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(via https://imgur.com/a/6kLlNcZ)

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Anthony Bridgerton invokes the Bridgerton Security Protocol, the one he made them all discuss last Christmas.

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“To fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god.”

fear of god

This is not a love story, but love is in it. That is—love is just outside it, looking for a way to break in.

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I can only live and breathe for this showstopper of a story right now—and the last chapter posts tomorrow.

Miss Edwina Sharma and Prince Friedrich

all the bright places

In the aftermath of the Bridgerton/Sharma scandal, Edwina picks up the pieces and trudges forward. A Diamond of the First Water—but the waters are murky and gray, the polish is old and inept, and while the seasons change, the world remains the same.

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Daniel Garcia (Argentina, 1958)

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There is nothing more precious to me as a writer than the comments left on AO3. Whenever I get that email notification, I wonder what kind of comment was left. To have a little fun, I'm going to sort the typical comments into a few different categories and share my reactions to them as a writer.

If you feel I missed a comment type, please let me know. I'm curious to learn what other classifications you think exist (positive comment types only please - let's not make this negative). Also, if you wanted to tag yourself, I'd love you know what type of commenter you think you are.

The Polite Conversationalist - Your comment confirms that you read and enjoyed the fic or chapter. You offer praise for the author's efforts and encouragement for them to continue. - If this is you, please know that I'm imagining us holding a book club together. I brought us snacks.

The All Caps Reaction - You left the most unhinged comment. - You were screaming as you read it? I was screaming as I wrote it. Let's be friends.

The How Dare You - The angst is real. And painful. And I'm sorry but the story needed it. - This is a compliment of the highest order and I'm so glad you left it.

The Conspiracy Theorist - You are so invested that you are trying to figure out what comes next. - I'm so excited to read your ideas. They let me know the story tracks for you. And I'm either smiling because you guessed right and I'm excited for you to read what comes next, or I'm grinning because I know the plot twist is going to blow your mind.

The Catch-Up - You haven't commented in a while and are letting me know you are catching up. - I'm so glad you are back! I missed you. I know life gets busy and it means a lot to me that you took the time to read my story.

The Giggle - You laughed at my jokes and let me know. - Did we just become best friends? I'm already making you a bracelet.

The Callout - You found my favorite line in the chapter or fic. - I love you so much. You just made my day, my week, my month. Seriously, all the love for the reader. xoxo

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YOU THERE! YES YOU! FIC READER!

I just read a fic from 2013 and left a comment on the end. The author responded within 3 hours.

Please leave comments on fics. It doesn't matter if you don't know what to say I literally made a joke about a space worm. Please comment on fics it'll make the authors day even if its from 9 years ago.

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MOODBOARD. immalleable beings by @kathanibee

“I’m so in love with you, Kate.” Kate. The blood freezes in her veins as Anthony’s face twists into one of complete shock at his own words. She hears Sean yell, cut, and it’s like she’s underwater. This happens all the time on sets, actors mixing up their characters names with their co-stars names, a meaningless mistake. She knows, by the way Anthony drops her hand like it’s on fire, the way he recoils from her, the frenetic look in his eyes, and the way he turns around and walks off set. It isn’t just a mistake. Anthony Bridgerton is in love with her, and it’s the last thing he wants to be.

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Time Is Not a Thing That's Ours to Lose

Lord Anthony Bridgerton had enjoyed the blessings of marriage for fifteen years when everything went very wrong all at once.

After three relatively easy births, three delightful daughters, Lady Edwina Bridgerton was due for the fourth small Bridgerton any day. She was not as young as she'd been, but she was strong and graceful at 33, which is why it was such a shock to everyone in the breakfast room when, navigating her round belly toward the table, holding the fresh crumpets she'd craved throughout her indisposition, she'd let out such a bloodcurdling scream, clutched her abdomen, and fell like a crumpled doll.

Her daughters rushed to her side, but it was the dowager viscountess Violet Bridgerton whose head remained cool enough to call for help. Her voice was steady, but her horror could not be concealed, especially once she saw the spreading pool of blood.

This was very, very bad news indeed. — Six months later: March 1830 "Can you imagine how scandalous it once would have been for us to be alone together like this?" Kate asked one night, as they sat next to each other on the settee in the library, scrupulously not touching, each reading novels Edwina had picked for them. They'd never managed to get to them while she was alive. He looked at her for a long moment, over the spectacles he’d recently acquired to be able to read small type. The candlelight picked up the silver in their hair, his at the temples, hers a dramatic streak that started at her widow's peak and was braided back amongst the rest of her dark curls. "There are some advantages to middle age," he said, suddenly soft. Now complete, and with a happy ending, if you would believe it: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41875311/chapters/105083211

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The very wonderful essayist Helena Fitzgerald (her substack is called Griefbacon) wrote about something I spent 40k words trying to get at in my first fic, "Time Is Not a Thing That's Ours to Lose."