#Network Marketing Prospects

[darwin-bloger]

Buch Spotlight: “Call & Close - Kaltakquise auf dem nächsten Level”

Cold calling – a term that often evokes mixed feelings among sales professionals. Yet, the book “Call & Close” promises to change that perspective and elevate the art of cold calling to a new level.

The Art of First Contact

“Call & Close” teaches us that the first contact doesn’t have to be cold. With the right techniques and an understanding of potential customers’ needs, every call can become a warm and inviting experience.

Strategies That Convince

The book offers a wealth of strategies aimed at building trust and sparking interest. It’s about creating value that goes beyond the product or service.

Stories That Sell

One of the strongest techniques in the book is the use of storytelling. “Call & Close” demonstrates how to establish emotional connections through storytelling, enhancing the persuasive power of each call.

Conclusion

“Call & Close - Cold Calling at the Next Level” is more than just a guide; it’s a beacon for all those in sales looking to improve their skills. It’s time to redefine cold calling and write success stories.

[fatliberation]

they have a point though. you wouldn't need everyone to accommodate you if you just lost weight, but you're too lazy to stick to a healthy diet and exercise. it's that simple. I'd like to see you back up your claims, but you have no proof. you have got to stop lying to yourselves and face the facts

Must I go through this again? Fine. FINE. You guys are working my nerves today. You want to talk about facing the facts? Let's face the fucking facts.

In 2022, the US market cap of the weight loss industry was $75 billion [1, 3]. In 2021, the global market cap of the weight loss industry was estimated at $224.27 billion [2]. 

In 2020, the market shrunk by about 25%, but rebounded and then some since then [1, 3] By 2030, the global weight loss industry is expected to be valued at $405.4 billion [2]. If diets really worked, this industry would fall overnight. 

1. LaRosa, J. March 10, 2022. "U.S. Weight Loss Market Shrinks by 25% in 2020 with Pandemic, but Rebounds in 2021." Market Research Blog. 2. Staff. February 09, 2023. "[Latest] Global Weight Loss and Weight Management Market Size/Share Worth." Facts and Factors Research. 3. LaRosa, J. March 27, 2023. "U.S. Weight Loss Market Partially Recovers from the Pandemic." Market Research Blog.

Over 50 years of research conclusively demonstrates that virtually everyone who intentionally loses weight by manipulating their eating and exercise habits will regain the weight they lost within 3-5 years. And 75% will actually regain more weight than they lost [4].

4. Mann, T., Tomiyama, A.J., Westling, E., Lew, A.M., Samuels, B., Chatman, J. (2007). "Medicare’s Search For Effective Obesity Treatments: Diets Are Not The Answer." The American Psychologist, 62, 220-233. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2007.

The annual odds of a fat person attaining a so-called “normal” weight and maintaining that for 5 years is approximately 1 in 1000 [5].

5. Fildes, A., Charlton, J., Rudisill, C., Littlejohns, P., Prevost, A.T., & Gulliford, M.C. (2015). “Probability of an Obese Person Attaining Normal Body Weight: Cohort Study Using Electronic Health Records.” American Journal of Public Health, July 16, 2015: e1–e6.

Doctors became so desperate that they resorted to amputating parts of the digestive tract (bariatric surgery) in the hopes that it might finally result in long-term weight-loss. Except that doesn’t work either. [6] And it turns out it causes death [7],  addiction [8], malnutrition [9], and suicide [7].

6. Magro, Daniéla Oliviera, et al. “Long-Term Weight Regain after Gastric Bypass: A 5-Year Prospective Study - Obesity Surgery.” SpringerLink, 8 Apr. 2008. 7. Omalu, Bennet I, et al. “Death Rates and Causes of Death After Bariatric Surgery for Pennsylvania Residents, 1995 to 2004.” Jama Network, 1 Oct. 2007.  8. King, Wendy C., et al. “Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery.” Jama Network, 20 June 2012.  9. Gletsu-Miller, Nana, and Breanne N. Wright. “Mineral Malnutrition Following Bariatric Surgery.” Advances In Nutrition: An International Review Journal, Sept. 2013.

Evidence suggests that repeatedly losing and gaining weight is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and altered immune function [10].

10. Tomiyama, A Janet, et al. “Long‐term Effects of Dieting: Is Weight Loss Related to Health?” Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6 July 2017.

Prescribed weight loss is the leading predictor of eating disorders [11].

11. Patton, GC, et al. “Onset of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Population Based Cohort Study over 3 Years.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 20 Mar. 1999.

The idea that “obesity” is unhealthy and can cause or exacerbate illnesses is a biased misrepresentation of the scientific literature that is informed more by bigotry than credible science [12]. 

12. Medvedyuk, Stella, et al. “Ideology, Obesity and the Social Determinants of Health: A Critical Analysis of the Obesity and Health Relationship” Taylor & Francis Online, 7 June 2017.

“Obesity” has no proven causative role in the onset of any chronic condition [13, 14] and its appearance may be a protective response to the onset of numerous chronic conditions generated from currently unknown causes [15, 16, 17, 18].

13. Kahn, BB, and JS Flier. “Obesity and Insulin Resistance.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Aug. 2000. 14. Cofield, Stacey S, et al. “Use of Causal Language in Observational Studies of Obesity and Nutrition.” Obesity Facts, 3 Dec. 2010.  15. Lavie, Carl J, et al. “Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: Risk Factor, Paradox, and Impact of Weight Loss.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 26 May 2009.  16. Uretsky, Seth, et al. “Obesity Paradox in Patients with Hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease.” The American Journal of Medicine, Oct. 2007.  17. Mullen, John T, et al. “The Obesity Paradox: Body Mass Index and Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Nonbariatric General Surgery.” Annals of Surgery, July 2005. 18. Tseng, Chin-Hsiao. “Obesity Paradox: Differential Effects on Cancer and Noncancer Mortality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.” Atherosclerosis, Jan. 2013.

Fatness was associated with only 1/3 the associated deaths that previous research estimated and being “overweight” conferred no increased risk at all, and may even be a protective factor against all-causes mortality relative to lower weight categories [19].

19. Flegal, Katherine M. “The Obesity Wars and the Education of a Researcher: A Personal Account.” Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 15 June 2021.

Studies have observed that about 30% of so-called “normal weight” people are “unhealthy” whereas about 50% of so-called “overweight” people are “healthy”. Thus, using the BMI as an indicator of health results in the misclassification of some 75 million people in the United States alone [20]. 

20. Rey-López, JP, et al. “The Prevalence of Metabolically Healthy Obesity: A Systematic Review and Critical Evaluation of the Definitions Used.” Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 15 Oct. 2014.

While epidemiologists use BMI to calculate national obesity rates (nearly 35% for adults and 18% for kids), the distinctions can be arbitrary. In 1998, the National Institutes of Health lowered the overweight threshold from 27.8 to 25—branding roughly 29 million Americans as fat overnight—to match international guidelines. But critics noted that those guidelines were drafted in part by the International Obesity Task Force, whose two principal funders were companies making weight loss drugs [21].

21. Butler, Kiera. “Why BMI Is a Big Fat Scam.” Mother Jones, 25 Aug. 2014. 

Body size is largely determined by genetics [22].

22. Wardle, J. Carnell, C. Haworth, R. Plomin. “Evidence for a strong genetic influence on childhood adiposity despite the force of the obesogenic environment” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 87, No. 2, Pages 398-404, February 2008.

Healthy lifestyle habits are associated with a significant decrease in mortality regardless of baseline body mass index [23].  

23. Matheson, Eric M, et al. “Healthy Lifestyle Habits and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Individuals.” Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Feb. 2012.

Weight stigma itself is deadly. Research shows that weight-based discrimination increases risk of death by 60% [24].

24. Sutin, Angela R., et al. “Weight Discrimination and Risk of Mortality .” Association for Psychological Science, 25 Sept. 2015.

Fat stigma in the medical establishment [25] and society at large arguably [26] kills more fat people than fat does [27, 28, 29].

25. Puhl, Rebecca, and Kelly D. Bronwell. “Bias, Discrimination, and Obesity.” Obesity Research, 6 Sept. 2012. 26. Engber, Daniel. “Glutton Intolerance: What If a War on Obesity Only Makes the Problem Worse?” Slate, 5 Oct. 2009.  27. Teachman, B. A., Gapinski, K. D., Brownell, K. D., Rawlins, M., & Jeyaram, S. (2003). Demonstrations of implicit anti-fat bias: The impact of providing causal information and evoking empathy. Health Psychology, 22(1), 68–78. 28. Chastain, Ragen. “So My Doctor Tried to Kill Me.” Dances With Fat, 15 Dec. 2009. 29. Sutin, Angelina R, Yannick Stephan, and Antonio Terraciano. “Weight Discrimination and Risk of Mortality.” Psychological Science, 26 Nov. 2015.

There's my "proof." Where is yours?

[whereishermes]

The Ultimate Freelance Success Guide for Students

Freelancing has become an increasingly popular choice for university students seeking valuable experience, financial independence, and a competitive edge in the job market. The flexibility and opportunities offered by freelancing make it an attractive option that can greatly enhance your university years. Today, we will explore the benefits and opportunities of freelancing during your university…

[hadone]

COMEMİXGO - MEGA+ (4)

Welcome to Comemixgo, the ultimate solution for businesses looking to enhance their online presence and connect with a broader audience. In today’s competitive digital landscape, having a reliable platform is essential to stand out and grow your brand. Comemixgo offers an innovative way to expand your reach with its extensive resources, including a comprehensive free company directory and an unlimited company directory option, tailored to meet your unique needs. 

Free Company Directory

A free company directory serves as an invaluable resource for individuals and businesses looking for information about various companies without any associated costs. Such directories provide comprehensive listings that include essential details like company names, addresses, phone numbers, and industry classifications. When it comes to navigating vast amounts of company information, a free directory offers users an accessible way to locate the businesses they need swiftly.

Among the numerous platforms available, Comemixgo stands out by offering not only a free company directory but also an unlimited directory option. This flexibility allows users to browse through countless listings for various needs. A free company directory can be particularly beneficial for small businesses and startups, helping them to establish connections and discover potential partners or clients. Additionally, it empowers individuals looking to research companies for employment opportunities, investment prospects, or service providers.

Utilizing a free company directory is straightforward; users can often search by keywords, industries, or geographical locations. This functionality streamlines the process, making it easy to find just the right business. Furthermore, having access to an extensive company directory without the constraints of fees or subscription plans can greatly enhance networking opportunities and resource accessibility for everyone.

Unlimited Company Directory

The Unlimited Company Directory offered by Comemixgo is a comprehensive resource designed to empower businesses by providing unrestricted access to a diverse array of company listings. Unlike standard directories, this feature ensures that users can explore an extensive range of businesses without limitations.

With the Unlimited company directory, users can:

Access a broad spectrum of industries, making it easier to find competitors, suppliers, or potential partners.

Utilize advanced search functionalities that allow for filtering based on specific criteria such as location, company size, and industry.

Gain insights into various companies, including contact information, business descriptions, and service offerings.

Bookmark favorite listings for future reference, enabling quick access to key businesses that align with their goals.

This feature not only enhances user experience but also simplifies the process of networking and finding necessary contacts in the business landscape. By utilizing the Unlimited Company Directory, businesses can make informed decisions and foster valuable connections.

Overall, this tool serves as an invaluable asset for anyone looking to thrive in today's competitive market.

Comemixgo

Comemixgo stands out as an essential platform in today’s dynamic business environment, providing both a free company directory and an unlimited company directory. This dual offering ensures that businesses of all sizes can benefit from enhanced visibility and accessibility. Ideal for startups and established enterprises alike, Comemixgo simplifies the process of discovering and connecting with a diverse range of companies.

One of the key features of Comemixgo is its user-friendly interface, allowing users to swiftly navigate through the extensive listings. By leveraging advanced search functionalities, you can easily filter results based on various parameters, ensuring that you find the most relevant companies for your needs. Whether you are looking for potential partners, suppliers, or competitors, Comemixgo makes it easy to access a wealth of information at your fingertips.

Additionally, the platform promotes networking opportunities, encouraging collaborations and partnerships that can lead to mutual growth and success. With the option for businesses to list themselves, Comemixgo contributes to a thriving ecosystem where visibility translates to more opportunities.

This robust directory is not just about listings; it also emphasizes quality. By vetting and verifying company information, Comemixgo ensures that users can trust the data they access. This commitment to quality makes it a go-to resource for anyone seeking reliable company information in the ever-expanding marketplace.

For those looking to maximize their outreach or explore new avenues for growth, utilizing Comemixgo's resources can prove invaluable. With a focus on providing both a free company directory and an unlimited company directory, businesses can leverage the platform to enhance their visibility and tap into new markets!

[coachamakaadindu]

Why Spamming and Cold Calling Do Not Work

Why Spamming and Cold Calling Do Not Work

One of the biggest problems facing small businesses is finding customers. And while Spamming and cold calling or mass emailing might help you make contact. With a lot of people, those people aren’t likely to become paying customers, much less loyal, repeat customers.Here’s why it doesn’t work, and what you should do instead and to avoid Spamming and cold calling. They do not work most of the…

[csuitebitches]

Book Review- The Wealth Elite: A Groundbreaking Study of the Psychology of the Super Rich, by Rainer Zitelmann Notes

I came across this book because I was looking for psychology books. I found the first of the book rather boring and too textbook-y. The second part is much better.

The author interviewed like 45 millionaire - billionaires. These were his findings.

—

48% stated that real estate was an ‘important’ source of their wealth, and one in ten described real estate as the ‘most important’ aspect of their personal wealth-building. And a total of 20% described stock market gains as an ‘important’ factor in wealth-building, although in this case only 2.4% stated that this was the ‘most important’ factor in building their wealth.

‘Creative intelligence’ is key to financial success. The following is a comparison between the percentage of entrepreneurs (and in brackets the percentage of attorneys) who agreed that the following factors played a decisive role in their financial success: seeing opportunities others do not see: 42 (19); finding a profitable niche: 35 (14).

The role of habitus

* Intimate knowledge of required codes of dress and etiquette

* Broad-based general education

* An entrepreneurial attitude, including an optimistic outlook on life

* Supreme self-assurance in appearance and manner.

He identifies a key quality that is essential for any prospective appointee to the executive board or senior management of a major company: habitual similarities to those who already occupy such positions.

Skillset of Entrepreneurs

* The ‘conqueror’. The entrepreneur has to have the ability to make plans and a strong will to carry them out.

* The ‘organizer’. The entrepreneur has to have the ability to bring large numbers of people together into a happy, successful creative force.

* The ‘trader’. What Sombart describes as a ‘trader’, we would more likely call a talented salesperson today. The entrepreneur has to “confer with another, and, by making the best of your own case and demonstrating the weakness of his, get him to adopt what you propose. Negotiation is but an intellectual sparring match.”

Entrepreneurial success personality traits

* Commitment

* Creativity

* A high degree of extroversion

* Low levels of agreeableness

Entrepreneurial success personality traits

* Orientation towards action after suffering disappointments (the entrepreneur remains able to act, even after failure)

* Internal locus of control (the conviction “I hold my destiny in my own two hands”)

* Optimism (the expectation that the future holds positive things in store)

* Self-efficacy (the expectation that tasks can be performed successfully, even in difficult circumstances).

constant power struggles with their teachers in order to ascertain who would emerge the stronger from such confrontations.

Secret of selling

* Empathy

* Didactics

* Expert knowledge

* Networking.

Conscientiousness is the dominant personality trait. Extroversion is also very common among the interviewees. Openness to Experience is very common

A high tolerance to frustration is one of the most characteristic personality traits of this group.

exceptionally high levels of mental stability.

primarily characterize entrepreneurs as being prepared to swim against the current and make their decisions irrespective of majority opinion.

“No, I never did that (lost my temper). I never get loud. But I can be resolute and say: “That is unacceptable.” And then you either have to go your separate ways or make a decision that the other party might not like. It’s the same in negotiations. I was always described by other people as a bit of a toughie.”

Having the courage to stand against majority opinion is probably a prerequisite for making successful investments, as this is what makes it possible to buy cheap and sell high.

Many of the interviewees spoke about their ability to switch off and direct their focus, even in the event of major problems. The interviewees consistently referred to their ability to focus on solutions, rather than torturing themselves with problems.

At least in the initial phases of wealth creation, most of the interviewees rated their own risk profiles as very high. This changes during the stabilization phase, when risk profiles decrease. In this phase, the hypothesis of moderate risk does apply.

Conscientiousness was the interviewees’ most dominant personality trait. It is important to remember that the Big Five theory’s definition of conscientiousness does not just include qualities such as duty, precision, and thoroughness, but also emphasizes diligence, discipline, ambition, and stamina.

[lemotmo]

This has been fun to watch. Also Buddie ❤️

Q. Good evening. I have several questions so feel free to answer what you would like. Thank you! Do you really think Tim won't bring him back at all now? And has he not ever called out Buddie shippers before? You clearly love Buddie so why don't you call yourself a shipper? Also Kristen seems to be pretty pro Buck/Tommy and very anti Buddie does she really not have any say? I've noticed you seem pretty protective of Eddie is he your favorite?

A. Good evening, anon. That is quite a few questions, but thank you for not sending them as different questions because my ask box is already full. I will answer these as best as I can (but you brought Kristen into my ask box so if the answer upsets you, I'm sorry but not sorry because I despise her). First of all, no Tim has not had to call out the Buddie shippers before. There is a huge 'annoyance' difference between 80 tweets or comments asking for the deleted karaoke scene and 60 comments telling them they're homophobic pieces of shit for not showing more Tommy. Those two comments are not the same. They do not illicit the same tonal response. One would get a kind of exasperated but essentially fond eye roll the other gets you blocked. Tim has mentioned Buddie shippers in the past but he never did it to publicly scold them, and he mentioned the B/T shippers specifically to call the behavior out. He brought them up. He made a point of bringing it up. He made a point of giving examples so the audience would know which fandom he was talking about. Look I'm not suggesting that the Buddie fandom doesn't have douchebags because every fandom does. But those voices are not the big voices in their fandom. The actresses who have played Buck/Eddie love interests can attest to the fact that they received some pretty gross comments. But they were never the target of an outright hate campaign orchestrated against them. Size is not the only significant difference between the two fandoms. And Tim had every right to call them out. It was actually long overdue on his part.

I do still think that Tommy will be back, but I don't think it will be for more than a handful of episodes, if that. And I don't look for him to have many scenes. I do think story wise it makes more sense to have his reaction/response to certain things. However if Tim/ABC said it's not worth the grief they can get away with him not being around because his character isn't the point of any of this. It's going to be ugly when he's written out, whenever that is. I think Tim mentioning that fandom in that interview was kind of his way of acknowledging that they know what's coming. I will say though that the powers that be have clearly given the approval for the cast, crew, and others involved in the show to block whoever they want to block. So we will probably see much more of it than any of them will.

I love Buck and Eddie. I love them. It is no secret on my blog. They're everywhere on my blog. I don't specifically describe myself as a shipper (yet) because I never thought the show would actually go there and I didn't want to be gutted when they didn't happen. Not everyone can do that. It's hard to do but I made myself do it for self preservation only. I wanted them, but I didn't want to allow myself to expect them because I didn't believe the show would ever really go there. I followed Oliver and Ryan's leads and they never openly encouraged anything. They were polite and thankful for the love but they never allowed themselves to engage in it, until this past season. Everything changed last season. They fully embraced it, they engaged with it, they encouraged it, and they even openly discussed the prospect of a relationship. That had NEVER happened before. Not only were Oliver and Ryan engaging in it but ABC went all in on them. When they were on the other network Buddie was kind of like this toy, marketing wise, that they pulled out and dangled in front of their audience every time they wanted/needed some attention. It was like 'hey here's this thing that you really love come watch them act like a family and look fondly at one another but no homo'. It got tiresome because it was clear what they were doing. Now, Tim had moved to Lonestar by this time so he's not to blame for that particular game. But it was a game I was completely uninterested in playing. Everything changed the moment they moved to ABC. That was their best, and frankly last, chance to try and change the dynamics between them, and instead they doubled down on them. I now genuinely believe they will be canon by the end of this season (and I will ship ship ship away 💗). They started the setup in episode 4 of last season and the show has not made it difficult to follow at all. It's mostly why Lou's fans are angry most of the time. The show has been obvious in what they're doing.

I would love to know what Kristen did that made you think she was pretty pro B/T, because if its based on that scene from the finale you all have got to get higher standards. That was not a declaration of support. I cannot think of a single obvious pro Tommy thing she has done. You're correct in that she doesn't like Buddie, but that's because she doesn't like the attention they get. And honestly she genuinely seems to not like or understand M/M pairings. And I think that's her real problem. She doesn't understand why people care about them. She doesn't care to write for them. Which is why she has no business being anywhere near them. For anyone in here position to have come out and openly said stick to fanfiction means she has no idea what her actual job is. Whether the tile is co or lead showrunner your job is to encourage engagement. Your job is to understand and listen, at least somewhat, to your audience. She gave her audience the middle finger and openly mocked them. That is not anyone who deserves the job she has. Period.

Lastly, the Eddie nonsense is mind boggling. And honestly the funniest result of Tim's interview has been the desperate attempt from several in the Lou fandom to backtrack on their Eddie hate. Eddie was the worst possible character that fandom could have picked to go after because Tim loves him. I know that's weird because Tim is constantly trying to kill him but Tim loves Eddie and Ryan. The moment that fandom turned their claws on him it was over. And what's even more ridiculous was they were talking about how awful and worthless Eddie is as a character while frantically trying to make his entire character history Tommy's backstory. It was pathetic. I love Eddie, love and adore him. I want better things for him. I want him free of the Shannon nonsense. But Tommy's fans don't get to take it back now. They don't get to try and say 'oh I hope Eddie and Tommy get actual friend scenes this season' because they don't really want that. They just desperately need Tim to think they've learned their lesson. They don't deserve Eddie.

Yeah, I agree with most of this. I won't go into every topic, but I will say this:

I too think that Tommy will be back for a couple of scenes. He has to fulfill the role he came there to do in Buck's storyline.

I would honestly prefer it if he would never appear again. Not because of the character. I don't really like Tommy very much, but as a plot device he has a job to do and I respect the story. But there is no doubt Lou's presence on the set will once again result in a lot of 'Told you so' posts from the BT stans in the beginning. And when Tommy eventually leaves the show, they will be angry and we will have to deal with that as well. This dance has become predictable and exhausting.

Anyway, Nonny! Thank you for dropping this in my inbox! :)

Heads up! For anyone who is giving me the shifty eyes for reposting these anon OP updates instead of reblogging. Don't get mad at me. There is a reason for it and it's all done with consent from the OP. You can find out more about that here.

Remember, no hate in comments or reblogs. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of the anonymous OP’s posts, you can find all of their posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[rockbell1003]

The Qualities For A Husband

Hello! It's been a while, but I come bearing a new fic featuring even newer faces. I'd like to preface that this was written purely because I fell down a Bridgerton/historical manhwa rabbit hole and there is very little historical accuracy happening here. So please take it all with a grain of salt and enjoy my regency delusions 😊

It was her first time at the royal palace. The extravagant ballroom was filled with the newly come-of-age sons and daughters of the kingdom’s nobles. The young ladies who had debuted on the marriage market were gossiping to one another as they eyed the young sons of influential noble houses. This party was nothing more than a means of networking for the parents, by securing political ties through the marriage of their children. Persis sipped sparkling grape juice from a crystalline glass as she watched the marriage-minded mamas shepherd their offspring. She found it mildly comical and a touch depressing at the same time. 

“Ahem.” 

Persis raised a delicate eyebrow as she turned towards her chaperone, her cousin, Theodore. She, too, was meant to mingle and meet a prospective partner for her house’s benefit. However, Persis held no desire to have herself paraded around like a show pony. She may be unable to find a love match but she refused to sacrifice her dignity to secure a husband. “Is something caught in your throat, dear cousin?” she inquired facetiously as her gaze drifted from Theodore back to the rest of the ballroom. 

“I am fine, why aren’t you conversing with the list of potential suitors Father gave to you?” he asked. 

Persis sighed, “If you haven’t noticed, the list Uncle compiled contains boys that have much to be desired,” she tilted her champaign flute in the direction of a young man exuberantly talking at a young girl whose disinterested expression was politely concealed behind a hand fan. “Take him, the son of Count Ingles. Despite being the top candidate to graduate from the Capital’s knight academy with honors, and as his father’s successor, the boy clearly has no education in decorum. That poor girl looks bored out of her mind and he hasn’t even noticed.” 

“It would set Mother and Father’s minds at ease if you would at least participate like every other young noble here, Persis,” he sighed, “please Percy?”

The usage of her childhood nickname. It was a dirty trick and Theodore knew it. Persis turned to her cousin with narrowed eyes, “Fine, but I will not be abiding by Uncle’s list. He is not a good judge of character and you know it.” 

Her cousin nodded curtly, and gently pushed her towards the center of the ballroom. Persis grumbled but resigned herself to her fate. 

The next few minutes were not completely horrible. She managed to escape dancing and instead mingled with a few groups of noble ladies and men. They were shallow conversations filled with only pleasantries, suddenly, however, one conversation took an interesting turn.

“It appears that young Lord Macintire did come to the ball,” Eve the daughter of Count Grenwich said in a hushed tone. Persis followed her gaze to see a handsome young man standing off to the side of the banquet hall. He was engaged in conversation with a few other older gentlemen, “'tis a pity though,” Eve continued her voice trailing off and gaze averted.

Persis glanced back to the lady standing next to her, “I beg your pardon?”

Eve widened her eyes at Persis, “Oh! That’s right you’re new to the Capital,” she gestured towards the gentleman, “That man there is Bastian Macintire, son of the current Duke of Macintire.” 

Persis gave the woman a tight-lipped smile, despite being what the young ladies of the Capital believed to be a country bumpkin, she was in fact aware of the Dukedom of Macintire and the controversy surrounding their future heir. The Duke is the most powerful noble in the kingdom after the King and the current Duke has two sons, both of marriageable age. Perfect prey for lower-ranked nobles hoping to form connections through their daughters. 

“He is the firstborn son of Duke Macintire, yes?” Persis asked, taking another sip from her glass.

“He is but he is not the son set to inherit the title, due to his poor constitution. It has been decided that the second son will inherit the Dukedom.” 

Persis froze, the crystal rim of her glass against her painted lips as she glanced back at the young man. She had heard countless stories about him from Theodore, the two were the same age and both went to the academy together. However, she never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance, until tonight. From appearances alone, he did not look sickly, perhaps a bit on the leaner side as he did not have the same strong muscular build as those who dedicated their lives to the sword. As Persis eyed the young lord from the corner of her eye she noticed him quickly turn his head away and into his shoulder. It almost looked as if he flinched not once but three times consecutively, but just as fast as she caught the movement, the young lord regained his composure and continued to converse with the other men. Persis lowered her glass and turned back to Lady Eve, “I am not sure I understand why his presence here is a pity? Surely there are young ladies who desire to be betrothed to him. He certainly doesn’t look sickly, perhaps the title isn’t as set in stone as you say it is.” 

She shook her head, “according to the Duchess, Lord Frederick is sure to become the next Duke.” 

Ah so there it is, Persis thought. It was common knowledge that Bastian was the son of the late Duchess of Macintire, the Duchess Lady Eve was talking about is the Duke’s current wife and mother of Lord Frederick. 

“Many of the ladies do not wish to tie themselves down to a man with no title, let alone a man who is constantly confined to his sickbed.” 

Once again Persis wondered how much of Lady Eve’s gossip held some form of merit and how much was fed to high society from the Duchess. At a young age, Persis had learned to appreciate the knowledge found in gossip but not to assume it was fact. The information she had just learned from Lady Eve did contradict a few things she had learned about Bastian Macintire from her cousin.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind having him as a husband.” 

An audible gasp was heard from the ladies, Persis set her glass down on the nearest table.

“It’s nice to know that I won’t have any competition in winning his favor,” she smiled, “you ladies enjoy the rest of your evening.” Persis walked away, leaving the ladies to gossip amongst themselves.

Despite her bold declaration to vie for Lord Bastain’s hand in marriage to the group of gossiping noble ladies, Persis had found herself retreating to an open balcony with a glass of champagne she managed to swipe from one of the servers. She sighed and took a sip of the alcoholic beverage, closing her eyes to savor its sweet taste. Lord Bastian was the perfect candidate for her husband, he wasn’t on the list of suitors her uncle made so that was already a benefit. If he was struggling to inherit the dukedom then perhaps he would be open to becoming a marquess instead? Persis opened her eyes and swirled her champagne around in its flute as she drifted deeper into thought. She needed to find someone who would help her inherit the title her father left behind. She couldn’t let her uncle continue to act as proxy now that she came of age, let alone did she want to. Ideally, she wanted to find a man who would let her assume full control of the responsibilities of Marquess, but she knew how farfetched a dream that was. 

“hNXT-uh,” startled out of her thoughts, Persis turned around to see Lord Bastian duck his head into his shoulder as he made his own escape to the balcony.

“Pardon me, I did not realize this balcony was occupied,” he bowed his head in apology and began to retrace his steps.

“It’s alright, you can join me if you’d like,” Persis gestured back to the ballroom, “it appears that you need the reprieve from dancing and small talk.” 

He cleared his throat, “then I would be most grateful Milady,” he trailed off. 

“Persis Basilwood, Milord.” Persis supplied. 

Lord Bastian smiled, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lady Basilwood.” 

“The pleasure is all mine, Lord Macintire.” Persis replied. 

She couldn’t help but take note of Lord Bastian’s features in the lamplight. Despite the other noble ladies dismissing his physique, he was tall and appeared to have some well-toned muscle hidden beneath his impeccably tailored tailcoat. His dark hair was perfectly coiffed minus a small curl that seemed to have been dislodged and now fell by his brow. He also had striking hazel eyes that in the soft lamp-lit light, almost appeared golden. 

Persis took another sip from her glass as she watched him look out into the courtyard. Now privy to his side profile her eyes were suddenly drawn to his nose. It wasn’t all-encompassing on his face but not too small either. His side profile looked like the busts of ancient warriors her aunt had bought and displayed in their foyer. Strong and straight, and even in the soft light she noticed that his nostrils appeared a little flushed in color. 

She hid a small smile behind her drink, so there was some truth to the rumors regarding his health then. Just not quite as life-threatening as the gossip leads everyone to believe.

Suddenly, Lord Bastian inhaled and swiftly ducked his head into his shoulder, “HnGXT, ngxt, h-hHh..ih’Ngkx,” he sniffled and raised his head, running one finger crookedly under his nose.

“Bless you,” Persis said before he could utter any apologies. 

He lowered his hand to adjust his cravat and cleared his throat before responding, “Thank you.” He almost looked embarrassed and Persis had no desire to make the young lord any more uncomfortable.

“Are you hiding from the marriage-minded mamas then?” she inquired.

He glanced at her with widened eyes, “I beg your pardon?”

She gestured towards the ballroom with her glass, “Surely you are here to avoid being entangled with ambitious mamas who hope their daughters can capture the attention of the son of a duke,” she paused and looked back at him, “Why else would you find yourself here?”

Despite the dim light, Persis could see relief wash over Lord Macintire’s features. She concluded that the Lord did not want her to know that he must’ve snuck away due to what she assumed was a battle with his constitution. Persis took another sip of wine and looked out at the palace courtyard, she was more than happy to offer him another plausible excuse. 

“And what of you?” he inquired, “why are you hiding away?” Persis noted that he didn’t answer her question, but answered his anyway.

“You are not the only one who needs a respite from socializing,” Persis set her glass down and placed both of her palms on the ledge of the balcony, closing her eyes and concentrating on the soft breeze that caressed her skin, “I’d rather spend my time here than listening to young lords prattle on about the qualities they are looking for in their wives,” she opened her eyes just to roll them, “Delicate and demure, they might as well just purchase a porcelain doll.” She turned to Lord Macintire with a small smile, “Please do not tell my cousin or I will not hear the end of it.” 

Lord Macintire returned her smile with a grin of his own, “Your secret is safe with me,” he took a few steps closer to the ledge of the balcony so that he was now standing next to her, “your cousin mentioned that you were quite bright and a tad bit spirited,” he said as he gazed out over the courtyard. 

Persis let out a small sigh through her nose, “I did not realize that my cousin liked to talk about me to his fellow schoolmates.” 

Lord Macintire let out a light breathy chuckle, “he is quite proud of you. One moment he’s boasting and the next he’s threatening any man who might try to court you.” 

Persis dropped her head and groaned, “I apologize for any offense he may have caused you.” 

“No need, it was all in good fun. Although I will admit that his stories did cause me to wonder what it would be like to meet you.” 

Persis looked up at his confession to see him smiling at her with an almost boyish grin. It was - she dared to say - cute. 

“And do I live up to your expectations, Milord?” 

Persis did not tear her gaze from him, daring him to respond. However, whatever he was going to say to her teasing provocations was lost. Persis watched as his expression crumpled, his eyes drifting shut as his nose scrunched. Bastian quickly turned his head away and into the shoulder furthest from Persis.

“hiiNXT,hi…ih..GNXT,” he sighed and raised his head from his shoulder, “excuse me.” 

He sniffled wetly, fist pressed against the underside of his nose, “I beg your pardon, that was not very gentlemanly of me.” 

Persis shook her head, “You do not need to apologize, it does not bother me one bit.” She bit the inside of her lip and then reached into the pocket of her ballgown, pulling out a delicately embroidered handkerchief.

 “Here use this, you’ll end up hurting yourself if you keep stifling them like that.” 

However, her offer fell upon deaf ears as Lord Macintire’s attention was solely on keeping this new stubborn tickle in check. Persis looked up to see his face contorted in pure itchy misery. Lord Macintire’s eyes were squeezed shut as his nostrils flared, his breathing becoming more erratic with each shaky breath. Persis quickly unfolded and pressed the handkerchief into his hand, hoping he would catch on and use it. As soon as she curled his fingers around the linen square and released her grip, Lord Macintire immediately brought the cloth up to his face and cupped it around his nose. 

“HEH-MPFH!, HMNN--HMPFshhk! gh-heh…HEMPFH-uh,” 

Persis knew it was poor manners to stare but she couldn’t help but watch as Lord Macintire seemed to lose control. Each sneeze was more powerful than the last and he was left curled into himself. An unfamiliar heat seemed to coil in her stomach, she felt her cheeks flush, unsure of what just transpired but wanting to experience it again. 

It took Lord Macintire a moment to collect himself and soon he was back to standing straight. Persis quickly turned to the side to give him the privacy she should have given him in the first place if she wasn’t so distracted. She watched from the corner of her eye as he kept the handkerchief tented around his nose, he sniffled a few times before folding it and gently wiping the cloth against the underside of his nostrils. Persis wondered if he was embarrassed to use it to its full effect or if he was worried about ruining it and her ‘gentler sensibilities’ with it. 

“Thank you, Milady.” 

 Persis turned around and smiled, “Do not mention it Milord, are you feeling better?”

Lord Macintire coughed lightly into the fist holding her handkerchief and Persis swore she saw a light dusting of pink across his cheeks. “Much, thank you again. However, I am afraid that I ruined your handkerchief.” 

Persis shook her head, “I am just glad that it was of some use, I have no sentimental attachment to -” Persis was cut off by the resounding chimes of the Capital’s clock tower. Her eyes widened and she turned to face the direction of the bells. Suddenly all too aware that it was now midnight and all unmarried ladies would have to depart from the ball. She thought she had more time, she glanced back at Lord Macintire, lip caught between her teeth. There was no guarantee that he would be coming to the following balls, or partaking in any other social events in the Capital. This may be her only chance. She hoped that her panic was not visible on her face as she posed a question to the young lord.

“Forgive my candor but if you wish to reciprocate my kindness, perhaps you would like to meet me for tea?” 

She watched as his eyes widened, not that she was surprised. She was being outlandishly bold, it was expected that the man would take the first step in courting a woman, not the other way around. But Persis did not have the luxury of other demure noble girls with the entire season to secure a husband. She did not have the time to give him coquettish smiles and send signals his way with a minute flick of a hand fan under the watchful gaze of her chaperone. No, if she wanted to form a courtship with Bastian Macintire, she would have to take the necessary steps to do so. 

“I would like that very much snf, I will send an invitation to your family’s Capital estate in the morning.” 

Persis took the skirts of her dress in her hands and began to make her way to the balcony’s open doors. “I look forward to it, Lord Macintire. Now if you’d please excuse me, I must find my cousin post haste before he realizes I spent an unseemly amount of time with you unchaperoned.”

She stepped out of the balcony and back into the ballroom, quickly making her way back to Theodore. Persis couldn’t hide the smile that graced her lips as she caught a glimpse of Lord Macintire’s own boyish grin. Yes, she wouldn’t mind having him as a husband at all.

[askagamedev]

In light of the recent controversy surrounding Sony (and, by extension, Helldivers 2), could you please explain the publisher-developer relationship that many, many people seem to misunderstand?

Despite the common myth that publishers are evil vampires who exist to make things work, publishers really do serve a legitimate purpose that makes them valuable. What publishers do is provide logistical support to the development studio. Beyond the obvious of providing funding to build the game, publishers also generally handle things like:

Providing QA support

Providing technical support/code/back end for console development

Providing tool support

Providing network/back end support

Handling game marketing

Handling the business negotiations

Handling physical media and delivery

All of these things both cost a lot of money to establish and require specialized staffing to handle. Most game studios don't want to do these things because it means the studio leadership has to step away from overseeing the game development and focus on setting up all of those logistical elements. As always, there are negotiations made in the contract between a publisher and a developer - the publisher agrees to do all these things and provide X moneys to the developer over this period of time, and the developer promises to deliver a game based on this schedule with these requirements.

One key thing to remember is that attacking your partners in public is never a good idea from a business perspective. Even if the relationship was strained behind closed doors, being anything but supportive of your partners in public will be remembered - not just by the partner who may choose not to work with you again, but also by other prospective future partners who will want to avoid getting burned in a similar fashion. The temporary internet points from players for being "on their side" just isn't worth it, especially because players are fickle and will turn on you in an instant, but potential business partners have elephant memories.

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Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

[octuscle]

How times are changing….

2024, The Russian Tea Room: Lunchtime with the Masters of the Universe. John and Richard were at the peak of their powers. The sky was the limit. Whatever money could buy, these two had it. And they had a lot of it. And as soon as Trump was back in power, there would be much, much more.

John: Good afternoon, Richard. It’s been too long since our last lunch.

Richard: Good afternoon, John. Yes, it has. How have you been?

John: Very well, thank you. Busy as always, but things are moving in the right direction. How about you and your family?

Richard: We’re doing well, thank you. My son, Alexander, has just received his acceptance letter from Yale.

John: That’s excellent news! Congratulations to Alexander and to you. Yale is a fantastic institution. He must be thrilled.

Richard: He certainly is. We are all extremely proud of him. Yale offers unparalleled opportunities and will undoubtedly shape his future in the best possible way.

John: Absolutely. With a Yale education, Alexander will be well-prepared for any challenges he faces. Have you thought about how the current political climate might affect his future prospects?

Richard: Yes, quite a bit. We’re hopeful that the new government will adopt more protectionist policies and take a stronger stance on immigration. These changes could significantly impact the economic landscape.

John: I agree. A more protectionist approach could provide substantial benefits to our domestic industries. If the government prioritizes national interests over international ones, we could see a thriving local market.

Richard: Exactly. Limiting immigration and focusing on domestic employment could create a more favorable environment for our economy. This would be particularly advantageous for someone like Alexander, who will have the skills and knowledge to navigate such a market.

John: With fewer immigrants, there could be more opportunities for domestic workers, potentially leading to higher wages and better job prospects for citizens. This aligns well with our economic goals.

Richard: Precisely. Alexander is considering majoring in economics with a focus on international trade and policy. If the government shifts towards protectionism and stricter immigration controls, his expertise will be highly valuable.

John: That’s a smart move. Understanding the implications of protectionist policies on trade and the economy will be crucial. He could be at the forefront of developing strategies that align with national interests.

Richard: We’re certainly encouraging him to build strong connections at Yale, particularly with professors and industry experts. These relationships will be invaluable as he navigates his career.

John: Networking is essential, especially in such a dynamic environment. With potential policy changes, those connections could provide critical insights and opportunities.

Richard: Absolutely. It's an exciting yet uncertain time. However, with the right preparation and strategic thinking, Alexander could thrive in this new landscape.

John: Have you considered the political approaches of other countries, like Russia? They have implemented stringent immigration policies and strong protectionist measures with notable success.

Richard: Yes, we have. Russia’s policies have indeed bolstered their national industries and maintained a tighter control over their labor market. Their approach offers valuable lessons on how to prioritize national over international interests.

John: Exactly. If our government could adopt some of those measures, it could significantly strengthen our domestic economy. Alexander’s timing couldn’t be better.

Richard: I completely agree. It’s a critical moment, and with the right guidance and education, I believe Alexander will navigate it successfully.

John: I have no doubt about that. He has a solid foundation and your support. The future looks very promising for him.

Richard: Thank you, John. That means a lot. Here’s to hoping the new government’s policies will pave the way for greater opportunities and a stronger economy.

John: Cheers to that, Richard. To Alexander’s success and the promising times ahead.

2027, Brownsville Social Welfare Office: Alex and Mike were destined to follow in their fathers' footsteps. Oil barons and investment banking gods. But things don't always turn out the way you want them to…

Alexander: Hey there, Mike. Ain’t seen you in a coon’s age. What’s got you waitin’ at the social office today?

Mike: Hey, Alex. Just tryin’ to get some more assistance. Amy’s knocked up again, so I gotta sort things out. What about you?

Alexander: Same ol' crap. Need to see if they can help me get some dentures. Got my teeth busted in a brawl last month. Ain't lookin' too pretty.

Mike: Dang, man. That’s rough. Sorry to hear it. How’s things otherwise?

Alexander: Not too hot. After the market took a dive, had to drop outta Yale. Now I’m bustin’ my hump as a day laborer for that agribusiness. You know, the one that got snatched up by that Russian fella?

Mike: Yup, I know the one. Same deal here. Never thought we’d end up like this. Six kids now and no real job. That crash sure did us in.

Alexander: Tell me ‘bout it. I was this close to finishin’ my degree. Now instead of workin' in finance, I’m haulin' corn and doin' grunt work. Feels like some kinda bad joke.

Mike: I hear ya. I was studyin' to be an engineer. Now, I’m just tryin’ to get by. And since the Russian took over, it’s been even worse. Cut our hours and benefits to the bone.

Alexander: Yeah, I noticed. They don’t give a rat’s ass 'bout us. Just squeezin' every penny they can. It’s tough.

Mike: Sure is. And with another mouth to feed, it’s stressin’ me out. Amy’s worryin’ herself sick, and I ain’t got a clue how we’ll make it.

Alexander: Wish there was a way outta this mess. What’re we supposed to do? Every time I think I’m gettin’ ahead, somethin’ knocks me back down.

Mike: Same here. Feels like we’re stuck in mud. I keep hopin’ things’ll get better, but it’s like we’re just spinnin' our wheels.

Alexander: Worst part is knowin’ we had so much potential, ya know? We were supposed to have these big careers, and now we’re just tryin’ to make it day by day.

Mike: Sometimes I low-key ponder the insane what ifs if the freaking crash hadn't ruined everything. Like, imagine where we'd be RN. Rolling in that sweet juicy success, probs. We'd be slaying life, swagging out and straight up crushing it. Just living our best lives and probably having our dicks in…

Alexander: Yo, bruh, like legit, we'd be in a whole different stratosphere if we weren't chilling at this social welfare spot right now. But hey, we gotta keep on keepin' on, for the youngins and for us too. And if that lil' monster in your pants is acting up, hit me up anytime, I got your back!

Mike: Yo, bro! I was seriously starting to think you were never gonna bring it up... My urges are off the charts, I'm dying for some primo bootay to slam once more.

Alexander: Yo, like seriously, I gotta wait for a freaking eternity, like thirteen freaking numbers long. Dude, in that never-ending time span, you might as well give me a good ol' romp and suck fest, ya feel me?

Mike: Oh man, like seriously, watch out, but like, make sure you don't end up with a bun in the oven, okay? 'Cause, like, I'm totally the supreme stud around here when it comes to spreading my seed, ya dig?

Alexander: Yo, quit yapping and just slide through already! I'm totally gonna take this wild risk, no cap! Let's get this party started, fam!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

One weird trick to make monopolies self-destruct

Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2020 novel Ministry For the Future was a groundbreaking work: it’s the tale of a detailed, plausible transition from a world on a collision course with civilization-ending climate catastrophe to one where the challenge is met, with humanity collectively deciding to save itself:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/03/ministry-for-the-future/#ksr

Robinson’s book is important: it not only disproves the (variously attributed) capitalist realism aphorism that “it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism” — it also imagines the means by which that ending was brought about.

It’s a tale of what I’ve called “The Swerve”: the day we stop listening to the first class passengers at the front of the bus that’s barreling towards a cliff, rush the driver and yank the wheel before we go over the edge:

https://locusmag.com/2022/07/cory-doctorow-the-swerve/

Since the book’s publication, it has been the subject of intense foment, such as the excellent Crooked Timber seminar on the book’s strengths, flaws, and future:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/05/12/seminar-for-the-future/#imaginations

The latest project inspired by the book comes from NESTA and The Prospect: Minister For the Future is a series of policy proposals to someone holding that office, as proposed in Robinson’s novel, for dealing with inequality, food, demographics, networks, mental health, automation, pandemics, health, and other subjects:

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/specialreports/minister-for-the-future

I also contributed a piece: “Enticing monopolies to unwind themselves,” which addresses the existential risk of monopolies: when monopolies reign, it is all but impossible to make good policy, because the monopolists can outbid all comers and turn every truth-seeking exercise into an auction that they win:

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/enticing-monopolies-to-unwind-themselves

That is, after all, the story of the climate emergency itself: a handful of giant firms colluding to distort science, delay action — and risk billions of lives to make trillions of dollars. Monopolies create superdense concentrations of power that, like a black hole, warp the normal rules:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/05/eldritch-physics/#wouldnt-start-from-here

The best time to tackle monopolies would have been 40 years ago, when all over the world, regulators stopped enforcing anti-monopoly law. The second best time is now. Lucky for us, antitrust regulators have the bit between their teeth and have vowed to halt the march towards market concentration, blocking mergers rather than waving them through:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

They’ve also promised to take on existing monopolies, unwinding the predatory acquisitions and anti-competitive mergers that produced so much concentration in so many industries, which now rule over their regulators, hurting us in a million ways with utter impunity:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

But while breaking up monopolies is important work, it’s also slow work. It took 69 years to break up AT&T!

https://doctorow.medium.com/podcasting-jam-to-day-c451dd289f2

Blocking future monopolies without ending existing ones is a huge risk. Any monopoly in an industrial supply chain can destroy the smaller firms it buys from and sells to. Think of how Big Pharma’s mergers let it gouge hospitals on drug prices, leading to regional hospital monopolies that had the bargaining power to push back. But then those hospitals turned around and started screwing insurers, who also formed regional monopolies in order to defend themselves from price-gouging.

In the end, monopoly leads to monopoly, with workers and consumers at either end of the supply chain, unorganized and vulnerable, which is why health workers make less money under worse conditions and patients spend more money for worse care. It’s not enough to prevent future monopolies — we also have to break up the ones that are all around us.

How can we make that happen without waiting 69 years while the monopolists use their vast cash reserves and influence to delay the reckoning? That’s where my proposal comes in.

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/enticing-monopolies-to-unwind-themselves

I am old enough to remember when corporate raiders took over companies in order to break them up and sell them for parts, rather than merging them into monopolies. Rapacious, remorseless finance assholes once stalked the corporate world, shattering firms with impunity.

What if we brought those monsters out of retirement for one more job?

My proposal is simple: a two-year capital gains tax holiday on profits from unwinding any 21st century merger involving a firm with more than £10b in market cap: “Watch them do in months what decades of courtroom grinding couldn’t hope to accomplish.”

This is a very Ministry For the Future kind of idea — one of the novel’s subplots involves bribing oil companies to leave oil in the ground by buying up all their stranded assets, and swallowing the galling proposition of giving still more money to the people who wrecked the planet.

I’m ambivalent about my proposal for the same reason I was ambivalent about Robsinson’s stranded-assets thought-experiment. But the last time I talked with Robinson, he shrugged and said, “We’ll just take it all back with a wealth tax.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfgfh3SYu8Y

The whole “Minister” package is a fascinating one, and there is something extremely refreshing about imagining a post-Swerve future, where high officials are bent on actually addressing our most urgent problems, backed by an unstoppable political will.

Image: Sam Valadi (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/132084522@N05/17086570218/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Jimmy Baikovicius (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/jikatu/22143653260/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

[Image ID: The Google 'Googleplex' office by night. It has been split in two by a giant axe, whose handle is emblazoned with the Wall Street 'raging bull' statue.]

[slayingfiction]

Traditional Publishing

In the evolving landscape of publishing, traditional publishing has held a significant place, fostering literary culture for centuries. However, with the rise of digital media and self-publishing platforms, authors and readers are often caught in a debate over the relevance and benefits of traditional publishing methods. Let’s explore traditional publishing and its place in the literary world. 

Pros of Traditional Publishing

Professional Editing and Design: One of the most significant advantages of traditional publishing is the professional support, including editing, proofreading, cover design, and formatting, ensuring that the final product is of high quality. These services are crucial for authors who may not have the skills or resources to polish their work to a professional standard.

Marketing and Distribution: Traditional publishers have established networks and resources for marketing and distributing books. They can place books in prominent storefronts, organize book tours, and secure media coverage, which can be challenging for self-published authors to achieve on their own.

Credibility and Prestige: Being published by a recognized publishing house adds a layer of credibility to an author’s work. It can enhance an author’s reputation, as traditional publishers are selective and publish only those manuscripts they believe will succeed in the competitive market. This may be beneficial to those looking to get into literary writing, and the recognition that comes with associated awards.

Advance Payments: Traditional publishers sometimes offer advances to authors, especially to provide financial support during the writing process for future books. This upfront payment can be crucial for authors who need to dedicate significant time to their writing, which can be very necessary since many writer’s don’t make a full-time income from their writing. 

Editorial Support: You will work directly with experienced editors and receive feedback and guidance to improve the quality of your manuscript and make it more enticing to prospective readers.

Long-term Relationships: Traditional publishing can foster long-term relationships between authors and their publishers, leading to future book deals and collaborative opportunities. Publishing Houses also have established connections with stores, libraries, academic institutions, and more. These relationships are beneficial to the writer, no matter their genre of writing.

Rights Management: Publishers manage subsidiary rights, such as translations, film adaptations, and audio books, potentially opening additional revenue streams.

Focus on Writing: With the publisher handling many aspects of the publication process, authors can focus more on writing and less on the business side of publishing.

Cons of Traditional Publishing

Long Publication Process: The traditional publishing route can be lengthy. From submission to publication, the process can take anywhere from a year to several years, depending on various factors like the publisher’s schedule and market trends.

Loss of Creative Control: Authors may have to concede some creative control when working with a traditional publisher. Publishers can request changes in content, title, and even narrative style to fit market expectations or the publisher’s brand.

Tough Entry: Getting a contract with a traditional publisher is notoriously difficult. The process often requires finding an agent first, and then one must endure the rigorous selection process of publishers, which can be disheartening and discouraging.

Lower Royalties: Traditional publishing pays royalties, but these are typically lower than what one might earn through self-publishing. After the publisher, distributors, and retailers take their shares, authors might find their earnings to be low. Royalties are often made semi-annually or quarterly, leading to slower financial returns for the author.

Limited Marketing Support: Not all traditionally published books receive significant marketing support, especially from smaller or mid-sized publishers, leaving some authors to handle much of the promotion themselves.

Loss of Rights: Authors often have to sign over significant rights to their work, including international, audio, and film rights, limiting their control over these aspects.

Initial Gatekeeping: Authors must often secure a literary agent to approach traditional publishers, adding another layer of gatekeeping and potential delay.

Limited Print Runs: Publishers may limit the print run of a book, which can affect its availability and reach if initial sales are not strong.

Focus on Proven Authors: Publishers may prioritize established authors or celebrities, making it harder for new or lesser-known writers to get attention and resources.

Conclusion

Traditional publishing has its set of challenges and benefits. It offers a level of prestige, professional support, and market access that can be hard to achieve through self-publishing. However, it also involves a more considerable investment of time, a potential compromise on creative control, and can be challenging to break into.

Ultimately, the choice between traditional publishing and other forms of publishing such as self-publishing should be based on an author’s individual goals, resources, and priorities. Each path offers different opportunities and challenges, and what works best will depend on the specific needs and expectations of the author.

Check out Slaying Fiction for more content!

Happy Writing

[nine-of-words]

(Yokai + 5 of Cups)

NB (Genderfluid) Kitsune x Bisexual M Reader

Wordcount: 9502

Content Warnings: Drinking (Reader), Difficult Breakup, Depression, Brief Mention of Suicidal Ideation, Compensated Dating, Disguises, Minor Body Horror, Handjob (Reader Receives), Anal Sex (Reader Tops)

A kitsune feels almost like a cop-out choice for a yokai, but they’re one of my all time favorites, so here one is. I’m sure I’ll write about more varied types of yokai for this blog in the future, so starting with a kitsune probably isn’t such a bad thing. Specifically, the kitsune in this story is a nogitsune. And- oops, this turned into double the wordcount than I intended.

This year has been one of loss for you.

First, your apartment that you’ve lived in for years flooded so badly that there was no returning. You lost not just your home, but most of your belongings to the water damage.

Then, the marketing firm you worked at unexpectedly closed its doors due to some illegal activity involving the parent company, leaving you flailing in the wind without a job, your career in an utter freefall.

And to top things off with the biggest blow to your heart, your beloved girlfriend of several years, Mai; the girl you legitimately thought you’d marry someday, dumped you unceremoniously only weeks later. You’d known each other since you were children, and it was certainly the worst blow of the ones you’ve endured.

All of that, over such a short time span.

But even in your devastation, you managed to survive long enough that things began to turn around for you. Even on basic income, you managed to find a new apartment in a more central location. And it only took you a few months to network into a new job with a better salary at a different firm and recover your livelihood- you’re skilled at what you do, after all. 

But Mai didn’t return to you with your good fortune. After trying to contact her a few times, you got the hint and stopped trying. She had already moved on to a different partner with better prospects, from the look of her feed one of the lonesome nights you took a late-night pity trawl through her social media.

What you thought would return things back to the way they were didn’t seem to matter. Sure, you’d gotten back the same or a neatly improved version of everything you lost; you had a beautiful new apartment and an amazing new job, but you were so empty. What is the point of having a nice life with no one to share that joy with?

It all began to feel so pointless.

You started to lean perhaps a bit too hard on your drinking habit to cope with the loss of direction.

On one particular night drowning your sorrows in liquor and your thoughts with the droning noise of the murky, smoky bar, you came back from the restroom to find a folded strip of paper stuck to the damp underside of your highball glass.

Dumped? Lonely? Need a date? 

Your heart’s greatest desire granted!

X-xxx-xxx-xxxx

What clearly sounds like a dubious ad, followed by a non-descript business number. Your interest was momentarily piqued, but the sensation is fleeting.

You crumpled the slip of paper and shoved it into your pocket, writing it off, then promptly forgot about it.

When the bar closed, you ambled your way towards home, pausing halfway over the footbridge connecting the entertainment district to the residential districts to stare at the lights of the city.

Each and every time you had passed over the bridge lately, you could barely resist the urge to hoist yourself up over the guardrail and throw yourself in the canal below. That night was no different- you leaned against the railing, trying to talk yourself out of doing something hasty to end your despair.

You just needed to find a reason. Any little reason to convince yourself to make it home and try again tomorrow.

Idly searching your jacket pocket for your lighter, you feel the crinkle of the paper you shoved in there earlier. You pull it out a skim over the swimming letters.

My heart’s greatest desire, huh…?

Right… You’ll go home tonight, you reasoned, so that you can at least find out what this is all about. 

One more night.

You step back off the edge of the bridge, instead dragging yourself towards the train station. You’ve already missed the last train of the night, though, so you’ll be lounging about the station until morning.

You were so crushingly lonely and starved for any bit of contact at that point, it didn’t matter who was by your side, as long as you wouldn’t be alone- anything to keep the shadows from creeping in.

…Even if you needed to pay for it…

So, you let the alcohol content still lingering in your bloodstream make the choice for you. 

Sitting on the concrete curb with your device cradled to your ear, and you finally dialed the number on that sketchy slip of paper. You managed to read the digits, despite the water causing the ink to bleed.

Instead of a living person on the other line, your call connected to a phone tree, where you went through pre-recorded prompts to schedule a date with the person of your dreams, the generated voice promises- for a somewhat hefty service fee, as you expected.

You hardly feel any sense of shame as the transaction goes through. If it means you’ll not feel so alone for just a little while, it’s gold well spent.

You woke up to the early morning sun with a start, knocking over some of the copious number of water bottles, assumingly placed around you by well-meaning pedestrians where you nodded off.

But you were at least still alive to take the train home, enter your neglected apartment, and finally crawl into your disheveled, still laid-out futon to sleep off your hangover.

That’s how you find yourself days later in the present, sitting in your ex-girlfriend’s favorite cafe. 

You're waiting to either be stood up, or worse, set up to be blackmailed or robbed. In your sober mind, the clearly scammy set up must've surely been just that, right?

The minutes creep by, the hope beginning to dwindle with them.

After camping your table for nearly an hour and feeling progressively more like a fool and fielding increasingly pitying looks from the servers (one of which offered you a free ice cream that you turned down), you’re almost at the brink of standing up and leaving. You sit there, resigned to having lost the money and any immediate chance in relieving your loneliness.

You can hardly believe it when she, of all people, comes through the door of the cafe.

Mai.

…It's really her.

You fight the urge to jump out of your chair and embrace her.

You had assumed it was either a joke or some sort of scam or an ad for other questionable business. But seeing what the paper promised, here in the flesh …You can barely believe your eyes.

“Sorry! Sorry I’m late!” Your ex-girlfriend seemingly says to you as she hurriedly approaches the table.

This must be some sort of joke…? It has to be.

“...Hi?”

“Hi. Sorry.” She dips her upper body forward a few times in quick succession in apology.

The resemblance is uncanny. Every little detail your eyes take in matches something you’d expect from Mai’s appearance. All of it’s the same as you remember: Her soft eyes, permanent semi-pout and long dark waves; her gentle mannerisms, sweet voice and style of speech; even her stylish choice in fashion, right down to the pastel color of her nail polish being coordinated to her outfit.

“You fell asleep on the train again, huh?” You reflexively answer in a playfully scolding tone, playing along despite still being completely dumbstruck that she’s actually standing here. Her being late for various air-headed reasons was something that happened enough over the course of your relationship to become one of her adorable quirks- this wouldn’t be the first time she spaced out and took an unintentional nap on the train.

“A-Ah, um.” She gives you a sheepish look before staring at the ground, seemingly caught red-handed. She favors one of the locks of her loosely hanging hair. “That’s right. I'm happy you waited for me. I would've been devastated if I ruined our date.”

It’s like your desperate prayers have been answered, and she’s come back to you, just like that- out of nowhere. You could cry out of pure gratitude.

But a small part of you is deeply alarmed. The prompts never had you describe anything about Mai, or your ideal partner otherwise- yet here is quite literally, your heart’s greatest desire.

You decide that you don’t care if this is a joke or some sort of scam. You can be taken for a ride, for all you care- what you care about is that she’s back.

“That’s okay. You’re here now.” You motion to the chair across from you, and she takes the seat across from you.

She picks up the colorful menu with a gleeful smile. 

“Go ahead, Mai-chan. Get anything you want.”

“Anything?” She brings an open hand to her mouth to cover the gasp. “Hmm. Pudding… Waffle… Parfait…!”

You watch her mull over the menu with a strange sense of deja vu. 

Your food eventually comes, delivered by a waitress who seems equal parts relieved and surprised that someone actually showed up to join you. She sets down a small, extremely meticulously decorated parfait. It’s piled with thinly sliced, colorful fruits, some cut to look like animal faces. There’s a sweet message inscribed in chocolate syrup on the plate the clear glass sits on. Mai all but vibrates out of her chair in excitement as she scoops up her first bite. Then she pops into her mouth, only to bring a hand to her cheek in surprise a moment later.

“It’s so good!”

“Is it?” You chuckle as you take a sip from your cafe au lait.

“Here, see for yourself!” She laughs sweetly, picking one of the chocolate covered biscuit sticks lodged inside the body of the dessert and holding it out to you. “Say ‘ah’-”

Any concern you still harbor is obliterated by the adorable gesture, and you happily take the bite of the treat.

You take Mai on a stroll window shopping through the rest of the mall, ensuring her that she can get anything that catches her eye. She seems hesitant to pick anything out now, despite it never being much of a deterrent before. You mean it when you say she can have anything she’d like- you couldn’t care less if you blow your whole salary on frivolous things and have to subsist off of convenience store meals for the rest of the month. You’re so thankful to have her back, and you want to show it in the way you’re used to Mai appreciating. 

It takes until she lays her eyes on a soft and pathetically droopy looking stuffed fox, partially buried in a pile of other stuffed animals that her resistance finally breaks.

“Ah!! So cute!!! This!! I want this!” She gasps, picks up the pitiful looking stuffed creature you’ve ever laid eyes on. She holds it under the arms to show you, but its doe-y, wall-eyed stare does not quite reach your eyeline. Then she remembers to add; “Um- Please?”

After the shop, you find yourself pausing on the footbridge like normal, but this time with Mai at your side, her with a stuffed fox under her arm. You hold her around the waist, looking at the lights across the river and soaking in the romantic aura.

Things have gone on like that for several blissful months now. Whether it’s relaxing cafe dates and shopping, or dancing and drinks, or something else entirely; you see her as often as you can make it happen.

Every time you’re feeling down, you think of Mai being back in your life and it’s as if all the darkness has been cleansed from your soul. 

You have something to live for again. A glimpse of a happy future to hold onto again.

All you have to do is call and schedule a date, pay the frankly exorbitant fee, and you have her to yourself again for the entire evening.

…Although, you have noticed a few incongruent things over time. 

Small things, really, here and there. A sharpness in her eyes you sometimes catch when she wasn’t expecting you to look, before the corners soften again. A laugh that starts almost like a bark, before her normal, muted laugh plays out behind her dainty hand. A questioning, performative aura to her speech at times- as if she’s deducing the correct thing to say to comply with your pre-existing expectations.

You never see her leave in the morning- instead, she’s always gone by the time you wake up, no matter how early you rise.

Most worryingly, you wake feeling inexplicably exhausted every time afterwards- not just the usual and expected, happily spent feeling that’s normal from rolling around in the sheets, but a bone-deep fatigue, like part of your constitution itself has been sapped away.

Thinking about it too hard sends a cold shiver down your spine. You’re not a stupid man, even when being driven to make bad decisions by your desperation. Even knowing that something is amiss here, you can’t stop yourself from dialing the number again and again, your physical wellbeing be damned.

Because despite all the glaring warnings, some of the incongruencies are positive ones.

While this Mai is true to character in almost all ways, there are certainly some things you’d call an improvement.

This Mai is much more warm and loving, and seems more willing to communicate in general, rather than expecting you to guess. And when it comes to sex, this Mai is a lot more enthusiastic over all, and certainly more… skilled.

And overall, she's just more kind. Too kind, even. Too selfless to be your ex-girlfriend, who had an acute awareness of her own wants and needs, sometimes to the detriment of others’. This Mai seems to be very focused on yours. 

You never realized it before now, but obligation seems to have played a large part of your relationship with Mai. And while you’re absolutely sure some of that is your fault, you’ve never felt closer to her… or this version of her, you suppose. You can’t help but feel the irony in that it only seems to have happened with a copy of her, rather than the real thing. Somehow this copy’s performance feels more genuine to you than the real Mai’s had, without you even noticing.

One thing’s for sure; It can’t go on like this forever, even if you want it to. But you know it’ll bother you now that you’ve caught on, if you don’t at least try to confirm your suspicions.

While trying to plan out what to do, a brilliant idea dawns on you, and you dial up the number once again.

Within a few days, you meet ‘Mai’ once again, this time outside a highly recommended karaoke parlor near your usual stomping grounds in the entertainment district.

She bounces excitedly by your side as you make your way through the building and file into the small, private, soundproof room decked out with a large screen and extensive sound system.

You go first, and belt out a moody rock ballad with modest skill, no stranger to visiting karaoke parlors with colleagues and clients alike, when the circumstances call for it.

Your companion cheers you on as the final chords wind down.

“Aaah, Wow!!” ‘Mai’ claps her hands together in front of herself and exclaims your name. “You're so talented!! With a voice like that, you could've been a holo-idol!”

“Hahah- Thanks.” You laugh sheepishly, and your face breaks into a knowing smile. “You're going to take a turn now, aren't you, Mai-chan? You know I really like your singing voice.”

You hold the microphone out to her in expectation, slight feedback whirring through the speakers. You feel a little bit of remorse for what you’re doing, but it’s the only way you could think of.

There’s a incredibly short moment of recalibration where she simply stares at the microphone, but then her eyes light up.

“Oh, of course!” She says excitedly, flipping her hair over her shoulder before taking the microphone and getting to her feet. She pauses to smooth her skirt down, then her heels click as she approaches the podium. “Oooo, but what song should I choose?”

“You have no shortage of options here. Go with you heart.” You press a soft kiss to the crown of her head and then take a sip of the whiskey in your hand nonchalantly.

“Mmm… No, I can't decide! You pick for me.” She demands and holds the datapad to you over her shoulder, lips curling at the edges in a barely concealed grin. She looks downright eerie, backlit by the bright neon lights of the screen behind her, bright crescent shapes on the round of her cheekbones.

“Huh. How about this one?” Still feeling slightly guilty, you scroll down and select the most challenging song you can think of for a beginner. “You remember it’s my favorite, eh?”

“Of course I remember!” She says confidently as you go back to your seat. “Here I go!”

The upbeat, funky music picks up and she launches into the song enthusiastically. It doesn’t even take a full verse for you to know your hunch about her is undeniably correct.

This isn’t Mai at all. There’s simply no way.

She has a beautiful voice and a surprising range for such a petite woman. Neither the fast or slow parts give her any hint of trouble, nor the tricky lyrics. She handles every vocal run without faltering once.

Her slender fingers clutch the microphone, and she gets fully swept away. It's hard not to get absorbed in the music yourself and forget why you're here.

What really mesmerizes you is just how passionately she’s singing, her body swaying in time to the beat. She looks actually happy- something you’ve realized you didn’t see a lot from the real Mai- only placated, slightly bored contentment.

The song comes to an end all too quickly, and you applaud, genuinely a bit moved.

“Hehe- How did I do?” She squirms in glee, before rushing back to hand you the microphone. The neon light glints off the bracelet you gave her on one of your previous dates that she’s wearing tonight.

“Amazing.”

She beams at you, twisting the knife in your gut a little more.

You don’t want to spook her by ending the session before the time you’ve already paid for runs out, so you simply enjoy it while you can, taking a few turns passing the microphone back and forth.

Finally, the block of time runs out and you walk out of the karaoke parlor into the busy square with your hand in hers. You’re more sure than ever you have to say something, now, after that performance.

You find a gap in the throngs of people near the bridge to stop for a moment and discuss. It may not be the most polite place to make an accusation like this, but at least it’s public and relatively safe.

Twinkling lights of the businesses on either side provide an almost ethereal, twilight backdrop for such a strange conversation.

“Wait. I’d like to talk about something, if you don’t mind.”

“Ah- Is something the matter?” Her body language is suddenly closed, and she adjusts her bangs nervously.

“Sort of. …You don’t seem to be yourself, lately.” You say, trying to sound as least threatening as possible. 

“Oh! I’m feeling okay. But thank you for your concern.” ‘Mai’ forces a small smile.

You take a deep breath and bite the bullet. 

“What I mean is- I think that may be because you’re not yourself.”

“W-What? I don’t know what on Hearth you’re talking about.” She switches to feigning ignorance, tilting her head to the side in an attempt to distract with her cuteness, then deflection. “That’s nonsense. I am me. Are you feeling okay, honey?”

“I‘m fine. But is that really so? Then what about karaoke just now?”

“Eeeh? What are you saying?” The woman protests with a pout, looking absolutely deflated. “I thought we had fun. Did you dislike my singing that much? I tried my best…”

“No, I liked it a lot. Your singing was beautiful; You have a very nice voice.” You try to keep your tone from sounding too accusatory. “But Mai doesn’t. She loathes karaoke. Can’t carry a tune to save her life. Absolutely tone deaf- she always refused to even go with me.”

“...Yes and because you like it so much, I… I-Is it so out of the realm of possibility that I’ve been practicing…?” She quickly comes back with an excuse, but it doesn’t sound like she even believes her own words.

You simply cross your arms and wait for her to say something, holding your scrutinizing gaze on her. The silence drags on an almost unbearable length of time.

“...You tricked me.” She quietly fumes, restraining the strength of her reaction so as to not cause an upset in public. Her lips form a glossy, tautly drawn line, and her fingernails dig into the strap of her purse like sharp claws.

“I tricked you?” The irony of the statement is extremely rich, coming from the body double standing in front of you. 

“You called the number!” The imposter whines, and rubs at her eye, sounding on the verge of breaking into tears at any moment. Despite the attempt to not make a scene, the occasional person slows to spectate. “We were having fun and you tricked me. That’s not fair.”

Even this spat is so different. If it was Mai, she would’ve already started reeling off on you for upsetting her, glances from others be damned.

But this is more sad and pitiful than anything. It’s not really fury or scorn in her expression, though, rather than a deep wounded mournfulness. And the more you look, the more you see an expression you never really saw in the real Mai much; pure, raw fear. The signs are clear to you- her body language like she’s ready to flee at any moment, and the shifting eyes of a wild animal looking for an escape route.

“Listen-” You can't help yourself, how distraught she seems pulling at your heartstrings, and reach your hand out to comfort her. You have no bad intentions, even with this revelation, after all. If anything, you’re relieved that the distinction between this person and Mai has been drawn. Maybe now, you can get to know this person even better, without the facade…

Just as your hand connects with her wrist, a dog starts barking loudly nearby, somewhere across the plaza, and a stranger unknowingly bumps into her back while passing by. The chaos causes her to be majorly spooked, letting out a yelp and nearly jumping out of her skin.

It happens so fast- one second ‘Mai’ is standing in front of you as normal. And the next, there’s a clattering sound and something falls before wobbling against the concrete. The figure standing in front of you looks almost translucent, with a canine nature to the shadowy silhouette of their head and shoulders, complete with pointed ears poking up.

‘Mai’ drops to her hands and knees immediately, into a pool of fabric, scrambling frantically to scoop the object- a smooth, pearly white mask carved with blue lines- up and bring it back to her face. She manages to get her trembling fingers around the item and replace it.

But something’s… wrong.

Instead of Mai’s features returning to the stranger’s face, the parts of this person’s face seem to rapidly cycle through bits and pieces of multiple individual faces, combined in a grotesque mishmash- an eyebrow changing here, a new set of lips there- like flipping in a panic through broadcast channels fraught with static, desperately trying to match the right ones into a coherent set.

You reach out again- this time bending to try to help her up, but it seems your attempts at aid are only being perceived as a threat. Instead of taking your hand for support, she freezes in place.

Only for a moment, mismatched eyes turned up at you.

Then, she disappears completely into a sparkling puff of dark magenta and violet colored smoke.

The mask falls to the ground, clattering and spinning all over again.

You cough and cover your face with your sleeve- but manage to spot the form of a small, orange animal dashing off through the legs of the throng of people coming and going, despite your tearing eyes. They’re headed away from the bridge, back into the entertainment district. You keep your eyes on the bushy tail underfoot for a while, but there just isn’t enough room for you to push through as you hit a more congested area. You quickly lose track of the form in the crowd that has gathered.

You search and try to regain the trail, but eventually give up, walk back to where the mask dropped, and pick it up. Its surface seems to be made of some sort of nacre, the way that it shines as you turn it over in your hands. It feels cool and inexplicably wet to the touch, despite it not getting your hands wet. There’s a singular, shining blue jewel inlaid into the forehead.

You decide to take the mask home with you before someone calls the guard, or worse, a suit from the mana bureau shows up to investigate.

By the time you get through the door to your apartment, you’re devastated. You lean against your closed apartment door, running your hand through your hair. Does this mean you won’t see her any more? Perhaps you were too harsh, trapping her like that, but you only wanted to know the different person underneath the mask she was showing you.

There has to be something you can do. 

You set the mask down on your foyer table gently, then you pull up your device, planning to call the number for the phone tree. It’s the only number you have for ‘Mai’- but the contact has mysteriously disappeared from the frequently called list in your device. You briefly chide yourself for never actually saving the number.

But it’s no matter- you’ve certainly memorized the number by now, so you punch it manually- only for the sound of a disconnected line to come back on the other end.

Panicking, you go to find the slip of paper you kept for sentimental reasons to double check you had the right number, only to find a dry, crumpled leaf in your desk drawer in its place.

“Damn it!” You swear and toss the leaf aside, unsure what you can even do at this point.

You sit in silence, hoping she’ll show up on her own, at least to come get her mask back, and then you can apologize and plead your case. But, you wait for days and she never shows up.

You check Mai's social media, but that only confirms to you that she and the person you came to know are completely different people. You kick yourself for not checking that earlier.

It takes a week of alternately wallowing in your feelings and researching in your free time, but you finally manage to contact a private investigator that doesn’t write your request off as deranged. His fee is equally deranged, so you suppose you’re in good company.

Then, it takes months of emotional turmoil on your end just waiting for news.

Just when you’re sure that the investigator just ran off with your gold, he finally gets back to you with a new number and the name of the business associated with the previous number- Club DREAM, a host club in the entertainment district that you’ve somehow never heard of, even with your years of familiarity with the nightlife in this city.

With a shaking hand, you dial the number.

It’s the same phone tree. You heave a massive sigh of relief. You’re one step closer.

You spend at least an hour on hold, but you weed your way through the numerous pre-recorded menus, but eventually get redirected to the business’ actual, live phone line. 

…It’s ringing.

“Club DREAM.” A boisterous, high-pitched voice of an older man crackles on the other end, distinctly curt for business etiquette. “What the hell do you want? Phone tree not good enough for you, buddy???”

“I- Um.” You swallow. You work with people all day and think you’re quite skilled at social interactions, but you can’t help but feel cowed by the killing intent through the phone. “Well…”

“Spit it out, will you?! I’m trying to watch my proo-oograms!” They bellow dramatically.

“I think I’m looking for one of your… employees? I think I have something that belongs to them. But I’m not sure…”

The man simply spits out an address and summarily hangs up.

You follow the directions on your device screen to a less than reputable, slightly seedy part of the entertainment district. 

Despite knowing the entertainment district like the back of your hand at this point, you've never known this place was over here.

You finally arrive at a cramped, ominous-looking, slightly run down building. The only entrance is from the back alley, which you have to imagine does not have a good effect on business. You would be concerned you were in the wrong place, but the buzzing neon sign above the door clearly sears CLUB DREAM onto the night.

The rickety front door rattles behind you as you enter. You're immediately assaulted by the sound of droning dance/pop hits, and a hanging haze of smoke.

Despite that, the interior is much more impressive than the outside, with modern furniture and tasteful decoration. Though, there is still a personal, almost lived-in, cozy touch of worn paint edges and the occasional burnt out bulb- slight imperfections caused by frequency of use.

There doesn't seem to be a host podium, so you head to the bar that seems to function as one.

The bar is backlit by an assortment of ghostly flames, dancing in metal-caged lanterns. They cast a soft, eerie glow that mingles with the artificial flood of the neon lights.

Curious…

It’s hard to pay too much attention to the wall of spirit lanterns, however, since the person standing in front of it behind the bar is impossible to miss. They’re imposingly tall and quite a bit round for the average city elf, clad in a jarring mix of loud colors and wild patterns, complete with a bright pink faux-fur stole sitting on their shoulders, and spectacles with long strands of beads hanging down.

“Ohhh, it’s a shame I’m retired, honey. You’re a handsome one.” The flamboyantly-berobed man coos at you in welcome, pulling their eyes from the screen perched above the bar. “Someone specific in mind you’re here to see today? Or perhaps you’re a first-timer- I haven’t seen your face before, I’m sure of it. I’d remember such a cutie.”

This is definitely the same person you spoke to on the call. Their voice is recognizable despite having a completely different vibe now; more warm and welcoming geniality, less blatant desire to murder you.

“I have M-” You stop, then correct yourself, if a bit cryptically; “...I have the mask.”

You pull the shiny mask partially out of your bag to show them, before letting it slip back down onto the pocket.

“Oh, it’s YOU.” The towering man gives a deadly, icy look over the flapping of the fan they’re cooling themselves with, and you swear you can feel the room get a few degrees colder. The less-than-friendly inflection from before is bad in full force, much more intimidating in person. “The dirtbag that stole my baby’s mask.”

Dirtbag? Stole? …Baby? 

“Er…”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn't call our bouncer over to pound you flat, you thief!”

“Well… I brought it back. And it wasn’t exactly easy…”

“Hmmph.” They snap their fan closed and shove it into their obi before thrusting out a manicured hand, palm up. “Well? What are you waiting for? Hand it over, then, honey.”

“I'd rather give it back to… them… directly.” You're hesitant to give the mask back to anyone but the correct person. “I… want to talk to them. Make sure they're alright.”

“Cute!! How sweet!! But I’ll be taking it, thanks!”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give this away to just anyone. I need to make sure it gets back to them.” You stand your ground and the grip on your bag’s strap tightens, not letting the mask out of your grasp quite yet.

The club owner gives you a long, scrutinizing look over, as if they're having a heated internal debate and you aren't privy to the details.

“Hhmmph. Well aren't you chivalrous. Fine! Suit yourself- But you can’t see them without their mask. It's not allowed!!”

Before you can form a coherent response, they keep talking, steamrolling the conversation. 

“HOWEVER, you do seem to be the genuine sort. So. Here is how this is going to work, sweetie: I’m going to escort you to table 6. You’re going to hand me their mask back, I’m going to take it back to them.” They rhythmically tap their lacquered nails on the counter with each point they lay out. ”THEN, if they WANT to see you, I’ll send them out to you. But only if THEY want to. If not, I'm sure there’s someone on staff that will suit your fancy. You are still a precious customer, after all!”

You don’t want anyone else, is the first thought that nearly jumps out of your mouth, but you manage to hold it in, instead agreeing diplomatically. You worry momentarily that you’re about to be set up to be beaten to a pulp by ‘security’ and thrown into a dumpster out back, but if this is the only way to see the person of your dreams again, you’re just going to have to go with it.

“Okay.”

To your surprise, you are not put directly into a meat grinder, but instead actually led by the club owner to table 6. You take a seat, then pull the mask back out of your bag with a sigh. The club owner snaps it up immediately and rushes off, neon fabric fluttering in their wake.

“Aaah, thank youuuu~ I’ll be back soon, honey. Or maybe I won’t- we’ll have to see!”

The wait can’t be that long in reality, but it is absolutely excruciating from your perspective. You fiddle with the edges of the drink menu, not even really looking at it, shift in your seat- any small fidgeting to try to assuage your crushing dread.

You only have to stew in your own misery and self-doubt for a short while before the club owner stops back at the table.

“He said he'll see you. But you better make it right. If you hurt my baby again, I’ll hurt you.” He impatiently takes your drink order (bullying you into buying one of the more expensive bottles on the menu), then the loud, bright blur of a man disappears, just as quickly as he returned.

Not long after that, a different person arrives at your table. A tall, lithe and handsome elven man with flawlessly smooth skin and dyed-orange hair styled into a shaggy wolf cut stands there, with the overpriced bottle of liquor the club owner managed to persuade you to purchase in hand. He’s dressed in an obnoxiously ornate version of a standard dressed-down business look; button up, black vest, slacks, pointed ankle boots. The whole outfit is adorned with strategically placed, shiny details and jewelry.

“Hello,” He dips his long body forward in deference, and you catch a pleasant whiff of heady cologne. “Welcome to Club DREAM.”

You don't need to be told- you know exactly who this is. It doesn’t matter that they don’t look or sound a thing like Mai. You can feel it with every fiber of your being- like a hand reaching straight into your chest and seizing you by the heart.

“It's you.”

“Aah- it’s that easy to tell…?” He smiles bashfully, eyes squeezing closed into crescents. “Maybe I should work harder on my presentation.”

“No, I just…” You can’t even begin to explain why you were able to identify them on sight, even without the context clues. “It’s because it’s you- I think I could point you out anywhere, now.”

“Ah.” He fidgets slightly, looking unfittingly awkward with his flushed cheeks, in stark contrast of what seems to be an otherwise carefully composed image. You get the feeling he’s usually as effortlessly smooth as the cultivated image itself, when dealing with customers that aren’t you.

Muscle memory seems to kick in, finally, and they gesture to the table, then the bottle of liquor they’re holding. “Would you like me to join you?”

“Please.” You reply, probably a bit too eagerly.

He takes a seat and you sit in silence for a few moments. The only sound besides the onslaught of slightly-fried pop music playing over the speakers and low thrum of mixed conversations around you is the alcohol being poured into your glass by the obnoxiously handsome man in front of you. Your plan to pathetically grovel for forgiveness as soon as you had their ear has been eroded by just how happy you are to see them. You could sit here for hours, taking in every new small detail of their appearance and committing it to memory.

“Thank you for returning my mask.” He finally says, mercifully breaking the stalemate.

“You’re welcome. I apologize for putting you in the situation to lose it.” Then, thinking of what sort of boss he seems to have, add; “I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble with, er, your work.”

“No, Mama has been quite understanding… Though, it must’ve been a pain to return it. it couldn't have been easy to find this place.”

“It was no problem at all, if it meant I could see you again.”

“You wanted to see me that badly…?” He almost seems bashful.

“Yes! I was so worried about you, M-” You catch yourself, not wanting to call him the incorrect name out of habit. “Wait, wait, first of all- What is your name? You must have one of your own…?”

“You can call me Kanae.”

In a bold move, you choose to forgo any honorific- but you truly feel that close to him, and wish to convey that.

“Kanae.” You repeat his name to him, and his already friendly, if a bit worried, expression brightens instantly. “I've missed you.”

“I missed you too. I've been so lonely without you.”

The words alone make your heart start racing. It wasn't just you lamenting being apart, then.

“If that's the case, may I sit beside you?”

“Yes, of course.”

He comes around and slides into the padded booth next to you. He’s barely settled in when he lays a hand on your thigh. You can feel the warmth of his body pressed against your side.

You’re so pleased, you’re pretty sure you could explode. Your soul is going to leave your body.

You nurse the drink in your glass, contemplating in silence trying to calm some of your nerves. And to try to push the sensation of his fingers resting on you out of your mind long enough to articulate a sentence.

“So, this is where you… work?”

“You could say that, yes. As you may have guessed, I am not a mortal. I am a kitsune.” 

“Do spirits usually work in host clubs?”

“They do when their pact holder is a host club owner, ehehe.”

It makes a lot of sense, you suppose. 

“...I suppose I’m wondering how any of this works… How did you know to look like Mai?”

You’re a simple numan, lacking in any tangible magic ability. While this sort of thing doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility, it’s hard for you to wrap your head around it, without the relevant experience with the arcane.

“When someone calls the number, Mama uses divination magic to determine who the person most wants to see. Then I, or one of his other familiars, assume the form of said person, and feed off of all the positive energy radiating from the client during the appointment. I can use that energy to assist Mama better in their other magic work.”

Ah, well. That certainly explains some things.“ You had your suspicions around how you felt so deeply fatigued after each date with ‘Mai’, and it’s a relief to have them confirmed. “But why do all of this? Couldn’t you just feed off on energy without going through so much trouble?”

“I could… but I think this way is better. Energy for me, gold for Mama’s business, and the customer is happy. I get what I want, Mama gets what he wants, the customers get what they want.” He elegantly fills your glass back up from the bottle with his free hand. “It’s a fair trade. And I always stop before there’s permanent damage- no one ever gets hurt.”

“What about the client’s feelings, though? Those must get hurt sometimes.”

“Oh?” Kanae tilts their head, seemingly confused by the prospect.

“Well, when they find out it’s not real. Doesn’t it hurt their feelings?”

“...Maybe…? I’ve never really thought about it. It's just fun, right? Either way, that doesn’t usually happen. Most people simply stop calling, for one reason or another… What you did was highly abnormal…”

You can still detect a bit of discomfort on his end with his last sentence, like you’re plucking on a raw nerve. His fingers tighten against the creases on your pants like claws, just slightly, before releasing the tension.

“I truly am sorry. I didn’t intend for it to turn out the way it did.” You let out a sigh. “I just wanted to see if you were… really her, I suppose.”

“It's true. I'm not her- I can never truly be her.” He says firmly, but with a bit of regret. “I'm sorry that I misled you.”

“There’s… no need to apologize, really.” You say, putting down the glass of liquor with a smile. “I'm actually quite glad.”

“Mmm?” Kanae tilts his head and reaches up tentatively, hand creeping up your shoulder, then the nape of your neck, before twining their slender fingers in your hair.

“I like you much better.”

“...Is that s-so?” He can’t keep his face from pulling into a smirk, his eyes blatantly on your mouth. “Hahah… I’m supposed to be the one doing the flattering here, you know…”

You've begun to lean in before you realize it, and the gentle hand touching the nape of your neck helps guide you into a soft kiss.

Spirits. His lips are just as soft as before, when you still thought you were kissing Mai.

You can’t even draw much of comparison to anyone you’ve kissed before, past that. He’s an exceptionally good kisser, with his affection for you clear in the way he savors your bottom lip. The desire is palpable in each graze of his teeth or swipe of his tongue.

The scent from before is much stronger now, with your face so close to him. It’s underneath the overlaying smoky, spiced smell of bar; there’s a more familiar scent, a musk almost like earth that’s just been rained on. You recognize it- it’s the same underlying note you sometimes detected under the strong floral of Mai’s favorite perfume, but had thought nothing of before.

You can’t stop.

You’re so enraptured, you barely even register that you’re kissing so deeply in plain view of anyone else in the establishment that happens to look this way. Not that anyone could probably even see what you’re doing, with the mood lighting in this place…

Kanae must not hate it, either; you can feel the sincerely desperate, hungry way his hands grope at your thigh. That’s certainly not the way someone that is just doing their job touches a client.

“I want to keep seeing you, Kanae.” You sneak the words out around trying not to gasp for air.  “Is that something that’s possible?”

“I’d like that too, hah-” You can hear the clear relief in his voice between the kisses he peppers onto your lips, your jaw, your neck. “I can’t bear the idea of never meeting again. Everyone else is so boring now. They’re not fun like you.”

You capture his lips in yours again, this time quickly losing track of time.

It’s several garbled music tracks later when Kanae pulls back with a laugh, the leather booth squeaking slightly with the sudden movement.

“Ah- I’m enjoying myself, but your time slot is almost up. And Mama hates when I go over time.” He smirks, pressing his fingertip to your bottom lip. “But… would you maybe like to come up to my room with me instead?”

You have never agreed to anything so readily in your entire life.

Kanae leads you to a narrow hallway, where behind a split curtain bearing the character for PRIVATE, there's a small set of creaky stairs. Despite the general shady look of the area he’s leading you through, when he opens a door at the end of the hall and shows you inside, you’re pleasantly surprised.

Despite the size and sparseness of the space, it’s very tidy and cozy; a strange mix of clinical and inviting. It looks almost as if someone had started to attempt to decorate a standard-issue hotel room, but didn’t quite know how to personalize it effectively. Clearly whomever decorated had an eye for design similar to that of a bird; most of the things are more here for their level of shine or sentiment, rather than objective monetary value.

Some things you certainly do recognize though. Every gift that you’ve given to Kanae while he was in Mai’s form is somewhere to be found in this room. The slightly out of place jewelry and perfume sitting on the small, faded wardrobe. Peaks of clothes that you recognize peeking out of the narrow, full-to-bursting closet. Even the pitiful little wall-eyed fox plush from your first ‘date’ is here, sitting propped against the oversized pillow atop the slightly unkempt bed. 

It warms your heart to see that he’s kept everything you’ve given him…

“This is your room, then? It’s quite cute.” You lose your shoes by the cramped entryway before entering the room proper.

“Thank you. Please make yourself comfortable. It’s not much, but Mama makes sure we all have our own space.”

You take a seat on the bed, as Kanae gestures for you to do. Then he climbs onto the bed after you, pushing you backwards by the shoulders with a laugh and a set of hungry, toothy kisses.

After making some minor positioning adjustments for both of your comfort, you’re fully sprawled out on top of his fluffy bedspread. Kanae is hovering over you, sitting on his tucked knees, flush to your side.

You grab the stuffed fox you’ve fallen back onto by the head like your hand’s a crane game claw- gently- and place it on the nearby nightstand, facing away. Or at least you think it is…

Kanae makes a noise of approval and his hands dexterously unbutton the front of your dress shirt, exposing your chest. He leans in to press his lips to the expanse of skin along the top of your pec, hands continuing to work down the buttons and wisps of styled orange hair tickling you.

“Ah-” 

After a bit of teasing, well-needed attention, he finally pulls up with a gasp, looking down at your flushed skin with a look of pride. 

“So, is this what you normally look like?” You ask, your curiosity starting to burn a hole in your tongue as badly as the heat suddenly burning up your face. Your hands are already running down his sides, getting dangerously close to the base of his spine. “I like it.”

“Yes and no. This is my favorite face, so to speak. Mama gave it to me when he retired, since he wasn’t using it anymore. His face is my face now.” He tilts his head, displaying his own beautiful features to you with a look of pride as he shrugs out of his vest and then starts to explore your chest with his hands. “Or at least the one that feels the most like my own. My true form looks much different than this.”

That’s the familiarly you’re seeing in his face, you realize. Your mind finally draws the connection between the features of the man in front of you and the bombastic club owner downstairs, though they’re much more youthful on Kanae.

You can't say you're not intrigued by the idea of what Kanae really looks like- something similar to that glimpse of shadow you saw when his mask fell off, you wager- but a more pressing question enters your mind first.

“Wouldn’t he mind you using his face for, uh… certain activities?”

“Oh- I don’t think he minds at all- He certainly doesn’t look like this now, after all, ehehe.” A faint, mischievous smile settles on his lips, and for a moment you swear you catch a glimpse of vulpine eye teeth. “I don’t mind. …Do you?”

His hands wanders to your waistband, waiting for a response.

“...N-No.” You can’t find it in you to feel shame about it- the difference in looks is wide enough for you to choose to simply delete that information from your mind forever.

He makes a noise of approval, then turns his attention to your still fastened slacks, making short work of your belt and zipper and making room to pull your dick out from your pants. His hand is squeezing you around the base testingly, soft but firm pressure, before he moves his fingers upwards in a few slow, drawn out strokes.

Then, abruptly and without any ceremony, he reaches over and thrusts his hand under the oversized pillow behind your head, hand re-emerging moments later with a small jar of viscous liquid.

You cock your head in surprise, though the sight isn’t something that surprises you for long. Of course Kanae keeps his lube underneath his pillow; that suits him perfectly.

Lukewarm slick dribbles onto your cock from the bottle, the continued loving movements of Kanae’s palm and fingers spreading it across the length of your shaft with soft, squelching noises.

Kanae watches the movements of his hand glide up and down your slippery cock with a diligent smile. His bright eyes flick up occasionally to monitor your expression.

“Nngh-” You wince, unable to keep the grunt of impatience from your chest. You’ve been waiting to feel his touch again for so long, and now that it’s happening, all you can think about is getting more.

Kanae laughs softly at your desperately eager state.

“Oh… Do you like this?” He asks in an innocent tone. You know he’s being coy, given the fact he’s already stroking you in your favorite way- clearly retaining the knowledge from the times he’s done this to you before as ‘Mai’.

“I think you know full well-” You huff, your whole body beginning to heat up.

You watch down your body, rapt as your eyes follow Kanae's hand enthusiastically servicing you. You've gone from excited and half-hard to rock solid and throbbing in his hand in no time.

“Mmm… Looks like someone is ready for more. This soon, even.” He sighs, thumb tip dragging the edge of your foreskin up and pressing into the well of accumulated precum on your slit. “It’s just so hard to be patient, isn't it…?”

“I've never been with a man like this,” You admit, slight hesitancy in your tone. While you've always found men attractive as well, you’ve been with Mai for most of your young adulthood, so you haven't had much opportunity to explore any of that. “So, please excuse my inexperience.”

“Mmh- Don’t worry, honey.” Kanae says in a reassuring, affectionate tone as he removes his pants and straddles you.“I’ll take care of everything.”

You can feel his hardness press against your thigh, and there’s a clear small patch of wetness on the front tail of the button-up he still wears. The sight makes you want to explode.

“Ah- Are you sure?” Despite how lovely the prospect sounds, you’re typically very invested in making sure you’re giving proper service to your partner, so the idea of just laying back and leaving all the work to Kanae makes you a bit uncomfortable.

“Yes,” Kanae says, eyes glinting mischievously. “I’ve already prepared myself.”

“That’s-” You’re only distracted by the way the thought makes your dick twitch by the seemingly impossible logistics. “Wait, when did you have time to do that?”

“Before I came to the table earlier.” Kanae says simply, smirking without a lick of guilt in their expression- instead oozing a perverse sort of pride. “I had the hope that since you showed up- you’d want to do this.”

The dumbstruck grin on your face turns into an open-mouthed groan as he lowers his prepped hole onto your cock. He grins your chest for balance and presses himself down eagerly, inching down your shaft faster than you'd expect; you expect he must know what he's doing.

Kanae lets out a long, dreamy sigh that changes into a faltering whimper as he reaches the root of your dick, flesh grinding against your pelvic bone.

“Aah- Amazing-” You choke out into the back of your hand, already slightly dazed by the tight, warm feeling of his body squeezing around you.

He starts out with a gentle rocking, but it doesn’t take long for him to lose his sense of restraint and build up to riding you with a forceful, reckless sense of urgency.

“Ah-h-” Kanae grimaces, his features flickering and threatening to change like they did before, when he had lost his mask. “S-Sorry- I don’t think I can k-keep this up- Nngh-”

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?” You lift your torso slightly, ready to help if he needs it.

“No- the opposite-” They pant sheepishly, obviously struggling hard to keep their form cohesively looking like his host persona. “Too good! Can't- focus-”

“Should we stop?”

“Don’t want to- but-”

“It's okay- Hah- Y-You can show me what you look like-” Your fingers dig into his thighs for emphasis. “You can trust me, Kanae-”

Kanae lets out a vulpine whimper in the last lingering bit of protest he has left in him, but doesn’t need more convincing than that to let the illusion drop.

The elven features melt away in waves, starting at the crown of his head, sloughing off his shoulders and dripping down his nimble fingertips. His skin loses its flesh color, changing instead to an almost ghostly partially translucent black color, like a light wash of ink. His body is still solid despite looking like a silhouette, but softer and malleable. You can feel your fingertips dig in ever so slightly more into his thigh than before.

And of course, his face becomes completely smooth, changing into a recognizable, simple mask with fox-like features painted onto its pearlescent surface.

“Aah-” Even Kanae’s voice has a slightly echoing, ethereal aspect to it now, and his shiny claws struggle to not tear into where he holds you down by shoulders. “Nnh-”

Despite Kanae’s initial protests, you are largely unfazed by the change. If anything, you’re even more enamored by the change. You can’t help yourself, thrusting upwards into the new, slippier sensation of Kanae’s partially incorporeal body. His body feels as oddly damp and slick as the surface of his mask.

His claws prick your skin as he pointedly grinds backwards a few times, any self-consciousness forgotten in his single-minded pursuit.

“Ggrr-ngh-” A growl tapers off in Kanae’s throat as his body goes completely rigid, his insides clench around you in a vice-grip and he keens, shooting his pleasure across your stomach.

It’s too much. You don’t have any hope of containing yourself any longer, and hold him firmly to you by his sides as you roll your hips upwards through the feeling of your orgasm. Your muscles contracting so hard you momentarily forget to breathe, warmth spreading out over where you’re still lodged inside of him.

Kanae lets himself sink forward onto your chest, energy completely depleted, with his arms tucked up and hands curled on your chest. You can see the brush tip of his tail twitching from your view down his back.

“Kanae, will you be mine?” You say as you finally regain enough breath to speak coherently. “I want to be with you.”

“Ahah- I-” The expression on the mask doesn’t change, but you can hear his voice waver in muted, but elated excitement. His tail whips behind him even faster. “I’d like that.”

You press a soft, affectionate kiss to the smooth, solid surface of his mask, feeling the coolness on your lips.

You may have lost a lot in the past year, but what you’ve managed to keep means so much more to you.

>> ✨ MASTERLIST >> ☕ KO-FI

[coachamakaadindu]

Why Spamming and Cold Calling Do Not Work

Why Spamming and Cold Calling Do Not Work

One of the biggest problems facing small businesses is finding customers. And while Spamming and cold calling or mass emailing might help you make contact. With a lot of people, those people aren’t likely to become paying customers, much less loyal, repeat customers.Here’s why it doesn’t work, and what you should do instead and to avoid Spamming and cold calling. They do not work most of the…

[danlous]

omg thank you for that ask, i complained about this to another fan yesterday on here because they were already complaining about the fandom and they acted super dismissive about my concerns of the show sidelining louis and all of a sudden having the money to market the show… plus rolin basically admitting during season 2 that amc had greenlit the show with the prospect of reaching tvl, like this is all documented and yet (white) people get mad when somebody points this out (this person’s followers literally asked them to tag the asks as fandom discourse).

its really sad to see this show turn into the likes of good omens, ofmd in terms of fandom white shenanigans but also the way the creators have been acting way more enthusiastic about the next season than the season that just ended a month ago is just very disheartening and it must be even more frustrating for the leads of color given that delaney and assad were barely asked any relevant questions during interviews at sdcc. also the way fans have been treating any criticism of this as “discourse” or “drama” because now finally they have a white protag and can see themselves reflected on him, now finally the poc can leave the room and we can have fun with our white fave all we want :)

idk it’s just sad that everyone not only rolin is treating this show like now FINALLY the real show they all wanted all along is starting, we just had to put with the wokeness and drama first 🙄

Not the good omens and ofmd comparison, the two most annoying fandoms sfjdk. So true about fans dismissing any criticism as discourse or drama. Personally my main issue is with the marketing department and parts of the fanbase and i have a bit more trust in Rolin. I don't think he would've chosen to include themes of racism and abuse so heavily in the first two seasons if they didn't genuinely interest him, and we know that putting Lestat in every episode in s2 was something that the network demanded and they had to come up with dreamstat, implying that Rolin himself would've included Lestat less if it was his decision. But he does say some weird and irritating stuff sometimes that makes me go dude what are you even talking about i hope you're joking. We'll see is he worth my cautious trust

I think this season we've really suffered from the lack of black and other non-white interviewers and critics having access to the show and cast. Like Autumn's videos were fun enough but they could never replace something like Naomi's podcast in s1 which was cancelled. It's actually crazy how the themes of race and racism though maybe less explicit were just as strong this season as in s1, but almost no one outside of non-white fans on tumblr and twitter talks about it. Like everything that happened to Louis and Claudia this season, concluding to actual public lynching, is inextricable from their race (and i'm 100% sure it was intentionally written that way) but it's like it doesn't even cross all those mostly white interviewers and critics and hosts' minds to ask about it. Like as someone with South Asian heritage living in a white majority and racist as hell country if i got to interview Assad literally my first question would be how Armand's Indian backgroud influences his character and experiences and how he and other characters perceive it. I mean i don't think you need to be non-white to ask questions about stuff related to race, but unfortunately lots of white people aren't really interested in it or think about it all

[investmentassistant]

Career change checklist

Embarking on a career change is an exciting but often daunting decision. Whether it's driven by a desire for a new challenge, a shift in personal interests, or the necessity for a better work-life balance, the process requires thoughtful planning and strategic action. This article outlines a detailed checklist to help you transition smoothly and confidently into your new career path.

Assess your interests and skills

Begin by identifying what you are passionate about. Think about tasks or topics that excite you and reflect on moments when you felt most fulfilled at work. Knowing what you love doing will guide you towards a career that matches your interests.

Make a comprehensive list of your skills, focusing on both technical and soft skills. Evaluate which skills are transferable to your desired industry and which might need strengthening. This will help you understand the gaps in your skill set and identify areas for improvement.

Sometimes, outside perspectives can offer valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. Talk to colleagues, mentors, or friends about what they think are your most marketable skills and consider their advice in your planning.

Research and explore new career options

Investigate potential industries that align with your interests. Look for emerging sectors with high growth potential as well as more established fields. Understanding industry trends can help you choose a career path with long-term prospects.

Reach out to professionals already working in your target field. Informational interviews can provide insider details that aren't available online. This network can also be crucial once you start applying for jobs.

Upgrade your education and training

Determine if your new career path requires specific qualifications that you don’t currently have. For some careers, you might need to return to school or obtain specific certifications.

Consider enrolling in relevant courses or workshops. Many are offered online and can be completed while you continue to work in your current job. This not only enhances your skills but also shows potential employers your commitment to entering the field.

Practical experience is invaluable. Look for opportunities to work on projects, whether through internships, volunteering, or part-time positions. This can be essential for building a relevant resume.

Update your professional brand

Revise key aspects of your professional presentation to align with your new career goals:

Resume. Adapt your resume to reflect your new career direction, emphasizing transferable skills and any newly acquired qualifications or experiences.

Online presence. Update your LinkedIn profile and other relevant social media to showcase your shift towards a new industry.

Networking. Leverage your existing network and actively expand it in your new industry by attending events and joining relevant groups.

Financial planning for your career change

Transitioning careers might involve a period of reduced income. Ensure you have sufficient savings to cover this phase. Consider how long you can support yourself without a steady income and plan accordingly.

Budget for any required education or training. The investment in further education is often offset by the long-term benefits of increased earning potential and job satisfaction.

Conclusion

A career change can reinvigorate your professional life and lead to greater job satisfaction. By following this detailed checklist, you equip yourself with the tools necessary for a successful transition. Remember that every step forward, even the small ones, is part of your journey to a fulfilling new career.