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jmvore · 8 months

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PLEASE NOTE: Clicking any link posted in this section will take you to a new site. These are not and WILL NOT be posted on Tumblr. - ALSO NOTE: this is a list of BTS!fanfiction I have archived (with a few that I've forgot but are gone because I deleted both blogs xD). Anywho, I hope you read these as well.

BTS

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♕ | KINKTOBER 2022-2023 [✍] M: OT7 | AU: DIFFERENT AU'S | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » ❝ A ton of different short stories based on a bunch of kinks and alternative universes I wanted to write about. ❞

♕ | OUTWORLD (1/10) [✍] | CHAPTER FIC M: JUNGKOOK & YOONGI | AU: ABO | Rating(s): 🔞☁☀ ╰› Synopsis » You discover a myth of a wolf with snow-white fur and blood-red eyes. You and Jungkook find yourselves in the middle of a battle between the young wolf and the hunters who seem to want him for personal gain. It becomes a fight to keep him safe as well as your home but when the wolf imprints on you, things take a turn. Dark Magic, Curses and Poison causes damage, chaos, and grief.

♕ | BANGTAN DRABBLES (21/21) [✓] M: OT7 | AU: SUB!bts/SLICE OF LIFE | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » ❝ Just a book of BTS imagines that I wrote a long time ago. Warning! Some stories may be a trigger for some and I'll try my best to put a warning on those but, for the most part, these stories are smut, fluff and a little bit of angst.❞

♕ | A SWEET TASTE A FINER DELICACY (21/25) [❌] | CHAPTER FIC M: JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: SLICE OF LIFE/MASSEUR/SUGAR DADDY | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » It was a place Jungkook wouldn't dare be caught in. Being the Vice President of GC Records, his father warned him about every scandal that could arise but this... This wasn't one of them. Jungkook's curiosity gets the better of him as he doesn't know why he's standing in this building waiting to be seen. Maybe it was the murmurs of one of his employees or maybe it was the stress and tension that needed to be released. All he knows is that his interest was peaked.

♕ | YOU WERE MINE (9/15) [✍] | CHAPTER FIC M: JUNGKOOK, JIN, & HOSEOK | AU: YANDERE/TATTOO ARTIST | Rating(s): 🔞☁ ╰› Synopsis » You've avoided Jin since your messy breakup. Enters Jungkook, someone you'd grown to love and care for. But, with the shift in feelings-- you make it a point to avoid everyone associated with the two brothers. Well, at least tries to but with how Jungkook felt that was a little easier said than done. Jungkook has a soft spot for you, everyone knew it. Jin knew it and he hated it but, what happens when that soft spot turns into something else?

♕ | BLUE & GREY [❌] | ON HIATUS M: JUNGKOOK, JIMIN & YOONGI | AU: MAFIA | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » You come home late and tired from a hards day of work. They don’t seem to mind since they have other ways for you to make it up to them.

♕ | BIRTHDAY TREATS [✓] M: JUNGKOOK NAMJOON, & JIMIN | AU: HYBRID/POLY | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » It’s your birthday and they wanted to do something really special for you.

♕ | 07 WAYS TO KISS YOUR HYBRID [✓] M: JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: POLY/HYBRID | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » You come home late and tired from a hards day of work. They don’t seem to mind since they have other ways for you to make it up to them.

♕ | RED MOON [✓] M: JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: DEMON/INCUBUS/SUCCUBUS | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Drawn to the soul's desperation, Jungkook finds himself confused with how and why his best friend and his friend’s girlfriend is standing naked right in front of him, smirking at him like he's a piece of meat. He likes it, maybe too much but he doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into either. Either way, it’s a dream come true.

♕ | LOVE ME HARDER [✓] M: YOONGI, TAEHYUNG, JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: POLY/STEP-FAMILY | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » You knew it was going to happen eventually. Your mother finding someone new to call her own but what you didn’t expect was to fall into bed with said man and his sons. You knew it was wrong, knew you shouldn’t have done it but... You can’t help but love the attention your new family is giving you (even if it’s at the cost of your mother’s happiness).

♕ | WILDEST DREAM(S) [✓] M: JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: POLY/HYBRID | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » You come home late and tired from a hards day of work. They don’t seem to mind since they have other ways for you to make it up to them.

♕ | YOU IN ME [✓] | Written w/ @/jkeuphoriadreamland M: JUNGKOOK & JIMIN | AU: Best Friend Brother | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ☁ ╰› Synopsis » Falling on hard times, Jimin moves in with his brother. He’s been a pain in the ass since you could remember, but when he decides to make things right, you’re suddenly unsure if you were willing to accept his apology.

♕ | RATED R [✓] M: JIMIN & YOONGI | AU: POLY/PUBLIC | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Sex in public places wasn’t really the norm for you like it was for them. So, when they told you they wanted to fool around in the movie theatre, you were skeptical at first but you slowly gave in.

Jeon Jungkook (8 Stories Total)

♕ | LOVE LIES (2/2) [✓] | | CHAPTER FIC AU: SUB!bts/SLICE OF LIFE | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » Jungkook more or less has been the person who brought you your food every time you ordered. Being a regular customer with the Grubbin’ app, whenever your name pops up he makes sure he’s the first to get it. What you don’t know is he’s been trying to work up the courage to ask you on a date. Will you accept?

♕ | PARTY FAVORS [✓] AU: SUB!bts/SLICE OF LIFE | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » You’ve been shopping all day for his little get-together but, he can’t stop playing Overwatch long enough to help you set up.So, you take it upon yourself to show him what happens when he disobeys.

♕ | WET [✓] AU: SLICE OF LIFE | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Your cousin, Jimin, pool party was in full effect and you looked to see that Jungkook wasn’t in his swimwear, so what do you do? Push him in the pool. And he’s pissed. It doesn’t help that he’d been craving you all day, seeing as you’ve been walking around in nothing but, a bikini but this was the final straw.

♕ | BITTERSWEET JEALOUSY [✓] AU: SUB!bts/IDOL | Rating(s): 🔞☀☁ ╰› Synopsis » Still after all this time, Jungkook can’t control his jealousy when he sees you with other people. You’ll just have to teach your baby boy a lesson.

♕ | I’LL MISS YOU, KITTEN (2/2) [✓] AU: IDOL | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis» Your girl group and BTS are in the midst of touring. You and Jungkook have been sneaking around along with a couple of yours and his members too. He just wants to show you how much he misses you.

♕ | DO YOU TRUST ME? [✓] AU: ARRANGED MARRIAGE | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » there’s something wrong, you can tell when he comes home just a little too distant and when you find him breaking down in your bedroom, you want nothing more but to comfort him in the best way you know how, though he wants your love in another way.

♕ | I BELIEVE YOU [✓] AU: NON-IDOL | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Jungkook tells you all the time that you’re beautiful, it’s up to you if you believe him or not. -or- Your boyfriend Jungkook knows how insecure you are and tries to make you feel better.

♕ | LEVIATHAN [✓] AU: SUPERNATURAL | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Jungkook reddened eyes watched you dance by yourself, his body yearning for yours– his throat thirsty for your blood.

Park Jimin (10 Stories Total)

♕ | THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PARK JIMIN [🛑] | CHAPTER FIC AU: HYBRID/SLICE OF LIFE | Rating(s): 🔞☀ | fennec fox!jm ╰› Synopsis » There’s something special about being able to just appreciate life and everything that it gives you. who is Jimin to complain, honestly? he has his kits, his soon-to-be wife and even now everything seems as if it’s too good to be true.

♕ | IN DUE TIME [🛑] | CHAPTER FIC AU: STEP-BROTHER | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Who would've thought your step-brother would have fallen for you. And you with him. keeping secrets is hard but, it's more than worth it when you're desperate to be with the one you love.

♕ | KISS IT BETTER BABY [✓] | fennec fox!jm AU: SUGARBABY/HYBRID | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Typical movie night has become a big thing for you and your hybrid boyfriend but, soon touches turn to kisses which soon turns to him laying on his back at your mercy.

♕ | BBYBOYMINIEXO WANTS TO PLAY [✓] AU: SUB!bts/non-IDOL | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Using Euphoria as his stress reliever, he found you. Now if only he can keep you and make you his.

♕ | HE NEEDS MY LOVE [✓] AU: SUB!bts/SUGA BABY | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Jimin just misses you and what better way to show you then to tease you while you’re at work.

♕ | ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU [✓] AU: SUB!bts/SUGA BABY | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Jimin wants to do something nice for you so, what better way to do that than to cook for you and greet you with your favorite lingerie on.

♕ | LEVIATHAN: A BITE OF YOU [✓] AU: SUPERNATURAL | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Park Jimin was livid. Not only had you left the club with his enemy but, you ended up sleeping with him too. You belong to him and now, a punishment is the only thing that seems to get that through your pretty little head.

♕ | BABY BOY [✓] AU: SUB!bts/SUGA BABY | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » he’s your baby boy who just wants to be praised and of course, you can’t help but give him what he wants even after he’s been a bad boy.

♕ | OH, PRETTY LITTLE FOX [✓] | fennec fox!jm AU: SUB!BTS/HYBRID | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » He's been keeping it a little secret, something he's been wanting to try but when you confront him about it he's more than willing to share.

MIN YOONGI

♕ | BABY GIRL [🛑] AU: IDOL/ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » Phone sex had become a regular for you two while he was on tour and with that came teasing since he couldn’t get to you but, what happens when he’s finally home?

KIM NAMJOON

♕ | RENDEZVOUS [✓] AU: IDOL/ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP | Rating(s): 🔞☀ ╰› Synopsis » He's supposed to be fixing the roof to your shower not having sex with a tenant.

© ᴊᴍᴠᴏʀᴇ/ɢᴏᴏɢɪᴇᴋᴏᴏ/ʜᴛᴛᴘ-ᴘᴊᴍ | ᴀʟʟ ʀɪɢʜᴛ(ꜱ) ʀᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ DO NOT COPY, REPOST, OR TAMPER WITH ANY OF MY WORK. Even if it isn't posted here it is still mine and I do not consent to it being posted on YouTube, WattPad, or any other fanfiction website. Thank you.

#jimin x reader #jungkook x reader #ao3 masterlist #bts masterlist #ao3 #bts fanfic #bts scenarios #namjoon x reader #yoongi x reader #jmvore #googikoo #http-pjm #my full library #masterlist

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anonarat · 4 years

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@revue-starlight-week

Nana lay down on a grassy hill by the dorm. The season was just on the cusp of turning from pleasant spring into muggy summer. Warming up, she waited to see her plan come to fruition.

Across her many years she had dated, had loved each and every one of those who’d participated in the auditions, save for Hikari. No, that wasn’t quite accurate, it wasn’t the past tense, she still loved them all. She’d spent so long trying to protect them all, and now, Hikari was included in that.

Was it romantic? Yes. But it was more, a different sort of love too, almost motherly.

She couldn’t deny that perhaps she had been too greedy and smothering. Now they had their chance to grow and spread their wings. While she couldn’t predict the future, she had to hope and believe that they would become more beautiful than they already were.

“Nana?” asked Claudine, causing her eyes to snap open from her musings. Hardly a surprise that she was one of the first to arrive. As her eyes focussed, she could see Claudine holding Maya’s hand.

She had to stifle a giggle at the two girlfriends both trying to play it off casually, but she knew from past experience that in all likelihood their hearts were racing at the simple contact.

“Come on and lie here with me.”

“What’s the purpose of this?” asked Maya, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice. For most people, seeing Maya stare down at them with that haughty expression would instantly break them. Instead, Nana just patted the ground next to her.

When the pair sat down, Nana gave her reasoning, “it’s important to relax as well, we’ve all been working so hard and it’s a beautiful day. I thought I could have a picnic with all the people I love. Have a lie down while we wait for everyone else.”

Maya took the offer to lay down by Nana’s side to soak in the warmth, while Claudine still remained sat up.

“Who is it you love Nana?” came Claudine’s question as she considered her words.

“All of you. All of us who joined the auditions. In another world, another time, I have gotten to know each of you in the fullness of your brilliance,” said Nana, as she was interrupted by Junna’s arrival.

“Morning Junjun!” said Nana, distracted from her train of thought.

“Good morning Nana,” then turning and nodding to the other, “and to both of you Saijou and Tendou.”

“Please don’t be so formal, we’re all friends here.”

“You shouldn’t speak on my behalf,” said Maya admonishing Nana, “but she is correct we should all be friends.”

“What she’s saying is that she really admires your diligence,” said Nana, enjoying the twin blushes of both Junna and Maya, though the latter shot her a glare.

“I told you I know all of you. That’s another reason why I set all this up.”

“Set all what up?” asked Junna, taking a seat on the opposite side of Nana. She smoothed out her skirt and leaned back, bracing herself on her arms.

“A picnic. Also hopefully an opportunity to convince you all to see something my way.”

“Banana, you are really good at saying things that just leave more questions than answers,” said Claudine, “you’re practically begging for us to ask you what exactly you want us to see your way.”

“Sorry,” she apologised, “it’s a bad habit I’ve picked up from when I knew everything that was going to happen. I know you, all of you, well all except Hikari, hold at least affection for the rest of us, if not outright crushes.”

“Of course some of us,” Nana continued with a smile, “know exactly who we desire the most. It’s why without my interference, Clau and Maya will always end up together. As will Kaoruko and Futaba.”

“We’ll what?” asked a Futaba carrying a still dozing Kaoruko up the hill, “I just heard our names, I didn’t catch the rest.”

“Speak of the devil,” said Claudine with a smile.

“If you’re talking about Kaoruko, I can see why you’d call her that,” grumbled Futaba before letting out a yelp as Kaoruko gave her a quick nip to her shoulder. She struggled a bit as she temporarily lost grip on her passenger.

“What was that you were saying Futaba dear?”

“I don’t think these public displays of affection are really appropriate,” said Junna, fixing the pair with her best class representative look. There was absolutely nothing apologetic about Kaoruko’s face, and Futaba just looked disgruntled.

When they joined the group Futaba lay down, while Kaoruko decided to use her legs for a pillow.

“I hope you were only saying good things about us behind our backs,” said Kaoruko, Nana replied with a hum of acknowledgement.

“Oh I was just telling everyone that I knew you two always become girlfriends without interference.”

“Of course,” said Kaoruko, “I have to show Futaba the most dazzling performance, so I need to keep her close.”

“I also know how you’d like Maya to go down on you,” said Nana with a teasing grin. It didn’t stop the normally relaxed Kaoruko going the brightest shade of red and covering her face with her hands.

“What does that have to do with anything? She’s happily with Clau, I’m not some sort of homewrecker.”

“I didn’t say you were exactly, but this sort of thing is relevant to the discussion that I hope to have today.”

“How could something like that be relevant?” demanded Futaba, her eyes narrowed.

“You’ll see. We just need to wait for Mahiru, Karen and Hikari.”

“I think Mahiru was still trying to drag them out of bed when we left. Even if we’re here to have some sort of important discussion,” replied Futaba, not quite mollified. Nana couldn’t deny that she was cute when she got protective.

After that piece of awkwardness, the six of them chatted together for a while, enjoying the morning sun and each other’s company. Even if Nana remained coy about the entirety of her plan, at least until finally the sleepy duo and Mahiru arrived.

“Great, now that you’re here, shall I get the picnic things out?” asked Nana.

“Before that, I think you owe us an explanation, what exactly are you planning?” asked Maya, contributing for the first time in a while.

“I want all of us to be girlfriends with each other,” said Nana, sitting up to face the group. She held up a hand to forestall the questions that it looked like everyone else wanted to ask.

“As you all know, I’ve relived our first Starlight so many times. I’ve, I guess, seduced you all at various times because you are all so dear to me. I’ve spoken to you all, I know you all. Well, all of you save Hikari,” said Nana inclining her head towards the person who had completely changed the auditions.

“I know that many of us hold love or something similar for the rest of us. It’s selfish of me, but I want all of us to be together, never to part. Of course, that also depends on all of you. I’ve never tried something like this before, but please could you all consider it? For me?” finished Nana.

“That’s a fantastic idea!” came the immediate reply from an enthusiastic Karen.

“Well,” said Junna, “that wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but we should all discuss it.”

At that moment Karen’s stomach let out a growl, so Nana added happily, “well, we shouldn’t consider it without having lunch.”

That afternoon they spent discussing it and eating the food that Nana had made for them all. By the time it was finished, they had all ended up in what could only be described as a cuddle puddle. They were all full, contented and loved.

It had only been the very first step on their journey together. Doubtless it would contain many hardships in the future. They hadn’t even really finished the discussion. With a polycule this large, a long time would be spent ironing out the kinks (or indulging them), but for Nana, it was painfully, beautifully perfect.

#Daily not drabble #Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight #revuestarlightweek #revuestarlightweek2020 #skrsweek2020 #Prompt: All 9 girls #...Do you know how hard it is to write a short piece featuring 9 female characters #Honestly though I'm quite tempted to aggressively edit this at some point and post it to AO3 #All hail The Grand Seisho Polycule

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deeranger · 3 years

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Fic Writer Questions!

@oddsocksandstuff tagged me in this, thank you so much, sweetie! ❤️

1) How many works do you have on AO3? I’ve got 40 so far (of which 25 are SPN fics). There’s more to come!

2) What’s your total AO3 word count? 486,667, apparently. That tells me each of my fics has an average wordcount of 12,166.675… Seems about right. I was never any good at keeping things short.

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? Uhh… On AO3 I’ve written for Supernatural, Supernatural RPF, X-men (Cherik) and McFassy (James McAvoy/Michael Fassbender). But I’ve written a lot when I was younger that has never made it online, including NCIS, Pirates of the Caribbean, and lots of weird one-shorts starring everyone from Michael J. Fox to Kevin Sorbo from “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”. 🤨

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos? “A Lesson to be Taught” – an SPN Wincest pwp fic where a dominant Dean fucks (and spanks) Sam and they discover that Dean apparently has a daddy!kink. Comes with a photo manipulation too! There be dick.

“Taking Game” – a semi-dark medieval Cherik (Charles Xavier/Erik Lehnsherr from X-men) AU. Basically, Charles is a poacher hunting on king Erik’s land to his great dismay. And so, he’s captured and gets the choice between losing his life or serving the king for a bit… Dubcon and smut ensues. “Only Like This” – a little SPN Wincest dub-con fic about hopelessly pining Dean doping Sam just so he can touch and kiss his oblivious little brother. It’s okay. Sam won’t remember when he comes to. “It’s Only Carnal” – A dark SPN Wincest noncon fic where soulless!Sam needs to blow off some steam. And when it comes to carnal activities his brother isn’t exactly a novice – so why not use Dean’s body to make them both feel good? “Demonized” – a long and dark af SPN noncon fic written in collaboration with the awesome @palishere. Sam is captured by some nasty demons who use him to lure in his brother. At first it seems the demonic scumbags are just really perverted and have a weakness for sexual torture, but they turn out to have ulterior motives…

5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not? Yes, always. I think it can be a bit demotivating for a reader to leave a comment and get zero response – and so, they might not bother to comment on the next fic. At least, that’s how I feel personally. And besides, I really want to let readers know that I appreciate them taking the time and effort to actually tell me what they think.

6) What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? Oufff… Seriously? How can I possibly pick just one when 99.8 percent of my fics are not only dark af but have gut-wrenching ambiguous endings as well? I, err… I’m gonna have to think really hard about this one, hold on… *Insert buzzing cicada sound*… Uhh… Well, I guess it might be… “Play or Pay” – a dark female!reader-insert Wincest fic where demon!Dean has you and Sam trapped somewhere underground. Sam ends up being on the receiving end of the demon’s cruelty when he tries to save you. Using Dean’s body the demon ends up raping Sam while the reader tries to escape to get help... There’s a little twist in the end. Loads of dead dove here, including death (not Dean or Sam). “The Orange Hour” – where undercover inmate!Dean has to rape CO!Sam in order to save both of their lives and get them out of the jail in one piece. It doesn’t go completely as planned. (Comes with an nsfw photo manipulation). “Demonized” – loads of bottom!Sam torture, full of hurt and absolutely no comfort... It’s just… I dunno, I think I and @palishere had a collective meltdown in the noncon and angst department. Sorrynotsorry.

8) Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written? Nope, I’ve never in my life written a crossover. Usually, I’m too laser-focused on 1 obsession at a time. I can’t multitask, okay?

9) Have you ever received hate on a fic? Yes, the fandom purity police has visited me on AO3. The usual self-proclaimed know-it-alls vomiting their bullshit all over the comment section about how “problematic” noncon is and how “sick” I must be. I thought about moderating comments for a while, actually – but I just deleted their follow-up comments until they left me alone. 😤

10) Do you write smut? If so what kind? Yes!! Gimme! Usually, I write noncon smut or just good ol’ pwps that feature some sort of dominance. That’s it. That’s my jam. In general, the only smut I don’t write is the cute, fluffy, feel-good, cuddly stuff… My smut’s usually pretty rough and/or some sort of dub/noncon.

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yes. Someone stole “It’s Only Carnal” and posted it as her own on some Portuguese fanfiction site. She even replied to comments, answered questions and talked about how much she loved writing it, etc… Luckily a sweet mutual on Tumblr let me know about it and I reported her for plagiarism. The stolen fic was taken down shortly after and the account deleted. Goddamn thief. 😡

12) Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes. Honestly, I can’t remember which fic(s). But people have contacted me on AO3 and asked for permission to translate my stuff into Chinese. I have - of course - happily allowed them to. It’s such an awesome compliment to get, I think!

13) Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes, 2. “Demonized” and the fluffy Ficfacers prompt fic “The Masks We Wear” starring Sam and Dean taking their pranks a step too far. Basically, the brothers get angry with each other and they need to talk it out… No smut in this one, can you believe it?!! But that was kinda the prompt we received. The prompt was literally: “Sam and fluff”. Anyways, both fics are co-written with the lovely @palishere. You can find her AO3 here. 😊

14) What’s your all time favorite ship? Wincest!!! Definitely. Gimme all the brotherfucking, please. No contest. And coming in on second place I guess there’s Samifer – never paired consensually, though. I just love Lucifer messing with Sam’s head and torturing him in all kinds of cruel ways.

15) What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? Oh, that’s a mean question… I have a noncon WIP where Sam and Dean are in prison. I wrote a whole story outline, gathered my own little dictionary of prison slang, etc… But I never made it past page 10 or something. Sam was supposed to get jumped by a gang of inmates and then Dean was supposed to helplessly watch from the sideline, offering to trade places if they’d just leave his little brother alone… And after that it’s all about a mix of healing and vengeance… But the story has been lying on the shelf for more than a year and I doubt I’ll ever continue it. Oh, wait! I almost forgot – I have a long Cherik WIP sequel to “To Have and to Hold”! Just checked, its wordcount is 18,729! Holy crap…. What a waste, huh? But I honestly don’t think I’ll ever finish it, because I’m not into Cherik anymore. That ship has kinda sunk for me…. So, now I’m hyperfixating on Supernatural, yeah?

16) What are your writing strengths? Description, I think. I just love details and setting the mood. I like to think I’m pretty good at writing in English too even though it isn’t my native language… I wish to be better and expand my vocabulary but I’m doing okay nonetheless.

17) What are your writing weaknesses? Description, I think. Yes, you read correctly. I often describe things TOO much. Sometimes to the extent where the pacing gets so slowed down that I feel like the scene loses its ‘feel’. I don’t know if it’s just in my head, but that’s my major concern about my writing. That and my signature ambiguous endings, lol.

18) What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? Love it. It can be difficult to pull off, but if you get it right it can be magical. Just don’t overdo it and make sure that the reader can follow. I don’t think I have any fics online where I do it, but I’m not a complete stranger to it either.

19) What was the first fandom you wrote for? Ack, my poor brain trying to go back to when I was friggin’ 13… You know how many years ago that was?! 25!!! Okay!? *Huffs*…. Anyway, I THINK it might’ve been Keanu Reeves’ character in “Johnny Mnemonic”. Or maybe David James Elliott’s character as Harmon Rabb in the early seasons of “JAG”. I dunno. Either way this question makes me feel really old and I don’t appreciate it. Don’t @ me. 😅

20) What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? That’s probably a tie between “The Orange Hour” and “It’s Only Carnal”. They’ve both got nice pacing and that’s my biggest challenge, I think. Also, I love the whole Morse code thing in “The Orange Hour”. I don’t even know what happened or how I came up with it, but hey, I can surprise myself if I want to, I guess! And of course there’s the smutty noncon and all of the hurt… So, those two fics are my personal faves. 😏

I’ll tag @jackandthesoulmates, @pinkoptics, @palishere, @wrenseroticlibrary, @decadent-prince, @negans-lucille-tblr, @juinae and @impala-dreamer and everyone else who feels like doing it! Feel free to ignore, of course.

#dee answers #fanfiction questions #personal

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litanyoflight · 4 years

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𝓛𝓘𝓛𝓛𝓘𝓐𝓝 𝓦𝓔𝓝: dossier.

“You had a sensitive nervous system. You had an enhanced reaction to reality. You were very affectionate. You appreciated things. You appreciated them more than other people. You practically went into trances of rapture. You wanted the world to be better than it was.” – Margaret Atwood

| 𝓖𝓔𝓝𝓔𝓡𝓐𝓛

FULL NAME: Lillian Wen

PRONUNCIATION: lil-EE-un w-EN

MEANING:

L I L L I A N / from the Latin lilium – meaning lily: a symbol of innocence; purity; beauty

W E N / fr. Chinese 文 (wén) meaning "literature, culture, writing"

REASONING: In an ode to the French city of Lille where her mothers fell in love – once upon a time – the two chose the name together. Due to her maman’s belief that middle-names are for those who cannot make up their mind about the first, Lillian does not have one. Her surname is that of her biological mother, Wen Jini, who had been pregnant with Lillian when she’d found a partner in Fleur Chevalier.

ALIAS: Lavinia

NICKNAME: Lil; Lilou ( only by one Mademoiselle Katarina Du Pont ); petit fleur ( only by her Maman )

PREFERRED NAME: Lillian; Lil

BIRTH DATE: February 23rd, 1991

ZODIAC: Pisces

Pisces is a sensitive sign--both sensitive to criticism and sensitive to others' feelings. Easily touched by human suffering, at least in theory, Pisces wouldn't hurt a fly. They believe in people, are deeply hurt by compassionless human behavior, and have a hard time saying no. Harsh realities are avoided either through escapist behavior or self-delusion; but every now and again reality does raise its ugly head, and hits Pisces over the head. This is a sad time indeed. Pisces retreats into their own world, self-pitying and giving pep talks to themselves ("I will never trust again!"). Rest assured, though, that these periods are rather short-lived and even useful. Pisces seems to derive energy from their (generally short) bouts of self-pity. They come back stronger, with a spring in their step, ready to face the world again, and just as, if not more, compassionate and trusting as they were before. Some might even wonder if Pisces finds pleasure in suffering. Sometimes this is the case, but most of the time, Pisces pulls a lot of creative energy from sadness. Pisces is the poet or artist with angst, although this trait is often more apparent with Moon in Pisces.

— source

GENDER: cis female

PRONOUNS: she/her

NATIONALITY: French-Italian dual nationality

ETHNICITY: Eurasian

RELIGION: Pagan

CURRENT LOCATION: Verona, Italy

LIVING CONDITIONS: In the wake of the trial’s sentencing, Lillian could no longer stomach living in Verona. She knew she needed to heal, and she knew she could not do so in the city that was the only true home she’d ever known – so, she left to travel the world. Upon moving back to Verona in September of 2018, and after tirelessly searching for the right place, Lillian bought her first real, independent home: CORTE ROSANTICO. The villa is named as such for the large stone court at its forefront, and a sweet, Venetian wine that happens to be Lillian’s favourite. She favoured that it is nearly in the absolute middle of Verona, an airy, large residence, with a great many windows and outdoor-seating areas that open the house out to nature, so that she never feels trapped in her own home.

TITLES: Messaggero, Ambassador

| 𝓑𝓐𝓒𝓚𝓖𝓡𝓞𝓤𝓝𝓓

BIRTH PLACE:La Louviere Clinic, in Lille, France

HOMETOWN: Verona, Italy

SOCIAL CLASS: Socialite

EDUCATION LEVEL: At only nine years of age, Lillian went to the same boarding school her maman, Fleur Chevalier, once attended. There, she began and completed her primary school, and lower-secondary school education. At fourteen, she moved back to Verona and attended a Venetian institution for upper-secondary school. She remained there after sixteen, as well, choosing to specialise in human sciences as her focal area of interest. She was nineteen years old when she was accepted to and enrolled in The University of Oxford, moving to England and opting for a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology & Anthropology. However, only a term later, with a heated debate with her maman, Lillian dropped out of university and chose not to pursue further education.

FATHER: Name unknown

MOTHERS: Wen Jini & Fleur Gisèle Chevalier

PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: Lillian’s love life was torn into a BEFORE & AFTER in the wake of her assault in 2013. Before, it was mean feat to find a Lillian Wen who was not romantically entangled with one or another. She was too interested in the magic of human beings, and the intricacies of human connection, as well as a healthy sexual appetite that did not discriminate on the basis of genders, to keep herself in indulging in falling in love with a great many people. It was rare, however, for her to have committed to a person for too long. After? Lillian is engaged to Cassian Bhatt—and has no interest in romantic entanglements, no longer comfortable with physical intimacy, and uninterested altering that status.

| 𝓞𝓒𝓒𝓤𝓟𝓐𝓣𝓘𝓞𝓝 & 𝓘𝓝𝓒𝓞𝓜𝓔

PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME: Modelling – for the MUSE agency

SECONDARY SOURCE OF INCOME: Capulets – Messaggero

TERTIARY SOURCE(S) OF INCOME: Sponsorship-funds & paid partnerships on social media

APPROXIMATE AMOUNT PER YEAR: $51,477

CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB? In recent years, Lillian’s worldview has altered drastically. Once upon a time, modelling was a genuine interest for her, being the connoisseur of art & beauty that she is. Over time, though, it has dwindled to a thing she does. What feeds her soul is the charities she is involved with, and the initiates she works for. Those truly fulfil Lillian in a way she will not soon take for granted.

PAST JOB: Lillian’s resumé is an entertaining read, featuring internships for a legal firm and a fashion magazine, one beside the other, and a work history extending from stints in Hollywood to an impressive modelling portfolio to serving as a spokesperson for various not-for-profit organisations around the world. The only real thing is missing is what a young Lillian Wen never desired: consistency.

SPENDING HABITS: Though it would, undoubtedly, surprise a great many people to know it, Lillian did not grow up with money. She grew up, instead, having the magnitude of having it and not ingrained in her mind, and understanding both its power and its importance, as much as its lack of it. It is not often that Lillian can be seen making a frivolous purchase. That said: Lillian defines what is frivolous, and what is not, on her own. She expends on things that feed her soul, and that bring a smile to the face, either her own or another’s.

MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: Lillian is not inclined to attach value to material possessions.

| 𝓢𝓚𝓘𝓛𝓛𝓢 & 𝓐𝓑𝓘𝓛𝓘𝓣𝓘𝓔𝓢

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: 8/10. In the wake of the assault, Lillian made it a point to throw herself into physical training, and building up endurance and strength, so that no one would physically overpower her, or make her feel helpless, ever again – not if she could help it.

OFFENCE: 5/10. At her best friend’s persistent insistence, Lillian has let Katarina Du Pont train her in offence moves that she does not often like to think about needing to employ.

DEFENCE: 10/10. Lillian’s strengths lie in defensive-combat, without a doubt. Whether it is being confronted by someone better trained for offence-moves, or someone larger than her in size, Lillian has learnt (and keeps up with lessons on how to) defend herself.

SPEED: 9/10. Every evening, unfailingly, Lillian goes for a run. She started the regimen a great many years ago, when the insomnia first began to plague her, and she finds that it relaxes her deeply.

INTELLIGENCE: 9/10. Knowledge is power, Lillian was raised to know this. She was always a precocious child, and as an adult, she is no less eager to learn. Though she’s never had much patience in losing herself in fiction, she does find herself enthralled by a good thriller or a piece of crime fiction. She leans towards biographies, most of all, and travel-books, due to a keen interest in the human condition and the greater sprawl of the universe.

ACCURACY: 6/10. Lillian does not like guns at all. Therefore: she is not a fan of pointing them, aiming, or discerning the level of precision she may or may not have.

AGILITY: 10/10. She is a woman who embodies chaotic water-bodies: she slips through your fingers, and she could hold up a ship. There is effortless fluidity ingrained in Lillian’s movements, from her gait to her fighting-style. One could easily attribute it to her profession of choice, but her mothers would be the first to inform you: she even crawled with grace.

STAMINA: 9/10. Her commitment to keeping her body strong, and enduring, keeps Lillian’s stamina perpetually in check. Whether it is hitting the gym, or engaging in a yoga session in her own backyard, it is rare for Lillian to go a day without any physical exercise. She ensures that she engages with strength-training, endurance, and flexibility-based exercises equally.

TEAMWORK: 8/10. To the core, Lillian always has been, and always will be, a people person. Around people is where she thrives most, and she is the sort to not believe in a small task or small role: she brings a 100% to the table, and encourages & includes everyone she can. She takes issue with dictatorial authority, but so long as the process is relatively democratic in nature, Lillian can roll with it.

𝓣𝓐𝓛𝓔𝓝𝓣𝓢

Interpersonal: risk-taking, mediation, problem-solving, negotiation, listening, adaptability, dependability, verbal communication, persuasion, relationship-building

Logical-mathematical: logical reasoning, critical analysis, perceptive nature, analytical thinking

Miscellaneous: poker, gardening, herbalism, sculpting, photography, cooking

𝓢𝓗𝓞𝓡𝓣𝓒𝓞𝓜𝓘𝓝𝓖𝓢

Interpersonal: difficulty being objective, issues with dictatorial authority, inherently rebellious

Logical-mathematical: indecisive, deeply uninterested in anything pertaining to numbers, adhering to time-limits

Miscellaneous: drawing, painting, solving a Rubik’s cube

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Lillian grew up in a household that alternated between three languages: Chinese, French, and Italian. During her stint in England, she picked up English, that she has (eventually) become a fluent-speaker of over the years she has spent shuttling around the United States of America.

DRIVING: Lillian drives entirely too fast, and is not above flirting with the authorities to keep from getting a ticket.

SKATING: As a little girl—and, in all honesty, as an adult—Lillian desperately enjoys flying around on a pair of rollerskates. She likes to hold her arms out, and make bird sounds, whilst she is mostly sober.

SWIMMING: There is little in life Lillian Wen loves more than she enjoys being in water. She is an excellent swimmer with a proclivity for deep-sea diving.

INSTRUMENTS: For as long as she can remember, Lillian has been fascinated by the arts – and thus, it is not unreasonable for her to have taken a keen interest in picking up an instrument or two when she was growing up. She can play the piano, and the guitar, well enough, but she does not like to, since she is utterly aware that though she does not lack skill when it comes to the actual playing, there is no soul her playing bleeds. To play without meaning it, in Lillian’s opinion, is disrespectful. She does, however, enjoy strumming at a ukulele by a campfire now and then.

CARDS: One would be hard-pressed to find a card game that Lillian cannot excel at. She grew up hustling snooty, privileged girls out of entirely too much money over poker games in their fancy uniforms. This was not what her maman had intended for when she’d taught Lillian – or so Fleur tells her lover.

BRAIDING HAIR: Yes, and she is not above posting videos on YouTube teaching people how to twist tendrils into perplexingly elaborate ones.

TIE A TIE: Only to a headboard.

LOCK PICKING: Lillian can absolutely pick a lock, and yes, she sometimes breaks into her friends’ houses to wait for them when they aren’t at home and she’s spontaneously shown up.

| 𝓟𝓗𝓨𝓢𝓘𝓒𝓐𝓛 𝓐𝓟𝓟𝓔𝓐𝓡𝓐𝓝𝓒𝓔 & 𝓒𝓗𝓐𝓡𝓐𝓒𝓣𝓔𝓡𝓘𝓢𝓣𝓘𝓒𝓢

FACE CLAIM: Adrianne Ho

EYE COLOUR: Amber

HAIR COLOUR: Raven black

HAIR STYLE: There is no specific style that Lillian makes a habit out of adhering to. Her hair always compliments her outfit, which is always chosen extremely purposefully, based entirely on the mood she wakes up in and/or intends to manifest on a given day. It is as likely for her to let her hair loose in pitch-black, tumultuous waves as it is for her to twist it back in an elaborate hair-do.

DOMINANT HAND: Left

HEIGHT: 5′10″

WEIGHT: 54 kgs

BUILD: She is tall, lanky, long-limbed, limbre and has a predominantly athletic build with broad shoulders, small breasts, but hips that curve very nicely.

SKIN TONE: Golden, with a warm undertone

SCARS: Prone to adventures throughout her life, and an indulgent interest in adrenaline-inducing activities, Lillian has no shortage of scars on her body. There are absolutely too many in total to catalogue, though when asked, she enjoys regaling her companions with an entertaining story.

NOTABLE FEATURES: Thick, prominent eyebrows

USUAL EXPRESSION: Naturally, Lillian tends to look perpetually lost, deep in her own thoughts

CLOTHING STYLE: Lillian’s style is very modern and current, whilst also leaning more towards trend-setting than trend-following. She enjoys structured pieces, and out-of-the-box combinations of textures and items, putting effort and purpose behind every look she very carefully constructs. Her wardrobe is an obvious example of her innate artistry.

DIET: Though she does not impose any restrictions upon herself when it comes to her diet, Lillian is still a fairly healthy eater, in general. She enjoys fresh vegetables and a complex taste-palette with her meals, and she prefers to cook them herself, so she composes them and seasons her meals very conscientiously.

PHYSICAL AILMENTS: Anaemia – for which she takes iron supplements.

| 𝓟𝓢𝓨𝓒𝓗𝓞𝓛𝓞𝓖𝓨

JUNG TYPE: ENFP (Ne-Fi-Te-Si)

Perceiving Functional Axis (NeSi): Lillian is a personal who is inherently inclined towards brainstorming at random, and often aloud. She is a person who thinks openly, unafraid of keeping an open-mind and deeply uninterested in shallow-living. However, when coupled with the Si trait (i.e. introverted sensing), Lillian hinges much on gut-feeling, and premonition, though she does not allow it to lead her.

Judging Functional Axis (FiTe): She is one to navigate her personal emotions and values internally, on a largely independent basis. She very rarely goes to someone else for emotional clarity, preferring to manage her feelings on her own. Lillian is one to think for herself, while absorbing input from various mindsets, ensuring she always has more than one point-of-view when it comes to making up her mind about something. She is not one to jump to conclusions or make harsh judgements unprompted. However, once she does have an opinion, she is not one to hold back from making it definitively known either.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE: Type 7 — The Adventurer

People with an Enneagram Type 7 personality tend to be enthusiastic, adventurous, and spontaneous in their behavior. They love seeking out new experiences. They are people-oriented and enjoy pursuing new relationships. The most basic desire of the Enneagram Type 7 is to feel stimulated, engaged, and satisfied. They tend to be highly goal-oriented and may go to great lengths to seek excitement and joy from new experiences.

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine

ELEMENT: Water

PRIMARY INTELLIGENCE TYPE: Interpersonal

SOCIABILITY: High. Lillian is a big people person. She can have a conversation about anything with anyone.

EMOTIONAL STABILITY: As much as Lillian would like to consider herself extraordinarily emotionally stable, the truth of the matter is that she wields candidness when it comes to her trauma as a means to busy herself from having to contemplate her actual emotions. She is an exceptionally open person – to everyone, it seems, but herself, whom she cannot confront as absolutely, or easily, as she can (and does) anyone else.

ADDICTION: Lillian is a try anything once! type of gal. If something feels too good, she never let’s it go far enough to become an addiction; she knows to cut herself off when she understands something to not be good for her to engage with.

DRUG USE: Only recreationally.

ALCOHOL USE: Lillian enjoys reaching a delightful level of tipsiness, though it is rare for her to actually be drunk in public.

PRONE TO VIOLENCE? Never. People who know not how to use their minds opt for their fists, in her opinion.

| 𝓜𝓐𝓝𝓝𝓔𝓡𝓘𝓢𝓜𝓢

SPEECH STYLE: There is a buoyant quality to the way Lillian converses – as if her words float on a cloud of infinite possibility, and she urges whomever she speaks with to come along with her for a ride. She is assertive without being suffocating, and tends to speak in a mixture of different languages laced together. Whilst speaking, it is not unheard of for her to slip French into her Italian, or switch to English mid-conversation. Frankly, whichever language has the best word to relay her meaning, Lillian opts for, and elaborates when her conversation partner has a look of confusion upon their face.

ACCENT: Lillian’s accent is a chaotic mess, not unlike herself. She is extremely well-travelled an individual, for one, but she spent her childhood between France and Italy, and then spent a decent amount of time in the US. Her accent is nearly impossible to discern a clear origin from, at this point.

QUIRKS: she can never sleep with the windows closed, cannot stand hot beverages, and likes to be barefoot too often for someone with the shoe-collection she’s accumulated

HOBBIES: sculpting, gardening, travelling, cooking

HABITS: meditates first thing in the morning, takes iron supplements, keeps a dream journal

NERVOUS TICS: curls her toes when she’s extremely angry to ground herself

MOTIVATIONS: Lillian was raised to be a revolutionary, and that is exactly what she is. A revolutionary, a visionary, a maverick: her primary motivation is to spread light in a world where there is darkness, and to never be afraid to be a one-woman army. Her motivation is the greater good.

FEARS: So much of Lillian’s soul is tied up in serving the universe and what it calls for her to do. Often, she does fear losing sight of herself while she searches for the bigger picture.

POSITIVE TRAITS: kind, pragmatic, charming, humorous, empathetic, genuine

NEUTRAL TRAITS: loyal, honest, perceptive, calculating, intelligent

NEGATIVE TRAITS: deceptive, hypocritical, evasive, confrontational, indecisive

SENSE OF HUMOUR: Witty. Lillian loves a good bit of wordplay, mixed in with teasing. It isn’t often that she’s outright sarcastic.

DO THEY CURSE OFTEN? Almost never. She was raised to use her vocabulary smartly, and taught that only people who cannot express themselves intelligently resort to cursing and stomping around like neanderthals.

CATCHPHRASE: Mostly to herself, but Lillian does remind herself: “C’est la vie.”

| 𝓕𝓐𝓥𝓞𝓤𝓡𝓘𝓣𝓔𝓢

ACTIVITY: swimming

ANIMAL: cheetahs

BEVERAGE: kombucha

BOOK: she can never choose, or stick to an answer

CELEBRITY: herself

COLOUR: blue

DESIGNER: it would be like asking Lillian to name her favourite artist; she just cannot do it.

FOOD: cherries

FLOWER: dahlias

HOLIDAY: New Year’s Day

MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: helicopters

MOVIE: again: she watches too many to pick

MUSICAL ARTIST: Etta James

SCENERY: deep in the sea, where everything is alive and vivid and bursting light

SCENT: lemons

SPORT: living

WEATHER: thunderstorm weather

VACATION DESTINATION: the Caribbean

| 𝓐𝓣𝓣𝓘𝓣𝓤𝓓𝓔𝓢

GREATEST DREAM: It feels trite to phrase it, but Lillian doesn’t have a dream. She lives from moment-to-moment; she is a traveller, a wanderer, a purveyor of the arts and light and freedom. A dream is too close to a goal, and those, Lillian finds to be limiting. If she had to choose? She would say: “To never cease to grow.”

GREATEST FEAR: Not being true to herself.

MOST AT EASE WHEN: ease is a state-of-mind, in Lillian’s opinion. Therefore, it is not impossible for her to be at ease anywhere, so long as her mind permits it.

LEAST AT EASE WHEN: in physical contact with someone she has not initiated with, nor welcomes it from. Physical intimacy is a slippery slope when it comes to Lillian; this is something she grapples with all the time, and is very vocal about when it comes down to it. If she does not want to be touched, she says as much.

WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN: To answer this question would be to tempt fate, and Lillian is just fine doing no such thing.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: Lillian turned the worst thing that has ever happened to her into something to help people with. No matter her personal trauma, she will always be proud of herself for being able to do that.

BIGGEST REGRET: Her relationship with regret is a rocky one, to be honest. Lillian does not like the idea of having regret, and yet, she confronts that she has a great many of them. Every time she did not do something as well as she could have, or said the thing she wishes she had after the fact, she sits with it, and she regrets. She believes in respecting the aura around things, and situations, and people – and every opportunity where she does not, she regrets, and remembers, and aspires to not repeat. Biggest, most, worst; these are words she does not bow down to

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: It is impossible to embarrass Lillian.

BIGGEST SECRET: REDATED

TOP PRIORITIES: Saving Verona, keeping her loved ones safe, doing both without compromising herself in the process

#✴ — 𝓭𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓮𝓻.#✴ — 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓽𝓾𝓭𝔂.#{ get this truly gargantuan pile of information aWAY FROM ME... }#{ P.S. i totally stole the template from hayley sO }

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chicagoindiecritics · 4 years

Text

New Written Review from Mike Crowley on You’ll Probably Agree: 10 Reasons Why ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is better than ‘Blade Runner’

If you haven’t’ seen the movie, see it then read this. No intro, let’s jump right in.

1. K is a replicant

The reveal of K’s genetic code, or lack thereof, flips everything we assume the movie will be on its head. We are learning along with K what it means to exist. Do we as humans, live like replicants? Do we obey a society that treats us like trash but breath anyways out of the fear of death? Where we viewed “Blade Runner” mostly through Deckard’s eyes who didn’t have much of a personality, K’s lack of a character is his entire purpose for existing. For K to emote is to face death.

Where Harrison Ford’s Deckard entire arc was us questioning if he’s human or not (despite what Ridley Scott unequivocally says), there’s nothing much of substance to Officer Deckard. He gets drunk, retires replicants, that’s it. Name one thing that makes Deckard standout? I’ll wait. Ryan Gosling’s Officer K goes from a machine that is dying spiritually on the inside to someone wanting to have a purpose in life. All while maintaining his composure, if perhaps too much poise for the film. Anything with a conscious can feel. Whether or not how it was made is as relevant as where you were born or what skin color you are. The importance is that you’re here.

K doesn’t seek gratitude nor affirmation. He doesn’t suffer from a narcissistic personality. All he wants is not just to be another useless piece of metal.

2. Deckard has depth this time

Being a daddy changes you a lot. Rick isn’t just a slouchy drunk who likes to shoot robots out of legal obligation. He’s a man who’s principles and love for forbidden things cost him his life. What kind of soul did Deckard have in the first film? Who did he care for? Please don’t say, Rachel, we all know why he was attracted to Rachel. Like Winston in 1984, Deckard rejects Big Brother for a life of pain to gain a glimmer of happiness.

3. It’s horrifyingly relevant

Denis Villeneuve based the imagery in 2049 on a planet that has become degraded with pollution. The buildings are extrapolating enormous amounts of water into the atmosphere, the sea wall at the end of the picture will be our new Mount Rushmore, the orange Vegas is happening now. Denis Villeneuve didn’t predict the earth looking like this, but his production team was still spot on. A picture that transcends its very style, developing a look that will be discussed on its merits separate from the ubiquitous original, is a stunning achievement.

Everything isn’t dystopian because that’s the way it was in the book. It’s what will happen to us in real life, why we’d look for colonies to live on if we had the technology or funding towards NASA to do so. God help us all.

4. The love story questions the essence of relationships

The story between K and Joi further examines the meaning of love, sex, and mortality, with the two being different versions of artificiality. When the default sexed-up version of a naked Joy pops up on the screen, we are emotionally mortified. Some of us may be repulsed to observe a character we care for utilized like a thirsty Godzilla.

The towering ad tries to seduce K tempting him to buy it, rendering everything Joi said to K throughout the picture questionable. Its manipulation solidifies his final decision in life to help another man. We’re not sure if she loved him or said what it thought it wanted him to hear throughout the narrative. Possibly Joi herself didn’t know her intentions. An unusual amount of nuance and uncertainty rests in the love story. Who do we love? Why do we love? Do we love by the heart or the heart of our designers whom we don’t know?

Meanwhile, Deckard was just drunk and horny when he bashed Rachel up against the wall. Sorry, that really was all there was to their passion despite what Wallace says.

5. The movie was an honest commentary about how the world views woman

Here’s a controversial one. A lot of women were disgusted by the way they were depicted in the film. Outwardly watching the movie, I can’t blame them. I’ll let Mr. Villeneuve speak for himself. “I am very sensitive to how I portray women in movies. This is my ninth feature film and six of them have women in the lead role. The first Blade Runner was quite rough on the women, something about the film noir aesthetic. But I tried to bring depth to all the characters. For Joi, the holographic character, you see how she evolves. It’s interesting, I think. What is cinema? Cinema is a mirror on society. Blade Runner is not about tomorrow; it’s about today. And I’m sorry, but the world is not kind on women.”

Villeneuve is right. Women today are still sexualized. Even with the Me Too movement, women are continually seen as sex objects or subservient slaves in a male-dominated society. Villeneuve isn’t interested in painting a rosy picture that Hollywood does for female roles to make the audiences feel comfortable. It’s an honest reflection on who we are. What we see is what we don’t want to see, but that’s part of the honesty of cinema.

6. The score is mesmerizing

Another point in which I may face some contention. Yes, Vangelis’ score is iconic, but it only works for the era it was composed in. Much of its mixture of bleeps, blops, and wind chimes are a product of its time. A lot of emotion is missing from the score other than the opening theme and “Tears In Rain.” Hearing much of the soundtrack while on the road, I sometimes thought I was listening to something from a porno. Take a listen to “Wait For Me” in the soundtrack and tell me otherwise. Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Walfisch’s score is timeless while also paying respect to Vangelis’ synthetic use in the original. It dives into the character’s mind providing a replication of something more human than what Vangelis composed.

7. It thematically ties more directly to “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” than “Blade Runner” does.

“Blade Runner” got the overall gist of Phillip K Dick’s novel. Replicants are scared, trying to find a way to survive as Deckard hunts them down. However, the Andies in the movie almost deserve to die. In their quest for more life, they torture and kill multiple civilians. What did the guy making the eyes do to deserve being frozen to death? What about J.R. Sebastian? He was nothing but pleasant to Roy and Pris. Did Roy eye gauge him when he was done with Tyrell?

Aside from Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), our replicants are fully rounded people. Sapper Morton is a watchful protector who was meant to be a NEXUS 8 combat medic; Joi’s true intentions come into question for herself and us. K’s inner conflict is the central core of the story. All of this revolves around the meaning of existence within a world that has forgotten about you. The introduction of Robo procreation is an evolution of Dick’s ideas, widening his notion of why life exists in the first place.

8. It doesn’t get lost in the scale

Many sequels love scope over characters. Remember “The Matrix”? Remember how they talked about Zion and all these other things we didn’t see? When the sequels brought in Zion, the focus got lost in the spectacle. “The Matrix Reloaded” was a bumbling CGI mess of Agent Smith Clones and cave orgies. “The Matrix Revolutions” was a glorified “Space Invaders” game. Shoot as many sentinels as you can before becoming overwhelmed. Amidst the sequels bumbling chaos, I missed the smaller scale of the Nebuchadnezzar crew.

The story of “2049” could have focused on the replicant uprising with thousands of robots slamming into humans. We could have gone off-world to finally see what all these other colonies we’ve heard about are like. Some have argued that the movie could have borrowed some of its source material from the later novels about replicants creating humans, so on and so forth. All of that sounds incredible in theory. In execution, you would likely get “The Matrix” sequels.

A movie that overreaches in scope, attempting to please fans by showing everything. What we got was an incredibly meaningful story that further explores the themes of the original while building upon its world without going too far. We see what’s beyond L.A. on the dilapidated west coast. The answer is not much. The film aims at minimalism over extravaganza.

9. We’re still talking about it

After being MIA for decades, “Blade Runner 2049” isn’t forgotten. I can’t say the same for “Superman Returns,” “Monsters University,” “The Incredibles 2,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” and “Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull.” In fairness, people do talk about Indy 4, but not in a positive fashion. “Blade Runner 2049” returned to the limelight with disastrous box office results yet high accolades, even gaining the Academy’s attention. Ironically it seemed destined to live the life of its predecessor.

“2049” may have tanked because it was a multimillion-dollar art film that respected its audience’s intelligence. Maybe “Blade Runner” was too far gone amongst the public to gain an interest geared almost entirely towards comic books and Disney. I think the trailers after the reveal teaser looked too generic for my own two cents, turning me off from the film for a short while.

Here we are with Honest Trailers in 2020, making a video about a film that came out in 2017. Bloodsoaked orange skies from the headlines mention the atmosphere of this film. Somewhere, about 100 other people are writing their analysis of “Blade Runner 2049” as I type right now. Seven years from now, we’ll be talking about why the world is still like “Blade Runner 2049.” Villeneuve made a timeless sequel to be remembered.

10. It’s better than the first film and one of the best films in the last ten years

Here’s why you’ll probably agree with this one when you put your pitchfork down. Remove your nostalgia goggles. I know it’s hard to do, please, trust me. Look at the points I made above. Think about how ironic the love story is to our lives. The layers of meaning behind K’s existence is lightyears beyond the featureless Rick Deckard. The picture isn’t flawless. Niander Wallace is spectacularly corny in his scenery-chewing grim monologues. Dr. Eldon Tyrell had some ambiguity regarding the morale of his intentions. For that, I’ll give the original the benefit of my doubt. I understand Ryan Gosling was cast to be intentionally deadpan, but it’s okay to emote once. His distant stare in all of his other performances made it difficult for me to discern myself from the actor’s rather dull persona.

With this said, “Blade Runner 2049” understands cinema. Its atmosphere is why we venture into a dark room that takes us to a different place. Denis Villeneuve’s masterful follow up is one of the most orgasmic cinematic experiences I have witnessed in the last ten years that demands a re-screening in 2022 when theatres reopen at an entirely safe capacity. The style doesn’t overshadow its substance, which is far richer in detail than the original without grasping at blatant metaphors. “Blade Runner 2049” is slow cinema at its finest, letting us into the character’s heads, knowing when to be quiet and when to be loud.

Like “The Empire Strikes Back,” not everyone appreciated the movie at first. Time has been incredibly kind to it, though. I wish the Academy recognized “Blade Runner 2049” beyond its technical marvels in 2018. I suppose it wasn’t the type of picture that catches Oscar voter’s eyes. But it has acquired the audience’s to this day. Now, if you could just look up and to the left for me?

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ego-driven-one-wing-angel · 4 years

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Send a number | Answers

Thanks again for 250 followers!!!

What’s one animal you wish you could have as a pet but can’t?

A penguin. I love them so much.

Favorite thing to wear to sleep?

Sometimes I wear one of those “drug rugs” or baja hoodies. With shorts. And sometimes knee high socks. I HATE pajama pants. So if I’m cold I find alternatives.

What song really gets you going?

Right now, Drinking Alone by Carrie Underwood. But usually Tranz by Gorillaz.

Where do you usually eat your meals?

At my dining table or in the family/living room with my mom.

Favorite meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

BRUNCH

Most embarrassing habit?

Sometimes I’ll pick my nose at the most inconvenient times like a child.

Chocolate or fruity candy?

Chocolate

Soft or hard tacos?

When I ate meat regularly, soft, with carne asada.

Worst way to break up a fight?

Throwing a pan at them? Dude I don’t know. Wrestle them to the ground? I feel like either of those are terrible.

Best thing to say in an elevator of strangers?

“You’re all probably wondering why I gathered you all here today.”

What color/design are your bedsheets?

Teal. And my comforter is a black/white diamond pattern.

Any hidden talents?

I was a dancer for roughly nine years. So I’m pretty good at that.

Favorite thing to drink out of (mug, glass, etc.)?

My Star Wars Luke Skywalker lightsaber water bottle.

Socks or bare feet around the house?

Bare feet man. Those who wear shoes in the house are weak and will not survive the winter.

Favorite board game?

Clue!

Do you sleep with the fan on or off?

I don’t even own a fan.

Heat on or keep it cold with lots of layers?

Heat at 67.5 and a sweater. Perfection.

Do you sing in the shower?

Who doesn’t?

Favorite song to belt out at the top of your lungs when you’re alone?

Tranz by Gorillaz. All time favorite song EVER.

Last thing you cried about?

Watching Zack die YET AGAIN in Crisis Core. I don’t think I’ve ever watched that scene WITHOUT crying.

At what age did you first have alcohol?

15ish. Wine.

Relationship status?

Single

What’s the most amount of money you’ve spent on a single item of clothing?

249$ A Guess coat that I absolutely adore.

What do you typically wear to formal events?

A modest dress. Heels. And a Louis Vuitton bag to match.

Favorite memory?

Probably almost getting arrested with my friends back when I was 17. We were at a closed park, after hours, past curfew, and it was like 3 am. We bought 64 tacos from Jack in the Box and pigged out in the venue. Super rad.

Gum or breath mints?

Gum

Favorite shoes?

Probably my Guess sneakers. I don’t wear them often, but I love the design.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My chubbiness. I’m not fat per say. But I’m not skinny either, but I want to look more like a classic, 1950′s pinup model more than anything.

What is the natural state of your hair?

My hair has very soft curls. Naturally, there more like “beach waves”

Have you ever had braces?

YES. WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE

Most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

Ghost hunting. I was illegally trespassing, and the building was real sketchy.

Most embarrassing thing your parents have caught you doing?

I’m just an embarrassment through and through. What haven’t they caught me doing. But I guess writing porn is a close first.

Last time you had an orgasm?

I’m a virgin who has never experienced anything remotely sexual.

Celebrity crush(es)?

Sebastian Stan, Bill Skarsgard, Sam Claflin, Karl Urban, Sebastian Stan

Windows or Mac?

I’ve never owned a Mac, so I’m biased when I say Windows.

How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?

Six, seven? I was still quite young.

Makeup or natural?

MAKEUP

What color do you wear the most?

I wear a lot of neutral colors like gray.

Favorite season?

Winter.

Umbrella or rain coat?

Umbrella.

Have you ever fallen out of a tree?

First car you ever owned?

A 2002 Toyota. Super old, and the chip was painting off. My trunk also broke. Oil leak. Y’know, a traditional first car.

What time do you usually go to bed?

Anytime between 11-1 am.

Are you a competitive person?

Yes.

Least favorite color?

Orange.

First pet you’ve ever owned?

A cat :)

Sweet or salty?

Sweet

Favorite pasta dish?

Ravioli

Favorite kind of chips?

Cheetos

Talk about something you’re passionate about.

Writing. I love being able to put my ideas on paper, let my thoughts and emotions run free in a world where I have to act a certain way. I can be anyone while writing!

What are some of your hobbies?

Writing

Drawing

Watching too much television

puzzles

Caffeine? If so, what kind?

I’m a tea gal. But I LOVE coffee. Especially mochas and caramel. With extra pumps of espresso. Hell yeah.

Favorite kind of pizza?

Ranch and Chicken or just plain cheese.

Fast food or sit-down restaurant?

Sit-down

Lots of acquaintances or a handful of close friends?

I love having a large circle, but I choose my best friends wisely. I only have about two or three of those and they’re the one’s I keep close to my heart.

Something that ruins your appetite?

This is a bit more dark, but my dad and I don’t bond outside video games. And he’s the type that believes it’s his way or no way no matter what. So if you get him angry he acts like a two-year-old who just got a toy taken away, and will try to push your buttons until you’re the same way. I saw the signs years ago, but whenever his anger is targeted at me I just don’t want to eat. I write instead.

Favorite labels about you?

As in names? It’s near 1 am while writing this so I might have just gone stupid. But I love it when my friends call me cutie. Or my good friend Charlie calls me Smarties. And he’ll pull out a smartie from his pocket when he does it. I also get called Reid, as in Spencer Reid, a lot.

Are you a religious person?

Yes. I try to be at least. I’m Christian.

Night out with a bunch of friends in public or night in with one friend having deep conversations?

Night out. I spend too much time indoors with one friend as is.

What size shoe do you wear?

Favorite thing about yourself?

My confidence, or my keen fashion sense.

Have you ever told someone you loved them first?

No.

Have you ever had sex on the first date?

No.

Heroes or villains?

Villains. (Sephiroth, Bucky Barnes, Loki, etc.)

Favorite fruit?

Pomegranates.

Least favorite fruit?

Bananas. I’ll eat them, but there are a lot better choices honestly.

Favorite vegetable?

Broccoli

Least favorite vegetable?

Brussels sprouts

How many plates can you eat at a buffet?

About a good three. First is salad. Second is fruit. Third is desert.

Favorite dessert?

Ice cream. Bubble gum flavor is my favorite!

Do you play any sports?

Nope.

Age you learned how to swim?

Seven or eight.

Tell a funny story.

Maybe this is just funny to me, but earlier today my cat was trying to lick her coat but she set her front paw on a piece of paper and anytime she bent over to lick herself she slid and she would have to readjust herself. She did this like four times before she decided to move.

What’s one interesting thing about your culture?

As someone who is a part of the Navajo tribe, something neat is the more fat you have on your bones the more people respect you because they believe you have money.

What’s one annoying thing about your culture?

We can’t touch cold-blooded animals. It’s said if you touch the scales of a snake, or even breath in the same air, you’ll get the same skin as them.

What job would you be terrible at?

Accounting. I can’t do math to save my freaking life.

Would you rather watch a TV show or a movie?

TV shows.

What’s your favorite compliment to give?

“Cute Outfit!” or “Love the Hair!” You have no idea how many people light up on either of these, male/female/nonbinary. Looking good is a happiness found across all the spectrums.

What’s your favorite compliment to receive?

“Cute hair.” Or “Love your makeup/nails.”

Has your opinion changed on something recently?

I can’t remember. Like I said, it’s close to bedtime where I’m at and boi, it’s hard to concentrate right now.

Do you always order the same thing at a restaurant or order something different each time?

I order the same.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?

This sounds awful, but I’ve always wanted to try ecstasy. I have buddies who’ve taken it and say, if you do it right, the first time is pretty bomb.

If you could learn to do anything right now, what would it be?

Singing. I can’t carry a tune.

Favorite physical feature about yourself?

My eyes.

Least favorite physical feature about yourself?

My wide hip/waist ratio. If my waist was thinner I wouldn’t mind as much.

What’s one amazing thing you did that nobody was around to see?

OKAY. I scored a strike on Wii bowling while i was on the toilet one time. Two rooms away and not even looking at a screen. Just using my heart and determination and it was SUPER COOL AND I WISH PEOPLE COULD HAVE SEEN THOSE SKILLS.

If you could change your height, would you?

Yes. Everyone is a good foot taller than me. So I would most definitely want a few more inches.

What’s something you would rate 10/10?

Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Character concept for Sephiroth. The eyes, the height, the hair. WOW. In love.

Heels or flats?

Heels

What’s something you wish you had more knowledge about?

Politics. I want to get more involved but every time I do I get so confused.

Would you want to be famous?

I wouldn’t mind. But I value my private life.

What’s something you would get arrested for?

Well I already almost got arrested for eating tacos in a closed park at 3 am. So maybe that.

What’s your spirit animal?

A cat.

What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you?

The fact that I graduated high school. I was developing anxiety and literally had no idea what the frick was happening with me and no one told me what it was. So I ended up skipping loads of school for that reason.

Are you the type to have an organized mess, or no mess at all?

Organized mess. Or just a mess.

Do you tend to make decisions based on the past, present, or future?

The future.

Are you a planner or a more spontaneous person?

Planner. I hate when things are sprung on me last minute. I have to emotionally prep up before a social event so 5-10 business days are needed.

Thoughts on the oxford comma?

I was taught to use it, but it’s literally so useless? I found myself either not using it or just doing it on instinct. So in one story you could probably find multiple instances where I use it and where I don’t use it, maybe in the same paragraph. I just do whatever fits that moment I guess.

What do you hope never changes?

My squad. I love them to pieces and it would break my heart if at some point they’d want to split.

How would you celebrate your 100th birthday?

Something extremely dangerous like skydiving or zip lining across a canyon.

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theliterarywolf · 5 years

Text

So, Let’s Talk ‘Love Death and Robots’ (Episodes 1-9)

Netflix's newest foray into the world of adult-oriented animation Love Death and Robots is one more nail in the coffin of the notion that any adult cartoon has to suck off the teat of Family Guy or South Park.

The spiritual successor to the 80s sci-fi animation anthology Heavy Metal (in more ways than one, since LDaR was originally supposed to be a Heavy Metal reboot but lack of funding and copyright hell got in the way), Love Death and Robots gives us 18 different short stories brought to the screen in the medium of animation that range in all emotions from shock, horror, disgust, sympathy, hope, and, yes, even sadness.

Just like I did with Season 4 of Black Mirror, I am going to give my personal thoughts on each segment for those who want to know what they're getting into. However, since each of the stories in Love Death and Robots only range between 8 and 17 minutes, I will not go into spoilers.

Also, to do things a bit differently, I will also add in the ratings of 'Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?', to reveal if the sci-fi elements in a story were prominent or if it was more fantasy-oriented, and 'Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?' to reveal, well, just that.

Tl:Dr – I personally found Love Death and Robots to be a very-much welcome breath of fresh air to both the fields of adult animation and anthology shows. I forget what medium/site posted it but there's the sentiment of Love Death and Robots being what Black Mirror has been striving to be for its past two seasons.

And, yes, that comment is pretty damn appropriate. Love Death and Robots elegantly combines the darkness and unease of the technological unknown of the scientific condition with looks at the human condition as well as snarky dark humor. If you can stand blood, gore, and the occasional female-presenting nipple, you should definitely give it a watch.

And now, for the actual thoughts on each story individually. Remember, no spoilers.

Episode 1 - Sonnie's Edge

Be still, my Teratophile heart. Love Death and Robots' first entry hits the ground running, slashing, and biting with a strong female character and the dismal underground world that she’s successfully made her bitch. The first half of this short grabs you and doesn't let go until the second half starts and, admittedly, slows things down. Breathtaking for sure, Sonnie's Edge isn't my personal favorite of the anthology, but I can definitely see where a good chunk of the money went for LDaR.

… I also see this story getting the same treatment by tumblr that this website did to the San Junipiero episode of Black Mirror.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Bio-Mechanical Engineering of minor-kaiju type monsters. Also, the mental link software used for fighters to connect with said creations.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes to a TV series of Sonnie's Edge. Unlike some of the other stories in LDaR, the nuances and universe set up by the brief glance we got would work wonders if worked into a 12 episode show.

Episode 2 – Three Robots

In the biggest full-frontal flip of tone, Three Robots yanks us out of the grimy Cyberpunk future of Episode 1, to a comedic look at a post-apocalyptic one with our titular three robots taking a sight-seeing tour through a long-decimated city. Discussions are had about human nature from a neutral, but still comical, outside point of view and that's all I will say because, going any further will bring in spoilers.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Three of them, in fact, each representing a different aspect of robotics: one sleek and cold-looking, one humanoid with a neutral face, and the human-friendly models.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

Honestly... No. The story, as well as its ending serve their purpose best at the length and scope it has in its run-time.

Episode 3 – The Witness

'Yeah, but –'

No.

'If you just –'

No.

'It really is one of the best on--'

NAH, G, THIS AIN'T IT!

There needs to be a phrase: 'Cool Universe; Shit Story, Brah' to slap onto pieces of media that have a great aesthetic and a great universe on display... But just an awful story.

Because The Witness fits that phrase to a tee. If anything, the only aspect that The Witness has going for it is the stark color scheme against the dismal urban landscape and the sex.

Lots. And. Lots of boob-shots and bush-shots in this one, folks.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Did it? I don't even know what kind of technology was displayed in this episode. Apartment-based leather sex-clubs?

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

This would probably have been much better if it had an hour or so to build up the characters and the twist rather than flashing everything at a breakneck pace and forcing us to sit through a drag of a story.

Episode 4 – Suits

(No gif for this one; tumblr, you guys are slacking)

Best. In. Fucking. Show.

This one is definitely one of my top two favorites for the entire series. Everything is there: character, universe, writing, it's all great. Especially since, considering that it follows the 'Last Stand' trope and it would have been extremely easy for the writers to go 100% grim and miserable.

No, that... * sigh * that comes later.

You like farmers? You like mechas? You like farmers in mechas fighting aliens? You will now!

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Yes, several of them!

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

If we ever got to a point where Pixar made films for adult audiences, a feature-length look at the universe of Suits would be the vein they would need to hit.

Just maybe with a less noticeable frame-rate 'style'.

I'd also like to add this: a lot of people these days seem to have the issue with sci-fi and fantasy-oriented media because they feel as though they only cater to kids/teens (either the characters will be 'young adults fighting “teh systemzz” or high school bullshit). That and the worlds depicted don't draw anyone in due to how... unrelatable they are.

The fact that the characters in Suits are your typical hard-working, middle-aged farmers just trying to live their lives... while still having to fight carnivorous aliens in mecha-suits re-purposed from farming equipment really makes the short seem that much more human.

Episode 5 – Sucker of Souls

(No gif, again...)

Oh boy! The Castlevania Cinematic Universe looks great!

Seriously, this was the first moment during my viewing of LDaR were I was left wondering 'I thought... this was a sci-fi anthology..?'

That being said, though, I'm always a sucker for unique hand-drawn animation and the abrasiveness of the characters flow nicely together. Even though you can pretty much tell, at the five minute mark, that things may not end up too well, it's a fun ride in the same vein as the Brendan Fraser Mummy films.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Well, you see, the thing is, I – No.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

It probably could be a good Adult Swim animated series (in the same vein as The Venture Bros). But, other than that, it stands fine on its own.

Episode 6 – When the Yogurt Took Over

(Gif not from the show but still appropriate)

This... Seems to be the dividing point for a lot of people in regards to LDaR. You have a lot of people saying 'Oh, this one was dumb; it didn't make sense' or 'the animation was too cute to be so gruesome'.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. However, a lot of the people complaining that it was dumb or didn't make sense probably didn't grow up with the same dark comedy/gallows humor that many of us did/have sought out. Things like Little Shop of Horrors, Dr. Strangelove, Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, Dead Like Me, Metalocalypse, Black Dynamite (the animated series), and others that I can't find right now because Google keeps trying to recommend me to Family Guy of all things when I type in my searches.

The story here is short, poignant, and pretty close to home despite the title giving you what you're getting on the tin.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Not really a robot... But the scientists in the story were working with genetic engineering. So, there you go.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

Mm... No. This is another 'watch it as is and get the best effect' story.

One more thing, though: The Narrator of this story is none other than Maurice LaMarche.

Mother-fucking BRAIN from Pinky and the Brain!

Episode 7 – Beyond the Aquila Rift

It is... so hard to do Cosmic Horror correctly in recent times. The notion of creating tales that show just how small we are in the grand-scheme of the sleeping nightmare behemoths who keep the universe running in the space between their frantic thoughts... Is overwhelming to a lot of people. So a lot of first-time attempts at it ultimately fail.

This story, Beyond the Aquila Rift, is one of my favorite entries to LDaR. Right up there with Suits.

And I will leave it at that.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Space-travel, hibernation gel/tubes, space-stations.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

And even that is a hard maybe because while you could build up the characters and their relationships a bit more, the resolution of this story works fine either way.

Episode 8 – Good Hunting

Is... Issat – Is that GOOD Steampunk in front of me? Oh Lord, it's been years! More hand-drawn animation for this one but the way it melds not only technology, magic, imperialism, and friendship but still incorporates the message that technology and progress can be used for great good and great evil... It depends on the morality of those wielding/pushing for it... Is really a high point in both writing and execution.

The animation, especially whenever the technological aspect comes in, really shines.

… You know, in hindsight, that last line could be seen in bad taste.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

The whole set-up is British Imperialist forces bringing Steampunk and subjugation to China. So, yeah, a lot of copper and a lot of steam in here.

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

I know I've been shoving everything into 'could shine as a film on its own' category, but Good Hunting really is the type of story I would love to see expanded out and directed by someone like the late Satoshi Kon (Paranoia Agent, Paprika, Millennium Actress).

Episode 9 – The Dump

(Honestly, I’m not even sad that I can’t find a gif for this one)

This one... Ah... This one.

I ... Hm.

Y-you want to see old, dangly redneck penis? Y-you see old, dangly redneck penis for a good few seconds in this one.

But, yeah, this one is definitely... a story. Your typical 'stuffy white-guy pencil-pusher comes to scare old, grungy countryman off of his land/old, grungy countryman decides to tell stuffy white-guy pencil-pusher the story of why he's on said land...

And to go any further would be spoilers.

It's not bad, it's just... Interesting.

Did it Have a Robot – Yes? Or No?

Well, it depends. Do you see pollution as more an aspect of sci-fi or an aspect of socioeconomic discussion?

Could this Stand Its Own as a Feature Film/TV Series?

I don't think anyone would want to see more of this story in either form, truth be told. It exists fine on its own.

And that's Part 1 of my little write-up on Love Death and Robots. This got a little long so I'll be posting Part 2 tomorrow and linking it HERE when I do! Seriously, if you can you should definitely watch the series and support some good adult animation so Netflix will push for more stuff like LDaR, Bojack Horseman, Aggretsuko, and The Kirlian Frequency... And less stuff like that damn 'Brickleberry But They're COOOPS This Time~!!'

#Wolf Watches #love death and robots

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geekydane · 5 years

Text

More than a machine - Connor x reader - part 12

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11

Smoke. Fire.

You woke up in a panic. In your half-awake half unconscious state you could distinguish the smell of fire around you. You could feel something heavy on your head and the pain in your injured shoulder. Then came the rest of your senses and you gasped when the first big breath was filled with smoky air.

“Calm down. It’s alright.” Connor said very close to you as you scanned the ceiling you were facing. No fire. You turned your head to look straight up at Connors face. It was a mix of many emotions, which you thought might be hard on him. It was all new to him. But in between all those emotions were the calm and relieve when your eyes met. First then you registered that the heaviness on your head, was Connors hand, his thumb slowly caressing your hairline. Your head was placed in his lap that felt nothing less than human. You didn’t want to look away from Connor but you released your gaze to look around at your dimly lit surroundings.

“Where are we?” You asked drily. You were thirsty and tried to sit up, but Connor pressed a hand against your stomach to make you stay down.

“Please be still. You are hurt and people are out looking for supplies. We found an abandoned building, so we are safe for now. I do believe it was once a church.” Connor looked around and you did too. The little you could see showed that he was right. The old mosaic windows were shattered but the pieces left in the frames were shimmering in a multi-coloured light. The main light source was a few barrels with fires crackling inside them. That might be why it all smelled wet and burned.

“Is someone getting supplies for me? Why?” You asked and coughed lightly.

“You have helped a lot of people here. It’s not something they forget easily. They will be back soon.” Connor explained and a hint of a smile played on his lips before thought took over him.

“Look. She’s awake now.” A small voice said and you looked passed the barrel a few meters away from you. A woman with short black hair with a little girl in her arms were looking and smiling your way. You tried your best to smile back.

“Alice was worried when they carried you in here. She was about to give you her jacket, but I told her it was too small.” The woman said and squeezed the girl, Alice, into her side.

“That’s very thoughtful of you. But you need it yourself.” Alice looked shyly away. The conversation let to so many new questions. How long were you out? You looked down at yourself and realized that you weren’t wearing the same clothes that you did when you went to Jericho. And Connors sweatshirt was laid over you as a blanket. You studies Connor face as he was looking you over with a wondering look. You took in his whole appears without the sweatshirt and realized that the T-shirt he was wearing was very discoloured around his shoulder. It took you a moment to piece out that it was blue blood in the dark.

“Connor, are you hurt?” You asked him worried. You lifted your hand to reach for his face but he took your hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“I’m alright. A former nurse android took care of it with what we got. It’s not perfect but it stopped the bleeding.” Connor took your hand to his mouth and kissed your knuckles.

“Was it Lucy?” You asked hopefully.

“Sadly, she didn’t make it.” A voice came from beside you and you turned your head to see Markus standing there. His clothes were ripped and bloody, but he was very much alive.

“Markus.” You didn’t know what to say. He had suffered such a great lose as the leader of Jericho. You couldn’t imagine what he would do next.

“I’m glad to see you are awake.” He said to you and then looked at Connor. Connor looked horrible. As if the sight of Markus reminded of all the death you all had seen in your escape.

“It was my fault. The humans managed to locate Jericho. I was so stupid. I should have known they were using me.” He said and he almost sounded like he was about to cry. His voice was all mushy.

“Connor you weren’t fully deviant. Don’t’ do this to yourself.” You pleaded.

“No, Stop!” Connor said and shook his head. He let go of your hand and carefully lifted your head off his lap to get up. You felt cold when your head rested against the hard surface of the church bench. You kept quiet as you Connor approached Markus with his head hanging low.

“I can understand if you decide not to trust me…” Connor began and it made you sit up straight even though you felt a throbbing pain in your injured shoulder.

“You are one of us. Your place is with your people.” Markus reassured him before Connor could doubt himself even more. It made Connor relax and he reached out for you again as if he was again allowed to me near you. You took his hand in a heartbeat.

“There are thousands of androids at the Cyberlife assembly plant. If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power.” Connor said with more confidence in his voice.

“You want to infiltrate the Cyberlife tower?” Markus asked with a serious expression. You then realized what Connor was about to offer. You tugged a little in his arm.

“No Connor, that’s suicide!” You protested.

“They still trust me. They’ll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating Cyberlife, it’s me.”

“If you go there… They’ll kill you.” Markus warned him but Connor didn’t even flinch.

“There is a high probability… But statistically speaking, there’s always a chance for unlikely events to take place.” You closed your eyes at Connors word. Your whole body slumbered and drained from the little energy you had left. You let go of his hand, because he was about to leave again. Markus didn’t say anything, but stepped forward and patted Connor on the shoulder and left.

Connor sad down next to you, but you closed yourself off by pulling your legs up on the bench and rested your head on your knees.

“Y/n.” Connor tried but you shook your head. You were already crying and you didn’t want to show him. It was not the time to show weakness but you couldn’t help it. The thought of him losing his life when he just realized he was alive? No, you didn’t want to think about it.

“Y/n look at me.” He tried again. You felt his hand on your cheek as he tried to turned your face towards him. You let him and you saw the hurt in his eyes, when he realized you were crying.

“Connor… I just got you. You know I would do anything for the androids to be free… But I just got you.” You said and an uncontrollable sob escaped your lips. He reached around your shoulders, careful not to tug at your injury. He pulled you into him and you let your guards down so you could rest your head against his chest.

“Y/n, you will always have me. There is nothing more I want than to be around you all the time, to be a part of your life. But it is impossible until we are free. I need to do this. It’s the only way.” It was not much louder than a whisper in your ear, but this was a private moment. You didn’t need anyone else around the fire to hear your sorrows.

“I love you Connor. You should know that. I knew from the moment I saw you, that you were special. You might not know entirely what love is yet. But I’m determined to show it to you. So please come back to us as fast as possible.” You looked up at him and were surprised by the huge grin on Connors face. You had never seen him with such a sincere smile before. You let your hand wander over the perfect features of his face. The jaw, the chin, the dimples, the cheekbones.

“I will look forward to experience these… feelings, even though I think I have a good idea about what you are talking about. I’ll be back as quickly as possible. Wait for me and get well.” You nodded and in the next moment he crashed him lips against yours. It was a eager kiss, like he had been holding back for a long time. He tangled his fingers in your hair as you returned the passion you were met with. You tasted salt and realized that you were crying again. You didn’t want the moment to end but it did. Right when the thought strike you, Connor had gotten up and was on his way toward the exit of the church. He stopped when Josh rushed the other way. He said something to the android and Josh nodded, looking in your direction. And then Connor was gone.

“I got you some food and water. Oh, and I found bandage to replace the cloth around your wound.” Josh said and placed a plastic bag in front of you. You had forgotten about your wound for a moment. The hurt had been pushed to something that wasn’t physical.

“Connor said I should take care of you. You should drink something. I’m afraid you are close to dehydration.” He said a little worried. You tried away your tears and took the water bottle that Josh pulled out of the bag.

“Thanks Josh.”

__________________________________

tags: @vda-writes @mundane-cup-noodles @superanonymousreader @aya-fay @dragonempress123 @talle-2002 @jamiethenerdymonster @i-resent-this-hellsite @i-do-wat-i-want @syrinxgm@queerfandomtrash @missjayi @belleknows @veerniks @dylan-o-yumm @wonderlustedchild@cliche-female-protagonist @omegachizu @black-and-white-eyes

#detroit #detroit become human #detroit being human #detroit become connor #detroit become human fan fiction #connor #connor x reader #connor imagine #connor army #Hi my name is Connor #fanfiction #Connor fanfiction #Connor fanfic #deviant #Deviants #rk800 #connor rk800

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ithacamoma · 5 years

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20 QUESTIONS FOR: TAMMY SALZL

image courtesy of the artist and DC3 Art Projects

1.Name:

Tammy Salzl

2.Occupation(s):

Artist, Sessional Teacher in Senior Level Painting at the University of Alberta.

3.Where are you from and what is your education?

I was born in Edmonton, AB, into a gigantic dysfunctional family with 18 aunts and uncles, 42 first cousins and barely one parent. I spent my summers being tortured as an English speaking city slicker in French speaking prairie farm communities. Retreating into art and stories and animals was the salvation I didn’t find in the fundamentalist religion I was periodically thrown into. For my undergrad I did 2 years at ACAD (Now called AUArts), and finished my BFA at the University of Alberta. I received my Masters in Studio Arts (Painting) at Concordia University in Montreal 2014 and have been expanding my practice to include video and multimedia installation since graduation.

4.Where do you live/work (neighbourhood/city/country)?

For the past 3 yrs I’ve been splitting my year between the Southside of Edmonton, AB. and Parc Ex in Montreal QC. I have family in both places, which makes this both possible and necessary.

5.Does your location affect your practice?

Definitely! Emotionally, psychologically and logistically. I’m lucky to be able to spend time in both eastern and western Canada. Sometimes they seem like entirely different worlds and it’s a privilege to be able to step into both. It broadens my field of vision.

6.What is your favourite tool in the studio?

I have two favourite things. My glue gun, because I love glueing stuff, it makes me feel like a little kid again! I also love it when I have a fresh, unused brush in hand.

7.Where do you look for your source material?

Everywhere! Movies, books, (I love sci-fi books, and I just finished 2 books by Yuval Noah Harari - Sapiens and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century - so gooood!) mythology, ecology, weird/wondrous animals (like the barrel eye fish or the Aye-aye), bus stops, Edmonton’s River valley, back alleys in Montreal, weird stop motion animations, the fresh sights, sounds and smells that come with travel, looking at art and, occasionally, the bottom of my wine glass.

8.What is you daily art world read?

I email subscribe to a bunch of art blogs (like Hyperallergic and artdaily.org etc), and I also try to read Border Crossings and Canadian Art magazines, but honestly a lot of my art world reads come from instagram. Cuz you know… pictures.

9.What is your daily non-art-world read?

I love science and nature blogs. I really enjoy nature.com, naturecanada.ca, futurism.com/, and for quick global news stuff I like Quartz Daily Brief. It’s hard…you don’t want to be ill informed yet it’s so bleak out there…I think overexposure to media can be harmful. I try to find a balance.

10.What role does writing play in your practice?

Sadly, not much. It’s an inescapable task for every artist, and one I dearly wish I could escape. That said, aside from the necessary evil of artist statement/proposal/grant type of writing, I sometimes play at creative writing. I make little one page tales that turn into paintings, or I write a short narratives based on something I’ve made. I’ll often have automatic writing embedded in my underpaintings, and if you look hard enough you can sometimes find traces of a word here and there.

11.What role does research play in your practice?

Because I peddle in tales, I research the history, culture, psychology, pop culture, philosophy of whatever traditional tale or mythology I’m referencing, and how others have interpreted those tales over time - even if I’m referencing something like Dr. Seuss. I often tie that into the research I do out of my interest in ecology and nature. For me, working representationally means there is intension in everything. I try to have layers of meaning and make work that engenders multiple interpretations. I research the symbolism and history of objects, places, animals, colours , etc. With my installations there is a lot of material research involved as well.

12.What role does collaboration play in your practice?

Since expanding my painting practice into intermedia work, I’ve done quite a bit of collaborating in the form of “I don’t know how to do this technical thing so I need to find someone who does”. It’s taught me a lot in terms of learning to communicate and work with others. As a solitary person, it’s a challenge for me, but I also find it incredibly rewarding and enriching. Also, a couple of years ago 4 female artist friends and I began an art collective called IFPP (incubator for phantom pregnancies) We’ve staged a couple exhibitions and have some upcoming shows, and it’s been really great. You learn a lot about yourself in a collaborative process, and it’s exhilarating ending up with this thing you helped create, but in a mind hive kind of way.

13.How does success affect your practice?

Ideas of success are pretty subjective, no? Speaking in terms of non-commercial success, I would say it helps drives my practice forward. It gives you the incentive and confidence to keep going, to make more, to take risks and think bigger. Sometimes commercial/monetary success can do the opposite because you’re expected to make more of the same, sellable stuff - to keep the formula and not colour outside those lines.

14.How does failure affect your practice?

Failure is an opportunity to learn, and can lead to amazing things. I suck at it. I can be super stubborn and fight with a painting that’s not working for days and days. I’m often my own worst enemy. I’m learning to walk away, to turn the bloody thing facing the wall and only come back to it when I can be more objective - when I’m in a better place to paint over the 100 hours invested and start over.

15.What do you identify as the biggest challenge in your artistic process?

My own stubbornness! My own rules and obsessiveness and need for control. I can get restrained by fear of making something ‘bad,' and I struggle to let myself play more, to let myself ‘fail’. I can get too caught up in my own head. I struggle with a lot of self doubt. A dear friend of mine recently sent me a beautiful quote by Robert Hughes in an attempt to assuage my doubt:

“The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.”

I’m not so sure this is the case, but it’s nice to hear!

Also, like so many of us, I struggle socially and will hide in my studio rather than go to an art opening when I know I should be trying to make “connections”. Wine helps tremendously in all my struggles.

16.Who are some historical artists you are thinking about?

This fluctuates a great deal. I often find myself interested in artists I thought I didn’t like years ago, and will lose interest in artists I thought I loved. Art crushes come and go. I just bought a Frida Kahlo book and am rediscovering my fascination with her.

17.Who are some contemporary artists you are thinking about?

Everyone and no one in particular. I was in LA last January and saw an amazing Outsider Art show at LACMA. There was a piece by Greer Lankton titled, “Candy Darling” depicting a transgender actress who was featured in several of Andy Warhol’s films and was one of Lankton’s icons she looked up to as a trans woman. It’s exquisite with an edgy sexuality - totally blew my mind. I also saw some Mark Bradford works at The Broad that really surprised me. You have to be in front of them to understand how profound, beautiful, raw and sophisticated they are.

18.How do you describe what you are making now?

Right now I’m bouncing all over the place with various mediums. I’m working on a new series of oils, sort of taking the piss out of patriarchal old fables and the misogynistic way they portrayed women by retelling them through a contemporary lens. I’m also making a series of small, intricate “naughty fairies” made out of Sculpey (imagine tinker bell-like creatures going down on each other), some larger installation pieces that incorporate a variety of materials - video, sound, found and crafted objects, and I just completed my first short narrative video with footage shot on an artist residency I did in Norway last year.

Sometimes I feel like I’m spreading myself too thin and there’s an invisible pressure to focus on one thing, but I’m a storyteller and I use whatever mediums best suites the tale. I think everything I do remains distinctly me, it all has connective threads. Generally I paint in the morning and move onto video and sculpture in the afternoon/evening. Painting is mentally challenging in a very singular way; it’s super humbling and I need a fresh, rested brain to do it.

19.Who is an artist that you think deserves more attention?

Oh man. Too many to count. Seems to me art world trends often translate into amazing artists not getting their due. I think Canadian artists in general deserve more of the international spot light. There’s so much talent here.

20.How can we find out more about you (relevant links etc)?

I keep my website pretty up to date, including upcoming shows and press links etc.

www.tammysalzl.com

#20 questions #art #Artist Interview #tammysalzl #canada #ithaca moma

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voodoochili · 4 years

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My Favorite Songs of 2019

2019 was a fantastic year for music, but then again every year is. We as listeners have been blessed with abundance, and tasked with the delightful work of sifting through freshwater to find gold. This year, the most reliably golden genres were West African pop and West Coast Rap. Go figure.

The following represents my favorite 100 songs of the year. My only rules: 1) one song per lead artist (a lucky few earned multiple placements through the “featured artist” loophole).

Below are the write-ups (everyone’s favorite part) and stay tuned for my albums list, coming next week. Don’t forget to scroll all the way down for a Spotify playlist of the full list!

25. Desperate Journalist - “Satellite” - A sweeping, emotional rock song by a veteran rock band that can uncork one of these in their sleep. What makes this one special? The dynamic changes in the pre-chorus, the soaring guitar solo, and the passionate performance from lead singer Jo Bevan.

24. Jacques Greene - “Stars” - A brilliant bit of ambient techno that evokes the seminal electronic classic “Little Fluffy Clouds,” by The Orb. Instead of desert clouds, the anonymous female narrator describes a pastoral dream about the night skies of her youth. A transporting piece of music that should’ve been twice as long--five minutes is a cruelly short lifespan for this kind of bliss.

23. Rosalía - “Con Altura” ft. J Balvin - After the brilliant and singular El Mal Querer demonstrated Rosalía’s singular talent, “Con Altura” announced her intentions for worldwide domination. Created with frequent Rosalía collaborator El Guincho and chameleonic superstar J Balvin, “Con Altura” contains two of the year’s most insidious hooks--the soft-spoken call-and-response chorus, and Rosalía’s snake-charming bridge, the strongest indication yet that global stardom won’t stop the Catalonian chanteuse from pushing music forward.

22. Faye Webster - “Room Temperature” – 2019’s answer to “Swingin’ Party,” the Replacements’ great anthem for introverts, the introductory track on Webster’s Atlanta Millionaire’s Club album drifts along with Hawaiian-flavored pedal steel and a palpable sense of regret, as the 21-year-old singer longs to escape her perfectly comfortable surroundings. 21. Yhung T.O. - “Lately” ft. Lil Sheik - Easy, breezy, beautiful Bay Area rap, carried by T.O.’s dulcet tones and Sheik’s unrepentant dirtbaggery. The beat by Armani Depaul is one of my favorite retro-facing rap beats in a while, complete with smooth digital strings and security-pad synths. 20. The New Pornographers - “You’ll Need a New Backseat Driver” - Every five years or so, A.C. Newman writes a melody so strong that it requires Neko Case’s ultra-powerful alto to properly do it justice. This year, that song is “You’ll Need a New Backseat Driver,” which strives for, and nearly approaches, the heights of previous Pornos stunners like “The Laws Have Changed” and “Champions of Red Wine.”

19. Floating Points - “LesAlpx” - Surrounded by outré synth experiments and beatless soundscapes on Crush, the first Floating Points album since 2015, “LesAlpx” is Sam Shepherd’s gift to club-goers everywhere. It’s a lean and mean house track, foregrounding propulsive percussion and rubbery bass, but it’s also deeply cerebral, creating a sense of foreboding urgency with detuned synths and ambient sine waves. 18. Daphni - “Sizzling” ft. Paradise - Built around a sample of Paradise’s seminal single “Sizzlin’ Hot,” Dan Snaith’s “Sizzling” extends the best moments of the classic post-disco smash to create five minutes of pure euphoria. The song starts in media res, with the groove in full form, and peaks at the end, when Snaith finally allows Paradise’s June Ventzos to finish her thought atop jubilant trumpets. 17. J Hus - “Must Be” - The latest genre-blending collaboration between J Hus and genius producer JAE5 proves that no man is safe from Hus’s dazzling logic, as he stacks syllogism after syllogism over an irresistible, afropop-flavored groove: “If it walk like an opp/Talk like an opp/Smell like an opp/Then it must be.” 16. Vampire Weekend - “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin” - Ever indulging his literary ambitions, Ezra Koenig uses the final track on Father Of The Bride to examine his Jewish identity, and to reckon with a world that hasn’t made sense since World War I. The prettiest melody on an album dripping with pretty melodies, “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin” packs enough symbolism into three minutes to inspire a seminar at Koenig’s Ivy League alma mater. Supported by yearning, spritely piano, Koenig ends the song with a poignant plea for peace, within reason: “So let them win the battle/But don't let them restart/That genocidal feeling/That beats in every heart.” 15. Great Grandpa - “Bloom” - The highlight from Great Grandpa’s outstanding Four Of Arrows album, “Bloom” is two songs in one. Part one brings punchy acoustic guitar that recalls ‘90s adult alternative (think Matchbox 20) and prime-era Saddle Creek (think Rilo Kiley) in equal measure. The second par tcompletes the song’s emotional arc, slowing down for a hypnotic wordless chorus, backed by weeping violins,. The key line here: “Please say I’m young enough to change.” 14. Spellling - “Real Fun” – Gleefully dramatic and overflowing with evil-sounding synths, “Real Fun” synthesizes Neneh Cherry, Bauhaus, and Cabaret into something that sounds like a villain’s theme in an animated musical that hasn’t been written yet. 13. Earthgang - “Proud Of U” ft. Young Thug – There’s no straight man to ground this ATL trio, as all three emcees lean into their vocal eccentricities while expressing their thanks to the women in their lives atop a mutating, guitar-driven beat. 12. Stella Donnelly - “Tricks” – In which the young heroine attempts to rid herself of a particularly toxic ex, who isn’t just misogynist, but a potential white supremacist sympathizer (her subject’s “Southern Cross Tattoo” is like an Aussie version of the MAGA hat). Heavy stuff, but Donnelly delivers everything with a grin, as if she’s wondering in real time why the hell she ever bothered with this jamoke. 11. Jenny Lewis - “On The Line” - The title track and emotional climax of Jenny Lewis’ latest album, “On The Line” boasts one of the finest vocal performances in her long career, sweetly assassinating her cheating ex-lover with a lilting melody and wry smile.

10. Lucinda Chua - “Whatever It Takes” – Lucinda Chua makes languid art pop in the tradition of fka twigs, but I prefer her understated longing to twigs herself. Her main instrument is the cello, but this track foregoes that sound almost entirely, opting instead for resonant Wurlitzer keys and multi-layered vocal harmonies, and shunting traditional song structure aside in favor of one enigmatic verse, repeating at odd intervals throughout: “Wait/The demons I carry are fake/I will fight our fire, too late.” 9. ShooterGang Kony - “Charlie” – The year’s most cold-blooded mob banger starts with the line “fuck the police and your mama if you ask me” and only escalates from there. Rhyming without affect over hiccuping bass, Kony mercilessly ethers cops, R&B singers, and women named Ashley before threatening to shoot you with a gun that sounds like Fozzy Bear. 8. KEY! - “Miami Too Much” – My favorite Atlanta rap song of the year gets its power from its hilariously specific central conceit, with KEY’s impassioned vocal selling the bit: “If you seen that ass, you'd make a song too.” How often must someone visit Dade County before it becomes an irreconcilable difference in an otherwise healthy relationship? 7. Raphael Saadiq - “Something Keeps Calling” ft. Rob Bacon - Named after his older brother, Raphael Saddiq’s towering Jimmy Lee album examines the personal cost of the crack epidemic, and the outsized role addiction plays in the lives of the destitute. “Something Keeps Calling” is the album’s crushing centerpiece, painting substances as at once a seductive lover and a heavy burden, one that overrides all common sense and decency: “My friends say I can never pull it together/Well they might be right, at least tonight/My kids say I'll never come home again/And I know they're right, at least tonight.” The song climaxes with Rob Bacon’s wailing guitar solo, which tries in vain to reach out to those beyond hope. 6. Bad Bunny & J Balvin - “La Canción” - Nestled in the middle of Balvin and Bunny’s summer smash OASIS, “La Canción” takes a break from the party to dwell on the inherent emptiness of their hedonistic lifestyle, as a mournful trumpet echoes the Reggaetoneros’ longing for meaningful connection amidst their chaotic lives. 5. Polo G - “Pop Out” ft. Lil TJay – Only Polo G would interrupt his own robbery to examine the sociological causes of his behavior: “We come from poverty, man, we ain't have a thing.” But on the rest of “Pop Out,” Polo leans into the dark side of his persona, before 2019’s most unlikely guest verse assassin Lil TJay brings the pathos: “If I showed you all my charges, you won't look at me the same.” In contrast to how effortless the two rappers sound atop the dramatic piano loop, listening to Lil Baby and Gunna wheeze through the remix hammers home the high degree of difficulty of such nimble melodics. It’s a testament to how fast rap music moves these days that Polo and TJay can make last year’s It Duo sound like geezers. 4. Octo Octa - “I Need You” – It starts as an intoxicatingly minimal expression of dancefloor lust, but halfway through, “I Need You” morphs into a sincere and moving tribute to everybody who helped Octo Octa become the woman she is today. It’s a moving moment tucked within an epic club track that works equally well as build-up or comedown.

3. Purple Mountains - “All My Happiness Is Gone” - It’s hard to find the words for this one, a matter-of-fact documentation of a man slowly losing his will to live--which became heartbreakingly clear when David Berman committed suicide in August. But because it’s Berman, “All My Happiness Is Gone” is packed with genius-level wordplay and devastating observations, and enough gallows humor to truly emphasize the gravity of his situation: “Friends are warmer than gold when you're old/And keeping them is harder than you might suppose//Lately, I tend to make strangers wherever I go/Some of them were once people I was happy to know.” I’ll keep going: “Ten thousand afternoons ago/All my happiness just overflowed/That was life at first and goal to go.” And one more: “Where nothing's wrong and no one's asking/But the fear's so strong it leaves you gasping/No way to last out here like this for long.”

2. Big Thief - “Not” - A torrid, slow-burning rocker, “Not” showcases lead singer-songwriter Adrienne Lenker’s skill with oblique imagery and wild-eyed intensity. Lenker rattles off a long list of poetic observations, trying to get to the heart of something (everything?) without ever finding a satisfactory answer, as the music morphs from a controlled simmer to a cacophonous freakout. “Not” climaxes with a riotous guitar solo from Lenker herself, one that reaches towards the cosmos and echoes her frayed vocal. As always with Big Thief, though, the song soars in the smallest moments, like when guitarist Buck Meek enters with plainspoken backing vocals, and at the beginning of the second verse when the guitars drop out and Lenker’s voice stands alone.

1. Burna Boy - “Anybody” - Sometimes the best song of the year is the one that makes you feel the best, and no song this year made me feel better than “Anybody.” “Anybody” is both inviting and aloof, urgent and relaxing. Riding an irresistible groove defined by syncopated keys, driving percussion, and an eager-to-please saxophone, Burna Boy slides between Pidgin English and Yoruba chasing a feeling that resonates beyond the capabilities of language. It’s a song about demanding and receiving respect, dripping with the contagious confidence of an African Giant. And for three minutes, you’ll feel like a giant too.

THE REST: 26. DaBaby - “Intro” 27. Perfume Genius - “Eye On The Wall” 28. Yves Jarvis - “To Say That Is Easy” 29. Doja Cat - “Cyber Sex” 30. Mannequin Pussy - “Drunk II” 31. Better Oblivion Community Center - “Dylan Thomas” 32. Shoreline Mafia - “Wings” 33. Kehlani - “Footsteps” ft. Musiq Soulchild 34. Obangjayar - “Frens” 35. Ariana Grande - “NASA” 36. Mustard ft. Roddy Ricch - “Ballin” 37. Baby Keem - “ORANGE SODA” 38. Jessie Ware - “Adore You” 39. 03 Greedo x Kenny Beats - “Disco Shit” ft. Freddie Gibbs 40. Martha - “Love Keeps Kicking” 41. Lucki - “More Than Ever” 42. Park Hye-Jin - “Call Me” 43. DaVido - “Disturbance” ft. Peruzzi 44. The Japanese House - “Worms” 45. Spencer Radcliffe - “Here Comes The Snow” 46. Dawn Richard - “Dreams And Converse” 47. ALLBLACK & Offset Jim - “Fees” ft. Capolow 48. David Kilgour - “Smoke You Right Out Of Here” 49. Sandro Perri - “Wrong About The Rain” 50. Nilüfer Yanya - “In Your Head” 51. Julia Jacklin - “Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You” 52. Miraa May - “Angles” ft. JME 53. (Sandy) Alex G - “Gretel” 54. Kelsey Lu - “Due West” 55. glass beach - “classic j dies and goes to hell, pt. 1” 56. Peggy Gou - “Starry Night” 57. Cate Le Bon - “Home To You” 58. Busy Signal - “Balloon” 59. NLE Choppa - “Shotta Flow” 60. Dee Watkins - “Hell Raiser” 61. Ari Lennox - “I Been” 62. The National - “Not In Kansas” 63. Shordie Shordie - “Both Sides” ft. Shoreline Mafia 64. Alex Lahey - “Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself” 65. Angel Olsen - “New Love Cassette” 66. Young Dolph - “Tric Or Treat” 67. Koffee - “Throne” 68. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - “Half Manne, Half Cocaine” 69. Noname - “Song 32” 70. Anthony Naples - “A.I.R.” 71. Samthing Soweto - “Omama Bomthandazo (feat Makhafula Vilakazi)” 72. KAYTRANADA - “10%” ft. Kali Uchis 73. Moodymann - “Got Me Coming Back Right Now” 74. Drakeo The Ruler - “Let’s Go” ft. 03 Greedo 75. Teejayx6 - “Dark Web” 76. Cass McCombs - “I Followed The River South to What” 77. Gunna - “Idk Why” 78. Sharon Van Etten - “You Shadow” 79. Tresor - “Sondela” ft. Msaki 80. E-40 - “Chase The Money” ft. Quavo, Roddy Ricch, ScHoolboy Q & A$AP Ferg 81. Spielbergs - “Running All The Way Home” 82. 24kGoldn - “Valentino” 83. Quelle Chris - “Box of Wheaties” 84. Emily King - “Go Back” 85. AzChike - “Yadda Mean” ft. Keak Da Sneak 86. Club Night - “Path” 87. Zeelooperz - “Easter Sunday” ft. Earl Sweatshirt 88. Kim Gordon - “Murdered Out” 89. YS - “Bompton” (Remix) ft. 1TakeJay & OhGeesy 90. Future - “Never Stop” 91. Lowly - “baglaens” 92. SAULT - “Masterpiece” 93. Earl Sweatshirt - “TISK TISK/COOKIES” 94. Fireboy DML - “Energy” 95. Rio Da Young OG & Lil E - “Buy The Block” 96. Sacred Paws - “Write This Down” 97. Wilco - “Everyone Hides” 98. Black Belt Eagle Scout - “Real Lovin” 99. Sleepy Hallow - “Breakin Bad (Okay)” ft. Sheff G 100. Aimee Leigh & Baby Billy - “Misbehavin’ (1989)”

Here’s a Spotify playlist of the full list:

#burna boy #big thief #purple mountains #octo octa #polo g #bad bunny #j balvin #raphael saadiq #jenny lewis #shootergang kony #key!#lucinda chua #stella donnelly #earthgang

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limejuicer1862 · 5 years

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Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Rachael Ikins

Rachael Ikins has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize & CNY Book Award multiple times and won the 2018 Independent Book Award for Just Two Girls. She featured at the Tyler Gallery 2016, Rivers End Bookstore 2017, ArtRage gallery 2018, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, Aaduna fundraiser 2017 Auburn, NY, Syracuse Poster Project 2015, and Palace Poetry, Syracuse. Her work is included in the 2019 anthologies Gone Dogs and We Will Not Be Silenced the latter Book Authority’s #2 pick for the top 100 Best New Poetry Books for 2019. She has 7 chapbooks, a full length poetry collection and a novel. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and Associate Editor of Clare Songbirds Publishing House. She lives in a small house with her animal family surrounded by nature and is never without a book in hand.

Associate Editor Clare Songbirds Publishing House, Auburn NY

https://www.claresongbirdspub.com/shop/featured-authors/rachael-ikins/

2018 Independent Book Award winner (poetry)

2013, 2018, 2019 CNY Book Award nominee

2016, 2018 Pushcart nominee

Www.writerraebeth.wordpress.com

https://m.facebook.com/RachaelIkinsPoetryandBooks/

@poetreeinmoshun on Instagram

@writerraebeth on Tumblr

@nestl493 on Twitter

Above all, practice kindness

The Interview

1. What inspired you to write poetry?

I started writing poetry in second grade when I was 7. I still know that silly poem by heart that I’d written for Halloween. And it was about cats. Some things never change, although I write about more than cats now. As far as inspiration I suppose it was hearing it—I speak several languages— poetry is its own language. My first grade teacher had us copy poems to learn penmanship from the chalk board. My father used to have me read psalms from the Bible at bed time as I learned to read more. I think I was just born a poet. Only one period of my life was I unable to write and that was caused by serious adverse reaction to medications. It was a bleak time.

2. Who introduced you to poetry?

I have already mentioned my dad and my first grade teacher. The most significant person was my 8th grade English teacher. A poet and author herself, she presented the unit on poetry ( met with groans esp. from the boys) by having us go out into the community to find poems in magazines and periodicals and cut them out. To create a notebook of poems. She had us each get a copy of two seminal poetry books, Poetry USA and Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle and we were assigned poems and practiced. We performed for a small crowd one afternoon in the school library. It made a huge difference to be taught by someone who was passionate about poetry. No English teacher for the rest of my school years ever came close. We are still friends. She is in her 80s now and still writing in multiple genres, attending workshops and publishing.

3. How aware were you of the dominating presence of older poets?

I’m not sure what this question refers to. Older in history poets or older people I knew who liked or wrote poetry. My father was given, as were all soldiers, The Pocket Book of Poetry. Soldiers would carry it under their helmets. My dad still had his copy, and we used to read from that little book. So I was aware of the masters as a kid, but had not known an actual adult poet until I was 14.

4. What is your daily writing routine?

I tend to work in the mornings. I browse markets using social media a lot, too. If I find something interesting I will match up the pieces I want to submit and then revise and polish. As far as new work, again, it tends to be written mornings. I was riding my bike yesterday morning, and a poem started up in my head. This has always been a way I write. Other days something will happen, something that has been subconsciously simmering will say “It’s time!” Whatever else I had planned that day will take back seat to the need to write, and I may write for 5 hours straight.

Walking or riding and letting my mind roam. Once the body is craving relief, all extraneous clutter- thought goes away and clears space for something new to appear. I just listen for it.

5. What motivates you to write?

A feeling of not having achieved some mysterious rubicon yet. I have won a lot of prizes and as well published quite a lot of books with three publishers in multiple genres, and yet I am just driven. I also have to say, I think I can’t help it. Writing is like breathing to me. “Write or die.” I would also like to make a significant amount of money at my craft/passion to make a dent in my monthly budget. Would I like to support myself at it? For sure, but I don’t know if that will ever happen. I have intense focus and ability to pursue something no matter who detracts from it. That has done well for me, too. Because in spite of teacher support, my family never took my writing seriously until the past decade.

6. What is your work ethic?

My work ethic has always been work hard and help one another. We are all in this together. Contests aside, we are not competitors though some act that way. Help someone else. Don’t trample someone with your ambition. Pay it forward. Honesty. Write honestly.

7. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

Oh, that is an easy one. I first tried to read Tolkien to myself as an 8 year old. Was a tad daunting. Instead I read all of Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books. The classics. Read Tolkien again in my 20s and was hooked. Both these authors made a mark on me somehow, scarred my heart and brain because decades later after writing nothing but poetry since age 14, in my 40s I wrote a series of children’s stories and the initial chapters of what became the first book in the Tales from the Edge of the Woods series, Totems. My understanding of fantasy and my choice of magical characters and so on was sparked by those great authors. My children’s stories stayed in a box until about a year ago, through 7 moves. I showed them to a publisher last year and we worked on edits. A Piglet for David will be coming from Clare Songbirds Publishing House later this year, the first in a series of young reader chapter books.

8. Who of today’s writers do you admire and why?

I admire J. K. Rowling though I am not a Harry Potter fan. Like her, I have known horrible poverty. You just do the work, period. And if you become successful, you do good with it. I also have always admired poet Marge Piercy. Since her book The Moon is Always Female in the ‘80s with its erotic poems connected to the natural world and also cat poetry Marge has seemed to appear along the journey just when I needed an example to follow. I have also been at work on straight fiction, a lesbian adventure/ romance for awhile. I have never been fond of reading explicit sexual descriptions. It bores me. Do it, don’t discuss it lol.

I had to write a love scene and had no idea how to do so. One thing about love scenes is it is easy for them to be unimaginative.

I was in a bookstore and found an anthology Best Lesbian Erotica, not sure of the year. Looking through the table of contents I saw Marge Piercy had a short story in it. So I bought it, read her story and the rest of them, then faced off one night, sweating, in front of my computer and wrote the scene. A few years later my story “The Horse Rescuer” was accepted for publication, and I was paid probably the most for one piece I’ve been so far.

In 2014 I noticed Marge on FaceBook so I private-messaged her, one of those “You don’t know me but…” expressions of gratitude for her presence in my literary life. She responded and suggested I submit to her June Poetry Intensive. She chooses 12 students for a week long workshop every year. I finally got to meet my hero.

I like Mary Oliver’s poetry, too, but Marge is the one who has always been there in some sort of magical way. There are really too many authors for me to list.

9. Why do you write as opposed to doing anything else?

I can’t not write. And when a poem in particular or a scene if we’re talking prose, starts coming together in my mind, I have to stop whatever else I’m doing. It’s like going into labor I guess. You can’t tell the baby you’ve changed your mind, stay in there.

10. What would you say to someone who asks “How do you become a writer.”

You write. The best way to become a writer is to read everything you can get your hands on. Then you write. Maybe you start out emulating a style of someone you like to read. Keep writing and eventually your own voice will be heard. Writing is the most labor-intensive, long-term gamble of a profession going. You can theoretically spend, for example, 5 years writing a novel, another several seeking an agent and publisher if you want to go the path of the big 5 publishers, and yet you can spend a whole decade of your life on that one project and it may never be accepted. Or sell. Know that up front. Study. Go to workshops. Find a writing group. Read at open mics. And if/ when you reach a point where you have something to submit, read the specs the publisher lists as to how to submit to their publication. It shows respect. Many a writer has been summarily rejected for not submitting the way the publisher requested. Be tough. Opinions are completely subjective. Being rejected by a publication is meaningless. Editors are human beings. We all have different tastes. Don’t take it to heart. If you are lucky enough to get a note of feedback along with the rejection, learn from that. Read books about writing.

It’s hard. Be aware. Being a writer is not for the faint of heart. If you are serious about it you will pursue it no matter what. We only pass this way one time. So if you really want to do this, do it.

11. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

Right now I am in the midst of launching my mixed-genre memoir, Eating the Sun. It is the love story of my husband and me. Organized by seasons of the year, the garden is the vehicle that takes the reader on the journey. Each section starts with narrative and then has poetry related to it, and finally recipes created by us from garden ingredients we grew. I use my artwork often in my books when publishers allow it.

This book has pen and inks, photography and cover art by me. I have a second manuscript submitted to a publisher. It is all poetry titled Confessions of a Poetry Whore. Another poetry manuscript to be sent this fall is titled Riding in Cars with Dogs. It will be the companion book to my previously published For Kate: a Love Story in Four Parts written after the death of my beloved cat, Katie. Since grief is a universal experience and so is love, no matter what shape the beloveds, this book is accessible to anyone who has lost someone. The second fantasy book of the Tales of the Woodland series, Beach Wrack has been written and edited professionally and is in the queue with a mid-level publisher. Book 3, Through the Hedgerow is half written.

All four or five of the young reader chapter books are written as well. A Piglet for David will be Book 1. These also have my artwork as illustrations. My work is contained in 5 upcoming anthologies, and I am eagerly awaiting copies. All releasing this summer and fall. Both writing and artwork.

Last but not least, I am at work on a thriller/horror genre novel. Haven.

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Rachael Ikins Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me.

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