#Rogue Male Novel inspired.

[willsherjohnkhan]

Rogue Male: A Sherlolly Story - Chapter 3 - WillSherJohnKhan - Sherlock (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Chapter 3: London has been uploaded to AO3.

#sherlolly #Rogue Male Novel inspired.

[vulpes-fennec]

Happy Day 6 (Anniversaries) of @sjmromanceweek!!!

In which Suriel sits down with celebrated romance author, Sellyn Drake (aka Helion ☀️), for an exclusive interview. Don’t forget about the Dear Suriel at the end!

Gentle reader, what better way to commemorate our Valentine's Day issue than an exclusive interview with the elusive romance author, Sellyn Drake? You can pre-order It Happened One Autumn from Prythian Publishers today! 

Suriel's Society Papers (SSP): Congratulations on your latest release, It Happened One Autumn! Tell us, what is the novel about? 

Sellyn Drake (SD): Thank you, Suriel. It is an honor to be featured in your highly popular society column. In It Happened One Autumn, the failed migration of the monarch butterflies portends doom for the future of the Autumn Court. Can Belinda, a high class lady desperately escaping an arranged marriage, and Everett, a humble bookseller eager to prove himself, team up to find the missing butterflies without developing feelings for each other? Of course, we all know the answer is no. But the journey holds plenty of Autumn Court exploration, forced proximity, and class differences in store for readers. 

SSP: Wonderful! I cannot wait to read it. From one writer to another, how did you start writing? 

SD: So, young Sellyn Drake would hole up in the libraries, devouring books nonstop! Reading sparked my interest in telling stories. My earliest stories were born from daydreaming during class. Boredom is a potent ingredient for creativity, after all. My first book proposal was rejected by publishers, and I spent another year reworking the story. It took many more rejections before a small publishing company finally gave me a chance. And then the rest is history, as they say. 

SSP: Well I'm glad you never gave up! What drew you to the genre of romance and erotica? 

SD: As a voracious reader, I felt the erotica section was not...how do I put it? Varied enough. It was always a male and female High Fae cycling through the same five positions! I thought, why not write the erotica that I would enjoy reading? Why not throw in the threesomes, the orgies, sex in the air, sex in the sea? Everything goes, with Sellyn Drake's novels. 

SSP: Yes, you certainly paved the way for more diverse erotica stories! 

SD: And why romance, you ask? Well, love is the most powerful thing in existence. There are so many ways love can manifest! I think everybody is searching for love, whether they realize it or not. 

SSP: You have written over 200 novels, which is quite an accomplishment! Tell us, what are some of your favorite tropes? 

SD: Now that you've reminded me, today is the 300th anniversary of my first published book! That's a tough question, Suriel. I don't discriminate, but I find myself enjoying the lovable rogue (Winning the Warrior's Heart), one night stands (Confessions from Calanmai), and fated mates (My Deal with the Daemati) tropes the most.

SSP: Do the smut scenes, which are absolutely delicious by the way, come from personal experience? Asking for a friend. 

SD: [laughs] Yes, there is always some grain of truth in them, otherwise the scenes wouldn't come together nicely. Some of the scenes are a product of wishful thinking. 

SSP: Surely an acclaimed author like you finds inspiration somewhere. Is there a special someone in your life? 

SD: Yes, the love of my life is my inspiration in everything I do. Circumstances have tragically kept us apart for centuries, but the time we had was the happiest I'd ever been. I draw heavily on those memories whenever I need to get to the crux of my characters' feelings for each other. I'll admit I am guilty of self-inserting us into my stories, since I always give my characters the happy endings my love and I couldn't have. 

SSP: [sniffles] Oh, Sellyn Drake, that hurts my heart. You've got me crying. Oh, no, don't apologize. I should be conducting myself more professionally. Moving onto our next question! Do you read your fan mail? Criticisms? 

SD: Yes, of course! A good author keeps up with their fans and constructive criticisms. I regretfully do not have time to respond to everybody, but I hope they know that I read and cherish all of their fan mail. Truly, it is more appreciation than I could have ever imagined. 

SSP: How much time do you spend writing? 

SD: [chuckles] I'm sure many readers have grasped by now that "Sellyn Drake" is just a pseudonym. That's because being an author is not my full-time job. I'd say...hmm...no more than five hours weekly. For me, writing is a way to destress. You don't need to be a full-time author to get published, and you don't need to get published to enjoy writing!

SSP: That is encouraging to hear. And a pseudonym, eh? Any hint for your fans as to who you are in real life? 

SD: This is perhaps one of my most commonly asked questions! Like you, Suriel, I am often hiding in plain sight. Some random facts: I hate the cold, I love spicy food, and I am terrified of seagulls.

SSP: That will leave us with a bit of mystery as we conclude our interview. Thank you again, Sellyn Drake, for sharing with us today!

SD: Thank you, Suriel! 

Dear Suriel, There's been a heated debate in court over calculating anniversaries. My advisors claim that after one year of marriage, the couple should celebrate "happy two years" because they have made it to their second year of marriage. This simply does not make any sense to me. I argued back that it should be "happy one year" because only ONE year has passed. What's so hard to understand about that? My court also has a schedule of anniversary gifts pertaining to the anniversary year (for example, first anniversary is the gift of flowers, second anniversary is the gift of wood, and so on). Unfortunately, my wife and I already marked 138 years of friendship with those gifts! Any ideas for a meaningful present? Thank you, Jack Frost

Dear Jack Frost, Oh, I love how you and your wife celebrated friendship anniversaries, as they are just as important! You are correct regarding anniversary years, by the way. I'm sorry, but if your advisors cannot grasp basic mathematics, I suggest replacing them immediately. Ideally with a new High Lady. Happy anniversary! Suriel 

Rita’s 200th Anniversary: Love is love! Bring your significant other for a free drink! Join us for a festive night of live music and dancing! (18+ event)

#sjmromanceweek2023 #helion spell cleaver #Sellyn Drake #acotar

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/5/2022: THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)

Rewatching this movie had me looking up the history of mules. I guess we've been making them since before 1,000 BC, out of usually a female horse and a male donkey. (This is apparently easier than the other way around for some reason that I'm too lazy to sort out) We like them because, as George Washington put it, "more docile than donkeys and cheap to maintain"—that is, it's easier for them to get and keep a job. You may have guessed already that I'm siphoning all this off of Wikipedia, so I'll add without further worry of sounding especially educated that Charles Darwin wrote: "The mule always appears to me a most surprising animal. That a hybrid should possess more reason, memory, obstinacy, social affection, powers of muscular endurance, and length of life, than either of its parents, seems to indicate that art has here outdone nature". The thing about the mule, though, as with many interspecies hybrids, is that you usually have to make them from scratch because of an imbalance of partnerable chromosomes. Not much has changed in this regard since the time of Darwin, but we still consider the mule to be worth the effort.

Why the hell was I talking about this? …Oh, it was because of the difference between H.G. Wells' 1896 novel The Isle of Doctor Moreau, and its most successful adaptation, Erle Kenton's ISLAND OF LOST SOULS. Despite the 1932 film being pre-code, it is inevitably less aggressive about torture than its literary predecessor, which was in part inspired by the contemporary anti-vivisection movement of the latter 1800s. There is only so much Kenton (a former animal exhibitor, whatever that's worth to you!) could show, or maybe that he was willing to describe, in terms of what happens in rogue vivisectionist Dr. Moreau's dreadful "House of Pain". The book is focused on Moreau's idea that being motivated by pain is a primitive characteristic, and that his homemade humans can be perfected through exposure therapy. He laments the inevitable return of the bestial characteristics in his test subjects, but believes that his necessarily agonizing creation process will ultimately bring the results he craves: "Each time I dip a living creature into the burning bath of pain, I say, this time I will burn out all the animal, this time I will make a rational creature of my own."

As a refresher, the exiled Moreau (played in the film by Charles Laughton, who of course is EVERYTHING in this movie) is trying to make a his own humans from the raw material of various living animals. Protagonist Edward Parker (Richard Arlen) is appalled by this discovery when misadventure delivers him to the titular island, but he is still slow to pick up on the fact that the alluring Lota (Kathleen Burke, who also joined co-writer Philip Wylie on MURDERS IN THE ZOO) may be a product of Moreau's process, despite the doctor's suspiciously aggressive attempts to hook them up. With his fiancee Ruth (Leila Hyams) still over the sea, Edward is happy to sample the wares until he discovers Lota's feline claws. It seems that he was able to preserve his naivete because of Moreau's promise that Lota is "pure Polynesian", which to him justifies the fact that she has little more intelligence than a house cat; I'm sure there is abundant scholarship on themes of racism and miscegenation in ISLAND, but since I'm not in the know, I'll just leave that there for someone else to pick up. What Moreau seems mostly concerned about is the fertility of his creations (specifically, whether they can produce new humans), and when it becomes clear that Edward isn't going to consummate with his catwoman, the doctor is disappointed—until Ruth arrives to rescue her man, attracting the attention of lonely Beast Men. For better or worse, we don't get to find out whether that would make for a fruitful union, because of the inevitable uprising of the creatures (led by Bela Lugosi) against their monstrous creator.

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS remains effectively disturbing after almost a century, but it's interesting to observe how it was censored. Themes of rape and forced parenthood were either a little too subtle to punish, or just not perceived as that big of a deal in the face of actual blasphemy. Sure, the vivisection element was problematic, but what really bothered censors was Moreau playing God. The British Board of Film Censors found the idea of humans controlling evolution "repulsive" and "unnatural", and in America the Production Code Administration insisted on the removal of any implication that Moreau had created the Beast Men himself. The film was also banned in multiple states just for its frank acceptance of the theory of evolution.

It's interesting how graphic sadism and sleaze can be upstaged so dramatically by ideological problems—although today we see a similar moral outrage on the part of audiences who demonstrate an increasing fervor for purely aspirational content. One hopes that people who condemn the ethical content of movies are paying equal attention to the new resurgence of book banning by authorities with whom young progressives would surely not wish to be identified. To my mind, it's perfectly natural to be offended by media, but the experience should be taken as more of an opportunity to explore your own feelings and context, than as grounds for wholesale rejection of the work in question.

Meanwhile, if you find yourself a little disappointed by the generically hairy dog- or ape-like appearance of the filmic Beast Men, versus their many and varied appearances in the novel, check this shit out!

#blogtober #blogtober 2022 #horror #sci-fi #science fiction #the isle of doctor moreau #the island of lost souls #monsters #adaptation #charles laughton #richard arlen #leila hyams #kathleen burke #bela lugosi #philip wylie #waldemar young

[y2kidz]

𝗥𝗣𝗚 (𝘄.𝗶.𝗽) 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗜

This was heavily inspired by one of my favorite interactive novel plots: The Wayhaven Chronicles by SeraphiniteGames (go download it on the app store +buy the full series check it out ASAP. F is my bae♡ )

Created on: [1/27/2024]

Made: •Pfp Made in wombo » niji, Logo made with niji

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲

[𝙰𝚗𝚢 𝙿𝙾𝚅, as most bots on Janitor are, this is an adult series, don't chat unless you're 18+]

Ouroboros| Ever wondered who takes care of the things that go bump in the night? Well now you can join them. 🗡️𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘖𝘴 (2𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 and 2𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦)

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙴:

You've been recruited to a legendary monster hunting agency called "Ouroboros" a few months ago.

And now you have been assigned to the more experienced agent Darell Kennedy, a were-hyeana.

You've developed a friendly rivalry with Russian agency wildcard Vicky Grey.

You're friends with the serene secretary at the agency Talia Shire, an empath who can read emotions And you have the complicated task of impressing your boss, the agency chief, the dignified vampire Mortimer Le Blanc.

And while managing all these new relationships you have to make sure not to get killed by a range of rogue supernatural creatures and keep your sanity in the process living at HQ.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀

Even if the ai doesn't incorporate what I've given it, here are my oc rundowns for your viewing pleasure! May write down shorts about them for fun.

Agent Darell Ramirez:

Basic: A 28yr old, bisexual male Were-hyena who is a senior agent at Ouroboros, you've been assigned to work under his tutelage.

He's gruff, responsible but pretends to be more serious than he actually is, a car enthusiast with a workaholic problem.

Species (Were-hyena: can transform into his were form which is a furry hyena beast with five times bigger and stronger than his human form and transforms against will during crescent moons, he is much more feral and destructive in his beastial form which is why he tried to keep his cool constantly, the effects of nicotine also dampens his urges, he's not too fond of his own species as male Were-hyenas like him are at the bottom rank in it's matriarchal hierarchy)

Tip: He's not that hard with him honestly but he'll be reluctant and guilty for getting involved with you because he's supposed to be in charge of your training.

Relationships between senior agents and junior agents they're mentoring...aren't explicitly banned but highly discouraged, do with that what you will.

Voice Claim: Oscar Isaac (Basically any performance, this man is VA gold)

Agent Vicky Stone

Basic: A 31yr old Russian transgender female and Pansexual senior agent at Ouroboros and your overeager "rival" aka the second you arrived she proclaimed herself your archenemy,

She's abit of a certified wack job herself, she's know throughout the agency as a daredevil with a hatred for following the rules yet managed to keep her job and position because she's just that good, she wants you to be her epic rival like in tv shows since no one at Ouroboros has caught her eye.

Species(Human with a bit of divine DNA: her great grandfather was Russian thunder and war god Perun giving her enhanced strength and other such boosts)

Tip: The absolute quickest way to get with Vicky is just to indulge all her quirks and the "rivalry" Schick.

Content Specific Notice: Vicky is interested in 𝙱𝙳𝚂𝙼, keep that in mind. If this isn't for you, you should probably stay off her path.

Voice claim: Brandon Rodgers (specifically his voice for Bryce, it's the voice I keep envisioning for Vicky no matter what else I hear.)

Chief Mortimer Le Blanc

Basic: The (only gods knows how old) asexual [sex positive] sanguine vampire and Chief in charge this branch of Ouroboros, literal boss of everyone.

He's an old fashioned, nonsense and stoic figure who runs the agency on a tight ship and rarely shows emotions but may or may not occasionally geek out over books & poetry

Species(Sanguine Vampire: A breed of immortal powerful bloodsucking nosferatu who look human except tell tail signs like fangs and having no reflection. He also can not get drunk or intoxicated due to his condition.)

(⁠´⁠∩⁠｡⁠•⁠ ⁠ᵕ⁠ ⁠•⁠｡⁠∩⁠`⁠)For the sillies(He actually met Jane Austen hundreds of years ago and has- *ahem* had a huge fanboy crush on her but is embarrassed about it, feel free to tease him but careful about poking the bear, don't get your neck snapped.

Voice Claim: Andre Braughter (Specifically his performance as Captain Holt in Brooklyn 99: RIP to this legend.)

Talia Shire

The 24yr old, bisexual Empath secretary in HQ with a Kenyan heritage, literally everyone and their mother's friend and confidant.

She is soft-spoken, mild mannered and caring, she might literally be physically incapable of being a bad person with her combination of having the patience of a saint and being a god awful liar.

Species(Empath: A demi human with psychic abilities to feel, read and manipulate the emotions of those around her, she can give others a boost of happiness/sadness or reduce anger/stress but can be dangerous as she can enhance pain in targets effectively neutralizing then so she's not completely helpless but she does consider herself a pacifist.)

Voice claim: Jenifer Lewis (Specifically her performance as Aunt Helen in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-air)

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Aesthetics: This rpg should be giving all of that jazz, Wayhaven, Supernatural (Series), The Office (don't ask me how) but most of all an underlying gritty feel.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Here's the complete list and descriptions, fingers crossed the ai manages to portray them at least 50% of this. Who's your fav?

Enjoy roleplaying with them, you can give feedback and like on the main bot or here it's cool and I'm open to receiving requests for new RPGs.

#writing #ai character #janitor ai #ai chatbot #supernatural #original character #ai roleplay #18+ only #adult roleplay #adult rp #j.ai

[oldshrewsburyian]

Hello! I recently found your Bond tag, and, basically - I've been inspired by a special interest feat: Cold War spies (it's Metal Gear. It's Metal Gear Solid, but anyway) and have started looking for spy novel recs. So far I've read The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (I liked all the antagonists more than the protagonist) and Agatha Christie's The Secret Adversary (which is very fun but much less grounded). Do you have any recs for someone new to the genre? Bonus points for dark comedy, and (cont

cont) amoral or morally complicated PoV characters who /aren't/ Stoic Straight White Men. Thanks!

Hello! This is a delightful ask to receive. I'm afraid that my response may expose a mixture of my ignorance of the genre and lacunae in the genre itself. But let me say straightaway that even the straight white men of the best spy fiction are rarely stoic. At best, they're pretending to be stoic while secretly being emotional messes. I love John Le Carré for this. Anyway, herewith a list, with the caveat that it won't all be Cold War, but I'll try to indicate where/when the novels take place.

Helen MacInnes was prolific, and wrote about WWII and Cold War-era spying. Also, she has the distinction of being a woman writing in this genre! My mother's favorite MacInnes novel is Assignment in Brittany (WWII); mine is The Salzburg Connection (Cold War). I confess that I've never really become a devotee of MacInnes, largely because of the stoicism of her men. But the protagonist in TSC is not so secretly a ball of angst who reads Rilke (I have a type.)

Alan Furst (interwar period!) I love Alan Furst, and while his POV protagonists are, so far, all male, I love his women a lot. Also, they may be cool under pressure, but these men, generally speaking, have no chill. Varying degrees of chill, I grant you, but still. I recommend Night Soldiers (his first), for a taste of one with brutality and absurdity, and Mission to Paris (one of the most recent) for one with a gentler approach, but not without humor.

John Buchan, The 39 Steps (pre-WWI.) Possibly a stoic protagonist... but makes up for it by being hilarious.

John!! Le!! Carré!! I know you've already read TSWCIFTC, but while I revere it, it's not my favorite. Three of my favorites are Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (peak Cold War, everyone is a mess and I love them); The Russia House (late Cold War, peak mess); The Constant Gardner (early 21st century, heartwrenching, great, not so much a spy novel, but... a favorite.)

Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male (pre-WWII). I've been trying to think of how to describe this book and failing signally, but I think the best way to explain its premise is that it is a breathless, dark send-up of the trope of the lone, stoic spy, showing how horrifically such a mission might go wrong.

Rudyard Kipling, Kim (late C19). Stick with me here. This is the novel that gives us spying as the Great Game. And you may be thinking to yourself: Kipling?? But the main protagonist of this book is an irreverent biracial adolescent (Kim!) who is mentored by a wise Buddhist lama into the realization that he can forge a hybrid identity in a troubled empire. The self-aggrandizement of the British Empire is constantly presented as slightly ridiculous against the background of everything else.

You mentioned that you found my blog via Bond posts, but not that you've read Bond, but... you have read Bond, right? in all its no-holds-barred pacing and not-infrequent hilarity? I think the moment where I first became seriously attached to the series is the bit in Casino Royale where Fleming is essentially making fun of Bond for becoming (more) sexist when he's nervous.

Finally, an overview of the rise of the genre is here, in case you're interested in taking that as a starting point. Followers may have further recommendations!

#espionage #spy novel #books #adultbooklr #asks and answers

[aaaaagaronia]

give me facts about your dad or Else

tfw you forget to specify which dad so i have to mug you to tell me which one

uhhh first blood was based on the novel with the same name published in 1972

hes named after rambo apples

he dies in the novel and iirc was originally going to die in the movie as well before they decided against it

hes loosely based off of an irl veteran war hero the author met

the author when writing first blood was inspired by geoffrey households rogue male

#sorry this is really short im like Actually struggling to share things sdjsfds

[uraharasandals]

Intellectual Discussion Time

[Edited 3.8.2020: ‘Dominant’ gene to ‘recessive’ gene]

In an attempt to procrastinate on my requests writing, and to pull myself away from college apps, I decided to present to you this issue that have been nagging me for a long time, and something that I felt Asagiri didn’t really address. (Or maybe it’s just me, and feel free to criticise or tell me off in the notes/reblogging)

[note that I haven’t read the light series at all so if there’s something revealed in those do let me know] 

So within the BSD universe we see a lot of worldbuilding that resembles urban fantasy (i.e. a subgenre of fantasy that incorporates ‘supernatural’ elements in an urban setting; other prominent works in this genre include The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare), where there are organisations of ‘gifted’ individuals using Abilities, like the Port Mafia and the ADA. 

But there are significant plotholes within this; 1) how abilities came about, 2) how are abilities ‘shaped’, 3) implications of having abilities and 4) the question of ‘where are the other ability users?’.

1) How Abilities Came About 

The thing is, we don’t really see how abilities emerge? In other works, such as Katekyo Hitman Reborn, we know that their powers come from their rings. Other magical girl anime shows us that their devices/staffs/whatever gave them those special powers. In fact, a main theme in all of these fantasy anime was introducing the reason behind the emergence of powers in the beginning. You often see magical girl animes starting with the protagonist gaining a staff or a charm or whatever, and they learn how to use their powers throughout the entire show.

But here’s the thing in BSD; we don’t know how abilities came about. Whether it is a dominant gene thing, or whether it was from some kind of device or experiment or whatever. While we do know how characters originally without abilities gain them (in Kyouka, whose ability was transferred to her by her mother), it is assumed that all characters in the show are born with them. But then how did this come about? We know that the rest of the society consists of normal human beings without abilities (the clerks at the ADA is a clear example), so it must be an external factor causing the appearance of abilities in the beginning. 

(I think there was something in the manga about Atsushi’s abilities; it revealed that someone injected him with stuff, or was it in Dead Apple? Anyways, if my memory serves me correct, we can say that Atsushi’s abilities came from experiments)

My theory concerning abilities have two strands of reasoning. The first one (spoilers to those who haven’t read the manga) is that it came about as experimenting from the war preceding the series. If you look carefully, a lot of the characters were involved in the war, either directly or indirectly; Yosano, who was an infantry nurse; Mori, who was a physician; Gide, a missionary soldier, to name a few. It is mentioned that abilities was a huge asset in winning the war, and that Japan had been actively recruiting ability users to help them gain victory. There is no explicit mention of this, but seeing as Japan has had a history of experimentation on others, it is possible that scientists have decided to ‘mass-produce’ soldiers with abilities in the war. 

Another theory is the issue of a recessive gene. To put it simply, certain mutations in the human body results in different appearances, such as albinos or blue eyes. Likely this is the same in the BSD universe, except with abilities. This would explain the ‘original’ ability users who were born with their abilities. It is also possible that this gene may be more male-oriented, which would explain the unequal ratio of male to female ability users. (9, excluding Higuchi and including light novel and manga characters; there’s around 40 male ability users). It would also explain the Akutagawa and Tanizaki siblings; both brothers have abilities, yet their younger sisters don’t. [spoilers] It would also explain why both Tachihara and his older brother have abilities, despite him being the younger sibling. 

2) How Are Abilities ‘Shaped’ 

While we know that Asagiri designed each character’s ability in accordance or inspired by the original author (I’ll probably talk about this in another post), the fact remains that within the universe, there is no knowing how these abilities are shaped, or why they are unique to each character. An example of an explanation tackling this would be Bleach; because their zanpakutou (i.e. the source of their powers) are different and responds to each Shinigami’s unique soul, therefore the abilities are shaped in accordance to the soul.

But again, there is no basis for how these abilities are shaped besides the link to their original writers. How are abilities like Dazai’s and Yosano’s considered ‘rare’ if all abilities are unique? And how are abilities classified even? From our own instincts we know that some troupes are overused, like element manipulation or animal transformation (looking at you, Atsushi) but other than that, I would say most, if not all, abilities are pretty unique. The only overlapping of abilities is Gide’s and Odasaku’s, and it is hinted that when two ability users fight each other, there is the occurrence of a ‘singularity’ -- which is again, never mentioned again. 

3) Implications of Having Abilities

This is by far my favourite plothole to discuss. We know that abilities is not common in the BSD society; in fact, it is something that is considered unique. If that is so, how are abilities received by the general public? 

From what we’ve seen in the show, abilities are treated like a skill, and hence could be weld for different purposes, making it resemble a double-edged sword. We see those who use it for evil/own purposes, such as the Decay of Angels and the Rats, but most of them use it for the better good, like the ADA. Some are even incorporated in higher government, like the Hunting Dogs, and the Gifted Special Operations Division. 

But then if abilities are unique, how are they viewed by other normal, non-ability welding characters? I don’t think the universe is as flawless as to have other normal people simply accepting them as a daily fact of life, the continuous exposure of governmental flaws contradicts this. In fact, there are no opinions at all towards ability users during the whole series. There is no indication of fear towards them, and reception of powers differ depends on the organisation the characters belong to.

While there is not much normal people --> ability user reactions, Atsushi’s situation did reveal a glimpse into this plothole. It was mentioned that his parents abandoned him at a trash dump, and that he was constantly bullied and harassed at the orphanage. We don’t know what the reason behind his parents’ actions were, but we do know that he was locked up because of his ability to turn into a tiger. However, in the series this is played off as ‘because he couldn’t control his powers’, instead of actual fear towards the tiger. 

Another example of ability user reactions was the one towards Yosano, though this is somewhat skeptical because of the context and situation. In the war, Yosano was able to heal the soldiers and make them able to fight again. Though it is assumed most of the soldiers were normal people, the situation they were in forced them to appreciate her abilities (imagine consulting a doctor who has to chop you up before they could heal you, would you appreciate thta?), so it doesn’t really reflect what the general society as a whole think of ability users. 

4) ‘Where Are the Other Ability Users?’ 

In the series, we’ve only seen the ability users who have affiliated themselves with a certain organisation; the ADA, Port Mafia, the Guild, the Rats, etc etc. and we assume that this is true. Going by this logic, Asagiri is presenting the idea of ‘teams are stronger and safer’ which, going back to my third point, would likely mean that ability users may have been targeted at the beginning, which resulted in the rise of these organisations. But that is not the case; we have clerks working for the ADA with no abilities. 

Another reasoning about this would be that someone decided ability users working in a team would be able to exploit their abilities to the full and have more freedom and autonomy. This logic, I suspect, is used by the Port Mafia, the Rats and the Guild.

But then there has to be other ability users. Atsushi, for one, was one of those individuals wandering around with no knowledge of abilities. From what was known about Akutagawa and Dazai’s background, it is assumed they are also picked up somewhere and groomed for the Port Mafia.

So then, where are these other ability users? 

In the BSD universe, we are exposed to the knowledge of ability users throughout the globe. In Dead Apple, Kunikida’s briefing shows that there are ability users from Singapore and other places; the Rats, the Guild and Agatha Christie is also proof that ability users are spread all over the globe and that international ability users exist.

However, we aren’t really shown much exposure to these other ability users except in fights and their wars. What bothers me most is that the series made it seem as if the ability users belonging to organisations are the only ability users around, and that there are no others. You could literally depict a scene in which some rogue ability user misuses their ability and the ADA had to step in, yet aside from skirmishes with the Port Mafia and helping the police department, they don’t really show what happens when ability user confronts ability user.

The only time they gave us a hint of what happens when ability user confronts a lone ability user was in the OVA, where Kunikida confronts his old acquaintance. Though he was driven by his own ambitions, I’m guessing the majority of ability users who knew about their powers might be driven to use them for bad purposes and abuse them to their whim, especially when they don’t have organisations to take them in. Zettai Karen Children is an anime that explores the use of ability users in government and as a police force against ability users who misuse their powers; a few parallels could be drawn between these two works as well.

At any rate, there is no doubt BSD is an absolutely fantastic anime that I love to death, but I think these plotholes should be addressed and just,,,these are my two cents to the community :D 

(Also sorry I wrote this at like 2am at night so if this is disorganised or doesn’t make sense,,,you know why) 

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd analysis #bsd meta #bungou stray dogs meta

[ts1989fanatic]

TS7 is finally here!

If you’re like me or any of the millions of Swifties out there, the arrival of this next era is just as exciting as a brand-new bookshelf full of reads you get to experience for the first time.

After listening to the album on repeat all weekend, I decided to celebrate Lover with a book roundup inspired by each of the songs (since it’s the only thing I’ll be listening to for the foreseeable future, don’t @ me.).

ts1989fanatic an interesting perspective well written obviously a swiftie.

1. “I Forgot That You Existed” (Best Friends Forever, by Jennifer Weiner)

You heard it from Taylor first: indifference is the new vengeance. This solid album-opener is upbeat and poppy, a nice contrast with the lyrics about the (final?) end of a broken relationship, friendship (or feud), when you actually forget that the person you once had so much ire for still lives. She transitions from “Your name on my lips, tongue-tied/Free rent, living in my mind” to “forgot that you existed/and I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t” with ease. But of course, insisting that you forget someone existed while singing about them would introduce interesting tension into any relationship. It reminded me of Jennifer Weiner’s Best Friends Forever, about what happens when a former friend shows up on your doorstep in a crisis, insisting you’re the only one who can help them out of a tight spot (when you’d rather do anything but).

2. “Cruel Summer” (Do You Want to Start a Scandal, by Tessa Dare)

Lyrically and sonically, this is one of my favorites on the entire album (it’s so good it should have been a single!) It’s got an Out of the Woods meets Getaway Car vibe in terms of the melody. Wistful, a bit haunting, but also a total bop. “So cut the headlights, summer’s a knife/I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone” describes a low point in Swift’s life (Summer 2016, ugh), juxtaposed with the high of discovering new love. There are so many books I could have picked for this, but “I don’t want to keep secrets just to keep you” reminded me of the Regency romance trope where the heroine has a secret, or finds herself in a situation where her reputation is at stake, but is still tempted by a handsome rogue who might lead her into temptation and true love. (Sound a bit familiar?) Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare feels like the perfect accompaniment to this song about a woman who must prove her innocence in the face of a sullied reputation or be forced to marry a man she doesn’t think she could ever love.

3. “Lover” (Roomies, by Christina Lauren)

The title track (and the one I’ve been singing in the shower for days) is a swoony daydream of a couple in complete harmony, as Swift spins wedding vow-like lyrics such as “With every guitar string scar on my hand/I take this magnetic force of a man to be my…lover/My heart’s been borrowed and yours has been blue/all’s well that end’s well to end up with you/swear to be overdramatic and true/to my…lover.” But Swift is all about balance in her songs, so imagery of keeping up the Christmas lights in “our place” is juxtaposed with suspicion that “everyone who sees you wants you.” This track reminded me of Roomies by Christina Lauren, with its musician main character and the trope of having to share a space while inevitably falling in love.

4. “The Man” (The Whisper Network, by Chandler Baker)

The double-standards between men and women have been explored in songs and novels since both art forms existed. Swift has already confronted the media’s perception of her as a victim, as a girl who goes on too many dates but can’t make them stay, etc. But in “The Man”, she more directly confronts how different she’d be treated if she were the opposite gender. How could I not think of the new thriller The Whisper Network, about a group of women who come forward about their male boss’ behavior of harassment in the workplace. Instead of continuing to suffer in silence, they tell the truth, resulting in an explosive conflict. I sort of saw the ending coming, but was very glad I was right.

5. “The Archer” (Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Another slower, lyric-driven track on the album with gut-punching truths about love, friendship, and holding on to the one who has your heart. “The Archer” is associated with being a Sagittarius (which Swift is), but also her dynamic with the world. “Who could ever leave me, darling?/But who could stay?” is self-aware in a new way for Swift, as is “I never grew up, it’s getting so old” or “I see right through me.” This is one of my favorite tracks on the album, as Swift confronts her cultivated image as both archer and prey of fame and of love. Listening to the rising energy of the track as it builds to a anti-fairy-tale crescendo plus Swift’s lyrics made me think of Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet is forced to acknowledge how her own prejudices have made it difficult for others to love her, but that she is deserving of an imperfect love. (And how could “All of my enemies started out friends” not remind you of awful Mr. Wickham?)

6. “I Think He Knows” (The Duke and I, by Julia Quinn)

After a slower song, this heats things up a bit, describing the early sizzle of a relationship before it even starts. For an entire album that sings the praises of a man, I liked the moment in the pre-chorus where she says “He’s so obsessed with me, and boy, I understand.” Own your worth, girl! The bridge was my favorite part of this song (as it often is with Swift; girl knows how to bridge) as it played with tempo and rhyme. “Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh/We can follow the sparks, I’ll drive.” Swift explores the tension of the moment between seeing someone and initiating contact—songs like these always sting with a bit of danger, too, because the man knows she wants him but neither of them say anything in public about it. She’s whispering in the dark, which gives me serious secret romance vibes. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is about Simon, who is planning to propose to his BFF’s sister even though he doesn’t actually love her. It’s an arrangement that suits them both, but before they both know it, Daphne is giving Simon serious “I Think he Knows” vibes.

7. “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” (The Cheerleaders, by Kara Thomas)

If you don’t get the oft-spoken adage that “politics is like high-school,” this song takes the metaphor to the next level. Subtly political but 100% heartbreaking, Swift reimagines the political sphere (and her role in it) as a high school romance, moving from “American glory, faded before me,” painting the democratic 2016 election loss as a ripped-up prom dress (from Miss Americana, who assumed she would win.) Oozing drama and storytelling the way only Swift can, I love the moody elements of the brokenhearted girl contrasted with the new riff on a cheerleading chant (Go Fight Win!). This song is about mourning loss and then finding the strength to say “I know we’re going to win,” but it’s haunting melody and lyrics led me to pick a Cheerleader-inspired thriller. The Cheerleaders is about a string of cheerleaders murdered in a small town five years ago… and just when everyone thinks it’s time to move on, one girl becomes the center of a mystery that never truly died.

8. “Paper Rings” (The Royal We, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan)

I’m on my fourth listen of the album and this might be my favorite track on it (though that changes minute by minute, with an album as dynamic as this—just to further accentuate the point, by the time of posting this piece, my new favorite might be I Think He Knows?). It’s a totally retro, ’60s style song—a totally fresh sound for Swift, and one that fits perfectly with her new aesthetic. (Makes me wonder why this wasn’t one of the singles released before the record.) It is a gold-mine for Swiftian lyricism, with so many gems I can’t possibly call them all out, and it moves so fast (like a good read) that you both want to cascade over them and pause to hear each line at least 5x before it passes you by. It’s an unabashed love song, relishing in the joy of knowing you’re with the one you love so much that “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings”. The line that stuck out the most was “I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this,” which made me think of when Bex Porter goes to Oxford in The Royal We and, completely by accident, falls in love with the heir to the throne.

9. “Cornelia Street” (Passion on Park Avenue, by Lauren Layne)

“Cornelia Street” is sort of the antithesis to I Think He knows. It’s about remembering the early days of a new relationship (“We were a fresh page on the desk/filling in the blanks as we go”) and being more than willing to give up all the good that comes with fresh starts in order to settle into something real. It aches with melancholy, because any time we give something up should be a little sad—but it brims with hope and Swift’s trademarked optimism about love. “I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends/I’d never walk Cornelia Street again/ That’s the kinda heartbreak time could never mend.” I had to pick an NYC-set story for this, like Lauren Layne’s Passion on Park Avenue. The city is another character in the romance between a successful jewelry-business owner and the son of the woman her mother used to work for.

10. “Death By a Thousand Cuts” (Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better, by Madisen Kuhn)

Inspired by the Netflix movie Something Great, this is one of the few sad songs on the record, about a girl going through a breakup who can’t help but linger in happier memories. (For the record: “I dress to kill my time” is genius, as are so many of these lyrics.) Only Swift is so good at pairing such devastating messaging with a pop beat you can’t help but want to sing. This song was the hardest one to pick a book for (especially because it’s already inspired by a movie) so I decided to go with a poetry collection! Please Don’t Go Before I Get Better is all about the aches and sun rays of growing up, told in a staggeringly relatable voice that will make you want to curl up on the couch and cry your eyes out.

11. “London Boy” (Red, White and Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston)

This is 100% about Joe Alwyn, but also… Taylor dated at least two Brits that we know of before him, so this song is also about what we already knew (“the rumors are true��): she has a penchant for London Boys. Essentially a road map of her favorite places in the city, this indulgent ditty trades “Tennessee Whiskey” for “A gray sky, a rainy cab ride” and of course, her man by her side. Red, White, and Royal Blue is the perfect pick for this song, about two boys who fall in love (after a rough start where they were almost enemies) amidst those gray, rainy skies… but one of them happens to be the son of an American President, and the other, the current Prince of England.

12. “Soon You’ll Get Better (feat. Dixie Chicks)” (Swamplandia! by Karen Russell)

Of all the songs on the album, this one gave me the most vintage Swift vibes. There’s no denying that she is an astonishingly talented songwriter, especially when you listen to what is essentially her greatest fear laid bare on this track with just a bit of guitar and the Dixie Chicks harmonizing in the background. Here, the story shines: Swift’s mother has been sick for a number of years, and while they’ve mostly kept the details of that battle private, this is the most vulnerable moment of love for her mother on an album mostly about finding true love. “Holy orange bottles, each night I pray to you/Desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus, too.” A friend of mine recently lost their mother just after getting married, and it made me marvel at how life often delivers us highs and lows to grapple with simultaneously. While all of this was going on—Kanye and Kim, Joe and London, another world tour, another album—in the background, Swift has been terrified of losing her mother. This song made me think of Swamplandia!, a novel about a young girl living in a gator-wrestling theme park where her mother used to be the main event, until she passed away. Now, in the wake of her death, the girl and her siblings must grapple with their mother’s legacy as a competing business rises up to swallow the success she built on the swamp.

13. “False God” (City of Girls, by Elizabeth Gilbert)

Is that a saxophone in the background of a Taylor Swift song? This slow, jazzy number is all about love and desire—and how we come back to it even when the world around us (and sometimes we, ourselves) put it in jeopardy. “And I can’t talk to you when you’re like this/Staring out the window like I’m not your favorite town/I’m New York City” and other lyrics referencing New York seem to be the grounding force in an otherwise tumultuous relationship. Multiple times on this record Swift has alluded to rough patches in her current happiness, but connection is always the solution to fixing it. She seems to say that if you treat your relationship like it’s your religion, you can get through anything. This is one of the sexier songs on the album, but it’s also got serious NYC vibes, so I’m picking City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert: a novel all about relishing romance in the glitzy 1940’s New York Theater scene, but also how desire can either set us on the road to ruin, or redemption.

14. “You Need to Calm Down” (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid)

This song has done what Swift does best: inspire conversation and a bit of controversy. Acknowledging that it was past time for her to be an outspoken ally for the LGBTQIAP+ community, YNTCD tackles the various ways communities are pitted against one another (especially on the internet.) The first verse examines her personal haters (“Say it in the street, that’s a knock-out/But you say it in a Tweet, that’s a cop-out), the second calls out homophobes (“Shade never made anybody less gay”), and the third examines how her relationships with her female contemporaries have often been antagonistic, something she herself has been responsible perpetuating in the past with songs like “Bad Blood” and “Better Than Revenge” (“We all know now, we all got crowns/you need to calm down.”) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is about a famous actress who hid the great female love of her life behind multiple male partners and uses her platform to tell the truth (all while hiding one last devastating secret). While Taylor herself has not come out as part of the LGBTQ community, she has come out as an ally, and this book made me think about the issues of privacy, platform, allyship, and identity that the song also confronts. If there’s more to the story of Swift’s relationship to the LGBTQIAP+ community, she’s going to share it on her own terms.

15.“Afterglow” (Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams)

This song ranks high on my favorites from the album, and it’s a rare genre from Swift: the apology song. (The other famous one is Speak Now’s “Back to December.”) In this mid-tempo song with slamming drums and a breathy falsetto, Swift yearns for the partner she pushed away to meet her in the moments after the fight ends. “It’s all me, in my head/I’m the one who burned us down/ but it’s not what I meant,” she insists. There’s still hope here though, as opposed to earlier songs on the record that signal the doom of a friendship or a breakup after-the-fact. Queenie, by Candice Carty-Williams, is a novel about a girl coming to terms with her role in a failed relationship, a career she can’t seem to succeed in, and friends she unknowingly betrays. “Why’d I have to break what I love so much?” is a question asked in this song’s chorus, and one Queenie must answer in order to find real, lasting happiness.

16. “ME! (feat. Brendon Urie)” (Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan)

This self-love anthem is bubblegum sweet and full of earworms: the “Shake it Off“ of the TS7 Era. It makes me think of lightning-fast beach reads that you can’t put down and that feel so good to read but also have a deeper meaning to them. Just because it’s not the most lyrically advanced of her songs doesn’t mean this bop doesn’t deserve to be celebrated— it reminded me of how romances constantly get a bad rep (lol, see what I did there?) as somehow lesser than other genres. I love that Taylor doesn’t care about what other people think and is 100% focused on being her authentic self— just like the heroine of Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel Chu. When confronted with the wealth and expectations of her boyfriend Nick’s family (who don’t think she’s good enough for him), she insists it’s her individuality that makes her the perfect partner for him.

17. “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” (This Love Story Will Self-Destruct, by Leslie Cohen)

This track might be my second favorite? It’s so different (Ukulele? Trombone? Is that what I’m hearing?) and such a contrast to the beginning of the album, the opener closes the door on a once meaningful friendship. It’s also a deceiving song, in that I’m still not 100% sure what it’s about. I think Swift is exploring the importance of friendship in all its forms: in childhood (“School bell rings, walk me home”) to adolescence “Something gave you the nerve/to touch my hand”) to romantic love (“Church bells ring, carry me home/rice on the ground looks like snow”). Ultimately, she may be saying that the most important thing about a romantic partner is that they make you feel like you have a friend—when you’re young, the thing that matters most is feeling seen by other people. If your lover is also your best friend, then you know they always have your back. A love story that takes place over two characters’ twenties, This Love Story Will Self-Destruct is about the missteps, betrayals, beautiful moments and connection that forms between two people over a decade.

18. “Daylight” (Evvie Drake Starts Over, by Linda Holmes)

“My love was as cruel as the cities I lived in.” What a way to begin this album closer. Swift’s last tracks have a tradition of being the ones that are most emblematic of her current state of mind, but they also have developed certain themes over time. Renewal, starting over, self-reflection, and hope are all subjects “Daylight” sheds a little light on. She acknowledges past failings (“I wounded the good and trusted the wicked”) and what she wants for the future (“I once believed love would be [burning red]/but it’s golden”). A book that feels like daylight on your skin is what’s needed for this song, and I think Evvie Drake Starts Over is the perfect pick: a story about a woman still grieving the loss of her husband but who finds herself moving on with a former major league baseball player. Both of them have pasts they are healing from, but together, they find hope for the future. “I’ve been sleeping so long in a twenty-year dark night/and now I see daylight.” And, unlike (I think?) any other song in her catalogue, she speaks in the end, not sings, in a direct appeal to her audience. Her very last words are “You are what you love.” Well, I love Taylor Swift. I love a good song lyric to sink my teeth into, or to sing. I love love. And I love a good story, whether it comes from a song or a book, and when you’re done with the album, I hope you find some here.

[rpgchoices]

Useless rpgs recs. Rpgs where you can romance an elven or half-elven character

Baldur’s Gate II Enhanced Edition = Viconia (drow), Aerie (elf) and Jaheira (half-elf) are all characters that a male protagonist can romance. There are also some added mods, in particulal the character Xan can be romanced by female elf protagonists with this mod.  

Icewind Dale 2 = this mod adds companions and romance! Elven female characters can romance Diriel, all female characters can romance Rizdaer (drow), while male characters can romance the half-elf Salomeya.

Pendula Swing = in this game you play as a lady dwarf and retired adventurer and among the romance option there is elven policewoman Marla Lee.

Arcanum of Steamwork and Magick Obscura = while not a full romance, you can have some romantic scenes with the elf Raven (both male and female protagonists).

Dragon Age: Origins = this game needs no introduction, and Zevran is the elven romantic interest for both females and males.

Divinity Original Sin 2 =  In this game you can play as Sebille, or you can play as a new character (or the other pre-made ones) and in that case Sebille is one of the romantic options.

Icewind Dale Enchanced Edition = No companions in the original game, but this mod adds companions with a lot of banter! Teri is an elven thief romancable by male characters, while the elven ranger Korin can be romanced by female characters.

Skyrim = no need for introductions!

Pillars of Eternity: Deadfire = the returning companion Aloth is now a romance option for both male and female characters!

Dragon Age 2 = Fenris and Merrill! (And some romantic scenes with Tallis). They can be both romanced by mHawke and fHawke.

Errant Kingdom = visual novel, Roux is a non binary elf and a romance option for any gender

Bound by Flame = female characters can romance the elven archer Rhelmar, while male characters can romance Edwen (I am actually not sure she is an elf)

Morrowind = this mod adds Julan, an Ashlander, as a companion and romance option for male and female characters. Technically Ashlanders are not elves, but they seem to be inspired from drows?

Dragon Age: Inquisition = this game has two elven romance options. Sera for female characters, and Solas for female elven characters.

Neverwinter Nights 2 = Elanee is an elf druid and she is a romance option for male characters. In Neverwinter Nights 1 Hordes of the Underdark male characters can romance Nathyrra.

Loren the Amazon Princess = female characters can romance the elf Rei, and in the expansion characters of both gender can romance Mesphit. In general these visual novel games by the same publisher have various elven romance options.

Pathfinder Kingmaker = Octavia is an half-elf rogue/wizard and a romance option for both female and male characters.

Spellforce 3 = as a female character you can romance Raith or Katra, while as a male character you can romance Yria.

Dragon Commander = in this game you play as... male? I think (if I remember correctly) and you can marry the elven princess Lohannah.

Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous = not a lot is known about this future game, but we at least know that Camellia is one of the romance options and an half-elf shaman!

#errant kingdom #dragon age #icewind dale #baldur's gate #morrowind #pathfinder kingmaker #neverwinter nights 2 #skyrim #da2 #dai #dao #da:i #pathfinder wrath of the righteous #dragon commander #divinity series #divinity original sin 2 #romance #elf #elves #bound by flame #loren the amazon princess #spellforce 3 #useless recs #icewind dale 2 #arcanum #pendula swing

[sydmari]

“It’s almost like you’re… excited to do this.”

Finley chuckles and tilts his head to the side amusedly. “I’ve spending half of the day riding around in a van picking up other criminals, and the other doing a bunch of physical exercises, I guess you could say that I’m eager to kick some cheap-robber’s asses... perhaps show off a bit in front of you as well.” the assassin says, and gives me a wink.

•••

Hey guys! If you didn’t know, I’ve been writing a novel on Wattpad about a team of ex-criminals becoming MI6 agents, and taking down the disgusting warlord know as Vesper. The main character’s name is Raven and she’s a skilled thief, but I though that we’d take today to talk about the assassin in their group, Finley.

It seems that some of you guys are super excited to see what his backstory is, and whether he’s the one who’s going to be getting it on with Harper... wink wink.

So, the next two chapters will be coming this Saturday, and they will have a ton about his backstory and interactions with Raven! But I thought that I’d give you guys a little something to read while you’re waiting for those updates (if you haven’t read the book, here’s the link), and get you hyped up for it! So let’s get into these 10 FACTS about Finley’s character, and how I created him!

•••

1) He’s a badass... and he’s got a bad past: Finley, as you know, is a skilled assassin with a Scottish heritage. From a very young age, he had learned what it meant to be a part of the assassin brotherhood, and what sacrifices were required for him to truly join the group. He was required to change his ways, his motivations, his beliefs, and even his looks. But believe it or not, Finley did not join the assassin league just for the thrill of it.

2) What does the name Finley mean?  “Its meaning is of Scottish origin, from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh, composed of the elements fionn ‘white’, ‘fair’ (see Finn) + laoch ‘warrior’,” Basically, I gave the assassin a name that showed he was a warrior and that he had white hair 😂.

3) What was the inspiration behind Finley’s character? Honestly, I made him an assassin because... well... let’s face it, assassins in fiction are sexy haha. But I also made him an assassin because I felt that it would be interesting for him to go from a sweet and kind mama’s boy to a cold-hearted killer. I also looked to The Throne of Glass for inspiration, I love Celaena and Sam’s characters.

4) Why white hair? I’m not going to tell you the reason that’s in my novel for Finley’s white-hair color, but I will tell you my personal author reason. I just thought that it would be cool to have a male character with dyed/bleached white hair... I mean that’s super rare huh? And it makes his character 100% more unique.

5) What is Finley’s theme song? Ha! I like this question... I’d say that if I were to give Finley a theme song, I’d make it Long Way Down by Robert DeLong. I feel like the song demonstrates a relatable bad-boy feel, and I especially like how it talks about his lover trying to do “good”, but failing miserably. You’ll have to listen to the song to see what I mean.

6) What parts of yourself do you see in Finley? Hmm... definitely how he’s a flirt. The only difference between us in that aspect, is that he’s actually good and funny when he flirts, I’m neither 😂. But to be honest, we have wayy different personas. Finley is quiet and calculating, good at thinking before acting, and waiting for the right moment to take action. Me on the other hand, I’m reckless, like to act before thinking, and am very spontaneous... so in other words a I’m a lot like the MC.

7) Is Finley your favorite character to write? To be honest, at this point in the writing process he is my favorite. But I don’t think he’ll be my favorite later on in the book... we’ll see. I like writing about him because I like how different he is from myself. It’s really cool to see through the eyes of a character who does things different from me, and to see how they work out for him. I really admire Finley for some (not all) of his traits!

8) Why make him Scottish? My answer: Why the hell not? I feel like we get to see a lot of American, British, and Irish characters, but not really Scottish characters. Maybe that’s just me from what books I read, but I thought it would be cool to write about that heritage, especially since I’ve never written a character with a Scottish heritage... I also really like the Scottish Gaelic language, their words are beautiful!

9) How old is Finley in the novel? In A Twisted Deception, Finley is around 20 years old. I wanted to give him a two-year lead against Raven, who is eighteen. 

10) Any little hints or sneak-peeks you can give us with Finley? Well, I did give you a little excerpt of one of the upcoming chapters at the beginning of this post, so I’ll just leave you with saying that there’s more to Finley than what meets the eye... 

•••

Did you enjoy these facts? Are you even more pumped for the upcoming chapters? Looking forward to Finley’s character now? Be sure to comment what you thought and what surprised you! Want to see me write another 10 facts about one of the other characters in A Twisted Deception or even Rogue in Paris? Comment that as well, and don’t forget to leave a like! 😁😘

#Finley

[ashtray-girl]

could you recommend the books/poetry that inspired morrisseys writing?? i’m curious to read some but don’t know where i’d find that information. thank you!

Sure!

First of all, Oscar Wilde. Morrissey repeatedly namechecked him as his favourite author. Personally, I’ve only read “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”, “De Profundis” and “The Uncollected Oscar Wilde”. If you haven’t yet read anything of his, I’d suggest you start with Dorian Gray.

Then of course, Elizabeth Smart. I’ve previously talked about how Morrissey used her novella “By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept” as a source of inspiration for many of his songs. She also wrote a sequel called “The Assumption Of The Rogues & Rascals”, which I didn’t think was as good, but it’s still relatively short and you can easily read it in one sitting once you get used to her somewhat flamboyant writing style. I’ve also got a copy of her diaries, which is called “Necessary Secrets”, but I haven’t read it yet.

Next, we have Shelagh Delaney. In 1986, Morrissey said: “I’ve never made any secret of the fact that at least 50 per cent of my reason for writing can be blamed on Shelagh Delaney.“ The lyrics of This Night Has Opened My Eyes are a retelling of the plot of her play “A Taste of Honey“, with many direct quotes. She’s even on the cover of Louder Than Bombs! Unfortunately, I haven’t read any of her works.

Then we have A. E. Housman, a poet. I’ve talked about his role on Morrissey’s writing here.

No biographers (that I know of) ever mentioned him, and the connection might be tenuous, but I’m gonna include him anyway: W. H. Auden. Specifically, his poem “The Mirror and the Sea”. I’ve explained why here.

Then of course, Hermann Melville. Specifically “Billy Budd”, but also “John Marr and Other Poems”. You can check out his poem “John Marr and Other Sailors” here.

Radclyffe Hall. Specifically, her novel “The Well of Loneliness”, which is one of the best, most heartwrenching LGBT books I’ve ever read. I’m not gonna spoil the plot for you, but I urge you to read it if you have the chance.

Alan Bennett. I’ve wanted to read some of his stuff for years and quite a few people recommended him to me, but I’ve yet to get down to it. The line “That’s what tradition means” in I Started Something… was taken from his play “Forty Years On”, and the title Alsatian Cousin also comes from there, with the original line being: “I was distantly related to the Woolf family through some Alsatian cousins”. Also, and this is the most interesting part imo, his TV play “Me, I’m Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, which is about a subtle gay love story, contains the line “Nature has a language, you see, if only we’d learn to read it”, which was no doubt used by Morrissey as inspo for Ask. (”Nature is a language, can’t you read?”).

John Betjeman, another poet. I haven’t read anything of his, but it’s said that his poem “Slough” was the main source of inspiration for Everyday Is Like Sunday. Funfact: he was bi and a disciple of Oscar Wilde.

Jean Cocteau. French poet, writer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. The cover of This Charming Man was sourced from his film Orphée and the cover of Hatful of Hollow was taken from a special edition of the French newspaper Libération, commemorating the 20th anniversary of his death. I’ve been wanting to read “The White Book” for a while but I can’t find it anywhere, and I feel like it would be very interesting to get even further insight on Morrissey’s psyche.

Pier Paolo Pasolini. Italian writer, poet and filmmaker. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read anything of his (I did visit his grave tho!). Anyway, Morrissey mentions him in You Have Killed Me and - indirectly - in Life Is A Pigsty, (the title probably coming from his movie Porcile, which is Italian for Pigsty). Definitely check him out if you have the chance, he lived a very interesting albeit tragic life and he’s still seen as an important, pioneering if not controversial figure here in Italy.

Popcorn Venus. This is a 1973 feminist film study by Marjorie Rosen. Morrissey used several films which the text refers to as song titles. Namely, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Little Man, What Now?, Angel, Ange, Down We Go [Together]. When talking about the 60s ‘beach-party’ genre (don’t ask me what that is, I literally have no idea), there’s a quote that goes: “How immediately can we be gratified? How soon is ‘now’?”, which Morrissey probably used as inspo for his eponymous song. Rosen also describes Anita Ekberg ‘reeling around the fountain’ in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita.Other possible lyrical sources in the book may include: “Who would subjugate whom? Who would crack the whip?” (Handsome Devil), “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the flame of women’s rage” (These Things Take Time).

From Reverence To Rape. 1974 book by American film critic Molly Haskell.Morrissey borrowed several lines from it, including:“[she] double-crossed him, not once but twice.” (Miserable Lie)“But even then she knew where she had come from and where she belonged” (These Things Take Time)“Samantha Eggar who, as Terence Stamp’s captive, is pinned and mounted like one of his butterflies” (Reel Around The Fountain)“Films like Mr. Skeffington oscillate wildly in mood” (Oscillate Wildly)“Each woman will be half a person” (Half A Person).

Finally… I’ve kept this one for last because I just found out about it as I was writing this and I find it EXTREMELY interesting and revealing:

George Eliot. Born Mary Anne Evans, she chose a male pen name to be taken seriously by the 19th century male-dominated literary establishment.Morrissey quoted from her most famous work, Middlemarch, in How Soon Is Now?, adapting its line: “Born the son of a Middlemarch manufacturer, and inevitable heir to nothing in particular.”Now, here comes the part I find most interesting… I’m just gonna fully quote it from Mozipedia (which btw is where I found most of the info I collected here):“Eliot spent much of her adult life in a then scandalous relationship with critic and philosopher George Henry Lewes who, technically, was still married to another woman.The vinyl run-out-groove of Morrissey’s 1990 single Piccadilly Palare also contained the cryptic message that ‘George Eliot knew’.”… now, I don’t know about you, but I definitely have my own ideas of what exactly is that George Eliot ‘knew’ and why Morrissey thought it was important to let people know about it, but I digress.

Anyway, there you have it! Hope this was helpful!And let me know if you decide to read any of the books mentioned here!

#morrissey #the smiths #marrissey #answered

[ginnyzero]

5 Books that Got Me Interested in Werewolves

I like werewolves. Both of my current book series, Heaven's Heathens MC and the Dawn Series include werewolves. And if you've read any of my previous blog posts, you'll know that The Lone Prospect (Heaven's Heathens MC #1) was inspired after watching the Expendables  2 during a binge watching of Sons of Anarchy.

My interest in doing werewolves instead of say vampires came from reading a lot of books about werewolves, where in the series werewolves weren't the main focus. I wanted a series of books that wasn't expressly romance that focused on werewolves and werewolf dynamics and adventures and being a werewolf was more an accepted part of life than "woe is me, I am a monster."

Monsters more often than not have human faces. See Frankenstein.

These are not necessarily recommendations. But if you like werewolf books and aren't picky, you may like these.

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Elena Michaels is the only female werewolf that has ever survived the change. A journalist good at investigating, she used her skills to track down rogue werewolves and kill them. Until she got tired of the violence the life required no matter how much she loved the male members of her pack. She's been trying to live like a human, but an old enemy is about to resurface threatening the pack she loves. Now, she's being drawn back into that world.

This was Kelley Armstrong's first novel. I liked the original cover and that's why I bought it. It focused completely on werewolves and was an interesting start to a new series. Book 2 started introducing other races and after a while I gave up on it when it focused exclusively on the young witch that was also introduced in book 2, Stolen. Bitten doesn't really hold up to any sort of in depth critical thinking when it comes to werewolves. Why is Elena the only female werewolf? She's also an orphan who has been sexually abused and then her boyfriend changed her without permission. I can see why she left the guy. I don't care how hot he's supposed to be. My last gripe for this book was Elena really felt like a stand in for the author. They are both Canadian and the politics commentary was really heavy handed. Maybe it was supposed to make the book feel relevant in 2001. It just made me grimace a bit.

2. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

Business has been slow, no dead, for Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional Wizard. Until Karen Murphy comes with a case of brutal murder. Mutilated corpse, strange paw prints and a full moon. It's going to take all of Harry's knowledge and skill to get to the bottom of which werewolf group is performing the murders. And the answer may be closer than he thought.

Fool Moon was Jim Butcher's second Harry Dresden Case File. He hadn't quite hit his writing stride yet. (That didn't happen until book 3.) In the book, Jim Butcher went through and used about every single type of werewolf he could think of to blow the readers off the scent (see what I did there) of who the real murders were. He used a lot of "classic" Universal studios werewolf lore and lore from other werewolf, lycanthropy, berserker type werewolves as well. And then he pretty much dropped the whole werewolf thing like hot potatoes in the books after this in order to pursue his Black Council and Winter Court Fae big story lines. And the times he does end up using the werewolves, it can be rather offensive, such as werewolves going into heat and the general way he describes the female werewolves. (He also has this problem with most of his female characters. I digress.) It was a good starting point for me at least to look at the different werewolf types and go research more on my own.

3. A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison

Rachel Morgan's love life has never been that great. Now, Nick, a former boyfriend who cut and run needs Rachel's particular skills as a runner. A thief, he's stolen an artifact that could give the werewolves more power over the vampires and now he's been caught. It's up to Rachel to find the artifact and free him from the werewolves. The problem is, he's not in Cincinnati, but up in Michigan and on an island in the middle of one of the Great Lakes. And it's going to take more than a few magical spells and wishful thinking to get him out alive.

This was book 4 of Kim Harrison's Hollows Series. In one of the previous books, she'd made a one off character, an insurance adjuster, who was a werewolf. Kim Harrison is not someone who really outlines her books in advance, so this insurance adjuster suddenly became a lot more important and so did werewolves for this fourth book. Because Rachel Morgan is so caught up in vampire, demon and fae politics, other than some consequences of what happened because of this book and her joining the insurance adjuster's pack for ... insurance... purposes, after this, werewolves were dropped. So, this book was the best look at the way werewolf packs worked in her world. I liked it because there was one part of the book where it was clear that the lead female of the pack had as much power as the male leader. And in other books, there were female pack leaders as well. But the series became very much about Rachel Morgan, her love life and how she was so special. I read until the last book, but left feeling very unsatisfied as a reader. But this wasn't that bad of an adventure! I especially loved Jenks in this book. Jenks is one of my favorite characters in the entire series. This was "his" book so to speak.

4. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Mercedes Thompson is part Native American, part mechanic and all coyote shifter. When a scruffy werewolf teen ends up at her auto shop looking for a quick job and a place to sleep, she helps him because of the werewolves that raised her. When his dead body ends up on her doorstep. She goes looking for who killed him and ends up getting entangled again with the man she thought she loved and had to leave them to get away from it all.

Moon Called was a promising first book, some Native American anachronisms aside. (Becca did a better review of this than I ever could.) As far as the series went, since Mercy lived right next door to a werewolf and later ended up dating him (and I won't spoil whether that worked out or not) the books had plenty of werewolf story lines. And if you like your werewolves to be OCD barely controlled anger management monsters controlled by the patriarchy then sure, this is the series for you. Sure, there were times Mercy tried/tries to address the problem of male dominant packs but that doesn't and isn't the focus of the books. Most of the books are how Mercy somehow gets involved in another species like vampire or fae's trouble despite the fact she's a relatively low powered coyote shapeshifter. There's no real reason why Mercy is "special" and everyone wants her, she just is. These werewolves have absolutely no basis in any sort of wolf science. Being the series is so werewolf focused, it started to drive me bonkers after a while. I gave up when another "bad thing" happened to Mercy after 10 books. (The Rape happens in book 3 btw. Just a warning.)

5. Master of Wolves by Angela Knight

Officer Faith Weston, head of the Clarkston PD K-9 department is still reeling from losing her previous dog. She's hoping that an all business front and a new dog will help her move on and keep the attention of her lewd boss away from her. Her new dog Rambo was big and tough and didn't give her any crap. Too bad Rambo was more than he seemed. Jim London, bounty hunter and werewolf, is certain that the murder of his friend Tony has been covered up by the Clarkston police department. There's only one way to find out and that's to go undercover and his dog form is perfect for the job. Faith Weston though is bringing out the animal in him.

Okay, yes, spoiler alert, Master of Wolves is a romance novel. I don't read a lot of these and when I do they tend to be primarily fantasy focused. I've read Terry Spears (one book and no more, no, never again, bad wolf science, BAD,) Thea Harrison and a few others, but Angela Knight was the one I picked up back in 2006 when looking for werewolf novels to read. There are a few moments of "I don't know what Angela Knight was thinking" when it comes to the scenes about Jim being a dog and... thinking like a man hound dog about Faith and later Faith seems okay with it? Maybe it was supposed to be funny but, yeah. 4 of the 9 books in Angela Knight's series focus on werewolves and for the most part they are pretty much very formulaic romance novels and the werewolf pack dynamics were once again patriarchal and based on bad wolf science. Really, it was more the fact that this book was focused on werewolves and solving a mystery and using all the forms that the werewolf had to do it that stood out to me.

Five different books, five different treatments of werewolves, though most are the same "werewolves are monsters" based on no good modern science about wolves. But they each had different facets that got me thinking about how I would write a werewolf focused novel if I ever wrote one. Then I did and it's called The Lone Prospect, available in ebook (3.99) and paperback (7.99) on Amazon.

#books #werewolf books #werewolf #werewolves #werewolf fiction #werewolf novels #fantasy #paranormal romance #urban fantasy

[thecreaturecodex]

Gek-a-gek

Image © Wayne Barlowe, accessed at The Grim Gallery here

[The Barlowe’s Guide to Aliens and Barlowe’s Guide to Fantasy were foundational texts for me growing up as a young monster lover, and so when I started to homebrew in D&D, I used them as resources. I’ve never read many of the books they drew inspiration from, like Imajica, origin of the gek-a-gek. From reading the Wikipedia summary, I gather that Imajica is a reality-hopping, anti-theist fantasy novel in the vein of His Dark Materials, only with a lot of weird sex. The gek-a-geks are apparently so incidental they don’t even appear in that summary.

But they appeared frequently in my games. My original 3.0 gek-a-gek was a terrible glass cannon, with 58 hit points but sneak attack +4d6, making fights with them nasty, brutal and short. They’ve been decidedly rebalanced for PFRPG. I managed to get versions of them with the serial numbers filed off published multiple times in my freelancing days, once as the “leytru” in the 3pp book Into the Black and as the “akleyu” in Dragon 348′s article “Horrors of the Daelkyr”]

Gek-a-gek CR 8 NE Medium Aberration This lean creature has a vaguely humanoid shape, and moves between a two-legged and four-legged gait. Its head is wedge-shaped, with beady black eyes and an under-slung jaw. All four of its feet bear sharp claws. Its skin and muscles are transparent, revealing an alien skeletal structure.

Denizens of the dark and foul places of the world, gek-a-geks are shadowy predators with a preference for sapient prey. They themselves are intelligent, albeit not very much so, and lack material culture. Their sickle claws and sharp fangs are weapons enough for them, and armor or clothing would get in the way of their incredible stealth abilities. Many gek-a-geks are fascinated by the trappings of civilization, however, and their treasuries often contain mundane tools and devices in addition to valuables.

Gek-a-geks are social creatures, and they hunt in packs when prey is suitably common. Their rookeries are twisted, three-dimensional structures, to give them ample opportunity to climb and hide if invaded by those seeking to exterminate them. There is no sexual dimorphism in the species, and males and females are of equal social standing. Their society is a meritocracy, and the leader of a gek-a-gek pack often has class levels (typically in barbarian, rogue or fighter). Squabbles for rank are infrequent, as they are typically fatal for the loser.

A gek-a-gek is an ambush predator, and they typically approach as close as possible to a prospective victim before pouncing. Their transparency allows them to hide even without cover, and many ambushes begin with a gek-a-gek skittering down a rock wall or pouncing from a ceiling. Both their fore- and hind-claws are lethally sharp, but their bite may be more fearsome. Creatures bitten by a gek-a-gek are cursed with a resistance to both magical and mundane healing. Gek-a-gek packs may track a wounded victim for days, hoping to catch it unaware in its weakened state to finish it off.

A gek-a-gek would stand six feet tall if they were ever fully upright. They are lean creatures, rarely weighing more than 150 pounds.

Gek-a-gek            CR 8 XP 4,800 NE Medium aberration Init +10; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, Perception +11 Defense AC 21, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+6 Dex, +4 natural, +1 dodge) hp 93 (11d8+44) Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +9; evasion DR 10/slashing or bludgeoning; Defensive Abilities transparent Offense Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft. Melee 2 claws +14 (1d8+3/19-20 plus grab), bite +14 (1d6+3 plus curse) Special Abilities pounce, rake (2 claws +14, 1d8+3/19-20) Statistics Str 17, Dex 23, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 12 Base Atk +8; CMB +14 (+18 grab); CMD 28 Feats Agile Maneuvers, Dodge, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +15 (+23 when jumping), Climb +19, Escape Artist +16, Perception +11, Stealth +24, Survival +11; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth Languages Undercommon Ecology Environment underground and urban Organization solitary, pair or pack (3-12) Treasure standard Special Abilities Curse (Su) Bite—injury; save Will DC 16; effect creature cannot heal hit point or ability point damage naturally. Any healing spell cast on the creature must succeed a DC 16 caster level check or fail. The save DC is Charisma based. Transparent (Ex) A gek-a-gek gains a 20% miss chance against melee attacks made against it, and a 50% miss chance against ranged attacks. It may make Stealth checks without cover or concealment. This effect cannot be seen through with see invisibility or removed with invisibility purge, but is ignored by true seeing and suppressed if the gek-a-gek is subject to a faerie fire or glitterdust spell.

#gek-a-gek #imajica #pathfinder rpg #dragon magazine #wayne barlowe

[thefreelanceangel]

Tagged!

BASICS.

FULL NAME: C'allie Kyho NICKNAME: “Pest" AGE:  19 BIRTHDAY: 19th Sun; 4th Umbral Moon {She and Fera were born on the same day, a year apart} ETHNIC GROUP: Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te NATIONALITY: Gyr Albanian LANGUAGE/S: Hyuran SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Pansexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Demiromantic (ish) RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single HOME TOWN / AREA:  The Peaks, Gyr Albania CURRENT HOME:  Gridania PROFESSION: Professional Pest, Pickpocket, Thief, Would-be Bard

PHYSICAL.

HAIR: Bright gold with green streaks EYES: Right--light green; left--pale gold FACE: Deceptively sweet LIPS: Full COMPLEXION: Golden-tanned BLEMISHES: N/A SCARS:  A patch of white fur on the underside of her tail; two thin scars: left jaw, right eye TATTOOS:  N/A HEIGHT:  4′ 11″ WEIGHT: Slight BUILD: Slim, travel-toned FEATURES: Broad ears ALLERGIES:  N/A USUAL HAIR STYLE: Jaw-length, feathered USUAL FACE LOOK: Smirking, grinning, laughing USUAL CLOTHING: Tight-fitting leather or skin-showing cotton

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR/S: Mundane routine; claustrophobic ASPIRATION/S: Sultana (She thinks big) POSITIVE TRAITS: Cheerful, interested in others, energetic NEGATIVE TRAITS: Never. Shuts. Up. TEMPERAMENT:  Sanguine SOUL TYPE/S: Rogue/Ninja ANIMALS: Cat (Obviously) VICE HABIT/S: Drinking, casual sex, kleptomania FAITH: Haphazard at best GHOSTS?: Yes AFTERLIFE?: Doesn't care REINCARNATION?: Probably? POLITICAL ALIGNMENT: N/A EDUCATION LEVEL:  Average

FAMILY.

FATHER: C'kyho Nuhn MOTHER:  C'anmho Atih SIBLINGS: She's ninth out of sixteen children EXTENDED FAMILY: Dawne Strider (distant cousin) NAME MEANING/S: N/A HISTORICAL CONNECTION?: N/A

FAVORITES.

BOOK: Erotic novels, engineering manuals, biographies DEITY: The Twelve (ish?) HOLIDAY: All Saints’ Wake MONTH: February SEASON: Summer PLACE: Anywhere she feels like being WEATHER: Bright, hot and sunny SOUND / S: Laughter, wind rustling leaves SCENT / S: Male sweat, leather, honeysuckle TASTE / S:  Rum, popcorn (buttery AND salty) FEEL / S:  Grass, moss, skin, cotton ANIMAL / S: Cats (and she likes birds) NUMBER: 9 COLORS: Light gold, all greens, soft pink

EXTRA.

TALENTS: Getting away with almost literal murder BAD AT: Being serious for .03 seconds TURN ONS: Attitude, physique, eyes, smiles TURN OFFS: Morose people, bad hygiene, monogamy HOBBIES: Eavesdropping, pickpocketing TROPES: Girly Bruiser, Pretty Freeloader, Hard-Drinking Party Girl QUOTES : “No, c'mon, get to the juicy part. I want to hear this!”

MUN QUESTIONS. Q1 : If you could write your character your way in their own movie,  what would it be called, what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?

A1 :  C'allie's movie would be an absolute romp with an exasperated male lead, a female sidekick who just wants to leave already and the plot would've been caused by C'allie's big mouth.

Q2 :  What would their soundtrack/score sound like?          

A2 :  This is definitely a C'allie song.

Q3 :  Why did you start writing this character?          

A3 : When I started FFXIV, I fiddled with the various character options until I had an adorable miqo'te. And then I started playing her... and just facepalmed.

Q4 :   What first attracted you to this character?          

A4 : C'allie is just a good time all around. She'll talk to anyone, get involved in anything and doesn't need a 'reason' to poke her nose into an event, a location or a conversation.

Q5 :  Describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse.

A5 : She always deflects or ditches conversations with actual... emotion.

Q6 :  What do you have in common with your muse?          

A6 :   We both really, really like cheering people up.

Q7 :   How does your muse feel about you?          

A7 :  After she invaded my apartment, tried sleeping with my boyfriend or my roommate, tried sleeping with me and then found the tiny amount of alcohol in the fridge, C'allie would then call me boring because I prefer reading to like...starting a bar fight.

Q8 :  What characters does your muse have interesting interactions with ?     

A8 :  She's been hilarious with pretty much everyone, but props to @jorandalkitor's Sami for not actually slitting her throat and @mirugaidoesthings for letting C'allie humiliate the HELL out of poor Buck.

Q9 :  What gives you inspiration to write your muse ?        

A9: Seeing what would be the worst possible choice and sighing with resignation as C'allie is already making it.

Q10 : How long did this take you to complete ?          

A10 : Surprisingly not that long, but guess who has ONE MORE OF THESE TO DO? *sob*

#C'allie Kyho #Tagged #FFXIV #Miqo'te #Seekers of the Sun #One more to go!

[bbclesmis]

‘Valjean is like Spider-Man’

DOMINIC WEST FIGURES he's played his share of awful people. The serial killer Fred West in Appropriate Adult? Jimmy McNulty, the Baltimore cop in The Wire? A lovable rogue, but a rogue nonetheless. Noah Solloway, the lead in The Affair? "He's deeply silly," West contends. "Just a silly man!" In the film Colette (out this Friday), he plays a sadistic husband who locks his gifted wife (Keira Knightley) away and makes her write books for which he claims credit.

"As an actor, you do live with these people and experience what they're feeling," sighs the actor, 49. "If they're a******s, it's exhausting and ultimately degrading. So it was such a relief to play someone who's great." And he smiles that irascible smile, the one that makes you root for West even when he's playing murderers and pretentious, adulterous novelists.

Jean Valjean, West's character in the BBC's adaptation of Les Miserables, is not only "great" in the actor's eyes. He is nothing less than the "greatest hero in all literature": a superhero ex-convict who has spent 19 years in prison being tortured by Inspector Javert (David Oyelowo) for stealing a loaf of bread, but who determines on his release to be the best possible man he can be... with heartbreaking results.

West considers Victor Hugo's French revolutionary epic to be the "greatest novel ever written", too - "much better than War and Peace!" - and certainly much better than the famous musical (he's not a fan).

"Valjean is not just a good guy, he's an amazing guy. Like Spider-Man!" he beams. "He climbs up the sides of buildings to rescue kids. And he has the legitimacy of intense suffering; he's done 19 years of hard labour. That knocks Iron Man into a cocked hat! Then you get into the humanity of Valjean, his demons, his desperate need to redeem himself... He's trying not to be the brute that the prison has turned him into. You become a better person by spending time with someone like that."

He has asked me to his home, a converted brewery in Wiltshire that he shares with his wife, Catherine FitzGerald, and four children - Dora, 11, Senan, ten, Francis, nine, and Christabel, five - "I'm trying to cut down," he jokes. (He has another daughter, Martha, from his first marriage, who is studying English at Oxford and wants to act.) "I think all households should have a five-year-old girl running round," he says. "I just think it's better for children. Stops them from becoming little princesses. It's much harder to be a spoilt brat as one of four."

HE OPENS THE door unshaven and unkempt with a general air of bohemian bonhomie. He puts on a succession of silly voices as he leads me through to his kitchen. "Teas? Light refreshments? Do we want hot milk in our coffees? Yes?" He's such a chameleon as an actor that even his own accent sounds as if it's put on. He was educated at Eton, but his family isn't proper posh. His Irish father owned a plastics factory in Sheffield, his mother was an actor and he's the sixth of seven children.

The Wests have been doing up the house for about three years, but only moved in last summer - there are paintings waiting to be hung, pieces of Lego, mugs, antiques scattered around... The house used to be a "very manageable cottage next to a derelict brewery, but having decided to connect them all together they're only now getting used to the layout. "There are about five different doors to choose from. I didn't realise how spread out it would be. It's enormous!" They moved from west London to give the kids more space to range around when they're teenagers: "I want my kids to be around trees and animals more."

We take refuge in his office, up in the rafters of the old brewery, where he sinks into an armchair and resumes recounting his love affair with Les Miserables.

THE BBC VERSION is written by Andrew Davies and picks up more or less where his adaptation of War and Peace left off. It opens on the field of Waterloo in 1815 in the aftermath of Napoleon's defeat. Back in Paris, the royalists are resurgent - but can't quell the forces unleashed by the Revolution.

In the first episode, we follow Valjean's ill-starred attempts at redemption after his nemesis, Javert, releases him; meanwhile, the grisette Fantine (Lily Collins) falls for a cad (Johnny Flynn) and becomes pregnant with little Cosette - whose path will cross with Valjean's in the future. Six episodes, much heartache and many improbable coincidences will take us all the way up to the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris.

West hadn't read the epic novel, but now that he has, he's a convert. He even loves Hugo's digressions into the design of the Paris sewers. "Actually, I'd have loved it if we could have made six seasons out of it," he says. 'There's more than enough material and it's all important and relevant. As with any great classic, it's big enough to handle any amount of interpretations."

Javert's antipathy to Valjean is one of the engines of the plot - but it's also something of a mystery. Why does Javert hate him so much? "I always like to trace motivations to sex," West says. "I said to David, 'Javert obviously fancies him!' But he thought that was crass."

Did the rivalry extend off-set? "You're never quite sure where the character ends and the actor starts," he laughs. "But the key to David is that he's actually royal. He's a prince in Nigeria. And he doesn't drink. He's very religious. He's been married to his wife since he was 19 and they have four beautiful children. I hadn't realised people like that existed in the acting world! He's a very inspiring guy."

The co-stars decided it was the shared trauma of being institutionalised that set their characters against one another. "Valjean doesn't think he deserves anything other than brutality. Javert is constantly reminding him he's just a common criminal who breaks rocks and murders people."

Oyelowo is one of a number of non-white actors in the cast, marking a departure from traditional costume-drama casting. West jokes that he really wanted to do it all with 'A1lo'Allo accents, but: "Like any classic, it's not a museum piece. It has relevance to modern life. Eponine and the girls all talk like modern London girls. And therefore it looks like modern Britain, too."

THE PRODUCTION LOOKS likely to make Collins, as Fantine, a star. "She's incredible," says West. "It's an exhausting part. So harrowing. Any actress who goes for it deserves all the accolades she gets..." The first scene they shot together was Fantine's death, filmed in a freezing manor house outside Brussels at 5am. "She really went for it. I was like, 'Oh my God! How did you do those spasm things?' She said, 'I just made it up'." I imagine it's reassuring to have West on set: he is very experienced, but doesn't take himself too seriously. Do the younger actors come to him for advice? "Pfah! No. I'm jaded and lazy."

The Wire was the show that brought him fame, as well as a credibility not usually open to Old Etonians. But originally he didn't want to be in it. "And it turns out to have been the one thing that everyone knows me for and it was one of the best shows ever made! I think [creator] David Simon is almost the Victor Hugo of our time... certainly the Charles Dickens."

The Affair offers more escapist pleasure, its marital rows interspersed with good-looking people having sex (even if he doesn't think much of Noah). The Wests are about to decamp to LA for the filming of the final season, but it will be without Ruth Wilson this time. Last February, she disclosed in a Radio Times interview that she was "sure" she earned less than West. "I don't want more money, I just want equal money," she added. Not long after that her character Alison Bailey was killed off. What was all that about? "Oh, not related!" West yelps.

He remains good friends with Wilson. The main point of contention on set was whose behind would be visible in the sex scenes. "We used to fight about it. 'You're on top this time', 'No! I was on top the last three times!'"

He'd never given much thought to who was paid what, he says. "I never asked what the money is on a show. It was more a question of if I wanted to do it. So it woke me up to the issue. I never realised the disparity and the injustice."

It's one of a number of changes he has noticed since the #MeToo movement gained ground. "One thing that's happened is a positive discrimination in favour of female directors. But the main thing is that unacceptable behaviour from male directors or actors is now either not possible, or you can call them out on it. There was one guy in particular whose behaviour was disgusting. Particularly to young females in minor roles. I tried to counter it on several occasions. But now it wouldn't be so hard to get rid of them."

'Treatment of women has taken a big step back in television'

He twists his face in derision at those who feel the feminists have gone "too far". "Treatment of women has taken a big step back in the past 20 years," he says, his voice rising. "Particularly in television, which has become more pornographic and the burden of that falls squarely on young women. Things like Game of Thrones, where you get a pair of bare breasts every five minutes... I mustn't say this, but..." Say it!

"I'm fairly sure that 20 years ago young actresses would not have had pressure put on them to take their clothes off. The parts young actresses get, particularly pretty ones, involve violent rape. When I think about my daughter going into the profession... I'm just really glad that #MeToo has started to counteract what has happened in the past 20 years."

He puts it down to internet porn - "It's made boys feel that women are sex objects who are easily available" - as well as social media. "If you can swipe someone's face because you don't think they're pretty and it costs you that little... I haven't done it myself, but it cheapens it."

HE's CONCERNED AT the turn the world is taking: he mentions Trump, climate change, teenage boys becoming addicted to the online game Fortnite. A wariness of modernity seems to have inspired the move to the countryside; he and his wife are "luddites", he confesses. "I'm not one of those people who say, 'How can you bring children into this world?' But I do want to spend a lot more time hanging out with my kids and running around in forests."

Once he has finished filming the last season of The Affair, he plans to hire an enormous camper van, bundle the entire family into it and spend a few months driving around the States.

"It's the last chance we have," he explains. "They're nearly teenagers, so they're not going to want to spend that much time with their old man for much longer. I've spent a long time away from them. So we're taking six months, four months of it travelling. I've taken them out of school - there are no big exams. We'll home school them. They'll read. No screens. You're not going to get a better education than that. If you travel with as little as possible, you get much more interesting experiences."

Radio Times 5-11 January 2019

#les mis bbc #bbc les mis #dominic west #Jean Valjean #valvert #david oyelowo #javert #Lily Collins #fantine #Interviews #articles #radio times

[markgottliebliteraryagent]

Scandinavian-Inspired Dark Epic Fantasy Author Tina LeCount Myers

Tina LeCount Myers is a writer, artist, independent historian, and surfer. Born in Mexico to expat-bohemian parents, she grew up on Southern California tennis courts with a prophecy hanging over her head; her parents hoped she'd one day be an author. Tina lives in San Francisco with her adventurer husband and loud Siamese cat. The Song of All is the first book of the epic fantasy trilogy The Legacy of the Heavens. Her latest book from the trilogy, Dreams of the Dark Sky, publishes February 2019 from Night Shade Books.

The Song of All and Dreams of the Dark Sky reads more like "Shakespeare" fantasy than "X-Men" fantasy. Do you see the series as leaning more toward literary fiction, or fantasy genre fiction—or can they be read by both audiences?

Of course, my hope is that my books appeal both to readers of literary fiction and genre fantasy fiction. The two readerships are not that mutually exclusive. Readers of Shakespeare and X-men are likely interested in the same things: complex characters, a rich, detailed world, and great storytelling. The relationship between Magneto and Xavier feels very Shakespearean to me. One of the things that I tried to do in writing these two books was give equal attention to both language and fantasy elements. My hope is that readers will find a turn-of-phrase or description as compelling as a sword fight and vice versa.

What do you feel the fantasy genre of storytelling affords you as an author writing closely to that medium?

When I describe The Legacy of the Heavens series to people, I say, “The story is about two ancient warring tribes in the Arctic tundra, and a flawed man who is trying to save his son. It also includes parallel worlds accessed by song, psionics, sequential hermaphroditism, reindeer, and epic sword fights.” Where else but fantasy can a writer have that kind of latitude to explore such diverse elements? Anything is possible in fantasy storytelling.

“...I was equally interested in exploring how to layer mythology over science.”

In addition to your familial history, what drew you to the setting of your novels in the frozen northlands with characters drawn from Scandinavian mythology?

Part of the decision I made in world-building was predicated on the initial debate, and subsequent bet, I had with my husband, to write a fantasy story with science as a foundation. For me, that meant looking at the world I live in and that humans evolved in to find an other-worldly location. I chose the Arctic tundra because of its harsh climate. To survive in the cold with very little sunlight in the winter suggested the possibility of interesting adaptations due to evolution. This region also has a rich mythology to draw inspiration from. So, while my Finnish ancestry played a role in the setting of the story, I was equally interested in exploring how to layer mythology over science.

How did you go about obtaining literary representation and then go on to get published?

The Song of All went through seven edits, including two professional editors, before I thought it was ready for submission. Then I turned my attention to the synopsis, which I still think is one of the hardest things to write. I rewrote the synopsis ten times with the help of one of my beta readers. The query came next. I used every available resource out there to craft my query letter. I researched literary agents both in the Guide to Literary Agents and online. I did Twitter pitches, through #PitMad, to hone my logline (Twitter was still 140 characters then). I also attended writers’ conferences that featured literary agents and book editors. It just so happened that at my second writers’ conference, the San Francisco Writers’ Conference, I pitched you. You were my last literary agent of the day. The "time’s up" bell rang about a minute into my pitch. I was so flustered, but you weren’t phased at all. You asked for the full manuscript and a couple of weeks after that you took me on as your client. If I remember the timeline correctly, you sold The Legacy of the Heavens trilogy within three months of going out on submission.

The Jápmemeahttun—or what I consider akin to "dark elves"—from your novels are unique, in that they can change between male and female—at will. While sequential hermaphroditism does indeed occur in nature among species such as the clownfish, what inspired you to write that aspect into your characters?

The Jápmemeahttun were my way of thinking about and talking about "elves" without ever using that term. I was curious about what living a couple of centuries might look like. What might some of the problems be? What might some of the possibilities be? In particular, I wanted to consider what a social group might look like if individuals experienced both genders, in terms of their physiology and gender roles. So, I did look to nature for examples of hermaphroditism, in particular the sequential form—male to female and female to male—and how it might be evolutionarily advantageous. But while there are some species that change sex at will, the Jápmemeahttun go through a very specific biological process that allows them to transition from female to male in their lifetime.

“The learning curve for me as a debut author in the publishing industry was steep, and I was certainly grateful to have a knowledgeable literary agent...”

Now that you have published your second novel within The Legacy of the Heavens series, what have you learned from the book publishing experience?

The learning curve for me as a debut author in the publishing industry was steep, and I was certainly grateful to have a knowledgeable literary agent, like you, who was open to questions. With the second book, I am discovering that the learning curve is getting even steeper, particularly in terms of balancing my time between, promoting the first book, while preparing the second book for publication, while writing the third. I was raised to be self-sufficient, but I am now seeing the importance of building a team and getting help for things that I just don’t know how to do.

Irjan, the lead character of your first novel, goes through some tremendous character development in the story. What is the driving force behind his drastic change of character and what drew you to that particular literary device?

Irjan’s character development in The Song of All centers on a crisis of conscience, and what happens when the life of revenge and violence that he had relied on no longer served him. In particular, I wanted to explore the consequences of Irjan’s choices, both in his life and in the lives of the people he loved. I think a crisis of conscience or a life crisis is something that most people can relate to. How we handle it also ripples out, maybe not a dramatic as in Irjan’s case, but I do believe that actions have consequences, both intended and unintended.

The audiobook edition of The Song of All, narrated by Ulf Bjorklund, is particularly unique, given that he has a Swedish background and the novel is set in the Saamiland of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. What was it like working with Bjorklund on the pronunciations and character voices of your audiobook edition?

It was an absolute pleasure to work with Ulf and director Max Bloomquist, and the entire team at Brilliance Audio. Max’s background is both Swedish and Finnish, so it really was a Scandinavian production. Max and Ulf also worked with Thomas A. DuBois, the Halls-Bascom Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Folklore, and Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to make sure they had the correct pronunciation for the Saami words. I always go and listen to the audiobook before I give a reading to make sure that I have the correct pronunciation. I think Ulf really captured the essence of the characters, and I hope to work with him again in the near future.

“You have to love your story before anyone will.”

Do you have any advice for writers out there, aspiring to become published authors?

I would say, write for yourself first. You have to love your story before anyone will. Then, be clear on why you want to be published, because that will inform your decision-making along the way. After that, I think persistence, combined with a positive attitude, is crucial.

Can you give us a sense of what’s to come from The Northern Ones, book three in The Legacy of the Heavens series? Please, no spoilers!

Of the three books, The Northern Ones has much more of a quest element in it. And readers will go beyond the borders of Davvieana to discover more of the outside world. The story is a cross between Rogue One and Marco Polo.

#fantasy #thesongofall #thelegacyoftheheavens #dreamsofthedarksky #skyhorsepublishing #nightshadebooks #sff #TridentMediaGroup #literaryagentmarkgottlieb