#the writer for my film who i adore with a passion

[hugthefreak]

more and more im starting to think i was put on this earth purely to love artists

[lupincentral]

Happy New Year! 🥳🎉🎆

The official Lupin III Tumblr account has shared this image, and has thanked everyone for their support this year. I'd also like to do the same — this year has been a weird one for me personally, when it comes to the time I spend online. As some may know, I stepped away from Twitter / X, and have dramatically cut down my time spent on social media.

While my personal life has been better off for it, I'm not as “tapped in” to the newswire and discussion as I once was. I hope it feels as if the site hasn't suffered too much as a result of this, and I'll try to continue doing my best whilst balancing work / life / hobbies going into 2024.

Lupin continues to be a well supported and important property for TMS, with Lupin ZERO, VS. Cat's Eye, Jigen Daisuke, and the Kabuki play all released in the past year or so. I expect this momentum will continue, and we'll have plenty more surprise announcements coming in the next year (the continuation of the Koike film saga PLEASE, TMS. Thank you)!!

I'd like to give a huge thanks to the many amazing writers featured on the site this year — Tabbie, Guillaume, Sauté, Chris, and more. I really appreciate everyone who contributes towards the site — it's an unpaid gig and I am in awe at the passion and talent of these fantastic writers and this community in general. A special shout out to @sideburns-and-cigarettes also, who have been kind enough to invite me onto their show twice this year, and who are all just amazingly kind and nice individuals who I've adored hanging out with! 🙏

If you're feeling down and don't enjoy the New Year, you're not alone. Know that you matter, you're loved, and that there will always be people out there for you. New year can be a new start for some — but it doesn't have to be. Things tick over as normal for others, myself included. It is what you make of it!

We'll have lots more Lupin news and featured articles on the website next year, and I can't wait to help share it with you all!

Take care and again, happy new year!

— Lee (Site Administrator)

[rebeccalouisaferguson]

It’s not every day your childhood friend gets married, but it’s also not every day you get to talk to an actress you’ve adored for a decade. And thus, I found myself, anxiety-riddled, in my car, in the non-distinct parking lot of a brewery in Florida.

Then Rebecca Ferguson lights up my phone screen, radiating that same magnetic energy that first caught my eye in the 2013 miniseries The White Queen. She’s well-spoken, charming, witty, and brimming with passion as she discusses her Apple TV+ dystopian drama, Silo.

In addition to playing the lead role of engineer Juliette Nichols, Ferguson also serves as an executive producer on the series, becoming involved with Silo quite early on and using her position of power to listen, speak up when needed, “and care for the people on set.” The result is a work environment she loves, friendships with her VFX team, and adoration for her cast, including Harriet Walter, David Oyelowo, and Tim Robbins.

As I mentioned, Rebecca Ferguson is a pure delight. I’d happily step out on any family function for a chance to pick her brain, but what she’s far too humble to mention, a fact that is abundantly clear to droves of viewers (and hopefully, awards voters too)—is that a central reason why Silo works so well—— is because Ferguson is pitch-perfect in the role. We become so invested in the many twisted mysteries of Silo because we’ve become invested in her. Ferguson’s Juliette is strong and commanding, a true badass, fighting to uncover the truth. But as we peel back the layers, we see a subtle, heart-breaking vulnerability that adds a layer of complexity that only an actress with Ferguson’s seriously impressive range can deliver.

To echo Ferguson herself, “Please just watch season one.”

Awards Daily: Rebecca, you got involved with Silo early on. How has your input shaped the show and shaped Juliette as a character?

Rebecca Ferguson: It’s a big question with a very non-simple answer. I mean, I think my involvement is by casting the people you cast. You get the characters that you get. Do you know what I mean? You read a script, and you analyze the character, and you talk to [the team].

It’s a tricky, intense question. I mean, things come about by creating, listening, reading, thinking, and researching, right?

AD: Juliette is such an interesting character in that she’s initially very stoic and we peel back the layers of who she is as the show goes on. We learn more about her relationship with George (Ferdinand Kingsley). We learn more about her father (Iain Glen) later on. How did you calibrate your performance, knowing that a lot of the big reveals would happen later in the show?

RF: It’s kind of on the page. It’s like any film or any acting job that you do. We don’t reveal everything straight away, right? When we do a Mission Impossible film, we don’t tell you about the syndicate. It’s what storytelling is all about, right? You do scene by scene.

AD: Did you find that you had to approach Silo any differently?

RF: No, I didn’t. I’m very simple in the sense that I read a script. I like the character, and I start deep diving and do the work that I need to do to bring her forth. There’s nothing different to the process of anything. Everything is different in the sense that it depends on the people you work with. I have four different directors. It’s a little different, but the process for me is the same.

AD: What is your process? Are there certain ways that you like to break down the script?

RF: I mean, no. To be honest, I don’t really talk about my process because it’s my process, but I like the show, I love the scale of the set, I love the team, and I love the fact that I get to sit in on the writer’s rooms if I’m allowed to. I get to be a part of the process. You know, it’s a love journey for me. This is a baby; this job is. It’s one of the happiest jobs that I’ve ever done.

AD: The set is so extraordinary. What is it like to be in that environment, to run through those stairs?

RF: That’s phenomenal. The fact that Apple has actually put so much effort into letting creators create the environment. You know, we have people come for set visits to see it because it’s so incredible. And we have three different locations where we film, in one area, in one town outside of London.

I’m so close to the visual effects guys. They’re very good friends of mine, [VFX supervisors] Paul [Bongiovanni] and Daniel [Rauchwerger], And I often ask them, ‘Okay, I can see the stairs. We’re looking at four turns that I can run, and we run them all the time up and down and up and down, and they’re different levels, right?’

But I often ask, ‘Show me what you’re doing. I want to see the visual effects that you’re going to put on so that I can act against the incredibleness that you’re going to bring.’ Because, to be honest, the silo wouldn’t be [possible] without the VFX team.

AD: Does having this level of access change how you might approach another project?

RF: You know what, that’s such a good question. I think being so much on the front foot. And being the lead and having a producer role. By producer role, I don’t analyze that in the sense that I know what a producer is, and I put a cap on it. I just have a voice, and I speak, and I listen, and I care for the people on set.

It’s a very, very, very good environment on our set. There is no hierarchy. Everyone does what they need to do because they’re hired to do a good job. No one steps in on someone’s toes. It’s collaborative. Not all sets are run like this.

So after Silo, I was worried about doing other films because I was thinking, ‘How am I going to react when sets are moody and when people are not nice, and when there are egos.’ But to be honest, I did Dune. I mean, it was a good place to go. I was like, ‘Oh, I can lean back. We’re good. This is run pretty well.’ And then I did Silo season 2 again, and then I did something else, and now I’m doing a thing [sci-fi drama Mercy] with Chris Pratt, who is one of the nicest human beings, ever.

I’m doing well, and I’m very fortunate with the sets and the environments, but I think I’ve learned—and I’ve learned this from Mission and Tom [Cruise] as well, who speaks up a lot—if things don’t work, communicate it.

Be clear, pause, listen, and take in when people who don’t really have a strong voice are trying to say something, and give them space to actively feel that they are involved in the process as well. That’s how you get the best of everyone.

AD: Did you make any adjustments coming into season two?

RF: No, I think it was all very much the same. Because we’d found a formula that just worked, we had new crew members, which was sad. We’d lost a couple to other shows. But other than that, I think we had about 80 percent of the people back. People were knocking to come back. It’s just a really happy set. And no, nothing’s new. New directors, so taking and listening to their approach and seeing how that works. But they also understand that they’re walking onto a functioning set.

AD: What is it like for you to be at the center of this thing that has become a cultural phenomenon? People are anxious for season two. I mean, it’s exciting, right?

RF: So exciting. Someone asked me, ‘When was the moment when you realized that this was something?’ I didn’t look for that. But it was the moment when Apple called. The show was out, the numbers were coming in, I read a couple of reviews, my husband was probably looking [things] up and kind of going, ‘it’s good. It’s good.’ But I didn’t want to take it in. Apple called, and they said, ‘It’s good. People are liking it.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, the numbers don’t lie. People are actually watching it.’ And the reviews were good, and they were compelled, and they were feeling what I had felt reading it and making it. And that is huge for me because I really care. I really fucking care.

AD: Okay, last question, if you could pick any role or position within the silo, what would you be? You’re so regal. You’d make a good mayor.

RF: Yeah, but I’m also Juliette, who’s not regal, right?

AD: Well, if you weren’t Juliette.

RF: I think that it would be really boring up top, to be honest. I think the regulations are dull, right? I think I would either be middle. I like farms and greenery. I need all of that. I’d probably run my own little shop of something, little knickknacks, paddywhacks. But I would have a foot down in the deep.

AD: Rebecca, I know this show means a lot to you. As I let you go, is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you’d like to mention? Do you have any final thoughts?

RF: Thank you. I mean, no, I think you’ve really nailed most of it. And I think the fact is people know the show is dystopian. And if you like the genre, I believe you would really love the characters around it. It has the most incredible cast, and it has a cast that has really nurtured their characters and the evolution of the characters. The fact that we’re going into season two is so overwhelmingly exciting. It makes me want to grab people and go, ‘Please just watch season one and know that we’re going into shit that is intense.’

[brynnterpretations]

I hope you feel better soon! 💙 Thank you for all that you do for the fandom! I especially love your headcanons!

Would it be alright to request a The Boys ship? I'm a bi girl with blue hair, blue eyes, freckles, and im covered in tattoos. I love reading and writing (like so much lol), I bake, swim and listen to all genres of music (and sing along horribly!). I'm in school studying to be an English teacher and I'd love to be a writer on the side. I'm really shy and quiet, I try to be as kind as possible, though I come off sarcastic/use sarcasm as flirting. I try to be as optimistic as possible too. I adore horror movies and carry at least two books with me wherever I go. I could go on forever about my favorites. The beach is my happy place and I hope to move closer to the ocean after I graduate! My favorite colors are blue and yellow and green. I love studying languages and am trying to learn as many as possible (I speak three and im studying two more). I live for poetry tho I am awful as writing it. I'm a Ravenclaw and my intelligence is really important to me :) I love learning so much, I have such a great passion for it!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 💙 Again I hope you feel better soon!!!

Blue heart anon! I totally forgot to mention I would like to be shipped with a guy from The Boys. My apologies! So sorry about that! 💙

Thank you so, so much for the kind words and well wishes! This brought a smile to my face, and you seem like an absolute sweetheart. Also... we have a lot in common, so DM me if you'd ever want to be mutuals (hope that's not weird). I hope you like this and thank you for the request!

I ship you with...

Frenchie ♡

Boyfriend

GIF Source: @vcugifs ★ (link)

You and Frenchie meet in line at the Jitter Bean near the hideout. He strikes a conversation with you because you seem interesting — the guy loves tattoos, both for the artistry and what people usually do to get them, and when he spots a book in your bag, he gets pretty curious.

After you both order your coffee and head over to the pick-up counter (bro's not going to slow down the line), he starts a conversation with you, asking you about the meaning of one of your tattoos.

Through that, you two have a pretty good conversation, where he's able to glean what books you like and dislike. From that, he very smoothly asks if you'd like to go out to a nearby secondhand bookstore around the corner once the weekend swings by.

After that, he gets your number — he typically has a policy of "ask for date first, then number" — and then takes you on a date to the secondhand bookstore. Through that, you learn about each other's tastes, and he falls even harder, especially because of your taste in poetry. He's mostly a Neruda, Mistral, and Huidobro guy, and whether you share the same tastes, he'll love getting to know your style.

He'll sneak-buy you a book (as well as paying for anything you choose, because he's a gentleman), and throughout the talking stage and dates, would surprise you with books you like or have mentioned getting.

Frenchie likes horror, but is pretty limited in his tastes; mostly, he likes the old-school stuff (he's a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock's more suspenseful work, even if it's not up to today's horror standards) so he gets a far more expansive

While the dude would be shell-shocked at first, because even if he's seen his fair share of violence IRL, seeing it on the screen would be a lot (like, people do this for fun?)... he'd start to really, really love it, especially because you're able to explain what makes you passionate about it and any plot points/motifs/etc. he missed.

But... he'd grow to love it. He'd definitely become one of those people who shout "you're an idiot, don't go in there/do that!" in any films you watch (in a French accent, of course).

Absolutely adores your sense of humor, especially because it allows him to banter, and the guy loves banter.

After six or more dates, he'd ask you to be official upfront, likely over a meal cooked by him and a well-worded talk about how much he values you, your kindness, and your intelligence in his life. And, when you say yes?

Expect queen treatment.

He's a very physical person, so he'll always have an arm around you or a hand in yours, as long as you're comfortable with it.

Loves, loves, loves your freckles, calling them "petites constellations" and kissing them, no matter how cheesy it is.

Loves picking up things for you that remind him of you, whether big or small, particularly seashells that they sell at those hippie nature stores (he goes to them to stock up on incense) and, as mentioned, books.

I'll be honest: Frenchie is actually really, really scared of the ocean (I mentioned this in another ship, but it's because the expansiveness freaks him out), but he'd try his best to get over it — or at least reduce it — for you. On special occasions, he'd take you to the NYC beaches, and while... a bit awkward... he'd put on ocean documentaries and the like since you're a very intellectual person.

Is insanely into you learning other languages, and would love to sit by your side when you learn them. Also would 100% encourage you to learn French, even if you only learned a couple phrases.

And, on that note: does not care if you sing songs "badly", the guy thinks it's the cutest, most beautiful thing ever. If there are any

Frenchie doesn't have any tattoos due to not really having the time to get them, and would very curiously ask you about yours. He loves how they look, and based on your advice on the best tattoo shops, would get one as long as you were by his side.

Also mentioned in a lot of ships and also his dating HCs is his complete openness about The Boys. He'd introduce you to them once you became official and bring you around as much as he could, as long as it didn't put you in any danger.

That brings us to...

The Boys ☻

Friends

GIF Source: @homielander ★ (link)

Kimiko loves you (and I was really, really close to shipping y'all until I got the second message). She thinks you are the sweetest person, and, like Frenchie, digs that you know multiple other languages.

She's not that judgmental of a person, IMO, and would teach you as many signs as she could, and wordlessly, kindly adjust anything you did wrong.

Kimiko doesn't have much interest in horror movies, mainly because she's seen enough of it herself, but really, really loves novels, and horror novels in particular. She'd seek out a lot of recommendations in you and recommend you some herself; she's a big fan of Stephen King, particularly Pet Sematary.

And, unlike Frenchie? The woman loves the ocean, and would 100% go there with you as much as she could to have picnics with you.

Butcher loves you (platonically), particularly because of your sense of humor. He really enjoys people who are sarcastic and hardworking — it's how he and M.M. bonded in the first place, even though they have disagreements now that both have started pretty different lives — and loves to banter with you.

And, like Kimiko, will seek recommendations from you (except for movies, not books)... and, when you give them to him, he will turn them off, and wonder what on Earth is going on in your brain.

While the man faces a lot of horrors IRL, they are real, and not... that... so he'd definitely be confused, but would have a lot of respect for you, because... what the fuck. Not a lot of people can make him think that, at least in a "they're a good person, but what did I just get myself into" way, opposed to "they're a bad person, and what did I just get myself into". Butcher likes that. When you're dealing with Homelander, that is refreshing.

He wouldn't ask you to hang out outside when you visit The Boys, but if you ever stayed over while Frenchie was working on a recipe, he'd go out of his way to talk to you.

Annie struggles a lot with writing — she's well-spoken, but not well-worded, if that makes sense — so she'd start talking to you more intentionally once she became in charge of the Starlight Foundation. Of course, she would introduce herself to you upfront, but she's a busy woman, and wouldn't have a lot of time to talk to you one-on-one.

Through that, you two would become close. Both platonically and romantically (purely platonic for you), she has a thing for artsy types, and would think you're the most genuine, sweet person ever. Like Kimiko, she'd make a constant effort to hang out with you, mostly at coffee shops or, during late nights, at the Starlight Foundation, where she'd order takeout on her just to talk.

She really clicks with her sense of humor, particularly because she can sense the vibe of you being a sweet personat heart, and would also be another to banter with you.

(And, on one night where she had a bit too much to drink, even as a Midwesterner, would confide in you her fears about going to college and seek advice. She'd apologize to you the day after, but feel proud that the woman confided something to you that she had't even confided in Hughie).

Hughie would have more free-time with you, and would like you a lot (especially with Annie talking you up, which she does 24/7 — that woman would die for you). Unlike the others, while Hughie would respect your interests, he's terrified of horror (he caught a glimpse of "Alien: Resurrection" when he was young and it really, really scared him, to the point he can't engage in horror-SciFi, or even horror in general) so he wouldn't engage... but he would love to hear your recommendations for books, and would essentially start a "The Boys Book Club" with you.

He's really, really not a reader, but he wants to be, and he'll take your advice like Jesus'.

M.M. would start out pretty reserved, but would open up to you a lot more the more you swung around, mainly because he needs familiarity before he really opens up, but would become a friend after a good month or two.

He wouldn't be as close of a friend as Kimiko or Annie, but he'd be a friend, for sure. He really, really loves your kind nature — it's a refreshing change of pace in "The Boys" Universe — and, as a huge reader, would love to hear your taste in books and any recommendations.

M.M. is also an extremely well-regarded and popular user on Goodreads, so if you have it, he would follow you, promote you, and constantly interact with your posts.

All in all: Frenchie loves you, and so do the rest of The Boys. Keep being you.

[welcome-to-green-hills]

Mystery the walking encyclopedia of movies, the Queen of scu, tell me a random fun fact about these movies that not many people would know!

Haha! Y’all are very adorable. I love how excited y’all get whenever I share my fun facts. Before I begin, I want you to know that I appreciate the compliment. However, I don’t think that it’s wise to put me on such a high pedestal. We’re equals. I just really love these films. But I do understand what you’re trying to say. (Oh no my unhealthy obsession is too noticeable 😂❤️✨)

With that said, I’ve got a good one. I’m sure that we’re all familiar with one of the pitches for the first movie (AKA, Sonic being a wanted criminal and coming to earth with the chaos emeralds… very much like Lilo and Stitch). I’m sure that y’all don’t know the pitch that sold the team on making the Sonic movie to begin with.

It’s lost media, so there isn’t a whole lot of the pitch other than a picture of a script. That, and some tidbits that I’ve learned along the way, which are removed due to copyright infringement.

The pitch focused on Tom, Sonic, and Maddie. It’s heavily implied that Sonic grew up in Tom’s care and has formed a father-son relationship with him. Tom bring Sonic along to the speed trap and records how fast the hedgehog can run and break some personal records. They share some giggles, recite some song lyrics, and then Tom ( Sonic calls him “Sergeant Doughtnutson) says that he’s going on a date later that night. Sonic wants to tag along and says that the three of them should do laser tag. Tom, who’s quick to respond, says that’s for another time. Sonic’s a bit put out, but understands.

Apparently, there’s a clip about this floating around somewhere. I even recall Josh Miller (one of the writers for the films and series) stating that he, Jeff Fowler, and Ben Schwartz recorded this scene together. At this point, it’s become a passion project of mine to find all of the leaks for the pitch.

[moodywyrm]

modern au hcs i have about the salt lake crew cuz why not i felt like sharing:

abby's secretly into cosplay but she won't admit it; manny's celebrity crush is sza; nora's a "no shoes in the house person" (she almost stabbed owen when he came over for a group get-together); mel's lowkey a disney adult and its adorable (her fav film is frozen); owen and jordan are both filmbros but in different ways - owen's the annoying kind (yk the kind 🙄) while jordan is genuinely passionate about films and film history and gives fun facts during movie nights; nick makes tiktok stitches like this one https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT88SYgkG/ ; leah's one of those drunk girls who hypes up other girls in bathrooms, like she'll see a pretty black girl with gold charms in her hair and start crying cuz she's so beautiful (abby & nora had to drag her out)

this is one of the cutest asks I've ever gotten oh my god? lemme expand on your beautiful thoughts. while I have beef with the salt lake crew, I also appreciate them and I think, had we started with them, we would have all loved or tolerated them.

abby + cosplay is so full of possibility omg. I imagine it started as an appreciation for cosplayers because she thought it was super cool! and then slowly. she started doing outfits inspired by her favorite characters. and then recreations. and then next thing she knows, she's dragging Manny to comic con to be her lil protector/buddy while she dresses up as Spiderman, or Junker Queen, or Samus. she has literally had craft nights where the crew helps her work on her cosplays. mel is the best at it, helping her form foam armor pieces. owen is passable only because he has experience building and fixing shit (the boat). Jordan is laughably bad any it but he tries <3

manny's celebrity crush is Sza AND Kali Uchis. He genuinely thinks he could pull them and, honestly, maybe he could. but abby loves telling him they're out of his league (they kinda are). he has like, Pete Davidson rizz. if that makes sense.

Nora is 100% a no shoes in the house girl. it's how she was raised! her house is fucking Pristine, man, which is honestly such feat because girly is a busy ass nursing student. and you're right about Owen! shit head wears shoes inside houses WITH CARPET. I will say rn, it's pretty much impossible to not wear shoes inside the house in my place bc we have two dogs, but we have tile so it's not as bad. however with carpet? evil. vile. Owen and his nasty ass nike sneakers tried to step onto Nora's pristine cream carpet and she nearly smacked him with a pair of tongs that had just came out of hot oil. as she should. he learned, and has never tried it again (mostly because Mel reminds him every time)

Disney adult Mel!! I know Disney adults get a lot of hate, but I feel like she'd be really sweet about it. like whenever she wants to go, she offers to pay for the others food and stuff, if they can't, she always brings them little gifts. like pins and stuff, shirts, ears, plushies!! she has a special pair of mickey ears that a frozen themed, Owen got them for her on her birthday <3 (this is me taking my powers as a writer to turn Owen into an actually good partner for Mel and not a piece of shit <3). one time, Mel got Abby to disneybound Gaston and it was so cute!! she has disneybounded as Anna and she looks so cute in it <3

the filmbros. oh god. Owen is 100% the type of guy to love Quentin Tarantino films and think they're the peak of cinema, all the while hating Jennifers Body. Jordan however, king, he loves Jennifer's Body and 100% listened to Leah and Nora spend like three hours talking about the nuances of girlhood and queerness in the movie. Definitely watched and appreciated Barbie with them, even dressed up in all pink! borrowed some of Leah's clothes to do it <3 he loves channels like Dead Meat, because I feel like he especially likes horror movies? will defend the slasher genre with his life, hates torture porn movies. big fan of sleepaway camp!

I don't know much about nick but I can say this is accurate, I feel like he also does those videos reacting to weird white people recipes? like how long does it take for them to add a block of cream cheese to the crock pot, or the weird obviously fetish content ones? and he just makes this really stoic disappointed face like. fr.

drunk girl Leah!! I imagine the salt lake crew occasionally goes clubbing, and you're so fucking right about Leah. they all get kinda tipsy, but Leah takes two shots of vodka and starts falling in love with every fem presenting person in the building. gives the good compliments too. how beautiful they look in the party lights, the shine of their hair, the twinkle of their eyes, the highlighter! the outfit! is literally fawning over every fem person she sees and Jordan is just like yeah go ahead. mostly because he knows she loyal and also, she's literally just so cute. disclaimer that it's never in the like, fetishizing wlw for men, Leah literally just compliments every girl she sees ever. especially in the bathrooms! if she sees you crying, she is the first one at your side, offering to beat up whoever made you sad, holding your hand, helping you fix your makeup, the works. drunk girl Leah is a gem to humanity and there are leagues of girls out there whose nights have been saved by this drunken sweetheart. there have been. too many times where abby has had to physically throw Leah over her shoulder to get her out of the bathroom because they need to Leave and she's starting conversations with everyone who walks through the door.

this is so cute!! thank you for this ask nonnie!! and I got your ask about it being duets and not stitches <3

[bobbyinthegarden]

2023 Reading Challenge. Re-imagined Classic: Alec by William di Canzio

Spoilers for both Maurice by E. M. Forster and Alec by William di Canzio.

For this category I considered talking about one of the many re-writings or sequels to The Secret Garden that I’m planning on reading for this blog, but decided against it, as I consider that reading project to be separate from this one, so instead I chose this book, Alec by William di Canzio.

Alec is a re-telling/sequel to E. M. Forster’s posthumously published novel Maurice, and follows it’s titular character Alec Scudder (the love interest in Maurice), from childhood, through the events of Forster’s novel and beyond, to the early 1920s.

Before I really get into the book and my thoughts about it, I want to first talk about the skin that I have in the game here, so to speak. Maurice is a book that I hold very dear, I first read it when I was thirteen years old, at which point I was already aware that I was queer but had not yet told anybody. Maurice, to me, was kind of a revolution, here was a character whose journey in accepting his sexuality and finding love, despite the times in which he lived (the novel takes place between 1909-1913), was something that affected me in an extremely profound way, and ultimately helped me gain the courage to come out myself. It’s a book that I have re-read several times, I also adore the 1987 film adaptation (here’s a link to where you can watch it for free on YouTube) and I even saw a stage version of the novel several years ago at the Above the Stag Theatre (an LGBT theatre in London, which has sadly since closed down). Though I do like Maurice a lot, I don’t necessarily think that it is Forster’s greatest work (I think that would probably be Howards End) but I do like the book a lot, and I generally like E. M. Forster a lot as a writer, I enjoy his novels and the various Merchant-Ivory adaptations (which you can probably tell from looking at my blog).

My attachment to the book that Alec is adapting, may seem that I’m setting the book up to fail, and I’m really not doing that, I was rooting for this book from the second I knew of its existence, and I wasn’t going to buy it and read it just to hate on it. As somebody who has been known to enjoy a spot of fanfiction now and then and who is extremely interested in adaptation and transformative works, I was stoked to read this book, especially since Alec is my favourite character in Maurice.

I explained the basic premise earlier, but I’ll go into a bit more detail now. The novel Maurice is about Maurice Hall, an upper-middle class young man living in England in the early 1910s (prior to the First World War). While studying at Cambridge University, Maurice falls in love with his friend Clive Durham, thus coming to terms with his homosexuality. The love between him and Clive is mutual but strained, Clive (who is part of the gentry) insists that they must repress their sexual desires, that their relationship should be purely romantic, not sexual. The men are together for several years, before Clive ultimately breaks things off in order to get married, leaving Maurice alone and heartbroken, though they continue to be friends. On a visit to Clive’s country estate, Maurice meets Alec Scudder, the working-class gamekeeper, Maurice initially thinks very little of him, though the relationship eventually blossoms into a passionate romance. However, their relationship gets off to a rocky start, with mistrust and miscommunication on both sides. They are eventually able to resolve these issues, realise their love for one another, and decide to forge a life together, despite the societal obstacles, with Maurice deciding to definitively put an end to his friendship with Clive. The novel ends on an uncertain but optimistic note, with the lovers facing their future together.

Alec is told in nine sections, the first section being Alec’s life from birth to aged 18 and depicts his family life in Dorset and coming to terms with his own sexuality, and the circumstances that led him to being employed as Clive’s gamekeeper. The second section depicts the events of Maurice from the perspective of Alec, how the couple came to meet and fall in love, with large sections that are copied verbatim from the original novel (which was done with permission from Forster’s estate). The following seven sections depict the next six years, following the couple through their early years together, the outbreak and duration of the First World War -- during which time the couple is kept apart – to the couple’s reunion and continuation of their life together, now joined by Maurice’s sister and her newborn daughter.

Reading Alec you do get the impression that William di Canzio cares deeply about this story, and has infused some of his own experiences as a gay man into the narrative, particularly with regard to Alec’s self-awareness and lack of shame about his own sexuality prior to his interactions with Maurice – that is to say, Alec doesn’t hate himself for his own desires, which was something that I found refreshing. Speaking of desire, I was not expecting this book to be as sexually explicit as it was. This isn’t a criticism necessarily, it just wasn’t something that I was expecting. It may even be a strength of the book, as the current climate with regards to sexuality and sexual expression is so different to what it was in Forster’s day, that this book has the opportunity to be much more forthcoming about sex and desire than Forster could have ever been.  

One element to this book that I found especially interesting is the inclusion of Forster as a character within the story, as well as other historical figures, namely socialist philosopher and gay rights activist Edward Carpenter (1844–1929) and his partner George Merrill, who were friends of Forster, and upon whom the characters Maurice and Alec are partially based. Granted, it is never explicitly acknowledged within the text that these characters are the people that they share their first names with, however, anybody with even a basic understanding of the biographies of these three men would easily be able to identify them. Initially, I thought that the inclusion of these characters was something of a gimmick, but I warmed to it as the story went on, as they act somewhat as mentors to Maurice and Alec, teaching them about life and love, giving them language and models about how to live as gay men at that time in history.

My review so far seems like I really loved this book, and that isn’t necessarily the case.  I think it’s pretty good, though not perfect. I liked it well enough that I read the whole thing reasonably quickly, though there were a number of things that I didn’t like so much. di Canzio’s writing style and narrative voice is not nearly as beautiful as Forster’s, who is able to make even the most mundane moments beautiful and profound (take the moment in Maurice where Alec takes Maurice’s hand for the first time as a prime example of this), but di Canzio isn’t a bad writer either, his work is very readable, but comparison to the original author is unavoidable when adapting/re-telling another book.

One element of the book that I liked in theory, but not so much in practice is the Kitty sub-plot. Kitty is Maurice’s sister, and is a pretty minor character in Forster’s novel – though the unpublished epilogue to Maurice does imply that Kitty may be the lesbian counterpart to her gay brother. In Alec, Kitty was a nurse during the war, fell in love with an Indian Army Officer and became pregnant out of wedlock, thus making her something of a social outsider like her brother. Maurice and Alec take Kitty in, deciding to raise her mixed-race daughter together as a family, something that greatly upsets Maurice’s mother, who rejects both of her children because of this. As a plot element, I like this a lot in theory, unfortunately not so much in practice, as this plot thread is introduced on page 298 of a 337 page book, with Maurice’s mother and sisters having barely been mentioned and never seen before earlier in the novel, and thus this whole element of the story feels incredibly rushed and poorly integrated into the overall story, which is a shame, because I think it could have been really interesting. If I had been Mr di Canzio’s editor, I would have sent the manuscript back to him with a big note in red ‘INTEGRATE THIS INTO THE STORY EARLIER AND BETTER’.

I said earlier, in my summary of Maurice, that the novel ends on an uncertain but optimistic note, with the lovers facing their future together, and this novel ends in much the same way, with Maurice, Alec, Kitty and her daughter deciding to emigrate to New York (presumably because William di Canzio is American). I didn’t really like this ending very much; it seems to go against Forster’s intentions for his characters. Let me explain: a major theme in Maurice is nature and the desire for a rural life that is apart from society (what Forster calls ‘the Greenwood’), indeed in the unpublished epilogue, we see that this desire has been fulfilled, with Maurice and Alec being shown to be living in a cottage and working as woodcutters. Having Maurice and Alec move to New York seems a little out of left field to me, and not very in-keeping with the themes of the original novel, particularly since the idea of America being the ‘land of opportunity’ for LGBT people and POC, is not particularly reflective of the historical record, particularly in the 1920s.

If you haven’t read Maurice, then I don’t really know what you would get out of Alec, just as a standalone story. It works, I think, as a supplementary piece to Maurice, though does not achieve the same tenderness, intimacy, and beauty of its predecessor.

Now go read Maurice, if you haven’t!

[coldcrashpictures]

I could not have been more delighted while rewatching the Godzilla video to hear you mention a tumblr account and then discover that you’re still active on it. Unsure how I never noticed the link before. Sorry for the aggressive streams of likes and reblogs

I would just like to say thank you for everything you do. Your videos always leave me with a rekindled hope and joy for media and society as a whole. I love the validation of “sometimes this media is not the most well-beloved or critically acclaimed but I love it and here’s why” because it cuts right through elitist claims about film-making. Sometimes a good film or tv show is good just because you had a good time watching it and that’s enough. At the same time, I adore the deeper social and thematic analyses you talk about because they’re obviously well thought out and insightful but also because they reaffirm the meaning and intent behind overlooked pieces of media (Overlooked perhaps not in viewership but in terms of people not wanting to talk about effect and intent of story beyond ooh cheesy action film or dinosaur sit-com). I feel slightly less crazy for having complex thoughts about otherwise straightforward or surface level media and it means a lot that your channel affirms—intentionally or not—the inherent complexity of good storytelling. It’s a great reminder that films don’t have to be heavy-handed messageTM films to have a deeper goal and the best thematic achievements are made on the level of individual well-written stories and not just abstract metaphors. I don’t know if any of that makes sense and I’m so sorry if that sounds in any way reductive or incorrect about what you’re doing (in which case, ignore me; you’re accomplishing what you’re aiming for and I’m talking informed nonsense). Idk, your videos just feel like the best non-elitist but thoroughly passionate dive into media and it just makes me excited about the art of storytelling again. I am so rooting for you as a writer and director and person-who-makes-the-media-that-we-love-and-learn-from and the film/tv industry is better for having you invested in it. The hope and passion I get from your videos in statistically significant in my life

Basically this is just a really long thank you. Hopefully it’s also an affirmation that you’re doing great and meaningful things, both in the YouTube axis we get to see and in the work we don’t yet i.e. scripts. You have already succeeded in making media that has changed lives and impacted people and we’re all looking forward to your future work without expectation but with excitement

OMG I don't even know what to say... I'm so glad you like my work so much!!! It literally feels like I'm just grasping in the dark sometimes, so it's so great to hear from someone who thinks so much of it!

[galwithalibrarycard]

I have now seen TLM (2023) and here is my review. The standout performances are Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian. They were wonderful. Sebastian definitely wins for getting the most laughs out of me. Halle Bailey is definitely an Actual Disney Princess. I’m so happy she got to make Ariel her own. Her version of Part of Your World is wonderful, and that’s my metric for any Ariel, so I’m thrilled.

The movie was visually lovely, and the relationship between Ariel and Eric was beautiful, playing on the same similarities between the characters that already existed in the original (and adding a few of their own, like Eric adorably having his own grotto/collection in the form of his study and showing Ariel his own treasures, which I loved.) (I was sad that they cut both Ariel’s and Eric’s love of music, though. No mermaids’ concert, no Eric playing the flute, and Sebastian is no longer the court composer. A shame.)

However, the changes to the plot were unneeded and weakened the character motivations of just about everyone, in a needless effort to insert a wrongheaded idea of “GirlBoss feminism” into what was always already the story of a girl who wanted to explore the human world as an anthropologist first and foremost, with Eric as the catalyst for her to act on her desire to leave. Ariel was already feminist for pursuing her passion and saving her man just as much as he ever saved her. This movie seems to posit that Ariel is a lesser person if any of her motivation at all includes her crush on Eric. The removal of her crush on Eric as an underlying motivator for her fight with her father in her grotto takes out so much of the flavor and emotion from their confrontation and her decision to go to Ursula. You don’t believe she actually wants to become human that badly anyway, because without her infatuation with Eric and her father’s reaction to that, she has much less reason to take the risk. Ariel can and should be BOTH a teenage girl with a crush and a human anthropologist who refuses to paint all humans with one brush of cruelty. The live action remake denies her that. There was never anything inherently wrong with her having and acting on feelings for her prince before she knew him, they didn’t need to remove that and they aren’t more feminist for doing so. Girls are allowed to be more than one thing.

Secondly, taking out original songs like Daughters of Triton and moving Fathoms Below to after Part of Your World gives the movie a slow, plodding start. Replacing the familiar refrains of the classic instrumentals from the animated movie with generic dramatic music removes much of the movie’s heart, and between that and the shrinking of Flounder’s role and friendship with Ariel, and the fact that Sebastian sings a slightly slower version of Under the Sea without accompaniment from any sea creatures except Ariel (nonsensical since she’s meant to be ignoring him, not singing along) - all contribute to sapping the magic from the first half of the film and rendering it, like the mermaid in Andersen’s original tale, largely soulless.

The magic only picks up when Ariel comes to land because of the excitement and wonder she feels at seeing and learning about the human world, as well as her heartwarming and palpable connection and romance with Eric. That’s beautiful, and again, Halle is a perfect Ariel in these moments. The only problems I have with her Ariel are the things the writers won’t allow her to do- to show her passion for Eric and the human world as fully entwined from the start and thus be more of Ariel’s bubbly self.

The final act again becomes frustratingly limited by what’s removed. Changing “we have to stop that wedding” to “we have to stop that engagement announcement party” is lowering the stakes to an absurd degree. Having Ariel be the one to kill Ursula removes the parallelism of Eric returning the favor of Ariel saving his life by saving hers. And it removes the reason for Triton to realize Eric is a good guy- Eric didn’t save Triton’s life, so Triton had way less reason to warm up to him. And Eric’s mom goes from “all mermaids are evil” to “guess they aren’t so bad” way too quickly. The story beats are all thrown off, just to let Ariel be a GirlBoss when she was already a hero in the original, and to give a couple minutes of a strange fakeout ending where you think she’s going back to the sea and will never be with Eric. It was too long a beat between her reunion with her dad and him deciding to make her human again.

Finally, the costumes disappointed me. They didn’t even try to give Halle Bailey an equivalent to the beautiful purple-blue sea foam dress Ariel wears at the very end when walking out of the sea to Eric, my favorite dress in the original movie. They didn’t really give her a wedding dress either, and in fact cut to after the wedding instead of showing it. And I still wish they’d actually given Halle’s beautiful locs Ariel’s trademark fire engine red color.

All in all, I knew this was never going to be the movie I’ve loved since I was three. It’s simply a different movie, and that’s okay. I’m disappointed because of where I’m coming from as a fan of the original, but I know there are so many people out there who are thrilled with it, and that makes me so happy for them. It really does. I can’t wait to keep following Halle Bailey’s career, and I hope I get to hear her sing Beyond My Wildest Dreams from the TLM Broadway musical someday. She’ll do it so much justice if she does. (I still wish that and Her Voice were in the movie instead of Ariel and Eric’s new songs, but what can you do?)

[findroleplay]

seeking ... 🪶

(laying out all of my ideas like a street merchant) it’s me again…

a group of vigilante thieves of various cultural backgrounds stealing cultural monuments and treasures from museums, personal collections, etc and redistributing them to their respective locations of origin. delving into the themes of decolonization, cultural reconnection and such.

a silly supernatural horror plot set in small-town americana concerning a group of college students returning to their hometown where they've all befriended each other. preferably set in the 1980s.

plot set in ancient egypt, persia, greece, etc about two very ordinary people, mostly to research their daily life, traditions, conditions and other things. could be a cozy romance, two soldiers off at war, but whatever it is, no supernatural elements, just realism.

an art restorer and a historian team up to uncover the secrets behind a painting.

less specific cravings ;

i want to start a worldbuilding project with other worldbuilding enthusiasts ! i have many many ideas for this so we can discuss things to make something that caters to us both.

i don’t usually ask for this, but i have two (2) premade ocs i would love to build a plot around with a partner :] one is more for gritty settings & the other is for my film noir luvers

rules & preferences… 🪶

ocs only.

18+

talk ooc + be communicative

preferably advanced lit.

characters… 🪶

i require characters that come across as authentic, human, and individuals with real agency. i'm not fond of characters that are excessively naive or perfect. i love characters that are distinctive, unconventional, well researched and resonate with specific interests, evolving in step with the narrative. if you're not inclined to explore a range of diverse sociocultural backgrounds and settings, it's likely that we won't make a good match.

genres & themes… 🪶

i love slice of life, historical realism, and social realism. period pieces captivate me, regardless of the era. i'm particularly fond of plots that explore characters and themes in depth and including fun symbolism. i absolutely adore discussing head-canons, scenarios, and themes, as well as create pinterest boards and playlists for our characters.

communication… 🪶

i thrive alongside enthusiastic writers who bring decisiveness and a strong passion for the rp. collaboratively shaping ideas and themes before and during our discussion sessions is crucial. i do not mind getting to know each other before plotting. connecting beforehand allows ideas to organically flourish, ensuring an enjoyable story for us both!

on that note, connecting outside of the rp holds greater importance to me than any other aspect. if there's a lack of enthusiasm or engagement, or if we only interact during plotting, our compatibility is likely to be compromised. establishing a friendship with my partners ensures my sustained interest in the rp.

as you can probably tell by this ad, i’m planning to put a lot of time and effort onto our stories, and i fully expect my partner to have the same gusto !!! i want us to have and make something fun !!!

pairings… 🪶

i handle all character pairings with a focus on characters’ agency. my roleplays often prioritize a variety of relationships, veering away from solely heteronormative ones. crafting intricate dynamics involving characters of different backgrounds and sexualities is my forte. trans and non-binary characters are wholeheartedly welcome, if not preferred. i have the most experience with queer pairings (mlm, ww, t4t, etc.)

( interested ? leave a note or leave your discord username and i will reach out! )

-

[that-one-anxious-mango]

Hi darling! I saw your recent post about your Q&A offer. What a nifty idea! And I have a couple of questions:

What initially attracted you to Austin Butler? What is your favorite role of his? And where do you draw inspiration for your series/stories?

Thanks!

Okay so, first off Hi!! I love you and all of your work! I’m actually a little stunned you even know I exist lol So there’s that!

But to answer your questions:

(1) When I was younger I had a HUGE crush on Austin Butler but never knew he was Austin Butler…if that makes sense lol 😂

Like I remember seeing him on zoey 101, in aliens in the attic, and other cameos on shows. I thought he was cute but never knew who he was!

Then the Carrie Diaries emerged and I found out his name and such!

From there I always had a crush but it was a low burn type of deal!

BUT THEN Elvis came out and I finally got the courage to try out this tumblr thing!

Austin is attractive to me because he always is just genuine and sweet. From seeing his interviews, fan interactions, and stories from his childhoods. It feels like a breath of fresh air with how open he is and passionate about his line of work! Plus from my viewpoint you can tell he loves his fans and cares about real issues going on in the world!

(2) My favorite role of his was him playing Sebastian Kydd in the Carrie Diaries. I don’t know why but I just can’t get pass how adorable he was in that. It might be because of his dynamic with Carrie! Or the fact I love all things satc, and the show combined that with my love for Austin!

(3)

I draw inspiration from quite literally everything. Like your reader for The Growing Pains Series ( which everyone should check out!), a great deal of reader is based around myself!

But I take situations I see in real life with friends and close people in my life, things from films and books, or just the little daydreams I get! And I try to make all of this come together to make something I hope people will half like.

Heck I’ll overhear things said in public and may put it in my notes for later because it was funny or sounded good!

You’ve also inspired me as a writer!! Very much. Your work ethic is insane and your quality is so savory and amazing!

Thanks for the ask!

I wish you all the best!

MUCH MUCH LOVE *big hugs*

- Arie 💚

[dmitri-smerdyakov]

lmfao you’re a fucking hypocrite, bitching about jkr and acting like you’re so high and mighty whilst claiming she’s a transphobe/bad person (which she isn’t you stupid cuck she’s just standing up for women’s rights and you’re siding with misogynists), yet you’re using her characters to write your stupid shitty titanic newtina fic that no one is bothering to read. she will always be ten times the writer you are and your lack of readers proves it

Hello. Yes actually, I suppose you’re right - maybe I am a bit of a hypocrite for continuing to use characters under her ownership and that she continues to make a profit off of whilst also making a point of sharing how I’m not supporting her work anymore. I can fully admit that it’s a little hypocritical of me.

Having said that, all I can argue in my defence is that I’m not giving her any money, I’m just borrowing her characters for a story I’m writing. Again, does she benefit from people writing her fics as it’s still engaging with her property and technically promoting it/increasing popularity? Probably. I’m making no profit from this fic I’m writing, and I make no profit from any of my Newtina fics, just as I make no profit from ANY fics I write for any other fandom. I’m doing it for my own enjoyment, and hopefully other people will enjoy it too.

My Newtina-Titanic AU is literally a passion project - no one prompted it, no one expressed any interest in it, the only reason it exists is because the Titanic sinking is one of my special interests, James Cameron’s movie is my number one film of all time, and I wanted to write something to appreciate the film after watching it repeatedly on the big screen in 3D for its 25th anniversary release. I started the prologue for this in mid-February - nothing was published until mid-April. Whilst it worked out in a way to do this, because I ended up posting it on the 111th anniversary of the sinking in April, the reason nothing was published for two whole months was because I honestly was never going to publish it. It was going to remain on my Google docs as a full story for me and my enjoyment only because I didn’t think there would be an audience for it, and I also didn’t want to be seen as actively engaging with a universe written by someone with such horrendous views as JKR. In the end, I posted it just on the off chance that someone out there - even if it was only one - might have an interest and enjoy reading as much as I have writing it.

Why did I choose Newtina? Mostly because out of all the couples I’ve shipped enough to write or make content for, Newtina was the one I felt this AU would be well suited for whilst also not being a direct copy. My increasing interest of the Titanic and the film last year happened to coincide with when SoD came out and when I met Eddie again - meaning that at the time, as well as obsessing over Titanic I was also feeling very appreciative of Eddie’s portrayal of Newt as autistic AND seeing Newtina on screen briefly. I still love the couple of Newt and Tina despite a) JKR and b) the state the series is in now (with SoD probably possibly being the last film) - I spent two years of my life writing so much about them, and a part of me does still love the ship as well as the individual characters. I absolutely adore Eddie and Katherine, and for me when I think of Newt and Tina, and why I love them so much, I don’t think of JKR or Yates or anything else - I think of Eddie and Katherine, of their love for the fans as well as for their characters, of Eddie being vocal about Newt’s autism and Katherine turning up to a premiere of a film she is hardly in, a film she refused to promote, just to say hello to the fans who love her. They are what make Newtina special to me, NOT JKR.

At the end of the day, yes, I appreciate getting comments and kudos and love for the fic, however few they are. Anyone who’s taking the time to read what is currently 75 pages (roughly 40k+, if we’re including the chapter currently being written) of something I’ve written is amazing and I’m deeply grateful for them even if they don’t comment or whatever. But I’m primarily writing this because I want to - because I love the story of Titanic so much and I love the Newtina pairing, and this is bringing me some much needed joy in my life right now.

Anyway, it’s nearly 3am here and I’ve got work to suffer through in a few hours, so I’m going to go to bed thinking of Titanic and Newtina, and then tomorrow after work I’m going to enjoy myself as I carry on writing. Stay safe!

[pop-pop-pop-popculture]

I don't know why you are so against lmm working for disney or doing musicals/voice overs? He adores musicals and I'd go as far as to say he has been the best writer that disney could've gotten in recent years. He is so good at writing songs that everyone will love (not talking about songs like scuttlebutt, which has been controversial, but rather stuff like wdtab). He has a distinct music style, yes, and people who have already decided they don't like him, hate on that but that doesn't mean for a second that he's bad at writing it (not saying that you ever said he is, but bare with me). I don't see why disney wouldn't want to hire him.

Also, he is a very animated person, which is perfect for voice acting. He also has a unique, cheerful, excitable voice— which does wonders with the target audience for the films he has worked on. Again, I don't see a reason why people won't be adamant on hiring him for this stuff. (+ I can assume he wants to be apart of things his kids can continue enjoying even as they grow up and maybe even want to show his grandkids, but that's not for certain)

I do like lmm's more mature and softer side, so I can see why you or any of his fans would want to see him in roles that reflect that part of him, I've been dying for him to take on a romcom role again.

but that all being said, at the end of the day, I don't see a problem with him going after roles, or letting himself be cast in roles and jobs, that fit into the "stereotypical" lmm formula. I'm mostly fine with it because he clearly only chooses to be apart of projects that he is passionate about and I think saying he "sold his soul to disney" is just not correct at all. The passion he puts into his work is everything. He worked hard to be in a position where he is able to pick projects that speak to him and I love that for him.

P.s. I apologise if this comes off as aggressive, truly, because that's not my intention. I just have seen multiple posts from you talking about this topic and I just wanted to give my thoughts as well. I'd love to hear your reply :)

Hi, I apologize for how long it took for me to reply. You didn’t sound mean, it’s all good!

I don’t mind him writing music and starring in musicals, because I know that composing music is something he’s genuinely passionate about and has a natural talent for. I I hope he continues that for the rest of his beautiful life! As for Disney, however, I feel that he just needs to step away from the company for a while so he can focus on writing mature music - musical films or not. In other words, for example, I’d love for him to write songs for original films. Like what Taylor Swift does. I think he’d do great! I agree with you, though, and everything you said really is spot on, especially about his uniqueness. One of the many things that I love about Lin is how passionate he is about his work - you can just see and hear the excitement in his tone during interviews! 🌞 As far as acting and his roles go, while I do, too, love how animated he is, I just feel he has potential to be more versatile. I don’t hate any of his work, though. I know he has kids and wants to have some movies and shows for them to watch, so it makes sense why he often does voiceover. If he’s comfortable with stereotype roles, then that’s his choice. I just wish he pushed himself more is all. I mean everything I say out of tough love.

(And yes, I want him to star in a rom-com too!)

[escargoverse-snellod]

WRITEBLR INTRO

Yo, what up bitches, its me, ya girl, Snellod, Goddess of Snails and I... am a writer!

For just 2 months shy of a year I have been plugging away at my own original fiction, Dawn of the Planet of the Snails - A soft sci fi story featuring snails and such. It currently sits at approximately 36k words and I plan to begin uploading chapters online soon, with ideally one released a week, for so long as I can keep the schedule.

But, you see, I have hit a bit of a snag. Of late, I have been afflicted with a terrible sleep deprivation, and I do not trust myself to continue writing (as it will be dreadful, and I fear I'll just create a big ol' mess that'd be more work than I'd like to fix) and I certainly don't trust myself to do the Very Important Edit that needs doing.

But, the poison has seeped into my soul, the rot afflicted my mind, and I feel the need to be creative building. My thoughts are consumed by my sweet baby DotPotS and in the absence of being able to actually work on the damn thing, I feel the urge to talk about it.

Hence... Writeblr. I've intended to make a sideblog dedicated to my writing a while, a place to share my thoughts, updates and perhaps even extracts from my stories or my various escargoverse MSpaint doodles. Now seemed like a good time. A tradition of two means little but it nontheless makes me happy to have started both my blogs so late in the night as to be inadvisable.

And hey, a little self-promo's never hurt anyone!

Who is Snellod?

Alleged Goddess of all Snails. Confirmed trans woman writer.

My literary loves are the alien and fantastical, and such, I lean strongly towards sci-fi and fantasy of all stripes. The more unique the world the happier I is.

Additionally, I adore an adventure. I love the feel of exploring vast universes, of journeying across unknown lands. Extends to my real life too, where I'll joyously seek out small towns and villages of little note, just to go to a place I have not yet been too.

Talking of my real life, I am an obsessive lover of stories. I strive to attain cinephile status (actually studying film and television at uni! My focus is on screenwriting), I am a Doctor Who fanatic (classic and modern), still think daily of the Magnus Archives and of course, love to read. In terms of physical books, I have just begun the Dune trilogy at the behest of my brother, and with regard to webnovels, my favourites are The Wandering Inn and AUU-16. The former my girlfriend got me into, the latter I got her into.

Sidenote, read AUU-16, its really fucking good, and really fucking under-appreciated. Link here: Zynima Network.

I'm also in love with nature. Yes, being away from cities and such, I enjoy the odd hike into the country, but also just learning about the multitudes of plants and animals and bugs and birds and such of the world. In a similar vein, rather fond of spec-evo. I like to think this fondness seeps into my writing at least time to time, but I don't think I'm clever enough to do spec-evo well, at least not yet.

Oh, and one last thing. Literally incapable of shutting up. Did not mean to spend four paragraphs talking about myself, kinda intended this to be more of an Escargoverse introduction than anything. But hey-ho.

What is Dawn of the Planet of the Snails?

Beneath a kaleidoscopic sky, and adorned in a forest of titanic grass blades, swarming with predators, and home to intelligent life… this is the Planet of the Snails.

Or at least, so the tagline says. Inspired by the sage writing advice of "to write a story you're passionate about, you gotta be at least a little self indulgent" this is my very self-indulgent passion project.

When a research mission to investigate an inexplicable hole opened on a near-future Earth goes awry, its ragtag crew of misfits find themselves castaways in a land as familiar as it is utterly alien. Can they survive this hostile terrain? Can they uncover the secrets of the anomaly that lead to their marooning? And will they ever make it back to Earth to spill the beans?

A pulpy sci-fi adventure you don’t want to miss!

Its science fiction and snails!

Revolutionary!

Thrilling!

Join Arnold, Kasia, Samantha and Ty as they adventure across the mysterious Planet of the Snails… and beyond!

So reads my WiP blurb. Inspired by old adventures stories and cooked up in the middle of a classic who binge-watch, DotPotS is a soft sci-fi action/adventure original fiction. It is fun, exciting, and if I've played my cards right, at least a little camp.

I will likely be dropping more snippets and details as this blog goes on, I have plans for a Characters post, in which I give details on me blorbos, and a setting post, to tell you more about the titular Planet of the Snails.

If you're interested, feel free to ask questions, or suggest ideas for future posts on the road to release. Although, uh, I fear I haven't given much detail for folks to latch onto, be curious about. You'd tell me if my blurb was lacking, right? Right?

Eh. Issue for awake Snellod.

And what is the Escargoverse?

As of yet, highly hypothetical. DotPotS began as a simple short story, a quick dance into a universe, before dancing neatly back out. But as time went on, ideas for new arcs, settings, stories exploded into my brain and my plan for a larger world took shape.

The escargoverse will be a vast semi-interconnected universe full of strange places and peoples, a world that goes beyond the human understanding of what 'should be.'

Ever since reading Discworld as a teen, I have loved connected universes, especially when they're the passion project of one, or a few people. I have always sought my own, to be my legacy and I really think this could be it.

[unknownlia99]

Dear little me,

we changed a-lot. I am no longer the same excited yet depressed girl with cool inner world.

I am a regular human. I really believed I was something special. But life just dull you out and ground you to earth.

maybe it was my choices, the people, the destruction and sabotaging I aimed at when I was a teenager, it all accumulated to this.

I miss my childhood and the puberty phase deeply. Nothing is adding up to be labeled as worth remembering memories.

I am engaged now. After a five years old of toxic relationship that I described as perfect in my last posts - ha, the naivety - We broke up finally. He let me go, O. And after that, I jumped into another loop hole with all kind of shitty, betrayal and drama. I didn’t know what was waiting me at the end, I just went with the flow of it all. So I ended up getting engaged to Mj, the guy who got me into the loop hole. He is my fiancé, I do adore him. Even though our engagement was all brief rush to sort things before him and I head to the city I fucking hate.

I am now back at my mother’s house. I didn't think I will go back, but thats what I get from quitting my first official job back in 2021 and going back to my home country doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. Maybe just committing to gymming, getting fit, partially getting rid of my eating disorder. I did my Ielts exam though, didn’t study and got 4 lessons as an aid, got 7 for a final score. So I got rid of my exam fright that made me give up all these years. Turned out to be easier than I thought.

I am now studying masters because my BA turned out to worth almost equal to shit if you don’t have the passion and motivation to write a script for a film.

So engaged, MA applied psychology and on the 26th of January 2023, my first book “contradictions of a chain smoker” got published worldwide.

so maybe some areas you are proud of me and some you are not, little Lya. I know you wanted us to become famous writers in London. Maybe more independent. But I feel like nothing can define me anymore. I am having hard time finishing books in contrast when I was on prozac, fucking sexy skinny 49KG and reading even while going down on the electric escalator.

However, last year, with my steam account, I did feel the rush of playing games. I was young again, no responsibilities. I am also going into Counselling sessions at the university. I am regressing a lot too. like youtube videos of gameplays of everything you could think of us from our childhood, in addition to horror games.

please please please, future me, whatever your name is, when i come back and read this all over again in couple of upcoming years, please find your nostalgic self. Please fall in love with what got us occupied and creative.

Do something….

[lifebetweenpages]

MY FAVOURITE WRITER-ISH MOVIES

You’ve read the title correctly, and I can hear you saying: “Lifebetweenpages, you’re still not giving us a recap of the books you have read over the past month (plus a few weeks, give or take)! Bad Bookblr creator!” However, instead, I am giving you my list of movies to watch when you are out of ideas for your books, can’t be bothered to read and still want to feel like an intelligent author. We’ve all been there.

I can also hear you saying “But Lifebetweenpages, how can you be a trustworthy authority on writer things? You’re our favourite bibliomane, not our favourite author!” To this, I raise two points:

I have been writing silly little books since I was virtually a toddler, and I have three main projects sitting dejectedly in my Google Docs currently, my novel which I work on most frequently sitting at an upsettingly ‘decent’ 23k words.

I do imagine you would have more faith in me, dear hypothetical followers, seeing as you only exist in my synapses, and I would hope I hold higher opinions about myself than that. However, I believe many of you (hypothetically) should have (hypothetically) guessed that I’m a writer as well as a reader, seeing as all writers read and many readers write.

Now with that out of the way, let’s jump into our list, and by list I mean my ramblings about two very specific movies.

1 - DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989)

I’ve decided to put the obvious up first, so you can skim through this if you have either watched this incredible movie or have already heard glowing reviews.

With its heavy focus on classic poetry and message of embracing the arts and following your passions, it’s not a surprise that Dead Poets Society has became the artist’s top pick movie and a cliche staple on this sort of snappy list.

When I say the movie focuses on poetry, I mean a much stronger term. Dead Poets Society promotes poetry in a way, showing the viewer the truth, joy and magic that comes with the form of art, inspiring them to go out and seize it. If that doesn’t help sell the movie to you, just note that my friends and I, who come out of every poetry analysis in English class with our eyes glazed over, were inspired to create our own Dead Poets Society, meeting every so often. In fact, we reconvene in two days time at the time of writing, and I still need to pick a poem (and it will be a Sylvia Plath.)

Another element that stands out in Dead Poets Society is the atmosphere of the film, somehow drawing in: a contagious teenage sense of wonder and mischief, world-destroying grief, and that Dark Academia aesthetic that people on the internet adore and my blog leans into all together.

So please, even if you aren’t a writer or reader and have stumbled onto this page confused and startled, give this movie a watch, for your own world to be changed if not just for me.

2 - TICK, TICK... BOOM! (2021)

You know the overwhelming sense of doom that comes with attempting to make your mark on the world? Do you recognise the sense of dread that drowns you whenever you remember the concept of time? Well so did Jonathan Larson, and he documented the experience expertly when writing Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Lately, I’ve been hearing this sound. Everywhere I go. Like a tick. Tick. Tick. Like a time bomb in some cheesy B-movie or Saturday morning cartoon. The fuse has been lit. The clock counts down the seconds as the flame gets closer, and closer, and closer, until all at once -

This was written years before he achieved fame with RENT, years before his genius was appreciated, and years before his untimely death from an aortic dissection. Tick, tick... BOOM! was written when Jonathan was relatively unknown, struggling with balancing work, social life and his art, and completely confused as how to tackle the final fragment that was needed to complete the musical he had been working on for the entirety of his youth, fighting against the tides of the ever-chasing deadline of Superbia's first showcase. Whatever your art is, I imagine you can relate to the desperation of Jonathan.

Andrew Garfield, who plays Jonathan Larson, perfectly portrays the starving artist, ever frantic to please, ever submerged in just how much there is to balance, ever striving to make a difference, and it almost feels as if he has held a mirror up to the artist's soul, portraying all of the irrationality and the unintentional selfishness as well as the charisma and the creativity that I see in myself every time I look into my mind for more than one second.

All of these factors and more that I can't find the words to describe (which is a lot for me, because I always find some words, however shallow they may be) makes Tick, Tick... BOOM! one of my favourite movies. Plus, the songs are absolute magic (I have a very strange favourite - Play Game - how can a song parodying 90s hip hop reflect upon the commercialisation of theatre in such an eloquent way?)

So those are my recommendations for all your tired writer needs, and once you do watch these, my asks are open for you to wax poetic about their glory.