#if the community starts to shun parents and take in kids from each other don’t look at Loki all his callers are anonymous and confidential

[worstloki]

at 2pm every Saturday Odin hosts an hour-long podcast on effective parenting where he gives out tips and anecdotes to assist the parents on Asgard in raising their young as well-established proper individuals and immediately after at 3pm every Saturday Loki’s podcast on dealing with trauma starts

#Asgard only has one radio channel #Thor hosts a thing at 5 where he retells valiant battle tales of victories for children #4-5 is bard hour #Odin speaks to the parents and Loki speaks to their kids #anonymous caller number 3 very clearly describing the same scenario Odin’s caller 6 did #everyone reasonable in the community is livid and that the kids are being treated badly #everyone else is trying to raise their children to be obedient little worker bees #if the community starts to shun parents and take in kids from each other don’t look at Loki all his callers are anonymous and confidential #Odin does not catch on to any patterns btw he’s too busy telling people to discipline their kids well with the harsh hand of books and belt

[yasminbenoit]

Yasmin Benoit for Glamour Magazine: “People think I must be unlovable, fussy or mentally ill. Here's what it really means to be asexual and aromantic.”

Activist and model Yasmin Benoit dispels the myths around asexuality, 'the invisible orientation'.

The conversation around sexuality and the spectrum of gender identity has expanded greatly in recent years. We're finally beginning to explore all of the details, nuances and diversity of the topic, and acknowledging communities that have too long been shunned by society. But there's one community – my community – that has been left out of this step toward inclusivity.

I started to realise I was asexual around the time my peers around me realised they weren't. Puberty kicked in, hormones went flying, kids stopped wanting to just play together and started fancying each other instead. They became a lot more curious about their sexuality and wanted to express it.

But I just wasn't feeling it; I didn't get all the drama. In fact, I even switched to an all-girls' school because I thought, without boys, everyone would stop caring so much about sex and relationships, and would just chill out. Yeah, I was very wrong.

In secondary school, it became even more obvious that I wasn't feeling the same as the other teenagers – and they didn't like it. They started quizzing me constantly about why I felt the way I did.

"Are you gay?", "Is it a mental disorder?", "Is there something wrong with your genitals?", "Did you get molested as a child?", "You're probably just underdeveloped or a late bloomer?", "Surely you're just being too picky?", "You must just be unlovable or unattractive to everyone?"

My physical and mental health was up for debate. But back then, at 15, I didn't really have an answer. That's when one of my classmates said, "Maybe you're asexual or something." I'd only really heard the word 'asexual' used about organisms in biology class, not in the context of human sexuality.

So I Googled it and thought it sounded like me, but at the time, there was so much disinformation online that I wasn't 100% sure. Besides, when everybody keeps telling you there must be something wrong with you, after a while, you start to wonder if they're right. You begin to doubt yourself, to question your own life experiences, your own thoughts and identity.

It wasn't until I started talking to other asexual people – strangers online whose experiences, finally, reflected my own – that I started to realise I wasn't alone. This wasn't some sort of grand turning point though. It would take a number of years to stop doubting myself and my identity; a natural consequence of being pathologised and gaslighted for so long. Through launching my activism career to raise awareness of asexuality and aromanticism on my platform, I met an entire population of people like me. I attended the UK Asexuality Conference in 2018 and was greeted by hundreds of people who showed me the true diversity of the ace community.

There are asexual people who, like me, experience little to no levels of sexual attraction, and have no sexual or romantic – that's the 'aromantic' part – desire towards other people. But I learnt that there are a lot of asexual people who still experience romantic attraction and vice versa. I know many married asexual people, and aromantic sexual people – I'm sure we all know someone who's not really into dating or relationships, but still loves sex! I know people in our community who are parents, grandparents, husbands, wives, young, old, Black, white – and they are proud of who they are.

The problem is, those stereotypes and toxic misconceptions I heard as a 15-year-old from my classmates at school? I still hear them today. We live in a society obsessed with relationships; where to love and be loved by another person is not only the ultimate aspiration, but the expectation.

Until asexuality becomes part of public discourse and representation, we will continue to be misunderstood, told that there's something wrong with us, overlooked in education and legislation, and medicalised (and medicated). Women like me will continue to be dismissed as unlovable, ugly, frigid and boring. This is especially true for Black women, who are so hypersexualised, that to be a Black asexual woman seems entirely contradictory to people.

But I live a perfectly happy and fulfilled life as a Black asexual, aromantic woman. I don't need a partner to complete me – I'm complete just the way I am. That's why I use my platform to fight against asexuality stigma, dispel myths and help empower the ace community.

For allies, as always, the first step to show your support is by educating yourself, and to start normalising asexuality by including it in your conversations. That way, conversations around sexuality will inevitably become more inclusive and comfortable for the ace community. Asexual people will – finally – begin to feel seen.

We deserve to be seen.

Yasmin is the co-founder of International Asexuality Day, taking place this year on 6th April. Found out more internationalasexualityday.org.

Follow Yasmin on Instagram and Twitter.

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/asexuality-and-aromanticism

#yasmin benoit #glamour magazine #asexual #aromantic #asexual awareness #thisiswhatasexuallookslike #this is what asexual looks like #asexuality #zalando #diesel #black model #black asexual #aromantic pride #alternative black girl #alternative model #alternative fashion #editorial #acephobia #aphobia

[sapphicmsmarvel]

Ghost Of You

song for this fic: ghost of you

hp masterlist

regular masterlist

Big TW for drug addiction, suicide, grief. 

I wrote this after my sister's death in march, the exact same cause. 

I was just able to finish this three months later, the ending is so abrupt because I don’t know what life is like after this kind of grief. 

We may have disliked each other, but she was still my older sister. 

This is how I'm able to cope, read it or not. Fanfic has saved my life many times and has helped me deal with losses. 

harry potter was the only thing that got me through that, and that is still getting me through that. 

-Fred admired the fact that you loved Ginny as if she were your own sibling.  

-As far as he knew you were an only child. 

-No matter what, you immediately would drop anything to help Ginny. 

-When Fred and George befriended you their first year, they mentioned they have a little sister so you knew of her existence when she came to Hogwarts (as well as Ron but he’ll get his own chapter). 

-Fred and George introduced you two, the twins would never admit it out loud but they were worried about her. She’s the baby of the family. 

-Pretty soon you two had inside jokes, a secret handshake and were able to communicate just by looks. 

-When Fred was dealing with his feelings for you, Ginny called him out on his shit. “Just ask her out.” 

“Gin, do you really think she’ll feel the same?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny what I know.” Was her only response as she walked away.  

-He confessed later that day. 

-12 year old Ginny was a matchmaker for two clueless sixteen year olds. 

-Fred quickly realized that Ginny looked up to you. 

-It made his heart warm. 

-But then he realized something.

-You and him were getting ready for dinner at your home. 

When he turned to you, “Sweetheart?” 

“Yes?” You turned to Fred. 

“I know I’ve never asked you this. But I just realized, some girls I've dated, they immediately would kind of shun Ginny, why did you take to her so quickly?” 

“You were my best friend, why would I reject your younger sister?”

“Even then, why?” 

You sighed. “I never had a good relationship with my older siblings. Hell, they’re out there right now and I’ve never mentioned them to you.”

“Why?” 

“For a reason.” Was all you said. “They abandoned me. My sister she…” You shook your head. “I was expected to raise her two children whenever I was home at the age of fourteen. Notice how I was always stressed at the end of a school year or going home for a holiday?”

“Yeah.” 

“It was because I was helping take care of her children. My parents also raised them. But for some reason, every time she got addicted to drugs again, that expectation went to me. To be their mother. Nobody wanted her to clean up her act, they assumed that I would be the one to take care of them.” 

“What’d your sister do?” He sat next to you.

“What didn’t she do?” You sighed, setting down the photos your Mum sent. “Addicts, they deserve so much help. But then there's my sister, who goes to rehab even though her plan was to get addicted again because she wants to please her parents rather than actually get clean for her children.” You shook your head, “sorry to get so angry, I just hate the people who give mental illnesses a bad name.” 

He held out his hand, you grasped it. “When my magic developed, it was the same dynamic as Lily Potter and her sister. We were close and then...I had magic. There was a chance I wouldn’t because of the fact that my dads a muggle and my mums a witch. Whereas, my brother and sister are technically my half siblings, so they are muggles. When they learned of the Wizarding World, they were excited. New things, magic, blah, blah.” You swallowed.

“Then when I was ten, my brother got up and walked out of my life, never giving a reason. My sister's addiction was hidden for another four years after that. That’s when the chaos started.” 

He nodded and kissed your cheek. You took a deep breath, “I’m honestly glad you asked, my dad texted me, she’s gonna be there tonight.” 

He swallowed, “we’re a team alright? Give a signal and we’ll leave.” 

“What’s the signal?”

“Uh,” he searched for something. “Say Georgie texted you, that he fucked some shit up I don’t know.” He laughed. 

You laughed, “I will.” He kissed you forehead.

-The dinner did not go well. 

-It ended with a horrible fight between your sister and you. So badly that Fred was worried it was about to turn physical. He sat with your nieces, the three of them watching nervously as the bullets of your words slammed into one another. 

-That’s when your sister said they were leaving, took her kids and left. Your dad was furious at you, blaming you for the fight when it was your sister who threw the first dagger. 

You sighed, and looked at Fred, “forgot to tell you, Georgie texted me earlier.” 

-On the drive home, he held your hand. There was no sound coming from either of you, no music as the car flew to your apartment in Diagon Alley. 

-You both walked in your shared apartment, you walked to the bathroom immediately, he got ready for bed. He was worried. You had never been so silent before. 

-You walked out of the bathroom and joined him on the bed. “I’m sorry.” You whispered. “What for?” 

“For making you endure that stupid fight.” 

“Never apologize for standing your ground.” He kissed your cheek.

“I love you.” You said. 

“I love you too, how about we go to the Burrow tomorrow, have the day with some family and relax. We can head over tomorrow morning.”

“They won't mind?”

“Like our family needs an excuse.” He wrapped you in his arms and you two dozed off. 

-And then while you were at the burrow, you got a text message. 

It was the worst day of your life. 

Call me sweetheart. 

It was your mom, you excused yourself to a greenhouse the Weasleys had added to their house. You called her:

“Mum? What’s up?” 

“She's dead, sweetheart.” 

“What?” Your heart stopped, you knew in your gut who it was. You knew but yet, you still had hope she wasn’t gone. 

Your mother then confirmed your worst fear, that your sister was dead. 

You numbingly agreed to your Mums idea of coming home for a couple weeks. And then said you needed a moment. 

Your Mum agreed. While your sister wasn’t even her child, she felt for you. 

You set your phone down on the glass table and sat down on the wicker couch. 

You held your head in your hands. 

You had a horrible fight with her the night before, she died thinking you hated her. She died thinking there would be no hope for your relationship. 

She died thinking her little sister wanted her gone. 

Damnit. Damnit. Damnit. 

Your memories began to play on autopilot, of what she was like before the addiction, of being happy and actually having a relationship with each other. 

Oh god, her kids. 

Before your mind could spiral anymore, you felt a hand on your shoulder. You looked up with tears in your eyes at Fred, who immediately wrapped you in his arms. 

“What is it?” 

“She’s gone.” You whispered. You weren’t sobbing, your tears were a constant river down your cheeks. 

“Who, love?” 

Then you said your sister's name, and he squeezed you tighter. You felt him press kisses to your hair. 

After 30 minutes, his twin came looking. Fred immediately sheltered you away from the eyes of someone else. Fred began whispering to George what had happened. 

Your phone began to buzz with messages, you silenced your phone immediately. 

Fred walked over as George stood in the doorway in complete shock. “Georgies gonna distract the family while you head upstairs. I’ll talk to them.” 

You nodded, he kissed your cheek.

You numbly walked up to Fred and George’s room to hide away from people to deal with your feelings. You crawled into Fred’s bed, enjoying the warmth and the smell of cinnamon that drowned your senses. 

About thirty minutes later, you heard a knock on the door, you did not have the energy to turn around. It opened. 

“Y/N/N?” Ginny's gentle voice whispered the nickname only she could call you. 

“Hey Gin.” You whispered, not turning around. 

You heard the door shut, then you heard her soft footsteps as she walked to the bed. You felt the bed dip as she sat down. “Sister time?” 

You nodded and turned around, she immediately laid down next to you, she pulled a blanket on top of you two. You two were facing each other. 

“Fred told you I assume?” You laughed without any humor behind it. 

She nodded, “they told us all.” 

“How did George distract you?” 

She rolled her eyes, “the idiot ran outside and slipped in mud so we’d all go find him and laugh or help out.” 

Your laugh cracked as it left your mouth. “He looked scared when he found Freddie and I.” 

“We thought you guys were fighting.” She admitted. 

You huffed a laugh through your nose. She asked, “are you okay?”

“I dont know.” You said helplessly. “We didn’t have a good relationship, her and I. I’m more emotionally drained right now. I cried it all out in Fred’s arms earlier. At least she’s not in pain anymore.” You said sadly. “Addiction is a true mental illness, I wish more people cared about these people.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“I have no idea how to respond to I’m sorries so imagine I'm sending you heart emojis right now.” 

She nodded. “Do you need me to do anything?” 

“No, unless you can respond to my extended family texting me right now with their useless prayers and words.” 

“I can if you want me to.” 

“Oh yeah? What will you say?”

“Stop shoving words down her throat and let the girl breathe.” 

You two giggled, “I have half a mind to let you do that.”

“Say the word and it’s done.”

“I love you, Gin.”

“I love you too.” 

The two of you continued to talk, about your sister and what happened between you two. About a quidditch match, anything. 

The morning of the funeral, Freddie sat down next to you on the twin bed you two had to share at your parents house. 

“What’s on your mind?”

“I think I've figured out the worst part of this situation.” 

“What?” 

“That we’ll never know if it was a suicide or not.” 

He gripped your hand tighter. 

At the funeral, you had Ginny holding one hand, and Fred holding the other. The other Weasley’s were all in attendance, even Percy. Fleur came out with Bill as well as Charlie. 

You didn't realize how concerned every single Weasley sibling was. Percy had never seen you so stoic, Fleur and Bill had never witnessed you be so withdrawn, Hermione and Ron have never seen you so emotionless, so cold to your surroundings. George was concerned for his new sister, Ginny was feeling for you, her best friend. Harry was grieving for you, his older sister figure. 

Fred hated seeing you so unlike yourself. 

Her kids sat with their step-siblings. So you sat with the Weasleys. Molly and Arthur cried, not just for your sister, but they knew you lost a piece of yourself with her that you’d never get back. 

Your father and you had never had a lovey relationship, even with his daughter dead, your guard was so high up you couldn’t bring it down to give an affection to anyone but Freddie. 

Your older sister's funeral was an event that you had not planned for. 

You would now grow older than your older sister. 

-After the funeral you and the girls were in your bedroom. Fred knew you needed some girl time. The boys and parents were downstairs with yours. 

“I don’t know where to go from here.” You admitted. 

They all looked at you in response, you continued. “Even though we didn’t like each other, I always thought she’d be there.” You felt the painful prickle of tears. You sniffed. Ginny reached for your hand. 

With your free hand, you gestured to the bag in the corner. “That’s her bag, I have to go through that. I can’t make my parents do it.” 

“We’re here for you.” Hermione said. 

“I can still feel her, like her ghost is following me everywhere.” You confessed.

“I wish we had another chance at being sisters.” 

The ending is so abrupt because I can’t relive the feelings I had after my sister's death. The last line of this sums it up though.

#Harry Potter #slytherin #fred weasley #fred weasley x you #fred weasly x reader #fred weasley x y/n #fred weasley x slytherin!reader

[beneaththetangles]

Review: The Stranger by the Shore (Movie)

Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Afternoon! Josh here! You know, I’ve been an anime fan for a little over 20 years now, and over the course of those 20+ years, I’ve watched shows or movies where I’ve said to myself, “I really don’t think I’m the target demographic for this one.” When I heard the premise of The Stranger by the Shore, I originally thought, “Meh, this just looks like one for specific fans of this genre. Probably not for me.” But this past Sunday, I saw Twitter go crazy over this movie, heaping prodigious praise for this rather short film, so I figured “Meh, why not? I need to watch something to wash the tastes of Girlfriend, Girlfriend out of my mouth” and checked it out.

Three viewings later, and I can honestly say that I was, in fact, exactly in the target audience for this one. Why? Because it’s about love. And after watching the farce of Girlfriend, Girlfriend, I kinda needed to be reminded what pure, genuine love looks like, and how this particular kind of love has many challenges both internal and external.

So what makes this movie so good? Let’s get into it. I’m Josh, the Cajun Samurai, and this is my review of The Stranger by the Shore...and interestingly enough, this is my very first review of an LGBTQ+ anime!

Okay guys, time to be a bit serious here. I know, it’s weird coming from me, but don’t worry, it won’t last long. I am duty-bound to let you guys know that this movie is rated “TV-14” on Funimation’s website, and honestly, were I in charge of the rating scale, I would probably rate it a little more mature as it does feature talk about sex and features characters engaging in intimacy. While nothing is seen, much is implied. If you decide to watch this film, but are put off by this sort of thing, it starts at 47:00, and ends at 49:30 if you’re streaming on Funimation’s website. Okay, end of disclaimer. Let’s get into it.

The Stranger By The Shore is based off a manga series by Kanna Kii. It begins with Shun, a writer living in Hokkaido with his aunt after running away from home. Why would he run away? Simple. Shun is gay and would not enter into an arranged marriage with his childhood friend. His parents were naturally upset over this revelation (How dare you not marry the bride we picked out for you?! And how dare you have other preferences for who you love?!) and so Shun hot-footed out of there to his aunt’s house to work on his book.

One night, Shun sees a young man making like Otis Redding and sitting on the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away. Shun’s aunt explains that the boy, named Mio, is now an orphan after having recently lost his mother (his father died earlier). Shun decides that he wants to try and befriend the boy, but Mio is having none of it, misinterpreting Shun’s advances as pity over the loss of his mother. However, this misunderstanding is quickly cleared up and Mio apologizes, saying that he was actually glad and didn’t mind if Shun was trying to flirt with him. After a day of unsuccessful fishing and a delightful dinner of curry, Mio reveals that he’s being sent to an orphanage on the mainland of Japan, and would only be able to communicate with Shun by phone once he arrives. Shun is pretty down about this.

Time passes and Shun’s cousin is moving out to live with her girlfriend, leaving an open spot at the house. Who could possibly fill it? Why, it’s Mio of course. Our boy is now 20 years old and is able to make his own decisions in life, including but not limited to love. Mio is fully ready to start up a relationship with Shun, not caring what society thinks, but Shun, having been on the receiving end of rumors and teasing about his sexuality, tries to get Mio to think twice about his decision, not wanting him to be ostracized as he was. This results in a couple awkward moments where Mio really wants to take their “relationship” to the next level, but Shun dragging his feet, just barely able to say “I love you” to Mio.

Oh, and if that weren’t enough, later on, Shun’s former fiancé, Sakuraku, comes to the village with some news: His father is gravely ill and wants to see his son before he punches his ticket on the Midnight Train to Georgia. Naturally, Shun is not too excited to see the parents who shunned him, nor is he excited to see the woman who he was once engaged to (albeit through an arrangement). Mio meanwhile is showing some signs of jealousy and a little insecurity at this new arrival. Is this new girl going to take Shun away from him? Will Shun actually go back to the girl that he left at the alter? Find out next time on DragonBall Z!

So yeah guys, I really and truly like this one. As I mentioned, I’ve watched it three times so far since it came out. The first time I watched it on my own just to see what all the commotion was about. Then I watched it a second time to take screencaps and offer up Twitter commentary as I typically do, and the third time…well…it was because the movie is just that freaking good.

It’s awesome just viewing a romance play out over time and watching two people deal with their respective issues to find one another. That’s part of what drew me to shows like Toradora, Kare Kano, Yuri on Ice, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for an Otaku, and Horimiya. Watching a romance from the very beginning and see it work itself through to its inevitable conclusion is beautiful, and that’s what you get with this one.

I also love the fact that this just isn’t a typical high school romance story. Yes, I know how ironic that sounds after the last sentence where I praised a bunch of high school based shows, but still… sometimes you just want a story with two mature adults instead of two crazy kids who are probably operating more on hormones than true love…even though there are times when Mio, young lad that he is, REALLY wants to make his relationship with Shun more physical, bless his heart.

Another thing that I really loved about this story are the differences in how Shun and Mio see the world with regard to their sexuality. While Shun sees their relationship through a somewhat wary lens, and doesn’t want Mio to be hurt like he was, Mio is much more of a free spirit, not allowing anyone or anything deny him from what he really wants. Part of me feels like the differences between these two are because of the times they grew up in. Shun is older than Mio, and no doubt grew up in a time where being LGBTQ+ was something to be scorned, mocked and bullied for. Mio, being a more modern and in some ways a more mature young man, understands what he’s in for and yet has no problem with it because he knows he loves Shun and in his mind, that’s all that matters.

One other thing that I find refreshing with this movie is that it doesn’t have any complex or mystical story lines. While I enjoy movies like Weathering With You and Your Name, sometimes those movies can just be too complex for their own good, adding mystical elements to a story that can at times clouds the waters. In fact, there are two moments where the characters seemingly pass out at different times during the movie after highly stressful situations, and I couldn’t help but think, “Okay, here comes the magical mystical stuff…these two are the reincarnation of some long lost, Feudal Era star crossed lovers that are bound by fate by the red string of something-or-other and they have to find the mystical key of the twilight or something…” But to my great surprise, these dorks were just TIRED. No magical journey, no mission they have to accomplish, just…tired. That is surprising. The Stranger by the Shore pretty much makes the characters the standout elements. These guys don’t have mystical powers, there’s no legend they have to figure out in order to save the world, there’s no time travel or dimension portals… it’s just a love story like any other.

Speaking of things that aren’t a big deal… I feel the need to address the elephant in the room. Yes, the intimate scene between Shun and Mio. Honestly… it’s a non-issue, as it should be. It’s two characters that are of age sharing an intimate moment with each other and they just so happen to be two males. It happens in loads of different anime and it’s not a big deal. Honestly, I found the way the moment was executed to be very realistic, gentle and tastefully done. If you avoid BL anime entirely, (and no judgement whatsoever–it’s not for everyone; watch whatever makes you happy) I suggest you check out our recent articles examining yuri and yaoi anime and see if those give you some food for thought, and maybe make you more likely to try out The Stranger by the Shore. Yup, I’m a true southern gentlemen–offering up Food for Thought. You always offer food to your company, thought or otherwise. Now go and get your grub on.

If I could find any faults with this movie, it’s probably that it’s too short and doesn’t give the characters enough developmental time. There’s just so much more I wanted to know about these adorable dorks: What was Shun’s life before the arranged marriage? How did he end up becoming a writer? What was Mio’s father like? How was Mio’s time in the orphanage? At just under an hour including credits, it feels like this movie could’ve explored so much more and expanded this beautiful world it created. This movie does a great job giving us endearing and lovable characters, but not enough time to fall even deeper in love with them.

Also, as a somewhat unrelated complaint, Funimation, please do the streaming anime community a favor. Please, please, PLEASE fix your video player! It’s just a mess! Sometimes the volume bar would be stuck on the screen long after I adjusted it, thereby ruining any screen captures I wanted to get. Also, please add closed captioning to the English dub video. It’s really a drag that the hearing impaired can’t enjoy the writing in the dub like everyone else, and it also sucks when bloggers like myself don’t have the text at the bottom of screen captures for context of a particular scene. You are partially owned by Sony Pictures… you can do better than this! But, I digress…

Speaking of Funimation, this movie was dubbed and released by Funimation Entertainment with director David Wald in the director’s chair. Honestly this was quite a shock to me as I would’ve expected Sentai Filmworks to put out a title like this, as they have never been shy to license and dub anime with LGBTQ+ themes. Yes, Funimation has put out a few here and there, the most famous being Yuri on Ice, but in my eyes, Sentai has always been THAT company to go to for movies and anime series like this. In fact, Hi Dive, Sentai’s streaming service, has an entire section devoted exclusively to LGBTQ+ anime and movies. Funimation? Not so much. But I digress.

Director Wald does an amazing job with this production, getting outstanding performances out of Josh Grelle (Shun) and Justin Briner (Mio). These two are just AMAZING in their roles, and captured these characters perfectly. Just try not to think about that when watching the English dub of Dr. Stone, as these two guys also play the bodyguard brothers Kinro and Ginro respectively. Speaking of Dr. Stone, listen closely and you’ll hear Senku Ishigami (Aaron Dismuke) as one of Shun’s classmates in a flashback.

So where does that leave us? Simple. This movie ranks a prodigious 9/10 for me. A must see. The Stranger by the Shore features a story that’s simple yet beautiful, adorably awkward and engaging characters, and acting that is just top notch in the English dub. The only thing that you may find a problem with is that there isn’t more of it. By the time the ending credits roll, you’ll want more of this one. Trust me.

Yes, I know that the story of two guys starting a romantic relationship might not be in everyone’s wheelhouse and the intimate moments might be something that gives you pause, but honestly, wherever you fall in the sexual identity debate or however you feel about it on a religious level, I can’t stress enough that you owe it to yourself to give this movie a chance. Because, at the end of the day, A has much to say about love and acceptance, things we ALL know a thing or two about and long for—gay, straight or otherwise.

=====

The Stranger by the Shore can be streamed through Funimation.

#Anime #Anime Reviews #Anime Movies #The Stranger by the Shore #Umiibe no Etranger #Yaoi #LGBTQ #Articles #Author: Josh #Author: The Cajun Samurai

[nice-kill-tanaka]

Heyhihello!! Can i request a match up for ohshc?

This was from another request from different acc i did weeks ago so that requesting would be much easier, ill label the numbers so that its clearer for you to understand!

2. Hobbies

Ill add things i like here too, if thats ok 😸

:food, music (classic, alternative/rock, pop and many moree!) books, anime/manga, science, literature, daydreaming, laughter/smiles, kickboxing, volleyball, archery, knives and guns, cold weather, blue skies, strong wind, horror /thriller.

3. What i want to find in a s/o

4. What i dislike

5. Personality

Im also a capricorn and libra ascendant that is infj-t mbti personality type!

Thank you very much ♥️

[🌄 @michiyonakamura​ requested one (1) regular Ouran High School Host Club matchup. I have just the ingredients for that! Sit tight while I get to work.🌌]

Not to sound weird, but I love your energy 😭!! I admire the fact that you have such a good sense of self. I’ll make you proud, bud! 😤

(Btw, since you didn’t clarify your pronouns, I’ll just use they/them for now. I’ll change them if you want!)

And, it looks like you have an admirer:

🌷Tamaki Suoh🌷

🌱Humble Beginnings🌱

In school, even in your second year middle school class, you knew the rumors far too well. The whispers that reminded you of viper hisses that kept one name relevant in your mind

The bastard son of Yuzuru Suoh, Tamaki

Despite the other kids explaining to you (Multiple times, at that) that the boy wasn’t worth talking to, you never understood the stigma around him

Maybe it was because your parents didn’t treat illegitimate children like the sin it was in the elite professional community?? But, you were genuinely confused at your classmates, who were so ready to deny the humanity of the new kid (Because of something he couldn’t control, no less)

You eventually asked for the opinion of your “friend”, Kyoya Ootori (Really, it was just an acquaintanceship built off the request of Kyoya’s parents. You knew that, but decided not to say anything out of liking spending time with him.). To which he responded that building a relationship with someone with such a horrible status held no benefit. But, he also knew that fact would hardly stop you

And it didn’t ❤️

You started your mini-mission with simple observation

Through watching at a distance, you learned that even though Tamaki was lowkey (highkey) shunned by his classmates, he was still the sweetest person imaginable towards them 

Something told you he understood why he had the social standing he did. But, the fact that he chose to not act bitter made you feel warmer on the inside

You really, really wanted to talk to Tamaki. And hardly because you pitied him. But, because he seemed like too good and interesting a person to pass off

After further observation, you found out that Tamaki also loved music! (As he took a classical music elective)

And suddenly, you had your peace offering

The day after your discovery, you went to the library on campus and got to work. The idea was that you’d print out a ton of sheet music for piano and offer your friendship by giving it to Tamaki

You ended up printing out “’Moonlight’ Sonata”, “The Entertainer”, “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3″, and many others like them, putting them in a folder with a sticky note signed with your name:

“Wanna sit together at lunch sometime? :D —(Y/N)”

After that, you left the decision up to Tamaki. Sure, you wanted to be friends with him, but letting him come to you would be a surefire way to gauge his interest

The next day, you sat at your usual spot with Kyoya at lunch, who expressed his doubts about your efforts paying off

And while you did acknowledge that your little plan could always fall through, you kept your hopes up. The notion of making your life a bit brighter with The Power Of Friendship™️ made you giddy

As your talking veered into the subject of your curiosities about how the cafeteria’s gourmet lunches managed to be so good every day, you noticed a shift in Kyoya’s gaze. Instead of looking straight at you, his line of vision looked like it was going just past you

“Ah, excuse me? You’re (L/N) (F/N), right?”

You immediately turned around at the sound of the polite voice behind you

Well, what do you know!!

The lean boy behind you stood patiently, familiar folder in hand. His blond hair and near violet eyes only complimented his sweet-looking face. He was exactly who you were hoping to see!! 

“Oh! Uh, yeah, that’s me!” 

“I got the music you left on my desk, and I wanted to thank you! You have amazing taste in music.”

Your heart: ❤️✨😊🌺☀️

“Oh- geez, thanks! I kinda thought you’d like them. Wanna, maybe...sit and talk about ‘em?”

Tamaki brightened and you both looked towards Kyoya for permission. The two of you faced each other again once he gave a brief, exasperated nod

“Of course!”

🌳Flourishing Love🌳

Together, you, Kyoya, and Tamaki became the respective heart, mind, and soul of the Ouran High School Host Club

As the naturally likable manager, you were often a bridge between the two conflicting views of leadership. You brought a certain empathetic sense of responsibility to the table, which helped in most club functions 

Tamaki, who you became rather close to, began to fall for your love of life, and your love for others

Even he was surprised by how many other clubs you helped out in, and made it his mission to make sure you don’t spread yourself too thin ((like he often did-))

Through you, Tamaki began to learn about all of your hobbies. And every day, he’d love you a little more

Your crush developed more slowly, but surely. You started seeing Tamaki as a romantic option when he started asking for you to teach him about the many things you enjoy. No one had shown that type of interest before, and honestly?? It was a little flustering

Soon enough, Tamaki couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to ask you out before the opportunity went away!

(((Sure, there was the issue of his customers being upset about his relationship. But, Tamaki would cross that bridge when he got to it, wouldn’t he?)))

It was actually in the library that Tamaki officially confessed. He gave you a book that you had already read, insisting that you look through it again. Albeit, confused, you complied by opening to the page bookmarked by a red rose. There, you saw a sticky note with a specific paragraph number written on it

The paragraph you read was a love confession that perfectly described Tamaki’s feelings

You looked up from the book to meet Tamaki’s eyes, that were free of the exaggerated version of himself. He was serious about this, and serious about you

After you two got together, Tamaki would’ve loved to flaunt his new relationship, but you eventually convinced him to keep it under wraps for now

In fact, he found the Secret Forbidden Relationship™️ shtick kind of ✨exciting✨ 

However, he will at some point get impatient and accidentally out your little romance to the Host Club (Kyoya had known all along of course)

One of your first dates was watching a “light” thriller at your place. In other words, the movie scared the crap out of Tamaki, while you comforted him like the knight in shining armor you are ☺️

Being as compassionate as he is, Tamaki would love easing you into becoming more verbally expressive. The improvement isn’t necessarily for him, since his higher understanding of other people means he can interpret how you feel too. But, he knows that taking that change is important to you, whether you’ve outright said it or not

Tamaki will become a lot more adventurous with you and all of your interests. The rest of his friends are actually concerned about his physical health 😅

During the winter months, you and Tamaki made it a habit of going out on days below freezing, and cuddling at a library/cafe 

Expect many, many chocolate roses from Tamaki in the places you frequent, with sweet little love notes attached to the stem

^The notes also include polite reminders of tasks you may have forgotten throughout the day

The reason Tamaki loved dating you (And not just you in general) was because you two had gotten together of your own volition. No outside forces like wealthy family or meddling friends were involved. This relationship belonged to only you two, and that fact couldn’t be taken away 💕

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

[🌌 There you go bud! That’s one matchup for the road. Hopefully it lasts for a while, but if it doesn’t, feel free to come back! I’d be thrilled to see you again.🌄] —Reagan

#caravan commodities #special bindles #matchup #michiyonakamura.traveler #michiyonakamura.request #ohshc matchup #ouran high school host club #ohshc #ohshc x reader #SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG #BEING GROUNDED HAS NO BENEFITS #I HOPE YOU LIKE IT MICHI-KUN

[janefaery]

Jane’s canon verses, inspired by @zzozo

01 -  PRE CANON . I have to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer. Have courage and be kind.

Prior to Prince Ben’s first proclamation, Jane is a shy and eager to please girl that’s known for being a teacher's pet - mostly due to her mother’s status as Headmistress, but also from her constant attempts to please. Meek and insecure in a way that stems from her mother’s version coddling, Jane is a shadow desperate to gain the approval of her peers and destined to fail at it from the very start.

“You did all your homework, Jane, no one is going to come to take you to the isle!” Her mother would tell her. “You made your bed, you don’t need to worry about being sent to the Isle.” With an aunt imprisoned on the Isle and her mother’s ‘kind’ reassurances of what a good girl she is, the need to be perfect is something Jane’s always felt, but that’s a goal no one could achieve.

Not a royal like the rest, Jane is often looked down on by the rest of her age group not only for her lack of royal blood, but her lack of human blood. Being part fae means that she is ‘other’ to them, she’s a sidekick instead of a hero, subhuman instead of human. Even the others born to magic are against Jane, her mother’s role in restricting the use of magic leading to others of her kind viewing her as a traitor, something that it’s far easier to hold against Jane than to fight over with one of the most powerful magical beings of Auradon.

The difference is something learned at a young age, from the moment she asks to be the princess in a game of pretend at daycare, eager to live out her happy ending. The other children jeer at her, bullying her for thinking she could have a happy ending. She’s not a princess, she’s fae, and everyone knows fae are incapable of love, so why would anyone choose her? Excluded from the game and in tears when her mother collects her, Jane changes daycares, but never forgets what she learned.

Folding herself smaller and smaller like a piece of origami paper in an attempt to become something beautiful is an artform Jane masters, but it doesn’t stop her from being shunned at lunch tables when she starts school. Jane’s isolation fills her with the need to find a place where she fits in, her own community, and each rejection she faces reaffirms her belief that she’s unpopular because of some personal failing on her own part.

She offers to help with every event and brings little gifts to everyone she tries to thank, any opportunity to make friends or be useful is something that Jane jumps on in an attempt to endear and ingratiate herself with people, but the more she swallows her own needs, the more disconnected she feels, drowning without a clue how to truly reach anyone.

02 - DURING CANON . I know it isn’t easy, but at least we should try to get along together.

Terrified at first of the villain kids that arrive in Auradon despite debating for their right to live there, it seems unlikely that Jane would find her place among those labelled as misfits and troublemakers, but it doesn’t take long before Jane is swept up in their folds and left feeling more like she belongs in their presence than in anyone else’s.

With the VKs in the school and the sense that she might have found a crowd to belong to, Jane begins to morph from someone insecure and anxious into someone shallow and snobbish. The friends that she so eagerly latched onto are abandoned for a chance to sit with the princesses she always adored without second thought. Morality and righteous equated with prestige and place of birth, Jane’s position at the cool kid’s table didn’t last long as the chair was snatched from beneath her the moment she no longer met their standards.

Grabbing the wand and bringing down the barrier might have given Mal and her friends the chance to prove they wanted to be good and turn against their own parents, but Jane learned more about who she was inside than she did the villain kids.

She was disloyal, willing to abandon the people that first befriended her and stood up for her all for someone with popularity. She was untrustworthy, willing to steal the wand and use magic to improve her own looks and as a result, she’d nearly brought every evil back to Auradon by collapsing the barrier. She’d wanted to be the cool girl with the fancy hair, the hot girl with the ripped skirt that everyone wanted, but where did that get her? What did it prove except that maybe she did belong on the Isle just like that quiz said?

Quick to learn her lesson, Jane resolves to be more open and less judgemental, to stand by the side of her friends instead of abandoning them for popularity. If Jane avoids anyone after the mess of the coronation, it was Audrey, who Jane views as a symbol of her own weakness and how easily she can be corrupted.

———

Jane’s revelations aren’t shared by everyone, her faith in Mal and her gang soon shown to be an unpopular choice when Jane realizes her own mother plans to have them expelled without hearing their case. Royalty isn’t always right and neither is the law, the time Jane spends around the VKs makes it clear that blind justice never cares for those caught up in its wake and that sometimes the rules need to be broken. Making up her own mind to go behind her mother’s back for help isn’t something Jane regrets, but the realization that her mother isn’t always right shocks Jane down to her core.

Rattled and beginning to question what she’d grown up hearing her entire life, it encouraged Jane to reach out to her new friends for support and greater understanding for the world outside of the careful playpen that her mother made for Jane’s life.

In them Jane found the courage and inspiration to begin reaching out for things she wanted, transforming from a mascot to a cheerleader and finally feeling seen by someone. As confidence building as that is, getting her first boyfriend perhaps gives Jane a greater boost of esteem and for the first time, Jane’s entirely life felt perfectly on schedule, attacks by sea witches aside.

———

Her life planned from the beginning, Jane is expected to be the Fairy Godmother one day and headmistress of the school, it’s not a secret she’s meant to replace her mother and be everything she is, but without magic. Content to follow in her mother’s footsteps, it’s easy to agree to her mothers plans on her career when Jane’s focus is elsewhere.

Still the same little girl wanting to play princess at heart, Jane is a romantic that dreams of her future with a loved one, confident that at last her happy ending is playing like it’s meant to. She knows the stories, that you grow up and go through a noteworthy event, you meet your true love and eventually you’re married.

The Coronation was her noteworthy event and Jane never questioned that Carlos was the one when he asked her to Cotillion, officially becoming her first boyfriend. Their relationship lets Jane feel like everything is falling into place and granting her everything she ever wished for. By being with Carlos, she has inclusion into his friends group and having a boyfriend means she isn’t alone. Having proof that she’s desirable to one person boosts her self esteem and gives her faith that everything will work out in the end because it has to, it’s her happy ending.

That certainty remained with Jane all through Auradon Prep, her time spent making sure Carlos never doubted her adoration and striving to have her fairytale play out perfectly until the story twisted. Graduation brings with it new opportunities for everyone, but it also brings about a fork in the road where both Jane and Carlos have to admit it’s better if they split ways.

People in fairytales don’t break up and Jane knows it’s for the best, but she’s left with a sense of loss and the certainty that she’s missed her chance at a happy ending because things didn’t work out. Firmly reminded of her status as a sidekick instead of a princess, Jane tries to let go of her romantic aspirations to focus on her career, dedicating herself to growing into the person her mother always planned for her to be.

03 - POST CANON . When there is kindness, there is goodness. When there is goodness, there is magic.

At fourteen, Jane dreamed of living anywhere but in the same kingdom as her mother, of going off to college and spending her summer on a beach while mermaids swam in the bay, or waking up in the spring to throw open a window gazing at Sherwood forest to see flowers blooming. She had the grades, there wasn’t any reason why Jane couldn’t go anywhere she planned and graduating Auradon Prep felt like a finish line to cross to begin living life on her own terms, but it didn’t work out that way.

Single and with her mother praising her newfound dedication to establishing her career, Jane surrenders her dreams of going away somewhere to school and instead enrolls in online classes at MIT. Slowly Jane’s vision of herself fades away, her mother’s hands molding Jane’s future into a duplicate of herself.

Working hard to earn a place at Auradon Prep like her mother, Jane soon finds herself with a job that no one thinks she deserves, whispers of nepotism following wherever she goes. Despite the time it takes up, Jane refuses to surrender her role with helping to organize social events for the castle, the one job that Jane enjoys more than anything else she’d found. Perhaps she could never be a princess, but at least she could make other girls feel like they were.

It’s easy for life to feel empty when you’re always helping someone else live out your dreams. Classes were taken without making new friends, balls were arranged without expectations of being able to dance, and new couples were celebrated while Jane doubted she would ever be anyone’s girlfriend ever again.

You dated once and married in fairytales, Jane dated once and went through a break-up, she helped other people achieve their happy endings without having her own. Yet no matter how often she tells herself that, it doesn’t make it any easier, the stress and anxiety building as Jane struggles to live up to her mother’s ideals.

Each day feels the same, waking up, throwing herself into every little project she can find, trying to make her mother proud, and working until she’s ready to pass out. The longer Jane exists in that pattern, the more established it becomes until it seems she’ll never break free of it.

Until she moves out.

Nineteen and with her own place, Jane answers to her own rules for the first time, no longer hearing her mother’s comments about her bed or when she wakes up or what she’s wearing. No fear of the woman wanting to go through her phone or searching her room, it’s a breath of freedom that sparks the first change in Jane.

Years after the first arrival of the Isle born, scandals and political fights help tentative friendships forge connections of unbreakable steel, people call Jane ‘bestie’ and encourage her to be her own person instead of a copy of her mother. It’s the acceptance that was always so rare in Auradon, that feeling of belonging, and it’s enough for Jane to give up her job at Auradon prep and begin to figure out who she is when she takes charge of her own future.

04 - PRESENT . And Ella continued to see the world not as it is, but as it could be.

The shift in her life isn't one that can be attributed to any single moment in time, but Jane has slowly been changing throughout the years and as she finds people that welcome her close, she gravitates to them more than her mother. With her efforts no longer devoted to living out fairy godmother's life plan, jane's priority turns to the isle and doing what she can to take care of her friends.

Using up her vacation time and sick days to travel away from work for a tournament isn't a move her mother approves of, but there's nothing she can do to stop Jane. Time is available and Jane is young, a flight of fancy can be forgiven in a teenager even if it is disappointing, something fairy godmother made sure that Jane knew.

One trip could be forgiven, but a second mere weeks later could not. No matter the reason for the trip, jane and her mother saw it from radically different perspectives, what jane saw as an important political meeting to defend the rights of the isle and possibly forge diplomatic connections was a waste of time to Fairy Godmother, who accusing Jane of shirking her duties and proving she wasn't responsible or serious when it came to obligations to Auradon Prep.

Anger getting the better of her, Jane finally breaks the dream her mother has long held and tells the truth - she won't be future headmistress of AP and that she's quitting at the end of the year.

Jane not only attends the town hall, but streaks her hair red, the vibrant color a testament to her support of the isle as well as a declaration of her feelings towards a certain pirate. It's a move that draws scrutiny and disapproval from the media as well as her mother, but for once that isn't enough to stop Jane from doing what she wants to with her life, finally searching out the path that will lead her to happiness.

It's on this path to self discovery that Jane begins to shed her fears of her magic, experimenting in the hopes that her fae blood might be something that could lead to doing something for the place, the people she'd come to care so much about.

During a celebration on the Isle for Ulf Night, everything goes wrong.

She creates a bioluminescent tree to help shine light on the isle, its glow fueled by the feelings sparked in her by the night, but her happiness comes at a cost. Fairy Godmother has enemies on the isle and they don't enjoy the sight of her daughter roaming freely on the Isle, a tourist in what's been their prison, and the sight of her so freely using magic when such a thing in Auradon would earn some a prison sentence is too much for the patience.

Jane is soft and unguarded, she's easy prey for a group of attackers no matter how many months she's spent learning self defense from the Lost Revenge crew, and a blow to the head finally brings her down.

When she wakes again, she's locked up in a cell, held prisoner on the Isle without any expectation of rescue. She schemes of how to break free, of biting at her captors and stealing a sword, determined to break free when she couldn't depend on anyone else to help her.

The invasion of the pirates proves Jane wrong about that and they continued to prove her wrong as she is kept aboard the Lost Revenge to heal. Recovering takes weeks into months, but Jane grows stronger and fills her hours with crafts, creating things with her hands as a way of expressing gratitude she doesn't have the words for. There in the medbay of the ship, Jane feels safe and happy, a sense of belonging that's been foreign her entire life, and when she's well enough to leave, Jane doesn't go far.

After being fired by email and receiving word from her mother that amounts to being told not to talk with her unless Jane resumes living life in accordance to Fairy Godmother's ideals, there's little to keep Jane in Auradon and she happily gives up the apartment she can no longer afford in favor of moving in to the apartment behind the Chip Shoppe on the Isle, her life again reshaping itself as she adjusts to living on the Isle and creating her own path.

#⁕ kindness is free ; love is free ⋯ [ headcanons ]

[eternitas-archive]

Oh one more thing before I leave

It’s just my two cents but I really gotta speak it into the world.

This is gonna be LONG so here have a read more

You all are hypocritical cherry pickers that want fandoms and communities to cater to your interests and morals

And let me tell you honey, that is gonna ruin not only your own experience, but everyone elses.

Lemme adress some things

Why y’all so ready to cry wolf when someone ages up a character?

The discourse is probably as old as this fucking community. It happens every other month and I am sick of it. “If you age up characters you are a pedo uvu sorry I don’t make the rules.” yes you do. You literally made up your own fucking rules about this. “Well you are shipping with a minor!” they’re aged up. “But you still ship with a minor!!”

Okay by that logic, why are we allowing all these other shippers doing their thing? The people that ship with Sans from Undertale that is a skeleton? I mean he is still just a skeleton linking him strongly to the image of death so necrophilia much?

What about the people shipping with inanimate objects? The people shipping with transformers? Those are aliens and or vehicles? Yeah that is mechanophilia.

What about people who ship with f/os that have animalistic features? I mean they are mainly antropomorphic but they still are animals. Beastiality

“No wait that is all dif-”

How about the people shipping with villains and criminals? Clearly that means they endorse that shit irl.

What about the people that ship with people MUUUCH older than them? some millenia or hundreds of years? or just 20? clearly endorse predatory behavior

While we’re at it what’s up with people shipping with divine beings? Angels? Demons? Sounds like blatant blasphemy to me

Do I want you to double down so you can prove yourself right? NO! I want you to understand that you guys are cherry picking and not understanding correlation between topics! Are there legit pedos on tumblr? yes. is it a strangers job to care for all the minors out there? no? If I go into a park it is not my job to hold an eye out for all kids that there are. I am not their parent, guardian or otherwise a person with any responsibility towards them. Same for people on the internet. I will do my shit and keep to myself. and if I happen to enjoy stuff for myself that is my right. Do I halt at a red light bc I want to be a good example for kids so they don’t learn bad behavior? Can I stop every person that crosses a red light and hold them a long ass lecture about how they endorse dangers in the streets? No.

“But there are minors on the internet!” Yes, I am aware, they will always be, always have been, your point?

“We need to make a safe space for the kids!” No we don’t? people need to follow the Terms of Service of a platform and honestly most people that reblog nsfw stuff even clearly state that minors should not interact.

“No like, YOU need to be on your best behavior bc there could be a minor anywhere!”

Since when did I become these minors parent? Since when did someone push these kids into my lap and say “your responsibility now”?

You need to understand that you can’t always just get upset at stuff EXISTING

nsfw fics are usually tagged and marked accordingly, most people that engage in a lot of nsfw stuff usually have “minors don’t interact” on their blog somewhere. Some even BLOCK people that follow them and are clear minors, that’s some DEDICATION.

But I have seen posts catering to FUCKING WRITERS saying “pls keep nsfw out of ur imagines and reader fics :)))) for the minors, otherwise I cant reblog it.” If you want to cater to your minor audience sure, but I can not stress enough how you can not tell others how to run their shit. Yes, you can suggest that to the imagine writers or writers in general but it is their right to say “no I run it like I want to” and proceed with their shit. And there is nothing you can do about it. Besides if minors really want some nsfw, trust me they WILL find it. Should we therefore police everyone and stuck them into horny jail? No.

“haha look at this lame ass adult getting upset they can’t be predatory anymore bc they are being called out on their pedophilia”

Idk how to tell you that it’s none of your fucking buisness what my personal history is and that you have no claim outside of “aging up is pedophilia” but sure go off, bc I am “upset I can not be predatory” anymore and not just outraged people are throwing around unreasonable claims.

Why would I even age up a character if pedophilia is about being into MINORS? Why would I age a character up if the WHOLE THING about pedophilia is that they are kids????

“Okay but then it’s predatory!” There is a point that depictions of an adult dating someione who is “barely legal” normalizes predatory behavior, but honestly, why is that MY responsibility? And who says I age them up to be barely legal? My social media/tumblr/ selfship experience is a very private thing. It’s a very personal thing, so why tf do I need to cater it to people who are NOT ME? When I do that it’s because I want to do it, not because I need to fill some moral obligations. (and yet I can say that YES caring about lgbt, other religious, non white selfshippers and boosting them is something generally people should do)

Like there is a thing about fiction. It doesn’t age like normal people. When I started to love one of my f/os we were the same age. The series eventually ended, it didn’t progress in real time, so I grew up while they stayed their age. And guess what! none of this backstory is any of your god damn buisness!! I don’t OWE it to you as much as writers and others don’t owe their trauma to you just so you can “give them permission” to deal with their trauma through selfshipping or writing. Who do you think you fucking are?

Fiction is not reality. And I am sick being stuck in medevial dark ages europe where people believed everything on a stage to be real life. Where actors were not allowed to exist and the people that did act and depicted a bad guy were generally shunned and hated by everyone bc they didn’t distinguish between fiction and reality.

Does fiction have an effect on reality? Yes. Jaws had repurcussions. Even the german novella “Die Leiden des jungen Werthers” had about a dozen suicides following the lead of the main character. 50 shades had an effect. 13 reasons why had an effect. But that doesn’t mean what you believe it means.

In the end I can not take the role of these minors parents to educate them and look after them. It shouldn’t be my job. And yes there are a lot of scummy adults on the internet. Like a LOT. But you need to understand that the internet will NEVER be a child safe place. And most adults take precautions already!

But fics aren’t for morality lessons. Fics aren’t for sex education. Fics aren’t there to be a fucking HOLY BOOK. Fics are just creative writing. And selfshippers are just there to have a bad time. And if they act out SURE call them out but otherwise just leave them tf alone?

“No no, what you write is what you actively endorse uvu”

Then say good bye to Horror and thriller. Say good by to books involving cheating. Say good bye to books in which anyone ever gets harmed. Say good bye to books ever even mentioning any problematic topic that isn’t 100% uwu pure

“Wait no that is different-”

How is it? Is it only problematic when you get off of it? Is that your argument? Are we going the christian route of condemning being sexually free and enjoying something that is legit a very important thing to a lot of people? (yes to asexuals their LACK of sexual attraction can also be a very important topic bc they have the right to express that without being condemed for not wanting to BONE or not being able to get horny by looking at bodies.)

Yes the over fetishization of certain topics is problematic, yes there is a lot of toxicity when it comes to porn and that shit, but kinks are just kinks.

“So you say pedophilia is just a kink!”

No. Pedophilia is aweful and no child should ever suffer through that sort of exploitation.

“But you say rape is just a kink!”

No. Real life rape is aweful and whoever rapes another human being deserves death full stop.

“You just said-”

YES! I know what I said! A lot of people hate real life stuff that they endorse in fiction. Some people are into pissing and shitting into each other! Some people are into hardcore bondage! And they all have their own histories, their own lifes and it’s their fucking thing? Do I want death on all rapists? Yes. Do I sometimes have questionable fantasies that might involve non con or dubious consent? Yes, so? Do I have my reasons for that? Yes, it’s none of your gd buisness?

It all always boils down to entitlement. Y’all need to understand that you can’t just run around demanding everyone to cater to your bullshit. You can not run around accusing people of pedophilia just because they would like to see themselves date a fictional character, but in their age.

If it makes you uncomfortable then don’t follow and interact with those people but you don’t need to pretend to have some moral high ground so you are the better person. You can just... have dislikes?

Even so, as I make this post I can not speak in broad terms because each case, each person is individual. Maybe some get off on shit and endorse it, how should I know? Maybe someone out there is fighting for not policing and censoring stuff because they actively want more pedo content, I don’t know, I am not the CIA or FBI?

It’s also none of my buisness. Is it aweful that these people exist? yeah. Are they prone to be on tumblr? probably? Are they that selfshipper that ages up their f/o so they can smooch? Unlikely.

People have their reasons. Their backstories, and none of that should have to be layed open just to get a strangers “okay” for shipping with the fictional character that makes them happy.

so uuuh before I leave

tldr: y’all full of shit and aging up is not pedophilia, you are just trying to give yourself some moral highground. you sound like a flatearther lol.

Gates closed, bitches

#and with that I abandon this sideblog for good. gbyeeeeee y'all insufferableeeeeee #except for aurora #she is a sweetheart and i support her

[dorizardthewizard]

TLNM musings, part 2

Okay, here I ramble about problems with the movie. Ended up adding more stuff since I first wrote this :’P

Screentime and characterisation of the other ninja:

One of the biggest complaints from fans... they're all introduced individually with very different personalities, they’re told they each have a special element they control, making you feel like they should each get some moment to shine and affect the plot of the movie, but then none of that happens. Ultimately you could take out all the ninja and the story would be the same, you don't even necessarily need them for Lloyd's character since his journey of reconnecting with his father and bringing his family together can still work without them. It's so sad because if you read and watch extra material, you can tell thought went into their personalities, but we never get to see this as they're all just lumped together, mostly there to support Lloyd's development.

For someone who hasn't seen the show, it must feel a bit off seeing characters with distinguished personalities and no payoff for it; take Zane for example. Imagine not knowing anything about the characters and seeing one of them is a robot, for some reason? You wonder why he's a robot, what significance that has for the plot and why it's important for his character (I mean they missed a big opportunity to develop Zane from always trying to fit in and seem like a “normal teenager” to accepting that he's different but that that doesn't mean he's less valid), but then this really specific characteristic is never expanded on except for comedy purposes. People probably thought “oh, guess it makes more sense in the show”, but this just detaches viewers and makes them feel like they're missing something if they haven't seen the show beforehand.

Sigh, still gotta give the crew credit for fitting in a load of little subtle details about the ninja, I had to rewatch it a couple of times because there were things I didn’t notice at first, like Kai sliding down a bannister in the Temple of Fragile Foundations and falling off :’D

Group dynamic:

Another thing that bothered me is that the movie isn't that good at making you care about them as a team. They're already established as friends but I wish there were more material showing us how much they care about each other. The Kai hug scene was 10/10 but then when Chen and the other cheerleaders started picking on Lloyd, nobody said or did anything? In merchandise it said Kai is a hothead who isn't afraid to speak up or stand up to people, then show it in the movie! Him and Nya should have been on the verge of tackling that guy to the floor! Ok, I can see Lloyd asking them not to get into fights as it makes people hate him even more and he probably feels guilty if one of the ninja gets into trouble because of him. This would still have given more emotional connection between the characters but we're never shown it, except in the novelisation where Cole tries to block Lloyd from his locker so he doesn't see the insult written on it, I think. But again, we shouldn't have to read/ watch extra material for that.

Instead of moments showcasing the ninja’s friendship and close bonds, we got the opposite- everyone turned on Lloyd incredibly quickly for one mistake. Sure, it was a pretty big one and resulted in Garmadon taking over the city and their mechs being wrecked, but Lloyd was the only one doing anything about Garmadon at the time and he didn't exactly know what the consequences of using the ultimate weapon were; it's not like he knew it could potentially hurt his friends. In fact, how did the ninja know he used it anyway? That would mean they already knew about it and what it could do, yet Lloyd was not told? In which case, how can they blame him?? Damn it Wu, why couldn't you just tell Lloyd that using the weapon would unleash a cat that could destroy the city, instead of vaguely saying the weapon can be dangerous in the wrong hands. That's taking too many pages from TV Wu's book!

Honestly, it's like the ninja were just one character either shunning Lloyd or supporting him, depending on what the plot needed :/ That scene where they're talking with Garmadon while carrying him through the jungle really rubbed me the wrong way because first, no one seemed to care that Lloyd is so snippy because he's been forced to work with the man who made his life hell, and second they joke about Lloyd with that very same person and imply they don't respect Lloyd as leader, as Jay says he doesn't usually want to listen to him when he's talking? What??

 Lloyd and Garmadon’s relationship:

I mentioned this in part 1, but they really didn’t execute this well- I feel like they had so much fun playing up Garmadon being the worst dad in the world that they forgot to give him redeemable qualities. It took me a second viewing to realise his relationship with Lloyd was actually pretty messed up, because they played off his despicableness as comedic and glossed over it by suddenly giving him a flashback to make it seem like he’s sorry. They wanted to go for the father-and-son-have-issues-but-reconnect story, and had Lloyd say “I wish we didn’t have to fight all the time” in his emotional ending, but that’s a line usually present in a daddy-issue story where both have a part to blame and there's issues with communication. In this, though? Lloyd did nothing wrong! It was just Garmadon being trash, and there wasn't even a particular scene of him recognising and apologising for his actions- not the bit about driving Misako away, but how he treated Lloyd after.

The message is all mucked up - hoping to find some good in neglectful parents is just gonna get you hurt, and in a story like this it would make more sense for the protagonist to realise they don't need validation from this guy, shouldn't feel like they have to keep connected with toxic relatives just because they're family, and that they should focus on the friends and family who actually love them (although, whether Lloyd's friends were even portrayed as liking him is a different story). I mean, Koko could just teach him to throw and catch! Does he have to have two parents just for that?

 Tone and humour:

I think another main reason this movie didn't do as well was its more childish tone and dialogue; unlike the previous two movies, it was marketed at younger children. One of the main reasons TLM and LB were so successful is because of the self-aware jokes that could actually be enjoyed by adults too, while in this movie I may have properly laughed only a couple of times. Plus, in its effort to connect with kid's humour it just got cringy in some parts, like the Ultimate Weapon compilation. It would have been funny if it was ironic, like Amazing World of Gumball style, but it just didn't come across like that, so I can see why many jokes fell flat for older audiences.

People probably had different expectations for the overall tone as well- everyone loved the previous LEGO movies because of their constant barrage of action, witty jokes and a ton of references. This was never the selling point of Ninjago, but TLNM didn’t manage to capture the show’s dramatic style and deep lore-driven plot either.

The writers:

Okay last thing. This movie had three directors, six producers, six screenwriters and seven people working on the story. Compared to most animated movies, that's a lot, and its shows. It feels like they had a few different ideas and themes and couldn't quite patch them together, with vague messages like “looking at things from a different point of view” being thrown in as well to try and link it up. I guess at the end of the day, this is a father-son story, and that makes it very difficult to fit in a power-of-friendship plot at the same time, but still. Also, the shifting plot and ideas is really clear in the trailers, I mean half the stuff there wasn't even in the movie, it's as if the entire story was changed!

 Final verdict? I think an overall theme with this movie is that the writers wanted to overhaul Ninjago to introduce it to new viewers, but also wanted to keep the fans happy so shoehorned in lots of elements from the show without giving them enough development. This just disappoints fans and alienates general audiences, which is a problem since Ninjago doesn’t have a huge following already backing it up like LEGO Batman did, and could have been the pilot for more original LEGO lines making it to the big screen. It was a technically amazing movie, with beautiful animation and visuals, an epic soundtrack and stunning voice acting, but it was also such a waste of potential.

 The only other thing we can do is think about how it could have gone differently, so here's some of my ideas :'D

NOT using the deleted time travel plot. I know that after being disappointed in a movie you welcome any alternative, but giant mechs were already a big deviation from the ninja theme; flinging in time travel as well would be too much for non-show watchers. Plus, I thought we were all complaining about how time travel in Ninjago always just messes things up :'P

Also not following the show closer. We have over 10 seasons of the show, the whole point of a movie is giving a fresh take; using a giant snake or the Overlord possessing Garmadon again would just be boring.

Delete the first act? One of the best parts of the secret high school heroes trope is seeing how they juggle both lives, if you're gonna drop it after half an hour there's not much point of it being there.

Could instead just have Garmadon attacking again, the last invasion attempt being ages ago. Maybe the ninja rediscover a rich history of elemental masters protecting Ninjago when Wu decides to get a new team together to fight the new threat?

Make it about learning master building instead so they build their mechs at the end, and then gain elements in a sequel?

Or don't mention anything about elements and have every ninja individually go through an obstacle to obtain an elemental weapon, then they all lose them but don't know they're not necessary, so it's actually a surprise that the power is inside them? Everyone gets a sort of true potential moment?

Ninja having to warm up to Garmadon's son, so we have a plot of Lloyd slowly gaining their respect and becoming leader?

Higher stakes at the end, make the Shark Army more threatening and have them turn on Garmadon using Meowthra, so there's still an intense climax of the ninja fighting the army before Lloyd reaches Meowthra and gets his emotional ending?

Get rid of the live action sequence, or make it fit the message of the story more?

Feel free to add any ideas/ thoughts!

#ninjago #ninjago movie #lego ninjago movie #RIP lego cinematic universe v_v #my posts

[mahlerlove]

I'm gonna use the empty void in this website because here I don't have any connections to people in my daily life

I have issues concerning socialization. Lots of them.

I was born in Brazil, but moved to the US (California) when I was 2. I was learning Portuguese with my family, but when we moved, I had to basically start over with English. The cultural differences between Brazil and the US are huge, especially concerning a child's development. In Brazil, PDA is the norm. If you are a toddler, it's expected for people to talk to your parents AND you. There are a lot of social cues that are vastly different in either country, and US culture focuses on a very detached interaction between people. The only friends I had were the kids of some friends of my parents, and not only couldn't I communicate with them, but I also got bullied by them.

I was a toddler who didn't speak English, and what little Portuguese I knew was shunned even by the Spanish speaking teachers at every single school I went to. My family would have the police called on them because of PDA and existing as immigrants, and also because they couldn't understand, for example, why giving you preschool teacher a hug was enough reason to get their 3yo expelled. I changed schools about 20 times while we lived in the US. My sister, even though she was born in the US, wouldn't be accepted anywhere because of xenophobia.

We were set to live there for life. My parents had applied for US citizenships, and my father's contract was going to be renewed on October. Then 9/11 happened. In less than two months we had been deported and were back to our old house in Brazil without anything except a styrofoam box where we would try to keep some food while everything was being shipped by boat. We lived almost 2 months like that, while my father tried to get his old job back. It was awful.

My parents tried to enroll me in school, but the thing is: Brazil has a lot of practical jokes, especially between kids. I got expelled in a week because a kid slapped me as a joke and I, due to being raised in such a strong "do not touch anyone" policy, responded by beating them up. I didn't know any Portuguese, English is not used as a second language here, and my parents couldn't teach me anything because they were both struggling with unstable jobs and two kids (5yo me and 2yo sister).

In the US I had learned how to read very quickly, and my parents thought I wouldn't have any issues at school here. I ended up changing school half a dozen times, but finally settled in a school that used a different method. That school was hell. The class teacher would lock me in a closet at the back of the class so that I "wouldn't be a bad influence on the other kids". I got beat up daily, multiple times, by other kids, and more than once got physically assaulted by that teacher herself. She got me expelled two months from finishing first grade.

My parents were out of options. They had nowhere else to go. I still couldn't speak Portuguese well enough, no school would accept me or my sister, and even if I wasn't scared and hurt enough, telling them about the abuse wouldn't amount to anything because the school board would defend their own kids at all costs. I was 6, couldn't and wouldn't talk to anyone, and would pounce on anyone who tried to approach me.

The school that expelled me suggested a school for "special kids", where kids who had neurological, genetic, or developmental issues (sorry if these descriptions is offensive, I'm trying to explain this as best as I can). My parents took that advice and tried to get me enrolled there. The school didn't accept any kids younger than 7, but they went out of their way to help. I spent the three next months ina cupboard under a staircase talking and playing with two teachers who would try to find some time between classes to take care of me until I'd go to some sort of therapy. I still didn't have any friends, but I was finally able to speak Portuguese, and wasn't trying to beat up anyone who dared near me.

The next year I got into a 1st grade class, along with 5 other kids. Things were finally starting to go well. I started getting along with my classmates, but most of the time I'd isolate myself and read books. I wouldn't go out to play at recess, and they banned me from the school library when I refused to socialize. I was scared of playing with anyone because I didn't want to get bullied or hurt any of my classmates. I wouldn't establish any sort of friendship out of fear of someone getting hurt. I started going to boy scout meetings, and those were the only reason I lived for.

Two years later I changed schools again, and my parents hoped that then it would be better for me. When the board of the school I'd been attending explained to them that I would get compromised educationally and mentally, they accepted their recommendation and enrolled me in another school. It was even worse than before. I got bullied in every way possible because of the school I'd come from. I would be called r*tarded, filthy, and other stuff by my classmates, other kids, and staff. The only place I'd been even remotely happy was called a hospice by everyone around me, including other parents and teachers. My teacher would try to keep things under control, but when she got diagnosed with cancer and quit to treat her health, things only went downhill. I had my chest slashed open by one teacher's nails when she grabbed me to scream insults when I tried to defend myself from being beaten by four classmates during her class. It was the first time I planned suicide.

When I turned 10, I went back to the school I'd been expelled from. The first day of school my mother pulled me aside and explained to me that my teacher had threatened the school board to give me a chance in his class. He tried to include me at every time, and did whatever he could to keep me from harm. He was fired at the end of that same year under false pretenses and ridiculous accusations of not following the school's method. I would only speak three times a day: "Good morning teacher." "School was ok.", and "Good night".

I wasn't as lucky with my classmates as I was with him. The daughter of my former teacher at the school (the one who locked me in the closet) was in that class, and she made sure to tell everyone where I'd come from, and used that as an excuse to get everyone around to beat me. I got stabbed with pencils and had my clothes and hair cut with scissors. Again, it was hell. I had no friends, because nobody would come close to me, either due to prejudice, or for fear of getting the short end of the stick for approaching me. When my teacher got fired at the end of the year things got even worse. I had to bring two sets of clothes to school each day because I'd get thrown in a small pond at the back of the school every day, sometimes twice. The only place I could be a bit more free was at my scouts group meetings. I tried suicide for the first time.

The next year things started to change. One kid stood up for me and berated everyone in front of the class. The next day he tried to use that as blackmail to manipulate me into doing his schoolwork, and threatened to beat me up as well. He still beat me up. But his speech had some impact: I started to be left alone. I'd hide in the school library and read for hours on end after school while I waited for my parents to pick me up. Some teachers started helping me with schoolwork and I started to pick myself up.

The next two years steadily got better, but I could never trust anyone enough to call them my friend. The only place I was open enough to talk to people was at scouts meetings, and even so, I wouldn't hold conversations or let friendships develop because every time I tried to open up, I was forced to realize I never learned how to act or talk to people, and would have "weird kid" rubbed on my face.

During that time I went as a junior chaperone to a summer camp. That's where I made my first true friend after my time in the "special kids" school. She and I sat down on a riverbank and started talking about feeling left out. My first true friendship was made over a conversation about wanting to commit suicide. She is my friend to this day.

Highschool wasn't much better. Even if people were treating me well, nobody would stick around too much because of how "weird" I was. I did make some more friends. I came out during that time, and even with my family's support, it wasn't easy. The first three people I fell in love with were gone: The first one died of cancer at 16, the next one had a stroke when we were chasing each other, and lost all her memory, even her own name. The third one was one of best friends, and when she left for college she cut all contact with everyone, and I was brokenhearted and lost.

I chose to study Psychology in college. I studied hard to get accepted in a public university (in Brazil those are the best ones), and I moved 500km (a little over 310 miles) away. I was trying my hardest to start over and have a new life. I chose my course because I believed that some rotten apples don't represent Humanity as a whole, and I didn't want anyone to suffer what I've been through. I chose to be a therapist, teacher, or social worker the day I had my first class in that cupboard under the stairs.

College has given me the best moments of my life: I have friends, I have had relationships, I have finally been invited to parties, but to this day I still struggle with social interactions. I still can't connect with people, and I still get teased and ridiculed for certain mannerisms. I still feel better on my own. I don't think I've ever been loved, and I live with the little voice in the back of my head telling me it's all a farce to humiliate and hurt me even more. I have never felt loved, even by my family. I have never had a genuine connection with any of my partners. I have never felt truly accepted in any clique or group of friends.

I spend most of my time drinking, smoking, and trying to relate to other people in some sort of social setting, when I know it's all a temporary relief for this emptiness and detachment from other people I feel 24/7. Quarantine has been a relief and a curse.

Any type of rejection, any type of joke directed at me, makes me break in a cold sweat and hold back tears. Any type of interaction, whoever it may be with, feels fake and staged. I have no identity. Therapy has never helped me with this, because these therapists are never able to grasp how lonely I've been my whole life. Every single day I grow weary of other people, and I feel that I am a fraud. Every day I hate people a little more, and I hate myself for it, for making the decision to help others, for believing in a lie. I am living a lie told by me to myself.

#tw suicide #suicide #self-harm #depression #anxiety #social ineptitude

[flyingmustachio]

You know I think maybe some of the rigid polarization issues we’re having here in the U.S. over the past couple of decades especially, might be due to how our concept of family has changed? The bubbled-off, nuclear family of just mom dad and kids living together only really became widespread in the 1950′s or so. Before then, grandparents or other relatives very frequently lived together.

I always think  about how my perspective would be different if I had been raised with my extended family always around. Many cultures raise children even more communally. In many Native American cultures, for example, the role of primary child-carer goes to the grandparents. What would my concept of “mother” be like if I never expected to be raised by her? What roles would she take in my life? How would my feelings towards her be different than under my current conception of “motherhood”?

I imagine that if I were raised in an extended family situation, I would have been exposed to many more viewpoints from the very beginning of my life. In the U.S. children don’t have such close relationships with their extended family. Even with the closest families that visit their extended relatives frequently, it’s simply not possible to attain the kind of intimate relationship you develop by living with and being by around someone directly in your home. The parent’s here authority is seen as pretty exclusive. I feel like there’s a culture of heavy silence, if you will. Even if you are an aunt or cousin or grandfather of the child, you are expected never to contradict what the parents want the child to learn. For example, some parents will get upset if a friend or relative explains something to their child that the parents wanted to censor from the child’s knowledge until they were older. I have seen Christian parents get angry that a family friend admitted they were Buddhist in front of the child, or worse, gave a basic explanation of their differing religion or political view. That’s why there’s always so much hullabaloo around gay representation in our media - “But what am I supposed to tell my kids?!” is a constant talking point, as if it were the rest of the world’s job to keep the existence of homosexuality secret so as not to contradict their personal parenting decisions.

I feel like we Americans are raised in tiny cultural bubbles to some extent. Most of us don’t encounter anything new that really challenges our assumptions until quite late - even into adulthood. Some never end up having any of their beliefs shaken at all, simply because they never encounter anything different enough to make them reconsider their perspectives. If you are born in a family that trends in one religious or political direction or other, you tend to stay in that religion and party, because your parents alone control what type of people, media, news, and perspectives you have access to. Your brain develops in an environment specifically tailored towards those beliefs. Your perspective matures in a place where you are intentionally hampered from too deep a knowledge or insight into opposing views. Anyone who believes differently from your family is “othered.” On the more severe end, which I can speak to directly as I was raised for some of my childhood in a Charismatic Catholic mini cult, anyone who believes anything different from the chosen narrative was outright dehumanized. They were dangerous. Of course we were supposed to love everyone, but oh, our lesbian neighbors, your Wiccan friend, they’re under demonic influence, you know. It’s not that they’re evil, they’re just wounded. They’re not yet saved. Better to pity and pray for them from afar, and be careful not to spend too much time with them, or else they may open you up to demonic influences too!

I remember once my mother shaking her head and saying to me, her voice full of exasperation and disappointment “I JUST don’t understand why you don’t have more friends like you!” At the time I was just confused. My friends were like me! We all liked books! We all liked each other’s music and humor! It took me a while to realize that she meant “why don’t you have more friends who are Christian.” And not just Christian, but our specific brand of Christian. We even avoided relatives who thought too differently. I could spend as much time as I wanted with children of other cult members, with freedom, but my friends from public school had to be vetted, and time spent around them was limited, and with more supervision.

I feel like this is why so many college graduates get told they “changed” after college, or even that they got “ruined.” It isn’t until college that some of us even learn assumption-challenging information. I know for me I DID change during college, simply because I learned so much information I had to expand my perspective on everything. I basically learned whole new ways to think and evaluate. Even if you start to question things, in this kind of bubbled-off environment, from the child’s perspective there can be IMMENSE pressure to toe the family line. In families that have very heavily curated the child’s environment and social contacts, deviating from “acceptable” opinions too far could mean losing contact with not just your family, but your entire community. Not just through direct shunning or disowning, but through coldness or constant arguments or proselytizing. It’s difficult to maintain a deep relationship with a family who only tries to reconvert you every single time they talk to you. 

Americans also don’t travel much - lots of us who live near enough the borders have been able to go to Canada or Mexico, but a huge chunk of Americans never get the chance to leave the States at all. If they do it’s maybe one cruise that goes only to touristy places that already fit their mental stereotypes. I am lucky enough to have family in London, and have had the chance to travel to Europe several times in my life. Traveling is such an important way to expand your perspective, and most of us simply can’t afford to do it.

So here you’ve got a lot of Americans being raised with extremely limited points of view, in separate media bubbles that they continue to stay in into adulthood, to the point where the views of the other political side are completely nonsensical to you because they’re coming from a perspective that you can’t even imagine because you barely know it exists. And in the worst, most culty cases, where you and everyone you’re close to share a cultural identity based on demonizing the “other side,” you’re going to be afraid, deep down, to challenge any of your beliefs because it might mean having to rethink your entire world view, and be considered to be under demonic influence yourself.

Obviously this nuclear family isolation is on a huge spectrum. Most U.S. families are not in cults, and many U.S. families are very open-minded. But I think it’s enough of a thing to be a thing, if that makes any sense.

But if I had been raised in an extended family or in a family model where child-rearing authority were spread out to more adults, whether related or not, I would have had SO much more depth of social knowledge. If I had been allowed to have deep relationships with and rely on and ask questions of more adults, I feel like it would have been much easier to understand other’s perspectives, much quicker. Even if all your relatives are of the same religion or political party, they’re bound to have a much wider range of opinion than a few carefully curated friends who agree completely.

I would really love if someone from a communal-parenting culture would weigh in, I’d love to hear your perspective on this.

#sociology #polarization #media bubble #communal parenting #brain development #child rearing #extended families #socialization #cultural bubbles #U.S. culture #U.S. problems #nuclear families #I think this is also part of why Americans are generally so ignorant to other cultures too #Many of us are basically raised to believe people exactly like us are the only 'real' people and everyone else is odd or dangerous

[septembercfawkes]

How to Write Your Story's Theme

Whenever someone says you "can't" do something in writing, I often hear instead *I* don't know how to do that in writing. For a long, long time, many writers, even professional, seasoned writers have said you can't and shouldn't write to a theme. That if you do, you'll always come off as preachy.

What they are really saying is *they* don't know how to intentionally write theme.

Theme is one of those elusive words that people often use but don't fully understand in storytelling. Worse yet, there are actually a lot of misunderstandings in the writing industry and community about it.

Here's the deal: Whatever we write communicates or teaches something to the audience, whether or not we intend it to.

During His ministry, Jesus Christ used parables (aka, stories) to teach people lessons, morals, new ideas, and change culture and ideology. Whether or not you are Christian, you've likely heard of the parable of the Good Samaritan. What is the point of that story? What is it teaching? It's teaching that we should love, be kind to, and serve everyone--regardless of nationality, religious background, culture, or whatever. Everyone is our "neighbor."

A thematic statement is essentially the teaching of a story. So for the Good Samaritan, the thematic statement is, "We should love, be kind to, and serve everyone."

Let's look at some other famous stories and their thematic statements (teachings).

The Little Red Hen: If you don't contribute or work, you don't get the rewards of those efforts.

The Ant and the Grasshopper: If all we do is have fun and entertain ourselves, we won't be prepared for difficult times.

The Tortoise and the Hare: It's better to move forward at a steady pace than go so fast we burn ourselves out.

These are old, famous fables with seemingly obvious thematic statements. Often in children stories, the theme is stated more directly. For adult fiction, it may be much more subtle.

Here are some more modern examples.

The Greatest Showman: You don't need to be accepted and loved by the world, only by a few people who become your family

Spider-verse: If you get up every time you get knocked down, you'll accomplish more than you thought possible

Harry Potter: Love is the most powerful force in the world

Zootopia: To change biases in society, you first must evaluate and work on your own biases.

Les Miserables: Mercy is more powerful than justice

Legally Blonde: Someone who is beautiful, blond, and ultra-feminine can be smart and taken seriously.

Hamilton: We have no control over our legacy.

(By the way, I realize a reuse a lot of the same examples on my blog, but it's just faster and easier than grabbing something new. What matters is that you understand the concept, regardless of example.)

Okay, so when we take English, language arts, and literature classes, we are usually just taught about thematic statements.

Which makes it difficult when you are trying to create stories, because if that's the only thing we understand about theme, and we try to write with that in mind, we often come off as sounding "preachy." As a result, many seasoned writers have actually told themselves and others not to write with any theme in mind (which has its own potential problems that I'll talk about later).

A good portion of this next section is information that comes from Amanda Rawson Hill and K. M. Weiland, because they are the two people who got me to have a clearer, conscious understanding of theme.

Okay, so we have the thematic statement, but on a broader scope, we have a theme topic. The subject or topic about which something is taught. It's the concept, without the teaching attached. It's what the theme or story is "about," in an abstract sense.

Here are the theme topics of those stories:

The Little Red Hen: Contribution and work

The Ant and the Grasshopper: Preparation

The Tortoise and the Hare: Pacing

The Greatest Showman: Acceptance

Spider-verse: Perseverance

Harry Potter: Love

Zootopia: Bias

Les Miserables: Mercy (and justice)

Legally Blonde: Being respected/taken seriously

Hamilton: Legacy

The theme topic is broader than the statement. The thematic statement is the specific teaching about that topic.

Note: People often use the word "theme" to mean either "thematic statement" OR "theme topic," which is why it can be confusing. I've done this multiple times myself, but am trying to stop. (Plus the fact my ideas on storytelling are regularly evolving, probably doesn't always help with ambiguity on my blog either)

In a strong story, the theme topic will be explored during the narrative, through plot or character or both. The story will ask (directly or indirectly) questions about the theme topic. This can happen through main characters and main plots, or side characters and subplots, or all of the above.

Let's look at some examples to illustrate what I mean.

In The Little Red Hen the theme topics of contribution and work are explored by having the red hen ask multiple characters for help (or, in other words, for contribution and work) and by having the red hen work alone. She herself is asking questions related to the topic.

In The Tortoise and the Hare, the theme topic of pacing is explored and questioned by comparing a slow character to a fast character, and as the plot unfolds, we see the choices each one makes.

In Zootopia, the theme topic of bias is explored, as a prey animal cop (the rabbit) has to interact and team up with a predator criminal (the fox), and each have biases against the other. But the theme topic is also explored in the society as a whole. Officer Hopps is told by society that she can never be a cop. Nick is told by society that because he's a fox, he must be untrustworthy. In one scenario, Hopps is trying to overcome her society's bias. In the other, Nick has given into society's bias--he will only ever be seen as a fox. Side characters and subplots explore the topic of bias as well, whether it's pitting crime on predators or dealing with nudist communities. Everywhere, the theme topic of bias is being touched on. By exploring the topic from all these different sources and perspectives, the audience is naturally confronted with questions (whether or not they are consciously aware of this). Can you succeed in a biased society, or will a biased society keep you from ever becoming what you want? In our efforts to create an unbiased society, do we criticize others' biases while remaining blind to our own? How can we create a safe, unbiased community? Are we prejudice ourselves?

Pretty deep stuff to be asking in a kid show, right? Disney is a pro at handling theme in their animated movies, so they are definitely one I'd recommend for people who want to study well done examples.

In The Greatest Showman, the theme topic of acceptance via love is explored in a similar way. As a child, P. T. Barnum is never accepted or loved by his society. His goal in life is to give the girl he loves an extravagant lifestyle, to prove to her parents, nay, to the whole world that he's worth something. Through the course of the story, he tries to do this in multiple ways: at his job, he approaches his boss with a new idea; he tries to start a museum; he starts a circus; he wants to present an opera singer to the world so that he can gain notoriety. Everywhere, the protagonist is asking for love and acceptance, and it's never enough.

But side characters and subplots explore this topic as well. Charles doesn't want to be laughed at for being small, Lettie doesn't want to be a freak for having a beard, Anne doesn't like being treated differently for being black, Phillip wants to leave high society but will be shunned, Jenny Lind never feels good enough because she comes from a low class. As we see these characters collide with other characters, and society, we are confronted with questions. Can these people ever find love and acceptance? Will they ever feel fulfilled? How can they overcome society's hate and prejudices? Are they willing to sacrifice family, income, security, personal weaknesses to get there? And furthermore, it seems that as you are finally accepted by one group of people, your are only rejected by another--can you be accepted by all circles? And does it matter if you aren't?

Often when writers fail at theme it is because they are only focused on the thematic statement. And they are therefore not fairly exploring and questioning the theme topic.

But the theme statement is the answer to the exploration and questioning, and should not be fully realized until the end.

Let's take this a step further. We have the thematic statement. We have the theme topic. But in most stories, the beginning will have or illustrate a false thematic statement. (Alternatively, K. M. Weiland calls this "The Lie Your Character Believes.") This is almost always manifested through the protagonist in some way.

The false thematic statement is typically opposite of the thematic statement.

The Ant and the Grasshopper: The grasshopper believes that all he needs to do is have fun and entertain himself, and he doesn't need to work or prepare--that's a waste of time. OR "Having fun is more important than preparing."

The Tortoise and the Hare: The hare believes if he runs as fast as he can, he will easily win the tortoise.  OR "If I go as fast as I can, I'll be most successful."

The Greatest Showman: P. T. Barnum believes if he shows the world how amazing and successful he can be, he'll be loved and accepted by all society. OR "Once you prove you are amazing, all of society will love and accept you."

Spider-verse: Miles Morales believes that by quitting everything, he won't have to deal with any expectations. OR "If I don't persevere, I don't have to worry about expectations."

Harry Potter: Because his parents are dead, Harry Potter begins as an unloved and powerless person living in a closet. OR "Death and oppression are the most powerful forces in the world."

Zootopia: Judy Hopps believes she will fight society's biases by proving to everyone else that a bunny can be a cop. OR "To change biases in society, you must start by criticizing everyone else's."

Les Miserables: Jean Valjean was thrown in prison for nineteen years for stealing a loaf of bread and when released continues to deal with extreme justice, which leads him to stealing from the church. OR "Justice is more powerful than mercy."

Hamilton: Hamilton believes he will create and build and control his legacy by never throwing away his shot. OR "If I seize every opportunity to be great, then I will leave a powerful legacy after I'm gone."

You'll notice I left out the Little Red Hen. Her story is different. From the beginning, the little red hen believes in the thematic statement--that's why she is working so hard, but the theme topic is still explored and questioned (and tested) through her interactions with the other characters. This can be done in modern stories too, but it's rarer and harder to pull off. Remember, I said writers often fail at theme when they only focus on the thematic statement, without fairly exploring or questioning the topic. In The Little Red Hen, it's all the other characters that embody the false thematic statement. They think they can enjoy the rewards without having done any work. Take note that the red hen herself isn't preachy or snooty. She adheres to her beliefs, even though it requires more of her (because no one will help, she has to do more work).

In order for stories like this to be successful, we need to see the protagonist have to struggle through more adversity to adhere to the true thematic statement. Remember how the maxim goes, "No good deed goes unpunished." These stories are more difficult to write, so I probably wouldn't recommend them to beginners, but I'm not going to say no definitively. If your protagonist starts with the true thematic statement, she still needs to struggle, if not struggle more.

Legally Blonde is similar. Elle Woods fully believes she can get into law school and get her boyfriend Warner back, despite everyone around her saying Harvard won't take someone like her seriously. Throughout the movie, Elle is constantly told she just isn't "serious" enough. However, her story varies from the red hen's, because as the theme gets questioned and explored she eventually reaches a point (at Plot Point 2), where she succumbs to the idea that no one will truly respect her, when she says something along the lines of, "All people will ever see of me is a blonde with big boobs. No one will ever take me seriously. Not even my parents." But once she receives her "final piece to the puzzle," she returns to and proves the thematic statement that someone can be beautiful, ultra-feminine and smart, respected, and taken seriously.

So the Little Red Hen and Legally Blonde are rarer variations, but keep in mind that they still legitimately question, explore, and test the theme topic (this is key).

In most stories, the protagonist starts with the false theme statement and ends with the (true) theme statement, a process that typically comes about through the main character arc. (You can read more about this specifically here).

So here is how the theme may fit in, in story structure.

Beginning:

Protagonist believes or illustrates the false thematic statement.

Middle:

The theme topic is explored through plot and characters having different experiences and providing different outlooks.

This will lead to questioning: It leads to the audience questioning. In most stories, it leads to the protagonist questioning. After all, he believes in the false thematic statement, and maybe after these encounters, he's unsure how true it is.

(Also worth noting, the middle may test and disprove wrong thematic statements other characters have.)

The middle is the "struggle" part of the theme, and on Freytag's Pyramid, the rising action. We are struggling to come to a better understanding of the theme topic.

At the second plot point, the protagonist may have an epiphany (the true thematic statement) or at least a turning point, where they now take on, embody, or demonstrate the true thematic statement.

Note: In some rare stories, the protagonist may not embody the true thematic statement, which will result in a tragic end for them. If the thematic statement is true, then they can't "survive" (literally or figuratively) if they don't learn to adhere to it. (If they "survive," that means that what you thought the true thematic statement was, was probably just another false thematic statement, and you got them mixed up somewhere.)

Note: Also, the true thematic statement may be stated prior to the ending, but the protagonist will not fully realize or embody it until the end.

Ending:

The climax of the story is the ultimate test of the final, true thematic statement--does it hold up to the test? Is it proven to be true? If it's the true thematic statement, it must.

In the denouement, the true thematic statement is further validated. We proved it true in the climax, now we must validate and show its effects. This can be very brief--one example--or it can be validated again and again through multiple examples.

It's worth mentioning, too, that in a lot of highly successful stories, the antagonist embodies THE false theme statement or A false theme statement (which is one of the reasons why they fail). So Voldemort can never understand that love is more powerful than death and oppression (notice that Voldemort and Harry have similar beginnings in life). In Les Mis, Javert ultimately can't live with the fact that mercy is proven to be more powerful than justice (which is why he takes his own life). However, this tactic is not a necessity by any means, just something worth considering.

Now does everyone who writes successful stories consciously know and adhere to all the things I've talked about so far in this article?

Heck. No.

Remember the first of this, where I said even seasoned writers may believe you should write with no theme in mind?

Lots of people write successful stories without even thinking about a theme.

But.

If you are aware of how theme functions, you can use that to an advantage and write even more powerful stories (and it will help you stand out from those that don't).

There are lots of stories that are good that don't follow through on this element of story structure--but I sometimes wonder: How much better and stronger could they have been if they did?

Theme is what makes a story "timeless." This is exactly why Christ's parables and Aesop's fables have withstood the test of time. Why audiences trust Disney movies for a worthwhile emotional and intellectual experience every new movie. Why classics like Les Mis or Shakespeare are still taught and studied today. Because they aren't just stories. They are perspectives on the human experience and teachings that influence lifestyle and culture. They can touch hearts and minds and shift ideology.

And even if you write a story without caring two cents about theme, it will still have a thematic statement. Because every story is teaching something--if only through action and character. But there are dangers and problems that can happen (especially in today's world), if you don't pay attention to theme at all. Take the famous children's story, The Rainbow Fish. I loved that book as a kid (and if you aren't familiar with the story, you can listen to it here), but it has problematic, unintentional teachings. It teaches that in order to have friends, you must give away personal boundaries; that you can "buy" friends; that if you want to be liked by others, you need to give them things they ask you for. Sure, it conveys that sharing makes you happier, but it has those problematic parts as well.

Did the writer intend to teach those negative things? Probably not. But in the story, they are "proven" as true thematic statements simply because of the outcome of the plot and characters.

This could get all into some really deep stuff, like minority representation, biases, culture control, and censorship, but for today, let's leave that for the university classrooms. (Not to mention, for someone learning the craft of writing, it can sometimes feel super paralyzing.)

I will say that even in stories where the writer doesn't completely care for or understand theme, even if the thematic statement is good, I sometimes find myself wondering if the theme is "underdeveloped." But that doesn't mean I still can't enjoy and support the story.

For most writers, theme isn't going to make or break your ability to get published. It's not something I would tell beginning writers to stress out about straight out of the gate. But it is something that can move you from great to phenomenal.

You don't need to know your theme topic or thematic statement to start writing. I would wager, that the majority of writers don't. Often what happens is that a theme topic or thematic statement will start to naturally emerge. Then in the revision process, you can use this article to check, develop, and strengthen the theme.

You can have more than one theme. As you are writing, you may realize that there is more than one theme topic and thematic statement. Lots of stories have more than one. Like I talked about in my story structure series, Spider-verse also has themes about choice and expectations. Harry Potter is chock-full of themes. Legally Blonde includes thematic statements about having faith in people. In some cases, one theme will relate and play into another or help refine it. With all that said, there is usually one theme that emerge as the main theme.

And that's pretty much what's worth knowing about writing your story's theme.  

#Writing tips #writing tips and tricks #writing help #writing reference #writeblr #nanowrimo #fanfic #fanfiction #writing advice #fiction writing #creative writing #theme #writing to theme #zootopia #spiderverse #hamilton #Harry Potter #legally blonde #les mis #fables #tortoise and the hare

[everlarkficexchange]

What can you Do?

Written by: @wingletblackbird

Prompt 23: I would love to read an In-Panem AU fic/this would have happened anyway story where we see the beginnings of an Everlark relationship and how it slowly turns into puppy love [submitted by anonymous]

Rating: General

What Can You Do?

It is said to be an ill wind that doesn’t blow someone a little good. Such was the case when Mrs. Mellark died in childbirth with her youngest. Her family was grieved, her eldest two boys were confused, but for one lonely woman in the Seam, it meant having a friend again.

It was really quite a simple thing, but when faced with losing his premature son as well. Bing Mellark ran straight to the best healer he knew, Mrs. Lily Everdeen. It was a win-win. Mr. Mellark would have the best care for his son while he worked in the bakery, and Mrs. Everdeen would be able to bring home some money which was always so short in the Seam. Her husband had little issue with agreement. He trusted his wife, and respected Mr. Mellark who had continued to trade with him in spite of their mutual affection for one Miss Lily. As for Mrs. Everdeen, who was out of place, even unwelcome in the Seam, yet shunned by her old friends, it was a welcome thing to spend time with someone of whom she had once been so fond. The children though, they seemed to enjoy the benefits ten times more.

It’s something Bing is grateful for. Peeta is a hard boy to understand and even harder not to worry about. He has some kind of resilience in him that allows him to overcome the odds against him, but he’s still so small for his age, and possibly always will be, although he has been assured the boy will likely catch up. Peeta’s also quite quiet, very introspective, but when he speaks it’s clear he cuts through the excess to the heart. Out of the mouths of babes is one thing, but this is beyond lacking a filter. The boy is fascinated by colours, shapes, sounds, from whence he draws his inspirations, and is often seen staring somewhere Bing doesn’t know and can’t quite follow. The first time he sits his son on the counter as he frosts cookies, Peeta watches with uncanny concentration for a three year old. Ryen had tried to eat the cookies; Brandon had gotten bored, but Peeta liked the swirls. Peeta was different, and Bing loved him, but he knew from experience different could cause you a world of hurt. This is why Katniss is an asset.

The girl seems to follow Peeta on a different wavelength. If Peeta likes to doodle on paper, then Katniss will hum and sing. She provides him endless inspiration dragging back all kinds of flowers and bird’s nests and grass for him to gaze in wonder, always taking the time to explain everything her Daddy has taught her about them. Inevitably Katniss will run to the bakery when her father visits town to give Peeta her gifts, so they learn quickly to leave the children together while he’s on his rounds. Peeta has been known to brave the Seam to return them to her in artwork. Tantrums tend to occur in the face of separation.

When they start school, Bing knows he was not wrong to fear, Peeta and Katniss are not popular. He knew this would be a risk when he allowed such an obvious friendship. When Primrose was born, and people whispered about her parentage–she looked nothing like the Seam–he had quietly placed some distance between the families. It also wouldn’t do to harm his children’s prospects. Networking was critical in Town. But Peeta understood no such concerns, and the children in class emulated their parents. Everyone knew not to associate with them, and their Seam taint. But there was no separating the children.

The first day it seems Peeta doesn’t notice. He described his teachers and classes, and told how Katniss sang a song.

“She sings real pretty, Dad.”

But then Peeta tried to share toys with some boys his age and they’d shoved him down. Katniss had gotten into their face, apparently, calling them “big, mean, and stupid” before shoving them right back. It had ended with a trip to the principal’s office. A very long one too, because Katniss would not repent of her actions, and Peeta would hear no wrong against her. It wasn’t what you’d call a teachable moment.

The only friend they make is a young girl called Madge, the mayor’s daughter. Bing muses he is not surprised, especially since the girl’s aunt was such a particular friend to Katniss’s mother back in the day. This must cause little Peeta some insecurity, because one weekend, in the corner of the bakery, I hear Peeta and Katniss whispering together as they try to decipher the book they’re reading about friendship.

“Who’s your best friend?” Peeta asks.

“It’s you, Peeta!” Katniss replies, seeming terribly put upon that he didn’t already know.

He hugs her in that awkward manner of children who still haven’t quite mastered hand-eye coordination. Bing tries not to worry about what that will mean for their future. This cannot end well. He had enjoyed spending some time with Lily. He had never expected their kids to get on so well, and if he did, he would have thought it would fizzle in the way that girls and boys do. And when they got older, well, most people tend to learn to stick with their own kind. There’s a niggling in the back of Bing’s head that says maybe he’s misread something. Peeta seems so happy though, Bing can’t bear to separate them. It would seem a mite hypocritical, cruel. Besides, they’re young yet.

Their summers are spent roaming the meadow, and though he pretends he doesn’t know it, the woods. Peeta carries Primrose around on his back, and Katniss weaves him dandelion crowns. She teaches him to climb trees, and he brags about how he’s learning to frost cookies. His brother’s tease him for being friends with so many girls, but Peeta shrugs it off demonstrating courage Bing hadn’t realised was in him since Peeta is a highly sensitive person. It is Katniss who rallies to his defense. He sees now though that Peeta will do what Peeta will do. And that’s not going to change. Peeta can tolerate most any kind of insult, but he considers Katniss, and by extension Prim, his own, and his brothers soon learn he will rise to any insult where they are concerned.

“Don’t call her that!”

“She’s not an idiot!”

“Don’t say that again!”

Eventually Peeta learns that only eggs them on, but in the angry squaring of his shoulders, and the flash of his eyes, Bing sees the stirrings of real manhood.

As Peeta turns seven, Bing turns to talking about more adult concerns. With three sons to raise and provide for, he has to be careful, because when they have families of their own, the bakery won’t do for all of them. This is why they had been hoping for a young girl, he and his late wife. One of the reasons in any case; Bing certainly wouldn’t have minded a daughter to spoil. But that did not happen, so he needs to look into apprenticeships. It’s fortunate Ryen at least feels like he can’t get out of the bakery soon enough. Bing tries not to be hurt by it. Rye merely does not appreciate the artistry of it, or the science. They have talked about various options. He is ten now, and in a few years will be ready to apprentice out, so Bing is already scouting and talking about it with other business owners. Soon he will have to seat all his boys down and come to a solution that suit all of them. He broaches the subject with Peeta when he asks what they were talking about.

“Rye’s future.” Bing replies. “What he would like to do with himself. What his role will be in the future. What do you think, Peet?”

“I think he’s good at being mean.” Peeta pouts, and Bing laughs.

“I meant you, son. What role would you like to have in the community?” He hopes to hear his firm answer of the bakey, because while it is unconventional, he is prodigiously talented, and he would love to pass this business on to him, the youngest.

Peeta thinks it through in his careful way.

“I’m supposed to protect Katniss. That’s what we do,” he says staring through Bing with solemn eyes, “protect each other. Always and always.”

And to think Bing was worried before.

A/N: The dialogue about best-friends is reminiscent of a conversation I apparently had with my first ever best-friend when we were three or four years old. Our parents thought it was the most adorable thing ever. I was Peeta’s character.

#Springtime Edition 2019 #submission #wingletblackbird #prompt 23

[arcaneranger]

Final Thoughts - O Maidens in Your Savage Season

Mari Okada’s finest work to date, potentially her magnum opus, and the most complete treatise on teenage sexuality I’ve seen in the medium to date. (Eat your heart out, Darling in the FRANXX.)

Here we go with a very heavy show about which I have thoughts. Very rarely is an adult able to connect with the teenage experience in such an intimate way as Okada has managed with the cast of this show, and it’s the most honest depiction I’ve ever seen. The beautifully developed and nuanced cast, in-universe a group of friends experiencing their “Spring Awakening” together in very different ways, are a vertical slice of the diverging paths that people (particularly women) take to get to a point in their lives of being comfortable with sexuality. I’m going to invoke some spoilers here, but only because I really want to do a deep dive on this in order to really do it justice.

Starting with the simplest one, we have “I’ve never thought about it, but now that I am, there’s this guy...”, our main character Kazusa, who starts the series off with a bang by encountering her best (male) friend next door masturbating in his bedroom, and is forced all at once to process the evolution of her childhood friend Izumi, from kid she grew up with, into a man with physical interest in women, even if he doesn’t really have that part figured out for himself yet. Izumi, for his part, doesn’t quite know enough about his own body to know that a physical reaction isn’t necessarily an emotional one, and spends the story grappling with what it means that he gets turned on by a girl who isn’t his girlfriend, even if he is firmly committed not to cheat on her. These two are only the beginnings of realistically-confused high schoolers who don’t understand their own bodies (and the subtext of Japan’s woefully inadequate sexual education practices).

Second, we have “trying very hard not to think about it, to the point of shunning men entirely in order to remain pure”, our Literature Club president Sonozaki is utterly ashamed of herself every time physical intimacy so much as crosses her mind, demonstrating a very firmly-rooted Madonna-whore complex that is fairly easy to understand once we see her strict parents for the first time. Outside influences, particularly family ones, can affect the way a person thinks in a very toxic and negative way, and we can tell right from the beginning that her internal (and then external) judgment and slut-shaming of her more extroverted classmates is not doing her any favors and is actively keeping her from being able to make friends. It takes a boy so innocent that he stays away from stimulating thoughts while he’s around her (because he wants to take it slow) and really put in the effort to take her walls down to finally get her to admit that she’s trapped herself in her own head.

Third, Momo, is in a particularly complicated spot as her feelings don’t really start materializing until well into the story, because she has the biggest hurdle to clear - the idea that she is not straight, which in Japan, is not particularly welcomed. Her friends are not able to catch onto her inner emotions and end up creating a pile of massive errors in judgment that lead to her nearly having a breakdown because the enigmatic girl she likes keeps talking about how much she wants to have sex with boys, and a series of miscommunications only making her feel like her sexuality is wrong and inappropriate, when the reality is that she just doesn’t have an appropriate target to point it at and basically nobody she can talk to for advice. Ultimately Momo doesn’t see quite as much of a conclusion as the others, which makes sense - not only would it be difficult for her to find closure in the environment she’s in, but her struggle with sexuality is bound to last her much longer than high school,

Said enigmatic girl, Niina, has an even more uncomfortable set of problems - she’s a former child theatre actress who was victimized by her director, a repeat-offender pedophile, and is now fighting mentally against the trauma that he inflicted on her. Her feelings are a crazy cocktail of spite towards him for putting her in a compromised position - even if he didn’t rape her - and disappointment that he doesn’t see her as interesting enough to pursue any longer, because she’s grown into “womanhood”, and she’s terrified of the idea that nobody will ever love her the way she imagines he did. The director coerces her into kindling a teenage romance in order for her to vent her emotions, and that manifests as a sexual attraction towards Izumi, a feeling she knows she shouldn’t have but can’t help but want to act on, getting herself tangled up by insisting that one can fully separate emotion and sex when she clearly isn’t able to do so herself. Her story finally culminates in her moving on from her past when she truly begins to understand just how badly her former director really hurt her.

And, most complicated and delicate of all, the girl who wants to badly to be sexually mature that she pursues an inappropriate relationship with an older man in a position of power over her. While it’s certainly not a stretch to say that Hongo’s story is an exaggeration, it’s not as much of one as we would hope, and indeed her insistence forces her teacher - a man with whom she had been anonymously roleplaying online before they discovered each other’s identities - to essentially play chicken with her in order to get it through her head that she’s not as much of an adult as she thinks she is. I want to commend Okada here for the incredibly risky balancing act she took on with this storyline, as we do understand the entire time that Milo-sensei is not willing (or able) to actually engage with his student, despite how far he’s willing to go to demonstrate the reality of the situation Hongo is pursuing. It’s uncomfortable to watch, and that’s a deliberate decision on the part of the creator of the show; she’s going so far to pursue her idea of what sex looks like that she isn’t properly registering the reality of the situation and the lasting damage she could potentially do to both of them.

All of these storylines collide in a nine-car pileup that finally forces the cast to communicate what they’ve learned about themselves with each other in a way that seems a little bit forced in the context of the story - they essentially wind up playing Symbolism: The Game - but the scene that comes out of it works well enough to salvage the situation and get most everybody on the track towards putting their hangups behind them that we’re able to end on a note of hope for the future of these characters after a long build-up of complete adolescent confusion, a violent chemical reaction that’s caused them all to spiral out of control and make rash decisions, a very Savage Season indeed.

Okada never seems to take quite the direction you expect towards her thematic conclusions, and even sometimes doesn’t present them at all when it’s appropriate - these kids are, well, kids, and they have a long walk ahead of them on this particular road - but they’ve been handled with so much care and verisimilitude so far that you can expect them to be okay someday in the future. These teens were a lot of us when we were younger, and they’re a lot of kids that are out there today - and I hope that they manage to figure things out, too.

9/10.

#arcane's hall of fame #arcaneanime #o maidens in your savage season #summer 2019 #final thoughts

[a-sweeter-solarsystem]

Happy Pride Month to everyone, especially those whose identities aren’t often included in pride celebrations!  Big love to all of you!!   (~￣▽￣)~ ♥♥ I think I’m comfortable enough to share my coming out story to the world.  Its not full of homophobia or dark thoughts like a lot of other folks, but I feel like it’s just as important to share the stories of those who had the support system that they were afraid that they wouldn’t have.  There are people out there who can support you!  There are people out there who love you!  Coming out is scary, but don’t automatically jump to the idea that no one will accept you because that’s the only story you’ve ever heard.

I came out in February of 2014, after weeks of questioning and experimentation to figure out what labels fit me best.  At this point in my life I was transitioning from 8th grade to 9th grade, already hitting the strongest point in my depression.  I wasn’t eating, I felt terrible, my mental state was breaking and I didn’t know how to feel anymore.

I came out to my friends first, figuring if they wouldn’t understand there would be no way my parents could.  I remember sending out that text message through instagram.  I was just so scared because I’ve heard so many stories of people coming out and being shunned, tossed aside, or even disowned for being LGBT+.  I was still very new to the community as well, and with no other family close to me at the time the last thing I wanted was for something like that to happen.

But to my surprise, they understood!  They were supportive and cheered me on!  And they sat there with me over text messaging just going back and forth while I talked to them about what it would be like for me to be who I wanted to be.  I told them about my mental health as well, explaining the causes for me feeling comfortable as being bigender.  I told them about how I wasn’t comfortable with my past self, and that I wanted to change for the better so that I didn’t have to suffer mentally anymore.  And then my friend group grew more and more and they were there to support every step of my recovery.

A day or two after I came out to them, I came out to my parents.  I wrote my mom an email, figuring she would be the hardest to get through first.  I want to share a little of what she told me in the email because it still makes me tear up with joy going back and rereading it:

“ Thank you thank you for confiding in me.  I am honored that you felt comfortable coming to me. First though, let me tell you I love you.  I will love you and respect you no matter what, whether you are a guy a girl or purple and brown spots, you are my kid and I was blessed that you came into my life. This is a very difficult time in your life.  It absolutely normal to question your gender and maybe try being the other for awhile.  If dressing and looking gender neutral helps you feel more confident, then fine.  Let me know the types of clothing or hairstyle and we’ll go.  You have a rough couple of years coming up with high school and i want you to feel and do what you need to get through it.  This is something that will take time to decide.  It won’t happen over night and while one day you might be ok with how you look, your body will through a wrench and change some more. These years are not easy!  I remember. Just grin a bear it and do your best.  But I will be there for you. Do not doubt it. “

A few days later I came out to my dad.  We took a drive around the area and talked things over, and he brought me to a small diner where we just relaxed and had pie together.  He told me I needed to start being more open with things, and to tell people when something was wrong.  But you know?  He was there to dry my tears and tell me silly jokes to make me feel better. The first step was cutting my hair short.  I pulled out a few haircuts that I liked and my mum took me to the best LGBT+ friendly barber she could find.  The lady was so kind and gave me advice on how different styles would work with my hair.  I remember laughing at the large pile of fluff on the ground as my shoulder length hair was cut short.  It was so freeing!  And looking into the mirror I felt like an entirely new person! I went to therapy not long afterwards, another step to my recovery.  My first therapist was so kind and understanding, and I shared with her so many thoughts that I just couldn’t speak about without sobbing.  She would give me a small notebook to write in in case I couldn’t talk, and she would smile with the patience of a parent as I vented my thoughts out to her.  Before I had switched to a psychiatrist she gave me a small stress toy with a story behind it.  I gave her the biggest hug because I felt so blessed to have her in my life. A few months down the line and I bought my first binder.  I was so cheery!  I wore it the whole day, just smiling to myself because I finally felt comfortable in my body.  I took so many photos that day, just me smiling wearing my first binder.

I didn’t really have to come out to either of my brothers.  I was comfortable with my family using my birth name, but had just requested that they call me Lukas in public.  Even throughout high school the worse I ever experienced were a group of upperclassmen guys who would harass my friends and I during lunch.  We brought it up to my principal and he walked with us to lunch the next day and dragged the group of guys all the way across the cafeteria so they couldn’t bother us any longer. There’s been times that I’ve been asked about my name as well.  There was a sweet old substitute teacher who came up to me during class and told me that she’s here to support me no matter what I choose.  And sometimes at work customers would come up to me and ask if I was transgender.  I’d correct them, explain what being bigender meant and they would nod and talk with such kindness and understanding it almost brought me to tears.  I distinctly remember hugging one of the customers in the self checkout line, a complete stranger, but he was so understanding of my identity and so curious to learn what it was like with my identity I just couldn’t help it. This year was my first year on my own, hours away from home and in university. I was able to just be myself without an explanation.  I got to be in an entirely gender neutral dorm, with gender neutral bathrooms in a community of folks like me.  I made so many friends in one short year.  I owe a few of them so much kindness, especially my closest group who I was able to confide in with some of my strongest mental issues.  We were there for each other, to help each other bounce back and just laugh and be happy.  We could feel comfortable with who we were without ridicule.  It was so heartwarming! I am lucky to have such a comforting community supporting me: my friends, my family, my university and my work all supported me every step of the way.  If I’m ever asked questions I give them an honest answer.  I try not to hide my identity anymore, and instead be more open about who I am. It took about 5 years now before I can safely share this story and feel confident in my words.  It took five years of hard work to get to where I am today, a place where I am comfortable with myself and my labels.  I still have doubts and fears, but I’m sure we all do.  And for particularly harsh days I know that there will be someone out there to talk to and get me through the hard times. It is a long and winding road to come out.  I know not everyone has the same support that I did.  I was lucky, but I have to remind myself that this isn’t something to be ashamed of.  This is proof that there are people out there who will support and love you.  Proof that you’re not alone in whatever fight your facing physically, mentally, or even spiritually.  There are people who care.  There are people who listen.  And you just have to be there to find them.  You don’t have to suffer alone. I am so fucking proud to be bigender.  I’m proud to be asexual.  I’m proud to be biromantic and I’m so fucking proud to be akoiromantic even if it doesn’t seem like it at times.  These are aspects who make up who I am.  This is me.  I’m not some sad kid anymore.  I’m happy, I have so much to be thankful for.  And I have so many people that I want to thank for being in my life that there’s simply not enough room to share it all. Happy pride month to all of you!  I love each and every one of you!

#pride #pride month 2019 #pride month #lgbt #lgbtqa #bigender #bigender pride #coming out #coming out story #akoiromantic #biromantic #asexual #lgbt community #lgbt+ community #lgbtqa community #pride story #lgbt pride #lgbtqa pride

[skylawulf]

The Boy’s Voice of Nature

The young boy was born without a voice. He couldn't speak, he couldn't form sentences. When he tried he sounded like an animal. He was his parents' first child and they had no connection to him. His mother was distant, neglectful, and would abandon him at any time. There were years and years where she would disappear and come back only for a short time. His father was an abusive and angry drunk. His depression consuming him to the point of violence after a hunt went bad with a dire bear. His hunts suffered and so did the family. Mom did her best but just didn't have the mental capacity to handle dad and his bouts of violence. And one day she just disappeared and never came back.

Leaving him to dad, who had no idea how to raise a child (and didn't want to). Before disappearing, she left them a younger sister. She was the pride and joy of their dad and was the only reason dad did anything. She had toys, dresses, food, and attention. She was already set up to be married on her 16th birthday to a gentleman from town. He was a tailor and made fine clothing for people of all classes, the rich making up the difference to offer clothes to those who would have trouble affording a shirt, much less pants too. Her life was set and she was happy with it.

All the boy had was the fields, rivers, and forests. Many times, he was left outdoors to sleep and fend for himself. And this time wasn't much different. He dropped the ashes from the fireplace, covering the whole room in black soot. Angry with him, he was told to sleep and stay outside for a week. Learn to appreciate what they have and be less willing to make messes that will take days for his sister to clean. The thing was way too big and bulky for him to carry it, but he did what he was told. It was a nail sticking out of the doorway that ripped it, spilling the ashes and creating a dust cloud that filled the room.

And now he is stuck outside again and he goes walking into the forest. He has a small place he had created for himself when this happened and it did happen often. Out of a month, he probably only stayed in the house for a week or two at most, and not consecutively. He had found a small cave near a creek and whenever he was there, he learned a bit more to survive on and improved his little home. Maybe he won't go back this time? Wouldn't they be happier without him? As he walked up to his cave, he noticed it wasn't empty. A bear, coyote, raven, and bobcat sat in a small circle inside. Looking like they were having a conversation. Perhaps a meeting of some sort? But these creatures don't tend to get along normally.

The boy creeps up a tree near the cave and quietly sits to watch. Hoping they will leave in time and he'd get his home back. As he was climbing, he swears he could hear voices. Human voices, but there wasn't another around as far as he could see.

"So, the master plan against the humans will be ready soon." says the bobcat

"Yes, we just need the wait for the rest of the animals to gather. Some are coming from pretty far away to help," said the bear

The raven added, "From what I've seen, we are expecting a few packs of wolves, cougars, snakes, and something else that is pretty big but looks like a huge pig with tusks. All of them have answered the call and will be here in a few days."

The coyote circled a spot and laid down yawning, "So... wait for the others and attack. Is that it or do we have an actual plan?"

This is when the branch holding the boy starts to crack. The animals stop and look around for the sound, where it came from, and who is it? Next thing the boy knows the branch completely cracks through and he falls to the ground. Right in front of the cave and the animals. He stops and his growling said 'ow, that hurt..."

They all look at him, wide eyes and not moving. When the bear came to his senses first, he walked up toward the boy and growled, "Damn humans lost one of their pups. Look at him, barely worth a snack for Raven."

The boy fearing, he would be eaten, scrambled to get up and started to run away when the coyote cut him off and laughed.

"Running doesn't seem to work either, a snail could do better."

The boy skidded and tried to run in another direction when the bobcat cut him off, while the rest closed in. "Was he the one that killed our kind? The skins and furs in that cave smell sort of like him. We kill each other for the defense of ourselves, families and food, but never paraded their furs, skins, or skulls around."

The boy unsure what to do and scared for his life, he just gave up and slumped to the ground. No one to judge his speech or lack of speech, he growled an 'I give up, everything sucks at home and the only place I feel myself is in this damn forest. And it will be the end of me..."

He sighed and when nothing happened for what felt an eternity, he looked up and all the animals around him just stared at him. Looking around at every one of them, the raven landed on the bear's shoulder and cawed, "Son of a bitch! The human talks and not like the other dumb humans. And lives out here apparently, like you Bear."

Bear looked back at the cave, the hairless human, and it dawned on him that he wasn't using the furs to show off. But to keep the cold away. And there was no way this pup could have even killed any of them there, so he got them from another human. He was living out here like any of them but didn't seem to have a clue on how to survive.

"Human pup, you can understand us?" asked Bear.

The boy's eyes became wide as he looked up at Bear and the others. Shocked he could understand them, but to know his 'noises' were understood was even more shocking. No one had understood his speech before.

The boy growled back, "Yes? But why? Humans don't understand me and never have. To them, I'm mute, dumb, and not worth anything."

Raven responded, "We don't know why and I've never understood or talked to a human before."

The coyote flopped down on the ground, looking bored, "There were and are native humans here that could talk to us sometimes. Just in a different way. More of thought when talking to them and images. The human Pup talks like us. Sounds like us in growls."

Bobcat finally chimed in, "So, what do we do with him? He's not worth eating but is a human pup. We don't have time to sit here and 'save the pathetic human' when the master plan is only days away."

Suddenly all the animals were quiet, serious, and looking around at each other. Unsure what to say or do. Looking at the boy occasionally, looking unsure.

The boy, feeling pitied again got angry, "I can and have taken care of myself. I don't need you to pity me and... and... I'm tired of everyone treating me like this. Like I can't do anything, just because I can't talk. I'm not very strong or fast, I don't have teeth, claws, or wings, and I am just a kid, but it doesn't mean I can't live the best I can in the one place I feel comfortable and not judged by everyone for being little or mute. If I die tomorrow or in a year, I will still have a better life in this cave."

Bear looked him in the eyes as he spoke and years of wisdom taught him what it feels like to be pitied or judged. While Bear was big, he wasn't as big as the rest. And his fur light grey instead of brown or black like most around there. He was shunned by most bears because of his looks and how he was born. And now he was a leader. Not just a leader of bears but leading the attack on humans. Bringing together many species to work together to take back their lands. Humans were destructive, invasive, and cruel. Sure, nature has its own version of cruelty, but it was in their nature and basis for what they were. There was a balance to allow survival and odds are about the same as any other creature. Age, predator, disease, and weather that can cause a good life cut short or a horrible life last forever. But that was nature in its basis. Humans do things to show off, selfish in things and will kill for them. Destroying the environment for themselves, rather than migrating and spending just enough time in a place to not affect the area, allowing it to be used again in the future.

This boy could be a new kind of human. The kind of human that respects this place, its creatures, and the very basis of nature's chaos and balance. Perhaps our master plan can be modified. Travel as a group, find other humans like him, teach him all we know and what others can teach him. Teach him ways to survive, what he can survive on and with, and how to adapt. Not only do we destroy all the bad, but we also encourage the future of the good.

Bear sat down with a thud in front of the boy and looked him in the eyes. "We do not pity you; we just see you are so thin and, in some ways, fragile. We wish you better for a pup who can talk to us, all of us. Animals aren't all about destroying anything in their territory. If that was the case, you'd never see any of us, ever. We would be spread out and be ugly creatures. Close to most humans."

He paused to see if the boy understood and relaxed a bit. "I have an idea that could benefit all of us. However, I wish to see if everyone else here is in agreement."

He took a deep breath and looked at the other animals, "What would you think if we took the boy with us? As an equal, teach him of nature and its chaos. Teach him how to hunt in whatever way works for him. At the same time, find other humans like him to join us. Creating a new line of humans who respect us and nature. Can speak and communicate like you do or through you. Where we can all live a kind of harmony."

The others looked at each other and you could see them considering the possibility. Giving them time to think Bear continued, "Maybe now will the time for animals to become a kind of karmic god. Keep humans down to small packs, keep them traveling or migrating. At the same time, don't ruthlessly kill them to wipe them out, but to keep numbers down and a level of respect for nature. The balance of good, bad, and chaos must be respected and give an equal ability to live or die, but not by pure cruel and murderous intentions."

He looked at the boy and asked, "Would you want to do that? Would you want to be the human-animal that can bring this world back to its roots and nature? To give all an equal shot at life, but understand that the bad still exists in the world with the weather, famine, diseases, and the environment. However, doesn't have to become a fight for being on top to the point of mass destruction."

Coyote interrupting Bear with another yawn, "Whatever, packs can support each other in numbers, but don't need to be the size of a village and become permanent structures. They should migrate like the rest of us, respect the woods, waters, and air to not damage them for everyone else. If it's bad where you are at, move on. If the weather makes it hard in the mountains, go down to the plains or forests. Live off the land but don't strip it bare of plants, waters, or entire packs of animals. That is how these native people lived."

Raven agreed, "Yes, I think this is a good idea. And maybe get this boy some food and gain some strength to travel. It would be impossible to travel if you got sick and couldn't travel at all. So, let's work on our master plan, teach the boy, and turn this world into a place of harmony with humans as if they are just another kind of animal."

Bobcat stretched, "We have a few days before everyone arrives, let's stay here and listen to the boy's story so far, tell him our own, and bond as a pack of equal creatures, supporting each other through this crusade and creation of a new world. What do you say, boy? Would you join us?

The boy felt overwhelmed, but in a good way. Being wanted, being respected, and fate is left up to nature, rather than 2 people who had him, didn't want him, and went out of their way to be cruel to him and others. He wished them well, but at the same time, agrees with the animals. He wants to create a new world of better people; what better way than to have someone who can understand and speak with animals, but understand humans too?

The animals left him to think. Raven sat on top of a tree and kept an eye out for what was in the area. Bear went over to the river and caught some salmon, bobcat some rabbits, and coyote took care of the firewood. All coming together to support the boy and themselves. The boy started a fire to cook the meats for himself, knowing if it's raw, he could get sick being a human.

The rest of the animals arrived and after all, knew the master plan and destroyed the village the boy was from; a small army of various animals joined the boy and the crusade. Taking out entire populations of humans, the group carried their ideals all across the lands. Small bands of humans formed in human packs and migrated all over the place. Some lingering for an entire year while some moved every few months. They all became prophets, heroes, and mythologies for future generations when lands are being destroyed by overpopulation, selfishness, destruction, and cruelty. When creatures like these animals and a boy come together again. Teach the humility and respect for the lands that support them.  

#shortstory #creativewriting

[ireadyabooks]

New Year, New Books!

Happy 2019, book nerds! Now that we’ve cleaned up the confetti from New Year’s Eve, it’s time to get serious about some resolutions: reading as many books as we possibly can in 2019! 

If your TBR pile needs some love, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our faves coming your way in early 2019! 

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Available January 29th

Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali has always been fascinated by the universe around her and the laws of physics that keep everything in order. But her life at home isn't so absolute. Unable to come out to her conservative Muslim parents, she keeps that part of her identity hidden. And that means keeping her girlfriend, Ariana, a secret from them too. Luckily, only a few more months stand between her carefully monitored life at home and a fresh start at Caltech in the fall. But when Rukhsana's mom catches her and Ariana together, her future begins to collapse around her. Devastated and confused, Rukhsana's parents whisk her off to stay with their extended family in Bangladesh where, along with the loving arms of her grandmother and cousins, she is met with a world of arranged marriages, religious tradition, and intolerance. Fortunately, Rukhsana finds allies along the way and, through reading her grandmother's old diary, finds the courage to take control of her future and fight for her love.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble 

IndieBound

Spin

Available January 29th

Even in murder, the music lives on. When rising star Paris Secord (aka DJ ParSec) is found dead on her turntables, it sends the local music scene reeling. No one is feeling that grief more than her shunned pre-fame best friend, Kya, and ParSec's chief groupie, Fuse -- two sworn enemies who happened to be the ones who discovered her body. The police have few leads, and when the trail quickly turns cold, the authorities don't seem to be pushing too hard to investigate further. But nobody counted on Paris's deeply loyal fans, ParSec Nation, or the outrage that would drive Fuse and Kya to work together. As ParSec Nation takes to social media and the streets in their crusade for justice, Fuse and Kya start digging into Paris's past, stumbling across a deadly secret. With new info comes new motives. New suspects. And a fandom that will stop at nothing in their obsessive quest for answers, not even murder...

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

The Deceiver’s Heart

Available February 26th

In this sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Traitor's Game, Kestra Dallisor has finally gained possession of the Olden Blade. With the dagger in her control, she attempts to destroy the tyrannical Lord Endrick. But when Kestra fails, the king strips her of her memory, and leaves her weak and uncertain, bound to obey him. Heartbroken, Simon is desperate to return Kestra to the rebel she was, but refuses to use magic to heal her. With untrusting Coracks and Halderians threatening to capture and kill her, and war looming on the horizon, Kestra and Simon will have to learn to trust each other again if they have any hope of surviving. But can a heart once broken ever be healed?

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

The Music of What Happens

Available February 26th

Max: Chill. Sports. Video games. Gay and not a big deal, not to him, not to his mom, not to his buddies. And a secret: An encounter with an older kid that makes it hard to breathe, one that he doesn't want to think about, ever. Jordan: The opposite of chill. Poetry. His "wives" and the Chandler Mall. Never been kissed and searching for Mr. Right, who probably won't like him anyway. And a secret: A spiraling out of control mother, and the knowledge that he's the only one who can keep the family from falling apart. Throw in a rickety, 1980s-era food truck called Coq Au Vinny. Add in prickly pears, cloud eggs, and a murky idea of what's considered locally sourced and organic. Place it all in Mesa, Arizona, in June, where the temp regularly hits 114. And top it off with a touch of undeniable chemistry between utter opposites. Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they're willing to risk -- to get the thing they want the most.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Pretend She’s Here

Available February 26th

Emily Lonergan's best friend died last year. And Emily hasn't stopped grieving. Lizzie Porter was lively, loud, and fun -- Emily's better half. Emily can't accept that she's gone. When Lizzie's parents and her sister come back to town to visit, Emily's heartened to see them. The Porters understand her pain. They miss Lizzie desperately, too. Desperately enough to do something crazy. Something unthinkable. Suddenly, Emily's life is hurtling toward a very dark place -- and she's not sure she'll ever be able to return to what she once knew was real.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Last of Her Name

Available February 26th

Sixteen years ago, rebellion swept the galaxy known as the Belt of Jewels. Every member of the Leonov royal family was murdered--down to their youngest child, Princess Anya--making way for the Union government to seize power. But Stacia doesn't think much about politics. She spends her days half-wild, rambling her father's vineyard with her friends, Clio and Pol. That all changes when a Union ship appears burning through the sky, bearing the leader of the Union, the Direktor Eminent himself, who declares that Stacia's sleepy village is a den of empire loyalists. Even more shocking, the Direktor claims that Princess Anya Leonova is alive--and Stacia is the lost princess As their home explodes into chaos, Pol smuggles Stacia to a hidden escape ship, leaving Clio in the hands of the Union. With everything she knows threading away into the stars, Stacia sets her heart on a single mission: She will find and rescue Clio, even with the whole galaxy on her trail.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

That’s Not What I Heard

Available February 26th

What did you hear? Kimberly Landis-Lilley and Teddy Lin are over. Yes, the Kim and Teddy broke up. At least that's what Phil Spooner thinks he overheard and then told Jess Howard, Kim's best friend. Something about Teddy not liking Kim's Instas? Or was it that Teddy is moving to Italy and didn't want to do long distance? Or that Kim slid into someone else's DMs? Jess told her boyfriend, Elvis, that he needs to be on Kim's side. Especially if he wants to keep her as his girlfriend. But Elvis is also Teddy's best friend. Now, Kim's run out of school for the day. Jess is furious. Elvis is confused. And half the lunch period won't talk to Teddy. Even the teachers have taken sides. William Henry Harrison High will never be the same again!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Tell Me Everything

Available February 26th

Your secret's safe...until it's not. Ivy's always preferred to lay low, unlike her best friend Harold, who has taken up a hundred activities as sophomore year begins. But Ivy has her own distraction: the new anonymous art-sharing app, VEIL. Being on the sidelines has made Ivy a skilled observer, and soon she discovers that some of the anonymous posters are actually her classmates. While she's still too scared to put her own creations on the app, Ivy realizes that she can contribute in an even better way -- by making gifts for the artists she's discovered. The acts of kindness give her such a rush that, when Ivy suspects Harold is keeping a secret, she decides to go all in. Forget gifts -- Harold needs a major party. But when her good intentions thrust her into the spotlight, Ivy's carefully curated world is thrown into chaos. Now she has to find the courage to stand out... or risk losing everything and everyone she loves most.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Mike

Available February 26th

Mike is the imaginary friend and projection of a repressed wish that won’t go away until Floyd confronts both his greatest fear and greatest desire: to succeed. MEET FLOYD. He's a tennis star. Possibly good enough to win Wimbledon one day. MEET MIKE. He's... different. Apart from anything else, Floyd seems to be the only one who can see him. But Mike must have appeared for a reason. And finding out why is perhaps the most important thing Floyd will ever do...

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Sorry Not Sorry

Available February 26th

Janelle and Alyssa used to be friends. Best friends. They knew each other's deepest secrets and went through the hardest times together. But that was then. Now? Their status is somewhere between frenemies and full-on rivals. Janelle is all about making a difference in her community, while Alyssa reigns over the shallowest girls in school. Until the day Alyssa collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Suddenly, everyone knows about her declining health and race against time. And, in a stunning twist of fate, the only person who might be able to save Alyssa's life -- is Janelle. But will the girls' bitter past get in the way of their futures?

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Brawler

Available March 26th

Eddie MacIntyre--Mac to a handful of friends--is Pennsylvania's most promising wrestler. His future is bright with scholarship offers and the dream of helping his struggling mom. But then comes a fateful match at the state championship, when his famous rage consumes him and he assaults a referee. In an instant, Mac loses all he and his mom have worked to build since his abusive father was locked up years ago. Facing arrest, Mac runs away to another town, where he is taken in by a shady promoter who has followed his career. He recruits Mac into Brawlers, an illegal underground fighting ring run by a gangland boss. This is a bloodsport that has no rules . . . but offers plenty of reward. Mac teams up with Khajee, a girl with the fighting skills he'll need to learn to survive . . . and her own dark past tying her to the head of the ring. Together the two must figure out their place in a world that hasn't been kind to them . . . and forge a future that could be.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Quarantine: A Love Story

Available March 26th

Oliver wants a girlfriend, and there's a girl back home who might be interested in him. The problem is, he has to spend his spring break on a volunteer trip in the Dominican Republic. Flora, on the other hand, isn't really looking for a boyfriend. She just wants to end a miserable spring break visiting her dad and her new stepmom in the D.R. The solution to both their problems? Get back home to New York ASAP. Sadly, they won't be getting there anytime soon. Their hopes are dashed when Flora's impulsiveness lands them in quarantine -- just the two of them. Now, the two teens must come together in order to survive life in a bubble for 30 days. In that time, love will bloom. But is it the real thing, or just a placebo effect?

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

I Don’t Want To Be Crazy

Available March 26th

This is a true story of growing up, breaking down, and coming to grips with a psychological disorder. When Samantha Schutz first left home for college, she was excited by the possibilities -- freedom from parents, freedom from a boyfriend who was reckless with her affections, freedom from the person she was supposed to be. At first, she reveled in the independence . . . but as pressures increased, she began to suffer anxiety attacks that would leave her mentally shaken and physically incapacitated. Thus began a hard road of discovery and coping, powerfully rendered in this poetry memoir.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book?

Available March 26th

Have you always wanted to write a book, but don't know where to start? Or maybe you're really great at writing the first few chapters . . . but you never quite make it to the end? Or do you finally have a finished manuscript, but you're not sure what to do next? Fear not -- if you have writing-related questions, this book has answers! Whether you're writing for fun or to build a career, bestselling author Ally Carter is ready to help you make your work shine. With honesty, encouragement, and humor, Ally's ready here to answer the questions that writers struggle with the most. Filled with practical tips and helpful advice, Dear Ally is a treasure for aspiring writers at any stage of their careers. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how books get made, from idea to publication, and gives you insight into the writing processes of some of the biggest and most talented YA authors writing today.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

#I read YA #booklr #book love #young adult lit #diverse reads #books #bookworm #bookish #book nerd #new books #reading