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lorablackmane · 5 months

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ISAT Act 5 Missable Interactions

I missed a shitton my 1st playthrough bc I was on that Siffrin mindset during act 5's loop and I realized afterwards I had a save in the meadow b4 everything. So I decided to compile stuff I found I missed 4 others who might've missed things too! Please keep in mind that below will be spoilers for this act and the next, and that there are some concerning things about Siffrin found here that I've labeled this post with a few trigger warnings. Check them before reading to decide if you want to read!

Updated!!!!!!!

Please note the section on the favor tree has new info!! If you don't want to know how a secret boss fight goes please skip the 2nd to last dot.

• Literally every kid in town is terrified by Siffrin now, ignoring him or telling them to go away. You'll walk away from the shopkeeper if you try to talk to him, causing Odile to look at Siffrin with concern. He eats the pain du chocolat in one bite, concerning the pastry maker.

• Says stepping on the banana peel isn't in the stage instructions if u try to use it now.

• Everything that had a smell in earlier chapters now smells like sugar.

• If you interact with the cookies on floor one Siffrin will try to eat one. It's as hard as a rock.

• Interacting with the landscape drawings in the broken egg key room makes them hysterically ask if they'll ever see anything outside this loop ever again.

• A new group of drawings are also here of Siffrin with his face completely blotted out like the friendship drawing.

• The dictionary makes him scream that he isn't taciturn anymore, is he?!

• Interacting with the "grape juice for adults" makes them say they hate alcohol (jlmfr) b4 taking a swig.. only to discover its actually just juice. They remark hysterically they can't even get drunk in peace here!

• Mira's dying plant reminds them of someone, and they remark how there's four happy, never changing plants all together on the other desk before hysterically laughing. Rubs their arms when passing the desks to try to simulate the human contact they'd get in earlier loops from their family.

• Says they'll make all the wishes come true if you Interact with the Head Housemaiden's wish survey.

• Rips the info on the King, if interacted with again they attempt their breathing exercises to no avail then suddenly smell sugar again.

• Looking at the drawings in this office will make Siffrin start thinking about defacing them, but remarks he doesn't have a pencil as he hysterically thinks scribble, scribble, scribble.

• Mocks themself for thinking odile is there if u interact with the checked out book list in the library.

• Gets upset if Interacting with the diary area bc they still can't say the name of their home country. Calls himself a stupid blinding idiot.

• Gets upset at the theater scroll section, stating why read one when you're in one. Tells themself to stop going off script and go if interacted with again.

• Wonders if they'll ever carve again when Interacting with the carving wood. States they'd like to carve the King if so so they can snap him in half if interacted with again.

• Interacting with the cupboard with eyepatch makes them say they're cold, their stomach hurts, they can't stop shaking and a headache is forming from thinking about their mistakes. Then they take the painkillers, one over the recommended dosage for their size.

• Interacting with food shelves makes them ask why their stomach hurts so much and they're so hungry like they haven't eaten in years.

• The croissant cookbook makes them grip their coin.

• The anthology of horror stories makes them repeat the scene with their family, before they mock themself again for knowing it by heart since they have always wanted to never forget

• Breaks one of the statues on the change God shelf in the pottery room.

• Refuses to take the gizmo, stating a fair fight or none at all.

• The clothing closet where Isabeau talks about your cloak makes him repeat the scene though says he's had this cloak forever in shaking text. When Isabeau goes to check the cloak Siffrin says that he doesn't touch them because they're disgusting. They say they're so cold. This time they realize they're hallucinating the others being there when they are going to do the final reply.

• They tell themselves to stop monologuing if they try to go towards the bathrooms.

• You can see the House inhabitants if you leave the final room!! And go back to Dormont to see the party they were getting ready for. The others will join Siffrin out of corcern for his mental state instead of stopping him which is nice. There's a bunch of interactions here I won't note but they're delights.

• Loop is gone, but Siffrin will leave their silver coin where they sat in a custom from his homeland.

Edit: thanks to @cleverretortnotfound for the hint that this changes! Instead of nothing there u find a silver coin. If interacted with he'll remark its the exact same as his own and call out to Loop, then ask if they should call them by their previous name... and Loop reappears. Silently they let Siffrin look them over, and though they don't have any features that mirror Siffrin's own... he knows. Theyre the same person. He takes their own coin out, flipping it before sending it to Loop who catches it without thinking. They look at it for a moment, before saying, "Oh stardust... so, you've won, haven't you? You broke the loops? Defeated the King? Talked to your party? Realized that all along, the reason you were stuck here was because of a stupid blinding wish you made? Awww. I'm soooo happy for you. You got your perfect ending, after all. And now... I have nothing left to say to you. So you should go."

Siffrin doesn't reply, causing Loop to ask why they're there still. What does he want them to say? WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SAY? HE'S WON!

Once again, Siffrin doesn't reply. Loop laughs, before saying "oh, Stardust! You know, you know I was just like you once! A stupid, aimless traveler, trying to find any reason to keep going! And then, I met everyone! And I felt that finally, I had people i could count on, people I could love! And then, I got scared! And made the exact same mistake you did! Make a stupid blinding wish, hoping I could stay with them! Went through the House, tried to fight the King, tried to win! Did that for so long, I couldn't even give you a number! And then... I couldn't do it anymore. ...You see, not unlike you a few hours ago, I did a very special kind of giving up. But unlike you, who gave up on your wish, and almost destroyed the world in the process... I gave up on my wish, and destroyed myself.

And made another wish instead. I wished it could be over. I wished I could get out of here. I wished for someone to help me. For someone... Anyone, to help me!!! And someone did help me, right? The Universe did! They got me out of here! And trapped me in some other Siffrin's loops instead!!! And it was fine. It was different. It was even peaceful, for a while. I didn't have to stay inside the House, trying to defeat the King. I didn't have to fight, I didn't have struggle, I didn't have to do anything.

(Note: during the last paragraph, during the I wished section up until the scream for anyone to help,, we see stills from the intro animation where Siffrin eats the star. Theres a new still though, a close up of Siffrin crying out before he ate it.)

I just had to watch, and be happy that at least, I wasn't the only idiot out there who trapped themselves eternally in time. I just had to be happy that at least, this time, it wasn't me. And now. And now. AND NOW YOU-!!!

So! Since you won't leave, here's what I'm thinking... let's fight, you and I! Let's have a cute, minuscule, old-fashioned little fight like a bonded couple. Okay~?"

Once again, Siffrin doesn't reply and Loop laughs, "nothing to say, still? Haha... HAHAHAHA!! STARS, killing you would make me SO HAPPY. (note: during this sentence temporarily Loop turns into Siffrin and looks rather... concerning) Are you ready?"

Siffrin tries to speak up, but Loop says they don't get a choice.

The battle commences, with Loop saying let's just get to it. Loop strikes with stars but isn't very strong, they loop back the 1st time you win, the 2nd, the 3rd, and on the fourth the photo changes (will add link to another post with pics later).

At the end of the battle Loop looks away before saying, "you... Siffrin, Stardust, whatever our real name actually is... just kill me."

Siffrin is shocked and asks why. "Why," they say, "Are you stupid? Isn't it obvious?! I wanted to kill you!! So I could take your place!! I wanted what you have!!! Stars, I still do! You... you don't.. you don't want another you walking around. You should just kill me and get on with your stupid life!!"

This makes Siffrin laugh and reply their self-hatred isn't strong enough that'd they'd kill another version of themselves. Loops laughs at that and says he's got weird priorities... then say but what if they're asking him? What if Loop wants this? What if dying is the ending they want?! Siffrin doesn't reply and Loop starts to beg, "Stardust, please, please just kill me!!! I don't want to be here! What else is there for me now?! You've won, so I should be gone!! I can't go back to how it was before, because that past is gone! I can't go back to my friends, because they wouldn't recognize me!! There's nothing else for me to do, no script to follow, no Universe to lead me, I-"

They can't continue, sobbing. "Why.. why did it have to be you...? I could've... I wanted to... if only back then, I... if I had held on longer... maybe then..."

Oh Loop, Siffrin thinks. But don't you get it, he says. Loop asks what is there to get. The reason he succeeded, he replies, but Loop still doesn't understand. They take Loop's face into their hands as they say Loop was the reason they succeeded! Without them, he would've given up too. Because they were by Siffrin's side they continued going. Yes they didn't tell him everything, yeah they didn't know what to do... but knowing they were here and he wasn't alone...

They tearfully reply he's lying, but he says he's not. They shout again Siffrin is lying, but they reply again they're not! They try to scream it again, but siffrin stops them by saying, "Loop. Mira sends her thanks, by the way. They all do." Confused Loop repeats the word thanks, adding "...to me...?"

Siffrin laughs, and reminds them they helped the others get to the King. That they sent their thanks for leading them to Siffrin. For helping them save him. Loop can't reply, and Siffrin says, "See?"

"Stardust... why couldn't it have been me...?" Loop asks, to which Siffrin replies they don't know. Maybe it was the script, maybe it was the Universe, or maybe... maybe it's no one's fault. Loop is silent once more and he replies, "I'm sorry, Siffrin."

Finally using Loops real name. Then adds, "And thank you, Loop. Without you, I would've given up a long time ago. Thank you for helping me, this whole time."

Loop doesn't respond and Siffrin goes, "Loop, we can-"

Loop cuts them off, "Siffrin." He flinches as they continue, "Please, you're going to have to talk to them, from now on. No more keeping how you feel from them. We both know where this leads. And if one day, no matter what you do, everyone's paths and yours diverge... you'll have to learn to be okay with it. We cant... we can't do this again. Hold them hostage, against their knowledge, against their will, just because we're lonely. Learning to talk to them... learning to let go... it'll be hard. It'll feel impossible. You might think you'd rather die than share how you feel. After all, isn't bottling things up the reason you managed to break the loops? You didn't have to tell them anything until the very end, and it turned out fine didn't it?"

Siffrin is silent, then attempts to say but, but if I talked to them earlier, then maybe - then gets cut off by loop, "Yeah, dummy. If only you had been strong enough to talk to them, maybe this whole story wouldn't have happened at all. If only... oh well. It doesn't matter now."

Loop starts to disappear. Siffrin asks where they'll go now? Loop sadly replies, "Oh, stardust... I don't know! I'll join you so we can become one? I'll Die? I'll stay under this tree forever? Does it matter?"

You can choose between it does and I guess it doesn't. I won't update this with the other, I'm sorry but this is taking a toll on me, so I'll atleast tell you what "It does!" Leads to.

They laugh, then say Siffrin's sweet. "Aww, don't worry, Stardust. Somehow... I'm sure I'll see you again. You... and everyone else. Mirabelle, Isabeau, Odile, and Bonnie. I need to accept their thanks in person, don't I? That's just basic etiquette. And I'll need to give you back your silver coin eventually!"

Siffein agrees, and Loop continues, "...hmm. I'll see you all again soon enough, Stardust. I promise! I super promise! I super duper promise! So don't forget me, okay?"

The screen fades, leading us back to the gang. They welcome Siffrin back and ask if everything's okay. He says he thanked Loop, to which they're relieved. Odile says she was hoping they'd bring em back so she could thank them in person, and the others agree though Isa says they looked shy so maybe they were too embarrassed. Which is too bad because he had so many questions, and so he hopes they see them again soon. Bonnie says they wanted to know how Loop glows and how it felt, to which Mira chides them saying you can't ask someone how they glow. Bonnie is flabbergasted, making the others laugh.

Odile adds she hopes Siffrin told them they can see the gang anytime. Sadly Siffrin smiles before saying he did, and how they too hope Loop says hi again soon. The others note Siffrin looks sad while saying this to which he replies he was thinking of Loop. The others tell them they'll have to tell the gang more about them then soon. Like how they met and why they're a star. Also how they knew about the loops. They then go back to the final room.

• The best artist ever has something new in the epilogue.

Souvenirs

Silver coin

B4: grips it in his pocket.

Epilogue: remarks that it's been with them through it all and feels like it could've been used for something. Backstory no longer unlockable, but can be used at the Favor tree.

Drawn card

B4 epilogue: says it's a traveler walking to their death with open eyes, rips it apart.

The end: looks at the card and just says "it's you!"

Epilogue: says it's a traveler starting a new journey, the card is labeled the fool.

Bright flower

B4 epilogue: tears off all the petals then discards it

The end: says it's still here.

Epilogue: you still have the flower, he says before deciding that it's theirs now!

Friendship doodle

B4: Siffrin's face is blotted out, no reaction to viewing this..

Epilogue: their face is no longer missing. Unknown whether this was a hallucination on their end or not.

Clay

B4: presses it between their hands to try and help them with their breathing exercises.

The end: squish, squish they say.

Epilogue: Clay they say, before making a star.

Piece of glass

B4: uses it to self harm by piercing it through a bit of the back of their arm multiple times. Says stars afterwards, can't tell if being sarcastic and calling the dots they made that or screaming the word like a curse as usual. (Updated: if used a second time Siffrin says they're making more tiny stars. Concerning)

The end: they say hide it, hide it don't make the others worried.

Epilogue: they become scared and startled, saying they need to be careful. Then they toss it before they can hurt themself.

Broken doll

B4: fixes the clothing on it, if u click on the cupboard it's from again tells it it'll see the end if it's the last thing it does.

The end: turns the doll so it can see everything.

Epilogue: they hold it close as they look at the sky, saying they both made it.

Crumpled poem

B4: genuinely could not read this the first seven times but using the capture reveals after reading it Siffrin repeatedly says they want to go home.

Epilogue: they read it, then say they'll never go home again, but maybe they can make a new one. They can't wait to see if they can.

Mirror picture

B4: no reaction. Says its of them and the actors despite no one being there.

Epilogue: they grip it tightly before tossing it, saying it's in the past now. That they're fine, they're fine! And if not they will be soon.

Long thingy-thing

B4: tosses it, saying it's not needed anymore.

Epilogue: they say it's their long thingy now.

#in stars and time #isat spoilers #isat #lbanalysis #Tw self harm #tw self destructive behavior

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bingoboingobongo · 1 year

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task force 141 + christmas wishlists

Characters: Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, John Price, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra

Warnings: none

A/N: ewww i have finals tmmrw

rodolfo "rudy" parra:

alright so i mentioned this in my stocking stuffers headcanon but we're gonna go in more depth here

rudy's christmas wishlist is really just legos

but like big, expensive lego sets

like i said then, he always compiles a big list of sets he wants each year

this year he's obsessed with the technic/vehicle sets

he got the vespa set for his birthday so that one was crossed off the list

and now he's looking to collect all the ferrari sets

last year he nabbed the ferrari 488 gte "af course #1"

and this year he wants the ferrari daytona sp3

he really likes the technic sets because their like a harder version of the normal lego sets

plus they're a lot more durable which is important to him

he has all his lego sets lined up on shelves around his apartment

and he already has a shelf of lego vehicles

which currently includes the ferrari 488, the vespa, and the lamborghini sián fkp 37 (he bought that for himself after he got a pay raise)

and ofc once he gets all his luxury cars/racecars collected, he plans on moving onto the classic cars collection

john "soap" mactavish:

alright so idk why this headcanon brings me so much joy but it does

but soap really really really wants a dirt bike for christmas

he rode one during a mission around summer time

and ever since then he won't stop raving about how cool it was

if we're being honest he wasn't that good at it

but honestly that just motivated him even more because now he wants one so he can get better at riding it

he wants to be able to do all those crazy flips and tricks they do

and he spends soooo much time researching bikes and watching videos of the tricks

he also doesn't even know when he would get the chance to use it

or where he would practice

since his house is not exactly near prime dirt biking terrain

but he insists he'll figure something out

his dream is definitely the yz250

he just thinks it looks so cool and sleek

but it's like ~$7000 so he doesn't have his hopes up

would definitely implode if he got it tho

john price:

alright so for christmas price really wants a weighted heated blanket

i mean can you blame him?

it gets pretty cold up in his cabin and he just wants to be able to be all warm and cozy

he honestly didn't even realize it was a thing until gaz told him about it

and now he won't stop talking about it

like he keeps hinting about how he wants it

saying things like "god it's cold in here, a nice heated blanket would be great huh?" or "my blanket is getting so thin, one of those weighted blankets would be insane huh?"

what can i say he really wants one

but he also doesn't wanna spend like $100 on one

which is why he's being so coy about it

besides a weighted heated blanket price wants cigars

i mean he always wants cigars but he wants them as a christmas gift this time

he wants really fancy ones that are really high quality

honestly his ideal holiday evening is him on the couch, with warm socks, a tea, a cigar, and his weighted heated blanket and a nice movie on the tv

simon "ghost" riley:

this year (and every year really) simon wants books for christmas

he's a fan of classic literature so he really just wants paperbacks of all the classics

paperback because it's easier to bring on missions

like i said in one of my past headcanons, i think simon was definitely an english literature major in college

so he definitely has a lot of books already

but let's be real you can never have too many books

the books on his wishlist this year include the metamorphosis by franz kafka, journey to the center of the earth by jules verne, and the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde

okay we're gonna go off on a tangent here

but simon secretly wants to open up a bookstore when he retires

except, and this is gonna get kinda sad here, he knows it's ultimately just a pipe dream bc the chances of him retiring are really slim

yk since he's more likely to be killed in action...

but he still likes the idea of it in case he does make it out of the military alive

kyle "gaz" garrick:

alright so for christmas gaz wants new headphones and a speaker

gaz just lives his life with a soundtrack in the background what can i say

he loves listening to music whenever he can

whether he's working or training or in the shower

i like to think that he used to actually have a really nice set of earbuds

and he usually keeps them in one of the pockets of his uniform

but when he fell out of that helicopter he lost his earbuds

and he was absolutely devastated too because they were so nice

but this time around he wants headphones so that he can really take advantage of the noise cancelling feature

probably not the smartest option considering he's in the military but yk what sometimes gaz just needs a break from the outside and honestly who doesn't?

he also has a really nice speaker but then soap broke it

gaz had it next to him on the couch while he was watching tv or smthing

and then soap sorta hopped over the back of the couch to sit next to him

and then sat straight on the speaker

and since the couch at the base sucks and is therefore pretty hard

plus the fact that soap is probably like over two hundred pounds of muscle

the speaker really had no chance

so yeah gaz really just wants his music back for christmas

and off topic but he's into a lot of oldish hip hop/rap rn

like the notorious b.i.g., ice cube, 2pac, dr. dre

yk sorta like the classics

(im ngl idk if those are classics music genres confuse me)

alejandro vargas:

this year alejandro wants a ps5

maybe this is coming sorta out of left field but i feel like alejandro is lowkey a gamer

which ik doesn't make sense since we've established he's into self care and gamers never shower

jkjk no hate to any gamers im sure most of y'all have tolerable self hygiene

but yeah alejandro is actually super into video games

he has a lot of consoles but he didn't get the ps5 when it first came out so now he wants it

im gonna go off on a few alejandro video game tangents here so get ready

first off i think he and rudy played "a way out" together with no prior knowledge of the game

and so at the ending they were absolutely devastated

they also play overcooked a lot

and they let the other task force members play too

it's always interesting because alejandro takes it really seriously

and so he gets soooo stressed about it it's kinda amusing

also he's super good at super smash bros

and surprisingly he's not really a fan of first person shooter games (ironic i know)

it's just that he does that so much in real life he doesn't want to do it in games too

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beefrobeefcal · 13 days

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Beefy!!! list five things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox of the last ten people who liked or reblogged something from you (no pressure) 👀💛

You got it, Helly!

Bluetooth headphones built into sleep masks - give who ever mashed those two things together a cookie bc damn.

Vine (RIP) - I still look up Vine compilations on YouTube and lose my everloving shit when I see the "Judas! No!" one.

Frankie Fridays - as if I needed another reason for Fridays to be good, the fact that I can open this app and be met with that face, those eyes? Hell to the fuckin' yeah.

Dill Pickle Salad - hear me out: the bagged dill pickle salad from Costco (comes in a two pack in Canada!) fuckin' slaps. Every time it's in stock, I buy enough for my lunches at work. Add a hard boiled egg and BAM! happy beef.

This community - even with the drama and bs floating around, we can still take the time to toss some fun into each other's asks & make moodboards that reflect the friendships that have been forged. My fellow writers, my fellow readers - you're all just top shelf booze in my books.

Yours in sin,

Beefro👌🥩💜

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal tummy #you ask beefro answers #thot tank #frankie morales #triple frontier #you asked beefro answered #francisco catfish morales #🥩

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phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess · 1 month

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Have reached the stage where the tragedy is now something that happened and there are dumb family jokes about it

Like the fact I Marie kondo'd my house in the worst way...

Or the fact that all my 9 erwatch and other funky pops were annihilated, which the sibling believes is the one true way to destroy them (always hated them, thinks they're creepy)

No jokes about kitty though, that's where the line rests re jokes. Sibling loved her too as did the parental unit. She was spoiled af,just like her siblings that live with the main family.

It was just stuff, outside of furbaby, so that I don't mind laughing about. Esp the funkopops (physically they made it with some damage but the smell tells you they are damaged and are a hazard)

Compiling a list of the books I lost to make a fun challenge of trying to chase them down again in time... took photos of every shelf in the house to get a tally etc

Life moves forwards, no matter how awful something was, and you just have to let things go. Kitty lives in my heart and memory forever, but like, the house contents are meme fodder now.

Based on the look of the kitchen I suspect something happened with the old as fuck stove oven that belonged to the place. I never used it be it used to spout flames. They fixed it but I didn't trust it properly.

Nothing that can be changed now if it was. I could have sworn I'd unplugged it ages ago, though. The fires and inspectors will work it out one day and we might know then.

Until then I have to to live through dumbass sibling jokes like "can we get BBQ to ight or is that too soon?" Stupid nonsense. If you laugh you hear a triumphant "you smiled, I'm off the hook!"

I really am lucky to have such a supportive family and extended network. Even with 0eople I'd never known the names of, or knew they knew of me and baby girl before this.

But its like the children who ride past the house in the afternoon.i said hello once or twice and if one hurt themselves or someone was being g creepy them, I'd step in. Or if one of the elderly people who liked to wander past regulalry (often with a comment on my flowers or the weathe)r needed help,you'd do it. Etc

Once again I forgot where the post was going. It's been only 3 days since everything and life has fallen into a weirdly normal but slightly to the left state. Odd isn't it.

I can look at her photo without losing it, and I can talk about fun things we did together, etc.

It's not okay, but it's okay, if that makes sense.

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on-the-shelves · 7 months

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on my shelf: soundtrack to MA year 3 - summer (a.k.a. the finale)

And so it comes to an end. I handed in my Master's thesis (topic: Emancipatory Potential of Girl Teen Film) about a week ago, so now I'm just waiting for it to be graded and also I have to find a job or something now... The thing I have been dreading most for like 10 years...

ANYWAY so I was super busy this summer with the thesis and going to a Japanese film festival for a class (I mostly saw very emotional movies (oops) and one very good comedy (Mondays: See You 'This' Week)), going to concerts (Red Velvet!!! Odd Eye Circle!!! Twice!!), going on vacation but still spending at least 3 hours every day working on my thesis, keeping up with the BTS members, seeing literally every BTS/TXT/IU concert or documentary they showed in cinemas, etc. etc.

So here we go into the final list of albums/songs that soundtracked my studies (it's been almost exactly 6 years since my first post in this series!!):

The Jazz Hop Café: (anything with "jazzy lofi" in the title)

So this one's not really an album, I know, but I wanted to mention this YouTube channel and their compilations of lofi songs because on many days, playing one of their videos was the only way I could get focused on the work I had to do. Using a video was also much more helpful to me than that famous lo-fi livestream because it helped me track how many hours I had been working. Truly a life-saver. And the music just sounds great too. They found some real gems!

Agust D: D-Day (2023)

What a perfect finale to the Agust D trilogy. While all three albums, Agust D (2016), D-2 (2020) and now this one, deal with anger and fear, there's a clear maturation in how these subjects and emotions are approached. On D-Day, Agust D is speaking to the world and breaking free - in openly and honestly sharing his struggles, his pain, he hopes others can feel comforted. The album literally begins with the line "Future's gonna be okay" ("D-Day"). The theme continues throughout the album, most prominent in "Amygdala" and "Snooze", a beautifully cinematic track featuring the late Ryuichi Sakamoto that is dedicated especially to everyone working publically in the music industry and struggling. He has been there, he knows what it's like and he is sincerely cheering you on. In the last years, Yoongi has emphasised again and again how much he wants to help out others and this album showcases this desire the clearest out of all of his albums. He's also pushing himself to try out a variety of new styles without losing his identity: "People Pt. 2 (feat. IU)", "SDL" and "Life Goes On" showcase his warm singing voice, while "Snooze" is the grandest he's gone musically, filled with strings, guitars, piano, and so much emotion. "Haegeum" takes a leaf out of "Daechwita" from D-2's book by incorporating a traditional Korean instrument in a novel way, while using the lyrics to speak of the hypocrisies plaguing society today. The music video for that one is like a movie, too. All in all, the album is hopeful while being emotionally heavy - and in that way, it allows a feeling of catharsis. How desperately I wish I could've gone to a concert on the tour...

fav: Life Goes On; People Pt. 2

Jimin: Face (2023)

So this was not at all what I would have expected from Jimin's first solo EP, considering the types of songs he had released before. Especially the first single, "Set Me Free, Pt. 2" came busting down the doors and demolishing all those preconceived expectations with it's assured declaration of wanting to break free from them. The other tracks are more intimate but just as interesting. The album opens with clown-like music before morphing into a very different sound and the opening line "All right, I guess the blame is on me" - brilliant. The album feels very visual to me because it's full of this kind of 'sound painting', like the clown music or "Interlude : Dive", which tells a whole story of Jimin reminiscing about the BTS concert days and the frustration and sadness of not being able to do that right now. Jimin has said he worked through his feelings from the most difficult times of the pandemic in these songs and you can feel that frustration all over these tracks. For example: Lead single "Like Crazy" really makes you feel like you're not fully sober, just trying to ignore all the bad feelings but struggling to do so. Jimin uses his already unique voice in a variety of new ways throughout the tracks. And added to that, there are quite a few interesting moments on all these songs - like the long-ish musical interlude after "Like Crazy"'s first chorus or the way the music stutters after the "Lie lie lie lie lie lie lie" line in "Alone". An added bonus, lovely moment is the hidden track on the physical album, which is more like what I'd have expected from Jimin, and is a beautiful guitar ballad for ARMY.

fav: Face-off

V: Layover (2023)

After years and years of V promising that his mixtape/album would come out soon, just for him to reveal that he's scrapped everything and started over, it's finally here and it's everything I could have ever hoped. One of the first BTS songs I heard that made me fall into the rabbit hole was his "Singularity". The R&B, more laid-back sound suits his vocal tone so perfectly, and that's exactly what runs through all of these new songs. One thing that stands out is how much room is given to the instrumentals: "Slow Dancing"'s second half is just a flute/piano solo with no vocals. It really boosts that laid-back, dreamy feeling that runs throughout the EP. Lyrically, all the songs are about missing someone and wanting them back, which V conveys very convincingly. The music emphasises this feeling in different ways - from the slightly off-key (?) moments in "Rainy Days", to the jazz and soul inspired free-ness of "Slow Dancing", to the key change via pitched-up vocals in "For Us". Generally the sound also fit in perfectly with all of that jazzy lofi I'd been listening to while writing, which made it feel instantly familiar and cozy. My favourite part of the promotions were all the live band sessions that really added so much to these songs.

fav: Rainy Days; Blue

Jung Kook: "Seven" (2023)

Song of the Summer!! I literally couldn't stop listening to this song all summer, seven days a week (ha). To be honest, I was shocked when I heard the lyrics the first time because Jung Kook just had a much more innocent (?) image, but actually this vibe suits him perfectly. He is such a quintessential pop star - vocals, dance, looks, charisma: he has it all in abundance. And on top of that, he lacks the cheesy insincerity or even low-key misogyny that I get from a lot of the pop boys historically. The lyrics to "Seven" are sexy, especially because of how loving they seem: "I kiss your waist and ease your mind"! "I must be favored to know ya"!! It's just so very Jung Kook. And I really enjoyed the remixes of the song, too, in a way I haven't enjoyed remixes since BTS' "Dynamite". Especially the "Island Remix" was fun for me, since I was on holiday on an island when it was released (Mallorca - the same island where V also shot some videos for his album this year!!).

Kep1er: LOVESTRUCK! (2023); Magic Hour (2023)

Both Kep1er EPs this year have had some of their best non-single tracks so far, with generally better line distribution among the members than their lead singles/title tracks. They have been leaning more into a groovy, light sound, and allowing more space for individual vocals and harmonies. By Magic Hour, it feels like they are starting to find a good niche for themselves, musically. "Galileo" is my favourite title track of theirs since "Up" (2022) and this might be the first time I truly like every song on an EP. Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be their last album, since they're a project group with a limited contract which is supposed to be up after two years (meaning end of this year)... They're only just starting to find their feet as a group! What a strange system...

fav: Back To The City; Why; Galileo; The Door

Odd Eye Circle: <Version Up> (2023)

After the chaos on Loona island that started at the end of last year, all the members got out of their contract this year!! And then went on to several different new agencies. They do keep mentioning that Loona is not broken up, so there is still hope for an OT12 reunion at some point. For now, the first group to have released new music is the second Loona sub-unit Odd Eye Circle, who just so happens to be my favourite sub-unit. And they truly delivered once again. Maybe it helped that they're working with their original producer again, but they really do showcase an upgraded version of themselves on this new album. Every song is such an earworm, but not annoying in any way. And I really enjoy the little references to the Loona discography and first OEC EP - the introduction track often brings a little tear to my eye. I have barely listened to Loona in the past year because of the ongoing boycott and this EP filled that void a little. Plus the girls were AMAZING in concert, I literally cannot believe I saw them live in a tiny venue in Berlin and got to see all of their solo songs, duets, and of course OEC songs. And even "Hi High"!

fav: Je Ne Sais Quoi; Love Me Like

Loossemble: Loossemble (2023)

Speaking of Loona: The five members who went to a different label recently released their own EP under the name Loossemble, which stands for Loona Assemble (so cute). Even though this was literally only released two weeks ago, I've been listening to it constantly. First of all, we finally get to hear the five members who usually get the least amount of lines in OT12 songs - and they sound so good! I especially love all of the harmonies on the album. This EP also really still feels like a Loona (sub-unit) album, especially from the fan-favourite earlier days, not straying too far into unknown territory (yet?) but not boring in any way because they do get to showcase new things, like ViVi's lower register on "Sensitive". I also find it very cool that all of the members have at least one writing/composing credit on the EP, which is something they've never gotten to do before but are really good at! And "Strawberry Soda" was even written for them by fellow Loona (but not Loossemble) member Yves! They're really still carrying the OT12 agenda. Fingers crossed Loossemble also decides to tour in Europe at some point!

fav: Strawberry Soda; Sensitive

NewJeans: Get Up (2023)

It's really amazing how NewJeans keep upping their game with every release. This EP is more summery again, but again in a way that's very atypical for K-Pop, drawing on various styles of dance music as well as R&B. It's varied and fun and has quite a few interesting elements, such as the unusual sparse sound of "ASAP" and the horns in "ETA".

fav: Super Shy; Get Up

BTS: "Take Two" (2023)

Of course they recorded a song to be released around their 10-year anniversary when they weren't all able to celebrate together. Of course they did. And of course it's such a warm, embracing hug of a song. 2025 can't come soon enough.

And here are some more albums I enjoyed:

Colde: Love Part 2 (2023)

Twice: Ready To Be (2023)

Fifty Fifty: The Fifty (2022)

Fall Out Boy: So Much (for) Stardust (2023)

j-hope: Jack In The Box (HOPE Edition) (2023)

STAYC: Teenfresh (2023)

Le Sserafim: Unforgiven (2023)

Viviz: VarioUS (2023)

Itzy: Cheshire (2022)

the BTS discography remains on repeat as well, of course

---------------------------------------------

A final note: I'm really proud of myself for keeping this series going all this time. I already sometimes look back on older posts and it's so interesting to see how my taste in music and my way of writing changed through the years. Sometimes the music you listened to at a certain time in your life will always remain connected to that time for you but sometimes that connection weakens. So having these posts to look back on is like having all these little time capsules, which is nice. I don't know if I'll keep doing something similar now that I'm out of school, but it could be nice... We'll see what happens next (I have 0 plans for my future :D)!

#on my shelf #soundtrack to university #bts #agust d #jimin #v #jungkook #newjeans #loona #odd eye circle #loossemble #kep1er

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junkshop-disco · 8 months

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Books!! Thanks to @magicalrocketships for the tag 💖

An estimate of how many physical books I own: I have two floor-to-ceiling walls of books, and random piles elsewhere, so probably somewhere between 750 and 1000? I'm always scouring charity shops and flea markets for interesting books.

Favorite author: is there anyone who can pick just one? Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Paul Auster, Ali Smith, Graham Greene, Margaret Atwood, Kurt Vonnegut, off the top of my head.

A popular book I've never read and never intend to read: never say never and all that, but it'll be a cold day in hell when I crack open a Thomas Hardy voluntarily.

A popular book I thought was just meh: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell. I wanted so badly to like it, but it was a struggle just making it through the first couple of chapters and I gave up.

Longest book I own: I do have War & Peace, Vanity Fair, and Bleak House, all of which are an endurance workout for the wrists. I also have The Norton Anthology of Poetry, which is a compilation of most poets and poems, ever, which is a struggle to get off the shelf.

Longest series I own all the books to: is the wider Terry Pratchett universe considered a series? If so, those.

Prettiest book I own: I have an early edition of Virginia Woolf's diary which has a cover illustrated by Vanessa Bell. I'm very fond of the design of that.

A book or series I wish more people knew about: I really wish more people had read the Widdershins books by Jordan L Hawk, so I had someone to exclaim 'but what about the bit when the librarians [spoilers]!!!' to while they yell back 'Christine my beloved!!'. So that's my rec, if anyone is looking for a series of, say, 11 books packed with magical historical fantasy shenanigans featuring archaeologists, but also aliens (no, really), that doesn't take itself too seriously but also delivers more convincing magical world building than a lot of books that do.

Book I’m reading now: I just finished The Half-life of Valery K and I'm halfway through a book of Emily Dickinson poems. I think I have a romance queued up next for a bit of a breather. Maybe a KJ Charles.

Book that’s been on my TBR list for a while but I still haven’t gotten around to it: my TBR is like four shelves high. The one that gives me the greatest pang of regret every time my gaze alights upon it is probably The World Broke In Two, which is about the impact of WWI on art and writing.

Do you have any books in a language other than English: I have some Spanish copies of Lorca I think.

Paperback, hardcover or ebook?: I mix it up. I usually buy secondhand books when I'm buying physical copies so I'll go with whatever looks in the best condition, but most of my actual reading I do on my Kindle because I don't put the lights on in the evening to help with my insomnia and real books don't have handy self-adjusting ambient lighting.

#books #if anyone fancies this #consider yourself tagged

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doublydaring · 5 months

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3 & 4!

3. What are your top 5 books of the year?

My top five books are as follows:

1. The Night Watchmen by Louise Erdrich - this book was supposed to be assigned as part of a Native American Lit course I took 2 years ago but we never ended up reading it for the course so it just sat on my shelf for all that time. I finally picked it up and I am so happy I did, obviously it was my #1 book this year. This book has points where is gets so dark and points where it is light and airy. It is grounded and magical. It is part biography and part fiction and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I read it in early May and it has stuck with me so vividly.

2. All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren - I wanted to put a little work into the classics, and I love political intrigue. Reading this book makes you feel like you're wading through the hot, thick air of the American south in your steel frame car before the advent of air conditioning. It is about sick and twisted people, and the prose is long and languid. It is a fictional story based on real-life political figure Huey Long, and I was obsessed.

3. The Once and Future King T.H. White - Unlike the two preceding novels, this book took me forever to finish. I bought it in April and finished it in November. It is technically a compilation of five books and is over 800 pages in my defense. The first book is reminiscent of the whimsy of Gullivers Travels, Merlin turns arthur in animals and such and he lives in ant society. Fun stuff like that. But the books grow up with Arthur. As he gets older the tone changes and the analysis gets deeper. The book is in conversation with Mallory's Le Morte D'Arthur and I think this makes it the quintessential Arthurian novel. It acknowledges the past which shaped it and reinterprets it beautifully for the modern reader.

4. A Passage to India E.M. Forster - full disclosure Forster is probably my favorite author of all time so I am biased but this book is so good! An incredibly nuanced take on race relations and colonialism from a white dude at the turn of the century. The movie is literally the worst thing ever. They completely change the plot to make the white girl the main character so she's more sympathetic than the Indian man she totally fucks over (he's the main character in the book).

5. The House with The Green Shutters George Douglas Brown - I had to read this for my intro to Scottish lit class and I got OBSESSED. Tumblr girlies you would eat thus up its about houses and haunting. An absolutely dismal and dreary interpretation of the classic kailyard novel this book is not short but if you open it you will want to take it in in one sitting. The story unfolds before you and you just have to watch in horror. Please read this book.

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

So firstly, all the authors listed above with the exception of Forster who I was previously familiar with. But to spice things up I'm going to say Lynda Barry. I read her semi-autobiographical writing advice book "What It Is" and I adored it. You are actually probably familiar with her work from her four panel comic about looking at art that goes around here every once and while, there's a big guy and a little guy looking at a painting and they say I don't get it and the big guy picks the little guy up to get a better look and they realize they're mirroring the pose of the painting. That's Lynda Barry. All of her work is like that. Simple, poignant, sort of makes you happy and sad at the same time. I highly recommend you read some of her stuff if can get your hands on it. It will make you laugh and cry.

Thank you so much!! Send me more asks about books!

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star-prophecy · 9 months

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okay, so, after seeing someone mention that they had to reread all of the warriors books due to not being all caught up with every book, i felt much better about my own lacking in relevancy. so after stalking for a while, i'm making a blog to talk about everything i want to regarding murder-cats!

here are some things you should know about me:

call me chase, i'm 18 & white (also tme & singlet)

i am an autistic transmasc butch bisexual sapphic(/lesbian)

i am inclusive! i do not tolerate harassment or bigotry against common good-faith identities at the center of discourse, including "contradictory" labels such as "bi lesbian"

my favorite warriors character is needletail, and i don't currently have a favorite book

i have a 5-years-old sona, stormchaser (where my chosen name derived from btw!), and i'm working on developing another oc, asterspark!

this is my reading progress thus far (a list for myself):

i am now reading leopardstar's honor; next i'll read onestar's confession, squirrelflight's hope, and TBC (ideally, if i can find the motivation of course)

i'm working on completing my collection of physical copies. right now i own DOTC (6/6), TPB (6/6), TNP(6/6), PO3/POT (6/6), OOTS (6/6), AVOS (6/6), TBC (6/6), ASC (1/3), super editions (15/15), three-parts novella sets (7/7), guidebooks (4/6) (including enter the clans double compilation), mangas (1/20). i have yet to acquire ASC (as it's released over time), replace old vintage series covers with new versions, and replace hardcover super editions with paperback so they'll fit on a shelf.

i have read TPB, OOTS, AVOS, and just started TBC. although i have not read TNP or PO3/POT, i know of the canon events. i do not plan to read DOTC as i have heard it will be boring, but still have yet to learn the canon events of it. the super editions i have not read (assume the rest are done) are skyclan's destiny, bramblestar's storm (not looking forward to it but whatever lol), squirrelflight's hope, graystripe's vow, leopardstar's honor, and onestar's confession. i have not read any mangas and only six novellas; hollyleaf's story, tigerclaw's fury, leafpool's wish, dovewing's silence, mapleshade's vengeance, and spottedleaf's heart.

in total, i have read including individual novellas & guidebooks, excluding enter the clans & mangas: 36/86. all of this information (+ above) is based off of this page.

i don't really want to have a set DNI list. this fandom, from what i've seen, is probably chill enough to feel safe in with any takes i may have, even if they're disagreed upon.

i'm happy to be mutuals with anyone who follows me (i'll follow back from @storm-speaks)

#warriors #warrior cats #warriors books #warriors series #thunderclan #riverclan #shadowclan #windclan #skyclan #starclan #the prophecies begin #the new prophecy #power of three #omen of the stars #a vision of shadows #the broken code #a starless clan #trying to gain traction idk #follow me lol

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bookpadho · 1 year

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The 10 best book blogs of 2023

Amazon Book Review This book blog topped Scribendi's 2020 list, and it's easy to see why. It's probably the most comprehensive book blog out there for contemporary works, and it covers all kinds of genres. The Editors' Picks seem to have something for everybody. All of this booky goodness is presented on a bright, easy-to-navigate website. There are even celebrity picks, where "celebrity" encompasses not only film and TV stars but also athletes, musicians, and authors. I must say that this online book store blog also tops my list when it comes to what's hot off the press and for its sheer variety.

John Pistelli If you're not concerned about hot topics and current events and are just looking for a good read, then this is the site for you. John Pistelli is a professor at the University of Minnesota and holds a Ph.D. in English literature. He has also published several works of fiction and poetry. His website used to buy books online review every week or so, and his choices are anchored in his personal interests, which center on classic and contemporary fiction. Take a look at his review index for a ton of books to choose from, each with his thoughtful and artful opinions and musings. He covers novels, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and comics, and he even throws in some commercial fiction for good measure. What also caught my eye is his "lifetime reading list," which includes titles you'd expect to be recommended by an English professor—but also some surprises.

Literary Hub This book blog has everything you need to keep up to date with the literary world, plus some news and culture on the side. In addition to its numerous resources for both reading and writing, what caught my attention is its "Book Marks" section. Similar to what "Rotten Tomatoes" does for movies, "Book Marks" compiles book reviews from magazines, newspapers, and websites and averages them into a score of "Rave," "Positive," "Mixed," or "Pan." You can also leave your own comments and reviews. Literary Hub is also a great site for finding your next favorite book-related podcast.

49th Shelf This site calls itself "the largest collection of Canadian books on the Internet." No kidding! The site is extremely comprehensive but also very easy to navigate. There's something for everyone, and you can sign up for free to contribute your own reviews, comments, and book ratings.

The Broadcast (by Reedsy) If you like reading lists, you'll love this book blog. From "10 Exciting New Books From Up -and-Coming Authors" to the "40 Best Spy Novels of All Time," you're sure to find a list that interests you. Moreover, it's easy to get lost in their articles on a wide variety of book -related topics.

A Life in Books Blogger Susan Osborne has worked in book sales and as a writer and magazine editor. Her book blog is simple and crisp. Susan provides thoughtful reviews and arranges books into unique categories, such as "Five Books I've Read," where she groups books in fives according to different themes, and "Six Degrees of Separation," where she links seemingly disparate books in clever ways.

The Orangutan Librarian This blog stands out not only for its unique name and concept but also for its color and charming sketches here and there. Books are rated using a five-banana rating system and are accompanied by thoughtful—and, at times, philosophical—reviews. The Orangutan also invites comments. There are intriguing lists like "Books that Gave Me a Hangover" and "Forgettable Books—Books I Can't Remember…Though I Definitely Read Them (I Think)."

Vilma Iris Vilma Iris Gonzalez is an "internationally renowned book blogger and USA Today blog columnist" whose focus is on commercial fiction for a female audience. She markets lifestyle, home, and beauty, but it's clear her heart is in books. Her site is smart and modern.

From First Page to Last What caught my eye about this blog, besides its stylish simplicity and plethora of reviews, were its unique categories like "Under the Reader's Radar – Celebrating the Quiet Novel" and "Spotlight on Publishers." You're likely to spot a gem.

Readability Reading Fleur Morrison's blog feels like chatting about books with a best friend. She's honest, thoughtful, funny, and engaging. I was pulled in by her accounts of her struggles with Dostoyevsky and stayed to read about her postHarry Potter blues. Conclusion Thanks for reading The 21 Best Book Blogs of 2021! Whatever your fancy may be, I'm confident you'll find some great new books to dive into. If you're an aspiring author yourself, be sure to check our website bookpadho.ezyro.com Our editors are experts at polishing prose to make it shine all the brighter. Moreover, if you're ready to pitch your book, can also help you create a query package. There's no time like the present to chase your dreams. Have a Good Day!

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pleasantanathema · 3 years

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Pleasant’s Writer Recs!

I’ve gotten a few asks in my inbox over the past few weeks asking me for writer recs, so I thought the best way to do this was to compile a list of my fav authors on tumblr and rec my favorite fic of theirs! A lot of these amazing authors are moots—I’m very lucky to call many of them close friends. This list could be much longer, and I could go on for days about every single author, but I’ll try to keep it brief. Most all of these authors, like myself, write 18+ only content. Hopefully this can be a useful tool for authors and readers alike looking for amazing fanfic 💕

@bakatenshii | Angel is so phenomenal with her writing that I almost can’t put her style and amazing ability into words (but I’ll try). Angel’s work is beautiful, masterful, full of poetry, elegance, and smut that will all leave you gasping. Fav Fic: Blitz [Ushijima x Reader]

@blahkugo | Sunnt, Thunnth, Sunny, whatever you call her, she is brilliant. No one writes Tsukishima quite like she does. She is beyond creative and her writing style flows like the sexiest water, it’ll make you thirsty and quench your aches. Fav Fic: Tower [Tsukishima x Reader]

@deathcab4daddy | Tay is all about details, details, details. She fills in every gap and paints gorgeous, sexy pictures and situations for the reader to feel immersed in. Fav Fic: Cerulean Blue [Akaashi x Reader]

@dymphnasprose | Dymphna is all about fun, sex, and slowly filling out her holy bible of smut. She’s amazing at creating realistic sub/dom relationships and her smut almost always comes with a healthy dose of build-up. Fav Fic: Green Scrunchies [Ukai x Reader]

@enjifuckersupreme | Ketsl reigns supreme over pure, unadulterated porn. They are phenomenal at making me the reader wet, and every fic is crafted with so much care. Enji fuckers should bow down at their feet, no one loves and writes Enji like Ketsl. Fav Fic: Attitude Adjustment [Enji x Reader]

@hisoknen | Raph is one of the first dark blogs I ever started reading, and she never, ever disappoints. She writes pieces that chill you to the bone, but warms your sex- her writing is casual, smooth, and realistic, always giving you everything you need, but leaving you wanting a little more. Fav Fic: Sleeping Beauty [Dabi x Reader]

@hoe-doroki | Ana is one of the sweetest writers I know. Every time I talk to her, she’s working on comfort requests or beta-reading for other people. Her writing is such a pleasure to read, as you can tell she pours love and consideration into every fic for her readers. Fav Fic: Can’t Find My Breath [Bakugou x Reader]

@joyousandverywarlike | Zo...holy fucking shit. Zo is a writer who consistently blows me out of the water with her skill. This woman is a novelist blessing us with juicy, rich smut and love stories like no one else can. She is incredibly poetic and her writing is an absolute joy to read; she also writes amazing fics for black readers and has an amazing voice that she uses for asmr audios! Fav Fic: How We Met [Ushijima x Reader]

@lemonlordleah-shinzawa-kitten | Leah is an author who takes immense care with her work. She works incredibly hard to craft sexy, healthy bdsm fics for bnha. She is a great blog to go to for bdsm education, and she’s also got a side blog @lemonlordleah-extra-sour for all you extra naughty readers who like the darker side of fanfic. You should also check out her Patreon! Fav Fic: Between the Evergreen [Aizawa x Reader]

@linestrider | Nyki’s work is like smooth water, it’s calming, refreshing, but she also adds a nice, chill bite to it as well with her darker style. Nyki puts such an impressive amount of care into her work; a word is never out of place, every sentence has meaning, every paragraph gives you something new. It was very hard to choose just one fic to recommend. Fav Fic: What’s Said is Said [Hawks x Reader]

@lookslikeleese | Leese is one of the most fun writers on Tumblr, and by that I mean you just have a shitload of fun reading her fics. They are like little, sexy treats to take in right before bed and feel a little more full than you were before. She is also the Cucking Queen. Fav Fic: Cola [Enji x Reader]

@messwriting | Lee is also another fun writer! Her writing is exhilarating to read, and you’d never guess she’s a sexy Brazilian whose second language is English based on how well she writes. She’s a little sex goddess who will give you everything you want and more in every fic. Fav Fic: What We Could’ve Been [Tsukishima x Reader]

@mindninjax | Marquie is a full on sweetie with a sexy side. She. Is. So. Creative. Every fic of hers is so unique and her masterlist is a whole reading experience. She writes Bakugou Katsuki so damn well, she’s a master at characterization, even in au’s. She also writes beautiful fics for black readers. Fav Fic: Bound to You [Bakugou x Reader]

@nekokoafanfictions | I first found Ai on Ao3, and then was fortunate enough to come across their blog here on Tumblr! I’ve said this before in previous rec lists, and I’ll say it again, I still read their fics some nights to fall asleep to, they are just that good, every fic will have you coming back at some point to read it again. Fav Fic: City Lights [Enji x Reader]

@present-mel | The. Queen. Of. Dialogue. Mel is a master at making her fanfic feel real, gritty, sexy, and beautiful all at the same time. This woman pours her heart and soul into fanfic, especially into her Erwin series Fragments of Memories. I was so captivated by her work that I just had to become her friend, her work is enchanting and thrilling. Fav Fic: Until the Fire Played [Enji x Reader]

@rat-suki | Annie makes me horny. Like, real horny. Her smut is fantastic and are often little thrill rides within themselves. Fuck rollercoasters, just go to Annie’s masterlist to find a joy ride. Fav Fic: Hell Fire [Enji x Reader]

@rivendell101 | I’m such a big fan of Alisha, that I sent her a request months ago before we even became friends. This author knows how to craft a story, her work is very meticulous with details and her plots are always so spot on. Fav Fic: Sweet Thing [Natsuo x Reader]

@smutbardpeach | Smutbard is the most accurate title for Peach, as her fics read like poetry and song, filled with beautiful language, imagery, and allusions to the brim. If you’re ever looking for something romantic, sensual, delightful, and just overall magnificent to read, this is the blog to go to. Peach’s work is like reading poetry and classics right off the shelf. Fav Fic: Truth in Wine [Hizashi x Reader]

@spicyness | Are you thirsty? Do you like fun, sexy headcanons? Ness is the author for you. Ness is so, so fun and sweet, and is active with her followers and is always posting something new and creative for us to nibble at. Her blog is full of fun thirsts and she’s always a joy to see pop-up on my dash. Fav Fic: Pride [Bakugou x Reader]

@sugardaddykenma | Lin has the most amazing brain. I wish I could just...see and understand how she thinks. Her blog is full to the brim with hilarious, iconic, and down right fucking true headcanons for haikyuu characters. Many nights I have stayed up laughing my ass off and saying “why is that so true?” while reading through her astonishingly creative work. Fav Fic: Haikyuu on Drugs

@thewheezingwyvern | Wyv is a writer who gets straight to the point; her words are poignant, meaningful, and always paint a very clear picture. She is a Shinsou and Aizawa lover/fucker all the way to her core, and she’s amazing at bringing those characters to life in her work. Fav Fic: Salt Lines [Aizawa & Shinsou x Reader]

@thisisthehardestthing | Claudia is one of the most talented writers I have ever met. Period. She has a vocabulary, a depth, an ability to craft the most intense, alluring, and magnificent fanfic you’ve ever read. Most of her work doesn’t even seem like fanfic, it reads like love letters stuffed into the pages of a book that stand the test of time with her marvelous writing abilities. She always awes me, as every single fic is unique and powerful it its own way. Fav Fic: Tocka [Tanaka x Reader]

@tomurasprincess | The Queen of Darkness herself, Mari is amazing at fulfilling all of your dark desires. I’ve never met anyone else who is as active as she is with her followers, as she’s constantly pushing herself to answer requests and give people exactly what they want to see. She has such an expansive masterlist, any dark fic lover can find something worthwhile from her! She’s almost made a Shigaraki fucker out of me, almost. Fav Fic: Wraith’s Touch [Shigaraki x Reader]

@undermattsun | Miki taught me what a skate rat is. Do I understand it yet? Not really, but I fucking like it. Miki is so much fun and is always active with her followers, giving out awesome thirsts, visuals, and headcanons for her fav haikyuu characters. Fav Fic: Flavor of the Month [Matsukawa x Reader]

@vixen-scribbles | Vixen is someone who cares about everyone around her, and her blog reflects that. Amongst all her amazing writing, you’ll always find her recommending her friends and supporting other writers. Her writing is fucking sexy, she knows her way around the bedroom when it comes to fics, and she’s got a lengthy masterlist to fawn over. Fav Fic: Take All of Me [Ushijima x Reader]

@whats-her-quirk | Truly, the best has been saved for last. June’s work is the heart and soul of classic, fucking amazing fanfic. I can’t even explain how much I love her fics, like they will put the biggest smile on your face and have your thighs rubbing together in anticipation. June is writing her fantasies and having fun, and we are privileged to enjoy the ride with her. She knocked kinktober out of the fucking park, with each fic being a new, fresh delight. Fav Fic: Once in a Blue Moon [Karasuno x Reader Gangbang]

This list could honestly be twice as long, and perhaps in the future I’ll make a companion to it as I meet new authors and read more amazing fanfic. Please give all these authors a follow or at least check out their blogs. 💖

#writer recs #bnha #haikyuu #attack on titan #fanfiction #bnha fanfic #hq fanfic #aot fanfiction #bnha x reader #haikyuu x reader #aot x reader #amazing writers #pleasant speaks #my hero academia #haikyuu!!#my hero academia fanfic

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plaidbooks · 3 years

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Dark Secrets: New Beginnings

A/N: This is the first installment of the Vampire!Sonny x reader fic. This chapter is only setting the stage; next chapter will be more about the vampire aspect, I promise! This covers the Bookstore square in @adarafaelbarba moodboard bingo!

Tags: mentions of sex

Words: 2233

Taglist: @witches-unruly-heart @beccabarba @thatesqcrush @itsjustmyfantasyroom @permanentlydizzy @ben-c-group-therapy @infiniteoddball @glowingmess @whimsicallymad @lv7867 @storiesofsvu @cycat4077 @alwaysachorusgirl @glimmerglittergirl @joanofarkansass @caracalwithchips @berniesilvas @reading--mermaid @averyhotchner @mrsrafaelbarba @detective-giggles @crowleysqueenofhell @dreamlover31

You spent hours on the computer compiling resources for your thesis. After years and years, you were finally getting your Ph. D in History…if you could just finish this damned thesis. List complete, you headed to the local bookstore; you always checked them first before going online, since they were cheaper.

You were intimately familiar with the bookstore; you went there often. And you had double and triple checked online that they had these books. You had a small basket, four books in it, while you looked for the fifth and final book you needed. But its spot on the shelf stood vacant; a perfect hole where it should be.

Shaking your head slightly, you started to search the shelves around it, in case someone didn’t put it back correctly. But you were coming up empty. And this was the book that you needed to buy here; the shop had it for $20, while online was a couple hundred.

“Looking for Making the Revolution: America, 1763-1791?” a voice asked from behind you.

You turned to find a pale, lanky, attractive man, his hair slicked back, his bright blue eyes watching you intently. He was sitting at a table, open book in his hand. Seeing the cover, you knew it was the book you needed.

“I am, yes. Were you intending to buy it?” you questioned, praying he said no.

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards. “I was debating it. Why, do you want it?”

“I do; I need it for my thesis. If you let me buy it, I promise to give it to you when I’m done, free of charge.” At this point, you were just desperate for that book.

His eyes seemed to bore into you as he thought about your proposal. Finally, he smiled, saying, “I think that’s a noble reason to buy this book. You’ve got yourself a deal.” He held the book out to you, and you gently took it from him.

“Thank you so, so much. You don’t know how much this helps me,” you said, placing the book in your basket.

He held a hand up. “No problem. There’s a lot of inaccuracies in that text, anyways.”

You blinked in surprise. “There are?”

“Oh yes. For one, it perpetuates the idea that Christopher Columbus came here to ‘escape tyranny’ in England, which is a load of crap, if I’m honest.”

You took a step closer to the strange man. “Do you have a source on that?”

He thought about it, chuckling to himself about something, before he answered. “Well, I am in the process of transcribing a manuscript from the man himself. But it hasn’t been published quite yet, so I doubt it’ll be of use to you for your thesis.”

“Wh—who are you?” you asked in awe.

He held a hand out for you to shake. “Dr. Dominick Carisi Jr., but you, my dear, may call me Sonny.”

Your eyes widened in shock, and you quickly shook his hand. “Dr. Carisi? Oh my god! I’ve been reading your work in class; I loved your thesis on slavery!” You had never seen a picture of him, had no idea he was so young; he was about your age. You had expected him to be an old man, at least in his 80s, not this attractive man in his early 40s at most.

He barked out a laugh. “You’ve really been reading my work? I’m flattered. I didn’t think anyone put stock in my texts.” While it was true he was a world renowned historian, his work was seen as highly controversial. He had a knack for citing manuscripts and journal entries, things that no one had discovered before he brought them to the limelight. But every authenticator had proven that the writings were from the time period. And that was enough for you.

“Please, sir, er, Doctor. Could I spend a day with you, pick your brain for my thesis? I’ll—I’ll buy the drinks and food, just…please?” you asked, suddenly embarrassed.

But Sonny’s smile grew. “I’d like that. But only if you call me Sonny. If you’re doing your thesis, then I assume you’re almost done with your doctorate?” You nodded, and he continued, “then in my eyes, we’re equals, and you don’t need to call me ‘Doctor’.”

Your heart beat a little faster when he called you equals. “Thank you so much Doc—Sonny. Does the coffeeshop next door work for you?”

“It does. And I’m free all week, whenever you need me.”

“How about tomorrow morning? I don’t have class until 3pm; I hope that’s enough time to chat.”

He gave you that heart melting smile once more. “Sounds good. See you tomorrow.” Then he took your hand and kissed it. As he walked away, your knees felt weak. You were infatuated within five minutes of talking to him.

**********************

Sonny turned out to be an incredible source of information. Plus, he brought books that he thought would help you, letting you borrow what you needed. And, like yesterday, you found yourself completely enamored with him. He didn’t have a ring on, so you assumed him unmarried, but you didn’t know how to bring it up without being weird. Sure, you were close in age, but he was done with school, became a published historian, while you were still finishing up college. But he never talked down to you; on the contrary, he seemed highly interested in what you had to say.

Like before, you had been nervous—star-struck, really—when you met up with him. But as the hours ticked by, you found yourself more and more comfortable with him. He was highly intelligent, especially about history. You had found it hard to find someone who was as interested in history as you were, without sounding like a pretentious asshole. But Sonny checked all those boxes for you. You were just unsure if he felt the same.

“When is your thesis due? I feel like it’s still early in the academic year,” he asked.

You cleared your throat. “It is; I still have months and months to work on it. It’s due next year, but I want it to be perfect, you know?”

“I do, I do,” he agreed, nodding. “I hope you’re taking some time off, though, as well. Don’t let this paper take up your whole life; you should be out, appreciating everything this life has to give you. Don’t get stuck in the past.”

You looked at the table, letting his words soak in. It was like he had looked right through you; for the past month or so, you’ve been deep in your studies. You had friends, sure, but you hardly saw them. And you’d given up on dating until after you finished college, anyways. But maybe Sonny was on to something. You should seize the day, capture every moment in memories.

“Would you like to get dinner with me, Sonny?” you asked, trying to sound as confident as possible.

It was his turn to look surprised. “Oh, uh…sorry, you caught me off guard. In all my years, no one has ever asked me out; it’s usually the other way around.”

You chuckled. “You’re not much older than me,” you joked, and he smiled. “Maybe it’s time for something new. For both of us…that is, if you want?”

“I’d love to go to dinner with you,” he said, and your heart soared.

When it was getting close to 3, you bade him goodbye, and he told you he would be eagerly awaiting your dinner date. You felt your face heat at the words, and you swore your face never cooled off for the rest of the day.

*********************

That date with Doctor Carisi turned out to be the best decision of your life. You both felt the spark between you, and you said yes to a second date before he even finished asking. Now, it’s been ten months of loving bliss between you. You completed your thesis, got your doctorate, and Sonny couldn’t be more proud of you. And you learned that while he was a historian, he was also a detective. He said he wanted to help people now, by giving them both access to history material, and by putting absolute monsters away.

But there were little things with him, quirks, really. Though you’ve been to his place, and he yours, he never made a move to get you into bed. Sure, you’ve kissed—and sometimes this escalated to a full-blown make out session—but he didn’t seem interested in sex.

He also didn’t seem interested in moving in together…or a future at all, really. Whenever you tried to bring it up, he would just nod along with you, agreeing to whatever you said and adding on a lot of “one day’s”.

He had no family for you to meet, and yours didn’t live close. You noticed he also didn’t eat or drink much; he loved to make you dinner, and he would say that he snacked while cooking. And then, about once a month, he’d leave for 3-4 days, claiming he wanted to be alone to work on the manuscript.

You gave him as much space as he asked for, and though you still loved him dearly, you were starting to wonder if there was something wrong with you…or if it was just something he was having issues with.

“Hey Sonny?” you asked one day while snuggling on the couch at your place. “Are we okay?”

He glanced down at you. “As far as I know, yes? Why, something on your mind?”

“Well…I was just thinking about how we’ve been together almost a year and we still haven’t moved in together,” you tried.

He looked to the ceiling as he thought. “Wow, I guess it really has been that long now, hasn’t it? I feel like I just met you yesterday.”

“So, are we not connecting on a deeper level, then?” You sat up, turning to look at him.

His bright blue eyes found yours, and his expression softened. “That’s not what I meant; I’m sorry it came out like that. Time just…it moves so quickly is all. Look, I love you, I just—I don’t think I’m quite ready to make that jump yet. I’m sorry; I know this must be frustrating, but I promise you one day, I’ll…I’ll be ready.”

You nodded. “I love you too, I just….”

“What is it? You can tell me—”

“Why won’t you sleep with me?” you asked softly. His eyes widened, and you quickly added, “are—are you ace? It’s fine if you are, I understand, but I just…I feel like it’s something wrong with me, and I—”

He cupped your face in his hands, looking deeply in your eyes. “No, it’s nothing wrong with you, I promise. I’m just…I’m not ready—”

“I have urges, Sonny. And I love you, want to wait for you. But it’s been almost a year. I—I don’t believe a healthy relationship is built on sex, but well, it’d be nice to have every once in a while….”

He sighed, releasing your face. “It’s not that I don’t want to, because I do. I just want to be absolutely sure I’m ready. Call it shyness, or embarrassment, whatever you want. But I want to make sure that—that you’re the one for me, first, okay?”

You opened your mouth to respond when his phone rang. He gave you an apologetic look before answering with his stiff, “Carisi.” He mostly listened, making little noises of affirmation, before hanging up.

“I’m so, so sorry, doll. But the department needs me. I swear we’ll talk about this once I’m home, okay?” he promised, getting to his feet.

He grabbed his jacket, heading for the front door. “Sonny wait,” you called, and he stopped, looking back at you. You hurried over to him, looking up into those beautiful blues. “Be careful.”

He smiled softly. “I will be; promise.” He gave you a kiss, and then he was gone.

********************

You didn’t hear from Sonny again until the next morning, when he showed up on your front door, breakfast in hand. He apologized for leaving you last night during that important talk, but you brushed it off, telling him it was fine.

“That’s not all I have to apologize for,” he said, looking anywhere but at you. “I’m…going undercover. I’ll be gone for three months.”

Your face fell, and you put your fingers under his chin, tilting his face until he looked at you. “Three months?” you breathed.

“I’m sorry; I tried to decline, but the Lieutenant gave her orders. I leave in an hour.”

“Three months…” you said again, worry blossoming in your chest. This was the longest he’d be gone since you started dating.

He nodded. “I’ll text or call when I can, but don’t expect it; it may be too dangerous.”

You’d heard enough; you lifted onto your tiptoes, kissing him desperately. Your hands went to his hair, and you pulled him close, all your fear and trepidation in the kiss. He froze for only a moment before he was kissing you back, hands on your hips. He clutched you tightly enough that you gasped in pain, and he pulled away, releasing you.

“I’m sorry. I love you,” he muttered before turning to leave, but you had a suspicion that he wasn’t apologizing for leaving.

#sonny carisi x reader #fanfic #my writing #dark secrets #monster!au #adarafaelbarbaseptemberbingo

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aguacerotropical · 3 years

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“Ten years today, I know”. Sing doesn’t say anything more, just holds him tighter. Eiji rubs his eyes, he wants to cry, but no tears come, not any longer. “It feels like he’s dead Sing, and lost to us. Ten years. I can’t even cry over it anymore, like he didn’t matter”.

“Hey Eiji,” Sing turns him around and holds him close while Eiji buries his face in Sing’s neck. “Don’t say that.”

“I just still, after all this time, I wanted him to live Sing”. His voice cracks, just a little.

“Eiji,” Sing says, grasping Eiji’s chin to look at him, “Eiji you, we, keep him alive. He’s alive because of us, because of you.”

“Just his memory Sing, it’s not enough”.

“Not that,” Sing says, rocking him a little in his arms. He wasn’t sure of this before, but he knows now. “Ash gave us all of this, he’s here, we’re his legacy. As long as we’re living, he lives.”

Eiji starts crying, at that, because he does know what Sing means.

He knows that if he pops open the picture of Ash in the window, behind it on the frame is a blood stained letter that ends with the words my soul is always with you.

He knows that they still celebrate Ash’s birthday every year.

He knows that they don’t decorate with pumpkins on Halloween, and that he buys black converses whenever his old pair wear out, that they keep Griff’s blanket that Ash gave Eiji when he was in the hospital, that Ash’s books have their own shelf on their living room, that his glasses are on their case next his computer, that Sing printed his essays out and compiled them in a small book.

There’s so many things, that it’s hard to even list them. They always keep some part of Ash within reach, as if he’s living beside them.

Eiji turns back towards the mantelpiece, sees Ash frozen in time again while they moved forwards into adulthood. He takes the picture and holds it closer.

“Do you think he’s happy? If he’s sad because he regrets not behind here, I think about it sometimes, it... worries me.” Eiji sighs.

Sing kisses his cheek. “Are you happy, Eiji, I mean most days?”

“Of course I am Sing, you know that, how could you -“

“Then he’s happy. I promise. He loved you more than anything Eiji. He’s just... waiting for us to come back to him. We can take our time. We can live.”

Eiji kisses him, then, Ash’s photo still in his hands and lets the past, present and future become one.

#asheiji #eiji/sing #was thinking of my own experiences with grief #the way it becomes you #ash lynx #eiji okumura #sing soo ling #my writing #this is kind of the tentative first draft ending of a longer fic im working on looking at #eiji's grief #it is NOT a fix it!#but is sort of inspired by garden of light and the consequences of death :-)#which i thought was an interesting part of banana fish #even if i think the ending doesnt make narrative sense

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naomibeetee · 2 years

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Overcoming Your Writing Hiatus

Well, we’ve all been there. We didn’t mean for it to happen, but it just…did.

We stopped writing.

Sometimes it's a "taking a break" sort of thing, or sometimes life just gets in the way. Regardless, your writing has not seen the light of day for a long time. Could be a week, or a month, or a year; our WIP was once a priority, but now it's on the back burner...burning.

It happens, and trust me, you aren't the first person to feel the bone-chilling stare of your book baby on your back when you do something that doesn't include it.

But here you are, ready to get back into it. You've finally managed to pick your schedule apart to get some writing in, or decided that your break has long expired, and it's time to face that manuscript.

Great! Now what?

Jumping right back into your WIP can be an intimidating process. Maybe you are feeling rusty, or like you've lost your Writing Voice, or you simply can't remember where you left off, or where you were planning on going.

And that's where I come in! In today's blog, I have compiled a list of 8 things you can do when the time to break through that hiatus wall comes. You'll not only emerge on the other side a stronger writer, but you'll know how to break the cycle if another hiatus should rear its ugly head.

Without further ado, here are my top 8 tips on breaking out of that writing hiatus!

1) Don't Beat Yourself Up (too much)

Unexpected breaks happen. Procrastination happens. Putting your WIP into an indefinite time-out happens.

Life gets busy. Priorities get adjusted. Book babies get put on the shelf.

Whatever your reasons are for suddenly not writing, you can't beat yourself up about it too much. You are only human, and life isn't as straight forward as we need it to be sometimes. It can take very little to set you off balance and onto a completely different course (one that doesn't include writing every single day). It happens, and it's ok.

Feeling guilty for the time spent away from your computer or notepad might cause you to prolong your hiatus, ultimately doing more damage than good.

However, if you are like me, and are determined to grieve for the lost time you could have spent working on your WIP, then do it — with boundaries. Give yourself some time to feel sorry for yourself. Have that candy, drink that wine, and blow off the dust that's collected on your WIP. Set a time limit to host your pity party, and when the time is up, so is your party. Wipe your eyes, put away the junk food, turn off the dance party mix, and get back to your computer.

Another pointer here: The biggest step is admitting that it's been a hot minute since you last wrote. To remain in denial is to remain in your hiatus. Which is a bummer. I don't recommend it.

2) Start Slow

If the idea of jumping straight into your WIP is too intimidating, start small!

Join in on online writing challenges, exercises, and prompts. You can find them almost anywhere. Here are a few examples:

- Twitter

- Facebook

- Pinterest

- Instagram

(Photo is an example found on Pinterest. All credit goes to WRITING.PROMPT.S)

These are a great way to ease your brain into thinking about your WIP, your setting, your characters, and your plot. Not to mention, it is a great way to interact with other writers, as well as promote interest in your writing. Win-win-win!

If participating in prompts that focus on your book baby freaks you out, don't worry; there are a plethora of exercises out there — all with the end goal of getting you back into writing.

Journaling is also a great way to get your words flowing, your creativity moving, and your brain back into the rhythm of purposeful writing. I probably don't need to say this, but you don't have to journal about writing — unless it helps. You can journal about ANYTHING.

How you're feeling, how your day went, about the book you are reading, or even how the Starbucks barista messed up on your name yet again. The options are endless!

If you aren't sure what to journal about, there are journals out there with daily prompts as well! Fun!

Small exercises not only will help stimulate your creativity, but will also help eradicate the potential anxiety you may feel about being, "Rusty", or that ever present fear of, "What if I'm never in the writing mood EVER AGAIN??"

Don't worry. It'll come.

3) Get Back Into Reading

I find that, for myself, writing and reading go hand in hand. If I'm not doing one, chances are I'm not doing the other. If you are in the process of attempting to break out of your hiatus, but aren't quite ready to dive back into your WIP, then I would recommend the next best thing: reading.

- Your outline.

- The notes on your phone.

- The dialogue threads you've been playing around with.

- Novels in your genre.

- Blogs on writing tips…😎

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: reading is a FANTASTIC way to help breathe life into your creativity without being too taxing. Reading is a very stimulating and restorative activity, and I often find that I'm itching to get back into writing after taking time to read.

Reading novels (especially in your genre) is a great way to relax, learn, and brainstorm — all without the added pressure of needing to chain yourself to your desk and write.

Don't have time to read? Listen to an audio book on your way to work, while you clean the house, or while you workout.

4) Set A Goal

And no, I don't mean simply adding "WRITE" to your planner.

Adding details and realistic aspects to your goal makes it a real, tangible thing that you can obtain.

If your goal is vague, you are less likely to accomplish it, or even know WHEN you've accomplished it.

Putting "WRITE" in your planner can be overwhelming, and a real mood-killer when it comes to trying to hit that goal.

Instead, try something like this:

- “Today I’ll write 5000 words”

- “Today I’ll write until I make it to page 52″

- “Today I’ll set the timer for 1 hour, and I won’t stop writing until it goes off”

These goals that have a clear beginning and end. You know where you need to start, and you know when you've finished. You know the exact moment where you can breathe a sigh of relief and say to yourself: "I absolutely nailed it today."

You can be bold, but there should be a limit. It's important to remember to be realistic. Don't say, "Write all day," if you know that you have a baby shower to attend that afternoon, or drinks with friends that evening, or have to work all day. Instead, saying: "Write 3 hours this morning until baby shower," or, "Write for 1 hour after work," is less likely to result in a guilt-inducing heartbreak.

5) Refrain From Editing As You Go

Don’t edit as you go. For the love of God, don’t edit as you go.

Accept the fact that you are going to be rusty, and move on. Right now, on the brink of exiting the hiatus, all that’s important is getting the words out. Save the editing for later. That’s what drafts (and drafts, and drafts) are for.

The minute you start analyzing what you are writing, you’re going to only focus on how awkward and rough things are sounding, and you’ll lose your gumption to push forward. Instead of thinking, “Writing, writing, writing,” you’ll be thinking, “Oh my goodness whyyyyyyyy?!"

Don’t do that.

6) Skip The Chronological Order

Now, I don't normally recommend this; I’m a fan of writing in chronological order, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

If you were stuck on a killer scene before you stopped writing and are dreading going back to it (especially now that you are feeling a bit out of touch with your writer side), maybe start somewhere a bit easier.

Maybe there’s a scene you’ve been dying to get to, and you know that you could totally write the crap out of it. Maybe you know EXACTLY how you want your WIP to end, or you have several threads of dialogue that you know would go GREAT in a chapter down the road. That's awesome! Feed your ego and start there, shaking off the rust as you go. It might feel weird, or it might make you feel amazing and ready to take on the spot you were previously stuck in.

And if you already don't do the whole chronological order thing, then A) You are a wizard, and B) Jump to a different section to sink your teeth into.

7) Restart Your Rituals

Humans, by nature, are creatures of habit, and setting up a routine or ritual is a great way to set yourself up for writing success.

What were your writing rituals pre-hiatus? Did you get up super early in the morning to get some writing in when the rest of the world was asleep? Did you wait until the bitter end of the day before you turned on your computer? Did you have a dance party in your living room before you sat down at your desk?

What did you do before you actively started writing each time?

Did it work for you? If it didn’t, switch it up!

If you used to write first thing in the morning, maybe try writing when you get home from work, or before you go to bed. If you feel like you're never relaxed or focused enough to write, try lighting a candle, meditating, and pouring yourself a cup of tea. If you have too much energy to possibly sit down at your desk, try going for a walk, or working out.

There are so many things you can do to establish a writing routine for yourself, and if you remain disciplined in doing them, you're brain should eventually recognize the steps and realize, "Oh! This means we're writing soon!" A routine will help you click into Writing Mode a lot easier.

Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't come back right away — chances are it'll take a bit of experimenting and trying out ideas before you find yourself slipping into a solid writing routine that works for you.

8) Revisit Your Outline (and accept that things might've changed)

Set aside some time to laze out on the couch with some snacks, and read your outline from start to finish. It's going to help remind you of all the hard work you’ve already put into your manuscript, how far you’ve come, and the fun things ahead. Get excited all over again for your book baby; rekindle the flame that had sparked within you when you first sat down with your shiny new idea.

Chances are you are going to like a lot of what you see in your outline, but not all of it. That's ok! It's completely normal to go back and realize that not all the pieces of your WIP puzzle are clicking into place. You might find plot holes, or ideas for scenes that sounded oh-so-good at the time, but now have you cringing and scratching your head.

(That may or may not have happened to me).

That’s the harsh truth of going on hiatus in the middle of a project. Things are bound to change. You aren’t the same writer you once were when you first started. But in all honesty, that's probably a good thing. You are looking at your outline with fresh eyes. You are bound to spot things you didn't notice before. Think of it as a blessing in disguise; you are uncovering the issues now before you've finished, and therefore have a better chance of rerouting yourself and setting yourself up for better success.

And that’s it! Jumping back into that novel after a break doesn’t have to be a terrifying ordeal. It can be fun, refreshing, and make you fall in love with writing all over again. It might take some time, but the harder you work at chipping away at the hiatus, the more accomplished you'll feel. And not only that, you can come out the other side a stronger writer with a revamped outline, some new ideas, and a killer ritual to really get your creativity flowing.

Now, get writing!

Be sure to tune in every Writerly Wednesday for new writer posts!

Come for the tips.

Stay for the awkward.

Until then,

May your inspiration never cease, and may your ink never smudge.

~Naomi.bee.tee

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silvermarmoset · 3 years

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today on Pointless Tasks i’m compiling a list of every book i’ve ever read, because why wouldn’t I fend off the depression by taking a mental stroll through the public library of my childhood and trying to visualize every shelf I must have passed hundreds of times? (yes, you’re right, I’m visualizing a lot those animorphs books.)

What were books of your childhood that you loved?

#this sounds like an instagram caption but i'm honestly curious #this is also actually kind of a good task! it's making me remember a lot of things #and i'm looking up tons of books to try to jog my memory #this would be ten times easier if i could walk the shelves in person because i'm one of those incredible people who can picture the book #....picture the book but without the title that is #'oh yes! it was yellow and had a girl on the cover' 'what was it about?' 'uh...'#books #reading #dark academia #classic literature

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missnmikaelson-main · 3 years

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A Year to Eternity? Chapter 9

Previously on A Year to Eternity…

‘It’s 2:48 in the morning’… ‘I stole something… it glowed from my backpack’…

‘There is nothing else, Elijah’… ‘Are you seeing this’…

~oOo~

“You found it like this when you locked up?” Alaric leaned over the display, mindful of his hand placement to avoid the glass shards. “None of the wards were breached?”

“Who could have pulled this off?” Dorian tipped the lantern. Light caught on various surfaces, showing the jagged breaks in the case.

“Technically one of the twins could have,” he muttered. “Do you remember when Josie let the kids out of detention? Wendy, Diego and Jade.”

“I remember the aftermath, but I didn’t know Josie let them out.” Dorian whispered. “You think one of your daughters did this?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Why would they?”

Hope silently squeezed Landon’s hand as she came to terms with her half backed plan to replace the knife and clean up the mess coming to a screeching halt.

“They could have siphoned away the wards,” Dorian rubbed the back of his neck. “Someone else could have broken the case.”

“But why that knife and who?”

“Whoever did it has to still be on campus. The gates only opened twice today when you and Caroline left and came back.”

Landon shifted. His invisible knee caught a book. He watched it fall in slow motion, scrambling even slower to catch it.

The thud echoed in the dark.

Two beams of light hit them in the face; they shut their eyes against the blinding yellow.

“Who’s there?” Alaric called. “Show yourself now and I might go easy on detention.”

“I think we’re caught,” Landon whispered. He let go of her hand to black the light.

“Landon?” Dorian lowered his flashlight.

He glanced down, realizing he was visible. Hope popped into existence beside him.

“I told you not to let go of my hand,” she hissed.

“Hope?” Alaric turned his light away. He released a sigh and shook his head. “What is it with teenagers? You have a single room and you’re sneaking into the library.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t give them ideas, Ric,” Dorian smirked. “Don’t want her dad killing you.”

~oOo~

“There’s got to be a hundred books here,” she breathed, surveying the display with wonder.

Her fingers implored her to trace the spines of each book in the glass case; she found her will powerless to stop the action. Some fit in the palm of her hand, those were ones that would have fit in the pocket of her snuggest jeans. Others were thicker than her thigh and the height of her torso. For every book written in English there were a dozen more in languages she had never heard of.

Bits of spine crumbled under her touch, leaving a fine dust of gold and silver on her skin.

She picked a tiny volume and gently turned the thin pages, spying the fine lines of her fingerprint through the paper. The outline of her finger through the translucent pages made the already indecipherable language impossible.

“Impressed?” Kol smirked, pulling book after book free.

“No,” she denied, plopping down with one of the English books. “Two hundred and I’d be impressed, but one hundred and I’m just ‘meh’,” she held a hand flat over the floor, tipping it from side to side while miming a bored expression.

Kol sauntered over and rearranged the throw pillows to join her on the crimson fainting couch.

“This isn’t my entire collection, love. There are several dozen more littering as many homes across the world.”

“And you just left them there?” She shifted, pressing her thigh closer to his warm leg.

“I didn’t have much choice in the matter when my father caught up to us,” he shrugged, watching her flip pages from the corner of his eye. “It’s one of the reasons I spent so many centuries on my own.”

She balanced the book on her knees and tipped her head up, tracing the curve of his brow with her eyes.

“You went back.”

“Nik and Elijah could have rotted away at the bottom of the deepest ocean for all I cared, but I never could refuse Rebekah and would inevitably return when she called. Had Nik ever bothered taking the dagger out of Finn I suspect he would have done the same.”

“Finn?” Her eyes widened, voice rising in pitch. “The same Finn who colluded with Esther to kill all of you? That Finn?”

“You knew him after he spent an unknown number of centuries dagger and aware of it,” he tilted his head, fingers absently drawing patterns on the page. “He woke up angry and he stayed angry. I have often wondered how history would have altered if he had lived that millennium with us.”

“If you start asking what if you’ll never stop,” she warned, covering his hand with hers, “and eternity is a long time to torture yourself with those types of questions. I don’t think I could handle that hanging over my head.”

She turned her focus back to the thick lines of ink. At first glance she had taken the words for English.

“I can’t read this?”

“It’s Old English.” Kol chuckled, lifting the leather volume. “This is the account of a twelfth century witch who was, quite frankly, mad.”

“You’re calling someone crazy,” she laughed, tilting her head to the side. “What makes her ‘mad’?”

“Well,” he flipped pages and traced a faded line of ink, “she writes, quite earnestly I might add, about the scourge of the sky.”

“What’s that supposed to be?” She bit down her grin.

“When I was growing up they were referred to in the saga’s as Ormr, lohikäärme, or dreki…”

“I have no doubt you could give me a list of names from every country,” she snorted, cutting him off, “probably in languages that haven’t been spoken in centuries, but what would I call it?”

He laughed softly.

“You would call it a dragon.”

~oOo~

The shape swooped low, circling the lake. A leathery wing trailed through the water. It moved closer, sharpening the impossible image, landing surprisingly light on the dock.

Scales covered every inch of the massive body from horned head to spiked tail and across both wings.

“Niklaus,” Elijah watched the beast.

Beneath the throat came the distinct glow of fire, spreading up to illuminate the eyes. The great mouth yawned open, sending flames towards them in a slow motion spiral.

He felt the lick of heat a second before the adrenaline coursed through his veins.

He dove out of the path; Klaus sprang in the opposite direction.

He hit the ground hard. The flames unfurled inches above his shoulder and collided with the house. The fire burned through the siding. Wood crackled and warped. The flames spread faster than his panic and in any other situation he might have found that impressive, but a single thought occupied his mind.

He raced into the house.

Acrid smoke filled his lungs.

~oOo~

“Dragons?” Bonnie couldn’t help but laugh.

“Mmhmm,” Kol’s eyes sparkled as he flipped through the pages. “She wrote of entire villages destroyed in fire and a beast nearly impossible to kill unless stabbed in the soft spot.”

“Well,” she shook her head, “assuming you’re not pulling my leg then she’s crazy.”

“I would never pull your leg.”

Bonnie laughed and inclined her head towards the book.

“Why’d you keep it?”

“Because, despite her psychotic leanings, she created several powerful spells,” he hummed. “I’ve also made a habit of collecting the odd.”

“Odd?” Bonnie quirked an eyebrow. One hand waved in the general direction of the stocked shelf. “How many more of those deal with the far-fetched?”

“All of them,” he tilted his head. “Between every useful spell is a fantastic account about a creature of myth. Some are written like this one where the author truly believed what they wrote, and others read as a recounting of tales passed along; although those are few. I have references to kitsune and oni, griffons and unicorns, dryads, naiads, centaurs…”

“A never-ending list?”

“At least one per grimoire,” Kol nodded, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Some have more. One day I might compile that information. I have nothing but time.”

“Is that your eternity project?” She teased, excited over the prospect of such a book.

“No, that would be soaking up all of the knowledge in the world. Is that too high a goal?”

~oOo~

“Elena,” he burst into the bedroom.

Serena screamed; the sound resided somewhere between terror and pain. Elena cradled her looking dazed and panicked.

Caroline spun to face him and immediately raised her shirt to her mouth as the smoke drifted in.

Klaus shoved his shoulders, pushing him further into the room so he could slam the door.

“What’s going on?” Elena coughed. Serena wiggled in her arms, sweat drenched her pyjamas.

“Why is the house on fire?” Caroline moved to the door. Klaus’ hands held her back. “Klaus?”

“The stairs are out of the question.”

“What does that mean?” Elena moved, given Elijah space to open her window.

“It means they’re gone.”

Caroline ran at vampire speed, slamming drawers and flinging open the closet. By the time Elijah broke the glass and hopped onto the sloped roof she had a large duffle slung over her shoulder.

“Give her here.”

Elena passed her baby to Elijah without hesitation. Then she climbed onto the roof. Caroline followed a moment later with Klaus.

The arms that scooped her up were definitely masculine.

She locked her hands around Klaus’ neck, shutting her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see the ground coming.

“The school’s closer.”

Elena nodded in what she thought was Elijah’s direction, but the sudden silence told her he was already gone with Serena.

“Hold tight, love.”

She tucked her head in and swallowed the urge to be sick as the world sped by in a blur that she refused to watch. When he stopped, the horrific sound of home burning was gone.

Klaus set her lightly on the entry floor.

Caroline’s eyes darted between them, unsure who to question first. She decided on him.

“What just happened?”

“A dragon set Elena’s house on fire…”

“A what?” Caroline’s voice rose in pitch.

“Where’s Elijah?” Elena spun, uninterested at the moment. She shouted his name.

Klaus caught the reply. “He’s in the kitchen.”

Elena ran with the pair on her heels.

“Dragon?” Caroline gripped his arm. “Did we step into Game of Thrones?”

“I know how it sounds, but…” Klaus trailed off when he stepped into the kitchen and found his daughter, Landon, Alaric and the librarian crowded around Elijah with varying degrees of wonder on their faces. Elena’s sharp elbows proved to be the only thing capable of parting the assembly. “Why is everyone watching the baby have a bath? Why is she having a bath?”

Hope looked up first, but no sound left her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” he heard Elijah murmur, pressed close to Elena’s ear. “I didn’t…”

“It’s okay,” her voice sounded thick with tears. She dipped and pressed a lingering kiss to her baby’s head. “She’s okay.” Her hands took over the hold.

“The marks are fading.”

Klaus circled the island as Caroline dropped the bag.

Elijah pulled the tap free and shifted to a gentle stream of water that he let trickle over the baby’s belly; the girl grunted and blinked, glowing blue eyes focused solely on her mother’s face.

“Her eyes,” Klaus breathed. His hand curled around Hope’s elbow.

“Her feet,” Hope blinked, nodding to the sink.

“Can you all back up?” Elena snapped. Her throat burned from the brief smoke inhalation. “She’s my baby, not a circus sideshow.”

Caroline stepped in when the others moved back and peered around Elijah’s side. She delicately cleared her throat.

“Elena…” Serena squealed, “… please don’t take this in the ‘gawking at a circus freak’ way, but have you noticed her neck?”

She ground her teeth. “What are you talking about?”

Caroline took the tap from Elijah and carefully directed the water so it hit skin, but avoided the ears. She understood if they hadn’t noticed; the hands and eyes were distracting, but in the folds of her neck three fine blue lines glowed, seeming to split the skin.

“She’s something else,” Elijah pressed a hand to Elena’s back, grateful when she made no mention of how he trembled. “It appears you stand corrected brother.”

“I stood corrected at the dragon,” Klaus grumbled.

“Dragon?” Landon gaped, looking to a shocked Hope. “There are dragons?”

~oOo~

“You do have nothing but time,” Bonnie glanced towards the shelf, shifting on the cushions. “I have a question.”

“Okay,” he turned giving her his full attention.

“This had bugged me for years since I first heard the term,” her fingers danced over the plump cushion near his elbow. “Why do they call it a fainting couch?”

“There were used when doctor’s made house calls, treating hysteria,” he wiggled his eyebrows, a playful smirk on his lips. “The couch provided maximum comfort during procedures.”

She flushed, vividly recalling the film she had watched years before with her friends.

“You’re making that up,” she rolled her eyes.

“I am not,” he gasped, manoeuvring her so she sat comfortably in the corner. He grinned when she bent her knee for balance. “The poor ‘disease’ required weekly manual massage that would last for hours,” he breathed against the shell of her ear, eliciting a shiver. The heady scent of desire permeated the air and drew him closer.

He couldn’t resist a taste and allowed his tongue to trace her ear. He nipped with blunt teeth, mindful of her earring.

She gasped, bringing her hand to his sleeve.

“Th-that doesn’t explain ‘fainting’,” her nails dug into his bicep.

He pulled back and met her eyes, blown wide with the lust he could smell.

“The procedure, lasting for hours as it often did, could leave women feeling faint for a time.” He ran a finger over her hip in the lightest pressure that sent goosebumps spiralling across her skin. “Shall I demonstrate?”

“Will it take hours?” She bit her bottom lip.

“I should think not,” he popped the button on her jeans and pulled the zipper, slipping his fingers beneath the edge of bright white lace. “I have far more skill than those charlatans.”

Her head fell back with a moan, coaxed forth by the dexterous fingers massage. He took advantage of her exposed throat to lay kiss after open-mouthed kiss on her skin. His free hand slid under her shirt and up until his thumb made contact with her hard nipple.

“D-doctors did this?” She strained, attempting to roll her hips.

“Heavens no,” he nipped her bottom lip. “Anything beyond clitoral massage would have been highly improper.”

He pushed two fingers inside.

“Then this doesn’t count as a demonstration,” she moaned. He swallowed most of the sound with a kiss, muffling the whimper brought out by the pressure of his palm. Her muscles trembled, pulled taut to the edge of release fast by the shallow thrust of his fingers.

“I never claimed to be proper,” he chuckled, nose skimming her throat. “My, my; you are close little witch. Has it been so long since someone touched you?”

She might have been mortified by her whimper if not for the cresting pleasure. Her walls fluttered, spasming around his fingers. When he told her to come she was surprised at her body’s ability to obey, and for a long moment she slumped, only vaguely aware of the slick release coating her underwear.

She watched through lidded eyes as he cleaned first one finger then the other with his tongue.

“Divine,” he hummed, “truly, darling. I would love a second taste if you don’t mind.”

His fingers skimmed the inch of exposed skin between jeans and top.

She should have been satisfied, satiated, but her body craved more of him, so she lifted her hips’ the material dragged over her legs before being discarded on the floor with her shoes.

He knelt between her legs, but she stopped him with one hand on his collar.

“If I’m losing clothes then so are you,” she tugged.

Kol chuckled, but leaned back to pull off his shirt.

“As you wish.”

~oOo~

The Boarding School kitchen had long since descended into the chaos that only half a dozen overlapping voices and a screaming baby could achieve.

Klaus had leapt off the topic of dragons and fire in favour of grilling his teenage daughter on her reasons for being out in the middle of the night.

Caroline seemed torn between the tragedy at her best friend’s house, her wandering students and the vandalism in the library. She fired question after question before anyone could finish with an answer. Not that anyone would have heard anyway.

Hope kept trying to explain what had happened with interjections from Landon.

Dorian examined the dagger and talked about something that drowned under the other voices.

Alaric’s attention split down the middle somewhere between dragons and babies with glowing eyes.

Elena bounced on the balls of her feet. She longed to scream at them all to shut up, but Serena hated the noise, and she refused to add to it. She felt her adrenaline die; with its departure her heart faltered.

“My house is on fire,” she breathed.

“Yes,” Elijah nodded, reaching a hand to brush sweat damp hair behind her ear.

“A dragon set my house on fire,” she cradled Serena’s head. Tears shimmered in her eyes when she thought of the last of her family heirlooms. All of her pictures had been in the lake house; insurance would let her rebuild without touching on her savings, but it wouldn’t replace her memories. At least every picture of Serena had been backed up.

Everyone’s arguing voices faded as Elijah folded both of them into the circle of his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and took a shaking breath. A faint aroma of smoke clung to him, but the overwhelming feeling of security dwarfed the reminder.

“I used to be so much better at this.” Serena quieted in her arms. “Compartmentalizing.”

“You don’t need to,” his hand smoothed through her hair as he kissed the top of her head.

With a jolt she realized that the other voices had not just faded they had disappeared. When she turned her head, she found everyone watching them.

“Are we done shouting?” She straightened up and swiped at her eyes. Her fingers smoothed wide circles over Serena’s purple sweater.

Before anybody could answer her, a roar sounded from outside.

Elijah stiffened.

Klaus grabbed Hope and Landon when they made for the window behind Caroline and Alaric who pushed in next to Dorian.

Elena wasn’t sure what to make of the sight. The dragon, something she thought she would never see nor say, shrank; it’s wings and body folded in until all that remained was a woman with dark skin peeking out beneath a soot stained gown.

She appeared, for all intents and purposes, human. But then again, so did everyone in the room.

Her eyes smouldered with live fire, wrecking her camouflage.

It/She kept a fixed gaze on the dagger in Dorian’s hand as the sun rose behind her back. It’s/Her mouth gaped.

Hope pulled free and ran towards the pantry. She returned seconds later with a box of salt and a tin of tea. She muttered a spell as she drew a circle around the tea; a wall of fire spread high three feet beyond the window.

From upstairs came the distant sound of screaming. Downstairs cried echoed.

“Ric, sound off for a lockdown and be ready to evacuate. Nobody leaves the school except through the tunnels.” Caroline rocked back on her heels, jumping into the roll of problem solving headmistress. The bark of orders reminded Elena of the Miss Mystic Falls float and Matt’s crushed arm. “Hope, how long will that spell last?”

“Twenty minutes… if we’re lucky.” Her eyes flickered to the crude protection spell.

“Twenty minutes,” she muttered, eyes flickering between the Original brothers. “Either of you know how to slay a dragon?”

“Until a few hours ago we were unaware of their existence,” Klaus shook his head.

“Naturally,” she sighed. “Ric, go, take Hope and Landon. Dorian hit the books and if you haven’t found anything in fifteen minutes evacuate. Elena, take the baby and get the hell out of here.” Her voice grew sharp when nobody appeared to listen, barking in a tone that left no room for argument.

“Move!” Caroline grabbed Klaus’ sleeve when everyone else hurried to listen. A sharp look kept Elijah in the room. “Do either of you have any ideas?”

“I’d offer to rip out the beast’s heart, but I don’t think I’ll get close enough.” Klaus looked out the window where said beast was shifting again.

“A death curse might do the trick,” Elijah frowned. He felt overcome with the sudden sense that his heart resided outside his body and was racing rapidly along the hall.

“We don’t keep black magic on campus, and even if we had it there’s not a witch strong enough to use one without Bonnie.” Caroline shook her head.

At the library door Alaric parted ways with Elena after asking if she remembered the way; he left her with the teens and moved to the office.

Elena adjusted her hold. Her eyes snapped to Hope as she moved for the stairs.

“That’s not the right way,” she cocked an eyebrow.

“I have an idea,” Hope called back, taking off at the same moment Alaric came over the loud-speaker. “I won’t be long.”

Landon shrugged apologetically and followed before Elena could stop either of them.

~oOo~

@elejahforever @elejah-wonderland @naughtynecromancer @ethanjwillis @cry-btch@geekofmanyfandoms@morsmornte@xanderling@bellemorte180@iw1shiknew@blndbandt@petrova-banz @bulldozed88@njeancastro316

#elejah #klaroline #kennett #Elena gilbert #Elijah mikaelson #Caroline forbes #Klaus mikaelson #bonnie bennett #kol mikaelson #hope mikaelson #Alaric saltzman #dorian williams #Landon kirby #ayte

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