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katelynsimpsince2016 · 11 months

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Miguel isn’t the only villain in across the spider-verse - it’s the fans too

On the surface, Miguel is the obvious antagonist in atsv. From the get go he demonises Miles, treats him as if he understands what’s going on and puts all the blame on him for the multiverse being in danger. His justification for this is that Miles is an anomaly - a mistake. His role as Spider-Man was not meant to happen at all and he’s simply a poor replacement whose existence has catastrophically left a universe without a Spider-Man. The key part here is that Miles is an error, a blunder, just an inferior stand-in: he’s not the original.

The meta-narrative of the spider-verse movies is wholly centred around adaptation and the different adaptations of Spider-man, and Miles himself has a poignant role in this. Unlike the majority of the other Spider-men in the society he isn’t just some other rendition of Peter Parker or a ‘what if this person got bit instead’ character. He is unique. Something new. His lack of connection to previous Spider-men allows him this fluidity and ability to write his own story. For this meta-narrative to work he has to be the protagonist. We have to see the story through his perspective so we can see Miles as his own person and separate from the stereotypical idea of what Spider-man is. Miles’s iconic line from the film “Imma do my own thing” is a perfect summary of what he represents and stands for. He may not be the ‘original’ or anything like Peter Parker but he is something truly amazing. After all, that’s what the first movie was all about: anyone can be Spider-man. But with the wide variety of different Spider-men through atsv and the trans-coding of Gwen’s character, this movie seems to be hammering this point home and is actively fighting against fans who cling onto ‘canon’ and don’t accept any kind diversion or reinvention of a source material. In this movie Miguel represents these kind of fans who desperately cling onto canon and reject things like headcanons and interpretations that threaten to be different from their own.

In atsv Gwen gets a lot more focus and we get to see another side to her, seeing her personal life. We see that on a daily basis she has to hide a part of herself from everyone around her, especially her father. Her own flesh and blood is out to get her, hunting her down and talks about arresting her to her face, and all she can do is just smile and nod. Initially, this appears as simply what every Spider-person has to go through - hiding their identity, but with Gwen it cuts a lot deeper than that. Because she isn’t just hiding her identity as a superhero but she is having to hide her personal (gender) identity. From the phrase ‘Protect Trans Kids’ painted in her room, the trans flag on her father’s uniform to the repeated use of the trans flag’s colour palette during her conversations with her father, Gwen is undeniably coded as trans.

This new approach to her character has angered some people, and that’s what the whole movie is about.

Atsv tells a cautionary tale about how restricting artistic expression and religiously sticking to canon only harms stories and writers. It prevents the creation of amazing works like itsv/atsv! Fans’ obsession with staying inside the box could have resulted in this incredibly revolutionary film - itsv - from literally being created. Atsv is throwing everything at the viewer to tell us that this is still a looming threat and that it doesn’t just stop at producers and executives, fans also have an influence, for better or for worse.

Another example of how queerness is used in this film to fight against toxic fans is the queer undertones in Miles’s arguments with his parents. Every time he’s about to reveal his identity as Spider-man it is very reminiscent of a coming out scene. His parents speak of him lying to them and hiding something, and even more poignantly, that no matter what is going on with him they will love him no matter what. Whether Miles is under the queer umbrella is not what matters here, instead it’s the impact which speaks volumes on what atsv is trying to get across. Spider-man can be queer, can be gay, can be trans (this also applies to Spider-man being a person of colour). Even if the original iteration of the character wasn’t, it has long since evolved past the rigid boundaries of canon.

In the context of fandom, this message is very important right now as queer headcanons seem to be receiving more criticism as of late. This message is integral for many to hear and to remind us all that canon is just the building blocks - not the whole structure.

So the narrative is using Miles and Miguel as placeholders to portray these two clashing point of views. To break canon and continually reinvent stories or to swath canon in a blanket and never touch it. We as the viewers are left with a choice on who to side with, to decide who we believe is right and who is wrong. But to be honest, it’s pretty clear who’s right.

#no idea if this post will reach anyone lol but i think this perspective is important #just be really pissed off seeing ppl throwing fits over Gwen being very likely trans #like ANYONE can be Spider-Man #reblogs appreciated <3 #across the spider verse spoilers #across the spiderverse #atsv #text post

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seokgyuu · 2 months

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Hey!

I'm not good at expressing myself but I'm writing to you to express my heartfelt gratitude and admiration for "Challenge Me". TBH I was intrigued when I first came across this fic but now as I have re read it again and again, I just LOVE IT!

I was hooked from the first sentence and couldn't stop reading until the end. You have such a brilliant and captivating way of telling a story, with vivid descriptions, realistic dialogues, and unexpected twists. You made me feel like I was there with the MC, experiencing all emotions, struggles, and triumphs.

You explore themes of sexuality, friendship, and self-discovery in such an amazing way. You show MC's growth and transformation as she faces the challenge and learn more about herself and others. You also portray the guys and the best friend as complex and diverse characters, not just stereotypes or props. I especially loved Seokmin.. no maybe Mingyu more ... No it's definitely Soonyoung or even Wonwoo... No how can I forget Chan!!?! ... Vernon!!! Damn it I like them all and how they have their own characteristics and plot lines!!!!!

Thank you for creating and posting your amazing work on tumblr. You are such an awesome and talented writer, and I loveeeee your workk so much! You always make my day with your stories. I look forward to reading more from you. Please keep writing and sharing your creativity with us. You rock! 😍💕🌞

hi hi hi!!! omg it took me a bit to reply, i'm sorry!! i read this yesterday and literally almost cried, this is so so incredibly sweet and made my whole day, fr!!

first of all, thank you so much for your kind words and the love for Challenge Me!! It makes me so happy to see someone love this work as much as I do. What started as pure porn basically, turned into something I don't even want to end at this point, but sadly will have to let go sometime soon.

I'll forever be grateful for you guys reading the story and especially for you sending this ask because this literally keeps me going. I had some uni work to finish and I have some other (mainly dirty) thoughts I have to bring to paper first, but the next Challenge Me chapter has been outlined and will be published hopefully before March ends!!

I don't even know what else to say except another big ass thank you for this message, for taking the time to write those words and make me feel appreciated because as a lot of writers know, sometimes it's hard to feel that way when we get little to no feedback on our writing. So, thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart!!! It's not me who rocks but YOU!!! sending you a big ass hug (or if you don't like hugs a big ass high five or something!!) and wishing you a wonderful rest of your day!! <333

#challenge me #asks #hey-syia #this made my day #my week #my mONTH #<3

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enigmaticexplorer · 7 months

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Hi! I thought it would be fun to invite some peeps to share a lil about themselves if they so desire. Absolutely feel free to delete this without a second thought! ☺️ But if it pleases the jury…

What do you like to do most on tumblr — write, draw, read, etc?

Any favorite fics, with a tiny summary and why they’re so good? It’s ok if it’s your own! 😜

Three of your favorite blogs to follow and why?

Favorite SW character and why?

Ok, I suppose I’m done interrogating. 🤓 Toodle-oo!

Hi Free! Thank you for the questions :)

What do you like to do most on tumblr — write, draw, read, etc?

I like to read other people’s works, look at artwork (because I can’t draw and I’m always so impressed by those who can), and I like to write.

Any favorite fics, with a tiny summary and why they’re so good? It’s ok if it’s your own! 😜

I have read some amazing long fics and one-shots, but I’m not going to mention any. I’m always concerned I might hurt someone’s feelings, and I don’t want people to think their fics aren’t worth the time if they’re never recommended in something like this. :) (If you’re actually interested in what I’ve read, you can check my tags “drabble recs” and “fanfic recommendation”.) So, I’ll mention the fic I’m currently writing as it’s been therapeutic and allowed me to work through some of my personal issues.

Three of your favorite blogs to follow and why?

Every blog I follow is unique and amazing. To pick only 3 is tough, but here we go:

1. (@dystopicjumpsuit) DJ has written such incredible short and long fics that deal with genuinely raw and human emotions, feelings, experiences, and insecurities. I love the variety DJ has written (seriously, you can find a fic/ one-shot for any itch), and their blog has so many diverse stories and even drink recipes (I don’t drink and I’m fairly mediocre in the kitchen, but I’ve wanted to try some of DJ’s recipes because they look so fun).

2. (@starstofillmydream) Molly has written a seven-part (and ongoing) series of Commander Cody headcanons. Cody is one of my favorites and I love how niche yet realistic these headcanons are. I also appreciate the discourse and nuance Molly brings to Cody’s character, especially since she appreciates his character as the individual he is rather than devaluing him to a relationship status.

3. (@freesia-writes) I have to mention you (Free) because I enjoy seeing the chains you start. The engagement you bring to this community is positive and inclusive and it’s such a refreshing breath from some other fandom communities I’ve encountered. From your writing of so many clones, to the fun drabbles you do, I love what your blog offers the community.

Favorite SW character and why?

This one is hard because I have two: Wolffe and Thrawn.

Wolffe was the first SW character I truly came to love. His sarcastic, easily irritable personality, along with his stalwart loyalty, sheer intelligence, and strategic mindset (and his general badass vibe!) easily make him the SW character I have so much appreciation for. But the thing that made him stand out to me: in one of the comics, Wolffe gives a group of deserted clones an opportunity to prove themselves loyal rather than be punished for desertion. I’ve always thought it was a testament to his emotional intelligence and true leadership that he was willing to give these men an opportunity to regain his trust and loyalty. Wolffe is that type of character with a gruff, rougher exterior but deep down is emotionally driven to protect his brothers. And I think it’s admirable of him. I know we have minimal canonical information about him, but I love his character so much.

Thrawn is one of those characters I never expected to like but he forced himself into my life and I can’t go back. (I have to clarify, I am talking about Zahn’s Thrawn, not Filoni’s.) Thrawn in the Ascendancy trilogy brought so much nuance to his character. I like how he helps other characters reach their full potential, and is always challenging others to be the best version of themselves. He has this urgency to protect his people but also his galaxy, and the way he gets righteously angry with the enslavement and destruction of species in his part of the galaxy, along with his decisions to help these people, even when it means invoking the frustrations and dislike of leaders against him, makes him such a fascinating character to me.

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eleanor-bradstreet · 1 year

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Emerald

Rated/warning: T, heavy angst Word count: 520

Author's Note: My contribution to a spontaneous writing sprint among my fellow Bridgerton fic authors. Inspired by @bridgertontess beautiful edit above, we all set out to explain what poor Ben was doing out in the rain. 💙 I almost didn't post mine because, true to form, i reverted to my deeply angsty inclinations and came up with something horrible. Posting this in the middle of the night so maybe no one reads it - I apologize in advance.

The results from my fellow writers were incredibly diverse, amazing, and sometimes hilarious! What a talented bunch - read all of them! Could Be Worse - @fayes-fics Turning - @queen-of-the-misfit-toys contribution from @thebabblingbrookenook The Deluge - @colettebronte Weather the Storm - @silverhallow

The world had been muted entirely. The clouds were doing their part to blur everything into a wash of greys, draining color out of Benedict’s vision the same way his grief was draining away all sounds. This was life now without her: quieter, colder, devoid of spirit. He had to step outside to try and catch his breath, because it felt like his heart had been bifurcated, half of him withered and atrophied. How could he face this without her and the levity she would no doubt have offered? As soon as his feet hit the pavement he nearly rang her number to tell her what had happened. A reflex he knew was bound to haunt him for years to come.

The rain was torrential, oddly so for the season. Others may not have held with the spiritual significance he saw in certain moments, but he knew this was one of them. The same way his soul alerted him to impending grief or joy, he felt the numbing certainty that the rain was not pelting him by coincidence. It was a message, more likely intended as a slap in the face to pull himself together rather than as mournful tears. That was her way. Or maybe she was calling him back to memories: the nights when they had snuck outside to escape boring parties, then been forced back indoors soaked and giggling, or the time she had appeared unannounced at his front door with his favorite Jaffa Cakes when he coincidentally was sick in bed with a cold. She had driven through a storm on a whim just to see him. It was like she knew somehow. She always did. He wished she had waited a little longer. Spent another decade with him at least, before making her grand exit.

He had felt her go, had heard the roaring in his ears and knew what it signified. Half of everyone he called didn’t answer, including her, so he hadn’t known. He was paralyzed with anxiety for an hour until the phone finally rang. Another goodbye he would never get to say. She was already gone. In just her fashion too - dramatic. Something everyone would talk about for generations. She would have loved the attention. If he were being honest with himself, he had to accept how fitting it was. A quiet, slow decline would have been anticlimactic for her. No, the spectacle and its irony were better. What was a better story than a stepmother drowning to save her child? A woman who adamantly rejected the idea of motherhood, sacrificing herself in the ultimate act of maternal love?

He remembered how she told him that Phillip preferred rain to sunny days. Marina had passed under clear skies. Now Benedict didn’t know what his brother-in-law was going to do, weighted by tragedy and daily reminders of his losses no matter what the weather. He was honor-bound to help him find a way, him and the twins who sat huddled inside the hospital behind him. Together they would all have to carve out some new, duller way to carry on without their beloved Eloise.

#bridgerton #bridgerton fanfiction #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton fanfiction #bridgerton family #angst #eloise bridgerton #eloise bridgerton fanfiction

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jovenshires · 1 month

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🦚 for the queer ask game!

🦚 - Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would suggest?

oh my god YEAH absolutely. i used to be a queer media connoisseur (im no longer a romance girlie when i consume media bc i write so much of it but i still have love for the genre). i'll do one rec for each category up here but ill put some more under the cut!!

book: aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe. it's my favorite book i've gotta put it out there. literally changed my life when i was like 16 i love it so much

show: there's so many popular ones that i feel like if you're gay you've already seen them by now, so im gonna throw a curveball and go with crazy ex-girlfriend. they talk a LOT about lgbtq+ identities and explore dynamics with different couples, and if you love musicals, you absolutely must go watch it rn i fear

movie: moonlight. oh my god if you haven't seen moonlight go watch moonlight it's so so incredible 10/10. a drama that follows a black gay man from childhood to adulthood, explores the themes of masculinity, family, and friendship as well as romantic love. it's just an incredible movie it deserves all the hype tbh

music: once again there's so many popular queer musicians nowadays that i Do Not HAVE to rec (you know the ones they go hard), so im gonna rec chrissy chlapecka!! she just makes such incredible, sugary-sweet pop music about such amazing fucked up shit i love her

send me some gay asks!

okie doke as promised here's some more recs from yours truly bc i really, really love media and have a collection to rec atp NDNKFNKND ill try to order them by genre from least to most obscure LMAO

BE WARNED: i do read some graphic stuff - im an adult and my media taste reflects that. before you read anything i rec, look it up for trigger warnings!! i don't want anybody to be hurt by something i recommend. <3

books:

of course like. simon vs the homosapien agenda by becky albertalli is out there. this is one of those classics i was talking about KDNKFNFK it's very ya-gay-romance-romcom you can eat up ya know. the movie's also not too bad (people think it's 'cringey' nowadays but that was HUGE for me when i was like 19 and had my first girlfriend). anyway it's feel-good fluff if you like that kind of thing!!

red white and royal blue is obviously another classic and one i can't rec enough. i love the way its written, i love the characters, i love the plot. like it's everything, if you're into the romcom vibe this is a great one to check out. (and as a bonus this one also has a movie and it Slaps)

it's not like it's a secret by misa sigura is a pretty solid wlw coming-of-age novel that i highly rec if you're into the rom-com type book. it's also got some EXCELLENT poc representation!!

bloom by kevin panetta is a graphic novel and i love it. so so so much. truly i think i read this in a day and i am NOT a huge graphic novel reader. feel-good romcom, poc rep, body diversity, AND pretty pictures. what is there not to love. everyone should read bloom tbh

lies we tell ourselves by robin talley is Probably my favorite wlw book ever. it's historical fiction and it is Everything to me. and im actually a known historical fiction hater so take it from me - its Good.

carry on by rainbow rowell is i think a classic at this point and i love it. so so so much. you ever identify with a character a little too hard. yeah thats me and this book. i gave my best friend a copy for her graduation. it is an Excellent take on 'remember all the heroes you wanted to be gay when you were a kid. imagine if they were.' it's my beloved

a hero at the end of the world by erin claiborne is another great one in the same vein, with a punchy, dry humor twist. basically if you were a harry potter kid but you hate jkr. you'll love this one and carry on KSNDKDNFK

nimona by nd stevenson is another graphic novel!! it's another fantasy, so if that's your cup of tea, i highly recommend it. it's got an amazing queer love story, a genderfluid protag, and most importantly, found family. literally everything. (it also has a movie but i haven't seen it yet

the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater is HUGEEEE i love that series it reshaped me. it's. mystery/supernatural i would say? it has multiple of my fave queer characters of all time and honestly. everyone there is a little gay. one of my absolute faves <3

we are the ants by shaun david hutchinson is a sci-fi horror adventure story and this one. it stuck with me. the main character hit me so hard and his internal struggle is so SO interesting. if you're into this kind of shit. give it a shot!

every day by david levithan is not one of MY all-time faves, but i can still say it's super interesting and has great rep!! it has a genderfluid/agender main character (depending on how you look at it). i will say i think there are multiple books in the series (?) but i stopped at one bc. it made me too sad anyway. <3

the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky is not queer bc it's explicitly about a queer character or a queer love story, BUT. it still has one of my favorite lgbt characters of all time. patrick you will always be famous to me. as a bisexual girl in a catholic high school, saw a Lot of myself in patrick. (i do also have a special place in my heart for the movie bc it was my depression movie as a teen but patrick is played by ezra miller so be warned)

one of us is lying by karen mcmanus is another one that's not just. About a Gay Couple BUT it is one of my fave books (a murder mystery retelling of the breakfast club) and it has a gay main character!! his struggle with his sexuality is something he really struggles with and he has a boyfriend and i adore him.

shows:

i mean obviously like. heartstopper is incredible. like i said im not super into the romcom/young adult genre anymore but that show is just so beautiful and amazing and really healed my inner gay teen. it has a really diverse cast and representation for all kinds. i really recommend it!!!

everything sucks was gone before its time, but it is SUCH an amazing show. it has one of my fave on-screen wlw couples of all time. it's a feel-good, coming of age classic and i miss it deeply. (what did you just say??? 'katie rewatch it' oh my god you're onto something)

now if yall know me. glee is absolutely gonna be on this list. is it good? technically no. is it one of the greatest pieces of satire ever created? up until season three yes. i realized i was gay via santana lopez. THE gay character of all time. and all the love in my heart for all the other lgbt characters (kurt hummel you will always be famous to me......) some of it's a little dated (don't get me STARTED on unique) but it does genuinely have some great lgbt rep and if you watch it with a grain of salt it's a great comedy

julie and the phantoms made by kenny ortega (of THE high school musical and descendants fame) and it has a gay character i love!! (actually technically it has a few <3)

i'm a huge consumer of kids' media (i think phineas and ferb is a literal masterpiece and im not even kidding) so if you're like me and enjoy the disney/kid show beat i cannot rec andi mack enough. it's dramatic it's campy it's fun it's silly it's got a FANTASTIC gay character and a gay couple i deeply adore and not to mention!! so much representation!! it's like junior fosters tbh

we're gonna get into a little pocket here of like. normal romance but slightly niche - animes! sasaki to miyano is like my top lgbt anime rec. it is so, SO good. just absolute feel-good romcom goodness pls give it a shot

depending on interpretation, ouran high school host club arguably has a nonbinary character, some bi/gay characters, and a trans character! now. it IS hella dated do not get me wrong. BUT for the time? incredibly progressive and a wonderful watch. just brace yourself for some out of pocket shit

stars align has one of my favorite lgbt characters EVER, a nonbinary icon <3 and it's like. a PLOT. truly so rare to see something like that done on tv, let alone in anime. this is a sports anime - soft tennis my beloved - but it has So Much More To It than that.

another gay sports anime is run with the wind, a recent fave of mine. and i don't mean gay in the way that most sports animes are kinda gay. i mean he literally says 'im in love with this guy.' it's an amazing watch if you like that kinda thing!!

if you want an aroace genderfluid protag. the disastrous life of saiki k is up there as one of my fave animes ever AND saiki (the main character) is my fave protag of all time. this silly lil show is supernatural (ish?) and comedy all wrapped into one fantastic show i highly recommend!!

segueing back into live action shows, buffy the vampire slayer is an AMAZING, iconic, female-led supernatural dramedy with some early and, for its time, incredible lesbian rep.

yellowjackets because i LOVE unhinged lesbians. i didn't even know there was gay people in this - i started watching because i love horror and girls' soccer DLNKFNFLN and it's amazing!! if you like tragic gay women i HIGHLY endorse yellowjackets.

in the flesh. look. here's my pitch for itf. do you love being sad. do you love catharsis. do you love zombies. you will LOVE in the flesh. please. i miss it so bad i've seen this show 4 times (and you're right i should also watch this one again!!!) and i never tire of it.

sense8 is a sci-fi show and IT IS EVERYTHING TO ME. truly the diversity is unparalleled. so many lgbt characters of so many different identities. polyamory, trans people, a neuro-link that's destroying peoples' lives. it literally has everything.

the get down is not just an lgbt show, BUT it has an incredible lgbt character/storyline that i adore. a musical show, a historical fiction piece (which means a lot coming from me), and almost every character is a poc. pls give it a shot it's everything

bodies is another one that isn't just about lgbt+ rep BUT. it's incredibly diverse, examining people facing discrimination throughout history (you've got a gay mc, a jewish mc, a muslim mc, AND a disabled mc) and it just has such amazing plot lines and representation. it's a murder mystery/sci-fi double whammy, so give it a shot if you're interested!!

movies:

alex strangelove is a good, underrated, coming of age classic. it follows a guy who struggles with his sexuality. very teen rom-com-dramedy core!!

i adored boy meets girl when i watched it. a very romcom-y movie about a trans woman from a small town dreaming of getting out....... friends to lovers.......... i adore it

happiest season is a christmas movie and it's very sweet. its been panned (there are some just criticisms on the plot tbf) BUT i do think it's really cute

to wong fu thanks for everything julie newmar is just. so so good. it's an underrated classic imo. three drag queens go on road trip, end up in a small town, and change it for the better. it's literally so amazing it's just feel good found family PLEASE give this one a shot

the birdcage is another classic i so genuinely enjoy. who doesn't want robin williams and nathan lane as their gay dads. at the end of the day it's all about found family, love, and old gay men.

handsome devil is a foreign film - irish to be exact! - and i love it so much. once again as a catholic school kid.......... yeah. YEAH. anyway go watch the og gay nicholas galitzine movie LKNDKFNKNLFNKLF

pride is a historical piece and an excellent movie. it's got its ups and downs but god it's just an overall good movie. another irish film, coincidentally!

the way he looks is also a foreign film, this time in spanish, BUTTTTT it's one of my faves i love it so much. it's very feel-good, sweet, romcom so if you feel like you could be into that - give it a shot!!

rent, if you're into musicals, has some of my fave musical characters ever. angel dumott schunard you will ALWAYS be the love of my life. it is deeply sad but. other than that. i live in denial.

the prom is a much more light-hearted and silly lgbt musical. people shat on that movie but i think it's SWEET and cute and has some bangers!!

i mean like. we can joke ab how hyped it is all we want but brokeback mountain is basically required gay watching. it is EXACTLY as amazing as everyone says it is. the chemistry..... oh my god we could never make that movie again it was like catching lightning in a bottle.

bodies, bodies, bodies is a fun and campy lgbt horror if you're into that kind of thing!! the ending was a bit not my fave but otherwise it's an incredible cast and got some great silly scares

on the topic of gay horror, jennifer's body is gay and again, exactly as good as everyone hypes it up to be. you want gay women who are terrible to each other? oh boy do i have the movie for you

and i promise ill wrap on gay horror with it chapters 1 & 2. reddie will unfortunately always be famous.

everything, everywhere, all at once is not Just a gay movie BUT. it has an incredible gay character and it factors so interestingly into the mother/daughter relationship. i love that movie i will always talk about it

music (these are all just people i personally listen to but there are SO many more. im not gonna expand on these ones too much just go check em out you'll get it):

lil nas x

troye sivan

kim petras

kesha

tegan and sara

brandi carlile

hayley kiyoko

rina sawayama

peach prc

renee rapp

adam lambert

scene queen

willow

halsey

clairo

cavetown

janelle monae

#ask #asks #anon #anonymous

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girlwholikestoread · 1 year

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My least favorite to My favorite books I read in 2022

23: We are totally normal by Rahul Kanakia: Okay first thing first this book made me incredibly uncomfortable; however not because of the sex but because this book did an amazing job capturing how cringe,annoying, and mean highschool students can be which I enjoyed. When books have teenagers I feel a lot of stories feel the need to make them more mature to better fit the plot but in this book they felt like real people you probably went to high school with…take that as you will. Anyways the book is about Nandan who never before liked guys but hooked up with his friend Dave, Nandan starts his journey trying to understand his sexuality. I didn’t love this book but I didn't hate it. I was excited to give it a chance because it seemed pretty heavily disliked. I understand the hate because Nandan is incredibly unlikable at times and I do feel bad for Dave at times because Nandan's actions hurt him, however Nandan is written to be a confused teen and never doesn’t do anything bad on purpose. The ending for me wasn’t my cup of tea and personality. I didn't want Nandan and Dave to get together since I think them being friends works better but not horrible. Overall not my vibe, but it made me laugh at times and I liked the realistic portrayal of teenagers.

22: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers: First this book cover is beautiful and I love the idea of an workaholic overachiever doing something crazy and reckless as they slowly find themselves and it was sapphic on paper this book sounds amazing…but it was just okay, the book was pretty boring and I practically had to force myself to finish it. Grace Porter, our main character, gets drunk and marries a woman she doesn’t know in Vegas and that sounds really cool but the execution was a huge disappointment. None of the people in Grace's life including her best friends/ roommates, her parents, or even her love interest are written to be very interesting and Grace herself is pretty boring. I did however like the writing style the author chose for this book and the way the author describes the characters, setting, and what and how they feel is written beautifully and I truly enjoyed that. Overall it was pretty mid, My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

21. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli: I bought this book to get a discount from Barens and Noble not because I wanted it. I haven’t read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda nor did I see Love Simon so I came into this not knowing anything about Leah or the other characters. Despite that I thought the book was alright, nothing too special and pretty predictable but fine. The book is about Leah who’s getting ready for Prom and preparing to head to college, she’s a plus sized bisexual girl which is great to see and all the side characters are pretty cool. I’m not a big fan of Leah’s personality at times and her romance with Abby is fine and at times really cute, I like Abby encouraging her to pursue art that was nice. I also liked seeing Leah bond with her mom’s boyfriend and find the perfect prom dress that was really nice. Overall cute story. fun characters, and a nice romance, Nick deserved better

20. Across a field of starlight by Blue Delliquanti: Fun space adventure and first graphic novel I’ve read with two non-binary characters as the main character. Fassen and Lu have had a long distance friendship. I loved the artstyle and the diversity but I found the storyline super hard to follow to the point I can’t even give a real description. Fassen and Lu are both cool and I liked the characters but the storyline wasn’t for me. Overall beautiful art but hectic plot.

19. The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: Adorable and charming. I really liked the unique art style in this book and the relationship between Prince Sebastian and Frances is very sweet. The graphic novel is about Frances who is a talented seamstress who is secretly hired to make dresses for Prince Sebastian who enjoys wearing beautiful dresses but can’t let anyone including his parents know because of his royal status. Sebastian and Frances' friendship is sweet and I love how they treat each other. I felt like their falling out was forced and I didn’t really understand why Frances was upset, but the last two chapters made me so happy. Overall I loved the artstyle, loved Sebastian and Frances friendship, and loved chapter 11 & 12.

18: The girl from the sea by Molly Knox Ostertag: Morgan and Keltie are adorable and the art style was gorgeous. This sapphic graphic novel is about Morgan who lives on a small island with her mom, little brother, and has friends. After accidentally falling in the ocean she's met by a fish girl named Keltie who she once met when they were both children, after saving her they share a kiss, Keltie then comes into her life saying her love transformed her from a seal to a human girl. It’s cute, it’s silly, and it's sweet. Bittersweet ending but a fun read. Overall sweet sapphic love story, seal girls are better than mermaids.

17. The Gravity of us by Phil Stamper:It’s basically what would happen if the moon landing happened in modern day. We follow Cal, a 17 year old journalist who has to leave his life in Brooklyn to move to Houston when his dad gets a job working as an astronaut at NASA. Cal is probably the most unlikable protagonist I’ve read so far but he gets better as you read the book . The romance between Cal and Leon was really nice and I really like Leon as a character and found him the most relatable. Overall fun read, Leon should have his own book.

16. Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert: I love Geeks falling in love. It's my favorite holiday. This book is a duo POV with Alden and Conrad, while I didn’t see it as enemies to lovers as the book is advertised I still really enjoyed it regardless. We follow Alden and Conrad as they go on a road trip together to make content for a YouTube channel they both make appearances on called “Gamer Grandpa” which they play a card game named Odyssey also plan on playing at an tournament to win money and an opportunity to play the game professionally. Learning about both the characters' struggles, family lifes, and why they need to win the tournament all while becoming closer and closer was so fun to read. I really like Alden and Conrad and think they made a cute couple. I'll admit I knew who was gonna win barely half way through the story but that doesn’t matter to me. I liked the romance and where the characters ended up at the end. Overall this book was adorkable and I wished Odyssey was a real game.

15. Out of Characters by Annabeth Albert: More Geeks falling in love but now ex-friends to lovers version. This book is also a duo POV with Jasper and Milo, Jasper was a minor character in Conventionally Yours and in this one he gets his own story where his old childhood friend Milo comes to him needing help after he lost his older brother expensive Odyssey cards in a game. Seeing Jasper and Milo reconnect was adorable and their adventure was so much fun to read. I also loved reading about Milo getting out of his comfort zone, making new friends, and better coming to terms with his sexuality. It was so great and he and Jasper have amazing chemistry. Overall friends to lovers is underrated and I need more books with the characters cosplaying.

14. The darkness outside us by Eliot Schrefer: This book was a mindfuck and I loved every single page. This was one of my first Sci-fi books and it is amazing! Ambrose and Kodiak are both sent into space on a mission, they have no memory of the launch and the only company they have is each other and the ship’s operating system which tells them to do their tasks and encourages them to follow their mission to get on Titian. Since the book is mostly building suspense and leaving small clues leading to the plot twist the romance isn’t that developed but I still think Ambrose and Kodiak are good together and I really liked them. Overall a great book and the ending is so satisfying.

13. You should see me in a crown by Leah Johnson: This book makes me so happy! We follow Liz an black gay teenage girl living in a primarily white and rich neighborhood. She has no interest in popularity but when she finds out the winner of prom queen gets scholarship money that can help her pay for her dream school she starts running and works hard to get votes. I related to Liz so much when it came to friends, her family, and feeling like she needs to protect the people around her. Seeing Liz reconnect with her old friend, make new friends, and her relationship with Mack is just so wholesome. Overall great book and I wish Liz was real so we could be friends.

12. Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera: This seems hit or miss with some people but I loved it! This is the second book in the Infinity series. It’s hard to explain the plot without spoiling anything from the first book but I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next one. Overall Ness is my favorite character and I hope Adam Silvera doesn't kill him.

11. Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: The Hype is real. It’s the story of Achilles' life Achilles told by his lover Patroclus. The two meet after Patroclus accidentally kills another boy over dice and his father Menoetius banishes him away. The two become friends and later start a romantic relationship. We see Achilles' life from childhood to when he fights in the Trojan war. It's written beautifully and it’s truly heartbreaking. Overall terrific book, Achilles and Patroculs are the best historical gays.

Honorable mention. Rogue Sun volume one: Cataclysm: Okay so this was a book my brother really wanted me to read so I gave it a chance and it was really good. We follow Dylan who is a regular highschool student who recently finds out his father passed away, when going to the reading of his fathers will he finds out his dad was the town's hero named Rogue Sun and he passed down his powers to him. I liked it, I thought it was a good mix of action and real life emotions and Dylan was a great main character and really grew on me, I also thought it had a nice twist. Overall not my usual vibe but I enjoyed it nonetheless

10. I kissed Sara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston: Casey McQuiston has never written a bad book in their life and I kissed Sara Wheeler is great, We follow Chloe green who goes on an adventure to find her academic rival and most popular girl in school Sara Wheeler after she kissed her on prom night then completely disappeared she has the help of Sara’s boyfriend Smith, and another character named Rory who Sara also kissed on prom night. Sara leaves small clues for them to follow to help find where she is. My only real issues is while I like Sara and Chloe I liked the side characters even more and wanted to see more of them, I wanted to see more of Smith’s exploring his identity and his relationship with Rory, other characters like Ash, Benjy, Georgia, and more seem like interesting characters who could’ve been so fun to read if given more attention. Overall fun mystery and I need a second book about Smith and Rory.

9. Red, White, and Royal blue by Casey McQuiston: I’m a basic bitch I know but I really did love this book.This book is about the first son Alex falling in love with the Prince of Wales Prince Henry. I really don’t know what to say about this book that hasn’t already been said but I loved it. This book is super funny and Alex and Henry had immediate chemistry which was so much fun to read. I wish the side characters like Pez, Nora, and June got more attention but since this is a romance I understand why they were sidelined. Overall sweet political romance and obtuse fucking asshole is the most romatic line in any book ever.

8. One last stop by Casey McQuiston: It’s probably slightly controversial having One Last Stop ranked higher than Red, White, and Royal blue but the main reason I ranked it higher is because I loved every single character and felt like everyone one had a nice conclusion unlike Red, white, and Royal blue and I kissed Sara Wheeler where I wanted more attention on the side characters. I also loved seeing August and Jane's relationship build while also trying to help Jane understand what happened to her and seeing August find herself on the way was great. Overall another great mystery by Casey MCQuiston, I’m a sucker for sapphic romances

7. Extraordinaries by T.J.Klune: This book is the reason I downloaded back Tumblr it fucking amazing! Gay superheroes, fanfiction, and a main protagonist who is hilarious and relatable this book is fucking awsome. We follow Nick Bell who is the biggest fan of a neighborhood superhero named Shadow Storm who fights his arch rival Pyro Storm. In this world people who have super powers are called Extraordinaries and Nick desperately wants to be extraordinary and to make his fanfiction come true by being with the super hero of his dreams. I’ll admit I didn’t love Nick much at first but she really grew on me. Not only is the book great but it also has great ADHD rep and LGBTQ rep. Overall my favorite superhero novel better than marvel movies

6. Every word you never said by Jordon Greene: This wins for having the prettiest cover I currently own. This book is also a duo POV following Skyler Grey an nonverbal boy who was just recently adopted and enjoys wearing skirts and dresses and Jacob Walters who recently came out and dealing with shitheads because of it including his own father. The book is about Skyler fighting for his right to express himself when Jacbo’s own father tries to make rules to stop him from doing so. Skyler and Jacob are adorable and seeing them get closer and closer was heartwarming. However the book does talk a lot about politics and the ugly side of christianity which made me feel uneasy at times but the romance and message was so strong I couldn’t help but love it. Overall clothes have no gender!

5. Winter Orbit by Everina Maxwell: To be completely honest this is probably the best written book I’ve read all year. The writing, story building, character building, and explaining of the politics of the world was written, in my opinion of course almost perfectly.The book is about Kiem and Jainan who are forced to marry to seal an alliance between their respective empires after Jainan pervouse partener was killed suddenly. However it becomes more complicated when a Jainan becomes a person in interest in his death. Admittedly the romance in this book is pretty secondary in the story and is mostly about Jainan and Kiem trying to prove Jainan is innocent, I still liked the romance tho and seeing Kiem being sweet and patient with Jainan who has a lot of unresolved trauma was nice. My only issue is that the book felt kinda slow at times but the end result is totally worth it. Overall I felt smart reading this book. Kiem is a sweet cinnamon roll who deserves the world.

4. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake: I don’t usually like adult books but this is a huge expectation. This book is a romance between Claire Sutherland who is a single mom with an eleven-year-old daughter dealing with an undependable ex-boyfriend and Delilah Green who is hired to be her estranged step sister Astrid photographer at her wedding. Delilah had it tough growing up with losing her mom, dad, and living with her uncaring step mother and Claire had her own issues with being a single mom and dating. Delilah and Claire are sweet together and I really liked their relationship and it was a nice story. My only issues is that there is a side plot where Claire and another mutual friend of her and Astrid wants to stop her from marrying her dick head fiance and that pretty much goes nowhere in favor of the romance, I love Delilah and Claire’s romance but I would’ve liked to see more of then trying to talk sense into Astrid. Overall Cute and spicy sapphic romance can’t wait to read Astrid Parker doesn’t fail next year.

3. Heat Wave by T.J. Klune: FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC ending to the extraordinaries, The dad squad had my entire heart, seeing everyone work together to stop Simion evil plan of taking over Nova city was epic and the epilogue at the end its probably the best epilogue I’ve ever read in a book. However I wasn’t a big fan of the ending and what they decided to do to Owen and I hated how they kept talking about how “You shouldn’t see things as Evil vs. Good because things are more complicated than that” when Simion was very clearly evil and had only bad intentions but with the great plot twist, sweet moments, and of course the amazing epilogue I was able to get past it and enjoy a great conclusion to a great series. Overall this series was extraordinary and Jazz is a badass.

2. Flash Fire by T.J. Klune: This is more just me. I tend to like the second book in trilogies the most and this wasn’t any different. Seth is my favorite character and in Flash fire he gets more attention and I loved that. This is also when we learn more about Nick’s mom Jenny who passed away 3 years ago and Nick learns more about himself, in this we learn more about Simion’s plans, we also meet new characters like Mateo/ Miss Conduct, Jerry the burrito guy, and T.K who are all introduced in a cool and funny way. Overall Second time is always the best and Pyro Storm is bae.

1. Cinderella is dead by Kalynn Bayron: Words can’t describe how much I love this book but I will try. This new dark retelling of Cinderella's story takes an unique and cool spin on a classic. We follow Sophia who lives in a world 200 years after Cinderella found her prince charming and “Lived happily ever after” Ever since the king forces the people in the village to live their lives following Cinderall’s story. Sophia has no interest in marrying a man and would rather marry her childhood friend Erin but is forced to go to an annual ball and find a husband or else. I love this fast paced story about fighting the patriarchy and learning the real story of Cinderella. Sophia and Constance bounce off each other perfectly and I love their chemistry, not much romance but the book was so good it honestly doesn’t bother me. I loved this book so much and it’s my absolutely favorite book in 2022. Overall I loved a dark retelling and Sophia is a girlboss.

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raybeansbooks · 4 months

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Iron Widow

Iron Widow - Diverse Characters By Xiran Jay Zhao Published 2021 by Penguin Teen

In a sci-fi retelling of China’s only female emperor, author Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow. According to the author’s site in description of the book, “The series follows an 18-year-old re-imagining of her as she avenges her sister’s murder by an intensely patriarchal military system that pairs boys and girls up to pilot giant magical mecha…” using chi and the spiritually system of yin and yang, “in which boy pilots are treated like celebrities, while girl pilots must serve as their concubines” (2020).

This has been a stellar hit for YA and Adult audiences alike with Asian/ Chinese identity and culture representation throughout as well as the main character having a disability- needing to use a wheelchair when not in her mech or for longer periods of time-, there being sci-fi elements like mechs and otherworldly creatures, and- the real star- an actual polyamorous relationship. The three members involved in this relationship aren’t fighting in a love triangle but sharing immense compassion and love for one another with the bond only strengthening as the story progresses. We are definitely going to see all of this again in the second installment titled Heavenly Tyrant.

Author Xiran Jay Zhao is masterful in her character development as well as world building in this science fiction best selling gem. It’s rare to see someone with this much strength in creation paying attention to eastern storytelling- as opposed to omnipresent western themes- and doing so in a way that feels very human in a universe so much different from our own.

Not only is her book powerful, but so is the author. Zhao, whether sporting her iconic cow-onesie or an incredibly gorgeous hairstyle and garb, she speaks up for what she believes in and stays true to herself while uplifting her community of writers and readers. You can find her active on a number of social media platforms but she gets a lot of traction on tiktok for her informative news on her and wider spread literary events.

I think this piece, and materials like it hold an amazing place in literature and of course on library shelves. Like author Elizabeth Lim who also writes in fantastical Chinese spaces, Zhao helps bridge the gap for older YA readers into adult fiction. The power of someone able to write for this transitional space shouldn’t be ignored- since this area is so often. People in this stage deserve as much representation as any other reading group and- as previously ranted upon by me in writing, life, and probably in this blog- adult representation doesn’t hold a candle that in YA materials. I am amazed at the diversity in this area of media and that it continues to grow exponentially year after year- take note adult materials publishers and buyers.

As I said, this book couple holds an awesome presence in a display or place celebrating Chinese culture, Chinese writers, and even just the transitional space of older aged or higher level themed YA materials. I look forward to the next installment of this series which I believe is going to be a trilogy and I encourage you to check it out and engage with the author. She has a lot to give readers.

- Ray 12/16/2023

Xiran Jay Zhao. (n.d.). https://xiranjayzhao.com/

P.S. After you read Iron Widow, please check out and appreciate the fan art and memes on the author’s website- blessed https://xiranjayzhao.com/

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poppletonink · 2 years

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An Analysis of the IKSW Characters

First of all, if you haven’t read I Kissed Shara Wheeler yet, I would recommend skipping this one, as this contains an immense number of spoilers. Now with that out of the way, let’s dive in, shall we?...

Every character in I Kissed Shara Wheeler is different. The cast is diverse, and each character teaches the readers important life lessons about numerous topics.

Chloe Green

“She’s gay, Your Honour.”

Chloe (who is incredibly similar to Paris Geller from Gilmore Girls) is the world’s most perfect example of a bisexual who has a general dislike of most other people. She’s a theatre nerd and a perfectionist – especially when it comes to her grades and her eyeliner. And she’s also quite probably the most determined character in the entire novel, with her never-ending drive to find Shara and to win valedictorian (this is mostly like the reason that she reminds of the song ‘Are You Satisfied?’ by Marina). Chloe hates False Beach, and her high school, constantly finding little ways to rebel against the school dress code so that she can control why people look at her. She’s also the only openly queer girl in their school, just like her mom was. Chloe is important because she teaches readers not to give up – not when there’s something worth fighting against or for.

Shara Wheeler

“You’re like the girl… You know everyone is scared of Chloe Green, right?”

Shara Wheeler is like the perfect combination of Alison DiLaurentis from Pretty Little Liars and Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls; she’s also the epitome of the song ‘Little Miss Perfect’ by Write Out Loud. She starts out as the town’s perfect girl, who everyone aspires to be like, perfectly representing what God would want out of someone, but as the story goes on you see more and more cracks in her flawless façade. Shara is the reason that Chloe learns the difference between nice and kind, because Shara is not nice, but she is kind. She also cares about things too much, and when she does, she throws them away, because she doesn’t want people to know just how much she cares. She can read people like a book (or everyone apart from herself, apparently) which is how she manages to plant her clues in a manipulative scheme to control the people around her. Shara Wheeler is far from perfect, but she’s interesting, which in the same way as Georgia describes Emma from the classic Jane Austen novel, is what makes her a good character.

Smith Parker

“Because I feel bad doing all that to a frog… Like, I don’t know how he died! What if he had a family? What if he had like, dreams? What if he never got to finish Breaking Bad?”

Smith’s character (who for some reason reminds me of Cooper Clay from One of Us is Lying) is incredibly interesting. First of all, he’s a jock who is actually nice – something that is rarely seen in fiction. And secondly, I was not expecting his side plot to do with his gender identity (though I definitely called the Rory related side plot). Smith is interesting because he’s not what you usually see of a genderqueer character. It seems like he’s somewhere on the non-binary spectrum (using his letterman jacket as a coping method for his gender dysphoria) but he still chooses to use he/him pronouns. He likes football, but he also has a Sailor Moon collection, and he likes putting flowers in his hair and wearing makeup. Smith Parker is a character the world needed to see, because he proves that not all genderqueer people are the same.

Rory Heron

“For legal reasons, I’m joking.”

Rory Heron is amazing. He thoroughly reminds me of Jess Mariano from Gilmore Girls (though Casey McQuiston has previously stated on Twitter about their likeness) because he likes poetry – even though he’s dyslexic – but hates school and usually skives, plus the fact that he’s done some illegal stuff that everyone just casually ignores. He’s brutally honest, but he’s also really romantic – the fact that he flooded the labs just so Smith didn’t have to dissect the frogs, even though they weren’t talking to each other at the time, is just adorable (and the fact that he writes songs about him). Plus, the way he figures out that he’s gay (which I knew was coming ever since Ace’s comment about Mr. Brightside at Dixon’s party) was just brilliant, because it shows how a lot of people are conditioned to automatically think that they’re straight even if they later discover that they aren’t.

Georgia

“Chloe, we’re gay. We can’t do math.”

Georgia’s character felt so important to the story, because though she was a side character she teaches Chloe – and the readers – a lot. Her relationship with Summer teaches everyone that religion and queerness can work together – you can be both religious and queer. Not only is she important from a moral-of-the-story perspective, but she also has some of the funniest lines in the entire novel, and the way she views Emma by Jane Austen, can help to get the reader to see just how good Shara’s character is. Georgia is loyal, and a good friend and daughter – even giving up going to NYU with Chloe in order to help her parents with Belltower Books. She also sheds some much-needed light on the fact that just because Chloe hates False Beach, and just because it needs to change, doesn’t mean that it’s all bad, really.

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polarisstellium · 9 months

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get tooooo know me

hey everyone!!! i'm sarah and im new to this (obviously) but i love reading & writing and my friend said that making a #writeblr would be fun so. here we are. i'm currently majoring in english at uni and i'm really excited about that! i've written one book before and it explored mental health. it's since been deleted but i loved writing it and hope to write more. okay let me get into it

about me:

i use she/her/hers pronouns

virgo, my birthday is coming up!

i'm a sapphic slash lesbian ⚢

i love romance, contemp, and fantasy; those are definitely my favorite genres to read & watch. i don't love categorizing things into tropes but my all-time favorites are fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and a DELICIOUS WONDERFUL BRILLIANT AMAZING drunk confession/kiss

as a writer i am really passionate about diverse (AND RESPECTFUL!!!!!) representation, showing queer stories that don't involve homophobia plotlines, and pushing your own boundaries to learn something new :)

my current wip

working title has been when the stars align

takes place at a very rich, glitz and glam boarding school in NYC

follows zayra efron (she's jewish, yay #ownvoices!) as she navigates past a breakup and loses sleep (and her mind) over blind dates. all fun and games until she has to do a group project with her biggest competition, kareena modhi. hmmmm what could possibly happen..........

like i said it's incredibly important to me to show characters that are already out and accepted! obviously that's an ideal world but i'm really really really excited to work on this

my goodreads is sweetenerclary if you'd like to see more of what i read! okay bye xoxo

#writing #writeblr #writerscommunity #writers on tumblr #current wip #wlw books

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shai-manahan · 1 year

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I know this is a bit of a strange question, but I am absolutely fascinated with your characters. The way you write them is so incredible and the themes that your story portray are just astonishing and the way everything weaves itself together is just chefs kiss. I would love to know what your character creation process has been like, how did you go about creating all these amazing characters? Did any of them come before the creation of the plot or after?

I also love all the diversity of the ROs. I have a friend who's half agta-Filipino and I recommended her this game. She was so happy to see not only a character with a similar ethnic background to her finally represented in a story but also to have the character be a South East Asian character with a darker complexion also made her quite happy to see since she also has a similar skin tone , so thank you for making her day and making her finally feel seen in a story. I'm glad to see such a diverse cast of characters, and I can't wait to read more of this. As someone who has family members (non-blood related) with Caribbean roots it's really cool to see a character with bajan roots as well! ❤️❤️

Thank you, anon 🥺

Some of HM's characters existed even before the plot was fully formed (like Jade and Alonzo), and some did as things were eventually added to the concept as a whole. I try to make sure none of them's wasted, though, in a sense where they each have their own unique roles in the story.

What they all have in common is that their backstories are deeply connected/comparable with the Ripper's, in some way or another. Once you set that part up, I find it easier to make the characters as human as possible, giving them flaws that would be appropriate with the circumstances they were in/are in and strengths that show how they lived through the challenges they each faced sometime in the past. They have made and will continue to make surprising decisions, some of them great and a lot of them a little stupid and reckless, but they are actions that would be significant nonetheless.

I can most definitely say that a lot of them have arcs that would have been enough to make them the protagonist in their own right, though not in a way that they would overshadow the Ripper's role.

The ROs, specifically, are in place for specific reasons, and I cannot wait to show y'all why :).

I really appreciate this, btw! It's not so often I meet/hear about another person with an Agta heritage since we mostly lie low, but I'm so glad I could make a character she could also relate to! I know I ran the risk of not having any reader who'd relate to the beliefs Alonzo grew up to when it eventually comes up in the story, but it is also a rep that's very important to me, personally. I care a lot about Owen's family as well, and I'm so eager to let them make their appearance in the story soon!

Have a good day, anon :)))

#interactive fiction #hollowed minds series #hollowed minds #ask #anon #writing #wip #if wip #interactive novel #interactive game #interactive story #if game #choicescript #e alonzo #owen russell

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smokeybrandreviews · 10 months

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A Rambling Retrospective of Phase Four

I always find it funny that cats keep attacking the MCU because Phase Four was the worst one, but people forget that the entire Marvel franchise is for f*cking kids. Now, I'll be the first to say a kids flick doesn't need to be brain-dead on arrival but, with the exception of Thor 2, none of the MCU films actually are. For the most part, they are solid flicks with decent messaging and great characters. In terms of Phase Four, the writing has slipped, for sure, so a ton of sh*t is getting shoehorned into shows that should have been films and films that should have been shows. And that’s the problem with Phase Four: Execution. WandaVision should have been a movie. Shorten up that run time, focus the budget a bit, and that sh*t could have been wonderful. The last two episodes of that show were trash. They ran out of money. With a cinematic run time of two and a half hours, you are forced to trim that fat. Same thing with Ms. Marvel. Make it a Special, like Werewolf by Night and carry on. Eternals should have been, for sure, a limited series. Focus on the principal characters as we follow them over the years after their break up, subtly weaving the danger of the those Deviants throughout the narrative, and end with that revelation about the Celestials which could potentially lead into a film. Build a little mini-Eternals universe within the MCU because that’s basically what they are. Execution.

Honestly, while Phase Four has been disappointing, it’s not all terrible. There are some very strong entries in this, more or less, experimental Phase. Obviously No Way Home is peak Spider-fair, i really dig Moon Knight (a fourth watch is actually what spurred this essay), and i actually really liked both Loki and Ms. Marvel. I though Falcon and Bucky was a very strong entry which was as important a story to tell as Black Panther and, for all of my previous criticisms, i genuinely enjoy, like, eighty percent of WandaVision. Speaking of, MoM was amazing because of Wanda and Shang-Chi worked in a way i did not expect. There is much more good in Phase Four than bad. Let’s be honest, even at it’s worst (She-Hulk), Phase Four has nothing as sh*t as say, Transformers 2. Not even Dark World is THAT dog sh*t. Phase Four is, undeniably, the worst the MCU has ever been but its not because of wokeness or lack of passion. People are blinded by all of the “social messaging” and “identity politics”, which is f*cking stupid because, upon a revisit to the majority of these entries, these films don’t say sh*t. There is no messaging. Outside of making people of color the leads of these new entries, or gender-swapping a few B-list villains, there is nothing so overly egregious about Phase Four to make it that controversial. I you have beef with Phase Four, make sure it’s on the merit of the shows, themselves, and not because of the diversity put on display.

Falcon and Bucky has an undercurrent of race relations throughout it’s run, which makes sense, because the lead character is a black man. More than that, i hearkens back to the incredibly f*cked up history the US has with black bodies, personified with the character Isaiah Bradley. That type of sh*t happened to us all the time. It still is happening to this day. The fact that there is a capeflick story about, doesn’t take away from the fact that Falcon and Bucky is arguably the strongest entry in Phase Four. It’s also the only show with a message. Well, i take that back. She-Hulk kind of does, too. Now, i liked She-Hulk. I th0ught it was a cute little side-story which rang true to the character i know from the comics but all of the neckbeards and chauvinists were ringing their bigot bells because the dared to make light of their sexist squeals. That entire show is meta commentary about the reaction said show was going to get in the blogshpere. It’s f*cking wild because, even the few who picked up on the fact that the entire goddamn show was dunking on them, still went on their rants about how the “M-She-U” was ruining everything. Outside of these two entries, there is absolutely no messaging in anything the MCU has ever made. Even in Phase Four, those two shows are the only inherently messaged pieces of media but, apparently, the entire Phase is terrible because of politics? Really? Y’all are throwing the baby out with the bigoted bathwater.

Phase Four sucks because the writing has dulled considerably and the executives started taking the audience for granted. hey stopped trying and got comfortable with their formula. The worst hing about the MCU is they blew their load with the first three Phases. They used up all of the recognizable heroes early on, which is funny because, when the MCU started, those cats were B-list. Plus That’s why Marvel even had the rights to Iron Man in the first place; No other studio wanted to buy them. He wasn’t known as a top seller. That movie MADE the MCU, which made every other character introduced along the way. But that’s over now. Just like in comics, it’s time to change the guard. Phase Four was always going to be a difficult situation. It was always going to awkward. We are saying goodbye to characters we’ve known and loved for a decade, while introducing characters no one knows a f*cking thing about. Shang-Chi? Really? Kamala Khan? Riri Williams? Who the f*ck are these character and why should we care? That’s literally the same thing everyone said when Iron Man dropped in 08. Look how far we've come. And we got this far on the back of solid writing, dope execution, and great f*cking performances. Phase Four has two out of three, which kind of lines up with Phase One when you think about it.

More to the point, how do you come back after Endgame? DO you have any idea how difficult a challenge trying to continue any semblance of narrative after the f*cking Infinity Saga? Of course the first Phase after such an endearing narrative was going to be all over the place. What threat is as potent as Thanos? What villain is a is imposing? How do you tell a better story after half the goddamn universe was snapped out of existence? That, in of itself, should give a bit of leeway in where we are to go next but nope! “Fans” are taking to the internet in an effort to spew their vitriol and hate, not because the shows; themselves, are bad, but because they are too “woke.” Woke being code for ethnic, of course. I’ll be the first to say some of that is a little heavy-handed but even with the current management botching fundamental aspects of cinema, these films are still popcorn blockbusters that have a ton of heart. If I'm a twelve year old getting into comics for the first time, the MCU is a perfect adaption of that experience. They are fun, lighthearted, character-driven adventures which don't go too heavy on the messaging and isn't some grimdark, edgelord, misery festival like Snyder's DCEU. There's a reason Aquaman, the most MCU of that lot, made a billion goddamn dollars. Capefilms can be highbrow fair if they want to be. Road to Perdition and V for Vendetta exist. They can be elevated to Oscar caliber cinema. Joker and The Dark Knight claim that crown. But let's not forget that, first and foremost, these are movies about cats who where their underwear on the outside and cut this genre a bit of slack. Cut the MCU a bit of slack. They’re starting over after giving you a decade’s worth of the best entertainment possible, even though they’re just supposed to be kids movies.

#Marvel #MCU #Marvel Studios #Phase Four

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meret118 · 1 year

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HORSES NEIGHED AND FIRES CRACKLED as Queen Tamar of Georgia walked among her troops on the eve of battle in July 1203. Her enemies outnumbered her soldiers nearly two to one. Still, the queen did not waver as she spoke words of courage to the assembled army. In a show of humility, she stood before them barefoot while wearing lavish garments full of religious symbolism to inspire a righteous bravery in all who saw her. As she finished her rousing speech, hardy, battle-worn soldiers stood, raised their spears, and shouted, “To our king!” The next day, the Georgian army decimated their foe.

In the late 12th and early 13th centuries, Tamar the Great ushered in Georgia’s golden age. She expanded borders, oversaw massive architectural projects, and helped define the kingdom’s unique identity at the crossroads of East and West. She sat on war councils and, as one chronicler wrote, “took counsel with them, not like a helpless person, or a woman, and did not neglect the dictates of reason.”

As father/daughter historians Jonathan and Emily Jordan demonstrate in their book, War Queens: Extraordinary Women Who Ruled the Battlefield, Tamar was far from history’s only warrior queen. The pair recently launched a new podcast with Diversion Audio (also called War Queens) where they dig into all the twists and bloody turns of Tamar’s story alongside other battle-hardened queens.

Atlas Obscura sat down with Emily Jordan to talk about why Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli had it out for her favorite fortress-seizing countess, an African queen who went toe-to-toe with Portuguese enslavers, and why so often these women’s stories go overlooked.

. . .

Who is your favorite person you highlight in the book or on the podcast? And why?

I think in terms of courage, I’d have to say Caterina Sforza. She’s really just an incredible Renaissance woman. She learned all about medicine, botany. She got to interact with Botticelli and Da Vinci. She went to people during times of plague with medicines that she created and studied. My favorite story about her is when her husband’s political interests were compromised when the pope died. Her husband was a paranoid, vicious man, but his family member was the pope. And when the pope passed away, that got Caterina thinking, “We may not be confirmed as the ruler of this city, of Imola.”

So she rides down to Rome, while pregnant, in her early twenties, and she takes hold of this great fortress, Castel Sant’Angelo. The cardinals have to cross in front of the castle on this big bridge to get over to Vatican City. So she points the cannons right at them and says. “Rome, hold up. Stop. I’m in charge.” She stops all of Rome and stops the cardinals from electing a new pope until they confirm her and her husband’s titles. The fact that she did this in her early twenties while pregnant is insane to me.

Did any of these war queens have experience in battle?

Queen Njinga Mbandi of Ndongo-Matamba [two African kingdoms located in present-day Angola] is by far the most physically capable of all the women we write about. Very few of our women really had a lot of hand-to-hand combat experience; Caterina Sforza had a little bit. But Njinga [sometimes spelled “Nzinga”] would charge into battle with her people. She lived during the 17th century and was the leader of her tribe. She had an older brother who was in power before her, but she was a better hand-to-hand combat fighter, leader, and diplomat, so she kind of takes charge. She was this amazing chameleon and takes on different types of cultures in order to unite her people.

She was trained to do this martial art. It’s linked to the Brazilian art of capoeira where you almost do dances as exercises, jumping side to side out of the way of arrows and bullets. Certain scholars even claim that a part of the art, called ginga [pronounced and sometimes spelled “jinga”], is named after her. Their main weapon was a form of battle axe, and she was really well-trained with that axe as well.

#Books #History #Feminism

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consistentsquash · 11 months

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Hi ConsistentSquash, thank you a million times for recommending Pandemic. I finished reading the series at 3 am today. It is the most fantastical, magical, cathartic story I have read in fandom. It captured the essence of the hell years and the world that we have afterwards. Subversive, heartbreaking, towering and ultimately healing.

" The shadowed places in Harry's heart that had known only loneliness gleamed bright as he held in his hands what he had longed for, through four decades of keening want and wish."

"Storge is the love of a man for his family."

"She had an affinity for hawthorn trees and a horse with no name."

"2020, he had believed, would be the year he found the One."

hiya!! sorry this took so long. life is really complicated right now. but yeah! anyway.

Yay!! You found Pandemic from my rec <3 Thanks for telling me! It's so amazing when that happens. Really gives me the motivation to do more reccing.

Yep! Pandemic is incredible. Absolutely love it.

"2020, he had believed, would be the year he found the One."

I feel like a lot of folks had big plans for 2020. Then the world kind of went into suspend mode and we didn't really get back from there.

Also it's got lots of personal meaning for me. The fic that got me motivated to write my first serious rec because I really wanted to read more fics like that but those fics don't exist. I wanted to do something to encourage/celebrate the fics that actually exist.

Diversity in type of fic can be super hard to find in big fandom recs/movie recs/anything big enough because folks just read/rec the same tropes/beats... which means folks are going to write the fic that's going to get read!

Also there is a horns/halo effect. Folks feel better about reccing/reading books/movies/fic/whatever others like. They also feel more comfortable criticizing things others criticize. Sometimes that's got good reasons but a lot of times it's just because something is out of our comfort zone. There's a pretty famous letter by Scorsese abt how it can be hard for things outside the comfort zone to be taken seriously because we are looking for more reasons to criticize it.

It doesn't mean the big recs are bad/anything derogatory. These things are super subjective. Apples and oranges. But when everybody's reccing apples sometimes and you really want an orange you have to do a lot of searching by yourself to get that orange :D Some folks hate oranges. That's ok. Folks are allowed to have totally different tastes.

I love Pandemic. It made me think. It really was pretty different from the endorphin hit I get out of reading good executions of classic tropes I love. It took me outside my comfort zone like crazy. Just that part was different enough compared to what I read before and because of that reason alone worth reccing. Another commenter got the vibe spot on.

Pandemic strikes me as inescapably, painfully, bluntly in-your-face human. Whatever being human means in 2020 and 2021 for us.

The trauma. I mean Harry literally becoming an Obscurial because of depression/loneliness/lack of connection during the lockdown. oof. that fic hurt.

It was my first time reading that type of prose. The technique. Really precise until it kind of explodes into poetry? But then you realize the whole thing was poetry building up.

But more than that. It really really owns cringe. Like it decided to be cringe and owned it.

Because there is this thinking like even inside fandom how cringe means w/o talent/sophistication. We can be sometimes afraid to love something cringe unless others rec it/love it. I am the same ofc! it took me forever to own how much I like dubcon to HEA in fic. But one of the million things I love about Pandemic is how the whole concept of cringe gets turned upside down/deconstructed without getting preachy and also at the same time having one of the best stories I have read in fandom.. Just thinking abt some of the cringe/cringe adjacent things Pandemic subverted

Mary Sue/OC - Delphini Lestrange. I mean. HP fandom is more or less aligned on Cursed Child being pretty mediocre. taking that and changing it into this competent Healer archetype is pretty out there. It works. Idk if you really need to understand the trope to get the point because the first layer of the story is pretty direct.

Songfic - peak FFN baby's first fanfic cringe type thing. Pandemic is pretty intentional about using that genre with respect. A horse with no name (the Narcissa POV) is probably one of the best examples of that. Also the Shelley poetry in the Grindeldore/the jazz in Sugar Plum (the Dumbledore POV) are some of my favorite things ever.

OOC - I mean. This can be pretty gatekeeping and controversial. Sometimes folks don't want to read something they think is out of character which is totally cool. I am pretty picky about Snape characterizations. But also canon Snape is not gay so idk if my fav slash fics are in character or anything. I guess I can justify it as Canon Snape but he's gay or something like that. Anyway what I loved about Pandemic is how it starts out with OOC characterizations and builds to pretty IC characterizations. Another reccer said

Well written set of interlocking fics, with HP characters that are OOC, but have well developed back stories that bring them close to canon behavior by a totally different route

It was really cool because this is definitely the spirit of The Life of Brian/Monty Python the fics took inspiration from. Anyway I love how it did something new without worrying about getting called OOC. It owned that and made it work.

cottagecore - depending on which side of cottagecore discourse you are on folks can be pretty intense on the gatekeeping about what it means. Pandemic is cottagecore with a twist... If your cottage is the sentient Hogwarts Castle which is eating the magic of its Headmasters. But the tropes it uses are peak cottagecore. esp the dark side of cottagecore gatekeeping abt how fluff/slice of life is the only real way to do that style.

Rationality stuff- ofc depending on which side of the fandom you are in you probably know about HPMOR/adjacent type of fic which generally goes for OP/Mary Sue Harry with lots of philosophy quotes and libertarian takes. Pandemic does something pretty wild with that take. It has the philosophy of the characters in their POV keeping it super unreliable and subjective. Also feels pretty reclaiming abt philosophy. Like no its not just a weapon folks use to justify things. It's got some beauty and humans connect to it? YMMV. Idk I don't normally go for this type of thing but this was such an incredible takedown of a lot of modern political stuff and how folks justify their takes.

Modern life/loneliness. I feel like we just accept loneliness as part of modern life a lot of times because it's somehow kind of in our head that it's pretty cringe to accept we are some age and alone. Lots of reasons for that. For me personally mental health is a big one. Anyway this is a pretty incisive fic on that front. It doesn't preach. But it's super gentle and comforting/accepting? Idk I felt super comforted. Pretty different from litfic tropes abt loneliness/alientation. YMMV about realism and things like that but I don't need slashfic for realism :D

I probably got a lot of stuff wrong because the fic doesn't come with meta or serious A/N. So like don't quote me on this. Definitely not an easy read but the thinking the fic made me do is totally worth it for me.

Anyway. Pandemic is the type of fic which probably took a lot of courage to write/put out there. Because the tip of the iceberg is pretty cringe and you really need to sit with it to get the big picture. I mean a pandemic mental health/modern life loneliness fic including Cursed Child Canon and combining with mythology, astronomy and lots of economic theory and adding some of the writing tropes we normally call cringe in fandom is definitely a choice. But it worked for me. It's one of the two fics which made a huge difference in my life. So yeah! <3

#hp #fic recs #hp fic recs #harrymort #pandemic the fic #hp slash fic recs #hp slash #harrymort fic recs #asks #meta #i guess #not meta #but something #sorry im hyperfixating #on reccing #eldritcher fics

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dreamwritesimagines · 1 year

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Ohhhhh burn 🔥

Clover is like a wounded animal - biting others when they get too close. But I get it, she's scared out of her mind while still trying to maintain the illusion of control...

(Benedict's sadness at her saying he would have never married her and that she believes he isn't capable of really loving her breaks my heart 🥺)

This story is so different from Enarmoured I can barely believe that they came from one brain! So compliments to you for that kind of diversity! 😍

Omg loveeee, that's such a good description, YES! 😍❤️

You're absolutely right! She's incredibly scared at this point but still tries to make it look like she's in control of the situation ❤️ And she literally has no one to talk to when it comes to all this, the only person who knows the truth that she can talk to is Benedict but...💔

She will be so convinced that he wouldn't have married her unless the ton forced them 💔

This story is so different from Enarmoured I can barely believe that they came from one brain! So compliments to you for that kind of diversity! OMG OMG-

Darling, it means so much to me to hear this! 😍 I try to do a different thing with every story because I'm trying to improve myself and my writing 🥰❤️and I was very worried at first because it's two Regency romance stories back to back but aaaaaa- I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS! 😍🥰❤️

Thank you so much for this, you're amazing! ❤️❤️❤️

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3hams · 8 months

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My thoughts on One Piece live action…

PROS

The casting is fantastic. Every actor put their all into it. If I had problems with characters, it was the writing and not the performances.

Favs:

Taz Skylar as Sanji. Very charming. Cooler than his dorky manga counterpoint, but not too much. That smile is killer and the way he approached the womanizing aspect was perfection. Funny but not gross.

Jeff Ward as Buggy. Everyone is right, he killed it. Hard to do an evil(ish) clown and not bring up thoughts of the Joker. He somehow managed it.

Steven John Ward as Mihawk. I confess, I am utterly uninterested in the anime and manga Mihawk, but this guy played him like a more butch Vincent Price with his tits out. It’s the kind of drama and scale I look for in an OP character. Thoroughly enjoyed him.

Emily Rudd as Nami. My absolute favorite by far. She is an incredible Nami and gave the show direction and emotional depth. Loved her dynamic with all of the crew. Her thieving was fun to watch. So so good.

Even some of the minor characters stood out to me. Lucky Roux and Yasopp. Nojiko. Kaya.

The sets are amazing. They really built their own world. Incredibly artistry there. The music was as epic and pirate-y as it needed to be. I loved seeing all kinds of people in the main cast and the extras. Racial diversity but also nationality and body type.

THE FIGHTS. Wow, the choreography was breathtaking. Of course, Mackenyu kills it as Zoro, but they also did a fantastic job on Luffy’s CG rubber moves and Nami’s staff fighting. I had a great time watching every brawl. They may have been my favorite parts of the show which is weird for me.

I was expecting the fish men to be cheesy and not scary, but they looked and sounded great actually.

CONS

Why this pacing? I was bored stiff during the unnecessary marine storyline and then they go and rush other stories meant to build on the camaraderie of our main cast and underline OP’s theme of freedom. The manga and anime regularly make me weep, but I was fairly unmoved by the sappy stuff here. It wasn’t earned.

Usopp got shafted. I get that they had to tone him down, but he disappeared for me. He wasn’t even the starring character in his own arc. He’s my favorite, so I was bummed despite the great acting.

Confused by some of the wig and makeup choices. Stylized and cartoony isn’t a bad approach, but some of these wigs would be mocked for crustiness at a local drag show. You can do a wacky orange but make it look like nice hair. Mihawk’s contacts looked like painted plastic to me. Why did they draw a random line of eyeliner on Sham’s nose?

Some of the camera angles were overdone and made me think of 90s fantasy shows like Xena and Hercules. All the low angles and fish lens.

Shanks and Garp lost most of their charm. Again, not because of the acting, but because they wrote the humor out of them. Shanks is scary because he covers his power with that sardonic goofiness. Garp is a senile doofus to hide his strength and threat to authority. The contrast is where the sweet stuff lies.

Like most shows these days, boy was this show dark. Not metaphorically. I could not see many scenes very well with my mid-thirties eyeballs.

MIXED FEELINGS ZONE

Inaki is so sweet and cute as Luffy. He’s got his enthusiasm and his love for his people down. But he’s more naive than stupid and way more considerate than manga Luffy who never second guesses his decisions. I like them both, but they feel totally different to me. Live action Luffy is gonna be a lovable but slightly more traditional hero than my boy in the manga.

Deadpan Zoro is a lot of fun, but I do wish he were less cool and laughed more. Again, manga and live action Zoro are both great, just different. You can tell one of the show runners is gaga over Zoro. He got a lot of development.

CONCLUSION

I liked it, but didn’t love it. Not much desire to watch it again save for maybe a few scenes.

However, I definitely want it to keep going.

It has so much potential, and they can develop these characters more over time. A first season is often tough. Also, Alabasta is an excellent arc to adapt. It’s self-contained, lots of interesting enemies. Live action Crocodile has the potential to be amazing. And Robin!!

I hope this strike gets settled in favor of the workers and Netflix invests in more of the show. The roots are decent and can grow into something great. Please watch it to help that happen.

#opla #one piece #sorry to my old buds who don’t care about this series

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