#this is still from the Tudor era

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

My word is: Charlotte

Good choice!!! I've got a juicy one for you: "You should know - I don't go by Charlotte anymore. That was my human name. Now, I am Princess Morgana. And I will do whatever it takes to protect you."

Send me a word, if it’s in my wip document I’ll answer your ask with the sentence that it appears in.

[enyoalkis]

I think about sometimes how 2000s Scarlett Johansson would've been better cast as Catherine Howard in a different Tudor drama than Mary Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl if you believe the Portrait of a Young Woman, by Hans Holbein the Younger, is Catherine.

[6ebe]

does anybody remember when I accurately predicted how game of thrones tv show would end bc I had a basic understanding of how the Tudor dynasty ended. lol.

[ostropest]

Figured you'd like this, did you know Katie McGrath is often a fancast for Sabran?

What an impressive timing, Anon, I'm literally sitting and thinking about The Day of Fallen Night rn

And yes, this is something I actually do know! 😀 I mean, no wonders, just look at her!!

[une-sanz-pluis]

William B. Robison, “The Bard, the Bride, and the Muse Bemused: Katherine of Valois on Film in Shakespeare’s Henry V”, The Palgrave Book of Shakespeare’s Queens (eds. Kavita Mudan Finn, Valerie Schutte, Palgrave Macmillan 2018)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hey, do you have any tips for historical detective fiction?

(I would like to draw inspiration from our own history but create an Alternate Universe cause I'm too afraid to get things wrong, might as well make a new country or something from scratch with it's own history.)

Writing Notes: Historical Detective Fiction

Historical detective fiction is an important sub-category of historical fiction in general. As such, it should be judged by the same criteria applied to historical fiction; namely, that a certain verisimilitude is present.

All the events depicted may not have actually happened but the reader should believe that they could have happened.

Moreover, when real events are mingled with fictional ones, that mixing must appear to be natural.

Additionally, real historical characters must act in accordance with their distinguishing characteristics and in conformity with what we know about them.

Martin and Annette Meyers, authors of the Dutchman detective series, know and adhere to these standards.

Their careful adaptation of their novels to the demands of the historical genre has made them a model of historical detective writing.

Using the Fantasy Fiction Continuum, Historical Fiction edges a little further into the realm of Fantastical.

The author describes a past world that modern readers are unfamiliar with by painting mental pictures of times, locations, customs & cultures that no longer exist.

Some Tips from a Historical Fiction Writer:

The big hook for many readers is that the history is real and many of the characters did walk the Earth. But that means readers want it to be accurate. They will be quick to pick on poor research and ‘iffy’ twists on reality and time. But you will sometimes get it wrong – or reality just messes your story. Writing tips for any aspiring authors in this genre are:

Never give up on researching

Keep learning and developing

Accept all feedback – even the highly critical is useful

If you need to twist reality – be honest

People who point out your mistakes can seem pernickety, but they are generally of good intention. Even if not – pretend they are and keep a reader

Common Elements of Historical Fiction

Setting: The setting is the most important part of a historical fiction novel. It should take place during an authentic period in history and be set in a real historical place. For example, New York City during the Great Depression or Paris, France during World War II.

Plot: The plot in a historical fiction novel is a combination of real events and fictional events. You can invent characters, cities, and events, but they still must make sense to the time period. For example, a novel set in London, England in 1666 would benefit from incorporating the Great Fire of London, a major turning point in the city’s history.

Characters: The characters can be real, fictional, or both, but they should all look, speak, and act in ways that accurately reflect the era. For example, if you are writing a book about Mary Tudor, it shouldn’t disregard or reinvent her family history as the daughter of Henry VIII and sister to Elizabeth I, who both played an important role in Mary’s reign.

Dialogue: The dialogue must be authentic to the time period and should reflect the status of the characters who are speaking. For example, British soldiers in the Revolutionary War wouldn’t use Western slang of today.

Conflict: The problems the characters encounter should be conflicts people of that era would encounter. For example, your book might describe the hesitation and fear German soldier feels as he is to the Eastern Front, where he knows he is likely to die.

Tips for Writing Historical Fiction

Free write to brainstorm ideas. If you’re interested in writing historical fiction but don’t know where to start, spend 15 minutes writing in your notebook about a period or historical event you’re interested in rendering in fiction. Note any assumptions you have about the period, cultural depictions of it in other books and films, and what specifically interests you about this moment in history.

Find an interesting way into a time period. Consider using a historical time period as a backdrop and placing fictional characters and events within that world. Or, choose a historical event and create fictional characters who experienced it and whose lives were affected by it

Do your research. In addition to getting the historical facts correct, the smaller details are important, too. Write an inventory of the details in your work that you haven’t researched but should check. Likely, these will be small things—for example, the color of refrigerators—whose accuracy will keep a reader interested and make your story more credible.

Build a world. World-building makes a historical fiction books more authentic and gives readers a reason to keep coming back. Include details about the world in which your story takes place to give readers historical context and balance those exotic details with familiar, relatable ones to keep the story grounded. However, don’t add information just to add it; make sure every part of your world-building advances the story.

Don’t get bogged down in dialogue. Different historical eras have different vocabulary and grammatical structures. Include occasional words and phrases to reinforce the historical setting, but don’t include so many that the novel becomes difficult to read and less enjoyable.

Add fictional characters. Even if you’re writing about true events, you can take some creative liberties. Introducing fictional characters to complement those based on actual historical figures can help you move the story along, inject personality, and keep it entertaining.

Choose which of these tips for historical fiction work best for your story and incorporate them with elements of Detective Fiction.

Sources: 1 2 3 ⚜ More: Notes & References

The elements found in other subgenres overlap with detective historical fiction as well, so here are previous posts that you might find helpful as references:

Clues in Crime Fiction

Basic Narrative Pattern of Crime Fiction

Writing Notes on Pain & Violence

Writing Tips: A "Convincing" Mystery

In creating your fictional world from scratch, here are some worksheets and templates on worldbuilding that may guide you, or more references on worldbuilding.

Hope this helps with your writing!

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

I realise you're HE, but any thoughts on how high school level education should be run/changed/etc? I'd love to know your views!

Oh sure, plenty, but they're not particularly informed lol

Well; Wales is actually massively and fundamentally changing secondary education atm, but we won't be getting students from it until the year after next, I think, so no real comment on effectiveness yet - but it's very interesting. They're getting rid of isolated subjects in favour of broad umbrella areas, as I understand it? So there's now Science and Technology (Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, and all the various DT subjects like Woodwork, Electronics, Cookery, etc), Maths and Numeracy, Humanities (History, Geography, Ethics, Religion), Languages Literacy and Communication, and Health and Wellbeing (actually maybe Cookery comes under this one now? Dunno.) And there's a sixth to do with arts but I can't remember what it's called. But it includes Art, Drama, Media Studies, etc.

And then the idea is that a class will learn about a given topic at a time (I don't know for how long, so let's say six weeks), and this will be taught in each of those six umbrellas but via their own methods. So like... I dunno, let's say the Tudors:

That's fairly straightforward for Humanities, but in addition to giving you the historical facts you'd also explore historic trade routes and natural resources of the time and how they related to the politics (geography), the religious make up of the country and how THAT related to the politics (religion), etc.

Maths and Numeracy might explore how to use statistics to analyse Tudor era population or trade data.

Science and Tech could look at disease outbreaks and virology, or technological advancements and how they worked and get students to build one, or get students to construct a Tudor-era town using computer software

Languages can study plays from the era (Shakespeare), look at linguistic development, or use historical events as talking points to practice using vocab in conversations

Health and Wellbeing can explore stressors and challenges of the average Medieval peasant and how they overcame them, or play some popular Tudor sport or game, or make food to Tudor recipes, etc

The Arts one (god I cannot remember the name) can look at art history of the period, fashions, perform plays, etc

So everyone is still teaching the skills and knowledge of their subject areas, they're just united by one big case study. It apparently allows for far more integrated teaching, too, where two previously discrete subjects can join forces on a project.

All of which seems pretty good, on the whole, but also rife with issues if everyone isn't careful, so we'll see how it shakes out over the next few years.

From my own experiences of school though. Jesus. Something definitely needed to happen, fuck me.

What I should have learned in Textiles:

How to use a sewing machine

How to sew by hand to mend a tear

How to darn a hole

How to hem, dart, take in, and let out clothes

How to sew from a pattern

What I actually learned in Textiles:

How to use a sewing machine on its most basic setting

How to phone in creating a hand puppet out of felt because gluing was easier than sewing

How to badly sew an extremely makeshift and shit bag out of scrap fabric that you in no way want to then use

How to lose all interest in Textiles because it was useless and uninteresting

Like that is a VITAL skillset-imparting subject, and they fucked it, lads, they completely fucked it. Why did they never set us the task of buying a cheap shirt from a charity shop that we then amended in class? That would have been so useful.

Games and PE! Fucking hell! Here's what I should have learned:

How to stretch my body safely to target specific muscle groups, and in particular, how to cultivate a daily stretching routine I enjoyed and wanted to do

How to find a physical activity active enough to get me out of breath that I genuinely enjoyed, so that I wanted to continue it, e.g. salsa dancing or rope climbing or ice skating or hill climbing or assault courses or fucking anything at all

How to build my body up to doing particular activities safely and sustainably

How to find a physical activity to do on wet, cold, rainy days that would still be fun and I would still enjoy

Here's what I actually learned:

Physical activity is always uncomfortable and miserable and sometimes even painful

If you aren't enjoying running around in the wind and rain instead of the indoor gym The Problem Is You. Start Enjoying It.

Wanting to stay warm and dry and comfortable is a punishable choice.

You are only permitted to do physical activity in clothes that make you feel profoundly exposed and uncomfortable (a gym skirt and gym knickers in my school. Cycling shorts got you detention. Don't get me started on jogging bottoms.) Again, if you do not enjoy this, The Problem Is You. Start Enjoying It.

There are only three activity options. If you don't enjoy any of them, physical activity is not for you.

You should be able to Just Do physical exercise, without any training to build you up to it. If you can't and it hurts, this is because you're Bad At PE.

You will only be shown Once

Physical activity is only ever a team sport that you aren't good enough to be willingly picked for

LIKE WHAT THE FUCK

And you know what, LET'S round off with Food Technology/Cookery. Because I remember the things I was asked to make in FT. As a little baby Year 7, I still vividly remember two of the things we made.

Angel Delight. Easy, you might say! A simple treat, you might think! Easing the children into food prep, I hear you cry! But no, because the theme of the year was healthy eating, and so we were to add fruit to our Angel Delight. Any flavour Angel Delight, any fruit. Off you go. I don't know if any of you have encountered fruit, Tumblrs, but it famously has faintly acidic juice. This will prevent the Angel Delight from setting within the one hour lesson, no matter how well you mixed the pudding, or how quickly you got it into the fridge. It will result in soggy gross lumps of oxidising fruit in sloppy liquid pudding. Lesson learned: fruit makes food worse.

Cake. Easyish, you might say! A little harder than the Angel Delight but good training, you might think! A fairly straightforward process with a child-friendly food at the end, I hear you cry! But no, because the theme of the year was still healthy eating, so the teachers made it into an experiment; make four small cakes. One with sugar, one with sweetener, one with apple, and one with carrot. Then taste them and rank them in order. Off you go. I don't know if any of you have ever tried eating sugarless carrot cake, Tumblrs, but I have, and I can tell you categorically that it really puts the "Did you know" into the phrase "Did you know that fructose and sucrose are not actually equivalents of each other in a culinary setting?" It was rancid. It was disgusting. It was vile. It made me hate carrot cake for the next 12 years, in case my mouth had to go through that ordeal again. I'm still highly suspicious of the stuff even now. To (I assume) the surprise of fuck-damned no one, we unanimously put them in the order of sugar, sweetener, apple, carrot. Lesson learned: FRUIT MAKES FOOD WORSE AND CARROTS ARE ACTIVELY DISGUSTING

What possessed them?! No idea. Fucking hell.

Anyway this is getting long and I am still ill-informed. Peace out.

[gothgleek]

Alicent based on this post about Modest!Alicent by @dirtytransmasc

Details under the cut

-I was obsessed with the veiled pieces that OP mentioned and I loved the image of her in gold veils that looked like she was dripping in gold.

- The veils are based on Catholic veils (specifically and 4), medieval head coverings like ones worn in Ophelia 2018 and wimples (2 and 6), Star Wars (5), and the Tudor period (7). Most of them are sheer because one, I couldn’t figure out how to wrap them around her head without her looking like a blob of color and when it did look okay she looked like she was wearing a hijab and it felt too appropriative to draw on Alicent. This is also why her hair is visible in most of them but in practice she would cover them with thicker fabric.

- Alicent wears long billowing sleeves with heavy skirts. OP said that Alicent would wear dresses that conceal her figure which I tried to maintain but some have a shapelier silhouette as it looked better with my art style. I hope one day I will be able to draw modest clothing without making someone look like a blob but I’m not there yet.

- Dress 1 is inspired by the series Isabel 2011, which from what I’ve seen has some nice costumes. It also gave me a good base for something historical and modest but still luxurious.

- The second is based on Lady Macbeth and Ophelia in the Ophelia movie. I debated on adding braids but I think Alicent would’ve worn them. They’re neat, mature, and somewhat conservative hairstyle while also giving her an opportunity to wear more accessories which is expected of her as a queen. I know OP said modest but irl royalty had to wear extravagant clothes to prove their status and with the pressure of civil war and being the second wife, Alicent would certainly wear luxurious jewelry while staying simple compared to the rest of the Targaryens. The beads are Targ inspired as she would also need to embrace Valeryian styles to stay in Viserys’s favor.

- This side view of Alicent has the deepest neckline because that is what worked best for a side view. I also noticed Catholic veils tended to have patterns so I added simple gold flowers. The dress is medieval based.

- What sparked my artistic interest was OP’s descriptions of the veils so I had to do a dedicated work with a veil in the spotlight. In the original post, it was mentioned that Alicent would wear shawls with tapestry like designs. I couldn’t think of anything that would look good with fabric folds and creases but on a lace veil? I could definitely do that. Tbh it’s not my favorite design (Helaena’s was my favorite) but I think it represents Alicent’s loyalties pretty well. I’m personally pleased with how the dragons and tower came out.

- I don’t care about Star Wars but some of Padme’s outfits have screamed Alicent to me since the beginning. The golden lace veil with pearls is the centerpiece so her dress is much more toned down.

- This is again based on Ophelia’s costuming and on OP saying Alicent appears to be dripping in gold wearing golden veils. I added jewelry shaped like the Hightower sigil with green gems decorating it.

- OP mentioned shawls with tassels and patterns so I had to add them onto the last dress. Well, I had fur instead of tassels but the statement still stands. I also tried to make the veil based on Spanish mantillas but it never turned out correct so I kept it simple. The dress is a mix of Alexander McQueen Fall 2011 and the Tudors era.

[eowynstwin]

Do you have any recommendations for longer cod fics with plot?

Yeah, plenty!

A few from @391780 (and their ao3) (if you decide to explore their other fics PLEASE read the tags first, early writes some very dark work that may not suit you):

The Arrangement

The ad reads "Looking for a woman (25-45) to enter a discreet and unusual arrangement, with monetary compensation. Must fill out application and send photo.", and for some reason that you can't even fathom yourself, you apply. AKA John Price, who knows better than anyone what a liability having a spouse or partner is, decides that the only way he's going to find a beautiful soft woman to put up with his absurd schedule and dangerous job is to simply hire them.

the space in between

a shortcut through a construction site at night leads you to a run-in with john price, leader of the local crime family. (or, mafia Price romance with a desk jockey who didn't sign up to be a crime boss' obsession or sole confidant)

Into Your Veins

Ghost is a vampire during a zombie apocalypse, sent on a mission from Price to recruit you to join the little gated community of survivors that he's rounding up. You're a survivor who just wants to be left in peace to tend your garden and occasionally clear out your moat and booby traps of the undead. Neither of you gets what you'd planned on.

Then we have milk0 on ao3

Incompetent People

You share a group chat with your team and you sometimes wish you didn’t. (or, a very fun fic that started as a group chat piece and has evolved into a poly 141 romance. Otherwise known as my favorite fucking trope ever. The reader character has such a fun voice, I adore this fic.)

Next of course is @ceilidho (emphemeron on ao3) (same deal as with early—read their tags if you explore more of their fic, they also write darker work)

take me home, country road

You have nothing on your person apart from a hastily packed suitcase and the dress you came into town wearing, on the run from trouble back home. Too bad John's missing a bride that matches your description. Or: the 1800s (mistaken) mail order bride au

Following up with @alittleposhtoad (smoggyfogbottom on ao3)

"it's gonna get me by the end of the night"

A year after the attack on the Urzikstan embassy, Stacy Davidson struggles to move on. Whumptober Prompt: No. 23: “It’s gonna get me by the end of the night.” Shadows | Stalking | “Who’s there?” Note: I picked Gaz x OC because this ship doesn't exist on ao3, and I wasn't sure how to classify it for searching purposes. Stacy has a minor role in the game!

oh bury me not on the lone prairie

You are a doctor on the frontier, recently widowed and left to fend for yourself. You cope by keeping a strict routine, one that is threatened by the arrival of four strangers one hazy summer night. (141 western AU)

a handsome stranger on a cold autumn day

You work at a small-town library doing the same thing day in and day out, until a handsome captain approaches your desk.

rounding out this list is @lunarvicar who is on hiatus but still fully worth reading. (you can find them here on ao3)

exit row

ghost is that hot guy at the airport you wish you could talk to. good thing your seats are next to each other on the plane and you can fantasize alllll you want. (or, you hook up with Ghost in an airport and meet, months later, after you join the 141. he is not happy about it. or is he?)

to the flame

Moth has barely escaped her first captors, but tumbles headfirst into the care of the 141. She has to decide whether to trust them and their prickly leader, Captain Price - who also happens to be the sexiest motherfucker she's ever met.

a stranger at the table

tudor era AU. John Price is an old friend of your new husband's, come to help on the farm for a season. Your vows are tested in ways you could never have imagined.

All of these I've listed are multichapter fics, but every single author's one-shots are just as good. I highly recommend reading those too!

Now I'm just going to list a few writers who you really should just take the time to go through their masterlists, because you can't go wrong with anything they write.

@yeyinde

@peachesofteal

@moondirti

@charliemwrites (dark fiction, be aware)

@ohbo-ohno (also dark fiction)

honorary mention of @guyfieriii who has removed most of her cod fiction from tumblr due to a frankly disgusting amount of harassment, but I'm sure if you ask her very very nicely she'll send you where you need to go. (seriously. be nice. or you'll see me in your bedroom holding a knife at midnight)

P.S. if you're reading this, and i've expressed love for your work in the past, but you are not on this list, it is NOT intentional exclusion. It is my absolutely horrible memory. I love you and please link your own work if you'd like!

[calisources]

𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐀 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄.

All sentences are taken from different books from Phillipa Gregory, specially her series about the historical fiction setting of the war of roses and the tudors era. Change names, locations, pronouns and nouns as you see fit for your own liking. Some of these have slight foul language or involve insuation of sexual situations. Please beware. This is part one.

You can smile when your heart is breaking because you're a woman.

If it means something, take it to heart. If it means nothing, it's nothing. Let it go.

I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't do anything but think about him.

At night I dream of him, all day I wait to see him, and when I do see him my heart turns over and I think I will faint with desire.

A man will always promise to do more than he can do to a woman he cannot understand.

I would know you anywhere for my true love. 

Whoever I was and whoever you were, I would know you at once for my true love.

When a woman thinks her husband is a fool, her marriage is over. 

The world hasn't changed that much; men still rule.

If you go on flirting with the king with those sickly little smiles, one of us Boleyns is going to scratch your eyes out

What a pair we shall be! What man can resist us?

You have to choose the best, every day, without compromise...guided by your own virtue and highest ambition.

I never thought it would end like this. I never thought he would leave me without saying goodbye.

But I don't forget and I don't forgive.

A woman has to change her nature if she is to be a wife.

To be a good wife is to be a woman with a will of iron that you yourself have forged into a bridle to curb your own abilities. 

But I am above these judgments, I am a Queen.

Anyone can attract a man. The trick is to keep him.

I was born to be your rival.

Know your rights.

When they see us dance. When they see how you look at me. When they see how I smile at you.

I have learned the power of surviving.

I was a woman who was capable of passion and who had a great need and a great desire for love.

Good god what men can do to their brains when their cocks are hard.

They are a house which has to have blood, and they will shed their own if they have no other enemy.

I want to take you for pleasure, and hold you in my arms for desire.

 I want you to know that it is your kiss that I want, not another heir to the throne.

You can know that I love you, quite for yourself, when I come to your bed, and not as the York’s broodmare.

You think to bed me for love and not for children? Isn’t that sin?

I shall make sure that it feels richly sinful.

Some women attract desire. Others do not.

Every woman has to have something which singles her out, which catches the eyes, which makes her the center of attention.

If it has to be done at all, it must be done with grace.

She  was speaking out for the women of the country, for the good wives who should not be put aside just because their husbands had taken a fancy to another.

Because all books are forbidden when a country turns to terror.

You can smile when your heart is breaking because you are a woman, and a courtier.

War does not answer war, war does not finish war. The only ending is peace.

To save my son, I would plot with the devil himself.

Yes, but either way, shamed or not, I shall be Queen of England, and this is the last time you will sit in my presence.

I am not a yard of ribbon. I am not a leg of ham. I am not for sale to anyone.

We have to be more royal than royalty itself or nobody will believe us.

I betrayed as a daughter will betray her mother and yet, never stop loving her.

I am an object of beauty. He has never loved me as a woman.

When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified. Nobody loves a clever woman.

I wanted the heat and the sweat and the passion of a man that I could love and trust. 

And I wanted to give myself to him: not for advantage, but for desire.

I am a fool to own it, but I am in a fever for his touch.

It is luck to love someone who is free to love you in return.

Just decide that you are not going to be a fearful woman and when you come to something that makes you apprehensive, you face it and walk towards it

This was my destiny: to put my son on the throne of England.

This is a woman whose belly is filled with pride.

 She has been eating nothing but her own ambition for nearly thirty years.

Plainly, she is quite besotted by him,... a girl, a young girl, and she is falling in love for the first time in her life.

And – I think you know, don’t you? – that I love you, Anne.

And you are the sort of mistress a man doesn't bother to marry. Sons or no sons.

You don't need to struggle, your baby is coming.

You give birth, you don't force birth or besiege it. It's not a battle, it's an act of love. You give birth to your child and you can do it gently.

But young hearts mend easily.

Either you have me or not at all. Either you love me or not at all. Either I am all yours or I am nobody’s. I will have no half-measures with you.

Men die in battle; women die in childbirth.

 shall put a curse on their house that they will have no first born son to inherit. 

Have you ever wondered, Anne, in your untiring dance of seduction, whether you might not be dancing to Henry's tune instead of your own?

I am a Queen. It is natural that men are going to gather round me, hoping for a smile.

My honour and my pride are in my heart, and not in what the world says.

He is fragile, like a prince of ice, of glass.

But I warn you that a woman who seeks great power and wealth has to pay a great price.

Every woman is a mad ugly bad old witch somewhere in her heart.

My own mother told my lady governess that if the baby and I were in danger then they should save the baby.

She has a smile that grows slowly and then shines, like an angel’s smile.

Jane would be the next queen and her children, when she had them, would be the next princes or princesses.

I am mad for you.

You're not cursed daughter, you are the finest and rarest of all my children, the most beautiful, the most beloved.

One’s lover is one’s partner in observing and understanding the world.

Marriage is a place where joint narratives are composed. If the lover is a liar then all your joint observations are unreliable. 

If it was not in your interests to betray me then you would have been loyal.

I am marrying the finest man I have ever known.

You can have my glove, my favour.

Nobody gets to be Queen of England by being loveable. You will have to play your cards right.

Thomas More once told me: lion or king, never show fear or you are a dead man.

When I marry you, everything I have becomes yours.

[raptorfae53]

Raven queen and Apple White.

Year One redesigns.

Hello again, had some more ever after high art drafted up for a bit now, and I felt I might as well get it properly finished and coloured ahead of something big I have planned next weekend...

These designs are in essence, Raven and Apple's designs for when they first meet at ever after high, because plot their styles will change overtime, and I have plenty of concepts for where they're going to go that I'll eventually get around to drawing...

Also stay tuned for some more eah art of a similar ilk tomorrow btw. (It's another redesign,can you guess who?)

Design details down below:

Apple's design was primarily inspired by the high fashion of the 1940s and 1950s, with particular mention given to the famed dior "new look" dress of the era, with a bit of medieval and tudor flair to it. (The idea being that apple,true to form usually dresses in the same vein as her mother, whom she is eager to please and live up to,maybe a bit too much for her own good...)

Raven as we all know and love is a Goth through and through, and while this design is far from the absolute heights my version of Raven will go in regards to gothic and goth elements in her designs you can hopefully still see some inspiration from that in this initial design.

Raven's design also reflects her upbringing and personality. Not wanting to turn out like her mother and growing up in a poor,cold part of the world leads Raven to deviate from the expected style for the evil queen even before formally rebelling (for example wearing one of her dad's waistcoats over her dress and incorporating soft blues in with black and purple)

Another thing to note is that my version of Raven is Punjabi, and as such I decided to have her wear the traditional dress-and-scarf combo traditionally worn by punjabi women.

[wildgreentide]

Good Omens Historical Fic Recs!

While I'm waiting for my favorite authors to write their new post-s2 stories, I'm revisiting some of my favorite older fics and wanted to share some recommendations! More than anything else I've been craving stories that explore Crowley & Aziraphale's relationship throughout history. If you have a favorite historical fic that's not on here, please feel free to share!

All Seasons, by rfsmiley (20k, M)

Set in Tudor England, this story has Crowley becoming an advisor to Henry VIII and befriending Thomas More. Achingly good.

The blood of Christ, or, Is that any way to speak to your mother?, by doomed_spectacles (528 words, gen)

A brief Biblical story, in which Aziraphale attends the Wedding at Cana. Perfectly Pratchetty.

Communing with the Dead, by acommontater (927 words, gen)

Another Biblical story, but very different in tone: Crowley says the mourner's Kaddish for Judas Iscariot. Powerful.

Gods in the Gaslight, by anti_kate & rfsmiley (12.5K, T)

Aziraphale embarks on a career as a stage magician in Victorian London. Entrancing, atmospheric, heartbreaking.

knowing this will I reach for you, by Aria (24.6K, E)

A dozen or so scenes throughout history, starting with Eden. I absolutely love this story for a number of reasons, but one is that it explores Crowley's anger at God and Heaven after the Flood, which I think explains a lot about his state of mind during the Job story in season 2. It is also (so far) the only fic on AO3 with the tag "Crowley Doesn't Fall in Love He Saunters Vaguely Downwards."

A Letter from "Crawly" to Azirapil, by mostlydeadlanguages (486 words, gen)

Set in Mesopotamia, tiny but brilliant.

The Parting Glass, by equestrianstatue & omnishambles (16.8K, gen)

Seven scenes throughout history, from the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 to the present day (well, 2019), by two of my favorite authors. Drily funny with just the right amount of angst.

Your Mirror, by equestrianstatue (28.2K, E)

Going backward and then forward in time, this story explores all the ways that Crowley and Aziraphale come together, drift apart, misunderstand each other, and still long for each other throughout the millennia. There are so many great little details in this story, plus *fans self* some extremely hot scenes.

The Weight of Well Tailored Clothes, by reserve (5K, E)

Speaking of extremely hot scenes, my bookmark comment for this one just says "Good lord." Crowley helps Aziraphale undress after he rescues him from the Bastille.

You, Soft and Only, by thehoyden (9.4K, E)

Starting in Mesopotamia with a kiss of convenience, and continuing through ancient Rome, a medieval monastery, Renaissance-era Florence, and more, this story is absolutely swoony.

[marythequeen]

first of all: AHSBSBSBDBA FINALLY A FELLOW MARY STAN.

what are your thoughts on the fact that mainstream history has basically erased Mary's hand in: strengthening the english navy, changing coin policy to benefit the economy, and being the stepping stone of a successful queen regnant that allowed future queens the power they got in such a patriarchal society?

i actually wrote long paragraphs as an answer but much to my disgrace, they were all erased suddenly so i'm a bit angry but will do my best to write it all one more time 🙏🏻

basically, they HAD to erase mary's good works in order to glorify elizabeth and her reign. many writers and public figures, during elizabethan era and later on, did their best to justify elizabeth's actions and even erased most of her nasty works. do you see many people who talk about massacres that were made by her? or her open racisms and xenophobia? or attacking and dismissing women in her court? no you don't, and it's all the work of elizabethan propaganda.

this includes belittling the work of other women before elizabeth, not only queen mary. such as the works of queen katharine of aragón or other catholic writers both male&female. the main source of the elizabethan propaganda is xenophobia and anti catholicism. she painted herself as a saviour, saving the english from the ruthless hands of the catholic. we, even, continued to see it in the reign of the stuart monarchs. they owed their power to elizabeth, so they had no choice [even if they did, they'd still follow her because they were anglicans and protestants. anti catholicism has been a trend for over 400 years at this point] but to follow her works and propagandas.

so that's the background of the things. you can't justify elizabeth tudor unless you blacken queen mary and her works.

and let's not lie to each other, at the beginning of her reign, elizabeth was far from being original when it came to politics or economic or any other governing things. she lacked the education for it. thus, it was inevitable that she would copy what the woman before her did. everything you said above, were later copied by elizabeth tudor.

long story short, erasing mary's works and using some of them without crediting her, was a must for elizabeth. and in order to do these successful, they had to dehumanize, villainize and erase her.

thank you for your question!! it was fun to answer and apparently i missed talking about our queen. i hope my answers satisfied you. if you have further questions, feel free to ask!! have a nice day.

[stephensmithuk]

The Valley of Fear: Darkness

Here are some examples of tweed suits:

These suits were commonplace at the time as outerwear as they coped well with the British climate; remember this is January and it can be quite cold even though snow is pretty uncommon these days in Southern England.

Police tape did not come around until the 1960s. Until then, crime scene security involved police officers standing guard, a rather hard task in the countryside.

A mare is a female horse.

The Pennsylvania Small Arm Company is fictitious. T

he main firearms company out of the Keystone State today is the Kahr Firearms Group, who moved there from New York in 2014 when the latter state tightened up its firearms laws. It having bought up the Auto-Ordnance Company and Magnum Research, it is the company that sells the Desert Eagle for those who want oversized handguns and also semi-automatic versions of the Thompsons submachine gun, including the 50-round magazines. Individuals cannot purchase weapons from them directly though; you have to go through an authorised firearms dealer. They do not do shotguns, sawed-off or otherwise.

Aberdonian refers to Aberdeen, one of Scotland's eight cities. It is known as the Granite City due to the use of it there during the Victorian era and is the hometown of Annie Lennox.

A rampant lion or lion rampant is a heraldic lion standing upright with its paws raised:

They are common on coats of arms. As the symbol of the Kingdom of Scotland, they feature more than once on both the UK and Scottish royal coat of arms, including one wearing the Tudor and Scottish Crowns respectively:

It is possible to drown in an inch of water, but that generally requires losing consciousness first.

Anyway, blotting paper was widely used at the time:

Some information on splay foot can be found here:

There have been voluntary bike registration schemes set up in various countries to assist in theft recovery:

There is no requirement to pay road tax on pedal bikes - unlike motorbikes. However, taking them on holiday to France could lead to issues with Customs; it still can in some cases since Brexit.

[dopescissorscashwagon]

Great workshop today 🦌📸

Today Paul was taking a private client who had travelled from the Middle East to see around Bushy Park, and photograph the deer..As well as the deer I found Green woodpeckers, Kestrels, Herons, Egrets and lots of small birds like Wrens and Stonechats. It was a lot of fun! He took some photos himself and here’s a few of his favourites. They're having a good time ☺️AlphaAutumnUK

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

[ Subject & Scientific name ] 🦌

Red Deer 🧬 Cervus Elaphus •••>> #funfact <<•••Red deer in Bushy Park, London, have a fascinating history connected to King Henry VIII. The park, once part of his hunting grounds, has been home to red and fallow deer since the 16th century. These majestic animals still roam freely today, descendants of the deer the king would have pursued. Henry VIII, famous for his love of hunting, often retreated to Bushy Park, using it as a royal playground. The sight of the deer in this historic setting connects modern visitors to the Tudor era and its royal past.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

[ Settings & Gear ]

📷 Sony α1🔭 400mm GM 🔅 F4 | 1/500 | iso1000

🖥️ Edited in @lightroom

📸 © Paul Browning photography

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[mimimyluv]

Hetalia y/n’s have to stand together, how about England x Reader where y/n admires his tattoos?

anon bless your heart because this lead me down a path of picturing arthur as a prep with secret tattoos and i promptly blacked out. when i woke up i ended up with this oneshot. i hope you enjoy and may your meals always be delicious and your pillow always cold (or warm depending on how you like it lol). also i wasn't sure if you wanted smut, so it's sfw (just to be safe). but it's still suggestive. if you wanted full-blown smut tho just lmk 👍

⏆﹒⬚﹒🍏﹒➲﹒reader admiring arthur's tattoos; gn! reader (nothing specified), 800 words/4k characters, fluff with some suggestive themes. lowercase intended.

the contrast is interesting, you muse.

your lover’s always projected a proper– if not a tad pretentious– image of the quintessential upper-class english man. he has all his clothes and shoes tailored; every thread and button perfectly bespoke (the extra costs just for suit jackets can be somewhat incomprehensible, but he always assures you it is a perfectly good investment. you never complain too much– not when he’s so damn handsome in those same bespoke suits).

he drinks his tea with a pinky up; always, always with the fine, intricately painted porcelain (an antique dating back to the victorian era, he often tells you).

he rubs elbows with the upper echelons of london society; engaging in those stereotypical, hoity-toity activities only people with money to burn can do (polo, horseback riding, fucking golf… it would make you laugh if it weren’t for his tall, elegant frame, with the lean, subtle musculature of the ideal english sportsman).

but beneath that proper exterior, though– there’s something more passionate, something more untamed lurking. while arthur often keeps that side of him under wraps, you have the privilege of being privy to it in numerous ways.

you’re reminded of it as you laze next to him in his sheets, basking in the post-sex afterglow. his back is to you, you can fully take in the smattering of golden freckles across his fair skin, and… oh.

“i haven’t seen this one before.”

you trace your fingers along the merfolk inked on his back. you try to summon some hazy memories from a past gallery date with arthur– ah, yes. it’s a near-identical replica of john william waterhouse’s mermaid, except…

it’s you. replacing the mermaid combing her long, auburn hair is you. you’re in that same, languid pose, with just a long white fabric draped tightly along your body to preserve the barest modicum of modesty. somehow, though– with the sultriness of your eyes, the curve of your bare neck and shoulders– this remaster of waterhouse’s mermaid somehow seems more… suggestive.

“do you like it?” he murmurs, turning over to face you. his forest-green eyes are lidded, light, feathered lashes nearly resting on the top of his freckled cheeks. this is the most relaxed you’ve ever seen him; your heart leaps for a split second.

“a tattoo of me?” you say, mock-dryly. still, your face is warm, and you can’t help but smile. “i thought you hated cliches.”

“ah, well.” suddenly, he’s blushing too. his freckles are even more stark against his skin; you barely resist the urge to trace your thumb all over them. “some… can be alright.”

you grin.

“when did you get this?”

“a few weeks after our date to the tate.”

you can’t help but snort out a laugh, fond.

“and you said you were done with tattoos, hm?”

“when i saw that painting,” the pinkness of his cheeks deepen, “i just couldn’t stop seeing you. so one last tattoo couldn’t hurt, i suppose.”

“mhm, it’s not like i mind,” you whisper, drawing a hand down to trace the tudor roses and ivy inked along his ribs, “you know i love your tattoos, arthur.”

“perhaps that’s why i had it done,” he laughs raspily, “you might only want me for my tattoos. needed something to keep the spark alive, don’t you think, my dear?”

“don’t be an idiot.” you lightly chastise him, then draw him closer for a kiss, bracing him by your hand on the back of his head. unlike the heated, passionate kisses you two shared earlier, he moves his mouth against yours slowly and indulgently; the kind of kiss that could lull you to slumber after a long day.

“let me see it again, then.” you say against his lips, quiet and muffled. he smirks, uncharacteristically roguish.

“i believe you just proved my earlier point.”

“oh, shut up.”

he complies anyway, shifting so you can see his back; this time, you can study it more clearly. your face, stark as day– maybe it’s corny, but you can’t help the way your heart leaps at the sight. proper, upper-class arthur kirkland being lovestruck enough to have you permanently inked on his skin, even when he’s eschewed tattoos and everything that can be linked to delinquency in favor of his image. there’s just something truly… amazing about it.

“i wanna see the rest.” you mumble. he rolls over, pretending to grumble.

“maybe you really are just with me for my tattoos, love.”

you ignore him and look over the rest of his tattoos– the tudor roses and ivy on his ribs; the plantagenet lions on his left shoulder; a hobbes’ quote– a great leap in the dark– on his right forearm.

and now, the portrait of you as waterhouse’s mermaid on his back.

“i do love your tattoos, arthur.” you quietly repeat, settling down next to him. you draw nearer, hooking a leg over his body and resting your head against his chest; his heartbeat thrums in a consistent pitter-patter right next to your ear.

“but i love you more.”

he’s silent, but he combs his fingers– long, graceful, and work-worn– through your hair.

“i love you too.”

“yeah.” you smile drowsily. you can see yourself as a merfolk in your hazy mind's eye, forever inked on his back. “i know.”