#thoughts with theredofoctober

[theredofoctober]

Do you ever find inspiration in music while you're writing?

All the time! The approximate lyrics for Cocteau Twins songs are so dreamlike and poetic, I love reading them and putting their music on while I write.

I have playlists for most of the latest fics I've written!

Lingua Ignota has been a strong inspiration for a lot of my work. I really connect to her lyrics and some of her experiences

[theredofoctober]

Someone asked if Will and Hannibal actually love L.O. in Manna and I think it's a valid question!

There are some things I can't say as I feel it will spoil the plot as it goes on, but I feel that yes they do, but not as normal people love, nor even as they love each other.

I feel from watching the show itself they're both too madly jealous for there to be a third in their relationship unless they were hugely subordinate and very much a toy to them. They'd 'date' the same way they'd kill together: violently, and with deference to each other.

Now whether their relationship with L.O. will always be this aggressive I can't yet say, but this is essentially why their relationship with her at this point is so extreme and cruel.

I have tried to warn people up front not to expect this to ever go the direction of an ordinary romance even in dark romance spheres as pretty much all my work is really aggressive, although I do imagine I'll be writing something different in the near future if the right character pulls me that way.

I was actually thinking about that the other day. Really interested in who that'll be!

But I do think the Stockholm Syndrome aspect has been introduced now! It's the slowest burning aspect of the fic as it makes sense for it to develop at a snail's pace considering how she's treated and what she's seen. But trust in the Night Sibling, I will provide 🙏🏻

[theredofoctober]

My Spotify on repeat so far! My music taste is split into goth/metal/spooky, rap, and whimsical music!

I've not actually used Spotify much until this last week as I've been so busy but I love music of all kinds soo much! I should share my party playlist which is all pop and female rap artists. Flo Milli's Not Friendly is one of my favourites when I'm getting ready

[theredofoctober]

Oh my god I saw your update and so excited that I have to close my phone and wait until I finished my meal before I could read it 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Ahaha I love this!!! I hope you enjoy it ❤️❤️

[theredofoctober]

I'm fully aware that Little One is a cringe nickname, part of why she hates it 🤣 I do get frustrated in writing Reader fics because generally naming the character is frowned upon, though I've done it twice and was so relieved by the lack of constraint.

The name I have for One in my head is Sailor— I imagine her mum had a very brief whimsical era in the 90s.

[theredofoctober]

Another Manna draft finished today!

It didn't need as much cleaning up as I thought. Spellcheck and drop tomorrow then!

Here's a preview 👀

[theredofoctober]

Do you like V.C. Andrews?

Yesss! The Flowers in the Attic series is insane and I loved it soo much. Incredibly fucked up and unhinged but I always thought it was great!

[theredofoctober]

Forgot to give my final review of Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi...

Overall I enjoyed it and I'm interested to read more of her work!

Spoilers below

There wasn't as much spice as I was expecting, and there wasn't an explanation for why the FMC fell in love with him... but that's common for romance of any kind so it's not a big issue. The ending I have conflicting feelings about as in some ways it's unsatisfying and abrupt but I also thought it was quite daring in others and felt just for the MMC's slight leaning towards good

Overall it was chaotic and fun, Matthew was my favourite character and I wanted more of him.

It reminded me so much of stories I write with the darkness and the humour closely tied together. It was also well written which is a plus for this genre

[theredofoctober]

When can we expect the next manna chapter? I love your writing!

By the end of the week! I've not looked at it all day as I've been working, but there's a full draft there ❤️ I need to tweak the descriptions, spell check etc but it's around 5000 even at this stage so it's one of my longer installments!!

Lots of Will/Hannibal interaction which will be even more common in the next few chapters...

[theredofoctober]

So to the anon that once asked how I write Hannibal's dialogue and got an answer for a different character (SORRYYY I only realised this happened on this very day 😅, what the hell, I must have been drinking)

I'll give you my true answer, I hope you read this as I'm so embarrassed I got you confused with another anon you poor thing. Here's how I approach it

It's a few things for me: his accent, the formality of his speech, and the imagery and metaphors.

He doesn't always speak super formally which is important to remember (pissing contest line) but he generally does. Random swear words only tend to be echoes of other characters' dialogue and very tongue in cheek and naughty for him. He's formal and polite because he thinks it's pretty to be, everything for him is a performance of aesthetics

So let's take something reaaaally ordinary like "I had a great time tonight, let's do this again" you'd go "it was an exceptional evening. We must repeat the experience whenever time allows us."

Pretentious but playful is the key for me

[theredofoctober]

Just deleted an ask someone sent asking about how I write Hannibal's dialogue where I answered thinking they were asking about Heisenberg??? Thank god somebody liked it so I could delete that embarrassment 🤣🤣🤣 I notice I did tag it, so I imagine people realised I'd misread the ask, but I'm scratching my head whether I was really tired that day or what HA because my answer to both characters is totally different and I'm actually cackling I mixed the two names up... what a clanger

I'm guessing I got asks about both characters at the same time and just skim read the name... doh! I should probably answer that question properly so that poor anon gets the answer they were actually seeking 🫣 sorry whoever that was, you must have been well confused hahaha

[theredofoctober]

Sorry, I don't remember, have you talked about your favourite films? I really want to know

I think so, every time someone asks I forget every movie I've ever watched lmao but I'll do my best!

Bram Stoker's Dracula, Suspiria (both versions), Hellraiser I and II, The Thing, The Lost Boys, Rebecca, Poltergeist I and I, Pan's Labyrinth, Midsommar, Labyrinth (Jennifer Connolly)

There are more but for some reason I can't remember 🫣 when I do I'll list and post them

As you can see I've listed a bunch of older films as even of the effects are dated the visuals are so much fun!

[theredofoctober]

Just come out of Nosferatu! It was amazing, the dark desire between Ellen and Orlok was so fascinating, I wish they'd had more scenes... even when she was nose to nose with him telling him she despised him it just felt completely erotic in a very twisted fashion.

The end was really tender, so interesting that she responded to him in that way. It showed that she understood finally that he couldn't help what he was and nor could she

[theredofoctober]

For some reason , I thought Maria was just a manifestation because she only interacts with James. Like she can see Laura , I don't think Laura can see her. I might be wrong because it's been a LONG time since I played the original and I never played the special edition that had the extra content where you play as Maria.

The Born From A Wish segment in the OG implies that she has thoughts and feelings! Which makes it sadder, and I've been playing the remake and she even stops at the house featured in BFAW and says it makes her uncomfortable, but doesn't remember why... I truly feel she does think she's a real person and is traumatised when she is revived with impartial memories each time

[theredofoctober]

With playing the Silent Hill 2 remake I wonder how much power the town has—

We know it can give Maria at least temporary life...

But could it extend that to a full lifetime?

Constructs of the town are able to leave, I imagine, but if the person that construct was manifested by still lived and imagined a possibility where said person left and still lived would that be possible?

Thinking of what those created people would think and feel. Entirely new organisms without a past due to their creation... fascinating

[theredofoctober]

Is anyone following Dr Ally Louks' olfactory crusade on twitter as avidly as I am? Her thesis sounds amazing and I love how intelligently and empathetically she approaches the subject of smell in regards to so many subjects. I can't wait to read her work, I'm such a Stan