak. About how it was like an enchanted robe that grew with age, an insult that fit each stage of Harry’s life and everything about him, old or just discovered. Orphan. Magic. Boy. Savior.

“But you’re so lovely,” whispered Draco against his ear, nose brushing soft skin, like a secret. “I thought everyone knew.”

Tomorrow, when the farm boys find this

freak of nature, they will wrap his body

in newspaper and carry him to the museum.

Draco had always loved Wiltshire, loved the copse behind the Manor and the endless fields, chased the desire paths beaten into the ground by curious ancestors. Draco always thought it more alive than home, even before the War - grateful for the relief it offered from the stillness of the homes of only children.

Blaise, of all people, understood that. “We grew up old,” he told Draco once, right before Draco’s 16th birthday, lying by the stream on the Manor grounds, feet dipped in the water and ankles bumping reeds. “Old houses, old money, still in nappies shaking hands with people. And then we felt smart and good, because the adults were so impressed with us. And you try to be exemplary so much you don’t notice you’re all dusty on the inside.” Draco remembers wondering if any of his other relatives had felt like this, always on the edge between compliance and a cliff. He remembers his thoughts flitting to Sirius Black, dead just months ago by his father’s telling and his mother’s tight expression. A cousin, who had stolen his name away from a dusty tapestry. Would he have said it was worth it?

But tonight he is alive and in the north

field with his mother.

Draco squeezes his eyes shut for a second, blinking something away. Even before he left home, he couldn’t think about his mother too long for fear of crying. He’d been ashamed of it, his overflowing love for her even when there was no sign of it ever leaving him. Then one day he saw Luna crying in the kitchen, pale cheeks ruddy with salt. “It’s so small!” she wailed, holding up a coffee spoon. “Sometimes,” Luna began after she’d calmed, sat on the couch with their blonde heads touching. “Sometimes if I think about something too much it can’t fit. It doesn’t fit in my heart. Especially very small things, or something that’s on its own but shouldn’t be. Father says I’ll grow into my heart one day, though.” Draco held his cousin. It wasn’t that he was afraid of his mother dying, or leaving him, not even in the dark times. It was that he could feel her, a string from his heart to hers, every bit of her being so familiar to him that he feared nothing was enough for her. The air knew less about how to surround her than he did. It was overwhelming to love someone like that because in the face of that love, the world didn’t feel indifferent by not loving or knowing her, it felt hostile. Sometimes he had to squeeze everything in himself to steady that rippling, reaching string.

It is a perfect

summer evening: the moon rising over

the orchard, the wind in the grass.

A wind ruffles his hair like a kiss. The paper in his hand flutters. When he was little, Draco was very sure he could control the weather with his thoughts, smiling at the sky until his cheeks hurt for good flying conditions.

And as he stares into the sky, there

are twice as many stars as usual.

He feels the cold grass under his feet, tucked into his high arches. Turns his head up, hand dropping to his side still holding the little poem. It’s so dark out here that the sky glowed. In places with old magic, the magic ate everything unnecessary. Even if there was light in the muggle towns below, it would would have never reached the sky. Draco always wondered how likely it was that every person on Earth, as many as there were, would at one point find themselves completely alone, somewhere. It didn’t seem possible. And still people were always alone in subway cars, in bookshops, on the street at night. Like the world expanded intentionally to meet you on your own, just for a time. It would have been a comforting thought, before, when the Manor buzzed with evil, or when bodies and battle scattered across the Hogwarts grounds.

It would have been terrifying, when he first fell in love, and he learned for the first time the fear of being without something he got on his own. But he didn’t feel like the universe and its heavy cloak were out to get him, anymore. It didn’t feel higher, either. It felt like a stream, a big and constant flow of something that he could come to when he needed it. Fate wasn’t for him, no matter how much they had shoved it at him before. It wasn’t for anyone, it was just there, glittering your choices like mirrors in the sky until you took a step. And then another.

“Draco?” says a voice from above, from the corner of the sky.

“Draco,” again, more insistent, rough and familiar.

Draco feels the damp of his hand spread across the paper like oil on a baking tray. He feels the carpet under his feet. He blinks his eyes open, face still turned up towards the sky.

Harry stands at the top of the stairs, hair sleep-ruffled, skin pillow-creased.

“Draco, it’s late. Come to bed, love.”

****

[brechtian]

Hi I really like your blog and your writing. I havent really read anything substantial outside of stuff for school and literature kind of intimidates me but I want to get into Classics and plays and the stuff you talk about here.

Do you have any recommendations for starting places build some literary brain muscle?

Hello! First of all: THANK YOU! What an honor not only to have someone admire my taste, but to inspire the desire for self-growth and engagement with literature! And yes, I absolutely do have some recommendations :)

Plays: So I actually have an entire page on my blog dedicated to play recommendations! I need to update it and add a few things, but the top section is a list of all my favorite plays with summaries provided by moi. Best place to start is to just read those summaries and see what sparks your interest!

Literature: I’m going to keep this to my favorite fiction and poetry since that seems like what you’re after, but I’m also happy to give nonfiction and essay recs in the future if you’d like.

Books (in no particular order)

Jane Austen - Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion

Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse

Toni Morrison - Beloved, Recitatif (short story)

Monique Truong - Book of Salt

Pierre Choderlos de Laclos - Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons)

James Baldwin - Giovanni’s Room

Ursula K Le Guin - The Dispossessed (my favorite book of all time), The Left Hand of Darkness, the Earthsea books

Ralph Ellison - Invisible Man

Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis, A Report to an Academy (short stories)

Poetry:

Emily Dickinson. If you want specific poem recs that’s an entire post on its own

Open Me Carefully: Emily Dickinson’s Intimate Letters to Sue Huntington (composed of letters and poems so I put it here)

Audre Lorde. Everything but some favorites include The Workers Rose On May Day, Equinox, The Day They Eulogized Mahalia, Prologue, Change of Season, New Year’s Day, One Year To Life On The Grand Central Shuttle, Suspension, The Bees, and Memorial IV

Byron - Prometheus, Darkness, When We Two Parted

Claude McKay - Harlem Shadows (book)

Laura Gilpin - The Hocus-Pocus of the Universe (book)

Mary Oliver - Devotions (book, selection)

John Keats - When I Have Fears, Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ode to a Nightingale

William Blake - Songs of Innocence and of Experience (book), London

[jocia92]

Moviefone: To begin with Dan, what was it about this project that interested you?

Dan Stevens: I think it was getting the chance to kind of explode a bubble of history that I knew a little bit about, but it's always fun when somebody lays out a series like this. The podcast that it was based on was utterly fascinating. My wife and I were gripped to that, just blowing up bubble after bubble of untold story corners of something that everybody thinks they know the bare bones about.

It's really cool when you get to see something laid out in a different way that really kind of changes your perspective on things. I always enjoy that as a listener or a viewer. You come away thinking, "That's not how it was told to me at all." It's a very refreshing perspective.

MF: What was the most interesting thing you learned about the Watergate scandal from working on this series?

DS: It is frequently described as a very stupid situation, but I think just realizing how unnecessary the whole thing was. I thought that the shenanigans that they were organizing were because it was very close and that this was a last-ditch attempt to snatch victory. They were going to win, hands down going to win, and I think that speaks to the dangerous ambition that was behind so much of the willpower of the situation.

Even though they were 19 points ahead and the victory was in the bag, they're still going to play dirty, and events cascade from that. I still can't quite get my head around it. That was something that really shocked me. I thought, why did they do this at all?

MF: Betty, with all the crazy characters in this series, Mo Dean seems to be the only one with her “head on straight.” Can you talk about that?

Betty Gilpin: That's right. Martha had her head on straight, too. It's just a different kind of head, I guess. What struck me was, I didn't realize there was so much time between the break-in and the discovery of the break-in. Of course, during which Martha was the only person saying the administration is behind this, you guys are crazy, and no one wanted to listen to her. I didn't realize that it had been so long, this huge secret. Mo is kind of pushing John to do the right thing, I think that is a beautiful part of the story.

I think she's inspired by Martha Mitchell. It wasn't in vogue to be yourself out loud. It's very popular now to be the brash social media version of yourself, your most authentic loudest self. But your public persona back then was very buttoned up and formal, and who you were behind closed doors was none of the public's business.

I think Martha Mitchell was one of the only people who there was no difference between who she was at home and in front of the cameras, and she was going to say how she felt and the truth that she knew in public, whether her husband and the administration liked it or not. She's kind of the birth of social media without social media. She's incredible!

MF: Can you both discuss how Mo felt about John Dean the first time she met him?

BG: How did Mo feel? Well, when she first met him, I think it was one of those tender dates where you think, "What have I just left? I could just go. This isn't going to work out." I think she got douchebag vibes, honestly. I'm sorry, Dan. But then I think once that charm was turned on, she fell in love.

DS: Did you say douchebag vibes?

BG: Was that intentionally laced into your performance?

DS: I think there's something inherently douche-baggy about the ambitious drive of a character like John Dean. I think, whether it's specifically that man or just in general, I find that kind of man endlessly fascinating, slightly pathetic and a bit funny. I think that makes for a very enjoyable character to dive into, and think, why is he going after this? What's the endgame?

MF: He wants to be Attorney General, is that correct?

DS: Maybe. Maybe that's the very endgame. I think before that even happens it's just about being in with the boys, which is such a lame ambition, but it's the ambition of so many, and it always makes me laugh. Just the lengths that guys will go to have that sense of validation from a group of crusty old men in suits. I don't get it, but it's fun. It's not exclusive. It was invented somewhere closer to home and I think it's true of any administration. Circles of power make people do crazy things.

MF: Betty, what was it like working with actor and director Matt Ross on this project?

BG:Matt Ross is an incredible director. He's also an incredible actor. I think having a director who is also an actor and gets what is conducive to helping make a good scene is so immensely helpful and really fun. The set was amazing. It was one of the funniest experiences I've had on a set.

I loved working with Dan Stevens. We had the best time together. You never know if between takes the actor that you are working opposite is going to reveal themselves to be a sociopath who thinks the postal service is controlled by mice. So that was out of the way. We had the best time and I think it shows in this series. We've become great friends.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Top 5 Female-led sitcoms

Now, these don’t all have female producers at the helm, it was more like they all had female leads.

1. Golden Girls

You cannot deny that Golden Girls is a number one classic for a reason. It has some of the best lines, full of life and cheer even at their advance age. But as my grandmother said "You got to laugh, kid" and that's what this show brings. Even dealing with important topics that sometimes still resonate today such as Alzheimers, interracial marriage, and AIDS but always with some zingers to keep it from being too preachy. Just because you're old doesn't mean you can't keep having adventures, finding love and doing it all with your friends. It's my comfort show, always brings a smile.

2. Teachers

This is an underrated comedy that I think deserves more love. Created by an all-female group of comedians called the KatyDids (all their names are a variation of Kate), a feat which I think is a first. It lampoons and satirizes the public school system with their teacher characters that probably shouldn't have their jobs (One uses the class time to have her 3rd graders dissect her exes posts with his new gf) but fun to watch. It also points out the failings of society such as gun control in schools (which they substituted as bear control), the double standards of female elected officials being sexually active compared to males, and more. Best pointed out in their musical episode, Lunchtime: The musical where the prissy teacher helps her friend with a zit in a Jersey Boy number- "Appearances don't matter is what we say to ugly freaks. Of course, they matter, there's so many things we can tweak. . . Now I know your face is giving you anxiety thanks to the standards of our patriarchal society."

3. Hot in Cleveland

Some critics said that this was a rip off of Golden Girls, using scripts that GG were too good for. But I think its just as good with its own spin on the subject of four middle/senior aged women living together on their third acts. After ditching the superficiality of CA, three women realize they're considered hot in Cleveland and decide to stay. In a house rented by Elka, played by the incomparable Betty White. It deals with the modern foilables of dating, and sticking together even as they get into one mad hijink after another. I always love their Birth date episodes (where instead of celebrating their birthdays and getting older, they arrange blind dates for each other. Always always hilarious) and of course, Victoria Chase's increasing convoluted chase for fame against mortal rival, Susan Lucci. It also had such great guest stars like Chris Colfer, Joe Jonas, Steve Valentine, Mary Tyler Moore, Peri Gilpin, Ed Asner and more.

4. Dollface

A modern Sex and the City for millenials I think. Somewhat. I don't know how to phrase it exactly but its certainly enjoyable with its all-star cast and specific aesthetic. I love the endearing bubbliness of it as it takes on Jules, a girl who recently dumped by her longterm boyfriend tries to reconnect with her collage friends who she totally ditched in favor of being perfect girlfriend. It goes on to such on-point topics like dealing with being in the middle of a friend fight, keeping secrets, catching feelings for your one night stand and trying to climb your career goal ladder (in which Jules works at a woman's lifestyle company soooo based on Paltrow's GOOP). Its earnest with a slight feminist bent too. Just endearing and worth at least one watch.

5. I love Lucy

I don't think I can do justice to I Love Lucy. I mean it made the sitcom. It was the first sitcom. It was so innovative for the time, showing the first pregnancy, an interracial marriage and more. Plus Lucy's slapstick humor still resonates today, she really was the star and who couldn't love her. I only put it fifth because I've only seen a few episodes, not the whole series.

Let’s see if the list stays the same once I get around to watching The Nanny.

[kingdom-creatin]

Tommy the Two-Headed Calf

(Idea from @inniter and THIS POST specifically,,, yes I speedran this, also this is my first and possibly only time writing Tommy pov, my readers pls don’t expect more of it) (Original poem “The Two-Headed Calf” by Laura Gilpin)

“Tomorrow when the farm boys find this freak of nature, they will wrap his body in newspaper and carry him to the museum.

But tonight he is alive and in the north field with his mother.”

Tommy sits on the stairs outside of Technoblade’s little log cabin.

Dreams and nightmares and worry kept him spinning circles on the bed in his sub-basement room, so he made his way outside, hoping the cold would clear his mind and help him get to sleep.

Snow is falling gently, not enough to pile onto him, but enough that he can watch mindlessly as the large flakes sink towards the frozen earth. 

For a few minutes he simply sits and watches. Listening to the wind against the house, the pets shuffling nearby, a few crows cawing quietly from the nearest trees.

Then the sound of rustling blankets reaches his ears and he cringes. He should have expected the big bastard to wake up, after all, even in the notably larger living space of Pogtopia, the piglin always seemed to make his way to anyone who woke up in the middle of the night, no matter how quiet you thought you were being.

Techno says it’s his piglin ears. Tommy thinks he’s just too paranoid. Hyper-hypervigilant.

He hears the metallic click of Techno’s hooves against the rungs of the house’s ladder. Piglins and their fancy gold all over the place. Tommy doesn’t get how it all stays in such good shape, let alone how those gold rungs don’t bend after being used so often by someone of Techno’s mass.

“It is a perfect summer evening: the moon rising over the orchard, the wind in the grass.”

He turns his attention back to the snow blowing across the field. It sparkles in the gentle moonlight and the swirls of ice look like dancing spirits enjoying the cold. He pulls the blanket around his shoulders tighter against his back.

It’s a heavy blanket, sewn with clear care. And if he didn’t recognize the blue and gold symbol emblazoned in the center, he would have definitely recognized the careful but limping stitches he saw so many times before. Waking up in Pogtopia with a shirt sleeve hole gone, or a bracer restitched, or his backpack patched up where it had torn from carrying arrows the day before.

Techno had never accepted thanks back then. Tommy would wager that the piglin hated Tommy bringing up the cow patterned patch on his backpack a hundred times more than being woken up early for the Battle of the Lake. Which was a perfectly good name, thank you very much.

Footsteps approach from behind and the small smile that had worked its way onto his face slips off.

The door opens and for a moment the man behind him pauses, but then a heavy weight is dropped onto his shoulders. Tommy startles and grabs at it, only to feel soft fur beneath his hands and spot the red fabric draped around him.

Techno stands awkwardly to the side for a moment, before grumbling a bit and seating himself beside the other.

“It’s warmer to watch the snow from inside through the windows. Fireplace and all.”

Tommy didn’t think he had the energy for banter tonight but, “Yes, well it is more convenient to sit outside when I want to see the stars. No skylight in your house. Poor design I’d say.”

He has a moment where his mind screams that he shouldn’t be pushing the man’s buttons. Please don’t push him away tonight. I don’t want to be alone. Not tonight- but even as he thinks this, the agitated expression on Techno’s face fades and he leans back onto his hands. Hooves. Hand hooves. 

Still, he lets the silence sit for a while. He knows Techno isn’t much for small talk, and Tommy would like to avoid talking about anything and everything L’manberg and Tubbo and discs and Dream for just one more night. They can talk about conflict and plans tomorrow. Tonight he wants to just sit.

“And as he stares into the sky,”

Techno clears his throat, and Tommy glances over to see a truly uncomfortable look on the piglin’s face. He almost laughs but is stopped short.

“Do you uh. Would you want to hear about the constellations? Like, the ancient Greek ones and their meanin’s. Or we can sit in silence. I mean, you were sitting in silence out here before, so, you know, if you were actually putting that head to use, I can just…”

He looks away and up towards the sky, leaning further back so he can gaze straight up.

Tommy makes a soft noise and smiles towards Techno. “Yeah go on. Tell me about your nerdy shit, big man.”

And so Techno does. By the time the moon has passed its zenith, Tommy feels like he’s learned far more about stars and Greeks than he ever thought he would in his life. 

At first he had been humoring the other, appreciating the company and distraction more than anything. But quickly he found it to feel the same as listening to Tubbo talk about ancient dinosaurs and chemical reactions, and he works to ignore the burn at the back of his eyes as he shoves that thought deep deep down with the rest of everything he can’t think about right now.

He shakes his head slightly to clear it and allows his gaze to follow an extended arm as Technoblade points once more towards the dark sky. “See Orion again? Just below him is Lepus.”

Tommy blinks for a moment at the name.

“Lepus?”

“Lepus, L, e, p, u, s. Lepus.”

Tommy snorts and puts on his accent that always makes Techno… “Le pus? Le pussy yes, yes. I like this Le pus constellation.” And yep, Techno’s snout scrunches up as his eyes narrow, but he catches a small entertained huff just at the edge of his hearing and counts it as a win.

Techno sits up straighter, definitely ready to move on from Tommy’s hilarity. “Lepus doesn’t have a set story behind it, not a concrete one at least. But, the most accepted story for it is that it’s a rabbit that Orion and his two dogs, see just to the left and a bit up? That it was being hunted down by those three.”

Tommy palms the rabbit foot in his pocket for a moment and decides he doesn’t want to hear about hunting down small animals tonight.

“What about those ones up there to the right? They look kinda like-”

“there are twice as many stars as usual.”

Two days later, in the darkness of the night, with the ringing of explosions still pounding his head, he looks up towards the sky, away from the rubble behind which a green cloak had just disappeared, and sees only a few constellations through the rising smoke.

He stares for a moment at Lepus before his eyes trail to the hunter and his dogs, and he wishes for just a moment that he had asked Techno whether the little rabbit was ever able to get away. Or if it lived just as it does in the stars: forever running from the hunter eternally chasing down his prey.

[imsebastiantarot]

so Seb is being linked to two different women lately. 1 Elizabeth Gilpin & Annabelle Wallis. Is it something serious with either of them or he just being his usual messy self? // He hasn't been linked to Elizabeth Gilpin in the same way as to Annabelle though, that was just fan speculation. They've been friends for years. She just seemed to try to ride on his popularity at one point, but that was it.

You’re right, his rs with Elizabeth seems to be friends only. Let’s hope he’s realized that she was trying to do that though.

(Random fact about me: I never search for specific gifs just choose from whatever comes up first 😂. And this was one of them 😂.)

[darringauthier]

The Hunt (2020)

Genre: Horror/Action/Thriller

Who's In It: Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank, Ethan Suplee, Emma Roberts, Amy Madigan, Ika Barinholz

Who Directed It: Craig Zobel

Plot: Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don't know where they are, or how they got there. They don't know they've been chosen - for a very specific purpose - The Hunt.

Run Time: 90 Minutes

IMDB Score: 6.5

Metascore: 50

Why I Watched It: I'll be honest I wasn't sure, the trailers were ok but wasn't sure what this movie was but I gave it a shot mostly from the buzz, genre reviews and a sense of curiosity.

How I Watched It: iTunes, twice actually.

Random Thoughts: Just a side note I couldn't get the Rotten Tomatoes numbers as the site wasn't working for me so maybe one day I'm come back and add the numbers.

So this movie got pulled because of real life mass shootings and then became a kind of political football that both sides in the US kicked around. It was one of those movies that people had opinions on but hadn't seen the film.

I wouldn't call this a horror film, it's more of an action movie. Just given my two cents.

What I Liked: The weird thing with all the talk and buzz about this movie the main thing kind of got overlooked, it's just another reworking of The Most Dangerous Game, people hunting people but The Hunt not only had a political bent it was also for the most part satire. I will say that's tough to pull off and for me this film works as an action movie. I had a lot of fun with it and on that level it's a solid movie. With that being said I do believe the movie is worth watching mostly for Betty Gilpin, she pulled off some tricky character work here. She's bad ass, damaged and for the most part quiet but she's amazing. I not only loved the character but the way Gilpin under plays most of the stuff, she's just trying to getaway with her life she doesn't care about anything else I want to survive. She pulls this off and it make it all the more amazing she's playing against type here, it's hard to be a believable bad ass but she does it.

The other big reasons this works so well is that it's 90 minutes, I could see a big Hollywood boom feast of this film being 2:15. Not only is it crisp and clean the pacing is very good all the way through, yes even a 90 minutes film can drag and feel long this just moves. The thing that struck me was I didn't know where this was going and that says something cause this sub genre is usually very by the books. For a 90 minute people hunt people movie they did a nice job of layering some decent character work and at least given the "bad guys" a different kind of motive for doing what they're doing. Their not comic book characters.

The way the film is structure really helps the story cause we start off not knowing what is going on but learn slowly what the motive and what the real story is. The writers at least gave it some thought and didn't just do the standard paint by numbers story.

What I Didn't Like: I do think they try a little too hard with the satire, it because more text than sub-text and some of it might not be heavy handed but maybe you could say it was too on the nose.

I really liked the film but my main beef was Hilary Swank, she didn't ring true to me and the final battle with her and Gilpin just didn't really vibe for me. Not sure why, one reason could be I didn't buy Swank doing the action, and her character was way over written, she gets one too many big speeches. Not arguing that Swank isn't a good actress but she just felt miscast to me and her and Gilpin didn't have the right chemistry together to really make the final fight rock.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and would love to see Betty Gilpin in more lead roles.

Rating: 7/10

[nostuntmanneeded]

Another thing that makes all this so funny is the fact that just like Sebastian, none of her actual friends from her inner inner circle seems like they cant even be bothered to jump on the bandwagon and try to hype their "relationship". The "friends" helping them out doesn't even seem like his close friends, Elizabeth Gilpin is hardly even his friend, she's like some sort of fangirl trying to suck some fame out of him and the only time he's acknowledging her is when he needs to promote her book and the first time he posted about it, it was just some recycled photo that wasn't even his, Toby is a clown and Mina isn't even his friend, she's only his friend's wife and Don, well, he's Don.

The same thing goes with her too, the only friends that seems to be helping her out sell this is Evita and Jon. Jon is a leech, and Evita doesn't even seem to be included in her actual inner circle that she always hang aroung with, it only looks like she's forcing herself into the group (i guess it must be a wise and lovely group then 🥴) and just seems so obssessed wity her, and she's obviously using Evita like the pathetic leech she is. Their actual inner circle is so unamused with their shitshow and can't even be bothered to help them sell it and if you've notice the "friends" helping them bait, mostly comes from Sebastian's side because no one freaking knows her lmao let alone her problematic friends, the only people we know about are the leeches jumping the bandwagon.

Yes, I agree with this.

Most of the friend interactions on Sebastian's side have been for promotional things (ie: Elizabeth's book, Sara's restaurant). Most of the friend interactions on Alejandra's side has been about trying to make it look like they're friends with sebastian too (ie: Jon commenting on photos).

It's also important to note that Sebastian's friends who seem involved aren't super famous, had past controversies or need some kind of promotional incentive.

And the fact that there is a clear group, with specific people, involved in this relationship shows that this relationship is pretty much orchestrated.