lolablackwrites

[lolablackwrites]

Hii 🥰

Just wanted to send you a positive message. Hope you have a great day 🥰

You are so kind, thank you! I hope you have a wonderful day as well 💜

#thanks love #ask me anything

[lolablackwrites]

Guarded Hearts - Full Series

What if The Royal Romance MC met Bastien the night before she met Liam?

Guarded Hearts Series

Part 1: The night before Liam’s bachelor party, MC (Alice) meets someone else from Cordonia. (NSFW)

Part 2: Alice ends up joining Liam’s bachelor party in New York, but her thoughts are elsewhere.

Part 3: Alice and Bastien spend what they think will be their last night together and Maxwell makes a surprising proposition to Alice. (NSFW)

Part 4: Alice flies to Cordonia with Maxwell before preparing for the masquerade ball.

Part 5: At the masquerade ball, Alice sees someone unexpected.

Part 6: Alice does her best at the masquerade and learns the truth about the stakes.

Part 7: Bastien and Alice celebrate her arrival in Cordonia. (NSFW)

Part 8: Alice gets a crash course in decorum and is off to the races.

Part 9: Alice attends the derby and meets the queen–and a possible new adversary.

Part 10: Croquet, cronuts, and smut, oh my! (NSFW)

Part 11: Alice and the others arrive in Lythikos and take a turn around the frozen lake.

Part 12: Alice skis the deck in Lythikos, learns more about Drake’s family, and has a private dance lesson with Bastien.

Part 13: Alice attends the ball at Lythikos, finds a private moment with Bastien, and babysits a drunk friend. (NSFW)

Part 14: Alice asks Bastien about the bachelor party photos and prepares to race in the regatta after a surprising announcement.

Part 15: Alice competes in the Royal Regatta and enjoys the beach party, but someone else might be planning something…

Part 16: The Apple Blossom Festival begins and later, Alice and the others head out to celebrate Drake’s birthday.

Part 17: The competition is on for the title of Apple Queen, but others are conspiring.

Part 18: Alice comes clean to Liam and attends the royal hunt.

Part 19: Bastien meets with the king and Alice has an unwanted visitor.

Part 20: Alice deals with the morning after.

Part 21: Alice helps the Beaumonts prepare for the upcoming party and receives a surprise visitor.

Part 22: It’s the night of the big Beaumont bash!

Part 23: It’s the night of the coronation and secrets come to light.

Part 24: At the airport and about to leave Cordonia forever, someone stops Alice from getting on her flight.

Part 25: Alice deals with some of her issues and heads to Fydelia with the Beaumonts.

Part 26: Alice talks with Liam and returns to Applewood Manor.

Part 27: Alice meets her new press secretary, attends the barn raising, and visits the spa with her friends.

Part 28: Alice attends the picnic and learns a disturbing truth.

Part 29: Alice attends the dinner with the statesman in Italy and tracks down the photographer before learning of a betrayal close to home.

Part 30: Alice attends Madeleine’s bachelorette party and secrets come to light.

Part 31: Alice and Bastien tell their friends the truth about the plot against her and they all attend the fashion show in Paris.

Part 32: Alice helps Drake solve another mystery while she tries to settle into some normalcy with Bastien.

Part 33: Alice attends Liam’s second bachelor party in Paris, but the party doesn’t go as planned.

Part 34: Alice and Bastien confront her trauma and find a way to spend some time alone before Regina arrives to attend the opera.

Part 35: The Cordonian Court arrives in Shanghai, Liam reveals his plan to deal with Constantine and Regina, and Alice and Bastien fully reunite. (NSFW)

Part 36: Alice attends a tea ceremony with the Cordonian court and supports Hana during a big moment.

Part 37: The engagement tour arrives in New York, Alice and Bastien make some big choices, and new information is revealed.

Part 38: Bastien goes to LA to retrieve Tariq while Alice tries to distract herself back in New York…and someone decides to take matters into their own hands.

Part 39: The nobles return to Cordonia, Liam makes Alice an offer, and Alice moves in with Bastien. (NSFW)

Part 40: The Homecoming Ball! 

Part 41: The aftermath of the Homecoming Ball.

Part 42: When Bastien is discharged from the the hospital, he and Alice return to the palace in time for the Five Kingdoms Festival.

Part 43: The Unity Tour arrives in Fydelia and Alice must play peacekeeper between Adelaide and Godfrey. (NSFW)

Part 44: The Unity Tour arrives in Portavira and Alice and the others participate in a celebrity polo match for charity. (slightly NSFW)

Part 45: The Unity Tour makes an unscheduled stop in Applewood and Alice is forced to revisit the past. (NSFW)

Part 46: The Unity Tour arrives at Kiara’s family’s estate in Castelsarreillan and Alice and the others sample wines from the vineyard.

Part 47: It’s the day of the art festival, with both tragedies and fond memories.

Part 48: The Unity Tour returns to the palace for the Costume Gala, with duels and disasters and the arrival of a mysterious figure.

Part 49: The tour arrives in Lythikos with unexpected guests and a rendezvous at an ice palace. (NSFW)

Part 50: It’s time for the Winter Festival in Lythikos! MC (Alice) is willing to use herself to lure out their attackers, but if she’s not careful, someone might just take the bait…

Part 51: After a harrowing escape from the Nevrakis vault, the Unity Tour finally arrives at Valtoria.

Part 52: It’s the night of the Lantern Festival (as well as Bastien and Alice’s wedding) at Valtoria!

Part 53: Everyone is headed to Vegas for Olivia and Liam’s stag/hen do–but Alice and Bastien still find time to celebrate their honeymoon. (NSFW)

Part 54: Back in Cordonia, MC (Alice) helps plan the royal wedding.

Part 55: An attack in town leads to new information and an intimate talk between MC (Alice) and Bastien (NSFW).

Part 56: After a serene morning spent with the wedding party, the afternoon devolves into chaos.

Part 57: MC (Alice), Olivia, and Hana are under siege at the bridal boutique. Will they make it to the wedding–or even out alive?

Part 58: They’ve reached the wedding reception, but someone has one more fight left in them…

Part 59: Before leaving on their honeymoon, there are a few more surprises in store for MC (Alice) and Bastien.

#Guarded Hearts #TRR #The Royal Romance #LolaBlack Writes #Bastien x MC #Bastien Lykel x MC

[lolablackwrites]

Is there a list of accs who write colt x mc fics you could recommend please? Besides you it’s been hard to find any 😅 I would appreciate if it contained nsfw too

Ok. So I apologize for how long it took to answer this because you have come to the right place but I don't have a computer now and it's kind of a hot mess but like, I am THE PERSON who has this info, ya know? Because you're asking about the loml right there.

So. In no particular order, please check out:

@raleighcarrera

@omgjasminesimone

@client-327

@lilyoffandoms

@emichelle

@ohsnapitzlovehacker

@lorirwritesfanfic

@flowerpowell

@burnsoslow

@domesticatedantelope

@pixelburied

@brightpinkpeppercorn

@dancingboba

@aces-and-angels

@mrsbhandari

@matsuoclan

@ritachacha

@walkerismychoice

@leelee10898

@queenkaneko

@lolablackwrites

@zaffrenotes

Not all of these do n*fw and some are majority-Logan but there are some gems here.

Also I am SURE I am missing some bangers. ROD-fam, who did I forget and need to beg forgiveness from?

#colt kaneko #colt x mc #fanfic #reblog

[lolablackwrites]

The accuracy 😂

#looking at you Stephen King with every female character breasting boobily through their days #fanfic

[lolablackwrites]

#meme #just for fun #lolz

[lolablackwrites]

Camp Choices: Week 3 - Alice Ayers

This is my submission for Week 3 of @choicesmcmadness​​’s July theme!

Note: This scene takes place during Guarded Hearts, Part 34 and is a continuation of the conversation featured in Week 2. Enjoy!

“You’re not going to have to catch your own dinner, are you?” Frankie asked. “I can’t exactly imagine you hunting or fishing.”

“Oh come on, I’d look kind of cute in a full fishing outfit with gaiters and everything,” Alice said. “But still, I’m relieved there isn’t any fishing on the agenda. Bastien said we’re bringing food with us because I asked the same thing.”

“Any idea what he’s bringing?”

“Not even a little bit,” Alice admitted. “But I feel pretty confident that there will be coffee tomorrow morning.”

“Thank god for small favors,” Frankie said.

“And I hope there’ll be s’mores,” Alice said. “I know I’m not exactly outdoorsy, but s’mores are supposed to be one of the tradeoffs for going out into the woods.”

“If there aren’t, I think that’s grounds to feed him to the bears.”

“But then how will I get back? Let’s be honest, my navigation skills are limited with GPS, let alone out in the woods. I’m going to need Bastien to rejoin civilization because I will not survive out there on my own.”

“Okay, he can live, but then he at least owes you a foot rub or something,” Frankie said.

“Now you almost have me hoping he forgets the s’mores.”

#choices mc madness #cmm #mc madness #choices mc #choices fandom #TRR #The Royal Romance #Guarded Hearts #Bastien x MC #Bastien Lykel x MC

[lolablackwrites]

Camp Choices: Week 2 - Alice Ayers

This is my submission for Week 2 of @choicesmcmadness​’s July theme!

Note: This scene takes place during Guarded Hearts, Part 34 and is a continuation of the conversation featured in Week 1. Enjoy!

“What are you even packing?” Frankie asked over FaceTime. “You’re on a train, do you even have that much stuff with you?”

“You’d be surprised,” Alice said as she looked around the room.

“What, are the rooms on the train spectacularly big?” Frankie asked. “God, you really are too fancy for me now.”

“It’s decidedly not, but half of this train is storage for luggage. Not to mention there’s a boutique car on the train.”

“I’m sorry, what the fuck did you just say? There’s a store on the train?” Frankie asked.

“It’s exactly as bougie as it sounds,” Alice said, laughing. “Okay, okay, I have to focus—I need to pack for camping.”

“Did Bastien at least give you a list or something?” Frankie asked.

“He’s taking care of all the gear, so all I have to do is worry about my clothes and toothbrush and stuff.”

“Is he packing bear mace? He should pack bear mace. Are there bears out there?”

“I have no idea but now I’m worried there are,” Alice said as she stuffed jeans and t-shirts  and underwear into her bag.

“How many pairs of underwear are you packing?” Frankie asked.

“Two.”

“How many are you really packing?”

“Six,” Alice admitted.

“Aren’t you just going for a night?” Frankie asked.

“But what if I shit myself five times?”

“Then you have much bigger problems than bears.”

#choices mc madness #cmm #mc madness #choices mc #choices fandom #TRR #The Royal Romance #Guarded Hearts #Bastien x MC #Bastien Lykel x MC

[lolablackwrites]

Dear Mr Gaiman,

You produce great literature from a wide variety of perspectives. I'm curious how you manage to really get into people's shoes and write about something you've never experienced before, experienced by someone who you will never/can never be?

I hope this isn't a very loaded question, I'm just very curious. Many authors write what they know and say "Write what you know" which I find to be sensible advice, but writing what you DON'T know also often produces great results but seems to be a bit trickier.

Best,

Vik

You ask questions and talk to people, research and imagine.

"Write what you know" isn't "Only write what you already know".

[lolablackwrites]

Camp Choices: Week 1 - Alice Ayers

This is my submission for Week 1 of @choicesmcmadness​’s July theme!

Note: This scene takes place during Guarded Hearts, Part 34. Enjoy!

“I still can’t believe you’re actually going camping,” Frankie said over FaceTime as Alice surveyed the tornado that had evidently hit her room on the train as she attempted to pack.

“Oh come on, I’m not that bad,” Alice said as she halfheartedly picked up a t-shirt, executive dysfunction overwhelming her. “I like going outside.”

“If by ‘outside’ you mean walking from your house to your car, then yeah, you love the great outdoors,” Frankie said.

“Okay, so I’m not super outdoorsy. But this is a chance to be alone with Bastien in the middle of this shit show of a social season, so if that means I have to forego indoor plumbing for a night, then so be it.”

“No, no, I get it,” Frankie said. “So are you guys staying in a cabin or what?”

“Nope, a tent,” Alice said.

“And are you excited to put yourselves in a bear’s snack bag?”

“Weirdly enough, I actually am,” Alice said. “Bastien loves camping and he promised to show me a really beautiful spot. Plus, when else am I going to get a chance to go camping in France?”

“Judging by the wild turn your life has taken, I’d say anything is possible,” Frankie said. “Maybe you’ll even love camping.”

“Well…let’s not go that far,” Alice said. “I love the idea of camping with Bastien but I’m not exactly ready to go full Christopher McCandless.”

“Good, because he died. I’d be super bummed out if you died,” Frankie said.

“Me, too."

#choices mc madness #cmm #mc madness #choices stories you play #TRR #The Royal Romance #Bastien Lykel x MC #Guarded Hearts #Bastien x MC

[lolablackwrites]

If the MC doesn’t stop gasping every three seconds in The Duchess Affair, she’s going to hyperventilate.

#that’s enough #choices #the duchess affair

[lolablackwrites]

Hello!

Recently you've been getting lots of asks about Good Omens (understandable) but I'm still stuck on my Sandman phase. Especially one scene from the show (I'm still unable to read the comics, although I think they're releasing them in my country soon). It's the moment when Fiddles Green says his goodbye, and everything becomes green and peaceful. For me, the whole show was really impactful even in terms of my own storytelling, but this moment! This scene! It was so gentle, so beautifully written and just perfect that I cried not because it was moving (even though it was) but because I cannot write like that. I recently graduated creative writing course, so I'm on my way to write my own little masterpieces. Do you maybe have any advice for capturing moments like these in writing?

I wish I did. You have to earn them, by caring for everyone in the scene. And then surprising everyone including yourself with what you've made.

#writer advice #neil gaiman #sandman #sandman spoilers

[lolablackwrites]

Skills vs Passions - What's the Difference?

(Read the rest of the "Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure" series here!)

I had mentioned, way back in my first essay of this series, that descriptors used for Hana are vastly different from that of the other LIs. The three male LIs got descriptors that emphasized their personalities and loyalty to their loved ones.

Hana's descriptors, on the other hand, came down to two things - what the MC could be physically drawn to, and what the MC could use her for.

Hana can be dedicated, devoted, open minded, explorative. You don't have to look too far to see a consistent display of these qualities in Hana, throughout both series. Yet none of these words - nor the many others that could even slightly capture her personality - are used to describe her.

What the team views as appealing in Hana, boils down to two things. What the MC can find fuckable if Hana is a love interest, and what the MC can use her for if she isn't (though to be honest, even the MC that romances her still benefits disproportionately from her labour).

Her looks...and her skills.

Ironically, even with this lack of care and forethought, Hana's story still manages to retain some nuance when it comes to exploring the things she learned. They are not things she randomly became perfect at. Nor is the process of how she became good at those things, identical.

Most times, there is a story behind how she became that good at those activities, a process that Hana often worked and struggled towards, before she could be the "Jill of All Trades" of TRR.

Her journey to acquiring all of these skills is not the same. If we do not acknowledge the differences in those journeys, we are doing her story a grave disservice.

Acquired Skills.

(Note: In this section I will be leaving out Hana's more intuitive skills, such as stealth, cunning, deep research and resourcefulness, and focusing more on the ones she had to learn. This is because her intuitive skills fit better in a different essay that I will be working on soon)

There are several things the above screenshots share in common.

One is that they are all things Hana learned as a part of her training to become the perfect debutante, the perfect noblewoman, the perfect courtly wife, the perfect hostess. In the Cordonian Waltz scene in TRR1 Ch 7, Hana speaks of being pushed from an early age to learn all the courtly and social arts. She speaks of being "groomed [every day] to bring fame and fortune to my family", primarily because they were devastated she was not a boy and the only way she could possibly be of use to them was by acquiring these skills. These weren't just hobbies she was encouraged to cultivate - they were things she had to do well, do perfectly, whether she liked doing them or not.

Another - and perhaps easier to miss - similarity between all these pictures is Hana's expression in them. Neutral. Unmoved. Bored. None of these activities actually appeal to her, or are things she is happy doing.

We will find out later on, that that was exactly the point. In her parents' plan for Hana's life and future, Hana's own needs and identity are practically a non-factor.

One of Hana's major epiphanies about her childhood, is the recognition that what she wanted, should have mattered. That her needs deserved to be met just for being her needs, not because it served a purpose for anyone else. On more than one occasion Hana tells us that "enjoying myself never factored into my parents' expectations of me".

How damaging can this obsession with making your daughter the perfect noble wife - to the exclusion of any other possible life - be? Let's find out:

Hana isn't just expected to excel in skills that mean very little to her. She isn't just forced to prioritise - again and again and again - the enjoyment of others over her own. She isn't just made to consider the needs of some nebulous future husband, to the point where she cannot even ask herself what she wants.

Over and above all this, she is never allowed to be her authentic self. She is never even allowed to figure out what that authentic self would be. From an early age she is deprived of toys and pets and real consistent friendships, ensuring a complete isolation, ensuring she doesn't even have the opportunity to safely indulge in pretend play. (That she manages to scrape together whatever she can find to make her "toys" is only a testament to her own tenacity; she should never have been put in such a position in the first place). Her parents robbed her of those early, exploratory years.

She has been told how she must be and what she must do; she never has the freedom to decide whether that is something she is even comfortable being. In the context of this scene Hana may be using this skill to help another woman, but the fact remains that even in expressing her femininity, Hana is constantly expected to perform - as if her authentic self was never good enough.

It is no wonder then that the moment she finds herself no longer answerable to her parents, Hana fears that she will discover she's nothing more than a "collection of skills...with no one underneath". TRR3 shows Hana in a full-blown identity crisis once she is completely outside her parents' influence.

In her post "How Parents Fuel Identity Crises in Their Children" on the Good Therapy Blog, psychotherapist Beverly Amsel talks about the effects controlling parenting can have on a child's sense of self thus; "When a loving parent is so certain that he or she knows what is right for the child and does not consider that the child may have valid, different ideas about what he or she wants, needs, and feels, there is no space and no invitation for the child to develop the ability to express his or her own self with separate ideas, feelings, and needs. Over time, as the child grows to adulthood and is exposed to more ways of thinking about things, there is typically a good deal of confusion about identity, thoughts, and feelings. Unless there is an opportunity to develop a separate sense of self, there will likely be a lot of anxious thinking about what is real but little ability to think for oneself in a self-reflective way."

Fortunately for Hana, her time in Cordonia does seem to present those sort of opportunities. There are story threads in TRR3 that address this identity crisis. But does it culminate into something that benefits her, or only the people around her?

Things She Does For Those She Loves

Before we move into passions, it's important to acknowledge a category that toes the line between acquired skill and interest. These involve activities that she's not entirely passionate about, but still derives some enjoyment from doing.

Her enjoyment of these skills is usually less about the activity itself, and more dependent on her fondness for sharing or socializing through it. Despite her mostly-isolated childhood, Hana is by nature a very social person. She is enthusiastic (though initially a bit wary and fearful of rejection) about making friends, loves sharing her knowledge and skills, and does not hesitate to reach out even to people who don't treat her well and accommodation them into whatever she's doing (eg. every single time she included Olivia in something in TRR2). So it makes sense that there are certain things she enjoys doing because it involves her helping someone, or allows her to spend time with them, or helps her relive precious memories.

On some level, you see this with some of her skill scenes. Often a scene will end with Hana following up a confession about her lack of interest in a particular activity with a line about how sharing that knowledge makes her happy. But you also see this enjoyment in other contexts.

Another context where she truly enjoys doing things, is when they're of a competitive nature. She thrives on the thrill of outwitting opponents and friendly rivalries. A great example of this is the dance-off she does with Maxwell in TRR1 Ch 18, where she enjoys pitting her skills against Maxwell's so much that they both agree they'd be great as a dancing duo. You also see this whenever she's competing in games with her trusted friends. This is perhaps why you see at least a handful of sequences where she expresses an interest in sports.

But perhaps the activities she enjoys the most - that aren't for herself - are ones that have her share space with someone she loves and trusts. Cooking and baking rank high among these skills. Baking began as a domestic skill that would serve her well in a noble household, but she loves sampling batter/dough and practically glows on seeing the other person's enjoyment of her craft. Her creating her own recipe for hot chocolate is especially interesting because it's a skill that she values highly, and that she only shares with people very close to her.

Hana's interest in fashion design also has interesting origins. She is skilled in embroidery and knows fashion trends well, and has learned from her grandmother to make her own clothes. Of particular note is the black-red-gold qipao/cheongsam that was the last dress she ever made with her grandmother. Her attachment to the dress is so strong that she experiences intense distress when Lorelai threatens to take it from her in Valtoria. She also loves designing dresses for loved ones - for the MC herself, we see her conceptualize and design dresses at least twice (a traditional-inspired outfit in Shanghai which is appropriately titled "Hana's Heart", and a blue and white dress for their engagement photoshoot).

Through these examples we can see instances of Hana finding joy in things she didn't have as much interest in, just through the process of sharing that experience with someone else. It's great, on the one hand, because Hana is no longer alone and she gains a renewed perspective on something that came from a very painful part of her life.

On the other hand, "I find this more fun now that I'm doing it with you" comes with its own downsides. If you use it too often, you're in danger of using it as a copout that centers the person she is teaching rather than her own journey.

And if you're a writer that makes efforts for her story with great reluctance...such an explanation will rapidly change into an excuse to be lazy with that journey.

Passions

Among the many, many, many skills Hana was made to learn in the bid to make her the perfect debutante and the perfect noble wife...just a few rank as ones she does wholeheartedly, joyfully, passionately. But they are perhaps the most important.

After all, these are skills that Hana had honed for herself. They're meant for her consumption and her enjoyment, and she often shares them only with people she trusts.

Not only are these things, interests that she enjoys and lovingly cultivates...but she is also fiercely protective of them. She will not allow anyone - not even her parents - to turn something so personal into a public spectacle that she's uncomfortable with. This is most clearly seen when she tells us about rebelling against her parents for piano performances. At a very young age, Hana recognises the value of her music, and she pushes back against any attempts to cheapen it or turn it into some warped form of social currency. She takes ownership of her gift, and from that moment on anything she does with that talent is done on her own terms.

Like music, reading was a skill cultivated to make her an attractive prospect for noble matches - only for Hana to find pleasure in the act of reading herself. Here again, building a passion for reading allows her to rebel in her own unique way. She smuggles in books that she knows her parents will find either too frivolous or too objectionable - often by hiding the books, or modifying the purpose of the book to them so it would sound appropriate.

We must remember - this is a woman who still feels nervous breaking rules even a year after she has left her parents' home. It would take such a woman considerable amounts of imagination and courage, to be able to do what she did in an environment as restrictive as her's. For Hana to be able to do this, she must have really valued the joy that reading books had given her.

Flowers are an extremely important part of Hana's life. Symbolically, they are part of her mother's House Crest, and personally, she is someone who is naturally drawn to flowers. In TRR2 Ch 4, she confesses to devouring the words of The Language of Flowers, and knows the symbolic meaning of each one by heart. She can even make her own bouquets. During the Costume Gala in TRR3, she dresses up in a heavily floral gown as the Goddess of Spring.

One of the most captivating sequences that captures her love for flowers in the TRR2 Conservatory scene, where she takes the MC to see the spectacle of a night-blooming flower unfurling under the light of the moon. It is especially fascinating that her already latent passion for flowers grew further with the help of another passion - reading.

Another thing you will clearly notice about each of these "passions" is that when she speaks about them, she is expressive. Liam confirms this in his Diplomacy scene in TRR3, where he tells the MC that her passion always shows in her eyes.

The proof for what Liam says here is in every one of these scenes. In the scenes compiled under the "Acquired Skills" category, her expression rarely changes and her tone is indifferent. In contrast, we are exposed to a variety of moods when she talks of these things that she's so passionate about.

She seethes with anger at the memory of her parents forcing her to perform the piano to crowds, whispers conspiratorially about forbidden literature, loses herself in the scent of flowers. These are moments where Hana acknowledges her individual pleasures, and expresses pride over the way she guards them from people who will not respect what those things mean to her.

These are things she knows forwards and backwards, but not because she was forced to cultivate and perfect those talents. They're things she knows because when Hana Lee is truly interested in something, she will plunge herself into it, body and soul. These are things that gave her comfort at a time when she had no one, and they form the happiest memories she has had for her childhood so far.

These are passions that are so intricately a part of her that it is impossible for her to give them up. Not for her family, not for her friends, not for her wife - no one.

Conclusion

The base of Hana's story has always been rich with possibilities. There were various ways the writing team could have written it to benefit her story. At the hands of a skilled writer who loved the character for who she was rather than for what the MC could gain from her, the writing of these talents could have been used to further enrich Hana's journey and give her a chance to find herself. Unfortunately, the writing team at the helm of TRR were neither.

Over and over again, the writers used Hana's plethora of talents to make her useful to people, rather than turn the focus of that arc back on her. The MC learns these skills and goes up the ranks, the MC benefits from Hana's offers of help, the MC is the one who becomes a Duchess and Champion of the Realm. Even on a level of resolving her issues with her parents, the writers have her prove that she can still be useful to them without getting married to a man. In the eyes of her writers, her skills are still meant to make her useful to someone - just that the person at the center changes from her parents to the MC.

Because the MC is positioned as someone who "enlightens" Hana to how harmful her situation was, and because the narrative expects Hana to be forever grateful to her - the MC is allowed to use her and take credit for Hana's hard work (eg. The windmill move during the polo game) and get away with it.

When you put all this evidence together, and then go back to the descriptors I put up at the very beginning of this essay, you will see what the team's intention with her, always had been. To create a woman the MC could be attracted to, a woman whose skills the MC could use to advance her own interests...while still being viewed as her hero and saviour. Despite being one of the few people to get the most detailed account of her upbringing and struggles, the MC still chooses to view her in the most simplistic ways, still praises her for her skills and "perfection" rather than support her in any consistent way (more on this in other essays).

The fandom wasn't much better in this respect either. Lots of TRR fans still see no real distinction between the skills Hana had to struggle to learn, and the interests that made her truly happy. The writing team itself contributes to this inaccurate conflating of her interests and skills by having multiple characters label her 'perfect' over and over.

This results in a situation where those hard-earned skills and those moments of joy are conflated together, and spoken of like they are the same thing. But they are not. To speak of the two as if there were no difference, is to ignore completely the difficult, even disturbing, history behind how she acquired them.

The skills the MC grinningly labels her perfect for, are skills that emerged from a very traumatizing environment. Her joys - that many in this fandom so mockingly placed alongside the things she forced herself to do - were perhaps the only opportunities she had to take back her agency and claim something for her own.

To pretend that the two are one and the same is a gross misrepresentation of what was actually depicted in canon.

#hana lee #choices #trr #character analysis

[lolablackwrites]

MC Mixer #3--Alice x Bastien

Here is my submission for week 3 of @choicesmcmadness​ ‘s MC Mixer!

Hello, Trend readers! Check out this online exclusive sneak peek from our intrepid arts and lifestyle reporter, Aisha Levins, and her interview with Lord Maxwell Beaumont about his upcoming book, The Royal Romance.

—Ana de Luca

***

Aisha: Lord Beaumont, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me to talk about your upcoming book.

Maxwell: Please, call me Maxwell, and thank you for having me.

Aisha: Your book, The Royal Romance, is one of the most hotly anticipated books in the last few years and from what I understand, preorders are through the roof. What inspired you to write this book?

Maxwell: In a word—Alice. She’s one of my favorite people and she’s really become a sister to me. And her story is a literal fairytale, starting as an American bartender only to rise to become the Champion of the Realm and a duchess, married to the love of her life.

Aisha: The Cordonian public has been fascinated by her from the beginning, and then the tumultuous stories in the press…can we expect to hear the truth behind the tabloids?

Maxwell: Absolutely. And trust me, the real story is even more exciting than what the public knows.

Aisha: How does Duchess Alice feel about you writing this book?

Maxwell: I think she was a little surprised at first because no one knew I was working on a book. (laughs) But she’s been incredibly supportive and at her request, a portion of the proceeds are going to Voices Unsilenced.

Aisha: That’s Duchess Rashida Masih’s organization for victims of sexual violence, correct?

Maxwell: Yes, and if you remember the tabloids, you’ll know why it’s so important to Alice, too. She, Rashida, and Olivia have been doing a lot for that foundation and I’m glad to help in my own way.

Aisha: That’s wonderful to hear. If I can, I’d like to switch gears a bit. Now I know you can’t reveal too much about the book—

Maxwell: Hey, I’ve gotta have a few surprises for you!

Aisha: Of course, of course. But despite being in the tabloids so often, Duchess Alice and Duke Bastien remain a bit of a mystery to the general public as they don’t often give a lot of personal interviews outside of the standard press conferences.

[Editor’s Note: Check back in next month’s issue when Ana de Luca sits down for a rare, exclusive interview with the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria!]

Maxwell: It’s true, I’m really the party face of the family. And I have the best dance moves!

Aisha: That’s certainly uncontested. Speaking of parties, I was hoping to ask a few questions about the duke and duchess and their party habits since the press is not often invited into many of the court events.

Maxwell: Sure, fire away!

Aisha: Tell me—do the duke and duchess arrive on time or fashionably late?

Maxwell: Bastien’s as punctual as all get out, probably from his time as the head of the Royal Guard. Alice is…well, not, but Bertrand would kill all of us if we weren’t on time so between Bertrand and Bastien, they’re usually on time.

Aisha: And what are their drinks of choice?

Maxwell: Bastien…well, he doesn’t usually drink much at court functions. Sometimes a glass of champagne or wine with dinner, but otherwise not much. Now, at private parties…oh, the stories I could tell about Bertrand’s bachelor party…

Aisha: I know our readers would love to hear them!

Maxwell: (awkwardly clearing his throat) I’d better not, I don’t know how happy Bertrand would be with me sharing those. Let’s just say there was beer and a bear and we all survived.

Aisha: As always, no one parties like the Beaumonts. Maybe in the sequel?

Maxwell: Most definitely.

Aisha: And what about Alice’s drink of choice?

Maxwell: Well since she’s pregnant, these days she just sticks to water. But as everyone knows, she was a bartender before we all came crashing into her life, so she has a refined whiskey palate. Red Spot was always one of her favorites.

Aisha: I imagine her bartending skills aren’t often needed at parties anymore.

Maxwell: Not at court functions, but I love having dinner at her and Bastien’s place because he’s an amazing cook and Alice always whips up the most incredible cocktails.

Aisha: Any chance for a recipe or two to end up in the book?

Maxwell: I could probably convince her to let me add a couple to the appendix. The one she made for my last birthday was amazing. I have no idea what was in it, but it was delicious. I had four.

Aisha: What are they like at court functions—are they wallflowers or social butterflies?

Maxwell: Bastien is definitely the more reserved of the two—he’s the strong, silent type, you know—but Alice is definitely the one befriending everyone. I mean, she managed to befriend most of her competitors during the social season, she won over Cordonia after she was unfairly maligned by the press after the social season, she’s raising a ton of funds and positive press for Voices Unsilenced, and she inspired the book I wrote that you’re interviewing me about today. Like I said before, she’s the best.

***

The full interview with Lord Maxwell Beaumont will be available in our next print issue.

#mc mixer #party time #Alice Ayers #Bastien Lykel #Maxwell Beaumont #The Royal Romance #Bastien Lykel x MC #Guarded Hearts #The Guarded Heir

[lolablackwrites]

I just reread this series for the umpteenth time and it’s just as amazing as the first time. I hope you’ll continue someday! I need more Charlie and Bryce, plus does Katelyn make it down the aisle? What happens with Will and Kyra? Does Charlie ever tell her mom where she can stick her opinions? I need answers!

Stripped Bare - Chapter 17 (Bryce X MC AU)

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Bryce X MC (Charlie Hawkins)

Summary: How will Charlie and Landry react to Katelyn and Bryce’s kiss?

Note: I was debating on doing a more plot heavy chapter and skipping through the smut, or doing just a bit of plot and ending with the smut before continuing on next chapter. Thanks in part to my official series consultant @choicesarehard, I went with the latter, so enjoy a few paragraphs of plot with some gratuitous smut tacked on, lol.

Rating: NSFW/18+

Word Count: 1733

Upon seeing Landry and Charlie, Katelyn pushes Bryce away. “Landry, I can explain! Bryce has had a bit to drink tonight, and he just got carried away.”

Charlie is still speechless, trying to process what is happening here. Last she’d checked, Bryce was fairly sober and Katelyn was the one who was wasted. If this were another time and place, if this were Andrew instead of Bryce, typical insecure Charlie would be crushed and doubting everything right now. But in such a short time, Bryce has taught Charlie to believe in herself and in him. She knows there’s no way this was initiated by him.

Keep reading

#open heart #bryce x mc #bryce lahela #stripped bare #n*fw #ns*w #lemon #obsessed

[lolablackwrites]

Can you do a little bio about Natalie from your ROD fanfic? I like to know about her.

Absolutely!

Natalie Scott was born and raised in the suburbs of Ohio before moving to LA for college when she attended the University of Southern California. Her childhood wasn't unhappy, but she her life felt stifling in a boring, Stepford Wives sort of way. She picked USC partly because it's a great school with a reputable accounting program (Natalie likes math because there's always an answer and numbers make sense), and partly because she hoped something exciting would happen for her in LA.

She had fun in college, partied a little, but she took her studies seriously so LA didn't yet feel like the excitement she'd hoped it would be when she spent so much time studying. At the start of her junior year, she met a business major named Luke and they started dating. Natalie liked Luke a lot, loved him even, but he was solid. Safe. Predictable. She knew she could always rely on him, but he was a lot like the life she'd left behind in Ohio. But because he was a good guy and a nice person, she didn't feel like she had a good enough reason to break up with him so they kept dating. He proposed the night of their graduation at a party with both of their families present and with everyone watching, Natalie felt a ton of pressure to say yes--so she did.

The engagement lasted for a year, during which time Luke kept trying to set a date and Natalie kept inventing reasons not to. They were starting new jobs, Natalie wanted to be more established before taking off time for a honeymoon, she didn't have time to plan anything. Luke tried to be patient and he tried to come up with solutions to each of Natalie's excuses, but finally he accepted that a wedding wasn't going to happen. They split amicably but sadly, and Natalie felt relieved when she moved out and found her own apartment.

After she and Luke split, Natalie fell into a routine. She worked hard, moved to a higher powered accounting firm, and made friends with some of the women with whom she worked. Drinks on Friday, kickboxing classes, farmers markets...Natalie enjoyed it, but she still felt like something was missing. She dated, but nothing ever lasted for more than a few months.

And then she met Teppei.

From The Dragon and the Phoenix:

When Natalie left the grocery store, the Santa Anas were in rare form as they blew through LA. The air whipped at her red hair as she hurried through the parking lot, anxious for things to be still, even just for a moment. She quickly unloaded her bags into the trunk of her car and shut the lid before guiding her cart to the nearby corral. No sooner had she let go when another cart shot by she, chaotically propelled by the wind through the crowded parking lot. Without thinking twice, Natalie jogged after it, picking up the pace when she realized it was headed straight for an older, vintage car at the end of the row. As the cart neared the car, the driver’s door opened and a tall man stepped out just as Natalie grabbed the cart, inches from the gleaming bumper. She sighed with relief and tightened her grip on the handle.

“Cart get away from you?” the man asked.

“No, mine’s back there, this one was just feral in the parking lot,” Natalie said as she attempted fruitlessly to push the hair out of her face.

“You chased down a cart that wasn’t yours?” he asked curiously.

“Well, yeah,” she said defensively. “I didn’t want it to hit anyone’s car.”

He regarded her quietly for a moment and despite the blustery winds around them, Natalie felt still when she met his gaze. 

“What’s your name?” he finally asked.

“Natalie. Natalie Scott,” she said.

“Thank you for saving my car, Natalie Scott,” he said. She watched him watching her for a moment and he looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t. He started to walk away towards the grocery store and for reasons she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t just let him walk away.

“What’s your name?” she asked, still holding onto the cart. He stopped and turned back to look at her. Natalie noticed the sleeves of his long sleeved black shirt were pushed up, revealing an intricate network of tattoos. Near his collar, ink bloomed across his skin, hinting at more beneath the fabric.

“Teppei Kaneko,” he said. Natalie assumed he probably wanted to leave and get away from the weirdo in the parking lot, but there was something about him that drew her like a magnet and she just couldn’t let him walk away.

“Do you want to get coffee or something?” she asked, cheeks burning as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Of course he doesn’t want to get coffee with you, stupid, she scolded herself.

“Yes.”

“Wait, what?” Natalie asked, surprised and unsure if she’d heard him correctly. 

“Yes, I’ll get coffee with you.”

“I’m sorry, is it totally weird that I just asked you that?”

Teppei shrugged. “Maybe. But I want to go anyway.”

*

Thanks for the ask! It was fun to delve into Natalie's background.

#Reader Appreciation #Ask Me Anything #RoD #Ride or Die #Teppei x OC #Teppei Kaneko x OC

[lolablackwrites]

Every time the MC in The Duchess Affair “shakes off” her indecent thoughts about Nat, all I can picture is

She does it a lot.

#this book is ridiculous #I can’t tell if I’m hate reading it or not #I probably am #The Duchess Affair #Choices #Pixelberry

[lolablackwrites]

Can you nsfw alphabet request about Teppei Kaneko (Ride or Die)?

Sure, here you go, and thanks for the request! This was a fun one.

NS*W Alphabet: Teppei Kaneko

#Reader Requests #Ask Me Anything #Teppei Kaneko #Ride or Die