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loonatism · 3 years

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WHAT IS THE LOONAVERSE? PART 1 – THE SCIENCE

LOONA is special among K-pop for its immersive storyline. These girls are not just k-pop idols performing a song, they also perform a story and that story is what we call the Loonaverse.

So, What is the Loonaverse? In a few words: The world and story that LOONA inhabits.

Yeah. Duh. But what is it?

Well… it’s complicated.

The Loonaverse is a fictitious story that borrows elements from real science and fantasy to build its world but also uses allegories, metaphors, allusions and other literary devices to tell its story. Our job as spectators (and specifically us theorizers) is to look beyond those devices to understand the message they are trying to send. In this post I’ll attempt to explain the science of the Loonaverse: parallel universes, time loops and the mobius strip.

PHYSICS VS FICTION

The Loonaverse can be described as the physical universe where the characters of LOONA live and where the events of the story happen.

By physical universe I mean that literally: its own universe. There are multiple theories that explain the existence of multiverses; from infinite universes theories to bubble theories to parallel universes to daughter universes; all incredibly interesting readings and all with fundaments in real physics.

On the other hand, the Loonaverse is a fiction story. Created by the creative minds of the people working in BlockBerry Creative (The company LOONA is under) and specifically by Jaden Jeong (who is a polarizing figure amongst Orbits). As a fiction story it is undeniable that the Loonaverse takes elements form science fiction and fantasy to build its story so going hard into the nitty gritty physics of how it works is ambitious at best and purposelessly time consuming at worst (though if you are interested in the nitty gritty of multiverse theory by all means go read about it, is mind-blowing). Nah, for the purposes of this (really not that long once we get to it) theory, we’ll focus only on a few key science related aspects:

MATHEMATICAL UNIVERSES

This particular multiverse theory debates whether math is a tool used by us to describe our universe or a fundamental truth of the universe itself. If it were the latter, then the possibility of multiple universes with vastly different mathematical structures is possible. This implies a different set of physics working in those universes. Basically: physics and mathematics themselves may work differently in different universes: It is as simple as is sounds. (Yeah, 2+2 may = fish in another universe, or flying is possible and even normal).

Using this admittedly long explanation for a constant in science fiction and fantasy, we now have a physics approved explanation for all the odd things that happen in the Loonaverse: super powers, climbing in air, destroying the moon, walking in the moon and most importantly: time disruptions.

SPACE/TIME RELATIVITY

So… time is weird. Physicist can’t decide what exactly is time. Is it a dimension? A physical force of the universe? An illusion we humans use to perceive existence? Does it even exist at all? We’ll just assume it does and use Einstein’s theory of relativity to explain it.

So… The universe is composed of a 4-dimensional fabric called space-time. (Like, picture an actual tablecloth). When anything with mass falls into that tablecloth it creates a bend, that bend is what we call gravity. This gravitational pull modifies both how space and time are perceived. Everything close to that gravitational pull will move at exponentially slower time than anything outside of it. In simpler terms: Time varies depending of your relationship with another object. But if gravity can modify the way time is perceived, so can speed. The explanation for this is long and complicated and involves a difficult choice between speed not being absolute for anything except that light has an absolute speed and those two statements don’t match. But Einstein, being the clever guy he was, came up with Time dilation: The faster you move the slower time moves for you.

A simpler way to understand all this is to just watch the movie Interstellar. They did a really good job of conveying Einstein’s theory.

Of course, physics haven’t been able to prove the possibility of moving through time backwards, only forward. But hey! We are dealing with a different universe where the laws of math and physics don’t abide by Einstein’s theories. Well let’s unify science and fiction and talk about time travel.

TIME DONUTS AND THE MOBIUS STRIP

Yeah, we finally got here.

The Mobius Strip. The one constant in the Loonaverse is the Mobius Strip. It’s importance has been confirmed by BlockBerry Creative and you’d be hard pressed to find any theory that doesn’t include it somewhere. So, What is a Mobius strip?

Also called the twisted cylinder, it is geometrical shape that has one side, one curve and it’s non orientable, forming a loop on its own. The properties of the mobius strip come into play in the sense that if you were to travel through it, you would go through you starting point once but from the opposite side of the strip before returning to your original starting position.

Here’s a 3D model of the thing: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:239158

Curious things: If you were to cut down a Mobius strip through the middle you would end up with long mobius. If you were to cut it twice at 1/3 the size each cut, you would end up with one long ass loop and one shorter loop that surrounds it.

Here’s a video that shows that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlQOipIVFPk&ab_channel=ThinkTwice

Okay one more schiency term to explain:

Time donuts (not really called that way) is a time travel/time machine theory that claims that a donut like vaccum that envelopes a sphere of matter and surrounded by a strong gravitational pull would create a void where time/space would collapse into itself, crating a sort of time loop where the closer you move to the sphere the bigger the gravitational pull to the point where you could even start going backwards. Here, space/time is the time machine (yeah, trippy). The physics to this theory are quite debatable at best but it is a theory nontheless, and perfect one for our purposes.

A new time-machine model with compact vacuum core by Amos Ori: https://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0503077.pdf

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER

Okay I read all this sciency stuff and I still don’t get it: How do all this relates to the Loonaverse? Well, my patient reader, all this science mumbo jumbo helps us understand the main conflict of the Loonaverse: escaping a never-ending time loop.

The theory states that the Loonaverse happens in a parallel universe where the laws of physics don’t abide to our own. In this universe the girls (LOONA) inhabit a space (moon maybe) that moves through time inside of a Mobius Strip, which itself envelopes a large dense sphere of mass, thus creating a time loop. The closer the girls get to the sphere the slower time moves to the point it may go backwards. Because they move through time in a Mobius Strip, the amount of time it takes them to re start the loop is long (though I am not sure how long). In the mean time they will go though their starting point but in the opposite side of the loop.

This means the girls are essentially trapped in a never-ending loop. Think Groundhog Day, Palm Springs, Russian Doll, Happy Death Day; and if time loop movies have taught us anything is that time loops kinda suck after a while.

But this also gives us the tools to possibly escape this loop. Our physics don’t abide in this universe, there are super powers, and mirror images and the possibility of escaping if we understand how it all works in the first place.

With all this science talk, doesn’t that make the Loonaverse a ScyFi story? Well… No.

Science Fiction as a genre uses technological and/or scientific advances to investigate and/or explain a human reality. It usually comes in the form of a warning (Brave New World) or as an exploration of what makes us human (Blade Runner). Science Fiction explores the possibilities of humanity in a technologically advanced future. Because the story LOONA tells us doesn’t explore the possibilities of a technologically ridden future or focuses on our relationship with these advancements, it cannot be called ScyFi.

TLDR:

The Loonaverse is the world and story that LOONA inhabits. It borrows form real life science and fantasy elements to better tell its story. It exists in a universe where the laws of physics differ from ours and where there is a set time loop in the form of a Mobius Strip, which the girls are trying to escape.

REMEMBER: This is all my interpretation of some very complex theories, theories I am unabashedly morphing to my will to fit a certain narrative (like scyfi and fantasy often do). Also, I didn’t come up with the idea of escaping the time loop, it’s kinda the oldest theory out there. It may even be confirmed by BlockBerry Creative. I am just explaining it the way it makes sense to me.

Next: How does all this science help explain the narrative conflict of the characters in the Loonaverse?

#loona #loonaverse #loona theory #loonatism #heejin #hyunjin #haseul #yeojin #vivi #kim lip #jinsoul #choerry #yves #chuu #go won #olivia hye

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chriscolfernews · 5 years

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Chris Colfer is renowned for his Golden Globe-winning performance as Kurt Hummel on Fox'sGlee, where he helped bring the story and struggles of a gay teen to an international audience.

However, the 29-year-old actor-turned-writer is also taking the literary world by storm. Colfer has written an impressive 15 novels, most notably his The Land of Stories children's fantasy series. He does not shy away from LGBTQ activism on the page. His latest book, A Tale of Magic..., which centers on people persecuted for practicing magic, "is an allegory for being gay," Hummel told The Advocate in a recent interview.

Evoking a children's version of The Handmaid's Tale, A Tale of Magic presents a world where women have no rights and are barred from reading. Additionally, practitioners of magic are condemned to death or life imprisonment. A young girl, Brystal Evergreen, rebels against this tyranny by engaging in both. In turn, she is sent to a correctional facility to "cure" her of her magic. A mysterious savior, Madame Weatherberry, rescues Brystal from detainment and recruits her on a mission to change the hearts and minds of the kingdom.

In the following interview, Colfer discusses how antigay politics of the real world inspired his magical allegory, which he calls a "manifesto for compassion. I’ve never written anything like it before." A Tale of Magic, now available on Amazon and wherever good books are sold, also recently debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list, demonstrating how Colfer's message of political resistance has resonated with young audiences.

The Advocate: Congratulations on your new book! What inspired A Tale of Magic?

Chris Colfer: Trauma, mostly. I was 11 years old when 9/11 happened. I remember I was old enough to understand what was happening, but I wasn’t old enough to understand why it was happening. And I don’t think anything is scarier for a child than confusion. I can’t imagine how scared kids must feel nowadays. So I wanted to write a book that parents and teachers could use as a point of reference when they explain the troubling things their kids and students see on the news. I hope it puts things into perspective while giving them a magical adventure at the same time.

You’ve written 15 books. What’s the secret to your productivity? Caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine. Also, isolation. Sometimes I’ll go weeks without seeing anyone besides my boyfriend and our dogs.

Who are your literary influences? Well, I apologize for sounding like a millennial cliché, but J.K. Rowling had the biggest impact on me. I wasn’t a good reader when I was young, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the first book I actually enjoyed reading. And some of my happiest childhood memories were going to those midnight release parties. I then went on to devour everything by C.S. Lewis, Eva Ibbotson, and Bruce Coville. On some level, I think I’m still mourning the end of Harry Potter. It left a void I’ve been trying to fill by writing my own books.

What appeals to you about the fantasy genre in particular? I suppose it’s the escapism and encouragement it provides. In fantasy, a mouse can slay a dragon if it’s courageous enough. That’s very therapeutic for those of us still battling our own dragons.

A Tale of Magic, much like The Handmaid’s Tale, shows a bleak world where women have no rights. Also, practitioners of magic are subjected to imprisonment or even the death sentence. While writing the book, how much did the real world and the current political climate influence your storytelling? The current climate was the entire inspiration. A Tale of Magic was supposed to be an easy task for me. It was supposed to be the start of a simple prequel series. The working title was The Land Before Stories. But when I sat down to actually write it, I felt so angry and helpless by the state of the world, I had to do something more so I could sleep at night. Even if I was the wrong messenger, even if it didn’t do well, I wanted to do anything I possibly could to guide the next generation onto a better path. It ceased to be a prequel and became a completely original story. Now I consider A Tale of Magic my manifesto for compassion. I’ve never written anything like it before.

What is the overarching message you wanted to send by centering your story on a character who is not only discriminated against for her gender, but also her extraordinary abilities? I want young people to know that just because they’re born into an environment that doesn’t accept or appreciate them, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an environment that will. There’s a lot of love waiting for you out there if you’re willing to look for it. I’m living proof. Also, the more the world discourages you, the more it needs you.

The protagonist is sent to a “Correctional Facility for Troubled Young Women” in the hopes that she will be “cured” of her magical gifts. This storyline echoes the experiences of survivors of conversion therapy. How do you think fiction — your novel in particular — can fight against antigay forces like "ex-gay" therapy in the real world? Thank you for making that connection. In my opinion, the purpose of fiction, besides providing an escape, is to subconsciously plant seeds of reason and compassion in people’s minds. That was the sole mission of the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. After reading about the horrible and abusive experiences at the Correctional Facility in A Tale of Magic, I hope my readers will grow up with a resentment of conversion therapy already ingrained within them. If I can get them to sympathize with the struggles of a fictitious magical community, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll be more likely to sympathize with the struggles of other communities fighting for acceptance in the real world.

In addition to A Tale of Magic being a novel, do you see it as a work of LGBTQ activism? I’d like to think so. Although, I have no control over how other people will interpret it. For me, the magic in A Tale of Magic is an allegory for being gay. The characters are raised to believe magic is demonic and unnatural. They’re sent to camps where they “pray the magic away.” And they’re all on a mission to prove "magic isn’t a choice." But what magic represents for me may be different for a little girl in Egypt or a teenage boy in Japan. We all have obstacles that hold us back. We’re all assigned different stigmas based on our circumstances. So, whatever your “magic” may be, A Tale of Magic is about overcoming the forces that suppress it.

We’re living in a world when books are still being banned — and the written word itself is under attack. As a novelist, do you see it as your duty to fight against censorship? Absolutely. You have to be incredibly strategic to get your book into the hands of the people who need it the most. Especially when your books have LGBTQ themes. So many authors get criticized when they reveal a character’s orientation or gender identity after publication instead of on the page. But I don’t always agree with those critics. In some places books are instantly banned if they have any LGBTQ characters or LGBTQ references whatsoever. But there are ways of getting representation into those territories that goes under the radar. That’s the purpose of the character Xanthous Hayfield in A Tale of Magic. His orientation is never directly addressed in the first book, but there are enough clues so a closeted little boy living in an oppressive country can relate to him and know he’s not alone. But I don’t think censorship can survive the modern age. In fact, I think governments shoot themselves in the foot when they apply censorship. It instantly triggers a wave of curiosity and publicity you can’t buy. So please, by all means, ban me.

Did you have a Madame Weatherberry, the "fairy godmother" character in A Tale of Magic, in your life? My grandmother was my biggest cheerleader growing up. She made me believe in myself, and I think that’s the greatest gift you can give a kid, even if you don’t necessarily believe their dreams are practical. I used to sit with her for hours and hours on her back patio and talk. We’d make game plans of how I was going to accomplish my goals while she smoked and polished her guns.

You dedicate your novel to those whose shoulders you stand on — presumably LGBTQ pioneers. Did you have any particular figures in mind when making this dedication? There are a hundred names I could list that everyone knows, but it’s really about the people who are unknown. I get pretty emotional when I think about it. There are millions of people who never got to reap the benefits of their courage and honesty, but because they stood up when they did, I get to do what I love and be with who I love. I can’t imagine the bravery it took. Even right now, there are people in other parts of the world reading this website in secret, looking for encouragement as they fight for their right to exist. Wherever they are, I hope they can feel the future’s gratitude.

If you could have any magical ability, what would it be? Honestly, I’d be happy with just a faster metabolism. That sounds pretty magical.

What appeals to you about your literary work, versus the world of television and film? I suppose it’s the control. When I write a novel, it can be anything and everything I want it to be. I get to tell the story and describe the images exactly as they exist in my mind. In film and television there’s always so many cooks in the kitchen it’s difficult to produce a pure vision. There’s a lot of compromising and negotiating and it requires a lot of patience. Also, I can write books in my pajamas. It doesn’t get better than that.

Would you adapt A Tale of Magic into a movie or TV series? I would love to see A Tale of Magic come to life. I guess it all depends on my experience with the Land of Stories film adaptation. For my own physical safety, I hope the Disney/Fox merger settles so we can finish it. There are millions of kids around the world who are going to want to hurt me if they don’t get a movie soon.

#chris colfer #the advocate #a tale of magic press

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skylights422 · 4 years

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@ace-and-aro-wlw-positivity created a Q&A for aspec authors/writers, and as an aspec author, I am excited to participate and answer as many of their questions as I can. Under a cut since it became really outrageously long.

1. What was your inspiration for your character(s)? Are they modeled on yourself, a person that you know, or a character that’s already been established?

Typically I’d say my characters are a mix of general inspiration from other stories/characters and then bits and pieces taken from myself. I try not to make any of them like a clone of myself or another character, try to mix it up, possibly with mixed success but that is the goal.

2. How much, if any, has your character(s) changed since they were first created? What caused this change?

Oh wow, okay I have characters I still use from grade school and middle school, and those characters have changed/grown a lot. Most notoriously (to me) though are my two fellas Euphranor and Kadri. I created them while daydreaming in middle school while watching those science videos in class about how I could make a more parody-like version of said videos, Kadri being the energetic and comically sadistic teacher and Euphranor being the constantly irritated and foul-tempered student. The core of their designs and personalities haven’t totally changed (Euph is still a hot-head and Kadri still likes to troll him), but they’ve become far more nuanced as characters as their story become more involved and serious. They’ve also become softer characters, with Euph having a Heart of Gold and Kadri being a bit morally grey but generally compassionate and friendly. I think the cause of this change and others comes from a mix of things, for one I simply got older and what I wanted out my characters changed a bit. But also I think it’s because I spent so much time with those characters in my head that I couldn’t help but develop them more fully, which in turn made me want to give them a good story. Also, everyone is definitely more queer now then how they started, largely because I became more aware and comfortable with my own queer identity and spent more time in queer spaces (though with Euph I actually just realized he had to be gay because I every het relationship I envisioned for him fell totally flat and yet imagining him as having crushes on guys just seemed to work better/make more sense, and that was an earlier decision).

4. Do you intend on publishing your story one day? Why, or why not?

I definitely do! I have many, many stories I want to publish, as books or comics or tv shows or films. I’ve always wanted to publish some of writing since it’s one of my main passions and have always taken inspiration from the stories I consumed. I just love writing and would want to be able to do it as my main career, the key will just be figuring out how to focus on one project long enough to finish it. xD

5. Surprise fact! Give a random fact about your character(s), whether it’s their favorite color, food, or even song!

Euphranor loves to sing! He hums to calm himself down and even full on sings to vent his feelings sometimes. Kadri loves literature and video games, and blackberry pie is his favorite food.

6. Admit it, you have a folder on your computer of the various types of picrews you’ve created for your character(s). Would you mind posting a few (or five)?

*VIBRATES* MY TIME HAS COME. I absolutely have way too many picrews of my fellas so I won’t post them all, just two each for the core four of my main novel project. First, Euphranor:

(yes he is a Hufflepuff)

Kadri:

(also since I dragged the Hogwarts houses into this Kadri is Ravenclaw)

Ena:

(I put her in Gryffindor)

And finally, Fiera:

(Right now I have her in Slytherin. She could also be in Ravenclaw though)

7. Time to get serious for a bit. There’s been heavy debate on having non-human characters identify as ace, aro, non-binary, etc., but never actual humans. As someone who’s aspec, how would you explain to someone who’s allo why this can be and is seen as hurtful?

I mean, as a sci-fi fan I definitely love if the non-human characters are queer coded, but it’s definitely important to include human representation as well, and I think there are a few simple reasons for that. One is that queer people are, in fact, humans, and therefore our stories deserve to be told as they are in reality as well as how they could be in fiction. The other is only writing us as inhuman implies you consider our identities as fictitious or too strange for a human to have, and queer people already have to deal with other forms of erasure and invalidation in real life. (Also, not everyone is a fan of sci-fi/fantasy, and they should still be able to read stories where they can see themselves)

8. It’s a sad reality that many stories in mainstream media don’t have characters that are aspec, not to mention without resorting to harmful stereotypes. Besides there being nothing wrong with IDing as aspec, why did you choose to have your character ID as such? What would you tell other authors who’re interested in writing characters that are aspec, but are afraid of offending the community?

I have a huge list of aspec characters, which definitely started happening more once I was aware of my own asexuality (and later, aromanticism), since I realized that I could make my own aro and ace characters and then just went wild with it lol. It’s also easier for me to write since I can actually draw from personal experience somewhat for it. Beyond representation having aro and ace characters also allows you to explore more facets of human emotions/the human experience, so that’s always fun.

As for how I would advise allies looking to write a-spec characters, my main advice would be to remember that we are an incredibly diverse group of people, and so while no one a-spec character will resonate with every a-spec reader, an a-spec character written in good faith will definitely speak to some of us. Write them as an character first, and when it comes to things like how their attraction does or doesn’t work and what they want out of relationships, figure out what works best for them. Really, if you’re concerned your character would be offensive in some way you can always make a post asking about it, many of us are happy to offer constructive advice and appreciate that someone is wanting to put in the effort to write about our experiences. Reading or listening to anecdotes from an array of a-spec people is also a good way of getting ideas of how to portray us, and there are various resources for that (the tags, AUREA collects anecdotes from arospec individuals, and probably more than I can think of offhand)

9. If you’re comfortable with sharing, what is your characters’ identity? Do they use any microlabels? Does theirs reflect your own?

Unsurprisingly I have many characters who are aroace (Fiera is one of them), and Ena is bisexual and gray-aromantic. Kadri was originally supposed to just be bi/pan but has become increasingly aspec, will they end up gray-aro as well as grey-ace? Will they end up as a pan oriented aroace? I don’t know yet, but they sure are a pan a-spec. My most recent project has exclusively aro-spec protagonists, Valentine is aroace, Cedar is demiromantic, Raelene is cupioromantic, and then Clematis and Hadyn are presently just Aro and might stay that way. My aroace characters are often styled after my own aroace experiences, while other a-spec characters aren’t as much.

11. Why do you think that not just representation is important, but GOOD representation? Can you offer any examples?

Well, I think there are a few ways to make ‘good rep’. There is the ‘this character helps bring awareness/educate about the community’ and then there’s ‘this character just resonates with certain a-spec people a lot’, and the main reason I think it’s important is because rep should be for the people they’re representing. So if rep hurts the community or totally fails to be relatable to anyone who’s actually a-spec, then it missed the whole point and is doing just as much to leave the community feeling left in the dust as no rep. Of course things do get complicated when the community is divided on whether the rep is good or not, which I imagine will be a common occurrence, and many examples of rep probably fall into the grey area between Good and Bad, but generally people should aim to tell stories that will help more than hinder the people you are telling your story about. (Although I also think that the long term end goal is to get to the point where there is enough representation that it doesn’t matter if some of it is ‘bad’ or not, since I feel like that is the true state of normalization, but that is sadly not yet the case)

12. What’s the genre of your most recent story? Do you always write in this genre? If so, what other works do you have? If not, why did you pick it?

My most recent story (with Valentine) is fantasy, inspired by shoujo style anime series like Cardcaptor Sakura, while Euph’s story is more dystopian urban fantasy? His exact genre has shifted around a lot and will probably continue to do so. In general, most of my works are fantasy in some way or another. A few are more sci-fi or horror based, but definitely the majority are fantasy whether that be magical girl type stories, urban fantasy, superheroes, or dark fantasy.

14. What’s a brief biography of your character? Is their history, personality, and/or looks similar to your own?

I’m going to go with Fiera here. The short version of her backstory is that she and her older brother were born to neglectful parents, and while their grandmother was attentive emotionally she also lived far away. Her brother discovered magic, long thought forgotten, but killed himself shortly after, leaving Fiera alone and confused. She then made a point to dedicate herself to studying the theory and history of magic in the hope that she may someday understand why her brother would take his own life so suddenly like that. She has a down to earth personality and is very observant, and has a great deal of ambition and focus for tasks. She naturally has a more lighthearted and curious personality, but has become more somber since the death of her brother. While she always struggled with sustaining personal relationships, it’s only recently she started using her power of observation to be more manipulative and always keep a cool, pleasant demeanor. She has a love for fashion and sewing, as well as an interest in chemistry.

She isn’t really based on me at all backstory or appearance wise, and only slightly takes after me personality wise. Our main similarity is that we both can be quietly observant and don’t tend to get outwardly angry very often, and that we are both aroace. But I am nowhere near as focused as her, am terrible at lies/manipulation, and have different interests. I’m also way more prone to energetic rants and blunt statements than she is.

15. What are the themes of your story? Is it a lighthearted adventure, or are we talking deep, ocean-sized levels of angst? Why, or why not, did you choose them?

The tone of Euph’s story is kind of all over the place due to how often I’ve tweaked it, but there are certainly oceans of angst for all the protagonists. There’s just also decided remnants of the wacky humor from when the story was predominantly a comedy, and a lot more scenes of the characters just relaxing or goofing off than might be typical in a high tension drama adventure. My story with Valentine is generally much more lighthearted, though there will be some deeper moments for character development (and also because I want it to have a slightly gothic vibe, just Because)

16. How long have you been writing? Has your style changed from when you first began to now? What are some tips you’d give to those who’re interested in writing a story of their own, be it professionally or as a hobby?

I’ve been writing in some capacity just about as long as I can remember, and so my style has definitely taken various shifts depending on how old I was and what I was taking as my main inspiration at the time. Sometimes I went for more sarcastic and whimsical narration regardless of the events happening of the story, sometimes I went for a more quick modern-ish style, sometimes I would focus more or less on descriptions or dialogue. I don’t really know where I’m at right now though.

What I would advise to anyone wanting to sit down and write is to be patient and kind with yourself. Nine times out of ten what sounds epic in your head will come out at first as clunky and all over the place. But that is pretty much the whole purpose of first drafts; the clunky first draft crawls so the second draft may walk so the third draft may walk a little faster so the final draft may run. The other thing I would advise is to absolutely experiment, and see what works best for you. There is every kind of writing advice out there imaginable, much of it contradictory, so really you just have to mess around with styles and perspective and dialogue and see what happens, which stuff you liked and which stuff you didn’t.

17. What’s your process for writing? Do you plan your story out first, write whatever you want then edit later, or both? How might this help others?

My writing process is pretty much a mishmash of writing whatever comes to me, then planning, then writing, then using a bunch of character building exercises to have fun but make no progress in the plot, then neglect the project for months, then write some more or maybe plan. I don’t know how much this would help others, though I have found when I set goals with deadlines and some external pressure (nanowrimo, reward system implanted by friends, etc) I am far more productive, so perhaps that is something others could try if they struggle with staying on track?

18. Your book’s become quite popular, easily reaching the New York Times Bookseller list, and now, you’ve been picked to lead a writing workshop. It goes swimmingly, and afterward, someone comes and tells you that your book not only inspired them to write a story of their own, but also helped them discover and accept their identity. What’s your reaction?

Mostly I would just be flabbergasted, but also extremely pleased and honored to have been able to provide any kind of help or assistance to my readers.And I would feel very happy for the person, since that sort of inspiration is great to come by.

19. Are there any published stories out there that feature aspec characters that you also read? Do you have any suggestions?

Unfortunately not that I can think of! I am peripherally aware of some ace characters, but they aren’t in stories I personally consume. I hope to find more though!

20. Just for fun, write down a paragraph of your most recent writing. It can be an action-packed scene, some witty dialogue, or a colorful description that you really enjoyed. (Be sure to properly tag any possible triggers!)

Well, my most recent finished work would be the clunky first draft of my novel. So, here’s a silly conversation that entertained me to write:

Once they had bought the food, they went back to the park to eat.

“You know, Fiera, I have come to a realization.” Kadri said.

“Oh? What’s that?” Fiera asked.

“Store snacks are not as filling as restaurant food, nor as refined, but they are decidedly addictive.” he said, munching on Twizzlers.

“Yep. That’s what makes them store snacks. Plus, I couldn’t get any really nice stuff. I’m not made of money.” Fiera explained.

“Which brings me to my next question, how exactly are you financing our meals? You don’t seem to work a job of any kind.” Kadri said. Fiera was almost surprised that he knew about jobs, but decided not to ask about it.

“You’re right, I don’t. But my parents leave me about sixty bucks a week so that they can do what they want without me starving to death in their absence. After yesterday and just now, I’m down to like eight bucks, and the next payment comes in three days, so after this stash goes it's dollar store snacks only.” Fiera explained.

“I see. Fascinating. And these drinks you bought us, why are they vitamin drinks?” Kadri said,looking over a vitamin water curiously.

“Because we definitely aren’t going to get any vitamins from chips and candy.” Fiera said simply.

“There is logic to that, I suppose.” he said. There was silence for a few moments.

“Um… Kadri?” Fiera said after a while.

“Yes, Fiera?” Kadri said.

“You know you can’t eat a whole bag of Twizzlers in one go, right?” Fiera said.

“I don’t see why not. If it is not going to give me the nutrients I need, it may as well provide me with the maximum level of pleasure it is capable of.” Kadri said.

“Yeah, but you’ll get sick. And we have limited supplies.” Fiera countered. Kadri looked at the bag of Twizzlers in alarm.

“These are poisonous in large doses!?” he exclaimed.

“What? No, not poisonous, they just make you sick because they’re candy. All candy does that if you keep eating it.” Fiera said.

“Commoners lead dangerous lives, it would seem. I shall never forget this betrayal.” He said to the bag of Twizzlers, putting it down and taking the vitamin water instead.

#Arospec Awareness Week #aromantic #writing #non-fandom #asaw2020

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migleefulmoments · 4 years

Text

Chris Speaks Through ATOM

Abby’s Book Club is finally coming through with the long-promised lit analysis of A Tale Of Magic by Christopher Paul Colfer.

Like all great explorations of fiction, they are looking for the author’s main messages. The tinhatters love them some symbolism so they will be scouring the tome, searching for anything they can make into a symbol of Darren’s great oppression, Darren’s great love, Darren’s gay or just plain old Darren.

The one thing that stuck out to me as I listened to the audiobook-well besides the obvious LGBTQ themes- was the lack of anything suggesting Crisscolfer. TLOS had several romances that the tinhatters were able to exploit to meet their symbolic needs, but ATOM is about kids- the main character is 14 yo and romance is not on her mind and many other characters are even younger. The story is about self-acceptance and homophobia, The characters have many lessons to learn before they can think about a healthy romance. But never fear, Abby’s Book Club found what they were cclooking for and see Darren all over the story. But first, let’s talk a little about what I see in a quick and dirty analysis of the most obvious themes of the story and then talk about what Chris says about his own story while promoting it.

One thing about Mr. Colfer’s writing is that he doesn’t rely on subtlety to get his message across- his messages are loud and clear and right there for you. True, he is writing for kids, but he just isn’t subtle- he beats his message with the veracity of an over-excited Bam Bam Rubble. In an interview (below) with the Advocate, the interviewer asks about the obvious conversion therapy storyline Chris responds by thanking them for picking up on that. Thank you for picking up on that? It’s so obvious! It’s Stephen King thanking his readers for picking up on the horror themes in Carrie.

Under a cut because this is super long

Chris Speaks Through ATOM

While promoting the book, Chris made it very clear that the story is meant to be a book of inspiration for kids around the world. He was inspired to write a book he calls a “manifesto for compassion” after getting so depressed about our political climate and receiving letters from scared gay kids from around the world. He wanted to write a book that

“parents and teachers could use as a point of reference when they explain the troubling things their kids and students see on the news. I hope it puts things into perspective while giving them a magical adventure at the same time”

He goes on to say the current political climate is the entire inspiration for his book. When asked what his overarching message he answered:

“The current climate was the entire inspiration...when I sat down to actually write it, I felt so angry and helpless by the state of the world, I had to do something more so I could sleep at night. Even if I was the wrong messenger, even if it didn’t do well, I wanted to do anything I possibly could to guide the next generation onto a better path”

When asked about the overarching message of the main character being discriminated against for her gender and her magic abilities, he replied:

“I want young people to know that just because they’re born into an environment that doesn’t accept or appreciate them, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an environment that will. There’s a lot of love waiting for you out there if you’re willing to look for it. I’m living proof. Also, the more the world discourages you, the more it needs you.”

When questioned about the storyline that clearly references conversion therapy he said:

“Thank you for making that connection. In my opinion, the purpose of fiction, besides providing an escape, is to subconsciously plant seeds of reason and compassion in people’s minds. That was the sole mission of the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. After reading about the horrible and abusive experiences at the Correctional Facility in A Tale of Magic, I hope my readers will grow up with a resentment of conversion therapy already ingrained within them. If I can get them to sympathize with the struggles of a fictitious magical community, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll be more likely to sympathize with the struggles of other communities fighting for acceptance in the real world.”

He was asked: In addition to A Tale of Magic being a novel, do you see it as a work of LGBTQ activism?

“I’d like to think so. Although, I have no control over how other people will interpret it. For me, the magic in A Tale of Magic is an allegory for being gay. The characters are raised to believe magic is demonic and unnatural. They’re sent to camps where they “pray the magic away.” And they’re all on a mission to prove "magic isn’t a choice." But what magic represents for me may be different for a little girl in Egypt or a teenage boy in Japan. We all have obstacles that hold us back. We’re all assigned different stigmas based on our circumstances. So, whatever your “magic” may be, A Tale of Magic is about overcoming the forces that suppress it”.

ATOM is dedicated to the LGBTQ pioneers who came before you, what particular figures?

“There are a hundred names I could list that everyone knows, but it’s really about the people who are unknown. I get pretty emotional when I think about it. There are millions of people who never got to reap the benefits of their courage and honesty, but because they stood up when they did, I get to do what I love and be with who I love. I can’t imagine the bravery it took. Even right now, there are people in other parts of the world reading this website in secret, looking for encouragement as they fight for their right to exist. Wherever they are, I hope they can feel the future’s gratitude.”

Themes and Message of ATOM

LGBTQ

“Magic” is an allegory for being gay. Society is scared of magic and detests anyone who can perform magic. Magical creatures have all been banished from the kingdom and anyone with magical powers has to hide it from the kingdom or they will be sent to a special “correctional” facility where they will be forced to try to rid themselves of their special powers. The magic kids are called “fairies” (I couldn’t decide if this made me laugh or if it was horrifying).

Self-acceptance: Madam Weatherberry is recruiting students for her new academy, Hogwarts (I can’t remember the real name but I believe it was a mouthful and a running gag). The academy will teach magic but it will also teach it’s students self-acceptance and how to love oneself. Brystal finds herself a leader at the school.

Normalize magic to change society’s perception: The kingdom is a dystopian world that resembles Trump’s base in 2020 or all of America up until the 20th century. The father insists on austerity for the entire family and women have no rights. Women aren’t allowed to read (except recipes and grocery lists), they are required to look like ‘Living dolls” at all times including wearing complicated, layered clothing and women and girls do all of the work around the home and garden. Girls are expected to want nothing more than to get married and have children. Anyone with magical abilities is immediately shunned and sent to a correctional facility to be cured. Madame Weatherberry’s new school’s mission is also to change society’s perception of magic kids through normalizing magic. She also rejects society’s strict rules for male and female rules. Girls are allowed to read and study in the same books and classes as the boys.

Chosen Families- Brystal is shunned by her family and after being convicted of being magical, she is sent away to the “correctional facility”. It is there, away from her real family that she meets the people who become her chosen family.

It Get’s Better: Brystal learns that it gets better when she is empowered by Madame Weatherberry to love and accept herself. She meets other magic kids who support and love her replacing her judgemental, unsupportive family who shunned her. Brystal is so empowered that she leads the effort and successfully defeats the villain in the story

Conversation therapy is horrific- The “correctional facility” is a dark place where young fairies spend years living in austere conditions away from their parents. They have to follow strict rules and participate in “therpies” in order to cure themselves of their magic. Like in real conversation therapy, the techniques to rid the magic are barbaric and ineffective.

This is my quick-and-dirty analysis from what I remember, I don’t have the book to reference (I can’t bring myself to listen to 25 hours of audiobook) and I am not great at this. So now let’s see what the Book Club has come up with shall we? I am highlighting the ccDarren analysis with both bold and italics. I am not going to add my own comments to their posts just becuase I don’t want it to get confusing. Notice how they pull out one word from the to associated with Darren’s story. It’s literature’s version of cropping a video into 1-2 seconds, slowing it down and making it a gif to watch over and over and over.

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Abby’s Book Club

December 26, 2019

Submission from a friend (I posted my brief thoughts at the end). Major spoilers below. Scroll past if you haven’t read and don’t want to know.

First off, just in the note to the readers, I knew this book was going to be full of some good stuff.

Obviously, all interpretations are my own, after my first read through.

“A tale of magic follows a group of young fairies as they fight for acceptance in an oppressive world where magic is outlawed and despised. This story is very close to my heart, and writing it was the most challenging and emotional process I’ve experienced as an author to date. …… I hope it encourages and comforts anyone who may be fighting their own battle for acceptance and equality.”

Fairies= anyone feeling different or told they can’t be who they are, perhaps including the LGBT community? Hmm.. Close to his heart? What closer to his heart than the reality he’s living?

“If we want to change the world’s opinion it must be encouraged, not forced– and nothing encourages people like a good spectacle.”

Hmm… a spectacle? Sounds familiar. You can’t force anyone to believe anything, but it can be encouraged by opening your eyes to a good spectacle, like say a wedding, and realizing that it just doesn’t make sense if you open your eyes. Nuff said.

One of the books that Brystal comes across is by Daisy Peppernickel. I think that speaks for itself. It’s clearly known that Daisy is a certain someone’s nickname, especially used by the part of his fans that believe in Daisy.

“.. each author’s cause of death was EXECUTED FOR CONSPIRACY AGAINS THE KINGDOM. … It was a graveyard for truth and an archive of people the Justices had silenced.”

Deleted tweets, accounts vanishing into thin air. This sounds a lot like the conspiracies against (str8) fandom. It’s no secret that people have been silenced.

“All the books in the secret room were written by people who felt and thought exactly like she did, by people who questioned information, who criticized social restrictions, who challenged the systems set in place, and who weren’t afraid to make their ideas known.”

Questioning information? Challenging the system? Not afraid to make their ideas known? Can’t think of anybody that might do that.

“Personally, I think life is way to complicated for anyone’s life to be set in stone.”

Even though D seems to be in a death sentence, there’s way more to life and his fate is not set in stone. C believes in his man, and knows he can overcome this.

“Sometimes as a survival method, fairies suppress their magic so deep within themselves that it becomes extremely difficult to reach it.”

This reminds me of D’s dudebro persona that he brings out. He’s suppressing himself so far that at times he’ll turn himself into a different caricature of himself. We all know Daisy is in there somewhere under the layers of D-bag.

“It’s very hard watching someone you love in so much pain.”

C watching the person he loves get knocked down over and over, he’s speaking directly from his own experience here.

“Horence had the misfortune of falling in love with a witch. … Naturally, such a relationship was forbidden, so for over a decade, Horence and the witch carried on a secret affair. When Horence’s soldiers discovered the relationship, the men betrayed their commander. They burned Horence at the stake and forced the witch to watch it happen.”

Using LGBT to equal ‘magical’ (As I’ve found countless references I haven’t even put in here) D fell in love with someone magical (gay), and their relationship was forbidden and secret. Once their secret was out, the team made D pay for it and C had to watch it all go down with nothing that he could do. (Except throw all his angst into his books ;) )

“We must pity the people who close to hate, Brystal. Their lives will never be as meaningful as those of the people who choose to love.”

The pathetic souls that do nothing but hate on C C and spread hate will never have as meaningful of a life as those that chose to love and support our boys.

“We all know how terrible keeping a secret can feel. Secrets are like parasites, the longer you keep them inside you, the more damage they cause.”

The longer D is force to stay closeted, the more damage it does to him.

“If we had had everything we wanted then, we might never have found what we needed now.”

This to me feels like C is actually a little bit thankful for the bumps in the road. He’s trying to look on the bright side. If things had always been easy for them, they might have taken it for granted. Everything they’ve been through has only made them stronger. If they can get through all of this shit alive, they can make it through absolutely anything.

“She dreamed the fairy was repeatedly knocked to the ground by a ferocious monster in a fur coat and snowflake crown.”

The ferocious monster in a fur coat? Makes me think of another monster that wears a fur coat. Shade.

“You can stop pretending, Brystal. I know you’re aware of much more than you’re letting on.”

C knows that we know. He’s not living under a rock.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I refuse to sit back and let a frosty old witch take Madame Weatherberry away from us.”

Frosty old witch= Obviously M

“Do you guys know what your love languages are? Mine is quality time. It used to be physical touch, but that wasn’t working very well, so I had to change it. People are so picky about personal space and–”

C cherishes any quality time that he gets to have with D, since it it’s not always available.

“Sometimes good people do bad things for the right reasons.”

I have this bookmarked, along with some other passages about the Snow Queen / Mrs. Weatherberry. I know that there’s /some/ significance around this, but I haven’t fully figured out exactly what all it symbolizes. I have a few ideas, but nothing really seems to line up completely to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it at some point!

I think those are the big things that I’ve bookmarked. There’s so much more I could talk about, but I’m afraid it would start to not make any sense if I just started rambling, so I decided to go off of passages from the book and my thoughts on why I think they’re significant or tie into C C.

You can feel free to just keep this for yourself, or post it at a later date, or take pieces parts to post. Whatever you want!

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ajw adds: I know I’ve been really bad about posting on the book. I saved this submission because I thought it was brilliant and a lot of great insights.

My opinion on the Madame W/Horence/Ice Queen? C is Madame W/Ice Queen and D is Horence. I too thought frosty old queen at first referred to m. But once the twist was revealed I’m convinced it’s c and his dual personality like the twins. He is a Gemini as he likes to remind us. It’s his struggle between being happy with the love he was blessed with and his desire to destroy for the people that have so gravely hurt them.

The quote above to think about most.

Sometimes good people do bad things for the right reasons.

That’s him talking about their Pr life and I’d guess directly addressing the fraud in NOLA. He’s believed in d and he wants us to believe in him too.

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February 7, 2020 (X)

Anonymous asked:

Call me crazy but the 'out of the woods' thing got me thinking. Wasn't froggy hiding away in the woods while he didn't feel free to let himself be seen? Didn't he get fake married in the woods? D is forced to hide away in the woods because he can't be himself. Out of the woods could be a hint for just general freedom, not just done with the current projects. Plus HE will be around more once he is free to be himself, as opposed to his team tweeting most of the time as him.

Nonnie, excellent analogy, Froggy did in fact hide in the woods and was hiding when he first met the twins, though he did not fake marry. The wedding in the woods was very real- Jack and Goldie who also represent D&C.

But let’s even take if further. M, as part of her narcissistic need to mock fandom, staged that wedding at a venue where it looked like it was a “wedding in the woods.” Mocking C and D and fandom.

D, in his own words, is now almost “out of the woods.” He is very deliberate and he has used that phrase twice now in just a few weeks. It certainly makes me think….

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February 8, 2020 (X)

Anonymous asked:

So I’m 100% convinced they were together up through mid season 4. Didn’t C that was the time he was going through rough times in his personal life? And he took out in his book?

ajw720 answered: C released TLOS2 on August 6, 2013, right before the start of season 4 of G/lee. What was happening season 3? His relationship with RM completely broke down. And more, at some point during season 3, and you can see it play out on screen with the change in how K/laine was treated, a decision was made to severally closet D and to hide the CC relationship. And while she had not yet moved to LA, it was only a few months away so likely something talked about and decided. And this is likely leading into the time they decided D could be the next pop sensation to fulfill millions of teenage dreams ,So angsty indeed but I don’t think they broke up. Not long after W transitioned from PA to BF. W is solely a tool to hide CC. They may have been having troubles, but very much in a relationship that TPTB decided had to be hidden.

Remember in TLOS2, the evil character was blatantly named after PBB. There were a group of men locked in jars, frankly i think each represented parts of D that Swiller bottled up in a jar. And I think it was just C venting and getting it out. While CC was clearly present in TLOS1, it is TLOS2 where C started using his voice and he has not stopped through to his most recent book where he is still talking about D and their story.

souly And let’s not forget this chapter in TLOS2. IMO, one of the most interesting ones.

ajw720 Yesterday was a day as many of you know and I completely fucked this up. The book came out after season 4. So even more angsty that what I wrote. While C was writing this his world was kind of falling apart. Things were bad on set. They had separated him and d during filming using the onscreen break up as a device to break them up in real life. PBB was moved to LA and W was suddenly being used to appear like a possible bf. So much of that book was about what was happening especially the jars and the chapter @souly identified. This is when he publicly announced that m was an evil force in their lives.

And again he’s still using his books. D is all over ATOM. Still going strong.

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February 8, 2020 (X)

Let’s Talk about the Book Again, Shall We? I was inspired by the excerpt of sequel!

This post is about the character, who I don’t think is M, though in later books, who know (she seems to perhaps have a turn in A T/ale of W/itchraft?), but I think she less desirable traits are absolutely modeled after M. Some of my fav quotes under read more. C I love you, I laughed at loud at some of these lines.

Lucy Goosey or as she pronounces it, “Goo-say” which we would know if we had any “class.” Just reminds me so much of D pronouncing PBB’s last name which is not how it looks:)

C’s introduction of Lucy Goo-say:

“The girl wore a black bowler hat, an oversize black jumpsuit, big black boots, and a bottlecap necklace. She carried a small suitcase made from a taxidermy porcupine, and a canteen made from a beaver skull was draped over her shoulder.

On describing her perception of her talents:

“We are not just a family, we’re the Goose Troupe! You can’t have a band without its star tambourine player.”

And:

“and exceptional talent… don’t forget exception talent.”

And

“And I have thousands of adoring fans.”

Our Lucy hates performing in the Southern Kingdom, due to the restrictions, described as follows, which are admittedly horrible but makes me think of things that would be of concern to our fake Mrs.:

“They’ve got all these rules about what artists are allowed to do. We can’t sing profanity, we can’t play loudly, we can’d dance crudely, everyone has to be clothed- it takes all the fun out of it! I can’t even bang my tambourine on my hip without being fined!”

On describing Ms. Goo-say’s bedroom:

“As she stepped inside, Brystal had to remind herself she was stepping into a thirteen year old girl’s bedroom, because Lucy’s chamber looked like a tavern.” Huh, tavern, Swiller’s favorite type of place.

And my Favorite line perhaps in the entire book as it describes PBB, I mean L/ucy, so well and is a sign in her bedroom (this line wakes me want to kiss C it is so fabulous):

“PLAY HARD, WORK HARDLY.”

And upon meeting a troll, Lucy describes herself as a “celebrity” and declares:

“I’m Lucy Goose, of the world renowned Goose Troupe. I’m sure you have been to one of my shows. Me and my family have performed for trolls and goblins all over the In-Between. We’re kind of a big deal around here.”

The Troll replies:

“oh yes, I remember you. You’re the fat girl who hit the obnoxious box of chimes until I had a splitting headache.”

Remind anyone of a member of an internationally renowned touring band?

#chris speaks through atom #atom spoilers

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Feb 8th, 2020 (X)

flowersintheattic254 @ajw720 thank you for the reminder. The decrisption of the bedroom has me in hysterics and of course her absolute belief she was talented. I remember reading your copy in a day and messaging you over Lucy, so many things reminded me of Swill/er, but the….

“PLAY HARD, WORK HARDLY.”

…was perfection.

ajw720 @flowersintheattic254 I remember that day well. I found myself waiting for your messages so we could discuss more and more. Just did a second, very short post on lies to post shortly.

But I do think we need to adopt

PLAY HARD, WORK HARDLY

as another classic fandom phrase, thanks to our amazing captain, when describing she who loves to swill:)

leka-1998 I couldn’t stop myself.

flowersintheattic254 @leka-1998 I 💕 you 🙂.

notes-from-nowhere This is hilarious. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

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February 9, 2020 (X)

flowersintheattic254 ATOM quote from the Snow Queen/Madame Weatherberry.

“My husband never committed a crime or hurt anyone in his life, but humankind murdered him simply to teach me a lesson”.

I think of this quote often.....

ajw720 I think about it often as well. I have no one single doubt that H/orence is D and MW/SQ is C. C is telling you d never did anything punishable. He simply fell in love with his male co-star. His human right. Love is love. Yet he’s been punished every damn day for it, and it’s only gotten worse.

What they have done to him, in my eyes, is akin to torture. No he hasn’t been murdered but they stolen his spirit and they’ve denied him the ability to speak his truth and to love freely. And they’ve jeopardized his well being. And c has had to watch this happen to the person he loves the most and to support him and love him and continue to give him the strength to get out of bed every day. Why @flowersintheattic254 and I almost simultaneously called c fiercely loyal.

Now add C’s recent quote:

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February 9, 2020 (X)

Let’s Talk about lies, shall we? As C views them in ATOM

Again under read more thought it is has been 5 months, so I hope you all have read this book by now.

Brystal is confronted with the fact that Madame Weatherberry had lied that individuals are born as either a witch or fairy when she discovers that in fact individuals with magic are able to CHOOSE whether to be a witch of a fairy and she founds herself conflicted as she realizes her teacher lied:

“Having magical abilities isn’t a choice, but no one in the magical community is born a fairy or a witch. We all get to be whatever we want, whenever we want. Personally, I have never identified as one or the other, that’s why I call myself a sorceress.”

After Brystal sees that one can in fact practice both magic and witchcraft, she is told she should ask the Tree of Truth for the answer as to why her teacher lied. But only, as the Sorceress warns, if she can “handle the truth, most people can’t.”

Wow, C is telling us exactly what we know, most people can’t handle the truth and therefore refuse to accept it. Sound familiar?

So Brystal seeks out the Tree of Truth and asks why Madame Weatherberry lied: The tree replies:

“The same reason everyone lies…to hide the truth.” The Tree goes on to say, what I think might truly be the most important line in the book:

“noble people lie for noble reasons.”

He is telling us, he is daring everyone of his readers that is a fan to read and assess and to ask: what lesson is he trying to teach us, his more adult audience? He is telling us that D, as well as he himself who lies to support D, lie for worthy reasons. We may never know those reasons, but they are good.Or at least necessary. We will never know the threats they endure daily, but I am confident they are lying because they feel is is the only path they could chose.

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October 9, 2020 and February 9, 2020 (X)

Let’s Talk about the Book shall We?

I am going to put this under read more to be kind to those that don’t want to read the post before the book. And reminder, if you reblog, please tag with “ATOM Spoilers” and “Chris speaks through ATOM” so make sure we are respectful of those who are not able to read it yet. I am starting with some smaller things to give people some time.

Also, please don’t rely on me to tell you everything about the book, I have talked to several and we all see things slightly differently about certain aspects but all agree, a powerful message is being sent by C. Please, please read it. And please send my your thoughts. I am going to spread the posts, try to do 1 a day if I can, so it might take a few days, but the more ideas, the more discussion. I am hardly the authority here, just one person with some thoughts.

Partial Ask: The tales of t/idbit t/witch in chapter three reminds me of D’s fight and that even though it may look bleak at times he will defeat the dragon and win. But that’s a pretty clear one. (Anon you know I am saving the rest of later as that is clearly the most relevant discussion but the biggest spoiler)

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Anon I could not agree more, absolutely Tid/bit fighting something bigger and who is perceived to be stronger is no question a parallel for D and his fight with TPTB, regardless of who you currently think the oppressors are as so many people have harmed him through the years.

In Chapter One, B/rystal is caught reading the Tales of Ti/dbit T/witch. For those that have read the book, you know, women are banned from reading books, as they are made for “male eyes only” as woman’s “mind’s are too delicate to be educated” at this time in the narrative in the Southern Kingdom (prejudice and oppression). Her mother takes the book away from her right before the end and says “The world is dark, Br/ystal, you are a fool if you let anyone tell you otherwise.” Her mom the proceeds to take all of the books that B/rystal has hidden in her room.

B/rystal however finds a brilliant and creative way to not just finish T/idbit T/witch, but also to read many, many books, including those that are banned (another discussion we can have).

When the book had been taken from her, B/rystal only had 7 pages left to read and was unsure of T/idbit’s fate after his fall caused by running from the Dragon.

How many times do you think D has felt like he was being all consumed by people from all sides trying to force him into living this current nightmare? That he was helpless and that he could not possibly win? He has been oppressed by F/ox, RM (whether you think he might be helpful now or not), SS (K/en S/unshine to me is still one of the major evil forces), Jumping Jackass, PBB, PBB’s family, and to a lesser extend “friends” and acquaintances surrounding him that have willfully chosen to enable the situation to an extreme. That is the parallel of T/dibit running from the dragon and then fearing the boulders ahead of him. The danger is surrounding him and it seems inescapable.

And yet a miracle happens, T/dibut falls through the crack to safety and the dragon is killed in his pursuit. And the Kingdom of Mice is saved as “the world welcomed a new era of much-needed peace, and it was all thanks to a tiny mouse that braved a big monster.”

Wow, if that is not a huge statement about C’s faith in D. When C wrote this book, he knew what was happening, he knew D was encaged and I would guess he was well aware at this point the sham mockery would occur. Yet he still believes D is going to win (talk about having faith in someone) and to me, the part about bringing peace to the kingdom is stating that C still believes that he and D can absolutely make a difference in this world when they are finally able to stop running and find peace. D and C’s power may seem minimal, but there will be a time that will effectuate change in this world.

#Crisscolfer #crisscolfer lol #cc #darren criss #Chris colfer #Chris speaks though ATOM #Book club analysis

9 notes · View notes

yourfandomfriend · 5 years

Text

Symbolism and Simplification | Good Omens Meta

Aha, I’ve found something to meta about! It’s actually the only ambiguous thing about the whole series: what do you think Crowley and Aziraphale represent?

** SPOILERS** FOR GOOD OMENS ** SPOILERS **

There’s a lot of argument surrounding GO in regard to the sexuality of the main characters. On the one hand, they’re angels, they don’t breed, they don’t have human brain chemistry, they even really have gender in the sense we’re used to, they obviously lack the baggage of humans and their sexualities. But on the other hand, they’re fictional characters invented within a society, baggage is baked into everything whether we mean for it to be or not.

So what are they already? Are they gay/bi/etc? Are they without human definition? Ace? Queerbaiting? Better left to interpretation? Well. I think all these questions ignore something painfully fundamental that we zero out when we adjust to consuming the hundreds of stories available to modern flixxers:

They are fictions.

I don’t mean that as a brush-off; I think the questions are valid and being fictitious doesn’t let anyone off the hook for political statements. What I mean is, fictional characters aren’t people but are symbolic of people. Of large ideas and thorny emotions, how we see ourselves grappling with them, with all the noise of reality, the static and blur and contradiction, left out.

That’s important because nothing in fantasy is ever truly a 1:1 reflection of reality. That would be horribly dull and not at all as sharp and vivid as fiction. We don’t have time for squinting at Monets. The world is ending...

Making the Big, Feel Small

The TV Apocalypse! Hot take: who gives a rats ass about that? A fake world ending and people who never lived are going to die? No consequences for us, so no real stakes! Why should any of us care?

Well, what if the world ending in a TV show took something away that could hurt us in the real world? Reach through the screen and snap us where it counts? But that would mean the show would have to be the one to give us something we wanted in the first place. Needed, even. Something rare and precious, something it could hold over our heads in case we stopped investing our emotions in the make-believe end of days.

I think you get where I’m going with this. The fabric of reality is threatening to be torn apart over some ridiculous war between initial caps Good and Evil, and if they get their way, it’s not just the end of the world. It’s the end of Crowley & Aziraphale’s arrangement/fraternizing/love story.

And just like that, we feel it tug at our heartstrings. It really could end, oh no!

We like them so we get why they might like each other. But to make us really care, we have to go through it with them and have them go through it with us. It’s not enough for us to want them to be together, they have to want them to be together, too. So the miniseries decides to illustrate anecdotes that the book is content to describe so you’ll know where you were when these chumps fell in love with each other.

As far as romantic moments that leave shippers squeeing, most shows have a few every season at the very best, but Gaimen and co. aren’t forking around. They only had eight episodes, why not go the “Oops! All Berries” route? Every scene they’re in has at least a look or a line that sews precarious, blossoming Love Sweet Love into the seems of this show like a sadistic tailor.

We don’t just want them to be safe in the end. We don’t just want them to be happy. They have to be together.

Making the Small Feel Big

So love stories... Some of us adore them but some of us just don't have the patience for them, or we’ve been conditioned to think they’re too flowery. Just people creating drama for themselves that could easily be avoided. What to do then? How does one make a romance slap?

Why not make it the literal end of the world? Why not rain fish from the sky and summon C’thulu and set shit on fire? Not only is it great drama but it makes for great symbolism and helps out those of us who can’t sit still for a love story.

Why not make saps of your hard-edged audience? Some of us need it.

Making the Ineffable, Eff

“So the HMS Ineff Yourself is the ship to end all ships,” I hear you say. “So what? You didn’t answer the question to our satisfaction! What are they really? Friends, lovers? I want a box to put them in or I’ll explode! This isn’t hyperbole and I’m not a straw man, I’m a real person trapped in a blog post!”

Well, I can address some of that, relax. Answering the big question requires a buttload of empathy. Not only are Crowley and Aziraphale not human, but they don’t have the culture of humans. Their big taboo isn’t about gender -- in a world where the establishment is casually nonbinary, it’s hard to use these guys as a super-literal reflexion of the real world. The hats have little fingers, the plants are terrified, it’s all a stretch.

But the idea of two characters in love being torn apart by a false dichotomy that dictates everything about their expression and forces them into narrow little boxes of performance, that if expectations aren’t met could result in their violent deaths, is, among other things, deeply applicable.

It doesn’t just look like this to a biased audience, it was written that way. In order to wrap your brain around something as alien as angels and demons, something you can’t actually know, you have to draw from what you can know. They love each other, but it’s all a little beyond their understanding. But they’re immortal, they have time to figure it out.

That answer may lack the definition some of us want, but what doesn’t?

Better Angels

One part of the story I’ve seen even very smart people stumble over is something I see smart people stumble over constantly in their analysis of great fiction. They just can’t abide a gray area.

Maybe in real life, it makes sense for things to not be all black and white, but they expect things that are a little removed from them, things they might not be paying a lot of attention to (like my blog posts) to be very clear about which side they come down on. They’re like Gabriel that way.

We know most people are blind, biased fools, but we all want to believe we’re not. We don’t have scales on our eyes, we know what’s up and see the world clearly, we want what is Right, not just what is simple and convenient.

But if most people are fools...?

The Heaven part of the story makes no sense to people who see the world in black and white terms because, you know, it’s one thing to portray Hell as bad, but Heaven? Heaven is Righteous, how can Righteousness be bad?

Sure, Crowley’s okay, but that must be because he’s good deep down and always has been, there’s no other reason he’d care about humans. And we like him, and we’re good, so he must be good. (That’s the transitive property of fandom.) It can’t be that we mistake things we like for things that are right and all that’s beneficial to humanity with good-. Ow! Oo, sorry, I think I sprained my sarcasm. (I shouldn’t overtax it like that!)

Along with not seeing the gray in Crowley, most will ignore it in Aziraphale, too, at least on first viewing. After all, he’s just so kind, and willing to rebel against Heaven and everything he believes in and even put himself in danger of smiting to stop a terrible thing from happening. But most of all, he cares about humans and Crowley. He loves. What’s so bad about that?

Well, you can love people and still be decadent, dishonest, willfully ignorant of inconvenient facts, manipulative, self-involved, gullible, silly, (although it hurts me to list that as a flaw) procrastinating, spoiled, and a push-over.

Actually, looking at a list of some of Azirphale’s flaws makes it clear that most of them come down to him being weak-willed. He wants to be good but as an unsupervised god among men for 6000 years, someone who can magic even small things to go his way, he lacks the willpower to stick to anything once he’s (even gently) been tempted away from it.

And that which seems to be the heart of all his failings, the thing that pissed off Heaven the most about him, also seems to be the thing Crowley finds most compelling about him. It’s the part of Az that wants things for himself, that needs other people, and will break the rules if he thinks they’re unreasonable. That would never, say, damn someone to Hell for asking questions. The part of him that can absolutely love someone who was damned.

Aziraphale spends most of the story being pulled back and forth between powerful personalities, between Gabriel and Crowley, only to ultimately choose and fight for the thing he himself wants most, rather than what other people tell him to do or even the thing he knows is right. Which is good, since his concepts of right and wrong were handed to him by ridiculous bureaucrats.

At least in the series, Aziraphale and Crowley are perfectly symbolic of humanity’s struggle with doing the right thing in interesting times. They aren’t exactly bad people needing to become good, but a lot of little mistakes on their part added up to a big disaster and they both needed to find the strength and the courage to swim against a very wicked current.

In my opinion, the show is about failing and making amends. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to do the right thing or the wrong thing, we all fuck up more than occasionally, but we have to get on with it and do our best.

Because there are no better angels. It’s just us.

...What, you want a clearer, simpler answer than that? Fine. The real message of Good Omens is don’t pollute.

#good omens #meta #spoilers #long post

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sunyoonandstars · 6 years

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BLACK AS INK 🖤 || BTS Mafia! AU Series || Part 1 - PROLOGUE: nodus tollens

nodus tollens n. the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore

At this point, Yoongi isn’t sure for how long he’ll be able to hold on. Minutes? An hour? Half an hour maybe? Hopefully?

The red fluid drenching the fabric of his denim jacket glistens unreally in the cold light of a melancholic kissing scene as he feels his heartbeat slow down gradually.

Damn, he thinks, a low chuckle escaping his dry throat. You would find beauty even in this madness, he is sure. If you just were by his side right now, all of this would be bearable.

Families

Onyx Snake Clan 🖤 | Blue Reapers 💙

Pairings

You 🖤 x Taehyung 💙 polyamorous relationship

You 🖤 x Yoongi 🖤 polyamorous relationship

You 🖤 x Hoseok 🖤 one-sided

Jimin 🖤 x Jungkook 💙

➜ BLACK AS INK Masterlist with further information on characters & relations, prompts/quotes, and related moodboards

ANGST

Rating: M Warnings: Mentions of blood, death, and (gun) violence

Word Count 1.446

Synopsis

People can’t choose what kind of life they are born into. What kind of family. Neither could you.

You had always known of your father’s ties to the Mafia. In fact, he was the leader of one of the most powerful families this city had ever seen. They call themselves the Onyx Snake Clan and are known for their sharp minds and calculating mercilessness when it comes to doing business. They aren’t the most powerful clan roaming the streets of Seoul for no reason, after all.

Their only rivals are the Blue Reapers, a clan run by a family of ruthless killers who stop at nothing to get what they want.

You, however, had led an insignificant, peaceful existence, living your days in a world of banality, far away from any kind of trouble, not wanting to have anything to do with your family’s business. At your own father’s discretion, for the sake of your health and sanity, you had remained hidden in the shadows, always on the move, forced into solitude. A ghost. Untouchable.

All of that changes, though, when an unfortunate incident shakes both families to their very foundations and endangers the status quo that had kept the streets from being bathed in blood up until now.

Suddenly, you come into play, being thrown right into the middle of it all, required to play a role you aren’t quite willing to take on.

And then, of course, to further complicate matters, there’s the mysterious Yoongi to whom you lost your heart at first sight but who hasn’t been entirely honest with you …

BLACK AS INK || Prologue: Nodus Tollens

Nodus Tollens n. the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore

Present Day ...

Seconds appear to stretch into centuries in the loneliness of the dark movie theatre.

She will come.

She will most definitely come.

She must come.

Those are the thoughts haunting Min Yoongi’s feverish mind as the images flash by on the silver screen before him, tinting the foreign faces surrounding him an otherworldly blue.

How clueless they all are. Laughing, crying with the fictitious characters of a story that has been told a hundred times before while in their midsts a man’s very life is coming to its end.

How much time do I have left? Hours? Minutes?, Yoongi wonders as his gaze wanders down towards his pale hand pressing down on the wound, his lifeblood seeping through his fingers unchecked and ceaselessly. How much more of it does he have left in him? Barely enough to keep him still breathing, he would say.

What a joke, Yoongi can't help but scoff. All of this is futile. In the end, he will die nonetheless. Not in eighty years, not in ten, not next week, not even tomorrow, but today. Today is the day he is going to die, and there is no use in trying to prevent the inevitable.

So, with a sigh of resignation, Yoongi watches as his bloodless hand drops into his lap, the last bit of strength having left his tired limb.

All of this seems so intangible. Like a strange nightmare. It can’t be real. It simply can’t. Your story has only just begun. Why is it ending already?

Yes. This must be a dream. And you will kiss him awake any second now, looking at him with the sweetest smile. Your smile. He is going to miss it once he’s dead. Do the dead feel sorrow?

It pains Yoongi to know that he is bound to die with the regret of not having seen you once more. Part of him so desperately wishes for all of this to be nothing but a strange dream, for the morning to come, but it just won’t appear. The darkness remains. And it seems to only get darker by the second.

Blood. So much blood. Too much. Too much lost. No time left.

At this point, Yoongi isn’t sure for how long he’ll be able to hold on. Minutes? An hour? Half an hour? Maybe? Hopefully?

The red fluid drenching the fabric of his dark shirt and denim jacket glistens unreally in the cold light of a melancholic kissing scene as he feels his heartbeat slow down gradually, inevitably.

Damn, Yoongi thinks to himself, a low chuckle escaping his dry throat. You would find beauty even in this mess, he is sure. If you were just here, by his side right now, all of this would be bearable.

With a stifled groan, Yoongi lets out yet another shaky breath, accompanied by a surge of searing pain that almost renders him unconscious and is quickly numbed by the coldness slowly but surely taking over his shivering form.

Hurry, y/n.

Hurry.

You barely manage to stand up straight when you step out of the taxi cab.

“Miss. Miss, you owe me —“

“Here you go. Have a nice life.“ Without looking him in the eye, not even trying to muster a smile, you hand the driver a fifty thousand Won bill.

“That — That’s too much.“

“Keep it. I don’t need it.“

You don’t look back as you head for the cinema, forcing your step to quicken even though every single breath you take already means pure agony.

Jimin must have missed any vital organs, you figure. But he definitely hit something. Because the bleeding just won’t stop.

Teeth clenched, you finally come to a halt in the movie theatre’s foyer, quickly shooting a glance over your shoulder, eyeing the trail of blood you left behind. Streaks of red blemishing the white marble floor, betraying your whereabouts to your eager pursuers. But they don’t matter now. By the time they will find you — if they should find you — you will probably long have bled out. Your only concern now is getting to him before it’s too late.

Yoongi.

He must surely be waiting for you. All alone. Dying.

You’re lucky it’s a Friday night, so the theatre is overrun by lovey-dovey couples and over-excited teenagers who are probably here to catch a showing of the latest Marvel movie. Not a single soul even as much as spares you a glance, so hopefully no one is going to notice that you are bleeding to death in their very midst. You are nothing but a footnote to them, a fleeting silhouette in the corner of their eye. The blood soaking your black bomber jacket and drenching the sturdy fabric of your dark grey jeans goes completely unnoticed. It’s almost as if you are invisible.

Good, you think. Good. The last thing you could use right now is a panic.

“One ticket to ‚Purple Rain‘, please.“

You try your best to keep your voice steady and even fake a smile, holding your breath while the cashier eyes you intently.

“Sure,” the young man eventually smiles. “You’re lucky. It’s almost sold out because of the festival. But there are a few seats in the —“

“Thank you. Please, just give me any ticket. I don’t care. Just a ticket, please.“

“All right,” he raises a brow, his eyes remaining fixed on you whereas his fingers routinely fly across the touchscreen of the computer before him, his smile, however, fading.

“Here you go. That’s —“

You hand him a bill without even looking.

“Here. That should cut it. Keep the change.“

As soon as he notices the number written on the banknote, his handsome face lights up again, eyes gleaming.

“Wow. That’s — Thank you. Thank you so much, Miss.“

Well, at least your last act was one of kindness. Or at least that’s how it will be remembered by this young stranger who has his whole life still ahead of him. A realization that’s only of little comfort to you, but comforting still. Nonetheless, you can’t bring yourself to smile at him one last time before you turn to leave for the designated cinema hall.

Fortunately, you manage to get in without attracting further attention. The movie is already in full play and the darkness and flickering lights don’t make it any easier to spot Yoongi’s features in this sea of poorly lit faces. When you eventually do, though, you can feel your heart drop to the floor.

He looks alarmingly pale, is merely a shadow of his former self. There is no fire left in those dark, now dull orbs of his that stare blankly at the screen from underneath heavy eyelids.

How?, you keep asking yourself as you slowly make your way to his seat, barely even managing to summon the energy that is required to set one foot in front of the other.

How could you let things come this far?

“What — What do you mean y/n is — No. No! She can’t be! She can’t be dead.“

“Dying,” Jungkook corrects him.

A soundless gasp leaving Taehyung’s parted lips, he falls to his knees, limp, lifeless, like a puppet whose strings have been cut, his friend’s words having drained all energy from his tired body.

“Impossible.“ His cracking voice isn’t much more than a breathed whisper by now. “Kook. Tell me it isn’t true. It can’t be true. It can’t be. She can’t be —“

Cautious, Jungkook takes a step in the other one’s direction, hesitantly extending his hand towards Taehyung’s hanging head, freezing in mid-motion, though, his fingertips being left to hover above the older one’s soft golden hair. Jungkook is unsure of what to say and how to act, overwhelmed by his friend’s helpless agony and the guilt shredding his heart to pieces with every breath he takes.

“Hyung. I’m — I’m sorry, but — Jimin. It was all a misunderstanding. Her people are looking for them right now, but she lost so much blood —“

“Them?“

Instantly Taehyung’s head shoots up, his piercing gaze meeting Jungkook’s.

“Yes. She’s with him, I’m afraid. He — I — Yoongi was shot. I shot him. It was an accident. I did it on your father’s orders. I didn’t have a choice, Tae. I tried to miss vital organs, I really did, but he fought back and — I’m afraid I hit his liver. He was bleeding heavily. It looked serious.“

“Where are they?“ Taehyung forces the words out through gritted teeth, his voice dangerously calm, each syllable stressed.

Instinctively, Jungkook backs away from his friend and superior at the sight of the searing rage blazing behind his pitch-black orbs now.

“What did you do, Jungkook?“

END OF PROLOGUE || TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it so far. 😌 More is soon to come.

If you have Spotify, you can listen to the official BLACK AS INK Playlist here. Enjoy. Song recommendations are always welcome.

Here you can find my Masterlist in case you feel like checking out more of my BTS fiction.

Take care and have a great day! ☺️💖

NONE of the GIFs used are mine. Credit goes to the initial creators. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.

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sirtravisjacksonoftexas · 4 years

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Do (Supposed) parallels between the Gospels and Pagan myth prove that Jesus was based on pagan gods? Um, NO, and both the Titanic and Edgar Allan Poe will show you why:

Jesus Mythicists try to find any and every parallel between Christ and pagan gods in order to prove that Jesus was based on pagan myth, and thus never existed. By doing so, they are trying to sustain an idea that has been around for 300 years, one that has never become the academic consensus. Indeed, despite their best efforts, Jesus Christ is still recognized as a historical figure by a consensus among historians.

Why haven’t Jesus Mythicists changed that consensus?

Because they get history, religion, mythology and logic wrong.

In other words, their theories are on par with the stuff you flush down the toilet.

Jesus Mythcists’ appeal to Parallelomania is faulty at best. For one, most of these so-called parallels are not really parallels at all (as Numerous people, including myself, have noted elsewhere). Two, just because a historical figure or event has interesting parallels with mythology or a work of fiction doesn’t mean that the historical figure or event is not historical. Indeed, there are many strange parallels between history and non-history.

Hence, why you see in most, if not all novels the following disclaimer:

“All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”

This is the “All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer”, which is designed to protect writers and movie makers from libel suits, should any person think that they are being portrayed horribly in a movie or film. This could potentially be bound to happen due to the phenomena of coincidence.

And coincidence is key.

Case in point: The Novella “Futility/Wreck of the Titan” by Morgan Robertson:

This book is about a cruise ship called the Titan (similar name to the Titanic, a real-life cruise ship…). It was similar in size to the Titanic (The Titan was 800 feet, while the Titanic was 882 feet long), had a similar number of passengers (2500 and 2200 respectively), andhad an identical passenger capacity of 3000. It was put to sea in the Atlantic like the Titanic, and like the Titanic was called “Unsinkable”. Both were British owned, both hit an iceberg 400 miles from Newfoundland around midnight while traveling at similar speeds (The Titan hitit at 25 knots, the Titanic at 22.5 knots), both had too few lifeboats for the passengers, both sank, both involved the loss of many lives. Both disasters occurred in mid April.

“Futility/Wreck of the Titan” was written 14 years before the Titanic was put to sea, even years before construction of the Titanic began in 1909 (the book was published in 1898).

Morgan Robertson was thought a clairvoyant when the Titanic disaster occurred, but he stated that the similarities between his book and the tragedy were due to his research of maritime trends and his shipbuilding knowledge. However, the similarities are so impressive that one has to conclude that eerie coincidence also played its part.

Want to hear another one?

Edgar Allan Poe wrote many short stories, but only 1 novel, called “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket”. This book tells the tale of a ship called the Grampus that capsizes at sea. The survivors find themselves with no food or fresh water. They do manage to catch a tortoise (which was already on board the ship) and eat it, but eventually the meat runs out and the crew faces the prospect of starvation again. Things take a turn for the horrific when the crew draws straws, to see who will be eaten. One of them, Richard Parker, gets the unlucky straw, becoming a Hannibal Lecter special.

Before we continue, keep in mind that this book was published in 1838. In 1884 (46 years later), a yacht called the Mignonette sank in a storm. The survivors made it to a lifeboat, and did catch and eat a turtle. They did consider drawing straws, to see who would be killed and eaten, but then…they decided not to. After all, one of their number, a man named RICHARD PARKER, had fallen overboard and drank seawater. This, of course, can be deadly, and Parker’s health was failing afterwards, so…why not eat him? The other agreed. He became their out-to-sea Happy Meal.

Oh, and by the way: both Richard Parkers were…cabin boys.

Ah, the power of…coincidence.

Indeed, I haven’t even mentioned the 30-something similarities between Alexander the Great and Achilles (which will be in the sources section below). Nor that Abraham Lincoln actually fits the “tragic Hero” literary archetype, just like Hamlet and Oedipus.

No historian seriously uses such similarities to show that Alexander the Great or Abraham Lincoln didn’t exist, or that the sinking of the Titanic and the Mignonette never happened.

But Jesus mythicists want us to make an exception for Jesus Christ?

This is a double standard.

It speaks volumes about the REAL reason they want to disprove Christ’s historicity. It has nothing to do with the facts.

It has everything to do with the heart.

Sources:

http://www.self.gutenberg.org/articles/all_persons_fictitious_disclaimer

https://allthatsinteresting.com/the-wreck-of-the-titan

https://www.cracked.com/article_18421_6-insane-coincidences-you-wont-believe-actually-happened.html

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30093/edgar-allan-poes-eerie-richard-parker-coincidence

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1172309229585125376.html?refreshed=yes

https://prezi.com/h4htni6f7bxm/abraham-lincolntragic-hero/

https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Oedipus-vs-Hamlet-as-Tragic-Heroes-252522

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theeddiewarnerstory · 4 years

Text

IndieView with Larry Baum, author of Bo, Go Up!

I didn’t want to write another story that parents read to children, because there are already hundreds of thousands of wonderful books like that. I wanted to write something that could help children read at a younger age, or with less struggle.

Larry Baum – 27 December 2019

The Back Flap

The first step in learning to read is a big one: from single letters to whole words. That’s a lot to ask of young children. To make the transition to reading as simple and easy as possible, why not use the shortest words possible, at least in the very first books that children read? How short can words be and still make a story? Three letters? Two letters? “Bo, Go Up!” uses words no longer than two letters to tell a very simple story, with characters, action, and humor, to help young children cross the threshold into the world of reading.

About the book

What is the book about?

It starts with children playing with a ball and ends with a much larger ball, because one kid’s mom runs a hot air balloon company and gives them a ride. The aim of the book is to teach reading more easily by using only very short words, no longer than two letters, which children can learn quickly. Reading this book by themselves will give kids confidence in their reading ability and encourage them to read other books.

When did you start writing the book?

June 2016

How long did it take you to write it?

Revising the text took a bit of time spread over several months. The pictures took far more work, and Joanna Pasek, the illustrator, finished in May 2019.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’ll use this answer to give a longer version of the story behind the book. The idea came in 2009, when I was teaching my own children to read. Thinking that long words would trip up my kids, I looked for books with only short words. But I had trouble finding books like that. Could I write one myself? If I limited word length to 3 letters, could I write a story? Sure. What about 2 letters? That would be a challenge. There are so few 2-letter words to work with. But I juggled them until I came up with a story, with characters, action, and even humor.

The story gathered dust on my computer for several years until I decided to start ticking items off my bucket list, starting from the easiest ones. A children’s book using only very short words should be easy, right? I thought so, but it took several more years to reach publication! First, I found Joanna Pasek, who beautifully illustrates children’s books in a semi-realistic style I liked (http://akwarelki.net/), so we set to work, eventually producing our book, WE GO TO BO: https://www.wegotobo.com/.

“Wait,” you say, “that’s a different book!” You’re right. What happened was that teachers who saw WE GO TO BO told me it would be even easier for children to read if I used only the simplest sounds, and consistently used one sound for each letter. That started me wondering whether I should write another 2-letter word book following that advice. Meanwhile, at a public reading of WE GO TO BO, I asked the children if someone could write a book with only 3-letter words, and they said yes. 2-letter words? Again yes. And then one smart aleck said “1-letter!” My first impulse was to ignore him, but then I thought, “Why not 1-letter?” If I use the letter “C” to mean “S-E-E” and the letter “U” for “Y-O-U”, maybe. And if I write both a 1-letter word book and a new 2-letter book, maybe I can add a 3-letter book for a 1-2-3 series. Joanna and I finished the 3 books: Y, BO, GO UP!, and Cat Egg. They comprise “The Bo Books” series: https://www.bobooks.org/. You can get the e-books for free and the paperback books at about my cost.

The 1-letter word book is about a curious kid, asking her dad “why?” about things in the park. Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? He doesn’t know, but she opens his eyes to the world. With only 1-letter “words”, Joanna’s illustrations do the heavy lifting of telling this story. The 2-letter word book is BO, GO UP! Using all capital letters avoids confusing children about when to use upper case or lower case. In the 3-letter word book, one kid has a cat, and when her friends play with it, they think it’s laid an egg.

Once children can read the alphabet, they can read the 1-letter word book, Y. That accomplishment gives them pride in reading a whole book, and gives them confidence to continue reading. Then they can read the 2-letter word book, BO, GO UP!. I used very simple vocabulary: less than half the alphabet, and only 11 different words. That makes it easy for kids to feel good that they can read a real book. Next, the 3-letter word book, Cat Egg, teaches 39 words, including 17 of the 100 most common words.

Millions of people worldwide take a long time to learn reading, or never learn. I hope these books help remove obstacles to reading.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

No. It’s such a short book that the whole story came to me at once. It took much more time and effort to do everything else: study how to produce a children’s book, look for publishers, investigate how to self-publish, compare illustrators, discuss and produce the illustrations, assemble the book, upload and adjust the e-book and print-on-demand versions, and publicize the book. It wasn’t very difficult; it just took a long time to figure out everything because it was the first time I did it.

What came easily?

Once I assembled the extremely limited palette of suitable words, actually writing the story was fairly easy.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They’re fictitious.

Do you have a target reader?

Children who are ready to learn how to read. Other targets could be adults who hadn’t learned how to read and children with reading difficulties.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I listed all the common two-letter words that are easy to pronounce, sorted them into parts of speech, and considered some of the few possible combinations to build sentences and construct a story. There was only one verb, go, so the combinations were very limited!

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

No. The story was too short to need an outline.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I did both.

Did you hire a professional editor?

No. I’m in a group of children’s book writers that help each other by critiquing our writing. They were very constructive and supportive.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

No.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes. I tried several agents for my original children’s book, WE GO TO BO. But they all rejected it.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

The rejections of publishers and agents led me to self-publish.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Professionally. Joanna Pasek, who illustrated the interior of the book, also designed and painted the cover.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I made a spreadsheet listing a variety of places to publicize the book. I had conducted a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, more to publicize the Bo Books than to fund them. Although that campaign gained generous support from several friends, family members, and strangers, it didn’t reach my goal. But it did start to spread the word about the books. I’m now writing to many bloggers to ask if they’d like to review my books.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Talk with other indie authors to get their advice. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and their local critique group of authors, who gave very helpful suggestions, as well as companionship in the lonely work of writing and publishing. Don’t pay to print a batch of your first book; instead, use a print-on-demand service so that if you don’t sell many copies, you won’t lose money on the printing.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Los Angeles.

Where do you live now?

Hong Kong.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I like to do things that are different, to try to make a big difference. Almost always I fail, but it’s worth an attempt. With children’s books, I didn’t want to write another story that parents read to children, because there are already hundreds of thousands of wonderful books like that. I wanted to write something that could help children read at a younger age, or with less struggle.

What are you working on now?

Publicizing the Bo Books

End of Interview:

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Get your copy of Bo, Go Up! as a free ebook from Smashwords or as paper books from either Amazon US or Amazon UK.

source http://www.theindieview.com/2019/12/27/indieview-with-larry-baum-author-of-bo-go-up/

The post IndieView with Larry Baum, author of Bo, Go Up! appeared first on The Eddie Warner Story.

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funnythingshere0-blog · 6 years

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The 'Honest Couple' Instagram account is brutally hilarious

New Post has been published on http://funnythingshere.xyz/the-honest-couple-instagram-account-is-brutally-hilarious/

The 'Honest Couple' Instagram account is brutally hilarious

Every couple, no matter how great they may seem from the outside, has issues they have to deal with in their relationship. People argue, they forget anniversaries, they keep secrets from each other. It doesn’t mean they aren’t in love; it just means they are human, and therefore not perfect.

Of course, you’d never figure that out by scrolling through Instagram, where it appears every couple is sickeningly happy and always on a beach. But one account on the platform is injecting a few dark clouds into the bright blue sky that is couple Instagram pictures. It’s called “Honest Couple,” and, despite being around less than a year, it’s already racked up nearly 37,000 followers, who can’t enough of the account’s dark humor.

Some of the posts are short and (not so) sweet.

While others are more elaborate, or even full-blown stories.

View this post on Instagram

Jake and I just wanted to elope. But when our families heard about our plan, they flipped out! They said they’d pay for the wedding, and to trust that we’d thank them later. We didn’t want to break their hearts, so we said “fine,” and then, of course, they put us through pure hell for a whole year planning the damn thing. They argued endlessly over EVERYTHING, even where we were going to take OUR honeymoon. They stressed us out so much that we almost broke up! But then we remembered how much we loved each other and that once the wedding was over we would be married (holy shit!) and that’s all we really cared about anyway. Then the big day finally came and…it was a total mess. The make-up lady was ten minutes late because she had gotten a DUI and Mommy started strangling her! Knowing Mommy, she was just intending to scare the poor lady, but then Mommy took it too far and ended up choking her to death, so I had to do my make-up all by myself! Then Daddy found out that Jake’s daddy went behind his back and hired a DJ instead of the Motown cover band they’d agreed on, so Daddy took out a switchblade and cut off Jake’s daddy’s left ear. Then Daddy swallowed it in one gulp so Jake’s daddy couldn’t get it back. Ugh. Daddy! It was at that point that Jake and I screamed at our parents and reminded them that it was OUR big day, and we were done with them making it all about themselves! That immediately snapped our parents out of their nonsense. They really took our words to heart and our daddies even ended up making out on the dance floor while the DJ played the hits on her iPod mini. And as our mommies disposed of the make-up lady’s corpse, they actually made plans to get together and play Bridge! Everyone danced the night away until two in the morning and afterwards me and my husband (!!!) lost our virginities to each other in a conference room at the Hilton Garden Inn that our parents booked for us with a coupon from Groupon. Turns out neither Jake nor I knew where the penis was, but that’s ok, we have the rest of our lives to figure that stuff out. In the end, it was a wonderful wedding and our parents were right, eloping would have been a big mistake.

A post shared by Honest Couple (@honestcouple) on Sep 11, 2018 at 10:33am PDT

View this post on Instagram

The sleeping pills I slipped into his morning coffee will take hold of him in exactly five minutes. One minute after that, I will push his body into the deepest part of the lake and I will watch him sink to the bottom, to stay forever, or at least until there’s a major forest fire nearby and an aerial firefighting plane collects his body when it scoops up the lake water. It will take exactly ten minutes to kayak back to the lodge we are staying in, nineteen minutes to pack up all of our clothing and evidence and my accessories, wipe the lodge down for fingerprints, lock up, and get in our 2016 Subaru Impreza, which I have already outfitted with fake out-of-state plates I bought online on the dark web. It will take exactly two hours and twelve minutes to get to the airport. I will desert our 2016 Subaru Impreza in the airport parking lot and throw away the keys, along with all of our clothing and evidence and my accessories into a trash can at the airport. I will check in for my flight with my fake passport I bought online on the dark web, dye my hair blonde in the bathroom, and fly off to Canada, land of the free. Then I will rent a different 2016 Subaru Impreza at the airport in Canada, because it’s such a dream to drive, and head into the mountains, reborn as Candy Johnson, my new identity. It’s going to be the perfect honeymoon.

A post shared by Honest Couple (@honestcouple) on Sep 6, 2018 at 8:00am PDT

Most of the pictures come from user submissions, but occasionally the account delves into the world of celebrity couples, of both the real and fictional variety.

(Sorry you didn’t really just see that. Move along and pretend it never happened.)

“People are full of shit, especially online,” the account’s author (who wishes to remain anonymous for now) told the Daily Dot via email. “It’s a projection of what people want others to think their life is like, but it’s obviously false. And to some degree, harmful. Why can’t people just be honest? The dishonesty makes so many people feel inferior that their lives don’t measure up to this false sense of happiness that is impossible to achieve. Also, I’m tired of people posting how much they love their significant others and then breaking up a week later.”

As we mentioned, the majority of pictures come from user submissions, and the account’s author isn’t trying to roast anyone who isn’t asking for it. Anyone can submit a photo, but the account asks that you have the permission of everyone in the picture first.

“One time a woman sent a photo of her and her boyfriend, and we posted it,” the author told us, “and he had no idea she had sent it in, so he reported us and we got a warning from Instagram.”

“I try to be rigorous but can’t always be sure,” the account’s author explained. “There are so many submissions.”

Despite a few unintentionally hurt feelings, the account’s author feels like what they are doing is helpful overall. While the captions themselves might be fictitious, the sentiments behind them are very real. They might not apply to the couples in the pictures, but they definitely ring true for some of the people reading them. Acknowledging those feelings can be really a positive thing, and step towards correcting whatever is wrong. Besides, it’s also very funny.

“Honesty is helpful for everyone because it makes everyone else feel less fucked up that they are going through the same shit,” the author explained. “Relationships are intensely hard and pretending they aren’t is silly. But as long as people pretend, there is humor to be mined. So keep being fake. It’s fun to make fun of!”

David Britton

David Britton is a writer and comedian based in Rhinebeck, New York who focuses on internet culture, memes, and viral news stories. He also writes for the Hard Times and is the creator of StoriesAboutWizards.com.

Source: https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/honest-couple-instagram-account/

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